Fri 13 Dec 2013

TheGuardian Conscience, Nurtured by Truth

Friday, December 13, 2013

Vol. 30, No. 12,769

www.ngrguardiannews.com

N150

PDP seeks to unseat five govs over defection • Wants court to okay impeachment proceedings From Lemmy Ughegbe, Abuja IQUED by the defection of P five of its governors to the All Progressives Congress (APC), the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has commenced an action at the Federal High Court, Abuja Division, to unseat them.

The governors include Alhaji Murtala Nyako (Adamawa), Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers), Alhaji Magatakarda Wamakko (Sokoto), Alhaji Rabiu Kwankwaso (Kano) and Alhaji Abdulfatai Ahmed (Kwara).

Named as defendant in the suit along the five governors is the Independent National CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

Mandela’s village under lockdown ahead of burial – Page 2

First Lady, Patience Jonathan (middle); Minister of State for Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Olajumoke Akinjide (fourth left); wife of the Senate President, Helen Mark (left); John Cardinal Onaiyekan (right) and some school children, during the National Xmas Tree Lighting in Abuja.

Jonathan, Obasanjo meet, breakfast in Kenya From Mohammed Abubakar (Abuja) and Seye Olumide (Lagos) BARRAGE of allegations A that former President Olusegun Obasanjo made against President Goodluck Jonathan in a letter were considered by the public as scandalous, weighty and shocking.

But the duo have a different perception, apparently. For barely 48 hours after the damning letter was made public, the two leaders yesterday appeared together in

• Kashamu threatens to sue ex-president Nairobi, Kenya.

Already, irked by the allegations in the letter which he considered as targeted at disparaging him, a chieftain of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the South-West, Buruji Kashamu, has threatened to institute a libel suit against

Obasanjo.

Obasanjo and Jonathan’s meeting was at an event marking Kenya’s 50th independence anniversary. They were among the African leaders that attended the occasion.

Prior to the event, which was

held at the Safaricom Stadium in Kasarani, Nairobi, Obasanjo paid an unannounced visit to Jonathan at Intercontinental Hotel, Nairobi, where they were said to have had a breakfast.

At the venue of the event, Obasanjo reportedly sat qui-

etly and was making calls at intervals.

In his speech on the occasion, Jonathan called on all Kenyans to unite. According to him, there is no alternative to unity if Kenyans must develop their nation.

Obasanjo’s 18-page letter to Jonathan on the state of the nation that was made public

Police stall pro-Amaechi lawmakers’ sitting –Page 3 Why Africa’s leaders fail, by Bush, Kufuor, others – Page 3

on Wednesday has been generating diverse views across the country.

In it, Obasanjo had said there were allegations that Kashamu was a drug dealer, wondering why the Presidency would accommodate a man with such a character.

Reacting through his lawyer, Ajibola Oluyede yesterday, Kashamu said no notice would be given to Obasanjo before the proceedings would commence.

According to Oluyede: “We are not going to give ObasanCONTINUED ON PAGE 2

2

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

Friday, December 13, 2013

Mandela’s village under lockdown ahead of burial

By Marcel Mbamalu and Chijioke Nelson HEAD of the peace icon’s A burial this weekend, South African troops and police in-

creased patrol of Nelson Mandela’s boyhood home of Qunu yesterday, with the village under virtual lockdown.

Thousands of high-profile mourners, including numerous heads of state, are expected to descend on the remote location in Eastern Cape Province where Mandela will finally be laid to rest on Sunday.

Since the beginning of the week, workers have been busy preparing the site outside the small backwater town of Mthatha.

Heavy rain since Tuesday has hampered but not stopped construction of a large, white dome-shaped marquee,

where the funeral service will be held.

According to government officials, the venue will accommodate some 5,000 people.

Access into the compound is currently restricted to family members and relatives, some of whom - including Mandela’s eldest daughter, Makaziwe - started arriving on Wednesday evening under police escort.

Mthatha Airport Manager, Anderson Maduneni, said the facility, which normally handles two small commercial aircraft a day, will have to cope with 100 aircraft over the weekend bringing world figures in and out.

The airport has been shut down for commercial flights since the beginning of the week.

“The army has taken over the airport... it will only receive aircraft transporting dignitaries.

It’s one of the measures that have been put in place to ensure safety,” said Maduneni.

Police are stationed along the length of the 35-kilometre road from the airport to Qunu, often stopping and searching vehicles.

The section nearest to Mandela’s homestead has been cordoned since last week.

Meanwhile, a South African sign language interpreter accused of miming nonsense as world leaders paid tributes to Nelson Mandela defended himself as a “champion” signer yesterday, but said he suffered a schizophrenic episode during the event.

The interpreter, 34-year-old Thamsanqa Jantjie, told Johannesburg’s Star newspaper that he started hearing voices and hallucinating while on stage, resulting in gestures that made no sense to outraged deaf people around the world.

“There was nothing I could do. I was alone in a very dangerous situation. I tried to control myself and not show the world what was going on. I am

very sorry. It’s the situation I found myself in,” he told the paper.

The government admitted Jantjie was not a professional interpreter but played down security concerns at his sharing the podium with world leaders, including U.S. President Barack Obama at the memorial service on Tuesday.

“He was procured. He did not just rock up,” Deputy Disabilities Minister Hendrietta Bogopane-Zulu told a news conference. “Did a mistake happen? Yes. He became overwhelmed. He did not use the normal signs. We accept all that.”

After the memorial, South Africa’s leading deaf association denounced him as a fake, making up gestures to be put into the mouths of Obama and his South African counterpart, Jacob Zuma.

Jantjie said he did not know what triggered the attack and said he took medication for his schizophrenia.

Kashamu threatens to sue Obasanjo CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 jo any ultimatum. This is not the first time he (Obasanjo) is doing it. In the past, he had done it through his surrogates.

We have taken action against the AIT which was airing it. In any case, notice is not required to commence a libel suit.”

Oluyede, who disclosed that his client’s letter had already been sent to the Presidency, said: “The legal battle is to expose Obasanjo that he has no basis for making such a statement, so we are going to commence libel proceedings against former President Obasanjo.”

Oluyede said Nigerians must not be deceived by the allegations raised by Obasanjo against Jonathan and his client, stating that the contents of the letter were not meant to achieve anything positive. “It is an orchestrated

attack on the person of the President and my client,” he said.

He described the letter as a vendetta following Kashamu’s alleged role in the defeat of Obasanjo and Olagunsoye Oyinlola in Ogun and Osun states and the making of the former president irrelevant in the South-West PDP. “Those who claimed to be the New PDP are actually the old PDP which disobeyed court orders, brandished persons of questionable character.

“It’s a product of bad belly. It’s not a product of patriotism.

It’s a product of animosity against the President and Kashamu and it is an attempt to flare up the people against the President. Most of the things he raised are more applicable to him.”

While reiterating that previous attempts to criminalise Kashamu had failed, Oluyede

said two British courts had stated that he (Kashamu) was not the person sought over the alleged drug matter.

He added that the Nigerian courts were not acting on the request to extradite Kashamu, but that it was Kashamu himself who approached the court to clear his name and to seek an interpretation of the Nigerian extradition act and determination of some questions as to whether in Nigeria the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) could exercise his powers under that act against him in the context of the findings of the British courts that he was the person involved in the alleged narcotic deal.

“This entire thing is a charade, an attack with the hope that the relationship between him and the PDP leadership could be severed”, he maintained.

Govt set for Ogoni clean-up OLLOWING the report of the FtalUnited Nations EnvironmenProgramme on the degradation of Ogoniland by oil companies, the Federal Government is set for the cleaning up of devastated areas through the Hydrocarbon Pollution Restoration Project (HYPREP) domiciled in the Ministry of Petroleum Resources.

According to a statement from the Federal Ministry of Petroluem Resources, it has launched the execution of eight emergency measures with material and logistic support from the Bayelsa State Government, some Local Governments and communities in Rivers State, and a number of corporate organisations.

In preparation for the clean up,the project officials also held Stakeholders Meetings across Ogoniland, including a consultative meeting with the Supreme Council of Traditional Rulers of Ogoni.

Restoration steps already taken include mounting of advocacy signage ,provision of drinking water tanks across Ogoniland, development of a medical registry,sourcing of water testing and air pollution facilities and conclusion of clean up work plan and formation of work groups.

Others include donation of lands for Center of Excellence for Environmental Restoration and the Proposed Integrated Soil Management Centre (ISMC),gathering of commercial and technical information for the detailed design of the clean-up plan and a socio-economic study for the development of a livelihood strategy for Ogoniland.

Aside the seven steps already taken, the project also created Emergency Call Centers, commenced discussion with Johns Hopkins University on epidemiological studies, development of curriculum on environmen-

Our error STORY published on Page 35 of The Guardian on DeA cember 4, 2013 was erroneously titled “Nigeria loses N730 to poor telecoms services yearly.” The headline should have been “Nigeria loses N730b to poor telecoms services yearly.”

The error is regretted.

tal hazards , public awareness to to highlight the dangers of artisanal refining activities and Crude Oil Theft.

The statement noted that the restoration project has been repositioned, he technical working groups established in line with UNEP recommendations and a timely conclusion of all ongoing emergency measures ahead of the implementation of the various programmes and projects.

The UNEP report had made recommendations to the Federal Government which include establishment of HYPEP governance structure ,creation of operational guidelines , preparation of a detailed work plan and implementation of certain emergency measures to ensure a seamless transition from the submission of the report to the commencement of full scale cleanup of hydrocarbon contamination.

The restoration project established in July 2012 was tasked with the responsibilities of investigating and evaluating all hydrocarbon polluted communities and sites in Nigeria; restoration of all affected communities and sites impacted by hydrocarbon pollution in Nigeria; and implementation of the actionable recommendations of the UNEP Environmental Assessment Report on Ogoniland.

Besides the security issues, the controversy has cast a shadow over South Africa’s 10-day farewell to its first black president, who died a week ago aged 95.

It also heaps more pressure on Zuma, who is fighting a slew of corruption allegations against him and his administration and who was booed by the crowd on Tuesday.

PDP wants court to okay impeachment proceedings CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Electoral Commission (INEC).

In the action filed on behalf of the party by Dr. Alex Aigbe Izinyon (SAN), the party cited Sections 177 (c), 221 and 222 (c) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as the grounds for the court to declare the governors ineligible to remain in office having defected to the APC. Izinyon formulated five questions upon which the PDP is seeking the following reliefs: . A declaration that by the combined provisions of Sections 177 (c), 221 and 222 (c) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), the second to sixth defendants who were elected on the platform of the plaintiff cannot continue to enjoy the mandate given to them by the electorate of the respective states as they have defected to APC. . A declaration that in the absence of any division in the plaintiff known and recognised by law, the second to sixth defendants who were elected on the plaintiff’s platform have vacated or forfeited their seats forthwith upon their defection to APC. . A declaration that having combined provisions of Section 87 of the Electoral Act 2011 (as amended), Sections 177 (c), 221 and 222 (c) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), the second to the sixth defendants’ defection from the plaintiff to the APC, their offices have reverted to the plaintiff. . A declaration that by combined provisions of Section 177 (c), 221 and 222 (c) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) upon the defection of the second to the sixth defendants from the plaintiff, the mandate reverts to the deputy governor or Speaker of the State House of Assembly of the respective states or any officer next in rank who is still a member of the plaintiff to function and assume the office of the governor of the respective states in question. . A declaration that by the combined provisions of Sections 177 (c), 221 and 222 (c) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), the act of defection by the second to the sixth defendants from the PDP on whose platform they were elected to APC amounts to gross misconduct.

The plaintiff also sought an order of the court directing the State Houses of Assembly of Adamawa, Rivers, Sokoto, Kano and Kwara states of the respective second to sixth defendants to commence impeachment proceedings against them forthwith.

Friday, December 13, 2013 | 3

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

News Police stall pro-Amaechi lawmakers’ sitting From Kelvin Ebiri, Port-Harcourt

A

RMED policemen yesterday used teargas canisters to disperse pro-Governor Chibuike Amaechi members of the Rivers State House of Assembly who attempted to resume plenary session at the House in Port Harcourt yesterday.

But the state government described the use of teargas and live ammunition by the police to disperse elected representatives of Rivers people, journalists and others, as unacceptable, and a breach of the tenets of democracy.

Meanwhile, the state chapter of All Progressive Congress (APC), has alerted on imminent breakdown of law and order in the state because five anti-Amaechi

• APC alleges plot to impeach Amaechi • Anti governor’s lawmakers fault claim lawmakers in a House have allegedly concluded plans to illegally sit as soon as they can to impeach the governor and his deputy, Tele Ikuru.

But the anti-Amaechi lawmakers led by Evans Bipi has denied any plot to remove the governor but admitted that they were planning to reconvene.

Also, the APC yesterday cautioned against any reliance on Wednesday’s judgment of a federal high court, nullifying the takeover by the National Assembly of the functions of the Rivers House of Assembly, to perpetrate any mayhem or unconstitutional acts in Rivers State.

In compliance with Wednesday’s judgment of the Federal High Court (FHC), Abuja, presided over by Justice Ahmed Mohammed, which declared as unconstitutional, the taking over of the Rivers House of Assembly by the National Assembly, about 22 pro-Amaechi lawmakers reconvened yesterday but were denied access into the legislative building by armed policemen.

The lawmakers led by the Deputy Speaker, Leyii Kwanee, said they were worried that five anti-Amaechi lawmakers accused of plotting to impeach the governor, might be sitting inside the legislative chamber. Based

on this, they appealed to the police who had barricaded both ends of Moscow Road to allow them access into the legislative building to ascertain the situation inside, but the police claimed that it had not been served with any authorising letter to permit them to enter into the premises, which has been under lock and key since July.

After several minutes of altercation between some of the lawmakers and the policemen, a plain clothe policeman approached the lawmakers and promised to allow the Chief of Staff Government House, Tony Okocha and the Deputy Speaker access into the House, just to confirm that no sitting was taking place.

But this was subject to the

approval of the state Commissioner of Police, Mbu Joseph Mbu. But after a long wait, the lawmakers decided to hold a mock plenary on the road.

Shortly after the mock proceeding started, the Assistant Commissioner of Police, Aliyu Garuba, who was accompanied by an Armoured Personnel Carrier, stormed the scene and started shouting that everybody should go. But the lawmakers remained unyielding. Apparently incensed by the lawmakers’ defiance, the police started firing both bullets and teargas canisters to disperse the lawmakers, journalists and others. Unable to withstand the effects of the teargas, the lawmakers had to retreat towards the Government House.

Govt asks doctors to shelve planned strike From Emeka Anuforo, Abuja INISTER of Health, M Onyebuchi Chukwu, has appealed to medical doctors who are threatening a fresh strike to have a rethink and be patient while government complies with some of the issues already agreed upon.

He called on the doctors under the aegis of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) not to jeopardise the health of Nigerians during the Yuletide and, therefore, resist the strike.

He said the Federal Government had shown a strong commitment and responsiveness to the grievances of NMA, noting that what is needed is patience while the due processes take place to arrive at a final and fair resolution of all outstanding issues.

Reps probe MTN, others over alleged fraudulent promos From Terhemba Daka, Abuja HE House of RepresentaT tives has directed its Committee on Communi-

Consul-General, South Africa High Commission, Amb. Mokgethi Monaisa (left); Lagos State Deputy Governor, Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire; Chairman, Honeywell Group, Oba Otudeko; Chairman, Nigeria-South Africa Chamber of Commerce, Foluso Philips; Director, MTN, Victor Odili; Chief Executive Officer, MTN Nigeria, Michael Ikpoki; Chief Executive Officer, Stanbic/IBTC Holdings Plc, Sola David-Borha, and other dignitaries at the memorial service in honour of the late former South Africa’s President, Dr. Nelson Mandela, in Lagos… on Wednesday.

PHOTO: FEMI ADEBESIN-KUTI

cations to investigate alleged unwholesome practices in marketing promotions by MTN and other telecommunication service providers in the country.

The committee is expected to submit report of its findings within four weeks.

Also, the Committee on Information yesterday got the mandate of the House to intervene in the ongoing rift between the Broadcasting Organisations of Nigeria (BON) and the Independent Broadcasters Association of Nigeria (IBAN) on the one hand, and the Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON) on the other.

Why Africa’s leaders fail, by Bush, Kufuor, others

By Marcel Mbamalu and Chijioke Nelson

• Ex-U.S. leader lists ways for Nigeria to fight graft

FRICA’s slow development A decades after its nations’ political independence has

obvious challenge against the nation’s development.

Apparently, he was speaking against the backdrop of the country’s rankings on the Transparency International’s corruption index over the years, and the alleged wave of looting in its public sector.

For Nigeria to succeed in ‘bursting corruption,’ Bush said that the Federal Government must earn the confidence of the people. He stressed that some of his party men went to jail during his administration and advised that the rule of law should be sacrosanct.

He said: “Every country has problems with people who exploit their power; yet, nations must apply the law, no matter how powerful the offenders are.”

Bush noted that foreign aid to Africa and other develop-

again been linked to failed leadership.

Former United States (U.S.) President George Bush and Ghana’s erstwhile leader, John Kufuor, among others, yesterday noted the continent’s leadership challenge as they met in Lagos yesterday.

The occasion was the maiden edition of Access Bank’s leadership conference. Bush, who commended Nigeria for its democratic dispensation and sustenance, urged continuity, given its benefits to the nation. Justifying his position on Iraq during his tenure, he said that the Iraqis were now better off.

He tasked the leadership of Nigeria to tackle corruption head-on, as it had become the

ing countries should be dependent on governments’ efforts at fighting corruption. According to him, foreign aid should not go to governments that are not honest with the people, disclosing that his government took corruption seriously.

Bush also urged the Federal Government to ensure that the role of the private sector in economic growth was balanced with that of the public sector, calling specifically for tax relief for small businesses.

He advised that a sharp drop in personal income tax was absolutely necessary for real economic growth. To achieve effective tax reforms, he explained that rather than overtax capital, he had during his tenure simplified the tax code so that “everyone understands what the tax

code is all about.”

He said: “It is the private sector, when on full gear, that provides revenue, not the public sector. So, understanding the role of the private sector is important.

Nigeria should review its tax code; low income earners are not supposed to be paying tax.”

Speaking on practical approach to governance, Kufuor explained that leadership that would readily impact on the people must start with example.

Citing his efforts to improve the Ghanaian economy during his tenure, he said that he adopted the style of living within means, massive cutback on borrowings, maintaining fiscal discipline and mostly, restoring and empowering the private sector.

“The Ghanaian economy was near to nothing when I came in. But with resolve and commitment, coupled with knowledge of political strategies and economics, we were able to lead by example and urged our people to follow.

We got a huge debt relief as our creditors saw our resolve to do what is right,” he added.

At a panel discussion on leadership on the continent, the Chairman of Fate Foundation, Fola Adeola, said that it was a concept that was required to achieve what was right and acceptable in the society.

To him, leadership means working everyday with the right frame of mind and determination to do what is right, though the urge to do what is wrong may still be present. He lamented that Nigeria had not been able to realise its huge potential.

“I have come to the conclusion that most of the leaders in this country have made it (leadership) a special purpose vehicle to do their business, hence when it comes to issues of the economy, there is no linkage between what is required of them and what they do in their individual communities,” he said.

The Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Tiosanno, Magatte Wade, a young female entrepreneur from Senegal, said the culture of respect in Africa had been taken to the extreme, and this was now affecting the understanding of leadership.

According to her, the continent needs to advocate education that is devoid of conformism, and encourage the development of critical thinking such that when one voices a different opinion, it would not be seen as a lack of respect for authority.

4

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

NEWS Friday, December 13, 2013

NGF seeks audience with Jonathan over economy, FAAC meeting From Karls Tsokar, Abuja bothering on the ItheSSUES state of the economy took centre stage on Wednesday when the faction of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), led by Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State, in its meeting at the Rivers Governor’s Lodge in Asokoro, Abuja, sought audience with President Goodluck Jonathan on a way out.

The yet-to-be scheduled meeting with Jonathan is to be arranged by Amaechi as head of the forum.

According to their communiqué at the end of the meeting, the request was on the heels of the rising concern generated from the “weighty allegations contained in a recent letter to Mr. President by the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on the state of the economy.”

Amaechi, who read the communiqué to newsmen, said the concerns would have been appropriately discussed at the National Economic Council (NEC) meeting but that NEC’s continuous postponement has made it impossible.

“The need for the meeting with Mr. President has become particularly necessary due to the fact that the Federal Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC) meeting for November 2013, planned for December 9 and 10, 2013, was shelved for undisclosed reasons,” he said.

The communiqué further noted that whereas “NEC has not been convened in four months,” FAAC meeting has become irregular, uncertain and clandestine, such that the hitherto seamless and transparent exercise has been on different occasions “shelved for undisclosed reasons.”

Group warns against reckless utterances ahead of 2015 From Abba Anwar, Kano N a swift reaction to a statement credited to a Second Republic member of the House of Representatives from Kano State, Dr. Junaidu Mohammed, who threatened bloodshed if President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan contests in the 2015 election, a group, Lawyers for Sustainable Democracy in Nigeria, has condemned it as “uncalled for and unguarded.”

In a statement by its National Coordinator, Muhammad Zubair, which was made available to journalists in Kano yesterday, the group observed that the statement was capable of seriously overheating the already tensed political atmosphere in the country.

The association said it “deemed it necessary to respond to unpatriotic statements from the so-called elders,” adding that it “vehemently condemns such behaviour and urge all lawabiding citizens to do the same.”

I

The forum further noted that “the non-compliance with the revenue projections of the Federal Government’s 2013 budget is a direct breach of the Appropriation Act 2013.

Members, therefore, expressed concern in the management of the economy by the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Dr. Ngozi OkonjoIweala, and called for a strict adherence to the Appropriation Act 2013, failing which she should resign.”

It stated that the management of the country’s economy ought to be the constitutional responsibility of NEC as against the Economic Management Team set up by the Presidency.

Meanwhile, the meeting called by the NGF director general had just one-third of governors in attendance on Wednesday. They included Abdulfatah Ahmed (Kwara State), Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti), Kashim Shettima (Borno), Babatunde Fashola (Lagos) and Rauf Aregbesola (Osun).

Others were Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers), Abdulaziz Yari (Zamfara), Murtala Nyako (Adamawa) and Rochas Okorocha (Imo), while the deputies of Jigawa and Oyo states represented their principals.

However, the governors also used the meeting to “remember with affection” the former governor of Kaduna State, the late Patrick Yakowa, who died a year ago and agreed to identify with the memorial events organised by the family.

Also, members commiserated with “the government and people of the Republic of South Africa, who are currently mourning the death of the late icon and former president, Nelson Mandela, who left a legacy of quality and selfless leadership worthy of emulation.”

Former President, Nigerian Institute of Management (NIM) (Chartered), Sir Peter Edeoghon (left); Mrs. Sally Adukwu-Bolujoko; Adebayo Adenubi; Immediate Past President NIM, Dr. Michael Olawale-Cole; Guest of Honour, Dr. Michael Omolayole; and NIM New President/Chairman of Council, Dr. Nelson Uwaga during the investiture of Uwaga as the 19th President of the Institute in Lagos yesterday.

PHOTO: SUNDAY AKINLOLU

Absence of judge stalls Nnamani’s trial

By Joseph Onyekwere HE trial of former governor of Enugu State, Dr. Chimaroke Nnamani, will now resume on March 4, 2014, following the absence of Justice Mohammed Yunusa of the Federal High Court, Lagos, which stalled the session earlier fixed for yesterday.

Nnamani is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) alongside seven others on 105 counts of money laundering.

The others accused are Sunday Anyaogu, Rainbownet (Nig) Ltd, Hillgate (Nig) Ltd, Cosmos FM, Capital City Automobile (Nig) Ltd, Renaissance University Teaching Hospital and Mea Mater Elizabeth High School.

At the last adjourned date

T

on May 16, Justice Yunusa had granted leave to the accused to travel overseas for medical attention. On May 28, the judge also granted an application filed by counsel to the accused, Mr. Ricky Tarfa (SAN), seeking extension of time for the accused to conclude his medical treatment abroad.

The case was then adjourned till December 12 for trial.

The accused were rearraigned before Yunusa on March 7 following the transfer of the previous judge, Justice Charles Archibong.

They had pleaded not guilty, while Yunusa had allowed them to continue on the earlier bail granted by Archibong.

They were alleged to have laundered various sums of money to the tune of N5 billion and lodged same in a secret account. It was also

alleged that Nnamani conspired with the other accused to launder various statutory allocations belonging to Aninri, Enugu-South, Agwu, Igbo Etiti and Isi Uzor local councils in Enugu State.

He was also alleged to have stolen N1.4 billion from the excess crude oil funds allocated to local councils in the state. More so, it was alleged that the former governor, through the help of one Chinero Nwigwe, now at large, fraudulently transferred millions of dollars belonging to the state to his personal accounts in the United States.

These offences were allegedly committed while Nnamani held sway as governor between 1999 and 2007 and contravened the provisions of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2004.

Igbo leaders seek referendum for confab • Ohaneze backs colloquium, as Ezeife, Iwuanyanwu seek Igbo unity From Lawrence Njoku (Enugu) and Ezeocha Nzeh (Abuja) OR the proposed national Fleaders confab to be of essence, of the South-East geopolitical zone insisted yesterday that its outcome should, accordingly, be subjected to a referendum to enable it come into force as the true constitution of Nigeria.

The position was taken by Igbo leaders under the aegis of Concerned Igbo Leaders of Thought, which met in Enugu yesterday to review the efforts of various Igbo committees at working out a broad and acceptable position for the zone at the conference.

Present at the closed-door meeting were Prof. Ben Nwabueze, Senator Uche Chukwumerije, Senator Anyim Ude, Senator Offia Nwali, Mrs. Uche Azikiwe, Prof. Ben Obumselu and Archbishop Maxwell Anikwenwa, Chief Enechi Onyia (SAN), Prof. Lawrence Ocho, Dr. Aja Nwachukwu

and Prof.

Elochukwu Amucheazi, among others.

Briefing journalists after the meeting, its Secretary General, Amucheazi, said Ndigbo believes that the conference should produce a new constitution for the country and would work with other ethnic groups to ensure its realisation.

The call came as the zone’s apex socio-cultural umbrella, Ohaneze Ndigbo, officially threw its weight behind the proposed Igbo Colloquium on the proposed national dialogue conference.

President of the colloquium’s conveners, the Coalition of Democratic Scholars (CODES), Prof. Timothy Uzidimma Nwala, who displayed a letter of authorisation from Ohaneze Ndigbo, told the media yesterday in Abuja that the colloquium would deliberate on the place of Ndigbo in a federating Nigeria.

He added that the event would hold in Enugu on March 10, 2014, to work out

the Igbo agenda for the national conference. And as the National Conference Committee prepares its report, some stakeholders have called for unity of purpose among Ndigbo ahead of the confab.

Speaking on Sunday at the 2013 annual lecture of the Orient Club in Abuja, former governor of Anambra State, Dr. Chukwuemeka Ezeife, insisted that there would be no end to the maltreatment of the race in the federation unless there is unity among the diverse Igbo units.

Speaking on “Nigerian Politics: The Way Forward For Ndigbo,” Ezeife said that Nigeria can only operate as a united entity if all component groups are treated with equality of representation and respect.

Similarly, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Emma Iwuanyanwu, said that Ndigbo would only ask for a level playing ground with other feder-

ating units in the country true federalism, noting that the present structural imbalance has been of great disadvantage to the race.

Earlier, President of Orient Club, Cyril Elobi, noted that the theme of the lecture was chosen to enable Ndigbo articulate their standpoint ahead the national dialogue, arguing that since the Civil War, Ndigbo have not been able to speak with one voice on national issues.

Stressing the need for Ndigbo to speak with one voice, Ezeife lamented, “we are killed for our religious beliefs, economic successes; we are even repatriated from our motherland in which, of the major groups, we the only autochthones.

“As Nigeria gets set to move into the desired transformation through the planned conference, no transformation can really be great and effective for the Igbo if we continue to ignore the fact that we must present a united force to agitate for the Igbo course.”

Bid to stop Anambra council poll fails From Chuks Collins, Awka N Awka Federal High Court, A presided by Justice M. L. Abubakar, yesterday struck out a motion brought before it by the Chairman of Anambra State Independent Electoral Commission (ANSIEC), Prof.

Titus Eze, seeking to stop the planned conduct of council election already slated for December 21.

The judge, not minding the motion by counsel to the defendants (ANSIEC and INEC), Dr. Ikpeazu (SAN), and state Attorney General, Justice Peter Afuba, that they were not served within the mandatory eight days, cited some test cases like that.

He then struck out the motion seeking to stop the poll because the election has nothing to do with the removal of the defendant.

Eze, who is challenging his removal as chairman of the commission, had urged the court to stop the election or at least put it on hold pending the determination of the substantive suit, arguing that there is no provision for an acting chairman to conduct the poll in the state’s enabling laws.

I can serve in any capacity, says Ladoja From Iyabo Lawal, Ibadan ORMER Governor of Oyo FAccord State and leader of the Party (AP), Rashidi Ladoja, insisted yesterday that he could still serve the state in any capacity the people want him to.

Speaking against the backdrop of complaints that he was too old to seek re-election, Ladoja said that age is merely a thing of the mind and further assured that he would do anything necessary to pull down the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) government of Abiola Ajimobi.

On his plans for 2015, Ladoja told reporters in Ibadan that it was still too early to decide who contests or not, but disagreed with the ruling party that he was too old to be a governor.

Friday, December 13, 2013 NEWS 5

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

OBASANJO’S LETTER TO JONATHAN: REACTIONS Letter should guide Nigerians to vote wisely in 2015

Rep, Odumakin berate Obasanjo

By Seye Olumide ARNING against any clandestine move that may truncate the nation’s democracy, a member of the House of Representatives, Lanre Odubote, who represents Epe Federal Constituency, Lagos State on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has flayed the former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, over his letter to President Goodluck Jonathan.

To him, the contents of the letter might sound well and impressive, indeed it addresses the state of the nation in a candid tone “but Nigerians must not forget that he (Obasanjo) laid the foundation of the entire crisis that Nigeria is facing today.”

Wondering what messiah, “Baba Obasanjo” is now trying to play, Odubote said, “this is the beginning of the end of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which has plunged Nigeria into deeper mess than ever before.”

Odubote, who sounded not to be too impressive by the letter also urged Nigerians to remain focus, steadfast and be prepared to use whatever they have to defend their hard earn democracy.

When asked about his reaction when retired military generals talk in such tone like Obasanjo did in the letter, the lawmaker affirmed the steadfastness of the National Assembly to stand up for the truth.

Also, Publicity Secretary of the Yoruba socio-cultural group, Afenifere, Yinka Odumakin, cautioned Nigerians to be wary of the Chief Olusegun Obasanjo’s letter to President Goodluck Jonathan, saying it does not mean well for the nation.

Odumakin alleged the possibility of ulterior motives for the letter which might be dangerous for the nation’s democracy.

According to him, “If Obasanjo, who happens to be a retired general, is now beckoning on fellow retired generals and at the same time inciting Nigerians against a sitting president, something untoward must be going on.”

Countering Obasanjo’s accusations in the letter one after the other, Odumakin referred to the issue of corruption, saying: “The former president has no moral justification to accuse the president because corruption was at its peak under his (Obasanjo) regime. Political murder was not as bad or rampant ever in the history of this nation like we all witnessed under the former president administration, while as a matter of fact, cases of rigging of elections were unprecedented during Obasanjo’s time.

“On the issues of Jonathan body language for second term, I think the former president is also wrong because he did not only spent two terms in the office, he attempted a third term which was truncated.”

W

By Abiodun Fanoro UMAN rights lawyer and anti-corruption campaigner, Bamidele Aturu, has urged Nigerians to use the information contained in the 18page letter of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo to President Goodluck Jonathan to vote in a president who has the fear of God and genuine interest of Nigeria and its people at heart during the next general election.

Aturu noted that the development has presented Nigerians the opportunity to take the initiative and discover the mistake of the electoral past and make a bold move to correct it.

Reacting to the letter in an interview with The Guardian in Lagos yesterday, Aturu said the document confirmed the huge leadership deficit most Nigerians have been complaining about in recent past, adding that Obasanjo was not saying anything new but that the complaints coming from him is the evidence which the doubting Thomas needs to be convinced.

The anti-corruption crusader observed with regret that the war against corruption has completely collapsed and that Nigeria has again become a laughing stock in the international community.

Aturu is, however, of the opinion that there is little or no difference between Obasanjo and Jonathan whom he described as “two sides of the same coin”.

According to him, “ the case of Obasanjo and Jonathan is like a case of kettle calling the pot black.”

H

Obasanjo

Jonathan

Atiku urges elders to speak up From Mohammed Abubakar, Abuja ORMER Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, has called on the leaders consulted by former President Olusegun Obasanjo before his public letter criticising President Goodluck Jonathan to intervene and reduce the tension created

by Obasanjo’s weighty allegations. a According to Atiku, the allegations were too disturbing to be treated with apathy by any political stakeholder like him. He said at a moment of national anxiety or uncertainty, leaders across the country should rise to the occasion and reassure fellow Nigerians about the future.

He explained that at a time the rest of the world was looking at Nigeria as a beacon of hope for stability, the content of Obasanjo’s letter should be urgently addressed by former leaders and elders. And the attention of Nigerians focused on the 2015 elections, he added, there was the urgent need to reassure Nigerians.

He explained that though the President was free to run

F

Caution your aides, Aminu tells Jonathan his government without interference, sometimes even sitting presidents need outside constructive interventions to move their countries forward.

And as the political atmosphere gets more charged ahead of the 2015 general elections, a former Minister of Education, Prof. Jubril Aminu, has asked Jonathan to control the activities of some of his aides, particular their utterances, which he said were capable of worsening matters for him.

Speaking to State House correspondents in Abuja, the member of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Board of Trustees observed that the challenges facing the party were surmountable with the right leadership focus.

For instance, he noted that the recent defection by some governors of the party into the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) should have no negative impact on the PDP because some of them have no political basis in their states, rather, they should be con-

cerned about their future.

“The party does not have desperate need for those governors, but is the other way round, on the long run,” he said.

On attacks on the policy of the administration controlled by the party by highly placed elected party officials, Aminu said underlining motive of such comments were aimed at making some of

them popular for possible re-election or if possible for other elective offices.

“But I must say that I agree with you. It is shocking to see people referring to the President of the country in those terms,” he added.

Okpozo, N’Delta group fault ex-president From Hendrix Oliomogbe, Asaba

OR former Senator FranFof cis Okpozo, the leakage former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s letter to President Goodluck Jonathan to the press was most uncalled for, as the eminent personalities would have quietly settled whatever problems they had.

Also, a group, the Niger Delta Indigenous Movement for Radical Change (NDIMRC) lashed out at Obasanjo over his call on Jonathan to forget about

2015, insisting that it is only God that can stop the reelection bid of the President.

Okpozo, who spoke in telephone interview, however, said that he will not comment on the details of the accusation levelled against Jonathan by Obasanjo until the president replies to them as he had promised to do.

The former Deputy Speaker of the Bendel State House of Assembly said that for the sake of the principle of natural justice, he would have to wait for Jonathan to reply before he takes a stand.

They are serious allegations, we are troubled, say Sagay, Ubani

By Bertram Nwannekanma IVERGENT reactions yesterday trailed the 18-page letter written to President Goodluck Jonathan by former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, in which he accused the president of aiding corruption and polarising Nigeria along ethnic and religious lines.

One of those who expressed concerns over the content of the letter was a constitutional lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Prof. Itse Sagay, who described the allegations as shocking and can cause Nigerians a great deal of anxiety.

Sagay said Obasanjo couldn’t have lied about the content of the letter given the

D

fact that he is a former Head of State who was also instrumental to the ascendancy of Jonathan to the number one office in the land.

“They are very serious allegations and they could set the whole country on a state of alert and anxiety. Because, for somebody at the level of Obasanjo, former Head of State, and I will say the mentor of the current president’s to have made this very serious accusations, it sends an alarm bell ringing which could be troubling to every rational citizens. I am indeed very troubled”.

