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Leader, the Yoruba Obas Conflicts Resolution Committee, the Olugbo of Ugboland, Oba Obateru Akinruntanm (left); the Baapitan of Ibadan, Prof. Toyin Falola; the Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Samuel Odulana; wife of the Baapitan, Bisi Falola and wife of Akinruntanm, Olori Iyabode, at the installation of Falola as Baapitan of Ibadan by the Olubadan... yesterday.

PHOTO: NAJEEM RAHEEM

20 Nations Issue Travel Warnings Against From Laolu Akande, New York

• As Global Frustration Trails Terror Attacks IGERIA’S failing security N situation is causing a UNICEF, again, issued a global sense of frustration international scale, about 20 of the four critical stateand there is fear of possible isolation, judging from western nations’ responses to the increasing wave of terror attacks in the country.

Following significant negative media attention on an

Jonathan To Nyako:

NEWS 2

You Are Dividing Us

countries have advised their citizens to stay away from Nigeria, mostly due to last week’s terror attacks. Even at the United Nations, where Nigeria is currently holding the gavel as this month’s President of the Security Council, there is a sense of frustration, as four major official statements criticised the state of insecurity in Nigeria.

Specifically, the Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, has had to issue two statements

ments on the Nigeria terror attacks within three days. His first statement was on Monday the 14th after the Nyanya Bus station bombing, and then on Wednesday after the kidnapping of over 100 schoolgirls in Chibok, Borno State.

Then, from the Security Council, where Prof Joy Ogwu has been presiding as rotating president for April, came the third UN statement on the suspected Boko Haram attacks this week.

strongly worded statement after the abduction of the schoolgirls, making it the fourth UN statement condemning the situation in Nigeria. UN sources believe this is not a very good sign for the country’s image, considering its standing at the UN. Diplomatic sources also hinted that Ogwu, the Nigeria’s Permanent Representative and notable female Ambassador in the UN community in New York,

has had to shoulder the frustrating responsibility of chairing the Security Council with the burden of knowing her own country itself is a major international security concern. Not surprisingly, it is believed that Ogwu’s moral authority as Council President has been severely weakened by the rising threat of Boko Haram terrorism during Nigeria’s presidency rotation this month.

All the four UN statements showed a deep sense of international outrage but also of frustration at the seemingly helplessness of the Nigerian CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

Nigeria Will Overcome, Says Jonathan • Clergy, Politicians Preach Peace, Forgiveness At Easter From Mohammed Abubakar, Nkechi Onyedika and Adamu Abuh (Abuja), Lawrence Njoku (Enugu) and Alemma-Ozioruva Aliu (Benin City) S Christians all over the A world mark the resurrection of their saviour — Jesus Christ — President Goodluck Jonathan, yesterday, said Nigeria would overcome its woes, even as church leaders and their counterparts in politics urged peace and forgiveness among Nigerians.

The President’s assurances came on the heels of increased Boko Haram attacks in some northern CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

2 | NEWS Sunday, April 20, 2014

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NEWS

Jonathan To Nyako: You Are Dividing Nigeria From Azimazi Momoh Jimoh, Abuja HE Presidency, yesterday, T described the contents of the letter written by the Adamawa State governor, Murtala Nyako, to other northern governors as “extremely divisive and intentionally meant to incite one section of the country against the other.”

Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe, in a statement said that “Nyako’s claim that President Goodluck Jonathan is from the Eastern region, which, according to him, was responsible for the killing of Northern political elites on the 15th of January 1966, is a very disgraceful remark by the governor and a pathetic embarrassment to the Nigerian Military from

where Nyako derives his career antecedents.”

Okupe’s statement, which he personally signed, noted that “the letter written by Governor Murtala Nyako of Adamawa State to his colleague northern governors as published in some major news Media is an unmitigated leadership disaster and a sad betrayal of trust by a major beneficiary of the Nigerian Nation.

‘The content of the Governor’s letter unfortunately exposes him as lacking a sense of history as well as incapable of rising above parochial sentiments and possessing a morbid hatred for facts and truth in public discourse. It is extremely divisive and intentionally meant to incite one section of the country against the other.

Governor Nyako claims that President Goodluck Jonathan

is from the Eastern region, which according to him was responsible for the killing of Northern political elites on the 15th of January 1966! …It is certainly a reflection of the Governors ignorance and unpatriotic inclinations.

‘Similarly, the Adamawa State governor referred to the Boko Haram terrorist group as a “phantom organisation” which he believes does not exist! How hypocritical?

In his unwise and desperate attempt to demonise the Federal Government, Governor Nyako likened the military operations against insurgents to the activities of German dictator, Adolf Hitler! In his befuddled mind and apparent hallucination, the Federal Government should be held responsible for the activities of insurgents in the North

Parents Of Abducted School Girls Abandon Search In Sambisa Forest From Saxone Akhaine, Northern Bureau Chief ARENTS and relatives, P who resolved to go on a wild search for their abducted daughters in the Sambisa forest of Borno State, said they could not find any of the missing school girls.

A father, who craved anonymity, told the BBC Hausa Service yesterday, that all through the fruitless search in the wild forest, they did not come in contact with any Nigerian soldier in the forest.

Speaking in an interview with the BBC Hausa service monitored in Kaduna, the father whose daughter was among those abducted by suspected terrorists in Chibok town of Borno State, said that they had commenced the search in the forests at about 6 am but could not trace any of the abducted female students until they (the searchers) gave up at about 6 pm.

According to the bereaved father, ”we are about 200 in the forest, but we had to return back. We couldn’t sleep there; we saw nothing but make-shift huts that were erected in the bushes, we saw vehicles like that of

security agents in the bush, there were so many things, there was even bread.”

“We, however, saw a different set of people who asked of our mission, and we told them. It is a very thick forest and anyone would be scared to explore the forest.

“Contrary to claims by the authorities that soldiers were in the forest trying to rescue the school girls, we saw nobody, we didn’t see any vigilante agent too, we did not see any security agent, even in our dream.

These soldiers, we didn’t see any,“ he said.

The authorities in Borno confirmed to the BBC Hausa that about 30 female students were still in captivity, four days after the suspected terrorists abducted them.

Affected parents and other relations of the missing girls were deeply worried. The

military authorities had also denied a statement earlier made that all the girls were rescued with the exception of eight.

The Principal of the affected school, Asabe Kunbura, had denied giving such information to the military as was earlier claimed.

Meanwhile, women delegates at the ongoing National Conference have accused President Jonathan of being insensitive to the abduction of female students by suspected terrorists group. They blamed the Federal Government for poor rescue mission to secure their release.

The female delegates also condemned the increasing level of insurgency in the North East region and called on Nigerians to condemn devilish acts against women.

East and the sad killings, wanton destruction, murder and kidnapping of school children as well as other horrendous activities of Boko Haram should be hung on the neck of the Federal Government!

“He, therefore, invited his colleague northern governors to join him to sue the Federal Government. This definitely defies common sense and portrays Mr. Nyako as unfit for the hallowed position of a State Governor.

It is, perhaps, necessary to

request the Adamawa Governor to publish his yearly budget for the past five years and disclose how much has been voted or spent to support the war on terror or assist victims of insurgents activities in his state.

“The public will recall that only recently, the Governor was publicly attacked by a group of angry youths, who accused him of nonchalance and failure to support victims of Boko Haram’s mur-

derous onslaught on innocent citizens of the state.

‘We also wish to remind Nigerians that this same Governor Nyako was recently quoted as having boasted openly that now that the Fulani herdsman can assemble the AK47 gun, “the security equilibrium in the country is now balanced.” The same man was reported to have imported some fulanis from outside the country and spent CONTINUED ON PAGE 14

Global Frustration Trails Terror Attacks, AS 20 Nations Issue Travel Warnings CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 government to effectively control the situation. In fact, some of the statements noted that international laws are being broken with impunity in Nigeria. In its statement condemning both acts of terror, UNICEF called “for greater efforts to protect all children throughout Nigeria,” and that “the Nigerian government should urgently take steps to make sure that the children are returned to their families unharmed and that they can continue their education in a safe environment.”

On the other hand, travel warnings against Nigeria are fast becoming the new international fad.

While countries like the US have already issued several warnings to its citizens about Nigeria, it has updated the advisory earlier this year and has kept those travel advisories in force up until now.

But more nations are doing the same after last week set of terrorist attacks in Abuja and Borno State. According to a statement from Canada’s Foreign Affairs Ministry, in an updated advisory released over the weekend, Canadians have been advised to avoid “non-essential travel to

Nigeria,” declaring that “the security situation throughout the country is unpredictable, and there is a significant risk of terrorism, crime, inter-communal clashes, armed attacks and kidnappings.”

The very detailed warning was updated after the Nyanya bus stop bombing and the kidnap of over 100 girls in Borno State both of which happened last week.

In its current travel advisory on Nigeria, the US government categorically warned its citizens, recommending that “US citizens avoid all travel to Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states.” The US government further added that the security situation in Nigeria “remains fluid and unpredictable.”

From the Australian government also came, this week, an updated travel warning to its citizens against going to Nigeria.

According to the statement from the Australian Foreign Affairs and Trade Department, an updated warning against Nigeria was issued last Tuesday April 15, a day after the Nyanya bus stop bombing.

“Australians in Nigeria are reminded that, in recent years, places of worship have

been attacked during Easter period. We continue to advise Australians to reconsider their need to travel to Nigeria at this time due to the very high threat of terrorist attack, the high risk of kidnapping, the unpredictable security situation, the heightened risk of violent civil unrest and the high level of violent crime,” the official warning stressed.

The situation is the same in the United Kingdom. On April 16, two days after the Nyanya attack, the UK government also updated its travel warning to its citizens ruling out all travel by its citizens to Borno, Yobe, Adamawa, Bauchi, and Gombe states.

The same advisory was made by the British government regarding travel to Kano city, Okene, riverine states and Warri city. That travel warning also referenced the Nyanya attack.

At the European Union, several other western nations have also asked its citizens to avoid travel to Nigeria. They are France, Germany, Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Spain and Sweden.

Clergy, Politicians Preach Peace, Forgiveness At Easter CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 states, including the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, and abduction of more than 100 female school children in Borno State.

Speaking during his Easter message, Jonathan said: “My belief in our ability to overcome all retrogressive and divisive forces in our midst and build a strong, united and prosperous nation by turning our unique diversity into a source of strength remains unshaken, and we will continue to work with all interest groups and stakeholders in the country to achieve the peaceful, secure and politically stable condi-

tions essential for rapid socioeconomic development.”

The President added: “In spite of the evil machinations of terrorists, criminals and their collaborators, our administration remains ardently focused on efforts to successfully execute the Federal Government’s Agenda for National Transformation and achieve sustained development.”

The President urged, “all Nigerians to reflect on the significance of its (Easter) lessons of piety, obedience to higher authorities, self sacrifice for the good of others, redemption, salvation, deliverance, renewal and the ultimate triumph of good over evil.”

In the same vein, former Vice President and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Atiku Abubakar, canvassed spirit of love among Nigerians.

In Anambra State Governor,

Governor Willie Obiano urged citizens to imbibe the spirit of sacrifice and selfdenial in line with the example of “our Lord Jesus Christ,” even as the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) in Edo State and Governor Adams Osiomhole called for prayers.

Governor Sullivan Chime of Enugu state urged Nigerians to use the occasion of the Easter celebrations to pursue peace and tolerance among all ethnic and religious groups while praying for divine intervention in the contemporary challenges facing the nation.

The Governor who stated this in a goodwill message signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Chukwudi Achife, congratulated Christians on the successful conclusion of Lenten season, noting that it had been a period of purification and deep reflections on God’s eternal love and com-

passion for mankind.

He said such reflections would help Nigerians understand why they should respect each other’s rights, especially the right to life and the right to enjoy peaceful coexistence with their neighbours.

In the same vein, former Governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi, described Easter Celebration as significant in many ways. In his Easter message, the former governor said that, besides celebrating the death and resurrection of Christ, the season encapsulates the highest exemplification of love and sacrifice for the good of others.

Calling on Christians to reflect on the sacrifice of Christ for the salvation of mankind, he stressed urged Nigerians to share and remember the less privileged among them, “as Christ remembers us always.

“I have always maintained

that religious celebration have deeper significance mostly bothering on love.

Though people now attach Epicurean angle to all celebrations, but the fact of their origin and very conception, such as Easter, show they truly beckon on us to show love and treat one another with kindness.”

Bemoaning the recent events in the country, the bomb blast and kidnap of students in Borno State and other man-made security challenges, Obi said: “This Easter particularly offers Nigerians the opportunity to think about their country and realise that its progress is dependent on Nigerians working together in the spirit of love rather than building, encouraging and nurturing the culture of hate, destruction and death.

He commiserated with families affected by the insur gency in the north.

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EASTER MESSAGES Now Is Time To Love, Sacrifice –Atiku ORMER Vice President and F chieftain of All Progressives Congress (APC), Atiku Abubakar, called on Nigerians to imbibe the spirit of love and sacrifice as they celebrate Easter, and watch out for the wellbeing of one another.

In his Easter goodwill message issued by his Media Office in Abuja, Atiku enjoined Christians and all Nigerians to internalise the spiritual gains and benefits of the season for a better society.

According to him, this is the only path to enthroning a Nigeria where the basic human rights of the rich and poor are respected and upheld, and where citizens can dwell in peace and safety.

“We need to be our brothers’ and sisters’ keepers, and above all, make sacrifice an integral part of our existence. That is the only way the sacrifice and life’s lessons of Jesus Christ will make meaning in our own daily lives and the life of our nation,” Atiku said.

How To Make The Best Of Easter, By Akpabio The different stages of the procession, depicting the persecution and crucifixion of Jesus Christ, as staged by the Youths of St Mary’s Catholic Cathedral Church, Oke Padre, in PHOTO: NAN Ibadan, Oyo State Capital on… Friday.

Ajimobi Wants More Prayers For Nation OVERNOR Abiola Ajimobi G of Oyo State, on his part, called on Christians in Nigeria to use the occasion of this year’s Easter celebrations to pray fervently for the country so that it can overcome its security challenges.

The governor, in his Easter message issued in Ibadan on Friday by his Special Adviser on Media, Dr. Festus Adedayo, also tasked Christians to pray for peace and tranquility in the country.

He said that it is in an atmosphere of love, togetherness and renewed commitment to Nigeria’s unity that Nigeria could attain the much-desired greatness and be counted among the comity of successful nations.

OYO Ajimobi also condemned what he called senseless killings, maiming and bombings currently being perpetrated by insurgents in some parts of the country, saying that no religion supports taking people’s lives under whatever guise.

He urged Nigerians to emulate Jesus Christ who offered himself as a living sacrifice for the redemption of mankind.

“Easter is not about wining and dining. Rather, it is an occasion to realise that we need to love one another as exhibited

by God who, out of his love for mankind, offered Jesus Christ to die for our sins and to give life more abundantly,” he said.

Peace, Unity On Amaechi’s Mind From Kelvin Ebiri, Port Harcourt

RIVERS

N his Easter message, Rivers State Governor, Chibuike Amaechi urged Nigerians to pray for the release of schoolgirls abducted in Borno State by the Boko Haram Islamic sect, and for peace and unity of the country.

“Jesus Christ died, so that we could live. We must endeavor to emulate the selfless life and sacrifice of Christ. As we celebrate the resurrection of Christ, we must fully appreci-

ate the significance of this very important event in the Christian calendar. Let me call on all Christian faithful to emulate Christ in all their dealings and also remember to love one another. We should realise the fact that we cannot achieve meaningful development in an atmosphere of rancour and acrimony. We should be peaceful and united at all times for the sake of our dear country,” he said.

I

Religious Differences Must Be Resolved, Says Amosun GUN State Governor, SenaO tor Ibikunle Amosun enjoined Nigerians to resolve their religious differences amicably rather than resort to violence.

The governor noted the triumph of Jesus Christ over death through His resurrection, adding that people of all faiths should emulate the selfless sacrifice of Christ as well as the peace he preached.

In a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media, Mrs. Funmi Wakama, Amosun said that Easter is an important event in the Christian calendar, which teaches lessons on the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

OGUN “We must not allow the lessons of the season be lost on us.

All faiths must preach peaceful evangelisation, by so doing, we will be able to tolerate one an-

other and live in peace and harmony,” he said.

The governor also condemned the spate of violence in some parts of the country and called on all to eschew violence in the spirit of the season.

Okorocha: ‘Corruption, Greed Must From Charles Ogugbuaja, Owerri IMO HE Governor of Imo State, T Rochas Okorocha, yesterday, in Owerri, noted that the essence of Easter would be meaningless if Christians do not demonstrate what the event stands for.

In a statement signed by his Senior Special Assistant on

Media, Mr. Sam Onwuemedo, Okorocha warned that “corruption, greed, killing of one another, rape, selfishness and divisions” would not achieve the essence of the ceremony. He called for love and unity of purpose in the country.

Stop Politicking With Security, Mark Warns From Azimazi Momoh Jimoh, Abuja RESIDENT of the Senate, David Mark, yesterday, warned people against playing politics with the current security problems in the country.

In his Easter message, Mark prayed that the peace, joy and forgiveness, which the season of Easter brings through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, would heal the nation.

He called for sober reflection against the backdrop of security threats in the land, but pointed out, “there is an an-

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NATIONAL swer to the security problems in our coming together as a team to tackle the menace headlong.”

He said: “There is a great wisdom in all of us both the government and the governed uniting against the forces of evil in the land. There is no mountain we cannot pull if we work together. The perpetrators of the evil acts can be brought to their knees if we work harmoniously and honestly with a common purpose.”

Mark cautioned against poli-

ticking with the security problems ravaging parts of Nigeria stressing that the issue is beyond ethnic, religious or political affiliations “because every one is now a victim.”

“It would therefore be uncharitable, unfair and a disservice to the Nigerian people to play politics with the attacks and killings of our defenceless country men and women.

When these criminals attack, they do not isolate men from women or party A from party B. Everybody is their victim. It therefore demands that all of us must rise against them. We can defeat them if we unite.”

Ekweremadu, Ndoma-Egba Preach Forgiveness, Charity At Season Bridget Chiedu Onochie, Abuja EPUTY President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu, called on Nigerians to imbibe the lessons of forgiveness and love inherent in Easter.

Ekweremadu, who made the call in his Easter message to Nigerians, noted that forgiveness, self-sacrifice, love and patriotism were indispensable instruments in nation building and urged Nigeri-

D

ans to eschew hate, selfishness and malice.

He said: “On the occasion of Easter, God wants to remind us of his selfless love for mankind in giving his only son as the sacrificial lamb to atone for our sins and the power of love to raise from the dead.

“Therefore, Easter is not just an event, but a way of individual and national life of forgiveness, reconciliation, love,

NATIONAL peace, unity, and patriotic zeal, which we must all imbibe to surmount present challenges and bring about the much desired national renaissance and development.”

He wished the Christian faithful a peaceful and joyful Easter celebration.

Senate Leader Victor Ndoma-Egba urged Nigeri-

ans to be cautious about their safety during the Easter celebrations.

In his message issued in Abuja, Ndoma-Egba noted that Easter is a good time for Christians to rejoice as Jesus Christ, through his sacrifice, has redeemed mankind.

He said: “The resurrection of Christ reflects the redemption of our sins. At this point of our redemption, let us also give thought to the less priv-

ileged in our midst and be safe by guarding our security jealously. This is also a good period for Boko Haram or their agents in our midst to reflect on the needless pains they are inflicting on Nigerians.”

He further assured Nigerians that the National Assembly would continue to partner with government to make the country safer for the citizens.

AKWA IBOM OVERNOR Godswill AkG pabio of Akwa Ibom urged Nigerians to allow the life and teachings of Jesus Christ inspire them in striving for a world knit together by love, and driven by justice.

The governor also asked people to pray for the repose of the souls of children murdered by insurgents and the rescue of abducted children.

Akpabio on Friday said: “Let us spare a moment during the celebrations to pray for our dear country so that God will help us to overcome the current security challenges. The death of Jesus Christ stands out as a perfect example of unconditional love. Let us, therefore, give unconditional love to all of God’s children in Akwa Ibom State, and key into the spirit of this season, by sharing gifts with our neighbours and the less-privileged.”

Akin-Bankole Urges Soberness RIVERS From Gbenga Akinfenwa, Lagos ABOUR Party House of RepLAbeokuta resentatives aspirant in South Federal Constituency, Ogun State, Hon. Soji Akin-Bankole, congratulated Nigerians, especially, people of Abeokuta South and the state in general for witnessing another Easter. He noted that Easter offers Christians and the entire people of Ogun State an opportunity for sober reflection. Akin-Bankole called on Nigerians to reflect on the lessons associated with the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.

Obiano Urges Reflection On Relations ANAMBRA OVERNORWillie Obiano of G Anambra State observed that no society could experience real progress without sacrifice.

In his message released on Good Friday in Awka, the Anambra State capital, Obiano said the celebration of Easter amplifies the significance of sacrifice to human progress.

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NEWS FEC Tobacco Bill: ‘BATN Supports Balanced Regulation’ NATIONAL RITISH American Tobacco, B has reacted to the decision by the Federal Executive

Excited passengers at Agege Terminus, Lagos State, rushing to board a free train ride for Easter celebration organised by Osun State Governor, Rauf Aregbesola… on Friday.

Live For Others, Religious Leaders Urge Nigerians

By Chris Irekamba and Isaac Taiwo S Christians worldwide celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead today, religious leaders have urged Nigerians to live for others, saying this is the hallmark of Easter.

General Superintendent of the Deeper Christian Life Ministry, Pastor William Kumuyi, said: “The death of Jesus Christ brings redemption from sin and oppression.”

Speaking at the Easter Retreat taking place at the Deeper Life Conference Centre, Lagos-Ibadan Express Way, Kumuyi advised Christians to dedicate themselves to reading and studying the life of men and women who had run the Christian race in order to increase their faith in the Lord.

Urging believers to focus al-

A

ways on Jesus whenever there is disappointment and discouragement, Kumuyi, said: “As disciples of Jesus Christ you must get rid of anything that can cause hindrance in your spiritual life and demonstrate the spirit of loyalty, faithfulness, steadfastness, determination and discipline in the race.” He added that exercising faith in Christ is the secret of living to please God. Prelate of Methodist Church Nigeria, His Eminence, Dr. Samuel Chukwuemeka Kanu Uche, said: “Easter is that time

HE Anambra State goverT nor, Willie Obiano, has warned criminals, kidnappers and deviants in the state to conform to norms or face the law.

The governor in a statewide broadcast to mark his one month in office yesterday read the riot act to anti-social elements, calling on them to quit their trade and give way to a new Anambra.

The message reads in part: “Fellow Anambrarians, I dream of a new Anambra State, a land of promise and beauty; a place where the creative energies of our restless youths will find purposeful expression in the service of humanity; a state where the wisdom of our elders shall serve as a beacon to our fulfilled hopes and a state where our people’s diverse talents shall be matched by an abundance of opportunities to showcase them.

“Above all, I dream of a safer

of the year, when we celebrate the resurrection of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ whose sacrificial death on the cross and victory over the power of death secured the opportunity for humankind to believe, hope, dream, aspire, expect and wish for a brighter tomorrow and more importantly, have an eternal place of rest in the life after.”

Catholic Archbishop of Lagos, His Grace Alfred Adewale Martins, called on dele-

gates at the ongoing national conference to ensure they put the interests of the nation over and above parochial tribal, ethnic and religious sentiments.

In his Easter message, signed by the Director of Social Communications, Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos, Msgr.

Gabriel Osu, Martins, said it would be most unfortunate if, at the end of the day, the confab fails to move the nation forward despite the enormous resources it has gulped.

According to him, the confab

Fayemi’s Education Policy A Ruse, Says Fayose ORMER Ekiti State governor ment issued by Fayose’s EKITI FPartyand the Peoples Democratic spokesman, Mr. Idowu (PDP) 2014 governorship candidate, Mr. Ayo Fayose, has carpeted his main opponent in the June 21 governorship election, Governor Kayode

Obiano Clocks One Month In Office, Warns Kidnappers, Deviants From Chuks Collins, Awka

NATIONAL

ANAMBRA Onitsha, Nnewi, Awka and all our 177 communities where the entrepreneurial and creative impulses God has given our people in super abundance shall no longer be overwhelmed by the crippling fear of insecurity that has chased many of our entrepreneurs, sons and daughter, brothers and sisters, and worst, ageing and frail parents and grand-parents, out of the state. This is the Anambra of my dream, and guns in the hands of a few criminals shall not prevent its realisation!

“So, I say this to kidnappers, armed robbers, and gangsters: be warned. In the name of God, give up your crimes and extortionist activities; rejoin civil society or leave Anambra State for good. you are not bigger than this government. My government is determined to rid this state of your criminal activities for good, whatever resources it takes.”

Fayemi, saying that his education policy is a failure.

Fayose who stated this while addressing a large crowd of supporters at Imesi Ekiti, in Ekiti West Local Government Area of the state, noted that despite the media hype of Fayemi on revitalising education, Ekiti State emerged 34th position in the last WAEC e x a m s .

According to a press state-

Adelusi, in Ado Ekiti, yesterday, Fayose said that when he became governor in 2003, Ekiti was at the 36th position in WAEC and NECO exams but that by 2006, he had brought the state to the 1st position in the South West.

While describing Fayemi’s administration as a failure, Fayose told Ekiti people to vote overwhelmingly for him to become governor, promising that the PDP government

offers a good platform for all segments of the country to dialogue on the way forward for the country and address the lopsided political, social and economic structures which have often favoured a few over the majority of the people.

Meanwhile, a non-governmental group, Christian Conscience, has admonished political leaders to set aside their differences and tackle the issue of insecurity, political thuggery, kidnapping and other crimes in some parts of the country.

under him will bring an era of meaningful development and prosperity to the state.

At Ido Ile, Fayose promised to construct a road linking the town with Imesi Ekiti, urging the people to obtain their voter cards.

He said: “If you love me and want me to return as your governor, go and get your voter card ready and don’t release it to anybody.”

The campaign took the PDP candidate to all the wards in the local government.

‘How To Achieve Agricultural Transformation’ From Lawrence Njoku, Enugu UNIvERSITy don, Prof. Ike A Oluka, has suggested the development of appropriate agricultural mechanisation strategies if Nigeria must achieve real transformation in the agricultural sector.

He stated that there is need to establish clear objectives of agricultural mechanisation and formulate National Agricultural Mechanization Strategic plans for their implementation.

According to him, the effort requires a thorough understanding of major technologybased impediments, as well as solutions to agricultural mechanisation in the country.

Oluka, a professor of Agricultural and Bio-resource Engi-

ENUGU neering, made the suggestions when he delivered the 2014 inaugural lecture of Enugu State University of Technology (ESUT) in Enugu.

He maintained that national agricultural mechanisation planning often starts with situation analysis, development of the strategy and adoption of the strategic plans, adding that effective mechanisation strategic plan is essentially holistic in approach, involves both government and the private sector and emphasizes profitability considerations, creation of an enabling environment and clear roles for both public and private sectors.

He said: “Nigeria’s agricultural policy has been moving

from interventionism to liberalisation standpoints.

The government’s priority at the time was to boost domestic production, particularly of cash crops. This strong interventionist period pushed Nigeria to the position of the world’s top producer of rubber, groundnuts and palm oil, and the world’s second-largest cocoa producer.

“The presence of oil and gas from the 1970s and its attendant oil wealth resulted in a reduced interest in supporting agriculture. That policy reversal led to strong decline in domestic agricultural production, reduction in contribution of agriculture in national economy and made the country food import dependent.

Council to send a bill to the National Assembly, saying that it supports a balanced regulation of the tobacco industry.

According to Mr. Freddy Messanvi, Director for Corporate and Regulatory Affairs for West Africa, the company’s position on regulation remains the same: British American Tobacco supports effective regulation of the tobacco industry. He added that for regulation to be effective and achieve its objectives, it must be balanced and e n f o r c e a b l e .

British American Tobacco Nigeria has always stated its support for tobacco regulation. In the past however, the company had asked that the drafting of tobacco control bills be clear of ambiguities in order for them to be enf o r c e a b l e .

The company had also maintained that tobacco control laws must ensure that the legal industry is not affected by such laws to the undue advantage of criminal tobacco smuggling rings.

In the words of Freddy Messanvi: “We have not seen the bill yet, so we cannot make any comments on the proposals in the bill. All we can say at this point is that care should be taken to ensure that the proposals in the bill do not lead to unintended.”

Mr. Messanvi alluded to the recent passage of the Lagos State Public Smoking Bill, which he praised, saying, “the process for the passage of the Lagos State Bill was inclusive and not discriminatory in any form. This is the ideal practice which must be emulated at all times.”

Mark, Soyinka Absent At Award Ceremony OYO From Iyabo Lawal, Ibadan ENATE President David SProf.Mark and Nobel Laureate, Wole Soyinka who were to be honoured by the Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Samuel Odulana Odugade I, as part of his centenary birthday celebration were absent at the ceremony.

Only a United State of America-based historian, Prof.

Toyin Falola, was physically present to receive his chieftaincy title of Bobapitan of Ibadanland.

This was part of the weeklong activities for the 100th birthday of Oba Odulana put together by the Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes (CCII), the umbrella body for all socio-cultural groups in Ibadan.

In his acceptance speech, Falola said he accepted the honour because Oba Odulana is not given to frivolous conferment of titles on undeserving individuals.

Sunday, April 20, 2014 5

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

APC NASS Member, Odedo Decamps To PDP From Chuks Collins, Awka and Joseph Wantu, Makurdi new twist has now been added to the All Progressives Congress (APC) crisis in Anambra State, as Hon. Charles Odedo representing Idemili Federal Constituency on the platform of the party in the State, yesterday tendered his resignation from the party.

There are strong indications that more people would follow his footsteps. This is coming at time the party is facing some internal challenges, which came to the fore during the recent Ward Congress in the State.

Sources had it that Odedo would return to PDP where he initially Started from.

Political watchers believed his dumping of the party would not be unconnected with the recent power show between him and Ngige on who becomes the chairman of the party in Idemili North.

Whereas Odedo’ choice was Arinze Mgbemena from Ideani, Ngige preferred

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• Other Members Threaten Defection In Benue Edozie Mbaneme from Uke. This, according to party sources was the only local council area where Odedo attempted to make input.

Again, the interim state chairman of the party in the state, Chief Amechi Obidike said to be cousin to Governor Obiano, but have been so committed to Ngige was said to have been short-changed in the on-going crises ridden congress.

In a related development there are strong signals that APC may loss its supporters to other parties if the national secretariat of the party does not act fast to bring peace to the crisis rocking the Benue State chapter of the party.

The Guardian gathered that some of the party elders in the state, including, Chief Isaac Shaahu, Indira Garba, Ninga Biam, Amb. M. Gbasha, Jerry Yande, Terhemba Kajo and others are already accusing Senator George Akume and his political associates of

ineptitude, which precipitated the party’s membership drive. They also, condemned the shoddy manner in which the party congresses are organised in the State.

“As it is now, the congresses have been bedeviled with malpractices, abuse of processes and upright debasement of supposed stakeholders of the party. We do not agree with attempts by non-registered members of the party to plant their surrogates as party officials,” the elders maintained.

They said the interference in the affairs of APC in the zone by the interim chairman, Targema Takema is very glaring and an indication that it is the handiwork of the Senate Minority Leader, George Akume, noting that as a result, many stakeholders of the party are being excluded from the scheme of things.

Similarly, elders of APC in Konshisha LGA of the State have petitioned their House of Representative member,

Iorwase Hembe (PDP) to the national secretariat of the party for funding the division in APC in the State, as a way of solidifying his third term ambition in 2015.

The elders in a petition signed by Chief Isaac Shaahu and Chief Ukor Ayem with a copy made available to The Guardian alleged that even as Mr. Hembe has not defected from PDP to APC, he came

home and organised pre-congress meetings of APC at the local government and wards levels without reference to even the member of the harmonisation committee representing Konshisha LGA. They called on the national secretariat of APC to act fast by correcting the anomaly or loss their membership to other political parties, noting that what the people are looking for, is the party where their views would be re-

Diocese Of Lagos Mainland Holds Synod, Clerics Urge Leaders To Shun Corruption

By Isaac Taiwo HE Diocese of Remo in a T communiqué signed by Rt. Rev. M.O. Akinwale at the end of the Diocese’s 23rd Synod held at the Methodist Church Nigeria, Sabo, Lagos has described the lingering issue of corruption in Nigeria as a national menace.

The released said corruption is the main factor responsible for the stunted growth of the nation’s economy and the prevailing problem of

Ogun State Commissioner of Agriculture, Mrs. Ronke Sokefun ( right); Principal partner, Caterina de’ Medici Africa, Foluke Michael; Chief of Party, Nigeria Expanded Trade and Transport (NEXTT), Alf Monaghan; and LAKAJI Corridor Development Manager (NEXTT), Osita PHOTO: FABIAN ODUM Aniemeka at the flagging off of Caterina’s Pilot Cassava Farm project at Ikenne, Ogun state.

unemployment, noting that no nation can experience holistic growth amid intense corruption and crisis.

“Federal Government has failed in the area of security and the nation has become a jungle where anybody does what he or she likes. The National Conference should, therefore, not be a talking carnival, but a forum where issues of common interest that affects every Nigerian must not be treated with levity.

“Government must rise up to solve the problem of unemployment and electricity in the nation, bring an end to the wanton killings of innocent people by Boko Haramsect and ensure that the youth are not used as political thugs in the coming elections.”

In a related development, the Bishop of the Diocese of Lagos Mainland, Methodist Church of Nigeria, Rt. Rev. Isaac Ayo Olawuyi urged Nigerians to give God His rightful place in the country to enable it move forward.

Speaking at the opening session of the 20th Synod of the Diocese, which took place at Hoare’s Memorial Methodist Cathedral, Yaba, Lagos, Olawuyi lamented the various ills confronting the nation, including the recent fuel scarcity.

“The country is presently faced with multiple challenges, which are beyond explanation. Till now, no one can actually tell what exactly is the reason the Boko Haramsect has to bomb different places, killing people and destroying properties.

NDDC Boss Decries Low Agriculture Output Ann Godwin, Port Harcourt HE Managing Director of T Niger Delta Development Commission, Mr. Bassey DanAbia, has decried the country’s agriculture output, saying while Nigeria’s agricultural output is declining, her peer, Argentina is increasing in output.

Dan-Abia said this during the 18th Green River Project and Farmers’ Day Celebration organised by the Nigerian Agip Oil Company in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni local council area.

According to him: “The agricultural sector used to be the dominant contributor to the Nigerian Gross Domestic Product (GDP), but this has been diluted as other sectors such as finance, construction, entertainment and others have braced up their contribution to the economy.

The Vice Chairman/Managing of NAOC, Mr. Massimo Insula, noted that the Green River Project has improved

the livelihood of the company’s host communities in the Niger Delta region, adding that in 2013 alone, there was distribution of improved 3,435 bundles of cassava stems, 10,668 seed yam, 245kg maize seeds, 37.5kg melon seeds, 46.6kg okra seeds, 18,000 plantain/banana suckers, 11,645 pineap-

ple suckers and 20,030 different indigenous fruit tree seedlings, which have enhanced the people’s farm output.

Explaining how agriculture had contributed to the Nigeria’s current Gross Domestic Product, which placed the country as the largest economy in Africa, the NDDC boss

said only 50 per cent of the 82 million hectares of arable land in Nigeria had been cultivated.

He said: “This is exemplified by the currently released rebased GDP figure, which shows that the agricultural sector contribution is only 21.97 percent or N17.625 trillion ($112.26 billion) of the

total N80.22 trillion ($510 billion) GDP that places Nigeria as the largest economy in Africa.

“Nigeria’s agricultural output while seemingly impressive is actually underperforming. Her peer such as Argentine with its mostly subsistence method of cultivation is tremendously

2015: Why We Want Jonathan • No President Has Favoured The North Like Jonathan, Says PFF

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non-governmental group, Progressive Friends Foundation (PFF) has reiterated its commitment to work for the return of Dr. Goodluck Jonathan as Nigeria’s President in 2015.

Chairman, Board of Trustees of the Group, Senator Ibrahim Mantu made this disclosure while addressing participants at the group’s 2014 Summit held in Abuja at the weekend.

Senator Mantu, who was represented by a former member of the House of Representa-

tives, Labra Musa Wayep, noted that the present administration has done well and deserves another chance to govern.

He said, “I believe in Jonathanled administration. If a man is good, tell him he is good, if a man has capacity, allow him to do what he needs to do. A little encouragement makes the difference. Jonathan has taken the bull by the horn and done what no President has done in a very long time. We must do away with sentiments and work to make Nigeria great. Given an-

other opportunity as Nigerian President, the country will be a very different place to be.

“Quote me, in a long time, we have not had a government where the northern extraction has enjoyed so much appointments like in the present administration. Time has come for Nigerians to begin to think of what to do to better Nigeria,” he stated.

Also speaking, the National Chairman of the group, Chief Innocent Nyingerifaka commended the President for

what he described as an excellent performance in office and urged all Nigerians to support him in 2015.

“Jonathan has performed excellently well in all sectors of governance and fulfilled his political promises to the people. Only good governance can move this country forward.

We must work to promote our democracy and build peace and friendship across the Niger. President Goodluck Jonathan is doing well and we want to work together to support him for a second tenure.”

NEWS School Girls Abduction: Army Must Apologise

By Kamal Tayo Oropo AGOS State University LMuslim (LASU) don and Director of Rights Concern (MURIC), Professor Ishaq Akintola, has called on the military authority to go beyond retraction and formally apologise to Nigerians over its Chibok secondary school girls abduction goof.

The Nigerian Army had on Wednesday, April 16, 2014 claimed that it had rescued 107 out of the 129 students from Government Girls’ Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State abducted by group suspected to Boko Haram sect. But to the dismay of many Nigerians, the school principal, Mrs. Asabe Kwambura, denied the report of such rescue operation. Officials of the Borno State Government also corroborated the denial. An embarrassed military authority quickly retracted its story the following day, Thursday, April 17, 2014.

Stressing that it is only in Nigeria that such confusion is condoned, Akintola lamented that the abduction of the girls in their school is a tremendous setback for girl-child education, adding that the situation should have been treated with more seriousness and high level of professionalism.

In a statement, yesterday, Akintola, on behalf of MURIC drew the attention of Nigerians to the misery and despair of parents of the unfortunate girls.

Orji Enjoins Nigerians To Unite Against Terrorism From Gordi Udeajah -Umuahia HE Abia State Governor, Dr. T Theodore Orji, has said the only way Nigeria can overcome her current threat to peace, is for her citizens to be united against terrorism as the country passes through what he called the nation’s red sea.

Orji in his Easter message released by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Charles Ajunwa, said: “We desire a nation where all Nigerians can move freely from one part of the country to another, where our children will not be kidnapped from schools and our women will not be raped by evil men.”

Urging Nigerians to be united, Orji noted that though terrorist organisations always seek ways to divide communities, saying that countries that have overcome their challenges and attained stability, did so by being united.

This Easter, he stated, “presents the opportunity to reflect on the words of our Lord Jesus Christ. We must treat ourselves as brothers and sisters and work together to defeat the evil act of terrorism. We must stand together at all times regardless of our colours or ethnic backgrounds.

According to the governor, the people of Abia State are not relenting in praying for Nigeria and wants others to emulate them.

THE GUARDIAN, Sunday, April 20, 2014

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Boko Haram: Shut Public Schools, CAN Tells From Abiodun Fagbemi (Ilorin) and Ali Garba (Bauchi) HRISTIAN faithful in Kwara State have asked the Federal Government to close down public secondary schools in troubled spots in northern Nigeria.

A statement by the chairman, Kwara State chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Professor Timothy Opoola, said the call became imperative following the killing and kidnapping of pupils by insurgents in the region.

Meanwhile, the Christian Elders Forum of Northern Nigeria (NOSCEF) has staged a peaceful demonstration demanding the release of some Christian youths from detention.

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Protest Over ‘Detention Of Christian Youths’ According to the group, the youths were arrested and detained following the 2011 post election violence in Bauchi.

The demonstration took place yesterday in TafawaBalewa and Bogoro Local Government Councils of the state.

NOSCEF appealed to the state government to free the youths, so that they could be reunited with their families.

The Elders Forum lamented the detention of the youths ‘without any concrete evidence’, saying the Bauchi State High court had ordered their discharge.

The peaceful protest, which attracted a large turnout, drew wailing women, youths and children to major streets,

backed by security operatives.

Speaking to newsmen during the event, leader of the Forum, Pastor Joshua Gida called on government to tamper justice with mercy and release the youths.

Gida linked the arrest of the youths to political interests and cautioned Governor Yuguda not to punish people that voted him into power. He said that since March 13, 2013 the state High Court had discharged the youths, wondering why they are still being held in detention.

The statement noted that the continued killing of young people would jeopardise the future of the country,

expressing regret that government has not been able to come out with concrete solution to tackle the security challenges confronting the nation.

CAN also asked political office holders to make fairness and justice a way of life, rather than mere slogans.

The statement by CAN reads in part: “The recent bomb blast in Abuja, which killed many innocent souls, added to the horror of the abduction of several female students by people suspected to be terrorists, have become matters of grave concern to all right thinking Nigerians.

“We want to ask that pending the time normalcy would return to the troubled spots in the northern part of the

Ekiti State PDP 2014 governorship candidate, Mr. Ayo Fayose (left); the Owa Oye of Oke Imesi Ekiti, Oba Micheal Gbadebo Adedeji (middle) and a chieftain of Ayo Fayose Campaign Organisation, Chief Gbadebo Ibuoye, when Fayose paid a courtesy visit to the monarch at his palace… on Friday.

country, all public schools should be closed to forestall further loss of lives.

“While as believers we shall not fail to pray for the restoration of peace in our fatherland, we believe it is also incumbent on our leaders to rise to the occasion and take every possible step to stop the senseless killings.

“As a body of believers, we are worried particularly that we are all watching the future of our country being destroyed without any reasonable result being seen to have been achieved.

“We recall with regret that this year alone, hundreds of lives have been lost to this insurgency, and a number of other causes. We are even much more concerned about the attack on innocent young people who have no hand in whatever misfortune the aggrieved insurgents might have been protesting against.

“We believe it is high time our government took much more proactive measures in curtailing the spread of this menace, which is cutting away the future of our nation, because the innocent children being killed are the people we expect would replace our aging population some day.

“If those who are our leaders today had been killed in their younger days, like we are now witnessing, we wonder how they would have had the chance to be where they are today.

“We must all therefore rise to protect our children. We are of the firm belief that government can do much more than it has done, so far, in bringing peace and stability to this nation, and as such we call on all stakeholders in public office to redouble their efforts in securing lives and property.”

Fanfare As Olubadan Clocks 100 Years From Iyabo Lawal, Ibadan HE ancient city of Ibadan literally stood still as Oba Samuel Odulana Odugade I, clocked 100 years.

His ascension to the throne began with his appointment as Mogaji (head) of his Ladunni family compound at Oja-Igbo in 1972. In 1976, he became Jagun-Olubadanland. Climbing steadily through the rungs of chief-

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taincy within a 31-year period, he became Olubadan on Friday, August 17, 2007, following the demise of Oba Yunusa Oladoja Ogundipe, Arapasowu 1.

The first monarch in the history of Ibadan land to attain that age, it was little wonder his subjects rolled out drums to celebrate this quintessential being.

President Jonathan who vis-

ited the monarch’s residence on Tuesday paid glowing tributes to him for a life of service and peace. He described him as special, being one of very few persons born the year the Northern and Southern Protectorates were amalgamated.

“The attainment of 100 years

by Olubadan is unique, as it is not easy to reach the age. I have been willing to see Nige-

rians who share the same birthday with the country,” said Jonathan.

The weeklong celebration for the royal father put together by the Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes (CCII), the umbrella body for the various socio-cultural groups in Ibadan land, featured a church service, carnival, symposium, Jumat service, stage play, chieftaincy award, a

grand finale party and homage by his subjects.

At the church service, which held at the Cathedral of St Peters, Aremo, clerics and dignitaries took turns to eulogise Oba Odulana. The Diocesan Archbishop, Most Rev. Segun Okubadejo described the celebrant as an embodiment of virtue who has served mankind meritoriously.

Nigeria Commits To Delivering Safe Water, Basic Toilets

By Marcel Mbamalu GROUP of Sub-Saharan African leaders, including Nigeria, has pledged to work harder to reach 325 million people on the continent without safe water and 644 million without basic toilets.

Nigeria, specifically, pledged to end open defecation and achieve universal access to water and sanitation by 2025.

Twenty countries, including 14 from Sub-Saharan Africa, who participated at the Sanitation and Water for All High Level Meeting in Washington DC, promised to provide all citizens with access to safe water, basic toilets and hygiene by 2030.

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The event, which was opened by UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, and World Bank President, Jim Yong Kim, was attended by representatives of 50 governments in Washington.

Nigeria reportedly promised to deliver safe water, basic toilets and hygiene in the next 11 years, even as 16 Sub-Saharan African leaders pledged to eliminate open defecation in their countries by 2030. Ten other Sub-Saharan African governments made separate commitments towards universal access.

Ban Ki-moon reportedly warned that the crisis in water and sanitation would hold

back efforts to eradicate poverty.

“Achieving sanitation and water for all may not be costfree – but it will set people free. Access to sanitation and water means a child free of disease, a woman free of the back-breaking chore to fetch water, a girl free to attend school without fear, a village free of cholera, and a world of greater equality and dignity for all,” he said.

Former Ghanaian President John Kufuor, chair of the Sanitation and Water for All partnership, told participants that he would hold them to their promises. “Sanitation and Water for All is an impor-

tant mechanism to not just learn from each other, but to hold ourselves accountable for results — results that benefit the poorest and most vulnerable people,” he said.

New data from the World Health Organisation and UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) on Water Supply and Sanitation show the massive and growing inequalities in access to safe water and toilets around the world: 748 million globally without safe water and 2.5 billion without proper sanitation. In Sub-Saharan Africa, there remain 325 million without safe water and 644 million without basic sanita-

tion.

Of the one billion people around the world still practicing open defecation, 227 million are in Sub-Saharan Africa, even as nine in 10 of them live in rural areas.

Safe water, basic sanitation and hygiene can prevent illness and make a community healthier and more productive. They can also prevent infant and child mortality, improve rates of education, and prevent the vulnerability that comes when women and girls tasked with fetching water must walk long distances to do so, or when they do not have a safe place to relieve themselves.

Fuel Queues Lessen, As DPR Seals Three Stations From Ann Godwin, Port Harcourt ONG queues of motorists at fuel stations across Port Harcourt, have reduced as many stations now have the product, even though pump price stands between N110 and N120 per litre.

Also, the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) in Port Harcourt has sealed three stations for under dispensing Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), and selling above the stipulated N97 per litre.

The stations include Conoil, Bobby Petroleum and Mic Oils, all along Mgbuoba road in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of the state.

Speaking during the agency’s routine surveillance at the weekend, the zonal operations controller, Mrs. Onyebuchi Sibeudu, said there is now increase in the supply of PMS to the state, hence the reduction in queues.

“Loading has improved. The refinery is on and running. Before, we used to get about 90 trucks, but now there is daily increase in the number of trucks allocated to the state.

Also, the private depots are loading.

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Adeboye Tasks Youths On Hard Work, Diligence

By Isaac Taiwo HE General Overseer of The Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch Adeboye, at a special thanksgiving and prayer service organised for students reminded them of the importance of being diligent, hardworking and visionary to have a successful life in their career and ministry.

Adeboye, addressing thousands of youth from across the country at the RCCG, National Headquarters, Throne of Grace, Ebute-Metta, Lagos said: “It is a fact that many youths because of their lack of foresight, vision and goals, fail to maximise God’s talents and opportunities that come their way.

“When I was a lecturer at the University of Lagos, I had a goal to become the youngest Vice Chancellor in Nigeria and I worked hard to achieve it but God had a better plan for me and I am grateful to Him today.

“In the same vein, Joseph in the scriptures started early in life with a dream and goal to excel and despite many trials and tribulations that could have killed his destiny, he set his eyes on God who helped him in actualising his dreams and used him to save his household in the time of famine.”

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ZOSA Inaugurates New Exco April 27 LL Zunic Old Students, at A home and abroad, are invited to the swearing-in ceremony of new executive committee members on Sunday, April 27, 2014 at 4pm. The venue is Zunic Education Centre, Oyigbo, Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

www.ngrguardiannews.com

TheGuardian

7 Sunday, April 20, 2014

Conscience, Nurtured by Truth

Cityfile

Nyanyan Motor Park Bombing Some of the victims of the blast receiving care

PHOTO: ITUNU AJAYI

‘In Abuja, People Now Avoid Crowded Places’ From Itunu Ajayi, Abuja N Monday April 14, 2014, a powerful explosion rocked the busy Nyanyan Motor Park in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, claiming about 70 lives.

It was a scene of pain and anguish when The Guardian visited some victims of the explosion at the National Hospital on Wednesday. Some were said to be in the theatre while others were having their wounds dressed. As a result, speaking to them was not possible. Also, a matron in one of the wards insisted the victims were traumatised and therefore needed rest.

Notwithstanding, a window of opportunity opened to speak with John Paul. He had bought his ticket and was on a queue, waiting to board a bus when the explosion occurred. Still in pain, he narrated his ordeal: “The sound was deafening. I don’t even know how to describe it. Suddenly, there was confusion everywhere. The people I saw on queues waiting to board those buses would be more than 500.”

Like all other survivors, Paul was full of gratitude to God for sparing his life. He expressed sympathy to those who lost loved ones in the incident.

To forestall another attack, however, the military has mounted a roadblock in Nyanyan, causing a terrible four kilometre-long gridlock.

Olaniyi Ewebiyi, a commuter who rode alongside the reporter, expressed fear that insurgents may consider the gridlock an opportunity to detonate yet another bomb.

He said: “The military is doing more harm than good. They should not encourage traffic to be built up here. They should, instead, device a means so that vehicles will not gather for too long at a particular spot. These attackers are devilish; what if they decide to hit in a place like this.

“In a bid to protect the big men in the city centre, they are now jeopardising the lives of ordinary Nigerians. The president, senators and persons of high authority do not ply this road. If any unfortunate thing happens as a result of this man made gridlock, it is still the common man that would bear the brunt.

“It is also not enough to cordon off the motor park. Health officials should fumigate the place, so that we don’t have an epidemic. Human parts were scattered all over the place and the area still bears a strong stench. Care should be taken to prevent another disaster.”

Life is, however, gradually returning to the FCT, although several places are yet to witness their regular throng of people.

