Thur 20 June 2013 by The Guardian Newspaper

TheGuardian Conscience, Nurtured by Truth

Thursday, June 20, 2013

Vol. 29, No. 12,593

www.ngrguardiannews.com

N150

Metuh, others resign today over PDP crisis By Ehichioya Ezomon, Tope Templer Olaiya (Lagos), Azimazi Momoh Jimoh (Abuja) and Kelvin Ebiri (Port Harcourt) S the crisis in the Peoples A Democratic Party (PDP) rages, the National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olisa Metuh, may soon join the list of casualties. He and others would turn in their

resignation letters before the commencement of the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting today. Metuh, who confirmed his resignation to reporters in his PDP Secretariat office yesterday, said other officials affected by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) report would also resign.

• Rivers may begin mass action over govt’s impunity, says Amaechi • Accuses police chief of sabotage • Clark warns against removing Tukur • ‘Why party chair may survive sack threat’ He stated: “I want to inform you that I am resigning as the National Publicity Secretary with effect from Thursday, June 20, 2013.

“This resignation is in the overall interest of the party and is being done to put a final stop to the controversy generated by the INEC report

on the mode of my election as National Publicity Secretary. “I have served this party as a member of the National Executive Committee for over 10

years and therefore my interest is to ensure that this party stabilises. I have written and submitted my letter.” Metuh said he took the decision after several meetings and consultations with the various stakeholders in the party, particularly those from the South-East geo-political zone. Asked if he would re-contest CONTINUED ON PAGE 4

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) representative in Nigeria and ECOWAS, Angele Dibongue-Atangana (left); Federal Commissioner for Refugees, Hadiza Kangiwa and Director, National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally-Displaced Persons, Abdullahi Basharu, during a news conference on the World Refugee Day in Abuja… yesterday.

Why I was absent from Achebe’s funeral, by Soyinka By Kabir Alabi Garba LMOST one month after A Nigeria bade farewell to literary icon, Prof. Chinua Achebe, issues associated with the colourful rites of passage are yet to be exhausted. Nobel laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, yesterday came down hard on those he says are still ‘caviling’ at his absence from the funeral of Achebe that climaxed on May 23, 2013 at his home-town, Ogidi, Anambra State.

In a statement issued yesterday, titled “The Village Mourners Association”, the literary giant said he “is a solid believer in the collective rites of Farewell. I believe in Ritual. Humanity is often assisted to reconcile with loss in a collective, and even spectacular mode.” And the choice to participate or not, he insisted, “belongs to each individual, including even those who arrogate to themselves the mission of imposing on others their own

• Says attackers are sowing poison preferred mode of bidding farewell.” To Soyinka, “these self-righteous clerics are dangerous beings, especially where they flaunt the credentials of secular learning and gather in caucuses of presumed Humanities.” Soyinka, in a recent interview with The Guardian, had frowned on making his ‘absence’ from the funeral a sub-

ject of debate on the Internet. Reacting to a question on his view about life after death, he had said: “Before I answer that question, let me make a plea. I want to request the media to stop creating problems where there are none. I am referring to… even after all one has been saying and writing, and through interviews etc. Even after …Chinua Achebe … his last tribute, the poem to

show we should respect the dead, and that mourning is a continuous process… it is not just now that he is dead. I am shock to read online… it was actually sent to me something like, ‘J.P. Clark, Soyinka shun Achebe’s funeral.’ “For me, this is so mischievous and dishonest. If I didn’t go to the funeral, it was because I couldn’t. In any case, we all have our way of sending off people. I haven’t seen J.P. ... since we made that statement. I am sure that there

were reasons why he couldn’t be there. There are reasons why I couldn’t be there. But my presence was still there. As far as I am concerned, I was heavily there. We all have different attitudes to this thing. The media, especially a lot of this Internet blogs and so on, should just lay off and stop polluting the airwaves with their own diseased antagonism which they want to foist on other people. “Let people resolve their own CONTINUED ON PAGE 4

THE GUARDIAN, Thursday, June 20, 2013

4 NEWS

Soyinka defends absence from Achebe’s funeral CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 relationship the way they want. They shouldn’t have imposed relationship. What is that? ‘Wole Soyinka, J.P. Clark shun...’ Shun is active. If ‘they couldn’t be present’ had been used, one wouldn’t have bothered, that is passive. ‘Shun’ means you take a deliberate action. What kind of nonsense is that?” Part of Soyinka’s statement yesterday read: “From the herd, the mindless Internet fiddlers for whom the landing of a planetary probe, or a medical breakthrough is simply distraction from fraudulent Internet mailing, nothing less is expected. What menaces the collective health of society is when the deserving highs of intellectual application of the former, become indistinguishable from the loutish low of the latter.” The renowned dramatist, poet and social crusader insists: “I do not pander to the expectations of the sanctimonious,” noting that he could absent himself from any event, “for reasons that are personal to me. “I can absent myself as the result of a mundane domestic situation, as legitimately as from a visceral rejection of occupancy of the same space, at the same time, in the same cause, with certain other participants. “I may absent myself for the very reason of my disdain for that breed which is certain to cavil at the very fact of my absence.” Condemning what seems

like romanticising his absence as the matter has since become a subject of debate online, Soyinka declares, “such specimens pollute the very space they claim to honour. Sputter and rage they may, but even the most illustrious of that ilk cannot control that choice, neither will they be permitted free passage to encroach upon, and abuse the private spaces of human responsiveness.”

Dismissing his critics, Soyinka said: “Your psychological profile is commonplace. It is not the honour to Chinua that agitates you, no, it is your own self-regarding that seeks to be reflected in the homage to a departed colleague. It does not take a psycho-analyst to recognise this phenomenon of greedy acquisitiveness, even of immaterial products. Like emotional parasites, you feed off others, but you have

serts: “Yes, it is that same breed that continues to sow poison in the minds of the susceptible. Alas for you, it so happens that some of us insist on our own way of commemorating, of being there, even when absent. “You, by contrast were never there, however ostentatiously you position yourselves at the event, or at vicarious gatherings to denounce, attribute sinister motivations, and in-

seminate hate against those whom your pedestrian vision cannot see. “Your very loudness proclaims your absence. You were always absent. You will always be absent. So, this communication is not really meant for you but for those potential almajiri – whose minds you corrupt daily with your jeremiads in that accommodating madrassa known as Internet.”

Rivers may begin mass action over govt’s impunity, says Amaechi CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 the position in a mid-term convention slated for July 15, Metuh said he would take a decision after consultation with his family and leaders of the party in the South-East zone. “I will go back to them and seek their opinion. The decision is for the PDP leaders in my zone to take. I will continue to do my best in whatever capacity I find myself in the near future,” he stated. Besides, former Federal Information Commissioner, Chief Edwin Clark, cautioned yesterday that the administration of Goodluck Jonathan could suffer a serious setback should the National Chairman of the PDP, Bamanga Tukur, be forced to resign today. In a statement sent to media offices in Abuja, Clark stated that the INEC report on which people based calls for Tukur’s

resignation never faulted election. Tukur’s The statement partly read: “There is also the move within the party that they will make the country ungovernable for President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan. Apart from creating security tension in the country which is failing, they resort now to manipulate the party, this, too shall fail! Alhaji Bamaga Tukur remains authentic, validated, elected Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party and no undemocratic manipulation can change or subvert it.” Meanwhile, the embattled chairman of the PDP, Dr. Bamanga Tukur, may survive the onslaught from aggrieved members of the party, particularly some of the governors. This, perhaps, explained the sure-footedness he displayed on Tuesday night when he told reporters categorically that there was no vacancy in the chairmanship of the par-

TheGuardian SATURDAY, June 1, 2013

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never learnt to value what others give, or be thereby nourished.” Soyinka described the architects of the attacks on him as “atavistic minds” that “once disseminated an unbelievably primitive accounting for Chinua Achebe’s motor accident.” After narrating the story, especially “for those who seek light relief from ponderous unctuousness,” Soyinka as-

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ty, and as such, he would not resign his post. The Guardian learnt that Tukur’s confidence stemmed from the assurances he got when he led his party leaders to meet with Jonathan in Aso Villa. The President reportedly told him that many of the PDP governors were not amenable to his being sacked as demanded by a few of them. Indeed, sources indicated that about 14 PDP governors are ready to give Tukur another chance “so as not to cause a real quake in the party if the chairman and his entire leadership resigned in one fell swoop.” The crack in the governors’ camp over the chairman’s alleged style of leadership is linked to the fallouts from the election into the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF). As revealed by the Governor of Kano and Jigawa states, Alhaji Sule Lamido and Dr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, respectively, some of the PDP governors, precisely nine of them, defied the consensus arrangement reached by the party and voted for the Rivers State Governor, Chief Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi instead of Governor Jonah Jang of Plateau State for the NGF chair. “So, you can see that the nine governors are the most vocal among the ‘Tukur-must-go’ group,” a source said. “And this is why the PDP governors in the Jang camp have resolved to stand by Tukur, and ward off any attempt to force him to resign,” the added. source Besides, it was learnt that the Presidency had to rethink its endorsement of the recommendation of the Pius Anyim panel that the entire PDP leadership headed by Tukur should resign, for peace to return to the party. The new thinking was reportedly borne out of the realisation that “even if Tukur and co were to go, the PDP governors that voted against Jang at the NGF election might still not back the President in his bid for a second term in office.” “Therefore, rather than sack Tukur to assuage the feelings of the aggrieved governors, the Presidency has decided to forget whatever issues it has with the party leadership and stick with it,” the source said. As it stands, Tukur and a few of the party officials may retain their positions even as the party NEC meeting holds today amid the empaneling of reconciliation committees headed by President Jonathan and the chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum, Governor Godswill Akpabio

of Akwa Ibom State. As part of the PDP’s crisis, Rivers State Governor Chibuike Amaechi has said that the people of the state might resort to mass action if what he described as the Federal Government’s impunity and tyranny against the state government persist. Amaechi, who was recently re-elected as the chairman of the NGF, said anyone who recognised Plateau State Governor Jonah Jang as the chairman of the forum was undemocratic. The governor spoke when Rivers State elder statesman and former Petroleum Minister, Prof. Tam David-West, led a delegation on a solidarity visit to him at the Government House, Port Harcourt. Amaechi revealed that he was in the process of writing a letter to President Jonathan to express reservations about the commitment of the state Police Commissioner, Mbu Joseph Mbu, to security in the state. According to him, some highly-placed persons had replaced the former commissioner of police in the state with Joseph who after the state security council meeting, transmitted the issues discussed to those that deployed him in the state. Due to this development, the governor said he had been unable to hold any security council meeting. “Prof., insecurity is threatening to come back, kidnapping is on the rise, armed robbery is on the rise because they have hijacked the security of the state. The commissioner of police reports to them in Abuja directly. He doesn’t report to the governor, he has nothing to do with the government, he takes away security men from commissioners and posts security men to the chairman of Port Harcourt Club. Port Harcourt Club is a social gathering,” he said. The governor revealed that the state government was preparing to protest in Port Harcourt if the anomaly in the state continued. He stated that there were other people who had agreed to join the state government in the mass action from within and outside Nigeria. He, however, said the state wanted to give peace a chance to let the Federal Government know that the people of Rivers were tired of tyranny and impunity. “We want to give peace a chance to let the Federal Government know that we are tired of tyranny and impunity. We want the Federal Government to remember that the reason for which the Fed-

eral Government did not support state police is because they say the governors will mismanage state police, then the federal police should not be mismanaged against us because the federal police force is an institution for all Nigerians,” he said. On the issue of the NGF, Amaechi recalled that on Monday, Jang whom he had accused of impersonation, had convened a meeting of some governors. He said that he warned against it and that only 16 governors who voted for Jang attended the meeting. “He has never held a meeting where they are more than 16 governors. We shall very soon call our own meeting because we have been trying hard to talk to them and talk to everybody for them to see reason why we need to be together and respect democracy. Their non-acceptance of the will of the governors is undemocratic. They should not have put themselves forward for election because if you don’t accept results when you don’t win, then you are not democratic. Anybody who recognises my brother Jang (as NGF chairman) is also undemocratic because even that person may not accept any election result that does not favour him. Let the will of the people be expressed and let us respect the sanctity of their decision,” Amaechi said. David-West observed that Amaechi was going through difficult times now and decried his persecution, particularly his suspension from the PDP. The elder statesman, who described the governor as a victim of injustice, said Amaechi had made enemies for fighting for a just cause in the state and urged him not to be distracted. “We are going through very strange times in Nigeria, stranger still that 16 is now greater than 19 (referring to Nigeria Governors’ Forum election outcome). Our governor is going through very difficult times, fortunately, he has the stamina and the strength, the fortitude to bear”, he said. The former minister stated that he had followed the history of all Rivers State governors beginning from the era of Alfred Diette-Spiff to Amaechi, and that no governor had been more committed to elevating Rivers State than Amaechi. He pledged his support for Amaechi and appealed to him to always rely on God for his strength. He also prayed God to give victory to the governor and urged the people of the state to support him and not sit on the fence.

THE GUARDIAN, Thursday, June 20, 2013

News ACN condemns Presidency over reaction to Tinubu’s speech HE Action Congress of NigeT ria (ACN) has condemned what it called as “the Presidency’s hysterical reaction” to Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s recent speech at the British African Diaspora Conference in London, describing as “unnecessary and diversionary the name-calling and personal attacks” on the ACN leader. In a statement in Abuja yesterday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party accused Presidency of pressing “the panic button by sending its self-confessed attack dog to criticise a report he had barely read, and denigrated the ACN and its leader,” instead of reading the speech objectively. According to Mohammed, “the Presidency went after the messenger rather than the message, rehashing its old and stale cliches about the ACN and its leader for daring to carry out an objective analysis of the state of our economy as well as the state of the nation, and also suggesting the way forward.” The party challenged the Presidency to controvert what it termed “the kernel of the speech concerning the economy,” stating: “Asiwaju had raised the following questions to be asked about a country’s development: What has become of poverty? What has happened to unemployment? What is the state of socio-economic inequality? “If all three have declined from high levels, then development has occurred. But if one or two of these central

problems have grown worse, especially if all three have, it would be wrong to call the result ‘development’ even if GDP has improved’.” The party asked the Presidency to tell Nigerians whether the poverty level in the country has reduced since 1999 when the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) assumed power at the centre, as well as how much unemployment has been tamed and how far the socio-economic inequality has been curbed. It added: “The assertion by Asiwaju in his speech tallies with our earlier statement that what we are experiencing in Nigeria under the Jonathan Presidency, which has been reeling out highfalutin economic statistics, is growth without development, which is useless.” The ACN also challenged the Presidency to prove to Nigerians that the country’s leadership in the past 14 years has been visionary, disciplined and courageous, adding: “As Asiwaju said, ‘the gap between poor and rich widens. “There is grinding poverty and people have to work twice as hard each day to make ends meet. There is massive unemployment. Of what use is any leadership that does little to solve these problems?” It also challenged the Presidency to deny that it had turned the concept of democracy, especially one man, one vote, on its head, especially against the background of its antics in the recently conducted election of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum.

People living with sickle cell, campaigning during World Sickle Cell Day celebration in Kaduna … yesterday.

JTF bans Thuraya handsets, recharge cards in Borno

Two feared killed in Kwara clashes

From Njadvara Musa, Maiduguri

Boko Haram targets vigilance youth in Borno, Yobe

From Abiodun Fagbemi, Ilorin

N order to enhance its operational efficiency and precision by weakening the capacity of the insurgents to coordinate effectively, the military Joint Task Force (JTF), under its Special Operation Forces in Borno State, has banned the sale and use of Thuraya handsets in the area. Also banned are recharge cards and accessories, as Boko Haram terrorists in Borno and Yobe states used such communication devices to coordinate their activities, killing 33 and attacking the Government Secondary School, Damaturu, and Innovative Secondary School, Maiduguri last weekend and

on Monday. Meanwhile, the Boko Haram in both states on Tuesday declared “war” on members of the Vigilance Youths Group, who identified, arrested and handed over about 75 suspected terrorists to the JTF in Maiduguri. The security volunteer youths, according to Boko Haram’s spokesman, Abu Zinnira, were exposing their hideouts to security agencies, which led to the recent killing of many terrorists in Maiduguri, Bama and Gwoza. The declaration against the vigilance youths was contained

in Zinnira’s e-mailed statement, which was made available to newsmen in Maiduguri yesterday. According to the statement, the sect has already decided to also launch a manhunt for their hunters, who go by the name “Civilian JTF” in Borno and Yobe. The ban, according to JTF sources, took effect from yesterday, as the Special Operation Forces would be combing the Maiduguri metropolis and the Sambisa Games Reserves Forests (SGRF) for the fleeing terrorists, who renewed attacks and killings at the weekend.

Police declare ex-deputy gov wanted over alleged N130m fraud By Odita Sunday HE Special Fraud Unit (SFU) T of the Nigeria Police has declared former Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Alhaja Sinatu Ojikutu, wanted for allegedly defaulting in repayment of N130 million she collected in the sale of a land that

did not belong to her. Following a petition, Ojikutu was declared wanted with her son, Samson Ojikutu, by the SFU in the early hours of yesterday over a “case of obtaining the sum of N130 million by false representation.” The Commissioner of Police in charge of SFU, Mr. Tunde Ogun-

shakin, who spoke to newsmen through his spokesperson, Ngozi Isintume, confirmed that his office was hunting for the former deputy governor. A statement by the police on the matter reads: “Upon a petition from the DIG ‘D’ Department to the Commissioner of Police, SFU, the petitioner

alleged that in September, 2011, the suspects conspired and sold a parcel of land known as Plot 24 Block 4 situated at Admiralty Way, Lekki Phase 1, Lagos for the sum of N130 million, the money of which he paid into the first suspect’s account with the Union Bank in tranches.” The petitioner was said to have

stated that after payment, he requested for the documents on the land but Ojikutu procured an affidavit of support to back her claim, a police crime extract and a publication in the Vanguard Newspaper of October 18, 2011, all purporting to evidence of loss of the original documents on the land.

Dutch agency faults Shell’s claim on Niger Delta oil spill From Kelvin Ebiri, Port Harcourt DUTCH agency, the A National Contact Point (NCP), has refuted claims by exploration company, Shell, that sabotage was responsible for much of the oil spill in the Niger Delta, stating that the oil giant’s statements were based on disputed evidence and flawed investigations. However, irrespective of this assertion, two international human and environment

rights groups, Amnesty International and Friends of the Earth International, have urged the Dutch Government to introduce a corporate accountability supervisory body with strong teeth following NCP’s inability to hold Shell accountable for oil spillage in the Niger Delta. Nevertheless, NCP, which was established to assess complaints about companies that abuse human rights and the environment, yesterday raised concerns about Shell’s claim

in response to complains by Amnesty International and Friends of the Earth International that the oil company breached the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises by providing misleading information on oil spill in the Niger Delta. According to a statement issued by Audrey Gaughran of Amnesty International and Paul de Clerck of Friends of the Earth International, which was made available to The Guardian yesterday, NCP

acknowledged that the oil spill investigation process in Nigeria relied heavily on the expertise of the oil companies themselves. It further held that, as the UN Environment Programme found in 2011, “government agencies are at the mercy of the oil companies when it comes to conducting site inspections.” An excerpt of the report stated: “(Royal Dutch Shell) management should have had a more cautious attitude about the percentage of

oil spills caused by sabotage. After all, JIT (Joint Investigation Team) data are not absolute.” The NCP called on Shell to “be prudent with regard to general communication to stakeholders of very detailed figures on oil spills, when discrepancies exist with regard to the causes or amounts of those oil spills,” and also to “share information on relevant spill causes and spill cause determination procedures, also dated before January 2011.”

HE renewed internecine criT sis between two rival groups at Ganmo, near Ilorin, Kwara State, may have claimed two lives, as the factions, which are claiming ownership of the town, continue with their contradictory oral evidence. However, spokesman of the Kwara Police Command, Olufemi Fabode (DSP), denied the casualty, stating that no life was lost during the crisis, which he claimed has now been doused because of the “heavy presence of the police at the troubled spots.” According to sources, the crisis assumed a frightening dimension at dawn yesterday, and heavy weapons were freely used by the factions before the arrival of the police. It was alleged that fight broke out when a faction disobeyed the state’s order to halt the sale of land in the disputed area until the suit pending before an Abuja court on the matter was determined.

WOWe summit begins today HE first Women of West T Africa in Entrepreneurship (WOWe) conference holds today and tomorrow at Eko Hotel and Suites, Lagos. There will be workshops on Saturday June 22 at the Wheatbaker Hotel. According to a statement, the objective of the WOWe conference is to raise the profile of excellence in entrepreneurship to Nigerian women between the ages of 18 and 40, as well as encourage and promote young upcoming female entrepreneurs. The conference aims to make entrepreneurship accessible to women through social media platforms, interactive panels, questions and answers sessions and participation from reputable female entrepreneurs who are young and upcoming.

THE GUARDIAN, Thursday, June 20, 2013

6 | NEWS

Dangers of not meeting electricity target, by stakeholders By Roseline Okere HE inability of the Federal Government to meet the target of 10,000 megawatts (mw) for 2013 has been described as a move that would further reduce investors’ confidence and increase the cost of business operations in the country. Though the government has shifted the target date, which it earlier set to generate 10,000 mega-watts from December this year, to the first quarter of 2014, the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) doubted government’s ability to meet the target. The chamber believed that the target set by the government is not feasible given the current progression on the reform and the sustainability of the underlying assumptions. Besides, the new electricity tariff introduced by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has increased industrial cost across the country by 440 per cent. The Nigerian Association of Small and Medium Enterprises (NASME), in a survey made available to The Guardian, discovered that operational cost of industries has increased by over 440 per cent since the introduction of the metering scheme. Minister of Power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo, alongside the Minister of State, Zainab Ibrahim Kuchi, described the power outage being experienced in the country as a national embarrassment, saying that over 120 million Nigerians are currently without electricity supply, leaving only an estimated 40 million Nigerians with electricity.

A survey of 138 companies from the six geopolitical zones (Abuja, Bauchi, Calabar, Kaduna, Lagos and Owerri) conducted by NOI Polls Limited for the Nigerian Association of Small and Medium Enterprises, showed that the new tariff has been having negative effect on their businesses. The survey-covered companies operating in the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) within various sectors such as manufacturing, construction, computer sciences and technology, engineering services, hospitality, among others. Sectors surveyed showed that the new electricity tariff is hitting them hard as their operating cost have increased by 440 per cent since the inception of multiyear tariff II (MYTO II) Director General, LCCI, Muda Yusuf, lamented the country’s inability to meet the electricity targets. According to him, in July 2010, the government promised to provide 4,612mw and later promised to increase it to 5,379mw without realising the target. “He added: “The govern-

ment later increased the target to 7,033mw in April 2011; later to 11,879mw by 2012 and later reduced it to 10,000wm in 2013. We kept on setting targets and not being able to realise them. Again, we have set another target for next year. This is not good at all for investment in the country.

“As a country, our track record in the privatisation/concessioning of major national assets is not something to celebrate. The story of NITEL privatisation, the various concessioning arrangements, the story of Nigerian airways, among others, illustrate this point. In many of these instances, cred-

ibility of the process was always an issue. It is doubtful whether the outcomes have been beneficial to the country and its people. This again is a reflection of the quality of political governance and institutions. The success story in the telecommunications reform was more from the liberalisation of the sector

AGOS State House of AsLthesembly yesterday faulted endorsement of President Goodluck Jonathan’s second-term bid by some Yoruba leaders and members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), describing it as “another in a series of paid endorsements by President Jonathan.” The House also took excep-

SUN State Governor Rauf O Aregbesola yesterday said the increase in grants to more communities in the state this year is informed by the involvement of more communities in self-help projects. Aregbesola made this disclosure at the opening of a twoday workshop tagged: “The Leaders and the Led: Bringing Governance to the Doorsteps”, for top political career functionaries, organised by the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, held at Osun State University auditorium. He stressed that his administration has a sustainable practice of giving financial support to communities, which development associations have viable self-help projects that can add value to the larger members of the communities.

‘How to tackle delay of justice’ By Bertram Nwannekanma LAGOS-BASED commercial A lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Dr. Fabian Rivers State Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi (right) and Prof. Tam David-West during the latter solidarity visit to the governor at the Government House, Port Harcourt…on Tuesday

Lagos Assembly faults Yoruba leaders on Jonathan’s re-election bid By Wole Oyebade

Why we increased grants to more communities, by Osun

tion to reasons adduced by the PDP South-West caucus for endorsing Jonathan at their meeting in Lagos on Tuesday, saying “it is ridiculous and laughable for the leaders to have described Jonathan as someone with exceptional leadership qualities.” A statement signed by the Chairman, House Committee on Information, Strategy, Security and Publicity and Spokesman of the House, Segun Olulade, stated that the endorsement was a clear indication of the deep-seated fears and trepidation nursed by the ruling party ahead of the 2015 general elections. They noted that while the endorsement was no threat to the chances of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its candidates in the coming elections, the poor performance rating of the Jonathan administration in addressing

the various challenges facing the country, as well as the incessant crises that had rocked the PDP structures nationally and in many states of the federation, had made its leaders to become more desperate, “making them resort to crude ploys aimed at cajoling Nigerians and the rest of the world that all is well with the country.” The lawmakers said Nigerians were not only tired of the PDP but were also “well prepared to carry the banner of the APC as a better alternative to the ruling PDP.” According to them: “It is ridiculous and laughable for the PDP to have described Jonathan as someone with exceptional leadership qualities in spite of the huge failure of his administration in moving the country forward.” Reacting to accusation by the Chairman of Caretaker

Committee of the South-West PDP, Ishola Filani, who accused the ACN of poaching PDP members to field them as candidates during elections, the lawmakers said the allegation was frivolous. Contrary to the allegation, according to him, “it is the members of PDP who migrate to the ACN when they realise that the PDP does not have any credibility or integrity whatsoever that could help them realise their political aspirations. “PDP members often turn to ACN to seek refuge and political survival having realised the reactionary and retrogressive tendencies of the PDP.” The lawmakers added that ACN, and indeed the APC, would continue to welcome all repentant members of the PDP to its fold in as much as they are ready to conform with the progressive posture of the party.

President restates pledge to meet MDGs From Mohammed Abubakar, Abuja the weekly Federal Executive RESIDENT Goodluck P Jonathan yesterday restated the commitment of the current administration towards attaining the set targets of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), a global benchmark officially established following the Millennium Summit of the United Nations (UN) in 2000, following the adoption of the United Nations Millennium Declaration. He made the commitment when he formally received an award presented by the Food Agricultural Organisation (FAO) in recognition of the country’s effort at reducing the number of people who are suffering from chronic hunger. The event held shortly before the commencement of

Council (FEC) meeting at the Council Chambers, Aso Rock. The first of the MDGs is the eradication of extreme poverty and hunger. This entails cutting by half between 1990 and 2015, the proportion of people living on less than $1.25 a day, attaining the provision of decent employment for women, men and young people, as well as reducing by half, between 1990 and 2015, the proportion of people who suffer from hunger. President Jonathan, who appreciated the award, was quick to point out in a veiled reference that more needed to be done to achieve the remaining five MDGs, namely: achieving universal primary education, promoting gender equality and empowering women, reducing child

mortality rates, improving maternal health, combating HIV/AIDS, malaria, and other diseases, ensuring environmental sustainability, and developing a global partnership for development. Accomplishment of these feats was what qualified Nigeria for recognition by the Rome-based ancillary of the UN. But the President insisted that the best was yet to be where it should, noting that the efforts had commenced and “surely, we will get there”. “I have to thank the Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, and his team that worked tirelessly to get us to where we are. Let me use this unique opportunity to tell Nigerians and the rest of the world that we appreciate this recognition,” the President said.

Ajogwu, has called for a radical departure from the administrative aspect of Nigerian justice delivery system rather than turning the whole focus on human beings by saying the judges are not working hard enough. Ajogwu, who was reacting to the recent service directive by the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Mariam AlomaMukhtar, in which she threatened to terminate the appointments of judges found to have under-performed by the Performance Evaluation Committee, said rather than relying solely on such moves, Nigerians should copy from the United Kingdom where she got her justice system.

Enugu, Onoh family bicker over demolished property From Lawrence Njoku Enugu PROPERTY belonging to the A former governor of old Anambra State, the late Christian Onoh, demolished yesterday by Enugu State Capital Development Authority (ECTDA) has sparked off a row between the Onoh family and the Commissioner in charge of the Ministry, Ikechukwu Ugwuegede. Onoh’s family yesterday demanded the immediate sanctioning of the Commissioner by Governor Sullivan Chime to serve as deterrent to other public office holders in the state who might want to engage in conflict of interest with their position. Ugwuegede, who had led a team of officials of his ministry to pull down the remodeled structure located on old Government Reserve Area (GRA), said his action was taken because its fence and security house rested on a public road, thereby obstructing the liberty of residents living behind it. The late Onoh’s son and Chairman of Karastan Nigeria Limited, Dr. Josef Onoh, who countered the claim of the commissioner, said the demolished property met all due process of documentation, adding that Ugwegede was propelled by personal vendetta over their unfinished personal business to demolish his property.

THE GUARDIAN, Thursday, June 20, 2013

News | 7

Benue farmers decry late sale of fertiliser From Joseph Wantu, Makurdi. VEN as the Benue State Government officially flagged off the sale of fertilizer to desiring farmers over a week ago, the actual sale of the product is yet to begin. Expressing their feelings about the development, some farmers who were seen hovering around the Ministry of Agriculture but did not want their names in print called on the government not to go the way of previous years when the flag off for sale was done without farmers getting the commodity to buy. They urged the authority concerned to fast track the process so that farmers can use the product in time. They observed that the time for the application of the commodity was fast transiting, noting that only proactive step can save the situation. A farmer from Katsina-Ala, Atorough Iche called on government to revive all agro centres across the state for speedy distribution of agricultural commodities and implements to farmers.

No flood threat this week in the South, says NIMET

C’River spends N1.2b on primary health From Anietie Akpan, Calabar HE Primary Health Care deT livery programme in Cross River State has cost over N1.2 billion since it was inaugurated four years ago. Special Adviser, Community Health Department, Dr. Iyam Ugot, who disclosed this at a press briefing in Calabar, said that the cost was so due to prudent expenditure. Ugot said the programme was run in collaboration with some donor agencies following a signed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the provision of basic facilities while the said N1.2 billion was spent on the purchase of capital projects. He stated that 14 out of the 18 local government areas in the state have so far enjoyed comprehensive primary health care services coordinated by his department. He noted that in spite of his department’s initial achievements, he would not relent, as frantic efforts were being made to consolidate on the feat recorded with a view to ensuring that 90 per cent of the state’s population have unhindered access to efficient primary health care services by 2015.

By Chukwuma Muanya HE Weather Forecasting T Service Office of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Chairman, Board of Trustee, Chief Tony Anenih (left); Vice President Namadi Sambo; Speaker, House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal; President Goodluck Jonathan and PDP National Chairman, Bamanga Tukur at the party caucus meeting at the State House, Abuja … yesterday. PHOTO: PHILIP OJISUA

Court accepts to hear pro-Amaechi lawmakers suit From Kelvin Ebiri, Port-Harcourt RIVERS State High Court A has affirmed it has jurisdiction to hear a case filed by 27 members of the State House of Assembly seeking to invalidate their suspension by the Felix Obuah led Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the State. The presiding judge, Justice Sika Henry Aprioku yesterday ruled that the party has right to carry out its duties to the extent that it does not interfere with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution. The 27 pro-Governor Chibuike Amaechi lawmakers had filed a suit before the court seeking to obtain a preliminary injunction to restrain the party from suspending them following a threat by Obuah that discipli-

nary action would be meted on them if they failed to recall the suspended chairman of Obio-Akpor local government area, Mr. Timothy Nsirim, his vice and 17 councillors. But despite the legal action against the party, the chairman who feigned ignorant of the suit proceeded to suspend the lawmakers. Those the lawmakers specifically sued are the PDP; the Rivers State chairman of the party Mr. Obuah and the PDP secretary and former chairman of Okrika Local Government Area, Ibibia Walter Opuene. Legal counsel to the PDP Messrs. Ken Njemanze (SAN), M.S. Agbor, and D.C. Denwingwe (SAN) respectively had filed motions questioning the court’s juris-

diction to hear the proAmaechi lawmakers suit. The PDP legal representatives had contended that the matter before the court was strictly an internal affairs of the party. But counsel to the lawmakers , Mr. Beluolisa Nwofor (SAN) on his part had told the court that his clients by suspending the Obio-Akpor executive and legislators, acted within the powers conferred on them as state legislators by the provisions of the 1999 Constitution as amended, which of course, established the House of Assembly. Justice Aprioku while ruling on the matter yesterday insisted that his court has jurisdiction to hear the case brought by the lawmakers and has fixed July 12, 2013 for hearing of the substantive suit.

Delta Speaker institutes award for journalists • Lagos holds parley on maternal health By Kamal Tayo Oropo, Joseph Okoghenun and Tosin Fodeke INISTER of Health, Prof. M Onyebuchi Chukwu has rated malnutrition as one of the greatest child killers in Nigeria, even as he disclosed that the scourge contributes about 53 per cent deaths to under-five years mortality rate in the country. Meanwhile, to address the twin-issue of maternal and

child mortality, the Lagos State government will today begin a town hall meeting with community leaders, women and other stakeholders in 10 councils of the state. The minister, who spoke in Lagos yesterday during media training on nutrition, water and rural development organised by Nestle and Development Communication (DEVCOM) as parts of the former’s Creating Shared Value

(CSV) initiative, explained that malnutrition is a very pathetic condition which affects the life of a child through adulthood. The minister, who was represented by the Deputy Director/Head of Nutrition, Federal Ministry of Health, Dr. Chris Osa Isokpunwu, listed other challenges created by malnutrition in Under-5 to include contribution of 41 per cent to stunting (low height for age), 14 per cent to wasting (low weight for age) and 23 per cent to underweight.

BPE to announce shortlisted bidders for power plants By Roseline Okere (Lagos) and Anthony Otaru (Abuja) HE Bureau of Public EnterT prise (BPE) has said that shortlisted bidders for the Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC) 10 national integrated power plants would be announced on August 8, 2013. The Director General of BPE, Benjamin Ezra Dikki, disclosed this in a presentation to prospective investors in Hong Kong during a road show jointly organised by the NDPHC and BPE. According to a statement by BPE’s Head, Communication, Chigbo Anichebe, Dikki stated that the sale of the power

plants falls within the context of President Goodluck Jonathan’s Transformation Agenda which, he said, seeks to, among others, create a conducive atmosphere for private capital inflows. Dikki noted that besides power, the transport and housing sectors, development finance institutions and the Abuja Commodities and Stock Exchange that will introduce the warehouse receipt trading system, there are also great investment opportunities awaiting interested local and international investors. He said BPE and NDPHC are partners in the transaction for the sale of the 10 power plants, adding that BPE is legally au-

thorised to sell Federal Government’s 47 per cent shares, while NDPHC has the authorisation of the states and local governments to sell 53 per cent of the 80 per cent shares on offer. Dikki extolled that the BPE will add significant value to the process, using its vast experience in privatisation of assets in Nigeria, spanning nearly 500 transactions in its 25-year history. The most recent, he noted, was the sale of the 15 Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) successor companies. He advised prospective bidders to learn from the lapses of those who participated in the previous bid processes. Ac-

cording to him, the lapses include failure of some bids to substantially comply with the Requests for Proposal (RFP), failure to meet the threshold of required tangible net worth, failure to submit bid bonds, failure to submit audited accounts and failure to submit bids on time. The BPE boss noted that the intension of the Expressions of Interest (EOI) process for the sale of the power plants was to improve on the rigorous requirements of the PHCN successor companies’ privatisation transactions. He said: “It is critical that all interested parties/potential investors go through the EOI guideline document”

(NIMET), Abuja, has faulted reports credited to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), warning residents in the southern parts of the country to prepare for heavy and potentially dangerous rainfall. NEMA, on Monday, said it was issuing the latest early warning based on alerts received from the African Centre of Meteorological Applications for Development (ACMAD) based in Niamey, Niger Republic. The centre issued the warning on Monday evening to countries in the Central, East and West African sub-regions. But when contacted yesterday, the Director Weather Forecasting Service Office of NIMET, Abuja, Mr. Ifeanyi Nnodu, told The Guardian: “It is wrong. Their interpretation of the data from the ACMAD based in Niamey, Niger Republic is wrong. “NEMA does have the capacity to interpret such data. We are not having any flood threat this week for that area. We are presently analyzing the data from the Centre. We are going to make public our findings tomorrow (today).” According to the 2013 Annual Flood Outlook (AFO) for

Nigeria presented by the Director General, Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA), John Shamonda, in April 2013, apart from Ekiti, Enugu, Katsina, Imo, Abia states and Federal Capital Territory (FCT), all other states in Nigeria will experience a devastating flood this year. The states are Zamfara, Yobe, Sokoto, Rivers, Taraba, Plateau, Oyo, Ogun, Osun, Ondo, Niger, Nasarawa, Lagos, Kwara, Kogi, Kebbi, Kano, Kaduna, Jigawa, Gombe, Edo, Ebonyi, Delta, Cross River, Benue, Bayelsa, Bauchi, Anambra, Akwa Ibom, and Adamawa. Shamonda said efforts were being geared towards ensuring that the effect was less felt in these areas. The DG explained that 156 councils would experience the devastating flood, while other areas might not be affected at all. Last year, similar severe weather caused unprecedented flooding in the southern part of the country, resulting in many places washed away and many people losing their homes. In Nigeria, Lagos and its environs are expected to experience heavy torrential rainfall and the advisory means that all residents must take precautions.