“And not only that, the one that even frightens me most is the allegation that snipers are being trained in the same

school where the Abacha killer squad members were trained and there are some Nigerians under political watch list. That is very frightening because it is not something you expect under a civilian democratic regime except under a military dictatorship.

“So, it is very frightening and I am very unsettled about it particularly given what happened to Prof. Iyayi whose cause of death has not yet been resolved. It is very disturbing,” he said.

But the Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Ikeja branch, Monday Ubani, who expressed grave concern over the allegations, said something urgent must

be done to nip the issues raised in the letter in the bud.

“They are very grievous allegations. And if those allegations are true, then something needs to be done very fast in order to nip all those things in the bud.

Clearly, Nigeria is on the verge of liquidation and if you place over 1,000 people on watch list and you are going to use snipers to eliminate them as the president of the country, then that is very grave for this country. And then, given the fact that this allegation is coming from Obasanjo, a top notch of the PDP, tells you that there is more to it than meets the eye,” he said.

He said: “The details are not complete yet for the simple reason that Jonathan has not replied. He should be given the benefit of the doubt and allowed to reply before one will know what to say. They are mere allegations and Jonathan must be given a fair hearing before Nigerians react.”

In a joint press statement by its President, Mr. Nelly Emma; the Secretary, John Sailor; and Public Relations Officer, Mukoro Stanley, they accused the former President of being responsible for the woes of the country.

They said: “President Jonathan cannot forget about the 2015 general elections; he has the right to contest. All Nigerians should encourage the President to seek re-election in 2015 to fix the many woes of the country caused by former President Obasanjo who is today asking President Jonathan to forget 2015.”

The group added that Obasanjo and his likes were responsible for the current crisis in the PDP in a determined bid to distract Jonathan but urged the President to be courageous and seek re-election in 2015.

The trio of Emma, Sailor and Stanley called on Obasanjo to immediately withdraw the letter and apologise to President Jonathan.

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

Friday, December 13, 2013

7

8

Friday, December 13, 2013

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

PHOTONEWS

Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State (right); the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi III (middle); the Aare Musulumi of Yorubaland, Alhaji Abdul-Azeez Arisekola Alao (left) and other dignitaries at an empowerment programme organised by the Speaker of Oyo State House of Assembly, Mrs. Monsurat Sunmonu, in Oyo Town.

Governor of Lagos State, Babatunde Raji Fashola (right); Coordinator, Eko Free Health Mission Programme, Dr. Dolapo Fasawe; Special Adviser to the Governor on Public Health, Dr. Yewande Adeshina and Commissioner for Health, Jide Idris, during the governor’s tour of the Eko Free Health Mission site at Badagry where over 10,000 patients were treated.

The new couple, Deji and Temilade Richard, flanked by their parents, (right) Pastor Tunde Richard, Mrs. Akande and (left) Mrs. Bola Richard and Prince J.K. Akande.

Paediatrics Consultant Surgeon, LASUTH, Prof. Michael Bankole (left); Primary Healthcare Consultant/Specialist, Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Idi-Araba, Prof. Olayinka Abosede; Special Adviser to Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola on Primary Healthcare, Dr. Yewande Adesina; Event Chairman, Chief Molade Okoya-Thomas and the immediate past Chairman, Lagos State Medical Guild, Dr. Muyiwa Odusote, during the 2013 Lagos State Medical Guild yearly general meeting in Ikeja, Lagos.

Group Managing Director, Primlaks Group, Anil Hemnani (left); Chairman, Venus Processing and Packaging Company Ltd, Adeoye Tugbobo; Iya Oge of Lagos, Chief (Mrs.) Opral Benson, and Chief Executive Officer, Primlaks Group, Ravi Hemnani, at the formal launch of Sympli products held at the Sheraton Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos…on Monday PHOTO: SUNDAY AKINLOLU

Director, School of Music, MUSON, Marion Akpata (left); Executive Secretary, MTN Foundation, Nonny Ugboma; and Director of the Foundation, Dennis Okoro, at the 8th MTNF MUSON Scholars Appreciation Concert in Lagos.

Managing Director, Arik Air, Chris Ndulue, (right); Commissioner of Police, Airport Police Command, Waheed Salau; the Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Ops, Chuks Enwonwu; DPO, Domestic Airport Police Command, Rosemary Collins, and other officers during the presentation of a Toyota Hilux Patrol Van to the Airport Police Command at the Arik Corporate Headquarters, Murtala Muhammed Airport, Ikeja, Lagos… yesterday.

PHOTO: SOLA OJEDOKUN

Executive Director, Finance and Administration, CoreMedia Services Limited, Akeem Yusuf (left); Director, News and Current Affairs; CoreTV News, Emmanuel Malagu; Managing Director/CEO, CoreMedia Services Limited, Olajide Adediran; and the Training Facilitator, Tunde Oladapo Dixon, during the opening of a month rigorous training workshop for the CoreTV News Staff, at Pretorial House Isheri North of Ogun State.

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

Friday, December 13, 2013

9

10

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

Friday, December 13, 2013

WorldReport Outmuscled Syrian opposition seeks protection from al Qaeda YRIA’S Western-backed opposition said yesterday it had inSfrontier vited Islamist fighters to secure its depots on the Turkish after an attack by al Qaeda militants.

The United States and Britain suspended non-lethal aid to northern Syria after reports that Islamic Front forces had taken buildings belonging to the coalition’s Syrian Military Council (SMC) in Bab al-Hawa on the border with Turkey.

But the opposition Syrian National Coalition said it had in fact asked the Islamic Front, a union of six major rebel groups, to defend the premises against fighters from the al Qaeda-affiliated Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).

“The SMC warehouses were overrun by ISIL ... As a result of that, (SMC leader) General Salim Idris sent a request to the Islamic Front to protect these warehouses,” coalition spokesman, Khaled Saleh said in Istanbul.

“The Islamic Front came in and managed to push ISIL back and they are waiting for General Idris’s group to come and take control of their warehouses,” he said.

Saleh did not say whether the warehouses contained weapons.

The United States and British aid cut-off underlined a crisis in the rebel leadership, which seeks international backing to reinforce its credibility and stop fighters joining al Qaeda-backed groups now leading the struggle against President Bashar alAssad.

The SMC’s inability to control its own storehouses without help from Islamist groups has exposed its military weakness.

SMC spokesman Louay Mekdad said Idris was meeting Islamic Front brigade leaders near the border to try resolve the issue.

Abu Talha, an Islamic Front leader, confirmed his fighters had been responding to the SMC’s plea for help. “In truth, the call came a bit late,” he told al Jazeera television.

“There was more than one case of theft or looting from the Command and unfortunately the Supreme Command doesn’t have the power yet to defend its weapons depots and its bases,” he said, referring to the SMC, which the West has tried to build up as the body in overall command of the campaign to topple Assad.

Humanitarian crisis looms in CAR, as thousands displaced humanitarian crisis loomed over the Central African ReA public as tens of thousands sought refuge in makeshift camps around the capital Bangui following a wave of massacres.

Sectarian violence that claimed at least 400 lives in Bangui last week had abated following the weekend arrival of a 1,600strong French intervention force, but many were still afraid to return to their homes.

Aid workers said only a fraction of Bangui’s estimated 800,000 residents remained in the city, with many living rough near a French military base and in other areas considered more safe.

The focus is shifting to conditions in the makeshift camps, with humanitarian workers raising fears of cholera and other diseases spreading.

Aid groups said at least 45,000 people had sheltered around the city’s international airport, where French soldiers have maintained a base since 2002.

“We are seeking refuge but there is no water and no food,” said a man who had fled from the neighbouring Boeing district where the former Seleka rebels had gone on the rampage, killing and looting with impunity.

Aid officials fear that epidemics could spread easily. The medical charity Doctors Without Borders (MSF) has set up a mobile clinic capable of carrying out up to 300 consultations a day.

People queuing up to board busses that will take them to the Union Buildings to bid farewell to South African former president, Nelson Mandela lying in state in Pretoria….yesterday.

PHOTO: AFP

Pope attacks mega salaries, wealth gap in peace message OPE Francis said in the P first peace message of his pontificate that huge salaries and bonuses are symptoms of an economy based on greed and inequality and called again for nations to narrow the wealth gap.

In his message for the Roman Catholic Church’s World Day of Peace, marked around the world on January 1, he also called for sharing of wealth and for nations to shrink the gap between rich and poor, more of whom are getting only “crumbs”.

“The grave financial and economic crises of the present time ... have pushed man to seek satisfaction, happiness and security in consumption and earnings out of all proportion to the principles of a sound economy,” he said.

“The succession of eco-

nomic crises should lead to a timely rethinking of our models of economic development and to a change in lifestyles,” he said.

Francis, who was named Time magazine’s Person of the Year on Wednesday, has

urged his own Church to be more fair, frugal and less pompous and to be closer to the poor and suffering.

His message will be sent to national leaders, international organizations such as the United Nations, and

NGO’s.

Titled “Fraternity, the Foundation and Pathway to Peace”, the message also attacked injustice, human trafficking, organized crime and the weapons trade as obstacles to peace.

Spurned by president, EU embraces Ukraine protest WO weeks ago, the EuroT pean Union’s foreign policy chief was at a summit in Lithuania, wooing Ukraine’s president with offers of preferential dealings with the world’s largest trade bloc.

This week, she stood in Kiev’s Independence Square with protesters bent on ousting the same man.

The EU is seeking to bounce back after Ukraine rejected a deal with Europe in favor of a rival alliance with Russia.

What had been a policy of courting President Viktor

Yanukovych has become a more nuanced campaign to work both sides of the escalating dispute.

The images of Catherine Ashton clinging to the arm of Ukrainian opposition leader, Arseniy Yatsenyuk were a stark illustration of how the EU sees a fresh opportunity in the demonstrations that have divided the former Soviet republic.

“The people of this great country deserve better,” Ashton said Wednesday in Kiev.

But Ashton’s gesture also be-

lied the fact that in the geopolitical battle over the direction of Ukraine, the 28nation EU has so far been outhustled, and outmuscled, by Moscow.

For years, the EU failed to meet the enormous expectations Ukraine vested in it, and Yanukovych made the bloc pay for that when he rejected the EU trade and political cooperation deal he had promised to sign.

At a reception at the summit in Vilnius, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, wine glass in hand, chided Yanukovych, saying: “We expected more.”

Yanukovych could have said the same, noted Michael Emerson of the Centre for European Policy Studies.

“He could have replied, and said, ‘Me, too.’ He could have sent the ball right back,” said Emerson, a Ukraine expert at the Brussels-based think tank.

But even after Yanukovych’s rejection, the back-and-forth has continued.

Yesterday, Ashton said after meeting with him in Kiev that “Yanukovych made it clear to me that he intends to sign the association agreement.”

Moscow and Brussels have both had designs on Ukraine since the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991.

Friday, December 10, 2013 11

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

Politics Tukur, Anenih reconcile for PDP, Jonathan 2015

By Ehichioya Ezomon HE need to have a common front T in tackling the hydra-headed problems in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) may have prompted the reconciliation of the party Chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur and the Chairman of the Board of Trustees (BoT), Chief Tony Anenih.

Elders of the party facilitated the reconciliation, which sources said took place this week.

Subsequently, Tukur visited the home of Chief Anenih in Asokoro area of Abuja to cement the reunion, “and the two party leaders exchanged notes on how the party can move forward,” a top notch of the party said.

“With the coming together of these to party elders (Tukur and Anenih), the sky is the limit for the PDP,” he added.

Actually source confirmed yesterday that Alhaji Tukur visited Chief Anenih on Wednesday but could not substantiate what the two leaders discussed.

Both men, heading two main organs of the PDP — National Working Committee and BoT, had not been on the same political page, “as regards the crises in the party and how best to get President Goodluck Jonathan on the 2015 ballot,” although not many people noted what the source said was “misunderstanding.”

Thus, they had reportedly been working at cross-purposes in the efforts to get consensus for the second term bid the President.

A case in point was when Chief Anenih said mid-year that the

Tukur

Jonathan

Anenih

aggrieved governors of the party had a case, and thus should be given a listening ear for amicable settlement of the issues that were threatening to divide the party.

But aides to Tukur pounced on the statement, declaring that Anenih was siding with the rebel governors, who wanted the head of the party national chairman.

The grievances in the PDP had since snowballed into its factionalisation, with seven of the governors and

some leaders staging a walkout at the party convention to form the New-PDP and vowed to defect to any other party if the matters in the party were not resolved in quickly.

Eventually, members of the faction, including five of the G-7 Governors, defected to the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC).

Still, the call for the sack of Alhaji Tukur as the national chairman of the PDP did not abate with the

decamping of the aggrieved governors.

However, reprieve appeared to have come his way when members of the National Working Committee (NWC) were said to have reaffirmed a vote of confidence in him this week.

A party source that confirmed the development in Lagos yesterday said Tukur was not the problem in the PDP but those who wanted him removed unconstitutionally.

The source gave two reasons why the anti-Tukur group was at work.

One is that the so-called aggrieved PDP members did not like, and support the reforms Tukur was carrying out in the party, especially the e-registration of party members nationwide.

“The totality of the crises in PDP is a response to his reform agenda,” the source said.

Two is that the party chairman sidetracked the governors elected on the PDP platform, and sought funding for the party from the Presidency and members through donations and contributions.

“For all these, the governors didn’t like the National Chairman and therefore wanted his removal by any means,” the source said.

However, the source stressed that those who clamoured (and are clamouring) for Tukur’s removal “actually want to get at the President in order to stop him from running in the 2015 elections.”

According to the source, Tukur strongly supports the Jonathan Transformation Agenda; he fully supports a second term for the President; and he is committed to internal democracy in the PDP. “Tukur’s sin from the onset has been his undying love for the progress of the party through reformation, which some sections of the party are, surprisingly and incredibly averse to,” the party leader said.

“What some people don’t know about Tukur are his credibility, accountability, loyalty to a just cause and commitment to teamwork,” he said.

Why and how hope dims for 2015 aspirants in Abia Central From Gordi Udeaja, Umuahia HE hopes of aspirants to contest election T for the Abia Central Senatorial District seat in 2015 on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and, indeed, those of other political parties have dimmed in recent weeks.

This follows the propping up and adoption of the second-term serving Governor Theodore Orji of the PDP by his senatorial constituents as the sole candidate for the election.

The district presently has Chief Nkechi Nwaogu, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Gas Resources as a second-term serving senator. Before her election to the Senate, she had served one term in the House of Representatives.

About three months ago, during an interaction with media practitioners in Abia State, she announced that she would not recontest to return or be returned to the next Senate in 2015 and pleaded with her Abia Central senatorial constituents and Abians in general, to send or give her their mandate to serve them somewhere else in another capacity.

She also hinted that following the prodding by some Abians; she may join the state governorship contest in 2015 for which she would declare at the appropriate time.

Going by this scenario, Senator Nwaogu is out of the contest; hence the call on Governor Orji to contest would not amount to trying to edge out Nwaogu unduly.

Recall that in the 2011 elections, the PDP candidates, including the governor, won all the elective offices and are presently occupying/holding them at state and national levels till 2015.

The Abia Central Senatorial District comprises six local government areas, three Ngwas, which go by the tag ‘Umunneato Ndi Ngwa’,

Orji

Nwaogu

namely, Osisioma Ngwa, and Isiala Ngwa North and South; and three non-Ngwas tagged, ‘Ikwuano/Umuahia Brothers’, namely, Ikwuano, Umuahia North and Umuahia South.

The Saturday before last at the Ngwa High School in Osisioma Ngwa, the Umunneato Ngwa staged a rally at which they imposed it on the governor to be their sole flagbearer for the senatorial election in 2015.

The stressed it to other aspirants not to offer themselves for the contest even on the platform of other political parties.

Recall also that on Friday, November 22, 2013, the Abia Central Senatorial District PDP and those referred to as Major Stakeholders,

which included traditional rulers and nonpartisan sons and daughters, met at the parley convened by the nine state legislators of the district, to put into vote their earlier decision to prod Orji to contest the senatorial election in 2015.

The meeting, which was presided by the leader of the Abia State House of Assembly representing Umuahia East Constituency, Chief bartister Chidiebere Nwoke, voted, without any dissension, for the adoption of the governor, and resolved to purchase the nomination form for him and even ‘conscript’ him should he not accept their mandate.

Last Wednesday, at the executive Council Chambers of government house, Umuahia,

the same nine legislators, namely, Dr. Ikechukwu Nwabeke for Osisioma Ngwa North Constituency, Chief Chidi Nwosu (Umuahia South), Emeka Ejiogu (Umuahia North), Mrs. Nkem Uche (Umuahia Central), PrinceEmeka Osogbaka (Ikuano), Mr. Martins Azubike (Isiala Ngwa North), Darlington Nwokocha (Isiala Ngwa South) and Emeka Alozie of Osisioma South, in company of the major stakeholders of the senatorial district, led by Hon Nwoke, took their duly signed joint resolution/communique to the governor, urging him to hearken to the constituents’ unanimous call on him to represent them at the next Senate in 2015.

The lawmaker stated that, “delegates that will merge on the platform of the PDP, both ad hoc and statutory are hereby advised to shun every other attraction and to ensure that the wish of the people prevails by nominating our quality candidate, Chief Dr. TA Orji, to contest the senatorial election.”

As Chief Nwoke told the governor: “We urge you to consider, in the spirit of patriotism, the expedience of considering contesting the next Senatorial Election with the aim of representing this zone in the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria come 2015.”

Nwoke, who read from the communique, said the climax of their meetings was the resolutions that they unanimously adopted that, “the entire people of Abia Central Senatorial District have adjudged the Governor of Abia State, Dr. TA Orji, politically sagacious, administratively excellent, developmentally oriented and divinely destined to lead; hence he has been bestowed with barrage of awards of excellence.”

However, the ‘instigators’ did not get the reaction they expected because the governor, rather than pronounce acceptance of their offer, postponed the answer to when he said was the “appropriate time.”

TheGuardian

www.ngrguardiannews.com

12 | Friday, December 13, 2013

Conscience Nurtured by Truth

FOUNDER: ALEX U. IBRU (1945 – 2011) Conscience is an open wound; only truth can heal it. Uthman dan Fodio 1754-1816

Editorial Missing oil proceeds and a retarded economy IVERS State Governor Rotimi Amaechi’s recent declaration that $5 billion was missing R from the Excess Crude Account (ECA) remains a sad reminder of the continuing disgraceful mismanagement of the oil proceeds that accrue to Nigeria’s Federation Account (FA). The Federal Ministry of Finance (FMF), of course, denied that any ECA fund was missing during the period and explained that “the $5 billion in the ECA has been shared to the three tiers of government to make up for revenue shortfalls during the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) process.” The ministry also claimed that “Rivers State received N56.2 billion for January to September 2013 from the ECA. This amount includes N43 billion for shortfalls plus N12 billion released for SURE-P.” The plain economic verdict is that the $5 billion is and remains missing but neither the Federal Government nor the states, symbolized in this instance by Amaechi, is without blame. For, sadly, budgeted FA dollar accruals, which should ordinarily be a blessing, become missing every month with both complainant and defendant generically working in cahoots during the so-called FAAC process. It should be noted that before 2013, similar withdrawals were made in consultation with or at the initiative of the then united Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF) and shared through the FAAC process. It therefore appears that Amaechi is complaining now only because the 2013 withdrawals were not made at the prompting of the splinter NGF that he still chairs. The point to ponder is whether it is proper in the first place for the executive arms at the federal and state levels to involve themselves in exercising the power of appropriation over the ECA, which is tantamount to usurpation of the function of the National Assembly.

To be sure, the ECA is accumulated creamed FA oil proceeds that exceed the approved budget oil revenue requirements based on agreed oil price and output benchmarks from year to year. The original but unstated intention of the ECA was to lock away a part of the rising oil earnings of the 2000s in order to limit the adverse economic impact which their full disbursement would have unleashed. Rising oil receipts should be a boon and any openly negative economic accompaniments would have exposed for all to see the prevailing faulty fiscal and monetary framework which vested interests would like to retain for as long as possible. That informs the federal executive arm’s resolute opposition to any attempt by the legislature to reduce the ECA through upward review of the oil price benchmark.

Political office holders and particularly the President require no reminding that they are constitutionally mandated to pursue sound and beneficial economic policy options at all times. Subject to correct fiscal and monetary measures, there will prevail conducive economic environment in which the yearly total oil and non-oil FA accruals plus internally generated revenues may be cost-effectively expended without satisfying the recurrent and requisite capital project funding needs of the country. As a matter of fact, the NGF, while it was united, did not lend full support to the ECA including its partition of sovereign wealth fund, and rightly so, because the ECA hoards scarce domestic resources thereby slowing the pace toward achieving national development. Fortunately, the controversial ECA and fractious NGF are unknown to the 1999 Constitution: the cessation of the former will lead to the natural death of the latter where applicable. The ECA should therefore be discontinued forthwith in order for state governors to focus on and act through the National Economic Council on all economic matters. In light of the foregoing, calls by the CBN governor for the ECA not to be depleted imply retaining upfront an idle complementary layer of unearned external reserves. It constricts development and is therefore unnecessary.

Now, the FG and all state governments irrespective of political party affiliations are represented on the FAAC. As the earlier excerpted FMF explanation attests, the so-called FAAC process literally vanishes FA dollar accrual because their sharing among beneficiaries fetches freshly printed naira funds. Such funds are neither naira equivalents of nor realised naira revenue derived from any FA oil proceeds meant for allocation because the affected oil proceeds remain unshared and intact in the FG treasury: the naira funds so printed and distributed are illegal and impeachable deficit financing by CBN of the budget spending of the tiers of government up to the proportion of oil proceeds in the volume of FA accruals slated for allocation.

The resulting governments’ heavy reliance on unlegislated fiscal deficits is ruinous and prevents the actualisation of the economic objectives set forth in the Constitution. By way of proof, firstly, down the years, the illegal deficits have created conditions and provided the pretext for the country’s foreign exchange supply including the oil proceeds being fobbed off beneficiaries to be thrown on the streets like stolen goods and at particularly wreckers of the economy to be sold without any documentation for unproductive use and easy siphoning abroad by corrupt politicians and bureaucrats. Secondly, the FAAC cannot deny that the nation’s economy has been reeling under persistent excessive fiscal deficits. Thirdly, among the numerous dismal indicators is the current poverty incidence level of over 70 per cent, which is double the rate in the early 1970s. The increased poverty incidence highly correlates to the dominant share of oil proceeds in the national budget. Oil proceeds began to account for over 50 per cent of the national budget in 1974 and currently stand at over 70 per cent.

A national revenue profile in which foreign exchange forms the major segment offers the ultimate tool for successful management of the economy. Unfortunately and incredibly, however, government spending across the three tiers has predominantly been made up of deficit funds being substituted for oil earnings. Let it be noted that the relatively few sources of Nigeria’s foreign exchange do not constitute any problem: the bane is mismanagement of available foreign exchange.

Therefore, President Goodluck Jonathan should change tack by directing the fiscal and monetary agencies to immediately begin to allocate FA dollar proceeds in a secure form to beneficiaries for conversion to realised naira revenue through deposit money banks in the open forex market. In the process, only verifiably eligible transactions and productive use would and should have access to the funds. That constitutes the essential first step toward evolving the well-managed naira currency required for sustainable rapid economic development and accelerated growth.

LETTERS

Afripol mourns, celebrates Nelson Mandela IR: The board and staff of SEconomic Africa political and Strategic Centre (Afripol) deeply mourn the departure of Nelson Mandela, the 21st century greatest freedom fighter and the first democratically elected president of the free South Africa.

Emeka Chiakwelu, Principal Policy Strategist at Afripol, appraised the departed leader as a gift to geo-political world; Chiakwelu reiterated, “Mandela is the greatest icon of 21st century and the father of modern peaceful negotiations and peace-making in the world.”

But as we mourn the death of the great Nelson Mandela, simultaneously we are celebrating his worthy life and achievements that have impacted affirmatively not only in Africa but the worldwide over. The difference he brought to the world cannot be over-emphasized as he took the challenge and the mantle to set his home country South Africa free from the bondage of injustice, racism and hatred. Even with toils and vestiges of apartheid, Great Mandela was not intimidated and never shied away from carrying the burden and yoke of the evil system that apartheid has brought to the people of South Africa.

After spending nearly 28 years of imprisonment in the famous Robben Island, he chose not to be bitter. Yes, it was a chosen decision not to be coloured with bitterness and rancour. He was not blinded with anger, repercussion and retaliation. He rose against the urge to payback and reciprocates, instead with calm, collection and dignity that were rarely seen in our mundane and fast fleeing humanity he chose to forgive, love and move forward.

Nelson Mandela was the greatest icon of 21st century for he showed us that violence was the path to making peace as most of the geopolitical titans of history were inclined to. The path to everlasting, enduring and sustaining peace can be negotiated and be borneout of peaceful negotiation, concord and consolidating alliance rooted in respect and trust.

Nobody is saying that Madiba as he affectionately called by his close friends and kinsmen was perfect and a saint. Mandela had his flaws just like any other human beings but his special quality lies in distinguishing between the grain and chaff, when to give in

and when to hold his fist tight.

His greatness rooted profusely in his understanding of the psychology of freedom, how to empower the victim and perpetrator without alienating each other.

Another great intellectual and metaphysical makeup of Mandela was his understanding of the politics of race and domination. He understood that the white minority South Africans were also victims of the evil system of apartheid.

This might be hard to rationalize, being a victim and perpetrator at same time. Mandela knew that white minority were victims of fear and held on to the discredited system out of fear, uncertainty and greed. A leader must be able to counterbalance and neutralize fear with credibility and truth. Mandela was the man that brought to the table the credibility and fairness.

Nelson Mandela has set a powerful example for us and posterity with his exemplary and heroic life. To keep his legacy evergreen the task of the living is to sustain his achievements by protecting them with vigilance and commitment especially for the next generation.

Emeka Chiakwelu, Africa Political & Economic Strategic Centre (Afripol) Lagos.

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

Friday, December 13, 2013

13

Opinion To Lumumba: On Kennedy, Africa and future

By Wole Akinyosoye EAR Lumumba, D America just marked the 50 year anniversary of the assassination of John Fitzgerth

ald Kennedy. The man they love to call JFK is the 43rd president of the United States and the youngest president to occupy the White House until Barack Obama surprisingly came along in 2008. You might have noticed that I used the world ‘surprise’ and be wondering the meaning; after all America is a Republic, unlike Belgium the country you knew as well as the back of your hand. As you also knew, the republican ascription to America was a misnomer at least for the black population the nation had consigned to the back of the bus for many generations. But things started to change shortly after your assassination in 1961; JFK got into the White House to succeed Dwight Eisenhower; the other president who said that you deserved the bullets on suspicion that you were a “Communist”!

Kennedy actually believed all men were created equal. He also believed America should stop denying the humanity of its ‘Negro’ population. I suspect you have heard such rhetoric many times before while still on this side. You may even be thinking now of the Fair Employment Committee created in ‘41 ostensibly to ensure equity to blacks in federal employments but which turned out as another of the governments’ policies to humor the blacks.

The difference in ’62 was that JFK believed what he said and lent his immense charisma and presidential muscles to that belief.

Kennedy did not live long to witness the passage of the civil-right bill but his support to black rights were unheard of since Abraham Lincoln. The Civil Rights laws pivoted on his ideals have changed the face of race relations in America since 1964. Imagine blacks now attend same schools with whites and not under armed protection of the National Guards!

Blacks also now routinely feature practically in every aspect of American life. They intermarry even with whites and it was one of those interracial liaisons that sired Barack Obama, the sitting president earlier introduced. But sometimes I wonder why Americans only ac-

knowledge the black half of this president.

What happened to Barack Obama’s white half? Why do white genes cease to matter if they commingle with black? Dear Lumumba, it shows that prejudice lurks just below the surface, even now. But the world has actually changed since your exit 52 years ago. You wouldn’t have imagined at the time that the country of George Washington and Theodore Roosevelt would put a man of Obama’s colour in the White House!

Lest we digress, JFK the young President that was inaugurated shortly after your murder did not live out his full possibilities. Like you, Kennedy was felled by the assassin’s bullets on November 22, 1963. Unlike your assassination said to have been carried out in the cover of darkness, Kennedy was felled in broad daylight under the glare of a hapless wife and a bewildered country. Now 50 years after the era Americans affectionately call the Age of Camelot, the country still contemplates what could have been if the assassin did not come calling that bright morning on the streets of Dallas.

I wonder how it might have turned out too for you, for Congo and Africa, if you had fully lived out your own possibilities and trumped the crises contrived for you in Congo. Would you have ended as another aborted hope or ultimately become a lone star of hope-fulfilled in this continent with a dearth of heroes? I wonder if you too would have ended up average like Julius Nyerere of Tanzania and Kenneth Kaunda of Zambia. Both men like you, flaunted great ideals but were ultimately trumped by realities.

Going by your passionate promise “…to make Congo the pride of Africa and ensure that the lands… truly benefit its children,” I doubt if you would have been so easily suckered by filthy lucre or the patronizing eulogies of your former masters like Mobutu. I doubt you would have allowed Congo to be serenaded down the path to hell, where it makes Joseph Conrad’s lines on the place as “... one of the darkest places of the earth” a selffulfilling prophecy.

Talking about Joseph Conrad and Congo, Adam Hochschild, historian and author of

King Leopold’s Ghost, had documented the great run on rubber in Congo and the nightmare unleashed by Leopold II. Sure you remember Joseph Conrad, author of the Heart of Darkness and you remember Leopold II, the so-called ‘Proprietor of the Congo’ and the king of Belgians, reputed for his massive beard and his massive greed. Going by Conrad and Hochschild’s accounts, it is one of the great ironies on the tragedies of Congo that the land still oozes with wealth. King Leopold’s pillage and the more indigenous despoliations of Marshal Mobutu have hardly made a dent on the nation’s immense natural resources. But the problem remains as you have rightly diagnosed in 1960; the Congo wealth has not benefited its own children. Now there are proofs that Congo’s great wealth is to be blamed for her great suffering. They say it is the chief reason why Congo has always “failed to benefit (her) children”.

Dear Lumumba, a major discovery in the last decade is that natural resources do not ordinarily confer economic progress on nations but the opposite in most cases. The state of reversed blessing is now euphemistically called the Paradox of Plenty or Resource Curse. Many resource-rich countries in Africa are today in various stages of that ailment but nowhere are the symptoms as acute as in Congo; your native country. As the most resource-rich patch in the continent, Congo follows the natural law of average by leading the pack in Africa as the darkest example on the paradox of plenty. You would have agreed with the prognosis if you see how things have turned out for the land now rent by war and deep despair.

I remember you gave a speech in 1960 on hope and a future better than the past. Today only few people know the meaning of hope and fewer still know the hue of the future. Those who claim to know say hope actually resides in the past. Dear Lumumba, as in many parts in Africa the future has long vacated the streets of your homeland. Now African youths routinely ply the Sahara staking their lives on illegal bids to sneak into Europe, where they think hope resides. The wind of change spoken about by Harold Macmillan in 1960 has become a virtual stench of dead hope sired by greed and bad leadership. These days only those in the presi-

dential palaces claim they can still see hope with power binoculars.

The other day I was thinking about youth in power and the power of youth. I thought about JFK and I thought about you. I found that you and JFK both came into power with great ideals in the flowers of your youth. You were 35 and he was 44. Kennedy made it into Washington shortly after you were rudely yanked from power in Kinshasa. You both ended tragically. But I wager it was less tragic for Kennedy. Ultimately the tragedy is less tragic for Kennedy because he still lives; even now many years after his death. JFK lives in the hearts of a country that has carried his ideals to the moon and back but Congo still wallows in the slough and carries on as if you never lived. My dear Lumumba, your name is even strange to the streets of Lubumbashi.

There, not many know you died for a great ideal and the love of your country. In both aftermaths America remembers but Congo forgets, and that obviously explains why America is not Congo.

Amnesia continues to wreak havoc in greater proportions than King Leopold II and Marshall Mobutu ever did. You too must be worried on how Congo could hope to chart a meaningful future away from its disorderly present without recourse to the past. It must therefore be heart-wrenching for you the other day as Americans remembered their JFK, knowing that neither Congo nor Africa had ever paused to ponder the essence of your ideals or the lessons of your death.

In many respects Congo is a metaphor for Africa. Some say we are like Sisyphus, destined for repeated errors by our deep aversion to history. They say it is the way we were made and it is why the graphs have always gone southwards. But some say things have actually improved since your violent exit in 1961 and they would be better in 2061; the centenary year of your assassination. Pity, I wouldn’t be here then. But judging from what obtains now, that seemingly long future may not be too difficult to predict.

Sleep on, dear Lumumba.

• Akinyosoye writes from Ile-Oluji, Ondo State

Mandela and true meaning of statesmanship

By Paul Irikefe ELSON Mandela was an avatar, and his legacy in Africa will N redefine the meaning of statesmanship. Unlike most Africa’s strongmen and despots, he did not come from poverty and anonymity to grasp the opportunity of his lifetime when he became first the leader of a struggle, and later the first black president of South Africa. No. He had choices. He could easily have remained in the eastern Cape of South Africa where his royal lineage guaranteed him succession or embraced his newfound life in Johannesburg where he had become along with Oliver Tambo the first black South African with a law firm.

He had all that, and family too.

And yet, and yet, he chose his nation over and above family and comfort. During his months of evasion and flight from security services, his child had asked him why he could not be with them always. And he had responded to that deeply personal question by saying that millions of other South African children needed him to be there for them too. On April 20, 1964, standing on the dock at Rivonia, he had proclaimed with uncommon courage and firm conviction: “I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony with equal opportunities. It is an ideal, which I hope to live for and to achieve. But if needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die.”

This sense of sacrifice and willingness to pay the ultimate price for his conviction came naturally to him. His empathy – the touchstone of good leadership— could not allow him live a normal life in the face of a system that rob his fellow South Africans their humanity and dignity. It made him give his freedom that they might be free. Later, this very character would propel him to seek for the total eradication of poverty and disease ( HIV/AIDS).

The jail forged him, and truly formed him into a mature, disciplined and dedicated man. Behind the bars, he had quickly transformed the struggle from a physical resistance into moral confrontation. “Free Mandela” soon quickly turned into a rallying cry not just in South Africa but around the world.

Mandela was truly different. Day after day of hard labour in a limestone quarry, chipping away at white rock under a merciless sun without as much as a protective eyewear, would eventually undo his tear-duct, but not his mind and heart. Eddie Daniels, a fellow prisoner in Robben Island had recalled how anytime he felt the depression and the pressure of the prison condition; he would just have to see the 6-ft. 2-in. Mandela walking tall through the courtyard and he would be revived once again. He had wept as he narrated how Mandela –“Mandela, my leader!”– came into his cell and crouched down to wash out his pail of vomit and blood and excrement.

Mandela was a man of character and intellect, and both for him are intrinsically interwoven. As a parent, a prisoner, and later as a president, education was dear to him – a far cry to its blithe disregard among many African leaders, past and present. He saw education and learning as lifelong commitment.

And even while in the island, he pursued his legal education and encouraged others to do the same. He realized that intellectual emancipation comes first before social liberation, and that the greatest bondage was the bondage of the mind.

In Africa, Mandela was not the first to move from prison to power, but he is now its greatest figure, and self-consciously so. The true character of the man was revealed when upon assumption into office, he continued to be the humble, sincere, and moral leader of the nation he so loved in his youth and struggled for before and during incarceration. In his consistency, conviction and courage, he unveiled a truly remarkable character the likes of which is a rarity in the continent.

More importantly, unlike Mugabe’s Zimbabwe that seized the land of white settlers and nationalized foreign industries, Mandela’s greatest gift was nurturing a rainbow culture of multi-racial, free, and tolerant society. He made a deal with the men who put him in prison for 27 years – a deal that temporarily protected the jobs, the lands and the industrial wealth of the white minority, a deal that made the disenfranchised majority wait patiently for their reparations, a deal that minimized the flight of white capital and expertise and averted a prolonged bloodbath.”