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The insurgents may consider the gridlock an opportunity to detonate yet another bomb. The military checkpoint is doing more harm than good. They should not encourage traffic to be built up here. They should, instead, device means so that vehicles will not gather for too long at a particular spot. These attackers are devilish; what if they decide to hit in a place like this.

Business premises have been affected especially relaxation spots, popularly called ‘gardens’ in the FCT. One owner of such centre, Madam Joyce, said people now avoid crowded areas, fearful they could be targeted in another explosion. “People are running away from busy and crowded areas,” she said.

A visit to Nyanyan market, which is just a stone’s throw from the park, showed many of the stalls were still under lock. A meat seller explained that he came to the market because his stuff was perishable, and also that since the abattoir slaughtered cows, persons selling them had little choice but do business. He stressed that life had to move on and that he could bear watching his family starve.

On how he escaped the blast, president of the Original Inhabitants Development Association in the FCT, Danladi Jeji, said he had already passed through the area and was in his office before the explosion occurred. “I usually leave home early, so that I can beat the heavy traffic on that road. I was already in the office when the incident occurred and my brother called me to ask of my safety,” he said.

Jeji, however, said he could not fathom why government has not thought of making the road a highway, since it is the only one leading to the FCT from the North East. According to him, “I don’t know if the federal government has other better programmes that would affect the lives of people positively than making sure Nyanyan axis is a highway; just like the airport and Kubwa roads. If there had been a by-pass on this axis, there would not have been that high concentration of people like we usually have in Nyanyan park.

He said further: “The perpetrators of this act capitalised on the high volume of people in the park to do this evil. There has been a construction on paper in the last four years that a road will bypass Nyanyan, Mararaba and lead to Abaji. Apart from the initial grading done on the road, the project is still in limbo. There is no reason this tiny road should be the one that leads from the FCT to other states in the North East. But like I said, maybe government has some other better plans for the people.”

The Guardian caught up with the APC governors’ forum at the National Hospital. Governor Rochas Okorocha, who spoke on

behalf of his colleagues, said the forum would set up a trust fund to pay the medical bills of the victims.

Shortly after the blast, the FCT administration had promised to pick up the bills of the victims. But a distraught Peter Zingne whose father, Keffas, was affected by the explosion, told The Guardian that the victims were being asked to buy drugs. Holding a prescription, Peter said he was yet to ascertain the eventual cost of the drugs, as he was on his way to the pharmacy.

“I want to go to the pharmacy to know what the drugs would cost. I don’t even have money on me. The government told us we would not pay any money. But the doctor just told me that my father would be discharged later today (Wednesday), and that I should go and buy these drugs. The doctor said we would still need to buy other drugs for my father’s use at home.”

Reacting to complaints by relatives of victims that they were being asked to buy drugs, Danladi Jeji, who is also a psychiatric nurse at Wuse General Hospital said the development could be the result of administrative procedure. He explained that victims were promptly attended with drugs and equipment available in the hospital, but that naturally some of these drugs become exhausted. This, he said, might explain why some victims were being asked to make purchases. He expressed optimism that such expenditure would be refunded.

“You know, files have to be moved from one table to another.

But what I can tell you is that those who have spent their money to buy drugs would surely be refunded. Their treatment must continue, so the hospital cannot afford not to treat them,” he said.

The beds of some of the victims at the National Hospital were placed along corridors, suggesting facilities might be overstretched.

A visit to Wuse General Hospital revealed a number of victims in critical conditions. At Asokoro District Hospital, the reporter was told that the chief medical director was not on seat. A matron at the public relations department would not grant access to victims, saying only the CMD could authorise such.

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Sunday, April 20, 2014

THE GUARDIAN

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CITYFILE Stories By Lawrence Njoku, Enugu N 2004, when the administration of Dr ChiIternational maroke Nnamani conceived the idea of an inconference centre for Enugu, he had looked forward to boosting tourism and improving revenue generation in the state.

Nnamani had enthused that the economy of the state remained lean because it relied mostly on allocations from the federal government, arguing that an international conference centre with other appurtenances would boost development.

He stated that international conferences had always held in Lagos and Abuja because the areas possessed suitable facilities, stressing that on completion, Enugu conference centre would become a tourist site. The then governor noted that the centre would comprise three auditoriums with sitting capacities for 5000 guests, 1,500-seater small bowl, 1,000seater dome theatre, as well as a 200-room hotel and office complex. Each of the auditoriums would have a unique design.

In the wisdom of the administration, the vast empty land sitting opposite Okpara Square, called the three arms zone, was chosen to host the centre. To underscore his passion for the facility, Nnamani had set out to ensure its completion before handing it over to his successor, and had planned that the banquet hall would be used for part of the ceremony. He had also thought of the possibility of handing over the centre to a foreign firm for proper management before the exit of his administration.

In fact, while work advanced on the project, Nnamani became loud about it and willingly took visitors, including former President Olusegun Obasanjo, then National chairman of the PDP, Ahmadu Ali, and 14 European ambassadors, among others, to the site.

He said that even if not fully finished, it would be made functional before the exit of his administration in 2007, apparently to spur his successor to complete it. The main bowl, shaped like a broken egg, was fitted with glasses and roofed. Electricity was also channelled to the place.

More than seven years after, however, Enugu International Conference Centre has remained where those who initiated it left it.

It could well be counted among abandoned projects in the state. Worst is that there is no glimmer of hope that anything would be done, at least by the present regime to salvage the facility.

A visit to what used to be a source of pride for the state is the story of a gigantic structure in a thick forest. Trees, rodents and insects, among other creatures, compete for space in the buildings and in the entire compound. Portions of the roofs have also given way, even as some of the materials have been removed.

The Guardian discovered on Tuesday that part of the infrastructure’s high wall has caved in thereby providing access into the massive compound.

Government had before now put the entry gates under lock and key, apparently to prevent people from removing materials from the place or capitalising on the bushy environ to perpetrate crime.

Indications that the completion of the centre, which had already gulped millions of naira before the incumbent administration in the state came on board would remain a mirage, emerged on two occasions when reporters confronted Governor Sullivan Chime over the project.

Chime, who had not hidden the fact that Enugu is a poor state, had said that no respon-

Enugu Int’l Conference Centre:

A Sad Tale Of Abandonment sible government would invest the lean resources of the state in such a massive building.

He said his government lacked the funds to complete the project. He did not, however, state how much was required to complete the project and efforts by his administration in that direction.

He explained that the state was faced with several challenges in the areas of roads, electricity, health and education, among others, stressing that he would not leave these areas of priority to start investing in the conference centre.

Chime had asked the reporters to seek out any investor that could be interested in the project, to partner with the state. He noted that his administration would be glad “to enter into partnership to ensure its completion”.

His Chief of Staff, Mrs Ifeoma Nwobodo, reechoed the view in December last year when she told journalists that government was not “thinking about the project for now due to paucity of funds and numerous challenges”.

The feeling from residents is that lack of sincere commitment and not funds is responsible for the sorry state of the project. The question being asked is: what has government done to attract investors if it is indeed serious about completing the project? Again, there is the perception that since the man at the helms of affairs now was a senior member in the administration that began the centre, he should be more committed to it than anyone else.

Those who hold this school of thought say that a sincere administration, which believes in continuity, would have ascertained cost implica-

tions and launched an initiative towards attracting private investors.

Yet, this has not been the case. The much the present administration has done is put the premises under lock and key. With the project starring the state in the face and, in fact, defacing the aesthetics of Enugu due to its location, government began the construction of a new secretariat for workers in the state.

While nobody begrudges the governor the right to construct a new administrative edifice, what many do not understand is the compelling need to commit huge resources, as much as N14 billion to a project that is not income generating, while neglecting one that could generate funds for the state.

Zonal director of the Civil Liberties Organisation, Olu Omotayo, a lawyer, blamed the sour relationship between Governor Chime and his erstwhile godfather, Chimaroke Nnamani, for the impasse.

He said: “Our investigations show that it is almost completed, but why should this project be abandoned after several billions of naira of public funds have been expended on it? It is even more worrisome when it is discovered that some influential persons in the present administration have encroached on part of the land of the Centre and converted it to private use.

“The second problem we discovered that has led to the continued dilapidation and abandonment of the Centre is the personal conflict of interest between the present government and the past administration. We appeal that

this facility should not be allowed to decay because it would have been a pride of the people of the state and the entire Southeast in general.”

Mr. Ikechukwu Orji, a commentator on public issues, said he does not see any wisdom in the decision to abandon the Centre, no matter the financial involvement. He said that though there are several challenges facing the present administration, a well thought-out plan could have taken care of the project.

“I see it as a thing of the mind. The government does not think it is a priority. But that is the mistake because whether we like it or not, we need a conference centre in Enugu.

Presently, there is no place here with a large sitting capacity. What they should do is find ways to complete the project and hand over its management to private individuals or organizations. These people will run the place and give account to government at the end of the day. A 200-room apartment, conference centres and other facilities are an attraction. I do not see why it cannot survive and yield some revenue for the state if it is well managed,” he said.

He said that so much resource have gone into the place, adding that making the place functional could help mitigate unemployment challenges facing the state.

Another resident, Mrs Julian Igwe, said: Government should know what to do. Locking it up does not help the state. Now that we have an international airport, I want to beg the government to reconsider the decision and move towards getting investors to the place, because it will impact on the economy of Enugu.”

Sections of the centre

PHOTOS: LAWRENCE NJOKU

Ninth Mile Receives Facelift INTH Mile in Udi local govN ernment is an important part of Enugu State, given the level of economic activities that go on there. The area does not only play host to major industries and companies operating in the state; it is also a key artery for travellers to some parts of the North including Abuja.

The Ninth Mile corner is also busy with human and vehicular activities. Several road accidents in the area have often been blamed on the level of traffic as well as the unkempt nature of the surroundings.

In an effort to decongest and perhaps give the place a facelift, Nigerian Breweries, one of the multi-nationals operating in the area, on MonSome of the company’s staff at work

day, ‘suspended’ office duties to clear and remodel some roundabouts at Ninth Mile.

Tagged, “Brewing a better future”, the exercise included clearing of weeds, placement of soil and planting of grasses, and had members of staff, armed with farming tools, beautifying several roundabouts that had been uncared for.

Ama Brewery Manager, Mr. John Richardson, who led other members of staff during the exercise, said it was “In line with Nigerian Breweries’ long term sustainability agenda”, adding that the company is recording strides in key performance indicators – water, electricity, and thermal energy consumption, local sourcing, ensuring green environment, reducing CO2 emis-

sions, and a host of others.

Accompanied by his wife, Mary, he said, “It was an event to ensure a green and clean environment as well as a facelift to Ninth Mile roundabout with the reconstruction of the damaged kerbs, clearing of weeds, evacuation of wastes, filing up with top soil and manure, planting of grasses, watering and repainting of the kerbs”.

He said Nigerian Breweries is a responsive corporate citizen and a model in Nigeria with a vision to be a world-class company, whose mission is to be the leading beverage company in Nigeria, marketing high quality brands to deliver superior customer satisfaction in an environmentally friendly way.

THE GUARDIAN

Sunday, April 20, 2014

www.ngrguardiannews.com

9

CITYFILE Adisa-Ajibulu-Airport Road

Residents Bemoan Slow Pace Of Project, Flooding

By Paul Adunwoke ESIDENTS of Ikotun, Ejigbo and environs in R Lagos State may have heaved a sigh of relief, following completion of the Oke-Afa/Ajao Estate link bridge. Their counterparts in Mafoluku, however, are a long way from respite.

Intended to link Mafoluku with Airport Road, construction on the Adisa-Ajibulu stretch is moving at snail pace, thereby causing hardship to residents and road users in the area.

At the entrance to Ajibulu Street at the Mafoluku end, the road has remained blocked since the project started, denying people the chance to move freely. Residents complained that the halfway construction has blocked a canal, preventing passage of water and causing flooding whenever rain falls heavily.

The residents of Mafoluku, especially Ajibulu, Oluyeye, Ayodele, Ade-Idowu and other adjoining streets said the project, rather than the palliative it was meant to be, has become a sources of anguish.

One of them, Abiodun Farouk, asked why the entrance to Ajibulu Street should remain closed for almost seven years, since the project started. “I am appealing to the government, let them complete the project. It is not proper that people should be denied freedom of movement for years. If they are not ready to complete the project, then they should open the street, so that people can move about freely.

“When they started, I was very happy because we are the ones that would benefit from it the most. I did not know that it would turn to a source of sorrow. When the new contractor came, we pleaded with him and the government to open the entrance to the street, so that people could drive their vehicles to their homes. But our pleas fell on deaf ears. Now, we are only able to take our vehicles home when we manoeuvre through neighbouring streets.

It is not fair.”

Afolabi Kareem, another resident, said: “It has caused a lot of damage. Recently, when rain fell, the streets were flooded. Many of us had terrible experiences. The water has not been channeled to move freely. The flood entered our homes and damaged goods. The uncompleted bridge has blocked the canal. Instead of the water to flow freely, it runs back into our homes. We are appealing to the contractor and the Lagos State government to finish up the project and open the canal so that water can flow freely.”

A landlord, Taiwo Daramola, said the problem is lack of adequate drainage. According to him, “whenever it rains, we become sleepless be-

A section of the Adisa-Ajibulu Road

cause flood enters our homes and destroys our properties. We want the canal to be opened. The current contractor has tried to open the canal but there’s need to do more work to avoid more damage by flood.”

He added: “There are also a lot of miscreants in this area and they hide by the sides of the canal.

We have recorded snatching of motorcycles, bags, mobile phones and other valuables from passersby.”

Church founder and resident, Mrs. Dorcas Bamidele, has lived in the area for two decades.

She explained that whenever there is a heavy downpour, floodwater enters the church and damages equipment. She blamed government for what she described as insincerity. “People are suffering because water cannot flow freely.

We used to live here peacefully without flooding. But since they started the project, we have been suffering because they blocked the canal. I want to use this medium to beg government to

PHOTO: PAUL ADUNWOKE

complete the project before we enter the rainy season. I am afraid of flooding. There is no seriousness in keeping to the time frame for completion because this started long ago. If there is any issue preventing the project from moving forward, then government should address the people. Regrettably, there is no communication between the people and their government,” she said.

An estate agent in the area, Frank Adewumi, said: “We find it difficult to get clients here.

Once people discover that the area is prone to flooding, they move on to other places. After the previous workers stopped construction, we found that both the contractor and the government had failed to reach an agreement. We learnt there was an additional bill the government was supposed to have paid the contractor; hence the workers left the site. The project has been ongoing for more than six years and government is not serious about completing it.

Properties worth millions were lost to flooding in 2011. The crisis was even more in 2012. The rain that fell last June reached window level. It was hell.”

Another landlord, Lawal Idris, disclosed that the community had sent a delegation to the government on the project, to no avail. He said: “We have been to Government House to complain about the lack of seriousness on the project but there has been no improvement. We will continue to make efforts to ensure that the bridge is completed. It is a huge challenge to us.”

Deputy director and head of information at the Lagos State ministry of works, Mr. Biola Fagunwa, said the ministry had a misunderstanding with the former contractor over funding and decided to award the project to another contractor. He appealed to residents to exercise patience, saying: “The project would soon be completed.”

Port Harcourt: When Traffic Becomes A Nightmare From Ann Godwin, Port Harcourt EHICULAR traffic in some parts of Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, is a nerve-wracking ordeal.

One reason for this is poor control. Another is the large influx of people to the capital city. On a regular day, the roads witness significant flow of human and vehicular traffic from neighbouring Abia, Bayelsa and Akwa-Ibom States.

Two years after Governor Chibuike Amaechi assumed office, he had set up the Rivers State Road Traffic Management Authority (TIMARIV). The idea was for the new agency to check persistent gridlock on the state’s roads.

To compliment the effort, the state government also embarked on construction and rehabilitation of several roads. On her part, wife of the governor, Judith, initiated the Ladies Cabbies Taxi Scheme. But while the first lady’s programme has unfortunately gone comatose, some observers said roads in the state are not enough.

TIMARIV, in line with its mandate, tried to deal with problems associated with traffic in the state. It has, however, failed to

V

TIMARIV officials

achieve the anticipated result due to underhand practices and failure by the state government to pay the marshals.

The agency’s inability to deliver had moved the Majority Leader of the state’s House of Assembly, Chidi Llyod, to sponsor a motion in 2011, where he condemned some of the activities of the agency. He condemned the indiscriminate blocking of access roads, explaining that effective traffic control and management is crucial to the economic growth of any society.

Lloyd also stressed the need for training and re-training of traffic marshals to enable them face the enormous challenge before them. Notwithstanding, the state seems miles away from achieving free flow of traffic.

The executive director of Institute of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law, Anyakwee Nsirimovu, described the transport situation in Port Harcourt as very hectic. He said that while there are some good roads, the real challenge has been controlling the traffic. He observed that taxi and bus drivers have turned junctions to motor parks thereby worsening the situation.

Nsirimovu frowned at traffic marshal who, according to him, are benefiting from the illegality. “The marshals are enjoying the illegal parks created by taxi and bus drivers. Instead of checking the menace, you notice that they are there collecting money from the drivers and allowing them to stop and pick passengers at will. The police, on their part, are resorting to mounting checkpoints to extort money from people, and nobody is monitoring all these,” he said. He also lamented the negative impact of this challenge on the economy saying, “the cost to the economy is heavy because the value of time and energy wasted in traffic cannot be regained.”

Nsirimovu berated the state government for failing to pay TIMARIV officials, noting that when people are not paid salaries for jobs done, they will find an alternative in extortion. He also expressed concern about the indiscriminate use of siren by some persons and called on government to do more, like building more roads, to resolve the problem of traffic congestion in Port Harcourt.

But the media officer for TIMARIV, Nimi Brown West, explained that the major challenge facing the agency is failure by motorists to obey traffic laws. He said, “Motorists are always trying

to make a U-turn at any junction. They want to convert any junction to a park and that causes gridlock. But we are doing our best to control the situation.” He urged motorists to avoid reckless driving and obey traffic rules.

Asked about funding for the agency, he said the marshals have not been paid for a while, adding: “We are used to the situation and we are managing it.” He, however, appealed to the state government to look into improving their welfare, saying it is hard working with an empty stomach.

Brown West also requested partnership with various companies, agencies and organisations, especially in the area of awareness.

A staff of the agency, who preferred anonymity, said: “TIMARIV is the only government agency that is not included in the 2014 budget in the state. Last year, TIMARIV was included but no amount was allocated. The governor said that government can no longer fund us and that TIMARIV should come up with programmes to fund itself. I wonder how the government expects workers to be zealous or take care of their families. The government is encouraging corruption. The Rivers State government is not helping us. You said you want to fight corruption; how do you fight corruption when workers are not paid?”

Some of the agency’s staff said it was an error for the state government to abandon the agency.

Meanwhile, the state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said it is shocked that despite appeals from different quarters to pay the backlog of salaries and allowances owed staff of TIMARIV, Governor Amaechi has been unyielding.

“TIMARIV workers might protest against the government with obvious consequence that may not be in the interest of the state. Your (Amaechi’s) administration has brought hardship, negative image and publicity to the state and has deterred investors. The people groan in pains under your administration and there is visible anger written on everybody’s face. Pay these TIMARIV workers and save them this avoidable agony,” the party said.

Efforts to get the reaction of the Rivers State commissioner for transport, George Tolofari, proved abortive; repeated calls to him were unanswered, neither was an SMS to the intent acknowledged.

10

Sunday, April 20, 2014

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

Backlash Abraham Ogbodo

08055328079 (Sms only) abogbodo@yahoo.com

Defence Budgets And Boko Haram DO not want to believe that Boko Haram has IWhy defiled all solutions. it is so is not entirely clear even as I try to examine the puzzle in this endeavour. The ready explanation by the military is that this is not a conventional warfare where the enemies and the frontlines are clearly defined. It is more or less like a fight within and the military is saying it does not know exactly where to draw the battle line.

There are also no clear rules, especially on the part of the enemy and the military is being forced to invent rules outside the box to engage an enemy who strikes at everything but does not hold the ground long enough to be recognised. They hit and run to fight again so soon in a different location and in a different way. Military strategists call it guerrilla war and they say it has proved unwinnable, even by the best trained and equipped military.

Plausible as this may sound, it does not in any way explain the inability of the military to effectively contain the Boko Haram insurgency years after it started as street protests in Maiduguri. Claims by the military authorities that the insurgents had been put on the defensive and limited to the Northeast fell flat in the wake of massive and lethal attacks in Abuja and other parts of the north in the past weeks.

By way of an inaugural speech, the new Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Air Marshal Alex Badeh had in January this year given an April deadline to quell the uprising.

He proclaimed: “I was telling my colleagues that we must bring it (Boko Haram) to a stop

by April so that we do not have constitutional problems in our hands. If we do our work cohesively, I can guarantee that General (Kenneth Tobiah) Minimah (the new Chief of Army Staff), you will finish that thing in no T is good to learn from history, no matter how Ithedistant.

But some politicians are stuck with moment and they easily forget yesterday.

Once they manage to secure one victory, they forget the toil that brought it about. This piece is to assist President Jonathan whenever he decides to run for second term. Even if he decides not to run, it is still his headache to ensure that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which was handed to him in May 2010, does not flounder in 2015.

Mungo Park, according to history was the Scottish explorer credited to have ‘discovered’ parts of the African Continent in the 19th century. Part of that exploration took him to the River Niger, where he did reasonably well in his first expedition. Not satisfied with the outcome, he decided on a second expedition. It was while he tried to avoid some hostile natives along the bank of the river, that he ran into the geographical feature called rapid, somewhere around Jebba city, in today’s Kwara State. That ended Park’s ambitious, but risky adventure.

To me, this is some piece of history that should interest Jonathan, now that he is about to embark upon his second political exploration of Nigeria, an expedition, which may have already commenced with takeoff point being Ekiti and Osun in the Southwest. These states are due to hold governorship elections in June and August, respectively. If he calculates well and learn one or two things from Mungo Park’s second journey, he might safely avoid the traps, which the two elections represent. Not the kind of traps an enemy would set, but more of a good tactician applying native intelligence to navigate and sail home safely.

In his first coming in 2011, Jonathan scored high grades in all the Southwest states, except Osun, where he still recorded the mandatory pass. He was the best candidate going by the result posted by the INEC in the zone. In Lagos, the PDP scored 1,281,688 as against 427,203 posted by ACN’s Nuhu Ribadu and the 189,983 scored by CPC’s Muhammadu Buhari. The pattern followed thus; Oyo - PDP 484,758; ACN 252,240, CPC 92,396; Ondo - PDP 387, 376; ACN 74,235, CPC 11, 890; Ogun - PDP 309,177; ACN 199,555, CPC 17,654; Osun - PDP 188,409, ACN 299,711, CPC 6,997 and Ekiti - PDP 135,009, ACN 116,981, CPC 2,689.

Jonathan defeated the then Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in its stronghold. As good students of history, it is good we take another look at what made it so easy for Jonathan to conquer the zone, so that in plotting this second jour-

time.”

The end of April is some 10 days away and if the opportunity comes again to make statements on the situation, I can bet the chief will be more circumspect and will avoid such excessive exhibition of optimism. And as if working hard to prove how baseless the CDS’ proclamations had been, the insurgents stepped up sharply shortly after the handing down of the April deadline and brought battle back into Abuja and even close to Aso Rock Villa when they attacked the headquarters of the Department of State Security (DSS). They followed up with last week’s bomb attack on the Nyanyan bus station, Abuja, killing 76 people and injuring more than 200 others.

It is cheap and even abdicative to say the military and by extension the security apparatuses of the state are helpless in the prevailing circumstances. Guerrilla War or terrorism is not a new phraseology in combat studies.

Both terms must be somewhere in the larger curriculum of the Nigeria Defence Academy or the National War College and other capacity building military institutions within and outside the country. There, soldiers will be taught counter measures, the same way journalists are taught special reporting in Mass Communication Schools to give needed skills to cover difficult tasks, including war reporting.

This, at once streamline all the issues around the ongoing campaign to contain the Boko Haram insurgency to one major question, which is the capacity and capability of the Nigerian military to do battle across board and at all seasons. If anything, the Boko Haram insurgency has been making very loud statements about the shape and form of a military that went into a deep slumber in peacetime and it is finding it extremely difficult to shake

off the resultant lethargy in this time of emergency. Stories that the newest Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC) in the army fleet was procured sometime between 1979 and 1983 under President Shehu Shagari are not encouraging. How do you engage a vicious terror group that is off range and deep in the jungle with such limited artillery power?

The air power is suspect too. Yet given the terrain, it is only the infantry with adequate aerial support that can effectively combat the Boko Haram fighters at their bases in the forest. This is not to say that the navy is in any top shape because if it were so, unbridled oil theft and other criminal activities in and around the country’s continental shelf will not be as rampant as it is currently the case. Enough to say that real combat is not simulation where wild trials are permitted because there is always another time to refocus and get it right.

It is close to a precision art where capacity and capability are guaranteed before deployment.

The stories coming in from the frontlines are not adding up in this direction. They say the Nigeria military deploys without guarantees.

Even Governor Kasim Shettima of Borno State, where the battle is fiercest and who should therefore know is saying so. He said the Nigerian side is ill equipped, ill motivated and up against a vicious group that is better in all departments of the battle. This is not motivating and it brings to focus the issue of judicious utilisation of defence budgets over the years.

In the yearly national budgets, only education and perhaps the health sectors have managed to share limelight occasionally with defence since independence in 1960. Most times, defence stands alone as the unmatched single expense head on the expenditure column of the budget. One survey in 2009 ranked Nigeria 57th on the global rating of defence spending, seventh in Africa and of course first in West Africa. The ranking was however based on the percentage spending of the Gross Domestic product (GDP). That order might change if the actual cash in relation to GDP expended was provided. That year, the country’s defence budget of $1.864 billion or N233 billion naira equated about eight per cent of the total budget and 0.9 per cent of the GDP. On the average, Nigeria has invested about 0.81 per cent of its GDP on the military since 1990 but has increased defence spending by as much as 50 per cent in the last five years.

SUNDAY NARRATIVE Alabi Williams oruku35@gmail.com 08116759790 (Sms only)

GEJ! Beware Of Rapids In Ekiti, Osun ney, he would either leverage on existing template, if they are still strong enough, or expand the frontiers.

At that time, the Action Congress and Buhari’s APC could not bring to a close their merger talks, as there existed a strong element of mutual suspicion. In the end, each man was left to combat Jonathan alone. Neither had the strength to go it alone, so Jonathan took easy advantage of the disarray in the opposition camp.

Two: Despite being an incumbent, Jonathan was the underdog in that race of 2011. He was the one who had no shoes; the one who was nearly denied the Presidency, after his former principal took ill and died, unfortunately.

Jonathan was an academic, supposedly, and the first man from the South-south to taste power at the centre. A combination of these factors worked in his favour, so much that when the merger talks failed, the ACN leadership felt it was a better deal to go with Jonathan. They abandoned Nuhu Ribadu, their candidate, which the rumor mill claimed was done for a fee, but ACN leadership said that claim was a lie from the pit of hell. Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu explained that what Jonathan got from the Southwest in 2011 was more of sympathy vote and nothing more.

It should be added that the electorate in the Southwest is very smart and enlightened. In 2011, even without promptings from the political leadership of the zone, the people picked and chose from the ballot paper. While they gave Jonathan an overwhelming support, they voted for the ACN in the governorship and other elections. In Ondo State, they voted Jonathan for president and returned to their Labour Party for subsequent elections.

Now, what is Jonathan going to leverage on in this second voyage to Aso Rock, en route Ekiti and Osun? In a formal classroom assessment, a good student who posted fine results at first

grade is not expected to draw a blank at the next stage, if indeed he is brilliant. Cumulatively, that student is expected to maintain a particular average, no matter the odds. By comparison, Jonathan, having done well in the Southwest in 2011 ought to still do well in 2015.

Politics, however, is not two plus two. You have to deliver the promises of the last campaigns before you embark on another one.

Until a few months ago, when work earnestly commenced on the Lagos-Ibadan expressway, Southwest leaders generally felt shortchanged by the Jonathan administration, in terms of appointment and location of capital projects. Severally, the leaders had issued notices to Jonathan, to correct what they alleged to be a deliberate marginalization of the zone, a development that did not take into consideration the huge votes delivered to him in 2011.

On how far this government has addressed those allegations, it is only those in government that would explain that. What can be said here for certain is that it has taken the Jonathan government too long to deliver on power, a major requirement in a zone with plenty of talent and enterprise. It might be difficult to continue to vote a party that cannot deliver on power for 15 years.

The Southwest of 2015 is going to be different from that of 2011. Four years ago, the opposition parties could not forge an alliance, but today, they have formed a mega party, the APC, which cannot afford to dash Jonathan any sympathy vote, because any attempt to do so now could amount to writing off the party’s legacy.

There is no more ACN; therefore, legacy partners in the Southwest have a do-or-die responsibility to position APC for success in the coming elections. Otherwise, if they are uprooted, they may have nowhere to hide. Nobody is urging them to use means other than those prescribed in the electoral laws, but the fact is that they must fight to survive.

The figures as presented by the executives stood at N233 billion in 2009, N264 billion in 2010, N348 billion in 2011, N372.3 billion in 2012, N348.91 billion in 2013 and N340.33 billion in 2014. They worked down to an average of 7.2 per cent of the total budget estimates of the years under review. On the surface, this may not go down as a fantastic performance.

But since Nigeria has the highest GDP on the Africa continent, its average defence spending of 0.81 per cent of its GDP since 2009 will be higher, in real terms, than Morocco’s 3.5 or Algeria’s 4.1 per cent because of the huge differentials between the GDPs of Morocco and Algeria on one hand and Nigeria on the other.

In situating the blame therefore, it is important to note that the military spends its own budget almost all the time and to also add that the military has ruled for 28 out of the 54 years of Nigeria’s independence. I am saying in effect that the blame rests squarely with the military if the humongous defence budgets of the past decades could not translate to better life for the institution. If the obvious must be stated, the military is its own enemy because it has eaten itself. To put it mildly, much of the huge budgets were stolen to build private capacities and capabilities by those in position, leaving the institution weak and vulnerable.

Yet, the military is constrained by its very character to remain silent even in the face of danger. It cannot carry placards or go on strike like university teachers to protest whatever that is wrong with it. Every military claims to be capable until proven otherwise. The Nigeria military needs help and it is help that none other than itself can grant. It is not anything bigger than high-level discipline and professionalism to engender the institutional character needed to push the defence budgets beyond the evil persons at the gateway to achieve good purpose.

Even if in the end a political settlement becomes inevitable in the Boko Haram campaign, which is usually the case in this kind of conflict, the military should be strengthened to negotiate. Negotiation is usually better from a position of strength, not weakness. The Federal Government should not be forced to negotiate by the sheer firepower or raw tactics of the insurgents. The military must be put in a position to contain Boko Haram in order to make the negotiations effective. No enemy readily comes to the negotiating table if he knows the other side cannot win the war.

In passing through Ekiti and Osun this rainy season, Jonathan should bear all this in mind and navigate carefully. The water is high and the tide is unfriendly. If he sails well in these two states, perhaps, he will make it to Abuja in 2015, but if he steers recklessly, then his boat could sink.

Taking a look at the journey so far, it is not an easy task trying to decipher the President’s mind. Take Ekiti for instance, where Jonathan’s close ally and former minister of police affairs, Caleb Olubolade could not even get near the venue of the PDP governorship primary on March 22 in Ado Ekiti, because the Police had allegedly fired some tear gas. That Olubolade, a retired naval captain and former military administrator of Bayelsa State did not win the primary left a number of questions unanswered.

Who among the aspirants for the PDP ticket should have the police at his beck and call? I think it should be a former police affairs minister. Who among the aspirants should readily have the ears of Mr. President, who is the leader of the party? Who should have more money to spend, to recruit party members and delegates? But the race went to Ayo Fayose, a former governor who had been out of power and probably doesn’t have much cash to spend.

The reading, perhaps, is that, GEJ knows it is not an easy task to defeat an incumbent. But to remain in contention well into 2015, you have to shop for a candidate whose presence will not be easily forgotten. In the event that the PDP does not win the June governorship, the party will still be highly visible for the 2015 elections, to enable Jonathan record a mandatory pass.

Fayose fits the bill and has not done badly so far. He confessed to have repented of his old ways and no longer looks for trouble. Only God knows if he would remain that way when he grabs raw power. That is for Ekiti people to conjecture.

The situation in Osun is not different. It is the same plot and the calculation by GEJ should be not to inflict maximum injury on the psyche of the Southwest electorate, so that they would be kind to give him some votes in 2015. Senator Iyiola Omisore is a rugged politician, one who could give Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola some sleepless nights. He could reawaken the PDP and keep her in voters’ memory for the next election. For Jonathan, that might just be sufficient.

The larger Southwest picture is one where the PDP had frittered good fortune. Now that the zone is recording some bit of good governance, GEJ has to plot well and sail intelligently.

TheGuardian

www.ngrguardiannews.com

Sunday, April 20, 2014 11

Conscience, Nurtured by Truth

Outlook Christ Is Risen!

By Chrysostomos Onyekakeyah HRIST coming out of the tomb while it remained closed is not a strange miracle because; He had came out of His Mother’s womb while she remained a virgin.

The guards noticed that the stone and the seal were intact, thereof kept watch over an empty tomb. Probably, there is not a single person in the whole world that has not heard of the news of the death and Resurrection of Christ. The clearest prophecy about His Resurrection is the one pronounced by Isaiah 700 years ago before Christ. This occupies the whole 53rd chapter of his Book. Perhaps, it was very necessary for Christ to rise because “In Him was Life” (John 1:4). He is the “Donor of Life and the Raiser of the dead” (John 5:21). It was necessary also because His divine nature was never separated from His human nature not even for a twinkling of an eye.

The prototype of Easter is the Jewish Passover, the festival of Israel’s deliverance from bondage. Like the Old Testament Passover; Easter is a festival of deliverance, redemption and liberation of all humanity from the malignant power of Satan and death, through the death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Fathers of the first Ecumenical Council of 325AD in Nicea decreed that Easter was to be celebrated on the first Sunday after the first full moon of the Spring Equinox. The Council also determined that this arrangement would be calculated in accordance with the Alexandrian Calendar.

This, the Orthodox Church maintains as ordered by these Holy Fathers till date.

For several years now, we exchange this Easter-greeting among the faithful Christians even amidst the nation’s troubles, tribulations and all sorts of social brouhaha.

The joy of the Resurrection, unconquered by any power or force, once again descends on us this year, in our shrouded sorrows, hunger and sufferings flooded by the outpouring of tears and wailings of the people.

The Resurrection of Christ gives us strength in this situation and allows us to feel the divine strength that is drawn from the empty tomb which is greater than the power of the evil upon which those who oppress and fight us depends. He faced the conspiracy of the Jewish leaders, the cowardice of Pilate, and the cruel intimidations of the Romans and His Resurrection thereafter proved that His silence during the trials wasn’t weakness but rather had eminent aims.

When the king of Aram sent horses, chariots and much army to surround the city of Dothan in order to capture and punish Prophet Elisha, his servant was afraid and worried. He said, “Master! What shall we do?”

(2 kings 6:15). But Elisha answered him saying, “Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them” (2 kings 6:16). And Elisha prayed thus, “Lord, open his eyes that he may see”. The Lord opened the eyes of the young man and he saw that the mountain was full of horses and chariots of Fire all around Elisha (2 kings 6:16). A typical prefiguration of the power of Resurrection in potence. It was the power of

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CONversation

the Resurrection that opened the eyes of Elisha’s servant to see the divine Fire surrounding his master and therefore the army and the chariots of the king of Aram became too small in his eyes.

Furthermore, it was the power of the Resurrection that enlightened the minds of the two disciples of Emmaus, opening their eyes and making them to recognize Christ (Luke 24:31). Consequently, their fear and despair were turned into joy and motivation to return to Jerusalem to inform the rest of the disciples. It was the power of the Resurrection that changed the Apostles’ sadness into joy. They were changed from a frightened, weak and terrified group into a more strong and powerful group calling on the whole world to believe in the Resurrected Christ.

They were able to face the evil powers with courage and evangelize openly without any further fear or hesitation. The power and miracle of the Resurrection of Christ is witnessed by the Blessed Fire that Light up yearly (through the hand of the Orthodox Patriarch) on every Easter in Jerusalem Temple dedicated to the Resurrection of Christ.

This was built by Saint Helen in the fourth century at the exact site of the burial and Resurrection of the Lord. The origin of this Fire is unexplainable.

Now, if we pose a general question of what is really happening in our dear country Nigeria, the response would be brief; thus – ‘Golgotha’. Here in our dear country, dangers threaten our lives and menace human beings in their daily struggle for livelihood.

No job for the thousands of the graduated youths. Every day we are put to the test by all sorts of destructions and violence. However, we are not afraid because we are children of the Resurrection. We compare these evil forces surrounding our society with the deadly army that surrounded Elisha and his servant. We look up to our Risen Christ to open our eyes to behold His protective divine Fire of the Resurrection around us and which is a proof that those who are with us, are more than those who are with them. For, “the wicked plots (conspire) against the just and gnashes at him with his teeth. But the Lord laughs at him for He sees His Day is coming” (psalm 37:12-13). Thus, the Lord’s Day is now, today, always and forever.

Could the unendurable sufferings of thousands of human beings here not be rewarded by a Higher-Truth? Certainly, there is only one satisfactory answer to this eternal question, and that is – the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. Before the Crucifixion, Christ tried to explain to His Apostles that He would die and rise again on the 3rd day, but they didn’t get it. It was only after the Holy Spirit was poured out onto them that they finally remembered all of the information and proclaimed it to the world.

Only the joy that Christ is risen – compensates and consoles all our sorrows and it will never be defeated till the ages of ages. Indeed, this exuberant joyful proclamation can never be considered mere information.

With this confession, everything becomes possible if only we embrace it with faith. This proclamation is Life itself because all the joy, love and power of God are contained in that little statement.

Meanwhile, the whole meaning, vision, prophecy, and spirituality of our life are captured in this simple, holy and salvific expression. Everything that we are supposed to be and do is embodied in those few words.

The Resurrection of Christ is a great power that changes sufferings and sadness into joy.

Christ is Risen not as a ghost, not as a spiritual presence but as a living God with His transformed Human Body, the same very Body of the Incarnation. His Resurrection is a revelation of the mercy of God, of the power of God, of the love of God and above all, of the greatness of man because it elevates his value and asserts that his life is not ended by death. It has become a gate into eternity as it leads to a life of righteousness and virtue. Christ’s Resurrection is that flash of Light that disperses the ashes of complacency and discouragement from the embers of our souls. His Resurrection is the source of hope in the hearts ravaged by despair and in souls left to despondency. The Lord’s Resurrection surely dwells in the souls of those who aspire, out of the bowels of suffering and the shadows of tragedy, to hope. Our faith is based on this fundamental simple truth because without faith, courage fails.

According to the Orthodox concept, the celebration of Easter reveals the mystery of the eight-day. It is not merely an historical re-enactment of the event of Christ’s Resurrec-

tion. But rather, a way to experience the new creation in the world, a taste of the very new and unending day of the kingdom of God. At this juncture, I will solemnly repeat abstract from The Catechetical Homily on Easter of Saint John Chrysostom (one of the greatest Fathers and Teachers of the Church, a famous preacher, reformer and Patriarch of Constantinople in the second half of the fourth century AD, who died in exile having publicly condemned the corruption of the palace and the rich people). ‘If there are devout and Godloving people here, let them enjoy this beautiful and radiant festival. If there are prudent servants, enter joyously into the Lord’s joy. Whoever may be spent from fasting, enjoy now your reward. Whoever has toiled from the first hour, receive today your just settlement. If any came after the third hour, celebrate gratefully. If any of you arrived after the sixth hour, have no misgivings because you have lost nothing. If some have been as late as the ninth, come forward, do not be at loss. If any of you have arrived only at the eleventh hour, still do not be dismayed for being late.

‘The Master is gracious; He accepts the last even as the first. He gives rest to those of the eleventh as well as to those who have labored from the first.

He is lenient with the last while looking after the first; to the one He gives, to the other He gives freely. He accepts the labors and welcomes the effort, honors the deeds, but commends the intent.

So, all of you enter into the joy of our Resurrected Lord; both first and second, share the bounty. Rich and poor alike, celebrate together. Sober or heedless, honor the day. Those who fasted and those who did not, rejoice today. The table is full, everyone fare sumptuously. The calf is fatted; let no one go away hungry. Everyone, savor the banquet of faith, relish the riches of His goodness.

‘Let no one lament his poverty, for the universal kingdom has been revealed. Let no one grieve over his sins, for forgiveness has dawned from the tomb. Let no one fear death, for the Savior’s death has set us free. He that was held prisoner of it has annihilated it. He despoiled Hades as He descended into it; Hades was angered when it tasted His Flesh. Foreseeing this, Isaiah proclaimed, “Hades”, he said, “was angered when it met You below”. Yes, it was angered because it was abolished. It was angered because it was mocked. It was angered because it was slain. It was angered because it was shackled. It received a body and encountered God face to face. It took up earth and came face to face with heaven. It took that which was seen and fell upon the unseen.

‘Death! Where is your sting? Hades, where is your victory? Christ is Risen and you are overthrown!

Christ is Risen and demons have fallen! Christ is Risen and angels rejoice! Christ is Risen and Life rules! Christ is Risen and not one dead remains in the tomb! For Christ, haven Risen from the dead, has become the first fruits of those that slept. To Him be glory and dominion to the ages of ages’, Amen.

Rev. Fr. Onyekakeyah is of St. Christopher Orthodox parish Awo Idemili, Imo State.

By Obe Ess

TheGuardian

12 Sunday, April 20, 2014

www.ngrguardiannews.com

Conscience, Nurtured by Truth

Editorial The Challenge Of Easter Celebration

HRISTIANS worldwide celebrate Easter Sunday today. It is the commemoration of the glorious resurrection from the dead of the innocent son of God, Jesus Christ, three days after he suffered a gruesome death on the cross of Calvary. Christ’s death is understood to be a supreme gesture of love, and of atonement; a vicarious death, a death endured by the Son of God for the salvation of men and women of all generations and of every place who have sinned and are therefore deserving of death and damnation. It is the core Christian belief that God so loved the world that he sent his only son (to suffer and die on the Cross), that those who believe in him may not perish, but have everlasting life. Christianity owes its origin and draws its essence and inspiration from the central paradox of the death of Jesus on the cross – which was marked on Good Friday — and the miraculous event of the resurrection, which is celebrated today.

In his sermons, Jesus had declared that it is the meek and gentle, not the arrogant and boastful who shall inherit the earth. He said the truly great are those who serve others, not those who dominate, control and manipulate others. He said the Kingdom of God which he had come to inaugurate is meant for the poor and those who minister to their needs; those who hunger for justice and thirst for righteousness; the pure in heart, those who are persecuted in the cause of right, etc. Jesus preached the message of sacrificial love, forgiveness, mercy, compassion, non-violence, the brotherhood of all mankind, and all that makes for peace and human solidarity. He showed his followers that commitment to the welfare of others, especially the poor and the lowly, is the sure way to true, lasting happiness here and the hereafter. He demonstrated that authentic religion is not synonymous to ritual formalism, but a daily commitment to loving God with all one’s heart, and loving one’s neighbour as oneself. He concluded that there is no greater love than for a man to lay down his life for friends.

Jesus was nevertheless executed in a gruesome manner by those who were determined to maintain the status quo of ritual formalism, political domination and economic exclusion, and whose various positions were threatened by his new teaching. By killing Jesus, they meant to silence him forever and crush the peaceful revolution that he launched. But Christians believe that three days after, there was a dramatic twist to his story. A miracle of unprecedented proportion took place: The crucified Christ rose from the dead as he had predicted, and appeared to his disciples in Galilee. A new fellowship immediately formed around the witnesses of this glorious event. They have since the last two thousand years been proclaiming the message that Jesus is alive and that salvation for the world is to be found in him. The resurrection for Christians represent the power of life over death, the triumph of good over evil, the victory of light over darkness, and the conquest of the forces of hatred by the force of love.

The life, death and resurrection of Jesus put together, are indeed a lesson on the efficacy of humility, service, self-sacrifice, and true love, by which one is prepared to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. Nigerians can learn a lot from the supreme sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Though he taught a lot of lessons through his parables and miracles, Jesus’ greatest lesson was the lessons of his own life of humility, service and self-sacrifice. Easter is therefore an occasion for all men and women of goodwill to reflect on the profound truths of humanity that are often couched in paradoxes – namely, that it is in giving away that we truly receive and that it is in dying that we are truly born; or that all appearances to the contrary notwithstanding, victory belongs to the meek and humble, not the powerful oppressor who may be having a field day momentarily.

Easter is a celebration of hope and new life. Nigeria’s stock has drastically fallen in the world’s marketplace on account of rampant corruption and mismanagement by past and present leaders. Many young Nigerians now lack the courage to dream tall dreams and pursue high ideals, as their vision has been rendered opaque and their confidence is jaundiced. But Easter is a call to hope, for all is not lost. Easter is a declaration that there is life beyond Calvary. It is a pledge of the eternal possibilities of renewal, even in Nigeria.

For the Nigerian Christian in particular, Easter promises the triumph of good over evil after long weary years under the weight and trauma of political manipulation, endemic corruption, economic stagnation, social dislocation, widespread violence and social insecurity in our national environment. Easter confers on the Christian sufferer and others on the downside of society the trust and confidence that the triumph of evil in our land is only a mirage. Evil may dominate the affairs of society for a while, but it will eventually crumble and give way to righteousness, truth and peace.

At Easter, Nigerians should reflect seriously upon the notion of sacrificial love that is central to the story of Jesus. Whereas authentic religion and genuine worship necessarily involves sacrifice and self-denial, what appears to be popular in our environment today however is a religion of convenience that glamorizes wealth, pleasure and power, and makes little provision for sacrificial love, self-denial and self-abnegation. The Indian sage, Mahatma Gandhi had identified this kind of religion without sacrifice as one of the most deadly social sins of our age. Believers in Nigeria must strive to fight this deadly social sin. They must capitalize on the best ideals of various religious traditions to transform the country from a land of endemic corruption, greed, and indiscipline that has been led by a succession of punitive manipulators and callous opportunists, to a corrupt-free land endowed with self-sacrificing and visionary leaders who are fuelled by a rare passion for the common good.

If Nigerians abandon their accustomed hypocrisy and debauchery, and live out the high ideals of their religions, they will then be able to raise the nation from the throes of death to a new dawn of justice, genuine democracy, accountability, prosperity and peace. If they change their course and cultivate a new disposition in discipline, service, sacrifice and visionary leadership, they will rise to new heights in politics and economics, and in science and technology. If we allow Jesus’ logic of sacrificial love to guide us, we will regain our dignity in the comity of nations. Yes, if today citizens begin to appreciate the dynamics of deferred gratification, they will make Nigeria work for the benefit of everyone in this land that is so richly endowed by the Creator. We wish all our readers a very happy Easter celebration.

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LETTERS

This Madness Will End

IR: When will this madness Ssubsidy end? This madness of fuel removal, epileptic

power supply, high level of insecurity, a self- serving political class, political violence, GCE mass failure, examination malpractices, corruption, unemployment, nepotism, tribalism, disunity and disagreement, a selfish ruling class, a self- serving elite, advance fee fraud, area boys, environmental degradation, pension scheme scandal, kidnapping, airplane crashes, deaths on highways, bombings, Boko Haram, etc… (fill the blank space).

My version of Newton’s first law of motion when applied to Nigeria would read something like this: “Nigeria is the object in a state of uniform motion heading for the land of disaster. Nigeria has been set in this state of uniform motion heading for destruction and it will remain in this state of motion unless an external force is applied to it (i.e. Nigeria) thereby causing it to change direction enabling it to head in the right direction towards the Promised Land of greatness.”

Nigerian patriots must answer these questions now!

In Nigeria, who are those people that are ensuring that Nigeria stays in a state of uniform motion heading for disaster? Who are those people pushing Nigeria in the wrong direction? Who are those people recklessly driving the car “Nigeria” into the concrete wall of destruction? Who are

those Nigerians that can change the direction in which Nigeria is heading? Who are the Nigerians that can take and drive the car “Nigeria” to the promise land? Who are those Nigerians that can push, thrust and propel Nigeria in the right direction? If we can answer these questions, it can provide us a head start towards solving our nation’s crisis.

January 1, 2012 came with a big bang and changed all attitude of siddon look. The Federal government pulled the rug from under our feet by removing the fuel subsidy. All of a sudden, it became our business what happens in government! All of a sudden, it became our business what politicians end up doing with our money! All of sudden, it became our business what price government sold fuel!

Nigeria is tethering on the precipice. Who is going to stop her from tipping over?

They have said they are going to maintain the status quo at all cost. And they are passionately pursuing the agenda with no regard for us fellow Nigerians! Where are all men and women of goodwill? Do we have an agenda for a New Nigeria?

What sacrifice do we have to make for this madness to end?

What have we kept quiet about for so many years? What have we ignored because we thought we could do nothing about it? What price are we now paying for years of negligence?

This madness will end when we realize we are in a battle to save Nigeria! This madness will end when many more Nigerians step up to take responsibility! It will end when you and I realize that our destiny is in our hands, when most people get tired of saying nothing, doing nothing and pretending to see nothing!

Not until we become passionate about positive social change. This madness will end when we do something constructive to create change every day, when we take conscious actions, purposeful actions and strategic actions daily to build our nation Nigeria!

This madness will end when we have a new set of values, when we have great role models that the youth can look up to, when we learn and continue to stand up and speak up no matter what!

This madness will end when we become every day leaders daily taking up responsibility wherever we are!

This madness will end when we have a new vision for a New Nigeria. It will end when we stop focusing on the past and look to the future. This madness will end when we start saying no to the old Nigeria and yes to the NEW NIGERIA! This madness will end when a new generation of patriots rises to snatch the reins of leadership from corrupt (and intellectually bankrupt) men and women. It will end when patriots become the external force applied to the object (called Nigeria) that has been in a state of uniform motion heading for disaster!

• Olaboludele Simoyan, Lagos.

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

Sunday, April 20, 2014

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HEALTH

Tackling Scourge Of Tuberculosis

By Adeyinka Ogunjobi ATELY, it appears the nation is being plagued by the scourge tuberculosis; it was listed among 67 countries identified by the World Health Organisation as having a high incidence of TB. This has warranted the embassy of some countries to engage in screening Nigerian travellers to ascertain freedom from the disease before being granted visa.

Dr. James Opara, a medical expert, who spoke to The Guardian said that tuberculosis has emerged as the leading cause of death from any single infectious agent and has continued to be a major public health problem all over the world especially Africa with Nigeria ranking the fourth position in terms of occurrence.

