Sun 28 Apr 2013 The Guardian Nigeria

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E D I T I O N

IBRUCENTRE 40

COVER 55

NEWSPEOPLE 28

Do Not Try 2015, Primate Olabayo Warns President Jonathan

Polity Heats Up As APC Emerges: How Is PDP Responding?

The Fall Of Oshiomhole Vs Igbinedion: Delta Steel Company, Verbal Warri Rumble

BUSINESS 44

TheGuardian Conscience, Nurtured by Truth

Sunday, April 28, 2013

Vol. 29, No. 12,540

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UN, US Focus On Terror In Nigeria, Want Probe Of Baga Killings From Laolu Akande, (New York) and Njadvara Musa (Maiduguri) OP officials of the United T States government and the United Nations got a chance to express dissatisfaction over the increasing violence and terrorism in Nigeria, as the state of the nation became the major agenda in both New

• Federal Government To Erect Wall Along Border With Chad • Senator Faults Official Figures On Carnage, Says 228 Lives, 4,000 Houses Lost York and Washington DC, where Foreign Minister, Gbenga Ashiru, has been visiting until weekend.

Informed sources and official statements issued after both meetings between Ashiru and

US Secretary of State, John Kerry, on Thursday at the US capital, and with UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, on Friday in New York, revealed that the Nigerian Minister had to explain the Federal govern-

ment’s handling of not only the Boko Haram and insecurity issues, but also the dwindling anti-corruption efforts, reform questions in the oil sector and other areas of international concern.

This comes as sources in the presidency hinted that the Federal Government will soon start fencing the Nigeria-Chad border, in the Northeast, to prevent unwanted persons, including Islamic militants

milling around the region, from gaining easy access into the country.

The move follows fresh concerns regarding the international dimensions of the criminality in North-eastern Nigeria, especially the Baga carnage, which according to Senator Maina Ma’aji Lawan,

CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

NEWS 2

Kano Weds 1,000 Widows In Govt House NEWS 4

GSM Subscribers Seek Reduction In Porting Time NEWS 3

Why We Grounded Amaechi’s Plane, By NAMA, NCAA NEWS 3

SUCCESS ON THEIR MINDS: Candidates writing the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UMTE), at the University of Abuja permanent site in Abuja…yesterday.

Shell Shares: Uduaghan Wants New Investors To Operate Joint Ventures

By Geoff Iyatse N emerging trend in new A Joint Venture (JV) arrangements arising from the sale of shares by the Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), is now a major concern among stakeholders, including the beneficiary private operators that bought the stakes.

• ‘Sacked’ Owners Of Moribund Delta Steel Company Negotiate Comeback Specifically, Delta State Governor, Dr, Emmanuel Uduaghan, expressed the concern that, “in the latest joint venture, that is, the shares of Shell that is being sold to other private investors, the other private investors are not allowed to carry out the operations.”

Opposed to the old arrangement, where the International Oil Companies (IOCs) were the operators of the JVs, the Nigeria Petroleum Development Company (NPDC), a subsidiary of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), in con-

junction with alliance companies, are the operators in the new joint ventures emanating from the 45 percent “share offload” from Shell and Total.

Except for the Oil Mining Licences (OMLs) 4, 38, and 41, being operated by the private operator, the others, including

42, 26 and 30, are statutorily run by the NPDC, a situation that has now drawn the ire of experts.

The concern is that the NPDC, as government subsidiary with a lot of bureaucratic bottlenecks, is considered unfit to CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

Lagos Records 13,938 Road Traffic Accidents In 15 NEWS 5

Concerns Over Fate Of UTME As Students Write Exams

TheGuardian

2 | Sunday, April 28, 2013

Conscience, Nurtured by truth

Mass Wedding For 1,000 Widows Held In Kano From Abba Anwar, Kano NE thousand widows were O yesterday handed over in marriage to their chosen husbands by the Kano State governor, Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso, as part of government’s initiative to ameliorate social decadence and strengthen marriage institution in the state.

The marriage ceremony took place at the Kano central mosque, attached to the Emir’s palace in a celebration,

which attracted people from all walks of life within and outside the country.

The event, which brought smiles to the faces of so many people, was coordinated by the state’s Hisbah Board. The state government in collaboration with a renown Kano business mogul, Sheikh Isyaka Rabi’u, who is the leader of Tijjaniyyah Islamic sect in Africa, paid the bride price on behalf of the husbands.

N10,000 was given to each of

the married women as their bride price.

Seventy-six widows’ hands were given out to their husbands at the central mosque, while 21 others were handed over to the husbands in each of the 44 local governments of the state, making a total of 1,000 widows.

The first batch of mass marriage took place last year when 250 widows were given out to their husbands. 100 widows were married off in the second

batch and yesterday’s event was the third in the series.

Kwankwaso lamented that government was concerned about the plight of widows in the state, which was why his administration decided to look for avenues to reduce the number of widows.

“I want to leave a legacy behind that will be strong on women empowerment. We need to help our women in the little way we can,” he said.

Before the marriage was

conducted, the prospective couples were screened for HIV/AIDS and other blood test at recognized hospitals to be sure of their health condition.

After the marriage, the couples converged at the Government House for a gettogether party.

Sani Saleh, one of the celebrants, commended the state government for taking up his responsibilities in realizing his long-held dream. “I don’t know how to thank this

Godly-arranged Islamic activity that means a lot in my entire life,” he said.

Apart from the bride price, other materials given to the couples include beds, mattresses and kitchen utensils.

“I hope to be among the celebrants during the next batch. I have already sighted the lady I need as a wife. I saw her picture with the Hisbah Board. I just hope she will match with me when the time comes,” Suleiman Abubakar said.

Boko Haram: Govt To Erect Wall Along Border With Chad CONtINueD FROM PAGe 1 representing Borno North Senatorial District, claimed 228 lives and 2,0000 houses.

At both meetings in Washington DC and New York, UN and US officials put questions to Ashiru, regarding the Boko Haram problem, the escalation in terrorist attacks and the feared extra-judicial killings in Borno State recently.

While senior US and UN officials at the meeting wanted an investigation on the extra-judicial killing suspected in Baga, it was not clear whether either of the meetings discussed the controversial issue of amnesty for terrorists.

But a statement by Nigeria’s Foreign Minister, at the weekend, simply noted that at the meeting in Washington DC on Thursday, the US Secretary of State was “informed of the special efforts we are making on opening up areas of economic development and generating employment, especially in northern Nigeria, as a means of checking easy recruitment into Boko Haram.”

Regarding the issue of extra judicial killings in dealing with terrorists, Ashiru’s statement disclosed that the Americans “expressed concern,” adding that Kerry specifically expressed the desire of the US government “to see human rights violators in the process of dealing with the Boko Haram brought to justice.”

But the Americans also used the meeting to express their concern over the fading anticorruption efforts, especially with the controversial pardon granted the former Bayelsa State Governor. According to Ashiru, “we discussed America’s concern on the pardon granted to some convicted former officials.”

But the Minister who was accompanied by Professor Ade Adefuye, Nigeria’s Ambassador to the US, and other officials, explained that he assured the US government that the federal government was still committed to the fight against corrup-

tion in Nigeria, especially by promising that Nigeria will prosecute those involved in oil subsidy scandals.

In New York, according to a UN press statement issued Friday evening, “the SecretaryGeneral and the Foreign Minister discussed recent developments in Nigeria, including the recent spate of violence in the northern part of the country.”

Earlier in the week the Secretary-General Ban had issued a statement condemning the high rate of civilian casualty in the Baga killings while also calling for an end to terrorists attacks in the country.

Meanwhile, a senior presidency official, said the idea of erecting a security wall along the Nigeria-Chad border had been receiving official consideration for some time, but gained weight after the recent fighting in Baga, Borno State that pitched soldiers from Nigeria, Niger and Chad against terrorists who had turned the area into a base to attack civilians across northern Nigeria.

The source said: “The truth is, the security situation along the border with Chad has worsened considerably and we might need to take some radical measures to restore normalcy to the area and protect our people from these foreign criminals.”

He said intelligence reports from the area show that Nigerian communities along parts of the borders with Niger and Chad are exposed to frequent attacks from criminals from these countries, who are in the habit or stealing livestock and produce belonging to Nigerian farmers and attacking women in the area.

The raid, which dated to the Chadian Civil War in the 1980s, has since morphed into terrorism, as foreign militants and arms dealers are now believed to be using these routes to foment trouble in Nigeria.

The controversial military operation in Baga is reported to have killed, at least, 185 civilians and destroyed a quarter of the community.

But the Nigerian Army is disputing this figure. It said only 37 persons died in the clash, including six civilians, one soldier and 30 members of the Boko Haram sect.

The commander of the JTF in the area, Brig Gen Austin Edokpaye, told reporters, last week, that the force was surprised by the array of sophisticated heavy weapons, including rocket-propelled grenades, deployed by the terrorists.

He said the military action, which is believed to be ongo-

ing, had led to arrest of several Boko Haram members and recovery of heavy weapons.

But the number of civilian casualties, which independent assessors say are much higher than the ones quoted by the army, means the Federal Government is looking beyond military options to secure the area. These include

the deployment of surveillance equipment or erecting a structure across the border.

“We are studying the example of the United States along its southern border with Mexico, which has been demarcated by fence and walls to stop the flow of guns, drugs and unwanted persons from crossing the border,” the official said.

Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State (left), his wife, Florence and the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi III (centre) during fitness walk in Oyo town, tagged: ‘Ajumorin Walk’ in Oyo State... yesterday.

PhOtO: StAte hOuSe

‘Sacked’ Owners Of Closed Delta Steel Company Negotiate Comeback CONtINueD FROM PAGe 1 operate such ventures, an operator, who did not want his name in print, said yesterday.

Expressing concern over the development, Governor Uduaghan said: “There is this other challenge: Shell is leaving, but the oil is not leaving. I say so because Shell cannot move away the oil; what would happen is that if Shell leaves, another company that is into exploration of oil will come and drill the oil, so the process of getting out oil will continue.

Theoretically, that is the way it should be, but the challenge we are having now is that in the joint venture between Shell, Chevron and NNPC, the operators are the IOCs, but we understand that in the latest joint venture, that is, the shares of Shell that is being sold to other private investors, the other private investors are not allowed to carry out the operations. They said the NPDC, which is an arm of NNPC, is the one now carrying out the operations.

“What we hear is that NPDC does not have that kind of capacity because it is like another government organ.

And so their commitment will

not be as deep as that of a private operator, who will know that if he does not operate very well, he will not make enough profit. That is our biggest worry really,” Uduaghan stressed.

He continued: “If the companies that have taken over the shares of Shell are probably allowed to operate, the effects might not be much, whether there is Shell or not because it is about the business, and the oil business will continue, even without that company. What I am trying to do now, as a governor is to see whether I can discuss with the federal authorities to let them know the effects of this on us.”

Meanwhile, news of possible reopening of Delta Steel Company (DSC) should, ordinarily, be received by host communities and the entire country with joy; but the indigenes of Udu, a Kingdom in Warri, Delta State, where the company is located, have vowed to resist the return of Global Infrastructure Holding Limited (GIHL) should it be cleared to repossess the steel plant seized from the Indian firm last year.

The warning that the Indian firm would not be welcome by the Urhobo communities comes at a time negotiation

among official of the Asset Management Company of Nigeria (AMCON), the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), the Ministry of Mines/Steel Development and other relevant agencies on the matter is said to have commenced.

It would be recalled that a court ruling was last May passed in favour of AMCON who had filled a suit, demanding to take over the company’s assets used by GIHL to obtained N31 billion loans from a consortium of three banks.

The Indian firm took over the DSC following a privatisation process that saw it emerging alongside Global Infrastructure Nigeria Limited as preferred bidder.

The Otota of Udu Kingdom, Chief Sam Odibo, in an interview with The Guardian, has warned that the community leaders would not guarantee peaceful coexistence between the Indians and their hosts “if they return to the company under any guise.”

Also, in a letter by the Udu Traditional Council to President Goodluck Jonathan, which was signed by Odibo and other two traditional heads, the kingdom objected to what they described as wicked con-

nivance among politicians to return the Indians. They alleged that GIHL contributed nothing to the development of the company, but rather stripped it of essential equipment.

Sources privy to the alleged ongoing plan to bring back the Asian investors said the only condition that is stalling it (the arrangement) is government’s demand that Primot Mittal, herdsman of the Indian group, dissociate himself from a GIHL that will return to the country’s steel sector through DSC, which is currently under receivership.

While BPE’s spokesman, Chigbo Anichebe, did not confirm if the bureau is actually part of the fresh negotiation, when reached on telephone on Friday, he admitted the organization would not stop the Indians if they paid up debt owed AMCON. Asked whether BPE is among the agencies currently negotiating the comeback of GIHL, he said: “If they settle AMCON, we will not have anything to do with that.”

However, the receiver manager, Ajibola Aribisala, disclosed that AMCON is searching for new buyer to recover the loan.

THE GUARDIAN, Sunday, April 28, 2013

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NEWS

FG Grounds Amaechi’s Aircraft Over ‘Illegal Operations’

By Wole Shadare and Chika Goodluck-Ogazi HE Nigeria Civil Aviation T Authority (NCAA), yesterday, declared that the aircraft in the service of Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State was on illegal operations in the country.

Consequent upon this, the NCAA has grounded the Bombardier -BD 700 Global Express aircraft, with registration number N565RS, which, the authority said, had an expired clearance approval effective April 2, 2013.

Addressing reporters yesterday at the Aviation House, the headquarters of NCAA, the Director of Air Worthiness Standards, Engineer Benedict Adeyileka, explained that, while the aircraft was still operating illegally, it has been sighted in several places, including Owerri and Akure.

The NCAA director said about the incident:” The controversial aircraft on the service of Governor Rotimi Amaechi is operating illegally on the country. The aircraft, a Bombardier BD 700, Global Express with registration number N565RS, has its clearance approval expired since Tuesday, April 2, 2013.

“By our records, the last flight clearance for this aircraft was approved for operations on Thursday March 28,

• This Is ‘Cock-and-bull’ Story — Rivers Government • Agency Has No Business With Manifest, Say experts • Why We Grounded Plane, By NAMA 2013 on Accra/Port Harcourt and Accra to terminate on April 2, 2013.

“With this development, the aircraft has exceeded the extra two days or 48 hours leeway for it to leave the country.

“While still operating illegally, the aircraft has been sighted in several places, including Owerri and Akure. The owner of this aircraft, according to the certificate of registration, is Bank of Utah Trustees of Salt Lake City, Utah United States of America.

“The clearance for the aircraft was sought by Caverton Helicopters on March 27,2013.

NCAA did not ground the aircraft prior to request for start up in Akure on Friday 26, April 2013.

Consequently, this aircraft in reference is hereby grounded at any airport that is located right now in the country.”

Meanwhile, the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), during a press briefing at its headquarters in Lagos yesterday, defended its action in delaying the aircraft carrying the Rivers State Governor at the Akure Airport on Friday.

Managing Director of NAMA, Mr. Nnamdi Udoh, said Amaechi’s aircraft was delayed due to the inability of the pilot

to submit manifest of passengers onboard.

According to him, the aircraft was not grounded by the airspace manager. He also stressed that aviation personnel do not mingle with politics.

But Amaechi, a statement, signed by his Chief Press Secretary, David Iyofor, described the defence by the authorities as “cock-and-bull” story.

According to the Chief Press Secretary, “Our plane, a Bombardier jet owned by the Rivers State Government, landed at the airport in Owerri. It was in Owerri that the pilot of our plane was first tipped off that there is a plot to ground our plane in Owerri that Friday. “… Once our party left the Akure airport for Ekiti, our pilot went to the airport offices to make statutory airport payments and fees, file his flight plan and declare his manifest. After filing his fight plan and declaring his manifest, our pilot was told to go and see the Controller.

“The Controller bluntly told him that the Rivers Government plane would not be allowed to leave the airport. In other words, the plane had been grounded!

“He said that the plane

should have been grounded in Owerri. The Controller on duty at the airport in Akure mentioned some vague issues relating to the customs papers of the plane, which has been flying in Nigeria for many months? That didn’t make any sense to the pilot.

“He enquired on whose orders the plane was being grounded, he was told that it was the Managing Director of the Nigerian Airspace Management Authority (NAMA).

And that he should reach the NAMA MD. “It is indeed most shameful and ludicrous that NAMA and the Aviation authorities are now saying that they grounded the Rivers State Government plane because the pilot did not file a flight plan and declare a manifest. That’s a blatant lie.”

But Captain Dele Ore, a pilot, yesterday said it was not the business of the Nigeria Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) to ask for the manifest of people onboard an airplane, saying it is beyond the power of the agency.

Ameachi flew into the airport Friday at about 4.pm from where he was transported to Ekiti State to attend the funeral of the deceased Deputy Governor, Mrs. Funmilayo Olayinka.

However, on his return to the airport, the control tower refused to clear his plane for take off for over an hour and no one

was willing to explain the reason to the governor, which made him even more furious, one of the governor’s aides had said.

Speaking to The Guardian yesterday, Ore, who is the president of the Aviation Round Table (ART), said it was not clear under which rule the River States government was operating the aircraft, adding, “It is most likely going to be under charter service or operations.

Ore disclosed that Part 8 (22) of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulation 2009 stipulates that it is only in Hire and Reward operation, that is, commercial operations, that manifests are required, adding that once a flight plane is given before hand, there was no reason to ask for a manifest for that type of operations.

To him, manifest simply means the number of persons on board for the sole purpose of insurance in case of accident, adding that manifest requirement was beyond the powers of NAMA. His words, “”We don’t know under which rule the Rivers States government is operating the aircraft. It is most likely going to be under charter service or operation. If it is under charter operation, there is no requirement for manifest. It is beyond the powers of NAMA to ask for manifest. All that NAMA needs to know is the number of people onboard and not asking for manifest”.

JTF Kills Top Boko Haram Commander In Maiduguri MAIDUGURI From: Njadvara Musa, Maiduguri HE military Joint Task Force (JTF) in Borno State has killed a top commander of Boko Haram terrorists’ sect, Mohammed Chad, in a joint special operation with the Department of State Security Services (DSSS) in the Ruwan Zafi Ward of Maiduguri metropolis at 3am on Friday.

Chad, according to JTF sources in Maiduguri, had been on the wanted list of the security task force since last year; and allegedly masterminded the multiple attacks and killings on Sanda Kyarimi Secondary School, where a teacher on March 18 was shot dead and three female students injured.

The killing of the terrorist’s commander was disclosed, yesterday, in Maiduguri, in a statement JTF spokesman, Lt. Col Sagir Musa, made available to newsmen.

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New Speaker Denies Involment In Boss’ Impeachment NATIONAL From: Charles Akpeji, Jalingo HE newly-elected speaker of the Taraba State House of Assembly, Haruna Tsokwa, has debunked the allegation that he and his colleagues were sponsored to impeach his former boss, Istifanus H. Gbana ,and other principal officers of the House in order to facilitate the confirmation of the acting governor as the substantive governor of the State.

Tsokwa, who made this known to The Guardian yesterday, in Jalingo, said the members’ action was based on realities on ground and not as a result of selfish interest.

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Lagos PDP Women Harp On Training LAGOS

By Babatunde Oso ASED on the need to complement Federal Government women empowerment efforts, the Lagos State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Women Vanguard has organised the first phase of its vocational training programme for women in the State.

At a colourful ceremony held in Surulere on Thursday, certificates were presented to the participants.

According to the President of Lagos PDP Women Vanguard, Mrs. Abiola Folami Ada, the programme became necessary as a way of complementing the Federal Government’s women empowerment efforts.

Mrs. Ada said, “notwithstanding the large number of women in President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration, women have remained the underdogs in the political arena, in spite of their efforts as grassroots mobilisers.”

Calling on women in public offices to help those in the grassroots, the Ada said, women empowerment is not and should not be about allotting fund, but impacting on the people, especially those at the grassroots.

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Managing Director, Jouf Ventures Limited, Mr. Joseph Udeh (left); Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu; Chairman, Aninri Local Government Area, Christopher Nwobodo; and Director, Jouf Ventures, Mrs. Chinedu Udeh during the conferment of chieftaincy on Senator Ekweremadu and Hon. Nwobodo, and the Launch of Nenwe Civic Center held in Nenwe play ground, Enugu State.

Lagos Records 13, 398 Road Traffic Accidents In 15 Months

By Kamal Tayo Oropo HE Lagos State government has disclosed that 13,398 road accidents, which included commercial motorcycle, popularly called Okada, were recorded in the last 15 months. Out of these mishaps, 148 deaths were recorded.

The State government disclosed this in a joint press briefing held in Ikeja, at the weekend, by the Commissioners for Transportation, Health as well as Information and strategy, Mr. Kayode Opeifa,

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• 6, 131 Okada Accidents, 148 Deaths Recorded LAGOS Dr. Jide Idris and Mr. Aderemi Ibirogba in that order. They, however, vowed to commence aggressive enforcement of the road traffic laws, saying the level of disobedience of the law has increased since January 2013.

Explaining that the data were gathered from the Health Ministry’s periodic survey in various public health institutions,

Idris said the data explained the reason the State government embarked on the enforcement of the new road traffic law.

According to the statistics: “13, 398 road traffic accidents were recorded in the State from January, 2012 to March 2013, while vehicle were 7, 267, Okada accidents recorded 6,131 in the last 15 months.”

“For commercial motorcycles, the peak was in February 2012 and August 2012. In Au-

gust, we recorded 646 commercial motorcycle accidents while in February it went to 696. But from August, we have experienced a steady decline in the number of road accidents.

As at March 2013, it has declined to 126 due to the introduction of the road traffic law in August last year”, said Opeifa.

It will be recalled that the state governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, signed into law, the new road traffic act, to improve security and safety within the

State.

Idris said, “from January 2012 to March 2013, we recorded 148 deaths from Okada accidents. In 2013, we recorded 4 deaths, which occurred on roads not included in the 475 roads where Okada operations were outlawed.”

“Of the 24 major health facilities in the State, Isolo, IfakoIjaiye, Surulere and Badagry General Hospitals recorded a frequency of more than 50 per cent of Okada accidents during the period under review.”

The GUARDIAN, Sunday, April 28, 2013

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NeWS

GSM Subscribers Seek Reduction In Porting Time

By Marcel Mbamalu and Adeyemi Adepetun RUe to predictions, an avalanche of complaints now trails the mobile number porting that was kicked-off in Lagos seven days ago.

Subscribers, expressed angst yesterday as many of them could not vote out their nonperforming mobile operators as promised by the Nigeria communications Commission (NCC).

Former President of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN), Mazi

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Okechukwu Unegbu, a lawyer, said he did not have confidence in the integrity of the process, especially as all the operators still grapple with poor quality of service.

Saying he subscribes to all the networks — MTN, Airtel, Glo and etisalat — due to poor network quality, Unegbu noted that, contrary to what obtains in other climes, the process of porting out to a new network in Nigeria remains the most cumbersome.

According to him, “it is like going through the eye of a

NATIONAL needle,” a situation that discourages subscribers from making any real attempt to “port out.”

“Those trying to port now simply do it for the fun of it, because there is no better offering in any alternative network.”

A senior management staff in one of the major GSM service providers yesterday also confirmed that the process “is challenging, as this is not

something you can do on your mobile phone.” he also disclosed that the network was yet to receive any subscriber migrating from a competing network. “You need to visit our office before you can really port, and this takes time. The disadvantage is that even if you succeed in porting out, you are stuck with the new network until after three months. There could be network challenge and you are stuck for three months,” he warned.

Seven days after the kickedoff of Mobile Number Porta-

bility (MNP) in Nigeria, the atmosphere looks gloomy, as challenges of process sustainability, adaptability and awareness stirs it in the face.

The Guardian, last Sunday, reported exclusively that the major challenge for the process could rest with interconnectivity as the operators expressed dissatisfaction with the “ politically favoured warehousing agent” is said to lack the capacity to drive it “at the moment.”

This reason, according to at least, two major operators, was the reason for the delayed takeoff of MNP in the country.

Judge’s Absence Stalls Arraignment Of Bank, Others

By Joseph Onyekwere he absence of Justice A. Abdul-Kafarati of the Federal high Court, Abuja has stalled the arraignment of First bank Nigeria, Plc, charged with criminal act together with two others by the Inspector General of Police (IGP).

The two others named in the four-count charge marked: FhC/ABJ/CR/158/2012 are officials of the bank, Olakunle Jegede and Mike ejekie edith, an external consultant to the bank.

Counsel representing both parties were in court until 10.30 am when the court’s Registrar announced that the judge was indisposed, prompting an adjournment to May 22.

In the charge sheet endorsed

by David Igbodo of the Legal/Prosecution Section, ‘D’ Department, Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) Abuja, the defendants were accused of conspiracy and forgery. They are alleged to have forged a tripartite legal mortgage between First Bank, a customer, Poco Petroleum Limited (PPL) and Chief Patrick Onwochei Ozeih by replacing Chief Ozeih with Poco enterprises Nigeria Limited (PeNL) on the document.

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TWC holds Godliness In Governance Seminar

By Isaac Taiwo he Winning Christian Initiative (TWC), an apostolic gathering in Lagos, is inviting all in position of authority from both the public and private sectors to the 2nd edition of its yearly Godliness In Governance Seminar, which holds on May 1 at 1.00pm at the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), Conference Centre, Lagos.

According to the Chairman, Planning Committee, Abiola Popoola, “TWC’s Mission is winning souls and changing lives, which include visiting remand homes to provide basic needs of life like food, clothing to the less privileged.

The special guest of honour for the event is the Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Raji Fashola, while the guest speaker is the former Attorney General of Lagos State, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo.

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Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State (left); Governor Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State; Godsday Orubebe, Minister of Niger Delta; and Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State, during the inauguration of the National PHOTO: HENRY UNINI Council of Niger Delta held in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, Friday.

Kaduna ACN, Yero Supporters Disagree Over SURe-P Projects From Saxone Akhaine, Northern Bureau Chief S the opposition picked holes on Government programmes in Kaduna, the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in the state has described the recent distribution of SURe-P transport scheme items by the Kaduna state government as deceitful. It called on the government to refund the money.

Besides, a group, Yero Frontiers Movement (YFM), said govern-

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ment has lots of programmes aimed at transforming the lives of its citizenry through the SURe-P Programme.

The group urged the people of Kaduna State to rally round the present administration with a view to taking Kaduna State to greater heights.

The Coordinator of YFM, Alhaji Abduljalal Jumare Rigachikun said in Kaduna on Thursday, that Gov. Yero deserved to be commended for the peaceful and harmonious co-existence in

the state.

According to him, the Yero administration was committed to the provision of good governance so that society could achieve its desired objectives of achieving peace and harmony across the state.

Abduljalal however, expressed dismay over the issue of youth restiveness, which posed a serious threat to the peace enjoyed in the state and called on the opposition to come up with programmes that would be of benefit to the youths and not to instigate them against the government.

Meanwhile, the ACN had in a statement yesterday, signed by the state Chairman, Alhaji Mohammed Soba, alleged that the distribution of 40 taxis, 35 buses,15 luxurious buses and 700 tricycles to the supposed beneficiaries was not only misleading but a grand design by the state government to deceive the people and swindle the beneficiaries, who were made to pay a quarter of the total cost of each of the items listed.

Okonjo Iweala Gets ARC Council Chair

By Joseph Onyekwere eTeRMINeD to tackle the D problems of climate change, the board of the African Risk Capacity (ARC), a continental financial climatic disaster risk management agency, has announced the appointment of the Coordinating Minister for the economy and Minister of Finance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala as the first chair of its governing council.

ARC is a specialised agency of the African Union (AU), which supports African states to mitigate the severe social and economic impact of extreme weather conditions through a structured insurance system.

According to Dr. Richard Wilcox, interim Director-General of the ARC, the agency will help African govern-

ments plan better for emergency situations, manage them efficiently, greatly reduce response time and ensure sufficient distribution of resources to disaster areas by deploying innovative technology based on satellite weather surveillance and software run by independent risk professionals.

Reacting to the appointment, Okonjo-Iweala described ARC as a timely and innovative African response to the increasing challenges brought on by extreme weather conditions, which deserves the support of all Africans. her words: “Not only can we predict extreme weather conditions with a well-managed risk fund, we are prepared to address them and ensure that the most vulnerable people in our communities receive protection.

Benue Board Demolishes 4oo Illegal Structures From Joseph Wantu, Makurdi N a bid to ensure strict compliance to building standards and taking urbanization closer to the people, the Benue State Urban Development Board, UDB has since the beginning of the year demolished over 400 illegal structures in the State.

The General Manager of the board, Mr. Musa Ujor Suleiman, who revealed this to The Guardian in Makurdi, said, “in as much as the board may have a human face, its mandate of demolishing structures erected without the set standards of the board cannot be toy with, noting that maintenance of sanity in land development in the state remains the optima.

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THE GUARDIAN, Sunday April 28, 2013

NEWS

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NEWS

Concerns Over Fate Of UTME, As Students Write Examination

By Gbenga Salau (Lagos) and Joseph Wantu (Markurdi) HOULD the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) and its ‘baby’, the Unified tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), be scrapped in line with the contentious recommendations, 1.735 million Nigerians, who wrote yesterday’ examination, will go down in history as the last set to write an examination conducted by the body.

During the examination, at some centres visited by The Guardian, candidates, parents and relatives spoke on whether to scrap UTME or not.

While some backed the proposed scrapping, others called for the cancellation of PostUTME and the strengthening of the examination body.

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While the conduct was peaceful and smooth in most venues visited in Lagos, it was a different story in Benue State, as students were subjected to psychological trauma due to the roadblocks mounted by the state sanitation agency.

Candidates heading to examination centres were thoroughly interrogated.

It took the effort of journalists and other concerned individuals who called the General Manager of the agency, Mr. Ejiga Akpa, before candidates were allowed to move freely.

The early delay caused many candidates to arrive their centres late.

Vincent Junpan and Ngozi Chukwu revealed that they were delayed for more than fifteen minutes even though they were identified JAMB can-

NATIONAL

didates.

The examination officer at Government Model Secondary School, Makurdi, Dr. Daniel Ortserga, expressed satisfaction with the conduct of the exercise.

He said the initial challenge of identification of candidates using biometrics machines to recognise their pin numbers was timely overcome.

In Lagos, the state cancelled the monthly sanitation exercise because of the examination. Hence, it was easy for candidates to move around.

Those who spoke said that they were happy with the process, as it was peaceful.

For Isabella Ibenu, a relative who accompanied her sister to the centre, the scrapping of

UTME will make admission tougher as the process will be marred by corruption.

Mrs. Chinyere Emeh, a mother, noted that the discontinuing of UTME does not mean that examinations to be conducted by individual schools would be transparent.

Emeh, who was bothered about those that could lose their jobs after the re-organisation, said that just as JAMB conducted exam is plague with confidence crisis now; the universities entrance exam would likely face similar challenges.

“So if they are going to do it right, it will be okay but the process of the Post-UTME has not been transparent.”

To another parent, Mr. Promise Imoh, it would be good to unite the examinations, as the

UTME and the Post-UTME, are mere duplication, which put students through unnecessary stress.

According to Mrs. Ifeoma Ubah, also a parent, suspending UTME would make it harder for children of the poor to get admission. She said that many are denied admissions by universities and polytechnics because they cannot afford their way through. She stated that, in many schools, there are different lists from influential members of the society sent to the management of the institutions, who are often compelled to take the students, because the head of these schools were politically appointed and these heads must patronise these political figures.

Honour For CSR Vanguards NATIONAL HE majority leader of Lagos T State House of Assembly, Dr. Adeyeye Ajibola, has been recognised for his good public policy towards democracy and care for the less privileged in the society.

He was among the dignitaries recently honoured by Citinet Group International, a non-governmental organisation (NGO) involved in promoting Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), peace and development.

It was part of the second quarter annual CSR dinner at Lagos Sheraton Hotel and Towers, Ikeja.

Other personalities at the event included Odulami Adewale, Akinola Hassan, Ajala Rasaq of Odi Olowo.

Mr. Femi Oshibowa of Foursquare Home was honoured for the cause of less privileged while late Moshood Abiola’s personal assistant, Aboderin Abimbola, bagged CSR/ employees’ friendly business icon for 2013.

Traditional Rulers Urged To be Good Ambassadors ANAMBRA From Uzoma Nzeagwu, Awka NAMBRA State Governor, A Mr. Peter Obi, has charged traditional rulers in Anambra

Gov. Peter Obi of Anambra State (left); Commissioner for Sports, Edozie Aroh; Chairman of Ikpeazu Redoutable Football Club Onitsha, Mr. Ody Ikpeazu; and Mr. Chigbo Enwuzor during the presentation of a N30 million cheque to the Club, at the Imeobi playground Onitsha, to assist the club upgrade infrastructure at their playground... yesterday.

Lagos Requires $2b To Evacuate Wrecked Ships

By Kamal Tayo Oropo and Tunde Alao AGOS State government Luatemay need N2 billion to evacwrecked ships in its coastlines. This was disclosed, last week, by Commissioner for Waterfront Infrastructure Development, Prince Adesegun Oniru, at the ministerial press briefing, marking the sixth year anniversary of Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola.

According to him, to evacuate each of the wrecked 200 ships lying on the coast, gov-

LAGOS ernment would need to spend N100 million.

On the resolve to protect its shorelines, especially removing about 200 abandoned vessels on its waterfront, Oniru lamented that the state government is yet to receive any help from the Federal Government, despite series of letters written to that effect.

He said despite the visit of President Goodluck Jonathan

to the State in 2011 and also that of Minister for Trade and Investment, Olusegun Aganga, and delegates from the office in charge of Ecological Funds, nothing positive has come out of it.

“Federal Government has done nothing for coastline protection. Regarding the removal of abandoned vessels and protection of coastlines, various letters have been written to the Federal Government since the time of the late Umoru Yar’ Adua-led adminis-

tration to date, yet no help has come our way or any of our various letters replied.

“This is not just a Waterfront issue as it includes ecological fund and the Ministry of Environment is also concerned about it,” Oniru said.

He stated that the promise of the Federal Government to release Ecological funds to help out the State has not been fulfilled.

On the efforts of his Ministry to free the Waterfront from danger, Oniru said, “wrecked

vessels constitute a grave danger to the marine environment. They are causing the degradation of the shoreline and adjacent properties, particularly the Waterfront. And since the owners have not taken the responsibility to remove the wrecks, it does not mean we should fold our hands and watch these vessels to continue to cause harm to those living around the coastline. However, we have successfully removed four of them.”

‘We Didn’t Ask FAAN To Take Over Bi-Courtney’s Hotel Project’

By Wole Shadare HE Air Transport Services T Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN) and a pressure group in the aviation sector, Medium-Term Sector Strategy (MTSS) have dissociated themselves from the alleged demand of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) branch of ATSSSAN to convert the hotel project, owned by Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited (BASL) at the Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal Two (MMA2), to FAAN headquarters.

The two groups made their

NATIONAL positions known yesterday while reacting to the alleged demand, said to be contained in a solidarity message by the FAAN branch of ATSSSAN, reportedly sent to the management of the agency following its announced seizure of the project in which a court had ordered it to stay clear.

A top official of ATSSSAN, who craved anonymity, said, “only the national body of ATSSSAN can speak on a matter as weighty as the Conference Centre and Hotel projects at MMA2,

not the local branch at FAAN”.

The FAAN recently alleged that some of its workers had demanded that the hotel be converted to the agency’s headquarters, despite a court order obtained by Bi-Courtney stopping FAAN and others from tampering with the project.

According to the source, the national body was not briefed by the local branch before the conversion request was made, adding that ATSSSAN “as a lawabiding union would not want to jump the gun until all issues surrounding the two projects are amicably resolved”.

He said all the association wanted was to ensure a crisisfree aviation sector, where everybody would play his or her own role in a conducive atmosphere.

He, therefore, urged local branches of the association to always “consult and wait for decisions on important national issues from the national headquarters of ATSSSAN before commenting”.

Also at weekend, an aviation activist and Leader of MTSS, Abdul Rasaq Saidu, advised FAAN workers to allow the controversy over the Hotel and

Conference Centre projects between their employers and FAAN to be settled by the court, adding that “every law-abiding citizen must obey the court of law on any matter that is already before the court”.

Saidu maintained that the workers have no right to put pressure on their management, “that is if they actually did, to convert a project being executed by a private investor, who has gone to borrow money to execute it to their own, when the court has already made a pronouncement on it.

State to be good Ambassadors.

Obi, who declared open a seminar for traditional rulers at the Secretariat, yesterday, urged them to avoid speeches, actions and occasions that could put their character in question.

According to him, by the virtue of their positions as custodians of the culture of the people and the primus inter pares among their subjects, the traditional rulers are looked upon for inspiration, guidance and direction.

The governor said he was not against traditional rulers attending social functions, but advised that they should always try to inform the Special Adviser on Chieftaincy Matters whenever they travel out of the State.

“Today, I cannot travel out of Nigeria without informing the President. If anything happens to me, the President should know my whereabouts. Likewise, it is not good for you to travel out of the

Savage Passes Away At 66 ORMER Entertainment FSavage, icon, Mr. Babatunde Idowu is dead. He passed away at 66.

Savage spent many years organising the prestigious ‘Miss Nigeria’ pageant.

According to family sources, Savage passed away at St. Nicholas Hospital, Lagos, on Friday after a brief illness.

Cheerful savage, who was General Manager of Times Leisure Services, a division of Daily Times Nigeria Plc, supervised Miss Nigeria and became the public face of the event several years.

The late entertainer was, until death, Chairman/Chief Executive of Tukod Associates Limited and TUTASA Limited.

He is survived by wife, Lola, and three children.

TheGuardian

Sunday, April 28, 2013

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Conscience, Nurtured by Truth

Cityfile Onilewura…

The Other Side Of Alluring Synagogue City

By Tope Templer Olaiya, Assistant Lagos City Editor HE Synagogue Church of All Nations in Ikotun, Lagos, founded and shepherded by Prophet Temitope Balogun Joshua, truly lives to its billing as a church for all nationalities under the sun, and its architecture masterpiece tells a different story about Nigeria. Here, at the Synagogue city, beginning from the long tarred road lined on both sides by flowers, is beauty come to life.

For a first time visitor, who is cleared to access the hallowed auditorium, the welcome becomes cordial and everyone greets you with ‘Emmanuel’ (God with us). The large splendid church of 140 by 70 metres often called cathedral has been built with the church’s people and resources and it’s being expanded daily.

The emerging Synagogue city is a beautiful fancy to behold.

There is a place for 20,000 people and they have almost 30,000 members. There is also a shop where you can buy ‘everything’.

Beside the church is a large area with open tents where education is given to the young and the old, who are full time workers in the church and it is a mixed body of Nigerians and expatriates.

When not receiving instruction, they carry out their assignments conscientiously, singing to themselves.

At the other side of the road is a large area with many workshops: garage, metal and wood working. Beside it, are a large kitchen and a bread bakery. There is a little parking space for buses, which bring down members from all parts of Lagos.

A walk along the church shows how nicely it is finished. On the church walls are beautiful murals of the last supper and Jesus in conversation with Nicodemus.

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Prophet Temitope Joshua, founder of The Synagogue Church of All Nations

It is not for anything that world leaders, African heads of government and notable personalities have had course in recent past to visit the church, particularly the man in the Synagogue. During an encounter with The Guardian last year, he said the source of attraction to the church is a simple answer: “It is because their needs are met.

“People will always be attracted to wherever their needs will be met and the needs of men vary. What I want and like might be different from what you want; but it is not in my power, it is God, who is answering the needs of His people.

“Even in the Bible, people travel far and wide to where their needs will be met. Also, the work of God is like honey. Wherever honey is, insects seek and find it. When God is doing a new thing in a place, people are attracted there. So, these presidents and other foreign nationals come to the church, because of what God is doing here,” he said.

Just recently, the land flanking the church on the eastside, which once housed a petrol station and residential buildings, were acquired and construction has already begun to annex it to the church’s auditorium.

UT beyond the frontiers of the church is were the scenic sights B ends. In seconds, you are transported from fantasyland to the grim reality of a Lagos ghetto, replete with its trademark shanties and bad roads. That community, known as Onilewura, is the other side of the Synagogue city.

Onilewura is partly an industrial area, but mostly residential. It comprises seven streets namely Sadiq Estate, Leona Ajayi Close, Akerekoro Close, Ise Oluwa Street, Orija Street, Onilewura Street

and the entrance into the community, which houses the Synagogue church, Segun Irefin Street.

There are a host of companies and warehouses, prominent among which are Albert Company, JMG Generators, IPI and Olam, an agro-allied firm. A noticeable impact of the church’s presence in the area is the clusters of hotels and guesthouses, ranging between one star dormitory to five star lodges. There are over 50 in the area.

Residents are, however, resentful that not a trace of the good life at the synagogue city is filtering into the community. As neighbours, they only see the beautiful life on television, while every Sunday, members of the church are ‘oppressed’ by the exotic cars that line their streets and give undue pressure to the roads already in urgent need of rehabilitation.

The voices of the embittered residents were echoed by the chairman of Onilewura Landlords and Residents Association, Mr. Olusola Adisa Oseni, when The Guardian visited the area last week.

According to him, the church’s fame has only brought pain to the community. “On Saturdays and Sundays, it is a no-go area for everybody, the whole community is turned into a garage with transporters and car owners crowding out residents in every available space and the church is not doing anything about it.

“The community has succeeded in having an audience with the founder only once in the last three years. Unfortunately, he doesn’t allow his members to park around the vicinity of the church.

They don’t have a parking space despite the fact that he has been acquiring properties around the church. He is content allowing his members to litter the whole community with cars, while the

The other end of Segun Irefin Street. ABOVE is the Synagogue City, which leads into Onilewura community.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 7

THE GUARDIAN, Sunday, April 28, 2013

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CITYFILE Toba-Oke, Posers On Religious Differences And Intolerance, Ikuforiji, Tinubu-Ojo, Others As Lawmakers Okay Lagos Pilgrims Boards Bill Bag Youth Award

By Wole Oyebade

to create separate boards for more efficient preparation.

In agreement with Yishau, Sanni Agunbiade of Ikorodu I, noted that the religious sensitivity of the polity would make independent boards an idea choice, “at least, in the interest of peace and tranquility.”

According to Agunbiade, “with single board, the question will arise: ‘who heads the board, a Christian or a Muslim?’ and don’t forget, if anything goes wrong with a sect’s pilgrims, it would easily be blamed on religious leaning of the chairman to the other religion. We have to think of the level of intolerance among our people,” he said.

Other arguments by the Deputy Speaker, Taiwo Ko-

AGOS State House of Assembly last week adopted the ‘Bill for a law to establish the Lagos State Christian and Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Boards’ as amended by its House Committee on Home Affairs & Culture, Tourism and Intergovernmental Relations, chaired by Kabir Lawal, representing Surulere I. The bill seeks to establish a seven-member pilgrims’ board with the sole aim of facilitating better welfare package for pilgrims in the state, which has being under an ad-hoc committee.

The bill, prior to its’ adoption by the House, was a subject of keen debate. And contentious issues in the bill were: whether to create a single or two boards; status of Chairman’s appointment (fulltime or part-time); tenure of such appointment and ministerial control on the boards.

In the lawmakers’ debates, however, were the underlining religious differences and intolerance in the polity, which the Speaker, Adeyemi Ikuforiji, described as “exaggerated” and a clog in the wheel of progress.

Two boards for pilgrims, what for? Three lawmakers out of seven that spoke extensively on the subject were in support of a single board, citing cost implication on the state, unnecessary competition and duplication of efforts. The trio are Rotimi Olowo, representing Shomolu I; Omowunmi Olatunji-Edet of Oshodi-Isolo II and Mudashiru Obasa, Agege I. On the opposing end, Gbolahan Yishau of Eti-Osa II though agreed with earlier speakers that pilgrimage to Mecca is once a-year, but stressed that the preparation is year-round. Yishau blamed poor preparedness for the attendant flaw that had often characterized pilgrimage in the state and country at large, adding that it would not be out of place Ikuforiji

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lawole and Ladi Balogun of Ajeromi-Ifelodun II towed similar path before the Speaker’s outburst.

KUFORIJI’S worry was how would the country Idivides? make progress with such thinking along religious His words: “We are not moving forward here and that is a fact. In the United Kingdom, those organising the Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca are not Christians or Muslims. Something is wrong with us.

“What is the pilgrim’s board all about? There are places in this world where they don’t even have anything called pilgrim’s board. So, what exactly is going on here? We all know the cost to the state. In fact, it is one of the wastes in our system. Let’s be realistic with ourselves.

“We are exaggerating our differences and not willing to capitalize on those things that unite us. Nigeria is not going in the right direction and I’m very sure of that. Let’s look at the positive side of our lives; our togetherness. It is a lot more important.”

Ikuforiji added that the policies of government that recognizes differences also helps in creating disunity among the people, adding that “the more we continue to concentrate on religious differences, the more those differences continue to deepen and we go nowhere.

“With the way we are going, a day will come when we will insist that our 40-member House be equally split on religious divides, otherwise there will be no House. But I pray I don’t see such day,” he said.

It was at that point clear that the speaker would entertain no further arguments and the House resorted to voting either for a single pilgrims board or two. Advocates of two boards (19) won against members in support of a single board (7).

The House also agreed on part-time tenure for the chairmen, with three years of two-terms. Ministerial control over the boards was also okayed by the lawmakers before they adopted the bill.

PEAKER, Lagos State House of Assembly, Adeyemi Ikuforiji; Mr. Ibrahim Olakunle Salu; chairman of Ifako Ijaiye Local Government Area, Olohuntoba Oke; Adedapo Adebajo; daughter of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, Mrs. Shade Tinubu-Ojo; Deputy Commissioner of Police, Lagos, in charge of Operations, Tunde Sobulo, amongst other personalities are to receive the Nigeria Youth Movement Award (NIYOMA) leadership award of excellence.

The event slated for Sunday May 5, 2013 in Lagos, is in recognition of the entrepreneurship prowess of the awardees, which is a source of inspiration to aspiring youths.

According to Olowe Oluwatayo, one of the organisers, “with an eye toward ensuring that young people have resources they need to be successful, we rise today to announce the Nigeria Youth Movement Award; which is created to appreciate and recognize few public individuals and private sector players, who have contributed enormously to the growth and development of youth, community and the nation at large.”

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CITYSHOTS:

Governor Ibrahim Gaidam of Yobe State (right) in a handshake with his Zamfara State counterpart, Alhaji Abdulazeez Yari during Zamfara governor’s visit to the Yobe Governor's Lodge in Asokoro Abuja on Thursday.

The Osolo of Isolo Kingdom, Oba Kabiru Kolawole Agbabiaka (Ilufemiloye); MD/CEO and the Aare Baaladun of Isolo Kingdom, Chief Keith Richards; and Commercial Director, Mr. Kachi Onubogu, both of Promasidor Nigeria Limited during a courtesy visit to the company in Lagos recently.

‘Synagogue, Companies In Onilewura Not Socially Responsible,’ Says CDA Chairman CONTINUED FROM PAGE 6 church keeps its serenity even on worship days.

From the junction to my house, which is a distance of just 10 houses, there was a day I spent over two hours to get home. Sadly, there has not been any effort to make the roads motorable, apart from tarring the street up to where the church ends. The company next to the church also followed suit and tarred the road to its entrance leaving the rest of the street in bad shape.”

After countless letters sent to Joshua by the community explaining their plight, he eventually gave community leaders audience in November 2011, where he promised to do something about the roads. In the mood of the season, which was close to Yuletide, the promised Onilewura residents bags of rice and two cows. Nearly 18 months after, the residents are still awaiting the promised Christmas package.

“We were happy when he told us that after doing so much for outsiders, he is now ready to extend his hand of fellowship to the community since we are his immediate neighbours and in the past, he used to walk across the road on foot. He also said to make us happy during Christmas, he would give us two cows and bags of rice to share. Sadly, we haven’t seen a grain of rice since then.

“And because of the general attitude of the church to the community, companies and factories in the area have also been nonchalant about giving back and being socially responsible. The other option is to look up to government and that is a dead-end, because the local government is only interested in harassing citizens to pay council rates,” Oseni said.

In the CDA’s account books, the community has expended N953,000 on road rehabilitation alone in 2013. To carry out the palliative measures, resi-

dents were taxed with a monthly levy of N200, N100 for shop owners and N50 for oneroom occupants.

“We had to go to Ladipo where they were peeling asphalt to source for materials to fill up the roads, but to our dismay, MTN came to begin defacing the roads again on the excuse that they have sought permission from government to lay optic cables. They just dig the road and abandoned it.

“It got so bad that for some days, some residents were denied access into their homes.

We had to secure parking spaces for some of them in other peoples homes because it is not all cars you can leave on the road overnight.”

NOTHER community leader, A Henry Nwosisi, said the influx of church members posed huge security risk to the community, as so many strange faces are loitering around the area. “We don’t know who is who. A lot of phones and bags

have been snatched from people in this area and they hide under the cover of the crowd.

“Apart from the church’s immediate environment, there is no much concern for the welfare of the community. It is giving us sleepless nights that the church and the companies are not socially responsible to the community. We have done a great deal of appealing to our youths to maintain peace, if left for them, they know what to do to get what they want.

“The community cannot spend millions to put the roads in shape without Joshua’s contribution only for his members to park their cars in every available space on Sundays.

That would raise some negative sentiments and feeling towards the church and its members,” Nwosisi noted.

Attempts to get the church’s response were stalled by the church’s protocol personnel, who stood firmly in the way of The Guardian.

None of the church’s workers was willing to speak on behalf of the Chairman of Onilewura Landlords and Residents Association, Mr. Olufounder, while access to Joshua was sola Oseni, points to a broken culvert filled with debris, which caved in under pressure from heavy-duty trucks. bluntly rebuffed.

THE GUARDIAN, Sunday, April 28, 2013

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CITYFILE A Pinch Of N(u)ews A Laugh At Serious Issues

By Stanley Azuakola

Who The Cap Fits HE 2015 election season is well and truly underway. Already T campaign posters of the major contenders litter the streets of major cities in the country – from that of President Jonathan, to Gov. Kwankwaso and Gov. Lamido, and most surprisingly of all is that of Hon. Farouk Lawan. The ‘Farouk Lawan for President’ posters were seen posted inside major institutions like Kirikiri Prison and Uselu General Psychiatric hospital. The campaign slogan was “I am one of you.” The poster also carried a photo of Lawan’s cap, the same one he used in packing and transporting the $620,000 Femi Otedola bribe in 2012. Placed inside the cap this time however was a giant cake which was labelled as ‘national cake’ and with the inscription, “Who the cap fits!” It is believed that Lawan is looking to tap ex-convict Diepreye Alamieyeseigha as his running mate. If he pulls that off, it would be seen as a massive blow to Aso Rock.

FCT Minister, Okorocha To Feature In Number Portability Adverts MAJOR talking point of last week was the kick off of the GSM A number portability system for mobile subscribers in which an individual can switch from one GSM network to another with-

In Benin, Money Answereth All Things S URE you remember the last birthday ceremony of the only comrade governor in Nigeria, former President (NLC President) Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole. Maybe we should warn that the purpose here is not to establish whether it was his 60th or 61st birthday. Anybody that has issues with getting the actual age of the comrade can write to his aged mother for clarification.

The bad belly or Pull Down the Performer (PDP) syndrome in Edo State notwithstanding, CC can authoritatively say it was a very successful ceremony that attracted very big guests who came in about 15 private jets. In fact, reports say the Benin airport was shut down because Oshiomhole’s guests had taken every available space of the tarmac with their personal jets. One Arik flight waited several hours for the tarmac to be discharged of private jets before leaving Lagos for Benin. No sweat. Stranded passengers waited patiently. If e pain you, make you go buy your own private jet.

It was a big relief when the Oshiomhole’s big guests started streaming in one after the other to fly their jets off the crowded tarmac.

Governors, including Chibuike Amaechi and Godswill Akpabio came and left in their bombardier aircraft. Legislators from Abuja, including Aminu Tambuwal (who has been lately showing up in every ceremonial gathering in the southern part of the country; some see the hands of 2015 in this massive socialisation) came and left. One way of

out having to change phone lines. One of the GSM networks which aims to brand itself as the true Nigerian network has lined up a series of adverts, which would feature Nigerian politicians.

Different zones would feature a different politician. In Abuja, the advert would feature the FCT minister, Bala Mohammed. Mohammed would say in the advert that, “Like you know I kick against prostitution of all forms in Abuja. We bundle prostitutes and even innocent women with potentials to be prostitutes and arrest them. For a long time the only form of prostitution permitted in Abuja was political prostitution or what we like to call political portability. For instance, I used to be in the ANPP but I was smart, I supported GEJ when he was in the limbo, switched to PDP, and now see where I am. Today, you too have the opportunity to enjoy what we politicians have been enjoying – prostitution without arrest, that’s what number portability affords ROMPTED by the desire to you.” In the South East, Gov. Rochas Okorocha was featured in debunk the claim that Nigethe advert. He said, “I have hopped from the ANPP to the AA to ria is the weakest link in the the PDP to APGA and soon to APC. It doesn’t make me a whore, battle against cyber crime, Mr. I’m just portable. You too can be portable today.”