His final stage of apotheosis was his resistance to become an autocrat by freely chosen to be a one-term president. In this stroke of genius, Madiba rose above the tumult of African nationalists into its defining legend. It was certainly an action that made him the equal of the likes of George Washington who in serving one term in office, provided the basis of national unity and the model of future political succession and was said to be “the prime native hero, the necessary creation for a new country”, “the Patriot Hero of our Revolution, the Christian statesman of our Republic, great in goodness, and good in greatness.”

In these three phases of his life – protester, prisoner, and president – Nelson Mandela has proven once and for all, that leadership matters, that good leadership is possible, that a nation becomes great when there are people who self-consciously choose principle over power, reconciliation over revenge, greatness over greed, the nation over the self, sometimes over the tyranny of cousins and tribes. Africa will never be the same because Madiba lived here.

• Rev. Fr. Irikefe is the author of Why Nigeria is not Working: The Predicament and the Promise. He currently teaches at the Catholic Major Seminary of SS. Peter and Paul, Bodija, Ibadan.

14

Friday, December 13, 2013

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

Opinion Revamping the manufacturing sector

By Roberts Orya “Manufacturing is one of the sectors that will contribute to the long-term economic growth in Nigeria. When we factor in the value chain, we see even brighter economic prospects. “ HE Nigerian manufacturing sector has beT gun to experience statistical growth. It is an important point to make, in spite of the cynicism towards statistical expression of performances of economic indicators in Nigeria.

But part of the economic transformation that is taking place in the country is that public and private sector institutions are now producing analytics for better understanding of what is going on in the economy. More systematic approaches to data-gathering are helping to provide reliable information which guide economic and investment decisions, in line with the trend in the advanced and emerging markets, where regional, national and sectoral data are crucial in understanding the state of the economies and the performance of their industries.

According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), the performance of the manufacturing sector has been strengthening. The sector grew by 8.41 per cent in Q1 2013. It was a performance that even bettered the impressive growth of 7.70 per cent in the last quarter of 2012. This upswing in the performance of one of the sectors that hold the ace for Nigeria’s economic transformation was corroborated by researchers at FBN Capital, one of the leading investment banking and financial advisory groups in Nigeria. FBN Capital’s Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) has maintained a reading above 50 points since the “headline reading” of 59.6 per cent at its launch in April 2013. The PMI methodology indicates 50 points as flat performance; a reading above its growth, while lower reading indicates contraction.

Although far from glory days, the Nigerian manufacturing sector currently constitutes 10 per cent of our GDP. This is significant for a frontier market, and at this stage of Nigeria’s development. The sector accounts for about 12 per cent of employment in the formal sector.

In spite of the decline in the sector a few years ago, the consumer goods sub sector has always been vibrate. After decades of domination by multinational food and beverage franchises, recent growth in manufacturing has seen strong contribution by indigenous manufacturers, who have come into fortune

because of the policy support under the Transformation Agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan, and the fillip provided by his predecessors.

A Manufacturing Hub Nigeria has been a sort of manufacturing hub for West Africa for decades. A huge percentage of the trade in manufactured products that linked the sub region is informal. Pharmaceutical products and other consumer manufactured goods had fuelled Nigerian exports to Ghana, Sierra Leone, Gambia, Liberia and a swath of Francophone West African countries, until China took aim at the sub region to dump inferior quality items from the 1990s.

But Nigeria is set to regain its status as the central nervous system for manufacturing and distribution on the West coast of Africa, for a number of reasons.

Unlike in the 1970s through to the last decade, China now cares much more than economic growth that is achieved through foul trade practices such as dumping. Now the second-largest world economy – one that aims to be more influential in global diplomacy – China has begun to reform its industrial practices, and is aiming to shift from manufacturing of inferior quality products to leveraging hi-tech. Moreover, China is transitioning from a low-wage economy as domestic consumption has been identified to be a major support for economic growth for the country, moving forward.

The status of Nigeria in manufacturing in West Africa can hardly be challenged. A domestic consumer base of over 170 million people ensures that local demands are strong and supportive of investment in manufacturing.

This is particularly so as a result of the growing middle class in Nigeria that is boosting consumption. Thus, it is reasonable, that foreign investors in the region look at setting up in Nigeria and then export excess capacity to other countries in the region. A reverse strategy is a non-starter. While infrastructural support for trade of manufactured goods in the country has been inadequate (but improving), more serious logistical, nontariff barriers will thwart any effort to serve Nigeria’s needs from a manufacturing base elsewhere in West Africa. Not surprisingly, therefore, some of the manufacturing companies that moved out of Nigeria a few years ago are now returning.

A number of reforms are reshaping the manufacturing sector in Nigeria. The NBS has more recently attributed the growth in the

sector to implementation of the power sector reforms. The full effect of the reforms is a promise than what we currently experience. It is therefore expected that the era of more stable grid-electricity power supply, which Nigeria now has on the horizon, would ensure that products manufactured in Nigeria move towards price-competitiveness. It will also drive other efficiency factors. As I had mentioned, this Administration has pressed on with addressing infrastructural deficiencies. As a first step in the rail transportation, some of the old rail lines have been revamped and are now operational. This and some proposals for new tracks will support establishment of an agricultural corridor to connect agricultural produce to agro-processing industries.

A number of policy supports, including fiscal incentives and establishment of free trade zones, have underlined government’s efforts to lift the manufacturing sector. General Electric is one of the global manufacturers that have taken advantage of this in recent times.

Its $1 billion investment in a service and manufacturing facility in Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria adds to the high profile nonoil foreign direct investment in the country. Of bigger scale is the $9 billion investment of Dangote Group in petroleum refining, petrochemical and fertiliser plant in the Olokola Free Trade Zone.

SME manufacturing is not overlooked. Part of the credit goes to the strong advocacy of the very vibrant trade association for the sector: Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN).

Its leadership has been persistent in calling for more favourable fiscal environment and removal of barriers to the growth of the sector.

Where MAN has been helpless (although not altogether without assistance), is the area of high interest rate charged by the commercial banks. A number of financing initiatives including an SME fund sponsored by Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) have been addressed to the special funding needs of manufacturers of smaller scale. That we have need of more lowcost finance solution is well acknowledged by policymakers, although macroeconomic goals that impact interests rates are much more difficult to achieve at the current level of success with diversification of the economy.

Nexim Bank in the Solution Mix The Nigerian Export – Import Bank has been working closely with some manufacturers in Nigeria since we formulated our “MASS Agenda.” We thought that the manufacturing, agro-processing, solid minerals and services

sectors were very important frontiers of jobrich growth that the country needed to give welfarist meaning to the impressive GDP growth Nigeria has experienced since much of the last decade. Specifically, since 2010, NEXIM Bank has been assisting some manufacturers to retool. We have funded complete overhaul of facilities for some manufacturer clients. Manufacturing evolves with technology. Therefore, our interventions usually assist manufacturers to adopt new technology in the form of new equipment and machinery.

As a development finance institution (DFI), NEXIM Bank’s facilities, including for manufacturers, are priced below the exorbitant market rate of the commercial banks. For a number of our loan beneficiaries, our facilities have been critical to their ability to take advantage of opportunities that require them to expand their capacity, or acquire more cost-efficient facilities to improve the quality of their products. In either scenario, jobs are on the line. We look to create and sustain jobs in the manufacturing sector.

We hope to scale up our impacts. By 2015, Nexim Bank aims to provide about N42 billion in short and long-term financing to the manufacturing sector. This will represent about 6 per cent of total funding needs of the sector. With this, we hope to directly mediate about 4 per cent of total production value in manufacturing, and create and support over 70,000 jobs. Our specific view of the sector is to identify key areas of growth dynamics. As a result of local consumption capacity and local sourcing of raw materials, Nexim Bank will focus significant parts of its intervention on these subsectors: food and beverage, wood products, domestic and industrial plastic/rubber products, steel and alloy products.

An up-to-date view of the sector is not that it is comatose; it is revamping. The growth potential in the manufacturing sector is huge.

Manufacturing is one of the sectors that will contribute to the long-term economic growth in Nigeria. When we factor in the value chain, we see even brighter economic prospects. Nexim Bank will continue to innovate on how to support, in particular, exportmanufacturers in fulfilment of its mandate.

We are taking another major step in this direction with our buyer credit facility which is in the offing and will be launched by 2015.

• Orya is Managing Director / Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Export – Import Bank.

Young people, time to act now

By Sheila Tlou N December 6-7, 2013, Ministers of education and health O from 21 countries in Eastern and Southern Africa gathered in Cape Town, South Africa, to agree on a political commitment based on UN and civil society supported recommendations.

These recommendations for sexuality education and sexual and reproductive health services in the region have the potential to bring about critical improvements in the education, wellbeing and life chances of millions of young people as well as the development of the region as a whole.

Yet, the futures and lives of millions of young people hang in the balance as ministers decide whether or not to take the recommendations on board and commit to bold action - now.

This is why I am raising awareness of the issues at stake, the decisions ministers took and the impact of their decisions on the millions of young lives today, and millions more in the future.

The ministerial meeting on December 6-7 was a defining moment for the HIV epidemic, for young women and a turning point in the history of how we empower adolescents and young people to exercise their rights to education, health and citizenship. As young people, parents, teachers, leaders and decision-makers – together – we must do everything we can to ensure our education and health ministers are aware of these issues and the solutions proposed and make sure they commit to take urgent action for adolescents and young people today.

With all the evidence pointing to the benefits that comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) and sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services can provide in a rapidly changing society, why is it so vital that the region’s health and education

ministers make this commitment in December?

A new report on the region - Young People Today. Time To Act Now - provides many of the answers. In terms of HIV, there has been very encouraging news recently – 6.3 million people are on treatment and far larger numbers of people are living longer and healthier lives. Also, the rates of new infections are declining in some countries in the region. Despite this, we are still seeing 430,000 new HIV infections per year occur among people aged 15-24. That translates to 50 new infections every hour, with the majority occurring among young women. It is notable that 30 years into this epidemic, less than 60 per cent of young people in the region still don’t know basic facts on preventing HIV infection.

Central to the recommendations is the need to provide – at scale – a combination of CSE from primary school onwards and SRH services, thereby creating an integrated approach with adolescents and young people at the centre. These actions will see ministries working together to increase the support to adolescents and young people so they can lead healthier, more informed and responsible lives. The report’s recommendations are do-able and cost-effective – and will save young lives.

We cannot afford to be complacent and let this situation continue. Currently, 2.6 million young people are living with HIV – education and health have the mandate, the resources and the responsibility to make an AIDS free future a reality for the next generation. This will only happen if we enable teachers and health providers to reach out to young people with appropriate education, information and access to services and commodities.

As well as HIV, many other sexual and reproductive health is-

sues are challenging young people. These include high levels of early and unintended pregnancies and high levels of maternal deaths. As the global community looks back on how far we have come since the International Conference on Population Development (ICPD) in Cairo 20 years ago, and as we gear up for a post 2015 agenda, we need to change the narrative in our region. The ICASA meeting of education and health leaders offers a huge opportunity. We need to ask ourselves if we have delivered on what was promised by way of providing young people with the best start in adult life and giving them everything they need to make informed decisions to negotiate the realities of the 21st century.

Ministries, civil society organisations – including youth organisations – and a wide range of stakeholders in education and health are already involved in meetings at country level on what needs to go into this ministerial commitment. The partners in this initiative are ready to support us in implementing the changes. I am totally committed to making sure our adolescents and young people have what it takes to lead healthier and more informed lives, where they make decisions about their own futures. If you are a parent, a teacher, a community leader and most of all a young person anywhere in the region, find a way to make your voice heard. With the December ministerial meeting and the ICASA conference in Cape Town over, I urge you to talk with your ministers of health or education and talk to UNAIDS, UNESCO, UNFPA and UNICEF country offices. We must make sure that young people’s futures are recognized, valued and protected. It’s time to act now.

• Prof Tlou is the Regional Director UNAIDS and Chairperson, High Level Group on the ESA Commitment.

Friday, December 13, 2013

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

15

Business Fuel marketers may sanction members over new loading policy From Collins Olayinka, Abuja S yuletide period beckons with expected increase in the consumption of petroleum products, concomitant unethical practices in the supply chain among petroleum marketers may attract sanctions from the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association (IPMAN).

Already, IPMAN has warned its members to adhere strictly to the “First in First out” (FIFO), a petroleum products loading policy introduced by the Pipelines and Product Marketing Company (PPMC) or face sanction.

IPMAN said in Abuja via a statement that the policy was aimed at sanitizing the loading system of both the PMS, DPK and AGO, directing all its zonal chairmen and depot heads to comply to ensure the immediate clearance of outstanding tickets.

The statement, which was signed by the National President of the association, Aminu Abdulkadir and secretary, Mike Osatuyi, warned that the leadership of the association will be left with no option than to sanction any member, zonal or depot executive flouting the rule as stipulated by the PPMC. IPMAN declared that it would view non-compliance as a deliberate attempt to sabotage the smooth supply of petroleum products to every parts of the country during the Christmas and New Year celebrations.

Before now, PPMC had written IPMAN expressing concern over delay in compliance to its new products loading policy which entails that products loading at depot should be based on first come first serve basis.

In a quick response to the PPMC letter, IPMAN had on Tuesday this week directed all its zonal chairmen from the North Western, Western, Eastern, Mid-Western and North Eastern zones as well as depot managers to ensure strict compliance to the policy.

The statement read in part: “The National president of IPMAN received a letter from PPMC management on the above subject matter. The President in consultation with the principal NEC officials review the policy extensively and agreed that the policy will sanitize the loading system of PMS, DPK, and AGO." In view of the PPMC directive, IPMAN subsequently directed all zonal chairmen and particular depots chairmen to comply with the directive above of FIFO to enable the association clear the outstanding tickets and to pursue the circle programme of depots religiously. The statement added: "Fresh tickets should not be issued until all outstanding DPK tickets are cleared in the concern depots."

A

Dangote unfolds $16b four-year investment plan ANGOTE Group has D unfolded plans to invest about $16 billion (N2.6 trillion) in cement, petrochemicals and agriculture over the next four years under its business expansion programme.

“We are investing $4.7 billion to finish our projects in cement in about 18 countries, including Nigeria.We are also spending about $2.3 billion on agriculture, which is sugar and rice”, the group’s President, Alhaji Aliko Dangote said in an interview.

The group also plans to invest $9 billion in the building of an oil refinery, petro-

chemical and fertilizer complex.

The investment will help the group grow by almost a third in 2014, said Dangote, who is worth $22.1 billion according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, making him the world’s 34th richest man.

“We are very, very optimistic for 2014 -- we are expecting average growth of 30 per cent group wide,” he added.

Dangote Cement Plc, Africa’s biggest producer of the building material, said in April it plans to double its yearly total cement output to 55 million tonnes by 2015, boosted by

new production in Cameroon, Zambia and South Africa.

Dangote Sugar Refinery Plc, which plans to start exports to Liberia, Senegal and Mauritania next year, aims to almost double refining capacity to 2.75 million tonnes by 2017 and increase sugar crop production, its chief executive officer, Abdullahi Sule said in August.

According to Dangote, “we are going to do a backward integration for rice by growing the crop as well as distributing it. We think Nigeria can be self sufficient in rice pro-

duction in the next three to four years.”

Dangote also plans to invest in a natural gas power plant to help provide electricity to Africa’s most populous nation, where a supply of 4,000 megawatts of electricity is less than half of demand.

Nigeria, Africa’s biggest producer of crude oil, relies on motor fuel imports to meet more than 70 per cent of its needs.

“The only new investment we are looking at is upstream -- to look for gas to secure our future businesses. We want to step in and make gas avail-

able, and this will translate into more stable power in the country”, he said.

Dangote Industries had agreed to a $3.3 billion loan with 12 local and international banks to help fund construction of a $9 billion petroleum oil refinery and petrochemical and fertilizer complex in Nigeria, Standard Chartered Plc, the global coordinator of the deal, said in September 4.

Dangote Cement shares have gained 56 per cent this year, valuing the company at N3.4 billion ($21.5 billion). Dangote Sugar shares are also up by 93 per cent this year.

Deputy Managing Director, Access Bank Plc, Herbert Wigwe (left); Chairman, Gbenga Oyebode; Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, and former Executive Vice Chairman/CEO, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Ernest Ndukwe, during the 2013 Access Bank conference, yesterday, in Lagos.

Lagos to decommission 4000 masts from January

By Adeyemi Adepetun BOUT 4000 masts in Lagos metropolis may be decommissioned from January by the state government, for non-compliance with quality standard for the facility’s erection.

Already, the government has given final warning to the owners of the non-compliant old masts.

According the state’s agency in charge of urban planning-the Urban Furniture Regulatory Unit (URFU), for more than two years, the state have been urging local users of ordinary masts in Lagos, including banks, Internet service providers, insurance firms, oil companies, hotels, hospitals, government agencies, local governments, uni-

A

versities, motor companies, among others, to begin the process of decommissioning their old mast structures and commission the construction of new compliant ones.

Head of URFU, Joe Igbokwe, who issued the warning on Wednesday, disclosed that there are about 4000 masts in the state, noted that the agency carried out integrity tests on selected sites and found out that the whole lot cannot stand the test of time in Lagos, considering its coastal nature and the global climate change.

Igbokwe said so far, the state has recorded only five per cent compliance since the campaign started, stressing that they have asked the operators to change their masts

from the old hollow pipe to galvanized ones for safety purposes.

To show that Lagos State Government is serious about the matter, the URFU boss said the state governor; Babatunde Fashola decommissioned the old mast at Lagos House, Alausa and commissioned a new one that met the standards set by the agency.

“Now you will think that this show of leadership by example by the governor will encourage the operators to move into action by gradually removing the old masts and replacing them with new approved ones.

“No, they are still foot dragging. We have been speaking to them since last year, and

yet we have not seen any serious commitment from them.

Our deadline still stands on December 31. Granted that it may be difficult for some of them to meet the deadline because they have not even started something we want to encourage them to continue to do more and go the whole hog in doing what is right.

For those that are yet to start, please do not put to test our will. We mean business”, Igbokwe stated.

According to him, some of the operators feel that the state is not serious on the matter by giving them till the end of this year, “ I will advise such people to wait till January 2014 and see action.

Commissioning new masts in Lagos is in the best interest of

the owners and Lagos state government. Life is too precious to be wasted, as a school of though says, prevention is better than cure.

“URFU wants the users of these local masts to go into action now as a matter of urgency to avoid accidents, injuries and deaths. A stitch in time saves nine”, he stated.

He informed that if URFU would have to decommissioned the masts, defaulting operators may pay between N250, 000 to N500, 000 for it, stressing that between five and 10 people had lost their lives following the collapse of masts in the state.

Besides, he reiterated that it would be more costly for them, because they would still need to get fresh permit from the state.

16 Friday, December 13, 2013

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

Friday, December 13, 2013

THE GUARDIANwww.ngrguardiannews.com

17

TheMetroSection Uproar as soldier kills two in Warri • Families petition military high command and Inspector General of Police, demand justice From Chido Okafor, Warri

The ruthless murder of the two men drew immense condemnation from all who witnessed the incident, especially traders at the Ughelli Market, who on the day of the killings, locked up their stores in protest against the killings THE alleged killing of a commercial å cyclist, Efe Ewugharodo, 32, and an innocent passer-by, Felix Adjeke, 37, a security man with the Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company Ltd, by a trigger-happy soldier in Ughelli, Delta State, is generating tension, even as the families of the deceased have petitioned the military high command and the Inspector General of Police, seeking a probe into the killings.

Both men were allegedly felled by bullets from the same soldier.

While Ewugharodo was killed on the spot, Felix Adjeke was unfortunate to have been in the background, when Ewugharodo was shot at. He was killed by a stray bullet.

It was gathered that at about 7.45a.m. on Thursday, December 5, 2013, some soldiers attached to 222 Battalion, Agbarha-Otor, providing security for Setraco Nigeria Limited, which is constructing a bridge by the Ughelli Main Market, blocked a section of the road to dissuade vehicles and motorcycles from accessing the road.

The inexplicable blockade of the road by the soldiers caused heavy traffic build-up.

In the ensuing confusion, the victim, Ewugharodo, was beaten by a soldier to the extent that he fell from his motorcycle. The victim, subsequently, demanded to know from the said soldier why such inhuman treatment was meted out on him. The incident drew the attention of other soldiers who joined in beating the victim.

A soldier then emerged from nowhere and shot the victim twice on the chest and forehead, and the victim slumped and died on the spot.

The victim was thereafter taken by the soldiers in their Pick-Up van to the

The late Felix Adjeke premises of the Nigeria Police, “A” Division, and Ughelli from where his corpse was deposited at the morgue of the Central Hospital, Ughelli.

The Guardian learnt that when Efe was being shot by the soldier, Felix Adjeke, who was taking his two children to school, was also hit by a stray bullet and was taken by the soldiers to the premises of Setraco Nigeria Ltd., along Ughelli/Patani Road, Ughelli, where he died. He was subsequently taken to the Central Hospital, Ughelli where the corpse was deposited.

Both victims were married with three children each, it was learnt.

The ruthless murder of the two men

The late Efe Ewugharodo drew immense condemnation from all who witnessed the incident, especially traders at the Ughelli Market, who on the day of the killings, locked up their stores in protest against the killings.

Also, on Wednesday, a human rights group, the Forum for Justice and Human Rights Defence, (FJHD) condemned the extra-judicial murder of the duo.

The Commander of the 222 Batallion, Lt. Col. Victor Ibeh, said Ewugharodo was shot when he tried to disarm a soldier.

But the National Coordinator of the FJHD, Oghenejabor Ikimi, said Ibeh’s

allegation was both an afterthought and an attempt by the military to sweep the matter under the carpet, which “we hope to resist in the law court.”

He said: “In the light of the degree of impunity and indiscipline exhibited by the above soldiers in the public, we call on the Army authorities in the state to fish out the said erring soldiers for possible court martial and their subsequent handover to the Police authorities in the state for investigation and prosecution for murder to serve as a deterrent to other bloodthirsty soldiers as we are not in a jungle where might is right.”

Briefs Coke, Etisalat, others boost Journalists’ Estate Xmas party EADING soft drinks proL ducer, Coca Cola Nigeria and telecommunications provider Etisalat Nigeria, along with several corporate organisations will boost this year’s Christmas Party organised by Journalist Estate Residents Development Association (JERDA) in Arepo, Ogun State.

Other sponsors include Grand Oak, Pepsi, Promasidor, May and Baker, Friesland Campina Wamco and BG Water. The event is also being supported

by Flourmills and Prominent individuals.

The corporate organisations have donated products and promotional gift items towards the children party.

According to the Chairman of the Planning Committee for JERDA 2013 End of Year Party, Mr. John Ajayi, the response of the companies demonstrate that they believe in the welfare of children and journalists.

He added: “This yearly children party and get-together has become one of the unique ways we bond together as members of a united family and this year’s edition will not be an exception.”

Activities lined up for the event slated for Saturday, December 14 include Children’s Christmas Party which will start by 11:00 a.m. and end at 6:00 p.m., gift packs for kids, games, bouncing castle, quiz and dancing competition.

This will be followed by visitation and donation of gift items to an orphanage home in Abeokuta, Ogun State. There will also be an adult dinner dance from 6.00 p.m. till dawn.

The programme will also accommodate a health walk-out on December 14, 2013 from 7.00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.

Pan-African Merit Awards HE Pan-African Merit Awards T 2013/Dinner organised by Delta Business School holds today at Rodozzio, No. 29, Isaac John, GRA, Ikeja, Lagos at noon..

For enquiries, call the Chairman, Awards Committee, Christian Akpotohwo, on 08023242600 or visitdeltabusinessschoo@yahoo.com.

ECOBA holds dinner / dance Sunday

Photonews

HE Lagos State branch of T Edo College Old Boys’ Association (ECOBA), Lagos State,

A fallen truck in front of Rutam House on Oshodi-Apapa Expressway, Lagos...yesterday

PHOTO: ABDULWAHEED USAMAH

will hold its yearly dinner/dance on Sunday, December 15, at Sheraton Hotel & Towers, on Mobolaji Bank Anthony Way, Ikeja, Lagos at 5.00 p.m.

A statement by the Chairman of the Dinner Committee, Adegboyega Jamgbadi, said the event “promises to be a spectacular evening of, entertainment, camaraderie, networking, nostalgic reunion, excellent dining and music”.

He further stated the event would also be used to recognise and award deserving members of the association.

The Managing Director of Schlumberger Nigeria Limited, Andy Olotu, an engineer, will be chairman while Senator Victor Kassim Isa Oyofo, the incumbent Chairman of ECOBA, Lagos branch, is the host.

18

Friday, December 13, 2013

THE GUARDIANwww.ngrguardiannews.com

‘We are prepared for criminals this Christmas’

By Odita Sunday HE Lagos State Police Command says it has put in place adequate security plans to forestall violent crimes ahead of the Christmas and New Year festivities.

The command boss announced that special security strategies have been evolved to secure public places, including worship centres, markets, departmental stores, fun parks, gardens and event venues during the Yuletide.

Alhaji Umar Manko, who spoke to newsmen in Lagos on Wednesday, warned criminals

T

Briefs Lagos decries burying of corpses in residential areas

By Kamal Tayo Oropo AGOS State government has warned residents of Mushin Local Council in the state to comply with laws prohibiting burial of family members on private properties located within their community.

According to the government, such practice poses a major challenge for government to relocate such corpses in the course of road constructions in such areas.

The State Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat gave the warning shortly before the State Governor Mr. Babatunde Fashola handed over 16 completed networks of roads in Mushin Local Council, totaling 10.127 kilometres.

Hamzat also appealed to the residents to take ownership of the road and report persons who flagrantly abuse the roads.

"I would like to implore the residents, road users, the corporate community and the CDAs to assume ownership of these facilities and ensure that all forms of abuse, including cutting across or along the roads are prevented since provisions have been made for service ducts to accommodate underground services”.

"Residents of this area are also implored to clear drains regularly in order to prolong the lifespan of the roads”.

Fashola also appealed to residents to shun the culture of trading on roads and walkways and other forms of activities that constitute nuisance on the roads.

to the leave Lagos and its environs or face the full wrath of his men, who he said, were scattered in every nook and cranny of the state in mufty.

According to Manko: “We are prepared for Christmas and New Year celebrations. The state government started what it called “Cross-Over Night” last year, it is coming up on December 31, so the count-down has started already, the climax is on the 31st of this month. We have drawn an operation plan that would take care of all the celebrations in Lagos within this period. Officers and men of my command, including myself have been assigned responsibilities, so that Lagosians would celebrate in a peaceful atmosphere. I can assure you that it would be a crime-free Yuletide.”

“Our presence has made it impossible for people to snatch vehicles. The era of road-blocks have gone for good, but our

presence would be everywhere. I would also let you know that our response time to distress calls has improved and we would continue to improve until we get it right. We have re-designed our strategies making optimum use of the vehicles available at our disposal. The Inspector General of Police and the Lagos State government have kept on supporting us.”

“Lagosians should watch out and feed us back on the improvement of our distress call response time. We have redesigned our plans, that is why we are not recording serious criminals activities in Lagos.

We have moved away from the traditional patrol to ‘Convoy patrol’, this is our new initiative. We intend to improve on it with time. I dare criminals to try us and see their reward.”

The police boss said he now leads patrol at midnights these days.

A cross-section of combat-ready policemen

L

Lagosians excited as Lagos Countdown 2013 begins AGOS residents have expressed excitement and enL thusiasm at the year-end cross over initiative of the Lagos State Government tagged Lagos Countdown as the 2013 edition of the event formally began at the weekend.

A cross section of Lagos residents, who converged on the popular Bar Beach at Victoria Island last Saturday to witness the Lagos Seafood Festival, said they looked forward to very exciting moments throughout the period of the countdown event, as they witnessed last year.

A financial analyst, Mr. Michael Abiodun, said he anticipated lots of fun, stressing that, “the Seafood Festival has set the right tone for the Lagos Countdown 2013 going by what I have seen here today.”

He added that for Lagos renowned as the “Centre of Excellence”, it was obvious that this year’s countdown event would usher in the New Year with much fun, describing it as a welcome initiative.

Another resident, Mrs. Felicia Adegoke, a banker, recalled with nostalgia the television clips of last

“I didn’t have time to take my kids to the Countdown Village (bar beach) last year, we only watched the fireworks on television. But, this year I will surely take them there to have fun”, she said.

Speaking on the commencement of Lagos Countdown 2013, the Managing Director, Lagos State Signage and Advertising Agency (LASAA), Mr. George Noah, assured participants the best form of all-round fun as never before.

While revealing that the various events lined up were designed to keep the Bar Beach alive, he called on schools and parents to take advantage of the children’s corner to give their pupils and wards the best holiday experience.

“Children had very exciting time here last year that sometime many of them did not feel like going back home. This year again we have made provision for the Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola (SAN) children’s corner where they will enjoy themselves to year’s breath-taking fireworks display she watched, the fullest. So we welcome schools, parents and chilpromising that she and her family would not miss the dren to the world of fun at the Lagos Countdown real live event this year.

2013”, Noah said.

Blessing Umoh wins City of Lagos Monopoly Tournament

Church holds thanksgiving service HANKGOD Awaited LiberT ation Ministry, 91, Awolowo Way, Ikeja, Lagos holds its yearly thanksgiving service on Sunday, December 15, with the theme: “Celebrating Kingdom Power,’’ at 9.00am.

C & S Unification Church celebrates HIS year’s Ark of Covenant Anniversary Celebration of Cherubim & Seraphim (C&S) Unification Church of Nigeria Ona-Iwa Mimo Oke Ayo Headquarters has begun. There will be revival on Thursday, December 19 at 6.00p.m., every Friday is vigil at 10p.m.

It will end with a thanksgiving service on Sunday, December 22, 2013 at Km 47, Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, opposite Redemption Camp, Mowe Ogun State at 10.00am.

The Host is M.O. Ogunyooye.

T

Blessing with other students of Caro Favoured College at the event...

ESTMAN Games in conand was awarded to Umoh junction with Junior Blessing, a 10-year-old stuAchievement Nigeria organ- dent of Caro Favoured Colized an outstanding onelege, Ajegunle. day tournament for schools Blessing also received 365 in Lagos. days worth of meal vouchThe City of Lagos edition of ers from Sweet Sensation Monopoly Inter-School eatery as well as a super-size tournament was an exciting City of Lagos Monopoly school social event held at board, courtesy of Bestman Terra Kulture in Victoria IsGames. land on Tuesday, December The second prize was an 10, 2013. electronic tablet sponsored The grand cash prize of by online retailer Jumia.com N500,000 was sponsored and went to Ndu Godfrey of

by First Bank of Nigeria Plc. Top Grade Secondary

B

School, Surulere and the third prize went to Ayotunde Olaita of Fountain Heights School, who received 180 days worth of meal vouchers from 3 Cousins and a Crook BBQ, Lekki.

To mark its first anniversary, Bestman Games, as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), will donate City of Lagos Monopoly boards to the students of the winning school.

With the support of Lagos State Government and Junior Achievement Nigeria, Bestman Games is using this novel tool to present some basic lessons in resource management by educating players (students), especially about the importance of financial literacy and the encouragement of personal financial responsibility from an early age.

Special guests in attendance included, wife of Lagos State governor, Dame

Emmanuela Abimbola Fashola, Assistant Director of Education, Mrs. Balogun Oluremi, Head, CSR for First Bank of Nigeria Plc., Mr. Ismail Omamegbe, Managing Director, Sweet Sensation, Mr. Tunde Kamson and Directors of Bestman Games, Mr. Odein Ajumogobia and Mrs. Ibukun Awosika.

Please visit www.bestmangames.com or email info@bestmangames.com to register your school for the next tournament.

Friday, December 13, 2013

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

Weekend

Crisis looms over new automotive policy Arts & Culture P. 36

Autowheels P.44

Collective rights management‌ Recasting

Emergencies in aviation: Automobiles gearing up for New Year How prepared is Nigeria?

the legal framework for, against monopoly

Business Travels P.46

19

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

20 WEEKEND Friday, December 13, 2013

Govt justifies new automotive The recent approval of a new automotive policy by the Federal Executive Council is generating controversy.

TAIWO HASSAN writes on the wider implications of the new initiative and why some stakeholders are worried

HE recent approval by the Federal Executive T Council (FEC) of a new policy for the nation’s automobile industry has been generating concerns. The policy aims, principally at encouraging automobile companies operating in the country to commence the process of setting up vehicle assembly plants for local production of vehicles next year.

For the proponents of the new policy, it was high time for the nation’s automobile sector to be turned around. The automobile industry is over dependent on the nation’s economy, rather than being a major driver. It has contributed only about four per cent to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) on a yearly basis.

The reason may not be far fetched. Past administrations in the country to fashion out an elaborate plan to revitalise the sector, which had led to a polarization.

The influx of used (tokunbo) vehicles into the country is also largely viewed as a disincentive, as manufacturers have continued to jettison the idea of setting up assembly plants, and failure of past governments to stop the influx of fairly used cars into the country.

At the opening ceremony of the 15th Abuja International Motor fair recently, the VicePresident, Namadi Sambo said that the only way Nigeria, as a country, could become competitive with other global automobile giants, was to review its automotive policy and give priority to local companies that desire to develop the sector.

According to him, auto companies operating in the country should start looking towards setting up assembly plants for the production of Made-in-Nigeria-vehicles, to enable government justify its desired objective to develop the transport.

He said: “That is why the Federal Government has been investing heavily in the transport sector, and recently, we came out with a blueprint on how to develop the Nigerian automobile industry. And happily,

The Federal Government has been investing heavily in the transport sector, and recently, we came out with a blueprint on how to develop the Nigerian automobile industry. And happily, most of the manufacturers are supporting the policy. I wish to use this medium to call on others that are yet to buy into the idea to support it and start preparing to open assembling plants in Nigeria. We have done it in the telecommunication sector; we are doing it in the power sector and the automotive sector is on the line now most of the manufacturers are supporting the policy. I wish to use this medium to call on others that are yet to buy into the idea to support it and start preparing to open assembling plants in Nigeria. We have done it in the telecommunication sector; we are doing it in the power sector and the automotive sector is on the line now.”

He continued: “The gains of having functional and well-standard assembly plants in the country cannot be quantified because of the enormous potentials awaiting Nigeria at the international auto stage as one of the producers of vehicles.

“Now, the onus lies in the hands of the auto dealers to convince their foreign partners to key into the government’s aspiration for the industry because the new auto policy provides the platform for Nigeria to becoming a truly giant of Africa and an industrialised nation.

Apart from the abundant opportunities, it was the government’s objective to see in the near future that local vehicles dominate the country’s highways, thus elevating the country’s status at the international stage as one of the auto making nations.”

A recent memo by the Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, sent to the ComptrollerGeneral of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Dikko Inde Abdullahi, directed that imported

fully built unit (FBU) cars shall now attract 35 per cent duty and 35 per cent levy, totaling 70 per cent. The increase in duty, from the present 20 per cent to 70 per cent, is in line with the Federal Government’s new automotive policy announced recently, by the Minister of Trade and Investment, Olusegun Aganga.

The Finance Minister’s memo also stated that the duty on buses has also been raised from 10 per cent to 35 per cent without levy.

The minister’s directive, dated November 14, 2013, and also sent to Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), destination inspection service providers namely Cotecna Destination Inspection Limited, Global Scan System and SGS Nigeria Limited, also averred that approval for the introduction of the new fiscal measures was granted by President Goodluck Jonathan.

The memo explained that the new measures were coming about six weeks after the Federal Executive Council approved a far-reaching automotive industry development plan, designed to boost activities in the industry and also attract foreign investments.

“The above measures are to create an environment to support existing assembly plants and attract other Original Equipment Manufacturers who have expressed interest in Nigeria”, OkonjoIweala said.

Aganga said the policy was aimed at encourag-

ing local production of vehicles and reviving the auto industry.

At a crucial meeting with automobile importers/representatives of Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) in Abuja, Aganga asserted that the new automobile policy was the only way out for Nigeria to be recognized at the international stage, as an automobile manufacturing nation, if well implemented.

His words: “The meeting with major automobile importers in the country was very fruitful as it provided the opportunity to iron out lingering issues. It also afforded us the opportunity to understand what their concerns are. They have all endorsed the policy but what they are asking for is a level playing ground for every player in the auto sector and also to have more input in the implementation of the policy.