“We are all at risk especially individuals, who live with those with active TB infections like poor or homeless people, young children, nursing home residents, alcoholics and intravenous drug users, people who suffer from malnutrition, and patients with HIV/AIDS or other immune system problems.”

According to the World Health Organization, Tuberculosis, or TB, is an infectious bacterial disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, which most commonly affects the lungs. It is transmitted from person to person via droplets from the throat and lungs of people with the active respiratory disease.

In healthy people, infection with microorganism often causes not much challenge since the person’s immune system acts to ward off the bacteria. He revealed that the symptoms of active TB of the lungs are coughing, sometimes with sputum or blood, chest pains, weakness, weight loss, fever and night sweats. Tuberculosis is treatable with a six-month course of antibiotics.

Tuberculosis is spread from person to person through tiny droplets of infected sputum that travel through the air. If an infected person coughs, sneezes, shouts, or spits, bacteria can enter the air and come into contact with uninfected people who breathe the bacteria into their lungs On management of disease, the Directly Observed Treatment Short Course (DOTS) developed by WHO in 1995 and more recently the Stop TB strategy in 2006, are seen as the best treatment format for the highly contagious disease.

In Nigeria, the DOTS programme has been implemented in all states and local govern-

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ment areas in the country and more than 3,000 DOTS centres have been operating across the country since then. This has, however, had little effect on Nigeria’s ranking among countries with the highest burden of TB in the world.

President of the Nigerian Thoracic Society, Prof. Gregory Erhabor, recalled that 1993 was when WHO rolled out the list of 23 countries with the highest TB burden. At the time he said the body proffered certain steps that must be taken by these countries, including Nigeria. It included the implementation of DOTS, among other options.

Also speaking with Dr. James Akindele, another medical professional said Pulmonary

tuberculosis (TB) is a contagious bacterial infection that involves the lungs. It may spread to other organs.

Most people recover from primary TB infection without further evidence of the disease.

The infection may stay inactive (dormant) for years. However, in some people it can reactivate. People who develop symptoms of a TB infection first became infected in the past. In some cases, the disease becomes active within weeks after the primary infection.

Management regime According to the Thoracic expert, there is need to take many different pills at different times of the day for six months or longer. It is very important that you take the pills the way

Dr. Gloria Elemo, Director General, Federal Institute of Industrial Research, Oshodi (FIIRO) in a chat with Dr. Patrick Kormawa, UNIDO Country Representative, who paid a working visit and Mrs. Bukky Adesegha, a director of the institute during the call... last week

your health care provider instructed.

When people do not take their TB medications as instructed, the infection can become much more difficult to treat. The TB bacteria can become resistant to treatment. This means the drugs will no longer work.

When there is a concern that a patient may not take all the medication as directed, a health care provider may need to watch the person take the prescribed drugs. This approach is called Directly Observed Therapy. In this case, drugs may be given 2 or 3 times per week, as prescribed by a doctor.

It may require staying at home or be admitted to a hospital for 2 - 4 weeks to avoid spreading the disease to others until you are no longer contagious.

The doctor or nurse is required by law to report your TB illness to the local health department. Your health care team will be sure that you receive the best care”.

According to Ross, the primary stage of TB does not cause symptoms. When symptoms of TB occur, they can include: Cough (usually with mucus), Coughing up blood, Excessive sweating, especially at night, Fatigue, Fever, Weight loss and other symptoms that can occur are: Breathing difficulty, Chest pain, Wheezing. The doctor or nurse will perform a physical exam. This may show: Clubbing of the fingers or toes (in people with advanced disease), Swollen or tender lymph nodes in the neck or other areas, Fluid around a lung (pleural effusion), unusual breathe sounds.

One can ease the stress of illness by Sharing with others who have common experiences and problems can help you feel more in control through a support group.

Symptoms often improve in 2 - 3 weeks after starting treatment. A chest x-ray will not show this improvement until weeks or months later. Outlook is excellent if pulmonary TB is diagnosed early and effective treatment is started quickly.

TB can cause permanent lung damage if not treated early.

The Divine Logic Of Spiritual Healing

By Moji Solanke

OME would express surprise at this topic.

Many would argue that logic has nothing to do with the divine, and far less to do with spiritual healing. But a closer look at what logic is, gives a different slant on what the topic aims to convey. In its most elemental meaning, logic is akin to reasoning. This is why it is such an integral part of philosophy, mathematics and even computer science. It involves presenting a well identified idea, and then giving proof of its real-

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ity. Logic employs premises, and infers or deduces conclusions from exact statements based on the established premise.

While faith, a quality required to understand the divine, may seem far removed from reasoning, it actually includes spiritual reasoning, especially when faith is seen, not as a blind acceptance of a belief, but spiritual understanding, with practical proof of its efficacy. One

human proof of divinity is healing. Spirituality is based on a divine Being, usually accepted as an all powerful, loving Deity. A priori reason makes logical deductions about spiritual healing from the basis of a divine Being. Reasoning from a human effect in a bid to understand the spiritual cause, is not logical. Logic starts with cause, in order to interpret the effect.

Starting with Spirit, God, as the premise of spiritual healing, matter cannot logically enter into any of the statements, since matter is the opposite of Spirit. One religious thinker proved the efficacy of this divine logic by healing thousands of various ailments, strictly by reasoning God as the only cause of existence, and man as the spiritual effect of this divine cause. Mary Baker Eddy writes in Science and Health with key to the Scriptures: ‘Matter is an error of statement. This error in the premise leads to errors in the conclusion in every statement into which it enters.’

In radically relying on Spirit, having an absolute faith in the spiritual premise of true existence, and reasoning up to the spiritual understanding of God, and man’s relationship to Him as His reflection, Eddy used the example of Christ Jesus as the standard for her a pri-

ori reasoning. She found that the result was healing.

Today, thousands of individuals are learning the divine logic of spiritual healing which Eddy expounded in her book. They are finding that they can learn the Science of Christ which involves consecrated study of God’s Word, self abnegation, unselfed love and absolute faith.

This leads the seeker, step by step to the spiritual understanding of God; and it results in healing.

The divine logic of spiritual healing is simple.

It starts with God, Spirit, as the Infinite without an opposite called matter. It accepts that God is the source of all existence, altogether good in every single way. This establishes the premise. Spiritual study brings the realisation that man is made in God’s image, reflecting all His good qualities. The logical conclusion is that good health is the natural status of man. This simple divine logic, excluding matter and materiality from all its statements, is resulting, as many continue to attest, in spiritual healing.

m_asolanke@hotmail.com

Mind, Jesus And Heaven (9)

By Babatunde Ayo-Vaughan

N the last article we stopped at the point where the crucial importance of the factor of faith in the understanding of the issues of Mind, Jesus and Heaven was introduced. It was introduced to understand that the concept of Heaven equally goes into the true understanding of how the factor of faith fits into it. One may never truly understand what the concept of Heaven is all about there is no enlightened understanding of how the concept of faith makes it practically real.

It is because of the ignorance of the relationship between faith and Heaven that makes people to be content with the idea that Heaven is good enough to be seen as an abode somewhere outside this world. But when the concept of Heaven is aligned with the true functions of faith, then people’s understanding of Heaven will extend beyond just seeing it as a concept representing a place that good people go to usually when they die. Rather Heaven will be truly seen as an abode of functional intelligence where every good thing of God to creation emanates.

Therefore when Jesus told man that he should seek first the kingdom of Heaven and everything that he needs will be given

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to him, I don’t think that this idea sounds like, man should go and die first and everything that he needs will be given Him. Rather when He made this statement, He made it in reference to the needs of man on earth.

In making this statement, He first of all directed the attention of man to the fact that birds and plants are getting their needs from God without having to struggle for them in this world. That it is only man that engages himself in such a do-or-die struggle.

Health And Your Mind H e said this is happening to man the way it is not happening to the other creatures because man is of little faith. The implication of this statement is that there must be something in the nature of faith that binds these creatures to God in a manner that man doesn’t understand it. But, if man knows how to seek first the kingdom of heaven, the anomalies in his life will be corrected.

This statement, I believe, not only proves the fact that Heaven may not necessarily strictly represent a place somewhere for special entities, it can actually be a source of blessings on earth to everything that is liv-

ing and what is seriously required of man is to make the effort to develop his genuine and truthful understanding of the concept of faith because the only road to his salvation in anything and everything whether in this world or outside of it, lies in his un-alloyed understanding of the true meaning of faith — the only road to Heaven. The understanding of the true meaning of faith is the only road to Heaven in whatever form you may conceive it. This is where the issue of mind comes into it.

The understanding of the mechanism of faith depends on the state of the mind functions. So try to understand it when Jesus said that it is not everybody that is saying Lord! Lord! That will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven and that what defiles the man is within man and not without.

That within cannot be conceived in any other way than the mind. Having these notions in view, you will get to appreciate those other ways in which Jesus refers to the concept of Heaven that truly suggests that it goes just beyond a place for divine souls, the concept also borders on mind functions and intelligent operations.

Ayo-Vaughan, a psychologist, lives in Lagos babatund_2@yahoo.com

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THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

Sunday, April 20, 2014

NEWS

Sambo Tasks Traditional Rulers On Peace, Values From Mohammed Abubakar, Abuja ICE President V Mohammed Namadi Sambo has called on traditional leaders, as custodians of cultural values, to urge their subjects to live in peace.

A statement from his media office in Abuja yesterday quoted Sambo as making the admonition during the appointment of Kaduna State governor, Alhaji Mukhtar Ramalan Yero, as Dallatun Zazzau, by the Emir of Zazzau, Alhaji Shehu Idris, at the Emir’s Palace, Zaria.

Sambo, while advising the newly turbaned Dallatu, said: “As a custodian of our rich history, culture and tradition, I urge you to follow the footsteps of your predecessors by being steadfast in the responsibilities assigned to you. You must at all times keep in mind that you represent our rich and noble values and must continue to protect the positive image of

Chairman of the Northern States Governors’ Forum and governor of Niger State, Dr. Babangida Aliyu, expressed appreciation to the emir and his council for recognising Yero, saying it shows the synergy between the traditional institution and government. the emirate locally and international.”

Governor Ramalan Yero expressed appreciation to Allah for the recognition, while commending the emir and his council, his parents and those that played prominent roles in his life, including the Vice President.

He pledged to uphold the virtues of the title, calling on all residents of the state to join hands with him to deliver on his developmental goals.

Chairman of the Northern States Governors’ Forum and governor of Niger State, Dr. Babangida Aliyu, expressed appreciation to the emir and his council for recognising

Yero, saying it shows the synergy between the traditional institution and government.

Earlier the emir of Zazzau, Alhaji Shehu Idris, disclosed that it was in recognition of the immense contributions of the governor to the progress of the emirate, Kaduna State and the country at large that the Council, found him worthy and deserving to hold such an high ranking title as one of the closest confidants of the emir.

He used the opportunity to pray for continued peace, stability and tranquility in the country.

Yero is the 19th Dallatun Zazzau and third to be installed by the current emir.

CNPP Asks Jonathan To Sack Obanikoro From Muyiwa Adeyemi, Ado Ekiti HE Conference of Nigerian T Political Parties (CNPP), Ekiti State Chapter, has called on President Jonathan to sack the Minister of State for Defence, Mr. Musiliu Obanikoro, for alleged “gross abuse of office”.

The Conference in a statement issued yesterday by its chairman, Prince Tunji Ogunlola, decried the alleged role Obanikoro played in the yet to be concluded bye-election in Ilaje/Ese Odo local council of Ondo State.

The statement also berated the minister for using his military aides to stall devel-

opment projects in Lagos State, noting that his action does more harm than good to the image of the president.

It noted that while the nation is facing security challenges, which require the likes of Obanikoro to put on his thinking caps, he has been going about behaving like a political thug and constituting himself a nuisance.

CNPP said it believed the Ondo State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mr. Akin Orebiyi that Obanikoro actually disrupted the Ilaje bye-election, saying Obanikoro has no business in the federal executive

It, therefore, called on the president to disengage him before he commits more evil in the name of protecting the interest of his political party. The Conference also advised the minister not to venture coming to Ekiti during the June 21, 2014 governorship poll, as the people of the state will resist him.

council, since he lacks what it takes to be a minister in this country.

It, therefore, called on the president to disengage him before he commits more evil in the name of protecting the interest of his political party.

The Conference also advised the minister not to venture coming to Ekiti during the June 21, 2014 governorship poll, as the people of the state will resist him.

It pointed out that the state is peaceful and would not condone any interference from an outsider in a matter, which is entirely that of the state and her people.

It stressed that there are rumors of plans by Obanikoro to invade the state with soldiers during the governorship election, maintaining that the earlier he stopped such plan the better for the nation.

The conference added that Ekiti people know best who will serve their interest in the forthcoming election and would vote for their choice of governor.

You Are Dividing Nigeria, Jonathan Tells Adamawa Governor CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2 millions of Naira in rehabilitating, feeding, housing and catering for their welfare.

‘We, therefore, urge Nigerians to ignore the senseless letter written by the Adamawa State governor, whose ignoble aim is to create disaffection among Nigerians, polarise the country along ethnic lines and unkindly disparage this administration, which continues to work hard to fully eliminate insurgency and destroy their support base.

“It is obvious that Governor Nyako’s opposition to the declaration of a State of Emergency in three affected states of the North East as well as his repeated calls for the withdrawal of the Military from troubled states without any credible alternative or security roadmap, is an open endorsement of the activities of the insurgents, which is meant to provide them unrestricted opportunity to further unleash terror on innocent citizens in order to precipitate chaos, further

instability, mayhem and anarchy ; a situation which they intend to exploit to undermine the administration and truncate our growing democracy.

“This, Nigerians will surely not allow to happen.

The Federal Government assures Nigerians of its continuous determination to defeat terror and restore peace to every part of northern Nigeria so that every law abiding Nigerian citizen can go about with his/her socio economic pursuit without let or hindrance in all parts of the country.”

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Electoral Impunities INEC Must Not Ignore

NEWSFEATURE P/24 Hope Drags As LagosBadagry Rail Project Crawls

BUSINESS

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Fresh Face-off Over Extrabudgetary Expenditure Looms

SAMANTHA: Hunting Oil Talents Across Continents

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Sunday, April 20, 2014

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THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

Sunday, April 20, 2014

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SPOTLIGHT

Samantha: Hunting Oil Talents Across Continents

By Armsfree Ajanaku N the piece of paper containing her profile, Samantha Onorievara Sogolo proudly indicates her local government area and town: she is from Emevor in Isoko North LGA in Delta State. And then for the rest of the interview, she discusses Nigeria with an unbridled optimism that constantly lights up the room. She goes on to make allusions to her primary education at the University of Ibadan Staff School, and how that prepared her for the big role of Graduate Recruitment Manager in charge of Europe, Africa and the Russia-Caspian for Baker Hughes, the American oil services company, which provides oil industry operators with a range of different services for their fields.

In other words, Samantha is a talent hunter, who meticulously combs her catchment area for the best of brains to work for the company. She is currently in Nigeria to meet with company officials, and to ensure the recruitment programme is running well.

“We recruit field engineers, who go offshore on the platform, run our tools and liaise with the clients. Nigeria is a booming market for our company, and probably for a lot of different companies. The company regards it as its best performing market actually. So, it is a key focus area, and Nigeria is also a source of talent for the rest of our business. We recruit engineers in Nigeria, but they also go outside and work internationally.

“The Nigerian engineers sometimes do international assignments and return; so, Nigeria is very important to us.”

Samantha does not subscribe to the negative opinions circulating about Nigeria’s educational system and how its products are unemployable and do not have the skills to compete in a fast changing global environment. She notes that from her experience as a top-notch recruitment manager, reports about Nigerian graduates have been very good.

“From these reports I have heard about the graduates coming out of Nigeria, and they have been very good. When they come to an assessment day, they are very enthusiastic. They have got a lot of the skills we need. We need practical skills, rather than just the theoretical, and we have been finding good graduates. We always have a good selection of graduates in our assessment days. We have a lot of applicants from Nigeria compared to other countries in the world.

“We have the field engineers, and the field specialist programme, and they are two very different types. We train the field engineers for three years and we always want them to take on more responsibility. Between three and five years, they start managing people.

“And then the field specialist is a one-year structured programme followed by three years of self-paced learning and we target polytechnics graduates with HND. We want them to be a bit more practical and hands on. We want them to love staying in the field for longer term. So, it is two different types of profiles.”

Samantha says that so many Nigerians apply to be recruited into her company. “I can’t give you an exact number, but we don’t have enough positions to satisfy everybody. Last year, we took on 20 graduates, and it was quite a lot of applicants.

We have to decline a lot of people, but if people have the skills, they do get through to an interview, and to a final assessment.”

Since she does the recruitment across three continents — Africa, Europe and Russia Caspian, Samantha is also in a vantage position to compare how Nigerians fare with graduates from other places. She points out that the level of the Nigerian graduates’ performance has been very impressive. “I think it (Nigerians’ performance) is very high level. Firstly, all our assessments are in English, so people have to have a really good grasp of the English language, which is obviously an advantage for Nigerians. Also, I guess the character is also very forthcoming; Nigerians really put themselves forward and I think they are strong in that.

“In terms of our graduate recruitment, we train people. So, it will be good to have people, who have a really good knowledge of engineering. However, a lot of it comes on the job; so, it is really about using our tools, and that is where we put in a lot of really good training for people. Around the world, there are varying levels of education, and I don’t think Nigeria is necessarily the worst.

“We have a job advertisement at the moment, and we are trying to get people from polytechnics. We are also trying to get more applicants from the north and middle belt. In addition, we try to encourage diversity by bringing more females into our business. We are encouraging HND and Diploma certificate holders to apply. They will do electrical or mechanical courses. They are the ones that will fix things and handle tools rather than thinking about problems and writing down solutions in theory. There are 14 of such positions in Port Harcourt; and there will be assessments days within a month.”

Samantha’s company has relationships with a number of Nigerian universities, including the Federal University of Technology, Owerri and the Institute of Petroleum Studies in Port Harcourt. With a strong commitment to diversity, she says the company is encouraging applicants from the north, middle belt, as well as women to apply for the current openings. The web pages for the applications are: www.bakerhughes.com/graduate and www.bakerhughes.com/careers.

Born in Ibadan, Samantha is the daughter of Godwin Sogolo, the renowned Professor of Philosophy, who retired from the University of Ibadan. She spent her first eight years in the university town of Ibadan before proceeding to England to finish her secondary and university education.

“I went to the Staff School in Ibadan. It was quite nice growing up in the University in Ibadan. I have quite good memories of that phase of my life. I was thinking about it the other

O

day, when I went to England for the first time, I was quite ahead of other students there. Nigerian education really pushed me, and I was ahead in math and maybe in English.

It was quite easy to transition in England because I felt I knew a bit more of the syllabus. I think that was a good starting point for me.

“I studied French and Arabic in the university. I later went to Dubai to use my Arabic. I then got into recruitments, working in the human resources department of a construction management company Resources for six years. From there, I returned to London, where I started working for Baker Hughes.”

At a time, when a lot is being done to encourage women to develop themselves in order to participate in politics, economy and other sectors, Samantha has a few tips for aspiring

tional focus, even if the job is not ideal, you can go there, see how it works, what you might be able to do and move the way you want. And maybe they (young women in careers) should never say ‘no’ to any opportunity that comes their way. The personal life shouldn’t come first.

“They should think about their careers in the long term. I guess a lot of women would want to get married and have kids, but if they are not planning it immediately, they shouldn’t let anything restrict them. If you are able to do something in a moment, just do it; don’t think about your long term plans now, so as to do what is right for you now.

“Hard work pays. I had to put in a lot of hours at the beginning of my career. I moved from a job with five days a week to one with six days a week because I knew it was a good opportunity for me.

I went to the Staff School in Ibadan. It was quite nice growing up in the University in Ibadan. I have quite good memories of that phase of my life. I was thinking about it the other day, when I went to England for the first time, I was quite ahead of other students there. Nigerian education really pushed me, and I was ahead in Maths and maybe in English. It was quite easy to transition in England because I felt I knew a bit more of the syllabus. I think that was a good starting point for me. career women.

“I guess the first step will be to choose the right company to start with and not care much about position or salary in the beginning. With the right company that has an interna-

“People shouldn’t mind doing these things when they are young. Work is really the number one thing in life, and it takes up all the time. You might as well make the best out of it by making it enjoyable.”

TheGuardian

18 Sunday, April 20, 2014

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Conscience, Nurtured by Truth

Cover

Akande, interim APC chairman

Jega, INEC chairman

Muazu, PDP chairman

Electoral Impunities INEC Must Not Ignore

By Gregory Austin Nwakunor

(APC), is that the Act is not adhered to and because most of the campaigns have been whipping up religious sentiments. INEC’s the regulators are not working. INEC is unable to compel parties and the Broadcast inaction portrays it as a toothless bulldog that has been compromised.”

Presidential elections for February 14, 2015, Commission is unable to administer the The Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA) has, and governorship as well as state assembly code. elections for February 28, 2015, events Though many believe that all the parties however, asked INEC to sanction political parties found to be violating ban on early unfolding in the country’s political terrain are guilty and are redefining electoral are heating up the polity, even before the impunities by making selected accusation, campaign ahead of the 2015 general elections. race begins. And one reason for this is the it will be completely wrong to continue The national chairman of the party, Mr. flouting of electoral rules on political cam- with the ‘brazen lawlessness’. They note Peter Ameh, in a statement issued in Abuja paigns. that campaigns are not supposed to comThe Guardian’s checks have revealed that mence until three months before the elec- on March 9, 2014, criticised the PDP and APC over allegedly engaging in early campaigns political campaigns have started in earnest, tion, that is, November, why now? for the 2015 general election. though, in a surreptitious manner. Whereas, According to Barrister Joel Unekwuojo “The Electoral Act 2010 as amended has statINEC has not approved parties to commence Usman, a legal practitioner in Lokoja, Kogi ed clearly the time frame required by politicampaigns, they have been holding series of State, “it is a mark of a lawless nation that cal parties and their aspirants for elections rallies all over the country to ‘canvass’ for does not bother about its future.” campaigning. votes.

He said, “it is wrong, under whatever “We as a party have watched with dismay The chief culprit is the ruling Peoples guise — call it rallies, display of posters, jinDemocratic Party (PDP), whose national gles and so on. The most common is rallies the continuous violations of this rules and leader, President Goodluck Jonathan, has and defacing of public places with posters. regulations, we want to ask these two parties used the platform provided by his party’s And all major political parties are guilty of to tell Nigerians why they have both continued to defy the lay down rules by INEC, by unity rally in the geo-political zones of the this offence.” campaigning for an election that is still country to campaign for votes. The For Usman, election is far away, but tenalmost one year away. We urge the commisPresident, during his visit to Enugu, last sion is already being created all over. To week, even went on to declare that the PDP this end, he called on the electoral body to sion to sanction any one responsible for ralwill capture the South-East and this seems rise up to the occasion, and, “if it fails, law lies. like a violation of the Electoral Act. enforcement agents must rise up to ensure “What do you call the president and PDP Section 99(1) of the Electoral Act 2010, as those laws are enforced and rules obeyed. visits to Imo and Kwara states, the APC amended, provides that the period for cam- Allowing things to continue that way por- posters and billboards spread around Ekiti paigning in public by every political party tends grave danger for the country in 2015, and Osun states (before INEC’s official timshall commence 90 days before polling day and end 24 hours prior the day. It also stipu- Section 99(1) of the Electoral Act 2010, as amended, provides that the period for lates a limit to the finances to be spent by campaigning in public by every political party shall commence 90 days before polling parties; however, monies are being spent at day and end 24 hours prior the day. It also stipulates a limit to the finances to be rallies, prior to the real campaigns.

The bottom line of all the PDP is doing, and spent by parties; however, monies are being spent at rallies, prior to the real camby extension, the All Progressives Congress paigns.

HOUGH, the Independent National T Electoral Commission, INEC, announced the timetable for the National Assembly and

ing), these are purely campaign materials.

“From the obvious, the PDP and APC have already commenced their campaigns for the 2015 election without following the rules laid down by INEC that is responsible for regulating political parties and their candidates seeking elective positions or office.

“PPA frowns at this development and we want INEC to call them to order. Or is INEC telling us that these people are above the law and are obviously too big for it to sanction, since they are not called small parties?

“We want Nigerians to take note that parties that cannot obey electoral rules will definitely not keep to electoral promises and cannot be trusted.

“PPA calls on INEC to sanction these defaulting parties, PDP and APC, for violating its ban on early campaigns for the 2015 elections,” he said.

The national chairman of the Labour Party, chief Dan Nwayanwu, believes INEC should be blamed for all that was happening because it failed to halt early campaigns by the PDP and the APC who are complaining now.

The Congress of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP) has also described the electoral commission as a toothless bulldog. The party’s national publicity secretary, Mr. Osita Okechukwu, accused the electoral body of deliberately circumventing the Electoral Act. “It is, therefore, paradoxical that in our own situation, it is the incumbent, which the law was meant to protect, that has embarked on early campaign in utter contravention of the CONTINUED ON PAGE 20

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INEC: Why We Cannot Sanction PDP, Others Over Political Campaigns From Ezeocha Nzeh, Abuja CCUSED by some politicians of complicity with alleged breach of electoral guidelines, political activities. It is not every political the Independent National Electoral activity that could be called a campaign Commission (INEC) said, at the weekend, that it because the whole essence of their existence lacked powers to sanction political parties that is for political activities. That is where they have commenced electioneering campaigns for anchored their argument and then urged the 2015, even as the provisions of the 2010 Electoral Act as amended bars any form of campaign until commission to go back and draw up regula90 days before election.

Section 99 (1) of the 2010 Electoral Act (as amende4d stipulates that “ The period of campaign in public by any political party shall commence 90 days before polling day and shall end 24 hours prior to election day. Also sub sections (2) and (3) of the acts notes that any political party that is involved in any form f campaign, either in advertorial of any broadcasting undertaking or through the newspaper for the purpose of promoting or opposing a particular candidate commits an offence upon the Act. Speaking in an exclusive interview with The Guardian, Chief Press Secretary to the INEC chairman, Kayode Idowu, stated that the commission had consistently warned political parties to desist from premature campaigns. He, however, stressed that the commission would not take any action against erring parties because the 2010 Electoral Act is not clear as to what constitutes a political campaign.

Idowu, who insisted that political parties are merely holding rallies to receive defectors from other parties, and not political campaigns, noted that the commission had raised eyebrows with party leaderships on the issue during INEC’s quarterly meetings, following which the political parties requested the commission to go and draw regulatory guidelines as to what constitutes a campaign so that they (8the parties) would comply.

Regretting that the 2010 Electoral Act did not state categorically what constitutes a campaign, the CPS, however, noted that the mounting of billboards and posting candidates posters in conspicuous places in major cities constitute campaign.

He said the Commission had warned political parties to desist from such acts and, as a matter of urgency, remove the posters.

He disclosed that the commission begun the process of compiling the codified regulatory guideline as to what constitutes an electioneering PDP Unity rally in Ilorin campaign which he assured will be tabled before the political parties at the next quarterly meeting for deliberations and approval, adding that the commission will not fail to implement the provisions of the Electoral Act in terms of penalty if any party breaches the guidelines.

Chairman, Partners for Electoral Reform “INEC has been very vocal and consistent in condemning early campaigns by some political par- (PER), Ezenwa Nwagwu, in this interties by stating that premature campaigns are ille- view with TUNDE AKINOLA, says the gal. It is not really through that the commission is Independent National Electoral not doing anything to stop this. We have been using every opportunity of meeting with political Commission (INEC), which is already parities to condemn it. In the public domain, we boxed between legality and public also make it clear that the law provided a timeline morality, must move to checkmate manfor campaign. “ Literarily, all the political players are breaching ifest negative ingenuity of political parties in exploiting the lacuna in the electhat law. The thing that INEC has been doing before now is to exert moral suasion, because the toral Act. only other option is to resort to litigation. But you and I know where it could lead. It is one good What is your view on the violation of the option that may not serve the immediate purpose Electoral Act that bans campaigns and rally by in the short term. That is why we have been call- political parties until 90 days before elections? ing on political players to desist from breaching that provision of the law.

HERE is this definition of political parties “At the last quarterly meeting with political parthat caught my fancy. It says something ties, it was agreed between INEC and political parlike: “political parties are organisations for ties that the commission should draw up guide- people who gather around a common theme lines on exactly what constitutes campaign, or ideology to advance that agenda in the because the word campaign is actually a bit broad political arena. In practice, however, it seems and politicians have been manipulating it. For they are more concerned with their own surexample, when you get somebody who goes on vival, staying in power than fighting for any the rostrum to receive defectors, would you define principles. that as campaign? It is not clear. So, the parties If we understand this background, it throws a have asked INEC to go back and come up with tricky challenge of untangling the technical guidelines of the specific things which would con- jigsaw of what constitutes offence. We apprecistitute a campaign, which will still be agreed on ate that parties have responsibility to rally by the commission and the political parties, and their members around issues, educate them — INEC is working on that, hopefully by the time we which may not necessarily be ‘Vote For Me’ — engage the political parties, that would come up and we recently saw the chairman of INEC again. labouring very hard to explain this. What is of “INEC is not overwhelmed by the resistance of concern and worry is the manifest negative political parties; the commission is just level-head- ingenuity of the political parties, especially ed. As a regulatory body, INEC will work on the let- their readiness to exploit whatever lacuna ter and the spirit of the law, not on sentiments even if morally reprehensible to advance their and emotions. For instance, it is debatable cause. whether a political party’s rally could be called a INEC, which evidently is taller on excuses campaign because parties are created to hold and demonstrably shorter on capacity and

A

• Parties Organising Rallies, Not Campaigns tions. You, therefore, cannot stop political parties from holding rallies.

“We have noted that placing posters of candidates for a particular election is illegal, especially when the poster says 2015. Those are the illegal things they are doing and the commission

has repeatedly asked the political parties to go back and remove those posters. As a matter of fact, we have, many times, called on security agencies to assist us in effecting those steps.

It is really a thin line, and that is why, perhaps, coming up with a codified guideline might help everybody in this matter because they are very smart,” Idowu noted.

NWAGWU: Uwais Committee Report On Electoral Reform Still Relevant

T

competence to carry out its core responsibility of managing elections, should be stripped of regulating the political parties, we are sure not many know that INEC has a (lame) political party monitoring directorate that is unable to command respect of the parties they purport to monitor. I think the report of the famed Justice Uwais committee on Electoral Reform is still timely and helpful.

The Electoral Act also stipulates a limit to the expenditure by parties, yet monies are being spent at rallies, prior to the real campaigns.

How do parties account for these expenses in line with the guidelines?

Political campaign finance tracking could be challenging and difficult, but things are worsened by an incorrigible political elite that lacks any sense of proportion in words and deeds.

The pillar of a modern society is law and order; and, as we argue often, what has defied the Nigeria ruling elite is how to build a modern state.

Aside, any demand for open disclosure of sources of finance for political parties will be for them a head scratcher and a no go. We know that the major funding tunnel of the big parties is the public till and big businesses that benefit from the corruption of waivers and dubious concessions; what is more laughable is what they do during their conventions when they pretend to share audited accounts. With a “Pontuis Pilate” INEC, respite will be long in coming.

What do you make of the campaign jingles and advert in the media?

The jingles and campaigns are dodgy and careful on “vote for me.” Much as we know the intrinsic intent of the jingles and adverts, we can’t deny politicians bragging rights and their disturbing flight of fancy; but citizens must continue to raise concerns about the use of public money to pursue private concerns.

Thrown into this mix is the now obvious abandonment of people’s welfare, development and governance Would you say INEC is weak or that the political parties are lawless?

The Electoral management body is boxed between uncomfortable corner of legality and public morality or concern. Being a creation of law, it is convenient to hide under the law but we are convinced that confectioning a tasteful credible election meal for the country must have the ingredients of law and public interest.

For the broadcast commission, we hardly know what it exists for; we thought the hammer of the Orosanye committee would have come heavily on it by way of a merger or scrapping. The political parties have code of conduct that they observe in the breach; their arrogance offends our sensibilities, but all these remain possible only because we allow them. With increased citizen anger and oversight, politicians, political parties and other state institutions will think again; in the final analysis, it is about us and our country.

What are the implications of these early campaigns?

Politics, as everyone knows, is a competitive engagement; it is seeking to take undue advantage. Many would argue that early campaigns have tendency to heat up the polity. Beyond that, it is more of a sign of desperation; its wider implication are first, the discontinuance of governance. Secondly disheartening, creative deployment of public purse, space and resource to private ends and also stretching state institutions like the security agencies beyond limits thereby weakening their capacity. On the flip side, media organisations, printers and crowdrenting agents are happy.

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OKOYE: Political Parties Are Too Selfish Former Kaduna State Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and erstwhile member of the defunct Justice Uwais-led Electoral Reform Panel, Mr. Festus Okoye, in this interview with Northern Bureau Chief, SAXONE AKHAINE speaks on the alleged violation of the Electoral Act by political parties in campaigns for 2015 general elections. Okoye, a constitutional Lawyer, a delegate at the ongoing National Conference and rights activists says the do-or-die approach by politicians in preparation for the coming polls is not healthy for the nation’s democracy.

Against INEC’s stipulated guidelines, it has been observed that both the PDP and the APC have started political campaigns in earnest. What is your take on this?

T is unfortunate that campaigns for the 2015 elections started immediately after the 2011 elections. Ordinarily, governance should take the centre stage after elections but in Nigeria, political activities and campaigns are continuing ventures, while governance has timelines and limitations. It is clear that politicians and political parties are exploiting and taking advantage of gaps in the law and the constitution to continue with political activities unabated.

Constitutionally, people have the right to freedom of association and expression, and political parties are legal persons that can also associate. Secondly, there is a clear difference between political mobilisation, membership drive, civic education and campaigning for candidates in an election. The law and the constitution and INEC guidelines did not prohibit political parties from organising conventions, congresses and meetings for the election of their party executives. The law and the constitution do not prohibit political parties and their members from engaging in membership drive.

The parties and candidates are, therefore, hiding behind these things to carry out the type of campaigns that are prohibited under the law. What the law prohibits is campaigning in public by a political party 90 days before polling day and end 24 hours prior to that day. But the challenge is where to draw the line between campaign and mobilization, as both involves operation and canvassing. It is also difficult to draw the line between constitutionally guaranteed freedoms and campaigns.

The Electoral Act has also stipulated the limit of finances to be spent by parties on rallies and campaigns, but how do parties account for the funds spent on such rallies, taking into consideration what is happening today?

Political parties are exploiting the lacuna in the law and the constitution to carry out campaigns and spend monies that are not documented and accounted for. Under the Electoral Act, 2010 (as amended), for the purposes of an election, “election expenses” means expenses incurred by a political party within the period from the date notice is given by the Commission to conduct an election up to and including, the polling day, in respect of the particular election.

The INEC has not given notice of an election and what the political parties are spending does not come within the purview of the law and the constitution. However, INEC has constitutional responsibility to monitor the activities of political parties, including their finances. Under the Electoral Act, no political party shall accept or keep in its possession any anonymous monetary or other contributions, gifts, properties, etc from any source whatsoever.

Furthermore, every political party shall keep an account and asset book into which shall be recorded all monetary and other forms of contribution received by the party; and the name and address of any person or entity that contributes any money or assets which exceeds N1, 000,000.00.

Moreover, no political party shall accept any monetary or other contribution exceeding N100, 000 unless it can identify the source of the money or other contribution to the Commission.

So, political parties are to keep these records and submit audited accounts of the said expenses to the Electoral Management Body. Any political party, which commits a breach of the law is guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a maximum fine of N1, 000,000 and in the case of failure to submit an accurate audited return within the stipulated period, the court may impose a maximum penalty of N200, 000 per day on any party for the period after the return was due until it is submitted to the Commission.

Unfortunately, Nigeria is a cash economy, where monies are moved around without trace. Some of the godfathers of the Political parties have their finance houses and banks and it is difficult to trace anything to them.

As a civil society delegate to the National Conference, we shall look at the lacuna being exploited by the candidates and political parties and plug such loopholes so that illicit and dirty funds will not overwhelm the electoral process.

We see campaign adverts here in Kaduna and other places, of Governors. Jingles are also being run in electronic media many months before the elections. Do you think this official breach of the Act is healthy for our democracy?

Most of the persons placing adverts in public places are not candidates of their political parties. They are at best aspirants.

This is because section 87 of the Electoral Act, 2010 (as amended) prescribes the rules and procedures to be adopted before an aspirant becomes a candidate in an election. Most of the political parties and politicians are doing this because the

I

Okoye Political parties are engaged in civic and voter education.

Political parties are also permitted to act as a shadow government and all these are permitted in a democracy. However, what is obnoxious and not permissible is that persons that are not yet candidates are printing posters and setting up billboards canvassing votes when they are, at best, aspirants. It is, therefore, the responsibility of the Electoral Management Body to issue clear guidelines on political campaigns and get the security agencies to pull down billboards and remove campaign posters that are not in conformity with the law and the Electoral Management Body is yet to clearly define the limits of constitution. campaign advertisements. Most of the posters are environmental Furthermore, it is now obvious that the country needs a politembarrassment and ought to attract sanctions. ical parties registration and Regulatory Commission to deal Environmental protection agencies ought to take a lead on this decisively with this phenomenon that has almost extinguished and prevent illegal campaign advertisements. The Electoral governance in favor of politics.

Management Agency should also bring out clear guidelines on Both the PDP and APC are guilty of allegedly jumping the gun what constitutes campaign and advertisement and enforce it. It is by engaging in campaigns and rallies ahead of 2015. How do only by so doing that we can sanitise the electoral process and you placed this scenario against the struggle for power during bring it to regional and international standards. It is also importhe elections? tant to get public officers to concentrate on governance rather The sad thing about illicit campaigns is that most of the politithan spend the entire four years of their tenure campaigning for a cal parties are involved. It shows that all that matters to the parnew tenure. ties is to get to power in 2015 legally or illegally. This is why civil Why is INEC unable to sanction those that are violating the society groups and other progressive elements in the society Electoral Act? must continuously and continually provide electoral leaderINEC is charged primarily with the responsibility of conducting ship by acting as a third force to prevent the type of murderous and supervising constitutionally recognised elections. They are struggle for power the parties are engaged in. also charged with the task of monitoring activities of political parElections in Nigeria must be routine civic duty and responsities and providing guidelines for the conduct of political parties. bility of the citizens. As a delegate to the These are, however, subject to the constitutional right of political National Conference, we have another opportunity to revisit parties and individuals to freedom of speech, movement and asso- and refine the report of the Political Reform Conference and the ciation. The nature of political activities and the electoral process report of the makes it difficult to completely track and check illegal campaigns. Electoral Reform Committee. We must get our electoral process This is because political parties are engaged in mobilisation. right and make sure that the vote of the people truly counts.

• INEC Empowered To Monitor Illegal Campaigns • Nigeria Needs A Third Force To Check Political Excesses

... Electoral Impunities CONTINUED FROM PAGE 18 Electoral Act. For whatever name President Goodluck Jonathan dubs his open rallies, it is nothing but campaign.”

Only recently, the APC also asked INEC to sanction PDP for flouting the nation’s electoral laws by engaging in campaigns before the time allowed by the laws governing elections in the country.

APC described PDP’s recent activities like liberation, family or unity rallies across the country, as a guise to begin early campaigns, which they say is contrary to the nation’s laws.

In a statement by its interim national publicity secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said President Goodluck Jonathan has exhibited gross abuse of executive power by leading his party to prematurely kick-start the campaign for the 2015 elections.

The party said when President Jonathan boasted on Friday, at a rally in Enugu that the PDP would capture the South-East in 2015, he was engaging in electioneering,

rather than reunification, campaign and advised President Jonathan to concentrate his energy on putting Nigerians back to work, ensuring the security of lives and property and stopping the massive looting of the common wealth under his watch.

For many, addressing this issue of negative campaigning now is necessary because of what they portend for 2015 election. Another potential problem is that with such a scenario, it will be hard to convince the opposition about INEC’s impartiality.

However, it is one thing to see the hand of PDP in the ongoing flouting of INEC’s regulation, but another to muster the strength to arm-wrestle the party from continued violations.

For the time being, though, being unable to impose any penalty on offenders ranks low on the list of worries of INEC, the electoral body should, however, call the parties to order. This is the best way for the body to show itself as an unbiased umpire set to deliver a credible 2015.

Sunday, April 20, 2014 21

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

COVER OWURU: Campaigns Smack Of Desperation, Bad Party Leadership Mr. Ambrose Owuru is a legal practitioner and national chairman of the Hope Democratic Party, which has presented him twice as presidential candidate. He told KELVIN EBIRI in Port Harcourt that the ongoing political campaigns under the guise of rallies depict the level of desperation occasioned by bad leadership. He alleged that zonal rallies would have been unnecessary if political office holders performed above average.

What is your reaction to the ongoing political rallies ahead of the 2015 elections?

HAT the PDP and other political parties are doing contravenes the electoral laws. INEC is required to enforce the law as an agency that oversees and superintends over electoral matters.

(The stipulated) period for campaigning is clearly provided by law; it has to be three months prior to any poll and all we know is that, at present, they are flouting the law. We are somehow taken aback that INEC is lost as to what to do next, perhaps, because the PDPled government is insisting on carrying on in this matter, thwarting the law and riding roughshod over every other matter.

Again, we are worried that the president, in particular, is involved in all these. This matter becomes more serious when a president of a country is the one being the chief lawbreaker.

What then do your expect? He is supposed to be the moral guide, an indicator of how things should be. Even if his party is engaged in this act, he should not be involved. But what we are seeing is that there is desperation due to bad leadership and lack of performance.

They want to start campaigning and becloud issues of bad leadership. All these zonal rallies would have been unnecessary if they were performing and the country stable.

Matters would have been addressed, as they should be.

But the National Assembly, where INEC feels hamstrung, should take on the issue because some of these are impeachable offences; the president is under oath of allegiance to the constitution of this country to preserve it.

And where that is not the case, the National Assembly has a responsibility to call him to order, and perhaps, ask questions and where necessary, initiate impeachment to remove those who are desecrating the Constitution.

Where the National Assembly fails, the citizens have a duty to insist that the government be run properly. We all should be involved in making sure that our laws are preserved. What we are saying is that the government, the ruling party does not under-

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From Adamu Abuh, Abuja HE Congress of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP) has described the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as toothless bulldog. Its National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Osita Okechukwu, accused the electoral body of deliberating circumventing the Electoral Act. Speaking with The Guardian in Abuja, he remarked that INEC’s inability to halt the campaign rallies of the President Goodluck Jonathan-led Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) underlines the need for Nigeria to seek a truly independent electoral umpire.

Okechukwu, therefore, urged INEC to adhere to the rule of law as, according to him, nobody is above the law, which must be obeyed by all and sundry.

“The intendment of the Electoral Act to empower INEC to sanction violators of early campaign rallies, erecting bill boards, posters and sundry,” he said, “was to forestall challengers from distracting incumbents from their arduous state function. It is applicable in most liberal democracies to create a conducive atmosphere for the incumbent governor, or president to concentrate in the day-today administration. It is taken for granted that the challenger has more time and cannot be allowed to embark on early campaign at the disadvantage of the incumbent.

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Owuru

stand what governance is about. In every action they have taken, it shows they have no idea what is required of them.

The president has no idea what is required of him. They have no idea of what power they have. One duty they owe this country is to preserve these laws and make sure that people work in accordance with these laws.

When people see that the presidency is not organised, when people see that the president is the chief lawbreaker, when the president ignores the law, how do you expect the citizens, who are the victims of bad governance, to be law-abiding when their leaders are chief lawbreakers? These people are the ones who have brought this country to where it is today.

Is it that INEC is weak or that the political parties are merely lawless?

“It is, therefore, paradoxical that in our own situation, it is the incumbent, which the law was meant to protect, that has embarked on early campaign in utter contravention of the Electoral Act. For whatever name President Goodluck Jonathan dubs his open rallies, it is nothing but campaign.

No matter however diplomatically the speeches are couched, not all the speakers are reticent as was the case in Enugu rally, where several speakers, especially the governor of Enugu State, hit the nail at the head. Quoting Governor Sullivan Chime, ‘we have come here for simple task, to formally request you to run.

Not about your performance or request for projects. Secondly, that you deliver the answer forthwith.’

“There is no doubt that this is in utter contravention of the 2010 Electoral Act and huge drain on the resources of the Nigerian state, for the cost of every zonal rally — in terms of logistics, honorarium and settlement — run into billions of Naira.

“I am one of those who did not call on INEC to sanction Mr. President because I know that INEC is still a department in the Executive.

INEC is a toothless bulldog in this instance.

“Can you imagine that the Resident Electoral Commissioner in Ondo State, who courageously and openly condemned the ignoble role played by the Minister of State for

The political parties are run by people who have no business in government. All the criminals, I mean those who are being prosecuted by the EFCC, are running back to a political party, whose national chairman is facing investigation. The party is giving tickets to people who have questions to answer; I am even told they want to hand tickets to militants in the Niger Delta. These people flouting the electoral laws have trivialised leadership, so what you see now are people who have no business in the issue of leadership.

You have lawless people running the parties. And then, INEC, as is presently constituted like the EFCC, is just a lame duck. The INEC chairman has no business preparing for election at this time. He is a man with narrow views, who is chasing the smaller political

parties and not the big ones. If it were smaller political parties that have been involved in these campaigns, you would have heard about deregistration.

INEC looks the other way when PDP does all manner of things. And that is the man who wants to conduct a credible election.

The credibility of the election starts from voter registrations, campaigning and insisting that everyone abides by the rules and regulations concerning the election. If the big parties cannot obey campaign guidelines, what makes you feel they will obey other laws?

Look at what is happening in the West: They have put on Obanikoro there as defence minister and he does not know how to differentiate between his authority and the use of soldiers. We are not surprised that the presidency is the one that has fanned this ember of disrespect to the constitution and laws of this country.

But rallies are not like political campaign; hence, the parties can easily extricate themselves from any breach of the law…

What do you call rally and campaign?

Are they not the same thing? However, there is difference between a political party’s convention/meetings and rally, where you come in the open air to talk to the people. It is a campaign. What the PDP has done in recent times is not rally; it is campaign.

Even the media are awash with jiggles in form of adverts while INEC and BON are just there watching. The world is watching.

If things continue like this, then there is no hope for the next election.

Do you see this as an indication that Nigeria has pathetically weak institutions?

Bad leadership has ensured there is no strong institution to question it. That is the unfortunate thing; it is the reason we talk about good leadership. A good leader will not place himself before his country; he will place the country before himself. El Rufai was arrested when he said, ‘if you rig election, expect crisis.’ You don’t want crisis but you want to rig election. If Nigerians want to live in peace, they must encourage politicians to play by the rules.

How are parties funding these rallies?

Some of us are in court with the president over N600 billion donated by the fuel subsidy scammers. We even sued EFCC when the suspects revealed it. We insisted, in the suit, that the matter affected us because when you allow corruption and begin to look for campaign fund in this manner, innocent citizens suffer.

How do we ensure that political parties adhere to laws regulating election campaign?

As it is now, Nigeria is in a fix. I don’t know whom you want to talk to. We see danger if the president is the one superintending over this level of rascality.

Defence, Senator Musilu Obanikoro, on the Ilaje/Ese Odo Federal Constituency bye-election, instead of receiving commendation from the INEC headquarters, going by reports may most likely loose his appointment?

“We are craving for the day when those who swear to uphold and defend the Constitution will truly defend and uphold it. That’s why some of us still feel that the core recommendations of the Justice Uwais Electoral Reform Committee are more relevant today than ever.

“One of the Uwais recommendations stipulates that INEC can only be truly independent when the generality of Nigerians participate in the appointment of its chairman and commissioners, through public advertisement. We agree, for instance, that not all the officials are corrupt.

However, allegiance to the people can moderate even criminal-minded officials than is currently the case.

“In this vein, a lot of people argue, for instance, that Professor Attahiru Jega is good, but the issue is that a tree cannot make a forest. This is demonstrated at last year’s Anambra State gubernatorial election, where a low-level INEC electoral officer was used to lock down a whole local council election; a local government area that has the highest number of voters (173,000 registered voters).

“The earlier INEC comes to the inevitable conclusion that nobody is above the law, the better as the laws are meant to be obeyed by all. This is the

only way to engender regime change, which our fledgling democracy is earnestly yearning for. Regime change is the core ingredient of democracy, an enabler and empowerment syndrome. It reassures the electorate of the enormous powers at their disposal and reduces insecurity.

“There are those who will restrain themselves from violence when they are convinced that their votes will count at the end of the day. They will then wait for the next election to drop the under-performing governor or president, unlike in the present circumstance, where the incumbent views the election as a do-or-die contest.

“It could be said in conclusion that the 2015 general elections is a threshold in our journey to full-fledged democracy. With the registration of APC on July 31, 2013, elections in Nigeria will never be the same again, as, whether pundits agree or not, we have dumped one party state of the last decade, where the primaries of PDP were more important than the main election.

“APC and PDP are now two dominant political parties striding the Nigerian political landscape, bumper to bumper, polling booth to polling booth, ward to ward, local council to local council and state to state. It CONTINUED ON PAGE 22

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com 56

22 Sunday, April 20, 2014

COVER

MOHAMMED: INEC Lacks Political Will To Enforce Own Laws

Mohammed

Interim Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Alhaji Lai Mohammed, says the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) cannot confront the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) over violation of the Electoral Act and, therefore, may not be able to guarantee a free and fair election in 2015. In this chat with TUNDE AKINOLA, Mohammed argues that the APC has not started campaign; hence, the INEC should come clean and tell Nigerians the real violators of the electoral laws.

INEC has not given the nod for campaigns rallies, yet politicians have started activities that contravene the Electoral Act. What is your view on this development?

AN you tell me where our party is campaigning? There is nowhere that my party has held any rally since INEC made the pronouncement that the ban on rallies was still on. Why are you not courageous enough to say who is flouting the rules? This is the third time we have been raising the issue that the president is embarking on illegal campaigns. So, do not try to rope all of us, because the APC has not embarked on any illegal campaign.

Do not let us deceive Nigerians; let us educate them. The APC is yet to embark of any campaign or rally since INEC issued a statement on the ban on rally. I can remember vividly that it was the day we went to Sokoto; even airport

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reception was banned. Only the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) serially violates it, led by the president.

Let us go straight to the point and tell Nigerians who is doing what.