Abraham Ogbodo, editor of The Guardian on Sunday, embarked Most Innovative First Lady on the chase of a scammer, ANDLERS of Nigeria’s first lady, Patience Jonathan, claim that (name withheld) who hacked the world is finally accepting that in terms of innovation, the into the email-box belonging to a first lady is incomparable among her contemporaries. The dis- Guardian correspondent and closure followed an error made by America’s first lady, Mitchelle who wanted to swindle the ediObama, in which she referred to herself as a “single mother.” tor through the following Even though Obama quickly corrected herself, Dame Jonathan unedited email exchange: said that the world now understands what she (Jonathan) meant Sent: Tuesday, April 23, 2013 5:17 AM when she said she was a widow. “Our husbands are never there Subject: Urgent for us. It makes me feel like a widow and Mitchelle feels like a sin- I’m in US presently, and unfortugle mother. It’s the same thing although my own is a bit worse nately my niece had a nearly fatal because Nigerians say they are not feeling my husband’s touch accident yesterday night and needs in their lives. So if he’s not touching me and he’s not touching to undergo surgery, which needs 187,000 naira to start the treatment them, who’s he touching?” on her.

Can you lend me some quick funds CROWNED CLOWN (CeeCee) OF THE WEEK that I can give back as soon as I get PARE a thought for a country we all know. A country whose in. Sorry for the inconvenience but I thirsty streams gulped the blood of 185 souls in one day and heard she is in a very bad condition continued to flow as normal. Just another 185. You might never and needs urgent attention as fast have known this if a foreigner did not tell you but when you as possible. heard it, you did not mourn like you’d just lost a part of you. 185, I can forward you details on how what? Chei!, you said. And then you moved on. Just another 185. to pay the funds directly to the docAnd if you did not want to move on, one of the resident Aso Rock tor, since am not around so that her demagogues have a simple question for you, “Where are the 185 treatment would commence before bodies? Did you see it?” He does not care, his daughter’s body is I return. You can only reach me via not one of them; his son is far away from the bloodshed. But we my email for now. get his hint and we move on. Let’s save our tears, we seem to say. I await your kind response.

Another batch will soon die again. There’ll be more days yet to Thanks.

Below is the reply to the editor’s weep. And who did you say the clown was? request for the scammer to send the detail: Follow A Pinch... on Twitter: @stanleyazuakola

was swept off his feet in the ensuing scuffle among the folks to pick the crumbs he had thrown on the ground. One responsive aide was right on hand to save the big man from going down to become a floor member himself. He was held steady by the aide who spirited him straight to the airplane, while the crowd continued the ground offensive for Asiwaju’s free cash

S they say, it is different stroke for differA ent folks. No soon had the jagaban wriggled out of the snarl than another big guest

knowing that the departing passenger was a big man was the size of the crowd that milled around him to the tarmac.

Yet another big guest was leaving with his retinue of aides and hangers-on. Yes! The Jagaban, the Asiwaju of Southwest politics and the one best described as the Lion of Bourdillon was set to go. He attracted more followership than all others combined. His crowd included uniform staff of the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) who encircled and physically held him down to a spot expecting him to do something. There was no escape from the ring and the Jagaban had to literally pay his way down to his waiting plane.

And that took the high drama to Act Two. Before one could spell T-I-N-U-B-U, Asiwaju

showed up. He was Father Matthew Hassan Kuka, the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese.

Nobody followed him and he was rolling his bag himself with one hand and held his laptop with the other. One unsolicited commentator decided to draw others attention to the scene: “Heeeey! Make una see Father Kuka, he is alone in this world.” That is contestable. The Lord Jesus must be walking with him and would give a helping hand if Father got tired or into trouble.

But at that point in time, Father was visibly alone without a congregation; not even one person because as they say in Warri parlance, pepper nor red for his side. That is, his own end is as dry as Sokoto State. No hard feelings. Father Kuka himself knows for sure in Ecclesiastics 10:19 that “money answereth all things” and that money is a defence against all attacks (Ecclesiastics 7:12) without prejudice to the powers of God Almighty.

Editor’s Wild-goose Chase To Apprehend A Cyber-criminal

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Sent: Tuesday, April 23, 2013 12:38 PM Subject: Re: Urgent Thanks a lot. Here is the doctors account details: Account no: 0059984456 Account name: Amayo Ososa Bank name: Accessbank Please send me a scanned copy of the deposit slip when completed so I can forward to their accountant.

Thank.

Satisfied that he had got enough evidence and information to nail the fraudster, the editor summoned an experienced reporter to track the thief.

First, the police were contacted and they advised that the bank should be informed immediately to place the suspect’s account on ‘fraud alert’, so that if the amount the suspect requested is paid into the account, he would be apprehended if he attempts to withdraw it.

They also directed that the bank should provide the town of domicile information of the account owner to enable the Police Area Commander in the zone be on the alert to apprehend the culprit at his next attempt to withdraw from his account either directly from a bank branch or an ATM machine.

In compliance with the advice, the bank was notified. But the corporate communication officials of the bank, after a long delay, di-

rected The Guardian to do an official letter of complaint to the bank’s head of Investigation and Audit department.

This was done and submitted by hand to the department at Victoria Island, Lagos, the bank’s corporate headquarters.

After submission, The Guardian reporter was tossed around because neither the audit or investigation sections of the bank were willing to process the complaint.

The audit section directed that the letter be taken to the investigation department. But the investigation unit referred the reporter back to the audit section, saying it was not their responsibility to handle such complaint.

At last, the audit section accepted to do the job on the following conditions: that the bank would place the account on fraud alert, but that the town of domicile of the customer would not be provided because the bank, by law, is not required to disclose customer’s information to anybody except the Inspector-General of Police, who must submit an official application to the bank’s Managing Director to that effect.

The MD is the only authority to approve such request.

Faced with this frustrating challenge, the reporter notified the editor not to pay any money into the scammer’s account because it will not be possible to get the suspect apprehended even if the bank places the account on fraud alert.

When the Police was informed of this development, an officer, smiling wryly, said: “If you make a request for the Police I.G. to write an official letter to the bank, do you know how long it will take to get a reply?

Do you think the bank will get quick response from the Police to apprehend the suspect if the bank gets the suspect? Who will be financially responsible for the expenses to be incurred when the suspect is arrested? Is your editor sure he will get the money he would pay into the account back immediately the suspect is apprehended? The bank will not refund the money except the scammer himself endorses the payment of the money back to your editor. This is why ‘yahoo yahoo’ crime cannot be tamed or fought in the country.”

Firm Celebrates Mothers Of Athletes In Nigeria Osun Revolutionises ROCTER and Gamble Nigeria, last Thursday, hosted a ‘Thank You Mom’ event to celebrate mothers of Olympians in the country at the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria complex of the National Stadium, Lagos, as part of its commitment to recognise and celebrate mothers of athletes worldwide.

Present at the event were the wife of the Head of Service, Lagos State, Mrs. Adenike Ogunlewe, who represented the First Lady of Lagos State, Dame Abimbola Fashola; permanent secretary of Youth and Sports, Dr. Oshinyimika, representing the Commissioner for Youth and Sports, Waheed Oshodi; President, Nigerian Olympians Association, Henry Amike; renowned musician, Onyeka Onwenu; Olympic Silver medallist, Chief Falilat Ogunkoya Omotayo; and Olympic Gold medallist,

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Chioma Ajunwa, amongst others.

In her welcome address, Head of Government Relations, Procter and Gamble Nigeria, Tope Iluyemi, said the company is a proud sponsor of moms worldwide.

“This event is one of the ways we honour moms for the tireless efforts they contribute towards the development of their children.

We recognize that behind every amazing athlete is an even more amazing mom. And we are in the business of helping moms, with brands that make everyday life a little easier.”

Iluyemi further stated that in 2010, P&G signed a 10-year partnership with the International Olympians Committee (IOC) to support the Olympics games and develop youth sports globally. According to her, P&G is fulfilling that promise locally by donating to 3,000 schools across the country, as well as renovating sports facilities in various schools.

Learning With Opon Imo Launches Computer Tablets May 9 SUN State government will on Thursday, May 9, formally launch the distribution of customized computer tablets tagged, ‘Opon-Imo’ (Tablet of Knowledge) to students of S.S.1 to S.S.3 in public secondary schools in the state. The initiative is reputed to be the first of its kind in the world.

Built to improve learning among secondary school students in the state and also to further prepare them for external and internal examinations, the tablets, which are designed in the form of an iPad, would be distributed to the students’ freeof-charge.

Speaking on the state’s government readiness to launch the initiative, which she described as a milestone in the history of education development and enhanced learning in the country,

O

From left: Corporate Market Strategy and Planning Leader, Procter and Gamble West Africa, Mr. Vincent Egbe, Head, Government Relations, Procter and Gamble Nigeria, Mrs. Tope Iluyemi, Nations Cup Gold Medalist, Mr. Rufai Peter, and his mom, Mrs. Ifeoma Emeter at the 'Thank You Mom' event hosted by the firm to celebrate mothers of Olympians’ in Nigeria last week.

the Deputy Governor, Mrs. Grace Titi Laoye-Tomori, who also oversees the education portfolio in the state, noted that the Governor Rauf Aregbesolaled government is determined to ensure that students of the state are effectively prepared to meet up with the high standards needed for them to excel in the world of learning and research.

The tablets, she further noted, “are installed with softwares of all the subjects being offered in secondary schools, incorporating different textbooks and lesson notes as well as past questions and answers on the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), National Examination Council Examination (NECO), as well as the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

9

THE GUARDIAN, Sunday April 28, 2013

Backlash Abraham Ogbodo

08055328079 (Sms only) abogbodo@yahoo.com

Jonathan To Attend My House Opening ERHAPS the headline is a bit too definite. The P house is not ready; I am only hoping it will in another three months or so. In fact, I need to be careful here because the planned commissioning has been postponed twice from December 2011 to December 2012 and to March 2013. The project started about 14 years ago when my mother insisted that I acquire a piece of land in my village to build my house, different from the family’s and also build one for her on the same land, where she will be buried when she dies.

The Urhobo tradition forbids the woman to be buried in her husband’s house but may permit same if the house belongs exclusively to the son and located completely outside the ancestral precincts of the husband.

It is a small house on a large land because land is not yet an issue in Oghara Agbarha-Otor where I come from. One can get a whole lot without creating a deep hole in one’s pocket or having to discuss with a moneylender.

I am using this medium to invite President Goodluck Jonathan for the opening of the house, which will be ready soon. I am doing the invitation well ahead of time because the President is a very busy man. I sincerely beg his director of protocol or chief of staff to please keep open the exact date, which will be communicated, definitely, before 2015.

Some people may say the invitation is coming when the house is not even ready for commissioning. I understand all of that. I am only thinking ahead. Someone somewhere may be thinking alike and could move faster than my pace and book the President for one house or project commissioning on the same date that I have in mind. In other words, it is advisable to book far ahead because so many people are on a long queue waiting to have the President to commission their projects. Besides, and more importantly, I am a small fry in the line-up which includes Alhaji Aliyu Dangote, African richest man who has dropped notice of his readiness to begin the building of a world-class refinery and a fertiliser plant. Because a billion dollar is to Dangote what a thousand naira is to me, he might finish his two multi-billion dollars ITES are flying all around as politicians K focus on 2015. It is good to begin early, so that the cards are put on the table for stakeholders to know where to stake their lot; both buyers and sellers, voters and those to be voted. Politics has become very risky and slippery and from experience it is better that all eyes are clearly opened.

One kite was flown recently and it looks too suspicious to be ignored. One or two commentaries have gone out to interrogate it, but they also look suspicious. Recently, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida went to town to market the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, urging the young man to seek higher office based on what he (IBB) considers to be the speaker’s sterling qualities in the administration of the House. That was at the ‘Vanguard Man of The Year Award’, which held in Lagos recently.

As expected, the Speaker has begun to leverage on that push and attended a number of high profile events, making ‘powerful speeches.’ Hopefully, he will do more. It appears kind, and perhaps, savvy of IBB, a political mentor of some sort to have spotted the genius in Tambuwal, just as he had spotted some leaders in the past.

But looking at the challenges of leadership that have confronted the country since 1999, do we need the handpicking of individuals by a few kingmakers or we need a more robust and broad process of spotting leaders.

In 1998/99, candidate Obasanjo was spotted from the prison, where Gen. Abacha had crudely put him to spend some time. He came out looking vacuous and harassed, but after a good polishing and packaging, OBJ was good to lead Nigeria again. IBB was part of those who turned the old man, their senior colleague in the military around.

By 2007, the man OBJ had also become a kingmaker. While some accused him of trying to overstay in office, the man says it is a lie. According to him, if he wanted to, he would have achieved it, because there was nothing he set his mind on, with God on his side, that he wouldn’t achieve. Be that as it may, Obasanjo was at least able to put in office a successor, late Umaru Yar’Adua. There were a good number of men who were more physically fit and richer than Yar’Adua, but according to Obasanjo, the race was not for the swift and richest.

Yar’Adua did his best but his health failed him and his vice, Goodluck Jonathan (always

projects well ahead of me or at worst, end about the same time that I will be finishing my four bed-room bungalow in the village. If that happens, President Jonathan will not agree to come and commission my house even if I ask Chief E.K Clark and the President’s aged mother to beg him on my behalf.

I also do not know which General Overseer in town is inaugurating and commissioning a new cathedral in the months ahead and on the queue waiting to invite the President for that purpose. I do not want the commissioning of my house to clash with such big programme that requires the President’s presence. Or even the CAN president, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, may be up to some big party again after his last birthday and call to pulpit anniversary ceremony, which President Jonathan attended and during which the pastor’s congregation presented him with a private jet as birthday gift. If that becomes the case, President Jonathan will be required, once more, to attend as the special guest of honour and my plans will be adversely affected.

Other principal officers of the National Assembly may take after the Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu and decide to build and donate a beautiful church to their communities. It could begin with the Senate President, David Mark and the list would then gradually lengthen to include the Senate majority and minority leaders, their deputies, the Chief Whip, Senate committee chairmen, House Speaker, Aminu Tambuwal, his deputy, Emeka Ihedioha and all other good spirited legislators called by God to build a church for their communities.

That will mean a heavily loaded commissioning programme that could last Mr President till early 2015 when it will be practically impossible for him to attend to matters outside the presidential election slated for that year. I am not too sure, but some people have told me that the President has since finished and donated his own church to his Otueke community. To God Be The Glory.

Maybe I should add that I am also planning to build and donate a small church to the Catholic mission. Let me explain before you jump to the

conclusion that I am biting more than I can comfortably chew and swallow. I grew up to see a primary school in my village. In those days, it was the only school within about six kilometres radius. It was established in 1955, eight years before I was born, by the Catholic mission and appropriately named Roman Catholic Mission (RCM) Primary School, Oghara Agbarha-Otor. Unlike children from the adjoining villages, I didn’t have to trek long distances every day to go to school. It was a major advantage and children from the neighbouring villages envied us, the children of the soil. The quality of instruction was good. The catechist came every Tuesday after school to teach us the Bible and all the inherent moral lessons and God helped you from the strong strokes of Headmaster Julius Orioawhote, the following morning if you were recorded absent. Life was good generally. It was from RCM primary school Oghara that I had the propelling foundation that has placed me where I am today. That is the attachment.

Painfully, the parent institution, St. John Catholic Church Oghara-Agbarha is still an outpost of St. Francis Catholic Church Agbarha-Otor, the clan headquarters with neither a parish house nor a Church auditorium. See, I am not going to pretend. I cannot go it all alone for reasons you all know (I am neither His Excellency, Distinguished nor Honourable) and so, I am using this medium to call on all readers of BACKLASH to send their generous donations to the Parish Priest of St. Francis Catholic Church, Agbarha-Otor, between now and when Jonathan will leave office, because he (the President) must also commission the church I am donating to my community.

Remember also, that God loves a cheerful giver. I think my calling is to build a church only. Others have callings to build churches and remain General Overseers (GOs) of such churches till death. It doesn’t matter if it is God that is doing the calling or they are the ones calling God’s name in vain or they are simply hiding in one dark corner and calling themselves to the pulpit.

Whichever, calling is calling. The good thing though is that, there are no GOs in the Catholic faith and so there is no hidden agenda in my kind proposal to raise public money, like President Jonathan did regarding the church in Otueke, to build a church in my village. On that specific point, I think Goodluck Jonathan deserves to be commended, although some quarters are insisting that the church is a massive donation from a single benefactor. After all when some people floated their own IPO (Initial Public Offer), it was to build a private library.

I do not intend to be a GO and it is damn too late to become a Catholic priest; the last of my three children will be 17 years old on June 23. There is therefore, no hidden agenda in my humble task

SUNDAY NARRATIVE williams.alabi@ngrguardiannews.com 08116759790 (Sms only)

2015 And Flying Kites lucky) stepped in, just as the Constitution envisaged, but not without some resistance from those who wanted their party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to hold tightly to its zoning formula.

When the first four years lapsed and the PDP was to present a candidate for the 2011 elections, Jonathan showed interest. Obasanjo, who was now a major kingmaker, supported Jonathan; other bigwigs from the North, including IBB, a kingmaker himself, Atiku Abubakar, former vice president and a kingmaker too, Mohammed Gusau, former National Security Adviser and Bukola Saraki, former governor of Kwara State and also a kingmaker in his state, were all in the race.

It was a fine race that brought out the beauty in democracy. It was keenly contested but the PDP ensured that nobody rocked the boat. There were threats and foul language, but in the end, the PDP primary of January 13, 2011 was peaceful, even as, the kingmakers did their homework very well to keep together the variables.

It could be said therefore, that Nigeria’s version of democracy combines popular vote with the decision that kingmakers arrived at in a coven. Once they say this is it, so it will be.

The opposition seems always at a loss how the PDP does it. After very turbulent pre-election horse-trading and brickbats, the PDP always manages to coast home peacefully. Could there be some sense in what the kingmakers do that the ordinary people are not privy to; or, they are just helping themselves, putting one of them in office to protect their vast interests in telecommunication, oil and gas and property in choice locations in Abuja and Lagos, while the economy provides little or no assurance to the teeming masses?

Now, IBB is on the march again, flying the kite for Tambuwal, praising his leadership qualities to high heavens, which raises some concerns.

Does IBB know of some secret leadership qualities in Tambuwal, that the rest of us, ordinary citizens do not know, or is it another Tambuwal the man is talking about? Is it the same House of Representatives’ Speaker or another one? Come on!

There is nothing wrong if a Tambuwal gets nominated by his political party to become its flag bearer for 2015. Unless the constitution says otherwise, the man is eminently qualified, but citizens also have their rights to query any process that will not serve their interests.

Two years at the leadership of the House is good but not good enough, especially when that House performs below average. A House, where a former Speaker, Dimeji Bankole took some loans to service members’ gluttonous appetite and the courts are now asking questions about the propriety of the loans and how they were spent? A House, where a Farouk Lawan is still strutting the stage, in spite of having some corruption case to liquidate? He is an accused, no doubt, but he gets pampered by a false sense of immunity that the House ascribes to itself; an eerie feeling that ‘we can do it and get away with it’. This is what citizens see of their legislators.

That apart, the lawmakers earn too much and that is criminal. It is criminal that a legislator takes home N27m in a quarter, in a country where salaries are rickety. And what do they do with such monies; they get fat and buy expensive houses in Abuja. They have refused to publish what they earn and I’m afraid, that is not a place where Nigerians should look for a president in 2015.

I think any average person can lead any legislature in Nigeria. It is not about education or experience; it is about zoning and nomination by kingmakers. After that, it is up to the person to warm up to fellow legislators, share lucrative

to donate a church to my village. I ask that I be supported generously, to answer this clarion call by God. I do not intend to work in The Guardian forever; I should retire to some private business at some point. Don’t you think so yourself? I cannot put a precise time frame on this now but anyhow, I will require Jonathan even if he has become expresident, to commission my factory. It may just be a block moulding factory; it is a factory all the same and it will be nice if Jonathan comes to commission it. His business in Aso Rock Villa, including the yet-to-be earned second tenure mandate terminates in 2019. This is even good for me because he will not be loaded with state and other matters and he will have time to stay and celebrate with me.

My birthday on January 1 is another landmark event. I am using this same medium to invite President Jonathan to be the special guest of honour. I do not know too many folks in the Presidency. Even those that I know including Big Bros himself may deny knowing me. It is well. I only want to add that my friends in the Villa, especially those in and around the protocol unit should show more than a passing interest in the events I have enumerated above and block out the various times for the President to attend.

I do not want my own ceremony to coincide with commissioning of some refinery, Cathedral, 1000 housing units, e-library in Akwa Ibom, drugs factory in Onitsha, rolling mill in Ogun, Eko Atlantic City, cement factory, almajiri school in Sokoto, a high court building in Ilorin or a pastor’s birthday party, etc, etc; that will take the President away from my ceremonies.

Also, these events are very dear to me and I will be most glad to have the President attend in person and not his representatives. Not even Vice President Namandi Sambo can make up for the President in my case. For instance, it is not the same feeling if the minister of housing comes in place of the President to open my village house. If it is not Panadol, it can’t be the same thing as Panadol.

Same way, I expect the President himself to open the church I am donating to my village and not the chairman of the Christian Pilgrims Board or even the national President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN). I do not want the trade minister to commission my block factory or any other factory as the case may be.

Finally, Big Bros himself must show-up on my birthday and not some aide. When all of these are finished, I will be proud to go to town and proclaim Jonathan as the most friendly and out-going president of our time.

portfolios, protect their pecuniary interests and harass the executive endlessly for more money.

Any legislator, who feeds so fat on the poor and sustains such rapacious taste for four, eight years is likely to become greedier, as he climbs into higher office. Such a person is likely to hate the poor because he is anti-poor people in his spending habits.

Then another point. The presidential primary of the PDP in 2011 was rigorous, even though contentious. The northern aspirants showed so much maturity and decorum. They surrendered to a clearing-house, which was what the Northern Elders Political Forum did, ably supervised

by Adamu Ciroma, but they did not have the backing of governors, particularly those from the North. If they had, the result would have been fantastic. So, I recommend that that process be repeated, in case there are too many aspirants from that zone, come 2015.

Before then, shouldn’t the right of first refusal be given to those aspirants who tried the last time but could not make it, that is assuming they are still interested? Or is the North in a hurry to discount with their services?

Still on leadership, is it not clear that the problems of Nigeria are too overwhelming, to impose on the nation a young man who has not governed a state? Take a look at President Jonathan; the man has more political experience than a lot of people, yet, he is grappling with governance.

The man went to school, which is the number one experience any average man needs to conquer the basic fears of life. He was a deputy governor at a time when it was difficult to be a deputy, yet he survived. Then he became governor, vice president and now president. What other leadership experience does he need to do basic things, like fixing roads, fixing electricity, summoning courage to fight corruption, fighting oil thieves and all that? But what do we have?

The man is working extra hard to deal with challenges that other leaders in smaller African countries are overcoming with less hard work.

His handlers say ‘it is not about Jonathan’, and that now seems tempting to believe.

So, what blueprint is IBB bringing on board to help a less experienced Tambuwal attend to these challenges, which a more experienced Jonathan is struggling with? That makes this Tambuwal kite suspicious. But if IBB assures Nigerians that he will assist Tambuwal overcome Boko Haram, which is a major headache of this administration and the biggest source of waste of government resources, then the chicken will be on its way home. Suspicion deleted.

THE GUARDIAN, Sunday, April 28, 2013

10

FOREIGNNEWS

Four Arrested As Deaths In Collapsed Building Rise To 352 BANGLADESH ANGLADESHI authorities B arrested eight people, including two factory owners, after a building collapsed near the capital this week, killing 334 people and trapping others under concrete rubble.

Several relatives of the owners and two engineers were also arrested, the state-run news agency Bangladesh Sangbad

Sangstha reported.

Amid the arrests, the death toll mounted as families of the missing hoped for a miracle.

Rescuers pulled a woman who had given birth in the mangled mess of the crumbled eight-story building, state-run news agency Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha reported.

It was unclear yesterday how the mother and the baby were doing a day after they were rescued. But most reports coming from the fall-

Boeing Dreamliner Back In Skies ETHIOPIA ORE than three months after safeM ty issues grounded the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, Ethiopian Airlines became the first to resume service with a commercial flight yesterday.

Nearly 50 Dreamliners around the world had been out of commission after two incidents on jets operated by Japanese airlines called the battery systems into question.

Boeing last week began installing a redesigned battery system in the aircraft.

The Ethiopian Airlines Dreamliner flight carried passengers from Addis Ababa to Nairobi, Kenya, the company said.

The move follows the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration posting a directive outlining the modifications necessary for the Dreamliner to fly

again.

Japan this week authorized its passenger airlines to resume Dreamliner flights, but it wasn’t clear when they would reinstate the aircraft.

The Dreamliner’s use of lightweight composite materials to greatly improve fuel economy has made it a big seller in Asia and the Middle East, where long-haul flights account for much of an airline’s business.

United Airlines, which has six Boeing 787 aircraft, is the only U.S. airline to take delivery of the Dreamliner so far. It will cost the airline about $2.8 million to implement the fix, according to the FAA’s Federal Register filing.

The company plans to begin domestic flights using the 787 in May and possibly launch the DenverNarita, Japan, route on June 10.

Pyongyang Charges American Of Plot To Overthrow Regime ORTH KOREA announced yesN terday that an American detained for nearly six months is being tried in the Supreme Court on charges of plotting to overthrow the government, a crime that could draw the death penalty if he is convicted.

The case involving Kenneth Bae, who has been in North Korean custody since early November, further complicates already fraught relations between Pyongyang and Washington following weeks of heightened rhetoric and tensions.

The trial mirrors a similar situation in 2009, when the U.S. and North Korea were locked in a standoff over Pyongyang’s decision to launch a long-range rocket and conduct an underground nuclear test. At the time, North Korea had custody of two American journalists, whose eventual release after being sentenced to 12 years of hard labor paved the way for diplomacy following months of tensions.

Bae was arrested in early November in Rason, a special economic zone in North Korea’s far northeastern region bordering China and Russia, according to official state media. In North Korean dispatches, Bae, a Korean American, is called Pae Jun Ho, the North Korean spelling of his Korean name.

The exact nature of his alleged crimes has not been revealed, but North Korea accuses Bae, described as a tour operator, of seeking to overthrow North Korea’s leadership.

“In the process of investigation he admitted that he committed crimes aimed to topple the DPRK with hostility toward it,” the staterun Korean Central News Agency said Saturday. “His crimes were proved by evidence. He will soon be taken to the Supreme Court of the DPRK to face judgment.”

DPRK is the acronym for North Korea’s official name, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. No timing for the verdict issued at the austere Supreme Court in Pyongyang was given.

Friends and colleagues described Bae as a devout Christian from

NORTH KOREA Washington state but based in the Chinese border city of Dalian who traveled frequently to North Korea to feed the country’s orphans.

At least three other Americans detained in recent years also have been devout Christians. While North Korea’s constitution guarantees freedom of religion, in practice only sanctioned services are tolerated by the regime.

Under North Korea’s criminal code, crimes against the state can draw life imprisonment or the death sentence.

en structure near the capital of Dhaka were of woe.

Officials coordinating the operation have said the rescue efforts would end by yesterday and heavy equipment will retrieve the remaining bodies and cart away the rubble.

The announcement ignited protests Friday from crowds

near the rescue site, many of them relatives showing pictures of the missing to whomever would pay attention.

Police used tear gas to disperse them, the news agency said.

Protests continued as large crowds took to the streets in four districts in Dhaka.

At a nearby medical college hos-

pital, “thousands of survivors have been treated,” said Sajjad Hussein, a spokesman for an anti-corruption agency.

“The crisis for blood is acute and the hospital authority is urging people to donate blood for the victims. There is also a shortage of medicine. The local military hospital is also treating patients.”

‘US Manipulating Chemical Weapons Evidence, Like It Did With Iraq’ SYRIA YRIA denies that it has used, or Sweapons, even possesses, chemical accusing the United States and Britain of lying in order to pressure the embattled Damascus government.

Syrian Information Minister Omran Al-Zoubi talked to Russia TV on Friday, dismissing a claim

by U.S. officials a day earlier that they had evidence the chemical weapon sarin had been used in Syria on a small scale.

“Everything that the American minister and British government have said lack credibility,” AlZoubi said. “It’s baseless, and it’s a new tactic to put political and economic pressure on Syria.”

Al-Zoubi said the Syrian government is the one that called for an investigation of an incident in which it claimed chemical weapons were used by “terrorist groups.” The government routinely labels rebel fighters as terror-

ists.

Syria does not have chemical weapons and would not use them if it did, he said.

The Americans “want to manipulate the issue, to let whoever used the chemical weapons ... get away (with it), and to repeat the Iraq example,” Al-Zoubi said.

After a meeting on Friday with Jordan’s King Abdullah, President Barack Obama reiterated U.S. “preliminary assessments” that “chemical weapons have been used on ... populations in Syria.”

He didn’t backtrack from his earlier statements that it would be a “game changer” — as far as how the world deals with Syria — if it’s proven definitively that President Bashar al-Assad’s forces used chemical weapons on his own people.

Still, Obama didn’t specify what actions the United States might take if that determination is made. For now, he said, the United States is planning to continue its own “very vigorous investigation” and to work

with its Middle Eastern allies and the United States.

“We to have act prudently,” the president said. “... But I think all of us, not just in the United States but around the world — recognize how we cannot stand by and permit the systematic use of weapons like chemical weapons on civilian populations.”

Israel, for one, is asking the United States to take the lead in crafting a response to the evidence of chemical weapons.

“I think the U.S., as the leader of the Western world, should lead the efforts with our partners in Europe and Israel and to take action with what we’re seeing happening today in Syria,” Israeli Deputy Defense Minister Danny Danon said on Friday.

While he didn’t offer specifics, Danon said that Israeli military intelligence also has information indicating “Syria has used chemical weapons.”

Mississippi Man Arrested In Ricin Case NITED STATES Federal agents U yesterday arrested a Mississippi martial arts instructor after his home and a former business were searched as part of an investigation into ricin-laced letters sent to President Barack Obama and two other public officials.

Everett Dutschke, 41, was taken into custody by U.S. marshals at his Tupelo home early Saturday morning without incident, the city’s police chief, Tony Carleton, told Reuters.

UNITED STATES It was not immediately known if Dutschke has been charged in the ricin investigation.

Dutschke faces other charges related to an April 1 indictment for fondling three different children between ages 7 and 16, from 2007 to 2013, according to court records.

He was released on $25,000 bond in that case.

Dutschke’s attorney, Lori Basham, did not return calls seeking com-

Bangladeshi army personal carry a survivor that was recovered three days after an eight-storey building collapsed in Savar, on the outskirts of Dhaka… yesterday. Police arrested two textile bosses over a Bangladeshi factory disaster as the death toll climbed to 332 and distraught relatives lashed out at rescuers trying to detect signs of life.

PHOTO: AFP

ment but told Reuters earlier in the week that her client denied having anything to do with the ricin letters.

Agents from the FBI and the U.S. Capitol Police, as well as members of an anti-terrorist response team from the Mississippi National Guard, some wearing hazardous material suits, had searched Dutschke’s home on Tuesday and Wednesday, as well as the premises of a former martial arts studio Dutschke ran in the city.

Dutschke was cooperating with federal officials during the searches this week, the attorney said.

The agents had Dutschke’s home under surveillance on Friday afternoon and evening and moved to arrest him about 1 a.m. CDT (0600 GMT).

U.S. prosecutors dropped charges on Tuesday against another Mississippi man, Elvis impersonator Kevin Curtis, who was released from jail after a search of his home in nearby Corinth revealed no incriminating evidence.

Prosecutors said at the time that the investigation had “revealed new information” but provided no details.

The case has brought extra scrutiny on the FBI almost 12 years after a 2001 letter-borne anthrax attack in the wake of the September 11 attacks in New York and Washington. It took investigators seven years to solve the anthrax case.

Letters addressed to Senator Roger Wicker, a Mississippi Republican, and Democratic President Barack Obama were retrieved last week at off-site mail facilities before reaching their intended victims. A state judge also received a ricin-laced letter.

The discovery added another layer of anxiety as authorities dealt with bombings at the Boston Marathon.

TheGuardian Conscience, Nurtured by Truth

Sunday, April 28, 2013 | 11

Outlook Encyclical To United Nations

By Seyi Awofeso Dear Ban Ki-moon, HAVE lost my country and now petition your conclave of nations for another.

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Just last week, close to 200 persons were shredded within three hours in the northeastern town of Baga following gunfire fights between my country’s army and a crop of un-known militias. As yet, no one can tell how many corpses will next week lie on slurries in the streets elsewhere in my country.

But there was a country, Your Excellency; in truth, there was a country where the worth of man was measured by the weight of his knowledge and the honesty of his reputation. There was a country in which I was born myself; but I have now lost my country to a slick of blood from a stampede of thieves.

Oh, for sure, my country was not a praline place on earth at the time, or, the pit of hell itself.

It was a country perhaps - then brimming with hopes of becoming better, as citizens prided in staying the course against evil, and finding fulfilment in returning to its owner a lost purse filled with cash whilst in need themselves. Yes, there was a country like that. For I was born there, well before this stampede of thieves started.

What was once my country is now an un-governed territory, loathed as a waste of space on earth.

For good graces, your United Nations hesitates to pronounce it as such but more perhaps because of the monetary cost of taking my country’s 160 million people into custody. For that love of money, a dozen of my fellows are shot or blown up on a daily basis, or otherwise blasted by explosives flung around by the children of anger. Still, no one in the United Nations cares for my country’s bloodletting or perhaps for the same love of not losing their foreign money to my country’s self-inflicted destruction.

And now, the United Nations refuses to make the call by ticking off the 4,200 burnt corpses littering my country as trenching severely close to internationally un-acceptable apocalypse.

Whilst all nations of the world are striving to extricate Syria from its cross-fires; with 70,000 corpses numbering the scarred barrios of Aleppo and Homs, my country sets to better that Arabian tragedy, but without any other country overseas expressing any interest, fear or concern.

In my country, there’s been but a pretence to governance, for In clear sight, no one holds the ring, even as my country’s genocide continues in a welter of blood, but blood for blood, there’s no less value in my country’s charred corpses than in the blood elsewhere streaming towards Damascus, because before God, before the bus conductor and before the grave-digger, everyone counts for just one person.

Early on, in 1966, your United Nations refused to make a genocide call as my country sank into knee-deep litres of blood from a double and consecutive genocide in tow. As the corpses mounted past the one million mark from 1967, the rest of the world not ferrying armaments to fuel the fight gave but short shrift, as all but

CONversation

Ki-Moon happening again, with my country going rogue in rehearsal of its seasonal mass killings.

“No country can survive two civil wars”, my country’s ex-army chief, Lt. General Theophilus Danjuma, had said a few years ago, whilst speaking at the time to avert the bloody future now upon my country.

Most of the killings as yet appear to be the acts of the children of anger but the anger of the children of vengeance is still coming.

That’s why Syria is politically less dire than my blood-bathed country. All the anger currently fired in rocket expressions at Damascus are solely aimed at the 42-year Assad family regime, whereas in my country, everything is in doubt, and declared dubious for moral vagueness - including my country’s governing constitution.

In consequence there’s little agreement on nationhood in my country; after an epidemic of thefts damaged the basis of trust on which my country once stood, to overwhelm and disable the courts of law from also discerning what’s unacceptable amid my country’s running anomie.

Indeed, once stealing became my country’s leitmotif, the law gave way to ‘a thievish interpretation of statutes’, and, illegal gratuities are now said to be routinely passed under the Bench on which the robed Judges of courts are squatted.

To be sure, the executives led this vile assault on nationhood in my country by declaring open season for thefts. Then on, and, as theft becomes

the new vista to success - thus cancelling my country’s once taut set of family values, and replacing it with “stealing as a way of life” – success itself was lately re-defined, officially, as meaning and equal to thefts, as state pardons followed for a clutch of financial crimes convicts - altogether leaving my country prone and prostrate.

For a long time, there’s been no law in my country but a state of nature.

Historically, after well-nigh on five years since my country’s independence from Britain, the storms were already gathering. Over the years and before the Kalenjin set upon killing 1,400 Kikuyu in the Rift valley in 2007, Kenya’s Standard newspaper had exhorted the rest of the world to look concerned upon Nigeria where, according to the Kenyan newspaper, “a low-intensity civil war was underway”.

That timeous call from Nairobi was however solitary and without resonance anywhere else, not even at your United Nations which instead gaily sought to resolve Nigeria’s enveloping anomie at the time impossibly by free and fair elections. Let truth be told now, Mr. Ban KiMoon, ‘a free and fair election’ is quack medicine for anomie - not a solution to it.

A free and fair election assumes the prior consent of citizens firstly bound to a country as a common heritage to be commonly protected and made perfect by intelligence pressing fair-

ness and progress forwards. My country however does not fit into any of those defining categories. Let truth be also told that a free and fair election is irrelevant to my country’s more pressing need of severing its homicidal reflex to kill as mere sport, or as a means of livelihood, or as self-given work for Almighty God. That’s the homicidal reflex in my country long beckoning the world’s attention without success, despite the obviousness that an election is irrelevant when a good half of my country’s annual budget is stolen at source by those elected or appointed to keep the national purse, who as thieves, can’t be expected to enforce the laws of thefts against themselves, or, for that matter, credibly enforce any other law for national development on the surly duped citizens.

“Only a bloody revolution can save Nigeria” Professor Ben Nwabueze recently said in declarative tone, as he angrily removed and threw away his bemedalled gown as my country’s foremost constitutional attorney.

It is illustrative that even this, and most other solutions so far proffered by my fellows include bloodletting as common thread.

Whilst the blood then continues to flow in all directions on a daily basis, my country’s 160 million people devise personal ways and means without any reference to law or ethics. Some flee westwards across the Mediterranean to find abode in shelters as illegal, leaving the others feeling trapped inside my country to pick up rifles and revolvers to rob and maim; either for survival or cathartic vengeance.

In my bleeding country, the greater tragedy lies in the educated portion of the population; comprising the professionals who are otherwise useful for future reforms but whose hungry mouths lead them to self-declare as slavering sycophants of the bandits living by plunder in government offices.

Without self-esteem, these educated ones pledge loyalty to the bandits just so as to be gifted a house or a car from the money stolen from public treasury, and, having pledged to keep the secrets of thefts, they are given appointive posts to disguise their clear-cut partnership in thefts with those elected and living by plunder.

Without a doubt, this adumbrates the sorry odyssey of a country in distress - which past bridge is burnt, and so can’t return to its better past, and whose forward bridge of human knowledge is burnt alongside (as the 8th most illiterate country in the world averaging 80-90 per cent school certificate failures annually) to enable it cross into an orderly future of valuesharers.

This dripping narrative of facts should normally poke the eye of human civilization to compel the attention of the rest of the world to consider taking my country into supervisory custody on point of law predicating a neighbour’s duty to a nation in homicidal crisis, and, in pre-emption of the imminent arrival of the children of vengeance.

All told, Your Excellency, the United Nations Secretary General, Mr. Ban Ki-moon, i have lost my country to a slick of blood from a stampede of thieves.

• Awofeso is a Legal Practitioner in Abuja.

By Obe Ess

TheGuardian

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Sunday, April 28, 2013

Conscience, Nurtured by Truth

Editorial NUC’s Marching Order HE recent pronouncement by the Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Prof. Julius Okojie, that the NUC will close down universities yet to constitute governing councils, deserves a careful attention to substance and symbolism.

Irrespective of the intention of the NUC directive, Okojie’s warning is devoid of the cultivated intonation for which the academia as an enclave of civility is noted, even if there is merit in the idea.

Indeed there is a need for universities to constitute governing councils for a smooth, transparent and legitimate administration of their affairs. Either in federal or state universities, experiences have revealed, especially in the latter, blatant cases of abuse of power in the appointment of principal officers. In some federal universities, vice chancellors have made themselves pawns of the ruling elite to the detrimental management of their institutions. In other cases, state governments have colluded with officers to mismanage custodial funds, and with contractors to defraud the institutions. Therefore, the NUC’s observation that “the council tempers the excesses of the internal management of the university and makes sure the governors and state governments don’t manage the schools with impunity,” is a forthright assessment of the state of affairs in the universities.

However, the NUC Secretary General overstepped his bounds when he declared: “This time, the President has given us a marching order that any Vice-chancellor who runs any programme that is not accredited will go. If the Governing Council makes it difficult for us to fire such a VC, we will dismiss the Council and fire the VC.” While any act of lawlessness or arbitrariness on the part of Vice Chancellors cannot and must not be condoned, an NUC helmsman who seeks to run the commission and regulate universities administration like a military administrator should be viewed with suspicion. A certain sense of urgency or the need for discipline may be what Okojie is out to convey, his choice of words is still unacceptable, desirable as the message is.

There are finer and more decorous ways of passing a message to one’s constituency, especially the academia.

Recognising the importance of governing councils to universities, universities that are yet to constitute their governing councils must do so. And members of the academic communities, especially in the state-owned universities must see themselves as part of a universal culture. They cannot, particularly under the pressure of state governors and others, live by different rules.

Nonetheless, the Executive Secretary should not forget that though he is in a superintending position, he too operates within certain rules and regulations. It is delusory and dangerous for him to suggest that he has the power to sack Vice Chancellors as if he appointed them.

Ministers and their agents in departments, agencies and commissions should not see themselves as overlords. They are appointees who hold their position in trust for the people, and their success will depend on how well they discharge their duties within the limits of the rules, not beyond them.

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LETTERS

On The Second Niger Bridge IR: I commend you for the can spend hours on end try- Gate Bridge is a suspension SFriday, editorial of The Guardian, ing to cross the bridge. bridge spanning the Golden April 5, 2013, which Having a second bridge will Gate, the opening of the San commented on the need to have a second Niger bridge in Nigeria. It stated: “Really, government’s decision to build the bridge should not be extraordinary news. The building and maintenance of infrastructure ought to be part of governance, as it is in other climes. The situation should not be different in this country. Government should carry out its statutory duties on roads, bridges and other infrastructure. These amenities should not be abandoned to rot away to the point of virtual collapse before intervention. Public outcry over the decrepit condition of the existing Niger bridge ought to have attracted government’s attention before now. The new bridge is, therefore, coming as a welcome relief. There is no doubt that, if well executed, the bridge will ease transportation problems at Onitsha and enhance commercial activities between the Eastern and Western states.”

We desperately need a second Niger bridge. The present one is being overstretched.

Since construction of the present Niger bridge was completed in December 1965 at a cost of £5 million, it has been the only link to the eastern part of the country through Onitsha. The chaotic traffic situation on the bridge clearly manifests during festivities such as Christmas, Easter and New Year celebrations. These are times when many people from the east travel home. Commuters from both ends of the bridge

definitely improve the traffic situation and make life a little more bearable for the commuters.

But it is not just only a matter of having another bridge.

There is no point having bridges without maintenance. We have had ongoing problems with the maintenance of our infrastructure.

The country is awash with neglected roads, public buildings, railways, bridges, etc. No one is being held responsible for the decrepit condition of these facilities.

Some countries assign the responsibility of designing, constructing and maintaining of their bridges to an entity. For example, the Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District was authorized by an act of the California Legislature to maintain the Golden Gate Bridge in the United States. The Golden

Francisco Bay into the Pacific Ocean. The structure links the city of San Francisco, on the northern tip of the San Francisco Peninsula, to Marin County. It is one of the most internationally recognized symbols of San Francisco, California, and the United States. It has been declared one of the Wonders of the Modern World by the American Society of Civil Engineers. The Frommers travel guide considers the Golden Gate Bridge “possibly the most beautiful, certainly the most photographed, bridge in the world.”

The list of well-maintained bridges in the world is inexhaustible. It does not come by chance that these bridges have become the envy of the world and a reference point of maintenance. We should endeavour to follow the fine examples of countries that have imbibed the admirable culture of maintenance of their infrastructure.

•Leo Smart, Abuja, FCT

Amnesty Cannot Tame Terrorists To use violence against a peaceful man is the greatest immorality and the biggest rot ever …Mehmet Murat ildan IR: Those playing to the gallery by citing America’s inability to crush terrorist in Iraq or Afghanistan as template for justifying amnesty for Boko Haram are either ignorant of history or doing so in anticipation of pecuniary benefits amnesty will bring. To say America did not win the war against terror is a terrible error of judgment and discernment. America indeed owned the war against

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terror, succeeded in pushing aggressors off its border while keeping its citizens safer at home.

To say militancy in Niger Delta is the same as the Boko Haram insurgency is purely insensitive and mischievous.

Of course, there should be a solution to the Boko Haram menace.

Perhaps, the federal government should deploy its might, adopt multi-dimensional solution to tame Boko Haram through community leaders, clerics and other eminent citizens to persuade its leadership to embrace peace.

•M.A. Akinola, Verona-Italy.

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LIVINGWOMAN

‘Women Need To Unleash Their Innate Abilities To Further Society’ and providing them with health education.

For me, First Aid is an aspect of health education. I have also gone into the economic sector with regards to health and safety at work, and providing solutions to occupational hazards.

Pharmacy has been a very good platform for me to practise my communication skills.

For Fayo Williams, communicating with people is essential. Ordinarily, building a career in Mass Communication would have aided her in this but she read pharmacy. Interestingly, she has discovered to her joy that this platform is also a good avenue to reach out to communities. And she is exploring all the opportunities proffered by the profession to better the lots of others. The Master Trainer with background in health and safety is the Executive Director, Rely Supply Ltd., an organisation that specialises in the production of First Aid Boxes for individuals and corporate organisations. To the Vice President, NECA’s Network of Entrepreneurial Women (NNEW), empowering women to bring out their best is an investment that is guaranteed to yield plenty gains, writes OLUWAKEMI AJANI. A pharmacist veering into human capital development HAVE always had a flair for teaching people. I found that I could encourage young people through my teachings. In 2000, I used to organise First Aid training for many corporate organisations, which I enjoyed doing a lot. Many entrepreneurs were always asking me how to set up inventory management system and accessing finance. I started business in 1991 and I discovered that I have a lot to share with others in this regard.

That was how I got involved with human capital development.

I trained various groups including youths, business initiators as well as entrepreneurial groups. I got involved in NECA Network of Entrepreneurial Women in 2005 after participating in one of their major conferences. I was selected to be a member of the executive and since then it has been a journey in pushing up entrepreneurial opportunities in various forms.

Challenges facing female entrepreneurs One major challenge has to do with infrastructure. This is so profound that it is a significant factor in the death of many businesses. These businesses are dying off not because the owners don’t have good ideas or clientele but because they cannot survive with the constant poor power supply, bad roads and other logistics. I would, therefore, call on government at all levels to find lasting solution through engaging independent power project.

This aside, women entrepreneurs are under some kind of restriction in their activities to network. Sometimes, we had a discussion with the International Labour Organisation (ILO) where it was acknowledged that one of the factors militating against female entrepreneurs is the Nigerian culture, which frowns on women staying late in the club unlike their male counterparts. But men cut their deals at their clubs. Women are able to do some networking with men only during the day. However, when it comes to staying late in the night with them, women usually tend to back out.

And for good reasons, too because they are trying to keep the home front. They have home work to supervise, dinner to cook and many times, it is simply not convenient for a woman to be outside late in the night.

Difficulty of manufacturing sector to factor health safety and environmental issues into their plans One of the problems is ignorance because if individuals are able to accept the fact that having emergency preparedness in work places can only help and does not hinder progress, they will respond differently. Corporate organisations should be able to adopt this as part of their business plan.

For instance, according to one of Lagos State’s websites, over 600 billion Naira was lost in 2009 alone to fire incidents. We’ve had cases of entire factories going on up in flames. But if the owners had the foresight to install fire extinguishers in designated areas and had trained their staff on their usage and how to administer first aid, they would have been better able to protect their environment and staff.

Also, there is the issue of cost. People say it is expensive to buy water protective equipment, which lasts long in the control of hazards but the fact is that the cost of acquiring this equipment cannot be compared to the loss of valuable lives.

Views on the influx of fake drugs into Nigeria Recently a researcher from the College of Medicine, University of Lagos spoke on the high incidents of fake drugs in anti-malaria group and that is very frightening because malaria is a killer.

Life as a pharmacist T has been both interesting and challenging.

Interesting because you get to know a lot of people. But then, there is the issue of the action and reaction of drugs on the human body, which is challenging because in Nigeria, the profession has not been truly practised the way it should be.

We’ve had a lot of encroachment from non – professionals. We also had an issue with fake drugs. In my store, customers still ask me whether the product they are buying is genuine or not and I tell them my licence is displayed. I can never sell a drug that I am not sure of its source. Pharmacists have been trained to promote and exhibit integrity but we have people who have compromised that integrity with fake drugs incidents.

Despite this, we will continue to keep our heads high and keep on working on how to improve the profession. NAIP, to which I belong, has done everything to promote the profession and lots of other parent bodies have also been in the vanguard to promote the pharmacy.

Women in leadership positions and family I believe that women have an in-born leadership quality. Women have sound intuition; they can see things from far. For instance, a woman who runs a filling station somewhere in Minna received a parcel from a bank. Instead of opening that parcel, she decided to call the bank to find out if they sent anything to her and the bank said ‘no’. Meanwhile that parcel was a letter bomb.

Instead of being curious, she had the intuition to check out the parcel. So, in my opinion women should be given leadership opportunity to rule. A wise woman would apply maturity and wisdom to make the leadership position work. It is only a foolish woman that will go about bragging because she is in top position.

Rating the performance of women in governance Some have done well but there are some bad ones. There are women who have shown with their lives they can be role models in entrepreneurship.

Some women in political leadership position have, however, not discharged themselves creditably. Women should always remember that they are the first role models for the children and posterity will judge us accordingly. Wherever women find themselves, they should do their best.

Background/Education I was born in Ibadan and grew up in a middle class family. My father was a doctor and my mum a nurse. So, it was quite interesting for us to discuss cases and incidences over lunch in the house.

I remember particularly the case of the young girl who had a nail driven into her head in Oyo State and the governor adopted her. It was a celebrated case and she was treated at the University College Hospital (UCH) where my mother was working.

I attended Queens School Apata, Ibadan where I learnt to be a lady. I went on to do my A-levels at International School, Ibadan. Thereafter, I was admitted at the University of Ife for my B-Pharm degree. I went on to complete a Masters programme after which I started my career also in Ibadan.

Growing up It was fun. I grew up in the Liberty stadium area of Ibadan and Oke-Ado is a very popular place in Ibadan. I have lots of friends with whom I grew up and we are still friends till date.

I remember all the values we were taught such as hard work, integrity and perseverance to achieve great things in life.

Leisure I go for aerobics, as I am a member of Lagos Country Club and one of the vice chairmen of Teakwood aerobic section at the club. From time to time, I relax by watching movies or playing with my children.

Fashion I am not a fashion freak. I am a little bit conservative in dressing. Sometimes, however, I look at the development on the fashion scene and adopt any that suits me. But I believe in things that are ageless and I love pearl. I particularly love things that I’m comfortable in.

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WILLIAMS Regulatory agencies should continue to advocate for better regulations and establishment of well-equipped quality control laboratories and drug distribution.

For instance, if a pharmaceutical company in Nigeria manufactures 100,000 tablets in two weeks, more than 50 per cent of them cannot be accounted for or traced. But if there is need to recall these products, it will pose a serious problem because we do not really have a right distribution and record to keep track of manufactured drugs regularly. This is one area that needs looking into.

Views on women empowerment THINK much more can be done to empower Nigerian women because they are self-respecting. They also have a high record of paying back loans because of their high sense of commitment.

They cope well in difficult situations.

For these reasons, women should be in the forefront to access credit and I am ready to lend support to some of these initiatives on how women can access credit and do business in a more sustainable manner. This is one of the goals and aspirations of NECA’s Network of Entrepreneurial Women (NNEW).

Recently, we identified an opportunity in the oil and gas sector and we have been encouraging women to explore it.

Coping with her many responsibilities

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The secret is the ability to manage and properly schedule one’s time though not over-schedule it because sometimes things you did not bargain for can crop up. I always try to schedule my time even with the family.

All my children’s visiting days are in my diary.

So, if anything crops up, I have my way of handling them so that important things are not neglected. Learning to say ‘no’ when necessary is a very important skill that every woman must adopt. There are some things you have to say ‘no’ to in order to live fine and this helps in ensuring that one’s family life is balanced. I concentrate on what is most important.

Other preferred career aside pharmacy I would have loved to go into mass communication. I would have loved to craft a career in radio or television or something that has to do with the community.

One’s talent is the one thing an individual uses effortlessly, which helps one to achieve a lot of fortune in the process. It also gives fulfilment.

That is why parents are now being urged not to restrict their children from undertaking any activity they have passion for. Children should be encouraged more to use their skills as a means of livelihood.

I love pharmacy and I believe it has given me an edge in communicating with my community, especially in trying to establish their health need

THE GUARDIAN, Sunday April 28, 2013

SUNDAYMAGAZINE 19

SPOTLIGHT

Fehintola And Her Love For Travellers

OLULANA Fehintola Olulana loves making people comfortable and happy. She felt helping them solve their travel and tour problems is one key area to show this. Since embarking on this venture, the CEO of Fentinee Tours located in Festac, has ensured that her clientele, which cuts across all strata of the society, are being accorded top-notch professional services. The versatile corporate woman is also an actress and a writer. She recently went down memory lane with GERALDINE AKUTU to narrate the genesis of it all.