“This is not a problem at all because the next step we usually take with all the policies that we have is to have an industry group to monitor and work with us in the implementation stage. So, we have set up a committee to work with us in the implementation of the policy.

For the Director-General, National Automotive Council (NAC), Alhaji Aminu Jalal, the new auto policy “is a clarion call that would have positive impact, not only for the country’s automobile industry, but also the transport sector as a whole.

According to him, the Council and the Ministry of Trade and Investment are working round the clock to ensure that stakeholders embrace and key in into the government’s new automotive policy.

However, the announcement did not go down well with the major renowned automobile dealers, who represent the franchise and distributors of world’s automakers in the country. They insisted that the government did not carry them along. What the government only did, they stated, was to have a discussion with them on its intention to revive

Friday, December 13, 2013 WEEKEND 21

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

policy, critics predict chaos the industry.

Divulging part of the blueprint’s contents, a top management staff of Toyota Nigeria Limited said that automobile companies were surprised with the FEC’s pronouncement, as the Ministry of Trade and Investments and NAC only held a meeting with some selected key stakeholders in the industry about the new automotive policy. But he insisted that as stakeholders, their inputs were essential before a White Paper on the policy could be produced and announced to Nigerians.

The Managing Director, Sadeb Ports Care Limited, a shipping and automobile company, Rasak Ishola, said that industry stakeholders were not fully carried along before the FEC’s announcement over the ratification of the policy.

He alleged that a renowned automobile company was the architect behind the federal government’s hasty decision, “because of the company’s closeness to the Presidency.”

Despite the pessimism over the government’s timing, industry stakeholders still supported the plan for the commencement of local assembling of vehicles in the country. They are however concerned about the many challenges currently facing the industry, especially when the basic infrastructure is not yet in place.

Already, Nissan and West African conglomerate Stallion Group have announced their intention to jointly launch vehicle assembly in Nigeria. The announcement is in expectation of the final approval by the Federal Government of the new Automobile Industrial Policy, designed to encourage development of the auto industry in Nigeria, and would see Nissan become the first major international manufacturer.

The parties have signed a Memorandum of Understanding, which would result in Stallion, already Nissan’s exclusive distributor in Nigeria, increasing capacity at its existing plant, the former Volkswagen of Nigeria (VON) Automobile Limited in Lagos. Stallion currently, produces commercial vehicles at the facility. The plant’s annual capacity will be expanded to 45,000 units to assemble a range of cars, light duty trucks, pickups and vans. Full details of the product lineup are still being finalised.

However, it is anticipated the first product to be introduced will be the Nissan Patrol SUV in spring 2014.

At the Johannesburg International Motor Show held in South Africa recently, Nissan’s President and Chief Executive Officer, Carlos Ghosn said: “We welcome the proactive measures being taken by the Federal government to encourage inward investment and job creation driven by local auto manufacturing.

“Together with our local partner, Nissan is preparing to make Nigeria a significant manufacturing hub in Africa. As the firstmover in Nigeria, we are positioned for the long-term growth of this market and across the broader continent.”

Chairman of Stallion Group, Sunil Vaswani, also said: “The new automotive policy spearheaded by the President and Commander–in-Chief of Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan and the Minister Olusegun Aganga, is a laudable government initiative aimed at making Nigeria the regional leader in the industry. Our group is committed to investing in a fully integrated automobile industry that fosters the creation of several ancillary industries with associated socio-economic benefits.”

“We value our partnership with Renault and Nissan immensely and are aiming to deliver their world class expertise to Nigeria,” he added.

On the other hand, as part of the policy, local auto manufacturers, like Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing Ltd, Nnewi; VON Automobile (formerly Volkswagen), Ojo; National Trucks Manufacturers, Kano; PAN Nigeria, Kaduna and other auto makers in the country, will no longer pay duties or levies on their Completely Knocked Down (CKD) sets imported from their overseas partners, while Semi-Knocked Down (SKD) components for the local production of vehicles shall attract only five per cent duty without levy.

Automobile analysts believe it would be a great risk for any auto company to set up assembly plants for the production of local vehicles without factoring the challenges facing the Nigerian automotive industry and the country’s economy as a whole.

In addition, Nigeria has been known to be an import dependent country where large chunks of her goods or items are brought into the country through the seas and land borders.

Apart from Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing Company Limited in Nnewi and Stallion Nissan Motor Nigeria that have signified their readiness to setting up assembly plants, others are still looking at feasibility studies. Factors such as regular power supply, establishment of metal/steel and tyre manufacturing industries, and infrastructure are some of the bottlenecks that may mar the realization of the new policy.

A source said his company was studying the feasibility of opening up an assembly plant in the country, but a lot of options are being considered to make it a success.

He said: “Right now, a lot of studies are ongoing. What type of local content do we have in the country right now? We have the least of indigenous engineering companies. Yes, they have been manufacturing some automobile spare parts for years, but we also must be careful about the quality of these spare parts they claimed to manufacture. It does not make sense if we start assembling vehicles locally and everything we are using to assembly them are coming from abroad. It defeats the objective of the policy, because at the end of the day, the cost of assembling is going to be phenomenal and would even cost more.

“We have to look at it together holistically in such a way that it does not cause more hardship to Nigerians.” the source said.

President, Save Nigeria Freight Forwarders Importers and Exporters Coalition, Chief Chukwu Osita lamented that some automobile companies may have claimed they have the capacity to set up vehicle assembly plants locally, but the fact on the

Aganga

Gikkp

Jala ground point to the contrary.

According to him, about 50,000 vehicles, both brand new used (Tokunbo) are sold yearly, “and these vehicles are mostly bought by corporate organisations and a few individuals.” He also alluded to the notion that the country’s gross domestic income per capita “is less than $2,000, despite having a population of about 170 million people.”

He continued: “How many of the 170 million people are ready to buy brand vehicles in a month? In the United States (U.S), a company like Toyota produces more than 100,000 vehicles a month. There’s market for them, they have regular power supply and it is very cheap for them to produce there. They have fantastic local content and the people there are even making more money.

“The market there is driven by individuals and not government. But in Nigeria, most businesses are from financial institutions since we are import-dependent nation. So, you have to look at these things holistically.”

He however hinted that the freight forwarders were ready, if the government refused to dialogue with them, for a showdown with the government over the hike in import duty and

We (freight forwarders) have been supporting President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan’s administration because of the proactive measures he introduced at our ports in recent time and which have brought about tremendous changes and increased volume of cargoes. But we are aware of the move by some disgruntled people who wants to cause trouble at our ports next year. We will resist any move that will bring about a hike in import duty for tokunbo vehicles, because it would bring disaffection at the ports, as many people would run out of jobs and importers will leave our ports for neigbouring ports, which is not good for our economy the planned automotive policy, which, he noted, could result in the shutting down the nation’s ports.

According to him, the planned hike in import duty would bring about massive job losses among the association’s members and it would also encourage smuggling of vehicles from neighbouring countries, through the land borders.

Besides, Osita affirmed that it would lead to tremendous diversion of cargoes by importers to neigbouring countries, which could destabilise the achievements already recorded.

His words: “We (freight forwarders) have been supporting President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan’s administration because of the proactive measures he introduced at our ports in recent time and which have brought about tremendous changes and increased volume of cargoes. But we are aware of the move by some disgruntled people who wants to cause trouble at our ports next year.

“We will resist any move that will bring about a hike in import duty for tokunbo vehicles, because it would bring disaffection at the ports, as many people would run out of jobs and importers will leave our ports for neigbouring ports, which is not good for our economy.”

The Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) has however, called for the review of the policy to bring about sanity in the industry.

Specifically, the chamber urged government to consult with stakeholders within the entire value chain of the automobile sector to develop a sustainable road map for the development of the automobile sector, while considering the appropriateness of timing and sequencing of such policies.

According to the chamber, it is inappropriate for government to begin the pursuit for a self-reliant automobile sector with the imposition of high import tariff on vehicles, when there are fundamental supply side issues to resolve, as well as low local value addition and capacity for backward integration in the sector.

A statement by the chamber reads in part: “The LCCI notes with concern, the sharp increases in import tariff and levies on motor vehicles. The policy has potentially harmful effects on the economy and welfare of citizens. As a major stakeholder in the economy, the Chamber welcomes a policy thrust that seeks to promote self-reliance in the Nigerian economy because there is great value in domesticating spending. However, in pursuit of this laudable aspiration, proper sequencing is imperative.

Import dependency is only a manifestation of deeper issues of low productivity, weak competitiveness and flawed foreign exchange policy in the domestic economy.”

LCCI added that the recent tariff review would have negative outcomes for the economy if not reviewed.”

Ironically, according to the director general, these vehicles ranged from fairly used cars, otherwise known as tokunbo, to brand new cars, adding that some of the new ones were even cleared at the ports though government’s waivers, thus, depriving government of revenue due to it.

A breakdown shows that N550 billion worth of vehicles, N500 billion worth of spare parts and N150 billion worth of tyres were brought into the country, by the three tiers of government, private corporate organisations, as well as individuals. “This is unacceptable in any market-driven economy,” he said.

The Managing Director, Peugeot Automobile of Nigeria (PAN), Ibrahim Boyi said there was no doubt the policy was the best thing to be done by the President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan’s administration for the automobile industry.

He said that local automobile companies have been at the vanguard of this course for years, telling past governments on why the was need to start local assembling and manufacturing of vehicles.

“I think the new policy is actually developed and aimed at protecting our local automobile industry. And this is almost the only policy that has come up with very robust elements and components, all aimed at consolidating the development of automotive industry. That is why it is called Automotive Development Plan,” Boyi said.

22

Friday, December 13, 2013

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

THE GUARDIAN

Friday, December 13, 2013 23

www.ngrguardiannews.com

BusinessRound-Up

In association with

S.AFRICA’S NEDBANK LAUNCHES THE AMERICAN EXPRESS ‘BLACK CARD HE most exclusive card membership in the world has arT rived in South Africa with the launch of Centurion, from American Express.

Issued by Nedbank Private Wealth, Centurion is now available by invitation only or upon appointment to a select group of individuals in South Africa.

“Centurion is intended for clients who demand a new level of personal service, something that surpasses anything else on offer in South Africa today. These clients are people who seek more enriched lives. Not only do they want to ease and facilitate their busy and frenetic lifestyles – they want privileged access to the most unique experiences and expert services globally and at home,” said Vince Boulle, Executive Head of Nedbank Private Wealth.

The Centurion card, often known as the American Express ‘Black card’, is made of titanium, one of the world’s most precious metals.

With this exclusive membership comes a special relationship – each Centurion member benefits from direct access to a dedicated personal Centurion relationship manager, on hand to proactively take care of the business and leisure needs of members.

Members also have round-the-clock access to a dedicated team of service professionals who will provide specialist help and advice on travel, entertainment, lifestyle and financial matters, whether it entails facilitating travel bookings to sup-

American Express Centurion (Black) Card. port complex international itineraries or securing privileged access to some of the world’s most sought-after venues.

“Centurion provides access to the most desirable events and places in the world. Whether it is gaining entry into private clubs, fashion events or high-end parties, Centurion’s expert service team is on hand to offer bespoke access to events for each member”, Boulle said.

“This exclusive membership is only for those whose lifestyles demand benefits and personalised service unlike any other.

This is a world few ever see, Bespoke, Distinctive, One of a kind Centurion is far more than a card, it is the ultimate lifestyle companion and we are delighted to offer Centurion through Nedbank Private Wealth”, he added.

Andrew Stewart, Vice President, of Partner Card Services for Turkey, Middle East and Africa at American Express said.

“We at American Express are globally recognised for delivering the highest level of premium servicing, benefits and oneof-a-kind experiences. By that same token we only partner with leading banks, like Nedbank Private Wealth, who share our commitment to delivering only the best to their card members. We are proud to partner with Nedbank Private Wealth to now offer Centurion, the world’s most sought after American Express Card Membership, to the most discerning individuals in South Africa.”

He said that Centurion is synonymous with luxury and personalised service, and is the pinnacle of the American Express brand.

“We look forward to working with Nedbank Private Wealth to offer all of the unique benefits and services to Centurion members in South Africa”.

KENyA TO SIGN COAL MINING DEAL WITH CHINA’S FENXI

By Reuters

pal Secretary Joseph Njoroge told a news conference.

ENyA expects to sign an agreement with In October, Kenya invited bids to build a China’s Fenxi Mining Group before the 900-1,000 MW coal power plant at Lamu, in end of December to develop coal mining a coastal region where the government projects. wants to develop a 5.5 billion US dollars The development is set for two blocks in the mega port that will link landlocked South east of the African nation, a senior govern- Sudan and Ethiopia to the Indian Ocean. ment official said.

In the 2011 agreement, the Energy Ministry Fenxi Mining Group had already been cho- said Fenxi Mining would pay the governsen to develop Blocks C and D, but disputes ment 3 million US dollars for Block C and with locals in the mining area about com500,000 US dollars for Block D, in return for pensation and relocation delayed the deal a renewable concession of 21 years. being finalised.

It will also allow the government to have an Kenya is hoping coal from the Mui basin, 11 per cent participation in the project, sharwhere Block C is estimated to contain a minimum of 400 million tonnes, will help ing gross revenues at a rate of 23.6 per cent save foreign exchange by reducing coal and for Block C and 21.1 per cent for Block D. In addition to coal, Kenya plans to exploit oil imports.

“I could put it that maybe before the end of natural gas and geothermal power to ramp up its power production to 5,000 MW by this month we should be able to sign the 2017 from some 1,664 MW at present. document,” Energy and Petroleum Princi-

K

Coal mining.

PHOTO: Getty Images

Friday, December 13, 2013

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

25

KENYA BANKING SECTOR NEEDS MORE REGULATION

LAGOS TOPS IGR REPORT

By Wilhelmina Maboja “So we see that the top seven or eight states are Lagos, Rivers, Delta, Akwa Ibom, Oyo, Enugu, and Cross River. Relatively, the South West stands out even from the rest of the South region.

All of these give you a sense around the state of economic development in the regions,” he added.

Rivers State came in behind Lagos state with 173.047 billion naira and a breakdown showed that the state generated 49.585 billion naira in 2010, 57.187 billion naira in 2011 and 66.275 billion naira in 2012.

State revenues reveal major disparity in revenues Data on internally generated revenues of state governments recently released by Nigeria’s National Bureau of Statistics reveal major disparity in revenues.

Delta ranked third with the most IGR, the data revealed that 26.087 billion naira was collected in 2010, 34.750 billion naira in 2011 and 45.566 billion naira in 2012.

“It also reflects the social statistics in terms of education, entreLagos is the commercial nerve centre of Nigeria. preneurial activities, the development of businesses, the develPHOTO: Getty images opment of commerce and industries across those regions.”

Nonetheless, most states in the North reported very low IGR’s

By Dara Rhodes and Agbaje believes that the social systems in that region are faulty, especially the educational system.

HE National Bureau of Statistics have published a report “You can’t build entrepreneurial activity if your people are not on Nigerian states’ internally generated revenue for the educated. You can’t build small businesses, IT businesses, period of 2010-2012.

In the report which was signed by Statistician General, Yemi small shops and supermarkets, based on an illiterate population. Principally, the major element for me is, dealing with edKale in collaboration with the Joint Tax Board, Lagos State ucation,” he explained. generated 185.541 billion naira in 2010, 202.761 billion naira While Sokoto state collected the least IGR of 3.888 biliion naira in 2011 and 219.202 billion naira in 2012 making it the state because the state’s IGR for 2011 and 2012 could not be comwith the highest internally generated revenue (IGR).

“First of all, we see patterns. Lagos stands out from the rest of puted, Yobe State’s IGR declined from 5.960 billion naira in the country, totally in a class of its own. Two, the south is to- 2010 to 1.785 billion naira in 2012.

“On the part of the Government, it probably reflects the state tally different from the north and generally the economies of the investment climate across regions. So government, have in the north evidently lag behind,” Opeyemi Agbaje, CEO of they created infrastructure, have they created incentives, have RTC Advisory Services told CNBC Africa.

According to Agbaje, the data showed the impact of the ma- they created laws, have they created security? All of those jor population and commercial centres especially in South- things are what would want to make investors invest in the region,” he said. ern Nigeria.

T

AFDB LENDS $113 MLN FOR EAST AFRICAN HYDROPOWER PROJECT

ENYA’S banking sector is on the upswing but more regulaK tion is needed to monitor non-performing loans and clean up the books.

“Generally the banking sector on a quarter-on-quarter basis performance has come down. If you’re looking at the listed banks, which at the end of the third quarter represent about 76 per cent of the banking sector, at the funded income segment of the interest income, it was down one per cent,” Ecobank Research, head of financials desk George Bodo told CNBC Africa.

“Non-interest income was down one per cent, it’s only cost that went up. If you drop down the bottom line, net earnings for the ten banks was down an excess of 10 per cent. On a quarter on quarter basis, there was a bit of stress in the banking sector.”

Kenya’s banking industry has experienced growth in all its sectors, with the size of assets standing at 2.4 trillion shillings, loans and advances amounting to 1.4 trillion shillings for the period under review.

Bodo however explained that the results in the period showed no exceptional performance in terms of booking assets. There has been an additional slowdown in private sector uptake, which is still below the 10 per cent central bank target range.

“This performance boils down to the fact that most of the assets were non-performing, especially in the third quarter. If you look at a year to date basis, earning assets were up six per cent but non-performing assets and non-performing loans were up 39 per cent,” Bodo explained.

Large banks such as Kenya Commercial Bank, which continue to dominate the non-performing loans in the sector, account for about 50 per cent of the listed banks’ total portfolio. Bodo adds that these banks are the key drivers of this particular performance.

“There’s a general loophole in terms of regulation in this country to the extent that you can restructure a non-performing loan as much as you want. What’s happening is that some of these non-performing loans are not brand new,” said Bodo.

“The best thing is the regulator needs to crack the whip here and I think it’s doing that silently. These things need to be classified, they need to classified, suspend the interest, liquidate the collateral and clean up the books.”

Barclays Bank Kenya is one of the many large banks in the country.

PHOTO: Barclays

A Hydropower plant is needed due to the lack of access to electricity which hinders economic growth in the region.

By Reuters HE African Development Bank (AfDB) approved a loan to fund an energy project within East Africa.

The African Development Bank has approved a 113 million US dollar loan to fund a cross-border hydro-power project aimed at easing chronic energy shortages in Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi.

Lack of access to electricity is a major constraint to economic growth in the region.

The loan will fund construction of electricity transmission facili-

T

PHOTO: Getty Images

ties for the 80-megawatt Rusumo Falls project on the Tanzania-Rwanda border.

“Construction of the transmission facilities is expected to be completed by August 2018; the three countries will share the power generated equally,” AfDB said in a statement late on Wednesday.

The estimated cost of the project is 468.6 million US dollars, with the AfDB funding the transmission facilities.

The World Bank said in August it had approved a 340 million US dollar loan for construction of the hydropower plant.

COMPETITION TRIBUNAL TO HEAR NESTLÉ/ASPEN DEAL

By Wilhelmina Maboja HE Competition Tribunal will hear the transaction between Nestle and Aspen and its potential impact on the baby milk market.

In April 2012, Nestlé agreed to acquire Pfizer Nutrition for 11.85 billion US dollars to enhance its position in global infant nutrition.

The Tribunal then approved the South African leg of the global merger between the two companies in February 2012.

Because the merger would see the removal of competition between two significantly strong baby milk brands, one of the conditions the Tribunal imposed on the merger was that Nestlé had to licence out Pfizer’s baby milk products to another company for a limited period. This would be and under various terms and conditions.

Nestlé chose Aspen as the appropriate licensee to continue producing and marketing the Pfizer baby milk brands.

“The Commission, which assesses large mergers prior to referring them to the Tribunal for decision, considered Nestlé’s choice and concluded that Aspen’s acquisition of Pfizer’s baby milk range was unlikely to substantially lessen competition in the baby milk market. [Instead it] would restore the competi-

T

tion lost in the South African baby milk market following the Nestlé/Pfizer deal,” the commission said in a statement.

The Tribunal will hear this case throughout next week and is expecting to hear testimony from 17 witnesses and a representative of the Commission, who will address the Tribunal on the impact of this deal on the market.

The witnesses include Aspen CEO Stephen Saad, representatives from retailers of baby milk, including Pick ‘n Pay and Clicks, as well as local and global producers of baby milk.

“Nestlé’s decision to select Aspen as the licensee is primarily based on Aspen being prepared to acquire both the South African and Australian IMF [infant milk formula] business of Pfizer, while also making the highest monetary bid and complying with the Tribunal’s order of 11 February 2013.”, the Commission said in its Baby milk. PHOTO: Getty Images recommendation report.

ARCELORMITTAL S.AFRICA CEO TO STEP DOWN IN FEB RCELORMITTAL South Africa has announced that NonkulA uleko Nyembezi-Heita will step down as Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director.

“After six years at the helm, Nonkululeko Nyembezi-Heita informed the Board of ArcelorMittal South Africa of her intention to step down as Chief Executive Officer and executive director with effect from 18 February 2014,” said ArcelorMittal South Africa.

Nyembezi-Heita said, “Although challenging, over the last six years as a management team, we have achieved significant advances in a number of areas. Our safety performance is now world-class and we have also taken huge strides towards meeting our environmental obligations. There is steady progress in our operational improvement programmes with pleasing results in places. As the market turns, we can expect a marked improvement in our financial performance, aided in no small measure by the recent settlement with Kumba”.

On behalf of the Board, the Chairman Mpho Makwana thanked Nyembezi-Heita for her tremendous contribution to the company during an exceptionally challenging period not only for the company, but the steel industry generally.

Makwana wished her success in the next chapter of her career and commented that the company is in a considerably better position than when Nyembezi-Heita joined the group six years ago, stating: “On behalf of the Board of ArcelorMittal South Africa and the ArcelorMittal Group, we express our thanks for her unstinting dedication, guidance as well as her calm and determined leadership”.

Makwana said the Board will embark on a search for Nyembezi-Heita’s successor and an announcement on Nonkululeko Nyembezi-Heita, the transitional period will be made in due course.

CEO, ArcelorMittal SA.

24

THE GUARDIAN

Friday, December 13, 2013

www.ngrguardiannews.com

INTERVIEW

Mining contributes to less than 1 per cent of Nigeria’s GDP Nigeria is richly endowed with a long list of solid minerals. However, the mining sector accounts for less than 1 per cent of the GDP despite reforms designed to accelerate investment in the sector. CNBC Africa’s WOle FAMuReWA caught up with the Minister of Mines and steel, Minister Musa Mohammed Sada and discussed the interest of foreign investors and the outlook for the sector. ment, it’s all about job creation so I want to hear from you the potential of this industry to create jobs in Nigeria.

Sada: These minerals are all over the counand you have codes of practice and so on. These are largely what are absent in the sector. Apart from the fact that attention try. Basically there are no local governas per policy is not being properly directed to the sector, there ments without any minerals and there’s no local government that is also this problem which we had to work very hard to make sure we get the rules, the regulations in place and there is also a doesn’t have one industrial mineral or the other that can be harlot of opaqueness. That’s what mining doesn’t like. You know, nessed for SME’s developments investors in the mining sector want to know what you are and as you know, this is the enthinking tomorrow as a regulator of the sector otherwise he gine growth of the economy won’t feel very comfortable in investing. So really we’ve been so if we can now provide the able to move the sector from that critical none regulated area raw materials and opportuto where all the needed regulations are in place now, and the codes of practise are clearly known. This is what has been gen- nities to develop SME’s out of it, then you can see erating lots of interest because of that clarity that we speak of where the opportunities now. are in really targeting Wole: Describe to us where the interest is coming from. I’ve heard a lot about the Chinese becoming involved in the Niger- jobs and its one of the fastest in job creations. ian market.

Sada, Minister of Mines and steel Sada: Yes, I think apart from the Chinese, the major mining nations have a lot of interest and this interest is normally two fold. Apart from actual investment that is also the interest of organisations in government and out of government in this country most especially, Australia, South Africa, Canada and the US because they have been partnering with us in a lot of ways,

By Dara Rhodes in capacity building, in trying to give us ideas about how our T the opening of the second North East economic “We gain from oil but that is conregime should look like and so and so. Of recent, there has been summit, the Nigerian president revealed plans fined to the South primaquite a lot of interest coming into the country. Yes, from China to roll out an economic stimulus. rily, we gain from crops like you said, Australia, Canada, South Africa and India. These and agriculture raw are the major countries that have been coming to take up inter- President Goodluck Jonathan stated that the restoration of peace and security in the terror materials which is conest. plagued region was essential for the successful imfined to Wole: So what are your key priorities in 2014? the north Sada: Investors in the mining sector don’t like sudden changes, plementation of the measures and actions envisso we have no intention of any fundamental change in what is aged in the intervention programme. west and “I think economic marginalisation is at the root of the happening. What we are trying to do is to actually enforce the north security problems in the north east [region]. The regulations. This is what has been absent. Maybe that’s what central somebody is looking at, of course it will be a change if the regu- Nigerian economy last year, produced forty trillion [renaira worth of value added. Only about 1.3 trillion lations that are all along from the law are not respected and gions]. If now, you want to impose them, it will be a change to some peo- came from the North East,” Dr Ayo Teriba, CEO, Ecowe could nomic Associates told CNBC Africa. ple but nothing out of the books that we intend to change goexplore “You are not talking of 10 per cent which would have been ing forward. Going into the coming year, the government ore, decided that it is no more funding the sector and that it’s no four trillion, you are not talking of five per cent which would Nigerian naira. which is PHOTO: Getty images more an operator in the sector. It wants to regulate and allow have been two trillion, you are talking about a little over 2.5 concentrated in the the private sector to take over. This is the main hold of what is per cent of the GDP in Nigeria so in the face of economic marnorth east, that coming in and this is why we are talking to the bankers’ comginalisation, the residents become restless and it is that restwould have been their advantage,” he said. mittee to understand where we stand. It is now their own to lessness that is producing what we see.”

However, Teriba believes that until the North East can be contake up and I’m pleased that some CEO’s are already talking to The region has suffered the Boko Haram insurgency since their nected to the coast by rail, metal ore is unlikely to be a serious me about the level of their expectations and what they’re curuprising in 2009. The president said that the damage caused source of economic activity. Thus highlighting the need for inrently doing and intend to build up. This is the idea that we are needs aggressive and urgent action but this can only be frastructure and integration. trying to take into the coming year and making sure that the achieved with the support of the people.

“You need to connect the North East to the oil region, and to private sector take complete hold of what is happening in this “The advantage of the North East compared to the North West, the ports, for the economy of that region to boom.” sector. We are also hoping that within the year, the governis not agriculture, they produce only five per cent. They do live- As there will be short and medium term issues, regular meetment do have some mining assets from the Nigerian mining stock but again the total output of the livestock happening in ings need to be held to create and sustain development in the corporation days that are still in the process of privatisation Nigeria is about a trillion whereas you have about 12 trillion region as inclusive growth needs takes time. with the BPE and we hope that in the coming year, they should crops. Their advantage metal ores,” he explained.

“The fact that this summit is taking place for the second time, be able to conclude n it because these are very good assets that As the economy of the country is driven largely by the oil prois good development, it means that we’ve done it before. Let’s are just lying down and we are re-packaging them with the BPE duction in the South, there is a huge neglect of the metal ore in- hope it becomes more regular,” he added. and trying to get people to be aware of them so, it’s like we are looking at the transformation. Don’t forget a couple of months dustry in Nigeria and much to the detriment of the economy. ago, the president himself chaired a whole day retreat on the sector and that is the idea.

Zimbabwe plans to construct three solar-powered plants in Wole: Which minerals are attracting the most interest now? the west of the country at a cost of 540 million US dollars in a Sada: There are minerals of global appeal, gold, iron, ore, coal, bid to ease electricity shortages in the country, an official with these are minerals of global appeal but we are taking these the state power company said on Monday. things in two folds. We are also taking the interest of the counThe southern African nation, which has no shortage of suntry at hand. You have the CBN governor giving an analysis of shine, produces about 1,200 MW of electricity against a peak where Dangote is with cement. Actually the site he is talking of demand of 2,200 MW, resulting in long outages that have hit was actually a mining corporation site that was privatised to domestic consumers, industry and agriculture.

Dangote. So it is with this hindsight that we are looking at in“We have received overwhelming response from investors and dustrial minerals as one of our major focus for economic we are at the stage of shortlisting candidates,” Zimbabwe Elecgrowth. We are looking at limestone, we are looking at coal, we tricity Supply Authority chief executive Josh Chifamba told are looking at clays for ceramic materials, of course iron ore beReuters. cause we have a steel industry that we need to develop and coal for the fact that we need to develop power and granite and Solar panels at a solar power plant.

PHOTO: Getty Images Construction of the three solar-powered plants, which will other clays for the purpose of the oil industry. So we try to each generate 100 MW, is expected to begin by end of 2014, strategize those minerals that we can really integrate into the Chifamba said. industrial development systems of the country so these are the A government official told a meeting of the electricity indusareas. Currently, there are quite a lot of interest in gold, iron ore try on Monday that Zimbabwean businesses and individuals and coal. These are some of the major minerals. Copper is bewere spending $360 million every year on diesel generators to ginning to come in, because before the last three years out inBy Reuters produce 250 MW of power. formation on copper was very scanty but now it’s beginning to be built up and people are starting to take interest in it.

IMBABWE plans to construct three solar-powered plants in China’s Exim Bank last month agreed to lend Zimbabwe $319 million to add 150 MW to its Kariba hydro power station.

Wole: At the end of the day, when you bring whatever initiathe west of the country at a cost of 540 million US dollars Chifamba said work at Kariba was expected to start in January. tives you have into the broader economic agenda of the govern- in a bid to ease elect ADA: When you speak about initiatives, globally in the minSoperational ing sector, the most important thing you must have are the frameworks. You have rules, you have regulations,

ECONOMIC MARGINALISATION PLAGUES NIGERIA’S NORTH EAST REGION

A

ZIMBABWE PLANS TO BUILD THREE SOLAR POWER PLANTS

Z

26

Friday, December 13, 2013

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2013

VisualArts

Voyage Retour… Lens zooms on African-European connection Stories By Tajudeen Sowole N revisiting photographic Ipost-colonial documentary of pre- and Africa, a group exhibition titled Voyage Retour and its sub-event conference, Crossing Archive, highlighted some of the continent’s epochs.

Organised by the GoetheInstitut, Lagos, with the support of the Consulate General of the Federal Republic of Germany in Nigeria, the twin event provided multi-facets window: perspective of foreign photographers in capturing the political, cultural and social activities of the people, particularly in the years running into the periods most African countries got their independence; alternative views from local photographers, who captured the independence and postcolonial eras; review of documentary photography in sub-Sahara Africa as articulated by artists, scholars and curators during the reference periods of the exhibition.

Also supported by the Museum Folkwang, Germany, the events were conceptualised by the curator of Voyage Retour, Kerstin Meincke.

As Voyage Retour ended its Lagos show, the conference Crossing Archive, held at Goethe Insitut, City Hall, Lagos Island, focused on African photography archives within the continent’s geopolitical context.

With participants such as director of Munichbased Haus der Kunst, Santu Mofokeng, Okwui Enwezor; Princeton University, U.S-based art historian, Chika Okeke-Agulu; and director, Centre for Contemporary Art, Lagos, Bisi Silva; the subject was discussed, using the Nigerian situation as point of reference.

Inside the Federal Government Press building on Broad Street, Lagos Island, where the photography exhibition was mounted for two weeks, archival works of veteran Nigerian photographer, J. D. Okhai Ojeikere, described by the organisers as showing for the first time in the public, were on display alongside others from foreign photo artists.

The group exhibition included works of Rolf Gillhausen, Germaine Krull, Robert Lebeck, Malick Sidibé and Wolfgang Webe loaned from the Museum Folkwang’s collection in Germany.

The curatorial articulation of the Voyage Retour photography exhibition was conspicuous in the choice of the venue, a government building that has its history dated back to 1896 under the British colonial government. A section of the press building converted into an exhibition hall, though lacks ideal headroom for functional art space, it however complements the works on display.

For example, Ojeikere’s works such as the capture of a stand, described as ‘Nigeria Exhibition, 1960’, brings back the memory of the nation’s independence.

And what a changed streetscape of the Marina axis of Lagos Island in an aerial shot by Ojeikere labeled ‘Old Marina, Lagos 1965’. The picture tells the story of nearly 50 years-old of what road engineers and environmentalists call land reclamation; a Marina road that was just a few feet close to the lagoon, compared to the sand-filled and expansion of the same area as it stands currently, giving space to more roads and bridges that link Lagos and Victoria Islands.

It’s perhaps a first time that Ojeikere showed the pictures in the public, but another shot of the old Marina of the same period by unknown photographer was among works on display at an exhibition by a Non-Governmental group, Legacy Nigeria 1995 at Brazilian Embassy, Victoria Island, Lagos in 2008.

From J.D. Okhai Ojeikere’s 1960 shot of Nigerian Exhibition Stand For the Voyage Retour, Ojeikere’s dominance of the space was not hidden just as a video documentary J.D.Okhai Ojeikere: Master Photographer,

by Tam Fiofori welcomed visitors at the entrance of the hall.

Some of the pictures of other exhibited photographers included Gillhausen’s works of the independence era such as the visit of a Yugoslavian President to Liberia in 1961, among several others. But in a Lebeck’s work taken in Congo, 1960 comes a dramatic moment as the photographer tracks the intrusion of a man who snatches the sword of visiting Belgian King Baudouin, during a parade through the city in a motorcade next to the African country’s first post-colonial president, Joseph Kasabubu. Lebeck’s lens follows the ‘sword thief’, Ambroise Bonusbo, a Congolese, who crosses the security barrier and grabs the object. In a near animated imagery, the pictorial of the event dated June 29, 1960 had the photographer’s camera follows the security forces chase the ‘thief’ and bundle him into a police vehicle.

Few days before the exhibition ended, the German Consul General in Lagos, Michael Derus noted that the exhibition “has so much for people interested in real history of Africa”. It’s a project that has been in the plans since 2008, he added. Derus also explained the importance of the exhibition as a confirmation that Europe’s interest in Africa is not confined to economic activities. “Cultural exchange is as important”.

Co-curator, Anne-Lena Michel recalled that the exhibition had traveled to other places in Europe, but the Lagos show was the first time in Africa. On preservation of the images, she explained, “the prints are shown in climate framing to preserve humidity”. For the only Nigerian photographer, Ojeikere, in the group, his works on display, Michel said, “have not been shown elsewhere”.

And when Derus acknowledged that Ojeikere was “the star of the exhibition”, the diplomat confirmed the octogenarian photographer’s rating as one of the most exhibited documentary photographers in Africa. As a photographer whose work continues to serve as a repository of Nigeria’s past, Ojeikere is arguably a colossus, who has little or nothing to prove again. But his dominance on the archival photography exhibition turf of Nigeria and abroad in the past two decades suggests that there was a dearth of independent documentary photographers during the periods in focuse.

Apart from the work of late renowned photo journalist, Peter Obe, published in his book Civil War Pictures From Nigeria: A Decade of Crisis in Pictures.” as well as an exhibition of the same content credited to him, archival photographs of Nigeria’s pre- and post-independence are largely hidden from the public. Another concern is that the photographers of few of the works seen in the public are not exactly known.

One of Gigi Micheletti’s works titled Lovers.

Micheletti’s palette of musical Hendrix loud in Lagos FTER over three decades in Nigeria, Italian, Gigi Micheletti, recently shared his thoughts on people and places in an art exhibition titled Hendrix. It was held at the Consulate General of Italy, Victoria Island, Lagos. It’s the artist’s gradual steps of making inroad into the Nigerian art space to boost his achievement outside the country.

Expressed in paintings on canvas, some of the works also include the artist’s view of other places outside Nigeria.

And being born in Ghana and currently living in Nigeria as well as having traveled across the world, Micheletti’s canvas underscores the fact that, artist is a ‘citizen’ of the world.