THE GUARDIAN, Thursday, June 20, 2013

8 | NEWS

NAFDAC warns on fake contraceptives By Chukwuma Muanya OMEN seeking emerW gency oral contraception and their partners should beware as fake products have flooded the Nigerian market, just as the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has, for the third time in less than four weeks, paraded suspects for importation of the counterfeited popular oral contraceptive, Postinor-2 tablet, with estimated market value of more than N37.5 million. Postinor-2 is an emergency contraceptive only. Postinor2 is not intended as a regular method of contraception. It is used to prevent pregnancy when taken within 72 hours of unprotected intercourse. The NAFDAC’s Director General, Dr. Paul Orhii, told journalists yesterday at a press briefing in Lagos: “This product, which is a contraceptive pill, when faked, can lead to unwanted pregnancies, damage to the womb and adversely affect the hormonal balance of the body. “Maternal mortality will increase when a woman cannot plan for pregnancies and it makes family planning difficult. We cannot tell immediately what will happen to the health of the people when they take these fake contraceptives unless we do laboratory analysis, which we have initiated.” Parading the latest suspect, Mr. Nwachukwu Odinaka, of No. 13 Isa Street, Igando, Lagos, Orhii, said the fake contraceptives and packaging materials were imported through the Nigerian Aviation Handling Company (NAHCO) shed, Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos. Orhii said the product label indicates that it was manu-

factured in Hungary whereas the consignment was imported from China and that a total of 150,000 pieces, with an estimated market value of N37.5 million, was intercepted. He said the suspect has been interrogated and the product sampled against him for laboratory analysis. Orhii noted that the agency has also arrested Mr. Okwy Madu of No. 10 Oshineke Street, Ago Palace Way, Okota, Lagos, for the importation of packaging materials for counterfeiting of Far Away Perfume and Mr. Ikechukwu Valentine Anichebe, the managing director of Floxvik Queen Helene Company of No. 6 Nnobi Street, Ipaye Iba, Ojo, Lagos, for counterfeiting of cosmetic products. Orhii said NAFDAC has increased its post-market surveillance systems to mop up all the fake contraceptives from the Nigerian market, adding that anybody that can provide useful information to the agency, which will lead to the arrest and confiscation of

counterfeit products, will be rewarded. The NAFDAC boss said 70 per

cent of all the counterfeit medicines coming into the country are from China and

India, adding that NAFDAC was working with China and India to break the fake drugs’

Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola (third left), 2nd Lieutenant Oyeyemi Awotunde (left); Sub-Lieutenant Oluwagbenga Oyebede (second left); 2nd Lieutenant Abideen Awotoye (third right); Sub-Lieutenant Abosede Oladeinde (second right) and 2nd Lieutenant Usman Babayemi (right), during a rvisit of the Newly Commissioned Officer of Short Service Course 41 (Army) and Direct Short Service Course 21 (Navy) to the governor in Osogbo, Osun State

• JTF arrests eight Boko Haram members

ORRIED by recent W media report that his Islamic group has links with an internationally-acclaimed terrorist group, Hezbollah, the leader of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria Shiites, Sheik Ibraheem El-Zakzaky, has denied any affiliation with the organisation. Meanwhile, the Defence Headquarters has said that eight of the suspected Boko Haram terrorists, who at-

From Alemma-Ozioruva Aliu, Benin City ITH commuters in parts W of Edo State gradually getting used to a new lifestyle

El-Zakzaky denies links with Hezbollah From Saxone Akhaine, Northern Bureau Chief, Kaduna

Why we banned commercial motorcycles, by Edo dep gov

tacked and killed innocent citizens in Yobe and Borno states at the weekend, have been apprehended at the outskirt of Maiduguri. Some national dailies (Not The Guardian) and electronic media recently reported that El-Zakzaky was involved in arms running deal in collaboration with Hezbollah. In a statement issued yesterday, the Movement’s Spokesman, Dr. Abdullahi Danladi, said the allegation against the El-Zakzaky was calculated to tarnish his good image. However, it was admitted that the Islamic Movement received its inspiration from the Islamic Republic of Iran under the late Ayatullah Ruhulla Khumaini to emancipate the masses from the hands of the tyrants. The statement reads: “We

are forced to believe that the content of the write-up was issued out by the security agents with the deliberate attempt at defaming the image of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria and the character and person of the revered leader of the Movement Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky. “Now on the attempt to link up the ‘discovered arms’ with the Islamic Movement in Nigeria under the able leadership of Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky, the writers have yet succeeded in displaying their hatred for Islam and total and absolute ignorance of what the Islamic Movement in Nigeria stands for. “It has been said and will be reiterated that arms have no place and are not needed in the Islamic Movement in Nigeria. The unsubstanti-

ated allegation that Zakzaky’s opportunistic association with the Iranian regime was rewarded with substantial funds and training, both religious and military, is equally imprudent”. “Why must it be Iran that will provide funds for Sheikh Zakzaky? Who funded the Holy Prophet of Islam? Who funded Sheikh Usman Fodio when he stood against the tyrannical regime of his time? Who funded Imam Khomeini that was able to gallantly defeat the world arrogant powers backing the Shah during the Islamic revolution in Iran that you claim to be funding Sheikh Zakzaky? For your information, the Movement is financed by the simple hand-out contributions of its members.

Experts link diabetes to poor lifestyles From Charles Coffie Gyamfi, Abeokuta IGERIANS have been adN vised not only to be mindful of their lifestyles, but to also check their eating habits so as to prevent hypertension and diabetes diseases, which are on the increase in the country. Experts, who stated this yesterday at a three-day workshop on Diabetes and Hypertension Management in Abeokuta, disclosed that recent research has indicated that about five million Nigerians are diabetic. The workshop was organised by the Talabi Diabetes Centre, a non-governmental organisation, based in Isara-Remo, Ogun State, in conjunction with the state Local Government Service Commission. The workshop was organised to train primary health personnel in all the 20 councils to enable them educate people in their localities on ways to prevent or treat the two deadly diseases - diabetes and hypertension.

Coordinator of the Centre, Dr. Olubiyi Adesina, in his paper, entitled: “Definition, classification, risk factors and diagnosis of diabetes”, quoted the World Health Organisation as saying that sweet drinks all over the world are fuelling diabetes epidemic. He explained that because there is so much calorie in sweet drinks, the more one takes them without exercising, the more weight one puts on, resulting in greater risk of diabetes. Adesina also noted with great concern that diabetes was gradually becoming a problem among children who naturally like sweet things, but do not exercise, warning that the situation, if not checked, may precipitate diabetes epidemic among the children in future. He added: “By the time these children become adults, then diabetes will explode. Research has also shown that if you take more than one bottle of a sweet drink in a week,

the risk of you developing diabetes is very high indeed. “So we need to discourage our people from consumption of sugar and sweetened drinks; people should also focus more on drinking water”. He advised against taking minerals after eating, but instead, to take a lot of water, which is good for the body. He said: “Consumption of sweet drinks after eating is highly injurious to our health; such an unhealthy practice will only lead to flooding of our system with excessive calories, which are highly injurious to health”. Chairman, Board of Trustees, Talabi Diabetes Centre, Mr. Olumuyiwa Talabi, disclosed that as a diabetic patient, he became concerned when he discovered that many Nigerians do not have any idea of either how to prevent the disease and, therefore, decided to establish the centre to enlighten the people and treat those who have the disease.

without motorcycles popularly called okada, Edo State Deputy Governor, Pius Odubu, said the decision to ban the means of transportation was a painful but an inevitable one by the Governor Adams Oshiomhole-led administration. Speaking with journalists yesterday, Odubu said the ban on commercial motorcycles in neighbouring states had made Edo to become a haven for all kinds of characters, indulging in criminal activities under the guise of being commercial motorcycle riders. “It was a very painful decision for the state government. The clamour has been on for quite some time now, but with recent happenings in some other states of the federation, where commercial motorcyclists were banned, the effect of those happenings was being felt here in Edo. The influx of those persons now into Edo State increased crimes

Law for emergency federal roads repair underway From Iyabo Lawal, Ibadan S part of efforts to tackle the A deplorable road condition across the country, a bill to grant more financial powers in case of emergency needs to finance deplorable Federal Government roads budgeted for in the nation’s annual budget while awaiting President’s assent, is underway in the House of Representatives. The Chairman, House Committee on Works, Ogbuefi Ozomgbechi, disclosed this yesterday in Ibadan while leading members of his committee on tour of Ibadan-Oyo-Ogbomoso section one and two of the road to ascertain level of compliance with the government’s quality assurance of the projects being carried out by PWD and Reynolds Construction Company (RCC). The lawmaker, who was led to the project sites by the Controller of Works for Oyo State, John Omorekpe, said the bill will, among other things, grant concession to qualified and competent contractors who could assist it in making the roads motorable, thus making Nigerians get value for their money. He said the purpose of the bill is to make road construction in the country easy outside the normal annual budget. Ozomgbechi, while speaking on the oversight function of his committee, said the current leadership in the House has made it mandatory that the era of business as usual was gone for good in the National Assembly’s quest to make Nigeria great and make the people proud of their country, especially in the area of infrastructural development. He said: “There must be full compliance with the design, quality and specification on the various projects being undertaken for the government. The era of business as usual is gone for good. We will not relent at making Nigerians get value for their money.”

THE GUARDIAN, Thursday, June 20, 2013

WorldReport Obama wants Washington, Moscow to cut nuclear weapons NITED States President U Barack Obama has Russia cannot take proposal seriously, says deputy PM offered a proposal to Russia that the two nations’ nuclear weapons should be slashed by up to a third. In a keynote speech in front of Berlin’s iconic Brandenburg Gate in which he also called for a world of “peace and justice,” Obama used the once divided city’s rebirth as a metaphor for progress, as he stood on the east side of the route of the Berlin Wall, and warned the “complacent” West that history did not stop with its Cold War victory. “The wall belongs to history. But we have history to make as well,” a sweatstreaked Obama was quoted yesterday by Agence France Presse (AFP) as telling an invited crowd of 6,000 people standing before the majestic landmark in sweltering summer weather. The U.S. leader called on Russia to agree to bring the number of strategic nuclear weapons held by the former Cold War foes down to around 1,000 and to also cut stocks of tactical nuclear arms. “I’ve determined that we can ensure the security of America and our allies and maintain a strong deterrent while reducing our strategic weapons by up to onethird,” Obama said. “These are steps we can take to create a world of peace and justice,” he said, seeking to cement nuclear arms reductions as a key piece of his legacy. It remains unclear

whether Russian President Vladimir Putin, with whom Obama had a frosty meeting at the G8 summit in Northern Ireland on Monday, will agree to such substantial weapons cuts. But Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin however poured cold water on the proposal. “How can we take seriously this idea about cuts in strategic nuclear potential while the United States is developing its potential to intercept this strategic potential?” he

I’ve determined that we can ensure the security of America and our allies and maintain a strong deterrent while reducing our strategic weapons by up to one-third. said, according Russia’s ItarTASS news agency. A Kremlin spokesman said earlier that Russia had told the United States it wanted other nuclear-armed states to commit to reductions. Obama sought to conjure up the echoes of speeches by predecessors John F. Kennedy and Ronald Reagan, though his speech

lacked the historic weight and urgency of their Cold War efforts. However, North Korea expressed willingness yesterday to rejoin long-stalled nuclear talks, China’s foreign ministry announced, the second time in a month Pyongyang has told Beijing it is ready for such dialogue. North Korean first vice for-

eign minister, Kim KyeGwan, made the remarks during a meeting in Beijing with Chinese vice foreign minister Zhang Yesui, the ministry said in a statement on its website. Kim said that North Korea is willing to engage in any form of dialogue to peacefully resolve the nuclear issue, according to the statement. That included six-party talks, Kim said, referring to a long-stalled process that began in 2003 but has been dormant since late 2008. The statement, however, offered no concrete details.

U.S. President Barack Obama (left) delivers a speech as German Chancellor Angela Merkel (second right) and Mayor of Berlin Klaus Wowereit (right) look on at the Brandenburg Gate…yesterday. PHOTO: AFP

‘How an e-mail address disrupted terror plots in Britain, U.S.’ N the words of the Deputy IFederal Director of United States Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Sean Joyce, “investigating terrorism is not an exact science; it’s like a mosaic.” Joyce explained that to form an effective picture of intelligence, investigators must bring together disparate pieces. “There are many different pieces of intelligence. We have assets. We have physical surveillance. We have electronic surveillance through a legal process, phone records through additional legal process, financial records. Also, these programmes that we’re talking about here today, they’re all valuable pieces to bring that mosaic together,” the top FBI official told The Washington Post in a report published yesterday. Bringing together these disparate and valuable pieces, according to The Washington Post, had effectively assisted investigators in the U.S. and Britain to keep at bay terror plots. The report, which came after the controversies surrounding the propriety of U.S. secret surveillance programmes, claimed that in November 2008, one Abid Naseer, a

U.S. officials argue that, given the flood of leads in today’s interconnected world, the system would bog down and they could miss plots if they had to go before the court every time they got information about potential foreign suspects. Pakistani student living in Manchester, England, began to e-mail a Yahoo account that was ultimately traced back to his home country. The young man’s e-mails appeared to be about young women – Nadia, Huma, Gulnaz and Fozia – and which of them would make a “faithful and loving wife.” From the e-mail, British investigators later determined that the four names were code for different types of explosives and that a final April 2009 e-mail announcing a “marriage to Nadia” between the 15th and the 20th was a signal that a terrorist attack in England was imminent, according to British court documents. It is unclear exactly how British intelligence services linked the Pakistani e-mail a d d r e s s , sana_pakhtana@yahoo.com, to a senior al-Qaeda operative who communicated in a kind of pigeon code to his distant allies. But the intelligence helped stop the plot in England, and the address

somehow made its way to the National Security Agency at Fort Meade, Md. A few months later, the NSA was monitoring the Yahoo user in Pakistan when a peculiar message arrived from a man named Najibullah Zazi, an Afghan American living in Aurora, Colo. He asked about “mixing of (flavor and ghee oil) and I do not know the amount, plz right away.” A short time later, on September 9, 2009, a second message arrived that echoed the code used in the British plot: “The marriage is ready,” Zazi wrote. The e-mails led the NSA to alert the FBI, which obtained a court order to place Zazi under more extensive surveillance. Officials learned that he had visited Pakistan in 2008, the same time as one of the British plotters. In the end, the e-mails and additional surveillance foiled a plot by Zazi and two others to conduct suicide bombings in the New York City subway system just days after he sent

the “marriage is ready” e-mail. In recent days, U.S. intelligence and law enforcement officials, as well as congressional officials, have pointed to the authority that allowed them to target the Yahoo account – Section 702 of the Intelligence Foreign Surveillance Act (FISA) – as a critical tool in identifying and disrupting terrorist plots here and abroad. But some critics of NSA surveillance suggested that the collection of data under a programme called PRISM was not essential to Zazi’s capture because the British first obtained the critical e-mail address. Still, the case study provides a rare glimpse of how the broad surveillance practices of the United States, often in concert with allies, are deployed. “The 702 programme has been enormously useful in a large number of terrorist cases,” said a U.S. official who has access to classified records on NSA programmes. “It’s basically beyond dispute that it is highly effective. It operates exactly as anyone paying attention would have expected it to operate based on floor debate and plain reading of law.”

Passage of Section 702 as an amendment to FISA in 2008 gave the government the authority to request information from U.S. telecommunications companies on foreign targets located overseas without a court order for each individual case. The broad authority is reviewed and renewed yearly by the FISA court, although the law does not preclude making a specific request for surveillance. “In the Zazi case, it appears the NSA did not need any of the expanded authorities conferred by Section 702 to monitor the communications at issue,” said Elizabeth Goitein, co-director of the Brennan Centre for Justice’s Liberty and National Security Programme. “The government easily could have met the standard for an individual order if it certified that the targets were al-Qaeda terrorists in Pakistan.” But U.S. officials argue that, given the flood of leads in today’s interconnected world, the system would bog down and they could miss plots if they had to go before the court every time they got information about potential foreign suspects. The officials spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss intelligence programmes.

Condemnations trail Al Shabaab’s attack on UN base in Somalia L-QAEDA linked Al A Shabaab’s insurgents in Somalia yesterday shot and blasted their way into the United Nations (UN) compound in Mogadishu, leaving nine people dead in the most serious attack on the global organisation’s base in the troubled country in recent years. Three foreigners in the UN compound died in the attack, along with a Somali UN employee, two Somali security guards and three civilians in the surrounding streets. On the heels of the attack, the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said he was “shocked” by the brazen daylight raid while Somali Prime Minister Abdi Farah Shirdon condemned it as a “senseless and despicable attack on innocent UN civilians”. Al Shabaab fighters, who boasted about the killings of “infidels”, used a pickup truck laden with explosives and suicide attackers to blast their way into the fortified base. Interior Minister Abdikarim Hussein Guled said seven Al Shabaab fighters took part in attack, all of whom either detonated suicide vests or were shot dead. Security warnings of an attack have been in place for weeks, and UN staff regularly practice sheltering in a secure bunker inside the central Mogadishu compound.

Fresh clashes in Brazil as security forces tackle protesters RESH clashes erupted yesFpolice terday in Brazil between and protesters outraged over mass spending for next year’s World Cup, as the government deployed elite forces to quell the unrest. About two people were injured in clashes near a stadium in the northeastern city of Fortaleza – one of several sites hosting Confederations Cup matches where elite police units have fanned out to restore order. Some of the roughly 10,000 protesters hurled stones at security forces, who responded with tear gas and rubber bullets, AFP reporters witnessed. One person suffered an eye injury and a second was taken away on a stretcher. Protests initially sparked by a hike in bus fares in Sao Paulo quickly spiraled into nationwide marches against corruption, fueled by anger that – in a country with a wide rich-poor divide — billions of dollars were being spent on stadiums and far too little was earmarked for social programmes.

THE GUARDIAN, Thursday, June 20, 2013

20 Years After June 12

Remembering not to forget (3) By Kayode Fayemi HE late Chief Bola Ige once observed that what occurred in 1999 was not a transition from military dictatorship to democracy but from military rule to civilian rule. By this he meant that 1999 had not ushered in democratisation in one blow but rather a phase of demilitarisation that would ultimately lead to democracy. My own sense of the transition in 1999 was that it had been shaped significantly by the manner of Abacha’s exit and the arrival of General Abdulsalami Abubakar, who eventually handed over to the elected civilian government. The dominance of the ruling party’s hierarchy by retired army generals and civilians with close links to military elite set the tone for party formation and resulted in an authoritarian presidential leadership rather than authentic democratic governance. I have once argued that, in essence, the nature of the transition did not ensure a transformation of the political culture that would have led to a complete overhaul of our systems and structures; it merely effected a re-arrangement of the political space. The politico-cultural fundamentals that inform the conduct of elite remained the same. The widespread euphoria that accompanied the exit of the military and the entry of a civilian government prevented a sober appreciation of how entrenched the military had become in all aspects of Nigerian life. Apart from their obvious prominence in politics, it was the case that almost every financial institution was headed by, or had a board director with a military background. Serving and retired military officers owned factories, breweries and farms. Under these circumstances, what emerged in 1999 was not civilian rule but a new militarism. It was, in effect, a transition without transformation. True enough, the Obasanjo era bore the imprint of military era impunity and manifested the discredited authoritarian habits of the past. Executive lawlessness was very much in fashion, with the administration selectively obeying court judgments against it. Elections were characterised by chicanery and fraud often officially sanctioned at the highest levels. These symptoms were crowned by the ultimately abortive effort to amend the Constitution to enable President Obasanjo run for a third term in office. The defeat of that proposal on the floor of the legislature was a necessary victory for democratic forces. Regardless, it is important not to understate or devalue what occurred in 1999. A transition did happen. However lofty the expectations of the citizenry may have been regarding the advent of democracy, no realistic student of power dynamics could have imagined that democracy would flower so quickly in Nigeria given the long decades of military rule, which had warped public consciousness and institutional instincts. It is, therefore, far more useful to see the 1999 transition as a case of humble beginnings and baby steps on the way to democratic maturity rather than a false dawn. The struggle must continue IT would be grossly inaccurate to say that Nigeria has not made progress since 1999. We live in a far greater conducive climate of freedom than those of us who came of age during military rule can recall. There is generally more respect for civil liberties and human rights. The demilitarisation of politics has widened the space within which democratic reforms are occurring. Those who are profoundly pessimistic about the Nigerian enterprise continually cite the absence of economic dividends, which might serve to “validate” democracy in the eyes of ordinary Nigerians as a major risk to the sustainability of democracy. In times past, military adventurers, who seized power from civilian governments, cited the mismanagement of the economy by democratic regimes. Arguably, the period between Abiola

1983 and 1999 served to dispel the myth that military dictatorships were better economic managers than democratic governments. More importantly, the cure for a retarded democracy is yet more democracy. Proper economic policy, which embodies the hopes and aspirations of the people, can only be forged in the furnace of a widening democratic space and a revival of the lost democratic art of public conversation. Perhaps, the major problem with 1999, and the disenchantment with the pace of change since then is perceptual. From the onset, the exaggerated expectations of the citizenry, which was encouraged by cheap populism on the part of politicians, was primed to disappointment. The scale of decadence was enormous; the range of structural deficiency and institutional dysfunction too vast to be remedied by the magical appearance of elected officials. Indeed, many of those elected at the time gravely underestimated the scale of the problem and overestimated their own curative powers. Democracy is a journey and not a destination. We need a shift in consciousness from the inflated and fantastic expectations of a democratic destination to a wayfaring mindset that interprets our condition at any point in time in evolutionary terms as a continuing struggle. We have to reject the agonising generalisations of Nigerian life that casts a blanket of stagnation over every sector. The notion that nothing has changed since 1999 and that things have, in fact, grown worse is cynical, misleading and self-defeating. They are also discouraging to many conscientious and patriotic Nigerians in the public service, who have committed themselves to rebuilding this nation. From the tone of negative reportage about Nigeria, one would think that such Nigerians do not exist, but they do! The fact is that there are pockets of progress all over this country where change-minded Nigerians have opted to light candles instead of merely cursing the darkness. Over the past decade, the quality of those at the forefront of politics has improved. There are more progressive-minded actors in the field. That quality and quantity can be expected to rise in the coming years. There are places where transformations in the

way we live and govern ourselves are proceeding quietly, slowly and steadily despite the odds. It does no justice to the patriotic men and women who have chosen this path, for the rest of the country to continue the popular and simplistic vilification of everyone in government as corrupt. What these negative commentaries do is reinforce the notion that we have reached the democratic destination and discovered it as a mirage. They stem from the idea that May 29, 1999 marked the end of the struggle when, in fact, it marked the end of one phase of the struggle and the beginning of another. If there is a slogan that summarises the imperatives of our time, it is the popular rallying call of student and trade union activism — “Aluta Continua” i.e., “the Struggle continues.” My personal odyssey that led me from the place of activism to the place of public service informs my sense of our democracy as a journey and a struggle. I had returned from exile in 1999, discerning that a new phase of activism required a more direct engagement at home with the new dispensation. My work focused on building bridges between the government and civil society that would enable the national leadership benefit from the talents and ideas of citizens within and outside the country. In time, however, I became convinced that the efforts required to reform the system are not necessarily the same as the efforts necessary to transform it. I faced two choices. I could remain on the sidelines, as it were, with my engagement restricted to a theoretical and low-risk involvement in the unfolding dynamics of power and politics in my country. Or I could become an actor in the political system, attaining a more practical understanding of what it would take to effect transformation, and thereby function as an agent of change from within the system. I opted for the latter, as I had no intention of remaining on the sidelines as an eternal critic of the system. In 2005, I decided to run for public office and announced my candidacy for the governorship of Ekiti State, Nigeria. My journey to that office, beginning with my being at the receiving end of chicanery unprecedented even by Nigerian standards in the 2007 elections, through a protracted legal battle to reclaim my mandate and an election rerun, which I won, were an invaluable education in the byzantine ways and means of Nigerian politics. It took three and a half years of legal proceedings before the courts restored my electoral mandate. It, however, did not end there; the electoral robbers and their collaborators had the effrontery to institute a most ridiculous case at the Supreme Court, challenging my governorship. This case was only just decided in my favour on Friday, May 31, 2013, over six years after the substantive election was held! Such impunity, as I have argued, is due to the gaps in our judicial system that makes no provisions for the punishment of those that subvert the people’s sacred mandate.

Fayemi

Despite the onerous difficulties involved in my epic struggle for justice, I am resolute in my conviction that Nigeria belongs to those who are prepared to stand up, stand firm and take control of their destinies. Our young democracy can only be enhanced by testing our institutions to their limits. In my case, my successful recourse to the judiciary, protracted though it was, suggested that there are embers of hope for our democracy that have to be stoked by the discipline of committed and focused engagement. It needs to be added that there have been several other instances in which activist judges reversed ill-gotten electoral gains and undid injustices wrought on Election Day by political gangsters. Mine is not an isolated case. The presence of such spirits on the bench is another harbinger of hope for our country and is one of the reasons it is simply not right or fair to say that public service remains the province of brigands. If part of the tragedy of the annulment of June 12 was the subornment of the judiciary as an instrument to negate the will of the people, then it is fair to say that conscientious judges have gone some way towards redeeming the honour and integrity of the judiciary. Such spirits are fellow wayfarers in the quest for a just and prosperous nation; their presence in various sectors of our national life recommends a more positive appraisal of our country’s prospects. Conclusion WHAT we established in 1999 is the right to choose our leaders via the ballot. The current phase of the struggle is about maintaining the sanctity of the ballot, holding those elected accountable and stimulating civic engagement in the public realm, in a way that democratises ownership of this democracy. We must banish the idea that governance is something performed by a team of gifted performers or strong men, while the rest of the citizens are spectators or complainers. During the days of military rule, some soldiers declared with more than a touch of hubris that politics is much too important to be left to politicians. By this they meant that the military had the right to be political players since politicians had generally proven inept. Ultimately, the military proved to be no better at politics and governance themselves. But there is a fundamental truth to the saying that politics is too important to be left to politicians. It is about redefining politics itself, transforming it from a rarefied craft reserved for a select few professional politicians, to the protocols and relationships that undergird personal, communal and social wellbeing. In other words, politics is the management of human relationships, interactions and aspirations in the service of the common good. It is not something mysterious that only “politicians” do; it is how citizens operate. Politics is a civic responsibility. It is how we engage with each other. The pursuit of good governance means that politicians can no longer be left to their own devices. Seen in this light, the mutual estrangement of government and civil society will end. The civil society will continue to express the communal instinct to regulate power but the chronic antagonism that poisons relations between the state and civil society will be replaced by mutual respect and positive tension. Civic engagement means that the state can access a much larger pool of wisdom and knowledge made available by a new rapport with civil society. In return, participatory governance will become much more practicable across all levels of governance. Looking back on this occasion of the 20th anniversary of June 12, it is instructive to note that only civic movements mobilised in the context of larger patriotic interests can overwhelm the forces of impunity. It is the discipline of civic engagement that will keep at bay those who wish to turn back the hands of the clock and return us to the dark days of totalitarian rule. The struggle we are engaged in is dedicated to making this democracy truly a government of the people, for the people and by the people, and by so doing honour the memory of Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola and all those who paid the supreme sacrifice pursuant to our common aspirations for the good society. • Dr. Fayemi, Governor of Ekiti State, wrote this piece to commemorate the annulled June 12, 1993 presidential election.

THE GUARDIAN, Thursday, June 20, 2013

‘Why Urhobo should support Jonathan/Sambo ticket in 2015’ From Mohammed Abubakar, Abuja

HIEFTAIN of the ruling People Democratic C Party (PDP) in Delta State, Mr. Daniel Idonor, has urged the Urhobo to support the Jonathan/Sambo ticket if they decide to run for a second term in 2015. He believes that the candidates would take steps to address the feelings of the minority groups, including the Urhobo within the context of Nigeria’s federating units. In an interactive session with State House Correspondents in Abuja, Idonor acknowledged the lack of representation of Urhobo in the Federal Executive Council. Yet, he appealed to the Urhobo, whom he described as the fifth single largest ethnic nationality in Nigeria, to continue to support the Jonathan’s administration, noting that, “in the fullness of time, the wrongs would be corrected.” Idonor saluted the courage and doggedness of the Urhobo in supporting the Jonathan administration, even in the face of provocation resulting from the non-representation of Urhobo in the FEC. There has been widespread agitation by the Urhobo people of Delta State against the Federal Government, accusing it of marginalisation in federal appointments despite its demographic size in Nigeria, and the second in the Niger Delta and first in Delta State. “We the Urhobo in our peaceful nature have continued to support President Jonathan since his days as Vice President, Acting President and now as a substantive elected President of Nigeria,” he said. “It is instructive to note that the Urhobo have always taken Dr. Jonathan’s presidency as a baby of the Niger Delta/Nigerian Ethnic Minorities struggle, with the Urhobo always

at the forefront right from the colonial days. “And so, when it was time to express it in 2011, they overwhelmingly voted for President Jonathan, irrespective of their political leanings and I am sure that my people are still ready to do the same in 2015 if he will run. “Obviously, this explains the reason why even though no prominent politician travelled to Urhoboland to campaign for the President and Vice President, my people on their conviction mobilised themselves and delivered their votes en-bloc to the Jonathan/Sambo ticket.” Idonor noted that there are some ethnic groups, which didn’t support the president, but they are enjoying representation in the Jonathan cabinet. He stressed that since the Constitution requires that every state enjoys representation through a ministerial slot in government, the Urhobo, who constitute 52 per cent of the population in Delta State, deserve a place in the federal cabinet, “particularly if one considers the fact that the Governor of Delta State is still not an Urhobo biologically.” “As we speak, there is no single Urhobo man or woman serving in any capacity either as a Minister, Special Adviser or a Special Assistant in the Federal Government of Nigeria,” he said. “In the last 10 years that I have been practicing as a journalist in the office of the Nigerian President, I have been privileged to interact with over 300 ministers. “It is pertinent to note that in every dispensation except this one, there was an Urhobo man either as a cabinet member or presidential aide,” he added.

THE GUARDIAN, Thursday, June 20, 2013

TheMetroSection Beware! Rapists on the prowl... • Police parade seven rapists in Ekiti, victims narrate their ordeals

HE burial rites for Mrs. T Maria Taiwo Abati, mother of the Special Adviser to the

From Muyiwa Adeyemi (Head South West Bureau Ado Ekiti)

President (Media & Publicity) Dr. Reuben Abati, who died on Thursday, May 23, 2013, are scheduled to hold on Thursday, July 18 and Friday, July 19 at Abeokuta in Ogun State. A Service of Songs, Thursday, July 18, at 1.00 pm at Rev. Kuti Memorial Grammar School, Isabo, Abeokuta. Funeral Service is Friday, July 19, 20 at 10.00 a.m. at St. John’s Anglican Church Igbein, Abeokuta. Reception of guests holds at Bishop’s Court, Onikolobo, Abeokuta.

KITI State Police Command yesterday raised alarm over what it called “sudden increase on rape cases in the state” in the last one month and advised parents to be alert in protecting their female children. The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) Mr. Victor Babayemi raised the alarm while parading seven rapists, including two students of a private polytechnic in the state, a proprietor of a nursery/primary school who defiled an 11- year-old pupil, three commercial motorcyclists and a 17-year-old boy who raped a three-year-old minor. One of the victims, an 18-year-old student of the private polytechnic revealed how four boys and a security man working in the school gang-raped her. She said one of the students identified as Dayo, who is now at large, had approached her for a relationship, which she declined. But on May 5, 2013, Dayo and three other boys broke into her room in dead of the night tied her hands and leg to the window taking turns to have sexual relationship with her. According to her: “I was sleeping when I heard a loud bang. Before I knew what was happening, they were already in my room. One of them said what I refused only Dayo to do four of them have come to do it.” She said on the second day she reported the matter to the to the school authority and the Chief Security Officer (CSO) of the school was asked to take up the matter. She said the CSO asked one of the security officers, Seyi Adanbioje to take her to the Police Station at IlaweEkiti for immediate action. She said that they did not leave the police station until 8pm and Adanbioje said he received a phone call from the CSO that the lady should sleep in his house to further protect her from those boys he said might come back that night. But unknown to her Adanbioje also wanted to take an advantage of her. She said: “Though I was still in shock and could not refuse the offer that I

Special programme HE Redeemed Christian T Church of God, Praise Tabernacle, will today to Sunday

The rape suspects... should sleep in the house of that security man that night, but the man also raped me that night and threatened to kill me if I dare mention my ordeal to anybody. But I was ready to die and I went to my parents and reported what happened to me.” The 11-year-old pupil of God Is Great Nursery Primary School also narrated how the proprietor of the school Mr Tunde Ibitoye had been having carnal knowledge of her. She alleged that Ibitoye who she referred to as “uncle” used to take her to the uncompleted market to have carnal knowledge of her with the threat that she would die if she disclosed it to her parents. She told newsmen that the proprietor had done it four times with her before the artisans in the neighbourhood apprehended him. The state government has ordered the closure of the school and advised parents to take their children to other schools. One of the suspects, Kunle Aralepo, 20, who joined in the gang rape told newsmen how his juju failed him on the day he was arrested by the police. He said if

he had been able to memorise his incantation, it would have been difficult for him to be arrested. He said he was busy memorizing an incantation he learnt from a traditional priest, when the police detectives arrested him. He said: “I wrote the incantation that the police should not arrest me on a piece of paper. I was busy memorizing when the Police pounced on me and arrested me”. Aside Kunle, one Akomolafe Oluwaseun, a National Diploma student of the private polytechnic and two others, who were at large, were said to have gang-raped an 18-year old student of the Polytechnic Others rapists paraded include, a two – man gang rape suspects, Babatope and Oluwasusi Tope and a 17-year old minor, who raped another three-year-old minor. The Police Spokesman, regretted the upsurge of rape and defilement incidences in the recent timeS, especially from Ilawe Ekiti axis, urging the populace to look after their wards and ensure that they entrust their them in safe

hands. He said the Police have taken some of the victims to the hospital for medical reports, saying results had indicated that all of them have, at one time or the other, experienced rape and defilement. Babayemi warned the private polytechnic, which is becoming a safe-haven for rapists, against hoarding information relating to issue of rape, claiming that some cases of rape, leading to expulsion of some students were not reported to the Police. The PPRO said: “Rape and defilement have become a source of concern to the Police in recent times. But we are assuring the people that we are not going to treat rape issues with kid’s gloves. Those who take pleasure in raping and defiling the ladies and minors will be made to face the full wrath of the law.” “The criminal codes and Ekiti State Gender-based Violence Prohibition Law forbid these acts and whoever is caught will be tried according to the dictate of these two Laws.” He pledged that those who are at large would soon be arrested and made to

Yoruba-speaking American, Kayode Oyinbo, takes Lagos Assembly by storm By Wole Oyebade ORUBA-speaking American actor, Kelvin Barry, a.k.a Kayode Oyinbo, on Wednesday took the Lagos State House of Assembly and guests by surprise with his uncommon fluency of Yoruba language. His core Yoruba accent and accurate choice of deeprooted words, left mouths of several lawmakers and guests ajar. They were all surprised at the foreigner’s sheer mastery of their mother tongue. At the end of his four minutes speech, there was no doubt that Kayode Oyinbo is not in the class of many socalled Yorubas, including several of the Lagos lawmakers,

Briefs Maria Taiwo Abati for burial July 18

when it comes in conversing in unadulterated Yoruba. Barry was a guest at the Special parliamentary session in commemoration of the 20th anniversary of the June 12 and second anniversary of the Seventh Assembly, attended by politicians, party loyalists, royal fathers, Lagos white cap chiefs, Civil Society Organisations among others. Acknowledging some of the guests present at the special session, Speaker of the House, Adeyemi Ikuforiji, said he had invited an interesting guest to the House and would like him to say a few words of greetings. Ikuforiji had met Barry in Wisconsin, United States, and a few seconds of interaction

Barry and Saheed Balogun was all that endeared the Speaker to the unusual “American Yoruba language student.” Mounting the dais, his greetings in deep Yoruba words, quickly confirmed the Speaker’s choice. Barry greeted the Speaker, the Obas and all guests al-

most at full length of prostration. He told the gathering he had been in love with the Yoruba language for several years and had spared nothing to learn it. He said his love for indigenous language, culture and tradition had made Yoruba fascinating to him; an opportunity they lacked the west, especially the United States. According to him, many in the Chamber could trace their origin back to their forefathers and where they came from – a privilege he lacked being a non-African. Without mincing words, Barry urged the Yorubas and other Nigerians to value what is theirs – their country, lan-

guage, culture and traditions – citing that there is nothing like promoting what belongs to one. “Noni noni noni… Oun taa ni laa noni”. He said further that he was in Nigeria, to star in a movie – You & I – by Nollywood artist, Saheed Balogun. Among those that were impressed, if not floored by the exceptional performance, was guest speaker at the session, Prof. Pat Utomi. Utomi admitted Barry had done far better than he would imagine himself doing with the Yoruba language and “than many members of the House,” that conduct their Thursdays sitting in Yoruba language.