OING into the travel and tour business was not a bed of roses for Fehintola but it has been worth her while. Her passion and concern for people’s welfare, especially when they are away from home, has enabled her weather the storm when the going got tough. Her many clients are thanking her for the professional services she offers, which always make their travels memorable. She is particularly happy the outfit is achieving the goal for which it was started.

Of the company, which opened shop to clients in 2006, she says: “Fentinee Tours is a destination management company (DMC) that specialises in the planning and management of holidays and destination events be they corporate or social.

We do worldwide hotel reservations, tours and logistics. We look at our clients’ needs and make sure we give them the best service.”

Fehintola did not actually set out to go into the travel and tour business. In the beginning, she was only a wedding planner but along the line, she noticed that clients were always eager to sound her out on their honeymoon ideas and

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were quick to buy whatever solutions she proffered.

She soon found herself having to also plan their honeymoon alongside the wedding. Since she discovered she greatly enjoyed planning such holidays, it was not long before it dawned on her she was cut out for it. Shortly after, Fentinee Tours was born. And ever since, she has not looked back.

Although she has found her footing in the industry and loves what she does, she acknowledges it can be quite challenging. Over the years, however, she has been able to develop unique ways to cater to the taste of the different categories of customers that patronise her. “We work within the client’s budget because they cut across different age and class. Anyone that travels or plans to travel is a potential client. We serve individuals and corporate bodies alike. We also organise individual and group travels, offering regular and luxury travels as well,” she says.

Tracing the probable source of her love for this line of business, Fehintola links it to her closeness with her father, who used to regale her with stories of different places and peoples as a child. “My dad was fascinated with different places and was always telling me of the cultures of such places. I guess I caught on to his fascination. I love places and I’m fascinated by different peoples and their cultures,” she says.

With her experiences on the business over the years, what does she consider as factors threatening the development of tourism in Nigeria? “The problem facing tourism is the same as is being experienced in other sectors of the economy. This is primarily lack of development.We have a lot of tourist attractions but some have not been developed to international standards. Others are not being well managed.

Some have been abandoned altogether and this is not good at

all.

“Security is another major threat to tourism in Nigeria.

People won’t go where their safety cannot be guaranteed,” she says.

Towards developing the tourism sector to the level where international tourists are attracted, she suggests that all the natural reserves and tourist sites such as Osogbo, Idanre, Ikogosi, Abeokuta and Yankari among others should be upgraded. “Some of these palces do not even have a website where potential tourists can get information. How can people know what we have to offer when there is no information,” she queries.

Building and rehabilitating major roads leading to these sites is another solution to the problem. “When you consider the strenuous journey to get to Osun Osogbo or Ikogosi Warm Springs for instance, and the possible hazards on the way, you will give up on the idea of taking foreigners to such places. The government needs to pay more attention to the tourism sector.

“People all over the world love to travel. And there is a general interest in other cultures. Tourism can fetch us huge revenue if only we take time to develop that sector,” she says.

Over time, Fehintola has dabbled into other areas of endeavour. She has featured in movies such as Choices, Tango with me and the Tango soap opera among others. She has laso attended trade conferences in Dubai and France. Recently, she undertook a course in film making at the New York Film Academy in the United States. What prompted this?

“As a little giirl, I was fascinated by the TV and I decided I would like to be on TV someday. I started acting in school plays and I absolutely loved it. I wanted to study Theatre Arts in the university but my dad wouldn’t hear of it. So, I left it, knowing I will revisit it at some time in the future,” she says.

For women wanting to establish their own business, Fehintola says it is a good idea but that they should do their home work thoroughly before venturing into it. “Women are very thorough and meticulous in whatever they do. Whatever women do, they try to do it well. So, they should be encouraged to bring out their talents and put such to good use,” she says.

For women to be able to hold their own and stand out in wahtever they do, she urges them ‘to rid their minds of the notion that they are second class citizens’. “I see a lot of women who have already placed limits on themselves and what they can achieve because of their gender. Being a woman is not and should not be a disadvantage, though the society attempts to tell us otherwise. We need to be passionate about what we do and get the required training so as to excel in our area of business.”

To her, the first step towards achieving succeess in any endeavour is in identifying in what area one’s passion lies. “I have found that it is easier for people to excel when they love what they do. If the individual enjoys what s/he does, it will be easy to do it and even make money in the process. Thank the Lord the days are over when you had to be a doctor or lawyer or an accountant to make it. These days, people make money from almost anything. However, education shouldn’t be taken for granted. People need to learn to be the best at what they do because anything worth doing at all is worth doing well.”

She has developed her philosophy along this line, too, as she says: “I have learnt that nobody owes you anything. So, you shouldn’t expect anything from anybody. And if anyone does something for you, it is a privilege and not a right.

“I have also learnt that life is not always about what you can get, sometimes, it is about what you can give. I’ve learnt that relationships are valuable because no man is an island. So, I always try to make friends and not enemies. And while it is not possible to please everybody every time, it is important to have a check and balance to be sure you are on the right track.”

She is convinced her personality was moulded by her strict parents who ensured their children imbibed all necessary values for a good life. “Growing up was fun for me. Being the first girl after three boys, I was practically a boy because I played a lot with my brothers. My strict parents ensured that we went to school and brought us up to be together as a family,” she reminisces.

The fourth but first girl of five children, Fehintola attended Federal Government College, Ogbomoso in Oyo State for her secondary education and then proceeded to the Lagos State University for a degree in Philosophy. She also holds a diploma in French Language from Alliance Francaise, Lagos.

For leisure, she says: “I have always found ways to relax. Time for relaxation is as important as time for work because relaxation is key to good health. That’s part of the message we preach at Fentinee Tours.”

I have found that it is easier for people to excel when they love what they do. If the individual enjoys what s/he does, it will be easy to do it and even make money in the process. Thank the Lord the days are over when you had to be a doctor or a lawyer or an accountant to make it.

These days, people make money from almost anything. However, education shouldn’t be taken for granted. People need to learn to be the best at what they do.

Conscience, Nurtured by Truth

TheGuardian

20 The GuarDIaN,sunday, april 28, 2013

Junior Guardian united spiritual Children holds rally On road safety he Children’s department of the united spiritual Church (Cathedral), Oke-eri, Isabo road, abeokuta, Ogun state, last Thursday, held The Long Short Walk Rally to create awareness for the forthcoming second united Nations’ Global road safety Week slated for May 612, 2013, with the theme: ‘Pedestrian safety’.

The essence of the rally was to support the uN in preaching the gospel of road safety. uN has declared 2011-2020 as the “Decade of action for road safety”.

The global status report on road safety states that pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists make up almost half of those killed on the roads and that road traffic injuries are the leading cause of death for children and young people aged between five and 29.

Governments, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), private companies, civil society organisations, schools and other bodies have been called upon to support the uN. Bearing placards with various inscriptions such as ‘I am working for safer roads’, ‘Our goal is safer road for all’, ‘Together we can save million of lives’ and ‘Kill your speed not a child’, among oth-

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ers, the children trekked from Panseke, through Grammar school junction to Iyana-Mortuary, before moving to rock City radio station in asero.

Coordinator of the programme, Mr. Tunde sanyaolu said the rally was meant to create awareness for the road safety week and also to emphasise that the church is not only for religious issues but also serves as a very important agent of socialisation.

“That is why the children department of this church is embarking on this rally to support the united Nations in preaching the gospel of road safety,” he said. sanyaolu appealed to the government to ensure that necessary policies are formulated to eliminate excessive speed to save lives and that inappropriate speed should be seen as anti social.

The “Decade of action for road safety 2011-2020” was officially proclaimed by the united Nations General assembly in March 2010. The Decade provides an opportunity for countries and communities to increase action to save lives on the world’s roads.

— Gbenga Akinfenwa Cross section of children at the rally

Thesaurus aquatic a) water b) blue c) deep d) name Gangling a) raise b) lanky c) group d) dangerous rustic a) dirty b) rural c) dusty d) old Drab a) dull b) cold c) nice d) drag Collude a) jam b) conspire c) drink d) cook Charisma a) festival b) carry c) charm d) joke succulent a) juicy b) suck c) eat d) fat Parry a) draw b) play c) ward off d) do Nonchalant a) casual b) careful c) fear d) cry Crevice a) bank b) gap c) punch d) later

Students of Imperial Gate School Lekki, perform at the school’s Christmas concert in Lekki.

TresPass solutions To Brain Teaser (2)

GraCeFuL

OFFseT

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eXCaVaTION

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Temilola Emmanuella Oyedele (middle) during her 10th birthday celebration in Lagos.

COMPILED BY KIKELOLA OYEBOLA

(You can contact us on events for this page through: e-mail: jideoojo@yahoo.com

THE GUARDIAN, Sunday, April 28, 2013

SUNDAY MAGAZINE

21

CAMPUS

Peter Obi Committee Proffers 200,000-capacity ‘Mega Universities’ HE National Economic Council (NEC) last Thursday approved the conversion of one university in each of the six geo-political zones to a ‘Mega University.’ The recommendation for the conversion was part of those contained in the report of the Peter Obi-led Technical Committee on the recommendations of the Needs Assessment of Nigerian Universities (CNANU).

Briefing newsmen at the end of the meeting, which had in attendance the president, vice president, state governors, ministers among others, Governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi, said the president approved all the recommendations of the committee.

The committee recommended the upgrading of one university in each of the six geo-political zones to the status of a Mega University to expand their intakes from the present number of students. Obi stated that government wants to create universities that are capable of taking up to 200,000 students as against the less than 30,000 admitted by some of the biggest universities in Nigeria.

A decision has, however, not been taken on which universities will be considered for selection. The committee’s report, which followed an extensive review of the CNANU report presented to the Federal Executive Council on

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September 19, 2012, therefore made the following recommendations towards changing the fortunes of the universities: “The Committee agreed with CNANU that funding was a big issue in tertiary education and recommended that both the Federal and State Governments should prioritise funding by raising budgetary allocation to schools and guaranteeing that funds for education are disbursed as appropriated to ensure that the necessary facilities are provided.

“It recommended the strengthening of the composition and character, especially of external members, of the Governing Councils of the Universities by populating the board with members who have a direct stake in academics to ensure better management of the universities.

The committee had noted that the Nigerian University system is grossly understaffed and recommended the introduction of attractive incentives towards promoting post-graduate education and upgrading the academic qualifications of all lecturers to PhD level within a given period.

“The Committee also recommended the designation of a focal Federal University per geo-political zone to be upgraded towards expanding its absorptive capacity to between 150,000 – 200,000 students in the medium term.”

Vice Chancellor of the University of Ibadan, Prof. Isaac Adewole (middle) flanked by principal officers of the institution

ASUP Boss Says Strike In At LASUTH, Catholic Students Students’ Best Interest Fete Msgr. Aniagwu

Speaking to aggrieved students of the institution, who were protesting HAIRMAN of the Academic Staff the disruption of academic activities, Union of Polytechnics (ASUP), as the seven-day warning strike Federal Polytechnic, Oko, embarked upon by ASUP entered its Anambra State Chapter, Dr. fifth day on Friday, Uwakwe said “the Onyeka Uwakwe, has said the ongo- issue of disrupting ongoing examiing nationwide strike of the union is nations and other academic activiin the best interest of polytechnic ties do not matter here, because if students and the nation’s education. there is no polytechnic, there can’t be any exams.

“The polytechnic system is not working properly across the country, which is what the union is trying to address. So, students should please bear with us because no matter how many exams you write, what we are agitating for now is the future of your certificates in an atmosphere of acute discrimination between the HND and BSc certificates,” he said.

Apart from giving due attention to the polytechnics, as is been accorded the universities, the ASUP boss added that the Federal Government should allow polytechnics to offer B.TECH (Bachelor of Technology), as the first step towards eliminating the discrimination.

Uwakwe

By Obidimma Chikezie

C

VERSES ONE LAST TIME

By Chukwurah Ephraim Ejieji Once more called upon to do the impossible Running after shadows again Family turned fiends A party of fools drinking to his pain

Though now on the other side Still her words come through Promises made are all that is left of his pride First, second and third flights are long gone Stranded on the tarmac But still he waits for the promised last trip Blowing the dust off his backpack

Not much left to try But a lot still left to prove He dances temporarily to their tune So one last time he lets his hopes rise Only at last to lock them out of his Turning a deaf ear to voices from the past groove These chumps have a right to their There’s only one person who still has opinions But he laughs best that laughs last his ears

By Gbenga Salau HE Federation of Catholic Medical and Dental Students, Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Lagos, recently celebrated Msgr.

John Aniagwu, the Vicar-General, Lagos Archdiocese of the Catholic Church with a leadership summit titled: The making of an ideal Christian leader, even in this perilous time.

The first speaker, Dr. Rita Maduako of Havana Specialist Hospital, Surulere, listed some of the attributes of a leader to include having a forgiving spirit, being gentle, generous, patient and being able to multi-task.

She maintained that a leader’s emphasis should be more on the people he or she is leading and their welfare, adding that a leader works through love as against intimidation and power play.

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The celebrant, Aniagwu, noted that if there is true leadership, then there would be false leadership. He, therefore, urged everyone to desire true leadership.

Explaining that a leader must have respect and concern for the people he is leading, he stated

that a leader should be the people’s chief servant and must endeavour to delegate duties and responsibilities to everyone, while possessing a listening ear to take advice and correction.

The Chief Medical Director of LASUTH, Prof. David Oke, commended the student body for providing healthcare support to the less privileged in society, promising that he was available for the group’s activities to lend a helping hand when needed.

Putting his words to action, he donated towards the bus project of the students’ body. Msgr Aniagwu, on behalf of his parish, donated 10 percent of the bus sum.

The president of the group, Mr. Adili-George Fabian Chineye, said they needed the bus not just for evangelism, but to also help facilitate their movement when providing healthcare to the poor with their mobile healthcare outreach.

WISECRACKS years from now you will be more disap9 Interesting Confusions! Twenty pointed by the things that you didn’t do than by 1. Can you cry under water? the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines.

2. Do fishes ever get thirsty?

Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade 3. Why don’t birds fall off trees when winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover. they sleep?

Mark Twain 4. Why is it called building when it is already built?

The most powerful weapon on earth is the 5. When they say dog’s food is new human soul on fire. and improved, who tastes it?

Ferdinand Foch 6. “I Love You” is not a question then why does it need an answer?

I’ve come to believe that each of us has a person7. Why does round pizza come in a al calling that’s as unique as a fingerprint - and square box? that the best way to succeed is to discover what 8. Why doesn’t glue stick to its botyou love and then find a way to offer it to others tle? in the form of service, working hard, and also 9. If money doesn’t grow on trees allowing the energy of the universe to lead you. then why do banks have Oprah Winfrey branches?

Let us know Every week, LIFE CAMPUS reports on events in students’ communities across the country.

You can contribute by sending stories, gossips, reports on events and your pictures for Campus Faces to us at: templer2k2@yahoo.co m or guardianlife2005@yahoo.com

THE GUARDIAN, Sunday, April 28, 2013

22 SUNDAYMAGAZINE

NEWSFEATURE

Insecurity, Others Threaten Nigeria’s Progress In Tackling Childhood Killer Diseases Nigeria joined the rest of the world last week, Saturday April 20 to Saturday April 27, 2013 to mark the World Immunisation Week. Although the country has made tremendous progress in stopping most childhood killer diseases such as measles, tuberculosis, meningitis, diphtheria, mumps, rubella, pertussis, tetanus, hepatitis B and yellow fever with routine immunisation programme and immunisation campaigns, it is still one of the three remaining polio endemic countries that have not been able to stop the transmission of the Wild Polio Virus (WPV). The other two countries are Pakistan and Afghanistan.

The continued transmission of WPV has indeed been an embarrassment to the country. Despite a $60 million two year commitment of President Goodluck Jonathan last year with the setting up of a Presidential Taskforce on Polio Eradication headed by the Minister of State for Health, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, Nigeria still reports cases of WPV. However, the country has reported only 14 cases of WPV as at this week compared to 31 cases by the same period last year. The continued transmission of the polio virus has been blamed on the security challenges and continued violent rejection of the Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV) in some parts of Northern Nigeria which has led to the death of vaccinators and security operatives attached to them. Also, a recent report published in the journal, Nature, noted that ‘finding and vaccinating Nigerian nomads may be one of the last obstacles to the eradication of polio.’ The Guardian’ s CHUKWUMA MUANYA in this piece reviews the progress the country has made with vaccines, the challenges and the way forward.

Oral vaccine at work

The report reads: “No new cases of circulating Vaccine Derived Polio Virus type two (cVDPV2) were reported in the past week. The most recent cVDPV2 case had onset of paralysis on 24 November 2012 (from Kebbi).

“Immunisation Plus Days (IPDs) were conducted last week in 14 high-risk states using bivalent Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV2).

Recommendations from the recent Expert Review Committee on Polio Eradication and Routine Immunisation (ERC) are being incorporated. These include focusing available CCORDING to the latest edition of the resources on identified high-risk Local GovernWeekly Polio Update published midweek ment Areas (LGAs) where progress has stagby the Global Polio Eradication Initiative nated and filling remaining operational gaps (GPEI), two new type one Wild Polio Virus in these areas.”

(WPV1) cases were reported in the past from According to the WHO, every year, more than Borno and Niger, bringing the total number 2.5 billion doses of vaccines are used globally to of polio cases for 2013 to 14. The new case immunise children under 10 years old. The from Borno is the most recent WPV case in GPEI said immunisation averts an estimated the country, with onset of paralysis on March two to three million deaths every year, provid28, 2013. ing protection from diphtheria, measles, perThe GPEI is a public-private partnership led tussis (whooping cough), pneumonia, polio, by national governments and spearheaded rotavirus diarrhoea, rubella and tetanus. by the World Health Organisation (WHO), Yet, an estimated 22 million infants are not Rotary International, the United States Cenfully immunised with routine vaccines. There ters for Disease Control and Prevention is an urgent need to better communicate the (CDC), and the United Nations Children’s health benefits of vaccination and the dangers Fund (UNICEF). Its goal is to eradicate polio of not immunising children. worldwide.

Nigeria only country to report WPV3 in six

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Prof Chukwu

months According to the Initiative, globally, the transmission of wild poliovirus type 3 (WPV3) is at its lowest levels ever recorded. It, however, noted that over the past six months, only one case due to this strain was reported worldwide from Yobe State, Nigeria, with onset of paralysis on November 10, 2012.

According to the latest edition of the Weekly Polio Update published by the GPEI, it has been 12 months since Asia reported its last case due to WPV3. The last case on the continent occurred on April 18, 2012 in Khyber Agency, Federally Administered Tribal Area (FATA), Pakistan.

Executive Director of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Dr. Ado Gana Mohammed, said: “In Nigeria is if you look at historically what we have done, you we will see that Nigeria is making some good progress. Progress in the sense that looking at what population immunity was last year and what it was years before you will notice that in most of these states that are polio endemic we have recorded over 80 per cent population immunity in those areas.

“You will also notice that the number of missed children in these locations is also decreasing. Equally the routine immunisation coverage in these locations is also increasing.

Now if you come to actual count when you compare the number of cases this year with the cases we had last year, you will find that by this time last year, we have recorded almost 31 cases but this year as I am talking to you now we have about 12 cases.

“Even looking at the geography in terms of the villages, you will find out that most of these cases the traditional sanctuaries- Kano, Katsina, Kaduna and Sokoto- had been the traditional sanctuary when you come to polio cases in this country. But for this year the north western part of the country, which has over the years constituted the major challenge in terms burden of disease has not reported a single case of polio. So what we noticed is that we are beginning to do interruption of transmission.

“Now coming to WPV3, you will find out that Nigeria has not reported any case of WPV3 for a long time. So if we continue this way and we do that for the next three months then Nigeria will be almost at the point of stopping transmission. So all the cases we have seen this year are WPV1. What it means is that we have been able to restrict in terms of poliovirus in Nigeria to WPV1 and it is also re-

stricted to certain parts of this country.

“You find out that it is the security challenged areas of Borno and Yobe are the major challenge in terms of the polio burden in this country. The traditional areas that have over the years been points of transmission that is Kano, Katsina, and Kaduna have reported any case for several months. On the virus, we use to have about 15 different types in circulation but now, it is only three that are in circulation that is WPV 1, 2 and 3.

“But also in terms of genetic-sequencing, the family is shrinking to just three. It is also a pointer that Nigeria is at the point of breaking transmission. But I don’t think we should be complacent when we are seeing this progress. We should try as much as possible continue to push and work with the states and local councils, continue to advocate to traditional institutions, continue to partner and work with religious leaders and continue to work with all other stakeholders to ensure that we don’t the push until we have completely eradicated polio.”

New N1.15 trillion six-year plan to end polio OWEVER, global leaders including the Minister of State for Health, Prof.

Muhammad Ali Pate and Mohammed, on Thursday at the Global Vaccine Summit in Abu Dhabi United Arab Emirate (UAE) to mark the World Immunisation Week adopted a N1.15 trillion comprehensive sixyear plan, the first plan to eradicate all types of polio disease, both WPV1 and WPV3 and vaccine-derived cases (WPV2)/cVDPV2, simultaneously.

World Immunisation Week started 20 April with its call to “Protect your world, get vaccinated” with a range of activities in some 180 countries to help immunise more children against preventable diseases.

According to a statement by the GPEI, global leaders and individual philanthropists signaled their confidence in the plan by pledging close to three-quarters of the plan’s projected US$5.5 billion (N907.5 billion) cost over six years. They also called upon additional donors to commit up front the additional US$1.5 billion (N247.5 billion) needed to ensure eradication.

The GPEI said the new plan capitalises on the best opportunity to eradicate polio, with the number of children paralyzed by this disease at the lowest level ever: just 223 cases in

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CONTINUED ON PAGE 23

THE GUARDIAN, Sunday, April 28, 2013

SUNDAYMAGAZINE 23

NEWSFEATURE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 22 2012 and only 19 so far this year. The urgency is linked to the tremendous advances made in 2012 and the narrow window of opportunity to seize on that progress and stop all poliovirus transmission before polio-free countries become reinfected.

Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), Dr. Margaret Chan, said: “After millennia battling polio, this plan puts us within sight of the endgame. We have new knowledge about the polioviruses, new technologies and new tactics to reach the most vulnerable communities. The extensive experience, infrastructure and knowledge gained from ending polio can help us reach all children and all communities with essential health services.”

The Polio Eradication & Endgame Strategic Plan 2013-2018 was developed by the GPEI in extensive consultation with a broad range of stakeholders. The plan incorporates the lessons learned from India’s success becoming polio-free in early 2012 and cutting-edge knowledge about the risk of circulating vaccine-derived polioviruses. It also complements the tailored Emergency Action Plans being implemented since last year in the remaining polio-endemic countries – Afghanistan, Pakistan and Nigeria – including approaches in place to vaccinate children in insecure areas.

Global leaders at the Summit announced their confidence in the plan’s ability to achieve a lasting polio-free world by 2018 and pledged their financial and political support for its implementation.

“Ending polio will not only be an historic feat for humanity, but also a huge part of our efforts to reach every hard-toreach child with a range of life-saving vaccines,” said UNICEF Executive Director, Anthony Lake.

The plan addresses the operational challenges of vaccinating children, including in densely populated urban areas, hard-to-reach areas and areas of insecurity. The plan includes the use of polio eradication experience and resources to strengthen immunisation systems in high-priority countries. It also lays out a process for planning how to transition the GPEI’s resources and lessons, particularly in reaching the most marginalised and vulnerable children and communities, so that they continue to be of service to other public health efforts. It is estimated that the GPEI’s efforts to eradicate polio could deliver total net benefits of US$40-50 billion by 2035 from reduced treatment costs and gains in productivity.

Introduction of new vaccines against childhood killer diseases Has Nigeria made progress on tackling childhood killer diseases with vaccines? The NPHCDA boss said: “We have developed immunisation strategy and has within it accountability framework and so what it means is that Nigeria is definitely making progress and we are beginning to see some return on investment. So what it means is that we are making some good progress in terms of immunisation agenda.

“With the Vaccine Summit what we are doing is that we going to put our agenda including the progress we are making, including challenges that are there and also the investment Nigeria is making as a government to ensure that each and every child is vaccinated. The Vaccine Summit itself is an appeal fund for resource mobilisation. Nigeria will also stand to benefit from the resources that will be mobilised and that will also further support our immunisation agenda.

“On the issue on the new vaccine introduction, you are aware that last year precisely in June 2012 we introduced pentavalent vaccine in Port Harcourt, River State. At that particular time it was roll out in 14 states plus the FCT. Now we have scaled that up and we are running the second phase. In the second phase we take on additional 19. And the last phase will commence next month and that will cover 16 states.

Pentavalent vaccines are single dose vaccines that prevent the five childhood diseases, pneumonia and meningitis, tetanus, pertussis diphtheria, and hepatitis B. Instead of children taking different vaccines at different times they will now stake the Pentavalent vaccine for protection against the five diseases and will take just three doses between the ages of six weeks and eleven months at an interval of four weeks.

Mohammed continued: “So what it means is that the whole 36 states and FCT will be covered by June with pentavalent vaccine. With that particular vaccine we are beginning to see some progress in terms of uptake and coverage.

Equally we are also going to introduce Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine (PCV) in August September this year.

“Thirdly we brought into this country in December 2012 Meningitis A vaccine, which is the new vaccine as against the monosaccharide that we use to use and confirms 10 years protection for people who have been immunised. With the introduction of conjugate Meningitis vaccine itself we have been able to immunise over 15 million eligible individuals in the age range one to nine years and unlike previous years that we had outbreak of meningitis, since we introduced this vaccine there is no particular local council that benefitted that has reported any case. Yes we are making progress with vaccines, we introduced pentavalent vaccine, we have introduced pneumococcal vaccine and we have also introduced the Meningitis A vaccine.”

Ensuring better vaccines supply and logistics systems CCORDING to a special immunisation issue published last week by Vaccine, global experts are highlighting strategies to further advance progress on the Global Vaccine Action Plan that was endorsed by the World Health Assembly, 2012.

The experts said better supply and logistics systems are essential to reach the estimated 22 million children in developing countries who are still not protected from dangerous diseases with basic vaccines.

Currently, 65 per cent of all babies worldwide are immunised using WHO prequalified vaccines. As more countries

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Polio map

...Tackling Childhood Killer Diseases begin to routinely immunise children and develop more ambitious national vaccination programmes, demand for quality products grows. At the same time, new funding, notably from the GAVI Alliance – which funds country immunisation programmes – has encouraged new entrants into the vaccine market, which in 2013 was worth US$ 24 billion. The need for prequalification becomes even more pressing.

GAVI is a public-private partnership focused on saving children’s lives and protecting people’s health by increasing access to immunisation in poor countries.

“It is critical that GAVI funds only be used to purchase vaccines that meet international expectations of assured quality,” says GAVI Alliance Executive Director Seth Berkley. “WHO prequalification gives assurance that the vaccines we buy are safe, effective and suit the needs of developing countries.”

Between 2005 and 2010, global demand for the pentavalent vaccine increased rapidly. This combination “five-in-one” vaccine protects children from diphtheria, pertussis (whooping cough), tetanus, hepatitis B and Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib), which causes pneumonia and meningitis. It is less traumatic for babies to receive and easier for programmes to administer than previous formulations.

By the end of 2010, a GAVI-subsidized programme had approved 61 countries for funding for pentavalent vaccine. The programme assures a sustainable market, encouraging manufacturers to increase supply. This has, in turn, spurred greater competition – a virtuous cycle where manufacturers have to make increasing investments in quality to compete effectively.

The Indian company Biological E is part of a group of emerging economy manufacturers – including Brazil, Bulgaria, Cuba, Indonesia, Russia, Senegal and Thailand – that are joining industrialized countries as major manufacturers of vaccines, including pentavalent.

In 2012, Biological E prequalified its single-vial, liquid formulation of pentavalent, an easier product to transport and administer than the earlier version in two vials (one liquid, one powder, to be mixed).

Many countries encounter serious challenges in vaccine supply and logistics, from inability to keep vaccines at the correct temperature, to record keeping which enables community health workers to ensure the right vaccines reach the children who need them.

Inefficient health and delivery systems threaten access, availability, quality – and health outcomes. However, the WHO, UNICEF, the GAVI Alliance, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the many other partners active in the Decade of Vaccines have drawn up new plans to strengthen immunisation systems.

Security challenges It is feared that if the security challenges are not addressed Nigeria may not be able to eradicate polio. If nothing is done about Borno and Yobe that means they will be the points that will spread the virus again to other states. What is the federal government doing about it?

Mohammed said: “We are working very closely with the states. Two days ago my team just came back. We went to Borno and Yobe. It is a local problem and there it cannot be generic in terms of solution. So it is a local problem with local solution. So what happens in Borno may be different from Yobe even though it is also a security challenge. The way you respond to it is also different from the way you will respond to it in Yobe. So we are also looking at it.

“We are discussing with the local authorities in some of

these local councils that constitute the major challenge and we have mapped out a strategy on how we reach each and every child in these locations and at the same time we are also strengthening our routine immunisation in these particular areas and we are working through platforms and institutions and opinion leaders in these particular areas so that the polio campaigns will not be disrupted in any way, so that our people will be able to move freely and access children and in terms of any risk to health workers in those particular areas. We are optimistic, we are hopeful that we will get there.”

Also, following the security challenges and the killing of some health workers in the security challenged areas of the north, most of the health workers may not be enthusiastic to work as vaccinators. What is being done to assure health workers or even insure their lives considering the risks, and to motivate them to continue the immunisation programme?

The NPHCDA boss said: “Let me respond by first congratulating Mr. President for the support he has provided to the agency, to the programme and to the special taskforce on polio. Mr. President has directed that the security agencies work very closely with us to ensure that the health workers carry out their duties and remain unharmed.

“We appreciate the support we are receiving from all the security agencies in this regard. So in the various locations and localities where we carry out the campaign the security agencies are working very closely with us either as under cover or directly they are working very closely with us. So far it has been the unfortunate incidence that happened in Kano. We have not seen such thing again. What it means is that the security agencies are doing their work.

“Secondly, we are working with local authorities. As I said

CONTINUED ON PAGE 24

Mohammed

24 SUNDAYMAGAZINE

THE GUARDIAN, Sunday, April 28, 2013

NEWSFEATURE

...Scaling Hurdles Against Immunisation CONTINUED FROM PAGE 23 to you some of these goes beyond formal approach. We are also engaging the local authorities, traditional institutions, religious leaders, opinion leaders and influential people in these communities and they these the health workers are reassured and we are optimistic. We are consoled that the health workers have not been deterred with what has been happening especially with what we have put in place with support from Mr. President, security agencies, support traditional leaders, religious institutions, opinion leaders.”

Finding and vaccinating Nigerian nomads may be one of the last obstacles to the eradication of polio A recent report published last week in the journal Nature noted: “Finding and vaccinating Nigerian nomads may be one of the last obstacles to the eradication of polio… Remote settlements in northern Nigeria remain a challenge for vaccine workers.”

The barriers to polio eradication in Nigeria are complex and numerous. The country does not have a working public health-care system, and some local government officials are less than committed to the cause. In urban centres in the north, widespread distrust of the government leads many parents to refuse vaccination for their children. What is more, in February several polio workers were murdered- for unknown reasons- at health clinics in Kano, northern Nigeria’s largest city.

But epidemiologists have identified one barrier that might be overcome cheaply and safely: locating and counting remote populations, including the nomadic livestock herders who drift through the region with the changing seasons. Records of their numbers and movements are incomplete, but the population is thought to include hundreds of thousands of young children, many of whom have received none or only some of the multiple oral polio vaccine doses required to achieve full protection. Proponents of the programme say that nomads are a polio reservoir, spreading disease around the country during their migrations.

So in June 2012, the National Stop Transmission of Polio (N-STOP) programme, organised through the GPEI and supported by the Nigerian government, started a census of Fulani nomads and other hard-to-reach populations, as part of a global emergency action plan against polio.

Mobile and remote populations are often strongholds for disease. Somali nomads contained some of the final cases of smallpox, and the vaccination of herds in remote patches of east Africa was crucial to eradicating the cattle disease rinderpest, completed in 2011.

Nigeria made significant headway against polio after starting an eradication programme in 1996. But those gains were erased in 2003, when Muslim clerics in the northern state of Kano called for a boycott of the polio vaccine over fears that the eradication campaign was a Western conspiracy to sterilize the population. Soon, Kano, Kaduna and other northern states had halted all polio vaccination campaigns. The boycott ended a year later, but by then polio had exploded across northern Nigeria and started to seep into nearby countries, such as Cameroon and Côte d’Ivoire, that had previously vanquished the virus. Nigeria has since made lurching progress against the disease. Cases fell from more than 1,000 in 2006 to 21 in 2010, before rising again to 122 in 2011. Many more cases probably went undetected.

Religious opposition to vaccines among settled populations has now given way to refusals driven by disenchantment. “People want things other than polio vaccination,” says David Heymann, chairman of the advisory board for Public Health England and the former head of the polio-eradication efforts for the WHO. “They can’t understand why people are coming once a month to give them vaccination when what they want are treatments for their children with fever or diarrhoea.”

N-STOP’s census programme was designed to support on-going vaccination efforts, uncovering areas of need and directing resources and local vaccination teams to them.

In fact, so as not to interfere with local efforts, N-STOP teams didn’t bring vaccine stocks with them until the Federal Government asked them to. Since August, the N-STOP surveys have uncovered more than 32,000 settlements and identified more than 700,000

Vaccines is key to victory against childhood diseases children- nearly 40,000 of whom had never been vaccinated against polio.

The sheer scale of the GPEI initiative may explain some of the tensions. The public–private effort, which includes the WHO, CDC, UNICEF, Rotary International and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, has become the world’s costliest public-health initiative, and one of the longest running. Since it started in 1988, it has missed three deadlines for halting transmission - in 2000, 2005 and 2012 - and it now burns roughly $1 billion per year chasing the last remaining pockets of disease.

But the NPHCDA boss said: “We are aware of that challenge and that is why we talk about the polio emergency plan and response for 2013, which we call nomadic strategy. What we have done with that is that we have will be done is that we have mapped out strategy. We know the routes the nomads take and we have also deployed our Geographic Information Systems (GIS) mapping to ensure that we track the nomads. During campaigns we following the mapping and trace them to their settlements and immunise their children.

“Equally we have also put in place a routine immunisation approach and ensuring that they do not only benefit from polio but other routine vaccines. So we have mapped out the routes the nomads follow and their settlements and we incorporated it into our plan in terms of micro-plan. What we have also done in addition is that we have also co-opted the chieftains of the Fulani and we made them part of the planning for the campaigns. We have also engaged them as monitors and as supervisors and we also engaged their wards as vaccinators. So we are working hand-inhand with the nomads.”

Cause for optimism with 78 per cent routine immunisation coverage RGANIZERS are optimistic about winning the war, however. India was long thought of as the Waterloo of the initiative because its high population density and poor sanitation provided ideal conditions for the virus to spread. But it celebrated its second year without a case of polio in January. And Pakistan and Afghanistan both saw significant reductions in cases between 2011 and 2012, despite deep security challenges that limited the reach of vaccination campaigns.

Programme officials in Nigeria say that national and state governments are increasingly committed to eradication, but that complacency and corruption are still common among the officials in charge of local immunisation campaigns. In October 2012, for instance, dozens of officials in Kano state were fired for treating the eradication programme as a “money-making venture”, in the words of

the state’s governor, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.

Counting and vaccinating nomads will not solve all Nigeria’s polio troubles, but it is easier to achieve than tackling domestic terrorism, vaccine refusal and other challenges.

The Nigerian project could hold lessons for future efforts to eradicate disease, which are likely to hinge on reaching mobile and remote populations.

According to the Nature report, targeting vaccination efforts on nomadic children is the right strategy, says Paul Rutter, a spokesman for the independent monitoring board (IMB) set up to evaluate global efforts at polio eradication in 2010. But it will be the people behind it who ultimately dictate its success. “This kind of dogged determination to reach every last child will be what rids Nigeria of polio.”

Mohammed said: “With the initiative and innovation we have put into the immunisation programme in terms of vaccine availability, in terms of making sure that the vaccines get to the states and local governments, not only the vaccine but other health commodities; we are beginning to get some results already.

“We have seen improvement of routine im-

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munisation coverage. Normally what happens every month we still get returns in terms of immunization coverage. Last month we have been able to achieve about 78 per cent coverage.

“What it means that we are beginning to get some returns in terms of the investment we making and what it means is that in addition the advocacy we are carrying out to states, the engagement we having with the Governors Forum, the engagement we are also having with LG chairmen and also with individual advocacy we go the states and the promotion we done in terms of establishing states primary health care development agency. And the preparation we are doing with the media and civil society organization and then the publication of monthly release of vaccines is beginning to yield some results.

“So what it means is that there is transparency and accountability in routine immunisation is beginning to get us some good mileage. So gradually immunisation coverage is going up and I will like to say that we as an agency we are pleased and happy that yes we are making some good progress and we want to appreciate our stakeholders, partners, our ministers for their continued support.”

THE GUARDIAN, Sunday, April 28, 2013

SUNDAYMAGAZINE 25

HEALTH A Practical Way To Overcome Anxiety About Health B

By Moji Solanke

EING anxious about health is quite a common phenomenon. Parents usually express anxiety about the health of their children, even when they are perfectly healthy. Those experiencing symptoms of ill health are often anxious about the seriousness of what a diagnosis may reveal. Many are anxious about possible health issues that might arise as they advance in age. Women may worry about their health before or during pregnancy. Travelers intending to visit certain countries worry about contracting foreign diseases. Hypochondriacs worry about their health all the time, and, according to medical science, without any real cause.

Whether or not, according to medicine, there is a real or imagined cause for concern or anxiety about health, one thing is certain, overcoming worry can only improve the case. It is

therefore important to learn how to overcome the predisposition to worry about our health or the health of another. Several theories can be propounded; however, if these are based on human reasoning, they are subject to the limitations and fallibility that such theories necessarily involve. One safe way of overcoming anxiety about health is the spiritual method.

A few basic steps are presented as a guide to the spiritual method of overcoming anxiety.

The first step is to trust health to God. This involves prayer, study and faith. The second step is to put into practice what is being learnt — first trusting God with the ‘small’ health issues, and, finding Him reliable, trusting Him with what would be termed more complex health issues. The third step is sharing the experience. Increasing the circle of those who benefit from what an individual

is learning from the spiritual method, results in a growing trust in God. One may ask how to pray in order to be free from anxiety about health. In the chapter on Prayer in Science and Health with key to the Scriptures, the author Mary Baker Eddy, defines prayer thus: ‘an absolute faith that all things are possible to God, — a spiritual understanding of Him, an unselfed love.’ Such prayers are not wordy epistles, hedged about with creeds, and laced with superstitious pleas to a ritualistic Jehovah. It is not praying to a Deity who chooses on whom to sparingly bestow the largess of His love, according to a partial, mysterious system of merit. Rather, according to Eddy, it is a longing to be better, a daily watchfulness, a striving to assimilate more of the divine character, an awakening to the truth expressed in Genesis 1: 26 in the Bible, that man is the likeness of God.

Common sense reminds that being anxious about health, does not in any way help in the recovery or improvement of health. Indeed, studies show that anxiety, the harbinger of stress, brings in its wake additional health problems.

Therefore, no harm can come from trying out the spiritual method of overcoming anxiety.

Anyone, anywhere, who finds themselves entertaining an anxious thought about health — whether it is a persistent anxiety, an occasional twinge of fear, or even if it is the hypochondriac unaware that they have this condition — can follow the steps highlighted, and find themselves enjoying more freedom from anxiety about health. They may not be too surprised to find that the spiritual method of overcoming anxiety about health actually results in healing also. m_asolanke@hotmail.com m_asolanke@hotmail.com

Minerals Beyond Vegetables

By Fabian Odum

EGETABLES are not the only source of minerals and since they are very essential in body metabolism, a number of food items are listed as under.

Calcium: milk products, sardines, clams, oysters, dried fruits.

Chloride: table salt, seafood, milk, meat, eggs.

Magnesium: nuts, legumes, cereal grains, seafood and bran rice.

Phosphorus: meat, poultry, fish, eggs, milk, milk products, nuts, cereal grains.

Potassium: avacado, banana, dried fruits, orange, peach, wheat bran, dairy products, eggs.

Sodium: table salt, meat, seafood,

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cheese, milk, bread.

Sulphur: meat, poultry, fish, eggs, milk, cheese, legumes, nuts.

Arsenic: seafood.

Boron: Legumes, nuts, fruits.

Chromium: prunes, nuts, organ meats, whole wheat bread and cereal.

Copper: liver, shellfish, wholegrains, cherries, chocolate, nuts, eggs, muscle meats, fish, poultry.

Iodine: salt, salt water, seafood, eggs, beef, liver.

Iron: organ meats, clams, oyster, read meats, dried fruits, enriched and/or whole wheat bread, and cereals.

Manganese: wheat bran, legumes, nuts, blueberries, pineapple, seafood, poultry, meat.

Nickel: nuts, legumes, shellfish,

grains.

Selemium: grains, meat, poultry, fish, dairy products.

Silicon: unrefined grains.

Vanadium: foods containing very little shellfish, whole grain, black pepper.

Zinc: Oysters, wheat germ, beef and chicken, whole grain particularly wheat.

It is important to note that vitamins and minerals are found in a wide variety of foods. Therefore, it is profitable to eat different kinds of food — bread, meat, fish, fruits dairy, and even vegetables daily. Although vegetables are essential in our diet because it provides plenty of vitamins and minerals, their supply of anti-oxidants and fibre to the body is quite outstanding.

RICE In Emergency Medicine: 3

(Treatment-Rest)

By Segun Owonikoko

S we have seen in the opening two articles of this series. RICE is an acronym for Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation. It is used as a treatment modality for soft tissue injuries. We have also seen that most of these soft tissue injuries occur from sporting activities.

Today, I will be looking a bit more closely into the specifics of each of the components of RICE. However before I proceed further, I want to sound a note of warning concerning injuries and self-treatment. While RICE is an established treatment modality that can be carried out by anyone who has suffered a soft tissue injury, I will advise that you seek a medical opinion before you do.

This is because RICE is not recommended for treatment of more significant injuries such as fractures, which can have similar causations and presentations as soft tissue injury. The treatment of fractures is rooted in reduction of the broken bone fragments to re-align to as close to the original position as much as possible and for these re-aligned positions to be maintained in by means of immobilization. The danger lies in not recognising that a fracture is present and going ahead to self-treat the injury as a soft tissue injury instead of a bony injury (fracture).

R—Rest It is essential that an acutely injured limb is given the rest that it requires as repetitive use of the injured area will lead to worsening of the injury with attendant inflammation. It is essential that the injured area is protected from damage by putting a stop to playing (if it is from sporting activity). The limb can be rested on a soft, comfortable surface. The key to resting it, however, lies in not using it. In order to achieve this, it will require that a broad arm sling is used (in upper limb) and crutches (in lower limbs).

Even though rest is recommended for an acutely injured soft tissue, it is a time-dependent treatment modality. The optimal period of rest for soft tissue areas is 48-72 hours. Following this, early controlled active movement is very essential for the restoration of the function of the injured area. Prolonged rest have a deleterious effect on the activities of musculoskeletal tissues.

Maintenance of normal bone, tendon, ligament, articular cartilage and muscle structure and composition require repetitive use. Changes in the patterns of tissue loading can strengthen or weaken normal tissues. On the other side, early motion and loading of injured tissues is not without risks. Premature or excessive loading and movement of repair tissue can inhibit or stop repair.

Next week, I will continue on rest as a treatment modality by looking more in detail into the mechanics of the broad arm sling and crutches.

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Dr. Segun Owonikoko, CEO & Clinical Director, Kephalus Health Nigeria: emergency medical services specialists.

Mortein DOOM Brand Ambassador, Omawumi Megbele (left)Director, Office of Population and Health, USAID, Barbara Hughes; and Managing Director, Reckitt Benckiser, Kenya, Mr. Richard Perreira during Omawumi’s malaria eradication advocacy campaign to Kenya.

Health And Your Mind

Issue Of Faith And The Kingdom Of Heaven (5)

By Babatunde Ayo-Vaughan

HE issue of faith and the kingdom of heaven are actually about the fundamental truth of our wellbeing. Jesus is really going to be the authority needed in this respect to prove this point. But this name in itself has been so badly enmeshed in religious confusion that one needs a careful explanation to bring the name of Jesus out first of religious confusion. Then, one can make use of the name and what it stands for in understanding the nature of the human beings and its place in the schemes of nature. It calls for a methodology of approach to the truth of knowledge.

In the world of general knowledge, they call this methodology science. Broadly speaking, this is meant to be an intelligent approach by which one can help to bring the truth of anything into the understanding of the average human being independent of parochial influences such as religion is usually guilty off.

This is what the rule of intelligence is all about. A rule of procedure that may be able to explain somebody like Jesus in His relevance

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to everybody on earth without such people ever thinking that one is talking Christianity and wants to sell an ideology. It is this consciousness of the methodology of the rule of intelligence that led to the writing of my book — Jesus Christ The Master Psychologist.

As I said, the aim of the book was to bring the person of Jesus out of religious confusion and its allied intellectual irresponsibility. The book tries to make it clear that even if there might be an abode outside this world that some may depart to and which one may wish to conveniently call heaven; the truth of the matter as one may clearly find in the statement of Jesus is that, the real duty of man is to replicate the truth of heaven on earth. And so rather than for man to be much more concerned about how to go to heaven when he dies, he actually gets the nature of his existential purpose right when he gets to know that his real aim for coming into existence is to establish the kingdom of heaven on earth.

This is why I have said that when we embark on the rule of intelligence to ascertain this, we might just begin to appreciate the fact that we

may need more of a scientific approach to appreciate Jesus and his truth, which religion and its intricacies may never allow.

The book helps to tell why faith and the notion of the kingdom of heaven are intertwined and why this has led me authoritatively to tell you that faith and the kingdom of heaven are both wrapped up in the effective understanding of mind functions. Psychology is largely about the study and understanding of mind functions.

Those who have been taking about Jesus down the ages had never done anybody any good by not emphasizing the fact that the man was much more concerned about the emotional and mental wellbeing of man rather than talk about any celestial philosophies, which His preachers are more interested in. Mind functions are about mental and emotional wellbeing and it is how these are moulded that can make or mar anybody including his proper understanding of the issue of faith and the kingdom of heaven.

26 | SUNDAYMAGAZINE

THE GUARDIAN, Sunday, April 28, 2013

KALEIDOSCOPE REPORTER’S DIARY By ‘Fisayo Soyombo

been standing in the queue for a quarItheHAVE ter of an hour. A three-man queue! And I am last. Like me, the multi-colour middleaged man standing listlessly ahead of me is patently growing impatient. Somehow, I am drawn to his skin.

It is the type you would call coke-and-fanta, the fanta mustering a half-hearted attempt to outshine or perhaps displace the former. A failed displacement reaction that is, in Chemistry terms. He scratches his drooping ears for the umpteenth time, glances at his wrist watch, and mouths a sentence or two that evince impatience. But the women ignore him and the rest of us altogether.

“I never knew rice has gone up again [sic],” the slimmer, more garrulous of the two women attendants says in anger. “It is now N10,650. If I knew I would have joined you to buy a bag last month.”

Women will always be women. They will always talk while at work. Even in their sleep, they will.

But, why should I be the one to suffer for the rise in the price of rice? Am I the one who…

“Can you imagine?” my multi-colour friend speaks with unmistakable annoyance, wearing an air of familiarity that would have erroneously suggested to a bystander that we left home together. “No respect. They keep two full grown men standing just because of their idle chitchat.”

I utter no word in return. I just smile — vaguely. Dateline, Friday 11th April 2013.

I had been up four hours earlier rummaging the website of the Lagos State Aids Control Agency. Fifty-six HTC centres in all, I headed for the nearest of them, Ikorodu General Hospital, thinking, “Today, I must know my HIV/AIDS status. Today.”

The sprawling compound of the hospital cut the picture of a countryside market, people scurrying past me as I stood rooted to a spot, in an attempt to make out the building that received the thinnest (physically) lot of people.

“Good morning. I want to run an HIV test.

Where do I begin,” I said to the two women at the enquiries desk of the building I finally thrust myself into, watching their faces intently for unspoken assumptions. Their looks were nondescript. That was the Pharmacy Department and it was exactly 12:30 pm.

“You will have to queue up for a card there,” the quieter of the duo said with all the civility in the world, motioning me to the far right corner. “The card is free.”

“See you later,” my friend says brusquely, offering me a rushed pat on the back.

The woman who made me know the latest price of rice is the one who attends to me, unhurriedly filling the card with my answers to her questions, such as my full name, sex, occupation and age. I then move to the next stage, a sitting queue where an attendant shows up every now and then to call the next batch of 10 or so patients cleared to see the doctor. When it is my turn, I am again lumped with my friend on the second row of benches for about-to-see-the-doctor patients.

While we sit just outside the office marked ‘Consulting II,’ the doctors inside chatter. The door is ajar but still not enough for us to establish if the doctors are working alongside the talk. But we could hear them. Then the conversation assumes the tone of an argument. One speaks of how insulting it is for the father of a dead sickle cell patient to accuse a doctor of complicity in the death.

“Did I kill the patient with my hands? Did I join the parents together in wedlock?” the obviously angered doctor asks. “Did they not know what to expect when two carriers of the AS genotype marry?”

A second doctor cuts in: “You should stop begging them. When you beg them, they have more guts to blame you for their losses. Just don’t beg them.”

I observe my wristwatch. It reveals I have been sitting on that bench for more than two hours. In those hours, I had dozed and regained my composure; I had slept and I had woken; and most significantly, I had been called from the office that my attention was needed.

My multi-colour friend is called in. He had complained to me of what I thought was migraine. He always felt a headache so severe that his heartbeat reverberated in his head.

Serious matter.

“Soyombo Olufisayo,” a gruff yet undeniably feminine voice calls out from inside.

I enter, uncharacteristically sitting before I have been offered a chair. Doctor Adebayo listens with an ear and carries on with the argu-

This rubble-ridden building is where people queue up for HIV/AIDS test at the Hospital

A Date With AIDS

ment with the other. He signs a Drug Description Form and directs me to the laboratory. At the laboratory, a nurse blithe refuses to answer my queries. Another answers, but bad news is all she has for me.

We don’t conduct HIV/AIDS tests on Fridays,” she says, unaware of the hours I’d stayed at the hospital. “We only do on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays.”

The words pierce into my heart like spears; and I am hurt beyond speech. I just drag myself away, bewildered by the sheer lack of communication between the laboratory and each of the five layers of office I had contact with. Why don’t they all know that an HIV test is impossible on a Friday?

Obinyan Gladys’s is just starting a conversation when an older nurse interrupts with her lewd banter, first on a woman who runs an HIV test and is told she is positive only to run another and discover she is actually negative; and later on how God created the female specie to “enjoy” sexual intercourse because that is what they are “meant for till death.”

First time I would hear a female suggest that women are mere sex objects.

Gladys tells me a thing or two about HIV/AIDS. Nothing new, actually: all elementary information. She tells me the basic means of contracting the disease, and then the means by which an infected person cannot implicate others, such as sharing hugs, eating from the same plate, and so on. In less EIGHT days later, I return to LSACA’s website than a minute, she is done. to locate another HTC facility. The Lagos “Do you have any question,” she ends with University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) is on the a somewhat mechanical smile that eventuallist. Bursting with enthusiasm that LUTH, ly thins out into a faint frown when I tell her Lagos’s flagship government hospital would I have two. render first-rate service, I abandon work on “What progress has the country made in the Friday 19th April 2013 for its expansive Idicontrol and treatment of the disease?”

Araba location, where I am directed to the So much, she says. With the partnership Aids Prevention Initiative in Nigeria (APIN) between Bill Gates Foundation and the centre and to a counselling room marked Federal Government, infected persons ‘R5.’ receive AntiRetroviral Drugs (ARVs) for free.

I am received by a counsellor, a middle-aged “Second question, I hear of more cancerwoman wearing a forlorn look, who first related deaths than HIV/AIDS-related cases. takes a long, suspicious glance at me and Isn’t there an over-concentration of attention then utters no word. I sit with unease but I on HIV/AIDS?” The frown returns, thickened return her long look, mine very searching this time. albeit furtive. I notice her silky blue see“I can’t answer that question; you have to go through blouse that gifts me an enticing slice and browse [sic],” she snaps. “Take this paper of her black brassiere and bumpy stomach. to the building to your right. That’s where to How Not to Dress as an HIV/AIDS counsellor! have your test. Good day!” She doesn’t mince A second counsellor enters to take over. her looks in conveying to me that I have over-

IT is great that ARVs are free, thanks to the combined efforts of the Federal Government and The Global Fund (to fights AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis).