What I will just say is, if we embark on any campaign, nobody should ban us because we have warned that there cannot be two sets of rules for the same game and that all participants must adhere to the rules of the game. We have told you how the president has been flouting these rules. For instance, he has gone to Bauchi, Kano, Imo, Enugu, Katsina, Kaduna and

‘Don’t Compromise, Wield The Big Stick Now’, Lawyer Warns INEC Barrister Joel Unekwuojo Usman, a legal practitioner in Lokoja, the Kogi State capital, speaks to JOHN AKUBO on the dangers of flouting campaign regulations.

What would you say about the ongoing political rallies across the country, despite the fact that ban on campaigns has not been lifted by the INEC? OLITICAL parties’ infractions on the Electoral Act, through campaigns and political advertisements, have remained visible in spite of INEC’s timetable. This is a source of serious

P

... INEC Is Toothless CONTINUED FROM PAGE 21 is the zenith of multi-party liberal democracy. This is the greatest height in liberal democracy, where none of the parties will win the presidential election with more than 53 percent of the votes, or two-thiords of the legislative seats of the national or state assemblies. It is no more the era of PDP’ family affair, hence trivializing issues of crucial national importance.

“No wonder why strenuous efforts are being made by the minders of the PDP through all manner of blackmail, and resort to ethnic and religious politics to demonized the APC. It is assuming an alarming dimension as one is at a loss on how a sane person can issue a statement alleging that APC is behind the Nyanya Bomb Blast. It is highly pedestrian and dangerous propaganda, especially, when the PDP-led Federal Government awarded the Abuja CCTV contract in less than transparent manner to ZTE, a Chinese company, in spite of the warning of experts. The CCTV could have either aided in preventing the bomb blast or in identifying the culOkechukwu prit to forestall future carnage.”

Kwara states. At every point, we reminded him that he was flouting the rules and that it was questionable for a leader of a country to be flouting any law. So, do not try to rope all of us together.

Is it that INEC is too weak or that it lacks the political will to compel political parties to comply with the rules?

PDP is lawless clearly. INEC does not have the courage to look at the president in the face to tell him he is flouting the laws and, with that, INEC has lost the moral authority to even adjudicate on such matters because if tomorrow any other political party decides to go and campaign, it would have no moral authority to say they are flouting the laws. If police should stop any party from campaigning, then it will be obvious where the bias of the police is.

What would you say about campaigns going on in the media as well?

I can talk from the perspective of my party. My party has not done any campaign on any medium. It is because INEC knows who the violators are and they cannot confront those violators; that is why the violation continues. Let INEC come out strongly and penalise whoever violates electoral rules and it will stop. But you cannot hold my hand and allow the other party to be punching me. If tomorrow we start campaigning then we have a basis. You cannot allow the president to be going everywhere and campaigning, even less that 24 hours of the Nyanya bomb blast, the president went to campaign in Kano.

As I said, INEC is gradually losing the moral authority and it will affect its ability to be an unbiased umpire in the election because when you close one eye to one party violating electoral laws it will be difficult for you to have other parties adhere to the rules.

What are the implications of the violation of Electoral Acts concerning the 2015 elections?

This is the beginning of giving preferential treatment to a party over others. It is clearly showing what to expect in 2015; that the election might not be free and fair. This is where rigging starts. Once you start manipulating the laws to favour one political party, then you cannot start talking about a level playing ground.

If INEC cannot sanction the PDP for violating electoral laws, how are we so sure they will be sanctioned if they commit a more grievous electoral offence? The impression INEC is giving the whole world now is that they lack the political will to even enforce their own laws. I want the INEC chairman to confront the PDP.

concern for me; it is a mark of a lawless nation that does not border about its future.

Section 99(1) of the Electoral Act 2010, as amended, provides that the period for campaigning in public by every political party shall commence 90 days before polling day and end 24hrs prior the day.

What the parties are doing is completely wrong, because campaigns are supposed to commence three months before the election. Since the General election is billed for January 2015, campaign should commence in November.

As such, it is a grave electoral offence for any political party or aspirant to start campaign before the statutory three months period.

It is wrong, under whatever guise — call it rallies, display of posters, jingles and so on. The most common is rallies and defacing of public places with posters. And all major political parties are guilty of this offence.

This is responsible for the heated polity that we have been observing for sometime now. Election is far away but tension is already being created all over.

Whose responsibility is it to enforce compliance with that aspect of the Electoral Act? It is the INEC, which is a body empowered to conduct election and discipline offenders, whether political parties or their members. I am surprised that members of political parties have littered everywhere with posters, even as rallies are going on with heavy presence of security operatives.

Political party jingles have become a daily affair on stateowned media. Political parties are involved in heavy campaigns, thereby overheating the polity without INEC living up to its responsibilities in discipling offenders in that regard.

The political parties have been holding rallies in Kano, Enugu and other states, under the pretence of what they call unity rally. Most of the rallies are usually heavilycrowded with over 50,000 people.

It is obvious that the ruling party is leading in this dangerous trend. It is disheartening to see that it is at the forefront of flouting the rule of the game.

I am of the view that INEC, which prides itself as an independent umpire, should rise up to the occasion and, if it fails, law enforcement agents must rise up to ensure those laws are enforced and rules obeyed.

Allowing things to continue that way portends grave danger for the country in 2015, because most of the campaigns have been whipping up religious sentiments.

INEC’s inaction portrays it as a toothless bulldog that has been compromised.

TheGuardian

THE GUARDIAN

Sunday, April 20, 2014

23

Conscience, Nurtured by Truth

Junior Guardian Salvation School Holds Inter-House Sports T was fun and time for Ipupils relaxation, when of Salvation International School (SIS) recently held their Inter-house sports at the University of Lagos Sport Centre.

In her opening speech, Mrs. Olayinka Somoye, the school administrator said SIS lays emphasis on sport, as excellence in the school goes beyond academic activities.

She added that sports help school children to develop specific and social skills as well as self– confidence. She urged parents to help their children discover, grow and nurture their abilities to enable them excel in chosen fields.

She exhorted the children to continue giving their best in whatever sporting form, since according to her, sport is not always about win-

ning medals. “The fact that you participated, makes you a winner,” she said.

Some of the sporting events engaged in included picking colours, bursting balloons, walking with over-sized boots, dropping the balls, skipping and building pyramid. Others events included 25m, 75m and 100m race, 200m hoops relay, 4 by 100m relay and hurdle race.

While Red House clinched the first position, Green House was second and Yellow House third.

Chairman of the occasion and former Attorney-General of Ogun State, Mr. Oluwemimo Ogunde, advised parents to help their children do things in better ways and be God-fearing, adding that they should be encouraged to use sport as an instrument to love God.

— Joseph Okoghenun

Green House during the match past

PUZZLE

POEM Storiii The heart of the word The beat of the tone “The yan wey people wan hear” “The talk wey dey swit for mouth” “Na so mouth dey move up and down” In awe we dey watch and listen Deeply and fixed to the spot, where we dey Select voices wey we wan hear Our gaze no dey leave the speaker “Laugh wey dey totori for body” Our ears dey twitch at the sounds “STORIII,” STORIII na the word They sway their hands in demonstration, To the admiration of the onlookers Na so dem dey carry amebo here and there Dem go carry anoda person mata for head All in the name of storiii.

By Riyyah Aghasili Teenland College, Ojota, Lagos

WORD POWER GAME Overhaul a) renovation b) repair c) refit d) service Ragged a) unkempt b) shabby c) scruffy d) tatty Wane a) diminish b) decrease c) decline d) fade Freak a) curiosity b) rarity c) oddity d) aberration Tangle a) mass b) jumble c) knot d) mesh Wad a) twist b) chew c) portion d) gob Somersault a) tumble b) flip c) cartwheel d) flip-flop Seedy a) dingy b) sordid c) shabby d) sleazy Plunder a) loot b) booty c) swag d) spoils Languid a) unenergetic b) relaxed c) leisurely d)

JOKES Why did the orange go to the hospital?

A: Because it was not peeling well What do the fishes eat to survive?

A: Vitamin Sea Why did the farmer feed his cow so?

A: To get rich milk

By Chinwe Onuchukwu, Festac Town

Pupils of Pampers Private School, Greensprings School, Corona School and Scholastic Hall, who came top at the 2014 Declamation contest, flanked by their teachers and judges at Greensprigs School, Anthony Campus, Lagos.

Children of Reconcilers Foundation with their Proprietress, Mrs. Shopade F.T. during a love visit to Royal Seed Children Nursery/Primary School, Kobape, Abeokuta.

COMPILED BY KIKELOLA OYEBOLA

24 Sunday, April 20, 2014

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

NEWSFEATURE

Th rail track in Mile 2 area of Lagos. (Inset): Mile 2 terminal still under construction

Hope Drags As Lagos-Badagry Rail Project Crawls as to the failure of the June completion date for that phase.

“Let me draw your attention to the fact that when the governor said that, he also mentioned that all these will be subject to HE Lagos State Rail Project divided into phases, when comavailability of funds. So if the World Bank loan is still being held pleted, no doubt, will greatly help ease the hectic time up by the Federal Government and there are still issues, definitemotorists and commuters go through. ly it would be impossible to do magic.”

So when the state governor announced in February last year The Managing Director of LAMATA, Dr Dayo Mobereola, did that the first phase of the Lagos-Badagry Rail project would be not pick the several calls made to his lines and did not return completed by mid year, many of the commuters and motorists them, but Mrs. Angela Olanrewaju, the External Relations were greatly excited.

Manager of the Authority called back after a text was sent to the It is known that many who make use of the Lagos-Badagry MD. Expressway had been going through traumatic times, especially In stating her organisation’s position, Olanrewaju said that during peak hours. So the completion of the first phase would be the Blue Line Rail project is on course, noting that the entire a good relief for them as the extra money spent and time wasted project is divided into phases. daily on that route would be eliminated.

“The first phase is from National Theatre to Mile Two. There are Also, many commuters pay double the regular fares during four stations – National Theatre, Iganmu, Alaba and Mile Two – peak periods to travel on the route. Normally, transporters under this phase. The four stations have been substantially comcharge N100 as the fare from Mile 2 to CMS, but during these pleted. The elevated section has been completed and the conpeak periods, there is an 100 per cent increase in the fare, from tractor is currently laying the rail tracks.

N100 to N200, sometimes more.

He stated that LAMATA is constantly monitoring the progress Most of the transporters often attribute the increment to the of the project and is satisfied with the extent of work done so far. longer hours they had to spend in traffic. And the slow traffic on “On the completion date, the construction of the first phase of the route is usually hectic. A lot of man hours is lost in the traffic. the project was projected to be completed at the end of June this This compels commuters and motorists, who want to beat the year. However, we experienced some minor hitches due to traffic or do not want to get late to their offices, to move out earli- delays experienced at the ports with respect to importation of er than they should. materials and equipment, the weather has also impeded the The entire rail project is designed to run through various areas pace of work. As with huge projects like this, a lot of unforeseen of Lagos, under seven-line network code named: Red, Blue, Green, logistic challenges always arise, but we are working closely with Yellow, Purple, Brown and Orange lines. the contractor to ensure a timely completion of the project. We The first line under execution is the Blue line, which is the are committed to completing this project at the earliest possible National Theatre-Okokomaiko lane, programmed to be executed time. in two phases by the appointed contractor, China Civil “The project on completion will offer life-impacting benefits to Engineering Construction Company (CCECC). The contract commuters as quality of life will improve generally, commuters includes the basic design and construction of the rail infrastrucwill now enjoy faster travel time as this is projected to drop by ture. The Blue line, from Marina to Okokomaiko originally sched- over 400 per cent (from 2-5hrs travel time to 37mins), passenger uled for completion by the end of 2011 was postponed to 2012 and waiting time for public transport will also reduce significantly. has now been further stretched to 2015 due to funding issues, The traffic gridlock currently being experienced on the according to the state government.

Okokomaiko to Marina axis will reduce considerably, while ecoThe Governor, while flagging off the laying of track at the Orile nomic activities along Lagos –Badagry axis will be greatly end in February 2013, said that the first phase of the Blue line enhanced. Environmental pollution will also reduce by about 12 from Mile 2 to National Theatre would be completed in June. The per cent.” project was however not delivered on that date.

Residents’ comment Although there was an earlier threat that the contractor may Michael Ojo complained that it has slowed down business for stop work if the funding remained a challenge, it was however many who operate on the route as customers often prefer going observed that since the beginning of the year, the CCECC had to other places because of the hectic traffic on the route, espebeen on site everyday including Sundays, working. cially when there are alternative locations.

As at Friday, none of the stations, National Theatre, Orile, Alaba Ozi Princewill said that it has been hectic for those living on and Mile 2 had been concluded. During the visit, workers of the that axis. He felt that the job was given to incompetent contracconstruction company handling the project were seen still doing tors who are confused. He suggested that the contract be concrete and wielding tasks. Although the train track had been revoked and given to a more compete contractor. linked to the Orile, Alaba and Mile 2 stations, the concrete bridge Kemi Adesoji works on the Island and stays around Alaba-suru. meant to carry the track from Orile to the National Theatre had She said that anytime she leaves home minutes after six am, she been completed, but the track is just being laid. Also, it is just the would be in trouble of spending hours in traffic, which implies service lane of the road from Mile 2 to Orile that had been comthat she would get to the office late. She said it has always been pleted, as the fast lane could only be constructed after the rail hectic and stressful, as the non-completion of the road has comproject had been concluded. pounded the slow traffic on that route. “I cannot wait for them Lagos’ position then on why the June 2013 deadline was not met to complete the road. The traffic from Coker to Orile sometimes The Special Adviser to the Governor of Lagos State on Media, Mr. could be about one hour.” She said to beat the traffic she often Hakeem Bello, said that the delay could be due to non-approval treks from Coker to Orile. of the World Bank loan by the Federal Government. But when he LAMATA’s New Explanation was told that the contractor had been working on a daily basis A staff of LAMATA, who spoke under anonymity said, since the governor made the pronouncement, he suggested that “Government felt that if the project is from Mile 2 to the the reporter should get in touch with LAMATA for better insight National Theatre, it would make no sense. So, it extended the

By Gbenga Salau

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first phase to Marina, and government has awarded the National Theatre-Marina route, which is being implemented along with the first phase. Therefore, the project is now from Mile 2 to Marina. And the governor explained that for it to be really impactful, it should be extended to Marina because if a resident is coming from Festac, he picks a train from Mile two to stop at the National Theatre, he would still likely get stuck in traffic again when he needs to link Marina from the National Theatre. When the governor made the initial promise, it was on the project between Mile 2 and National Theatre and that section is about 98 per cent ready.

“But the section taking it to Marina would likely take some time.

We should not be talking about when the project will be completed; what should be the most important thing is if work is going on or not. Do not forget that government is funding this project itself besides other projects it is executing in the state. If the project has stopped totally, then there could be issues and concerns. Yes, there is a projection, but the thing with us is that if you give a date and the date was not met, it would be as if government is not doing anything. But the fact is, the project is still going on and there is a particular date in mind for the completion.”

Details of the Rail line project The first two lines of the urban rail project are estimated to cost $1.4bn. The Blue line will be 27km long, connecting Okokomaiko to Marina.

The Blue line will be funded entirely by the Lagos State Government (LSG). In May 2012, the Lagos government commenced negotiations with potential investors for the operation and maintenance of the line.

The concession contract will be for the operation and maintenance of the lines for 25 years. The scope of work for the concessionaire will also include design and construction of the infrastructure associated with operation and maintenance of the lines.

CPCS Transcom is the transaction adviser for the Blue line. The Blue line starts at Marina station and runs along Ebute Ero and Iddo station, same as the Red line. From Iddo, the Blue line running on an elevated platform moves along the National Theatre station and makes a descent at Iganmu to join the expanded Lagos-Badagry Expressway, an expansion conceived to ease link between Nigeria and neighbouring West African states, Alaba, Mile 2, Festac, Alakija, Trade Fair station, Volkswagen station, LASU and finally reaches the Okokomaiko station where it ends. One of the two bridges being built for the Blue line is at Mile 2.

The Blue line is expected to have 10 stations then sharing three others with the Red line. The stations will have island-style platforms and commuter payment systems. Public address and electronic information screens will be installed in each station. The Ebute Ero station will also have an escalator.

A number of rail crossings with elevated road structures will be built along the lines. Pedestrian bridges will be constructed over the Nigerian Railway Corridor. Cable ducts and walkways, in addition to drainage system with two walls will be built along different sections of the lines.

Between Marina and Iddo stations, a combined five-kilometre viaduct rail over road and cable stay-bridge will be built, linking the Red and Blue lines.

Other infrastructure to be built as part of the project include stations; signalling, control and communications (SC&C) systems; supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems; depot and workshop facilities; an operations control centre and a training facility for drivers.

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

Sunday, April 20, 2014 25

NEWSFEATURE

How Not To Lose The War Against Indecent ExpoBy Bisi Alabi Williams ASHION has always been an important form of self-expression. People dress themselves according to their taste and how they want to be perceived. People may say much to pass across a message concerning their person, but sometimes, appearances indicate this more readily. Sometimes, there is need to dress nicely and sometimes just casually. And the saying that a person is what he/she wears tells clearly how important dressing is. It is also a reality that we live in a world that judges a book by its cover.

In today’s Nigeria, persons who belong to the ‘old school’ and those who are inclined to abide by religious codes believe the best way to dress is to cover up and be decent. The new school, however, thinks that showing a bit of the cleavages, waistline, legs and arms is in vogue.

What is responsible for this drastic change and mindset, between the so-called old and new schools? Why are young girls now reluctant to follow in the footsteps of their mothers and grandmothers by being more reserved and conservative in matters of dressing and attitude?

According to Nkechi Ebi, an artist and Olecha dressmaker, the way a person’s mind works can be detected through what he/she wears. “People always judge you by the looks. If a person presents himself/herself in cheap clothing to important people, that impression is what they will take away and remember you by. For instance, when people attend interviews, they put their best feet forward by dressing impressively, thereby, selling themselves by their looks.

“People’s choices in all things reflect their character, even down to the details of their clothes.

So people instinctively recognise that the individual, who chooses to wear expensive clothing, is perhaps showing off his/her wealth or taste.

Likewise, the individual is making another kind of statement, when he/she chooses to wear inexpensive clothes. Though the statement in this case may be that clothes are not of great importance.”

Jacob Omede, a psychologist in the Department of Educational Psychology, Guidance and Counseling Kogi State College of Education, said indecent and un-African dressing pattern among today’s youths is generating lots of concerns.

Religious and academic institutions have attempted to prescribe what is appropriate in terms of dress code for young persons in places of worship and in academic environments. Government institutions too have attempted to legislate on what is appropriate, but each time, the debate touches on how much society could intrude into a person’s right of expression.

If it were to be left for an individual to decide what is tasteful and appropriate, then one might ask whether men really like girls that are not properly covered?

“No way! I can never marry someone who dresses indecently not to talk of an indecent girl,” says Anthony Akor, a Customer Service Manager in a PR Consulting firm in Opebi, Ikeja.

“My family will never accept such a girl. In fact my mother will curse the day she had me if I dare bring such a girl home for marriage. Such a girl can only be a play object, no matter how beautiful she is. She can only be a friend. And these things happen. I will never allow such a girl to tie me down.”

A visit to the campuses is bound to leave one astounded at what obtains in the name of fashion.

The craze is “bare-as-you-dare.” Little wonder some higher institutions of learning such as the University of Jos, Moshood Abiola Polytechnic (MAPOLY), University of Ibadan (UI), Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU) and University of Lagos (UNILAG) have attempted to tackle the problem by coming up with acceptable dress codes for students.

In some higher institutions, some dresses have been identified as being indecent and as such disallowed. Examples of such dresses include jumpers, body hugs, spaghetti tops etc. Some days of the week are designated as ‘corporate’, when students are expected to dress formal.

While some of these measures appear good, there is the challenge of getting at the root cause of the matter, which is that foreign ideas and cultures have encroached on what used to be the African sense of style and fashion. Foreign movies, music, lifestyle have become ingrained in the younger population, and is given expression in dress form.

Osayi Alile, Chairperson of Women in Management, Business and Public Service (WIMBIZ) says most ladies, especially undergraduate students have a terrible sense of dressing, which sometimes casts serious doubt on their upbringing. “Some of these ladies are from welldisciplined family background but due to peer

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pressure from friends, they succumb to the temptation of indecent dressing as a way of advancing their sexuality. Some dress halfnaked and behave like prostitutes because they want to belong to the big girls group.”

She notes that some of the girls are being smart, because whenever they go home to see their parents, they dress appropriately, thereby giving the impression that they are well-behaved.

In her view, there is a correlation between indecent dressings and assault and other social crimes. “If a woman dresses in a way that leaves half of her body uncovered, or wears a provocative or transparent dress or a mini skirts that exposes her thighs, she is likely to be a target of rape.

“Some older women that are supposed to be the custodian of our culture and morals are not left out of this craze, as they expend so much time in meaningless competition about what they wear to the detriment of giving their daughters sound moral or religious education.

“Women that are world achievers dress decently. They are busy setting standards and breaking new records. These are the kinds of women that we train in WIMBIZ, where women are encouraged not to debase womanhood. If women continue to dress indecently, what will they tell their daughters?

“While morality and decency is not against the female folks looking elegant, beautiful, decent and adorable, there is a line that a decent woman must not cross. Imagine the scenario, where a young lady wears a bikini that ought to be used for swimming or picnicking to the office or for other official functions. Some women think tight clothes are fashionable but in the real sense, women who wear tight and short clothes end up walking like babies learning to walk for the first time.

“Tight and short clothes embarrassingly expose body parts that are supposedly private to onlookers. And this is something that our young girls must understand.”

She advises young girls to always dress the way they want to be addressed, as this is meant to make them comfortable and acceptable in the eyes of society and most importantly glorify God. Therefore, when wearing unbefitting dresses, they should think twice because their clothing is supposed to bring dignity and respect their way.

“Anything short of this is simply not acceptable.”

According to Sheirk Adamu Ismaila, head of Young Men in Islam (YMI), Obalande Lagos, a socio religious organisation that promotes Islamic teachings among Muslim faithful, indecent dressing is everywhere.

“You switch on your television at any time of the day and all you see are young girls dressing half naked. All one sees on our streets is careless dressing. It’s has now become so fashionable to show all kinds of cleavages, waistlines, buttocks, thighs, laps, stomachs etc.

“They flaunt their bodies in whatever way they like or deem fit. It’s like saying, “Look, what I’ve got, it’s here, look at what mama gave me, it’s for you, it’s available! But tell me, what type of home do these ladies come from? What are they really up to? Are they really okay? Of course, they are. They are only indulging themselves and “ trying very hard to belong.” Whichever way one sees it, you cannot but ask why anyone in her right senses would do this?”

Recently, Most Rev. (Dr.) Adewale Martins, Catholic Archbishop of the Metropolitan See of Lagos warned Christians against every form of indecent dressing, saying it does not only defile the body, which is the temple of the Holy Spirit, but also the soul because the thought of dressing so provocatively emanates from the inner person.

He said indecent dressing is malaise that is corrupting the Nigerian society, especially among the youth and could not have gone this far but for the encouragement given to it by some parents, who not only encourage their children, but are sometimes caught in the habit themselves all in the name of fashion.

The Archbishop said; “The act of appearing in transparent, short dresses is very offensive to the sight of right thinking persons in the society and is out rightly abominable to God. You must remember the sons and daughters of who you are and keep yourselves holy according to the teachings of the Holy Bible and exhibit in totality the whole fruits of the Holy Spirit. You must shun all shameful habit of people going about virtually naked, sexual immorality, incest, idolatry and acts of darkness as genuine followers of Christ.”

It is genetic, as a girl-child attitude must be drawn from the mother or father’s gene. Mothers have failed to lay good examples for their girls by setting the pace for indecent dressing. Some mothers themselves do not dress decently. So, what do you expect them to pass on to their girls? Some mothers put on seductive outfits that are provocative.

Mrs. Susan Madubuike, a concerned mother and businesswoman, is worried that indecent dressing now cuts across age groups, tribes, religion and classes. “Indeed, it has transcended just manner of dressing to becoming a modern day culture in Nigeria. It is disheartening to see our supposed future mothers dressing half-naked, walking shamelessly on the streets, schools, markets and official work places.

“Womanhood is supposed to be respected with dignity, but these days, it is being abused with even mothers dressing and exposing their bodies for all to see including their children.

“People say it is fashion. Does this now mean that we are living in an era of modernisation in which people won’t cover their nakedness with clothes? It’s as if they prefer to go back to the era of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden.”

Mrs. Nneka Alozieuwa, a consultant on fashion and the Managing Director, Jebigen Collections says Nigeria’s entertainment industry has a role to play here.

Most young men and women see Nollywood and Hollywood stars as role models and tend to imitate them.

She blames movies produced for gradually destroying the moral lives of young children, who are the most popular movie-audience. “These days, because many Nigerian youths copy their way of dressing, ladies dress in clothes of musicians. They emulate actresses; they don’t wear traditional outfits. But our children out rightly copy them and try to be like them.”

Yomi Newton, President of the Old Girls Association of the Federal Government Girls College, Kazaure, Lagos chapter, blames parents for indecent dressing among young girls today. “We can only blame parents for this development, especially since they buy clothes for their children from a tender age. It is the style and concept that a mother uses in grooming her daughter that she will grow up with,’’ she says.

Newton, who is also a medical practitioner, says, “it is genetic, as a girl-child attitude must be drawn from the mother or father’s gene. Mothers have failed to lay good examples for their girls by setting the pace for indecent dressing. Some mothers themselves do not dress decently. So, what do you expect them to pass on to their girls? Some of them put on seductive outfits that are provocative.”

Conscience, Nurtured by Truth

TheGuardian

26 Sunday, April 20, 2014

www.ngrguardiannews.com

BUSINESS 2014 Budget Not Ready Yet

By Marcel Mbamalu (Lagos) and Azimazi Momoh Jimoh (Abuja) IGERIA’S over $500 billion economy — according to the controversially rebased template for calculating the nominal Gross Domestic Product (GDP) — may be throttling to a ‘shut down,’ unless political gladiators at the National Assembly and the Executive arm of government work together to secure presidential assent for the N4.7 trillion 2014 budget.

The Constitution only allows the president to continue with anticipatory expenditure, while waiting for the Appropriation Act until June. Investigations have revealed that President Goodluck Jonathan will not get the Budget Bill for consideration and subsequent assent until the second week of May, 2014, when the NASS would have cleaned it up.

The two chambers of the National Assembly had passed a figure of N4,695,190,000,000 trillion as 2014 Budget before proceeding on Easter break, but are yet to transmit the Appropriation Act to the Executive, which also needs to study the document before signing it into law, should the president raise no issues.

What the National Assembly passed is, however, N52,230,000,000 higher than the initial amount of N4,642,960,000,000 proposed by President Jonathan. The Guardian discovered, at the weekend, that the processes leading to the production of a clean copy that would be sent to the President for assent would only commence on Tuesday, after the Easter break.

With the Senate’s passage of the Act, there is palpable fear of another showdown, especially as budget Bill now awaits the concurrence of the House of Representatives before it will be sent to the President for assent. If the president should raise concerns over adjustments made by lawmakers, he would have to constitutionally get them resolved in less than one month (before June), a possibility that remains uncertain given the current disposition of the lower house to such matters.

An impeccable source at the National Assembly revealed that the Clerk of the National Assembly (CNA), Alhaji Salisu Maikasuwa, who would be the ultimate officer to conclude the clean-up processes and transmit a clean copy to the President, was yet to get official report on the passed budget from either the Senate or the House of Representatives before the Easter break.

Although Nigeria has been experiencing late passage and poor implementation of annual budgets, analysts worry that this year’s execution could be worse given the fact that politicians, including the presidency, are already in election mood. The 2015 general election is less than nine months away.

“The clean-up process begins in each House, where the clerk of the Senate and the clerk of the House of Representatives would ensure that what was passed by chambers was properly collated and cleaned up for submission to the CNA who would also take his time to study and do the final administrative work before sending it to the President. For now, I do not think that the clerks of the two Houses had finished their own part of the clean-up process, let alone getting it across to the CNA,” the source said.

“If all things work well, it is expected that within the first week of resumption from Easter break, that is beginning from Tuesday, the CNA may get feedbacks from the clerks of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The CNA may

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The clean-up process begins in each House, where the clerk of the Senate and the clerk of the House of Representatives would ensure that what was passed by chambers was properly collated and cleaned up for submission to the CNA who would also take his time to study and do the final administrative work before sending it to the President.

For now, I do not think that the clerks of the two Houses had finished their own part of the clean-up process, let alone getting it across to the CNA

• Document Reaches Jonathan In May • Budget Bill To Undergo Two Weeks’ Clean-up Processes •Health Of Fiscal Year Worry Nigerians take another two weeks or thereabout to do his own Job.” And, as the delay in getting the Budget Bill gets elongated, there are fears that the deadline imposed by the constitution on how long the President could spend money without Appropriation draws closer by the day. The Constitution makes provision for six months within which money could be spent for recurrent expenditure purposes before the budget is passed into law.

The history of the delay in the 2014 budget is long, having begun from the controversy over 2014-2016 Fiscal framework, which caused some disagreement between the Senate and the House of Representatives, regarding what figure should be adopted as benchmark.

That disagreement made the President to withhold his earlier plans to submit the budget proposal to both chambers of the Assembly, a development, which caused further delay.

In the letter dated November 19, 2013, which he wrote to explain his constraints in presenting the budget to the National Assembly, the President said: “Please recall that I had written requesting the Honourable House of Representatives to grant me the slot of 12 noon on Tuesday, November 19, 2013 to enable me to address a Joint Session of the National Assembly on the 2014 Budget.

“However, considering the fact that, whereas the Distinguished Senate has approved the Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) based on a benchmark of $76.5 per barrel, the Honourable House of Representatives has used a benchmark of $79 per barrel, it is infeasible for me to present the budget in the absence of a harmonised position on the MTEF. “In the circumstance, it has become necessary to defer the presentation of the 2014 Budget to a joint session of the National Assembly until such a time when both respected chambers would have harmonised their positions on the MTEF. It is my hope that this will be in the shortest possible time.

“Please accept, Honourable Speaker, the assurances of my highest consideration and esteem.”

Two key Presidency officials further explained the government’s position. The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, told State House correspondents at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, that the budget document was ready for submission to the National Assembly.

His counterpart on Political Matters, Ahmed

Ali Gulak, denied insinuations that the President must have shelved the budget presentation to avoid being booed by opposition politicians. He noted that the opposition governors or their representatives could not have caused the President to just shelve the budget presentation, which is of national importance.

Abati said that “previous acrimonies were blamed on failure of inter-governmental relationship.”

He insisted: “The budget has been ready for over a week now, but since the two arms of the National Assembly are yet to harmonise their positions on the crude oil benchmark in the Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) and the Fiscal Strategy Paper (FSP), it was wise for the President to wait until this is done.”

He, however, added that the Presidency would “cause the budget to be laid before the National Assembly as soon as the harmonisation is concluded.” According to him, “as far as we are concerned, whenever they are ready, we will go and submit the proposal.”

The Senate had earlier rejected the President’s oil benchmark of $74 per barrel and instead, raised it up to $76.50 per barrel, while the House of Representatives also rejected the $74 per barrel and raised it to $79.

While also speaking with State House correspondents on the issue, Gulak debunked claims that the President was avoiding the National Assembly over alleged plans by members loyal to the aggrieved Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to embarrass him.

“This is not true. First, the President is not scared of anybody and secondly, the PDP is one strong united party and as such, no one can embarrass the President in the National Assembly.”

The Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Media and Publicity, Zakari Mohammed, who fielded questions on the matter, said the President’s decision was not out of order since both chambers of the parliament would have to agree on the MTEF before the budget is presented. When the two Houses passed the budget eventually, these details were revealed: Of the amount of N4,695,190,000,000 trillion passed, N408,687,801,891 is for statutory transfers, while N712,000,000,000 would be expended on debt service. The sum of N2,454,887,566,702 is for recurrent (non-debt) expenditure, while the balance of

N1,119,614,631,407 is earmarked for contribution to the development fund for capital expenditure for the year ending December 31, 2014.

The budget was premised on a benchmark of 77.50 dollars per barrel and an annual crude oil production of 2.3million barrel per day as well as an exchange rate of N160 per dollar.

Of the recurrent budget, education got the highest figure of N373,532,095,037. This is followed by Defense which got the sum of N314,347,339,871. Police Formation and Commands took third place position with the total figure of N295,561,812,085.

The Senate subsequently debated the general principles of the Bill and read it the second time on January 23, after which it was referred to relevant committees.

The Chairman, Senate Joint Committees on Appropriation and Finance, Senator Ahmed Maccido, observed that “the 2014-2016 Medium Term Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Strategy Paper, upon which the 2014 budget was based, just like the previous editions, will require being refined and retooled both in procedure and process.

N”A major issue here is in the planning required and the engagement processes with all stakeholders which will have added effective value to the budget process, with obvious multiplier effect on the economy.

“The drop in oil production volume as reflected in the budget estimates of the past two years remains a disturbing phenomenon. The obvious reason has been traced to the obstruction to oil production as a result of pipeline vandalism and crude oil theft.”

The Committees also decried the inability of Ministries, Departments and Agencies to fully implement budgets. According to the committees, the development, which has become a recurring decimal was becoming worrisome.

“The appalling state of budget implementation in the country is still a worrisome recurring decimal for our economy. Unspent funds that are rolled over into the economy only make a mockery of development, which is a dire necessity across the nation. Government must be seen to be taking steps to improve on this.

“The 2014 Budget, which is described as one of job creation and inclusive growth, deserves to urgently rise to the occasion to defend itself, in view of the yawning gap between employment created and the army of the unemployed”, the committees stated.

Commending the joint Committees for their efforts, the Senate President urged the executive arm of government to ensure full implementation of the budget.

With the passage at the Senate, the budget Bill now awaits the concurrence of the House of Representatives before it is sent to the President for assent.

Sunday, April 20, 2014 27

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

BUsINEss From Azimazi Momoh Jimoh, Abuja HE Legislature appears set for a fresh faceoff with the Executive on matters relating to annual budgets of some key parastatals of the Federal Government.

Although the National Assembly is yet to achieve satisfactory result with the battle to force agencies like the Nigerian National petroleum Corporation (NNPC), the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and a few others to submitt their budgets, the senate has beamed its searchlight on the Corporate Affairs Commission (C.A.C) and is bent on making the commission comply with every rule of financial allocation, appropriation and expenditure.

It has passed the Companies and Allied Matters Act amendment Bill in which key alterations were made, including the introduction of federal character principle into the membership of the CAC. It has subjected the commission’s expenditure to the constitutional requirement, which dictated that no money should be spent without appropriation by the National Assembly.

The Corporate Affairs Commission of Nigeria was established in 1990 through Companies and Allied Matters Decree no 1 (CAMD) 1990[1] now known as Companies and Allied Matters Act. It is an autonomous body charged with the responsibility to regulate the formation and management of companies in Nigeria.

The amendment, which senators described as part of the necessary legislative restructuring of the commission, requires the commission to submit its annual estimates and reports to the National Assembly. section 14(3) of the Principal Act of the Commission had provided that “the commission shall cause to be prepared, not later than 30 september in each year, an estimate of the expenditure and income of the commission during the next succeeding year and when prepared, they shall be submitted through the minister to the President.”

But in amending the Act, the senate specifically gave approval for the section to be altered in these words: “The commission shall cause to be prepared, not later than 30 september in each year, an estimate of the expenditure and income of the commission during the next succeeding year and when prepared, they shall be submitted through the minister to the National As-

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Fresh Face-off Over Extra-budgetary Expenditure Looms sembly.“ To further subject the expenditure of the commission to the scrutiny of the National Assembly, the senate amended the Principal Act of the CAC to compel it to submit a report on its activities during the preceding year, including its audited accounts to the National Assembly not later than 30 June in each year.

According to the provisions in the Principal Act before the amendment, the commission was only mandated to submit its annual reports to the President.

Also, the senate amendment has subjected the appointment of the CAC chairman to the confirmation of the senate.

The CAC performs the following functions: • Incorporation of Companies (Private or Public Company, Limited by guarantee) • Registration of Business Name •Registration of Incorporated Trustees • same Day Incorporation services under which companies are registered within one day • Conducting searches • Issuance of Certified True Copies of filed documents • Registration of share capital increases, mortgages, etc.

• Processing the statutory filings of Annual Returns, increase, changes in the memo and articles, addresses, etc.

• Arrange or conduct investigations into the affairs of any company where the interests of the shareholders and the public so demand.

• Management and winding-up of companies.

• Monitoring the Compliance with the CAMA by companies.

• sale of all statutory forms and publications of the Commission • Responding to enquiries and complaints in respect of the services of the Commission.

• Handling preliminary process of accreditation of Lawyers, Chartered Accountants and Chartered secretaries who are the recognised professionals and direct users of the Companies Registry.“ Chairman of the senate Committee on Trade, senator Odion Ugbesia, while presenting highlights of the report for the consideration of

the upper chamber, explained that the major objective of the bill was to strengthen the CAC, which he noted is a gateway to the nation’s economy.

The bill, he explained, would ensure thorough compliance with the federal character principles as provided in the 1999 constitution as amended.

He said the bill recommends that the chairman of the commission shall be appointed by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on the recommendation of the Minister of its supervising ministry subject to the confirmation of the senate.

According to the Bill “the CAC chairman shall be a person who by reason of his ability, experience or specialised knowledge of corporate, industrial, commercial, financial or economic matters of business or professional attainments would in his opinion be

capable of making outstanding contributions to the work of the commission” In restructuring the commission, the senate has also amended the Principal Act of the CAC to ensure that all members of the commission are selected from the six geo-political zones of the country.

This automatically nullifies the existing system where membership of the CAC is drawn from areas like business community, accountancy profession, manufacturing sector as well as the securities and Exchange Commission.

And the alteration of the CAC Act to restrict its membership to zonal representation has attracted serious criticism from stakeholders who believe that the competency of the CAC, particularly as it relates to the economy, was being compromised for quota system or federal character.

A senator, who did not want his name mentioned, urged the House of Representative to review the provision so that merit and professional standing would not be thrown out on the altar of federal character.

The senate amendment Bill, as passed, would await concurrence by the lower chamber before being sent to the President for assent.

Economists, Lawyers Demand New Budget Implementation Template

By Geoff Iyatse AsT June, amid mounting contest between the executive and the National Assembly over the 2013 Appropriation Law, Femi Falana, a lawyer, warned that the country might record its worst budget performance unless the conflict was resolved without delay. That happened last year! so, when Femi Gbajabiamila, Minority Leader in the House of Representatives, described the 2014 Appropriation Bill as “a document of voodoo economics” at the legislative debate, it was obvious that Nigerians should expect another politically-charged process. The separate positions taken by members of the lower chamber during the debate underlines the content of politics in the supposedly economic document.

But of most importance is how the belated approval processes would impact on the performance of the appropriation. And that was the concern of many people who clamour for early passage of budget proposal even though it appears unattainable. Otherwise, a thorough legislative scrutiny (that is, if the exercise is not politicised) should enhance the quality of the budget.

The fear was fueled by history, an account of failed expectations and unattained targets. According to Liborous Oshoma, a human rights lawyer, the fear that budget might never impact on the people positively is real and disturbing, especially as the goal of achieving a more prosperous Nigeria continues to shift yearly.

In an interview on how recent budgets failed to deliver on promise, Oshoma said the essence of appropriation has lost its relevance and is now being approached as a ritual, rather than sound economic planning document.

“People now see it as a ritual because implementation has become a major problem. Even when the government manages to achieve 50 per cent, you find out that projects executed are shallow. How technically sound are the implemented areas? Even where there are special ad-

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visers in different areas touched by the budget, you just find out that sound counsel is not taken seriously. They gloss over sound process because of corruption or ineptitude in the system.”

A poorly drafted budget faces serious hurdle in meeting the expectations of the people even if they it is implemented. For instance, a budget that is majorly recurrent in nature may not translate into positive development even if it scores 100 per cent implementation. Historically, the budget of the Federal Government has suffered this setback. The country has, in the past four years, struggled to allocate 25 per cent of its appropriation to capital votes. Hence, last year, the capital expenditure components hovered around N1.5 trillion, whereas the yearly infrastructure need alone was pegged at over N4 trillion yearly.

Unfortunately, Oshoma noted, the lawmakers lack the intellectual capacity to situate the problems and ask appropriate questions. He wondered why, in the face of daunting infrastructure challenges, the National Assembly still pass a budget with 75 per cent recurrent component. He said the practice is a display of lack of vision and insensitivity on the part of government.

Last year, Henry Boyo, an economist, noted that the 2013 budget would still translate to nothing even if it were passed on January 1.

The economist could not see any correlation between the figures appropriated for capital spending and the apparent need for accelerated development, even as he described the budget as compilation of allocations for few individuals who run the government.

What is worrisome, according to Oshoma, is that the pittance voted for capital projects rarely secure to as much as 50 per cent execution. He observed that since salaries and allowances of public officers are always

Okonjo-Iweala paid, recurrent votes do not suffer equal setback with capital allocation.

There have been talks about how ministries organise unnecessary training programmes and overseas retreats towards the end of every year when refund of unspent allocations would have been due. The trick, as reported, is to find a convenient cover-up to divert unspent public money.

Oshoma, who called for holistic overhaul of the country’s appropriation, described the 2013 budget as a failed one. He noted that a large portion of the money ended up in private pockets, while the lawmakers who should exercise oversight function looked the other way.

In reference to the controversial Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) kerosene subsidy, the lawyer said the country’s budgetary process should incorporate unforeseen circumstances so that there will not be unwarranted controversy over spending outside appropriation. He traced the kerosene saga as well as unplanned borrowing to poor budgeting.

He noted: “That is the argument NNPC is making. The government gave it a mandate without budgetary provision. If the Federal Government asked NNPC to sell kerosene at N50 (notwithstanding the question over whether it is actually available at the price or not) while the international market price was N150, it presupposes that it wanted the Corporation to use its money. That implied withholding part of the money that should have been remitted to the Federation Account.

“How could you send somebody on an era without picking the cost? If we plan well, we

should know in January what we are paying as subsidy and how we will fund it. The money would have been provided and the intervals it will be released clearly spelt out. This is a strategic reserve; you should not wait till mid-way into a year before you remember that provision should have been made. Then, somebody goes outside appropriation to borrow on behalf of government while another person says the spending is not appropriated.”

Unless the private sector culture is adopted by government, Oshoma said, performance at the public circle will continue to drag. He noted that the country consistently runs into trouble and borrow to meet emergency because there is no inclusive appropriation, noting that inconclusive planning creates loopholes for corruption.

The country should clearly define budget rules that compel ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) to spend every kobo for the purpose it is meant and establish timelines for achieving targets.

However, David Andori, an economist, scored the implementation performance of the 2013 budget high. He noted that many projects listed under the capital projects were realised. According to him, road rehabilitation, across the country, benefited handsomely from the budget.

Yet, he observed that 2014 is more crucial for the administration, especially as elections approach. He called for more aggressive execution of capital projects. Across health, education and other key sectors, he said, the government needs to work harder to touch lives of citizens.

On the 2014 Appropriation Bill, he said it would be logical for the chunk of the expenditure to go to security due to the challenge that sector. Agriculture, education and health, he said, deserved better attention in the budget than they got.

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BUSINESS

Int’l Conference Centre: Abia Looks Up To Business Tourism From Gordi Udeajah, Umuahia HE Abia State Government’s strategy of T opening up the state for investment is already yielding fruits. Its multi-million-naira International Conference Centre (ICC) at Ogurube Layout, a new government station area in Umuahia, is already giving impetus to more investments, especially in the hospitality sector. Hotel businesses are now taking positions in the area in anticipation of its commissioning, which government officials say will take sometime this year.

Information obtained from the state Ministry of Housing indicate that the contract was awarded in 2012 with two years completing period, which, The Guardian was told, would be met by the Contractor, Messers Charbel Nigeria Ltd. The conference centre, which is already at the completion stage, is one of the 100 monumental infrastructure projects currently being executed by the administration of Governor Theodore Orji whose tenure will end in May next year.

The Ogwurube Layout, originally a near-virgin community, whose residents were relocated and compensated in line with the state Government’s development agenda, has in the last two years taken a new look, hosting many government structures, including the Abia International Conference Centre Hence, a handful of investors are taking positions.

Ogwurube land is owned by Ibeku, the landowners of Umuahia , the state capital whose traditional ruler Eze Samuel Onuoha bears the title of Ogwurube Ibeku.

The new layout hosts the Central Bank Branch, the new Abia State Secretariat, the new government House, State House of Assembly, the ASEPA head Office, the new Ultra Modern State Library, among many others.

Officials say Governor Theodore Orji, who hails from Ibeku land, initiated the project, because the Aguiyi Ironsi International Confer-

center like the one nearing completion.

Although the Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Chief Uzoma Onwuka, said the new higher capacity than Aguiyi Ironsi) cannot ence Centre (located along St. Finbarrs Road in conference centre has capacity for 8, 000 conhost a conference requiring more than 2000 the heart of Umuahia) and the Micheal Okpara ferees, a tour of the facility indicate that it actupersons.

Auditorium (located near the present governally has 10,000 sittimg capacity, especially The implication is that the state was, in the ment house) do not have the right capacity to acwhen meeting rooms and other ancillary servcommodate the anticipated economic growth in past, not able to host large conferences in Umuahia, a situation that was compounded by ices are factored in. the state.

The state governor recently indicated While the Aguiyi Ironsi Centre has capacity for existence of few hotels in the state that the new conference center will be comless that 200 conferees and inadequate facilities capital. Hence, the State government considered it imperative to build a larger conference missioned soon for take off of conferences and for conferences, that of Okpara (though has a will expectedly boost tourism and revenue of the state.

Hotels are already springing up in the state capital. The expectation of the investors is that they would reap bountifully from the business tourism that will be spurred by the emergence of a new Conference Centre of international status. Expectedly, conferences at the centre will attract local and international delegates and visitors to Umuahia.

Conscious of the potential benefits accruing from the centre, the Onwuka told The Guardian that his Ministry had already met with over 500 hotel operators in the state and directed them to formally register with the ministry.

“This is with a view to classifying their facilities, location, among others. These data will be fed into the state website and will be accessible to members of the public.”

According to the Commissioner, Abia State is fast becoming an important tourism destination. Conferees will be attracted to the centre going by its serene environment, peace, security and business potentials, as well as the large number of high, middle and affordable hotels and hospitality of the state.”

On the Culture side, he said that the conference center would be a ready medium to expose the culture of the state to conferees and other visitors; hence, he commended the foresightedness of governor Orji in embarking on the project and wisely and appropriately locating it in the serene secured new state layout.

•500 Hotel Operators Register Interest In New Layout

How Globacom Gives Value To Telecom Subscribers IGERIA’S telecommunications sector is fast achieving the level of sophistication wherein operators have to look beyond pricing as a critical differentiator of their brands at the market place. With over 120 million active subscriptions, and a telephone in the hand of virtually every urban adult, operators have to come up with even more compelling value propositions to delight their customers, differentiate themselves from competitors and endear themselves to consumers.

Perhaps, Nigeria’s only operational National Operator, Globacom understands this a little more than its competitors because it has, from inception, operated a model that seeks to win, retain and delight customers with exciting innovations. This is the operator that introduced per second billing to Nigeria at a time that consumers were told it was not feasible or advisable.

Globacom did not only introduce per second billing, it has gone ahead to introduce most of the novel products and services that have shaped the growth of the telecommunications industry in Nigeria in the last 10 years.

Some other innovations of the company that can be easily recalled include the introduction of Blackberry, vehicle tracking, mobile internet, mobile banking, and multimedia messaging service (MMS).

Consequently, when journalists were invited for a product demonstration by the operator recently, they attended with some expectation of a novel product or service. But that was not to be. Instead, it turned out that the demonstration was not about one product or service, but about the display of ten avant garde products and services. Incredible, one may say.

It was a combination of interesting products and services, many of which could standalone for demonstration. But perhaps, to send a message about the company’s leadership of innovation in the sector, it decided to roll out all the ten at the same time, strongly believing in its philosophy of constantly changing the way we live and work.

The live demonstration of the products and services, which took place at the Mike Adenuga Tower, Victoria Island, Lagos, was graced

by Glo Ambassadors, WAJE, Naeto C, Bez, Chee, and Omawunmi, as well as a security chief from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Lagos, Mr. Sunday Olaiya.

The demonstration covers a broad spectrum of the operator’s offerings aimed at improving the quality of life of its subscribers. They

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cut through Glo Family and Friends Finder, Glo Medicare, Glo Mobile Newspaper, Glo Directory, Glo Borrow Me Credit, Glo Security Tips, Glo Love Zone, Glo Property Tips, Glo Daily Inspiration and Glo Legal Tips.

In Hi Tech’s view, the most interesting of the lot was Family and Friends Finder. According to Globacom’s Coordinator, Marketing, Mr. Adeniyi Olukoya, who led other executives of the company to demonstrate the offerings, this is a new security service that makes it easy for friends, family, employers and employees to locate one another anytime, anywhere around the country.

Many of the journalists were keen to see how it worked, and they did not have long to wait before an executive of the company, Manorath Shukla stepped forward to walk them through it.

By this service, one can actually keep tabs on the movement of anyone 24/7 anywhere in Nigeria, provided the person is within the Globacom network coverage. All a subscriber has to do is to send the text “find” followed by the telephone number of the person to be found to 5511.

The platform will alert the person to be found also by SMS and he has the option of saying ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ to the request to find him. If he replies ‘No’, that is the end of the exercise. But if he replies ‘Yes’, his location will be instantly communicated to the person trying to find him.

Each request is charged at N50 per SMS, whereas the response is free.

Soon it was the turn of the ICT writers and the Globacom’s brand ambassadors to experience the service right there in the hall. Everyone whipped out their phones and followed the instructions dished out by Shukla. A few of the Glo ambassadors sought to find one another, while the majority of the people in the hall wanted to find Shukla.

Instantly, Shukla was inundated with requests from members of the audience who wanted to ‘find’ him. For every SMS he responded ‘Yes’ to, a message indicating his location was sent back to the member of the audience who initiated the ‘Find’ command.

The message read “0805xxxxxxx is on Adeola Odeku Street, near xxxx Specialist Hospital, VI, Lagos.”

Shukla explained that the service could be utilized through any phone with capability to send and receive SMS, and through internet-enabled phones. This second version is by far the most accurate and dramatic. This is because the online platform is enhanced with a map, such that the result of the ‘Find’ command is accom-

panied by a map and an indicator showing precisely where to locate the person being sought. It was a wow moment for the brand ambassadors and the ICT writers in the hall.

There are hundreds of situations that this service can prove invaluable. If you have children, staff, friends, relatives you need to keep tabs on, this service will be very useful. The service will particularly be of tremendous help in a kidnap situation.