Police arrest eight over murder of 82- year-old in Edo From Alemma-Ozioruva Aliu, Benin City HE Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG), T Zone 5, Benin City yesterday said it had arrested eight persons in connection with the murder of an 82-year-old retired Police Inspector identified as Samuel Ajayi over community disputes in Ovia North east Local Council of Edo State. More gruesome was the report that the suspects buried their victim alive in a grave near a forest in the area after allegedly inviting him to intervene in the crisis.

It was alleged that the same gang, which invited him to provide a truce in the crisis, abducted him and took him to a forest where he was allegedly buried alive. They were said to have after a few days exhumed his body and buried it in a yet to be identified grave deeper into the forest, apparently afraid that the grave by the bush path could easily lead to suspicion. But a source claimed that the choice by his assailants to bury Ajayi alive might be connected with ritual purposes.

However, one of the suspects, (names withheld), while confessing to the crime, said they anticipated that Police would come after them, because the victim was buried close to the road,which he said was the reason they exhumed him and buried him in another location. The Deputy Commissioner of Police, Dave Akinremi, who spoke on behalf of the Assistant Inspector General of Police ( AIG) , Hashimu Argungun, while confirming the incident, said the suspects were helping the Police to locate the site where the late Inspector Samuel Ajayi was buried.

to Sunday hold its special programme at the church auditorium, 9, 10 and 12, Ebun Street, Lawanson, Surulere at 6.00p.m. daily. Pastor Ogba Omagbemi will minister while Pastor in Charge is Amos Emovon.

Fashola, Sagay for NBA(Lagos) Law Week AGOS State Governor BaLtutional batunde Fashola and constilawyer, Professor Itse Sagay (SAN) are among dignitaries expected at the Nigerian Bar Association (Lagos branch) 2013 Law week scheduled for Sunday, June 23 - Thursday June 27, 2013 in Lagos. The Organising Committee’s chairman, Mrs. Tolani Edu, said Fashola would be a guest of honour while Prof. Sagay would deliver the opening speech. Also, former Vice Chancellor, University of Ado-Ekiti, Professor Akin Oyebode and renowned lawyer, Mrs. Funke Adekoya (SAN) would deliver papers on ‘’Money Laundering Versus the Legal Profession’’. Edu said there would be an interaction between the Bar and the Bench, which would be moderated by the Chief Judge of Lagos State, Justice Ayotunde Philips, Justice Olatunde Oshodi and Mrs. Titi Akinlawon (SAN) among others.

Sholola, 63, for burial rites for Mr. FwonUNERAL Stephen Olusegun OkanlaSholola, who died at the age of 63, begin today with a Christian wake at 4.00p.m. at the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Christ Church, Redemption Way, Gbagada,Lagos. A statement by Mr. Lanre Ladipo said he would be buried tomorrow at the Old Ikoyi Cemetery, Lagos, after a funeral service at the same church at 11.00a.m. He is survived by his wife: Pastor (Mrs.) Iretiola Sholola; children: Babajide, Oluwarotimi, and Olusola; and other relations.

Sholola

THE GUARDIAN, Thursday, June 20, 2013

14 | THE GUARDIAN, Thursday, June 20, 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 U.S. ‘reward’ and Boko Haram proscription HERE is legitimate cause for concern over the latest responses to the T Boko Haram insurgency, most notably the United States (U.S.) offer of $7 million (about N1.1 billion) for the capture of the leader of the sect, Abubakar Shekau; and the official proscription of the sect by the Nigerian government, declaring it a terrorist group. On the one hand is the fear of possible backlash, nay escalation of crisis, arising from the U.S. intervention. On the other hand is the confusion and seeming policy summersault of the Federal Government, when its emergency rule and amnesty efforts are weighed alongside its proscription declaration. The government had deployed military and non-military approaches to counter the insurgency, including the setting up of an Amnesty Committee to explore the propriety and modality of the measure; as well as the eventual declaration of a state of emergency in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states. The attendant deployment of the military to these states to enforce the emergency order, which empowers it to take ‘all necessary action, within the ambit of their rules of engagement, to put an end to the impunity of insurgents and terrorists,’ constitutes the initial concern of Nigerians who pondered on the probable outcome of the exercise. Against this background, the proscription order came as a surprise to many Nigerians, when President Goodluck Jonathan officially designated Boko Haram, together with Jama’atu Ansarul, as terrorist groups. The order was issued pursuant to Section 2 of the Terrorism Prevention Act, 2011, as amended, and gazetted as the Terrorism (Prevention) (Proscription Order) Notice 2013. The declaration ‘officially brings the activities of both groups within the purview of the Terrorism Prevention Act and any persons associated with the two groups can now be legally prosecuted and sentenced to penalties specified in the Act’. Notable penalties prescribed by the Act, as detailed in the order, include ‘a term of imprisonment of not less than 20 years for any person who knowingly, in any manner, directly or indirectly, solicits or renders support for the commission of an act of terrorism or to a terrorist group’ as spelt out in Section 5 (1) of the Act. The Act defines ‘support for an act of terrorism or to a terrorist group’ to include incitement to commit a terrorist act through several means, dissemination of terrorist information; and provision of material assistance to terrorists among others. From all indications, the proscription of Boko Haram as a terrorist group is a testimonial of policy inconsistency characteristic of the Jonathan administration. First, the proscription constitutes a direct negation of the Amnesty Committee, which despite the proscription order, has continued to criss-cross some northern states negotiating the possibility of amnesty with the group. Indeed, many Boko Haram suspects have been officially released for rehabilitation, supposedly upon the recommendation of the committee. With the new development, who is the committee now negotiating with? Why the waste of public resources on an initiative that is dead on arrival? Notably, the proscription came barely a few weeks into the enforcement of the state of emergency rule. Third, the timing of the proscription is awkward, coming when the country is politically heated, given the many battles the presidency is waging against its perceived political enemies. Examples are the polarisation of the Governors’ Forum and suspension of two governors of the ruling party. In the circumstance, such an order could easily be adapted for political purposes, including the intimidation and harassment of political opponents. Worse still, the proscription came barely a day after the U.S. offer of $7 million for the capture of the leader of the sect, Abubakar Shekau; and appeared, to that extent, to be a reactionary measure that may allow the U.S. wider influence in the country, in the guise of fighting terrorism. This worry is not misplaced, against the history of recent U.S. interventions in Afghanistan and Iraq, which showed that the United States has neither an altruistic motive nor clean records in executing such interventions. Rather, they usually end up complicating the matters both in terms of security, human rights and development. Against the backdrop of President Jonathan’s sudden enterprise over the Boko Haram insurgency, the U.S. ‘gift’ is wrapped with suspicion all over. In the overall interest of Nigeria, the U.S. should keep its ransom and let Nigeria solve its security problems internally. Any aid it would get from abroad should be seen purely to be in line with the national interest only.

LETTERS

Perspectives of GSM technology IR: The volume of mobile mobile phones has resulted Sactive phones in circulation and in misplacement of priorilines speak volumes of ties, especially among the place of the invention in daily life. According to the International Data Corporation, 418.6 million mobile phones were shipped by vendors in the first quarter of 2013. The Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC) says by the end of January 2013, Nigeria had 154 million connected lines. 144 million of them were active. In Nigeria, the GSM technology has changed lives since its introduction in 2001. It has created thousands of jobs while making life and communication easier. The technology has equally enhanced business operations and Nigerians have fully embraced it. Corporate and individual time management has significantly improved and the general impact of the technology on Nigeria’s overall economic development has been simply awesome. However, the GSM technology has a number of minuses, which have negatively influenced family and individual relationships as well as moral values. For instance, the craze for ownership of

teenagers in this clime. Many students have diverted their (valuable) school fees into the purchase of (expensive) mobile phones. The issue of addiction to mobile phone operation has led to very poor time management and wastage of precious time at individual level. An average Nigerian teenager could spend an entire day on unproductive Facebook chats, using a mobile phone. This has by implication, increased indiscipline and disrespect for parents and wards, as vital errands are turned down or ignored. Effective parents-children communication in the home has been severely hampered by the advent of mobile phones. Once the average teenager is busy with pinging, browsing or chatting, vital parental instructions are hardly heard or digested. Worse still, an inquiry in most cases, into the subject that holds the teenager’s attention upsets the moral sensibilities of such inquirer. Put straight, the mobile phone of today’s Nigerian teenager is used for perus-

ing nude photographs of the opposite sex and other pornographic materials. This is a major contributor to the current decay in moral values, which has drastically increased reports of rape incidents by the media. The common use of the mobile phone to lie over the user’s location is also one of the technology’s minuses. The use of Short Message Service (SMS) has contributed to the growing level of intellectual laziness. Most times, words in text messages are hardly spelt correctly. The poor performance of candidates at English Language examinations of the Universities and Technical Matriculation Examination (UTME) and Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (SSCE) in recent years is one of the consequences of the SMS culture. As we exercise the freedom to use the GSM technology, it has become very important for individuals and groups in the society to manage that freedom responsibly so that the negative impact of the technology on the society can be kept at its barest minimum. • Albinus Chiedu, Lagos.

THE GUARDIAN, Thursday, June 20, 2013

Business Fashola tasks Lagos youths on N1.5b research fund P. 27

Govt designates 13 airports as cargo terminals By Wole Shadare HE Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has designated 13 airports across the nation as perishable cargo terminals.

The General Manager, FAAN, Yakubu Dati told reporters yesterday that these airports, which are in proximity to food baskets, would be developed with international stan-

dard perishable cargo facilities to enhance their operations. He disclosed that at present, based on expression of interest from the private sector

and state governments, Abuja, Akure, Calabar, Ilorin, Jalingo, Jos, Kano, Lagos, Makurdi, Minna, Owerri, Port Harcourt and Uyo have been prioritised as perishable terminals.

Group Managing Director, First City Monument Bank, Ladi Balogun (left); Chairman, Jonathan Long; Company Secretary, Olajumoke Bakare; and Founder, Otunba Subomi Balogun, during the bank’s yearly general meeting in Lagos , yesterday PHOTO: SUNDAY AKINLOLU

Product dumping: Nigeria, others seal pact to harmonise standards By Femi Adekoya FFORTS to address the E dumping of fake and substandard materials in Nigeria and other neighbouring states might have received a boost, with the agreement by some African countries to harmonise production standards according to global best practices. Specifically, representatives of over 20 African countries, under the umbrella of the African Organisation for Standardisation (ARSO), agreed to harmonise standards, in order to boost the chances of African products and services in the global market. According to a press statement made available to The Guardian yesterday, DirectorGeneral of the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Dr Joseph Odumodu, who represented Nigeria at the first Africa Standardisation Day celebration in Yaoundé, Cameroon, called on all other countries in Africa to join hands with Nigeria to battle the problem of dumping, which he said was ravaging all African states. The African nations, under ARSO, on their part, stressed

that greater agreement on standards in education policies set out across the continent would allow joint ventures in academic research, innovation exchanges to facilitate import and export of life saving or life changing discoveries. “Harmonisation of standards set by ARSO would ensure we get speedier results as well as mutually benefitting outcomes. For instance, the building of standardised railway systems with the same gauge across Africa. “We need to ensure our manufactures adopt high standards in processing and manufacturing goods. This will in turn diversify and improve the export earnings for the continent,” ARSO stated. Stressing the importance of a common front in the fight against dumping, Odumodu who is also the interim President of ARSO stated: “Africa has enemies who dump products on them at prices that make it impossible for Africa to compete; enemies who dump radioactive products on us without our knowledge because we do not have sophisticated infrastructure to test and detect these things, enemies who prevent us from developing on our own.

“If we fight these enemies as individual countries, we may not have enough capacity or capability to do so. But if we fight these enemies as a continent, it will be a lot more effective because the smaller countries will take advantage of the presence of the larger countries and vice versa and that is where we are going.” Also, the Nigerian representative at ARSO, Odumodu, will today square up against his counterpart from Malawi, in a keenly contested election, which will produce a substantive president for the continental standards body. Meanwhile, the SON boss has noted that it was for the purpose of prevailing in the intricate battle, which is in most cases against more developed and stronger nations that the continent is strengthening its umbrella standards body, ARSO. “We are going through rejuvenation in ARSO” Odumodu said. “We have had some challenges in the past. Most of these challenges have now been surmounted and we are moving on to achieve more of the objective of the organisation. We have to create projects around which we can all work together to attain our major goals. This is the reason

why all the countries of Africa must work together and learn from what others have done. We do not have to reinvent the wheel,” he added. The Chief Executive of Nigeria’s standards body explained the importance of the various countries in Africa taking advantage of the experiences of all other countries to build a better Africa. He said to achieve this, ARSO is using the auspices of the regional economic blocs including West Africa, Northern Africa, East, Southern and Central Africa to marshal a unified response to international conspiracies against the emergence of the industrial sector of all African nations. “There is a lot work going on. We are looking at national standards and harmonising them into regional standards and from there we will move to continental standards and that is why we have the ARSO standards already in place. About 800 standards have already been elaborated. These are original standards not adopted standards, for example, I come from Nigeria and we have standards for casCONTINUED ON PAGE 16

He added that state governments had also been encouraged to partner with the Federal government to revive smaller airports, particularly for taxi operations, tourism and cargo operations, which could benefit domestic and regional economic development. This, he stressed, would enable them key into the over N250 billion naira annual airfreight export market out of Africa. Countries like Kenya, South Africa, Benin, Cote d’ivoire, Ghana, Senegal, Ethiopia, Tanzania and Egypt he noted are participating in the trading in commodities such as fruits, fresh fish, vegetables and flowers while Nigeria, which produces these produce in abundance, records zero participation. The strategy is therefore to create the much needed storage infrastructure in view of the large volume involved and to facilitate the evacuation of agricultural produce to domestic markets, in conformity with international standards. The European Union (EU) is

the main market for African exporters, accounting for more than 40 per cent of total exports, followed by the US with 20 per cent, with Intraregional trade represented only 8 per cent of the total, with South Africa as the leading exporter to the region with 21per cent of the total. Dati noted that in recent times; the more dynamic destinations for African products are China, with 27.5 per cent yearly average growth registered over a decade-long period and India, growing by 19.5 per cent during the same period. The development of Economic Free Trade and Export Processing Zones will be targeted alongside cargo airports and afro-allied industrial clusters, based on local opportunities and the state’s competitive and comparative advantage in agriculture production. “The Nigerian aviation sector is establishing closer co-operation with Federal Ministry of Agriculture and State Governments for concerted and strategic focus to this efforts”, he added.

THE GUARDIAN, Thursday, June 20, 2013

16 BUSINESS

Why African airlines’ woes persist, by AFRAA, AFCAC By Wole Shadare FRICAN Airlines Association A (AFRAA), the umbrella body for the continent’s airlines’ and the Africa Civil Aviation Council (AFCAC) have outlined the challenges confronting African aviation to include safety, security and the non-implementation of the Yamoussoukro Decision (YD). The challenges equally highlighted the high rate of accidents in the continent. Africa still has the highest number of accidents of 7.5 per million departures compared to the industry average of 2.2 per million departures.

Speaking at the AFRAA Supplier Conference in Nairobi yesterday, the Secretary General of AFCAC, Ms Iyabo Sosina stated that African air transport industry was still relatively underdeveloped and characterised by weak and fragmented airlines that are faced with the challenges of under-capitalization, difficulty in attracting finance, narrow route networks, ageing aircraft, growing insufficiency of qualified aviation personnel due to consistent loss of skilled. AFRAA kicked off its second conference on aviation suppliers’ stakeholders in Nairobi yesterday. The conference, which is being

New harmonised standards underway for products CONTINUED FROM PAGE 15 sava mill (Garri processing) and this is original and native to us. So everybody must share from the successes that everyone else has achieved,” he said. Also speaking at the event, the Chairperson of the International Standards Organisation (ISO) Committee for Developing Countries, Mrs Evah Oduor lamented the low level of intra-Africa trade, which currently stands at around 10 per cent compared to Europe, a smaller continent in terms of population and land mass, where they trade with themselves to the tune of about 40 percent. She also noted that the cur-

rent 3 per cent Africa contribution to international trade was unacceptable; stressing that ARSO must commit itself to improving these embarrassing statistics. “Africa must become more assertive, it must make its own standards in order to improve its capacity to trade more effectively in the international scene and a collaborative stance is imperative,” Oduor stated. “As one person, as one country, you may go very fast in a race but you can only go far if you run along with other countries,” she stressed. According to her, Africa must develop and standardise local products in order to turn them into world-beaters.

attended by 246 delegates from 46 countries, will deliberate on supplier chain management issues in Africa and how to improve service delivery. Sosina, a former Director in the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority under Dr Harold Demuren, noted that collectively, these challenges had resulted in African airlines being weak and unable to compete with the global mega carriers. On the liberalisation of African air transport market, the AFCAC Secretary General said her organization was committed to the full implementation of the Yamoussoukro Decision (YD) to enhance African Airlines’ capacity to compete. The Yamoussoukro Decision provides for the liberalization of access to intra-African air transport markets and AFCAC has been designated by the African Union as the Executing Agency for its implementation. Secretary General of AFRAA, Dr. Elijah Chingosho noted that the Africa air transport market was among the fastest growing in world according to, adding that this growth needs to be supported by industry suppliers of complementary products, solutions and services. The growth according to him, requires the establishment of trusted partnerships within suppliers inside and outside the continent to ensure smooth growth and development of a safe, secures, reliable and viable aviation industry, according to the Nairobi-based AFRAA. His words, “The aviation body seeks to facilitate the exploitation of the growth opportunities by forging win-win busi-

ness relationships. The biggest image challenge confronting African aviation is safety”. “Though improvements have been recorded in recent years, Africa still has the highest number of accidents of 7.5 per million departures compared to the industry average of 2.2 per million departures”. As part of measures to improve safety and improve quality of service delivery as well as reduce the continent’s environmental footprint, the continent’s fleet will receive a boost of 800 new aircraft in the next 20 years. The Deputy Regional Director of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) for Eastern and Southern Africa, Boitshoko Sekwati, outlined the role ICAO and other regional organisations including AFRAA are playing to improve safety on the continent. He noted that the efforts were yielding dividends as safety is improving and states are more committed to rectifying identified deficiencies. The IATA Regional Manager for East Africa, Hassim Pondor in his opening remarks, noted that safety performance of African airlines on the IOSA registry, including African members, aligns with the global average. With the Abuja Declaration, African governments have committed to achieve worldclass safety levels by the end of 2015, according to Pondor. He said IATA is engaging African airlines directly to meet IOSA standards. In this regard, IATA avail sponsorship to 10 AFI carriers to assist them attains IOSA.

THE GUARDIAN, Thursday, June 20, 2013

Raycorp, A Solution To Electrical Surges Considering the losses people, especially companies, suffer as a result of voltage surges in the country, Raycorp in partnership with Raycap, a Munich, Germany-based company, is introducing a cutting edge technology that will checkmate electrical surges and as well protect equipment from damage. Sadiq Edu, the Managing Director of the company, spoke to OMIKO AWA on the uniqueness of their products in the Nigerian market. What does Raycorp do? AYCORP is the Nigerian partner of the Greek company Raycap, who are actually headquartered in Munich. We provide premier lightning and surge protection services from transients. Our customers operate some very sophisticated and mission-critical equipment and so our job is to keep the equipment running seamlessly through any surge in voltage. Essentially, Raycorp provides solutions that protect your company’s operations and investments by eliminating all voltage surges that cause damage to the equipment that serve critical functions. How does this technology fit the Nigerian condition? In Nigeria, and in fact Africa, large businesses and industries are faced with severe maintenance issues. Governments lack the necessary financial and managerial resources to maintain their utility grids, which feed the continent’s power. The continent is also faced with severe electrical storms, particularly countries along the equator and within the tropics. Thus hundreds of millions of dollars are spent each year maintaining damaged electrical equipment due to power transients from the grid as well as lightning storms. Telecoms companies constantly face service deterioration issues which result in revenue loss due to loss of air traffic because this will make customers to move to a different network, and as a result, they get a bad reputation. With a country like Nigeria where in some regions one gets up to 50 lightning strikes per square kilometres

annually, you could imagine the astronomical amount of money that is. At Raycorp, we have an arrangement with Accenture for telecoms companies. They tell us what they need; we do the information gathering on the ground and send it off to them to carry out a risk analysis and create a business case to show the client. The initial reaction to the business case is actually quite comical; this is when they realise how much money is being wasted. That is telecoms companies alone, and we haven’t even spoken about their various building sites. Other industries have different equipment that are equally critical to their operations. If you sit and think about it for a second, it is a real problem. A hospital is only as good as the functional equipment inside, a manufacturer can only manufacture if the machines are working efficiently. On our roads in Nigeria, there are traffic lights that have been blown up because they are not protected. At Raycorp, we are concerned with not only creating a safe environment to work from, but also reducing maintenance costs for our clients. Our clients can expect to see reductions in their maintenance bills by as much as 20 to 30 per cent. Manufacturing industries will see improved, more efficient production as Raycap’s surge protection has the capability of diverting a harmful surge and at the same time allowing an acceptable voltage through to the application without interrupting production. In order to provide full protection for all our clients, we install these surge protection solutions on the common output of the changeover switch, which allows for protection from both the utility supply and generator supply. How is your protection different from what is already on the market? Well, the vast majority of companies involved with electrical surge protection manufacture these equipment in bulk and very few of these companies comply with international performance and quality standards. Such companies aim at bulk production for a mass market and their surge protection is for low RSH light industrial sites. These protection devices are also often designed to protect you from the one surge, while sacrificing itself. Therefore,

you end up having to constantly replace them, which is a headache on it’s own. Our product is unique because it is the first surge protection technology that offers its clients a maintenance free operation, and provides their products with a 10-year product warrantee. Strikesorb is the only UL 1449 (third edition) over-voltage protection module, recognised to operate without an internal fuse or thermal disconnection mechanism. Due to its high short-circuit current rating and its in-line installation capability, whatever the line condition, from long duration surges to high intensity lightning strikes. Strikesorb and Rayvoss SPD’s will never leave the load unprotected, even under catastrophic conditions. So, what can you tell us about the technology? Raycap are the world’s leader in surge protection and for over 30 years, they have provided revolutionary technology call Strikesorb. Strikesorb is Raycap’s flagship electrical protection technology. As a surge protective device, it is unparalleled in the market. It has high surge current capability, it can take thousands of surges without aging or failure, and consistently outperforms other surge protection technology. Strikesorb’s innovative design provides a direct connection with no fuses in an environmentally sealed aluminum housing. Inside, there is no rubber or plastic, which means unlike other SPDs, there is no fuel to burn. It is available in four sizes: Strikesorb 80, Strikesorb 40, Strikesorb 35 and Edu Strikesorb 30, each with a variety of operating voltages. Strikesorb is at the core of the solunot protected from the unpredictability of tions we offer, but depending on the industry electricity supply. That’s motivation enough and the power audit we have to do, there are to be frank. Everyone wants to save money different ways of implementing the surge pro- and wants to have working equipment; that is tection. In Nigeria, the most common unit we exactly what we are offering. install is Rayvoss for buildings. They have What are the challenges so far? Strikesorb 40 or Strikesorb 80 technology at In terms of the product, we don’t really their core, and provide high surge capacity have challenges because the technology sells without using internal thermal disconnect itself. However, most of the clients we currentmechanisms. They offer unsurpassed AC power ly service, own sites across the country. In protection to meet the needs of customers in some cases, the areas are very remote and not industrial, telecommunications, power gener- easily accessed. The safety of our engineers ation, defense, transportation and other mis- and associates is uppermost when you considsion-critical applications. Raycap RRH soluer areas of our country that are not as friendly. tions are the number one choice of operators These are the greatest challenges we face at worldwide to protect their RRH architectures. the moment. I am not saying the rest has been The products provide fibre and power cable easy, but for sure, these are the issues that management solutions and DC power protec- stand out, when we talk about challenges. tion. They can be completely customized to fit How are Nigerians accepting the products? a wide variety of RRH architectures, radio con- Generally, it is widely accepted, but for a figurations and cables. product of this nature, we need to talk to peoThere have been millions of successful instal- ple that come from the right background. lations world wide, saving clients billions of They are the only ones that can really compredollars every year. In fact, the Federal Aviation hend what we are talking about and why this Authority in the USA has made it the single really is a great product. Most company heads surge protection of choice for their entire are likely to know that they have paid for organisation. This shows the level the technol- some sort of surge protection, but that is genogy has been tested. It is a very well justified erally the extent of their knowledge. If we investment because electronic infrastructure meet an MD or CEO that is techsavvy, then fanrepresents a sizeable investment that can be tastic; it makes our job easier. But for the ones instantly destroyed without the proper surge that don’t, there is a slight challenge because protection, resulting in the loss of critical func- from their viewpoint, they are paying again tionality. Investing in Rayvoss SPD solutions, for the same solution. So, we then have to talk featuring Strikesorb technology, allows custhem through the benefits of our product and tomers to realise huge returns coming from why it stands superior to other surge protecuninterrupted load operation under a wide tion devices. I should also add that our prodvariety of adverse conditions. ucts come with an LED indicator and surge What motivated you to go into this business? counter, which provides monitoring capabiliTo be honest, I often get frustrated that ties. For example, we installed at Glo office, Nigerians rely on the government to improve Victoria Island, Lagos. Though not all these the current state of our nation, and are quick surges are likely to cause harm, the unit is so to blame government entirely for their woes. sensitive that any slight over-voltage is logged. That is not the case; we have equal responsible A similar incident happened at Pacific to improve our economy and infrastructure. International Drilling West Africa Limited, at At Raycorp, we often joke that once we install their headquarters on the Lekki-Epe at a site, that’s it for a minimum of 10 years. To Expressway. A week after we installed at that state the obvious, the erratic power supply in site, the client was so dumbfounded by the Nigeria is a real problem. We all suffer big bills figure over 14,000 being displayed on the in our homes and businesses because we are surge counter. They wanted us to come and

Mr. Sadiq Edu, CEO, Raycorp being congratulated by Mr. Tive Ibru, Executive Director, Guardian Newspapers Limited,

check that it was a true reflection of the unit. This just shows you how unstable electricity is in Nigeria, and it is worryingly underestimated. At this point, we are in the early stages, but it seems that we have come in at the right time, and things have picked up quickly. Currently, we are carrying out multiple site surveys for some of the larger clients like UAC, Food Concepts, Oando, Conoil, Glo and others. But as you can see, these are clients that have several sites spread all over the country. We are also doing these surveys for residential blocks and individual houses. As I said, there is no limit to where we can install.

THE GUARDIAN, Thursday, June 20, 2013

BUSINESS 21

‘Nigeria, others lose $1.6tr to illicit financial flows’ From Abosede Musari, Abuja IGERIA and some other N developing countries may have lost between $858.6 billion - $1.6 trillion in 2006 through illicit financial flows. Director General of the Inter-Governmental Action Group against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA) Dr Abdullahi Shehu, made the disclosure recently at a workshop in Lokoja. This, according to him has made it necessary to fight the menace of money laundering towards promoting democracy, good governance, as well as international peace and security. A statement from the organisation obtained by The Guardian on Friday read that Dr Abdullahi Shehu made the

disclosure in a Keynote address at a workshop held in Lokoja, Kogi State on Thursday. Communication Assistant, Muhammad Usman said that the workshop was organized for elected officials of Local Government administration and was entitled ‘‘Democracy, Good Governance and the Challenges of Development’’. Shehu stressed the need to protect the international financial system from abuse. He stated that the establishment of GIABA is part of the renewed efforts to develop strategies for the prevention of money laundering and its predicate offences and to assist member States to implement those strategies to protect their economies from misuse for the purposes of laundering the proceeds of

crime, including the financing of terrorism. ‘‘Terrorists and extremist organizations, drug cartels and the trafficking of human beings are seriously affecting human security in developing and developed economies alike. The 9/11 terrorist attacks in the USA have brought to the attention of the world the global reach of the extremist organizations and the frightening consequences of their actions concerning personal safety, peace and security in the world, potential tensions among different segments of the society, and pressures on the state institutions’’ he added. He identified colonization, discrimination, low level of education, and a large population among the causes of poverty, lamenting that nega-

tive structural factors, such as lack of government support, neglect of educational development, health care and poor economic infrastructure have also contributed strongly to the persistence of poverty. To this end, the GIABA director general opined that democracy and good governance are key elements to end poverty in Africa geared towards improving the standard of living of the citizenry in the continent, a gesture he added can be achieve through responsive and participatory democracy, respects human rights, freedom of expression, rule of law, free and fair election, viable opposition and a free and independent press to ensure checks and balances is enshrined in the system to curb corruption and human rights abuses.

Kaduna offers subsidised fertilizers to farmers From: Saxone Akhaine, Northern Bureau Chief

N order to increase farming yields this season, the IKaduna State Governor, Alhaji Mukhtar Ramalan Yero, has launched the distribution and sale of different categories of fertilizers at subsidized prices to farmers in the State. Yero, who spoke in Kubau, Kubau Local Government Area said the fertilizers are to be sold to farmers in the state at over 50 per cent subsidy. The market cost price of the fertilizers is said to stand at N6, 250 per bag of the NPK, while urea is sold for N6,000 per bag. But under the subsidy regime, farmers in Kaduna State are to purchase a bag of NPK at N2,500 while Urea will

be sold at N2,000. Yero explained that his administration would exploit the agricultural sector to create more jobs and reduce poverty especially amongst youths of the state. According to him, "We believe that with additional investment in this sector and adequate motivation, more youths will take to farming, thereby increasing our potentials for food sufficiency and wealth creation". "As part of our efforts to further assist our farmers, Government will also provide other farm inputs that include improved seeds, agrochemicals and agricultural machineries like tractors. These will all come to the

farmers at subsidized rates," he said. Besides the governor argued that the 23 Local Government Areas in the state procured fertilizers worth N2.4 billion

under the subsidy scheme adding "it is aimed at providing support for farmers that were not captured by the Federal Government's Growth Enhancement Support (GES)".

THE GUARDIAN, Thursday, June 20, 2013

23 BUSINESS

Indigenous oil firm acquires Aje’s offshore field By Roseline Okere N indigenous AIM listed A oil and gas exploration and Development Company has unveiled plans to acquire of interest in Oil Mining Lease (OML) 113 offshore Nigeria from Pan Petroleum Aje Limited. The company said in a media statement yesterday that it would pay $30 million to receive a 6.502 per cent participating interest, but, through the terms of the project, it will pay 16.3 per cent of the costs, and it will receive a 12.2 per cent share of the revenues. It noted that the asset is located adjacent to the OPL310 area, in which Lekoil has a 30 per cent economic interest. OML113 hosts the Aje oil and gas field, which is estimated to have contingent resources of nearly 200 millon barrels of oil equivalent. Lekoil will have attributable contingent oil resources of 25.3mln barrels. Lekoil expressed confidence that it will be able to access sufficient capital to fund the acquisition as well as the associated capital expenditure for the project. It stated: “Lekoil has entered into a binding conditional Sale and Purchase Agreement with PanPetroleum Nigeria Holding and Pan-Petroleum (Holding) Cyprus Limited to acquire a 6.502 per cent participating interest in OML113 representing cost bearing participation and revenue participation that range from 16.255 per cent to 12.1913 per cent for activities in the Aje field depending on the extent of cost recovery; 6.502 per cent to 8.6693 per cent for activities in the deep water area; and 6.502 per cent for certain activities in the shallow water area. “The other OML113 licence interest holders include Yinka Folawiyo Petroleum (Operator), Vitol Exploration Nigeria, Chevron and P.R Oil and Gas (together the OML113 Partners)”. It said that it expected significant partner optimisation benefits to arise from the new ownership structure of OML113 and welcomes the renewed oilfocused development of the Aje field. The company noted that the transfer of the 6.502 per cent participating interest from Pan-Petroleum to Lekoil 113 is conditional upon, among other things, the delivery of a bid bond of $3 million and payment of the consideration, which is $30 million as adjusted including in respect of any cash calls made between 1st January 2013 and completion, and certain other additional amounts. “Based on discussions to date, Lekoil is confident that it will be able to access capital to fund the acquisition and associated capital expenditure. Further, Lekoil has secured the Bid Bond for the acquisition and will be issuing the Bid Bond to Panoro in the next few days. The Chief Executive Officer of the company, Lekan Akinyanmi said that the

acquisition of an interest in the Aje field, adjacent to Lekoil existing interest in OPL310, is exactly in line with our strategy to focus on assets in corridors of interest identified in our detailed evaluation programme when we established Lekoil. “It also brings us potential near term production in line with our ambition to create a producing business with higher upside appraisal and exploration assets. In addition, we continue to assess further opportunities. “This acquisition sees us well on our way to realising our vision for Lekoil and its shareholders, following our admission to AIM last month,” he added.

Information technology analyst, Manuel Mendonca (left); Managing Director, Pedro Hipolito; Manager Marketing Division, Jugo Arujo; all of SIBS International and the Managing Director, Mediacraft Associates, John Ehiguese at the ATM and mobile exhibition in Lagos. PHOTO: SUNDAY AKINLOLU

THE GUARDIAN, Thursday, June 20, 2013

BUSINESS

Worsening security crisis in Rivers worries investor From Kelvin Ebiri, Port Harcourt HE security situation T around the shallow waters and offshore Rivers State may have relapsed to pre-amnesty era, going by the assessment of one of the business operators in the zone. Besides, over 150 investors mainly multinational firms operating at the Onne Port withinvestmentvaluedatover $6 billion, still lack access to sustainable power supply, nearly 30 years after the port was established. The Commercial Manager of Integrated Logistics Services (Intels), Sunny Ijere stated this when the board of the Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA) visited the port yesterday. Ijere, whose company provides logistical services to Shell, Mobil, Chevron, Eni, Total and several other oil companies, told the board members that illegal anchoring of various vessels at the Ikpokiri end of the port poses a threat to the oil and gas free zone. He also lamented that illegal bunkering activity around the Ikpokiri and Okrika areas have escalated in recent times. â&#x20AC;&#x153;From intelligence sources, it was observed that security situation in the shallow waters and deep offshore has returned to the same situation as it was during the crisis of 2009 It will be recalled that the Rivers State government had acquired some 2,000 hectares of land to build its own free oil and gas trade zone, christened the Port Harcourt Energy City. Ijere explained that Federal Lighter Terminal, which is part of the Oil and Gas Free Zone, wascompletedinthelate1970s and meant to decongest the Lagos and Warri ports.

Similarly, the Federal Ocean Terminal, which was also conceived at about the same time with the intention of being one of the deepest ports in West Africa was however abandoned by the foreign contractors building it due to lack of funding. On the issue of the port concession, he explained that Intels commitment for 25 years to NPA is $724.65 million. The amount entails payments for commencement fee; leasing fee, throughput fee and land industrial area fee. He also revealed that so far, the company has paid NPA

between 2006 and June 2013 the sum of $115.73 million. Ijere also pointed out that despite the fact that companies operating within the Oil and Gas Free Zone, access road to Onne from Port Harcourt, have created about 25,000 jobs particularly the East-West Road is in poor state. Intelsthenimploredtheboard to prevail on the Federal Government to expeditiously consider dredging and deepening of the Bonny Channel, Calabar and Warri entrance channels to make for easier passage of vessels to and fro the ports.

SMEDAN to reposition SMEs for economic development, says DG HE Small and Medium T Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) has concluded plans to reposition the SMEs sector to enhance economic development in the country, Alhaji Bature Masari, has said. Masari, who is the DirectorGeneral of SMEDAN, said the agency was committed to achieving its mandate of promoting and developing the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) sector in Nigeria, a statement said. The statement said Masari made the plan known when he addressed 22 members of staff of SMEDAN going on 10 days capacity building training in India, at Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos. The statement, issued by the Assistant Chief Information Officer of SMEDAN, Mr Ibrahim Mohamed, in Abuja on Monday, said the training was part of the initiatives to reposi-

tion the SMEs sector. Masari said the training was initiated by the agency in collaboration with the international centre for entrepreneurship and career development in Ahmedabab of Gujurat, India to equip the workforce. There are lots of programmes to be implemented by the agency and if our workforce is not well equipped, the agency may not achieve its target,â&#x20AC;? he said. Masari said that the programme was aimed at improving service delivery by the agency and enjoined the workers on the training tour to concentrate and be good ambassadors of the country. Responding, the leader of the delegation, who is also a Director in the Planning Department, Alhaji Shehu Sada, thanked the directorgeneral for ensuring the actualisation of the trip.