But how can there ever be any coordinated response to AIDS when statistics on population of infected people are grossly unreliable? And how can the country reliably take stock of infected persons when hospitals choose days when HIV/AIDS tests are conducted, when testing for the disease ill-receives isolated attention and test candidates have to wait several hours before they are attended to.

stayed my welcome.

I soon find out the building she spoke of is not exactly a building, rather a ramshackle extension of the actual building: a building without walls, roof, and window. Patients scurry for the few available chairs. I soon find out an inferno in October 2012 is responsible for the ruin, but it matters little. Seven months is enough time to renovate the place.

The only woman with the luxury of a chair and table to herself sits at the far end, registering patients wanting tests other than HIV. The tall dark man inside an inner cubicle donning a laboratory coat does not talk. Not that he is dumb; he just shouts every time he has cause to open his mouth. The result is that many of the HIV/AIDS test seekers are disenchanted with the entire process, and one of them leaves abruptly. I am the last to test.

“You are negative. Go and avoid anything that can get you infected,” the counsellor to whom I return for the result says in a go-andsin-no-more tone of finality. I leave, but ‘sinning no more’ is not my preoccupation; it’s Nigeria’s still-tenuous HIV/AIDS crusade.

IT is great that ARVs are free, thanks to the combined efforts of the Federal Government and The Global Fund (to fights AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis). But how can there ever be any coordinated response to AIDS when statistics on population of infected people are grossly unreliable? And how can the country reliably take stock of infected persons when hospitals choose days when HIV/AIDS tests are conducted, when testing for the disease illreceives isolated attention and test candidates have to wait several hours before they are attended to, when counsellors themselves know very little about the disease, when health officials are annoyingly discourteous to patients? How do you tell a man who feels healthy (even if he is positive) to tolerate all these hassles just to know his status? Yet having as many people as possible know their status is the fundamental step to surmounting the challenge of narrow-scale statistics. For all the progress that has been made with free testing and free ARVS, the real target of HIV/AIDS control and treatment will remain stunted without statistics. That is the exact reason Nigeria must re-strategise.

THE GUARDIAN, Sunday, April 28, 2013

SUNDAYMAGAZINE 27

KALEIDOSCOPE goodpeople

Prince Benson: From Wheel Chair, Speech Impairment To Author, Song Writer...

By Gbenga Akinfenwa OR anyone meeting him for the first time, his quiet mien is captivating. His attractive smile is like a magic that could neutralise any charm and a soothing balm to a worried soul, but beneath is the true picture of a man whose predicament had robbed him of fulfilling his destiny.

Thirty years old Prince Emmanuel Okuonghae Benson popularly known as Man of God (MOG) was deformed from birth by cerebral palsy, a condition of the brain that robbed him the use of his hands, limbs and affected his speech.

His story is pathetic as well as challenging, considering extremely distressing experience of stigmatisation, when the doctor advised his parents to drop him in the village, as his medical condition was considered hopeless Today, he has not only survived against all odds, but he has also begun to accomplish the impossible and imparting his generation.

Benson has challenged his deformity and circumstances of birth. At present, he has written three books, composed over 100 songs and three musical albums to his credit despite his inability to receive formal education.

Benson, gospel musician, writer and motivational speaker hails from Urhonighe in Orhionmwon Local Government Area of Edo State. His condition at birth was even worse because he was deaf and dumb paralysed and was lying on his back for 17 years.

The first medical doctor that attended to him told his parents that he would never talk, sit down and that he would be useless to himself.

There and then, the doctor advised his parents to send him to the village.

“It was with God’s intervention that I am talking and sitting on my wheel chair today.

It just happened one day when my father returned from a course in Germany that I discovered that I could talk and could also hear.

On his arrival, my brothers and sisters were welcoming him. I heard them and joined in the greeting.

Everybody was surprised that I could hear and talk. From then, my condition began to improve,” he stated.

Thereafter, he enrolled at the Air Force Primary School, Kaduna and wanted to move to Secondary School but the challenge of coping with rigours of the academic programme meant that he had to find a more suitable academic environment because of his condition. Most of the schools he was taken to in Lagos rejected him because most of them are storey buildings and he may not be able to cope with his peers in School.

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He was discouraged and was taken to a Special School for the physically challenged but after the interview, they discovered that his level of understanding is higher than the category of people there and it would be a waste of time for him.

“Since I was unable to go to school to further my education, I started developing myself. I started studying hard at home, teaching myself because I did not want to be a liability to anybody. I tried to discover myself, to teach myself things that can be of benefit to the society and me. That was how I discovered my talents and I started writing books,” he stated.

In 1997, he went to a Vocational School set up by the Lagos State government where he learnt how to make shoes but couldn’t

practice because of his physique. Because of this, he had to focus more on his talent.

Rather than being discouraged by his life experiences, the circumstances toughened him. From writing books, he went into music. He can also operate his Personal Computer like an able bodied. “By the grace of God, I have written four books. Of the four I managed to publish one in 1999 titled ‘You are born to be great in life’, because I have no marketer. I have written over 100 songs and released three albums, The reason why I live (2004), and Christ In Me, the Hope of Glory (2009). But both sponsorship and marketing have been hampering my effort to continue.

There is no promoter and no marketer, I have been doing it all alone.”

He noted that the little he had achieved so far were based on his conviction to be great in life. He had always dreamt of becoming an

a Scientist, so when he discovered the opportunity to fulfil his goal, he remembered what his parents use to tell him “that i would be a liability to them because of my condition”, always challenged him to bring out the best in him.

“What really motivated me is the testimony of people. You cannot be under my ministrations and you’ll remain the same.

When people tell me that they receive under my ministrations, it gives me courage. On June 16, 2012, I clocked 10 years on stage, I had planned to celebrate but there was no money,” he said.

Attaining these feats were not without challenges; he is aware that his difficulties are enormous. His speech, an agonising drawl that takes a lot from him in terms of effort; it takes a keen attention to grab the content of his message. His every attempt to sing is always accompanied by an angling in the neck, jutting of the tongue and a totally uncordinated hand movement. Mobility has been another great challenge to him, the need to hire car to perform and at the end the honourarium may not be commensurate with what he had spent to transport himself. But with all these, he believes there is a lot of ability in his disability.

On his aspiration, Benson, a recipient of three awards, One of the 10 Outstanding Youths from the Junior Chamber International (JCI), 2009, Outstanding Person With Disabilities, from Ondo State Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, 2009 and MINDS Inspiring Special Talents Award, 2011 said he wants to groom upcoming artistes because of his belief in talents and the need to encourage upcoming artistes, part of the reason for establishing his own recording studio for both audio and visual recording.

“I want to use this medium to appeal to the General Overseer of the Redeem Christian Church of God, Pastor Enoch Adeboye to give me a platform to listen to my song and support me to fulfil my vision and aspiration. Most of my songs are from the annual convention of the Church, because I always get inspiration from it. I also want marketers to come and see my works, they are good works that can sell any time,” he stated.

Benson who holds a Diploma Certificate in Theology from the Redeem Christian Church of God (RCCG), noted that if he is encouraged, he would surely fulfill his destiny.

Pondering And Puncturing Provocative Propositions

By Adidi Uyo

HE language aficionado that you are, you’d immediately recognise that title as a nifty alliteration. You are right, alliteration it is. But the main course in the menu of the language train today is not that rhetorical object, for the accent is indeed on the last word on the title, propositions.

If you ask an academic to mention you some synonyms of “proposition,” he is likely to give you words like “theory,” “hypothesis,” or “theorem.” For people who live in the Ivory Tower, all that would be good music to the ear. But for the man on the street, we would be using the language they are more likely to understand, if we said that a proposition is an “idea,” an “argument,” or just a “statement.”

Everyday, we make statements, proffer ideas, or put forth arguments many of which are provocative. Because provocativeness is a matter of degree, we could say that provocative propositions are statements, ideas, or arguments range from those that are just annoying, irritating, or exasperating, through those that are infuriating, insulting, or maddening, to those that are offensive, inflammatory, or incendiary. To put that more elegantly, all that boils down to three main points on a semantic scale, marked mild, moderate, and severe.

Whether they are mild, moderate, or severe, provocative propositions do just what the word says: they provoke people. They arouse us, making us feel, think, or act in certain ways. Depending on whom you are a provocative proposition may make you just to have some kind of feeling toward the person who pronounced it,

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to think deeply about the proposition and its maker, to pick up your pen, phone or i-pad to support or puncture it, or do something very practical about it, including acting violently.

Oftentimes, feeling helpless or depressed, I just ponder some provocative statements, but become greatly delighted when other people - as if they were reading my mind - puncture them in the media. Today, the era I purposively dub that of Instant Coordinated Talkback, you can always find somebody who would do you the favour of puncturing for you propositions that you may find mildly, moderately, or severely provocative. All you need do is visit the websites of various newspapers daily, read their news stories, editorials, personal columns, or some other message therein, and

LANGUAGE ON PARADE move on to the comments that follow them.

Without telling you whether certain propositions that I am about to relate to you provoked me mildly, moderately, or severely, I just want to show you that, gladly, I did find people who punctured them for me. Perhaps the greatest number of propositions dominating our newspapers today are those pertaining to amnesty for Boko Haram.

If you do not know who first touted the idea of, do not worry. But before we grapple with that, let me tell you about this related proposition that provoked me to no end. The proponent was no other person but Misan, my bosom friend and alter ego. Accord-

ing to Misan, it was President Goodluck Jonathan that precipitated the demand for amnesty for Boko Haram.

“See me see trouble!” I hollered, upon hearing Misan trying to turn a serious matter into a frivolous one, with what is at best a spurious argument. “Are you asking me?” Misan retorted. “You mean you do not know that it was the President himself who first granted amnesty to his political godfather, I mean, the ex-Governor of his state? Well, if you do not know, i am putting it to you now that it was that amnesty that precipitated the demand for amnesty for Boko Haram.”

“This cannot be real,” I muttered. “Misan, how can you be saying such a thing? Are you saying that the Sultan, or who was it, that first mooted the idea of amnesty for the Islamic fundamentalist sect, was trying to balance the equation for his own part of the country? Jesus Christ, I just can’t believe my ears. Look, Misan, you need to have your head examined!”

Misan looked at me askance, and, with a wry smile, retorted: “I wish you could say that to those who are making all sorts of provocative propositions about granting amnesty to Boko Haram.

Or don’t you think they need to have their heads examined, really?” Instead of persisting in trying to puncture Misan’s provocative proposition, I decided to ponder it the more.

That digression over, let me now serve you some of the propositions that have provoked me this season, which other people have gracefully punctured for me in some newspapers. That is to say, on the language train, the puncturing of provocative propositions has just begun.

THE GUARDIAN, Sunday, April 28, 2013

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NEWSPEOPLE

Oshiomhole

Igbinedion

Oshiomhole Vs Igbinedion: Verbal Rumble In The Heart Beat

By Aloysius Omo ITH all pride and self belief, the people of Edo State have over time, left no stone unturned in consolidating the very imagery that presents their state as the heart beat of the nation. This adroitly managed self-fashioning deploys the heart, a vital body organ to project a relentless relay of events which keeps life going. The logic of this myth derives from the truism that a heart that does not ‘beat,’ automatically pronounces death, not just for itself, but for all the other components of the body.

So it seems that the heirs of this self portrait have reached the conclusion that if Edo is the nation’s ‘heart beat,’ it should not at any point succumb to silence, not even silence that allows for reasoning. This thinking, apparently manifests in the boisterous nature of the political engagement, creating a subliminal impression that it is incongruous for any sort of momentary calm to descend on this place of the beat, especially when the very philosophy of the state’s branding makes it clear that the “beat must always go on.”

Perhaps as a consequence of this self-definition, the political elite in the state have tended to overstretch their penchant for the theatrical. Simple matters that would have been dealt with quietly and without rancour, suddenly assume controversial dimensions, inviting loud statements, and bombastic speeches. It is thus no coincidence that the state naturally provided the nation with a certain Hon Patrick Obiagbon. Obiagbon’s love for high sounding words, which usually give off booming sounds for effect, but have very little immediate meaning, captured the imagination of his bemused colleagues at the House of Representatives, where he once did his thing. Although, this exponent of pure and unmitigated bombast as the language of political contest could not find his way back to the National Assembly, he nonetheless cemented himself in the collective memory of Nigerians, as one pulsating Edo export to the national political scene.

However, while Obiagbon represents what may be deemed the entertainment side of highsounding display of hard to fathom vocabulary, the duo of current helmsman, Adams Oshiomhole, and Sir Gabriel Igbinedion, have tended to take the theatrics of public engagement a notch higher. Having these two in the same state is akin

W

to having two elephants in a match box room. The two have outsized egos, which have begun to clash, with far reaching implications. While Oshiomhole derives much of his swagger from the mandate conferred on him by the people, the senior Igbinedion is eager to flaunt his wealth as may be gleaned in his gaudy attires, as well his fleet of the state of the art automobiles.

It is however pertinent to state that the actions of the two powerful men seem directly targeted at rationalising the need for endless dramas. There is something about Oshiomhole and the senior Igbinedion that suggests a careful deployment of key elements of their persona to facilitate noisy and controversial vibrations within their domain. While it could be taken for granted that interesting political engagements ordinarily have to be feisty and controversial in some sense, too much of political theatre becomes problematic, resulting in diminishing returns for an over entertained public.

It is in this context that one may view the recent verbal exchange between the governor and the Esama. The bone of contention was the recent council elections, which amounted to a fiasco in terms of timely delivery of voting materials. The Esama was said to have flouted the restriction in movement during the elections, commuting from Benin to Okada Town, ostensibly to vote. In the process, he is said to have used his police escorts to intimidate and scare voters.

It was a vintage Oshiomhole that went on the offensive against the Benin chief. The governor let loose his tongue, warning the octogenarian to stop engaging in “elderly rascality.”

Although this sort of description may come across as an accurate portrait of a man who left his usual polling booth to vote in a town where he hardly resides, it also throws up Oshiomhole, as a man too quick to invite drama whenever he is in the spotlight. At the very podium where he berated the Esama, Oshiomhole betrayed the maxim that every revolutionary also carries his own baggage of contradictions. He was in a lot of respects condescending, when he warned the council bosses that anyone of them found in Benin

without valid reasons would be “in serious trouble.” That warning was akin to a village headmaster warning his wards to stay off a mango tree. The irony however is that the governor was addressing the heads of a supposed tier of government, democratically elected by the people in his locality.

On the whole, for a governor, and father of all in the state, many have pointed to Oshiomhole’s tendency to start battles on too many fronts. Not many have forgotten how he had the chairman the state Task Force on the demolition of illegal structures, handcuffed for demolishing a house belonging to a former governor, Samuel Ogbemudia. Right in front of the cameras, Oshiomhole turned the hunter to the hunted, and the Task Force chairman was loaded into the back of a hilux van like a common criminal.

In the build up to the 2012 governorship contest in Edo State, the atmosphere was charged to a point of boiling over; the accusations and counter accusations of alleged plans to rig the polls shattered the airwaves. All through, the sword of Damocles hung precariously because Oshiomhole had decided to fight to finish. It was in this atmosphere of charged electrons that Oshiomhole’s private secretary, Olaitan Oyerinde was murdered. Naturally, fishing out the killers in the haze created by the political melodrama was going to be difficult. The security agencies didn’t help matters; they paraded two sets of suspects, one by the State Security Services, and another by the police.

Again, the governor failed to hold his peace; he came out blazing against the police. He then came close to engaging the Attorney General of the Federation in fisticuffs at the last Council of State meeting. Now the potentials of the Igbinedion household has been added to the list of those he is more than willing to play hardball against. In his tirade against the flamboyant Benin chief, the governor mentioned how he (Igbinedion) was pocketing up to 20 per cent of the proceeds from tax revenues when his son, Lucky was governor. Oshiomhole then went on to promise that he would cut the Esama to size, if he continues to put his “elderly rascality” on display.

While Oshiomhole may be accused of being too quick at throwing his weight around, the

It is however pertinent to state that the actions of the two powerful men seem directly targeted at rationalising the need for endless dramas. There is something about Oshiomhole and the senior Igbinedion that suggests a careful deployment of key elements of their persona to facilitate noisy and controversial vibrations within their domain. While it could be taken for granted that interesting political engagements ordinarily have to be feisty and controversial in some sense, too much of political theatre becomes problematic, resulting in diminishing returns for an over entertained public. senior Igbinedion should get some flak for carrying on with the air of an emperor who reigns above the laws of the land. His ostentatious lifestyle and lavish mansions in the face of the grinding poverty in the land do not add to absolute virtue. And to engage in attempts to undermine government authority by flouting the restriction of movement on the day of the polls is reprehensible. Everyone knows that in previous elections, the Esama voted right at the polling booth next to his house at the GRA, Benin City. To attempt to undermine public peace by the brazenness of his action suggests nothing but mischief. The lesson from this verbal war for the two powerful men is the need for restraint among those in the public eye. Political theatre is good, to the extent that it gets people interested in how they are governed.

But like everything else, when the gladiators act, posture and feint too much, the essence is lost, and it all amounts to some annoying distraction. That is not what the people want because in spite of his celebrated performance, there are many areas in which the people will want government to make its impact felt.

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SPECIAL REPORT ON IGBOS OF DISTINCTION (PART 1)

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SPECIAL REPORT ON IGBOS OF DISTINCTION (PART 1)

GOVERNMENT POLICIES HELP FOREIGN FIRMS TO GROW MORE THAN INDIGENOUS FIRMS CHIEF ERIC UMEOFIA, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, ERISCO BONPET GROUP E is well travelled and his name is H synonymous with efficiency, integrity and success, but despite his well deserved success, this patriotic industrialist never ceases to let the world know about his origin. An indigene of Amichi, Nnewi South Local Government Area of Anambra State, Chief Eric Umeofia’s passion, determination, patriotic zeal, adherence to cultural values and respect for traditional institutions have always made him a man of the people everywhere he goes and these have made his life a road map for many Igbo youths who desire genuine success.

An apostle of social justice, the Chief Executive Officer, Erisco Bonpet Group believes that the cultural orientation of the Igbos is a major reason why an average Igbo man has always seen opportunities in business challenges. According to him: “Though things are no longer the way they used to be because the Nigerian society now worships money and position, when we were growing up then, every Igbo family values their names and every child was nurtured to respect elders and the traditional institutions. And because there was love, everybody was his or her brother’s keeper. That is the kind of society where I grew up in, it is a pity that youths of today are being nurtured in a corruption-ridden world where the love of money has taken over the love of humanity. Most of our youths no longer value the acquisition of knowledge and hardwork”.

His business sojourn to other countries of the world has widened his perspective on development issues and he is one of the Igbo men who believe that what they have seen abroad can be replicated in the South East states. In his words: “I have business in the United States, UAE and Angola, but I decided to bring part of this to Nigeria in order to create jobs for Nigerians thus helping in nation building, but lack of basic infrastructure and inconsistency in government policies have made it difficult to succeed as an industrialist in Nigeria. If things had continued as it was during the days of regional government when there was healthy rivalry among the regions, we would have gone far than this as a nation. The youths in the south eastern states, just like most youths in Nigeria are ready and willing to earn a living through honest labour, but lack of opportunities have made some of them to turn to hawking while some of them have taken to crime.

We need to uphold the rule of law, invest more in education, develop our infrastructure and back them up with realistic economic policies that will encourage genuine investors to invest more in our economy”.

The traditional institutions, according to Chief Eric Umeofia, have major roles to play in the socio economic development of Nigeria. He opined that the neglect of the traditional institutions and the over-reliance on western ideas is one of the major reasons for the slow rate of development of Nigeria. On how these traditional institutions can be useful in the contemporary Nigerian society, the visionary industrialist said: “The traditional rulers are the custodians of our culture and most of the Obis and Igwes that we have on the throne today are accomplished professionals.

These rulers through their chiefs are in a better position to know more about the people in their domain, so they should always be included in any security plans made by government. Also, I believe we can create more jobs for our youths through good agricultural policies, arable land needed for this can only be gotten in the villages where most of these rulers reside not in the cities. These rulers can also play supervisory roles in any government agricultural policy”.

Though his managerial ingenuity has made it possible for him to make Erisco Bonpet Group in Nigeria a success story, the outstanding industrialist still believes that government policies help foreign firms in Nigeria to grow more than they help indigenous firms.

According to him: “It is not easy to run a successful venture in Nigeria, that is why most Nigerian businessmen engage in mere trading rather than manufacturing. For those of us who are still committed to industrialization, the lack of consistency in policy formulation and implementation by the government has been a lacuna. Though those in charge of policy formulation and implementation here keep saying that our economy is doing better today, but I can only see this economic growth on television and on the pages of newspapers. If a man is sick but later recovers and lost his son in the process, my people believe that he is still very sick.

This is the best adage that describes what is happening to the Nigerian economy today. The Chinese government gives incentives to their industrialists that is why they have been able to achieve what they have achieved so far. We use billions of naira to import tomato pastes and concentrates from China while we have what it takes to produce the tomato paste and concentrates here.

Also, Nigerian banks by their lending policies have killed and are still killing many Nigerian businesses, what you get from our banks is determined by who you know rather than the viability of your business proposal. They even prefer to give loans to foreigners who are more concerned about developing their home country’s economy”.

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SPECIAL REPORT ON IGBOS OF DISTINCTION (PART 1)

A TENURE LACED WITH INDOMITABLE ACHIEVEMENTS N the comity of Vice Chancellors, he stands out, Iachiever among the Igbo people, he can be counted as an and in the Nigerian polity, he is a suc-

value that a typical University of Agriculture can add to Nigerian youth employability”, Alaezi said.

cess. But then, success is never ever bestowed on anyone, it is earned through vision, hardwork, determination, focus, zeal and perseverance. A leader par excellence, Prof Hilary Edeoga, the fourth Vice Chancellor of the Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike has from the way he is administering the university shown that he is born to lead.

Apart from establishing the CES, in order to improve teaching and learning, Edeoga initiated and completed projects like the renovation of the students hostel, construction of a modern university bookshop complex whilst efforts are being made to ensure that teaching and learning are both ICT-driven to cue into global trends. In fact, very soon, HITACHI, Japan will be visiting the campus to assess the ICT-readiness of the institution. At present, white boards have already been installed in lecture halls, laboratories, and conference rooms while demonstration sessions are going on to enable the users have a mastery of the facilities.

“When the righteous is on the throne, the people rejoice”, so goes a biblical verse. This is aptly true for this Professor of Plant Taxonomy and Cytogenesis who became the Vice Chancellor of this specialized University just over two years ago; precisely, March 1, 2011. From the students to lecturers to non-academic staff to contractors to associates to religious leaders and even the ordinary man on the street in and around Umuahia and beyond, stories of him that one gets to hear is that of a man whom MOUAU has long been searching for. In just two years in office, it has been commendation galore from all quarters.

Born in November 1960 into the family of Chief and Mrs. Edeoga Ogenyi Eze of Amede, EhaAmufu, Isi-Uzo Local Government Area of Enugu State, the University of Port Harcourt alumnus left no one in doubt as to his goals for the university right from his first day in office. He had told the university community back then: “My leadership in the university for the next five years will be anchored on the virtues of equity, justice and fair play. The MOUAU jet plane is yet to gain proper altitude for safe cruising. With proper synergy among all the segments of the university, we are now in the crucial period of gaining altitude to prove to the nation and the world at large that agricultures and sustainable food production is a lucrative business”.

Furthermore, he said, “As the Chief Executive Officer of the university, I shall ensure that the underpinning rules and principles of university administration are adhered to. My administration will therefore, accord respect to due process, equal opportunity, cultural diversity and the committee system. Adequate opportunities will be given to staff to participate in university administration at appropriate levels”.

By the time he was one year in office on March 1, 2012, the outpouring of encomiums on this restless leader was amazing. If anything, it went to prove that life is not how long, but how well. A message from the institution’s Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, to him on that occasion went thus: “Your first year in office is the first leg of your five year journey as Vice Chancellor of Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike. In this one year, you have demonstrated the will and zeal to relentlessly pursue the development of the university by your concerted effort to complete on-going projects in the university, the empowerment of casual staff by converting them to regular staff and prompt attention to staff welfare”.

From the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, SSANU, MOUAU branch came this message on that memorable first year anniversary of Edeoga: “We have noted with delight the achievements you have recorded so far and your determined efforts to achieve more, especially in the areas of staff welfare, infrastructural development, external linkages and university administration. We wish to commend your burning desire to improve on the welfare of staff and students of the university, unwavering commitment to create a better teaching and learning environment on campus, and avowed intent to make the university the best in the country as well as leaving the university far better than you met it. We appreciate the industrial harmony existing on campus and pray for its sustenance”.

Also, the Bishop of the Diocese of Umuahia, Catholic Church, Rev Lucius Iwejuru Ugorji wrote thus on his first anniversary: “This event offers me the much desired opportunity to commend you for your land mark achievements in the university especially in the area of staff welfare and infrastructure development as well as the establishment of an International Secondary School”.

The Government of Abia State was equally not left out in the congratulatory galore. Prof Mkpa Agu Mkpa the Secretary to the Government stated in the letter to him: “As a charismatic leader, your remarkable achievements and contributions since assumption of office as Vice Chancellor have evidently impacted positively on the infrastructural and academic excellence and indeed,

In view of the fact that funds from the federal government is never enough to run the institution, Edeoga who was Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources in Enugu State between 2007 and 2009 has seen to the commercialization of some ventures in order to boost the school’s internally generated revenue. Thus, the poultry, piggery and fish ponds are today fully commercialized.

As regards students welfare, Edeoga has also not taken this lightly. In his view, without the students there will not be a university and neither will there be a Vice Chancellor. Thus, apart from renovating and building more hostels for them, he gave waiver to some of them who were to be sent off from the university. Besides, the students work-aid scheme was revived to assist some indigent students in earning something for their upkeep.

PROF HILARY EDEOGA, VICE CHANCELLOR, MICHAEL OKPARA UNIVERSITY the welfare of the entire university community to the school unprecedented outlook, “The New Face of MOUAU projection” where the new road the glory of God”. networks, community relations, classroom It was Henry Kaiser that said, “When your work blocks, hostel structures, security apparatus, etc speaks for you, don’t interrupt”. These messages speak eloquent testimony. and many others encapsulate the feeling of the people concerning Prof. Edeoga in just one year in “We must commend and appreciate your unaloffice. They also go to tell one thing: that he is one loyed patriotism, and responsive administration man that has a clear understanding of his vision in staff and students welfare which is not only a for this ivory tower and has set about pursuing it pace-setting, but also a microcosm for emulation for those in macro administrative offices in our with passion. dear country Nigeria”.

His second year anniversary celebrated about two months ago was no less salutary. The Non- Need anyone say more about this outstanding Academic Staff Union of Educational and Igbo man? The truth is that he is a world class Associated Institutions, MOUAU Branch wrote in administrator who is ever bent on leaving their their congratulatory message: “On 1st March, 2011 footprints in the sand of time. It was Martin you mounted the saddle of leadership of the Luther King Jnr that said: “All labour that uplift Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, humanity has dignity and importance and Umudike. Since then there has been a tremen- should be undertaken with painstaking exceldous transformation in the university. May God lence”, if in just two years out of a five year tenure, grant you the ability to do more for the university Edeoga could achieve so much it is indicative of the fact that he aligns himself with King Jnr’s and humanity at large”. thoughts.

The students body were no less pleased with his giant strides in just two years. In their goodwill Indeed, the erudite professor’s achievements in message to him, they remarked: “We lack the two years of running the institution are just too right diction to express our deep and sincere grat- numerous to mention. In the area of infrastrucitude for the magnitude of what you have done ture development, he has completed all abanfor this institution within a short period of two doned projects by preceeding administrations years. You have indeed surpassed the usual expec- and gone ahead to initiate many others. It is his tation of both the staff and students of the uni- belief that with the required infrastructural base, the university will be able to compare with othversity. ers anywhere.

“When we reflect on the new programs, policies, strategies and student-friendly relationship that In addition, many new programmes have been you have introduced, the infrastructure already introduced in order to further expand the union ground and those under construction, they versity’s academic profile. This is intended to show that you have the blueprint of the structur- meet the increase in the number of students aimal and policy framework of the MOUAU of our ing to enter the university. Worthy of mention is that the programmes are now laced with entredream”. preneurial training with the aim of making the And from the Congregation of Sons of Mary school’s graduates job and wealth creators. This Mother of Mercy, Umuahia came this message: led to the establishment of the Centre for “In spite of the great challenges that are identifi- Entrepreneurship Studies, CES, which is headed able with the office, you have made profound and by Prof Alaezi. On his vision for the CES, the pioremarkable impacts in the university within neer Director said, “I believe CES MOUAU will these few years. This is made manifest in the soon begin to be regarded as the foremost integrity, discipline, respect of human dignity, University of Agriculture in Nigeria that provides tolerance, fair play, fear of God and outstanding comprehensive and highly accessible quality structural developments which are prevalent in entrepreneurship education and training”. the university and which undoubtedly reveal the awesome secret of your faith and love in the serv- According to him, the sorry tale about Nigeria’s ice of God and humanity. May God give you the youth employment is not that there are no jobs wisdom and strength to pilot the affairs of the but an unemployability of the youths in the labour market. To correct this therefore, the university”.

Centre is going to develop curricula that will Besides, the Marketing Department in the College combine relevant and viable entrepreneurship of Management Sciences of the institution was courses into the mainstream academic curricunot left out in the felicitation greetings. It said: lum without reducing the already high standard “We appreciate your laudable achievements and that the institution is known for academically. ongoing developmental strides that have given “At the centre, we are poised to rediscover the

Furthermore, the NAVC/ICPC was inaugurated on campus to help in channeling students’ energies to useful vocations instead of engaging in cultism and other vices. And for the first time, the Admission Unit was made a separate entity to make for thorough and better handling of admission matters. In fact, the OMR machine that speeds up the marking of objective questions was used for the first time during the 2011 POST-UTME and this attracted a lot of applause from the public. Ever since, the result of Post-UTME exams conducted in the university gets released with 48 hours.

Besides, Edeoga has continued to ensure that staff welfare receives its deserved priority.

Salaries are paid before the 26th of every month whilst responsibility and hazard allowances are equally paid as at when due. Also, staff training and development have continued to remain cardinal to him. Thus, over 200 both teaching and non-teaching staff have benefitted from the Tertiary Trust Fund, TETFUND sponsorship to local, national and international studies, training, conferences and workshops in order to update themselves in their areas of specialization and improve on their jobs.

This is not all. The MOU International Secondary School has since taken off just as the University radio, GREEN FM which was another initiative of his has also started broadcasting and transmitting research findings to the benefit of all.

Even the MOUAU pensioners are not left out in the scheme of things at the university. Edeoga sees to it that they are properly taken care of as their input in getting the university to the stage where it is today is always appreciated. In fact, the pensioners too are full of praises for the university management thanking them “for the love they have continually shown them, whereas their colleagues in other groups and organizations are branded as deadwoods”. Worthy of note also is that their monthly pensions are paid alongside the salaries of serving staff.

It was thus very befitting when the MOUAU Alumni thought it fit to organize a grand reception for their Vice Chancellor during the second year anniversary celebrations to appreciate his leadership style which they believe has pushed their alma mater to a higher pedestal.

Described as a treasure to Igboland, nobody can deny the fact that Prof Edeoga is a God-sent to MOUAU, Igbo race and mankind in general.

People like him are uncommon, the reason why they do uncommon things. With the pace at which he is going, it is evident that by the time he would be finishing his tenure, MOUAU would have had all round development and would have been catapulted into a world class

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THE GUARDIAN, Sunday, April 28, 2013

SUNDAYMAGAZINE 37

LAFETE

Orji in Heir’s garden N Saturday, April 13, Chairman Heirs Holdings, Mr. O Tony Elumelu C.O.N, hosted an exclusive dinner reception in honour of the Managing Director of the Sovereign Wealth Fund, Mr. Uche Orji.

The event, which had the special guest of honour being officially presented to the business sector by Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Minister of Finance and the coordinating Minister for the Economy, was held at the sumptuous gardens of Heirs Place in Ikoyi.

The high networth function also attracted Professor Onyebuchi Chukwu, Minister of Health, Mr. Frank Nweke Jr, Ms. Evelyn Oputu, Managing Director, Bank of Industry, Dr. Kingsley Moghalu, Deputy Governor Central Bank of Nigeria and other captains of industry and international business leaders.

Uche Orji

Kingsley Moghalu, Professor Onyebuchi Chukwu

Charles Aigbe, Obong Idiong and Fripini Ronaldo

Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Evelyn Oputu and Tony Elumelu

Adim Jibunoh

Suzanne Iroche

Livening up Black and White Ball T a rare gathering of celebrities, A which included distinguished Nigerian politicians, dignitaries and Nollywood’s top acts, African top-rated distiller, Intercontinental Distillers Limited, IDL, the producer of Squadron Dark Rum, Veleta Fruit Wine and Action Bitters, sparked up the night, with well-blended drinks that gave the last Encomium Black and White Ball an unforgettable sparkle, at the Ruby Gardens, Lekki.

In attendance were Hon. Abike Dabiri, Senators Ita Giwa and Ganiyu Saheed Balogun, Brand Manager, Squadron Dark Rum, Zekeri Dokpesi and Kayode Oyinbo Solomon, Chief Alex Akinyele, representatives of the Lagos State government, a host of A- list Nigerian comedians such as Ali Baba, Julius Agwu, AY, esteemed producers, actors and actresses who were thrilled by the electrifying live performance of ‘Limpopo’ by KC and DJ Jimmy Jatt’s skits and mixes.

The Ball, now in its fourth season, was initiated by Kunle Bakare, the Publisher of Encomium Magazine, the high-octane event is meant to celeBrand Manager, Veleta Fruit Wine, Chioma Alonge, Senator Ita Giwa and Innocent Oboh, Haed of Marketing IDL brate and reward select personalities, Kunle Coker and Fred Amata who have done well in their various fields.

This year, the recipient of various categories of awards, ranging from the most stylish governor to the Best First Lady, Comedian, Designer and notable personalities were Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan, Dame Emmanuella Abimbola Fashola, Hon. Abike Dabiri, Julius Agwu, Da Viva and a host of others, while Senator Ita Giwa and Chief Alex Akinyele were rewarded for their contributions to the country with Lifetime awards.

Speaking at the event, Mr. Innocent Oboh, the Head, Marketing, Intercontinental Distillers Limited, IDL, commended the contributions of the various award recipients vis-à-vis the resilience of every Nigerian.

According to him, “that is the spirit of Naija, and that is what IDL is doing, in promoting the true Nigerian spirit, through various indigenous, wellrefined products to celebrate the nation.”

Publisher, Yes! Magazine, Azuh Arinze, Ace Music Producer, Kenny Chidi Mokeme Ogungbe and DJ Jimmy Jatt

THE GUARDIAN, Sunday, April 28, 2013

38 SUNMDAY MAGAZINE

BY BENSON IDONIJE benidoni@yahoo.com

All That Jazz

ARTSVILLE

Remembering Lester Bowie, Crusader Of Great Black Music

BY TOYIN AKINOSHO

The Biennale Or The Local? th

HE South African exhibit at the 55 Venice Biennale, scheduled to run T from June 1 to November 24, 2013, has “something special to offer the world”, in the words of Brenton Maart, the writer and curator, who has been drafted to manage the country’s participation. The artists Penny Siopsis, Kay Hassan, Johannes Phokela and Sue Williamson — all of whom are usual suspects in the South African art scene — as well as a host of others, are featuring their works in a big group show that evinces “how artists use materials of the past to comment not only on the past but how the past continues to comment on the present,” Maart says. Like Nigeria, which is not participating this year, South Africa is not a frequent contributor to the Biennale’s National Pavillion. Indeed, “Africa has long been underrepresented at the Venice Biennale”, writes Brent Meersman in the Mail & Guardian of Johannesburg. Meersman makes that sound like a bad thing. “This year only five of the 55 countries participating in the national pavilions are from African countries,” he laments. But why does he feel sorry? It’s okay for a country to partake in a global feast every now and then, but it’s much more important for that country to evolve sustainable ways to cook large enough meals that can go round its citizens at home. There is hardly any African country with a robust contemporary art scene; one that reduces the certainty that a superbly talented aesthete would do well by staying and working in his home country. This is exactly what the focus should be on, not whether some writer, poet, designer, filmmaker or fine artist is a great cultural export.

‘It’s Too Personal, Toyin,’Dike, Adegoke Complain HE painter and sculptor, Ndidi Dike, has dismissed, as crass, the mention T of Jess Castellote’s medical condition, in a report in this column two weeks ago. “That’s the stuff I expect from magazines like City People,” Dike

the demise of trumpeter SArtINCE Lester Bowie, not only has The Ensemble of Chicago not been the same, the furtherance of jazz as great black music has also diminished. In the last 20 years, Bowie was the pivot and inspirer of the new black music, having realised a revolutionary dream he began four decades ago. Bowie was the greatest new trumpeter since Miles Davis!

My first impression of Bowie was formed in 1977 when I met him at Fela Anikulapo Kuti’s residence in Lagos. Then, the Afro beat icon’s house had just been burnt down and was temporarily occupying a spacious suit at Cross Road hotels, Jibowu, Yaba where he had relocated. Bowie had come all the way from America without adequate preparation and financial support for the journey. By the time he came to Fela’s house, he had no money. He had no luggage. And I am sure he had no plans as to how to survive. But he was very optimistic. He had artistic brilliance written all over him. From his demeanor and the ideas he generated from conversation as he held tenaciously to his trumpet case, I had no doubt in my mind that he was a musician’s musician.

This assessment of Bowie was confirmed when he stayed with Fela for three months, recording three albums with the Afro beat legend on some of those controversial albums on Aphrodisiac label of the Decca group. Prominent among them is Dog eat dog, a free flowing rhythm over which horns make statements in the form of riffs. Essentially an instrumental, Bowie found it a favourite because it provided enough room for gimmicks that called for mutes. He demonstrated his remarkable bag of trumpet and flugel horn tricks which included half valve effects, bent notes and a wide vibrato punctuating one of the most humorous, yet striking solo styles among modern horn players. The unusual progression of the song

together with its Afro feeling lent themselves to ample improvisation from a jazz man who was now at the peak of his career. Tenor saxophone player, Fela Anikulapo Kuti, trumpeter Tunde Williams and Bowie himself shared solo concessions and, apart from helping to lift the quality of the music in solo context, his presence inspired Fela and Tunde who had never had it so good solo-wise — from the spirit feel that was generated.

PPARENTLY the most outstanding crusader of the ‘great black music,’ Bowie was the President of an ideological group called, The Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians (AACM). He believed that jazz is great Black Music just as gospel and Afro beat which he greatly admired saying, “What we are trying to do today by the term, Great Black Music is to put emphasis on the quality of the music that black people have created in this world. I mean this music is so great that each one of its sub divisions has influenced the whole world… rock ‘n roll, blues, jazz, gospel, each one is a division of this music but actually all coming from the same thing.” Explaining the essence of jazz in this whole experiment, he further said, “The thing about jazz is that it fuses all these different elements together. Jazz is becoming the first world music. It is the contemporary music of this planet at this time. Therefore, it is very important for our people to know that out of everything happening to us on the planet, we have still maintained the pinnacle of culture.”

Bowie had strong views about African music, especially in terms of the way it is laced with the totality of African culture. And the Great Black Music which he preached and propagated was out to reveal the power of this cultural affinity.

As a matter of fact, Bowie’s attitude to jazz stems from the relevance of African culture and condemns the perception of the Western world that sees culture

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complained over drinks at Terra Kulture, the city’s top art centre. “You can’t be divulging information about people’s sickness,” Dike complained, “it’s a piece of information that was offered to you in private.” ARTSVILLE had reported the absence of any reference to Folabi Kofo-Abayomi, a significant Nigerian art collector, in Mr Castellote’s essay, Collectors And Their Collections, the lead piece in the Sammy Olagbaju-sponsored book Contemporary Nigerian Art In Lagos Private Collections. The story indicated that Castellote, who had just returned from treatment abroad, was willing to respond to the observation and proceeded to mention what he had gone to be treated for.

Dike argues, “the story could have waited until Castellote had the opportunity to respond”. Dike’s criticism came in about two weeks after the fashion designer and culture organiser Ugoma Adegoke had complained about references to “my marriage and my father in law”, in the column’s March 10 Edition. The piece was largely an announcement of the concert Women Rising, organised by Adegoke’s The Life House. The column would wish that from the ephemeral perspective, people would send written rejoinders that could be published and provide as an element of decoration. His the readership an idea of what people like or dislike. This column would words: “The western world says publish anything that damns it. But too often, what we get are verbal spats. that art is something that you put It’s not a way to create an ecosystem that is most sorely needed in culture on the wall… art for art’s sake! Art production. has got to have meaning, there must be a connection, it has to be Lala Puts V- Monologues On Stage part of our everyday lives.”

Bowie became the President of HE ‘Make it Happen Productions’ is presenting the classic V-Monologues, Association for the Advancement (The Nigerian Story) again on stage. The star-studded cast includes Taiwo of Creative Music (AACM) in 1968.

Their music had African heritage Ajai-Lycett, Iretiola Doyle, Bimbo Akintola, Biola Segun-Williams, Dakore Egbuson-Akande, Omonor, Kemi Lala Akindoju and Rita Edwards. The direcas focus, playing concerts every night and rehearsing all day with tor is Ifeoma Fafunwa. The play will be performed thrice in two days in the all kinds of different groups and first weekend of May 2013. The opening show starts at 6pm on Friday, May 3, combinations. The music was pop- 2013 at the Agip Recital Hall, The MUSON Centre in Onikan. The second day, ular in Chicago, from where it was May 4, features two shows, at 3pm and 6pm at the same venue. The second taken to Europe in 1969. Based in show on the second day (6pm, May 4) is the command performance, which comes with a N5,000 gate fee (flat). The other shows are priced at N3,500 for Paris, Bowie’s Art Ensemble of Chicago played at the theatre six regular and N5,000 for VIP. The production is the first major outing for Kemi Lala Akindoju’s company, Make It Happen. She has performed in severnights a week. Before his exit, al stage plays and in movies and produced Open Mike events, but putting VBowie’s great black music had received wide acceptance on the Monologues together, with this constellation, is a huge undertaking. jazz scene. And like a teacher and Uche Okeke Celebrates 80 Today At Freedom Park crusader of a new revolution, he was always critical of repertoires CHE Okeke, professor of art, creator of the Modern Uli Art Movement and and exponents of what he referred the philosopher of the Zaria rebellion, turns 80 on April 30, 2013. His to as establishment music.

His eclecticism led him to issue wife, Nwakaego and children(Ijeoma the curator and others) are launching a foundation today(April 28, 2013) in his honour. The arthouse crowd is harsh denunciations of contemporary artists he felt revered only expected to fill the event, which starts at 4pm at the Freedom Park, on Broad the bebop and hard bop jazz tradi- Street. Founder of the Asele Institute, Okeke was appointed lecturer and acttion. He never had kind words for ing head of Fine Arts Department at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka in the early 1970s, where he reviewed the entire course programme introducing the likes of Wynton Marsalis, a new courses and research into Igbo Uli art tradition. He has been Director, highly acclaimed jazz musician who was the Director of Lincoln’s Institute of African Studies, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Visiting Professor to the Department of Creative Arts, University of Port Harcourt, Honorary Jazz Centre. “Wynton is the key,” he lashed out.”He is the one they Deputy Director-General (Africa) of International Biographical Centre, Cambridge. His book, Art In Development, The Nigerian Experience is a critical use to stop the music. He has helped to destroy the music. Now source book for anyone who wants to understand the evolution of contemporary Nigerian art, from traditional to the avant garde. The Committee For what’s happening is that all his younger contemporaries are not Relevant Art (CORA), is working to present a conversation around what making money or making a living Okeke has stood for, at a later date. or being accepted throughout the world because they are not doing Ehikhamenor Hangs Out With The Veuve Clicquot Crowd anything. The only one making money is Wynton.”

ICTOR Ehikhamenor opened a solo show at the Temple Muse, a new The truth of the matter is that gallery on Victoria Island yesterday, sponsored by Veuve Clicquot, the the philosophy of Bowie’s Great French Producer of pricey champagne. The show runs till May 31, another Black Music gave every musician evidence that exhibitions now run longer in a city where two-week long the opportunity to create and shows were considered a stretch just a few years ago. Amusing The Muse, develop along their individual curated by Sandra Obiago, features several drawings and paintings. Of the lines rather than playing repertitle, Ehikhamenor told E.I, a writer: “Often times the muse amuse me, it is toires and standards by acknowl- my turn to amuse the muse too by deviating a bit from what she wants me edged American composers. This to do. It sounds cheeky, but trust me it is the truth. However it a tribute to situation is bound to inhibit talthat muse, not necessarily in the visual rendition but in the titles of the ent, originality and creativity! works”. Temple Muse is at 21, Amodu Tijani, off Sanusi Fafunwa Street, VI.

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THE GUARDIAN, Sunday, April 28, 2013

SUNDAYMAGAZINE 39

MOVIEDOM

BY SHAIBU HUSSEINI

shaibu70@yahoo.com

Cannes names host for festival, as Zulu wraps of feast OPULAR French actress, Audrey Tautou, who is best known for her role (as a shy waitress who set out to improve the life of those around her) in the critically acclaimed 2001 film, Amelie, will host the opening and closing ceremonies of the Cannes Film Festival in May, the organisers have said. The opening ceremony of the festival, which is in its 66th edition, holds on May 15 while the closing is May 26. It was Berenice Bel, star of the film, The Artist, that hosted the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2012 edition of the film feast. Already, renowned director and Hollywood legend, Steven Spielberg, has been announced as the head of the festival jury while Jerome Salle’s film, Zulu, starring Oscar winner, Forest Whitaker, and Orlando Bloom, will close the festival next month, according to a statement by the organisers.

The film, adapted from the eponymous novel by French author, Caryl Ferey, was shot entirely on location in South Africa. Widely regarded as the world’s top film festival, it opens with Baz Luhrmann’s The Great Gatsby, starring Leonardo di Caprio in a remake of the F. Scott Fitzgerald classic novel. Zulu is set in Cape Town against the background of a country still overshadowed by apartheid and where affluent suburbs rub shoulders with dirty poor townships. It tells story of two police officers played by Bloom and Whitaker caught up in a search described by organisers as combining “elements of political film noir and social study”. The movie was co-written by Julien Rappeneau with a score by Alexandre Desplat. Whitaker, in 2007, won the best actor of the Academy Award for his role as former Ugandan dictator, Idi Amin Dada, in The Last King of Scotland. He also won best actor at Cannes in 1988 for his role in Clint Eastwood’s Bird. The organisers say a full list of the films in official selection will be announced in due course.

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movie received the crest for screenplay, editing and best director. Starring Bimbo Manuel and Nadia Buari as lead actors, the movie tells the story of Dibu and Fele, two major gladiators whose lives are later left in total disarray. The movie was nominated in six categories — Achievement in Sound, Editing, Screen Play, Best Nigerian Film, Best Actor in Leading Role and Best Director. The movie eventually won awards in the Editing, Best Directing and Best Screenplay categories thereby making it the highest award-winning movie both from Nollywood and other African countries. Koga Entertainment has been rolling out exciting materials and high tech gadgets in the entertainment scene, which include the launch of their online TV, www.Koga.tv, acquisition of state of the art equipment at their studios, acquisition of ArriAlexa camera, the best and most expensive camera in film style digital motion picture, which has been used to shoot lots of award winning movies. Koga Entertainment has also been successfully organising the

annual Top 10 Mics concert.

NAPTIP hostscast of Itohan N recognition of the good job being done by Iaudience Superstory’s Itohan in sensitising Nigerian about the dangers of human trafficking, prostitution and child labour, the National Agency for the Prohibition of Traffic in Persons and Other Related Matters (NAPTIP) Executive Secretary, Mrs. Beatrice Jedy-Agba, hosted the producers, cast and crew of the award-winning TV Series to lunch and an interactive session at the NAPTIP Lagos office, Ikeja GRA, on Thursday, April 18. NAPTIP has been in the forefront of war against human trafficking in Nigeria since 2003, and recently, partnered with Wale Adenuga Productions Ltd. to produce the Itohan: A Call to Action story to further spread the message to millions of households across the country through the popular TV Drama.

Others present at the event include NAPTIP Assistant Director, Press and Public Relations, Arinze Orakwue; and Lagos Zonal Head, Joseph

AMAA crest for Heroes and Zeroes EROES and Zeroes, the movie directed by H the AMAA Best Director for 2013, Niji Akanni, and produced by the one stop entertainment company, Koga Entertainment, last Saturday in Yenegoa, clinched three African Movie Academy Awards, thus making the company’s debut movie the highest award winner in the industry, this year. The

Arinze Orakwue, Beatrice Jedy-Agba, Tamara Eteimoand Wale Adenuga

HomeVida gets global recognition, set for UN awards OMEVIDA, the premium national platH form for creative messaging initiatives on development values, social issues, corporate social responsibility initiatives and public policy matters communicated through films, has caught the attention and reckoning of the global body, United Nations.

Throwing its weight behind the film award and messaging platform, the UN has opted to enter into a partnership with HomeVida requiring the Nigerian film award platform to deploy its expertise in delivering more worthy content of public awareness and participation in UN development programmes in the country.

A memorandum of understanding between the United Nations and HomeVida was signed early in the week.

By the agreement, the United Nations has endowed a prize for the Human Development Values, focusing on the millennium development goals.

The global body will accomplish its commitments to HomeVida through its agency for millennium development implementing arm, the UN Millennium Campaign.

Traditionally, HomeVida is expected to officially announce the new partnership as well as call for participation in its award processes in respect of the UN prize on Human Development Values focusing on skilful, inspiring messaging of the millennium development goals.

On its fourth year of operation, the award has grown tremendously, attracting endowment and partnerships from such public agencies as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC; Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC; Bureau of Public Procurement, BPP; National Film & Video Censors Board, NFVCB; and the Securities & Exchange

Commission, SEC. The platform maintains industry wide strategic partnerships with all the guilds in Nigeria as well as wide ranging media partnerships that include Multichoice’s African Magic.

Working proactively to pull an event of global reckoning in its next award, it has further signed a partnership agreement with a Lagos based creative and events platform, TBWA to mediate and position the 9th December event with its potentials for fivestar trappings. The agency would pull all stops to point the crème of corporate Nigeria to seek strategic visibility and participation

at the UN driven event. This year HomeVida film prizes include; Family Friendly Film Prize endowed by National Film & Video Censors Board, (NFVCB); Human Development Values in line with the MDG Short Film Script Prize endowed by the United Nations, (UN); Public Probity Film Prize endowed by the Independent Corrupt Practices & other related Offences Commission, (ICPC); Investment Market Film Prize endowed by Securities and Exchange Commission, (SEC); and Faith film Prize depicting that service to community is service to God.

Famakin; Superstory Producers Wale Adenuga MFR and Wale Adenuga Jnr.; Script Writer Lucille Ayorinde; Director Patience Oghre Imobhio; Production Manager Lekan Ayinde; and main cast members Tamara Eteimo (Itohan), Stephen Imobhio (Sylvester), Gloria Young (Madam Imade), Charles Okocha (Dosu), Kristy Imanlihen (Mrs. Idahor), Chidex Brown (Sammy), Mary Lazarus (Onome) and Mercy Effiong (Madam Nene). The event was recorded and aired on wapTV on StarTimes across Nigeria.

Upbeat swing for Nollywood Week in Paris OLLYWOOD Week Paris, a private sector N initiative developed by France-based YK Projects and aimed at creating a stimulating platform for networking and dialogue between the Nigerian film professionals and their French counterparts, will hold in Paris between May 30 and June 2.

The event, according to the dance artiste and co-convener, Qudus Onikeku, is conceived to showcase the best of Nollywood films to the French audience. “The commercial potential for Nollywood in France is huge,” Onikeku said. Similarly, the projects Executive Director and Co-founder, Serge Noukoue, explained that the project was also conceived to draw attention and bring recognition to Nollywood, an industry he described as the ‘’industry with the most influential storytellers in Africa.”

Noukoue stated that there is no better time to shift gears away from the public perception of Nollywood films, that is “from its perception of low-quality films” than in a year that the industry was marking 21 years of sustained movie production. So, for four days commencing May 30, seven top Nigerian films including Tunde Kelani’s Maami, Mahmood AliBalogun’s Tango With Me and Kunle Afolayan’s Phone Swap that have been selected by the organisers will show at the prestigious, L’Arlequin Theatre in Paris.

Obi Emelonye’s Last Flight to Abuja, Akin Omotosho’s Man on Ground and Keke Bongos Ikwue and Jeta Amata’s Inale are the other movies on the show that is projected to attract over 2000 attendees. But it will not only be films shows at L’Arlequin theatre. The projects Director of Administration, Hajarat Alli, disclosed that in addition to the daily screening of the seven films, there would be a panel discussion with experts and industry leaders and a couple of scheduled professional encounters. “We have invited international distributors across Europe to the show and we are optimistic that those attending will be able to effectively network and strike deals,” Alli said. Headquartered in Paris, YK Projects are reputed as creators of artistic projects that are geared towards providing a new access to the arts for local audiences.

Founded by the trio of Serge Noukoue, Nadira Shakur and one of Nigeria’s notable dance export, Onikeku, the organizers explained that the diversity of the French population especially in Paris where large West African communities reside makes it an ideal terrain for Nollywood.

