Fri 07 June 2013

TheGuardian Conscience, Nurtured by Truth

Friday, June 7, 2013

Vol. 29, No. 12,580

www.ngrguardiannews.com

N150

Northern governors’ crisis deepens, 14 shun meeting From Saxone Akhaine (Kaduna), Kelvin Ebiri (Port Harcourt) and Abiodun Fagbemi (Ilorin)

DEEPER crisis may be A brewing in the Northern State Governors’ Forum with the absence of 14 of its members from its meeting yesterday.

Five governors, who attended the meeting of the forum comprising 19 members, urged all political leaders in the country, irrespective of the camps they belong, to forget their differences and be focused on

• Want National Assembly to okay PIB • Court accepts to hear Amaechi’s suit • ‘Rivers helmsman is not leaving PDP’ • ‘No rift in Speakers’ body’ issues that would engender development in the coun-

try and consolidate democratic gains for the nation.

Besides, a Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has said that it has jurisdiction over a suit filed

by Rivers State Governor Chibuike Amaechi, seeking to void his suspension by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The five governors and others noted in a statement

after their deliberation which took several hours in Kaduna that “national interest should be the guiding principle” of the nation’s leaders rather than engaging in issues that would create division in the country.

The Chairman of the forum and Governor of Niger

NBA wants Govs Forum scrapped - Page 3

State, Dr. Muazu Babangida Aliyu who read the statement at the end of the deliberation, explained that “the nation is going through challenging times, requiring the forum’s collective sense of patriotism, political maturity, dexterity and innovation in governance.”

At the meeting, which was only attended by five governors of Kaduna, Yobe, CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

NUPENG threatens strike over alleged anti-labour moves

By Yetunde Ebosele

the Nigerian Union FGasofROMPetroleum and Natural Workers (NUPENG) came yesterday a warning that it would embark on a nationwide strike over alleged victimisation and severance of its union officials in Chevron and Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC).

According to the union, its grouse with both companies are the prolonged antilabour posture, planned retrenchment of 120 of its members, non-recognition of union activities and plans to pay only one month basic as severance benefits.

National President of NUPENG, Igwe Achese, at the Central Working Committee (CWC) meeting yesterday said the union would begin with a 14-day ultimatum before it embarks on a three-day nationwide strike if nothing is done.

Achese said the union was CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

Traffic snarl due to an accident involving Eko meat van with registration number XY 433 AAA and a truck with registration number AKD 964 XB on Agege Motor Road near Ikeja in Lagos… yesterday. (More on Metro Page12).

PHOTO: AYODELE ADENIRAN

THE GUARDIAN, Friday, June 7, 2013

2 NEWS

NUPENG threatens nationwide strike CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

disturbed about the alleged dilly dallying posture of Chevron management over the seeming refusal to allow unionisation by the re-absorbed members by the labour contractors.

“These issues led us to writing a protest letter to the Secretary to the Federal Government, which led to the intervention of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). Despite the intervention of the NNPC management, Chevron and its labour contractors are still reluctant to allow unionisation to enable the unions collect dues and effective representation of the workers, even when union representatives’ committees have been set up. At the moment, the workers are being intimidated and deprived of lots of benefits. We are tired of the buck-passing

by NNPC and Chevron and we say enough is enough, despite the fact that we have held several meetings.”

According to Achese: “It is against this backdrop that we are notifying the management of Chevron and the agencies responsible for the resolution of the matter

that they have failed and we have no other option than to issue a 14-day ultimatum, failure which to recognise the caretaker committees set up in Chevron and resolve all the outstanding issues, the union will embark on a three-day warning strike nationwide. This is because the management of Chevron is out to emasculate NUPENG from the entire work system and are even encouraging our members to join our sister union, PENGASSAN in a divide-and-rule policy.”

NUPENG said: “We have already written to the Presidency, the Minister of Petroleum and the National Assembly to protest the casualisation of our workers and refusal to allow our members exercise their civic responsibility in organising and belonging to a trade union.

“In the Shell Petroleum Development Company, the management has directed the labour contractors to lay off over 126 of our members who are contract workers, as a result of their divestment from the Western operation. The annoying aspect of the planned

retrenchment is that they will be paid only one month basic as severance package.

We see this as an insult, in-

justice and a mark of disrespect for our labour laws.”

He called on the Minister of Labour, Emeka Wogu, to in-

tervene and put the retrenchment exercise on hold until all the labour issues are resolved with Shell

and the contractors, or face the necessary consequences, as “injury to one, is an injury to all.”

Lagos State Commissioner for Special Duties, Wale Ahmed (left) and National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Batch ‘B’ 2012 members during their passing out parade ceremony in Lagos… yesterday.

PHOTO: AYODELE ADNIRAN

Court accepts to hear Amaechi’s suit on suspension from PDP CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Nasarawa, Jigawa and Niger states, other governors were represented either by their deputies or secretaries.

The forum considered matters bordering on the New Nigeria Development Company (NNDC), New Nigeria Newspapers (NNN), Kaduna Textiles Limited (KTL), the unrest in Nasarawa State and economic activities in the North.

Aliyu, who spoke on the draft white paper on the report of the Committee on Reconciliation, Healing and Security, noted that “the forum considered the recommendations… and resolved that each member-state should study the recommendations and promptly implement them as appropriate in the interest of peaceful co-existence and development of the country.”

He also noted that “a delegation of the forum will visit Nasarawa with a view to condoling with the government and people of Nasarawa State over the recent civil unrest that led to the colossal loss of lives and property.”

On the controversial Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB), Aliyu said that “the forum resolved to continue to engage members of the National Assembly for the speedy passage of the bill in the overall interest of all.”

Apart from the protest by the workers of New Nigeria Newspapers (NNN) at the venue of the governors’ meeting, members of the National Union of Textiles Garment and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria (NUT-

GTWN) also tendered an official memo, which also expressed their position to the governors over the plight of textile workers in the North.

The letter, which was signed by the SecretaryGeneral of the Textile Union, Issa Aremu, indicated that “the root of the current crisis in the country is economic and social.”

He said: “It is against this background that the union is disturbed by the continuous closure of Kaduna Textiles Limited since 2002”, pointing out that “even more worrisome is the continuous delay in settlement of the entitlements of KTL workers by its owner - 19 northern states of the federation.”

“KTL workers are suffering untold hardship due to the non-payment of their benefits since the unilateral closure of the factory in 2002.

The union since September 2005 obtained a court judgment for settlement of the entitlements of the workers amounting to N687,073,346.00,” he said.

Aremu added: “Unfortunately, the management and owners of the company (19 northern states) have remained insensitive to the plight of these workers in spite of repeated appeals, prayers, rallies and protests by the union.

“In March 2013, the NGF set up a Committee of five- Governors headed by His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Kwara State, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed with Governors of Zamfara, Kano, Bauchi and Borno states as members. The committee was mandated to look at KTL and proffer

recommendations on the way forward. The report of the committee is yet to see the light of the day. The union also visited the Chairman of the Board of KTL, Gen. Wushishi (rtd) in March 2013 on the way forward; when the company would reopen or when the workers’ entitlements would be paid, but he could not give a concrete response.

“We again call on the northern governors and the management of Kaduna Textile Limited (KTL) to settle the terminal benefits of KTL workers.

“We equally call on the management of other closed textile factories in the North, particularly Arewa Textiles Plc and Gaskiya Textiles, Kano, to settle the entitlements of their workers without further delay.”

In Port Harcourt, the presiding judge, Justice Emmanuel Ogbuji, asserted that his court was competent to entertain Amaechi’s suit following two separate motions filed by counsel to the PDP and the party’s chairman in Rivers State, Mr. Donald Den Wigwe (SAN) and Mr. Emmanuel Okala (SAN) challenging the jurisdiction of the court.

According to Wigwe and Okala in their separate submissions, whenever an issue of jurisdiction is raised in any matter by respondent/applicants, the court is legally bound to first determine it before entertaining any other such as the real substance of the matter.

But counsel to Amaechi, who was suspended by the National Working Commit-

tee (NWC) of the PDP on May 27, 2013, Adeboye Adebogun, prayed the court to entertain his motion for interlocutory injunction, insisting that he had served the respondents in the matter on time. He expressed dismay that the respondents who were expected to reply to his motion had preoccupied themselves with a matter of jurisdiction, which he said, was served him just the previous day.

The governor’s counsel urged the court to grant his client the order he was asking for, that all parties should maintain status quo pending the determination of the matter he had brought before the court for determination.

In response to the PDP and its Rivers State chairman’s counsel’s motion challenging the court’s jurisdiction to entertain the matter, Justice Ogbuji declared that his court was legally competent to hear the matter.

Justice Ogbuji, who adjourned the matter till July 8, 2013, for the commencement of hearing on the Amaechi’s case, said since there were processes before the court, both parties in the case must respect the status quo pending the determination of the motion on notice before the court.

Justice Ogbuji had last week restrained the PDP from taking any further action against Amaechi pending the determination of the suit challenging his suspension from the party.

Amaechi is seeking to void the actions of the National Working Committee which suspended him from the party penultimate Monday due to a purported petition

by the Felix Obuah-led PDP which accused the governor of refusing to reinstate the suspended chairman and legislators of the ObioAkpor Local Council.

Amaechi had prayed the court to declare null and void his suspension, which he argued, was illegal and a breach of the 1999 Constitution as amended owing to the fact that he was not availed fair hearing prior to the suspension.

The governor is also asking the court to set aside the suspension, but in the main time the court should direct that he should not be deprived of his right to attend activities of the party.

Meanwhile, on the governor’s decision to sue the Rivers State House of Assembly, the Commissioner for Information and Communications, Mrs. Ibim Semenitari, told journalists that the essence was to restrain the lawmakers from illegally or unconstitutionally impeaching him.

Meanwhile, Amaechi has restated his earlier stance that he has no intention of leaving the PDP. “This is contrary to rumours been spread by the suspended Publicity Secretary of Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Rivers State chapter, Jerry Needam,” the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, David Iyofor, said in a statement. He dismissed as outright lies Needam’ s alleged claim that Amaechi had approached ACN’s leadership to join the party.

“Governor Amaechi has no intentions of leaving the PDP. And everyone knows that he’s already fighting his purported suspension

in court. He believes, it’s a PDP issue and in due course the matter would be resolved. He has never met with anyone to discuss his leaving the PDP to join ACN or APC or any other political party,“ Iyofor stated.

He accused Needam of doing the bidding of a faction of PDP in Rivers State “that is doing everything they can, no matter how absurd and bizarre, so they can accuse Governor Amaechi of antiparty activities.”

Iyofor added: “It is instructive to note that just a couple of days back, this same Jerry Needam was suspended from ACN for hobnobbing and working with the Felix Obuah faction of the PDP in Rivers State against the interests of ACN. That leaves the question: who does Jerry Needam speaks for? Certainly, not for ACN.” Also SPEAKER of Kwara State House of Assembly, Abdulrasak Atunwa, yesterday debunked claims of the emergence of factions within the States Houses of Assemblies Speakers Forum.

The Speaker, fielding questions from reporters, said “the Speakers Forum is united and remains focused,” adding that they are solid and that enables them to carry out the vision of the forum and by an extension, discharge their duties to the electorates.

Sources within the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) told The Guardian in Ilorin that some members of the opposition party, having seen an alleged derivable benefit in the division within the Governors’ Forum, might want to cause division among the speakers as well.

THE GUARDIAN, Friday, June 7, 2013

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News NBA wants Governor’s Forum scrapped From Willie Etim (Yenagoa) and John Ogiji (Minna) ATIONAL President of the N Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Mr. OKey Wali (SAN),

Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State (left); President Goodluck Jonathan; Minister of Sports, Malam Bolaji Abdullahi; PDP National Chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur and the FCT Minister of State, Olajumoke Akinjide at the launch of Rhythm N’ Play in Abuja… yesterday.

NESREA defends closure of telecoms base stations From Lillian Chukwu, Abuja HE National Environmental Standards Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) has faulted the National Association of Telecommunications Subscribers of Nigeria (NATCOMS) outcry over closure of some Base Transceiver Stations (BTS) by the agency.

NESREA said NATCOMS’s allegation that the seal is responsible for the poor telecommunication services or ‘drop calls’ being experienced in the country is “grossly reckless” as vandalism of BTS facilities, epileptic power supply, obsolete equipment and sharp practices by BTS building contractors through reports are perceived to be responsible for deteriorating services.

T

Nigerians urge sustenance of NYSC

By Kanayo Umeh, Abuja S the National Youth ServA ice Corps (NYSC) marks 40 years of existence following its inception on May 22, 1973, many Nigerians have called for continuous government support for the scheme.

According to the latest poll results released by the NOI Polls Limited yesterday in Abuja, 78 per cent favour the continuity of the NYSC scheme which they said has provided employment to Nigerian youth, engendered national unity, allowed for cultural integration, aided economic development and helped to boost the educational sector.

The poll which was conducted last month to measure the opinions and perceptions of Nigerians towards the scheme, further revealed that about 84 per cent are of the opinion that the NYSC scheme has impacted on Nigeria’s development to an extent.

Five kidnapped Pakistanis regain freedom

By Willie Etim, Yenagoa FTER 12 days in captivity, the five Pakistanis kidnapped off the coast of Bayelsa State on May 24, 2013 have regained their freedom yesterday.

The five Pakistanis are Rashid Igbal, Wajid Muhammad , Waqas Admed, Mushtag Admed and Mujtaba Ghlum Muhammad, all working for Metrix Energy, an oil servicing company.

A

Their release were secured by the former Secretary General of the Ijaw Youth Council IYC, Udengs Eradiri and other members of the IYC. Leader of the crew members on board the Ship in which they were kidnapped, Mujtaba Ghlum Muhammad, said the gunmen numbering about five came in one speed boat along the Akassa River of Bayelsa State and forcefully whisked the Pakistanis away after dis-

posing them of their valuables.

“I heard sometimes they kidnap people from the ship.

Before, they were coming to steal the things, take the money, the electronics and other things like that, but this time, they came in only one speed boat and asked us to enter and took us away, today 5th of June made us 12 days in the bush,” Muhammad said.

has called for disbandment of the Nigerian Governor’s Forum (NGF) as there is a world of difference between the National Governor’s Association (NGA) in the United State of America (USA) where the practice is copied from and what the NGF in Nigeria is doing.

Wali, who canvassed this position at the opening of the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the association yesterday in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital, said as a matter of urgency, the governors of the 36 states in the country should quickly resolve their crisis and get on with the business of governance which is the primary objective of their being elected governors.

Wali had insisted that if the governors can not resolve their crisis and face the delivery of democracy dividends to their electorate they must dissolve the body and stop the distraction as the citizens will call on them in or out of government to give account of their stewardship.

Beside the fact that the 1999 Constitution, as amended, does not give provision for a body such as the NGF, the NBA president said the gov-

Suspected Fulani herdsmen kill nine in Niger

By John Ogiji, Minna RAGEDY struck in Kushaka T Village of Shiroro Local Council in Niger State on Wednesday when some armed men suspected to be Fulani herdsmen attacked the settlement, leaving nine residents dead and several others injured.

The attack came barely one week after Governor Babangida Aliyu directed all traditional rulers in the state, local government chairmen, security agencies and members of the public to be extra vigilant because the emergency rule in some parts of the North might force the insurgents to relocate to the state.

According to an eyewitness account, the attack was carried out by the armed men with mask and fierce costumes, wielding dangerous weapons. They raided the farming community in the early hours of the day.

It was further gathered that the incident, which occurred at about 2 a.m. caught the vil-

lagers napping, they lost valuable possessions to the invaders. According to the source, the villagers who had retired for the night around 8 p.m. were suddenly awoken by sound of gunshot as the invading herdsmen ransacked the village house-tohouse, shooting indiscriminately and inflicting cuts on their victims.

• Niger PDP lauds Aliyu ernors’ forum is enmeshed in politics and power tussle unlike the USA governors association, the mission of which is to provide bipartisan forum for governors to exchange views and share best practice, identify priority issues and work with fellow governors to establish bipartisan position to influence key federal policies On the state of emergency declared in three Northern states, Wali said the Bar supported the declaration subject, however, to the security agencies abiding by their rule of engagement which will guarantee respect for fundamental human right of the citizen concern in compliance with the rule of law.

Meanwhile, leaders of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Niger State have thrown their support behind Governor Muazu Babangida Aliyu, in all his decisions both at the state and national levels.

The development came barely 24 hours after the House of Assembly, through the Speaker, Ademu Usman, debunked rumours of plans to impeach the governor and therefore passed a vote of confidence on the governor and his administration.

The endorsement of Aliyu and his administration by the party was among major decisions taken at the enlarged executive council meeting of the party held at its secretariat in Minna and presided by the state chairman of the party, Abdulrahaman Enagi.

Publicity Secretary of the Party, Alhaji Hassan Saba told newsmen in Minna yesterday that the meeting, among other things, ex-rayed the performance of the party over the last six years and his activities outside the state and returned a vote of confidence in him for doing the state proud.

Ogbulafor admits collecting N2m in N107m fraud case ORMER Chairman of the F(PDP), People’s Democratic Party Vincent Ogbulafor, yesterday admitted collecting N2 million from Emeka Ebilah, a co-accused person in a case filed against him by the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC).

Ogbulafor, however, said the money was meant for his campaign to be the ruling party’s National Secretary, a post he held till he became the national chairman of Nigeria’s ruling party.

The ICPC is prosecuting Ogbulafor, who is also a former Minister of Special Duties; and two others: Emeka Ebilah and Jude Nwokoro,

on a 17-count charge of conspiracy and award of fictitious contracts valued N107 million.

The offence if proven contravenes Section 19 of the ICPC Act, 2000.

The crime: An ICPC investigator had in November 2012 told the court that Ogbulafor, colluded with Ebilah, to forge documents in order to receive N107 million from the Federal Government.

Basil Momodu told the court in November last year that Ebilah forged documents certifying that three fake companies executed contracts worth N107 million.

The ICPC investigator, a

prosecution witness in the ongoing trial of Ogbulafor, told the court that the fake companies were included in the list of contractors being owed money by the Federal Government.

The commission alleged that Ogbulafor, while in office as the Minister of Special Duties in 2001, colluded with Ebilah to float three fictitious companies — Chekwas International Nigeria Ltd, Henrichko Nig Ltd and D.H.L. Consultants — with which they perpetrated the fraud.

Ogbulafor’s testimony: On Thursday, Ogbulafor told the Abuja High Court, when he was cross-examined by ICPC

Counsel, Marcus Abu, that the N2 million was given to him after his tenure as Minister of Special Duties.

He said Ebilah gave him the money as contribution to Ogbulafor’s campaign as National Secretary of PDP. The former PDP national chairman also admitted recommending Ebilah as a member of the National Economic Intelligence Committee, NEIC, in July 2010. He, however, denied appointing Ebilah as the secretary of the committee after its reconstitution.

Ogbulafor told the court that he was directed to reconstitute NEIC by former President Olusegun Obasan-

jo in July 2001.

He further admitted knowing one Chris Nwoke, who lived in the United States of America and that he did not know if he was the same person the investigating officer was talking about.

He said that he gave them the telephone number of Mr. Nwoke and his home address in Nigeria.

Earlier, Ogbulafor’s no case submission was dismissed by the court.

Justice Ishaq Bello held that the prosecution established a prima facie case against the accused to warrant the trial.

The court adjourned the case to July 15, for continuation of cross-examination.

4

THE GUARDIAN, Friday, June 7, 2013

Issues In The News

How policy, funding issues clog Nigeria’s

By Madu Onuorah (Abuja Bureau Chief) AST Wednesday, Nigeria joined the world LUnited in celebrating the International Day of Nations Peace-keepers, a day designated in 2002 by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) to pay tributes to all men and women serving in UN peacekeeping operations for their high-level professionalism, dedication and courage.

It was also meant to honour the memory of those who lost their lives. UNGA designated May 29 for the tributes, as the first UN peace-keeping mission - the UN Truce Supervision Organisation (UNTSO) - began in Palestine on that date in 1948. This year’s commemorative ceremonies came at a time the services of the UN peace-keepers have continued to be in high demand.

Today, there are about 80,000 military personnel, 12,500 police officers, 17,000 international civilians and national staff serving in 15 peace-keeping operations on four continents. Altogether, 3,100 peace-keepers have lost their lives in the UN’s 65-year peace-keeping history. Last year, a total of 111 international peace-keepers, died. They included 103 military, police and civilian personnel.

Nigeria, the fifth largest Troop Contributing Country (TCC), lost 17 of the 111. The figure made Nigeria the UN member-state with the most human sacrifice for world peace last year. Of the 17, five, including Staff Sgt. Emmanuel Abel, Corporal Julius Emmanuel, Lance Corporal Bashir Garba, Corporal Thomas Idu and Staff Sgt. Absalom Umar, lost their lives while serving with the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL).

The other 12 - Lance Corporal Sunday Afolayan, Sgt. Omega Agbalo, Lt. Martins Anthony, Corporal Suleiman Bako, Corporal Fali Buluma, Lance Corporal Oko Idiku, Lance Corporal Sanusi Jibrin, Lance Corpo-

ral Inalegwu John, Sgt. Birabi Nkpara, Sgt. Joseph Ojelade, Lance Corporal Sarki Samaila, and Lance Corporal Abdullahi Shawai - lost their lives while serving with the United Nations-African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID).

According to UN records, Nigeria has participated in 25 out of the 51 established UN missions. In addition, the country has led regional peace-keeping operations under the auspices of the Organization of African Unity – now African Union (AU), as well as the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). It also participated in a bilateral peace mission in Tangayika (New Tarzana) in 1964.

Nigerian peace-keepers are currently deployed in 10 UN and one ECOWAS missions.

They include the UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL), UN Mission in Congo (MONUC), UN Mission in Burindi (ONUB), UN Mission in Cote d’Ivoire (UNOCI), UN Mission in Eritrea/Ethiopia (UNMEE), UN Mission in Western Sahara (MINURSO), UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), UN Integrated Office for Sierra Leone (UNIOSL), UN Mission in Nepal (UNMIN), UN/AU Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) and the Africa-led International Support Mission to Mali (AFISMA).

Under UNAMID, Nigeria has three battalions, a recce company, a Force/Sector Reserve company and a Level Two hospital. At UNMIL, Nigeria has two battalions and a Signal Group. As of now, about 2,000 Nigerian peace-keepers are waiting to be deployed to UNIMIL, UNAMID or AFIS. The personnel awaiting rotation were all trained at the Nigerian Army Peace-keeping Centre, Jaji. In addition, there are over 900 Nigeria Police officers currently participating in UN, AU and ECOWAS peace missions.

As the largest country and preponderant military power in ECOWAS, Nigeria provided much of the “muscle” deployed by ECOMOG, the military arm of ECOWAS, to

TheGuardian SATURDAY, June 8, 2013

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Book your copy now!

UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon

restore democratic governments in Liberia and Sierra Leone. And for being the bulwark to regional stability and peace-keeping in West Africa, Nigeria spent an estimated $10 billion to fund this effort. The United States (U.S) contributed a paltry $100 million to these ECOMOG efforts.

For a long time now, Nigeria’s exploits in international peace-keeping had largely been the bedrock of the nation’s foreign policy goals. And because the Nigerian military has performed so creditably at this, it is now the pride of the nation. Yet, it has not escaped the national malaise of neglect. But the most appalling issue about the country’s peace-keeping credentials is that despite committing over $10 billion to ECOMOG peace-keeping and peace-enforcement alone, 250,000 men and women to UN peace support operations since 1960, and losing 2000 in both international and sub-regional operations, the nation has no functional national policy on peace support operations. This would have defined the strategy for its participation.

For now, Nigeria supplies troops and equipment for peace-keeping without defining its goals and national interest in doing so. This explains why, despite all its sacrifice in countries like Liberia, the nation got no leverage there. Much more disturbing is that despite its long history of participation in UN peace-keeping, the country has not taken advantage of it to equip its military. The ill-equipment of troops on peace-keeping missions has brought embarrassment to the nation.

In August 2012, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, who was then the Joint African UnionUnited Nations Special Representative and

Generally, over the years, Nigeria has been unable to purchase and deploy significant quantities of equipment in order to attract sufficient benefit from the reimbursement for equipment.

Smaller countries like Ghana and Bangladesh have benefitted immensely from the UN reimbursement for equipment and personnel. Due to the benefits, they upgraded Contingency Owned Equipment (COE) and acquired other equipment more appropriate for peace-keeping.

Head of the UN Mission in Darfur (UNAMID), was confounded that under him, a Nigerian battalion serving in UNAMID was returned home for performing below par.

Describing the repatriation as a sad development, Gambari said that part of the challenge faced by UNAMID was making sure that “all the top contributor-countries do three things - ensure that the quality and quantity of contingents’ equipment are up to par, that the pre-deployment training they give to them is adequate, thorough and rigorous, and that those they actually send are also of topmost quality and operate much more cohesively.”

Generally, over the years, Nigeria has been unable to purchase and deploy significant quantities of equipment in order to attract sufficient benefit from the reimbursement for equipment. Smaller countries like Ghana and Bangladesh have benefitted immensely from the UN reimbursement for equipment and personnel. Due to the benefits, they upgraded Contingency Owned Equipment (COE) and acquired other equipment more appropriate for peacekeeping.

For each fully equipped soldier and functional equipment deployed to any peacekeeping mission, the UN pays the TCC a certain amount of money every month.

Those who deploy equipment are reimbursed under either the Wet Lease or Dry Lease systems. The Wet Lease System is especially beneficial to developing countries with low equipment quotient. This is because same amount is paid for each equipment, whether it is new or old, as long as it functions properly.

The reimbursement scheme is governed

by UN General Assembly Resolution 50/222 of April 11, 1996, which authorized the implementation of a new reimbursement system designed to encourage TCC to provide equipment to their troops in peace-keeping missions. Under this new arrangement, the Wet and Dry Lease reimbursement systems were introduced.

The Wet Lease is where the TCC provides and assumes responsibility for the maintenance and support for deployed major equipment. Dry Lease means the TCC provides the major equipment and the UN assumes responsibility for the maintenance of the equipment. Self-sustainment is a logistic support concept for contingents in the UN peace-keeping mission, whereby the TCC provides some specific or all logistics support to the contingent on a reimbursable basis. Self-sustainment covers areas such as medical, tentage, laundry and

THE GUARDIAN, Friday, June 7, 2013

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Issues In The News

UN peace-keeping operations The problem of ill-equipment of Nigerian contingents on UN operations was such that in 2008, the United Nations Department of Peacekeeping threatened to deactivate two battalions of the Nigerian Army serving under UNIMIL, expressing “disappointment” at Nigeria’s poor logistics holding. It said the nation “failed to meet UN-Nigeria Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on equipping its troops with the right calibre of military and other peace-keeping equipment.” cleaning, communication, catering, accommodation and electrical, among others.

For example, under the Wet Lease System, the UN pays a TCC a total of $5,542 per month for an Armoured Personnel Carrier. Same equipment, under the Dry Lease System, attracts a total of $2,310. So, all a TCC member needs to benefit from the payment is a functional equipment. And nations benefit more from this system if it is able to purchase and use such equipment in its missions. What is instructive is that the equipment reverts back to the TCC at the end of the mission.

With effect from January 1, 2002, the rates for reimbursement for contingents per month included $1,028 for each personnel; personnel clothing, gear and equipment allowance - $63, personnel weaponry and training ammunition - $5, and allowance for specialist - $303. In addition, the contingent personnel also receive directly from the peacekeeping mission a daily allowance of $1.28 plus a recreational leave allowance of $73.50 for six months duty tour.

The UN, therefore, reimburses for the ordinary contingent member a total of $1,096 per month. For the specialist, the amount is $1,399 per month. Now, with provision made for catering and some of the other provisions under self-sustainment (not readily quantifiable), the country makes significant profits on each ordinary contingent member and specialist that it deploys on a UN mission.

For Ghana, it has become a veritable source for funding its military and police. Its involvement in peace-keeping has also brought direct benefits to the country as funds from the mission account are used to execute national projects.

For example, money from this account was used to purchase a presidential Gulf Stream Jet in 2006, which was subsequently sold in order to purchase four helicopters for the Ghana Armed Forces.

The problem of ill-equipment of Nigerian contingents on UN operations was such that in 2008, the United Nations Department of Peacekeeping threatened to deactivate two battalions of the Nigerian Army serving under UNIMIL, expressing “disappointment” at Nigeria’s poor logistics holding. It said the nation “failed to meet UN-Nigeria Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on equipping its troops with the right calibre of military and other peacekeeping equipment.”

By then, under UNMIL, Nigeria was the laughing stock among nations, as Contingent-Owned Equipment and vehicles routinely broke down. It had over 80 of its vehicles due for downloading back to Nigeria or to be disposed there in Liberia. Over 110 of its vehicles were awaiting the procurement of spare parts to reactivate them.

According to UN documents on the MOU signed between it and Nigeria, the expected monthly reimbursement for logistics support (less troops reimbursement) for Major Equipment (ME) under UNMIL ought to be $416,709.12. SelfSustenance (SS) reimbursement for the same month amounted to $557,218, but due to the numerous logistics shortcomings and avoidable deficiencies, Nigeria qualified for barely 18.5 per cent of the total monthly reimbursement for ME and SS. This amounted to just about $183,876 of the total of $993,927.12.

Unfortunately, over the years, Nigerian governments have not paid attention to the funding of the nation’s UN peacekeeping operations. Unlike other developing nations which have used the UN Missions to equip their military,

Efforts have been made for the nation to live up to the specifics of MOUs signed with UN on peacekeeping. But a source told The Guardian that “they have largely been uncoordinated and unsustainable. For example, during the embarrassment over the threat of deactivation of Nigerian troops from UNMIL, the Nigerian contingent got a boost of equipment holding when it received about 30 vehicles and other equipment.

Nigerian troops currently on peacekeeping mission at the United Nations Nigeria has ignored this avenue, preferring to receive assistance towards this. For example, the White House Press Secretary, during the trip of former President Bill Clinton to Abuja, Nigeria in August 26, 2000 issued the fact sheet on U.S.-Nigerian Cooperation on Peacekeeping and Military Reform.

Under the Train and Equip programme, Nigeria provided at least five battalions for service in the now rested United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL) while other nations trained and equipped them. The U.S. Department of Defence trained and equipped these troops on priority basis, providing Nigeria with training and equipment worth $42 million. It also provided, among others, personal gear, medical equipment, communications, non-combat vehicles, rifles, mortars, machine guns, ammunition and human rights training.

In 2007, the late Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Luka Yusuf, canvassed the adoption of Ghana’s model of funding operations. Under this, government signed an MOU with the organized private sector – specifically the banks and defence contractors. The banks then would set aside certain amount periodically for funding of logistics for peacekeeping. The effect is that such nation does not have to wait for UN reimbursements or national budgets before executing their programmes.

The adoption of the MOU for private sector funding, Yussuf noted, would eliminate completely bureaucratic bottlenecks. With the option, proceeds from the UN reimbursements would be used for the rehabilitation of barracks of all army units participating in peace-keeping. He noted, “the system is such that whatever is spent in the procurement of any material would adequately be recouped within a year.”

Back home, he followed up the funding option, holding a meeting between the Nigerian Army and a consortium of nine banks and contractors/vendors on how to reverse the dismal funding aspects of Nigeria’s UN peace-keeping equipment holdings. Under the envisaged partnership, the banks would pull resources and make funds available to the Ministry of Defence, which would in turn contract out the supply of the equipment and items needed by the units before they embark on any UN mission.

Thereafter, the contractors/vendors are paid while the UN pays the banks through the Ministry of Finance. That way, the army gets the equipment it needs while the contractors are saved the hassles of pursuing their profits and other payments. The banks involved in the partnership included Access Bank, Diamond Bank, EcoBank, Fidelity Bank, First Bank, Guarantee Trust Bank, Oceanic, Sterling Bank and United Bank for Africa. However, the proposal was buried on the heap of bureaucratic bottlenecks at the Ministry of Defence.

UN peace-keeping-contributing nations, including Ghana, Bangladesh, India and Pakistan, have used this concept to transform and re-equip their military. But for Nigeria, even its management of payment of personnel reimbursement was fraught with irregularities. In 2008, a military court martial in Akure, Ondo State, sentenced 27 soldiers, who served in UNMIL, to life imprisonment for organising a public protest over non-payment of their entitlements.

This issue of non-payment of entitlements was a source of unease in the military until 2010 when former Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Paul Dike, directed the implementation of new payment option under which each Nigerian peacekeeper’s entitlements are directly credited to

his/her domiciliary account. Effectively, therefore, the inability of Defence and Foreign Affairs ministries to work out durable policy and funding pattern has caused the dwindling of Nigeria’s influence in UN Peacekeeping Department.

At the height of Nigeria’s glory, the country held sway in various roles in UN global peace-keeping. Former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, was the Joint African Union-United Nations Special Representative and Head of the UN Mission in Darfur (UNAMID), Nigeria-born Lt.-Gen. Chukwukadibia Isaac Obiakor, a former Force Commander of UNMIL, was the UN Military Adviser on Peacekeeping Operations.

Also, former Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Martin Luther Agwai, a former Deputy Military Adviser at UN Headquarters, was at the same time with Gambari the commander of the combined UNAMID, the biggest peacekeeping operation in the world with approximately 20,000 troops and 6,000 police under his command.

Also, Maj.-Gen. Moses Obi was first appointed the Force Commander of the UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) in June 2010 before transmuting to Force Commander of the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) when South Sudan gained independence in July 2011. Today, apart from the Africa-led International Support Mission to Mali (AFISMA), with Maj.-Gen. Shehu Abdulkadir as Force Commander, no Nigerian commands any of the UN or AU peacekeeping operations.

Efforts have been made for the nation to live up to the specifics of MOUs signed with UN on peacekeeping. But a source told The Guardian that “they have largely been uncoordinated and unsustainable. For example, during the embarrassment over the threat of deactivation of Nigerian troops from UNMIL, the Nigerian contingent got a boost of equipment holding when it received about 30 vehicles and other equipment.

Yet, the best option for the nation is to work out a policy of funding and equipping its troops with reimbursements from the UN. That way, a new door for equipping the military will open. So, before the nation jumps to supply troops to the next peace-keeping effort, policy and funding options should be dealt with. The era that Nigeria had difficulty meeting the UN requirements at monthly inspection of contingents’ equipment and reimbursements must be history. Nigeria should no longer be the laughing stock among other UN troop-contributing contingents.

THE GUARDIAN, Friday, June 7, 2013

6 | NEWS

Braithwaite opposes centenary celebration, urges dialogue before 2015

By Gbenga Salau and Tunde Akinola LDER statesman, Dr. Tunji E Braithwaite has urged President Goodluck Jonathan to “perish” the thoughts of centenary of Nigeria’s amalgamation celebration plans.

He said the amalgamation’s bond, both in legal and political contexts, expires in 2014 by “effluxion of time,” unless the peoples concerned now voluntarily agree to its terms and or modify them.

The legal luminary also noted that the country’s electoral, judicial and administrative systems are so steep in corruption to the extent that, unless the people collectively stand up squarely to tackle corruption before general elections, there would be a “catastrophic” explosion.

Speaking yesterday at the 154th Founder’s Day Thanksgiving Luncheon of the first secondary institution in Nigeria, CMS Grammar School, Bariga, Lagos on the theme: “Three Festering Fires,” Braithwaite described the centenary celebration as a simpleminded proposal and disgrace to the present generation.

According to Braithwaite, who is an old boy of the school: “What is there to celebrate? It would have been a different thing altogether, if we were celebrating a Founding Fathers’ birth of a nation that over the years has blossomed into a strong, cohesive and socio-political vibrant force in the comity of nations.

The reverse sadly is the case here. We therefore call on President Jonathan to perish the idea of this disgraceful celebration.

“Instead of clinking glasses of champagne celebrating and venerating a bad history of enslavement, this generation should use the occasion of its centenary to finally destroy its last inglorious relics, and simultaneously birth a modern and progressive nation. It is a generational duty and an imperative for your generation.

The enduring call and agita-

tion for a Sovereign National Conference (SNC) is very much apposite at this time,” he said.

Braithwaite, who chaired the occasion, added that Nigerians would no longer allow “charade” elections until “We have dethroned King Corruption and given ourselves an acceptable constitution to decentralise the disproportionate power at the centre in Nigeria’s governance structure.”

He also noted that the country was endowed with human and natural resources sufficient enough to cater for the needs of the people but “all these are being frittered and wasted by a coterie, exploiting the ignorance and the primordial culture of subservience, prevalent in the land. The past colonial rule had damaged the psyche of the people only to be replaced by its neo-colonial mind-set.”

Braithwaite warned that the “unwholesome manoeuvres of tinkering with decree 14 of 1999, otherwise called the Nigerian Constitution” to give all elective office holders an extra two-year term across the board and retain immunity for corrupt office holders, thereby trampling underfoot, the Nigerian peoples’ sovereignty, would be igniting a social and political tinder-box. “I would urge them not to dare such ir-

HE National Executive Committee (NEC) of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) has overruled the suspension of a national officer by the Rivers State Executive Committee, saying the suspension violates the party’s constitution.

In a statement issued in Abuja on Thursday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said going by the ACN constitution, no state executive committee can suspend any national officer of the party. ‘’In view of this, the status quo remains and we enjoin all our members to allow peace to reign. If anyone has any grievances, the constitution of the party is clear on what to do,’’ it said, threatening to sanction any member who fails to adhere to the party’s stand on the suspension.

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By Kanayo Umeh, Abuja HE Federal Government T has tasked the Nigerian youths to proffer solutions to the socio-economic and security challenges bedevilling the country.

The Minister of State for FCT, Olajumoke Akinjide, gave the charge yesterday at the passing-out ceremony of the 2012 Batch ‘B’ corps members in Abuja.

According to the minister: “As agents of positive change, the people of Nigeria will appreciate you better if you proffer solutions to the country’s socio-economic and security challenges, rather than lamenting over them. A change in our individual value system will play a major role in facilitating the Federal Government Transformation Agenda.”

RMRDC moves to boost SMEs in 774 councils From Itunu Ajayi, Abuja HE Raw Materials ReT search and Development Council has said it had de-

Director-General, Obafemi Awolowo Institute of Government and Public Policy, Prof. Adigun Agbaje (left); Editor-in-Chief, The Citizen, Malachy Agbo; Chairman of the occasion, Dr. Remi Babalola; Guest Speaker, Dr. Abraham Nwankwo, during the citizen Maiden Annual Public Lecture title: “Paris Club Exit and New Debt: A Growth Imperative or Avoidable Dilemma at the Golden Gate Restaurant in Lagos …yesterday.

PHOTO: GABRIEL IKHAHON

FAAN pulls down Bi-Courtney billboards

By Wole Shadare

Action illegal, says firm

HE ongoing crisis between T the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and Bi-

removal of outdoor advertisements placed by the concessionaire.

As early as 9 a.m. yesterday, FAAN deployed its trucks and officials numbering over 50, forcefully removing the giant advertisement billboards on the link bridge, connecting the

Courtney in respect of the concession agreement took another dimension when in a commando-like style, security officials attached to the aviation agency embarked on the

Murtala Muhammed Airport 2 (MMA2) and another of its hotel facility that is still under construction.

As at the time of going to press, FAAN was yet to react or defend its action as its spokesman, Yakubu Dati promised to do so.

The action of FAAN caused

ACN’s NEC stops suspension of official by Rivers exco From Iyabo Lawal, Ibadan

responsibility,” he said.

Braithwaite stressed that the reality of corrupt practices exacerbates conditions of poverty so severely and also aggravates problems of insecurity. “For masses of those that feel so aggrieved as a result of both actual increasing levels of socio-political and socio-economic inequalities, coupled with perceived injustice would protest violently, quite often to fatalistic pro-

Minister tasks youths on security problems

Oyo chapter, AP bicker over Ladoja ACN warned its members in Rivers State to desist from rumour mongering that is capable of tarnishing the image of the party’s national leadership.

The party warned that disciplinary action would be taken against members found to be deliberately spreading such rumour.

Meanwhile, Oyo State chapter of ACN and the Accord Party (AP) yesterday disagreed over the alleged interrogation of former governor Rashidi Ladoja over the violence, which broke out at Olomi area of the state few weeks ago.

While the ACN commended the police authorities in the state for quizzing the Accord Party leader, the AP insisted the police did not question Ladoja.

A national newspaper, (not The

Guardian) had reported yesterday that the ex governor was quizzed by the Oyo State Police Command in relation to the violence on Wednesday.

ACN lauded the police for not looking at personalities in the process of investigating the violence, adding this would avail the police the opportunity to get to the root of the mayhem.

Ladoja had allegedly written a petition to President Goodluck Jonathan calling for the proscription of the state anticrime outfit, Operation Burst, alleging that the outfit was used by the state government to unleash mayhem on his supporters and members of his party.

However, a swift reaction by the state government through

its Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Akin Olajide called on the Presidency to among other things disband the thugs and militia that surround the former governor’s Bodija, Ibadan residence.

But the AP in dismissing the claim, said Ladoja was never quizzed.

Ladoja’s media aide, Alhaji Lanre Latinwo in a statement said, “The former governor was at state CID headquarters to honour the invitation of the police boss who had earlier called to invite him. The meeting was brief and it was not an interrogation,” admitting though that “the discussion centred on the attack visited on Ladoja on May 3, 2013, which was linked to some ACN stalwarts in the state of which desperate efforts were been made by the state government to cover its tracks.”

huge traffic along the access road linking the domestic and international wings of the Lagos airport, just as men of the Nigeria Police were seen supervising the action.

Also removed were giant billboards advertising IBM on the walls of the hotel facilities. The hotel is directly facing the ultra modern MMA2.

Head of Litigation for Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited, Tola Oshobi and the Chief Executive Officer of the firm, Christophe Penninck at a press briefing yesterday alleged that FAAN along with some hoodlums and vandals pulled down, “bill boards erected by Bi-Courtney at the airport today (yesterday)”, describing the action as a violation of the concession agreement.

Oshobi stated that on November 15, 2011, in a case between his firm and the managing director of FAAN, the issue of FAAN’s right to pull down advertisements installed by BiCourtney came before the Federal High Court for resolution.

His words, “In a comprehensive judgment delivered by Justice Stephen Jonah Ada, the court decided that under the agreement, FAAN had no right whatsoever to take laws into its own hands. If there are dispute between FAAN and Bi-Courtney, this dispute must be resolved by arbitration in accordance with Article 22 of the concession agreement”.

veloped a project called raw material cluster development programme in every local council area of the country in order to boost small and medium scale industries across the country.

The Director-General of the institute, Prof. Azikiwe Peter Onwualu told the Senate Committee on Science and Technology and his members who came for their oversight function at the institute in Abuja on Wednesday. The D-G explained that the main concern of the council is to see how raw natural resources can be transformed into industrial uses.

He reiterated the need to increase the local production of raw materials in order to reduce the import of same, as this he said would not only encourage the SMEs but would also create jobs for the population of youth roaming the streets in search of jobs especially in the city centres.

LBS alumni hold dinner HE Lagos Business School T Alumni Association (LBSAA) will host this year’s President’s Dinner tomorrow at Eko Hotel & Suites, Victoria Island.

President of LBSAA, Ademola Aladekomo, said this edition would be the association’s biggest ever, with about 1, 500 guests expected to grace the occasion.

Already, some distinguished Nigerians have been invited, while over 20 corporate organisations are supporting the dinner as sponsors, among them Swift Networks Nigeria Limited and Airtel Nigeria, just as some are coming in as corporate tables.

The LBSAA President’s Dinner is a yearly event held to honour alumni members who have distinguished themselves in their chosen fields, as well as deserving individuals and corporate organisations.

NEWS

THE GUARDIAN, Friday, June 7, 2013

Ondo Assembly okays new commissioners From Niyi Bello, Akure N a unanimous decision, the Ondo State House of Assembly yesterday confirmed the appointment of 18 commissioner nominees sent to it by Governor Olusegun Mimiko.

The confirmation of the nominees was sequel to their approval by the Screening Committee of the House, which invited the nominees to appear before it and later presented its report to the House at the plenary.

Two of the nominees, Dr Dayo Adeyanju and Mr. Eyitayo Jegede (SAN) were absent at the plenary where a member from each of the three senatorial districts of the state spoke concerning nominees from the district.

Others are: Remi Olatubora, Tunde Atere, Dr Bade Omoloja and Nicholas Tofowomo.

Others are Yemi Mahmud, Gboye Adegbenro, Akin Adaramola, Kayode Akinmade, Lasisi Oluboyo, Deji Falae, Idiarhi Bekekekimi and Bamiduro Dada, However, members representing Odigbo and Okitipupa Constituencies, Victor Akinwe and Jumoke Akindele respectively, urged the governor to appoint commissioners to represent their local governments like all other 16 councils in the state.

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Govt seeks dismissal of N440m subsidy protest suit by Braithwaite, Nwabueze

By Bertram Nwannekanma and Yetunde Ayobami-Ojo HE Federal Government yesterday urged an Ikeja High Court, Lagos presided

by Justice Yetunde Idowu to dismiss a N440 million suit initiated by two renowned elder statesmen, Prof. Ben Nwabueze and Dr. Tunji Braithwaite, over the alleged disruption of their protest against the removal of fuel subsidy on January 19, 2012.

In two separate applications filed by the Attorney General of the Federation, Mr. Mohammed Adoke and the Nigerian Army, the defendants asked the court to

T

declare the action as unconstitutional and an infringement on their fundamental human rights as guaranteed

by Section 39(1) of the 1999 Constitution.

In urging the court to dismiss the suit, counsel to the Chief of Army Staff and the Nigerian Army, Mr. Musa Ibrahim, said the claims by the plaintiffs of their rights to protest was not supported by the Nigerian Constitution.

He said: “There is no where the right to protest is mentioned in our constitution.

“It is the cardinal principle of our law that one does not read into our legislation or

constitution, what has not been provided for by the legislation or constitution.”

Also, counsel to the Attorney General of the Federation, Mr. Douglas Atebata in his submission contended that the applicants failed to attach sufficient exhibits upon which the court could consider to grant such application.

According to Atebata, the applicants had failed to attach medical reports to back their claims that they were treated after the alleged tear gas attack.

“They have not been able to discharge the burden of proof that their rights were

infringed upon,” he added.

Nwabueze, Braithwaite and 42 others had in the suit filed on February1, 2012 alleged that security operatives used tear gas to disperse their protests against the removal of fuel subsidy at Alausa, Ikeja on January 19, 2012.

They had in the suit asked for N10 million from the Federal Government as compensation for infringing on their fundamental human rights.

The suit has Attorney General of the Federation, Mr. Mohammed Adoke, the Nigerian Army and the Chief of Army Staff as defendants.

The judge has adjourned till July 2 for judgment.

Urhobo College alumni meet in Lagos on Sunday RHOBO College Old StuU dents Association (UCOSA), Lagos branch holds a general meeting of members on Sunday June 9, 2013 at Splash 155, KM 47, Lekki/Epe Expressway, after LASU Lekki Campus at 4.00 p.m.

Host is Mr. Ekiyo Apresai.

Speaker House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal (middle), former Speaker, Aminu Bello Masari (right) and Chairman House Committee on Diaspora, Abike Dabiri-Erewa during the Second Year Appraisal of the Seventh House of Representatives in Abuja… yesterday. PHOTO: LADIDI LUCY ETUKPO

7

FG gets N1.5tr from taxes in first quarter

By Mathias Okwe, Assistant Business Editor, Abuja FFORTS by the Federal E Government to diversify the nation’s revenue base is paying off as the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), the country’s tax agency has announced that as at the end of April this year, it had collected a whopping sum of N1.5 trillion in taxes.

The agency assured that by the end of the year, it would exceed the Federal Government’s target of N5.7 trillion and reap as high as N6 trillion.

This cheering news is contained in a statement yesterday by the agency’s Director of Corporate Communications, Mr. Emmanuel Obeta.

Cheering as the news seems, it is left to be seen how much of this improved revenue actually gets into the Federation Account coffers to be shared by the three tiers of government as it has been established recently by the Revenue Mobilization, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) that the banks appointed by government to collect these taxes divert part to personal uses. Consultants have already been picked by the Federal Government to investigate the extent of culpability. Their report is expected in three months’ time.

The agency yesterday explained that the improvement was drawn from confidence from the result of its modernisation and automation projects, particularly the Integrated Tax Administration System (ITAS).