THE GUARDIAN, Thursday, June 20, 2013

Appointments Fashola tasks Lagos youths on N1.5b research fund By Kamala Tayo Oropo OUTHS in Lagos State have Y been called upon to come forward and access the N1.5billion research fund provided by the government to develop new innovations and solutions to societal challenges. This is just as the state Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, said that the Independent Power Project (IPP) aimed at ensuring 24hours uninterrupted power supply would be spread across to tertiary institutions in the state in the nearest future. Fashola was speaking recently at the Main Auditorium, Lagos State University (LASU) to a cross section of students from various tertiary institutions in the state including students of LASU, Lagos State Polytechnic (LASPOTECH), Lagos State College of Education (LACOED) and Lagos City Polytechnic at an event to commemorate his 2200 days in office. Fashola said that a committee to set guidelines for access of the research fund had been inaugurated while an innovative council headed by the Commissioner for Science and Technology had been set up. He added that the idea was to challenge youths to begin to develop new strategies through adaptive, innovative and creative thinking. He stressed that current state of the nation warranted that

the training methods be reorientated to retain the critical building blocks but at the same time became adapted to the real needs of society. He, however, lamented that six months since the year started, no one had come up to apply for the research fund saying that the future development of the country rested in the ability of the present generation to think of home grown ideas and models to solving problems. “Currently for this year, the sum of N1, 500,000.00 was budgeted and to my knowledge no person has applied for the research fund. “The training of our doctors must adapt to what we are seeing today. Public health issues, life style diseases like hypertension, heart and kidney diseases and cases of cancers. We must find ways to treat these locally and keep the jobs here. “Our medicine must now focus also on sports medicine which is a growing area of need and which requires specialisation. “We must stop thinking about treating malaria and start thinking about how to eradicate plasmodium or create a vaccine for it. We have put a research fund there. Please use it.” Responding to a question posed by a student claiming that the availability of the fund was not made public, Fashola said that the forum

Wimbiz chairperson and deputy country representatives. Deutsche bank, Adeola Azeez, chairperson\ceo, brittania-u Nigeria limited, Catherine Uju Ifejika, and director, department of petroleum resources, NNPC.osten Oluyemisi Olorunsola at the ceo\poliy maker interactive series [Building the petrodollar woman] held at wheat baker hotel, ikoyi recently was a way of informing the students to come forward with a detailed research plan to ensure they could access the fund. “Applicants will have an idea, in form of a written document specifying what kind of research they intend to do, the current state of affairs and what they have done thus far to justify the need and what we expect to see if the funds are available.”

Niger Delta projects generate 9,000 jobs, says Orubebe From Abosede Musari, Abuja INISTRY of Niger Delta M Affairs has said that it had created over 9,000 jobs in the region through projects. The minister, Godsday Orubebe, said this while presenting the achievements of the ministry at the 2013 Ministerial Platform recently. He also stated that 701 nonmilitants have been trained in different fields such as agriculture and oil and gas. The ministerial platform is the mid-term report on the performance of different ministries in the Goodluck Jonathan administration. Orubebe, while giving an account of the performance of the ministry, also assured

that the ministry’s housing project for citizens of the region who were displaced through communal clashes will be completed in December 2013. So also are four of the skill acquisition projects going on in the area. The minister assured that there will no longer be duplication of projects by different stakeholders in the region with the recent launch of the Niger Delta Action Plan which will ensure that development agencies and state governments carry out different projects that will speed up infrastructure development. He also assured on the completion of the East West road by December 2014 saying

that funds have now been provided for the project. According to him, N200 billion has been given to the ministry for this project which was estimated at over N347 billion at the time of award in 2006. “On the East West road, work is certainly going on. Some sections have been completed and I can tell the people of Niger Delta that the government of Goodluck Jonathan will deliver this road in 2014”, he said. The minister added that already 787 culvets have been completed out of 1,070 that need to be constructed. Also, 36 out of 42 bridges have been constructed on the road that is currently 53 per cent completed.

Three NYSC members get service extension From Lawrence Njoku, Enugu HREE members of the 2012 T Batch ‘B’ National Youth Service Corps, (NYSC) in Enugu state, recently, had their services extended indefinitely. The Enugu state coordinator of NYSC, Hillary Nasamu who announced the service extension at the passing-out ceremony of the Batch ‘B’, explained that the trio were being penalized for allegedly infringing the bye-laws of the NYSC scheme.

He, however, noted that the relative small number of the offenders is a testimony to the discipline of the batch of corps members, adding that one corp member who absconded from service will be remobilized to start afresh whenever he resurfaces. Of the twenty-one corps members whose performances were exceptional, the first ten received the state Governor’s NYSC honors award of N100, 000, while 11 received N80,000 each.

Eleven others were honoured with the state NYSC Governing Board Chairman’s Merit award that attracted N60, 000 each. Twenty-seven corps members received commendation letters for their various contributions to the development of their host communities. The state coordinator reported that no corp member died during the service year while the assessment reports from corps employers indicated that their performances were satisfactory.

He said that the need to start building a generation that would solve local problems with local ideas prompted the government to start a School of Transportation at LASU to prepare a new generation of

professionals that would become transport planners, transport managers and transport operators. He added: “The reason is simple. Transportation is a global problem and it is no less so in

Lagos or any other part of Nigeria. Major cities and countries including our state are building transport facilities such as the rail project on the Badagry corridor and the expressway expansion.

THE GUARDIAN, Thursday, June 20, 2013

28 APPOINTMENTS

Siemens staff protest sack, seek reinstatement By Sulaimon Salau and Toyin Olasinde USINESS activities at the headquarters of Siemens Nigeria was brought to a halt on Tuesday in Lagos, when the organized labour under the auspice of Trade Union Congress (TUC) led its members to protest the alleged undue sack of workers of the organization. The union alleged that the workers were sacked in contradiction to the local content law of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. About 11 workers were said to have been sacked, with more sack still coming. Speaking to The Guardian, one of the affected staff and also

president of TUC, Siemens Chapel, John Iyama, who said he worked with the company for 19-years, said on Friday that he was called by one of his bosses in the company and was told there was no room for him again at the company. “They came to call me on Friday to the HR conference room, congratulated me for working with the company for 19 years. They now gave me a letter, which was a letter, saying they have placed me on redundancy. The surprising thing about the letters is that they didn’t reflect the right entitlements. We had agreed before now that if they are going to place anybody on redundancy, some entitle-

ments must be paid, including certain percentage of housing allowance among others, within the period of amount spent, about five years. They even had to escort me outside the company, with the motive that if I was given the letter within the company’s premises I could call for rejection. So they allowed me to leave the premises before given letters to others. Some

have worked for about 25 to 30 years and they were to receive peanuts.” Iyama said the agreement was reached in 2010 between the management and the union. According to him, about 11 of them were sacked, saying that they still plan more sack. “It is not about us been sacked, but the manner with

which it was done was very bad. They treated us like a slave. There are some of us, who have worked for about 30 years here and the redundancy package they promised to give was very worrisome. Some of the placards displayed by the protesting workers reads; 20 years service, N200, 000 benefit…huge embarrassment; Unilateral

redundancy plus unpaid benefit is criminality; Slave drivers for hire, apply within Siemens; no to authority stealing among others. Efforts to reach any management staff to comment on the issue were not successful as at press time. Journalists were not allowed into the company’s premises.

Minister canvasses support for first ladies secretariat By Motorola Oloruntobi, Abuja HE Minister of Women T Affairs and Social Development, Hajia Aintab Maina has thrown her weight behind the call for a secretariat for African First Ladies’ Peace Mission. She stressed that having the secretariat would boost the image of the country and be of benefits at a future date. Maina stated this recently at the induction into the Nigerian Women Hall of Fame of the First Lady, Patience Goodluck Jonathan and combined graduation ceremony of vocational skills training programmers of the National Centre for Women

Development. “This brings me to the issue of whether or not we need another structure as a secretariat of African first ladies’ peace mission championed by our first lady. My simple response is yes. We need an edifice befitting of the states of African First ladies. “I am confident that such a structure will not only project Nigeria as the rallying point for global peace and conflict management but also as a leader the benefits that would accrue to this country in future is better imagined. Therefore, let us support our first lady as she continues to champion our case,” she said.

National Director, Skills Acquisition Entrepreneurship Development (SAED), Mrs. Dan Abia; (left) Managing Director of New Horizons Nigeria, Tim Akano; a corps member, Mr. Ogundipe Adeniyi Adedotun and the NYSC Lagos State Coordinator, Mrs. Adenike Adeyemi, during the presentation of a New Horizons employment letter to Ogundipe who was successful candidate at its on the spot Job interview.

THE GUARDIAN, Thursday, June 20, 2013

APPOINTMENTS 29

ITF to train 1,000 youths on skill acquisition From Ali Garba, Bauchi N an effort to fast-track the Iindustrial federal government’s revolution plan, the Federal Ministry for Industry and Investment in conjunction with the Industrial Training Fund (ITF) has commenced three month vocational training and entrepreneurship vocational skills and entrepreneurship for 1, 000 youths in Gombe. According to the DirectorGeneral/Chief Executive Officer of the Industrial Training Fund (ITF), Professor Logmas Sambo Wapmuk, the training in Gombe was part of the training of 14, 000 youths in 14 states of the federation. Represented by the Bauchi Area Manager of the ITF, Alhaji Inuwa Samaila, Professor Wapmuk said that the training programme was also in response to skills shortages identified by ITF and UNIDO in 2012 which according to him revealed dire skills shortages in all sectors of the economy particularly in manufacturing, agroallied business and manufacturing. He said that the main thrust of the programme was to shore up the skills shortages by building capacity of the youth so that others could employ them or be selfemployed. He explained that three areas of training had been identified in Gombe which included welding, tilling and Plaster

of Paris (POP) adding, “it is expected that majority of the graduates of the programme will start-up their own businesses, while some will be employed in various sectors of the economy,” he said. In his remarks at the occasion, Governor Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo, who was represented by the State

commissioner of youth empowerment and poverty alleviation, Alhaji Mijinyawa Sani Labaran, urged the participants to pay attention and learn the trades, which will be beneficial not only to them but the society at large. He also pledged the state government commitment in all ways possible to ensure

the smooth running of the programme in the state. In their various speeches at the event, Sheikh Usman Isa Taliyawa and Abare Kallah, urged the youth to persevere, endure and exercise patient so as to reap the benefit of the skills they will acquire while the programme last.

Experts to address ethical issues in HR practice THICAL issues in today’s E Human Resource (HR) practice will take the centre stage as practitioners in Nigeria converge as the 45th yearly national conference of the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM) Nigeria. The three-day conference, themed: ‘Evolve to Excel’ is tailored towards shared learning and proffering contemporary solutions to key moral issues, to deepen knowledge of practitioners and uplift HR practices in the country. CIPM President and Chairman of Council, Victor Famuyibo told reporters at the pre-conference briefing in Lagos that the conference would among others examine the issue of ethics and standard in the bid to moving the profession forward. Famuyibo noted that ethical standard was a clog in the wheel of progress in repositioning HR practices in the country and in aligning with

international best practices. According to him, “Even when the standards are there, do we follow them in our bid to excel in our practices? The conference avails us that platform to tell ourselves the home truth that if this country has to move forward, then we must change the way we do things. And that is where ethical standard comes into the picture,” Famuyibo said. He added that the institute was fully aware that that a professional is judged not only by the knowledge and skills he exhibits but also by the values and ethics he manifests towards his internal/external customers and the general public. “The annual conference is, therefore, one of the several ways by which the institute assists its members to continuously maintain their distinctive edge as HR practitioners.” The first plenary session tagged: ‘Your people; your edge’ would be delivered by

Prof. Pat Utomi. Executive Secretary, Nigerian University Commission (NUC) Prof. Julius Okojie; Head of Service Lagos State, Adesegun Ogunlewe; HR Director Stanbic IBTC Bank, Isioma Ogodazi and Managing Partner, Lydin Consultants, Dr Chris Imoisili will be co-discussants of the topic: ‘Wave of change in the world of work.’ Chairman, Conference Planning Committee, Akin Akinpelu said the conference would for the first time provide HR clinic, where practitioners would come up with practical problems and be given practical solutions by a team of experts. Attendance is open to Chief Executive Officers, HR Directors/Managers in the private and public sectors, all HR practitioners, members of the Diplomatic Corps, stakeholders in human capital management and the general public.

Lagos CJ approve appointment of new Chief Registrar OLLOWING the recent Fmerappointment of the forChief registrar of the Lagos High Court, Ganiyu Safari, to a High Court Judge, the Chief Judge of the State, Justice Ayotunde Phillips has approved the postings of Chief Registrar and Deputy Chief Registrars for the State Judiciary. According to a statement signed by Lagos High Court’s Public Relations Officer, Mrs. Grace Alo, the High court now has Mr. A.O. Isaacs as the new chief registrar, while the deputy chief

registrars are Mrs. I. O. Akinkugbe deputy chief registrar (administration), Lagos and Mrs. A. O. Soladoye, deputy chief registrar (administration), Ikeja. Other deputy chief registrars appointed are Mr. E. O. Ogundare, deputy chief registrar legal, Lagos, Mrs. D.T Olatokun, deputy chief registrar (legal), Ikeja, Mrs. O. A Okunnuga, deputy chief registrar (special duties), Ikeja and Mrs. O. A. FemiSegun, deputy chief registrar (special duties), Lagos.

Stakeholders hold forum for web developers S part of efforts to drive artists, under the auspices of A innovative enterprise the Lagos State government among youths, especially Ministry of Science and through the development of mobile web applications, Mobile Monday Nigeria, has concluded plans to hold a forum to such end. Tagged the ‘hackathon’, the forum organised by MoMoNigeria, a community of mobile industry stakeholders would see youths creating new and novel mobile web applications around movies showing in Lagos and related content for mobile phones. According to a press statement made available to The Guardian, the event hopes to bridge the worlds of software developers and graphic

Technology and VConnect Global services. “On Monday, June 24, 2013 over a hundred and fifty mobile developers, enthusiasts and industry representatives will gather at the Lagos State Ministry of Science and Technology E-Learning Centre to participate in the “Entertainment Now” HACKATHON, a free, day-long coding marathon for development teams to create new and novel mobile web applications around movies showing in Lagos and related content for mobile phones powered by content from VConnect.com.

THE GUARDIAN, Thursday, June 20, 2013

ScienceGuardian To ease shortage of organs, grow them in a lab?

Growing organs...Pig kidneys get cleansed of their porcine cells in a laboratory at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, N.C., on Wednesday, May 8, 2013. The university is experimenting with various ways to create replacement organs for human implantation, from altering animal parts to building them from scratch with a patient’s own cells. (AP Photo/Allen Breed) In 2011, it was Angela Y the time 10-year-old Sarah Hospital, “we can regenerate patients have had similar Irizarry’s turn to wade into Murnaghan finally got a an organ that will not be operations. lung transplant last week, rejected (and can be) grown Dozens of people are thriving the field of tissue engineering. Angela was born in 2007 with she’d been waiting for on demand and transplanted with experimental bladders months, and her parents had surgically, similar to a donor made from their own cells, as a heart that had only one sued to give her a better shot organ.” are more than a dozen who functional pumping chamat surgery. That won’t happen anytime have urethras made from ber, a potentially lethal condiHer cystic fibrosis was threat- soon for solid organs like their own bladder tissue. A tion that leaves the body short ening her life, and her case lungs or livers. But as Angela Swedish girl who got a vein of oxygen. Standard treatspurred a debate on how to Irizarry’s case shows, simpler made with her marrow cells ment involves a series of operallocate donor organs. Lungs body parts are already being to bypass a liver vein blockage ations, the last of which and other organs for trans- put into patients as in 2011 is still doing well, her implants a blood vessel near plant are scarce. researchers explore the possi- surgeon says. the heart to connect a vein to But what if there were anoth- bilities In some cases the idea has an artery, which effectively of the field. er way? What if you could Just a few weeks ago, a girl in even become standard prac- rearranges the organ’s grow a custom-made organ in Peoria, Ill., got an experimen- tice. Surgeons can use a plumbing. Yale University surgeons told a lab? It sounds incredible. But tal windpipe that used a syn- patient’s own cells, processed just a three-hour drive from thetic scaffold covered in stem in a lab, to repair cartilage in Angela’s parents they could the Philadelphia hospital cells from her own bone mar- the knee. Burn victims are try to create that conduit with where Sarah got her trans- row. More than a dozen treated with lab-grown skin. bone marrow cells. It had already worked for a series of plant, another little girl is benpatients in Japan, but Angela efiting from just that sort of would be the first participant technology. Two years ago, Growing lungs and other organs for transplant is still in the in an American study. Angela Irizarry of Lewisburg, future, but scientists are working toward that goal. In North “There was a risk,” recalled Pa., needed a crucial blood ves- Carolina, a 3-D printer builds prototype kidneys. In several Angela’s mother, Claudia sel. Researchers built her one labs, scientists study how to build on the internal scaffoldIrizarry. But she and her husin a laboratory, using cells from her own bone marrow. ing of hearts, lungs, livers and kidneys of people and pigs to CONTINUED ON PAGE 34 Today the 5-year-old sings, make custom-made implants dances and dreams of becoming a firefighter — and a doctor. How mobile devices can improve healthcare access in remote areas Growing lungs and other organs for transplant is still in OBILE health technolo- remote locations with expe- range of peripheral diagnosthe future, but scientists are gy has substantial rienced health care profes- tic devices that will allow working toward that goal. In potential for improving sionals for real-time assess- point-of-care therapeutic North Carolina, a 3-D printer access to health care in the ment. intervention,” writes Dr. Ivar builds prototype kidneys. In developing world and in Smartphones, tablets and Mendez, University of several labs, scientists study remote regions of developed other consumer devices are Saskatchewan, with coauhow to build on the internal countries, states an article in being used in health care, thor. scaffolding of hearts, lungs, CMAJ (Canadian Medical but applications are limited Pilot tests by the authors livers and kidneys of people Association Journal). because of processing capac- using a mobile-presence and pigs to make customIn many countries, lack of ity, privacy issues and signal device in the remote made implants. medical professionals and variability. Bolivian Andes mountains Here’s the dream scenario: A health care infrastructure, “The next step in the evolu- with pregnant women patient donates cells, either limited or poor equipment, tion of mobile telemedicine allowed an obstetrician in from a biopsy or maybe just a sporadic power, and other is the development of Halifax to monitor the blood draw. A lab uses them, obstacles hamper access to portable, dedicated medical baby’s heartbeat, communior cells made from them, to health devices cate with the mother and care. communication seed onto a scaffold that’s However, the development capable of providing real- conduct a complete prenatal shaped like the organ he of remote-presence medical time remote presence and ultrasound with the help of needs. Then, says Dr. Harald devices can help fill this void transmission of diagnostic- an onsite nurse. Ott of Massachusetts General by connecting people in quality medical data from a

ASTRONOMY With J.K. Obatala

Another asteroid flyby- ‘Awesome!’ (3) these statistics seem somehow abstract and remote, IlineFthink again. Nigeria is as much in the cosmic firing as any of the industrialised states. The north, in particular, is a bull’s eye target for in-falling space debris. Within hand reach of me, for example, is a specimen from an iron meteorite that exploded in 2008, over the Sokoto South Local Government Area of Sokoto State. Residents of Mana village reportedly saw a bright streak in the sky and then heard a loud noise. According to This Day, a chunk of the meteorite crashed through the roof of one Bello Mohammed and bore two metres into the ground. As far as I know, only three pieces were recovered. One of them is at the Centre for Basic Space Science, Nsukka—where someone sawed off a specimen for me. It is worth noting, that some of the most famous and commercially valuable meteorites in the world originated in Nigeria. This includes a piece of the planet Mars, which struck Zagami, Katsina State, in 1962—and, I’m told, can be seen at the National Museum in Kaduna. I’ll return to this subject in the near future. The point I wish to press home now is that, while I may poke a bit of fun at the White House Geeks, the issue they are addressing is no laughing matter. Nor is it one that Nigerians can afford to ignore. The frequency of meteorite hits, within our borders, attests to that. As of June 9, 2013, Nigeria had 17 entries on the official list of the Meteoritical Society Bulletin: And these are only the reported meteorite strikes. The implications are,…well,…”Awesome”. The objects that land on earth’s surface, to become “meteorites,” are termed “meteoroids” when they’re whirling about in space. But most meteoroids are actually pieces of asteroid—an “asteroid” being, technically, a body 50 metres or more in diameter. Baring this technicality, the issue is not whether an “asteroid” will hit earth. It happens all the time. Rather, Obama’s Geeks are thumping out a warning on the White House floor, because meteorites are ballistic infants, some of whose parents are buzzing our planet with malice aforethought. NASA’s Paul Chodas told U.S.A. Today, that the team he heads has catalogued 9,808 near earth objects. Estimates indicate though, that this is but a fraction of the bodies careering about in our cosmic community. I’ve already mentioned the 1, 397 Potentially Hazardous Asteroids NASA has enumerated. But PHA’s originate from a huge reservoir or Near Earth Objects (NEOs). They encroach on earth’s orbital domain, after being heaved and tossed in the solar system’s roiling gravitational field. If you hung out with the Geeks, as I did, these stats will draw nods of recognition: In addition to nine million meteoroids with diameters of 20 metres or less, the reservoir of NEOs include a million objects 50 metres across, plus another 20,000, wider than 100 metres. Even a large meteoroid can do much localised damage. It was, for instance, a 17-metre atmospheric intruder that wreaked havoc in Russia recently—injuring more than 1000 at Chelyabinsk. A 20-metre object, we are told, can take out a small city. But this is tame stuff, compared to what asteroids like (1998) QE2—with a diameter of 2.7 km— can do. As NBC aptly noted, “That’s big enough to create a civilisationending catastrophe if it were to hit earth.” Thus Cristin Dorgelo, moderator of the “White House We The Geeks Google + Hangout On Asteroids” bears the equally awesome of title White House Office of Science and Technology Assistant Director For Grand Challenges. Preventing a mass extinction of life on our planet is a Grand Challenge indeed—but not for the industrialized nations alone. Nigeria must quickly develop an indigenous industrial base, for its space programme, and join the ranks of cosmically committed nations. In the mean time, here’s another Grand Challenge for the White House: Why don’t Obama persuade the Minor Planet Centre to name an asteroid for the Oba of Benin, whose family warmly embraced me for eight years. Against that possibility, here (on the authority of Wikipedia) is his formal name and title: His Royal Highness Omo n’Oba n’Edo Uku Akpolokpolo Solomon Igbinoghodua Aisiokuoba Akenzua Erediauwa I. There’s no need to guess what Dorgelo will say...”Awesome!”

THE GUARDIAN, Thursday, June 20, 2013

SCIENCE HEALTH

Anti-baldness drug can cause men to lose interest in alcohol OME men who take antibaldness drugs lose interest in alcohol, new research has revealed. Those who take finasteride (also known as Propecia) to stop their hairline receding also tend drink less alcohol after starting the medication. The research, carried out at the George Washington University, revealed that two thirds of men who take the drug, and who develop side effects such as low sex drive, drink less as a result. It showed that this side effect continues even after the man has stopped taking the medication.

• Finasteride, or Propecia, can also induce sexual dysfunction Finasteride is the only oncea day pill developed to treat mild to moderate male pattern hair loss. In a clinical study of 535 men taking the drug, 99 per cent had visible results - growth or no further hair loss - after two years. It works by stopping the conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone, or DHT, which is thought to be the active hormone in hair loss. Researcher, Dr. Michael Irwig interviewed 83 healthy men who developed persistent sexual side effects while

taking finasteride. He also collected information relating to the men’s medical histories, sexual function, and alcohol consumption before and after taking finasteride. Of the 63 men who con-

sumed at least one alcoholic drink per week prior to starting finasteride, 65 per cent noted a decrease in their alcohol consumption even after they stopped taking finasteride.

In a clinical study of 535 men taking the drug, 99 per cent had visible results - growth or no further hair loss - after two years. It works by stopping the conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone, or DHT, which is thought to be the active hormone in hair loss.

Thirty-two per cent reported no change in their alcohol consumption, and three per cent reported an increase in alcohol consumption. This could be because the drug reduces the brain’s ability to make hormones, called neurosteroids, which are linked to interest in alcohol Live Science reports that many of the men also noted that they had a lower alcohol tolerance after taking the medication, that they felt more anxious after drinking, and that they recovered less quickly from the effects of alcohol. The researchers do not know why the drug has this

effect upon people’s drinking habits. However, Irwig believes that it reduces the brain’s ability to make hormones, called neurosteroids, which are linked to interest in alcohol. Previous research has also suggested that finasteride can cause permanent, irreversible, impotence. Irwig found that finasteride could cause persistent sexual dysfunction, including low sexual desire, erectile dysfunction and problems with orgasms. These problems, he discovered, often did not resolve themselves when the man stopped taking the drug.

Firm tackles high maternal, child deaths with prenatal dietary supplement • Pill contains vitamins, minerals, Omega3, folic acid, iron By Chukwuma Muanya AS part of its effort to boost maternal and child health in the country, Benjamin Michaels have introduced a dietary supplement, Pharmaton Matruelle, that promises to take care of a woman’s nutrition needs from preconception, pregnancy and breastfeeding. Chief Executive Officer of Benjamin Michaels, Mr. Adeyemi Amuwo, at a press briefing heralding the official launch of the prenatal vitamin and mineral supplement with Omega 3 docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), folic acid and iron today at Sheraton Hotels Ikeja, Lagos, said: “For so long, we have been burden with maternal mortality and infant mortality, we believe we have a product which can drastically reduce these menace, if women of child bearing age embrace it.” Omega-3 fatty acids refers to a group of three fats called Alpha-Linolenic acid (ALA) found in plant oils, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) both commonly found in marine oils. Common sources of animal omega–3 EPA and DHA fatty acids include fish oils, algal oil, egg oil, squid oils, krill oil and some plant oils contain the omega 3 ALA fatty acid such as seabuckthorn seed and berry oils, flaxseed oil, Sacha Inchi oil, Echium oil, and hemp oil. Amuwo acknowledged that Omega 3 (DHA) could be obtained from food sources such as cold-water fish (salmon, sardines, herring, mackerel, and tuna), fish oil, algae, and specialty eggs. He, however, said the seafood available in the country is largely iced fish and not many people get to eat fresh fish, therefore, it is not a guaranteed source of Omega 3. Amuwo said seafood contains organic mercury and other harmful toxins to the mother and foe-

tus, therefore, supplementation is the only guaranteed source of Omega 3(DHA) that is 100 per cent mercury-free and this is obtained in Pharmaton Matruelle. Amuwo said Pharmaton Matruelle is a prenatal vitamin and mineral supplement with Omega 3 DHA. “It is composed of betacarotene, vitamins B1, B2, B6, B12, C, D3, E, folic acid, biotin, nicotinamide, chromium, copper, iron, iodine, molybdenum, selenium, zinc, magnesium, Omega-3 fatty acids including DHA,” he said. Amuwo said all the vitamins and minerals needed for pre, during and lactating periods are contained in Matruelle and the advantage of Matruelle over competition is the fact that each of the components meets Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) and more importantly it is in one single capsule which makes compliance very easy and it is taken once a day. He further stated: “There are numerous benefits of Pharmaton Matruelle to women of child bearing age namely; the dosage is a convenient once a day capsule for effective patient compliance, it helps to protect against embryonic tube disease and it is a quality balanced formula for both mother and baby reflecting the latest USA Dietary Reference Intake (DRI) for pregnant women. “Moreover, the Omega 3 develops the baby’s vital sensory organs (brain, eyes etc) right from the womb and also nourishes the mother to effectively carry the foetus all through the pregnancy period.” Previous studies have shown that supplementation is needed to cover the increased needs for vitamins, minerals, trace elements and DHA during pregnancy. It also helps to provide protection against embryonal neural tube diseases of the foetus.

THE GUARDIAN, Thursday, June 20, 2013

NaturalHealth Scientists validate more herbal ‘cures’ for sickle cell anaemia Nigerians with sickle cell anaemia should no longer die or be limited by the condition because scientists have identified and validated herbal cures for the condition. CHUKWUMA MUANYA writes. ECENT studies estimate that R about 89 per cent of persons with sickle cell disorder (SCD) worldwide are in Africa, of which Nigeria alone constitutes 25 per cent. Europe has the least, 0.1 per cent, while the United States of America (USA), Asia and the Mediterranean have 3.5 per cent each. However, most current works on the development of specific therapy for sickle cell anaemia include the discovery of Hemoglobin modifiers, membrane modifiers and genetic modifiers among others. Several studies have shown that some of the orthodox modes of treatment of SCD include induction of fetal hemoglobin (HbF) using HydroxyUrea (HU), Butyrate or its derivatives, oral administration of Clotrimazole, which is a potent Gardos Channel inhibitor; blood transfusion and Haematopoetic cell Transplantation (HCT). Although, the successful use of HU was reported in children, however, side effects or poor drug efficacy of some of these agents poses problems for many patients. In addition, the high cost of HCT is hardly affordable by most sickle-cell disease patients in Nigeria and other developing countries. However, herbal medicines have come to the rescue. They are accessible and cheap. Nigerians were last year reassured by the Minister of State for Health, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, that the only Nigerian herbal drug that has received global acceptance and patents for treating sickle cell anaemia,

Guinea corn (Sorghum bicolor

NIPRISAN, developed by researchers at the Nigeria Institute of Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD), will be back into the market after almost 10 years of stopping production due to property right and financial issues. Scientists especially those at NIPRD have continued to identify and validate new candidates. According to a recent study published in the journal Anaemia, three new anti-sickling herbs: Entandrophragma utile; Chenopodium ambrosioides; and Petiveria alliacea were reported in May 2011. At NIPRD, where NIPRISAN was developed, three other recipes are currently awaiting development. Entandrophragma utile is commonly called African cedar, Sapele mahogany, Ashanti cedar and is of the plant family Meliaceae. Commonly called Indian wormseed, sweet pigweed, Mexican tea, Jesuit’s tea, Chenopodium ambrosioides belongs to the plant family Chenopodiaceae. It is called ewe imí (leaf of excreter) in Yoruba. Petiveria alliacea is commonly called guinea-hen weed in English and ojú sajú in Yoruba. The study raised the hope that the search in the Tropics for more effective herbal recipes for managing sickle cell anaemia will be more fruitful with time and effort. The study is titled “Traditional Herbal Management of Sickle Cell Anemia: Lessons from

Nigeria.” The researchers from the Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Quality Control, NIPRD, Abuja, and Department of Pharmaceutics & Medicinal Chemistry, Niger Delta University, Wilberforce Island, Amassoma, wrote: “Among the Efik and Ibibio, Hausa, Igbo, Idoma, and Yoruba: clove (Eugenia caryophyllata or “kanunfari” in Hausa; Piper guineense (“eche” in Idoma or “akwa-ose” in Igbo); grains of paradise (Aframomum melegueta or “otuta” in Idoma); Sorghum bicolor (the leaf stalk yields an extract that looks like blood); Pterocarpus osun (common in the Yoruba state of Osun) are used in various health conditions, including sickle cell anemia. “As stated earlier E. caryophyllata, P. guineense, P. osun, and S. bicolor are the herbal components of the Yoruba recipe upon which the anti-sickling drug Niprisan is based. Prior to the era of Niprisan these herbs were either extracted with “ogogoro” (ethanolic distillate of palm wine) or with an aqueous solution trona (sodium sesquicarbonate—a mineral used in Nigeria as tenderizer). Niprisan has passed phases IIA and IIB, and is widely used in Nigeria, and is known or popular in India and the United States of America (USA).” In 2010, Swift of COSMID Corporation, USA, stated the following: “A dried extract of four plants has been used to treat patients with SCD in Nigeria for many years (NIPRISAN). It has been

through multiple clinical trials in Nigeria and has been formally approved for use in that country since 2006 for the treatment of Sickle Cell Disease (SCD). The United States Food and Drug Administration (US FDA) has determined there is sufficient safety and efficacy data for NIPRISAN to start a Phase III clinical trial. The US FDA Botanical Review Team (BRT) suggested a simpler formulation of NIPRISAN, development of a chemical fingerprint for the formulation using LC/MS and elucidation of some of the anti-sickling compounds in the formulation would improve standardisation and increase the probability of obtaining FDA marketing approval.” The researchers said that to the best of their knowledge phase III trial of Niprisan is yet to be reported. “We did however suggest in 2011 that phytocannabinoids and vanilloids in E. caryophyllata and P. guineense may account for some of the useful effects of Niprisan in sickle cell crisis. Some of these compounds, including shikimic acid derivatives (vanilloids) and cannabinoids are indicated, respectively,” they wrote. This is the testimony of one of the American doctors: “Doctors in Nigeria use Fagara (Fagara zanthoxyloides) to reduce the painful crisis of the genetic disease, sickle cell anemia. This herb has a variety of unusual properties that reduce platelet and blood cell sticking. After reading the reports from Nigeria many years ago, I decided to try fagara’s relative prickly ash bark for the same indication. “I made a simple tincture of 50 per cent prickly ash bark and 50 per cent ginkgo leaf, and gave it to a young African-

Pawpaw (Carica papaya)

American girl in the first grade who constantly missed school and needed to be hospitalized three to four times per year due to the painful sickle cell crisis. I gave her about 25 drops three times a day. She immediately stopped having serious problems, her thinking was no longer fuzzy, the frequency of her attacks went down to about one per year, and the severity of the attacks decreased appreciably. This success has continued through the years, as long as she takes her medicine. I saw her last year, and she has blossomed into a beautiful junior high school student, the sickle cell disease now only a bit-player in the background of her life. “Another of my patients had lived with the disease his entire life, with almost constant pain, and bimonthly crisis. I gave him 35 drops three times per day, and he immediately improved in the same way as the young girl. This improvement in both frequency of attacks and level of pain has persisted in three of my longterm patients over many years. The wholesale cost of this medicine is less than $20 per month at full dosage. My biggest fear is that this knowledge will be coopted by a pharmaceutical company, and made available to the many suffering children only at an exorbitant cost.” Fagara znthoxyloides is called Chewing stick in English and orin ata in Yoruba. Entandrophragma utile, Chenopodium ambrosioides, and Petiveria alliacea The results of a study titled “Phytochemical and antisickling activities of Entandrophragma utile, Chenopodium ambrosioides and Petiveria alliacea” showed that they exhibited substantial anti-

CONTINUED ON PAGE 35

Stress can damage sperm, affect children’s mental health can cause permanent SandTRESS damage to a man’s sperm even stunt his children’s brain development, a new study has found. Researchers have discovered that suffering anxiety or depression as an adult, teenager or even as a child could cause a lasting genetic change in a man’s sperm. Scientists conducting a study on mice found that sperm damage caused by stress leads to offspring developing a ‘blunted reaction to stress’ - a trait associated with several mental disorders. Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, United States, say this is the first time a link has been found between stressrelated diseases potentially being passed from a father to his children. Previous studies have concentrated on how environmental challenges - such as diet, drug abuse, and chronic stress - felt by mothers during pregnancy can affect their offspring’s neurodevelopment and increase the risk of certain diseases. In this study, published in the Journal of Neuroscience, male mice were exposed to six weeks of chronic stress, before breeding, either throughout puberty or only in adulthood. Examples of stress include suddenly being moved to another cage, being exposed to predator odour, noise or a foreign object in their cage. Male mice are ideal for such an experiment because they do not participate in offspring rearing, meaning any external factors outside of germ-cell formation are essentially eliminated. A team of researchers led by Prof. Tracy Bale found that stress among male mice prompted a genetic change in their sperm that re-programmed a part of their offspring’s brain. They found that offspring from paternal stress groups displayed significantly blunted levels of the stress hormone corticosterone - in humans, it’s cortisol - in response to stress. Bale said: ‘It didn’t matter if dads were going through puberty or in adulthood when stressed before they mated. We’ve shown here for the first time that stress can produce long-term changes to sperm that reprogram offspring brains. Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania carried out a test on male mice - finding that their sperm underwent a genetic change after they were exposed to stress. “These findings suggest one way in which paternal-stress exposure may be linked to such neuropsychiatric diseases.” But researchers also point out that a reduced physiological stress response may reflect some evolutionary benefit passed on to offspring to ensure survival in what is expected to be a more stressful environment.

THE GUARDIAN, Thursday, June 20, 2013

34 SCIENCEGUARDIAN

Scientists hail Jonathan over inauguration of Nigeria Space Council By Chukwuma Muanya TAKEHOLDERS including the Nigerian Academy of Science (NAS), the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), Senate and House committees on Science and Technology have commended President Goodluck Jonathan on his recent inauguration of the National Space Council The stakeholders described the decision as not only timely, but will go a long way in assisting the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) carry out its strategic roles in the area of space application for national development. According to a press statement by NASRDA signed by Head, Media and Corporate Affairs, Felix Ale, the President of the NSE, Engr. Mustapha Balarabe Shehu, described the inauguration as a good omen for the space industry, and a welcome development by the President. He called on the President to avail himself of the opportunity to

address the Space programme squarely, saying there is need for him to make use of the professionals in the council, so as to make the agency realize its goals and objectives. Shehu called on members of the council to cooperate and have mutual respect for one another so as to garner the needed willingness and efforts to move the space programme forward. He advised the council to make National interest a priority and work in harmony for the socio-economic development of the Nation in tune with the focus of the space programmes. Former President NAS, Prof. Ibidapo Obe, described members of the council as very distinguished Nigerians, expert men and woman of integrity who have contributed immensely to the development of the nation. He said the inauguration of the space council would give a clear direction and indeed the way forward for the Space Agency. While calling on

the space council to harness the investment already made in space industry, he said it would be wise to create resources and make more discoveries in the area of Space Science and Technology. Ibidapo-Obe also described space technology as a catalyst for scientific growth in the country. Hence no stone should be left unturned to make the Nigeria Space agenda a success. He appealed to the president to listen more to experts in the council in order to utilize their high level of expertise to develop the space science and technology sector. Chairman Senate Committee on Science and Technology, Prof. Ajayi Boroffice called it a giant stride in the right direction for developing the space programme. He said it gladdens his heart that the council is made up of tested professionals and experts who are relevant in the field of science and technology and are capable of moving the Nigerian space agenda

greater heights. Boroffice thanked the president for the bold step, which he said could not have come at a better time, pointing out that with this team of experts the space programme will not only be more vibrant, but it would be developed in tandem with what is obtain-

which could be vital in developing a cure. In a major breakthrough, which could save millions of

lives, a study has identified a mechanism known as the ‘chase and run’ effect, where diseased and healthy cells follow each other around the body. The discovery, by researchers

at University College, London, may lead to a revolutionary therapy that blocks the action and keeps tumours in one place. The researchers claim it will be ‘relatively easy’ to stop the

Committee on Science and Technology, Hon. Abiodun Isiaq Akinlade, also lend his voice to this credible achievement calling it a welcome development and a demonstration of total commitment on the part of the presidency to science and technology.