In rendition, Micheletti whose stroke leans towards impressionism and representational imagery bring subjects such as relationship, architecture and ecology into his palette, stressing art’s beautiful interpretation of nature. And quite of aesthetic note is Micheletti’s style of using space.

For example, in a couple figural titled Lovers, the artist’s style of lacing the subjects below half of the canvas in portrait-size shape lends a stronger communicative perception to the drawing-like

A

paintings of the figures.

And in whatever situation the environment finds itself, perhaps from the arrogance of man’s attitude, nature appears resilient, so suggests the artist’s work titled Low Tide. It’s a work quite full of ecological interpretation.

At the exhibition, some of the guests could not hide their joy of being privileged to see Micheletti’s art. Irene Fowler, an art enthusiast noted that the artist has a way with “captivating” his subjects, particularly the style of mixing figural with abstraction.

“Micheletti’s work is a perception, the bringing of the sub-conscious into reality, it’ is a dream,” another visitor to the exhibition, Rabah Mudah noted.

“Colourful, bold and distinctive” are the words of George Taylor who bought two of the paintings exhibited.

For the artist, the exhibition connects his residence in Nigeria. “I have been living and working in Nigeria for over 30 years, and my experience with the busy life around here keeps me painting as well,” Micheletti said.

In addition to having lived

in Nigeria for decades, other factors have contributed to the tone of his canvas. For instance, there is musical factor to his inspiration. “Musically, I’m inspired by one of the most influential electric guitarists in the history of popular music and one of the most celebrated musicians of the 20th century, Jimmy Hendrix” The organizer of the exhibition, Mrs. Mia El Khoury Comazzi said that the exhibition intends to promote Micheletti as an artist in the vibrant Nigerian art scene, with the hope that his art would contribute to the development of the local art.

It is also “to show them his art work, well mixed colours, and the outstanding imagination he had solely put on canvas.”

Record has it that Micheletti was born in Gattinara (Vc) on December 29, 1953 into a family with strong ties with Ghana, where he spent the first 10 years of his life.

Micheletti was listed among the artists in one of the most important Italian Art Magazine, ‘ARTE’.

One thousand artists participated in the listing, and Micheletti was among the 120 semi-finalists del Premio Arte 2013, selected by the editors of ‘ARTE’, Cairo Editore.

28 Friday, December 13, 2013 ARTS

THE GUARDIANwww.ngrguardiannews.com

Stakeholders decry agencies’ apathy for Stories by Tajudeen Sowole ESPITE the claim that the current flourishing state of Nigeria’s visual arts got little contribution from governments, professionals, who gathered at the Peter Areh Lecture, insisted on the importance of government agencies’ support to get optimal value from the creative sector of the economy.

Held at Freedom Park, Lagos Island, the lecture, which was delivered by Prince Yemisi Shyllon, had as theme, Problems of Art Development in Nigeria. It opened the floodgates of knocks for the government agencies charged with the responsibility of promoting art in the country.

Co-ordinated by artist, Krydz Ikwuemesi, the lecture series started two years ago in honour of the late art promoter, Peter Areh, who died in 2009. The maiden edition tagged On Art and Cultural Enterprise was held at Aina Onabolu Building, National Theatre, Iganmu, Lagos.

Last year, the second edition featured as lead speaker, Dr. Everlyn Nicomedu. He spoke on From Local To Global Perspectives: An Art History Africa Badly Needs, at Ofu Obi Africa Centre, Independence Layout, Enugu.

With the support of the chairman of the event, Chief Rasheed Gbadamosi, and the moderator, Prof Jerry Buhari, the third lecture had participants decrying what they termed unimpressive attitude by government agencies towards development of art.

After a brief background on the journey of art in Nigeria, Shyllon cited examples of how government official’s ignorance and neglect have stunted the protection of Nigerian art.

With sub-title ‘Government, Public Institutions and Art Development’, Shyllon referenced a Time magazine report of June 18, 2001 with heading ‘Saving Africa’s Art’. He noted the magazine’s news report in 1999 that the Louvre Museum in Paris purchased a 2000year-old Nok terracotta sculpture from a Belgian dealer at about $400,000.

Shyllon added that President of France, Chirac was reported to have personally sought approval for the purchase of the Noks from Nigeria’s then military Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar. The request, he recalled, “was rebuffed” based on the advice of the National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM).

But that decision was overturned later: “According to Time, with the return to civilian rule in May of 1999, the French government requested for approval again and Nigeria approved the transaction. Then in February 2000 during Nigerian President’s state visit to France, just two months before the Louvre display opened, the Nigerian Culture Minister and Branley Museum Director signed a formal agreement authorising the inclusion and display of this collection of Nok sculptures in the

D

spirit of tokenism, as the Time report concludes.

Shyllon argued that the situation as reported

by Time magazine offered an insight into Nigerian government’s attitude towards the creative industry in the country, noting, “The point being made is that there is need to improve the art ambience with a view to attracting more visitors to our public museums and art galleries and empower them to constructively reach out to the people as mediators of our common heritage rather than arbiters of a dead and forgotten consciousness.

“Art and artists in this country are not adequately enabled to fulfill their roles through the mediating institutions and agencies, (museums, galleries, art councils, the public, among others). We have not explored art enough to enable it to fully play its due role in the quest for development. We can trace the bulk of this problem to the system of education, the attitude of government and religious

fundamentalism in Nigeria. It is to the issue of education that I turn in the next section.”

After the wide applause that trailed the over 5000-word presentation, the moderator, Buhari noted that “Shyllon is a dangerous traveler, whose passion for culture and knowledge of the Nigerian art terrain are invaluable assets to the country.”

Indeed, the audience expressed disapproval of government agencies’ handling of art-related matters. But among the shades of input that seemed to dominate the discussion was the mixed-up of modern art with antiquities or ancient art when it comes to the issue of taking works out of the country.

Quite a number of speakers faulted the current NCMM’s administrative system that demands payment of certain percentage of a work’s worth before such is exported out of the country. The artists and other professionals present at the event, who expressed dissatisfaction, argued that the laws restricting

exportation of cultural objects from Nigeria did not include modern and contemporary art. They indicted the NCMM for “carrying out what should be the functions of the National Gallery of Art (NGA).”

Over the years, gallery owners, artists and art dealers have complained about the difficulties that foreigners encounter in taking pieces of fine art bought in the country across the international airports. The immigration officers, they said, do not know the difference between modern and ancient art or artefacts.

While defending the NCMM, the curator of the National Museum, Onikan, Lagos, Mrs. Edith Ekunke stated that the fee demanded by the NCMM is “an administrative charge” for intervention to enable the immigration officers, who do not know the difference between artefacts and modern art, allow owners of work take them out of the country.

Shyllon also traced the issue of art development to the kind of value Nigeria’s system places on education. He argued that the goal of education should encourage students to appreciate history and heritage to prepare them for the preservation of the people’s culture.

“Peoples and cultures survive when they attach the highest importance to schools and teachers, and when they see the role of education to include the perpetuation of the language of their heritage. It is not certain whether one can say this about Nigeria’s education industry, especially since the 1980s.

There may be more schools today, but whether that fact translates to quality education is another matter altogether”.

On art and documentation, Shyllon explained how “historiography” and “art criticism” are as important as creating art. But he added that Nigeria had not done badly in art criticism. “Nigeria remains relatively fortunate in its tradition of art criticism”.

In analyzing Shyllon’s presentation, the organisers, through Ikwuemesi’s submission, said that Nigeria, as a whole, was problematic when it comes to the issue of developing art, saying, “Those that affect art development include low level art appreciation, the perception of art as luxury, and the neglect of the role of art in individual, social and economic development. Also to be counted is nescience occasioned by the jaundiced eye of the imported religions, which cast aspects on our art in a bad light. All these have held art development captive in many ways in Nigeria”.

Areh founded Pendulum Art and Culture Centre, through which he operated Pendulum Gallery, Lekki. Shortly before his death, he partnered with the U.K.-based Bonhams in organising the maiden edition of ‘Africa Now’ auction of modern and contemporary art of artists from the continent and the Diaspora.

After Portraits abroad, Ogunbanwo models Muse in Lagos ria Island, Lagos added to the surging presence of photography on the Lagos art scene in the past few years. turned home to another show titled Coming from a fashion and modelling photography background, Muse, a two-parts event, which will Ogunbanwo’s current form as a open on December 19, and run till February 19, 2014 at The Wheatbaker, photo artist is unavoidably portraiture.

Victoria Island, Lagos.

Largely made of studio shots, some The part one of Muse which was on for four days at Didi Museum, Victo- of the 35 works, he explained, are exROM his last month’s exhibition Ftographer, of Portraits in South Africa, phoLakin Ogunbanwo re-

tension of his familiarity with models, exposing the other side of runways that is hiding from the people.

He disclosed that it’s about “playing around with the perceptions of glamour associated with modelling; a glimpse into their real lives.”

In a chosen area as common as portrait photography, Ogunbanwo is defining his style by experimenting

Caption: Brand Manager, Moet Hennessy – Champagnes, Ann Ogunsulire (left); Executive Chairman, Lagos State Internal Revenue Service, Mr. Tunde Fowler and photographer Lakin Ogunbanwo at Didi Museum, Lagos

with the dark side of imagery, yet striving to render ‘beautiful images’.

When he had his first solo titled Mask at Terra Kulture last year, some of the works looked like shots with traces of evolving conceptuality from a photographer in search of identity. But at a preview ahead of the opening of the first part of Muse, Ogunbanwo’s images have taken a leap into a stronger conceptual form.

He described his current state of conceptual imagery as “juxtaposition between highly stylised and a subtle raw” rendition.

Trained as lawyer in the U.K., the young photographer who later studied photography at Speos Paris Photographic Institute, France boasted that he is the face of an average Nigerian or African youth hidden from the world. “Being from a law background and now into photography is a bold step and no regret.”

When he returned to Nigeria, Ogunbanwo started from the fashion industry, testing his ability to interpret beauty in his “own provocative style.”

Appears to have garnered experience with several exhibitions and work knowledge across Africa, Ogunbanwo recently earned a top spot on CNN’s profile of ‘Africa’s Most Exciting New Photographers’.

About his Portraits show in South

Africa, at Rooke & Van Wyk, Johannesburg, he noted the impact of technology on contemporary culture, arguing that photography in Africa is largely aided by access to the Internet. “It is within this sketch that I forged a striking visual vocabulary through making portraits. I construct singular images, reconfiguring the human element and challenging some preconceived ideas of portraiture, of Lagosians, Nigerians, and Africans.”

This much Portraits represented, Ogunbanwo explained. “It raises many questions – Who are these people? Why are they being portrayed? What is the relationship between them and the photographer?

And are these ‘African’ portraits?”

However, for Muse, his philosophy and focus are not exactly removed from Portraits, as he states: “It’s playing with the perceptions of glamour associated with models by capturing moments that give us a glimpse into their real lives.

“Through my distinctive vision, I challenge viewers to immerse themselves in the idea of possibility within the notions of beauty and identity; holding your attention with visuals that draw you into the subjects for how they look, and sometimes for who they may possibly be.”

ARTS Friday, December 13, 2013 29

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

Revue

Okoroji

Ezekude

Ayilaran

Collective rights management… Recasting the legal framework for, against monopoly

By Anote Ajeluorou OR many years now, there has been so much Fagement wrangling and rancour in the rights mansystem of intellectual property rights, especially in the realm of music and sound recordings in Nigeria. As a sector that ought to yield so much money for musicians, interest in who controls it has fueled bitter rivalry amongst stakeholders, with the supposed umpire, Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC), the regulatory body, regularly accused of playing a less than salutary role in supervising the rights sector.

Although efforts have been made in the past to set things right on the legislative floor of the National Assembly, it yielded no tangible results. Now, the gladiators have returned to the trenches again. Perhaps, for the last time, artistes and stakeholders would at least be certain how the copyright environment should be, and how the vast wealth that ought to accrue to artistes through royalties should be managed on their behalf by collective rights management organisations. The two gladiators for now are Musical Copyright Society of Nigeria (MCSN) and Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON).

Indeed, Nigeria’s musical artistes’ soul is in the crucible in this titanic fight on whether there should continue to be monopoly in the rights’ management environment or it should be liberalised for multiple operators.

In fact, the fight didn’t start today. It dates back to the 1990s, and at the creation of NCC when Performance and Mechanical Rights Society (PMRS) was formed to rival MCSN, which had been in existence since 1984 following the withdrawal of Performance Rights Society (PRS) of Britain from functioning in Nigeria as part of the indigenization policy aimed at nationalising establishments in the country.

MCSN had, over the years, cried wolf over the activities of NCC, which it has repeatedly accused of fueling the discord in the industry, accusing its officials of performing extra-statutory roles by forming PMRS. This secret, MCSN claims, was revealed by its overseas affiliate, PRS, which was being threatened at the time by NCC to partner with PMRS instead of MCSN in a bilateral relationship. The deal was to enable artistes on both sides – Nigeria and U.K. – seamlessly receive royalties on either side, a role MCSN had been performing, with PRS and other rights collectors in Europe and elsewhere.

MCSN has repeatedly named the then NCC Director-General, Mr. Moses Ekpo, and its past board chairman, Evangelist Ebenezer Obey, as culprits in this inglorious role by NCC to form

a collective rights body through the backdoor, a role that successive NCC’s D-Gs have vociferously denied. With NCC’s refusal to register an organisation that pre-dated it for reasons it could not satisfactorily explain, it thus sowed seeds of doubt over its role as unbiased umpire.

Also, NCC’s refusal again two years ago to register MCSN on the basis of its in-house, unpublished rules on grounds of ‘national interest’, observers say, smacks of double standards or a witch-hunt. Why should a regulator ask an organization seeking to register with it to pay another fee before it could say why it was denied registration is something out of the books. arbitrary billing versus BON’s boycott CAtOSON’s threat the heart of the current impasse that recently saw players in the rights collective management system appearing before the joint House of Representatives Committee on Judiciary and Justice is COSON’s arbitrary billing of broadcast stations. And, led by the Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria (BON), umbrella body for broadcast stations, BON is insisting that the rights collective environment should be liberalised, so as to allow for competition and fairness.

COSON’s monopoly, it claims, is stifling the business. They frown at the combative, aggressive and militant manner COSON has been going about its business of collecting royalties on behalf of musicians, as a monopolist in the sector.

But COSON also insists that royalties’ collection is not a business hence the company is limited by guaranty and so many players cannot be allowed to operate. Through its chairman, Chief Tony Okoroji, it argued that since its inception two years ago, it has collected over one hundred million (N100m), a breakthrough in Nigeria’s collective history. Out of this, he said, N70m was distributed to musicians.

Indeed, COSON’s entry into the scene has been colourful, charismatic and even dynamic, with its catch-phrase motto ‘…let the music pay’. At the same time, stakeholders have questioned the rational behind some of its actions, especially the lavish one-week party it held early in the year.

They want to know from which account COSON held the event, and if a collective body whose business it is to remit money to musicians be engaged in such jamboree? It was even learnt that it had barter arrangement with stations, as it were to barter away musicians’ money for the party!

In any case, while speaking on behalf of BON, chairman of DAAR Communications Plc, Chief Raymond Dokpesi, accused COSON of “intimidation, closure, disruption and seizure of our property by COSON, as licensed by NCC”, adding, “never in the history of collective management of artistes’ intellectual property has there been a

monopoly” and wondered why it was so in Nigeria.

But Okoroji fired back and accused Dokpesi and his stations (RayPower and AIT) of being the biggest defaulter in royalties’ payment. He said until the licensing of COSON, Nigerian musicians had suffered untold deprivations because virtually all the stations refused to pay, and accused them of ‘divide and rule’ tactics. For Okoroji, Dokpesi was being economical with the truth, as he and others used the lingering crisis between MCSN and PMRS, and now, COSON to short-change musicians. Okoroji said while the stations’ owners fed fat on musicians’ money by playing their music and not paying for it, the musicians went home empty-handed.

He, therefore, vowed to do everything legally within his power to change the status quo, noting, “I asked to do this job and I was chosen to do it. It was not forced on me. Someone needs to do it and it has fallen on me. I know that it is a very tough job but it has to be done. In an environment where there is no long-standing culture of respect for intellectual property rights, it is like pulling teeth. I did not decide to do this job because I was hoping that someone would clap for me or commend me or even appreciate what I do. I love my country and must contribute to its development. I understand the risk of being completely misunderstood and you know that I have repeatedly had to endure very vile character assassination. I thank God for taking care of me each time. As long as I have any breadth left in me and the people I represent have confidence in me, I intend to do this job to the best of my ability and with fairness to all”.

BON’s resolutions, dated October 23, 2013, regarding the unfriendly activities of COSON towards its members, were to liberalise the copyright system, charge musicians for broadcasting their works, and failing which, a banning of musical and sound recordings of Nigerian musicians on BON’s platforms from December 15.

According to the statement, BON “…will no longer tolerate the incessant and continuous harassment, intimidation, blackmail and attacks on broadcasting stations

by COSON over un-negotiated payment of license fees, which in all respects were and are fixed and imposed arbitrarily and unilaterally by COSON… “BON noted that it is highly unequitable, unfair and unprogressive to continue to enthrone and promote COSON as a monopoly in the collective management of music

and sound recordings in Nigeria as the effect of this monopoly is adversely affecting broadcasting stations who constitute major users of musical works of indigenous and foreign artistes in Nigeria”.

Also, BON asserted that its members had been paying royalties and had made representations to the Minister of Justice, Mr. Mohammed Bello Adoke, and the NCC without meaningful response. For BON, therefore, copyright management must be liberalised to save its members from COSON’s harassment.

An example of the unilateral and arbitrary imposition of levy on stations is that which COSON slammed on the three radio stations on Steam and Globe Broadcasting and Communications Ltd platforms – Cool FM, Wazobia FM and Nigeria Info FM. In the month of September 2013, COSON invoiced the three stations –Cool FM - N40m (VAT N2m); Wazobia FM –N40m (VAT N2m) and Nigeria Info FM – N30m (VAT N1.5m), a total of N115.5m.

As a result of this billing among other things, Steam had had to make a case, which COSON would not entertain, “Once again your letter invoiced us a lump sum figure (i.e. with no breakdown) without adhering to the principle of ‘let the music pay’ and without insuring that as of December 31, 2012, your organisation did not collect copyright fees from over 215 FM stations be it federal, state or private. Bearing in mind, this excludes TV and AM stations, which COSON could have collected huge fees, if the invoicing was reasonable”.

Steam and Globe, therefore, sought the help of NCC’s Copyright Dispute Resolution Panel to thrash out these contentious issues.

Steam’s Chief Operating Officer, Evita Mousalli signed the statement. For Steam, Globe and other BON members, COSON’s charges are not based on music airplay (a fee per song) played, as is usually done.

Further, Steam says, “COSON is disregarding our arguments that we are playing around five songs per hour in Cool FM and four songs per hour in Wazobia FM, and yet we are being charged more for Wazobia FM than Cool FM, which is not logical considering the ‘basis of collection is to pay per song played’… COSON is charging stations per reputation and not per song played, which negates the principle of fairplay”.

But COSON refutes claims of arbitrary tariffs imposed on stations. In responding, Okoroji said, “Arrant mischief! They know for a fact that COSON cannot impose a tariff on anybody. The Copyright (Collective Management

CONTINUED ON PAGE 37

Friday, December 13, 2013 ARTS

THE GUARDIANwww.ngrguardiannews.com

35

Ode to Nelson Mandela

By Kayode Steve Adaramoye

On this African Mountain Madiba teaches the world love and friendship Madiba teaches the world bravery and principle Madiba teaches the world courage and faith Madiba teaches the world selflessness and heroism And the Seventh Day came calling for Madiba As he stands on African Mountain To ascend on seraphic wings To bid the world farewell in lightning The eerie smoke thunders the sky As the trumpet sounds for the warrior Sun of righteousness stands still for Madiba Moon of beauty arrays the sky for Madiba Star in constellation glorifying Madiba Rainbows of love arc the sky for Madiba Before our own eyes Angels on wings in colors In jubilant scintillating voices Celebrating Madiba in glory Initiating him into the pantheon of saints

When Mandela visited CBAAC in 1990 S his rites of passage which began on A Tuesday in South Africa continues to gather global momentum, the Centre for Black and African Arts and Civilization (CBAAC) has joined the rest of the world to mourn the passage, last week, of the great icon of the struggle against apartheid and racism, Nelson Rolihlahla Madiba Mandela at the ripe age of 95.

In a statement signed by the centre’s Director General, Prof. Tunde Babawale, “CBAAC condoles with the family, Government and people of South Africa as well as the Black and African communities world wide over the passing away of the greatest African of our time.

We sincerely sympathize with the entire Black and African peoples on this great and irreparable loss. There is no gainsaying the fact that Mandela’s demise has created a big gap with enormous challenge to the Black community around the world. We grieve with the rest of the world on the death of this dogged fighter, foremost pan Africanist, and a great icon of no mean achievements, Nelson Mandela.

“Following his release from captivity in February 1990, we recall Madiba’s visit to CBAAC on May 14, 1990 to collect the certificate of freedom of the City of Glasgow which was kept in trust for him by the Centre when he was in prison. As a human and social rights crusader whose achievements remain unequalled and unrivalled by any individual of his background and lineage, we recall with nostalgia, Mandela’s commitment to the struggle against apartheid through African National Congress.

“Notwithstanding his age and health, Mandela never relented in his resolve

There is no gainsaying the fact that Mandela’s demise has created a big gap with enormous challenge to the Black community around the world. We grieve with the rest of the world on the death of this dogged fighter, foremost pan Africanist, and a great icon of no mean achievements, Nelson Mandela. to further the frontiers of his campaign for racial equality, human rights and fair representation. He was a firm believer in racial equality and reconciliation.

His renunciation of violence and his campaign for Peace and reconciliation on his release signaled a new dawn in the history of South Africa. This development earned him along side his erstwhile tormentor and the former leader of apartheid South Africa, Frederick de Klerk the 1993 Nobel Peace Prize.

Through his brief stint as the first black President of democratic South Africa, Mandela institutionalized to his credit, a formidable inter racial network of relationship between and among peoples of South Africa, Black or white and the global community in general. A legend par excellence, through his words, writings and actions, Mandela bequeathed to the next generation inspiring footprints and enduring legacies worthy of emulation.

“Mandela’s presidency also recorded enviable achievements and made significant contributions to human advancement with a thriving progressive constitutional democracy in South Africa, the launching of South Africa into global reckoning, thus becoming a global player, institution of a united and integrated South Africa in the midst of diversity.

Among his legacies as a humanist is his

extensive charitable work through the institution of the Nelson Mandela Foundation, the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund and 46664 – the HIVAIDS initiative named after his prison number.

“It was in recognition of his commitment to the cause of the people that the United Nations in 2009 declared that July 18, Mandela’s birthday, be set aside worldwide as a day of community service to be known as Nelson Mandela International Day. “There is no doubting the fact that Mandela’s shoes would be too big for any mortal of his generation to wear. He would be sorely missed. We are however consoled by the fact that even in death, Mandela’s image which is synonymous with true love for all, sacrifice and struggle for equity, justice and fairness looms large.

“On behalf of the Board, Management and staff of Centre for Black and African Arts and Civilization (CBAAC), Federal Ministry of Tourism, Culture and National Orientation, Federal Republic of Nigeria, I condole with the Mandela family, the government and people of South Africa and the entire Black and African peoples on this unavoidable transition. May Madiba’s gentle soul rest in peace.”

Madiba’s death is a celebration of life Madiba’s death is life after life Madiba’s death is glory unto glory Madiba’s death is initiation into the ages Madiba’s death is honour to the world beyond Weep not Africa for Madiba Weep not the world for the freedom fighter Weep only for the vampires among us Weep only for the vermin in our midst Weep for the wolves in human skin Ha! African forest has lost its flower Hey! African plant has lost its chlorophyll Tell it not to the rampaging sirocco Tell it not to the heathen storm Publish this not to the racist whirlwind As heroic Madiba departs in blazing glory When’ll our forest get another elephant When’ll another lion roar our forest When’ll another Iroko dwell our forest Till then our evergreen forest remains deciduous!

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

Friday, December 13, 2013 31

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

Friday, December 13, 2013

33

32

Friday, December 13, 2013

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

34

Friday, December 13, 2013

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

30 ARTS Friday, December 13, 2013

Onwenu

THE GUARDIANwww.ngrguardiannews.com

Dokpesi

Tee Mac

... Liberalisation or monopoly in rights management CONTINUED FROM PAGE 36 Organization) Regulations, 2007 provides for anyone who disagrees with any tariff issued by an approved collecting society to apply to the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) to set up a panel to review such tariff. I am not aware that any member of BON has applied to the NCC to set up such a panel and the commission refused”.

Steam and Globe’s petition to NCC’s review panel is dated September 24, 2013. Over two months later, NCC is yet to respond or act.

As a follow up to its threat, BON has instructed its member stations (radio and television) to stop airing works of musicians that belong to COSON starting from December 15, 2013.

MCSN’s boss, Mr. Mayowa Ayilaran, noted that his organisation uses standard tariffs in billing users of musical works by looking at the extent of music in relation to the business, adding, “We open ourselves up to negotiations; we believe in partnership to progress. We don’t charge in lump sum; that will be unreasonable. Besides, we have monitoring mechanism; we have very good monitoring system. We check music logging to see what has been played”.

On threat of ban of Nigerian music on BON platforms, Okoroji said he found the idea laughable. He stated, “I woke up one morning to hear on radio the funny threat by the leadership of BON that broadcasting stations in Nigeria may no longer play the music of Nigerian citizens on Nigerian stations. Why? Because COSON is demanding that musicians be paid copyright royalties for the exploitation of their music, as is done in every country in the world.

“This thing may go up to the Supreme Court for a decision. Can anyone deny a Nigerian citizen the right to be heard on Nigeria’s airwaves? It is a fundamental human rights issue. The fact that you are given a broadcast license and frequency does not mean that you now own the airwaves.

“The airwaves continue to belong to Nigerians. The broadcast code issued by the National Broadcast Commission (NBC) that licenses broadcast stations in Nigeria is clear on that. Article 3.13.2.2 of the code says: ‘For the purpose of free-to-air broadcast, Nigerian music shall constitute 80 per cent of all music broadcast’. Is every broadcast station in Nigeria not bound by the broadcast code?

“Every September 1 when we celebrate No Music Day, we request the stations not to broadcast music for at least one or two hours? The usual response from them is that they cannot do without playing music for one or two hours on No Music Day. Now they want to give us No Music Year!

“Funny enough, BON is flexing muscles that they do not have. It was a ‘divide and conquer’ gambit. They expected that their announcement would cause heavy division within the music industry and that everyone will be running helter-skelter and this will erode the authority of COSON. Nothing I know has united the music industry more than this issue”.

Gladiators in the den At the presentation, Okoroji stuck to the monopoly plank for copyright collective sys-

tem. He argued that in the days of MCSN and PMRS, stations exploited the wrangling with the argument that they did not know who to pay to, and advised the two gladiators to go put their house in order first. Now that NCC, in its wisdom has done the needful, according to Okoroji, it would amount to retrogression to liberalise the sector since it wasn’t a business for profit in the first place. He said musicians would continue to suffer abuse and deprivations, as BON would continue to use ‘divide and rule’ style to deny artistes legitimate income from their intellectual property.

Apart from Okoroji, others on the side of COSON who attempted arguing for COSON did a miserable job of it. Artiste manager, Efe Omoregbe and Sunny Neji couldn’t quite advance arguments beyond saying liberalization posed a danger to collective rights management. Banky W., artiste and board member of COSON, came round to the MCSN and BON’s position on liberalisation, saying since monopoly seems a problem, the leveraging of technology should be employed to determine the music stations play and pay per song rather than lump sum imposition.

Bank W. also pleaded with the legislators to help the creative sector with laws that would benefit artistes and sued for transparency and openness among stations so musicians would not be short-changed again. He sued the legislators to ensure proper use of logging technology that was offered by a respondent for the good of musicians.

There were some interesting turns and twists in some presentations. Whereas NCC said one of the reasons it didn’t register MCSN was because it couldn’t produce 100 members that had signed or ceded their rights to it, Orits Williki displayed MCSN’s application that had, according to him over 1000 duly signed members. He further accused COSON of parading members on MCSN’s repertoire as theirs, saying that names being claimed by COSON were fictitious.

Daddy Showkey said although he didn’t sign his right to COSON, he was amazed to find his name on their list. Paul Play I.K. Dairo’s case is unique and probably calls for some criminal investigation. Whereas he didn’t sign or cede his rights to COSON, NCC’s sole rights manager, collected money from a telecommunication company and failed to remit the money to him. Mr. Dairo is now in court with the telecommunication company for paying COSON his money.

Boss of Disc Engineering Ltd, Mr. Bayo Banjo came down heavy on NCC and COSON for collecting monies they have no right, and decried their activities as illegal and criminal. He declared, “COSON collects royalties they don’t have right or repertoire. Monies COSON collects is fraud. When they came to me, as music user, I asked for COSON ‘s repertoire, they went away; they didn’t have any. There’s no difference between COSON and NCC; they have to be forced apart. COSON and NCC are pirates for collecting monies not meant for them”.

Flutist, Tee Mac-Itseli, also lent his voice to the liberalisation cause. He said thousands of dollars belonging to Nigerian musicians were now trapped in CMOs abroad as a result of COSON’s monopoly, and because it does not have bilateral agreements with any collective

company outside Nigeria like MCSN, which usually collects such monies on behalf of Nigerian musicians and remit foreign artistes’ to CMOs abroad. Tee Mac said CONSON’s continuing monopoly, as rights collector would mean that Nigerian musicians would continue to be denied their legitimate earnings from overseas.

Kenny Ogungbe, Chief Ashamu and Charly Boy all sued for as many CMOs as possible as against a monopolist that does not even have the consent of rights’ owners.

Even more interesting was Chief Onyeka Onwenu’s position that thoroughly negated Okoroji’s. Until very recently, Onwenu and Okoroji had been bedfellows on the copyright fight. Right from PMRS’ days to COSON, the duo had been inseparable. But they have both fallen apart. According to Onwenu, “It’s been unending struggle that has been going on. If NCC should be an honest broker, laws against MCSN should also apply to COSON. COSON as constituted and being run is wrong.

“Tony (Okoroji) is chairman and Managing Director of COSON. COSON is one-man show and that is the problem. People like us were removed from COSON because we would not abide with practices going on in COSON. Members of COSON are not musicians, as witnessed in the last election. There’s serious politics going on in COSON. Why should chairman be so for life? I believe more than one CMO can be registered”.

Even on the registration of multiple CMOs, NCC’s D-G is not averse, although he was cagey about it, saying,, “NCC doesn’t have a problem with another CMO being registered to cover rights not under COSON”.

Possible agenda for NCC/Legislators Perhaps, it was Hon. Opeyemi Bamidele who put issues in proper perspective, when he said no matter what NCC did, “you cannot stop MCSN from being registered”. And, like his colleagues in the joint committee, he advised MCSN to withdraw all pending cases in against NCC and COSON so the issues of liberalisation could be resolved legislatively, as being about the best way to go to ensure all musicians maximally benefit from their intellectual property.

Virtually every legislator saw NCC’s denial of MCSN from being registered as awkward.

Same, too, for the third CMO that failed NCC’s litmus test. NCC’s D-G Ezekude and Okoroji’s citing of some African countries as examples of where only one CMO operates didn’t quite stick; they both sounded unconvincing.

Ezekude’s citing of South Africa was even laughable; it seemed the D-G didn’t do his homework well, as that country has more than one CMO. His major argument on why his predecessors didn’t deem it fit to register MCSN, including Adebambo Adewopo, a former counsel to MCSN, also seemed out of place. What is fair is for NCC to set the right parametres on how CMOs should operate and ensure a level playing field. It should ensure broadcast stations and other users of music have a log to avoid arguments and arbitrary charges by CMos. Like it happened in the banking sector, NCC should set the issue of board membership and tenure of chief executives right. Messrs

Banky W Ayilaran and Okoroji have stayed on the scene for far too long as sole heads of MCSN and COSON. This is part of Onwenu’s grouse. NCC should wake up to its responsibility as unbiased regulator and liberalise the environment; it should be a serious umpire and set standards of operations for whoever comes forward to register as CMO rather than perpetuate monopoly in a democratic Nigeria.

This also means that legislators should carry on this assignment with the kind of openmindedness with which it heard all parties to the dispute. It should consider all memoranda submitted and even look outside Nigeria to see how it’s done with a view to making effective legislation that would give NCC room to operate properly and well above interests of its members. This way, the livelihood of Nigerian musicians would be assured and protected from abuse. That way also, government can begin to taste a bit of the action from taxes artistes must pay as citizens from earnings from their trade.

Purported members of COSON artistes banned by BON from December 15 UFACE Idibia, D’Banj, Inyanya, T Olamide, Dr. Sid, Sammie Okposo, Banky W, Wiz Kid, Olu Maintain, 9ice, Sunny Nneji, Flavour, Chidinma, Rugged Man, Keffee, Midnite Crew, Eldee De Don, M.I, Azeezat, Jazzman Olofin, Ice Prince, Jesse Jagz, KC Presh, X project, Asha, Konga, African China, Owen Gee, Dekunle Fuji, Lord of Ajasa, Zoolezoo, Ekwe Original Stereoman, Danfo Drivers, Rhymzo, DJ Jimmy Jatt, Kofi, Jedee, Muma Gee, AY, Com. ID Cabassa, Klever H, Zidon Poperella, Eva, Terry G. Nomoreloss, Mike Okri, Weird MC, Mode 9, Timaya, Sound Sultan, Waje, Mo’Cheddah, Jay Martins, Slam, Djinee, Solid Star, Omawunmi, TWO, W4, Omotola Jelade Ekehinde, Yinka Ayefele, DJ Stramborella, Ebenezer Obey, VictorUwaifor, Onyeka Onwenu, Dan Maraya Jos, Tony Okoroji, Stella Monye, Floxxy bee, Funmi Adams, Majek Fashek, Daniel Wilson, Alex Zitto, Sir Shina Peters, Ras Kimono, Wale Thomspon, Kollington Ayinia, Adewale Ayuba, Wasiu Ayinde Mashal, Chris Ajilo, Emmanuel Ntia, Orlando Julius, Eddy Remedy, Mr. Kool, 2 Shotz, Baba Dee, Bouqui, Rooftop MCs, Kenny Saint Brown, Klever J, OJB Jezreel, Danny Young, Dipp, Frank D’Nnero, Ojo, Tim Godfrey, Kween, Bankole Wellington

36 ARTS Friday, December 13, 2013

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

Literature Spotlighting Jonathan’s Presidency

By Yusuf Ali Zoaka POrTrAIT On History — Goodluck Jonathan and Nigeria’s Presidency (Impact Global Resources; 2012)) has Onyebuchi Onuobia as the lead author with Solomon Umeham and Peter Okorie as co-authors and is dedicated to those NYSC members who died in the post-election violence that occurred in Nigeria in 2011.

The introduction adumbrates the praxis of transformation in the historic context of a Nigeria brand, “…Nigeria is a brand all her own.

Goodluck Jonathan’s Transformational Agenda, working a unique programmatic schedule to rebrand Nigeria, rests on both ontological and logical imperatives. The goodness of the Nigerian people and the greatness of the Nigerian nation are axiomatic. Both categories are already immanent tendencies of the Nigeria brand.”

Subsequently, he offers the theoretical groundwork of this position: “… in every democracy, debates are perennial about the normative content of common values and practices set against existential forms. That includes a flipside as to the appropriate normative quantum of differences, and what values are shared by specific groupings in democratic societies. In Nigeria, the cast of the question is: What infrastructure will be required to see to it that everyone is at the table?”

The dominant tendency of the work is its fatalistic garb. “Coming as he did when he came, with poetic elegance, Jonathan symbolises the one who came when he was most needed.”

From this point on, the book confronts the historical process dynamically head on, seeking to uncover its authentic direction and grasp its essential content with a view to reaching meaning and purpose. The setting for a dialectical interrogation of the categories of rationality, reality, law governance, accident, providence in the emergence of Goodluck Jonathan as Nigeria’s president is complete.