More reactions trail Buhari’s comments on Boko Haram From Saxone Akhaine, Northern Bureau Chief ITH reactions continuW ing to trail comments by former Head of State, Maj.-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (rtd), that the ongoing war against Boko Haram is anti-North, Chairman of the Foundation for Ethnic Harmony in Nigeria (FEHN), Allen Onyema, has cautioned northern leaders to be circumspect in their utterances in order not to jeopardise the country’s unity.

Reacting to what has been condemned as an inflammatory comment capable of stoking sectarian passions, Onyema described the statement as unfortunate, just as he urged Buhari to immediately apologise to the nation, and all those who had stuck out their necks to defend him in the past.

But the Congress for Progressive Change’s (CPC) governorship candidate in Jigawa State during the 2011 election, Alhaji Faruk Adamu Aliyu, dismissed an allegation by the leadership of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) that Buhari was promoting the cause of the radical Islamist group, Boko Haram.

Condemning those calling for Buhari’s arrest,

Aliyu said in an interview with the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) Hausa Service monitored in Kaduna on Wednesday, that the comment by the CPC’s presidential candidate in the 2011 election on the state of the nation was “the truth.”

He warned that CAN was “swimming in trouble waters,” adding that Buhari’s claim that those in the Niger Delta are “favoured and pampered” was also true.

But a group, Niger Delta Professionals (NIGERDELTAPROFS), described Buhari’s comments as “senseless and foolish.”

It rejected Buhari’s comparison of the Boko Haram insurgency to the Niger Delta people’s agitation, saying the latter was a struggle for economic and environmental justice.

In an interview, Onyema said: “That was a trip into absurdity, and it is highly unfortunate coming from somebody of Buhari’s status. He is someone who has ruled this country, and is also aspiring to rule it again.

“I don’t want to believe he said so, but if actually he said it, he has disappointed a whole lot of people who must have believed in him.

A lot of people will be hid-

ing their faces in shame for thinking of him as a statesman, and that of course means that we have a bigger problem on our hands. The statement portends great danger for the polity.

“We should not politicise the issue of our nation’s security. In my capacity as the Chairman of FEHN in 2003, I defended Buhari.

Then the Olusegun Obasanjo regime wanted to use the ID card registration to conduct the elections and Buhari kicked against it. The press at that time was against Buhari and he was being hounded, and being called an ethnic jingoist, a tribalist and anti-South.

“I researched and found out that what Buhari was actually saying then was that a lot of people in the North would be disenfranchised if the ID card registration was used for the elections because of the level of education and the lifestyle in that part of the country. When I found out about this, I called a world press conference at a place called The Den in Ikeja, and I defended Buhari. I never met him, and I didn’t do it for money or patronage. Now that he has said something so wrong, I won’t hesitate to condemn him.”

Onyema expressed dismay that some people aspiring to rule the country would be so brazenly sectional in their utterances. He further called on northern elders to stop politicising issues of security, and think more of how to stop Nigeria from disintegrating.

He added: “Over the years, Buhari has said lot things that have tended to portray him in a negative light. Every leader should allow their statesmanship prevail in their utterances, knowing fully well that they command a lot of followership and if you inflame the passion of your followers, they do the wrong thing. We saw what happened after the elections in 2011. It is not for me to say whether the elections were free and fair or not but violence has no say in any civilized engagement.

“Whether the elections were free or rigged, it is not for any leader to call for the kind of response that might not be civil. So I do not want to believe that somebody who is aspiring to lead this country as President would be that sectional to say that the Niger Delta militancy gave rise to the Boko Haram insurgency.”

A statement by Mr. Onori-

ode Izomo and Mr. Andrew O. Ugbovoro, National Coordinator and National Secretary, NIGERPROFS, went on: “Buhari’s comment confirms the suspicion of Nigerians that Boko Haram has the backing and blessing of some northern elder statesmen.

An astute observer of Islamists’ insurgency would trace it to the aftermath of the 2011 election where it all started in the form of electoral violence and gradually turned into the monster called Boko Haram. A careful evaluation of the situation vis-avis Buhari’s comment would point to the fact that he stands to gain should the sect and its sponsors succeed in their calculated attempt to halt the Jonathan administration in the name of insecurity.

“We, therefore, call on anti-graft agencies and the international community to extend their search for the real head of the sect by a proper investigation of Buhari. The Niger Delta struggle has been a struggle for resource control, of development and of the inclusion of Niger Deltans in the Nigerian state. But the comments of Buhari have shown that Niger Deltans are the only

people that believe there is a nation called Nigeria.

“It is high time therefore we woke up from this slumber. We are now telling Buhari and his cohorts that they have crossed the line and if he does not retract his comments and apologise to the nation for his senseless comments through the media that Nigeria will never be the same again.”

The organisation added: “The Niger Delta people are not and will never be cowards. We have the capability to stand and defend what belongs to us and shall defend our God-given resources. We will not recognise or accept any arrangement that either the constitution review committee or the petroleum industrial bill will put up that will not recognise the 100 per cent control of our resources. We stand to defend this with all our strength and blood.

“We salute our Christian brothers up North and the Middle Belt who have suffered so much and have lost their loved ones and property in the wanton killing of their people. We salute those who have supported the struggle of the Niger delta people such as the media, the international community and all those who have condemned Boko Haram and their activities.”

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THE GUARDIAN, Friday, June 7, 2013

AfricanNews Regional mediators call off Zimbabwe’s summit EGIONAL mediators have R postponed a special summit to assess Zimbabwe’s readiness for general elections, a South African official said yesterday .

“It has been postponed to a later stage,” Clayson Monyela, foreign affairs spokesman, said of the summit originally scheduled to be held on Sunday in South Africa.

No reason was given for the postponement nor was a new date announced for the meeting of presidents of the 15-member Southern African Development Community (SADC).

The summit was expected to discuss a range of issues including the cash-strapped Zimbabwean government’s efforts to raise the $132-million (100-million-euro) election budget.

Zimbabwe’s Constitutional Court ruled last Friday that President Robert Mugabe should organise elections no later than July 31.

The polls aim to end an uneasy SADC-brokered unity government between Mugabe and his rival, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, which was formed in 2009 after deadly disputed elections.

DR Congo, rebels to resume peace talks EMOCRATIC Republic of Congo’s M23 rebels will send a delegation this weekend to resume peace talks with the government that were suspended in early May, according to a senior official Wednesday.

“The M23... confirms that its delegation will go to Kampala this Sunday June 9 in order to continue the dialogue,” Bertrand Bisimwa, the political head of the rebel movement, said in a statement.

Bisimwa said the decision was an outcome of a regional tour in late May by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon

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and his special envoy for the central African Great Lakes region, Mary Robinson, who visited the DRC, Rwanda and Uganda.

The senior UN officials called for “a political solution that would resolve the underlying causes of the crisis in the east of the DRC”, Bisimwa added.

M23 has been active in North Kivu province since May 2012.

The uprising began with a mutiny by former rebels who had become part of the national army, but last year accused the Kinshasa government of failing to abide by a peace pact signed on March 23, 2009.

Britain compensates Kenyans for Mau Mau uprising abuse HE British government T has announced a compensation and costs deal worth £19.9 million for more than 5,200 elderly Kenyans who were tortured and abused during the 1950s Mau Mau uprising against colonial rule.

Making this known yesterday, Foreign Secretary William Hague stopped short of a full apology, but said Britain “sincerely regrets” the abuses.

Hague’s statement, according Agence France Presse (AFP), follows a four-year legal battle in which Britain maintained it was not liable for the abuse – which remains its position – claiming legal responsibility had passed to the Kenyan government after independence in 1963.

“The British government recognises that Kenyans were subject to torture and other forms of ill-treatment at the hands of the colonial administration,” Hague told parliament’s lower House of Commons.

“The British government sincerely regrets that these abuses took place and that they marred Kenya’s progress towards independence. Torture and ill-treatment are abhorrent

A Mau Mau war veteran reacts during a press conference at the Hilton Hotel in Nairobi, Kenya…yesterday.

violations of human dignity that we unreservedly condemn,” he added.

A British law firm Leigh Day, which has pursued the case, welcomed the deal and said it had been agreed with all of its 5,228 Kenyan clients.

After £6 million legal costs are deducted, the remainder will be shared equally between the Kenyans. The firm’s senior partner Martyn Day said each claimant would receive around £2,600. “£2,600 is not a massive

amount of money here but over there, it is quite a significant amount of money,” he told AFP. About 160 elderly Mau Mau gathered to hear the announcement made simultaneously by the British high commissioner in Nairobi, where London will also help build a monument to victims of colonial-era torture as part of the deal.

“I’m thankful to heaven that we are still alive today to experience this and to be compensated for the atrocities that have been committed,” said Habil Molo Ogola, 78.

He told AFP that he was de-

AFP: PHOTO

tained for three years for trying to help Mau Mau prisoners escape, and was tortured.

“I’m very grateful to the British for finally accepting to compensate us,” he said.

Speaking in London, Day said thousands of Kenyans – many of them unassociated with the Mau Mau insurgency – had endured horrific treatment in British-run detention camps.

“They included castration, rape and repeated violence of the worst kind. Although they occurred many years ago, the physical and mental scars remain,” Day said.

‘Mandela should have stayed longer in office’ AMPHELA Ramphele, a M former World Bank’s managing director turned opposition leader in South Africa, has reasoned that the country would be a better democracy by now if Nelson Mandela had served a second term as president.

The onetime anti-apartheid activist and founder of new political party said: “I think if we had the good fortunes of Mandela for two terms, we would have had a better chance because he was a committed democrat… I’m not so sure that his successors are committed in the same way that he was.”

Ramphele is preparing to formally launch her new political party, Agang, which will challenge President Jacob Zuma’s ruling African National Congress (ANC) in polls next year.

Areas of concern, she cited yesterday, included human rights, weak schooling and health, and police brutality.

She argued that South Africa has had difficulty making the transition from the culture of liberation that fought against the white minority apartheid rule to an effective democracy.

“The journey to democratic politics is a journey we didn’t as a country understand we needed to undergo,” Ramphele said.

The ANC has been the ruling party since the fall of apartheid and the 1994 elections, which made Mandela the country’s first black president. It has seen overwhelming victories at the ballot box

I think if we had the good fortunes of Mandela for two terms, we would have had a better chance because he was a committed democrat…

I’m not so sure that his successors are committed in the same way that he was. but is now under pressure because of failures to deliver on promises.

“What is discouraging is the sense of resignation that so many people feel,” said Ramphele. “What’s going on is bad, but people don’t seem to see an alternative.”

After nearly 20 years of democracy, the country was “on a completely wrong track”, she said.

“There is no doubt that looking at where South Africa stands, nearly 20 years after that beautiful day in our history, we are a country which has not lived up to the promise of that dream.”

On the labour unrest that is gripping the country’s vital mining sector, Ramphele said the close alliance between the ANC and unions had worsened the crisis.

Mines have been hit by a rivalry between a dominant union, which is part of an alliance that backs the ANC, and a powerful new upstart.

“How do you become an honest broker when one of the parties to a conflict is your ally, it’s very difficult to be seen to be unbiased,” said Ramphele, who is a former chair of gold mining group

9

THE GUARDIAN, Friday, June 7, 2013

WorldReport U.S. defends phone record sweep as ‘tool’ against terror NITED States (U.S.) govU ernment yesterday explained that a top spy agency was using a “crucial tool” against terrorism by sweeping up domestic telephone records, just as new revelations on the programme sparked a swift criticism.

According to agency reports, one civil liberties group branded the practice, authorised by a top secret court order, as “beyond Orwellian” while others argued the idea of a massive dragnet encompassing tens of millions of phone records was

unconstitutional.

The programme, which began under the Bush administration, apparently does not monitor the content of telephone calls or who is making them, but provides “metadata” on phone numbers used and the duration of calls, Agence France Presse (AFP) stated.

Advocates said the data, collected on calls inside and outside the United States, can then be crunched to show odd patterns of communication, which can tip off spy agencies to possible plan-

ning for terror attacks.

Senior U.S. officials, while not confirming reports in The Guardian newspaper that service provider, Verizon, had been ordered to turn over reams of data, defended the National Security Agency (NSA), the secret listening service.

“Information of the sort described in The Guardian article has been a critical tool in protecting the nation from terrorist threats to the United States,” said a senior U.S. official on condition of anonymity.

“It allows counterterrorism personnel to discover whether known or suspected terrorists have been in contact with other persons who may be engaged in terrorist activities, particularly people located inside the United States.”

The official said that all three branches of the U.S. government, the White House, Congress, and the judicial system, were involved in reviewing and authorising intelligence collection under current laws.

ing along the Israel-Syria ceasefire line on the Golan, before regime forces recaptured it using tanks.

The fighting took place at the Quneitra crossing and the nearby village of the same in the demilitarised zone between the Syrian part of the strategic plateau and the Israeli-occupied sector.

The clashes were very close to the headquarters of a UN

Austria to quit UN force over Damascus violence peacekeeping force, prompting Austria to announce it was withdrawing its troops from the mission, in a blow to a operation that has kept the Israeli-Syrian war front quiet for 40 years.

Israel is anxious for the international mission to remain in place, worried that the Golan will become a springboard for attacks on Israelis by Islamist militants

fighting to oust Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

But the departure of the Austrians, who make up about 380 of the 1,000-strong United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF), threatens the whole operation.

“Austria has been a backbone of the mission, and their withdrawal will impact the mission’s operational ca-

ARIS, the daughter of late P pop icon, Michael Jackson, was reportedly rushed to a California hospital on Wednesday after trying to commit suicide, a family source told Agence France Presse (AFP).

A celebrity website, TMZ, also wrote that the 15-year-old tried to cut her right wrist with a meat cleaver and wrote a suicide note.

The teenager, whose father died in 2009, was put on a 72hour psychiatric hold in hospital, the family source said, adding that Paris suffered from depression and had previously reported suicidal

pacity,” said UN spokeswoman Josephine Guerrero.

Anti-Assad rebels briefly seized the sole crossing between Israel and Syria yesterday morning, sending UN staff scurrying to their shelters, before Syrian soldiers managed to push them back and reassert their control of Quneitra.

“The Syrian army has recovered control of the crossing,” an Israeli security source told AFP, speaking on condition of anonymity.

thoughts.

“She tried to cut herself,” said the source, requesting anonymity, adding: “She really feels like she needs her father... she had been in treatment once before for depression, so this is kind of like a real cry for help.”

“She’s in good condition, she’s not in critical condition.”

A sheriff’s spokesman told AFP officers had responded to a home in Calabasas near Los Angeles, where Jackson lives, over a “medical situation,” but refused to confirm the identity of the person taken to hospital.

‘U.S. Congress rigged to suppress women’s rights’ NITED States House MinorU ity Leader Nancy Pelosi (DCal if.) has asserted that

Syrian army retakes Golan crossing from rebels HE rebels fighting Syrian T government yesterday briefly seized the only cross-

Michael Jackson’s daughter hospitalised after suicide bid

Congress is “rigged” to suppress the interests of women and keep their voices out of the discussion, a day after Rep. Trent Franks (R-Ariz.) and an all-male panel of his colleagues advanced a bill to restrict abortion rights across the U.S..

“This is an environment that is almost rigged, intentionally or not, wittingly or not, rigged so that the status quo just goes on,” Pelosi told The Huffington Post in an interview.

“We have to kick open the door and make our own environment, reduce the role of money (in campaigns), insist on the civility of debates, and

bring more women here, and that’s a better reflection of our country.”

Pelosi said that as a mother of five children, it infuriates her to see an all-male subcommittee pushing a bill to restrict women’s reproductive rights.

“What right — I mean, really, I guess they’re elected, they have a committee, they write a bill, but by what moral authority are they to make such a suggestion?” she said.

“It always gets me because I have five children. When I brought my baby home, Alexandra, my oldest was turning six. As a practicing Catholic, I think I have the credentials to talk about this subject.”

10

THE GUARDIAN, Friday, June 7, 2013

POLITICS

Politics APGA factions seek out of court reconciliation From Ezeocha Nzeh, Abuja EACE may finally return to the house of the All Progressives P Grand Alliance (APGA) following reported move by the two factions of the party to seek an out-of-court settlement of the crises that have rocked its leadership.

The attempt, it was gathered, came as a result of the recent decision of the Anambra State governor, Mr. Peter Obi, to finally conduct local council elections in October.

Also, to ensure that the party repositions itself for the proposed elections, the Maxi Okwu-led faction yesterday constituted a 14-member Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Committee, headed by its former governorship candidate in Abia State, Chief Regan Ufomba.

The committee is to interface with the group that was inaugurated by the Chief Victor Umeh-led faction, to begin the processes of returning lasting peace to the party.

Briefing the media on Tuesday in Abuja, APGA factional chairman, Okwu noted that the Umeh constituted committee, led by Mr. Ziggy Azige, had begun moves to reconcile the two factions by paying visits to certain stakeholders and opinion molders in the party.

He said the party was ready to settle its differences outside the courtroom, to ensure that “it positions itself very well for the October local council elections in Anambra State.”

Okwu stated that his group decided to set up the Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Committee in order to reciprocate the gesture from the

Umeh Umeh group, stressing that the committee would sit in Abuja, Enugu, Awka and Lagos, as well as visit party members it feels are critical to the final resolution of the crises.

“The High Court of Anambra State has given judicial backing and insisted that the April national convention of the APGA, which was supervised by INEC at Awka, remains sacrosanct,” he said.

“So, we are focused now on how to get the party fully back on track; we

Okwu need the input of everybody on board. You may recall that earlier when I emerged, I stated that my intervention would centre on the reconciling, reintegration and repositioning of the party.

“I am happy to also announce to you that the Chief Victor Umeh-led group is already thinking towards that line and had already begun moves to reach major stakeholders and opinion molders of the party, to see what they can do to close ranks.”

Okwu restated his extension of an

olive branch to that group because he believes that they could achieve more if they were united.

“I do so again today because the party belongs to all of us,” he said. “I am also happy to announce today that the leader of the party, Chief Peter Obi, the executive governor of Anambra State, has announced that the local council elections in the state will conducted in October.

With that declaration, I believe that a long-standing and hanging issue will be addressed.”

He stressed that to meet the move by the reconciliation and review committee set up by Victor Umeh, “we are reciprocating by setting up a 14-member Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Committee, under the chairmanship of Chief Regan Ufomba, to immediately go into action, to listen and hear from the aggrieved members, including those who had left the party as a result of one reason or the other.”

“The committee will sit publicly in Abuja, Enugu, Awka and Lagos to hear the grievances of members,” he said.

“They will also visit those who they feel are critical to the final resolution of the party crises and submit their reports by the end of June.

Thereafter, we will match forward with a true and reconciled and united APGA that will prepare for the local council elections in Anambra State.”

Okwu said he was aware that, “we can settle out of court, with these moves by the two factions. We are at junction now and I believe that in the near future, all of us will reconcile.”

“We are open-minded about this because we are not desperate. We would like to reconcile and I urge Chief Victor Umeh to imbibe the team spirit, since his committee has gone to certain people within the party, seeking reconciliation. It is a welcome move.

“Our goal is to settle out of court and we are ready to play any role that will make it happen. I have seen certain signals that have made me believe it will happen.”

‘Jonathan, Amaechi have only political differences’ Chief Vincent Amadi, a traditional ruler from Isiokpo Kingdom, Rivers State, who was recently elected Chairman, Board of Trustees (BoT), South-South Forum of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP in Lagos, told journalists that there was no fight between President Goodluck Jonathan and Governor Rotimi Amaechi but a misunderstanding based on political interest, reports Seye Olumide.

HAT are the leaders the South-South W doing to address the feud between President Jonathan and Governor Amaechi?

I don’t think there is any crisis between the two. What, perhaps, is happening between them is political misunderstanding and not personal. A party that is as big as PDP would always have this nature of crisis but one thing is sure; whatever misunderstanding that exists would be resolved amicably.

Jonathan, I must say, is a Rivers’ man. He marries from Rivers State and by virtue of that, he is our son. We should also realise that Bayelsa was carved out of Rivers State.

Amaechi, on other hand, is an Ikwerre man from Rivers and he knows what it means to respect an elder.

The leaders in both states would look into the matter and reconcile them before 2015.

Isn’t the President’s ambition for a second term in office part of the factors heating up the polity ahead of 2015?

I do not see why Jonathan should not contest for a second term, as long as the Constitution permits him. I don’t see any ambiguity there.

This is the opportunity for the people of SouthSouth, where the black gold is dug.

I don’t know why Nigerians are making much ado about nothing. The entire South-South people are behind Jonathan to contest.

Politics is a game of calculation and if he does his homework well to win PDP primaries and subsequently gain the confidence of Nigerians; there is no big deal.

Why should people complain about a SouthSouth man where the wealth of the nation comes from?

But the North is claiming Jonathan had an agreement with them to run for a single term…

They should present to us the agreement. If there is such an agreement, we want to see it if it is in line with the Nigerian Constitution. I believe that the Constitution supersedes that of the PDP and whatever agreement anybody is talking about.

But it could be a gentleman agreement…

Then, they don’t have a case. Like the late legendary musician, Fela Anikulapo Kuti, would say, “I no be gentleman at all.”

Section 1 of the 1999 Constitution states that any law that is against the Constitution is a nullity to the extent of that law. Even if it is written, anything that is contrary to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is illegal.

A section of the country cannot continue to determine, dictate and behave as if people from other sections are inferior or do not have the right to rule.

These are critical issues Nigerians need to sit and address.

Would you agree with the United States’ recent investigation that corruption is more pronounced under the Jonathan administration?

The issue of corruption has been with us before Jonathan came to power. It is not only in Jonathan’s tenure that corruption indices have jumped up. We have heard of oil windfall money amounting to several billions of naira missing and nobody said anything about that.

If people want to criticise Jonathan’s government, let them do it objectively, devoid of malice and mischief.

I think Jonathan’s government has exposed corruption more than any regime in Nigeria.

The question is how to tackle it.

What I regard as the greatest impediment to the fight against corruption is the Judiciary.

The Judiciary has helped so many people who are supposed to be languishing in jail to be walking free.

How would you assess the performance of

Amadi Amaechi’s government in Rivers?

There may be different opinions but what I know is that Amaechi has done a lot to improve the state. This is not a matter of praisesinging the governor; I have not seen any government that has done what Amaechi did even right from the military era; that is obvious and nobody can contest it.

He has foresight to the extent that he looked at how congested Port Harcourt was and started demolishing all the shanties in order to build roads.

He did not stop at there; he initiated the building of Greater Port Harcourt where there will be easy flow of people and traffic contrary to what is happening in places like Diobu and other parts of Port Harcourt.

Now, if you go from Igwuruta to Omagwa, where we have Port Harcourt International

Airport, a lot is happening there.

What informed the formation of the PDP South-South Forum in Lagos?

The PDP South-South Forum is an organ to let the people know that the people of the SouthSouth exist in large number here in Lagos and an avenue to let our governors and the people at the federal level know that we are waxing stronger here.

Do you consider the formation of the APC a threat to PDP’s ambition to take over Lagos from the ruling Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN)?

In a strong political arrangement, there must be opposition, but PDP is not afraid of any merger by the opposition parties in Nigeria.

The problem in Nigeria is that rival parties do not see any good thing about what the ruling party is doing. There is never a constructive criticism but destructive based on the quest to take over power by whatever means possible.

There is always the tendency to focus on the negative aspect of governance and that is why we have so many difficulties in Nigeria.

Unfortunately, the rival parties to PDP have deliberately closed their eyes to some of the good things that the Goodluck Jonathan-led administration has achieved.

It is unfair for the opposition parties to say that the country has not witnessed any development since the PDP took over government at the national level in 1999. Nigerians have refused to be constructive in their criticisms.

Does PDP in Lagos have the capacity to oust the ruling ACN in 2015?

I am optimistic that PDP will oust ACN in 2015. The signs are there that the Babatunde Fashola-led government failed to meet the aspirations of the people and they are looking for a better alternative.

It was true that during the 2011 elections, many of us in Lagos voted for Jonathan and went back to sleep and that was partly why the PDP lost in the governorship election.

But that cannot happen 2015. The coming governorship election in Lagos is a battle PDP must fight and win.

THE GUARDIAN, Friday, June 7, 2013

POLITICS

11

It’s time for real governance in Ondo From Niyi Bello, Akure GOOD reference point may be emerging in A Ondo State for those who advocate a single term for political office holders on the ground that the politics of second term is a major obstacle to socio-economic development and the performance of elected officials.

In the first quarter of the first year of Dr. Olusegun Mimiko’s second term in office, the state government took certain bold steps that would have been considered suicidal were the governor still seeking the votes of the people and had to, for political expediency, leave some stones unturned in the search for good governance.

What is happening in Ondo has a bearing to what occurred in Lagos State. There, Governor Babatunde Fashola, during his re-election campaigns, solicited the support of members of the association of commercial motorcyclists, who actually followed him in thousands to rallies. But after securing victory, he turned around to restrict their operations in his quest to reduce road carnage.

Similarly, Mimiko is baring his fangs to those things and institutions that are found to be injurious to the collective aspiration of the people. Of course, these are the same institutions that the Iroko, as Mimiko is popularly called, engaged and which actually worked for him in the realisation of his second-term ambition that came at the last October 20 governorship poll.

Right from his earlier foray into politics, Mimiko, reputed to have a milk of kindness and uncommon generosity, has always been known to be averse to any step that would have negative impact on his political fortunes, and would not take any action without first consulting with the concerned people and institutions.

That the governor was able to provide the hitherto non-existent bridge over the gap between the people and the government, performed relatively well and still sustained his popularity rating till election time, is an unprecedented feat in the state’s political landscape where often times, government has to be stern in taking decisions affecting the people.

Perhaps, this accounted for the popularity of the Mimiko persona, which was at its peak during the controversial April 14, 2007 elections and the subsequent 22-month legal struggle to reclaim the mandate and sustained by the people-oriented programme of his administration.

However, since the inauguration of his second term, the picture of a governor “that cannot hurt a fly,” is gradually changing to that of a no-nonsense administrator, who is ready to remove any human or institutional obstacle on the path to good governance and seamless delivery of dividends of democracy to the expectant electorate.

Three days after the dissolution of his firstterm team, Mimiko, inside the Cocoa Conference Hall of his office, told a gathering of about 300 Special Assistants — majority of those who have neither schedules of duty or offices — that the new dispensation would not be able to accommodate them.

He said unlike when he had to appoint a lot of persons according to the political dictates of the moment, only about a quarter of the crowd would find space in the new government. Of course, the politicians, who were expecting to be reappointed to their various offices, walked out of the venue quietly.

Signs that it was not going to be business as usual emerged a few weeks after his re-election at a tax summit held at the National Institute of Educational Planning and Administration (NIEPA) in Ondo. There, the governor unveiled his plan for improvement in Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) for the state.

To achieve that goal, fund-generating ministries and parastatals were given marching orders to increase their drive for revenue to boost the purse of the state, in a move that complemented the earlier successes recorded in the state’s IGR that had moved up in the first four years of the administration.

The message became clearer when the governor charged the Chairman of the Ondo branch of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Bishop Joshua Ketiku, who was on a courtesy visit to his office, to urge congregations “to give unto Caesar what is Caesar’s” because 90 percent of government tax revenue comes from public servants while the vast majority of

Mimiko

the people remained untaxed.

Apart from increasing taxes payable by public officers in accordance with relevant tax laws, revenue officers were soon mobilised into town, to move from one shop to the other, asking even petty traders to pay into government coffers in order to continue enjoying dividends of democracy.

To many people, this is a clear departure from what obtained in the past when government, in order to maintain its “caring heart” agenda, would look the other way and put on a human face in protecting the people from anything that might task them even when it was obvious that those things form part of the civic duties of the citizens.

On the receiving end in the current efforts by Mimiko to drop politics and act as a no-nonsense statesman are his fellow members of the political class and the public service where the governor has turned a searchlight of sanitation that is causing more than ripples in the polity.

Two months ago, the state government, in a release by its Secretary, Dr. Rotimi Adelola, claimed irregularities in their appointments and outright inclusion of fictitious names on the payroll of the 18 local councils, and announced the sacking of about 10,000 workers describing them as “ghosts”.

While blaming the political class at the council level for the fraud, the government said the sack of the ghost workers followed the discovery of monumental fraud in phantom recruitment exercise carried out at the local councils.

The government said it discovered unauthorised recruitment of unqualified workers or none existing individuals whose names are being used to deduct salaries from the local governments’ accounts on monthly basis.

The statement mentioned that the probe committee, in the course of its investigation, observed that the difference in nominal roles of the local councils between December 2008 and December 2012 was over 10,000 staff claimed to have been employed; thus, forcing the government to augment council wages with about N500 million monthly.

According to the SSG: “Before any recruitment could be done at the local government level,

the express approval of the state governor should be sought and the local government chairmen should consider if they have the fund to pay the wages of such new recruits.”

He stressed that nothing of such was done in the case of the affected workers, adding that most of the names of workers claimed to have been recruited in the illegal exercise were nonexistent.

The discovery of the employment scam at the council level prompted the government to order a full-scale staff audit of its entire workforce, resulting in mind-boggling revelations about the role of even senior civil servants in the perpetration of the fraud.

In the course of the audit, government employees were directed to submit their primary school leaving certificates, to ascertain their actual age since many were discovered to have been due for retirement but still remained in service.

Several of them, including some very senior ones, are said to have falsified their ages and many, among them a serving permanent secretary, whose younger brother celebrated his 72nd birthday recently but who is still claiming to be under-65, were discovered to have been born many years after leaving primary school.

Stories are told of politicians and senior civil servants, who padded the wage lists with fictitious names and many officers on GL 04, for instance, were drawing salaries of GL 16, with the difference going into pockets of senior officials while several non-existent schools, with full complement of staff, were discovered.

As it was in 1999 when the then Adebayo Adefarati administration set up the Justice Rasheed Fawehinmi panel to probe the previous military administration, and the rot in the system was exposed by the exercise; cans of worms are being opened by the current audit, “which wouldn’t have been ordered if an election were forthcoming,” said a respondent during the week.

Shocked by the findings, Mimiko is said to have made himself unavailable to scores of fingered officials, many of whom reportedly contributed to his campaign funds, and respected figures in the society whose assistance the culprits have solicited to persuade the governor to change his resolve to unleash the full wrath of the law on the

offenders.

During celebrations of the last Workers’ Day, a stern-faced governor made it clear that all the indicted politicians and the public servant collaborators — many of who were present at the parade — would be flushed out of the system and made to repay the amount they illegally acquired or go to jail at the end of the ongoing exercise.

Expectedly, opposition politicians have been latching on the development to score political goals, describing Mimiko as a Janus, the two-faced Greek god, “that is showing his wicked side to the people he professed to like.”

While awaiting the final verdict of the Election Petitions Tribunal, both Olusola Oke of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Rotimi Akeredolu of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), who contested the governorship election with Mimiko, pledged to reinstate the sacked workers and lessen the tax burden on the people.

With the affected people not liking the new approach to governance, resulting in a downward trend in the popularity of the governor, political watchers blamed the development on the events that led to the emergence of the Mimiko administration and the “unusually high” expectations of the electorate, who, sometimes, engage in absurdities in exhibiting their love for the governor and his government.

For instance, on February 23, 2009, when the final judgment installing Mimiko as governor was delivered at the Court of Appeal in Benin City, supporters of the new governor seized the official cars of several PDP chieftains, who were in the court premises, leaving them at the mercy of commercial buses in finding their ways back to Akure.

The moment the information of the victory got to the state capital, several bands of supporters physically took over the Government House, occupied the kitchen to treat themselves to foods and drinks in celebration while many others seized government cars from fleeing PDP politicians.

It took several announcements and warnings from the new government to persuade the “looters” to return the vehicles and leave government quarters where some of them had taken board. Besides, special security measures had to be devised to keep away the hordes of supporters that always gathered, at the initial days of the administration, for days on end, to do nothing but just cheer their governor in office.

Governor Mimiko had twice bared his fangs during his first term. First, when he had to move bulldozers to destroy illegal structures on the major highways at the commencement of his urban renewal programme; and second, when he called the bluff of the organised labour in the wake of the agitation for improved remuneration, which led to a strike action.

On both cases, he quickly made amends, which led to improved relationships between the parties, and eventually culminated in the labour leadership adopting him for a second term.

When the bulldozers were rumbling through the streets of Akure and the generality of the affected citizens were groaning under their impacts, an announcement over the state radio that the operators of the machines actually acted beyond their bounds restored the confidence of the people in “the caring heart governor.”

Curiously, the guilt of the exercise was shifted to the overzealous officials and some even blamed sympathisers of the ousted PDP, who were still in government, for the attempt to destroy the love between the people and their governor.

When some months later, Arakale road, the second major transport artery in the state capital, was being dualised, and the government paid about N2 billion as compensations to the affected citizens, with or without titles or approval for their buildings and even had to pay unsolicited relocation fees to the mainly Igbo traders occupying the shops, and the earlier accusations against a party that was no longer in government was reinforced.

With the new face of the Mimiko administration, it appears government has decided to drop the toga of populism and take active charge on matters affecting the state without minding whose ox is gored or what the majority of the population might think.

THE GUARDIAN, Friday, June 7, 2013

12

TheMetroSection Mother of all gridlocks

Briefs Citibank marks sixth Diversity Week

• Communters stranded, traffic jam as container falls on Eko Meat Van along Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway

ITIBANK Nigeria Ltd. is set C to mark its sixth yearly Diversity Week from Monday,

The Eko Meat Van under the container

PHOTOS: AYODELE ADENIRAN

By Tope Templer Olaiya, Assistant Lagos City Editor and Abdulwaheed Usamah T was like an apocalyptic scene yesterday on the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway after a ghastly accident, which occurred between Ikeja Along and Ile-Zik bus-stop locked down the heart of Lagos for many hours and left thousands of Lagosians stranded.

At least, two people lost their lives on the ever-busy Lagos Abeokuta Expressway when a trailer carrying a container crushed the driver of Eko Meat Van and his aide to death.

Eyewitness said six other injured victims were immediately taken to the hospital for treatment.

An eyewitness, who simply gave his name as Samuel, said the truck conveying a 20-feet container rammed into the Eko meat van when some policemen attached to the Rapid Respond Squad were chasing a commercial motorcycle plying the proscribed highway.

“I think the driver of the truck did not want to kill the Okada man. As he struggled to avoid running into the

I

meat van, he lost control, swerved to the pavement and fell on the meat van. The driver and his assistant died on the spot,” he said.

Speaking on the incident, the Deputy Commissioner of Police Operations, Lagos, Mr. Tunde Shobulo, said he was not briefed that his men were chasing the Okada rider when the accident occurred.

His account of what happened was, however, different. According to him, the van was driving against traffic and crashed into the oncoming truck whose driver lost control, given the heavy load it was carrying.

The accident brought traffic to a standstill around Ikeja, Iyana Ipaja, Agege and Oshodi. According to other eyewitnesses, the collision involving three vehicles, including a fully loaded articulated truck, was caused by an Okada rider, who was trying to evade arrest from policemen at the scene of the accident. One of them told The Guardian that the policemen sped away immediately it happened in a white RRS Hilux with

Stranded passengers at the scene of the accident for most part of yesterday. the inscription number 333.

While the incident at the LagosFor over seven hours, it was a hellish Abeokuta Expressway hampered experience for motorists with the movement in and around Ikeja, a eight-lane expressway blocked on string of multiple accidents in other both lanes. 18-wheelers, fuel tankers parts of Lagos led to an emergency and sedans, wedged bumper-tosituation on almost all major roads bumper in both directions. in the state.

Curses and horn blasts pierced the An accident involving a truck at exhaust-choked air. Brakes screeched Magboro junction going towards as vehicles inched forward and cars Ibafo on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressrocked violently back and front at litway caused heavy traffic on the busy tle intervals of movement. highway, which stretched to Arepo It was the mother of all gridlocks, a spiraling effect, which left all the bus- and Berger on both sides of the express. Also, another accident ocstops along the route crowded with curred at Ijora Olopa under bridge thousands of commuters, while that locked down traffic along the stranded passengers decided to help axis. themselves on foot by trekking long It wasn’t until 4pm when a crane distances to their destination. was used to remove the fallen truck With the restriction on activities of that traffic eased at the Ile-Zik busmotorcycles on the highways, which stop, but the respite was only for a effectively banned Okada on the while on the Lagos-Abeokuta expressroute, the only alternative left for way as the daily traffic buildup of mocommuters, which was to ply the torists returning from work trains, was also hitched, as the rail heightened the gridlock, which exline passing through Ile-Zik was obtended to Agege-Mushin motor-road. structed by the accident. This also shut down the trains from operating

Police exhume slain student for autopsy, deploys DPO From Alemma-Ozioruva Aliu, Benin City PPARENTLY responding to agitations and outcry from the public, the police in Edo State yesterday exhumed the body of 22 –yearold Momodu Ibrahim, who was allegedly killed by the police on May 27 and was hurriedly buried the following day for proper autopsy and possible release to his family for proper burial.

Besides, The Guardian reliably gathered that the DPO

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of Ogida Police station, Carol Afegbai who was alleged to have pulled the trigger that killed Momodu have been deployed from the station but it was not clear where her new posting is.

The state commissioner of police, Folusho Adebanjo confirmed to The Guardian yesterday that the late 400 level student of Science Laboratory Technology of the University of Benin is being exhumed. “I can confirm to

The late Ibrahim Momodu you that the police pathologist, family members are at the site now to exhume the body and then prepare all

the relevant papers for proper advice from the DPP” But the leadership of the National Association of Polytechnic Students (NAPS) has issued a seven day ultimatum to the police authority to remove and probe the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in charge of Ogida Police Station, Carol Afegba.

A statement yesterday by the President of the association, Sunday Ogbonnaya

also demanded that Momodu’s body be exhumed for proper autopsy.

“We observed that Carol Afegbai is still walking freely, we will mobilize our students and demand for justice. We also demand that the Commissioner of Police should pay a condolence visit to the family of Momodu and we, vehemently, demand that his body be exhumed for a proper autopsy to aid investigation”

Clegyman advises teenagers to resist peer pressure

By Nike Sotade, Metro Editor EENAGERS and youths have been enjoined to mind the kind of company they keep at this phase of their lives in order to advance and become successful in the future.

This advice came from a senior pastor at the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Anna Oyebanjo at an interdenominational programme organized for teenagers recently at the Spring of Living Waters Parish of the RCCG at Oke Ira, Ogba in Lagos as part of activities to mark Children’s Day by the church.

Dubbed: “This is Me,” the programme was targeted at teenagers and young adults in Lagos to bring them under one roof and give them a talk on how to navigate the waters of teenage life and grow up to become successful citizens of the country in the future.

In a very down- to-earth interactive session that included praise worship, quiz and a career talk

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by Pastor Oyebanjo, she advised youngsters to avoid peer pressure, which has led many young people astray.

“Mind the kind of friends you keep, don’t visit pornography sites on the Internet, be respectful, avoid alcohol, indecent dressing, yahoo yahoo and all other social vices that are prominent among the youth,” she advised.

Her counseling session was followed by a question and answer session on Bible knowledge and a career talk. ‘You must be thoroughly schooled and educated to become somebody in life,” she enjoined the teenagers.

Speaking later, the parish Pastor Charles Imuzeze explained that the This is Me event, which is organized every last Saturday of May by the church, is meant for teenagers to express themselves and talk about the issues confronting them. So they come together in praise and worship and a guest Minister is invited to address them on important issues.

According to him: “Teenagers often buckle under peer pressure, hence they need to be guided and molded by the Lord. They are asking the Almighty to make and mold them the way in which they would be better citizens for the future. Hence they come before the Lord saying: “This is me Lord, make me a better person.”

Damilola Kalesanwo, one of the youth organisers, also explained that the programme was meant at making teenagers make the right choice in life.

He identified the social media, peer pressure and parental upbringing as some of the challenges of the youth now. “As good as it is, many often get involved in negative activities on the Internet. You need to have a mind of your own as a youth so that you won’t get carried away by peer pressure,” he said.

Interestingly, some of the teenagers who attended the event got their invitations via the social media.

June 10- Friday, June 14, 2013.

Diversity Week, which was established to raise awareness on diversity issues and promote inclusion within Citi, will also be commemorated in over 54 countries in Europe, Middle East and Africa.

The theme for 2013 is “Inclusion” and as part of this year’s programme, Citi employees would be addressed on the importance of turning challenges into opportunities by understanding that most obstacles bring with them the prospect of rebirth and transformation through the changing of our perceptions.

Other activities include Citi’s yearly ‘Bring Your Child to Work Day’ and a diversity cocktail featuring a game show and interdepartmental contests among others.

Orogun Grammar School students meet ROGUN Grammar O School Old Students’ Association, Lagos branch, meets on Sunday, June 9, at No. 15, Awosika Street, off Governor’s Road, off Latol Private School Road, by Mary Bus Stop, Ikotun, Lagos at 2.00p.m.

School remembers Oba Olashore

REMEMBRANCE service A was recently organised by Olashore International School to honour its founder, Oba Oladele Olashore, who passed on a year ago. The event, held in the school premises in Iloko-Ijesa, Osun State, was a time to reflect on the life and legacies of the founder and how he impacted the school and the society as well.

The programme, which began with a moment of silence created an opportunity for family members and members of the school community to speak glowingly of the late Oba. A video clip of the life of the founder was shown to all present and it provided an opportunity for those who never met him to see him at work.

The Chairman of the Board of Governors and son of Oba Oladele Olashore, Prince Abimbola Olashore described his late father as an epitome of life and a role model.

“All through my life, he had always been a worthy example and what he stood for inspired us all. He spoke the truth unconditionally, a lot of people would tell you what you want to hear, but it is always good to tell you what you need to know. He built a strong and solid foundation.

The Olashores have values for which we stand for and anywhere in the world, we can shout about it and we are so lucky that whatever, we say that this is what we stand for, people do not doubt us”, he said.

The Principal of School, Mr. Derek Smith, who was impressed with what he heard from the speakers, noted that the late founder provided a good platform for them to emulate.

THE GUARDIAN, Friday, June 7, 2013

METRO 13

Photonews

Commuters waiting for commercial vehicles as the new Federal Capital Territory (FCT) transport policy takes effect in Abuja...on Wednesday PHOTO: NAN

Managing Director / Chief Executive Officer, Fidelity Bank Plc., Reginald Ihejiahi handing over the keys of the brand new Hyundai Accent car to Mrs. Edeh Nnenna Ogo, the star prize winner of the Fidelity 25th Anniversary Cars and Cash Savings Splash at the prize presentation ceremony in Lagos… oon Monday

Lagos Assembly questions commissioners on Lekki-Ikoyi toll bridge

By Wole Oyebade AGOS State House of Assembly yesterday questioned Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Obafemi Hamzat and the Special Adviser to Governor on Public Private Partnership (PPP), Ayo Gbeleyi, over the tolling of the newly commissioned Lekki-Ikoyi link Bridge.

In a move to have a convincing defense, Commissioner for Justice and Attorney-General, Ade Ipaye, also joined the team.

The House, had at its emergency plenary last week summoned the duo to appear before it on Thursday to explain why the tolling would be necessary for a kilometre bridge and to clarify the concession agreement of Electronic Tolling System (ETS) for the Bridge.

The lawmakers had raised questions on tolling of the bridge despite the fact that the bridge was constructed with taxpayers’ money.

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Bode Sowande Theatre Company during a play entitled Mammy Water’s Wedding to mark the World Water PHOTO: NAN Day...on Wednesday

Leader of the House, Ajibayo Adeyeye queried the government’s rationale to arrive at the revenue formula for the tolling, adding that many people were agitated about the tolling because it was built without making any provision for Corporate Social Responsibility to the people.

It would be recalled that the executive has commenced the collection of tolls on the bridge since June 2nd.

In his defence, Gbeleyi stated that the threshold for the tolling hinged upon the fact that it operates on “non-compete clause”, adding that the government wanted sufficient amount of money to be able to maintain the bridge and that was how the toll tariff was arrived at.

“It is around this parameter that we have projected for the bridge and arrived at the toll tariff”, he said.

The Deputy Speaker, Taiwo Kolawole, stressed that in the selec-

tion process of the tolling company, there ought to be open bidding to allow transparency.

He maintained that local investors ought to have been given precedence instead of contracting it out to a South African company. “I’m surprised why we need an international partner to toll our own bridge when we have our own engineers.”

In his defence, Hamzat, lamented the poor state of engineers in the country, but revealed that before construction, the state government had to wait for six months to train welders to work on the bridge.

In his remarks, Ade Ipaye, stated that the sharing formula presupposed that certain amount of money would be generated to maintain the sustainability of the bridge, adding that if the traffic volume exceeds, there would be adjustment in the sharing formula.

TheSenior Manager, Network Management Centre (NMSC), MTN Nigeria, Bolaji Olojede (left), Senior Account Manager, Resourcery, Eniola Odukale, Executive Director, Resourcery, Akanimo Ekong, Senior Manager, Datacom Management Services, MTN, Njideka Jack, and acting Head, Customer Fulfilment Group, Resourcery, Abiola Njoku at a dinner organised over the successful completion of the MTN (MPLS) project by Resourcery in Lagos… at the weekend. PHOTO: GABRIEL IKHAHON

SUNDAY, JUNE 9, 2013

JUNE 12: MKO Abiola’s Presidential Mandate WENTY years after, it is becoming easier to sift out the real supporters of June 12 from the pretenders.

Read about the hypocrisy of the progressives only in The Guardian on Sunday.

T Head of Unit, Adolesent, Ebele Oputa ( left), Corporate Services Manager,Fidson Healthcare Plc, Oladimeji Oduyebo, Service Director, Children Development Centre (CDC), Dr. Yinka Akindayomi and Head of Physiotherapy Unit (CDC), Martins Duru during the presentation of a cheque to the Children Development Centre as part of Fidson’s corporate social responsibility project in Lagos PHOTO: OSENI TUSUF

Brief Skyebank, Penya Club to empower the poor, youths EMBERS of the Penya M Barca De Lagos Club in partnership with Skyebank

OPlc. will tomorrow empower the poor and youths at Oriental Hotel, Lekki, lagos at 4.00p.m.

Mr. Leslie Oghomeinor, who spoke on behalf of Penya, said ‘we are charitydriven, passionate about helping the needy, teach the young ones the principle of nationhood, committed to community spirit, and the wellbeing of the society.’

PLUS: HE practice of allowing women to sit separately from men is an ancient OMISORE ON ACN: Jewish customs... It has no spiritual or ‘Tinubu has captured the physical implications. media space in Nigeria, espeRead more of this issue from religious cially the Lagos axis. I repeat leaders . for the umpteenth time that AD was formed in my suit in Abuja in 1998. You cannot be more Catholic than the Pope.

Tinubu and his group destroyed Afenifere to cut a niche for him and give him a Godwin Ifeacho Alhaji Sheriff Yusuf platform in the Southwest.’

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Nigeria’s foreign earnings in the balance as shale oil discovery rattles OPEC Medical experts from An-Nur Medical Centre ttending to a patient during free surgical operations, organised by Kano State government, for over 4000 patients ...

The Guardian On Sunday is new, fresher, bolder; a delight to behold and more importantly, reader-friendly! Book a copy today.

14 | THE GUARDIAN, Friday, June 7, 2013

TheGuardian 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 My Pikin saga and NAFDAC’s challenge T is a relief of sorts that the agony of the multiple deaths caused by the Iend. administration of My Pikin baby teething mixture is finally coming to an At least, that is the implication of the conviction the other day and 14-year jail sentence handed to the drug’s manufacturers. Before the drug was found to be contaminated and then withdrawn from the market in 2008, it had unfortunately killed 84 babies to whom it was administered. That this saga occurred five years ago and a semblance of justice has just come, of course, dilutes the relief of the moment. Five years is too long a time to unravel the truth of a drug responsible for the untimely death of 84 infants, considering that the prosecution and punishment should primarily aim to deter other people engaged in adulterating or manufacturing drugs without the due care of preserving human lives. This long period in investigating and prosecuting just one instance of drug contamination also portends grave danger in a country where many people perpetually engage in faking and adulterating products. It therefore raises questions on the capability of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration Control (NAFDAC) to wholesomely counter the propensity of some Nigerians to endanger the lives of fellow citizens for purely commercial gain.