Lab grown organs ease shortages in humans CONTINUED FROM PAGE 31 band liked the idea that the implant would grow along with Angela, so that it wouldn’t have to be replaced later. So, over 12 hours one day, doctors took bone marrow from Angela and extracted certain cells, seeded them onto a fiveinch-long biodegradable tube, incubated them for two hours, and then implanted the graft into Angela to grow into a blood vessel. It’s been almost two years and Angela is doing well, her mother says. Before the surgery she couldn’t run or play without getting tired and turning blue from lack of oxygen, she said. Now, “she is able

How healthy cancer cells follow diseased ones, by researchers CIENTISTS believe they may Scancer have finally discovered why spreads - a finding,

able across the globe. He assured the team that with cooperation and mutual understanding, Nigerians will begin to enjoy the dividends of democracy in the space science and technology sector. Chairman House of Representatives

‘chase and run’ effect. Cancer claims more than 150,000 lives each year in the UK, but study spokesman Professor Roberto Mayor said: ‘Most deaths are not due to the formation of the primary tumour. ‘Instead, people die from secondary tumours originating from the first malignant cells, which are able to travel and colonise vital organs of the body such as the lungs or the brain.’ He added: “This happens because the cells get healthy ones to follow them. Nobody knew how this happened, and now we believe we have uncovered it. “If that is the case, it will be relatively easy to develop drugs that interfere with this interaction.” The study, published in Nature Cell Biology, used two types of embryonic cells to simulate the roles of cancerous and healthy cells. The key to the findings was ascertaining why cancerous cells attach themselves to healthy cells in the first place. The scientists mimicked what happens by using comparable types of cell and observing their behaviour. The researchers, who conducted the study using frog and zebrafish embryos, are confident the process in which cancer cells attach to healthy ones in order to migrate around the body works in a similar way. Dr. Kat Arney at Cancer Research UK has welcomed the find, but she also advised caution. She told the Daily Telegraph: ‘This research helps to reveal some of the fundamental biological processes that might be at work as cells move around the body, but the scientists have only looked at developing frog and zebrafish embryos rather than specifically looking at cancer cells.

to have a normal play day.” This seed-and-scaffold approach to creating a body part is not as simple as seeding a lawn. In fact, the researchers in charge of Angela’s study had been putting the lab-made blood vessels into people for nearly a decade in Japan before they realized that they were completely wrong in their understanding of what was happening inside the body. “We’d always assumed we were making blood vessels from the cells we were seeding onto the graft,” said Dr. Christopher Breuer, now at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio. But then studies in mice showed that in fact, the building blocks were cells that migrated in from other blood vessels. The seeded cells actually died off quickly. “We in essence found out we had done the right thing for the wrong reasons,” Breuer said. Other kinds of implants have also shown that the seeded cells can act as beacons that summon cells from the recipient’s body, said William Wagner, director of the McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh. Sometimes that works out fine, but other times it can lead to scarring or inflammation instead, he said. Controlling what happens when an engineered implant interacts with the body is a key challenge, he said. So far, the lab-grown parts implanted in people have involved fairly simple structures - basically sheets, tubes and hollow containers, notes Anthony Atala of Wake Forest University whose lab also has made scaffolds for noses and ears. Solid internal organs like livers, hearts and kidneys are far more complex to make. His pioneering lab at Wake Forest is using a 3-D printer to make miniature prototype kidneys, some as small as a half dollar, and other structures for research. Instead of depositing ink, the printer puts down a gel-like biodegradable scaffold plus a mixture of cells to build a kidney layer by layer. Atala expects it will take many years before printed organs find their way into patients. Another organ-building strategy used by Atala and maybe half a dozen other labs starts with an organ, washes its cells off the inert scaffolding that holds cells together, and then plants that scaffolding with new cells. “It’s almost like taking an apartment building, moving everybody out ... and then really trying to repopulate that apartment building with different cells,” says Dr. John LaMattina of the University of Maryland School of Medicine. He’s using

the approach to build livers. It’s the repopulating part that’s the most challenging, he adds. One goal of that process is humanizing pig organs for transplant, by replacing their cells with human ones. “I believe the future is ... a pig matrix covered with your own cells,” says Doris Taylor of the Texas Heart Institute in Houston. She reported creating a rudimentary beating rat heart in 2008 with the cellreplacement technique and is now applying it to a variety of organs. Ott’s lab and the Yale lab of Laura Niklason have used the cell-replacement process to make rat lungs that worked temporarily in those rodents. Now they’re thinking bigger, working with pig and human lung scaffolds in the lab. A human lung scaffold, Niklason notes, feels like a handful of Jell-O. Cell replacement has also worked for kidneys. Ott recently reported that labmade kidneys in rats didn’t perform as well as regular kidneys. But, he said, just a “good enough organ” could get somebody off dialysis. He has just started testing the approach with transplants in pigs. Ott is also working to grow human cells on human and pig heart scaffolds for study in the laboratory. There are plenty of challenges with this organ-building approach. One is getting the right cells to build the organ. Cells from the patient’s own organ might not be available or usable. So Niklason and others are exploring genetic reprogramming so that, say, blood or skin cells could be turned into appropriate cells for organ growing. Others look to stem cells from bone marrow or body fat that could be nudged into becoming the right kinds of cells for particular organs. In the near term, organs might instead be built with donor cells stored in a lab, and the organ recipient would still need anti-rejection drugs. How long until doctors start testing solid organs in people? Ott hopes to see human studies on some lab-grown organ in five to 10 years. Wagner calls that very optimistic and thinks 15 to 20 years is more realistic. Niklason also forecasts two decades for the first human study of a lung that will work long-term. But LaMattina figures five to 10 years might be about right for human studies of his specialty, the liver. “I’m an optimist,” he adds. “You have to be an optimist in this job.” *Culled from Associated Press

THE GUARDIAN, Thursday, June 20, 2013

‘Nestle foods are made from natural products’ By Chukwuma Muanya Contrary to widely held belief that most of the products from the stables of Nestle are not natural, the company, last week during a tour of its production facilities at Agbara, Lagos State, by health care professionals, said all the food products especially the infant cereals are sourced from locally-grown grains. The company also said that it is a strong advocate of breastfeeding at the work place with a dedicated crèche/daycare centre for employees who are nursing mothers, four months maternity leave excluding the annual vacation and is subscribed to the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes. The International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes is an international health policy framework for breastfeeding promotion adopted by the World Health Assembly (WHA) of the World Health Organization (WHO) in 1981. Also, researchers from the Allergy Group, Department of Nutrition and Health, Nestlé Research Center, Nestec Ltd, Vers-chez-les-Blanc, Lausanne, Switzerland, have in clinical trials demonstrated the Immune-modulatory effect of probiotic Bifidobacterium lactis NCC2818 in individuals suffering from seasonal allergic rhinitis to grass pollen. The study was published in January and February editions of the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Probiotics are defined as ‘living micro-organisms that when administered in adequate amounts confer a health benefit to the host’. Different probiotic strains have been investigated for beneficial effects on allergic disorders. Anglophone coordinator of Nestle Nutrition Institute Africa (NNIA), Field Operations Manager Nutrition of Nestle and National Coordinator of Nestle Nutrition Duchess Club, Mrs. Chioma EmmaNwachukwu, told The Guardian who was part of the visiting team: “You can see for yourself. We are very conscious of food safety. The safety of Nestle Infant Cereals starts from the farms, and ends on the dining tables. We ensure that the farmer gets the right seedling to get the right quality produce, which we buy from them.” Emma-Nwachukwu said that besides being 100 per cent wholesome, Nestle Baby Cereals had no added salt, preservatives or artificial flavours. She also said that Nestlé had developed a patented process that broke down the starches (naturally occurring sugars) in its baby cereal into smaller pieces so its always easy to digest. “This unique process is also responsible for our superior taste; helping release the natural sweetness of each cereal grain for an incredible taste, aroma, and texture babies love. And of course, all this means baby will want to experience new solid food adventures; developing his palate and teaching him healthy eating habits along the way,” she explained. Emma-Nwachukwu, however, cautioned that Nestle Baby Cereals were a nutritional complement to the other

• Promotes breastfeeding at work place • Clinical trials confirm immune-boosting effect of probiotics foods the baby was consuming at this stage in their life, and was not a sole source of nutrition. She said that the role of Nestle Baby Cereals was to introduce solid foods and variety into the diet and not to replace breast milk or formula. The Nestle representative added that probiotics were added to baby cereals to protect them from the inside. “Probiotics reduce incidence and duration of acute diar-

rhoea and helps the gut flora recover after antibiotics treatment,” she said. The code was developed as a global public health strategy and recommends restrictions on the marketing of breastmilk substitutes, such as infant formula, to ensure that mothers are not discouraged from breastfeeding and that substitutes are used safely if needed. The code also covers ethical considerations and regulations for the marketing of feed-

ing bottles and teats. A number of subsequent WHA resolutions have further clarified or extended certain provisions of the code. Since 1981, 84 countries including Nigeria through the National Agency for Food Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) have enacted legislation implementing all or many of the provisions of the Code and subsequent relevant WHA resolutions. According to the Nestle

researchers, the purpose of the current study was to evaluate the effect of orally administering the probiotic Nestlé culture collection (NCC) 2818 Bifidobacterium lactis strain on immune parameters and nasal symptom scores in subjects suffering from seasonal allergic rhinitis (SAR). The researchers concluded: “Oral administration of the probiotic NCC2818 mitigates immune parameters and allergic symptoms during seasonal exposure. These promising results warrant that B. lactis NCC2818 be investigated further in large-scale trials for

management of respiratory allergy.” Meanwhile, the visiting team of health care professionals including health editors from some media organisations were shown how the Nestle infant and baby cereals are produced from milling the grains, usually maize and soybean, to the addition of probiotics and packaging of the final products. The health care professionals include among others medical doctors, nurses, dieticians and nutritionists from selected public hospitals in Lagos, Ogun, and Rivers.

Herbal ‘cures’ for sickle cell anaemia validated CONTINUED FROM PAGE 33 sickling activity. This may offer a rational explanation for the use of these plants in managing SCD by traditional healers. Until now, the root, leaf and bark of Petiveria alliacea, Chenopodium ambrosioides and Entandrophragma utile respectively are used by traditional healers for the management of SCD in some parts of South West Nigeria. The study published recently in Journal of Medicinal Plants Research by scientists from the Faculty of Pharmacy, Olabisi Onabanjo University, Sagamu; and Department of Microbiology, University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, evaluated the in-vitro anti-sickling activities of these plants’ parts using p- hydroxybenzoic acid and normal saline as positive and negative controls respectively. Methodology involved the inhibition of sodium metabisulphite induced sickling of HbSS erythrocytes (sickled red blood cells), collected from a confirmed sickle-cell disease (SCD) volunteer in steady state using both crude methanol extract and its aqueous fractions. The extracts/fractions of the three plants at 1.0 and 0.1 mg/ml were observed to exhibit significant anti-sickling activity while lysis of erythrocytes occurred at 10.0 mg/ml. Phytochemical screening of the plant extracts revealed the presence of saponnins, tannins and alkaloids. “Therefore, the use of the plants by the traditional medical practitioners in the treatment of SCD is justified,” the researchers wrote. Pawpaw and guinea corn Nigerian researchers have achieved 93 per cent anti-sickling properties and 84 per cent reversal activities with Carica papaya (pawpaw) and Sorgum bicolor extract. Sorghum bicolor is commonly called guineacorn or sweet sorghum. Guinea corn is called dawa in Hausa. The study was published in African Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology by researchers from Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, Ondo State and Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun-State. Traditionally in Nigeria, S. bicolor is used as a blood builder and used in the treatment of sickle cell crisis. A four five day cold infusion of a mixture of S. bicolor leaves and Carica papaya unripe fruit pulp is used by the Yorubas (western Nigeria) to alleviate bone pains.

The researchers wrote: “The anti-sickling properties of fermented mixture of dried unripe fruit pulp of Carica papaya and dried Sorghum bicolor leaves, mixed in equal proportions in distilled water, was carried out using sodium metabisulphite sickled red blood cells and the result presented. Equal weight of dried C. papaya fruit pulp and S. bicolor leaves were fermented together in distilled water at room temperature and the aqueous extract obtained and used for anti-sickling assays. “The extract gotten from the materials incubated for five days indicated as SP5, was found to have the highest antisickling properties with 93 per cent inhibitory and 84 per cent reversal activities. The concentration of the day-five extract was further varied. 0.2 ml was found to be the optimum volume of the test extracts… “C. papaya had been reported to possess anti-sickling properties suggesting that the active compound(s) preventing and reversing sickling could be organic acids, produced after hydrolysis of corresponding esters in the fruit. Also reported are amino acids, glycine, phenylalanine and tyrosine, which have been reported to possess anti-sickling properties. “The combination of these two plants could have synergistic effect since one or more components of each have anti-sickling properties hence the high values for both the reversal and inhibitory activities.” A herbal preparation made with Sorghum bicolor has been able to boost blood levels (treat anemia), stop pain and inflammation, reverse cell damage (antioxidant), and increase cellular immunity in Persons Living With HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) in animal and human models. Sorghum bicolor belongs to the plant family Poaceae. It makes a refreshing non-alcoholic beverage, kunu-zaki (in Hausa), and tasty pap, akamu (in Ibo), and thick porridge or porage, tuwo dawa (in Hausa). It is fermented to make sorghum beer called burkutu or pito, or made into flour and mixed with bean flour then fried to make dawaki. Researchers have also shown that unripe mature pawpaw seeds may provide a cheap and accessible treatment for kidney damage and sickle cell anaemia. They found that seed extracts of unripe mature fruits of pawpaw can protect the kidneys from damage and could offer hope for the treatment of

poison-related kidney (renal) diseases. The study titled “Nephroprotective activities of the aqueous seed extract of Carica papaya in carbon tetrachloride induced renal injured Wistar rats: A dose- and timedependent study,” was published in Biology and Medicine. Nigerian researchers have also shown the anti-sickling properties of crude juice extracts of the edible portions of three commonly consumed tropical fruits namely Persia Americana (avocado), Citrus sinensis (orange) and Carica papaya. The study was published in African Journal of Traditional Complementary and Alternative Medicines. Fagara zanthoxyloides and Cajanus cajan Researchers have clearly demonstrated that plantbased antioxidants replete in Cajanus cajan (Pigeon pea in English, fio fio in Igbo), Fagara zanthoxyloides (Chewing stick in English, orin ata in Yoruba), fishes, fruits and vegetables, nuts and whole grains, and nutritional supplements can compensate for some inborn defect of sickle cell anaemia. The studies suggest that for people with Sickle Cell Disorder (SCD), it means healthier red blood cells, less

anaemia and pain, and other improvement in health. Nigerian researchers have reported a randomised singleblind placebo controlled study, which showed that the extract of Cajanus cajan reduced the frequency of painful crises and possibly ameliorated the adverse effects of SCA on the liver in children aged one to15 years. Cajanus cajan is a popular food in developing tropical countries and belongs to the plant family Fabaceae. Nutritious and wholesome, the green seeds (and pods) serve as vegetable. The results of this study by researchers at the College of Medicine University of Lagos (CMUL)/Lagos University

Teaching Hospital (LUTH), IdiAraba, published in the Journal of Tropical Paediatrics, are encouraging when viewed in the light of increasing concern about the benefit of new conventional therapies like Hydroxyurea in an African setting where limited resources make widespread use, monitoring of side effects, and toxicities virtually impossible. Considerable attention has thus been paid, particularly in Africa, to naturally occurring anti-sickling agents, which offer the potential of being relatively safer, easily administered and potentially less costly than Hydroxyurea. In summary, evidence from this study shows that the extract of Cajanus cajan

THE GUARDIAN, Thursday, June 20, 2013

36 SCIENCE HEALTH

Lagoon Hospital performs first metallic replacement of whole arm bone, joints in Africa TEAM of surgeons from A Lagoon Hospitals has performed the first surgery involving metallic replacement of the whole arm bone, shoulder and elbow joints on a patient, thus becoming the first hospital in Nigeria and West Africa to record this successful medical procedure. The surgeons were led by Dr. Segun Abudu, a renowned consultant Orthopedic Surgeon at the Royal Orthopedic Hospital Birmingham, United Kingdom (UK), who was seconded to Lagoon Hospitals in 2011. Speaking on this historic achievement, Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the Hospital, Dr. Naseem Mohammed, said “Lagoon Hospitals have the facilities to perform all forms of surgical procedures including hip and knee replacements, keyhole surgery for the knee (arthroscopy) bone replacements with modern options correction of deformities using techniques that are only possible at very few specialised hospitals in the United Kingdom and United States of America. Also commenting on this achievement, the Hygeia Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) – Mr. Lars Stork, in his statement, said: “Lagoon Hospitals continue to prove that we are indeed pioneers in ground-breaking surgery and other tertiary healthcare solutions”. Speaking further, Stork said: “There is a significant number

of Nigerians who go abroad for treatment. The outstanding achievement demonstrated by our orthopaedic surgeons confirms our commitment to our strategic objective of being the first choice for healthcare solutions of international standards in Nigeria. As we continue to invest in high quality specialty services at least at par with what is offered abroad, we certainly encourage Nigerians to take full benefit from these investments. At the end of the day Patients are best served by medical treatment provided close to where they live. Research shows that there are only approximately 50 to 60 cases of this type of surgery performed even in the UK to date, therefore making this surgery historical. This operation adds to the number of high-end surgeries performed at Lagoon Hospitals yearly. Over the last few years, an area of major development has been Joint Replacement and Major Bone Reconstructive Surgery (orthopaedics). Lagoon Hospitals is the only Hospital in sub-Saharan Africa to earn accreditation from Joint Commission International (JCI), the worldwide leader in improving the quality of health care. JCI is dedicated to improving the quality of health care through voluntary accreditation. JCI’s uniform, high standards for patient care and safety are designed to be adaptable to local needs.

Senate seeks to prohibit HIV/AIDS discrimination From Bridget Chiedu Onochie, Abuja RESIDENT of the Senate, David Mark, has called for an end to stigmatisation and discrimination against Human Immuno Virus (HIV) infected persons in the country. Speaking at the opening of a one-day public hearing on a Bill for an Act to make provision for the prevention of HIV discrimination and to protect the human rights and dignity of people living with HIV and affected by Acquired

Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) in Abuja, Mark said living with AIDS is not a death sentence. Represented by the Deputy Senate Leader, Abdul Ningi, Mark stated that people should be meant to know that HIV is like other common diseases, which can be contacted accidentally or intentionally. The public hearing brought together stakeholders in the health sector including the Director General, National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA), Prof. John

Ogun NIPR advocates wellness for members, public HE Nigerian Institute of T Public Relations, Ogun State Chapter has advocated wellness for all members as well as the publics of the institute’s chapter. In its monthly business forum held in Abeokuta, the guest presenter, Dr. Abosede Adegbite, speaking on the topic “Lifestyle Diseases of Choice”, said although her title seemed as if to choose from diseases, she noted “these are disease burden we suffer by choice, if we choose to live in a dirty environment, we have to choose to live with cholera”. She highlighted top killer diseases as heart diseases, can-

cers and stroke, stressing that tobacco was about the worst heart-killer of the diseases. Adegbite also noted that people who inhale the secondary smoke of smokers are prone to more risk than the smokers themselves, counseling that individuals should do at least 30 minute’s exercise on daily basis. The highpoint of the forum witnessed the introduction of Dr. Adekunle Salu, a one-time Registrar of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations who inspired members present with the donation of copies of his new book entitled “The Eternal Dimensions of Public relations”.

Mother of quadruplet, Genevieve Uba (right) with her babies… at the World Blood Donor Day commemorated in Lagos… recently.

‘Why husbands must donate blood in Lagos public hospitals’ By Wole Oyebade

• Govt, WHO others canvass regular donation on donor day

AVE you ever wondered H why husbands are mandated to donate blood prior to

gift of life: Donate blood’. At the Lagos event, organised by the Lagos State Blood Transfusion Committee (LSBTC), it was evident that voluntary donation was still abysmally low amidst high demand for safe blood transfusion. State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jide Idris, said though the state had seen an increase in the number of blood donors but Lagos was demand still outweighs supply in a state of about 20 million people. He observed that since 2006 till date, there had been a steady increase in the response of Lagosians to voluntary blood donation. The state has seen an increase from 474

their wives’ child delivery in Lagos public hospitals? The reason is this: there is far higher demand for safe blood transfusion than what is currently supplied by voluntary and non-remunerated blood donors in the state. Consequently, lives that could have been saved are lost in accident emergencies and childbirth complications because of delay or outright lack of the needed blood transfusion. This demand-supply deficit and attendant consequence were brought to the fore recently as countries commemorated World Blood Donor Day, themed: ‘Give the

donors in 2006 to 2159 voluntarily donors in 2012. In fact, from January this year to June 10, Lagos had recorded 1790 donors. Majority of these donors had been found to be men and majority fall within the age of 18 to 45 years. “The largest user of blood each year is the department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology (O&G). This is because the major cause of maternal mortality is haemorrhage (bleeding). Safe blood therefore needs to be available in adequate quantity for obstetric emergencies for the reduction of maternal mortality in the state,” Idris said. The commissioner explained that it was only reasonable to find a non-commercial

avenue of replacing the used blood or preparing for emergencies in the health facilities; alternative being the mandatory requirement that healthy husbands donate blood at government hospitals. According to him, “It will not be coercing to tell a healthy looking man to donate blood that may be used to safe his pregnant wife. Nobody knows when emergency may arise. The blood could save anyone. “Currently, only approximately eight per cent of all the blood transfused is from voluntary donations. This is a far cry from the 100 per cent target set by the World Health organisation (WHO) for the whole world to achieve by 2020.”

‘How physical exercise boosts health’ By Emmanuel Badejo and Uzor Aginah healthy is not only StakeTAYING the function of what you in through eating or drinking, but also the continuous release of toxic substances from your body by engaging in regular exercise, a firm, which specialises on technogym machines, Elite Wellness Limited, has said. Physical exercise is any bodily activity that enhances or maintains physical fitness and overall health and wellness. It is performed for various reasons including strengthening muscles and the cardiovascular system, honing athletic skills, weight loss or maintenance, as well as for the purpose of enjoyment. Frequent and regular physical exercise boosts the immune system, and helps prevent the “diseases of affluence” such as heart disease, cardiovascular disease, Type 2 diabetes and obesity. It also improves mental health, helps prevent depression, helps to promote or maintain positive self-esteem, and can even augment an individual’s sex appeal or body image, which is also found to be linked with higher levels of self-esteem. Globally, childhood obesity is a growing concern and physical exercise may help decrease some of the effects of childhood and adult obesity.

Accordingly, health care providers often call exercise the “miracle” or “wonder” drug – alluding to the wide variety of proven benefits that it provides. Similarly, it has been said that physical exercise is important for maintaining physical fitness and can contribute posi-

tively to maintaining a healthy weight, building and maintaining healthy bone density, muscle strength, and joint mobility, promoting physiological well-being, reducing surgical risks, and strengthening the immune system; it also reduces levels of cortisol, which causes

many health problems, both physical and mental. Frequent and regular aerobic exercise has been shown to help prevent or treat serious and life-threatening chronic conditions such as high blood pressure, obesity, heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, insomnia, and depression.

Eating behaviours of preschoolers linked to future heart disease risk ATING behaviours of of the children and their par- NutriSTEP questionnaire were E preschoolers may be associ- ents and took blood samples positively associated with ated with risk of cardiovascu- to examine lipid profile. They serum non-HDL cholesterol lar disease in later life, suggests a study published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal). A study of 1,076 preschool children aged three to five years in the TARGet Kids! practicebased research network in Toronto, Ontario, looked at the link between eating habits and serum levels of non–high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, which is a surrogate marker of later cardiovascular risk. Parents filled out questionnaires assessing eating behaviours, such as watching television while eating, dietary intake, parental concerns about activity levels and growth, screen time and use of supplements. Researchers measured height and weight

assigned a risk level based on the ethnicity of the parents because some groups are more prone to heart disease than others. “Our results show that associations between eating behaviours and cardiovascular risk appear early in life and may be a potential target for early intervention,” writes Dr. Navindra Persaud, family physician and researcher at St. Michael’s Hospital, Toronto, Ontario. TARGet Kids! is a collaboration between family physicians, pediatricians and researchers from The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) Hospital, St. Michael’s Hospital and the University of Toronto. “Eating behaviours as reported by parents via the

levels in children aged 3–5 years,” write the authors. “The association between the eating behaviours sub-score and serum non-HDL cholesterol persisted after controlling for age, sex, birth weight, zBMI (zscore body mass index), parental BMI, gestational diabetes and parental ethnicity.” “Our results support previous arguments for interventions aimed at improving the eating behaviours of preschool-aged children,” write the authors. “To do so, evidence suggests promoting responsive feeding, where adults provide appropriate access to healthy foods and children use internal cues (not parent-directed cues or cues from the television) to determine the timing, pace and amount they consume.”

THE GUARDIAN, Thursday, June 20, 2013

SCIENCE & HEALTH

HIV ‘cure’ in U.S. baby stimulates AIDS research in Africa The ‘Mississippi baby’ case was discussed at great length highlighting the need for early infant diagnosis and initiation of treatment. “The relevance of the ‘Mississippi baby’ to the general population remains unclear and more research, including for safe and appropriate neonatal drugs needs to be done before we push for widespread change in policy HEN doctors from the W University of Mississippi medical centre, United States (U.S.), announced on March 2, 2013 that a baby had been ‘functionally cured’ of Human Immuno-deficiency Virus (HIV), the world hailed the news as a historical medical breakthrough. The baby- famously known as the ‘Mississippi baby’- was born with HIV and treated with aggressive antiretroviral drugs 30 hours after birth. Now, more than two years old, doctors confirm that the baby has not taken any medication since the age of 18 months and tests show no sign of re-active HIV (detectable viral load). From the time that this extraordinary news was announced scientists and researchers have been busy trying to understand how the ‘Mississippi baby’ case could advance future research in preventing mother-to-child transmission of HIV. More than 20 scientists, researchers, public health practitioners, donors, government authorities, representatives of non-government organisations and civil society came together for a two-day symposium on June 3 and 4 under the theme Scientific advances from ‘Mississippi baby’: Implications for public health programmes on mother-to-child transmission of HIV. Executive Director of Joint United Nations programme on AIDS (UNAIDS), Michel Sidibé, said: “This meeting is about giving people hope. The Mississippi miracle has to become a Durban miracle, a Bamako miracle, a miracle for all children irrespective of where they are born.” Organised by UNAIDS and the Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa (CAPRISA), the symposium focused on: whether programmes to stop new HIV infections among children need to be reformulated to promote early identification and treatment of babies at risk of HIV infection; and challenges associated with stopping new HIV infections among children and paediatric antiretroviral treatment. Despite the 24 per cent drop in new HIV infections in children since 2009, some 330 000 children around the globe were born with HIV in 2011. Most children born with

• New prevention pill could cut infection rates in IV drug users by 50% HIV (more than 90 per cent) are in sub-Saharan Africa. Many African countries have made remarkable progress in preventing mother-to-child transmission of HIV by increasing access and integrating HIV prevention, treatment and cares services to mothers and their new-borns. However, progress in expanding access of antiretroviral therapy to children has been minimal. The percentage of children living with HIV eligible for treatment and who were receiving it in 2011 largely falls below 50 per cent in at least 15 of the 22 priority countries- eight per cent in Chad, 19 per cent in Ethiopia and 29 per cent in Malawi. United Nation Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Senior Advisor on AIDS, Dr. Chewe Luo, said: “Paediatric treatment and care lags behind; there seems to be a disconnect between investments in programmes to stop new HIV infections in children and for children in need of treatment. Even when the infants are identified they are not successfully linked to care.” The ‘Mississippi baby’ case was discussed at great length highlighting the need for early infant diagnosis and initiation of treatment. “The relevance of the ‘Mississippi baby’ to the general population remains unclear and more research, including for safe and appropriate neonatal drugs needs to be done before we push for widespread change in policy,” said Dr. Hanna Gay, Associate Professor at University of Mississippi, who treated the ‘Mississippi baby’. “But one thing we can be certain of is that early diagnosis and treatment saves lives.” At the end of the two-day discussions, participants made several recommendations, including the need for early infant diagnosis, better research and improved medicines for children as well as more efficient funding mechanisms to strengthen mother and child AIDS programmes.

US baby functionally cured of HIV

Minister of Health of South Africa, Dr. Aaron Motsoaledi, said: “What we do know is that early diagnosis of HIV and early treatment of infants and children does lead to better outcomes – regardless of the issue of a cure. We should be concerned that we are not diagnosing and treating children early enough. In South Africa only 65 per cent of children who are in need to treatment are on treatment.” Meanwhile, a new Human Immuno-deficiency Virus (HIV)/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) prevention drug should be approved for use by intravenous drug users, United States health experts have said. The anti-retroviral drug,

which has recently been approved for prescription to some other high-risk groups, could soon be given to people who inject heroin and methamphetamine. After reviewing the results of a study, carried out by U.S. Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Thai government, health officials recommended that the drug, tenofovir, should be taken daily by drug users. It has already been approved for use by high-risk gay men and heterosexual couples, CBS News reported. To conduct the study, scientists followed more than 2,400 drug users at clinics across Bangkok, in Thailand. Half were given a daily dose of tenofovir, which is sold as

Viread, while the other half were given a placebo. The patients were followed for four years during which time 17 of those taking the preventative drug contracted HIV, while 33 of the people taking the placebo became infected. Therefore, it was concluded that the drug reduces HIV risk by 50 per cent. Dr. Jonathan Mermin, director of AIDS prevention for the CDC, told CBS News that ‘this study completes the story’ about how HIV drugs can protect people at highest risk of infection. Currently, the only HIV prevention drug, which is available for use in the U.S. is Truvada, which is prohibitively expensive at $14,000 a year. The tenofovir, which was

used in the study costs just $360 a year per patient. According to researcher, Dr. Michael Martin: ‘We now know that pre-exposure prophylaxis can be a potentially vital option for HIV prevention in people at very high risk for infection, whether through sexual transmission or injecting drug use. ‘Adherence was a key factor determining efficacy in our trial among people who inject drugs.’ Scientists are also working on an HIV vaccine but the U.S. government recently stopped trials of the experimental vaccine after an independent review found it did not prevent HIV infection or reduce the amount of HIV in the blood.

‘Why operative death rates higher at weekends’ HERE is a higher risk of T death for patients who have elective surgery later in the week and at the weekend, compared with those earlier in the week, a new paper suggests. Previous research has suggested a significantly higher risk of death if admitted as an emergency patient at the weekend compared with a weekday. Plus, other papers have described the “weekend effect.” Researchers offer two potential explanations for this: poorer quality of care at the weekend (which can be attributed to staffing levels and / or less senior/experienced staff) and patients who are admitted or operated on at the weekend being more severely ill. In this, the first study to focus on day of elective surgery to report a ‘weekday effect’, researchers from Imperial College London investigate death rates for planned admissions by day of the week of procedure,

hypothesising that if there is a quality of care issue at weekends, higher death rates would be seen. National hospital administrative data were used, linked with death certificates. Information was used on patients’ age, gender, source of admission and diagnoses. Mortality outcome was defined as any death occurring within 30 days of the index procedure. The researchers focused their study on five higherrisk major surgical procedure groups: excision of esophagus and / or stomach; excision of colon and / or rectum; coronary artery bypass graft; repair of abdominal aortic aneurysm and excision of lung. There were 4,133,346 elective inpatient surgical procedures with 27,582 deaths within 30 days of the date of procedure during 2008/2009 to 2010/2011. 4.5 per cent of this surgery was performed at the weekend.

Weekend patients tended to have fewer diseases, fewer admissions, longer waiting time and lower-risk surgery. The overall risk of 30-day death for patients undergoing elective surgery increased with each day of the week the procedure was performed (by an odds ratio factor of 1.09 per day from Monday). Compared with Monday, the risk of death was significantly higher if procedures were carried out on a Friday. There were also significant differences in the observed rates of death for each day of the week, compared with Monday, for all procedures. The 30-day mortality rates (for the five selected major survival procedures) per 1000 admissions were: 35 for excision of esophagus and/or stomach; 24 for excision of colon and/or rectum; 20 for coronary artery bypass graft; 34 for repair of abdominal aortic aneurysm and 20 for excision of lung. All proce-

dures, apart from repair of abdominal aortic aneurysm, had statistically significant trends towards higher mortality at the end of the working week and weekends compared with Monday. The findings suggest that the weekend effect might be more pronounced for patients with more diseases and for patients with three or more previous admissions, than for patients with none. The researchers say that their analysis confirms their hypothesis that there is a ‘weekday effect’ on mortality for patients undergoing elective surgery. They say that serious complications are more likely to occur within the first 48 hours post-operatively and a failure to rescue the patient may be due to well-known issues relating to reduced, and/or locum, staffing and poorer availability of services. They conclude that without more information related to surgical care processes,

including the organisation of services / staffing, it remains unclear if the estimated risks can be entirely attributed to differences in quality of care and provision needs to be made for adequate services to support these patients and ensure the best outcome. In an accompanying editorial, doctors from the Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto say that reassuringly, the “weekend effect” is not due to reduced staffing levels. They say the paper’s findings do however beg the question, what makes these patients different? Doctors Kwan and Bell question whether there are any differences between “surgeons who operate or the surgical teams who work at weekends and those who work in the week.” They conclude the scheduling of elective procedures can be controlled but ask whether we are willing to “sacrifice the safe provision of care for shorter procedural wait times and length of stay.”