Nigerian movies on Emirates Airline MIRATES, one of the world fastest growing E airlines and leader in on-board entertainment, has introduced the world to the Nigerian movie industry in-flight. Emirates now features Nigerian movies on their award winning ice entertainment system on board all their 200 aircraft across the globe; connecting passengers with this growing industry, now the third largest in the world.

The Nigerian movie industry has been making great strides lately with some of its movies now being featured in international film festivals and premiered in Hollywood; for example, the latest Jeta Amata movie, Black November, recently had a red carpet premiere in Hollywood.

The growth in the industry has been propelled by its increasing popularity domestically as well as an audience that has gone beyond the original African fan base.

In less than two decades, Nigeria’s film industry, or “Nollywood as it has come to be known, has become the ‘embodiment of Nigeria’s soft power.’ It has become a phenomenon, which has helped shaped perceptions and provides a dramatic visualisation of the

rich African culture and traditions. The Nigerian movie industry has also reflected the resilient entrepreneurial spirit of the continent and stands out as the cultural mainstay of Africans in the Diaspora.

The industry is set to mature and expand with more international exposures. The screening of Nigerian movies on Emirates Airline, a carrier known for service excellent and innovation, is a win -win both for the industry as a whole and entertainment-loving passengers from Nigeria and indeed the world over.

The Emirates ice (information, communications, entertainment), has been recognised as one of the world’s best in-flight entertainment systems; featuring over 1400 channels of the latest films, TV shows, music and games on individual TV screens in each seats, in every class.

Emirates was the first airline in the world to introduce a personal entertainment system on a commercial aircraft with the introduction seat-back screens in every seat 1992.

All three classes of Emirates flights feature a personal in-flight entertainment system.

TheGuardian

Sunday, April 28, 2013 40

Conscience, Nurtured by Truth

IbruCentre Primate Theophilus Olabayo, founder of Evangelical Church of Yahweh, Mende Village, Maryland, Lagos, generates a lot of interest with his predictions, especially on national issues. He spoke to CHRIS IREKAMBA on why President Jonathan should not seek re-election in 2015, the Boko Haram insurgency, how he became a prophet and his health challenge, among others.

You have not been very visible these days. Why? AVE I not been visible enough? Prophecy comes occasionally, not everyday or every time. It’s only when God asks me to speak that I speak. I don’t say things of my own. The situation in the country is getting out of hand and before these things started to happen, God told me about them 10 years ago. I have been warning the nation. But our leaders don’t have listening ears.

That is why “I sit don look.”

What happened to your health?

There’s nothing wrong with me. I’m okay. God just slowed me down for a certain period. When I had this attack, God revealed it to me that I would be away for some time and it’s getting over. I’m okay now. I thank God. …That means the situation was worse.

Yes. Was it a stroke?

Yes. I had a stroke.

You didn’t see it coming?

God revealed it to me that I would have it. He said I would be away for sometime.

How long have you been in this condition?

It’s over 10 years. If I did not have it, I might have died. There are people that didn’t have a stroke and they are dead. Mysterious deaths are very common; most of my contemporaries are no more alive -Professor Oyewole, Prophet Adewale, Archbishop Benson Idahosa- all of them are gone.

We don’t have prophets again; what we have today are psychologists and prayer contractors.

Did God also reveal when you would be totally healed?

Definitely. I know. …When?

I don’t need to tell you; it’s for my personal consumption. This condition is nothing.

How did you come into ministration?

I have to thank God because it was God that called me. I was in a secular job, when He called me. He gave me the name (Evangelical Church of Yahweh).

We are the first. Other people, who answer Yahweh, use rituals. We don’t use rituals; we are not a ‘white garment’ church. We are Pentecostal; we believe in prayer and fasting. Ours is a prophetic ministry; it’s one of the gifts of God. There are nine gifts of God. I’m born a prophet. God told my mother, through Prophet Babalola when he came to my village, that the child in her womb would be a prophet.

But in my village we have Catholics and Anglicans and my parents belonged to the Anglican denomination. It was when I began to grow up that I started going to the mountain to pray. It was there that God opened my eyes to know that I am a prophet.

From being Anglican, I went to Cherubim and Seraphim. I was a choir member. I did not pull out; it was when God started to use me that Yahweh was established in 1973. We have over 40 branches within and outside the country.

You’ve been in the ministry for over 40 years. How has it been?

It’s full of ups and downs. It has not been a bed of roses. Most of my colleagues who are looking for private jets want a better life. It was not so during my days and the days of Archbishop Benson Idahosa. Most of them now have universities; yet, these universities are not affordable. They should please improve the life of the poor in their midst and in the community. That is why God said judgment would start from His house.

I thank God that I’m still alive. Most of my contemporaries are gone. I’m not the most favoured person on earth; it’s the grace of God upon my life.

Every year, people want to hear from Prophet Olabayo what God says. There are people that copy my Book of Revelations. That is why I stopped its production. When I did, those people were no more saying, “thus says the Lord,” because Prophet Olabayo had stopped circulation. These are the same people who said that President Musa Yar’Adua would not die. But I saw him die.

Do Not Try 2015, Primate Olabayo Warns President Jonathan

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guidance and solutions to our problems.

You spoke of persecutions. Where are they from?

An attack on my person… is that not persecution?

Would you encourage your children to take after you?

I don’t encourage anybody to take after me. God has given me good children. If any of them decides to work for God, fine. All my children have the fear of God. They are not pastors or prophets or anything. But they are followers of Christ. …In the event that the unforeseen happens (Cuts in). It’s not heritage. The work of God is not heritage. God can call anybody among us. I have many people that are working here.

It is amazing to find the road that leads to the church in such a bad state. What is the church’s corporate social responsibility to the community?

But you’ve seen big houses around. Politicians that are supposed to fix most of these roads own them. But they are not doing them. We (church) repaired most of the roads when we came to this area. The entire place was waterlogged. We tarred the roads. It’s the Lagos State government that is constructing that bridge because of flooding in the area, which I prophesied about.

And there is going to be a great famine to the extent that people would sell their children to make ends meet. Nigerians should pray seriously about it, so that people will not sell their children for food. We have to pray against it, and flooding too.

What is the way out of the country’s worrisome state of insecurity?

We have never seen anything. The amnesty they are talking about… This is the same man who said he could not grant amnesty to ghosts. We have never seen real Boko Haram. It’s only a tip of the iceberg. The real Boko Haram is still coming in full force. That is why we need to be very prayerful, Christians and Muslims, to avoid politicians throwing this country into a state of anarchy. He is the President; whatever he wants to do he can do.

If granting amnesty will keep the sect away from burning churches and killing innocent Nigerians, he should do it.

You have seen what is happening in the Niger Delta region. People who are not in government are siphoning barrels of oil everyday. These are his people. You think this is child’s play. It is a serious matter.

Definitely, they should compensate churches burnt and individuals who lost loved ones. If you grant them amnesty, will that curtail their excessHow did it come about Taborah?

T’S a mountain. You can decide to call anywhere es? Are they ready to learn? These are people who in the world anything. Mount Tab… that is the do not believe in Western education.

The Niger Delta militants, when they dropped Mount of Transfiguration. Every year, we go to their weapons, they were sent for vocational trainIIorin to do Mount Tab, just like in Israel there’s a ing to learn one trade or the other. But these; are mountain they call Mount Tab. That is where we they ready to go to school, or is it Islamic school derived ours. I could say mountain Jerusalem or they want to go to? These are questions. anything. Every year, we go to the mountain, Mr. President! Do not give amnesty to the Islamic around August, to pray and fast. We pray for indisect called Boko Haram! They are dedicated to viduals and for the nation. We don’t go there for revelation or prophecy. God can talk to me in my imposing Islamic fundamentalism in northern Nigeria through violence. They wish to wipe out house. We go there to ask for more power, more

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Christianity and enthrone Islam in the North.

They reject Western education. And anywhere Christians hold leadership; they try to reject it, let alone the president. The sect is evil and should be dealt with forcefully. You should know, Mr. President that you are to provide security for the citizens of Nigeria. Corruption is too much, and if care is not taken, it will lead Nigeria into a state of bankruptcy.

Before this very present president… Let me tell you: when President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua was sick, I was the only one who said the man would not survive; every other person was saying the man would survive and that he would not die.

God told me that he would not survive. After saying that, some of his people called us to say that the man would live. I said, “this man would pass on and Jonathan would become president”. And I said also that Jonathan should allow a northerner to complete the tenure, which President Yar’Adua started or else they would make the country ungovernable for him. That there would be terrorism, there would be crisis upon crisis, there would be religious crisis. But other people said no; it would not happen. It’s now happening.

Would that explain the Boko Haram insurgency, insecurity and kidnapping?

HE situation is messy because the poor are getting poorer, while the rich are getting richer. The situation has never been worse, with barrels of crude oil being stolen everyday. Do you know what that means? Nothing is working in Nigeria.

We must repent and come back to God and stop paying lip service. What is happening in Nigeria is that there are people who are holding this country to ransom. And until their president is found, they cannot get to the root of the problem. Even those who are talking about election in 2015… Do they know what will happen between now and end of the year? And that is if there is going to be election at all in 2015.

Some have said that Nigeria, as a political entity, will cease to exist in 2015. Has that anything to do with what you just said about the 2015 election?

There will be no division in Nigeria. There will be no war. The point I’m trying to emphasis is that Nigerians should pray so that there will be an election, because there will be crisis upon crisis. If I were President Jonathan, I would drop the idea of going for 2015. But there are people that are just deceiving him, taking money from him. They are not telling him the truth. Let him work very well.

LET people see the dividends of democracy.

Nothing is working and you are talking about the 2015 election… so that this country is not thrown into anarchy. There is power failure, no good healthcare, the education sector is comatose, roads are deplorable, there is problem everywhere and corruption is on the increase.

Before his wife became sick, God revealed it here and we prayed. But they did not know. God instructed that we should pray for a successful operation. And when she came back and they were giving thanks in Abuja, I heard it said that some people are prophets of doom who did not wish her well. And this woman, they didn’t know, was poisoned. Unknown to her, those who are very close to her caused the problem. She allowed all manners of people flock around her for financial gains. Unfortunately, she is not taking cognisance of that.

You said President Jonathan should forget about 2015. Who is that man or woman that God has told you will rule in 2015?

If care is not taken, there will be so much crisis that God will raise up a leader, and most of these politicians, if they are not dead, will end up in prison. This is what God is saying. There will be so much kidnapping, so much armed robbery, there will be so much terrorism and religious crisis call it jihad. There are so many things that Jonathan’s administration would need to do.

What are these?

I don’t need to tell you. They are already unfolding. He should not lay so much emphasis on 2015.

Let him work, let people see improvement in all aspects of life. There is poverty, there is corruption; nothing is working in Nigeria, and yet, he is talking about 2015. And whenever you give a good suggestion, the next thing, his public relations people that are supposed to know better, will start fighting you, replying and insulting you. Is that how to rule? Do you want to turn this country into a one-party system? And when you turn this country into a one-party system, there will be

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crisis upon crisis. Unfortunately, the opposition parties are not doing better.

Could you mention some of your prophecies that came to pass and some that did not, and why?

I am not God. Whatever He tells me comes to pass. But I must let you know that 99 per cent of my prophecies came to pass. So, you tell me the one that did not come to pass. Before the amalgamation of East and West Germany, God revealed it to me; the disintegration of Soviet Union, that is Russia (USSR); creation of states; the overthrow that brought President Ibrahim Babangida to power, God revealed it to me. I said it.

There is no government that God has not sent me to. I said that the late Moshood Abiola (MKO) should not go into politics, that if he went, he would win but would not be president, and in the process, he would die. I was the one who said that President Sani Abacha would die in office, and it was so. Even the recent flood, I prophesied about it.

You cannot be 100 per cent; I’m not God. If I’m 100 per cent, people will begin to call me God, which I’m not.

I also prophesied that Ikorodu would be like Victoria Island or Ikoyi, in future. I urged people who had investment there to develop them. When I was saying that, people did not believe me. But go to Ikorodu today and see what is happening; a plot of land is being sold for N15m, not to talk about the beach area. I also spoke about the importation of Okada (commercial motorcycles) into this country and warned that the government should monitor it or else it would be used to commit crimes, which later resulted in the ban on use of okada. I also spoke about the recent bombing in America that President Barack Obama should take the issue of security serious.

Are there future things God has told you about Nigeria?

God will use this crisis (Boko Haram/insecurity) to raise up a leader, who will cleanse the society. The person will have the heart of a lion, like Jehu in the Bible. On whether he is going to be Hausa, Igbo or Yoruba, God said he could emerge from any part of the country. The country will not be divided. And God will judge most of the leaders who have siphoned the wealth of nation, from 1960 to date.

I tell you my brother, something greater than the Justice Oputa panel will be set up to try corrupt politicians. Jonathan should intensify his prayer, so that he does not lose people who are very dear to him.

We also have to pray against air disasters. The government of the day will start to arrest people who speak truth about it. That will lead to its downfall. Food poisoning will be common; Nigerians will have to pray against that.

God will bless so many people with twins and triplets. Typhoid and malaria will take away so many lives; they should also pray against that.

Political assassination will be rampant, coupled with terrorism. The government is living on borrowed time.

What is about to happen is going to be like a film show. The government should stop harassing journalists, opposition parties and people who are speaking the truth about it. Rather, it should listen to suggestions.

Life’s best moment Whenever I wake up, I give thanks to God; that is my best moment.

Regrets I don’t have any regrets at all. But as a man of God I have persecutions. I must thank God for what he is doing and continues to do for me.

How would you like to be remembered?

I would like to be remembered as a man who came to this world to work for God and served Him wholeheartedly.

Advice to Nigerians They should fear God and avoid witchcraft and accumulation of wealth. Christian leaders should believe in their callings; they should not seek after money. They should speak with one voice and condemn evil.

Finally, I want to say that Nigerians should rejoice because a new country is born; God is raising up a man of hope for the country. Nigerians and those in the diaspora should pray and fast from May 1-7 to avert religious crisis that may lead the country to seven years war. They should also pray for the president so that he will not be consumed by strange illness. It is only pray that will conquer religious war and evil.

The Ibru Centre is under the trusteeship of the Trinity Foundation Charity trust founded for the promotion of spiritual growth

THE GUARDIAN, Sunday, April 28, 2013

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IBRUCENTRE

Sunday School Moderation (IV) Memory Verse: “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needed not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” -2 Timothy 2:15.

Bible Passage: 2 Timothy 2:11-26 Introduction LMOST anything can become excessive or extreme. Too much of even a good thing can be bad. Consider the following: Self-preservation Self-preservation is natural and instinctive, Gen. 1:28. Love your neighbour as YOURSELF, Mark 12:31. God preserves and keeps in the midst of devastating destruction, Gen. 6:5-8. Suicide is for-

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...With Pastor Enoch Adeboye bidden, Heb. 2:14-15. However, Jesus said that to gain your life, you must lose it first, Jn. 12:24-25, Lk. 9:23. At the end of the age, men shall be lovers of themselves rather than lovers of God, 2 Tim. 3:2.

Self respect vs pride We can become puffed up because of our sense of self worth, holiness, accomplishments, deep knowledge of the word, 2 Tim. 2:15. God hates pride, Prov. 6:17. We must be humble at all times and in all things 1Pet. 5:5.

Self-confidence God has not given us the spirit of fear but of a sound mind, 2

Tim. 1:7. There are quite a number of things the Lord has enabled us to do, Mt. 18:18; Eze. 33:8. These can lead us into thinking we are self-sufficient and into glorying ourselves. Without God, we can do nothing, Jn. 15:5. It is dangerous for us to think we can do anything by our own power without Christ, 1Cor. 10:12.

Conclusion Often, we use the right words and project a self-deprecating attitude. But our mindset and thought processes might be the opposite of what we say. This can happen unconsciously. Guard your heart for it is the wellspring of life; and as a man thinketh so is he, Prov 4:23, 23:7. May the Lord keep and preserve you in

Trusting God At Troubling Times

By Gabriel Agbo “…Ah, my lord, what will we do now?’ he cried out to Elisha. ‘Don’t be afraid!’ Elisha told him. ‘For there are more on our side than on theirs!’ ‘O LORD, open his eyes and let him see!” 2 Kings 6: 15-16

HAT is it! Let the LORD open our eyes to see beyond the physiT cal. We are still talking about the impact of the prophetic and how we can effectively apply it to our present situation. When I

President of Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA), Rev. (Dr.) Jeremiah Gado (middle) flanked by Minister-in-Charge, ECWA English Mushin, Lagos, Rev. Abayomi Fredrick Olaniru (left), ECWA Mushin District Church Council, Chairman, Rev. E. K. Oguntoshin and ECWA MDCC Secretary, Rev. Kayode Solomon, during the dedication of ECWA English auditorium/installation of new District Church Council Executives by the President at ECWA English, Mushin, Lagos… Saturday, April 20, 2013.

PHOTO: CHRIS IREKAMBA

How To Overcome Satanic Wisdom (II)

By Seyi Ogunorunyinka S Christians, we cannot afford to be lukewarm; we have to be strong at all times. The devil can be described in many ways– wicked, cunning, accuser of brethren and leader of the power of darkness. But you cannot describe him as a fool. He is certainly not a fool because he knows how to capture his prey. He knows what he is doing at all times. Those who do evil and rob people will have to plan very well to be successful. They learnt the tricks from the devil that specialises in stealing, killing and destroying lives, John 10:10. The unfortunate thing is that many Christians do not know what they are doing. No wonder, the devil has no problem in attacking them.

The devil knows your weaknesses. Samson was a very strong man who could defeat over 1,000 Philistines. The devil used a woman, Delilah, because he saw that Samson had a weakness for women. When the devil sent Delilah to Samson, little did Samson know that another battle had just started? Delilah went straight to work and asked Samson to show her his source of power, so that she could destroy him. After much persuasion, he did and she destroyed him -Judges 16:4-19.

The enemy can only attack you in your area of weakness. The devil does not want to lose; that is why each Christian must work hard to turn our weaknesses to strength through the help of the Holy Spirit, in order for us to defeat him. If your weakness is that you cannot remove your eyes from women, then the devil will bring you into contact with many beautiful women. If your weakness is money, he will dazzle you with a lot of it to make you fall. He will suggest various ways to steal, and that God will forgive your sins. (Judges 16:15-17) You must realise that grace stops from the time you know the

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truth. When you don’t know the truth; you are under grace. You will be judged by the truth that you know. No wonder, the Bible says in John 8:32, “Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

Also, in Hebrew 10:26-31, the Bible clearly tells us, “If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God. Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. How much more severely do you think a man deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God under foot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified him, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace? For we know him who said, “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” and again, “The Lord will judge his people.” It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” No wonder the Bible says, “my people are destroyed for lack of knowledge”-Hosea 4:6.

One thing is certain: grace cannot increase, if we continue to sin, Romans 6:1. Many people who call themselves Christians ought to know that they should avoid sin at all cost. 1 John 3:9-10, “No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God. This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not a child of God; nor is anyone who does not love his brother.”

Is your name in the Book of Life?

Pastor Seyi Ogunorunyinka is the General Overseer, The Promisedland Restoration Ministries, Surulere, Lagos. pastorseyiogunorunyinka@gmail.com

Pastor Agbo is of the Assemblies of God Nigeria. gabrielagbo@yahoo.com

A Call To Repentance

By Prophet S. K. Abiara HERE is no doubting the T fact that our land is very sick; Nigeria is plagued with the bloodshed of innocent citi-

zens, corruption, poverty and all forms of wickedness.

When the situation of any nation or individual gets to this level, the Bible does not leave us in the dark. The word of God highlights steps to reverse the irreversible and bring healing to the land and lives.

“If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and heal their land.” 2 Chronicles

was brooding over these messages, I felt like branding them ‘the Acts of the Prophets’, just as you have the Acts of the Apostles.

I will keep on emphasising the role of the prophetic in the Church. You know that there are some ignorant people that argue that the time of the prophets has past. But that is not true!

It is also not biblical. Even in the New Testament, you have Prophet Agabus, Prophetess Anna etc. And I hope you know that Jesus and even the apostles also operated on a prophetic frequency.

There are assignments you cannot achieve without a powerful prophetic auction upon your life. There are some levels of spirits you cannot confront without the prophetic. And there are also circumstances in life that without the prophetic, they would remain impregnable and unsolvable. We (as individuals or as a nation) need insights and specific directions to be able to tackle these kinds of challenges.

Let us today go to the Bible and see how the prophetic word of God served as defence intelligence. Yes, defence intelligence! If you are close to God or His prophets, you can always receive warning each time there is imminent danger. The spirit of God does this. He sends you the alert. It can come through dreams, visions, audible voice, discernment, or warning from other people.

But He makes it a duty to tell you of the plan of the enemy (physical or spiritual) against you or your loved ones.

And sometimes, He goes beyond that to give you specific information about other people. I experience a lot of this. Sometimes, he tells you about individuals, communities, nations, etc.

He would want you to intercede or communicate the message to them. Other times, He may want you to know, learn or do a few prophetic actions concerning the situation. God does not leave His people in the dark. He wants us to relate with Him to the level that we can be aware of His plans and also know when the enemy is plotting against us (or the Church).

This is just the essence of the prophetic. This is also why the enemy is so much afraid and hates the prophetic with passion.

He finds it very difficult (if not impossible) to operate in that kind of environment. The prophetic is a defence!

Look at the situation in 2 Kings 6:8, the Syrian (Aramian) king would plan with his military officers how to invade Israel, and immediately, prophet Elisha would pick the signal in the spirit and promptly warn the king of Israel, telling him in details, the exact plan, timing and the place. And the Israelites would immediately mobilise and guard the particular place.

Just look at the combination of Prophet Elisha and the king of Israel. There was a mutual purpose, understanding and respect between them, and this made it impossible for the enemy to penetrate. Even when the enemy identified and came to arrest Elisha, he was not afraid because he was aware that heavenly angels, horses and chariots of fire surround him. What could any army do to him? When we see into the supernatural and hear from God, we would be less afraid. We need this assurance always to be able to muster faith to push on.

7:14.

In this text, God explains to His people what they need to do to have their sins forgiven and be healed. Repentance is the key word and the steps are highlighted below: humble yourself by admitting your sins; pray to God, asking for forgiveness; seek God continually; and turn from sinful behaviour.

Whether we sin individually, as a group or as a nation, following these steps will lead to forgiveness. God will answer our earnest prayers. If you

read through the Bible, you will discover that God’s judgment is always on individuals, groups of people or any nation that refuse to repent from evil ways and turn to God whenever He warns.

Sodom and Gomorrah were two cities in the Bible, known for all forms of evils and wickedness. One of Sodom’s most notable sins was sexual perversion, especially homosexuality. The Lord rained brimstone and fire on Sodom and Gomorrah because they refused to change. Genesis 19:24: “Then the Lord rained down fire and burning sulfur from the heavens on Sodom and

Gomorrah.” The same God that destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah for failing to repent of their wickedness is the same today. If you are living in sin perpetually, such as fornication, armed robbery, stealing, murder, embezzlement of public funds, lying, fighting etc, you must repent today to avoid God’s judgment. Acts 17:30: the word of God says, “God overlooked people’s former ignorance about these things, but now he commands everyone everywhere to turn away from idols and turn to him”.

Noah was a righteous man who protected his faithful family from God’s judgment

when God was determined to destroy creation because of widespread wickedness. (Genesis 6:5-8) Come to Jesus today. He cares for you. He loves you. He wants to help you. He wants to bless you. The provision for the forgiveness of your sin is already made available in Him through His death and resurrection. Matthew 11:28: “Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.

God bless.

skabiaraofciem@yahoo.co.uk

THE GUARDIAN, Sunday, April 28, 2013

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IBRUCENTRE

From The Rector Ibru International Ecumenical Centre, Agbarha-Otor

Making The Man That Makes The Ministry

‘And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God. And when it was day, he called unto him gravity. He must feed the flock of God willhis disciples: and of them he chose twelve, whom also ingly and take delight in visiting them.

But are there people who have all these he named apostles’ -Lk. 6:12-13 credentials in the Church? We are taught in Matt. 9:35 that Jesus went about teachESUS was concerned about those who ing and preaching. He had time for the would do the work of the ministry. He took time to pray and select them. He sent flock because when He found them hathem forth to bear fruits. With these 12, He rassed and helpless, He had compassion on them. was able to turn the world around.

The man that will make the ministry, The work of ministry is ongoing. Those therefore, must be on his toes and note who would go into it should be thoroughly prepared. God will not use ‘drifting that the work includes preaching, teachwood’ for sacrifice. It is, therefore, the busi- ing, visiting, counselling, praying etc. Any ministry that lacks these is meaningless ness of the Church to make the men that and susceptible to mass exodus by memmake the ministry.

The requirements should include paper bers.

These aspects of the ministry should be qualifications (Acts 6v1-7; I Tim. 3v1-7; Titus intensified: 1v5-9; I Pet. 5v1-4). The would-be minister •Preaching – this must be in season and must be full of the Holy Ghost and wisout of season (2 Tim. 4:2l; Matt. 9:35). dom. (Heb. 5:4) No one takes the honour •Teaching – Jesus taught. St Paul also upon himself. He must be called, just as Aaron was. Note the call of some Old Testa- taught (Matt. 5:1-2, 9:35; Mk. 2:13; Lk. 6:27-35, ment leaders/prophets (Gen. 12:1-5; Ex. 3:1-4; 37-41, 43-45, 46-49, 1 Cor. 1:10, 3:5-7).

1 Sam. 3:1-10; Isa. 6:1-8; Jer. 1:4-8; Amos 7:14-17). •Visiting – ‘A house-going pastor makes a church-going people’. This is a secret of But we need to ask: are all in the ministry success. ‘Jesus went about...’ St Paul also truly called by God? It is also important that he is trained (for- had time to visit. Consider his second and mally and informally), to enable him fit ad- third missionary journeys (Acts 15:36, 18:23, 19:1-2). equately. He must be highly spiritual •Counselling – Laying the cards on the -always keeping the fire burning at the table to enable your members choose altar (Lev. 6:8-13). He must be a man of wisely on matters of marriage, sickness, prayer because no pastor is above his prayer life. He must be holy (Lev. 11:44; 1 Pet. dispute, etc) •Praying – The Bible tells us (1 Thess. 5:17) to 1:13-16). pray without ceasing. Our struggle is not He should not be wanting at the family against flesh and blood, but against princifront. He must be a husband of one wife, having his children in subjection with all palities and powers (Eph. 6:12).

We have some distractions such as pride,

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arrogance, worldliness, materialism, prosperity preaching, boastings, timidity, ignorance and not yielding to God. Sir C. I. Eziuzo lamented in his book, Guideline for General Administration of the Anglican Church (2009), that ‘some Church leaders are becoming more materialistic than members of the congregation they are supposed to direct in line with the Biblical injunctions. To achieve their materialistic tendencies, they engage in one form of corrupt practice or another. It is no longer strange to hear of clergymen embezzling church funds because of the race to get rich at all cost.’

Such attitude is wrong. Those, who are called, formed and sent out, should go and bear fruit; not do the opposite. God is interested in people He has formed for the work of ministry. I hope charlatans are listening!

It is our prayer that those who are made and sent out for the work whould represent God in whatever congregations they find themselves.

If we work well, then the Lord of the Church will say to us: ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount.

Now, I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together’ -Mtt. 25v21, 23.

Think about this.

Ven. Ernest Onuoha is the Rector, Ibru International Ecumenical Centre, Agbarha-Otor, Delta State. www.ibrucentre.org

God, Youths And Entertainment Industry

By Msgr. Gabriel Osu ‘Wealth and fame without Christ equals damnation of the soul’ HE competition was laced with glitz, T glamour and lots of advertising razzmatazz. The organisers and sponsors promised mouth-watering cash prizes, product endorsements and several international engagements for the lucky winner. The major criterion is an unusual talent for singing. It was a one in a lifetime opportunity. You could trust desperate youths to scramble for such opportunity. Thousands, mostly undergraduates and unemployed graduates had entered for the zonal screening and auditioning held in different states. At the end, less than 20 featured at the grand finale. Of these, only one emerged overall winner.

Television viewers in recent times would have observed unusual rise in the manner several corporate organisations expend huge sums on promotional and entertainment activities, especially those targeted at youths. Call it wise strategic business move and you may not be far from the truth. The youths are primary targets because they constitute a high ratio of consumers of their products and services.

Recently, an official of one of the leading telecom firms was quoted as saying that the company budgets well over N500 million a year as sponsorship to buoy the nation’s entertainment industry. I know several other conglomerates that are very committed to youth empowerment through various foundations and outreach programmes, to equip public educational institutions with laptops and other educational materials. Big conglomerates are also appointing many top movie stars and singers as brand ambassadors.

‘These are wholesome trends,’ a friend of mine recently said to me. ‘By investing in the entertainment industry, it shows that the companies are good corporate citizens with a good understanding of the need to give back to the society.’

I have nothing against my friend’s position. However, as one concerned about tomorrow’s leaders, I crave explanation on how impact-full some of these entertainment programmes on television have been to the average youth. How does one, for instance, rationalise a scenario whereby after series of auditions featuring thousands of youths, only 10 to 15 are acknowledged good enough to exhibit their acts? I know that there are lots of behind-the-scene costs that usually go with such programmes including air time, models, compeers, advertisement slots, clues, casts, etc.

That is the business side of it. My major concern, however, is the rationale behind doling out so much cash gift to the eventual winner. I am not against appreciating professionalism or excellence, but when it seems to be applied in a rather lopsided manner, I believe it stands to be re-examined. At the end of it all, what would the organisers have succeeded in achieving and at whose expense?

Now, let us pause a while and ask ourselves some basic questions: How many of the past contestants of such programmes ended up fulfilling their lifelong dreams of becoming world-class musicians, singers and actors long after the bliss of their victory fizzled out? Is their available statistics to show that most of them have become success stories in their various fields? Who said you that unless you win classy competitions, you would not make it in life? Who said that the happiest people on earth are necessarily the most successful? I am not saying it is bad to be successful or ambitious. No. But true happiness in life depends on relationship with your creator and not on your achievements.

It is a long foregone fact that millions of youths roam about the streets looking for ways of expending there tensed up energies. Left with no tangible means of livelihood, every promo that promises instant fame and wealth is seen as a welcome relief. If all blue chip companies start organising talent hunts every year, how many people would they be able to

empower in the next 10 years, in the light of the number of the jobless out there?

Talking about talents, we have them in abundance. A recent example is the 20year-old Favour Odozor, who was recently decorated in South Africa as Nigeria’s youngest commercial pilot.

That is a triumph of hard work and good mentoring. Sadly enough, we hardly celebrate the likes of Odozor. What kind of options do we offer our youths? Are we consciously trying to sell them the yarn that life is all rosy and crispy once they attain stardom? Have we taken time to explain to them that there are consequences that go with every action they take? Have they not realised that suicide is one of the biggest cause of death in Hollywood, the movie and entertainment hub of the world. Why is this so?

The kind of entertainment programmes our youths are exposed to go a long way to mould their person. Researchers have proven that exposure to indecency breeds rape and all forms of immorality, while undue exposure to violence causes rebellious attitudes. As such, the programmes we air need to be properly regulated by the Nigerian Broadcasting Organisation. They must be devoid of unhealthy foreign influences. Pragmatically, I want to challenge our multi-nationals who are genuinely committed to youth empowerment, to set up more local factories that would offer gainful employment to youths by the thousands. They can equally set up special vocational centres that would empower them to become self-reliant? If you ask me, I’ll rather expend N100 million in empowering a thousand than just a handful in the name of showbiz. A trend that consistently aims at empowering only a handful from a particular sector, and in the midst of so much penury, would only end up aggravating a deep sore and enlarging a gully. Also, let our youths beware. Wealth and fame without Christ equals damnation of the soul.

Very Rev. Msgr. Gabriel Osu is the Director, Social

Springs Of Wisdom

By PASTOR W.F KUMUYI

Understanding Dark Powers HINGS are not always what they seem in life. Strange things T still happen, and sometimes, it seems that all hell has broken loose, unleashing unimaginable wickedness. Sometimes too, such occurrences are the result of the activities of witchcraft in the world. And no joke, witchcraft is no longer the preserve of uncivilised people. Instead, it has assumed such unbelievable heights of sophistication, that it is being redefined, beautified and packaged to attract even supposedly enlightened people, inadvertently making them victims of this fraternity from hell. Witchcraft is like literal darkness. Darkness is dreadful; its mere mention invokes fear, leaves a chilling effect on the imagination and poses an affront on the confidence of even powerful men. Such is the oppressive nature of witchcraft. But sometimes, the fear of darkness is altogether unnecessary, even if this dark art remains mysterious and therefore, capable of being arrogated with more significance than it genuinely deserves. Indeed, just as darkness disappears when exposed to blazing light, so truth and faith in Christ dispel all fear of witchcraft.

To be ignorant of this is to leave yourself open to the manipulation and terrifying antics of the Devil. And yet, like Apostle Paul, you can resolve not to allow yourself to be intimidated by the Devil. Paul knew the danger of ignorance. He knew Satan’s strength and limitations. He was aware of the operations in the spirit world, and of course, he knew that Satan is not invincible. No wonder he declared: “Lest Satan should take advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.” He had occasions to thank God “…which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place.” Paul was in essence saying that as many as express faith in Jesus Christ are destined to triumph always, everywhere. Christ causes us to triumph at all times; when we are with the children of light, and when it appears that the children of darkness are all around us. In fact, the same dominion that God gave Adam and Eve over all things at the very beginning of Creation, and which they lost when they went into sin, has now been restored unto the children of God. No longer are all true children of God the butt of Satan’s whims and caprices, they have been given the power to subdue all things under their feet, to prevail over all Satanic powers, including the activities of witchcraft. The link between witches and witchcraft is similar to that between sinners and sin.

While believers have victory over sin, they do not talk about having power over sinners. In this life, we do not wrestle against flesh and blood; but against principalities and powers. Flesh and blood represent the witches, mere individuals used as human agents by Satan. To focus your battle on flesh and blood, therefore, falls far short of the ultimate target, which in this case, should be principalities, powers, rulers of the darkness of this world, spiritual wickedness in high places. It is the activities of spiritual wickedness that is summed up in witchcraft. Thus, to overcome witchcraft is to overcome principalities, powers and spiritual wickedness.

Witchcraft is an evil force of darkness operating in a secretive and mysterious way. And we need to be scripturally informed about the activities of these agents of darkness, just as we should warn those involved in witchcraft of their evil activities, and the impending judgment and curse of God upon all associates of Satan. Then, we need to offer help to the helpless, deliverance to those bound, and dominion to those defeated by the powers of witchcraft. To do this effectively, our approach shall be diagnostic; for we should not be talking about victory over witchcraft if we do not know the evil activities of witches, wizards and all other forces of darkness. We need to expose the activities of witches, wizards, familiar spirits, sorcerers, soothsayers, fortune-tellers, palm readers who have joined themselves together to work evil under the power of the Devil. Very often as you read the scriptures, you discover that there is close association among witches, wizards and familiar spirits. The reason is because they come from the same source of darkness. Their manner of operation also makes them allies. Where you find one, the others would most likely be lurking nearby. God’s abhorrence of their practices and operations is captured in His timeless declaration that, “the soul that turneth after such as have familiar spirits, and after wizards, to go awhoring after them, I will even set my face against that soul, and will cut him from among his people.” God is opposed to everyone that dabbles in the activities of witches, familiar spirits, wizards and sorcerers, as well as every practice that derives its powers from Satan.

But it bears restating that all association with the Devil is voluntary. Everyone has the power to choose to, or not to submit to the Devil. Thus, those who join ranks with Satan do so willingly. They submit their souls either through initiation, or by deliberate inquiry into hidden practices. Such a tantalising curiosity about mysticism is often too tempting for uncultured minds, and soon they are drawn in and trapped. They are intimidated and threatened with varied calamities and other dire consequences were they to change their mind.

With time, this graduates into fullscale manipulation of the person’s emotions and temperaments, his vision and thoughts. This soon dominates his dreams and even real life experiences. And, if at this stage the person does not know how to obtain deliverance from the Lord Jesus Christ, or how to resist the Devil and reject all these manifestations of the works of darkness, eventually, the forces of evil will dominate and render him helpless; he becomes a bond save to the Devil, loses all will or strength to act in any other way than at the behest of the Devil.

References: 2 Cor. 2:11, 14; Deut. 18:10,11; 2 Kings 23:24; 2 Chron.

33:6; and Isaiah 8:19 (All scriptures are from Kings James Version).

THE GUARDIAN, Sunday, April 28, 2013

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‘My Bishopric Is God’s Making’

IBRUCENTRE Living Waters

By Pastor Lazarus Muoka

By Chris Irekamba

The Supremacy Of Divine Power (II)

HE longest serving Bishop of Owo Diocese, Church of NigeT ria (Anglican Communion), Rt. Rev. James Adedayo Oladunjoye, clocked 13 years in office March 2013. He took over leadership from outgoing Bishop of Lagos West, Rt. Rev. Peter Awelewa Adebiyi, who will be retiring this month upon attainment of the age of 70.

During the 30th anniversary of the diocese February this year, The Guardian spoke to the Bishop who attributed his present status to divine providence.

“It’s God making,” he said. “I was trained as a catechist in Vining Centre in Akure. And after that, I was posted to Ekiti. All that I was asking God to do for me was to be trained at Immanuel College, so that I could become a priest. After my priesthood training, I just believed that God had called me.

That was all.

How I became a Bishop? I don’t know. The only thing I know is that I tried to put in my best, especially in my studies. I struggled very well at Immanuel College. Later, I gained admission to the University of Ibadan. I was appointed a lecturer at my alma mater. In a nutshell: how I became a Bishop is God’s own making. I know.”

Narrating how he was posted to Owo Diocese, Oladunjoye said: “First, I was made a deacon in 1976, precisely July 11, 1976.

And by December 19, I was ordained a priest. It was so surprising and amazing to me. By 1985, I was preferred a Canon. In 1992, I was preferred an Archdeacon. I was elected on February 22, 2000, consecrated March 26, 2000. Then on March 30, 2000, I was enthroned Bishop of Owo. “Of course, I am the person that has served longest as Bishop in Owo. The first Bishop served for 10 years and was translated to Oke Osun. The second Bishop, Rt. Rev. Peter Awelewa Adebiyi… I succeeded him. He was here for about six years. He was transferred to Lagos West in Ikeja, Lagos. In March 2013, I completed 13 years as Bishop of Owo Diocese.”

The cleric is of the view that holding an office for a considerable length of time affords opportunity to plan and execute several objectives. “The advantage is that it makes you plan,” Oladunjoye said. “And when you do, you have time to execute those plans. Also, you can get people to help you serve and then make long time planning, instead of planning and being suddenly removed.

“The constitution of the Church says that if any Bishop is translated and such refuses, the Primate will consider him retired. If I remain for a long time, I will have opportunity to plan and execute them. That is the only advantage. But for that, there is nothing special.”

The cleric spoke about achievements the diocese has recorded, especially on planting of new churches. “We started with about 15 or 20. Now, we have almost 60 churches. We go to villages to plant churches and even send them workers when they have nothing to contribute.”

Oladunjoye, however, identified lack of unity as one of the challenges facing the diocese. “Even though we appear to be united, in reality, the togetherness is not strong enough,” he said, adding: “I have pursued a goal of friendship, unity and togetherness in the midst of my people, so that they will see themselves as one. It is very difficult. That is why many people are not giving enough to support the diocese. But we are making a breakthrough and the Lord is making it possible.”

The Bishop also disclosed the political upheaval that greeted his arrival at the town and efforts he has made to restore peace.

“When I came, I met a kingship tussle. It had political undertone. They believed that the government at the time was not

Does God Have An Opposite?

By Moji Anjorin Solanke HIS question occupies the thought of religions and demands T an intelligent and practical answer. The idea of who God is varies, but there are several general areas of agreement. God is accepted to be infinite, self-existent, supreme and divine. He is good. He is also omnipotent, omnipresent and omniscient.

These last three verities indicate that God has all power, is always present and is all knowing.

In Science and Health, with key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy states: ‘these three eternal verities reveal primeval existence as the radiant reality of God’s creation, in which all that He has made is pronounced by His wisdom good.’ Terminologies such as Satan, Devil, Lucifer, have been employed to define the opposite of God. In simple terms, it connotes all that is evil.

If we agree with the Bible in Romans 3:4 that God is true, it follows that evil, God’s opposite, is a lie. Regardless of how often a lie is repeated, or how many believe it to be true, it is always a lie.

In John 8:44, the Bible has Christ Jesus saying of the devil: ‘He is a liar and the father of it.’ Does a lie have power? If a lie is believed to be true, it would seem to have power on the one harbouring such false belief. Suffering results as a consequence of the belief.

This becomes more relevant if the suffering that results is the loss of health. If giving power and reality to the belief of sickness (one of the fruits of evil), results in the suffering called disease, then it follows, in divine logic, that refuting the lie with spiritual power, would result in health.

One of the denominations of Christianity - Christian Science -

“Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you” -Luke 10: 19 E started this teaching last week. We made you to underW stand that God holds supreme power and anyone that will acquire this power must be a child of God. We also told you that

Oladunjoye interested in the man that was made king. I intervened. But there were people that were not interested in peace. I met them one after the other. I discussed with some of my people on how we could bring peace to the town.

“At the height of that crisis, I remember that we came in from Owerri on June 4, 2000 and met burnt down houses. People ran away from Owo. There are some who have not yet come back till today. Some tried to come back, but they were driven away again. But now, they are coming back. That is part of our own social contribution.

“I am interested in the peace of Owo. But there are some people who are interested in confusion. But God is doing His work.” encourages man to always start from the basis of the allness of God, who can therefore have no real opposite. The consequence of this is improved health. The ignorant, deliberate or malicious tendency to believe in a power apart from God is a prevalent attribute of humanity. The results of this belief are sin, sickness and death. Yet, step by step, man can chooses to educate himself out of the necessities of these evils, by starting from the basis that evil has no creator, since the Bible states in Genesis 1 and John 1, that God alone created all, and pronounced it very good. From this basis, it becomes evident that evil is not a real power that can struggle with God, and overpower Him in certain situations.

Rather, evil is seen as a mere negation, a contradiction of God who is the only power. Challenging its right to power and reality makes the effects of evil disappear.

It is natural to resist the temptation to sin, because sin is not accepted as having the power of reality. It is seen for what it is, a suggestion, or a false supposition that God did not make man in His image. The Bible states that resisting the devil causes it to flee (James 4:7). So also, disease, if it is resisted as vigorously, and with the spiritual authority manifested by Jesus, the assurance is, that it shall disappear. All who study religion in its true light - with the aim of getting better acquainted with God, rather than for pecuniary profit, or to be seen of men - are finding this to be the case. If we accept that God did not make sin, then it follows as a necessary consequence that He did not make disease either. And this is why Christ can heal both.

To human sense, evil is present, powerful and very real. So, even though it is important not to attribute power to evil, nonetheless it must not be ignored. Like Christ Jesus, man must come to the practical realisation of his God-given ability to strip evil, God’s opposite, of all its disguises and pretensions; and thereby prove his dominion over evil. Everyone, everywhere, can begin to experience the benefits that accrue from truly accepting God as All in all.

Solanke is of the Christian Science Committee on Publication, Nigeria West

any believer without this power is like a soldier without a gun.

Such cannot accomplish much.

The rule in the Old Testament is that any person, including the prophet who is assigned a responsibility, must be empowered by having oil poured on his head as a symbol of power. In other words, anointing the person commissions him for God’s assignment. David, Elijah, Elisha and others were anointed.

In the New Testament, however, the method of commissioning differs. Phil. 2: 13 says, “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” Eph. 3: 19 -20 says, “And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God. Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us…”

So, from the New Testament, till date, God has been working in us through His Spirit to will and do what He likes. He decides who works for Him and what will be worked on. The ability to overcome temptation, preach, read the Bible and do other assignments He apportions any of us is by His grace. It is according to that infinite power, which God put forth in all believers. This power was and is the main prop for confidence in prayer. All that God can do, and all that He has promised to do, will be done according to that power of the Holy Ghost, which worketh strongly in us, expelling evil, purifying desires, and implanting good.

Without the power of God, we cannot reach the great door of blessing, which God has opened for us. The power of God was what the disciples in Bible days used to triumph over spiritual and physical wickedness.

In those days, there was great persecution to hinder the propagation of the gospel. Yet, such tribulation never daunted them nor quenched their zeal.

The early Apostles and the Church suffered persecutions through governmental policies meant to maim, incarcerate and kill any believer preaching Christ’s death and resurrection. But despite these sufferings and persecutions, they prevailed because of the power of God. During those days, Stephen was stoned to death, many were imprisoned and others were scattered to different cities. Yet, the work of God continued because the power of God was with them. The more they were scattered; the more the gospel spread to many nations.

If we must do His work in a world full of trouble, we must acquire the power of God. Many people in some parts of the country are being killed because they are Christians. Many have their appointments terminated because they are born-again. Many wives and children are persecuted in our midst because they have decided to become genuine Christians, while some husbands have chased their wives away because they attended church services. Even apprentices are not left out. Some landlords have refused to admit tenants because they are Christians.

Beloved, for one to sail through this myriad of troubles, one must be divinely empowered. The person that will excel will be the one with the power of God.

Mountain Ministries Hold Anointing Service

By David Ibemere S early as 6am, every available space in the main auditorium and in canopies outside Manna Prayer Mountain Ministries, Ogudu, Ojota, had been taken. From parts of Lagos and neighboring states, worshippers gathered for the Church’s March anointing service.

The programme started with an opening prayer, after which the Mountain Choir led the congregation in praise and worship.

Guest artistes also thrilled faithful with songs in local dialects.

Officiating pastors took turns to stir the faith of the worshippers, especially women who were trusting in God for the fruit of the womb. Various prayer points were raised as the congregation responded with vibrant supplications.

The atmosphere was charged when General Overseer, Rev. Chris Kwakpovwe, mounted the podium. The people cheered joyfully and prophesied victory over their challenges, as the cleric instructed. He expressed surprise at the unexpected large turnout of participants. He said: “I received various calls and text messages that the programme has been postponed and that the date would be communicated later. It is not true. Nobody can stop or hinder the work of God!” While delivering a sermon, Kwakpovwe told the congregation that because they had attended the event, all hurdles in their life would be overcome. Using various Bible characters and the miraculous deliverance of Israel from Egypt as examples, he encouraged participants not to panic whenever they have problems because God would assist them and take away their reproaches.

He charged the congregation to disregard ‘agents of the devil’ plotting to bring the name of the church into disrepute.

Worshippers shared testimonies. A visitor, Ifeanyi, said: “The amazing thing is how people with afflictions are fetched out of the large congregation. Equally stunning is how demonic agents and people who possess dark powers are disgraced publicly. One way people with demonic powers can avoid being disgraced is to steer clear of Rev. Kwakpovwe’s church, which has come to be known as a place of zero tolerance for demons.”

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TheGuardian

44 Sunday, April 28, 2013

Conscience, Nurtured by Truth

Business

Delta Steel Company: The Fall Of Giant Dream

By Geoff Iyatse (who was in Warri) LORA on the sprawling frontage were neatly trimmed. And a cold breeze, intermittently, blew across, sweeping sideway dry leaves that had fallen on the parking lot.

But on that calm, quiet morning, no cars, except a lone green van, were parked on the stylishly tarred but fractured garage. The solo vehicle appeared as lonely as the visitor who stood right there in reverence and shock; in reverence of the nobility of the idea behind Delta Steel Company (DSC). Shocked by the current state of the plant and the untoward paradox of a country in quest of industrial breakthrough, the feeling of solitude was only interrupted by occasional chirping of birds and screeching of commercial motorcycles that plied the Ovwian-Aladja Road, a route that once derived its fame and, even relevance, from the steel company.

A similar feeling of bitterness envelops the four-storey administrative block. From the gate through the executive parking lot through reception to the office of its Accountable Manager/Head, Interim Management, A.C. Uwakwe, are imageries of a prosperous corporation. But this one is amusingly rotting away. Apart from the interim head, company’s lawyers, a handful of general duty staff, gardeners who are retained to keep the heritage clean, in wait for a possible buyer, and a garrison of civil security guards headed by a retired army lieutenant colonel, Bayo Ogunshola, DSC is entirely abandoned.

According to sources, since its recent closure, the company only manages to keep about 48 staff for skeletal activities. This may not include staff of its subsidiaries such as schools and a hospital. Principal partner of the receiver firm (A.O.S. Practice Legal Practitioners), Chief Ajibla Aribisala (SAN), said the staff strength is over 100.

The May 18, 2012 closure of the steel manufacturer, following a court ruling that sacked the Indian said to have be indebted to a consortium of three banks to the tune of N31 billion, was the final straw in the series of events that stunted the growth of the company. To close

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observers, the company was structured to fail.

And it seemed to have simply obeyed the order of events.

It was a noble dream when Chief Olusegun Obasanjo in his first outing as a military head of state set the stage to make the country self-sufficient in steel production. The roadmap for the construction of Ajaokuta Steel Company and DSC was thus designed while former President Shehu Shagari commenced construction works on both sites in 1979. The location of DSC was considered primarily because of its coastal position. That was because the high quality iron ore that was to form its raw materials was to be shipped from Brazil.

A German company constructed the company designed to produce one million tones of steel in form of billets and rolled products yearly. It would convert iron ore to oxidize pellets, turn the pellets to direct reduce iron (DRI) and melt it to form 80 per cent of liquid steel. Its billets were also rolled to produce rods and angle bars at its rolling mills. Six distinct plants and 11 auxiliary ones were, during conception, rolled into a mega company called Delta Steel.

But they were constructed in an integrated format. According to John Oyibo, who until September 2008 was Assistant General Manager (AGM), Scrap Supply Department, the functionality of the entire company is interrelated such that when a fault in a sub plant is not fixed within two weeks, it can bring down the entire system.

Oyibo, over the years, has grown to become an embodiment of the progressive minds in the fold of DSC. He had fought everybody, including board members. He fought his bosses when he believed he was on the path of truth and he continued the fight for what he perceived to be right until the Indians had to relieve him even though it was difficult to fathom how the technical machinery of the plant could function without the Urhobo-born engineer. No management or board liked his unbending stand on what should be “the right thing”, whether from moral or professional perspective.

In 1995, he was seconded to head Cross River Limestone Company where DSC had 55 per cent

stake. He was faced stiff battle as he fought hard to frustrate the corrupt practices of the board members. He recalled to DSC in 1997 when the confrontation between him and the board became unreasonably unbearable.

N an exhaustive interview, Oyibo said: “By the Ihappened time I came back, DSC had collapsed. Nothing between1996 to 1999. Staff was owed 36-month salaries. The entire company was brought down on its kneels by massive corruption.”

The engineer believes the company could not have broken even with its huge potentials unless the endemic corruption thrust in its bosom was ruthlessly tackled.

A month before his Indian boss dismissed him, Oyibo was convinced that a drastic action was needed to reposition the dream of DSC. He wrote the Federal Government detailing the systemic challenges that could lead to the death of the company and why he felt his employer had no moral aptitude required to revive the company. He also faulted the kill-and-divide tactics previous management of the complex and the Ministry of Power and Steel had engaged. He argued that among previous handlers, only late Fred Brume, the pioneer chief executive who steered the construction process, was genuinely interested in the health of the company.

The engineer noted in the proposal: “Only a part of the annual budgetary allocation to the plant was actually given. While the management signed 100 per cent of the allocation, the minister in charge took 40 per cent just as the company still settled official of the ministry out of its 60 per cent. They were also allocated rolled products, which were not paid for.”

Besides the corrupt practices at ministerial level, Oyibo painted a saddening picture of how top management and technical staff connived to defraud the company through over invoicing, diversion of spare parts, bizarre procurement processes and other subtle but criminal tactics.

“Nearly every head of department, division was a procurement officer. They were inflating prices of items bought in multiple folds. An easy

flow rod, which cost N50 in the shops, would be supplied at N500. In most cases, receipts were issued for goods not received. Sometimes goods that could not be used were supplied as unusable and were paid for. The result was that the warehouses were filled up with scraps. The practice eventually led to: prohibitive cost of production, scrapping of equipment and high downtime.”

Oyibo, who had served in every available division, continued: “In the maintenance section, technicians would intentionally remove costly functional components from machines and declare them faulty… they smuggled them out of the plant, spray and sell them to suppliers who later re-sell them to the company at exorbitant prices. Auxiliary servicing units hired mobile cranes, trucks, pay loaders, forklifts and other equipment to outsiders without remitting the money to the coffer of the company.”

He traced the origin of the corrupt tendencies, which he said had eaten deep into every aspect of the control including the board, to mid 1980s, few years into the operation of the company, when the naira crashed without corresponding increase in the salaries of workers to make up for the rising cost of living. Interestingly, this was a time corruption was struggling to lay its claws on the Nigerian economy. DSC, perhaps, suffered external and internal push towards corruption.