Delivering judgment in the charge of unlawful production, adulteration and sale of the drug, the Federal High Court found the manufacturers guilty of conspiracy and sale of the drug. It therefore sentenced the company’s Production Manager, Adeyemo Abiodun, and the Quality Assurance Manager, Egbele Eromosele, to 14 years imprisonment each. The court ordered that the company, Barewa Phamaceutical, be compulsorily wound up and its assets forfeited to the Federal Government. They were all prosecuted under the Counterfeit and Fake Drugs and Unwholesome processed foods (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act No. 25 of 1999.

Notably, this is about the first time in the history of drug regulation that NAFDAC would prosecute a case of adulterated drug to its conclusion and with such clear penalty. It is an impressive record, given that the agency has existed for years, and such cases are rampant in the country. On the other hand, it shows the possibilities before NAFDAC in seeking to attain its statutory objectives. Indeed, the agency can do a lot more to curtail the incidence of faking and adulteration; and therefore save more lives. Beside the report that about 84 babies died in 2008, even the Managing Director of the company, Kola Okunola died on October 27, last year in the course of trial. Of course, NAFDAC is not alone in the blame for the delay in bringing the case to a close, as the country’s system of justice administration is itself wobbly. But the agency has a duty, whether by seeking amendments to its extant law or taking pragmatic steps to ensure speedy trial of suspects arraigned under its enabling law. Justice in the matters involving NAFDAC is two-way: for the accused persons, and by extension, to the bereaved families of fake drugs victims.

Over the years, drug counterfeiting has led to grave consequences for the country and its citizens. There are reports that even doctors had occasions to doubt the therapeutic efficacy of drugs many of which had thus lost their integrity while the country loses precious lives avoidably; and the economy is compromised. Against the backdrop of the globalisation of drug counterfeiting, an added implication is that the country’s security can equally be endangered. The current Director General of NAFDAC, Dr. Paul Orhii did well to initiate the process that ensured the prosecution of My Pikin manufacturers. He, however, needs to sustain the zeal for victory in the war against counterfeit drugs. Granted that the strengthening of NAFDAC law, which he is seeking, is a step in the right direction, the fact remains that even under the current statutory dispensation, the agency can do more. Consistency and regularity in prosecuting offenders are very important.

Additionally, NAFDAC needs to pay more attention to the quality of its investigation and the diligence of its prosecution. The agency’s case on My Pikin almost collapsed due to loopholes in these factors, as Mr. Justice Okeke observed that throughout the five-year period of trial, the prosecution failed to provide any evidence of adulteration. In other words, there was no proof that somebody had tampered with the original product and changed the quality and efficacy of the drug. Yet, the fulcrum of NAFDAC’s position was that the drug contained a dangerous chemical called ‘diethlene glycol,’ which allegedly caused the death of the victims. The court could therefore only convict the accused persons for ‘conspiracy’ ‘and ‘sale’ of the drug.

Amidst the accolades, NAFDAC should see its victory in My Pikin case as a stepping stone to achieving greater feat. The agency’s introduction of cutting edge technologies such as TRUSCAN and MAS (scratch and text messaging technology) is instructive in so far as the methods have been globally acknowledged as among the effective ways of fighting drug counterfeiting.

The agency should further step up its drive towards self-sufficiency in the local manufacturing of drugs through the World Health Organisation (WHO) prequalification programme. Similarly, it should take its plan for a centralised and co-ordinated distribution system beyond rhetoric, to a practical level.

To eradicate the scourge or reduce drug counterfeiting to the barest minimum, NAFDAC and other stakeholders must be proactive and stay a step ahead of the counterfeiters.

LETTERS

Re: Still on Hijab in Lagos public schools IR: Mr. Nelson Ekujumi as SRights Executive Director, Centre for and Grassroots Initiative got it fundamentally wrong when he opined that the use of Hijab by Muslim girls in Lagos State public schools amounts to illegality and is unconstitutional. Perhaps he has forgotten that it is the same constitution that guarantees religious rights, which by extension empowers Muslims to practice their religion in as much as it is within the ambiance of the law and does not constitute any breach of harmony, progress and peace of the state.

The question is; how does the use of Hijab violate the modus operandi of our educational system? How does it affect discipline? As we are aware, the use of Hijab by Muslim girls/women are very much visible in western democracies which are bastions and ideals for democratic practice worldwide, and Mr. Nelson would be much aware of this.

The use of Hijab by Muslims is just a fragment of what the Fundamental Human Rights profess and its value and nobility are very much entrenched in Islamic scripture. Mr. Nelson needs to understand that while we were growing up as Muslims, we were subjugated to adapt our childhood educational ethos to Christian missionary educational systems in our public schools wherein it was expected that each pupil must have memorised hymns

from the ‘Songs of Praise’ booklet. How do you describe this?

Islamic morals are meant to inculcate as well highest degree of human values and

thus mould humans in line with the dictates and commandments of Allah.

• Yusuf Afunku, Lagos.

Return of the rains With the effects of the disposing them immediately – Sin IR:flooding last year still fresh sometimes for weeks, only for rain our minds, most governments and individuals have started taking steps to mitigate further problems with the predictions that there will be more rains this year as compared to last year. It has been discovered that blocking of drainages and channels in cities and towns that were supposed to allow free flow of water and indiscriminate disposal of refuse are major causes of flooding. I believe it is this awareness that has prompted the Delta State government at all levels and individuals to embark on rigorous clearing of channels and drainages as can be noticed in Warri and Effurun in particular.

I must say that these efforts are highly commendable, most especially as individuals have joined to clear the channels around their shops, offices and homes.

Quite commendable as these efforts are, they may not achieve ultimate result because poor of implementation. When dirt and garbage are packed from these channels, they are simply left at the sides without

to fall and everything is washed back into the drainage. For me, this is what the scriptures call the labour of the foolish. At the end, no work is done, energy is dissipated and no result is achieved.

Clearing of drains and channels should be immediately followed with the disposal of the refuse to the appropriate dump sites and not allowing them to stay there.

Most times, residents are helpless in disposing these heavy dumps hence government collaboration is highly needed in this regard.

The Ministry of Environment should organise for clearing of dumps almost immediately during general sanitation days. They can even make available help lines to call for assistance. The local government must also increase efforts in this regard and do something definite in sensitising the people on proper waste disposal and also making available efficient systems that will enhance proper refuse disposal. The rains are here again and it is only a foolish man that will go to sleep when his house is on fire.

• Alexander Ighoro, Warri, Delta State.

THE GUARDIAN, Friday, June 7, 2013

15

Business AutoWheels P43

BusinessTravel P46

Range Rover L405, the first SUV with all-aluminium monocoque body structure

Lessons in Dana Air crash

Path to effective credit management in banks, by stakeholders

By Chijioke Nelson INANcIAl sector’s stakeFpromotion holders have prescribed the of effective credit reporting and financial inclusion, to ensure fool proof risk management strategy in banks.

The stakeholders made the assertion in their separate presentations at the first National credit Reporting conference, with the theme: Enhancing Financial Stability and Inclusion, Through credit Reporting.”

The conference was organised against the backdrop of the near collapse of the nation’s banking system recently, as a result of the accretion of toxic assets, made possible by lack of corporate governance structure.

The central Bank of Nigeria (cBN)—a co-organiser of the conference with Business Development and Investment limited, said that in an effort to improve credit risk management, it has communicated all deposit money banks through two circulars that it is mandatory to base their lending decisions on available credit information from at least two of the three credit bureaus. cBN Governor, Mallam lamido Sanusi, who was represented by his Special Adviser and Director of Risk Management, ‘Folakemi Fatogbe, explained that weak credit reporting system constrains lending and strain to the overall stability of the financial system. This was visibly evident in the last financial crisis that rocked the banking system in 2009.

He noted that the system has now come to stay, with ability to facilitating access to financing through information sharing and lending based on good decision, but added that compliance will be strictly enforced as auditing of the processes of lending would be routinely carried out to check infraction and possible sanctions.

Sanusi reassured that the single identifier plan for all banks’ customers is speedily underway, adding that in an effort to strengthening credit bureaus, it invites them from to time to time to enhance their knowledge and information sharing strategy.

“Presently, the system has about 100,000 borrowers in its data and a total of about

N3.56 trillion in total quantum of loans and 10 years on, the apex bank has released the guidelines for the licensing and regulation of credit bureaus in the country. Three credit bureaus have been licensed so far.

“A lot of work has been done to ensure the present stability that we are experiencing. The ratio of non-performing loans

has considerably come down to less than four per cent as at April 2013, compared to 35 per cent before now. We have also introduced a cap of five on non-performing loans for all banks,” he said.

But the Business Development and Investment, represented by Mr. Ubong Awah, said that as

part of the solutions to the problem and proper structure of the financial system, regulators and stakeholders have committed to developing a robust financial infrastructure for the nation.

“A key component of the initiative is the credit reporting system that became established in 2009. Since then, the

credit bureaus have been about their mandates and have been able to warehouse credit information on over 10 million data subjects. Though commendable and good beginning to a transformative journey, it is grossly underdeveloped credit system, given 55 million active population,” he said.

Managing Director, Netherlands-African Business Council (NABC), Van der Bijl; presenting the first NABC distinction in public service award to the Minister of Trade and Investment, Olusegun Aganga, in The Hague, The Netherlands, on Wednesday.

‘Govt’s role critical in Nigeria’s broadband deployment’

By Adeyemi Adepetun F Nigeria’s broadband Imaterialise, deployment strategy must government at all levels of governance have a major role to play, the National Broadband committee has said.

According to them, governments at various levels have

critical roles to play in the drive to have pervasive broadband infrastructure across Nigeria.

The chairman of the committee, Ernest Ndukwe said that for Nigeria to become one of the world’s leading economies, high-speed broadband networks that will provide every Nigerian

with fast reliable and affordable internet access is a fundament requirement.

Speaking at the presentation of the committee’s report to President Goodluck Jonathan in Abuja, Ndukwe described the Broadband Strategy and Roadmap as a transformative tool that will revolutionize and accelerate

national development.

In the report titled: “The National Broadband Plan 2013-2018”, the former Nigerian communications commission (Ncc) boss said that the broadband plan sets out a strategy and roadmap for the next five years, with focuse on the primary objective of seeing a five-fold

increase in broadband penetration by the year 2017-18.

He said that the Broadband Vision for Nigeria is one of a society of connected communities with high-speed Internet and broadband access that will facilitate faster socioeconomic advancement of the nation and its people.

Investors stake interest in Nigeria’s auto industry’s revival

By Taiwo Hassan FRESH move may have A commenced to revive the nation’s comatose automobile manufacturing sub-sector, courtesy of renewed interests by foreign investors in the country.

Indeed, some of the investors have already made their plans known to the Federal

Government, with series of meetings also scripted to actualise the industry revival agenda.

The meetings and the investors’ overtures were at the behest of a recent favourable assessment of the nation’s automobile market.

The foreign investors were convinced that the time was right for vehicle manufacturing plants and other automo-

bile anciliary industries to be set up in Nigeria, as the country is under the spotlight of many foreign automobiles companies for having driven African market share.

Besides, they considered that the growth of the nation’s economic indices and her high returns on investment was good factors to jumpstart the plan.

Director, Sub-Sahara Africa,

Nissan South Africa, Jimmy Dando, at an industry event, stressed that the auto investors were in Abuja to let the Federal Government aware of their move that it would be to the country’s interest for production lines and assembly plants to be set up in the country, to further boost its infrastructure and economic development.

According to him, there was

no gainsaying that the Nigeria’s automobile indeed is ripe enough to be revived due to the large population and remarkable returns on investment for businesses.

Dando said the negotiation was strategic for both parties (the government and auto investors) because it was a move to fast track the revival of the nation’s automobile manufacturing sector.

He however added that beside setting up assembly plants, their target was also to bring down the prices of new vehicles to make them affordable for Nigerians.

The Nissan’s helmsman pointed out that for the negotiation meeting to have a positive impact, the Federal Government, as a matter of

CONTINUED ON PAGE 16

THE GUARDIAN, Friday, June 7, 2013

16 BUSINESS

PPPRA hinges competitiveness in downstream on PIB

By Roseline Okere ETROLEUM Product P Pricing and Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) has hinged the competitiveness of the downstream sector in Nigeria to the implementation of the proposed reforms as contained in the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB).

The Executive Secretary of the agency, Reginald Stanley, who made this submission during the visit of Senate Committee on Downstream to PPPRA, therefore urged the Senate Committee to facilitate a speedy passage of the bill, which is expected to bring great dividends to the Nigerian public.

He therefore assured the Senators that ‘the Agency is committed to sustaining the tempo of the current reform initiatives, guaranteeing adequate supply of products nationwide, as well as ensuring reasonable costsaving to the government’.

Stanley alluded to the cooperation and support received from the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs.Diezani AllisonMadueke. “All these achievements sure would not have been attainable, but for the leadership and direction so graciously given by the Minister, under the purview of President Jonathan’s Transformation Agenda”.

He listed the key reform initiatives by the PPPRA to include; compliance with best practices; compliance with budget provisions for subsidy;RA to include; compliance with best practices; compliance with budget provisions for subsidy; equity, transparency and promotion of local content principles; accuracy of national consumption statistics, prevention of Bill of Laden manipu-

lation; exclusion of stolen materials as well as prevention of round tripping.

Chairman of the Senate Committee, Senator Magnus Abe, said the Committee was on oversight visit to PPPRA to review the Agency’s budget implementation, progress made onproducts cost and subsidy implementation, as well as the stability of products supply across the country.

He said that Senators were impressed with the progress that the agency was making and expect it to even do more.

Abe added: “It should be made clear here and now that at no time had this Committee been unnecessarily hard on PPPRA. Instead, the Senate and indeed the whole Nigerians had been concerned that those who have positions of responsibilities to manage resources are those that should be more careful.

When we kept insisting that things could be done better, we were convinced that we could improve on what we are doing”.

Abe called on all Nigerians to be vigilant, noting that the country can now breathe a sigh of relief because of the national attention that was earlier brought to bear on the PPPRA. He sounded a note of warning that, ‘all those who ran away with their briefcases are still hanging around, waiting for how to come back. “It actually looks as if the coast is clear, but I can assure you that those who have brought us to this ignoble situation are likely to come back even stronger, once they know that the entire rot has been cleared, hence the call for eternal vigilance.”

Investors stake interest in Nigeria’s auto industry’s revival CONTINUED FROM PAGE 15 urgency, must look critically at finding a lasting solution to the grey market by eliminating it, adding that the phenomenon has adversely affected their sales and market share in Nigeria.

He said that allowing influx of used vehicles in the country was not good for the country’s image, considering the size of her population and economic index.

According to him, the meeting is also looking at how government could resolve the issue of duty preferential, especially on used vehicles or spare parts being imported into the country.

Specifically, he said they are discussing with government on how to increase import tariff on used vehicles coming through the land borders and seas, stressing that the present tariff regime where newly vehicles attract higher tariff than used ones is not acceptable anywhere in the world.

“Nigeria has a large population index and there is need for automobile plants in the country because with auto plants, it can drive job creation for the teeming youths.

In South Africa, after min-

ning sector, which is the largest employer of labour, the auto manufacturing is the next highest employer of labour. If Nigeria could accept this plan, believe me, it will go along way in sharpening the country’s economic development and her manufacturing sector,” he added.

For Ford’s Regional Sales and Marketing Manager, subSaharan Africa, Ezio Tuniz, the Nigerian market share for Ford motors has been phenomenal since its entry into the nation’s auto market some decades ago.

He said that Nigeria accounted for about 40 per cent market share of vehicles sold by the Ford Group, from 2010 to 2011, and eight per cent last year despite the challenges in the nation’s auto industry.

According to him, Nigeria has become the hub of subSahara market because of the amount of vehicles being sold here.

Tuniz said government only need to take proactive measures to eliminate the inherent challenges facing the auto industry.

The challenges, according to him, include licencing, duty payments, cargo delay and port bottlenecks.

Principal Consultant, Edumark Consult, Mrs. Yinka Ogunge (left); Chief Executive, Support Bridge Initiative, Sade Adetiba and former Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Sarah Sosan, during the Total School Support Seminar/Exhibition, organized by Edumark Consult in Lagos, yesterday.

PHOTO: OSENI YUSUF

Mobile payments hit N64b, new body partners CBN on scheme’s promotion

By Azeez Olorunlomeru TAKEHOLDERS in the nation’s financial sector have formed a body to help government and telecommunications operators develop industry standards and modalities for the advancement of mobile financial services in the country.

The move was sequel to the plan by Central Bank f Nigeria (CBN) to engage small and medium firms as consultants for its mobile payment project.

Speaking at the lunching of the Association of Licensed Mobile Payment Operators (ALMPO) in Lagos, the CBN Director of Banking and Payments Systems, Dipo Fatokun, represented by the

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Head of Monitoring and Assessment Office of the Apex bank, Shola Agboola said the acceptance of mobile payments by the Nigerian public had grown to over N64 billion in transactions reported by the licensed companies in less than two years of operation, of which half of those transactions happened between January and April this year.

He stated that the establishment of an organisation such as this, is critical in the early stages of any industry’s growth and the CBN is in support of this move.

“The outlook for mobile payments in Nigeria is extremely positive so we see that the growth is accelerating and

with the launching of this Association, it is expected that the industry will be more effective in discharging its responsibilities.’’

Fatokun noted that by creating a forum for better collaboration between CBN, the licensed mobile payments operators as well as the stakeholders the Association will inspire a greater confidence in alternative payment channels and thereby generate greater usage of mobile payments.

Chairman of the newly formed Association, Dare Owolabi stated that the body would put the future of mobile payments industry on a clear and firm footing and an independent body

comprising of all licensed stakeholders is the first logical step.

“We will tackle the critical short -time projects and as well work to create aid that will benefit the industry long-term of course all this will involve working closely with the CBN, inputting on payments policy and promoting activities that will facilitate co-operation among stakeholders in various ecosystem”.

Owolabi expressed confidence that ALMPO will help create sustainable framework to aid the growth of the payments industry and help Nigeria to achieve efficiencies coming from the reduced of physical cash.

Etisalat targets 2015 breakeven period, explains issues in number porting

By Adeyemi Adepetun ITH over 15 million subW scriber base and over six years of operations in Nigeria, Emerging Markets Telecommunications Service Company trading as Etisalat in the country has said it hoped to breakeven on its investment in Nigeria by 2015.

Etisalat, which got it Unified Access License from the Federal Government in January 2007 and made it first official call in Nigeria on March 13, 2008, noted that its successes so far has hinged on robust policy; good shareholders and solid banking support.

In an interaction with journalists in Lagos, yesterday, to discuss issues around Mobile Number Portability (MNP) and quality of service, the Chief Executive Officer of Etisalat, Steve Evans disclosed that the telecommunications firm started having positive EBITDA from last quarter of 2011, saying that this has brought robustness to its operating revenue, “but our target is that by 2015, we

would have breakeven.”

Speaking on the ongoing (MNP), which is in its sixth week now in the country, Evans said though and as expected, the process had slight challenges at the beginning, “but we have come to realized that the process is gradually stabilising. We don’t have the power now to disclose numbers of those who have either ported in or out of Etisalat’s network now, but I can say confidently that several thousands of people have ported into us.

“We are getting more people into Etisalat through MNP than competition. By the time the process gets more awareness and stability, we shall also get more subscribers.”

The Etisalat CEO who said MNP was not introduced by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to outrightly take away the challenges of quality of service, noted that the process was meant to engender good competition in the industry and create better choice for consumers.

Evans hinted that the between now and 2014, the company would ploughed between $400 million and $500 million back into the company’s network upgrades across the country.

He hinted that the insurgents in some parts of Northern Nigeria affected some of it sites, “about 30 sites were affected and they are directly and indirectly encroaching on about 70 other sites because they are interlinked.

“However, we have done some replacement and still doing some more. But some areas are still too volatile to reach and we have been advised not to go there yet. We hoped that as soon as the challenge is over, we shall do all the necessary to get services back.”

On the increasing down turn across all the networks, Evans claimed that Etisalat has no challenge with quality of service, saying the networks presently has the capacity to accommodate 20 million subscribers, stressing that with the ongoing network expan-

sions, the capacity will increase to 30 million.

Buttressing his claims, he revealed that Etisalat met all the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) set by NCC. For instance in the Call Set Success Rate (CSSR) with NCC’s benchmark of 95 per cent, he said Etisalat stands between 98 per cent and 99 per cent.

On Call Drop Rate (CDR), with NCC’s target at one per cent, Etisalat has two per cent.

Evans explained further that with NCC’s network SDCongestion rate sets at not more than one per cent, Etisalat recorded 0.93 per cent, while the regulator sets two per cent for TCH Congestion (voice call challenge), the telecommunications firm had 0.48 per cent, “this is to tell you that from all indications, our services are of standard, even promos and lotteries have no impact on our networks, unlike others.”

The Etisalat boss hinted that the company is investing heavily on the networks to be able to sustain the present growth and expand its reach in the country.

THE GUARDIAN, Friday, June 7, 2013

BUSINESS

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Govt to finalise sale of PHCN firms this month From Abba Anwar, Kano HE Federal Government may have concluded plans to finalise the ongoing privatization of the power sector this month, when the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) distribution firms are expected to be handed over to their respective investors.

The Commissioner in charge of Government and Consumer of the National Electricity Regulatory Council [NERC], Dr Abba Ibrahim, who disclosed this during the opening of Kano Forum office, on Tuesday, said June was set as the final date for the transactions to come to its final stage.

He revealed that all the

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prospective buyers of the distribution companies (DISCOs) have already paid up to 25 per cent, the total money agreed for the sale of the companies.

According to him, they were all expected to pay the balance at the end of June, 2013.

The Commissioner further explained that, the sales of the companies was aimed at transforming the power sector, which was in line with President Goodluck Jonathan’s transformation agenda, adding that, when the sale of the companies fully took effect, the nation would experience another era of full power across the states of the federation.

“Power sector is in difficult situation as a result of

some challenges facing the sector, which caused a short fall in the power supply across the nation”, he disclosed.

However, he assured that power supply would come back to full function again when all grey areas were put in good shape after rectifying the entire process that would also pave way for smooth operations.

Alhaji Muhammad Tunde Balogun, who spoke earlier as the Director/Chief Executive Officer of Kano Electricity Distribution company, disclosed that while the Power Holdings

Company of Nigeria (PHCN), had a functional customer care unit, NERC Kano office also had its other functional customer complaint office.

According to him, “Kano customers have since embraced the essential services of the unit and for which we have resolve a number of issues which will have lingered on with negative consequences on the efficiencies of the office.”

He commended the management team of the NERC for their up and doing, that stayed active in the cause of discharging their

responsibility. “They are doing very well in terms of safeguarding the interest of customers”, he observed.

It could be recalled by The Guardian that the Governor of Kano state, Engineer Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso, had in the past blamed the entire process of the sale of Kano state DISCO by the National Council for Privatization, threatening to take the matter to court.

Kwankwaso revealed that the state was not invited at the initial stage of the privatization of Kano’s DISCO. Discarding that whatever

transpired in the course of that transaction would be addressed at court.

He was reported to have said, “The government and people of Kano state are not in support of the ale of their DISCO. And whoever does that should know and understand that he is dong that just to waste his time.”

For the stand of the Kano state government, the sale of DISCOs is therefore faced with some difficulties, some of which are technical and some other ones could be resolved in courts.

Lovonus Microfinance launches credit scheme for SMEs

By Helen Oji OVONUS Microfinance Llaunched Bank Limited has a new credit scheme targeted at Small and Medium Enterprises in need of stress-free funding mix for their businesses.

The scheme covers three products branded lovflex, lovflexplus and lovflexpremium, each identifying specific segments of micro traders, based on size and funding needs.

The chief executive of the Lagos-based microfinance institution, Usman Onoja, said the organisation tailors lovflex to micro traders in need of N5,000 to N30,000, adding that interest rate on the facility was cut to seven per cent per month for a maximum four months tenors while the repayment plan could be by daily or weekly contributions, whichever is convenient to the borrower.

“Lovflexplus is for traders in need of N40,000 to N70,000. credit, for a four month tenure and interest rate of seven per cent, while Lovflexpremium is for 80,000 to 100,000 loan, on four months maximum tenure, with interest rate of seven per cent monthly and repayment scheduled daily or weekly.’’

According to him, Lovonus introduced the three products to give small borrowers the opportunity to access affordable and technology -driven credit and banking services, comparable to the best in the country.

“Interestingly, our customers can access their funds from anywhere in the country. We also run mobile banking, which permits our marketers to carry mobile phones for deposit collection and lodgments into customers’ accounts. The customer gets immediate phone alert on every deposit to his account.’’

According to him, Lovonus Microfinance also offers LPO financing for small traders, suppliers, contractors and investors.

“Lovonus was established primarily to revitalise borrowing, savings and entrepreneurship culture in Nigeria through a business model that stands the test of time. We measure our success by the successes of our customers.

Where our customers failed in their businesses we have also failed, so from the beginning we assign competent and dedicated staff as well as state-of-the-art infrastructure for our banking services,’’ he said.

:Managing Director, Addax Petroleum, Cornelis Zegelaar (left); Chairman Addax Petroleum, Xinmin Wu; Manager, Organisation and Development, James Clark; and General Manager, Facilities, John Niezner; during the inauguration of the company’s health, safety and environmental week in Lagos.

Budget: Finance Minister defends envelope system budgeting process From Bridget Chiedu Onochie, Abuja IGERIA’S Coordinating N Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has defended the controversial ‘envelope system’ budgeting process adopted by the country’s Ministry of Finance.

Okonjo-Iweala, who appeared before the Senate Joint Committee on National Planning, Economic Affairs

and Poverty Alleviation and Finance on Wednesday, maintained that envelope system was not arbitrary as perceived but was designed to give Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDA’s opportunity to set out priorities in their sectors in line with budgetary provisions.

A two-day public hearing on National Planning and Budgeting Process resumed at the Senate on Monday as a follow up to the motion on

the subject matter sponsored by Senator Olubunmi Adetumbi representing Ekiti North Senatorial District.

Okonjo-Iweala also faulted agitations in some quarters that budget functions be removed from the Finance Ministry and domiciled with the National Planning Commission (NPC).

Citing instances with Malaysia, the Minister noted that the practice was international best practice. She how-

ever called for a synergy between the National Planning Commission (NPC) and the Budget Office in the preparation of annual national budgets.

On economic downturn, Okonjo-Iweala told the lawmakers that aside poor implementation of yearly budget, Nigeria needs to diversify its economy away from crude oil related earnings.

Lagos targets one million LPG users through new scheme

By Sulaimon Salau HE Lagos State T Government has unveiled plans to launch its new clean energy programme, tagged ‘Eko Gas’ aimed at encouraging utilisation of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) in the state.

Lagos State Commissioner for Energy and Mineral Resources, Taofeeq Ajibade Tijani, who disclosed this, said the programme is expected to enlist about one million people as users of LPG, otherwise known as

cooking gas, in the next five years.

Ajibade said Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola, who has made commitment to create incentives for prospective consumers of gas, would officially launch the scheme on Tuesday, June 11.

According to him, about 20 per cent of the cost of cylinder would be written off by the government, in other to encourage Lagosians on the use of LPG. The commissioner, who emphasised the efficiency

of the product and integrity of the scheme, said the state government has sought approvals from the Department of Petroleum Resources and sealed arrangements with major stakeholders in the sector.

Ajibade bemoaned a situation whereby Nigeria is among the highest producer of LPG in Africa, but also the lowest consumer of the product He said: “This is a very unique opportunity for Lagosians to switch from kerosene and firewood, which are not environmentally-friendly to a clean

energy fuel.”

According to him, the products would be cheaper compared to kerosene.

On the availability of gas for refilling, he said the state government has made provisions for skid tanks, which would be located in strategic places across the state for consumers to easily refill their cylinders.

Besides, he said the cylinders could be refilled based on affordability of consumers.

“The fear of cylinder and fear of refilling has been

taken care of, in such a way that it would be comfortable for consumers,” he said.

The Chairman, LPG group of Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), Omo’ ba Bambo Ademiluyi, said the partnership with registered companies with integrity, guarantees the quality of gas and the cylinders.

“Lagosians should feel free to use the products in their homes, while more awareness campaign would be initiated for efficiency of the scheme,” he said.

Fashola

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THE GUARDIAN, Friday, June 7, 2013

BUSINESS

ECOWAS to harmonise land policy to boost food sufficiency HE Economic Community T of West African States (ECOWAS) is set to develop a roadmap to harmonise land policies among member states to ensure a food-sufficient in the region.

The ECOWAS Commissioner, Agriculture, Environment and Water Resources, Marc Atouga, said this at a Validation Workshop on Harmonized Land Framework in the region in Abuja.

Atouga was represented by Alain Sy Traore, the Acting Director, Agriculture and Rural Development.

The commission in 2010 inaugurated a task force to work on the harmonization of land policies in the region with the aim of attaining enhanced food security, poverty alleviation and

regional integration.

The task force, in 2011, recommended a comprehensive study to review regional land policies, legislation and programmes to enable a common land policy framework funded by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA).

The commissioner said that the meeting was an opportunity for the member states to ``validate the study report, share best practices and agree on a roadmap for adoption and implementation”.

“Land is very central to all aspects of human development and its use and management is complex and it is this context that land reforms is a continuous and slow process in many parts of the world.

“Land is not just considered

in economic terms but also has a lot of social, political and cultural relevance to humanity.

“For West Africa to be transformed to a food sufficient region over a short to medium term period, there is need for harmonized land policies, legislation and programmes,” he said.

He said the harmonization would ensure land resources are equitably and sustainably managed.

Land Expert, Secretariat of the Land Policy Initiative, UNECA, Hubert Ouedraogo, said that there were challenges ahead in the harmonization of land policies in the region.

Ouedraogo said the move by ECOWAS to develop a roadmap was in line with the African Union (AU)-led

Framework and Guidelines on Land Policy in Africa.

He said the framework was a tool to inform land development and implementation processes at national and regional levels.

“That is the reason AU Declaration on land issues and challenges in Africa calls on regional economic communities to convene periodic regional platforms.

“The Declaration invites the regional economic communities to appropriately address land policy related issues within their respective agricultural common policy framework “This will facilitate experience sharing and dissemination of best practices in land policy formulation, implementation and monitoring based on member states

For West Africa to be transformed to a food sufficient region over a short to medium term period, there is need for harmonized land policies, legislation and programmes experiences,” he said.

Ouedraogo lauded the efforts of the commission in “taking the leadership” of implementing the process of the AU Declaration on land in collaboration with West African regional institutions.

The ECOWAS Consultant on land Policy and Administration, Wordsworth Lardi, said the meeting would enable member states to maximise ways to implement the AU Declaration as a region.

He told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the meeting would review efforts made by member countries in the areas of land policy

development.

“Even though land issues are local issues, we recognise that we still have a lot of these issues that are cross-cutting and the approaches to solving them may be different.

“It became necessary for us in the West African region to look at how best to implement the AU Declaration as a region and we need to know what is happening in other countries.

“We are looking at experiences of other countries so that we do not repeat those mistakes that have been made, and share best practices.

Panel concludes consultations on illicit financial flows

By Kamal Tayo Oropo

Acting Company Secretary, Okomu Oil Company Plc, Ms. Abisola Onadipe; Chairman, Gbenga Oyebode; and Managing Director, Graham Hefer at the 33rd yearly general meeting of the company in Abuja.

Court clears hurdles for Union Bank to recover N459m loan

By Lemmy Ughegbe N Abuja High Court has A struck out the suit instituted by a member of the Board of Directors of Keystone Bank, Dr Maude Aminun-Kano, praying it for an order restraining Union Bank from selling his property in settlement of a loan of N459 million he took in 2010 to buy a house in Lagos.

Justice Husseini Baba-Yusuf threw out the case after Union Bank had opposed the plaintiff’s application for more time saying that the plaintiff was merely asking for more time to delay the justice of the case.

Union Bank therefore prayed the court to throw out the suit for want of diligent prosecution; a request the judge granted immediately.

Union Bank further stated that it was not aware of any move by the plaintiff to settle the matter.

After listening to arguments of both parties, the judge struck out the plaintiff’s case on ground that “no credible reason was given to warrant the court to grant an adjournment.”

The striking out of the case

therefore clears legal hurdle for Union Bank to dispose the mortgaged property to settle the loan.

However, the counter-claim filed by the bank is still pending.

In the counter claim, Union Bank had asked the court to compel Aminun-Kano to pay a loan of N459 million he took in 2010 to buy a house in Lagos.

In the counter-claim filed by Union Bank’s counsel, Chimezie Ojiabo, the bank said that Aminun-Kano took a loan facility of N260 million to buy a Five Bed-room detached house with guest chalet and four room boys quarters located at No 3c Bank Road, Ikoyi, Lagos under the presidential implementation committee on Federal Government Landed Property Scheme.

He stated that as at close of work on October 8th, 2012, the total indebtedness of Aminu-Kano on account of the loan stood at N459,443,799.29.

However as the bank began to take step to sell the property to realise the loan, Aminun-Kano went to court claiming that Union Bank

was not entitled to sell the property because the bank’s management was still negotiating with him.

He also asked the court to order the bank to pay him N5 million as general damages for breach of understanding and inconveniences suffered by him .

He further asked the court to compel the bank to return to him the certificate of occupancy in respect of his house in Abuja which he used as collateral for the loan.

Union Bank however filed a counter-claim in which it stated that Aminun-Kano was not willing to pay the loan it gave to him.

The bank submitted that none of its management staff was negotiating with him and that he had no plans to repay the loan but was hoping that the bank would go under and he would therefore escape liability to pay the loan.

The bank further stated that seven months after the expiration of the date of repayment, he asked for interest waiver on the loan and in response the bank gave him a concession and asked him to pay N310 million within 60

days as full and final settlement of his indebtedness.

Union Bank also submitted that Aminun-Kano failed to take advantage of the concession granted him consequent upon which the bank appointed one Mr Chikwendu Madumere as a debt recovery agent to recover the debt.

Consequently, Madumere wrote him a letter of demand to Aminun-Kano but he still refused to pay back the loan.

The bank stated; “The plaintiff does not want to repay the loan and does not want the bank to realize the security for the loan.”

But Union Bank described the suit filed by the plaintiff as a “design by him to use the instrumentality of the court to frustrate the bank and avoid his obligation to the bank.”

The bank said that the plaintiff was merely pretending he wanted to sell the property to repay the loan, as interested buyers had offered him prices ranging from N400 million to N500 million but that he rejected the offers without any cogent reason.

THE High Level Panel on Illicit Financial Flows (IFF) has concluded a three-day consultation with a wide range of stakeholders in Nigeria, aimed at understanding of the damaging effects of illicit financial flows on the Nigerian economy.

Besides, the consultations also focused on the main challenges in addressing the problem of IFF in Nigeria, the country’s institutional and policy responses to the challenge of illicit outflows of resources and the efficacy of those responses.

Nigeria is one of sevencountry case studies being conducted on illicit financial outflows from Africa in preparation for a comprehensive report, which will contain the recommendations of the Panel. The report will address ways of strengthening Africa’s responses to illicit financial flows from the continent.

The other countries are Algeria, Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Liberia, Mozambique, and South Africa.

At the invitation of President Goodluc Jonathan, the High Level Panel, led by Mr. Thabo Mbeki, former President of South Africa held meetings with the President, Ministers, and other representatives of the executive, legislature and agencies of government in Abuja on May 20-21, 2013. This was followed by meetings with various stakeholders, including the civil society and the private sector in Lagos on of May 22.

It is expected that the HLP’s consultations will play a critical role in determining the appropriate policy options and recommendations on how to effectively address the problem of IFF in the country and the role the different internal, external, state and non-state institutions, actors, agencies and stakeholders can play in solving the problem. This will ensure that the report of the Panel includes specific information to sup-

port actionable recommendations to national governments and other stakeholders on addressing the impacts of IFF. It is estimated in a report by the UN Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) that up to US $50 billion flows out of Africa illicitly each year, which is about double the amount of aid that Africa receives.

The report examines the magnitude and developmental challenges of illicit financial flows from Africa and addresses crossborder transfers of illicit money stemming from corporate and criminal activities and bribery and theft by government officials.

Illicit flows, according to the ECA, have detrimental impact on Africa’s development and governance. The High Level Panel on Illicit Financial Flows from Africa was established by the ECA and was inaugurated on 5 February 2012 in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Illicit financial outflows stifle Africa’s socio-economic progress, drains scarce foreign exchange resources, reduces government tax revenues, increases corruption, aggravates foreign debt and increases Africa’s economic dependency. The governance challenges of IFF include weakening public institutions and domestic private sector development; as well as reduction in the capacity of the state to provide public goods and services to improve people’s welfare.

Other High Level Panel members in attendance were: Mr. Segun Apata, Mr. Raymond Baker, Ms. Zainab Elbakri and Mr. Abdalla Hamdok, Deputy Executive Secretary and Chair of the ECA Technical Committee for the IFF programme. Mr. Emmanuel Nnadozie, Head of the Secretariat of the Technical Committee for the IFF and Ms. Mojanku Gumbi, Member of the Secretariat of the Technical Committee for the IFF programme also took part in the consultation in Nigeria.

THE GUARDIAN, Friday, June 7, 2013

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Weekend

Growing graduate unemployment across Africa causes concern

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THE GUARDIAN, Friday, June 7, 2013

20 WEEKEND

African academics grapple with rising

University of Ibadan

For five days last weeks, some 300 delegates, many of who were vice chancellors from 30 African countries, met in Libreville, Gabon, to examine the relevance of courses being offered in universities across the continent, against the backdrop of the rising phenomenon of graduate unemployment. ROTIMI LAWRENCE OYEKANMI was there.

MEKA Okeychukwu (not real name) was E barely 14 years old, when he decided to join the thriving automobile spare parts business owned by his uncle, John, at popular market in Lagos in March, 2001. He was already in the Senior Secondary class (SS1) in a public school, back in his Nnewi town in Anambra state, when he decided that he had had enough of schooling.

“I couldn’t think of any better way out of poverty,” he told The Guardian in Pidgin English, at an adult literacy class, organized by a Non Governmental Organisation (NGO) for Alaba Market traders in 2003. “I have two brothers who had graduated from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) one after the other, and for three years after graduation, my most senior brother was still looking for a job. My other older brother joined him and he, too, could not get a job for two years.

So, I reasoned: why go the University when you will only end up looking for jobs long after graduation?”

Okechukwu recalled that his school’s infrastructure had turned so bad that the learning environment in which he found himself had largely become repulsive. His teachers did not help matters as well. He alleged: “They were harsh,” thus fuelling his disdain for the rigours of schooling. One day, he got to his socalled school, took one final look around and made up his mind never to return. His father would have none of it, but his mind was made up. His mother also persuaded him to have a rethink, but he stuck to his guns.

Two years after that decision, Okeychukwu is still convinced that he took the right step.

“My uncle is not educated, but his two daughters are attending Universities abroad. He has built two houses, one in Lagos, one in Nnewi

where we all celebrate Christmas. He has many cars. “Big, big people; gofment people dey come see am for house. Wetin remain?”

Okechukwu is grateful that his uncle allows him to make some money, which enables him send allowances to his parents in the village. He had attended the adult literacy class because his uncle had encouraged him to do so.

If university graduates were unable to secure jobs three years after graduation as far back as 2001, the situation in Nigeria today is far worse. At the moment, there are 129 legal universities: 40 (federal), 38 (state), 51 (private) and still counting.

Thousands graduate from them every year, and also from the country’s 78 (21 federal; 38 state; 19 private) legal Polytechnics. Without any visible strategic development plan for the country, the politicians in power have left Nigeria’s largely youthful population with an uncertain future.

However, other African countries are also feeling the heat. The world economic downturn that crept in about two years ago, has also increased unemployment rates in the developed world.

Many Nigerian families have relocated from the United States (U.S), Britain, France and many European countries, after losing their jobs and investments. One particular individual lost 13 houses in London when crisis hit the United Kingdom’s economy two years ago. Spain, Italy

and Greece are equally battling with large numbers of unemployed educated youths and fractured economies.

For many African countries, the case is worse.

Nigeria, with the largest population in Africa, a larger percentage of which is under the age of 30, a major crisis in the job market has already set in.

Concerned about this phenomenon, the Association of African Universities (AAU) held its 13th General Conference from May 28 to 31, in Libreville, Gabon to specifically discuss “How to Transform African Higher Education for Graduate Employability and Socio-Economic Development.” The World Bank, which also came to the table with a new project, sponsored the summit. About 300 delegates from 30 African countries, nine Ministers, including Ghana’s Education Minister, Prof. Naana Jane OpokuAgyemang, attended.

The main objective was “to examine the disturbing issue of graduate employability which is confronting African countries to a greater extent than had been perceived, and to develop strategies for higher education institutions that will facilitate self reforms needed to tackle this growing menace.” Besides, it was convened to rub minds with governments and international development partners, “to share knowledge, collaboratively negotiate and proffer models and solutions

I have two brothers who had graduated from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) one after the other, and for three years after graduation, my most senior brother was still looking for a job. My other older brother joined him and he, too, could not get a job for two years. So, I reasoned: why go the University when you will only end up looking for jobs long after graduation?”

to stem the rising tide of graduate unemployability on the continent of Africa.”

There were 11 plenary sessions, three working group discussions and an AAU business session. Other presentations focused on five sub-themes: The Connect Between Higher Education and the Productive Sector; Graduate Employability; The Role of the Organized Private Sector; Socio-political Environment and Employability; and Funding Issues.

Vice Chancellor of the University of Nairobi and former Acting President of the AAU, Prof.

George Magoha set the tone at the opening ceremony when he observed that the present high rate of unemployment among graduates of African universities should make African academics ask serious questions about the curricula and mode of training going in universities across Africa. He queried: “Are we really training and producing graduates that can improve the lot of Africa?

Finding employment has become an issue, so, which is the best way to produce a holistic product (graduates) that can be useful in a variety of ways?”

The association’s Secretary General, Prof.

Etienne Ehouan Ehile said it had become imperative for African Universities to become centres of excellence in the face of a rapidly changing world. He agreed with Magoha that the courses being offered in African universities must reflect the ability to solve the continent’s multifaceted problems. He reminded the audience that that the AAU was formed in 1967 and that several African countries had gained independence both before and after its birth.

The World Bank announced at the conference that it had concluded plans to launch a

THE GUARDIAN, Friday, June 7, 2013

WEEKEND 21

rate of graduate unemployment project to establish 15 Centres of Excellence in selected universities across West and Central Africa. The countries include Nigeria, Benin Republic, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Ghana, Senegal and Togo.

Ritva Reinikka, the bank’s Human Development Director (Africa Region) who made the announcement, explained that the objective is to promote regional specialization among participating universities in areas that address specific common regional development challenges. The initiative will also strengthen the capacities of the participating institutions to “deliver high quality training and applied research” and would also “meet the demand for skills required for Africa’s development, such as the extractive industries.”

Anchored on the bank’s new “Learning for All” policy, the initiative will focus on strengthening between seven and 10 existing universities in West and Central Africa, for which $8 million will be provided for each of the anticipated 15 centres. Some institutions will be qualified to have two of such centers. The institutions will be competitively selected, based on the criteria benchmarked to best international practices. The qualifying universities would be required to strengthen postgraduate proprammes for a regional students’ body; offer specialized courses for industry professionals in the region; establish a regional faculty and attract additional top-level faculty. They would also provide learning resources, laboratories and minor rehabilitation of existing facilities.

Besides, they would be mandated to establish linkages with companies, government agencies and research centres for workplace learning, input into curricula, consultancies and joint research. The envisaged beneficiaries will include students in supported institutions and their partner institutions, who will benefit from quality research based education in high demand areas; companies, governmental organizations that partner with the envisaged centers, and both academic and non-academic staff of the benefitting institutions.

Reinikka also revealed that the bank’s new focus on higher education in Africa would, in general terms, be anchored on five main areas: quality and standards; courses that are relevant to Africa’s needs in real terms; transparent system of governance, especially in filling academic positions; standards and evolution of private universities; funding of public universities; and the ways through which soft loans could be granted to students from low income families to study in universities.

But the World Bank official faced some sharp comments from mostly Nigerian academics. The immediate past Secretary General of the AAU, Prof. Olugbemiro Jegede advised the bank to evaluate what existing centres of excellence in some universities across Africa were doing before introducing its own agenda. The association’s immediate past President, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede agreed. He also advised the bank not to bring new initiatives that would deviate from the course the existing universities had taken. And to the immediate past Vice Chancellor of the University of Ibadan, Prof. Olufemi Bamiro, the bank’s change of policy should be lauded. He said: “This is a major paradigm shift by the World Bank. I was at a meeting of African Vice Chancellors in Harare (Zimbabwe) in the 1990s when the World Bank made a presentation that Africa should lay less emphasis on higher education. But if this bank is now asking us to take tertiary education more seriously, it is a welcome development.”

Several postulations were unloaded before the delegates by the presenters, to underscore the need for universities to review their programmes and make them respond to societal needs.

Prof. Pai Obanya, the Chairman of Council of the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) underlined the need for African universities to treat their triple mandate of knowledge generation (research), transmission (teaching) and sharing (responsive social engagement) “as integral parts of a single academic session.” According to him, the argument implies that the three elements would form the tripod on which the mission of universities stands; “a situation in which research feeds teach-

Prof. Rufai

Prof. Jegede

ing, and both feed societal engagement, while lessons from societal engagement serve to inform the processes of research and teaching, the result of which are again fed into societal engagement.” His paper was titled: “Africa Challenging and Trusting Her Socially Responsive Universities.”

Bamiro, who spoke on “From the Middle East and North Africa to the Sub-Saharan Africa: The British Council Regional Efforts on Graduate Employability,” said reports of studies carried out in Ethiopia, Kenya, South Africa, Sudan, Uganda, Nigeria and Ghana revealed that the curricula and materials being delivered in the universities were often not related to employer needs, thus affecting graduate employability.

According to him, these findings led to the current research focus for 2011-2015 by the British Council with the questions: How do learning, teaching and research in universities link with employability and inclusive development? Bamiro said the research took off early this year and involves the United Kingdom, Nigeria, South Africa, Kenya and Ghana.

Commenting on the research findings on graduate employability carried out in the Middle East and North Africa, Bamiro stated: “The development of graduate employability is assumed to be a shared responsibility that engages the individual, educators and employers. Consequently, the qualitative research explored the views and perspectives of three key groups of stakeholders in employability – students and recent graduates, employers of labour, higher and vocational institutions in eight countries in the region - Bahrain, Egypt, Kuwait, Libya, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, and the UAE. “Most significant, among the findings, are: a call for more active-learning and skills-based approaches from employers, students and from within higher education institutions; capacity issues with respect to designing and assessing outcomes-based curricula and in the delivery of less traditional teaching and learning approaches - a critical area for capacity building within higher education institutions; extra-curricular opportunities to develop employability - such as work placements, work experience, internship and mentoring (which) are not being fully exploited by higher education institutions; employability is often a peripheral activity, led by the careers office of an institution with employability being mainly viewed as the role of a single department, or is outsourced; and the absence of country or region-wide collaborations or platforms to develop and share practice.”

Findings from various countries were also discussed. Ms Deepa Gokulsing, who teaches Sociology at the University of Mauritius (UOM) revealed that Mauritius produces between 3,000 and 4,000 graduates every year. Her study, which examined the inter-connection between higher education and employment in her country, based on the experiences on the 2009 graduates of

After discussing for five days, the participants, in a communiqué, reaffirmed higher education as a major determinant and source of graduate employability in Africa.

They were of the opinion that in order to build a string foundation for societal development, higher education in Africa must ensure collaboration and partnership, rather than competition, amongst institutions of higher learning, the organised private sector and international development partners.

Prof. Oyewole

UOM, revealed that most of the graduates found employment within one year of graduation, with the highest demand coming from fields in engineering, management and social sciences.

Dr Kwabena Adu Poku who works with the Office of Students with Special Needs, University of Ghana, carried out a study on why employers in Ghana are reluctant to employ blind graduates. His findings: “By ranked-order, factors mitigating against blind graduates’ employability are: use of “noisy and archaic” Braillers at workplace; having to provide extra hand/assistive devices to support blind graduates at workplace; employers’ negative attitude toward the blind, job inexperience; and potential to distract others.

“Factors that may improve blind graduates’ employability are: doing away with archaic Braille/learning typing; government providing resources/incentives to employers; provision of specific labour laws on disability employment; blind graduates being job- ready, improvement in general graduate employment; creation/ reservation of specific jobs for blind graduates.

Mr. Charles Nyandusi Mottanya, who teaches at Moi University, Kenya, carried out a study on the perceptions of employers in Nairobi of the employability of university graduates in Kenya.