There is a good chance of closing in on the area where kidnappers are holding a victim who has a Glo Friend and Finder link. It just takes any of the relatives or friends to track him on the network, using the already established link. The victim does not need to do anything. He will not even know anyone is tracking him. This is because the person to be tracked does not need to give consent a second time. Once he gives consent the first time, he can be found without any consent being sought or provided again. However, it is possible for someone to opt out of being tracked by going online to change the settings.

the audience could hear a male voice reeling out the names of Chinese restaurants in the neighbourhood. Sarbhai interrupted him to ask for the street address of a particular Chinese restaurant.

The operator asked for a moment and reverted with the requested information pronto.

According to Sarbhai, it is that simple to get information on any issue under the sun from Glo Directory. He said there is a dedicated call centre of 50 employees supporting the provision of the service.

There was also Borrow Me Credit, a service that enables prepaid subscribers to receive advance airtime when they have exhausted their airtime and they cannot easily get recharge card to replenish it due to non-availability of vendors. Subscribers can later pay back when they replenish their airtime.

The new product allows prepaid subscribers on the Glo network to send a request to a specified USSD code under emergency situations and receive airtime of different denominations, depending on their profile on the network. The initial denominations available are N50, N100, N200, N500 and N1000.

The officials also took out time to showcase Glo nother product of interest at the demon- Medicare, an SMS-based service wherein, substration was Glo Service Directory. This scribers are provided with regular information service offers subscribers access on the go to on a wide range of health and wellness issues, inkey information and contact details of milcluding how to manage various diseases or lions of business organizations such as hos- health conditions and how to prevent such. pitals, restaurants, police stations, Subscribers have the liberty of choosing specific government offices, workshops, banks, areas they would like to receive information on schools and hotels. from a menu. Subsequently, such subscribers will Another Globacom executive, Himanshu receive tips, advice and other information they Sarbhai showcased this to the audience. Ex- can practically apply to their lives on a daily basis. plaining how to use the service, he said subSubscribers can activate the service by sending scribers seeking information about an the keyword “Menu” to 34001. The service costs organization only needs to place a call to 7411 N90 per month or N4 per day, depending on the via their mobile phones or fixed lines and subscriber’s preference. then mention their specific area of interest.

Another product showcased was Glo Mobile “The calls are established on the Glo netNewspaper (Glo M-Paper). Mobile phone users work and forwarded to the Clearing House, who subscribe to the service on the Glo network which in turn will process the information can access news as it is happening while on the through the appropriate channels and rego through SMS news alerts. Subscribers need a vert to the caller promptly with the required basic handset with Glo Mobile’s network connecinformation over the phone,” he said. tion. They need to dial the short code*335# and seTo put the service to test, WAJE dialled up lect the newspaper of their choice among the 7411 and put it on speaker phone. A female ones in service. voice promptly inquired what WAJE would The service is open to both prepaid and postlike the service to do for her. WAJE made in- paid customers and they do not require GPRS quiries about domestic servants and the in- connectivity to enjoy the service. formation she sought was provided Glo also showcased Glo Daily Inspiration, a service instantaneously. that uses an outbound dialer to call out to subA second trial, this time by Sarbhai himself scribers at a specific time each day to deliver fresh was to get information on Chinese restauand invigorating content that edifies the soul rants on Victoria Island. A few moments afand spirit. Some of the contents available on the ter Sarbhai dialled and made the request, portal are Christian inspirational messages, Is-

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BUSINESS

OIL&GAS

Setting The Example In Oil-rich Niger Delta Region N recent years, the bone of contention in the Ipanies oil-rich Niger Delta region between oil comand their hosts has been the nagging issue of environmental crimes by the multinational oil companies. But, determined to set an example, Midwestern Oil and Gas Company, has worked against the norm and recently were honoured for their communitybased approach to oil exploration.

Fifty-two years after oil was discovered in commercial quantity at Oloibiri, in present day Bayelsa Sate, sustainable development yet seems to be a mirage, in a region that literally bakes the national cake.

Report says since the discovery of oil in the region in 1956, about 4,000 oil wells have been drilled so far in the region and offshore areas.

However, these 4,000 sites have continually constituted potentially polluted sites at which drilling wastes, drill cuttings, oil sludge’s and various toxic hazardous chemicals have been disposed in the region.

Despite the huge revenue realised from petroleum resources in the region for almost three decades, the goose that lays the golden egg has not in anyway been a recipient of the golden egg it laid and keeps laying.

Rather, what it got in return for the exploration, exploitation and exportation of crude oil in the region, was the wanton destruction of their floral and fauna.

Expectedly, this degraded the ecology, thereby making it almost practically impossible to put the land resource to farming use.

Given the fact that oil exploration activities have rogue-raped the land of its yield.

Therefore, it was not surprising that at the ongoing National Conference in Abuja, one of

President/CEO, Association Otherways Management & Consulting, Mr. Chabel S. Tabet (left); MD/CEO, Midwestern Oil & Gas, Engr. Adams Okoene; and Financial Controller of Midwestern Oil & Gas; Mr. Blessing Ayemhere, at the Award Ceremony in Germany. the issues being discussed by the delegates rep- “leveraging on best assets in our people, facil- Africa Oil & Gas HSE of the Year Award; Global resenting the Niger Delta people of Nigeria is ities and through unflagging innovation for Green Award; and the International Star Award the ability to control its resource. This is so bethe continuous benefit of all our stakeholdfor Quality, from Geneva based Business Initiacause, after many years of being paid 13 per ers,” Midwestern Oil, which commenced optive Directives. Also, the company was shortcent derivation by the Federal Government, the erations in 2001 and upstream activities in listed for both the Global Green Award and the region has stressed the need for them to be in 2005, through several international awards International Star Award for Quality.

100 per cent control of the oil resource gotten has proven first and best amongst the rest.

Surely, Midwestern Oil and gas must be doing within their communities, since they have alThis is based on its adherence to the tenets something unique and impressive to draw the ways been at the wrong side of the coin due to of its vision and mission, which is ensuring a attention of prized international organisathe environmental offensives and breach of peaceful coexistence with host communities, tions. good environmental management by multina- approvals as and when required from the According to industry watchers, the company tional oil companies that explored and conMPR and DPR, successful evacuation of hyis set to be on top of Africa’s leading annual oil tinue to explore crude oil within the region. drocarbon products, competent and dedi& gas awards ceremony, which is the Africa Oil However, over the years, the oil-bearing comcated staff, credible HSE plans and & Gas Awards; the only awards ceremony for munities have been overrun through deliberperformance, adequate controls for all activi- Africa that consists of a judging panel of ate over-exploitation carried out in total ties, and communication flow with all stakeAfrican Ministries of Energy and oil & gas operdisregard of the basic principles of sustainable holders, amongst others. ators. environmental management.

It is not surprising that, having kept to the For the HSE Manager of Midwestern, AnHelp however came in the form of the Nigertenets of Nigerian Content Act, the company thony Okoye, the HSE Award in South Africa, ian Content Act, which sought to address this would be heralded with several internacan be said to be as a result of the accumulaattitude of the oil organisations. Therefore, tional awards, as well as a commendation let- tion of all the company has done as regards its with a vision to “become a model indigenous ter from the Nigerian Ministry of Health, Safety and Environment objectives and oil and gas producer in terms of profitability Environment. programmes. and community coexistence,” and a mission to Worth mentioning are the awards for the

Seplat’s Dual Listing At LSE, NSE Excites Blue-chip Investors, Regulators HE successful listing of SEPLAT Petroleum Plc on the London T Stock Exchange (LSE) and the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) has elicited excitement from blue-chip investors and regulators at homed and abroad. The independent oil firm was formally received at the LSE on Thursday April 17, 2014 in a ceremony that saw the chairman, Dr. ABC Orjiako ring the opening bell. A similar ceremony also held earlier in Lagos on Tuesday April 14, 2014 at the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE).

Dignitaries in attendance at the LSE event included Dr. Alex Ekwueme, former vice president of Nigeria and his wife, Dr. Mrs Helen Ekwueme; Mr. Andrew Yakubu, GMD of the NNPC, Basi Omiyi, former MD of Shell, Ifueko Omogui-Okauru, Mr. Emmanuel Nweke, Second Secretary at the Nigerian High Commission, who stood in for the Nigerian High Commissioner in London, Ms. Chinelo Anorom, Acting DG of the National Pension Commission, Celine Loader of the CBN and many others.

The events came on the heels of the dual listing of the company’s shares on the NSE and LSE following its successful IPO. SEPLAT, which announced its intention to float on Tuesday March 11, 2014 had sought to raise $500m and then listing on the NSE and LSE. Its listing on the LSE, according to the management, is significant in many respects because it is the first such listing of a foreign company on the exchange in a decade; a feat made mostly possible by SEPLAT’s adherence to best corporate governance principles.

On Thursday March 28, 2014, the company announced that the indicative price range for its initial public offer had been set at N535 to N700 per ordinary share for shares to be listed on the official trading list of the NSE and 195 pence to 255 pence per ordinary share for shares to be traded on the LSE’s main market. The offer comprised a base offering and an overallotment option. The base offer sought to raise gross proceeds of around $500 million, equivalent to 300.9 million pounds and NGN 82.5 billion.

The over-allotment option, the company said, would represent 15 percent of the final amount allocated to the international offering in the base offer.

Speaking at the LSE event, Dr. Orjiako expressed delight at the vote of confidence in SEPLAT by foreign regulators and investors. “We are delighted,” he said, “with the support shown and happy to welcome a range of blue chip investors to our share register. Despite a challenging market for oil and gas stocks, the response has been excellent and demonstrates strong demand in both London and at home for a leading Nigerian indigenous E&P player with Nigerian investors making up 40 percent of the total.”

In his comments at the event, the Group Managing Director of the NNPC, Mr. Andrew Yakubu said the NNPC was anxious

about granting operatorship to SEPLAT at inception but today “Seplat is the only oil company, not indigenous company, the only oil company producing above its technically allowed capacity.”

The Chief Executive of the London Stock Exchange Group, Xavier Rolet presented the Chairman and CEO with a commemorative plaque and limited edition bottle of champagne after the signing ceremony.

It will be recalled that SEPLAT announced its intention to float on Tuesday, March 11, 2014 in which it said it was seeking to raise $500m and thereafter list, simultaneously, on the NSE and LSE. On Wednesday April 9, 2014, the Company announced that its Offer Price had been set at N576 per Ordinary Share for shares to be listed on the Official Trading List of the NSE (the “Offer Price”) and 210 pence per Ordinary Share for shares to be traded on the LSE’s main market.

The commencement of unconditional dealings on both the NSE and LSE took place on Monday 14 April 2014 following

the full admission of SEPLAT’s ordinary shares to the official trading list of the NSE, under the ticker symbol “SEPLAT,” and to the official list of the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) as well as to trading on the main market for listed securities of the LSE under the ticker symbol “SEPL” SEPLAT was founded in 2009 by Shebah Petroleum Development Company Limited and Platform Petroleum (Joint Ventures) Limited for the purpose of investing in Nigerian oil and gas opportunities. Maurel & Prom, a French independent oil company, subsequently acquired a 45 per cent equity interest in SEPLAT; this interest was later spun-off to form Maurel & Prom Nigeria S.A (now Maurel & Prom International).

In July 2010, SEPLAT acquired a 45 per cent participating interest in, and was appointed operator of, a portfolio of three onshore producing oil mining leases (OMLs 4, 38 and 41) located in the Niger Delta.

SEPLAT’s successful IPO and dual listing on the NSE and LSE clearly signposts a new era in the Nigerian E&P market and sets SEPLAT apart as a veritable national champion.

Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Alison-Madueke (left); Chief Executive Officer, the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), Mr. Oscar Onyema; and Chairman, Seplat Development Company Plc, Mr. ABC Orjiako, at the Facts Behind the Listings of Seplat Development Company Plc at the Exchange on April 14, 2014.

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BUSINESSAGRO Lagos Traders Lose N84m Daily To Food Spoilage

By Kamal Tayo Oropo N a daily basis, traders in O Lagos suffer losses of about N84million due to

Cassava stem planter at the Caterina’s farm site

Cassava Value Chain: Another Notch Up, CDMAP Cultivates More Hectares

By Fabian Odum ASSAVA scored another C high in the exploitation of its value chain as Caterina de Medici Africa Projects Ltd (CDMAP), an international development agency under the country leadership of Mrs. Folu Michael flagged off the cultivation of a 10-hectare farm at Ikenne, Ogun state last week.

In an expression of public-private partnership, the Ogun state government showed its commitment to the growing of the crop as it supported CDMAP with the land and farm preparation equipment such as tractors and cassava stem planter as well as the technical manpower support.

Mrs. Michael, who was venturing into Ogun state with cassava production said only

five per cent of the pilot farm has been cultivated. She said the project, which started a few weeks ago with the support of USAID, will be due for harvest in the next 10-12 months, other things being equal.

Particularly pleased with the state government’s support, Mrs. Michael said the response was outstanding in many aspects – technical manpower,

UKAid Endorses FG’s Agric GES HE United Kingdom Department for T International Development (DFID-UKAID) has endorsed the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development’s Growth Enhancement Support (GES) scheme.

The endorsement is contained in the report of a study, the subject of a pilot publication titled “FCT Farmers’ Report Card.” The study was conducted by the Federal Public Administration Reform Programme Nigeria (FEPAR), a programme being implemented by a consortium led by Atos Consulting UK and sponsored by the United Kingdom Department for International Development (DFID-UKAID).

The objective of the pilot study carried out between 16 December 2013 and 20 January 2014 was to identify gaps and issues in service delivery experienced by farmers registered under the scheme began in 2012/2013. The respondents in the study were farmers registered

under the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development’s Growth Enhancement Support scheme (GES) in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), 98per cent of who gave overwhelming support for the scheme.

A total of 533 farmers were surveyed, out of which 320 were male and 213 female. 62 farmers not registered under GES (32 women and 30 men) were also surveyed. To gain further insight into the GES experience and related issues, the study equally held discussions with officials of the Department of Fertiliser, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD), State office of the Ministry in Gwagwalada, the International Fertiliser Development Centre IFDC) Cellulant, the consultant that developed the electronic platform used by farmers to access subsidised inputs through cell phones (e-wallet), and the Fertiliser Suppliers Association of Nigeria (FEPSAN).

machinery and even logistics from the Ministries of Agriculture, Finance and the Governor’s Office.

She said Nigeria Expanded Trade and Transport (NEXTT), an agency working in partnership with USAID has been very helpful in ‘fulfilling the dream of a woman.’

Lending credence to Caterina’s cassava project, NEXTT Chief of Party, Alf Monaghan said the story of Fola Michael is quite uplifting.

He said the transformation needed in the country, and even in agriculture lies in the hands of young people like her.

State Governor, Sen. Ibikunle Amosun, represented by the Commissioner of Agriculture, Mrs. Ronke Sokefun re-affirmed the state’s commitment to agriculture especially with its Cassava Revolution Programme that is being pursued with vigour. He said the state will continue to encourage private sector investment as the state has what it takes to fast track such economic

spoilage of perishable agricultural produce, especially from the Mile 12 market, a recent research has revealed.

State Commissioner for Agriculture, Prince Gbolahan Lawal disclosed this at a ministerial briefing in Ikeja, held to herald the seventh year anniversary of the Governor Babatunde Fashola-led administration.

Lawal, said the research was conducted in collaboration with marketers and transporters of perishable goods such as tomatoes, onions, and pepper among others.

He said the research revealed that perishable goods entering the Mile 12 market everyday is 600 metric tonnes, adding that 240 tonnes or 40 per cent of the total, valued at about N84 million is recorded as spoilage daily.

He explained that one way the state government is working to reduce the loss, is by adopting a more modern means of transportation that will reduce the incident by

about 25 to 30 percent, and locate conditioning centres in the major markets.

According to him advertisement has been sent to the Lagos State Procurement Agency as part of effort to address this and within the next one to two weeks, investors wishing to invest in transportation and packaging along various agricultural value chain are advised to express their interest.

The Commissioner said government has acquired lands outside the state for production of food items including one in Abuja for production of goats and cattle in addition to the 2,703.86 hectares of land it has acquired within the state.

He said Lagos State currently produces 450,000 to 500,000 (50 kilograms) of rice adding that though consumption is in millions of tonnes, government has opened its doors for private sector support.

He noted that fish production in Lagos has hit 160,000 tonnes daily but still falls short of the daily consumption requirement of about 240,000 tonnes for Lagos State alone.

IITA DG Wants Governments To Tap Agriculture For Job Creation

By Najeem Raheem HE Director General of the T International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) Dr. Nteranya Sanginga has called on governments to make use of the potential in agriculture to create wealth and jobs.

Addressing stakeholders at the Oyo State Economic Summit, the DG, who was represented by Dr Kenton Dashiell, Deputy Director General for Partnerships & Capacity Development said there were opportunities for the youth to start small businesses in seed production, input supply, weed control,

and processing, among others.

Represented by Dr Sanginga explained that the youth could also be farmers and use modern methods that reduce the labor, raise yields, and increase income.

Citing the example of the IITA Youth Agri-preneurs model, Dr Sanginga said that there was the need to change the mindset of the youth.

He explained that the Youth Agripreneurs project – the first of its kind in the CGIAR— engages young people from various educational disciplines and through mentoring and training transforms them into agripreneurs.

Policymakers Commit To Scaling-Up Nutritious Foods LOBAL policymakers, G meeting in Kigali earlier this month at the 2nd Global Conference on Biofortification, committed to making biofortified nutritious foods more widely available in order to improve nutrition and health for millions of people around the world.

These foods include staples, such as bean, sweet potato, cassava, maize, pearl millet, rice, and wheat that people rely upon for sustenance globally. Scientists from CGIAR, a global agricultural research partnership, have developed new varieties of these foods that are not only high yielding, but also more nutritious: they contain higher amounts of vitamin A, zinc, and iron that are essential to good health.

HarvestPlus, a CGIAR program to improve nutrition and public health that organised the conference,

announced that biofortified nutritious food crops have already reached more than one million farmers globally.

By forging new partnerships, it aims To support this goal, the CGIAR announced that its research centers will start improving mineral and vitamin content across all conventional breeding programs for food crops. Two of these centers, IRRI and CIMMYT, were instrumental in developing high yielding rice and wheat varieties as part of the Green Revolution in the 1960s.

The new varieties were credited with saving hundreds of millions of lives from famine.

“At this conference, the CGIAR Consortium and its members, the CGIAR Research Centers, have committed to make breeding for mineral and vitamin traits in their regular food crop development programs the norm.

Agriculture is re- affirming its core purpose: to provide people, particularly those in greater need, with the nutritious foods necessary to lead healthier and more productive lives.” said Frank Rijsberman, CEO of the CGIAR Consortium.

Dr, Akinwumi Adesina, Nigeria’s Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, who was at the conference reinforced this: “We need to build strong political will behind nutrientrich crops, using top political leaders as nutrition champions. This is where the African Union and the Global Panel on Agriculture and Food Systems for Nutrition can play major roles.”

The scientific evidence of biofortification’s efficacy is compelling. The plan is to reach more than 100 million people suffering from malnutrition with biofortified crops by 2018.

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Why There Is No Fixed Date For Easter, By Clerics At Easter, Jesus Brought God And Men Together Through His Death And Resurrection Christians recognise and celebrate Christmas every December 25. It is a fixed and unique day in the Christian faith, when Christians all over the world mark the birth of Jesus Christ. Even school children are aware of the date, without much ado. The same cannot, however, be said of Easter, which is equally another important season in the Christian faith. Many Christians are not sure of when to mark this occasion, as it has no specific date, unlike Christmas, though it is generally known to fall between March and April every year. This is the much anybody can venture, as the actual date requires making some conjectures. For instance, last year’s Easter was marked on Sunday, March 31, 2013, while this year’s event falls on Sunday, April 20 (today). So, why is there no fixed date for the celebration of Easter? Is it deliberate or a mistake in calculation? CHRIS IREKAMBA, PAUL ADUNWOKE and GBENGA AKINFENWA took the issue to those in the right position to know. They also discussed the importance of Easter. work wonders in human life.

Easter should, therefore, be a source of new hope, strength, vigour, aspiration, courage and determination for all Nigerians to embark on a genuine and trustworthy journey of cooperating with God and all His agents in transforming Nigeria, in order that the victory over evil, which the Resurrection of Christ Jesus on Easter day won for the world will be ‘Nigerianised’. The success in this will be demonstrated in the banishment of all forms of unnecessary and man-made deprivation and dehumanising conditions from the land.

The path of truth, honesty and self-sacrifice is the right way.

Being always true to our conscience and consistently resisting the lure of sin and evil in all its numerous forms now prowling the streets, corners, high and low places of Nigeria, is the wise choice. Therefore, urgent action is needed to better the lots of Nigeria, before the compassionate God, Who does not fail to protect His children from all forms of injustice. May the Risen Christ bless Nigeria and its beloved citizens.

‘Council Of Nicaea Decreed Easter Be Celebrated On The Sunday’ (Rev. Fr. Raphael Igbaoyinbo, a priest of the Missionary Society of St. Paul, Gwagwalada Abuja) ASTER, easily the greatest feast in Christendom, has no fixed date unlike Christmas. The reason is that it sprang from the Jewish feast of Passover, which normally occurs in the Jewish calendar month of Nissan, the first month of the Jewish year and is equivalent to 30 days between March and April of our civil calendar. The 14th day is the Passover feast in the month of Nissan. After the resurrection of Christ, which occurred on the first day of the week after the Passover, that is Sunday, Christians began to celebrate Easter on that day. But as time went on, some Christians, in a bid to Christianise the Passover feast began to celebrate the day of Resurrection, Easter day, on 14th Nissan, whichever day it occurred.

But other Christians argued that Christ rose on Sunday after the Jewish Passover and so continued to celebrate Easter on the Sunday after 14th Nissan. This sparked a big controversy in Christendom known as the Quartodeciman (Latin word for 14) controversy. In 325, the Council of Nicaea decreed that Easter be celebrated in the world on the Sunday that followed 14th Nissan, the first full moon after the spring equinox (between March 22 and April 25). This is what makes Easter come up within these days of the year, as the day the full moon appears in this Jewish month varies. The point is that the Redeemer of the world rose from the dead, worked and continues to

‘Easter Is A Movable Feast, Not Fixed In Relation To The Civil Calendar’ (Commissioner Mfon Akpan, the Territorial Commander, (National Leader) of The Salvation Army) ELEBRATING Easter on different dates has been a burning issue. Easter is a movable feast, meaning it is not fixed in relation to the Civil Calendar. The First Council of Nicaea (325) established the date of Easter as the first Sunday after the full moon (the Pascha Full Moon) following the March equinox. Ecclesias-

Members of St. Dominics Catholic Church, Yaba, Lagos, during the Good Friday procession of stations of the Cross in commemoration of Easter … last Friday PHOTO: CHARLES OKOLO tically, the equinox is reck- as Good Friday, commemorat- ficing His precious life. The inand Diocesan Bishop, Lagos oned to be on March 21 (al- ing the crucifixion and death of sults, abuses and humiliaMainland) though the astronomical Jesus. A 50-day period called tions He received didn’t deter THE Christian year does not equinox occurs in March 20 Eastertide or the Easter Season, Him from saving the world. coincide fully with the lunar in most years). The ‘full moon’ ending with Pentecost, follows Jesus is a perfect example for year, which is the calendar is not necessarily the astro- it. us all. So many nations of the month. The Christian elders nomically correct date. Easter The New Testament teaches world are passing through of those days settled for a day date, therefore, varies from that the resurrection of Jesus, turbulent times, Nigeria infor Christmas but never did March 22 to 25 April. Eastern which Easter celebrates, is a clusive. The calamities, woes same for Easter. They calcuChristianity bases its calcula- foundation for the Christian and problems the country lated from that time when tions on the Julian calendar, faith. The resurrection estab- has witnessed came as a reEaster would be, because the whose March 21 corresponds lished Jesus as the powerful Son sult of selfishness, pride, Christian year is not same or during the 21st century with of God and is cited as proof that greed and ignorance about identical with the lunar year.

April 3 in the Gregorian cal- God will judge the world in God and His Word and an unThat is what is responsible for endar, and in which, there- righteousness. God has given forgiving spirit. These cankerthe shift in the date of Easter. fore, the celebration of Easter Christians a new birth into a liv- worms have destroyed lives, We can, however, learn a lot of varies between April 4 and ing hope through the resurrec- property and relationships lessons from Easter in the May 8. Easter is also linked to tion of Jesus Christ from the among others. Where there is sense that it connotes the the Jewish Passover through dead. Christians, through faith love, forgiveness and selfless commemoration of the glorimuch of its symbolism, as in the working of God, are spir- ambition, the problems of ous resurrection of Jesus well as its position in the cal- itually resurrected with Jesus our nation will be salvaged.

Christ. God came down in endar. so that they may walk in new Love builds, motivates and rehuman form, which is what Easter is a Christian festival way of life. Those, who have stores. This is the mission and reincarnation is all about at and holiday celebrating the chosen Jesus as their Saviour, vision of The Salvation Army Christmas through biological resurrection of Jesus Christ will want to live the new life at as well as uniting people of all parents — Joseph and the on the third day after His cru- its best. They could have a share classes, races, colour and Blessed Virgin Mary. God decifixion at Calvary, as de- of the divine nature. Jesus creed with Christ. As we celecided to come in human form scribed in the New brought God and men together brate Easter, let us ponder on to atone for our sins, which Testament. It is the culmina- through His death and resur- the atoning work of Christ separated us from Him. God tion of the passion of Christ, rection — making it possible for and be willing to make Nigecame in human form in Jesus preceded by lent, a 40-day pe- sinful men to become partak- ria a better place to live by livChrist, Who was born like riod of fasting, prayer and ers of the divine nature (2 Peter ing the divine nature and every human being, grew up penance. The last week of lent 1: 4). In relation to the present sharing in it. in a home, lived and continis called Holy Week and con- situation in Nigeria, we must ues to do God’s work. He tains the days of the Easter understand that it was the ‘Difference In Christian Year Is healed, preached and taught Triduum, including Maundy Lord’s love for His creation that Responsible’ according to the Gospels. But Thursday (also known as Holy made Him send His only begot- (Most Rev Adebayo Akinde, then, the Jewish leaders were Thursday), commemoration ten Son to die for us all. Jesus Archbishop of the Ecclesiastical very worried, when Jesus of the last supper and the pre- paid the price for our sins. He Province of Lagos, Church of CONTINUED ON PAGE 37 ceding foot washing as well died a shameful death by sacri- Nigeria (Anglican Communion)

Igbaoyinbo

Anyansi

Akpan

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Osagie

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Sunday School Marriage (2) Memorise: “Therefore, shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.” Genesis 2:24.

Bible Passages: Genesis 1:26-31; Matthew19: 1-6.

Introduction God, the designer of marriage is omniscient, that is, He knows everything about everything. He also created and designed the universe and all things therein, Psalm 24:1-2, Colossians 3:16-17. It takes God’s help to succeed in marriage yet mankind has either altered His clear guidelines or ignored them all together, to his own peril, Amos 3:3. Little wonder the statistics show a troubling downward spiral on the failure rate of marriages all over the world including the church. Some last for a few months, while others survive for

... With Pastor Enoch Adeboye a decade before succumbing to the onslaught.

Dominion Mankind is meant to have dominion over the universe.

Mankind is made up of male and female. All attempts to blur the difference between the two will be disastrous for our race.

“Two are better than one …” Eccl.4: 9-10, 12; Gen. 2:18.

Companionship and Friendship The most intimate relationship between the sexes should be within the confines of marriage; companionship, friendship, sex and fellowship. “…It is not good for man to be alone…’’ Gen 2:18. There should be complete openness between spouses, Gen.2: 24.

Marriage is for “better or for worse.’’

Sexual Pleasure Legitimate sexual pleasure is the exclusive preserve of mar-

Use Occasion To Foster Peace ELOVED, another Easter B has come, when we celebrate the death, burial and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. This commemoration is the bedrock of mankind’s reconciliation with his Creator. Without our Lord Jesus Christ resurrecting from death, there would not have been any hope of restoration of the peaceful relationship we had with God before our fore-parents severed it through sin.

At Easter, we are reminded of how God sent His son to die, as a sacrifice for all our sins in order to rescue us from the impending destruction that has been earmarked for us as a result of the sin of Adam and Eve. Thus, by His death and resurrection, the covenant of peace and blessing, which

mankind originally had with God at creation was restored.

I, therefore, implore Nigerians to use this year’s Easter to foster peace and love in the country, as this is the only way we can acknowledge and appreciate what Jesus has done for humanity. There is no gainsaying that the concept of Easter is inextricably tied to hope, peace and blessing, and these are the intangible cords that help people get beyond the sad and sordid situations that might bog them down and give them a sense of hopelessness.

So, Easter brings the optimism that no matter how difficult or how challenging your situation or condition may be, as long as there is resurrection, there will be a restoration and if Jesus could

defeat death, then all things are possible. This also suggests that as bad as the prevailing situation in our country might appear, there is the expectation that things will get better because the covenant of peace and blessing God established with man is still valid.

John 14:27 says, “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”

Our Lord Jesus has expressly told us that whatever trouble we are passing through in this world, we should not be afraid nor troubled, for He will give us inward peace in the midst of all our troubles. Not as the world gives, for Christ’s peace is vastly different from that peace, which is given or en-

No God In Israel?

By Gabriel Agbo

“Why are you going to Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron, to ask whether the king will get well?

Is there no God in Israel?”

2 Kings 1:3.

HE prophetic word of T God can also come as an instrument for judgment.

When you get involved in idolatry, you’ll be sure to receive the judgment of God. Yes, prophets are raised to bring deliverance to the people that will seek the way of God and at the same time judge the Godless and the hardened.

When you reject the word of God, then be ready to accept the dire consequences. We need more of genuine prophets of God that will not only bless the people, but also whip disobedient men and women into respecting the will and word of God. They are men of God that will be fearless, courageous and incorruptible; prophets that will say it as it is. Not

those that will keep back because of selfish or pecuniary interests.

It is true that Israel is God’s nation, but they would always leave their Creator to worship idols and foreign gods. This is just the problem that God has with them. Read their history from origin. It has been a struggle with idol worshipping and total disregard to the word of God. When they managed to serve Him for 10 years, then the next 40 years would be spent on importing or raising altars for terrible gods of the Amorites, Philistines, Egyptians or the Sodomites.

They went to the extent of sacrificing their children (burning them) to these detestable, demonic gods of the heathen. God has done everything to correct and stop them, but they would always go back. He used famine, drought, rebuke, war, signs, death, pestilence, covenants, exile, etc. to try to correct them, but all to no avail.

Like the pig, they would always go back to the swamp. Can we say that some of us are like this

joyed by the world. The world may wish peace, yet never intend it, or they may wish it, yet not be able to give it, but Christ’s peace is real and effectual, solid and substantial.

The world’s peace is only a freedom from outward trouble, but Christ’s peace is a deliverance from inward guilt, though it does not give us an exemption from outward trouble, yet it assures us of joy, peace and deliverance.

The peace brought to humanity as a result of Christ suffering, death, burial and resurrection is one that lasts.

It is not such as promised to pacify and quell the persecutors, but a promise of inner calm amidst the storm, a full, free gift from the overflowing bounty of God’s love.

Beloved, the victory of Jesus

riage, Prov.5: 15-19. There should be no denial except by mutual consent, 1Cor 7:2-5. Most people greatly underestimate the consequences of extramarital or illicit sex, Heb 13:4.

Procreation Marriage is the divinely approved factory for procreation, Gen 1:28, Gen.9: 1. God desires godly seed, Mal.2: 15. Children are the heritage of the Lord, Ps. 127:3.

Permanence Marriage is designed by God to be a permanent life long relationship, Matt 19: 4-6.

What God has joined together let no man put asunder.

“I HATE PUTTING AWAY,” Malachi 2:16.

Conclusion Marriage, as designed by God, is in the best interest of man.

Honouring God in marriage will start you on your journey to real dominion. You will have dominion in Jesus’ name.

Living Waters

By Pastor Lazarus Muoka over death is the victory over hopelessness and anarchy, for Christ’s resurrection as epitomised by Easter ushered us new hope for peace. If the world, particularly Nigerians, will acknowledge and appreciate this wonderful work of grace, then the political and economic nightmare that have characterised our society will become a thing of the past.

Jesus said in the Book of John 16:33, “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation; but be of good cheer; I have overcome

the world.”

Let us not ignore this counselling, for the sure foundation of peace and blessing depends on the above statement of fact. It is only in having a union with Christ that we will have peace. Thus, He beckons on us that are heavily weighed down to come and obtain freedom. So, in order to appreciate what Christ achieved for us, we should use the occasion of this Easter to promote peace and love among ourselves.

Christ’s Crucifixion today?

Ahaziah, son of Ahab became the king of Israel after his father’s death. The Bible said he followed the ways of his parents — Ahab and Jezebel. And what was their way? They worshipped idols and also led Israel to do same. His mother, Jezebel has since become a symbol of Godlessness, greed, wickedness and Satanism.

This young king had an opportunity to chart a new way and serve the true God of Israel, but he blatantly chose the evil ways of his parents. One day he fell from the latticework of his palace and was seriously injured. So, he sent people to the temple of the Baalzebub; a Philistine god of flies, to ask whether he would recover from the injuries. It was on their way to that heathen temple that Prophet Elijah, directed by the angel, intercepted them and delivered the judgment of God against King Ahaziah. The message was that because he ignored God and was running after the gods of the heathen, he would die in that sickness.

Rev. Agbo is a minister with the Assemblies of God Nigeria gabrielagbo@yahoo.com

By S.K Abiara RUCIFIXION was a C widely used method of killing people in earlier times. The victim was hung on a cross (usually made of two wooden beams) and left to die. It was designed as a cruel, painful way to die. Jesus’ crucifixion is the most famous in history. He allowed the Romans to kill Him because it fulfilled God’s plan, bringing salvation to sinners. “The Father loves me because I lay down my life that I may have it back again. No one can take my life from me. I lay down my life voluntarily. For I have the right to lay it down when I want to and also the power to take it again. For my Father has given me this command.”

John 10:17-18.

Jesus’ death on a cross made it possible for everyone that believes in Him to be forgiven of his or her sins and accepted by God. The term “cross” is also used in the Bible in a symbolic way.

Jesus used it to describe the kind of sacrifice that His followers must be willing to make. Similarly, Paul used it to stand for the death of self that takes place, when a

Christian becomes more and more like Christ. The Bible tells us a lot about Jesus’ death by crucifixion because it was the main reason He came to earth. Because of Christ’s death, His followers have the chance to be accepted by God. Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection are the most important events recorded in the Bible.

The greatest suffering Jesus endured was bearing the sins of the world on a rugged Roman cross. He was suspended between heaven and earth, died to save us. Jesus took your place, my place and our place and paid for our sins.

He hung there totally alone; separated even from His Father because of the sins of the entire world was laid upon Him right on the cross. In dying for us, Jesus did more than we can comprehend. He not only took our sins away but also made it possible for us to have a relationship with God. We can learn at least four things from the Gospels’ presentation of Jesus’ death by crucifixion.

First, Christ’s “Passion”— His suffering and death was

a key part of God’s plan for saving sinners. Second, both Jews and Romans bore responsibility for Jesus’ death. Third, His death would be followed by His Resurrection, which would prove that all He had said was true. Fourth, His death was the way He entered into eternal glory.

Not surprisingly, the way Jesus was beaten, mocked, and forced to carry His crossbeam was typical of Roman crucifixion.

It was also typical of Romans to crucify people on a hill near a road, so that many people could see it and realise what might happen to them if they broke the law. The sign on the cross that identified Jesus as the “King of the Jews” in three languages was also in keeping with Roman practice. But there were some Jewish influences in how Jesus was crucified. It was a Jewish custom to offer a crucifixion victim some wine mixed with myrrh (a drug to dull the senses), as happened with Jesus (Mark 15:23).

Prophet Abiara, General Evangelist, CAC Worldwide. skabiaraofciem@yahoo.co.uk

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Sunday, April 20, 2014

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Are These Signs Of The End-Time?

By Gabriel Osu

Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy, the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. (1 Peter 5:8) AS the Armageddon finally come? Is it not time we started preparing for the inevitable? Are the horrendous happenings around us not enough to make us sober and draw nearer our Creator more than ever before?

We are facing a very difficult period in the history of our nation. We are now in a time, when no one can say exactly what would happen the next minute. It is as if the demons of hell have been let loose to devour Nigerians, especially those residing in the North East. Or what demonic activities could be worse than those being unleashed on us daily by the Boko Haram sect? Just few days ago, we saw how Abuja erupted into a sudden graveyard for over 100 Nigerians, who had besieged Nyanya Motor Park to board buses. So many have died and many more are now lying criti-

H

cally ill at various hospitals at the Federal Capital City, Abuja, fighting to stay alive.

A week ago, if one had told those people that met their untimely death that they would not see this year’s Easter, they would not have believed it. But now, it had happened. They had left this part of the world to the hereafter to face their Creator. What would they tell Him when they get to the gate of heaven? What type of life had they lived while on earth? Were they able to make peace with their conscience and Creator before their untimely death?

Is it not imperative that we also learn one or two things from this?

My heart goes out to all those, who lost their loved ones at the bomb blast, together with the over 100 secondary school girls abducted by the kidnappers. No amount of words can adequately console them. It is only God in His infinite mercy that can give all those concerned the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss. It is very sad that our land has turned to another Somalia, where there is little or no regard

for human life. People are now being slaughtered daily like animals without qualms. It is now obvious that we are dealing with devils in human guise, because no sane human would go about maiming and killing innocent lives the way members of the Boko Haram sect are doing. No sane religion will give thumbs-up to the kind of atrocities they are committing in whatever guise. Like the Bible says, our fight is obviously not against flesh and blood but against principalities and rulers in high places.

But have you observed that the situation is not peculiar to Nigeria alone? There is so much insecurity and crises all over the world. People are dying daily; there is hunger all over and so much inhumanity such that many are beginning to lose touch with their sanity. What must we do about this situation? Are we to say that the predictions stated in Matthew 24:3-8 are now coming to pass?

Very Rev. Msgr. Osu, Director, Social Communications, Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos.

Capital Punishment, Solution To Nigeria’s Problem, Says Udeoha

By Kenechukwu Ezeonyejiaku HE General Overseer of Holiness Power Ministry, Pastor T Austin Udeoha has called for the sponsorship of a bill, which will prescribe death penalty for any government official convicted for corruption in Nigeria.

He said this was a revelation and divine order issued to him by God after his 40-days prayers for onward passage to the government for urgent enforcement.

Speaking to The Guardian, Udeoha noted with dismay that similar bills have been sponsored for related but lesser offences compared to the menace of corruption in the country and same punishment designated for them yet, corruption, which has been the root cause of the problems in the country, has not been given similar attention.

Daring every past and present government official in all the tiers of government and designating them as “corrupted, corrupt and corrupting,” he challenged any of them that feels he/she is an exemption to come up with the sponsorship of this bill, which he referred to as “the only solution to Nigeria’s problem.”

Said he: “If anyone of these people knows that he/she is not corrupt, why is it that corruption has been on the lips of every Nigerian as the problem of this country and yet, they have been sponsoring bills upon bills either in the National or the State Houses of Assembly and they have not thought it wise to sponsor one against this corruption?

“Recently, one of the state governors sponsored a bill, which prescribed capital punishment for kidnappers. The National Assembly also recently signed into law a bill, which prescribed 14 years imprisonment for gay marriage. Why is it that none of them have sponsored a bill prescribing capital punishment for corruption? I challenge anyone of them who feels he/she is free of corruption to sponsor a bill prescribing capital punishment for this menace. Until I see anyone do that, all of them are corrupt.”

Udeoha wondered why Nigeria would consider approaching other countries for assistance, technical knowhow and other developmental information without actually copying the secret behind those people’s success story.

Udeoha “Nigeria has been inviting China to come and help us. Have they not heard that the secret of China’s success is to hang and execute corrupt officials? They hear it in the news, read it in the papers and watch it on television, but they don’t want to apply it here.”

He warned that if something urgently is not done to salvage the sorry situation, which the country is into as a result of the menace of corruption, the country, will in no time, degenerate into a wilderness, where only the stronger animals enjoys, leaving the weaker ones to suffer.

Udeoha warned that if the leaders do not retrace their steps and do things that will be in the overall interest of the masses, God’s divine intervention, which might see them pay with their blood, will happen in the country. He quoted from the book of Job, which says: “For you have swallowed up riches, I will force it out from you; you will vomit them out.”

Spiritual Revival (3)

By Seyi Ogunorunyinka N Ezekiel 8, God showed Ezekiel the Iraelabominations that the children of Iswere committing in His house. God warned Ezekiel that the actions of the children of Israel were going to cause Him to depart from His sanctuary.

A lot of Christians are crying out to the Lord to do a particular thing for them, but at the same time, they are doing things that are working contrary to their requests. Unfortunately, these people’s eyes are not opened to see why their prayers are not being answered. We all need to pray that the Lord will open our eyes so that we can see ourselves the way God sees us. Once we get to the stage, where we can see faults, and ourselves it will mark the beginning of our spiritual revival and progress.

How can we attain the level of seeing in the spiritual so that we can see ourselves the way God sees us?

The first thing we need to do is ask God

to remove the cobwebs and the veils that are blocking our vision. We must do this because God will only tolerate our behaviour for a while; after some time, His judgement will come upon our lives. Unfortunately, there are some who are hearing the truth but are still refusing to change. This is very dangerous indeed.

Ezekiel 8:18 states, “Therefore, I also will act in fury. My eye will not spare nor will I have pity; and though they cry in My ears with a loud voice, I will not hear them.” After some time, it may be too late to cry out to the Lord because He will no longer listen to us.

In Ezekiel 9, the Lord got tired of the behaviour of the children of Israel. He ordered an angel to go around Jerusalem and mark the foreheads of those men that had cried out against the abominations taking place. Even those not associated with the idol worshippers, but who had not spoken out against their behaviour were not to be spared. The Lord then commanded that the entire killing

should start from those who were in His sanctuary. When Ezekiel pleaded for the children of Israel to be spared the Lord answered him as follows in Ezekiel 9:9-10, “The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is exceedingly great, and the land is full of bloodshed, and the city full of perversity; for they say, ‘The Lord has forsaken the land, and the Lord does not see!’ And as for Me also, My eye will neither spare, nor will I have pity, but I will recompense their deeds on their own head.”

The political situation in the country today is such that God is no longer in control of affairs; instead, it is Satan leading.

Yet, those in charge cannot see that what they are doing is wrong; they are blind to their faults and do not know that the tragedies that are befalling this nation are as a direct result of their abominable actions.

Pastor Ogunorunyinka, General Overseer, The Promisedland Restoration Ministries, Surulere, Lagos. pastorseyiogunorunyinka@gmail.com

Springs Of Wisdom

By Pastor W. F. Kumuyi

The Great Decision ECISIONS are crucial in life. They determine the direction a perD son takes, and most times, condition such a person for twists and turns that lie ahead. This was the case with a young woman in the Bible, called Ruth. She took a decision that changed not only the course of her life, but also her destiny. Her story is specially preserved in the Bible to help us take right decisions at all times.

Ruth was a poor widow who did not have hope of ever remarrying.

Yet she retained a pious lifestyle. She was poor, yet virtuous! What a shining example for women today who have lost their husbands!

Truly, none has any excuse to live in a licentious way.

Actually, there were two women in the same situation. The name of the other woman was Orpah. She and Ruth were companions and sisters in-law. But they reacted to their situation in two different ways. In life, it is not unusual to find two people reacting differently to a given situation. Sometimes, it could be two students faced with the same examination or admission. At other times, it could be two ladies faced with the same employment problem or with the same choice of who to marry. Or, it could be two businessmen or contractors faced with the same contract bidding process or business opportunity. The way you react will show who you really are; it will show how strong or weak your faith in God is. Anyone can profess to love God or make any religious claim when the sea of life is calm. But it is when things become tough that we know the real possessors from mere religious professors.

The background to the story of Ruth and Orpah had to do with the change in fortune that came for the family of Elimelech into which they were married. Originally from Bethlehem-Judah, Elimelech and THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com his family became sojourners or immigrants in the land of Moab following a spell of famine in their native land. Searching for greener pastures, Elimelech migrated to Moab with his wife, Naomi and his two sons, Mahlon and Chillion. While there, his two sons fell in love and eventually got married to these two young women from Moab: Ruth and Orpah. They obviously looked forward to a great future.

But then tragedy struck. One after the other, Elimelech and his two sons, Mahlon and Chillion, died. Their death left not just a yawning gap in the family, but also a bleak future for their survivors.

As we toil and labour in life, it is good to remember that there could be times of change, from bad to good, and vice versa. Indeed, “to every thing, there is a season and a time to every purpose under the heaven. A time to be born, and a time to die, a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted: a time to kill, and a time to heal: a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh: a time to mourn, and a time to dance: a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together: a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing: a time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; a time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; a time to love and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.” But then in the light of these changing times and seasons: “What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboureth?”

For the family of Elimelech, it was a time to die, and for those they left behind, a time to weep, and mourn. Elimelech’s wife, Naomi, having lost all, decided to return to her native Bethlehem-Judah, particularly prompted by the good news she heard about the turnaround in the economy there. But she needed to inform her daughters-in-law of her intention. “And Naomi said unto her two daughters in law, Go, return each to your mother’s house: the LORD deal kindly with you, as ye have dealt with the dead, and with me.

The LORD grant you that ye find rest, each of you in the house of her husband. Then she kissed them and they lifted up their voice, and wept. And they said unto her, Surely, we will return with thee unto thy people. And Naomi said, turn again, my daughters: why will ye go with me? Are there yet any more sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands? Turn again, my daughters, go your way: for I am too old to have a husband. If I should say, I have hope, if I should have a husband also tonight and should also bear sons; would ye tarry for them till they were grown? Would ye stay for them from having husbands? Nay, my daughters, for it grieveth me much for your sakes that the hand of the LORD is gone out against me.”

It was a very emotional moment as the older woman stood lamenting her fate before her daughters-in-law and attempting to dissuade them from seemingly jeopardising their future. Not surprisingly, “they lifted up their voice, and wept again, and Orpah kissed her mother in law; but Ruth clave unto her. And she said, Behold, thy sister-in-law is gone back unto her people, and unto her gods: return thou after thy sister-in-law. And Ruth said, Entreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee, for whither thou goest, I will go and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people and thy God my God; Where thou diest, will I die: and there will I be buried: the LORD do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me.”

This was the decision that changed the course of history for Ruth.

It did not only fetch her a good husband, one of the richest men of those days, but also more importantly, put her name among Christ’s genealogy. Remember, she was not a Jew, but a foreigner, yet her fortune was changed by the decision she took. It is instructive that while Orpah walked by sight, Ruth chose to live by faith. Orpah thought through Naomi’s words and felt that she had a point there, but Ruth, while acknowledging Naomi’s strong point, was willing to look beyond that and to put her faith in God. That was the difference between Ruth and Orpah.

There are still many people that walk by sight, influenced and swayed by the circumstances they see around them. But walking by sight can only keep you in the realm of fear and reality; only faith can take you beyond it. Therefore, from today, learn to “walk by faith, not by sight.”

References: Ecclesiastes 3: 1-9; Ruth 1: 8-17; Matthew 1: 5 and 2 Corinthians 5:7. All scriptures are taken from the King James Version

Sunday, April 20, 2014

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

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IBRUCENTRE

‘The Man Outside Christ Killed His Neighbour And Is Still Killing Today’ Bishop’s Responsibilities Are So Wide The Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) recently held its yearly Bishops’ Retreat at Ibru Centre, Agbarha-Otor, Delta State. The programme, which brought together Bishops from within and outside Lagos, was presided over by the Head of the Church, Most Rev. Nicholas Okoh. In this interview with ISAAC TAIWO, the Primate speaks on issues concerning the church among others.

HAT informed your choice of the theme?

W The theme, “Bishop as an Overseer, Evangelist, Administrator and Pastor, are all encompassing,” came about through the desire for self-examination. We want to examine ourselves to see whether we are actually fulfilling our roles in our different offices in our dioceses. If we have not been doing that, we want to make amends and do better. It is also possible that we are fulfilling one aspect and neglecting others. The Overseer needs to be aware of his responsibilities. As the ‘general’ in the diocese, he oversees every segment of the work; as an administrator, he has to be in control of every administrative area and administer effectively; as an evangelist, he is the ‘chief soul winner,’ who leads others to win souls and always endeavouring to ‘add to the Church daily.’ As a Pastor, he is the ‘father’ of all with the ‘chief shepherd’s heart’ in the diocese.

So, the Bishop has responsibilities that are very wide and it is important he keeps checking whether he is measuring up or not. The theme is designed for self-criticism, aimed at controlling and succeeding in each of the offices.

Ibru Centre and its benefits to Anglican Communion When we come here, we are relaxed. We have freedom to study and discuss because it is located in a very quiet environment, where our privacy is protected. It is a very beneficial and productive centre as far as Anglican Communion is concerned.

It is also a very valuable place and we pray that God would continue to bless the family of the donor and we earnestly pray that they will not lose their reward.

How can the youth benefit from the theme?

This is why we are studying, preparing and praying to be sure that we are preparing the youth. As an overseer, you are expected to have an oversight of the entire Church, of all ages, grades and social classes. You have responsibilities towards all of them. If there is any neglect of a particular age group or class, you have to re-apply your focus to ensure that it is cor-

rected.

Then, as an evangelist, you know that the Bishop is one person in the diocese, who cannot actually do the work without the help of the youth. The youth form the backbone of evangelical outreaches in an average diocese and in any church. The Bishop must first of all see himself in that light and then mobilise the youth. And as he connects with the youth, he connects them directly because they have the strength and money, as some of them occupy executive positions in business and banking sectors as well as in government establishments.

So, the youth are the ones that actually carry out the work of evangelism. And then as administrator, that of course, is the Bishop’s responsibility. But when we talk of pastors, we also recruit those to be pastors in the Church majorly from among the youth. The Bishop must know how to go about it, the category of youth to recruit so that the Church of God today will have leadership for tomorrow.