But the falling local currency did much more havoc to DSC. Just as workers fretted with other streams of income to the detriment of their major source of livelihood, it became too expensive to import raw material from overseas. And this could be the reason Oyibo suggested that it was designed to fail. While there was abundant local iron ore in Kogi State to serve as raw material, the government chose to design its operations to rely on external source the country had little or no control over. The fringe excuse was that the Brazilian iron was of better quality.

Though the government did acknowledged the risk of planning local production on the back of importation with its vagaries and penciled down Itakpe as secondary source, there was no sufficient courage to link the two loca-

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316 technical staff. The 3,484 were all indigenous. Still, the number of staff had shrunk from about 12, 000 employees it engaged in January 1982, when Shehu Shagari commissioned the complex.

Apart from the massive employments it generated, DSC had four primary schools, a firstclass technical college ranked as the fourth best in the country, hospitals and technical training institute were all part of the trappings of the company that would be scrapped. Sitting on 1.2 square kilometre, the company spreads sideway with 5,200 housing units scattered in four industrial estates. And the land measuring 17,586 plots of 100ft by 100ft each donated by Udu kingdom was part of the national asset.

Did DSC actually need 12,000 workers to start a new business? An inside source that joined the company from the onset said the desire to hire the number of personnel was only patriotic but never economical. The source noted that over 50 per cent of the staff load was not required for take off but was absorbed pending when the second phase of the programme kicked off.

The noble dream was to be implemented in two phases — structural steel and flat sheet plants. The towering administrative block and rusty factory that stand tall in the heart of Urhobo today was meant to be the first phase, taking care of the structural steel production.

Construction of the flat sheet plant was to follow immediately but while no contract for the work was awarded, the management in “its noble wisdom” brought the envisaged workers to crowd the first plant. Many of the staff were sent to Europe for training, as steel production was a novel engagement then.

Corruption was to compound the challenge of huge wage bills few years later. Hence, gradual retrenchment that heralded years of uncertainties and crisis started. By 1995, according to findings, there was massive retrenchment that cut down the size of workforce to less than 4,000. Yet, salaries froze leading to accumulation of 36 month unpaid salaries, which Obasanjo eventually paid in 2000 in preparation for privatisation in line with the private-driven economic format the administration promoted.

The Significance Of Delta Steel To Warri Economy SC played a signpost role in the developD ment of the oil city of Warri. The story of DSC is the story of Warri. From conception, its

The Intergrated Plant with the Itakpe-Warri rail track heading into the factory.

Delta Steel And The Warri Economy tions with economically viable transportation mode. Itakpe-Ajaokuta-Warri rail project was initiated. The rail, which is just crawling to reality three decades and half after it was conceived, was marred by corruption and ineptitude as common to all national enterprises.

“The only economic means of bringing the iron ore to Aladja is by rail, which has been under construction since 1978. The corruption fever, which stalled the construction of Ajaokuta Steel Plant, also afflicted the construction of the rail line from Itakpe to Aladja,” noted Oyibo.

Investigation reveals that the process of importation became so frustrating that at a time ships would use self-loading facilities to discharge materials into several badges on the high seas and used tugboats to toe the imported products to the harbour. This was a practice when ship sizes above 12,000 tonnes could not pass the Escravos Bar. While it was considered uneconomically viable to use small ships to bring the heavy materials from South America, DSC management continued with the traditional large ships that convey 25,000 tonnes of goods. But as a cost, it would pay additional charges for badge and tugboat services that would bring the order to its doorstep.

The survey plan of 2198.22 hectares of land earmarked for immediate and future development of DSC shows that several acres were (and are still) devoted for captive power unit. It was so thought in the beginning because, by the German design, the company was to have a dedicated power source.

Sources said the plant with its auxiliaries would require similar amount of power needed by the entire Lagos State to function effectively.

Hence, by design, it was expected to have a dedicated power source. But in operation, it de-

pended on the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) and was indebted to the firm to the tune of several billions of naira few years it opened for operation.

EANWHILE, the company was not manM aged in a manner that it would make serious income to pay its bills. Much as it got subventions from the government, politicians dictated how it should run. In his proposal, Oyibo revealed that there was never a time the company was allowed freedom to place a value on its product in the market place. According to him, billets produced at N62,000 per tonne were sold to Jos, Katsina and Oshogbo rolling mills at N30,000 per tonne on the directive of government. Apart for directive to management to subsidise its products to sustain operations of other inland rolling mills, sources said political office holders and their cronies frequently visited the plant with phoney “to carry goods that were never paid for.” This was another weak link of the company.

According to an ex-union member, the subvention was an arm-twisting weapon the government used to force chief executives to submission. Ironically, official documents are full of complaints over inadequate financial support from the government. When the administration of late Sanni Abacha gambled with the idea of selling off the heritage as “scrap”, the management suggested that the firm could break even if the government put in more money. A document detailing the state of the company in 1998, 16 years into its operation, said the government had not released any other resources apart from the N1.2 billion spent for the initial construction.

Abacha, according to reliable information,

classified the company as scrap because there was understanding in the presidency about the significance and scope of the company when Obasanjo who conceived it left power.

“Many subsequent presidents referred to it in writing as a rolling mill. Even relevant ministers, who should have convinced the president to take the company more seriously, had no knowledge about its importance. It was not a surprise when Abacha classified it as scrap. It was planned as an integrated steel plant that comprises over 10 units. But little of this was known to those in power except Obasanjo,” noted a source.

While Abacha was looking for who would be courageous to have the company for free, it had 110 management staff, 2058 non-technical and

The noble dream was to be implemented in two phases — structural steel and flat sheet plants. The towering administrative block and rusty factory that stand tall in the heart of Urhobo today was meant to be the first phase, taking care of the structural steel production. Construction of the flat sheet plant was to follow immediately but while no contract for the work was awarded, the management in “its noble wisdom” brought the envisaged workers to crowd the first plant. Many of the staff were sent to Europe for training, as steel production was a novel engagement then

fame attracted professionals and artisans form different parts of the country. Till date, Steel Town mirrors the Nigerian nations, which is the reason the residence is named after different towns in the country — far and near. Major streets and roads are named after Owo, Benin, Suleja, Ikeja, Onitsha, Katsina, Kaduna and so many other towns.

“Those day,” narrated Kabir Ayodele, “the mere mention of one’s place of origin gives one sense of belonging. And it was not just for the fun of it. You could actually see people from different tribes doing one thing or the other in DSC. We all became emotional It was one of the most detribalised places I have seen.

It was a national company located in Urhobo land.” pposite the abandoned plant and just beO hind the newly constructed Itapke – Warri rail track expected to terminate in the integrated steel company was a corn farm covering barely a plot of land. There on the farm was an elderly woman (maybe in her 60s), whose fate seemed to exemplify that of the entire community. Enterprising local folk one could describe her, but her destiny appeared trapped in the claws fortune. And it is on the wrong side of it. As she was weeding on her farm, she kept a table where pineapples, bananas and even confectioneries were displayed for sale.

At 4pm or thereabout, nobody visited the shop much less picking from the freshly harvested because fruit has become a luxury to residents of the area. Opposite her was a plant that once boasted of about 12,000 staff of different cadres professions hundreds of petty hustlers like her could not have cater for. Today, she can only pray the company comes back to life so that she could earn some comfortable living or have children secure decent jobs to take care of her.

“Sometimes I keep them like this for days and eventually dispose them. Things have changed since they closed DSC. What I want is that the government should re-open it so that my children can be employed. When that happens, I believe business will start doing well again like those days,” the farmer and petty trader, who identified herself as Eserovwe noted.

The travail of Eserovwe is the story of the entire Udu Kingdom whose land was acquired by

CONTINUED ON PAGE 49

THE GUARDIAN, Sunday, April 28, 2013

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Privatisation: Intrigues And The Death Of The Steel Giant When the idea to site steel plant in Delta Sate was mooted, it was Obasanjo who sought to do the Urhobos a favour that their unborn sons and daughters would live to appreciate. When the workers were to get 36-month salary arrears in 2000, it was he too that suddenly remembered how risky the Urhobo land had become because it haboured angry workers. And when the privatisation option was thrown up in 2002, it was the same Obasanjo that realised how profitable the enterprise would become if only the government was allowed to let go. At the inception of Obasanjo’s return to power in 1999, the enterprise was writhing in pains of tribal politicking and national recklessness. Production had stopped while staff merely stood on abstract faith that providence would turn in their favour one day. Unemployment was a serious national issue then; if the hapless steel workers were willing to walk away from their duty posts, there were no jobs anywhere. So they were held up; and they remained in that situation for three years.

They were neither adding any serious value to their employer nor was the latter keeping its side of the agreement

By Geoff Iyatse HE image of former President Olusegun Obasanjo bestrides the Udu Kingdom like a colossus but for reason different from his popular trait. It is linked to the historic role he played in the Delta Steel Company (DSC). He embodies all the evolutions and trends of the project: the good, the bad and the ugly.

When the idea to site steel plant in Delta Sate was mooted, it was Obasanjo who sought to do the Urhobos a favour that their unborn sons and daughters would live to appreciate. When the workers were to get 36month salary arrears in 2000, it was he too that suddenly remembered how risky the Urhobo land had become because it haboured angry workers. And when the privatisation option was thrown up in 2002, it was the same Obasanjo that realised how profitable the enterprise would become if only the government was allowed to let go.

At the inception of Obasanjo’s return to power in 1999, the enterprise was writhing in pains of tribal politicking and national recklessness. Production had stopped while staff merely stood on abstract faith that providence would turn in their favour one day.

Unemployment was a serious national issue then; if the hapless steel workers were willing to walk away from their duty posts, there were no jobs anywhere. So they were held up; and they remained in that situation for three years. They were neither adding any serious value to their employer nor was the latter

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keeping its side of the agreement.

Within the period of the industrial break, late Gen. Sani Abacha disclosed the government’s intention to liquidate and dispose the company’s assets as scraps. But the plan was put to sleep by the dictator’s sudden demise.

Nothing was said about the company by the successive administration headed by Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar (rtd).

As soon as Obasanjo assumed office, he released funds for the payment of salary arrears owed by the company and renewed his love for steel manufacturing. But in tandem with his economic philosophy, the government started looking at the involvement of the private sector to run it.

Yet, the company needed to regain its allurement, which it lost to years of abuse and ineptness. The government released $45 million for its “total rehabilitation”, which was implemented by the Ministry of Power and Steel under the grip of Liyel Imoke (now Governor of Cross Rivers) between 2002 and 2004. The process turned controversial but that was after about $35 million had been sunk in it.

John Oyibo, an AGM in maintenance division of the company during the rehabilitation, said the contractor merely cleaned the equipment that were to be overhauled and coated them. He said only Voestalpine of Australia, a sub-contractor in the scheme and subsisting maintenance to DSC, did reasonable work; whereas the Nigerian contractor “did nothing.” Oyibo an insider, and by virtue of his position, part of the internal monitoring team, had access to privileged information. While

the rehabilitation was still ongoing, he wrote the presidency in September 2004 recommending “outright sale of DSC to terminate endless wasteful expenditure on imaginary production of steel.”

His advice was to be vindicated and the charade called “total rehabilitation” mocked when, few months later, the company received bids. The highest bid for an imposing plant that just gulped $45 million was $20 million.

In 1996, the company was removed from national budget, an action that crippled its maintenance, ability to pay salaries and carry on production processes. Yet, as at 1998, its capital investment was valued at N100 billion (when a dollar was selling for about Ñ22).

There are still speculations within DSC town till date that some powerful forces in Abuja, working through the National Council on Privatisation (NPC) and the Bureau of Private Enterprises (BPE), wanted the company for little above nothing. Hence the dismal bids! Following the disappointing bids, the government considered the process a failure and cancelled it.

To the chagrin of many, the government announced Global Infrastructure (Nigeria) Limited with its foreign partner, Global Infrastructure Holdings Limited (GIHL), early 2005, as preferred bidder of the 80 per cent share of the government in the asset. That was the first time many Nigerians would hear that the relatively unknown firms had more than a passing interest in the company.

As far as the indigenes and staff of the com-

pany were concerned, the voices they heard during the inspection were those of the Indians but manipulative hands in the background were those of Obasanjo. Even farther from an imaginary Obasanjo, sources said the former president’s son, Gbenga, actaully led the team of ‘investors’ that drove through Ovwian town that afternoon to see the assets.

The share sale/purchase agreement, sealed on February 8, 2005, was signed by Julius Jibril Bala on behalf of the government along with Dr. Paul Ibornigie, who appended his signature as General Counsel. But smartly, two Indians stood in for both Global Infrastructure Nigeria Limited and GIHL. Mr. L.K. Seghal signed as Managing Director of the Nigerian company and an authorised signatory of GIHL while Mr. Javel Pasha signed as an authorised signatory for the Nigerian firm but as a director of GIHL. No Nigerian was linked to the two companies in the agreement of a deal steered by a local company.

Chuks Nwachukwu of Indemnity Partners noted that the omission of Nigerian actors in the agreement could be intended to mask the real actors behind the transaction. The legal expert raised question about the primacy given to the foreign partners in the deal if there were no trick to conceal representatives of the local participants.

Indeed, sources close to the transaction process said the Indians were Nigerians in brown skins. Oyibo recalled that he had raised the alarm that the only reason the government could spend huge resources reha-

HE GUARDIAN, Sunday, April 28, 2013

47

SPECIALREPORT The Coming Of GIHL And Begining Of Cannibalisation bilitating the complex besides several billions spent paying outstanding salaries was because “politicians had personal interests.”

In the transaction, the Federal Government conceded 176,000,000 units of share representing 80 per cent of the asset to the buyers for $30 million (N4.5 billion), $15 million less the cost of the plant that was valued at N100 billion as at 1998. It was also reported that BPE subsequently valued it at N225 billion.

An estate valuer operating in Delta, Osika Idonegie, said the company’s land (17,586 plots) was over N17 billion as at 2005.

The federal government, hitherto, owned 100 per cent of the company through the Ministry of Finance.

The Indian’s Cannibalisation And Policies Of Segregation HILE the buyer was to take over possesW sion after the payment of first 10 per cent of the transaction, the government covenanted among others: “That for the purposes of supplying adequate gas and power for the company’s operations, the construction of the rail line and the lowering of the oil pipelines, it shall act as facilitator between the purchaser and relevant agencies.”

True to its promise, the Itakpe–Warri rail project, after stalling for decades, was fast tracked and extended to the doorstep of DSC remaining just few meters to take it into the plant, where a terminal will be built. The commitment to the rail system gives the impression that the government was suddenly more interested in the functionality of the steel company than several years it was in charge as owner.

The renewed political will to complete the rail track was just part of the series of events that raised further eyebrows about the extent of Jonathan’s involvement in the deal.

Before the documentation was completed, the Indians were said to have obtained assurance that the spare parts they needed for hitch-free operations were stockpiled in warehouses. “But when they assumed control, they eventually discovered that the spare parts were scraps They rushed back to Abuja to complain after which story went round that 70 per cent of the workers’ gratuities were given to them as loans,” revealed a source.

The alleged lending of workers’ gratuities to GIHL (by then the Nigerian partner had disappeared completely in site operation and in official documents) marked the beginning of tension and crisis in the plant. As the tension grew, workers threatened to down tools just for BPE and other stakeholders in Abuja to fly into the Niger Delta city to pay the remaining 30 per cent that was left in the pension account.

“Three days after their arrival, they could not pay because the government insisted the Indians must sign that they would pay the remaining 70 per cent. But they refused. That was when it was clear to everybody that the loan was not unfounded speculation. They dragged on the matter up to a point that the Iron and Steel Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ISSSAN) got involved. They eventually paid the money BPE came for, even though they could not resolve how the balance would be paid after a closed-door meeting that lasted for three days,” a reliable source informed.

Eventually, the aggrieved but hungry workers, including those who were not re-engaged by the new owners, grudgingly signed what was given. A beneficiary of the payment revealed the dispute over “who would pay the balance continued to the point when the cheques had to be signed by ISSAN’s representative at the negotiation table. The first installment was paid but when the ex-workers, many of whom have died, will receive the balance remain as unpredictable as the second coming of Christ.

Meanwhile, the sale agreement clarifies that “liabilities and claims originating prior to the hand over date shall be the liability of the FGN and that FGN shall indemnify the purchaser against such liabilities and claims.” It adds that the settlement of pension liabilities of the company shall be effected from the sale of the company’s Township one housing estate leaving Township 2, 3,4 for the new owner.

By the content of the agreement, staff entitlements resulting from service when the company was held by the government were

to be settled by the previous employer. The clause runs contrary to an undertaking the Indians were compelled to sign assuming there were no underhand dealings, as alleged by the staff. What did the government stand to gain by lending workers’ pension funds to a private company that was convinced about the viability of the company it was buying before it put pen on paper?

When the Indian moved into the plant the entire plant was like a war zone invaded by enemy troop with a cruel commander. One Lt Col, Bayo Ogunshola, was said to have retired from the Nigerian Army to coordinate the security operation as chief security officer (CSO).

A checkpoint manned by members of the Joint Task Force (JTF) was mounted at Nkete, less than a kilometre away from the industrial housing unit. At the entrance of the road leading into DSC Township is another checkpoint mounted with hundreds of sacks filled with sand, a common sight in Niger Delta. The two military blockages said to have be created to give the Asian ‘investors’ sufficient cover were still in place last two weeks, just as armed security men kept vigil at the locations day and night.

A visit to DSC Township much less the plant is like walking through Copley Square hours after the recent Boston bombing. The plant is tension soaked. The facilities are closely watched. Like a twining of light and darkness, residential areas are dominated by struggle by warring impulses — of the disengaged workers and of the Indians’ protectors. Private security guards are planted at every strategic spot — school, hospital and the rest of them. Every identified visitor is treated with suspicion and monitored at close range.

Yet, massive vandalism is currently threatening the future usefulness of the plant under the watch of stern-looking guide. Reliable information said an armoured power cable valued at about N50 million was recently cut and smuggled out of the company. A senior police officer was said to accost the suspect when they were making away with the second part of the expensive cable. The officer, according to information, turned down a N100,000 bribe offer when he saw the size of the stolen property and dragged the suspected criminals to the station.

While residents accused the security operatives headed by Ogunshola of being responsible for the stealing of DSC’s valuable assets, Principal Partner of the Receiver Firm, Ajibola Aribisala, told The Guardian last week that “wicked community people are the ones vandalizing the company.”

The vandalism started in the days of the Indians in form of cannibalization of both the assets and the image of the company. The management style of GIHL, according to popular opinion, achieved just one goal — helping the government to further ruin the heritage.

Oyibo was redeployed from Heavy Vehicle Maintenance department to Scrap Supplies because he was courageous to question GIHL’s practice of total productive maintenance (TPM). TMP, as popularized by Japan, requires that an operator be trained to understand how a machine works, identify potential problems and correct them before they impact production. The method is essentially used to reduce downtime and reduce cost of production.

But according to memos between the company’s management and Oyibo between 2007 and 2008, TPM as it relates to DSC, was nothing more than compelling workmen to clean greasy oil from faulty machines and put them to work, throwing away worn-out bots and nuts and welding the joint where there were no replacements.

“They trivialised the techniques. TPM meetings were called every week just for management staff to assess the amount of dirt removed form equipments. It was awkward and anti-progress. I stopped attending the meetings because I did not consider that a job of a trained engineer,” noted Oyibo.

On August 26, 2008, a memo was issued directing him to go back to Heavy Vehicle. But his reply the following day betrayed the annoyance of one who could not stand an authority that lost direction. His memo detailed the historical abuses of equipment and machines if DSC and the doom that awaited the company if there was no change of tactics. On September 15, his appointment was terminated.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 50

BUSINESS

Township Three converted to serve as Indians’ residence (insert:One of DSC primary schools located within the estate).

The once vibrant shopping mall in DSC town.

Part of Township One allocated to ex-workers as part of their pension.

THE GUARDIAN, Sunday, April 28, 2013

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SPECIALREPORT

BUSINESS The once oil booming city of Warri is now lying prostrate. Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) has shut down its operations in the city and moved on. Delta Steel Company (DSC) is now under receivership after years of pillage. These are the two establishments that define the economic character of Warri and its environs. But instead of lamenting, the Delta State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, is saying there is a plan that will make up for the huge hole created by the exit of the two giants.

He spoke with GEOFF IYATSE. Excerpts: Surprisingly, Shell, which had become an aspect of life in Warri has left; how can Warri survive without Shell?

ES, Shell is leaving Warri; their onshore operations mainly. First, we will ask ourselves why they are leaving; it has been a gradual process that has been on over the years, even before I came into office. The issue of movements is not decided in one day. As Secretary to the State Government (SSG), I already heard the alarm from one of the top officials.

The issues at that time were security, the attitude of the communities; those were the days when militancy was at its peak, so we had to do a lot to deal with it. At least, as at today, the militancy is not too much of a problem, but the other issue, which is very important, which is being used as excuse, is the problem of community disturbances. I think it got to a point when demands from the communities were becoming too high, and for any little excuse, there was shut down of their facilities.

There was also the issue of criminality; after the militancy, there was now criminality in which there was pipeline vandalism, what is known as bunkering, and also the stealing of equipment. These were some of the real excuses, but behind, they were saying that they were restructuring, but for some of us that have been on ground, we know that the issues mentioned earlier are the real excuses. It is quite unfortunate because, issues of the community disturbances have been quite gradual.

Uzere, for instance, there have been no operations there because of community crisis, in which one faction of the community will be fighting the other. Government has tried to intervene, and put security there, so that the people can operate. Shell and the other companies are also very cautious because over the years, the human rights bodies have been saying that they operate by using security agencies to suppress the communities. So it is quite a complex problem; it is a web of accusations and counter accusations that have over the years grown so big, to the point where we are now.

Even for those of us in government, even developmental issues have been difficult for us to pursue because of community disturbances. It got to a point where I said that any community that gives us problem, we will move the project from there to a community that is friendlier. It is easier for me as governor of Delta to carry out projects in the Northern part of Delta, than in the Central or Southern parts, because of communities’ problems, especially, the youths.

Now, there are so many youths who want to disturb, and if you are carrying out a project, they even charge contractors per bag of cement, and even to put down a tipper of sand, you have to pay. Those are some of the challenges that we as government have, not to talk of some of the oil companies.

But, are those enough for Shell to have moved away? If you ask me, I think the answer is, no. Although there is an increasing cost in their operations, the profit is enough to cushion whatever increases there are in the operations. How do we intend to survive this? As government, we are coming down hard on communities that are giving problems to either government or oil operations; I have set up a lot of bodies to deal with it.

But there is this other aspect; Shell is leaving, but the oil is not leaving. I say so because Shell cannot move away the oil; what would happen is that if Shell leaves, another company that is into exploration of oil will come and drill the oil, so the process of getting out oil will continue. Theoretically, that is the way it should be, but the challenge we are having now is that in the joint venture

Y

Uduaghan

UDUAGHAN: We Will Not Let Warri Industrial Axis Go Down between Shell, Chevron and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), the operators are the IOCs. But we understand that in the latest joint venture, that is, the shares of Shell that is being sold to other private investors, the other private investors are not allowed to carry out the operations. They said the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC), which is an arm of NNPC is the one now carrying out the operations. What we hear is that NPDC does not have that kind of capacity because it is like another government organ. And so their commitment will not be as deep as that of a private operator, who will know that if he does not operate very well, he will not make enough profit.

That is our biggest worry really. If the companies that have taken over the shares of Shell are probably allowed to operate, the effects might not be much, whether there is Shell or not because it is about the business, and the oil business will continue, even without that company.

What I am trying to do now, as a governor is to see whether I can discuss with the federal authorities to let them know the effects of this on

Even for those of us in government, even developmental issues have been difficult for us to pursue because of community disturbances. It got to a point where I said that any community that gives us problem, we will move the project from there to a community that is friendlier. It is easier for me as governor of Delta to carry out projects in the Northern part of Delta, than in the Central or Southern parts, because of communities’ problems, especially, especially the youths

us.

Talking about private companies, there is one called Seplat…

Seplat is operating now, but I hear that after Seplat, it is NPDC that is in charge of the operations.

In which case, it means the equity of Shell is not completely taken over by Seplat alone; there are others?

It depends on the operation areas; you know there are areas they call OML, which is a convergence of oil wells. There are different OMLs; the one Seplat bought is the one they operate in.

The one Seplat purchased, they are operating there, but the other areas, I understand the NPDC is carrying out the operations.

Why would government insist on the NPDC; what happens to these private companies that have now invested?

Sometimes, it is difficult for me to explain; I guess the NNPC will be in a better position to explain, but what I know is that it is affecting us as a people, and it is affecting relationship with the communities, and the general economy of the area because the kind of commitment you will expect from a government company is different from the kind of commitment from a private company.

Outside the oil wells and mining leases, downstream, there is the Shell Estate and such other things that altogether contributed to the economy of the area; are those also being taken over by private companies, if so, are they put into effective use as we speak?

I think the process of divestment of Shell is still ongoing, and it is still at the early stages. I am aware that some of these companies are being bought over by private investors; Osubi Airport for instance, is being taken over by private investors. There are arrangements with NPDC in terms of the estates and the clinics. I don’t have the details; I know that EJeba was to be sold to private investors, and I had to intervene

by telling them they cannot sell Ejeba because that community gave the land free of charge for that particular housing estate, and that if they no longer need the land for the estate, the natural thing is to return the land to the community. If you can carry your house away, you do so, if not, the land belongs to the community. You can’t just say you want to sell because the land is not yours any way. So there are some houses like that all over the place; as a government, we are not allowing them to sell them.

Are you also aware that the DSC is up for liquidation and that AMCON is …

I am aware; in fact, I also visited the place; specifically, I went to the school. I am also following up the situation with DSC. I am in touch with AMCON on the challenges, and I believe we will overcome those challenges.

There was a time the Warri axis had industries that one could say encouraged a thriving economy; there was the oil industry, the refinery, and the Delta Steel Company. But for years now, and this didn’t start from my administration, a lot of them have had challenges. And you know many of these outfits are beyond the state governments control.

With the DSC, as soon as I came in, I tried to intervene, until AMCON now took it over; but what I know is that some private investors are also getting interested, especially now that the railway line has gone up to DSC, so the ease with which goods can be moved in and out is there now. I do recall that at a point, the Nigerian Port Authority (NPA) in Warri was totally down, and there was no activity, but we have worked very actively with the Federal Government, and today, the place is very active with a lot of things coming in and out. In fact, the place is so congested now, that there is an extra stacking area that has been constructed for the port. Of course, the refinery, which was down for quite some time has been

THE GUARDIAN, Sunday, April 28, 2013

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SPECIALREPORT revived by the Federal Government, and it has become active. What I am trying to say is that with all these, and the Delta Leisure Park that is currently under construction, the Shoprite, which is coming, and which is being constructed at that former Navy land, then the expansion of the Osubi airport with a four kilometre runway; we have awarded the contract, paid the mobilisation, and the contractors are mobilising to site; we shall overcome. I mean with all these very active, and our Warri Industrial Park, which we have adverstised for contractors to start operation, I think Warri will pick up in the very near future. And once we are able to sort out this oil operation matter with NPDC and NNPC, so that they become very active, Warri will pick up.

In explaining, you keep mentioning private people; how much of these are local people from the Delta axis in Shell and the DSC? As for Shell, unfortunately, our local people have not been deeply involved for one reason or the other. I don’t want to go into the politics of the purchases or who is buying what, but I know for the Delta Steel Company, there are some Deltans who are interested, and they are putting things together to see what they can do in terms of taking it over. But generally, our people honestly are not deeply involved in some of these things. Having said that, I am also meeting with the man in charge of local content, you know their headquarters is in Yenegoa, and I am meeting him in the next few days to sit down to see how as a state, we can get more involved.

In fact, I was going to say that if individuals are not coming, what of the state government, on behalf of the people?

When this local content law started, I was the first state to put up a committee, headed by honourable Brisbe and some people, and they came in. I also tried to move for the headquarters of the local content, and unfortunately, we didn’t get it; it went to Bayelsa, but I also know that people have been doing one or two things on the issue. They might not be big; especially along that NPA road, you know that there

BUSINESS

How We Intend To Salvage Warri Economy,By Uduaghan are some new buildings and offices of our people who are into some of these local content jobs, and I know that the minister has been to Warri two to three times, to encourage some of our people.

As we talk about why the companies are moving away, can you also graphically tell us about some of the challenges that you have in bringing development to some of these communities?

Our communities have gone haywire in terms of tolerance and acceptability of projects, so much so that even government projects are affected. It is such that you would want to build a school for a community, and somebody is taking you to court over land, and another is mobilising youths to go and stop the project. And of course, sometimes, you just have to force

your way; it is not as if they do not find the need for that particular school, but they want some extra things. And I keep saying; look, you cannot raise the stake in terms of my putting project in your place. They keep saying government has not done this or that, yet the ones government wants to do are being obstructed. Look at St Patrick School in Asaba now; these are old schools that we want to put structures, but I can tell you that there are two communities fighting us, and are making it difficult. Of course, you know my fight in Warri over that place we used to call Okere High College that used to be a rice farm and a big swamp for years, and that was an environmental hazard. And we reclaimed it to build a school, which the community requested for in the first place. But as soon as I started, some people in the community whose children have access to the best education outside Nigeria, but do not want the children of others to have access to that kind of education, started fighting us. And this is unfortunate when it involves some elders in the community; in fact, at a point in some of the projects we are doing in certain parts of the state, chiefs and elders held contactors to ransom, insisting on getting certain sums of money before the jobs could be continued. And I had to go on air, and insisted that any community that does that kind of thing runs the risk of having us remove the project from there. And if I know that there are so many people who cannot talk, but want that project, of course, we will force that project through. It is unfortunate; it is slightly better here; it is even worse in the riverine communities, where you are carrying bags of cement and youths will say for you to drop them, you have to pay so and so amount per bag. It is not acceptable.

You said once that, to get a particular project through, you had to become a project manager; beyond that, are there laws to take care of these kinds of situations?

In fact, right now, we are sending a bill to the House, that it is criminal to disrupt any government project or any project for that matter. Once the House of Assembly passes that and we want to do a project and you disrupt it, we will arrest you and charge you to court.

...Pains Of DSC’s Closure In Udu Kingdom CONTINUED FROM PAGE 45 the Federal Government late 1970s when it mooted the idea of building an integrated steel company that would stand out in Africa.

Every man or woman on the streets of Warri knows one tale or the other about individuals who have lost their sense of human dignity as a result of DSC’s closure. On the fringe of the city where the plant and its trappings are located, every life is directly impacted by the unfortunate situation.

DSC… Paradise Lost NDEED, the closure of DSC is “a national” Itence trauma “in Urhobo land.” The sheer exisof the company attracted all Ezes, Lagbajas and Abubakars who got stuck into the ambiance of Warri and simply refuses to go even the source of their initial lure was beginning to stink. In the assessment of the Otota of Udu Kingdom, Chief Sam Odibo, the continued stay of the ex-workers has become the most unfortunate share of the Urhobos from

the legacy of the steel manufacturer. What you find on the streets of Udu are gloomy faces of men who had toiled for years but are with nothing to show for the labour. They procreate in the town; their children also breed in drove in the same neighbourhood whose hope dims daily.

Eze Chigozie, an indigene of Imo State, had risen to the rank of assistant general manager before the company began to show signs of distress. Asked on how he managed to carry on, he simply said: “My relations are there.” By implication, his four children’s education, and by extension their fate, lie in the benevolence of faraway relations who have other (and maybe more immediate) needs to meet.

Fredrick Okobiabi joined the company in January1982 at level 7 and rose to level 10 in October 1995 when he exited. He was among thousands of established young professionals who jumped at offers by DSC in the belief that steel workers would earn more than their oil/gas counterparts. He left AG Leventis Nigeria Plc to join the newly commissioned steel

Land encroachers close-in on abandoned security tower of DSC.

manufacturing giant then.

Like many of his former colleagues, Okokiabi, who said he lived comfortably prior the crisis era, now trek around the city doing odd jobs to make ends meet. He said many children of the ex-workers have been thrown out of schools with a chunk of them going into prostitution and armed robbery.

Life offered good prospects for Michael Adoba, an 18-year school dropout, until 2005 when DSC was privatised. He only hopes something miraculous comes the way of his family so that he can go back to school as the petty business run by his mother can hardly take care of their feeding. His hope of becoming an engineer dims every night as his father comes home without any cheering news of a job.

Adoba is patient hence he holds out that one day a breakthrough will come. But not many of his peers possess the same measure of hope. Last two weeks, about a dozen of his age mates were arrested behind a branch of Ecobank Nigeria Plc located in the industrial estate. Their offence, the Police accused, is regularly hanged around the bank monitoring those who come to withdraw large money and trail them to where they can safely dispossess them of their money. Residents say petty robberies have become frequent incidents in the town.

The case of Okey Okwonkwo, an elderly man from Abia State, is most pathetic. He deserves a house as part of his retirement benefits as allocated to others in Township 1. Over N400, 000 was actually deducted from his entitlement like ever other former colleagues. But as claims, counter claims and litigations continue, he has not been given allocation even as he lost the bid to claim back the house he lived during his active years. A frail-looking Okwonkwo, who claims 62 but actually looks older, has sent his wife back home, squats with relations while he relies on commercial motorcycling in the suburbs (as this has been banned in Warri metropolis) to sustain hiself.

“Many people went to court to stop the Indians from throwing them out of their houses. They forced some of us out of where we lived after they said they deducted some money from our gratuities to cover houses allocated in Town One. But I have not gotten my allocation. And our pensions have not been paid since 2005. Sometime I don’t even want to talk about the whole thing because it is annoying. Do I have money to pay a lawyer to take them to court on my behalf?” he asked rhetorically.

CCOMMODATION has become a huge isA sue in the industrial centre. A magistrate in the area is said to have instructed that he does not want to entertain any case relating to DSC estate. The issues are complicated. But underlining are accusations that Global Infrastructure Holdings Limited, an Indian firm that bought 80 per cent of the Federal Government’s equity in the firm evicted many exworkers on the basis of a clause in the purchase agreement that linked their entitlements to only Township One, which was to be sold to pay their severance.

From DSC junction through Otokutu to Steel Town, are fading memories of the once thriving plant. Hotels, schools, companies and community halls once sourced fame and fortune from DSC. But as the company goes down it pulls the entire vibrancy of the town with it. When DSC paid salaries in 1980s, the entire Warri shook. In 1990s when it sneezed, the city would catch cold. Now that the company lies prostrate, the economy of Warri seems to have caught flu. The lull starts from within.

A functional industrial estate breathes in the evening when workers are back home.

But that character no longer exists in DSC environ. There are no exchange banters at bear joints. The mini-shopping mall located in Town One is a ghost centre now. The entire environment wears gloom with tales of disappointment on every lip.

Few meters away from the plant, there is a spot designated as trailer park in the heyday of the company. Spontaneous businesses that fed households and paid children’s school fees were attracted to the point. With DSC pronounced dead, the facility weed and reptiles have taken over the facilities.

Hoteliers, artisans and other professionals in Warri and neighbouring towns feel the quake that sealed DSC. A staff of White Hotel, a low-income inn located along Refinery Road, said: “Those days our 37 rooms were fully booked by 4pm. But today, we manage to give out five rooms a day.” This is the story everywhere. More than 80 per cent of the residents in the Warri area blame the down-turn on the exit of Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) and the closure of DSC while a few others attribute it bad leadership.”

Many agreed that the gloom started between 1996 and 1999 when staff of the steel company, whose monthly wages were over

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SPECIALREPORT

Delta Steel Technical High School.

PHOTOS: GEOFF IYATSE

How The Indians Stripped DSC Of Its Attraction CONTINUED FROM PAGE 47 Oyibo’s voice represented the unspoken opinion of every staff of the company during the privatisation era. The strange maintenance culture of the management diminished the value of the company as much as it cost human lives. There was a case of Daniel Okeremeta who was said to have died at the plant as a result of reckless workplace management. Several other workers reportedly lost their lives as machines and equipment kept falling on operators.

The powerhouse popularly known as Unit B within the estate, whose armoured cables are currently vandalised, was burnt when GIHL was in charge. The facilities roughly estimated to cost, at least, N250 million has not been fixed. The roof of the steel melting shop (SMS) also fell. It has not been replaced. During the “dark days of DSC” as an elderly Urhobo man described the Indian pillage, vital equipment were reportedly demobilised and shipped out of the country. An example is a giant transformer, which was said to have suddenly disappeared from the site.

“The Indians were ruthless in their business operations.

They were not interested in the future state of the company.

And that was the reason behind their poor maintenance culture. At best, they would lose a component from one machine to fix another. They never spent a kobo to order for spare parts from outside the company. It was clear that they were in a hurry,” observed an ex-senior staff.

The Indians were, indeed, in a hurry to get done with things.

The complex, under their management, was indebted to three banks to the tune of N31 billion, a reason it was taken over by the Asset Management Company of Nigeria (AMCON) and put under a receivership. An insider said the total debt profile of the company, including its commitment to suppliers, was over N70 billion as at May last year.

A school of thought believes the loan was diverted, as it was never invested in the establishment. Those who support the argument have their reasons. Before GIHL took over, some of the warehouses were said to be filled up with products. The products, according to information, were exported for sale without any trace of the proceeds remitted to the company’s account.

As at the time full production commenced, the rail system had gotten to Agbarho, a community located along Warri – Ughelli Road. The economic sense of sourcing raw materials from Itakpe motivated the only visible investment by GIHL. It bought 25 trailers, which were used to convey iron ore from the rustic community where rail terminated to DSC plant, a distance of about 20 kilometres.

And there is an argument that the raw iron it source from Itakpe was not paid for. Those close to the transaction said it was when the Ministry of Power and Steel directed that supply should be stopped unless the buyers were ready to issue cheques that GIHL, in its wisdom, started using 100 per cent scrap for structural iron production. Julius Berger Nigeria Plc was a major customer that reportedly returned delivered products because “the quality was extremely poor.”

Still, the company had access to cheap labour. Immediately it took over, all the junior staff were casualised. Chima

Onyedika, who worked in the factory but currently into iron door making at a neigbouring town, said he was earning N1500 daily. He confessed that “almost all the factory workers were casuals” and that his eight-month salaries were outstanding when AMCON forced them out of the yard. The story goes: as soon as it was clear that AMCON, which filed litigation over the multi-billion naira debt it owned banks, would claim the asset, GIHL stopped obeying all financial obligations. It stopped salaries, suspended payment for goods supplied and increased its cannibalisation tradition.

There is yet another aspect of the bitter story. DSC Technical High School was regarded as the fourth best of its kind in the country. It churned out bright children of the company’s workers as well as non-workers. Before the Indians came, children of workers were paying N1,000 per term while those of non-staff paid N5,000. The Indian increased the school fees to N25,000 and N30,000 for staff’s and non-staff’s children respectively.

The fees of staff’s children in the primary schools were also moved from N300 to N12,000 and from N3000 to N20,000 in the case of non-staff. Meanwhile, two out of the four primary schools were closed just as the staff strength was reduced. All dissenting voices were silenced via termination of appointment. Mrs. Elizabeth Muoghereh was the Principal of the technical college when the school fees were increased. She protested the hike, and as a consequence, was shown the exit door from the system. Today, the school manages to survive at the mercy of the community, which hired some of the retrenched teaching staff to plug the huge human capacity gap that followed the Indian tsunamis.

Apart from the abuse of the system, which was quietly resisted, the Indian instituted what could be considered an apartheid regime. An Indian engineer, it was learnt, earned five fold what a more experienced Nigerian got. There were cases where subordinates earned over 300 per cent of what their Nigerian bosses were paid. In the residential areas, the Indians would have power supplied to their homes whereas the Nigerian neighbours would be in darkness. At a point, the blacks in Township 3 were evicted to create an only “Indian quarter.” Till date, security measures, including military presence, put in place at the entrance of the proposed ‘empire’ for the visitors have not faded completely.

DSC is pronounced dead by the indigenes. In words and action, that seems to be the mood. Between the township and the plant thousands of acres of land was set apart for future development of the company and possible downstream operations that would flood the town for vibrant national industrial synergy. New towns have started growing along the stretch. The encroachment is fueled by the belief that the exit of GIHL has finally nailed the curfew of the once-thriving manufacturers.

He questioned the real intention of the government when the company was sold. He questioned the ambiguity of the sale/purchase agreement. He faulted the value of valuation when only the landed property could fetch the owner over N35 billion if a plot is put at conservative value of N2 million. He also picked holes with the government’s position on the 20 per cent remaining shares, noting that Udu was not consulted before the sale even though there were speculations that 10 per cent was ceded to the community.

In the middle of the interview, which was riddled with puzzles and ancestral parables, Odibo became so agitated that he ordered the discussion should be stopped “because I am becoming too personally involved, which is not good for my health.”

A day after Odibo granted the interview, President Goodluck Jonathan promised in Ogun State during the commissioning of Wempco Steel Mills that the country would continue on the path of growth in local steel production. The Otota who doubles as Chairman of Udu Council of Chiefs had warned worried that the resuscitation of DSC has become Urhobo’s struggle whereas Nigerians trooped to Warri to secure jobs when it opened for operations. His regret is that the tall expectations that the company will one day drive the economic liberation of the coastal communities diminishes each time the government gets it wrong in the search for how the ailing company can be revived.

An open letter signed by key stakeholders in the 32 communities that make up Udu disclosed that there are negotiations between the Indians and the government on how the former can regain possession. They warned that while the people might not be against privatisation, they would not guarantee peace if the same characters that reduced the company to its current status show up again.

Just as AMCON is looking for core investors, as confirmed by Aribisala last week, the Indians are also said to be doing underground works at relevant ministries and parastatals in Abuja to resolve the conflict. So far, the government is said to be yielding except that it is not comfortable with the keeping of Primot Mittal, chairman of the company. A source said a GIHL with Mittal is close to a comeback just as the host communities warn the Asian company and its Nigerian cronies to stay away from the land.

Still, BPE spokesman, Chigbo Anichebe, hinted that the bureau cannot stop the Indians if they can pay up the N31 billion owned AMCON. Asked whether BPE is among the agencies currently negotiating the comeback of GIHL, he said: “If they settle AMCON, we will not have anything to do with that.”

As the crisis deepens, the host communities of Ovwian and Aladja are threatening to take over the entire land, including places occupied by the company’s staff quarters. Already, new houses are standing on every available space in Township One while those developing claim to have secured permission from BPE or purchased the land from the agency. …As The Host Communities Moves To Reclaim Land But Anichebe dismissed the claim, noting that BPE has notho the Urhobos desire to re-possess the land they have suring to do with land tittles or building approvals. He also said rendered to the government even if such action will even- (contrary to claim that the former staff are still being owned 55 tually kill DSC? In an elaborate interview at his office at per cent after 30 per cent was paid and a potion deducted for alEnerhen, the Otota of Udu Kingdom, Chief Sam Odibo, said the located houses) that the pension issues were settled over five company is a national heritage the resilient people are proud years ago with the exception of few people that “were missed.” of.

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THE GUARDIAN, Sunday, April 28, 2013

BUSINESSAGRO

Nigerians Eat 60 Eggs, A Chicken, Per Person Annually

By Fabian Odum HE consumption of eggs in T Nigeria is now put at 60 per person per year, up from 20 almost a decade ago, according to the statistics reeled from the studies of the think-thank of the Poultry Association of Nigeria at the ‘Poultry Summit 2013,’ which held in Lagos mid-week.

In the same vein, the chicken meat intake per person annually was barely the weight of a dressed broiler at 2.1kg. Simple extrapolation of the data shows a lowly per capita consumption of five eggs per person per month, and meat from poultry at level of chicken parts too little to make sense nutritionally.

The poultry association led by its National President, Dr. Ayoola Oduntan was unequivocal about the need to push the products up consumers’ tables, while pledging to work on different aspects to give the best along the entire value chain. The dream of the association is that five years from now, it intends to get egg consumption move to 150 and chicken,

100kg per person per year.

Already, the feeler being received from the trade, is that consumers are resisting the apparently high cost of poultry products especially, chicken. This has led a syndicate session at the summit to propose the cooperation of members to keep their mark up at not more than 20 per cent so that consumers can afford more products.

To further achieve the objective of raising per capita consumption of products, the association wants to embark on a steady campaign of creating awareness and run promotions. It did not limit its plan but wants to engage such strategies as road shows, TV, radio jingles and newspapers adverts and PR; working with the Nigerian Medical Association and other such bodies to achieve the desired mileage.

It wants to use social media as well to promote egg and chicken intake.

If the financial equation tilts right, it intends to spend about N1bn in the next five years to rewrite the fortunes of the poultry farms.

Farm produce at the newly opened Farmers’ Mart at Ajah, Lagos…recently

Lagos Threatens To Revoke Land Unused For Agriculture The Commissioner for Agriculture and Cooperatives, Prince Gbolahan Lawal, who disclosed this during a ministerial briefing by the ministry, declared that the situation had reached unacceptable level, and would no longer be tolerated by government.

Such land, he said, would be allocated to those ready to use it for agricultural purpose.

HOSE hitherto allocated The state, which is largely cosland for agricultural purmopolitan, coastal and with poses but who have put the relative limited land cannot, land to use for other purposes according to Lawal, afford to or abandoned such land may leave any land fallow. Even as soon have it revoked by the the state cannot allow lands Lagos State Government. designated for agricultural purposes be converted to other business. Lawal urged the allottees to take possession of the land. because of subsidy, they will pay “The 400-plot Ketu Ereyun high because of the volume of farmers nationwide.

By Fabian Odum N16,000. inputs given them.

He said with more farmers fish farm estate to produce “We believe with this great about 10,000 tonnes of fish per EGISTRATION of more farm- coming to register in Oyo State, Lasisi explained that the farmers said they really did not need reduction in cost, more cocoa annum at full capacity has ers in 2013 throughout Oyo they would be able to benefit the five bags of inorganic fertiliz- farmers will redeem their walbeen laid out and allocation state would open them to the better from the Growth Enhancement Scheme (GES) of er they were each given at 50 per lets this year at the designated made to the first 162 investors. benefit of keying into better agro - input centres,” he Based on the experience at opportunities from the Growth the Agricultural Transformation cent subsidy under GES then. explained.

The director said the farmers Ikorodu fish farm, where land Enhancement Scheme (GES) of Agenda.

Lasisi recalled that in 2012, the speculators were observed, the However, Lasisi disclosed that expressed the belief that the the Federal Government. To total cost for each cocoa farmer allotees were given only six in 2012, only 16,000 farmers in droppings from cocoa leaves this end, it is expected that about 250,000 farmers would the state redeemed their e-wal- constituted enough organic fer- was N88,000 but they paid months to mobilise to site or tilizer for them as such they real- N44,000 due to the 50 per cent lose allocation,” the commislets that would enable them be registered by Federal access to subsidised agricultural ly did not want government fer- subsidy.

Ministry of Agriculture in the sioner said.

He said he had held three tilizer. inputs at agro-input centres.

State by the end of 2013.

But stressing that the govern“As a result, for cocoa farmers, meetings so far in 2013 with He said there was hope that a Mr Adebayo Lasisi, Director, ment will provide the necesagro-input dealers, suppliers this year, inorganic fertilizer is Federal Ministry of Agriculture greater number would avail sary support services needed, removed from what they will be and participating banks under such as giving them instituthemselves of the GES in 2013 in the state recalled that in the GES. 2012, only 85,000 farmers were because all the hiccups of 2012 given. What remains are subtional aid, exposing them to Lasisi said they had successful credit facility and latest techsidised agro-chemicals and had been addressed and registered. deliberations adding that they insecticides while cocoa pods resolved.

Lasisi said a total of five milnology and capacity building reviewed 2012 operations and will be given to them free of lion farmers were registered in The Director cited the case of in the agric business, Lawal used it in planning for 2013.

2012 while another five million cocoa farmers in the state, who charge. disclosed that government He announced that the 2013 “The total cost of inputs for were expected to be registered complained that the cost of had set standard at all the GES would be flagged off in May. them will now be N32,000 but redemption in 2012 was too in 2013 bringing it to 10 million farm estates, by providing

By Kamal Tayo Oropo

T

More Crop-life Products For Registered Oyo Farmers R

infrastructural facilities, access to inputs, marketing platform and extension services to make production easy and convenient for allottees.

The Agric–Yes programme in Badagry, according to him, is fashioned after the project Songhai in Benin Republic and will be replicated in other parts of the state; he assured that the programme would train an average of 1000 youth per annum.

Also, and in furtherance of its food security programme, arable crops such as pineapple, maize and plantain that commands high value would be cultivated on large scale at Agbowa area of the state. Lawal disclosed that over 1292 youths have indicated their intention to participate in the programme.

It would be recalled that the state government has reintroduced modern rice farming to boost its production, while over 35 hectares of modern irrigation facilities have been provided at Itoga, Badagry. The commissioner said additional 120 youths have been engaged to broaden the scope of the programme.

Great Prospects As Nigeria Showcases Latent Potentials

By Olukayode Oyeleye HE Nigeria Summit 2013 on Enabling and T Implementing Change came at an apt moment, when the country beckons on local and foreign investors to do business in one of the biggest emerging economies of the world.

Organised by The Economist of London, a world renown news and policy magazine, the two-day conference spotlighted the hidden potentials that Nigeria needs to exploit at this time to boost its economy.

Speaker after speaker examined various aspects of Nigeria’s economy, proffering suggestions on how to tap into the wealth of the country. Even The Economist magazine’s observation was that “Nigeria has a young and growing population, a wide range of natural resources and a government full of internationally renowned reformers – yet life for the average Nigerian is not improving. There is no shortage of visions that see Nigeria transformed into a dynamic, competitive economy where entrepreneurialism and innovation thrive. But the real need is for action – at all levels.”

Robert Ward of the Economist Intelligence Unit, presenting his outlook on growth and challenges ahead, gave a good economic prognosis for Nigeria and Africa. “In Nigeria,” he quipped, “the macro-economic picture has stabilised.” He observed that “Nigeria is a demographic sweetpot,” but wondered how to formalize the informal sector within the country. He alluded to the attractive trend in urbanisation dynamic, urging investors to “prepare for opportunity.”

Brazil’s immediate past president, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, drew on the socio-cultural, historical and economic ties between Brazil and Nigeria to encourage Nigeria on the possibility of great leaps in Nigeria’s economy. According to da Silva, there are many similarities between Brazil and Nigeria. During his stint as Brazilian President, Lula said, “we did not make many promises.” He said no fewer than 17 million formal jobs and three million small and medium scale enterprises were created in Brazil.

Lula noted that Brazil’s unemployment rate was one of the lowest in the world, at 5.5 per cent, just as an aggressive policy of making consumers of the population was pursued. The

essence was to create market for products to drive the economy. He made bold to say that, during his tenure, 45 million new bank accounts were opened in Brazil, while huge investment went into public sector, at 20 per cent of the GDP. Remarkably, Lula pointed out how interest rates fell from 17 per cent to 1.5 per cent and trade with Africa went up from five countries to 25, but lamented that trade with Nigeria “was almost reduced to oil.” He expressed confidence on the prospect of his country, boasting that, by 2016, Brazil will become the fifth biggest economy in the world. “Today, in Brazil,” he observed, “the poor is no longer part of the problem, but part of the solution. We did it in Brazil and I believe we can do in any part of the world.

Turning to Africa, Lula said: “Africa, today, doesn’t need any more donor country’s support.

Democracy is being consolidated in Africa. We don’t want favours. We want to have the opportunity to prove” that the continent can do without such handouts. His optimism could be infectious, as he alluded to the sugar industry in Brazil, inviting Nigeria’s government and busi-

ness community to Brazil to see how the sugar industry operates there.

The interconnection between various sectors was elucidated by the president while bringing the works of the various ministries at the forefront of the transformation agenda to bear.

Power, trade and investment, finance and the micro-economy as well as agriculture played up prominently. Moreso, agriculture was regarded as the engine for the growth of the economy under the present circumstance. He said 99 per cent of automobiles in Brazil run on ethanolblended fuel, and sugarcane is a major source of ethanol in Brazil.

President Goodluck Jonathan, at the forum observed the similarities in economic programmes of Brazil and Nigeria, stressing sugar in particular. “The value chain from sugarcane on the farm to the sugar on the table” is being contemplated, he said, adding that his government is working on “using agriculture to create jobs and to industrialise Nigeria.” He was emphatic on the goal of achieving an addition of 20 million metric tons of food by 2015.

• Dr. Oyeleye is the Special Assistant, Media and Communications to the Minister of Agriculture

52 SUNDAYMAGAZINE

THE GUARDIAN, Sunday, April 28, 2013

SOCIETY

Adenuga

Oluseye

Birthdays

Administration. At the age of 26, he had already become a millionaire with connections in high places. He owns Equitorial Trust Bank and Consolidated Oil, which became the first indigenous company to strike crude in December 1991. He later made foray into the telecommunications sector and with his Communications Investment Limited, CIL; he was issued a conditional licence in 1999 and frequencies to operate the Global System of Mobile Communications (GSM).