His words: “Data were collected from 341 employers, selected through simple random sampling from a target population of 3000 members of the Federation of Kenya Employers (FKE).

“Complementary data was collected from three key informants representing the three main organizations that have a relevant stake in the employability debate: The Federation of Kenya Employers (FKE), the Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA), and the Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KNCCI).

“The study found out that employers in Kenya generally recruit graduates with any degree irrespective of specialization. The employers generally prefer graduates from private universities.

Employers rate the employability of university graduates quite lowly; and they perceive the involvement of commerce and industry in university education to be quite low.

“The implications of these findings are that universities need to embed employability in their core curricula, and that they should initiate collaborative agreements with employers so as to be in tune with the expectations of the world of work.”

After discussing for five days, the participants, in a communiqué, reaffirmed higher education as a major determinant and source of graduate employability in Africa. They were of the opinion that in order to build a strong foundation for societal development, higher education in Africa must ensure collaboration and partnership, rather than competition, amongst institutions of higher learning, the organised private sector and international development partners.

They agreed that higher education curricula appear not to be in resonance with the prevailing requirements of the 21st century employment markets. They acknowledged the need for more research on areas that make major contributions to development in Africa. They shared the view on building a strong research culture in African universities. They also resolved to evolve and engage in every available means that could provide effective solutions to graduate employability and transform higher education in Africa.

To address the high rate of unemployment among African graduates, the participants asked African universities to pay serious attention to relevant curricula, teaching and research to guarantee graduate employability. They insisted that African universities “must engage in socially responsive, researchbacked activities to make the needs of our society the centre of activities by universities.” They also declared that universities must be accountable through the public presentation of reports of their activities and be transparent in the management and allocation of resources.

They also averred: “African governments should declare the next decade as one to address, in a concerted effort and comprehensively deal with unemployment of graduates in Africa.”

Reinikka

22

THE GUARDIAN, Friday, June 7, 2013

23

THE GUARDIAN, Friday, June 7, 2013

ExecutiveBrief In association with TRIPPLEA ASSOCIATES LIMITED

EDITION 268

EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT INFOTECH4DEXECUTIVES CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE EXECUTIVE FINANCE EAGLE EYE LEADERSHIP: The Principle of Focus and Priority

By Tito Philips, Jnr. • Do you ever doubt yourself at times?

• Do you ever wonder whether everything is going to work out fine?

• Do you ever battle with the fear of the unknown?

• Do you ever feel uneasy thinking about the future?

Hidden Benefits of Uncertainty, Fear And Doubt

and try to find a way to integrate their findings into whatever they are trying to accomplish. Only fools argue with facts.

Here’s the thing, you can’t change your reality by denying or arguing with it, you can only change your reality by acceptdoubt are constant buddies of an entrepreneur. They are the ever present uninvited friends of every living entrepreneur. As ing that it does exist.

I put down these words, I am currently going through a hard time dealing with these 3 musketeers myself. As I have learnt That‘s the bitter pill uncertainty, fear and doubt hands down from life, all things both good and bad are all useful. The ques- for us to swallow. Like it or not, there are countless challenges on the entrepreneurial path, accepting this hard facts are tion in most case is whether we’ll be patient enough to seek what uncertainty, fear and doubt helps us to achieve. You can out the usefulness during unpleasant times. So the big quesonly choose to deny them at your own peril. The path of an tion is this, what good does uncertainty, fear and doubt entrepreneur indeed is uncertain, fearful and doubtful. Our bring? task as entrepreneurs is to accept them, understand their Three Hidden Benefits Of Uncertainty, Fear And Doubt source and creatively find answers to the questions they prompt. We are to look them right in the eye and proffer 1. Reality Check: Cruel as they might seem, these 3 scary friends of ours help we answers to all the uncertainties, our fears and our doubts. entrepreneurs put things in clearer perspective. They just do a They exist for one reason; to help us count our cost, know better what we are up against so that we can be better prepared good job of clearing the fog. They help us see better those things optimism and passion sometimes hide from us. When to overcome the never ending challenges of entrepreneuruncertainty, fear and doubt creeps in, we find ourselves right ship. So stop fighting uncertainty, fear and doubt, rather embrace them for they are your allies on this unusual jourwhere we seldom want to be –sober. The triple play of uncertainty, fear and doubt, leaves us in a reflective state. Suddenly, ney. all the optimism will disappear; the adrenaline rush that 2. Humility: often comes with the conception of a new idea vanishes. All Trust me when I say this, we entrepreneurs can be egocentric. that‘s left is the bitter reality that surrounds you. Let‘s face it, This is often as a result of our accomplishments and so we entrepreneurship does really have a dark side. sometimes get carried away by becoming so full of ourselves.

Uncertainty, fear and doubt remind us that we are no better Don‘t feel sad, realithan others, just only privileged. Uncertainty, fear and doubt ty check is good. remind us that past successes are no guarantee for future We entrepreones. They remind us that what got us here may not take us neurs are often there. They remind us of our imperfection as mortals. We are dreamers, it‘s never above mistakes. We will never have it all figured out. part of what We will always be subject to the laws of nature. We will always makes us be at mercy of chance. Why? Because in life, there are no guarthick. But antees, period. The only certain thing in life is change. Which then, it can is just a better way of saying that nothing is certain. get into our Everything you thought you had all figured out will turn out head somewrong 99% of the time. So where does that leave us? Humble. times that we tend to ignore Uncertainty, fear and doubt teaches we entrepreneurs humilfacts or the realiity. It helps us to realize one timeless truth; we are not the ty of our current doers of great things, we are the vessels through which situation. Real great things are done. In other words, we are men don‘t argue only nature‘s instrument for the advancewith facts neither do ment of humanity. All that we create was they deny its exiscreated through us. We are not the cretence, rather, ators per se, we are instruments of crethey study ation. It is not up to us to decide the outit come of what is being done through us; it is up to nature and the whole of humanity. Ours is to submit ourselves to the greater creative force within and allow the creation within to ithout any hesitation in my heart, I know your answer to those questions will be a resounding YES! Unless, of W course you are not an entrepreneur. Uncertainity, fear and

Meaning, our greatest task as entrepreneurs is the delivery of the creation within us. We are to bring ideas to life no matter what. We are not to question the ideas; we are to birth them despite the uncertainties, fears and doubts. The acceptance of what we do create is not up to us; let go and let mother nature and the world decide. I was only able to write this unusual article after I stopped forcing myself to write what I wanted to write and let what wanted to be written through me have its way.

In other words, I stopped writing and let the words just flow through me. I didn’t know where this was going, I just wrote the article with the creative force within word after word till it all started taking this meaningful form in which you now read.

Humble yourself to the creative force within, somehow uncertainty, fear and doubt exist to teach us how to let go and let it flow. We always want to be in control, sometimes we just have to let go. Our task is to remain long enough in the creative process, just as an expectant mother awaits the breaking of the water that signals the arrival of her baby. In the end, uncertainty, fear and doubt teach us to trust in something much greater than ourselves –God! 3. Creative Booster: Success breeds comfort and comfort leads to complacency. You know that point when you don‘t see the need to do more and you just want to sit on your butt and enjoy the ride. Well that‘s what uncertainty, fear and doubt are meant for, to help you get off your butt and work. Knowing that nothing is for sure will always keep you on your feet thirsting for more. Uncertainty, fear and doubt get us thinking and thinking is healthy for we entrepreneurs as long as it doesn‘t degenerate into worry.

When uncertainty, fear and doubt shows up at your door uninvited, know it‘s time to up your game. Know it‘s time to empty the cup and start all over again. In life, death is the final stop, uncertainty, fear and doubt reminds us constantly of that, as it keeps us going even when we think we are done. We are never done, everything is work in progress, there’s always room for improvement.

So when next uncertainty, fear and doubt pops up their ugly head, go have a re-look, re-think and re-shape your idea, pruning out the wheat from the shaft. However, don‘t dwell on this for too long. That there‘s always room for improvement doesn‘t mean you keep improving and never launching. You must know when enough is enough, you must know when to launch.

Nothing is ever perfect all at once, do all your best with all that you‘ve got and let the world be the judge.

Remember, yours is to deliver the idea in its best possible form.

So, let uncertainty, fear and doubt push you to your creative peak, but never allow them prevent you from launching. As everything else in life, the key is balance. You must know when

come to life.

For Advertisement and Enquiries 08025070837 08156388800, E-mail:editor.executivebrief@trippleagroup.com

THE GUARDIAN, Friday, June 7 , 2013

24 | EXECUTIVEBRIEF

Executive Management

EAGLE EYE LEADERSHIP: The Principle of Focus and Priority

By Tito Philips, Jnr. hat do you focus on and prioritize as the leader of your business? Activity is not the same as productivity.

Motion does not always signify progress. Activity is not necessarily accomplishment.

Diligence is not necessarily effectiveness. Faithfulness is never the same as fruitfulness.

Not all efforts bring about results. There is a world of difference between getting things done (busy) and getting results (progress). Telling the difference is what this article is all about. Knowing the difference is what really makes some leaders more successful than others. Successful leaders are leaders with an eagle’s eye: they practice and live by the principle of focus and priority. They are not activity driven (busy), they are result driven (progress). They don’t care about knowing or doing everything; they are mostly concerned about knowing and doing the main things.

built on focus and priority; a leadership driven by vision and purpose. This kind of leadership is what I call ‘eagle eye leaderIt asks; ship’.

“How does this decision, situation or action play out and What is eagle eye leadership?

Eagle eye leadership is a kind of affect my initial vision, destinaleadership practiced mostly by tion or intention?” or successful leaders in any work of “What is the place or role of this decision, situation or life. It is a kind of leadership action in my overall intention, based on focus and priority. In destination or vision?” other words, eagle eye leader-

Great leaders are not a repository of everything or anything; they are repositories of only what matters. They don’t see everything, they only see what matters. They don’t go after everything; they only pursue the main things. They see, not as we see; they see through the eyes of the eagle; they see based on priority and they focus only on their vision. They practice a different kind of leadership; not one based on execution (activity), but one based on contribution (productivity). This is a leadership

Eagle eye leadership is all about focus; a concentrated effort or attention on a particular thing (in this case, a vision) and priority; following or doing only the things with the greatest returns and of the greatest importance (in this case, purpose). Therefore, eagle eye leadership is all about focusing on the vision only and making the fulfillment of the purpose your priority. In other words, you focus on the vision and prioritize the purpose. That is to say, you make the vision your main emphasis and then you put the

W

ship is a kind of leadership based on focus and priority and is mostly practiced by successful leaders in all works of life. Eagle eye leadership refers to a leadership hinged upon vision and purpose. It is leadership focused on vision and following a purpose. It’s a leadership pursuing a vision and obeying a purpose.

It’s not a survival driven kind of leadership, but a significance driven kind of leadership. It’s not a kind of leadership built on diligence alone (hard work) but also essence (designed work).

This kind of leadership doesn’t just ask “what is to be done?”, but also asks, “Why must it be done?” This kind of leadership doesn’t just work hard (diligence) but only works based on the vision it’s pursuing and a purpose it’s obeying (essence).

Eagle eye leadership is not a reactive kind of leadership that is based on just doing (movement or motion), but a proactive leadership based on improving (progress or contribution). Eagle eye leadership weighs every decision, situation and action against its original vision, destination and intention.

It doesn’t just do, but does only when it finds a purpose, a place or reason for what needs to be done in the overall scheme of things. Every move, decision and action is tied to a predetermined end, purpose or vision.

It is interested in doing only what matters; such things that would significantly affect the bottom-line. That is; the original vision, purpose and objective initially agreed upon. It weighs every action, decision or situation against the ultimate goal, vision or purpose in mind.

Success Strategy Are You Ready? Assessing Your Entrepreneurial

By Sohin Shah ntrepreneurs play an important role in society.

E They identify and exploit

The story of Pandora is the most inspiring example to understand the level of opportunities to provide goods and services that were commitment that is previously unavailable, or in required to survive a startup. After raising $1.5 million limited supply. In order to launch a successful business, from angel investors in 1999, Pandora had roughly it is essential to plan well, 50 employees by 2001 and stay motivated and execute to perfection. There is no spe- burned out of all its money.

The employees worked cific set of skills required to without a salary for roughly become an entrepreneur. two years after that.

These can be learned and Founder Tim Westergren developed over time. For that, it is imperative that you was rejected by 347 venture capitalists before being able and your business venture to find investors at his survive for long enough. A startup does not have many 348th pitch. The company never looked back and is resources and in its initial now publicly traded on days; its biggest resource is NYSE. the entrepreneur himself.

Consider the following points to evaluate your entre- Leadership: Employees are the lifeblood of a business. preneurial readiness and examine if you are up for the Being a successful entrepreneur is all about how you journey: build a team, how you motiCommitment: Fear of failure vate them, how you chalcan stop the best entreprelenge them and how comneurs in their paths. The risk fortable you feel being chalof failure is ever-present and lenged. This is all part of initially, there are only limit- being a ed instances of receiving leader. appreciation for the effort You can you are putting in. This is be the where commitment comes president into play. You have to be able or CEO or to focus on your business and hold any keep working with the same title you zeal and vigor despite the please. emotional rollercoaster may Whatever be riding on. The real chalyou do, lenge is to keep going even you need when things are at their to be the worst. A startup has to begin catalyst small. Over time, you can try for different approaches and change then make the necessary within changes to take your venture your busito the next level. However, it ness. You is important to set small cannot goals initially and rejoice on just try to achieving them. maintain

the status quo and expect your business to succeed.

You need to change the situations, work processes or the people who work for you, maybe all three, in order to influence the success of your business.

Quoting John Quincy Adams – “If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more, and become more, you are a leader.”

Strategic Thinking: An entrepreneur is the master planner and strategist of a business. You are the one coming up with the plans to grow your business from strength to strength.

Strategic thinking is what is required to create a business and also retain an edge over your competitors. Your ability to think strategically will be crucial in assessing risks, making business decisions, evaluating trends and MOST IMPORTANTLY, in building alliances.

purpose above in front of all you do. This is what I mean; your task as the leader is to make the vision of the business your destination (focus) and make the purpose why you are in business your number one goal or objective (priority).

Focus the vision: The vision is the mental picture of the business in the mind of the leader, it could be an image or concept conceived through imagination. The vision often refers to where or what the leader perceives and sees the business to be in the nearest future. The vision is a mental projection of the business, a mental destination for the business. It is usually future–bound.

What tomorrow will look like, where we want to be in some year’s time, how big we hope to be.

purpose usually is determined in the past long before the business came into existence. It is the foundation on which the business was built; this is why it’s seldom changed. The purpose dwells on the outcome of the business, it doesn’t focus on outputs. Outputs are the exact goods or services offered by the business to the market, while outcomes are those needs being met by the goods and services produced. While the vision of a business can always be changed since it’s something you project, the purpose most times remains unchanging

unless it’s no longer of relevance to the market. The purpose is not something the leader sees and decides to obey or follow. The purpose of a business is often the need the business was created to meet or fulfill.

So does your business have a purpose for its existence besides just making money?

Tito Philips Jnr is an unusual Nigerian that is MAD – Making A Difference.

The vision is the mental picture of a better or preferable future for the business. This is what the leader must emphasize on. A business without a vision is a business without direction.

There’s only one place such a business will end up; nowhere!

Prioritize the Purpose: The purpose is the original reason why the business was created. It is the initial intent of the founder of the business. The purpose is why the business exists; why they open up for business everyday, and why they ever considered starting up such a business in the first place. The

Nigerian-German Chemical Celebrates with SOS Children’s Village n the spirit of children’s day Group and also manufacturcelebration and part of its ICorporate According to Dr. Bolanle ing Sunkist under licence Social Responsibility, the NigerianGerman Chemicals Plc (NGC) joined the rest of the world to celebrate the day with the SOS Children’s Village in Isolo, Lagos. The company’s visit to the SOS Children’s Village this year was necessitated by the need to show love to the less privileged and particularly the SOS Children’s Village, which also formed part of the activities earmarked for the celebration of this year’s event which happens to be the first in the series of the company’s CSR initiatives. In continuation of NGC’s firm support towards community relations and development programmes of its Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives donated various items and products to the village including Sunkist.

Nassar, a Social Worker with the SOS Children’s Village, Isolo, who led the Village’s team to receive the NigerianGerman Chemicals Plc’s team, thanked NGC for considering SOS Children’s Village, for the various products and items donated and identifying with the village especially during this period of the occasion of the International Children’s Day celebration.

from Sunkist Growers Inc of USA.

NGC stands out as Nigeria’s foremost indigenous enterprise in the pharmaceutical and chemical fields, providing world-class companies with a vehicle to promote their products in this most challenging of environments.

Through its extensive nationwide distribution network, NGC serves a number of key market sectors including: healthcare, agrochemicals, veterinary/animal healthcare, oil & gas and industry.

The Nigerian-German Chemicals Plc is one of West Africa’s leading manufacturers and distributors of specialty industrial chemicals and pharNGC’s Sunkist brand was the maceuticals. Building on its lead sponsor of the event solid multinational heritage, which featured feeding, NGC’s commitment to ‘best practices’ in business manage- bouncing castle, cartoon ment and the pursuit of manu- characters, DJ, MC, and lot of games. The high point of the facturing excellence has event was the presentation of enabled it to forge strategic relationships with a number of a Samsung Flat-Screen LED 32 inches Television to the SOS Mr. Opeyemi Ojo, CEO of Home blue chip companies to comof Thoughts Ltd, a marketing plement its long standing col- Children’s Village in Isolo, Lagos. communications outfit, led the laboration with the Hoechst Nigerian-German Chemicals Plc’s team, during the visit to the SOS Children’s Village said that the Nigerian-German Chemicals Plc embarked on the visitation to give support to the village, show appreciation and also give back to the society in which it operates. He further said that the NigerianGerman Chemicals Plc will continue to spread the support programmes of its CSR initiatives to various institutions across the country. He expressed the NGC’s appreciation to the management of the SOS Children’s Village, Isolo for their efforts in bringing about hope for the less privileged children while assuring the vil- L-R: Account Officer of Nigerian-German Chemicals Plc, Ms Ayo, C.E.O. of Home of Thoughts Ltd, Mr Opeyemi Ojo, Miss Oyelola Olatokun of NGC Finance Dept and Dr. Bolanle Nassar, a lage of the company’s continSocial Worker with SOS Children's Village Isolo, Lagos during NGC visit to the village recently. ued support in the future.

Action is the foundational key to all success. Pablo Picasso

THE GUARDIAN, Friday, June 7, 2013

26 ARTS

Heritage vantage of our endowments in the industry.

“In this regard, I am glad to report to you that preparation for this year’s AFAC have reached an advanced stage and that, by our records, in addition to the usual massive states’ participation, 17 countries have indicated their interest to participate including Gambia, Cameroon, Senegal, Ghana, Egypt, Niger, Mali, Republic of Benin, Togo, Guinea Conakry, Cote D’Ivoire, Pakistan, South Korea, China, Sudan, Chad, Liberia making a total of over 250 foreign exhibitors.”

At the home front, participants are expected from most of the states of the federation and FCT, the Local Government Areas, the women and youth groups, NGOs and other relevant stakeholders.

Duke reasoned further, “the tremendous gains of the previous editions of AFAC, as exemplified by the overwhelming response of nations from across the world and the ever-increasing enthusiasm of arts and crafts entrepreneurs have made us more determined to sustain AFAC so that Nigeria and Africa can continue to benefit from its potentials for transforming the rural economy of the region.”

Specifically, he urged the media to continue to partner with the organisers “in the onerous task of sensitizing and creating the much dard, thereby bringing the economic needed awareness on the benefits advantage accruable in the crafts in- derivable from this expo. I implore you to sensitize the general public dustry to bear,” said Chief Duke. on the need to develop this sector, The hosting of AFAC, the minister added, “is one way of demonstrating which is so vital towards empowering the rural populace.”

Nigeria’s leadership role in the He also commended the support process of realizing the goals of the New Partnership for African Develop- the expo has received from the media, noting that, “the successes ment (NEPAD) as well as other reachieved in the previous editions gional economic aspirations.” could not have been possible withAs a key highlight of the one-week outing, the Investment Forum com- out your cooperation and support.

We urge you to redouble your efponent, he said, was designed for forts towards giving us maximum stakeholders and experts to discuss how best to add value to our craft in- publicity in order to have a resounding success at AFAC Expo dustry as well as imbibe the best 2013.” global practices in order to take ad-

AFAC Expo 2013… harnessing creative potential for youth empowerment, national growth

By Kabir Alabi Garba like she played the key role last JtheUST year declaring the 2012 edition of African Arts and Crafts (AFAC) Expo open, the First Lady, Mrs Patience Jonathan will, on Monday, June 10, perform the same function at the opening ceremony of AFAC Expo 2013 holding at the Eagle Square in Abuja. It will run till Friday, June 15.

At a briefing last Tuesday in Abuja, Culture and Tourism Minister, Chief Edem Duke expressed satisfaction about “the level of preparedness towards a successful hosting of the 6th edition of African Arts and Crafts (AFAC) Expo 2013.”

Flanked by the duo of Permanent Secretary, Culture and Tourism Ministry, Mrs Nkechi Ejele; and Executive Director/CEO, National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC), Mr. Mwajim Malgwi Maidugu, the minister drew a correlation between the expo and Federal Government’s determination to “diversify our sources of revenue generation with a view to effectively respond to the challenges of job creation, youth empowerment and rural economic transformation.”

Chief Duke recalled, “the idea to initiate this laudable programme six years ago was geared towards supporting these efforts.”

He is happy that “AFAC is succeeding in re-awakening our consciousness and leveraging on the abundant potentials in the cultural industries for youth empowerment and wealth creation in which Nigeria in particular and the African region in general have comparative advantage.”

He praised the NCAC for initiating the expo, which, he stressed, had suc-

Some of the crafts to be displayed at the expo ceeded in bringing together artists and craftsmen within the African Region and beyond.

What gladdened the Minister’s heart is the platform that the expo has created through which participants have continued to: expand and grow the business of the Arts and Crafts Industry; share ideas and network with other practitioners in areas that relate to their competence such as production, marketing, packaging and presentation techniques; while meeting with prospective investors amongst many other benefits.

“I am particularly pleased with the

By Usman Abudah T was an exciting and a colourful outing at the Oba Ovonranmen Square in Benin City, Edo State capital as friends of the museum gathered to mark this year’s International Museum Day at the National museum location with music, exhibition of traditional costumes by the students of Obaseki and Igbinedion Junior Secondary Schools topped with lectures by renowned art scholars.

I

Etsako festival attire on display ... at the event

choice of the theme for this year’s AFAC, which is Leveraging on the Arts and Crafts Industry for Job Creation and Economic Empowerment.

Through it, some of our untapped cultural resources could be brought to the fore in our inward looking strategy for sustainable economic growth and rural transformation.

“The 6th edition of AFAC is intended to build upon the successes of the previous ones. This year, we expect a better exhibition of talent and creativity in the areas of product design, finishing, packaging and presentation. All these are aimed at meeting the global market stan-

When Benin City hosted Museum Day outing The Esogban of Benin Kingdom, Chief David Edebiri, Chairman of the occasion went down memory lane to recall how the National Museum came into being with an article he wrote in the Nigeria Observer titled “who owns Benin Museum?”.

“The Benin Museum was originally housed in

Students in Bini attire at the celebration

a two room apartment at the former New Nigeria Bank building opposite the Oba Palace under the curatorship of late Dr. Jacob Egharevba, a renowned Bini historian and author of the “Short History of Bini.” With the publication of the article, the then dogmatic Military Governor of Midwest Region, Col.

Samuel Ogbemudia “sprang into action and the construction of the present building was embarked upon which was later handed over to the Federal Military Government and later baptized as the National Museum.

With this reminiscence, activities started with the presentation of the first lecture by Prof Osaren S.B. Omoregie dwelling on the theme “Museum (Memory-Creativity)- Social Change,” citing late Dr. Jacob Uwadiae Egharevba (18931980 AD) credited with “daring to take the first steps to go from village to village, shrine to shrine, artist to artist to embark on this type of uncanning enterprise and collect artefacts for the royal home as it was gibly put.”

The second lecture delivered by Dr. Omokaro Izevbighie, an art historian of the Fine/Applied Arts Department of the University of Benin on the same theme also refreshed the memory of the audience the essence of Leonardo de Vinci, ‘generally regarded as one of the greatest artists in history of his researches and experiments in many fields of knowledge, all which earned him the name of “universal men”.

In his message, delivered by the Benin Curator, Theo Umogbai, the Director-General of the National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM) Mallam Yusuf Usman Abdallah said “the day wasn’t only to raise awareness or the importance of museums in the development of the society, but also to bring to focus the richness of our historical heritage, preserved and displayed by museums together with the inventiveness and vitality that have characterized the sector in recent years.”

THE GUARDIAN, Friday, June 7, 2013

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Film

Cast and Crew of the proposed Ake Film with the Nobel laureate in Lagos… last Friday

Ake... camera lens zooms on Kongi bright and beautiful afternoon in Lagos, on Friday, IcastTMaywasand31,acrew 2013 as Prof Wole Soyinka met with the top adult for the feature film adaptation of his childhood memoir, Ake: the Years of Childhood currently being produced by a Lagos-based production house, Back Page Productions.

The meeting was hilarious, thought-provoking as well as inspiring as Professor Soyinka and the lead cast and crew exchanged views and pleasantries.

In attendance were leading lights of the Nigerian movie industry including Taiwo Ajai-Lycest; Akin Lewis, Tina Mba, Ben Tomoloju, Yinka Davies, Tony Umole, Yeni Kuti, Jimi Solanke,

By Shaibu Husseini with agency reports ILMMAKER Kunle Afolayan returned from Paris, France at the weekend with the good news that his jubilee hit movie, Phone Swap has been voted best film and best viewers choice film at the maiden edition of the Nollywood Week in Paris. The event, which held between May 31 and June 3 in Paris, was organized by a Paris-based non-governmental arts organization to showcase the best of Nigerian films.

The need to provide a dramatic visualization of the rich African culture and tradition documented in some Nigerian films is the reason the week was held and it featured public screening of films like Mahmood Ali Balogun’s Tango With Me, Keke Bongos Ikwe’s Inale and Chineze Anyaene’s Ije. Some of these films have also featured in some international film festivals in the past. But while the industry has been recording giant strides both locally and internationally with its movies, one Mr. Richard Bell, Chief Executive Officer of a Kenyan PayTV outlet — Wananchi Group — thinks that movies that have come out of the phenomenon called Nollywood amount to heap of waste.

Bell was quoted to have described Nigerian movies as “Rubbish”. He was speaking at the East Africa Communication Conference and

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Jahman Anikulapo, Beautiful Nubia among others. Also in attendance were the film’s top crew such as Dapo Adeniyi, the executive producer; Yemi Akintokun, the director; Ayodele Ayobolu and Kemi Obadina heads of marketing and communications respectively at Back Page Productions.

The film is set in the 1930s and 1940s and as poised to recreate that period through restored locations and period automobiles. One of the leading characters Mrs. Olufunmilayo Ransome Kuti is reputed to be the first woman in Nigeria to drive a car.

Nigeria’s history is also at the fore in the Ake film, especially the Egba Women’s Riots of 1945 led by the Nobel laureate’s

aunt and mother of the late musician, Fela Kuti as well as Soyinka’s own mother, Eniola Soyinka. The riot climaxed with the famed deposition of the Alake of Egbaland, the abolition of the poll tax on Nigerian women and the institution of the universal adult suffrage.

The film which is commencing production this month is expected to be shot over the next six months in Abeokuta, Ibadan with some select scenes in Lagos. They will be premiered in 2014, in time for two landmark events: the 100th anniversary of the Nigerian amalgamation and the 80th birthday celebration of Prof Soyinka.

‘Bell’s ‘rubbish’ tag on Nollywood is unfair’ Exhibition held recently with the theme, “Seizing the Digital Growth Opportunities in a better Connected East Africa.” Bell whose company owns and runs Zuku, a fledging pay TV operation in Kenya delivered a paper on opportunities and challenges for operators and content providers in next five years. Bell whose company is struggling unsuccessfully to unseat the market leader, DStv in East Africa told his astonished audience that “African content should not be just about rubbish Nigerian movie” and claims to have the widest variety of content on DTH. This position by Bell completely negates a general feeling across Africa where Nigerian movies are seen as the pivot of a developing African film industry and the cultural mainstay of Africans in the continent and the Diaspora. In fact, one of the reasons why Nollywood has grown in popularity domestically and in and around the continent of Africa is because of its movies. Critics agree that offerings of Nollywood has helped shaped perceptions and provided a dramatic visualization of Nigeria’s rich culture and traditions.

If Bell thinks that his position will go unchal-

lenged then the PayTV boss is mistaken. Some Nollywood practitioners have risen in defense of the industry they variously described as the embodiment of Nigeria’s soft power.

Kunle Afolayan says he doesn’t have any issue with critics of the industry. “You don’t make any progress without people criticizing you” he says. But the filmmaker, who recently was a guest of the Tokyo International Film Festival where three of his movies —Irapada, Figurine and Phone Swap were on display, says the only problem he has with Bell’s position is the fact that the PayTV boss made a generalised comment. “I don’t think it is a fair comment to lump all our movies together and say what we do here is rubbish. I think the man (Bell) made that comment based on the movies he has seen or the cheap ones he has tried to buy or the cheap ones that are shown all around Africa. If our movies are all rubbish as he is suggesting, then we will not be making festivals and cinema rounds. So he should just restrict his views to what he knows about and not generalize. If he wants quality content, he should come and I will show him where to get it and he should be ready to pay for them because some of these channels

don’t want to pay for good content so they go for these kpa kpa kpa (hurriedly cobbled) movies and when they are disappointed quality wise, they generalise. Yes these movies are made here but they do not represent the entire industry. It is the same way you find potato (badly helmed) movies in Hollywood and in Bollywood. So to dismiss everything we do here is unfair and I think he (Bell) may need to de-generalize,’’ he argued.

Former President of the Directors Guild of Nigeria and coordinating Chairman of the moribund Coalition of Nollywood Guilds and Associations (CONGA), Bond Emeruwa described the comments by Bell as ‘most uncharitable and unfair’. Emeruwa noted that it was unfair for Bell to make such a comment about an industry that has provided enough content that has kept most East African stations running. For Emeruwa, most East African cable stations are enjoying top ratings today because of the content provided by the industry ‘that Bell is now deriding’. He says: “sometimes, it is best to ignore comments like this but it is also good at times not to leave comments like this unchallenged.”

THe GuARDIAN, Friday, June 7, 2013

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Revue

Director General of Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC), Mrs. Sally Mbanefo (left); Minister of Tourism, Culture and National Orientation, Chief Edem Duke, and General Manager of the National Theatre, Mallam Kabir Yusuf during a press briefing and launch of Nigeria’s Tourism Brand Identity at the National Theatre, Iganmu, Lagos… yesterday.

PHOTO: AYODELE ADENIRAN

Fascinating Nigeria…

A refreshing brand identity for tourism

By Bridget Chiedu Onochie, Abuja and Gbenga Salau Lagos He stage is now set for unveiling of a new T tourism brand identity for Nigeria. In the last two weeks, Culture and Tourism Minister, Chief edem Duke, has been criss-crossing Nigeria marketing the new project for national acceptability. Last Friday, he was on top of his voice in Lagos announcing that President Goodluck Jonathan would preside over the launch on July 9.

Also, last Monday in Abuja, the new brand identity project was the focus of a gathering anchored by the officials of culture and tourism ministry. Ditto Tuesday at the briefing on this year’s African Arts and Crafts (AFAC) expo, the minister seized the opportunity to intimate the assembly with news of the forthcoming launch.

At the Lagos event last Friday, the minister, in company of the Director General of the Nigeria Tourism Development Commission, (NTDC) Mrs. Sally Mbanefo, said that the tourism brand identity would be called Fascinating Nigeria. He said the brand identity expresses Nigerians’ creative industry and indicates that Nigeria is the most fascinating country in the world in terms of weather, beautiful landscape, literature, music, dance, festivals, resilient and fun-loving people.

The idea, Duke stated, is in the mode of countries such as India that has Incredible India, South Africa’s It Is Possible and Malaysia’s Truly Asia. For him, Nigeria’s lack of brand identity has been a missing link in the nation’s tourism development drive.

He stated, “In summary, it means that it is time for Nigerian tourism, especially the creative sector, to have a brand identity and that is Fascinating Nigeria. It is uniquely Nigerian and we have spent the better part of last year trying to design it”.

The minister also disclosed that top Nigerian

musicians including King Sunny Ade and Tu Face Idibia would perform at the official launch.

To help boost the brand, Duke informed that about 100 heritage sites have been penciled down to be developed across the country.

He also noted, “Our brand identity is Fascinating Nigeria because there is nowhere else in the world that this appellation best suits, whether it is in business, nature’s endowment, investment climate, agriculture, whatever, but tourism is the first letter of recommendation and our culture is a major collateral for this to activate.

“Since I became minister, something has always been at the top of my mind. It is my belief that Nigeria deserves to have a distinctive tourism brand identity. In several fora where the issue of the master plan has been discussed, some of the stakeholders had raised the fact that we have not done enough in refreshing the Nigeria tourism brand.

“And for me, it has always sounded like running a brewery with a product. And so, we have been working in the last one-year on developing a distinct Nigeria tourism brand identity. All of us are aware of the fact that virtually every country in Africa and the leading countries globally which has been identified as tourist destinations have something that speak to the ethos of their product.

“And many of you who have worked with South African Tourism will remember the days of Limitless Possibilities, and a couple of weeks back, I was in a hall where the Presidents of South Africa and Nigeria sat together against the backdrop of South Africa, Inspiring New Ways.

“For many, perhaps in our delegation, it might not have mattered, but somehow, something touches my heart that Nigeria, the biggest black nation on the face of earth, deserves a lot more than that”.

According to him, the ministry has been working on the project quietly in the last one year

with virtually no resources at its disposal, adding, “But on January 9, 2013, for those who may have been following the activities of the Federal executive Council, a tourism brand identify was approved for Nigeria. Then it became judicious for us to work aggressively towards that brand that Nigerians want.

“As I speak to you, it has been resolved that in the first week of July, 2013, that brand will officially be launched in Abuja.”

He said the campaign would be on the social media before the launch date in order to begin some preliminary exposure of that

brand.

Duke further said, “In pursuant, there is no place you go to anywhere in the world that you find materials that speak to the various endowments of this country. I think that Nigeria deserves more; Nigeria truly deserves more, the biggest black nation on the face of the earth, as the sole market for the tourism revenue of other countries.

“As I sat and listen to President Jacob Zuma relate that Nigerians are the greatest contributors to his country’s tourism revenue, reeling out the fact of how much they have spent in his economy. And as he confirmed emphatically that he will this year open a South Africa Tourism office in Lagos, Nigeria, I think that Nigeria not only deserves a swift, appropriate and dignifying response, but also that we have something that we can be very proud off.

“The collaterals that we present to you today will be supported be a number of activation in the mass media within the limit of our own resources”.

Asked if the new identity wasn’t a modification of Tourism is Life preached by the former boss of the corporation, Duke said that Tourism is Life was not a Nigeria tourism brand, but a statement of fact.

Duke argued, “If anybody were to adopt that as a brand identity, it is uNWTO because that encapsulates all that we were talking about. This is the first time we are going to have a dedicated tourism identity supported by collateral, merchandising and other social media.

“And this what we need to do. The fact that we had not done it in the past does not mean that what was done in the past was wrong. It was just a process of development and we link this to the tourism master plan, as I said earlier. You are all witnesses to the fact that the tourism master plan has been launched half a decade ago. I am not the person to answer why it has not been activated.

“But I want to say is that some of you will recall on my assumption of duty in this ministry. I said that I picked up the transformation agenda of this government and saw no page on tourism and culture in it. And I raised alarm at the first retreat, the orientation retreat for ministers. I said, here is a document of over two hundred pages of the economic and transformation agenda, and there is no culture, tourism in this document”.

The minister said that President Jonathan then gave him two weeks to develop an agenda for the sector and he reached out to as many people in the sector as possible and they developed a document, which today has been integrated into the transformation agenda.

“And it is, that document that we presented to the Federal executive Council on February 9 and after the deliberation and passage, we

Funke’s Memories of Grandma

By Tony Nwanne uLTIPLe award winning broadcast journalist and one of Radio Nigeria’s foremost Network Newscasters, Funke Treasure Durodola, shares her unique experience as a traveller child in Western Nigeria of the 1980’s.

In Memories of Grandma, her childhood memoir, she also critically engages with the thinking behind cultural choices from the eyes of a child.

Grandmothers symbolise different things to children. For young Funke, Grandma could never do wrong, Grandma meant travel, variety of traditional meals, entry into the wisdom of the aged, folk tales, songs and an excursion into the strange world of adults, who ‘always have a reason for everything’.

The setting is Western Nigeria of the early 80’s, when most Nigerians maintained veg-

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etable gardens close to their homes, men rode Vespa’s motor cycles for leisure; when Peugeot 404 was the cool car for mid-income families, when seeing a corpse on the street was rare and close to an abomination; when public schools were as good as the private ones. It was the days of Kingsway and Leventis and Odutola stores in Ijebu Ode. The days without traffic gridlocks, when parents returned home early enough from the office, to be involved in their children’s growth.

According to Treasure, “Memories of Grandma is a collection of stories about my childhood.

It’s a childhood memoir. It’s about the world I grew up in and at whose feet I drank the water of knowledge and wisdom. It is set in the Nigeria of the 1980’s. I don’t know about recent times, but back in the days when we resumed from holidays, our teachers made us write a

THE GUARDIAN, Friday, June 7, 2013

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Sanitising Lagos roads through Traffic Radio now began to develop the road map”, he said.

“And that road map to me started simultaneously with capacity building, restructuring of the sector and development of an identity.

“If you do not have an identity, nobody recognises what you are doing. It is like a wink in the dark, which we have all stopped doing. So, this is the position today. And I am sure that in the next several weeks, we would see a better manifestation of this initiative.

“For the master plan, which we developed and launched about six or seven years ago, I believe it has gone obsolete, though not totally useless. This is why we went into it to develop some quick wins that can make things visible and you will begin to see visible things in the tourism sector in Nigeria.”

For the minister, this is the time to go into the years prior to now, “we in the sector has been hard to position the sector even for domestic consumption.”

He disclosed that there was a time he challenged all the states’ commissioners to bring a package of what anybody could do in their states if such person would be spending three or five nights.

“There is nobody who has come back with any response. And these are where the assets of any country are domiciled. That is why you see that a number of things happen in certain states and it appears that we are partial, in favour of those states. It is because of lack of response from some others”.

Duke, however, promised that the engagement was continuous, noting that all the states are well endowed although not all the states are ready to take tourists arrival almost immediately, adding, “There are safety corridors that we have to build around certain areas and a number of governors have become more interested now because of dwindling internally-generated revenue and uncertain inflow from the federal allocation.

“So, the potentials, the prospects are there.

We now need to look at the sector from the business perspective. We have to engage with stakeholders who have assets and investment.

And we have to convey images and sounds of Nigeria even to Nigerians themselves. There are a number of Nigerians who see some images and wonder where they are, and in this book with almost five hundred pages, there are no two images that are duplicated.

We have about five hundred locations of imaging.

“The private sector must be engaged and when we engage with them it is in a manner that they understand. We must be able to think like business people to assure them that there is prospect in the sector. Also, we need the media. If only we had the media, because we can sit in our offices and say everything and if those things are not conveyed to the public appropriately, then the public will continue to be uncertain and uninterested about the sector”.

in print generic kind of essay usually titled, ‘How I spent my last holiday’”.

Continuing she said “Memories of Grandma speaks to the need for a child to familiariase herself with her cultural environment. It is about a child’s search for the reasons things are the way they are in her culture. It is a book about how a network of people and places united to feed the curiousity of a child. It captures food, music, transportation, farming, life in the country side and respect for elders, which is gradually getting lost in today’s global culture. There are more lessons in Memories of Grandma, individuals will have to appropriate those lessons according to their needs. I must also add that adults will find Memories of Grandma fascinating because it will definitely take them to their places of childhood and fill them with nostalgia.

By Tajudeen Sowole one year of taking a space on the airwave, Traffic Radio 96.1FM has made sense of ItheNLagos power of radio in management of vehicu-

complain bitterly about the recalcitrance of commercial bus drivers obstructing free flow of traffic on unauthorized, notorious bust stops such as Mile 12, Ketu, Iyana Ipaja, Moshalashi and Ikotun junction. And as the airwave thickens with debates, which often becloud the widely lauded advantage of the traffic radio, it is therefore not surprising when the three-way communication was modified, keeping most calls of motorists off the air during peak hours in the morning and ‘return journey’ in the evening.

Currently, there is a two-way-communication: between the presenter and LASTMA official or a new introduction, described as traffic report from the Control Room of the state’s traffic authority. Why exactly was the sudden change? The original concept of the traffic radio, a source from the Lagos State Ministry of Transportation, disclosed, was to allow the traffic officials on the road and the control room report traffic situations to the radio stations while motorists and other users of the road get the reports from the radio “without a phone-in”.

The change in format, which cleansed the airwave of people’s emotion, however, came a bit late as the enforcement of the traffic laws on okada riders generated unnecessarily heated debate that overshadowed the real purpose of traffic control.

About eight months into the enactment of the New Lagos Traffic Laws and one year of the Lagos Traffic Radio, inadequacy of a national policy on road transportation has been exposed as well. For example, reports from LASTMA and motorists monitored via the traffic radio station showed that another common impediment to free flow of vehicular traffic on highways in Lagos, was constant breakdown of long articulated vehicles otherwise known as trailers. Through reports from traffic officials as well as motorists, an average of two to three trailers often break down on the major highways every an hour. Most affected are Ikorodu Road, Western Avenue and Apapa-Oshodi Expressway and the Wharf axis. Also, similar reports come on the radio airwave from Lagos-Ibadan Expressway – each time the Federal Road Safety Corps {FRSC} gives traffic reports on Lagos Traffic Radio.

Most times, the reports come from the Southwest commander of FRSC, covering from Benin-Ore through Lagos-Ibadan and berthing on the Idi-Iroko and Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway as well as from the Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps.

And that the Lagos State Government is currently unable to enforce a section of the new traffic laws that restricts trailers to the hours of between 9 pm and 6 p.m clearly exposed

lar traffic, specifically by exposing poor compliance and enforcement of basic rules.

The radio station also exposed inadequacy, or lack of a national policy on road transportation. In fact, for a greater part of the year, until recently, 96.1 FM appeared like a double edged-sword: as much as it provided guidance to motorists and made vehicular traffic management easier, it offered Lagosians opportunity to release their angst over inability of governments’ agencies Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) and Nigeria Police traffic officers - to enforce traffic laws.

With an estimated population of about 18 million people, Lagos, as the traffic radio shows, provides a template for a total overhauling of Nigeria’s road transportation system.

Quite interestingly, some ‘vocabularies’ have emerged in the lexicon of radio broadcast courtesy traffic control via the airwaves. Some of such word usage include ‘Yankee Bravo’, a name given to the mini commercial bus drivers, perhaps as a result of their lack of regard for other users of the road; ‘backlog’, remnant of static or slow moving traffic caused by an obstruction; ‘inward’ or ‘outward’, going or coming.

The birth of the radio station had double coincidence: it was launched on Democracy Day, May 29, 2012, perhaps as a dividend of democracy and also a timely event that rescued motorists from the increasing traffic gridlock during the repair of a section of Third Mainland Bridge.

When the governor of the state, Babatunde Raji Fashola unveiled 96.1 FM, he had stated that the radio station would help reduce travel time.

Lagos Traffic Radio started as a three-way phone-in communication between motorists, a radio presenter and traffic managers, LASTMA officials. While the station has continued to enjoy praises from members of the public, the airwave is rife with the usual blame games, especially by when motorists are stuck in avoidable traffic jam, mostly caused by excesses of mini yellow commercial bus drivers who picked and discharged passengers at unathorised spots.

Frustrated motorists who call the radio station always say that enforcement of traffic laws could not be achieved “because some of the buses are owned by some members of LASTMA and Nigeria Police” traffic officers.

Also the traffic officials have mostly been accused by callers on the radio station of extorting money from private motorists while commercial bus drivers ‘are untouchable’ even for bigger traffic offences. However, the power of radio in linking the people with governance is being played out by the station, as the Honourable Commissioner for Transportation, Kayode Opeifa often make input by calling on phone to drop his number and emails 0807 500 5411, opeifaeko@yahoo.com for complaints.

The phone and email contacts of LASTMA are also made available. And quite commendably, those who used the contacts continue to express satisfaction.

However, proper and fair enforcement still remains issue. In the early months, up to late last year, the radio would be so bombarded that a presenter on duty would be caught in the crossfire between motorists and LASTMA. Aside presenters such as Tunmise Oladapo-Kuku, Femi Akaani, Victor Oteri, Adebowale Yusuf and the night shift lady, Oluwanisola Arashi, who try to manage people’s frustration and anger, a few other presenters are often dragged into hot debates over ‘lack of enforcement’ on commercial bus drivers.

Also, the hope that the enactment of the New Lagos Traffic Laws would bring succour appears to have been dashed because non-commercial motorists still Oluwanisola Arashi on duty

lack of a national policy on road transportation.

On Lagos-Ibadan Expressway as well as inside Lagos, particularly inward Wharf, from ApapaOshodi Expressway, reports from Lagos Traffic Radio keeps showing that the trailers are ‘kings’ of the road. The ‘impediments’ they cause is also worsened by non-professional attitudes of the drivers and poor state of some roads. During one of the editions of a morning segment Your Side Mirror as well as other segments at different periods of the programmes monitored across the year, which focused professionalism in driving commercial bus and trailers, some of the callers traced lack of compliance in traffic laws to the seemingly open age for commercial transport drivers.

Most of the ‘stubborn drivers’, the callers noted, are in the teens to mid 20s age brackets.

Inability of a national policy on road transportation, if there is any, to regulate age of commercial bus and long drivers was faulted.

Traffic radio broadcasts from 5 am to 12 midnight. Aside the uninterrupted reports of traffic across the state and parts of Ogun State during the early hours and evening, other sections of the progranning, which offered education on better usage of road include Your Side Mirror, anchored by Oteri and Automedics, by Kunle Shinaike.

In programming, one of the most popular is Nightwaves, a nerve relaxing moment between 9 to 12 midnight anchored by Oluwanisola Arashi.

One year on the airwave, has Lagos Traffic Radio achieved it goal? Hon Opeifa, few days ago placed the score card on the desk of the public. “That’s for the public to decide”, Opeifa said.

Indeed, the radio station, aside providing guidance for motorists on the state of vehicular traffic when required, it appeared to have provided a medium for what one of the presenters, Oladapo-Kuku always referred to the appeal of Fashola: “Let us invest in the industry of the mind”.

Lagos Traffic Radio, a source disclosed, is an initiative of LASTMA and was expected to be handled by the ministry of Transportation, but “hijacked” by Radio Lagos Eko 89.7 FM unit of Lagos State Broadcasting Corporation. The commercialisation of the morning and evening sections of the Lagos Traffic Radio during the early months of its operation, which appeared to have reduced free flow of reports from LASTMA and motorists, the source said, angered the Ministry of Transportation. Indeed, the commercial sections which included ‘prize winning courtesy of a leading communication company was taking quite a lot of attention from the main business of reporting traffic situations during the peak hours.

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ArtHouse City People to celebrate Inspiro’s Ayo Sadare OMORROW, Saturday, June 8, at T Freedom Park, Lagos, City People Entertainment will present ‘An Exclusive Evening Out With Sadare and Friends’, with Ayo Sadare of Inspiro being celebrated for his contribution to entertainment and media PR. The event, which kicks off by 5pm, promises to be a memorable evening of jazz, poetry, dance, spoken word, fashion and art exhibition. There will be live performances by NAIJAZZ acts, Bright Gain, Imole Afrika, Dapo Dina, Oba, Tosin Alao, Olujazz and others. DJs Ray Bee Brown and Lami

will also be on hand to spin classic, old skool and contemporary sounds.

Newsray Prestigious Award for June

Gbenga Adeyinka 1st GCON. The music-comedy train, which created fun in excess to the city of Ibadan, would be moving to Oshogbo, Osun State. Expected to hold on June 12, Encased opens on Sunday 2013, sources are saying the Osun UKE Asidere’s art show titled, State government have endorsed the Encased, opens soon at the Alexis show.