46 NATURAL HEALTH

THE GUARDIAN, Thursday, June 20, 2013

Proper nutrition within first three years of life critical for economic development By Chukwuma Muanya with agency reports

• Tackling malnutrition in Uganda with homegrown solutions

NEW Lancet series on A maternal and childhood nutrition finds that over three million children die every year of malnutrition, accounting for nearly half of all child deaths under-five. Along with state-of-the-art global estimates on the longterm burden of malnutrition, the series presents a new framework for prevention and treatment that considers underlying factors, such as food security, social conditions, resources, and governance. Prof. Robert Black, Department of International Health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, led the consortium of experts who produced this series – a follow-up to the groundbreaking 2008 Lancet Nutrition Series, which revealed how pivotal the first 1,000 days – from the start of pregnancy until the child’s second birthday – are to the well-being of both the individual and the society in which he or she lives. Meanwhile, the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) said the Nutrition for Growth event held in London recently delivered a new opportunity to further reduce the crippling impact of stunting and other forms of under-nutrition for millions of children. UNICEF Executive Director, Anthony Lake, said: “For children who face the unnecessary threat of stunting – something that not only deprives them of physical good health but dramatically weakens their potential to learn, to earn a decent income and to contribute to the prosperity and growth of their communities – today’s gathering in London underlined a global determination to meet that threat. “Stunting is the least understood crisis for too many children today. It is not only a challenge, but a huge development opportunity. Investing in nutrition is highly costeffective. It pays off in the lives of children and in reducing poverty.” The event, which brought together leaders from governments, the private sector and civil society, hosted by the Governments of Brazil and the United Kingdom, and the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF), resulted in renewed commitments to accelerate progress towards significant reductions in stunting and improved nutrition for children and mothers around the world, including initial pledges of funds exceeding US$4 billion. Also, a programme funded by the European Union in partnership with UNICEF is making a dent in Uganda’s malnutrition statistics and changing lives with simple solutions. The new initiative aims to promote better nutrition practices in Ugandan households. Peter, Erik and Dalton Butetera are huddled in a corner of their hut while health worker Beatrice Asaba prepares millet porridge at their

Proper nutrition... Undernourished children are more susceptible to infectious diseases and achieve less education and have lower cognitive abilities. As a result, under nutrition can significantly impede a country’s economic growth. home in Ibanda District in meal of plain bananas boiled ment is tied to the first 1,000 at a significantly increased southwestern Uganda. in salt, with no added protein days of every child’s life. risk of dying. And more than Despite their different ages – or vitamins from vegetables. Malnutrition can haunt chil- one quarter of all newborn Peter is four, Erik three, and Health worker Beatrice Asaba dren for the rest of their lives. deaths are attributed to Dalton only two years old – the visits the Butetera household Undernourished children are restricted growth in the brothers are nearly the same in Ibanda District in south- more susceptible to infec- womb due to maternal undersize. All three children are mal- western Uganda. Three of tious diseases and achieve nutrition. nourished, and their physical Geresomu Butetera’s sons are less education and have lower An article accompanying the similarity is the result of stunt- severely malnourished. cognitive abilities. As a result, Series, led by Professor Joanne Head of the EU delegation in under nutrition can signifi- Katz, ing. Department of The Butetera family is one of Uganda, Ambassador Roberto cantly impede a country’s eco- International Health at the many households being tar- Ridolfi, said: “Uganda still nomic growth.” Bloomberg School, provides geted by a community inte- faces dramatic challenges, While some progress has in-depth evidence on the morgrated programme intended especially on the two been made in recent years, tality risk of infants small for to improve household nutri- Millennium Development Black and colleagues esti- their gestational age. tion practices. UNICEF Goals (MDGs) of under-five mates that over 165 million Past studies have focused on Uganda’s Health, Nutrition mortality and maternal children were affected by low birth weight, but this can and Food Security Assessment health. The under-five mortal- stunting and 50 million by exclude many children who in Ibanda, Kabale, Kanungu ity must be addressed not wasting in 2011. exceed the standard weight and Pader Districts Report only with food security, but Maternal nutrition is essen- limit but were born prema2013 indicates that one-third also with the right food, and tial for the health of the moth- turely or are small for their (34.9 per cent) of children that is why the EU is engaging er and the survival and devel- gestational age. “To prevent under five years in Ibanda with the offices of UNICEF in opment of her child. The neonatal deaths, we should this project.” District are stunted. study estimates that 800,000 track whether the baby was The primary goal of the pro- neonatal deaths are caused by born too small or too soon, The programme is funded by the European Union (EU) in gramme is to ensure that fetal growth restriction. not just the baby’s birth partnership with UNICEF and nutrition standards are Furthermore, newborns who weight. This will allow us to United States Agency for improved and maintained suffer from this and survive better implement the approInternational Development through activities such as are at a substantially priate interventions to prewithin increased risk of stunting dur- vent these conditions and (USAID) Uganda under the demonstrations households as well as during ing the first 24 months after improve survival,” says Katz. Office of the Prime Minister. Ibanda receives rainfall weekly immunisation and birth. “Countries will not be able to throughout the year, and the antenatal health service days Undernourished women are break out of poverty or sustain vegetation is lush with a range at Ibanda’s Kanywambogo more likely to die in pregnan- economic advances when so of healthy growing crops such Health Centre. A ‘Food Field cy, to give birth prematurely, much of their population is as bananas, coffee, papaya, Exhibition’ is also held every and to have babies who are unable to achieve the nutripineapple, sweet potato, year, where traders display born premature or too small tional security that is needed spinach, cabbage and pump- various foods grown in the for their gestational age. Over for a healthy and productive kin. Although many of these district. a quarter of all babies born in life,” explains Black. “We need Black said: “This series low- and middle-income to redouble our efforts and crops surround the Butetera home, the children have been strengthens the evidence that countries are small for their invest in what we know works. raised on only a regular half- a nation’s economic advance- gestational age -putting them As the study led by Professor

Zulfiqar Bhutta of Aga Khan University shows, scaling up 10 proven interventions – including treatment of acute malnutrition, promotion of infant and child feeding, and zinc supplementation – can already save 900,000 children a year.” UNICEF welcomed the formal Compact agreed by participants that highlighted commitments to make nutrition a top political and socio-economic priority for both donors and countries affected by under nutrition, capitalise on scientific knowledge and innovation to improve nutrition, and strengthen transparency and monitoring of results. At the Nutrition for Growth event, UNICEF pledged to continue its own investment in strengthening nutrition in countries worstaffected by stunting and other forms of under nutrition – an investment represented by more than 350 nutrition experts working with governments and local communities in some 65 countries, backed by a financial contribution that has seen around US$1 billion spent by UNICEF on improving nutrition over the last five years. “London has emphasised the importance of resolute leadership in the battle against stunting – a battle we can win, if we accelerate our efforts and build on the pledges made here today,” said Lake. USAID Community Connector Officer for Kicuzi sub-county, Maimuna Kabatooro, said: “Through these exhibitions, health workers are encouraged to invite members of households to attend and learn best feeding and nutrition practises that can be adopted at household level.” Local health workers also identify vulnerable households such as the Butetera family and regularly check on them through home visits and food demonstrations. In addition, each sub-county has a women’s community choir that uses music, dance and drama to address health issues. At Ibanda’s Kanywambogo Health Centre, health workers talk about the right diet for children and pregnant women. Villagers also learn about the best feeding and nutrition practices.

How breastfeeding benefits babies’ brains, by researchers STUDY using brain images A from “quiet” Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) machines adds to the growing body of evidence that breastfeeding improves brain development in infants. Breastfeeding alone produced better brain development than a combination of breastfeeding and formula, which produced better development than formula alone. A new study by researchers from Brown University finds more evidence that breastfeeding is good for babies’ brains. The study made use of specialised, baby-friendly magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to look at the brain growth in a

sample of children under the age of four. The research found that by age two, babies who had been breastfed exclusively for at least three months had enhanced development in key parts of the brain compared to children who were fed formula exclusively or who were fed a combination of formula and breast milk. The extra growth was most pronounced in parts of the brain associated with language, emotional function, and cognition, the research showed. This is not the first study to suggest that breastfeeding aids babies’ brain development. Behavioral studies have previously associated breastfeeding

with better cognitive outcomes in older adolescents and adults. But this is the first imaging study that looked for differences associated with breastfeeding in the brains of very young and healthy children, said Sean Deoni, assistant professor of engineering at Brown and the study’s lead author. “We wanted to see how early these changes in brain development actually occur,” Deoni said. “We show that they’re there almost right off the bat.” The findings are in press in the journal NeuroImage and available now online. Deoni leads Brown’s Advanced Baby Imaging Lab. He and his colleagues use quiet MRI

machines that image babies’ brains as they sleep. The MRI technique Deoni has developed looks at the microstructure of the brain’s white matter, the tissue that contains long nerve fibers and helps different parts of the brain communicate with each other. Specifically, the technique looks for amounts of myelin, the fatty material that insulates nerve fibers and speeds electrical signals as they zip around the brain. Mean myelin content – the fatty material that insulates nerve fibers and speeds electrical signals – rises with breastfeeding. The changes to developing brains happen early,

almost from the start. Credit: Baby Imaging Lab/Brown University Deoni and his team looked at 133 babies ranging in ages from 10 months to four years. All of the babies had normal gestation times, and all came from families with similar socioeconomic statuses. The researchers split the babies into three groups: those whose mothers reported they exclusively breastfed for at least three months, those fed a combination of breast milk and formula, and those fed formula alone. The researchers compared the older kids to the younger kids to establish growth trajectories in white matter for each group.

THE GUARDIAN, Thursday, June 20, 2013

SCIENCE HEALTH

Health benefits of cleansing liver

HE liver is the filter of the T body and it filters all the toxins, chemicals, microor-

Femi and Alaba Gbadebo

Olaoluwa

Benola plans road map, family forum, centre for children with cerebral palsy By Chukwuma Muanya LAOLUWA Gbadebo O turned 17 years on June 14, 2013. The young man whose life with cerebral palsy is the inspiration behind Benola, a cerebral palsy initiative. Cerebral palsy is a disorder of movement, muscle tone or posture that is caused by injury or abnormal development in the immature brain, most often before birth. Signs and symptoms appear during infancy or preschool years. In general, cerebral palsy causes impaired movement associated with exaggerated reflexes or rigidity of the limbs and trunk, abnormal posture, involuntary movements, unsteadiness of walking, or some combination of these. The effect of cerebral palsy on functional abilities varies greatly. People with cerebral palsy often have other conditions related to developmental brain abnormalities, such as intellectual disabilities, vision and hearing problems, or seizures. A broad spectrum of treatments may help minimise the effect of cerebral palsy and improve a person’s functional abilities. Benola was named after Olaoluwa by his parentsFemi and Alaba Gbadebo. Air Vice Marshall Femi Gbadebo (rtd) is the founder of Benola. Gbadebo was a former Air Force Instructor pilot and facilitator at various military training institutions. Benola is a Not for Profit Organisation committed to change and progress for persons living with cerebral palsy. The initiative is focused on professionally networking families, friends, health care professionals, care givers and educators in order to keep them abreast of current trends and options available for better management of cerebral palsy. Gbadebo at a business lunch with health editors in Lagos recently said: “I the short

term, Benola plans to build credibility, by working to raise public awareness and understanding of cerebral palsy, determining a road map for early detection and effective management of cerebral palsy in Nigeria and engaging in capacity building programmes for health care workers and families of those living with the condition. “In the long term we plan to commission a purpose built Cerebral Palsy Centre in Lagos, Nigeria, to serve as a regional centre of excellence for specialised services like counselling, assessment, care and management as well as the production of specialised equipment for those living with Cerebral Palsy in and around Nigeria.” Gbadebo said to arrive at the Road map, Benola embarked on a three-step action plan. He explained: “The first step, which is a two day roundtable meeting of experts, was held in Lagos on April 11 and 12, 2013. “The second stage is a Cerebral Palsy Family Forum which we have scheduled for 20 July 2013. The forum, which is targeted at over 200 families and careers of persons with cerebral palsy in Nigeria, will afford them the opportunity to get first-hand information about the advantages of a multi-disciplinary approach to managing cerebral palsy. “The last stage which we have scheduled for September 2013 will be another round table meeting where a team of experts will sit to deliberate on the out-

put from both the expert roundtable meeting and the family forum to arrive at a road-map for early detection and effective management of cerebral palsy in Nigeria. “Following another four to six weeks of compilation and editorial work, we hope to have the draft Road-Map ready by mid December 2013.” Gbadebo re-emphasized the fact that Cerebral Palsy, which is either infectious or contagious, is not a disease but a degenerative condition, which results from damage to that section of the brain, which controls movement of body parts. “In spite of that however, it is complex and the single most expensive medical condition affecting children, to manage,” he said. Gbadebo further stated: “This explains why the condition tends to place immense pressures on parents of such children. He said the complex nature of the condition also results in wrong or late diagnosis, which is often followed by a delayed acceptance by the parents. The result of course is that such parents waste valuable time searching for a miracle cure for their child. “The case is further compounded in a country like Nigeria where inadequate facilities and lack of trained manpower often make it difficult for parents to find reasonable and affordable options for managing such children, resulting in a high infant mortality rate and untold hard ship to parents who lack proper understand-

ing of the condition. “Unfortunately, very little is known about the prevalence of the condition in most parts of Nigeria. The reason for this is in Nigeria as in most parts of Africa, stigma, social and cultural pressures as well as religious beliefs force parents who can afford proper care and management to hide such children from public view, while those who can ill afford it, abandon such children or use them as tools to beg for alms. To a large extent, this unfortunate trend contributes significantly to the high infant mortality rate in these parts. “In the western world, a lot has been done to improve the lives of those living with Cerebral Palsy. In fact in some countries, governments have risen to their responsibility by providing care, in the form of medical and living costs, for such individuals. “Some countries have “Assisted Living Programmes” involving the provision of direct assistance to ease the pain of living with limitations while in some cases parents or family members are actually appointed as full time Care Givers and paid for the services which they provide for their loved ones. “Unfortunately, in Nigeria and other African countries most of these options are not readily available. So families of persons living with Cerebral Palsy or any other limitation have to bear the full cost of managing that individual even where the demand is for 24-hour care.”

The case is further compounded in a country like Nigeria where inadequate facilities and lack of trained manpower often make it difficult for parents to find reasonable and affordable options for managing such children, resulting in a high infant mortality rate and untold hard ship to parents who lack proper understanding of the condition.

ganisms and nutrients that come into the body through the stomach and intestines. Metabolic wastes and endogenous toxins also have to pass through the liver to be filtered out of the blood, detoxified and finally eliminated from the body. The liver being the most important organ carrying out this function is exposed to the ill effects of these toxins, especially in circumstances of nutrient deficiencies. Such nutrient deficiencies give rise to deficiencies of other substances like vitamins, antioxidants, minerals and co-factors that are essential to the smooth operation of the detoxifying function of the liver. Like I mentioned last week, the functions of the liver include the following: detoxification, storage of minerals and fat-soluble vitamins, metabolism of carbohydrates, proteins and fats and red blood cell production. Other functions of the liver are the correction of hormone imbalances, improving the body responses to inflammation and indirectly soothes the joints and helps the body to deal with seasonal sensitivities giving rise to smooth and clear skin in the process. Generally, the liver guarantees good health when it functions optimally. If the ability of the liver to detoxify is hindered in any way, the ducts without and within the liver can become clogged, making it a lot more difficult for the liver to carry out its functions. The end result is that the liver will begin to store these wastes instead of detoxifying and eliminating them. The liver stores these wastes within the liver itself, the brain and nerves, at the fatty layer of the skin, the lymph nodes and the gastrointestinal tract. Not only are these wastes stored in these organs, they are also loaded with the chemicals and heavy metals that have not been detoxified. All these can remain in these storage sites for years until they overwhelm the body. At this stage the liver becomes overworked and unable to function properly. Predisposing factors that may lead to over working the liver Drugs: Patients who have been diagnosed as having one of the chronic degenerative diseases are at risk of having their livers over burdened by the long term use of drugs such as the anti-hypertensive, diabetic, Nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs. Also the indiscriminate use of over the counter (OTC) drugs can cause destruction of the liver. Diseases: Diseases like hypertension, diabetes, hypercholesterleamia etc can also

adversely affect the liver. Diet: High protein, fat and sugar foods have been proven to over burden the liver. Other factors: High intake of alcoholic beverages, coffee, soft drinks, insufficient intake of water that leads to dehydration, occasional constipation and living in industrial areas where the level of pollution (of the air and water) is highest, make up the list of predisposing factors. Signs and symptoms of an over worked liver Unexplained fatigue, headaches, painful joints, abdominal pain and discomfort, digestive problems, coated tongue and occasional constipation. Others are, excess gas, bloating, bad breathe, urinating frequently, rashes, itching of the skin, weight gain, mood swings and memory lapses. Liver cleansing 1. Drink sufficient water Like the management of most conditions in alternative medicine, the first thing to do in liver cleansing is to correct whatever dehydration that may be present in the body. Two very important things that sufficient water will do in the body are, A. It will help to avoid constipation and B. It will support the kidneys to flush out the toxins broken down by the liver easily in the urine. 2. Diet To ensure that your liver is continuously cleansed, you have to adopt a diet of fresh, raw vegetables and fruits. The vegetables should be the dark green leafy ones and red, yellow and orange fruits are most suitable for liver cleansing. Here is a list of some vegetables, herbs and fruits that cleanse the liver and support it in all its functions: Leafy green vegetables like spinach, dandelion greens, mustard greens, chicory and bitter gourd have a high content of chlorophyll. Chlorophyll binds and sucks up toxins from the blood. They also have the ability to neutralise heavy metals and chemicals. They help in the production of bile, which is useful in transporting toxins from the liver. Cruciferous vegetables - broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, kale and water cress. These vegetables help in enzyme production and in particular those that flush out carcinogens. They significantly lower the risk associated with cancer. Carrots and beetroot contain flavonoids and beta-carotene, which help to stimulate and improve liver function. In the concluding part of this article next week Thursday, the remaining vegetables and fruits will be discussed and the role of liver cleansing in lowering the risk of cancer.

THE GUARDIAN, Thursday, June 20, 2013

Education Rivers blazes the trail, gives appointment letters to 13,000 teachers

One of the new model public primary classrooms in Rivers State. By Rotimi Lawrence Oyekanmi N an era when public school teachers are on strike in 11 states over the failure of their respective governments to pay the 27.5 increment in salaries, the River State government has just hired 13,000 public school teachers. Their appointment letters are ready and many received data forms yesterday. The letters will be given on Monday. The unusual action, unprecedented in the country’s history, was in fulfillment of Governor Rotimi Amaechi’s pledge, announced on May 1 last year, that Rivers would, indeed, employ as many teachers. Amaechi had, since his declaration of a State of Emergency in the state’s education sector in 2008, charted a path to, in his words, liberate Rivers’ poor children from obscurity. In October 2007 when he became the governor, Rivers and other states in the South-South region were under siege. Years of misrule by the Military, and the environmental degradation, occasioned by oil exploration activities in the region, had left much of the local people impoverished and the teeming youths with little prospects. Port Harcourt, the state capital was constantly under attack and sporadic sounds of gunshots were heard regularly. A careful study embarked upon by the state government at that time, revealed that many of those who formed the membership of the secret cults and militants terrorizing residents in the state were without formal education. Amaechi and his lieutenants then reasoned that beyond the amnesty programme put in place by the federal government, there was a need for a long term plan to secure the future of Rivers’ children and offer new hope for repentant militants. Since 2008, the state government had rolled out an elaborate plan to build 750 model primary and 24 model secondary schools. About 264 model primary schools have already been completed, 100 of which are fully functional. The schools, with their state of the art facilities have confounded critics and impressed the parents, who have been withdrawing their children from private schools to the transformed public schools, which, thankfully, have stuck to the original plan of maintaining a population of 390 pupils per school and 30 per class. Expectedly, as it happened when the glorious Action Congress government, led by the unforgettable Chief Obafemi Awolowo declared free education in the 1950s, the transformation of Rivers’ public schools also led to an unprecedented rise in the number of children seeking education. It soon dawned on the state government that more teachers would be needed to complement the facilities and resources being put in place. The state’s Commissioner for Education, Dame Alice Lawrence-Nemi told the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization’s (UNESCO) Representative, Prof Hassana Alidou, who visited her recently that the state was able to achieve the feats because of the

governor’s passion for education. She revealed that the newly appointed teachers would undergo three months training before resuming classes in September in the model primary and secondary schools in the State. In an interview with The Guardian in April, Lawrence-Nemi had said: “ They (teachers) will be trained at the University of Port Harcourt and the Ignatius Aju College of Education. After the training, we would get people to talk to them. You have to take them through the methodology of teaching and all that, which we will do with the British Council and other specialists in the education sector.” She was of the opinion that the new appointees would reduce the burden of one teacher teaching several subjects at a time, when the ideal practice is to have a teacher per subject. According to her, the new teachers would be distributed to the primary, junior and senior secondary schools in the state. She also revealed that besides boosting the manpower in the education sector, students’ poor performance in external examinations like the West African Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) and its equivalent being conducted by NECO, was one of the reasons why Amaechi decided to recruit more teachers. She told Alidou that the era of cutting corners was over, stressing that the state wants to instill professionalism in the teaching profession. The Commissioner affirmed that teachers play “a very important role in the development of every child and the need for qualified teachers had become necessary.” She revealed that the 90 per cent of the teaching slots, about 11, 700, were given to Rivers state indigenes, while ten percent or 1,300 slots were given to the non-indigenes. The Ministry of Education had, in partnership with the British Council and Cambridge University, introduced the TKT Essentials training and certification, which facilitated the intraining of over 9,000 teachers across the state’s 23 Local Government Areas. The state had also embarked on the re-certification and verification of teachers’ credentials, to not only ascertain their numerical strength, but also to ensure that only qualified teachers were allowed to teach in the schools. Only recently, the state government distributed free laptops to students as part of its Laptop-per-Child project. Lawrence-Nemi, who flagged-off the project on behalf of the governor at the Ambassador Nne Furo Kurubo Model Secondary School, Ebubu, Eleme, said the aim was to ensure that Rivers’ students could compete favourably with their colleagues around the world. She also noted that the state government was working towards achieving an ICT driven economy, by empowering the youths with qualita-

A public primary school library in Rivers state

Amaechi tive ICT knowledge. She tasked the students to maximize the benefits of the project, which, according to her, would empower them academically and financially. Her words: “This is to fulfill the vision of the Rivers State Government, to ensure that students in the state can compete favourably with their peers around the world. With the giving of mobile tablets to the students, the cost of research and reading materials will be reduced as the required school books are digitized and loaded into the device. This will significantly reduce the amount of money spent on the printing of textbooks and other books annually. The major advantage of the device will be that the students will get all their resources in one device, which will be used over their schooling years. She continued: “The age long process of enhancing knowledge retention is continuous study even after school hours which is called “home work.” The device will help this process through having access to resources online available in the school’s e-library. This tablet is preloaded with various educational applications that the student will use to enhance the learning process. It is the first of its kind in Nigeria. “Recently the Federal Government of Nigeria introduced reading initiatives to improve the reading culture amongst students. As part of the campaign, students were encouraged to read various books, which will help them. Each of the devices will have access to an e –library with 100,000 books within the system. The advantage of this device is that students can utilize these resources within the e-Library by reading books for free. The teachers will also give reading assignment to the students. Also research-based assignments can be given to the

Lawrence-Nemi students. “A uniform learning platform will be established across all the schools in Rivers state using the same tablets, as such, the students will be exposed to the same educational type of applications for learning. This will help in improving the threshold of the educational standard of the state and encourage both the rural and urban dwellers to send their children to school.” Rivers State had also received N400 million for its outstanding implementation of the Universal Basic Education (UBE) programme, using the 2009 Federal Government/UBE intervention fund. President Goodluck Jonathan presented the cheque to Amaechi in Abuja, during the “Good Performance Award to State Universal Basic Education Boards (SUBEBS), organized by the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC). Adamawa state, which came second, got a cheque of N300 million, while Kebbi state emerged third. Receiving the award, Amaechi said he had met over 1000 dilapidated primary schools in the state but was able to demolish all and set up new ones. His words: “We met 1,300 primary schools in place when we took over, dilapidated, no toilet, no offices, with 100 children per class. Some had 120, some 190 and we demolished the 1,300 schools and built new ones. “The new ones are made up of 14 classrooms, 16 toilets, an auditorium with Information and Communication Technology (equipment), and ICT classrooms with a minimum of 50 computers per structure, a library, both the hard copy and e-library, a football field, athletic ground, volley ball and a play ground, so Kebbi has a long way to chase us.” Despite the progress, Amaechi underscored the need for qualified teachers. “I prefer education in a dilapidated structure with good teach-

THE GUARDIAN, Thursday, June 20, 2013

Education

ThE GUARDIAN, Thursday, June 20, 2013

Shock, as protesters destroy key facilities at UNIUYO

Vandalised vehicles

The vice chancellor’s office, after it was burnt by rioters.

From Inemesit Akpan-Nsoh Uyo hE enviable peaceful atmosphere that had T endured over the years at the University of Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, one of the few federal institutions headed by a female Vice Chancellor, was rudely shattered on June 12. What was intended to be peaceful protest, planned by about 40 Engineering students of the institution, suddenly snowballed into a free for all reminiscent of the aftermath of the annulment of the June 12, 1993 Presidential election, leaving blood and chaos in its trail. The resulting large-scale destruction, unprecedented in the university’s history, has confounded every sane human being. Akwa Ibom state’s governor, Godswill Akpabio is shocked. The Vice Chancellor, Prof. Comfort Ekpo is dazed. Even the students’ union leader, Lucky Inyang has been searching for answers. The entire university community is now counting the costs. Mrs. Edak Umondak, the institution’s Registrar, has confirmed that the Vice Chancellor’s office, buildings housing the offices of the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic), Director of Academic Planning, Council Secretariat and the Students’ Record Unit were completely burnt down. The Computer Services Unit, offices of the Registrar, Librarian, Deputy Vice Chancellor (Administration), Director of Academic Affairs and the University’s results and students’ registration portal were also vandalized. So were several lecturers’ offices. There were human casualties too. Umondak affirmed that following the altercation between the mob outside the university and the Police on the day of the incident, “six students were taken to the University health Centre as a result of the effects of tear gas while a (yet to be named) stu-

dent died from gunshot wounds.” The source of the gunshot has not been ascertained. A delegation sent by the National Universities Commission (NUC) to assess the situation on Monday, has also described the scale of the destruction as “dastardly.” Prof. Adebisi Balogun, acting chairman of the commission’s Inter-Ministerial Committee on Campus Safety, who led team, said: “This university has existed since 1991. We have never experienced this type of carnage. A lot of things must have gone wrong. We don’t want to pre-empt any investigation, but definitely, we cannot say it is because of N100 that a whole campus was burnt down. No, there is more to this than meet the eye.” As early as 8am on that fateful day, less than 50 engineering students who live on the Town Campus, but normally receive their lectures on the main campus of the institution at Nsukara, along Nwaniba road, staged a peaceful protest against what they termed a sudden increment in the transport fare, from N100 to N200 by the University authority. The Guardian gathered that the students took the action with the hope of currying the school management’s sympathy to have for a discussion that could lead to a downward review of the fare. There are speculations that the University management, probably out of fear, quickly invited the Police upon sighting the protesting students. The method adopted by the Police in dealing with the students is being blamed for the violent aftermath. Investigations suggest that the dimension the protest took was as a result of some bottledup grievances of the students’ body against the school management. It was alleged that before

now, the students on the Town campus had been complaining about the university management’s lack of interest in their welfare. They lacked portable water and electricity. They were also unhappy over the hike in some sundry fees. For instance, it was gathered that the management introduced a fee of N2, 000 for Entrepreneurial Studies for second year students. There was also a 200 per cent increment in the cost of postgraduate application forms, from N5, 000 to N15, 000. The intra campus transport fare hike, from N100 – N200, seemed to be the final straw. Some students who spoke on the condition of anonymity also alleged that the management sometimes took actions without consulting with the students’ body. They made reference to the movement of the engineering students to the main campus as one example. After inspecting the ruins left over by the arsonists, Akpabio said: “This act is a disaster. My observation is that the destruction of the building was targeted at the 20 year-old school’s records and examination results. It was a pre-planned arrangement by miscreants who are ‘professional students,’ using the opportunity of the peaceful protest to raze the buildings where school academic records were kept. The Vice Chancellor said the destruction was beyond her comprehension, insisting that what the students were protesting against was what was agreed upon between the school management and the students’ body. She told the governor that the school management had set up a committee that discussed the increment with the students’ union, and both parties agreed that the fare be increased from N100 to N200. Indeed, Adebisi confirmed Ekpo’s submission

when he said: “I have gone through the minutes of the meeting, involving the President of the Students’ Union, the Director of Transport and three other members of the students’ body who were involved in the negotiation, up till the point when they agreed to invite a private transporter to execute the arrangement for the university. They all agreed. One would wonder what has gone wrong between the point of agreement and the point the demonstration was carried out, leading to this dastardly act.” The Vice Chancellor also dismissed the allegation that the University management did not dialogue with the students, insisting that the institution’s Dean of Students Affairs, Director of Transport and Chief Security Officer all discussed with the students. Also condemning the dastardly act, Inyang observed that miscreants must have hijacked what was intended to be a peaceful demonstration. The Akwa Ibom state Police Commissioner, Umar Gwadabe observed that, but for the intervention of his men, infiltrators from Calabar and Bida would caused more havoc. On the burnt records, Ekpo told journalists: “This is an era of technology. The fact that my office was burnt does not mean that I no longer have records. The records came from the Faculties, so we can retrieve and build them up again.” What is today known as the University of Uyo, started in 1983 as the University of Cross River State (UNICROSS), metamorphosing into a Federal Institution in 1991. There are fears that the burning out of the Examination and Records’ Office, all the students’ academic records, from the time when the university was still UNICROSS have been destroyed.

Baptist Academy, Queen’s, King’s colleges dominate LAFGhECA games By Mary Ogar FTER an intense competiA tion reminiscence of school sports among first generation colleges in Nigeria, reigning champions, Queens College, Yaba maintained their first position in the girls category at the finals of the Lagos First Generation heritage Colleges Association (LAFGhECA) intercollegiate games held recently while Baptist Academy, Obanikoro also clinched the first position in the boys category The 2013 intercollegiate games, which was hosted by Queens College, Lagos, is aimed at identifying raw talents and nurturing them to the next level of athletic development. At the medals table, Queens College, Yaba came ‘first with 6 Gold, 6 Silver and 1 Bronze while second position went to holy Child College with 2 Gold, 2 Silver and 2 Bronze, and Ansarudeen College, Itire came third with 1 Gold, 1 Silver, and 2 Bronze in the girls category. In the boys category, Baptist Academy came first with 4

Gold, 2 Silver and 1 Bronze, Kings College, came second with 3 Gold, 3 Silver and 2 Bronze, while C.M.S Grammar School came third place with 3 Gold, 2 Silver and 2 Bronze. Principal, Kings College, Lagos and Chairman LAFGhECA Otunba Dele Olapeju who used the occasion to appeal for assistance from cooperate organizations and other stakeholders for the construction of a world class LAFGhECA sports complex explained that the competition started three years ago to promote sports and academic distinction among students of the first generation colleges in Lagos state. While the games is primarily targeted at advancing sports development in the country, he mentioned that the initiative is also geared towards strengthening cooperation, peer review and furthering the cause of scholarship among the federating entities. he said, “ It is gratifying to note that three years on, the kindling spirit of sportsmanship and the pursuit of excellence remain the cardinal

principles of our emerging sorority. The eloquent illustration of our pedigree and indeed the justification of our cause are in the quality of organizations and institutions that LAFGhECA has attracted to it”. Reiterating that the overall goal of the of the initiative is to impact on the 21st century generation of youths despite the daunting challenges in the country, he affirmed that the benefits of sports cannot be overemphasized as it has moved beyond the realms of physical exercise and mere entertainment to a huge source of living. his words “ Many youths today get the fulfillment of their life ambition by engaging in sports. “Our heritage colleges are known and have continually maintained good track record in academics, sports and other educational activities in the past, and so the revival of those virtues through inter-collegiate games and other programmes will help us transform our colleges and imbibe that good attributes in our students”.

LAFGhECA, according to him comprises of 17 member schools that seeks to promote mutual interest and rekindle the past ties of member colleges through sports and educational programmes. Olapeju charged participants to as sports men and women also brace up for all possibilities in sports be it victory or defeat. On sponsorship, he noted that the world has since

moved from the ear when the government was the dominant player in the affairs of the society. “The principal aim of government today is to provide unfettered enabling environment where citizens could pursue their dreams and aspirations to fruition. Individuals, organizations, communities and government constitute critical stakeholders in all human

endeavours, including sports so in order to realize the goal of promoting youth sports, all hands must therefore be on deck” he said. Olapeju has also expanded his passion for sports to include Ghana as Kings College and Queens college, Yaba recently played host to the 2013 King’s/Queen’s College- Achimota school, Ghana Bilateral friendly games.

Redeemer’s varsity students donate gifts to orphanage NSURANCE students of the Idonated Redeemer’s University have gifts worth several thousands of naira to hope Villa Orphanage in Akute, Lagos as part of the activities to mark the annual Insurance Week. Impressed by the students’ gesture, founder of the Orphanage, Pastor A.O. Atunde stated that the home had been enjoying the support of kindhearted Nigerians and organizations through their cash and other donations. According to a statement by the institution’s

Corporate Affairs Strategist, Mr Adetunji Adeleye, Atunde thanked the students for their generosity and for remembering the less privileged. On the modalities for adopting children in the home, he advised foster parents to adopt children within the age of two years. “People who come for adoption of children fill forms. The children have opportunities to stay here till they can stand on their own, emotionally, financially and spiritually.” As part of efforts to engender

better service delivery, the management of Redeemer’s University will be holding a staff retreat from today till June 15, at the institution’s International Auditorium. According to the Registrar, Mrs. Bolatito Oloketuyi, the retreat has been designed to equip staff for excellent service delivery. She added that highly qualified facilitators and trainers would be available “to add depth to the quality of trainings” to be rendered at the programme.

52 Education

THE GUARDIAN, Thursday, June 20, 2013

FUNAAB don clarifies statement on catfish pepper soup of catfish can conLcy OVERS tinue to enjoy the delicaas neither catfish, nor pepper soup is dangerous to health, Sylvia Uzochukwu, a Professor of Food Microbiology and Biotechnology has said. Clarifying a story on her inaugural lecture, delivered at the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUAAB) recently and which was published in The Guardian last week, Uzochukwu explained that was no harm in the consumption of catfish. According to a statement by the University’s Public Relations Officer, Mrs Eminiyi Alawode, the don averred that while cheaper deep sea fish, such as salmon, sardine, mackerel and herring were healthier to eat, because they contain Omega-3 fatty acids which are good for body functions, heart and brain health, there was absolutely no danger inherent in the consumption of catfish. Corroborating this, Yemi AkegbejoSamsons, a Professor of Aquaculture and Coastal

Resources Management in the University, said: “though catfish contains less Omega3 fatty acids, it is still preferred by many, because of its low caloric value, low carbohydrate content, high protein content, low fat content and above all, its great taste. These qualities, coupled with its low bone content, fine flavor, high growth rate and its ability to feed on virtually anything, made this fish the bride of most fish farmers in Nigeria. Akegbejo-Samsons, according to the statement also observed that Uzochukwu’s lecture did not portray or attach any health alarm to the consumption of catfish, either in the pepper soup pot or in its dried form. Uzochukwu added that with genetic engineering, it is possible to either modify catfish to contain Omega-3 fatty acids or feed catfish with Omega-3 fatty acid-rich nutrients to achieve the same purpose. She said this was was one of the ways modern biotechnology could impact positively on fish-farming in Nigeria.

Cowbell Mathematics competition winners emerge today INNERS of W Cowbell Secondary

the 2013 National Schools Mathematics Competition (NASSMAC) will today receive their prizes at an elaborate ceremony scheduled to hold at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja. Sponsored by Promasidor Nigeria Limited, makers of Cowbell milk, the ceremony will be graced by stakeholders in the Nigerian educa-

tion sector, such as representatives of All Nigerian Confederation of Principals of Secondary Schools (ANCOPS), Science Teachers Association of Nigeria (STAN), National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS), National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS), Nigeria (PTAN), the award winners and their teachers among others.

60 donate blood at UNILAG ORE than 60 volunteers M donated blood at the weekend, during the annual University of Lagos (UNILAG) Muslim Alumni (UMA) annual Fitness Walk/Blood Donation Day, held at the institution. According to a statement by the association’s Public Relations Officer, Razak Asaju, the event was organized to increase public awareness on the importance of physical exercises in maintaining good health. The Blood donation exercise

was organized to commemorate the World Blood Donor’s Day, observed on June 14. The blood donation exercise started with a brief talk by the Chairperson of the UMA Organising Committee, Dr. Shukrah Salisu-Olatunji, while a Consultant haematologist from the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Dr Adewunmi Adediran delivred a lecture on the importance of blood donation.

NICO commemorates World Diversity Day, preaches peaceful coexistence By Mary Ogar ORRIED over the rising W incidence of ethnic clashes and insecurity in the country, the Executive Secretary, National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO), Dr. Barclays Ayakoroma has called on all key stakeholders to adopt sustainable strategies that would foster national integration and peaceful coexistence across the country. Speaking at a colloquium held in Akure recently, to commemorate the World Day for Cultural Diversity, organized by the South West Zonal Office of the Institute, in collaboration with Ondo State Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Ayakoroma said the institute believes in the entrenchment of the culture of peace and non-violence in Nigeria. Represented by the Head, South West Zone, NICO, Mr. Ohi Ojo, Ayakoroma explained that the United Nations Education Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) declared the Diversity Day on November 2, 2001, following the adoption of the Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity in Paris, France. He averred that the event, usually celebrated on May 21, creates an avenue for the international community to appreciate cultural diversity as a major key for national development. He described the theme of this year’s celebration - Creativity; A Tool for Peace and National Development- as appropriate, considering the security challenges currently confronting the country To establish a culture of peace and non-violence in the country, he implored the federal government and all rele-

HE Lagos State T University (LASU) has merged the winner of the quiz competition organized by the Chartered Institute of Managemnt Accountants (CIMA) recently in Lagos. The Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) clinched the second position while the Lagos State Polytechnic came third. They were rewarded with cash and plagues. The Institute’s Business Development Manager, Mr Musliu Olajide made a brief presentation about CIMA and the career

prospects available to the students. He also talked about how management accounting skills could give students strategic decision making competence needed in today’s business world. He further explained that CIMA offers a globally recognised professional qualification in management accounting while a chartered management accountant “is a financially qualified business expert that can work in any part of the business, defining and shaping business strategy.”

vant agencies to embark on aggressive awareness and publicity programmes that would promote cultural diversity. His words: “Human beings, generally, have always been and will always be diverse. The central issue, therefore, is what strategies can we employ to effectively manage diversity, to foster national integration and peaceful co-existence. What is urgently required, especially in the case of Nigeria, noted for its multi-ethnic and religious pluralism, is an awareness campaign on the importance of diversity and the entrenchment of a culture of peace and non-violence.” Delivering a lecture on the theme, the General Manager, Radio Nigeria Positive FM, Akure, Rev. Olusegun Ayankoso said: “Nigeria needs to put on her creative thinking cap to make the country more peaceful; for it is only in a peaceful environment that anyone or group of people could aspire to actualize his or

her

dream.” He noted that creativity helps to build, maintain and make adequate use of cultural heritage to promote peace. Ayankoso implored writers to utilize their creative thinking in highlighting societal values that bind people together, rather than separate them. While encouraging activities that would promote unity at both national and international levels, he said: “it is only in a united country that peace can grow, and as the popular saying goes, ‘united we stand, divided we fall. We cannot afford to allow the expectation of ‘prophets of doom’ concerning disintegration of Nigeria by 2015 to come to pass.” In his address, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Mr. Sunday Agbotoba, who was represented by the Director of Culture in the Ministry, Mr. Lawrence Amimi, lamented that indolence was triumphing over initiative and creativity in the

country. According to him, the present day environment no longer provides sufficient stimulation and activity for children. His words: “Children often spend the greater part of their time on social media or watching television, thereby raising a generation of youths that are bored, anxious and unproductive, which has led to a general situation of inactivity, poverty, temptation towards corruption and other forms of criminality and vices.” In her contribution, the Permanent Secretary, Ondo State Ministry of Education, Mrs. Taiwo Kolawole, expressed satisfaction that Nigeria still rates high in terms of festivals. “Nigeria is a paradise on earth and it is a thing of pride that we still have notable festivals such as Argungu fishing festival in Kebbi State, Eyo festival in Lagos, Sango festival in Osun State, as well as Mare festival in Ondo State”.

Enrollment increases in Ogun’s public school after Airtel’s intervention By Ujunwa Atueyi S part of its efforts to conA tribute to the education and total development of under-privileged children in the country, a leading telecommunications service provider, Airtel Nigeria, has rehabilitated a block of four classrooms and three offices at St. John’s Nursery and Primary School, Oke-Agbo, Ijebu-Igbo, Ogun State, under its Adopt-a-School initiative.

Speaking at the commissioning ceremony in Ogun State, recently, the Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, Airtel Nigeria, Segun Ogunsanya said: “Without a doubt, quality education offers children the best opportunity in life to realise their dreams and become the leaders of tomorrow. A great environment is also critical to the development of a sound mind. It is, therefore, in recognition of the importance of education and as part our

Corporate Social Responsibility vision, that we have been committed to the adoption of public primary schools across Nigeria. “Under the programme, we are adopting governmentowned primary schools located in underserved rural and semiurban areas; providing them with requisite infrastructure and learning tools including classrooms, textbooks, furniture, school uniforms, school bags and indeed the relevant training to improve the teach-

How CIA can minimize corruption, by Idaminabo By Mary Ogar

LASU, OAU win CIMA’s quiz

Cross section of St Saviour’s School pupils, rendering a song during the commissioning of the school’s Diamond Jubilee Building, held at the school premises in Lagos on Tuesday.

S the Chartered Institute of A Administration (CIA) concludes training for prospective members for direct membership into the institute, the President, Dr Goddy Idaminabo has announced plans to host the Pan African All Administrators conference in Nigeria. Speaking with The Guardian in Lagos recently at the Direct Membership workshop titled “ Professional Administration Techniques” he recommended that only those who have been tested as seasoned administrators should be elected into leadership positions or allowed to run the affairs of the country in other to find a lasting solution to the

problem of leadership in the country. His words: “These are actually what we intend to address s part of the conference. Part of the problem we are having in this country has to do with administration, once the problem of administration is put right every other things would flow and even corruption would be minimized”. He also noted that there has never been any proper administration especially in running the affairs of the country adding that people who parades themselves, as administrators are hardly without administrators in the true sense “I agree that we have extra ordinary men and women who have the innate ability for

administration but they still need training and retraining to equip them the more and for those who don’t even have that training, creating a platform where they can train should not be taken for granted” he said. Idaminabo said “We are looking forward to a situation where anybody who wants to contest as a president, governor, chairman or even counselor, must pass through a system where they can be taken through the rudiments of administration, where they can come in contact with knowledgeable men and women including resources that they can learn from. It is all about policy making and objective setting, that is administration”.

ing skills of our teachers.” Ogun State’s First Lady, Mrs. Olufunso Amosun, who unveiled the plaque and dedicated the block to the service of mankind, commended Airtel for veering into what she described as ‘very crucial’ in the development of every nation. She said Airtel’s gesture has proved that it was possible for Nigerian public schools to be face lifted, if all corporate organisations and good spirited Nigerians emulated the spirit of giving and adopting a school. She observed that a good learning environment and relevant educational materials would put children in the rural areas at same pedestal with those in urban areas. In her response, the apparently joyful Head Teacher of the school, Mrs. Victoria Boyejo, affirmed that Airtel’s gesture had led to a “drastic increase” in enrollment at the school. Her words: “The renovation work carried out includes re-roofing with aluminum sheets, painting, wiring, fixing of tiles in offices and reception, installation of seven white boards, 18 wall fans in the classrooms, two ceiling fans in head teacher’s office and reception, iron doors, windows and poles, partitioning boards, supply of eighty dual desks and benches, including four teacherss tables and chairs”.

THE GUARDIAN, Thursday, June 20, 2013

Education

How to stop brain drain, by Osundare From Muyiwa Adeyemi, Ado Ekiti LITERARy Icon and poet, Prof Niyi Osundare has said that quality academic programme of international standard and government sincere commitment to education will change the menace of brain drain in the country to brain gain. He, however, described the Ikogosi Graduate Summer School (IGSS), in Ekiti State as a potent weapon that can tackle the menace of losing some of the best brains in the Nigeria universities. Osundare, who delivered a keynote address at Ikogosi Warm Springs Resorts in Ekiti State at the opening of IGSS on Monday, said the invitation extended to foreign based Nigerian and local scholars to teach at IGSS, would definitely point out that the country is gradually toeing the path of intellectual leadership. With programme like the Ikogosi Graduate Summer School, Osundare expressed optimism that Ekiti’s image is being boosted and redeemed from a state afflicted by violence, politically-motivated killings, electoral fraud, poor leadership, moral debasement and other vices. The University of Orleans Professor of Literature, expressed confidence that the programme, which was first of its kind in Africa, would bring about the much needed restoration Ekiti need in the education sector , if support-

Director General, West African Institute for Financial and Economic Management (WAIFEM), Prof Akpan Ekpo, members of the institute and other participants, at the Regional Course on Management Development for senior executives, held in Lagos recently. ed in the right way. Osundare, who described the Governor Kayode Fayemi’s initiative as a potent weapon for Ekiti to keep its heritage in education , appealed to the State Government to provide necessary socio-political supports for its sustainability and prevent it from being hijacked by desperate politicians. Prof Osundare charged the governments to invest heavily in the education sector, saying no country can “ever develop more than its mental capacity.” He said: “Ekiti is gradually being returned to the path of glory and high academic attainment which they were noted for. IGSS is a very noble

initiative. One thing make it significant, foreign based Nigerian scholars were invited to teach. Very soon, our braindrain will become brain-gain”. The Literary Giant added that the programme would help in exposing Ekiti graduates and future scholars, to culture of research and scholarship. Fayemi in his speech, said he particularly initiated the programme as part of the ways of keeping with the heritage of our people as trailblazers in educational advancement. The Governor, said the IGSS), came into being after several months of careful planning and implementation, having being mooted by Dr. Wale Adebanwi and Dr. Ebenezer Obadare, both of whom he

Subomi Balogun donates N3.7b Paediatrics centre to UI Ogun State, valued modestly at N3.7Billion and built by the founder of the First City Monument Bank (FCMB) Plc, Chief Michael Olasubomi Balogun, has been wholly donated to the University of Ibadan (UI). The centre, which has specialists in most medical fields, is a referral entity for teaching, research and health care delivery for infants, children and by extension their mothers. At the formal handing over and signing of the Deed of Total Gift of the centre, which took place recently, Balogun explained that the gesture was in fulfilment of the promise he made in 1994, to build a world class health centre to cater for children, “as part of my contri-

UNE 6th of each year means a lot to members of the Old Grammarians’ Society (OGS), of the CMS Grammar School, Lagos. The old and younger generations of the various sets usually gather at their alma mater, to celebrate the school, share ideas and compare notes. This year’s celebration of the 154th Founder’s Day, featured several expressions of disappointment about Nigeria’s leadership by the old boys. They declared that corruption had eaten deep into the fabric of the nation’s affairs, “leading to several sub-standard outputs in almost all the sectors.” President of the OGS, Mr. Toyin Akin-Johnson, who spoke on the old boys’ efforts to sustain the original aims of the school’s founding father, said: “If we do not know what we have benefited and given back here at CMS, which is in tandem with the vision of the founding fathers, we will not allow our children to attend the school. But because we know what we have put in place over the years, in terms of 21st century learning facilities, infrastructure, teacher training and other co-curricular activities, we shall continually allow our children and other merited Nigerian chil-

said belong to a cadre of restless activist academics always seeking out ways to reform the system. He said: “These are our dreams for IGSS. It would be a pillar of support for the university system, providing flexible services where identities or other traditions stand in the way. It would also promote what can be called learning without boundaries, a new culture of inquiry in which endless interrogation is an article of faith and multi-disciplinary is the rule rather than the excep-

bution to Nigeria’s health sector.” He added that the determination to construct the centre was informed by his experience, after touring the children’s emergency wards/wing at UI’s College of Medicine, where he saw children in various health conditions and was emotionally moved to establish the institution to save the lives of children and mothers in Nigeria. His words: “I have seen so many children suffering due to lack of adequate healthcare delivery in the nation’s health sector and this was what prompted me to establish this hospital. Today, I am delighted to hand it over as a total gift to University of Ibadan and I urge you to make it one of the best in the world”. Responding, ViceChancellor of University of

Ibadan, Prof. Isaac Adewole, said the gift by Balogun was a milestone in the history of the country’s health sector. He said: “We are all overjoyed because this is the first time the university is benefitting this kind of largesse from an individual. What Otunba Balogun has done is unique, unparalleled and unprecedented.” Also speaking, the President of Otunba Tunwase Foundation, Mr. Ladi Balogun, disclosed that the decision to donate the health facility to UI was informed by the need to ensure effective management. The Group Managing Director/Chief Executive of FCMB expressed optimism that the paediatric centre would live up to its mission of becoming the very best in all activities related to the survival of infants and children.

dren to benefit from the school. Another old boy, Dr. Tunji Braithwaite, who chaired the ceremony, stated that the Nigerian situation in terms of education, health and general wellbeing was pathetic, since “the monster of king corruption and impunity in Nigeria, at every level of civil administration, has exposed the tenuous and fragile foundation of the country’s brand of democracy to the danger it portends for the people.” Braithwaite continued: “The electoral, judicial and administrative systems and practices are so steep in corruption to the extent that, unless the people collectively and with singleness of purpose, stand up squarely to dethrone king corruption before any general election, there would be a catastrophic explosion.” He maintained that CMS Grammar school had, over the years, except for the years that government interfered, sustained the culture of moral education and sound academics, adding: “all our children attended CMS. Even if they have to go abroad, they must pass through this school, because we are serious stakeholders and we will not allow things to go awry in our alma mater.”

Ambassadors’ college wins French quiz By Wole Oyebade

HE Otunba Tunwase T National Paediatric Centre (OTNPC) at Ijebu-Ode in

CMS grammar school olds boys ask Nigerians to tackle corruption By Ujunwa Atueyi

HE Ambassadors College, T Otta, Ogun State has won the premiere edition of the annual French quiz competition for secondary schools, organised by the Nigeria French Language Village (NFLV) and Fatunde Francophony Foundation (FFF). Ambassadors’ duo of Olukoju Sharon-Tops and Oyerinde Hikmat Eniola edged other contestants from Jacobs High School, Ifo and ECCOWAS Cosmopolitan, GRA Otta, Ogun State to second and third place in the keenly contested competition. Nine schools, including the host, Corona Secondary School, Agbara participated in the contest. Quiz questions tested the contestants’ fluency on basics of French language, translation from French to English and vice versa, knowledge on Francophone African

countries and Major cities in France among others. Apparently impressed with the quality on display, initiator of the project and professor of French language, Tunde Fatunde, said the contestants had again reiterated that French language would not die in the country, rather “rewarding the effort of French teachers that have continue the tradition of teaching French language in Nigeria.” “I’ve listened to their answers to quiz questions and I’m quite impressed. I remember when I was at their age and in school, I couldn’t do as much as they have done today. The quality is quite impressive and the future brighter for French in Nigeria,” he said. Fatunde, the founder of FFF, said the competition was to raise awareness of French in respect of rising prospects for French speaking Nigerians both in Nigeria and Francophone countries in

Africa. Director General of the NFLV, Prof. Sam Aje urged the French students in Nigeria to be steadfast in their passion for French. Aje said their mastery of the international language avails an extra edge that could stand them out among the crowd in the highly competitive world. Fatunde in his welcome address had earlier appealed to authorities in secondary schools to encourage more pupils to register for the study of French because, among other things, the employment opportunities were enormous for those who study the language. He observed that Nigeria, surrounded by French speaking countries, is a major economic force in Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) where there are more French speaking States than their English speaking neighbours.

NUC, Omokaro foundation to develop curriculum on Gerontology ITH Nigeria projected to W be the 11th country with the largest population of older persons, by the year 2050, the National Universities Commission (NUC), in collaboration with the Dave Omokaro Foundation, is spear-heading the process of developing curriculum and producing experts in Gerontology and Geriatrics. According to NUC’s Visiting Scholar, in charge of curriculum development in Gerontology and Geriatrics for Nigerian Universities, Dr. Emem Omokaro, “it is a postgraduate programme because it is an area of specialisation, just like you have Paediatrics

after general medicine, although, right now, we have Gerontology as a unit course in Sociology, but Gerontology at post-graduate level will either be for professional or academic certification. So anybody with a first degree in Nursing, Sociology, Economics, Law, Public Health, anybody with a sound first degree, can come into Gerontology and go on, up to the PhD level and specialise. On how many universities would participate, she revealed” on curriculum development, so as to produce a preliminary draft benchmark statement on

Omokaro Gerontology and Geriatrics. This involved some international experts from the University of Valparaiso, Indiana, United States of America and several

Nigerian professors in different fields. We deliberated on the limitations of the present curriculum in Nigerian universities that barely mentions ageing and then sat down to look at the core courses that are required for a graduate in Gerontology. It was resolved that it could not be thrown to every university. We had to look at some universities that had some academic departments in certain fundamental programmes and also had depth in infrastructure and community service, so that we could harvest what was already in existence. The number has now been increased to 12:

University of Ibadan, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife; Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria; University of Benin, University of Jos, that had, over the years, had a relationship with the University of Valpariso and had started something on Ageing; University of Calabar, University of Nigeria, Nsukka; Bayero University, Kano; University of Lagos, University of Uyo, Usman Dan Fodio University, Sokoto and University of Port Harcourt. On why the Omokaro Foundation is undertakinf the projects, she explained: “Professor Dave Omokaro

(my husband of 30 years) believed so much in building capacity at whatever level. He was somebody that if you met and stayed a bit with him, he would tell you your potential, even if you already had a PhD. He would show you the next level to attain and also counsel you on how to get there. He was a lecturer’s lecturer and the student’s lecturer. I saw the man pick a bricklayer, somebody who just came to build our house and said, “this boy cannot be a bricklayer.” That boy holds a professional certification in Accountancy today. Everyone who lived with us has a university degree.

THE GUARDIAN, Thursday, June 20, 2013

NigeriaCapitalMarket NSE Daily Summary (Equities) as at Tuesday PRICE LIST OF SYMBOLS TRADED FOR 19/06/2013

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THE GUArDIAN, Thursday, June 20, 2013

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FCMB assures shareholders of good returns on investment in 2013 By Helen Oji

IrST City Monument Bank Fshareholders Plc (FCMB) has assured of good returns on investment and improved corporate performance in the next financial year. The Managing Director of the bank, Ladi Balogun, while addressing shareholders at the 30th yearly general meeting of the bank in Lagos yesterday explained that the banks major priorities in next three years include the acceleration of growth in demand deposit and savings account balances,

as well as reduction of cost of risk to enable it operate the most valuable retail franchise in the country. Balogun noted that this would make the bank become more competitive in the industry and enhance its profitability, which would ultimately add value to shareholders . He pointed out that the improved performance recorded during the year under review has shown that the bank has recovered strongly, adding that the

board is committed to ensuring that the performance improves further in 2013, despite all difficulties in the operating environment. “We anticipate that by 2015, retail banking should account for 40 per cent of our revenues and 50 per cent of our profits. This implies robust margins and a high efficiency model for the retail bank, driven by alternative channels such as mobile, agents and bank agents. “Our goal is to ensure that our cost to income ratio is below 50 per cent by 2015 so that we

can achieve a group return on equity approaching 30 per cent. We are on course for the attainment of a 75 per cent low cost deposit mix by 2015, and with the growth in retail loans, we foresee our net interest margins remaining consistently above eight per cent over the next two years. We look ahead to 2013 with great optimism and resolve that our performance can only get better and we will move from strength to strength.” He assured. The bank recorded gross earnings of N116.83 billion against

N75.70 billion posted in 2011, which represent an increase of 54.3 per cent. Profit after tax grew by 256 per cent to N15.12 billion in 2012, while profit before tax appreciated by 252.1 per cent during the period to close at N16.23 billion. Its loans and advances improved by 10.7 per cent to N357.79 billion against the N323.35billion declared in 2011. The bank’s total assets appreciated to N909billion in 2012 in contrast to the N895 billion in 2011.

The shareholders who approved the bank’s bonus issue of one share for every 25 shares held by its shareholders also lauded the management for returning the bank on the path of profitability. Specifically, the National Coordinator, Independent Shareholders Association of Nigeria Sunny Nwosu, commended the management for the impressive performance, while urging the bank to declare an interim dividend to compensate shareholders for non declaration of dividend in 2012 financial year.

THE GUARDIAN, Thursday, June 20, 2013

Opinion Contemporary problems of democracy (5) By Edwin Madunagu T is now time to conclude this appreciation. Ipearing Anthony Akinola’s Democracy in Nigeria is apat a particularly depressing period in the history of the country: It is a period in which many sincere patriots are frightened and pessimistic about the future of their nation. And to be frank with myself, as well as with my readers, the current appreciation is, in a sense, a statement of faith and hope, a statement of optimism about the survival of Nigeria as a corporate political entity. I try to banish all thoughts about Somalia, Rwanda and former Yugoslavia. Even then, I would not have embarked on this appreciation, let alone utilizing that opportunity to restate my faith, hope and optimism, if Akinola’s book had not been an intellectual product that exudes not only honest patriotism and optimism, but also creativity, freshness and boldness as well as strong and resilient conviction – from the first page. Each day that breaks witnesses literally uncountable number of productions, in various literary forms, on the same subject engaged by Akinola in his book – democracy in our country, Nigeria. But I would say with every sense of responsibility and moderation that most of these productions – or, more strictly, those that I see – are simply manifestoes of opportunism, cynicism and hypocrisy. Although Akinola and I belong to different “ideological camps” with different sets of ideas on how (the route to take) to attain a genuinely human and humane Nigeria, I can affirm, also responsibly, that Akinola’s Democracy in Nigeria is not one of the mass productions on “democracy” I have just characterized. Each of the 55 essays in this book presents us with propositions or assertions for debate or reflection. Beyond all this, however, is another attribute of Democracy in Nigeria: there are several ideas in the book that I can propose for inclusion in the radical left programme for a new Nigeria. These are ideas I had earlier described as “flashes of beauty” and “deep thought;” and if I may adapt a formulation in Andre Gorz’s Socialism and Revolution, I would call the ideas “humanist constants.” These relate to elements that a national programme of whatever general ideological orientation must embody to deserve consideration at all. These include education, health, empow-

erment of human hands to work and create (not to be stretched in supplication to other humans for survival), fundamental human rights, political democracy as well as equitocracy. The last is a concept of democracy, which goes beyond “one person, one vote”. Collegiality, zoning and rotation - currently being bastardised in Nigeria-are all elements of equitocracy. What I wish to do in the space that is left for me is to repeat one particular clarification, and then pull out some key propositions in Democracy in Nigeria for readers to reflect on. These I would take away as I close the book and place it back on the shelf. First, the clarification. Democracy in Nigeria had proposed in several of its constituent essays that there are no serious or substantive ideological differences in contemporary Nigerian politics. This proposition I had already refuted. But I had also proceeded to propose that two or more political groups with ideological differences can combine to pursue a specific political objective or a small number of specific political objectives. If the objective of the combination is general, rather than specific, then the combination is essentially a merger and Akinola would be right – in that particular instance – that there were no serious ideological differences separating the groups in the first place. Now, to the propositions. In the essay Beyond mere grumbling under The monster of corruption (Part 6), Akinola had said: “If we are genuinely concerned about our plights and rights, may be it is time we organize ourselves into a non-partisan group, subscribed to by patriotic Nigerians across the various divides. The trouble with Nigeria is significantly that of a followership that would rather grumble than act collectively in pursuit of desired objectives” (emphasis mine) (page 152). He quotes his friend, the late Tajudeen Abdul – Raheem: “Organize, not agonise”. (page 152). This is an explicit “call to action”, arguably the most explicit in the book. The “various divides” mentioned in the “call” are obviously “ethnic” and “religious” and the unstated common platform for action is the popular-democratic platform, or the “humanist constants”. In the fourth essay titled Presidency is the issue, the author says: “The argument that a potential president should be intelligent, competent and patriotic cannot, in any way, be faulted. How-

ever, those with such qualities can be found in all the geo-political zones of the Nigerian federation. The time will come, and it may not be long, when we see conventional wisdom in a remodeled presidency that is made up of an elected leader from each of the geo-political zones. The position of President who combines the functions of Head of State with that of the Chairmanship of the Collegiate can be based on rotation” (page 35). To this proposition, as I said in an earlier segment of this appreciation, I give a hundred percent “yes” vote. My only footnote is to the effect that the proposal should take effect now, for tomorrow may be too late. In the second paragraph of the 5th essay, Democracy and structures of governance, Akinola says: “I begin my comment by summarizing democracy as an idea which, among other things, is about respect for the rule of law, free and fair elections and the freedom of the individual within the confines of the law. A nation may choose to put in place political structures which accord with its realities. What makes such a nation democratic or not is the extent to which the principles of democracy are upheld in the society. Structures of political governance differ and vary in western countries. What we lack, and must seek to learn, is the primacy they accord to the principles of their chosen political systems” (page 37). My vote is “yes.” In the 6th essay, Ethnicity as a permanent phenomenon, he says: “Ethnicity is one phenomenon we are not going to be able to wish away, no matter how much we try. Accepting ethnicity as a reality to be confronted is the way forward to achieving a stable, democratic nation. The magnitude of the problem posed by ethnicity in our society emanates from its centralized nature. While it is perhaps inconceivable that a nation like the United States of America would disintegrate because of its ethnic components, the same can hardly be said about Nigeria. The ethnic population in America is dispersed, and that explains the major difference between that nation and ours” (page 41). My vote is again “yes” except that I would change “the major difference” to “one major difference.” The following proposition is in the 33rd essay, The iniquity of greed: “The Nigerian politician wins regular lottery in corrupt practices or shady deals. The saving grace for democracy of today, if one must be honest, has been the dis-

trust Nigerians have for the military. The experiences of governance between 1985 and 1998 do not recommend further military involvement in politics” (page 139). Historically true, although it can happen again without “recommendation.” In the synopsis to Part 8, Religion and religiosity, the author says: “Nigeria is one nation where a supposedly well-educated person could blame the breakdown of their vehicle on the evil machinations of witches, believing there would be need for prayers. The pastor or imam or priest feeds on this type of irrationality for their own economic advantages. However, the stability of Nigeria is hardly troubled by eccentric or excessive religiosity of the majority but by the determination of a very tiny minority to impose its values on the rest of society. Nigeria has suffered from all sorts of religious extremism in the past and is currently engaged in the battle with an extremist group whose sophistication in unleashing savagery has been unprecedented” (page 161). True, except that I would change “Nigeria...........is currently engaged in...” to “The Nigerian state is currently engaged in.....” In the 54th essay, Still on rotational presidency, Akinola says: “We do not do not have a “rotational presidency” yet, what we do have is “zoning” by individual political parties. Once there is a rotational presidency, the rules guiding the principle will be elegantly stated in the national constitution with all political parties mandated to follow them.” (page 212). This is closely followed by: “Rotational presidency, if included in the constitution as contemporary realities suggest it should, it may not be a permanent feature no matter how lofty an idea we think it is. It is customary practice in democratic nations with written constitutions to periodically review and possibly amend any provision of the constitution only when it may be deemed to have served its purpose. The idea of a rotational presidency cannot be an exemption. There is no doubt that a future generation will have its say in all of this, ridicule us if they so desire, but the duty we owe that future is to save the present” (page 215). This is an elegant application of dialectics, and my vote is an unqualified “Yes”. • Concluded

Scourge of hunger, malnutrition in Africa By Rasheed Akinkuolie UNGER and malnutrition with the accompanying long-term H negative effect on the mental and physical development of a child is a scourge that is under reported and underestimated in Africa. While significant successes have been achieved in the immunization of children against polio, combating malaria, and fighting HIV/AIDS, enough attention has not been given to the scourge of hunger and malnutrition in sub Saharan Africa, including Nigeria. The loss of 2 million children yearly to hunger is too significant to be ignored. A child that is immunized against childhood diseases may eventually succumb to hunger or lead a crippled life of slow mental and physical development, a misfit and burden to the society. On 8th June 2013, the summit on nutrition for growth or ‘hunger summit’ organized by the British prime minister and supported by G8 countries is scheduled to take place in London to draw attention of the international community to the scourge of hunger and malnutrition in developing countries. Hunger and malnutrition is essentially a problem of developing countries. And sadly enough, there is no adequate public awareness or any policy or strategy to combat it. Africa, led by Nigeria should seize the initiative now by taking measures to stop the current trend of hunger and malnutrition in children, without which the future of Africa of the next generation will be compromised and handicapped. Africans themselves should come to the aid of the African child, without which all other intervention efforts will be ineffective in the long term and Africa will perpetually be mired in a state of underdevelopment and poverty.

Hunger in rural Africa is a grim reality. Most African families are usually large, with earnings of less than $2 a day, children often get the least allocation of food, in a food crisis situation, thereby creating a situation of perpetual hunger and malnutrition. The meals are often not more than watery rice, maize or millet meals with minimal micro nutrients that could enhance the growth of the child. The policy of a meal a day in schools introduced in some states in Nigeria is worthy of study and emulation. A warm nutritious food is served to children on school days. The effect of this policy is multi-dimensional and it could be far reaching. First, it encourages school enrollment, minimizes absenteeism, and enables greater attentiveness in class. More importantly, a balanced and rich diet during the developmental years, would have significant long term impact on the overall mental and physical development of the child. International donor organisations, governments at all levels, could also understudy this policy and carry out pilot schemes by adopting schools in remote and rural communities as test cases. Foundations, philanthropic organisations, oil companies, banks, communication and multinational companies, could adopt schools and create soup kitchens that would intervene directly in community schools. The government should also take the lead in order to encourage other parties by dedicating a specific sum in its annual budget estimate for the school feeding project at primary and junior secondary school levels in government schools. The cost of such interventions need not be enormous. Africa is endowed with variety of grains, tubers and fruits that could furnish this project. The African black eye beans is high in protein, cassava, yam, sweet and Irish potatoes, millet, sorghum, rice are good

sources of carbohydrates. Oranges, watermelon, pineapples, mangoes in season are good sources of vitamins. Crayfish, guinea fowl eggs could be additional micronutrients that would enrich the meals. The good news is that these food items are available and abundant in most African countries and affordable A meal of beans mixed with crayfish and an orange could provide most of the daily micronutrient needs of a child. By empirical calculation, a meal of rice and beans with crayfish stew or beans with an egg and one orange would cost about N120 or 75 cents per child per day or N600 per child in a five days school week. The cost for an average school of 1,000 children is 600,000 a week or N2.4 million a month ($15,000) and in a school year of 9 months ($135,000) a year. This is a reasonable cost relative to the long-term benefits to the society. Local cooks, called ‘Mama put’ should be engaged in order to minimize the cost of cooking and preparing the meals. This project will also create employment in the affected rural communities, empower the families and reduce poverty. For long-term sustainability, community workers should teach rural families, especially the women on the significance of giving a child a balanced diet. Give instructions on the production of nutritious foods in the village garden and keeping layer chickens for their eggs, which should be served to children. The importance of fruits as a rich source of vitamins should also be made known. This effort should however go hand in hand with immediate direct intervention, which is very urgent and time is of essence. • Ambassador Akinkuolie is former Director of Policy Planning, former Director of Foreign Trade and Investment and Consul to Cameroon in Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

THE GUARDIAN, Thursday, June 20, 2013

Opinion Illusion musings over satellite technology By Emmanuel Esiemokhai MPRESSED by the Chinese launch of Shenzou Iministers, 10, the Nigerian President assembled his three scientists and politicians to receive a tall order about Nigerian space technology exploits that will see us in space and piloting around the universe of Man, “within the shortest possible time”. The President expressed “optimism that in the shortest possible time, the country would be able to manufacture and launch its own satellite, stressing that his administration was committed to the actualization of the definitive goals of the space programme”. Mr. President, what is the status of the Ajaokuta and Aladja and Oshogbo steel companies? By what magical conjuration will your administration launch a satellite “in the shortest possible time”. How can already very busy ministers, who have little or no knowledge of rocket science, be saddled with this onerous task? It is a notorious fact that rocket scientists very often sleep in their offices, per chance they receive some fresh inspiration. Instead of the present committee, please summon all the Heads of Science faculties of Nigerian universities in addition to the famous three. As a reader of science manuals, whenever I espy an equation, I feel inclined to shut the book. Yes, I can catch a lot of fish “within the shortest possible time”, but rocket science is much more complicated than fish science! There are lots of algebraic multiplications, division, factorisations of the highest complications. The lack of steady electricity alone makes the proposal a laughing matter. Some people who benefit from government, get angry when the government is criticized, even fairly. When the government puts out such a statement, the sensitiveness of logical minds is assailed. There is a limit to being lucky. Rocket science is not based on guess-work. There was a lot of talk about the June 12 mandate, yet to be retrieved. The failed attempt to name UNILAG after MKO, suggests that he was not held in high esteem by many young people, who demonstrated against the idea. In a country, where there is insufficient electricity, corrupt officials to the core, poor infrastruc-

ture, no high ideals, no spirit of sacrifice, no oneness, no scientific culture, no rigorousity in intellectual matters, where there is absolute reliance on foreigners to supply from pin to airplane, what are hearing about space rocket scientific project? It is my learned guess that if we set up 500 committees of all sorts, between now and 2015, the ruling/intellectual class could be bottled up in cozy hotels in Abuja; making haste slowly in their various “assignments,” then there is logical sense in setting up committees. The Nigerian elites consider such appointments as a mark of recognition. They will not attend the committee meetings after they have been sworn-in. They will shamelessly collect their allowances and use the opportunities that Abuja offers to seek for contracts and other material concerns. Then they will resign from the anticorruption campaign and join the 2015 chorus. I understand that the 2020 shenanigans have started with Amaechi, Akpabio, Isa Yuguda, being the most patronising persons of major Nigerian newspapers, as prospective candidates for president. They are famous for announcing how many roads they have built, which ordinarily, is their bonded duty. They have set the pace in self-advertisement, petty quarrels with all-comers and little-minded pursuits. They forget that 24 months from now, they could join the unemployable market, preside over the withdrawal of their state-owned private jets, orderlies, cars, contract-awarding ability, newspaper congratulations, fake birthday wishes by favour and fortune-seeking compatriots and other imperial trappings. Actually, without politics and the flow of hot cash that inevitably accrues from gubernatorial cakes and ice cream, many Nigerians, would not have been able to buy houses in Dubai and other exotic climes so, the morbid craze for political appointments is understandable. Many elite groups have no skills and so, they lean on political associations, bribe the press for cover, and hire better educated compatriots to write speeches for them, which they present at official gatherings with great energy and sweating in the process. They carry on with impunity. Aga emem ke? The fictional satire. The 2025 President of Songhai Republic summoned a meeting of the Space Committee to listen to the report of the Committee. The Sec-

retary of the Committee reported that the Chairman had become so old that he was blind and could not attend. Some of the prominent engineers had gone abroad to work in better organised states. The Secretary reported that there were challenges. For such a serious project, electricity must be continuous and very reliable. We had processed many scientific data, but each time the light went off, we had to start all over again. The foreign contractors, who collected advanced fees, left Nigeria and never returned. One of our rockets fell over the narrow bridge along that dilapidated road to the aerodrome. The civil servants insisted on some payment each time we went to collect allocations. The fuel we bought from NNPC was adulterated and so could not fire properly. The new officials in the Songhai Ministry of Scientific Research from Ijawland are not happy with the space project, saying that the oil resources were from the Delta/Songhai region. They strongly hold that such a wild goose chase was reminiscent of the 2020 failed Nirvana project. The elders asked why the authorities were always hallucinating about projects. As these discussions were going on, a rocket was launched, which exploded upon lifting off the rickety stand. A group of students, who were June 12 devotees passed by the Ministry chanting slogans. The student leader mounted the soap box and said, “Such projects as we have been told would be accomplished in 2015, 2020 or in 2025, result from political cunning, puerility of mind, simplicity in assessment of complicated phenomena, obfuscation of reality, inability to comprehend values of nobility of virtues, strands of imbecility.” A thunderous ovation appreciated the analysis. I chipped in by telling them that June 12, 1993, can be understood from both subjective and objective facts and that the events paint a mosaic and like the six blind men from Hindustan, who described an elephant depending on the part they touched, no one is absolutely correct about June 12, 1993. Those who have read through the Abiola File, can only smile at the noise the event generates every year. I have a story on the subject. I met Chief MKO Abiola in 1982, at Ile-Ife, where I taught International Law and allied subjects. His en-

tourage was heading for Ondo, for a meeting of his party. They arrived around 8.am. I met him at the newspaper kiosk and we exchanged pleasantries. He asked me if I lived around the vicinity and I said yes. He needed to visit the gents. He then told me that they had driven all night after various political meetings in various cities. He expressed optimism that he intended to play politics and become the President. He beamed his winning smile. He was hungry and would like to eat. Madam went into the kitchen and breakfast was served. He asked me to keep in touch through his political adviser, one Dr. Eugene Onwumere, now late. After the 1993 general elections and the simmering events that followed, it was clear that both centrifugal and centripetal forces were against his ascendancy to power. Many foreign governments felt that Abiola had strong convictions and would be difficult, if not impossible to manipulate, let alone control. As soon as he disputably won the elections, he is reported as having repudiated an oil concession agreement and refused to commit himself to the pay-out to some traditional leaders. Ibrahim Babangida was reported to have told him that there were problems ahead. Events unfolded quickly and got to the stage of declaration at Epetedo. I had told Dr. Eugene Onwumere to tell MKO that he should disregard the cacophonic and euphoric promptings that MKO should claim his mandate. I advised that if he wanted to head a government in exile, he must leave Nigeria with skilful academics in the relevant fields of political struggle, like the Biafrans had, like Professor Christopher Mezu, Ralph Uwechue, Okoko Ndem, Michael Okpara, Dr. Ifegwu and Ambassador Ifeagwu, Chinua Achebe, Christopher Okigbo, Dr. Pius Okigbo etc. I quickly saw through the prodding of some prominent Yoruba irredentists, favour and fortune-seekers, who had hoped to be ministers and that they were leading MKO into temptation and danger. The rest, they say is history. Some unserious members of June 12 movement have continued to flirt with any government in power. It is because there is no ideological conviction in their tirades. Before we crash-land a rocket into one of our cities, we should start with smaller projects. May God help us, Amen. • Professor Esiemokhai wrote from Dubai.

FAAN, Maevis and rule of law By Marcus Okechukwu AST Monday’s defeat at the Federal High Court, Lagos, of the Lcessionaire Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) by airport con– Maevis Limited – did not come to many as a surprise. Expectations had been high and those in the know of all the orchestration, clinically executed by the FAAN, knew that the agency would not go too far before the long arm of the law would prevail. That justice finally came the way of Maevis is an achievement that should be celebrated by Nigerians, particularly ardent lovers of the rule of law and haters of impunity, which FAAN appears to personify in recent times. FAAN had, on October 31, 2007 entered into an agreement with Maevis Limited to provide an integrated Airport Operations Management System (AOMS) for airports in the country. Maevis had described itself as a technology-focused company, which provides world class infrastructure assets, Information, Communication and Technology (ICT) solutions to the Nigerian and West African transportation (air, land and sea) and logistics industry. This credential must have attracted FAAN to the company to help it shore up its revenue base at the airports following which it entered into a concession agreement with it. The authority was expected to have scrutinised Maevis, and the other concessionaires in the aviation industry thoroughly and their capability to deliver on the terms of their concessions promptly before inking any agreement with them. Perhaps FAAN was so engrossed in delusion that it annoyingly forgot to do all the needful and later turned round to deny itself, which is tantamount to self-betrayal. However, while embarking on the odyssey, FAAN, urged on by

its parent – the Ministry of Aviation – and the Senate, ingloriously terminated the concession agreement with Maevis on May 23, 2011 after the company had invested billions of naira in equipment and personnel in fulfilment of its own part of the agreement. Justifying the decision, the Managing Director of FAAN, Mr. George Uriesi, explained to a bewildered nation that the move to terminate the concession agreement “was in line with the turn-around strategy of the agency to restore it to a state of normalcy and reposition it as a strong going concern”. Like a thunder bolt, FAAN and its officials, aided and urged on by some other people, consequently invaded the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in the crudest of manner, and physically roughened up officials of Maevis and drove them out of the airport. To the officials of the authority, this had marked the end of Maevis operations in the airports and the concession agreement both parties had. But, they were mistaken, if the judgement a few days ago is anything to go by. Without thinking twice FAAN handed over Maevis’ project to the multi-national Societe International Telecommunication Aeronautiques (SITA), which earlier bided for the same project and lost, even after a court of competent jurisdiction had restrained the authority from terminating the concession of the same project to Maevis. Expectedly, Maevis went to court again and beat FAAN to its game. Justice Buba Ibrahim awarded N5 billion as general damages to Maevis and said that it was wrong for SITA to have fraudulently taken the job from FAAN, after losing its bid initially, when it was aware of a pending court case over the project. Two airport concessionaires, Bi-Courtney Limited and AIS, had indicated several times that FAAN remains the most bellicose government agency in the country by winning several court

cases against the authority, which FAAN has, unfortunately, ignored. Even when the authority decided to go on appeal and lost, it still ignores such judgements, leading to avoidable controversies. For instance, Bi-Courtney had thrashed FAAN in cases involving the General Aviation Terminal (GAT), the Hotel and Conference Centre projects at the Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal Two (MMA), the mounting of billboards on the overhead bridge at MMA2 and the hotel projects, the debt owed Bi-Courtney by taking over GAT and many more, just the way AIS had floored FAAN over the lease of a parcel of land for a hotel project at MMIA. I can remember that despite court orders, the Ministry of Aviation had, through FAAN, redeveloped the GAT; FAAN, had rather mischievously announced that it has terminated Bi-Courtney’s leasehold on the Hotel and Conference Centre projects; the agency had also vandalised Bi-Courtney’s billboards at MMA2, among other controversial deeds. Perhaps, FAAN’s reaction to its recent court defeat by Maevis will be that the company manipulates the judgement; that the judgement is fake; that it was not represented in court, or that it is not aware of the judgement. We are still waiting. But, whichever way its reaction goes, the public is now fully aware that we have a monster at hand in FAAN; we have a government agency that does not even respect the Federal Government; that does not respect agreements it voluntarily entered into; that does not respect the courts; that does not respect itself. The FAAN cannot be doing the same thing in the same way at all times (irrational termination of concession agreements) and still expect a different result. Its action will continue to make the government lose revenue and good image, if there is any left, just the way its shadow will be pursuing it. • Okechukwu is a travel agency operator in Lagos.