Combining effectively the roles of a Bishop, Overseer, Evangelist, Administrator and Pastor It is not that at a particular time, the bishop would say, today, ‘I am an Overseer,’ tomorrow, ‘I am an evangelist,’ the day after, ‘I am an administrator’ and after that, ‘I am a pastor.’ No! It is one person, who is daily occupying the four offices, fulfilling the respective roles as the need arises. For example, he can visit a church to see what they are doing. In that circumstance, he is carrying out the work of an overseer. The same day, he can witness to somebody, map out an evangelical programme for his diocese or give out an instruction about evangelism. With that, he is fulfilling that office. He can also transfer somebody that very day, which is an administrative job. And then, of course, as a pastor, he can visit some of his clergy or some members of the church and so on. So, in a day, he can fulfill the four aspects and it is not as if they are in different compartments as bishop’s roles. Having been trained as a clergyman in the first place, he performs his roles naturally. He ensures that he does not forget any aspect. For example, he can easily forget the aspect of evangelism and also downplay his role as the chief evangelist in the diocese. He can equally forget that he is the pastor of his clergy and their families and that he is the chief pastor of the whole diocese. So, both the clergy in the diocese as well as the members are all under his care. This is important, as he carries out his functions as bishop of the diocese.

Monitoring retreat programmes In fact, every year, the record of the proceedings of retreat is converted to a book. Yearly, activities and conversations, discussions and lectures and all that take place at Bishop’s Retreat are compiled into a book. Professor Nkwoka of Niger West Diocese is the Editor.

Dissemination of theme The Archbishop of Lagos Province, Most Rev. Adebayo Akinde is

Okoh a computer scientist. He is a Professor of Computer Studies.

We have high-level manpower and it is not a problem to disseminate our themes to every part of the diocese. There are some people, who are in charge of the statistics and analytical work of what is always going on and I always receive the report in my office. This helps us in our planning and strategising as well as self-criticism.

The Church and its impact on nation building We play effective role as prophets, warning the leaders and the led. It is left for our warnings to be taken seriously or not. It is not our duty to enforce our prophecies on anyone. All we know is that if our warnings are regarded, the nation would benefit maximally.

Should the church distance itself from liberalisation of the West?

Those smoking Indian hemp are certainly prone to health hazards. Colorado in USA is experimenting and it is good they do that. One does not need to be told by any government that Indian hemp smoking is bad. All I know, according to the scriptures, is that man has not made moral progress since he fell in the Garden of Eden. Apart from the redemption we have in Christ Jesus, those who are outside it are not making progress and will never make progress. Man killed his neighbour at the beginning and is still a killer today, as long as he is not in Christ, the only and genuine Prince of Peace. Man has progressed in engineering and others, but not in his moral sanctity. Our nation should fear God and embrace His grace, which they can only get through our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

What does year 2014 hold?

It is in our hands. When we conduct ourselves in the fear of God, respect one another, eschew wickedness, have respect for life and love one another as creatures from One true God, the year has a good package for us. When we follow after righteousness, truthfulness, and refuse to instigate one against the other, the election will be peaceful.

Why Easter Date Is Not Fixed CONTINUED FROM PAGE 34

(Rev. Fr. Paul Anyansi, Parish Priest, St. Peter’s Claver Catholic Church, Ajao Estate, Lagos) ASTER tells us that Christ suffered and died for us, and we need to discipline the mind, body and abstain from food, so that we can overcome temptations. A disciplined person is preparing for a better spiritual life. He/she is preparing to know God better and have good relationship with Him. We have to learn to pray more, fast and give sacrificially. Jesus Christ was selfless. He came to make people’s life better and even He trained Himself for a better spiritual life. Even when we are poor, we know that there is a great hope for us in heaven.

Easter is a celebration of the joy of the suffering, death and resurrection of Christ. After He was denied life on earth, He suffered and died for us. He accepted death and even though He was not a criminal, he was nailed to the cross as one, just because He accepted to do the will of the Almighty God. Through His death on the cross, He overcomes death, when He resurrected and has assured us that if we do the will of our Father in heaven, we too can resurrect on the last day. Christ showed us that even after death, there is hope of another life and we will not die again. So, if we want to accept Christ, we have to accept Him with all the truth He has revealed. Anyone who does the will of Christ stands to inherit the kingdom of heaven. The joy of Easter is the new abundant and ever lasting life, which does not have pain and suffering.

Nigerians should take the word of Christ seriously because He was the Son of God and also God. He became human and passed through human experiences, but today, many people are not interested in practising Christianity, rather they are busy chasing money and material things. But the most important thing in life is the way we live it. If we are not careful, we’ll lose the way God has made for us. I don’t think At Easter, Christ Came To Make People’s Life Bet- our leaders are showing good example. So, we want to pray that this Easter should be a time ter’

started His ministry. They felt He was preaching a strange gospel and decided to silence Him. False witnesses were raised against Him. False charges and accusations were made against Him. He was dragged through the faulty legal system and was falsely condemned to death. He died like an ignoble person on the cross of Calvary.

Two terrible criminals were crucified alongside Jesus Christ. But then, Joseph of Arimathea, a rich man, who had prepared a tomb for himself, approached the then religious leaders to release His body to him, and Jesus Christ was buried. To put an end to Jesus, the rulers of the church put a big stone at the entrance of His tomb so that His disciples would not be able to roll it away.

Alas! God’s power, which is above any other, raised Jesus up on the third day. It is that glorious event that we commemorate during Easter.

The resurrection of Jesus Christ depicts the victory, which good has over evil. In spite of all that was done to stop Him, Jesus Christ rose from the dead, implying that good will always prevail over evil. The Bible assures us that anyone that puts his trust in God through Jesus Christ should be hopeful. So, the lessons we can draw from Easter is that every Christian should know that physical death is not the end. We shall rise up again to partake in God’s unending kingdom. Every Christian should, therefore, persevere in the Christian faith and not compromise the divine injunction. They should be obedient to God, endure deprivation of comfort or even material gains because in the end, they shall rejoice. Nigerian leaders too, should know this world is not our permanent place of abode. They shall give account of their stewardship to God. They should know there is life beyond this life and should, therefore, do everything in the fear of God.

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for all Nigerians to accept Christ because He died for them. We need to change our ways and avoid those things that can lead us to hell fire.

There are many sins that can lead to hell fire such as abortion, murder and fornication. A lot of people fornicate randomly and even married people commit adultery, but our body should be the temple of the Holy Spirit. Many people are into rituals and kill others for the sake of money. There are people, who practise witchcraft, which affects the lives of innocent people, but God is merciful. He is calling us to come back to Him and He will forgive us our sins.

‘Nigerians Should Emulate The Selfless Lifestyle Of Jesus Christ’ (Bishop Lawrence Osagie, General Overseer of Powerline Bible Church, Lagos) IGERIANS should emulate the selfless lifestyle of Jesus Christ, Who put others above Himself. To move this country to greatness, Christians should not misunderstand or forget selflessness and love for our neighbours, as displayed by Christ. He had opportunity to throw away the cross but kept on, because he had a goal and dream of saving the world from its sins. He died not for Himself, but for the world. The major problem facing Nigeria is selfishness. When Nigerians have opportunities to move the nation forward, they would rather enrich themselves. We should learn to be a people with the attitude that can make the season more meaningful, and an Easter of change that brings the needed transformation to the country.

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‘Easter Is The Bedrock Of The Christian Faith’ (Pastor Lazarus Muoka, General Overseer, The Lord’s Chosen Charismatic Revival Ministries) ASTER is expected to be a time of sober reflection for Christians and political office holders. This is because the resurrection of Jesus Christ, which is what Easter stands for, is the bedrock of the Christian faith. God sent His

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Son to die as a sacrifice for all our sins in order to rescue us from the impending destruction that has been earmarked for us as a result of the sin of Adam and Eve. Easter, therefore, reminds us of our redemption from sin. Christ took our sins, sicknesses, poverty, worry, depression and confusion so that we could partake in His righteousness, perfect health, wealth, joy, sound mind and victory.

The victory of Jesus over death is the victory of Christians over sin and Satan. This victory brought about the restoration of our relationship with God, which was blemished after the fall of Adam. At Easter, we reflect on the finished work of redemption – vis-à-vis His death, burial and resurrection, which bestowed upon us salvation, mercy, dominion, honour and glory. The benefit of redemption did not come on a platter of gold, for the Son of Man went through severe pain to obtain salvation for mankind. Isaiah 53: 3-5 says, “He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from Him; He was despised, and we esteemed Him not. Surely, He hath borne our grieves and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed.”

No one ever came on such an errand of love as the Saviour, and no one ever received such treatment at the hands of sinners. Our lesson and that of our leaders should be humility, because Christ teaches us by example, modesty and patience. He teaches us to shun arrogance, deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, but live sacrificially, soberly, righteously, and godly, in spite of all temptations and molestation, having in mind that at the end of sacrifice, their names shall be immortalised and people shall honour them, just as our Lord Jesus Christ was honoured.

38 | Sunday, April 20, 2014

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

IBRUCENTRE

By Ernest Onuoha

Then Jesus said to them, Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee and there they will see me,’ Matt. 28v10.

From The Rector

ASTER is one of the defining moments in ChrisE tian religion. It is a time Christians all over the Ibru International Ecumenical Centre, Agbarha-Otor world rejoices specifically because Jesus, the Saviour of the world sacrificially died and rose again.

He lives to die no more.

Interestingly, early this morning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb.

They were part of the few faithful that saw what transpired on that fateful Good Friday. Anxious, therefore, to play their part to this loving Saviour and to ensure that the tomb was clean and that nobody broke into it, but what they saw, as they arrived, was quite amazing to them. According to the gospel writer, Matthew, ‘there was a great earthquake as an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and rolled back the stone and sat on it,’ Matt.

28v2.

Ordinarily, the stone could have been a stumbling block at the mouth of the grave and the women would have been helpless rolling it away.

But thanks to God, the great power of resurrec-

The Reality Of Christ’s Resurrection tion on its own accord rolled the stone away and then the angel sat on it as a sign of victory over Satan and his cohorts.

It is heartwarming to note that the angel, who sat on the stone, told the bemused women not to be afraid; that the man they were looking for is not among the dead but is raised. He even posed a challenge: ‘come and see where He lay.’ A confirmation that the grave was empty, as Jesus has risen to life.

Of course, their joy knew no bounds, as they responded to the invitation of telling other disciples that He had gone ahead of them as promised to Galilee. It is true at this time that their action may look foolish, thinking and be-

‘Corruption In Nigeria Fuels Terrorism’ From John Akubo, Lokoja HE Catholic Bishop of T Idah Diocese Dr. Anthony A. Adaji has linked the insurgency, which has led to the loss of lives of many Nigerians, to corruption, which has festered in for too long. This was contained in his Easter message to the lay faithful and religious of the Diocese to mark this year’s Easter celebration.

Calling on those God has entrusted the leadership responsibility of the country to ensure the trend is re-ordered, Idah said: “A corrupt public official is as dangerous as an insurgent.

Insurgency, as we know it in this country, is fuelled by corruption.”

According to him, “The fruit of our collective ineptitude to stamp out cor-

ruption is the violence we are reaping today. Rich or poor, no one is safe in the face of insurgent violence.

Corruption has eaten up the tender fabric of our dear nation and the symptoms of a failed state stare at us. We are encompassed on every side and our collective psyche is constantly assaulted.”

He pointed out that the educational system has totally collapsed, while the economy is comatose with hospitals becoming mere consulting clinics, without drugs and medication.

The cleric said Nigerians are constantly intimidated by terrorists, whose identity cannot be properly ascertained, all due to endemic corruption.

He decried the loss of innocent souls of Nigerians, which has become a regular occurrence without end in

sight.

His words: “With profound grief, I think of the spate of violence and bloodshed that has become a daily occurrence in our dear nation. The killing of young students in their sleep and the bomb blast in Nyanya, in the Federal Capital Territory, and several other similar unfortunate incidents, which have claimed the lives of many innocent struggling Nigerians by insurgents and kidnappers, leave Nigeria in profound distress. We live in a nation, where true peace, founded on the pillars of love, justice, truth and freedom has vanished into thin air.”

Adaji said in spite of all these, the Lord reassures His people of victory over sin, evil and death by His glorious resurrection.

Priests Urged To Be Genuine Ambassadors Of Christ

By Kenechukwu Ezeonyejiaku S Catholics all over the A world celebrated the Chrism Mass, a day regarded in the church as the birthday of priesthood; a day Jesus Christ decided to make priests for His church, Catholic priests have been called upon to be reflectors of Christ and to always bear in mind the supreme unction, which was given to them by Christ on their day of ordination.

Delivering a sermon at the 2014 Chrism Mass celebration of the Archdiocese of Lagos held at the holy Cross Cathedral, Lagos, the Prelature of Opus Dei, Rev. Fr. Johnpaul Taberner said the ordination of everyone of them as priest makes them another Christ for the salvation of men and as such, they should live in tune with Christ.

In a similar celebration held at SS. Michael, Raphael & Gabriel Catholic Church, Satellite Town, Lagos earlier, the Dean, Satellite Deanery, Very Rev. Fr. Francis Ike reminded the priests to always bear in mind that the anointing,

which they received on the day of their ordinations is an injunction to carry out the divine function.

Taberner, who preached to a large gathering of priests from the Archdiocese said that the question, which should always be in the mouth of every ministerial priest of God is; “am I like Christ? Am I another Christ? He said that Christ has exchanged Himself with them to reach humanity .

“The priesthood ordination gave us a maximum exchange between God and man. When a priest is ordained, we offer our humanity to Christ so that he may use each one of us as an instrument of salvation for others. By our ordination, God made each one of us another Christ. He uses our humanity to bring Christ to the God’s people.

We are privileged to minister and serve God in the person of Christ (In Persona Kristi), to make in His name the sacrifice of the Holy Eucharist, to administer the rest of the sacraments.

Ike called upon his fellow priests to see themselves as

privileged and carefully chosen people, who have been selected to be mediators between God and man and, therefore, carry out their functions for the benefit and upliftment of the people entrusted in their care selflessly.

Said he: “Beloved brother priests, we are stewards of the mystery of God charged with the ministry of teaching. Hence, our teaching and preaching must measure itself with the sayings of Jesus Christ, “My teaching is not mine.” We must not preach private theories and communions or set up or encourage private ministry.

All preaching must be under the umbrella and authority of the church. The faith of the church, its unity and holiness can never be over emphasised or toyed with, especially at this time when the hearts of our brothers and sisters are gullible and are open to all sorts of deceits in the name of God.” He appealed to the faithful to always remember their people in prayers, offer them advises, which can only enhance them in vocation.

lieving that a dead man can come back to life. If we place this against the background of so many world religious leaders that died and never rose again, this episode may not hold any ground. However, what He earlier said vindicated Him: ‘destroy this temple and I will build it up again in three days’, Jh. 2v19.

Therefore, Jesus on this glorious occasion said to the few courageous women that came to adorn His tomb: ‘do not be afraid, go and tell my brothers (possibly a larger group, inclusive of the eleven) to go to Galilee and they would see me.’

Today, there are some polemical writers and people with revisionist agenda, they may feebly attack the story of resurrection but the fact re-

mains that He died on the cross on Good Friday and this Easter Day He rose again.

Jesus Christ is risen today, Alleluia!

Our triumphant holy day, Alleluia!

Who did once, upon the cross, Alleluia!

Suffer to redeem our loss, Alleluia!

But the pains that He endured, Alleluia!

Our salvations have procured, Alleluia!

Now above the sky He’s king, Alleluia!

Where the angels ever sing, Alleluia!

Ven. Ernest Onuoha Rector, Ibru International Ecumenical Centre, Agbarha-Otor, Delta State.

‘Now Are We The Sons Of God’

By Moji Anjorin Solanke HIS partial quote from the T first epistle of John in the Bible is categorical in stating that we are presently and already the children of God. But who is this ‘we’? Is it the born again Christian? Or is it anyone who names the name of Christ? Does it address all mankind, regardless of religion, or lack of it?

In order to shed some light on this conundrum, it is important to begin with the Scriptures, from where the quote is taken. Bible readers have no difficulty in accepting that Christ Jesus is the Son of God, with capitalisation indicating a uniqueness of a particular aspect of sonship belonging only to the Messiah. This uniqueness is seen in his virgin birth, the sinless life he led, the innumerable healing works he did, and his unaided resurrection and ascension.

It is worthy of deeper consideration that Jesus says to everyone, ‘Call no man your father, which is on earth, for one is

your Father which is in heaven.’ (Matthew 23:9). Since there is no other record of a virgin birth, the true signification of this sentence must transcend genes, DNA and family history. Per adventure, it echoes the first chapter of Genesis, which says that God made man in His image after His likeness, and not after a materially mortal blueprint.

Hebrews also states that with God, there is neither Jew nor Gentile, bond nor free, male nor female, but we are all one with Him. The best theological scholars agree that the word ‘son’, or child of God, signifies having the nature of God, or being like God in the manifestation of His qualities. Granted, no mortal man, however good and moral, can really hold up to the scrutiny of always expressing godliness, not only in his actions, especially in his thoughts and motives. Therefore, the mortal cannot be the model or joint-heir with Christ, whom John says is right now the beloved child of

God. Pastors, professionals and patients, all fall short of the glory of God in their humanity and mortality. Spiritually however, all may attain to the perfection of God’s offspring.

In Science and Health with key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, the founder of the Christian Science Church writes her understanding of I John 3:2 thus: ‘Spirit is God, and man is His image and likeness.

Therefore, man is not material, he is spiritual.’

It is one thing to be a child of God, it is quite another to know it; and knowing it, to do the work of salvation in expressing this Christly ideal. As we accept the love of God, understand the universal applicability of the example of Jesus, rise above religiosity to the stature of Christ, we begin to demonstrate the none-excluding glorious statement, that now are we all the children of God – perfect, spiritual and immortal.

•Solanke is of the Christian Science Committee on Publication of Nigeria West

‘Our Leaders Should Give God His Rightful Position’

By Gbenga Akinfenwa IGERIA can only experiN ence major transformation, overcome its challenges and move to a greater level if its leaders give God His rightful position in the country.

This was the position of the Bishop of Diocese of Lagos Mainland, Methodist Church Nigeria, Rt. Rev. Isaac Ayo Olawuyi at the 20th annual Synod of the Diocese held at Hoare’s Memorial Methodist Cathedral, Yaba, Lagos recently, where he stated that no other time calls for prophetic pronouncement and commanding voice of God in the history of the country than now.

He noted that God is always at work to lead His Church, an assignment Methodist Church Nigeria is not exempted from, saying He led the Church to Exodus 14:15, where the theme of the Conference for 2014 ‘Let My People

Move Forward’ emerged.

“The country, no doubt, is beset with multiple obstructions and confusions at the moment. The issues and predicaments are beyond explanation. Take for instance, no one can actually tell us up till now what exactly is the grouse or the demand of the Boko Haram sect. The reason for the everyday bombing, destruction and killing is yet to be declared.

“Again, what explanation do we have for the recent scarcity of fuel in a country like Nigeria that produces oil?

What explanation do we have for poverty in a country that is blessed with very rich human and mineral resources? How do we account for our underdevelopment in education, infrastructure, food production, transportation and the likes since our independence over 50 years ago?”

The Cleric stated that it is obvious the country’s

predicaments can only be explained by God, Who sees and knows all things, adding that God is the only One that can solve and give answers to problems confronting the country.

“In Genesis 1:1-3, there was a thick confusion of this nature but God spoke His word” “Let There Be Light” and the Bible reported “And there was Light.” In the same vein, we can only experience the salvation of God, if we call on Him for intervention in the affairs of this nation. It has to be said that the centenary anniversary of our existence as a nation, which was celebrated amidst the cries of the inconsolable parents, whose children were annihilated without any cause, should have been declared a national day of fasting and prayer, rather than a day to dine and wine. Is this not a show of shame, an exhibition of heights of callousness, insensitivity and neglect on the part of our leaders?”

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SUNDAY, April 20, 2014 Students, Thugs Clash Over Death Of Colleague At Ede HE death of a female student of the Federal Polytechnic Ede, Osun State in a road crash has led to clashes between students and thugs in the town. The female student who was a Higher National Diploma (HND 1) Accountancy student of the institution and a commercial motorcycle were hit by a truck along Agbale road, killing her on the spot and leaving the motorcyclist with injuries.

The driver of the truck who immediately escaped from the scene, later returned with some men believed to be hired thugs to protect the vehicle from the angry students. This however led to a clash between the students and the suspected thugs.

Four students were macheted, while the truck was later razed by the students.

Confirming the incident, the institution’s Public Relations Officer, Mr. Kazeem Oyedeji, said that apart from the student that died in the accident, four other students were attacked and they are presently receiving treatment at Ladoke Akintola University of Technology Teaching Hospital, Osogbo.

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UNIJOS ASUU Suspends Internal Strike Tuesday, April 22. In another UCCOUR has come the way development the school manof the University of Jos (UNI- agement has announce Friday, JOS) student as the two weeks April 25, as the deadline for the internal has been suspended. registration of returning students.

The strike was called off on ASUU-UNIJOS Chapter had earWednesday after the meeting lier said its members would not held with the Academic Staff resume classes until all their Union of Universities (ASUU) and the Vice Chancellor of the entitlements were fully paid.

The chapter, in a press stateinstitution. ment signed and issued in Jos by The Guardian gathered academic activities will resume on its Chairman, David Jangkam,

Stories By Daniel Anazia

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stated that shortly after the commencement of the strike, it had written the university management on seven issues that should be addressed.

The statement noted that the Federal Government in an attempt to resolve the national strike released N30 billion towards the payment of allowances owed to staff of all public universities from 2009 to 2012.

However, ASUU-UNIJOS alleged that the university received N1.16 Billion as the school’s share for onward payment to staff that had worked and earned same based on computation done in 2011 and submitted by department and units.

It went on to lament that neither the initial computation in 2010 through 2012 nor the verified computation in 2013 was

used by the university in the disbursement of the money received from the Federal Government.

“Instead the University of Jos administration shared the money as it deemed fit without regards to whether staff earned same entitlement or not, thus resulting in some members getting far less than what they are entitled and most members getting nothing at all,” the statement said.

Nigerian Makes Top Ten Africa Innovators’ Prize cal solutions to some of the contiNigerian, Sulaiman Bolarinde unique to the continent.

A Famro, has been named among nent’s most intractable problems The winners of the 2014 prize will ranging from domestic waste biothe top 10 finalists of this year’s be announced at an awards ceremoInnovation Prize for Africa (IPA).

The prize instituted by the African Innovation Foundation is meant to promote and reward innovative efforts meant to tackle specific problems peculiar to Africa.

The 10 innovators who made the finalist list this year, created practi-

gas system to wafer matrix for paediatric antiretroviral (ARV) drug treatment.

A statement from the organisers disclosed that the finalists were picked from almost 700 applications from 42 countries, and they represent Africans’ potential to address the challenges that are

orandum of understanding (MoU) with the Field of Skills and Dreams (FSD) Vocational and Technical Training Academy, Lagos, for training of Nigerians in electrical installation and maintenance. The partnership is aimed at developing robust local skilled workforce to compete effectively with foreign technicians as well as reducing unemployment.

Executive Director of FSD, Mrs. Omowale Ogunride, said the training to be carried out at the academy will involve an interactive teaching methodology that focuses on practical experience at a laboratory fully equipped with Schneider Electric training solutions to enable students to acquire hands-on practical skills in a safe and efficient way.

“Schneider is one of the world’s leading energy management companies with notable expertise in vocational training brought into the development of this programme.”

TWO WORDS /40

Prove It CARTOON SERIES /40

ny on May 5, in Abuja, where the Minister of Finance, Ngozi OkonjoIweala, as keynote speaker will highlight the importance of innovation to unlock Africa’s potential for sustainable development and economic

CONTINUED ON PAGE 40

DR. DO-WELL

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TWO WORDS

Uki Dare

powered by

uki@poisenigeria.org,

Prove It

Experience is the best teacher, but the tuition fee is very high...

• When it’s a business meeting, I will get there early.

• When I get a job, I will start dressing like a worker.

Hello Everyone, If you have said anything similar to these, I have two words for you…Prove It. It was Abdul’s first day of work and he was reflecting on all the things that were about to change in his life. Even though he was always late to class and he paid someone to type and proof read his project, he was ready to get serious. He smiled as he looked at himself fully dressed in corporate attire. He was committed to getting to work early every day, writing Have you ever said any of these?

• When I own my business I will work so hard. and speaking like a professional and working hard on all tasks. He announced this in a • If only they would increase my salary, they tweet to all his friends “First day at work, so will see how dedicated I can be. real #LevelsHaveChanged.” At the end of the • By the time I graduate from school, I will day Abdul tweeted “Horrible first day, these start planning my day.

• When I have more money I will start saving. people are too stuck-up.” Later that day, Abdul called Chike to vent. “Yes, I know I got to work • When I am in public, I will observe table 20 minutes late, is that so bad? You need to manners.

• When I start writing official letters, I will use see how one madam reacted just because I answered the office intercom by saying, ‘Who good grammar. is it?’ My boss was over sensitive to the fact • When I get married, I will be faithful.

HIS goes out to everyone who knows there is something great they want to achieve in the future. Maybe you see yourself as a great entrepreneur but for now you are an intern. If you are a future Human Resource Director currently working as a customer service agent, this is for you:

T

Acting Chief Executive Officer, Etisalat Nigeria, Matthew Willsher; one of the Top 10 Winners , Muhammad Salisu Abdullahi; Director Business Segment, Etisalat Nigeria, Lucas Dada, and Director, Enterprise Development Centre, Pan-Atlantic University, Peter Bankole during Etisalat EasyBusiness Millionaire Hunt Grand Finale, held recently at The Wheatbaker Hotel, Ikoyi, Lagos.

LAUTECH Begins 11th Convocation Invests Tinubu As 4th Chancellor HE Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), T Ogbomoso, today in continuation of programmes lined up for the 11th (Special) Convocation ceremony, during which it also plans to invest former Lagos State Governor, and National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu as its 4th Chancellor, hosts Christian faithful to a special Sunday service at the University Chapel.

Speaking in Ogbomoso at the weekend during a press conference, the institution’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Adeniyi Gbadegesin revealed that LAUTECH, which has gotten the nod of the Professor Wale Omole-led Governing Council to begin a software revolution, would be graduating a total of 12,181 first degrees and 9,376 postgraduates students spanning the 2009/2010, 2010/2011, and 2011/2012 academic sessions.

A breakdown of the figure shows that 92 students would be graduating with first class; 3,202 with Second Class Upper; 6,300 with Second Class Lower; 1,961 with Third Class and 145 with pass in the three sessions.

According to him, LAUTECH has successfully fulfilled its academic obligations as its programmes have enjoyed the acceptance of stakeholders through the accreditations by professional bodies and the Nigeria Universities Commission (NUC).

Top Ten Africa Innovators’ Prize ness potential. The first runner-up will receive USD 25,000 growth. for the best commercial potenThe overall winner will tial, while the second runnerreceive USD 100,000 for the up will also receive USD 25,000 best innovation based on mar- as a special prize for innovaketability, originality, scalabili- tion with the highest social ty, social impact and clear busi- impact.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 39

that I said ya instead of yes when he asked me a question and for crying out loud what is so bad about removing your tie at 2pm when the thing does not allow you to breathe.”

Abdul had gotten to a stage he had been looking forward to and he felt that the preparation he needed was head knowledge of what he wanted to do but the key thing that he did not realize is this: The proof that you will do something tomorrow is that you are doing it today.

A person who will not save from his pocket money has no guarantee that he will save money from his Corpers’ salary or even his N1Million Naira per month Salary because everything you are doing today is re-enforcement and practice for the things you will do tomorrow.

Abdul wanted to change levels but he had no practice in being a professional. He had been a late comer for so long that he didn’t know what it took to be early. If you have not started saving, living on a budget, being faithful to the person you are dating or being honest even when it is hard, then you have no practice, you have not developed the ability, and then there is no guarantee that you will be able to do it

when it matters. A wise man once said, “Never promote a Person to a role they are not already successful in.”

The proof that you will do anything tomorrow is that you are doing it successfully today…

Don’t treat her badly today and promise to respect her tomorrow… Start Now Deciding to do something does not mean you will automatically know how to do it… Build Experience You will make mistakes as a human being but if you cannot excel while working for free there is no guarantee that you can excel when you get paid $1,000,000.

Don’t wait for your crown before you act like a King. Are you a king in the making?...

PROVE IT Happy Easter to everyone. Please remember to visit my blog for more blogspot.poisegfs.com or write to me uki@poisenigeria.org. Also I would like to invite anyone who is job hunting right now to come over to our office Poise’ Graduate Finishing Academy, 4, Obokun Street, Off Coker Road, Ilupeju. We are hosting a free seminar on how to Kick Start your Career this Thursday at 10:00AM… Two Words…Be There

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42 Sunday, April 20, 2014

JOBS & CAREERS

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JOBS & CAREERS

44 Sunday, April 20, 2014

JOBS & CAREERS

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National Development Strategy Series New York, France and what have you why can’t the Nigerian Subsidiaries be listed in Nigeria?

Apart from Federal Palace hotels owned by the Ibrus, there is no other Hotel or Resort of any significance that is listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange, unless of course toy own shares of Transcorp Plc which owns the Hilton in Abuja, yet we spend billions on hotel rooms every day in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt and so on. Our Economy shows a GDP of $510 billion US Dollars with a Stock Market capitalization of just over $100 billion, less than 20% of GDP. This means that in the true sense of the word the Nigerian Stock Market is not yet a true representation of the Nigerian economy. We need to change that quickly as there is so much opportunity for Job creation and business expansion when we do this. It however needs to be a Federal Government policy and that is one of my nine Pillars of National Development if you recall, and you have been following my articles.

NICHOLAS OKOYE, Founder EMPOWER NIGERIA Initiative,

FROM THE DESK OF THE CEO PILLAR TWO :

Access to capital paper 10 TALKED about access to capital from several angles in the last few weeks. I gave you the public sector angle and how the Federal Government raises money to finance its operations as well as support entrepreneurs in our Country. I have told you about the third World debt crisis and how the international banking fraternity hoodwinked many Nations of Africa, including Nigeria and the entire Third World into an unmanageable debt crisis which nearly consumed the World’s financial system. It had lasting negative effects on many of those Nations including many wars, conflicts and violence on the African Continent in the 1970s and 1980s and in the process many millions of lives were lost.

I have provided an insight into the Private Equity funding landscape which funds companies that have good prospects and great revenues. As well as the venture capital funding which funds more early stage ventures. Angel investors who support the earliest stage of the entrepreneurial experience was also discussed and its prospects for Nigeria was outlined. In paper 9, I talked about the capital markets and how companies, managers and entrepreneurs get more substantial funding from the general public in order to respond to opportunities and grow their companies. The most recent example of this is the SEPLAT Petroleum Development Company, which got listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange on Monday the 14th of April 2014.

The SELAT example is quite unique as the primary market at the Nigerian Stock Exchange has been quite slow since the meltdown of 2008/2009. And another significant aspect is that SEPLAT is the first indigenous oil and gas operator in Nigeria to get listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange. The President should be very proud should celebrate this. He should do whatever he can to ensure more companies in the exploration and production of the oil industry follow suit, and there are many more that have the capacity to do what SEPLAT did in the very near term. Getting more and more of our companies listed on the stock market will do many things for Nigeria and the Nigerian people. First it will promote best practices in corporate governance and make our corporations more sustainable. Why is this important? Well who does not remember the empire built by Chief MKO Abiola? Concorde Press, Concorde Airlines, Summit Oil and Gas, RCN, Abiola Babes (football club), Abiola Bookshop, the list was endless. However I do not hear or see any of these companies today. If only Abiola had listed one or more of his companies on the Nigerian Stock Exchange or any other exchange as the case may be, we will be telling a different story today. And the catch is that Chief Abiola was a onetime President of the Nigerian Stock Exchange so he knew the merits of getting listed. In addition to credible Corporate Governance as a reason to encourage more firms to get listed, the rest of Nigeria gets to share in the good fortune of very successful companies. If you have a pension account for

I

Chief MKO Abiola was one of the most effective President’s of the Nigerian Stock Exchange, he also was once one of the most successful businessmen in Nigeria and indeed Africa. He built an Empire which included Aviation, Oil / Gas, Transportation, Sports, Publishing, Telecommunications and infrastructure.

His empire has since disappeared not long after his untimely demise due largely to his entry into the murky World of Nigerian Politics. None of his companies was ever listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange. instance make sure your Pension Fund Administrator invested in the shares of SEPLAT, and if he or she hasn’t then make them do so today. You will be glad you did so, as the growth prospects of this company is without question. And since your pension is a long term investment then SEPLAT is a safe bet.

Entertainment. I have counted over one hundred companies in these industries that will qualify for listing on the Nigerian Stock Exchange, which will add over $30 billion (N5.1 Trillion) that will stimulate investors from all over the World to invest in Nigeria and this will get the Nigerian Capital Market bubbling again. The Leadership of the Nigerian Stock Exchange and the Securities Strategy for growth of the Capital Markets and Exchange Commission cannot do it alone, they need help and this can come from the When I was the head of Strategy of the Federal Government. Some have suggested Nigerian Stock Exchange, we developed sever- getting the National Assembly to compile al core strategies that served to promote the Companies to get listed. I think Legislation capital market and unleash an unprecedent- could be counterproductive, remember you ed growth phase for the Stock Market which can force a horse to the pond but you cannot has not been rivaled before or ever since. We force it to drink from the pond. So we must need to do it again, and we need the Federal use other strategies and as I have said in this Government to support in this process. I will column before we need to appeal to the one of suggest the Federal Government take a strate- the nine basic motives for moving people to gic look at the following industries; get them to move. I do not see any reason why Telecommunications, Exploration and Glo, MTN and Etisalat should not be listed Production of Hydro Carbons (Oil n Gas), companies in Nigeria. Shell, Chevron and Construction, Transportation, Tourism and Total are all listed on their home markets in

JUICE SQUEEZING AND DISPENSING MACHINES S the saying goes; an apple a day, keeps the route into the A Doctor away so maybe Fresh Juice a day, waste receptacle. would keep infections away! Home made The juice is then fresh juice cannot be compared to factory made juice with so many unnatural components such as sugar, preservatives and some other chemicals. This is why everyone needs to get a Juice Squeezing machine.

Freshly squeezed Juice vending machines are without a doubt the most unique and innovative vending machines to be developed anywhere around the world in the last two decades. These highly engineered vending machines chill, cut and squeeze fresh oranges into a cup for immediate consumption. They could produce juices from soft bodied fruits such as oranges, pineapples, papaya, mango, apples, etc., in a few minutes.

The whole process is completely autonomous from the moment that the fruit is fed into the squeezing unit it is first cut in half. Each half travels down a specially shaped slide and passes between two rotating stainless steel squeezing cylinders. The peel of the fruit is pressed against the outer stainless steel squeezing cylinder wall while the juice of the fruit is filtered through the perforated wall of the inner stainless steel squeezing cylinder. The essence of the fruit passes as fresh juice is squeezed into the cup. The peel with its bitter oil passes by a separate internal

transported into a refrigerator-like area, which keeps the juice cold and ready for consumption.

Consumers everywhere are becoming increasingly health conscious which makes the juice vending machines one of the most sought after vending machines on the market today.'

Getting Listed on the NIGERIAN STOCK EXCHANGE The listing process can be deemed to be scary and sometimes the listing requirements tent to give people cold feet. However the truth is that when you take away all the Professional Services Firms (lawyers, accountants, consultants) that will come and tell you this and that about structuring. restructuring and preparing you for listing. When you take away all the Financial Advisory Firms that will come and tell you how many somersaults you must do before you get listed. When you take away the lengthy Securities and Exchange Commission registration requirements and the Nigerian Stock Exchange listing requirements you are left with a rather very simple process which we had broken down into NINE stages back when I was head of Strategy of the Nigerian Stock Exchange. I remember my Boss Dr. Ndi Okereke Onyiuke always emphasized on these nine stages as it really brought it home for many of the entrepreneurs and efficient managers that we were able to convince and guide to get listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange in those days. Getting more companies listed is in everyone’s interest, SEC, NSE, the Federal Government, the Nigerian People, the Pension Funds, the unlisted Companies, the economy, Jobs growth, everybody. So why hasn’t the primary market of the Nigerian Stock Exchange started to bubble again? It is more to do with fear than anything else. And there is a cleanup that needs to be done as we still have some unscrupulous stock brokers still working in the system that deserve to be in prison and not on the floor of a Stock Exchange. I understand the Securities and Exchange Commission is doing the clean up as we speak and a new capitalization process is ongoing for dealing member firms and Stock Brokers.

This will leave only the very serious players in the market. Some restructuring was done last year with the introduction of market makers and a few new types of securities. However since we are still only touching the surface as far as listed companies is concerned in Nigeria, I will rather advise the Leadership of the Nigerian Stock Exchange to focus more on getting more equities listed as opposed to getting new types of sophisticated securities created. Having said that, there is a need for more Real Estate Investment Trusts to cover an entire industry that is doing so very well.

THE NINE STAGES OF PUBLIC QUOTATION

1.

Consultation/Discussion Stage 2.

Decision Making/Mandate Stage Documentation/Packaging Stage To find out about this and other business ideas, 3.

4.

NSE Quotation Approval/SEC visit our showroom at W2, THE ARENA Army Registration Stage Shopping complex, Bolade Bustop, Oshodi, Completion Board Meeting Stage Lagos. You could also contact our sales represen- 5.

6.

Distribution/Marketing Stage tative at +234 1 2771388 7.

Range of Analysis/Allotment Stage 8.

General Undertaking/Declaration of Compliance Stage 9.

Listing Stage I WILL DISCUSS THESE STAGES IN PAPER 11.

46 Sunday, April 20, 2014

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EMPOWERNIGERIA CASE STUDY GLOBAL ENTREPRENEURAL LEADER

JACK DORSEY: THE TWEETERING BILLION DOLLAR MOGUL ORN in St. Louis, Missouri, on November 19, 1976, Jack Dorsey became involved in web development as a college student, founding the Twitter social networking site in 2006. Since that time, Dorsey has served as CEO, chairman of the board, and executive chairman of Twitter. He also launched the successful online payment platform Square in 2010.

Growing up in St. Louis, Dorsey became interested in computers and communications at an early age and began programming while still a student at Bishop DuBourg High School. He was fascinated by the technological challenge of coordinating taxi drivers, delivery vans and other fleets of vehicles that needed to remain in constant, real-time communication with one another. When he was 15, Dorsey wrote dispatch software that is still used by some taxicab companies today.

After a brief stint at the Missouri University of Science and Technology, Dorsey transferred to New York University. In the tradition of computer science entrepreneurs such as Bill Gates, Steve Jobs and Mark Zuckerberg, he dropped out of college before receiving his degree. Instead, Dorsey moved to Oakland, California, and in 2000 started a company offering his dispatch software through the Web. Shortly after starting his company, Dorsey came up with the idea for a site that would combine the broad reach of dispatch software with the ease of instant messaging.

Dorsey approached a now-defunct Silicon Valley company called Odeo to pitch the concept. His business idea was on how people would show their status online or on the internet with friends and family, so that they knew what they were up to. Dorsey, Stone and Odeo co-founder Evan Williams started a new company, called Obvious, which later evolved into Twitter. Within two weeks, Dorsey had built a simple site where users could instantly post short messages of 140 characters or less, known in Twitter parlance as tweets.

On March 21, 2006, Jack Dorsey posted the world's first tweet: "just setting up my twit." Dorsey was named the company's chief executive officer. He removed his nose ring in an attempt to look the part of a mature Silicon Valley executive, though he kept his boyish, mop-like haircut and abstract, forearm-length tattoo whose shape represented, among other things, the human clavicle bone. Co-founder Evan Williams replaced Dorsey as Twitter's CEO in October 2008, with Dorsey staying on as company chairman.

Twitter was initially ridiculed by some as a tool for the shallow and selfcentered to broadcast the minutes of their lives to the universe. Latenight comedy host Conan O'Brien even featured a segment called "Twitter Tracker" that mocked users of the service. In its early days, the site also suffered from frequent service outages. But as celebrities and CEOs alike began tweeting, Twitter was no longer the brunt of so many jokes. Suddenly the head of the "microblogging" movement, Twitter became a powerful platform for U.S. Presidential candidates Barack Obama and John McCain in 2008, as a method for updating their supporters while on the campaign trail.

B

Twitter vaulted to international prominence after the June 2009 presidential elections in Iran, when thousands of opposition supporters took to the streets to protest the claimed victory of incumbent Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. When the government blocked text messaging and satellite feeds of foreign news coverage, Iranian Twitter users flooded the site with live updates. A U.S. State Department official even emailed Dorsey to request that Twitter delay its scheduled maintenance so that protestors could keep tweeting.

In 2010, Twitter had more than 105 million users who together tweeted some 55 million times a day. Dorsey, however, had set his sights on other projects. He became an investor in the social networking company Foursquare and launched a new venture, Square, which allows people to receive credit card payments through a tiny device plugged in to their mobile phone or computer. Twitter may have already revolutionized the way that people communicate, but Dorsey isn't done yet.

In November 2013, Dorsey saw his personal fortune grow tremendously thanks to Twitter's initial public offering. The company's stock had a starting share price of $26, but the price quickly rose to $45 during its first day of trading. Within hours, the value of Dorsey's approximately 23.4 million shares made him a billionaire. He already began discussing the possibility of an IPO for his other company, Square, in 2014. He is valued at $2.1 billion USD by Forbes magazine.

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Guide to Personal Development

By Nicholas Okoye

nokoye@empowernigeria.com

Self Control HE ability to control yourself is paramount in the road to success. If you are aiming for Peak Performance which we all are if we want to be successful then we will need to be in complete control of ourselves. I often wonder why people lose it. In some cases when you lose it you also lose your money, your family, your spouse, your Job, our business or even your life. And all because you refused to understand how to control yourself. When you are out of control there is very little you can achieve in Life. You will not be a peak performer, you will not be liked by anybody and you will not rise to greatness. As all the parameters necessary for greatness needs the help and the cooperation of other people and since you have alienated other people because you keep losing control then you will be personally lost.

T

People often pretend that they cannot control themselves from ranting and raving when they are upset about something. And they just go on and on making everybody around them wonder how they were raised and why the spilt personality. I often remind them that when they are a home or in the office and they were just going off on someone, ranting, raving, screaming and shouting, and then their Boss walked into the room or if at home your pastor from church walked into your home, wouldn’t you find the control that brings the peace and quiet that very minute?

Yu must be able to practice self control if you want to reach the peak of your career or your profession. The ability to control situations, projects and even events in your life will rest on your ability to control yourself. In some cases you will need to take a step back, in some cases you will need to charge forward. In some cases you will have to pretend you are weak and in some cases you must demonstrate strength. All that is constantly required for success, so how can you accomplish all this with any self control?

If you are a man in business then you know that you will have to control yourself in the face of all that competition. If you are a lady in a profession then you also know that the ranting and raving you do at home will not and cannot work at the office. So we must all learn how to control our selves whether we like it or not. The master key to riches lays in there somewhere.

Sunday, April 20, 2014 47

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Kwibuka20 Takes Osofisan, Others To Rwanda

By Sola Adeyemi NE of Nigeria’s foremost dramatists, O University of Ibadan’s Emeritus Professor of Drama, Femi Osofisan, was last week recognised by the Rwandan government for his 1994 play, Reel, Rwanda, during the series of events termed “Kwibuka20” which is organised to commemorate the twentieth anniversary of the genocide in the country. The events started on January 7, 2014.

Kwibuka is the Kinyarwanda word for “remember”. The theme of the commemoration is: Remember, Unite, Renew. More than one million victims of the genocide against the Tutsis and moderate Hutus were recorded in 1994.

At the “Café Littéraire – Thinking and writing our history: the pan-African memory of the Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda” on April 6, Osofisan was one of ten writers who has written about the genocide, and who was invited to Kwibuka20. Other writers include the Cote d’Ivorean Veronique Tadjo who wrote L’ombre d’Imana, and Monique Ilboudo (Murekatete).

The purpose of the Literature Café was to reflect on the important role that arts play in ensuring that the world knows about what happened in Rwanda, and to make sure that genocide never happens again – in Rwanda or elsewhere.

Over the past twenty years, various artistic – individual and collective – initiatives have taken place. Among these are the “Rwanda écrire par devoir de mémoire” and Fest’Africa literature festival, which were held in 2000.

Several individual Rwandan artists have produced important works, mainly testimonies, and have received prestigious prizes and international recognition for their genocide-centred creations. Comic books about Rwanda have also played a central role, reaching out to audiences that would not naturally be interested in the history of genocide in Rwanda. To date, more than ten books have been authored, several

Kagama (middle) with authors of project Ecrire Par Devoir De Memoire- Kigali on April 9, 2014 theatre productions have been staged and numerous university research studies and translations have been made.

Excerpts from Osofisan’s Reel, Rwanda were performed, along with other dramatizations and poetry performances. The writers also talked with students from the University of Rwanda in Butare. The Rwandan president then gave a twohour audience to the writers, discussing the experience of the genocide, the liberation war, and the development process afterwards.

According to Osofisan, “the horrors of the genocide are simply unimaginable. But the reconciliation and reconstruction efforts, together with the tremendous economic achievements, since then are a marvel. Kagame has a lot to teach our other Presidents.” The writers also visited to Musambi, where the slaughter was particularly gruesome.

The Kwibuka20 commemoration involved vast choreography and performance at the Kigali, with over 2,000 actors, singers and dancers

BY SHAIBU HUSSEINI

Around and about...

NFC Rewards Winner Of Animation Script Project HE author of the winning entry (Script) for T the Nigerian Film Corporation Animation Film Project has been announced. The author is Okeremute Jonathan Ovuoroh. Okeremute will get N50,000, which is the cash prize for coming tops. In a statement, the NFC’s Head of Public Affairs, Brian Etuk, disclosed that Okeremute’s script was selected, having met the requirement for the project from a group of seven other entries received. His script, One Hundred Feathers, is to undergo treatment preparatory for production. Meanwhile, a 10day script conference/workshop is holding at the National Film Institute in Jos. Selected scriptwriters from the film industry, the National Film Institute and the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria are participating.

Recall that the NFC, under Dr. Danjuma Dadu, initiated the ‘Film and Nigerian Project’ as a Public Private Partnership initiative with the objective of providing the lead in the production of animation films that will be used to entertain and educate the Nigerian child. The content of such films is to also portray Nigeria as truly a great nation with good people. Speaking at the formal announcement of the winning script and the signing of an agreement between Ovuorah and the NFC in Jos, the Dadu said that the animation project is in response to the yearnings of Nigerians on the need to strengthen the ethical values in the Nigerian child, who, at present, is under intense foreign cultural and ethical influence. The NFC boss assured that the animation film project would pave way for a robust platform for a paradigm shift in the Nigerian film industry. The Ahmadu Bello University, through the department of Fine Arts, is partnering with the NFC on the project. An elated Okeremute, a graduate of Geology, at the brief ceremony, commended the NFC for initiating the Animation Film Project, saying that he was proud to be part of it. The panel of assessors of the script project had remarked that Okeremute’s One Hundred Feathers is not only apt; but has the positive attributes of

enacting the horrors of the genocide.

Nigeria was also one of the four countries praised for its positive roles during the 1994 genocide by the Rwandan president, Paul Kagame. The Nigerian ambassador and president of the UN Security Council during the crisis, Professor Ibrahim Agboola Gambari was especially mentioned by Kagame for his contributions. Professor Gambari was also honoured with the Rwandan national award. shaibu70@yahoo.com

Nigeria as a great nation founded one hundred years ago.

Kelani Offers MAAMI For Easter, Other Works Too HIS Easter will not be all about wining and T dining and reflecting on the death and resurrection of Jesus, as foremost cinematographer and director, Tunde Kelani, thinks it should involve movies. So, in the spirit of the season, and the need to resurrect the love for mothers, Kelani has formally released the long awaited movie MAAMI for home viewing. The movie, which features the multi-award winning actress, Funke Akindele, in lead role, is now available on DVD, had its cinema release in 2012 and the most part of 2013 and it has continued to be screened in major festivals around the world. It has enjoyed positive reviews and won many awards at home and abroad for its quality, theme and plot. Set over a two-day period, leading to the 2010 World Cup, MAAMi (played

by Funke Akindele) is an inspiring story of a poor conscientious single parent’s struggles to raise her only child, Kashimawo, who, eventually, rises to international stardom in an English football club, Arsenal, and becomes a national hero in the wake of Nigeria’s preparation for the World Cup. MAAMI, gifted with a living heart, enterprising spirit and brave soul, was the centre of her son’s world, until he longs for the father he has never known — a man with a terrible secret. Adapted by Tunde Babalola, from Femi Osofisan’s novel of the same title, the film is about love, perseverance and fate as it unfolds through Kashimawo’s reminiscences of his childhood in the Southern Nigerian town of Abeokuta, in Ogun State. Speaking on the flick and her experience on the set of the movie, Funke Akindele, said: “I think it is a great movie. I must say that I was really tasked, drilled and grilled to play the role by Tunde Kelani (TK). I did my job as an actor, taking a part of me into believing that those things were really happening to me. I feel if it could be so real for me to interpret, it should be more real for my audience. It is great as well as humbling to see how much, how far a mother could go to save the life of her child, even in the face of

death.” Other actors in the movie include Wole Ojo, Tamilore Kuboye and Tolani Abatti with cameo appearances by Olumide Bakare, Fatai Rolling Dollar, Yinka Davies, Kayode Balogun and Biodun Kupoluyi. Kelani’s Mainframe has also put on DVD, eight other works including Ti Oluwa Nile 1, 2 and3, Koseegbe, Agogo Eewo, The Campus Queen, Saworoide, Thunderbolt (Magun), The Narrow Path, Oleku and Arugba. They have been released alongside MAAMI, which will be marketed by Ajimson and can also be ordered online at www.mainframedvd.com.

And The Winner Is, Of Good Report AMIL X.T Quebeka emerged the biggest winJAfrican ner in the fiction category of the South Film and Television Awards (SAFTAs), which held at the Gallagher Estate, Midrand, on Saturday, April 5, and was broadcast live on SABC3. Qubeka’s grittily told but engaging film, Of Good Report, dominated the film category, winning six of the seven awards it was nominated, including Best Film, Best Director and Best Writing Team. Additionally, it scooped the awards for Best Actor, which went to Mothusi Magano in the role of Parker Sithole; Tshamano Sebe who won Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of Vuyani; and Tina Jaxa who won the Best Supporting Actress award as the head mistress in Qubeka’s thriller. Antoinette Louw bagged the Best Actress award for her role as Elle Winter in Die Laaste Tango. Cape Town-based Triggerfish Animation Studios’ feature, Khumba, won the award for Best Animated

Film. Singer, songwriter, musical arranger and actress, Abigail Kubeka, was the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award. Interestingly, both Of Good Report and the animation film, Khumba, feature prominently on the nomination list that was recently released by the Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA). The AMAA’s comes up later in the month in Bayelsa State.