The licence was later re-

ADENUGA, Michael Ishola Adeniyi, administrator, business mogul and Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Globacom Communications will be 60 tomorrow, Monday, April 29, 2013. Born on April 29, 1953, he had his secondary education at the Ibadan Grammar School, Ibadan, Oyo State before proceeding to the North-Western University in Oklahoma and Pace University, New York, both in United States where he studied Business

voked. Again, when in 2002, the government through the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), organised new auction for the GSM licence, the CIL participated and was one of the four that won the bid in August 2002 through his Globacom Limited. Globacom has the right to operate as a national carrier, mobile digital lines, serve as international gateway for telecommunications in the country and fixed wireless access phones. His estate business and company traverse several countries in Western Europe, North America and the Middle East.

OLUSEYE, Olugbenga Kehinde, administrator, journalist and publisher of City People was 48 on Wednesday April 24, 2013. He was born on April 24, 1965 and hailed from Ishara in Ogun State.

He graduated from the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife with Bachelor of Arts (B.A) in History and Political Science. He also has a postgraduate Diploma in

Journalism. After his Youth Service at Kwara Polytechnic, Ilorin in 1986, he continued to write for Herald from 1987 to 1988. By the time he left the outfit, he had been close to all the major newspapers in the country and he knew that getting a job would not be a problem. He moved over to Lagos to link up with Mr. Seyi Oluwofesan, the editor of a weekly subscription paper — Insider Weekly, published by African Intercontinental. There, he was offered a full time employment in 1988. Between 1988 and 1989, he was with Thisweek Magazine. He had a brief stint with The Sunday Tribune and The Guardian before joining The African Concord in 1990. With some of his colleagues, they founded The News Magazine and later TEMPO. He is a fellow, Centre for Foreign Journalists and member, Nigerian Institute of Journalism. He has won several awards and recognition from his contributions to the society. He is the Chief Executive Officer of City People Group.

The solemnization of Holy Matrimony at Shepherd House Int’l Church, Ejigbo, Lagos, on Saturday, April 13, 2013 climaxed the wedding ceremonies between Cordelia Inegbenose of Ebhoyi, Uromi and Lawson Ehimen of Ikeke-Ogbe of Irrua, Edo State. The traditional tying of the knot took place on March 31 at Ebhoyi, Uromi. Many family members, friends and associates attended both events to rejoice with and bless the couple.

Event

ADG Inaugurates Exco KOKO Development Group (ADG) at the weekend in Lagos inA augurated new executives to run its affairs for the next two years.Chief Tunde Adefarati the incumbent president was returned. Others are: Dr. K.B. Shaba, Vice President; Akin Daramola, Secretary; Remi Omosowon, Asst. Secretary; Mrs. O.B. Oludare, Financial Sec.; Alhaji A.A. Bakare,Treasurer; Barr. Fola

Amure, Publicity Sec. and Mr. S.S. Adebayo, Social Secretary while Chief Felix Aiyegbusi and Chief Jaiyeola Ajata are Ex-Officio members. The group resolved that the proposed hostel project at the main campus of Adekunle Ajasin University, AkungbaAkoko, would be executed as soon as the university authorities clear the coast to allow its commencement. At the end of the meeting, committees on Education, Health, Agriculture, Finance, Welfare/membership and Infrastructure were set up with their chairmen and members appointed while their terms of references were spell out.

Otunba Yomi Otubela and wife, Ebunoluwa at their installation as Akeweje and Yeye Akeweje of Orile-Agege.

Mr. Adedoyin Owolabi (right), the couple, former Miss Damilola Owolabi and Mr Kayode Adebayo and groom’s father, Mr Adebayo after the church service of their wedding at St. Judes Cathedral Ebute-Metta, Lagos.

Wives of late Chief Igbayiola Adegbite, Mrs Olabisi, Beatrice and Chief Mrs Comfort Adegbite at the commendation service held for the deceased at St. John Anglican Church, Igbo Oloyin, Ibadan, Oyo State.

Vice-Chancellor of Federal University, Ndufe-Alike and Guest Speaker, Prof. Oye Ibidapo Obe (left); Chairman of the occasion, Hamzat Ahmadu, Chairman, The Hayford Alile Foundation (THAF), Apostle Hayford Alile and wife, Dr. (Mrs.) Patience Alile, during the public lecture organised by THAF on ‘Effective Education for National Development’ to mark Alile’s 73rd birthday.

Executive Secretary, MTN Lagos Street Soccer, Deji Aladegbemi (left), Managing Director/ Chief Executive Officer, Staco Insurance Plc, Sakiru Oyefeso, beneficiaries; Nimota Ajayi, Oboh Onyebuchi, Saheed Issa and Executive Director (Operation), Staco, Bayo Fakorede during the presentation of claims by Staco in Lagos at the

Transition

Public Relations Manager/Event, Dufil Pima Foods, Tope Ashiwaju(left), beneficiaries of Indomie Empowerment Programme, Funmilayo Kareem, Jumoke Abdulramon with the Project Supervisor, Monsurat Opaleye at the presentation cooker as part of the company corporate social responsibity.

PHOTO: SUNDAY AKINLOLU

• A memorial service will be held on Tuesday April 30 at St. Peter and Paul Catholic Church Oke-Afa Ejigbo for Mrs Victoria (Vikki) Nzekwu who died on Monday April 30 ,2012 in Calgary,Canada. She was a member of the Nigerian Canadian Community Association and founder of the Foundation for AIDS Eradication and Control (FACE) that raised funds to support numerous UNICEF activities. She had four surviving children.

You can send your pictures, birthday events and reports to: jideoojo@yahoo.com

Conscience, Nurtured by Truth

TheGuardian

Sunday, April 28, 2013 53

Opinion Just Look At The Time!

F you are a regular reader of this column, you might like to know that this is the final time I will be writing it in this form.

I have been here for a while, beginning with a contribution to this page 30 years ago in the maiden issue of The Guardian on Sunday.

My co-travelers at that time, as members of the Editorial Board, were Onwuchekwa Jemie, Chinweizu and Femi Osofisan, three distinguished academics, writers and humanists who constituted for me a private graduate university of my own.

We were surrounded by a larger ‘Board’ of Nigeria’s top-notch journalists and first-rate professionals from other fields, as well as by a younger generation of people who had graduated at the top of their various fields.

We were all held together by one idea: Stanley Macebuh. Most people knew Macebuh, who died a couple of years ago, as a man. No, he was an idea. Men are resistible, but a good idea sears into you. And a great idea never dies.

Stanley was the idea that a newspaper could be so compelling it would be irresistible to the society and to its time. He was the idea that Nigeria was good enough to be bold and vibrant and successful, and to be the origin of a newspaper of such a definition. History shows that it took him only weeks of The Guardian to demonstrable that point.

As a part of that process, I was privileged to write this weekly commentary the theme of which was how to move Nigeria forward. That meant engaging the government of the day, and in the first half of the past 30 years, the background National Party of Nigeria (NPN), and then a succession of military rulers: Muhammadu Buhari, Ibrahim Babangida, Sani Abacha, Abdulsalami Abubakar.

When you reflect on those rulers, you realize how almost contradictory it is to put the terms ‘military’ and ‘government’ together in the same sentence. One of the governments named above provided a modicum of decency and motivation, but the others were grand deceptions that succeeded only in chicanery and looting. Take a look at such unfolding international scandals as Halliburton, and at the drama productions as the elections these men presented or prevented, and it is difficult

I

to speak of a military government with a straight face.

Nonetheless, 30 years ago, we had fairly decent and safe roads, along with two kinds of highway robbers: the regular kind, and the police. If the regular kind said, “Your money or your life,” they invariably let you go as soon as you gave your money; you were more likely to get shot by the police at a checkpoint if they simply did not like your self-confidence.

In 1983, you knew what hope was. The NPN had assaulted our national aspirations and desires, but your life and your prospects lay largely in your own hands. If you worked at night, or wished to travel, you had no mortal fear of setting out. If you worked hard, and did not fear Nigeria, you had no reason to fear you would not succeed in Nigeria.

But we then perfected our kleptocracy, which is the combination of military bravado in milking Nigeria, and civilian pretense for the same objective. The result is increasing underdevelopment of Nigeria, in colours of shame and perpetual embarrassment.

The immediate outlook is a landscape dotted with a small list of men and women who are suddenly and inexplicably rich. You wake up in the morning and there are all these men and women who own property in cities and towns and villages all over Nigeria and abroad; you wake up and you are in a country where wealth is counted but not character; a country where mediocrity is rewarded with National Honours and lucrative contracts.

How does the kleptocracy work?

Fifty years ago, at independence, we had hope.

Now, we have this triumphant kleptocracy so successful and transcendent that the national ruler can dismiss questions about his integrity with the infernal words, “I don’t give a damn!”

Elsewhere, in any self-respecting country, the legislature would have risen in defence of the law and the country, and insisted on that ruler doing as the law says.

But we speak of Nigeria, and in Nigeria, the legislature is on the side of the kleptocracy, not on the side of the constitution or the spirit of the law.

Worse, the legislature is a robust part of the kleptocracy, which is why, as every schoolboy

Nigeria’s so-called anti-corruption agencies maintain a calculated protection of the status quo, doing just enough to stay within the margins.

They are imaginative keepers of the kleptocracy, for the kleptocracy.

That is why, 30 years after I first wrote on this page, and hundreds of billions of Nigeria’s oil dollars later, just a few Nigerians have unimaginable wealth that is paralleled only by the astonishing poverty of most of our people. And while most of Africa yearns for a courageous, patriotic leadership, Nigeria allows itself to be manipulated by a duplicitous, mediocre cabal. from Ado-Ekiti to Zungeru now knows, means you cannot expect David Mark, the President of the Senate, to go to war on behalf of right over wrong.

We speak symbolically of course, but the President of the Senate knows that the day he travels beyond lip service, he cannot avoid the same inspection. The President of the Senate knows he does not want to be inspected. Few are the legislators who can say in public they invite an inspection.

In the same way, Nigeria’s so-called anti-corruption agencies maintain a calculated protection of the status quo, doing just enough to stay within the margins. They are imaginative keepers of the kleptocracy, for the kleptocracy.

That is why, 30 years after I first wrote on this page, and hundreds of billions of Nigeria’s oil dollars later, just a few Nigerians have unimag-

inable wealth that is paralleled only by the astonishing poverty of most of our people. And while most of Africa yearns for a courageous, patriotic leadership, Nigeria allows itself to be manipulated by a duplicitous, mediocre cabal.

Thirty years later, you can claim a Ph.D., but since anyone can beg, borrow or buy those or any combination of letters, is that shorthand for Port Harcourt Degree, or for Doctor of Philosophy?

Thirty years later, we are a nation in fear. Our youth have no jobs, and many are learning to employ themselves as robbers and kidnappers and thugs and militants. In place of hope and inspiration, one ruler after another inflicts on them despair and cynicism.

Thirty years later, we fear whether we will survive. We fear whether we will survive as one.

Whether we will survive to tell the tale.

Whether we will ever have water to drink or electricity by which to see our children smile; or jobs to go to, roads to get to them, or safety from “unknown” gunmen, known militants, and indiscriminating security agencies.

Thirty years after I first wrote here, it is almost impossible to provide younger Nigerians with any inspiration they can grow and compete with the best of other nations. Government Ministers who cannot spell “Naira” correctly lie fluently about the dollar.

As I Was Saying, just look at the time! sonala.olumhense@gmail.com

The Reality-Illusion Gap

By Tunji Lardner OME years ago, in the days leading up to a significant ‘birth day’ commemoration, I went through a predictable soul searching, self reflective exercise, driven perhaps by fears of my own mortality. While the term ‘midlife crisis,’ might suffice to describe the solemn self-absorption that engulfed me at that time, my angst was not the typical concern about fading youth and panic about a life that seems to have zipped past you, when you were doing other things. I had long come to terms with the fact that some of my youthful dreams and flights of fancy will go unmet in this lifetime, and that the past is, well, the past.

Instead, I was concerned with the age old philosophical quandary about the nature of reality and illusions, specifically, my own reality and my own illusions. All through my adult life, especially as young man, I had to my increasing dismay and disappointment experienced the crushing bite of reality as she (I real think reality is women on account of her practical no nonsense temperament) chomped down hard on my illusions (which most certainly is a man). Many a time I would imagine and create fantabulous illusions of greatness, that alas only existed in my mind, or perhaps in a parallel universe billions of light years away-of this I am certain.

As I grew older, these illusions

S

began to give way to the hardening crunch of reality; as it with each illusion shearing bite, stripped away the manly delusions that sustained my rich fantasy life. Over time, it seems as if my austere distaff side gained ascendency over the blustery machismo of life in my alternative universe. In short I learnt to step into my reality and narrow the gap between my illusions and my reality.

I was especially lucky that two decades ago, I found a way, a path away from illusion to reality, but even so, it remains a daily struggle to boldly stay on the path of reality without making the enticing detours to illusions. In a word, I grew up.

Today, the aggregated wisdom of this flight from illusions manifests as metacognition-a state of being ‘aware’ that you are aware, and therefore aware of your thinking processes and thus mindful of your responsibilities to yourself, others, this planet and the universe. Since that aforementioned signature birthday, I have strove to live a congruent life in the sense of maintaining a congruent alignment of what I think, say or do. I try to live as I believe nothing more and nothing less. I have also made great strides in maintaining my internal moral compass, so that my moral and ethical positions remain gyroscopically stable in the face of buffeting winds and other temptations. However, I am quick to say and indeed insist that I am not some levitating Zen master sancti-

moniously dispensing wisdom, nope, far from it, I am just a regular guy, growing in self-possession and at the same time struggling to remain on the straight and narrowand believe me, it is a struggle.

It is with these experiences as the backdrop to my present life, that I appraise the world around me, very quickly in almost each interpersonal encounter, reflexively calibrating the Reality-Illusion gap of my interlocutor without judgement but with understanding. In the many interactions I see the illusion induced dislocations and distortions in the lives of people who are far removed from the realities they face. As it is with people, so it must be with countries.

There is something to be said for the expression ‘national psyche,’ which I interpret to be the aggregated and collective mindset of a people in which their national outlook, thinking processes and behaviour accurately represents the respective disposition of its citizens. Now, in personifying the Nigerian psyche, as if in a constant conversation with Nigeria, it is clear to me that there is a huge gap between the gritty and grimy reality that is really Nigeria, which I see constantly before me and the fabulist tales being spun as we hold our uneasy conversations.

I have oftentimes spoken about Nigeria being shrouded in a ‘reality distortion field,’ in which nothing and nobody is quite what they seem at first blush. In a country with a huge trust deficit amongst its vari-

ous ethnicities and a deep and abiding mistrust of government’s purpose and action, it is very difficult, if not impossible to get a consensus around the pursuit of the common good. We expect our leaders to lie to us, and they very generously oblige, spinning tales of a reality distorted by their own mendacity.

We also pretend to be outraged by their obvious lies and distortions of reality, and contribute to distorting reality even more, by lying to ourselves, literally and metaphorically.

It starts with the small, seemingly innocuous things like a casual conversation, and very soon you can deduce that the person is plain lying.

Worse still, you soon realize that they are aware that you have caught on to the lie, and yet they persist in presenting this alternative view of reality. In my experience speaking with young Nigerians this is a normal state of being for their generation.

They are invariably extremely cynical and distrustful of older Nigerians and they expect to be lied to in almost every encounter. Having grown up in a society in which there are no clear moral boundaries, a rampant culture of impunity at all levels and a pervasive dishonesty as the inflection points of most conversations, it is no wonder we have an ‘amoral’ majority, who simply do not know right from wrong.

I get the impression that Nigerians have studiously and wilfully chosen to substitute the reality of self and country with the illusions that sus-

tain fragile egos and a mortally wounded country. Like a person with a fractured psyche and a wounded soul, we have created this displaced alternative reality striving to constantly present a dissembled picture of well being. But as with all things false and untrue, the truth will out, eventually. It is becoming increasingly difficult to sustain the BIG lie about Nigeria as a nation, and we can if we look deeply at the unfolding events leading up to 2015, we see the widening fissures of reality cracking open the illusions about Nigeria that we have cobbled together since independence.

In the reality, which I see, the chickens have come home to roost in Nigeria, and this is the age of consequence. So when our dear president speaks glibly about successes in ‘tackling corruption,’ even as his administration patently enables corrupt practices, as historically has been the case with regimes past, nobody of course believes him, and he doesn’t seem to give a damn.

However, is it possible at this point to conceive of an alternative reality in which the positive illusions and aspirations of a Nigeria that is good and great become, de facto, the reality of the day, with the present dystopian reality of Nigeria banished into the pages of good fiction.

Can we at this point rewrite the Nigerian script and change the present narrative? What do you think?

Comments can be sent to: me.tlardner@gmail.com

TheGuardian

54 | Sunday, April 28, 2013

Conscience, Nurtured by Truth

Opinion Democracy Objective — Lest We Forget

By Taiwo Akinola E are constantly reminded that democracy is the ‘government of the people, by the people and for the people’. There is no doubt that it is the best form of government.

Since the achievement of Athens experience in Greek, democracy has transformed many societies and countries — it gives the citizens the opportunity to change their governments. But does it promote inclusiveness, which is vital for the development of nationhood in newly developed states in a place like Africa? I am not so sure about this! Does the recent trend in the results of democratic elections in Africa or elsewhere has the capacity to meet the core objectives of democracy, which is to transfer political power to everyone in the society? It begs the question of who are the people and whether we are becoming a prisoner of the process rather than concentrating on the objective.

Take, for example, the results of the last two democratic elections in Ghana-based on oneperson-one-vote; in the presidential election in 2008 the winning party scored 50.23 per cent as against the loser, which scored 49.77 per cent of the total votes. That means the views and interest of 49.77 per cent of the population is sacrificed for the interest of 50.23 per cent of the population, which may be members of a few big ethnic nationalities or coalition. The same party that won the elections in 2008 also won in the 2012 elections by 50.70 per cent of the votes to the same losers who also commanded 47.74 of the general vote. The implication is that the views of these people are not represented and, in spite of the shortage of resources, their concerns are not shared for another five years, making it a total of 10 years period. Is this promoting nationhood in Ghana or destroying the nation building efforts of the Great Nkrumah, the first African president of Ghana? I think it is the latter. Another ethnically divided country is Kenya; it had similar results — in its 2007 presidential elections, which strongly follows ethnic loyalties; the winning party won 46.4 per cent of the total population. In the year 2013 presidential elections, the same party scored 50.51 per cent of the votes — that means since year 2007 until the next elections the needs of almost half of the population will not be represented. Some power sharing arrangement has been built into the country’s electoral arrangement as a result of the ethnic based riots, which broke out when the result of her 2007 presidential elections were rejected by the party and ethnic groups that lost the presidential elections. The result of the latest presidential elections in Venezuela follows the same pattern.

Before you hang me over the implied insinuation that the needs of those who lost out in elections at the centre are not taken care of by the political leadership who are supposed to be the leader of the whole country — let me affirm first that elections in multi-ethnic developing countries is not about context for who administers the country, it is about ethnic balance of power for the domination and rulership of the state.

Secondly, a party may represent a nationality or a coalition of it and the manifesto of this party represents what it intends to do for itself and others and how it intends to do it. Different parties tend to have different positions on this.

Thirdly, resources are scarce in Africa, in the absence of nationhood, there are no nationally accepted yardsticks for distributing resources between ethnic groups and most leaders are not nationalistic — that means resource distribution are strongly influenced by the use of power politics. Political corruption and its associated

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JAW JAW By Didi Onu

nepotism are a common occurrence in ethnically divided countries — national power can be used and is used to promote one’s ethnic group and or strategically hold ‘enemy nationalities’ back — we saw these practices in Nigeria and in Sudan before its division where the Northern nationalities pursued policies of under developing the southern nationalities by destroying their education systems and social infrastructures; where the number of states and local governments created and the conditions for creating them became an instrument of empowering ones’ ethnic coalitions.

Also in a country like Nigeria with aggregated nationalities with power and population, which we can be classified as small, medium and super powers — in all her experiment with democracy, the same party with the same ethnic base has always won the elections at the federal level — Northern Peoples Congress rule the country from 1957 until 1966, when a section of the military in an attempt to change the balance sacked the civilian politicians. The balance remained and it led to a civil war. When civilian politics returned in 1979 the electoral rule requires that the parties do not use their old names — the same party with a new name, National Party of Nigeria, NPN, backed by the same ethnic coalition produced the leadership of the country and ruled the country till December 31, 1983 when the military struck again. The same party reappeared when civilian politics returned in 1999 with a changed name — Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, which was backed by the same ethnic coalition. We must not be deceived by the gravity of structural power, which allows the ethnic power block to co-opt elite from other nationalities or the violence that force the coalition to concede official power to a Southerner or the block ethnic votes from the Yoruba nationality that allows President Jonathan to remain in office.

I wish to single out a genius to celebrate today — Cleisthenes, an Athenian aristocrat from Alcmaeonid family. He is credited with reforming the constitution of ancient Athens and setting it on a democratic footing in 508/7 BC. Historians refer to him as “the father of Athenian democracy” who increased the power of assembly and broke up the power of nobility for Athens.

I am celebrating him because his thinking, which introduced the concept of Democracy to the whole world — in reaction to a challenge of his time has achieved worldwide acceptance.

However, I am remembering him because if he

is with us now, he would have improved on the concept — but he is not and the new challenge is still with us.

The challenges of his time must be set in the context of the Greek’s state of development toward nationhood: By the 6th century BC, several cities had emerged as dominant in Greek affairs: Athens, Sparta, Corinth, and Thebes, as we have Hausa/Fulani, Yoruba, Igbo in the Nigeria of today. By the first half of 7th century, Greek’s mercantile class had risen and this seems to have introduced tension to many citystates. The aristocratic regimes, which generally governed the poleis were threatened by the new-found wealth of merchants, who in turn desired political power. That means that from 650 BC onwards, the aristocracies had to battle not to be ousted by this group it referred to as ‘illegitimate rulers’. Also a growing population and shortage of land also seems to have created internal strife between the poor and the rich in many city-states.

Beginning in the latter half of the 8th century BC, in Sparta, the Messenian wars resulted in the conquest of Messenia and enslavement of the Messenians — a group of week nationalities in Greek. This unprecedented change allowed a social revolution to occur — because these subjugated population, thenceforth known as ‘helots’, were made to farmed and laboured for Sparta, every Spartan male citizen became a soldier of the Spartan Army in a permanently militarised state. Even the elite were obliged to live and train as soldiers. These reforms said to have been completed around 650 BC promoted a sense of equality between rich and poor and it served to defuse the social conflict within the Sparta society and increase the power of the state.

Athens too, a rival to Sparta for the power of the state; suffered a land and agrarian crisis in the late 7th century, which resulted in civil strife and required series of reforms.

The Archon (chief magistrate) Draco severe reforms of the law code in 621 BC (hence “draconian”), was not totally effective at solving these problems. Hence it was followed by the moderate reforms of Solon in 594 BC, which through improving the lot of the poor but firmly entrenching the aristocracy in power, gave Athens some stability. More also, in the second half of the 6th century, Athens had fell under the tyranny of Peisistratos and then his sons Hippias and Hipparchos. However, in 510 BC, at the instigation of the Athenian aristocrat Cleisthenes, the Spartan king Cleomenes helped the Athenians over-

throw the tyranny. Afterwards, Sparta and Athens promptly turned on each other, at which point Cleomenes I installed Isagoras as a pro-Spartan archon (leader). Eager to prevent Athens from becoming a Spartan puppet, Cleisthenes responded by proposing to his fellow citizens that Athens undergo a revolution: that all citizens share in political power, regardless of status: that Athens becomes a “democracy”. The Athenians embraced this idea — after, which they were strong enough to overthrow Isagoras and the reforms made it possible to repel a Spartanled three-pronged invasion aimed at restoring Isagoras. The advent of the democracy cured many of the ills of Athens and led to a ‘golden age’ for the Athenians.

The Berlin conference on Africa 1884-5, which created the current African states put them back into a state similar to where Greek was at the time and with its associated internal balance of power crisis. I have illustrated this before using the 1965 Bruce Tuckman’s ‘performing model’ of group development — he maintained that, like a growing human being, a team — be it a family, company, department or a nation/state — striving to achieve common objectives through a cohesion, goes through stages of development with associated characteristics that present different challenges. He named these stages, in order of their occurrence as ‘Forming’, ‘Storming’, ‘Norming’ and ‘Performing’. At the ‘forming’ stage, team members tend to focus on themselves and avoid confrontation with others.

At the storming stage members tend to be quite willing to confront each other’s ideas and perspectives — this was the stage that Greek was at the time and most countries in Africa currently represents that stage of development in their nationhood. At the ‘norming’ stage team members have settled on mutual aims and objectives, appreciates the strength of others and some members have given up their own ideas and agree with others in order to make the team function for the success of the team’s goals. While at the performing stage, the team is able to function smoothly and effectively without inappropriate conflict or the need for external supervision — the stage that most developed states is. I contend that we are still far away from the last two stages.

A democracy based on a mere first pass the vote elections of one-person-one-vote will not promote democratic development or nationhood in Africa. A balance between a democracy of ethnic nationalities and democracy of one-person-one-vote is the winning formula to be promoted. The existence of 36 unviable states and the spending of 75 per cent of national revenue on operating cost will not promote Nigerian’s unity, democracy and development. The author calls for the adoption of a parliamentary system of government — which is more favourable to the politics of our ethnic make-up; the creation of eight regions to act as a buffer between the states and the central government — it would be effective at checking the centre of its excessive powers and responsibilities; it would be a viable social, political and economic unit — an engine room for leadership and economic developments; and harmonise the states, which would have non-executive governors but act as his implementing division.

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Conscience, Nurtured by Truth

Cover Challenges HERE is no doubt that this is great sacrifice, because the gathering storm is yet to have a definite direction. If the political characters manning the ship of state refuse to be steadfast, they could miss tide.

First, the other merging partners have to show equal zeal and openness. Politicians are difficult to hold down, like prostitutes, they could change partners in a matter of minutes.

Therefore, this sacrifice by the ACN deserves to be reciprocated. The party has surrendered its certificate. That’s a big risk. Assuming the other partners begin to act funny, or some busybodies decide to slam some lawsuits, just in the manner of Nigerian politicians?

It is expected that the CPC and the ANPP that have slated their conventions for May 11, continue to act in good faith. After all of that, the Independent National Election Commission (INEC) is expected to take another look at the application for merger by the APC. It is expected that the proponents would fulfill the requirements for registration by then and that INEC would give its pass mark. Then, the coalition would begin to function as a political party.

Good enough, INEC itself is rebranding and it is hoped that would translate into more integrity for the election umpire. Before now, both the ACN and CPC have expressed lack of confidence in INEC and have accused the commission of working to ensure a failure of 2015.

So, INEC should also be sensitive to the challenges that lay in wait for 2015.

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PDP’s Response ESPONSES by the PDP to vibes sent by the ACN convention, pursuant to its merger with the other opposition parties do not show tact and strategy. The PDP is troubled and this is the time for the opposition to make huge PHOTO: AYODELE ADENIRAN gains of it. Governors of the party, the strongest bloc that is responsible for its electoral successes are not united.

Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State is hounded for daring to nurse a political ambition that is perceived to be an affront to Jonathan. For that, Rivers PDP is troubled and that could be costly for the party.

Governor Aliyu Babangida of Niger State is shooting from the hips. He said Jonathan is not entitled to a second term because he signed an agreement that he would do just one term.

Sensing that both Aliyu and Amaechi could swept away. This storm will change the politi- use the Governors’ Forum to reach out to cal terrain forever. I am not afraid of this opposition governors, the PDP decided to crestorm. I welcome it because the storm is usate a PDP Governor’s Forum, to checkmate our new vision. Our new party. errant governors.

“I stand to tell you that for the good of The national leadership of the party is Nigeria, this must be the last and final conven- appearing more confused and unable to put tion of the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN. As its house in order. The situation in Murtala one of the national leaders of this party, I have Nyako’s Adamawa is far from being resolved. dedicated myself to our political collaboration. Rather than going to the drawing board to I am attached to it in the strongest way. I am resolve crisis in the states, Wadata House went proud of what we have accomplished. Had we to Rivers to tamper with the leadership in not held fast in the Southwest against order to weaken the Governor. More trouble onslaught and intrigue, Nigeria would effec- lies ahead for the party as 2015 draws close, tively be a one party state. When history writes because more governors would want to assert its tale of the past decade, it will say the ACN their positions, especially those who are not preserved Nigerian democracy when it came returning. Those that would return in 2015 under great threat.” have to be careful so that the party does not withdraw the ticked from them.

Should PDP venture to field Jonathan as presidential candidate in 2015, it would likely harvest more trouble, especially from the North.

That would amount to playing into the hands of the opposition.

Special Assistant to Jonathan on Public Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe said both Tinubu and Muhammadu Buhari are political liabilities to the emerging APC. That could be true if the two leaders do not leave the front stage to younger and more vibrant politicians. It is also hoped that the two leaders would allow internal democracy to flourish. If they do, their interests, which frustrated merger plans in 2011 should not recur.

There is a spectrum of younger politicians, who are all over the place in the proposed APC, men who have shown great leadership skills, even in this jaundiced democracy. They are well educated, have acquired democratic experience and are saleable in all the geo-political zones. These are men who do not have baggage and do not need to look over their shoulders anywhere in the country.

In looking at the options, it is important for the opposition not to overlook the capacity of the PDP to be ruthless. The party enjoys incumbency powers and that is awesome in the Nigerian context.

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Leaders of the proposed APC at the national convention of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in Lagos, recently.

All Progressives Congress: More Rivers To Cross

By Alabi Williams Deputy Editor INALLy, the Action Congress of Nigeria Ftaken (ACN) has left the realm of rhetoric and a bold step towards consummating the merger plans with the Congress For Progressive Change (CPC), the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) and perhaps, a few members from the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).

After years and months of planning, deliberations and strategic sessions, including moments of anxiety, when the APC acronym was nearly hijacked, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and other leaders of the ACN finally let go of their treasured possession, a party that gave them a voice and returned the Southwest to a prime place of political reckoning in the country.

If it were not for the doggedness of Tinubu and his close loyalists and their capacity to discern the political firmament, they most likely, would be somewhere struggling in the mud, trying to prop a tired Alliance for Democracy (AD). The AD enjoyed good fortune between 1998 and 2003, when the leaders of the Southwest, working through Afenifere ensured that the zone spoke with one voice on political issues. The zone did speak, when the AD won all the states in the zone in the 1999 elections. But things went awry in 2003, when other voices infiltrated the zone. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) made serious inroads in 2003, when it snatched five states - Ondo, Ogun, Oyo, Osun and Ekiti- in one deadly swoop from the AD. That turnaround was devastating for the AD, as it was only Lagos State that did not surrender to the onslaught. Tinubu fought gallantly to ward off the PDP and in the course of his second term as governor, when the signs became clear that AD could not reclaim what it had lost without going back to the drawing board, the remnants joined force with the Advance Congress of Democrats, the Justice Party and others to register the Action

Congress (AC) in September 2006.

In 2007, the AC, which had former vice president Atiku Abubakar, as presidential candidate and Senator Ben Obi, as running mate went to the polls with some vigour. Even though the party performed poorly in the presidential poll, it did very well in Edo, Ekiti and Osun, but was shortchanged at the polls. Lagos was clearly an AC state. Later, the courts ruled in favour of the party in the other three states. Gradually, what was lost to the PDP was returning.

In that effort there is an aspect of the AC and its leadership that showed a clan of politicians that were willing to make sacrifices. Both the presidential and vice presidential tickets were zoned outside the Southwest. That was strategic because the zone had produced two terms of Obansanjo administration and was not likely to have another shot so soon. But it was instructive still, that even though the nucleus of the party was in the Southwest, the leaders were willing to reach out.

That consciousness was soon to reflect in the decision to rename the party for a more national appeal. It became known as the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN); that was in 2010.

Towards the 2011 elections, there were also moves by the leaders of the ACN to court allies outside the Southwest, with a view to contesting the presidential polls. But that did not work out, as the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), the prospective ally, was not too forthcoming.

And now, the ACN has taken the first step in the journey to form a bigger party. According to the leaders, it is dangerous to continue to allow the PDP to remain the dominant party at the centre, especially as the party is unable to move the country forward, beyond what was rescued from the military in 1999.

In an emotion-laden voice, Tinubu said the ACN was letting go to save Nigeria.

“This is why we hold our convention today. This convention portends the coming of great political change. A storm is brewing. Don’t be frightened. It is a positive storm with a positive wind.

Those things that have no roots and offer no solution to the plight of the people shall be

First, the other merging partners have to show equal zeal and openness. Politicians are difficult to hold down, like prostitutes, they could change partners in a matter of minutes.

Therefore, this sacrifice by the ACN deserves to be reciprocated. The party has surrendered its certificate. That’s a big risk.

Assuming the other partners begin to act funny, or some busybodies decide to slam some lawsuits, just in the manner of Nigerian politicians?

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COVER Alhaji Lai Mohammed, national Publicity Secretary of the dissolved Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), has dismissed insinuations of any of the merger parties betraying the plan. He told SEYE OLUMIDE that the arrangement was not about individual interest or sectional interest, but for the growth and development of Nigeria.

Now that ACN has been dissolved, do you entertain any fear that other parties involved in the merger plan may back out as is being insinuated in some quarters?

HE first thing I want Nigerians to understand, which I have also been curious about is the nature of controversies, interest and fear that the merger plan has generated within the camp of the opposition, particularly the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Sine we commenced the move to merger into All Progressives Congress (APC) with Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), All Nigeria People Party (ANPP) and a faction of the All Progressive then join APC to interact and fellowship with such Grand Alliance (APGA), a lot of intrigues have character. Are we talking of Gen Muhammadu been on, just with the aim to scuttle the arrange- Buhari, Tony Momoh, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, ment. Not long after we started the merger plan, Ogbonaya Onu, Chris Ngige, mention them they we heard about another party, which bear the are there. For goodness sake theses are not the same acronym with us. kind of men who would say yes to mean no.

The Independent National Electoral Moreover, what we are after is not about personCommission (INEC) has come out to say a lot of al interest or the desire to feed and aggrandise things as well as some notable members of the wealth at the expense of Nigerians, like we have ruling party. The reason for their being jittery I witnessed in the past 13 to 14 years under PDP. The do not know, but two things must have been message is, we want to change Nigeria for better responsible, which are; it is either that they have and by the grace of God we shall get there. We suspected or know that APC will become too want to set a different, progressive and developstrong for them to crush, so it would be better mental template that would create opportunities they kill it in the bud. This is not going to be pos- for every Nigerian to realise their potentials. Our sible anyway. Secondly, they never gave us the plan is to move the country to its actual position chance of going as far as we have gone; that is among the comity on nations. I don’t believe or why APC has become so popular, such that they think about betrayal, but a strong, united and could no longer afford to fold there hands and developed Nigeria. We are committed to it and allow the party to thrive. But which ever it is, we whatever it will cost Nigeria must move forward. are marching ahead.

But PDP is not resting its oars; there have been a Coming back to your question, I can confidently lot of bashing and campaign against the actors say that the level of commitment every party behind the merger plans, can you withstand this involved in the arrangement has demonstrated with a party as strong as PDP? has an assurance that there is no going back.

Thank God that you mentioned it, that the When we talk about men of integrity, honour actors behind the merger plans have been receivand those who wish to see a progressive Nigeria, ing several bashing from the ruling party, which

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is the truth. As long as I am not going to disclose our strategy to you, which of course is political, what I know is that those of us involved in the merger arrangement have sat down before now and weighed the options, the risks, the benefits and what we aimed to achieve before delving into it. As a matter of fact, Nigerians have been so bashed, demoralised politically, economically and socially within the last 14 years of PDP administration that they are no longer ready to accept any other alternative that is not 100 per cent better than PDP. That is why we are not deterred when people started to query the motive behind the plan when we started. Some people actually asked whether we have anything better or whether we are a set of people questing and hungry for power like PDP, to come and shop and dehumanize them.

Definitely, people would ask questions due to what they have gone through but by the time we begin to role our plans and educate them on what we wanted to do, the acceptance would coming gradually. Today, APC has already become a slogan and people are much more interested in the arrangement. I can say that if there is anything that Nigerians were interested to hear in politics today, it is the progress of APC.

The question you ought to have asked is whether PDP will be able to withstand us in 2015.

The PDP says there is no vacancy in Aso Rock in 2015?

I want the media and Nigerians to weigh the statement first. I also want to ask from INEC what their plans are for the coming 2015 election. The various security agents in the country should tell us what they are going to do in respect of the coming election and PDP should also come and explain to Nigerians and the entire world what they mean by that statement.

The fact that there is going to be an election indicated there is a vacancy somewhere that parties are contesting for and if one of the parties now comes out boldly to say there is no vacancy for a position we are going to invest billions of tax payers and resources of the nation for in an election, then we need to ask question. Maybe they have alternative plans to what we know.

What I can assure is it is not going to be easy with the emergence of APC for the ruling party or anybody to manipulate 2015 election. That chances will not be available this time around.

Looking at the number of states the ruling party controls and its strength in the National Assembly among other factors, APC to PDP is more or less a David besides a Goliath?

And what happened at the end of the day to Goliath? He fell.

We are not talking of miracle but facts and figures, strength and reality?

How has PDP been winning election in the country, when last did we conduct free and fair election under PDP administration? The PDP strength and might is a manipulated and rigged one. The facts and figures are not the true representation of the voters’ desire in the elections.

What is the reality in the 2003, 2007 and 2011 elections? What was the position of the international election monitoring body on the various results of those elections conducted by PDP? The facts are also there for people to read. What I know is that 2015 elections with the emergence of APC, fusion of the progressives and the support from Nigerians is definitely going to be a different one in favour of the masses choice.

How will you safeguard infiltration of the platform by mercenaries?

That is technical and strategic. We have our plans and we know our enemies, what they can do and the extent they could go, but the issue is, they will not do more than what they had done in the past. It is a serious political game plan and calculation. When we get to that stage we know what to do.

MOMOH: We Cannot Be Intimidated Prince Tony Momoh, chairman of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) told SEYE OLUMIDE that the task to rescue the country belongs to all Nigerians, not just the APC. There is insinuation that your party will back out of the merger plan since ACN has dissolved?

HO are those behind such propaganda, is it not the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)? We are not unaware of the antics of the ruling party. There propaganda machinery is not new to us and we also know how to dismiss it. We are talking about the progress of the most populated black people in the universe, we are talking about life, development, growth, education, health, joy and peace of an estimated population of 140 million people, whose lives and activities affect and influence hundreds of millions of others in the West Africa sub region, Africa and the World at large and some people are talking about betrayal.

The party’s BoT members would sit and deliberate on the convention by Friday (last week), although a date has been scheduled for May 11, but I cannot comment on the strategies or the shape it would take until after the meeting. But what I want to assure Nigerians is that we are not going to betray them. It does not matter what PDP and its cronies are saying, what is important is to rescue this country from them.

Like PDP did in 2011 when it used its agents in the media to send wrong signal to the whole world that the merger talk of 2011 collapsed, they are starting again but they will fail.

In the last couples of months there had been various ploys to register another party with the same acronym APC and various other antics to discredit the merger, what is your reaction to this?

First, we are not going to loose hope. We are not also going to allow anybody to intimidate us. We believe we are on the right course and our aim is to bail the country out of the drifting situation the ruling party has left it. Our intention to merge was not due to desperation for power, or to enrich ourselves, or for the pleasure to be in government, but the desire to salvage Nigeria from the PDP. The progressives in politics have come to realise the need to rescue this nation from the PDP; otherwise, nobody can say what the country would turn into if we continue like this beyond 2015.

Nothing practically has been done by PDP since 1999 to improve

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the welfare of Nigerians. President Goodluck Jonathan has brought nothing good to the country.

I have said it several times and will continue to emphasise it that democracy itself is meaningless when some certain things are not in place. When the welfare of the people is compromised, security is not available, health is in comatose, education is lopsided and social infrastructure is zero, then democracy is no democracy.

Social justice should come before democracy, but the ruling party does not see it that way. All that the PDP cares for is power, money, greed and others; they don’t care for Nigerians.

This is the right time for Nigerians to stand in support of the movement to chase PDP out of power, or at best to put the ruling party on its toes. PDP has practically demonstrated that it cannot conduct credible elections because the party is ready to go any length to perpetuate itself in power.

I am more particular about the youth. What good foundation has the ruling party laid for an average Nigerian youth?

Nothing. How would a nation allow education system to collapse to what it is at present in the country? Does that not baffle any reasonable human being? How can we develop if the system through which that development could be achieved, that is education is destroyed? The youth need to support us. Our coming together is for the future of the younger generations in the country.

The PDP says there will be no vacancy in Aso Rock in 2015?

Ordinarily, PDP will not want to let go easily. It is normal, but what they are up to and how they want to achieve that is what we should question. Rigging of election is not new to PDP, we have several examples. Manipulation of election figures is also not new to them, but I think the issue is Nigerians should task the election umpire, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on how it is going to conduct the 2015 election without collaborating with the ruling party at the expense of other parties. We should emphasise that fact, otherwise PDP is already sending signal to every Nigerian on what they will do in 2015. But we are not afraid; they are simply challenging us to prepare more and better, they are also challenging Nigerians to vote and monitor their votes.

If we are to go by figures and strength of the various parties, the four parties in the merger put together may not oust the PDP; what are your plans?

Our aim is not to oust PDP from Aso Rock, but also to serve and bring this nation out of the woods. We are also looking at pro-

viding social justice, which the PDP administration has destroyed in the last 14 years.

We want to get the best deal for Nigerians; we are taking it like a national project that would involve all and sundry. Another fact is that PDP has never won any election that is credible in the country, so those figures are products of rigging and manipulation of elections by PDP. What would you advise Nigerians to do ahead 2015 e?

They should get themselves prepared and be ready to participate fully in the process. They should come out en mass to support APC and ensure we join forces to push PDP out in 2015. We shouldn’t mince words over the fact that Nigeria is drifting.

Nobody can say specifically what would happen if PDP continues ruling us for another term.

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COVER

RIVERS: Opposition Not Ready To Reap From PDP Crisis • Amaechi Could Turn The Tide

By Kelvin Ebiri HE Peoples Democratic Party in Rivers T State faces a severe intra-party crisis, that type that has not been seen since 1999, when it first clinched the governorship seat in the State.

The crisis, which now threatens the cohesion of the PDP, which prides itself as the biggest political party in Africa, was precipitated by the sack of the Rivers State executive council of the party led by Godspower Ake on April 15, 2013 by Justice Ishaq Bello of the Federal High Court, Abuja, who then declared Mr. Felix Obuah and Mr. Ibibia Opuene Walter, who have been accused of not participating in the March, 2012 State congress as duly elected chairman and secretary respectively.

PDP stalwarts loyal to the State Governor, Chibuike Amaechi, have continued to insist that Justice Ishaq’s verdict, which ousted Ake’s executive, is a vile attempt by the PDP leadership, Abuja, which hurriedly swore in Obua, to make a mockery of the judiciary.

But the State’s Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, which might want to profit from the crisis, has described the judgment as a welcome development and a plus to the Nigerian judiciary.

The ACN publicity secretary, Jerry Needam, expressed delight over the setting aside of the PDP leadership in Rivers State. He said the PDP should learn from this embarrassing development and strive to always act on the part of justice and fair play, both within and outside of its structures.

“It is our conviction that if things were done right, during the primaries of the party, this embarrassment would have been avoided. A party that can cheat its members during the primaries will definitely stop at nothing to deprive and, or oppress its opponents in an inter-party contest like the general elections,” he said.

Irrespective of the ACN’s assertion, the Rivers State House of Assembly, which comprises of 32 PDP members, has disagreed with those who share the ACN view on the crisis.

Twenty- five of the lawmakers who are staunch loyalists of the governor have described the unfolding crisis as a ‘conspiracy and betrayal’ by some individuals that had planned to distort history.

The lawmakers led by the Speaker, Otelemaba Dan Amachree, have vowed that they would not recognise or work with the newly constituted factional executive of the party led by Obuah. He said that as delegates at the convention where Ake was duly elected, they reaffirmed the lawmakers’ unflinching support to the leadership of Ake and Governor Amaechi.

A PDP elder, Emma Anyanwu, who is per-

ceived to be an ally of the minister of state for education, Nyesom Wike, alleged he and others had made effort to reconcile the governor and the minister, who is fingered to be behind Obuah, but to no avail. He insisted that the polarisation of the party is a sheer indication that the governor has lost control of the party, hence, he should resign.

But the chairman of Etche Local Government council, Mr. Reginald Ukwuoma has implored party elders like Anyanwa, who hails from his constituency, to stop playing politics of anger, bitterness, but should instead proffer meaningful solution for the resolution of the c r i s i s .

“Anybody calling for the resignation of the governor of the state is completely on his own. Etche local government and her people are irrevocably committed to the cause of the governor because we are better treated.

There is no reasonable Etche man or woman who can look at the infrastructural development that dot the streets of Etche and call for his resignation,” he said.

Similarly, the lawmaker representing Etche/Omuma Federal constituency in the House of Representatives, Mr. Ogbonna Nwuke, has described as heartrending the call on Governor Amaechi to resign despite his remarkable achievement in the areas of human and infrastructural development in the state.

With the call for the resignation of the governor and the Obuah-led executive threatening disciplinary action against Governor Amaechi and some state lawmakers if suspended, many in the opposition camp are supposed to be counting on the PDP’s crisis and on the anticipated implosion within to secure direct political gains but to no avail.

Save for the vociferous ACN, the rest of the opposition has gone into oblivion. APGA, led

by Celestine Omehia, who was ousted as governor by the Supreme Court in 2007, trailed behind Amaechi in last governorship election, but has since fizzled out. The ACN political platform in the state cannot lay claim to genuine social and economic progressivism, a mark that underscores the party’s soaring achievements in the Southwest.

A political analyst, Dr. Ernest Amadi told The Guardian that it is noteworthy that the PDP’s rating has been recently downgraded by this avoidable crisis. Yet, while Amaechi and the rival groupings vying for influence and plotting against one another in the PDP are at loggerheads, the opposition parties have failed to capitalize on the situation to provide a platform for aggrieved PDP members who might decide to leave in the event of an anticipated mass decampment.

He explained that the opposition’s inability

Amaechi

to formulate a genuine discourse that will portray them as being capable to handle economic and social grievances in the state if availed the opportunity, leaves much to be desired.

“The ACN whose members were formerly PDP members’ criticism of Amaechi’s government has been by and large opportunistic and myopic, with very little alternatives given to govern the state better. All the opposition parties have proven over the years that they lack any internal harmony,” he said.

The paradox is that the discontent within the PDP has come about because of the politics of those in government and those that feel they are being pushed to the edge of the field, rather than the activities of the opposition parties primarily.

Another analyst, Harrison Whyte said the limitations of democratic space and political competition have made it extremely difficult to promote a free rivalry of ideas and concepts for development of the state. He said the state would gain a lot if only the opposition parties could join forces formally and challenge the crisis- ridden PDP. He insisted that failure to do this would rather increase the PDP’s chance to retain power in the state.

He argued that the PDP’s competitive advantage is the division of the opposition and the fact that it can shape the election rules of play to suit itself. However, he

stressed that the possibility cannot be ruled out that a formidable opposition might emerge if Governor Amaechi and his faction of PDP decides to decamp. According to him, all Amaechi needs is to generate the sentiment that those fighting him in the party are not doing so for altruistic purpose, but with the ulterior motive to plunder the state’s resources, stressing that remarkable achievements in terms of the unprecedented human capacity and infrastructural development he recorded would have been impossible if he had allowed those fighting him to foist their will on his administration.

“However, there is a formidable weapon against the PDP, which paradoxically the governing party itself has placed in the hands of its opponents in the country: in the past two years a great deal of despair, frustration, fear and uncertainty has built up because of the activities of the government particularly at the centre, which the opposition forces can turn to their benefit in the 2015 general election,” said Whyte.

Though a lot of people are dissatisfied with the festering crisis and the deep animosity within the PDP, there is still not at the moment a credible opposition party whose support is greater or even close to equaling that of the PDP. However, if such a party or opposition alliance were to exist, it would pose a serious threat to the survival of the PDP, which has produced all the governors in the state since 1999. In other words the key to

EGWU: We Make Mistakes, But It Is Hard To Dislodge PDP Dr. Sam Egwu, former governor of Ebonyi State and leader of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), appears unruffled by the merger plans of the opposition. In this interview with GBENGA SALAU, he agreed the PDP has own problems, but assures it would be hard to dislodge.

How do you view the forming of APC? T is important for the democratic development of a country. We need a strong opposition for development. What has happened is a good thing; it will make PDP to know that if we do not deliver, that another party is there.

So we become conscious and understand what party politics is all about. If we understand what party politics is all about, which is for each party to convince the electorate and

I

develop best programmes or manifesto to meet the people’s needs.

When a political party wins, it means that the other party will be watching to know whether they are delivering, whether they are making mistakes and doing what they promised the people. And the opposition party is to figure out solution and raise alarm if it notices loopholes. So, it is about the masses, dividends of democracy and meeting the needs of the people.

And on that context, you will see that a government and a country that has only one party is not developing democratically. Before now, Nigeria has been dominated by PDP and I think for any lover of this country, we need a strong opposition. The party in power, whether PDP or another should know that there is no monopoly of power. If it makes mistakes, the opposition party will take over and deliver. It is all about meeting the needs of the people.

You said any nation needs a strong opposition to thrive; do you see the APC being strong

enough?

There may be mistakes here and there, but PDP is a party that will be difficult to dislodge, whether anybody likes it or not, PDP will still carry the day in the next election. Opposition party, like I said, is good to enable the government in power know that there is alternative, but that does not mean once APC comes out, PDP will crumble, it is not. PDP will still make it; I believe this because of what is on the ground.

Mind you, PDP is controlling many states now and there is no PDP governor that will allow or want another party to defeat PDP in their state, unless that governor is not delivering. And I know every PDP governor is working very hard to deliver and ensure that they remain relevant in the system. In my own estimation, it will be difficult for them to defeat PDP. And that does not mean that PDP should take it for granted.

But now with the formation of APC, it will make PDP, if they were making mistakes, to sit up because they know there is an opposition; that is the way I look at it.

The APC has said it is out to dislodge PDP and waiting to take over government; you won’t give them a chance?

It is not possible Why do you say so?

It is because, if you look at the number of states PDP controls now, it will be difficult for PDP to lose. And if you combine all the states controlled by the merging parties, PDP is still in the majority and PDP will still want to gain more states, because, like I said, the emergence of a strong opposition party will make the PDP controlled states to sit up. If they are not doing well, they will want to do well, knowing that this is a democracy. Nobody will want to lose; they will want to deliver as it is a competition, which is good for the country.

You said that the PDP has majority of the states, but the general notion is that the PDP is not delivering on its promises; do you think the PDP has performed enough to

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THE GUARDIAN, Sunday, April 28, 2013

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Plots And Counter Plots By APC, PDP From: Azimazi Momoh Jimoh, Abuja LL initial hiccups experienced by the merging opposition parties in their attempts to forge a more vibrant opposition might be mere introduction to their real challenges.

Findings have revealed.

There are strong indications that series of banana peels are lining the route of the yet to emerge political baby, the All Progressives Congress (APC), that it could take miracles for it to survive.

A serious issue is the choice of APC’S presidential candidate, which keen observers fear could mar the merger arrangement and boost the political fortunes of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

There are several issues that could arise from here that would play in favour of the PDP and that include, a situation where Muhammadu Buhari is unable to pick the ticket of APC as presidential candidate.

Should that happen, the PDP, which already controls a larger part of the North with 15 out of the 19 states would be in a better position to work on Buhari’s loyalists, majority of whom are the talakawas (ordinary people) and turn them against the APC. The fact that these people so much believe in and dream about a Buhari presidency could easily discourage them and make them abandon APC. A source said: “Look, the cloud is still very thick against the APC, even if the merger eventually succeeds. Have you given a thought to how the extreme believers in Buhari would react to the reality that their Mai Gaskiya (The Honest and truthful one) would not be allowed to become presidential candidate in the APC? They will simply dump the APC and prefer to play passive roles in the 2015 elections. Many may even burn their voting cards out of frustration.

“The other point against the APC on this presidential candidate issue is that even if Buhari emerges, the PDP would simply play up the anti-Buhari sentiment in other parts of the country, where he has no supporters, and again, the PDP stands to reap from this.”

It was equally revealed that the enormous powers of the PDP-controlled Presidency could be deployed.

Another observer said: “What do you make of the several decisions that would be taken by the Presidency that would boost its image. I say this based on the assumption that President Jonathan is contesting. Even if he decides not to run, he will definitely work in favour of his successor.”

The APC could also take advantage of the crisis

“The two main players in the APC – Muhammadu Buhari, former military ruler and leader of CPC, and Bola Tinubu, former governor of Lagos and leader of ACN – will likely have their own agendas in the run up to 2015, and the choice of presidential candidate could prove a real test for the coalition. After all, a number of APC members look likely to be interested in that position, such as Buhari himself, former minister of the Federal Capital Nasir El Rufai and governor of Lagos Babatunde Fashola,”

A

Tukur in the PDP and turn things around in its favour.

However, should it waste too much time doing preambles, it will miss the opportunity because of desperate moves by the leadership of the PDP to reconcile its warring factions across the country.

A remark by PDP chairman, Bamanga Tukur during one of his reconciliation tour revealed that the PDP is very mindful of and ready to use its powers.