This ping-pong of perspectives is unctuously archetypical of the dance of the macabre. But it

A

heralds a lively scholarly engagement in the book, organised around names, historicity, fatalism, determinism and providence.

Following on this background, the first chapter of the book is titled: A Chancy Chancy Affair. The chapter appears to be deftly executed as it supports the claim that the Central Limit Theory (CLAT) is the specie of probability theory that is most suited for application to grapple with the intriguing dynamic of the present theme “…to explore the various possibilities of the propositions spawned by the basic question.”

The authors have no misgivings as to the type, style and content of the biographic exertion that they engage: “It is that which we should write so that Nigerians can see afar to the ends of our nascent democracy.”

Chapter three has been culled from another work by the lead author, In The Search For Beauty: Umaru Musa Yar’adua and The Dialectic of The Hidden Force, in which it had appeared as chapter 13 and its essence is captured in the following statements: “However, one thing stands out: Goodluck is a man whose time has come…” “The historical forces that propel from under have been quite active in the matter of our subject, Goodluck Jonathan. Now, Jonathan spawns another imprimatur of a pawn in the hands of fate.”

Chapter four, Encounters Enroute, captures the high points of Jonathan’s incursion into politics and his odyssey in the murky terrain of power and high office.

The fifth chapter, An Eagle of Power and A Transformational Figure, details the essence and thrust of the book. It sets its tone as well as its general theme as articulated in the first paragraph of this essay. “Jonathan,” the authors assure, “attained the acting presidency after a hilarious period of ping-pong and national confusion.” But he “...galvanized overnight into a transformational figure. An accident of history had thrust

Nigeria’s presidency upon him. He himself, said “circumstances have put me here,” adding, “I am not greedy for power.”

Jonathan’s emerging stature and potency signals a consummate political force and the awesome possibilities portended by it: “…full of a towering dynamism. Full of commitment to national revival. Taking a place as one of the most vital leaders in Nigeria’s history,” and “…Jonathan remained a harmless and calm dove. But one who has depth….”

The authors successfully show that even adversaries in the political dynamic are joined in respect for Jonathan’s dispositions and abilities. They observe: “The view is widely held that

he is someone who can hold this country together.”

Chapter six: To be a Leader: The Lot Of A Chosen Few? The Cluster Theory and the Metaphysics of Zoning in Nigeria, celebrates the zealot as the Centre of Gravity (COG) of historical motion. However, the authors deprecate social clusters organised around ethnic, regional and market relations because they constitute “…the satanic elite of the Nigerian state. They are Mr. president’s most critical challenge. They confront him with the most horrendous possibilities.”

Issues of Terrorism, Social Being, Social Consciousness and The Political Environment are engaged in chapter seven. It addresses a key challenge of the Jonathan administration — insecurity in its internal forms of manifestation as terrorism — using scientifically legitimate research tools to uncover the basis for its precipitation, suggesting counter-terrorism instruments.

Chapter eight, Living The National Ethic (20112015): An Historical Taxonomy of The National Ethic and National Values, is driven by the historical task of the Jonathan regime, namely that it “…must drive transformation initiatives in the domain of the national ethic and its concomitant value appendages. It must provide the ideological infrastructure to grow positive outcomes in the ethical and value integrity of the nation. It must make explicit that which is already implicit.”

Chapter nine chronicles the activities of the wife of the President, Dame Patience through her pet project — W4CI — which the authors claim to have complemented the transformation agenda of her husband in the thematic area of the female gender.

The entire book is, indeed, an exercise in civic education, key into the existing curriculum process in the nation’s education system in the context of the issues discussed and the patterns taken in conducting the discussions.

Yakubu Gowon… Rooting for a better Nigeria

By Anthony Chidubem Nwachukwu CTOBER 1, 1960 was the heyday O of patriotism and one moment that Nigerians became proud of themselves and their zeal for selfdetermination. It was all about passion for the young nation that had been primed to be a beacon for the black race and, considering the challenges of the colonial era, which preceded the new dawn, the rhythm of the music of liberation was expectedly enviable.

Unfortunately, however, in the immediate aftermath of independence, that same music now waxed in loathsome cacophony of sound, did not last long to sustain the enthusiasm for statehood. This later led to the Nigerian Civil War of 1967 to 1970 between the secessionist Eastern Nigeria, which sought a Republic of Biafra, and the rest of Nigeria.

Noble statesmen and innocent citizens would eventually be brutally murdered in that war, “and the flow of fratricidal blood fouled the once aromatic air of self-realization.” National unity was threatened, and the restoration of peace became imperative.

The onerous burden of re-unifying the country rested on the then Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon.

To his credit, the slogan, “Go On With One Nigeria (GOWON)” – “which rendered his name a fortuitous acronym” - and “No Victor, No

Vanquished,” dispersed the tense air beclouding the warm efforts of establishing firm grounds for a more inclusive Nigeria. Anyhow, both slogans assuaged the battered feelings of hurt and hate.

Having brought the nation together, it would be expected that things would normalize, but alas, so many pre-independence foundational values have been excised from the national ethos and as it were, things could no longer be the same. It would mean, regrettably, that the trauma of the Nigeria-Biafra War still haunts the nation.

For sure, mutual forgiveness is required in order to thrive as brothers and move the nation forward. A declaration of war against tribal sentiments may not be out of place, since the aforementioned sentiments could push the nation to total stagnation.

The book, Yakubu Gowon: The Quest for a More Inclusive Nigeria (Cscribbles Books, Italy; 2013), did not attempt a vivid graphics of the war or the events that culminated in that. Rather, the authors, Chinonso Madu (winner of the adult category of the 2009 Italian National Competition in Fairy

Tales) and Ayo Makun (AY), tried to use the 154-page prose to draw attention to the leadership profile of a great statesman.

The focus is purely on reconciliation, not retaliation. It must be noted that years of agonizing retrospect into the reasons for the civil war, daubed with contentions etched on deep-rooted ethnic sentiments, which make all parties right simultaneously and none ready to see beyond the need for broad-mindedness, have blighted even the minimal, genuine efforts at national unity.

The authors, advocating scruples rather than brutality, and forwardminded efforts at unity in place of divisive and retrogressive tribalism, seek to chart a new path for Nigeria’s growth and development to break the chains of stagnation and strife.

The book focuses on the quest for a more inclusive Nigeria, with Gowon as its symbol. It articulates the quest for national unity by systematically excavating Nigeria’s pre-history and stretching it forward to the foundation of statehood.

With a thin string of shunning the blame game, which ties the entire work, the text invites all to auto-critique the failures that shattered the force of cohesion among brothers.

Gowon’s period of service to the nation, including during the civil war, is beautifully portrayed. His moderating post-war actions, which

many Nigerians remain grateful about, are briefly highlighted. His current efforts towards the promotion of One Nigeria and better prospects for the nation, as concretely seen and felt in the Yakubu Gowon Centre (YGC) and Nigeria Prays, are not left out.

The writers call attention to the right choices that Nigeria must make in order to realize the dream of a more inclusive nation - a more promising Nigeria - which will join the league of the world’s twenty leading economies by 2020. It is a clarion call on every Nigerian to make this a reality.

Just as the detribalized protagonist, whom the ancestral writer, Professor Chinua Achebe, excellently described as the gentleman general, pointed the way for reconciliation, Nigerians are invited to imbibe the same attitude in covering the poignant cracks in the wall of their statehood.

To be faithful to Gowon’s high ideals, inclusiveness must become the habit of the commonwealth: no part of the country should be schemed out of national relevance and the wealth of the state should not be shared in a way that would bring more disharmony in the already volatile polity that now juts out at the seams. According to Gandhi, “Unity, to be real, must stand the severest strain without breaking.”

ARTS Friday, December 13, 2013 37

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

Lord Of Chaos … How not to pursue political ambition

By Omiko Awa HE various atrocities politicians (especially in Nigeria) T commit to gain power cannot be distinctly explained any better than in the play, Lord Of Chaos, which reveals how a man’s ambition could make him toll a path, he would not ordinarily have walked.

Written by Akin Adejumo and published by Wordlines Extensions, Ibadan, the play opens with two students arguing over the impacts education and schooling make in their immediate and wider society. Though, they did not agree on which is superior, they both believe that education is for impact and that not everyone needs a university degree or diploma to make an impact in the society.

Act Two shows how Demola (Ademola Ipadeola Adegoroye), the 1st Student, in the opening, has grown to be a professor of Mathematics, and now into politics, vying for the governorship position of his state, West Central State on the platform of the Democratic Party Congress (DPC).

Determined to win the election, Demola despite his personal integrity, sound scientific reasoning and doggedness to impact on his people through good governance condescends low to patronise spiritualists to realise his ambition. Though, his wife, Ayanfe, frowns at his use of spiritualists, Demola ignores her plea to change his mind of contesting the election, he, instead, arranges for spiritually powerful

Christian and Muslim clerics to come to his house to offer special prayers for him.

Jonah, one of the false prophets, assuring him of victory hands him a rod with which to overcome his political enemies. For want of more spiritual back ups for himself and his household, Demola goes with Chief Arikuyeri, his political godfather to Atanpako, a shaman, who tells him that the gods say he must endure 101 incisions on his head, chest and tongues, with a machete; bathe at a graveyard for three consecutive days in the middle of the night with a specially prepared soap; and, finally, bonk a mad woman.

Finding the instructions absurd and difficult to obey, Arikuyeri guides the aspiring governor to carry out the sacrifice. And unknown to Demola, his political godfather, has an ulterior motive to achieve. While guiding Demola, Chief arranges for photographers to snap Demola when he would be boffing the mad woman. This he plans to use for future blackmail.

Blinded by his aspirations to see or think properly, Demola enters into agreement with his political godfather that he would give him 60 per cent of his security vote, allows 50 per cent of the capital projects to be executed by him using proxy companies, and give him the privilege to nominate 12 out of 16 commissioners into key ministries, if he wins.

As the play unravels, Demola wins the governorship election, but finds out that giving in to the agreement between him and Arikuyeri would mean conceding his power as governor to him, so, he decides to renegotiate the deal. This leads to the anticlimax of the play, where Arikuyeri in unfriendly circumstances leaves the stage for Atanpako to face Demola, who later agrees to give out 40 per cent of his security vote aside other benefits.

The play brings to the front burner, the attitude of political office holders, politicians and the roles of the elite class aside from showing the easiness at which political gladiators embrace absurd means— thuggery, oath taking and other surreptitious courses —to attain power. Added to this, is the lesson that every man has a price, and that everyman can be bought at the price of his own ambition.

Like a circle, Adejumo takes the readers from Act One to Act Nine and back to Act One, where Demola (Ist student) and Lalakuterus (2nd Student) engaged in a debate over schooling and education, in which the later vowed that schoolers would bow to him. Demola, now a schooler, actually bowed by succumbing to Lalakuterus’ mysticism, despite being a professor and holds lofty dream to improve the lots of his people.

However, in spite of the author’s creativeness, it must be noted that the play leaves so many questions unanswered.

How could Demola not being able to know Atanpako (Lalakuterus) for the length of time and the number of days they have stayed as students and shaman? How come Demola’s wife is in possession of the husband’s wears without he (husband) not finding out how she got them, especially when such attire was said to be taken away by a mad woman? How would Demola view the wife, knowing she was the mad woman and also that the photographers have the copy of her being nude and bonked?

Little wonder, the Demola claims to be a brand new Demola Adegoroye before occupying the governor’s seat.

Aside from these, the play teaches some home lessons that we should be firm in our decision-making and taking, and always avoid the leech that hangs at the corridors of power.

When King of Okoroma penned his people’s tale

By Richard Ali HE ancient Greeks have many myths T that have proved timeless and universal in scope. Amongst these, and some have considered it the most important myth of all, is the myth of Prometheus. It is said that when the creation of the world was complete, all animals and plants had been given gifts and features by the gods except for Man—alas the gods had run out of gifts!

This massive error, capable of jeopardising the existence of Man, was only solved when the Titan Prometheus stole a brand of fire from the sun and gave it to Man. This was the light of illumination and knowledge and the fire with which food was cooked and tools of life and war forged. And man survived. Still thrives.

In the same vein of myth is the reality of the book, History of Okoroma People (Onyoma Research Publications, Port Harcourt; 2013) by Charles Onoye Amiebi. In 107 pages divided into six chapters, the author attempts to encompass the entire history of Okoroma people of present day Bayelsa State. One’s wonder at the audacity of the undertaking is mitigated by the fact that the author is, in fact, His Royal Highness the Obanobhan of Okoroma, the first king of Okoroma.

The aim of the book is set out explicitly in the Forward — a means to address “the face of prevailing suppression and resulting apparent obscurity of the origin and history of the Okoroma people” and it is noted that final publication of the book was delayed due to “internal communal wrangling as well as external oppressive political, social and economic manoeuvrings and activities by detractors in neighbouring communities.”

So, who are the Okoroma people?

From the accounts relying on oral sources, the author traces the origins of the people to three brothers from the middle belt of Nigeria— speculation falling strongest on either Idoma or Igala ethnicities for this trio. This explains the most significant feature of the Okoroma, which is their language, distinct from that of all the neighbouring tribes of the eastern Niger delta. It is

unclear though, how the date of the 11th century was fixed for the arrival of the brothers, named Agoin, Doki and Ayazi, in the Niger delta because the chief flaw of oral traditions is of course that of dating.

Nonetheless, this trio and their followers and slaves arrived the Niger delta with their oracles and gods; Agoin, the first brother, had an oracle in the shape of a carved canoe named Obion. This Agoin, with his great spiritual power, decided to stay with the Engenni people who had come under the protection of his oracle.

The two other brothers went on and one of them, Doki, is speculated to have been the founder of Isokoland or an ancestor of the Isoko people. Agoin, in Engenni land, married a native of the place and gave birth to a son named Oboinya after his oracle.

This Oboinya, in his old age, entered a controversy with

his hosts and was forced to flee with his people. His first son, named Okoroma, leads his father and people away, escaping the murderous intent of his mother’s people, going in a southerly direction until they faced the sea at the Brass River, in an estuary they named “Ogbeyan Toru Otokolo”; their security guaranteed, the escapees moved some ways inland making their first home an island in the tributary of the Ekole Creek, an island named Ekpe ado [one palm tree]. This community is the nucleus of the Okoroma people.

The author, Charles Amiebi, is very careful to give names of ancestors and of settlements and the histories of each in the manner of a scholar who is in charge of his material. Of great interest is the author’s theory on the emergence of the modern Ogbia and Okoroma clans. The exodus of Okoroma and his aged father from the Engenni territory saw a split of the people with some remaining behind and going on to found villages and settlement while the other group followed Okoroma in his escape south.

Those who stayed behind became known as the Ogbia clan while those who went along with Okoroma called themselves the Okoroma clan, after their immediate father.

The overall ancestor of these two clans is of course Agoin, the first brother—the name of his god, Oboin, corrupted by the clan’s Ijaw and Nembe neighbours as Ogbeyan, became further contracted to the present Ogbia by which the people are now known. The Okoroma and the Ogbia clans are thus of the same stock.

The rest of the book deals with the various migrations and abandonments of settlements, the resettlement of some and the arrival of guests into Okoroma territories.

Charles Amiebi is at pains to give a sense of unity to his people even against clear political manoeverings by their larger neighbours, the Nembe and the Ijaw. He is also at pains to show that while the long association, in terms of trade and

intermarriage, have seen a dilution of the Okoroma people [with the Nembe especially] viz a viz the Ogbia clan, this dilution should not lessen their unique identity. He also explicates the burdens of kingship, including those of internal divisions and collaborators amongst his own people. The author, who is recently deceased, also takes the bold step of naming names for blame or shame, adding a sense of authenticity to this History.

In all this, HRH Charles Amiebi, the Obanobhan of Okoroma Kingdom, assumes the great role played by Prometheus in Greek myth—handing the light of truth to his people, telling them who they really are. Only that, in this case, this is reality and not myth. The question as yet unanswered, is whether the descendants of Agoin would accept this last gift from their king and

Wordcastles with Amu Nnadi in Ibadan tomorrow RTMOSPHERE, one of Nigeria’s most consisA tent and engaging literary and arts event will play host to award winning writer, Amu Nnadi at its December edition. Tagged Wordcastles, the event comes up on Saturday, December 14, 2013, at the NuStreams Conference Centre, Alalubosa GRA, Ibadan.

The evening will commence at 3pm with poet and winner of the 2013 ANA Poetry Prize, Amu Nnadi reading from his new poetry collection, Through the Window of a Sandcastle. This will be followed by panel discussions, music as well as the announcement of the winner of the 2013 PEN Nigeria/Saraba Poetry Prize.

Amu Nnadi

38 Friday, December 13, 2013 ARTS

THE GUARDIANwww.ngrguardiannews.com

Film A day to celebrate Legends of Nollywood

By Shaibu Husseini

T was one event that some veterans of the Iwished film and television industry in Nigeria should be held often and not annually

as designed. It was held last Saturday at the Banquet Hall of the National Theatre, Lagos.

Beyond the medals which they received from the organisers of Legend of Nollywood Awards (LNA), the event also provided opportunity for veteran film and television actors, director and producers like Chief Eddie Ugbomah, Chief Femi Robinson, Jimi Johnson, Abiola Atanda, Fred Amata, Edmund Enaibe, Gbenga Richards, Franca Brown, and Rosemary Ingbi Ononiwu to network, unwind and reunite.

Guests at the event that was chaired by the Culture and Tourism Minister, Chief Edem Duke, watched excitedly, as men and women who through their pioneering effort laid the foundation for the growth and development of what is today called Nollywood, shuffle and rock to the pulsating highlife and ‘old school’ beats supplied by a live band, which rendered some great highlife tunes.

“It is an evening to remember,” remarked Mrs. Abiola Atanda, who became popular as Madam Kofo, amidst request for photo session with the actress who is notable for the massive headgears (gele) that she adorn even off stage.

“I have never felt honoured the way I felt today.

It was a good feeling seeing great names like Chief Ugbomah who gave me my first film role in the 1970’s and people like the original village headmaster, Chief Femi Robinson and Okoro of Village Headmaster, Jimi Johnson.

“I thank God that Paul Obazele and his Royal Pictures have decided to honour us the pioneers who toiled for the survival of drama on television that later gave birth to drama on home video. I consider this award, one of the best I have received in my over four decades of professional practice, as unique.” The veteran actress was honoured for her effort in the defunct television series, Second Chance.

Madam Atanda, who had such guests in attendance as the Deputy Speaker of the Edo House of Assembly, Hon Festus Ebea; the Edo State Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Elizabeth Aenena Jemitola; Managing Director of Pharmatex Nigeria, Chief Christopher Nebo; former President of the Performing Musicians Employers Association of Nigeria (PMAN), Mr. Femi Lasode; and hordes of Nollywood personalities, said she never used to ‘tie the gele’ prior to her participation on Second Chance, adding, “I learnt it on set and today it has become something of a trademark.”

Chief Robinson, who was the first to be cast as the Village Headmaster in the series of same title and who also wrote a couple of scripts for the series, expressed similar sentiments.

In fact, for him, the LNA came as a big surprise, as he noted, “People like me never thought we would be recognised in our lifetime. We hear them daily recognising the stars of Nollywood but no one remembered the founding fathers that toiled yesterday for them to be able to have today that they are all enjoying. I thank the organisers for this recognition and I dedicate the award to all the pioneers including the creator of Village Headmaster, the late Chief Segun Olusola, the late Joe Layode (aka Teacher Garuba), who passed on almost penniless and all others either dead or living,” he said.

Indeed, it was a night of reminiscences for most of the awardees. Each of them took turns after receiving the award to recall their days on screen. Johnson, who was honoured for his role as Okoro in Village Headmaster, recalled his days on the long rested series, which the NTA tried hard to revive. Johnson would, however, not end his remarks without his usual call for the Federal Government to name the National Theatre complex after Professor Wole Soyinka, saying, “Name the edifice after Soyinka and hand him the edifice to run and you will not need any subvention from government because Soyinka’s name alone will attract direct foreign assistance and grants that will be used to maintain the edifice.”

Popular actor, producer and director, Fred Amata was honoured for his effort as director of the defunct television series, Ripples. The actor, whom Ebea said was “four years my senior in secondary school,” revealed that he was drafted to direct Ripples as soon as the series

Rose, Franca, Memuna, Kate Adepegba, Lilain Amah Aluko and Florence Onuma was created in 1987. “So, some of us started with working on television before Nollywood came and when Nollywood came, we moved there, too. So, you will understand why I am excited at this recognition because it shows that there is an effort to document our true motion picture history,” Amata said.

Franca Brown, who was honoured for her effort in the defunct television series Behind the Clouds spoke of how she was groomed to play the role of Nosa’s mum on the series even when she considered herself “too young to play the role,” adding, “But I was assured, even as young as I was a part one student of the Theatre Arts Department of the University of Jos, that I would be groomed to play an elderly person and that was just what happened.”

Also, Gbenga Richards, who was honoured for his role in the rested series, Mirror in the Sun, thanked the organisers for the recognition.

Like the other recipients including Edmund Enaibe, Memuna Abaji—who were both honoured for their roles in the defunct television series, After the Storm, Richards remarked that he was delighted that with LNA, the “labour of the heroes past was not going to be allowed to go in vain.”

He said, “I thought we have been forgotten. I thought that there would never be a day like this when those of us who toiled day and night to keep television alive and those of us who contributed to the birth of Nollywood will be recognised. I’m so glad that I’m receiving this while I’m still alive. This is one day that will

remain indelible for me.”

Convener of the awards and Chief Executive Officer of Royal Pictures Limited, Mr. Paul Obazele, said LNA was conceived in 2012 to recognise and honour leading lights of the motion picture industry, who, according to him, “Demonstrated convincingly that motion picture practice could be a popular form of entertainment.”

Obazele, also an actor, producer and former President of Association of Movie Producers (AMP), noted that a number of these pioneers, who laid the foundation for the establishment of Nollywood, had either “died unrecognised by a society that they served till death or had been conveniently forgotten because they were perceived as no longer active players in the industry.”

The need therefore to recognise the art, ingenuity, foresight, vision and industry of the pioneers of the motion picture vocation, he said, was the reason LNA was introduced last year, saying, “We honoured and celebrated about 25 of them last year and this year we will be honouring another 25. We hope to continue, if sponsorship and funding permit, until we exhaust the very long list of pioneers of the motion picture industry. There is a lot to celebrate about our past film and television accomplishments. We must also recognise these people whilst they are alive and not rush to read well-worded citations at their gravesides.”

Duke, who was represented by the General

The need therefore to recognise the art, ingenuity, foresight, vision and industry of the pioneers of the motion picture vocation, he said, was the reason LNA was introduced last year, saying, “We honoured and celebrated about 25 of them last year and this year we will be honouring another 25. We hope to continue, if sponsorship and funding permit, until we exhaust the very long list of pioneers of the motion picture industry. There is a lot to celebrate about our past film and television accomplishments.

We must also recognise these people whilst they are alive and not rush to read well-worded citations at their gravesides.”

Manager of the National Theatre, Kabir Yusuf, commended Royal Picture for what he said was a “laudable initiative,” and described the awardees as “visionary legends whose individual and collective contributions to the growth and development of the film and television industry cannot be ignored.”

In her goodwill message, First lady of Lagos State, Dame Abimbola Fashola, congratulated all the awardees and noted that they were being recognised because they stayed through their calling, not minding the daunting challenges that pioneers have to live with.

Similar goodwill messages came from the Managing Director of Nigerian Export Import Bank (NEXIM), Mr. Robert Orya; the Governor of Lagos State, Babatunde Raji Fashola, who was honoured for his tireless contribution to Nollywood; Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomole, who also received a merit award for his contributions to Nollywood; President, Director’s Guild of Nigeria (DGN), Mr. Andy Amenechi; and Mr. Ini Akpabio of Nanet Hotels Limited.

Other pioneers who were honoured at the occasion included Oba Sanya Dosumu, Pete Edochie for his performance in the television adaptation of Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart; Olu Jacobs for his performance in the defunct television series, Third Eye and Second Chance; Lai Ashadele for his performance in the rested television soap, Fortunes; Liz Benson for Fortunes; Clarion Chukwurah for Mirror in the Sun, Evelyn Ikuenobe Otaigbe for Behind the Clouds and David Oriere and Adiele Onyedibia who directed and produced Things Fall Apart respectively.

The evening was also used to pay tribute to some departed heroes including Samuede Arase Efeimwokike, who was popular as Sam Loco Efe; Joe Layode, who was popular as Teacher Garuba; Justus Esiri, Matt Dadzie, Danjuma Mohammed, Pete Eneh, Tony St. Iyke and Ashley Nwosu.

Obazele assured that the third edition would hold on December 9, 2014.

Friday, December 13, 2013 ARTS

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

39

Sound & Screen

Kakadu, The Musical goes to Calabar

By Benson Idonije HEN the award-winning “Kakadu The W Musical” shows in Calabar, the Cross River State capital on Tuesday, December 17, 2013, it will be with the same high art articulation and professional accomplishment that we experienced in Lagos some months ago. Why? Not leaving anything to chance, the entire caste has been rehearsing relentlessly in Surulere for the past two to three weeks - to remaster and assimilate their roles.

“Kakadu The Musical” which won the most outstanding stage musical award for 2013 (as rated by the National Association of Nigeria Theatre Arts Practitioners) is written by Uche Nwokedi (SAN) to portray the peace, unity and love that existed in post independence Nigeria; the halting of this wonderful experience in 1966 by the Nigerian civil war – and its aftermath. Even though a musical that provides maximum listening enjoyment, it resonates with dramatic brilliance, possessing the hallmarks of good theatre including ‘change’, ‘conflict’ and ‘climax’ accomplished with music, love and dance.

Of all the appraisals and reviews of Kakadu The Musical, I find the one by associate producer Winifred Nwokedi more apt, insightful and explanatory: “Kakadu The Musical is essentially the story of Lagos”, she says. “It is a play on the historical factors which show how Lagos lost its innocence because of events occurring outside of Lagos, which were beyond its control. It is the story of our parents.

At the same time, it is our story, and also the story of our children.” Indeed, it is the story of the entire country, a story that needs to be told and retold so that it can instruct the present.

Kakadu The Musical is making its influence felt in Calabar, capital city of Cross River State. I see

this as a first step. Actually, The Musical is a show that needs to be taken round all the capital cities of the different states of the federation, considering the message it portrays. The Musical should now be showing on our television stations – to drive the message home to millions of Nigerians through mass communication. No time does Nigeria need unity, peace and love than now when people are pushing for a sovereign national conference. Even though politically, we are one Nigeria, some people see the country as a mere geographical expression. The love for one another has waxed cold. Tribalism and ethnicity continue to rule our lives. And of course, corruption has been institutionalised. The message of Kakadu The Musical has the potential for reminding us about who we are and how it was in the beginning. It is capable of helping to restore the values of the good old days when unity, love, peace and selflessness ruled our lives.

Kakadu in actual life refers to a popular night club that flourished in the highlife days of the early sixties in Lagos. Situated at Alagomeji, Yaba, it was popularized by trumpeter, bandleader, E.C. Arinze who attracted hundreds of fun seekers to the club with his powerful music. But The Musical which is now enjoying acclaim (on stage) from rave reviews is a story that draws inspiration from this wonderful experience. Kakadu The Musical is a play set to music with Lagos of the sixties, a time of limitless possibilities as location.

With scene set loosely around the famous night club in Lagos called Kakadu, it captures the attempt of a recently independent people to live within the concept created by the independence from colonialism and

No time does Nigeria need unity, peace and love than now when people are pushing for a sovereign national conference. Even though politically, we are one Nigeria, some people see the country as a mere geographical expression. The love for one another has waxed cold. Tribalism and ethnicity continue to rule our lives. And of course, corruption has been institutionalised. The message of Kakadu The Musical has the potential for reminding us about who we are and how it was in the beginning. It is capable of helping to restore the values of the good old days when unity, love, peace and selflessness ruled our lives. called Nigeria. Kakadu is the soul and night life of Lagos, the cultural capital of Nigeria. It represents the vision that was Nigeria. Every one that lands in Lagos has to go to Kakadu at some point to be initiated into Lagos or qualify to be a Lagosian. It is a place of pilgrimage.

The central character in the play is the Manager of Kakadu named Lugard da Rocha, fondly called Lord Lugard by everyone. Lord Lugard is synonymous with Kakadu. He is also the leader of the resident band at the night club, the Flamingoes. Lugard is a lost soul searching for an identity, and some perspective

to his life, and so Kakadu becomes his life because it is only there that he is somebody.

The story is also told around the life and loves of four friends from different tribes and backgrounds making their way in Lagos, and their love interests. The friends, Emeka, Kola, Osahon and Dapo are young men in the prime of their lives. Their counterparts are four girls, Bisi, Amonia, Enoh and Ngozi. All are in search of love and happiness. Ethnic origins are not an issue but then the civil war breaks out and every one scurries to their own ethnic corner for self preservation. Kakadu empties out because those from across the Niger have to get back to safety, their homes.

After the war, people find that the night life in Lagos has changed. Those that return to Lagos find that life has changed and there is suspicion and distrust on all sides. The thrill is gone and so is the unity. The psyche of the people is such that comfort and succor are now found only in ethnic enclaves. Even Lord Lugard is shunned because the life he lived for has changed and the people have moved on. He cannot find succor anywhere because outside Kakadu he is a nobody.

Thus he is somewhat displaced, even from the society of the night life he lives for.

The high point of conflict in Kakadu is after the civil war, when the childhood sweet hearts, Emeka and Bisi want to marry and they meet very stiff opposition from their families. All is not well, and ethnic divisions are now more clearly defined.

This is the ugly situation in which we find ourselves today. But what is the way forward?

40 Friday, December 13, 2013

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

Events

ArtHouse

In association with

NAIJA FM COMEDY JAM Date(s): 15/12/2013 Location: Muson Centre Onikan, Lagos Lagos, Lagos Promoter: MEGALITRICKS Naija Fm Comedy Jam 2013 TICKETS: 3,000.00 BUY TICKETS HERE: www.afritickets.com

8TH ASF CHRISTMAS MEMORIAL CONCERT Date(s): 20/12/2013 Location: Muson Centre Onikan, Lagos Lagos, Lagos Promoter: Ajumogobia Science Foundation TICKETS: 2,500.00, 5,000.00, 7,500.00 BUY TICKETS HERE: www.afritickets.com

COPA LAGOS Chairman, Lagos AGN, Don Pedro Aganbi presenting the Grand Patron Award to Oba Rilwan Babatunde Osuolale Aremu AKIOLU 1, the Oba of Lagos at the Oba Palace in Lagos

Lagos AGN honours Oba of Lagos

By Florence Utor HE contributions of Oba Rilwan T Babatunde Osuolale Aremu AKIOLU 1 in ensuring cultural promotion has earned him another feather to his cap as Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Lagos state Chapter honored him with a grand Patron award.

The state Chairman of AGN, Don Pedro Aganbi, after presenting the award, reigned encomium on Oba sayin, “Your Highness, you are an acknowledged game changer; your reign has indeed brought peace, progress and development to Lagos state. We in AGN Lagos Chapter are aware of your many laudable initia-

tives and landmark achievements especially in the area of Culture and giving scholarship to the less privilege in our society. Today I have led my team here to humbly confer on you the Grand Patron of AGN Lagos Chapter” The Chairman also presented to his Royal Majesty, the AGN Lagos honorary Identity card, the highest in the state Chapter and the monthly AGN News letter.

In his response, the Oba of Lagos appreciated AGN Lagos Chapter for the honour and for being law abiding. He said,“I am quite delighted by this honour and I can assure you of my support in all your activities. My

ART 21 presents Blank Canvas

GROUP exhibition tagged Blank Canvas opens today at Eko Hotel & suites, Kuramo Waters, Victoria Island, Lagos.

Expected to run till January 20, 2014, the show will feature the works of notable artists such as Uche Uzorka, Tchif, Obinna Makata, Victor Ehikhamenor, Dominique Zinkpe, Gerard Quenum and Uchay Joel Chima.

A

EniObanke Music Festival in four cities

HE fourth edition of EniObanke Music Festival (EMUfest), T regarded as Nigeria’s premier yearly festival of folk and roots music opens today and will run till December 22 with

series of events taking place in Ado-Ekiti, Akure, Ibadan and Lagos.

Miss HIP Nigeria Beauty Pageant 2013 underway

THE Grand Finale of the Miss HIP Nigeria Beauty Pageant is billed for December 14, 2013 at spicery Hotel, Oniru Estate Victoria Island. Judges for the catwalk are Victoria Pepple, Omotayo Fajorin, Komi Omobolanle, Red carpet starts 5pm with Ush Bebe as the host.

Rhythm Unplugged with P square, Dbanj, others

NOTHER edition of one of the biggest musical shows, A Rhythm Unplugged is here, and this time industry heavy weights such as P square, Dbanj, 2face, Flavour, Wizkid,

Davido, Banky W, Burna Boy, Iyanya, May D, Olamide, Ice Prince, Dr sid, Omawumi, Waje, sean Tizzle, KCEE, Tonye, Jared, DJ Jimmy Jat are set to give the audience value for their money with performances that will leave them spell bound. some of the best comedians such as Basket Mouth, I Go Dye, Gordons, seyi Law, Buchi and Apororo will be there to add flavour to the show. With Flytime Promotions, Rhythm 93.7, Channel O and HARP Lager as sponsors, the show holds on December 15.

Compiled by: Florence Utor

palace is open to you for ideas and innovations that will move our dear Lagos state forward especially in the area of culture. “ I also congratulate Nollywood at 20.

Through your movies, you have given so much Joy to many homes and you have also provided Jobs for many youths. I wish you many more years of creativity and development, the Oba said.

Don Pedro led the Executives of AGN and some Nollywood veterans including Chief Rachael Oniga, Tony Akposheri, Tommy Oyewole, National PRO of AGN, Frank Dallas, Mathias Obahiagbon, former Chairman, AGN Lagos, Emeka Rising among others.

From National Troupe, One Legend, Many Season for Yuletide s part of its yearly series of play production, A the National Troupe will as from sunday, December 15, 2013 stage Femi Osofisan’s One Legend, Many Seasons as directed by Josephine Igberaese, the director in charge of drama of the Troupe.

The December 15 show is a command performance. However, the play which parades some of Nigeria’s leading stage performers including Albert Ekeaze, Muyiwa Odukale and Taiwo Atigogo will open to the public, every other weekend in December.

Expected as special Guest of Honour at the command performance which will hold at the Cinema Hall 2 of the National Theatre at 4.30pm is the Minister of Culture and Tourism, High Chief Edem Duke. The Chairman of the Governing Board of the National Theatre/National Troupe of Nigeria, Chief Markus Ishaya will chair the command performance.

The play has been hailed as one of the classical offerings by the foremost playwright. It is a stage creation-based on Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. Artistic Director of the National Troupe, Mr. Martin Adaji explained that the play was chosen because of its “appropriateness for the season.”

Date(s): 13/12/2013 Location: Eko Atlantic Off Bar Beach Lagos, Lagos Promoter: Copa Lagos TICKETS: 1,500.00 15,000.00 BUY TICKETS HERE: www.afritickets.com

GLITZ ON THE RUNWAY/ NIGERIAN FASHION RECOGNITION AWARD 2013 Date(s): 15/12/2013 Location: Troy Lounge 6, Maroko Foreshore, besides Oriental Hotel Victoria Island, Lagos Promoter: Cynosure Magazine TICKETS: 20,000.00, 5,000.00, 2,000.00 BUY TICKETS HERE: www.afritickets.com SUNDAY NIGHT FIGHTS – BATTLE OF THE HEAVYWEIGHTS

Date(s): 22/12/2013 Location: Hall of Fame, Pinefield Schools Lekki, Christ Avenue, Off Admiralty Way, Lekki Phase 1 lagos, Lagos Promoter: GoldFist Promotions TICKETS: 3,000.00, 70,000.00, 50,000.00 BUY TICKETS HERE: www.afritickets.com

MUSIC MEETS RUNWAY 2013 ICONS EDITION Date(s): 21/12/2013 Location: Eko Hotel and Suites Adetokunbo Ademola Street, Victoria Island lagos, Lagos Promoter: Music Meets Runway TICKETS: 4,000.00 16,000.00 BUY TICKETS HERE: www.afritickets.com

Friday, December 13, 2013

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

ExecutiveBrief In association with TRIPPLEA ASSOCIATES LIMIED

41

EDITION 290

Fostering Excellence and Professionalism in the Built Environment he International Facilities Management Association (IFMA) Nigeria Chapter is an affiliate of the International Facilities Management Association Worldwide and was incorporated in 1997 with a vision to universally represent facility management as a profession and to also provide a veritable platform for Facility Managers and Professionals in Nigeria in order to promote and develop facilities management & maintenance culture and enhance the mindset of Nigerians on facility management. Mrs. Evelyn Braie, the Secretary General of IFMA Nigeria, in this interview believes that Facility Management encompasses multiple disciplines to ensure functionality of the built environment by integrating ‘People, Place, Process and Technology’.

T

Can u tell us about IFMA? November 15, 2013 witnessed another year of celebration of performance and excellence in Facility Management in the built environment in Nigeria. Organizations around the world consistently recognize, reward individual and corporate excellence and the International Facilities Management Association (IFMA) Nigeria Chapter is no exception hence the establishment of the Facility Management Award (FMA) which has become a household name in the built environment in Nigeria since 2011. The International Facilities Management Association (IFMA) is a global organization and the World’s largest and most widely recognized International Association for Professional Facility Managers with Headquarters in Houston, United State of America supporting more than 23,000 members in 85 countries. Established in 1980, IFMA certifies Facility Managers, conducts research, provides educational programs and organizes the ‘World, Work, Place’ which is the World’s largest annual Facility Management Conference and Exposition. IFMA Nigeria Chapter is an affiliate of the International Facilities Management Association Worldwide and was incorporated in 1997 with a vision to universally represent facility management as a profession and to also provide a veritable platform for Facility Managers and Professionals in Nigeria in order to promote and develop facilities management & maintenance culture and enhance the mindset of Nigerians on facility management. Facility Management encompasses multiple disciplines to ensure functionality of the built environment by integrating ‘People, Place, Process and Technology’.

When and why was the Facility Management Award (FMA) established?

The IFMA Nigeria Chapter has organized two successful Facility Management Awards (FMA) Night and Exhibition events; the maiden edition held in 2011, was the first of its kind in Nigeria and had the theme- ‘Fostering Excellence and Professionalism’.

The 2012 edition of the Facility Management Awards which was the second in the series of the annual event coincided with the 15th anniversary of IFMA Nigeria Chapter and the theme was ‘Facility Management: The Sustainable Alternative for National Infrastructural Development’.

What achievement has FMA recorded so far?

The 2013 Facility Management Award (FMA) ceremony which was held at the prestigious Grandeur Events Center, Oregun, Ikeja, Lagos was the third edition in the series of the annual events and was graced by eminent personalities from various sectors of the Nigeria economy. The Award Panel carried out thorough research, on the spot inspection, assessment of facilities, using pre-determined criteria and scoring methods amongst other selection criteria in arriving at the point of nomination and at the same time selecting the best amongst them all. The 2013 Facility Management Award which focused on ‘Facility Management and Contemporary Security Challenges in Nigeria’ as a theme, was geared towards rewarding and promoting excellence, professionalism and quality in service delivery in facility management in Nigeria, creating a unique forum for government operatives and private practitioners who were on ground at the event to proffer solutions to the security challenges prevailing in the country at this present time while providing strategic answers on how to achieve a safe and enabling infrastructural environment in Nigeria.

How many awards were given out at this year’s edition?

About 34 companies and individuals in both private and public sectors were nominated and 13 of them were eventually honored and rewarded. The following companies emerged as the winners in different categories of the award. His Excellency, Dr. Godswill Akpabio, the Executive Governor of Akwa Ibom State emerged the winner of the IFMA Honours Award; Heliconia Park Estate PortHarcourt won the Best Managed Residential Facility; Sapetro Towers Victoria Island, Lagos emerged the Best Managed Office Facility; Nestle Nigeria Plc, Sagamu, Ogun State won the Best Managed Industrial Facility; Ikeja City Mall Lagos won the Best Managed Retail Facility while Le Meridien Ibom

Hotel Akwa Ibom State emerged as the Best Managed Hospitality Facility. Other Award winners are Eko Expo Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos emerging as the Best Managed Event Facility with Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja, Lagos winning Best Managed Healthcare Facility while Whispering Palms, Badagry emerging as the Best Managed Recreational Facility; Norwegian International School, Port Harcourt emerged as the Best Managed Educational Facility; Punch Newspaper Ltd won the Media Partner Award while Provast Ltd one of the leading facilities management companies operating in Nigeria won the IFMA Nigeria Corporate Membership Award and IFMA Nigeria Award of Excellence for Best Facilities Management Stakeholder and finally Miss Christiana Enitan Atika emerged as the Best Graduating Facility Management Student. All the winners were in Lagos for the Awards & Exhibition. The event was a one day action packed award night featuring the awardees, sponsors/partners, along with prominent speakers, networking sessions, and the awards proper.

Over 150 representatives from the winning companies and other invited guests were in attendance.

What are the other activities that were featured at the Award Night?

The event which started as scheduled featured paper presentations by three distinguished guest speakers namely AIG Solomon E. Arase, Mr. Jon Martens and Hon. Adepegba Adegbenjo; exhibition booths were also located strategically where visitors and guests interacted, assessed, accessed and purchased products and services that were on display by the exhibitors. Some of the organisations, products and services that were available during the event were security outfits, technology, electrical, electronics, health & safety management services, logistics, woodworks, furniture, upholstery & fittings, plumbing & sanitary wares, climate control, etc. Several distinguished guests, important personalities and dignitaries from different sectors of the economy witnessed the event and amongst them were: Mr. Fola Arthur-Worrey, the Executive Secretary of Lagos State Security Trust Fund who was the Chairman of the Occasion; the Assistant Inspector General of Police Mrs. Evelyn Braie (AIG), Force Intelligence Bureau, Force Headquarters, Abuja, Solomon E. Arase, who was the Special Guest of Honor but was unavoidate and plan, and of course manage what has been created. ably absent and was ably represented by C.S.P. Thomas Nabhon, PhD, and Hon. Adepegba Adegbenjo, a former member of the How would you describe IFMA Nigeria’s relationship with Nigerian House of Representatives.

Sponsors, Partners, Corporate and Individual Members and Friends?

What is the theme of the 2013 FMA Award Night and what was Goodwill messages were received from different organizations the focus? both within and outside the country especially from the The President of IFMA Nigeria, Ms. Iyabo Aboaba, while deliverPresident/CEO of the International Facilities Management ing her welcome speech at the event stated that in line with the Association (IFMA) headquarters in Houston, USA, Mr. Tony theme of this year’s award, security is of great importance in Keane, CAE; Dr. Modupe M. Omirin on behalf of Students and anything we do, from the domestic to national front, making Staff of the Master of Facilities Management program of the reference to the middle east nation of Qatar winning the hostUniversity of Lagos, Akoka, Lagos and Mr. Jon E. Martens, a ing right of the 2022 World Cup as against the South Korea Fellow of IFMA. The 2013 edition of the Facility Management which was anchored on security. She further explained that Award was sponsored by several leading organizations in the with the multi-disciplinary professions under the umbrella of Nigerian economy which include Provast Ltd; Electrint Nigeria facility management, it is important that we harmonize our Ltd; AlphaMead Facilities & Management Services Ltd; Lagos resources, lay emphasis on our local products, in order to State Office of Facility Management & Maintenance (OFMM); improve on their components without compromise, with Eliezer Group; Broll Nigeria; PlusWorld Roofing; Briscoe everyone now talking about facility management and even Industrial Equipment; Zenith Bank Plc; Alfred James Holdings establishing divisions/units in government to oversee facility Ltd; Castles Magazine Chevron Nigeria; and Briscoe Properties management. While making reference to a statement credited Ltd. to His Excellency, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN, the Executive Governor of Lagos State during the celebration of the What is your advice to stakeholders and Nigerians?

World Habitat Day in 2008 on why ‘cities are supposed to be I urge Facility Managers to champion the FM initiatives. With centres of innovation, industrialization and modernization, the right support, FM will send a signal far and wide that but where they are neglected, unplanned and underdeveloped, Nigeria is open for business and will energize thousands, if not the city can become a place of despair rather than a habitat of millions, to work for or become Facility Managers and hope and a better life’, Ms Aboaba, IFMA Nigeria’s President Professionals. The award winners can become the country’s observed and stated that the above statement refers to the new force for competitiveness, economic innovation and management of intellectual property to enable the thinker creemployment in the built industry.”

For Advertisement and Enquiries 08025070837 08156388800, E-mail:editor.executivebrief@trippleagroup.com

42 Friday, December 13, 2013

EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT

By Tito Philips Jnr CONTINUED FROM LAST EDITION 5. Activity over Productivity - As an entrepreneur, you don’t have fixed working hours like an average worker does. All day and most nights you are working, there’s no limit to how long entrepreneurs work. But yet, entrepreneurs fall into the activity trap by measuring the extent of work done by the numbers of hours they put in. This is a deadly mistake! As an entrepreneur, you should be driven by results and not efforts or activities. This is the definition of productivity. As I have written about previously, results are your greatest competitive edge as an entrepreneur. Nobody cares how many hours you’ve put into production, what customers cares about and pays you money for is the impact your products/services have in their lives.

What changes occurred as a result of using your product/service? What benefits did they derive from using your product/service? What was the experience like buying from you? Was it different from the competitions? These and many more are the metrics that account for results in business. If you’ve spent a decade creating a product/service and it doesn’t accomplish any of the following, then you’ve failed as an entrepreneur. So stop bragging with the number of hours you spend at work and let your results speak for you. In other words, focus on the quality of work done [productivity] and not on the quantity of work done [activity]. Why? Because your target customers don’t pay for work in progress, they buy finished products!

6. Learning without Doing - The first deadly mistake entrepreneurs make is unskillful execution, as discussed above it’s running your business with commonsense with fundamental business skills. The flip side of this deadly mistake is acquiring so much skills and knowledge and putting none to use, this is equally another deadly mistake entrepreneurs make in business.

There’s a saying that completely captures the essence of this deadly mistake, “he who does not know is an illiterate and he who knows but does not do what he knows, is a fool.” Put another way, “he who knows but doesn’t do, is no different from he who knows not.”

The greatest business advice ever is this;

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

7 Deadly Entrepreneurial Mistakes and How to Avoid Them take action. There’s no amount of learning that will be able to substitute doing. The problem with learning alone and not doing is precisely what I talked about in the 5th deadly mistakes entrepreneurs make, activity over productivity.

That is, learning engages you [activity] but until you apply what you’ve learnt, you will never get any result [productivity]. As a matter of fact, the proof of knowledge [learning] is solving problems [doing]. So acquire as much business knowledge and skills as you need, but don’t just decorate your office walls with the certificate of attendance, apply this knowledge and skills to your business. Why? Because learning [activity] doesn’t increase your bottom-line, it’s doing [results] that does!

BUSINESS – what you do A business is something you do for people in exchange for money. A business is not so different from a job; the only difference is the beneficiary of the outcome. On a job, the beneficiary of what you do for people in exchange for money is the business owner. But in a business, the beneficiary of what you do for people in exchange for money is you. Now herein lies the trap and the root of this deadly entrepreneurial mistake.

Many entrepreneurs leave their jobs where they got paid to do something for people in exchange for money and start a business where they do the same job but for themselves. So as a result of this singular shift in beneficiaries –from your boss to yourself, so many entrepreneurs are unable to tell the difference between doing business and building a business. But this is the reality, if your business revolves around what you alone can do, then you are not a business owner but a businessman or businesswoman –someone who does business [provides goods/services in exchange for money].

COMPANY – what you build: To become a business owner, you don’t just ‘do’ business, you ‘build’ it. The business you build is what is known as a company. A company is an organization that is into a specific line of business or businesses. This means that the provision of goods/services in exchange for money is not entirely dependent on the entrepreneur. It

Jose admitted the accused perive officials of the Former Lagos International Trade Fair sons on bail in the sum of Ten FManagement Board, Dominic O. million Naira each, with two sureties in like sum. The sureties must have landed properties in Lagos and the land title will be verified by the registry of lands. They’ll also present Tax clearance certificates to be verified by the Lagos Inland Revenue Board.

In addition, the sureties must also have a meaningful and verifiable means of livelihood.

used for fraudulent financial transactions involving ministry officials explained the reason for the partial handing over of the property to the concessionaire.

The Ministry under whose watch this alleged fraud is being committed recently came under heavy criticism for threatening to cancel the concession contract for no good reason. There have been protests across board by other It would be recalled that the investors and stakeholders Federal Government signed a who have committed concession contract with resources to do business at Aulic Nigeria Limited in 2007, the complex. Thousands of but unfortunately, only a sec- people, who have been gainAccording to investigations, the tion of the Lagos International fully employed through the EFCC found out that the officials Trade Fair Complex was hand- concession, are now afraid of ed over to the private compa- losing their jobs if the minishave been running a money ny. The discovery by the EFCC ter carries out his threat. spinning racket through land that the property was being rents and leases at the Lagos International Trade Fair complex in the name of collecting revenue for the Federal Government, but were actually diverting the money for private uses. To justify the collection of the statutory federal allocation, it was alleged that the racketeers fraudulently employed about 4,000 ghost workers said to be on the payroll of the ministry, but the money was in reality going into private pockets.

In her ruling on the bail application by their defence counsel, the presiding judge, Justice K.A.

This is why a company is always referred to as a legal entity – a separate entity from the entrepreneur. This is why companies can be bought and sold and not necessarily businesses. It is the deliberate process of untangling yourself from carrying out the overall core function of your business and setting up systems built on

simple processes that other people can easily operate. Why is this deliberate entanglement so crucial to your success as an entrepreneur?

When you allow yourself to be too overwhelmed by the operations of your business, you will always be trapped in the present and as long as this happens, your business will never grow or go to the next level. To grow, you need to be focused on not only the present, but also on the future. And this job of delivering the future is your sole responsibility as an entrepreneur!

CONCLUDED

7. Doing business instead of building a business There’s a very tiny line that demarcates a business from a company and very few entrepreneurs realize this fact. No wonder so many of them fall into this deadly mistake and only a handful eventually succeed in business. So what’s the difference?

EFCC Arraigns Five People for Corruption at the Lagos International Trade Fair Complex.

Bassey, Francis Dijilak, Okafor Ngozi, Lazarus Adiele and B.J. Kolo have been arraigned before an Ikeja High Court by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for allegedly collecting and diverting billions of Naira illegally from the complex. It was learnt that the officials were part of a syndicate that collects revenue illegally and diverting the funds for private use despite the existing concession agreement the Federal Government of Nigeria had with Aulic Nigeria Limited.

means that there is an existing structure or system or process in place through which the business is able to provide goods/services to customers in exchange for money independent of you the entrepreneur.

CUSTOMER’S EXPERIENCE

By Rick A Conlow

Achieving Customer Retention Excellence

oday, customer retention can be the T unique competitive edge of a business.

To achieve this, companies and employees alike need, "customer focus, empathy, expertise and problem solving skills." The payoff is big, really big, in terms of sales growth, profitability and customer loyalty.

You need to know that there are three levels of customer satisfaction that companies deliver: Expediency - do just enough to get by/creating misery for customers.

Adequacy - talk a good game and do what everyone else is doing/creating mediocrity in service.

Excellence - more than satisfy cus tomers/creating moments of magic for customers.

The goal for any business has to be to have the best customer service ratings in its industry. Expediency, adequacy, mediocrity and average just aren't good enough. It costs you business every day. Employees need ongoing coaching and training in order to excel at customer service.

Excellence doesn't come naturally.

Companies need a steadfast commitment and a process to guide them towards continuous improvement in keeping and building customer retention. Sustained success comes from consistent and excellent execution of customer driven strategies and tactics.

Customers describe that employees don't seem to care about doing a good job. Too many times, they seem untrained and unprofessional in sales and service.

Customers want competent and committed employees who know their product and job. They will be committed to employees that go the extra mile because so few really do. Unfortunately, customers perceive that businesses rip them off with high prices, downsized or poor products and poor service. They want explanations and attention to better understand the service and the value provided. But, too often company employees are in a hurry or seem too busy and don't bother to give the customer the time or attention needed. One of the reasons for this is that employees are dissatisfied. Companies have neglected them and not focused enough on employee engagement which leads to better customer service. Companies need to get back to the basics with employees: communicating, training, recognizing and building

Action is the foundational key to all success. -Pablo Picasso

teamwork. Too many companies have business policies, procedures and hours of operations that don't seem to fit the needs of customers.

Customers feel unheard and ignored. They want to be listened to and they want more customer friendly systems.

Why excellence in improving customer retention? The answer is obvious, few are really doing it. The business that is truly committed to customer retention improvement will gain a corner on the market. Word will get around. It is well researched that the best service companies enjoy better business growth and profit margins. After all, management icon Peter Drucker said, "The purpose of a business is to get and keep customers."

How to Achieve Excellence: For a company to succeed, the management team or each manager in his or her own department or area of operation, needs to refocus its thinking from: Short-term to long-term quick fixes to solid solutions Department effort to team effort profit to customer retention and referral Status quo thinking to creative process improvement Operational focus to employee focus It doesn't mean you don't do the first things. It does mean you do the second things more. For employees to service the customer better management has to lead employees better.

Research shows that 85%-95% of all service problems are management related. Here are five action steps that management can take today.

Identify customer and employee needs and views through a variety of feedback methods and institute ongoing measurement of feedback and results.

Refocus the company brand and service strategy through ongoing communication to all employees about detailed goals, plans and results. Train management in the service leadership skills so they support and drive the process. Educate the organization through newsletters, regular department meetings and everyday communication. Implement new approaches through training, project planning, and process improvement teams. Reinforce and maintain a high level of service through advertising, employee recognition, internal marketing, communication, and a positive attitude.

Manage high performance through effective leadership, coaching and performance management strategies. Do it all again and focus on execution excellence.

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

Friday, December 13, 2013 43

44 Friday, December 13, 2013

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

AutoWheels

Automobiles gearing up for New Year HE thrilling auto shows staged in November T have unfolded brand of vehicles that will be showcased in the automobile market, this com-

ing year.

For 2014, new spins on iconic muscle cars will battle for attention alongside futuristic sports cars and performance vehicles without equal.

Here are some cars already generating high expectations ahead of their 2014 debuts.

Lexus RC Coupe Toyota is looking to build up its thrill factor in 2014, and the Lexus RC Coupe is one of the cars leading the charge.

The RC Coupe, which made its debut at the Tokyo Motor Show 2013, will feature a 3.6-litre V6 capable of generating 314 horsepower on 280 pounds-feet of torque.

All in all, it’s a coupe that ought to get the blood pumping in the veins of car lovers everywhere.

Chevy Corvette Z06 It’s difficult to overestimate the success GM has had in its rollout of the Corvette Stingray. All eyes

will be on Detroit when GM unveils the Corvette Z06 at the January auto show in the motor city.

Chevy sees the new Z06 going into production in late 2014 and being capable of tackling the likes of a Porsche on the track.

The 2013 model features a 505-hp V8 that can hit top speeds of 198 mph on 470 lb-ft of torque.

If GM outdoes those specs, it will have an epic car on its hands.

Dodge Challenger 100th Anniversary Back in 1914, the Dodge brothers made their first automobile. To celebrate, Chrysler will unveil a 100th anniversary edition of its Dodge Challenger in January 2014.

Special red paint jobs, a jeweled key fob, and anniversary badging will come in the limitededition Challengers that start at $30,795.

Maximum horsepower tops out at 375 with the Hemi V8.

Nissan GT-R Nismo In terms of pure explosiveness, the Nissan GT-R

Nismo may have no equal among the 2014 debuts.

The crown jewel of Nissan Motor Sports made an appearance at the L.A. auto show and will go on sale in late 2014 with its fearsome 3.8-litre V6 VR38DETT. That package allows the GT-R to generate 600 horsepower on 481 lb-ft of torque. Nissan is touting the fact that it holds the record for production cars at the Nürburgring Nordschleife track.

Pricing is expected to come in around $200,000.

Infiniti Q50 Eau Rouge After the successful debut of the Infiniti Q50, it’s time for Nissan to show what its premium brand can do from a performance standpoint.

The Q50 Eau Rouge is a Formula One-inspired version of the Infiniti flagship that will debut at Detroit’s North American International Auto Show in January.

The automaker says it will blend “road car technology and a thoroughbred motorsport vision”

to reach its goal of “extreme performance.”

Acura NSX Honda (NYSE:HMC) is pushing its own performance brand to new heights with the 2014 debut of the Acura NSX hybrid supercar. The automaker confirmed to Edmunds that the NSX will have a specially designed powertrain that includes three electric motors and a dual-clutch transmission of at least six gears. That led the car site to hypothesize 3.7-litre displacement capable of generating 550 horsepower on the low end.

Pricing is expected to be just north of $100,000, making it a supercar with a slightly larger audience.

2015 Ford Mustang The new version of original muscle icon is making its way to dealerships in mid-2014. The 2015 Ford (NYSE:F) Mustang may not have the aggressive look of its predecessors, but life-long fans are raving about the handling and performance in the new incarnation. Ford’s global focus led to the new Mustang including even a fuel-effi-

Chevrolet Aveo 1.5L: a stylish elegant car with depth of beauty

By Taiwo Hassan NTER Motors Limited, a INigeria division of CFAO Motors Limited and the sole distributor of Chevrolet cars in Nigeria, has stressed that the latest Chevrolet Aveo 1.5L Automatic Sedan car, was an ideal vehicle for Nigerian youths and sport men, because of its stylish elegant shape.

According to the company, apart from its state-of-the-art advanced compatibility engineering body structure, the model was set aside to compliment the middle class and lower class categories.

Speaking at the presentation of the car in Lagos, the Head Inter Motors, Mrs.

Francesca Fabunmi, said that the Chevrolet Aveo automatic was targeted at young and upward mobile owners, because of its price and fuel economy.

“Aveo was built to attend to their mobility needs for enterprise, work and the pleasurable riding for leisure of a young family. Many young people and new families prefer Aveo, because it is a budget car with great safety features. It’s fuel efficient, with comfortable and roomy interior. It’s the car for champions,” Fabunmi said.

The Chairman, CFAO Motors Nigeria Limited, Chief Molade Okoya-Thomas, revealed that CFAO would continue to introduce brand of cars that

would have impact on people’s lives, in line with its corporate social responsibility.

The 2013 Chevrolet Aveo is fully air-conditioned with Ecotec 1.6 litre engine and variable valve timing, 108hp at 6400 rpm and 105 lb.-ft of torque at 4000 rev per minute.

Its transmission option is a four-speed automatic in hold control mode with shift indicator light, driver information dashboard (outside temperature display and fuel economy/driving range function) and steering wheel mounted.

It has a remote keyless entry, safety air bags and fourwheel antilock brakes with engine immobiliser.

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

Friday, December 13, 2013 AUTOWHEELS 45

Elizade okays Chinese’s JAC vehicles • Latest models to hit Nigerian market • To roll out new service centre, others in Lagos

2014 JAC J5

By Taiwo Hassan LIZADE Auto Land Limited, E a subsidiary of Elizade Nigeria Limited, has announced the endorsement of JAC brand of vehicles for the Nigerian market, after the successful completion of the testrun programme of four months, covering 20,000 km and 120 days period.

The endorsement, according to the company, was coming on the heels of its Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with China’s foremost automobile manufacturer- JAC Motors Limited, for a test-run programme of four months, covering 20,000 km and 120 days, to evaluate the various JAC models that were being lined up for the market, if they are suitable for the Nigerian weather condition and road network, before it could accept or reject the sole franchise distributor licence for the brands in Nigeria.

The company said that it was satisfied with the outcome of the vehicles reports on these models (J3, J5 and trucks) given to 18 different companies for rigorous tests processes, evaluations and observations.

Elizade Nigeria Limited has now added JAC brand of cars into its franchise portfolio.

Already, the management of the company said that it was undertaking construction of a world-class service centre facilities in Lagos that are exclusively dedicated to JAC vehicles to boost customers’ confidence in the country.

The automobile centre, according to the company, was expected to be ready by the first quarter of next year.

While plans were also being taken to build more centres in some other strategic states in the country around the six geo-political zones.

Stating this at the official closing ceremony of the JAC testrun programme and scord card in Lagos, on Tuesday, the Chairman, Elizade Nigeria Limited, Dr. Herbert Ajayi, said that the experience of the four months test drive, covering 20,000 km, was a testimony in the anal of the company’s establishment, as the test-run was able to give them an overview of the JAC brand of vehicles on Nigerian environment.

According to him, the management’s initial decision was to introduce the JAC brands into the Nigerian market, but was cautioned based on the belief of Nigerians about Chinese vehicles.

The chairman added that they had no doubt than to support the Chinese company, after the conclusion of the four months test-run programme, because of the good conditions of the vehicles after their test drives.

“It is in line with our company’s resolve to support every sector of the Nigerian economy that we acquired the licence to be the sole distributor of JAC vehicles in Nigeria, with our new subsidiary, Elizade Autoland. Thus, we also decided to take a step further with the testing of the JAC vehicles in Nigeria. Our initial thought was to bring in these vehicles as a cost-effective automobile brand that the vehicles we are bringing in are compatible with the Nigerian environment and by this, we mean in terms of ruggedness, fuel efficiency and capacity to deliver.

He continued: “It is common knowledge that we started the test-run with the JAC vehicles earlier in the year. Since we do not compromise on quality, the aim of the test was to ensure that these cars would be able to function properly on Nigerian terrains and would also deliver on the promise of Elizade’s guarantee of quality,” Ajayi added.

In his own speech at the event, Managing Director, Elizade Autoland Limited, Demola Ade-Ojo, said that the management was factual in their findings about the Chinese vehicles, despite the Chinese models not being new to Nigerians, as the Chinese company has been in existence since 1964 and exported vehicles to over 50 countries worldwide.

“JAC cars are not new to Nigeria; but we decided that we would like to lend more structure and credibility to the importation of these cars into the country. In reaching out to the JAC parent company in China, Elizade Auto Land, a division of Elizade Nigeria Limited, decided that a quality/compatibility check had to be carried out to ascertain that these JAC vehicles could perform satisfactorily in the Nigerian environment,” AdeOjo said.

The event eventually witnessed the successfully completion of the test-run exercise, which began in April, with 18 JAC vehicles (10 saloon cars and 8 trucks) handed over to some reliable Nigerian companies and commercial transport operators for the test-run exercise.

46 | Friday, December 13, 2013

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

BusinessTravel Emergencies in aviation: How prepared is Nigeria?

Stories By Wole Shadare N January 2009, a cool-headIcrowded ed pilot manoeuvered his jetliner over New York City and ditched it in the frigid Hudson River. All 155 on board were pulled to safety as the plane slowly sank.

It was a miracle on the Hudson. One victim suffered two broken legs, a paramedic said, but there were no other reports of serious injuries.

The plane, a U.S. Airways Airbus A320 bound for Charlotte, N.C., struck a flock of birds during takeoff minutes earlier at LaGuardia Airport and was submerged up to its windows in the river by the time rescuers arrived in Coast Guard vessels and ferries.

Some passengers waded in water up to their knees, standing on the wing of the plane and waiting for help.

On August 2005, an Air France jetliner attempting to land at Toronto’s Pearson International Airport overran a runway, smashed into a gully and burst into flames.

All 297 passengers and 12 crewmembers survived the crash. Hospitals treated 24 people for minor injuries.

These are just a few of serious emergencies in aviation that

were swiftly attended to by rescue officials, which ensured that there were no casualties.

Would all passengers have survived if these emergencies happened in Nigeria? What is the preparedness of rescue officials towards not only accidents but also other like the case of a stalked aeroplane on the Abuja airport runway for over 18 hours?

A Saudi Arabian cargo plane had hit some earthmovers on the runway shortly after the B747 aircraft landed. While the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) claimed it issued notice to airmen (NOTAM), majority of the airlines said otherwise. They claimed that there was no notice that the runway would undergo repairs. It is very unclear who is saying the truth.

While the incident lasted, approaching aircraft were diverted to other airports. The operators counted their losses as the airplane remained on the runway threshold for many hours. Appointments were cancelled; people took to the road despite the fact that the roads have become death traps. Chaos reigned; many were confused of the alternative.

The whole situation brings us to whether Nigeria is truly prepared for emergencies in the aviation industry? The answer is a resounding no.

In the first half of last year, an average of 8.2 airplanes caused runway interruptions around the globe. Some of these runway incidents kept their respect airport operations closed for days.

Unfortunately, investigation and history shows us that only a small amount of airports have concise recovery plan and correct equipment in place.

Does this mean that we would allow ourselves to have the runway closed for several hours or days?

Not much has changed since the day when a Chanchangi’s B727 aircraft overshot the Lagos airport runway in 2006, after a heavy rainfall. The airplane remained on the runway for five days.

Nigeria has had incidents involving aircraft stuck on the runway with the same attitude and lack of equipment to remove them immediately, there costing the airports authority, airlines and travellers alike.

Stakeholders believe that many lives could have been saved in the Sosoliso plane dis-

aster had help come on time.

To them, emergency planning may also help protect organisations from litigation arising out of “duty of care” in common law.

The Sosoliso plane crash of December 2005 exposed the sector. Sixty students of Loyola Jesuit College who were returning home for Christmas holidays died when the aircraft conveying them crashed right inside the Port-Harcourt airport. These children were barely three minutes away from re-uniting with their families when disaster struck.

The fire fighters were nowhere to be found. They responded late to the emergency, obviously due to lack of water in their tanks or the fact that they never imagined that there could be an emergency. This attitude seems to have continued till today as many of the nation’s airports are ill prepared, lack basic facilities to rise to the occasion even if it happens again.

An aviation consultant who preferred anonymity told The Guardian that the vital point of discussing emergency response planning is that aircraft accidents can occur anywhere, not just at the departure and arrival fields, hence,

planning for such mishaps should be on a national scale.

The source also stated that when an organisation operated for a lengthy period without experiencing an accident or serious incident, a mindset develops in the organisation that less effort need be devoted to safety considerations.

In this situation, safety is eroded as productive demands gain the upper hand. As a result, investment in safety measures declines, more capital is devoted to productive growth and the whole operation becomes less safe.

The consequence is an increased risk of catastrophe.

The corollary of this line of thinking is a similar effect in an organisation’s response preparation. In their thinking they say, “We have a safe operation, we have not experienced an accident for years; why should we spend time and effort on preparing for the effects of an accident? We should be better off investing more money in additional equipment that is going to generate income.”

Not a few advised the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and the Nigeria Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) to promote the value

and wisdom of preparing for the unexpected. As it appears, the two agencies are ill prepared for that.

Devoting scarce resources and spending money on preparations for responding to an accident may appear difficult to justify, but think of an old adage, which says, “If you think spending money on safety and preparing for an accident is wasteful, try having an accident when you have not done any preparations.”

Speaking in the same vein, aviation analyst, Olumide Ohunayo said that response to emergencies in Nigeria has not been impressive, adding that the socio-economic situation makes crash sites attractive to pilfer.

“According to him: “While the industry is making concerted efforts through training and drills to improve response to emergencies, same cannot be said of critical equipment, the pain of single runways in our busy airports in airports like the Abuja airport should have equipment to promptly remove obstacles on runways.

Again, we need to look beyond repairs of terminals to more critical safety issues in aviation.”

Emirates Holidays partners Tour Brokers International to enhance travel trade INISTER of Tourism, M Culture and National • Announces inaugural packages to Dubai, Maldives, others following the ranking of Orientation, Edem Duke has described Nigerians as the most adventurous travellers in the world, just as has called on countries around the world to accord greater respect to Nigerians who travel around the world for several legitimate reasons describing them as high net worth tourists.

Speaking at the opening of Emirates Holidays dedicated retail office and call centre in Lagos in partnership with Tour Brokers International (TBI) Ltd, who was appointed Preferred Sales Agent (PSA) for Nigeria, he said that

Nigerians through these activities made huge contributions to the various aspects of tourism globally stressing that the situation as a strong indication that Nigerians deserve greater respect.

He disclosed that there were millions of Nigerians in the Diaspora who wanted to come home, urging the two firms to help develop products that would help to develop the travel sector.

To him, the travel sector is one that should be allowed to be propelled by the private sector, stressing that it is one that could stimulate growth

Nigeria as number twogrowth destination in 20122013.

The dedicated Emirates Holidays retail office operated

by TBI was formally opened recently at the later’s Victoria Island. A call centre has been set up with staff trained to handle calls from consumers and the travel trade through an exclusive telephone number +234-8091033344.

The call centre facility is expected to enhance and simplify the booking experience for both trade and consumers. A dedicated website

for Nigeria is also being launched soon.

The partnership with TBI and the opening of a dedicated retail outlet, are part Emirates Holidays’ long-term strategy to bring the brand to a wider audience globally especially in key market such as Africa.

In Lagos to make the announcement, Fabio Prestijacopo, vice president, Business Support-Destination & Leisure Management at Emirates said the appointment would enable Emirates Holidays to capitalise on Nigeria’s strong economic growth and potential for the

increasing demand for travel from Lagos to Dubai and to other leisure destinations.

According to Prestijacopo: “This partnership between Emirates Holidays and Tour Brokers International enables us to bring a strong product that will appeal to Nigeria’s discerning travellers, who seek memorable experiences that offer premium value as well as options to tailor-make their holidays.

“The opening of the retail office means expert advice on Emirates Holidays products and services is within easy access for both direct consumers and our trade partners. Through this office – they

will be able to book flights, accommodation, transfers, car hire, tours and travel insurance – under one roof.

“This collaboration demonstrates our commitment to the Nigerian travel market who will be able to travel secure in the knowledge that our travel consultants have spent a great deal of time visiting the destinations, reviewing hotels, evaluating excursions and appointing local representatives, so they may be confident that their vacation arrangements have been thoroughly and professionally organised,” Prestijacopo concluded.

Friday, December 13, 2013 BUSINeSS TrAVeL 47

THe GUArDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

Group predicts increase in air passengers by 2017 Stories by Chika Goodluck-Ogazi He International Air T Transport Association has predicted that world airline Industry would be expected to see a 31 per cent increase in passenger numbers between 2012 and 2017.

It stated that by 2017, total passenger numbers are expected to rise to 3.91 billion—an increase of 930 million passengers over the 2.98 billion carried in 2012.

“The IATA Airline Industry Forecast 2013-2017 is a consensus outlook for system-wide passenger growth”, the body said.

According to IATA, demand would be expected to expand by an average of 5.4 per cent compound annual growth rate between 2013 and 2017.

By comparison, global passenger growth expanded by 4.3 per cent between 2008 and 2012, largely reflecting the negative impact of the 2008 global financial crisis and recession.

Of the new passengers, approximately 292 million will be carried on international routes and 638 million on domestic routes. The emerging economies of the Middle east and Asia-Pacific will see the strongest international

passenger growth with 6.3 per cent and 5.7 per cent, followed

by Africa and Latin America with 5.3 per cent and 4.5 per cent. routes within or connected to China will be the single largest driver of growth, accounting for 24 per cent of new passengers during the forecast period. Of the anticipated 227.4 million additional passengers, 195 million will be domestic and 32.4 million will be international.

The Asia-Pacific region (including China) would be expected to add around 300 million additional passengers by the end of the current fore-

Jed Air to acquire five planes to boost operations eD Air, a Nigeria-based Jservices charter and passengers’ airlines, is set to

acquire five Dash -8 Q 300 additional aircraft to boost its operations.

The airline, which specialises in cargo, oil and gas logistics, according to its Chief executive Officer, Captain Nogie Meggison, the carrier was set to raise the stakes in aviation and related services.

A statement from the company quoted Meggison as saying that the airline had signed a joint venture agreement with a Canadian airline, Voyageur Airways.

He said that the agreement was signed to expand business for both organisations

in Nigeria.

As part of the terms of the JV agreement, Voyageur will provide the aircraft, maintenance and technical expertise while JedAir will operate the aircraft and provide crew and ground handling for the aircraft operations.

Meggison added that the agreement between JedAir and Voyageur Airways would enable it to provide excellent aviation logistics services.

He said: “We are in the business to make great difference and we are proud to be associated with Voyageur Airways.”

The Director of Commercial Services, Voyageur Airways, Cory

Cousineau said, “we are excited about the JV agreement between Voyageur and JedAir. It is a milestone in our African Operations and we will be positioning our aircraft in Nigeria in the first quarter of this year” Voyageur Airways, a leading air operator and maintenance organisation, began operations in 1968 and has steadily grown into a diverse aviation company providing domestic and international non-scheduled and scheduled air services.

Voyageur Airways with its over 350 employees, operates out of its 200,000 sq. ft. head office and MrO facility located in North Bay, Ontario, Canada.

cast horizon.

Of these, around 225 million or 75 per cent are expected to be domestic passengers.

With 677.8 million domestic passengers in 2017, the United States will continue to be the largest single market for domestic passengers, although it will add only 70 million passengers over the forecast period.

The United States also will reclaim the top spot from Germany for international passengers by the end of the

forecast period. Germany will add 27.2 million passengers to the 149.4 million in 2012, while the U.S. will add 28.2 million international passengers, rising from 149.3 million in 2012 to 177.5 million in 2017.

The Director-General, Tony Tyler said: “The fact that the Asia-Pacific region - led by China - and the Middle east will deliver the strongest growth over the forecast period is not surprising.

“Governments in both areas recognise the value of the con-

nectivity provided by aviation to drive global trade and development.

“Similar opportunities exist for developing regions in Africa and Latin America. To reap the benefit, governments in those regions will need to change their view of aviation from a luxury cash cow to a utilitarian powerful draft horse to pull the economy forward,” said Tyler.

Globally, aviation supports some 57 million jobs and $2.2 trillion in economic activity, noted IATA.

Nigerian-British Chamber of Commerce honours British Airways He efforts of leading airline British Airways in service provision in the aviation industry and the Nigerian-British Chamber of Commerce (NBCC) has recognised the promotion of exclusive bilateral business and investment activities between Nigerian and Britain.

T

The recognition came at the 2013 annual Presidential Dinner and Awards, which held in Lagos recently.

Presenting an award to the airline, President of the chamber, Adeyemi Adefulu noted that British Airways had played significant role in fostering bilat-

Arik Air donates patrol vehicle for security at Lagos airport rIk Air, the largest airline in social responsibility and so we A Nigeria has donated a felt that police need that supToyota Hilux pickup patrol port, because they have a lot of vehicle to the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, Police Command, as part of its social responsibility to support security improvement at the airport.

Speaking during the donation on Wednesday, in Lagos, the Managing Director, Chris Ndulue said: “It is part of our

numerous jobs to do. So we felt that as a good corporate citizen operating in the airport, we need to support the airport command of Nigeria police.”

He said that the airline would continue to assist the Nigeria Police as the security and safety of passengers in and around the airports nationwide is part of its corporate objective.

eral relations, business and investment between Nigeria and Britain, which is in line with some of the core objectives of the chamber.

“The role that the British Airways has continued to play in encouraging and fostering business and economic activities between Nigeria and Britain cannot be overemphasized. It dates back to the formation of the Nigerian-British Chamber of Commerce and the role played by the then Chairman of British Caledonian, Sir Adam Thompson,” he said.

The Trade Sales Manager, British Airways Nigeria, Ademola Sanya, who thanked the chamber for the recognition, received the award on behalf of the airline.

He used the occasion to restate the airline’s commitment to the development of the Nigerian aviation industry and tourism sector, and by extension the Nigerian economy.

48

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

Friday, December 13, 2013

FridayWorship

By Afis A. Oladosu In the name of the Almighty, the beneficent, the merciful “Say: “Do (as you will), for the Almighty will give you account of your deeds…”

(Q9: 105)

“Surely, the religion with Allah is ISLAM,complete submission”... Qur’an 3:19

RETHREN I thought this sermon B today would serve a better purpose if it addresses itself to issues, which the

Mandela: On the path

world has glossed over in the life and times of Dr. Nelson Mandela. This posture or position is premised on the assumption that what Mandela would want from the world today is not a lifeless adulation of his life and times.

Madiba would prefer that those singing his praise and paying tributes to him ponder aspects of his life that could be deployed into their wakeful moments. He would probably want those who lust after greatness but are unprepared to go through tribulation to hold on their tributes. He would want African leaders who are celebrating his achievements today but are immersed in heinous pursuit of power and dastard brigandage in order to hold on to same not to disparage his memory with their hypocrisy and falsehood.

Is it not true that all praises of the saintly by the morally perverse are exercises in chicanery and debauchery? I am of the view that Mandela’s memory would become polluted by the presence of odious characters such as Roberto Mugabe among mourners beside his graveyard.

Brethren, I thought today’s should not be dedicated to showering encomiums, praises and tributes on Dr. Mandela partly because he is not in need of such any more. In fact if the

quantity and quality of tributes that follows the passage of men and women to the great beyond were to be the sole determinant for their entry into paradise, then one could say Mandela has received enough to make his journey to eternity a fortuitous one. The tributes that have been paid to him are enough to give him confidence to knock on the doors of the heavens and declare: “Here comes a man whose biography is the history of his nation…”

Thus, dear brethren, that Mandela is dead is not important anymore. Rather what is more important are the lessons that his life teaches; lessons which remind me of the known in Islam and in Islamic history. These are lessons that all monotheistic religions have come to preach and teach. The first of these lessons is this- everyone born of the womb has a destiny and an appointment with fate. We are created to embark on life-journeys which, whether we like it or not, we are “condemned” to fulfill.

Thus Mandela was destined to be great. But to be great means one must be prepared to do what “small” men would not want to do. This partly explains the scarcity of great men in our societies today. Ours is a clime that is full of small men; men who want to be great but are forever unwilling to go

through life of deprivation and want.

Who among us today would want to spend 27 of his productive years behind bars? Who among us is prepared to go through deprivation, torture and dehumanisation all of which are preconditions for greatness?

Brethren, when I ponder the life and times of Mandela, I remember Prophet Ibrahim (upon him be peace). He was thrown into a blazing fire as punishment for his belief in the existence of the Almighty. Ponder the life and times of Mandela, and you would remember Prophet Musa (upon him be peace). He spent 40 years in the wilderness, not because he refused to ask for direction, but because to create history means to be lost in history.

When I ponder the life and times of Mandela, I remember Prophet Yusuf (upon him be peace). He was thrown into a well by earthly principalities who thought they could abort his appointment with destiny. When I ponder the life and times of Mandela, I remember Prophet Isa (Jesus Christupon him be peace) who was labeled a rebel by his people simply because he preached sanity in an age where insanity was trendy; his people tried to crucify him just because he called to that which is sacred at a time when profanity was fashionable.

Again, ponder the life and times of Mandela, then you would remember Prophet Muhammad (upon him be peace and blessings of the Almighty).

He was sent out of his birthplace just because he campaigned for the establishment of a society where justice and egalitarianism would reign. The hijra would probably not have taken place had Muhammad joined the Makkan aristocrats who gloried in the oppression of the poor and sexual exploitation and objectification of women. Is it not true brethren that Mandela would have remained a dot in the diagram of the South African experience and a footnote in the struggle against apartheid had he also yearned for what small men usually crave: pleasure of the loins and the illusion of the now.

Brethren, we must equally not forget that it was not only Mandela who began the journey. In fact his emergence as the hero and the legend today has been made possible by the blood of thousands of South Africans who were martyred by the apartheid regime. While Mandela was kept away from freedom for 27 years in order for South Africa to gain freedom forever, others were being killed in the most gruesome way as sacrifice for the nation. The day he entered prison, the

apartheid regime could not have known that they were actually putting the future president of South Africa into the goal, otherwise they would have killed him.

If Winnie Mandela knew her husband had a greater date with destiny, she would probably have opted to travel the pathway of Maryam, the mother of Jesus Christ. She did not know. She could not have known that. It is the Almighty who knows the foetus that is destined for greatness. Thus she became, while Madiba was in prison, a consort of smaller men; men who are destined not be great.

Dear brethren, if there are lessons to learn in Mandela’s life such would include the importance of patience in the face of tribulation (Q2: 114). If Mandela’s life were to be a book, a chapter in the latter would be titled, “no success in life without self-sacrifice”. If Mandela’s life were to be screened for the world to watch, a scene in the film would be titled: “nothing in life happens for nothing”. Ponder this fact: three men, amongst others, were equally important for the ANC struggle against apartheid: Walter Sisulu, Oliver Thambo and Nelson Mandela.

In 1993, Thambo bid this world goodbye. In 2003, Sisulu departed this world.

In December 2013, it was time for Nelson Mandela to pass into eternity!

Let me close with these words of wisdom from Nelson Mandela: “Those who have 4 a good life do not fear death, but meet it calmly, and even long for it in the face of great suffering. But those who do not have a peaceful conscience dread death as though life means nothing but physical torment. The challenge is to live our life so that we will be prepared for death when it comes.”

(08122465111 for text messages only)

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

Friday, December 13, 2013 49

50

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

Friday, December 13, 2013

MarketReport EQUITY MARKET SUMMARY

AS AT 12-12-2013

PRIMERA AFRICA www.primera-africa.com

Friday, December 13, 2013 MARKET REPORT 51

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

MARKET INDICATORS

AS AT 12-12-2013

PRIMERA AFRICA

NSE’s market capitalisation sustains sliding profile, down by N1b

By Helen Oji RANSACTIONS on the floor T of the Nigerian Stock Exchange yesterday sustained sliding profile, occasioned by price losses suffered by major blue-chip as market capitalisation rose by N1billion.

Specifically, at the close of transactions yesterday, market capitalisation of listed equities decreased by N1 billion or 0.008 per cent to N12.429 trillion from N12.430 trillion recorded the previous day.

Also All Share Index (ASI) dropped by 2.68 basis points to 38,841.49 points from 38844.17 points traded the previous day.

Investors for the day bought 271.653 million shares valued at N4.044 billion against 390.349 million shares worth N2.925 billon in 5012 deals exchanged on Wednesday.

Further analysis of yesterday’s trading showed that Nestle Nigeria Plc led the losers table, dropping by N4.90 kobo to close at N1125.00 while Guinness Nigeria Plc followed with a loss of N3.71 kobo to close at N256.29 kobo.

Larfarge Wapco dropped by N3.00kobo to close at N108.00 per share. UAC

Property and Ashaka Cement lost N0.50 kobo and N0.39 kobo respectively to close at N17.50 and N20.11 per share.

On the other hand, Cadbury Nigeria Plc topped gainers chart, enhancing by N2.32 kobo to close at N66.00 per share. Flour Mills Nigeria Plc trailed with a gain of N1.99 kobo to close at N87.99per share.

International Breweries also appreciated by N1.00 to close at N26.20 kobo.

Other stocks that recorded price appreciation were Union Dicon and Unilever, adding N0.84 kobo and N0.64 kobo to close at N9.12 and N60.50 per share.

On the activity chart, First City Monument Bank of the banking subsector was most active during the day, trading 56.032 million share worth N177.576 million, Unity Bank followed with account of 28.162 million shares valued at N15.020 million while Access Bank exchanged 28.892 million shares valued at N258.322 million.

Transnational Corporation of Nigeria (Transcorp) took fourth position, trading 24.125 million shares worth N88.009 million and GTBank traded 14.374 million shares cost N384.160 million.

Legacy Equity Fund declares N0.08kobo dividend

By Azeez Olorunlomeru EGACY Equity Fund has LN0.08 approved a dividend of for the unit holders for the financial year ended June 30, 2013.

The approval was made by the unit holders during the funds yearly general meeting in Lagos yesterday.

The meeting, among other things, passed a resolution to pay a dividend of N0.08kobo per unit payable to every unit holders of the Fund whose names appear in the register of members at the close of business on Thursday, November 28, 2013, while payment date December 19, 2013.

According to the funds audited result for the year ended June 30, 2013, Legacy Equity Fund recorded an increase in gross income by 447.69per cent from N91.23million in 2012 to N408.43million and net profit of N384.75million as at 30th June 2013, compared to a net profit of N105.78 million in the preceding year.

The Fund Manager, First City Asset Management Limited, attributed this to the global investors’ increased risk appetite, which encouraged markets in emerging, and frontier markets as the global economy continued to pull itself out of the 2007/2008 financial crisis.

The firm noted that despite a period of insecurity and violence throughout 2012 up to 30th June 2013 in northern states, the Nigerian Stock Exchange [NSE] All Share Index gained 67.4per cent to close at 36,164.31 for the period ended 30 June 2013.

An analysis of the performance of the Fund revealed that from the period of July

2012 to June 2013, fund return were about 68.3 percent as well as 28.83 per-cent in January to November 2013, Given this positive conversion of the Fund’s performance in the more recent period, we anticipate a good performance for the Fund year ended June 2014.

The Managing Director of CSL Stockbrokers Limited, Mr. Olugboyega Balogun, said that, ‘’the performance of the Legacy Equity Fund further consolidates our position as the pre-eminent investment solutions provider in Nigeria. 2014 stands to be an exciting year for First City Asset Management Limited and the Legacy family of funds as,

by God’s grace, we build on our success in 2013 and introduce new innovative products into the market that will offer the full spectrum of investment solutions to Nigerian investors.’’.

It will be recall that Legacy Equity Fund is specifically designed for individuals who want a broad exposure to the Nigerian Stock Exchange. This allows the client to invest in a well diversified portfolio of shares on the stock exchange with as little as ten thousand units at the prevailing offer price. As the manager of the Fund, First City Asset Management Ltd ensures that the public subscribe to the Fund and thereafter invests such money in quoted companies and other financial instruments in accordance with the Trust Deed. The Fund has investment in key sectors of the Nigerian economy, including consumer goods, banking and manufacturing.

52

Friday, December 13, 2013

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

Friday, December 13, 2013

53

54

Friday, December 13, 2013

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

Friday, December 13, 2013 55

56 | Friday, December 13, 2013

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

Sports Ahead Brazil 2014 World Cup

Manchester, Arsenal highlights SuperSport’s Premiership show

Iran, Bosnia could be tougher than Argentina, says Mikel UPER Eagles midfielder, Sexperience John Obi Mikel, whose is expected to lead Nigeria to a reasonable performance at the Brazil 2014 World Cup, believes Iran and Bosnia pose greater danger to the country’s second round ambition at the Brazil 2014 World Cup than Argentina.

But he is confident Nigeria will move on to the second round whatever the three group opponents bring to Brazil.

Speaking on his expectations of the World Cup draw, Mikel in an interview published by MTNFootball.com, described Group F as a good draw, although he admitted it is not an easy one.

He said, “all the teams at the World Cup have the same dream and that is to win. We will take all the games as they come with all seriousness. We will go for victory in the opening game against Iran, first game is always very important in such a competition.

Then, we do so for the other games. I am sure we will progress from the group.”

He accepted peoples’ opinion that Argentina is the favourites in the group, adding, however, “Iran and Bosnia may be tougher. We will face all of them with seriousness and the zeal to win.”

Mikel, who missed the 2010

World Cup due to injury, says he is looking forward to Brazil with great expectation, adding that it would be a great and fruitful tournament for the team.

On his expectations, Mikel said, “I want my nation to do well as a team and I also want to do well as a player to help my country do well.”

Dismissing fears that the Eagles may fumble in June next year as they did at the 2013 Confederations Cup, Mikel said, “we did our best at Confederations Cup, but the World Cup is a different tournament. We want to go back there and finish the business in Brazil.

“We are going there to make a mark, make our nation and ourselves proud. All we need is Nigerians support and prayers.”

Although he refused to be drawn on Super Eagles’ chances of winning the World Cup, Mikel believes Nigeria has equal chance of taking the trophy like any of the other 32 teams.

On his nomination for the CAF African Footballer of the Year 2013, the Chelsea midfielder says it is an honour to be shortlisted among the best players in Africa, adding, “I will be glad to win the award, but everyone on the list merits to be there.”

FIFA U-20 World Cup: Falconets ready for Tunisia IGERIA’S U-20 girls know N the ropes and are surely the overwhelming favourites for tomorrow’s FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup qualifying match against Tunisia.

The match comes up at the National Stadium, Abuja from 4pm.

The North African girls raised not a few eyebrows when pounding their Moroccan counterparts 8-1 on aggregate (4-0 in Morocco and 4-1 in

Tunis), but that still paled beside the 16-0 aggregate mauling that the Falconets handed out to their opponents from Sierra Leone.

The Falconets, silver medallists at the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Germany in 2010, also reached the semi finals in Japan last year and are considered sure bets for the seventh edition taking place in Canada in August 2014.

football IGH-OCTANE H to returns action SuperSport on the DStv plat-

This is how to do it. Super Eagles’ midfielder, John Obi Mikel (left), tells defender, Elderson Echiejile, during a recent game. Mikel believes Nigeria has the quality to make the second round of the Brazil 2014 World Cup. PHOTO: AFP

Bayern Munich threatens action over Ballon d’Or AYERN Munich are threatB ening to kick up a fuss if Franck Ribery is not named the winner of the 2013 Ballon d’Or, according to ESPN. Ribery goes head-to-head with Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi for the title of world’s best player, with the award ceremony scheduled for January 13.

However, Bayern are angry at FIFA’s decision to extend voting for two crucial weeks.

Munich expect their man to win after his sensational year and will potentially challenge the result if Ronaldo or Messi come out on top.

Bayern President, Uli Hoeness said he will seek an explanation for the extended

NTTF, ATTF kick-start preparation for Africa Top 16 Cup

By Olalekan Okusan, who was in Rabat, Morocco

T

HE first step to commence preparation for the 2014 Africa Top 16 Cup was achieved in Morocco, after the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF) signed an agreement with the African Table Tennis Federation (ATTF) on the modalities for the tournament.

Speaking after the signing ceremony in Rabat, ATTF President, Khaled El-Salhy said the ceremony was important, as the tournament is the maiden edition while efforts must be put in place to ensure a smooth event in Lagos.

“This agreement is the normal agreement between ITTF Africa and the host association that is hosting major event from our calendar. This is very important event for the first time to be staged in Africa that is the top 16 in the continent.

We will like to secure optimum facilities for the event through corporation with ITTF, TMS and our links and this is a big experience for the host to ensure one top professional event in Africa for our stars. This event will be promoted on ITTF channels, website, Youtube and I believe there will be an important streaming on Youtube of this event from ITTF,” the ATTF boss

said.

For NTTF President, Wahid Oshodi, the agreement shows that Nigeria is getting back to the zenith of the game.

His words, “the important of this agreement is the fact that it tells the world that Nigeria is back on the table tennis scene and for an organisation like the ITTF Africa to entrust such tournament to Nigeria tells you that we are on the right path. We are not there yet because there is still a lot of hard work to be done, so it is up to us now to go back home and start working so we can put up a fantastic show comes June 2014.

voting deadline, adding, “then we might be able to say something about it.”

The importance of the change in date, from November 15 to 29, centres largely on Ronaldo. Had FIFA kept the original voting deadline, the Real Madrid superstar’s hat-trick heroics (on November 19) in leading Portugal to the World Cup would have been too late to count toward the award.

By extending the voting period, FIFA allowed for a swell of momentum in Ronaldo’s direction, and the former Manchester United man now appears the favourite to win the Ballon d’Or. The governing body claimed the decision was made purely on the basis of a lack of votes.

Secretary General, Jerome Valcke explained that FIFA was

giving voters more time to make their choice.

Hoeness appears to imply a belief that, if pre-November 15 votes were counted, Ribery would win.

His fear is that the postNovember 15 votes will swing the award to Ronaldo, in which case Bayern appear ready to challenge the authorities.

However, there is still the distinct possibility that Messi could beat both men to the award, despite an injury-ravaged end to 2013.

There is a compelling argument to be made for all three players.

Ronaldo has enjoyed the best 12 months in terms of individual statistics. He is closing in on 70 goals in 2013 and single-handedly dragged Portugal to the World Cup.

form this weekend with the live coverage of the matches involving the top teams in the prestigious Barclays Premier League.

First up on Saturday is Manchester City in a make or mar encounter with the revitalised league leaders, Arsenal. A victory away at Etihad is likely to further strengthen Arsene Wenger’s plan to lift the trophy this year, while a home defeat for Manuel Pellegrinni’s men could prove costly.

A victory for City, however, is expected to improve their standing on the league table and brighten their chances of becoming champions.

On paper, Chelsea is expected to run over Crystal Palace when they meet tomorrow.

But on current form, Jose Mourinho and his men have a lot to do to put behind the disappointment of their last match.

Crystal Palace may not look good enough for a victory at Stanford Bridge, but in football, they say -“anything can happen.”

Everton and Fulham have more than pride to play for when they square up tomorrow. Currently fifth on the league standing, Everton need a victory to keep their hopes of a top five finish alive.

Hull City and Stoke know that the three points at stake will help their chances of a decent finish at the end of the season. They may not be in the top league in the premiership, but it is better than relegation.

On Sunday, Manchester United is away at Aston Villa for a crunch tie. A victory away from home is expected to raise the confidence of the David Moyes’ side, who need more than a miracle to lift the trophy this season. But Aston Villa is not expected to be a push over - no team is on based anymore Manchester United’s current form.

Action continues on Sunday when Norwich City host Swansea for another interesting match. It promises some fireworks.

‘Why Higuain cried after Champions League game’ T’S very rare to see a profesIbaby sional footballer cry like a after his team have won 2-0 against one of the top seeded teams in Europe but Napoli striker Gonzalo Higuain has his reasons…

The 26-year-old Argentine striker may have been on the winning side on Wednesday evening as Premier League leaders Arsenal were given a scare by the hosts in Naples but the Italian giants exit the competition as the Gunners progress through to the knock rounds second in their group behind Borussia Dortmund.

Higuain had, of course, been linked with a move to the Emirates this summer but a fee could not be agreed upon by the North Londoners and his former club Real Madrid who, in the end, opted instead to sell Arsenal his former teammate at the Bernabeu, Mesut Ozil.

Higuain left the Spanish capital leaving only Karim Benzema as the Los Blancos senior centre-forward with the arrival of world record signing Gareth Bale easing the goal burden on Carlo Ancelotti’s strike force but the

Argentine likely made his departure with one reason in mind and that is very likely the reason for his tears at the Stadio San Paolo after the game.

That reason is the reason there were a number of high profile moves this summer and there will likely be another round again in January – the World Cup next summer in Brazil is coming around the corning imminently and top players want to ensure they book their seat on the flight and, crucially, that they get their name on the team sheet for their national team.

58

Friday, December 13, 2013

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

Friday, December 13, 2013

59

60 Friday, December 13, 2013

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

Friday, December 13, 2013 SPORTS | 61

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

UEFA Champions League

Barca look to Neymar to revive La Liga fortunes ITH Lionel Messi not due W back from injury until next month, Barcelona will be looking to Neymar to add to Wednesday’s hat-trick against Celtic and help the champions get back to winning ways in La Liga.

Barca needed a convincing Champions League performance against the Scottish side after consecutive defeats to Ajax Amsterdam and Athletic Bilbao and the Brazil forward responded with his first goals in Europe’s elite club competition in a 6-1 romp at the Nou Camp.

Bought from Santos in the close season for a fee of close to 60 million euros ($82.7 million), Neymar had been threatening to explode into life without really delivering and the 21-year-old’s performance on Wednesday, when he also assisted a Pedro goal, suggested he may have turned a corner.

Assuming the mantle of Argentine World Player of the Year Messi would be a heavy burden for anyone, let alone a man in his early 20s, but Neymar appears anything but phased by the responsibility.

“I didn’t feel any pressure,” he told Spanish television broadcaster Canal Plus. “We are hoping that after the two bad results this victory will help us in La Liga,” he added.

“Two defeats in a row for us meant a big win was very wel-

Wenger frustrated at Arsenal’s failure to seal top spot RSENAL Manager, Arsene A Wenger admitted to feeling frus trated after his side missed out on top spot in their Champions League group and an easier draw in the knockout stages.

The English Premier League leaders were beaten 2-0 at Napoli on Wednesday, which allowed Borussia Dortmund who edged winless Olympique Marseille 2-1 - to seal top spot courtesy of a better head-to-head record after the trio all finished on 12 points.

That meant the German side will be seeded for next week’s draw while runners-up Arsenal face the prospect of a last 16 clash against, either Barcelona, Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid, Bayern Munich or big spending Paris St Germain.

“Of course to finish second makes the potential draw more difficult, in the last four or five years we have had very difficult draws, so maybe this time we will be more lucky,” Wenger was quoted as saying

by Arsenal.com.

“But if you look at the teams who are potentially there, at least we know we will have a difficult draw.”

Arsenal were set for the point they needed in Naples to secure top spot before one time transfer target Gonzalo Higuain put the Italians ahead in the 73rd minute.

Arsenal Captain, Mikel Arteta was then sent off shortly after with Jose Callejon adding a second in stoppage time as Napoli fell one goal short of the required victory margin, which would have sent them through at the expense of the Londoners.

come.”

Barca’s shock reverse at Bilbao, their first of the domestic league campaign, erased their three-point lead at the top over Atletico Madrid and they host fifth-placed Villarreal tomorrow in the 16th round of games.

Villarreal spent a season in the second division last term but have impressed on their return to the top flight.

With the likes of Mexican forward, Giovani Dos Santos and captain and midfielder, Bruno Soriano excelling, they are likely to give Barca a stern test, while another player who has been a key factor in their success is Cani.

The 32-year-old attacking

midfielder has hit some of the best form of his career and was rewarded this week with a contract extension until June 2017.

Defensive midfielder, Tomas Pina believes Villarreal need to be ambitious if they are to get anything from their trip to the Catalan capital.

“If we did not have faith in our chances we would not bother to play the match,” he said at a news conference on Wednesday.

“We are a team, who if we are focused and show aggression we can compete with any rival.

“If Barca are not feeling comfortable and we can easily find ways of breaking out on the counter attack we can make life difficult for them.”

Barcelona’s Brazilian forward, Neymar da Silva Santos Junior celebrates a goal during the UEFA Champions League Group H match against Celtic at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona on Wednesday.

62 Friday, December 13, 2013

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

Friday, December 13, 2013 63

TheGuardian www.ngrguardiannews.com

Friday, December 13, 2013

Conscience, Nurtured by Truth

By Fredrick Nwabufo HE damning report of the Australian antiT slavery campaign group, The Walk Free Foundation that Nigeria sweeps the board in mustering the highest number of people living in modern slavery in Africa is not only on the threshold of verifiable truth, but also in the crucible of sordid reality. The foundation defines modern slavery in the vistas and themes of human trafficking, forced labour, debt bondage, forced marriage, sale and exploitation of children, tangentially obviates work place slavery, seedy and sub-human working conditions.

However, for this pardonable lacuna, it blares out, “Victims of modern slavery, have their freedom denied and are used and controlled and exploited by another for profit….” That notwithstanding, it is logical and tenable to aver that if the organisation had considered critically Nigerian work places and the working conditions of Nigerian workers, the published figures of 670,000 and 740, 000 (Nigerians living in modern slavery) would have quadrupled.

The lachrymal truth is that some Nigerian work places are concentration camps, and working conditions in Nigeria are below the crust of salubrious standards. To add verisimilitude to this assertion, here are human testaments to work slavery and tragedy in Nigeria.

Femi works as a financial planner for a financial institution in Nigeria. It is his fifth year on the job; still Femi is a casual staffer. That is, his employment is on a contract basis, and as such he can be kicked out at the whim of his boss.

Perhaps, when his boss finds his face too familiar, and needs a comely and nubile face to look upon and forget the forbidden badgering of his wife.

Femi does everything in the human capacitance to keep his contract valid. Five hundred million is his quarterly target. This is against

Please send reactions and feedback for YOUTH SPEAK to:

editorial@risenetworks.org and 07067976667- SMS ONLY

Work slavery in Nigeria the back drop of the insulting pittance he receives as salary. For him, it is better than staying unemployed. He makes sure he builds new skyscrapers of customers every four months.

This is a grueling and humiliating task which involves begging and groveling to people of dif-

Minister of Labour and Productivity, Emeka Wogu

ferent venoms of contumely arrogance and prejudice. But he manages at the end of the day to get a life line as luck never abandons him.

The street where he chances on prospective customers is his office as there is no time for respite. In spite of all the sweaty money he has raked in for his company, Femi is still a run-offthe-mill contract staffer subject to varying degrees of work indignities. He is garbage that can be easily discarded after its necessity reaches nadir.

Most devastatingly, Femi is intellectually and attitudinally dislocated. He is totally unfit for another job. He has been used for long to dustbin status that all he knows is begging and groveling to prospective customers for business. In his five-year work slavery, his company has not deemed it fit to sponsor him for development courses; he is just a bloody contract staffer, milking him through the rectum is the main idea. Even if he considers taking courses for personal development, the vagaries and vicissitudes of his job discourage that. How can he take development classes when he has a target of over N100 million every month to chalk up? He is just one hapless work slave in a treacherous treadmill. In addition, he does not nurse the wishful and exorbitant idea of promotion

for that is a chimera. Femi subsists on hope in a work concentration camp.

Analogous to Femi’s fix is Mary’s depressing story. Mary works as a relationship officer for an event management company. She has “lavished” two odd years on the job, still she is on probation. Her probationary period never ends. She brings business to the company, but in the thinking of her employers, that is no guarantee for putting an indelible seal of approbation on her appointment. She must poop all the contents of her genius before she can be given a permanent space. She just has not bled enough. Coupled with this indignity, her salary for six months has not been paid.

Again, her slave drivers refuse pigheadedly to make internet facility available to her. Instead, they badger her like tormented penitents to use the internet browser on her phone to research on important official assignments. If she must keep her job, then she must eat their dung. This how egregious it is. Mary too subsists on fate in a work concentration camp.

It is without a doubt that some organisations in Nigeria do not adhere to labour stipulations as regards the treatment and working conditions of their employees. The Nigerian labour organisation, too, is spindly when it comes to defending the rights of workers. This is a blot on the Nigerian work system. The rising tide of unemployment, too, has foisted a mentality of “I work or I die” on Nigerian workers that they endure execrable depths of maltreatment, expurgating their rights from the rule books.

The present conditions of Nigerian workers call for accelerated actions in giving jagged teeth to labour laws protecting Nigerian workers from misuse, abuse, and capital dehumanisation by their employers. Workers in general must be treated with dignity, fairness and respect if maximum output is expected of them. It is when they are treated right that employers can avail themselves of the best of them.

• Nwabufo is a writer and a poet. Email:fredricknwabufo@yahoo.com 08167992075.

Youths and task of nation building

By Ukwuye Celestine HE youths constitute mostly those within T the age bracket of 20 to 45 years. In any nation the youths constitute the most virile, energetic and forceful group. Within this group are those who are conscripted into the armed forces; civil service; public service; and of course, the private enterprises. The youths are considered the substratum in which the future of a country stands. Hence, the saying that youth are the leaders of tomorrow.

However, as clear and valid as these arguments may be, the Nigerian youths have continued to face myriads of challenges that tend to obscure their prospects for a better tomorrow and meaningful contribution to nation building.

They are caught in a vortex of vicissitudes with dreams of lofty expectations becoming nightmarish and nebulous. Consider the issue of youth restiveness and insurgency which have become a terrible problem in Nigeria today. We have witnessed in recent times, an upsurge in crimes and atrocities perpetrated by the youths. We had the Niger Delta militants that were a bugbear in the Niger Delta area. We are still contending with Boko Haram whose terrorist activities have reached a frightening dimension. In many other situations the youths have been suborned and used as cannon fodders to settle scores of inter-tribal animosities, political rivalries and several other social maladies by those who do not wish the country well. There are also reported rising cases of other social ills such as armed robbery, kidnapping, prostitution, cyber crime and a host of others which are committed by the youths. Unfortunately, these untoward actions are in full contradictions of the right recipes required to galvanize the nation into a resounding success. No doubt, as we shall examine below, this miasma is pointedly linked to cultural, political, and socio-cultural dislocations.

It may not be incorrect to point out that these behavioural distortions are an offshoot of a depraved social system. Of course this is axiomatic! Our social life has become corroded and, therefore, the basic values and norms that help nurture good conducts have been awfully compromised. Since our society is a place where money or wealth is worshipped and idolised people are naturally irrational when it comes to amassing wealth. Ours is a society where the rich flaunts their wealth to the envy of the poor and disadvantaged. Those who are appointed as the custodians and watchdogs of public purse have turned out to be deeply engaged in unbridled pilfering and looting of public treasuries! And so what do you expect?

The youths are there watching and they want to make it by hook or by crook. They have come to believe and accept the fact that the end justifies the means. This false belief has necessarily made them to look for every means to cut corners to make wealth. Just any means irrespective of the grave consequences. Basically, this is

the driving force for youth insurgency and criminality!

The government cannot be absolved from the challenges that confront the youths. Take, for instance, the near collapse of our educational systems. It is a fact that institutions of higher learning lack the requisite resources to train students and give them the basic knowledge that is expedient for them to obtain gainful employment. It is so sordid that governments have continued to pay lip service to the improvement of the educational system so that it could match its contemporaries in other parts of the world. The incessant strikes that characterised the university systems during my days in school over a decade ago have continued unabated, even becoming more ominous. The duration for academic programmes is stretched beyond the normal academic calendar and often with negative effects on the students.

Closely allied to this is the problem of unemployment. The problem of unemployment is

The YOUTHSPEAK Column which is published daily is an initiative of THE GUARDIAN, and powered by RISE NETWORKS, Nigeria’s Leading Youth Development Centre, as a substantial advocacy platform available for ALL Nigerian Youth to engage Leadership at all levels, engage Society and contribute to National Discourse on diverse issues especially those that are peculiar to Nigeria. Regarding submission of articles, we welcome writers‘ contributions by way of well crafted, analytical and thought provoking opinion pieces that are concise, topical and non-defamatory! All articles (which are not expected to be more than 2000 words) should be sent to editorial@risenetworks.org To read the online Version of this same article plus past publications and to find out more about Youth Speak, please visit www.risenetworks.org/youthspeak and join the ongoing National Conversations’’.

Also join our on-line conversation

RISE GROUP

@risenetworks

21676F3E

Published by Guardian Newspapers Limited, Rutam House, Isolo, Lagos Tel: 4489600, 2798269, 2798270, 07098147948, 07098147951 Fax: 4489712; Advert Hotlines: Lagos 7736351, Abuja 07098513445; Circulation Hotline: 01 4489656 All correspondence to Guardian Newspapers Limited, P.M.B. 1217, Oshodi, Lagos, Nigeria.

E-mail letters@ngrguardiannews.com; www.ngrguardiannews.com

Editor: MARTINS

OLOJA

.

ABC (ISSN NO 0189-5125)

virulent and cantankerous. It is a social blight that needs to be tackled headlong. No nation achieves economic growth in the face of rising unemployment; when those especially the youths who are supposed to be a great part of the country’s labour force are not engaged in employment. This means that the country’s productive capacity is not fully utilised with an attendant decline in the country’s earning capacity.

But then in as much as it is believed that governments alone cannot engage the hordes of graduates that the educational system produces yearly, the government should be able to juxtapose its catchword of self-employment with intensive actions. It means that the government must design good packages and financial inducement that can be a lifeline for new school leavers and graduates to kick-start any venture for them to eke out a livelihood.

This may not be a new path as the government has done so at various times, although, with less efficacious results. The trend was that such money and largesse meant for such schemes find their way into the private pockets of those who were meant to champion the cause! What is required is for the government to engage appropriate stakeholders and ensure that such schemes are monitored and that there is due accountability. Results must be measured against initial objectives and whatever success recorded must be a springboard to launch for greater feats.

Any idea or blueprint designed to help the youth partake in the building of a great Nigeria must be seminal and self-actualising. It must embody a peerless inculcation of the right social values and motivation. The government and all relevant stakeholders must take the bull by the horns by creating a good ambience both socially and academically where the youths can learn and be good catalysts for national change.

Neglecting the youths is neglecting the future of our nation!

• Celestine is a social commentator.