Gallery, Victoria Island, Lagos. It runs from June 12 to 18.

Voting for Entrepreneur Adviser, Newsray Magazine, Mr. Nelson Campbell, disclosed that 14 eminent Nigerians were nominated for the award.

HE maiden edition of Newsray’s D T Prestigious Leadership Award & Public Lecture holds on June 11.

Organised by Newsray Communication Ventures Limited, Publishers of Newsray Magazine, the Music/comedy train arrives Osogbo award seeks to recognise ICE, LKT, Capital FEMI, Jaywon, contributions of individuals to the Nollywood actors, Odunlade development of the country.

Adekola and Eniola Badmus have Holding at the Banquet Hall, joined top Nollywood stars Bayelsa State Government House frolicking with actor-comedian, (Creek Haven), Yenagoa, Editorial

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award ends June 25 FTER three weeks of open A nominations, organisers of The Freshmen Concert & Entertainment Awards – UNILAG 2013, R.O.A.G, has unveiled the nominees for the event, as voting ends June 25. It is first of such awards in the university and

aimed at celebrating newly admitted students of the university and also the creative and pro-active students by rewarding their outstanding entrepreneurial skills on campus.

The Art Group’s exhibition holds June 13 OME Thursday, June 13, the C Assembly Hall, Grail Land, will play host to an epic arts exhibition that will showcase the best of contemporary music, dance, drama, and poetry. The theme of the show is In the beginning there was Africa and is expected to start by 7:15 pm.

––Compiled by Tony Nwanne

In association with

Events TOTAL SCHOOL SUPPORT SEMINAR/EXHIBITION Date(s): 07/06/2013 Location: 10ͦ Degrees Event Centre, Billings Way, Oregun- Lagos.

Promoter: EDUMARK TOSSE is a two day Education centered exhibition that brings together School Owners, Principals, Teachers, School administrations, providers of Educational products and services, Consultants, State governments and other stakeholders in the Education sector annually.

GET TICKETS HERE: www.afritickets.com

The Dream Wedding II: Launch of The Grandeur Collection Date(s): 13/06/2013 Location: Landmark Village Event Centre, Oniru (Off Ligali Ayorinde) Victoria Island, Lagos.

Promoter: Weddings By MAI This event will entail the launch of The Grandeur Collection from the Weddings By Mai brand, which will also be showcased at a spectacular fashion show in Paris prior to the Dream Wedding II; and be filled with world-class entertainment and theatrics in a luxury wedding setting.

More info: www.afritickets.com

Taruwa Festival of Performing Arts In Nigeria

T HOMAS K ANITZ & L OUIS M BANEFO I N C ONCERT

Date(s): 07/06/2013, 08/06/2013 Location: Terra kulture, Tiamiyu Savage, V.I, Lagos Promoter: TARUWA The 3day festival presents groundbreaking events in Theater, Music, Comedy, Spoken Word, Dance and Fashion; events like the screening of short films and the Ankara Ball. Lagos are you ready?

GET TICKETS HERE: www.afritickets.com

Date(s): 08/06/2013 Location: AGIP RECITAL HALL Promoter: The Musical Society of Nigeria He is an erudite lawyer (SAN) and musician. One of the finest pianists of his generation in Nigeria. He will be performing with the celoo Maestro and MUSON Artistic, Mr. Thomas Kanitz. This duo is a must watch as they will perform sonates by Viviadi, Beethoven, Schubert and contemporary Nigerian compostion by Pemi Oluwadare.

GET TICKETS HERE: www.afritickets.com

221 (Two to One)

Date(s): 15/06/2013 Location: Kings Plaza Promoter: Nitty Gritty Nitty Gritty, the young adults forum of RCCG, Jubilee Christian presents 221 [Two to One], a breakfast meeting and relationship event. This event is open to singles, people in a relationship, those engaged, folks for whom things just seem complicated and young adults. Guest facilitators are Fela and Tara Durotoye.

Registration is N1000 per person [N1500 from June 12].

GET TICKETS HERE: www.afritickets.com

BUY TICKETS TO ALL YOUR FAVOURITE EVENTS ONLINE NOW!

LAW AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP SEMINAR

For more information: www.afritickets.com

Date(s): 29/06/2013 Location: TOM ASSOCIATES MANAGEMENT TRAINING CENTRE Promoter: METRO LP A legal services advisory firm, Metro LP, would be organizing its first in a series of seminars for aspiring entrepreneurs and existing business owners.

With the theme Law and Entrepreneurship.

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36 ARTS

THE GUARDIAN, Friday, June 7, 2013

Showblast

...The buzz in town

Donna Diva goes Gaga

to have started promotions, he was very impressed with it and he said the song would sell anywhere.”

Talking on the challenges she faced, Donna appealed to public give every talent an opportunity t0p showcase their work.

“Because everywhere we go, we are begging to be given a chance. People must understand that there are raw talents out there that must be given a chance. You must not wait until the person strived to grow before you reckon with them.”

Another challenge facing upcoming artistes, according to the singer, has to do with meeting like minds.

“Meeting the right people who really believe in your dream and help it grow instead of killing it. Sometimes, you give your money to people who are supposed to help you do things, but they just pocket it and go home and relax; I’m hoping that all that will change,” she frowned.

Surprisingly, Gaga is a collaborative effort by Donna and her brother.

“I’m privilege to have the support of my family, so I have a little studio at home where we produced the song. I decide to set the studio up so that I can take my time and do my thing the way I want; not that I will pay for studio sessions and when I’m not satisfied, I will go to another just to get the satisfaction I want. This way, I have also helped many of my friends who also have the same challenge.”

Urging up comers to pay attention to their career, Donna is of the opinion that music is not as easy as many used to think.

“I take my time to creatively write my lyrics and most people would swear my videos are not done here; every element of it is carefully thought of and produced here in Lagos, Precisely Epe and some scenes in the studio. Creativity and originality are keys,” she harped.

Asked why she decided dump her Business Administration for a career in music, she explained that, “there is a saying that when you do what you enjoy doing, you don’t feel you are working. Since singing to me is a lot of fun, I just chose to have fun and still make money while doing so. Above all, I was born an artiste; besides, I just want to be my own

By Florence Utor ONNA AJa, otherwise known as D Donna Diva, is not new in the Nigerian music scene. However, her first single, shut up, made little impact majorly due to low publicity. Though the song got pass mark from some critics, who saw it as different from the usual Naija composition norm, the track failed to successfully launch Donna.

In what seems like a deliberate effort to capture the market, Diva, who has been singing with a life band for over five years, where her professional career began, is back with a new song, Gaga.

“Gaga is officially my second single, though I stayed too long behind the scenes after my first album, Shut up. So, I just decided that I would come up with something this year,” she said.

On the choice of Gaga for a title, the graduate of Obafemi Awolowo University explained, “I wanted to do something extremely creative for the video, so, I titled it Gaga. It just means you should loosen yourself and just enjoy the music and relax. I only found a title to interpret the video in a unique way. I used my experience to do that song; usually when I’m angry or sad, I use music to cool off and I know that people love music be it local or international.

We all love music and different genres have a way of making you feel differently, depending on your mood. It’s basically talking of the role of music in every human’s life.”

Comparing the two songs, Donna says, “Shut up is good too and I did that song for people who like running others down for no reason. It was borne out of my personal experience, which made me very mad; a lot of people experience such too. You hear people say things like, ‘I just don’t like this girl, I don’t know why,’ and I think it’s stupid. Besides when people see you attempting something, they discourage you by saying things like, ‘don’t even bother, I have tried it before and it didn’t work.”

The track, according to Donna, is also a sort of encouragement to young artistes, who struggle everyday to break into limelight.

“The song is actually talking to such people and also encouraging those going through such to believe in themselves; to love themselves and never let anybody run them down. The single pushed me out there and gave me recognition, which I’m riding on right now.”

She continued: “Just like Gaga, Shut up is different from the usual Nigerian thing, it is not the commercial everybody come and shake you buddy, it is more of this angry girl pouring out her heart.”

The artist who grew up thinking she was going to act as a result of watching Liz Benson, says, “My work will stand out any where because I try to do things that are not too commercial

Stories by Chuks Nwanne

but cut across all races. With time, I might do the kind of thing Nigerians love but I will not loose my flavor by being too commercial. I do all my costumes by myself because I also have a passion for fashion so anything you see in my

videos, including those of the dancers I did it.

When my music takes roots properly, I will launch a fashion label as well.”

According to her, “When I sent the song to my manager in the U.K. where we where supposed

Darey’s Asiko tops chart OBE crooner, Davido joins Gweek’s Ehis in the studio for this Official Naija Top 10,

The Kick. This week’s highest climbers are 2Face, who continues his swift ride up the charts as Dance Floor moves to number 8 and Kcee with discussing the music Limpopo, up two places at number 5. videos and tracks making Every week, the Official Naija Top 10 is put toit big on this week’s Niger- gether by an elite panel of judges comprising ian music scene. of Nigerian broadcasters, music specialists and Weighing in first tastemakers, working with MTV Base to pick place this week is the winners and losers in the week’s chart. On Asiko by Darey, feathe panel are Onos Ariyo (Bella Naija.com), DJ turing Ice Prince Humility (Rhythm FM), DJ Jimmy Jatt, DJ Xcluand Jozi. Davido’s sive (Cool FM), Big Time (Rhythm FM), DJ Caise Gobe climbs into (The Beat FM), Toolz (The Beat FM) and Osagie the number 3 slot, Alonge (Nigerian Entertainment Today). while former numThe thirteenth episode of the Official Naija ber one Ezioku by Top 10 premiered on the MTV Base block on Lynxx slips to numNTA on Friday 31 May, and can be seen on MTV ber 2. The only new Base (DStv Channel 322) on Tuesday 4 June entry in this week’s @22.00 WAT, on AIT on Tuesday 4 June @ 21.30 chart is Wande Coal, WAT, and on STV on Thursday 6 June May @ who enters the chart 18.00 WAT. at number 9 with

boss.”

Meanwhile, Donna has not participated in any Nigerian musical reality show. Not because she doesn’t believe in anyone of them but according to her, “I was doing a lot of travelling because of the band; I didn’t have time to participate in any as much as I wanted to. Though I took part in a reality show in U.K. which is called the Surface Festival and got to the third position, but I have not done any here because I have been busy.”

On this premise, she considers herself an international artiste.

“That is why my job must be of standard. I’m looking to be everywhere in another two years; something really big.”

She regrets that the break between Shut up and Gaga was too long.

“I will not wait for that long anymore; I intend to be dropping singles every now and then and start thinking of going back to the studio to make a full album.”

The Urhobo born artist is happy that Nigerian music is going places.

“You can hear some of our music being played even abroad in some clubs, so, I hope that in a short time our music will be completely accepted.”

Apart from creatively writing her lyrics, “my videos are creatively done. Every element of it is carefully thought of. From costumes to whatever you see, and all done here in Nige-

THE GUARDIAN, Friday, June 7, 2013

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SHOWBLAST

By Chuks Nwanne

ODERN day Nigeria came into being on M January 1, 1914, with the formal amalgamation of the Northern and Southern Protectorates of the former British colony. The British Governor General Frederick Lugard, who took office in 1914, was responsible for overseeing the unification. Therefore, by January 1, 2014, Nigeria will mark 100 years of the union.

To commemorate that anniversary of Nigeria’s existence as a nation, the Federal Government of Nigeria has planned a year-long celebration, which started from February 2013, to end January 2014. The Centenary celebration offers a unique opportunity to focus global attention on the country’s history, peoples, achievements, and aspirations. It is also designed to highlight the key concepts of unity, indivisibility, virility, progress and the promise of the Nigerian federation.

In line with the celebration, the Federal Government of Nigeria has commissioned AOE Events & Entertainment Limited to organise a world-class pageant to promote the Centenary Celebration. Tagged Nigeria Centenary Pageant, the initiative, which is being organised in

Centenary Pageant…

Celebrating the real Nigerian woman partnership with the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs, aside from the general objective of the celebration, will be used as a platform to promote women and youth development, sports and tourism. It will also look at environmental awareness, promote national image and enhance the prestige of Nigeria as a nation.

Addressing a media briefing held recently in Lagos to unveil the project, CEO of AOE and former Beauty Queen, Nike Oshinowo informed that the pageant, which would involve participants from the 36 states of the federation, would be divided into three stages, noting, “Each of the 36 states is expected to produce a contestant worthy of representing her state. This is to be achieved through the various local government areas in the states. The 36 girls selected from the states then move into phase two of the competition. This entails spending two weeks at an undisclosed location in Nigeria, where they are schooled in the art of etiquette, poise and elegance”.

According to the organisers, the camping will be turned into a reality TV show, in which the nation is able to vote for their favourite contestant. The contestants that survive camp will move onto phase three, the Grand Finale.

According to Oshinowo, “It promises to be the mother of all events and will hold in the last week of August. At this prestigious gala, representatives of each state would showcase their state’s traditional costume, while Nigerian fashion designers will be given the opportunity to showcase their designs during the evening wear segment. There will be absolutely to swimwear segment”.

The top three out of the contestants will be chosen, from where the Centenary Queen would be crowned. The winner will be awarded a full scholarship to attend any institution of higher learning anywhere in the world. She will receive a monthly income for the rest of her life, through the Ministry of Women Affairs & Social Development. The lucky lady, who will be crowned by the first Lady of Nigeria, will also be presented with a

car, which will be replaced every five years for the rest of her life.

“She’s expected to reign for 100 years; she will reign supreme for the rest of her life. Her stewardship will be under the guidance of the ministry, where she will be expected to promote different causes that affect the Nigerian women”.

In her remark at the event, the Minister, Federal Ministry of Women Affairs & Social Development, Hajia Zainab Maina described the project as a milestone event that would celebrate the rich heritage Nigeria possess through its diverse beauty, culture and customs.

The minister, who was represented at the event by Mrs. Olusola Dada assured that the Centenary Pageant would produce a decent and well brought up Nigerian lady, who will truly emulate all that is good about Nigeria.

“She will represent our culture, heritage, diverse people and most importantly values. She will be an epitome of beauty, brains and manners; a model for the teeming Nigerian young

Representative of the Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Mrs. Olusola Dada; CEO, AOE, former Beauty Queen and organser of the pageant, Nike Oshinowo and representative of Secretary to the federal Government, Dr. Henry Nzekwu during the briefing… in Lagos

chored by the duo of Saidi Balogun and Alariwo of Africa. Baba Tee, Ojemba and Omo Baba No 1 will be on ground to spice up the HITE House Hotel list is chief launcher, atmosphere with riband Suite, Ikeja, His Royal Highness, Oba cracking jokes.

Lagos will play host to Samson Balogun, The event is put tonotable names in Nolly- Elegbede of Egbeda and gether by Royal Vision wood on Sunday, as guest of honour, Bonin conjunction with movie buffs gather for sue Fuji exponent AdeCelebrity Watch and the première of much wale Ayuba. Earmarked sponsored by City Peotalked about movie, to give zest to the event ple, the all-ankara preAdeda by Princess Allwith his amazing music miere will kick off with well Ademola. from the entertainment a red carpet, which beThe actress cum proscene is Dele Taiwo and gins at 2pm. Adeda, a ducer, Allwell is not leav- Lanre Teriba (Atorise) movie about the trials ing anything out for the among other music of a helpless African grand premiere and raves such as Gabriel woman, parades nolaunch of her first movie Afolayan, Da’ Band Alltable acts such as Saidi as she has on her list of well and Company and Balogun, Funsho Adeguests, eminent person- GT. olu, Allwell Demola, and alities both within the The event, which frontline fuji act, Pasocial and entertainpromises to be funsuma. ment circle. Top on the packed, will be an-

Squeeze sings Dutty Love

Ademola goes to White House with Adeda

INALLY, Henry ‘Squeeze’ Fof his Ekaye is out with the video single, Dutty love. Pro-

W

Squeeze

duced by KUKbeat under the stables of Blackdutch inc, he video was shot and directed by celebrity music video film maker Grand Poucet.

A graduate of Geology from the University of Benin, Squeeze, as he’s fondly called, fuses reggae and hip-hop in the song and features Ivorian born international movie star Emma Lohoues. However, the song is a remix of Jamaican American rapper, singer and songwriter Sean Kingston’s 2010 hit Dutty love.

“It’s a result of the creative side of me. I did it to create a new sound out of Sean Kingston and I enjoy it so

much” Squeeze is no green horn in the music industry; he’s been running a professional career that spans four years, “and ‘there’s more to come,” he assured.

Last year, he released his high voltage mix tape hosted by one of Nigeria’s veteran DJs, DJ Humility, who also had him on his first single titled Drum&bass, released on the first day of 2012 off his forthcoming mixtape.

Promoters of Squeeze; Blackdutch inc, will announce his tour path, concert and album launch date soon.

“Yes, there will be lots of collaborations with the big stars,” Squeeze informed.

38 ARTS

THE GUARDIAn, Friday, June 7, 2013

SHOWBLAST

Joy of Jazz... loud in Jo’burg HEAD of the annual Standard Bank Joy of Jazz concert billed to open on August 22, organisers of the jazz gig have unveiled South African jazz great Abdullah Ibrahim, to join Grammy award- winning trumpeter Terence Blanchard and celebrated pianist Ahmad Jamal at the opening night of show in newstown, Johannesburg.

The festival, which runs through August 24, will parade other notable names such as American Carmen Lundy, an enduring artiste in a jazz vocal tradition that stretches all the way back to Billie Holiday. Acclaimed ‘Big Chief’ of the sax, Donald Harrison, will also be performing with his nephew, Christian Scott, as well as South African trumpeter Lwanda Gogwana. Also on the bill are Grammy award-winning tenor saxophonist Eddie Daniels; Japanese jazz pianist Tsuyoshi Yamamoto and American saxophonist Tia Fuller, who was a member of the all-female band touring with Beyoncé.

This year’s gig will features more than 50 artistes, including Dennis Edwards, a former lead singer for the Motown act, The Temptations, who will be appearing in The Temptations Review, which features Paul Williams Jnr, son of original Temptations member Paul Williams. Peter White from the UK, who first gained fame with his distinctive guitar style as accompanist to Al Stewart and played on Stewart’s landmark Year of the Cat album, will also be on parade. Argentina’s Tango String Quartet; the DRC’s Ray Lema; US vocalist René Marie; Cape Verde’s Marie de Barros and Lenora Raphael from the US. The South African contingent includes Ray Phiri and Stimela; Mlungisi Gegana, who will be paying tribute to the late South African jazz double bassist and pianist Johnny Dyani; Sipho Mabuse who pays homage to Zim ngqawana and Sibongile Mngoma (a former Standard Bank Young Artist), who will release an album in June this year in which classical meets jazz, Afrotraction. Kabomo, Selaelo Selota, Mbuso Khoza, Ivan Mazuze, Jeff Maluleke and Themba Mkhize are also on the bill.

From his roots growing up in Cape Town and Johannesburg, South African composer and keyboardist Adam Glasser is now recognised as one of the world’s leading jazz harmonica players. Glasser has put together a unique jazz collaboration for Standard Bank Joy of Jazz, combining musicians he has played with in both the UK and South Africa including Australia’s Carl Orr, South Africa’s Concord nkabinde (former Standard Bank Young Artist winner for jazz) and nduduzo Makhathini as well as Ghana’s Frank Tontoh.

Shane Cooper, the 2013 Standard Bank Young Artist Award winner for Jazz, will be performing with Bokani Dyer, Kesivan naidoo (another former Standard Bank Young Artist winner for

A

Police previously expressed their desire to speak to the n-Dubz star after she was caught by an undercover reporter for The Sun, trying to arrange the cocaine deal, said to be worth £800, with her friend, rapper Mike GLC. Confirming her arrest, Scotland Yard said in a statement to ITV: “Officers have today arrested two people, a 35-year-old man (A) and a 24-year-old woman (B), by appointment at a central London police station on suspicion of being concerned in the supply of class A drugs.

Tulisa has since been released on bail.”

The former X Factor judge is yet to make an official statement regarding the episode, with a spokesperson for Tulisa declining to comment.

A spokesperson stated: “Following the news that has unfolded this weekend concerning Tulisa - Bank Fashion are currently reviewing their options regarding her continued involvement with Bank and her clothing range TFB.” Sources have since told The Mirror that the brand - which is owned by retail giant JD Sports - is keen to pull the label off the shelves and stop using the n-Dubz star’s image in its marketing campaigns.

The Rolling Stones ‘want Adele for Hyde Park Gig’

Eddie Daniels jazz), Reza Khota and Justin Bellairs. There will also be a performance from the Peter Auret Trio comprising Auret, Roland Moses and James Sunney of Watershed fame, with special guest Joe Penn on saxophone.

Described as the most gifted musician ever to blend African and American music, Abdullah Ibrahim has enjoyed a career that has spanned half a century as a pianist and composer. He has worked with many legends of South African and global jazz.

When he returned to South Africa in the 1970s to record his masterpiece, Mannenberg, he earned his place among South Africa’s greatest musicians. His sold-out performances continue to thrill jazz fans from around the world.

By Chika Onwukwe

Wrong with Nollywood’, erudite scholar of comparative literature at Harvard University, United States, Prof. Biodun Jeyifo, gave useful insight into how nigerian motion picture industry can be made better with the art of storytelling. Although he gave thumbs up to some practitioners, who he said have kept to the tradition of filmmaking, Jeyifo pointed out key areas that needed upgrade.

Specifically, he laid emphasis on screenplays, adding that a good movie starts from a good script.

“But many Nollywood screenplays are so trashy, so

‘How imaginative thinking spurs good story’ naïve, so bizarre and so reactionary that it simply takes the breath away that people, many of them university graduates of theatre and drama, actually append their names to these screenplays as authors,” the United States-based scholar said.

Jeyifo frowned at many Nollywood storylines, which he said, defy logic and structure, especially in the resolution of their conflicts.

However, the professor testified that he had seen a good number of Nollywood screenplays in which the quality of the writing either completely escaped the logic of the production process that maximizes quantity over quality or were not in fact structured by this logic.

In that group are cinematographer Tunde Kelani (TK), Prof. Akinwunmi Ishola in collaboration

Tchidi

Tulisa bailed after arrest over suspicion of supplying Class A drugs ULISA has been released on bail T after being arrested on suspicion of supplying class A drugs.

MoviBuzz n his lecture recently at ReI‘What deemers University entitled is Right and what is

SOMEWHEREELSE

with Adebayo Faleti. Tchidi Chikere was also mentioned by the Harvard teacher as one of those whose films, sometimes rose above the level of the normative trashiness and mediocrity.

In a chat with Tchidi Chikere, the prolific screenwriter/director informed that it took strong visual and mental imagination to create a good story, adding, “I generate stories out of my imagination combined with real life situations I have experienced or heard about.

It’s basically what I can imagine and to what extent I can imagine it, together with realities that I live with everyday both physical, social, religious, psychological and even spiritual realities”.

Chikere’s simple creation process involves, “shutting my eyes and imagining myself in that situation, and asking, ‘being character A what will I do, put myself in character B situation, what will I do and so on?’. I had to be everybody and react outside of myself to certain situations that I have created in my story. That way I’m dealing with real life people and real life characters; maybe that’s why I live a very intricate life, very different from the usual at the same time not sliding into eccentricity.

Chikere has a fertile imagination, which makes it easy for him to be a ‘god’ in small era, creating people and situations.

He noted, “I put them in that situation, work with them and watch them conquer or get conquered by the situation depending on the theme”.

To write a good script, Chikere is of the opinion that the writer has to be foresighted and equally develop a strong passion for looking inwards, employing sound, visual and mental imagination.

“You have to see your story inside of you; you have to see it very clear before your eyes. You also have to believe it and ask yourself, ‘if I were among the viewers in the cinema watching this movie, will I believe it?”

For the scriptwriter and director, it takes a deep sense of solitude, commitment and discipline to be creative, and as he added, “It takes the presence of a story in you because, if it’s not there and you have all I have mentioned, you can’t create anything”.

Although Chikere had formal training in creative writing, he is of the view that one must be naturally endowed with creativity before such person could create effectively.

“Education will only shape what is already in you,” he concluded.

HE Rolling Stones apparently want UK songstress Adele to T join them on stage at their huge Hyde Park shows in July.

According to The Sun, Mick Jagger and Co are keen to land the Someone Like You singer for a special performance, meaning Adele will follow in the footsteps of Lady Gaga and Katy Perry who have all recently sung with the rockers.

A source revealed: “The Stones would love to get Adele on with them. It would be a massive coup, even for them, because she’s been a bit reclusive since her son Angelo James was born.

“She is the name they want to announce as their special guest — and their invite should be special enough to get her out on stage.

“At the minute it’s 50/50 that she’ll do it, but Mick is quietly confident he can pull it off. They want to make the Hyde Park shows a highlight of their tour, and her appearing would make it really special.”

The insider continued: “The group think female performers are a great complement for Mick ever since Florence Welch got on stage with them at London’s O2 Arena last year for Gimme Shelter.

Will Smith: ‘I don’t want to do Men In Black 4’ ILL Smith has revealed that W he would not want to be involved in another potential Men In Black movie.

It was confirmed earlier this year that a fourth installment of the aliens and secret agents comedy-drama was in the pipeline at Sony - but Big Willy doesn’t want to play Agent J again.

He told Collider: “I think three is enough for me. Three of anything is enough for me.

“We’ll look at it and we’ll consider it, but it feels like it might be time to let someone else do that.”

Will is currently starring alongside son Jaden Smith in After

Mista Silva steps in with Now What’s Up HEn the Azonto W craze was sweeping Europe, Afrobeats star Mista Silva was one of the fore-runners on the UK Afrobeats scene, winning over fans with his hit singles, signature style and most especially, his Azonto hit single, Boom Boom Taah. now, he is back collaborating with the producer of his popular hit to bring to his fans another Afrobeat groove, Now Wats Up.

THE GUARDIAN, Friday, June 7, 2013

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VisualArts

Some of the participants, Bilikis Atiku (left); Michael Olatunde; Endurance Eremiokhale; Kehinde Balogun; Perpetual Nwoyeocha and Joshua Edigbe PHOTO BY: THE UNITED STATES CONSULATE, AYO DURODOLA

With UNITE , American scholar taps the arts for youth development

By Tajudeen Sowole N four months, Fulbright, U.S. scholar, Erica Licht-led You Iacross and I Teach Each Other (UNITE) initiative engaged youths Lagos, via diverse creative activities with the aim of promoting justice and non-violence approach to conflict resolution.

Licht’s project employed the visual arts, among several creative areas in taking a space in mentorship as painter Duke Asidere and video artist, Jude Anogwih took the young participants in the Ajegunle sections of the project through the world of contemporary art.

A few days ago, the project berthed at Freedom Park with a graduation ceremony after the participants shared their experience of the past four months with the audience at U.S. Consulate in Lagos. But ahead of the conclusion of the activities, Licht took a guest through the aims of UNITE and the formats, which had 30 young participants from each community mentored on a weekly basis at workshops in Ajegunle, Ogudu and Lagos Island. For the visual arts sections of the project, it was quite instructive that two genres from the extreme ends of modern and contemporary art – painting and video art – found spaces in UNITE. Also employed were other creative areas such as music, performing arts and yoga.

According to Licht, “UNITE is s justice programme that engages youth in Lagos, from age 15, in an experiential learning

project using criminal justice, environmental and life skills curriculum”.

At this period of challenge in Nigeria’s nationhood, securing the future through better orientation of the youth could be very crucial. Perhaps, exposing the youths to areas of the arts such as visual arts, music, performing arts and seeing established artists working among them, among several activities of UNITE, could take the mentality of the young ones away from divisive and hate characteristics that make conflict resolution difficult. This much appears to be the goal of Licht.

While speaking about the workshops, Asidere recalled how it was fascinating for him to engage the young ones in painting, photography, and even in the area of art as complex as dealership. Asidere, whose studio is situated in Egbeda, did not go to Ajegunle for the workshop alone, saying, “I had film practitioners Aondofa Saaka and Ralph Anire with me in Ajegunle. We all spent time talking, learning”. The core of the workshops, he stressed, was “to tell every one to put their best in whatever they do”.

Clearly, whatever could be used to prepare the minds of the youths for a better tomorrow is worth all the trouble and sacrifice, with Litch adding that the project, “teaches positive behavioural skills to youths through education on security and justice issues in Lagos”.

She argued that for youths to learn and cultivate decent attitude, “supplemental programming in nature provides a classroom to teach conflict resolution practices such as stress management, personal development and interpersonal group

Painter, Duke Asidere (left) showing young participants at UNITE the rudiments of art

Erica Licht, during one of the workshops in Lagos PHOTO BY: THE UNITED STATES CONSULATE, AYO DURODOLA skills free from the distractions of the urban environment”.

While watching Asidere at work during the workshop, Licht, particularly saw an exciting side of the painter, even at her level of exposure. This perhaps, suggested that the memory of the workshop would reverberate in the lives of the participating youths for a long time.

For example, she noted how “Asidere made a point that you can make a career doing what you love”. In selecting artists for the project, Licht found Asidere a fascinating artist who “creates an art piece within an hour and a half”.

Just returned from a residency in Vienna, Austria, Anogwih, a member of Video Art Network, Lagos, narrated his experience of the Ajegunle side of UNITE. He recalled how the youths had brilliant interactions during the workshop, particularly sharing amazing views on creativity, art and technology, adding, “I was amazed by their keen interest in the use of moving and still images in creating experimental videos”.

A consistent advocate of new media art, Anogwih also screened videos from previous workshops in Lagos and Khartoum.

He, however, confessed how “my myopic view and stereotypes of Ajegunle were totally nullified as I saw a community in all senses orderly, beautiful and eager to engage positively”.

From the perspective of African contemporary art, the participating youths must have been fortunate that they were exposed to video art so early; it could provide a wider perspective in information dissemination should any of the young participants choose to improve their environment in the future though activism.

This much Anogwih reflected by introducing unfamiliar application of video as a different form of art to the participants.

He showed some works of other artists who have used video to make statements about their environment, stressing how it could be shot, even with common technology as the camera of a cell phone.

On video as an art form, Litcht expressed delight that the participants were able to see video from other perspectives apart from the regular one. With the assistance of Goethe Institut, Lagos, which provided the projector, it was a great experience, as enthused by the visiting scholar.

Before heading to Nigeria, Licht had taken the project to New York, Wyoming, Uganda, Trinidad and Jamaica. Despite all the warnings from some countries of the west about security concerns in Nigeria, why did Licht choose the country?

“I did not choose Nigeria”, she quipped, and quickly clarifying, she added: “I chose Lagos”. Licht argued that the difference between Lagos and the rest of Nigeria is so huge. Within her four months’ stay in Nigeria, she said she had traveled in and out of Lagos quite a number of times, noting, “I travelled out of Lagos a lot, but the moment I returned to Lagos, it’s like I am in another place”.

Selecting the young participants didn’t seem such a difficult task, she said. In each community, she worked with a local partner who selected the participants that were mostly secondary school students. From one community to another the ages of participants varied. “Secondary school students were about 18 years in Ogudu; in Lagos Island and Ajegunle, the participants were much older, from 24 years”.

The UNITE partners are Youth Concerns and Development Initiatives Africa, Gifted Generation, Central Lagos Island Police Station and Ogudu Senior Grammar School.

THE GUARDIAN, Friday, June 7, 2013

40 ARTS

From the Diaspora, Da Silva’s abstraction in headlong home dive

By Tajudeen Sowole HEN Lucerne, Switzerlandbased artist, Raoul Olawale Da Silva’s solo art exhibition titled Inner Worlds, Outer Space opens at The Wheatbaker Hotel, Ikoyi, Lagos on Sunday, June 9, 2013, abstract in its unambiguous tone will return to the Lagos art circuit.

For the fear of overwhelming influence in representational forms across certain sections of the Nigeria art, frontal approach to abstraction appeared to have taken a flight out of mainstream Lagos art space in recent years. Apart from insignificant appearances of mostly old works of abstraction content at auctions, once or twice in a year perhaps, no art exhibition in the last five to seven years has come as close as populating the walls with works that remind us of the need to stretch art enthusiasts and connoisseurs’ intellect beyond their comfort shells. And that Da Silva is making his first solo debut at home makes the show a bold and risky venture.

From paintings that are as detailed in tones and shades, to drawings as well as design-like rendition that energise veins of scholarly articulation, Da Silva has innocently taken a bold step to rescue abstraction from its stranded and orphaned state in Lagos art environment, weaving into his themes personal life experiences outside the studio.

This much is more pronounced in some of the artist’s large canvases, either infusing an unpleasant skateboarding experience or sharing his love for sci-fi themes.

The title Inner Worlds, Outer Space,

W

he explained, is based on memories, adding, “My experience, memories of several situations and sometimes unpleasant ones over the years inspired the title”, he said during a chat.

And as intense as well as detailed as Da Silva’s work is, he claimed an “unpremeditated” process in producing his art, saying, “After a long time, the muscle takes a reflex kind, memorizing actions”.

Indeed, quite a number of artists also profess spontaneity, but composites produced from such works most times betray unpremeditated or non-composition approach to creating art. Da Silva’s work is not an exception. In fact, his claim of deriving inspiration or “natural markings that are already present” in materials or objects, seems to contradict spontaneity. The marks, he said, “are orientation points from which I start my quest of creating the right tension, balance, imbalance rhythm”.

Among such works that are quite of interest are the flavours from periods of masters across generations and races: one could distil the Picasso non-representational and blue periods as well as some blend of Osogbo strokes. With a large part of his works labeled Untitled, access to the artist’s interpretation is not exactly as complex as envisaged; the inspirations behind each work comes to the rescue.

For example, in one of the works, his adventure in skateboarding, which he said nearly caused him his life, is depicted in a conspicuously placed bone, among other images and signs that oscillate between im-

pressionism and cubism. Such inspirations, he explained, also comes from the energy he sees in the ocean waves, “particularly in Lagos”.

That nearly half of his works are Untitled further stresses his mission to be, which is innocently different from the regular Lagos art contents.

Leaving works in blank themes, with the hope of allowing a viewer to generate dialogue or monologue is not exactly new. But it could be more tasking when such works are from the core abstract as Da Silva’s, isn’t it? The abstraction, he argued, is even the reason for anyone to be curious and engage the work in a dialogue.

Da Silva’s unbending or non-conformist rendition is not for lack of the understanding of the Nigerian art space. Since he left Nigeria in 1982, Da Silva, who is of mixed Nigerian father and Swiss mother, has been coming to Nigeria, “almost every other year”. Clearly, the artist is not unfamiliar with the current trends or diverse tones of largely representational and figural Nigerian art scene. “Yes, each time I come here, I get myself familiar with the vast creative art scene here”.

As Inner World, Outer Space is showing for three months, ending September 15, 2013, Da Silva has enough ventilation to promote his kind of art just as Nigerian art connoisseurs have the prerogative to scale a kind of art that has no traces of African root, at least from the thematic perspective. It is not exactly clear how much of Da Silva’s Lagos background of Yoruba and Brazilian origins are expressed in the works.

But the curator, Sandra Obiago ar-

Raoul Olawale Da Silva’s Untitled

PHOTO BY: KELECHI AMADI OBI

gued that the theme, Inner Worlds, Outer Space derives its link from the Brazilian ancestry, diversity in Nigeria, and the artist’s motherland, Switzerland, noting, “What we see here is an artist with African and European roots, who has used multi-ethnic brush strokes to interpret life; a rich world of inner reflection, surging into an outer space of color”.

As Da Silva is back home, most likely to move his base to Lagos, he may have to thicken the African flavour of his art through derivatives from native idioms, signs and motifs. Although the artist regretted that “I don’t speak Yoruba”, he can still dig into some old Lagos slogans as he retrieves the memory

of growing up in Lagos Island with childhood friend, artist Alex Nwokolo. More importantly, with Nigerian art gradually making inroad into the European art market, it may no longer be safe for African artists to hide their roots under the cover of not being identified with a particular race.

Some of Da Silva’s art exhibitions abroad include Exhibition, Vitrine Kleintheater, Lucerne, Switzerland, 1987; Concerts & performances across Switzerland, as percussionist and singer, 1992-2007; Exhibition at the National Museum, Onikan, Lagos, Nigeria; Group Exhibition , Miniature Artfair 2006 , Lagos.

Oghagbon’s canvas brings Argungu, Emir to Lagos ROM his past projects, Moses Aboigbodin FNigeria Oghagbon shared the beauty of Northern in a show titled Argungu Series 1, held at Terra Kulture, Victoria Island, Lagos.

Inspired by his National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) period project tagged Tour Nigeria of 2004, the content of Argungu Series 1 traverse the famous yearly cultural event, Argungu International Fishing and Cultural Festival in Kebbi State of which the town is renowned.

Having been so familiar with the town even after his service days, Oghagbon is compelled to tell the story of the Argungu, which he argued, most people do not know outside the fishing festival. He explained, “The exhibition talks more about the people, rural scenes and womanhood before, during and after the Ar-

gungu International Fishing Festival”.

Some of his captures on canvas, which include activities that are related to the festival, there are quite a number of other shots as well. For example, in a work titled After Performance, the artist’s rendition of participants heading home, brings the beauty out of a harsh, hazy weather. Dissolving the skyline in the horizon into the creamy-like desert landscape that appears to be swallowing the ‘fishermen’, Oghagbon brings to the fore the hidden tourism potentials of Argungu that are not known outside the famous festival.

The artist traced the history of Argungu Festival to 1934 “as a goodwill gesture and celebration of peace between the people of Sokoto and Argungu”, and argued that, “it is the

largest festival of its type in Nigeria”.

However, his focus in this show, he stressed “is to change the perception of people; Argungu is not all about men in water alone”.

And having bottled his love for the northern landscape and people for almost a decade, Oghagbon chooses to celebrate nature and creativity with the traditional institution of Argungu. At the opening of Argungu Series 1, the Emir, Alhaji Samaila Muhammadu Mera was represented by Alhaji Abubakar Dan-Mallam (District Head Bui) and the state government’s representative, Mr. Abel Akinosi de, Chief Consultant, Argungu Fishing Festival.

The artist confessed: “I found the north most fascinating; the landscape, people, always appeal to me”.

And if words are not enough to express his love for the people and their rich nature, pictures would do most tellingly, so suggests paintings such as ‘The Family and Ammata (maiden)’. He also depicts single parenting in ‘The Family’ – a mother and three kids – noting that possibly as a result of loss of a spouse, a mother is left to cater for her children, the artist also links such unfortunate situation to

abandoned children. Most almajiris, he argued, are from single parents or orphans.

In Ammata comes what he described as “gorgeously dressed young ladies who come from Yado to Argungu for water. The Argungu Series, the artist disclosed, is an ongoing show, which he hoped to take to Abuja, perhaps as Argungu Series II. However, on a broader scale, Oghagbon has quite a vast work from his Tour Nigeria project that may be a bigger project in the future. “I have toured some places across Nigeria, documenting nature in paintings”.

Argungu was carved out of old Sokoto State when Kebbi State was created in August 1991 with its capital at Birnin Kebbi, an ancient town dating back to the 14th century.

Oghagbon’s debut solo show, Scapes From Nigeria was held at Nike Art Gallery Lagos in 2011. Some of his past group and joint shows include Our Time at Terra Kulture, Victoria Island, Lagos; From Eko With Love series, Ember Creek, Awolowo Road, Ikoyi, Lagos in 2012 and at International Art Expo, National Commissions For Museums and Monuments, Onikan, Lagos.

Creative kids fight malaria with art

By Tony Nwanne using their talents in FviaOR the fight against malaria, arts competition, 12

Moses Oghagbon explaining his works to representatives of the Emir and other guests during the opening of Argungu Series 1, in Lagos

young artists were recognized during an art competition “Creative kids against Malaria”, which took place Victoria Island Secondary School (Kuramo Senior College).

The students, ranging from age nine to 14, participated in the competition organized as

part of ExxonMobil’s longterm commitment to Roll Back Malaria in Nigeria.

Malaria is responsible for more than 300,000 preventable deaths every year.

The competition honoured children and youth in 2 categories: “Draw the lines against malaria” - a drawing Competition for Primary School Students; and “Write off malaria” - an essay Competition for Secondary School Students. Both competitions were organized

to raise awareness about malaria and its effects.

From the senior category of the drawing competition, Keji Omotosho, Ashimu, and Janet Stephen emerged the first, second and the third position. In the senior category of the essay writing, Abiola Nihinlola, Oyeneyin Mary, and Chika Kelechukwu, all from the Methodist Girls High School, Lagos, emerged the first, second and the third position.

THE GUArDIAN, Friday, June 7, 2013

ArTS 41

Literature Rifts from the phoenix in Shadrach and Other Poems – Illusions “I am the fish who slipped away Through your net, Fisherman.

– I Am the Fish who Slipped Away

By Tade Ipadeola HE elders of time are gathered tonight “T round Eternity’s fire burning bright rallied together to know your score Child don’t panic, we’ve seen you before” The 21st century began, it appears for African literature, with frenetic and varied poetic output from voices highly differentiated in technique, aesthetic approach and thematic concern. The voices also differ in many respects but are collectively moored, unlike 20th century African writing, which mirrored Europe as much as it did Africa, to a discernible tradition of African tropes.

Prefatory comments ought not to overly generalize, however, and the offerings of Oka Obono’s debut collection Shadrach and Other Poems (Khalam Editions, South Africa; 2013) are as much about tradition as they are about individual talent.

A student of African poetry will immediately recognize in the excerpt quoted from Birth of a South African Orphan the extrapolation of private pre-occupation and musing echoed in both J.P Clark’s ‘Abiku’ and also Wole Soyinka’s poem of the same title. One of the differences here is that the voice in Birth is not indulging in any dramatic monologue like the poems referred to above. The voice narrates, moderates, is tempered as steel.

The voice does not assume the consciousness of the child. What we have is a prismatic view of phenomena all too common on the continent, and an economy of emotion which suggests acclimatization or a scholar’s distance.

The ironies in the poetry of Obono are subtle and nuanced. Anyone who has been inside the rainbow Nation, for instance, knows that the deleterious effects of the system known as Bantu education are still very much alive. One consequence of this is the funny fact that South Africans, both black and white, refer to other people from the continent as Africans. As if they were somewhat different, creatures from Krypton perhaps. But paying close attention, Obono’s audience discovers that, though far from any form of homogeneity, Africans and indeed other citizens of the world share certain commonalities which are called, for convenience, the human condition. No one is exempt. The tourist from Germany contemplating the Sphinx, the travelling French writer passing from Onitsha to Asaba at dawn, the Kenyan student on field study in

Mexico, these are all elements of the new poetics which, a century back in time, would hardly characterize the poetry of poets on the continent. The lesson? The African is not where you left him. She moved on.

What might a systematic rather than a random study of Shadrach and Other Poems reveal? We do well to begin at the beginning.

“On the road again, A silly raindrop splashes Smack on my nose Flattening it some more” – Preludes “What is the structure of an illusion?

Is it big, or small?

Does it crouch, or stand tall?

These are all excerpts from opening lines from the first poem in the collection, the poem in the approximate middle and the last poem in the collection. They are preponderantly liquid, changeable as changelings, clever. The playfulness in these poems is the velvet that sometimes conceals granite. And yes, though we hardly call it rockfalls, it is only a fool that surmises waterfalls as consisting of water alone. There is much to say, of course, on an element so recurrent in the poetic practice of any poet but all in due time.

Obono plays at self-deprecation in a manner assured to throw the unobservant. In Preludes for example, with faint echoes of Wordsworth, Isaac Newton and Okigbo, the poetic persona crystallizes racial identity with the aid of an element and of course he drives it home with the force of gravity. He early introduces kinesis, poetic resistance to inertia, and the embodiment of aspirations on a journey. He is undeniably African, no chisels will ever erase the outlines of that nose as indeed happened with the couchant Sphinx. This poet is aware of physical and metaphysical dimensions of life and thought, of the power of singularity and reflection, of the eternity of words above basalt.

It is a motif that the poet deploys time and again in the body of his work. The poetics of Obono is as much against rigidity as it is against stasis. Indeed, the conclusion from the biological sciences from the end of the 19th century is that it is not the strongest or most intelligent that survives but the most adaptable. And creativity is about adaptability as it is about ideology or fun. Obono’s metaphysics is intriguing, he imposes geometries on chance, shapes upon illusions and conclusions from intersecting nature. It is refreshing, like a walk in the rain, but also dangerous, thunder may strike.

The unapologetic stance of the mind in these poetic creations is protean and emphatically Christian even as it is scientific and subversively methodical. regale yourself with the last poem in the collection. In it, the reader will hear vivid echoes of the

Submission of entries opens for children’s literature contest NTrIES are being invited for 2013 children’s E literature competition. Being organized by the Splendid Literature & Culture Foundation, best six unpublished stories by Nigerian writers of children’s literature aged 11-21 years, resident in Nigeria, will be selected and published after the contest.

Submitted stories should entertain and enlighten, with strong Nigerian/African content. The panel of judges constituted by the foundation will assess each entry on the depth, originality and quality of the writing and the story’s appeal to its intended audience. Above all, these stories are to stimulate the imagination of the readers to think and solve problems in novel ways.

All entries must be original, unpublished stories in English. Plays and poems are not eligible. Entrants are not expected to illustrate their stories unless they wish to do so. This will not affect the assessment. Entries must fall

within one of the following two categories: For junior writers, it’s an original unpublished story in English for children between the ages of 8 – 12, with length up to 3,000 words. For senior authors, it should be an original unpublished story in English for young adults between the ages of 13 and 17, with length up to 6,000 words.

The best three stories per category will be selected for publication by the Foundation’s panel of Judges. The usual royalty and publication terms will apply to every story published by the Foundation. The publishers reserve the customary rights regarding all publishing decisions. The copyright of each entry will remain vested in the author, unless otherwise agreed in writing between the entrant and the Foundation.

Submissions should be typewritten or legibly handwritten, double spaced on numbered pages. Electronic entries, submitted

online, should be in clear and legible fonts.

Illegible entries will be disqualified; include a passport photograph, name, residential address, phone number and email address on the title page of the manuscript, with only the full name of entrant on each numbered page of the submission; entries must be submitted under the entrant’s real name. Pseudonyms are not permitted and not more than one entry per entrant will be accepted.

For online submission, entries can be submitted through entries@splendidfoundation.com or six copies of the entry manuscript can also be submitted at the foundation office at 31, Alhaji Tokan Street, Alaka Estate, Surulere, Lagos.

Submissions should be accompanied by evidence of Nigerian citizenship (photocopied/scanned copy of birth certificate, Nigerian passport or Nigerian ID Card).

The closing date for all entries is August 31.

voice that first intoned that the meek shall inherit the earth. Witness the literary transfiguration of the poetic persona, from the ichthys that escaped the fisherman’s net to the bird that escaped the fowler to the child that stayed with the mother. The audience overhears a triumphalist tone which is tempered as the anthropogenic denouement approaches. The poetics here can be overly self-aware and deft for the neophyte, the shifts in mood a shade too subtle for the untrained eye. But in the enduring fact that they underscore hope, they thrive beyond ‘Abiku’ reach.

The reader may eventually come to excuse the flourishes of the soul expressed in some of the lines if they appear too indulgent. The story of the manuscript which ultimately became Shadrach and Other Poems is by itself absorbing and compelling. The poet had, over a period spanning close to a decade, written the individual poems in this collection. They were, for the most part, woven from the fabric of his crests and troughs and clearly have the texture of the times they were garnered. Then came, unannounced, a fire that gutted the office in which the manuscript was kept. Everything else burnt but the manuscript which was in an oxygen-starved drawer in the inferno.

After the fire was doused, the manuscript was the only item salvaged practically intact. It had indeed come a long way.

The title poem is in this sense a re-animation of the word that became idea and thus indestructible. The greatest poets of the last century, Ceslaw Milosz among them, have maintained the validity and potency of the visionary imagination fed by positive religion and by intellectual curiosity. In this age, it has become almost anathema to even be sympathetic to religion. Yet the human condition has undeniably been advanced by it even if at intervals, the fanatic gene had mutated into cancerous growth. The amiable thing is that Obono’s poetics is stalwart, intellectually virile and constructively religious, a rare thing indeed. He brings to bear on his poetic creations the sum total of lived experience as well as fitting these with imaginative wings. The patient reader can actually see how the body of work came together in the poet’s mind, playfully, with damascene intricacy and the lightest touch of capacious philosophy. Death may be present but life won’t be denied.