He said: “Let me inform you. The PDP stands for patronage. We are going to give patronage to all our members who have contested elections and lost. There is enough in the party to go round everyone. There is no need to leave the party.”

Also, PDP national Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh, had been talking with so much confidence about the negative realities the APC would face in the 2015 elections.

Issues raised by Metuh should not be waived aside by leaders of APC, but should motivate them to look inwards and get some issues straightened out properly.

Metuh declared in a recent statement: “They (APC) should wait until when they get power; they are dreaming, and they should keep on dreaming. They are not waking up now, until 2015 when we win the elections.”

He said the APC was a party of daydreamers unaware of the political reality awaiting them in 2015.

He added that the APC was the coming together of “tribalists, politicians extolling the vice of selfishness and religious extremists in the country.”

Metuh further said the real manifesto of the APC was the promotion of ethnicity and religious extremism in the country.

“Any party that is tribal, joined by religious extremists can never form power. We are aware of their thinking; the PDP is aware of them; at the appropriate time, we will let Nigerians know their true manifesto –it is to promote tribal differences and religious extremism in Nigeria – that is their manifesto, which is what they want to do.”

The war between the APC and PDP in 2015 also calls for more caution by the former because the latter has greater powers to infiltrate and split the rank and file of the APC. This was attested to in one of the public statements of the national Publicity Secretary of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Lai Mohammed.

The ACN spokesperson, who met with reporters in Abuja, at the enlarged caucus meeting of the merging parties also said APC leaders were not considering a possible change in the name of the party.

He queried: “Where have they not infiltrated in Nigeria? We have been in this business for long, we know where it is coming from; we know who is financing them. When the fake APC fell by the way, they have to try another thing.”

Political analysts had said that a key issue facing the APC which the PDP could easily exploit is that of conflict of political interests: “The two main players in the APC – Muhammadu Buhari, former military ruler and leader of CPC, and Bola Tinubu, former governor of Lagos and leader of ACN – will likely have their own agendas in the run up to 2015, and the choice of presidential candidate could prove a real test for the coalition. After all, a number of APC members look likely to be interested in that position, such as Buhari himself, former minister of the Federal Capital Nasir El Rufai and governor of Lagos Babatunde Fashola,” an observer noted that could be contentious.

It’s Hard To Dislodge PDP, Says Egwu CONTINUED FROM PAGE 57 reclaim all its states in the next election?

The emergence of APC is like a challenge to PDP. If we were relaxed and not taking things serious, it will ginger us. It is like a student going for an examination and now envisages the examination is going to be tough, the student will work very hard to pass. It will be a catalyst for PDP; it will ginger them to sit up because it is no longer business as usual.

Like it is said in Igbo land, it is only a stick you will say that you want to cut and it will remain in one place and be looking at you.

PDP is like a human being, when it knows that it has a challenge, it will work very hard to survive and sit up, to work on accusations of non-performance, which are not true in all cases.

Also, in any country, when a party has remained in power for some years, the people may say let us try the alternative, but you know not all changes bring positive result. I do not think the coming together of these parties will make PDP lay back.

Is your argument based on the manifesto of APC or the number of states they control now?

I am basing my position on the number of states they control and the number of states PDP will want to lose. And with this challenge now, PDP will want to work harder. If they are on fifty percent performance, they want to move up to seventy or eighty. So what has happened is good for the polity and at the end of the day, the common man will be better for it because the parties will be struggling to outperform one another.

There was this allegation that APC copied your party’s manifesto, do you agree?

I have not compared the two manifestoes

and I do not think our party’s publicity secretary would make the statement arbitrarily.

But from your observation of the party, do you see the APC providing alternative ideology compared to the PDP? I do not see a difference; it is all the same.

There is no difference in ideology. We have not got to that stage and I hope we get to that point; so far, I have not seen a difference.

Do you envisage a split when it comes to sharing offices in the emerging party?

The chances are there because the crop of politicians we have now, not just in the opposition parties, the possibility of disagreeing is there. But we do not need to conclude until we get to that point. It will even help to know if they are serious or not. But I want them to succeed because like I said for any country to develop, it needs a strong opposition.

What will you tell the PDP leadership?

The party should sit up and know that it is not business as usual, that people are wiser and matured politically and because of that, they should take the emergence of a strong opposition party serious by putting the house together. And more importantly, they should reconcile all aggrieved members, a lot of people who are aggrieved would be stumbling blocks if they are not brought back into the part. And it should not be personalised leadership. If Mr. A wins, it should know that Mr. B is part of the party and tries to carry him along.

It should be about carrying people along and having open minds. Ones the party does that and it is fair and there is internal democracy within the party, so that if a member contests election and loses, when he sees that the process is transparent, he will accept defeat.

But when he knows that he won an election and was denied, that will cause division and it may likely work against the party. So the party

should guard against these loopholes.

With regard to the people, it is a matter of looking at the manifesto and delivering the content of the manifesto, including what the party has promised to deliver; working on the poverty level, literacy level, health, food, security and electricity. And I’m sure that people will start to have confidence in PDP because if you look at what is happening now, the President is working very hard on the issue of power and security, even though there are challenges there. And I do not believe that ones you are in the opposition, you oppose everything government does, because the country belongs to all of us.

Like I said, what has happened is a good development for the country, but the opposition should know that in trying to form government or take over government at the federal level, they should know the rules of the game. They should not try to win at all cost; they should be fair and not criticize for the sake of it. And where the government in power has done well, they should acknowledge it and where the party has not done well, they should point it out. But they should be guided by national interest and know areas where they should play politics.

Opposition does not mean you must pull the government down because you want to gain power, rather they should know that they are there to provide alternative governance if the government in power fails in there manifesto and in convincing the people.

The PDP has said that it would win 32 states of the 36 states; do you see that happening?

Of course, the PDP is not satisfied with the number of states it has. So where they are trying to maintain and sustain the states they have now, they are also looking for other states they will win, because it is a contest.

Egwu

THE GUARDIAN, Sunday, April 28, 2013

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BABATOPE: Alliance Is Good For Democracy, But Merger Will Not Work Ebenezer Babatope, former minister of transport and strong member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is one of few Nigerians who understand party organisation and administration. He was groomed in the defunct Unity Party of Nigeria. But his current party, PDP, is beset with crisis and has no evidence of good organisation. In this interview with GBENGA SALAU, Babatope said the coming of the All Progressives Congress (APC) is good for democracy but the merger will not work.

HE Action Congress of Nigeria has surrenT dered self to the APC merger. Does that not threaten your party?

IT is a news item to Nigeria and Nigerians, so it is a welcome development in the democratic path we have chosen for ourselves. And I hope, the organisers of APC have checked the history of this country, the political history of this country, if they had done so, they will discover that, at no time in the history of this country, has any merger of parties worked, it has never worked.

Even though their coming together is good, it is going to strengthen Nigeria’s democracy, but I doubt whether it can succeed. And I am giving my whole honest and objective appraisal of political events in Nigeria.

In the First Republic, we had alliances, not merger; we had the United Progressive Grand Alliance (UPGA), which was made up of the Action Group and the NCNC. Then we had the Nigeria National Alliance (NNA), which was formed principally by the Northern People’s Congress (NPC) and the Nigeria National Democratic Party (NDP). We went into the election of 1964 with this UPGA, NNA political coalitions, but not merger.

In the Second Republic, what we had was a Progressive Party Alliance (PPA) versus the NPN at that time. The PPA was made of the UPN, led by Baba Obafemi Awolowo, the NPP led by Nnamdi Azikwe, the GNPP led by Waziri Ibrahim and then a faction of PRP, which was jointly led by the late Abubakar Rimi and Balarabe Musa. What we were working for in the Second Republic with the PPA alliance was to have a common presidential candidate for the election of 1983. We were not talking in terms of merger of political parties and unfortunately we could not arrive at accepting a single presidential candidate for the PPA. Baba Awolowo, everybody thought would emerged as the consensus candidate, but quite unfortunate the NPP saw it differently and therefore we then resolved that rather than quarrel among ourselves, that the political parties that made up the PPA should continue to cooperate on the basis of progressive point of understanding and then move ahead in terms of advancing Nigeria’s democracy at that time. And that was what we did. We went into the election of 1983 as independent political parties, but with a structure called PPA, not merger.

What they are saying now is merger, I wish them the best of luck; but from my own stand of point as a political historian and a political organiser, trained by the UPN of Baba Awolowo, I can tell them that they are embarking on a wild goose chase. It will not work and I do not want to state the details because if I do, I will be letting out the cat in the bag, in terms of what the PDP has got in stock, in terms of neutralizing and making nonsense of the merger agreement.

You said it is good to have a strong political opposition, why do you think so?

It is because a nation that wants to succeed in her democratic path must have political parties that are viral, strong and offer alternatives to the Nigerian people. If the Nigerian people do not want the PDP, it can throw us out electorally and go to another party, but it is not going to be through a merger. The PDP is a strong political organisation, we would not rest on our oars, we are busy finding solution to our problems and we will continue to strengthen our political electoral strength in Nigeria, so that the mandate that the

Babatope

Nigerian people have given us since 1999 will continue to be given to us and we continue to rule Nigeria very well.

You have said it is important we have a strong opposition for a better nation, so why don’t you want this merger to work?

I am not going to be saying how to make their union work. The best would have been for independent political parties - CPC, ACN, ANPP - to grow on their own strength and if they can work among themselves, they can strike an agreement for alliance, but to talk of merger, forget it. I am telling you categorically; forget it, because historical antecedents of Nigeria and the fact of history, which nobody can falsify, guide us.

But the APC has said that it will dislodge the PDP, are you saying, it is not possible?

How will they do it? Under a merger, it is not possible; they have many contradictions inherent in their formation and in what they want to do. They are not talking of resolving those contradictions; they are jumping into this merger thing. I pray that INEC recognises APC, if INEC recognises APC, then you will see how internal strife and contradictions, which they cannot resolve because these are practical day-to-day affairs of political formation and organisation will destroy the merger. Let us wait till that time, but we of the PDP, we are ready and we can assure you that we will march them second for second, pound for pound, weight for weight, until we get them out electorally in Nigeria’s electoral system.

How? The PDP has got the people, organisation, political system that cannot be easily dislodged and the PDP is in power in 23 states of the federation and at the centre. We are not going to go to sleep because we control 23 states, we are going to use the coming of the APC to continuously warn us ahead of time, and every antics of the so called APC will be met by our own prepared programme and agenda to ensure that we keep faith with the Nigerian people, who have always voted for the PDP, since 1999.

Do you think the people are rating the PDP well in terms of performance and will want to vote the PDP in the next elections?

Most of the things are media hype, it is what you media people are writing and do not forget what is the percentage of the media within Nigeria. You are a very influential people, no doubt and we take you seriously, but what is the percentage. We are talking in terms of ensuring that 95 percent of the Nigerian people really know what the PDP stands for through our programmes and we will continue to do that.

For instance, the electricity problem, it has been a recurrent problem for Nigeria since military days, it is not just now, and we are not resting on our oars as a party; we are fighting very hard to make it work. President Jonathan has said that his government will face the power problem with all the forces at its control and we are going to do it. But the problem started since the military days and it

Tinubu is not something new.

As regard the uneven economic development between the rich and the poor, we will always try in the PDP to always cater for the interest and welfare of the teaming masses of Nigeria.

You said you are working to get across to 95 percent of the Nigerian people, is that part of the agenda of the party to win 32 of the 36 states of the federation?

What the party said is an ambitious programme, any party can say that; but we want to work towards ensuring that we win the elections. Apart from consolidating the 23 states that we have, the Southwest states are there, we want to resolve all issues in the Southwest; we want to resolve the issue of unity, which has eluded the South West PDP. And we want to prepare our people so that the Southwest states join the comity of states controlled by the PDP and at the end of the day, electorally, the PDP will still win the election. That is what I am saying and we are definitely going to win by the grace of God. So the merger cannot stop your party?

You can have alliance, why not. In the last election in 2011, we had some governors, Mimiko of the Labour Party and Peter Obi of the APGA cooperated with the PDP, they were in alliance with us. When you talk of merger, you are talking of an extreme political grouping, which is alien to Nigeria’s political system, and which, in fact, has never got a parallel here. Let anybody tell me that a merger was used and it succeeded. In fact, parties have never thought about merger, when you are talking about merger, you are talking about sinking your political identities and existence within a formation and that is not correct.

Are you also saying that their manifesto cannot make the people prefer them?

We have a committee in the PDP now, preparing our manifesto for 2015. They can have whatever they like, but what I am saying is that mergers are alien to our political history; therefore, when you talk of merger, it means destroying your independent political existence and surrendering yourself to a new political party formation, which means that they have to begin afresh. I am not saying that they cannot bring out policies and programmes, but they have got handicaps to fight. Merger has never worked in Nigeria; we have not even seen it; alliances, yes. I have given you an example. But to talk of merger, the political parties will have to sink their identities; that cannot be. If they do not know it yet, they will learn it in the very, very hard, painful way.

So, what advice do you have for the APC in moving forward?

Why must I give them advice? What I have told you in this interview is sufficient for them if they have very good powerful organisers to pick up things they can do. But for me to advise them, I will rather do that for my party, the PDP, in terms of getting us prepared for 2014 and 2015 elections. And the

Buhari PDP is doing that now. By the grace of God before the end of this year, the PDP would have concluded all arrangement for this election and ensuring that our policies, programmes and visions are well placed before the Nigerian people, who in fact are the prime and motive force in any electoral process.

The coming of APC has put the PDP on its toes?

The coming of any party you cannot underrate it. And the PDP has never underrated any party, even when they were AD, AC, ACN and now APC, we never underrated them. They could not have had the strong hold they had in the Southwest if PDP in the Southwest had united its efforts and built a cohesive political force. The ACN was able to get our states because we the leaders of the PDP in the Southwest were hopelessly divided, and a house divided against itself can never stand.

So they won us, but we are conscious of this fact and we are making sure that we build a very strong force to oppose the ACN in the next elections and once we are able to carry this out, we will win our states back. But If we are unable to do so, that will be a tragedy for the PDP, then the ACN or whatever name it is called will continue to win.

You are not ready to leak your strategy?

I will not tell you that because you are encroaching into our organisational strategies, but right now we are on the field and we have several committees working. And at the end of the day, the PDP will come out better.

And the so-called opposition parties are paper tigers, I have always said that to them. This is because many of them control the media in terms of the fact that they write, talk and own.

But as far as we are concerned, we want to be media conscious, and also being practical politicians, knowing that what wins election for any political party is the cementation of the organisation of that party with the electoral population; that will decide where power goes.

You talked about the cementation with the people; are you talking of performance?

It is not just about performance. In the Southwest, if you are disunited and not together, the people of the Southwest will vote you out because they do not give room for parties that have no coherence and therefore they try the other party. I said it when AD was in control, Southwest electoral people do not judge by the rosiness of the language you speak in the manifesto, they judge with other things, they consider other matters. And I said at that time that the Conscience Party, which was formed by my late friend, Gani Fawehinmi, if we are not careful the people of the Southwest will vote Conscience Party and that formed the basis of what we did to drive out the AD from power from the Southwest in 2003. And we know that we made mistakes ourselves in 2011 and we were beaten hands down, but we will not make the mistakes again. But if we make the mistakes again, I am telling my colleagues, you do not need to go to babalawos or prophets to tell us what will be the fortunes of the party.

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THE GUARDIAN, Sunday, April 28, 2013

POLITICS

SOYINKA: Amosun Cannot Run A United ACN Kayode Soyinka, renowned journalist and publisher of Africa Today and former gubernatorial candidate in Ogun State told KAMAL TAYO OROPO that the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) is fractured because Governor Ibikunle Amosun was imposed on original party members.

You’ve had a successful career in the media, here in Nigeria and internationally; what motivated you to go into politics?

ENUINELY, I wanted to serve, having had personal fulfillment, as you’ve rightly alluded, in my career. As a political journalist, I have over the past 37 years always interacted with people in politics, both locally and internationally. I therefore thought I had reached a stage in my life and career when I should put something back to the community that made me. I didn’t want to do it nationally at first, but chose to go back home to the grassroots level.

So, I went to my state, Ogun State, where I identified with our people and later put my name forward and campaigned in three general elections to be elected as governor. I had, and still have, a lot to offer the state.

You’ve contested in three consecutive elections and you did not get the ticket. What went wrong?

You are right. I do not know who before me had done it consecutively for three times in the state. And I don’t know why they didn’t give me the ticket. Not that they don’t know me or have no idea of what I could contribute to the development of the state. Not that I am not qualified or experienced enough to be given the ticket.

The question keeps begging: why Soyinka was not given the Ogun governorship ticket on the three occasions he contested. Maybe, one could say the first time in 2003 was understandable. I was competing with an incumbent governor, Chief Olusegun Osoba, and I may not have been expected to get the ticket at the first time of asking. But contesting for the ticket made it quite absolutely clear that this is a job I would like to do.

Although I did not get it then, but I surely left a mark, gained a lot of experience that could stand me in good stead in future elections, and more importantly attention was focused on me in the party. Our leaders and members saw me as a rising star: someone for the future.

The second attempt in 2007 was better. I campaigned better and gave it everything.

But again I lost the ticket to the late Dipo Dina in, to say the least, controversial circumstances.

However, this last time round in the 2011 general elections, I thought very strongly that I should have been given the ticket. I don’t know why I was denied again. Some said I was fighting “from the outside”, meaning I did not go to dobale or grease the elbows of the powers-that-be in the party. I don’t know.

I think you should go and ask the leaders of the party.

I, at one stage thought that the powers-thatbe in our party, the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), don’t like me. Or otherwise, how do you explain someone, which is me, whom you had denied the ticket on two previous occasions –– this is his third time of vying for the ticket; he is eminently qualified; he has invested so much financially and otherwise in helping to sustain the party in the state; despite being denied the ticket twice before he did not leave the party to cross carpet like so many did; he did not abuse the party or join other people in running it down, like others did. Why not reward him for his loyalty by giving him the ticket in 2011? People have asked these questions. This last time, they had to go outside our party to bring someone who had never been a member of our party, who did not struggle with us while we were in opposition in the state for eight years and gave him the ticket...

You are referring to the current governor of the state?

Yes! They gave the ticket to Ibikunle Amosun, who is now the governor. See the irony of that decision: Amosun, this same Amosun, who did everything possible in cohort with others in the PDP to make sure

G

Osoba, and Soyinka in the run-up to the 2011 governorship race

• He Is More PDP/ANPP Than ACN that Chief Osoba lost that election as governor in 2003. He became a PDP senator in that same 2003 elections.

Besides, he ensured that we never got back to power in 2007. Now, we had an opportunity to get back to power in Ogun State and somebody who did everything possible to get us out of power in 2003 and 2007 was given our platform and governorship ticket in 2011.

That was wrong. It was unacceptable. It was morally wrong. We were in the opposition all through the eight years of PDP government in Ogun State. Our party was almost dead in Ogun State. I was the one, together with Dipo Dina, principally sustaining the Alliance for Democracy (AD) and Action Congress (AC) in Ogun State then. The party was almost in extinction in the state and everybody kept asking what was going on in the party.

We were the ones helping our people at home, who required various forms of assistance, we gave them money and whatever support we could give them because they are loyal members of our party and we needed to keep their loyalty and keep them in the fold.

When they came to us, we gave them whatever we had. We were sustaining the party, we were the only two –– Dipo Dina and I –– campaigning from 2005 at great personal risk across the state to keep the party alive.

Even Chief Osoba wasn’t in Abeokuta then, because he had been threatened by the PDP government in the state. Remember? They were going to charge him for murder ––

trumped up charge. He was in Lagos, in internal exile you might say. We only welcomed him back home during the last election. Is that the way to compensate us by going outside our party to bring a former PDP senator, who became an ANPP governorship candidate in Ogun State and also in the books of CPC and handed him the ACN platform that we had worked so hard over the years to prepare; as well as the governorship ticket of a truly progressive party? They gave both the platform and ticket to him on a platter of gold! I think that was wrong and utterly lacking in principles.

Don’t you agree with the argument that Amosun was, perhaps, the only strong politician to wrest power in the state from the PDP? That’s utter nonsense. Not true at all. The ACN, as we had it then in Ogun State before Amosun came in, should have been more ambitious and courageous than that. First of all, I was waiting for the party to make up its mind and be bold enough to give me the ticket and allow me go and face him at the polls. And with the party’s machinery firmly and totally behind me, I am sure we would have still won.

Secondly, those who voted in the last election in the state did not vote for Amosun per se, but for the party. They voted for ACN not for Amosun. Let nobody deceive you.

So, even if it was the youngest of the original 10 ACN aspirants, Temitope Kuyebi from

Yes! They gave the ticket to Ibikunle Amosun, who is now the governor. See the irony of that decision: Amosun, this same Amosun, who did everything possible in cohort with others in the PDP to make sure that Chief Osoba lost that election as governor in 2003. He became a PDP senator in that same 2003 elections. Besides, he ensured that we never got back to power in 2007. Now, we had an opportunity to get back to power in Ogun State and somebody who did everything possible to get us out of power in 2003 and 2007 was given our platform and governorship ticket in 2011. That was wrong. It was unacceptable. It was morally wrong. We were in the opposition all through the eight years of PDP government in Ogun State. Our party was almost dead in Ogun State. I was the one, together with Dipo Dina, principally sustaining the Alliance for Democracy (AD) and Action Congress (AC) in Ogun State then. The party was almost in extinction in the state and everybody kept asking, what was going on in the party.

Yewa, that was put forward to be elected governor, ACN would still have won that election because Ogun State people in that particular election had had enough of the PDP government and were desperate for a change and it was ACN, not Amosun per se, they wanted to vote for. But what did we get in the end? We now have a government in Ogun State today that is only ACN by name but in reality is still a PDP/ANPP government. That is the root cause of the problems and the division we now have within the party in Ogun State today.

The ACN is divided in Ogun state. There is the Amosun (SIA) camp and the camp of the original ACN members loyal to Chief Osoba and the party. The party is divided because Amosun was forced on the party, he has become governor and has brought in his ANPP/PDP/CPC people and his friends from Lagos to take the plum jobs in the state and in the local governments and giving our original ACN people crumbs from the table. He is running a winner-takes-all government, plotting and doing everything possible to wrest the control of the party in the state from Chief Olusegun Osoba, especially now that we are all now going to merge into APC. Can you imagine? That is partly the reason why there is division in the state House of Assembly, where the Mace was broken a few weeks ago, and the reason why members went into a free-for-all fight during the membership re-validation exercise, which took place across the state recently.

Given the nature of sub-ethnic politics of the state, why do you find it so hard to accept the governor, an Owu man like you?

A ha! Good question; and that is where you are also wrong; because, for me, it is not as simple as that. Yes, he is an Owu man like me –– but I did not know him. I only met him for the first time shortly before he came to join us. Now, if I am that kind of person, I could be an opportunist and use the advantage of being from the same place with him to get whatever I want from his government; after all, people who are not even that close to him have been taking advantage of him and doing well for themselves as we speak.

But please listen, what is wrong is wrong and we Owus are known for our principled stance. Contrary to the traditional belief among Yorubas, we are not stubborn people but principled people. Therefore, in this matter I have to behave above board. That is why I, Kayode Soyinka, could not support the wrong imposition of Amosun on us in the state, especially when the leaders of the party in the state and at the national level did not count us even worthy of an explanation for such imposition.

That explains why till date, I am not party to this government. As I said, he’s been running a winner-takes-all government. Look at his deputy, Hon. Segun Adesegun, an original AD/ACN man, do you hear of him? It’s like a cat and mouse game between them; he has

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POLITICS

Government Because He Didn’t Belong CONTINUED FROM PAGE 60 virtually reduced him to just drinking coffee and reading newspapers at the office –– nothing much for him to do, he is by and large a ceremonial deputy governor. The situation is so bad in Ogun East Senatorial District, where the deputy governor comes from, that our members there are complaining bitterly of maginalisation, some are even threatening to move to another party.

However, I believe that the time will come when we will have a truly ACN government in the state, because those who allowed him to be imposed on us must have learnt their lessons by now. I didn’t want to talk about this now, but since you have prompted me to speak, that is the truth. If I have offended anyone in the party for speaking the truth, I am sorry. We are victims of imposition and we don’t want imposition. It is undemocratic. And it should be done away with in the new party- APC- that we are transiting to.

Yet, Amosun emerged as a consensus candidate. Why do find that hard to swallow?

Consensus by who? There were 12 of us governorship aspirants, out of which 10 were original ACN members, one came to join us from PDP –– Akinlade, a member of the House of Representatives from Yewa, and Amosun himself from ANPP. And I was their leader. The party in Ogun State asked me to lead the governorship aspirants. Actually, the original plan was that they wanted us to agree among ourselves on just one candidate, if possible, who would then be used by the party to face Amosun in the primaries when he finally joined us. It would have been the party’s anointed versus Amosun at the primaries and it would have been difficult for him to win it. We held several meetings over this for several weeks and couldn’t make any headway. But the point still remained that no single aspirant among us came out in support of Amosun. The party leaders at the national level knew that. Chief Osoba, our leader in Ogun State, knew that.

We had an explosive meeting with the leaders, all the five of them –– Osoba, Bisi Akande, Bola Tinubu, late Lam Adesina and Niyi Adebayo – in Lagos and in the presence of Amosun himself. The meeting at Isaac John in Ikeja was so explosive. One by one, all the aspirants got up to say “no” to Amosun. It was so explosive that some altercations occurred between some of the aspirants and Tinubu, because the aspirants believed that it was the Asiwaju of Lagos that was behind Amosun and was trying to impose him on us in Ogun State.

Amosun sat beside me, on my left, at that meeting. And in fairness, I actually sympathised with him as the barrage of criticism drew on and it was too much. I was raising my hand to intervene and speak, but Chief

Amosun

Akande, who was the chair of that meeting, wouldn’t call me. When he finally did and I got up to speak, I thought playing a moderating role in that charged atmosphere was the wisest thing to do.

Therefore, I chose not to oppose Amosun, but made him realise that he should not feel that he was not liked by all of us who were not in favour of him coming to join our party anew and going straight for the governorship ticket.

I explained to him that we were the ones who suffered to sustain the party while we were in opposition for eight years in the state. Now that we had successfully built the party up to such a level that it had become the beautiful bride and a beautiful house had been built on a solid foundation, you now want to come in, not asking for a room to stay in but wanted the whole house – come on!

I asked him to put himself in our position if he would accept that himself if the scenario were reversed. I was the last to speak and I thanked the leaders for listening to us and appealed to them to be fair in their decision on who would be handed the governorship ticket for Ogun State. For me, there was no need to fight with anybody. Immediately I rose up to speak, I noticed that Tinubu adjusted his seat, now sitting close to the edge - an indication that he was particularly interested in what I had to say on the matter. I kept my composure. My instinct has always been that if you want to be a governor you better start to behave like one – you must show leadership.

And there would be nothing for me to gain by opposing Amosun and our both supporters would go on the streets in Owu and set our homestead ablaze because we wanted to be governor. My intention is to serve and not to foment violence. That was why I decided to take such moderating posture in such a politically charged atmosphere. But after all said and done, they all remained adamant and still went ahead to impose Amosun.

Now, I went through this to let you know that if truly he were a consensus candidate, there would have been no issues. He would have been unopposed. Don’t get me wrong; there is nothing wrong with having consensus. But for us in Ogun State, on this issue of Amosun, a serious problem arose because he, Amosun, was the odd man out – it was 11 against one. Now, consider this: If this had happened during the time of Chief Obafemi Awolowo, who we all profess to be followers of, there is no way Chief Awolowo would have allowed one man to prevail over 11! The electoral act is even very clear on this. Where there is an opposition to a so-called consensus candidate, you go for primaries. There was no primaries at all in Ogun State in 2011. Party leaders just went into one dingy hotel room in the GRA in Abeokuta to declare Amosun as the chosen candidate.

It was after they had made that declaration in the presence of other aspirants present that

Soyinka

Aregbesola must return. Both have done remarkably well in their first term so far and deserve a second term to complete their work. And as a party, we should continue to build ACN to become a truly national party. I will appeal to the leaders of the party that the time has come for the party to be moved to another level, and one sure way to do that is to make the party inclusive of everyone and let there be true democracy. That is why I am in favour of the current effort to merge with other leading opposition parties to form the OW, what is the way forward? Has there APC. I like our leaders. I hold them in very high esteem, particularly Chief Bisi Akande, been any attempt at reconciliation in the national chairman of the party. He has the party? sacrificed a lot to hold the party together, Reconciliation? You must be joking. and he is a good listener – he listens particuUnfortunately, the party in Ogun State has never been known for doing reconciliation. larly to the views of younger and talented members in the party; same with the late No matter your level of contribution to the party you are always left on your own to leak Alhaji Lam Adesina. Shame that he died. He your own wounds. That is an example of the was also a leader with listening ears. He was brutal nature of politics in Nigeria. Nobody on our side in our struggle in Ogun State. comes to you to appeal to you and justify why certain decisions had to be taken – let us If you say Fayemi and Aregbesola should be even say it is for the interest of the party. No, returned, why not Amosun as well; hasn’t he done well? no reconciliation at all – up till today.

However, that does not bother me personal- First, they have been in office longer than ly. I have been in their midst for several years Amosun; they therefore have done enough now and I am familiar with the ways and atti- over a longer period of time that we can see on ground, to justify their return to continue tude of our members. Nevertheless, I am a with their good work. However, even Fayemi huge contributor to the party financially. I and Aregbesola that I have singled out for have always been. praise, I believe ultimately they would still So, I remain a stakeholder and I pray and hope that I will remain a force to be reckoned have to present themselves for endorsement with within my party, ACN (and when it final- by the party. That some of us may want them ly becomes APC), and in Ogun State politics re-elected for second term does not mean generally. I want ACN to do well in elections, that they cannot be challenged in the party by others who might also be interested in the not only win in more states but win the job.

Presidency.

However, we all know how difficult it is in I, therefore, would like to join forces with other likeminded members to fight for true Nigeria to challenge an incumbent. Whatever the case may be, there would still be primardemocracy within the party. I will fight for true democracy because I have lived over the ies or endorsement by consensus. So, it is the years in places where true democracy is prac- party that will ultimately decide who the tised, democracy cannot therefore be given a eventual candidate will be.

Secondly, you ask me if he has not justified different coloration or name in my own country. I am a founding member of the ACN. his mandate. It is not me that should be judgAnd I am an original ACN because I have my mental on that. It is immaterial what my view on that is. It is the view of the people of Ogun political roots in the AD. I joined ACN because I like its ideology, what it stands for State that matters. If he scales through and as a truly progressive party, defender of the gets the party’s ticket for a second term and to run again in 2015, you can trust our people ordinary people – the masses; and not to surely deliver their judgment at the polls because of anybody. There were other on election day. options when I entered into politics. But I What is your relationship like with former chose the truly progressive party, the Governor Osoba?

Alliance for Democracy (AD) then and supGood. ported it wholeheartedly. AD as you know We understand you don’t get on with each transformed to AC and later to ACN and we other, why? are now transiting to APC. That’s not true.

It’s good that we now have control of six As the leader of the party in Ogun State, why states nation-wide. And with APC, we will didn’t he put his foot down that the governor even have more - about 11 already. We must should come from the rank of the original fight to retain them, starting with the next ACN aspirants? governorship election in Ekiti State.

Kayode Fayemi must return as governor. The It is interesting you asked that question. As I had explained, we held several strategic same when the time comes for Osun – meetings with him – the original ACN aspirants, without Amosun. We were still with him till about 2 a.m. the day they chose Amosun and he was still reassuring us that the governorship candidate would emerge from our group. I never believed him though because I know Chief Osoba very well and I can read him correctly from the palm of my hand! What I found shocking was that he agreed with Tinubu that Amosun should be given the Ogun State governorship ticket. If he had put his foot down and said “no”, Ogun State was his territory and Tinubu should not interfere, he should face his Fashola in Lagos; we would have rallied round him and supported him in Ogun State. But he didn’t.

So, he should not complain whatever ill treatment or lack of respect he allegedly may be getting now from Amosun. Some people said they wouldn’t give me the ticket because they know I am opinionated and single-minded and they would not be able to control me.

Well, they are entitled to their opinion, and they probably don’t know me well enough.

But are they able to control Amosun now?

They are now complaining that Amosun is too individualistic, stubborn and not being equitable in his distribution of jobs, positions and projects. They should leave him alone and allow him to do his job.

Regardless, one thing I know which I must say here is that I would not have treated Chief Osoba the way Amosun is allegedly treating him, if I was the governor. For one, he is my senior colleague and a former boss; secondly, he is an elderly person, and my upbringing will not allow me to be rude to our elders –– it is for these two reasons that I always still give him due respect, despite the fact that for reasons best known to him he has consistently refused to support my ambition. I have known him for 34 years now. they then left for the party secretariat to showcase him publicly as the candidate of the party. It thought that was disgraceful. I personally did not go there because I couldn’t support such a charade and dignify it with my presence. So I left Abeokuta and returned to Lagos. And I remember too that two other key aspirants Remi Bakare and Gbenga Obadara too were not there. They were both on conference telephone call with me as the charade was going on.

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62 Sunday, April 28, 2013

Sports Conscience, Nurtured by Truth

Team Nigeria marching pass during the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games. They returned home without a medal

Again, Nigeria Limps Towards Olympic Games When Nigeria returned from the London 2012 Olympic Games without a single medal, the country’s sports administrators vowed to put in place structures that would ensure that the nation did not witness such failure again.

Seven months down the line, Christian Okpara, Eno-Abasi Sunday and Olalekan Okusan report that the scenario remains largely unchanged even as the Sports Ministry is promising far-reaching changes. hEN 16-year-old Chinese swimmer, Ye W Shiwen, beat a pool of world class swimmers to win gold medal in the 400m individual medley at London 2012 Olympic Games, the sporting world and indeed the entire world was awed by such a spectacular performance by the teenager.

As fellow competitors and their coaches were still drenched in the shock victory, the Chinese sprung yet another surprise by breaking her own Olympic record and adding the 200m individual medley gold to the 400m medley in a world record time, while shrugging off stiff challenge from Australia’s Alicia Coutts and America’ Caitlin Leverenz.

The famed sprint finish in the last two lengths of the competition, analysts opined, was capable of beating multiple gold medallist, Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte, both of the United States.

Before that feat by the schoolgirl, not many believed that such exploit was possible, especially at that age. And this perhaps prompted the United States’ swimming coach, John Leonard, to suggest that Shiwen’s performance was “suspi-

cious.”

Shiwen swiftly responded to her critics, including the American top coach, by insisting that her five-star performance boils down to just two things, “hard work and training.” “I am not taking performance-enhancing drugs. Everything I have achieved is due to hard work and training.

People are being biased because other swimmers have won multiple medals and broken world records and no one is asking questions about them,” she said.

Making other competitors in the pool at the Aquatic Centre look weak and feeble in comparison with her much stronger, fitter and faster look was not the result of a hurriedly packaged training camp as has been the case with Team Nigeria over the years.

Today, swimmers, Shiwen and Sun Yang, gymnast Zou Kai, springboard divers, Wu Minxia and Chen Ruolin, among others, represent the new face of sporting excellence in China.

Like Nigeria, China suffered immense bashing in international sporting meets around the world. And determined to end the nation’s perennial humiliation at major athletics and swimming championships, the country’s Communist regime decreed that a generation of future champions must be grown, harvested and honed to perfection.

For a start, schoolteachers were mandated to nose for signs of natural sporting abilities and report any child with obvious potential to regional coaches, who in turn place them in one of the 3,000 new state training camps. With children as young as seven being taken in and groomed for years, coupled with elaborate preparations for major international sporting

meets, China is today a force in international sports.

By the time the curtain fell at the London Olympics, China had won a total of 88 medals – 38 gold, 27 silver and 23 bronze. The country finished second only to the United States in the global medal standings. Beside this, the country’s delegation proved particularly successful in several sports, winning 12 medals in gymnastics, 10 in diving and swimming, eight in badminton, seven in weightlifting and shooting, and six in table tennis. Chinese athletes dominated in badminton and table tennis, where they each won gold medals in all sporting events while 11 Chinese athletes managed to defend their titles from the 2008 Beijing Olympics and 18 of them won more than a single Olympic medal in London.

The scenario above presents a classic example of a country willing and ready to take necessary steps, erect relevant infrastructure and meet relevant timelines in order to realize set goals.

Conversely, Nigeria has shown itself as a country where sports officials, like their counterparts in other sectors, are so adept at not walking the talk. And when the chips are down, the country continues to run round in circles.

For instance, following the country’s dismal outing at the 2012 Olympic Games in London, the Minister of Sports, Bolaji Abdullahi, vowed that the country will win at least five gold medals at the next Olympics slated for Rio de Janeiro.

This was after President Goodluck Jonathan, at the Presidential Retreat on Sports he hosted, ordered the overhaul of the Sports Ministry, called for early preparations for the next edition,

If I am going to the Olympics in 2010, for instance, money has to be given to me in 2006, 2008, 2009 so that I can do well in 2010. And that is what we don’t do. Ideally, preparations for Olympics should be a four-year programme. And as we are finishing the Olympics, we should identify those that would be used for the next Olympics, put in place benchmarks every year so that by 2016 somebody should be able to stand up and say, ‘based on the athletes we have right now, next year we should win three gold medals.’

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SPORTS as well as tasked the ministry to do all to ensure that Team Nigeria returns from Brazil with at least five gold medals.

Speaking shortly after the retreat, Abdullahi said, “Mr. President believes if we start to work now, we can win five gold medals in Rio in 2016. If we start to work towards that target, we may or may not meet it, but we must begin now to work towards it and believe it is possible,” he said.

“It seems we’re under pressure now; everybody is angry and outraged. But we must resist the temptation for reflex action. We can’t just start doing things because we want people to see that we’re responding to stimuli. That’ll be wrong and won’t be sustainable.

“Whatever we do now, we must begin to show result in two years time. That is why it is very good for us that the Commonwealth Games will be coming up in 2014 and we can use that to relaunch for the 2016 Games.”

All these were said shortly after the London 2012, when Abdullahi also maintained that holistic measures were being perfected to “identify children and talent that can compete well with the right age and exposure.

About six months down the line and into the second quarter of 2013, not many believe that the Sports Ministry has taken any concrete step towards averting the kind of shame the country had to contend with during and immediately after the London Olympics.

In fact many still believe that Nigeria has not learnt anything from the disgraceful outing in London occasioned by her resort to the perennial fire brigade approach to preparations for major sporting events.

One of those that advised against this hurried preparations well before the London Olympic Games is former Nigerian-born Canadian Olympic gold medallist, Daniel Igali.

“You can’t win gold at the Olympics by hurriedly preparing and going for last minute camping.

At the Olympics, you hear athletes saying that they prepared for four or five years and you feel out of place, you know that only God can help you and with a feeling you strive that the best comes out of you. Someday, we will get it right in Nigeria,” said the member of Bayelsa State House of Assembly.

Igali, who coached the Nigerian wrestling team to the Games in London, has repeatedly told the authorities that talents were wasting in Nigeria and that Nigeria could produce a gold medalist at the Olympics if the proper things were done.”

Insisting that institutions were to blame for the sloppy manner in which things have been handled over the years, he said, “... I blame the institutions because the problems are institutional.

In matters of Olympics or sports, if I am going to contest in August and you give me money in July, it means nothing to me.

“If I am going to the Olympics in 2010 for instance, money has to be given to me in 2006, 2008, 2009 so that I can do well in 2010. And that is what we don’t do. Ideally, preparations for Olympics should be a four-year programme.

And as we are finishing the Olympics, we should identify those that would be used for the next Olympics, put in place benchmarks every year so that by 2016 somebody should be able to stand up and say, ‘based on the athletes we have right now, next year we should win three gold medals.”

To David Shepherd, a Briton and sports manager, it is disheartening that after the not-tooimpressive performance of Team Nigeria at the 2012 London Olympic Games, the country should have commenced preparation for the 2016 Olympics.

Farah

Shepherd, an accredited UEFA licensed match agent, believes Nigeria needs to commence its build up in earnest to avert what befell the nation in London.

Shepherd admits that Nigeria has the capacity to dominate sports in the world, adding, however, that conscious efforts must be made by those in charge to develop sports.

The brain behind the yearly youth football tournament, tagged Keele International Cup in Manchester, said, “My worry has been the inability of Nigeria to be among the best sporting nations in the world even in Africa.

‘Nigeria has the potential to dominate all sports because you have the population, coupled with the physical outlook of an average Nigerian when it comes to sports. But I was surprised that a nation of over 200 million people failed to win a medal at the last Olympic Games in London.”

“What I have noticed from some of the teams that come to Manchester for the yearly Keele Cup is that you have the talents as well as physic to be the best. But what I found out is that things are not done the way it should be. There has not been any conscious effort to develop sports in schools which is the basis for any nation hoping to be successful,” he lamented.

Narrating how Great Britain recorded its first major success at the 2012 London Olympics, Shepherd said: “We were shocked when we got the hosting right for the Olympics few years back and immediately we began preparation not only for the facilities but also the athletes that will represent the country.

“For the athletes, we started the panning through schools and we had school sports programmes across Britain. We also created programmes for coaching in schools so that they could impact the athletes. We started taking these programmes to schools as well as assigning coaches to these schools. We also encouraged people to embrace coaching and this is just a 10-year plan.

“We realized that it would be embarrassing if we staged a colourful Olympics and failed to win medals. All these programmes really threw up a lot of new athletes. Even when the athletes were assembled, so many people were skeptical that we will win medals.

“We did not win any medal until the fourth day when we won the first gold in cycling. After that the medals started coming but I can tell you that 95 per cent of the medalists were unknown until then, but they were products of the schools programme we organized before the Olympics,” he said.

He gave the example of two-time Olympics champion, Rebecca Adlington of Britain, who retired from competitive swimming at age 23 because she felt she could not compete with most of the teenagers dominating the sport.

“If you consider the average age of those that win medals at the Olympics, you would see that majority of them are teenagers.

“You need to start the build up to Brazil 2016 now and get the athletes young. Also you must identify facilities where these athletes can be trained within their locality. You must also generate programmes that will lead to the Olympics and it does not matter if you don’t win medals in Brazil, but I know you will get there. You don’t need to have fantastic facilities just ensure that the facilities are there for the athletes to train and get them a programme that will help them.”

“Aside the athletes, the coaches must be regularly trained and exposed because there is nothing wrong in copying what other nations are doing, especially when it comes to sports development. We did it before the London 2012 Olympics and we achieved results. So Nigeria must wake up and commence preparation now,” Shepherd said.

While it seems that Nigeria has not showed any sign of readiness to avoid the kind of disaster it experienced at the London 2012 Olympics, Sports Minister, Bolaji Abdullahi, says the country has indeed started laying the foundation for future greatness.

Speaking in Ilorin during the week, Abdullahi said the major problem with Nigeria was the lack of infrastructure and programme for sustainable development, adding, however, that the National Sports Commission (NSC) has started on a journey that would make the country more competitive in international events.

“If you look at the last Olympics table, it virtually reflects the economic power of the world.

You can look at the GDP of the top 10 and make your deductions. They were successful because they invested in sports.

“But countries like Ethiopia, which cannot compete with Japan in investment, focused on the long distance races and still won their medals.

“Kenya that cannot even compete with Nigeria in economic terms, concentrated on long distance races and got their medals also.

“That is the idea we are trying to communicate, not to try to equalize mediocrity.”

Abdullahi said the NSC has embarked on a

Shiwen

youth development programme that entails combing the country for young athletes, who If you don’t have a dedicated sports would be groomed to represent the country in development fund, you don’t have international championships.

He said, “we have created a National U-17 even one high performance centre, Games, which is strictly for students in schools.

It will give us the opportunity to discover the tal- you don’t have an Olympics Sports ents scattered all over Nigerian schools.

Development Director, how have you “I was in Warri during the African Youth Athletics Championship, and the boy, who won been able to win medals in the past. the 100 metres, Divine Oduduru, did 10.62 secWe are at a time when the Olympics onds. He is in SS2. Before then, he did 10.53 seconds at the Olukoya Meet in Lagos. medals table is predicted six months “The boy, who won the long jump gold is also before the Olympics. People look at an SS2 boy in the Army Command Secondary School. You see that is the kind of benefits that various variables in various counwill come with the youth championship.”

The minister disclosed that President Goodluck tries and produce a medals table and Jonathan has approved the employment of a at the end of the Olympics you will National Olympics Performance Director, adding, “We are going to set up a National only see minor discrepancies. When Olympics Performance Directorate.” we say we went to the Olympics He added: “Already we are working with a British-based recruiting agency to get us the best without winning medals, we should Olympics Performance Director. We will also get look at what we put in place to warperformance directors for athletics, wrestling, boxing and other sports. rant winning medals. It is like “When we set up this directorate, the federaChioma Ajunwa, who said she just tions would now liaise with them to draw up plans for them. closed her eyes and jumped hoping “The Minister of Finance is very enthusiastic about this development and has promised to for the best. So, all the work we are give us all the support we need. There is N3 bildoing is very necessary. If we put in lion for sports development and we want to invest on facilities and the structure with it. place all the structure, I think we “This is the entire gamut of what we are doing. should congratulate ourselves.

If we succeed in putting this in place may be in six to seven years we would begin to compete with others.”

The minister disclosed that the private sector has keyed into the NSC’s vision, saying that the Guaranty Trust Bank has agreed to help the commission to set up a Sports Development Fund.

He also revealed that President Jonathan has authorized the NSC to look at the lottery law to see what amendments that would make it play a major role in sports development.

“All these things are long term. If you look at the enormity of work that needs to be done to make them happen at the very basic level, you will wonder the kind of miracle that happened in the past that made us win any medals at all.

“Because if you don’t have a dedicated sports development fund, you don’t have even one high performance centre, you don’t have an Olympics Sports Development Director, how have you been able to win medals in the past.

“We are at a time when the Olympics medals table is predicted six months before the Olympics. People look at various variables in various countries and produce a medals table and at the end of the Olympics you will only see minor discrepancies.

“When we say we went to the Olympics without winning medals, we should look at what we put in place to warrant winning medals.

“It is like Chioma Ajunwa, who said she just closed her eyes and jumped hoping for the best.

So, all the work we are doing is very necessary. If we put in place all the structure, I think we should congratulate ourselves.”

Abdullahi

TheGuardian

Sunday, April 28, 2013

Conscience, Nurtured by Truth

Bayern Set Points Record AYERN Munich, already B crowned champions, set a new points record for a sea-

Wigan Athletic’s Ivorian striker, Arouna Kone (left) vies with Tottenham Hotspur’s Belgian defender, Jan Vertonghen during the English Premier League match at the DW Stadium in Wigan, yesPHOTO: AFP terday. The match ended 2-2.

Liverpool Mauls Newcastle 6 - 0 Wigan, Spurs Draw, Man City Beats West Ham IVERPOOL barely missed the banned Luis Suarez with an emphatic win against relegation-threatened Newcastle.

Daniel Agger’s looping header and Jordan Henderson’s cool finish in the first half set Liverpool on their way to their biggest victory of the season.

Daniel Sturridge scored twice from close range before Fabio Borini poked in his first league goal for the Reds.

Mathiew Debuchy saw red for clattering through Philippe Coutinho and Henderson curled in the subsequent free-kick.

Emmerson Boyce’s last minute own-goal saw Tottenham claim a late 2-2 draw against Barclays Premier League strugglers Wigan to keep their Champions League qualification hopes alive.

Spurs took the early lead through PFA Player of the

L

Year nominee, Gareth Bale but his goal was soon cancelled out by Boyce, before Callum McManaman’s firecracker looked to have earned Wigan a vital three points.

However, Boyce’s afternoon ended on a sour note when Aaron Lennon’s cross rebounded into the net off the Wigan defender’s shins, as Roberto Martinez’s side saw a vital two points evaporate.

The result means Tottenham missed the chance to move above Chelsea and instead remained in fifth place while Wigan remained in the relegation zone, two points behind Aston Villa, who play Sunderland on Monday.

It had all started so positively for Spurs when Bale pounced in the ninth minute after Latics goalkeeper Joel Robles and defender Maynor Figueroa were too

slow in exchanging passes in the box. Robles’ clearance was charged down by the Spurs man, who capitalised to give his team the advantage.

However, the lead was shortlived thanks to Boyce, who headed Wigan level two minutes later from Shaun Maloney’s corner to leave the sides tied 1-1 at half-time.

Callum McManaman then fired Wigan ahead in the 49th minute with a 25-yard strike, which looked to have edged his side out of the relegation zone before Boyce’s own-goal.

In the early kick-off, Sergio Aguero and Yaya Toure lifted the gloom for deposed champions, Manchester City with two outstanding goals to defeat West Ham 2-1 at the Etihad Stadium.

Aguero swept in a low ball from Samir Nasri for the first before Toure launched a powerful shot past Jussi

Jaaskelainen from the edge of the area in the 83rd minute.

The game looked to be done and dusted but West Ham refused to lie down as on-loan Liverpool striker Andy Carroll popped up with a last-minute consolation.

E verton kept their chances of achieving European football next season alive as they beat Fulham 1-0 at Goodison Park.

Steven Pienaar gave the Toffees the lead with a 16thminute strike when he fired home after good work by Seamus Coleman on the byline.

West Brom consolidated their place in the top half of the table and left Southampton one point adrift of the magical 40-point mark with a 3-0 win as both sides had players sent off at St Mary’s.

The Baggies claimed an early advantage thanks to MarcAntoine Fortune. Romelu Lukaku headed in the assist,

Published by Guardian Newspapers Limited, Rutam House, Isolo, Lagos Tel: 4489600, 2798269, 2798270, 07098147948, 07098147951 Fax: 4489712; Advert Hotline Lagos: 7736351, Abuja: 07098513445 All correspondence to Guardian Newspapers Limited, P.M.B. 1217, Oshodi, Lagos, Nigeria.

(ISSN NO 0189-5125) Editor: E-mail letters@ngrguardiannews.com ABRAHAM OBOMEYOMA OGBODO • A member of the Audit Bureau of Circulation •ABC

which Fortune bundled over the line in the sixth minute to give the Baggies a 1-0 halftime lead.

Lukaku then claimed a goal of his own after the break, Fortune turning provider, to double the lead, before Fortune and Southampton substitute Gaston Ramirez were both shown straight red cards for violent conduct. Ramirez caught Shane Long with his elbow and Fortune reacted by slapping the Saints midfielder around the head.

Results EPL Man City 2 – 1 West Ham Everton 1 – 0 Fulham Southampton 0 – 3 West Brom Stoke City 1 - 0 Norwich C Wigan 2 - 2 Tottenham Newcastle 0 – 6 Liverpool Bundesliga Augsburg 3 – 0 Stuttgart Leverkusen 1 – 0 Bremen Bayern Munich 1 – 0 Freiburg Hoffenheim 2 – 1 Nurnberg Wolfsburg 3 – 1 Monchengladbach Dusseldorf 1 – 2 Dortmund

son in the Bundesliga with a 1-0 win over Freiburg and Werder Bremen were sucked closer to the relegation zone on yesterday.

Xherdan Shaqiri’s first-half free kick left treble-chasing Bayern with 84 points, three more than the previous record set by Borussia Dortmund last season, with three games of the 34-match campaign still to play.

Bayern made 10 changes from the team that started Tuesday’s 4-0 Champions League win over Barcelona as they clocked up their 27th victory in 31 league games and improved their goal difference to 76.

Werder Bremen went down to a controversial Stefan Kiessling penalty at thirdplaced Bayer Leverkusen, leaving the four-times champions only two points clear of the relegation playoff place after Augsburg beat VfB Stuttgart 3-0.

Sascha Moelders, Marcel De Jong and South Korean Ji Dong-Won scored in the last half hour for 16th-placed Augsburg who have 30 points from 31 games.

Hoffenheim, who are 17th, also won, beating Nuremberg 2-1 to stay three points behind Augsburg.

Tobias Weis and Sejad Salihovic scored in the first half hour for Hoffenheim and Timmy Simons replied with a second-half penalty.

VfL Wolfsburg beat Borussia Moenchengladbach 3-1 in the afternoon’s other game after 18-year-old Maximilian Arnold opened the scoring with his third goal in five appearances.

Swiss winger Shaqiri continued his impressive debut season at Bayern by curling in a free kick for the only goal against fifth-placed Freiburg, who have been the revelation of the season.

It was Bayern’s 14th successive league win although the single goal was something of a letdown for a team who had blasted 20 goals in their last four matches in all competitions.

Mass Brawl After Valbuena Secures Win For Marseille ATHIEU Valbuena scored M the only goal as Olympique Marseille consolidated second place in Ligue 1 with a 1-0 win at Lorient yesterday.

Valbuena fired in a loose ball from just outside the box in the 25th minute.

There were angry scenes at the end of the game when players from both teams became involved in a mass brawl after Fabien Audard slapped Valbuena in the face.

Lorient player Audard and Dede Ayew of Marseille were sent off.

It was the 12th time Marseille recorded a 1-0 victory this season and it was also their seventh clean sheet in a row.

They have 64 points from 34 games, six behind leaders Paris St Germain who visit lowly Evian Thonon Gaillard today, and are looking good for the second Champions League spot next season.