Sun 08 June 2014 by The Guardian Newspaper

S U N D A Y

Obi of Onitsha: COVER 16

Decentralisation Of Power, Not Breakup Is The Way Forward For Nigeria

Ekiti 2014: POLITICS 56

How Parties Stand In The Councils

E D I T I O N

Darkness Continues As Improved Electricity Remains Elusive BUSINESS 43

Season Of Hysteria

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BRING

Dora Akunyili Bows Out

...DAY 55

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OURGIRLS

• Nigerians Pay Tribute, Laud Integrity, Service To Nation By Chukwuma Muanya

EKITI POLLS:

HILE the nation is still W mourning the passing away of one of its highly

NEWS 6

revered traditional rulers, the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ado Bayero, Nigerians have been thrown further into grief, with the death yesterday of the former minister of Information and Communications and Director General of the National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Prof. Dora Nkem Akunyili. Late Dora Akunyili had battled ovarian cancer for several months before she breathed her last at an Indian hospital yesterday morning. She was aged 59. Her departure was confirmed to The Guardian yesterday morning by sources at NAFDAC, and a cousin to the Akunyilis. They preferred anonymity, citing the Igbo tradition, which gives the husband, Dr. Chike Akunyili, exclusive right to break the news of his wife’s demise. The former governor of Anambra, Mr. Peter Obi, has, however, since confirmed the death formally on behalf of the deceased’s family. Obi, who was in India late May to

Jonathan Promises Adequate Security

MDGs: 15 Akwa Ibom Councils Get N5b

NEWS 7

NEWS 6

Kano’s new Emir Race Too Close To Call

Late Akunyili CONTINUED ON PAGE 4

Outrage over clampdown on Newspapers From Emeka Anuforo and Azimazi Momoh Jimoh (Abuja), Seye Olumide and Gbenga Salau (Lagos) HE Defence Headquarters T yesterday battled to explain its reasons for clamping down on newspaper distribution vans, even as the action intensified.

• ‘FG Is Chasing Shadows’ • Action Will Continue Until ‘Satisfied’, Says Defense Hqrs • Presidency Denies Suppression Of Media Unlike Friday when about three papers were restricted from circulating, all newspapers leaving Abuja were confined to the vendors’ village,

Area 1. A military official said the action would continue until Defence Headquarters was satisfied. He was, however,

unwilling to explain what he meant. As early as 4am yesterday, heavily armed solders in five Toyota vehicles took position

at the Area 1 circulation point where newspaper distributors, vendors, and representatives gather to offload, load, and coordinate the day’s sales. They stopped all vehicles from moving out with newspapers. Also present was the bomb disposal unit of the military. All vehicles, including private

cars, were thoroughly searched by the combined team of soldiers and the antibomb squad. Each driver was ordered to open the bonnet and boot for scanning. Parts of the interior of each vehicle were subjected to rigorous search. Bundles of newspapers already loaded into such CONTINUED ON PAGE 4

Sunday, June 8, 2014

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Sunday, June 8, 2014

4 | NEWS Sunday, June 8, 2014

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NEWS Nigerians Pay Tribute, Laud Dora’s Integrity, Service To Nation CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 see Dora, made the confirmation yesterday. In a statement, Obi said: “On behalf of the Akunyili’s family, I wish to officially confirm the death of Prof. Mrs. Dora Akunyili in a Specialist Cancer Hospital in Indian this morning at 10am, Nigerian Time, after a two-year battle with cancer. In spite of her illness, she was unwavering in her belief in a better Nigeria. That was why she defied her condition and was part of Anambra State Handover Committee and the National Conference. “The last time I visited her in India, even when she needed all the prayers herself, she was full of concern for the Chibok girls, security and other challenges facing the country, and told me that she remained prayerful for the release of those girls and for God to help President Jonathan overcome all the challenges facing the nation. “She therefore urged all Nigerians to remain prayerful and committed to building a better society for our children. We all prayed together and I promised to be visiting her every month. We thank all those who remained fervent in prayers for her recovery and urge them to remain prayerful for the peaceful repose of her soul.” It was gathered that Dora had been on life support since Friday, last week, when it was rumoured she had died. The Guardian reliably learnt that Dora defied her health condition to attend the National Conference, despite opposition from her family, and that she threatened to do something drastic if she was not allowed to attend the forum. A close confidant said: “She did not want to die in obscurity. She wanted to die fighting, brave, a heroine.” Dora would be remembered for her time at NAFDAC, especially her display of strength and incorruptibility. “She laid down her

life in service to her fatherland.” Dora a pharmacist and government administrator gained international recognition and won many awards for her work in pharmacology, public health and human rights. She ran for election as Senator for Anambra Central on the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) platform in April 2011, losing out to Chris Ngige of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN). She sent a petition to the Independent National Electoral Commission disputing the result. When Akunyili assumed leadership of NAFDAC, she prioritised the eradication of counterfeit drugs and unsafe foods. Prior to holding the reins, the country had been a dumping ground for fake and substandard foods, while unscrupulous persons reaped ill-gotten wealth. She became furious because “many of (her) countrymen and women (were) fighting killer diseases like malaria and tuberculosis with little more than sugar syrup and chalk tablets, packaged to look like the real thing.” The late Dora was a Senior Lecturer and Consultant Pharmacologist at the College of Medicine, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, before she

became the NAFDAC boss. Her educational career started with her passing the First School Leaving Certificate with a Distinction at St. Patrick’s Primary School, Isuofia, Anambra State in 1966; and the West African School Certificate with Grade I Distinction in 1973 from Queen of the Rosary Secondary School, Nsukka. These exceptional results earned her the Eastern Nigerian Government Post Primary Scholarship and the Federal Government of Nigeria Undergraduate Scholarship. She got her First Degree in Pharmacy B.Pharm (Hons) in 1978 and her PhD in 1985 from U.N.N. Dr. Akunyili was a Post Doctorate Fellow of University of London and a Fellow of the West African Post Graduate College of Pharmacists. Dora started her working career as a hospital pharmacist from 1978 to 1981, in the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital Enugu, from where she ventured into academics as a Graduate Assistant (Research Fellow) at the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, (UNN) from 1982 to 1986. In the university system, she made a steady progress from Lecturer I in 1986 until she was made Senior Lecturer in 1990. She transferred to the College of Medicine, (UNN) in 1992,

where she was made a Consultant Pharmacologist in 1996, a position she held until April 12, 2001. Due to love for teaching and nurturing of young ones, she was also a part-time lecturer at the West African Postgraduate College of Pharmacists, Lagos from 1992-1995. Dora Akunyili was also pre-

pared for the administrative position of the DG of NAFDAC by her four-year stint as Zonal Secretary of the Petroleum Special Trust Fund, coordinating all projects in the five South Eastern States of Nigeria (Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo States). She had also served as Supervisor for Agriculture and

Member of the Caretaker Committee for her Local Government, Anaocha Local Government Area of Anambra State from 1994 to 1996. From 1992 to 1994, Dora served as a member of the Hospitals Management Board and Advisory Council for Women Commission in Anambra State.

Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi, receiving an award, by members of e-eleven ambassadors, when he was hosted by the group, ahead of the forthcoming election, in Ado-Ekiti... Yesterday.

Clampdown: Action Will Continue Until ‘Satisfied’, Says Defense Hqrs CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 vehicles had to be offloaded. The team of vendors, distribution officials and representatives of various newspaper and magazine houses were ordered to line up in a single file and were thoroughly frisked. As at 11am, no newspaperladen vehicle had been allowed out of the arena. Eventually, private cars were allowed to drive out, but only after the security officials had confirmed that no page of newspaper was in such vehicles. None of the security personnel was willing to speak on the action. Heavy silence descended on the vendors’ village. Nobody had an answer as to what was next. The soldiers and the anti-bomb squad completed their search and remained in their positions, as though daring any of the branded distribution vehicles to move a step. The vendors, distribution officials and representatives were on the other

side, frantically making calls to their offices and superiors. The waiting game soon gave way to a brief reprieve. Around 9am, a senior military officer who did not introduce himself addressed the newspaper officials. He explained the reason behind the action. But he craved understanding, saying the action stemmed from insecurity in the country. According to him, security officials on stop-and-search mission in Jos recently stopped a vehicle, which bore the name of a prominent Christian denomination, and that a search of its haul uncovered heavy arms and ammunition. He said another vehicle bearing the name of yet another denomination was impounded in Plateau State, after a routine search revealed it contained arms and ammunition. He explained how Boko Haram insurgents allegedly use ambulances and harmless looking vehicles to move weapons around. “We also intercepted a Pure Water delivery van around Orange Market, Mararaba, and when we searched it, we found arms. These people even go to the extent of using ambulances to convey arms,” he said. He thereafter instructed the distributors and vendors’ associations to immediately commence the process of issuing uniform identity cards to all their members, as those without such cards would be arrested. This, he said, would enable security personnel identify true newspapermen from among insurgents using related vehicles for operations. The official later left and promised to release the vehicles to continue with their businesses if he received “instructions from headquarters.” But left a stern message, however, that the exercise would

continue, until they are “satisfied”. By 10.30am, a one-star general drove in to the area with a team of escorts, looked around the environment, spoke to one or two solders, rushed back into his vehicle and was driven off. But in an earlier statement on Friday, the Director Defence Information, Chris Olukolade said: “The Defence Headquarters wishes to clarify that the exercise has nothing to do with content or operation of the media organizations or their personnel, as is being wrongly imputed by a section of the press.” The Newspapers Proprietors Association of Nigeria (NPAN) has, however, reacted to “the harassment of newspaper vendors/distributors and the seizure of large volumes of newspapers by soldiers who initially targeted the following newspapers: LEADERSHIP, DAILY TRUST, The NATION and PUNCH, but later extended the siege to all major newspapers in the country for the second day.” In a statement after its emergency meeting with representatives of vendors and distributors in Abuja, yesterday, NPAN resolved as follows: “The NPAN unequivocally condemns this attack of FREE SPEECH by soldiers, in Abuja, Kaduna, Kano, Jos, Maiduguri, Ibadan among other cities, claiming to be acting on “orders”. This assault on FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION through the stoppage of distribution of newspapers is inconsistent with the values of any democratic society and the Constitution of The Federal Republic of Nigeria. We therefore call upon the military authorities to lift the siege immediately and call the soldiers to order. “The NPAN notes the state-

ment issued on Thursday, June 6, by the Director Defence Information, Major General Chris Olukolade, that newspaper distribution channels may have been infiltrated by some persons to transport “materials with grave security implications.” As citizens and businesses, we take the security of our nation very seriously, and especially condemn the continuing daily destruction of human life by a mindless, cruel and criminal insurgency. We have, at our own instance, engaged various security agencies in the past to find ways of dealing with the security challenges we all face. We shall continue to do so. “It is, however, deeply troubling that a siege has been laid to the media for two straight days on a suspicion over which no one consulted the NPAN. We stand ready, able and willing to work with all relevant security agencies to ensure the integrity of the newspapers’ distribution process. “The NPAN wishes to reassure its readers, partners and the public at large, that it will continue to work to promote peace and unity in the Federal Republic of Nigeria, while defending its constitutional role to hold governments at all levels accountable. “Finally, we do not believe that given the already tense situation in the country the government or any agency acting in its name, will engage in acts that can only stifle free speech and encourage rumours to fester. We, therefore, welcome the assurances to NPAN leadership by senior security officials to end this unnecessary siege.” The Presidency yesterday, denied it ordered a clampdown on media houses because of the security situation in the country. Addressing a press briefing in

Abuja, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe, explained: “If the collective security of Nigerians is at risk, those in charge of security must do something, even if we are all at pains at the moment.” He said: “The attention of the Presidency has been drawn to stories in some major newspapers today (Saturday June 7, 2014) to the effect that the Federal Government has ordered a clampdown on media houses as a result of some isolated incidents of security checks reportedly carried out on some newspaper delivery vans in the last few days. “The news publications suggested that President Jonathan might have ordered that the media be suppressed and prevented from carrying out their constitutionally guaranteed responsibilities of holding government accountable to the people. “We wish to state categorically that these reports are untrue, unfair and totally not in consonance with the posture of Mr. President on issues concerning Press freedom. “The Media, as the fourth estate of the realm, is held in very high regards by the President, and this has been practically demonstrated in various ways by this administration in the last three years. “While we sympathize with media houses, which might have suffered one discomfort or the other as a result of these security checks, we assert, for the avoidance of doubt that the President has not and will never give any order capable of hampering the smooth running of any media organization or harass media practitioners in the lawful performance of their duties.

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Sunday, June 8, 2014 NEWS

NEWS

Dora Akunyili Was An Intellectual Of International Repute –Mark From Azimazi Momoh Jimoh, Abuja ENATE President, David Mark, has lamented the death of former Information Minister, Professor Dora Nkem Akunyili, describing her as an intellectual of international repute. Mark noted that the nation has lost one of her patriotic and dedicated public officers who believed in the sanctity of unity and indivisibility of Nigeria. He recalled the unwavering commitment and dedication of the late Akunyili as the then Director General of NAFDAC and even as the nation’s chief image maker when she brought Nigeria to global reckoning with her campaign

of ‘Great Nigeria, Great People’. Senator Mark stressed that Nigerians would not forget in a hurry her resolute and relentless war against fake and counterfeit drugs when she

HENational Agency for Food and Drug Administration (NAFDAC) has expressed shock over the death of its former Director General, Prof. Dora Akunyili. Director General of NAFDAC, Paul Orhii, described her as a woman who loved Nigeria deeply and dedicated her entire life up till the very last

From Chuks Collins, Awka NAMBRA communities are mourning the death of one of their illustrious daughters, Prof. Dora Nkem Akunyili. Born to the Akunyili family of Nanka in Orumba North LGA and married to Dr Chike Akunyili of Agulu in Anaocha LGA, Prof. Akunyili was the darling of the state. First to react was the Na-

minute to the service of this great nation. In a statement in Abuja, Orhii said: “It is with great shock but with total submission to the will of God that I received the sad news of the death of Prof. Dora Akunyili. “Nigeria has lost a great patriot and woman of great virtue. At NAFDAC, she left indelible footprint and rich legacy of merito-

She Will Be Greatly Missed, Reveals Chime From Lawrence Njoku, Enugu OVERNOR Sullivan Chime of Enugu State has expressed shock and sadness over the death of former Minister of Information, Professor Dora Akunyili. He described her death as a serious blow to the nation. Chime in a reaction by his Chief Press Secretary, Chukwudi Achife, said her death has robbed the nation of one of her finest breed of patriots. He described the deceased as a towering amazon of excellence whose public service record was as exemplary as it was inspiring, saying that she epitomized the rare values of integrity, diligence, dedication, courage and selflessness in the various capac-

tered. We shall miss her robust and honest contributions to the socio-political and economic development on Nigeria,” the Senate President lamented.

Agulu, Nanka Communities Shocked

NAFDAC Mourns Akunyili From Emeka Anuforo

chased illicit drug peddlers out of the market. “We have lost a great amazon. We have lost a scholar. We have lost a crusader. We have lost a soldier who stood to be counted when it mat-

ities that she served the nation. Governor Chime noted that even in her last days, Professor Akunyili underscored her undying love for the nation by defying her pains to serve as a delegate to the national conference.

tional Treasurer of Ohaneze Ndigbo, Chief Damian Okeke, who is also the Ogene of Nanka. He described her death as a big blow and loss to the nation, especially Anambra state. He said, “Oh, the Great Amazon is gone. It’s a great loss to the nation, especially Ndigbo. We take solace in her numerous great achievements that rank her among the world’s

rious and selfless service that must be sustained. “Even as we mourn her untimely demise, we celebrate her life and pray that Almighty God will grant her soul eternal rest in peace and also grant the family and her loved ones the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.”

great amazons, like Indira Ghandi.” A member of the House of Reps, representing Idemili Federal Constituency, Charles Odedo, said, “Oh my God! Is it true? Nigeria has lost a great woman who served the nation passionately. May her soul rest in peace.” The National Secretary of APGA, Alhaji Umaru Shinkafi, said: “Our party, APGA, the nation and indeed Anambra state have lost a rare woman of industry. In her days in NAFDAC and even in the Ministry of Information, she served the nation and humanity with zeal, and dedication. She served with all her energy and excelled. I extend my condolences to the state, and the family. I pray that God grants her a peaceful rest.”

OVERNOR Rochas Okorocha of Imo State has commiserated with the family of the late former Minister of Information, Prof. Dora Akunyili, who passed on at the early hours of yesterday in India after battling with cancer for two years, describing her death as “unfortunate”. Consequently, Okorocha

By Kamal Tayo Oropo AGOS State Governor, BaLcondoled batunde Fashola, yesterday with the family of the former Minister of Information, Professor (Mrs.) Dora Akunyili over her passage. In a condolence letter to the family of the deceased who had a very distinguished tenure as Director-General of NAFDAC, the governor described Professor (Mrs.) Dora Akunyili as an outstanding woman who showed Nigeria that she was a different breed. He added that through her dedication and uprightness while serving as the Director General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Control (NAFDAC), she saved tens of thousands of lives of Nigerians and the country will forever be grateful to her for

OVERNOREmmanuel UduG aghan has lamented the sudden demise of Professor Dora Akunyili, former Information Minister, describing her as a woman with uncommon courage. Reacting to the news of Professor Akunyili’s death, the governor, in a statement issued by Mr. Felix Ofou, his Press Secretary, also described the former

minister as a “dogged fighter” who battled fake drug syndrome to a stand still. In particular, Uduaghan recalled the glory days of “Dora” as she was fondly called at NAFDAC where she served as its Director-General. “Professor Akunyili was a thorn in the flesh of fake drug barons and fought fearlessly to exterminate fake drug syn-

urged the Federal Government to find a way of appreciating the deceased at death. In a statement signed by Okorocha’s Senior Special Assistant on Media, Mr. Sam Onwuemedo, he recalled her excellent services in various capacities to the country, urging the family to bear the death with fortitude. The statement reads: “The Imo State Governor, Owelle Rochas

Officers and men of the Nigerian Navy during their 2nd Quarter Route Match in Abuja…yesterday.

Okorocha has received the report of the death of the former Minister of Information, Professor Dora Akunyili. “Prof. Akunyili was a big asset to the nation, and she proved her mettle in all the national assignments given to her. Her death at this time, in our national life is unfortunate because it comes at a time the nation needs the services of people like her most.

the war she waged and won against the manufacture and sale of fake drugs in Nigeria. “Even till the weeks preceding her death, Mrs. Akunyili continued to show her passion for service to the Nation by serving as a delegate at the National Conference”, the Governor added. He urged the family to take comfort in the knowledge that she was loved by many, and she fulfilled her purpose on earth and that Nigerians will not forget her just as history will not forget her as a true Amazon. Fashola prayed that God will grant the family the fortitude to bear this loss and also prayed that her gentle soul will rest in peace.

Ekweremadu, Andy Uba Extol Dora’s Virtues From Azimazi Momoh Jimoh, Abuja HE Deputy President of the T Senate, Ike Ekweremadu, yesterday expressed grief and shock over the death of the former Minister of Information, Prof. Dora Akunyili. Ekweremadu who described

She Was A Woman Of Uncommon Courage, Says Uduaghan

Her Death Most Unfortunate, By Okorocha From Charles Ogugbaja, Owerri

Akunyili Was A Different Breed, Says Fashola

drome from the society while ensuring that the country is not made a dumping ground by criminals engaged in nefarious activities.” The governor praised the former NAFDAC DG for further accepting to serve as minister and until her death as a delegate to the ongoing National Conference in Abuja, pointing out that it was a reflection of the patriotism innate in her.

the late Akunyili as a “woman of substance, unequalled character, and courage who brought respect and glory to the nation” said her death was a colossal loss to the entire country and the exit of an uncommon role model. He said: “Dora Akunyili was a woman of enormous integrity, a quintessential professional, and public administrator per excellence. As a minister, she was outstanding and as the DirectorGeneral of NAFDAC, she brought a lot of energy and impetus to bear on the fight against fake and substandard drugs and food.” Also Chairman of the Senate Committee on INEC, Senator Andy Uba, described as “a colossal loss”, the death of Prof. Dora Akunyili.

Prof. Dora’s Contributions Would Be Missed, Say Maku, CAN From Nkechi Onyedika, Abuja INISTER of Information, M Mr. Labaran Maku, has expressed shock over the death of his predecessor, Prof. Dora Akunyili, describing her as a colossus who left her footprint across a broad spectrum of Nigeria’s public life.

Also, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has commiserated with the family of Akunyili over the demise of the former minister. “Akunyili was a patriot, who devoted her career to the struggle to enhance the quality of life of the citizenry. She was a social crusader whose faith in Nigeria was unwavering. “As the Director General of NAFDAC, Prof. Dora Akunyili redefined the mandate of the agency and took the campaign against fake and unwholesome food and drugs in the country to a level where her tremendous efforts saved the lives of thousands of Nigerians. She prosecuted her campaign against fake drugs with a single-mındedness that brushed aside frequent threats to her life, including an assassination attempt, by the powerful ınterests who felt imperiled by her quest to clean up the food and drug business,” he said. In a statement signed by CAN President, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, he expressed shock and sadness over the death of the former minister and Director General of NAFDAC. Oritsejafor described the death of Prof. Akunyili as a great loss not only to her family but also to the entire nation and humanity at large, given her track record in public service.

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Sunday, June 8, 2014

NEWS

Kano New Emir, race Too Close To Call By Kamal Tayo Oropo (Lagos), Adamu Abu (Abuja) Abba Anwar and Murtala Muhammed Kano

• Late Emir’s Will May Decide Winner

XPECTATIONS are high E within the Kano Emirate Council as the four kingmak-

new emir of the ancient city is through exhaustive consultations among the kingmakers with a perusal of the royal records, as well as records of contenders for the throne, after which a voting process will ensue. They will then submit the name of the preferred candidate to the governor, and in this case, rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso, for final announcement and appointment. As at yesterday, according to

ers work round the clock to produce a successor to the late Emir, Alhaji Ado Bayero, who passed on Friday. The kingmakers are Sarki Abdullahi Mukhtar Madakin Kano, Alhaji Mukhtar Adnan Sarkin Bai Kano, Alhaji Tijjani Hashim Galadiman Kano and Alhaji Aminu Baba Dan’Agundi Sarkin Dawaki Mai Tuta. The process of selecting a

a source close to the kingmakers, three names of frontline contenders had been shortlisted and ready for onward transmission to the governor. The source added that the selection of a new Emir might not take unnecessary time. The list, according to the source include the eldest son of the late Emir, Sanusi Ado Bayero, who is the Ciroma of Kano, former CBN governor, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi (Dan Maje Kano), and Aminu Ado

Bayero, another son of the late Emir. Earlier, a much larger list included the Turakin Kano, Nasir Ado Bayero; Sarkin Dawaki Tsakarigida, Aminu Ado Bayero; Wambai Kano, Alh. Abbass Sanusi; Galadima Kano, Tijjani Hashim; and a member of the board of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other related Offences Commission, Abdullahi Ado Bayero. The source disclosed that the late Emir might have left behind a will expressing his choice of who to succeed him.

Even though the kingmakers are keeping that as top secret, that piece of information may have dampened some interests that have already gone to town to flaunt the credentials of a particular candidate. If politics and visibility were to play any role in who emerges as the new Emir, the former CBN governor may have an advantage over the other two. He appears to be very close to the state governor, and the two have shared similar political views on national issues.

Former President of Institute of Chattered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), Doyin Owolabi (FCA) left; Governor of Abia State, Theodore Orji; and the 50th and Golden Jubilee President of (ICAN) Chidi Onyeukwu Ajaegbu after his investiture at ICAN’s Council Chamber Secretariat, Victoria Island, Lagos. Photo: CHARLES OKOLO

Intensive Search For Missing Baby Begins In Imo From Charles Ogugbuaja, Owerri ENSION is mounting in T the Ikeduru Local Council of Imo State over the missing of a year-old male baby in a wedding ceremony. According to police authorities, the search and investigations are going on in the 27 local councils of the state and beyond. Sources close to the community heads said traditional leaders in the local council have mobilised vigilante groups to compliment the police. The Guardian gathered that last week Sunday in Umuezeala, Umuozu, Ngugo autonomous community in Ikeduru local council of the state, one Mrs. Peace Oriaku, had gone with her baby boy, Prince, to the area to assist in a wedding reception between the younger brother of his husband and his wife, when she handed over her child to her sister to enable her attend to other things in the reception venue. According to her, the sister later, transferred the baby to another girl of about 17 years, not well known to them, to take care of for some minutes, and she zoomed off. Continuing, she said she was shocked when she requested for her baby for breastfeeding at about 5.30 p.m, but could not find the young lady anywhere. The father of the baby, Mr. Evans Oriaku, quickly mobilised youths from the area to search for the baby, but that yielded no fruits till the time of filing the report.

DiscoveryAir Opens Shop With Low Fares

President Jonathan Promises Adequate Security For Ekiti Polls D From Muyiwa Adeyemi and Abubakar Muhammed (Ado Ekiti)

rESIDENT Goodluck P Jonathan yesterday assured that adequate security would be provided to ensure free and fair election in Ekiti State. The President also warned those who are planning to bring in thugs to snatch ballot boxes to have a rethink because they will be arrested and prosecutes. Jonathan, who spoke in Ado Ekiti, where he led the na-

tional leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to drum support for the governorship candidate of the party in the June 21 election, former governor Ayodele Fayose, said people should not be afraid to come out and exercise their franchise. He said since he visited the state during the regime of former governor Segun Oni, he has not come back to it to commission any project. “I mean projects that are meaningful to the development of the people, saying he will come back in the next two

years to commission some projects in the state because of his conviction that Fayose will execute some projects.” Vice President Nnamadi Sambo promised that the new PDP government will solve myriad of problems confronting the state. According to him, “the problem of payment of salaries is over just as teachers in the state will be liberated. Fayose is the man of the people and will certainly make common man smile again. Speaking on behalf of the PDP Governors’ Forum, the

governor of Akwa Ibom, Chief Godswill Akpabio said with the large number of people that attended the rally, it was evident that Ekiti people will vote for Fayose. According to him: “Today, Ekiti people have rejected All Progressive Congress (APC). Ekiti people have spoken today. Even if Fayose made mistakes in his first term, but he is now a changed person and ready to join the President in transforming the country. We hereby present to you brand new Fayose.” Akpabio said it was certain

that the APC will hire the best of lawyers in the country to file their petitions but that will not subvert the will of the people.” For the National Chairman of the Party, Alhaji Adamu Muazu, “the people of Ekiti people have proven to us more than ever that they are for the PDP. “I am very happy and excited that part of our responsibility is to conduct primaries and we can see the effect of it. We all know that due to popular vote PDP is Ekiti and Ekiti is PDP”.

Idahosa, Others Pray For Abducted Chibok Schoolgirls By Debo Oladimeji ISHOP Margaret Idahosa, B Presiding Bishop of Church Of God Mission, Benin City, and other Christian women have assured the parents of the schoolgirls abducted in Chibok, who were brought to Lagos to prepare them psychologically and spiritually for the return of their daughters, that they are going to continue in their prayers for the release of their daughters. Speaking in a meeting with 22 of the mothers of the girls at Christian Pentecostal Mis-

sion (CPM), Ajao Estate, Lagos on Friday, Bishop Idahosa said, “we have increased our tempo of praying for the safe return of the girls. Everyone of us is praying for their safe return. As believers, we stand to lift ourselves up; peace is of God, fear is of the enemies.” She said as mothers of the nation, they are not happy of the state of insecurity in the country. “We are not happy of what is happening, but we believe that our prayers are not in vain. Our hearts feel for you. The children are our children.” One of the community lead-

ers, Ibrahim Sara Bangulu, said Boko Haram members are 95 per cent Kanuri. “The Kanuri do not send their wards to school because they believe going to school will empower the people. They want their children to continue to pay homage to them,” he said. He regretted the level of poverty in Chibok, which is a local council headquarters. “There is no pipe borne water and no good road in Chibok. Imagine what will be the situation in other parts of the local council. The people need help. We don’t know

where our girls are,” he said. Commending Idahosa for the gathering, he noted, “we used to drive to Benin, Edo State in those days from Maiduguri without fear, but today no place is safe.” He also said that members of the group apart from taking away food items and destroying any they cannot take in their places of attack,

kill mostly the male (whether old or young), leaving the women, adding that since the onslaught on April 14, the communities that make up Chibok have been deserted as many people have moved to Maiduguri and those left behind cannot sleep in their houses. They have been sleeping in the bush.

OUR ERROR On June 1, 2014 on page 31, we inadvertently referred to SOS Children’s Villages Nigeria as Save Our Souls Children’s Villages, Nigeria. The error is regretted.

ISCOVErYAIr, the newest player in the aviation sector in the country will tomorrow enter the nations airspaces, as it would operate it first local flight. According to management of the airline, which was given certificate of operation, Air Operators’ Certificate (AOC), recently by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, in Lagos, the airline hopes to attract as many passengers as possible with its world class services and low fares. Capt. Abdulsalami Mohammed, the managing director of the airline said air travel experience would be enhanced with the start of the airline, as skilled professionals are in its workforce. The airline boss, moreover, said that flight schedule would be diligently observed apart from giving quality services. Mohammed said, “we are not coming into the system just like any other airline. We want to make a difference in the industry. Over the years, I want to categorically say that passengers have not been enjoying value for money, but with our entry into the sector, passengers would experience a difference. “We want to raise the bar and make our services to be competitive with what we have abroad.”

Sunday, June 8, 2014 NEWS 7

ThE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

NEWS

Misdiagnosis: Lessons From Akunyili’s Death hEN Mrs. Dora Nkem W Akunyili was the Zonal Secretary (South-east) of the Petroleum (Special) Trust Fund in 1998, Nigerian doctors gave her what many of her family members considered to be a health scare. They said she had a growth and needed surgery Akunyili, then 44, decided to travel to the United States, first to get a second opinion and then undergo the prescribed surgery. The bill for the medical trip was $17,000, including $12,000 for the surgery. An expert in Concierge Medicine said $12000 even 15 years ago would barely scratch the surface to do a full concierge medicine and work-up even before treatment.

During pre-surgery checkup in the US, the doctors told her the Nigerian experts had made a wrong diagnosis and that she did not need any surgery. It was said to be a minor issue that medication would solve. She thanked the doctors and, to their surprise,

said she was going to return the money meant for the surgery to the PTF. That was strange! Nigerian government officials had devised a way of making sure such monies were not returned to the treasury. The hospital informed the

PTF, under the leadership of Major Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, about one honest Nigerian they had found. Buhari, himself a straightforward person, was very impressed. he wrote a letter to Akunyili commending her honesty.

Then, came 2001 when President Olusegun Obasanjo wanted to appoint a directorgeneral for the National Agency for Drug and Food Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and asked for the recommendation of an honest Nigerian pharmacist.

‘Economy Will Grow By 15 Percent If We Get Power Right’ in; did a EO of Seplat Petroleum DeAvuru was responding to and gas industry in Nigeria walked C velopment Company Plc, questions in Monte Carlo, was dominated by multina- landmark transaction; led the Austin Avuru, said the seven France, where he participated tionals. If it was that easy, it way and shown how it can be per cent yearly growth rate of the country’s economy will double if the power challenge is resolved. he said the growth will “leapfrog to 15 per cent per annum if we get power right.”

as a finalist in the Ernst & Young World Entrepreneur of 2014. he spoke about the emergence of SEPLAT as leading indigenous oil and gas player. he said: “For 50 years the oil

wouldn’t have been a 50 year dominance. “In the past 20 years, there have been several regulatory attempts to introduce indigenous participation. It didn’t work; it looks easy because we

done, building a world-class company and took it to the stock exchange to raise half a billion dollars. “It looks easy because we did it right. One of the most difficult industries to operate in is

UNILAG Convocation Continues Tomorrow hE remaining convocation T events of the University of Lagos (UNILAG) will go on as scheduled tomorrow as the issues that led to the recent protest by students of the university that could have truncated the ceremony has been resolved. Students of the University had blocked all entrances leading to the school on Friday to protest the decision by the school authorities to demand N25, 000 as late registration fees. The protest, though peaceful prevented entrance into and out of the university and disrupted academic activities. The students occupied the senate building and also took their protest to the Vice Chancellors lodge.

No Substandard Cement Only Poor Application, Say Stakeholders By Fabian Odum N the light of rising buildIwhich ing collapse in the country, has been largely at-

President Goodluck Jonathan (left), presenting former Ekiti governor and PDP Governorship Candidate, Mr Ayo Fayose with the party National Chairman, Alhaji Adamu Muazu and Senate President, Senator David Mark (right) at the Fayose Campaign Rally in Ado Ekiti... yesterday PHOTO: PHILIP OJISUA

MDGs: 15 Akwa Ibom Councils Get N5b From Msugh Ityokura hE Presidency through the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) has churned out N5b to 15 local councils in Akwa Ibom State, as part of efforts to tackle poverty and unemployment. Titled: Conditional Grant Scheme, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on MDGs, Dr. Precious Gbenol, noted that the fund is targeted at improving health, education and agricultural value chains. Gbenol who spoke at the launch of the MDGs/Family Life Conditional Cash Transfer Scheme in Uyo, said 2,275 females under the scheme

would be paid N5,000 monthly. Wife of the state governor, Ekaette Akpabio, remarked that extreme poverty is no longer acceptable in the society, adding that the state government has shown courage

and commitment in implementing projects that have improved the living standards of the people. “We have witnessed unparallel political and socio-economic developments through the administration’s

OV. Rochas Okorocha of G Imo State, yesterday, denied working against Chief Ogbonnaya Onu’s ambition for chairmanship of the All progressives congress (APC). According to a press statement signed by the Senior Special Assistant to the governor on Media, Mr. Sam On-

noted that her non-governmental organisation, Family Life Enhancement Initiative, has in the past years reached more than 7,000 families with targeted interventions complementing government strides towards meeting the MDGs.

Kwara State Lawmaker Passes On Abiodun Fagbemi, Ilorin. member of the Kwara State house of Assembly representing Kaiama Wayibe Kemanji constituency, Alhaji Muhammed Idris haliru, has passed on.

haliru died at forty-eight in the early hours of yesterday after a protracted illness. Until his death, the lawmaker was Chairman of the house Committee on Public Petitions and a member of

APC Chairmanship: Okorocha Denies Working Against Onu From Charles Ogugbuaja, Owerri

uncommon transformation agenda and reforms that have engendered confidence and growth,” she said. She expressed hope that with the current development policy, the state would meet six of the MDGs. She

wuemeodo, Okorocha said he — a party member from the Southeast — could not have stood against Onu, who comes from the same zone. . The statement stated: “The Imo State Government read with reservation reports in the media, stating that the Governor has moved against Dr. Onu’s aspiration

for the National Chairmanship of APC because he is ‘itching to seek for Vice-Presidential slot’ in the 2015 general election.” The media report said Onu may be a hard sell to APC governors, as Okorocha, who is eying vice presidential slot in 2015, may frustrate the former Abia State governor’s ambition. .

the Services Committee. haliru left behind his father, Sen. haliru Idris, wives and children. The legislator had since been buried according to Islamic injunctions at the Muslim Cemetery in Ilorin. The burial rite was conduucted by Immam Sheu Sulaiman with speaker of the house, Rasak Atunwa; his deputy, Prof. Muhammed Gana Yisa; former speaker, Alhaji Bio Ibraheem and former senator representing Kwara North, Muhammed hammed among others in attendance. Speaking during condolence visit, father of the deceased, Idris and Atunwa described late haliru as a

humble, articulate, generous and committed lawmaker who devoted his endowment towards serving Allah and humanity. Atunwa urged the Family to take solace in the fact that the deceased lived a useful life, praying that Allah gives the Emir of Kaiama and his family the fortitude to bear the loss. Responding on behalf of the family, a one-time Commissioner of Finance in the state, Alhaji Nurudeen Muhammed, commended the speaker for his sympathy. Meanwhile, the fidau for the repose of the soul of the deceased will hold tomorrow at Kaiama.

tributed to poor quality cement, stakeholders in the construction industry said that there is no sub-standard cement in the market. Rising from a one-day roundtable discussion on sensitisation, grades and usage of cement held in Abuja, at the weekend, members noted that the incidents of building collapse in the country are caused by the use of sub-standard building materials and poor application of cement by unprofessional builders. A statement issued at the end of the discussion noted that the causes of building collapse in Nigeria are wrong applications of cement, low-level manpower, lack of professionalism, faulty designs among others.

Wada Charges LG Chiefs On Youth Empowerment From John Akubo, Lokoja O curtail youth restiveness T and rising criminal tendencies, Kogi State governor, Idris Wada, has charged chairmen of the 21 councils in the state to invest more resources in youth empowerment. Captain Wada who spoke in Okehi Local Government Area, yesterday, during his a ‘thank you’ visit said the only way the state can sustain the prevailing peace is by training youths in entrepreneurship to enable them fend for themselves. he said his administration has initiated several youth empowerment programmes, which are already yielding positive results. The governor said that state’s youth empowerment scheme was structured to provide training in technical and vocational areas, providing funds to young people to start small-scale businesses, which are labour intensive and can create jobs.

TheGuardian

8 Sunday, June 8, 2014

www.ngrguardiannews.com

Conscience, Nurtured by Truth

Cityfile

A scene of demolition at the estate

PHOTO: NKECHI ONYEDIKA

Against Court Injunction, FCDA Begins Demolition Of Sahara Homes Estate From Nkechi Onyedika, Abuja HE bulldozers of the Federal Capital Development AuthorT ity (FCDA) have reared their ugly heads again, and unless they are stopped, about 263 units of duplexes and bungalows at the Sahara Homes Estate (Life Camp Extension, Kafe District) Abuja, would be pulled down to make way for a golf course. Despite a court injunction restraining it from carrying out any demolition in the estate, the FCDA squad on Tuesday morning invaded the estate, pulling down fences and gatehouses, throwing the calm estate into pandemonium. A High Court in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) had on December 17, 2013 granted an order of Interim Injunction restraining the defendant (FCDA), their officials, servants, agents and privies from demolishing, attempting to demolish any of the first applicants 263 duplexes and bungalows at Plot 55, Cadastral Zone Co5 in Kafe District, Abuja, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice filed in this matter FCDA officials, who claimed to be acting on orders from above, have however been sued for contempt. Chairman of Sahara Homes Landlords Association, Mr. Fred Ohwahwa, who described the actions of the FCDA officials as a sign of inconsistency and lack of continuity in government’s policies and programmes, said members of the association subscribed to the housing scheme between 2009-2010. He explained that the land was given to a developer, Sahara Homes, under the mass housing scheme initiated by the former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mallam Nasir ElRufai. He said, “We did not wake up and start building these houses. The Development Control officials came here to supervise the job. We gave them the building plan but they have other interests they are trying to serve.” Ohwahwa noted that in June 2013, somebody came to lay claim to the estate after which members of the association

Landlords Sue For Contempt We thought that we are in a civilized society where people obey the rules of the game in terms of respecting the decisions of the court... It is evil for government to continue to demolish houses people built with their hard earned money. And they are not doing it because of any overriding government policy, for instance, building a road or airport. They are doing it just because they want to allocate the land to somebody else. So, one man’s interest is more than the interest of over 200 Nigerians! took the matter to FCT Development Control and were told that the land had been re-allocated to another individual for use as a golf course. He said, “We questioned how an estate that has been fully developed and most of the houses occupied could be re-allocated to an individual. And from the papers shown to us, the land was re-allocated to the individual in June 2012. And by 2012, the estate was already built. They came and marked the houses for demolition and we went to court. On December 16, 2013, there was a court order restraining them from taking any action.” The association’s chairman observed that government is a continuum but the actions of FCDA officials have proven otherwise. “We are not running a system that believes in continuity or rule of law.” Ohwahwa said, “Government comes and goes but its policies remain. The primary aim of government is for the security and welfare of its people. People must have roofs over their heads and it is the duty of government to promote policies that would encourage self-actualisation. But it is unfortunate that government is negating that. This negates all positive policies of government because the government should be there to drive the process that would encourage

people to realise their policies. It is evil for government to continue to demolish houses people built with their hard earned money. And they are not doing it because of any overriding government policy, for instance, building a road or airport. They are doing it just because they want to allocate the land to somebody else. So, one man’s interest is more than the interest of over 200 Nigerians! “We thought that we are in a civilized society where people obey the rules of the game in terms of respecting the decisions of the court. If you have a dispute and you take the matter to the court, the court should be able to adjudicate while you respect the decision.” Ohwahwa told The Guardian that the subscribers have gone back to court asking that the FCDA be charged for contempt and for compensation for the fences and gatehouses already

Another scene of the demolition

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Sunday, June 8, 2014

CITYFILE

Neglect, Inaction Slow Benue State’s Tourism Industry From Msugh Ityokura, Makurdi

OURISM has become a major economic hub in many developing nations. It provides jobs and serves as a platform for showcasing people’s ways of life. Nigeria’s tourism potentials have not been fully exploited yet, especially as the nation relies almost entirely on revenue from the sale of crude oil. Other mineral resources, like coal, gold, uranium and tin also exist. But the nation’s over reliance on oil revenue, alongside poor policies, has hampered meaningful exploitation of these. Created about 40 years ago, Benue State has potentials to become a tourist destination in the country and indeed Africa. Previ-

ous administrations in the state had put in place machinery to explore this aspect of the economy, but apparently due to their short existence, given constant military incursions into government, many of the developmental initiatives were short-lived. The administration of the first civilian governor of the state, late Aper Aku, prioritised tourism, viewing it as a sector that could generate funds for the state and also attract foreign investors. The dream of that government saw to the development of the Ikyogen cattle ranch in Kwande local council area, which shares a common boundary with Obudu local council in Cross

Alleged Kidnappers Nabbed In Edo From Alemma-Ozioruva Aliu, Benin City HE Department of State Security (DSS) in Edo State last week paraded a fourman kidnap gang. The state’s anti-kidnapping law was passed in 2009 and signed into law on August 18, 2013. Among other provisions, it orders the death penalty for convicted kidnappers and the destruction of buildings used for the crime. The kingpin of the gang,

Some of the alleged kidnappers

Cityshot

Flooded road at Herbert Macaulay Way

simply referred to as Jaykay, alongside the duo of Ejiro, and Tony, presently at large, had enlisted Sunday Eparamen (27) from Orogun community, Ughelli North East local government council of Delta State; Joshua Igbinovia, a commercial bus driver, from Ekobi community in Orhiomwmon local council; Ikpedem Ibrahim (23) from Akoko Edo local council; and Christian David (26) a builder who hails from Igueben local council area.

They all confessed to their involvement in the kidnap last year of three school children, a mother, a student, a teacher and a medical doctor, all of who have since regained freedom. The suspects expressed regret and blamed their fate on greed and desire to get rich at all cost. Items recovered from the kidnappers’ hideout included a television set, mattress, fans and an electricity generating set.

River State. Observers say that if properly harnessed, Ikyogen ranch could attain the same status as the popular Obudu cattle ranch, which is one of the leading tourist destinations on the continent. The present administration led by Governor Gabriel Suswam at its inception gave priority to the revival of the Ikyogen ranch. It reportedly pumped millions of naira into it. Regrettably, the ranch today remains one of the administration’s abandoned projects. “The Ikyogen cattle ranch, which has equal potentials with that of Obudu could have given employment opportunities to many of the state’s unemployed youths. It could also have drastically improved on the economic life of the community, had it been completed,” said Henry Iorkase, a resident at the ranch’s host community. Lamentably, the five-star Makurdi Sheraton hotel, developed by the Aku administration, has also been abandoned. The 12-story building had been near completion when the tenure of the government ended abruptly. Though, the state government says it has done much to improve the potentials of this sector, not much seems to be convincingly on ground. The state’s Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Mrs. Comfort Ajene, told The Guardian in Makurdi that so much has been done to improve tourism. She was however, not forthcoming on specific achievements made. “We have done so much in this area. And in fact, there are a lot of records to show to that effect,” she simply stated.

At communities around Obudu cattle ranch, locals make brisk business selling fresh palm wine and other delicacies to visitors. This has tremendously boosted their economic lot. Had Benue State’s cash cow been exploited, the same economic activities might have been replicated in the hilly community of Ikyogen. Besides the ranch, Benue state also has other areas that could serve as economic life wires to its people. It boasts of the River Benue, which passes through the state capital. Makurdi beach on Kilometre 10, Gboko Road, could be a viable source of revenue for the state, if it is properly harnessed. At the moment, the location is only active during Christmas and New Year festivities. Also worthy of mention is the state’s zoological garden located between the two campuses of the Benue State University, Makurdi. The zoo, as it is popularly called, is a port of call for those in search of nature’s delight. In recent times, the annual Akata fishing festival in Katsina/Ala has attracted people across the country and even beyond. “It has become a platform for showcasing the rich cultural heritage of our people. It also exposes the state to potential investors, especially in the areas of agriculture and water resources,” said Tor Vande, a resident of the area. “Government should not only rely on money from the Federation Account; it should invest heavily in tourism because this sector alone can revolutionise the economy of the state,” said Vande.

Sunday, June 8, 2014

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

Backlash Abraham Ogbodo

08055328079 (Sms only) abogbodo@yahoo.com

The Uncommon Godswill Akpabio DO not know which between commendation IGodswill and condemnation should strictly apply to Akpabio, the governor of Akwa Ibom State. He came out penultimate week to make very loud proclamations on ex-governors of Akwa Ibom State and their retirement benefits. Perhaps, he could not hear himself properly while speaking but to his listeners, the Governor was saying, his life as governor would continue at about the same tempo and size outside office in 2015. In every 365 days, he would receive N100 million to treat malaria, headache and such other illnesses from a robust retirement package that included a five-bedroom house in Abuja or Akwa Ibom. All the things added up to about N200 million per annum for an ex-governor in addition to a four yearly renewal of two official vehicles attached to him. The calculation put the benefits of an ex-deputy governor at about 50 per cent of the total accruals to the principal. Maybe Governor Akpabio who has a way of making very serious matters look too light (he is contemplating becoming a comedian at retirement in 2015) would have sounded too casual in announcing the hundreds of millions that would be paid out under the Akwa Ibom State’s Governor and Deputy Governor Pension Bill 2014. He did not sound like he was talking about mega bucks. He made N100 million appear as chicken feed, which does not take too much effort to earn. That is not good public communication strategy. The weight of the amount he was talking about should have reflected in the seriousness of his tone and even mood as he talked. He was flat and I want to conclude that it was the uncommon aloofness he exhibited while naming the big money that angered the people who listened to him. People did not wait to get the details of the pension deal before they started an FEW weeks ago, I had reason to A lament why this democracy has turned out to be the nemesis of ordinary Nigerians. By ordinary, I mean those of us who are outside government. Even though the politicians rely on us to elect them into office, once they manage to get there, they do whatever is on their minds. And not too many politicians have good things on their minds. On one occasion, it was the tragedy visited on job applicants by the NIS (Nigeria Immigration Service) that exposed how poorly those in government regard those of us in the larger society. We saw the huge crowd of unemployed persons who were lured out in Benin, Abuja, Lagos and elsewhere, and were viciously trampled upon by the State. There were promises by government to remediate the losses, even though some were irredeemable, but since then nothing has happened. Government has since moved on to other softer targets to show power and oppression. Last week’s attempt by government to crackdown on the Chibok Girls campaigners (#Bring Back Our Girls Abuja Family) took sometime to ferment. It had been subtle and gradual, until it was fully unveiled by no other than the Commissioner of Police in charge of the FCT, John Mbu. The man, who was only recently transferred from Rivers State to give peace a chance in that troubled polity, could no longer stomach the irritation the campaigns have turned into for government. For 30 plus days, these campaigners, mostly women would defy the elements to occupy the Unity Fountain Park, Abuja, in daily sit-outs. Their single campaign issue so far, has been to continually remind government of the painful fact that over the 200 schoolgirls are still out there in the wilderness, in the cruel hands of Boko Haram insurgents. The campaigners are just a handful, wearing red and displaying just placards announcing their mission - Bring Back Our Girls. Physically, they look harmless and even pitiful, considering that they are majorly volunteers, whose share of our collective liability from Chibok is only vicarious. But as a social movement, you could not ignore the passion and vigour of their campaign, which I imagine from this dis-

offensive. Even an ex-governor of the State and one of the few persons the law would benefit was surprisingly among the attackers. Governor Akpabio is not on pension yet, that will come after May 29, 2015, but he was projected in the grand offensive as if he was the sole beneficiary of the accruing largesse. Last Tuesday, barely a week after the passing of the contentious bill by the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Akpabio was back on air not to reinforce the desirability of the pension law as he had previously done, but to reverse himself and the state legislature, citing the loud public outcry that greeted the passing of the Akwa Ibom State’s Governor and Deputy Governor Pension Bill 2014. And it was when he spoke again, this time more seriously, on the same subject matter, that it became known that the law in question was after all, not a new piece of legislation. It was first enacted in 1998 as Special Grant (former Chief Executives) and had been amended twice in 1999 and 2002. In 2006, it was repealed and replaced with the Governors and Deputy Governor Pension Law, which was assented to by the former State Governor, Obong Victor Attah on April 26, 2007. As it can be seen, Akpabio was not doing anything fresh; but merely operating along the same administrative trajectory. If anything, he thought he was working to make the law better and the state more protected. Hear him: “In the course of its implementation, we noticed a lacuna in the 2007 law, particularly on account of its open-endedness in the provisions relating to the medical expenses and provision of funds for the employment of domestic staff for the former governors and deputy governors. Interpretation: Akpabio is saying that the medical provisions in the 2007 law had no upper limit and it could rise to ridiculously high level and it was to guard against this infinite rise that he

thought of the 2014 amendment to place a seal. He explained: “Working with the House of Assembly, we sought to protect the law from abuse by putting a ceiling on the medical expenses for the treatment of these senior citizens of Akwa Ibom State. The ceiling, which was pegged at N100 million per annum for former governors and N50 million per annum for former deputy governors was never meant to be given, either in part, or in whole to anybody at anytime for any reason. It was meant to be paid to health institutions involved in the treatment of former governors or former deputy governors and their spouses. It was, therefore deliberate falsehood and organised misinformation to claim that the said money will be paid to former governors or deputy governors every year.” This was the simple piece of information that Akpabio failed to include in his earlier announcement, which sparked off the backlash against him. If anything, this was the news the Governor should have deposited ahead in the public domain before following up with the real news of N100 million medicals for ex-governors and their deputies. Painfully, he mismanaged the communication line, saying the first thing last and vice versa. There is a lesson here for him. A man does not just talk because he knows how to talk or what to say. The disposition of the receiver of the message is equally important. The point I am making is that in a country where poverty is fast assuming a fundamental sociological trait, it is not too good for a governor or whoever to just wake up one early morning and start talking about hundreds of millions he has appropriated into a pension scheme to sustain his post office life. He was talking down on people who cannot afford N5000 to cook a good pot of soup. It was unbearable; almost like rubbing salt into an open wound. People know that eight or even four years of governorship in Nigeria could guarantee a life pension even if the fellow were to live for 300 years. And so why pour more water into a jar that is already overflowing? To the man and woman in the street, every governor or public office holder in Nigeria is a thief until proven otherwise. It is the reason Akpabio needed to explain issues properly to gain the understanding of Akwa Ibomites. He could say that unlike others, he has not amassed stolen public wealth anywhere in the world but has instead spent every kobo received on behalf of Akwa Ibom to uncommonly transform the state beyond imagination and he would therefore need a robust pension to continue life after leaving office in 2015. He would

have been obliged if he had asked properly. The second lesson lies in the boisterous nature of Governor Akpabio. The man talks too much. He makes show with just about everything. He donates loudly, he politicks loudly and he governs loudly. This same thing that is causing both heaven and hell to fall in Akwa Ibom State due to a noisy approach had been quietly achieved elsewhere even in larger measures. In Lagos State for instance, Law No 11 of 2007 assented to by the former Governor Bola Tinubu does not differentiate between an ex and a sitting governor. The law allows ex-governors that did two terms to earn the same salary as the sitting governor. Instead of two ordinary cars, ex-governors in Lagos State are entitled to six cars including three that are armoured all of which must be changed for new ones every three years. For protection, they have at anytime, eight police men and two operatives of the Department of State Security. And the choice of location for a house is not the State capital or the Federal Territory as it is in Akwa Ibom; the Lagos pension law provides two houses for exgovernors in Lagos and Abuja. I want to believe that the lessons are not lost on Akpabio. He has become wiser and will know how to go about such matters next time without hurting himself. To answer the opening question, I think Governor Akpabio deserves some commendation for exhibiting an uncommon character trait among Nigerian politicians. In any case, it has become established in Akwa Ibom State and perhaps beyond that the man does not do common things. He has an uncommon resolve to effect an uncommon transformation in Akwa Ibom State and reports say he enjoys uncommon approval rating among his colleagues who are unfortunately common. And now, he has achieved the uncommon feat of being the first high public officer to reverse himself to injure himself for the sake of larger peace and interest. This is the real mark of leadership and I recommend the adoption of this approach by all politicians including Governor Rotimi Amaechi whose refusal to reverse himself on the appointment of a Vice Chancellor for the Rivers State University of Science and Technology (UST) has kept the institution in turmoil since 2012. The State Judiciary is also not peaceful because His Excellency has refused to reverse himself on the appointment of the State Chief Judge in spite of the National Judicial Council (NJC)

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

Government’s Penchant For Soft Targets tance, has the capacity to cause this administration some sleepless nights. Imagine waking up every morning for 30 days, knowing that some persons are lurking around your street, waiting to remind you of some communal obligation you have failed to deliver. So, last Monday, Mbu, on behalf of government placed a ban on further protests in the Federal Capital Territory concerning the Chibok girls. According to him, the protests now pose serious security threat to those living around and citizens who drive through areas where protests are held. He said: “As the FCT Police boss, I cannot fold my hands and watch this lawlessness.” Only an Mbu would have summoned the courage to make such pronouncements on behalf of a government that so easily betrays panic. He was however overruled by the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, who later tried to modify Mbu’s order, which the IG claimed was only advisory and did not emanate from the Police high command. The IG, however insisted, that protesters should seriously reconsider their actions, while government works hard to disperse the inclement weather that currently pervades the country. The IG, a highly sociable officer did well, but no matter how hard he tried, Mbu had done the damage and drawn the ire of many who did not think the #Bring Back Our Girls protests have lost relevance. If the Chibok girls are brought home today and the protests refuse to unwind immediately with a valedictory service, then we can begin to ask, what else is their own? But for

now, government has to manage this situation very well, so that we outside do not begin to impugn motives. Already, some people see government’s action as a demonstration of a psychological disorder (panic), the kind that military regimes exhibited in those days whenever they see trade unionists or students gather. In those days, the military tried a number of pranks to disorient the civil society, including sending blacklegs to break their ranks. But in the end, the soldiers were sent to the barracks to give room for this democracy to thrive. How soon we forget. Perhaps, if there were sufficient institutional memory in government, some of the blunders we see now would have been averted. The Chibok Girls were stolen on the night of April 14 and the #Bring Back Our Girls campaigns did not commence until April 28th or so, as a civil society movement. Between April 14 and 28 government was stunned and largely vacuous, with no initiative of what to do. That was when the blunders about the figures of girls stolen were made. Government sources claimed only about 10 girls were abducted all of whom had been brought back and reunited with their families. It was the campaigns that brought forth revelations and people became emboldened to speak out. Families from Chibok spoke out and more facts came out. The campaigns turned the Chibok story into a brand that attracted the whole world to converge on Nigeria. That visibility brought empathy from all over the world and support from foreign governments. Our Pres-

ident felt encouraged to discuss the matter at multilateral platforms with Francophone neighbours in France, South Africa and among ECOWAS partners. If before then we had covered our shame like a man struggling to hide elephantiasis of the scrotum we would have been worse for it. The campaigns helped to tell our story in no way any government-sponsored media could have done. Besides, the #Bring Back Our Girls Abuja Family, is just a chapter of the global campaign, which featured in many states across the federation. First Ladies of many states across the country joined the campaigns, not to mention that First Ladies in other friendly countries, presidents and other world leaders joined the campaigns. In other words, it went viral some weeks ago and there is nothing anybody will do to halt it except to truly go into the forest and bring back the girls. If you limit the movement in Abuja, you cannot legislate over what others will do in other climes. On the politics of it, information minister, Labaran Maku said more than 90 percent of the Chibok Girls campaigners belong to the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC), and looking back, that perhaps was why government ordered the Police to disperse the protests. It is possible that politicians have infiltrated the crowd to use it as an opportunity to hit back at the ruling party. But the original crowd we saw, from this distance, I repeat, looked very harmless and useful, even to government. If government were eclectic enough, it could have turned the campaigns to a great political advantage, but good ideas, you know, don’t come that

cheap. When the campaigners said they wanted to see President Jonathan on May 22, the man refused to come out. Instead, he sent some ministers to address them. Many felt let down and disappointed that such momentous opportunity to show chivalry was spurned by the president, just the same way he muttered some explanation in far away France on why he could not go to Chibok. As they say, all politics is local. If it is true that the opposition has taken advantage of the Chibok campaigns, it is because government failed to take advantage of the opportunity it offered. We are talking of a situation where government is supposed to be in charge, but is not and when others come to take advantage, you begin to blame them. At a point government saw the good thing the campaigners were doing, but was shy to key in, perhaps because former minister, Oby Ezekwesili was a co-pilot. Then they attempted a photocopy on April 28, with what was obviously a sponsored version – Release Our Girls, which failed to fly because anything that is not real cannot evoke pathos. Besides, those sponsored campaigners did not have the verve to remain on the street for 30 days. On the failed ban by commissioner Mbu, The #Bring Back Our Girls Abuja Family was not going to let government win this one without a good fight. They have gone to court and prayed for a declaration that the decision to ban protests and rallies in the Federal Capital Territory with immediate effect is illegal, unconstitutional, null and void as it violates the fundamental rights of the people to freedom of conscience, freedom of expression and freedom of assembly and association guaranteed by Sections 38, 39 and 40 of the Constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended. Just as that was going on in Abuja, students of the Lagos State University were on the streets to protest the high fees the Lagos government has imposed on them. This has been a running battle and it is a surprise that the democratic government in Lagos has not been able to deal with it, without inviting the Police. As usual, the politicians called out the Police to quell the protesting students. Now, we hear soldiers are trying to muzzle free speech, by harassing vendors and seizing their wares. Haven’t we gone past all of that?

TheGuardian

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Sunday, June 8, 2014 11

Conscience, Nurtured by Truth

Outlook NJC And Rivers Judiciary Crisis By Aham Njoku HE crisis in the Rivers State Judiciary appears to have reached a crescendo with the recent “appointment” of Hon. Justice D. W. Okocha as the defacto even if not the de jure Chief Judge of Rivers State by the National Judicial Council (N.J.C.). A few days ago the N.J.C. announced the name of the learned judge as the Administrative Judge of Rivers State pending the resolution of all the legal issues surrounding the appointment of a substantive Chief Judge of Rivers State. Without doing an extensive review of the crux of the matter, one can briefly highlight that the bone of contention is that the N.J.C. rejected the choice of the Rivers State Government in the person of Hon. Justice Peter Nwoke Agumagu as the Chief Judge of Rivers State. Or put in another way, the Governor of Rivers State Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi rejected the choice of N.J.C. Hon. Justice Daisy Okocha as the Chief Justice of Rivers State. Hon. Justice Daisy Okocha was the choice of the N.J.C. The N.J.C. relied on what it termed as non-compliance of the Rivers State Government with section 271 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The Rivers State Government countered the position of the N.J.C. by insisting the N.J.C. has no powers to declare the action of the Governor as unconstitutional. It said that only a duly constituted court of law could declare the Governor’s action as unconstitutional or illegal. In other words, the N.J.C. could not arrogate to itself the powers of a court of law. The Rivers State Government further argued that the N.J.C. only usurped judicial powers by its action. In Suit No. FHC/PH/CS/421/2013, Governor of Rivers State & 2 Ors v. The National Judicial Commission (N.J.C.) & Hon. Justice Daisy Okocha, the Rivers State government contested the decision of the N.J.C. In a judgment delivered on Wednesday 19th March, 2014 the Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt held among other things that the Governor of Rivers State was right in appointing Hon. Agumagu as the Chief Judge of Rivers State. It also held that the N.J.C. had no right to insist that the Governor must accept the candidate Hon. Justice Okocha that was recommended to him by the N.J.C. The court forcefully declared that, “The Governor is not made a rubber stamp or robot to willy-nilly accept the N.J.C. recommendation.” While some other stakeholders on the other divide in the drama seemed to hail the pronouncement of NJC, it is apposite to refresh our mind on the position of the Rivers State Government. Speaking through its Commissioner for Information and Communications, Ibim Semenitari, the government warned of the impending scenario when Justice Agumagu was first suspended. To refresh our mind it is apposite to recall the press statement of the journalist turned commissioner. The attention of the Rivers State Government has been drawn to a statement by the spokesperson of the National Judicial Council

CONversation

purporting to suspend the Rivers State Chief Judge, Justice P.N.C Agumagu by the National Judicial Council (NJC). If this is true, then clearly, the NJC appears not to have taken into consideration the judgment delivered by Justice Lambo Akanbi of the Federal High court, Port Harcourt in which it is a party. The state government finds this position of the NJC rather curious especially as Justice Agumagu is the most senior judge in the Rivers State judiciary and a very respected judicial officer. . The Rivers state government had gone to the courts to seek interpretation of Section 271 (3-5) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as regards the appointment of a chief judge of the state. That section of the constitution clearly states that “A person shall not be qualified to hold office of a Judge of a High Court of a State unless he is qualified to practice as a legal practitioner in Nigeria and has been so qualified for a period of not less than ten years.” However to enable it act within the confines of the law the Rivers State Government sought the court’s interpretation. The learned Justice Akanbi in delivering his judgment faulted the deliberate omission of Justice Agumagu’s name amongst the list of senior judges qualified to be Chief judge of Rivers State. . Justice P.N.C Agumagu is the most senior judge in the Rivers State judiciary and was seconded to establish the Customary Court of Appeal in 2008. . The Rivers State government is well aware that there is no constitutional provision compelling the Governor to appoint a chief judge based on his or her seniority or even the arm of the judiciary to which such a person belongs. What the constitution requires is a minimum of 10 years post- call qualification. This is evidenced even by the appointment of the immediate past Chief Judge of the State, Justice Iche Ndu, who was appointed chief judge over his senior at the bench. At the time of justice Ndu’s appointment, the Justice Sotonye Denton-West was the most senior judge in the Rivers State judiciary, yet the NJC did not compel the governor at the time to announce her as Chief Judge. The refusal of the NJC to abide by the recommendations of the Rivers State Judicial Service Commission on the appointment of the State Chief Judge and its insistence on a particular candidate is a cause of worry for the Rivers State Government. . Such insistence may appear to mark the NJC out as clearly partisan, self-interested and self-serving, in a case in which it is a party. The NJC has shown such over-weaning personal interest in this matter; thereby raising serious and fundamental questions as to how justifiable is it for NJC to interpose itself in a case in which it clearly has more than a passing interest. It is a well-known principle of administrative law that a party

Amaechi cannot be a judge in its own cause. When Honorable Justice Akanbi of the Federal high Court struck down the decision of the NJC to preclude Justice Agumagu from consideration for the position of the Chief Judge, the Rivers State Government fully expected the NJC, as a law-abiding institution, to choose the path of civility and appeal if it was dis-satisfied with the decision. Rather than do so, the NJC has chosen the path of unconstitutional bullying, lawlessness and injudicious racketeering. It is a dark day for our country when the most senior Justices and lawyers in our country resort to highhanded self help instead of judicial redress. The Rivers State Government finds that the decision of the NJC to suspend Justice Agumagu despite a decision of the Federal High Court on the issue of who should be Chief Judge of Rivers State suggests a highhandedness and intolerance that is unacceptable for a body charged with the responsibility of protecting the integrity of the judiciary. The attitude of the body has laid credence to the fears of the Rivers State Government that the body has been influenced by one of its members who has filial ties with the NJC’s preferred candidate. The impression is that the NJC is using its old boys and influence networks and could not be bothered about the propriety or constitutionality of usurping the role of the Governor of Rivers state in

the appointment of a chief judge for the state or respecting the niceties of separation of powers. The NJC seeks to unleash an assault on the fundamental value of separation of powers in our constitutional system. . The Rivers State Government should respectfully remind the NJC that it is a statutory body, not a Court. Accordingly, the NJC should not to allow itself to become a tool in the hands of advocates of nepotism and sectional interest. The Rivers state government should urge the NJC to respect the ruling of the Federal High court and indeed the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria which it has a responsibility to uphold in the interest of justice, fair play and fair mindedness. By the way it has acted, the NJC seeks to put itself above the law. The NJC is not above the law. The path of legality for the NJC is to seek redress in the courts. Without going further into whether it is the Governor that is right or whether it is the N.J.C. that is wrong, the concern of many informed jurists and indeed members of the public is that the NJC in particular should follow due process in the matter in question. First the N.J.C. appeared to be hasty in suspending Hon. Justice Agumagu without giving him a fair hearing. Secondly the matter was subjudice as an appeal was pending before N.J.C. took further action. N.J.C. is yet to vacate the judgment of the Federal High Court Port Harcourt in favour of the Rivers State Governor and Hon. Justice Agumagu before it went ahead to appoint Hon. Okocha as the Administrative Judge of Rivers State. Caution should have suggested that until all the issues are resolved both Agumagu and Okocha ought to have been kept in the background and not giving one some sort of ascendancy above the other. To some extent, some worried commentators’ only grouse with NJC is that it appears to be introducing some dose of politics in its affairs, no matter how little. Equally they believe that being a body of great distinction, it ought to act with judicial restraint no matter the provocation. According to Professor Chidi Odinkalu, “This comedy of errors playing out so clumsily before a public that once held the judiciary in spiritual awe is grinding the last remaining fragments of reputation and authority into the dust”. For him, “the process for selection and appointment of judicial officers has demonstrably collapsed and it is a tragedy for our governance and democracy”.Another commentator, Bamidele Aturu appears to be so outraged that he is of the view that, “it is time to put on the agenda, a reform of that body (N.J.C.) by legislative means”. In conclusion, there is no doubt that political factors are indeed giving coloration to the drama playing out in Rivers State Judiciary. This is unacceptable. While the politicians in Rivers State may be pardoned by the public for being political gladiators, the same perhaps cannot be said of the N.J.C., which ought to be purely a judicial body expected therefore to act with temperance. Njoku is a Legal Practitioner.

By Obe Ess

TheGuardian

12 | Sunday, June 8, 2014

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Conscience, Nurtured by Truth

Editorial Ade-Ajayi: History Is His Life I

CONIC historian, university administrator and accomplished scholar, Jacob Festus Abiose Adeniyi Ajayi deserved all the encomiums poured on him as he celebrated his 85th birthday the other day. A highly respected scholar, Ade-Ajayi has earned the respect of all who cherished a life of honour and appreciate sound scholarship. He remains an inspiration to generations and he belongs in that hard-toreplenish stock of Nigerians, a list of which is getting shorter by the day. The first professor of History at the famed University of Ibadan, where he began as a pioneer student at the then University College in 1948, Ade-Ajayi alongside Prof. Onwuka Dike, blazed the trail in the study of African History and African Historiography. But the beginning was not so smooth as he was literally forced by Euro-American administrators (who hardly believed Africa had any history worth studying) first to earn a general degree in English, Latin and History. With a First Class degree in History from Leicester University and a doctorate from the University of London, Ade-Ajayi’s tenacity of purpose and conviction instantly made him one of the best repository of resources on African history. For a man who sought to be relevant to his immediate environment and beyond, Ade-Ajayi’s scholarship right from the beginning was beyond compare. Within five years of his return, he not only became a professor, his views were much sought after at home and abroad as he led others in an unwavering, diligent study of the African past. Significantly, he has not left the field of teaching and writing history for one moment of his professional life. So passionate has Ade-Ajayi been in his work both at the History department of University of Ibadan and as a historian post-retirement that he has invested so much time, energy and resources in research and teaching. Even as he ages gracefully, an undying spirit kept him still in research and teaching of African History, spurring him to cultivate and encourage succeeding generations. History, indeed, is his life. One of his notable contributions to scholarship was his involvement, as a member, and later as the leader of the Ibadan School of History, a group of scholars committed to introducing African perspectives to history and focusing on the internal historical forces that shaped African lives. That school impacted heavily and positively on helping Africans and their leaders draw remarkable self-confidence in the face of a certain European denigration. Ade-Ajayi brought considerable respect to that school, and it is now pertinent to ask what happened to the famous school! Dike and Ajayi and others who laboured to give it relevance would certainly be far from satisfied to see the extinction of such a serious academic movement. His works present him as a dispassionate writer, especially about controversial subjects in African history. He was able to appraise “critically and with resignation” the first Nigerian Anglican Bishop, Samuel Ajayi Crowther. Another theme of his work, of course, is relentless nationalism. Nevertheless, he has not been without his critics. Once, a critique of his views on Yoruba origin controversy returned a damning verdict of unprofessionalism and, even though unkind, sectionalism. He was instrumental to the building of the Arts Faculty at the U.I as well as assisting in developing the Graduate School. A remarkable highlight of his distinguished service to humanity is his tenure as the Vice Chancellor of the University of Lagos, an institution he took to the pinnacle, making it stand among the world’s best before he exited the place. However, the twilight of that tenure as Vice Chancellor was made controversial, having been confronted with the 1978 nationwide students’ protest that was seized upon by opportunists to unleash mayhem. Ade-Ajayi was arbitrarily relieved of his position, forcing him to return to Ibadan to continue his efforts in scholarship. As a foremost educationist, he detests the current trend in which “everybody just wants to claim to have established a university…to raise money.” For him, without good education, “we are deprived of the best means to rally round for development.” A man of impeccable character, he abhors corruption, injustice and bad leadership. AdeAjayi no doubt touched lives far and wide – as a teacher, an author, as mentor to thousands, as a family man and as a humanist. He is a recipient of many academic laurels, capped by the Nigerian National Order of Merit (NNOM). In an interview two years ago, he surmised that “any country that ignores history is inviting trouble,” hence history must be restored to the Nigerian school curriculum. It can only be hoped that the words of this man of history, rings true today to those who seek to make history.

LETTERS

A New Sheriff In Anambra State IR: Residents of Anambra Sloud: State feel like shouting out pinch us so that we will know we are still alive. Head Bridge, Onitsha in Anambra State has been for long written off as a jungle for the meanest beasts. One risks being attacked at midday by robbers in the commotion of rowdy onlookers. Chief Willie Obiano, the new governor, has the people forgetting fast that once they lived in an urban decay. Folks are driving their luxury cars at night without fear of being robbed or kidnapped. The governor makes a swift impression as the new sheriff in town. The people are living their sweet fantasy. Onitsha Main Market is reckoned with in the whole of West Africa as the centre of the quickest self-made millionaires. A poor kid who becomes an apprentice can in a short time, through his business ingenuity, become a big-time importer. The entrepreneurial bravado of these businessmen has been subdued by the menace of robbers. Most of the successful traders have left town and their business excellence took flight with them. Gov. Willie Obiano touched the ground running, to clean up the mess making life unbearable in the state. People that witnessed the raid at Head Bridge, Onitsha, said that it was like a multi-faceted war zone. The governor seems to be marching fast to create a state befitting of the distinguished people of Anambra State. So

long has rascality robbed the state the opportunity to exploit the enormous potentialities of its people. The governor is ambitiously promoting his agenda to turn the crippling structure of the state to a flourishing system and he seems to have no tolerance for detractors. His vision of success appears clear before his eyes. Those who have lived in America know that like the smartening of a new sheriff in town, one has no political precedence to gauge the limits of the governor’s endurance. Nigeria is a zoo and Anambra State is the den of lions. Gov. Obiano started off with admirable enthusiasm but one can be sure that the monsters lurking in the dark corridors of

Anambra State politics will be quick to pounce on him once they spot a relaxing of his iron grip. And they will stop at nothing to test his mettle in ways of scandalously dipping their hands into the state treasury or derailing his focus to avenues of silliness. The intellectualism of the Igbo of Anambra State has not appeared to benefit them in the Nigerian context. One might even argue that it has worked against them. They compete against each other maliciously. This conundrum seems to be at the forefront of Gov. Obiano’s face and he appears ready to dismantle the foolishness and mount in its place the glories of a noble race. • Pius Okaneme, Umuoji, Anambra State.

Nobody Can Rubbish Clinton And McCain IR: Bill and Hillary Clinton Shave made great names for

themselves as one of the most successful couples on earth. The husband remains the best American President in about 60 years, in terms of peace and economic buoyancy. Mama (Senator) Hillary first impressed me as a great woman that defied our stereotype of a Euro-American woman when she stood by her husband who apparently had fun with an intern, Monica Lewsnski. The then President was taunted by his opponents as if Lewnski was a virgin girl of 14. You would have expected

an average Euro-American woman to pack her bag and baggage, but not Mama (Hillary Clinton). Despite the opposition’s hullaballoo, Bill won his second term with a landslide victory. Americans said he was a human being, entitled to some privacy, and that they would not tradeoff the economic prosperity they were enjoying. Remember when Mama Clinton became America’s Secretary of State, under President Barrack Obama; you wouldn’t want her to ever resign in the way she handled issues. • Pius Abioje, University of Ilorin.

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Sunday, June 8, 2014 13

INTERVIEW

OBAFUNWA: Students Should Be Patient For Committee To Finish Work On School Fees Prof. John Oladapo Obafunwa is the vice chancellor of Lagos State University (LASU). Until his appointment, he was a Professor of Forensic Pathology in the Department of Pathology and Forensic Medicine of the Lagos State University College of Medicine and a Chief Medical Examiner. He was the Provost of the Lagos State University College of Medicine (LASUCOM) for two terms as well as a member of the Governing Council and the University’s Senate. Obafunwa, who obtained Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery in 1980, from the College of Medicine, University of Lagos, proceeded to National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria and bagged a Fellow of the Medical College of Pathologists in 1987. A member of the Royal College of Pathologists, having attended University Medical School in Edinburg, Scotland, Obafunwa also has both a certificate and bachelor’s degree in Law, which he obtained from the University of Canterbury and University of Northumbria respectively. Last Friday, Obafunwa spoke with journalists in Lagos on the crisis in the school and the reforms that his administration has embarked on to rebrand LASU. GREGORY AUSTIN NWAKUNOR was at the media briefing. What is different from the LASU of 2014 and the one you met on assumption as ViceChancellor? What are some of the reforms you have initiated so far? DON’T intend to get into the business of apportioning blames or attributing any liabilities with regards to my predecessors. But honestly, when I came in, I find a LASU that needed a lot of surgery. Of course, you know I came from the medical school. A number of things were not being properly done. And over the past four years that I was there as Provost, we were able to make significant changes. You will agree with me that when you start to count medical schools in this country, by the time you count the first four or five, you will definitely count Lagos State University College of Medicine. On getting to the main campus, I realised that some of the things that we will take for granted are lacking. Let me give you some examples. Infrastructure wise, not much was happening on the main campus. But when you look at November 2011, when I came in and 2014 now, we cannot but give a lot of credit to the state government, and of course, the legislative arm of government for the improvement that we are seeing. We have the new Senate building, which is a seven-storey structure going on. We are virtually through with Phase one. They have started phase two A. The last phase is Two B, and we are hoping that under 24 months, we will get to end of the road. There is the new Central Library that can sit about 800 to 1,000 students at a time, comprising four floors. It is under construction. We have started the piling of blocks for the building of the new faculty of Management Sciences. The state government just awarded the contract, and they have started work to put up three buildings, which is the Lagos HOMS model. Incidentally, it is for the benefit of the striking academic staff to assist them in the area of housing. The state government assisted us in refurbishing the three-in-one lecture halls adjoining the Faculty of Education. We are in the process of furnishing it now. Also nearing completion is the twin-lecture theatre, a storeybuilding for the Faculty of Law. If everything

Prof. Obafunwa goes well, we expect that by the end of July, if we are lucky, they will finish the Faculty of Science complex. These things happen within the last two years. Apart from the building projects that are ongoing, we have the drainage issue. The state government also came to our rescue through the Ministry of Environment, the drainage section to award contracts and started putting up proper drainage system. In fact, I was shocked when I was going through the plans of the university and noticed that areas that I thought were just plain grounds were actually drainage system that has been filled with sands, and we are talking of drainage sites that were about two metres wide and about one and half metres deep. They had to excavate all those things in addition to constructing new ones. And that will explain why we do not have the kind of flooding that used to occur in many parts of LASU. By last year, we did not experience any flooding, and we are supposed to be moving on to the next stage. You might come to LASU and see one or two potholes here and there, but I am not so bothered because there are lots of construction

work going on, and you have lots of heavy trucks plying the roads. But I believe that at the end of the construction exercise, we should be able to have all the roads done. So, you can imagine the amount of money that the state government has been pumping into our school. Also, before I came into the place, for about four, five years, they had no convocation. I came in 2011, but by 2012, we had our convocation. We had another one in February last year. But for this ongoing crisis, we would have had another one, and we are still going to have it. Also, for the first time in LASU, in 2012, we did not have our convocation outside on the field; we had it in the new auditorium. With the assistance of the state government, we were able to finish the new auditorium building, and that was where we had our convocation. That is just part of things that have changed in terms of infrastructure development in LASU, and it is only fair that people will appreciate those good signs of the university. LASU used to be plagued with students saying ‘I am in 400 levels, but I have not

seen the result of 100 levels, or you want to go for exams and instead of 100 people coming for the exams, you will find about 300 to 400 people coming. I came from a medical school where examination results are released 72 hours after writing examination, but it was a shock to me getting to the main campus and finding out that examination results were being delayed. I will agree that in the College of Medicine, we had a smaller population, but the orientation and mentality was quite different. So, we have to review the whole process in the main campus, and I can tell you that this has also become a thing of the past. By so doing, the unsavoury teacher-students relationship in LASU has been minimised. And to come up with this some people will like it, and some others will not like it, but nonetheless, we will progress. Also, in the area of accountability, when this administration came in, I discovered that LASU was expending almost N13 million a month on impress. Some people are not even waiting for their monthly salary; they just depend solely on impress. We felt something had to be done, and I started with the office of the Vice-Chancellor where the impress was slashed by 66 percent. At that time, there was only one Deputy ViceChancellor. Despite the fact that we slashed the impress, we added another ViceChancellor. If I could slash the impress to the Vice-Chancellor’s office by 66 per cent, I do not need to think twice before slashing the impress of other departments to between 40 or 50 per cent. In taking that decision we reduced the cost from about N13

LASU used to be plagued with students saying ‘I am in 400 levels, but I have not seen the result of 100 levels, or you want to go for exams and instead of 100 people coming for the exams, you will find about 300 to 400 people coming. I came from a medical school where examination results are released 72 hours after writing examination, but it was a shock to me getting to the main campus and finding out that examination results were being delayed. I will agree that in the College of Medicine, we had a smaller population, but the orientation and mentality was quite different. So, we have to review the whole process in the main campus, and I can tell you that CONTINUED ON PAGE 14 this has also become a thing of the past.

Sunday, June 8, 2014

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INTERVIEW

... LASU Has To Change, Move Forward Now CONTINUED FROM PAGE 13 million to about N5million a month. Will some people like that? Definitely, no. Let me also add that we have been able to do much for the school in the area of some courses that were not accredited. Just when we thought that some form of stability has returned to LASU, we are now confronted with present agitations from the students and lecturers? Could you give us some insight into what could be responsible for this? I will try as much as possible to choose my words, but at the same time, I will be as frank as possible. You will notice that it is not unlikely that because of reforms being carried out, some elements of people will not be happy. But it is also interesting to note that when this administration came in 2011, we had an ASUU executive and there wasn’t any problem until that ASUU executive left, and a new one took over. Now all of a sudden, we have a problem. Could we be dealing with issues that go beyond what we are seeing? I don’t know. It is an open question. The first sign to the best of my knowledge has to do with the 21 points being raised by ASUU, which includes the tenure of the Vice Chancellor, retirement age, the issue of ‘No vacancy, No promotion’, which was not coined by the administration, the issue of Internet provision on campus, issue of environment. Twice, we had rainstorms that damaged our facilities in the ICT unit. The first one I recalled; I got an estimate of N15 million to effect repairs throughout the university. But by the time we finished, we spent a little over N3million, and everything got rectified. The second time we had a problem with ICT, the entire set of equipment were destroyed because of what turned out to be an earthing problem. For the new auditorium where we had our first convocation indoors, I got an estimate that we are to complete it with about N29 million, by the time we are through; we did everything with less than N6 million. So, we had series of meetings and the Chancellor, Sir Molade Okoya-Thomas even invited us. We held about four or five meetings. But it is like the same issues were being repeated. At some point, the representatives of national ASUU came, and we had discussions in the Senate chamber, then about seven issues were raised. By the time the current trade dispute began, it had already been reduced to three. And I believe that if from 20, we are now dealing with just 3, it means we have been talking. On the ‘No vacancy, No promotion’ issue. Is it true that we have had no vacancy? The answer is no. Because I recall that about 112 people were promoted and appointed in 2011/2012. That is a fact. So, if there were no vacancies, would they have been promoted? I don’t want to be too personal, but I have to mention this. The current ASUU chairman earned his promotion in 2011/2012. In 2012/2013, the exercise that we just completed, there were 256 vacancies declared. Meanwhile, the various colleges and faculties presented only 105 lecturers for promotion. So, we have been promoting people. ASUU also raised the issue of the hike in school fees saying it is the most expensive in public universities in Nigeria. What is your take on that? The issue of school fees strictly speaking concerns the students, parents and the Governing Council. That should not be an issue for ASUU wanting to shut down the university. And I know that this administration is aware of the fact that government is looking into it. Government is interacting with the students, and the students have written a proposal to the government, and a committee is looking into it. So, why not wait for that committee to finish its work? In a correspondence to ASUU, I said if you feel strongly about this, why don’t you make your own submission to the government as to what you think should be the school fees? Let government consider it among other things. Do you have any idea if ASUU has done that? ASUU never did that to the best of my knowledge. Nobody in government has told

When this administration came in, I discovered that LASU was expending almost N13 million a month on impress. Some people are not even waiting for their monthly salary; they just depend solely on impress. We felt something had to be done, and I started with the office of the Vice-Chancellor where the impress was slashed by 66 percent. At that time, there was only one Deputy Vice-Chancellor. Despite the fact that we slashed the impress, we added another Vice-Chancellor. If I could slash the impress to the Vice-Chancellor’s office by 66 per cent, I do not need to think twice before slashing the impress of other departments to between 40 or 50 per cent. In taking that decision we reduced the cost from about N13 million to about N5million a month. me that they have received any document from ASUU towards that effect. It was said that school fees ‘hike’ had been responsible for low student’s enrolment; I will leave us to judge. But you cannot ignore a lot of other things. Remember I mentioned earlier on that LASU lost accreditation, if programmes were not accredited particularly those ones that will attract students like Admin, Public Relations, Insurance, Economics, even Law, you cannot advertise for them. So, that will naturally affect your enrolment because you cannot admit students into those departments. For two years, they could not admit into the Faculty of Law, now we were admitting comfortably. Because we lost accreditation in Accounting, we could not admit into it. One important factor we cannot overlook is this, if a university is prone to incessant strikes, either by teachers or students, as a parent, would you want to send your children to that university? What kind of brand are we selling to the wider society? It is very myopic to just focus on school fees. We should look at what we are doing to ourselves. We need to think seriously about rebranding, and about the image of the university. The more you convene this riotous environment; every parent will not be happy to send their children here, and that will definitely lead to low enrolment of students. I have received a number of texts from people asking me ‘Why did I come to LASU? Am I not wasting my time? I went to give a lec-

ture to medical students two weeks ago, and I realised that the 400 level medical students actually came into the university around 2008. It means they have actually spent six years in the university, and they told me ‘Sir, we don’t want any other strike in this place’. I am not going to be specific, but it is also a fact that a very senior official of ASUU-LASU has two children in Babcock University. Meanwhile, he wants LASU to be shut down. I think we need to think seriously about it. Are you, in essence, saying that the present crisis was caused by some elements who are not comfortable with your reform programmes and wanted you out using the hike in school fees? I have not alleged that some people wanted me out at all cost but some people naturally might not be happy with certain reforms we have made, and you cannot rule out such considerations. The issue of school fees is about two and half years old. The interesting thing is that government did not just arrive at the figures. The figures actually passed through even the academics of LASU, the Senate. The Senate of the university knew about these things; they approved the fees, so how come they are now raising these issues? I find it very interesting that the President of the students union said nobody should fight for them, that they are capable of fighting for themselves. I don’t think the issue of school fees is a big problem. I know government is trying to do something about

it, and it will be interesting to see what happens after government has taken a decision on that. The governor said the new fees are for new students and not the returning ones. Could you shed more light on this? When the new fee was introduced in 2011, it was stated clearly that it would only apply to people just coming into the system, that the old students will continue to pay their N25, 000 because government felt that they had a pre-existing contract with the old students, and they should maintain that. Now, at some point in time I said the hike in school fees in a quote. This is because it is not really a hike but a review of the value of goods. But in doing that, government also increased the vote to scholarship and bursary. And I know a number of students who enjoyed both scholarship and bursary. The indigents said they approached the school authorities to be exempted from the new fees but were ignored. How true is that? With regards to indigent students, the university never received any request, but I know that the governor also instructed that we should not demand for the school fees at once. People should be allowed to pay in two instalments. Pay 70 percent during the first semester and pay the remaining 30 percent at the beginning of second semester, when you want to register. During this recent crisis, the student executives said that they heard that some people dropped out because of school fees, and I was there and the governor said ‘ I have asked you to give me a list of those that dropped. The list was given to me in government house, and we went back to the university to look at it. Of course, we find many on the list that were not students of LASU. We find out that many of them dropped out because they could not meet up with the appropriate CGPA. We find that some people had actually collected bursary and scholarship but still did not pay the school fees. I recall the governor said that upon going through the list, if we have any indigent students who dropped out, government would pay on their behalf. I don’t see a government doing anything better than that. The Governing Council also promised to give scholarships to brilliant students irrespective of their state of origin. So, all these things are available. So what do you think is the way out? I think that is what government is doing right now, by interacting with the students. The ad-hoc committee has been set up. I don’t have all the details, but I know that the report is going back to the governor and is being considered by the State Executive Council, and I expect that the outcome will be communicated to the Governing Council of the University, and we will be able to do something about it. I believe that when that happens, and very soon. That should put a stop to all these things. Are you making any personal efforts as the Vice-Chancellor towards effective resolution of this crisis? In fact, on Thursday, June 5, I was in Alausa discussing with the committees set up by government. Aside from that, we have been in discussions even within the university. I told you that two days ago, there was a meeting with some HODs and Deans. Also, on same day, at the Senate, there were 40 senators there, and we not only took decisions on the way forward, we looked at what had happened, and I can assure you that we have made ourselves available for dialogue. In fact, we are supposed to meet with ASUU for 9am yesterday, but unfortunately, ASUU said it was not available to meet with us. Up until now, there has not been any bilateral declaration of war; it is just one-sided because it is not worth it. Tomorrow, I will leave this position; we will meet outside; we should be able to relate with one another. On a final note, will there be an end to this current crisis? The answer is yes. Whether people like it or not change has come to LASU. I prefer not to talk much, but I just believe in doing what I have to do. Those who want to declare war, let them declare the war. If they have grievances, let them come out into the open to say what they have to say. Whether we like it or not, LASU has to change, we have

Sunday, June 8, 2014

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OBI OF ONITSHA ‘Boko Haram Is A Sign That All Is Not Well With Nigeria’ NEWSFEATURE Season Of Hysteria

P/20 BUSINESS

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P/47 NATIONAL CONFAB

Nigeria’s Agric Reforms Attract N800bn To Fertilizer Manufacturing

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P/43 Darkness Continues As Improved Electricity Remains Elusive P/48

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Conscience, Nurtured by Truth

Cover OBI OF ONITSHA: ‘Decentralisation Of Power, Not Breakup Is The Way Forward For Nigeria’ • Onitsha Will Be Back Again Last month, the Obi Of Onitsha, His Royal Majesty, Igwe Nnaemeka Alfred Ugochukwu Achebe, (MNI, CFR) marked his 73rd birthday in Lagos, with the launch of two books, His Majesty Nnamemeka Achebe: A Ten Year Milestone and Onitsha at the Millenium: Legacy, History and Transformation. A direct descendant of Ezechima, the founding monarch of Onitsha Ado N’Idu, Achebe ascended the throne on May 14, 2002, as the 21st Obi of Onitsha, following a tradition that has been unbroken for over 500 years. In this interview with CHUKS NWANNE, Agbogidi, who is also the Chairman of Diamond Bank and Unilever Nigeria Plc, spoke about life at 73, the ongoing renaissance in Onitsha, 2015 elections and a whole lot of other national issues. How does turning 73 make you feel? IRST and foremost, is for one to thank God for granting one such a long life. The second feeling is that of contentment. Gratitude to God again because I had a long career in the oil industry and got to quite high levels in the international company I worked. I worked at Shell Petroleum for 30 years. Even at the international level, I got to a level that one could be proud of. As part of your birthday celebration, you launched two books in Lagos. Could you please tell us in details what these books are about? His Majesty Nnamemeka Achebe: A Ten Year Milestone is a collection of all my speeches, writings and interviews in the first 10 years as the Obi Of Onitsha. What the editor did was to organise them into themes, so that the whole thing becomes cohesive. Reading it from beginning to end, you could say it is a good history of my first 10 years on the throne; on traditional issues in Onitsha, the traditional governance challenges in Onitsha; the challenges Onitsha is facing, just like other cities such as Lagos are facing; issues of relationship with Onitsha’s neighbours; national issues; matters on education and the governance of educational system and issues on visual arts and international affairs. Every year during our annual Ofala Festival, I always give an address on day one and day two. And if you look at that over a 10-year period, you can almost see what has happened from the beginning. The second book is also a collection of essays on Onitsha and the role it has played in the transformation of Nigeria, from the pre-colonial, colonial and post-colonial days. In effect also, how Onitsha has transformed along with Nigeria, because the town plays a role just as Nigeria plays a role. These are all scholarly essays. Some of them are from previous time. There’s an essay by the late Nnamdi Azikiwe, an extract from his writings. There are also essays from people such as J.B.C Okala, who is also late and Ikenna Nzimiro. There are also writings by current scholars on the place of Onitsha in political and educational transformation, the spread of Christianity, trade, commerce and industry and culture among others. When you put the whole thing together, it becomes very cohesive in terms of what Onitsha is and has been. How has it been in the earlier days, the glorious days, the certain sense of decline and finally the turnaround, which we are pushing now. So, one is the history of Onitsha on a wider timeframe, while the other is about my 10 years on the throne. That’s why they come together as companions. In what specific ways has Onitsha contributed to the development of Nigeria? Compared to other cities and centres of population, Onitsha has had its glorious time. Prior to the Civil War, we had the market, which was big. In those days, New Market Road was full of bookshops, which sold scholarly book, law books, medical books and educational books, because Onitsha was a big centre for what we now call private education— New Bethel College, Our Lady’s High School (which used to be African College), Washington Memorial Secondary School, New Era Secondary School, Modebe Memorial Secondary and others. In fact, people from all over the country came to Onitsha for education. About six years ago, I can count six governors that went to school in Onitsha. They include Peter Odili, Achike Udenwa and others. Going to the military, you can also count Generals trained in Onitsha. Prof. Green Nwankwo and Prof. Ben Nwabueze went to the

African College, Onitsha. So, there was a glorious period of Onitsha, which was the commercial and educational period. People came from as far as Cameroun to trade in Onitsha. Culturally also, things were great. But it appears development has eluded the commercial town in the past years, what’s your take on this? Well, the war probably was a major factor in the neglect and apparent decline. Onitsha was heavily fought over, which brought about a lot of damage. The revival after the civil war brought an opportunity to begin giving attention to other centres. For instance, Awka became the state capital. So, naturally, it has to get attention. Nnewi also grew economically. The Onitsha market was brought back, though not to its former level. So, it is agreed there has been a decline. But the town is on the upswing again and that’s the point I wanted to make.

In what areas? In the last eight years under Governor Peter Obi, we’ve started seeing the turnaround. I’ve been pushing also, trying to make a change in the mindset of the people and make the residents and indigenes of Onitsha believe in themselves again. We’ve got to clean up the city and make it neat because all of us live there. Let’s not trade on the street and so on. In terms of physical development, the General Hospital has been greatly improved upon; we have a dialysis Centre there now. There are two business parks in Onitsha with various offices. People can go to the stock exchange in Onitsha and trade online. In terms of factories, there’s a brand new brewery in Onitsha. Also, the Nigerian Breweries has revived the old Life Breweries. The industrial park is back again; there’s also a five-star hotel under construction. Actually, it was Protea that was doing it,

I think the Southeastern people will feel more reassured if the government is decentralised and they have more control over their lives, rather than a Southeasterner being the President in Abuja and out of touch with what is happening in the far north and far west. Nigeria is too big!

but the Mariot Group has bought over Protea. In fact, Protea Group was actually doing a 90- room hotel, but Marriot Group bought it over and said, ‘no, we will double the capacity,’ which is what they are doing now. There’s a modern shopping mall under development in the GRA. The ABS building has gone down. The stadium is back. If you go there right now, you will see school children exercising and playing games. Adults also go there in the evening to exercise. The Ime Obi itself is transforming. By this time next year, the quality of the finishing and the whole layout we are trying to get will be totally different. It will be a fantastic cultural centre. So, progressively, Onitsha will become not just a place to come for business, but also a place to relax. By then, there will be hotel, shopping mall and the palace, where you can go and see some of our artifacts. Another important thing we want to do is ensure that nightlife comes back in Onitsha. This is a challenge. Security has always been a big issue in Onitsha. For instance, areas such as Upper Iweka are usually dreaded. What’s the situation like now? You can now sleep in Upper Iweka without any hassle. It’s cleared and cleaned up. It takes strong will, but you have to sustain the tempo. If you clear away all those vehicles that pick passengers by the roadside, you must provide motor parks for them. If you clear away the roadside traders, you must provide markets for them and that’s what the new governor is doing. That’s not all.

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COVER With the improvement in the road network and the movement from one state to the other, crime does not belong to anywhere. It thrives wherever there’s economic activity. So, if you are making money, the criminals will want to operate there and that’s why Onitsha attracts some of these people. But we are determined to ensure that people who come into Onitsha are coming for good reasons and it’s happening. How come there are always newspaper reports about security challenges in the town? Don’t mind all the newspaper headlines; people living in Onitsha will tell you better. Some of those headlines create bad news about Onitsha, partly because they use it to sell their papers. But I think there are political motives also. I’ve even told owners of such newspapers that they are not doing us good. You see a big headline, but when you go into the body of the story, there’s nothing substantial. If you talk to people in Anambra State today, they feel far safer than they felt two or three years ago in Onitsha. It’s something that Peter Obi started, which Governor Obiano has taken over to move to the next level and it’s working. But you’ve got to also work with your neighbouring states. Are you saying some of these criminals come from outside the state? We have evidence that people come from Asaba to carry out crime in Onitsha and then rush back. There may also be people staying in Anambra State and going to Asaba to carry out crime. But the reality is that everybody must work together to combat crime. So, if Anambra, Enugu, Imo, Delta and everybody else are working, the criminals will know that crime is not a good business; they’ll find something else to do. Another thing that can be done is to expand economic opportunities, which in part is selfemployment. Not everybody can get paid employment. So, we need to create opportunities for people to do their own businesses. Block moulding, hairdressing and bicycle repairing are ventures people can go into just as agriculture. The government and the economic system must create more opportunities for gainful employment. As you combat criminals, you convert them to become useful citizens. Let all of us work hard. There have been talks about the delay of Onitsha Seaport. What’s the situation there right now? The seaport is ready; it is very well conceived as an inland port. The water depth coming from the sea is not big for ocean-going vessels to use. As a boy, I saw ocean-going vessels come into Onitsha and go beyond Onitsha up to Lokoja and Baro and so on. This can’t happen any more. Today, goods come in containers; so, it’s actually far easier for large, flat bottom barges to come in. Today, Onitsha can serve as inland port as much as it did in the olden days, when goods arrive at the seaport, whether in Warri or Port Harcourt, they are transshipped unto the barges and then move down to Onitsha. It’s all ready, but I think the challenge is the concession by the government. They’ve got to concession it to some organisations that will run it on behalf of the government and pay to government. I think there’s a lot of politics going on there, and the sooner they concession it, the better because traders are ready to use it for business. Many residents are already complaining about the slow pace of work there because the thinking was that, for a commercial city like Onitsha, the seaport would enhance commercial activities… Surely, it will save a whole lot—the wear and tear on our roads. Heavy trucks that ply long distances destroy the roads in Nigeria. A tanker-load of petrol or diesel goes from Mosimi all the way to Kano and Katsina and the damage on the road is more expensive than the product it’s carrying. So, we’ve got to use our waterways and get back the rail system for heavy freight transportation. Globally, heavy freights go by rail or water. So, from that perspective, the Onitsha seaport is very critical to the whole southeast. Even Owerri is a little nearer to Onitsha than Port Harcourt. From Ihiala back here, from Onitsha to Enugu and all of that into Kogi State, the Onitsha Port can be used. By the time the Niger is dredged, barges can be pulled up to Lokoja, and then that area also gets opened up. I think that’s what we should be looking at. So, I’m very much in support of the Onitsha Inland Port and I’m basically calling on the government to get it operational as quickly as possible. The issue of the second Niger Bridge has been on for years and just recently, there was rumour that government stopped work on that site few weeks after President Jonathan commissioned the project. What’s the true situation of the project? Nothing like that happened; the second Niger Bridge has several lives. Again, we should always differentiate between economic development issues and sheer politics. But a lot has happened and the present configuration of the project is designed to make it work. So far, it has kicked off

‘Boko Haram Is A Sign That All Is Not Well With Nigeria’ very well. Some days ago, I received a team that is doing the social impact assessment of the whole project on all the terrain that it’s going to go through; works are going on. In fact, the environmental impact assessment has gone quite far. I think they are doing the report now. The financing is essentially together; it’s a public-private partnership thing, so there’s a lot of external financing. Julius Berger is mobilising at campsites, where it is going to be based and I believe they’ve started to do some needed access roads. So, basically, the project is on. The federal Ministry of Works has a senior Engineer overseeing the project on behalf of the Federal Government. He has promised to give me a monthly report and I can intervene at any time. They are doing the right thing because they asked me, as Obi Of Onitsha, to also have a focal point, where they can liaise with the people. I’ve asked one of my senior chiefs, a professor of Chemistry, who can understand the whole thing, to be the focal point. All things being equal, the funding is also in place. Hopefully, all will go well and in a not-too- distant future, we will have the second Niger Bridge in place and the benefits are enormous. The kind of congestion and frustration people have been feeling will not be there anymore. There will be better economic activities on a more relaxed basis. Onitsha and Asaba are twin cities and can develop on a more even pace. I have spoken to both Peter Obi, the former governor and Uduaghan of Delta State that they should set up an inter-state development agency for the lower Niger basin; they can do fantastic things there. Those Islands there can be turned into fantastic housing and tourist spots. There’s a talk about having an IT Centre with all the modern industries; computer software development and others, there’s so much possibility between the two states and I’m going to continue pushing that. There should be a bi-par-

tisan inter-state development agency between the two states to plan how to commercialise, industrialise and make that lower Niger basin much more valuable to both states and the country in general. From what is going on, there seems to be no synergy in development in the Southeast… There has been an attempt to have synergy in development in the Southeast. I know there’s a South East Development Agency organisation. They’ve had meetings and they invited all the governors and so on. To some extent, it is privately driven, though there has been attempt to get the governors to buy in. But there are two ways to drive development— either you do it on a macro basis, in which case, all the governors get together and say, ‘we are going to do it.’ The danger in this is that each state has its own priorities and the development challenges one state sees as the next level to work on, other states may not be at that particular level because they have something much more fundamental to them. So, it is difficult to pull everybody to move at the same pace at the same time. The solution is to work on a more micro level, on a state-by-state level. That’s where Anambra can play a massive role and I can see Abia State playing a massive role as well. To a large extent, I can see Imo State playing a massive role and Enugu state is also there. At the end of the day, each state can actually spring up on its own such that somewhere along the line; there’ll be a fusion. I can see that in five years and with active planning and implementation, Onitsha and Nnewi can become one industrial-commercial complex. Nnewi is more of manufacturing; Onitsha has it’s own industries, but it will become more of commercial centre. In that case, both Nnewi and Onitsha will become fused, with everything in-between. On the other axis, Onitsha, Ogbunike, Nkwele Ezunaka

Now, you go to a government office in Nigeria, you want somebody to check the files and produce a letter for you, he would say, ‘oga, I haven’t had breakfast.’ The truth is that he truly hasn’t had breakfast and you have to give him N50 for breakfast. So, progressively, you start creating a totally different economy that is not captured in the economic lecture that you get in the university. You have to load your pocket at every point to get people to do their jobs and that’s why people go on strike for years without salary

and Nsugbe are more of the agro development area, while Awka remains the administrative and educational centre. In fact, I know that there’s a South African company that is looking at somewhere between Ogbunike and Awkuzu to erect a massive shopping mall, where, on a typical Saturday, people from Awka, Onitsha, Nnewi and others will come to shop. It will become a hub. So, Anambra State could be developed along those lines. Another internal port could actually be built somewhere along the Imo River axis; barges can come in if the Imo River is dredged. Enugu has always been an industrial centre, though people don’t realise it. It is a contented city and will always be that way; it is blessed to be that way. So, it can just continue to grow on its own. Abakiliki has mining, agriculture and all that. So, ultimately, all of them can be put together, but it takes investment and lots of money. Without being chauvinistic, if 20 per cent of some of the wealth Southeastern people are investing everywhere else in Nigeria is put back into the Southeast, we will address the security and infrastructure challenges. Then, the whole of Southeast can boom. I can see it happening. Experience has shown that in Nigeria, political might is sometimes needed to achieve meaningful development. Is this why the Igbos are asking for a chance to produce a Nigerian president of Igbo extraction? What does having political power at the centre mean? Today, who has the political power at the centre? Is it the people of Otuoke or the people of Bayelsa State? The President belongs to the whole country and he’s not there alone. He’s there with his cabinet, advisers and the legislature, where everybody is represented. I think that Jonathan, as the President should not give his state, local government or ethnic group a particular advantage because he’s the President of Nigeria; everybody elected him. But in reality, aren’t things different? I think the problem we have is that Nigeria is so large and complex that the power base in Abuja is not sufficiently in touch with the realities everywhere in the country. It is not just the Southeast or South-south, people in the Northwest will also complain that Abuja does not know their challenges. It’s just because the country is too big, which is why the people at the National Conference are saying, ‘let’s decentralise governance and give more power to the states or create a new regional settings, using the six geopolitical zones.’ Then keep essential things CONTINUED ON PAGE 18

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COVER

‘The Bane Of Our Electoral System Is Rigging’ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 17 such as foreign policy, national defence and such others at the centre; and I subscribe to that. Then, people can take more responsibility for their development. They can become part and parcel of their own development. If it’s working, they are part of it and if it is not, they know what to do about it. If I’m going from Onitsha to Awka and I see something that is not working at Ogbunike, with my telephone, I can call somebody to complain and hopefully, I will get a response. But you cannot call Abuja and say ‘Ogbunike’, because they will ask where Ogbunike is. So, I think the Southeastern people will feel more reassured if the government is decentralised and they have more control over their lives, rather than a Southeasterner being the President in Abuja and out of touch with what is happening in the far north and the far west. Nigeria is too big! But again, if Jonathan from the South-south and Ya’Adua from the Northwest could be president, you can also argue logically that a Southeasterner, Middle Beltan and South westerners should also be president. So, from that point of view, a sense of belonging is important and the Southeasterners ought to be President just like other zones. But I think it’s more important to bring the government to the people, as this will bring more development and satisfaction than just being president at the centre. Nigeria is a big, complex country and we are still in our infancy in democratic governance. If you go to America, a President Obama does not know what is happening in the far corners of California, because that challenge is for the governor of California. The American democratic system is more decentralised than our own system and we are looking toward that kind of thing. In America, every state has its own police and there are boundaries for responsibilities. State police makes an arrest, investigates, takes a statement and if they know it is not their responsibility, they hand over to the Federal Police and vice versa. I’m not saying this will happen in Nigeria automatically, but we have to make a start and that’s the point. Ultimately, government must get closer to the people. As against separation, for which some people are clamouring, you are suggesting we bring governance closer to the people? Decentralisation of the government is what I’m saying. We became a country not by our own choice, but things have gone far. We’ve got to make the best of what we have. And let’s put it clear, the advantages of being together far, outweigh the advantages, if there are any, of splitting up. I think the basic message from those that are thinking about our challenges is that there must be sufficient adjustments to accommodate the yearning of the various sections within the Nigerian equation; the ethnic minorities don’t feel comfortable. Even in our social classes, the gap between those who have compared to those who don’t is too wide, compared to many other countries in the world. And the narrower the gap, the better it will be for the country. If you go to Scandinavia, Norway, Sweden, Denmark and part of Holland, the gap between the wealthy and not so wealthy is very narrow, as they all ride their bicycles. They ride small cars and not big cars; they shop in the same grocery shop and they have less crime. Their economic indices are far higher than others and educational level is higher. They are more contented; they live in fairly modest houses and they are happy. If you step out of this hotel, you see big mansions around, how can anybody live there, when there are so many beggars around? The gap is too wide and our system should address all these imbalances to give a sense of belonging to citizens. I went to Malaysia and I was in Kuala Lumpur in a taxi with a Chinese, who are a very small minority in Malaysia. They have the Malays, who are the majority and the Indians. I said to him, ‘how are things in Malaysia? And he replied, ‘fine, fine.’ Then I asked him about the political issues in the country and he said, ‘sir, I don’t discourse politics; I’m a taxi driver and I’m happy.’ I asked him, ‘you are taxi driver and you are happy?’ and he said, ‘yes sir, I drive eight hours a day and no more. I make enough money to put my children in good school, I have a house and I take care of my family. Every year, I take a holiday. So, why should I get into politics? Politics is for people, who are satisfied and have nothing else to do.’ If we can get 60 per cent of Nigerians to be contented with their work and what they earn, then we are getting to the point of having a great nation. He works hard and he also feels well rewarded for what he’s doing. Now, you go to a

government office in Nigeria, you want somebody to check the files and produce a letter for you, he would say, ‘oga, I haven’t had breakfast.’ The truth is that he truly hasn’t had break fast and you have to give him N50 for breakfast. So, progressively, you start creating a totally different economy that is not captured in the economic lecture that you get in the university. You have to load your pocket at every point to get people to do their jobs and that’s why people go on strike for years without salary. How do they make a living? Somehow, they are making a living somewhere, but that’s not the way to run a country. So, we’ve got to address all of these and we will begin to see we have a great country that all of us can be proud of. It’s a different case in Nigeria because things are politicised… Yes. In Italy, where they change their government faster than any other country in this world, the best shoes and best clothing companies come from Italy. Their lifestyle is great. They drive the fastest and smoothest cars. How do they do it? The economy is totally separated from the politics; the economy is working hard and driving hard. Korea and Japan do the same thing. But in Nigeria, everything is politicized. The National Assembly has the right to tell you when to open your shop or private office in the morning, because all they do is investigate. I’m not criticising them, but economic management issues should be above partisan politics. In America and Britain, there are debates, but the direction and end point is not questionable, whether you are leaning towards the socially minded Labour Party or you are leaning more toward the Conservative philosophies. Yes, there are philosophical differences and the schools of thoughts are different, but where Britain ought to be is not questionable in the minds of all British citizens because Britain is far more important than any party and individual. The same thing in America, where the Republican Party has its ideologies and the Democratic Party has theirs. So, where America is today is a contribution of both the Republicans and the Democrats. In the minds of an average American leadership, there’s no question as to where they want to place America. The philosophies may differ, but you don’t drag each other down because you want to put yourself there. In Nigeria, there’ve been histories of one governor succeeding another and what has been built up to 60 per cent level is either abandoned or torn apart so as to start again. The drag-down-politics is a great challenge to us, but as a leader, you have to be courageous to give credit to your predecessor, where they have done well. Again, we have to learn that when it comes to leadership and public life, we have to learn to admit that our predecessor has done well in this area and be able to build on

what he/she has done. Again, I think leadership always demands courage on the part of those that are put there. A lot of people have questioned the credibility of INEC in organising credible elections. Is 2015 going to be any different? I think if you do a simple comparison between the electoral commissions of various countries, take America or Britain for instance; their electoral commission don’t fight half as many battles as INEC is doing. The bane of our electoral system is rigging. Every party accuses the other of rigging, which means that at the end of the day, all of them are trying to rig; it’s a matter of who out rigs the other. And to get our electoral system right, the political parties have as much to contribute as INEC itself. INEC is burning up a lot of energy trying to block the efforts by political parties to have a head start, instead of just creating a framework where everybody is honest. It has to recruit police and soldiers to conduct elections. During the election before the last in Anambra State, because I monitored it closely, I know what the army did to avoid being corrupted. The officers, who manned centres were given them armbands, which helped them to identify who was a true army officer, as different from those wearing fake army uniforms. People go to that extent to win election.

Nigeria is a big, complex country and we are still in our infancy in democratic governance. If you go to America, a President Obama does not know what is happening in the far corners of California, because that challenge is for the governor of California. The American democratic system is more decentralised than our own system and we are looking toward that kind of thing. In America, every state has its own police and there are boundaries for responsibilities. State police makes an arrest, investigates, takes a statement and if they know it is not their responsibility, they hand over to the Federal Police and vice versa. I’m not saying this will happen in Nigeria automatically, but we have to make a start and that’s the point

They wear fake police and army uniforms and then they highjack the boxes and all that. They gave them the armbands several days before the lection. And then, in the morning of the election, about 5am, the men were assembled at the parade ground and all those armbands were changed. But on the way to the field, there were people who were wearing the old armband; they were the fake soldiers. They went to that extent. What’s obtainable in other climes, in terms of electoral process? In Britain, where I’m a resident, in fact, being a Common Wealth citizen, you are entitled to vote during British elections. So, I’m registered to vote in the British elections. Once a year, I get through the post, a document that asks me to update my household from the last year. And they tell you, if your child is in the university and is resident, don’t put him in the house because he will be registered there; it’s all very clear and they update it. Before the election, the ballot paper comes to your house by post, so, on your way to work, you stop at your polling booth and drop it and go to work. By the time you finished at the end of the day, the result is announced. In the British parliamentary election, as you are casting your votes, it is being counted; so all the parties have the same information. Usually by 8pm or 9pm at the most, the losing party makes a statement and concedes. And as the results are announced for each constituency, whoever is declared winner gets into the train and goes to London. When the losing party has conceded, maybe somewhere around midnight, the winning party will now make a statement. In the morning, say 8am or 9am, if the Prime Minister has lost, he goes to the Queen to submit his resignation letter; he goes in through the front door and leaves through the back door. Then one hour later, the Queen invites the leader of the winning party, who comes in with a private car and gets empowerment from the Queen to form a new cabinet. He then drives out with an official car the other man had driven in two hours earlier. He drives back to No 10 Downing Street, makes a short statement and walks to the Parliament. At that time, all the other elected people have all congregated and he declares the parliament open and announces his first programme and adjourns the parliament. It’s so straightforward it brings tears to your eyes. The American system is quite different; they get their results, then take about two months to form the cabinet and then they take off; we can do the same also. So, INEC has its challenges because of the distractions it has. It does not focus on the core aspect of getting the result done; the Nigerian factor is there also. Such as… Why can’t you get the electoral register right? Is it deliberate or a mistake? If you’ve put down so much money and you have access to technology, why should some names not appear? I was regis-

Sunday, June 8,

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

COVER tered in Onitsha in the full glare of media and it was published in the papers that I had registered. On the election day, however, they couldn’t find my name. You mean in the last election? No, the one before the last; it was a challenge. It was all in the papers that I registered and I had my registration card, but I couldn’t vote because my name was not in the register. So, the allegation that some people actually registered but could not vote is true? Yes, it’s true. Sometimes, it looks like the political parties are heating up the polity… Yes, and I get worried. Someone seeks nomination under one party, but doesn’t win, then he moves to the next party; there’s no ideology. They just want to be there and I worry about that; and the parties accept them. Some of the parties would say, ‘if you give us ten million naira, we will give you our mandate.’ That’s it. What does that say about our democracy in Nigeria? It means that we have a lot of growing up to do. It’s not going to happen overnight, but then, you can ask yourself, ‘if we’ve had independence for so long, are we growing fast enough, compared to other countries?’ I think Ghana has done well; they may not state that they have done well, but I think they have done well. I followed the last but one election that brought in the president who died; I was fairly close to the inner working there. When John Kuffor’s party was losing, he consulted and declared that he conceded. He could have gone to court, but for the interest of Ghana, he consulted and conceded; it was magnanimous. The election was much more peaceful. The last election we had, people went to court, but when you go to court, don’t make noise about it. So, we can do better. So, the blame is not all on INEC? I have some, but not all sympathy for INEC. It charters local vehicles to carry its stuff and some of the vehicles are the worst and then they break down on the road. With the amount of money that INEC has, it shouldn’t just use any local vehicle around; it should use reputable transport companies. At least, in each state, it should find one reputable transport company that can be taken as a sub-contract and moves all the stuff, rather than just going to the motor park and picking just any vehicle. Somebody is trying to save money; money that probably doesn’t go back to INEC, but is going somewhere else. They can do better, but the political parties also have to help INEC. You talked about the challenges with the previous governorship election in Anambra, but it appears the last one created even more problems? I think the last election was even better than the previous one; that’s my own opinion. But the stakes were much higher, that’s the point. So, those that didn’t make it are more vociferously angry. APGA, that is Peter Obi, upturned PDP and he achieved it by going to court. Then, there was an impeachment, which was overturned. Then, the mid-term election, where an Andy Ubah came in for a few weeks and was removed. So, there is the PDP that is very keen to get back to power because they think that Anambra is a natural base for them. Ngige had been governor under PDP, now he has moved on to the APC, which had been seen as the Southwestern party and so, the party wanted to make an impact, as a national party. Organisationally, APC was now a broad national party, but it had to demonstrate it at the polls. And here APGA that was hanging on to one and half Government Houses; I’m not being funny. They were sure of Anambra State, but the Imo State that they had won under Rochas Okorocha, after a heavy battle with the PDP had been lost after Rochas has now declared for the APC; that’s what I meant by one and half Government Houses. So, APGA was desperate to hang on to Anambra State. The three major contending parties all had very high stakes and Anambra election was like a national election; it was a dress rehearsal for 2015. Here was Labour party with Ifeanyi Ubah, who made a big impact with the campaign. With the four parties having high stakes, INEC was challenged to do the best it could. In Idemili North, in the areas, where the elections were repeated, you would see that there was interference by the political parties. I monitored Onitsha regularly and I declared that it was free and fair; majority of the area was fine. On the day of election in Onitsha, it’s like a nice holiday; people cast their votes and within the polling area, there was a distance you must keep. The beer parlours beyond the restricted area all did good business; people actually brought their own beer because they all wanted to see that it went well. And when it ended, they stayed to count; the same thing happened in most of the places. But if I didn’t win, I would hang my case on one aspect of the election or one area, without talking about the generality. I think it will take a long time to find a state governorship election,

‘INEC Must Stick To 2015 Date’

which will return 100 per cent no complaints. There were difficult areas in the last election and I said they must be addressed, which they did in the supplementary election. If you look at it, there’s a bit of INEC’s inefficiency and a bit of interference by the parties, but the majority of the areas were fine. With the situation in the country, do you think we are ready for 2015, because some people are already thinking of shifting the date? No, we don’t have to move the date. When I was in secondary school, we used to have morning assembly and the school principal led us in prayers. One of his popular prayers, which stuck in my mind and that of other students is, ‘Oh Lord, make us not to run away from our duties because we are afraid that we might fail.’ So, if you think that we are not quite ready for 2015 and for that reason you postpone it, you will never be 100 per cent ready. You must rise

up to your challenges. This is 2014, it’s months away from 2015, but we know it is coming. INEC knows what it has to do and it has been doing it. The political parties are beating their chests; we should all be ready to go for election. The polity is heated up, is there any time that the polity is never heated up? Who are heating up the polity? It’s the political class; Boko Haram is there; nobody knows whether is political, religious, economic or a combination of all of them. But I think at the end of the day, it is probably a combination of all of them. And it’s probably saying there’s discontent; the ground is not level for all of us. There will always be problems; if it’s not Niger Delta, it is Boko Haram, but we must have election and continue to move the country forward. The elections should hold; the government still has the time to do all that it takes. The political parties still have a lot to do, they are the stakehold-

INEC knows what it has to do and it has been doing it. The political parties are beating their chests; we should all be ready to go for election. The polity is heated up, is there any time that the polity is never heated up? Who are heating up the polity? It’s the political class; Boko Haram is there; nobody knows whether is political, religious, economic or a combination of all of them. But I think at the end of the day, it is probably a combination of all of them. And it’s probably saying there’s discontent; the ground is not level for all of us. There will always be problems; if it’s not Niger Delta, it is Boko Haram, but we must have election and continue to move the country forward

ers of elections; the way they conduct themselves and the language they use to campaign is important. So, certain language you use and certain information at your disposal might win you the lection, but creates damage for the country. And if you get to the seat of power, then you begin to shift ground, looking for somebody else to blame. I think with a greater sense of responsibility on the part of everybody – the political class, INEC, security agencies and the electorates – we can have a proper election and determine the leadership. But nobody should take it as do or die; that if I don’t win, then you are going to tear the country apart. This country belongs to all of us, so no single part or section or individual or group should want to do that to all of us. If you tear this country apart, what do you get? Boko Haram seems to be the biggest headache to this administration I don’t know enough of Boko Haram to talk about it, but I can say that in any situation, in any country, even in a family, if there are issues, lets talk about it and find solution. That’s what I preach in Onitsha; if you use other means, we are wasting everything. We are all one and at the end of the day, we must come back together. I give you an instance. In Onitsha, when I was pronounced the Obi, all 21 candidates but three, came to pay homage immediately. One or two of them, I offered chieftaincy titles and they accepted; others were like, ‘sorry, I will support you, but I’m okay.’ But three refused to yield and they’ve been doing all sorts of things to discredit me, telling all sorts of lies and working against the interest of the community. And I said, ‘look, if you hate Nnaemeka Achebe, that’s one thing, but don’t work against the interest of the community, lets talks about it.’ Progressively, the people who supported them have been coming back. I declared a general amnesty for everybody to come back. Few weeks ago, I was told that one of the key antagonists, a woman; her brother she was supporting had since died, but she still remained in the fight. I was told that she now wants to make peace with Onitsha. I was overseas and I told them, ‘you know how to admit her; in one sentence apologise, you don’t have to write a big essay and the spiritual head and chief in the village sign and they vouch that she’s honest, then take her back.’ That’s how we took her back. Last Sunday at the church was the first time we saw ourselves face to face; she came to me and paid respect and I embraced her. So, dialogue and compromise is important. If Boko Haram has grievances, they should state them and the rest of us in the country should look at it fairly and address them. And there may be other grievances in the country that have not turned into Boko Haram; there must be equity. Niger Delta was boiling, but we seem to have a solution there now. Boko Haram today is also telling us that we should look at ourselves and figure out other pockets of discontent. Boko Haram is a symbol that has come to the surface; we have the Ogoni issue. Again, the Ogonis are a very small minority and are afraid that they might go into extinction; they should be made to feel a sense of protection. And in their territory lies a lot of petroleum; there are examples in history, where small people were sitting on big wealth and the big people just came and exterminated them and took over their land and properties. So, the Ogoni people are genuinely crying for attention and protection. Boko Haram is a sign that all is not well. Then, the use of force is unacceptable; I’ve said it before and I’m saying it again, it doesn’t solve anything. At the end of the day, we must come to the table to discuss, so why not start immediately? We are losing time and killing people; when somebody loses a loved one, it will stay in the mind forever, making it difficult to resolve the issues. As the Obi Of Onitsha, how do you cope with your role as the chairman of Diamond bank and Unilever? With modern technology - my mobile phone - I get to make calls, receive and send messages and e-mails. The most challenging is the bank because it is a continuous process. As the chairman, you have facilities that you must get the approval of the board. You can’t call board meetings everyday and so we do it by circulation; you send materials across. We actually spend a good amount of time outside the bank working for the bank. Unilever is not so demanding. As the chairman, they call on the phone to discuss and seek advice and occasionally we have to go on a mission to talk to the government and make presentations. But in all, it adds up to busy life. If you were not busy, what would you be doing? Again, what I have done is to put in place the semblance of a modern organisation. The chiefs have their portfolios and duties and the whole concept of delegating responsibilities and authorities is in place. Modern technologies have helped me to carry out my corporate responsibilities to the state, institutions and the government.

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

Sunday, June 8, 2014

NEWSFEATURE

Season Of Hysteria...

Nigeria In Its Throes By Gregory Austin Nwakunor THE houses on Lateef Sunmonu (field), a ghetto neighbourhood overlooking the road to Idimu, Lagos, range from faded elegance to decrepitude. However, beyond this, the neighbourhood is noted for its thriving pepper soup joint. You are sure to see young men and women gathered round plates of pepper soup during weekends to savour good meat. Don’t ask whether it is 404 meat, I mean dog meat. Suddenly, in the sweltering sun, a high-pitched voice went up, Gbomo! Gbomo!! (kidnapper, Kidnapper). The atmosphere charged and people began to search for the mysterious kidnapper. After about 30 minutes, the atmosphere returned to normal as nobody was found. Since the Boko Haram insurgence began, the template of peace that defined activities in some Nigerian cities have suddenly changed. Everybody is now hysteric. The spate of mob actions is increasing, dragging in its throes the lives of both the innocent and the guilty while the authorities look elsewhere. Mass hysteria, also known as collective hysteria, group hysteria, or collective obsessional behaviour, in sociology and psychology, refers to collective delusions of threats to society that spread rapidly through rumour and fear. Some of the features of hysteria include hysterical convulsion (fit), sensory disturbances-loss of sensitivity, hypoesthesis (partial loss of sensitivity), hyperesthesis (excessive loss of sensitivity) and analgesia (loss of sensitivity to pain). One of the key effects of hysteria is that it affects the economy of any society negatively. It could even make foreign business owners to leave a particular country or stop people from doing and starting up business in the country, especially the case of Nigeria where all sorts of nonsense are posted on social media. This, many have reasoned, will obviously affect the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the country. Psychologists believe that the use of social networks could lead people to depression, arguing that whilst it’s easy to see that the life of a celebrity is carefully coordinated to show them in the best light, it’s much harder to bear this in mind when your pals status updates, friend counts and upbeat photos are constantly in front of you. It is unsurprising then, that many feel their own lives just do not measure up. . Other things that could come with hysteria are panic and fear of being kidnapped. It will also bring mistrust and make people to be suspicious of one another’s movement, because anyone could be a kidnapper no matter how close he or she may be to you.

Safety Tips Every Child Should Know

HE Halifax Slasher was the name given to T a supposed attacker of residents, mostly women, of the town of Halifax, England in November 1938. The week-long scare began after two women claimed to have been attacked by a mysterious man with a mallet and “bright buckles” on his shoes. Further reports of attacks by a man wielding a knife or a razor followed. The situation became so serious that Scotland Yard was called in to assist the Halifax police. On November 29 of same year, one of the alleged victims admitted that he had inflicted the damage upon himself for attention. Others soon had similar admissions, and the Yard investigation concluded that none of the attacks had been real. Five local people were subsequently charged with public mischief offenses, and four were sent to prison. In the midst of hysteria in the country, cases of jungle justice too have become a rampant thing. Strangely, the country is becoming a Hobbessian jungle, where life is nasty, short and brutish. The pathetic and helpless situation has received wide approval from members of the public, that watchers of event say it Mob scenes would seem to be like a culture. All what is O’yeh’ in the East, and ‘Ole, Ole’ in the West. needed to draw the ire of a mob is ‘Boys Since the discovery of a kidnappers’ den at Soka

tongues found in the possession of a ‘madmad’ at Oluyole area of the capital city, residents of Ibadan have turned themselves to vigilantes going around on the lookout for those they suspected of pretending to be mad people. In fact, two female destitute were nearly mobbed to death at Muslim area of the ancient city after two handsets and new cutlasses were found on them. About 2,000 people reportedly swooped on the ladies, macheting and inflicting deep injuries on them in the process, on the suspicion that they were kidnappers disguising as mad people. The mob was said to have almost set them ablaze before policemen from Idi Aro Division, who were alerted, rescued them. Another jungle justice was reported in Akure, Ondo State, where a mob set a man ablaze because he was found with an unconscious child at Adegbola junction in Akure. Last year, in May to be precise, the world woke up to another jungle justice incident at Ekoro, Abule-Egba, Lagos, when a woman allegedly attempting to kidnap some primary school pupils was nabbed. Eye witnesses claimed that the woman stopped the kids, who were aged between seven to 10 years as they were going to school, and asked to take them there. A female hawker, suspecting the woman was up to no good, alerted other traders who surrounded the woman and started asking her questions. Reports had it that the woman said the children were hers, but couldn’t give their names and where she was taking them to isn’t where their school is. Also, the children said they didn’t know her and before anyone could stop it, a mob descended on the woman beating her to a stupor and then set her ablaze. It was learnt that when policemen from the Oke-Odo Police Division arrived at the scene, it was too late as the unidentified woman was already dead. The Aluu killings of four unfortunate undergraduates of the University of Port Harcourt and the sexual molestation and eventual killing of some helpless women in Ejigbo, Lagos According to psychologist, kidnapping is complex and contributes majorly to the hysteria that have laid siege on the country. For Matthew Adedoyin, a psychologist and the principal consultant of Abstinence Icon, a firm that handles recovery processes for rape victims and abused children, kidnapping is not a one-way thing and could be caused by a variety of factors. “The predator may kidnap because of money, especially when the victim is from a wealthy background or has something to offer in exchange.”

area, Ibadan, Oyo State, and another 25 pieces of items suspected to be human

• Do not get into any car unless your parents personally tell you to do so. • Also, stay away from anyone who follows you on foot or in a car. • You do not need and should not go near a car to talk to the people inside. • Adults and other people who need help should not be asking a child for help; they should be asking other adults. Adults should not be asking you for directions or telling you that your mother or father is in trouble and that they will take you to them. Quickly get away from anyone who tries to take you somewhere. • Shout, yell or scream, “This person is not my father (or mother).” • Never go to anywhere alone or without adult supervision. • Always ask your parents’ permission before leaving the house, compound or playground area or to go over to a friend’s house, and especially always ask permission before you go into someone’s home. • Never, never follow, obey or listen to a stranger! Do not try to get a ride with people unless your parents have told you it’s OK to do so. • People should not ask you to keep a special secret. If they do, tell your parents or guardian or teacher. • Tell anyone who wants to take your picture, “No,” and quickly tell your parents or guardian or teacher. • No one should touch you on the parts of the body covered by your bathing suit, nor should you touch anyone else in those areas. Your body is special and private.

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

Sunday, June 8, 2014

NEWSFEATURE

AWA: This Is The Time For All To Be Proactive game; the organisation, logistics and playground are also different. The international peace keeping mission gives them all the moral support, equipment and other necessary things to operate with and that is the reason they scramble to partake in them. But here, reverse is the case, in terms of welfare and other things; tell any Nigeria Police officer to go to Southern Sudan, a war torn country, you will see him jump at it, but ask him to go to With your over 30 years experience in security Chibok, he will think of resigning or look business, what do you have to tell governfor a way to avoid it because they are not ment and Nigerians about terrorism? sufficiently motivation. ‘Being at the wrong place at the wrong T is a global evil, and Nigeria, as an emergtime and with the wrong people’, what ing force, is beginning to have a taste of it. does these mean? All government needs to do is to liaise with If you chronicle all the attacks, have all international organisations and curtail it the records of places, time of attack and because we cannot totally wipe it away from the events — church services, mosque, our system. parks and markets — you will know the How can the activities of terrorists be areas prone to attack. No matter the part checked? of country you are — North or South — you This means we have to keep abreast of the just don’t say Boko Haram is a Northern changes in technology and application of affairs and then ignore to note these obsertools in combating crime of all sorts, includvations. We should not even ignore the ing terrorism. Also, human and materials nomadic Fulani that move from one place must be put in place to meet up with security to the other; all are now suspects because threats. By so doing, we must identify the tacanybody could be used to plant the bombs. tics of terrorists, make choices that reduce Also, any security conscious person should risks, be alert and report suspicious or threatchoose where to go, know when to be ening activities of persons to relevant agenthere and when to leave; and if it is not cies. And for the individuals, they should necessary, do not go. watch where they go, people they mingle What should we do now that Boko Haram with and also read the tactics of the terrorist is threatening to kidnap more school chilto know when and how they attack their locadren? tions. They should, as a matter of strategy, The threat level determines the reaction avoid places prone to threat for now. And for of the people. We should be proactive; govany parent, who by location, becomes a vicernment should guard all the schools. tim, he or she should please relocate; besides, Those soldiers idling away in the barracks I see no reason schools in terrorist prone should be sent to man the schools, bring areas like Chibok should be opened. They out the armoured vehicles and let them should be closed pending when the situation stand at strategic positions while our secuis conducive for learning to save our children rity operatives — the intelligent, police and and reduce civilian causalities. We need to others — should be in the field to checkunderstand that that the situation in the mate these criminals; this will serve as country now is a war situation and necessary deterrent. If you could recall when NITEL measures should be adopted to save lives facilities across the country were under including children and women. In fact, threat, the military were sent out to guard Nigeria is presently at war. them. Why don’t we adopt that measure Where will these civilians relocate to and are for our children and schools. Let soldiers we really at war? be sent to areas prone to Boko Haram We are partially at war because three states attack, we should not allow this tiny group out of the 36 states, including Abuja that of criminals to take over the country, if we make up the federation is like a war zone. The do not do anything proactive, the number parents concerned should relocate to places of states they will take will increase from where there is peace; they should not wait the present three to maybe the whole of until there is a holocaust before they leave. the north and even the south. Awa They may say, they cannot leave their tradiHow well do you see Nigerians use the tional homes, but it will be wise for them to leave now that they are alive because they are And for the individuals, they should watch where they go, people they mingle with and social media to spread information? Information is key and not all of it should under a big threat. They should leave and also read the tactics of the terrorist to know when and how they attack their locabe divulged to the public. The progress return when peace is restored. How can we study these terrorists when those tions. They should, as a matter of strategy, avoid places prone to threat for now. And work achieved in the combat of this crimifor any parent, who by location, becomes a victim, he or she should please relocate; nals should be given out on a need-toplaced to do so are conniving with them? know basis and not this idea of telling us This is no news as Mr. President once said besides, I see no reason schools in terrorist prone areas like Chibok should be every bit of how our security men are fightthat his government is infiltrated by memopened. They should be closed pending when the situation is conducive for learning ing Boko Haram, it makes the whole thing bers of Boko Haram and the press has also said to save our children and reduce civilian causalities. We need to understand that that cumbersome for our security officers and there is a fifth columnist in the Nigerian Army and the Nigeria Police. What we should the situation in the country now is a war situation and necessary measures should be at the same time giving undue publicity to the terrorists. Information at this time ask ourselves is why is it that our soldiers are adopted to save lives including children and women. In fact, Nigeria is presently at should properly managed, government always ambushed each time they are to attack war. should not double speak or give the Boko Haram? Does it mean that they are better trained, equipped or motivated? You may say saboteurs in the system; do in-house cleans- praised our soldiers, check where they go to impression that it is ignorant of what is happening. yes because sources have it that they are well ing to expunge these enemies, the conspira- and how they mingle; they should be Also, the issue of ransom should not come equipped, adequately funded and properly tors. In fact, I heard that the military is assessed, officer by officer, from platoon to into it because Boko Haram is a criminal motivated to carry out their obnoxious acts, recruiting personnel for anti-terrorist command and those found worthy should organisation; it is not a reliable group and so, you see why they have to put in their best squad, the question then is, what about our be used to fight this battle while the sabogovernment should be mindful of those to carry out their mission. This is the reason Nigerian soldiers. We should retrain them teurs should be sent away from the army. fronting for them. If we pay them ransom, they easily overrun our soldiers. They know for the task because they have the experiBesides, I doubt if they still go for overseas when they run out of money, they will do and see our soldiers, but our soldiers see only ence of warfare, instead of going for a new training any more; these are some of the themselves, they do not see Boko Haram; so it set of people that still need years to garner things they should be involved in to update more devilish things to draw attention and ask for more money; government should is a tough war. experience of war. Nigeria, aside from their knowledge in combat and informaNigerians should know that we have increasing its soldiers, should tactically tion gathering. From the look of things, the be mindful in negotiating with them. Lastly, religious organisations should entered another phase of our development equip the army and have the will power to military has suffered a low morale, which is know their members, one-on-one and and there can never be an end to terrorism in enforce it laws. We are a nation at war, and part of what we are seeing in the way they report what the other person is doing to the name of Boko Haram or any similar group if nothing is seriously done, this terrorist go about their duties. that may appear after the demise of the pres- group will overrun our soldiers; our intelliCould this be the reason the Nigerian Army the other, with this, it will be difficult for any group to come into their premises to and the Police Force do well in peacekeepent one. What we are only doing is to curtail gent gathering should be upped and adeplant any bomb. We should know ourthem, which requires a tough and bold step. quately backed up with the technical knowing missions, but do not replicate same at selves in the streets. If you are in a street, home where they are much needed? There will always be bomb blast in the coun- how. and a car is packed, and you don’t know try, even the United States of America cannot The military intelligent should reapPeacekeeping mission is a different ball the owner, report to the police, we should say it’s totally free of the activities of terrorall be involved in security because our lives ists. Our case, however, is different because Also, the issue of ransom should not come into it because Boko Haram is a are involved. Security is the responsibility there are conspirators in the system, which criminal organisation; it is not a reliable group and government should be mindof all, it should not be left in the hands of makes security plans and strategies to appear ful of those fronting for them. If we pay them ransom, when they run out of the security operatives alone, and we ineffective and useless. should all be involved by reporting strange How can our soldiers begin to see and identi- money, they will do more devilish things to draw attention and ask for more and suspicious movement to the police. fy Boko Haram members? money; government should be mindful in negotiating with them. The military should cleanse itself of the

Dr. Elvis Ibe Awa, apart from being a consultant in asset protection and loss prevention, is the CEO of Alpha-Mega Security, Lagos. With over 30 years in the business of security, he tells OMIKO AWA what government and Nigerians can do to remain safe at this critical time.

22 Sunday, June 8, 2014

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

NEWSFEATURE By Bisi Alabi Williams VERY child has a right to live, free from harm and abuse. Unfortunately, the recent spate of killings, bombings and general insecurity in the country calls for more proactive actions to protect the child, who depends on the parents for love and nurturing. Parents have a duty to provide for the emotional and physical wellbeing of their children. They are also responsible for controlling and supervising them. Others too have a special duty to help keep children safe. This includes, professionals — teachers, doctors, nurses, coaches, caregivers and counselors — who care for children, work or volunteer with them, or come into contact with children as part of their work. The desire of any parent is to keep their children safe from harm. In the wake of the continued calls for the release of the students of the Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State, by Boko Haram, and the growing cases of bombings, killings and the general state of insecurity across various parts of Nigeria, more and more parents are becoming anxious about how to protect themselves and their kids in these trying times. Here are some tips to help parents train their children to keep safe, avoid dangerous situations, be weary of strangers and suspicious characters in their neighborhood. The question is ‘how well’ do parents know their drivers, their house help, cooks, cleaners, and washmen, gardeners and their neighbours? While it is important for parents to maintain good neighbourliness with others around them, it is better to be more security conscious. Mothers especially must be careful to put in place a system of checks and balances so as to essentially know those living or working with them or those living in their neighbourhood. While being “ nice” they must be wise, never throw away their guard. In order words, they must be attentive, vigilant, mindful of those they relate with, especially close neighbours that they may be tempted to leave their kids with, once a while. Security experts have advised that children could practice a “special” yell. Whether it is low, loud and long, the yelling tells the person trying to hurt the child, “I know what to do! I’m not an easy victim!” It tells everyone within the sound of the child’s voice, “I need help!” It gets the child going, it breaks the “spell.” A child should not panic and freeze, thereby becoming immobile in an emergency. Parents, especially mothers, are advised to do their school runs by themselves, if possible. Alternatively, they should ensure that somebody they trust and approve picks the children when they are not available. They must know the path that their child takes to and from home to the school. They should tell their children to avoid short cuts through street corners, motor parks, parks, or other areas where they could be alone in order to avoid falling into the wrong hands. Parents should avoid leaving ther kids with strangers and people they are not sure of. Ben Eragbai, a Lagos-based security expert and motivational speaker, said crime has become very sophisticated today. Evil men are increasing; hence, Nigerians have to be more security conscious. He advised parents who can afford close circuit cameras installed in their homes to do, especially those that can monitor those coming in and out of their homes and the surrounding environment, even putting anti-bomb guards, which can detect strange looking objects. He noted, “today, security has gone beyond closing doors and windows. So, it is the duty of parents to protect themselves and their children in the best way they can and leave the rest for God. It is important for parents to talk regularly to themselves and their kids on the necessary safety measures to take in these trying times in the nation’s history.” Eragbai added, “parents themselves need certain basic information which they should also pass on to their kids when the need arises. Doing this promptly can save their children’s life.” His advice for kids: “If a stranger approaches them on the way to school or the market or from the bus stop or at the bus stop, tell your parents, guardian, the school bus driver officials or teachers. And report

What Parents Should Know In These Trying Times

Eragbai

any suspicious movement or vehicles. They can write down the license number and provide it to school and law enforcement officials. They must stand away from any vehicle that stops near the bus stop and do not allow themselves to come too close to or enter the vehicle of those they do not know in the name of entering lift.” He said since the ultimate goal is to safeguard lives, parents must advise their kids to be wary of strangers and to run from anyone displaying a weapon. And learn to throw books, yell and make as much noise as they can, until help comes. Under no circumstances should children go with an

abductor or kidnapper. Rather, they should put up some form of resistance. They should should kick, bite, and no matter what the threat is, they must not go with them. This is because, once a kidnaper or abductor takes a child away, the chances of their survival greatly diminishes. Eragbai, who is a senior pastor at the Divine Appointment Ministry International, popularly known as Upper Room Pentecost Church, advised that children should not be afraid to tell their parents or guardians if they feel threatened, even if someone has told

them not to talk. If victimised, it is never their fault and never something they should be ashamed of. “If someone tries to lure you into a vehicle, run the opposite way the vehicle is facing, which might discourage the kidnapper to turn around to chase the child. Yell, scream, fight and run from any potential abductor. No matter what the assailant says, make as much noise and attract as much attention as you can. Run to your house or your neighbour’s house,” he said. According to the expert who carries out installations of close circuit cameras in churches, houses, offices and other public places, most kidnappers don’t want to attract attention by firing a gun and they probably couldn’t hit you anyway, so, if the kidnapper points a gun at you, run anyway. It’s better to be wounded and left to get help from others than to go off with a kidnapper. If forced into the front seat of a four-door car or van, immediately jump into the back seat, open the rear door and escape. (Don’t put on a seat belt, as this will obviously slow your escape time.) Parents can identify one or two safe houses along the way that their child could run to or into for help if the need arises. And ensure that their children do not have their names on their school bags or visibly written in places where passersby can easily see it, etc., as this would enable a potential abductor, kidnapper etc. to call out to the child by name. If children feel concerned for their safety, they should feel free to always tell their parents and the bus driver of any such concern. According to the expert, parents and ordinary residents must always remember and use the state security numbers where they exist. For Lagos residents, the emergency lines are 112 and 767. These emergency lines are for quick communication with the men of the Rapid Response Squad during accidents and other crisis periods. The distress call system has made the state to become a benchmark for other states, including the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja in emergency situations. Hence parents are advised to make good use of these numbers when the need arises. Below are helpful tips for children to follow. The truth is the there is no price too high to pay for safety or freedom. Applying one or two of these tips could save your life and that of others.

BRAIDE: Let Us Join Hands To Secure Nigeria Ngozi Braide, the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, in this chat with IJEOMA OPARA, bares her mind on issues relating to security and ways to be self-security conscious. What should people do in this season of insecurity and constant rumour of Boko Haram coming to Lagos? S far as I am concerned, there is no insecurity in Lagos, just that some people have joined hands with idle minded people, and I am happy you called it ‘rumour’, because some of these people just sit somewhere and fabricate lies and the next thing, it is on the social networks – Youtube, Facebook, BBM, Instagram and so on, something that never existed, someone will concoct lies and let it out, while others, instead of verifying from the law enforcement agencies, will join hands with these wicked minded people to spread such rumour. It is a good thing that you have recognised that they are rumour. We have enough security in Lagos State, we are very proactive, we don’t want to wait till it happens, we understand the nature of things in the country now, and so, we have tactically beefed up security in all strategic and sensitive places. How would you rate performance of the social media in this time of security challenge? It is unfortunate that people are not using the social media responsibly; a lot of people go there to probably create panic. It is unfortunate, and I hope that people will do something about it. Social media is something that is so wide; the advancement of technology is supposed to assist us and not mar us; instead, people use it to fabricate lies, create problems and commit crime. And I will say that people doing that should desist because when they are caught, they will be dealt with according to the law. How will you advise Lagosians to be security conscious?

I believe that Lagosians, to an extent, are security conscious because recently, we were alerted of some packages they saw on the island, which they thought was a bomb. When we got there, we found out that they were sealants (industrial gum used in joining equipment) and so, it gladdens my heart to know that all the while we have been preaching about being security consciousness, it has actually gone down in minds of people. I also want to encourage people to be security conscious; know your neighbours, report any suspicious movement you witness in your area, educate your kids on how to be security conscious because security these days is not something you leave for the law enforcement agencies alone, it is everybody’s business. When you see a vehicle that is abandoned, alert your community leader or the police and we will come in and check, any object you see and you don’t understand, you should also be able to alert the nearest police station. Avoid certain places at night, don’t walk alone in lonely places, even for those who like to jog very early in the morning, which is healthy, don’t jog alone, you don’t give lift to strangers. Also, people who sell should ensure that those who buy from them are those who really need the item, when you find out that the item might be bought for an ulterior motive, you should alert the police, and with this, we can join hands to make Lagos a better place.

Braide

It is unfortunate that people are not using the social media responsibly; a lot of people go there to probably create panic. It is unfortunate, and I hope that people will do something about it. Social media is something that is so wide; the advancement of technology is supposed to assist us and not mar us; instead, people use it to fabricate lies, create problems and commit crime. And I will say that people doing that should desist because when they are caught, they will be dealt with according to the law.

THE GUARDIAN, www.ngrguardiannews.com

Sunday, June 8, 2014

FOREIGNNEWS Over 30 Killed In Ethnic Raid DR CONGO T least 30 people have been A killed in an inter-ethnic attack on a village in the South Kivu region of the Democratic Republic of Congo, say local officials. Witnesses say the dead included women and children, some killed inside a church where they had been sleeping. All the victims were of the

Bafuliru ethnic background. It was not immediately clear who had carried out the attack, but the region has seen ongoing conflict between the Bafuliru and Barundi communities. “It was about a dispute over cows,” South Kivu governor Marcellin Cishambo told Reuters news agency, putting the number killed at 27. “The problem is that everyone in this area carries a weapon.”

Washington, Tehran To Hold Geneva Meeting On Nuclear Talks ENIOR US and Iranian officials Stomorrow are to meet in Geneva, starting (Monday) for two days

Ukraine's President Petro Poroshenko holding the Presidential stemp during a ceremony of his oath in the Parliament in Kiev. Poroshenko… yesterday

PHOTO: AFP

of talks ahead of the next round of negotiations between six world powers and Tehran on its nuclear programme. Iran’s state media said Iranian officials would then hold similar discussions with Russia in Rome. Talks in May ended without progress. The West accuses Iran of trying

IRAN to build a nuclear weapon, while Iran says its nuclear energy programme is for peaceful purposes. Yesterday’s announcement by the Iranian foreign ministry said Iran was also “working to arrange” other bilateral discussions with members of the six powers - known as the P5+1 before the Vienna meeting, the AFP news agency reports.

At Least 73 Die In Baghlan Province Flash Flood AFGHANISTAN LASH flooding in the remote FBaghlan northern Afghan province of has killed at least 73 people and forced thousands to abandon their homes, police say. The flooding has been deadliest in the Guzargah-e-Nur district of the province 140km (87 miles) north of the provincial capital Puli Khumri. Police say the dead include

women and children. About 200 peo- country, where flimsy mud hous- umes of mud. Baghlan provincial police chief es offering scant shelter against ple are missing. Aminullah Amarkhel told the BBC rising water levels and an volSome 2,000 homes have been that floods hit four villages in destroyed and roads washed away in what a local official said was a “huge disaster”. Northern Afghanistan has been hit by a series of floods in recent weeks, the country. which have affected tens of thouUKRAINE The 48-year-old tycoon, who won sands of people. ETRO Poroshenko has been the 25 May election, offered political Flooding and landslides happen sworn in as president of concessions to people in the east and annually during the spring-summer Ukraine, setting out a plan to bring said he did not want war or revenge. rainy season in the north of the peace to the conflict-torn east of But he also said he had told

Guzargah-e-Nur, destroying roads and bridges. He said there was not enough dry land for helicopters to land.

Poroshenko Sworn In, Sets Out Peace Plan P

Russia’s president that Crimea, which Moscow has annexed, would “always be Ukrainian”. Some separatists dismissed the speech, saying they would “never surrender”.

24 Sunday, June 8, 2014

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

Sunday, June 8, 2014

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

Sunday, June 8, 2014

HEALTH

Spiritual Understanding Results In Physical Healing By Moji Solanke

HIS unequivocal statement deserves investigation, if only to determine whether there is any authority for such a radical thought, and to discover whether the statement has been or can be proved in practical terms. The meaning of spiritual understanding, the said premise for healing, must be defined. Spirituality must, of necessity, be based on Spirit or Divinity. Most people of faith ascribe the name God to Deity therefore spiritual understanding can be defined as the understanding of God or gaining the awareness of God as incorporeal, divine, infinite Love. All understanding destroys ignorance. In the Bible, this spiritual light is known as the Christ. Other Holy Books may refer to it as Truth with a capital ‘T’. Indeed in the Bible, Jesus mentions, in the Gospel of John 8, that knowing or understanding the truth, sets man free. Many insist they have proved in their experience that this includes freedom from sickness. Through prayer and study, blind belief becomes enlightened faith. The exercise or working of faith brings the light of spiritual understanding. Staying with the Bible, the book of Proverbs 4:7 states, ‘Wisdom is the principal thing: therefore get wisdom, and with all your getting, get understanding’. How can spiritual understanding, seemingly so ephemeral, at least to the five

human senses, result in physical healing which the same human senses feel so tangibly? In recent times, scientific research is beginning to prove with incontrovertible physical and medical evidence, that the state of thought, belief or faith of an individual has a direct bearing on their state of health. Indeed studies have shown that generally, patients with a degree of spiritual faith, recover better and faster than those without. Mary Baker Eddy spent almost half a century investigating how spiritual understanding can translate to better physical health. She wrote her discovery in a book titled ‘Science and Health with key to the Scriptures’, published in 1875. She writes that it is our ignorance of God which produces discord and disease, while a right understanding of God restores harmony. Elsewhere she writes, ‘Ignorance of God is no longer the stepping stone to faith. The only guarantee of obedience is a right apprehension of Him whom to know aright is Life eternal’. She proved that health is not a condition of matter, when, through her growing spiritual understanding, she healed many of diverse diseases. Spiritual understanding casts out fear, which is an ingredient of all disease. It brings the assurance that matter cannot define the man of

Ogun Commences Free Mobile Medical Services By Gbenga Akinfenwa ETERMINED to make health care service more accessible to the people particularly at the grassroot, Ogun State has commenced its free Mobile Health Services tagged: ‘MTNF Y’ello Doctor’ in the state. At the start of the services at the Odeda Council Secretariat, Odeda, the state focal person Dr. Olayinka Adeyemi said that people in the rural communities were given free treatment that needed primary health care intervention alongside free drugs. Dr. Adeyemi added that services rendered would cover preventive and curative healthcare, urging the people to explore the opportu-

nity to enjoy qualitative health care packages. According to her “this would further strengthen efforts at improving the health of individuals in the rural areas to access quality healthcare services, enhance healthcare system and referral services.” Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, Mrs. Eunice Bolariwa and Mr. Ganiyu Abudu appreciated the gesture of the state government and other partners of the programme. They urged them to sustain their participation as needed. The free mobile medical services is expected to cover communities in Odeda, Ifo, AdoOdo/Ota, Abeokuta South and Ipokia Local Government areas for the pilot scheme.

God’s creating, and therefore does not have the final say regarding man’s health. It gives the individual courage to trust God’s ability to heal, and reinforces the realisation of His willingness to do so. Those who have experienced such healing attest to the fact that, in their single-minded quest to gain a better understand-

ing of spirituality, the material picture ceases to hold the tyrannical and mesmeric sway it had before; this they insist, results in healing. This is certainly worth deeper investigation by the thinking individual.

m_asolanke@hotmail.com

The Fear Of Failure (Atychipbobia) By Passy Amaraegbu

EBBIE couldn’t understand why Monic her friend refused to learn to drive. With all the priviledge of having three family cars at her disposal, Monic couldn’t drive. Of course, Jide, the latter’s husband provided her with a driver but it isn’t a sufficient reason for an educated and career woman like Monic to regard driving the way and manner a child relates with a dentist clinic. Monic is a victim of fear of failure. An earlier effort at learning to drive was negatively impactful. This was over a decade ago when she was still an undergraduate. On one August Saturday morning after washing the family car, Monic tried to practise what she had observed her father and elder brother do with the 505 GL Peugeot Salon Car. Sitting comfortably on the driver’s seat, she put the key rightly and turned the ignition on. Immediately, the engine of the Peugeot came alive. After a few minutes, Monic intending to put the gear in reverse, erroneously put it in gear one. The rest was history. The car jerked forward and she narrowly missed hitting her sanguine younger sister Clara who was playing in front of the car. Her saving grace was the wall of the house which bore the consequence of Monic’s erroneously judgement. Part of it collapsed. Despite that her father didn’t punish her for this type of error, more than ten years after, Monic was yet to recover from the negative impact of that driving experience. As we can see, fear of failure is at the root of many timid endeavours, frustrations and failures in life. What actually is it? How does it manifest in people? Referred to as Atychiphobia (literally interpreted as fear of the unfortunate), fear of failure

Practical Psychology is the persistent irrational that one will fail in a particular or several endeavours of life. This morbid and irrational fear can begin in one are of life and spread to others. As an anxiety disorder, Atychiphobia can manifest such physiological symptoms like, rapid breathing, nervousness, face flushing, perspiration, muscle tension, nausea and in extreme cases faintness. History or negative experience is one of the causes of failure. Children who were raised in harsh homes and environments where they were exposed to constant ridicule and punishment for minor failure tend to grow up to because likely victims of the fear of failure. Also genetic predisposition has been implicated as a cause of the fear of failure. During the early stage of life when the brain is yet developing a constant exposure of the brain to negative stimuli such as abuse, humiliation, despise and discouragement can (and does) predispose the mind to failure. Particularly in our contemporary world where approval, affirmation and affection are connected to performance and perfection, it becomes difficult for a young person to differentiate between parental genuine love on one hand and his/her performance on the other. When one perceives and judges a task to be overwhelming and therefore intimidating, one is already on the path way of the fear of failure. When the feelings of inadequacy and incompetence overtakes one, they act as subtle invitations to the fear of failure. Atychiphobia is real and needs to be conquered. Dr. Passy Amaraegbu, A clinical psychologist lives in Lagos. drpassy@yahoo.com

STEVEN SPIELBERG:

CAREER /31

EMPOERNIGERIA /34

THE MAN WITH A BEAUTIFUL MIND

MONDAYS–FRIDAYS IN THE GUARDIAN

SUNDAY, June 8, 2014

UNILAG Explains Faceoff With Students Over Fees

• 89 Students To Bags First Class During Convocation • School Is Not Shut — Registrar Stories By Daniel Anazia HEmanagement of University T of Lagos (UNILAG), has explained last week’s event which led to students barricade oftheentrancestotheschooland preventedvehicularmovements in or outside the campus to register their displeasure over fee hike. The cause of the crisis Life Campus gathered is the imposition of late course registration fee, which the students claimed the school authority increased arbitrarily from N10,000 to N25, 000. An angry student who spoke to the Life Campus under anonymity said, “We are protesting because the authority of UNILAG, suddenly jerked our editing fees from N10,000 to N25,000, without any consultation or prior notice. Again, they said additionalN30,000,wouldbepaidforlate

registration.” “It was initially N10,000 and they moved it to N15,000, N20,000 and now N25,000. Also, the General Studies course, which is a school course, has been increased to N600, and there are some students who are offering two of such courses. What this means is that they would be paying N1,200,” the student added. Another student said that the absence of the Students’ Union Government (SUG) in the university has not helped matters. “We don’t have students’ union, rather the school management choose to allow a committee of faculty presidents. They know the SUG will challenge them and that is the reason they don’t want it.” The Registrar of the school, Dr (Mrs.) Taiwo Folashade Ipaye in a telephone chat with Life Campus confirmed the protest, but debunked the reports that the school was closed down by the

school authority. “Yes there was a protest by the students, but the school is not closed, you can come and verify this now,” she said. Meanwhile, a total of 89 of the 9,729 graduating students of the University of Lagos will be awarded first class degrees during the 2012/2013 convocation ceremony scheduled for Tuesday, June 11 and Wednesday, June 12.

CAREER /41

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Final Year Students Hold Valedictory Luncheon together to enable knowledge transfer and sharing of experience between the students and Ilorin recently held a valedicto- the lecturers. She described the ry luncheon as part of activievent, which was attended by ties to celebrate their final year all the final year students and week and mark the end of some lecturers of the departtheir four-year stay in the uni- ment as the first of its kind in versity. the history of the department. According to the head of the In his address entitled, Life organising committee, Edith After Graduation, a veteran jourMadu, the luncheon was put nalist and senior research felINAL year students of the FDepartment, Mass Communication University of

Uzoamaka Every week, Life Campus Reports on events in students’ communities across the country. You can contribute by sending stories, gossips, reports on events and your pictures for Campus Faces to us at: counarconsult@gmail.com; evangelistdan@yahoo.com

CARTOON SERIES /40

DR. DO-WELL

Uzoamaka Emerges Babcock University 2014 Convocation Best her brilliance and outFance,OR standing academic performUzoamaka Daniella Rachael of Public Administration Department has emerged best graduating student of Babcock University, Ilishan-Remo, Ogun state, for the 2014 graduating year. With a CGPA of 4.86, she won the University President’s award meant for student with overall best performances at undergraduate programs in leadership, academics, community and spiritual service,

among other awards. In all, 1,560 undergraduates were awarded first degrees from eight instructional schools. Of these, a total of 45 students graduated with First Class honors, while 1,227 and 292 students graduated with Second Class degree (Upper) and Second Class degree (Lower) respectively. The School of Postgraduate Studies churned out 177 candidates, among which were 59 PhDs, 101 Masters degrees and 17 postgraduate diplomas.

The students during their party

low in the department, Alhaji Liad Tella, advised the students to reflect on their life journey, and make a good decision on what to do after graduation.

BUSNESS ETIQUETTE /40

Punctuality

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

28 Sunday, June 8, 2014

CAMPUS

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PROTESTS: Eight LASU Students Arraigned, Released For Out of Court Settlement By Daniel Anazia TUDENTS of Lagos State STuesday, University (LASU) on barricaded the road leading to the domestic wing of the Murtala Mohammed Airport, Ikeja, and caused heavy traffic along the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway, forcing motorists to spend hours on the road. Eight of the arrested were hurriedly arraigned at an Ikeja Magistrate court. According to the students’ union president of the school, Nurudeen Yusuf, the students were arrested by the Police on Tuesday, and arraigned before an Ikeja Magistrate court on Wednesday, for alleged breach of public peace. However, moments after the court registrar read the charges to them, the students, all pleaded not guilty. The five male and three female victims include Bolarinwa Olamide (male, 23), Oludare Samuel Olayinka (male, 18), Oni

Victoria (female, 18), Fatukasi Timilehin (male, 19) and Babatunde Bolarinwa (male, 24). Others are Ajayi Taiwo (female, 24), Olatimihan Taiwo (female, 20) old and Akani Segun (male, 27). The students, who were brought to the court unkempt, were later granted bail upon the intervention of the Ikeja Local Government Chairman and the First Vice Chairman, Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Ikeja Branch and the students’ union lawyer, Barr. Shina Ogunlana, in the sum of N10,000 each with a surety, who should be their relative respectively. According to the Police, the students allegedly committed an offence, which contravenes Section 166 (d) of the Criminal Laws No 11 Vol. 44 Law of Lagos State of Nigeria 2011. Meanwhile, parents of three of the arraigned students have argued that their wards were not students, but were wrongly arrested by the Police while walking along the streets

According to the students’ union president of the school, Nurudeen Yusuf, the students were arrested by the Police on Tuesday, and arraigned before an Ikeja Magistrate court on Wednesday, for alleged breach of public peace

Business Etiquette with Rita Okoye

Rita Okoye

Punctuality

E often hear the term ‘Nigerian Time’ when excuses are made for arriving late to an event or a meeting. To most people this implies that it is acceptable to show up late because after all, we are Nigerians. There is not a gene to my knowledge that affects your time keeping. A change of mindset is required to understand that it is absolutely inappropriate to show up late for meetings, to work or to any other business function unless it is a situation beyond your control. I do agree that showing up late is peculiar to Nigerians but it does not have to be that way. This article will highlight some common sense tips that will ensure that you are always on time Preparation is the key. Have you heard the saying, ‘Failing to plan is planning to fail’. And this could be why so many people show up late. They just don’t set a plan. If the meeting has been set for 11.00am they may just decide to leave their house at 10.50. How can you expect to get to a meetimg if you haven’t made time for getting there? Tunde made that very mistake. He had a business meeting in Abuja and was planning to get on the 4pm flight. He casually strolled into the airport at 3.55 and passengers had already boarded and the airport counter had closed. Tunde missed his important meeting because he didn’t plan he time well. Buy a watch or set your phone with an alarm. Most people have phones that come with alarm apps so there is

really no excuse why one should be late. Jennifer always comes to work on time and was awarded at a staff team building day for this efficiency. Asked how she manages to attend events on time, she said she sets out early, to avoid traffic. Jenny said that she also feels a satisfaction when she gets to an event on time. Wouldn’t it be great if for people thought that way? There are so many technical tools that can help us schedule appointments. Most executives have smart phones. You can easily set up all your meeting usimg smart apps. If you are not technically savy, you can invest in a calendar and keep it close by. Write down your meetings on calendar. Don’t keep the information in your head. Moses is the Greneral assistant of Sam and sons. What makes Moses so efficient is his ability to be a good planner. He has every appointment scheduled on a calendar planner which he displays proudly in his office. If you are attending a job interview make sure you plan everything the night or day before. Find the location on time. Get your clothes ready the day before. Try to find out how long it will take you to get to your appointment. You may have to do a test run if it’s a job that you are really serious about. If you are the one driving, make sure you fill your tank with fuel. And remember to arrive with a smile. Author Rita Okoye rita@majesticallyrare.com Rita Okoye is an event planner, publicist & personal development trainer

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JOBS & CAREERS

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JOBS & CAREERS

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National Development Strategy Series

NICHOLAS OKOYE, Founder EMPOWER NIGERIA Initiative,

FROM THE DESK OF THE CEO

PILLAR 3 SYSTEMS, STRUCTURE AND INFRASTRUCTURE PAPER 8

INFRASTRUCTURE N paper 7 I talked about the potentials of a six Iposed regional structure for Nigeria in which I prowe use the present geo political zones as a basis for federating our Country all over again. The reason why we are still talking about a new federal union is because everyone agrees that this present union is not working. We all agree the 36 state structure we are currently running is not working so who is making it hard for us to reform? And why can’t our old school self-professed Leaders get it?

Governor Raji Fashola is investing heavily in infrastructure in Lagos State. He is building a commuter rail project that will revolutionize the commuting of millions of Lagos residents. When the project is complete and commissioned Lagos will never be the same again, thanks to the Action and innovative Governor. It is expected that when he leaves the stage in May of 2015 his successor will be able to follow in his foot steps and we should not experience cancellations and project abandonment as we did experience when the We must restructure into six regions and we Military Dictatorship of Mohammed Buhari cancelled the Lagos Metro Line Project initiated by the must use these regions to spur development all Jakunde Administration. across the board. We must promote creativity and innovation and create wealth on unprecedented scales so that we can get rid of unemployment altogether and the raise the standards of living of the Nigerian People.

ter suited for carrying heavy equipment and with much lighter loads and much less hassle. heavy industry tools and so when we invest in In addition to railways for heavy industrial Railways we are equally preserving our roads. haulage we need light rail for intra city transportation for commuters. Over three million The railways for heavy industry must travel people commute to work from different parts the entire length and width of the Nation in of Lagos every morning in very inefficient The Nigerian Infrastructure order to make sure that petroleum products, methods of small cars that only end up pollutAs we continue to look at the drivers of National industrial tools, heavy equipment and the fin- ing the environment and causing heavy traffic ished products of all heavy industry in the and congestion, not to talk of the pressure on Development and in particular Systems, North and South can travel freely and unhin- our roads. Solutions; every Major City should Structure and Infrastructure, we must define how we can reposition our Nation by redirect- dered up and down the country. The roles of have a light Rail project in Nigeria and the trucks will then be limited to intra state travel great thing is that these projects are very ing our energy on the Pillars in question. We talked about why and how we must change the Nigerian System and the Nigerian Mind Set, we also talked about getting a new political structure for Nigeria. The six regional structure seems the best option for now and we expect TOOTHPICK is a small stick of wood, plastic, machine is very affordable and easy to use. It that the delegates at the current National bamboo, metal, bone or other substance works at an amazing speed and produces Conference will get the message and do the right thing. In addition to new systems and new used to remove detritus from the teeth, usual- thousands of pieces of toothpicks in no time. structures we also need a totally new infrastruc- ly after a meal. A toothpick usually has one or To find out about this and other business two sharp ends to insert between teeth. They ideas, visit our showroom at W2, THE ARENA ture for Nigeria. Our old infrastructure is outcan also be used for picking up small appetiz- Army Shopping complex, Bolade Bustop, dated and is not designed for a country with a ers (like cheese cubes or olives) or as a cocktail Oshodi, Lagos. You could also contact our GDP of $510 billion USD. stick. sales representative on 01 2771388 American wooden toothpicks are cut from Railways birch wood. Logs are first spiral cut into thin sheets, which are There is no way we can continue to carry the volume of load we currently carry on our roads then cut, chopped, milled and bleached (to lighten) into the indiand expect them to last more than three months. The only reason Nigerian Roads do not vidual toothpicks. Maine used to be the leading producer of toothlast is because we are carrying heavy weights picks for the United States. that are not supposed to be carried on roads, The only way to go about making and we do this day and night. If you have ever been to Kaduna Refinery based in Kaduna or to that dream of becoming an entrepreneur a reality is by cultivating Dangote Cement Factory in Obajana then you production culture. It is on record will understand what I am talking about. The that Nigeria imports almost everymighty size of those plants, the heavy equipthing – from electronics, to agriculment that are installed there makes you wontural produce, to household utender how did they get all this heavy equipment sils. Even the simplest things like to these sites? And the answer is actually sharing you in the face. They carried all that load on toothpicks and safety matches are our poor weak roads, there is no other way. And imported when all the facilities when you carry that kind of load on a road that required for smooth production was designed for far less load or traffic then the are locally available. Tooth Picks are used in every home, road collapses after a short while. And so that has become the Nigerian story. You build a road every restaurant, every hotel, every bar, every fast today, and in six months’ time it is bad, it has pot holes and it can no longer sustain the pres- food joint, its demand is sure from the traffic. The solution is simply we monumental. need to invest in railways. The rail system is bet- The Toothpick making

TOOTHPICK MAKING MACHINES A

viable. Once you are able to demonstrate the numbers of people that require the commuting, it is easy to project a fair price and determine if the numbers and the pricing can support the cost of the investment in the project over a given period of time of say 20 years. One of the greatest disservice the military Government of Mohammed Buhari did to Nigeria in general and to Lagos in particular was to cancel the intra City Commuter rail project that was initiated by the Jakunde regime back in 1981. After the coup that sacked the democratically elected Government of Shehu Shagari, General Buhari came to power in a blaze of propaganda and witch hunting. His administration needed to paint the politicians in a bad light quickly in order to legitimize his rise to power. So one of the things he did was to cancel the Lagos metro rail project even though large sums of money had been paid and the project was designed for the transportation of the Nigerian people and not the politicians. Over thirty years later Governor Fashola is building the project again at more than ten times the cost due to the time that we lost out on the time and planning which we had put together under the second republic. Lagos has potential for several lines of metro rail which needs to be the basis for commuter transportation going forward. We hope that Governor Fashola wil be able to commission some of rail projects he is currently working on and that his successor will continue in this direction. Sea Ports We are not even scaring the surface when it comes to Sea Port infrastructure in Nigeria. We have a very poorly planned port coast line in Apapa and anybody that has gone to Apapa Port or Tin Can Island port to do business will tell you how much of a nightmare it is to get access to the Ports. I have been to Ports in the United States, Great Britain and Dubai and they are nothing like the Ports in Nigeria. There are no tankers blocking the roads, there are no container carrying flatbed trucks blocking the access to the Ports and so on. Then you hear about the fact that our Ports have sallow water depth, so we cannot implement a Global transshipment strategy in any of our Ports today with the possible exception of Onne, because of the swallow depth. So what does the Nigerian Ports Authority do with the billions and billions it collects and spends every year you may ask? Your guess is as good as mine as I honestly do not know. We need to reposition our Ports for a much more strategic role they can play in National development. We need deeper Ports, and many more terminals that can serve selected and strategic products. We also need to position our Ports for transshipment traffic for some of the neighboring African Countries. New Port Development can be done based on the new Regions in the future, to prevent goods meant for the South East or the South South for instance having to come all the way to Lagos to off load and then the load ends up on our delicate and fragile roads. Private Investment can be used to stimulate new investment that is required for this repositioning of our Ports. Roads and Highways We have a network of roads and highways in Nigeria but we have not bothered to number them, tabulate them and define their strategic importance for National development. The East West highway is still a subject of controversy, the second river Niger Bridge is only getting attention today after nearly fifty years. There is no major highway linking the eastern part of the Nigeria with the Northern part. A single lane road leads from Enugu to Markudi which is the only road option for anybody traveling North from the Port Harcourt, Owerri or Enugu. Road networks are supposed to be built and maintained based on their strategic importance to National Development and so should be the case with Nigeria.

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GLOBAL entRePReneURAL LeADeR

teven Spielberg is an American director, screenwriter and producer who has a net worth of $3.4 billion and annual salary of $150 million. Steven Spielberg’s name is synonymous with film and his career spans over four decades. Spielberg had humble beginnings when he was just a boy with a huge imagination and a dream. Steven Spielberg was born on December 18th 1946, in Cincinnati, Ohio. His mother Leah Adherer was a concert pianist and his father Arnold Spielberg was an electrical engineer involved in the development of computers. Steven’s childhood was spent in Haddon Heights, new Jersey and Scottsdale, Arizona. It was in Scottsdale, as a teenager, where a young Spielberg would create 8mm short films. even back then Spielberg charged 25 cents for the local kids to come and watch his many epics. At the age of 13, Spielberg won an award for his 40 minute film about war called escape to nowhere. At the age of sixteen he made his first feature length film, Firelight, which he played at his local cinema. It was a Science-fiction film which would later go on to inspire the classic Close encounters of the third kind. Unfortunately, his parents eventually divorced and he moved with his father to Saratoga, California where Steven attended and graduated from Saratoga high school. After graduation he applied to University of Southern California School of theater, Film, and television but was rejected three times. Instead he attended California State University, Long Beach. His career did not begin until he worked at Universal Studios as an unpaid intern for the editing department. It was during this time that Spielberg directed a twenty-four minute short film, Amblin, (a name that he would eventually carry to his production company) which caught the eye of Sidney Shainberg who was the vice president of production for Universal’s television division. Spielberg became the youngest director to ever sign a long-term contract with a major studio. He dropped out of college for the opportunity. During his time as a television director he directed episodes of Rod Sterling’s night Gallery, Columbo, and Marcus Welby M.D. these ventures were so successful that he was signed on to shoot four made-for-television films. the first of which was the 1971 classic Duel. Duel was such a success that he was offered the job of directing the theatrical feature film the Sugarland express. the film was met with a lot of positive feedback. It was not until 1975 when Spielberg’s career sky rocketed with the success of Jaws. In 1975 Jaws became the first real blockbuster film after over 67% of Americans went to see it. He would follow it up with “Close encounters of the third Kind starring Richard Dreyfus (who Spielberg considers his alter ego). In 1981 he teamed up with long time friend and fellow filmmaker George Lucas to create Indiana Jones which was an even bigger hit. By this time Spielberg was becoming a master of big Hollywood films creating such masterpieces as e.t and Indiana Jones. His career would continue to create more hits such as Hook, Jurassic Park, and Minority Report. In addition to the box office acclaim he has also seen critical acclaim and awards. Spielberg has won three Academy awards, two of them for directing (Schindler’s List and Saving Private Ryan) and one for Best picture (Schindler’s List). Furthermore, he has been part of the productions of Back to the future, Poltergeist, Animaniacs, Gremlins, and the Gooiness. Spielberg reunited with George Lucas for the latest installment of the Indiana Jones saga in 2008. Spielberg directed the film, which featured Harrison Ford reprising his role as the famed adventurer in Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. He also helmed 2011’s animated action film the Adventures of tintin, based on the popular comic series by Hergé. It was his film version of War Horse (2011) that won him his most recent critical acclaim, however. the movie received six Academy Award nominations. In november 2012, Spielberg made another legendary film project Lincoln. He directed Daniel

Guide to Personal Development

By Nicholas Okoye

nokoye@empowernigeria.com tRAteGY is based on three pillars. Personal Strategy, which must be determined by you and you alone. It is normally designed to get you ahead and to keep you ahead. And in the long run you use personal Strategy to win in business, in your profession, or in your country.

Your Professional Strategy is based on your ability to reposition your company and in the process reposition yourself. Your Business Strategy must be to provide your customers and potential customers with a superior product or service in order to win repeat business time and time again. All strategy can be summed up in these few statements. However to break strategy into more component parts we must be able to review the business in question. Getting ahead

Steven SPIeLBeRG: tHe MAn WItH A BeAUtIFUL MInD Day-Lewis in the biopic of President Abraham Lincoln. Joseph Gordon-Levitt plays Lincoln’s son Robert and Sally Fields plays his wife Mary todd Lincoln in this much-anticipated drama. In addition to directing, Spielberg has instrumental in numerous projects as an executive producer. He has helped bring such television shows as terra nova, Smash and Falling Skies to the small screen.

As for future projects, the famed filmmaker is rumored to be revisiting some old favorites in the coming years. there is talk of a new Jurassic Park film and even possibly a fifth Indiana Jones movie. Married twice, Steven Spielberg has a son from his first marriage to actress Amy Irving. He has five children and two stepchildren with current wife Kate Capshaw.

Getting ahead in your personal, professional or business life is always the ultimate goal of every performance focused individual. In order to achieve this you must be a student of Peak Performance. All who get ahead have either one way of the other demonstrated a Peak Performance in their character or trade. Getting the right focus and committing yourself to peak performance is the beginning of your wealth creation exercise and your success now and well into the future. Peak Performance the one place we all want to be and we all should be. All the benefits, all the wealth, all the awards and all the recognition goes to the ones that have achieved peak performance. Peak Performance is a life style and it needs a deep commitment to excellence for one to continue to reach meet Peak Performance time and time again. You must ask yourself why does the World love Barack Obama? Why is General electric such a great company? How come Singapore, has taken their island status with no natural or mineral resources and still become a power house among nations? It is all as a result of Peak Performance. And that is what is needed in nigeria. We will review Peak Performance and provide you with the directions you need to achieve outstanding results due to your commitment to Peak Performance.

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Conscience, Nurtured by Truth

Junior Guardian SOFUNIX Schools Celebrate Children’s Day T was a fun-filled day for ISOFUNIX the students and pupils of International Schools, as they celebrated Children’s Day recently. In his remarks, the Executive Chairman and Proprietor of the schools, Mr. Sola Oni advised the students to identify with the over 200 kidnapped Chibok schoolgirls and also pray for their quick release. Oni, who described children as gifts from God, said they react to every situation as perceived. “They smile when they receive affection and cry when they perceive danger. Children are innocent, hence they must be guided rightly,” he said. He urged government to put welfare, education and overall development of children on the front lane in national planning to build worldclass future leaders. The special guest of honour at the occasion, Mr. Chidi Nwonkta, Sector Commandant, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Lagos State, also urged the students to uphold the institution’s vision, mission and core values, as they are meant to produce all-round students. He praised the schools’

management, urging them to sustain and continually strive to surpass the high standard already set. According to him, Children’s Day was first proclaimed by the World Conference for the wellbeing of children in 1925 and was accepted universally in 1954, as a day for the protection of children. He listed its objectives to include: to promote mutual exchanges and understanding among children, institute action to promote their welfare, advance their rights, bring awareness of current issues to them and celebrate them as future leaders. He advised the students and pupils to be law abiding and hardworking, while urging them to respect elders and abstain from bad friends that can pollute them. He also enjoined the parents to inculcate in their children the fear of God and love for mankind. The event was marked with activities such as marchpast, traditional display, choreography and bouncing castle among others.

— Gbenga Akinfenwa SOFUNIX students and pupils acknowledging Nwonkta during the match past

SOLUTIONS TO BRAIN TEASER (6)

WORD POWER GAME Thrust a) shove b) attack c) push d) point

PARDON REVISE

DIFFICULT ETERNAL

Rapid a) fast b) quick c) speedy d) hasty Touchy a) sensitive b) prickly c) impatient d) moody Robust a) healthy b) vigorous c) hearty d) strong Melancholy a) sad b) depressed c) miserable d) down Chord a) harmony b) triad c) arpeggio d) blended Craze a) fad b) trend c) rage d) fashion Miff a) annoy b) irritate c) irk d) vex Fantasy a) imaginary b) dream c) unreal d) invented Passion a) desire b) fervour c) thirst d) craving Grudge a) complaint b) rancor c) dislike d) bitterness

DOMINION DISCOVER

SPLENDOUR ABBESS

POEMS My Mother Being a dedicated mother Is one of the highest paid jobs in the world Since the payment is pure love No Language can express the power Beauty, heroism and majesty Of a mother’s love The heart of a mother is a deep abyss At the bottom of which Forgiveness and love will always be found

By Chinomso Okechukwu Ocean Crest School, Lekki

Nature I love nature It is real It is always there Anytime I want it And anywhere I am

By Jesutobilola Animashaun Ocean Crest School, Lekki

Debunk a) expose b) deflate c) discredit d) demystify Fraternise a) associate b) consort c) mix d) hobnob COMPILED BY KIKELOLA OYEBOLA

A cross section of Vineville Academy students at the Family Fun Day tagged: ‘A Happy Family’ held at the shool premises in Alaka Estate, Surulere, Lagos.

A cross section of Rightville School pupils at the Inter-house Sports Competition held at Union Bank Sports Complex, Surulere, Lagos.

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ENTERPRISE By Bisi Alabi Williams O his friends and acquaintances, he is known as a nation builder, because of his passion for the development of the under-45 population in Nigeria. His intention is to continually train as many youths as possible to become successful entrepreneurs. The thrust of his trainings and empowerment entrepreneurship programmes is to reduce the rate of unemployment by providing jobs for people. This, he believes, will put Nigeria on the true path of greatness and the coveted seat in the comity of nations, especially when the economy is flourishing. At SME Business Platform Ltd., Olagbenjo is a business associate and the CEO of 3m Global Resources Ltd., an IT and media services firm, set up to offer IT and media services to businesses and individuals with the goal of helping them increase their customer base and sales through cost effective Bulk SMS messaging, website design and development, as well as e-commerce business. He was attracted to IT and media field due to his passion for IT. “I always look for ways to create things that will make life easy and convenient for people. I love to create products that will help businesses and individuals succeed and make more profit,” he says. Set up by Media Platforms Ltd. as a catalyst of information, knowledge and general business education for small and medium sized business operators in Nigeria, Olagbenjo’s outfit has systematically served as a platform for cross-fertilization of ideas and aggregation of tangible and intangible supports for development of SME entrepreneurship amongst Nigeria’s teaming young and middle age population Since inception, the platform has strived diligently to build a network of SME entrepreneurs through commitment to continuous learning, skill acquisition, business idea development and execution, mentorship and business integrity. “We have been empowering Nigerians in six different ways— through strategic trainings, online services, SME Business Platform on 92.3 inspiration FM, the SME Digest Magazine, quarterly events and through the presentations of various awards to deserving SMEs, who have distinguished themselves,” he says. Through its vision to be Nigeria’s SME supermarket for aspiring and budding entrepreneurs, where all information on supports and SME toolkits can be obtained, the SME Platform has over time, demonstrated its strength and expertise through creativity, innovation, team spirit and quality content, which has helped its emergence as a strong forum on a daily basis. Olagbenjo is an entrepreneur, writer, speaker, IT and media expert, author of the book, ‘‘You Don’t Have To Believe In My Dream’’ and the co-author of The Land Is Green for entrepreneurs. In 2012, he was honoured the by Nigerian Entrepreneurship Recognition Awards, as the most outstanding website designer of the year and the SDEA (Success Digest Enterprise Award) young entrepreneur of the year. He is the Executive Director, Inspirational Hour, a graduate of mass communication from LASPOTECH and alumnus of School of Media and Communication, and Enterprise Development Centre, both of the Pan Atlantic University. He obtained a certificate from WOFBI and Diploma and advance Diploma from Emmaus correspondent School. He also holds a certificate in Developing Innovative Ideas for New Venture from the University of Maryland, U.S. In his view, being a young entrepreneur has its pros and cons. “It’s been fun being an entrepreneur, because I love being one. I have made mistakes, as a young man and I have also recorded successes. Now, I am helping people run their businesses through our different platforms. So, being an entrepreneur has no doubt been very challenging, but what has kept me going is the passion that I have put into what we do. “I have lost and also made money, but each time I made mistake, I don’t allow it to weigh me down. I just learn from my experiences and move on. Today, these challenges have no doubt been a stepping-stone for me to get to where I am. It is, therefore, with pride that I can confidently tell you that our selling point has been creativity and innovation, which is key to any business. These two factors are the essential life wire and catalyst that businesses need to grow,” he explains. Coming up with new ideas and concepts all the time is one thing that Olagbenjo says, has given him and his team the edge, where many have failed. This has also helped him to stand out anywhere he finds myself. The team has judiciously used its weekly

OLAGBENJO: BuildingEntrepreneurs For Nation’s Development radio programme on 92.3 Inspiration FM to empower SMEs. Also, his outfit runs the SME Digest Magazine, a free monthly online and offline magazine to further increase the capacity of SMEs in Nigeria. In addition, there are the online bookstore, quarterly events and business schools, which they have positively and consistently used to change the lives of Nigerians. Many people in SME can attest to the fact that the exploits of Olagbenjo’s group have been quite massive, as shown by the testimonials emanating from participants as well as benefi-

ciaries of their programmes. “Recently we held an event tagged Building Bankable SMEs, where over 400 of them from across Nigeria came. Five banks, four investors and many other companies came to empower the SMEs present at the occasion. The testimonies from SMEs have been very encouraging. It has motivated us to do more.” In an era, when more youths are losing faith in the Nigerian system and many of them are desperately looking for greener pastures, Olagbenjo says though it is true there is a serious unemployment problem in Nigeria, this, however, is not enough an excuse for youths to take to a life of crime. “We must understand that it is not the duty of the government to create jobs. Their responsibility is to create an enabling environment for businesses to thrive and for people to succeed. It is also the respon-

sibility of government to provide good roads, electricity, water, security, infrastructure and strong ITC for the economy to flourish. Unfortunately, however, all these facilities, which should help businesses to grow in Nigeria so that entrepreneurs would be able to create more jobs are not available.” He is saddened by the fact that a lot of things are not right in the country at the moment though he believes the blame shouldn’t be put entirely at the doorstep of the leaders even though they play a major role in job creation. “Even if the government does not care

about your future, you should not give up on yourself. Those, who excel in life, have limitations, but they turn it into opportunities. You can’t afford to blame anyone for your failure. There are many people, who did not have government or parental help, yet they made it.” He advised young people in search of self-actualisation not to allow any limitation hold them down. “There are many drop-outs that are now controlling businesses worth millions of naira because they never allowed limitations to hold them down. Individuals need to get empowered because it is their future and everyone is responsible for his/her actions. Things began to change in my life the day I understood that my destiny was in my hands and that my success or failure in life is my responsibility,” he says. He is worried that the body language of government sometimes suggests that they really

don’t care about the people, as they claim. “Even the banks, parents and schools are not helping matters. That is why now is the time for everyone to be responsible for his or her life. Now is the time to learn to read books, attend business seminars and trainings that can help turn your business ideas into reality. You can make it if you will only try.” Despite his numerous achievements, Olagbenjo says the greatest of them all is touching lives, though he admits to being an achiever in the making, since he is yet to unfold. Olagbenjo believes that as Nigeria marks 15 years of uninterrupted democratic dispensation, good leadership should start with every Nigerian, whether young or old. “We must all move on with determination, commitment and hard work and surely the nation will get there because we all have a part to play. As a father, you are a leader. As a mother, you are a leader. As the first born, you are a leader. Even as the lastborn, you are also a leader. As the boss at work, you are a leader. You will find that you are leading in one capacity or the other, and if you lead well, Nigeria will produce great leaders. A father or mother that does not show good example to their children will never be a good governor or president. If we can be effective and faithful in our sphere of influence, Nigeria will have great leaders. We can’t give what we don’t have. Good citizens will produce good leaders.” Growing up with his parents, brothers, sisters and other family members was a lovely experience for him. Although a naturally gentle person from his home and school days, he had been gifted right from when he was a young kid. Right from his childhood days, he’s been making big moves. “I knew I would be a public speaker, writer and entrepreneur,” he says. His father was a pastor before he died. So, young Olagbenjo found himself organising various revival services and trainings. His mummy, who is still alive, used to sell bags of rice and so, he found himself doing the selling and it wasn’t long before he came up with different business ideas. Then, those who knew him referred to him as the young boy, who does big things. He hails from Oyo State, though born and bred in Lagos. He is from a family of five children. Going through life, great minds such as Bishop David Oyedepo, Rev. Sam Adeyemi and Bishop T.D Jakes have greatly influenced his life and career. With a smile and a sense of fulfillment, he says, “I was raised by godly parents. They loved each other but had a lot of challenges, which made me strong. One major thing I learnt from my parents was their lifestyle of giving. My parents helped a lot of people to succeed. Many people have been blessed through their ministry. “This has helped me to imbibe same, as I find myself helping and assisting others to achieve their life’s purpose and destiny,” he says. Like many successful people, Olagbenjo is a simple, focused and hard working person. The young man simply loves challenges and is always on the move. He is a result-oriented and natural leader, who leads by example. As a motivator, you can’t be around him and be lazy or unproductive. This is because laziness and sluggishness don’t agree, where he is concerned. He loves and adores God and will spend any amount of money to get quality information. He is a lover of music and football.

We must all move on with determination, commitment and hard work and surely the nation will get there because we all have a part to play. As a father, you are a leader. As a mother, you are a leader. As the first born, you are a leader. Even as the last-born, you are also a leader. As the boss at work, you are a leader. You will find that you are leading in one capacity or the other, and if you lead well, Nigeria will produce great leaders. A father or mother that does not show good example to their children will never be a good governor or president. If we can be effective and faithful in our sphere of influence, Nigeria will have great leaders. We can’t give what we don’t have. Good citizens will produce good leaders

Sunday, June 8, 2014 37

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

YOUTHMAGAZINE

ENANG: Grooming Tomorrow’s Leaders By Geraldine Akutu DORENYEN Enang is a reform minded leader with great passion for development economics. He is considered one of Africa’s best marketing minds with demonstrable expertise in business management, organisation restructuring, sales and marketing operations, as well as talent management. In the course of his illustrious career spanning 25 years, the Akwa Ibom State indigene has held key positions of increasing responsibility levels across Africa in multinational companies such as Guinness, Coca Cola, Cadbury and Samsung. Presently, he is the managing director at L’Oreal Central West Africa, one of the world’s foremost beauty companies. He has presided over several advertising boards and is currently the regional vice president of World Federation of Advertisers in Africa. Fondly called Idy by friends, colleagues and family, he has won many awards because of his remarkable contributions to the development of people and brand building. He runs a pet enterprise, Corporate Shepherds, which have over 500 people within the scope of his mentorship. The jolly good fellow, who considers himself a home grown man, started his early education at St. Catherine’s after which he moved on to Baptist Academy Lagos, where he completed his secondary school education. He attended Federal School of Art and Science, Ondo State. He had a brief stint at Federal School of Art and Science, Suleja. He had his university education at the then University of Cross River State (now University of Uyo), where he graduated in Economics. He also holds an MBA from Enugu State University Business School. For Idorenyen, growing up as a young lad was filled with fun and excitement. “I thank God for blessing me with a wonderful family. I was born into love and I have seen and experienced love so much. My parents, aunts and grandparents showered me with so much love because I was the first son of my father. My father trained a lot of stepsisters and brothers. As a matter of fact, I had a lot of aunties around me then and also had my grandmother, who lived with us in Lagos. “One nice aspect though about my growing up is that I was never spoilt because my father was a very strong influence in terms of discipline. My parents are still alive. We are four in the family and we were close. My siblings regarded me as big brother back then,” he recalls. Idorenyen had his own share of lofty dreams and experiences as a growing up lad. “At the time I was leaving secondary school in 1981, I was both an art and science student. Then I wanted to study Theatre Arts, but my father looked at me and said ‘you are a joker.’ I used to dance a lot and I was very much into sports. I played hockey for Lagos State and represented my school. While at the university, I was involved in virtually all the NUGA games,” he recalls. At some point, he also got interested in becoming a soldier and wanted to join the military but his mother kicked against it. “Even when I took the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) form, she refused to sign it. So, I let it go and got enrolled to study Economics instead,” he says. He had a stint with Shell Petroleum during his National Youth Service, and worked in Guinness Nigeria Plc for seven years, where he joined as a management staff. Idorenyen worked as Brand Manager at Coca Cola for 11 years before moving on to Cadbury. He also worked at Samsung between 2010 and 2012 before setting up Corporate Shepherds, which is a coaching and mentoring organisation. “It was a vision God gave me in 2003 to mentor, guide and give hope to a new generation. I build leaders and those who want to add value to anything they do. I have been doing that successfully through different formal forums such as seminars. I use to have a media property

called Navigate with Idy on radio and print for about two and a half years. It is my own way of giving back to the society,” he says. How did he end up in the beauty industry? “I did not find myself in the beauty industry; rather the industry found me. Whenever business folks want to do stuffs, they always have a way of reaching out and getting seasoned business people that can meet their requirement. L’Oreal needed to expand its business in West Africa. Somewhere along the line, they sought me out. We chatted and I found out that it is in line with my personal goals and values. I value integrity a lot and this made me accept responsibility of building the business in the region. I needed an organisation, where I could build, nurture and grow men. “We are number one beauty company in the world and pride ourselves in the fact that we constantly invest in research and innovation. L’Oreal has spent an average of 800 million Euros in research. It is number one beauty company in terms of value and brands. You will find that today, the beauty market is estimated over 200 billion Euro and we have over 10 per cent or more share of the market. We have created for ourselves the biggest challenge of how to continuously make ourselves relevant by way of meeting the beauty needs of the Nigerian woman and bringing out first class and top quality products,” he explains. How are they going about retaining this top position in the market? “We talk to folks and gain their understanding through education on how to use our products and get the best out of them. We’ve been able to establish ourselves because we have the where withal in terms of products manufacturing and we are putting heavy investment in education. We have a studio, where we train hairdressers and work with top salons to make sure that they are aware of what it takes to groom healthy and lustrous hair. On the beauty aspect of our business, we are working with beauty specialists such as Bimpe Onakoya. We are also going from campus to campus and holding master classes. “I came into the company as the managing director and I’d like to say that I have been blessed with a wonderful team that is passionate about the job. In today’s business world, getting the right hands to work with is a huge challenge, especially in our clime here. But so far, the team is taking giant strides and making the best of every opportunity. It has been a wonderful experience really,” he says. The beauty industry seems not to be so highly rated by many people. How are Idorenyen and his team tackling this? “It’s true some people take personal care for granted. And now, some women like going natural. But even at that, they still apply a touch of make-up in most cases. We have products that suit every woman’s need. Low sales are a function of so many things. It could be economic, competition, preference and disposable income. It is impossible to have low sales in all categories of beauty products because there are hair, nails, face, make up and body products,” he explains. How do they cope with competition? “I have been in the business marketing world for 25 years now. Competition is a way of life. So, what I focus on is being relevant to my target clientele, the people I serve and also to be different from others. This is where I draw my strength. I build on the solid foundation and heritage I inherited from L’Oreal rather than looking at what our competitors are doing. For instance, Dark and Lovely is the best hair relaxer kit you can use because it’s all embracing. We add value to people’s beauty needs because of our innovation and quality,” he says. Does he ever find the time to unwind considering his busy schedule? “I relax at home by watching movies and good documentaries. My wife watch movies a lot, I sit down with my wife and watch movies. I also love reading, listening

Enang to good music and travelling.” Has he any role model? “Yes, my role models are two major people that have played a prominent role in my life. My foremost role model though is the Lord Jesus Christ. Then, there are also my father Asuquo John Enang and Pastor Tunde Bakare. I look up to these two people. My father was a disciplinarian, who inculcated values and virtues in me, while I was growing up. He taught me that my word should be my bond. He also used to tell me, ‘never take another man’s thing, as this is tantamount to stealing.’ I admire Pastor Tunde Bakare, under whose tute-

lage and teachings I have been. He inspires me. I have been watching him closely and he inspires me, which has helped to shape my life positively.” What are his projections for his organisation? “Five years from now, L’Oreal in Nigeria will be the first to be reckoned with in Africa. I think Nigeria should be a major contributor to the growth of L’Oreal in West Africa,” he says confidently. Idorenyen is married to Dr. Susu Enang and they have a son – Akanimo.

LASPPAN Plans Big For Anniversary HE Lagos State Professional Photographers Association of Nigeria (LASPPAN) will from June 16 to 20 paint Lagos red, as it celebrates its 45th anniversary. According to the head of the association, Mr. Folorunsho Oluwatayo, “LASPPAN is a veritable platform to showcase the best of Nigerian and African tourism and culture from the area of photography. Forty five years in the life of the association deserve commendation, so we hope to use the event to celebrate the success story of association, which is that of socio–economic growth and unity of its members in Lagos, and also to show the world that the group is setting the blaze, leading

other groups to the next level of the profession apart from linking Africa with Africans in the Diaspora.” The five-day event will be presided by the photo exhibition at the Yaba College of Technology, Yaba, Lagos, while a seminar will hold at the same venue on the 19 and 20. The main event, which includes award presentations and fundraising, will hold at the National Institute for Sport Hall, National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos. Celebrities in the Nigerian entertainment industry will also be present to add colours to the event.

Eko International Film Festival Calls for Entry Stories by Omiko Awa HE 5th edition of the yearly Eko International Film Festival (EIFF) holds in Lagos from November 18 to 23. With Nigeria Film Industry And The Media as theme the president of EIFF Mr. Hope Obioma Opara said the festival will focus on the contributions of the media to the growth of the film industry, adding that film submission for the festival is still open till June 30. He informed that film to be submitted must be in one of the seven categories: feature, short, fiction, documentaries, short documentaries, horror, student film and one-minute films. Entries are already coming from around the world. There will different award for the categories, with the best film going home with Golden Cowry Award while the second prize gets the Silver Cowry Award. Other activities during this weeklong event include workshops and seminars. Corporate organisations have been called to use the platform to reach out to the various producers and filmmakers that will be part of the event. For more information on film submission, visit www.ekoiff.org Bimbo Akintola

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

Sunday, June 8, 2014

LAFETE BY BENSON IDONIJE benidoni@yahoo.com

All That Jazz

In The Spirit Of The Festival T

HE variety of art music. A relaxed ambience. The right attitude and spirit feel. These are some of the core elements that defined the success of the just concluded Lagos International Jazz Festival, which lasted for two days last week at the now popular Freedom Park, in the heart of Lagos Island, courtesy of Inspiro Productions. The Festival can only get better and bigger with time and a consistency that takes planning, publicity and the active involvement of all the stakeholders into consideration. Since the Newport Jazz Festival outing of 1949, jazz festivals have been known to stimulate new thinking in terms of awareness for creative music - in addition to boosting the tourism capabilities of the destinations in which they are held. The 2014 Lagos International Jazz Festival succeeded in fulfilling the first objective; and it is yet to meet the demand of attracting tourists, a feat for which it has great potentials. The resolve of Inspiro CEO, Ayo Shadare however recognizes this fact; and there is he strong indication that he has a clear vision for the festival when he says: “We are committed to positioning the event as Nigeria’s Premier Jazz Festival designed to offer visitors in Lagos world class entertainment. The festival is also poised to become a major event on the Nigerian tourism calendar and will attract jazz and contemporary music lovers to the country.” Continuing, he says, “our long term goal is to establish Lagos as a jazz tourism destination alongside cities like Cape Town, Montreal, Montreaux, New Orleans, London and Tokyo among others which are significant on the global jazz tourism calendar and have hundreds of thousands of people visit each year and experience the cities and enjoy good music.” He gives the assurance that “Lagos as a megacity is not going to be left out and will Bright Gain and Victor Masondo surely become a jazz and music Mecca in the near future. offered a stage for obvious reasons. His Afro Billed to last for two days, the festival made beat is not only the inspiration that is firing provision for three stages and paraded over 50 the imagination of today’s hip hoppers in outfits of big bands, combos, duos and solo Nigeria it is the gateway to today’s new acts, a variety which in itself showcased miscel- music, the powerful influence that is drivlaneous instruments depicting the variety that ing world beat. exists in jazz band instrumentation. I came round only on the second day and Another interesting development was the nam- was quite pleased with what I heard from ing of the three stages after three Nigerian new talents as well as established musimusic legends who in fact deserve the honour. cians. Tee Mac came out with an impressive Steve Rhodes who was also being celebrated sound, driving a semi big band on flute. with an exhibition at the venue deservedly had Quite tight and in tune, the band exploded a stage dedicated to him. He died six years ago, with Afro Cuban interpretations laced with leaving an indelible mark behind in terms of vocals and punctuated with flute, trumpet nurturing generations of musicians, using the and saxophone solos that were evocative. big band phenomenon as vehicle for achieving One of the night’s great surprises was the his objective. Fatai Rolling Dollar’s stage was effort of Pure and Simple, a duo of lead and quite conspicuous. Up till his death a couple of bass guitars which established formidable years ago he helped to perpetuate the palm rhythms through unchained melodies and wine highlife tradition, using the guitar and especially interminably long solos most of emotive melodies to win over the new genera- which were chorded at the octave. Like the tion of listeners. Fela Anikulapo Kuti was initial efforts demonstrated by the duo of

Ornette Coleman and Don Chery in 1959, the sound is still at the experimental stage and needs to be perfected. Fatai Rolling Dollar’s stand featured a lot of young talents, two of whom as solo acts, sang folk and accompanied themselves dexterously on guitar. It was an enchanted evening of jazz, but perhaps the most established sound of the day came from the soprano and tenor saxophones of Dotun Bankole with tonal conception in the John Coltrane tradition. With melodies rooted in Yoruba cultural heritage, he wailed on both instruments, occasionally deriving phrases from melodic themes and rhythmic exploration. Compositions were not quite definitive and distinctive even though he had a female voice on hand for vocal enhancement to performance, but his saxophone treatment was quite expressive and bold.

1000 Practical Business Ideas, Directory of Money Sources Launched By Kenechukwu Ezeonyejiaku N this era of unprecedented unemployment in the country orchestrated by lack of jobs, with millions of people chasing a few vacancies, some dying in the process, a recipe of business ideas, and Nigeria’s most comprehensive business handbook designed to inform and spark an entrepreneurial spirit in young people has been published. Buoyed by an interaction with his father where he was told: “People are leaving school but they seem to have been educated on how to look for job”, the author, Mr. Sunkanmi Vaughan, a Pharmacist but with business instincts, said that the conundrum of spending up to six years in the university and then end up looking for job propelled him into writing what he regards as “a legacy that I am leaving for the country”. The book, 1000+ Practical Business Ideas And Directory of Money Sources, also available in audio and mobile applications, takes an indepth analysis of business ideas, providing guidelines on how to approach them and advice on how to succeed in a business. He said: “We won’t play the ostrich. We as a people who actually have the capability and the patience to go through details, we have come with solutions that can solve this situa-

tion. The people who get to read this book would have crossed the most important hurdle, which is lack of information. How well you now deploy your information is entirely up to you. But I feel strongly that the essential component of our problem,

which is the lack of information, this book has actually solved it”. While reviewing the book, Dr. Oscar Odiboh who described the book as the only money source further said that it is syrup that could make millionaires

Dotun Bankole out of millions of people. He noted that Vaughan’s book reminds him of George Simmels book titled: The Philosophy of Money. However, Odiboh noted that Vaughan presented money in the form of ideas in his book. Stating that it was because he subscribes to the proposition of Ralph Waldo Emerson that the key to every man is his thought and could only be reformed by showing him a new idea which commands his own. He stated, “Though every of the 1000+ ideas in this book explains itself, Vaughan’s thorough establishment of the relationship between ideas and money indicates without an unnecessary flesh of argument that if you want to reform the poor to be rich, give him a syrup of money ideas Mother of the author, Mrs. Onomeasike Vaughan; Mr. Titus Abayomi; book reviewer, Dr. Oscar Odiboh; and this book is the syrup that could make milwife of the author, Mrs. Omobolanle Vaughan; the author, Mr. Sunkanmi Vaughan; wife of book lionaires out of millions of people. Therefore, if reviewer, Mrs. Olayinka Odiboh and son and representative of wife of former Ekiti State governor, Erelu you want to be a millionaire, don’t play games, Angela Adebayo, Mr. Adedotun Adebayo at the launch of the book last week… in Lagos buy this book”.

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Sunday, June 8, 2014 | 39

IBRUCENTRE

The Islamic Injunction On Violence And Killing, By Muslim Clerics The abduction of over 200 Chibok schoolgirls on April 15, 2014 from their hostel in Borno State by the Boko Haram sect has raised serious security challenges. This outrageous act has put every well-meaning Nigerian on his or her toes. Churches and mosques have embarked on prayers, fasting and rallied all in an attempt to uncover the mystery surrounding the disappearance of the girls. On its part, the Federal government has invited the international community to also assist. Many Nigerians, especially in the Northeastern part of the country now sleep with one eye closed. As everyone is making frantic effort to find lasting solution to the problem, which many believed is politically-motivated, it is pertinent to ask: what is the Islamic injunction on violence and killing in the name of God? What is the quality of teaching issued out to members by Muslim clerics and how do adherents understand the message? Does Islam encourage ‘forced marriage’ and human trafficking? CHRIS IREKAMBA and PAUL ADUNWOKE took these questions to some Muslim clerics for clarification. ‘If You Kill And Think You Are Doing It For God, You Are Of The Devil’

(Alhaji Sheriff Yussuf, National President of NasrulLahi-Fatih Society of Nigeria (NASFAT) SLAM is derived from salam, salam, which means peace. If we define Islam as a religion of peace, it means anything that is not peaceful cannot be associated with Islam, which abhors violence in whatever form. It does not approve of it, but discourages and criminalises it. Violence is not only physical, as it can also be behavioural, emotional and psychological. A lot of people have the wrong notion that Islam is spread by means of the sword and war. This is totally false. The only case Islam would approve fighting is when it comes to self-defence. If Muslims are attacked or threatened and their basic existence and life are endangered, then they are allowed to stand up and defend themselves and fight. And the moment they are no longer threatened they should let go. Whether others are of your faith or not, you are supposed to be in peace and in harmony with everybody around you. That is the preaching and injunction of Islam. And anybody that does anything to the contrary is not practising Islam, even if such wears the turban, chants the Qur’an, covers the nose or mouth and carries anything. Islam says it is not sufficient to face the east or west, while praying or saying I’m a Jihadist. Islam is about fear of God, what is in your heart and your total submission to the will of God. It is about total obedience to the commandments of God and one’s sense of compassion and peacefulness with all those around that matter. How well are you relating with your parents, neighbours, brethren and people of other faith? How are you sharing what you have with those that have not? That is what Islam is all about and how a true Muslim’s faith is tested. And you don’t express this by what you carry on your head, your dressing or growing long beards; that is only outward show, and though it is not wrong, but that is not the real Islam. The quality of teaching and preaching by Islamic scholars is derived exactly from the depth of knowledge of the person preaching. We need to strengthen the depth of knowledge of our clerics. A lot of them are poorly trained, their knowledge of faith is very shallow and their interpretation of the scripture is very suspect. That defective knowledge is what they sometimes translate and transfer to people listening to them. But we tell our members to rise above what is being conveyed or taught. Everyone has the right to know and have access to the resource information materials to be able to teach him or herself what the faith is about. So, when somebody is preaching, it should be taken as an enrichment of what they already know, at least at the basic level. That is the antidote to it. We equally have some knowledgeable and sound teachers and they will tell you exactly what the faith prescribes though there are some that will

veer off, sometimes out of ignorance, believing they are just teaching what they think is right. And others will be completely malicious, as they just want to mislead and misguide people for their own selfish interest. We have cases like that and we confront such people that preach what is not in Islam and tell them that what they are telling the congregation is wrong. And to prevent and correct such acts, we educate the faithful as to what the true position of Islam or faith is. If you go and kill somebody and think you are doing it for God, you are of the devil, because God has not given anyone the authority to take a life that only He has created. If you must kill, there is a very laborious and elaborate set of processes that must be followed. For instance, in the cause of Islamic justice, there is death penalty, which is defined. If someone commits adultery, the penalty is death but it must be proven. If I see someone committing adultery, I don’t have the authority to kill that person. Such act must first be reported and investigated. The requirement is that four credible persons must bear witness that they saw the person committing adultery. The judge could reach a verdict and say, ‘yes, truly you are guilty’ before judgment is passed on both the man and woman. We haven’t seen this type of action taking place because we don’t run the Sharia law and even those who claim to do so find, it is extremely difficult. But in such cases, if the culprits themselves admit that they committed adultery, there is no need for evidence any more. It is completely out of the way for anybody to claim that he has the mandate to kill another person because he is trying to enforce what Islam said. Islam does not empower anybody to go and kill another person in the name of religion. It is not even a crime to be an infidel, which means a disbeliever. If you don’t believe in what I believe and I don’t believe in what you believe, let everyone have his/her peace. Though being an infidel could be a crime against God, it is strictly between a man and his Creator. Nobody is God; so, leave others to go and receive judgment from God. Nobody has the authority to say, ‘because you are an infidel, therefore, you should be killed.’ That is not Islam; it’s something else. On the issue of forced marriage, there is nothing like that in Islam. Islam is a very simple religion. When anyone wants to marry, there are four conditions to be fulfilled. The first condition is that you must have the consent of the marrying couple. Two, they must have the consent of their parents, especially the consent of those giving the bride away. Three, a gift must be given to the woman, which is called dowry. Four, you must have witnesses and if all of these people can be gathered inside a room to witness the marriage, then the couple is married. No man or woman should be coerced into any marriage. Selling a woman has no place in our religion at all. I have not heard of any religion that talks about selling anybody. Only God can judge the perpetrators of evil or those masquerading themselves as Muslims, while practising another faith. Anything that they stand for — violence, maiming, arson, abduction and mass killing has no place in Islam whatsoever, as these are very heinous crimes. But if you see a band of people saying they are doing all these things in the name of Islam, they negate everything Islam stands for.

Yussuf

Eniafe

while you are there, but you cannot force my soul to practise what I dislike. For example, during the life of the Holy Prophet, he migrated from Medina back to Mecca to do his first hajj with members of his congregation. They stopped in a place called Udebiyayah and He said if he should go to Mecca with a large crowd of followers, they would think he came to fight a war. So, instead, he stopped and mandated four people to go and meet the king of Mecca and tell him that ‘we are coming in peace to observe our hajj according to God’s wish.’ They came back with a message to the Holy Prophet, “If you are to observe your hajj, we will not allow you this year and even if you want to come back next year…” He was given a lot of conditions, but he didn’t fight them or force himself on the people even though he was born in Mecca. He complied with the conditions. I’m trying to let you know that Islam prefers dialogue to violence. You cannot preach your religion by violence. If Boko Haram comes out to say, “this is what we want,” I’m sure the government would have listened to them, but because they have this unreasonable attitude and are just hiding under religion to perpetrate evil in the name of Islam. They’ve killed a lot of people, including Muslims and Christians. They cannot claim to be doing that for God. On the quality of teaching or preaching being given out, this depends on the Muslim scholars. The clerics may explain the doctrine of Islam very well, but members or adherents may have their own intention. The leader of Boko Haram only wants to make a name. Whatever we do today becomes history tomorrow. Any bad record one creates has a way of tarnishing ones image and that of those coming after. Islam does not encourage human trafficking or forced marriage. The understanding should first be between the male and female. If I propose to you and you say ‘no’ to my proposal, I have no option. There is nothing like compulsory marriage in Islam.

‘Islam Forbids Violence, Terrorism, Killing And Other Evil Acts’

(Alhaji Abubakri Olokuta, Chief Imam, Oluwakemi Ajumoni Central Mosque Oshodi, Lagos) SLAM forbids violence, terrorism, killing and other evil acts against humanity. Islam is for peace and love. It teaches us to cultivate good habit, love our neighbours as ourselves. Prophet Muhammad teaches us to love even those that are not of the same religion as us. Allah sent us to this earth for a purpose. He has a purpose for all, whether Muslim, Christian or pagan. Anybody who kills in the name of God is satanic, and not for Islam. Muslims greet salam, salam, which means peace, peace. From the very beginning, Muslims and Christians have been living in peace. Prophet Muhammad enjoined us to learn how to read and write. And we the followers should learn Islam and Western education among others in order to civilise. I have lived in Saudi Arabia for seven years and all aspects and manifestations of civilisations are there. Muslims and non-Muslims live together peacefully. There is respect for human right, dignity and love. There is no place in the Olokuta Qur’an that says those that oppose Allah’s you and you are interested, you can join, but if teachings should be killed. But if someone commits murder or steals, there is punishment for not, you go your way. Violence should not him/her. Our preaching is very simple and we come into it at all. Prophet Muhammad teach members to avoid evil acts. If you want to started preaching Islam at the age of 40. If introduce someone to Islam, you have to appeople are saying that Muhammad fought a ‘There Is Nothing Like Militancy In lot of wars, they should tell us why the war proach him/her in an orderly and friendly manner. And it is your good attitude that will attract Islam’ was fought. It was never based on the think(Uztaz Taofeek Eniafe, Chief Missioner, Dairatul ing that you must accept my religion by force. the person to join; it shouldn’t be by force. The only war Islam waged was during the time Razakiyat Association of Nigeria/Imam, Anu There is a chapter in the Holy Qur’an that Oluwapo Mosque, Orile Oshodi, Lagos) talks about disobedience. This chapter states, of Prophet Muhammad’s mission on earth, when people came to take away his property IOLENCE and killing in the name of God, to ‘… I call you, those who disbelieve…’ after and that of his followers. They fought those peomy knowledge, is prohibited in Islam. God that it said, ‘my religion is my religion and Himself analyses it in the verse of Holy Qur’an your religion is your religion. I can never join ple and retrieved their property. Prophet Muhammad taught that whenever a man that whoever kills a man kills one soul and you in your religion and you too can never whoever kills a woman has killed a whole najoin me in my religion. So, stay with your reli- wants to marry a woman, he should go to the tion, because production starts from them. So, gion and I will stay with mine.’ He did not im- parents and ask for the hand of their daughter in marriage. If they agree, he can go ahead and killing a woman means that whatever God pose it on them and so, there is nothing like provide whatever they requested. There is even wants to invest in her has been sealed. With imposing Islam on anybody. what is going on today in the country, memFor those people to abduct these schoolgirls a third party that serves as a guarantor. Forced marriage is forbidden in Islam. Those hiding bers of Boko Haram are trying to define themand force them to wear Islamic garment is selves by saying that God imposes it on them to wrong. When we talk about worshipping God under Islam to terrorise others are not genuine kill. But I am saying it categorically that these or Allah, the most important thing is the con- Muslims. We pray that God touches the hearts people are not Islamic militants, as there is dition of your heart. If you force me to do the of those indulging in violence in the name Islam. We pray that they start to reason like nothing like militancy in Islam, which itself is ablution, which is the washing of the body, peace. The religion says you cannot enforce hands and legs, can you also force my soul to human beings. anything on anybody. If I preach my religion to do so? I can pretend to practise your religion,

40 | Sunday, June 8, 2014

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Sunday School Channel Of Blessings (1) Memory Verse: “Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.” Matthew 10:8. Scripture: Luke 9:1-6 Introduction O-ExISTINGin the world today are two different forces: Power to build and power to pull down, to heal and to wound, to bless and to curse. Both forces are totally opposed to each other and work through agents, John.10: 10 Agents The devil kills, steals and destroys, John 10:10. God destroys the work of the destroyer, Jn.3:8. The Holy Spirit gives life, Gen.1: 2 brings order out of chaos, light out of darkness and something

... With Pastor Enoch Adeboye

good and beautiful out of confusion and emptiness. The devil works through agents but so does God. In fact, right now, He wants to work through you to cast out devils, heal the sick and destroy the works of the devil, if only you will cooperate with Him, Mk.16:17-18, Acts.1:8. He wants you to be a channel of blessings to others. Please agree with Him, Amos 3:3, 1Peter 1:15. Examples The Bible is full of sterling examples of people, who yielded themselves to God and were used to destroy the works of evil. Both the Old and New Testaments contain the history of ordinary men and women, who operated in the supernatural, as conductors of the awesome powers of God. Men such as Moses, who disgraced the idol-worshipping kingdom of Pharaoh and

delivered a whole nation from bondage, Ex.14: 15-21, Joshua, Josh.6: 2-5, Peter, Acts3:5-8 and Paul, Acts 19:11-12. . ‘…time will fail me to tell you of Gideon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthah; of David also, and of Samuel… who… subdued kingdoms…stopped the mouth of lions…, out of weakness were made strong, turned to fight the armies of aliens..Women received their dead raised to life again…, Hebrews 11:32-35. Conclusion God never changes, Heb.13:8 – and what He has done before, He is still doing today. He has used men and women before as channels of blessings. He will continue to do so as often as He finds suitable vessels to honour. Will you be a channel of divine blessings to others today? You will in the mighty name of Jesus.

When The Lord Becomes Your Shepherd “The LORD Is My Shepherd, I Shall Not Want” HE Word of God reveals the T overflowing blessings that will accrue to us, when Jehovah

God becomes our Great Shepherd in Christ JESUS. In Psalm 23, the Seven Covenant and Redemptive Names of God were revealed in the direct relationship of the Sheep and the Shepherd. When the LORD is my Shepherd, I shall not want. Jehovah Raah is my Jehovah

Jireh; therefore, I shall not want for any good thing. • THE LORD is my Shepherd – JEHOVAH RAAH • I shall not want – JEHOVAH JIREH • He makes me to lie down in green, restive pastures, still waters – JEHOVAH SHALOM • He restores my soul – JEHOVAH RAPHA • He leads me in the path of righteousness for His Name Sake 2 Cor 5:21 (JEHOVAH TSIDKENU) Jeremiah 23:6; Jeremiah 33:16 • Yea, though I walk through the

valley of the Shadow of death, I will fear no evil, FOR THOU ART WITH ME (JEHOVAH SHAMAH) thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. • Thou preparedst a table before me in the presence of mine enemies JEHOVAH NISSI. Thou anointest my head with oil, my cup runneth over (ELSHADDAI). Surely, goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

Jesus is Lord!

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The Biblical Strategy For Success By S.K.Abiara

T is the belief of some people that prosperity and success come from having power, being a man of influence or taking advantage of other people. However, the strategies for becoming prosperous and successful are clearly stated in the Bible. One of it is found in God’s instructions to Joshua. “Be strong and courageous, for you will lead my people to possess all the land I swore to give their ancestors. Be strong and very courageous. Obey all the laws Moses gave you. Do not turn away from them, and you will be successful in everything you do. Study this Book of the Law continually. Meditate on it day and night, so you may be sure to obey all that is written in it. Only then will you succeed. I command you be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:7-9. This means to be a success at anything anyone does will not be automatic. What you do with different opportunities that come your way determines how far you go in life. Life is filled with decisions making moments, opportunity to choose between doing what is good/right and bad/wrong will always be at your doorstep. Beloved, you need the grace of God and the true knowledge of His word to make the right choice. Not every opportunity

that comes your way will lead you to the top; the end of such opportunity if not properly used may cost you your destiny, promotion, lifting and success as the case may be. In the Bible, Joseph did not just arrive at becoming a ruler in a foreign land. Rather, he went through some turbulent periods, training, trial and testing. God will not trust anybody until He had trained him. He will not place you until He has proved you. Imagine the processes Joseph went through before he was eventually promoted. “…Joseph sold as slave. They bruised his feet with shackles; his neck was put in irons, till what he foretold came to pass, till the word of the LORD proved him true. The king sent and released him; the ruler of peoples set him free. He made him master of his household, ruler over all he possessed, to instruct his princes as he pleased and teach his elders wisdom”- Psm. 105:17-22. Joseph was not considered for the next level until he deliberately displayed the fear of God and ran away from fornication. He had the choice of ruining his destiny by yielding to temporary enjoyment, yet he chose to deny himself, thereby preserving his glorious destiny and that of others. (Genesis 39:1-29). Unfortunately, many young men and women with colorful and promising future refuse to say ‘no’ to the temporary pleasures around

them. Apart from making wise use of opportu- reparable loss. God bless. nity, it is also important to learn how to act and Prophet Abiara, General Evangelist, CAC Worldwhen to act when trial or temptation comes. If wide. skabiaraofciem@yahoo.co.uk you consistently postpone taking wise decision, it may cost you valuable things and bring ir-

Prelate/Moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of Nigeria, Most Rev. Emele Uka (centre), dedicates the renovated church and the four-storey multi-purpose building of St. Stephen’s Aba East Parish, Aba, Abia State. Behind him are his wife, Mrs. M. Uka; Prelate Emeritus, Most Rev. Akanu Otu; Chairman, Board of Faith & Order, Rev. S. K. Okocha; former Deputy Clerk, Rev. Eseme William and Rev. Uche Dan Okafor (right).

Negative Points Of Contact (2) By Seyi Ogunorunyinka SATANIC point of contact is A anything that gives Satan access to your life. If you pray, fast and cover yourself with the blood of Jesus and you are still attacked by the enemy, then there is a negative point of contact in your life. Anything that enables the enemy to continue to operate in your life, despite all attempts to stop it is a satanic point of contact. If you are truly a child of God, then it will be difficult for evil to happen to you unless you

are disobedient. This is because God will show you signs and warn you of the harm that is coming your way. Either disobedience or carelessness will cause the evil to come upon your life. A satanic point of contact is also anything that enables the enemy to restart their evil activities in your life that may have been stopped before due to deliverance. Demonic points of contact are those things that cause the revival of demons in one’s life. Many of the things that are negative points of contact in our lives

are things that we would never consider to be so; they look dazzling and harmless yet they can give Satan free reign over our lives. Anything that you worship has become a negative point of contact because through that thing, the enemy will get you. It is, therefore, important that the only thing that we worship should be something that has power over the power of the enemy; the only thing that we should worship is Jesus. Your attitude and character can also be a negative point of

contact. Pride, arrogance, selfishness, mode of speech and so on can cause people to lose out on their divine blessings. It was the rebellious nature of the children of Israel that made them missed it right at the edge of their breakthroughs; their rebellious nature, which they inherited from their forefathers, was their negative point of contact. In Numbers 14:20-25, the Bible says: “The LORD replied, “I have forgiven them, as you asked. Nevertheless, as surely as I live and as surely as the glory of the LORD

fills the whole earth, not one of the men who saw my glory and the miraculous signs I performed in Egypt and in the desert but who disobeyed me and tested me ten times — not one of them will ever see the land I promised on oath to their forefathers. No one who has treated me with contempt will ever see it. But because my servant Caleb has a different spirit and follows me wholeheartedly, I will bring him into the land he went to, and his descendants will inherit it. Since the Amalekites and Canaanites are living in the valleys, turn back tomorrow and set out toward

the desert along the route to the Red Sea. We talk a lot about the negative impact of names that our parents gave us and so forth and tend to disregard the things that we ourselves are doing that are allowing Satan to enter into our lives. Pastor Ogunorunyinka, General Overseer, The Promisedland Restoration Ministries, Surulere, Lagos. pastorseyiogunorunyinka@g mail.com

Sunday, June 8, 2014 | 41

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Living Waters Following The Footstep Of The Master

By Pastor W. F. Kumuyi

By Pastor Lazarus Muoka “For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow His steps” (1Pt 2:21). HATEVER Christ has W done should stand as a legacy for us to follow. If He suffered, we also are expected to suffer like Him, if we are His followers. If He lives a selfless and crucified life for the benefit of man, we are also expected to live accordingly. Every worker, pastor, member or leader who calls himself a Christian is expected to follow the footstep of our Lord Jesus Christ in everything they do. And the major footprint Jesus left as a legacy, which we must follow, is doing the will of the Father in Heaven. Therefore, if we are to make a mark in this generation, if we must bring the world to

Christ and if we must convert sinners to Christ then, we must follow His footstep. We must do the things He did, while on earth, preach and follow the tenet of the Bible as instructed. There are lots of wicked people on earth today because Christians are not following strictly the footstep of our Master. Our Lord in His sojourn on earth positively affected the generation He met, thus His ministry is still fresh in our time. In those days, Christians were very few but that insignificant number laid a solid foundation upon which Christianity stands upon today. Jn. 4: 31-34 says, “In the mean while His disciples prayed Him, saying, Master, eat. 32 But He said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of. 33 Therefore, said the disciples one to another, Hath any man brought him ought to eat? 34 Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of Him that sent me, and to finish His work” During His earthly ministry, the only thing that occupied the mind of our Lord Jesus

Christ was how to do the will of the Father. He never cared about personal gain or goal. When it seemed He was hungry, the disciples decided to get Him something to eat, but as they brought the food, He was more interested in doing His Father’s work than satisfying His hunger. He hungered more to do good to the souls of men than to satisfy His hunger. He told them He had a meat to eat, which they knew not of and He went further to say, that His meat was to do the will of Him that sent Him and finished His work. He lived for the benefit of all of us and not for His. Everybody, who claims to be a Christian, must learn how to desire first the spiritual welfare of people, before any temporal advantages whatsoever. The person must have passion for saving perishing soul. As food is to the hungry, and water to the thirsty, so should the doing of the will of God be to those that claim to be Christians. By upholding this principle and converting the wicked, the problem of insecurity brought about by

kidnapping, militancy, robbery and lying among others will be reduced to manageable level. So, if we want peace, we must, as a matter of necessity, follow the footstep of the Master of peace. 1Cor 10: 33 says, “Even as I please all men in all things, not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved.” How blessed and amiable was the spirit and conduct of this Apostle, who asserted here that he forgot himself, his interests, convenience, ease and comfort to labour for the welfare of others, particularly that they may be saved. This apostle like other apostles followed the teaching cum footstep of the Lord. When he did please all men, it was for their profit and advantage, not his own, but that they may be saved, and in so doing the world would be saved. Beloved, if we are serious about changing the world for the better, we must abide by the teaching of the Master.

MURIC Reiterates Ways To Engender Peaceful Coexistence By Kabir Alabi Garba HE quest for peaceful coexisT tence among Nigerians, regardless of primordial sentiments such as ethnicity and religious affiliations, will remain a mirage unless all embraces pristine values of neighbourliness, forgiveness, love and tolerance and sundry, Director, Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), Prof. Ishaq Akintola has said. At a world press conference on Wednesday in Lagos, Akintola said: “these are the golden values and true teachings of Christianity and Islam. Nigerians must get prepared to live peacefully with their neighbours regardless of their faith.” Speaking against the backdrop of an alleged attempt by a pastor in Osun State to implicate Muslims in Boko Haram ‘attack’, the MURIC head recounted how Muslims organisations all over the country and leading Islamic scholars from Muslim world have vehemently condemned the activities of Boko Haram and rejected the group. He decried what he tagged, “curious development in Osun State.” Akintola, also a lecturer at the Lagos State University, said, “It is, however, sad to note that in spite of this all-round rejection of the renegade group by Muslims, a large section of the Christian community, some sections of the Nigerian security agencies and a section of the Nigerian press still treat mainstream Muslims in the country either as active members of Boko Haram, sympathisers of the group or their accomplices.” According to him, such mindset “does not make sense because more Muslims than Christians have been killed since the emergence of this ugly phenomenon. More Islamic scholars have also been killed than Christian clerics, particularly Islamic scholars, who speak out against Boko Haram. In addition, the rebellious group has attacked at least three Northern Emirs. “It is now becoming clear that

in spite of all these glaring facts, while some good and levelheaded Christians continue to interact peacefully with Muslims, some overzealous Christians use every means possible to link peace-loving Muslims with the activities of Boko Haram,” Prof. Akintola noted He continued: “A good example of these fanatical Christians is the pastor of the Baptist Church, Ikonifin, Osun State, who attempted to launch false Boko Haram in the state. According to reports, Pastor Olatoke, who is also the CAN President of Ola Oluwa Local Government, conspired with three members of his church, Emmanuel Atanda, Peter Oyedepo and Ogunniyi Babatope to launch a false Boko Haram attack on his church with the aim of blaming Muslims for the attack. “They, therefore, dressed like Muslims, wrapped their heads in turbans and covered their faces to avoid being recognised by members of the church. They stormed the church during the church service held on Sunday, May 18, 2014. They threw banger, which sounded like gunfire thus scaring all the worshippers, who thought they were real Boko Haram insurgents. On seeing this, the worshippers

took to their heels, running helter skelter to save their lives. Many of them were injured. They then jumped on their getaway motorcycles and sped off into the dark night. “Fortunately, the ‘attackers’ were arrested by the youths of the community. The culprits later confessed that they were members of the same church, which they came to ‘attack.’ They also revealed that it was their pastor, who planned the whole thing. When confronted, the pastor said it was just ‘drama’.” While the case was promptly reported at Bode Osi Police Station, near Iwo, what is appalling, MURIC Director said, was attempts being made by “some powerful Christians” to bury the case. “We are also amused by the paucity of reportage for the incident in spite of its serious implications and eye-opening value. Osun State chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and the Oba of Ikonifin have been fingered as parties attempting to sweep the case under the carpet,” Akintola alleged. He stated that, “the implications of a Boko Haram ‘attack’ on a church in Yorubaland is

better imagined than experienced. Muslims generally would have been the ones to suffer if this grand conspiracy had succeeded. Security agents would have picked up many Muslim leaders. Yoruba militant groups like the Odua Peoples Congress (OPC) would have pounced on the Hausa communities in the Southwest for a pound of flesh. It has happened before. It can happen again. May Allah forbid evil speculations. Christians in Yorubaland would have started attacking their Muslim neighbours, burning mosques and properties of Muslims.” The world press conference, MURIC Chief noted, was, therefore, to alert the Federal Government, the Senate, the House of Representatives, delegates in the ongoing National Conference, the Inspector General of Police and the Director General of the State Security Services (SSS). “The whole world must know that this is exactly how some Christians have been roping Muslims unjustly and labeling them as terrorists. There may be more of such plans,” he said.

Chancellor, Diocese of Ibadan, Anglican Communion, Chief Bolaji Ayorinde (SAN) (left), Registrar, Barrister Tunde Olupona, Revd Canon Israel Odukogbe and Revd Canon Rotimi Akinyinka, during the collation of Revd Akinyinka and Odukogbe as Archdeacons in Ibadan Diocese of the Anglican Communion at the Cathedral of the Great Church, Ibadan. PHOTO: NAJEEM RAHEEM

Serving God With Pure Motives ESUS Christ remains the greatest communicator that ever Jliberately walked the earth. He usually has a way with words. He dearranges them in a certain order, and delivers them with appropriate emphasis and accent. As He continues the Sermon on the Mount, He introduces an important parable, which He wisely wedges between two indispensable messages. First, He says, “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth. But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” Second, He stresses, “No man can serve two masters. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” The two messages are clear. On one hand, Jesus urges us to fix our heart on heaven, to keep eternity in view, and to set our affections on things in heaven, not on things on earth. On the other hand, He commands us to love God supremely and to serve Him without any distraction; to let Him be the only Lord and Master of our lives, to do all things with God’s glory as our goal. Jesus used the illustration of the eye in relation to the body to explain His message, pointing out that there are two kinds of eyes - a single eye, meaning a sound, healthy eye; and an evil eye, meaning a diseased, dim, darkened eye. The single, sound, healthy eye gives light to the body, helping a believer to move in line with God’s will and towards heaven. The evil, dark eye cannot see the eternal future, making a sinner to walk in darkness, which will ultimately lead to eternal damnation. The “evil eye” speaks of a heart, mind or conscience darkened by sin, gripped by over-sized self-worth, and firmly under the thumb of Satan. The actions and motives of the “body” directed by an “evil eye” will be sinful, self-centred and Satan-controlled. “The eye” and “the body” are used as figures of speech. What light is to the world the eye is to the body. Without the light of the sun, there will be total darkness: positive, productive activities on earth will be impossible. The activities of the body are directed according to the light that is received through the eye. The body represents the sum of all our actions and activities. The members of the body (brain, mind, tongue, hands, legs, etc.) produce actions that result in “life” in general. These actions are possible, when we have the light of the day. The eye receives the light and through it, directs the activities of the body. The heart, spirit, conscience, desire, intention and motive direct our moral and spiritual actions. When the heart receives the light of God, the light of His Word, the light of the Sun of righteousness, the eye is single, sound or healthy, and the corresponding actions are acceptable to God. No wonder Jesus stressed: “Thine eye shall be single.” The word “single” here means sound, wholesome, healthy. The single or sound eye refers to purity of intention or selflessness in our motives. With purity of motive and affection, our actions or body of activities will be full of light. With selfishness in our motive and insincerity in our intention, we are termed to have an “evil eye” and our actions will be works of darkness. “If, therefore, thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.” When the eye is single, sound and healthy, vision will be clear and plain. If the eye is not sound or healthy, everything is dim or dark. The eye regulates the motion and direction of the body. Walking through this world, it is important to fix our “eye”, heart and affection on God and heaven. Our conduct will be steadily righteous and acceptable to God, when our motives are pure and we seek only the glory of God and the salvation of souls. Having the eye of faith, single and unwavering, setting our affection on things above, not on things on the earth; and fixing our face like a flint on the glory of God, will recommend our actions for approval by God. “The whole body shall be full of light.” Then shall we be walking in the light, “proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.” All that is needful to direct the soul and conduct is that the eye of faith be fixed on heaven. Our motives must be pure and focused on God’s glory for our lives to be holy and acceptable to Him. “But if thine eye be evil...” The evil eye refers to self-centredness, covetousness, insincerity, critical spirit, sinful intention, selfish desires and self-centred motives. If the eye of the heart, desire, motive and intention are focused on selfsatisfaction or praise of men, the corresponding actions will be a reflection of darkness. If our hearts receive not the light of God’s Word, if our conscience is darkened and unenlightened, if our motives and thoughts are impure, selfish and sinful, our conduct, character and behaviour will be works of darkness. This means that we shall be condemned by God and shall be punished in everlasting darkness, eternally separated from God and from the light of His countenance. We need single-mindedness – a single eye, pure motive, pure mind and affection completely fixed on God and His glory. Then shall we walk, moment by moment, in His light as we prepare to live in the eternal light of glory with God. References: Matthew 6:22,23; Luke 11:34-36; Psalm 36:9; Proverbs 20:27; Ephesians 1:18; Revelation 3:18; Proverbs 22:9; Romans 2:15; 2 Corinthians 1:12; Acts 24:16; Luke 11:34-36; Ephesians 6:5-7; Colossians 3:22-24; Acts 2:46; 1 Corinthians 10:31-33; Galatians 1:10; Philippians 2:5-8; John 5:30; Philippians 2:14-16,19-22; Deuteronomy 15:9; Proverbs 28:22; 23:6-8; Matthew 20:10-15; Mark 7:20-23; John 12:40; Luke 11:34-36; Ephesians 4:17-24; Hebrews 3:12-14. (All scriptures are from Kings James Version).

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Ayodele Pedro: A Century On Earth N Saturday, May 17, Nigerians woke to the news that the Ooldest Catholic priest in Nigeria, Monsignor Ayodele Pedro

Martins has passed on, at the age of 103. The death, which was announced by the Catholic Archbishop of Lagos, His Grace, Most Rev. Dr. Alfred Adewale Martins through the Director of Social Communications, Msgr. Gabriel Osu, said that the man died as a result of health complications emanating from his age at his residence in Victoria Island, Lagos. He was a man of many firsts and enviable records. Born on November 16, 1910, Martins became the first Lagosian to be ordained Catholic priest; the pioneer Nigerian Catholic chaplain of the Nigerian Army; first Nigerian director of the Nigerian Army Chaplaincy Services (Catholic), the oldest Catholic cleric and oldest retired military officer. When he clocked 100 years in 2010, The Guardian interviewed him. Below is the reproduction of that interview:

Centennial celebrations are usually associated with institutions and establishments and rarely humans. But on November 16, the Archdiocese of Lagos will celebrate the 100th birthday anniversary of Monsignor Ayodele Pedro Martins. Martins, who was made Monsignor Vicar General of the Lagos Archdiocese in 1970 by Pope John Paul 1, will on November 16, have spent 67 years in the priesthood. In this interview with Ebun Feludu, he speaks about a century on earth and years in the priesthood. This rare encounter leaves the interviewer stunned at the sharpness of a 100-year old mind. Mid-interview, Baba bellows out for his aid intermittently “Godwin!” shaking his Victoria Island home to its foundation. His request was that Godwin should bring a stool for the pregnant lady in the room to rest her legs. After this, the interview could continue. Why did you become a priest? You cannot ask a lily why it’s white. By that, I mean the popular flower wasn’t there when it was created. It found itself white and accepted that it was white. I cannot explain. This is something that has to do with the inner workings of the Holy Spirit. In my neighbourhood, there were many girls, and I looked round and said to myself, ‘will I be saddled with one of these?’ What did you miss most when you went to the seminary? Tea! 67 years of priesthood…what kept you on? The worship; it elevates you out of yourself. You cannot enjoy the same elevation of worship as a member, not deeply. Even amongst us priests, the capacity of the individual soul is different. God made us highbrow and lowbrow. Some of us have big capacities and some of us don’t. When I go to a mass, especially a high mass, for the rest of the day I’m in heaven. You must miss mass a lot? I do. Celibacy Celibacy is not the problem; it’s submission that was the challenge. Where you have an ignoramus, who wants to be your boss, it’s very difficult. So how did you deal with celibacy? Other interests in life such as singing, gardening and swimming kept me occupied. How did you feel about your father? We were great friends. You see, it was a question of ‘hit me I hit you.’ He once told a friend, who asked if he was sure he wasn’t spoiling me: ‘that boy is my master o; anything he wants I give to him.’ What’s the fondest memory you have of your father? The day he said he wanted to shoot me, I told him to wait, that

your father? On the contrary, I managed her. If she did anything I didn’t like, I simply ignored it. Can you recall anything your mom did that you didn’t like? I went to spend a weekend with her and she got a pillow ready for me to take my rest and it was covered with a damask pillowcase and I said to her, it’s too hard. The pillowcase was rough and it made terrible noises and I said so to her. She knew I was being devilish and she said to me: “omo oko!” (Village boy.) Where is your mom from? She’s from Lagos. My father was a Portuguese returnee. The Lagosians thought of themselves as more enlightened than the Portuguese returnees. How about the rest of your family? The sister I knew a bit about was an unhappy woman; she married and never had a child. What woman can hide childlessness? Once you enter the house, you get the atmosphere that there is no child in the house. You loved your father so much. Did you ever have any conflict about having or not having children to carry on his name? I didn’t concern myself with that; I think it’s an excuse for adultery. That’s my father’s business. I come from a Catholic home, so my father understood what it means to be a priest. What have you enjoyed most? People’s company. The more variety of people you have the more you learn. If you notice, when people are around, I don’t talk. You lose the beauty of listening when you talk. When people leave, I think back on what I’ve heard. What have you enjoyed least? The braggarts. What I notice is that most Nigerians want to talk and they don’t realise that when they do, they are missing out on the beauty of communion. When have you found to be the best time to pray? Martins When you’re in trouble because that’s what life is. In other words, pray continuously. Pray when your heart tells you to. I was going to get the gun. How do you handle the burden of taking confessions from peoMy father was a good man, and I felt sorry for him. He lost al- ple, especially when you are privy to information that could most everything and was worried about his children. I found it hurt a larger population of people? very difficult to know what he was going through then. Here God makes the necessary provisions. St. Paul says God’s grace was a father who wanted his son to be everything in life and is always sufficient for us. Stay connected to God. Every sacravery slowly, very quietly his business was going bad. ment comes with its own grace. The sacraments become operOne day, I looked at him and knew that his mind wasn’t where ative, when and where they are needed. he was going. I asked him what the matter was and he said How about child abuse? Did paedophilia occur in Nigeria? nothing... he was losing his grip. He died at the age of 70 plus. Certainly, human nature is the same everywhere. Paedophilia How did you feel when your father died? arises from the tenderness and vulnerability of young people. Depressed. Rome has a principle; when a priest is caught in that type of On prayer thing, the onus is on the church to hand him over to civil auCultivate the habit of talking to God. It’s prayer, but it looks thority. The idea is to scare the priest into acting right. Howformidable, when you say prayer, just talk to God. Also, if peo- ever, I would rather fear God than civil authority. ple saw the end from the beginning, they would find it easier to What are your thoughts on celibacy? forgive. Forgive, because if you were like Jesus and you had the Celibacy works. Sometimes you get kisses on the lips etc. Why capacity to know all things and see all things, you would for- do women like to kiss me? Because some women love me. Is give. that my fault? Even priests, when they come here, they want to And you don’t have any issues with smoking a pipe, spiritually? lie in bed with me. You know true and genuine affection is unMy pipe is anatomical; it’s a part of me. mistakable. God gave me a generous heart and people know Relationship with the women in your life that when I open my mouth, it’s the truth I speak and I have the I was always in boarding house. I admired my father more. capacity to sympathise. What was your mother like? Which character in the Bible inspires you most? My father should answer that question. (Laughs mischie- Jesus Christ! To forgive all things is to know all things. You and vously) I find it difficult to forgive because we don’t know all the facts. Did you not know her, your mother? The woman who was brusque with you at work may have just I knew her. She was a stately woman— tall, dark and very pa- caught her husband cheating; would you be offended by her tient. She never interfered with what was going on between my rudeness if you knew what she had just gone through? If you father and me. know all the facts it’s easy to forgive. Christ was able to forgive Did she ever call you aside to give you advice on how to manage because he knew all things.

By Ernest Onuoha

‘And when they had prayed, the place was shaken…’ Acts 4v31.

From The Rector

ESUS, before His ascension told His disciples not Jcomplied to leave Jerusalem. As faithful followers, they fully, but they were people that be- Ibru International Ecumenical Centre, Agbarha-Otor lieved much in power of prayer. And so, when they were gathered together, they raised their voices unto God. As part of evidence of their prayer, the place in which they were gathered was shaken. God will cause your prayer today to bring about a great shaking that will be in your favour in the name of Jesus, Amen. Prayer is a weapon in the hand of believers. Through it, signs and wonders are performed and situations that look ordinarily impossible become possible. Lives are touched for good; things get better far more than we can imagine. Therefore, a Church forming the habit of prayer is good because the more it prays, the more power it has to contend with challenging situations. The Bible gives us a lot of instances on the power of prayer and this should encourage us to know that there is really power in prayer. In I Sam. 1v11, Hannah prayed from her heart, requesting for the gift of a son and vowed that should such come to her, she would give him back to God. The earnestness of her prayer brought Samuel the great prophet and priest of God thereafter. Esther in her own time organised her race to help her pray and fast unto God, so that the evil

The Power Of Prayer intent of Haman, who plotted to wipe out her race could be thwarted. This type of prayer was a confirmation of the power in prayer, as the table was turned against the plotter Haman and he died in the process instead of the people he plotted to destroy. Yes, a man called Jabez in I Chron. 4v10 called fervently upon God, as he observed he was born in pain and asked God to bless him and enlarge his coast. God had pity on him and made him more honourable than his brothers. Any Jabez with any bitterness or pain, by the power of prayer today, God will turn things around for good for you in the name of Jesus, Amen. No more bitterness, no more pain because the Lord God has heard your cry. Also, in the New Testament, believers made time to pray fervently for the release of Peter

from prison and it came to pass. But how fervent are the believers and the Church of today in prayer? Do they really believe in the power of prayer? It is unfortunate and worrisome that today, many churchgoers do not spend time to seek the face of God. As it were, some think that God is weak and withdrawn, but He is never weak and can never withdraw. Was He not the one Who said: ‘call upon me in the day of trouble and I will answer you’ Ps 50v15, Jer. 33v3. The beauty of the immediate followers of Jesus was that they never played down the power of prayer. Like their master Jesus, when they were gathered together, they prayed – sincere, genuine, result oriented type of prayer. There were no distractions but prayers were made and the result was evident.

We call upon all God’s people today to know that there is power in prayer, that the more we pray, the more power we receive from the throne of grace. No matter how bleak or tempting or challenging the situation may be, prayer can turn things around for good. However, Isaiah’s warning is very apt: ‘Behold, the LORD’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid His face from you, that He will not hear, Isa. 59v1-2. Let us, therefore, endeavour to ensure that we keep our relationship with God open by living holy and righteous lives, so that we can reap from the throne of grace. Ven. Ernest Onuoha Rector, Ibru International Ecumenical Centre, Agbarha-Otor, Delta State. www.ibrucentre.org

43 Sunday, June 8, 2014

Conscience, Nurtured by Truth

TheGuardian

BUSINESS If we planned well, why should we fail knowing the amount of gas needed at a time. The International Oil Companies (IOCs) are not willing to work with the government and government has not found a way of calling them to order and making them fulfill the aspirations of the country but for as long as we don’t have adequacy in gas supply, the so called revolution in the power sector will not work because most of the power plants are working below capacity due to such inadequacies

Darkness Continues As Improved Electricity Remains Elusive From Emeka Anuforo, Abuja UNE is finally here. It is the month that government has set for improved electricity supply in the country. On Monday, June 30, the Presidential directive for promised power supply ends. Palpable tension pervades the sector. President Jonathan had early in the year given marching orders to the new operators of the generation and distribution companies of the old Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN), which were handed over on November 1, 2013 to improve power supply. The electricity investors and key stakeholders, including the Federal Ministry of Power were directed to, as a matter of urgency, ensure that there was visible supply of electricity across the country by June this year. June is here, but with little signs that power had increased significantly. Power generation dropped to 3,674 megawatts by end of last month and has since then maintained a seeming downward trend. Late last month, the Minister of Power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo, had assured again that on-grid power supply to Nigerians would improve before the end June. He said stakeholders in the power were determined to deliver on the presidential directive. Nebo assured that so much work had been put in to make gas available to power plants in the country, adding that in a few weeks’ time the major pipelines will be able to make enough gas available for use by the nation’s plants. Director General of the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), Mr. Benjamin Dikki, stressed that gas was the greatest challenge plaguing the electricity industry. In an interview with The Guardian, he called for patience from Nigerians, stressing that the days of darkness would soon be over. He was optimistic that the new utility owners were turning around the plants for optimum performance, blaming years of neglect for the decay in generation facilities. He went on: “When we say people should exercise patience for the early challenges, we remind them of what happened when the telecommunication sector was liberalized and licenses were issues to the GSM operators. Many have forgotten that we used to buy SIM Cards for N50, 000, N40, 000, N30, 000. That was at the initial stages of the roll out. But, as the companies made investments, they rolled out and they increased the number of people who are on their network, the prices started crashing. But former Head of Exploration Research, Research and Development Division at the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Prof Charles Ofoegbu, blamed government for

not properly working out a reliable gas plan before embarking on privatisation. He also called for the restructuring of the Ministry of Power to achieve greater results. In an interview with The Guardian, Ofoegbu urged government to seriously reconsider its gas export arrangement with neighbouring countries and rather make the availability of gas for domestic use paramount. While admitting that officials of the Ministry of Power were doing their best in the prevailing circumstances, he called on government to immediately restructure the sector to make it more proactive and responsive to the issues plaguing electricity supply. The professor of geophysics said: “The issue of power in Nigeria is a very serious one. No country that strives to be within the top 20 economies in the next 20-30 years will have the kind of power supply situation we have. The cost of production in this country far exceeds what you find in the developing countries, talk less of developing economies because all factories are running on generating sets and individually provided power. “One can safely say that at the moment, there is little or no power from the public grid to the manufacturing sector and this not only contribute to the cost of production but to damage to the environment which include pollution from waste oil, noises from generating sets, fumes all over residential areas and at the end of the day we have all these affecting the health of our children. Stressing the need for restructuring of the sector, the former Vice Chancellor of the Catholic University of Nigeria, went on: “If we planned well, why should we fail knowing the amount of gas needed at a time. The International Oil Companies (IOCs) are not willing to work with the government and government has not found a way of calling them to order and making them fulfill the aspirations of the country but for as long as we don’t have adequacy in gas supply, the so called revolution in the power sector will not work because most of the power plants are working below capacity due to such inadequacies. “We should have ensure that we made these plans ahead of time so that when we privatize, the people will only spend time upgrading capacities but now we refused to give gas yet we go into contract with countries to give them gas. With the help of our gas, Ghana has good power supply, so why should we not have that gas for power plants. Why should we not fulfill our domestic supply before giving to others? Will they do the same for us?” He canvassed the restructuring of the existing gas agreements with other countries, not-

ing that the needs of Nigeria’s domestic market should come first at all times. Ofoegbu was also miffed at the abandonment of coal electricity generation from Oji in Enugu State, a project, he recalled, supplied electricity to the majority of the South Eastern population. “I also suggest that we look at coal-powered plants because we have a lot of coal in Nigeria that are not been used. The coal plan at Oji in Enugu is there and nobody has said anything about it. Some of us grew up knowing that plant to have supplied plant to almost all of eastern Nigeria, why did we allow it die as a consequence of the civil war, why is it not back on stream and the capacity enhanced? China takes up most of its power from coal,” he observed. He was not particularly pleased with government’s explanations on the vandalism of gas pipelines. He said: “This is part of the social decay in the country. Why would anyone want to go and burn himself up in such situation? It is because he is so hungry or militating against the society and its powers. You make the man behave like a horse because you treated him like one and you keep the youths unemployed meanwhile there is nothing good for them. Pipelines pass through villages yet there are not amenities to them and by the time someone tells them of this, they take up such vandalism acts. “It takes someone who is technically sound to dismantle a pipeline and maybe we have not got to the root because it is not just anybody that vandalizes a pipeline. You must have the right tools and some knowledge of the pipeline system. “Another aspect is the failure of the pipelines is that there are supposed to be periodic checks on pipelines but how many times are they checked? Lets face it, there are remote ways to check them now to discover cracked points before people go to vandalize them, but they don’t do them and when they fail, they accuse vandals. But all that may have happened could be that the pipeline has failed and people take advantage of it. We talk about vandals but not about whose neglect led to the vandalisation.” There is also growing worry over the ability of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to hold the electricity utilities to account. NERC had in the past issued very promising orders, and even followed up with far reaching threats. But follow up information on what eventually became of these orders and threats are usually limited, giving the impression that the Commission only

barks, but never bites. Stakeholders have severally called on Sam Amadi led NERC to do more to more to win the confidence of Nigerians beyond occasional threats. For instance, unable to stomach the situation anymore, the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) had in March written to the electricity utilities warning them to improve service delivery to residents or face the full wrath of the law. In a copy of the letter sighted by The Guardian, NERC said three months had gone by since the handover of the utility to private investors, stressing the need for improved service delivery. Amadi said his Commission was now taking issues of customer complaints seriously and would use all the instruments at its disposable to ensure compliance. He particularly noted that his team would insist on the discos meeting all the requirements of customer care. June 11 makes it three months since Amadi issued his directive. Stakeholders say they are waiting eagerly for Amadi and NERC’s next line of action. The perennial gas availability challenge that has plagued the power sector in the past is also threatening the declaration of the Transitional Electricity Market (TEM), an important element of the electricity transformation agenda when activities would be determined by contracts and obligations. The Transition Electricity Market (TEM) is expected, among others, to herald the start of contractual arrangements in the power sector and the automation of billing and metering operations of the Market Operator in line with the Market Rules. Going by government privatization timetable, the next crucial phase of the electricity reforms is the Transitional Electricity Market (TEM) stage for the commencement of a fully contracted electricity market mode under an anticipated robust commercial and technical regime. The declaration of TEM, which was earlier scheduled for this month had to be called off when the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) and the new owners of the nation’s generation and distribution firms raised concerns that many of the conditions precedent for the declaration were still problematic. NERC had quickly advised the Minister of Power to stay action on the declaration. Meanwhile, owing to various impediments to the operations of Independent Power Producers (IPPs), the nation’s electricity reforms may not improve the sector soon. The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has over the years issued more than 60 licences for independent power plants (IPPs),

CONTINUED ON PAGE 44

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

44 Sunday, June 8, 2014

BUSINESS

Electricity Challenge: DISCO Marketers Resort To Tokunbo Analog Meters By Geoﬀ Iyatse O many people, analog electricity meters were a little more useful than junk items, some years ago, when smart voltage readers were introduced to the country. The fame of the pre-paid meters soared on the back of the growing pay-asyou culture that drove mobile telecommunications and government’s promise to phase out post-paid billing in no distant time. Consumers who were not fascinated by the sheer convenience of pre-paid meters were mesmerised by the transparent billing method. Naturally, those who could afford the machine, which, apart from its central usefulness, had become a fashion item in upscale homes, began to toss the obsolete post-paid machine (whose billing mode is rarely understood outside the circle of electricity workers) to junkyards. But like the proverbial corner stone, the discarded mental objects are suddenly tracing their way back into homes. The excuse given by top officials of electricity distribution companies (DISCOs) is they are yet to firm up procedure for resumption of prepaid meter distribution. Two days ago, Assistant General Manager (Public Affairs) of NEDC/Kepco Consortium, operator of Ikeja DISCO, said the company is carrying out facility audit after which it will commence robust metering programme. The assurance is coming three months plus after a similar statement was made. About six months into the audit, the spokesman is not certain when it will be completed to pave way for metering. In different parts of Lagos, according to findings, hundreds of analog meters are installed weekly. In few cases, DISCO marketers manage to dig up ‘virgin’ meters. But the majority of units they install, it was learnt, are in their second or third-hand stages. A newly-installed unit examined, last week, in Lagos had recorded 10,535 kilowatt-hours (Kwh) before the recent re-connection. Top personnel at a business unit of Ikeja DISCO said the used meters are sourced from those that were recovered by the defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN). Of course, electrical facilities, even though they are often procured by users, are considered as property of the power company, and as such, are taken away by its officials when they classified unserviceable. Yet, the comeback of ‘old’ meters is a bad taste when viewed against the backdrop of increasing disappearance of meters from residential neighbourhoods. Today, when there is an incident of meter theft, users point accusing fingers at staff of the electricity business unit in charge of the area. In a worst scenario, people call the integrity of their account officer to question if not directly accusing him of stealing the meter to sell to another consumers. In any case, it is an unpleasant development power custodians cannot extricate themselves from. Who else needs a disconnected meter that must be re-coded before it could be useful? There has always been an argument that there are syndicates that specialise in meter theft. Supposing this is true, where else outside the electricity market are stolen meters sold? Interestingly, a victim of meter theft is faced with limited options — request for a replacement at booming black market operated only from former PHCN offices or accept to enjoy power supply billed on the

But like the proverbial corner stone, the discarded mental objects are suddenly tracing their way back into homes. The excuse given by top officials of electricity distribution companies (DISCOs) is they are yet to firm up procedure for resumption of pre-paid meter distribution

basis of estimation. These are, yet, far from the biggest concern —the risk implication of uncoordinated meter connection. Earlier this year, a shop at a Lagos-suburb was burnt two days after an analog meter procured from the booming black market was installed. Eyewitness said the shop, a saloon, caught fire few minutes after the meter, which was burned beyond recognition, exploded. The casual labourer, who The Guardian learnt started electrical installation by happenstance not because he was trained to do so, argued that the original electrical wiring of the shop was dysfunctional. Disputing the claim, owner of the shop said it could not have survived three years just to be burned a day after a meter was installed. She disclosed that the machine made an unusual sound shortly before it exploded. Observers say more and more electrically-triggered fire incidents in major cities across the country come from poor meter installations. “The meters may be good but the connection are often handled by individuals who are not trained or certified by relevant bodies,” complained Chris Ibe, a retired Assistant General Manager of the former PHCN. Investigation shows that a unit of post-paid meter, which the government had commenced phasing out as it stopped further distribution, costs between N18,000 and N20,000. The

charge covers installation and computerisation. Those who recently bought units said it takes an average of one week to complete a transaction circle. But an official, who said he had facilitated, at least, 10 procurements in the past three months, said he delivers in three days if ‘applicant’ makes full payment. The rise of obsolete metering method could compound efficient billing in coming years. PHCN resulted to estimated billing, even for metered consumers, when poor capacity made it practically impossible to go round houses to record consumption. And poor staffing of PHCN pales into insignificance in comparison with the huge manpower shortage in the privatised DISCOs. Private operators of DISCOs barely took over when they embarked on mass downsizing. Six months into operation when those engaged were supposed to be confirmed, the companies, perhaps, faced by rising costs of operation, trimmed down their payroll also, leaving one or two hands to handle the hitherto workloads of 10 people. Regrettably, the companies require more hands to read meters and process bills, as billing operations, with the re-emergence of the cumbersome approach, become more demanding. Supposing they continue to consider a lean human resource option as means of cutting cost, estimated billing (which Execu-

tive Chairman of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), Dr. Sam Amadi, promised to stop) will become more threatening. While old methods threat to wipe out gains of privatisation, sources said DISCOs are sitting on millions of smart meters. The sources said refusal of DISCOs to resume pre-paid meter distribution about eight months into operations has nothing to do with availability. There is still no clear-cut official position on metering, the cloak for the arbitrary estimated charges. And that is taking too long be decided. Sources said the companies are not keen on spelling out the procedure of procurement while some operators continue to blame it on lack of government’s directive. Some months ago, Amadi, pushed the blame to the private operators, sayin the position of government is clear enough. “I don’t understand; what are they waiting for. The meter policy is clear and they know about it,” he said. He stressed that the policy expressly directs DISCOs to meter their customers based on needs.” He, however, noted that some of the operators would need time to study the existing plans, giving assurance that they would resume metering as soon as they complete “auditing of internal processes.” Amadi had repeatedly pointed out poor metering as the biggest challenge facing the power sector while he promised that the reform would address the gaps within a short period to effectively combat complaints about estimated charges. Adeyanju had confirmed that the company commenced broad-ranged need assessment, which would be followed by metering. He said this earlier this year and repeated last week. While he did not give the specific time the audit would end, he said the process would be completed “very soon.” He was not sure whether consumers would pay for meters or get them for free, a point that has been subjected to lengthy debate throughout last year. For now, there is no respite for those placed on estimation. Asked what the company was doing in this regard, Adeyanju said the consumers might have to endure the high charges till when the company resumes metering. The spokesman argued that it is important the new managers understand existing structure and facilities, said to be carried out by the Korean technical partner (Kepco) before it rolls out comprehensive meter allocation. The government unearth several questions over metering policy about two years ago when Amadi and the former Minister of State for Power, Zainab Ibrahim Kuchi, gave conflicting positions on the payment method. Amadi had ruled out instant payment in 2012 only for the erstwhile to revise the official position few months, leading to stalemate over the procurement. Since then, there has been confusion over metering. The only issue that appears is that customers cannot process fresh payment for procurement. Those who desperately need the product, on daily basis, crowd at different PHCN offices because they do not wish to continue to pain for the electricity they do not enjoy.

Nebo

Still No Solution To Power Outtage Seven Months After Privatisation CONTINUED FROM PAGE 43 with over 13,000 potential megawatts locked up as unending challenges continue to plague their takeoff. During a visit to the Ministry of Power recently, the Independent Power Producers Association of Nigeria (IPPAN) lamented the additional challenges against their effective operations. Chief among these challenges, according to the former Minister of Information and Chairman of the group, Prof. Jerry Gana, is the delay from government in granting IPPs waiver for the importation of gas-related machinery and equipment. They also want government to continue to fund the supply of prepaid

meters to consumers, stressing the gains in massive metering. They are also worried that the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading (NBET) is not yet funded enough to provide a strong guarantee for the volume of power to be generated from the electricity plants. They are, therefore, asking the government to provide funds that could be readily available should the bulk trader not meet up with its commitments. And taking cognizance of uncertainties related to operating independent electricity plants, they are asking government not to leave them alone entirely, but to consider taking shares in their various companies. Gana said: “We are sure that Nige-

ria has enough gas reserve. That is not in doubt, but there is a number of bottlenecks concerning the supply in the private power projects. Though so much progress has been made, there are still some bottlenecks due to pipeline vandalism. Managing Director TCN, Mack Kast, said in an interview with The Guardian: “We do believe that the power sector is making progress. It is now more compact than it was some years ago. It is critical that we are meeting regularly, identifying issues and resolving. “TCN is an important link between the generation and distribution companies. We are working diligently to try to grow out capacity and today we are successfully in doing that. We always want to be able

to evacuate more power than the generation capacity. To make sure that that happens, we are embarking on a 20-year master plan for the nation. In the meantime, we are working on a five-year extension plan. With the five year extension plan, we are committing to at the end of June this year, a 4500 MWs evacuation capacity, 6000MW by the end of December this year, and then moving up to 10,000 MWs evacuation capacity by the end of 2017.To do that, it takes money, it takes effort, it takes times no so on. We are working hard in that area. We are working on independent funding in addition to funding from government. We are working on an investment conference a week after next.

Sunday, June 8, 2014 45

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

BUSINESS

ELECTRICITY: Promising Talks But No Results By Geoff Iyatse N 1982, the Mambilla Hydro-Power Plant Project was conceived as a flagship of emerging grand plan to extend the frontier of the nation’s power generating capacity. The Mambilla idea was born decades before the much-publicised National Independent Power Plants. Thirty-two years after that dream, proposed site for the 3050 megawatts (MWs) Mambilla reportedly remains barren. The project, which could be Africa’s biggest hydro dam, is to be connected to three dams across the River Donga snaking through the Mambilla mountains in Taraba State. Plans to commence full work on it has been tossed from one administration to another while no concrete steps have been taken by any to breathe life into the project whose installed capacity is slightly lower than the country’s current power generation. In a recent publication, a local national paper (not The Guardian) reported that intrigues involving powerful interests in the Presidency, where officials are scrambling to hijack the contract for companies of their cronies and associates, have delayed the commencement of the project.

The Mambilla project has had a convoluted history dating to 1982, when Messrs Bennie and Partners prepared its first feasibility studies. The first scope of the project was 2,600 megawatts and it was handled by a German consulting firm, Lahmeyer, around 2005. Lahmeyer did extensive engineering study on it and came up with project scoping and bill of quantities. Subsequently, a new project consultant, Coyne et Bellier, a hydro division of Tractebel Engineering of France, was brought to replace Lahmeyer. Between 2004 and 2006, tenders were placed and bids were received for Lot 1 of the project, which was the civil and hydraulic segment. In 2006, China Gezhouba Group Company Limited and China Geo-Engineering Corporation (CGGC/CGC) won the Lot 1 tenders for about $1.4 billion, and by May 28, 2007, the contract was signed. About 15 per cent payment advance was initiated by the Nigerian government, who in 2009 cancelled the contract and re-awarded it to another Chinese firm, Sinodydro, in a controversial circumstance. In 2006, the Ministry of Power advertised

Lot 3, tender was submitted in 2007 but was never evaluated. Amid mounting concern, Permanent Secretary of Power Ministry, Godknows Igali, dismissed the delay as normal. He said delays are common with projects of the magnitude of Mambilla. “The Ministry is currently working on firming the project cost and the contracting parties in compliance with all the necessary guidelines of the Public Procurement Act… With respect to possible commencement of construction, most of the ongoing discussion is with Chinese EPC firms, most of which have repeatedly shown interest in providing funding for the project. “Rather than the project being stalled, substantial progress has been made in negotiations with these Chinese companies. The firms under consideration by the Ministry have undertaken similar large hydropower projects in other countries all over the world with resounding successes,” he continued. Unfortunately, information on the website of the Power Ministry does not show that the ministry is on top of the matter. Information of the status of the project is scanty or at best outdated. For instance, on orthophoto mapping, the information on

Managing Director/CEO of CRC Credit Bureau Ltd, Mr. Tunde Popoola (left); Chairman of CRC Credit Bureau/ Deputy Managing Director of Diamond Bank Plc, Mrs Caroline Anyanwu; and Company Secretary, Mrs. Bisi Omotunde, at an Annual General Meeting of CRC in Lagos.

its website as at Friday 5pm stated: “The Federal Government had approved a contract for the detailed aerial mapping of the Mambilla Power Project footprint in favour of Messrs Maps Geosystems in December 2008 with a completion period of 9 months. The Contractor could not mobilize before the end of February 2009, due to delays in securing flight permits into one of the neighbouring countries. The aerial survey commenced in November 2009 and is scheduled to be completed by December 2011.” A number of other power projects across the country have suffered similar fate. Recently, the government directed the federal ministries of power, transport and the contractors handling the Kaduna thermal power plant to complete the project in December. This directive was contained in a statement by Vice President Namadi Sambo’s Senior Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mallam Umar Sani. It said Sambo gave the directive at a meeting on the Kaduna 215MW power plant with the contractors, project consortium, consultants and officials of the two ministries. The statement reported that the vice president, who requested for a detailed programme of work for the project, said it was to ensure the project’s inauguration on schedule. Oji River, Ijora Thermal and Calabar Thermal power stations are some of the country’s generating assets that are currently non-operational. The National Independent Power Projects (NIPPs) — Calabar (630MW), Egbema (378MW), Ihovbor (504MW) Gbarain (252MW), Sapele (504MW), Omoku (252MW), Alaoji (107MW), Olorunsogo (750MW), Omotosho (500MW) and Geregu — were part of the government’s plan boost generation. At the inauguration of the 434 MW Geregu 11 plant Gas, President Jonathan said he would commission a number of “NIPP plants that will add close to 5,000MW to the national grid.” Olusegun Obasanjo made similar promises only to be ridiculed by $6-billion-plus funding scandal that haunts the well-articulated programme till date. Interestingly, there is good news from Transcorp Ughelli Power Ltd (TUPL). It recently announced a deal with General Electric (GE) to expand the capacity of the plant by1000MW in coming years. Both parties signed agreement to rehabilitate the damaged GT 15 turbine at the Ughelli plant, which will immediately add 115MW to the plant’s output The Transcorp Ughelli power plant currently generates 360 megawatts as against the 160 megawatts it inherited on November 1, 2013 when the new owners took over. With the additional 115MW as well as other rehabilitation works planned at the plant, output at Ughelli is to increase to 700MW in December.

Oil/Gas: NEITI Has Not Changed Much, Says CISLAC HE Civil Society Legislative AdvoT cacy Centre (CISLAC) has raised concerns that not much has really changed in the past 10 years of implementing the NEITI, as far as tackling actual corruption in the extractive sector, enhancing genuine institutional accountability and blockade of leakages that result in loss of revenue. This poor handling of NEITI, according to the group ultimately translates into revenues losses, which does not enable governments to provide enhanced welfare, better living conditions and development for the people. CISLAC recalls that the Harts Groups was contracted for the 19992004 audit at the cost of 2.3 million USD (about N345m at N150 to $1); the two audits for 2009-2011 cost about N364 million. By the end of the ongoing 2012 audits, Nigeria would have expended well over N1bn on NEITI audits alone. This is outside costs of the KPMG report commissioned the Ministry of Finance and the several presidential probe panels and the National Assembly Panels set up post

2012 fuel subsidy crisis. Nigeria is an EITI implementing country and the first country to have an EITI process backed by law. Nigeria also attained EITI Compliant Status in 2011 and has one of the most robust reporting processes that has been celebrated as innovative among EITI implementing countries, by exceeding the basic standards of mere financial audit of payment and receipts between government and oil companies and including physical and process audits. In achievement, it is on record that Nigeria has conducted four cycle of Audits 1999-2004, 2005, 20062008, and 2009-2011 for the oil and gas sector and on (2007-2010) for the Solid Minerals sector. Presently, the NEITI is undertaking her first Fiscal Allocation and Statutory Disbursement Audit 2007-2011. These earned Nigeria the award of the best Performing EITI implementing country from the EITI international in 2013. CISLCA said: “Beyond the above outcomes, the systemic, process, institutional and policy loopholes that

leads to the loss of revenues remain and can only facilitate continuous losses and leakages. We are concerned that just as all previous reports have discovered the same problems, the 2012 audit, which is already in progress and to be paid for with tax payers money, may throw up the same issues because no remedial action has taken place between the last audit and now. We consider this a disservice to the Nigerian people.” The group charge policy government to move beyond reports to remediation, and move from Audit to Action. According to CISLAC, Remediation is the missing gap in the implementation of the NEITI in Nigeria and it is the ultimate goal. CISLAC said: “Of what use are reports if all they do is reveal scandalous losses and corruption of monumental proportions? How useful is it for Nigerians to know that over $7 million are unaccounted for? That there is no metering facility and we depend on buyers to determine how much resources are ex-

tracted from our shores? That the NNPC sells crude oil under terms set by her and using interest rates set by her as though it is above the law? That there is underassessment of royalty rates when we pay people to ensure that something does not happen and worse still that this has been going on for 10 years since we started knowing and nothing is been done about it?” The group said the recovery of less than 30percent of what has been uncovered is unsatisfactory, considering the cost incurred in conducting the NEITI audits and maintaining the secretariat. Nigerians, it said, expect more value for money from the NEITI process than so far recorded Group also bemoan situations where detailed reports do not translate into real changes in the way natural resources are managed without impact on the lives of the people, as no one pays for information that increases agony. Nigerians pay for audit reports because they hope it would ultimately improve their lives.

“We are aware that these issues go beyond the NEITI as an institution. For instance, for a long time the interministerial Task Team, IMTT made up of heads of relevant agencies and which should take responsibility for implementing remediation was docile due to lack of commitment. It was re-constituted in December 2013. About six months down the line, they have been having meetings, we understand that there have been commitments by concerned stakeholders about 35 remedial issues that had been identified and they are in the process of designing a remediation strategy. The strategy should clearly state what is to be done, by who (or what institution) and by what time. The public needs to know who to hold accountable at every point in time. We believe this should be treated with greater urgency considering the limited time lapse in between the mandatory reports. They are six months in place and nothing has changed yet. We need to be able to determine in another six months, if anything changes and hold them accountable to commitments they themselves initiated.”

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BUSINESS

Dana Crash: NLI Charges Aviation Regulators On Safety By Geoff Iyatse N honour of victims of the 2012 Dana Airline crash, the Nigeria Leadership Initiative (NLI) has unveiled a web portal (www.saferskiesng.org) to raise awareness on air travel safety and draw attention of regulators to incidents of negligence as well as right violation. At a press briefing in Lagos to unveil the website, Chief Executive Officer of NLI, Yinka Oyinlola, who described the portal as a milestone, said it is the fifth component of NLI’s Safer Sky Initiative, a response to the national trauma that welcomed the Dana Airline disaster that killed over 150 passengers. NLI had embarked on series of support programmes to aide quick recovering of the victims’ families among which were trauma management, psychological, legal and financial aids. On completion of the first four components, NLI in collab-

Donates Web Portal To Aviation Sector oration with its last year’s future leadership seminar (FLS) class commenced work on the portal it believes will reduce incidents of air crash while increasing quality of service. The portal contains detailed history of air crashes in Nigeria dating back to the 1959 British Overseas Airway Corporation (BOAC) incident in Kano, which killed a total of 32 people. The section is a compilation of the burden of air crash in the country as it lists degree of accidents and other details useful for future research. Oyinlola said most of the accidents that have inflicted pains on the country are avoidable, which is perhaps the reason the portal, a robust platforms where industry leaders and travelers can draw attention to remote and immediate danger, is

FRC Challenges Court’s Verdict On Regulatory Power By Geoff Iyatse HE Financial Reporting Council (FRC) has challenged the judgment of a Lagos High Court, which ruled against its power to regulate private companies. Eko Hotels Limited has sued against the FRC contesting the powers of the Council regulate the financial statements of private companies. It also asked the court to rule on whether it is liable to pay statutory and renewable annual dues to the FRC for the years 2011 and 2012. In the suit, Eko Hotels also asked the court whether it was required to furnish the FRC with evidence of its statutory filing with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) and the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS). It also wanted to know whether the Council could punish it for failure to submit its annual returns and statements. It urged the court to declare that the Council’s demand for its registration with it was unlawful on the basis that the organisation was not a public company or a public interest entity. The totel further asked the court to

Safer Sky Initiative, which centres on advocacy — range of awareness activities that would rev up safety debate in aviation. Gbolahan Fagbure, President of NLI October 2013 FLS class, said the portal is designed to boost access to information needed to enhance air travel safety. He said: “When we worked in this portal, our intention was to make it a place where people can get information about various aspects of aviation industry. There are segments that talk about various regulatory agencies and what their roles are in the aviation industry, and how they impact safety. “As a user of the website, you can have access to information like passengers’ bill of rights. This includes what your rights are as a passenger such as what you can do if your flight is delayed or cancelled. It also has information on the various registered airlines in Nigeria. It also has the list of all air incidents in Nigeria from the very first one.

rule that FRC lacked the statutory power to demand for annual returns and financial statements of a private limited company. In his ruling, Justice O.E. Abang agreed with the plaintiff that FRC does not have power to regulate private limited companies like Eko Hotel because the complainant is not a public interest entity. In a notice of appeal filed by counsel to FRC, Bola Ajibola and Co represented by Efemena Akpuduro, the council faulted the judgment of the court, saying the judge did not abreast himself with the provisions of Section 77 of the Financial Reporting Council Act, which defines a public interest entity as “governments, government organisations, quoted and unquoted companies and all other organisations, which are required by law to file returns with regulatory authorities. And this excludes private companies that routinely file returns only with the Corporate Affairs Commission and the Federal Inland Revenue Service.” It therefore urged the court to set aside the judgment as it was against Programme Director of the Nigerian Leadership Initiative (NLI), Mr Anthony Ubani (left); President of NLI October 2013 Future Leaders Seminar the weight of evidence brought be(FLS) class, Gbolahan Fagbure, and CEO of NLI, Yinka Oyinlola, at the launch of Safer Sky Initiative portal in Lagos… last week. fore the lower court.

How To Achieve Corruption-free Economy, By Economist Head of Department of Economics, University of Jos, Prof. Ishmael Ogboru, recently delivered his inaugural lecture. The topic of the lecture was The Episiotomy of Nigeria’s Economic Malady. The occasion provide opportunity for the scholar to speak with BISI ALABI WILLIAMS on the challenges of doing business in Nigeria. The Episiotomy of Nigeria’s Economic Malady HE depth and the way out focused on the hydra headed monster called corruption that has been the bane of Nigeria’s underdevelopment and misery. Corruption is an area of interest to me because you see it everywhere; feel it everywhere you go among the low, middle as well as among the high cadre of people in our society. My focus, however, is that among the government or public officials - those who hold in trust the resources of the country for the masses of her people. The quantum of stolen wealth by public office holders is such that nothing less than say 2 or 3 other nation states could have been set up with such resources siphoned by such officers. I mean, take a look at the infrastructures. When you see bad roads, poor and collapsing buildings, hospitals and schools without the requisite amenities, drugs, person elks, etc. you see and feel corruption. Corruption has pervaded our society that values have been thrown to the dogs. What do you consider as intrigues, dynamics and realities of living, working and doing business in the country? The intrigues, dynamics and realities of living, working and doing business in such an era is that the bug of corruption has pervaded every sector and once you are not ready and willing

key. Using the web page, travelers and members of the public can make complaints, which Oyinlola promised would be swiftly forwarded to relevant regulators that have capacity to act on them. A single warning signal from an individual, he said, can save hundreds of lives. It also contains Bill of Rights, a catalogue of industry-standard responsibilities and rights of both travelers and airliners. Oyinlola listed objectives of the portal as making air travels safer and forestalling future avoidable air disaster through alert mechanism. He said: “The objective is very simple: to ensure that air travels are safer. The portal is supposed to be a place where consumers, travelers and citizens can observe an anomaly and report it. It is an opportunity for air operators to inform travelers. “It is a medium for interest groups, parastatals and agencies to monitor

what is going on in terms of air travel. It is an opportunity for air regulators to be able to monitor what is going on and report anomalies when observed.” He explained that Nigeria has witnessed preventable air disasters more than any other countries in the Africa. Factors responsible for this, he said, could be reduced substantially through information platform like the one launched by NLI. “The period prior to the Dana crash, that is, from 2002 to 2012, Nigeria recorded fatal ten air accidents in contrast to Egypt that recorded one and South Africa, which recorded only two in the period. Factors responsible for air accidents in Nigeria can be reduced to the minimum; and that is why NLI, a platform for driving positive change in Nigeria, has taken it upon itself to enhance air travels safety,” he said. The CEO disclosed that the just-inducted associates who came into the NLI fold through its recent FLS would take up the last lap of the

letter or complimentary card to bring? Besides, government contracts are awarded only to some special people who are connected to those who matter, or to the firms of the public officials themselves with whatever coded name. The situation, to say the least, is horrible. Many young people and even some others not young are living in frustration and are therefore ready tools in the hands of whoever is willing to dole outa few notes as pocket money to them. Given your training as economist, what are the necessary mechanisms government can adopt to stop corruption? The only way for this evil of corruption to be tamed or stopped like I preferred in my lecture, is death penalty for corrupt public officials irrespective of who they may be. This was done in China, Ghana, Philippines to mention but a few countries and it freed resources for tangible development of those countries. The alternative to that like is posited, is the option of repentance that is having a change of heart, which only Jesus Christ can bring about. Now this repentance must be followed by restitution, which has to do with practically, and truthfully restoring or returning all stolen wealth or property, purposefully seven acquired or accumulated through corruption. That public officials steal from the coffers and keep the wealth and continue to enjoy such wealth under the guise that they have repented is not just it. They must show and prove their repentance or having a change of heart by returning all they have stolen or taken if that is a less weighty or preferred word. Can we really have a corrupt-free society? To ask if it is possible to have a corruption-less society in Nigeria I’ll simply say, Yes, if one and all would have a change of heart. But at the least, it can be reduced to a barest minimum if the death penalty is introduced and strictly followed. What would be the achievement? As for the gain, o yes, it is possible. And what it means is that our resources would then be freed and channeled towards developOgboru ment of the country. When this happens, we would have more to play the game, you are frustrated and asked if you are the only visitor Naija. So you talk about employment, if you do not jobs, more people getting employed as individual and the state government, would have their capacities enhanced. In this kind know a minister, senator, house of reps member, one politiof society, those who have nothing to offer would not vie for cian or someone up there, you will hardly get the job even if elective offices as is common today. In all, it is still my belief that you qualify. The virtues of hard work, dedication and diligence no longer Nigeria will emerge great again. And this is possible if we all work hard at it. count. It is whom you know or ‘sabi’ and who gave you note,

Sunday June 8, 2014 | 47

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BUSINESSAGRO Nigeria’s Agric Reforms Attract N800Bn To Fertilizer Manufacturing • To Embark On Export In 3years By Fabian Odum HE quest to diversify the T nation’s economy is gradually yielding fruit as the reforms in the agriculture sector continue to be pursued by the President Jonathan administration. This has led to the combined effect of the policy on the fertilizer sector and the gas industrialisation to attract about N800Bn (five billion dollars) investment in the farm input manufacturing. Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina revealed the economic trend at the opening of a three-day Foodbext West Africa/Agrikexpo event in Lagos during the week. He said with ongoing fertilizer manufacturing by Dangote, Indorama and Notore, “Nigeria expects to become a net exporter of fertilizers within three years.” The sector has witnessed a lot of activities with introduction of the ewallet system, which has led to the registration of eight million real farmers, who have received high quality fertilizers and improved seeds. Adesina said high quality fertilizers and improved seeds have reached millions of farmers, resulting in food production increase and improving the food security of 40 million persons in rural households. Delving into the nation’s export recent forays in the cocoa commodity, the Agriculture minister said, “Nigeria’s cocoa production grew from 250,000 MT in 2011 to 370,000 MT by 2013, and our cocoa exports earned over $900 million.” Adesina said cocoa revolution is receiving global attention, as Mars Incorporated, global company, has invested $20 million to procure cocoa from over 20,000 certified cocoa farmers. He added, “We will soon launch the Cocoa Corporation of Nigeria, a privately run commodity board, which will further spur growth and investment in the cocoa sector, including cocoa investment funds to boost local processing and value addition.” One area where the

Agricultural Transformation Agenda intends to give the sector added fillip, according to the Minister is the development of the Staple Crop Processing Zones (SCPZ), which are new agricultural infrastructure-enabled zones to attract agribusiness investors into rural areas. He said the staple crop processing zones aims at solving the infrastructure challenges and constraints of the agroprocessing industry, drive social and economic impacts, and “offer a superior operating environment for downstream players as well as create a new platform for private sector investment in agriculture.” The agriculture fair, organised by 151 Products Ltd, a global business event and network management company was attended by many local and international companies, which took up exhibition spaces as they sought trade links with Nigerian firms and business persons. Its Managing Director, Mazi Sam Ohuabunwa, in an opening remark said a revolution has started in the sector and statistics show that the state of agriculture is changing with greater farmer access to seed, inputs and more financial options. He added there are more opportunities now for players to invest in the sector and utilise the value chain. The Agric minister said the financial sector is seeing the profitability and viability of the agric sector and are lending more than ever before. According to him, “agricultural lending as a share of total bank lending rose from 0.7 per cent to 5 per cent within two years. Bank lending to seed companies and small agricultural input retailers rose from zero in 2011, to $10 million in 2012 and $53 million in 2013. Bank lending to fertilizer companies rose from $100 million in 2012 to $500 million in 2013.” It was with much enthusiasm that the minister remarked that reports have it that the default rate has been zero per cent over the past two years.

One of the exhibitors, Best Foods, at the Agrikexpo, which ended in Lagos mid-week

Agric Minister Commends Primlak’s Sympli Products HE Minister of Agriculture T and Rural Development, Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina, has lauded the PRIMLAKS Group for its innovative Sympli brand of convenience food products, which were the star attractions at the recently concluded 3rd edition of the AgrikExpo and FoodBext exhibition held in Lagos. Adesina, who sampled a range of Sympli products that included local delicacies like ‘Yam Fries’, ‘Yam Chunks’ and ‘Dodo’ that were exhibited by Venus Processing and Packaging Ltd, a member of the PRIMLAKS Group, commended the organisation for pioneering Individually Quick Frozen (IQF) solutions in Nigeria. “I have always said that one of the reasons our yam production does not boom is because we eat yam in the same old ways as our forefathers; Sympli has shown that we can cut yam, deep freeze it and prepare it with its freshness still intact,” he said.

The Minister reiterated government’s commitment to creating an enabling environment to encourage the private sector to take advantage of opportunities in agriculture in Nigeria, saying: “We have a population of 171 million people so our people should be proud of our products and eat our products because we are the market for all our farmers’ products and when we eat what we produce, we entrench inclusive growth.” Whilst commending PRIMLAKS for demonstrating its belief in the potential of this

country, he called on more investors to explore prospects of coming to Nigeria. “Nigeria has a lot of things to share with the world because of her potential to be a global player”, he said, adding, “Where would anyone be investing now if not in Nigeria that has become the largest economy in Africa?” Chairman of Venus Processing and Packaging Ltd, Otunba Christopher Tugbobo, told the Minister that the company invested in Nigeria’s first IQF produc-

tion facility to stop the wastage of an estimated 40 per cent of farm produce in respect of fruits and vegetables because of the absence of proper means of post-harvest storage. “Our presence at the AgrikExpo 2014 is to further showcase our products to the local market to demonstrate our company’s capacity to offer Nigeria huge revenue saving and earning opportunity as well as encourage more people to embrace Made in Nigeria foods,” he said.

Abakaliki Rice Company Petitions Presidency Over State Interference From Nnamdi Akpa, Abakaliki HE Abakaliki Rice Mill T Company has urged President Jonathan to stop Ebonyi state government from meddling into the affairs of the company so as to save it from total collapse and extinction. State Governor, Martin Elechi said that his administration would move the rice millers from their present location during a media chat with journalists to mark this year’s democracy day celebration. The governor, who spoke on many national issues made it clear that the pres-

ent location of the rice mill is causing environmental hazard to the people, especially the students of Ebonyi State University, so relocating the mill is eminent. According to the governor, the state has built three rice mill clusters one in each of the three zones to assist the rice millers noting that relocation of the present mills is not negotiable. But in a statement, the Chairman of the Rice Mill Company, Deacon Joseph Ununu, who agreed that they were ready to implement the relocation order by the state government, insisted that they would act

accordingly, only if the state government paid them compensation commensurate with their individual and collective investment in the Rice Mill Company. He stressed that the reason they were calling on President Jonathan to intervene in the matter was because of his (President) goodly disposition to farmers and their pains that a company which had contributed immensely to the growth of Agriculture in the country was gradually fading away because what they described as the Governor’s insensitivity to the plight of the people.

FG Agricultural Policy Boosts Rice Production GRO NIGERIA, a speA cialised publication on agriculture has strongly commended Federal Government’s intervention policy on rice, which it said has continued to boost rice production in the country. The publisher of the magazine, Mr. Richard Mbaram, stated that the attestations of the Governors of Kebbi and Kogi states respectively, and the billions of naira invested by the private investor-driven interest groups, were an endorsement of the govern-

ment policy by the private and public sector. Mbaram, quoting the Governor of Kebbi state, Alhaji Usman Dakingari, who said “because of the rice revolution under Minister Adesina, we now count rice in kilometers, not in hectares”, and Captain Idris Wada (Rtd), the Governor of Kogi state, who said, “ we have turned our land into massive rice baskets by fully aligning with the agricultural transformation of the Federal Government”, said all

the affirmations were confirmation of the success of the rice revolution in Nigeria. The publisher explained that the springing up of different made-in-Nigeria rice from locally procured paddy has led to the state-of- the –art rice milling facilities at different locations in the country. He said the Stallion Group now operates a fully integrated state-of-the-art mill in the country with an aggregate capacity of 360,000 metric tons per annum.

THE GUARDIAN

Sunday, June 8, 2014

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NATIONAL CONFERENCE

Memorandum Submitted By The People And Gove HIS memorandum by the people and Government of Delta State to the National Conference is the culmination of a long process. Its thematic focus on fiscal federalism and decentralisation of powers can be traced to the sustained struggle of the people of the Niger Delta over the years. Since the inception of civilian government in 1999 and especially since 2001, the campaign for fiscal federalism assumed a new momentum in Delta State and the other oil-producing states. Over time, the demand became the anthem of the governments and the people. The convoking of the National Political Reform Conference (NPRC) in February 2005 and the ongoing National Conference were responses to the mass mobilization for fiscal federalism and decentralisation of power. Delta State, being a major oil and gas producer in the country, welcomes the Conference initiative. As a prelude to the National Conference, three conferences were held to adequately sharpen the focus of the people and governments in the South- South and Southern Nigeria in general about the festering issues of fiscal federalism and decentralisation of powers. The cardinal principle of federalism underscored in this memorandum is that the federating units of Nigeria should exercise one hundred per cent right to own, explore, manage and use their natural resources and human capital. Thus, from the revenue earned, each State should pay tax to the Federal Government, part of which may be available in a distributable pool for sharing by all states. For the avoidance of doubt, this memorandum contains lists of precious mineral resources with which each State of the Federation is abundantly endowed. The practice of fiscal federalism will challenge and inspire all States to devote attention to exploiting these natural resources to fund development at whatever pace they may choose. It should be noted that the Delta State Government constituted a seven-person Think Tank as contained in Appendix I of this memorandum to support and provide intellectual resources to delegates of Delta State origin to the 2014 National Conference. Delta State: A Synopsis State had a population of 2,570,181 in 1991. However, due to the se in sustained fertility with a corresponding decline in mortality by 2006, the national population census recorded the population of the State at 4,098,391 comprising 2,074,305 male and 2,024,086 female. By the end of 2013, the population of the state was projected to reach 5,109,415 using the approved growth rate of 3.2%. The total area of the State is 17,440 square kilometres. Of this geographical scape, about 60% is made up of water and swampy areas, and 40% of upland area. The traditional occupation of the state is mainly agriculture (farming and fishing). In addition to solid mineral resources, the State is also endowed with enormous oil and gas reserves. Delta State has been the major producer of crude oil and natural gas in Nigeria since 1958 when the first wells were drilled by the Shell Petroleum Development Corporation (SPDC). Information provided by the Department of Petroleum Resources shows that Delta State hosts 83 of the 159 oil fields comprising 1,481 oil wells in the country. In each single day, Nigeria harvests about 2.3 million barrels of crude oil from these wells. The volume of oil from Delta State has averaged 25% of the national production since 1999. From 1999 to 2004, oil wells in Delta State yielded a total of 196,055,490 barrels per year. The total for Delta State in the six years was 1,176,332,940 barrels (One billion, one hundred and seventy-thousand, nine hundred). Natural gas in Delta State is even more abundant than crude oil. Delta State’s reserves, account for about 40% of national total of 167 trillion cubic feet of gas. Natural gas from Delta State fires three thermal electricity turbines in Ekakpamre, Sapele, Okpai, and Egbin. The installed city of the four plants is about half the total for the country from this source. The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Gas Plant located in Ondo State and the West Africa gas line are fed with gas from Delta State oil fields. Unfortunately, this great deposit of oil and gas has become a mixed blessing for the people of Delta State who are denied the benefits of this wealth and are exposed to environmental pollution and degradation. This devastation is due, in part, to the unwillingness of the oil firms to engage in best oil field practices. For example, associated gas from the region is being wasted through continuous flaring. There are over one

Uduaghan

hundred and fifty flare sites in the Niger Delta whose effect causes environmental devastation such as acid rain, climate change, and biodiversity loss. Networks of aged and unsafe pipelines crisscross neighbourhoods, farmlands and waters, which threaten all forms of life. A notorious case in point occurred in September 1998 when over one thousand peasants and other innocent souls perished in the pipeline inferno in Jesse, Delta State, ranking as one of the worst oilinduced disasters in the world. Oil spillages have become recurrent in the Niger Delta. It is now well known that these spillages in combination with other toxic wastes and effluents dumped into the waters and lands at virtually every stage of oil exploration and exploitation destroy farmlands, economic crops, waters, including groundwater resources, biodiversity, etc. There has been a growing concern that some of these toxins have already entered the food chain, thereby placing the health of the human population of these areas at risk. Furthermore, the people are impoverished and marginalised due to the inequitable and defective federal system of government practised by the Nigerian State. The existing structure is characterised by over-centralisation of powers, imbalance among the onstituent units, and consequently inequitable distribution of resources. The structural inequity is further institu-tionalised by a host of obnoxious Laws and constitutional provisions. The pain, anguish and the deep-seated resentment of institutionalised injustice, amongst the grossly neglected communities of Delta State, are heightened by the genuine concern that these wasting assets will be completely depleted in a few decades. This scenario of simultaneous presence of a modern global oil and gas industry, backed by Federal might, which harvest enormous wealth from communities in a manner that dislocates the ecological foundations of their traditional modes of livelihood, yet exclude them from participation in the new wealth. This nexus has created desperate levels of poverty and anger. It is this new social ecology that has created conditions for frequent agitation and restiveness, hence the unrelenting demand for true federalism by the people. They realise that there is an urgent need to invest in the process of environmental rehabilitation, regeneration and protection, as well as in alternative economic activities to ensure the sustainable development of the State. Federalism

After carefully considering all the salient attributes of a federal system as well as the historical antecedent relating to federalism as practised in Nigeria, we are persuaded to uphold that Nigeria should continue as a Federation but with a truly federal structure. Some of the salient features that qualify a political system to be referred to as ‘federal’ include, among others; • acceptable and legitimate division of powers among different tiers of government; • a written constitution delineating such division; • the coordinate supremacy of the levels of government with regard to their respective functions; • a considerable measure of fiscal self sufficiency of the component and federating units and• a Supreme Court that exercises powers of judicial review of the relationship between the centre and federating units as well as cooperative relationship amongst the components. The foundation upon which Nigeria was built was federalism which was adjudged to be ideal for Nigeria’s ethnic, linguistic, religious and cultural diversities - a federalism that recognized the federating units and the central government as mutually coordinate and not subordinate one to the other yet cooperative among themselves. The diverse character of the ethnic nationalities, kingdoms, empires, communities etc. which constitute the present state of Nigeria made, and continue to make, proper federalism inevitable. Even an institution as apolitical as the Nigerian Supreme Court has taken judicial notice of the diversity of Nigeria’s ethnic nationalities and their distinctly independent existence before colonization. In the case between the Federal Government and the coastal States in respect of Nigeria’s continental shelf, the Supreme Court pronounced in the following manner. Until the advent of the British colonial rule, there existed at various times sovereign states known as emirates, kingdoms, empires, unities etc. Each was relatively independent of the other its mode of government indigenous to it. At one time or the other, these states or communities either conducted wars with other or conducted alliance or peace on equal terms. In the Niger Delta area for instance, there were (and still are) Okrika, Ijaw, Kalabari, Efik, Ibibio, Urhobo, Itsekiri, Isoko, Ndokwa etc. Indeed some of these communities asserted exclusive rights over the resources in their areas.

The failure of the 1999 Constitution to provide adequate powers and resources for the federating units in the federal structure has become a major source of difficulties and problems of governance. The undue concentration of powers and resources in the Federal Government under the 1999 Constitution, has led to a series of crises since the commencement of the Fourth Republic on 29 May 1999. Arising from the foregoing, the people and government of Delta State propose a renewal of the Nigerian federation who’s Constitution should provide for a radical decentralization of powers to the federating States, each of which should be co-ordinate with the others and with the centre. The people of Delta State demand that the Nigerian Federation should consist of a Federal Government and the States as federating units. Each level of government should have powers to legislate as the new Constitution shall provide. In this connection the structure of powers in the 1963 Constitution should be the guide. The 1963 Constitution, for example, had forty-five items on the Exclusive Legislative list and twenty-nine items on the Concurrent list. Central to this power structure is fiscal federalism. Quite apart from being a major source of the subversion of Federalism, the present over-concentration of powers at the centre has resulted in the struggle by the different ethnic nationalities to control the centre, bad governance, corruption, and intermittent crises in the polity. The people and government of Delta State strongly believe that there should be decentralization of powers, which entail the reduction of the items in the Exclusive List in the 1999 Constitution while increasing the legislative areas for the State Governments. Creation Of States Over the years, there have been agitations for the creation of more states out of the present Delta State. Specifically, there are demands for the creation of two states, namely, Anioma State comprising the nine Local Government Areas in the Delta North Senatorial District, and New Delta State made up of the sixteen Local Government Areas in Delta Central and states has been made and submitted to the National Assembly for consideration. The people and Government of Delta State endorse these requests for consideration by the National Conference with a view to recommending a review of the appropriate sections of the 1999 Constitution to facilitate the process of creating the two states. Creation Of Local Governments We believe that only the federating units should be listed in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Consequently, the States as the Federating units shall have powers to create and cater for local governments. Fiscal Federalism We uphold the principle of ownership and management of resources by the States as a fundamental element in fiscal federalism. There is abundant evidence that each of the federating units has enormous natural resources within its territory to sustain its government and people. The principle of derivation should apply in such a manner that each federating unit receives an agreed percentage of the proceeds from the resources derived from its territory while the balance should go the Distributable Pool Account (DPA). The provision of Economic Development Fund is intended to foster the strengthening of internal capacity of states to develop and exploit their own resources in order to attain balanced national development. Furthermore, the Federal Government should support critical national infrastructure, development assets and boost industrial development with recourse to this fund. The On-Shore / Off-Shore Controversy As noted earlier, the Independence and Republican Constitutions (1960/1963) respectively made it clear that mineral resources in the continental shelf of a Region or State, belong to the State. Hence, the provision in Section 140(6) of the 1963 Constitution which states that for the purposes of the derivation provision, “the continental shelf of a [State] is deemed to be part of that [State)”. This concept was sufficiently established in our political history. Unfortunately, the Obasanjo Administration rejected this view and sought interpretation from the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court in its wisdom denied the coastal States of ownership of their continental shelves. This judgment, which totally negates established principles of International Law, particu-

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NATIONAL CONFERENCE

rnment Of Delta State To The National Conference larly the 1982 Convention of the Law of the Sea which states categorically that the continental shelf is the natural prolongation of the land mass of coastal States, also creates a problem for the Federal Government. For if the continental shelf does not belong to the coastal States it cannot belong to Nigeria. Professor Ben Nwabueze put the argument impeccably in his book, Constitutional Democracy in Africa Vol.1. Nwabueze argues that ‘’this judgment was devastating to both the Federal and State governments, it settled nothing, gave satisfaction to neither side and merely aggravated the controversy over the sharing of the money and may intensify the agitation for resource control among the oil producing states.’’ Explaining further, he opined that: ‘’Sections 2(2) and 3(1) of the constitution provides that Nigeria shall consist of 36 named states and a Federal Capital Territory, not that it shall consist of 36 named states, a Federal Capital Territory and the territorial sea (with its bed and subsoil).’’ Furthermore, the author states that: The territorial sea can only be part of the territory of Nigeria, as it undoubtedly is according to the international conventions, local statutes and decisions from other common law jurisdictions if it is part of territory of the littoral states. It is the Nigerian Constitution that governs the matter, not that of some other country.” With the greatest respect, the Supreme Court should not have tried, as it did, to avoid the clear, inescapable effect of international conventions, local statutes and decisions from other common law jurisdictions mentioned above taken together with sections 2(2) and 3(1) of the Constitution of Nigeria. The territorial sea is and must be part of the territory of the eight littoral states for it to be part of Nigeria’s territory, as it certainly is by international law and by the statute law of Nigeria.” (Nwabueze, 2003, Constitutional Democracy in Africa). Possibly conscious of the international backlash and seething discontentment by the oil producing states with the 2002 Supreme Court judgment, the Obasanjo Administration opted for a political solution for resolving the controversy over the onshore/off-shore dichotomy through a 200 metre isobath solution. This was subsequently enacted into Law. The implication of this new Act is that the derivation principle only applies to those areas between this 200 metre depth line and the Nigerian coast or low water mark. Thus, any part of the Nigerian Continental Shelf, deeper than 200 metres, is outside the derivation zone and proceeds of resources in this area of the sea will go from this vast area to the Federal Government. By far the most disturbing consequence of the Coastal States’ limitation toa 200 metre depth belt for derivation purposes is that all the major off-shore oils and gas finds are now in the deep off-shore zone between 1000 and 2500 metres as against the 200 metre limitation for coastal States. This is a far cry from the 200 miles of the Continental shelf of the Niger Delta States as stipulated in the founding Constitutions of 1960 and 1963 and Article 76 of the 1982 Convention on the Law of the Sea. Recent developments in the oil industry have shown that there is a remarkable shift from on-shore to offshore activities with the with its attendant environmental impact on the oil producing states. Against this background, we propose that the 200 nautical miles should replace the 200metresisobathinthespiritof justice, equity and fairness. Obnoxious Laws For fiscal federalism to thrive, Laws that impede its true practice should be abrogated. Consequently, we pro-

President Jonathan, his Vice and members National Conference

pose that the following Laws should be repealed: • Petroleum Decree 51 of 1969 (now the Petroleum Act, Cap 351, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 1990) • The Land Use Act, Cap 202, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 1990 • The Exclusive Economic Zone Act, Cap. 116, Laws of the Federation, 1990 • Revenue Allocation Act, Cap 16, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 1990 • Revenue Mobilization, Allocation and Fiscal Commission Act, Cap. 392, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 1990 • Oil in Navigable Waters Act, Cap 337, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 1990 • The Oil Terminal Dues Act, Cap 339, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 1990 • Minerals and Mining Act No 34, 19(ix) On-shore, Off-shore Act • Associated Gas Reinjection Act • National Inland Waterways Authority Act • Petroleum Profit Tax Act, Cap 354 • Lands (Titles Vested, etc.) Act. The 1999 Constitution Item 39 of the Exclusive Legislative List gives the Federal Government the sole and exclusive power to legislate on mines, minerals including oil fields, oil mining, natural gas etc. Ironically, this is confirmed under Section 44(3) which itself is contained in Chapter IV on Fundamental Rights. After providing in Section 44(1) that no property shall be compulsorily acquired in any part of Nigeria except in a manner and for the purposes prescribed in a law that requires the prompt payment of compensation and gives the owner of the property right of access to court for determination of his interest in the property and the amount of compensation he is entitled to, the Constitution immediately contradicts itself by excluding the human and property rights of minerals (oils and solid) producing communities of Nigeria, by stating that, notwithstanding the human and

property rights provisions of Section 44(1) to (3), “the entire property in and control of all minerals, mineral oils and natural gas in, under or upon any land in Nigeria or in, under or upon the territorial waters and the Exclusive Economic Zone of Nigeria shall vest in the Government of the Federation and shall be managed in such manner as may be prescribed by the National Assembly.” This provision under the Fundamental Rights Chapter, expropriates the properties of the mineral producing areas, at 100%. The National Conference should resolve that all the foregoing obnoxious laws and constitutional provisions should be abrogated in the interest of justice, equity, humanity and fair-play. Protection Of Ethnic Minorities Nigeria is a multi-ethnic country comprising over 350 ethnic and linguistic groups. The ethnographical situation of Nigeria shows that most of the language groups are demographic minorities. Also, there has been a chronic instance of oppression of minorities by ethnic majorities in Nigeria. This problem gave rise to the agitation of minorities for the creation of States from the 1940s and the setting up of the Henry Willinks Commission in 1958 on the fears of the minorities and how to allay them. In order to promote justice and equity in the country, specific provisions should be introduced in the Constitution and made justiciable for the protection of the rights, languages, culture and identity of the minority groups. We, therefore, recommend that in addition, there shall be established a Commission for the protection of minority rights at State d Federal levels. The Police In consonance with the ideal or true federalism, which Nigerians strongly desire, we recommend the establishment of State Police in addition to the existing Federal Police. The point should be made that although State Governors are described as the Chief Security

Officers of their States, Sections 215 (3) - 217 (1) and (2) of the 1999 Constitution make the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria the de facto and de jure Chief Security Officer of both the Federation and of each of the 36 States. In the light of the proper federalism, which we have advocated here the retention of the present structure of the national police force would be anomalous. We are persuaded that State Police could be established side by side with the existing national police to handle the security of the States and Local Government Areas much more effectively. Religion And The State The 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria provides for a secular State where neither the Federal government nor the States shall establish or promote any religion. Regrettably, religious intolerance has continued to be a source of divisive and violent flashpoints, which undermine security and stability of the nation. Consequently, we propose that the secularity of the Nigerian State should be upheld and Governments at all levels should desist from being involved in sponsorship or promotion of religious pilgrimages and selective issuance of Certificates of Occupancy to religious groups. Environment The quest for environmental protection and sustainable development is in the front burner of international discourses. There is therefore a compelling need for the Nigerian State to adhere to best practices in environmental management by ensuring that industries and other socioeconomic activities comply with laid down guidelines and standards. Towards this end there is a need to sensitise the people on environmental management. Accordingly, we recommend that all tiers of government should have the authority to make laws that will safeguard ecological degradation, and enhance habitation and economic activities.

Census We observe that population census has become highly politicized in Nigeria. There is no denying the fact that accurate census figures are required for planning - education, health-care delivery system, socioeconomic and political welfare needs of the people, etc. The absence of reliable census figures has also accounted for the inequitable distribution of social amenities. In view of the above, we suggest that population census should be devoid of political considerations. In this connection we advocate that the following items, amongst others, should feature in our national population census exercise: Name, gender, state and local government Religion Dwellings and types Age brackets Ethnicity Place of birth Place of residence Conclusion This memorandum has endeavoured to demonstrate the aims, objectives and logic of federalism and the form of intergovernmental relations in a federation. It has been amply demonstrated that structurally and, in terms of actual operation, the existing relationships between the Federal Government and the States constitute the antithesis of a proper and legitimate federalism. Federalism is not about uniformities, but the recognition of diversities as well as the autonomy of the different components. The imposition of a central authority on all spheres of activity as has occurred even with the return to civil rule and democracy violates the independence of the federating units. This memorandum has argued that if Nigeria is to move forward there must be appropriate decentralisation of powers to the federating units. The decentralisation of powers will entrench fiscal federalism and attendant ownership and management of state resources.

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Birthdays ABUBAKAR, General Abdulsalam (rtd), administrator and former Head of State will be 72 on Friday, June 13, 2014. Born on June 13, 1942 in Minna, Niger State, he had his primary education at the Native Authority Primary School, Minna between 1957-1962; he attended Provincial Secondary School, Bida. He was also at the Technical Institute, Kaduna. He enlisted first into the Air Force but quickly switched to army. Besides other local training courses, he was in the United States between 1975 and 1977 on training course. He was appointed commander of the Third Mechanised Brigade in Kano between 1969 and 1979. He also served as a Nigerian contingent to the United Nations peacekeeping force in Lebanon between 1981 and 1982, after which he was promoted to Colonel in August 1984. Later, he was appointed General Officer Commanding (GOC) 82 Division, Enugu and became a member of the Armed Forces Ruling Council (AFRC). From Enugu, he was moved to Kaduna, as GOC of the Strategic One Mechanised Division. On November 17, 1993, he was appointed Chief of Defense Staff, the position he held until his appointment as Head of State upon the death of Gen. Sani Abacha. SALAMI, Makinwaye Adeyoga, educationist, Head Teacher SS of St. Gregory’s College, Ikoyi Lagos was turn 70 in May 2014. Born in Irun Akoko Area

Abubakar

Salami

George

Joshua

of Ondo State, he was the pioneer chairman of Sir Otedola University Scholarship Committee between 1984 and 1985 and also the pioneer president of Irun Star Club. He attended St. Benedicts Catholic School in Irun Akoko, 1952958; St. Patrick Secondary School as a pioneer set in Oka Akoko, 1959-1964; University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University), 1967-1971 where he obtained B.A Hons degree in English Language and Literature. He later proceeded to University of Lagos for postgraduate Diploma in Education, with distinction in teaching practice between 1978-1979. As a career teacher, he has attended many seminars and workshops. He had work as a principal and senior tutor in his Irun Akoko and Lagos State. He had work as a TESCOM Zonal Officer, Ikeja L.E.D Lagos State. He his also the chairman, Examination Committee (Secondary), Epe S.MC, 1985-1989. A cross section of principals in Epe Zone and other parts of Lagos today

passed through his him. He held so many positions in his school days such as senior prefect of his primary school and choir leader and games prefect of his secondary school. He is married to Mrs Lucy Modupe with six children. PIX SALAMI

SCOAN’s Christian Television station, Emmanuel TV, and on the Internet via the Streaming Faith broadcast portal. His ministry has taken him round the world to preach the good news people.

Property Corporation, 1973-79. Leader Technical Monitoring Team, Lagos Metro Line 19801981; Lecturer at Yaba College of Technology 1986-2000; External Examiner/Moderator to Ogun State Polytechnic, The

JOSHUA, Prophet Temitope Balogun, philanthropist, bible teacher, humanitarian author, founder and General Overseer of Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOANS) will be 51 on Thursday, June 12, 2014. Born on June 12, 1963 in Arigidi Akoko, Ondo State, he had his primary education at St. Stephen’s Anglican Primary School, Imo/Agbaluku, Arigidi Akoko, Ondo State. During his elementary education at the school, he was the leader of the Student’s Christian Fellowship, known then as “Small Pastor.” He also attended Ansar-Ud-Deen Grammar School, Ikare, Akoko, Ondo State. He broadcasts Christian televangelism via

Members of Adamawa State Executive of All Progressives Congress (APC), with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar (5th from right) at a courtesy visit of the group to the chieftain of APC in Abuja...on Thursday.

Group Head Revenue Collection and Franchise, Skye Bank Plc, Mrs Bola Allinson (left); Chairman Ojokoro LCDA, Benjamin Olabinjo; Council Manager, Rasheed Pedro; and Mr Olajide Ibrahim of Skye Bank Public Sector Group during the launch of Point of Payment for

Chairman, Igbogbo Baiyeku LCDA, Mr Sheriff Anipole (left); Chairman, Ikorodu Central LGA, Shakirudeen Odusanya; Director Account Dept, Ministry of the Environment, Alhaja Olukoga representing Senator Oluremi Tinubu and Prof. Temitayo Ogundipe at the 2014 World Environment Day held at Ikorodu Town Hall, Ikorodu, Lagos.

GEORGE, Tpl. Mrs. Catherine Kehinde, (nee Sogunro-Pitan), former lecturer, author, and town planning consultant will be 66 on Saturday. Born in Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State on June 14, 1948; she was educated at Our Lady of Apostles Secondary School, Ijebu-Ode, 1958-63; Ijebu-Ode Grammar School, 1964; The Technical College (now The Polytechnic) Ibadan, 1965-67; The University of Melbourne, Australia, 1971-72. Elected first female Fellow of Nigerian Institute of Town Planners, 1987; first female African Fellow of The Royal Town Planning Institute of Britain, 1990: inducted into Nigerian Women Hall of Fame, Abuja as first African Female Town Planner on November 3, 2007. Town Planning Officer, Lagos State Development and

Polytechnic Ibadan, Kaduna Polytechnic, University of Lagos and Yaba College of Technology. Past Chairman, Nigerian Institute of Town Planners, Lagos State Chapter 1998-2000. Lead Planner on Odonla Housing Scheme, Ikorodu; Galadimawa District Plan, Abuja; and Ikorodu Master Plan. Pioneer Chairman, Building Collapse Prevention Guild, Lagos State Chapter, 2012 to date. Honoured in March 2011 by Faculty of Environmental Design & Management, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria: and by Women in Technical Education (WITED), Yaba College of Technology Chapter in Dec. 2013.

Compiled by Gbenga Akinfenwa

The celebrant, Lt. Gen. Oladipo Diya (rtd) (middle) flanked by his wives, Otunba (Mrs.) Josephine Diya (left) and Otunba (Mrs.) Folasade Diya, during his 70th birthday ceremony. Here they cut the birthday cake to mark the event at Odogbolu, Ogun State.

Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State (left); Ibrahim Wammako of Sokoto; Rochas Okorocha of Imo and their Rivers counterpart, Rotimi Amaechi, during the Nigerian Governors Forum retreat held in Port Harcourt…on Friday.

From left, Pastor Attah Ogbole and wife, Bolanle, Mrs. Funmi Agboola and Managing Partner FMA Architects, Femi Agboola at the book launch of Pastor Ogbole’s ‘Apples of Gold’ at Protea Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos.

Members of Society for Orphans Welfare (SOW), Chief Matron Aiyetan, Chief Matron Adekoya and Chief Matron Bakare during the presentation of gift items to the children at Children Surgical Ward of Lagos General Hospital on Children’s Day.

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Conscience, Nurtured by Truth

Opinion Between The Insulters And The Insultee ATIENCE Jonathan, Nigeria’s First Lady, is right. People should not insult her husband, President Goodluck Jonathan. My dictionary defines an insult as “to treat, mention, or speak to rudely; offend; an offensive or contemptuous remark or action…to treat with gross insensitivity, insolence, or contemptuous rudeness.” You notice, right away, that my word experts are clear that anyone and everyone can be insulted. And action, just like words, can insult. That is why gestures, such as rolling of the eyes or hissing, can serve as the vehicle for delivering an insult, but an insult is more effective when the object sees, hears or reads it. When an insult comes to the attention of the insultee, the result is a feeling of injury of some kind. Insults are about feelings. Mrs. Jonathan did not specifically say her husband was coming home in tears every night, but clearly, her appeal was made because the “insults” were inflicting some unhappiness. In other words, unhappiness is what the relationship between an insulter and an insultee is about; just as praise might elicit the opposite emotion. It is possible that the unhappiness meter in the First Family may have become more than a family matter in the past few weeks because last week, Marlyn Ogah, a spokesperson for Nigeria’s State Secret Services, nailed to the wall a chilling warning. “‘We will henceforth apply zero tolerance to those who insult President Goodluck Jonathan,” she was quoted as saying on Wednesday. The only reading of her warning is that those who commit this “offence” might start to disappear. The SSS is not known for a tradition of intelligence-gathering or security of state (witness Nigeria disappearing into chaos) let alone fair and judicious prosecution of political insultees. Beyond this, it is unclear Ms. Ogar had the authority from the SSS to make the proclamation that she did. If so, the SSS is guilty of dubious and devious criminal intent under the Nigerian constitution, which provides for free-

dom of expression. Under that supreme law, an insult is not, and should not be, a death sentence, with no recourse to a court of law to determine whether a comment about a public official constitutes an insult or not. But let us be clear about Nigeria circa 2014: the popular comments that are possibly being interpreted as insults of Mr. Jonathan include descriptions of his cluelessness, incompetence, and ineptitude I cannot claim for a fact that these are the words that bother the presidency and its applause-leaders. I have made the charges myself, and it seems to me that the problem is in reading the words in isolation. Read within the context of contemporary Nigeria history, it is an insult of those who describe Mr. Jonathan in these negative words to say, in effect, that they do not know what they are talking about. Those of us, who supported Mr. Jonathan in 2009, arguing that the leadership of Nigeria should go to him as vice president, located our principled advocacy in the context of the constitution, not in the person. In 2010, Mr. Jonathan gained the presidency, and in 2011—with the support of many who are now his critics—won a new four-year term that he is about to conclude. The problem seems to be that the president and his supporters interpreted his ascension to power as an end in itself. His critics, who now face being eliminated or muzzled by the security agencies, are saying he read the wrong tea leaves, or read the tea leaves wrongly. They are saying that he has proved incapable of the presidency, and has betrayed both the office and popular expectation. Actually, some of his critics have been saying that for some time, but it has taken the story of the abducted Chibok girls for the matter to make any impact on the president. Sadly, that is because the abduction saga became a disastrous international public relations nightmare for him.

In Mr. Jonathan’s four years, he has normally preferred the propaganda of office to the performance. He has often conveniently forgotten that respect is earned, not claimed. That is the trend that the administration continued last week when presidential adviser Doyin Okupe told the BBC that the blame for the abduction of the girls should “fall squarely on the Borno State Government.” It perpetuates the administration’s denial narrative, championed by such people as Mrs. Jonathan, Asari Dokubo and Okupe, that the girls were somehow never abducted. That attitude was responsible for the government doing nothing on the abduction for nearly three weeks, by which time it was too late. Rather than face that music, the administration is continuing the propaganda that the chaos in the country is owed to a subterranean attempt to topple him. “People want to take power from President Jonathan by all means, at all cost, using every method possible, including money,” Okupe told the BBC. This is part of the Nigerian tragedy. Okupe should never have been invited to the government in the first place, giving certain ethical questions he never discharged, if Mr. Jonathan were interested in higher and better. He illustrates the problem brilliantly. But we must never tire of setting the record straight, which is that as a leader, Mr. Jonathan has put in an atrocious shift. Is he responsible for Boko Haram? No. Is he capable of combating Boko Haram? The answer is also: No. He continues his “Transformation Agenda” fiction, but he has simply not demonstrated the capacity to lead, let alone transform. Mr. Jonathan’s biggest contribution to Nigeria’s unfolding tragedy is that in his four years, he has boosted corruption, encouraged mediocrity, and nurtured hopelessness. Not only has he failed to fight corruption, he has declared it to be “exaggerated.” He has rationalized stealing in office as being different from corruption.

sonala.olumhense@gmail.com Twitter: @Sonala.Olumhense He has also enthroned indolence, and it is this very fact that exposed his government in the case of the kidnapped girls. This is the Jonathan philosophy that has made Nigeria the laughing stock of the world. If anyone were looking for an insult, I would point at a leader who exposed his country to such an outrageous one. The reason for the offensive against “insulters” is that there is also in the Jonathan era the failure to understand, or accept, that the world has changed. Gone is the era when an amateur information manager armed with a cache of cash could buy off bad publicity in the middle of the night, or purchase a favorable one. Today, information is far more democratic. You either get it right, or you are going to get it. True, an insult can be made by words or by action. But you can only transform by action, that is, by performance. Today, a leader whose performance receives a failing grade will find a lot of open disapproval, openly expressed. That is even truer when hundreds of other people’s children are abducted, and a leader fails to absorb the human outrage. This, therefore, is the biggest insult of all: Mr. Jonathan’s attempt to supplant our common humanity with his desire for office. If he thinks people are being disrespectful, I do not think he will have long to wait for someone to read him the verdict of History on the great sadness

Addressing The Enemy Within By Frank Onyezili HE post-mortem, early this year after the Aussies whitewashed England 5-0 in the Ashes Test series down under, reached one swift conclusion: England lost because, at home, it took the extraordinary measure of ‘doctoring’ its pitches in September 2013, to suit its own much slower spinners and seam bowlers. Once outside its shores in December of the same year, England couldn’t cope with Test cricket’s real exhilarating pace and verve. So, the enemy was within and England, not Australia, was its own worst villain Sadly, so it is now at Goodluck Jonathan’s Presidency, relentlessly shackled, as it presently is, by the enemy within, one of which is a marauding rhino on a very self-destructive mission. But its potential victims include the President himself. Ironically, the same rhino, a pitiful performer on a recent BBC’s HARDtalk, quips about the enemy within, citing fatally flawed analogies, totally off-point and out-of-context Back in the nineteen eighties, Margaret Thatcher’s “enemy within” during the Falklands war was Britain’s labour leadership that called on its miners to embark on a disastrous strike action without first securing, from the miners themselves, the mandate to do so. That analogy, used to describe the last Nigeria’s university teachers’ strike was blatant mischief that did Jonathan’s government no good at all at that time. Also, true professionals don’t crunch out wrong numbers to try to illustrate economic growth that simply isn’t there yet. Even the smooth-talking Minister of Agriculture admits that measurable agricultural growth in Nigeria is still a work in progress. For the President’s men and women to continue to assert wrongly that black is white or grey is downright disservice to the man. Angela Merkel, Germany’s Christian Democratic Union leader who secured her third term as the German Chancellor last September to become, upon completion, the longest-serving elected female head of government in history, thrives because she runs a government that is honest, basically. Chancellor Merkel is renowned for distancing herself from scandal, even that of her erstwhile friend, the tax-evading soccer legend, Uli Hoeness. President Jonathan, as he enters his politically make-or-break phase, will do well to take a cue, become extremely wary of the charlatans around him, the enemy within. He must courageously rope in this rampaging

rhino and others like him, read them the riot act or compel them to seek their livelihood elsewhere So, as our nation bleeds and weeps under the onslaught of insurgents, as we await the homecoming of the Chibok schoolchildren, and as the President’s political opposition continues gladhanding within its own ranks on this tragedy, Jonathan, even now, can do himself some good by resolving to be forthright with us, the led. He is, I believe, receiving the same counsel from loyalists closer to him than me, whose voices are presently being successfully snuffed out, drowned, by the sheer weight of numbers of the enemy within. But it’s a counsel he ignores at his peril When Mr Mbu, the policeman, arrogates to himself powers he doesn’t have in the Federal capital, he should be put in his place before it becomes a matter for litigation. When any of President’s ministers says the President is offering amnesty to insurgents, the President should be forthright and call the minister to order, not simply leave his senior aide to try to pick up the pieces and limit the damage. When he learns that the $5.8bn he has budgeted for national security budget for 2014 might, due to corruption, not translate into the adequate provision of basics such as bullets and transport vehicles for our troops, he should be genuinely and sufficiently honestly alarmed to rouse himself from slumber. When powerful US senators and riling columnists from The Economist ridicule his government as “hardly existent” and “clueless”, he should forthrightly see it for what it is: a wake-up call. When Nigeria’s own Senators uncharacteristically tell him the truth, that the degeneration in the national security situation is resulting also from internal sabotage, he should be less dismissive. And when my usually-genteel classmate Ladi Williams (SAN), in relation to Chibok, reminds him that he “owes us a duty to explain what is happening to us because he is part of this nation”, the President should heed this wise counsel. Even the Senate President appears to be reading the signs more correctly, if he isn’t playing to the gallery once again, in urging the Federal Government to hold daily briefings on its effort to rescue our girls Honesty remains the best policy and other President’s ministers must learn from one of the few remaining credible voices in their ranks, Prof. Chinedu Nebo, that man of candour who, somehow, still stands tall in a ravening wolf-infested den. This season of the enemy within needs to end and our President can make a successful leader remaining who he is: not arrogant, not necessarily dominant, not particularly innovative, not outstandingly hard-

working, needy of self- confidence, and so on. But he must be guileless, put distance between himself and other leaders of this nation before him, between himself and the enemy within Now, in the good book, Ezekiel’s theology, birthed in passion and pain that were his own and affliction that was his people’s, has been described by pseudo-psychologists in one word: Wild. But the same theorists, concede that Ezekiel’s interpretation of divine judgement of his people is irresistible, and fulfilment of his prophecy unquestionable. Ezekiel’s “wild” theology, the panacea for the times in which his people lived is wholly adaptable and applicable to our own present. And, summoning the same conviction and almost similar fervour as this most bizarre of the prophets, may I, without the benefit of his “wheels within wheels” experience but with every sense of the watchman’s responsibility, recommend Ezekiel’s prescription for our own times in Nigeria With or without President Jonathan in 2015, our country will enjoy ultimate restoration. But he can become a major part of that restoration if he takes heed now and becomes unpretentious. Even now. When our Road Safety Corps formulate illegal motor plate number fees, he should be the first to wave the yellow flag; when our Customs and Immigration rip off unemployed youth and endanger their lives to the bargain, he should be the first to cry foul. And when his Finance minister dares the top ten states to disclose how they expended 1.6 trillion naira last year, he should step up and ask her to follow suit, tell us what she did with allocations into and out of her own Ministry. He should go a step further and demand accountability from his Petroleum Minister and other Ministries, Departments and Agencies. Honesty and transparency should be his best policy, in words and deed It’s been long since our country had reason to be optimistic. At this dawn of Brazil 2014 and ahead of the fate of our Super eagles, I say: Put out the enemy within, mister President so that you can rise and shine; so that whenever you might be forced to re-examine your credentials as a leader, you won’t see red and goof into revealing your soft underbelly. So that you’ll differ from one of your predecessors, not a democrat, who took offense at being addressed as “General” at a press briefing of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in Accra, in December 2012

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Conscience, Nurtured by Truth

Opinion Trouble Hears About Some Relocating! HEN shush comes to shove, at the end of the night, when all is said and gone, and as we know say God-du day, if Better dey come, make he no tey o! This Alaba, summarising what Trouble had been telling him, attributing the proverb to his friend who lives in faraway New York Joe of the Tail Number fame. Only planes have their numbers on their tails but that is another story. Trouble had come in, as usual, without protocol from any one and anywhere, prepared to endure whatever it would take that night to get through the passport road blocks and then the luggage claim road block, the customs road block and finally the bus ride road block to the parking lot where a car was waiting for him. His fear and trepidation of these various road blocks at the arrival terminal of the Murtala Muhammad Airport was based on previous arrivals that he wished could turn into departures. The walk from the plane to the escalators going doing towards where it said passports was normal, that is not crowded, and the escalator not working. But there was no blast of tropical heat and dusty fumes, only a gentle hum of air conditioning transitioning our situation from the plane into the country. Trouble frowned. A frown for Mr. Trouble is the equivalent of a smile that shows satisfaction on the faces and minds of ordinary people. For Mr. Trouble, a frown showed that things were not going his way of thinking. As he came down the cemented slope into queuing cattle processing kraal, there were a few people walking along the lined the rails and unto the counters where the passport officers were stamping and smiling, smiling and stamping. Mr. Trouble did some more frowning. In two

minutes he was through and over to the luggage rack. There were trolleys and he paid less than a dollar (US variety) and took possession of one on which he put his two suitcases. He turned and walked through nothing to declare and there were offers of taxis which reminded him of the praise names of Alaba’s Uncle Ojo, Akitikori, The Throat is no Passage for Fish Bones! Alaba’s Uncle on the way to the stream to have a dip would be offered soap and sponge by maidens lining the two sides of the road to the village river calling out: Take mine! Mine is Yours!! So yours can be mine!!! And so on. And like Alaba’s Uncle, Mr. Trouble was well provided for and so he needed no offers. Where there used to be a stampeding mob on previous occasions, there were soldiers giving service, keeping order, helping arriving passengers with awkward luggage piled awkwardly on frail trolleys to get on to the bus stop. At the bus stop a bus was departing as another was arriving. And the line of passengers and luggage entered the air conditioned bus and, smoothly, it moved on. As Mr. Trouble narrated this experience to his PickinWisePassPapa assistant Alaba, Mr. Trouble got to know another aspect of the fifteen year old wise man: the ability to pontificate! If Better dey come type of pontificating! Once Mr. Trouble had detached the thought of the arrival hall being a series of road blocks into the country, he remembered although there were supposed to be no more road blocks on the high ways, he still encountered many in his travels. Sometimes, he would be held up for a few minutes while a police man

Who Will Tell The Elder? O By Olajumoke Adeseun

NE of the challenges with Yoruba culture is its unquestioning and total reverence for its elders. In Yorubaland, an elder cannot lie. Whatever an elder says is the gospel truth and can therefore, not be questioned or contradicted. Grey hair is the symbolism for wisdom. As superstitious people, it is believed that those who disrespect elders will never grow to attain the old age. By implication, those who dare to question the elders may die young. It is part of the ethos of the membership of the aged to justify the reverence granted to them by behaving and speaking with wisdom, decorum and caution that are befitting of their status. An elder is expected to be forthright, principled, incorruptible and disciplined. Thus, their advice is law. There is a point when an elder’s relevance begins to wane. Nature then takes its turn and he is carefully but gently pushed to the background in terms of influence. This recession process is not a function of age but triggered when his views are no longer as cogent and resonating as they once were. At that point, some evidence of disconnection with reality becomes obvious. Without the usual drama and orchestration, the younger generation begins to treat the elder as a mere cherished relic. The views of such elder are tactfully and politely stepped down. That is when the same Yoruba people acknowledge the shift in roles by saying ‘agba ti de’, meaning the ‘slow down syndrome’ that is symptomatic of old age has caught up with the man. That Aremo Olusegun Osoba, leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) is an elder is not in dispute. By age, professional seniority, political experience, maturity and long time experience, he is qualified to be an elder statesman. After he left office as governor, he served as leader of the defunct Alliance for Democracy (AD), later Action Congress (AC) and

JAW JAW By Didi Onu

haggles with a kombi driver as to whether the bribe should be one hundred or fifty naira. Times are hard, the driver would shout. Passengers are mean and the police and so on are like children who have to be fed – they do not know when there is a famine in the land! As he unburdened his road block stories to Alaba, the assistant said he knew one place where there would never be another road block again. Once towards the end of the day, when the lines of the hand could hardly be read by the light of the remnant sunlight, the six police men at a road block between Ayede and Okeodo, their roadblock right on the bridge over the river that divided the two villages, these police men spied a man walking crablike towards them from the Okeodo side of the bridge. To you and me and the door post, this is no other than Jolaolu the village carpenter going to deliver a coffin in Ayede. As a result of tight economic considerations at home and in the work place, it made sense for Jolaolu to deliver the coffin without incurring additional cost, by carrying it on his head and delivering it to the family of Farmer Kokumo and getting paid on delivery. But how do you carry a coffin

Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN). He led a relatively strong opposition in the state, until the party’s national leadership embraced the incumbent Governor Ibikunle Amosun as its flag bearer and thereby took control of power in the state in 2011. It was said that on the day the result of the 2011 governorship election was announced, the celebration that night in the Osoba household exceeded that of the Governor-elect. Such was the joy and the expectation. With the undisputed performance of the Amosun administration in transforming Ogun State from ‘a sleepy backwater’ into a modern, growing state with breathtaking infrastructure, one would expect the leader to continue to be happy and to bask in the resultant glory. However, Chief Osoba appears to have grown more sullen, more dissatisfied and more brazen in his utterances. The latest headlines that quoted him as saying he will not accept any apology from Amosun, criticizing the APC national leadership and reminding us all that he wined and dined with late Chief Obafemi Awolowo raise doubts about his judgment. Exactly what would he want Amosun to apologise for? Is it for the roads and bridges? Is it for improved security within the state? Is it for the new and refurbished school buildings? Perhaps, it is for the re-introduction, in present day Ogun State, of the free education policy that the late Awolowo first implemented in the Western Region? The problem with a quarrel in which only one side is speaking is that we are left to speculate about the real issues. When elders begin to openly speak of property sold to fund elections, they provide clues to the real, possible reasons for the quarrel. It is also the reasons why, as one had suspected, the on-going quarrel in the Ogun APC may not be unconnected with money or rather a lack of money. In this case, Chief Osoba may be unwittingly injuring his reputation by getting some of the statements that the newspapers pub-

across the bridge before darkness with a police road block across your way? And they are not police from this area either. And paying for passage of coffin and carrier was no option considering the aforementioned economic tightness at home and at work. The coffin must be delivered that day, before darkness, with enough daylight for people to see each other without the help of artificial light. As the man and load approached the bridge the police saw that the man’s head was wrapped with cloth that formed part of the wedge of softness that eased the pressure on his head. He was bare footed and his arms were covered by pieces of teru, not too soft, off white, cheap cotton material. As he came towards them, they hesitated. The hesitation had nothing to do as to what to do. They were going to run. The hesitation was as to which direction! If he was going to Ayede, they must escape in the direction in which he was coming! As the police men ran-walked towards past the man and his load, one asked where he was going. In the voice of those who live in the land of the Dead and the Ancestors, he answered: I don’t like where they bury me. I am relocating!

lished attributed to him. We have seen similar disputes between godfathers and godsons spill over in recent times. We cannot forget in a hurry the Dr. Chris Ngige and Chris Uba encounter in Anambra State or Alhaji Lamidi Adedibu and Senator Rasheed Ladoja in Oyo State. There is the Dr. Chimaroke Nnamani and Dr. Jim Nwobodo crisis, among others. Even then, I believe that the crop of incumbent governors to which Senator Ibikunle Amosun belongs is different. A big problem is that former governors often forget that they are former governors. Having occupied the seat of power, they have the benefit of hindsight and there is a tendency to try and relive their era through the current occupant. The truth is that if we really want to develop as a nation, governors must have the freedom to respond to the needs of their people and not be restrained and controlled by their predecessors, no matter how respected and influential these ex-governors are. The era in which former governors imposed themselves on their states as a permanent cost centres needs to end. A reminder to the elders is the fact that majority of Nigeria’s population is now under the age of 21. Most of the next set of voters cannot even remember what Osoba’s era looked like. To be relevant, the elders need to revert to the old days when they were consulted with reverence and they in turn behaved with dignity. Amosun’s silence in the on-going battle for the soul of Ogun APC has been deafening. Since I started this piece with an insight into how Yoruba elders move from the centre to the back stages, it is instructive that I should end it with the same analogy. Those around elders who see the lapses, gaffes and gaps are obliged to respectfully and politely remind them of the needs for elderly caution. If they fail to play this critical check and balance role, the consequence is usually unpleasant, both for the elders and for their lieutenants. The question now is: ‘Who Will Tell the Elder?’ Adeseun writes from Ilishan – Remo.

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POLITICS

EKITI 2014: How Parties Stand In The Councils • As Campaigns Shift To Grassroots, House To House the Board of Trustees of the PDP, Dayo Okondo, Chief Bisi Aloba and the running mate to Fayose, Dr Olusola Olubumi Eleka. But the recent defection of the former deputy governor of the state, Surveyor Abiodun Aluko to the APC is a big minus for the PDP. Aluko is expected to join hands with former governor of old Ondo State, Evangelist Bamidele Olomilua, Hon. Funmiyi Afuye, Bolu Akomolafe, and Babade Kayode to do the magic for the APC. But the story of Olumilua’s family is a classic case that makes many to doubt the loyalty of the former governor to the APC. While his son, Muyiwa is a Special Adviser to Fayemi, one of his wives is a chieftain of the Labour Party, while his daughter Mrs. Olumilua-Olusanya is the running mate of Kole Ajayi, the governorship candidate of Accord Party.

From Muyiwa Adeyemi (Head South West Bureau Ado Ekiti) ESS than two weeks to the June 21 governorship election in Ekiti State, the political temperature is charged with parties and their candidates engaging in last minute scheming to outwit one another. Analysts say this election will not only determine the future of the state, but will have implication on the continued existence of some of the major political parties in Ekiti State. Though, 18 political parties fielded candidates for the election, but only three look serious to be contesting for Oke Bareke Government House, and the next few days will see some of the candidates stepping down for the three frontline candidates. The election now seems difficult to predict. The candidates and their parties have campaigned vigorously and cajoled voters with juicy promises. They went a step further to distribute rice, crash helmets, clothing materials, kerosene and kitchen utensils to their supporters and rural dwellers. Incumbent governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi of the APC is not new to the game, while former governor Ayo Fayose of the PDP could also be described as a veteran in Ekiti politics. The same could not be said of the Labour Party (LP) candidate, Opeyemi Bamidele, though he contested and won election to the House of Representatives in 2011 under the platform of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN). LP remains a new party in the state. There is even a common saying in town that while it may be difficult to predict the party that will come first or second, that of the third position is crystal clear, even though anything may happen in politics. Observers believe the election could be a straight battle between the APC and the PDP. Both parties had won elections in the state and governed for about seven and half years each. They have formidable structures in all the 16 local councils and 177 wards in the state. Indeed, a critical look at their spread and strength shows that both APC and PDP will contest all the 2,195 polling units. For the LP, it is seen as a third force, working on a likely strategy to decimate the APC, to pave way for the PDP victory. There had been allegation of an alliance between PDP and LP and in the pact, Bamidele had been penciled down for the Speaker of the House of Representative if PDP wins the election, suggesting that Bamidele might decamp to PDP and re-contest for the House of Representatives. But the leadership of the LP had vigorously denied any ‘unholy alliance’ with the PDP and described the allegation as antics of the ruling APC that wants to stay in power at all cost. They said Bamidele is in the contest to defeat both the APC and the PDP and occupy the Government House. Having campaigned round all the councils and wards, the three political parties are now engaged in house to house campaign, relying on their supporters and party members to continue with grassroots mobilisation. This last stage is a defining moment that places responsibilities on the local leaders and political leaders whose strength and weaknesses will decide their ability to deliver their constituencies to their various political parties. Ado THE largest number of voters is concentrated in the town and Ado Ekiti votes decide the party that governs the state. But the transformation of Ado Ekiti from an “ancient town” to a modern city laid with optic fibre cables that digitalized the town, coupled with massive road constructions and provision of streetlights have endeared the residents of the state capital to Governor Kayode Fayemi. But as a state capital, people expect such attention from the government and politicians have given different analysis to projects executed in the town.

Fayose’s support in the town is also not in doubt, he claimed to be the architect of modern Ekiti by constructing the first dual carriageway in the capital town and laid the foundation, which other administrations have built upon. Fayose is not just equally at home in Ado Ekiti, he is certainly not a push over. Ado Ekiti indigenes such as Senator Babafemi Ojudu, the deputy governor, Prof Modupe Adelabu, Bisi Egbeyemi, Sunday Ibitoye, Tope Olanipekun, Mrs Omotunde Fajuyi are expected to lead the struggle to deliver the town for the APC. They will certainly meet stiff opposition from the PDP stalwarts like Chief Ojo Falegan, Adeyemi Orilele, Senator Bode Ola, Taiye Fasuba, former deputy governor Sikiru Lawal and Tosin Aluko. The influence of Bamidele also resonates high in Ado Ekiti, as many of the indigenes benefitted from his empowerment programmes as their representative in the National Assembly. Besides, the influence of Chief Remi Oguntuase will also boost the chances of LP in the local council. But the large concentration of the civil servants, teachers, political office holders and non-indigenes will play a significant role in deciding the party that wins election in the capital city that has almost thirty five percent of the total votes expected from all the 16 local councils. Ikere IKERE is another town that has the second largest concen-

Fayemi

Fayose

Bamidele

tration of voters. It is less than ten kilometers to Ado Ekiti. All the three major parties for the election had organised various Mega rallies in the town. This one-town local government is the home of PDP big wigs such as former governorship aspirant, Chief Bisi Omoyemi, a former member of

Analysts believe the battle for Ikere will make that of IdoOsi in 2009 a child’s play, as the PDP and APC are battle ready to show their strength. Irepodun-Ifelodun ELECTION here will be keenly contested. It would be interesting to know how Fayose, Bamidele and former governor, Niyi Adebayo will share votes in this council. Adebayo and Bamidele hail from Iyin-Ekiti, while Fayose is from Afao Ekiti. The margin for any party that wins might be inconsequential as there are other political heavy weights in the council that will certainly deliver their wards and towns to their parties. Also in the council are APC chieftains, Taiwo Olatunbosun, Mrs Eniola Bello, Mojeed Jamiu and his brother Hakeem from Igbimo, Churchill Adedipe, Ayodeji Odu and Deji Adesokan, while Elder Peter Ajayi, Ms Bola Olatunde Bruce and Martins Ibikunle might boost chances of LP. The state secretary of the PDP, Dr Tope Aluko, Dipo Anisulowo and Ambassador Toye Olofintuyi will complement Fayose’s influence in the council to sustain their loyalists and have their share of the votes. Ekiti South West This is a local government that boasts of top politicians such as Ambassador Dare Bejide, Senator Bode Olowporoku and Chief Idowu Odeyemi of the PDP, but Chief of Staff to Governor Fayemi, Yemi Adaramodu, as well as activist and legal luminary, Femi Falana (SAN), will check them. Falana, contested the governorship poll in 2003 and lost to Fayose, but was able to deliver the House of Assembly seat in the area to his National Conscience Party (NCP). Though he claims to be apolitical now, but many see him as a sympathiser of the APC. Also, grassroots mobilsers like Tope Agidi, Hon. Ife Arowosoge, Richard Apolola and Modupe Ogundipe will give massive votes to APC in the council. Bejide of the PDP would have given the APC a run, but his efforts to secure the party ticket was truncated, just as he lost bid to become Fayose’s running mate. But Abiola Olowokere and Femi Oloniyo will do their best to get some votes for the LP. Oye FAYEMI is from Isan Ekiti in Oye Local Government. He is expected to enjoy homeboy advantage. So also the Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Ganiyu Owolabi and the Director General of Fayemi Campaign Organisation, Hon. Bimbo Daramola will lead the onslaught to get all votes available for the APC. This is also the territory of Senator Ayo Arise, a prominent PDP chieftain with the capacity to deliver. He fought Fayemi hands down to ensure that the main campus of Federal University was sited in the town, even before then, Arise controlled votes in Oye town. Until last week, Arise was expected to join forces with other PDP chieftains in the local council, like Dr Jimi Oke, Chief Segun Olanrewaju and Otunba Davis to get substantial votes for the PDP, but he is believed to have been disappointed over ministerial appointment and might have developed cold feat to commit himself to the PDP project. Though the LP Chairman, Akin Omole is from the council, he is not seen as a threat that can win more than his polling booth. Ise/Orun HERE is the home of PDP leaders, such as, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, Bimbo Owolabi, Ropo Ogunbolude, Owoseni Ajayi, Dare Omotosho, Chief Afolabi Ojuawo and former member of the House of Representatives, Titilayo Akindahunsi among others. APC’s presence here is dwarfed by the PDP. The influence of the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Tayo Ekundayo may not change the dominance of the PDP in this local council, more so, that Adeyeye has been nominated by President Jonathan for ministerial appointment. Adeyeye is not just a Prince of the town but a political leader loved by his people. The town is still in festive mood over his nomination. Efon BARRING last minutes change of political calculation, the council is a stronghold of the LP, though APC and PDP also have some influence in some major towns in the council. But LP is expected to perform well judging by the popularity of Bamidele in Ekiti Central Senatorial District. But APC is also looking good in this council to have substantial votes. Ekiti West THIS local council with headquarters in Aramoko consists of seven communities. Aramoko has been an APC dominat-

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POLITICS

Politicians’ Emoluments: Between Reasonable Compensation And Looting By Armsfree Ajanaku HE universally accepted maxim is that work, which adds value, and in the end contributes to progress in society, should be reasonably and justly rewarded. This is the reason why the holy writ stresses that the labourer deserves his wages. And when the work in question is about service to the people using the instrumentality of democratic structures, the reward system tends to compensate those at the helm more than the ordinary worker. Beyond monetary compensation, there is always the thrill and satisfaction in holding an influential and privileged position, which confers an advantage of leading and guiding others, through the exercise of constitutional authority. Since the advent of Nigeria’s democratic dispensation in 1999, one question that has repeatedly agitated the minds of close watchers of the polity is about the extent to which the work of political office holder should be compensated. Again, the hasty nature of the transition to civil rule programme which got underway immediately after General Abdulsalam Abubakar took the reins from the despotic Sanni Abacha, did not allow some of these fundamental issues, including the cost implications of the new dispensation, to be discussed in detail. Unfortunate too was the fact that the civil society activists who had been at the vanguard of the struggle against the military largely stayed away from the transition, thereby allowing a free rein for politicians who pictured the new epoch, not in terms of service to the people, but in the context of living large off Nigeria’s national till. So while Nigerians agonised in years immediately preceding the return to democratic rule for the so called dividends of democracy, members of the political class were also busy doing all they could to raise the bar in terms of what could be taken away from the treasury. While this reality of constant siege on the treasury continues to shoot up the cost of governance, particularly at the federal level, helmsmen in several states are now joining the race to grab whatever they can from the public till through all manner of legislations awarding mind boggling amounts as emoluments, pensions or severance packages to themselves. In 2002 for example, barely three years after the return to civil rule, politicians waiting in the wings to cash in on the monetary benefits of democracy enacted a law called “Salaries & Allowances Of Top Public Office Holders Act of 2002”. The Law allocated N755.8billion for the servicing about 17,500 top public office holders annually. In 2008, the law was revised and the said salaries and allowances increased to N1.13trillion. In spite of these huge provisions for a minute fraction of the Nigerian population, politicians at all levels have continued to scramble for more of Nigeria’s commonwealth. The latest in this series of audacious moves by the Nigerian politician to lay siege on the public till would be gleaned in the controversial decision of the Akwa Ibom State Government to amend a 2006 law dealing with the pension of former governors and their deputies. According to the legislation signed by the governor (now reversed however), a whooping N100 million would be the ceiling for medical expense of a former governor. ‘Governors and Deputy Governors Pension Law 2014’ provides that, an indigene of the state who has held office as democratically-elected Governor or Deputy Governor of the state shall, when he ceases to hold the said office, be entitled to certain benefits. Such benefits include pension for life at a rate equivalent to the salary of the incumbent Governor or Deputy Governor. There is also in the law a new official car and a utility vehicle once in every four years, one personal aide and the provision of adequate security for his person during his lifetime at the expense of government. Beneficiaries will also be provided with funds to employ a cook, chauffeurs and security guards for the governor, at a sum not exceeding N5million per month and N2 million per month for the deputy governor. The law then provides for free medical service for the Governor and spouse at a sum not exceeding N100 million per annum for the governor and N30 million for the deputy governor. There is also a provision for a befitting house not below a 5-bedroom in either the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, or Akwa Ibom State for the Governor and a yearly accommodation allowance of 300 per cent of annual basic salary for the Deputy Governor. Furniture allowance would be given at 300 per cent of annual basic salary once in every four years plus the provision of yearly maintenance and fuelling of vehicle allowance of 300 per cent of annual basic salary. “Provision of severance gratuity of 300 per cent of annual basic salary as at the time the officer leaves office; provision of yearly utility allowance of 100 per cent of annual basic salary; and provision of entertainment allowance of 100 per cent of annual basic salary.” And then where a former governor or deputy dies, the law provides that government shall make adequate arrangement and bear the financial burden for his burial; and pay a condolence allowance of a sum equivalent to the annual basic salary of the incumbent to his next of kin. “Provide one surviving spouse with medical allowance not exceeding N12 million per annum; provided that such a spouse was married to the Governor at the time he or she was in office, and if a wife has served the state as first lady.” A cursory look at the legislation is bound to raise posers about

Audu

Goje

Igbinedion

Tinubu

Saraki

Akpabio the intentions of those who sponsored and approved it. In the first place, the 1999 Constitution, which is the nation’s grundnorm empowers the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) to fix the allowances and other benefits of political office holders. Specifically Section 32 (d) of Part One of the Third Schedule of the 1999 Constitution empowers the RMAFC to determine the salaries and allowances of the political office holders. It says that the commission shall “determine the

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remuneration appropriate for political office holders including the President, Vice President, Governors, Deputy Governors, Ministers, Commissioners, Special Advisers, legislators and the holders of the office mentioned in sections 84 and 124 of this constitution.” Section 32 (e) says that the commission shall discharge such other functions as are conferred on the commission by this constitution or any Act of the National Assembly.” In carrying out this constitutional mandate, the commission is supposed to consider the following factors: changes in the basic fundamentals of the Nigerian economy, external reserves, GDP growth rate, rate of inflation, correct placement of some categories of office holders that are wrongly placed in the old package. Other factors include the need to modify old salaries and allowances, and introduce new allowances that were not included in the old package, the need for a living wage to ensure honesty and dignity of the office holders and, the need to ensure compliance with the provision of Section 84 (3) and 124 (3) of the constitution. However, the reality on the ground since 1999 is one in which political office holders are constantly scheming to explore unconstitutional means to take beyond what is due to them from the national till. In the case of state governors, the ready argument would be that in a federal system, the state also has powers to make laws within its jurisdiction. But when those

Sunday, June 8, 2014

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

POLITICS

EDO: Pension For Governor, Deputy Mouthwatering From Alemma-Ozioruva Aliu, Benin City N Edo State, only governors and their deputies enjoy pensions. The office of the Speaker and Deputy Speaker lost out in 2007 when there was public outcry as lawmakers wanted to include themselves as beneficiaries of pension after they must have served their terms. The law, which enables governors and deputy governors to enjoy pension was enacted on March 29, 2007, barely two weeks after the bill was submitted from the office of the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice of the state on May 16, 2007. The Edo State pension law states that it is anybody who becomes governor and deputy governor for the statutory period and was not impeached or removed from office before the expiration of his or her tenure that could draw from the pension. It said: “Any person who had held the office of the governor or deputy governor of the state and was not removed from office as a result of impeachment shall be entitled to pension for life at a rate stipulated by law.” It further stated that such qualified persons as governor “shall be entitled to pension for life at a rate equivalent to 100 per cent of his last annual salary, in addition to three cars, three drivers, two cooks and two security officers. Any car granted under this law shall be replaceable every five years” For the deputy governor, the same provisions for the governor in terms of salary, replaceable cars apply, but would have “two cars, two drivers, one cook and two security officers.” They are to be paid from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the state. Available documents to The Guardian showed that former governor, Lucky Igbinedion from the bill he sent to the House of Assembly also wanted the personal staff of a former governor to include an officer not above Salary Grade Level 12 as Special Assistant, a Personal Secretary, not below Grade Level 10, who shall be selected by the former governor from the public service of Edo State. The same was to apply to former deputy governors from the proposal, but the Personal Secretary was to be from Grade 9. The bill, which was first sent to the House in 2004 by the Lucky Igbinedion administration failed as it generated public opposition when the lawmakers wanted to include themselves as beneficiaries. It was eventually re-presented in 2007 and passed. It was not clear whether Igbinedion’s successor, Professor Oserheimen Osunbor implemented the law for the benefit of Igbinedion and his deputy Mike Ogiadomhe, as they could not be reached, but The Guardian gathered that there was partial implementation of the law for first executive governor of the state and his deputy, Chief John Oyegun and Rev Peter

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Oshiomhole

Obadan, which was confirmed by Oyegun himself, although he said the amount is paltry. He told The Guardian on phone; “Yes, I have been receiving a paltry sum as pension, this was started by Osunbor. But what Akpabio approved, which he now seeks to reverse, is outrageous. I don’t even know if we are entitled to healthcare, I don’t even know if we have that in our benefits. I am paid, but it is well less than a million and I don’t even know if it contains health benefits. However, I did not get any vehicle until Oshiomhole came. I think ours should be the least in the country and I feel our people should even review the law.” The Guardian gathered that in the early days of Oshiomhole’s administration, his predecessor did not benefit from the pension, apparently because of their political differences. One of his special advisers said the governor was more interested in governance and delivering the dividends of democracy to the people than thinking of pension.

Emoluments: Between Reasonable Compensation And Looting CONTINUED FROM PAGE 57 laws are inconsistent with the provisions to the constitution, those laws become null and void to the extent of their inconsistency. So for governors using all tricks and subterfuge to deepen their pockets at the expense of the public, the clear message is that they are running foul of the fundamental law of the nation, which they swore to uphold. The framers of the constitution would have foreseen a situation in which everyone would want to act according to his whims and caprices and find means to regulate a uniform practice. On the grounds of sustainability too, political office holders do not seem to be considering the future. In the rush to stuff up themselves with the nation’s lean resources, there is no drive to save for the rainy day. At the heart of the matter is the ease with which oil money flows into the coffers of government. Nigeria’s 36 states do not have to exert themselves to produce the wealth that is been routinely grabbed from public coffers. If it was the case that real economic activities preceded by the sweat and hard work and taxation produced the wealth that political office holders are now bent on grabbing at all cost, they will be much more circumspect about the humongous emoluments they have been awarding to themselves. Across the Nigerian polity, the implications of the profligacy of political office holders under the guise of allowances and emoluments have been manifold. In a June 2013 paper for example, the International Society for Civil Liberties and the Rule of Law outlined certain stark realities relating to the cost of governance in Nigeria as a result of the impossible perks and allowances being claimed by politicians. The paper concluded that Nigeria runs one of the costliest public governances in the world. It noted that annual federal and states’ appropriation legislation are used to allocate and pocket hundreds of billions of naira in the form of “allowances and jumbo pay”, which are in gross violation of the subsisting pay Act, revised in 2008. The worrisome thing is that a lot of these monies been grabbed to assuage the greed of the politicians are actually borrowed locally and internationally with prohibitive interests and penalties. In the end, the tragedy is that Nigeria borrows to consume and not to produce. According to some estimates from research by the ISCLRL, Nigeria as at 2013, employs 17,500 top public office holders; out

EKITI 2014: How Parties Stand In The Councils

of which, 13,500 occupy elective offices and 4,000 others occupy appointive offices. “According to the revised pay Act of 2008 under reference, N592billion is spent annually in servicing the 12,788 top Local Government Areas’ officials; out of this, allowances take N550billion or over 90 percent, while salaries account for only N41.8billion or less than 10 percent. There are 774 constitutionally recognized LGAs in Nigeria as of date. The sum of N300.5billion is spent on about 2,664 States’ executives of Nigeria’s 36 States and the Federal Capital Territory. The sum of N40.9billion is spent on 1,152 States’ lawmakers; N98.3billion is spent on 472 federal executives; N60.4billion is spent on 469 federal lawmakers; N18.5billion is spent on 792 State High Court Judges; and N14.8billion is spent on 142 federal judges. It continued: “In summary, two sets of allowances abound for Nigeria’s top public office holders; one is contained in the revised pay Act of 2008 and the other is criminally smuggled into the Federal and States’ annual budgets. Out of N80trillion ($500billion) shared among the Federal Government of Nigeria, the 36 States of the Federation and the FCT (federal capital territory) and the 774 Local Government Areas from the Federation Accounts since June 1999, up to 70% of same went into payment of salaries and allowances and debts servicing, while only 30 percent went into execution of public-interest projects. “Also, out of the total budgets of N37, 665trillion ($240billion) made by the Federal Government of Nigeria between June 1999 and 2013, N21, 7trillion (about $145billion) was spent on consumption (recurrent expenditures), while only N11.3trillion (about $70 billion) went into production (capital expenditures). The remaining sum of N4.5trillion ($28billion) was used for local and foreign debts servicing. These explain why Nigeria runs one of the costliest public governances on earth to date.” With the sobering figures, which the public office holders would definitely not care about, the conclusion is clear that the nation cannot continue on this destructive and profligate trajectory. The reality of poverty stalks the land in the midst of plenty; this issue of lack in the face of obvious abundance is something the political class must begin to address urgently. Who will pay the common man his own pension, pick up his medical bills and pay his children’s school fees. In these times of a rebased Nigerian economy, the crucial thing is how to spread the wealth the nation is supposed to have. Unfortunately, those who have

ed town but the popularity of Bamidele in Ekiti Central Senatorial District may also upset APC’s dominance in the town. The presence of political heavy weights like, Senator Clement Awoyelu, Akin Osuntokun, Tope Ademiluyi and Hon. kehinde Odebunmi of the PDP will give a strong challenge to the chairman of the APC, Chief Jide Awe, in-law of APC National Leader, Bola Tinubu, Hon. Oyetunde Ojo, and the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Wale Fapohunda who will want to maintain the status quo. Ijero THIS is an APC stronghold, but the presence of the former minister of the Police Affairs, Navy Capt. Caleb Olubolade may likely boost the strength of the PDP to give the ruling party a big challenge here. Also, PDP chieftains, Kayode Alufa and Yemi Arogundare will want to upturn the table against APC if Hon. Wunmi Ogunlola and other stalwarts of the party fail to rise to occasion. Ikole FORMER acting South-West vice chairman of the PDP, Chief Ishola Filani, the current state chairman of the PDP, Chief Makanjuola Ogundipe are among other PDP top shots that will have influence on this election, but the APC may have an edge here as the people of the area would want to repay Fayemi and his party for his support during the controversy over where to locate the Federal University in the state. Arise, as a serving senator then, wanted the varsity in his hometown of Oye-Ekiti, where the institution was eventually located. Fayemi preferred Ikole-Ekiti, which in the end got two faculties located there. Ilejemeje LIKE her neighbour, Oye, APC will benefit from the influence of the incumbent governor, Fayemi, hailing from the area. The PDP may find it difficult making a head way here, as the sentiment of the governor being from Ekiti North Senatorial District will play a big role. Moba THIS is an APC stronghold since the advent of the current democratic dispensation. It has always voted the party. In the 2007 general elections, it produced Saliu Adeoti, the late deputy speaker of Ekiti State House of Assembly and he was a strong backer of Fayemi. There are no indications that the tide has changed and the PDP may find it difficult to excel here, neither the LP that seems not to have any strong presence in the council. Gboyin THIS is the local government of former Senator Gbenga Aluko, former acting governor Tunji Odeyemi, Chief Ropo Adesanya among others of the PDP. The party is not expected to have difficulties here. Aluko won a seat into the Senate in 1999 when the whole of Southwest was dominated by the AD. He was then the only PDP senator in the region. The onslaught of the APC will be led by the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Adewale Omirin, member, House of Representatives, Bamidele Faparuyi, Paul Omotosho and Paul Abegunde. But Senator Aluko, who is believed to hold the ace, is still being doubted if he is ready to reconcile his differences with Fayose. Aluko has kept a distance and has kept many people guessing of his standing. But June 21 will decide where he belongs. Emure THE killing of the 33-year old Foluso Ogundare, a supporter of Bamidele of the LP by people suspected to be members of the APC has negatively affected the fortune of the ruling party here. It is between PDP and LP with the PDP probably having an edge. Ogundare was buried on Thursday, with Bamidele leading the funeral procession. The town is still in a mourning mood and LP has worked on the emotions to win sympathy. Nobody will be surprised if LP wins Emure, but sentiment and emotion, at times do not win election. Ekiti South East FORMER governor Biodun Olujimi and former Speaker, Femi Bamishile have great influence on the political scene in this council, with its headquarters at Omuo. But Bamishile, who is also the deputy chairman of the PDP is believed to be on his way out following the refusal of Fayose to appoint him as his running mate. Bamishile claimed that Fayose had promised him and reneged. He has been seen romancing with both the leadership of the LP and APC, while Olujimi remains a strong force capable of making the PDP smiles in this council. Ido/Osi THE recent defection of former governor Segun Oni has altered the political calculation of this local government. It used to be traditionally the home of the PDP. Even in 1999, when the Alliance for Democracy (AD) dominated the political scene of the state, the PDP still produced a member in the House of Assembly in the person of Lanre Fayemi from Ifaki-Ekiti, and now the only member of the PDP in the House of Assembly, Mrs. Oriniowo Olubunmi Anike is from the council. With Oni leading others like Senator Olu Adetunmbi, Senator Femi Aborishade and Babatunde Odetola, APC is looking good to win convincingly, no matter the threat from Prof Tunde Adeniran, Segun Ilori and Femi Akinyemi of the PDP. But the LP chieftain, Akin Olayisade has vowed to deliver the council to his party and that remains to be seen.

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

Sunday, June 8,

POLITICS

EDO POLITICAL CROSSSFIRE

Of Political Destitute And Media Specialists By Austin Nosakhare ITH the 2015 general elections fast approaching, the airwaves will understandably cackle louder and louder in the times ahead. As men and women of ideas contend for our minds so also will intellectual mercenaries pollute the space with their cant. A teaser of what the latter category is capable of seems on offer in a piece first elegantly disguised as ‘opinion’ in Sunday Guardian (June 1) and, curiously, later published as full-page advertorial in Vanguard of Tuesday (June 3). It was entitled ‘Edo APC Crisis: Beyond A Struggle For State Resources’. At the first appearance of the article in Sunday Guardian, this writer was instantly drawn to the said piece like magnet. Against the backdrop of recent development in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State, one had instinctively salivated at the prospects of savouring fresh insights on the debacle. But one sloppy paragraph after another grotesque paragraph, one could not help but finally feel duped. It was only then one bothered to check who could be so cognitively challenged to cobble such incoherent article together. Lo, it turned out to be no other than, ah!, ‘Dr. Edoba Omeregie’, introduced as ‘a politician, legal practitioner and scholar (writing) from Benin City’. (He seems ashamed or afraid to let the public know he actually operates from University of Benin, lest some self-respecting neighbours issued a disclaimer on him for bringing dishonour to that academic community on account of his political alms-begging.) Knowing this self-styled ‘analyst’ so well, one should ordinarily not have bothered to rejoin, lest one dignified a vituperation that could, at best, be described as imbecilic. But if left unchallenged, chances are that the gullible may be tempted to believe the cheap lies. From the opening to the closing sentence, the author hardly disguised his bitterness, employing an uncouth language in denigrating the person of Comrade Adams Oshiomhole. His allegations against the Edo Governor range from sheer falsehood to pure libel. I shall return to those presently. At this juncture, perhaps it is necessary to locate the source of Omoregie’s bitterness. Here is an intellectual hustler who had begged Comrade Adams Oshiomhole for a political appointment last year. He had begged his relation who is a top media executive (an Edo indigene) based in Lagos to pass on his resume to the governor to give him a lifeline. Not wanting to take chances, he also engaged another character who is among the recent decampees from APC to prevail on the governor to, in fact, appoint him Commissioner for Justice. But after due consideration, he was found unworthy of that high office. To be fair, Omoregie is not alone. He is only one of the tribe of the disgruntled who straddle the Atlantic Ocean and who, ipso facto, offer their services to those bent on reversing the march of progress in the past five and a half years in Edo. To the unsuspecting, they masquerade on the pages of newspapers as ‘experts’ and ‘analysts’ on Edo politics. There is another by name, Tony Igiehon, operating from Dallas, U.S. At a function involving Edo indigenes in Dallas last year to which Oshiomhole was invited as special guest of honour, he literally groveled at the feet of aides to set up a meeting with the Comrade Governor to market ‘a proposal’ on behalf of ‘we in the Diaspora’. Once he failed to have his way, he has since resorted to hurling funny missiles from that safe distance in US. There is another, a failed newshound, operating from a dingy warren in Lagos, whose beef is that Oshiomhole refused to ‘dash’ him senatorial ticket of Edo South in 2011. Of course, this brigade of intellectual mercenaries are currently being lavishly funded by deluded PDP godfathers hiding in Abuja whose new political strategy appears to be noise-making with a view to distracting Comrade Oshiomhole from sustaining the Edo transformation begun in 2008. It is now open secret that a heavy war chest in hard currency (which runs into hundreds of millions of naira) has been provided which is now being drawn down to prosecute the ongoing dirty campaign. Having been humiliated at the polls by the Action Governor repeatedly since 2007, they are still unwilling to accept that the days of ‘Tuke Tuke’ politics are now over for good in Edo State. In his rambling piece, Omoregie’s tantrums could be summarized into three points: the recent defection of those he falsely described

Oshiomhole

as ‘heavyweights’ was caused by Oshiomhole’s bungling of APC’s congress; the incumbent administration is wasteful in character and without focus in philosophy and that the Comrade Governor is a fascist. Let us begin from the last point. If Oshiomhole is stubborn, it is only to those who believe the people’s money should be used to settle party leaders and godfather instead of being used to alleviate the condition of the masses of Edo State. So, calling Oshiomhole a dictator or Hitler is certainly laughable indeed because even worst critics today would admit that he is people’s governor whose humility has demystified the office of the governor. Anyway, one can appreciate why some guys are envious seeing ‘Oshio Baba’ move the multitude to tears or action sometimes for hours on end with his power of oratory without a prepared text. These are men who could be described as ‘educated illiterates’ who left university with Third Class and cannot address even a family meeting today for one minute without having rehearsed for one hour. Again, one can understand why some people are not happy seeing the governor being mobbed and hailed as ‘action man’ by ordinary folks on the streets in Edo State. Of course, these are cowards who dare not enter Edo or move about today without a battalion of riot cops for fear of being stoned by the people who have not forgotten those who looted Edo treasury until Oshiomhole came on board. On the issue of prudence and focus, Oshiomhole is certainly an exemplar. From the ground zero the Comrade Governor met Edo in November 2008 after the nine-year rape by PDP, the people’s governor has since changed the narrative. Perhaps, we only need to look at a few indicators. With the little he received from Abuja, Oshiomhole has built over 1,000 kilometres of road, rebuilt hundreds of public schools, given water to the thirsty and brought medicare to the poor in the remotest villages.

It is very cheap to seek to confuse the debate over the rehabilitation of public schools in Edo. It is public knowledge that SUPEB involves counter-funding. Being a sensible man, Oshiomhole surely realized way back in 2008 the stupidity in failing to provide your own share, thus forfeiting FG’s. But that commonsense was not so common before the Comrade Governor assumed office, as successive PDP administrations had stupidly left FG’s contribution idle in the bank. So, the question Omoregie failed to answer is why his paymasters hated the Edo child so much that they looted the treasury bare to the extent that there was nothing left to match the FG’s grant. So, why begrudge Oshiomhole for being sensible enough to match FG’s grant and use the receipt judiciously in fixing public schools for the Edo child. Today, in the South-South zone, Edo is the least earner in terms of federal allocation. But through prudent management, Oshiomhole has been able to make every kobo count for Edo people. Thank God, even Finance Minister, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, recently unveiled ten biggest earners in the country. Edo never featured in that exclusive club. Four states controlled by PDP in the region featured among the first five. Yet, unbiased assessors today are agreed that Edo has more on the ground to show for the pittance it has received. So much that even reputable world bodies like the World Bank have since resolved to support the Oshiomhole administration with either grants or soft loans to improve the human condition in Edo State. Lastly, it is disingenuous for Omoregie to claim that some ‘political Almajiris’ like Osagie Ize-Iyamu, Abubakar Momoh, Tony Omoaghe and others left Edo APC on account of the undemocratic temper of the governor. Nothing could be more fallacious. The truth is that they left because of greed and inordinate ambition. Momoh, who is currently representing Etsakor

Today, in the South-South zone, Edo is the least earner in terms of federal allocation. But through prudent management, Oshiomhole has been able to make every kobo count for Edo people. Thank God, even Finance Minister, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, recently unveiled ten biggest earners in the country. Edo never featured in that exclusive club. Four states controlled by PDP in the region featured among the first five. Yet, unbiased assessors today are agreed that Edo has more on the ground to show for the pittance it has received

at the House of Reps, is Etsakor like the governor. Even though his constituents are agreed that he has largely been a dozing benchwarmer at the House of Reps since 2011, he now wants to be ‘promoted’ to the senate. Whipping clan sentiments, he wants the governor to impose him on the Edo North Senatorial Zone as APC candidate. The incumbent senator, Domingo Obende, is of Akoko Edo stock. The incumbent SSG, the cerebral Professor Julius Ihonvbere, has also indicated interest in the ticket. But being a man of equity, Oshiomhole insists there must be a level-playing field for all aspirants. In-between his litany of comical lies, the impression Omoregie created was that Oshiomhole’s cabinet had almost emptied on account of ‘big men’ who resigned. Nothing could be further from the truth. At the last check, all the men and women who matter in the Oshiomhole administration were still at their various desks in Benin City. A couple of guys who resigned were either moles or political slaves who decided to follow their master. In real terms, they added no value to the administration. As for Omoaghe, he wanted the governor to anoint him as the new state chairman of APC. But Oshiomhole said the contest must be thrown open to all. But Omoaghe was afraid of defeat. Soon, he bolted out of the window. Again, it is quite instructive that while Omoaghe has since been nudging people to desert Oshiomhole, he is yet to inform his two daughters appointed Special Assistants to the Governor last year to also resign. Indeed, when the going was good, he was asked to nominate two people from Esan land to fill the posts. But he chose to bring only his biological kids. As for Ize-Iyamu, the Secretary to the State Government in the Lucky Igbinedion administration, it is all about his naked desperation to realize a governorship ambition that is more than ten years old. He had refused entreaties to have consensus candidates for the party offices at the ward and council levels. Like the Shakespearean Macbeth, he was blinded by ambition. His cold calculation: seize the party structure from the ward to the state level and use same as a springboard to the governorship ticket come 2016 and resume the debauchery halted abruptly in 2008. He boasted on the election eve that his candidates would sweep the stakes. But on the DDay, his candidates were beaten hands down. Only then did he start to accuse the Comrade Governor of being ‘undemocratic’ and calling his benefactors unprintable names. Anyone familiar with Edo political history will readily recall that this was the exact scenario that had played out exactly ten years ago when overambitious Ize-Iyamu, then SSG, began to nurse the illusion that he could succeed Lucky Igbinedion come 2007. But once he saw signs he was headed for a dead-end, he teamed up with others similarly disgruntled under the canopy of ‘Grace Group’ and began to abuse Chief Tony Anenih with the slogan ‘No Man Is God’. Anyone in doubt should read the interview granted last month by Lucky Igbinedion widely published by the Nigerian media to mark his 57th birthday. In the May 13 edition of the Vanguard, the former governor clearly stated that the warm relationship he had enjoyed with Anenih was strained by some saboteurs within his administration. He said it was his dream all along to hand over to an Esan man in consonance with a ‘gentleman’s agreement’ but the ‘enemies within’ soon set the proverbial cat among pigeons. Hear him on page 40 of that edition of Vanguard: ‘we said after eight years of a Bini man, an Esan man should be governor. I stood firmly on that ground. But some people in government, unknown to me, had different ideas. They started causing factionalisation within the party. People started calling some unholy names… These are people who had governorship ambition.’ Poor Igbinedion. He had trusted Ize-Iyamu too much and empowered him such that he soon morphed into the de facto governor because Igbinedion was not around most of the time; only for the SSG to stab him in the back like Judas. One can appreciate Omoregie’s plight and the need to survive. But he ought to realize that hunger is not enough reason to swallow poison or a justification to sip contaminated water from an open septic pit. Defiance has dire consequences. He is far too discredited to offer an honest analysis on the Edo APC debacle.

Nosakhare, a doctoral student of the Ambrose Alli Univer-

Sunday, June 8, 2014

THE GUARDIAN

www.ngrguardiannews.com

POLITICS

Imperative Note For Delegates At The National Conference By Sydney Dike The Historic Facts HEN the British encountered Africans in what has become Southern Nigeria, they demanded that the indigenous nations should sign up treaties of protection. The indigenous nations of the south resisted the British because they needed to know what they were being protected from. The indigenous people who resisted the British people and their Treaties of Protection were invaded with the British Military might until they were forced to submit to the British authority. It must be noted that the various tribes signed these Protectorate Treaties independently and at various times and most of the time under duress. The British found the Igbo Nation absolutely difficult in signing their desired Treaties of Protection. This unmanageable perception of the Igbo nation arose from the fact that every Igbo at that time insisted on being consulted in every matter that would involve their interest and that of their children. In several instances, the people perceived by the white men as leaders who signed the documents were the ones who sought the white men to return their documents to them following disagreements among the natives soon after the signing ceremonies were thought to have been concluded. The white men found themselves having to start fresh negotiations in several places. The British had marked the Easterners and the Igbo in particular as being stubborn and must be punished and that was why the British had to confront the Igbo with Constant Military actions. The eventual conquest of Igbo land took the British close to thirty years. British fighting force against the Igbo land consisted mainly of the Royal Niger Company’s forces, made up of several Africans from Ghana, Hausa land, as well as the Yoruba, led by five Europeans. Particular interest is the invasion of Arochukwu in 1902 and the invasion of Ameke Item in 1907. These two invasions comprised of about 3,500 African force recruited from various tribes and led by 75 white officers. After such kings and warrant chiefs were installed the Igbo did not give them the anticipated acceptance and recognitions. They were simply known and treated as the “white man’s kings and chiefs”. They did not get the type of acceptance, respect and authority expected by the British “Protectors” and this further marked the people and their descendant as stubborn and must be punished. But one would have expected the colonialists, who at that time were already very advanced in anthropology and sociology, to have understood the republican nature of the natives whom they encountered and were offering unsolicited protection and to have treated them with respect, rather than mark them out for punishment which several generations thereafter are still serving. What is wrong in consultations not to talk of consensus? The punishment started when Igwe Ocha was renamed Port Harcourt and Igwenga became Opobo, Ubani became Bonny and Jojo became Jaja. Onocha became Onitsha, Oka became Awka, Enu-ugwu became Enugu, Owerre became Owerri and Abakeleke became Abakaliki. It must be noted that some Nigerians are in denial when it comes to this policy of reward and punishment. The question then is: How come in the pre war Eastern Nigeria, the minorities made up 33 per cent of the population of then Eastern region. The same minorities in present day Eastern Nigerian comprise of four states namely – Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Rivers and Bayelsa states, while the 67 per cent comprises of five states namely Abia, Imo, Ebonyi, Enugu and Anambra states. Where are the equity, fairness and justice in this calculation? Some argue that the 67 per cent should even be grateful, noting that in the past it was worse when it was East Central State that made up the 67 per cent while the 33 per cent had South East with capital at Calabar and Rivers with capital at Port Harcourt. Those in favour of this conspiracy theory of punishment also point to the original map of East Central State as was created by General Yakubu Gowon, which crossed the Imo River on one axis and extended almost to Elele on the other axis. Why did the government of General Obasanjo unilaterally declare most of the area as “no man’s land” targeting the enormous hydrocarbon deposits in those areas and no questions were asked? There was this very popular question raised by Rt. Hon. Dr M.I. Okpara, which nobody has attempted to

which was their economic interest. The National Conference should visit the policy of Reward and Punishment, exercised by the Colonial Masters with a clear intent of building a successful Nigeria, based on justice, equity and fairness. It may be necessary to visit the public confessions of Harold Smith in 2005, whose duty post was Nigeria with very clear mandate. In his words and analysis, he said, ” when we assessed Nigeria, this was what we found in the Southern Nigeria: A people of strength, intelligence, determination to succeed, well established history, complex but focused lifestyle with great hope and aspiration. The East in addition is good in business and technology; the West is good in administration, commerce, law and medicine. The North we found submissive….” The North was to have been persuaded to accept amalgamation on the condition that the principle of separate regional development be enshrined in every constitution and that it should have nearly 50 per cent of seats in the Legislature. The North used the threat of pulling out of Nigeria in 1944, 1947, 1952 and 1959. Gowon even used it in 1967. Hear Harold Smith again: “The North negotiated for power with skill and tact and got their wish and their wish has become an inbuilt feature in the Nigerian politics.” Harold Smith also said, “the population of the North has never been greater than that of the South but in order to give the North the required majority vote in the central government, we still gave the North 55 million instead of 32 million. The census result was announced before they were counted, this was to be used to maintain their majority votes and future power bid. Their traditional rulers were to be made influential and to look super human. The North was seriously encouraged to go into the military because we believed that even as the south would attain western education but the future leaders would always come from the military background.” Religious Question On the issue of Religion, I can assert that since 1534 when the King of England, Henry Viii, deDike clared himself head of Church of England principally because he was looking for a male heir to his throne, the world is still being maThe amalgamation of 1914 should be re-engineered towards amalgamating the citizens of nipulated in the name of religion. This part of the world, except for Buddhism, Nigeria is Nigeria and the peoples of this great country together and closer irrespective of their cullargely influenced by Christianity, Islam and tural, religious, social and linguistic differences. Our delegates in the current conference Judaism. should be educated by the fact that the Colonial masters could not have contemplated These three religions have their source from the same place and in fact, the same people. amalgamating the people for obvious reasons. If they amalgamated the people of Nigeria, is a product of message from God or allowed the people to develop such a union of progress it would have resulted to a great Christianity to mankind principally for the Jews by Jesus threat to the Protectorate, which was their economic interest Christ. Judaism also is a message to mankind traceable to Abraham and Moses and for the same Jewish world. In the same vein Islam answer, not then, and not even in the present: word they were very patriotic and strictly did could be traced to the beginning of the Islamic every thing in the interest of their country. It “Is politics and development for people or for calendar precisely June 25th of 622 AD and is must be noted that between 1895 and 1914, land mass?” message from Allah to mankind through Major Lugard sent a whole lot of memos span- Prophet Mohammed for the same Middle East The main reason for punishing the Easterners is their daring to declare the Republic of Bi- ning a variety of topics including those he People. afra and fighting for survival in their territory, could not have been specialist in. Africa existed very much beyond the coming Talking of protectorates, every Nigerian having been failed by the larger Nigeria. of Christianity and Islam and their religion should be aware that the race for what is The West, and particularly the Yoruba, was throughout Africa were basically Animists. known as Nigeria today by Britain was only to Africans practiced Nature-worship. When Eualso marked for punishment but at different serve the interest of Great Britain. Two key factimes and for different reasons. The first rearopeans and Arabs who already had knowltors must be noted by those trying to repair son being the resistance by the Lagos indiedge of other religions encountered African Nigeria today. The contents of the memos genes in 1851 that led to the invasion of Lagos spirituality and mode of worship, their impasent to the Order-in-Council in London are the tience led them for want of any dignifying by John Beecroft supported by Christian miskey to the genesis of past and present probsionaries at Badagry. term to describe it as African Traditional Relilems in Nigeria. This assault was due to Beecroft’s eagerness gion. It should be noted that in 1861 the Yoruba nato control trade in the West. This conquest All the three religions that seem to have influmade Lagos to become a British colony in 1851. tion had recorded the first Yoruba lawyer enced Nigerians most, preach peace, Hell fire called to bar that year and that the Igbo in Some school of thought consider John and Heaven. The heartbeat of these religions is 1835 had produced a Surgeon Major as the Beecroft the British counsel at the Bight of Bithe desire for heaven on one hand and the fear first West African Medical Doctor in the perafra from 1849 to 1854, while others hold him of Hell fire on the other. The bold message beson of James Horton, born in Sierra Leone of as part of Royal Niger Company’s Officers. Afing that if you kill or maim others in the perIgbo parentage after Equiano Olauda in 1757 ter the East Indian Company and the Royal formance of Religious duties that Heaven had become Author, Poet and Scientific naviEast African Company, Major Lugard further awaits you even if you get killed in the process. gator. Also after the arrival of Hope Waddell transferred to Royal Niger Company from Surprisingly the interpreters simply aver that in 1846, of Church of Scotland Mission in 1895, doing otherwise, Hell and eternal fire awaits where he finally transferred to the services of the Hope Waddell Institute, Calabar, was althe British Government. It is important to you. ready an accredited school populated by the note that between 1894 and 1898, Major LuIn effort to achieving political rulership usentire people of Eastern part of what became ing this camouflage, the Interpreters have capgard was to form a two thousand strong solthe Southern Protectorate. dier to be known as West African frontier italized on a very strong tool of not opening The amalgamation of 1914 should be re-engi- the minds of their followers through educaforce. neered towards amalgamating the citizens of tion. They prefer to be the ones that will go to At this point, I must point out to my readers Nigeria and the peoples of this great country school including their families, and use the acthat this is not a history piece, but this is very necessary in understanding the complexity of together and closer irrespective of their culquired education to hold their followers to tural, religious, social and linguistic differNigeria’s problems that did not start just yeshook, line and sinker beliefs. ences. Our delegates in the current terday, but could be traced to some of the If religion should be a personal phenomeconference should be educated by the fact dates earlier mentioned, particularly non, will there be need to encourage mosques that the Colonial masters could not have con- and chapels in government houses? Should 1851,1861,1884,1894 and 1898. I agree that Lutemplated amalgamating the people for obvi- Nigeria National holidays follow the various gard should be celebrated, but my concern is ous reasons. If they amalgamated the people in what context. Was Lugard an Imperialist? religious calendar and their days of obligaof Nigeria, or allowed the people to develop The answer lies in what a good number of tions? The state of Nigeria should make every such a union of progress it would have reBritish soldiers, sailors, businessmen, politieffort not to interfer in matters of religion. sulted to a great threat to the Protectorate, cians and even missionaries stood for. In one

Sunday, June 8, 2014 61

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INTERNATIONAL POLITICS

The ‘World’ Gathers Without Russia By Oghogho Obayuwana, Foreign Affairs Editor HEN the club of the world’s most industrialised countries was formed in 1975, it was a six-nation body. Canada and Russia were the last to be admitted. Today the Group of eight (G8) has shrunk a little further. As it met in Belgium last week, it referred to itself as the Group of Seven (G7). This kind of nomenclature metamorphosis had to happen with the suspension of Russia in March this year following Moscow’s role Ukraine. Now, leaders of France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom (UK) and the United States (US) have threatened to impose more sanctions on Russia if the Eastern European country remains intransigent over happenings in Ukraine. Access to financial services, wide ranging restrictions for officials as well as a freeze in economic cooperation are some of the sanctions already imposed by the European Union (EU) as well as the United States (US) on Russia following Moscow’s role Ukraine. Among its crippling effects, the existing sanctions target seven top Russian government officials and politicians and four Crimea-based separatist leaders accused of undermining the democratic processes and institutions in Ukraine. The leaders did not mince words in announcing that further sanctions are to be expected. Russia got the snub from the other members of the group which insisted that they would not be meeting in the originally planned Russian city of Sochi in protest of Moscow’s perceived arms twisting tactic in Ukraine over Crimea. The Brussels summit is the first since Russia was expelled from the group following its annexation of Crimea in March, even though there was also a convergence at The Hague earlier. Somehow, the Russian debacle became the big pie on the flip side of an agenda that has trade, climate change and development. And both the body language and pronouncements made in Brussels point to the elevation of the need to collectively resolve the Russia-Ukraine crisis into the centre of the main business of the group. And this may remain so in the months ahead. The Fire Works This Time In the increasing Isolation of Russia, the salvos first came in form of a joint statement condemning Moscow for its “continuing violation” of Ukraine’s sovereignty. Now, from Agencies reports, we saw that although Russian President Vladimir Putin was not at the Brussels summit, he is expected hold face-to-face talks with some G7 leaders - not including US President Barack Obama - in Paris afterwards. What is more, both Putin and Obama were billed to attend a ceremony commemorating the 70th anniversary of the D-Day landings in France last Friday, being part of the events that eventually led to the neutralisation of Adolf Hitler’s power and the end of the Second World War. Returning to the fire works, President Obama in Brussels warned Moscow against what he called the “dark tactics” of Russia in Ukraine. But in response to the G7 statement on Ukraine, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev accused the world leaders of “cynicism without limit” for calling the Ukrainian government’s military campaign against separatists in the east “measured action”. “We are united in condemning the Russian Federation’s continuing violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine,” they said in a joint statement. Riding further on this, German Chancellor Angela Merkel told journalists: “We can’t afford a further destabilisation of Ukraine.” “We have made clear that we want to continue with our three-step approach - support Ukraine in economic issues, talks with Russia, and should there no progress on all those issues... the possibility of sanctions, tougher sanctions, remains on the table,” she added. The sparks have been flying relentlessly. While in Warsaw to mark 25 years since the fall of communism in Poland, President Obama condemned what he called Russian “aggression” in eastern Ukraine and said: “We stand together now and forever, for your freedom is ours... “How can we allow the dark tactics of the 20th Century to define the 21st?” He asked. Trying to consolidate the friendship of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) with eastern Europe’s main men, Obama also met Ukraine’s President-elect Petro Poroshenko in Warsaw, and pledged $5m (£3m) of military assistance to Kiev including body armour and nightvision goggles. Poroshenko, a billionaire sweet manufacturer, was elected in May. He is expected to be at the D-Day commemorations ahead of his

inauguration on Saturday. He too has said he would not rule out meeting Mr Putin. Conflicting Signals And Eyebrow Raising Events On Ground On ground in Ukraine, separatist rebels mid last week took two military bases in the eastern region of Luhansk. The chairman of the Donetsk People’s Republic told the world that there was a full-scale civil war going on in Ukraine. Separatists seized a border guard base after days of combat, and a National Guard base after an attack, which began on Tuesday. And so, fighting continued near the towns of Krasny Liman and Sloviansk in neighbouring Donetsk region. Ukrainian sources say rebels are trying to break out of encirclements by government forces. In the months leading to last week’s meeting, Russia had dismissed the earlier G8 snub prior to G7 leaders meeting to discuss tactics. Western countries and Japan have suspended their 16-year collaboration with Russia in the G8 group in response to the annexation of Crimea. They also threatened sweeping sanctions in the event of any Russian military moves in the region. These decisions also have a bearing on the confrontations on ground in Ukraine. Today, a NATO chief has warned that Russian troops poised to move into another former Soviet territory and pro-Russian enclave of Moldova heightening fears that Russia could claw back a second chunk of former Soviet territory in Europe. About a third of Transdniester’s half-million people are said to be ethnic Russians, many of who want to return to rule from Moscow. To this day, the streets of the capital, Tiraspol, are decked out with statues of Lenin and other symbols of the Soviet Union, of which Moldova was a member until its break-up in 1991. Yet, Russian was brought into the G8 in 1998 to seal east-west co-operation and lay the cold war to rest. Who Blinks First? Russia has continued to dismiss the G8 snub before the G7 leaders began discussing new tactics over the Ukraine problem. Yes, Western countries and Japan have suspended their 16year collaboration with Russia in the G8 group in response to the annexation of Crimea and yes also heavier, sweeping sanctions are being threatened in the event of any Russian military

moves in the region. The move, a clear and deliberate break from the post-Soviet status quo, has been interpreted as something intended to underline Russian isolation. In The Hague Declaration, the G7 leaders had said with some flowery resolve that they would convene without Russia in Brussels. The declaration maintained that Russia’s actions were not consistent with the “shared beliefs and shared responsibilities” that had made the formation of the G8 possible. Later, as Russian troops appeared to mass on Ukraine’s eastern border, the G7 statement hinted at much broader sanctions if Russia made further expansionist moves. “We remain ready to intensify actions including co-coordinated sectoral sanctions that will have an increasingly significant impact on the Russian economy, if Russia continues to escalate this situation,” they threatened. Now how real are those threats? Who blinks first now? Russian foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov has continuously shrugged off the loss of G8 membership as being inconsequential. “The G8 is an informal club, with no formal membership, so no one can be expelled from it. If our western partners believe that such format is no longer needed, so be it. We aren’t clinging for that format and we won’t see a big problem if there are no such meetings for a year, or a year-and-half,” said Lavrov after his first meeting with his Ukrainian counterpart, Andrii Deshchytsia, at the margins of the global Nuclear Security Summit in The Hague, Netherlands. Then the Ukrainian embassy in The Hague said in its account of the meeting: “Russia has no intention of using military force in the eastern and southern regions of Ukraine. The two sides agreed to hold emergency consultations at the level of the ministries of foreign affairs and the ministries of defence of both countries in the case of exacerbation of the situation.” How true is this holding? In the wee hours before the Hague meeting for instance, British prime minister David Cameron said that Britain and its NATO allies would help bolster the defences of the alliance’s Baltic members, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, who have Russian minorities and which fear destabilisation by Moscow. President Obama himself also sought to deepen Russian isolation in a meeting in The Hague

Russia has continued to dismiss the G8 snub before the G7 leaders began discussing new tactics over the Ukraine problem. Yes, Western countries and Japan have suspended their 16-year collaboration with Russia in the G8 group in response to the annexation of Crimea and yes also heavier, sweeping sanctions are being threatened in the event of any Russian military moves in the region.

with the Chinese president, Xi Jinping, in which he asked that Beijing at least maintain its stance of neutrality in the standoff and continue to reaffirm its commitment to the rule of international law and non-interference in the affairs of sovereign states. White House officials acknowledged that Xi had given little by way of formal response to the request, but the Chinese leader appeared to go out of his way to emphasise a warm and personal relationship with Barack Obama, heaping praise on the US president’s wife and daughters who have just visited China and jokingly conveyed Michelle Obama’s greetings to her husband. Yet, the US deputy national security adviser, Ben Rhodes, also stressed that the crisis was not a return to the cold war, because this time Moscow is standing virtually alone. “The fact is Russia is leading no bloc of countries. There’s no ideological entity, like communism, that Russia is leading that has global appeal,” Politics Of Suspension, Way Forward A regime does not spend $50 billion on the Olympics if it does not care about its international reputation,” was one of the interesting barbed responses given by Canadian leader Stephen Harper to Russia’s suspension over the annexation of Crimea from Ukraine, and the presence of thousands of Russian troops who massed near Ukraine’s eastern border. Now, president Barack Obama has said in Brussels: “If Russia’s provocation continues, the G7 nations are ready to impose additional costs” Referring to a certain Wild east, Leaders of the G7 industrial nations are now urging Russia to begin talks with the new leadership in Kiev to end the crisis in eastern Ukraine. Both US President Barack Obama and UK PM David Cameron said Moscow must recognise Petro Poroshenko, who has just taken office as president of the troubled country even as the EU has defended Ukraine’s “constitutional right” to restore order in the east. They in turn also called on Russia to stop interfering in Ukraine and take steps to de-escalate the situation. But meanwhile, fighting is continuing in eastern Ukraine, with reports of an attack on a border post in Donetsk region. A convoy of vehicles carrying pro-Russian separatists breached the border near the Marynivka checkpoint, the Ukrainian border guard service said. And this new attack is coming a day after rebels seized a border guard base in neighbouring Luhansk region after days of combat. When the G7 rose, UK Prime Minister David Cameron stressed the need for Russia should “seize the opportunity” provided by the change of leadership in Kiev, and make necessary compromises. Should this be the way forward for the conflict in Ukraine? Would the flurry over the D-Day commemorations signal signs that Russia’s Putin may become more accommodating? And can this translate into a real change in policy? The world waits what next as Putin holds bilateral talks with European leaders, including Mr Cameron, in Paris.

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Sunday, June 8, 2014

GRASSROOTS

NEMA Develops Humanitarian Response Plan for Chibok By Gbenga Akinfenwa

S the Federal A Government intensifies efforts towards rescuing the abducted Chibok schoolgirls, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has con-

NATIONAL vened a meeting of humanitarian stakeholders to develop a suitable response plan for the social re-integration of the girls and appropriate supports to affected communities.

Addressing stakeholders in Abuja, Director General of NEMA, Alhaji Muhammad Sani Sidi, said the agency is expected to validate a draft humanitarian response plan for the Chibok schoolgirls and to

build synergy as well as strengthen coordination mechanism for humanitarian assistance. He informed that while the Federal Government is working towards the safe release of the abducted girls and reuniting them

to their families, it is important that a sectorial response plan be prepared for their rehabilitation and re-integration back to normal life. He further said that the objective of the meeting is to integrate all plans into one holistic multisector response plan to avoid duplication of efforts, strengthen interagency collaboration and mobilise supports toward humanitarian challenges being faced by the residents of Chibok local council. Revealing that NEMA has already commenced humanitarian intervention in the community, the Director General observed that the people

need essential commodities, hence the call for collective action in the priority sectors of protection, health, education, food, water and sanitation as well as provision of durable solutions. Also speaking, the Resident Coordinator of the United Nations in Nigeria, Mr. Dauda Toure, urged the stakeholders to support NEMA by making useful contribution towards its initiatives. The Chairman of Chibok local council, who was represented by Mr. Musa Elijah Kolo, requested for speedy rescue of the abducted girls, rehabilitation and upgrading of public infrastructure in the area.

Akinwusi; Failure To Pay Salaries, Pensions, Unfair By Omiko Awa OCIAL Democratic Party (SDP) chieftain in Osun State, Mr. Olusegun Akinwusi has described as an act of terrorism any government that has withheld or refused to pay workers salaries and pensions of retirees promptly. Akinwusi at a rally held during the week in Osogbo stated that public servants deserve to be paid their wages on time to enable them cater for their basic needs and that of their families and refusal by any government to pay its workers as at when due is not only wicked but deadly. According to him, salary of workers should be first charge in allocation of funds and if government draws salaries and pension from the Federation Account, then, no one has any reason not to pay public servants their remunerations. The SDP candidate, who berated the All Progressives Congress (APC) administration in the state for its attitude towards workers, disclosed that pensions and gratuities are provided for in the budget under the Consolidated Revenue Fund, just as security votes. He stated that while governors quickly deduct their security votes, they ignored senior citizens some of who are too old to provide for themselves, adding that salaries and pensions are not privileges, but rights. “If you are above 65 years, the tendency is there for you to be nursing one ailment or

Locals picking maize during harvest at Kaboji, Niger State.

Dickson Spends N720m On Elder’s Welfare By Gbenga Akinfenwa

OR the successful implementation of its welfare Fprogramme for the elderly, the Bayelsa State government disclosed that it currently spends about N65 million monthly, to cater for aged people, who have attained 70 years and above. Governor Seriake Dickson disclosed that the beneficiaries belong to the vulnerable group in the society. While reaffirming his administration’s commitment to improving the quality of life of the people, the governor assured that more policies empowerment would soon be rolled out to drive the human capacity

BAYELSA building process. Describing the elderly programme as novel in the history of the state, he noted; “One of the sections of our population that has been ignored before now are old people. All of us, you will agree with me are praying to grow old. We have a situation where, because of economic realities, people have to migrate from the villages to the urban areas to look for greener pastures and most of our parents and relations that are old are just left in the communities. That is not good. “I believe government must be committed to the welfare

of the individual, especially the most vulnerable in society. So, I thought that we should have a welfare programme that should attend to these people. We are trying to do something for the women as well.” He noted that the programme is just a precursor to a more robust programme of empowerment policy that will unfold, adding that for the aged, who are 70 years and above, they are presently being paid N5, 000 every month and government spends N60m to N65m every month. “That is a huge amount, because if you multiply N60m or N65m by the 12 months plus administrative

Gov Ajimobi Restates Transition Committee Chairmen By Omiko Awa

HE leadership and members of the All Progressives T Congress (APC) in four local government councils of Oyo zone, Oyo State, have commended Governor Abiola Ajimobi for returning the four transition committee chairmen of Afijio, Atiba, Oyo West and Oyo East local government councils.

This was contained in a statement issued to The Guardian and signed by Chief Akin Ojebode, an APC Chieftain in the zone. In the statement, Ojebode described the return of the Caretaker Chairmen as a further testimony to Governor Ajimobi’s efforts to bring the dividends of democracy to the people of the sTate. He appealed to the people of

the state to support the governor so as not to return the state back to its dark days when it wallowed under inept leadership. While congratulating the Caretaker Chairmen, Ojebode urged them to see their re-appointment as an act of God and should therefore use the opportunity for giving selfless service to their people.

cost, you find out that we are spending about N720m in a year. The state government has also re-launched the Bayelsa Volunteers, a community based intelligencegathering unit as part of its youth empowerment programme,” he said. According to the governor, about 1,000 youths would be recruited as initial intake to kick-start the programme. “The volunteer programme will start with 1,000 youths and they will earn N15, 000 monthly. They will be selected through a rigorous process, which will be community based. An orientation course will be organised for them and they will have to stay in their communities.

OSUN the other and you need money for drugs. But if a retiree cannot get his or her pension on time, this can lead to untimely death and several people had lost their lives in such circumstances. This is an act of terrorism committed by people in power. “We are being terrorised in Nigeria now by Boko Haram, governors who refuse to pay salaries of workers and pensions are worst than Boko Haram. Do you know how many innocent Nigerians that have lost their lives waiting for pensions? We need to chase out any governor in this category,” he stated. He regretted that the state governor, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola still had time to dance around the state and continuously waste huge resources through his rallies for re-election at a time when workers and pensioners in the state have not received their pay in the last three months. “Today, tertiary institution staff have been on strike in the state for over six months, many retirees have not received their gratuities, pensions and salaries are not promptly paid,” he stated. Akinwusi promised that SDP government will change the trend with improved welfare packages for all public servants in the state. “I know where to start. I know what to do and I am surrounded by technocrats, who are ready to help us deliver good governance,” he said.

Gov Ajimobi Restates Transition Committee Chairmen By Omiko Awa HE leadership and members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in four local government councils of Oyo zone, Oyo State, have commended Governor Abiola Ajimobi for returning the four transition committee chairmen of Afijio, Atiba, Oyo West and Oyo East local government councils.

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Sunday, June 8, 2014

Conscience, Nurtured by Truth

Sharapova Beats Halep To Win French Open ARIA Sharapova drew on M her fighting spirit once again to beat Simona Halep in a dramatic final and win her second French Open title. The Russian came through 64, 6-7 (5-7), 6-4 in three hours and two minutes at Roland Garros. It was the fourth match in a row that saw Sharapova clinch victory in a final set. She has now won five Grand Slam titles, taking her to joint-11th on the all-time list alongside Martina Hingis. “This is the toughest Grand Slam final I have ever played and all respect to Simona, she played an unbelievable match today,” said Sharapova. Halep, 22, might have been playing in her first Grand Slam final but she pushed the former world number to the limit. Sharapova had been a study in intensity throughout the fortnight in Paris, happy to take on the mantle of favourite after Serena Williams’ early exit, and in the end her will to win pulled her through as much as her ability. Five games in a row put her

Russia’s Maria Sharapova holds the Suzanne Lenglen trophy yesterday.

in control of a high quality first set that lasted 57 minutes, as her weight of shot just held the balance of power over Halep’s speed of foot. But the Romanian fourth seed was fighting back in the latter stages and did so again in the second set, the pace and angles she created keeping Sharapova off balance. Halep won a stunning rally at 4-4, deuce, that had the crowd chanting “Simona! Simona!” - not for the last time - but she was broken straight back thanks to a cruel net cord and it came down to a tie-break. It looked as though the experience of Sharapova, playing in her ninth Grand Slam final, was about to tell when she moved 5-3 ahead, but under constant pressure from Halep she produced four errors in a row. For the first time since 2001, the French Open women’s final would require a final set, and the Court Philippe Chatrier erupted as they played on into a third hour. There was a time violation for Sharapova early in the decider as her fragile serve became an ever-lengthier process, and she let a lead slip for the second time in the set with a double fault at 4-3. Halep might have felt it was her moment, but Sharapova has learnt to move on swiftly from such errors. She played a brilliant return game, backhand and forehand winners taking her 5-4 in front, and as the match time passed three hours dug deep to at last find a clinical service game. The Russian thumped away a drive volley to earn three match points and then sent down a serve that Halep could only return into the tramlines, as Sharapova willed it to drop wide.

Injury Knocks Out Germany’s Reus ERMANY midfielder, Marco Reus has been ruled out of the World Cup with Sampdoria defender, Shkodran Mustafi called up to replace him. The Borussia Dortmund midfielder tore ankle ligaments in Germany’s final World Cup warm-up match against Armenia on Friday night. The German Football Association announced yesterday morning that the 25year-old faces a lay-off of seven to eight weeks, meaning he will not be fit for the World Cup. “It’s extremely regrettable both for him and for us,” said Germany coach Joachim Low yesterday. “Marco was in top form and he had made a fantastic impression during our training camp and in both our games against Cameroun and Armenia. “You could just see how much he was enjoying his football. He had played a key role in our qualification for Brazil.” Instead, Sampdoria defender

Mustafi will be boarding the plane with the rest of the Germany squad to Brazil. “It was not about finding a like-for-like replacement for Marco,” Low continued. “We have a great deal of quality in that position behind the forwards. “We’ve got enough alternatives with Lukas Podolski, Andre Schurrle, Mario Gotze, Thomas Muller, Mesut Ozil, Julian Draxler and Toni Kroos. “That is why we have chosen an extra option for the defence. Shkodran impressed us during our training camp, he’s fit and we have faith in him. We know we can rely on him 100 per cent.” Reus will not require surgery, but will spend the next two months receiving treatment in Dortmund in a bid to be fit for the start of the 2014/15 Bundesliga season at the end of August. Mustafi has been capped only once, playing the full 90 minutes of Germany’s 0-0 draw against Poland last month having impressed in Serie A last season.

Nigeria’s Elderson Echiejile heads the ball during the international friendly match against Greece at PPL Arena on Tuesday.

PHOTOS: AFP

World Cup

Uzoenyi To Replace Injured Echiejile By Adeyinka Adedipe and Ezeocha Nzeh (Abuja) HE Nigeria Football T Federation (NFF) has officially written to FIFA to drop injured Elderson Echiejile for Rangers’ forward Ejike Uzoenyi. NFF media director, Ademola Olajire, who confirmed this to The Guardian yesterday said that Uzoenyi, who was adjudged the best player at the African Nations Championship (CHAN), would leave for USA immediately. Earlier, Super Eagles coach, Stephen Keshi, said he would seek better medical opinion before deciding whether injured Echiejile will make it to the Brazil 2014 World Cup.

The defender was absent from the team’s training on Friday fuelling speculation that the AS Monaco player might miss the Mundial. Echiejile copped the injury in the friendly game against Greece on Tuesday and a scan carried out on the player was inconclusive. Speaking on the scan on Echiejile, Keshi said he was still waiting for a better medical opinion to enable him take a decision. “We don’t have to rush things, we are talking of the World Cup; not just any other competition, so we have to be careful on what we say or do regarding our top players”, Keshi said after Friday evening’s training.

Top stars like Franck Ribery of France, Marco Reus, Riccardo Montolivo are already out of the Brazil 2014 football competition due to injuries, while Portugal’s skipper, Cristiano Ronaldo, is still recuperating from an injury he copped while on duty for his Spanish team, Real Madrid. Echiejile is the only recognisable left back in the team and his absence is be a big blow for the Nigerian team. Meanwhile, the Eagles camp in Jacksonville, United States (U.S.) was thrown into ecstasy on Friday when goalkeeper, Austin Ejide, disclosed to his teammates that his wife, Chito, has given birth to a baby girl in Chicago, also in the U.S.

Again, Recuperating Ronaldo Misses Tune-up Match Portugal forIwasNJURED ward, Cristiano Ronaldo again forced to sit out

a World Cup warm-up match as his side earned a late win against Mexico. The Real Madrid attacker, 29, is suffering with tendinosis in his knee and also missed the draw with Greece. Bruno Alves’s 93rd-minute header gave Portugal a win over their fellow World Cup finalists. Portugal coach, Paulo Bento said he “does not know” if Ronaldo will be fit for their World Cup opener on 16 June. The Portuguese begin their campaign in Brazil against Germany, before matches against Group D rivals USA and Ghana. Ronaldo’s final chance to prove his fitness before the tournament comes in a warm-up game against Republic of Ireland on Wednesday.

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