Time and space will not allow simultaneous treatment of both the aesthetics and the poetics of the new work under review but it is clearly the product of a fine sensibility.

There are a hundred and ten poems in this collection, the quality of the poems are uneven, they range from the excellent, supremely wrought to the so-so. But taken altogether, I, personally find myself agreeing unequivocally with the writer of the volume’s foreword, Dr. Obododimma Oha, that there is sufficient spark, crackle, rage and glow here to announce the arrival of a fine imaginative spirit in the firmament of our letters. I am glad that, like the phoenix, from the ashes rose, not the remains, but the burnished essence of a mind genuinely at work.

POETRY

Common Sense

By Sotanmide Oluwatobi Moses That famed hoary freak?

Just lay-by, it will stroll by, On the street, below the feet, It is trod, as one undone.

Can it be that men can court Your surplus weight, Bearing sloppily, That you fall so often?

Take a rest in flinty place, Fair folk of scarce hue; Man now must need his pride, To strain in search on bended spine.

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THE GUARDIAN, Friday, June 7 , 2013

Customer Experience

By Chuck Wallin here exist certain basic truths about customers (and people in general) today, that were not strong motivators or deterrents, 10 years ago but now represent huge opportunities or threats. The real significance of the customer truths lie in the fact that they are at work in some manner, in nearly every buying experience. However, some truths are so strong in some customer segments that if recognized and acted upon, will create a competitive edge for a business. Businesses must make an effort to know their “new customer” and what has changed in their needs. Assumptions based on pre-internet, pre-cell phone, pre-600 channel cable TV, frame of reference may no longer be accurate.

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Truth # 1: Customers are paying less and less attention to traditional print advertising.

Today there are hundreds of TV stations. The number of magazines and newspapers seem to be too numerous to count. As a result, a marketer cannot reach a significant percentage of prospects with any one communication. There is enough consumer and trade magazines to keep a reader busy 24 hours a day 7 days a week.

Because of this truth, many big companies have cut back or abandoned their mass advertising in favor of more targeted marketing that is aligned with today’s customer. While many businesses know their marketing mix has changed over the

Seven Customer Truths that are Driving CRM

last 10 years, they do not know where their best customers are coming from now as compared to ten years, five years, or one year ago.

able price, with the right level of service, they will not seek alternatives. However, all three must be there. Customer needs change and some product features may not be as important Truth # 2: Customers value time to customers as they were five today more than ever. years ago. Some businesses are The clutter in our lives (caused finding out that ease of use and mostly by mass advertising) is good customer support will just getting worse. It is physically outweigh quality in the buying impossible for a consumer to decision of many products. pay attention to everything that marketers put in front of them. Truth #4: Pareto’s Law (or the There are only 24 hours in the 80/20 rule) is a long established day! The one critical resource business rule that has been today that is in short supply is proven repeatedly across many time. No one can buy more time. industries.

Every business should: The rule says that a business Keep all interactions with cuswill derive 80 percent of its tomers relevant and valuable. profits from 20 percent of its Do not waste the buyer’s time customers. with products that are not rele- It is very straight forward and vant. can be proven if a particular While no one has enough time organization wishes to test it today, some customers have this over time. as their number one priority, While Pareto’s law has been more than price and quality! around forever, it has extra sigKnow if any customer segments nificance today. What are your are extremely time sensitive. best customers buying today as People are willing to pay to save opposed to last year? Are your time. best customers from 5 years ago still with you? Do these cusTruth # 3: Customers realize that tomers want to do more busiproduct quality has improved in ness with you? What is conalmost all industries. tributing to customer loyalty?

Customers are not rushing to the highest quality product in Truth #5: Even a very small areas where the highest quality decrease in customer defection is just not necessary. A product can have a huge effect on profmust have enough quality to get its. the job done, but superior quali- The American Management ty is not the guarantee of market Association reports that over a share as it was in the past. If a 10-year period an organization customer is getting the right can improve revenues up to quality of product, at an accept-

Infotech4dExecutives

By Michelle N Symonds he growth of BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) has given rise to a number of problems regarding Data Protection. BYOD by its very nature opens up companies’ sensitive files and information to risk so businesses need to be aware of their employees’ habits regarding their personal mobile devices and their work. While an employee may not consider the act of using their own iPhone or iPad to send and receive files relating to their work a risk, they need to be aware of all potential security threats before they fully embrace a BYOD programme.

This is, of course, partly the responsibility of IT departments and HR departments; there is a definite need for companies to have clear policies in place regarding BYOD or employees have no guidance and confidential information will be at risk.

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What Risks are presented by BYOD? Because BYOD means that a user owns and maintains the device which is being utilised for work purposes, this also means that IT departments will have much less control over the data than under traditional approaches to data access. In the past, BYOD was never a consideration because corporations owned and managed all mobile devices used for professional purposes. These devices were naturally contained within the confines of the workplace but with the advent of BYOD, there are now multiple devices potentially roaming all over the world containing potentially sensitive information. It is, therefore, vital that IT departments consider

BYOD and Data Protection

what type of data are being accessed, how they are being stored, how they are being shared and how great is the risk those data falling into the wrong hands.

Another point for organisations to consider is whether there is a risk of blurring, in terms of personal and professional information. IT professionals need to look at the devices in question and consider their security capabilities... this is complex as no device will have the same ability regarding security as they can be configured individually. There must also be thought given with regards to employee’s leaving the business... how will data be protected if the employee in question is taking their own device along with them into another position?

The loss or theft of a device is another issue relating to data protection; can the device in question be quarantined easily? If not, then what steps can be taken to ensure that this is a possibility and does the employee understand what will happen if they should lose their device? With BYOD becoming more and more popular it is essential that these and other issues are considered and that appropriate action is taken to ensure that the Data Protection is guaranteed.

Legal advice should be sought where appropriate in order to assess the implications of any BYOD security issues; this will protect not only the employer but the employee and potentially the public if sensitive or personal files are being shared on personal devices.

49% with just a 10% increase in customer retention.

Furthermore, studies show that organizations report a loss of approximately 50% of their customer base every 5 years.

Businesses are picking up quickly on this concept because it represents the “low hanging fruit” of profits. If a company can identify why even a small number of customers defect to the competition they can make changes quickly and improve profits almost immediately.

the time of their first purchase until they become ex-customers. LTV becomes a very important concept when a business must decide how much to invest in acquiring and servicing different types of customers. Even though it sounds obvious, businesses are having a difficult time coming up with an accurate formula for calculating LTV. By knowing the lifetime value of a customer segment, a company can take a loss in the early stages of the relationship because it knows the value will increase over time.

Truth #6: Customers have a Lifetime Value (LTV).

Often an average customer will Truth #7: It is roughly six times spend X number of dollars from cheaper to sell a product to an

existing customer than it is to acquire a new one.

This rule is at the heart of all Customer Relationship Management discussions, and has been tested and retested in the last few years.

Big business is spending millions on tools to create strong customer relationships because of the high expense of acquisition. The customer retention rate is becoming the real value barometer of a company’s effectiveness.

Many businesses spend a lion’s share of their marketing budget trying to acquire new customers while ignoring their existing ones.

xecutives Finance 4 Smart Investments Sure to

By Jayla Barnsen hen you’re ready for your small business to grow up, there are many different steps that you could take to get things rolling. It can be difficult to decide where to invest your limited capital so that you get the most bangs for your buck. Here are four smart investments that you may want to make to help your business grow up.

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1. CRM Software One of the best investments that you can make for your small business is to put money into customer relationship management software. CRM software can be extremely helpful to your company and it can help you take things to a new level.

This type of software makes it possible to keep track of all of the interactions that your company has with a customer. This way, every time a customer calls in or contacts you, you’ll know exactly where things were left. You can track calls, market to customers, and automate all kinds of information.

2. Outsourcing Another investment that you may want to make is putting some money into outsourcing. Instead of hiring internally to handle everything, you can usually get the same thing by outsourcing.

Through online programs, you can hire a professional to do what you need done on a job to job basis. Whether you need a bookkeeper, sales help, janitorial work, or practically anything else, you can most likely get it by outsourcing. This helps you pay for exactly what you need instead of having to pay for a lot of other stuff.

Help Your Business Grow Up 3. Marketing While you may be doing alright at your current level, you’re going to need to up the publicity a little bit if you want to grow your business even further. You may want to have some kind of an event at your business that is promoted on all of the local media outlets. You could put extra money into television, radio, print, and Internet advertising to get more people to your business. You may have to make a substantial investment to get enough people in the door to grow things. Social media is an essential tool of modern marketing, with programs from Facebook to Pintrest being used by the most successful companies who know how to go to their market with a product instead of hoping

they are stumbled upon. (No pun intended) 4. Technology According to experts like Michael Myles, investing in the latest technology may be able to help you do things smarter and more efficiently.

For example, many businesses invest in iPads or smartphones for their staff. This way, they can conduct business while on the go, process credit card payments, make phone calls, and answer emails anywhere. Face to face meetings can even be conducted via these devices through programs like Skype and Facetime. With these investments, you might end up initially spending a large chunk of money, but it will make a big difference in the visibility and productivity of your company.

THE GUARDIAN, Friday, June 7, 2013

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AutoWheels Range Rover L405, the first SUV with all-aluminium monocoque body structure Stories by Taiwo Hassan HE incoming of the latest edition of the Range Rover L405 from Jaguar/Land Rover Motors into the Nigerian market has further increased auto competition in the SUV segment, as more variety of the automobiles are already on the roads.

Specifically, the introduction of the fourth-generation of Range Rover L405 manufactured by Land Rover has shown that the Nigerian auto market is going places.

This may not be unconnected with Nigeria having been rated as the hub of African auto market in terms of sales by auto manufacturers.

The debut of the Range Rover was first displayed towards the end of last year at the Paris motor show in Paris, France.

But, Land Rover, as a global organisation in its drive about sustainability, decided to set a new benchmark with the debut of the all-new Range Rover in Nigeria.

The auto wheel is the first SUV with a revolutionary lightweight all-aluminium monocoque body structure in the world.

It has a 39 per cent lighter than the outgoing model, thus enabling total vehicle weight savings of up to 420kg (925.9lb).

Speaking at the launching in Lagos few days ago, the President/Chief Executive Officer, Coscharis Group, Dr. Cosmas Maduka said the new Range Rover was another example of how Land Rover is taking the brand forward by thinking globally and targeting modern trends in automo-

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bile designing to meet specific regional expectations.

“As I have maintained on previous occasions, our brands are envisioned to remain market leaders in their segments and that is why we associate with them. This latest L405 is designed to break new market and sustain old customers by delivering stunning auto all terrain response performance, while vividly demonstrating Land Rover’s cuttingedge engineering technologies and world-class design excellence,” Maduka said.

He said Land Rover has put into consideration the conservative nature of its customers and has created a vehicle which is environmentally friendly and instantly recognisable as a Range Rover, but takes a significant step forward with a bold evolution of the model’s iconic contemporary design language.

“The Range Rover continues to occupy a unique position in the luxury car marketplace, offering an unrivalled combination of luxury, performance and all-terrain ability. Its predecessors did so well that the Range Rover customers wanted it to remain, but Land Rover as a company decided to make it even better,” Maduka said.

He however said his company’s expectation is that, with this new model, Land Rover will widen the Range Rover market share within Nigeria and globally, adding that “our commitment is to remain relevant and foremost in the automobile sector despite what our competitors do.”

Analysing the Range Rover (L405)’s internal and external

The new Range Rover L405 features, the Coscharis helmsman said that the car is powered by two diesel engines and one petrol engine; 3.0 L V6 turbo diesel producing 260 PS (191 kW; 256 hp) of power and 600 N m (443 lb ft) of torque, 4.4 L V8 turbo diesel produces 344 PS (253 kW; 339 hp) of power and 700 N m (516 lb ft) of torque, a single 5.0 L V8 petrol engine unit with two versions, naturally aspirated engine, which produces 380 PS (279 kW; 375 hp) of power

and 510 N m (376 lb ft) of torque, while N m (461 lb ft) of torque.

He said all the engines in the car are mated to eight-speed automatic transmission, adding that the gears can be selected from drive select rotary shifter from the centre console or driver can also manually select gears via the paddle shift controls on the steering wheel.

The car, according to him, has a permanent intelligent four

wheel drive with 50/50 torque split and a two-speed transfer box for high and low range options, helping to maintain traction and stability in challenging conditions on-road, off-road, or when towing.

Besides, the Range Rover (L405) has electronic crosslinked air suspension (with variable ride height), with multiple suspension adjustment modes are provided as standard, including access, normal on-road, off-road and

extended height.

A new extra intermediate setting adds greater convenience and improves handling across the vehicle’s breadth of capabilities.

The car also has an automated load leveling mechanism.

Besides, there is an advanced intelligent suspension technologies, which assist the Range Rover’s performance and achieve consistent driving refinement, on and offroad.

Four new Mercedes-Benz models for launch in Lagos ESTAR Associates Limited, W authorised distributor of Mercedes Benz automobiles in

Mercedes-Benz E-Class

Mercedes-Benz A-Class

Nigeria, said it has concluded plans to premiere the launching of the new Mercedes-Benz A-Class and the E-Class models to the general public tomorrow at its premises in Lagos.

According to the company, the premiere would also include Mercedes-Benz B-Class and C-Class versions, which were launched last year into the Nigerian market.

The company said the premiere of the latest Mercedes-Benz models would allow visitors the opportunity to get up-close and personal with the products on display, adding that a test-drive experience will be the highlight of the day.

The public door event would also avail the visitors a chance to discover more about the new products.

Managing Director of Weststar Associates, Mirko Plath, said in a statement that the company was committed to driven the coun-

try’s auto industry, stressing that “Weststar is very excited to present an excellent fireworks of new products in one-go and looks forward to receiving many customers and friends of the brand on that day.”

According to him, the new A-Class comes with a completely new design, thus setting a novel standard in the auto industry.

Apart from the car’s design, which was not the only thing new, it also has a new chassis, which ensures driving stability and ride comfort at all times.

In addition, it came with a 3-spoke multifunctional steering wheel with 12 function buttons; automatic headlamp activation and saloon seats with artico man-made leather upholstery.

“Customers will admire its ability to run with agility due to its quiet but powerful 4-cylinder petrol engines; plus the full range of entertainment systems which include the audio 5 USB.” With rear seats and luggage compartment created to meet a variety of requirements, the new B-Class is

spacious and suitable for the whole family.

The integral aerial; luggage cover and Audio 20 CD certainly make it an attractive package, as drivers and passengers would definitely be impressed with its efficiency and shift comfort.

The car is also endowed with electric parking brake; headlamp assist with automatic activated headlamps, and the collision prevention assist, which monitors the car at a speed of 30 to 250km per hour.

Powerful and posh, the new C-Class (C 200) is ecologically responsible due to its ECO start/stop function.

It also has Blue Efficiency measures in place, which assists improved transmission; effective energy management and tyres with optimised rolling resistance.

In addition, it also adapts to the road, creating a level of driving enjoyment at all times- thanks to the agility control suspension.

Besides, the thermatic automatic climate control system controls the temperature and humidity within the car.

The interior chrome detailing and

THE GUARDIAN, Friday, JUNE 7, 2013

44 AUTOWHEELS

Ninth generation Honda Civic emerges Stories by Taiwo Hassan HE Honda Place Nigeria has joined the rest of the world to unveil the Ninth-generation Honda Civic that was recently face-lifted to incorporate upscale features such as sleek, energetic and aerodynamic design with new ECON button that adjusts throttle response and air conditioning to improve fuel economy.

Addressing journalists at a product launch event in Lagos, the company’s Head of Sales and Marketing, Deepak Daryanani said the previous generation Honda Civic had a revolutionary look alike, but the company has chosen evolution for this latest model.

The new Civic, according to him, was also smoother, sleeker in shape with curvy wheelarches and longer front and rear overhangs.

This is in addition to the LED lights that run across the front and are standard across the range.

The tail of the Civic however retains the split screen of its predecessor with the lights incorporated into the split, but a windscreen wiper has been added.

On the inside, the cabin material and switchgear has been improved while the digital dashboard is simplified so that it’s easier to read.

Available in two –trim levels, LX and EX, the entry level LX comes equipped with automatic air-con, USB connectivity and 16-inch alloy wheels, while the EX adds luxuries like cruise control, front fog lights,

T

2013 Honda Civic dual-zone climate control and Bluetooth and panoramic sunroof.

The new Civic has a slippery aerodynamics that helps resist wind noise, so it’s pretty quiet on the motorway. And “if you’re looking for a car that won’t see the dealer any more than it has to, buy a Civic”, Daryanani said.

The previous generation Civic has always performed well in the driver power survey and, as lots of technology

has been carried over straight from the old car, it is expected that the new car would do just well as its predecessor.

Speaking on safety features of

the new Civic, the sales and marketing manager said the car has a maximum five-star Euro NCAP rating, adding that every Civic comes fitted with a

YUNDAI Motor Company, H South Korea has announced the plan to install the largest rooftop photovoltaic power plant at its manufacturing factory in

Weststar assures customers of four years’ free maintenance services Chrysler, Jeep, Ram and Dodge cars in the country, has assured customers who buy its products from any authorised/certified dealers that they would not only be guaranteed genuine spare parts availability, but also entitled to a four years free service contract for the purchase of any models.

In a press statement, the company said the move was to redesign its after-sales services and to inform customers that with every 150,000 kilo metre drive, they are not only entitled to free car services, but also one year warranty for certain spare parts purchased.

The auto company also said apart from selling of range of

its brands, it provides aftersales services consisting of parts procurement; parts replacement; and workshop services, which include field services.

In addition, the company noted that regular trainings are being organised for local mechanics for its models, to help improve and increase their manpower services at the different centres.

“The first and important step to maintaining your car is to give habitual check-ups. So to further assure its customers of continuous quality and efficient service, the recently opened Weststar service in Abuja offered free check up/ wiTECH vehicle diagonostics for vehicle owners of its models,” the company said in the statement.

model gets adaptive cruise control and a Collision Mitigation Braking System, which uses radar to detect imminent collisions at low speeds.

Hyundai to install power plant at Asan factory Asan, Korea.

According to the company, the move was to expand the use of renewable energy and take measures to help reduce global warming.

Deputy Inspector General of Police, Suleiman Fakai, receiving the keys to the pick-ups from the representative of Zahav Auto Limited, Mohammed Lawan (middle), at the Force Headquarters, Abuja.

ESTSTAR Associates W Limited, authorised general distributor for range of

full complement of airbags, as well as LED daytime running lights, ESP and ABS as standard.

According to him, the EX

An auto workshop

Hyundai said its Asan plant would host the power plant, while Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO) will purchase the electricity produced by the solar modules and sell it to areas near the plant, including Asan city.

Working with Korea Midland Power Co., Ltd. (KOMIPO), a thermal power company, Hyundai plans to install about 40,000 solar photovoltaic modules on the rooftops of Asan’s press, welding, assembly and engine buildings by the end of this year.

The 213,000 square meter area to be equipped with the modules accounts for as much as 68 per cent of the total roof space, and the peak capacity of the combined modules reaching 10 MW. With such capacity, the completed plant will be capable of supplying up to 11.5 million KWh of electricity per year, or provide a stable supply of electricity for up to 3,200 households.

As 100 per cent of the photovoltaic plant at Asan will be built on existing rooftops, the construction neither requires any additional land nor causes environmental issues.

The choice of the Asan plant is appropriate, as Asan manufactures the eco-friendly Hyundai Sonata Hybrid, as well as Sonata and Grandeur (Azera in some markets).

To produce the same amount of electricity, 11.5 million KWh - a thermoelectric power plant releases 5,600 tons of carbon dioxide, emission that can be prevented by the use of the photovoltaic power plant.

The reduction of 5,600 tons of carbon dioxide emissions is equivalent to the effect of planting 1.12 million pine trees on the environment.

Moreover, sprinklers that work to cool down the solar modules will also help the plant save energy by lowering the indoor temperature during hot seasons.

45 AUTOWHEELS

THE GUARDIAN, Friday, June 7, 2013

Hyundai Motor delivers first hydrogen-powered ix35 fuel cell in Europe

Hyundai ix35 fuel cell vehicle YUNDAI Motor Company H has announced the delivery of its first 15 assembly lineproduced ix35 fuel cell vehicles to the City of Copenhagen in Denmark.

According to the company.

The vehicles were handed over by its Europe counterparts, Hyundai Motor’s European sales subsidiary, during the opening ceremony of Denmark’s first hydrogen refuelling station.

The 15 ix35 fuel cell units are the first hydrogen-powered vehicles manufactured on a production line to be introduced in Europe.

President of Hyundai Motor Europe, Byung Kwon Rhim said: “Hyundai Motor is committed to hydrogen as the fuel of the future for Europe.

Delivering assembly-line produced ix35 fuel cell is evidence that we have a realistic solution to the region’s sustainable mobility needs.”

The ix35 fuel cell produces no harmful tailpipe emissions – only water vapour – and so its use will help the city of Copenhagen achieve its aim of becoming carbonneutral by 2025.

Since 2011, the company has deployed prototypes of its third-generation ix35 fuel cell in a wide range of initiatives to raise awareness of hydrogen’s benefits as an automotive fuel; to support the drive for establishing a panEuropean refueling infrastructure; and to demonstrate the cars’ real-world practicality to public and pri-

vate organisations.

For example, EU policy-makers have access to ix35 fuel cell vehicles – via the EU Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking (FCH JU) in Brussels – showing the market-readiness of Hyundai Motor’s technology.

And, earlier this year, senior representatives from 100 European businesses learned about and tested the ix35 fuel cell at a Hyundai Motor event in Berlin.

Hyundai Motor has been a world leader in the development of hydrogen fuel cell technology ever since research into its first fuel cell began in 1998.

The company’s proprietary fuel cell technology is developed at its Eco Technology

Research Institute in Korea.

Hyundai intends to build 1.000 ix35 fuel cell cars by 2015 at its Ulsan factory, also in Korea.

The ix35 fuel cell is equipped

with a 100 kW (136 ps) electric motor, and can reach a maximum speed of 160 km/h.

Two hydrogen storage tanks, located between the vehicle’s rear axle, with a total capacity

of 5,64 kg, enable the vehicle to travel a total of 594 km on a single fuelling. Filling the storage hydrogen tanks to maximum capacity takes just a few minutes.

Firm boosts community’s anti-crime drive

By Taiwo Hassan S part of its contribution to community development and policing, owners of Metro Taxi have announced the donation of a brand new patrol pickup van to the GRA Ikeja Residents’ Association to enhance security of lives and property.

During the presentation in Lagos, the Managing Director of the company, Niyi Oguntoyinbo, told newsmen that it decided to give back to the community where it is located and doing business for the past two and a half years.

According to him, the car donation was part of his company’s way of building a lasting relationship with its host and part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) to the community to enhanced security of lives and property.

He pledged the company’s

A

We expect that we’ll be able to partner with other residential associations for sustainability on long term objectives, and plan that it would get bigger as we go on desire to do more in the future to improve the relationship.

He further stated that though this is the first of its kind for the company since it started taxi operations, adding that plans are afoot to do more CSR. “We expect that we’ll be able to partner with other residential associations for sustainability on long term objectives, and plan that it would get bigger as we go on,” Oguntoyinbo said.

The Vice-President of the association, Debo Collins, commended Metro Taxi for supporting the community with a patrol van that would assist in the reduction of crime in the area and advised

other corporate organisations to emulate Metro Taxi.

A resident of the area and Managing Director, CMC Connect, Yomi BadejoOkusanya, lauded Metro Taxi for the laudable initiative and prayed that the Metro Taxi income increases so that they could do more for other communities in need of help.

Metro Taxi started operations in 2010 with the objective of revolutionising the public taxi transportation system in Lagos.

The company operates a metered taxi system that ensures passengers pay for the accurate fare and they also offer accident insurance cover to both passengers and the pilots.

PUBLIC NOTICE

46

THE GUARDIAN, Friday, June 7, 2013

BusinessTravel Lessons in Dana Air crash

Dana Air aircraft on flight

By Wole Shadare HE field of commercial aviation was our T major strength and rightly so. Between November 2006 and May 2012, the nation recorded no fatal air crash, especially by Nigerian commercial airlines.

In the galaxy of so-called ‘highly reliable organisations”, none shone as brightly as aviation.

How did the airlines achieve this impressive record? The answer: A mix of good regulations, highly trained personnel, widespread standardisation, rigorous use of checklists, strict work-hours regulations, and highly functional systems designed to help the cockpit crew and the industry learn from errors and near misses.

But in all of these, it still remained to be known what actually went wrong with Dana Flight 0992 that crashed in Iju-Ishaga, a Lagos suburb.

Undoubtedly, the real challenge faced by Nigerian airline industry is to ensure safe and secure transportation of air passengers.

After every aviation disaster, it is necessary to determine the causes of mishap through impartial investigation and to develop safety recommendations in order to prevent similar accidents from re-occurring.

What are the lessons from this terrible tragedy?

“Well, it certainly doesn’t mean that we should abandon aviation as a safety model. But the crash is a cautionary tale of the highest order.

We need to ensure that our personnel have the skills to manage crises caused by technology failures that they’ve come to rely on”, said the Assistant Secretary General of Airline Operators of Nigeria.

“We should continue to push crew for resource management training and work on

strategies to bolster situational awareness’ Until the final report of the accident is made public, the cause of the accident would remain in the realm of conjecture.

While the Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) recently released an interim report of the Dana crash, stakeholders are still eager to know exactly what led to the accident.

The real noticeable problem about the ill-fated Flight 0992 was how to make sure old planes are fit to fly by standardising worldwide aircraft maintenance.

This generated a lot of controversy, but at the end of it, it was generally agreed that the age of an aircraft does not matter but ability to follow the rigorous safety schedule.

Although, new equipment are better because of their fuel efficiency, but the truth is that the newness does not in any way guarantee safety.

Another issue of concern is the inability to retrieve data from the Flight Data Recorder (FDR) due to post crash fire.

The Commissioner, Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB), Captain Muktar Usman, said the digital tape-based memory in the FDR succumbed to the post-crash fire, melted and prevented the recovery of data.

He, however, said that the Cockpit Voice Recorder is solid-based, contained 31 minutes of recordings of the last conversation between the flight crew and the control tower.

The disclosure initially got stakeholders worried, heightening fear that investigators may not get full conversation between the captain and the control tower.

The tragic story of Air France 447 teaches us that those even ultra-safe industries are still capable of breathtaking errors, and that the work of learning from mistakes and near misses is never

But in all of these, it still remained to be known what actually went wrong with Dana Flight 0992 that crashed in Iju-Ishaga, a Lagos suburb. Undoubtedly, the real challenge faced by Nigerian airline industry is to ensure safe and secure transportation of air passengers. done.

Air France 447 was the Rio de Janeiro to Paris flight that disappeared over the South Atlantic Ocean on June 1, 2009. Because the “black box” was not recovered during the initial searches, the only clues into how an Airbus 330 could plummet into the sea were 24 automatic messages sent by the plane’s flight computer to a computer system in Paris used for aircraft maintenance.

The messages showed that the plane’s airspeed sensor had malfunctioned and that the autopilot had disengaged.

With the black box seemingly unrecoverable (its acoustic pinger stopped transmitting after a few months, and the seabed near the crash site was more than two miles deep), the aviation industry steeled itself against the likelihood that the crash would remain a mystery forever.

Concerned about the fate of Dana and Bellview flight recorders, the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority had last year mandated airlines to install Automated Flight Information Reporting System (AFIRS) on their aircraft or face sanctions.

The former Director General of NCAA, Dr. Harold Demuren, had said that each of the airline operators would have to install AFIRS, which is a safety device, with an initial down payment of $60,000.00 (N9.5 million), adding that the balance would be spread over a period of two years.

AFIRS is the newest safety gadget in the global aviation industry and could be used to detect any problem in any aircraft, whether stationary or airborne.

The equipment would enable the NCAA record and monitor abnormalities encountered by airplanes during flights from a remote centre, just as the new safety device would serve as a backup in the event of loss of data contained in aircraft’s black boxes.

The NCAA under Demuren had acquired the gadget, which had since been installed in its headquarters to serve as a back up.

Not a few believe that search and rescue system should be enhanced. While no one ever plans to get into trouble, the possibility of an emergency situation should be considered by all to save lives during emergencies.

It is on record that help came too late for some victims of the Dana accident. Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola at the unveiling of cenotaph for victims of Dana crash in Iju-Ishaga disclosed that 50 people could have been saved if help had come early. He said they died of suffocation.

Also worrisome was the issue of compensation that many agreed was not handled very well by the carrier, just as the drive of the aviation regulatory body to enforce payment seemed to have waned considerably in the past three months.

But in all of these, it still remained to be known what actually went wrong with Dana Flight

Bristow to bridge manpower with training of 16 pilots

By Wole Shadare HERE is a serious shortage of core aviation T personnel with only ageing local manpower such as the pilots, licensed aircraft engineers and licensed aviation engineers. This situation has negative effects on a sector that is safety-driven.

Since the liquidation of the former national carrier, Nigeria Airways, many of the trained and experienced workers have either died or retired, leaving a few that are now threatened out of existence by the influx of their foreign counterparts.

In solving the problem, Bristow Helicopters

has signed Memoranda of Understanding with NCAT for the training, estimating that it takes between $250,000 and $300,000 to train a pilot.

The Managing Director of the firm, Captain Akin Oni, said the company plans to have 100 per cent Nigerian pilots to take over from expatriates.

Oni explained that over 2,000 Nigerians from different parts of the country applied for sponsorship to be trained as pilots but that out of this number, only 16 were selected

by Bristow Helicopters after a very rigorous screening process, adding that three of the 16 successful candidates are women.

Oni, who was represented by the General Manager, Human Resources, Femi Collins, noted that the essence of the sponsorship is to train another batch of Nigerians to be pilots in the organisation in particular and the Nigerian aviation industry in general.

He explained that while those without experience will proceed for their training at both NCAT and Aviation College Ilorin for between seven to eight weeks after which they will proceed to Bristow Helicopters Academy in Florida, United States, those with aviation background will fly to Florida direct for a 12 months training.

According to him, “we do this yearly and this year out of over 2,000 candidates that applied

for sponsorship, we have selected 16 of them and these people are today being given final briefs before they depart for their various trainings. The training itself is divided into two. Many of them who have no experience in aviation at all would be sent to local training schools; NCAT in Zaria and the College of Aviation Ilorin. The idea is for them to be given an introductory training in flying and they will be there for between seven and eight weeks. Another reason why we are sending them for these training is to take advantage of the local expertise in the aviation training in Nigeria so as to ensure that the Nigerian local content policy is deepened”.

THE GUARDIAN, Friday, June 7, 2013

BUSINESSTRAVEL

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Reducing security threats at airports Stories by Chika Goodluck-Ogazi IRPORT security is a coordinated action A to protect and secure both humans and materials assets within the entire perimeter of the airport.

Security begins from the moment you approach the airport, the process you undergo to access the airport to the time you enter the terminal as a passenger or meters, greeter and to the boarding process.

To most travellers, the Lagos airport still needs to undergo tough security measures to protect lives.

One of the issues that has continued to raise concern is the reckless manner oil tanker drivers defaced the road linking both the international wing of the Lagos airport with the domestic terminal.

A lot of people pass through the airport everyday, and this presents potential targets for terrorism and other forms of crime because of the number of people located in a particular location.

Although, security checks at the airports in Nigeria, especially the Murtala Muhammed Airport (MMA), Lagos has always been tight, but it is not enough.

The activities of fuel tankers along the MMA, Lagos road have not only constituted serious security and safety threats, but also poor movement of vehicles on the everbusy road, mostly for travellers.

In April 2013, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) disclosed plans to relocate all fuel tankers parked within the vicinity of the access gate of the MMA, Lagos. But till date, tanker drivers have

resisted overtures to be relocated to another location.

Meanwhile, spokesman for the FAAN, Yakubu Dati, reiterated the plans of the agency to remove them.

They constitute menace to users of the airport, as their activity leads to gridlock and exposing commuter and other road users.

Speaking with The Guardian on the issue, he noted that the agency had been in talks with the tanker drivers, whom he said have agreed to comply with the directives given

by FAAN to relocate to the new place.

According to him, it has to be a gradual process to move them completely from that location to another.

Dati, who stated that their presence at the location poses a security risk for the airport, explained that, “the present location

does not only pose a security risk, it also impedes traffic during peak periods. Some of the tanker drivers are fond of parking very close to the main road, thereby reducing the space left for vehicular movement”.

He noted that the plan to relocate the tankers followed series of meetings with stakeholders, including oil companies. He said: “To conclude the relocation, a meeting has been scheduled between Customs agents, owners of the trucks, FAAN’s Aviation Security officials and officers from the Nigeria Police”.

Dati also said that the relocation of the tanker drivers would bring relief to airport users, especially members of staff of agencies working at the airport.

Throughout the world, there have been a

few dozen airports that have instituted a version of a “trusted traveller programme”.

Experts in the industry argued that security screening could be made more efficient by detecting the people that are threats, and then searching them. They also disputed that searching for trusted, verified individuals should not take the amount of time it does.

Another critical security measure utilised by several regional and international airports is the use of fibre optic perimeter intrusion detection systems. These security systems allow airport security to locate and detect any intrusion on the airport perimeter, ensuring real-time, immediate intrusion notification that allows security personnel to assess the threat and track movement and engage necessary security procedures.

United Airlines launches economy plus, checked baggage offer NITED Airlines has launched subscripU tion options that offers customers access to economy plus seating or pre-paid checked baggage charges for a year.

According to the airline, travellers can access Economy Plus for a year starting at $499, and customers can select the region and the number of travellers on their subscription.

Economy Plus seats offer customers additional legroom to stretch out and relax and is available on most of the airline’s nearly 700 mainline aircraft and nearly 180 United Express aircraft.

It added that Economy Plus seating, when

available, remains complimentary for Premier-level MileagePlus members.

The Vice President, Merchandising and ecommerce, Scott Wilson said: “The Economy Plus and checked baggage subscriptions offer our customers more of the comfort and convenience they value year round. “We are pleased that, as we launch these services, we are able to provide new options for customers to tailor their travel experiences.”

However, United’s checked baggage subscription enables customers to pre-pay standard checked baggage charges for one year, starting at $349.

Traffic caused by tanker drivers at the Murtala Muhammed Airport Road which has become a regular feature on the busy road.

Customers can tailor their subscription by choosing up to two bags, the number of travellers and preferred geographic region.

Additionally, customers can now use MileagePlus miles to purchase a yearly United Club membership, which currently offers access to the 49 United Club locations, as well as Copa Club locations and participating Star Alliance affiliated airport clubs worldwide.

One-year membership pricing starts at $500 or 65,000 miles for general MileagePlus members, with discounts for Premier members. An initiation fee of $50 or 7,000 miles applies for all new United Club memberships.

PHOTO: SOLA OJE-

High operational costs weaken African carriers performance, says IATA FRICAN airlines may continue to record A the weakest performance in air travel business in the world, as the region’s carriers have to face high operating costs, especially for fuel, which is 20 per cent costly than in other parts of the globe.

Also, as a result of their long haul service that faces stiff competition from carriers outside the region, including political barriers that still stand in the way of enhanced regional connectivity, according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), recently Nigerian domestic airlines are not exempted in this situation, indeed, the operators

have been crying out on the high operational cost of running airline business in the country, ranging from high aviation fuel, otherwise called Jet A1, charges for custom duties on spares parts and aircraft importation and high leasing cost, among others.

For aviation experts, the price of aviation fuel is unduly high, not reflecting the price trends in the international market and because fuel accounts for some 30 per cent of the operational cost of airlines, it impacts on the fares these airlines charge.

Some of these charges, according to them are paid by passengers through high fares, which the International Air Transport Association (IATA) has described as extremely

high, noting that, in many countries of the world an hour flight is less than $100.00 (N16, 000) ticket, but in Nigeria the average fare ticket is more than that.

The airline operators complained that high cost of aviation fuel, double taxation on spare parts, huge amount of money in foreign exchange on maintenance and other agency charges are impacting negatively on their operations.

They asked government for urgent bailout plans and reduction or elimination of some charges that were perceived as unnecessary, some of which were not obtained in other countries.

Also, the operators were of the opinion that

it is only in Nigeria that Jet-A1 (aviation fuel) are sold at higher prices than other commodities, adding that it is the cheapest in other countries where same aviation laws apply. At that, airlines were leaving the stage almost on a monthly basis due to the effect of the economic recession, coupled with Nigeria’s harsh operating environment.

According to the Director General, IATA, Tony Tyler: “This is a very tough business. The day-to-day challenges of keeping revenues ahead of costs remain monumental. Many airlines are struggling. An average airlines will earn about $4 for every passenger carried, less than the cost of a sandwich in most places.

THE GUARDIAN, Friday, June 7, 2013

48

For The Record Communicating an implosion: Signs and wander, popular culture and the crumbling of Empire (4) Concluding part of the text of the maiden inaugural lecture delivered by Prof. Nosa Owens-Ibie, Ph.D, professor of Communication, Media and Development, at Caleb University, Imota, Lagos, on April 9, 2013. (The third part was published on Thursday, May 23, 2013.

N an age of drones, missiles, smart bombs, Iconnectivity, phones and electronic devices, the internet and there has to be some other explanations for the how in other happenings which defy the logic of an all-powerful country. But as Psalms 11: 3 states, “If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?” The issue is more about the values and logics which made America great and if what is happening now is not a replication of a trend which is decidedly Roman.

On the other hand is resource-rich Nigeria which captures in its trajectory hopes of the African possibility and is realistically or sarcastically labelled the “Giant of Africa”. Developments in Nigeria affirm the country’s status as a fundamentally mainstreaming transitional society. In its centenary, the country has defied rational explanations and continues to amaze even its citizens with its staying power despite ramifying contradictions. Through its strengths and challenges Nigeria has become the battleground for a multiplicity of forces targeting its soul and from which has emerged discernible patterns.

One major beneficiary of the struggle has been America which presence is obvious in key areas of national and local life. The communication process and media transmit one gain after the other for American popular culture, among other downloads of the American Dream. They are active midwives to an evolutionary phase that is seeing Nigeria gradually coalesce as Naija (no small thanks, among others, to the contributions of Etisalat’s rave commercial “Naija for Life” and now an institutionalization of a dilution of name through Naija 102.7 FM in the commercial hub of Lagos, in the more obvious scenario.

The simultaneous relay of models of academic and other achievements and the privations and deprivations of life in America reflect a conflictive essence. The “death of good taste” is yielding folk heroes and trends disruptive of local values.

Media are also serving as tools for the transmission of elements of the still unfolding heritage.

Nigeria is therefore caught in a web and in the game of the little leaven with a somewhat complicated future outlook which combine poorly with the subsisting challenges of leadership, corruption, ethnicity, management of religious differences and image issues borne of individual and group desperations. Nations ignore their strengths to their peril but the management of internal contradictions with an eye on the small picture through a rediscovery of purposeful and focused leadership assures a place for a redeemable future and the undoubted possibility of a Nigeria that still has real prospects of overcoming its dilemmas.

Food for the Road Globalization has provided a vital springboard for Americanization. Americanization has consolidated the penetration of American popular culture with different national variants. Popular culture has spawned hybridization across barriers, including in traditional societies. Communication has been the faithful servant mutually relaying patterns, currents and undercurrents of influence. In the process, communication has become the transmission belt of an unfolding scenario where drivers appear to be losing control of the internal mechanics which defined the rise of empire while satellite stations are rebroadcasting in exciting and pliant befuddlement.

If the freefall that reduced the Roman Empire from a behemoth wiping out the gains of 1200 years is replaying with the official relegation of God in the clan of the more developed world or unofficial disinclination to further official decla-

Prof. Owens-Ibie rations on the fear of God or being “Under God” in Nigeria in particular, then this is a wakeup call to an avoidable inevitable: LET US PRAY! Acknowledgements I thank the Almighty God for He has been everything to me and my family. He has been faithful, daily revealing Himself as the omnipotent, omnipresent and omniscient God in our lives. His salvation through Jesus Christ has meant the world to us and we are grateful that we have a friend indeed in Him. I want to appreciate my darling wife, friend and the one God has used to support me in more ways than I can express. Mrs Stella Osamuende Owens-Ibie has always been there for me and the children and I thank God for she is a gift to me and us. Since I knew that my birthday was too close to fully prepare for this lecture given the preparation for our 2nd convocation, the next option was to select today April 9, 2013 which is the birthday of our first child – Osamudiamen Osamuende Owens-Ibie. With her sister, Nosarieme Osarumwense Owens-Ibie, God has demonstrated that girls are indeed special. I remember with nostalgia the investments of my late father Henry Owenorisiede (Owens) who had little education and was of average means but believed so much in and invested in the education of his children and my late mother Juliana Orhionpaizihowa Uvbinekhui who had no education but lived a life of selflessness and kept praying for others and us her children. I want to thank my siblings and their wives/husbands - Dr Noma & Dr (Mrs) Cynthia Owens-Ibie, Nogieru (Osaro) & Shola Owens-Ibie, Nomayo (Joy) & Theodora Owens-Ibie, Osarenoma OwensIbie, Aisu Owens-Ibie, Faith & Peter Olagbegi, Franca & Ovie Esiri, my step-mothers and others in my nuclear and extended maternal (Auntie Grace, Eunice and Helen [nee Agho])and their families (Nagudias, Ehanires, Ikhuenbos, Usos, Ogbomwans) and paternal family (Ibies, Odins). My in-laws – Igies, Osagies, Osifos and Ibizugbes, without exception continue to be so wonderful. We are a large family.

I want to thank the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Ayodeji Olukoju for his head-hunting which led to my coming over to this university. It has been an interesting experience. He was the first to suggest last year that I consider giving the maiden Inaugural Lecture. I appreciate the efforts of the Proprietor of this

loi Warritay, Felicia Tobi, Dr Eddy Akpomera, Rev Femi Fatunmbi, Stanley Ero, Emmanuel Olushola, Tunde Ojo, Sam Adurogboye, Sam Orovwuje, Chris Ajufoh, Charles Omonaide, Eddy Emmanuel, Dr Osahon Osagie, Prof Francis & Yinka Egbokare, Ikpomwonsa Osifo, Funsho Alimi, Dr Segun Olatunji, David Akintola, Dr John & Mrs Joy Agbonifo, Dr Bello Umaru Dogondaji, Bola Bolawole, Remi Ibitola, Lekan Otufodunrin, Ikeddy Isiguzo, Prof Abubakar Momoh, Kola Danisa, Yinka Kadri, Shola Hassan, Fred Ohwawha, Clare Onasanya, Dr Olusegun Ojomo, Prof Daniel ‘Wale Awodiya, Dr Franca Odeka (nee Osarumwense), Dr Bolaji Fapohunda, Ekong Emah, Bola Kusemiju, JKT Ajiboye, James Atusue, Osaretin Adonri, Charles Emelue, Clem & Patience Ekeoba, Yomi Martins, Gerald Osugo, Mike Osunde, Declan Okpalaeke, Dipo Ojedeji, Chioma Enyinnaya, Gabriel & Zefe Giametse, Prof Iyke Ezeagwu, Dr Sylvester Igbedioh, Dr Layi Sobamiwa, Tunde Akande, Soga Odubona, Myke Esiri, Tolu Olanrewaju, Segun Labiran, Timothy Obot, Juditha Ononose, Eunice Damisa, Omowale Adelabu, Harrison George, Emma Okwuke, Chinedu Ikogwe, Okon Akpama, Dare Oyewale, Razak Asaju, Dr Levi Obijiofor, Prof Segun Ayadi, Tunji Olugbodi, Ayo Oluwatosin, Mike Agbonkhina, Adeola Olunloyo, Regina Ogbodo, Emeka Diogu, Ijeoma Onyeator, Emmanuel Richard, Dr Ayotunde Alao, Gbenro Adebanjo, Ibim Semenitari, Itunu Iyun, Ifedolapo Ademosu, Eguono Ejenobor, Biodun and Josephine Oyeleye, Prof Eno Akpabio, Prof Innocent Okoye, Jimi Kayinstitution, Dr Oladega Adebogun, because if Caleb University was not established, we won’t be ode, Gbenga Kalejaiye, Dr Victor Ayedunhaving an Inaugural Lecture today. I also appreci- Aluma, Dr Bunmi Ajibade, Dr. Ismail Ibrahim, Dr Yomi Daramola, Dr Soji Alabi, Dr Olorunate the Pro-Chancellor, Prof Fola Tayo who called tola Sunday, Dr Adepoju Tejumaiye and the me months ago to encourage me to give this Inaugural lecture. To all the principal officers, Deans entire mass communication faculty and my other former students at UNILAG and and all staff (full-time and adjunct) and students friends/colleagues at the University of of Caleb University and its Department of Mass Ibadan, Lagos State University, University of Communication, thank you for being part of the unique process of unravelling the huge potential Maiduguri, Nigerian Institute of Social and Economic Research (NISER), other universiunlocking in this citadel of learning I remain grateful to late, Prof Alfred Opubor who ties, and the brand new Communication Association of Nigeria (CANI). recommended me for my first major job, not Where do I even start from in recognizing the knowing that another friend Mr. Ray Ekpu also pastors, ministers and brethren? I remember recommended me for the same job.

Prof Onuora Nwuneli takes the credit for offering Evangelist & Mrs Richard Adesokan; Pastor me my first academic position at the University of Simon Adigun Arowolo, Pastor Olayinka, University College Hospital, Ibadan Christ Lagos. Prof Idowu Sobowale the day before I left Chapel,; Royal Family, Garden of Life, Miracle for my National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in Centre, Bethel, White Chapel parishes in Benue State met me at the Queens College BusLagos, Upper Room Assembly/Area and now Stop, Onike, Yaba, Lagos and requested if I would be willing to serve in my alma mater. I honoured Zone, and our very dear Divine Love Assembly in Abuja, Royal Parish and former Dominion the invitation by redeploying from Benue State Area in Kano – all of The Redeemed Christian and in spite of being given a very attractive posting on returning to Lagos. He thus was the first to Church of God, the NISER Staff Fellowship, draw me to the path of a subsequent academic ca- Couples Fellowship in Ibadan; and Caleb Unireer. Prof Andrew Moemeka bought books to sup- versity Fellowship/ Chapel. I am grateful to God for the vision of the “Son Shine” Inspiraport me as a lecturer and sent them by courier tional Web and Email Platform He gave me from his base then in the United States. since June 17, 2004 and which weekly reveals Let me also thank Profs Ralph Akinfeleye and “Insights through the Word”, and for those Luke Uka Uche who variously served as Head, DeHe has used to encourage its sustenance, inpartment of Mass Communication, University of Lagos when I was there and other colleagues and cluding Pastor & Mrs Joseph Agbi and Mefriends who mean so much to us including Lanre shack Masha from Kenya who has been the most consistent among readers in respondand Jumoke Oyegbola, Dr (Mrs) Oluyinka Esan, ing to Son Shine mails.

Prof. Lai Oso, Prof Umaru & Mrs Zainab Pate, Dr I also appreciate the wonders of God and Abigail Ogwezzy-Ndisika, Dr Musa Abutudu, Abimbola Olasoji, Tunde Kajogbola, Lanre Idowu, friends and colleagues in the UN System (especially the World Health Organization, Prof Adigun Agbaje, Dr Adidi Uyo, Alex Osunde, United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Nosa Igiebor, Bruce Ugiomoh, Dr Abel Ugba, Dr and United Nations Population Fund Dele Ige, Frank Aigbogun, Prof Eghosa Osaghae, [UNFPA]). I cherish friends at the various govEluem Emeka Izeze, Onero & Martha Alao-Peters, ernments, non-governmental and internaProf Placid & Dr (Mrs) Bola Njoku, Tommy tional agencies.

Odemwingie, Nosike Agokei, Joshua & Liyatu For the many others too numerous to menKaura, Prof Dayo Alao, Dr Bayo Oloyede, Prof Festion individually who have been part of the tus Egwaikhide, Prof Olufemi Onabajo, Dora stages of me and my family’s life, I say a big (Ajayi) Usiobaifo, Dama & Christie Afabor, Ben & Victoria Efeturi, Segun & Fine Oludayo, Dr Yinka & thank you. Please forgive me if I did not mention you by name. I am sure you understand.

Mrs Remi Bolaji, Pastor Laitan Olubiyi, Kayode & There are more people God has used in my Mary Oguntimehin, Soni Irabor, Dr Ademola Adeyinka, Toyosi Johnston, Deacon Godwin & Mrs life than I can possibly reflect in this space.