Knocking On Heaven’s Door Out N Friday, April 18, the film, Knocking on O Heaven’s Door, was officially released in the cinemas. The new movie from the stable of Achievas Entertainment and Royal Arts Academy is an emotional story on domestic violence, betrayal, passion, faith and love. The story revolves round Debbie, a beautiful singer with a heavenly voice, married to the handsome and charismatic Moses. Debbie is the envy of many. However, she harbours a dark secret that she tries to hide in the confines of her perfect world — she is physically and emotionally abused by Moses, the strain of which threatens to break her. And the question is, can the knight in shining armour, Tom, save her or will she be consumed by the machinations of Brenda, Moses’ scorned lover, who will stop at nothing to see that she extracts her pound of flesh? Starring Majid Michel, Ini EdoEhiagwina, Blossom Chukwujekwu, Adesua Etomi, Robert Peters, Lelee Byoma, Steve Onu (aka Yaw of Wazobia) and featuring singer, Evaezi, the movie is produced by Emem Isong and Ini Edo-Ehiagwina and directed by Desmond Elliot. Costuming is by Jerry Obodo of Swanky Signatures.

Orient Forum Holds Unity Festiva In Enugu RIENT Progressive Social Forum, organisO ers of Unity Festival Expanded, will hold its activation programmes today in Enugu.

ers. Expected at the event is Hon. Joe Mamel, the Commissioner for Tourism, Enugu State. The Ambassador to the Featuring a special seminar and luncheon at Forum, Zack Orji, a Nollywood veteran, will the Golden Royal Hotel from 1pm to 5pm equally grace the party. and a special party at Tru Lounge, on Park The forum’s president, Felix Ogwudile, Avenue, GRA Enugu from 9pm. said that they are ready to thrill their The seminar/luncheon will kick of seminar guests with the best of knowledge, fun and and paper presentations by notable speakexcitement.

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48 Sunday, April 20, 2014

LAFETE

YOUTHMAGAZINE

All That Jazz

BY BENSON IDONIJE

Sunday At Newport With Mahalia Jackson N the beginning, gospel was associated with the finest of music— a jazz vehicle, which took its rightful place at Jazz Festivals. But today, it has assumed diverse dimensions in the name of fusion.

Performed in Nigeria and Ghana for example, in the idiom of highlife, musicians have relied solely on Biblical texts with particular reference to the redemptive work that Jesus Christ did on the cross of Cavalry — as if that is essentially the crux of the matter. Edwin Hawkins took it a step further with the help of The Edwin Hawkins Singers (chosen from choirs in various California churches) by identifying gospel with rock while still retaining its soulfulness. Many thanks, however, to the entire crew of the on-going Celebration Of Gospel show on Black Entertainment Television (BET), who are still keeping the true spirit of gospel alive — in remembrance of Bessie Smith and the late great Mahalia Jackson.

She turned out to be the greatest of them all!

When Willis Conover, the incredible host of Music USA and Voice of America Jazz Hour for over 50 years walked on stage of the 1958 Newport Jazz Festival and announced, “Ladies and gentlemen, it is Sunday morning, and time for the world’s greatest gospel singer,” one could tell that something of value was about to happen. It was obvious that the capacity audience, which had sat in the rain through an unusually long program me - was waiting for Mahalia. It seemed as though Jesus Christ had risen from the dead and all Christians were waiting to meet the Messiah! Such was the super star status that Mahalia Jackson commanded and the veneration that surrounded gospel music, a purely jazz vehicle — which held crowds of devotees spell bound as they listened with engrossed interest.

Mahalia Jackson walked on stage of the Jazz Festival (where she was of course topping the bill) and was

I

Jackson given an ovation from the audience and a downpour from the heavens.

But she had not finished her first selection when, as if by pre-arrangement, the rain stopped and did not return until the end of her glorious performance.

Many tried in vain to describe what it was that motivated her artistic creativity. However, art is seldom describable; but one thing is certain: Mahalia and her art were made luminous by sincerity, and her ability to project an emotion, regardless of its motivation is unparalleled by any singer past or present- with the possible exception of Bessie Smith, the ‘Empress of the blues’ and the inspirer of the first generation of female singers.

The texts of Mahalia’s songs are religious in nature; one can be moved regardless of one’s beliefs.

Like a true jazz musician, she could

sing the same song over and over for an entire evening, and each performance would be different. This thoroughly explains the fact that jazz is the performer’s art; and not the composer’s or arranger’s. Subtle changes in rhythm and melody make each hearing a revelation. Her impeccable sense of rhythm forces the listener to participate. On the slow, ballad - type songs, one is swayed along with the beautifully sustained passages she spins out.

Audiences have come along with little or no comment about the voice, rhythms, the groans, calls, cries, but always about the dignity and the depth of the woman. They saw and heard a dimension that hadn’t been a common factor in their lives. They were not religious and many would not accept the theological premises of the religious viewpoint of Mahalia Jackson. But they sat and listened as

they did at this concert at Newport, late at night and in the rain.

People are seldom articulate about their religious views. Whether it be prayer or meditation or reflection, it is done in the secrecy of the church, the quiet of the cell, or the privacy of one’s room. Graced with marvelous presence, Mahalia could kneel, close her hands, lift her head, assume any gesture, and though the audience might gasp or pull back, the world’s greatest gospel singer mastered them, and the determination and earnestness of the woman came through.

Another problem that confronts the artist here is the form or medium that she has chosen as her own.

Gospel songs are simple in structure and almost childlike in lyric, appearing at times incapable of conveying the drama and reality they are called upon to express. But through the

history of revival meetings, house parties, church choirs and the singing of the blues, the test of the hymn and the gospel song is not what the music and the words bring but what the artist gives this small creation. Here, the emphasis of jazz becomes a factor as the artist strides through with all the force that freedom and spontaneity can bring to any performance.

Yet another difficulty is the contrast, which Mahalia presents the listener who is accustomed to the lean sounds of the synagogue or of medieval chant. Such musical lines project the same dedication and intensity but by an entirely different means. They are disciplined and contained, and no changes are permitted because the voices represent the social group, the prayer offered is the prayer of all, not the prayer of one. Obviously the form is different; ears raised on this as typical religious music are taken aback by the looseness and the almost formlessness of the gospel singing form. But again, remember that Mahalia sings within a different tradition, one that calls for the burst of song from the individual— and the form does not demand concern about grace notes and accents.

This is Mahalia, when she sings: Happy, vibrant, full-figured, dressed in white, brown-skinned, flashing eyes, easy with the audience, and in complete rapport with them as she deftly announces her own songs, and teases the audience as they ask for more and more!

Encountering Mahalia Jackson in live performance is a wonderful experience. She brings you conviction, dedication, commitment- and she gives it all to you with all the strength that she can muster. This means with her heart and her mind – two words that still convey the totality of human accomplishment and which appear in her songs.

All of these things plus Mahalia’s devotion contribute to her greatness as the world’s foremost gospel singer!

Banky W, Others Task Youths In Dream 4 Naija

By Florence Utor ATHER than use them as political thugs, R Nigerian youths have been urged to to become participants in politics to bring about positive change.

A documentary video titled, Dream 4 Naija, produced in association with popular hiphop artist, Banky W and Empire Mates Entertainment, is designed to achieve this aim. The project is powered by International Republic Institute (IRI), and supported by the Department for International Development (UKaid) and USAID. It has as theme, Youth Participation in Politics and Governance as well as Impact on Electoral violence on Youths.

In his determination to cause positive change in his country, documentary anchor Banky W tells the story of young Nigerian leaders in business, entertainment and civil society who are inspiring a new generation to rise and take a stand to heal our fatherland.

The 45-minute documentary shows Nigerians in their varied forms — those living in abject poverty or in the slums, people lining up to cast votes during elections and such similar scenes.

While explaining the mission of the project, the star musician said, “I think the message communicated in the documentary is that each young person should do what is within his or her power to be a part of the change that we want to see to make Nigeria better.

So, this effort you saw today is us playing our part to try to inspire young people to do the same.”

Asked how the message would get to every nook and cranny of the country, he said, “The idea is to put this on television and online so that people can see and hopefully be inspired to do what they need to do in their communities. This obviously cannot end with this.

“I hope that some other people will be inspired to translate this into their local languages so as to get it to the grassroots because this message needs to go out in forms that people can understand. The idea is that one person can’t do everything but one person can do what is within his power, which is what we have done. We hope it will have the effect that will produce the desired result”.

According to the IRI African Regional Director, Gretchen Birkle, who has been opportune to work all over the world on similar projects, the power of youths in making a change cannot be over emphasised. “I have seen the power of youth making a difference in all those places and we are working here in Nigeria because we know we can do the same. We wanted to bring a programme that would inspire young people to get up and be involved, to encourage non-violence during elections, take part and to remember that their government belongs to them that the people of Nigeria own the government,” he said.

She expressed high hopes that all the young people would be excited at the project and really understand how to get involved. Birkle also explained in the coming years “we get to see lots of opportunities for the young ones who will take part in the affairs of their country. That is the more reason why the programme is produced by young Nigerians for Nigerians”.

There was also a panel of discussion on the aforementioned theme where participants, including coordinator of Enough is Enough, Yemi Ademolekun, On Air Personality, Wazobia FM Steve Onu aka Yaw, Student Union Government president, Lagos State University Mojirade Hassan, Party Youth Special Assistant to Ekiti State Governor Akin Rotimi and Banky W expressed their views on the the Nigeria of their dream.

Some were of the opinion that the government

should just provide an enabling environment because the youths are ready to work if given a conducive environment. Another simply said he wanted a Nigeria where he could be free, not a Nigeria that is at war with herself. Yet another wanted a Nigeria where there is sincerity, saying, “because what is good is good and what is bad is bad”.

Youths were also encouraged to be vigilant, be acquainted with the Constitution so that they

could defend their rights by holding accountable those voted into office on their promises.

Banky is optimistic that even as big wheels turn slowly but certainly so will Nigeria get to that point where her citizens’ dreams are realised. He urged all not “to sit on the fence by just complaining because it wouldn’t take anyone anywhere but be a participant no matter how small your contributions may be.”

Book On Will Writing Debuts BOOK that teaches about the importance of having a will titled How to Write Your Will with Ease A has been released into the market. Written by Kehinde Adegbite, a barrister of law, the language is simple and the style of writing is unique. It encompasses everything that non-lawyers would want to know about a will, and presented in a question-and-answer format. The book contains questions such as What is a will?, Who can make a will?, Who cannot make a will?, Who needs a will?, How much does it cost to make a will? and How can I write my will without a lawyer?

All Set For Quill Awards HE Promasidor Quill Awards, which serves as a platform to reward journalists for their dedicated T news reportage, will be holding on May 24 at the grand ballroom of the Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos by 5pm. This edition boasts of the overall winner attending a five-week course in the United Kingdom on knowledge and skill enhancement, organised by Thompson Foundation, with a practical attachment with a leading media house.

Ayo Ni O Holds 41st Choir Day HE 41st Choir Day of Cherubim and Seraphim Church, Ayo Ni O, will hold on April 26, 2014 at the T church premises. This year’s theme is Heirs of the Covenant. According to the organisers, Heirs of the Covenant is a reminder to all Christians to stand firm in the faith, never to look back and then be wary of the enemy’s plan to rob them of the inheritance like he did in the Garden of Eden. An insight on the format the programme will take indicates, “Our story is a mix of drama, music, poetry and a dazzling display of contemporary visual effects that follow three Heirs of the Covenant as they stave off the challenge of the enemy who is resolute in his determination to make them forget their faith.

Our story is partly told in the style of famous Broadway Musicals, but customized with indigenous songs”

-Compiled by Florence Utor

Sunday, April 20, 2014 49

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50 Sunday, April 20, 2014

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Birthdays IWU, Prof. Maurice Mmaduakolam, administrator, pharmacist and former chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) would be 64 tomorrow, Monday, April 21, 2014. Born on April 21, 1950 in Umuezeala, Ehime Mbano in Imo State, he attended St. Pius X College, Bodo-Ogoni for his secondary education. He studied at the University of Bradford, England, where he obtained a Master of pharmacy degree in 1978. He was WHO visiting scholar to Dyson Perrins Laboratory, University of Oxford, 1980; Fulbright Senior Scholar, Ohio State University and won the United States’ National Research International Prize for Ethonobiology in 1999. He was a Professor of Pharmacognosy at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, 198493. He became Vice-President Research and Development of Tom’s of Maine, a personal care manufacturing company, and member of the Board of Director, Axxon Biopharm Inc.; he served on the Board of Inter-CEDD, Fund for Integrated Rural Development and Traditional Medicine, and Centre for Economic and Social Justice. He was United Nations’ Lead Consultant for the development of Nigeria’s National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan.

He was President of the International Society of ethnobiology, 1996-2002, member and ex-president of the Nigerian Society of Pharmacognosy; member of the American Society of Tropical Medicine Plant Research. He was the Executive Director, Bioresources Development and Conservation Program, and a Senior Research Associate at the Division of Experimental Therapeutics of Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Washington D.C. He was appointed INEC Commissioner for Imo State in August 2003 by former President Olusegun Obasanjo. In June 2005, he succeeded Abel Guobadia as INEC Chairman.

KALU, Dr. Orji Uzor, business

Iwu

Kalu

Oderinde

Ogunba

mogul, politician, administrator and former Abia State governor would be 54 tomorrow, Monday, April 21, 2014.

He was born in Eziama Aba, Abia State and had his primary education at Christ The Kings School, Aba, Abia State for his First School Leaving Certificate. From there, he proceeded to Eziama High School, Aba for his secondary education and later moved to Government College, Umuahia. In his quest for more excitement and education, he later went on a student exchange programme between the then Imo State government and Kaduna and finished at Barewa College, Zaria, Kaduna State in 1979.

He had a stint at University of Maiduguri for a Bachelor of Science degree in Political Science between 1979 and 1982 and later enrolled at Abia State, Uturu, Abia State for completion of the degree programme. He also enrolled for advanced certificate course in Business at the Harvard University School of Business Administration, Boston, USA in August 1997. He became the Chairman of Borno State Water Board at the tender age of 25, where he initiated policies that made a difference in the lives of the people of the state. In business circle, he has carved a niche for himself and he is highly celebrated. At 24, he founded Ojialex Furniture Company, Maiduguri, Nigeria. He also founded the following companies: Slok Group Limited Aba and Slok Industries International. He was National President, Nigeria Importers and Exporters Association; member, Nige-

ria-Israel Association; member, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN). He is a Member of the Order of the Niger (MON), a national award. Holds traditional titles of Omeka Ozua Oha of Umuahia, Mili mili Enyi of Igboland, Aare Abbloro of Isolo, Aha Eji Agampa Ukwu ndi Igbo, Ashipa Seriki Maiyegun of Ibadan, Agu neche Mba of Abia.

Management Development Lagos, Nigeria, The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria’s districts in Ikeja, Ibadan, Lagos Mainland, Abuja, Jos and Lagos, Pan African Institute for Development-West Africa Cameroun, University of Buea, Cameroun, DSE/INWENT Germany, Commonwealth Secretariat, London, etc. He is a regular contributor to economic and investment programmes an on radio and television. He earned many local and international awards. He is married with children.

OGUNBA, Adekunle Babatunde, legal luminary would be 48 years on Wednesday, April 23, 2014. Born on April 23, 1966, he attended Adeola Odutola College, Ijebu Ode, Ogun State and was privileged to be part of the third set of pioneer Law Students of the Faculty of Law at the then Ogun State University now Olabisi Onabanjo University,

Ago Iwoye. He graduated in 1989 and called to the Nigerian Bar in December 1990. He had his one-year youth service in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State with the chambers of Barrister Ita Enang, now Senator Ita Enang.

He had an LL.M degree from the University of Lagos in

ODERINDE, Joshua Okeowo, chartered accountant and Deputy Director, Finance and Accounts at the Federal Institute of Industrial Research Oshodi (FIIRO), was 50 on Wednesday, April 16, 2014. He was born on April 16, 1964 in Ikorodu, Lagos. He is a graduate of Accounting from Federal College of Education, (Technical) Akoka and University of Lagos. Fellow, Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) and Associate Member, Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (CITN).

He was past Chairman of the Ikeja District of ICAN. He was a financial and management consultant with Centre for Management Development,(CMD) Lagos and Pan African Institute for Development West Africa, Cameroun. He had also served as Chief Internal Auditor at FIIRO. He was former treasurer, Agege Archdeaconry (Anglican Communion) and former Pastor’s warden, Christ Church (Anglican), Agege. He gives lecture on Accounting-related professional courses and seminars organised by Association of Consulting Engineers; Lagos, Ondo, Ogun, Adamawa and Taraba states of Nigeria, Centre for

1999/2000. He is presently the principal partner of Kunle Ogunba & Associates of INSOLVENCY FORTE of 192, Isale Eko Avenue, Dolphin Estate, Ikoyi, Lagos. He was elevated to the prestigious rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) in April 2010 and was, until recently, member of the constitution review committee of the Nigerian Bar Association.

He has been nominated and conferred with various awards, one of which is the merit award from the Ijebu Ode Branch of Nigerian Bar Association in July 2011. He is married to Mrs. Omolara Adekunle-Ogunba and blessed with children.

Compiled by Gbenga Akinfenwa gbengaherkin@yahoo.com

Events • The Methodist High School, Arigbajo, Ogun State, Old Students Association (MEHSOSAI) has elected new National Executive members for the smooth running of the Association. Mr. Olumide Biyi, was elected President, Mr. Aliu Lawal, Vice President 1, Mrs. Grace Olatunde, Vice President 2, Mr. Tajudeen Adebayo, General Secretary and Mr. Bolaji Olanrewaju as Assistant Gen. Secretary. Others are: Alhaji Fatai Famuyiwa (Treasurer), Mr. Kolawole Bamgbose (Financial Secretary), Mr. Tope Odubela (Ass.

Fin. Sec), Mr. Isiaq Adebowale (Publicity Sec), Mr. Akinrefe Olanrewaju (Asst. Pub. Sec), Mrs. Sumbo Adeogun (Welfare Secretary), Miss Olamide Aina (Asst. Welfare Sec) and Miss Fausat Bello (Auditor).

• Teenagers and parents are invited to a programme tagged, Love, Sex and Pornography, with Aunty Landa of Inspiration FM on Easter Monday, April 21 by 1pm at the auditorium of Good News Baptist Church, 47/49 Olufemi road, off Ogunlana Drive, Surulere, Lagos.

Founder of Christ The King Vineyard, Oke-Afa, Ejigbo, Pastor Ezekiel Oladosu (third left) being assisted to cut his birthday cake by his wife, Evang. (Mrs.) Selina Oladosu (third right) and other church elders in Lagos… last week.

Hon. Justice Ibrahim Auta, Chief Judge of the Federal High Court (left), with Sunday Onu Esq; former Secretary of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Lagos Branch, after the thanksgiving service at the Ecumenical Centre, Abuja, during the 40 years anniversary celebration of the Federal High Court.

Mr. Jatin Madan, Chief Operating Officer, Berger Paints (left); Godday Okhio, Managing Director, Aspire International Limited; Dr. Oladimeji Alo, Director, Berger Paints; Clement Olowokande, Chairman and Tor Nygard, Managing Director, at the unveiling of New Colour World Outlet in Lekki, Lagos... on Wednesday.

Kemi Ajumobi, Representative of the President of Tanzania, Ambassador Ole Njoolai, Executive Director, Heritage Bank, Robert Mbonu, First Lady of Lagos State, Mrs Abimbola Fashola, Azaliah, Zurie and their father, Ademola Oduwole, representative of the governor of Osun State, Special Adviser on Women and Children Affairs, Mrs Funmilayo Esho–Williams during the Dream Up, Speak up, Stand Up Project at the First Lady’s Colloquy at Eko Signatures, Victoria Island, Lagos.

PHOTO: CHARLES OKOLO

President, Ladipo Auto-Spare Parts Dealers and Chairman LACEC, Com Ikechukwu ‘Obosi’ Animalu (middle), flanked by members of the newly inaugurated Board of Trustees of LACEC: Messrs. Humphery Obiwuru, Chairman(right), Sunday Nduka, Secretary, Chief Innocent Ezike, Chief Ezike Edem; Messrs, Anthony Chukwudi Onyeakasi and Raphael Asiegbu during the inauguration ceremony held at the market.

52 Sunday, April 20, 2014

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Sunday, April 20, 2014 | 53

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Conscience, Nurtured by Truth

Opinion When Good People Elect Bad People ET me see if I understood the events of last week. On Monday, two weeks after a supposed Boko Haram jailbreak in Abuja in which over 20 persons were killed, its militants arrived in Nyanya, on the outskirts of the city.

From their strongholds in the Northeast, they had done so by travelling past and through the fearsome Joint Task Force, and past and through a state of emergency that has grounded telecommunications and transportation and normal economic life, and through a thicket of government public relations machinery which has insisted the militants have been considerably weakened.

They had travelled past and through Nigeria’s fire-breathing soldiers, past housewife-beating iron policemen, past state intelligence officers that can tell President Jonathan what members of the opposition parties will have for lunch tomorrow, to set up business in Nyanya.

Then they blew apart a bus station, leaving about 80 people dead, and sending about 200 to hospitals so disreputable Patience Jonathan would not send her dog to any of them.

Someone then went to tell President Goodluck Jonathan: Oga, they have blown up Nyanya and killed many people, and a lot more are injured.

That afternoon he was seen visiting some of the injured in a hospital, dressed in a suitably morose expression, apparently recalling President Olusegun Obasanjo’s temperamental visit to the scene of the Ikeja Cantonment explosion in 2002.

“I am not supposed to be here,” Obasanjo famously told the mourners who had imagined he came because he cared. He wanted to make it clear he had no time for such infractions on his very important schedule.

The look on President Jonathan’s face in that hospital in Abuja last week did not exactly expose such impatience, but his actions were even more abysmal. Shortly afterwards, he left Abuja for a rambunctious political rally in Kano where he worked to shore up his hopes of retaining the presidency next year.

He campaigned, he joked, he sang, he danced.

L

He forgot.

He forgot the dead, the dying, the screaming and the bereaved in Nyanya. He forgot the meaning of Nyanya, which is that he has failed in the basic challenge of providing security for Nigerians.

He forgot Boko Haram.

But Boko Haram did not forget him. While he made his way to his scheduled party in Kano, they drove into Government Girls Secondary School in Chibok, Borno State, and abducted 100 girls. Just like that.

We must keep in mind that Borno and two neighboring States have been under emergency rule for nearly a year, with the government and the military claiming increasing victory. Through that thicket of propaganda last week, the militants strolled in, took 100 of our innocent girls from their beds, and left. Just like that.

Naturally, the entire country, indeed the world, yelled a collective “Heck No!’ Jonathan must have heard the international outrage in the clouds as he enjoyed one of his gleaming jets, leaving the celebration of self in Kano for the celebration of the Olubadan in Ibadan.

And then the next piece of the conundrum dropped: We have rescued the girls, the Nigerian military announced.

I am sure you remember exactly where you were when you heard that. It is the kind of news you always remember. I know exactly where I was, because I was laughing so hard that the tears could reach my knees.

They had “rescued” the girls alive, the Nigerian military? With their bare hands, or with bullets?

Remember, these are the same soldiers for whom three States were locked up one year ago, and the keys thrown away. These are the same soldiers who have since then been so clumsy and ineffective in their mandate they have made Boko Haram look like elusive US Navy Seals.

For one year, those militants have sacked mil-

itary and police facilities in the very states under emergency rule. At any hour of their definition, they have strolled into locations of their choosing, burnt down markets and villages, and butchered innocent citizens. They have bombed churches, slaughtered students, destroyed schools. For one year, they have treated our soldiers like rank amateurs and rubbished our “intelligence” network and our police.

That was the background to the Tuesday morning Boko Haram show in Chibok.

The militants obviously had their assignment well-defined, and they arrived in trucks for the job. Since they could not possibly have driven those trucks through bush paths, I presume they drove through streets and roads that are, in theory, known to our so-called intelligence, police and military people. They probably refueled at a military fuel station.

That is why those tears streaked down my knees to my ankles. How, I asked myself, was it possible that the soldiers “rescued” the girls? Had they told us they begged the militants or negotiated an exchange for the girls, I would have had far more faith in the claim.

And then on Thursday, the army proved cynics right. Unable to produce the girls it claimed to have rescued, it confessed it had, basically, lied. A few girls were safe, but those were the ones who had found the courage and the good luck to escape on their own.

“A report was filed in from the field indicating that a major breakthrough had been recorded in the search,” a spokesman said, trying to sound less than stupid. “There was no reason to doubt this official channel, hence the information was released to the public immediately…”

What did I learn last week?

Nothing: I have said consistently that what we have in Nigeria is the semblance of governance, not governance. That form, rather than function is starkly illustrated by Jonathan’s curious transition from Nyanya to Kano. It is defined by incompetence at every

sonala.olumhense@gmail.com Twitter: @Sonala.Olumhense official turn, with the president having time not for policy, but to appoint petty officials for the pettiest of government agencies.

The blame for this mess is not that of the government; it is that of anyone who contributed to its institution in the first place. Well before the election of Mr. Jonathan, it was clear he lacked the preparation, temperament and ability to move Nigeria forward.

When Mr. Jonathan said he did not “give a damn” about declaring his assets, some people pretended not to understand the implications.

The truth is that a man who does not give a damn about leading by character or accountability cannot inspire success, or productivity.

As a result, Jonathan leads a system where his key people are free to pursue their own conquests; a system where merit does not count and evil is not punished.

That explains the constant policy failures, and why his government thrives not on achievements, but on denials, corrections and clarifications. Nigeria is grounded by system-wide mediocrity, insensitivity and dishonesty.

It explains why fear and frustration are mounting. It also explains why, after Nigeria last week became the butt of jokes over the shameful abduction in Chibok; its ruler began to call “security” meetings. In his brilliance, the international outrage meant it was time to invent medicine to treat the corpse.

Yes, I understand all of last week pretty well. Do you?

Distraction? We Need Action Now!

By Oluyinka Esan ONDAY morning, April 14, 2014, another tragedy. The bomb blast in Nyanya on the eastern outskirts was heard throughout Abuja. Casualty figures are high; the horror prompts exclamations that invoke the pains of childbirth. Lives cut short, make nonsense of birth. Just imagine the waste of lives and property. Nigeria deserves better, for all its resources and the investment in securing its existence over the years. This is no longer a regional issue, it concerns us all, and we should not be looking away.

The proximity to the seat of power made this security breach rather stark. The President, accompanied by the Senate president was quick to visit the scene, offering words of comfort. World leaders also condemned the attack. According to the spokesperson for the US State Department Jen Psaki, the Obama administration is outraged. Press reports say the British Foreign Secretary William Hague is deeply saddened by these “senseless killings”. Like Ronald Noble, Interpol secretary general, many have promised to assist Nigeria tackle threats to its security. But why are such comforting words not reassuring? Why is this not enough?

This incident is the latest in a long string of atrocities committed by the group and clearly not the last. You do not need me to remind you of the atrocious acts attributed to Boko Haram. It is more than a religious incursion, nor must it be viewed as a regional or political problem. Too many innocent lives have been lost; the carnage is fresh in our minds. We can speak of civilians caught in crossfire, those executed for facilitating law enforcement, there are the servicemen lost in their attempt to restore order, and we must account for lives lost amongst these bands of men who seek to place the nation under siege. All human life is sacred after all.

Were it not so absurd, one may imagine that these campaigns by Boko Haram are an indirect population control measure. But no, these are lashes on our national psyche. No one knows who is next and the problem is more than the loss of lives.

We are yet to know the full cost of these traumas. Horrific news reports are merely snapshots, albeit graphic evidence of the crippling costs of such wanton destruction. Consider the burnt out vehicles and motor parks, torched homes and shops, the wares in these and in markets razed to the ground. Even the seemingly inconsequential tray is evidence of someone’s livelihood, no matter how measly it may appear. These are hints of the severe disruptions to life and development; roads blown up, telecommunication masts set ablaze, commercial activities paralysed, religious premises made insecure. Rebuilding these comes at a cost. Some other project may have to be stalled if what was lost is to be replaced. Now that is what makes these so senseless. These are disruptions that the nation can ill afford.

There are no rules in these outrageous assaults; it seems anything

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goes. The very latest report (Tuesday 15th April 2014) is of 200 school girls who have been abducted. The dead are not the only victims.

Perhaps they are the lucky ones as, in death, they are now beyond further terror. Not so the living, those maimed physically and emotionally, those left to mourn the dead. This but for the grace of God is a lifelong sentence. Many cannot begin to fathom challenges that lie ahead of widows and widowers, orphans and relatives who have to pick up the pieces of lives broken in this carnage.

And there is yet another dimension which concerns the general public. It is the spectacle of mangled body parts, which seep through press reports and social media, evading broadcast codes that seek to regulate against such. Time will tell if there will be any comeuppance, for this. These are the unseen costs of wanton destruction of life.

So far, there has been some reaction from government and other quarters, but these remain inadequate. To be fair, military response has been intensified. Northeastern Nigeria is still in a declared state of emergency. Sections of civil society are at alert, with much uproar in the press and on social media, especially following the March 2014 attack on the Federal Government College in Yobe State. Nigerian women in different parts of the world marched to protest the mindless killings. Prayers are being offered for divine intervention, but many more look on and the horrors have not ceased. And life goes on! Many simply look away, perhaps to avoid being overwhelmed. We just want to carry on as usual, perhaps to frustrate the terrorists; they should not see us cowering.

Perhaps that is what the President meant when he referred to this as a temporary setback, stating that we will get over it. But there was little comfort in that. Rather, read against the backdrop of his other well publicised activities there is a sinister veneer to the declaration of the incident as an “unwanted distraction”. The question is distraction from what, the gruelling task of nation building or the many frivolities of office? Here is what we have seen; two examples of recent high profile events will suffice.

The centenary celebrations, carried on in spite of cruel murder of hapless students of a Federal Government College is one. Our leaders went off to lavish banquets whilst the nation mourned. Awards were given to many, the same national heroes whom we had honoured in the past and a few miscreants whose wicked deeds we thought had been buried with them were. Would it have mattered if that latest honour were not given, especially in light of the tragic situation? The second event should have been a private celebration, but Nigerians were called to witness a squandering of wealth.

No one can begrudge the president’s family for celebrating on a joyous occasion, but since it is not a state affair, the wedding of the adopted daughter should not have been transmitted live on the continent’s largest television network - possibly at no charge to the family. This media spectacle was ill timed, coinciding with more

Boko Haram attacks. That just goes to show, that this is not time for repose, Nigeria’s foes are still on the prowl. This problem requires more serious attention.

It is irksome to hear Nigeria being described as a poor country by some government apologetic discussing the nation’s challenges in diffusing the threats to security on NTA International. His point is that the military are ill equipped thus hampered in their efforts to tackle the terror of Boko Haram. That is questionable. Yes, the borders are porous and long, the Sahel region is unstable, but Nigeria is not poor. Only recently, it was reported as being the strongest economy in Africa. Going by the well reported extravagant public spending, the opulence on display at public functions, including private parties of the elite, (the president is just one of them) Nigeria is not poor. So there is no reason for the military to be ill equipped. If guests at a state function (the 53rd independence anniversary celebrations) or those at the wedding of the president’s adopted daughter can receive gold plated iPhones as mementos, Nigerians should at least be guaranteed of security. But the nation deserves even more.

Nigerians deserve good governance, basic infrastructure, means of livelihood and effective policing. There should be avenues for resolving conflicts before these escalate. The cadre of the disgruntled who throw their lot in with rogue elements has to be offered meaningful alternatives, and this is not about merely offering bribes to community leaders. Development should be sustained and not merely reactions to aggression. Progress in the economy should be reflected in the lives of the people not just in the books.

At the heart of our many policies and activities should be due regard for the dignity of life. A root and branch change is needed but it won’t just happen, we have to work at it. This calls for much more than mere political platitudes or empty promises. Having fought to keep Nigeria one, the people of this land regardless of their origin or affiliation should be accorded respect.

So far, the political elite have shown no concrete actions to stem this haemorrhage of lives. Rather politicians on unofficial campaign trails haul accusation and counter accusations, which confirm that public funds are being siphoned with impunity. Each party it seems, seeks to make the most mileage from this most unfortunate loss of lives. No wonder Boko Haram is still on the prowl. Alas, they keep picking on the same soft targets, the hapless victims betrayed by government, undermined by poor infrastructural services, pillaged by armed robbers, and bombed by Boko Haram. In deed when elephants fight, the grass suffers. The governed in Nigeria are the grass, and the suffering so far has been unto death and there is no meaningful change in sight. Alas! In the words of Fela Kuti, “Na double wahala for deadi body!” This is why there is no comfort in the promises. We need meaningful action now, if you please.

• Esan is of the School of Media and Film University of Winchester, United

TheGuardian

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www.ngrguardiannews.com

Conscience, Nurtured by Truth

Opinion Trouble In Danger In Nigeria HEN everybody prays to avoid Trouble in Nigeria, it spells danger to Trouble. They don’t know who trouble is, they don’t know the form in which it comes, they don’t know from which direction it comes, they don’t know what Trouble’s agenda is. All they can do is pray to God Almighty, the All-knowing, the beginning and the end not to bring trouble to their sakani. Still Trouble continues his travels in Nigeria. Is it that God is refusing to answer the prayers of Nigeria? Deleting their prayers?

Putting their prayers in the out-tray in the old fashioned office? Or has the owner of the day of judgement placed our prayers in the remindme-later section of his android cell phone?

Nobody knows. Everybody worries. And everybody insists that Nigerians must pray more often, more fervently, more ardently, and more urgently. Still, Trouble continues his travels and he did get into danger. This is how it happened.

As you know, there are only two streets in Akure – Oba Adesida Road, which used to be called Bourdillon Road in the days of yore, and Arakale Road. Perhaps Arakale is one of the praise names of Oba Adesida, which would mean that both our streets bear the same name, just as our two rivers bear the same name, Ala. Anyway, somewhere along Arakale Road, after passing the roundabout, and the car park of the ECN Modern Market, a huge bus stopped in the middle of the road. The driver was on his way to Lagos and had taken a detour to avoid traffic on Oba Adesida Road. Here it was stopped and a gang of armed robbers boarded the bus full of business men and women going to buy and restock their shops in Onitsha and such places on the beyond sides of the Niger.

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There was even a rumour that those who were supposed to have boarded the bus were in fact passengers who had been in the bus all the time. So, how could they have been boarding the bus in Akure? The police did wonder why here, why now in day light. When they wandered to the bus, they were told that it was an internal matter for those in the bus.

But what was happening was armed robbery, believe me. First the leader of the gang addressed the passengers: don’t mind what is going on around you, just concentrate on what is happening in this bus.

Nobody will be hurt if nobody asks for it. You ask for it when you do not do what I ask you to do. He showed them his pistol with a silencer screwed to its mouth. Silencered scream will not be heard. First of all, my Inec (independent national electoral commission) will distribute forms which everybody in this bus must fill. Get it going, guys! The forms were distributed along the rows of the bus. Biro pens were provided for every passenger to fill the declaration of assets form. The GL (Gand Leader) noticed two things almost as soon as the forms were being filled.

Someone was on the phone. Another one was making no attempt to fill the form. GL went to the lady with the cell phone and whispered: are you trying to call the police? The lady looked at the GL surprised thinking the man must be a mind reader. Yes, she says. Let me put you through to the Inspector General of Police and you must give him my regards.

Say it is GL who put you through. GL got her cell phone and gave her his own ringing for the IG to pick up. Then he went to the man

who was not filling the form and asked him what was going on. The man said that he was with President Jonathan not declaring his asset or declaring it in secret and like him he did not give a damn! The GL put his pistol to the neck of the man and squeezed the trigger.

Thereafter everybody gave a damn. Once the forms were filled, they were collected and collated by Inec. Now, GL addressed the passengers: it is harvest time. Please give whatever you have into the collection basket as it comes to you. Give everything, please. Again members of his Inec went round the bus collecting everything the passenger had to give.

Outside, traffic had avoided the bus by going on the other side of the dual carriage way.

When they had collected for harvest, the basket was brought to the Leader. Now, said the Leader, comes judgement time. You declared your asset, we harvested what you have, but from our experience, we know you are all hiding something. Something in your mouth, something in your ears, something in your nose, something in the secret orifices that God has decorated you with. The military wing of my Inec will now ferret out those valuables which you have hidden. Here goes.

So said, so done. What was ferretted out now

was more than what was harvested before.

And, somehow, this angered the Leader. O faraya! How is this possible, he asked the passengers? Who can we trust if adults, given an opportunity to tell the truth, tell lies? Suppose we did not frisk you to see what you had hidden in various places? You would have shortchanged me and my guys! Look at what you declare as your assets look at what I found you still have undeclared? Who can be surprised that the country is going nowhere when everybody, without exception tells lies?

Everybody was silent. Everybody was cowed down. Everybody was subdued. Except Trouble who got up and said: I stand on existing protocols! Who are you to demand the truth from us? Why must we tell the truth to a thief and armed robber? What right do you have to demand truth of us, when you are in the process of stealing from us? The Leader looked at Trouble and Trouble looked at the Leader. Who are you?, the Leader asked. I am Trouble and I’m here for you. Come here, Trouble, Obviously, you don’t know me and you speak like a foreigner, come here. If you want to get Trouble, you must come to Trouble. Ok then, here I come! Ladies and gentlemen, is this the end of Trouble?

The Collapse Of Political Godfatherism

By Andrew Udeh HIS script was conceived few days after the result of supplementary elections in some areas of Anambra state was announced. Chief Willy Obiano of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) has emerged victorious and as such becomes the governor- elect of the state.

Needless recalling what Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) under Prof. Attahiru Jega did on November 16. Such hoax could only happen in a hapless society where followership is weak and docile. Nigeria, no doubt, is becoming a lawless society, as leaders and the led continue to pay lip service to things that would promote democracy. True patriotism, in the words of Prof. Chinua Achebe, is only possible when the people who rule and those under their power have a common and genuine goal of maintaining the dispensation under which the nation lives.

On the current political romance between Chief Willy Obiano and Governor Peter Obi, why is Obi so desperate to have Obiano as next governor? Is this “Love” conceptualized with sincerity of purpose or strictly a sinister adventure? Will this romance survive the test of time or tangle perhaps midway? Will this relationship soar or sink as a result of individual vested interest? Is the friendship built on selfless foundation? Do they possess similar vision to move Anambra state forward? On the contrary, is the union formed to keep a secret agenda? Is there any undivulged information kept for years from knowledge of Anambra people? Is this transfer of baton an accessory for Peter Obi to emerge as new political godfather in the state?

These are pertinent questions hovering around the handover of power come March next year, but history is there to prove them wrong. In 2007, when president Olusegun Obasanjo against least expectations tactfully made Musa Yaradua the president of Nigeria with hidden ploy to control him while in office. That plot eventually collapsed when Yaradua’s terminal sickness could not allow him to continue.

Dr. Orji Uzo kalu while leaving the office as governor of Abia State subdued all the eggheads in the State including the

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JAW JAW By Didi Onu

Resident Electoral Commissioner to make Dr. Theo Orji, the next governor. Within six months on saddle the duo became sworn enemies, holding each other at the jugular. Indeed, Theo Orji eventually left Kalu’s People’s Progressive Alliance (PPA) and joined APGA and later PDP for Aso rock big umbrella protection.

Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, while leaving Adamawa State as governor to team with Olusegun Obasanjo as Vice-president, handed over his political stool to Murtala Nyako, a retired naval officer. But when Atiku decided to vie for the presidential seat after Obasanjo’s regime, it was Nyako that destroyed his political machinery in Adamawa just to have an edge.

Chief Jim Ifeanyichukwu Nwobodo after his tenure as governor of Enugu State ignored all the appeals from the local advisers and went to the United States to lure in Dr. Chimaroke Nnamani for the state chief executive seat. The plot was sealed and delivered even against the advice of elders like Nnamdi Azikiwe and co.

However, on assumption of office, the first assignment Nnamani did was to chase away Nwobodo from the Lion building, Enugu.

He went further to dismantle Nwobodo’s political structure, even killed the stubborn brats along the line. In fact, Obasanjo had to use Nnamani as political weapon to dwarf Nwobodo’s political dynasty. That wound is yet to heal till date.

Dr. Chimaroke Nnamani, at the twilight of his exit as governor of Enugu State bulldozed all the political titans in the state Okechukwu Itanyi, Chief Ogbuewu, Barr. Okey Ezea, etc and made Barr. Sullivan Chime, his Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice then, the next governor. Just a month after the swearing in ceremony, their friendship went sour. This however paved way for serious political war, leading to Nnamani’s eventual eclipse from Enugu politics. Governor Sullivan Chime is now in control of Enugu State politics.

Dr. Ikedi Ohakim, then as governor of Imo State was very close to his deputy, Ada Okwuonu. The duo were inseparable entity, thinking and planning together on how to move Imo State forward. Suddenly, during Ohakim’s second term’s ambition, he publicly made it known to Okwuonu that she would no longer be his running mate. The embarrassment was so shocking that she had to abandon government house Owerri and relocated to

Abuja.

The list is endless; I can go on and on. Indeed, in politics there is no permanent friend, rather a permanent interest. Politics makes strange bedfellows, it is rough and sometimes it is dirty. Those who think that politics is like ocean voyage is absolutely wrong. It is something to be done with some particular end in view, something, which leaves off as soon as that end is achieved.

Chief Willy Obiano before now was an astute retired banker, whose credential in the industry scares even his enemies. A diehard professional with sound mind and wisdom. Throughout my personal knowledge of him during our CKC old boys meetings in Lagos, he always proves to be a man of strong character who could not be pushed around. He always wants to be incharge, a dominator of his environment whose ideas seem to overwhelm his listeners. He does not compromise his set out objectives, probably to protect his hard won integrity. He is self-made with enough resources to keep him afloat.

But then he is joining politics, a different career full of unknowns. He is moving into a different calling, where majority of the players are without conscience. He is walking into a circle of heartless people, whose stock in trade is mainly to embezzle. He is about to change his lifestyle, to dine and wine with perhaps evilminded friends and associates, who always see ordinary people on the street as mere vegetables. He will soon be in custody of public fund, and money operates with spirit of temptation; it also carries along inordinate feeling of taking away. A man with voracious appetite hardly recollects his past; he is only consumed by the desire to hold the key of treasure. Nobody, even his closest friend, beckons at him when he starts accumulating. He believes so much in widening his ban, building empires and mansions, opening accounts in various banks, and ensuring that he keeps for his children’s children.

In Anambra State, bad history is fastly beckoning. There will be drama on the stage. The interest group is already on the waiting wings. Chief Victor Umeh, Bianca Ojukwu, Emeka Odumegwu Ojukwu (Jnr.) Tim Menakaya, Peter Obi etc are all strong stakeholders. But will Chief Obiano join them in sharing “Anambra cake”, or part ways like others in the past?

Sunday, April 20, 2014 | 55

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

GRASSROOTS

Why 11 States Fail To Conduct Local Govt Polls NATIONAL:

By Gbenga Akinfenwa HE recent call by the IndeT pendent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to states that had failed to conduct Local Government elections is a wake up call that should be urgently adhered to, in the interest of promoting democracy at the grassroots.

According to a communiqué issued at a two-day INEC and State Independent Electoral Commissions (SIECs) experience sharing conference on best practices in election management held in Kaduna, and signed

by INEC Director of Voters Education and Publicity, Oluwole Uzzi, 11 states-Abia, Bauchi, Borno, Delta, Ekiti, Imo, Kano, Katsina, Ondo, Osun and Oyo, have failed to conduct council elections and that the local governments in the affected states, were either under caretaker committees or, in one case, Delta, under the Head of Personnel Management, contrary to the provisions of the 1999 Constitution, as amended.

It therefore urged them to urgently do so without further delay.

For many years, the people of these states have been denied opportunity of local government administration by elected representatives, as guaranteed by the country’s Constitution.

The governors who are serving their second term in office, have not deem it fit to conduct the poll after several promises to the electorate, who are gradually losing confidence in them. The only few, who had opportunity of conducting election in their first term have, refused to conduct another, after the last elected local government councilors and chairmen served out their tenure.

This action, according to the Nigerian Governors Forum’s (NGF) report on the Peer Review Mechanism, is not only undemocratic, but against the spirit of Section seven of the 1999 constitution (as amended), which it says guarantees the conduct of elections in the 774 local governments of the federation.

In 2012, the House of Representatives came heavily on erring state governments, with an order to immediately conduct council elections. A motion was also raised by the legislators to suspend the release of allocation to such local governments, but was annulled, as it was described as unconstitutional.

The sponsor of the motion, Friday Itulah claimed that the system of appointing caretaker committees to head local governments is alien to Nigeria and a violation of Section 7 (1) of the 1999 constitution.

He warned that if the practice by the state governors was not checked, it might bring the country to a lawless state.

Based on this, political watchers, had expected the affected governors to swing into action and set up machinery for the conduct of free, fair and credible poll to appoint officials into the third tier of government in their various states.

But some of the governors are undeterred in their determination not to conduct council elections.

Opposition parties and political analysts have severally alleged mismanagement of funds as the reason why some governors prefer to run council administration with appointees.

They claim that the continuation of such practice is a confirmation that the use of interim council officials to run the councils in order to have access to funds meant for the grassroots.

But the governors have always come out with several excuses for failing to conduct the polls.

For instance, of the 11 states, Ekiti, Imo, Osun and Oyo States claim their elections were stalled by Court cases, while Ondo, Borno, Delta, Kano, Katsina, Abia and Bauchi states gave other flimsy excuses.

ONDO: In the last seven years, Ondo State has not conducted council election.

Caretaker chairmen are running the state’s council areas.

Late last year, the hope of the people were raised with the approval of the list of members of Ondo State Inde-

Jega pendent Electoral Commission (ODSIEC) by the State Assembly as a prelude to the poll, but since then, government is yet to fix date to conduct the poll and there is rumor that Governor Mimiko might not conduct the council election before the expiration of his tenure.

Though the governor has constantly claimed that there was need by his administration to deliver quality service at the grassroots and work for the people, the reality is not encouraging.

ABIA: In the case of Abia State, for over four years running, appointed caretaker committee members have managed the council administration. They usually have a three-month tenure, which is renewable if the Governor is satisfied with their performance.

The last elected local government administration in the state was in 2008 by the administration of Governor Theodore Orji. When the term expired in 2010, the governor appointed a caretaker committee and has since been using the system to run the councils.

Orji claimed his decision was based on the fact that the past elected chairmen incurred a huge debt of N29 billion, mainly in unpaid salaries of council workers, some of

whom were owed over 10 months arrears. He therefore said he would use caretaker committees to clear the debt.

Governor Orji promised then that he would drop the caretaker system and conduct council elections after liquidating the debt. He said the action was a rescue mission aimed at saving the system, which was messed up by the last elected council leaders.

Having offset the debt, Abians expected government to conduct council election and they, especially the opposition, flayed the continued use of caretakers to run the system and called for council election.

In response to calls, at the last quarter of 2012, Orji announced that the state would conduct election in January 2013, but legislators later postponed it and nothing has been heard till now.

BAUCHI: State has a similar case with Abia. Since the 2008 council poll, government is yet to conduct another poll, except the appointment of sole administrators and caretaker committees to man the affairs of the councils. Though no genuine reason has been given

by Governor Isa Yuguda, with less than two years to completion of his second

tenure. It was alleged that the delay was borne out of fear of losing the election by the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP. It was however gathered that the Bauchi State Independent Electoral Commission (BASIEC) has unveiled plans to conduct the election this year.

BORNO: The last local government election was held in 2007, during the last administration and since then, the state is yet to conduct another election due to what the state government described as security challenges caused by the outlawed Boko Haram sect.

The state Governor, Alhaji Kashim Shettima promised last December that it would hold elections into the 27 local government areas in the second quarter of this year.

KANO: For over a year, the Kano State Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso has received knocks because of delay to conduct election in the 44 council areas. He blamed the delay on current security challenges in Kano as well.

But the opposition says the governor is deliberately delaying the elections in order to continue rotating his cronies as Interim Management Officers (IMOs) for the councils.

Last year, the Kano State Independent Electoral Commission announced that council elections would hold on 17 May 2014. The commission’s Chairman, Dr Sani Lawal, said the date was aimed at giving the newly registered parties enough time to prepare for the election, adding that the date would enable the commission to procure election materials; meet with major stakeholders and conduct extensive voter education campaign.

The chairman said the commission would spend N1.5 billion for the conduct of the election, noting that, that was inadequate because the exercise was capital intensive.

He solicited the support and cooperation of the security agencies to ensure a hitch-free election.

KATSINA: The last time the

Katsina State government conducted election into the 34 local governments of the state was in March 2008.

Since the expiration of the tenure of the then elected chairmen, caretaker committees as interim executives are manning the council areas.

It was learnt that the continued appointment of caretaker committees as overseers of the local governments has been generating tension among the political class. While government and its allies are comfortable with caretaker committees, politicians from opposition camps have continued to oppose the arrangement.

It was also observed that the last attempt made by the state government concerning local government polls was in 2011 when government procured some election materials worth N75.9m.

Recently, the governor, Alhaji Ibrahim Shehu Shema, said council polls will hold in the first quarter of this year, adding that materials needed for the conduct of the exercise were on ground.

He said a date for the exercise would be announced last January to give political parties time to prepare, but three months after, the opposition is kicking.

DELTA: Since the Delta State House of Assembly dissolved all local councils on April 28, 2011, and directed the head of personnel department in each of the state’s 25 local government councils to run the affairs indefinitely, no move has been taken to conduct local government elections in the state.

The argument of the people at the grassroots is that this development has denied them the right to vote and to choose those that govern them at that level.

Though Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan has severally claimed he has no power to fix a date for the local government election, analysts claim that one of the challenges confronting the governor is how to tolerate the interests of members of his party.

At present, there is no step yet to conduct the poll, despite setting up of an electoral body by state government.

sustenance of the peaceful atmosphere, economic growth and social rebirth currently enjoyed in the state, insisting that the alleged rigging by the PDP in 2003 “which ousted former Governor Bisi Akande from power must not be allowed this time.”

Salawu, advised the people to hold their voters cards as the key to their future and the future of their unborn generations.

He added that the threat of violence by the PDP in the election should not discourage people from defending their tomorrow, adding that the same force of logic deployed to reclaim the party’s

stolen mandate during the general election in 2007 would be used to return the governor for another term of four years of “responsible and responsive administration.”

“We were in this country when free education, free health, abundance of food and accountability hallmarked government and we were here when things began to deteriorate especially when the military took over reign of government. The return to democracy in 1999 hasn’t really shown any difference particularly at the Federal level because the marauders in the garb of PDP have continued to lord it over us,” Salawu stated.

Oranmiyan Foundation Donates To APC OKE-OSUN

By Gbenga Akinfenwa RANMIYAN Foundation O has donated public address systems to all the

Aregbesola

wards in Iwo, Ayedire and Ola-Oluwa Federal Constituency in Osun State.

The gesture was part of strategies aimed at ensuring effective mobilisation for the re-election of Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State.

The Secretary of the foundation in Republic of Ireland chapter, Dr. Gbenga Salawu, who donated public address systems also gave N50, 000 cash to each of the local gov-

ernment areas in the constituency for mobilisation to meetings, while pledging to do more to ensure Aregbesola’s victory during the August 9 poll.

Salawu, who personally handed over the items to each of the chairmen of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 10 wards in Ayedire local government area, during the monthly general meeting of the party recently held in Oke-Osun village, also urged the recipients to put them into effective use.

He pledged the commitment of Oranmiyan Foundation to commit everything within its capacity to the

56 Sunday, April 20, 2014

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PERSPECTIVES

By Godini G. Darah Y the time the National Conference in Abuja adjourned after the third week, calm and quietude had replaced the stormy sessions that marked the opening days. This was due partly to the dexterous manner the conference leadership handled the controversy ignited by divergent views over the percentage of votes needed to determine the outcome of a division if the conference failed to achieve a consensus on any issue. The contention was between delegates who supported two-thirds (66.5%) and those who insisted on three-quarters (75%). As a matter of fact, the two options were included in the proposed rules of procedure circulated by the conference secretariat. When the dispute boiled over and nearly deluged the proceedings, a caucus of 50 delegates was raised to resolve it in camera. The 50 “friends of the conference” as the chairman, Justice Idris Kutigi christened them, had a rough time reaching a compromise, but they eventually did and settled for 70%. The historic compromise was applauded by the conferees. This provided an auspicious prelude to the general debate on President Goodluck Jonathan’s inaugural address of March 17.

For about a week the delegates took time to comment on the themes and nuances of the address.

The President’s clarity of thought and graceful rhetoric helped the speakers to find niche points almost effortlessly. Following alphabetical order, each one of the 492 plus delegates took three minutes to speak. This equalitarian apportionment of time raised the quotient of integrity and autonomy of the conference. Going through the process demanded much patience and self-control, especially for those who spoke in the first and second days of the plenary. Yet it was very rewarding and revealing to listen to nearly 500 diverse voices advancing a plethora of views, perspectives, criticisms, disagreements, ambitious agendas and aspirations. Even with the “ceasefire” in force, there were strident and dissident opinions across regions, ideological divides, generations and gender, and class alignments. The commanding drift of interventions supported the intendment and necessity of the national confab. Even those who had harboured doubts about the President’s sincerity spoke in a manner that endorsed the conference as the most timely and cost-effective opportunity to salvage Nigeria from an impending Armageddon.

As was expected, some delegates shielded their angst and prejudices under the penumbra of “national interest” and defence of “indissoluble Nigeria”. But the President’s address apparently anticipated all these gambits by laying bare all the thorny issues for deliberation. In the inaugural address the President admitted that “I have chosen to act on the sincere conviction that in the truly democratic nation we are striving to build, we must never ignore the loudly expressed views of the majority of ordinary Nigerians”. At pages 16 and 17 of the address Jonathan unveiled the main issues to be discussed. In his mown words, “The issues range from the form of government, devolution of powers, revenue sharing, resource control, state creation, state police and fiscal federalism, to indigeneship, gender equality and children’s rights, amongst others”. Continuing, he urged thus: “Whatever the pressure on you may be, I call upon you to put the best interest of Nigeria before all other sectional or group interests”. This presidential prescience helped to render some of the prejudices and hooded threats in the debates irrelevant.

The government’s inclusive approach of selecting the delegates has had its positive impact also.

Packed into the haloed hall of the conference are stakeholders from all the strata of the society: the hunters and the haunted, the oppressors and the oppressed, the victors and the vanquished, the landlords and the landless, the expropriators and

B

Darah

National Confab And

President Goodluck Jonathan with his Vice, Namadi Sambo with members of National Conference

the expropriated, the reactionaries and the radicals, and devotees of the status quo and their grave diggers. In their contributions to the appraisal of the President’s address, victims of various Nigerian regimes of injustice were emboldened by their voices being heard and echoed across the luminous global community, thanks to the technologizing of verbal communications. In the safe precinct of the conference, the casualties of victimisation and state violence now feel that they have nothing to lose but their chains of domination and marginalisation.

As for the spokespersons of the “born-to-rule” classes in the country, they probably fear that the party is about to be over. Having feasted on the unearned wealth and opportunities of other sections of the Nigerian polity, these survivors of a vanishing social order dread the imminent possibility of their oil-nourished privileges withering away through pressures of the new forces thrown up by the emerging democratic system in the country. Thus, in the tenor and timbre of their eloquence one could detect anxiety about the revolutionary convulsions that might unscramble the Nigerian unity that they claim is “not negotiable”. But here in the conference even divine mandates and laws of evolution are being questioned and negotiated through dialectical, and even blasphemous, logic. We are learning to appreciate the point that it serves no useful purpose to insinuate that President Jonathan put the conference together to undo Godordained potentates of power. Even if he had such “hidden agendum” Jonathan would still go down in history as the audacious leader who recognised that Nigeria cannot make sustainable progress unless it is restructured in radical ways. A disease that needs blood transfusion would not respond to the use of palm oil as substitute, even though both substances have similar colour.

As poet Odia Ofeimun has ceaselessly serenaded, this conference must be different, and so shall it be.

The more exciting moments for me during the debate on the inaugural address came when justifiably aggrieved delegates ventilated long-suppressed worries and dissident ideas about Jonathan’s governance style and trajectory for the future. Those who trumpet these charges ignore the elementary philosophical dictum that errors and inelegancies of government agencies do not occur in the abstract; rather, they are rooted in the political and economic structure of the governmental system. The roots of a tree determine the nature and health of the tree’s trunk, branches, and leaves. It stands to reason that anything that affects the roots has consequence for the parts. As the military rulers since 1966 designed it, Nigeria is a unitary and imperial construct that needs the powers of an emperor or dictator to run effectively. This imperial superstructure was in practice for three decades. With the restoration of civilian rule in 1999, there was hope that the awesome and ineffectual machine would be modified and moderated to suit democratic etiquette. However, General Olusegun Obasanjo who became president in 1999 enjoyed the debonair and omniscience of a warlord or overlord. Six years into his eight-year tenure he

called a conference in 2005, which crashed due to suspicions of vaulting ambition of self-succession.

Thus the structural defects of the unitary system ossified and festered.

Those who fashioned the Nigerian governance order after a unitary, command structure were blinkered by either crass ignorance of history or parochial wish to be in power forever. Nigeria is a multi-national, multi-cultural, multi-lingual, multi-religious and diverse country that requires the egalitarian and caring ethos of democratic pluralism to be administered responsibly. Being an enlightened ruling class, the British colonial officers undertook painstaking and thorough study of the diversities of culture, history, languages, and economic endowments for nearly 40 years before finally deciding on what system of government to introduce. At the early phase of colonial rule, the British experimented with the so-called Indirect Rule method that incorporated traditional governance systems. In the late 1920s, there were native administrations and native courts in nearly every community. This inclusive arrangement enabled the grassroots segments of the society to participate in the government to some extent.

The efficacy of the British experiment was evaluat-

Brazen acts of corruption and greed are symptoms of the larger disease of primitive accumulation of wealth associated with the early phases of non-industrial capitalism. The disease assumes epidemic proportions when the bulk of the wealth appropriated comes from the providential revenue of oil rents and export of crude oil and gas.

Impunity of political leaders is a direct consequence of this system of economic production and distribution of resources. Some scholars of politics refer to this system as prebendalism and they are correct.

And prebendal banditry does not afflict political actors alone; it infects the entire system and emboldens providers of services such as importers of petroleum products and sundry contractors to fleece the government by inflating costs and even getting paid for services not rendered. The emergence of oil subsidy billionaires on global ranking of plutocrats published by the American Forbes magazine is a manifestation of this incurable cancer of unbridled capitalism.

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PERSPECTIVES

Nigeria’s Long Revolution The masterminds of this totalitarian structure were the same people who were angered by the Aguyi-Ironsi ill-conceived experiment of 1966. From 1970 till date, the behests of this unjust and exploitative system have become intransigent defenders of the status quo because the wealth and other revenues that sustain the advantages they are enjoying come from the oil-producing states of Abia, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Delta, Edo, Imo, Ondo, Rivers, and Lagos states.

These states, better known as cash cows of the country are now determined to end their condition of economic servitude and colonisation. If the national conference, the National Assembly, and the Executive arms of the country are unwilling and unable to resolve this problem in an equitable and democratic manner, it will ultimately be resolved by any means necessary, as Malcom X, the African American civil rights leader once said.

ed and updated regularly and the outcome of these exercises and ethnographic studies conducted informed the convoking of conferences from 1940-1960. With effect from the Littleton constitution of 1954, a federal system, with regions as federating units, was put in place. The regions, as federating units, enjoyed substantial autonomy in economic, educational, and political matters. By 1963, each of the four Regions of Eastern, Northern, Western, and Midwestern had its own constitution. In economic matters each Region was entitled to, at least, 50% of revenue derived or generated activities such as agricultural produce, import and custom duties, rents and royalties, and consumer taxes. Only 20% of the revenue was given to the central government; the remaining 30% was set aside in a Distributable Pool and each Region that had received the 50% derivation also shared in the 30%.

Surely, it was not a perfect system but it met the minimum criteria of equity and fairness in a heterogeneous society. The autonomy enjoyed by the federating units (Regions) encouraged them to do certain great things on their own without recourse to federal support. The modernisation strides in the Western Region in the fields of education, industry, and communications are now remembered with nostalgia. Similar feats were achieved in the Eastern, Northern, and Midwestern Region. It is pertinent to add that the majority of the delegates at the conference benefited from the regime of fiscal federalism by way of generous scholarships, sinecure jobs, and recruitment into the public service, the armed forces, the police and allied premium opportunities. Some of these beneficiaries are now adamantly opposed to any attempt to revamp the country’s political system in order to make it more democratic and responsive to the yearnings of the people.

Let us recall the flexible strategies the British adopted to drive the process of consolidating colonial rule in Nigeria. The Protectorate model was employed from 1914 to the 1930s when the provincial system was introduced. At a point, there were 24 provinces designated in response to local pressure and administrative convenience. I think all the 24 provinces have not metamorphosed into states, except few. The operation of the provinces was aided by District Officers (DOs) who managed smaller units/territories. As I have pointed out in relation to the Littleton constitution, the federal system inaugurated in 1954 federal experiment was in practice for six years and its renewal and upgrade culminated in the Independence Constitution of 1960. When the British colonial

regime came to an end in 1960, the successor Nigerian nationalists consolidated the federal structure with the Republican Constitution of 1963. The overall objective of these constitutional engineering was to produce a legal framework for the efficacious management of the regional, ethno-national, cultural, class, and socio-economic diversities of the country.

That was why the nationalists of the First Republic (1960-1966) coined the mellifluous slogan of “unity in diversity”.

Regrettably, it was this path of slow but steady progress that the military autocrats interrupted and deviated from; first, with the May 1966 unification decree passed by General AguyiIronsi as the military head of state and, second, with the introduction of presidential centralism from 1979. The fears triggered by the forceful unification by the Aguyi-Ironsi decree were exploited by the “northern” sections of the country to embark on irredentist politicking from 1966. Blood shedding and mayhem were the lingua franca of the resistance against Aguyi-Ironsism. In May that year, ethnic riots erupted in major cities in “northern” Nigeria, leading to the massacre of Igbo emigrants and other peoples of “southern” Nigeria. By July, General Aguyi-Ironsi himself, together with his host, Col. Adekunle Fajuyi, military governor of the Western Region, were assassinated in the coup that ushered in the government of the then Lt. Col. Yakubu Gowon. Another killing orgy occurred in September that year and it was targeted at the same ethnic and linguistic constituencies as those of May. Thus Nigeria tottered on into the 1967-1970 Civil War after which the successive military regimes clamped the over-centralised system of government on our diversities and differences. The masterminds of this totalitarian structure were the same people who were angered by the Aguyi-Ironsi ill-conceived experiment of 1966. From 1970 till date, the behests of this unjust and exploitative system have become intransigent defenders of the status quo because the wealth and other revenues that sustain the advantages they are enjoying come from the oil-producing states of Abia, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Delta, Edo, Imo, Ondo, Rivers, and Lagos states. These states, better known as cash cows of the country are now determined to end their condition of economic servitude and colonisation. If the national conference, the National Assembly, and the Executive arms of the country are unwilling

and unable to resolve this problem in an equitable and democratic manner, it will ultimately be resolved by any means necessary, as Malcom X, the African American civil rights leader once said. For Nigeria, it has been a tortuous journey that led the country into the quagmire of endless conflicts and arrested development that we are in today. Having wasted three decades and sacrificed millions of innocent lives to appease the insatiable gods of presidential unitarism, there is an imperative need to pause and renegotiate where the rain of neo-colonial misadventure began to beat us, as Chinua Achebe would say.

It may have dawned on President Jonathan belatedly, but given his ethical and political pedigree nurtured in the long-exploited Niger Delta, he has awoken to the inescapable realisation that only a robustly federal and equityenhancing system is good enough for Nigeria.

His thoughts and actions are in sync with the currents of contemporary world history. A similar political osmosis is unfolding in Scotland in the United Kingdom, in the Ukraine, and other theatres of freedom and renewal in the world.

The distinguished delegates at the Conference are keenly aware of these global changes and most of us are determined to open up Nigeria to benefit from them.

By way of further digest, it can be said that the most resonant issues debated so far concern resource ownership and control, federalism, political restructuring and devolution of powers/responsibilities, insecurity, corruption, greed, impunity, marginalisation, economic mismanagement, unemployment, religion, ethnicity, patriotism, ethics and trust. Some of the recurring themes like corruption, impunity, insecurity, patriotism, and ethics are examined by some delegates out of context. Brazen acts of corruption and greed are symptoms of the larger disease of primitive accumulation of wealth associated with the early phases of non-industrial capitalism. The disease assumes epidemic proportions when the bulk of the wealth appropriated comes from the providential revenue of oil rents and export of crude oil and gas.

Impunity of political leaders is a direct consequence of this system of economic production and distribution of resources. Some scholars of politics refer to this system as prebendalism and they are correct. And prebendal banditry does not afflict political actors alone; it infects the entire system and emboldens providers of services such as importers of petroleum products and sundry contractors to fleece the government by inflating costs and even getting paid for services not rendered. The emergence of oil subsidy billionaires on global ranking of plutocrats published by the American Forbes magazine is a manifestation of this incurable cancer of unbridled capitalism.

We can explain how corruption and impunity corrode ethical ethos in the public sector. In Nigeria’s pseudo federal arrangement, the government at the centre controls over 52percent of the national budget, the heftiest portion of which is derived from oil rents. Given our winner-takes-all electoral culture, the political party in charge of the central government is automatically empowered with excess money with which to corrupt everything/everybody and cajole and cudgel opponents to silence or subservience. A microcosm of this feudalist order is replicated at the levels of state and local coun-

cils. Governors who cry wolf about the impunity of the federal government exhibit similar despotic antics in their states. The governors monopolise the control of money and dispense it to persons and places that pledge unalloyed loyalty to them.

In their arrogant display of this totalitarian tendency, the governors hijack the powers to superintend over even statutory and derivation revenue of the local governments.

Complaints over such undemocratic practice has instigated some groups in the oil-producing states to send memoranda to the conference on the issue of “misappropriation” of the 13% derivation revenue from the Federation Account stipulated in Section 162 (2) of the Constitution. With Nigeria’s corruption-ridden politics, there is hardly any surplus available to fund investments in education, industry, agriculture, and employment. Many, indeed, are guilty of one form of impunity or another, depending on the size of bullions they preside over. That is why, in Nigerian politics, it is suicidal to be in opposition.

Marginalisation of smaller and weaker segments, ethnic and social groups has always been with us; it is more graphic in multi-lingual states like Adamawa, Taraba, Bauchi, Gombe, Plateau, Nasarawa, Kaduna, and Cross River. The number of languages spoken in these eight states exceeds 350.

The presidential system of government has aggravated the problem of marginalisation as evident in the rising wave of violent feuds and killing orgies.

As to be expected, many delegates in the conference from the north-east geo-political zone relate tales of woe about unceasing insecurity fuelled by religious extremism and socio-economic distress, particularly with the Boko haram scourge pummelling the region. Too often, the delegates allege that the internecine conflict is caused by President Jonathan’s neglect of the region. This is cheap politics as the allegation lacks scientific rigour and obscures the fundamental factors of under-developed agriculture, archaic forms of industrial production, and low enrolment in schools. Ironically, the Kanuri who are a majority group in the area were the first in West Africa to introduce education through the religion of Islam in the 11th century.

The delegates from the north-east zone crave an urgent and expeditious end to the ruinous conflict; some advocate the lifting of emergency law to facilitate socio-economic recovery. Yet they would not countenance realistic proposals such as closing the borders with the neighbouring countries of Cameroon, Chad, and Niger which are the main arteries through which mercenaries penetrate Nigeria’s territorial space. Perhaps in the question of power and regional privilege, blood of kith and kin is thicker than water.

What of the blood of innocents spilled in similar theatres of conflict like Umuechem of Ikwerre and Ogoni areas of Rivers State in the 1990s, the Jesse and Ekakpamre oil pipeline fires in Delta State in 1998 and 1999 respectively, and the sacking and massacre of Odi community in Bayelsa State by Obasanjo’s government in November, 1999? In May 2009, the Nigerian armed forces invaded and levelled some communities in the Gbaramatu Kingdom of the Ijaw in Delta State. The official excuse was to ferret out militants of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) alleged to be operating from there. This horrendous operation attracted the attention of the honourable legislators in the National Assembly.

I recall that during the debate on “this matter of urgent, national importance” some legislators CONTINUED ON PAGE 58

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PERSPECTIVES CONTINUED FROM PAGE 57

from upcountry constituencies made the brazen and sadistic proposal that all the 20 million people in the Niger Delta be evacuated to other sections of the country to ensure that the remaining 120 million Nigerians have peace to enjoy uninterrupted flow of oil wealth.

As is happening in the northeast geopolitical zone of the country now, socioeconomic life was ruptured in most of the Warri South-west local government for months. Students could not sit for their national school examinations that year. Five years on, the Nigerian government has not compensated the victims; houses and public utilities destroyed in the raid are yet to be reconstructed. But the oil wealth has been flowing continuously from the Atlantic coast to the fringes of the Sahara Desert. There is an enigmatic question we must answer at this conference: is the blood of innocent people in the revenue-yielding states of southern Nigeria lighter than water?

Again, I would like to invoke the veracity of the African proverb: a sickness that requires blood transfusion will not be cured with the substitute of palm oil.

The distinguished delegates from the northeast states are not alone in their travail; all the geo-political zones have similar experiences of violent crimes and insurgent revolts. It would appear that a new geography of national conflicts is emerging: the south-east and south-south states are besieged by armed robbery, kidnapping, and oil pipeline felony; the comparatively prosperous southwest faces the terror of robberies and ritual killers in spite of the flourishing industry of churches and places of worship. The northwest that boasts born-to-rule hegemons no longer enjoys the pastoral peace that used to be taken for granted. Daredevil smugglers and urban urchins are on the prowl along borders and in cities.

For the north-central and middle belt geo-political zone, there is a conflagration hitherto unimaginable. Sections of some states are now killing fields as the so-called herdsmen, armed with AK-47 rifles, not sticks and amulets, have practically declared war against the Nigerian state. Whilst the conference is in session, the reported cases of massacres assail our conscience daily. In one particular week in April, the casualty count came to an average of about 200 per day. This means an average of 6,000 deaths per month and 72,000 in a year.

A nation going through such bloodsoaked horror cannot claim to be at peace. As Chinua Achebe would say, Nigeria is no longer at ease.

By way of serendipity, let me explain how I cloned the title of this piece, “Nigeria’s Long Revolution”. I took the title from John La Rose of Trinidad and Tobago who passed away into eternity a few years ago. He was a pan-Africanist of the mould of Marcus Garvey, Claude McKay, George Padmore, C. L. R. James, and Walter Rodney. John operated the New Beacon Books in London and coordinated all Caribbean and “Third World” organisations in the United Kingdom and Europe. He and her spouse, Sarah White, had special interest in Nigeria because, being Marxist dialecticians, they knew that positive change in Nigeria would radiate throughout Africa and the African Diaspora. In 1982 John La Rose visited Nigeria to display at the annual University of Ife Book Fair. We both travelled to Ibadan to meet Comrade Ola Oni who was the leader of the Leftist intelligentsia at the time. John was fascinated by the urban sprawl of Ibadan immortalised in J.P. Clark’s poem as “running splash of rust and gold/flung and scattered among seven hills/like broken china in the sun”. John knew the poem and as our car crawled into the labyrinth of streets and tenements, he looked intensely to visualise the images conveyed in the epigrammatic verse.

John also visited Kaduna to interact with Governor Balarabe and his team of radical reformers. Being communist and egalitarian, John chose to travel by road in order to observe and absorb the pulsating life in Africa’s most peopled and strategic nation.

Back in England John wrote a feature article on his Nigerian sojourn with the title: “Nigeria: The Long Revolution”.

National Confab And Nigeria’s Long Revolution The report was published in the Race Today journal edited by Darcus Howe, also a black Caribbean activist. The article reviewed the swelling drama of political upheaval in Nigeria of the 1980s. John identified the social and class forces in contention, paying keen attention to the conflict between the dominant bourgeois National Party of Nigeria (NPN) and the rebellious alternative constellated in the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) led by Aminu Kano. In the 1979 election, the PRP had produced two governors, namely, Mohammed Abuabakar Rimi (Kano) and Balarabe Musa (Kaduna). This electoral victory pierced through the heart of the conservative/feudalist oligarchy in Northern Nigeria. The two governors proceeded to implement radical reforms aimed at freeing the downtrodden masses (talakawa) from centuries of exploitation and servitude.

The hegemonic traditional institutions and their bourgeois allies were alarmed.

President Usman Shehu Shagari from Sokoto was a scion of the Jihadist political order that overthrew and displaced the indigenous Habe/Hausa kingdoms in the 18th century. He had been elected on the platform of the NPN, the party of the status quo. The PRP triumph threatened to rupture the 200-year-old feudo-capitalist system; the threat was made more potent by the fact that both Rimi and Balarabe were also Fulani like Shagari.

The NPN mounted a campaign to unseat the two radical governors, with focus on Kaduna, the national epicentre of the northern aristocracy and native bourgeoisie. The forces of revolution and counter-revolution clashed frequently in many parts in northern Nigeria and beyond. Socialist groups and other social movements in the country got embroiled in the imbroglio. John’s perceptive analysis captured all these ramifications in his article under reference. Applying the spectrum of dialectical historicism, John interpreted all the turbulence as the birth pangs of the long revolution that was unfolding in Nigeria. He spiced his conclusions with the view expressed by Russia’s Vladimir Lenin in the 1920s that all true revolutions zigzag and meander, they never move in a straight, geometric fashion. John La Rose was right. Since 1983, Nigeria’s revolutionary armada has been tottering and zigzagging endlessly and perilously.

The National Conference may be

Mark

regarded as one of the safe harbours into which the revolution has zigzagged. As I observed in my reflections published in The Guardian of Sunday, March 30 this year, other versions of the national conference are taking place simultaneously in many media and arenas acroos the world. For instance, the marauding herdsmen now rampaging in some states of the north are engaged in their own armed variant of the conference. Those who have studied the phenomenon argue that the Boko haram insurgency is an extreme form of national dialogue or agitation. This probably explains why the Nigerian government has a standing committee that is negotiating with the insurgents with a view to finding an acceptable consensus. In diplomatic language, this is called the “stick and carrot” approach to conflict resolution.

Dare we call armed robbers, kidnappers, human traffickers and ritual killers as “delegates” of other conferences too? What of paralysing strikes and industrial actions by doctors and medical workers? Last week there were reports that the lower ranks of the Nigerian police are girding their loins for a strike over debasing conditions of work. The educational sector is mired in industrial conflicts. The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has earned the dubious reputation of being the most strike-prone academic association in the world. The

These are the structural changes we hope to agree on at the conference via consensus. .

For President Jonathan to initiate the radical reforms that will flow from the conference, he would need to take steps to decongest his administration of elements who are hooked to the ideological opium of the World Bank and enemies of Africa that are opposed to government’s involvement in industry and investment. Nigeria must learn from countries like China on how industrial revolutions are stimulated and jumpstarted by the state or public sector. In all the former colonies of the world, the socalled private sector is too feeble and under-resourced to lead the process of national development. All the Asian Tiger nations rebelled against the ideology of the Word Bank and western imperialists to make the economic breakthroughs that the same World Bank celebrated in the 1980s as the “Asian Miracle”. Nigeria must summon the courage to initiate its own miracle by refusing to drink the poisoned chalice of prescriptions from the so-called development partners.

Delegates to the National Conference are attitudinally and ideologically prepared to produce recommendations that can assist Jonathan to take Nigeria along the path of self-reliant growth and development. But he alone will be held accountable for how well he can flow along the right current of the country’s long revolution of devolution of powers, economic federalism, democratic regeneration, egalitarian redistribution of wealth and opportunity, and justice for all citizens.

strike in the polytechnics and colleges of education has consumed nearly a year since July last year. The ASUU suspended its five month-long one early this year. In the last week of March, I was informed at the University of Ibadan that the carrot of first tranche of N200 billion dangled at the lecturers to secure the ceasefire has not been released to any university four months after. Truly, truly, Nigeria is no longer at peace.

The bloody conflicts and financial haemorrhage in the political system cannot be curtailed until the structure of the government is re-engineered to promote prudent and accountable administration. This goal cannot be attained unless the federating units (states as they are now) recover their right of ownership and management of their natural and other economic resources and subscribe an agreed contribution to run a smaller, more efficient, caring, and responsible central government. Political economists call this arrangement fiscal federalism or economic federalism. Yet these changes will not deliver Nigeria immediately from imminent sociopolitical cataclysm. A nation-wide programme of education for all by 2020 is mandatory to train the skilled human capital that will modernise the national economy, expand its size and capac- Prof. Darah is a Delegate at the National ity to satisfy the basic needs of a large Conference. population, and make Nigeria competitive in the global market place.

The distinguished delegates from the northeast states are not alone in their travail; all the geo-political zones have similar experiences of violent crimes and insurgent revolts. It would appear that a new geography of national conflicts is emerging: the south-east and south-south states are besieged by armed robbery, kidnapping, and oil pipeline felony; the comparatively prosperous southwest faces the terror of robberies and ritual killers in spite of the flourishing industry of churches and places of worship. The northwest that boasts born-to-rule hegemons no longer enjoys the pastoral peace that used to be taken for granted.

Daredevil smugglers and urban urchins are on the prowl along borders and in cities. For the north-central and middle belt geo-political zone, there is a conflagration hitherto unimaginable. Sections of some states are now killing fields as the so-called herdsmen, armed with AK-47 rifles, not sticks and amulets, have practically declared war against the Nigerian state. Whilst the conference is in session, the reported cases of massacres assail our conscience daily.

Tambuwal

Sunday, April 20, 2014 59

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POLITICS

Alba

Eze

Ezea

Itanyi

Odoh

2015: Contention In Enugu North Over Chime’s Successor From Lawrence Njoku (Enugu) HEN on May 29 2013, Enugu State Governor, Sullivan Chime, at his first town hall meeting, held at Nike Lake hotel, announced his intention to ensure that his successor will come from Enugu North senatorial zone, he pointed out that the plan was to balance political power in the state and promote a sense of belonging among members of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

His thinking was that both Enugu West and Enugu East senatorial zones had produced the governor and “in 2015, it will only be logical for Enugu North senatorial zone to take its turn.”

Chime certainly wasn’t unaware that Enugu North (Nsukka) produced a governor when the state was created on August 27, 1991. Dr Okwesilieze Nwodo, who was the first civilian governor of the state ruled from January 1992 to November 1993.

That is the closest the area has got to power in the last 25 years.

Meanwhile, Enugu East produced Dr Chimaroke Nnamani, from Amakpu-Agbani in Nkanu West council, from 1999 to 2003. The incumbent governor, Chime, from Udi in Enugu West senatorial zone succeeded him in 2003 and by 2015 will complete his second.

Chime’s announcement had drawn critics. While some stakeholders fault him for taking the decision without consulting others, other sections believe Chime is only fulfilling an unwritten pact he holds with the people and leaders of Enugu north senatorial zone; a pact he entered with them during his campaign for a second term in 2011.

According to sources, he had sought the support of the leaders in return for his support for them to produce his successor in 2015. For this reason, the leaders prevailed on governorship aspirants from the area to suspend their ambition and support the aspiration of Chime.

Meanwhile, concerns are emerging that political activity in Enugu North to indicate the readiness of the area to grab the governorship slot in 2015 has remained on the low.

Recently, the leader of professionals from the Enugu north area under the aegis of Nsukka Professionals Group (NPG), Dr. Nick Idoko called on the need to raise the awareness bar for their people to join the governorship race for the 2015 election.

The group viewed raising awareness as necessary and trite to enable the zone produce a suitable candidate for the number one office, arguing further that anybody desiring political power must go for it.

Incidentally, while senatorial aspirants have emerged from Enugu West and East, and the politics of the two areas on the high scale, aspirants for governorship positions from the North are still playing hide and seek. The Guardian gathered that the development might be linked to speculations that the governor has secretly groomed a successor, and no one is ready to throw his hat into the ring without any certainty of grabbing the ticket.

Enugu North is replete with politicians who have attempted the governorship race in the past. The names include two time governorship candidate Chief Okey Ezea, former national chairman of the PDP, Dr Okwesilieze Nwodo, former deputy governor, Okechukwu Itanyi, Ambassador Fidel Ayogu, Mr. Peter Okonkwo among others.

For the 2015 race, those expected to run include; the senator representing the district and chairman Committee on Works, Ayogu Eze; two term Speaker of House of Assembly, Eugene Odoh, member of House of Representatives, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, state chairman of the PDP, Vita Abba; managing director of State Housing Corporation, Ikeji Asogwa and commissioner of

W

information, Chuks Ugwuoke and Itanyi.

The question is, who among them could be the anointed candidate. And if none of them is the one, why have they kept their intentions under seal? Could this be a case of waiting on Chime to deliver them like Nnamani did in Chime’s case in 2003?

A source said that the “governor will not stop anybody from contesting the position from the zone. If Chime has allowed declaration of interest by persons from other zones who are going about mounting billboards, and embarking on statewide consultations, why would that of Enugu North be different? The truth is that they are waiting for the governor to anoint one of them.”

Apart from Odoh and Itanyi, who have not hidden their intention to contest the governorship position, the ambitions of the others have remained in the realm of speculations.

However, it is the ambition of the duo (Odoh and Itanyi) that is presently unsettling the zone. Both of them hail from Igboetiti council, which is perceived as having dominated the politics of the North.

The opposition to both is on the wake of meetings and consultations to ensure that the position moves to one of the five other councils outside Igbo-etiti. Enugu North has six councils.

They are Nsukka, Udenu, Uzo-Uwani, Igbo-eze South, Igbo-eze North and Igbo-etiti. Although there is no formal understanding on how political offices should be shared among them, each council enjoys the privilege of elective or appointive positions beyond the state level. Nsukka became the first in 1999 to produce a senator in Fidel Okoro from Opi (Nsukka Town), who represented the district from 1999 to 2007. After Okoro, the senatorial position moved to Igbo-eze north, where Ayogu Eze would by 2015 complete eight years on the seat. Igbo-eze north insists that the position is the only one they had benefited in the scheme of things since 1999.

The arrangement for the three federal constituencies in the zone since 1999 is as follows: Alex Ike Eze from Obimo in Nsukka council represented Nsukka/Igboeze -South in the House of Representatives between 1999 and 2003. The incumbent, Dr Pat Asadu, from Igboeze South succeeded him. By 2015, Asadu would have done three terms or twelve years.

For Igbo-eze north/Udenu federal constituency, former Ambassador Fidelis Ayogu from Udenu council represented the area between 1999 and 2003. The current holder of the office is another Udenu man, Ugwuanyi, who would be completing three terms or twelve years by 2015.

Majority of those who have represented Igbo-Etiti/Uzo-Uwani federal constituency since 1999 had emerged from Igbo-etiti council. They include Charles Nnadi from Ekwegbe (1999 to 2003); Dr Martin Okeh from Aku (2003 to 2007) and the present occupant, Princess Stella Ngwu, from Igbo Eze-South. She is married to an Ukehe man from Igbo-etiti. Each council has a representative at the executive council of the state. It was only in 2007 that Uzo-Uwani produced Mr. Paul Eze for the seat and he served till 2011.

A chieftain of the PDP from Igbo-Eze South, Jerry Ugwueze, who reviewed the development, said that appointive and elective positions in the zone had been skewed in favour of some councils. He said that the disputation, which the leaders of the zone should sort out, especially as it prepares for the governorship seat next year is the alleged dominance of Igbo-etiti and Nsukka in the political affairs of the zone.

He said: “Igbo- etiti and Nsukka should wait for now as far as the governorship position is concerned because they have benefited more than other councils of the zone. We have six councils but political power and appointments have always favoured the two areas as if others don’t exist. Other councils

are marginalized.”

Ugwueze recalled that chief Nnia Nwodo, from Igbo–etiti council became a minister of information, while his younger brother, Dr Okwesilieze Nwodo became the national secretary and later national chairman of the PDP. Nwodo, he added was a governor.

According to him, “it is this same Igbo-etiti that produced Itanyi in 1999 as Deputy Governor, a post he held for from 1999 to 2007. Odoh, another indigene of the area, became Speaker of the state House of Assembly in 2007. Odoh has been there since then and by 2015 would have served eight years.”

He said that apart for Nsukka council producing the Senator in 1999, other positions allocated to the zone had concentrated in the area. He said that the state chairman of the party, Abba hails from the area, adding that Abba would have held the position for six years by next year.

On infrastructure, Ugwueze stated that it is concentrated in Nsukka more than any other zone, stressing that should the situation continue, it would be difficult to reckon the existence of other areas of the zone in the state.

To Chief John Uke, such analysis was for the idle mind. He said that politics of the state has gone sentimental, and that only those who are ready and willing to contribute to its development should be allowed to play it.

“Why should anybody use sentiments to write off persons who have contributed to the development of the state? I do not think that it is fair to insist that they should not run because their area has at one time or the other held top political positions. Their aspiration has not in any way encumbered anybody from indicating interest. Rather, what I think is that our people like being spoon-fed and the moment they don’t have anybody to ride on his back, they will start playing the blame game. Let whoever is interested and ready enter the race. It is the people that will decide and not one man,” he said.

One of those whose name is being linked with the governorship ambition said: “It is too early to begin to comment on the issue. We shall do the needful at the right time. Also know that only God gives power.”

Although Abba is linked to the governorship contest, the state publicity secretary of the party, Dr Okey Eze said that such had not affected the party. “It is not true that the choice of area for the governorship position among the six councils is unsettling the party. These are mere suspicions and there are so many things being said. We are not bothered about the issue but certainly when the time comes, those concerned will look at it and come up with an acceptable choice.”

Perturbed by the development, a group, “Nsukka for Good Governance,” has called on more sons and daughters of Enugu North to join the race. It also deplored the sentiments being expressed on why some councils should not join the race based on their past political records.

A statement by the group signed by chief David Ugwu and Tobias Ezeugwu, chairman and secretary respectively stated that democracy has thrown up leaders and, “we have people who have made our voice to be heard that when they stand to talk the world listens. They have excelled in the various assignments and at any occasion where they speak, any non-indigene of Nsukka will know the area has something to offer.”

Meanwhile, there are feelers that the allocation of power to the north has removed the shine from politics of the state, as the usual fireworks may not have been witnessed so far. How the north will raise the bar and supply the intrigues needed in politics will be known in a matter of time.

60 Sunday, April 20, 2014

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

FOREIGNNEWS Two Dead In Car Explosion there were signs the car was carrying explosives.

It is not clear whether the victims were deliberately targeted or whether they were planning to carry out an attack themselves.

BAHRAIN WO people have been killed T and a third severely wounded when the car they were travelling in exploded in Bahrain.

The Interior Ministry said

Hamid Mir Wounded In Gun Attack UNMEN have shot and G wounded one of Pakistan’s best known television presen-

PAKISTAN in a stable condition, the officials added.

There have been previous attempts on the life of Mr Mir, the first journalist to interview Osama bin Laden after 9/11.

ters in the city of Karachi.

Police said the attackers opened fire on Hamid Mir’s car near the airport.

The presenter for Geo TV received three bullets, but was

Kiev Calls Easter Truce UKRAINE A Russian Orthodox priest blesses cakes and colored eggs during an Orthodox Easter ceremony at the Pokrovsky Cathedral in St. Petersburg… yesterday, on the eve of the Orthodox Easter.

PHOTO: AFP

KRAINE’S foreign minister has U said that operations against pro-Russian militants in the east of the country have been sus-

pended over Easter.

Andriy Deshchytsia told the BBC the security services would resume military action if the separatists continued to occupy government offices.

Blast Kills 13 Suspected Al-Qaeda Militants YEMEN N air strike killed at least 13 A suspected al-Qaeda militants in central Yemen yesterday, secu-

rity officials said.

The strike in the province of alBayda targeted vehicles the insurgents were travelling in at the time.

Some reports say three civilians in another car were also killed.

Ferry Recovery Could Take Two Months SOUTH KOREA OUTH Korean officials have said SWednesday’s the recovery operation after ferry disaster may take two months.

Divers are battling strong currents

in poor visibility to reach 270 missing passengers –– 32 are confirmed dead. Some 174 passengers have been rescued.

Relatives have begun providing DNA samples to help identify the dead.

The exact nature of the strike is unclear, but the US has launched several drone attacks on mili-

tants in Yemen in the past.

Al-Bayda has seen serious security incidents recently, and earlier

this week suspected al-Qaeda militants shot dead the deputy governor as he was leaving his home.

Search Continues For Missing Guides In Everest Avalanche NEPAL HE search for three missing T Sherpa guides on Mount Everest has resumed after 13 were killed by an avalanche.

The avalanche struck around 06:45 local time (01:00 GMT) on Friday in an area known as “pop-

corn field”, just above Everest base camp at 5,800m (19,000ft).

The Sherpa guides had climbed up the slope early on Friday morning to fix ropes for climbers and prepare the route for mountaineers.

The incident is the deadliest accident on the world’s highest mountain.

Madhusudan Burlakoti, chief of the ministry’s tourism industry division, told the BBC that several mountaineers along with high-altitude doctors are involved in the search.

He said three seriously injured climbers that were rescued from the mountain are still receiving medical treatment in Kathmandu.

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Sunday, April 20, 2014 61

62 Sunday, April 20, 2014

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

TheGuardian

www.ngrguardiannews.com

63 Sunday, April 20, 2014

Conscience, Nurtured by Truth

Sports Team Nigeria…

Keeping Hope Alive For Glasgow

sports in the country in the last two years. It is hoped that the series of competitions should translate to medals when hostilities begin in Glasgow.

Boxing is another area Team Nigeria is banking on to rule the Commonwealth Games, but lack of fund has prevented the pugilists from attending some international competitions in recent times.

Perhaps, the only sports federation that seems to be weathering the storm in the face of ‘no fund’ is athletics.

The AFN’s hope for medals in Glasgow rests mainly on the shoulders of foreign-based athletes like Blessing Okagbare, Regina George, Gloria Asumnu, Stephanie Kalu, Noah Akwu and throw sensation, Nigerian American born shot put thrower Stephen Mozia.

Mozia set a national record of 20.79 meters two months ago in the United States and is being tipped by many to at least

make it to the podium in Glasgow.

Okagbare, a double world champion medalist, is one of the country’s biggest hopes in the long jump and 100m sprint. She is also expected to anchor the 4x100m women relay team.

Okagbare captained the Nigerian team to the Mount SAC Relays in Walnut, California, which ended yesterday. The team also included Gloria Asumnu who made the final of the 60m at the Sopot 2014 IAAF World Indoor Championships two months ago. There was Amaechi Morton, whose glittering anchor ensured the Nigeria 4x400m quartet set a new Africa record at the Sopot 2014 World Indoor in Poland.

The Mount SAC Relays in California was another significant event for Team Nigeria in the build up to Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games.

Newly appointed relay coordinator of Team Nigeria track and field athletes, former Olympics and world champion, Maurice Greene, performed his first duty for Nigeria during the week in California.

Greene who won four Olympic medals and five world championship titles between 1997 and 2004, was appointed by the AFN last week to take charge of the country’s relay team for the Commonwealth Games as well as the African Athletics Championships holding in Marrakesh, Morocco in August. His contract with Nigeria officially began at the Mount Sac Relay in California. His presence aroused great excitement for Nigerian athletes and their officials.

The appointment of Maurice Greene by the AFN was criticised by some Nigerians who felt that the money spent to hire the American should have been used to engage a consortium of indigenous coaches.

But the President of AFN, Solomon Ogba, fired back during the week saying that those criticizing Greene’s appointment don’t mean well for the country.

“It is either the critics are ignorant of what present day athletics is all about or they don’t want Team Nigeria to succeed at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. All over the World, every country engages the services of a quality coach for its relay teams. It happens in Great Britain and other countries.

Greene is not asking for huge amount of money. He said he was excited at the prospect of working for Team Nigeria and that it would be his own way of giving back to Africa.

“I am very sure some Nigerian coaches will learn a lot from Greene. Our athletes may not be fantastic individually, but collectively, we have the potentials to achieve great results in the relays at the Commonwealth Games. That is what Greene has promised to do for us and people should allow him. For Nigeria to meet the target in Glasgow, our people must do away with selfish interest. This new sports minister must succeed and one of the ways to do so is to get those we think can deliver the job. That is what we have done and people should be patient,” Ogba said.

The Technical Director of AFN, Navy Commodore Omatseye Nesiama told The Guardian before traveling to California for the Mount SAC Relays that the body is working with the NSC to ensure a glorious outing at the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games. “Our programs for the season are going according to plans. Track and field will not only make podium appearances in Glasgow, but we will do better than we did in New Delhi 2010 because whatever you may achieve in sports, if you don’t appear on the podium, it makes no meaning to Nigerians.

“At the London 2012 Olympics, we were in 11 semi-finals and six finals, but Nigerians believed we didn’t do well at all. But I can tell you that it is no small feat to be in 11 semi-finals and six finals. Some sports did not even qualify to be in London,” he said.

Team Nigeria athletes will proceed to the Penn Relays in Philadelphia, USA, next week and it is expected that the competitions will get the athletes ready for the IAAF World Relays in Bahamas next month, and more importantly, the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games from July 23 to August 3.

One of the weightlifters Nigeria is banking on for medals in Glasgow

Offiong Edem…has been in the national table tennis team since Manchester 2002 Commonwealth Games

Ajoke Odumosu…Gave Team Nigeria a gold medal in women’s 400m hurdles at the last Commonwealth Games in India.

By Gowon Akpodonor t the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi, India, A Nigeria grabbed 33 medals to finish 9 overall with 11 gold, eight silver and 14 bronze. While weightlifting gave the country th

the highest number of 14 medals (five gold, four silver and five bronze), wrestling accounted for 13 (three gold, three silver and seven bronze), just as athletics contributed four medals (two gold, one silver and one bronze). Table tennis had two medals (one gold and one bronze).

While receiving the Commonwealth Games baton in Abuja earlier this year, President Goodluck Jonathan tasked Team Nigeria to do everything possible to surpass that record in India. But the delay in passage of budget for the year is said to be hampering NSC plans for the Commonwealth Games.

For the Athletics Federation however, the ship to Glasgow is sailing, though on a snail speed. But same cannot be said of some other sports federations, which are finding it difficult to raise funds to attend some international events.

But Nigeria weightlifting coach Emmanuel Oshomah is of the view that meeting Jonathan’s target in Glasgow is still a possibility.

Going by his calculation, the lifters should be able to give Team Nigeria about nine gold medals this time around.

Oshomah led the Nigerian weightlifting team to Malaysia late last year for a Commonwealth Championship and topped the medals table in the female category with a total of eight gold, three silver and three bronze medals. The team was later awarded one gold in the male 62 kg, after the Malaysian lifter who won the gold tested positive to drug.

“We have the prospect of winning not less than nine gold medals, especially in the female category. We hope to go to Glasgow with nine female lifters, but only seven of them will compete. From our performance at the Commonwealth Championship in Malaysia last year, virtually all our female lifters are within medal zone. My prayer is that the athletes remain in good shape for the Games. We should be able to march every opponent in the female category.

“We have some challenges with our male lifters because the Indians are really hot. One of the male lifters I can bank on at the moment is King Kalu in the 62 kg. He got our only gold in Malaysia and he is working very hard. But with more international exposure, I am optimistic that our lifters will live up to expectation in Glasgow,” Oshomah said.

Table tennis gave Team Nigeria two medals (a gold and bronze) at India 2010, with the gold coming from the women’s wheelchair open single (TT1-5) category. This time around, Nigerians are expecting a more fruitful outing in Glasgow, going by the transformation the sport has received under the new leadership of Lagos State Sports Commissioner, Wahid Enitan-Oshodi.

The ping pong game has had more competitions than other

We have the prospect of winning not less than nine gold medals, especially in the female category. We hope to go to Glasgow with nine female lifters, but only seven of them will compete. From our performance at the Commonwealth Championship in Malaysia last year, virtually all our female lifters are within medal zone. My prayer is that the athletes remain in good shape for the Games.

TheGuardian

www.ngrguardiannews.com

Sunday, April 20, 2014

Conscience, Nurtured by Truth

Sunderland’s striker, Fabio Borini (left) scores a penalty against Chelsea’s goalkeeper, Mark Schwarzer during their English Premier League match at Stamford Bridge yesterday.

PHOTO: AFP

Sunderland Hands Mourinho First Home Premier League Defeat OTTOM club Sunderland B earned a stunning win at Chelsea that severely dented the Blues’ title hopes and gave leaders Liverpool a major boost.

Connor Wickham followed up Marcos Alonso’s shot to equalise after Samuel Eto’o had given Chelsea the lead.

After several Chelsea chances, Sunderland were given a penalty when Cesar Azpilicueta fouled Jozy Altidore.

And Fabio Borini scored to inflict Jose Mourinho’s first

home Premier League defeat in 78 games as Chelsea manager.

Shola Ameobi scored the opening goal against Swansea, but could not stop his team from losing 2-1 at St James Park.

Swansea’s Wilfried Bony all but sealed Swansea’s survival and piled more misery on Newcastle boss Alan Pardew by scoring both goals in the win.

Shola Amoebi fired home in the 23rd minute to give the Magpies their first goal in four games, but the discontent grew when Bony headed in a

Ameobi’s Strike Can’t Save Newcastle Fulham, Cardiff Continue Survival Battle Ben Davies cross to equalise on the stroke of half-time.

Bony grabbed the winner from the spot in injury time after Marvin Emnes was brought down by Cheick Tiote in the box, lifting the delighted Swans to 36 points and handing Pardew his fifth successive defeat.

Cardiff’s hopes of striding closer to Barclays Premier League survival suffered a set-

back as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s men were held to a dramatic 11 draw at home to Stoke.

The point proved enough to nudge the Bluebirds above relegation rivals Fulham - who lost earlier at Tottenham - but they remain in the drop zone with just three games of the season remaining.

The home side had made a superb start with both Mats Daehli and Jordan Mutch

Novak Djokovic Out With Wrist Injury ORLD number two W Novak Djokovic said he will not play tennis “for some time” to let his injured wrist heal after losing to Roger Federer in Monte Carlo.

Djokovic, the defending champion, had struggled with a sore wrist all week and went down 7-5, 6-2 yesterday.

The Serb, 26, said he does not need surgery ahead of the French Open, which

starts on May 25. “I just rest now,” said Djokovic. “I cannot play tennis for some time.

How long, I don’t know.”

The French Open is the only Grand Slam that Djokovic has yet to win, although he went close to beating Rafael Nadal in last year’s semi-finals before losing in five sets.

Djokovic is due to play at the Madrid Masters from 5 May and the Italian Open the following week before return-

ing to Roland Garros.

“The good thing is I don’t need to have a surgery,” he said. “I don’t have any rupture or something like that.

“I’m going to go see doctors tonight and then tomorrow again have another MRI, to see if anything changed in the seven days since I had the last one.

“It’s really not in my hands any more. I’m going to rest and see when it can heal 100

per cent, then I will be back on the court.”

Djokovic had won consecutive Masters 1000 titles in Shanghai, Paris, Indian Wells and Miami before losing to Federer in yesterday’s Monte Carlo semi-finals.

The 17-time Grand Slam champion dominated the second set as Djokovic’s challenge faded, and Federer wrapped up the win in 75 minutes.

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

missing fine chances in the early stages before Marko Arnautovic put the visitors in front from the spot on the stroke of half-time.

Peter Whittingham levelled matters in the 51st minute, also from the spot, after Fraizer Campbell was fouled

by Steven Nzonzi in the box.

The home side thought they had gone ahead when Juan Cala prodded home on the hour but his effort was ruled out for offside and Stoke could have won it at the death with Oussama Assaidi bringing a brilliant save out of David Marshall and Jon Walters hitting the bar with two minutes to go.

Solskjaer could seek some solace from Fulham’s 3-1 defeat to Tottenham at White Hart Lane.

Christian Eriksen was the

Spurs star as he set up two of the goals which brought an end to a run of two straight victories for Felix Magath’s battling Cottagers.

But it was far from straightforward for the home side had who had goalkeeper Hugo Lloris and some wayward finishing to thank for restricting the visitors to one Steve Sidwell goal.

Sidwell had fired a 37thminute equaliser just two minutes after Paulinho had turned home an Eriksen freekick to give his side the lead.

Harry Kane glanced home an Aaron Lennon cross three minutes into the second half and Younes Kaboul sealed the points for Spurs by knocking in another Eriksen free-kick just past the hour mark.

Sidwell then saw a penalty saved by Lloris.

Results Premiership Aston Villa Cardiff Chelsea Newcastle Tottenham West Ham Bundesliga B Dortmund E Braunschweig FC Augsburg SC Freiburg Werder Bremen

0 1 1 1 3 0 4 0 0 4 3

Southampton Stoke Sunderland Swansea Fulham Crystal Palace Mainz Bayern Munich Hertha Berlin M’gladbach Hoffenheim

0 1 2 2 1 1 2 2 0 2 1