THE GUARDIAN, Thursday, June 20, 2013

INTERVIEW 69

WOWe: A passion for promoting entrepreneurial skill among women a different perspective and dynamics to situations, and I believe their increased contribution will only help develop our great nation

The two day Women of West Africa Entrepreneurship (WOWe) conference which begins today at Eko Hotel Lagios is designed for young women entrepreneurs to meet, exchange best practice ideas and receive first-hand knowledge from Nigeria’s finest and most successful female entrepreneurs. It is also a chance to mingle with financial organisations, government agencies in women empowerment and SME development with interests in women empowerment and entrepreneurship. In a recent interview, Managing Director , Montgomery West Africa and the brain behind the conference, Tori Abiola, spoke on WOWe, her passion for women entrepreneurial development , challenges and the future… Excerpts. What inspired you to put together the WOWe Conference and what message are you looking to send across to women in Africa? NOTICED that there were a lot of bright, hard-working ambitious women in Nigeria/West Africa - that were not realising their full potential - not because they lacked ability, drive, committment or opportunity in terms of businesses that could be started in the country - but because they couldn’t get funds, and they didn’t have the fundamental business management skills and access to networks beyond their family and peers. This made me think about an event or platform that totally democratised access to finance, networks and knowledge. I think our nation is also at a point where you don’t necessarily have to find a job, or look for someone to employ you, but you should be creating jobs, seeking opportunities, there is so much to be done, but we often don’t have the resources, network, knowledge, courage to take up the challenge. I wanted to create an event which was a massive call to action for women, our nation about really fully utilising our best natural resource - people- in building our nation and creating wealth - and all the associated benefits with that. I think that women are an amazingly resilient force, however I think in we underplay our strengths and capacities. In business we also need to change the dynamics of how we are perceived. Women place a lot of limits on themselves, sometimes more than men or society does, and these limits can stop us in contributing to our societies and economies. I have always been passionate about doing business, at least the business of events, networking , exhibitions. I have never really wanted to work in a typical corporate environment, with a 9 to 5 remit, but it had nothing to do with me not wanting to work or being committed. I just found that I had an entrepreneurial spirit and approach. I found that although Lagos is to me the capital of entrepreneurship in Africa, and dare I say globally, we don’t have many structures, networks, in place to fully support and cultivate entrepreneurship in women. I wanted to create a platform that was totally dedicated to connecting business to finance, business management skills and each other. In my travel and work experience in South Africa, United Kingdom, - I found there were a number of initiatives in place to support and inspire women and Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs, we also have great organisations in Nigeria for that, but there is always room for more What are some of the challenges facing women entrepreneurs and what are some of

Tori Abiola

the initiatives that can be put in place to counter them? The biggest challenges are access to finance business management skills and know-how , attitude and self belief, societal/cultural pressures and preconceptions about women in business I think we need to actively lobby banks, financial services and investment organisations to support and develop SMEs and entrepreneurs. I think we need to rethink financing/collateral and security around funding businesses, We also need to get women to become financially literate and capable in book-keeping, accounting, investment and thinking about their businesses in a fully professional is important Women also need to think bigger, and work collaboratively across their networks to reach their goals. There is business and opportunity in Nigeria, West Africa, we just need to think in a way that we can realise these opportunities, and have the skill, knowledge and access to finance to build these businesses. How can stakeholders from both public and private sectors help empower women entrepreneurs in Nigeria? Through collaboration: many different organisations share the same goals in this space, but by collaborating, not only do you gain in economies of scale, but you have greater reach, remit and influence and can therefore push your change agenda in more effective and impactful way. We should focus on knowledge sharing, which will allow us to effect change in an informed manner. We need to meet everyone at their own level. Women should learn to connect better and negotiate more favourable terms with financial services institutions and the latter should work more towards understanding women and their needs. We should also continue to encourage our young people to live out their entrepreneural ambitions, but put collective pressure on key stakeholders to ensure there is an enabling environment for women entrepreneurs to thrive. It’s not all take , take, take, from women. Many people now access the internet through mobile appliances - women should be googling /researching business plan templates, business management courses - the IFC SME Toolkit offers some guidance. We should be sharing with each other best practices and then evolving and benchmarking those best practice outcomes till we have our desired outcome, of a fully thriving pros-

perous nation - which has active participation from all segments our society including women! How can collaboration between women and financial policy and aid agencies be enhanced despite the issues of lack of education or business expertise? By working through organisations and lobby groups like WOWe, and other women’s associations, but doing this in a strcutured way, with clear outcomes. I think what is critical is dialogue across all levels of decision making in this matter. Women should be able to engage with agencies and agencies should engage with women - it should not be a top down or bottom up approach but a side by side initiative to evolve lasting solutions - and ensure everyone that matters is carried along. We are also organising a private roundtable on 21 June at Eko Hotel which will feature what we believe to be the key enablers to empowering women enterpreneurs in Nigeria What are some of the steps we can take to encourage a mind shift among men and the African society to fully support and embrace the changing role of women in the home and in the work place. I know it’s difficult, but I think we need to start looking beyond gender and associated stereotypes of gender, both from women and from men, and to take people as they are in their entirety regardless of their sex. Having said that , there is the whole nature versus nurture argument, and I have to say that I am aware that providing access to women in education and networking is critical in redressing the current status quo. I think men should see it as a positive thing that women want to actively and visibly contribute to the wealth of their homes, livelihoods and ultimately the nation. How can we create a resource pool, sharing of expertise, sound communication and cooperation amongst women ? WOWe has over 15,000 followers on Facebook, we hope to reach 500,000 in the future - we are now working developing our membership organisation as well as being featured on the IFC SME Toolkit to leverage the platform we have created to empower women and impart business knowledge. Women are often under-represented in public administrations, governance institutions etc.. What effect do you think this has on the Nigerian economy? The more representation you have of women in all positions within our society, the better it will be for all of us. Women bring

What is your advice for women who aspire to become entrepreneurs? Be smart with your time, money, network and knowledge. Everyone says that money doesn’t matter , but it really does. You need to get access to finance right, you need to understand that cash flow is the lifeblood of a business and you can’t bury your head in the sand about this Life is unpredictable, but as much as possible plan and prepare for all outcomes, related to your business Manage people’s expectations around you. Be brave, hardworking, deliver on your word. Invest in your character and reputation . YOU are your biggest asset and commodity: treasure, nurture and develop that. Choose the people who work for you, with you and that you work for carefully - it is always better to work around people who share your values, goals and have a similar outlook - it will make work more enjoyable also! And just go for it! What will attending the WOWe Conference do for the Woman Entrepreneur or the aspiring Woman Entrepreneur? This conference will give you courage, inspire you and allow you realise your entrepreneurial dreams and aspirations, with solid information and a reputable network to support you. Attending a women’s event and awards ceremony in the UK changed my life. It made me realise I needed to just go for my dreams, my instinct, my entrepreneurial belief and although it hasn’t been smooth sailing, I have not regretted the decision for one minute. Being an entrepreneur is challenging, lonely, highly risky and requires courageous decision making, but it is also extremely rewarding . I hope the event will inspire women entrepreneurs to thrive, inspire them to push themselves to the next level of their development and I hope that the delegates go away making good connections and good business that day! We want to enrich the lives of our participants . We want to make sure that they have all the tools, networks and information necessary which provide a solid foundation for their business success There is nothing like seeing people like you tell you their stories, good and bad to get you up and running! What issues will you like to address at the WOWe Conference? We are going to focuse on taking women to the next level of their businesses. We want to move women away from trader/sustenance type of businesses to sustainable profitable businesses which contribute significantly to the nation and their personal livelihood, create jobs, and which will, hopefully, outlive them We will look at:- Roadmap to excellence in Enterpreneurship …what makes a wining Entrepreneur?- What is the DNA of an entrepreneur? -Accessing Finance- Developing entrepreneurial skills- Attracting investors- Getting listed on the stock exchange - Thriving in maledominated industries… What is next for WOWe? We are developing a training element to WOWe programme and are actively looking for partners who are interested in training women in business skills, as well as those who want to provide finance opportunities for women. We are launching our membership organisation and secretariat which will act as a resource pool and platform for women entrepreneurs to seek information they require to access finance and develop their business management skills We want to take WOWe to Ghana and South Africa We are also developing a series of women leadership and development events targeted at other sectors such as Banking and Finance, Extractive Industries, Technology, Science and Engineering. WOWe will be launched in Ghana, South Africa in the next year or so and we would like to develop a pan-African offering which will also enable us to realise our goals around intra-African trading and Pan Africanism.

THE GUARDIAN, Thursday, June 20, 2013

Sports Brazil 2013 Confederations Cup

Onazi may return, as Uruguay, Nigeria battle for survival NJURED Super Eagles midfielder, Ogenyi Onazi may Ireturn to the starting line up

Super Eagles celebrating one of Nnamdi Oduamadi’s goals against Tahiti on Monday. Mikel is sure that Nigeria will beat Uruguay today.

PHOTO: AFP

We aim to beat Uruguay, says Mikel Eagles midfielder, SaimUPER Mikel Obi says Nigeria will to beat South American champions, Uruguay, when they meet today in their second game of the on-going Confederations Cup in Salvador, Brazil. The African champions expectedly thrashed minnows Tahiti in their opening FIFA Confederations Cup game and the Chelsea midfielder has assured the Super Eagles are in Brazil to fly Africa’s flag highest. In an interview published by MTNFootball.com, Mikel described today’s game against Uruguay as a potential good game, which he is looking forward to.

Mikel said the Eagles are prepared to go all out to earn victory against Uruguay, although he acknowledged that the South Americans would be tougher than Tahiti. Mikel, who said the Super Eagles would do their best tom write their names in the history books, added that Nigeria could win the trophy. He said, “we will just play each game as they come, first target is to advance to the next stage, then we will take it from there. “I am not afraid of any of the teams. I have never been afraid of any team, we are equal to the task. I respect all the teams here in our group because we are all champions and we will go all out against

all of them.” He refused to be drawn on the possible outcome of their encounter with Spain on Sunday, saying, “our next game is against Uruguay, that is my focus now and that of the team. I am not thinking of Spain now but we are good enough to face any team in the world.” The Chelsea star rates last season as a success because “I made another history with my team winning the Europa League. Though I didn’t get what I dreamt of last season. “I wanted to retain the UEFA Champions League trophy, but could not. But the season ended well with another European title.”

The Plateau United former star disclosed that winning the African Nations Cup has added to his zeal to aspire for trophies, “which has been a habit since I joined Chelsea.” Mikel says the country’s penchant for late goals, as seen in the World Cup qualifiers, shows the character of the team, adding, “I never gave up hope that we will get the goals needed in those games because we were playing well. “We should all know that there are no longer easy games and especially being African champions means every team wants to beat us, but no matter what, we remain focused in every game we play.”

Okagbare retains 100m crown, as Calabar culture dazzles foreign-based athletes FRICA’S fastest woman, A Blessing Okagbare, yesterday at the U.J Esuene Stadium, Calabar, left her challengers on the blocks to retain her title at the on-going Cross River/AFN All Nigeria Athletics Championship. The U.S.-based Beijing 2008 Olympics bronze medalist returned on a time of 11.25 seconds to beat another America-based star, Gloria Asunmu, who finished on 11.47 seconds to place second and Peace Ukor of the Civil

Defence, who made it on 11.67 seconds to pick the bronze medal. It was a day the host city, Calabar, decided to dazzle the Nigerian athletes, who came from the United States, Great Britain and other parts of the world with its rich cultural dances. And thrilled by the dances, which some of the athletes were seeing for the first time, the stars could not help but join the troupe in the Oban and other dance steps presented by the hosts during yesterday’s opening ceremony.

Back pain forces Venus out of Wimbledon IVE-TIME singles champion, Fforced Venus Williams has been to pull out of

Cross River/AFN All Nigeria Athletics Championship

From Gowon Akpoonor, Calabar

in today’s game against Uruguay, Coach Stephen Keshi has said. Keshi told a press conference yesterday that he hopes to have the Lazio star back after he missed the Tahiti game to undergo treatment on a knee injury in Nigeria. Despite contrasting results in their opening games, Uruguay and Nigeria approach today’s encounter between the sides knowing defeat could spell the end of their Confederations Cup ambitions. Uruguay lost 2-1 to Spain on Sunday, before Nigeria surged to the top of Group B with a 61 demolition of Tahiti, but the meeting of the South American and African champions was always destined to be pivotal. With both teams expected to lose to world champions, Spain, and beat Tahiti, a win at Arena Fonte Nova would leave the victors in a strong position to progress to the semifinals. The Uruguay Coach, Oscar Tabarez has described the Nigeria fixture as “our key match,” while the captain Diego Lugano said the game was “our final.” Diego Forlan, the striker, who now plays for the Brazil club Internacional, echoed their sentiments, although a draw would leave the qualification situation in the balance ahead of Uruguay’s final group game against Tahiti. “Losing to Spain is something normal,” he said. “Now we must forget that match and prepare ourselves to play

The state is preparing to host what it described as the best National Sports Festival in Nigerian history next year and the people see the ongoing championship as the avenue to display some of the cultural dances to the visitors. The test run was fantastic. Some of the cultural dances displayed by the people aside the popular Oban from Ugep, included Moninkim from Ikom and a symbolic traditional display of the Obong of Calabar. Meanwhile, Kefas Williams of the Police won the men’s

10,000 meters walk in a time of 31:19.26 ahead of Ismail Sadjo of Cross River, who returned at 31:21.20 and Goyet Gideon of Civil Defense (31:21.48). Adeyemi Kazeem also of the Nigerian Police won the men’s 20km walk, while Uwa Abibie of Cross River was second and Lawal Oluwaseun was third. In the female 20km walk, Asedo Roseline of the Police won ahead of Queen Henshaw and Bolanle Kareem, just as old timer, Patience Okoro, won the women javelin event with a throw of 41.87 metres.

against Nigeria. We knew before coming to Brazil that our most important game was against Nigeria and nothing has changed because we lost to Spain.” Nigeria’s preparations for the tournament were dogged by controversy after the squad initially missed their scheduled flights to Brazil in protest at a row over bonus payments. Stephen Keshi, the coach, said he was relieved to put the furore behind him with the victory over Tahiti, although he was critical of his forward players for not putting the game to bed more quickly. “I wouldn’t say I was annoyed, but I was worried when we did not take our chances because it gave our opponents hope,” he said. “We had clear chances, 100 per cent chances, and you need to bury the goals.” Although Uruguay’s players were made to look like statues by Spain’s passing carousel during their opening match in Recife, Luis Suarez did give the South Americans’ fans a moment to cherish with a fine late free kick. The Liverpool striker is confident that his countrymen will rise to the occasion. “Us Uruguayans are used to having it tough. For that reason, we’re really not worried,” he told the Fifa website, citing their qualification for the 2010 World Cup via an intercontinental play-off and their 1-0 victory away to Venezuela in a 2014 qualifier this month. “Uruguay can go toe to toe with anybody. We’re fully aware of that. We might have had a setback against Spain, but there’s still a long way to go and we’re going to bounce

Wimbledon, which begins on Monday, because of a back injury. Williams, 33, struggled with the problem during the claycourt season and has not played since pulling out of the doubles at the French Open. “I will not be able to participate in Wimbledon,” she wrote on Facebook. “I am extremely disappointed as I have always loved The Championships. I need to take time to let my back heal.” Former world number one, Williams, has not missed the tournament since making her debut in 1997, with her singles victories coming in 2000, 2001, 2005, 2007 and 2008. The American has become increasingly injury prone in recent years, as well as suffer-

ing with the auto-immune disease, Sjogren’s syndrome. She had been enjoying a decent season until the back problem occurred, reaching two semi-finals on the WTA Tour and climbing back up to 34 in the rankings. “I look forward to returning to the courts as soon as possible, with my goal being to return to Mylan World Team Tennis on July 8 in Washington DC,” she added. “Many thanks to my fans for the love and support and I will be seeing you very soon back on the courts.” Williams complained of back problems after her first round defeat at the French Open by Poland’s Urszula Radwanska last month, then cited the injury when she and her sister, Serena went on to pull out of the doubles competition.

THE GUARDIAN, Thursday, June 20, 2013

SPORTS 75

EUROPEAN ROUND UP

I want to stay, Fabregas tells Barca C

ESC Fabregas has admitted he has struggled to win around the unanimous support of the Barcelona fans and press, but reaffirmed his commitment to the club by declaring he wants to become “an idol” at the Nou Camp. The former Arsenal man has been linked with a move away from Catalonia because he has not developed into a regular starter since he returned to his boyhood club in 2011. He told radio channel Cope how hard it has been to convince the media and some sections of the support of his worth. “Perhaps during some games there has been a bad feeling in the Nou Camp towards me but you have to lift yourself up and get on with it because if you think about it too much, in a stadium as imposing as the Nou

Camp, you will sink,” he said. “When I signed for Barcelona the Catalan press were very favourable towards me and I will always be grateful for the support they gave me. After that, they focused very closely on my performances. “Fans think that every time you touch the ball you have to provide an assist. But I’m happy with my record.” He also denied that last season was any tougher than previous years he has had with Barcelona or Arsenal. “Every season is difficult. Football wouldn’t be as enjoyable as it is if it was easy,” he said. “I try and put a positive spin on everything and I don’t think it’s been too difficult. You always want to improve when you aren’t playing as much and when you are on the pitch you always want to do well.

“Whenever I finish a season I sit down on the sofa on my first day off and always say ‘that was tough’. I always come to the same conclusion.” Fabregas emphasised that he was aware of the pressure at Barcelona before he signed and knew how hard it would be to succeed there, but was determined to continue at the club. “I have always said that it’s my dream to triumph here. When I took the step of coming to Barcelona I did so thinking I would end up retiring here. I came here with the idea of jumping over hurdles,” he added. “When I signed I said it would be the most difficult challenge of my life. It still is and it always will be. My biggest dream is to be an idol at the Camp Nou. I’m going to work as hard as I can to triumph in a big way in this team and in this club.”

Man United begins title defence against Swansea AVID Moyes was given a Mourinho - the following If it goes down to the last D challenging start to life as weekend. Then United plays day - as it did two seasons ago Manchester United manager great rival Liverpool away - United will be away at yesterday, with his new team handed fixtures against Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester City in the first five matches of its Premier League title defence. Moyes already has a tough job replacing the great Alex Ferguson, who retired after nearly 27 trophy-laden years at Old Trafford, and the release of the 2013-14 fixture list hasn’t given him any respite. After opening its title defense at Swansea, United hosts Chelsea - also under a new manager in Jose

before a trip to City on the weekend of Sept. 21. Mourinho’s first match in his second spell with Chelsea is at home to newly promoted Hull while Manuel Pellegrini’s first taste of action as City’s new manager comes at home to Newcastle. The opening round of the season takes place on the weekend of Aug. 17-18. Given all the managerial appointments among the big clubs, it is anticipated that this season’s title race will be one of the most hotly contested in years.

Isco price won’t be dropped, Malaga insists ALAGA has warned those M looking to snare highlyrated forward Isco that they will not be dropping their asking price. The Spain U21 international, who helped his country to European U21 Championship success on Tuesday, has admitted to receiving offers from Manchester City and Real Madrid. Two European heavyweights are ready to slug it out for Isco’s signature, but they will also need to reach an agreement with his cur-

rent employers for a transfer to be pushed through. Malaga appreciate that talks are inevitable, but have made it clear that they will hold out for the best possible price. Isco has a clause in his contract which requires interested parties to put €35million (£30m) on the table before discussions can begin, and Vice-President, Moayad Shatat says that fee will have to be matched if one of Spain’s brightest young stars is to be on the move this summer.

Frankfurt holds talks with Bendtner UNDESLIGA side, Eintracht B Frankfurt is in talks with Arsenal striker, Nicklas Bendtner, according to Sports Director, Heribert Buchhagen. The 25-year spent last season on loan at Italian champions Juventus, but he struggled to make his mark in Serie A after failing to find the net in his nine league appearances. Bendtner had been linked with moves to Malaga and Hamburg, amongst other European clubs, but

Buchhagen says that Frankfurt is in discussions with the Denmark international. “We are in serious negotiations with Bendtner,” he told BT. Frankfurt had reported to have been chasing Sparta Prague striker, Vaclav Kadlec, but their pursuit of Bendtner could mean the move is now on standby, as Buchhagen denied that any deal has been done.

Southampton, City is at home to West Ham and Chelsea visits Cardiff, one of the other promoted teams.

Carroll inks six-year record deal with West Ham NGLAND international E striker, Andy Carroll has completed a permanent switch from Liverpool to West Ham on a six-year deal and for a club record fee, the Premier League side announced. No financial details were given but media reports have suggested the deal, which includes an option for a further two years in the club’s favour, is worth a reported 15.5 million pounds ($24.19 million) plus extras. Carroll, the club’s top scorer in 2012-13, underwent a strin-

gent medical at the East London club after injuries limited him to 24 games last season. “The marquee signing represents a significant step for the Club as they prepare to move to the 54,000-seater Olympic Stadium in 2016, with Carroll set to play a central role having committed his long-term future to the Hammers,” West Ham said on their website (www.whufc.com). The 24-year-old was loaned to West Ham in August 2012 as Liverpool changed their playing style under Manager,

Brendan Rodgers. A heel injury in West Ham’s final game of the season meant Carroll missed England’s recent friendlies against Ireland and Brazil. The towering forward became Britain’s most expensive player in January 2011 when Liverpool signed him from Newcastle for 35 million pounds on transfer deadline day. “It’s fantastic for me to be here. I really enjoyed last season, and that shows in me coming back and making it permanent,” said Carroll.

THE GUARDIAN, Thursday, June 20, 2013

SPORTS 77

THE GUARDIAN, Thursday, June 20, 2013

Egypt 2013 Youth Olympics Qualifier

Team Nigeria in poor start as Adebayo, Ojomu fall By Olalekan Okusan EAM Nigeria yesterday T began its campaign on a poor note with the junior teams losing its matches at the first qualifiers for the table tennis event of 2014 World Youth Olympic Games, holding in Egypt. Despite a good performance by the duo of Iyabo Adebayo and Ajoke Ojomu in the girls’ team event of the tournament tagged Egypt Junior and Cadet Open, the duo could not survive the onslaught of experienced Chinese Taipei teenagers. Adebayo fell 11-3, 11-3, 11-5 to YuWen Huang, Ojomu also conceded defeat to Hung Hung 113, 11-5, 11-8, while in the doubles, the young Nigerians also succumbed to the Asian players 11-3, 11-4, 11-5 to give the

Chinese Taipei players a 3-0 win. In the boys’ event, the combination of Olasunkanmi Oginni and Babatunde Babafemi were on the losing side, as they were beaten by Egypt and India in a group that is made up of four nations. However, despite the poor results, the Coach of the team, Dotun Omoniyi was not particular discouraged. He disclosed that he was impressed that the players put up a good fight in their first outing in an international tournament. According to Omoniyi, with more exposure the players would hold their own against any team. “I don’t think we should be discouraged by the outcome of the matches, but we should take solace in the fact that

these players are coming out for the first time and they were never intimidated by the pedigree of their opponents. “For me, I think the future is bright for them and we just need to give them more opportunities to express themselves in subsequent competitions,” he said. The Germany-trained tactician lauded the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF) for giving the players the rare privilege, which has eluded them in the past years. Also speaking on the games, the leader of the delegation and acting secretary of NTTF, Ademola Owoeye, said attending the tournament has afforded Nigeria and host, Egypt, 100 per cent chance to be part of the World Youth Olympics holding next year in Nanjing, China.

Lawmaker laments state of Kaduna’s sports facilities From Bashir Bello, Kaduna HE Chairman, Kaduna T State House of Assembly Committee on Sports, Bityong Yakubu Nkom says the condition of sporting facilities in the country is unacceptable and must be addressed for the growth of the sector. Speaking while sponsoring a motion on the floor of the house, Nkom, a former

Commissioner of Youth Development and Sports in Kaduna State, was particular about the sporting facilities at the modern Murtala Square, Kaduna, lamenting there the loopholes in the lease agreement, which has led to poor utilisation and management of facilities at the complex. “The facilities were constructed and upgraded mainly for two reasons, which include to enable the state

host the 2009 National Sports Festival, tagged: KADA Games, and also to provide for facilities or playground for athletes and sport lovers in the state. “The facilities were put together with the sum of over N3 billion and the complex include the Shehu Yar’Adua indoor sports hall, Olympic side swimming pool, hockey pitches, all the outdoor courts (basketball, volleyball and handball), VIP hall and

Nigeria’s Jonathan Akinyemi during the London 2012 Olympic Games. Rowing Federation wants NSC’s help in clearing its boats at the Apapa Wharf.

Rowing Federation’s boats rot at Apapa Wharf From Ezeocha Nzeh, Abuja RESIDENT of the concesP sioned Nigeria Rowing, Canoe and Sailing Federation, Rear Admiral Festus Porbeni Rtd, has pleaded with both the Nigeria Navy, Customs and the National Sports Commission (NSC) to come to its aid and secure the release of the five boats, which was donated to the federation by the international body in 2004. The boats have been held at the Apapa for nine years. The president regretted that since the boats were donated to the federation for the development of water sports, it has not been able to raise the N5 million required to clear them from the seaport,

adding that the delay in the release of the water sports equipment has negatively affected the federation’s preparation of its athletes to championships. Speaking during the oneday rowing, canoeing and sailing exhibition and summit organised by the federation yesterday at the Jabi Lake in Abuja, Porbeni said the international body has decided to stop further donation of equipment and technical aid to Nigeria when it gathered that it was not able to clear the first consignment nine years after it was sent to Lagos. He lamented that other equipment originally meant for Nigeria had been donated to Togo and Benin Republic.

“We have seen that the are great medal potentials in water sports if properly harnessed. This is a sport that produces more than 65 medals in championships, and I believe that Nigeria has the potential to excel in it. But it is unfortunate that water sports has continued to suffer from been recognised in the country. “This could account for why we are not able to raise the required N5 million to clear our technical equipment that was donated to the federation by the international body since 2004. I plead with the Nigeria Custom Service to please release this equipment to us as their contribution to the development of water sports in the country since we cannot afford the money to clear them.

THE GUARDIAN, Thursday, June 20, 2013

TheGuardian

Thursday, June 20, 2013

Conscience, Nurtured by Truth

By Oguntoye Oluwaseyi “The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man; neither shall a man put on a woman’s garment: For all that do so are abominations unto the Lord thy God” — Deuteronomy 22 v 5, King James Version. Please send reactions and feedback for YOUTH SPEAK to:

T is instructive that I start with this caveat: Iespouse This is no religious writing and it does not any religious leaning. It is the interaction of religion and state policy that has bewildered me for some time and I think the recent incident of Miss Damilola Ekundayo, who was ejected from her Ogun State orientation camp for refusing to wear the prescribed kits, has set the spring board for a careful analysis of this delicate relationship. Perhaps, more interesting is a question that has been disturbing me since then: For religious adherents, which is more important; the laws of the state or that of God? I have come across the text of Prof. Wole Soyinka’s presentation as the inaugural winner of the Obafemi Awolowo Prize for Leadership (The Nigerian Tribune, March 7, 2013 pgs. 47-50). In those four pages, his brilliance and ingenuity that has made him an international icon unravelled before me. The presentation was titled, “Winding down history: Religion and Nation, Power and Freedom”. It was so powerful that after reading it at four different times, the words seem new every time I pick up the paper again. It was a masterpiece; not only for his rich and enrapturing wealth of language to which we are accustomed but in his proper analysis of the intractable relationship between religion and nationhood. I have found the brilliant thoughts of the Nobel laureate unavoidable in my discourse. Ekundayo refused to wear the NYSC prescribed kits and insisted on wearing skirts as against trousers and was, therefore, in violation of the guidelines setting up the scheme. It is her reason for this refusal that has inspired this write-up. She claimed wearing trousers goes against her religious beliefs. It brings a question to the fore. Does she have the right to demand that her religious beliefs be respected? In that presentation, Soyinka gave two illuminating examples of misplacement of policy priority. First, it was the refusal of some teachers to allow some students write their examinations because they wore hijab. Second, it was the refusal of some two doctors in the United Kingdom to treat their patients unless they wore the hijab. These two similar scenarios in different climes pose the same inquiry; of what relevance is hijab to writing an examination and receipt of treatment? While the “if you are a club member, you observe the rules of the club” cliché holds true, he wrote; “all institutions have the right to set their own rules –as long as these do not violate constitutional rights - including dress codes and accessories that are symbolic of the school’s founding principles, philosophy and ideology.” This specifically has been used by many to criticise her. It has been argued that she signed up to the scheme and must be aware of the rules and cannot now complain that her religious beliefs are threatened. This thinking is flawed. First and foremost, she has a right guaranteed by the constitution that her religious beliefs must be respected. Section 38 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) states that “every person is entitled to freedom of thought, conscience and religion, including freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom in community with others (whether in public or in private) to manifest or propagate his belief in worship, teaching, practice and observance”. Soyinka qualifies this; “Translated in plain, practical terms, it establishes the principle that religion should be recognised as a right, not a privilege and that a citizen’s desire for spiritual fulfilment deserves to be assisted as a basis for both social understanding and governance equity”. This brings out the jurisprudential question; is Section 3 subsections (h) of the NYSC 2012 bye-laws superior to Section 38 of the 1999 Constitution, to the effect that her right to observe her religious beliefs becomes subsumed under her willingness to serve her fatherland? I bet it doesn’t take five years in a law faculty to answer that question. The constitution is the grundnorm and by virtue of Section 1, it is superior to any other enactment. The NYSC guidelines, therefore, must be in conformity with the spirit of the constitution. I believe Ekundayo’s case is important for two reasons; one, it reveals the hypocrisy called religion as practised in Nigeria and at its highest; it exposes an unfortunate failure of Christian leadership. Second, it epitomises the main reasons why the much-

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Religion, trousers and the female corps members

needed change might be far from this country. I had an interesting discourse with my cousin who just returned from his orientation camp in Ondo State. I sought his opinion on this matter as he seems more ‘religious’ than I appear to be. He told me that it confuses him when devout Christian ladies vow not to wear trousers. When they are reminded of NYSC, they are always quick to make an exception. Then he would ask them; what if a truly venerable figure comes when they are in the orientation camp, what would they say? At that point, they become muted. This simply opens the hypocrisy that colours our Christian life and it explains why the heroic Christian stance of this dynamic lady did not receive the needed support from the Christian community especially our jet-obsessed Bishops and GOs. The above biblical passage has been interpreted in so many ways by different denominations. But translated literarily, it means that the wearing of trousers is forbidden for a Christian female. However, it is not the correct interpretation that is under discourse here. Of greater importance is the fact that this literal meaning is shared and upheld by many denominations—Deeper Life Christian Ministry, Redeemed Christian Church of God, the Nigerian Baptist Convention, to mention but a few. This confirms that Daminlola’s religious beliefs are not shared by her alone but has popular support

among Christians. Now, if most pastors would frown at a lady wearing trousers to church for a Sunday service, what justifies the acceptance of trousers for NYSC? If it is truly believed that the Holy Bible disallows women from wearing trousers, through which means was the exception to allow it for NYSC created? In the same vein, given that most churches frown at women wearing trousers to church, the same church leaders were silent when the issue came up. It is a total lack of leadership. It is already established that this literal interpretation of that Biblical passage is upheld by many churches in the country. Then, one wonders why the same religious leaders that know that she was standing on the truth didn’t come out in her support. Where were the Adeboyes, the Kumuyis, the Oyakhilomes and the Olukoyas when one sheep from the flock was in dire need of a voice to lean on? Probably they had travelled to the jet manufacturing plants in Brazil and China to find out the next innovation; since that is the pre-occupation now. Or perhaps, they were saying in their hearts; “She should have given Caesar what belongs to Caesar”. Damilola stood for her faith in the face of ejection from camp and such act of bravery and Christian steadfastness was not lauded. Ideally, she should be a role model for religious firmness. A visit to those private schools established by these churches would interest you. They maintain a strict dressing

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code which for ladies disallows the wearing of trousers. Unless I am convinced by superior argument that the origin of that regulation is not from the book of Deuteronomy 22 v 5, does it not make a mockery of the rule when those same students are allowed to wear that same forbidden trousers for NYSC? This incident in its simplest form showcases everything wrong with this country. Damilola didn’t do anything wrong. Her only mistake was her attempt to change an established norm; one established and perpetuated in hypocrisy. Christian leaders see nothing wrong with ladies wearing trousers for NYSC when same action would entail condemnation on a normal Sunday service. But, if I may ask, what is so strange about wearing skirt for NYSC? Policewomen wear skirts. Between NYSC, which is only a paramilitary scheme and the Nigerian Police Force, which is more critical and important to the country? So if police women can be allowed to wear skirts, what stops female corps members? Also the concept of conscientious objection is not strange to our polity. It is a situation whereby citizens could reject conscription into the Armed Forces based on their religious beliefs. It has constitutional backing. Now, if I can reject my country’s call to defend her in times of emergency because of my religious beliefs, does it not sound stupid to think that I cannot refuse a habiliment for a mere paramilitary service because of that same belief? Jehovah witnesses don’t sing the national anthem and none has ever been kicked out of school because of that. In fact, the right of conscientious objection demonstrates the high esteem to which the state regards the right to religion. Those that argue that she knew the rules before going to the camp do not understand the issues. Those are the rules because no one has ever stood up to assert her religious beliefs and challenge them. No ‘genuine’ Christian sister has been brave enough to ask for an amendment of the guidelines to suit her religious leanings. Instead, they all abandon their religious beliefs when going to camp. Comparison with membership of a club is flawed. Membership of a club is voluntary and as such you are required to obey the rules as you join of you own volition. The Iranian women national team was thrown out of the Olympics football qualifiers because they insisted on wearing their hijab. Playing in the Olympics is voluntary and they have to follow the rules if they wish to participate. But the comparison stops there. NYSC is not a voluntary scheme, it is compulsory for any graduate that wishes to seek employment in the country. It is a prerequisite, one that its avoidance renders useless for employment purposes, the years spent in the higher institution. As such, it is a general scheme and knowing fully well, the sensitivity of religion in this country, modalities should be put in place for the incorporation of religious beliefs of all citizens in the scheme. As I said, it demonstrates everything wrong with this country. Instead of us to stand up for our rights where they are being trampled upon, we silently suffer just to avoid being made an example. This act of forced submissiveness in the face of discomfort has kept us in bondage for a long time. We are not ready to make the sacrifice that is needed to deliver us from the hands of our taskmasters - the politicians. Nothing is as hard as standing up against an established institution, but many countries would still be in captivity today, if some people had not been defiant in the face of real threats from the authorities - even death. There would have been no democracy in Nigeria today, but for the likes of Enahoro, Ajasin, Abiola and his wife, Adesanya, Soyinka, Fawehinmi, Alfred Rewane, Bola Ige, Nwankwo, Kanu, Beko Ransome-Kuti, Femi Falana, Oyegun, Agbakoba and Col. Abubakar Umar nor would oil-producing areas have been accorded any modicum of respect today for their claim to oil in their yard but for the likes of Isaac Boro and Ken Saro-Wiwa. Nelson Mandela, unfazed by the threats of imprisonment, gave 27 years of his life so that South Africa could be free. The absence of men like Mandela, like Ekundayo, that would stand up against age-long hypocrisy and ask for their right, the absence of such forthright and steadfast Nigerians is why we are marred in political stagnancy and economic impoverishment even in the midst of plenty. She would forever have my respect. This certainly does not belong to Caesar! • Oluwaseyi, a law graduate of the University of Lagos, is a serving youth corps member in Osun State.