God bless you all. May His will for our lives be Chioma Azih, Oluwatoyin Samson Godday, Mr done in Jesus name, Amen. God is our help in Yemi & Dr (Mrs) Yemi Fadeyibi, Dr (Mrs) Bola ages past and remains our hope for years to Adetoun, Bose Archibong, Dr Femi Adediran, Peter Omorotionmwan, Mr & Mrs Godwin Ogaga- come.

Oghene, Pastor & Mrs Bode Adekeye, Peter & Toyin To the King of kings and Lord of lords alone Alade, Nike Oriola, Aderonke Abosede Bello, Batil- belongs all the glory.

THE GUARDIAN, Friday, June 7, 2013

NigeriaCapitalMarket NSE Daily Summary (Equities) as at 6/6/2013 PRICE LIST OF SYMBOLS

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THE GUARDIAN, Friday, June 7, 2013

CAPITAL MARKET

NSE Daily Summary (Equities) as at 6/6/2013

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GSK Nigeria records N25.3 billion turnover, N2.82 billion profit in 2012

By Helen Oji LAXOSMITHKLINE G Consumer Nigeria Plc (GSK) has posted a turnover of N25.3 billion in its 2012 operations, against N21.5 billion in 2011.

The company’s profit after tax also increased to N2.82 billion, up from N2.29 billion in 2011.

Addressing shareholders at the 42nd yearly general meeting of the company in Lagos recently, the company’s Chairman, Olusegun Osunkeye explained that profit before tax rose from N3.49 billion to N4.17 billion during the year under review.

Osunkeye added that the per-

centage increase in turnover was 18 per cent while profit after tax rose by N23 per cent.

Based on the improved performance, he explained that the company’s board had approved N1.245 dividend, culminating to N1.30 kobo per share, due to every shareholder of the company.

Reviewing the 2012 performance further, Osunkeye, who assured shareholders that the company would continue to seek innovative ways to enable it unlock opportunities also explained that the company increased the 150ml pack size with the strawberry variant during the year under review while the Panadol tablets is cur-

rently packaged in 4 by 20 packs.

He pointed out that one of the unique products introduced last year was the Lucozade Boost Can, adding that the performance of these new products has contributed considerably to the growth of the business.

“We are committed to obtaining and responding to consumer insight, with a strong passion for innovation, value adding products and a drive for success. We have also continued to make substantial in vestment in our Agbara Factory in order to maintain our edge over competition. We completed the installation and commis-

sioning of 150ml and 288ml lines, OTC facelift, and optimization of our hot fill lines, laboratory and other facility upgrades.

These innovations, according to him were to further demonstrate the company’s passion for shareholding, investment and growth.

To achieve the company’s vision of improving the quality of human life, as well as remain competitive in the industry, the Chairman explained that the company intends to embark on an extensive upgrading of its operations.

This, according to him would enhance its manufacturing capabilities and help develop

new products portfolios with aim of increasing returns.

“This investment is critical for the company to remain competitive and to continue to offer a variety of products to Nigerian consumers. GSK Plc has expressed a willingness to provide the support required to upgrade GSK Nigeria’s operation on the condition that it was able to increase its shareholding in the company.”

Following a consideration of its proposal, the Board of GlaxoSmithKline Nigeria, according to Osunkeye has reached a definite agreement with the Parent company on the terms of a proposal, whereby GSK Plc would

increase its ownership in the company by 80 per cent.

Under the terms of the proposal, the Chairman explained that GSK Plc would acquire approximately 321 million ordinary shares in the company on a pro-rata basis from existing shareholders at the offer price of N48 per share.

He added that the proposal would be effected by way of Scheme of Arrangement.

“The proposal is presently undergoing regulatory review prior to approval and it is expected to be presented to the shareholders in due course for approval during a Court Ordered Meeting”. He said.

THE GUARDIAN, Friday, June 7, 2013

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Opinion Pardon is not for saints

By Ibrahim Shehu Katsina HY is it that worldwide – in rich and poor W countries; in democracies and the few surviving autocracies –the power of pardon remains an

integral part of the criminal justice system? The simple answer is that, if there were all saints, and no transgressors, the power of pardon would be unnecessary. The enduring power to pardon offenders is a vestige of an earlier era when an omnipotent ruler sought to demonstrate his benevolence. The pardon power persists even in a constitutional democracy, which is underpinned by the delicate separation of powers that is intended to guarantee the independence of the judiciary.

The pardon power is vested in a non-judicial authority, who thereby appears to override the independence of the judiciary that duly tries, convicts, and sentences offenders. Quite aside this seeming constitutional anomaly, there have been innovations in penal systems that ought to be the basis for doing away with the pardon institution. For instance, one of the reasons for the utility of the pardon was to obviate miscarriage of justice, since judges themselves were not infallible. But that concern has been largely met by an elaborate system of appeals and re-trials. Also, with the abolition – or, rarity – of capital punishment in a number of jurisdictions, the power of the pardon to save a condemned person from the gallows has lost some importance. Similarly, the utilisation of pardon to remove the stigma of criminal conviction and thereby secure the rehabilitation of the convict has been superceded by laws in some jurisdictions that provide for expunging the criminal record of a convict upon satisfaction of laid-down criteria.

The subject matter of pardon, as a critical adjunct of criminal jurisprudence, has gained in added significance in Nigeria lately on account of the recent presidential pardon granted former Bayelsa State Governor, Chief Diepreye Alamieyeseigha and others. Clemency, or pardon more generally, is not our legal or constitutional invention. It is a borrowed concept that still thrives in Britain (from where we adopted our Common Law system) and in the United States (from where we adopted our presidential constitutional democracy).

In the U.S., recipients of presidential pardon include convicted economic and financial criminals, or fugitives from such charges. There, the examples are many, with the added twist that some pardon beneficiaries procured their benevolence by paying hefty bribes (termed fees) to key influencers of government, as was the case with the brother of former

First Lady Hillary Clinton, who, during President Bill Clinton’s administration, received US$400,000 to swing pardon for two felons, one of whom had served three years for a mail fraud conviction, while the other had done six years out of a 15-year sentence for trafficking in cocaine in Los Angeles. Also, Angelo De Carlo, described by the FBI as a “methodical gangland executioner,” reportedly paid Frank Sinatra “fees” to secure a pardon from President Richard Nixon, after De Carlo had spent 19 months out of a 20-year prison sentence. Nixon himself became a pardon beneficiary after he was disgraced from office after the Watergate scandal.

In the withering attacks on the pardon granted Alamieyeseigha in particular, some commentators have stretched logic to breaking point by insisting that President Goodluck Jonathan has committed a breach of trust by allowing a conflict between his personal interest and public duty. That personal interest, according to the commentators, is the pardon granted Chief Alamieyeseigha (Alams), who the President only a few months ago acknowledged as his political benefactor, a factual admission that provoked the ire of the opposition who would rather the President distanced himself from Alams, who was impeached as Governor and later convicted of corrupt self-enrichment.

Let us deal, briefly, with this matter of President Jonathan acknowledging Alams as his political benefactor. It is a plain fact, because President Jonathan was not a politician. When he was tapped by Alams to become his running mate, Jonathan was a political neophyte –and very rightly, Alams was his political mentor. Should Jonathan disown Alams, when they were together from 1999 to 2005, running Bayelsa State? No commentator has been fanciful or reckless enough to impute that because Alams was convicted of corruption, Jonathan as his Deputy could not be exonerated. The redemption lies in the widespread knowledge of the supine position of deputy governors who have derisively been described as “Spare Tyre,” and are so treated by all and sundry.

I can bet my bottom Naira that if President Jonathan publicly distanced himself from Alams, the same flippant commentators would have attacked President Jonathan as an ingrate, asking why he would not acknowledge what Alams did for him by sourcing him from the bureaucracy to become Deputy Governor, and ultimately President. President Jonathan would have been berated as a fair weather friend; and it

would have been used as a prognostic gauge of how he would use and dump his political associates, when not convenient for himself. Good enough, President Jonathan has stood by his words, and that is how it should be for a man of solid integrity, no matter the bashing he gets in the public arena. The world already knows what happened to Alams; President Jonathan cannot be the amplifier of that unpleasant fact for which Alams has duly served punishment and related sanctions.

Nevertheless, there has crept into the discourse of the presidential pardon for Alams and others a certain disingenuous logic that seeks to create a dichotomy between an acceptable justification of the pardon for some persons, while condemning similar presidential benevolence for Alams. That dichotomy is between those who were convicted of coup-plotting offences in 1995 and 1997, and others who were judicially sanctioned for economic and financial crimes. Thus, there has been a dismissive recourse to the phrase that Generals Oladipo Diya, Abdulkarim Adisa and others were involved in a “phantom coup (plot)”. While there were serious doubts about the allegations of coup plotting against Generals Olusegun Obasanjo, Musa Yar’Adua and others in 1995, which could justify the phrase “phantom coup plot,” there were no such doubts about the 1997 coup plot.

For anyone to deny that there was a coup plot in 1997 is to do violence to our collective recent memory that is so vivid about the events of only 15 years ago. Gen. Diya and others were involved in the coup plot. They had an accomplice/agent provocateur in Gen. Ishaya Bamaiyi, the then Chief of Army Staff. The confederates were secretly videotaped. It was in order to dispel any contrary claim of “phantom plot” that the Gen. Sani Abacha junta decided for the first time in the history of this country to play-back the secret video of the coup accomplices in their conspiratorial meetings. Senior media executives, diplomats and other stakeholders were invited at various times to watch the video in Abuja. In the video, Gen. Diya, after the plot was foiled, was seen begging Abacha to spare his life, because the death penalty was a certainty. As Diya wept, Abacha reached for Kleenex, for Diya to wipe away his tears. Gen. Adisa was also overheard in one scene in the video discussing how to blow up Abacha’s convoy, suggesting the use of rocket propelled grenades (RPG), while Abacha would be on his way to, or from, the airport.

What is the point of all this historical recall? It

is not to reopen embarrassing wounds of the past; but rather, to place matters in their proper context.

Diya and co. were convicted of capital offences – that is, treason. It is unthinkable whether in any jurisdiction there is any offence steeper in gravity than treason. Under current Nigerian law, treason remains a capital offence, but economic and financial crimes are not. This is notwithstanding the intensity of our emotions about and against corruption and its ill-effects.

So, why is it all right to pardon persons who were convicted of capital offences (Diya and Co.) but not all right to pardon Alams who was convicted of non-capital offences? The reason, to be deduced from the anti-Alams pardon group, is that Abacha’s regime was “evil” anyway, and anybody that could get rid of it, or tried to get rid of it, was welcome.

That is the simplest form of the argument. Yet, no matter how elegantly, or intellectually, one may seek to justify the Diya coup plot of 1997, the fact is that Abacha’s regime was a de facto and de jure regime. As all lawyers know, after the Supreme Court decision in Lakanmi’s case in 1970, the Federal Military Government (Supremacy and Enforcement of Powers) Decree 1970 was promulgated. The decree established the legal basis of military rule then, and subsequently.

If we researched into our country’s history, say, in the last 40 years, we would find that some of our venerated personages were beneficiaries of pardon.

The most obvious examples are Chief Obafemi Awolowo (treasonable felony for which he was in jail in Calabar), and Chief Emeka Ojukwu (for treason after he led the Biafra rebellion and then fled into exile in Cote d’Ivoire when Biafra surrendered to the Federal forces after a 30-month civil war). But remember also that when Gen. Murtala Muhammed overthrew Gen. Yakubu Gowon’s regime in July 1975, aside the ensuing mass purge of the civil service, all the 12 Military Governors of the Gowon era, except Mobolaji Johnson (Lagos State) and Oluwole Rotimi (Western Nigeria), were dismissed from service and their assets seized for corrupt enrichment. In later years, they were pardoned and some of their assets returned to them.

Recall also that after Gen. Muhammadu Buhari and his military colleagues sacked the Second Republic in December 1983, many leading political figures, including governors, were handed lengthy prison sentences and their properties confiscated by the various military tribunals. Again, in later years, these Second Republic figures were freed from prison and got some restitution. In none of these instances was pardon bestowed on a saint.

• Katsina sent this contribution from Kaduna.

llicit trade and govt revenue loss

By Lekan Babatunde LLICIT trade as a cankerworm has eaten deep into the fabrics of Iproducts the society. It has bastardized the market so much that counterfeit have taken over the market to the detriment of the consumer, the government and the general public at large.

In most of our markets, consumers rarely have access to quality products as a result of the domineering counterfeit products that have suffused every space. The spate of occurrence is so pervasive such that it cuts across all ramifications of product categories and market levels.

By way of explanation, illicit trade includes the various practices or conducts prohibited by law and which have connection to production, shipment, receipt, possession, distribution, sale or purchase as well as those practices or conducts intended to facilitate such activities. These are huge drainpipes denying the government its due revenue and to a great extent paralyze the overall effectiveness of the government to provide services and needed infrastructure for the people.

While the perpetrators of these unpatriotic and shady deals are smiling to the banks, the government, consumers and the society at large are respectively made to suffer avoidable drought in revenue and health hazards as a result of use or consumption of substandard goods and unavailable infrastructural facilities. The simple fact is that illicit trade impoverishes the government and the people of any nation that refuses to take a drastic step to stem it.

Although, statistics are scanty, the available ones relating to lost revenue are mind-boggling. According to PA Consulting Group, global illicit trade results in huge financial losses to both governments and companies, and it has serious implications for public health and crime. The group’s findings estimate that global illicit trade in pharmaceutical products is over $200 billion per year. For tobacco sector alone, it is estimated that nearly £25 billion in tax revenue is lost each year by the government.

The loss could arise from practices such as when containers are exported illegally and duty unpaid. In other instances, containers find their ways into countries where they have no market only to dissolve into the contraband market. Such containers are transported

through illegal routes into markets without payment of the necessary fees and import duties to governments’ agencies.

As observed earlier, accurately quantifying the scale of illicit trade is difficult. In 2011, Euromonitor International estimated the volume of illicit trade on tobacco products at around 360 billion cigarettes annually (excluding China). China is said to control over 10 per cent of the global market.

According to the research agency, governments lost an estimated 40 to 50 billion USD from their combined national budgets each year due to the illicit trade in both contraband and counterfeit cigarettes.

The research goes on to point out that a single 40-foot container can hold 10 million illicit cigarettes. “In the European Union, this represents an average loss of customs duty, excise duty and VAT of €2 million. In some countries, the loss may be much higher”.

If these losses suffered by governments in unearned revenue in tobacco trade alone is so high, then it means other illicit trade prone sectors such as pharmaceutical, textiles, home appliances, foot wears, jewelries and a host of others, continuously rob governments and their citizens of unquantifiable huge sum of revenues that would have been put to good use for the benefit of the populace.

Factors that encourage illicit trade There are a number of factors that give rise to this global issue of illicit trade. However, we will consider two of such. These include high incidence of taxation and inept laws and enforcement.

The excessively high and sometimes the incidence of multiple taxes meted out to legitimate businesses, encourage unpatriotic businesses and entrepreneurs to go underground. This is done in a bid to escape taxes hence dealing in illicit trade. Perpetrators are able to avoid taxes, duties and levies, thereby enticing consumers with the cheap prices. However, bulk of the good traded in are smuggled products.

At best, the law enforcement agencies pay lip service to the issue of illicit trade. The country’s boarders have become porous to counterfeit goods. In most instances, the will to perform is lacking. It is no secret that officials trade off their responsibilities or compromise at the entry points for personal gains. Yet in other instances, agency officials bow to the superior fire power of the smugglers because they lack necessary gadgets and equipment to ward off and suppress smugglers from perpetrating their nefarious activities. Where these

dubious characters are caught, they are rarely made to face the weight of the law. Shocking revelation is that they buy their ways out.

The ways out To block this huge leak in government revenue, the government needs to devise and operate a balanced tax policy and effective collection system. When setting tax rates, governments need to take into account the level of economic development, the purchasing power of the consumer and the tax rates in neighboring countries. Experience has shown that radical excise “shocks” are more likely to lead to the emergence or growth of illicit trade. So, high tax rates and multiple taxes should be discouraged.

Legislation on illicit trade should be simple and clear with no ambiguities, no double standards. These would provide the basis for control and punishment for offenders. Agencies should be adequately empowered and compensated to carry out their responsibilities. Also, clear offences and appropriate penalties must be apportioned to offenders; there must be systematic destruction of all seized illicit products, raw materials, manufacturing equipment and components and as well as putting in place legislation to protect brand owners’ right to product violations.

As the ultimate arbiter, the judiciary must be strengthened to ensure the ultimate success of the anti-illicit trade campaign in plugging government’s revenue leakages arising from the act. The judiciary must be equipped to quickly deal with cases submitted by the enforcement agencies. The interventions of enforcement authorities need to be based on adequate laws passed by the legislature and supported by appropriate penalties which have to be made available to and used by courts to stem the activities of the criminals. This will in the long run serve as deterrent to intending agents and perpetrators of illicit trade.

The harm of illicit trade does not only make funds unavailable for infrastructure and development, but it also endangers the health and well being of the citizens in times of squeeze on government’s finance. Therefore, success against illicit trade in all its ramifications can only be achieved through government’s will power to block the leakages and being decisive on harnessing resources to developing the nation’s much needed infrastructural facilities.

• Babatunde, a social commentator and marketing analyst, writes from Lagos.

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THE GUARDIAN, Friday, June 7, 2013

Opinion Constitutional role for civil society (2)

By Nathaniel Abara Continued from yesterday OREOVER, as a resource-rich nation Nigeria is under the heavy veil of the “resource curse”. The CCS is the EITI equivalent of the “magic arm” by which we convert the complex diversity and liability of our large poor population to assets: 120 million people who constitute the members of CSOs and volunteers who come together to build understanding, paper over these divides, create social value, propagate transparent, accountable and responsive governance, and turn the “resource curse” into God’s “resource blessing” for all.

Thirdly, the challenge of Nigeria is not so much the lack of good laws, policies, rules and regulations. The implementation of these ordinances is the problem. The CCS will support other government arms by mobilizing its CSOs, their members and volunteers to engage the MDAs. The proposed recognition of CCS is compelling for other reasons.

CSOs have played a significant role in the current review process. It is only logical that they should also play a role in operating the constitution. The recognition offers the locus standi to protect and develop CSOs and provide an ecosystem to advance the contribution of a strong voluntary, non-profit Third Sector of CSOs. The CCS will integrate the Nigerian Diaspora of 17 million; create a global human infrastructure platform and a new social world of Nigerians. Empowered civil society will also strengthen our nation’s political society, link party members to institutions of the state and lead to strong people-owned parties to mobilize the masses, transform politics and make our political parties developmental The timing is right for a constitutional CCS. As the constitution is now under review, we need to take advantage of the process and change things to avoid a worse scenario from rearing up its head in future. We may not have another one for 10 years to straighten things up.

Besides, prevailing conditions favour the CCS. We have the social media, geographic and global positioning systems and the Federal Government’s “Getting Government Online” initiative. Performance contracting has been introduced. The Freedom of Information act is operational.

Recently, many noted people in our nation called for civil society participation. Mr. President urged Labour Unions to conduct peer reviews on corruption among its members. The Deputy Senate President suggested CSOs’ constitutional representation on state police service commissions. The Minister of State for Health charged CSOs to monitor supplies to health facilities and ensure that the approved items were actually supplied. His Eminence, Cardinal John Onaiyekan, the Catholic Archbishop of Abuja urged state governments to return to their original owners all missionary schools taken over in the 1970s. CSO leaders demanded the publication of state and local government revenues, budgets and finances as is done at the federal level. Senior citizens clamoured for National Conference to include people from various relevant walks of life in order to discuss matters that affect them.

Also, a few ongoing CSO initiatives need mention. The Independent Corrupt Practices Commission provides the media specialised training on investigation of corruption cases and follow-up to conviction.

Many states now mobilize state and community-based CSOs to address security concerns. A coalition of public procurement CSOs secured court order compelling government to disclose details of a power sector contract.

Conclusively, we can say that people are saying that CSOs should be actively involved in the ways they are being governed. Therefore, the

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constitution should clearly state the roles that CSO should play because it is the document that legally stipulates how the people of Nigeria wish to be governed – not how powerful interests prefer to govern them.

Fortunately, Nigeria’s CSOs have a distinguished record of performance. It was CSOs that successfully led the resistance against colonial rule and the struggle for independence. They provided mass education and health services that raised most of today’s outstanding leaders in various spheres of our lives. Since 2004, CSOs have constructively engaged in the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) to improve governance through transparency and accountability. NEITI has uncovered the sum of unpaid accruals to the tune of $11.6 billion due from oil and gas companies of which $2 billion (N300 billion) has so far been recovered.

Nigeria’s implementation of the global EITI principles is reported to rank best amongst the implementing countries around the world.

The more recent Federal Government Agriculture Transformation Action Plan also works “within a framework of partnerships” that involves CSOs. These and many other examples, provide ready pilots to scale up workable CCS engagements with the public service in collaboration with the other three arms of government.

How should the CCS be represented in the constitution? We propose that the Constitution Review Committees should insert a new chapter to be titled “The Council of Civil Society”, or some other name to that effect. The Council should be independent of government with an independent secretariat run by its CSOs. Government funding support will be a first charge on the consolidated revenue fund. The CCS should function at the three tiers of government.

Members of the Council would serve on part-time basis, for a given term. The tenure could be renewed for further terms as may be agreed upon. Representatives should be technocrats. The Council will seek to get things done, as may be stipulated by inputs from their constituencies and the other arms of government. Measures shall be put in place to protect the CCS, its organs and operations from conflicts of personal, ethnic and other divisive interests and corruption.

The CCS should be a knowledge-based peoples’ body of experts and reputed professionals, a kind of constitutional “watch, guide and work dog” and partner. The Councils’ constituency will comprise of independent non-profit media organisations, the Nigeria Diaspora, the academia and professional bodies, women associations, disadvantaged and vulnerable groups, trade unions, foundations and non-government organisations, religion-based service organizations, youth, socio-cultural groups, state-, local- and communitybased organisations, etc., drawn from all over the federation, zone, state and local government area (LGA).

Institutions of public service delivery, consumer protection and development will be the primary focus of the CCS. CCS members and CSO officials will be appointed to the boards and councils of these institutions and they should also serve on the tenders, monitoring and evaluation committees of MDAs. The Local Council of Civil Society (LCCS) in each LGA should be comprised of members of the local civil organisations (LCOs) drawn from members of the local media, the teachers and medical services unions, women and youth groups, faith-based organisations, town development associations, neighbourhood watch, transport unions, market associations etc.

The arrangement will provide for selected members of the LCCS and the larger LCOs to attend meetings of the local government councils and LGA technical committees (e.g. revenues, budgets and finance, education, health, water and sanitation, agriculture, women, youth, etc). LCCS representatives would have no voting

rights. Their participation would serve to share information, enrich council and committee deliberations and facilitate follow up of issues of interest to the LCCSs, LCOs and citizens in general. The local framework of checks and balances would also serve to encourage transparency and accountability in revenue and expenditure matters, and responsiveness in service delivery and local development.

The Federal Council of Civil Society (FCCS) will be composed of technical experts and outstanding professionals from the national independent media organisations, the Nigeria Diaspora, the “great federations” of CSOs and others with capacity to impact national issues and policy. The FCCS is therefore well positioned to monitor federal government projects, among other responsibilities. Take the East – West road for example. The FCCS should mobilize development associations in all communities that straddle the surveyed route of the proposed expressway. Through the respective State Council of Civil Society (SCCS) and LCCS, the FCCS should source the contact details of the respective leaders of these development associations. With these details, FCCS would obtain independent situation reports for any stretch of the project route on a 24/7 basis, if required. Where necessary the FCCS would contact the relevant SCCS or LCCS to send competent members for assessment and feedback. FCCS would forward these reports to relevant MDAs, the National Assembly and the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Civil Society for necessary action.

In similar vein, the FCCS through a network of SCCSs, LCCSs, CSOs, their members and volunteers, can play an important role in the delivery of constituency projects of federal legislators spread all over the country and forward reports to the National Assembly and the Office of Minister of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs in the Presidency. The opportunity for the civil society to monitor and report on all federal projects nationwide will make all political appointees and other public servants to sit up. There will be no hiding place anymore for anybody.

Our constitutional freedoms of speech, assembly and association are yet to be translated to actions that impact our lives. The Human Rights Agenda Network, echoing the voice of civil society, recently complained bitterly about very hostile work environment. They vehemently protested that Nigerian politicians and public officials are not ready to engage and meet the popular demand for good governance. They have threatened to return to the trenches, mobilize and fight the current governments at all levels. Now our leaders, CSOs and the people demand active citizen participation for transparent, accountable and responsive governance. Also, the Vice President and Governors at the National Economic Council recently expressed worries over the increasing cases of corruption in the system. Is it not time, therefore, for the constitution review committees and our elected representatives to positively respond to these calls?

The potential benefits of a constitutionally backed “house of civil society” for Nigeria are huge. To unite its peoples following the Second World War, among other reasons, the European Union (EU) as far back as the late 1950s adopted this constitutional initiative. Each member state of the EU has a “house of civil society”. Many countries in various parts of the world have done the same. The time to engage the people for national transformation is now. We need to act speedily to set up the CCSs, mobilize CSOs, their army of 120 million members and volunteers nationwide in the match towards transformation. China has mobilized its over one billion citizens and is now unstoppable. Nigeria too can do the same.

• Concluded.

• Abara, DIC, the Managing Advisor/CEO, Enterprise Trust & Development Company Limited, is a former investment banker and economic advisor to government.

Can AU serve Africans for 50 years?

By Georges Nzongola-Ntalaja HE African Union has helped throw off coloT nialism and resolve conflicts since its birth in 1963. But can it answer the desire for democracy among many Africans?

The African Union (AU) is now 50 years old. Amid the celebrations, the AU – which was established as the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) in 1963 – needs to take stock of its strengths and weaknesses as an intergovernmental organisation designed to promote the pan-African agenda politically and economically. As articulated by the leading figures of pan-Africanism, that agenda consists of a three-dimensional project of political self-determination, economic self-reliance, and solidarity in the promotion and defence of African interests nationally and internationally.

The OAU came into existence as a compromise between the radical pan-Africanism of leaders such as Kwame Nkrumah, who advocated a union government and a continental military high command, and the more conservative outlook of the pro-western leaders of Nigeria, Ivory Coast and Liberia, who insisted on a gradual approach to African economic and political integration.

Despite the antagonistic positions separating them, the groups were both favourable to setting up a pan-African institution based on the principles of state sovereignty, non-interference in the internal affairs of member states and the inviolability of national boundaries.

Within the global context of the cold war, the more limited goals of the OAU were (1) the total independence of Africa from colonialism and white settler rule; (2) the peaceful resolution of interstate conflicts through negotiation, mediation and conciliation; and (3) greater solidarity and economic co-operation.

Decolonisation and majority rule, particularly in the colonial-settler states of Algeria, Kenya and South Africa where racism was institutionalised, were a major achievement of the project. The culminating event was the liberation of South Africa from apartheid in 1994, ending 82 years of struggle led by the African National Congress and 31 years of support by the continent through the OAU. This unswerving opposition to white minority rule and colonialism is undoubtedly the OAU’s greatest achievement. It succeeded in mobilising African and world opinion against colonialists in the Portuguese colonies and settler states of Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe. The worldwide isolation of the apartheid state of South Africa, including its exclusion from international organisations and sporting events, was spearheaded by the OAU. And the OAU African Liberation Committee deserves praise for its outstanding work in supporting armed struggle in Guinea-Bissau and southern Africa. Guinea, Tanzania, Zambia, Angola, Mozambique and Zimbabwe also made great sacrifices in supporting total liberation from colonial oppression.

The OAU also had some achievements in conflict

resolution, particularly mediating in border disputes, the major area of interstate conflict in Africa. However, most of the armed conflicts since independence have been internal rather than interstate. As a pan-African organisation, the OAU had an obligation to address such conflicts, inasmuch as they involved gross violations of human rights, including cases of genocide, and had a humanitarian dimension in the large number of refugees and internally displaced people they generated.

Unfortunately, the OAU failed to exercise its right of intervention in cases of state-sponsored terrorism and heinous crimes, including ethnic cleansing and genocide. The organisation expressed little or no solidarity with Africans facing mortal danger from their own governments and never recognised the legitimacy of African struggles against African tyrants. In 1979, when President Julius Nyerere of Tanzania took the courageous decision to pursue invading Ugandan troops all the way to Kampala and assist Ugandan patriots in overthrowing the regime of Idi Amin Dada, he found very little support among his African peers.

Things changed for the better in the 1990s, particularly with the adoption in 1993 in Cairo of the OAU mechanism for conflict prevention, management and resolution, which gave the organisation a role in internal conflicts. Since replacing the OAU in 2002, the AU has increased its intervention in domestic affairs. Both the AU commission and the regional economic

communities (RECs) have played a useful role, sending peacekeeping forces to countries in turmoil. The RECs seem to be playing a greater role in resolving internal conflicts than in promoting economic co-operation and integration.

A major problem confronting the AU is resources. With so much dependence on the EU and other external funding, questions arise about African ownership and initiative in some of the theatres of intervention. In addition to governments’ lack of political will, the lack of resources for peace and security, as well as economic co-operation, is partly because countries are also members of multiple regional institutions. It is not uncommon for a country to belong to three or more regional economic groups. By spreading themselves thin, countries deprive institutions of the skills and money they need. This raises the question of how strongly committed Africa’s leaders are to economic and political integration.

This is at the heart of the AU’s future. Its neoliberal development programme, NEPAD is less suited to the needs of workers and peasants than the more comprehensive development strategy of the Lagos plan of action, adopted in 1980. As an organisation that reflects the social character of the states composing it, most of which are under authoritarian rulers who cling to power through force and electoral fraud, the AU is ill-equipped to meet people’s aspirations for democracy and social progress.

• This article was first published by the author in The Guardian of London on May 21, 2013.

THE GUARDIAN, Friday, June 7, 2013

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FridayWorship

By Afis A. Oladosu In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent the Merciful “… and they say, “Indeed, he is mad. But it (the Quran) is nothing except a reminder to the worlds.” (Quran 68:51-52) RETHREN, one of my teachers once B told this story to us: a man once passed by a psychiatric hospital. He contemplated the serenity of the exterior of the hospital and imagined the hubbub and the bedlam that would characterise its interiority. He soon saw one of the patients who was peering out through one of the windows of the hospital.

Then the thought occurred to him to engage the mad man in a conversation.

He then shouted on top of his voice and asked him as follows: “how many madmen are there in your hospital?” The inmate looked the questioner up and down as if in search of the best response to his question. Then he (the inmate) responded saying: “tell me, how many sane people remain out there!

Brethren, sometimes when I contemplate the contrarieties in our national life, the brazen display and misuse of power and authority, the wanton destruction of innocent lives and property by those who see violence as an end in itself, the indulgence in corruption by those whose brief is to prevent its perpetration, the suggestion that there are no sane men left up there becomes irresistible. One gets a sense of a clime populated by men and women suffering from lunacy; it feels as if we are in a season of anomie.

Brethren, the subject of mental illness has occupied the attention of thinkers and philosophers across ages and climes. In fact before Islam, the Greeks had explored the phenomenon of

“Surely, the religion with Allah is ISLAM,complete submission”... Qur’an 3:19

It is a season of anomie mental illness and sought to engage its multifarious perspectives. Aristotle is quoted to have said that no great mind has ever existed without a touch of madness. In Hamlet, it is deemed to be a necessary ingredient in creativity. It gains mention not just because it is an aspect of life but also because there is a method to it. In other words, if you must go mad, let yours be with and in style. If you must run naked in the market, ensure it is in pursuit of something noble, not ignoble.

Brethren, when Prophet Muhammad emerged on the rigid landscape of Arabia and began to call on his people to forsake idol worship, sexual oppression of women and perpetration of injustice against the weak, he was dismissed as a mad man. He was accused of being in communion with the Jinns who were teaching him verses of the Quran. The Quran, it must be remembered, represents, aside from its eternal universal and holistic messages, the acme and the apotheosis of literary erudition for which the Makkans were renowned.

Since they could not match its inimitable structure and content, they therefore dismissed it as the ministrations of the one who is suffering from insanity.

Al-Rasul was consequently declaimed for his choice to be honest in a season of dishonesty; he was harangued for choosing to stand by the poor and the orphans. He was accused of suffering from dementia when he called for an

end to graft, bribery, round-tripping and backbiting.

Though Arabia was in dire need of a man like al-Rasul for it to be redeemed from imminent implosion, the emergence of al-Rasul, the expected, from an unexpected quarter of the city was, however, deemed an indulgence in lunacy by the powers-that be. Makkah, like the world today, needed the emergence of al-Rasul and his companions so that it could occupy the lofty position it presently enjoys in human history. But once that happened, the Makkans decided to go to war against its own redeemer. One wonders who, between the two, was actually ‘mad’?

During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, great European thinkers were accused of suffering from dementia. Van Gogh was deemed to be suffering from schizophrenia, Nietzsche was thought be affected by paranoid disorder then general paresis of the insane. What about Dostoevski, the great Russian writer? He, too, was said to have been afflicted with epilepsy. Brethren, to choose to be sane in a society with predilections for insanity is to be enrobed with dementia.

But the subject of dementia, which is of interest to us in our sermon today, is different from the ‘madness” which men whose memory is interred on the lofty pages of human history. Rather, the mad men of interest to us are “un-official companions” of those men and

women who are in a permanent state of dementia. In other words, two types of images of madness could be seen in our cities today: voluntary and involuntary madness. The first, voluntary madness (VM) is consciously ‘acquired’, while the second, involuntary madness (IM) is surreptitiously inflicted; the first is socio-cultural, while the second is spiritual-medical; the first is sometimes incurable, the second is usually redeemable.

Brethren, let us pause a moment to ponder this question: what usually lead to involuntary madness? Two revered scholars in Islamic annals have refreshing perspectives. First, let us consider that of Ibn Qayyim. According to him, “evil spirits usually take possession of those having little religious inclinations and those whose hearts and tongues faith has deserted; those whose souls are dissolute of the remembrance of the Almighty…when evil spirits meets a man who is isolated, weaponless and naked they are easily able to attack and overcome him”.

Now Ibn Taimiyyah adds a different but equally useful perspective. He says a man may become a victim of demonic possession if he falls in the track of a Jinn, which has excessive sensual or sexual desire. In other words, just as we have humans who engage in debauchery and bestiality, just as we have humans who seek pleasures in animals and other species outside their own,

there are Jinns that equally seek pleasures from creatures other than their own. Once they find some among humans who catch their fancies, they possess such individuals. Jinns equally possess humans out of mischief or out of anger.

Let us side-step this in order to get to the subject of today’s sermon. Brethren, when we contemplate the two states of madness I mentioned above, namely, voluntary and involuntary madness, we find uncanny similarities and lessons.

For example, when you look around our cities, you would see men and women suffering dementia; men suffering involuntary madness. They parade the streets and pathways of our villages on a daily basis. In fact they are the real occupiers of our nation. They usually bask in an unusual state of happiness. You remember that mad guy in the market square.

He dances round the city. He runs and walks without aim or goal. But is that really true? Is the madman’s movement actually aimless and useless? Is his happiness futile and banal? I am of the opinion the answer may actually be in the affirmative: that there are pleasures in being mad which none but the madman and woman can explain.

An evidence to show that there are pleasures in madness probably lies in the vocation of the madmen and women. An ordinary madman and woman is a busy-body. Both strive, on a daily basis, to create an “empire” for themselves, for their world - an empire of garbage, debris and detritus. Pause a moment in front of the palace of the sick man in your neighbourhood and he would remind you of your humanity. He is surrounded by his world: a world of pleasure and of material acquisitions: of disused television sets, of brooms and pans, mats and mattresses, pots and utensils, of homes that are actually

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THE GUARDIAN, Friday, June 7, 2013

Sports Ahead Brazil 2014 World Cup

Globacom hails Eagles’ performance against Kenya

It’s not over yet, Musa warns Eagles

ELECOMMUNICATIONS T operator, Globacom has congratulated the Super

• Palmgren plans to upset Nigeria UPER Eagles hero in Squalifier Wednesday’s World Cup against Harambee Stars in Nairobi, Ahmed Musa, says it would be foolhardy to underrate Namibia when both teams meet in a World Cup qualifier next week.

Musa’s 81st minute goal gave the Super Eagles victory over the Harambee Stars, a result that put Nigeria two points above Malawi in the race to Brazil 2014.

Speaking after the game against Kenya, Musa said: “We are not there yet because any slip now would bring back Malawi and even Namibia to contention in our group.

“We will go all out against Namibia, we are not going to underrate them as the era of minnows and small teams is long gone,” he said.

Musa, who is mindful of the antics of some African teams in qualifiers like next week’s game, added: “We have experienced campaigners, who have played in all sorts of conditions in Africa, and I am sure that we will be ready for the game.

“We are getting ready for the match because we know how important this is to our quest to get to the 2014 World Cup. We also know that Nigerians love victory.

The team spirit is high and we are all doing good.”

While Musa is looking forward to Nigerian victory in Windhoek, Namibia Coach, Roger Palmgren, says his team is primed to shock the Super Eagles on Wednesday.

The Namibians forced Malawi to a goalless draw at the Kamuzu Stadium in Blantyre on Wednesday afternoon to remain third on four points in the 2014 FIFA

World Cup qualifiers CAF Group F. According to Palmgren, a draw could only be the fair result for both sides but his side could have won the match as they had more chances.

“We created more chances then Malawi, Lazarus and Tangeni missed good chances. We played very well and our offensive play was great, but we could not score. I’m satisfied but victory but we could have done much better.”

Palmgren adds that he is pleased with the commitment from his players but they could have kept the ball more.

“Our players were very committed and disciplined but gave the ball way easily in the middle and that was not good. Malawi had more possession, but we have better chances.”

The coach says his team would make up for the draw when they meet Nigeria in Windhoek on Wednesday, adding, “I believe in this team, today they showed me what they are made off and we will be better prepared for Nigeria on June 12.”

Meanwhile, FIFA has announced that Eritrean officials will take charge of the crucial World Cup qualifier between the southern African minnows and the African champions in Windhoek Maeruf Kherseed will work as centre referee for the match scheduled for the Nujoma Stadium in Windhoek.

Kherseed, 40, who became an international referee in 2008, will be assisted by compatriot, Berhe Tesfagiorghis O’Michael, 38, who is Assistant Referee 1,

Flying Eagles’ Oluwasemilogo Ajayi (left) vies with Portuguese Aladje (right) during their Under-21 international football match at the Leo Lagrange Stadium in Toulon, France, as part of the ‘World Youth Festival Toulon’…yesterday.

PHOTO: AFP.

Espanyol confirms for LIFT, set to launch academy in Nigeria PANISH football giant, Sparticipation Espanyol has confirmed its in the Lagos International Football Tourney (LIFT) slated for July 25 to 28 at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos, even as it is set to launch its youth team in Nigeria.

According to Head, Media & Communications, LIFT, Yemi Akinbode, the Espanyol team will come to Nigeria with a star-studded team of 35 people, including players, coaching, technical crew and medical personnel.

In a mail signed by the CEO/ President of the club, Joan Collet, the club said, “through this letter, I will like to confirm to Lagos International Football Tournament, represented by

Mr. Mutiu Adepoju, the firm intention of RCD Espanyol de Barcelona to participate in the maiden edition of the mentioned football tournament to be played in July 2013 in Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere, in Lagos.”

The president also praised Adepoju for the role he is playing in the growth and development of football not only in Africa, but also in the world at large.

“RCD Espanyol Barcelona has confirmed the authenticity of this letter and is pleased to count with the inestimable experience and knowledge of Mr. Mutiu Adepoju and assure his interest in participating in the tournament,” he posited.

Aside from its participation

in the tourney, the team has also confirmed that it will use the opportunity of its participation in the tournament, which comes as a pre-season in Europe, to inaugurate its Youth Team in the commercial and football-loving city of Lagos,” he stated.

Apart from Espanyol, other participating teams in the tournament are Ismaily SC of Egypt, Asante Kotoko of Ghana and Nigeria’s Kano Pillars.

The Lagos International Football Tournament (LIFT) is an Adepoju initiative designed as an annual fiesta to promote and enhance the quality of football both in terms of strategic management, organisation and tactical implementation of policies and programmes in

CAA African Junior Championships

Three U.S.-based athletes to strengthen Team Nigeria squad

By Gowon Akpodonor HREE junior athletes based in the United States of America are expected to hit Team Nigeria’s camp in Port Harcourt by June 18 to join others in preparing for the fast approaching 11th Confederation of Africa Athletics (CAA) Africa Junior Athletics Championship. It will hold between June 27 and 30 in South Africa.

The Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) named its contingents for the championship after the trials held on

T

Wednesday at the Adoki Amesiemeka Stadium in Port Harcourt, River State.

The Guardian learnt yesterday that apart from the names already released by the AFN, three junior athletes are expected to join the camp from their base in U.S.A not later than June 18.

An official of the team told The Guardian yesterday that the three athletes are expected to strengthen the team, especially in the 4x100 relay and the throws. “Going by their performances in the United States, we are expect-

Eagles for recording an important away win against the Harambee Stars of Kenya in the World Cup Qualifying match played on Wednesday in Nairobi.

In a statement released on Wednesday, Globacom said the Super Eagles were unlimited in their performance against Kenya and urged them to sustain the momentum next week when they take on Namibia in Windhoek to consolidate on their chances of representing Africa at the Mundial.

“The match was grueling. We commend the Super Eagles for their hardwork, unflagging concentration and neversay-die spirit, which earned them the vital three away points,” the statement added.

Globacom observed that the victory had deepened the Super Eagles’ rating as African champions, adding that they should be focused as they represent the continent at the Confederation Cup in Brazil from June 15 this year.

The company enjoined Nigerians not to relent in supporting to the Super Eagles through prevailing prayers so that they can go on to win more laurels for Nigeria.

Nigeria now leads Group F with eight points, Malawi is second with six points, while Namibia is third with four points as Kenya remains at the bottom of the table with two points.

ing some medals from them in South Africa. They will arrive Nigeria on June 18,” the official said yesterday.

In the 100m boys, the AFN settled for Chibuike Harry, Anthony Egode, Mamusi Mounonuvie and Victor Ikhazoboh, while Briggs Tamunotoye and Akere Omezie are the country’s flag bearers in 200m boys. For the 400m boys, Oshasha Samson, Ottah Ugochukwu, Akere Amazie, Adeniji Ademola and Ebelebe Charles made the list.

In the girls 100m, Peace Ukoh, Deborah Odeyemi,

Mariam Bassey, Nkem Ezeala and Morolake Akinwusi were listed, just as Rita Ossai, Ekanem Comfort, Ada Benjamin, Abike Egbeniyi and Uwakwe Nkeiruka will compete in the 400m girls. In the 800m girls, Abike Egbiniji is the solo athlete for the event for Nigeria.

For the 1,500m race is Aminat Olowora, while the 100m/400m huddles has Efe Favour, just as Ese Brume is listed for the long jump event.

Shot put/Discus has Nwanneka Okwelogu, while Foustina Oguh will partici-

pate in the Race Walk event.

The coaches for the competition are Tobias Igwe, Daniel Estemobor, Uchena Emedolu, Maria Usifo, Dr. Oboh, Adebayo Bada and Seigha Porbeni, with Ajao Oluwafemi serving as the team secretary.

Meanwhile, AFN Technical Director, Navy Commodore Omatseye Nesiama has said that the athletes and coaches would remain at the high performance center in Port Harcourt in continuation with their training for the championship.

First Registrar romances Abesan Cup HE on-going Abesan Cup T received a boost with the donation of Jerseys and balls to the organisers by First Registrar Ltd, a division of First Bank Plc. Head of Administration, Oluwaseyi Adetola, who announced the donation said the company had followed the success of the Abesan Cup and were proud to partner with the organisers towards improving Nigerian Football at the grassroot level.

He said the donation were part of First Registrar’s penchant for empowering Nigerian youths. “We are delighted with the performance of the organisers since it began in 1998 and we felt as an organisation we should contribute our quota.”

Adetola tasked other grassroots bodies to be dedicated while discharging their duties. He then promised greater support for the competition in 2014.

Meanwhile, Austin Tigers became the first to reach the second round even with one match still to play after a 2-0 win over Mighty Jets in a Group D game played at Kuwait Field, Egbeda.

They had earlier beaten Lopen 2-0 in their first match. Also, through to the knockout phase is Diamond FC following a 2-1 win over wasteful Noble FC at the Agege Centre at Keke Senior High School.

THE GUARDIAN, Friday, June 7, 2013

55

SchoolSports Jonathan launches Rhythm ‘N’ Play, reaffirms commitment to grassroots development From Olalekan Okusan and Ezeocha Nzeh, Abuja RESIDENT Goodluck P Jonathan has, once again, reaffirmed his commitment to grassroots sports development in the country, saying getting the talents early would help Nigeria to build world champions.

Speaking while launching the Nigeria Academicals Sports Committee’s (NASCOM) initiative, Rhythm ‘N’ Play, yesterday in Abuja, the president, who is the grand patron of the initiative, said his government is willing to reposition sports by encouraging young people to embrace it early in life.

“We are committed to grassroots sports development and we are going to bring

back Physical Education (PE) to schools and make sports compulsory for every Nigerian child.

“We believe that getting them early will indeed be a better idea to groom world stars. With this initiative, we are aware of the enormous challenges in terms of facilities, but we are determined to reverse this trend by using a cost effective style to ensure that we achieve the target of engaging two million kids in sports.

“I, therefore, call on the private sector to support this initiative for the betterment of our youths,” he said.

The president charged the National Sports Commission (NSC) and Ministry of Education to work together in achieving the aim of

Rhythm ‘N’ Play.

Also speaking at the occasion, Minister of Sports/ NSC Chairman, Bolaji Abdullahi said the project intends to revolutionise sports at the grassroots level, adding that efforts would be geared towards encouraging schools by providing for them sports equipment and help train their games masters.

“We will rely on the existing platform and leverage on existing competitions to nurture future global champions with the intention of getting two million kids to take to sports across the country.

“We will take the initiative across the country through the zones by ensuring that we have Rhythm ‘N’ Play clubs in schools,” the minister said.

Catch-them-young…Action recorded during the last Cross River State Primary/Secondary Schools Sports Championship. President Goodluck Jonathan has promised to ensure that sports returned to schools.

Elegbeleye to prioritise school sports HE only way Nigeria can T return to its position as the leading African country

Pupils of Ifako International School cycling during the school’s 27th biennial inter –house sports competition at Agege Stadium, Lagos…recently.

Effortswill relishes Ibadan basketball experience HE Western Zone of All T Nigeria Secondary School Basketball Championship has come and gone, but the memories of the event is still lingering in the minds of players of Effortswill School, Ejigbo.

The trio of Jennifer George, Ilozuluike Onyinye and Deborah Redemi were all part of the school’s female team to the six-day event in Ibadan as Lagos State champion, and 13-year-old Deborah says she has learnt from her mistakes during the event.

Deborah says the trip to Ibadan enabled her to meet other people from various parts of the country, adding, “it was a rewarding experience for me, as I met new people, made friends and learnt more about the game.

“This was my first time of travelling outside Lagos for a tournament and I think I am fulfilled, even though we did not qualify for the national final.”

The Delta State indigene, who is currently in JSS2, says her love for the game began during her Primary School days, revealing, “my school has a basketball court which made me to develop interest in the game in primary school. My parents have also giving me their blessings.”

Team Captain, Jennifer George blames fear factor was responsible for the team’s elimination from the Western Conference.

The 15-year-old SS1 pupil, who hails from Ikot Abasi in Akwa-Ibom State, admitted that the toughest game was against Ijemo Titun Secondary School, Abeokuta, which they lost 09-23 after winning their first match 11-4 against FCT representatives, Government Secondary School, Karu, Abuja.

“After beating the school from the FCT Abuja we were exhausted going into the second match against Ogun State and that was responsible for our defeat.

“We gave it our best but, unfortunately, it was not enough,” she said, adding that her team has gained a lot from participating in the Western Conference of the Championship.

in sports is by paying attention to school sports and other grassroots development programmes, the Director General of the National Sports Commission, Gbenga Elegbeleye has said.

Speaking on a foreign radio

programme monitored in Lagos, Elegbeleye, who was recently appointed the NSC director general, promised to make school sports and grassroots development the focus of the Commission’s policy, stating that these were the bedrock of sporting excellence in Nigeria in the past.

Positing that schools were

breeding grounds for athletes starting from very young ages in the past, Elegbeleye said, “there is now the need to go back to the schools because of their proximity to the people.

Schools remain our best hopes for real sports development, being right in the heart of the people.

Orange House lifts Kembos’ Champions Cup

By Ujunwa Atueyi HE fourth edition of the T biennial inter-house sports competition of Kembos Group of Schools, Isolo, Lagos, has ended with

Orange House emerging the overall winner with 24 gold, 10 silver and 10 bronze medals.

At the competition watched by an impressive crowd, made up of parents, students

Effortswill School, Ejigbo, female basketball team, which participated in the Western Zone of the All Nigeria Secondary School Basketball Championship.

and teachers, the young athletes thrilled the fans in their battle for supremacy.

Orange House’s high level of commitment and determination saw them outperforming the other houses in the game, which featured a total of 57 field and track events.

Pink House came a distant second with 12 gold, 21 silver and16 bronze medals, while Purple and Lemon Houses took the third and fourth places with 11gold, 10 silver, 15 bronze medals and 10 gold, 17 silver and 16 bronze medals respectively.

Speaking at the end of the competition, the Chairman of the event, Vincent Uko, remarked that sporting activities is targeted at developing sound and healthy minds in students, who could in the long run chose sports as their career.

“It also gives room for a balanced education, makes the children competitive since life is all about competition.”

THE GUARDIAN, Friday, June 7, 2013

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Heroes Of Victor Ikpeba: ‘Monaco Prince’ Super Eagles former winger cum striker, Victor Nosa Ikpeba,belongs to the golden and nostalgic era of Nigerian football when the national teams were a force to reckon with in African football. Fondly called the ‘Prince of Monaco’ by his admirers, Ikpeba, who hails from Owhelogbo community in the present day Isoko North Council Area of Delta State, started his schoolboy playing career at Crowder Primary School in Sapele in the late 1970s and later went to Okpe Grammar School, also in Sapele, for his secondary education, where his soccer career took off. The young Ikpeba took after his late father, an Airforce military personnel, who played football for the Command team in his active days. At Okpe Grammar School, Ikpeba became a ‘warlord,’ leading the school to conquer all oppositions in the prestigious Principal’s Cup competition.

He was also a household name in the U-13 football competition sponsored by the Okotie-Eboh family, where he became a tormentor to the likes of goalkeeper Andrew Aikomogbe, another great schoolboy player from Sapele region. While Ikpeba was a Commander-in-chief for Okpe Grammar School in Amukpe, goalkeeper Aikomogbe was the toast of the fans at St. Malachy’s school, also in Sapele. After secondary school, Ikpeba got admission into Yaba College of Technology in Lagos and from there, he was invited to the national under-17 team (Golden Eaglets) in 1988. He was part of Eaglets’ team to Scotland ’89 FIFA Cadet championship, where Nigeria lost out in the quarterfinal. Before taking his soccer trade abroad, Ikpeba had a spell with ACB Football Club in Lagos. That was after featuring for Eko Holiday Inn, an amateur club in the LAFA League. From one European club to another, Ikpeba hit the top of his football career at AS Monaco, a French side coached then by Arsene Wenger. His outstanding performance with Monaco, coupled with his contribution to the success of Nigeria’s Dream Team at the Atlanta ’96 Olympics, earned him the African Footballer of the Year award in 1997. Before then, Ikpeba had played a key role in Super Eagles’ success at Tunisia ’94 African Nations Cup, the second for Nigeria after the 1980 victory on home soil. Ikpeba, who is now a member of the Technical Committee of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), was part of the organizing committee of the maiden Delta Governor’s Cup football competition, which was concluded on last week in Warri. Among other things, the Ex-Eagles’ winger told GOWON AKPODONORduring the week in Lagos that his exploits as a schoolboy player in Sapele and his foray in the junior team shaped his sporting life, just as he counseled parents to always encourage their children to take to sports, especially at the early stage of their career, so as to cultivate self-discipline in them.

UPER Eagles’ former winger, Victor StookIkpeba, was barely four years old when he to sports, with football as his specialty.

Born on June 12, 1973, the young lad had his early romance with football on the streets of Benin City, where he carved a niche for himself in the game.

Ikpeba, the first of three boys in the family lost his father at a very tender age, so his paternal grandmother, who was living in Sapele, took up the task of bringing him up.

“I was not up to two years when I started staying with dad’s mother in Sapele,” Ikpeba revealed to The Guardian. “My mother is actually a Yoruba but not many people know this.”

The disadvantage of losing his father early not withstanding, Ikpeba was determined to equip himself academically. He started his elementary education at Crowder Primary School in Sapele under the guidance of his grandmother, although he normally visited his uncle, an Air Force officer, in Benin City.

He said: “Whenever I was on holidays, I visited my uncle, Rt. Col. James Ikpeba, in Benin City. What I am trying to say is that my childhood was spent in Sapele and Benin City.”

As a child destined for greatness, Ikpeba developed interest in the round leather game early in life. In fact, he was barely four years old when he commenced his soccer business. “I was between the ages of four and five when I started playing rubber balls in the neigbourhood with my friends. Then, you had over 20 people staying in one compound and football was in me.

“I am sure I took after my late dad because I saw a lot of his pictures as a footballer. Also, my grand mother was always reminding me of the love my dad had for football till his death. She would always tell me: ‘Victor; you will achieve something in football.’ My early childhood was sports and education because I was really involved in school sports.”

The seed of his soccer career was actually planted at Crowder Primary School, but it was at Okpe Grammar School that watered and nurtured him to stardom.

Football development in Sapele had started in the 1950’s, when the game was just at its infancy in Nigeria.

The then Sapele township stadium was among the first stadia in the country and the desire to fully develop football at the grassroots level gave birth to the Sapele Amateur

Football Association. Some notable teams such as Nova Luna FC (the first Youth club in Sapele) and Niger Pools FC had existed in the city way back in the 1960s, but the exploits of Ikpeba and the likes of Aikomogbe in school football in the late 70s opened a new chapter for the people.

Like some other Nigerian past football heroes, whose football career did not get the blessing of their parents at the initial stage, Ikpeba’s early romance with the game met a stiff resistance from his uncle.

He recalled: “It was difficult for my uncle to accept my interest in football because he was afraid that I might get injured in the process. He felt that I might not be 100 per cent fit in doing whatever I wanted to do in life if I sustained any form of injury in football.

“Apart from his fear of injury, there was really no money in football as at that time. So I won’t blame my uncle for nursing such fear at the initial stage. Our heroes who played the game in the 70s and 80s for Nigeria didn’t make money. They only had the passion for the game. I think that passion for the game drove me on.”

One school football contest Ikpeba would always remember was the Principal’s Cup football match between his school (Okpe Grammar School) and Okotie-Eboh at Sapele Stadium in mid 1980s.

With a feeling of nostalgia, Ikpeba recalls: “Playing in the Principal’s Cup competition at that time was like featuring in a World Cup competition. My school had conquered other schools, including St. Malachy’s in the zone and we were looking forward to picking the ticket to move on to Benin City, which was Bendel State capital at that time.

“To get the ticket to Benin City means we must beat Okotie-Eboh. We lost that match not because we didn’t play well but our opponent was just lucky. The huge crowd I witnessed at the Warri City Stadium during the final of the Delta Governor’s Cup last Tuesday was small compared to the turn out of spectators for that particular game between Okpe Grammar School and Okotie-Eboh in Sapele. Some of my schoolmates wept because it was their final year in the school.

That is to tell you the passion and glamour school football attracted in our days. I am so glad the passion is coming back after a long time and I must thank Governor Emmanuel

Uduaghan for championing the reviving school football in the state,” he stated.

The growth of the academicals, a synonym for ‘schoolboys’ football opened up a new generation of players for the country, especially from the old Bendel State. Then, regional inter-secondary school football was organized and at the end, players were picked from the different schools to constitute a more powerful regional team. Only the fittest and the best survived.

“Academicals football at that time complemented the domestic competitions, which was played between town-teams in the various regions. For instance, I played alongside Andrew Aikomogbe in the U-13 Football competition in Sapele. The Okotie-Eboh family sponsored it. It was from the Sapele region we were invited to the national U-17 team. Other players came from the zone and it was easy for us to play together as a team at the World level,” Ikpeba stated.

Ikpeba’s invitation to the Golden Eaglets’ camp in 1988 brought a lot of excitement to the family. Even his friends and fans at Okpe Grammar School celebrated it.

He said: “When I was invited to the Eaglets in 1988, I told myself there was no going back. It was a relief because my uncle and some other members of my family, who initially kicked against my choice of football, began to fall in love with the game. There were support and prayers from every corner. That is what football can do.

“In the camp, I met the quality required and I was selected for the final squad for the U-17 World Cup in Scotland out of hundreds of young kids. And it did change my life. We had a decent tournament and when

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THE GUARDIAN, Friday, June 7, 2013

School Sports raised on Sapele fields the door opened for me to go abroad to continue my career, I felt my life was going to change and it did change,” he added.

At the FIFA U-17 Youth Championship in Scotland, Ikpeba proved his worth. His soccer artistry and dribbles from the wings were delights to behold. After watching the Nigerian team in one of the matches, Brazil legend, Edson Arantes de Nascimento, better known as Pele, predicted that Ikpeba would be a great player in the nearest future. It came to pass, though the Eaglets could not go beyond the quarterfinal stage, where Nigeria lost to Saudi Arabia.

The disappointment of missing the FIFA U-17 World Cup medal not withstanding, the Scotland ’89 championship opened the floodgate of success for the young Ikpeba, as officials of Belgian club, RFC Liege, came for his signature, thereby signaling the commencement of his club career outside the shores of Africa.

“I was privileged and lucky to have gone to a club like Liege because they had a fantastic structure. Not all clubs adopt that set-up. It was one of the oldest clubs in Belgium. Liege manager Robert Waseige knew that I was talented but he equally knew that it was not going to be easy for a 16-year-old to stay alone in a hotel.

“You would not be able to concentrate on what you were brought in for. So they took me to a Belgian family, whom I stayed with for two years to learn their language and life. My eating habits changed and I couldn’t eat my favourite pounded yam anymore. They say when you are in Rome, you behave like Romans. So I adapted to the culture. I was the only black player they had then but the old players accepted and helped me. The two years were helpful and I had to give credit to the family who helped me out,” Ikpeba said.

In Belgium, Ikpeba made 79 appearances for RFC Liege scoring 27 goals between 1989 and 1993. He was quickly spotted by officials of AS Monaco in France, where his performances earned him the African Footballer of the Year award in 1997.

Here, he got the nickname ‘Prince of Monaco’ for his great goals and outstanding qualities on the pitch. He made 169 appearances for Monaco, scoring 55 goals. He also played for Borussia Dortmund in Germany, as well as Real Betis of Spain, among other top clubs in Europe, before quitting active football in 2005.

He won the Belgian Cup in 1990 with RFC Liege and also the Ebony Boot award in 1993.

At national level, Ikpeba made a great hit. He scored the crucial goal against Egypt in Cairo that ensured Nigeria’s qualification for Atlanta ’96 Olympics Games.

In Atlanta, Ikpeba scored another crucial goal in the semi final against Brazil (the second goal), after Celestine Babayoro’s brilliant header gave Nigeria the first goal. Kanu Nwankwo completed the rest to send the Brazilians to early bed.

Reminiscing on the exciting moments of Atlanta ‘96 Olympics, Ikpeba said: “We beat Hungary and Japan but lost to Brazil in the group stage. When we defeated Mexico in the quarterfinals, I knew we could go all the way because we out-classed them. Against Brazil in the semi-final, you couldn’t have written us off because we had quality players. When we were 3-1 down, you would have felt it was over, but that is the beauty of football.

“I got the second goal and then had a hand in the third. The ball hit me on the back in front of goal and fell onto Kanu’s path and he made no mistake from there. We went on to win through Kanu’s Golden Goal.

“It’s a moment I will never forget. I was a regular in the team before the introduction of

We beat Hungary and Japan but lost to Brazil in the group stage.

When we defeated Mexico in the quarterfinals, I knew we could go all the way because we out-classed them. Against Brazil in the semifinal, you couldn’t have written us off because we had quality players.

When we were 3-1 down, you would have felt it was over, but that is the beauty of football. three over-aged players; Amokachi, Amuneke and Okechukwu in the team for the Olympics. At Atlanta, I always came on for Amuneke. After my performance against Brazil, Bonfrere Jo decided to start me against Argentina in the final. We came back from behind again to win 3-2, with Amuneke, who replaced me, scoring the winning goal. It was a euphoric moment.”

Ikpeba had his first senior cap at Senegal ’92 Nations Cup, where he played just one game, the third-place match against Cameroun, which the Eagles won. He got a bronze medal.

Two years later, Ikpeba and the ‘gang’ went all out to win the Tunisia ’94 edition of the Nations Cup, beating a resilient Zambia in the final. He helped Nigeria to capture the Atlanta ’96 Olympics gold and was voted the African Footballer of the Year in 1997. That same year, Ikpeba got the BBC African Sports Personality of the Year award.

At the 2000 edition of the African Nations Cup co-hosted by Nigeria and Ghana, Ikpeba’s penalty kick was ruled out despite crossing the ball crossing the line in the final against the Lions of Cameroun at the National Stadium, Lagos. This cost him the opportunity of adding another Nations Cup gold medal to his silverware.

Ikpeba, who still cherishes his school days at Crowder Primary School and Okpe Grammar School both in Sapele, counsels pupils, especially those with sports talents, to learn the habit of combining education with sports for a better future.

“My early childhood was sports and education and it paid off for me. That is what I want the youths of today to emulate because there are so many rewards in it.

“Parents should encourage their children to take to sporting activities in school because it is not just a good exercise for them, but a way of cultivating discipline and building their career from childhood.

“On the part of the government, I want to advise that we should cultivate the culture of maintaining our sporting facilities and also providing new ones. We were successful in the past, so, why not now? I watched the Delta Governor’s Cup final in Warri last week and it reminded me of my early days as a schoolboy player. The Governor (Emmanuel Uduaghan) was an active participant as a schoolboy player for Government College, Warri and he has continued to demonstrate his passion for the game.

“I am very sure no Nigerian premier league game will attract that huge crowd I witnessed at the Warri City Stadium on Tuesday.

That is the passion and the students will continue to look forward to the next edition of the Governor’s Cup. Even the schools that could not participate in the first edition would be eager to register for the next edition. I thank Governor Uduaghan for reviving the culture of the Governor’s Cup and I am happy to be part of the organization,” Ikpeba stated.

In his days with AS Monaco

The ‘big four’ Kanu Nwankwo, Ikpeba, Austin Okocha and Daniel Amokachi

In action for Borussia Dortmund

THE GUARDIAN, Friday, June 7, 2013

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Tennis

In association with

INSTRUCTION Banging in a winner is always satisfying, but often it’s not the smartest play.

By Fabrizio Coviello

ODAY’S pro tennis players are bigger and T stronger. The racquets they use are lighter and more powerful. The serves are faster than ever. So the points should be shorter, right?

Wrong.

Even on Wimbledon’s grass, long points are the norm, and big servers like Ivo Karlovic and Andy Roddick don’t necessarily have an advantage. The reason is percentage tennis and heavy topspin. It works for the professionals, and it can work for recreational players, too.

As the head pro at the Westwood Tennis Center in Los Angeles, I work with Satellite tour pros, college players at UCLA, club players ranging from 3.0 to 5.0, juniors—all types of players.

And I see the same thing at every level—when competitors of equal ability play a match, the winner almost always has a higher first-service percentage and fewer unforced errors.

Take the 2009 US Open men’s final as an example. Juan Martin del Potro trailed Roger Federer 3-6, 7-6, 4-6. The 6-foot-6 del Potro hit serves in the low 130-mph range in those first three sets. So what did he do in the fourth and fifth sets? He spun the serve, hit them about 100 to 110 mph, increased his first-serve percentage, and won the last two sets 7-6 and 6-2. If the strategy works for a banger like del Potro, it can work for you.

There’s nothing wrong with a great serve. But how many of us can consistently knock in 140 mph bombs? Or 120 mph? In a match, it’s better to increase our first-serve percentage and force the opponent to make a play than to allow them to take the offensive on our second serve or even worse, get a free point via a double fault.

Even for big servers, aces don’t always guarantee results. The best examples are the service-ace leaders a few years ago on the ATP Tour for 2010.

These were John Isner, Karlovic, Roddick, Sam Querrey, Ernests Gulbis, Nicolas Almagro, Ivan Ljubivic, Jo-Wilfred Tsonga, Marin Cilic and Feliciano Lopez. Rafael Nadal is not on the list, and was No. 1 in the world. Neither was Nikolay Davydenko, he was No. 5.

Nadal is the best example of percentage tennis. He serves at a slower pace than most of the pros, but he emphasizes great placement and spin. That’s much better than throwing a 140 mph first serve that lands out followed by a 55 mph second serve in. As Rod Laver said, there are “three things that will make the game better for anybody: 1. Watch the ball—nothing else. 2.

Bend your knees as you hit. And 3. Get your first serve in.”

Beyond The Serve After the serve, the most important part of your game is the baseline rally. Bill Tilden, the most dominating player of the last century, wrote this nugget more than six decades ago in his book, The Art of Tennis: “Do not strive for terrific speed at first. The most essential thing about a drive is to put the ball in play. ... Accuracy first, and then put on your speed, for if your shot is correct, you can always learn to hit hard.”

In other words, depth is more important than speed for the club player. When you return serve, my suggested strategy of Percentage Tennis starts with a deep return. After hitting your return down the middle and deep, aim for your opponent’s backhand and use the inside-out forehand. Too often, when the ball bounces down the middle, we get lazy and will hit a backhand instead of moving around the ball.

The inside-out forehand to attack your opponent’s backhand changes your strategy from passive to active, but allows you a margin of error. Former tour pro and elite coach Brad Gilbert, who took Andre

Agassi and Andy Roddick to new levels, tells his students to aim for the “4 x 4,” that is, 4 feet from the baseline, and 4 feet from the sideline, to give plenty of room when aiming for the corners. The strategy of moving your opponent around the court should tire them out and frustrate them, forcing them to hit a short ball.

The tennis court is like a map,” Gilbert says.

“When the ball is hit hard and deep to you, you play safe and solid. When the ball is short, you really take your free swing.” I tell my students to aim 3 to 4 feet over the net, with plenty of topspin, which gives them a deep, heavy ball with a high percentage and maximum impact.

Waiting for the short ball is good strategy that will win you matches. Nothing frustrates me more than seeing my students try for ridiculous winners from behind the baseline with a hard, low ball. If you can hit those, great, you’re ready to take on Federer and Nadal. If not, be patient, give yourself some net clearance, and stay in the point.

The ‘New’ Percentage Tennis

To sum up the New Percentage Tennis strategy, here are Fabrizio’s Five Rules: 1) Spin. Spin the first serve deep to your opponent, hit a high percentage in, and put the pressure on him or her.

2) Return. Hit your service returns deep down the middle and stay in the point.

3) Move. Move early, run around your forehand, and hit an inside-out shot to your opponent’s backhand.

4) Patience. Return deep balls back down the middle and give yourself a “4 by 4” cushion when aiming for the corners.

5) Capitalize. When a short ball comes, jump on it, pick a corner and hit a free swing following the direction of your approach.

USPTA Tennis Professional Fabrizio Coviello is the head pro at the Westwood Tennis Center in Los Angeles, where he has created the successful stroke and footwork analysis program with juniors and adults.

Play The Percentages

“Nothing frustrates me more than seeing my students try for ridiculous winners from behind the baseline with a hard, low ball.”

THE GUARDIAN, Friday, June 7, 2013

59

DOUBLES STRATEGY Develop A Team Strategy That’s Right For Your Level

By Kelly Gunterman EBSTER’S defines “strategy” as a W “careful plan or method,” or “the art of devising or employing plans or stratagems toward a goal.”

The art of employing plans toward a goal sounds simple, especially on the tennis court. But there are as many opinions, thoughts and ideas of the best plan to win a tennis match as there are players, and the success of a given plan is directly affected by the player’s ability to hit the ball in the direction they intend.

Each player’s strategy will be affected by a couple of components on a given day: your ability or level of play, as well as your opponent and their strategy or plan for the match. Other factors may include the weather, court surface and how you feel on a given day. We all have bad days and should make adjustments to our plan if we are having “One of those days.”

If you are playing on a 3.0 team, your plan or strategy may be significantly different than the plan of your friend who is playing on a 4.0 team. Avoid the temptation to try to employ a strategy that is not realistic to your level of play.

ball cross-court and hit the ball a little late, it will still be in play.

Get to the net if you are comfortable there, and even if you are not all that comfortable at the net, work on your net game and make yourself come in.

It will be a big advantage as you move up a level or two. Wait for a ball that “invites” you to the net, something short that you move forward to hit.

Then keep coming forward after you make the shot off the short ball.

Remember to stop moving when you opponent makes contact with their shot. Coming in on the right shot and knowing when to stop will increase your confidence and make coming to the net more fun and more positive by winning more points. At this level, be very patient!

Develop an “all-day shot,” this will be your shot, speed, height over the net and direction that you know you can hit in the court all day. In other words, have a very consistent shot that you feel comfortable with. It may not be a winner but you won’t lose points with this shot.

3.5 Level: Direction & Depth Now we are improving, the 3.5 level is the next goal, still hit most of the shots crosscourt, it is still your highest percentage play. Work on becoming a 3.0 Level: Hit Crosscourt little more aggressive at this level, At the 3.0 level, forget about the small spend more time working on your parts of the court! Don’t even think net game. The skills you developed at about the pretty little passing shot the 3.0 level are just the start. Now we down the line over the high part of can start to work more on direction the net into the small area of the and depth. Move with your partner, if court. At this level you should be con- your partner moves back to cover a centrating on hitting almost every lob, move with them. Start to develop shot crosscourt, the net is lower and movement patterns that cover more court is bigger. of the court. One-up, one-back may Don’t worry about the short to short work sometimes, but develop the pator deep to deep strategy that’s often terns that will make you better. talked about. Since about 80 percent Develop your lob! Everyone hates a of the points will be lost at this level, lobber, but we rarely practice this very focus on keeping the ball in play. effective shot. Spend some time in Depth is best, but a short ball won’t your practice sessions working your hurt you. If you are playing to hit the lob; it doesn’t need to be an offensive

shot but simply a shot to change the pace of the game and get your opponents off the net.

4.0 Level: Keep Moving At the 4.0 level, your skills are improving and you have a solid grasp of playing the entire court. Still, hit most of the balls cross-court. My old friend Ken DeHart once said, “No-man’s land is anywhere on the court where your feet stop moving.” This is especially true as we get better. Watch a tourlevel player and count the number of steps between shots. The better the player, the more steps they take between every shot.

Move with your partner to cover the high-percentage parts of the court, follow your shot or shadow your opponent to cover angles. At this level the net game will become more aggressive; with poaching, overheads and especially movement on every shot. The service line is not playing at the net—move in be more aggressive.

A good goal may be to be halfway between the net and the service line.

This position will allow you to control the net and hit better volleys.

Don’t worry about the lob until your opponents prove they can lob effectively. The better your volleys, the harder it is to lob against you. Avoid hitting all of your volleys hard. You should work patterns of shots. Hit deep followed by a short angle. If you hit the first volley wide, follow it up with a volley down the middle. Avoid low-percentage shots—a high-percentage shot in the court will always beat a low-percentage shot that goes into the net.

Develop your overhead! This will be your best defense against a team that lobs. Don’t let the ball bounce. Be aggressive and hit the ball out of the air. If your partner is hitting the overhead, move back with them, again moving to cover the court. Avoid letting yourself become flat-footed.

Pick a partner you are comfortable with and you can communicate with. The ability to talk with you partner between points and on a changeover is very important. Talk about what is working and what is not, and try different ideas and strategies as the match progresses.

Sometimes change is needed, other times if what you are doing is working, keep on working the same plan or strategy.

Practice—yes, you will have to practice! It is great if you can practice with your partner as you develop through the levels of the game. Enjoy the process. It isn’t easy, but nothing worth doing well rarely is. But most important, have fun!

Kelly Gunterman, whose Gunterman Tennis Schools have taught thousands to play tennis, is director of tennis at Amelia Island Plantation in Florida.

THE TENNIS LIFE Let’s face it, tennis is the perfect vehicle—especially for juniors—to connect with other people. Hitting tennis balls, running around the court, being with since the mixed doubles are scheduled friends, participating in healthy compeBy Hans Röme Hans Römer last, you can imagine the pressure on tition in a safe environment—those are these final two matches. However, no ingredients that not every after-school ROWING up in my native matter how fierce the competition is, activity can offer. Even though I was only Netherlands, playing mixed douin my mid-20s, I recognized the imporbles was, and still is, an important part afterward we all enjoy “bitter-balls” (a tance of providing people with more of team competition. The Royal Dutch typical Dutch snack) and a cold Heineken with our opponents! than just tennis. Good attitudes, being Tennis Association (KNLTB) has strucWhile competing on the weekends, I courteous, fair play, being polite and tured the match format in such a way was enjoying my first years as a teachrespectful were just some of the traits I that the decisive two matches can ing professional at a medium-sized integrated in my lessons and clinics, determine the outcome of the entire day, even at the highest level. Four sin- club, just outside Amsterdam. Teaching without necessarily emphasizing it.

Respecting the game, I also felt that edugles matches, one men’s doubles, one tennis, or teaching anything for that cating juniors about the history, rules women’s doubles, and two mixed dou- matter, is a very rewarding career. bles keep a total of eight players (four Seeing students, young and old, devel- and etiquette of the sport was one of my oping athletic skills and having a good responsibilities as a coach. on each team) busy all Sunday in the time while doing so is a goal many On a beautiful sunny Wednesday afterspring. noon, during a Peewee class, I asked the Each match is worth one point, and teaching professionals take pride in.

Loving Mixed Doubles G

youngsters if they were aware of all the different playing formats. “When two boys play together, what do you call that?” I asked. At first they didn’t have a clue where I was going with this question, so I answered for them, “That’s called boys’ singles.” How about two girls? Daphne, a bright girl, answered, “Girls’ singles!”

All the other kids recognized the logic, but were speechless when I presented them with the next question, “How about when two boys play against two boys?” For a moment I lost them again and explained that was called boys’ doubles. Daphne took charge again, and before I even asked the question of the group, she stated, “When two girls play against two girls, it’s called girls’ doubles!” That’s exactly right, good job Daphne!

My last obvious question was “Now what if a boy and a girl play together?”

Little Anna, who had been quietly paying attention, gave me the most precious answer in my entire teaching career. Without hesitation, she said, “Making love!”

Hans Römer is a USPTA Master Professional and PTR 5A National Tester/Clinician. He is currently the director of tennis operations at the BallenIsles Country Club in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. He has been a frequent speaker at a variety of tennis conventions and, as a USTWA member, his articles and stories have been published in numerous international tennis publications. He graduated in his native Netherlands from the prestigious CIOS Sport College.

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THE GUARDIAN, Friday, June 7, 2013

GolfWeekly Woods returns to the top of Forbes sports money list IGER Woods has returned T to the top of Forbes magazine’s annual list of the 100 highest-paid sports personalities.

World number one ranked golfer Woods, 37, was third in the previous list, ending a 12year stint at the summit.

But the American made $78.1m (£50.7m) in the 12 months to 1 June 2013 after agreeing several new sponsorship deals and doubling his prize money.

Tennis player Roger Federer rose to second on $71.5m (£46.4m) while David Beckham, now retired, stayed eighth.

The study showed that Beckham, while famed as a global brand, was only the joint-fourth highest earner from endorsement deals.

The 38-year-old, who announced his retirement from playing last month after winning the Ligue 1 title with Paris St-Germain, increased his overall earnings to $47.2m (£30.6m).

But the $42m (£27.3m) he made from sponsorship contracts left him behind Woods, Federer and golfer Phil Mickelson, and alongside basketball player, LeBron James.

Beckham remained the

highest-paid footballer, ahead of Real Madrid winger Cristiano Ronaldo ($44m/£28.6m) and Barcelona attacker Lionel Messi ($41.3m/£26.8m), who completed the overall top 10.

Northern Irish golfer, Rory Mcllroy’s $29.6m (£19.2m) put him in 21st, while Formula 1 driver Lewis Hamilton followed in 26th on $27.5m (£17.6m).

Manchester United and England striker Wayne Rooney fell 24 positions to 61st on earnings of $21.1m (£13.7m), with England and Liverpool Captain, Steven Gerrard 93rd after taking in $17.2m (£11.2m).

Boxer Floyd Mayweather topped the money list last year, but dropped to 14th with earnings of $34m (£22.1m) from his fight with Robert Guerrero in May after taking $85m (£54.3m) when he fought twice during Forbes’s last 12-month measurement period.

Despite the Forbes list coinciding with London 2012, Jamaican sprinter, Usain Bolt was the only track athlete to feature. The six-time Olympic champion, world record holder at both 100m and 200m, shot up the rankings from 63rd to 40th after taking in $24.2m (£15.8m).

Seventeen-year old prodigy eyes glory NGLAND’S 17-year-old E Charley Hull says she belongs in professional golf

Woods

after finishing second in her first five Ladies’ European Tour events.

Having made her professional debut in March, the player from Kettering is hoping to become Europe’s youngest-ever Solheim Cup player.

“It’s definitely in my mind but you’ve got to carry on doing well,” Hull told BBC Radio Northampton. “I feel like professional golf is where I belong.”

She added, “I didn’t see there would be any point staying in amateur golf - this is where I wanted to be.”

The teenager came to prominence as a nine-yearold when she won the Ladies’ Golf Union’s Health Perception Championship at Turnberry in 2005.

Hull would need to be in the top four of the Ladies’ European Tour Solheim Cup rankings, or be one of four captain’s picks, to compete in the women’s equivalent of the Ryder Cup, against the United States in Colorado, in

August.

She is currently seventh but is the Tour’s top earner, having collected 76,960 euros (about £65,470) - although last Sunday’s German Open, where she finished second, is still to be counted.

Hull came very close to winning her maiden title in Germany, after only missing out to last year’s European number one Carlota Ciganda in a play-off.

After impressing as an amateur last year, having finished 18th at the British Masters and 38th at the LPGA Kraft Nabisco Championship, Hull was given a conditional card for this year’s European Tour.

And she believes she is fitting in well with her experienced opponents.

“The other players are saying ‘well done’ and ‘you’re doing well’,” added Hull. To get my first win, I do just keep thinking to myself I should do another hour [training] but I’m going to play golf and not think about it too much.

“I like the way Carlota Ciganda, Yani Tseng, Laura Davies and Lee Anne Pace play and how they handle themselves.”

SPORTS | 61

THE GUARDIAN, Friday, June 7, 2013

Neymar can be better than Messi, says Pele ELE couldn’t be happier P about Neymar teaming up with Lionel Messi at Barcelona, but the Brazilian legend once again sparked the conversation of which striker is better.

Speaking to Goal, Pele attempted to clarify statements made last year when he said four-time reigning world player of the year Messi is not as good as Neymar, who, at 21, has yet to walk on the pitch for a major European club after spending his young career at Brazil’s Santos.

“I never think that, although when people ask me about the comparisons and who is the best, I’ll say, ‘if you see Neymar, he doesn’t have the same experience as Messi after 10 years at a club,’” Pele said. “(Neymar) has really gone up the last two years. He can use both feet good and get up in the air.

“The difference that I try to explain to the people is that both are really good. I love Messi, I love the player. But to make the comparison, I think Neymar has the capabilities to play better than Messi... or maybe not.”

Neymar officially signed a five-year deal with Barcelona and was presented in front of thousands of fans at Camp Nou on Monday. The reigning Spanish league champion won an intense bidding war with rival Real Madrid to complete what will likely be the biggest transfer of the summer.

Pele, who is widely considered the greatest soccer

player of all time, is not too happy that Neymar had to leave the club he once played for, but Pele understands the youngster needs experience overseas.

“I’m not happy, because Santos lost a good player,” Pele joked. “But, seriously, I think it’s good for him, because Neymar was no doubt the best player in Brazil and then he gets the experience to play also abroad. To play in Europe is a little different than to play in South America. Football in Europe is a little more tough, while South America is a little more laid back and technical.”

During a transfer saga that lasted nearly two years, many speculated — due to Santos’ claims — that Neymar would wait until after the 2014 World Cup in Brazil to join one of the world’s biggest clubs.

Instead, he will have one full season under his belt playing alongside the likes of Messi, Xavi and Andres Iniesta prior to the prestigious competition in his native country.

Messi and Neymar

Return to Newcastle was ‘living nightmare’, says Keegan EVIN Keegan has K described his second spell as Newcastle United manager

as “an absolute living nightmare”.

Keegan, a favourite with the club’s fans during his playing days and a successful manager from 1992-97, returned in 2008 hoping to turn the team’s fortunes around after a 12th place finish the previous season.

“I thought it could be good,

but no, it was a nightmare, an absolute living nightmare,” Keegan told former England cricketer Steve Harmison during an interview shown on Sky Sports television.

In his first spell as Newcastle manager, Keegan took the back to the Premier League and they finished second behind Manchester United in 1996.

During his second period in charge, however, Keegan criti-

cised the Newcastle board for not giving him enough financial backing to break into the top four.

He was also angered by his complete lack of involvement in the loan signing of Uruguayan midfielder Ignacio Gonzalez.

The former England manager originally said he had left Newcastle voluntarily but later took the club and their owners to court for unfair dis-

Man City signs Brazilian midfielder Fernandinho ANCHESTER City has M signed Brazil midfielder, Fernandinho from Shakhtar Donetsk, the Premier League club said yesterday.

The pacy 28-year-old had been on City’s radar for much of the season and is known in England for scoring in the Ukrainian club’s 2-1 victory at

home to Chelsea in the Champions League group stages last season.

City, who have yet to appoint a successor to sacked manager Roberto Mancini, did not give any financial details of the deal but British media have widely reported the transfer fee to be abount 30 million

pounds ($46.17 million).

“This is a change, a challenge and a chance that I have been waiting a long time for.

Playing in the Premier League for City is like a dream,” Fernandinho told the Manchester club’s website (www.mcfc.co.uk) “My ambition here is to win

all the titles, the team here is strong, and so is the greatness of the club and the supporters.”

Fernandinho, who has five Brazil caps, had previously said he hoped a move to City would improve his chances of making the national squad for the 2014 World Cup on home

missal.

Although criticised by some fans for the decision, he said he did not see it as being a move against Newcastle.

“I saw it as (owner) Mike Ashley, Dennis Wise, a guy called Jimenez and Derek Llambias,” he said.

Keegan’s dispute with the club was resolved in 2009 when he was awarded 2 million pounds by the Premier League’s arbitration tribunal.

Keegan, 62, who has not managed another club since leaving Newcastle, refused to rule out a return to St James’ Park, although he made it clear he would only consider it if Ashley left.

“Until they leave that football club, it has no interest for me,” he said. “They are not that football club. They are just the custodians who are in for a few years. It might be five, 10 or six. But Newcastle United will go on after Mike Ashley.”

62 SPORTS

THE GUARDIAN, Friday, June 7, 2013

Hradecka, Cermak win mixed doubles

Nadal, Djokovic in French Open semifinal showdown

IVE years after teaming up, FHradecka Frantisek Cermak and Lucie won their first dou-

AFAEL Nadal groused last R week that he was playing I said I needed to so badly he might soon be home fishing in Mallorca.

Then came a transformation.

Nadal stood at the net following his latest French Open win wearing that familiar crooked grin, clay caked on his arm, his leg and even the back of his shirt, landlocked and loving it.

The fish were spared, and Nadal has lately enjoyed smooth sailing at Roland Garros heading into his semifinal showdown today against top-ranked Novak Djokovic.

After falling behind in each of his first three matches, Nadal has won 12 consecutive sets. He’s 57-1 at Roland Garros and on the verge of becoming the first man to win eight titles at the same Grand Slam event. ‘’I really am playing better here,’’ he said. ‘’I said I needed to make a change. I was confident that I can do it, and I did.’’

And so he’s ready to renew his rivalry with Djokovic. The winner will play for the title Sunday against No. 4-seeded David Ferrer or No. 6 JoWilfried Tsonga, who meet in the other semifinal.

Tsonga’s trying to become the first Frenchman since Yannick Noah in 1983 to win Roland Garros, and partisan Parisians might consider his match the main event Friday.

But Nadal vs. Djokovic has the feel of a final, and it’s a match much anticipated since the draw was announced two weeks ago.

Because Nadal’s ranking slipped during a recent injury layoff, he and Djokovic wound up in the same half of that draw. As a result, they’ll meet before the final at a major event for the first time in five years.

While tennis players are known to complain, neither Nadal nor Djokovic seems to mind meeting in the semifi-

Sharapova hits final, beats Azarenka EFENDING champion, D Maria Sharapova overcame 11 double-faults and earned a return trip to the French Open final yesterday, beating Victoria Azarenka 6-1, 2-6, 6-4 in a match punctuated by shrieks and grunts.

Sharapova’s opponent Saturday will be the winner of the semifinal between No. 1 Serena Williams and Sara Errani. Sharapova beat Errani in the final last year to complete a career Grand Slam.

The two most notorious grunters in tennis wailed with nearly every swing, matching pitch and volume.

Their shots were much less consistent.

Sharapova hit 12 aces but was erratic with her second serve, and her groundstrokes were also unpredictable.

She needed five match points to seal the victory. Serving for the match for the second time, she held at love, finishing with an ace.

make a change. I was confident that I can do it, and I did nals. ‘’I don’t want to talk about what if,’’ Djokovic said. ‘’It’s going to be a good match.’’

Nadal’s 19-15 against Djokovic, including 12-3 on clay, 6-3 in Grand Slam events and 4-0 at the French Open.

Nadal won when they met in the final at Roland Garros a year ago.

Serena Williams had an easy win over Sara Errani in yesterday’s semifinal game

bles title together at the French Open.

The players from the Czech Republic won the mixed doubles title yesterday by defeating Daniel Nestor of Canada and Kristina Mladenovic of France 16, 6-4, 10-6.

In the super tiebreaker, the Czechs won four straight points to lead 9-5 and earned the title when Mladenovic netted a backhand volley.

It was the first Grand Slam title for Cermak and the second for Hradecka, who also won the women’s doubles title at Roland Garros with Andrea Hlavackova in 2011. The pair lost in the Australian Open final in January.

After the match, Cermak and Hradecka kissed the Coupe Marcel Bernard. Their partnership has improved since their first match together five years

ago, when they lost in the first round at Wimbledon. ‘’We didn’t start well,’’ Cermak said, with a laugh. ‘’We’re improving.’’

Hradecka still has a shot at the women’s doubles title. She and Hlavackova will play their semifinal on Friday.

Nestor and Mladenovic led 4-0 in the first set. Cermak dropped serve in the opening game by netting three volleys and Hradecka double-faulted on break point. They took the first set when Cermak sent a forehand volley wide.

However, the Czechs broke Nestor in the opening game of the second. While serving for the second set, they rallied from 0-40 to even the match on a backhand volley from Hradecka. ‘’I’m a little bit upset that I lost serve first game in the second because that kind of changed momentum, although we did have some chances to break

THE GUARDIAN, Friday, June 7, 2013

63

TheGuardian

Friday, June 7, 2013

Conscience, Nurtured by Truth

By F. E. Ogbimi HIS article is a response to various writeups in different newspapers supporting attempts by Nigerian governments since 1999 to erect structures for generating and distributing electric power for domestic and industrial usage in Nigeria. All the write-ups to which my article is a response, claimed that Nigeria and other African nations should and can erect complex infrastructure and achieve overnight transformation. One of the articles was titled, “Africa’s infrastructure, key to development’’, published in The Guardian last month. Another was, “Africa urged to invest $468 billion reserve in infrastructure, pension assets.” Another article reported experts as saying, “Infrastructure deficit, bane of Nigeria’s development.’’

The Nigerian experience has demonstrated convincingly that it is a futile effort for an agricultural/artisan/crafts economy to erect complex infrastructure and achieve overnight transformation. The Nigerian National Assembly expressed frustration recently about the appropriateness of investing large sum of money on infrastructure, when it observed that though it appropriated N1.414 trillion during the period 1999-2012, virtually all-Nigerian roads remain in a very bad state. We also remember the billions of dollars our leaders claimed they have invested in electric power generation and distribution with nothing to show for the huge investments. The authors of the articles urging African governments to invest heavily in infrastructure did not demonstrate a sense of history in taking their positions. Also they did not show that they understand the theory or logic of the development process. My article disproved their claims both in terms of historical evidence and theory of development.

Nicolo Machiavelli, in his book, The Prince, made two important points on how leaders hold on to power. First, leaders use force to hold on to power. The second and perhaps the more important instrument is deceit.

European and Asian nations neglected education for more than 2000 years of their development experience so that the people can be easily deceived. Those who have education cannot be deceived easily, but the uneducated and indoctrinated people can be deceived easily. The cruel experience of slavery to which Westerners subjected millions of Africans in the period approximately 1470s1870s and the subsequent colonisation of Africa till the 1990s when South Africa became independent, and the so-called Western education inherited from the West have probably affected how the Blackman thinks.

The Blackman’s thinking has been too shallow to promote national and regional development. For example, 50 years of deceit and shallow reasoning have only moved Nigeria very close to disintegration. But Africans can learn speedily from the experiences of others and save the continent.

One area deceit and indoctrination are destroying the hope of the Blackman is developing infrastructure. Africans are being deceived that African agriculture-artisaneconomies must erect complex infrastructure, especially road and communication networks and electricity, as a prerequisite for initiating rapid transformation of the agriculture/artisan-economies into industrialised ones. History does not support this claim.

Similarly, the theory of development does not support erecting infrastructure as a prerequisite to industrialisation. This article also presents a wise approach, scientific in nature and supported by many experiences in history.

The region occupied by modern Western Europe was the ancient Gaul. Ancient Gaul was harnessed into the Roman Empire in 55 B. C. Germanic tribes in 406 A. D smashed the western portion. In the absence of a central authority, the Islands of England were invaded by many other tribes from northern Europe. The islands metamorphosed into the kingdom of England in the 10th century A. D. England and Scotland formed Great Britain in 1625. Britain achieved the first modern Industrial Revolution (IR) in the period 17701850 (Carrington and Jackson, 1954; Brooke, 1968; and Gregg, 1971). When Britain achieved the first modern IR, the roads in Britain were still the ones built by the Roman Empire (Trevelyan, 1948; and Gregg, 1971). Following the industrialisation, the nation quickly built canals, railways and other modern transport systems. Agricultural/artisan/crafts Britain did not borrow and accumulate debts to emphasise the erection of complex infra-

T

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Africa’s infrastructure: Develop people, industrialisation and structures

Arc Mike Onolememen, Minister of Works

structure before industrialisation. The scientific basis of this wise decision will be provided later in this article.

Following the Revolutionary War (17751783) in which the Americans became independent of Britain, the Americans wrote the popular American constitution, adopted it in 1789 and transformed the confederation into the American federation. Britain was clearly more technologically advanced at that time. America did not award big contracts to Britain or Britons to erect complex infrastructure for America so that America could achieve effortless development overnight.

Morrison (1974) narrated the American experience in developing infrastructure in the 18th century. By 1790, there were many thriving communities in south New England. It soon became clear that roads wide enough for a yoke of oxen and forest trails for men on foot were insufficient means for the kind of transport such an expanding territory required. It was also apparent that the solution to this problem did not lie in building a network of roads to tie the various parts of the region together. This, the Americans believed would cost a great deal to build and present a continuing difficulty of maintenance. So, a search was made for a reasonable alternative.

New Englanders turned in time to watercourses that existed. From Boston, there arose a plan to connect rivers by short canals to create an extended transport system. These were the dreams in the minds of many men by 1790 when no single canal had been built in the United States

of America. The General Court of the State of Massachusetts in 1793 gave a group of private citizens the right to form the Middlesex Canal Company and to build a canal between Boston and Lowell, a distance of 26 miles (40kms). These men chose Laomi Baldwin, a sometimes-cabinetmaker, an occasional surveyor of boundaries as “man of learning” to direct the construction of the canal. The distinguishing citation of “man of learning” arose from the fact that he and his friend had walked from a distance to attend lectures in mathematics and physics at Harvard.

Baldwin in the summer of 1793 assembled the tools available for the project. For clearing and digging: axe, hoe, shovels, mattocks, crowbars, scythes, and pitchforks.

For working wood: saws, fore planes, halving planes, drawshaves, chisels, hold fasts.

For working metal: forges, vises, anvils, tongs, files, chisels, hammers. For working stone: drills, chisels, wedges, priming wires. Note the tools gathered. In practical terms, Nigeria is scientifically and technologically centuries more backward today than the United States of America (USA) of 1793. Baldwin, as the superintendent, also gathered a work force – men known to be good at building stone walls or farming barns, handy men in the local towns, and most of all farmers who had learnt to build and repair the things they needed for work or living. By the end of the summer, Baldwin had collected the best tools and the most skilled work force available in the USA to undertake the needed venture. It was then discovered that the men who had

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learned how to take care of themselves and who, working within a general architectural scheme had neither the wherewithal nor the knowledge nor the skills even to begin to build a canal.

The place to begin was to run precise surveys and levels. This in the opinion of Henry Knox, a resident of Boston, a hero of the Revolution, Secretary of War, and a great supporter of the Middlesex Company,” was more of a matter of accurate perception and judgment, than of science. Therefore, the thing to do was to look for a local man rather than for someone with experience from abroad. Upon the morals and steadfastness of our own people may we depend, while foreigners in so many instances were defective in these essentials.”

Acting on such advice, Baldwin, the canal superintendent, asked his friend, Thompson, a magistrate who had done some survey by accident to undertake the task. Using a compass, his eyes and the accurate judgment that he possessed, Thompson produced some disastrous calculations. In view of the discouraging prospects, the men of Middlesex Company persisted in their venture. Finding no American who knew more than they, they sensibly waived the requirements of morals and steadfastness and looked to foreigners for help. They did not award contract to industrialised Britain.

In time they found two men from Europe who helped them to start. Years of difficulties continued long after the Europeans left.

The canal was completed in 1800. It took eight years to complete.

In 1949 when Mao Zedung became the leader of the Chinese people, the economy was in chaos. The Russians on whom the Chinese had depended upon for a long time had quarreled with them and they had stripped Manchuria, the most built-up city of everything. The transport system was in ruins and the currency worthless.

The Chinese used the resource they have in abundance – people (Stoke and Stoke, 1975).”

Let the people walk on two legs,” said Mao Zedung. “Let the native skills and the local materials supplement modern technology.”

Mao meant to mobilise the entire populace and link learning efforts in educational institutions with those in the rest of the economy. Everyone in Chinese communes worked together, not self-employment. That was how the Chinese having crawled during the period 1000 B C.- 1949 A. D., 2949 years, accelerated modernisation to become the fastest growing economy in the world.

The development experiences of Britain, the United States and China, reviewed in this article showed clearly that they did not invest huge amounts on infrastructure – Depreciating Assets (DAs), as a prerequisite to promoting industrialisation. Wise nations develop the people through learning – education, training and employment, achieve industrialisation and build the relevant infrastructure.

Investing heavily on infrastructure in an artisan economy may be likened to pumping water into a profusely leaking water tank. It may also be likened to an attempt to build the roof of a house before laying the foundation.

Educating and training citizens on the other hand, create Appreciating Assets (AAs), because the learning people appreciate in intrinsic values and acquire increasing competence for solving problems.

Let Nigeria and other African nations initiate a rapid industrialisation process by setting up the framework for training all graduates of educational institutions, especially the scientists and engineers, to acquire complementary practical skills in the economy outside educational campuses, for four-five years. This training framework is to complement the educational system in African nations. African nations, including Nigeria should stop and reverse the senseless privatisation programmes introduced to the continent by the World Bank and IMF (selling public infrastructure and enterprises) and use them to teach the youths as Japan did. Let the educated youths also input the theory they possess into the African theorystarved indigenous production activities.

The educated and trained graduates should be challenged to build and maintain the infrastructure Nigeria and other African nations need. This is how Nigeria and other African nations can develop the needed manpower, initiate rapid industrialisation, and efficiently build the infrastructure the continent can sustain.

Ogbimi wrote from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife.