Fri 14 March 2014 by The Guardian Newspaper

NNPC plans two new refineries, targets 850,000 bpd From Azimazi Momoh Jimoh and Collins Olayinka, Abuja IGERIA will soon become N a petroleum products refining hub as the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) plans to build

this in Abuja yesterday at the 2014 Oloibiri lecture series of the Society of Petroleum Engineers, added that in addition to building new refineries, the Corporation will also rehabilitate all the four existing refineries to transform Nigeria into a re-

•Senate panel awaits audit report, ministry releases N41b to marketers two two refineries while increasing local refining capacity to 850,000 barrels per day by the year 2020. Meanwhile, the Senate’s investigation of the alleged $20 billion missing oil fund

was yesterday temporary put on hold pending the conclusion of the forensic auditing being carried out by a private consultant. In a related development, the Finance Ministry has re-

leased about N41 billion for the payment of 27 oil marketers whose claims have been successfully verified. The Group Managing Director of the Corporation, Andrew Yakubu, who stated

gional petroleum products refining giant. He explained: “In the downstream sector, our plan is to rehabilitate all the existing refineries and build at least two new ones in collaboration with the private sector. It CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

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Gunmen kill 80 in Katsina From Saxone Akhaine (Kaduna), Terhemba Daka, Karls Tsokar (Abuja) and John Akubo (Katsina)

• I owe my Presidency to the state, says Jonathan • Military warns against demoralising personnel

NOTHER orgy of blood-letting was unleashed on the northern part of the country yesterday as gunmen suspected to be cattle rustlers attacked communities in three local councils of Katsina State - Faskari, Sabo and Dangara during which no fewer than

80 people were said to have been killed. The massacre was perpetrated as the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, warned against playing politics with the welfare of soldiers and other security personnel deployed to tackle insecurity perpetrated

by Boko Haram insurgents in the North-East states. Meanwhile, President Goodluck Jonathan has declared that without Katsina State he would not have become the President of Nigeria. The President, who spoke yesterday while commissioning the six-lane ring road project

executed by Governor Ibrahim Shema, did not explain why he owes his presidency to the state. At the emir’s palace, he maintained the same position that without Katsina, he would not have been in Yenagoa as governor, let alone becoming the President.

“That I am here as a president of the country, it is because of Katsina State. There is no way you would write my biography, even after my death, that that aspect would not be very well pronounced.” He recalled his long standing relationship with Governor Shema which dates back to when he was deputy national chairman of PDP North-West. “Let me say I am quite pleased to be here in Katsina State for obvious reason. I am here as a

President of this country because of Katsina State. I have to thank the people of this great state for their show of love and support to this administration, and to the governor, I am grateful that he has been one of the greatest supporters of the administration, a major party man, he has been my friend since the day he was a deputy chairman of the party in charge of the North-West.” CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

Pan-Africanist Raph Uwechue passes on at 79 – Page 3 Itsekiri demand slot at national conference, canvass statehood – Page 3

Reps order CBN to refund N1.015b for ballot papers – Page 6 British woman divorces her husband, marries her dog – Page 17

Bayern Munich boss jailed over tax evasion – Page 61

Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola (fourth left); Heineken ambassador and legendary Dutch international footballer, Ruud Gullit (third left); Marketing Director, Nigerian Breweries, Walter Direnth (second left); former Captain of Super Eagles, Austin J.J. Okocha (second right); the state’s Commissioner for Youth, Sports and Social Development, Waheed Enitan Oshodi (third right); former national team skipper, Sunday Oliseh (fourth right) and others, during the presentation of the UEFA Champions League trophy to the Lagos State helmsman after a three-day tour of the state with the cup in Ikeja… yesterday.

Govt okays financial, operational autonomy for confab From Madu Onuorah, Karls Tsokar (Abuja) and Isa Abdulsalami (Jos) HEAD of its inauguration A on Monday, President Goodluck Jonathan has approved financial and operational autonomy for the national conference.

• Replaces Afe Babalola, others, receives protests • How South-West govs lost the delegates count Besides, the Federal Government has released replacements of some nominees, among them is Chief Afe Babalola (SAN) who is being re-

placed by Kunle Olajide from Ekiti State, as six fresh nominees are added in the not categorised list. Also, former Speakers under

the aegis of Association of Former Speakers of State Legislature of Nigeria have condemned alleged tinkering with the list of delegates it

sent for the national conference. At a meeting held at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, between President Jonathan, Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator Anyim Pius Anyim; chairman of the conference, Mr. Justice Idris Legbo Kutigi; his deputy, Prof

Bolaji Akinyemi and Secretary, Dr. Valerie Azinge, the President directed the SGF to ensure that only in the provision of routine procurement of logistic needs will the conference have recourse to his office. This is because of the need to CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

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Friday, March 14, 2014

Govt gets protests over confab lists CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 remove them from the burden of being bogged down by funding or procurement issues which may affect their expected independence of action. They are to fully manage their budget and disbursement of funds while the SGF will provide them with members of staff and logistics for manning the conference secretariat. A conference source told The Guardian that “whosoever controls the budgeting process controls the conference. So, the President voted in favour of the conference people controlling its budgeting, expenditures and disbursements while the logistics and personnel for manning the secretariat will be handled by the government. This is because nothing should undermine the process of the conference. Its independence must not be violated. The President assured us on this. Let me state it again, we will control our funds independent of government and we will also enjoy operational independence.” Sources also said that the need for probity in handling of the finances of the conference and the maintenance of its operational independence was one of the reasons President Jonathan appointed Justice Kutigi as the chairman. Kutigi, whose incorruptibility was re-confirmed during security screening, was quoted to be “the poorest of all former Chief Justices of the Federation on account of his abhorrence of corruption.” Security report noted his “incorrigibility, his life of principle and his great love for Nigeria.” The same patriotism was cited in the choice of Prof. Akinyemi who was also praised for his wide range of experiences both as Minister of Foreign Af-

fairs and his years in the academia and as Director-General of Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA). Dr. Azinge, a doctorate degree holder in constitutional law has wide ranging professional and family contacts and experience which may come in handy as the engine room of the national confab. The same patriotism and range of experience was also said to have defined the criteria for selecting Federal Government nominees. The source added that “because of this, most of those who lobbied to be members of the conference lost out on the issue of experience and knowledge of how the modern world works.” The expectation of the Presidency is that “the conference delegates will arrive at a collective agreement that will lead at a Peoples Constitution that will strengthen the Nigerian union. This will help to build a Nigerian identity that will meet every Nigerian’s aspiration for a great nation. Towards this, the forum will provide opportunity for Nigerians to discuss burning issues that are usually swept under the carpet.” Also, there are rumblings among the minorities from the North-West over the appointment of only Hausa/Fulani delegates in the category of the 15 nominees representing socio-political/cultural and ethnic nationality groups. Of the 15, the only Christian, who is also of the Fulani stock, is Fati Eunice Ibrahim. A source told The Guardian that “the minorities from the zone (North-West) are not happy and have appealed to President Jonathan to intervene and accommodate their interest.” There is also a protest to the Presidency by a South-West governor against the nomina-

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President Goodluck Jonathan (right) and Katsina State Governor Ibrahim Shema, during the President’s arrival at the Katsina Airport for his two-day visit to the state… yesterday.

Senate panel awaits audit report, ministry releases N41b to oil marketers CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 is our expectation that by 2020, Nigeria’s refining capacity should reach 850, 000 barrels per day, thus making Nigeria a new exporter of petroleum products.” The NNPC boss also hinted that steps are underway by government to emplace appropriate policy frameworks for gas-base industrialisation. Yakubu argued that Nigeria cannot be an exception to hydrocarbon producing countries that have leveraged on their energy resources to grow their Gross Domestic Products (GDP), create massive jobs and diversify their economic base. The Senator Ahmed Mohammed Makarfi-led Senate Finance Committee conducting the investigation declared at the National Assembly yesterday that sub-

missions relating to the actual amount spent on petroleum subsidy was equally being expected from the Petroleum Products Pricing and Regulatory Authority (PPPRA). At the end of yesterday’s public sitting, the committee declared: “We want to lay to rest the issue of unremitted revenue without further delay. We believe all submissions have been made except the following ones: The report we are waiting for from the PPPRA on certification of subsidy from July 2013 to December 2013 both for kerosene and Premium Motor Spirit (PMS). It is to enable the committee establish how much really were the total expenditure on subsidy for the two years running. We have given them up to the end of next week. They requested three weeks but we gave them only two weeks and two weeks would expire next week.

The other report we are expecting is that the committee appointed independent consultants to do forensic examination and audit on the volume of expenses incurred. We expect their report by the end of next week. And their independent report is what will make us form an opinion on the expenses and losses totalling about $2.1 billion based on their submission accounting for that money. The other issue which we don’t have to wait for before we make our report is that the Auditor-General of the Federation has written formally to the committee confirming he is conducting forensic checks and that the forensic check comprehensively covers our areas of concern and that he is going to send the report of forensic check or audit to us. It would not stop us making our report subject to whatever he

may present to the National Assembly. He would make a report directly to the National Assembly on this. These are the pending issues.” The committee also stated that it was yet to draw conclusion on the exact amount spent of subsidy within the period until the reports were made available. “The figure could be more than $8.76 billion and until we receive the certification on the remaining six months (July 2013 - December 2013), we will not know the volume of what needs to be forensically audited in relation to subsidy. Makarfi explained while speaking to journalists after the sitting that the committee was being careful to avoid legal issues which he noted could jeopardise the outcome of the investigation.

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I owe my Presidency to Katsina State, says visiting Jonathan CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 The Arewa leaders have urged the Federal Government and the 19 northern state governments to urgently address the high incident of communal clashes in the region, saying the recent attack on Governor of Benue State, Mr. Gabriel Suswam, and his convoy by aggrieved community members was a wrong signal to northern leaders who should immediately address the persisting social problem. Mostly affected in the attacks in Katsina were Kura Motor and Ungwar Rimi communities where the gunmen ransacked the villages and were

shooting inhabitants at random. An eyewitness who spoke with The Guardianon telephone said the gunmen who unleashed terror in the affected local councils took advantage of the visit of President Goodluck Jonathan’s official visit to the state when all attention were diverted to the official commissioning exercise in the metropolis by state government functionaries. The eyewitness said: “It was a horror in Funtua area. In Faskari Local Council in the southern part of the state, the gunmen came in motorbikes, armed with rifles and guns and opened fire on villagers. “As at 1.00 p.m., the death toll was said to have risen to between 80 and103. The state government officials were busy attending to President Goodluck Jonathan and other personalities at Katsina metropolis where he was commissioning a government structure.” According to him, “some suspected cattle rustlers came on motorcycles, three on each motorbike, armed with guns. The attack affected Faskari, Sabo and Dangara local councils.” Besides, the Police Command,

at the time of filing this report, was yet to address journalists on the incident, and when journalists contacted the Police Public Relations Officer, Malam Aminu Sadiq for comments, he said the command was yet to receive any official report on the attack. Sadiq also said that the command’s attention was on the President’s visit at the time of the incident, “as you know that we are receiving Mr. President in the state today”. The PPRO, however, said that preliminary report showed that five people died as a result of the attack. Tambuwal said: “We have received several complaints from soldiers that they are not getting what is due to them on the field. How do you take someone that is less motivated to the battlefield? I believe that we need to do more and I believe that those responsible should be responsible enough to cater for these troops. “A situation whereby we appropriate funds for our men to be well taken care of, to be well kitted and for them to have the best of arms and somebody somewhere is playing politics or is not implementing and applying those

funds judiciously is not acceptable. We are ready to take on whoever is involved,” he warned. The Speaker, who expressed worry that the House was being inundated with sundry complaints from constituents and soldiers who paint picture of the goings-on in the crisis zone, disclosed that the National Assembly was poised, through motions, to facilitate the provision of welfare for security personnel operating in the area. He spoke while receiving a delegation of Unity Schools Old Students’ Association (USOSA) on a courtesy visit to him at the National Assembly yesterday. He warned that the House of Representatives will not hesitate to sanction anyone making efforts aimed at sabotaging the provision for soldiers’ welfare. He said when the Parliament resumes plenary session next Tuesday, it will facilitate motions aimed at addressing “the welfare of our men on the field.” But from the Joint Security Information Committee has come warning that Nigerian political elite should desist from making comments that

would diminish the morale of the soldiers fighting the insurgents. At a press briefing yesterday in Abuja held at the Defence Headquarters, the Director of Defence Information, Gen. Chris Olukolade, said the “orchestrated attack on the moral of the Nigerian soldiers by a section of the political elite” is a tendency that would “encourage indiscipline and mutiny under the pretext of caring for the welfare and condition of Nigerian soldiers.” According to him, “these sets of Nigerians have taken up every available media platform to disparage efforts of the leadership of Nigerian Armed Forces in the fight against terror. “Accusing the military authorities of denying the soldiers of their entitlements, they have been spreading the sick rumour that the gallant Nigerian soldiers are grumbling over inadequate resources and lack of motivation to take on the insurgents. These unfounded allegations and outright rumour-mongering are, to say the least, callous, mischievous and inimical to the well-being of national security”, he insisted. He said this act of currying

“undue political capital out of the unfortunate crisis in North-East” is not in the interest of the nation nor the collective resolve to end the security concern as it is. Part of the proposal by the Arewa Consultative Forum, in a statement yesterday, is for the federal and state governments in the North to conduct high level investigation into the incessant communal clashes in the North, with a view to finding lasting solution to the social menace. In the statement signed by the National Publicity Secretary of ACF, Alhaji Mohammad Ibrahim, the Arewa elders condemned the recent community clash in Benue State and the attack on Governor Suswam, saying that government should immediately rise up to the situation by redressing the problems of community clashes in the region before they become uncontrollable. Ibrahim explained that “only last week, the ACF in an address to the 19 northern governors, and delivered to the Chairman, Northern Governor’s Forum (NGF), expressed

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News Itsekiri demand slot at national conference, canvass statehood By Kodilinye Obiagwu and Lawrence Njoku, Enugu GROUP, Alpha-May Club, has expressed great concern over the absence of the Itsekiri on the list of delegates to the National Conference so far published in the news media by the Office of the Secretary to the Federal Government. In a statement signed by Robinson Eyoyibo and Isaac Sobotie, chairman and secretary respectively, the Alpha-May Club noted that throughout the past history of Nigeria, distinguished sons and daughters of Itsekiri have played pre-eminent roles in politics, governance and other areas of human endeavour. Among such Itsekiri have been, Festus Okotie-Eboh, first post-Independence Minister of Labour, and later Minister of Finance, Chief Michael E.R. Okorodudu the first Agent General of the Western Region to the United Kingdom, Chief Arthur Prest, Regional Minister at Ibadan, the Western Region, and later Federal Minister for Communications, Mr. Alison A. Ayida, Secretary to the Government of the Federation; Prof. Oritsejolomi Thomas, Vice Chancellor of the University of Ibadan and Prof. Grace Alele Williams, first female Vice Chancellor of a Nigerian university among others. The group also noted that Itsekiri land “produces significant oil and gas resources which have become the mainstay of the Nigerian economy and therefore have enough stake in the issues for discussion at the National Conference

South East governors urge delegates to protect zone’s interest and rightly qualify for nomination to the Conference.” Acknowledging, however, the “assurance given by the government of Delta State, that the name of Chief Isaac O. Jemide was on the list submitted to the Federal Government, and that his nomination would be regularised before the inauguration of the Conference, the group confirmed their “confidence in Chief I. O. Jemide as a fit and proper person to represent us at the Conference, and that he is capable of presenting to the Conference, Itsekiri core interests.” According to them, the most significant of the core interests, “is the protection of our people as an ethnic minority in the Federation of Nigeria, by way of special provisions that are enshrined in any constitution or other arrangements that might result from the Conference. “In this connection, we respectfully urge that the Conference should examine the analogous examples of the American Federation and that of the Indian nation. The USA with a population of about 300, 000, 000 people; has 50 States, largest being California with a population of 37 million; whilst Wyoming, the smallest State of the Union has just about 600, 000 people. “Thus, the Itsekiri as an indigenous and ethnic minority would demand from the National Conference special protection provisions for it (and such other minorities) in their territories, under any Nigerian

Constitution. “We at Alpha May Club are in support of the convocation of the National Conference and thank the President for establishing it”, the group said. Meanwhile, South East governors have asked the 30 delegates from the geopolitical zone to the National Conference to ensure that they remain steadfast and “work as a group in representing the overall interests of the zone at the conference.” At an enlarged meeting last

night at the Government House Enugu, the governors named Gen. Ike Nwachukwu, from Abia State as the chairman and leader of the delegates from the zone to the national conference. Monsignor Obiora Ike from Enugu State will serve as the deputy chairman. Meanwhile, former ambassador to Israel and United States of America Dr. George Obiozor will head the Secretariat while each of the five South East states will nominate two persons to serve in

MINENT Pan-Africanist E and immediate past President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Ambassador Ralph Uwechue, passed on in Abuja yesterday. He was 79. A statement by Ifeoha Azikiwe, his Special Assistant Media, said Uwechue, born in May 1924 in Sokoto, and the Oguluzame of his hometown of Ogwashi Uku,

Uwechue

Aniocha South Local Council of Delta State died at his residence in the Federal Capital Territory at about 2.00 pm after a protracted battle with cardiac complications. Another aide who did not want be named said that Uwechue, the first Nigerian envoy to France, added that the elderstateman was moved to the National Hospital when nurses in public ones embarked on a strike at the beginning of the year. He said that the late diplomat was taken to a hospital in the United Kingdom late last year where he had a heart surgery but was flown to the country last November when his condition deteriorated. A Catholic, the aide disclosed that his wife, Augusta and priest were with him when he passed on. He is survived by four children. Uwechue was ECOWAS Special Representative in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire (2002-2007) during the Ivorian conflict. He was Special Presidential Envoy on Conflict Resolution under former President

the delegates from Anambra and former Governor of Ebonyi State, Dr. Sam Egwu will lead the state delegates.” Orji noted that Nwachukwu, the leader of the South East delegates will also serve as the leader of the Abia delegates. In attendance were governors of Abia, Enugu State, Sullivan Chime, Ebonyi, Martin Elechi while the Anambra governor was represented by his deputy, Emeka Sibedu. The governor of Imo didn’t attend and was not represented.

Chairman, ARCO Group, Joseph Akpieyi (left); Board member, Mrs. Okoigun Julie; Managing Director, ARCO Marine and Oil Field Services Ltd., Yomi Jemibewon; Rear Admiral Samuel Alade of FOC Western Naval Command, Apapa, during the commissioning of MV ARCO, FCB 4 and MV ARCO FCB5 in Lagos… yesterday. PHOTO: GABRIEL IKHAHON

Pan-Africanist Raph Uwechue passes on at 79 From Hendrix Oliomogbe, Asaba

the Secretariat. Reading the communique at the end of the meeting, the Abia State Governor and Chairman of the South East Governors Forum, Theodore Orji said that the South East states will bear the cost of running the secretariat. According to Orji, each state nominated a leader. “Former Senate President Ken Nnamani will lead Enugu delegates, while Ezekiel Izuogu will lead the delegates from Imo State. Dr. Doozie Ikedife, a former President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo will lead

Olusegun Obasanjo. He was Minister of Health during the administration of President Shehu Shagari before the military intervention of 1983. An internationally renowned media personality, he was the Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of the London-based and highly reputable the African magazine. Uwechue was the author of the title, Reflection on the Nigerian Civil War, the first book written on the confict. Among his numerous publications are Africa Who’s Who, Makers of Modern Africa and Africa Today. All was quiet at his “Africa House” on Issele Azagba Road in Ogwashi Uku as the gate was locked. A guard refused to speak, insisting that he was not authorized to comment on it. In his eulogy, a former Secretary to the defunct Bendel State Government and Iyase of Asaba, Chief Patrick Onyeobi, said that a great man has fallen. Onyeobi recalled that he

first met the young Uwechue in the 50s in the history class of the renowned Prof. Kenneth Dike at the University of Ibadan (UI). Uwechue entered the diplomatic service as a pioneer staff member and rose to become Nigeria’s youngest Ambassador to France while he (Onyeobi) went into the civil service. During the Nigerian Civil War, he said that the late head of the apex Igbo sociocultural organization became the rebels’ spokesman (Ambassador of Biafra) in Europe but as a diehard Nigerian patriot and pan-Africanist, he went back to the federal side before the conflict ended. He added: “Uwechue was a fine gentleman; a man of high principles and intellect. He was a strong traditionalist; a man of immense courage and wisdom. He has paid his price well and we pray for him to rest in perfect peace and for his family to have the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.”

70-seater modern boats commissioned in Lagos By Wole Oyebade FIRM, Arco Marine and Oil A Field Service Limited, has boosted deep-sea transport and logistics in the country with the commissioning yesterday in Lagos of two state-ofthe-art multi-purpose 70seater Fast Crew Boats (FCB) valued at N3 billion. At their commissioning at the Naval Dock Yard in Lagos, Board Chairman of Arco Group, Joseph Akpieyi, said the event was epochal in the life of the organisation and a clear example of what local content could do in the country. According to Akpieyi, 71, Arco is an example of indigenous company in need of encouragement, if the Federal Government’s local content policy must achieve its indigenisation targets. To that end, he urged the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDM) to have zero tolerance for organisations that would not align with the principles and tenets of the Nigerian

Content Law, as “the ability to put several companies in the hand of Nigerians is key to securing our nation and ensuring that existing expertise resides in Nigeria.” Managing Director of the company, Yomi Jemibewon, added that the boats - ARCO FCB 4 and FCB 5 - were latest additions to three boats acquired in 2012 to provide offshore transport services for Total. He noted that Arco is keen on safety and standard and today, has a record 100 per cent safety, as much as its financing, crew and engineers have been 100 per cent Nigerian. Jemibewon stated that the new boats were built for speed, agility and comfort, adding that they were acquired in line with the demands of their users. Also, the Group Managing Director of Arco Group, Alfred Okoigun, noted that the boats were products of President Goodluck Jonathan’s commitment to the realisation of the objectives of local content development initia-

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N41b for oil marketers CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2 Speaking with journalists immediately after appearing before the Senate panel, Yakubu said that the NNPC had successfully provided proofs that no money was missing. He said: “For us, this is a wonderful opportunity to give detailed account of what we do; the misunderstanding about the industry is so wide and we have this duty and we are happy we have this opportunity; today we gave a clear detailed breakdown of what we remitted to the Federation Account, that was confirmed and the IOC took their own share because they are partners in the business. The cleared oil firms for payment include A-Z Petroleum Products Limited, Acorn Petroleum Plc, Atteo Energy Resources Limited, Ascon Oil Gas Company Limited, Avidor Oil And Gas Company, Conoil Plc, Dee Jones Petroleum and Gas Limited, Dozzy Oil and Gas Limited, Folawiyo Energy Limited, Gulf Treasures Limited, Hudson Petroleum Limited, Hyde Energy Nig. Limited and Ibafon Oil Limited. Others are Masters Energy Oil & Gas Ltd, Matrix Energy Limited, Mobil Oil Nigeria Plc, Mrs Oil & Gas Company Ltd. The rest are Nepal Oil and Gas Services Ltd, Nipco Plc, Northwest Petroleum & Gas Ltd, Oando Plc, Obat Oil & Gas Services Limited, Rainoil Limited, Shorelink Oil and Gas Services Limited, Techno Oil Ltd, Tempogate Oil & Energy Company and Total Nigeria Plc. A statement signed by the Special Adviser to the Minister of Finance and Co-ordinating Minister for the Economy, Mr. Paul Nwabuiku, said the information is provided in continuation of the ministry’s focus on transparency and accountability in the management of the subsidy regime.

Akinkugbe, others want fresh survey on non-communicable diseases By Chukwuma Muanya, Wole Oyebade and Kenechukwu Onyejiaku ORRIED by the rising W cases of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in the country such as hypertension, diabetes, heart failure, kidney damage and arthritis, medical experts have called for a fresh nationwide survey and probe. They also said that hypertension, diabetes and obesity remain the major cause of kidney damage in the country. The experts, including a consultant nephrologist, medical director of Ibadan Hypertension Clinic, and Chairman, Board of Nigerian Heart Foundation (NHF), Emeritus Prof. Oladapo Akinkugbe; Executive Direc-

• Seek regulation of dialysis centres tor, NHF, Dr. Kingsley Akinroye, and the President, Nigerian Association of Nephrology (NAN) and consultant nephrologist at St Nicholas Hospital Lagos, Dr Ebun Bamgboye, at different events yesterday said hypertension, diabetes, obesity, high salt intake, excessive alcohol intake and smoking remain the major cause of kidney damage in the country. Akinkugbe yesterday, at the NHF formal launch and endorsement of Power Oil, product of Raffles LFTZ (DUFIL), makers of Indomie Noddles, said there is urgent need to conduct fresh nationwide survey and probe on the incidence of NCDs in the country. He accused international

health agencies, including the World Health Organisation (WHO) of using the statistics of the last nationwide NCDs survey done 20 years ago by his team to assess Nigeria. “We need evidence on the NCDs statistics in Nigeria. About 20 years ago, we did NCD survey in Nigeria and we came up with certain figures but that was 20 years ago. It will be very interesting again if we do that today using the same kind of methodology. We cannot be quoting such figures now.” Akinkugbe said with the results of the survey, the country will know how best to address the situation. “It is our considered view that any effort made to halt the spread

of heart diseases, hypertension and stroke and even improve the lot of those already afflicted will be of tremendous benefit to the generality of Nigerians both rural and urban areas,” he said. According to the hypertension expert, the NHF/National Agency for Food Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) Heart Check Food Labelling Programme is a systematic endorsement of food items certifying them healthy for consumption and heart friendly with emphasis on low fats and cholesterol, low sodium and low glucose. Akinkugbe said eating the right amount of foods that are heart-healthy and nutritious is part of the Global Strategy for reducing NCDs, including heart diseases, cancer and diabetes mellitus.

Deputy Governor, Corporate Services, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Alhaji Suleiman Barau (middle) in group photograph with students of Government Science and Technology College, Area 3, Abuja during the Financial Literacy 101 School Outreach Programme to mark the Global Money Week in Abuja … yesterday. PHOTO: LADIDI LUCY-ELUKPO

How South-West govs lost the delegates count CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2 tion of the only couple going to the conference - Mr. Yinka Odumakin and Joe Okei-Odumakin. While Odumakin is coming in as a member of the South-West Afenifere delegation under socio-political/cultural and ethnic nationality groups, Mrs. Okei-Odumakin is coming as a member of the civil society organisation under the Women Arise for Change Initiative & Campaign for Democracy banner. But the Presidency is believed to have discountenanced the protest on the strength that “they were duly nominated by their respective groups and not by the Federal Government. In addition, there is nothing in the guidelines of the conference which bars couples from sitting as delegates if they were duly nominated by their different groups.” In any case, the Presidency views the protest by the SouthWest governor under the All Progressives Congress (APC) banner as trying to take over the control of the conference. Because of the early rejection of the conference by the APC, South-West governors elected under the party’s platform left the machinery of

selecting/election of the delegates under the socio-political/cultural and ethnic nationality and other groups to regional and non-APC leaders who met twice in Ibara and once in Ibadan for this purpose. When they felt they lost out, they now approached the Presidency to allow them choose the delegates under certain categories. This explains why they also chose delegates under the elder statesmen/women category which was to have been the prerogative of the Federal Government. This was viewed by the Presidency as a planned hijack of the conference through the back-door by the opposition party. The South-West governors didn’t follow the lead of governors of other zones who participated fully in selecting the list of delegates representing their zones under the different categories, especially the socio-political/cultural and ethnic nationality groups. A statement yesterday in Abuja by Anyim Pius Anyim stated that it is “some updates, changes and adjustments that have been effected.” Also on the list of traditional

rulers, His Royal Highness, Alhaji Ibrahim Yaro, the Etsu of Bwari, replaces His Royal Highness, Alhaji Ismail Mohammed, Sarki of Karshi, “on the request of the National Council of Traditional Rulers of Nigeria.” Though the APC has still not nominated anyone to represent the party at the conference, the controversy that greeted the nomination of two party men to represent the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) has grown deeper, as the party has withdrawn the nomination of Chris Uche and Sagir Maidoya from representing APGA. This, according to the statement, is “to allow the party resolve the issue of its nominees.” Also removed on request is Love Ezema of the National Council of Women Societies (NCWS). She is to be replaced by Mrs. Millicent Okoronkwo. Niyi Akintola (SAN), whose name is retained in the Oyo State delegates’ list, is to be replaced by Kehinde Olugbenle while Rabiu Oluwa replaces Supo Sonibare under the socio-political/cultural and ethnic nationality groups, South-West geo-political zone.

Also, Prof. Layi Erinosho has been nominated by the Academy of Social Sciences to fill the one slot allocated to the Academy, under the National Academics category. The former Governors Forum has nominated Alhaji Mohammed Goni from Borno State to fill the slot for the North- East geo-political zone while some state governments have submitted a nominee each to fill the vacant slot in their respective state’s delegates list. They are Isaac Jemide (Delta), Eddy Erhagbe (Edo), (Mrs.) Onikepo Akande (Oyo), Sampson Agbaru (Rivers) and Abubakar Galadima (Yobe). There is also the nomination of Wole Oshun, Ledum Mitee, Mike Ozekhome, Anthony Akika, Alhaji Sule Iyaji and Abdulmumuni Abubakar, six names which suddenly appear on the addendum list without proper classification to indicate under which category they are nominated. Equally important, the time for the inauguration, initially put at 11.00 a.m., has been shifted to 4.30 p.m. on Monday, at the National Judicial Institute, along Airport Road, Abuja. In a statement yesterday, the

former Speakers at the end of a meeting to discuss the incident of substitution of nominees of the forum, described the action as lamentable and unfortunate and out of tune with the spirit behind the convocation of the national conference. Signed by the Chairman, Mr. Simon Lalong; Secretary, Mr. Stanley Ohajuruka and Publicity Secretary, Mr. Friday Itula, and made available to journalists in Jos yesterday, the former Speakers said that sequel to the allotment of six delegates to them through a letter from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, they had chosen Habu Isa Ajiya North-East (Taraba State), Mohammed Yaro North-West (Kaduna State), Simon Lalong (NorthCentral, (Plateau State), Sir. Stanley Ohajuruka, South-East (Abia State), Azeez Alarape South-West (Oyo State), David Iyoha, South-South (Edo State). They lamented that “the Federal Government in tinkering with the list substituted four of the proposed delegates with other names and therefore led the government to revert to the original list in the interest of justice and fairness.”

Military warns on personnel morale CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2 dismay at pervading security challenges in the North.” “We described the situation in Benue as boiling because in the last two weeks or so, Benue State had experienced intense and vicious ethnic/communal clashes between the Tiv farmers and suspected Fulani herdsmen which had resulted into huge loss of life and property, farm crops and herds of cattle.” According to him, “the incessant and reprisal attacks by the two communities who have lived together peacefully for many years as partners is worrisome and capable of undermining the long existing bond of peaceful relationships between the Tiv and the Fulani herdsmen.” Ibrahim argued that “the recent attack on the convoy of Suswam while on assessment tour of villages destroyed as a result of communal clashes between the Tiv and some suspected herdsmen in Guma Local Council was most shocking and unfortunate. If the convoy of a state governor with all the security details could be so attacked by some bandits, what hope does the common man have in the government that is primarily responsible for his security and welfare? “The ACF once more wishes to urge the federal and all the northern state governments to double their efforts and be proactive in tackling the security challenges in their domains. Communities must also be vigilant and monitor suspicious people within their midst, get involved in intelligence gathering and alert security agencies in good time.” The Arewa elders noted that “the call by the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, that a judicial commission of inquiry be instituted to unravel the causes of frequent clashes between the farmers and herdsmen in several states, including Benue, is most welcome and should be seriously considered by government.” “ACF calls on the two communities to urgently sheath their swords, stop reprisal attacks and embrace peace. Community leaders should refrain from making inflammatory remarks capable of destroying the peace being brokered by various leaders.” It would be recalled that trouble began in Katsina State on February 4 when police authorities suppressed a story of killing of a pastor by some irate youths. According to returning youth corps members who had escaped death by the whiskers then in the state, the pastor had run into a hospital premises when the angry youths spotted a dead body near the pastor’s house. When he (the pastor) sensed trouble near his house, he ran into the hospital but the boys demanded his release to them or else the hospital would be razed. The hospital members of staff released the pastor (names withheld) and he was instantly beheaded. The NYSC authorities who were alerted then had evacuated all the youth corps members to a safe place in the state capital from where they escaped to their various state capitals. But the story was then suppressed by police authorities who denied that a pastor was killed.

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

Friday, March 14, 2014 NEWS | 5

‘30m Nigerians still lack access to electricity’ From Emeka Anuforo, Abuja ESPITE the ongoing reD forms in the electricity sector, about 30 million Nigerians are still not connected to public electricity, live mostly in rural areas and provide their own energy using firewood and charcoal, among other local means, according to figures released yesterday. However, government said it was working hard to meet a

• Govt tidying financing of 3050mwMambila hydro plant • Seeks private sector equity funding for power generation 10 per cent target of renewable energy by the year 2025 as part of efforts to diversify the energy mix. This, officials say, would guarantee electricity supply to difficult terrains where the national grid cannot get to and also encourage off-grid generation to cater for the rural populace.

And to shore up power generation, government also announced that the financing process for the 3050mw Mambilla hydro dam was being finalised and assured that the project, considered as Nigeria’s biggest dam, was a top government agenda, as President Goodluck Jonathan would flag it off soon.

Govt demands justice on S’Africa over assault on Nigerian From John Okeke, Abuja EEVED by the assault on a P Nigerian, Mr. Clement Emekeneh, who was brutalised by two members of the South Africa Police Service in Cape Town, the Federal Government has demanded appropriate administrative and legal action from the South African government. The two officers were reported last Friday by local television, ETV, to have assaulted and beaten an unidentified individual, who was later confirmed as a Nigerian. In his reaction, the Nigerian High Commissioner to South Africa, Ambassador S.S. Yusuf, in a statement made available to The Guardian yesterday in Abuja, said the action, which has caused public outrage, has “further highlighted the lawlessness of the South Africa Po-

lice, who have become notorious for extra-judicial actions.” The envoy noted that though the police services immediately issued a public statement condemning the action, while the Independent Police Investigation Department (IPID) also arrested and suspended the two officers captured in the television report, the mission would not relent in its effort to see that justice is done. “In addition, the High Commissioner, through the effort of the Nigerian Community Leader in Cape Town, was able to speak with the victim, Mr. Emekeneh, to sympathise with him, assuring him of the mission’s support and the necessary steps taken to protest to the host authorities to ensure that justice is done,” he said. According to the statement,

the two officers were charged to court on Monday and were granted bail on R1,500 each. The case was adjourned to May 9, 2014.

According to the Minister of Power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo, who spoke at a renewable energy private sector equity fund seminar in Abuja, “there are 264 hydro dams which have not been fully utilised. In this first quarter, government is fixing the turbines and other components in 12 of them to increase their generation capacity.” And to improve electricity supply generally, the Federal Government has called on operators in the power sector to seek additional private sector financing. Nebo said that if government continues divesting interest in the control of the electricity sector, a more competitive private sector participation would unfold, and the much-needed

fund sourced elsewhere. Nebo, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Goodknows Igali, confirmed that 30 million Nigerians were yet to be connected with the national grid. He said the seminar was planned to sensitise the public, particularly stakeholders in the sector, on the need to explore private equity funding and venture capital to boost power supply. He stressed that with the wide gap in power supply, the Federal Government is focusing on renewable energy, particularly off-grid solar and small hydro, which would not depend on the national grid. Meanwhile, the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has stressed the need to supplement mainstream power generation by harnessing renewable energy.

She noted that the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Company Plc (NBET), which board she chairs, has received proposals and enquiries on developing the vast renewable energy in Nigeria. According to her, “giving the natural resources as sunlight, wind and biomass, among others, we need to start thinking of how they can be harnessed for the power sector.” The National Assembly is backing such efforts to expand rural access to electricity using renewable sources. Chairman of the Senate Committee on Power, Philip Aduda, said at the seminar that, as a new frontier in the sector, it would require political will and financiers. “We must set up codes and standards to create solar power and solar PV, among others, and it is up to the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to

Kogi accuses Anambra of betraying understanding on oil resources From Emeka Anuforo, Abuja HE Kogi State government T yesterday accused its Anambra counterpart of lying and betrayal of their “working understanding” in respect of oil operations around their common border. It alleged that its investigations showed that Orient Petroleum Resources Plc recently carried out active development of additional wells in the Kogi territory “without any let or hindrance.” Referring to allegations that

“Kogi insurgents” attacked the oil firm, the state said in a statement that the company was yet to report “any incident to its liaison officer on oil and gas, who has been relating harmoniously with the company.” The statement by the Secretary to State Government, Prof. Louge Iro Jegede, described the report as mischievous and its content as erroneous, adding that the impression created was also false and the allegations in it unfounded. He noted that neither the chairman of Ibaji Local Coun-

cil, which borders the area, nor the Ejeh of Ibaji had any information on the alleged attack, as no incident was reported to them either by their communities or neighbouring Anambra East Local Council. To that end, he said, “the placement of false claims in that report in the media is a breach of the mutual understanding that the two states had nurtured on this issue. He recalled that following President Goodluck Jonathan’s intervention, both states have worked harmoniously to main-

tain and sustain peace in the area and have contributed to the activities in the buffer security zone being manned by combined security agencies in the area. Stating that it was a “mystery that such scale of damage took place as described and the perpetrators were able to beat the security buffer zone without being detected or apprehended,” he said the fact that the incident has also not been reported to Kogi State by any security agency called for thorough investigation.

TheGuardian on Saturday

POLITICS

Conscience, Nurtured by Truth

COVER

SATURDAY, MARCH 15, 2014

LOVE&LIFE

The Guardian reports the intrigues, motives and causes of the incessant killings of Tivs in Benue State and nomadic Fulani herdsmen that have claimed several lives and property, which culminated in the recent attack on the convoy of Governor Gabriel Suswam by some people allegedto be Fulani herdsmen.

True confession: ‘I Caught My Sister Cheating On Her Husband.’

Chief Dan Nwanyanwu, National Chairman of Labour Party (LP), speaks on allegations that the leadership and Ondo State Governor, Olusegun Mimiko are working for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), especially in the Southwest zone. He says those behind the allegations are envious of the party’s growth ahead the 2015 general elections.

Cover Extra

Ahead of Monday’s inauguration of delegates to the National Conference by President Goodluck Jonathan in Abuja, discordant tunes are already trailing the list of nominees across the states, raising questions on the modalities of their selection, which many believe may invariably influence the outcome. Edamisan Temiye, a professor of Paediatrics and Consultant Paediatrics Hematologist/Oncologist at the College of Medicine, University of Lagos (CMUL)/ Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), raises the alarm over the rising number of Nigerian children afflicted by cancer.

Plus the regular sections and columns, all in The Guardian tomorrow. Book your copies.

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Friday, March 14, 2014

APC, PDP bicker over voters registration

Wogu pledges govt support for Delta’s economic programme INISTER of Labour and M Productivity, Chief Emeka Wogu, yesterday

• INEC pledges security for corps members From Muyiwa Adeyemi (Ado Ekiti), Kanayo Umeh (Abuja) and Ujunwa Atueyi (Lagos) EMBERS of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday exchanged tirades over the on-going Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise being administered by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Ekiti State. While the PDP accused APC of allegedly bringing people from neighbouring states to register in Ekiti State, the APC described the allegation as unfounded and asked the PDP to arrest whoever is found to be involved in such illegality. Besides some APC members alleged that PDP members are aiding multiple registration and enticing under-aged persons to register in some areas. Making the allegation yesterday, former Nigerian Ambassador to Canada and PDP governorship aspirant, Ambassador Dare Bejide, called on the INEC and security agencies to investigate their allegation. Bejide alleged that some APC members were reported to have been importing ‘mercenaries’ from neighbouring states to register to enable them vote for the party. “I hereby call on President Goodluck Jonathan to order the police to commence full scale investigations into the matter, so that his efforts to perfect the electoral system and entrench the culture of free, fair and credible election in the polity will not be frustrated,” he said. However, APC Chairman, Chief Jide Awe, has described the allegation as untrue, challenging the PDP to identify whoever is involved in the alleged scam. He said, “I consider the allegation as spurious because INEC exercise should not be politicised. There had been various allegations, which are not true but we have to speak the truth and identify any error in the exercise. APC cannot bring people outside the state to register in Ekiti, that is not possible.” The APC also expressed worries over some noticeable but avoidable defects and deficiencies in the handling of the ongoing CVR exercise in the state. A release by the Director of Publicity and Media of the party, Segun Dipe, described the exercise as shoddy, tardy and a deliberate attempt at disenfranchising the enthusiastic people of Ekiti State from participating in the June 21 governorship election. Dipe observed that the defects and deficiencies observed in the handling of the registration exercise in most of the designated centres shows either lack of adequate preparation on the side of INEC or deliberate attempt to shortchange the people. It is not about crying wolf where there is none. It is about the facts on ground. Meanwhile, INEC has reaffirmed its commitment to providing enhanced security for corps members and oth-

ers being engaged for electoral exercises. Chairman of INEC, Professor Attahiru Jega, made this known yesterday in Abuja when he and some federal commissioners of the commission paid a courtesy call on the director-general. Professor Jega said the commission was working hard for greater security and making efforts towards averting the sufferings encountered by corps members engaged in electoral duties. He added that the MoU between the two organisations was being reviewed for a better framework to strengthen and move it forward. Jega acknowledged the commendable role the National Youth Service Corp (NYSC) scheme has been playing in the election exercise in particular and general development of the country and called on government and the entire public to support and encourage the scheme. The chairman pledged the commission’s commitment to the existing memorandum of understanding between it and the NYSC scheme as the nation moves towards the 2015 general elections.

Managing Director/CEO, CMB Building Company Limited, Kelechukwu Mbagwu (left); Chairman, Olorogun Dr. Sunny Kuku and Hakeem Bello-Osagie during Kuku’s 70th birthday celebration in Lagos.

Reps order CBN to refund N1.015b for ballot papers From Adamu Abuh, Abuja ITING alleged irregularities in payments made for the printing of 65 million ballot papers for 2007 presidential polls, the House of Representatives yesterday handed down an order to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to refund the sum of N1.015 billion to the Consolidated Revenue Account (CRA). The House through the Adeola Olamilekan-led Committee on Public Account issued the order yesterday after the CBN failed to offer convincing reasons on how the aforementioned monies was expended to procure 65 million ballot papers for the 2007 presidential poll. Acting Governor of the CBN, Dr. Sarah Alade, while testifying denied claims of double payment for the ballot papers transaction.

Dipo Fatokun, Director, Corporate Services, who stood in for the CBN chief maintained that: “There was no double payment for the transaction. When we first appeared before the committee, we did not check our records very well and that was why we thought there was double payment. But now, we have checked our records very well and discovered that there were no double payment. Our records showed that there was no payment made for the memo from the State House because the memo was Keep in View (KIV).” Fatokun further explained why the entire monies remitted to a South African firm was less N10 million, noting that it was not out of place since it was a service commission that were usually charged.

Members of the committee, who noted that the State House statement of account generated from CBN clearly indicated that cheques for the transaction and debit entries were contradictory, faulted the position. Specifically, Olamilekan stated that two cheques – one for N262 million and the other for N763 million could not be found in the statement while two debit figure of N10.5 million and N1.4 billion in respect of the transaction were suspicious. The committee further expressed suspicion over the legitimacy of the transaction, as the money remitted to South Africa for the supply was less than what was approved. An enraged Olamilekan noted: “Who authorized the CBN to reduce the contract sum?

The money approved was N1.015 billion but CBN remitted less, this brings us to doubt if the transaction was actually consummated? “In view of this development, the CBN is ordered to remit to the Consolidated Revenue Account, the sum if N1.015 billion within one week,” the committee directed. Olamilekan directed the CBN to come forward with treasury receipt within one week as evidence of the lodgment of the monies to the CRA. Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Attahiru Jega, who also appeared before the committee, said since he was not at the helms of INEC at the time, he cannot be asked to account for the monies.

Orji urges Ndigbo to shelve presidential ambition for Jonathan From Hendrix Oliomogbe, Asaba HAIRMAN, South East Governors’ Forum and Abia State Governor, Chief Theodore Orji, has urged all presidential aspirants in the South East zone to shelve their ambition, close ranks and work towards the re-election of President Goodluck Jonathan in 2015. In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Charles Ajunwa yesterday, Governor Orji insisted that President Jonathan deserves total support of Ndigbo for a second term in office considering his commitment in addressing the gross neglect perpetrated against the race by previous administrations in the country. According to him, Jonathan has proved beyond doubt that the welfare of Ndigbo is

• Uduaghan’s chief of staff lauds president’s handling of terrorism very dear to him as demonstrated through most of the key projects either already executed or being undertaken in South-East by his administration. He listed some of the historic achievements of Jonathan’s administration in the region to include the upgrading of Akanu Ibiam Airport Enugu to international status, the reconstruction of hitherto deplorable Enugu/Port Harcourt Expressway, rehabilitation of Onitsha/Enugu Expressway, restoration of Ohafia Military Barracks, the commencement of work on second Niger Bridge, among others. “Apart from identifiable infrastructural developments in the zone, Jonathan has also

appointed Igbo sons and daughters to sensitive positions in the country”, Orji said, adding that since the history of Nigeria, no President has empowered Ndigbo like Jonathan. “Therefore, any person from South-East or South-South coming out to contest for the Presidency in 2015 does not have the interest of the zones at heart. Such a person should be ignored because he is doing so for selfish reasons, and must fail. “The reasonable thing for Ndigbo is to give Jonathan our maximum support whenever he declares his ambition for 2015, then after his second tenure we will negotiate for the Presidency because as key players in the Nigerian proj-

ect, Ndigbo also deserve the Presidency for equity and fairness.” In a related vein, Chief of Staff to Delta State Governor and gubernatorial aspirant, Dr. Festus Okubor, has commended President Jonathan for his mature handling of the Boko Haram insurgency in the northern part of the country. Okubor, who spoke with reporters yesterday in Asaba extolled Jonathan’s virtues as a true and liberal democrat and labeled the faultfinders as mischievous and uninformed. He said he is still at a loss as regards what the critics want the president to do that he has not done, except that he has not declared an outright war in those states.

said the Delta State Economic Reintegration Programme (DESERP) has become a veritable tool for the achievement of Vision 2020 and pledged the support of the Federal Government. The minister spoke at the Exhibition and Certificate Award Ceremony of DESERP in Warri, Delta State where about 3,000 persons graduated from the agency’s skills acquisition programme. Speaking after inspecting the various projects of DESERP, the minister said: “This is for real. It is not hype. DESERP is coming at the right time. This is happening at a time when the state governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan is talking about Delta Beyond Oil. And that of course is talking about building a knowledge economy. I have been to see some of the projects. And I have heard the story of the lawyer who after her training is now a successful caterer. I have also seen the case of the housewife who is now a mechanic after undergoing training at the DESERP Auto Centre. Indeed DESERP has given people wider range of skills that they can put to productive use; it is helping people to be financially empowered.”

Lagos to build more special courts on commercial disputes By Yetunde Ayobami Ojo

O quicken adjudication T of commercial disputes in Lagos State, the Chief Judge, Justice Ayotunde Philips, has disclosed that government would soon build special courts, which in turn would attract more foreign investors to the state. Justice Phillips said this during a Stakeholders Forum on Fast Track Rules and Procedure by the Lagos State Judiciary in collaboration with Justice for All, a project of the British Council. She stated that the main objective of fast track court would be to reduce time spent on litigation to a period not exceeding nine months from the commencement of the action till final judgment. According to Philips, the court would be built at Tapa in Lagos Island, and adjudicate over matters relating to revenues, mortgages and other commercial cases. The chief judge, therefore, appealed to stakeholders in the justice sector to partner with the judiciary towards making it a success. Lagos State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Ade Ipaye, who said investors are looking for a justice system that works, noted that speedy resolution of commercial disputes was important for economic development.

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

Bauchi pensioners urge govt to pay arrears From Ali Garba, Bauchi ENSIONERS in Bauchi State yesterday appealed to the Federal, state and local governments to pay a backlog of N6 billion pensions and gratuities to the beneficiaries. Chairman of the state chapter of Pensioners’ Association, Alhaji Habu Gar and his counterpart from Bauchi Local Government Pensioners’ Association, Alhaji Yahaya Umar, in a joint press conference in Bauchi, said the backlog of pensions and gratuities owed them has grown to over N6 billion and appealed to the various levels of government to pay them their in order to save their lives. Gar said: “For over seven months, government did not pay the workers’ gratuities and some pensioners were not included in pensions scheme three months after they retired. There were others who lost their lives waiting for pensions while others took ill. He noted: “We have pensioners who have taken ill, while some are down with stroke.” Umar said government did not pay two years’ gratuities to workers and did not pay their September and October 2013 arrears that were paid to some categories of workers, pleading with the government to address the disparity. Umar said the pensioners’ situation have become precarious with some of their children sent out of school, while some have not been able to pay their medical expenses.

Friday, March 14, 2014 NEWS | 7

Police identify suspected killer of Orji son’s aide From Gordi Udeajah, Umuahia HE suspected killer of Mr. John Ndubuka, an Abia State civil servant and blood relation of Governor Theodore Orji on February 15 after a civic reception held for the governor by Ikwuano/Umuahia people, has been identified after about one month’s investigation by the Police Command. The Police Commissioner (CP), Mr. Adamu Ibrahim, who made this known yesterday when a delegation of Igbo World Union paid him a visit to inform him that they plan to hold a traditional rulers’ forum in Umuahia, the state capital, in April 2014, said his Command had identified the late Ndubuka’s suspected killer cop (whose name he did not disclose), indicating that the suspected killer cop would soon be charged to court for

• Abia gov orders arrest of senatorial campaign pasters murder. “We are ready to arraign him in court. This suspected officer, who fired the shot that resulted to the death of Ndubuka, should take responsibility for his action even though he said it was an accidental discharge”. According to CP Ibrahim, the full identity of the suspect, who has been in our custody since the tragic incident, would be made public at the court, stressing that “Police are charged with the responsibility of protecting lives and not to endanger them”. Meanwhile, the state government said yesterday it is now a prosecutable offence to procure, distribute and post printed materials or mount billboards indicating or sug-

gesting that Governor Orji has accepted to or has become a candidate for Abia Central Senatorial District in

the 2015 election. The governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Charles Ajunwa, in a press statement sent

to The Guardian yesterday, said the governor has decried the action and dissociated himself from it, threatening the actors with arrest and prosecution by law enforcement agencies.

Homosexuality opposed to God’s plan, says cleric By Chris Irekamba RESIDENT of the General Conference of the SeventhDay Adventist Church, Worldwide, Dr. Ted N. C. Wilson, has called on individuals who are homosexuals or heterosexuals to repent and change their ways, saying that it is opposed to God’s plan for humanity. Pastor Wilson, who had been in the country for the past seven days celebrating the 100 years of existence of Seventhday Adventist Church in Nigeria with members of the congregation, told The Guardian

yesterday, that homosexuality or heterosexuality was against God’s approach for people to use in terms of interaction. He said the Seventh-day Adventist Church stands on the Bible and its principles. Before departing the country yesterday, the 20th president of the church, said: “Homosexuality is not what God would want His creatures to participate in. It is not the approach of God’s wishes for people to use in terms of interaction. It is opposed to

God’s plan, so Seventh-day Adventist Church does not support homosexuality. “We do try to follow Christ’s message of helping those, whether individuals who are homosexuals or heterosexuals, to remain pure in God’s eyes because the Bible gives us a clear way of living a pure and wonderful life through the power of the Holy Spirit and that is the message that the Seventh-day Adventist Church needs to bring to people that God can recreate in us a new heart.”

Ministry denies rejecting rights groups’ request on appropriations From Anthony Otaru, Abuja ONTRARY to some media reports, the Ministry of Finance yesterday denied that it rejected requests for information from civil society groups on appropriations and statutory transfers. A statement made available yesterday by Special Assistant to the Minister of Finance, Paul Nwabuikwu, in Abuja, said it is public knowledge that the ministry has consistently implemented a policy of transparency and accountability in the management of the economy and public finances.

The minister added that this was demonstrated in the monthly publication of allocations to the three-tiers of government, regular updates on the status of funding of SUREP programmes, payments to oil marketers for verified imports of petroleum products, as well as other information. She declared: “We, therefore, have no basis for rejecting any legitimate request for information on allocations to any government ministry or agency.” According to the statement, “In obedience to the recent

court judgment, the ministry, through the Budget Office of the Federation, is collating the details of appropriations and statutory transfers to the National Assembly, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), National Judicial Council (NJC), the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Universal Basic Education and National Human Rights Commission for publication. These agencies are all on firstline charge to the Federation Account and, therefore, the ministry must work with them to obtain the necessary

information. “It is public knowledge that as a result of the implementation of IPPIS, about 45,000 names of ghost workers have been taken off the payroll and about N118 billion saved. The Federal Ministry of Finance has taken the additional step of referring the issue to the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) for further investigation, so that any identified culprit can face the full wrath of the law,” the statement said. The minister noted that it is also important to provide

some clarifications on the allegation that the Budget Office of the Federation and other agencies have the highest proportions of ghost workers in the country. This is an obvious misrepresentation of facts. The Budget Office was one of the pioneer agencies on the IPPIS platform since 2006 and through biometrics and other processes, ghost workers have been eliminated from its payroll for about seven years now. The failure to give a time frame to this allegation was obviously done in bad faith to give a negative impression.

TheGuardian SUNDAY, March 16, 2014 PERSPECTIVES Professor Godini G. Darah on The Challenges Of Development And National Security...

Landmines On The Path To National Conference 1

BUSINESS

Fraudulent Charges In Money Houses: UST how much more do you pay to keep your accounts running? The Guardian has got all the answers! Join us.

00 years ago, Lord Lugard, in his own wisdom, decreed a union of the Northern and Southern protectorates, and the ‘family’ has since lived together in love, hate and violence. After many (about eight) constitutional conferences, half of which were organised by the colonial masters themselves, President Jonathan’s version is promising the fix the missing nuts. But there are landmines on the path to the much talked about Federal Constitution! The Guardian serves you all the perspectives — the best solution from good brains on Sunday. It is a date not to miss.

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8 | Friday, March 14, 2014

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PHOTONEWS

First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan flanked by the delegation from the Voice of the South South, a nongovernmental organization, during their courtesy visit to the presidential villa in Abuja. PHOTO: NAN

Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola (left) exchanging pleasantries with Temitope Adesegun, producer, Healthwise show during his visit to Healthwise studio in Oregun, Lagos. With them is the state Commissioner for Health, Jide Idris (middle).

Ekiti State Deputy Governor, Prof. Modupe Adelabu (left); Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi and wife of the governor, Erelu Bisi, at the 2014 International Women’s Day celebration, in Ado-Ekiti.

Executive Director, Ivory Banking, Heritage Bank Limited, Mary Akpobome (left); Managing Director, Ifie Sekibo; Executive Director, Manila Banking, Heritage Bank, Niyi Adeseun and Managing Director, Fund Adviser, UK, Paul Evans, during a dinner to mark the bank’s one year anniversary in Lagos.

Principal Manager, National Lottery Regulatory Commission, Mallam Lawal Mai’Iyali (left); Chairman, Singer Market Traders Association, Lungun Gidan Wanka, Kano, Ashura Abubakar; Nutricima Trade Partner, Inuwa Ibrahim Dasuki; N1 million winner, Muhammad Auwal; Nutricima Trade Partner, Bala Maigishiri and Kano Area Sales Manager, Nutricima Limited, Idris Bello, during the Nutricima Mega Cash Promo prize presentation in Kano.

Marketing Manager, Information Technology and Mobile, Samsung Electronics West Africa, Olajumoke Okikiolu (left); Director, Information Technology and Mobile, Samsung Electronics West Africa, Emmanouil Revmatas; Managing Director, Samsung Electronics West Africa, Brovo Kim; Product Manager, Digital Imaging Devices, of the company, Taiwo Adediran and Business Development Director, Information Technology and Mobile, Samsung Electronics West Africa, Daesung Ra at a briefing to announce the commencement of Samsung’s Galaxy S5 pre-order camPHOTO: FEMI ADEBESIN-KUTI paign and launch of Samsung’s NX30 Smart Camera in Lagos.

Divisional Head, Human Resources & Change Management, First City Monument Bank (FCMB) Limited, Felicia Obozuwa (left); the two winners in the promo, Mariam Shonubi and Felix Okechukwu, and Executive Director, Lagos and South West, FCMB, Olufemi Bakre during the grand finale of FCMB 30th Anniversary Promo in Lagos.

Igbo Jeffrey, winner of a generator (left); show anchor, Gbenga Adeyinka and another winner of a generator, Charles Ireobude, at the Star Win a Trip to Brazil promo draws, at the Crystal Sapphire Club.

THe GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

Friday, March 14, 2014

WorldReport Ukraine mobilises as Merkel warns Russia of long-term damage KRAINe yesterday moved U to mobilise a volunteer force to ward off Russia’s expansionist threat as Berlin warned Moscow of long-term damage to its economy and european Union relations over the Crimea crisis. The Verkhovna Rada parliament unanimously backed the creation of a new force of up to 60,000 volunteers who could keep Russian troops from advancing beyond the Crimean peninsula they seized at the start of the month. The dramatic decision to bolster Ukraine’s defences with people outside the army came shortly after United States President, Barack obama threw his full weight behind Ukraine’s new pro-european leaders in their Cold War-style standoff with the Kremlin. National Security and Defence Council chief, Andriy Parubiy said the new National Guard would “ensure state security, defend the borders, and eliminate terrorist groups” — a term many in Kiev use to call the wellarmed militias who patrol Crimea alongside Russian troops. Ukraine’s conventional army of 130,000 soldiers — half of

them conscripts with ageing equipment — is dwarfed by a 845,000-strong Russian force that has the backup of nuclear weapons. The flaring crisis on the eastern edge of europe was sparked by the ouster last month of a pro-Kremlin regime that prompted President Vladimir Putin to seek and win the right to use force against a neighbour for the first time since a brief 2008 war with Georgia. The more nationalist and Western-leaning team that rose to power on the back of a deadly popular revolt is viewed with derision by Putin and increasing warmth by Washington and eU states. German Chancellor, Angela Merkel — a fluent Russian speaker whose upbringing in Communist east Germany shaped both her cautious approach to Moscow and understanding of the importance of keeping relations with the Kremlin on track — delivered her most ominous warning to date in an appearance before the German parliament. “If Russia continues its course of the last weeks, it would not only be a catastrophe for Ukraine,” she told the chamber.

Sudan rebels sentenced to death in absentia SUDANeSe court has senA tenced to death in absentia a former governor who is

Children read messages and well wishes displayed for all involved with the missing Malaysia Airlines jetliner MH370 on the walls of the Kuala Lumpur International Airport, in Sepang, Malaysia yesterday. PHOTO: AP

Pope Francis marks first year in office oPe Francis has marked his P first year of papacy and has drawn a mostly positive response for his leadership. The Argentinean-born pontiff is currently on a week-long spiritual retreat with cardinals and bishops in the Alban Hills near Rome. Italian opinion polls give Pope Francis the highest popularity rating of any recent pontiff. However, the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) reported that Francis’s papacy so far has shown a change of style rather than of substance. Pope Francis is the first Latin American - and the first Jesuit

Activists fault World Bank on eviction of Kenyans By Wole Oyebade CoALITIoN of 65 organisations and hundreds of international allies on Wednesday condemned the massive evictions and forced relocation of the Sengwer Indigenous People in Kenya. They heaped the blame on World Bank-funded Reducing emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (ReDD) project, which they described as “a land-grabbing forest offset scam in Kenya’s Cherangany Hills.” In an open letter to the United Nations and Kenyan government, the coalition, led by No ReDD in Africa Network (NRAN), said that, “the forced relocation of the Sengwer People proves the urgency of can-

celing ReDD.” NRAN is also calling for the creation of an International Truth Commission on the forced relocation of the Sengwer People and abuses associated with ReDD and carbon offsets throughout the world. Founder, Health of Mother earth Foundation (HoMeF) in Nigeria, Nnimmo Bassey, in a statement on Wednesday, said the coalition took exception to the press statement issued by World Bank in which it attempts to distance itself from this forced relocation of the Sengwer People. According to him, the cause and effect is clear; “the Bank in its highly controversial role as both carbon credit financier and broker is aiding and abetting the forced relocation of

an entire Indigenous People through its Natural Resource Management Plan (NRMP), which includes ReDD in the region.” NRAN together with 65 organisations and renowned human rights activists were alarmed at the obvious connection between these evictions and the World Bank’s funding of the Kenyan government’s ReDD+ ‘readiness’ programme in the Cherangany Hills through the bank’s Natural Resource Management project. ReDD is a controversial emissions reduction scheme that uses forests, plantations and lands in the Global South as carbon offsets and supposed sponges of carbon emissions and fossil fuel pollution from the Global North.

India upholds death sentence for Delhi gang-rapists N Indian court upheld yesA terday the death penalty handed to four men convicted of the fatal gang-rape of a student in New Delhi, an attack that shocked the country and sparked weeks of protests. The High Court rejected an appeal by the four who were sentenced last year to hang following a trial over the attack on the 23-year-old student on a moving bus in the capital in December 2012. “our appeal has been dis-

missed by the high court,” AP Singh, a lawyer for the four, told reporters outside the court in New Delhi. “The death sentence of the four convicts has been upheld. We will go to the Supreme Court (to appeal further),” Singh said. “This is a politically motivated decision,” he added, claiming that the judges were under political pressure ahead of the country’s general elections next month. The physiotherapy student was attacked by six men, in-

cluding with an iron rod, after she boarded a private bus while going home from the cinema with a male friend. They were both later dumped naked and bleeding on the roadside. She died 13 days later from the internal injuries inflicted. The brutality of the attack, and her determination to survive long enough to identify her attackers to police, triggered large-scale angry street protests as well as soul-searching about India’s treatment of women.

- to lead the Roman Catholic Church. Since taking office, pilgrims have been arriving in Rome in unprecedented numbers. He is also riding high on social media, with 11 million following him in nine languages on Twitter. However, Francis’s approval rating has remained high despite a recent United Nations report accusing the Catholic

Church of systematically covering up for tens of thousands of child-abusing priests reported to the Vatican. The Pope himself has denounced any cult of personality. He recently told Corriere della Sera: “Portraying the pope as a kind of superman, a type of star, it seems offensive.”

now a rebel leader, along with another insurgent chief, a lawyer said. “Seventeen people were sentenced in absentia to be executed by hanging. These include Malik Agar and Yassir Arman,” said Al-Tigani Hassan, a lawyer who was present for the verdict in Singa town, the capital of Sennar state. Agar, formerly Blue Nile state governor, is chairman of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North, and Arman is secretary general of the movement, which has been fighting in South Kordofan and Blue Nile for almost three years. The verdict came at the end of a nine-month trial, but also followed by 12 days the adjournment of African Unionmediated peace talks between Khartoum and the SPLM-N in Addis Ababa. The two sides were deadlocked, said the African Union. It gave them until April 30 to reach a peace deal in the conflict which, according to the United Nations, has displaced or otherwise affected an estimated 1.2 million people.

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

Friday, March 14, 2014

Politics PDP manifesto: Long on ideals, short on implementation? From Azimazi Momoh Jimoh, Abuja OR 14 years, the Peoples Democratic Party Fparty. (PDP) has enjoyed power as Nigeria’s ruling It had dictated the pace in terms of what

Nigeria and foster national unity and integration while safeguarding our culture and our values; iii. Provide good governance that ensures probity and participatory democracy; iv. Guarantee human rights and fundamental freedoms of all citizens and persons resident in Nigeria. v. Promote and nurture democratic ideals and traditions on a sustainable basis; vi. Provide the political environment that is conducive to economic growth and national development through private initiative and free enterprise; vii. Offer equal opportunities to hold the highest political, military, bureaucratic and judicial offices in the country to all citizens, and protect, defend and safeguard the interests of all including minorities. 2. Governance The Party shall be committed to: i. The principle of participatory democracy that lays emphasis on the welfare of our people; ii. The principles of social justice and the equality of opportunities for all citizens; iii. The promotion and defence of the Nigerian Federal System of government; iv. The principles of accountability and transparency in order to restore confidence in the institutions of government, discipline and leadership by example as basis for public life and personal integrity as an important moral value in the conduct of public affairs; v. Fostering the spirit of oneness among our people by treating all Nigerians fairly and equitably, regardless of their social, political or economic status; and vi. The preservation of Nigeria as a multi-religious state whilst guaranteeing freedom of religion and good conscience. 3. Economy At the root of Nigeria’s political and social problems is poverty and low access to economic opportunities. The improvement in the well-being of Nigerians is the ultimate objective of the PDP’s economic policy, and make accessible to every Nigerian the basic needs of life. The focus would be to create a market-based economy driven by small and medium scale businesses and regulated by a reformed public sector. At the very foundation of the above objective of the party is the pursuit of a strong, virile and diversified economy built to stem ruralurban migration through investment in modern agricultural methods. PDP’s economic policy is centered on people and seeks to realise the Millennium Development Goals while aiming to: i. Develop a middle class driven by small business owners, professional class with access to credit. ii. Create easy access to transferable property rights in urban and rural areas. iii. Protect the weak and poor through initiatives that are designed to integrate them in the economy. iv. Improve investment in physical and social infrastructure. The PDP aims, altogether, at establishing the leading economy in Africa and one of the 20 leading and largest economies in the world by 2020; an economy that experiences rapid and sustained growth of not less than 10% per annum. 4. The Judiciary and the Administration of Justice The Party shall: i. At all times uphold and defend the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria; ii. Uphold the principles of separation of powers as enshrined in the Constitution; iii. Uphold the independence of the Judiciary; iv. Ensure the security of lives and property of all Nigerians.

Nigerians should get or not get as “dividends of democracy.” Questions have, however, arisen regarding how much of its manifesto the party had complied with. Conventionally, a manifesto is a public declaration of intentions, opinions, objectives, or motives, as one issued by a government or organisation. At a glance, the PDP manifesto reads in part: 1. The Indivisibility of the Nigerian Polity i. We affirm our belief in the unity of Nigeria under the Federal System of Government. We shall, therefore, continuously promote political tolerance, accommodation and compromise, religious harmony, as well as inter-ethnic and intra-ethnic accommodation and cooperation. ii. The Party shall also promote geo-political balancing as a fundamental principle of power sharing in the country, in line with the principle of federal character. iii. The Party shall uphold the principle of power rotation in our polity at all levels. 2. Supremacy of the Constitution We affirm our belief in the supremacy of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the sovereignty of the Nigerian nation and its people. We hereby affirm our commitment to strict observance and enforcement of the provisions. As a political party, we shall conform to the spirit and the letter of the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the constitution of the Peoples Democratic Party. 3. Independence of the Judiciary and operation of the Rule of Law A PDP government shall, at all times, be guided by the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as it relates to the Judiciary. Towards this end, the party shall: i. Ensure that only Nigerians of proven integrity with relevant professional qualifications and track record are appointed to serve in the nation’s judiciary; ii. Protect the absolute independence and integrity of the judiciary by avoiding interference in its financial and administrative management; iii. Provide adequate office and residential accommodation and other facilities and material incentives that will ensure and guarantee quick and fair dispensation of justice; iv. Ensure probity and public accountability in the administration of justice. 4. Sanctity of Human Dignity We affirm belief in respect of fundamental human rights, as enshrined in the Nigerian Constitution and International Protocols and Conventions. We are against all forms of discrimination on the basis of gender, religion, place of origin, or ethnicity, race, beliefs, etc. The PDP will strive to protect the rights of vulnerable groups in society, including women, children, senior citizens, physically challenged and minorities. Directive Principles We shall remain strongly committed to: i. Democracy and good governance; ii. Freedom, human rights and human dignity; iii. Justice, equity, popular participation, inclusiveness and the rule of law; iv. Integrity, transparency and accountability in the conduct of public affairs; v. Sustainable development through the creation of an enabling environment for private sector led economic development. Direction of Policy and Measures 1. Political Objective The political objective of the Peoples Democratic Party is to: i. Seek political power for the purpose of proN the level of compliance with the party’s tecting the territorial integrity of Nigeria and manifesto, opinion differs so much promoting the security, safety, welfare, and because it had become a matter of interest. well-being of all Nigerians. For instance, it would be difficult to get a ii. Promote and establish political stability in

Mu’azu member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to make positive statements about the PDP and its manifesto, but PDP members and supporters are all over town, shouting about the success the party has made of its manifesto. Last Tuesday, the PDP listed its achievement as a political party, insisting that democracy is on course and that the party has provided the necessary environment for growth in the country. In a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh, the party said its greatest achievement is the provision of a strong national leadership whose centripetal pull had succeeded in relegating the barriers of race, religion and ideological persuasions — issues that had kept Nigeria down for long. The party’s spokesman said the PDP government recognised that no meaningful development could be achieved without strong financial institutions in place, explaining that this was the reason the government has consistently paid attention to strengthening the banking system to enable it meet their obligations to customers. According to Metuh, “PDP has instilled a culture of accountability and probity in public life. This is evident in the various trials and convictions undertaken by our anti-graft agencies where even high-ranking members of the PDP have not been spared when found wanting. “The PDP government has been at the vanguard of creating a vibrant private sector-driven economy. The privatisation programme of government, which has seen government divesting from direct control of companies, has resulted in greater efficiency. “In the international circles, Nigeria had moved from being a pariah state to an influential voice since the inception of the PDP government. Our pride as a regional, continental and global power block has been enhanced since we assumed the saddle of leadership. “Under the PDP government, the private sector has been on the rise, contributing millions of jobs and the overall Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the country, which today stands at over $500 billion from $170 billion in 2005.” But a chieftain of the APC, Mr. Kassim Afegbua, who is the spokesman to the Edo State governor, Adams Oshiomhole, is of the view that there is nothing good about the PDP and its manifesto. He said: “The ongoing polluted discourse about fuel subsidy removal or no removal prompted me to ask myself if actually there is a document called the manifesto exclusively owned by the ruling party, the PDP and which

expectedly should form the basis for its political covenant with the electorate. “Judging from the way and manner the PDP was hurriedly formed in 1998, to answer the call for democratic governance, it could be excused if it was unable to script a document called a manifesto. “Surprisingly, in order to fulfill the requirements of INEC’s registration, it hurriedly put together a manifesto and after registration, the story ended there.” Afegbua said the PDP went into the 1999 elections, preaching the essential ingredients of free enterprise and assuring Nigerians that better days were ahead. “As soon as Chief Olusegun Obasanjo won election, he reportedly told party members, who cared to listen, that whatever quantum of investment they might have made (towards his election), it should be considered as sacrifice and that he was not prepared to patronise anyone on account of his contribution to his victory,” he said. “Obasanjo went a step further to introduce new policy proposals from the Theophilus Danjuma-led Presidential Policy Advisory Committee and put to rest the issue of the PDP manifesto. “That was the end of everything that has to do with manifesto in the ruling PDP.” Afegbua wasn’t done yet, as he queried: “Does PDP have a manifesto? Is fuel subsidy one of the issues contained in its manifesto? “If yes, how come it did not form part of the issues canvassed during the last campaigns for the election of President Goodluck Jonathan? If no, why the sudden introduction of subsidy removal after the elections? “Was it an afterthought or perhaps the PDP and President Jonathan deceived Nigerians in order to get their votes and later turn around to visit them with untold hardship as we presently have on our hands? “Any serious-minded political party is expected to work by its rules and regulations contained in its constitution and manifesto or any other document for that matter. “This idea of preaching prosperity during elections and delivering poverty after elections rubbishes whatever integrity such a party possesses.” He said it was a shame that a dominant party as the ruling PDP could not honour its own rules. “If fuel subsidy removal was not an issue before the election, and if it does not exist in the old manifesto of the PDP, why does the party think this is the appropriate time to introduce it; trying to be clever by half?” he said. Similarly, the PDP had condemned, in very strong terms, the manifesto of the APC, which was unveiled last week. Metuh’s statement said the manifesto was not worth discussing, as it was evidently rushed out without proper homework. The ruling party described the document as wishy-washy, lacking in depth and character and failing to address any issue. It urged the APC to desist from deceiving the people with empty promises, as contained in some of the items in the roadmap, pointing out that while the manifesto promised free education, students in Lagos State have been on the streets, protesting imposition of high school fees by the state, “where the people are also groaning under the burden of heavy taxes to finance the wasteful lifestyle of APC leaders.” The PDP said that it’s most curious that the APC, with 16 states under its control, had not been able to implement any of its Janjaweed ideology, as state governments are constitutionally empowered to attempt implementation of almost all the seven cardinal programmes launched by the APC. The party ended by stating that the “APC actually launched 7 (seven) cardinal SINS against the national interest, namely; 1. Deceit and propaganda. 2. Violence and destruction. 3. Lust for power. 4. Greed for money and insatiable acquisition of wealth. 5. Multiple and over-taxation. 6. Promotion of religious/tribal divisions and 7. Lack of respect for democratic tenets and principles.”

Friday, March 14, 2014 11

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

Uzamere’s Defection

‘His yo-yo politics, self-righteousness’

‘This house is not yours’ By Osagie Edosamwan F Senator Ehigie Uzamere IWilliam were born the same time Shakespeare was, he probably would have made the renowned playwright a proud man. The reason is that he would have been very helpful in the dramatist’s quest to parody the life of his fellow 18th century European elites. Sadly, the Edo State-born politician is a 21st century Nigerian senator struggling to convince his followers that his make-believe theatrics is a holy grail. Worse still, he appears, as it is wont with every garbagein garbage-out characters, to possess an infallible inability to live in real life an iota of the noble ideals he seeks to portray. This much he displayed while attempting to justify his umpteenth divorce in his political marriages. On Wednesday, February 12, 2014, he announced yet another such ritual, effectively severing his relationship with the All Progressives Congress, the political make-over of the Action Congress, (ACN) on whose platform he won the ticket to represent Edo South at the upper house of the National Assembly. But in the advertorial he curiously titled, ‘My Dear People of Edo South Senatorial District, THIS HOUSE IS NOT OUR HOME, IT IS TIME TO GO (ALAWA),’ it was obvious that he didn’t realise that his exit was long overdue, as the APC is a house built for true representatives of the people, not politicians without principles. In one breath, Uzamere wants the world to see him as a man committed to the ideal that allocates to every segment of the society what it deserves within the limits of its contribution to the whole. In the same breath, he contradicts himself by proving to all that he is just an opportune tribal supremacist, who wants nothing good for others except his own, as is succinctly captured in his reasons for ditching the APC. According to him, APC does not want to support his dream to allocate to a segment of the society more than its fair share of the people’s collective resource well outside its contribution. Put differently, is running back to the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, as the only party that will help install inequity as a basis for distributing state appointments. Rhetorically, he asked if there is any “position of critical importance” for his people “outside statutorily provided appointments...” The question he failed to answer is how he could possibly be a man whose vision is for a state where “every segment gets what it deserves within the limits of its contribution... free from domination and oppression” and at the same time be calling for state appointment distribution for some above statutory provision? Only a split personality can be so inconsistent.

Discerning people cannot pay serious attention to Uzamere for sundry excuses even as he struggles to convince the people of the state that he has genuine and public interest reasons for returning to the party he left and dismissed with uncharitable comments. The same Uzamere, who described any ticket offered by the PDP as less in worth than the Zimbabwean Dollar, now wants Nigerians to believe that he is returning to the same party, as it is the only one that can support his egalitarian political dream. The question he needs to answer is how possible it is for a tribal supremacist to also be a champion of egalitarianism. Rather cheaply, Uzamere gave the impression his problems with the APC began when he made it a mandate to protect the interest of the people, by fighting for the appointment of a popular candidate to represent the state in the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC). Selfless as he appears to sound, reliable sources have it that the real (very selfish) reason for opting out of APC, just as he did while first jumping out of PDP, is not as he puts it. For the purpose of this write-up, let me simply state here his return to the PDP is that he has realised how unlikely it is for him to get a third term ticket from the APC. Therefore, desperate for even the most worthless ticket, being an apostle of “Na at all at all bad,” he saw nothing wrong returning to the PDP, having realised that his political value is now worth less than the PDP ticket he described so uncharitably. For me, he is only returning home to where his political inconsistency took root. If, indeed, Uzamere is not becoming a political orphan, he ought to be aware that his romance with political widowhood is very imminent. But now that he is finally taking reluctant but sure steps into political widowhood, he must not forget to tell his people that the only reason he fought the battle for who represented the state in the NDDC board is because he wanted to safeguard personal interests. That is what he did in the PDP before joining the ACN; that is what he unsuccessfully sought to do in APC, which eventually resulted in his defection back to where his political relevance waved him goodbye years ago. The real question now is this: how come he has not realised that he has since become the butt of ribald jokes even among members of the PDP in his own constituency? The reason is that Uzamere is an established dealer of cards he alone can read. Therefore, it is not a surprise that he now chooses to forget recent political history of the state and how it has helped the people to shape their new thinking about popular representation. Right now, the people know too well that the Oshiomhole administration is receiving

Uzamere plaudits because it deployed state resources in the interest of the people to provide unprecedented development spread across every nook and cranny of the state. Unlike those before it, the administration engineered a new thinking, which holds the notion that, indeed, Edo State is not resource-stagnant as the party Uzamere is running back to led everyone to believe. He would prefer that the people don’t talk about this reality because it will dent the import of his decision to paint the state governor as an anti-progress emperor, godfather or sole administrator. Sadly for him, he cannot dismiss the fact that above other democratically elected governors before him, Oshiomhole produced convincing development performance that is self-evident in all sectors in the state. If that is why Uzamere refers to Oshiomhole as godfather, sole administrator, etc., the people of the state would gladly have it that way and remain proud to have him as their beloved Comrade Governor. Uzamere is free to join any political party of his choice. But in exercising that freedom, he must not run anyone down on account of his desire to be seen as credible. Clearly, this is not the time to even tell the people since he knows as much as anybody else that his antecedents put him in no position at all to retain his ticket in the APC. The only option opened to him, which he has freely taken advantage of, is to return to a party in dire need of names whether they are worth more or less than the Zimbabwean Dollar. That is the only choice he has taken to the PDP where even if another ticket to the Senate were available, he has no chance of being given a thought. Certainly, no house is home to him any more... not even the PDP because every available home is already occupied. • Edosamwan writes from Benin City.

By Sufuyan Ojeifo HAVE read some reactions ICongress by the All Progressives (APC) elements in Edo State to the defection by Senator Edobor Ehigie Uzamere to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and I could not but laugh at their gobbledygook. I can understand their disappointment and pains. But they should have known, long before now, that Uzamere, who exercised his right to jump out of the PDP in 2007 and berthed in the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), could exercise the same right to jump into another party any time he wishes. So, I am surprised that his movement took them aback. It shows the fluidity of the political space and the inconsistency in the character of many politicians dominating the space. Most politicians are propelled by the ideology of the stomach, the politics of enlightened selfinterest. They seek to strategically position themselves for maximum benefits. And when they do this, they most times go to the extremes, spurning decency. They always behave like the prodigal child in the Christians’ Holy Bible. That was how Uzamere left the PDP bag and baggage in the buildup to the 2011 general elections to pitch his tent in the ACN camp. But there was a tinge of selfrighteousness in his defection to the ACN. He saw the writing on the wall: that the PDP was not going to give him its ticket for re-election. He made his moves; proved to Governor Adams Oshiomhole that he was dependable by frustrating the attempt by the other two Edo PDP senators (Odion Ugbesia and Yisa Braimoh) to stop the governor’s nominee for the position of the state’s representative in the Niger Delta Development Commission (NNDC), Mr. Donald Igiede Omorodion. And because the Senate leadership favoured Uzamere, he got the necessary support to push through Oshiomhole’s nominee. Uzamere has so far proved to be a utilitarian politician, despite having just entered the game of politics with its slippery terrain.

He, as a matter of fact, happened on the political scene in 2007 when he dislodged the influential and rich Senator Daisy Ehanire Danjuma from the Edo South senatorial seat after clinching the PDP ticket in a predetermined primary in which presidential bile was against the Danjumas. Ordinarily, it would have been a difficult task for Uzamere to accomplish were it not for the opposition by Olusegun Obasanjo, who was then in the saddle as president, to Daisy Danjuma’s re-election bid. And Obasanjo’s opposition was in spite of Daisy’s husband, General Theophilus Yakubu Danjuma, with whom he had an axe to grind. The quarrel between the two generals, as learnt, had to do with Obasanjo’s rather unholy interest, as a sitting president, in OPL 246 (Block 246) belonging to Danjuma’s company, South Atlantic Petroleum (SAPETRO) Limited. But he failed to cause the Federal Government to annex the block. He could not also achieve whatever it was that propelled him to covet the treasure well of the Jukun general. The court had come to the defence of Danjuma. The next scene was to happen in a dramatic fashion: Obasanjo’s third term agenda had just failed under the collective opposition by Nigerians. Danjuma, for instance, did not support the agenda. There were also reports that the Chairman of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the PDP, Chief Tony Anenih (who was then the BoT chairman), did not support the agenda, as he should have done and for which Obasanjo wrested the BoT chair from him after the expiry of his presidency. That was the reason Obasanjo decided to move against Daisy’s re-election bid. He also moved against known loyalists of Anenih within and outside Edo State who were planning to contest crucial elective positions. Consider how Obasanjo stopped Senator Odion Ugbesia (Anenih’s preferred choice) from contesting for the Edo governorship, directing that support be given to Senator (Professor) Oserheimen Osunbor instead. Obasanjo also ensured that the PDP backed Uzamere for the Edo South senatorial ticket. When Daisy saw the vindictive hand of Obasanjo in the process, she decided to withdraw from the contest. In fact, it became a nocontest for Uzamere, who clinched the party ticket. It was not that Obasanjo loved Uzamere all that. The Ota farmer had before then pursued Uzamere as part of concerted effort to hunt down former Bayelsa State governor, Diepreye Solomon Peter Alamieyeseigha. Uzamere, being a close ally of Alamieyeseigha, was said to have held some money in trust, which Obasanjo believed belonged to Bayelsa State and should be retrieved and returned to the state. There were reports that Obasanjo used the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to harass and traumatise Uzamere in the process. Interestingly, in the circumstance that presented itself to Obasanjo: to choose between Daisy Danjuma and Edobor Uzamere, the Ebora of Owu had settled for the lesser irritant. That was how Uzamere clinched the PDP Edo South senatorial ticket and danced “Azonto” to the Senate in 2007. But in 2011, when it was clear to

him that he was not going to get the party’s nomination for reelection, because the PDP leadership wanted Daisy Danjuma to return, he had to cross over to ACN where, with the support of the Oshiomhole’s machinery in the state, he was able to defeat Danjuma. Uzamere’s second term in the Senate is due in 2015. But suddenly, the swanky politician decided, this time round, to dance “Tskelewu” back to the PDP. He gave several reasons for his action, but the one that provided him with legal protection was the merger between his ACN and other parties to form the APC. His argument that he was a member of the ACN and not APC remains consistent with the provisions of the law justifying defection. His defection, made righteous by the apparently explicable circumstance, is thus clothed in legality. It does not matter the condemnation by the Edo APC leaders and members. What is deducible from Uzamere’s yo-yo politics is the picture of someone with a clear understanding of how to exploit the political processes to personal advantage. Here, there is nothing like political ideology because it does not exist. If an argument can be made of its existence, it may not be selfcontradictory to hold the view that all political parties run on the same ideology of seeking power for the sake of it. However, one thing is paramount in the entire political bargain: permanent interest, which must be protected. Uzamere has proved to be a good student of the Machiavellian School of Thought. For him, the end justifies the means. It does not matter to him whether or not people cast him in the mould of a prodigal child as long as there is a shade of righteousness in his prodigality. It is the kind of righteousness that helped to justify his movement from the PDP to the ACN in 2011 and his movement back to the PDP from the ACN in 2014. To save his Senate seat in 2011, he had moved to the ACN. What does he want to save in 2015 that has made him to return to the PDP? Good question! And where does the answer lie? Indeed, the answer can be located in the circumference of Edo politics sharing a critical nexus with the 2015 presidential politics. This is an auspicious time for Uzamere, I believe, to demonstrate loyalty to his friendship with President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, a friendship he struck through his long standing association and alliance with Jonathan’s one-time boss in Bayelsa government, DSP Alamieyeseigha. To solidify the support for the president, he had to return to the president’s party: so, enter Uzamere into Edo PDP. The APC elements can insult him to high heavens; he had listened to the rhythm of his soul and pleased his conscience. The bulky politician can now pursue his future aspiration on the PDP platform, which in 2011 was, according to him, devalued and more worthless than the Zimbabwean dollar, but which has now been revalued and doing well with the US dollar. It does not, for now, matter whether he succeeds or fails on the platform. • Ojeifo, journalist and publisher, sent this piece from Abuja via ojwonderngr@yahoo.com

TheGuardian

www.ngrguardiannews.com

12 | Friday, March 14, 2014

Conscience Nurtured by Truth

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

Editorial Avoidable fuel scarcity AST week’s round of fuel scarcity, the first since the January 2012 fuel subsidy protests, could have been avoided if the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) had done right and released quarter one allocation of fuel to importers on time. Though the scarcity has largely eased off, that the procedure for allocating fuel is still jagged, despite Nigeria’s massive dependence on imported fuel, is baffling and questions the managerial capabilities of those in charge. Of course, it can only be gross mismanagement coupled with corrupt practices that breeds this needless scarcity. Unfortunately, a major crude oil producer and exporter that, apparently, has refused to build and operate functional refineries but prefers importation can only be described as sick. Therefore, there may be no end to the frequent episodes of fuel scarcity so long as availability of the product depends on the corruption-ridden importation regime. The scarcity, which started in Abuja FCT the other week, quickly spread to Lagos and across many states. Despite the assurances given by the PPPRA and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) that the scarcity was artificial and caused by panic buying, most petrol stations shut down with no fuel to sell. The few that opened witnessed long queues of desperate motorists and citizens who needed fuel for their vehicles, motorcycles, tricycles and generators. The scenes were chaotic and shameful as crowds piled up at the stations where fuel was sold. Expectedly, marketers used the opportunity to rip off desperate motorists who were willing to pay any price. Petrol sold at between N120 and N150 a litre as against the official price of N97. Stranded passengers, of course, bemoaned the recurrent ugly situation. Fuel hawkers had a field day as black market thrived. Ten litres of fuel that normally sells for N970 sold for N2000. The result was a hike in transport fares and motorists and commuters suffered untold hardship. Perennial fuel scarcity is a disgrace to a nation like Nigeria. Without getting things right in the first place, all the contentious talk of subsidy can only make things worse for the people. There is administrative inefficiency at the highest level of the oil industry management. This must be corrected before any policy thrust can work. The contradictions and confusion inherent in the downstream sector have remained intractable. The four existing refineries are grossly underperforming at a mere 20 per cent capacity. What then is happening to the huge allocation of crude oil to the NNPC? If this allocation is effectively refined and the products released, it should go a long way to meet local demand and there would be less dependence on importation. But the NNPC’s opaque management system can hardly be helpful to the country. Otherwise, the oil allocation to the corporation should be discontinued since it ends up being managed in ways that are far from being satisfactory. Unfortunately, the fuel subsidy probes remain inconclusive and the treasury continues to bleed. With all the machinery at the disposal of government and its agencies, all that is needed to make fuel available is good planning and transparency. Whether it is granting of licence or the actual importation, planning ahead would ensure the availability of the product and avoidance of embarrassment as well as untold hardship. The usual excuses by the NNPC that fuel is available or that the scarcity is caused by panic buying are unacceptable. Enough of buck-passing. More of best practices.

LETTERS

How to upset the country IR: Even in America, a sinkSattractive ing President looks for an distraction to distract the people from his failure, and if the distraction is attractive enough, usually it works. That is the tactics adopted by President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan (GEJ), using “national conference” convocation as an elixir. What is more, he has succeeded in winning many of his most influential opponents, North-South, now preparing to attend GEJ’s conference. “Yoruba elders” and “Who’s who” are now feverishly preparing for GEJ’s conference. What they want? Regionalism and the parliamentary system in place of the presidential system. What becomes of the zonal designation? It is to be decapitated, so that all talks about zonal presidential rotation will die. The “elders” believe that absence of regionalism and parliamentary system is the reason Boko Haram is on rampage, and corruption is let loose. That was the reason GEJ destabilised the Nigeria’s Governors’ Forum also. I lament how the northern Governors, and the Governors of All Progressives Congress swallowed the yeast of GEJ, the same way the

man led the country to truncate rotational presidency in 2011. The focus has thus shifted from dethroning the PDP, to helping GEJ overcome the degeneration of the PDP. His conference has achieved something: it has softened the hearts of his opponents.

Governor Babatunde Fashola is also Islamising Lagos State in the “indecent dressing” syndrome. Nigeria is in trouble; Yorubaland is in crisis. Nigeria/Yorubaland in an Islamic era! • Pius Abioje, University of Ilorin.

Cleaning NNPC of a mess fields to reconcile its The NPDC has denied accounts from 2012 to 2013, SfromIR:: that $6 billion proceeds which is just a year? a third party crude sales arrangement were paid into its account by the NNPC. The Managing Director of NPDC, Mr. Victor Briggs, told the Senator Ahmed Makarfiled committee that he did not receive the money from the NNPC and that his agency did not rely on the corporation for the funding of its activities. The Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders (CACOL), therefore, notes that the revelation by the NPDC confirmed the level of rot in the NNPC. Is the NNPC telling Nigerians that it doesn’t keep the account of crude oil proceeds and its expenditures? Why is it difficult for a corporation that boasts of professionals in different

Whosoever told such barefaced lie must be cooling his feet in the jail now, if it were in saner climes. We need to investigate where this money went. It is high time President Goodluck Jonathan asked the Petroleum Minister, Mrs. Diezani Allison-Madueke to step aside for presiding over the rot, so as to give room for a dispassionate investigation. The Senate Committee should do a thorough investigation on the allegation and hand over its report to the relevant anti-graft agencies for appropriate prosecution. • Abimbola Adegoke, Media Officer, CACOL

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Friday, March 14, 2014

Opinion A centenary of political turmoil By Tola Adeniyi T was like a gathering of slaves just recently reIlook leased from their owner’s cage. I took another at the faces on the screen beamed to me in my living room and to viewers the world over courtesy the Africa Independent Television, and what I saw was the same collection of frightened individuals who appeared unsure of what future awaited them. I did not see anything to suggest that a country of 173 million people was celebrating any joyous occasion. And perhaps rightly so. And a few moments after some hurriedly recruited Masters of Ceremonies performed their bit, a woman with trademark load of cloth on her head started reeling out a long tissue of lies, telling her audience stories that did not in any way reflect what was on ground in their country. It appeared she was talking about a country in Europe, not about Nigeria where even the bedroom of Mr. President is permanently powered by generator. But what were they celebrating? Some pink skinned marauders came to our land, tricked our ancestors using unprecedented perfidy as weapon, occupied our precious land, looted our resources and carted them off to their God-forsaken countries, and thereafter enslaved us. To show our gratitude for the gratuitous insult heaped on our race, we thought we should as-

semble and honour their Queen and their other representatives who forced a thoughtless economic union on us. Quite frankly, there was no sense in celebrating a century of confusion and political unease. No Nigerian in any part of the country is happy at the deplorable state of the country today. I am aware though that majority of the fat necks in Abuja who are reaping huge benefits from our failure as a country are smiling to their banks every day. So also are the warmers of the fat necks’ beds smiling to their banks too. It is quite mindless to have our school children, the very hope of our future being slaughtered on daily basis and yet have the so-called spoilers of our land and the looters of our patrimony holding a party to celebrate the very root cause of our collective rot. In other lands, angry youth would have invaded the setting of the show of shame and shove everybody out with cudgels and cutlasses! But of course ours is a land of idiots where every manner of insult and roguery are tolerated. I am almost certain that come another hundred years, when nearly all of those reading this article would have passed on, nobody would be celebrating this nonsense. We are not sure if Nigeria, in its present structureless structure will endure till that time, but if by any miracle it survives, those that would be in charge of affairs at that time would be more

conscious of their historic responsibility and provide enlightened and politically knowledgeable leadership. Going back to the shameless celebration, let me quickly point out that Dick Tiger was not the first to win a World Boxing title for Nigeria. That feat had been performed much earlier by the great Hogan Bassey. And while we appreciate the great difficulty in picking out a mere 100 out of 173 million people in a period spanning 100 years, we should also point out that those charged with the preparation for the Centenary Celebration did a very shoddy job. How could you have a reputable Professor coming forward to collect an Award on behalf of her late husband, who also was a world renowned professor without presenting that remarkable observation to the audience and viewers. Professor (Mrs) Osuntokun was there in her sartorial elegance to collect her husband’s award, and no word about who she was! So much for the Centenary nonsense! Mandatory sack as punishment. In Nigeria, the only punishment you get if you loot the treasury is the routine mandatory sack from office. If you empty the entire treasury of your ministry or department or agency, the Federal Government will only ask you to take a bow and go with your loot, and enjoy till the end of life. Government is not concerned or bothered about probity. In fact, if the media ever get to

know about the stealing being perpetrated by a minister or a chief executive, government will merely grant the person enough extension so that the thief can steal more before he or she is relieved of his or her post. There is no disincentive to stealing. And the figures flying about regarding the monumental stealing going around are too worrisome. And yet there is a government! Too many people dropping dead Too many people are dropping dead these days, and by far too many are committing suicide. Nigeria is not Japan. Nigeria is not the U.S. These are two world’s leaders in suicide and homicide cases. The U.S. leads the world in the two while Japan is in close competition with the U.S. in suicide cases. But Nigeria is fast growing notoriety for a place in the Guinness Book of Records as a country where people sleep healthy and wake up dead! People simply drop dead! Too much pressure. Too much frustration. Too many unfulfilled hopes and aspirations. And if you live in a country where all the basic necessities and essentials for living are absent, you are as good as dead. There is no point asking government to do anything about this trend because this government apart from being the most corrupt, is also the most selfish. Nigerians have been pushed to the brink. And it is now a matter of time.

Value of entertainment industry By Roberts Orya “Nollywood is getting set to take over the world. I recognize the role of entertainment in the Nigerian economy and this government will support an industry that makes Nigerians happy. I have given them direct order to make sure entertainers have $200 million worth of loan to work with. Make more movies, write and produce more hit songs, provide jobs and give hope to our people.” – President Goodluck Jonathan T bears similarity with Hollywood. A number of Nollywood acIattain tors and actresses are destined to superstardom before they the middle age. It is not about instant fame and fortune. But by sheer productivity and masterful performances, actors and actresses become veterans before they attain the golden age. Musicians even tend to operate across generations. The reason for this is that the entertainment industry does so well in harnessing the power of youth. A lot is feared about the demographic structure of Nigeria, for now and for the future. By current estimates, the Nigerian population has over 100 million people under the age of 45. Will this army of young people find gainful employment today? If they don’t, how are they to vent their energy? From, say the year 2054, when the potential demographic dividend of today will yield to something of an inverted pyramid population structure, what percentage of private and public resources would be required to support the pension system and care for the aged? Fiscal relief First, let’s take a close look at the last question. Most artistes across the genres of entertainment are early starters. They start to contribute to the GDP at relatively young age. Their careers prop a broad range of economic activities that define the entertainment industry value chain. Because artistes remain economically active in their old age, and some of their past works gain even greater value much later, they hardly pose any burden on government or society. Instead, they keep both together happily. Furthermore, outside of policy-making and regulating the industry, entertainment is a sphere of activities for the private sector. It is not a place where huge pension liabilities will accrue to the government. Therefore, the growth of the entertainment industry does not pose corresponding additional burden on fiscal management. Indeed, the entertainment industry has been growing in leaps and bounds in the last decade. Nollywood has risen to number two position (behind India’s Bollywood) in the global film markets, in terms of volume of production. In revenue, Nollywood is third, behind Hollywood and Bollywood. Nollywood produces about 50 movies per week. Current estimates put its annual revenue at an impressive $590 million. Africa Renewal, a publication of the United Nations, reported in its May 2013 edition, that the African film industry (in which Nollywood is by far the dominant), would contribute significantly to the expected 5.2% GDP growth projection for the continent last year. Euromonitor International and Reed Exhibitions, the organisers of the World Travel Market, a global event for the travel industry, were cited

by Africa Renewal, saying that the Nigerian film industry will continue to drive domestic and regional tourism. The entertainment sector is job-rich. It is now reputed to be the second highest employer of labour in Nigeria after agriculture. Characteristically employing pools of young people with diverse skill sets, the Nigerian film industry alone currently employs more than one million people. International interest In the earlier part of its history, Nollywood struggled to attract the interest of funders. It basically relied on angel investors and personal finance of a few people within the industry to maintain production. Then, its distribution infrastructure was hijacked by pirates and other agents of unauthorised distributorship. Today however, the industry is raising a new breed of savvy entrepreneurs whose exploits have internationalised the movie industry. One of them is 33-year old Jason Njoku of Iroko Partners, who was recently listed by Forbes as one of “top 10 young African millionaires to watch.” His firm with offices in Lagos, London and New York, distributes Nollywood and Ghanaian films and music. Seen as Africa’s version of Netflix. Iroko Partners attracted further $8 million in funding last December to boost its on-demand video platform and drive it toward profitability in 2015. With the rising funding profile, several Nigerian actors and actresses have starred in international films. Some of the Nigerian films have been shot in exotic locations outside the country. One of the exponents, Genevieve Nnaji has been a guest on the Oprah Winfrey Show. Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde is currently a Goodwill Ambassador of the United Nations. In the music sphere, Femi Kuti has received two nominations for Grammy Award, while 2Face Idibia and D’banj are winners of MTV Music Awards. Around Africa, Europe and America, Nollywood actors and Nigerian musicians are showcases of the abundance of raw talents in Nigeria, and how we are a people that is up and doing. Africa Magic channel on DSTV (Digital Satellite Television) is about the magic of the Nigerian creative zest and industry capacity; no pun intended. Less than a decade ago, it was almost unthinkable that a local Nigerian musician would collaborate with international stars. Today, such collaborations are commonplace. U.S. mega stars Kanye West and Snoop Lion have worked with D’Banj and Don Jazzy, while Senegalese-American star Akon has signed Tuface Idibia, P-Square and Wizkid as the African representatives of his record label, Konvict Musik. Apart from signing a lucrative deal with SONY Music Entertainment, D’Banj’s was recently unveiled at the African Union Summit in Addis Ababa as the Ambassador for ONE Campaign, an advocacy that calls African governments to commit at least 10 per cent of national budgets on agriculture investment. Nigeria’s Kings of Comedy, Ali Baba, Basketmouth, Julius Agwu, AY, among others are also celebrated across Africa and beyond. Basketmouth and Julius Agwu have individually organised soldout shows at the O2 Arena, United Kingdom. Apart from having sold-out performances at home and abroad, video and audio recordings of comedy shows have also become huge sources of revenue for these comedians. Harnessed demographic advantage Nollywood bubbles with the energy of youth. The predominant

genre of the Nigerian music ruling our airwaves is youthful. That means perfect symmetry with the huge Nigerian youth population. The population universe of 170 million people provides a big market for retail of entertainment products. At the same time, businesses tapping the huge Nigerian consumer market, especially the mobile network operators (MNOs) and food & beverage, are propelling Nigerian entertainers to new levels of financial success with incomes from endorsements, Caller Ring Back Tones (CRBT), etc. In effect, Nigerian youths have the right motivations for success in the examples of the stars that grace our television sets and rule our airwaves. When cinemas arrived in Nigeria, much of the movies that moviegoers were treated to came from Hollywood, Chinese and Indian films. However, over the last decade, Nollywood films have become staples of Nigerian cinemas. This experience has further deepened the cinema culture in Nigeria as Nollywood film producers and directors, with considerable investments in both equipment and training, have significantly improved the quality of Nigerian films. The Nigerian entertainment industry has invalidated the excuse of poverty as a reason for the youth to operate in the underworld of crime. Many music stars and comedians have emerged from poor neighbourhoods, including Mushin and Ajegunle, two suburbs in Lagos. We therefore hope that the demographic dividend that is associated with the Nigerian population structure will be realised. The threat of a large youth population, which will turn against the larger society because of lack of the right motivation and opportunities, therefore diminishes. It is to the credit of the vision of President Goodluck Jonathan that he made the connection with the entertainment industry as early as 2010 when he succeeded late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua. On November 6 of that year, he announced an intervention fund for the entertainment industry. He expressed his vision for the industry and commitment to growing it with the words quoted above. This show of foresight, and the consequent recognition of the body of artistes by the President, with the audience he granted the industry stakeholders, was thought to be an election gimmick ahead of the 2011 presidential election. Assuming that was the case, it would mean that the youth, given their visibility in the entertainment industry and their career successes, have become a critical bloc in the Nigerian political calculus. However, soon after his election in 2011, Mr. President kept his promise. He has continued to renew his commitment to the industry. The Nigerian Creative and Entertainment Industry Stimulation Loan Scheme (NCEILS) was launched with the funds pledged by Mr. President. Having facilitated the drafting of the operational guidelines for operating the Fund, and as the trade policy bank of the Federal Government, the Nigerian Export-Import Bank, has managed it. NEXIM Bank flagged-off funding support for the Nigerian movie industry with its first film financing facility for the production of “Dr. Bello” Movie on Saturday, April 21, 2012 in Lagos. The Bank has since been providing funding support for the improvement of distribution infrastructure/platforms and establishment of new digital production studios. • Orya is Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian ExportImport Bank

Friday, March 14, 2014

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

Opinion Women as agents of national transformation By Abia Nzelu ARCH 8 marks International Women’s Day M (IWD) – a day when we celebrate the social, economic and political achievements made by and for women while focusing world attention on areas requiring further action. The theme of IWD 2014 is Inspiring Change. Nigeria is replete with instances where determination of women has overcome seemingly impossible obstacles. In the spirit of the IWD, it is important to celebrate these women. In 1929, about 25,000 women in the eastern commercial city of Aba held a rowdy but effective and victorious protest against high taxes and low prices of Nigerian exports imposed by British colonial administrators. This riot known as the “Aba Women’s Riots of 1929” in British colonial history, or as the “Women’s War” in Igbo history became the first major challenge handed to the colonial administration. Seventeen years later, in 1946, a similar revolt took place in Abeokuta in Western Nigeria (Egbaland), when market women objected to arbitrary colonial taxes and the apparent failure of their traditional rulers to address their grievances. Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, a teacher and mother of the celebrated musician, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, subsequently established the highly effective, Abeokuta Women’s Union (AWU) – estimated to be 20,000 members strong – which organised massive, protracted anti-tax demonstrations. In spite of being challenged by a police force that utilised teargas, among other aggressive methods, the women remained steadfast and, in the end their demands were met, leading to the abdication of the Egba King (Alake of Egbaland), Oba Ademola II in 1949. These uprisings were among the earliest campaigns against British rule in Nigeria and West Africa during the colonial era. The women were armed with their conviction, united by their determination and motivated by a sense of dignity and justice. They were not deterred by the fact that they were deemed socially inferior and subservient to their men-folk and that a significant number of them were not formally educated. Unfortunately, these women trailblazers in resisting colonial domination are rarely recognised in historical accounts that continue to glorify men whose later impacts, though noble, were heavily facilitated by education, status and gender. There is an enduring link between the likes of Nelson Mandela, Ellen Sirleaf-Johnson and the defiant Nigerian women, all of whom were inspired by their unyielding faith in a set objective and mission. They did not allow doubt, weakness and fear to impede against their progress. They took a stand for something that they believed in; they

had a strong sense of optimism, a desire for empowerment, a grand ambition and an unwavering tenacity. In other words, they embody the seeds of regeneration that Nigeria is certainly not lacking but that need to be uncovered and set in motion. As we mark International Women’s Day, the Committee Encouraging Corporate Philanthropy (CECP-Nigeria) is looking for a new set of amazons. On World Cancer Day the BIG WAR Against Cancer in Nigeria was unveiled. Although the BIG WAR requires both male and female warriors and generals, there are cogent reasons why amazons ought to be in the forefront of the struggle against the cancer epidemic that is ravaging mankind. Nigerian women are worse hit by the cancer scourge. Three (3) out of every five (5) Nigerian cancer cases are females. Specifically, about 30 Nigerian women die of breast cancer per day and 26 cervical cancer deaths occur every day in Nigeria. In addition, cancer occurs at a younger age in Nigerian women; consequently Nigerian women tend to die from cancer at an earlier age. Women are also less financially able to tackle cancer, and sometimes their male relatives on whom they are dependent, abandon them to their fate. Even when it is a man or a child that has cancer, the woman tends to bear the brunt, as the primary caregiver. It is not uncommon to find that the man with cancer outlives his female caregiver, who succumbs to one stress-related illness or the other. If the man predeceases her, she is left with little means to cater for her children, apart from the new burden imposed by traditional widowhood practices. As we celebrate women today, we should be inspired to fight for a change in the current situation in Nigeria particularly with respect to cancer. The good news is that cancer and its associated social and economic impact can be prevented. There are several testimonies to the fact that women don’t have to suffer and die from cancer. We need to emulate the several nations, which have put structures in place to save the lives of their women from cancer. In celebrating these nations, we will briefly examine some world renowned female cancer survivors. Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother developed colon cancer at age 66 and breast cancer at age 83 but made full recovery from both cancers. She died from old age in 2002, aged 101. Similarly, Ruth Ginsburg the only female Justice of the USA Supreme Court had colon cancer in 1999 (15 years ago). During the treatment, she did not miss a day on the bench. In 2009 (5 years ago), she again had successful treatment

for pancreatic cancer. Martina Navratilova, an 18-time Grand Slam singles winner is a breast cancer survivor. She did not need to have her breast removed and she has been declared cancer-free by the experts. Kate Jackson, the most famous of the “Angels” in “Charlie’s Angels” was diagnosed, with breast cancer in 1987 but recovered fully. Julia Sweeney (star of Saturday Night Live) was diagnosed with cervical cancer in the mid-1990s, but has survived and transformed her experiences into a one-woman awareness campaign. We must not forget to salute women who have contributed significantly to cancer survivorship in their countries. An important example is Mrs. Kiran Mazundar-Shaw of India. Mrs. Mazumdar-Shaw is the main sponsor of the Mazumdar Shaw Cancer Centre (MSCC), Bangalore, the largest Comprehensive Cancer Centre in the world. The MSCC has 1,400 beds and cost $150 million. It is the fourth Comprehensive Cancer Centre in Bangalore, a city of eight million people while Nigeria has none. The MSCC treats poor patients for free in the evenings so they can continue to work and care for their families during the day. Just like Mrs. Kiran Mazundar-Shaw, Nigerian women can be champions in this fight against cancer irrespective of their financial status. We all have a role to play. According to Bill Gates, “you do not need to be the chair of a large foundation to have an impact on the world. Risk takers need backers. Good ideas need evangelists. Forgotten communities need advocates. And whether your chief resource is volunteer time or hard-earned dollars, for a relatively small investment catalytic philanthropy can make a big impact”. Already, numerous unseen and unsung Nigerian women have been saved by the pioneering effort of the National Cancer Prevention Programme (NCPP), a Non-Governmental initiative. In spite of its limited resources, the NCPP has been carrying out nation-wide awareness/screening/vaccination and treatment campaigns since 2007. Over 100,000 Nigerians have been directly screened/ treated so far, and through the awareness being created, the NCPP is helping to protect millions of Nigerians from the cancer scourge. The Committee Encouraging Corporate Philanthropy (CECP-Nigeria) has as its focal cause the move to take cancer prevention to the Grassroots through the acquisition and deployment of 37 Mobile Cancer Centres (MCCs) in all parts of Nigeria. The MCC will facilitate the on-going nationwide screening of the NCPP. This is in line with the declaration by the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) that “All

people have the right to access proven and effective cancer treatments and services on equal terms, and without suffering hardship as a consequence.” A Mobile Cancer Centre is a clinic on wheels, in which screening, follow-up and several forms of treatment (including surgeries), can take place. It includes facilities for mammography, sonology, colonoscopy, colposcopy and cryotherapy. It will also contain an operating theatre, where early cases can be treated on the spot. In addition, it will contain a laboratory for blood-based cancer screening (like the PSA for prostate cancer) and screening for other common diseases which are known to increase the risk of cancer. These include malaria, diabetes, hepatitis, kidney disease, hypertension and HIV/AIDS. Thus the MCC would effectively tackle the double burden of disease in Nigeria i.e. communicable and non-communicable diseases. Anyone may contribute towards the Mobile Cancer Centre project by sending the sms ‘LIFE’ to ‘44777’ at N100 per sms. Higher amounts may be donated via ATM or online at www.quickteller.com using the code ‘777526’. A major ‘battle’ in the Big War comes up on Sunday the 8th of June, 2014 at the Expo Hall, Eko Hotel and Suites. This event, tagged the Concert of Stars against Cancer (COSAC), will be the most spectacular benefit concert in the history of the Nigerian nation as well as the first-ever All Stars, All Brands Benefit event in Nigeria! The aim of COSAC is to mobilise the entire Nigerian nation to rise up against the cancer epidemic which kills more than 240 Nigerians every day, and fight it to a standstill. A great way of making this International Women’s Day season count could be to become a Connector (volunteer) in support of this campaign. Similarly, individuals, families or organisations who have the means could donate one or more of the MCCs, which cost N95 million each. The donors would have the MCCs branded in their honour. Further information is available at www.cecpng.org. We need more heroines and amazons in the big war! Together we can! Let us ACT - Attack Cancer Today! Attack Cancer Together!! Attack Cancer Totally!!! It is only through action that we can inspire the change to win the BIG WAR against cancer and untimely death in women and their loved ones. •Dr. Nzelu is the Executive Secretary of the Committee Encouraging Corporate Philanthropy (CECP-Nigeria)

The honour on Federal Mortgage Bank By Chijioke James ECENTLY at the Presidential Banquet Hall, State House, Accra, R Ghana was an award night to deserving governments and institutions in Africa tagged ‘African Achievers’ Awards.’ The organisers of the event had singled out the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN) as the most Creative and Innovative agency of the government. The awards were geared towards recognising excellent individuals and organisations that have contributed immensely to the advancement of the developmental sectors of the African continent. It was in this category that the FMBN was honoured and the Managing Director/Chief Executive of the bank, Mallam Gimba Yau Kumo, was right on hand to receive the award. The 2014 African Achievers’ Awards (AAA) was done in partnership with the Institute of Leadership and Management. The event was done in three segments, namely: • The Future is Africa Conference (series 2); Theme: Enterprise and Technology as a catalyst for the Development of Africa’s Economy/ Emerging Leaders Recognition. • The African Achievers’ Awards Ceremony • The Achievers’ Gala Night The Future is Africa Conference offered a platform to over 1,000 policy-makers and global business leaders from Africa, Asia and Europe and beyond to discuss current challenges and business opportunities in finance, agro-business, logistics, and trade across the economic blocs of the Common Market for Southern Africa, East Africa, Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), Intergovernmental Authority for Development (IGAD) and the African Union (AU). The event had two sections that included an informative ses-

sion that drew front-burner issues that challenged development in Africa and a section that related to business opportunities and networking. Through the methods, bridges were built across the gaps that exist in Africa, which has fuelled the problem of inequality and underdevelopment in our societies. The recognition of the FMBN is instructive in many ways. The FMBN which operates as an effective vehicle for increasing the mobilisation of long-term funds, lending volume and expansion of mortgage lending services to all segments of the Nigerian population has not only lived up to its mission statement under the present leadership but has moved a step further in internalising most of the transformational programmes of the Jonathan administration. The bank has not only succeeded in developing more technological innovations in the advancement of the government’s housing-for-all policy, but has engendered more creative approaches in the art of enterprise that has now demystified the once obsolete Federal Government development bank to one that every Nigerian can approach. As the foremost Federal Government agency that has the responsibility to supply the mortgage and housing markets with sustainable liquidity for the advancement of homeownership among Nigerians anchored on mortgage financing, the bank under the leadership of Mallam Gimba Yao Kumo has repositioned for the current challenges facing the nation’s real sector. The bank has acted as a Federal Government-Sponsored Enterprise (FGSE) with more focus on secondary mortgage and capital market functions; it is also playing the critical role of developing a robust mortgage finance system for the country. To meet its mandate, the FMBN has shifted operational emphasis to expand its functions from only social housing on-lending under the NHF to include commercial on-lending for housing, commercial mortgages refinancing, mortgage pur-

chasing and warehousing and mortgage-backed securitisation. Through innovation and enterprise, the FMBN has been refocused for the delivery of housing for the vast majority of Nigerians at home and abroad under affordable mortgage products. Being the custodian of President Jonathan’s Transformation Agenda in the housing sector, the bank has developed a robust mortgage finance solutions through the management of the National Housing Fund (NFH); mobilizing domestic and foreign direct investment in the housing sector and provision of estate development loans for private and cooperative real estate developers among several other schemes. One area that is worth mentioning is the information technology innovations introduced by the bank management under the present leadership. Having introduced electronic remittances of the NHF contributions, the FMBN has been able to comfortably block fraud and leakages, thereby enhancing manpower and capacity development and accountability. The electronic platform comes with an NHF identity card that is secure, transparent and gives individuals 24 hours to access their contributions through verifiable electronic channels. The bank, having built enormous capacity, has now brought in the hitherto informal sector of the economy into the scheme of things. This means that the informal operators that were once left out in the mortgage industry can now participate wholly. They can now make contributions and have access to mortgage loans through housing cooperative organisations. The FMBN has also been directly involved in the construction of mass houses for the Nigerian people and has through this means made affordable houses available. On this premise, we not only see this recognition by the AAA to the FMBN as deserving but one that will spur the bank to do more. To whom much is given, much is expected! •James wrote from the Presidency, Abuja

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Friday, March 14, 2014 BUSINESS 15

Business Govt to link state capital cities by rail From Mohammed Abubakar, (Abuja) and Femi Adekoya, Lagos

•Ogun, most industrially developed state, says Jonathan

HE Federal Government T has unfolded plans to link all the state capital cities by

reliable means of transportation to over 170 million Nigerians, it must link all major cities with including Katsina to the rail line. Though the proposed rail project had not been captured in the Federal Government’s projects, the President assured that his administration would include it as soon as possible. “We believe that for the government to provide mass transit to over 170 million Nigerians, it needs to extend rail network linking all the major cities including Katsina”, he said. He pointed out that the Federal Government was targeting to reach all the state 3capitals in the country with rail lines, believing that it would assist to reduce costs of petroleum products to Nigerians and enhance socioeconomic in the country. Jonathan also assured that the Federal Government would develop Zobe water project to provide drinking water to people and enhance agricultural activities in the area.

rail. Already, President Goodluck Jonathan has pledged to extend the rail line from Kano to Katsina to ease the movement of people and goods within the two states as part of the national rail network expansion project. Meanwhile, the President has described Ogun State as the most Industrially developed state in the country and attributed the state's new status to the economic plan of the Senator Ibikunle Amosun-led administration. The President, who spoke in Katsina on the first day of his two-day visit to the state before commissioning the three- lane 48-kilometre Katsina ring road, lauded the foresight and infrastructural drive of the Shema- led administration in the state. The President noted that politics is about infrastructural development and creating an enabling environment for business to thrive saying that if government must provide

He described agriculture as one of the areas where government can create wealth to create and guarantee food security. On the windmill power project at Lambar-rimi, the President pointed out that project was not directly under the Federal Government, but assured that it would ensure that project was completed within a short period of time. Jonathan, who was represented by Vice President Namadi Sambo at the commissioning of the Procter and Gamble multi million-dollar plant in Agbara, Ogun State, affirmed that the Amosunled administration has been creating a conducive environment for business to thrive in the state. The President further expressed the readiness of the Federal Government to partner with the state government in its rebuilding mission. "I believe Ogun State is the most industrially developed state in this country. We will partner with you. We will

work with you based on synergies and policies that allow for business to thrive", he said. The President revealed that the contract for the construction of a standard gauge fast train that will connect Lagos through Ogun State to Ibadan has been awarded, adding that, "Olorunsogo power plant in Ogun has been successfully completed and privatised". While pointing out that plans for the long awaited Lagos-Sokoto Road had reached an advanced stage, the president emphasised that, its designs are being completed and the work will be executed under a Public Private Partnership arrangement. "Federal Government is building an additional power transmission system as well as investing in development of gas infrastructure to support the efforts of the state government", he said. Amosun disclosed that the commissioning of the plant was the 43rd he would be performing in less than three years of his administration,

stating that the newly commissioned multi million dollar investment would create 2000 direct and indirect job opportunities for the people of the state. He charged all industries resident in the state to be up and

doing in their corporate social responsibility to their host communities while reiterating that his administration would not shirk its responsibility in providing security and enabling environment for investors

Shell loses N160b to disruptions, oil theft By Roseline Okere OYAL Dutch Shell lost R about $1 billion (N160 billion) to crude oil theft and various disruptions to its Nigerian oil and liquefied natural gas operations in 2013. Indeed, Shell’s share of production, onshore and offshore, in Nigeria decreased to 265 thousand bpd in 2013, compared with approximately 365 thousand bpd in 2012. The company, which made this disclosure in its yearly report for 2013, said that

Vice President, Namadi Sambo (second left); Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun (second right), Minister of State for Investment, Dr. Samuel Ortum (left) and Group President, Procter and Gamble (P&G), Laurent Philippe, during the commissioning of a new state of the art P&G manufacturing plant in Agbara, Ogun State, yesterday.

security issues and crude oil theft in the Niger Delta continued to be the company’s significant challenges in the year under review. The company said that it produced 3.2 million barrels of oil equivalent a day (bpd) in 2013. “Sales of liquefied natural gas (LNG) totalled 19.6 million tonnes. Both were lower than the previous year, mainly due to the difficult operating environment in Nigeria”. It added that proposed Nigerian legislation had curbed investment, hindering production and described security as a daily challenge. Shell said that some risks of working in Nigeria had worsened. "There are at least three to four different versions of it and most of them have been unhelpful to supporting future investments in the country. "Therefore, the industry at large has taken almost no significant investment decision in that six, seven-year period. So, the country's four million barrel-a-day target has effectively become actual production of less than two million bpd. “For Shell, 2013 proved to be a challenging year, in part due to a complex and difficult operating environment. We faced a deteriorating security situation in Nigeria. In downstream, refining margins in Asia and Europe were depressed by an oversupply of global refining capacity and lower demand. “There were also areas where we as a company could have been more competitive, including our day-to-day operational performance

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‘Nigeria can generate N42b yearly from wheat production’ From Joke Falaju, Abuja HE nation’s farmers have T the capacity to generate N42 billion yearly from wheat cultivation, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina has said. Besides, the Minister projected that the cultivation scheme could generate one million jobs, especially in the Northern part of the country, which has been identified as suitable for the crop’s farming. Adesina, who made the dis-

closures this during the 2014 wheat farmers’ field day in Kadawa, Kano State, organised by the Lake Chad Research Institute described as unacceptable, the N635 million being spent on wheat importation saying that "today, Nigeria’s wheat import is about four million metric tonnes per year and it's estimated to grow by five per cent per year”. He added that “by the year 2030, Nigeria will be importing 10 million metric tonnes of wheat every year. That

means the country will be spending $10 billion every year on wheat importation”. Adesina however unfolded plans by the Federal Government to raise wheat production from 300,000 metric tonnes to 1.5 million metric tonnes by 2017. “This is not a mirage, that's why we are here, a silent revolution is happening on farms across northern Nigeria. “We have begun the massive distribution of hybrid wheat seeds which gives five to six tonnes per hectare to our farmers through the Growth

Enhancement Support and the E-wallet system”, Adesina stated. The Minister further said that in 2013/2014 period, over 9000 farmers benefited from the dry season wheat farming in the Northern states of Kano, Jigawa, Kebbi, Borno, Yobe, Gombe and Sokoto, cultivating 2,500 hectares of wheat field. While assuring the farmers of government’s support, Adesina said that the administration would provide guarantee minimum price for

wheat, with access to processing equipment. The Executive Director of Lake Chad Research Institute, Dr. Olusina Olabanji commended the Federal Government on the inclusion of wheat in the Agricultural Transformation Agenda this year, disclosing that the institute has produced varieties of wheat ranging from semi dwarf (63 to 93 cm) resistant to lodging and early maturing with potential yield of four metric tonnes per hectare. He also said that recently released four varieties of

wheat (Seri M8, Cettia, Linfen and Atilla Gan Atilla) with potentials yield for five metric tonnes per hectare were developed and released to farmers. Meanwhile, the Governor of Kano State, Rabi’u Kwankwaso, who was represented by Alhaji Mohammed Dankada, lauded the initiative of the Federal Government in revamping the production of wheat, and pledged the state government’s support for the Agricultural Transformation Agenda.

Friday, March 14, 2014

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Govt to explore private equity funding for renewable energy HE Federal Government T yesterday, said it would explore private equity funding and other sources to develop the renewable energy sector in the country. The Minister of Power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo, made this known in Abuja when he declared open a seminar on ``Formation of Renewable Energy Private Equity Fund in Nigeria”. Private Equity funding is a source of investment capital from investors for the purpose of investing and acquiring equity ownership in companies. Partners at private-equity firms raise funds and manage these monies to yield favourable returns for their shareholder clients. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the seminar was organised by Henshaw Capital Partners in collaboration with the Ministry of Power. The minister who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Dr Godknows Igali, said private sector funding was critical to the power industry in view of the privatisation of the sector. ``The aim of this seminar is to facilitate, sensitise and explore all the best desirable means of setting up private equity funds to accelerate the attainment of sustainable power supply in the country,’’ he said. Nebo said that the Federal

Government was already working hard to harness the abundance natural resources like solar, hydro and wind needed for the development of renewable energy. ``The transformation agenda is anchored on delivering power to Nigerians and renewable energy is a key component of our energy mix,’’ he said. The minister said the

and our capital efficiency. Some of our businesses demonstrated outstanding operational and financial performance. The reality, however, is that several operated below their full potential in 2013. Our overall performance was frankly not what I expect from Shell”. Despite disappointing financial results not withstanding, Shell said that 2013 was also a year in which it laid firm foundations for the future, bringing projects to fruition that will underpin our ability to deliver increasing cash flow through economic cycles and competitive returns including a growing dividend. It disclosed that the company would strive to build on its track record of delivering new projects in 2014. It stated: “We will continue to use a clear set of strategic themes to guide decisions about investment and technology. To recap, we have our upstream and downstream “engines”. These are

hydro-dams so as to boost power generation capacity of the country. He said government was doing a lot to create the enabling environment for investors to thrive in the sector and ultimately develop the sector in line with international best practice. Earlier, Mrs Barbara James, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Henshaw Capital

Partners, said the seminar was meant to promote private equity and venture capital in Nigeria. ``This seminar is aimed at encouraging private equity funding in the power sector. This is a type of funding where the investor invests money in a business and instead of charging an interest rate, they take a share of your business.

``It could be five per cent, 10 per cent or 40 per cent, so as your business grows their interest in your business grows and if your business fails they lose their interest,’’ she said. James, who noted that the system had worked in developed countries, also encouraged private sector to explore and invest in the nation's power sector.

Technical Director, Vitafoam Nigeria Plc, Taiwo Adeniyi (left); Managing Director, Joel Ajiga; Managing Director, Vono Products Plc, Mrs. Titi Bakare and Head of Sales, Vitafoam Nigeria Plc, Bamidele Owoade, during a press conference to mark Vitafoam Nigeria Plc’s 2014 World Sleep Day, in Lagos, yesterday.

Shell loses N160b to disruptions CONTINUED FROM PAGE 15

Federal Government was exploring the use of renewable energy, especially in remote village. He said the exploration was to ensure there was an alternative form of power to Nigerians that was not connected to the national grid. Nebo said work would soon begin in the construction of the Zungeru and Mambila power plants and other

mature businesses that generate the bulk of our cash flow. Then there are our growth priorities, integrated gas and deep water. These play to our strengths in technology, and will afford significant opportunities in the years ahead. “Finally, we have opportunities for the longer-term, including gas and oil in tight rock and shale, heavy oil, and in the Arctic, Iraq, Kazakhstan, and Nigeria. “In 2013, we made strong progress against many of these strategic priorities. In total, we took nine final investment decisions on large projects across all areas of our business during the year. “We also delivered several important new projects. In Downstream, for example, we took further steps to meet growing long-term demand for chemical and lubricant products in Asia’s growth markets. In China, we opened a grease manufacturing plant, while in Singapore we decided to expand our Jurong Island petrochemi-

Firm begins LTE services on 800MHz spectrum By Adeyemi Adepetun MILE Nigeria, a subsidiary SHoldings, of Smile Telecoms which has operations in Tanzania, Uganda and Democratic Republic of Congo has announced the launch of a 4G/Long Term Evolution (LTE) network on 800MHz spectrum Lagos. Although, it actually started the service in major part of Ibadan, Oyo state, in 2013, Smile Nigeria said expanding into Lagos has become very crucial to it because of the role the city plays in Nigeria's economic transformation. 4G LTE is the latest, most advanced and most flexible global technological standard for wireless data communications, and represents a sea change compared to older technologies such as 3G. At the formal launch of the service in Lagos, yesterday, the Chairman of Smile Communications, Dr. Ernest Obiejesi said the firm would harness cutting-edge technologies to create innovative

solutions, which will aid, on a consistent basis, the costeffective deployment of advanced broadband services to Nigerians. With a plan to cover the whole of Lagos in about four months, Obiejesi, who also chairs Nestoil Plc, an engineering, procurement and construction oil services company in Nigeria, said the 4G services will be extended to Abuja and Port-Harcourt before the end of the year. Meanwhile, Ericsson is the primary vendor for the LTE radio network, and is also providing a complete Evolved Packet Core network including Evolved Packet Gateway and Mobility Management Entity. Smile Communications and Ericsson have a three-year network deployment agreement to develop over 1,100 LTE sites across the country. Under the terms of this agreement, Ericsson is responsible for the project management, system integration, interoperability testing, network design and implementation.

The Smile Communications Chairman, who is excited about the possibilities in the Nigerian market, but cognizant of the challenges, said, "Nigeria is one of the most dynamic markets in the world, and mobile broadband will play a crucial role in the transformation and development of the country. Unfortunately, Nigerians are still too often let down by slow and unreliable services, and have been disappointed too many times when operators promise more than they can deliver. Smile will not repeat their mistakes, we have the technology, people and partners to ensure that we deliver what we promise and more." To the Chief Operating Officer, Tom Allen, the goal of the firm is to provide Nigerian broadband Internet users with speed, quality, reliability and simplicity. "Our vision of becoming the broadband Internet provider of choice in Nigeria has guided us in everything from selecting our people and

partners to choosing the best technologies and creating innovative and relevant products and services. We are confident and excited, ready to share the promise of digital citizenship with millions of Nigerians." Allen, who said Smile customers will experience average speeds of 6Mbps, stressed that some cutovers are already running at average speeds of 20Mbps, which according to him, is substantially faster that the speed that can be achieved in other parts of the world, including the United Kingdom. According to Allen, Smile's speed has taken some customers by surprise, "the experience is so much faster and better than anything our customers are used to that some customers initiatively use a lot more data than they expect. Live television streams without delay, highdefinition YouTube videos load without buffering, sites are available almost instantly, and downloads happen in a blink of an eye.

FIRS unveils new tax regime for multinational firms HE Federal Inland Revenue T Service, (FIRS), yesterday, unveiled a new tax assessment system that would ensure proper taxation of multinational companies and enterprises operating in the country. The Acting Executive Chairman of FIRS, Kabir Mashi, unveiled the new regime at the second stakeholders' sensitisation on "Transfer Pricing (TP) Returns" in Abuja.

Mashi, represented by the Coordinating Director, Field Operation Group, Ajayi Bamidele, said the regime would help fight tax evasion embedded in "under-pricing" of controlled transactions among enterprises. He said that TP would reduce the risk of double taxation, provide taxable persons with certainty and a level playing field between multinational enterprises and independent enterprises doing business in

Nigeria. The Acting Chairman said the programme was meant to make the various guidelines, forms and documents that would be used to file the TP returns in line with the relevant tax laws. He said Nigeria adopted the regulations and began implementation on transfer pricing to address the problem associated with shifting profit among enterprises. “The objective is to ensure

that taxpayers in Nigeria are taxed on appropriate taxable basis corresponding to the economic activity deployed by them in Nigeria," he said. Mashi also stressed the need for all businesses to play by the rules, adding that the new regime could reposition the country for sustainable economic growth and rapid development. He solicited the cooperation of all stakeholders for the successful implementation of the

TP regime and emphasised voluntary compliance with the provisions of the TP regulations and the extant tax laws. "For us in FIRS, the goal is to implement the transfer pricing regime transparently, efficiently and effectively so as to promote voluntary compliance,” he said. The Acting chairman said that the programme was packaged to guide, sensitise and educate companies on

their TP obligations. He said it would enable stakeholders to express their views on how the implementation of TP regime in Nigeria could be done efficiently. Mashi said that the new tax regime had been unveiled in Lagos and would soon be done in Port Harcourt and Kano. Highlight of the event, was the presentation of the new regime, including Transfer Pricing Declaration Form and Disclosure Form.

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TheMetroSection Gunmen shoot, kidnap another journalist From Kelvin Ebiri, Port Harcourt

the age of 77, and has since been buried according to Islamic rites, holds today at his residence in Omu-Ijebu, Ogun State Nigeria. He was actively involved in community development of his home town.

Hassan

Firm holds workshop FIRM, Selling Champion A Consulting Ltd, one of the leading and marketing consulting firms in Nigeria, will on Saturday, March 15, hold a seminar with the theme: ’ Winning Customers in Tough Business Environment’ at Marblefield Hotel and Event Centre, Callisto Crescent, off Charity Bus Stop, Oshodi, Lagos at 9.00a.m.

Alfonsus Onyejiaju passes on HIEF Alfonsus Onyejiaku of C Osu Local Council in Imo State has passed on at the age of 75. Onyejiaku, who was the president, Awo-Idemiri Development Union for over 25 years during the Tunde Idiagbon regime, also got an award for rural development programme during Gen. Ibrahim Babangida regime. He is survived by wives, Mrs. Theresa Onyejiaku and Mrs. Gloria Onyejiaku, brother and children, among whom is Emeka Onyejiaku, chief executive officer, E4glanx.

The kidnapped journalist, Akatakpo called Akas Baba. A statement endorsed by the head of stations, Aduratomi Bolade, said: “Akas Baba who is the host of “Make Una Wake Up” the breakfast show on Wazobia FM Port Harcourt, was whisked away in his Mitsubishi Endeavor SUV with Registration Number LSD 871 CM. This very violent act still leaves Akas Baba’s family in great trauma.” “The family and management of Wazobia FM have reported the kidnap to the police as well as other security agencies. We are optimistic that

the police alongside other security agencies will do a thorough job of securing the release of Akas Baba. We hereby urge security operatives in the state to do everything possible to quicken the release of the ace broadcaster from the kidnappers’ den. We are worried that his health might degenerate if he does not get access to medical care as a result of the gunshot wound he sustained. We also enjoin anyone with vital information that could aid the release of Akas Baba to please contact the nearest police station, or call the number: 08099930069 or send a text to 32355,” Bolade said.

British woman divorces her husband, marries her dog Newlywed Amanda Rodgers says she and her dog Sheba just have a very deep emotional connection BRITISH woman says she A has finally found the true meaning of marriage now that she has divorced her husband and married her dog.

Fidau prayer for Hassan holds today HE eighth day Fidau prayer T for Alhaji Chief S. K. Hassan, who died on Friday, March 7, at

NKNOWN gunmen have shot and kidnapped U a popular radio presenter of Wazobia FM, Port Harcourt, Mr. Anthony Akatakpo aka Diplomatic Akas Baba. Akatakpo was kidnapped from his residence in Rumuekini community in Obio Akpor Local Council near Port Harcourt at about 2: 00am yesterday and taken to an unknown destination. The wife of the broadcaster, Mrs. Candy Akatakpo, who confirmed the incident, explained that while they were asleep, some unspecified number of gunmen invaded their residence and forced their way into the apartment. “As we were sleeping at about 2am, we heard noise and saw some guys flashing us torch light through the window and screaming that we should open the door. We managed to run away from one room to another. Eventually, they succeeded in breaking up the whole doors and protector and entered the house,” she said. Mrs. Akatakpo explained that immediately the gunmen forced their way into the house, and succeeded in waking up the little children, they started beating up everyone and demanding for money. She said irrespective of some undisclosed amount of money that was handed over to the bandits, they were insatiable, as they demanded for more. She narrated that one of the gunmen who was infuriated that the money given to them was inadequate, turned and shot her husband in the leg. While the broadcaster groaned in pain, the gunmen demanded for his car key, which was given to them. And while blood was still gushing out of Akas Baba’s leg as a result of the gunshot, the kidnappers dragged him out of the house and whisked him away in a light blue Mitsubishi Endeavor SUV to an unknown destination. “Before they left, they said as his wife I should know what to do. They asked me to bring N10million. One of the kidnappers asked for my husband’s car key, we gave it to them. They dumped my husband insider the boot of the car. They were in our house for about 45 minutes. They really took their time. After their departure, they later returned to pack shoes, wine from the bar and necklaces” she said. The petrified wife of the broadcaster, appealed to the kidnappers to unconditionally release her husband and prevent him from bleeding to death. The Rivers State chapter of the Radio Television Theatre and Arts Workers Union of Nigeria, (RATTAWU) Chairman, Mrs. Opi Erekosima, has denounced the kidnap of Akas Baba and has demanded his unconditional release. She has also admonished journalists in the state to be vigilant amid growing cases of kidnap in Port Harcourt and its environs. Similarly, nine days after the kidnap of a Shell Petroleum Development Company contractor, Mr. Dickens Worlu, his whereabouts remains unknown. The kidnappers had last week called his family to demand a ransom of N30 million. Meanwhile, the management and staff of Stream and Globe Broadcasting and Communication Limited, owners of Cool FM, Wazobia FM and Nigeria Info have condemned the kidnap of their staff and on-air personality on Wazobia FM Port Harcourt, Anthony Akatakpo, famously

Briefs

Amanda Rodgers and her dog/wife, Sheba appeared on British television’s ITV’s “This Morning” Tuesday to discuss why she decided to wed her pet in a ceremony attended by 200 people in Croatia last week, reports the Mirror. “She was two weeks old and she was new to the world — but I fell in love with her,” Rodgers, 47, told the show’s hosts. “I knew that we were meant to be.” Newlywed Amanda Rodgers says she and her dog Sheba just have a very

deep emotional connection. Rodgers, whose Twitter feed uses the name “shebarodgers,” told the Metro she got down on one knee to propose and ascertained from Sheba’s wagging tail that she said yes. She said the ceremony, which ended with a kiss, was the perfect way to mark what Sheba means to her. She told the Metro her new life partner was never unkind to her and the dog is always happy.

Culled from NYDaily News .Com

The newly wed...

Funeral rites for Dorothy Fiboinumama HE Otopou Royal War Canoe T House and Jene War Canoe House, all of Abuloma Town in Port Harcourt City Local Council and Okpokiri family in Okolobo House of Ogoloma Town in Okrika Local Council, have announced the death of Mrs. Dorothy Dima Victor Fiboinumama (alias Lagos Mama), at the age of 92. Funeral rites will hold today and tomorrow in her hometown. She is survived by children, grand children and great grand children including Brigadier-General Bright Fiboinumama of the Nigerian Army.

Fiboinumama

18 Friday, March 14, 2014

Briefs Heavenly Dew at Triumphant Baptist Church

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Rotary Club preaches peace in a world of violence By Isaac Taiwo

RIUMPHANT Baptist OTARY International has Church, Akowonjo will toT R vowed not to relent in morrow hold its monthly preaching understanding programme tagged “Heavenly Dew,” with theme: “The Gracious Hand of our God” from 7.00a.m. - 8:30am. The church pastor Dr. Sunday Oladejo said the programme would providesa vantage avenue for people to pray amidst their challenges in life.

Pa Samuel Igogo for burial April 4 HE patriarch of Igogo famT ily of Igbide in Isoko South Local Council of Delta State, Pa Samuel Okereduke Igogo is dead, aged 93. A devout Christian, Pa Igogo is survived by 10 children, many grand and great grand children including: Mrs. Beatrice Igogo-Oyibotha, Mr. Emma Igogo and Mrs. Christiana Atagbo. He will be buried on Friday, April 4, 2014 in his hometown, Igbide, followed by an outing service on Saturday, April 5 and in-law greeting on Sunday, April 6.

and peace in the present chaotic world, in spite of its present negligible number in the globe. Speaking at a forum tagged: World Understanding and Peace Month, which took place in Lagos recently, the President, Rotary Club of Ikeja, Goke Olayinka, said Rotary International has always dedicated the month of February for World Understanding and Peace. “Every year, we try to come up with a programme to address World Understanding and Peace and invite a Guest Speaker to give a talk.” “Last week, we gave scholarship to four students of University of Ibadan who are running their Masters programme to study Peace and Conflict Resolution” “This week, we have decided to bring an international dimension to peace resolution by inviting a diplomat to give an address on International Peace and Understanding.” “The only way we can have peace in the world is to have deep understanding that men all over the world are the same and develop the habit of having feelings for one another.”

Past District Governor, Julius Adelusi-Adeluyi (left), Consular General of the Republic of France in Nigeria, Ambassador Francois Sastourne, President, Rotary Club of Ikeja, Goke Olayinka and Past Asst. Governor, Olabintan Famutimi at the event

“Rotary encourages people fellowshipping together and it was in this light that we had people from Winconsin who came to fellowship with us as a way of bridging whatever gap that is in-between us and also mend those fences of our differences,” he said. Olayinka added that misunderstanding is inevitable in the world and it should be concluded that there would

always be a way to resolve conflict, dispute and misunderstanding among ourselves. He advised leaders in every strata to lead with human feelings and always endeavor to resolve whatever differences that arise. He also stressed that for leaders to lead effectively, they must have human feelings that will make them relate

well with fellow human beings. The guest speaker, Consular General of the Republic of France in Nigeria, Ambassador Francois Sastourne, said it has become necessary to promote peace and understanding in the present world by making use of diplomacy to find a common ground. “There is a need to bring people together, positions to-

gether and resolve differences through cognitive and imaginative diplomacy.” “Those people who find it difficult to compromise are those that are always ready to fight.” To those set of people, compromise is very hard and there is no way we can avoid compromise if we would want to avoid cutting each others throat,” he said. Sastourne said he did not believe that the chaos in the world would get better soon. The consular debunked the influence of colonial masters in what is going on in the world today, adding that the system applied by the colonial masters, whether Anglophone or Francophone protectorates were different from each other. He said these once colonized countries had been alone for about 50 years now and no more under any colonial master that could influence them. He advised as many countries with diverse tongues to forge a common ground and live together peaceably in this dispensation of democracy. The Past District Governor, Adelusi Adeluyi said, “ wherever there is conglomeration of human beings, there is bound to be conflict.

RCCG assists Pastor with N5 million to undergo surgery Igogo

Olori Olateru-Olagbegi dies at 108 HE death has occurred of T Olori Comfort Fabamigbe Olateru-Olagbegi, mother of a Lagos High Court Judge, Justice Adesuyi Olateru-Olagbegi. She died on Tuesday, February 18,2014 at the age of 108. She was a wife to the late Olowo of Owo,Oba Sir Olateru-Olagbegi 11, and was one of the founding members of the Methodist Church,Owo and a highranking member of the Red Cross Society, Owo. Apart from Justice OlateruOlagbegi,she is survived by Chief(Mrs.) Florence Abeke Adegborioye, several grandchildren and great and great great grand children. She will be buried on Saturday, March,29,2014 after a funeral service at the Methodist Church Nigeria Cathedral,Okeogun,Owo,On do State.

Inauguration

By Isaac Taiwo HE Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) under its arm of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and at the instance of the General Overseer ( RCCG), Pastor Adejare Adeboye, has assisted a pastor in the RCCG family, Femi Alao, with the sum of N5,000.000.00 to undergo transplant surgery, consequent upon his sudden and prolonged indisposition. The cheque was handed over to Pastor Alao’s father, Mr. Sunday Alao, by the RCCG Deputy Director of Administration, Pastor Rotimi Adegorioye at RCCG Region 3, Headquarters, Ile-Ife, witnessed by Pastor Alao’s wife, Victory Alao, his junior brothers, Deji Alao, Anthony Alao, Pastor in Charge of RCCG Region 14, Jacob Oni, RCCG Region 3 Pastor, Dele Olowookere, and the Assistant Pastor-in-charge of the RCCG Province 40, who doubles as the Parish Pastor of the RCCG, Testimony Chapel, Akute, Pastor Goke Aniyeloye, among others. Adegorioye expressed the concern of the entire Church and

RCCG Deputy Director, Administration, Pastor Rotimi Adegorioye (left) handing over the N5m cheque to Mr. Sunday Alao, the father of Pastor Femi Alao at RCCG Region 3 Headquarters, Ile-Ife. most especially, that of the General Overseer, Adeboye, who did not only empathize with Alao, but also passionately prayed for the clergy through physical laying of his hands and also directed that his medical and surgical bills be borne by the CSR of the

Briefs Iloh dies at 83

Bamawo, 88, passes on HE Lagos State chapter of T the Adeyemi College of EdUNERAL rites for Mr. Emdeath has occurred in ucation Alumni Association Fmanuel Nwafor O. Illoh, THE Lagos of Mr. Godfrey Bawill tomorrow be formally who died on February 22, 2014, mawo who died at the age of inaugurated by the national leadership of the association. A statement by the conveners, Dr. Damian Ademulgun and Dr. Ademola Azeez stated that the event would hold at noon at the Conference Centre of the Law Chambers of Bamidele Aturu, 29,Olufeso St., opposite Abibat Mogaji Millenium Secondary School, off ASCON Filling Station, Cement Bus Stop, Agege Motor Road, Ikeja, Lagos. The Director General Centre for Black and African Arts and Civilisation, Prof. Tunde Babawale, will deliver the inauguration lecture entitled, “Travails of Higher Education In Nigeria: The Role of Alumni Associations.”

at the age of 83, begin on Thursday, March 20, with a Service of Songs from 7.00p.m.- 10 pm at the Illoh Family home, Ikem village, Issele-Azagba, Delta State. A statement by Dr. Kachi Iloh says “ he will be buried on Friday, March 21, after a funeral service at St. Paul’s Anglican Church, Issele-Azagba, Delta State at 11.00a.m.”

Iloh

88 .Bamawo was a foremost journalist and worked in the defunct West African Pilot and Business Times . He was a community leader and member of the All Saints Anglican Church, Montgomery, Yaba. He is survived by wives, children and grand children. Burial arrangement will be announced soon by the family.

Bamawo

church. “While we thank the Regional Pastor in charge of Province 14, Jacob Oni, for his effort over our brother’s illness, it is quite unfortunate that while the church was desperately making arrangement of proper care for our dear brother after

his request for financial assistance was received and being processed, some unknown people, oblivious of the church’s plan and concern for our dear brother, went to the press to malign the church. Some people in the process used his name to solicit for money from various quarters, including government establishments. “The RCCG is not a reactionary organization, therefore, what we are doing today should not be regarded as a sort of reprisal but seen in the true light of what the church knows how to do best. “To be candid, in our brother’s case, the church had to play down on conventional due process and jumped the queue based on compassionate ground and absolute consideration of his plight. “Today, we are giving out this cheque of N5,000.000.00 to assist the family in ensuring that Alao gets out of his present situation. ” Addressing the Pastors as well as members of Alao’s family at the presentation exercise, Oni said he joined other senior

members of the church to represent Adeboye and clarify issues surrounding Alao’s health and make the position of the church on the matter known. “We want to let you know that our General Overseer and the Redeemed Christian Church of God care for his pastors and I am one of the beneficiaries of a similar gesture, which is not limited to the pastors alone but also to the members as well as non- members of the church as well as the entire workforce. “I can testify to the fact that our Daddy in the Lord humanly attends to every case that is brought before him and that the RCCG is into a large- scale corporate social responsibility that has gulped a lot of money for those within and outside the church. “We have carried the gospel to the drug addicts, social miscreants among others who were later rehabilitated and became useful to Jesus. The General Overseer and his wife spend enormous amount on rehabilitation homes with some of the inmates already in the university.

Ogun police arrest man with 18 From Charles Coffie Gyamfi, Abeokuta

OLICEMEN from the P Ogun State Police Command yesterday morning arrested a 38-year-old man with 18 human skulls. The suspect, Mr. Adelami was arrested along the AdoOdo-Owode road in AdoOdo-Ota Local Council of the State. As at yesterday, it was not clear where he got the skulls from but it is strongly suspected that he “harvested” them from a cemetery for “ritual purpose.” A release by the Command’s spokesman, Mr. Muyiwa Adejobi (DSP) in Abeokuta disclosed that the suspect was carrying skulls in a sack “and our men (po-

Ogun State Commissioner of Police, Ikemefuna Okoye

lice) on patrol suspecting his movement decided to search the sack and discovered the skulls”.

Adejobi said the suspect who hails from Ilaro in Yewa South Local Council of the State would be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (CID), the Command’s headquarters, Eleweran, Abeokuta for further investigation and possible prosecution. “The Commissioner of Police, Mr Ikemefuna Okoye, has assured the general public of thorough investigation and, if found guilty, the suspect would be made to face the wrath of the law,” he said. He appealed to members of the public to always assist the police with useful information that would assist them in apprehending criminals in the society.

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20 | BUSINESS Friday, March 14, 2014

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ODU'ACCIMA partners NACCIMA, others on renewable energy By Femi Adekoya HE Odu'a Chambers of T Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture, (ODU'ACCIMA), has partnered the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture and other stakeholders in the energy sector, to diversify the nation's energy sources currently dominated by fossil fuels, with renewable sources of energy. The President, ODU'ACCIMA, Iyalode Alaba Lawson explained that Nigeria must look away from fossil fuels, noting that most economies of the world have started looking at other options. Lawson, at a press briefing to announce its leadership workshop on alternative sources of energy scheduled to take place on the 27 and 28 March, 2014 stated that the workshop would reposition the South West region to take

advantage of new and emerging technologies to circumvent this challenge, stressing that this workshop will feature resource persons of global recognition with practical proves of existing and successful projects on the subject matter in Nigeria. She also stressed that the workshop will be a platform for unveiling the prospects of solar, biomass, biodiesel and ethanol fuel alternative sources of energy in the economic production process with South West Nigeria as the focus. "It is my belief that the region can be rescued from the economic abyss it has found itself, recover and grow steadily to become the global economic giant we so desire, if all that shall be unveiled in this workshop are embraced by participants and stakeholders and pursued selflessly," she said. Lawson stated that research

has shown that there is a direct correlation between energy consumption and Gross Domestic Product (GDP), generation, maintaining that it is verifiably apparent that the trend globally now is for the economy of important nations to inject a significant percentage of renewable energy into their energy mix, rather than total dependence on fossil fuel energy sources. "It is therefore time for all lovers of this great country, who desire to see t take place amongst the comity of regions, making global economic impact and relevance,

to rise to the responsibility of vigorously exploring other reliable, available, accessible and affordable sources of alternative energy needed for the economic production process in particular and other sectors in general for growth and development of the region." "We need not overstress the fact that energy, which is critical in global economic advancement, is of national challenge today. The truth also remains that government cannot do it alone, neither can the Organised Private Sector (OPS) for the chambers of commerce" she added.

Also speaking at the event, the President, Council for Renewable Energy in Nigeria (CREN), Mrs. Anita Okuribido said being fully aware of the lingering national power crisis and the importance of energy, there is no gain saying that South West Nigeria is endowed with enormous economic potentials. She stated that the present national challenge of the poor availability of energy that has been lingering for decades must be addressed noting that the perennial power challenge has indeed grounded the entire economic production process of the country at

large and the regions in particular including the South West. According to her, the situation has completely made it impossible for the cottage and small scale industries to survive and almost crippled the medium scale while the blue chip industries are experiencing epileptic performance occasioned by the high cost of production, resulting in cut down of work force, high cost of consumer goods and services thereby impoverishing and inflicting untold hardship on the people, leading to youths restiveness, terrorism and national insecurity.

Customs partner traditional rulers on smuggling By Moses Ebosele S part of measures to curtail the activities of smugglers, the Seme Command of

Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has appealed to traditional rulers for assistance especially in the area of information gathering.

Addressing Chiefs and leaders from Seme border axis during the first Customs Community Relations Forum for 2014, NCS empha-

sized the need to tackle activities of smugglers through improved community relation. According to the Customs Area Controller (CAC) in charge of Seme Area Command, Comptroller Willy Egbudin, the role of traditional rulers in the fight against smuggling cannot be overemphasized. Egbudin explained that smugglers would find it difficult to carry out their nefarious activities if community leaders and the entire neighbourhood join the sensitization move being championed by the customs. Commending the traditional rulers for the support the command has been receiving from the community leaders since his assumption of office as CAC, Seme, Egbudin also urged them to back the customs with intelligence and report suspicious movements of smugglers in their various communities to the service as part of their contributions to the anti smuggling war. Egbudin was quoted in a press statement as saying: "We must be security conscious and alert to forestall security challenges", adding that the meeting which will be held on a regular basis. The command had recently restructured and intensified its operations aimed at curtailing the activities smugglers. Egbudin said the operations against smuggling are intended to boost federal government revenue, save Nigerians from unwholesome products, ensure national securities, and protect local industries among others. He also used the opportunity to make public the seizure of over one thousand two hundred (1,200) bags of 50kg rice with a duty paid value of N11,700,000.00. “Our officers relying on intelligence and applying tact swooped in on the commodity after the perpetrators heaped them at Kotomeji area of Badagry for onward shipment by road”, said Egbudin. Explaining further, he said: “Ostensibly aware of the implication of being met with their smuggled wares, the suspected smugglers escaped through the water on sighting the arrival of our officers who carried out the operation”.

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22 Friday, March 14, 2014

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Weekend

2015 Polls: Election gimmicks begin Arts & Culture P. 40

Confessions of Daniel K. Daniel… He hated Nigerian Movies—and Izu Ojukwu hated him!

Autowheels P.45

Business Travels P.47

Behold! Sturdy, elegant Amarok

Mystery in the air as search continues for Malaysia’s jetliner

24 WEEKEND Friday, March 14, 2014

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Political parties offer juicy As the 2015 polls draw near, ADAMU ABUH and AZIMAZI JIMOH analyse the manifestoes of the contending political parties to underscore the need to hold them to their pledges

oR the past 14 years, the Peoples Democratic FingParty (PDP) has enjoyed power as Nigeria’s rulparty. While it has dictated the pace, questions have arisen on how much of its manifesto the party had complied with. Its manifesto contains, among others: The Indivisibility of the Nigerian Polity; Supremacy of The Constitution; Independence of The Judiciary and operation of The Rule of Law; and Sanctity of Human Dignity. The party also undertook to remain strongly committed to: Democracy and good governance; Freedom, human rights and human dignity; Justice, equity, popular participation, inclusiveness and the rule of law; Integrity, transparency and accountability in the conduct of public affairs; and Sustainable development through the creation of an enabling environment for private sector led economic development. The PDP’s political objectives are to: Seek political power for the purpose of protecting the territorial integrity of Nigeria and promoting the security, safety, welfare, and well-being of all Nigerians; Promote and establish political stability in Nigeria and foster national unity and integration while safeguarding our culture and our values; Provide good governance that ensures probity and participatory democracy; Guarantee human rights and fundamental freedoms of all citizens and persons resident in Nigeria; Promote and nurture democratic ideals and traditions on a sustainable basis; Provide the political environment that is conducive to economic growth and national development through private initiative and free enterprise; and offer equal opportunities to hold the highest political, military, bureaucratic and judicial offices in the country to all citizens, and protect, defend and safeguard the interests of all including minorities. Recently, the PDP listed its achievement as a political party, insisting that democracy was on course and that the party has provided the necessary environment for growth in the country. In a statement signed by the National Publicity Secretary of the party, olisa Metu, the party said its greatest achievement is the provision of strong national leadership, which has succeeded in relegating the barriers of race, religion and ideological persuasions, issues that had kept Nigeria down for long.

The party’s spokesman said that PDP government recognised that no meaningful development could be achieved without strong financial institutions in place, explaining that this was the reason the government had consistently paid attention to strengthening the banking system to enable it meet their obligations to customers. He said: “PDP has instilled a culture of accountability and probity in public life. This is evident in the various trials and convictions undertaken by our anti-graft agencies, where even high ranking members of the PDP have not been spared when found wanting. “The PDP government has been out the vanguard of creating a vibrant private sector driven economy. The privatisation programme of government, which has seen government divesting from direct control of companies have resulted in greater efficiency. In the international circles, Nigeria had moved from being a pariah state to an influential voice, since the inception of the PDP Government. our pride as a regional, continental and global power block has been enhanced since we assumed the saddle of leadership. Under the PDP Government, the private sector has been on the rise, contributing millions of jobs and the overall Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the country which today stands at over $500 Billion from $170 bil-

lion in 2005.” Enter the All Progressive Congress Although the All progressive congress (APC) has just unveiled its agenda for Nigerians, critics are of the view that the party is simply an assemblage of those keen on upstaging President Goodluck Jonathan at the 2015 polls. There are those who have consider the APC, which has in its fold the famed G5 governors, such as Rotimi Amaechi, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, Murtala Nyarko, Aliyu Magatakarda Wammako and Abdulfattah Ahmedas, as a party that has become a tool not only for the Hausa/Fulani north, but for those bent on venting their spleen on the PDP. Such notions may not be out of place since the APC, which is an amalgam of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), the All Nigerian peoples party (ANPP) and a splinter group from the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), has an array of chieftains like General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) and Atiku Abubakar who believe that they can do better than Jonathan if given the opportunity. Nevertheless, at the launch of its code of ethics recently in Abuja, the APC while allaying such notions, expressed its commitment to a Nigeria that could achieve its full potential, economically and socially vibrant, peaceful, just and secure for the citizenry.

But the second republic minority leader in the Federal House of Representatives, Dr Junaid Mohammed thinks there is no basis for comparison between the second republic political parties and the current ones. His words: “The parties of the second republic, even when they were either tribal or sectarian, were credible in the sense that they meant what they said they were going to do. For example, the UPN had the free education as its own mantra, the NPP had its own mantra which revolves around Igbo irredentism, the PRP was a populist/socialist party, and the NPN was a party of the status quo. They didn’t need change and where they felt they needed to shift ground, due to popular will, they provided housing which was not guaranteed. Theirs was essentially food and shelter. The Nigeria Advance Party (NAP), which did not even win a ward, stood for nothing”

Priding itself as “a new party for a new Nigeria,” there are also insinuations that the APC has many things in common with the welfarist slant of the defunct Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN), the Social Democratic Party (SDP) centre left ideals, with a flavour for young radical intellectuals and socialists, calling for concerted efforts to improve the people’s welfare and fight for social justice. others have also regarded the APC as a chip off the block of the defunct Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), an off-shoot of the Northern Element Progressive Union (NEPU), widely regarded as a progressive left of the centre political party, with renowned radicals as the late Aminu Kano, Professor Chinua Achebe and Abubakar Rimi. But to a large extent, there is a far departure between the APC that boasts of national spread and the defunct Nigerian Peoples Party (NPP) and UPN, whose sphere of influence was not only restricted to their comfort zones of south -east and south west, but were also tied around their founding fathers, the late Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe and Chief obafemi Awolowo. But the second republic minority leader in the Federal House of Representatives, Dr Junaid Mohammed thinks there is no basis for comparison between the second republic political parties and the current ones. His words: “The parties of the second republic, even when they were either tribal or sectarian, were credible in the sense that they meant what they said they were going to do. For example, the UPN had the free education as its own mantra, the NPP had its own mantra which revolves around Igbo irredentism, the PRP was a populist/socialist party, and the NPN was a party of the status quo. They didn’t need change and where they felt they needed to shift ground, due to popular will, they provided housing which was not guaranteed. Theirs was essentially food and shelter. The Nigeria Advance Party (NAP), which did not even win a ward, stood for nothing.” Mohammed, who was a member of the defunct PRP continued: “Now, from what I observed, rightly or wrongly, those parties took their manifestoes seriously. None of them took their manifestoes to be some kind of wayo sell-

Friday, March 14, 2014 WEEKEND 25

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promises to wary citizens ing point. They really believed that, given to the homework they did, given the resources that were likely to come their way at the federal, state and local government levels, they could implement what they promised in their manifestoes. “Of course we know that in Lagos and the remaining states in the then south-west, none of them could actually implement successfully the free education policy and of course, the free health service policy became a mirage. In Kano and Kaduna, the issues were not necessarily free education and health services. In the old north, almost everybody was entitled to some kind of almost free education and in fact, free health services. “So when the PRP as a party promised to abolish cattle and poll tax, it became a very powerful selling point. It wasn’t even implemented before the election but they would have won the elections even if they didn’t say a word. They won the election and when they implemented the abolition of cattle and poll tax, it was overwhelmingly popular and that raised the political fortunes of the PRP in the old Kano and Kaduna states, which now translate to Katsina, Kaduna, Kano and Jigawa states. “The PRP had a much more ambitious manifesto than the other parties that I know of in the history of Nigeria. It was and it is still doubtful to me whether the party could have implemented the programmes and policies envisaged in its manifestoes, even if it had won election in the broader sense of it. “On the present day parties, first, it is known to me and I had this discussions with the late Dr Bala Usman and Late Bola Ige, it turned out that the late Bola Ige wrote three of the constitutions of the parties in an effort to win the presidential candidature of the three parties. He wrote the PDP constitution, subject to some amendment; he wrote Alliance for Democracy (AD) constitution, which was to be to be a reincarnation of the UPN; he confirmed also that he wrote the All peoples party (APP) constitution. “Now, if the constitution of three different parties supposedly was written by one individual, it goes to prove that the entire exercise was supposedly fraudulent and I remember, when we had dinner with the late Ige, Bala Usman and a few friends in his house in Bodija in Ibadan, he was telling us the story and he was even laughing and of course, we joined him in laughing. It goes to show how unserious the whole political terrain is. “Because a political programme or manifesto is like a Bible or a Koran of a party. If it is to be taken seriously the way religious texts are taken, if you want to be held accountable to what you say you are going to do, you have to draft your own manifestoes. On if the APC could live up to its words, Mohammed, who acknowledged the presence of credible persons in the party, said: “To be able to deliver the goods, you need just more than promise. You need resources. The economy is key. Nobody knows what would happen to the economy by the time we have the elections in 2015, that is if there would elections in the first place. And I don’t know the kind of people who would be entrusted with the government, especially in the kind of presidential system, which we now operate. Chieftain of the APC, Chief Osita Okechukwu said, “the APC remains the most viable political platform that will deliver democracy dividends to Nigerians if voted into power.Not many Nigerians are aware that while the PDP anchors its economic policy heavily on the market forces, the APC anchors its economic policy on a public sector led economy.” At the Abuja summit, which came against the backdrop of renewed moves by Jonathan to assert PDP’s sphere of influence across the country, chieftains of the APC, alongside its 16 governors, took turns to echo what the party has in stock for Nigerians if voted into power at the 2015 polls. Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar warned against the re-election of a PDP-led government at the 2015 polls, saying it could usher in a civilian dictatorship. Claiming that the PDP led administration had always worked against the emergence of a viable alternative platform over the years, he noted that the emergence of the APC was a dream come true for progressive minded Nigerians. Buhari, who vied for the presidency on three separate occasions on the platform of the defunct All Nigerian Peoples Party (ANPP), and the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) said he, alongside his supporters, were left with no op-

Jonathan

Muazu

Tinubu

Buhari

To be able to deliver the goods, you need just more than promise. You need resources. The economy is key. Nobody knows what would happen to the economy by the time we have the elections in 2015, that is if there would elections in the first place. And I don’t know the kind of people who would be entrusted with the government, especially in the kind of presidential system, which we now operate. tion but to coalesced into a formidable platform like the APC, after it became glaring that the ruling PDP was on the verge of “weeding out all the opposition party” in the polity. He maintained that the APC remains the most veritable platform that can bring to an end, the spate of insecurity, indiscipline and inefficiency that had bedevilled the polity over the years. Tinubu, who reminisced about how he was exiled in his bid to enthrone democracy, described the emergence of the APC as a renewal of hope and prosperity for the teeming population of youths in the country. Governor Ibrahm Geidam of Yobe state said the fact that the national economic council meeting, where all the 36 governors meet to explore avenues of tackling the challenges bedevilling the country in the past six months, speaks volume of the ineptitude of the PDP-led administration. Geidam assured that once the APC led government is voted into power, the nefarious activities of the Boko Haram insurgents that had led to the loss of lives and properties worth billions of naira would be brought to an end. Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State, who accused the Jonathan-led administration of championing divisiveness, deprivation and lawlessness in the polity, particularly claimed that Rivers state was left out of the states meant

to benefit from developmental projects in the 2014 budget. He wondered why Jonathan would vent his spleen on the citizens of Rivers state, even to the extent of ordering the non-release of money for the execution of a federal government water project, for the simple reason that he was opposed to his domineering style of governance. The APC’s code of ethics entitled: A new party for a new Nigeria affirmed: “We will work towards a nation that is economically and socially vibrant, peaceful, just and secure. A nation where the blight of corruption is no longer tolerated in our political, business or civic affairs. A nation that invests in improving the livelihoods of its people and the places where we live. A nation that recognizes strength in its diversity. A nation where all citizens can earn a respectable living, provide for their families and contribute to the betterment of their communities. A nation of progress.” The code runs contrary to UPN’s. However, UPN’s main difference was the ideals of a social democracy it was founded upon. The UPN and the PRP presented the most coherent plan of action during the 1979 electioneering campaign. The party jettisoned building a coalition of comfort in a polarized political environment, but based partnerships on the cooperation of like-minded advocates of democratic socialism. The UPN, however, inherited its ideology from

the old Action Group and saw itself as a party for everyone. It was the only party to promote free education and called itself a welfarist party. The PRP was the Second Republic incarnation of NEPU. It was created by the supporters of Mallam Aminu Kano after his withdrawal from the NPN. The original party was banned following the 1984 military coup. In the Fourth Republic, the party with the same name resurfaced under the leadership of Abdulkadir Balarabe Musa. It could however not gather the same level of support as the first. The NPN was the dominant political party in Nigeria during the Second Republic (1979-1983). The party’s beginning could be traced to private and sometimes secret meetings among key Northern Nigerian leaders, after the proscription of political parties in 1966 by the military regimes of Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi and General Yakubu Gowon. A few members of the proscribed parties based in the North began to organize a northern party to prepare for a return to democracy. The group also approached southern Nigerians about the prospects of a truly national party. A constitutional assembly organized in 1977 to prepare a constitution for a new democratic government proved to the best avenue for members of the burgeoning group to meet and discuss plans for their regions and nation. On September 20, 1978, the NPN was formed, comprising members of the constituent assembly and headed by Makaman Bida, an old NPC member. A month later the party adopted zoning to elect party officials. The party then adopted a new chairman, Augustus Akinloye, a Yoruba man, paving the way for the presidential candidate to go to the core base of the party: the Hausa-Fulani states. The NPN presented candidates for two major elections, the 1979 elections and the 1983 elections. The party won 36 Senate seats out of 95 and 168 seats out of 449 in the House of Representatives. On August 16, 1979, the party’s candidate for presidential election was declared the winner of what became a disputed election. The party entered into a shaky alliance with the NPP to earn majority votes in the National Assembly, the alliance later hit the rocks in 1981. To gain support among Igbo people, the party allowed the return of Odumegwu Ojukwu, the Biafra leader. The SDP was created to encompass the ideals of a center left political organization. It was one of the products of a democracy project by former President Ibrahim Babangida to have two detribalized political parties, one a little to the left and one for the right. However, it was seen as a moderate party with a flavour for young radical intellectuals and socialists. In its manifesto, it called for concerted efforts to improve the people’s welfare and fight for social justice. After the ban on the 13 prospective parties by the IBB administration in 1989, a few of the “illegal” associations decided to re-align. The People’s Front of Nigeria, People’s Solidarity Party and the Nigerian Labor Party were the three main groups that emerged to form the core constituency of the new SDP. The leadership of the party was dominated by Northern Nigerians, with Babagana Kingibe elected party chairman in 1990 over his rival Mohammed Arzika. On the other hand, the electoral strength of the party was in the south west states and Imo and Anambra states in the east. The party won 57 percent of the Senate seats in the 1992 National Assembly election, and won 53percent of the seats in the House of Representatives in the same election. The party was largely financed by the Federal Government and a few individuals, such as Shehu Musa Yar’Adua, Francis Nzeribe and M.K.O. Abiola. In its primary elections, Yar’adua collated about 480,000 votes dominating his primary opponent, Olu Falae in the first round. Another financier, Abiola won the primary election on March 1993, after the first election was cancelled. Abiola contested and won the Presidential election which was later annulled. The NRC was also by the IBB administration and was ultimately disbanded by the military regime of General Sani Abacha in 1993. The party was organized to cater to the conservative leanings of some Nigerians. It flourished in the core northern states and Eastern states of Abia and Enugu. However, many felt there was little difference between the party and the SDP.

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BusinessRound-Up S.AFRICA’S BUSINESS COMMUNITY ENGAGES WITH ESKOM By Nicole Cassandra Naidoo

SACCI engaged with Eskom on Tuesday regarding South Africa's power crisis. PHOTO: Getty Images made as well. “The prognosis is that the power system will remain under pressure for the next two months. Dames thanked the business community for its support to Eskom and measures taken to reduce power demand,” Rau said. “SACCI remains concerned over power security but has been reassured by the detailed explanation of the pressures faced by Eskom and their plans to respond to them.” Meanwhile, according to Reuters, South Africa’s finance minister, Pravin Gordhan, said on Tuesday that the country is likely to have adequate electricity supply in around two years.

BURUNDI SETS THE BAR WITH THOROUGH TAX SYSTEM By Wilhelmina Maboja HE Burundi Revenue Authority has set the T benchmark in the continent as an effective and accountable taxation authority. “[Tax] revenue has gone from 301 billion to 560 billion Burundian francs last year, an 86 per cent sustainable increase in revenues, and we achieved that by applying best practices to tax administration. It is absolutely vital to have the strong political support, and we have that from the president, and the first and second vice presidents,” Kieran Holmes, the commissioner general at the Burundi Revenue Authority, told CNBC Africa. Holmes added that the Authority should be able to double this again in the next five years, indicating a system that is independently sustainable. Holmes however added that public figures, politicians and government officials, have been known to dodge the tax system, which in turn discourages the everyman from committing to pay their taxes. Tax evasion is however

Taxes. PHOTO: Getty Images

KENYA GOVT TO SHAVE DOWN SLICE OF PUBLIC SECTOR WAGE BILL By Wilhelmina Maboja RESIDENT Uhuru Kenyatta plans to slash P public servants’ wages in an effort to allocate more funding to the country’s develop-

has engaged with national power utilSsiblyACCI ity, Eskom in an attempt to discuss and posresolve the country’s power crisis. The South African Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SACCI) hosted Eskom chief executive officer (CEO) Brian Dames on Tuesday, to discuss the way forward. “The initiation of the load shedding regime last week impacted on all industries and the engagement afforded the opportunity for the business community to voice their concerns and receive an update on the estimated power demand and supply in the coming months,” said SACCI CEO, Neren Rau. “SACCI recognises that Eskom is under severe pressure to meet South Africa’s power demands and believes that information sharing initiatives like today’s engagement can go a long way towards managing risks and adjusting firm-level operations to mitigate the supply side pressures.” Rolling blackouts were imposed for the first time since 2008 in South Africa after continuous rain soaked the power utility’s coal supplies. Dames addressed the members of SACCI’s CEO forum while also indicating that the system remained constrained and that while there are options available, crucial decisions need to be

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not new to the globe. “My advice to all the governments where I’ve worked is the higher paid officials in every state must be in the tax net and paying their taxes. We had this problem in Burundi, which we solved but it took a bit of political will,” Holmes explained. Tax evasion is however widespread in not only the continent but elsewhere, and stretches from businesses, public figures to government officials. Many fragile states in the continent only collect roughly 14 per cent of their GDP in tax revenues, which, according to Holmes, should be much higher and from 20 per cent upward. This is as a result of tax evasion and inefficient collection. “It must be pointed out that Africa is a net creditor to the rest of the world, so if you take the inflows into Africa like Foreign Direct Investment and aid, the outflows are significantly higher. The outflows into tax havens, bank accounts for funds, are secreted away, is much higher, about 1.4 trillion over the last 30 years. Africa is actually financing development in the rest of the world because of this unequal way of collecting revenues that exist at the moment,” said Holmes. The Burundi Revenue Authority also focuses on establishing a proper legislative base, which includes bringing in more tax payers but also more kinds of income. “In Africa, and in a lot of countries, they forget about taxing non-resident, but non-residents who are, let’s say, in for the exploitation of natural resources, they have a tax obligation as well and quite often this one is forgotten. We have to broaden the base to bring into charge things like dividends, interest, royalties, management fees, all kinds of payments,” said Holmes.

ment. Kenya’s president has ordered a 20 per cent pay cut for all parastatal heads in a bid to manage the country’s wage bill, which has more than doubled in the last five years. “My government is convinced the recent growth in public sector wage bill is unsustainable and unacceptable,” President Kenyatta said during the launch of the national debate on the Public Wage Bill Sustainability. “It is nice to receive ever larger slices of our national cake. But collectively, as a country, we have other priorities: we must fund our pledges to the various capital investments laid out in the current 2030 Medium Term Plan and the Jubilee Manifesto.” The move comes two days after the president and his deputy, William Ruto voluntarily cut their salaries by 20 per cent while cabinet members, slashed theirs by 10 per cent. There are over 100 parastatals in Kenya. According to National Treasury cabinet secretary Henry Rotich, Kenya’s wage bill has been rising significantly despite a poor labour productivity of the civil servant. While the salaries have risen by 21 per cent in the last three years, productivity has increased by 30 per cent over 11 years. The additional employment of 58,700 public servants, including police, nurses and teachers between 2008 and 2012, has also

Kenya's Deputy President William Ruto with the country's President Uhuru Kenyatta. PHOTO: The Presidency, Kenya added to the ratcheting of the public wage bill. “Though it is true that public sector average wages may compare favourably with the private sector, when we add the huge sums the government pays out in allowances and other benefits, public sector wages actually out-perform the private sector,” Kenyatta explained. “We should, therefore, ask whether the government would do better to adopt a consolidated pay package policy that covers all allowances, or whether it can retain the present system with stricter safeguards to stop abuses.” Kenyatta added that both he and Deputy President William Ruto had recently decided upon taking a 20 per cent wage cut, with other members of cabinet also opting to take a 10 per cent wage cut.

LATE RENT PAYMENTS ON THE RISE IN SOUTH AFRICA

House for rent.

PHOTO: Getty Images

By Farhaanah Mahomed ITH consumers facing serious ecoW nomic pressures in South Africa, it is no surprise that late rent payments are on the rise. “This is the first time we have seen deterioration in three years and that’s why it’s worrying,” Michelle Dickens, managing director of TPN Credit Bureau told CNBC Africa. This follows after TPN released their latest residential rental monitor, indicating that tenants in good standing have dropped from 86 per cent to 85 per cent, and that more late payers are moving into the partial payers’ category. The two best performing provinces are the Western and Eastern Cape, while Gauteng and Kwa-Zulu Natal remain the worst. “Interestingly those two provinces [Gauteng and Kwa-Zulu Natal] make up 56 per cent of all the tenants in South Africa. Forty per cent of tenants are in Gauteng and 16 per cent are in Kwa-Zulu Natal alone,” ex-

plained Dickens. While this slight change in the data may be a concern, she added that it is nowhere near as bad as the 71 per cent mark of late 2008 to 2009. “The trend hasn’t hit so much on the paidon-time tenants, we’re still seeing 72 percent of our tenants on the paid-on-time category,” she added. The rental monitor survey, which has been conducted since 2007, currently has a contribution list of 7,000 members, including large property companies such as Just Letting, Pam Golding and the Trafalgar group. The database contains over 300,000 tenant payment profiles across South Africa, from those paying below 3,000 rand rent per month, up to 100,000 rand per month. Surprisingly, Dickens added, the majority of tenants in the lower end of the rental market, those that pay below 7,000 rand rent per month, are in good standing. One of the biggest challenges to the rental property space, although rare, is that of squatters. “A squatting tenant is a tenant that has been on the property for four months in a row without paying rent. That requires legal costs as well as a loss of rent to get the tenant out of the property,” said Dickens. “Nine out of ten times a tenant who defaults and is given notice to vacate will in fact move out of the property. It’s only two per cent of tenants that will actually remain on the property.”

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INTERVIEW Zenith Bank has reported a 5.6 per cent decline in full year earnings per share to three naira one kobo despite strong growth in loans and deposits in the 4th quarter of 2013. CNBC Africa’s WOLE FAMUREWA caught up with the Executive Director, Peter Amangbo and started by asking about the key drivers of loan and deposit growth in Q4.

I’ll say, if you look at the power sector, just like the telecoms, when telecoms started in Nigeria, if you look at 2002, what was the total number of lines we had in Nigeria? In the whole country, we had less than one million. Today, we are talking of close to 100 million. The key thing is that the banking sector has grown since that time. We are looking at a Zenith today that our total excess is over three trillion and we have some other banks. Our shareholders funds is over 500 billion as a bank. In terms of capacity, I don’t think that is an issue in financing the power sector. We are just starting on a journey and I think we are moving on the right track and in the right direction. I’ll say people need to be very patient but I’ll tell you that we will get to that Promised Land very soon.

MANGBO: The major drivers of our growth A is essentially, our customers. Our customers are extremely loyal and I’ll also attrib-

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ute our growth to our staff and the quality of our service. Those are the major drivers really because it’s not just in terms of the business itself but who are those that make the business happen. I’ll say our service quality, our staff and our customers and I want to thank them for all what they’ve done for us in 2013. Wole: More specifically, which sectors of the economy are you lending more to and where are you getting those deposits from? Is it a retail play for instance? Amangbo: I’ll say we operate across all sectors but I want to say specifically, for Q4, we had a very strong outing in the power privatisation. We were very active there and it actually helped in our Q4. At the retail end, we are constantly improving in terms of generating low cost funding for financing our risk assets so those helped us in Q4 and across the year. Wole: To what extent will some of the changes we’ve seen in the monetary policy impacted your deposits base. We know quite a few banks have felt the pressure around the CRR and the CBN’s initiatives around that. Has that impacted you at all? Amangbo: Well, I think it was an industry thing. It affected all banks but we are very happy that we were able to take measures to ensure that despite those tight measures taken by the Central Bank, we still witnessed a loan growth and a deposit growth too which just shows that we are able to adapt to those measures and we came out very positive. Wole: But would Zenith Bank tweak its strategy at all? We know Zenith Bank to be very neat in its focus in the market but is that changing at all? Amangbo: What we’ve done basically is like, opportunities will continue to emerge. At Zenith Bank, we are exceedingly dynamic and once the landscape changes, we adapt to those changes. I’ll probably say, there was no major shift, we are just doing what we do in a much better way and more efficient way and that was what translated into increase in our deposit base and the loan growth over 20 per cent we witnessed in 2013. Wole: So no significant change in terms of who you are lending to, how you are tackling the retail market for instance? Amangbo: Let me take the retail specifically. In the retail, we have introduced a lot of innovations not just in the Q4. Right from 2012, even before then, we’ve introduced quite a lot. We are doing quite a lot in terms of the retail sphere, we are looking at affording our customers with a variety of channels of payment and that has helped in increasing our deposit. We have our electronic channels, we have our cards and we’ve done quite a lot in those particular areas and it has actually paid off. In terms of the funding itself, across all sectors, opportunities are emerging, the Nigerian economy is growing by over seven per cent in terms of our GDP. You see quite a lot that has been happening and we’ve been very active in financing this growth. Wole: Over the last months some of the headlines have been around the transition at the Central Bank. Of course we know that your current CEO, Godwin has been designated to be the new Central Bank Governor. What will that mean for the institution? What is the official position in terms of the transition in leadership? Amangbo: First of all, we are happy that the bank was recognised and our CEO was appointed the Central Bank Governor designate but the process is still on going. The senate is yet to sit to do the screening but in house here, I will tell you that we have a very robust succession plan, documented and approved by the board and at the appropriate time, the board remits to appoint the successor. I can assure you that we have over a dozen top

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Amangbo

ZENITH BANK FY EPS DOWN 5.6% management staff that can step into his shoes. Wole: Alright, we look forward to that. Just to clarify, is the successor likely to come from inside Zenith Bank or outside Zenith Bank? Amangbo: Well, this is not the first time we will go through this process in Zenith. If we are going to draw from what happened the last time, I say we have over a dozen candidates that can fill that position. Wole: Okay, so what’s your take on the exposure of the banking sector to the power reforms? We know quite a few banks are involved in that and Zenith Bank is also involved. Amangbo: I’ll say, if you look at the power sector, just like the telecoms, when telecoms started in Nigeria, if you look at 2002, what was the total number of lines we had in Nigeria? In the whole country, we had less than one million. Today, we are talking of close to 100 million. The key thing is that the banking sector has grown since that time. We are looking

at a Zenith today that our total excess is over three trillion and we have some other banks. Our shareholders funds is over 500 billion as a bank. In terms of capacity, I don’t think that is an issue in financing the power sector. We are just starting on a journey and I think we are moving on the right track and in the right direction. I’ll say people need to be very patient but I’ll tell you that we will get to that Promised Land very soon. Wole: we see you’ve increased your dividend pay-out this year even though your earnings per share fell a little bit in 2013, what is driving that and what does that tell us about your future dividend policy? Amangbo: As a bank, Zenith bank has been very focused on our shareholders because they are the ones funding us. They’ve invested in the bank, they’ve trusted us and the least we can do, is to ensure that we reward them with good performance and good dividend. We’ve been quite aggressive in Zenith bank

when it comes to dividend pay-out. If you look historically, we’ve been very aggressive. Last year, we paid about N1.60 and this year, we are paying N1.70 and God willing, if we continue to do well, we’ll increase our dividend pay-out. As a policy, we’ve been very aggressive in terms of dividend pay-out. Wole: What advise can you give the market in terms of your growth expectations for this year given all the challenges that the market is experiencing every day? Amangbo: There are a lot of challenges in the market if I must admit, the year has started and we are very cautious and we will continue to look at the risk side of the business and we will continue to look at growth and we will continue to look at innovation. How we can improve on what we are doing, how we can gain market share. I don’t want to talk about specific percentages but I can assure you that we are going to grow in terms of assets, in terms of deposits base, in terms of loans and in terms of profitability.

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KENYA’S FLOURISHING TELECOMS INDUSTRY By Wilhelmina Maboja ENYA’S telecoms sector has undergone considerable changes in the past few years, indicating a thriving industry with room for growth. “[The number of acquisitions we’re seeing] is either good news or bad news. Good news in the sense that we’re going to see a new wave of competition. Over the last three to four years we’ve been seeing competition in terms of price, which means a lot in the voice sector,” Danson Njue, research analyst at Informa Telecoms and Media, told CNBC Africa. Asian telecommunications company Bharti Airtel recently announced plans to buy Essar Telekom Kenya, the country’s smallest mobile network operator. This acquisition will include Essar’s subscribers as well as telecom licences. Essar operates under the name, yMobile. “With the acquisition, we’re going to see a change, especially now that we are going to have two big players who will have a market share of 75 per cent, and a smaller player, which is Orange.” Safaricom, Kenya’s biggest mobile network operator, is also a part of the Essar Mobile acquisition, and combined with Airtel, both will spend roughly 100 million dollars for the transfer. “Looking at that acquisition, it’s very interesting because when you look at Safaricom, it’s acquiring the infrastructure, which also includes spectrum. It’s a very important point because we know that spectrum is such a scarce resource, and with Safaricom obtaining such spectrum, its plans for expanding its mobile data sector,” Njue explained. “[It’s] also trying to improve the quality of its network services, which is something that is very important for the market.” Njue added that Airtel’s acquisition is expected to increase its market share from 17 per cent to around 25 per cent. Despite Essar mobile’s exit, it nonetheless indicates an exciting telecoms market, albeit highly cutthroat. “Kenya is a very competitive market, and obviously when we look at the dynamics and also the strategies that some of these operators adapt, we could actually say that it’s a matter of strategy,” said Njue. “Also there’s an element of financing. Some of these smaller operators have been having problems in trying to obtain the necessary funding. It’s more of competitiveness of the market and also the availability of funds.”

Friday, March 14, 2014

NIGERIAN MILLIONAIRES ON THE RISE By Dara Rhodes IGERIAN millionaires will climb by 47 per cent in the N next four years, this is according to a report by New World Wealth. The report that was released earlier this week also said that the growth in high net worth individuals is linked to the country’s GDP, the local equity market and the local real estate amongst other factors. “We look at a number of factors, we look at trends in the market, the historical growth factors, we look at GDP growth going forward, the forecast on that and we try make estimates on how we think the property market and the real estate market is going to perform,” Andrew Amoils, Analyst at New World Wealth told CNBC Africa. The report also suggested that the number of Nigerians with investable assets of at least 1 million US dollars will jump 23 thousand by 2017. Amoils believes that the key is historical trend as a country that has grown quite strongly will continue to do assuming it starts from a relatively low base as Nigeria does. “We look at wealth according to the number of people that have made one million dollars from a sector so it doesn’t necessarily correlate to the growth of that sector. For instance, there’s a lot of countries like Vietnam which hasn’t had strong index real estate growth in the last six years, but the number of people who have made money from the real estate has been astronomical,” he explained. Nigeria’s economy has expanded on average of 8.2 per cent annually since 1999 and has the third highest number of millionaires on the continent after South Africa and Egypt. The report also found that about 26 per cent of Nigeria’s 82 billion dollars wealth was offshore last year, with the bulk of the private banking funds deposited in the UK, Switzerland and the Channel Islands. “That trend is common globally, it is a relatively high percentage for an African country obviously, there’s a lot of Nigerian people that have money in the UK and Switzerland, and property in those countries,” he said. Amoils believes that the under developed private banking in Nigeria makes most high net worth individuals go offshore for investment banking with big international banks.

REINING IN CONSUMER EXPENSES DURING TOUGH TIMES By Wilhelmina Maboja ESPITE the rising costs of living, consumers can rein in D their expenses and maintain a strict budget during the high tide. “Post-festive season we had a 50 basis point hike in the repo rate, and then we’ve got our budget speech, increasing fuel levies and many other pressures that are coming to the consumer. It is tough at the moment, and consumers are really feeling the pressure,” Zanele Mbere, head of deposits and payments at Standard Bank, told CNBC Africa. The pressure on finances has also trickled down to rental payments, where a recent survey indicated that South Africans are struggling to pay their rental payments on time, and in some cases making partial payments. “Your rent or your home loan is something that a consumer pays, so if that is being delayed, obviously the consumers are under pressure. The first advice that we always say to our customers is speak to your bank. They are the first people who can actually assist you in these hard times,” Mbere explained. “The other thing that a consumer can actually do on their own is reviewing their budget. If you don’t have a budget, start one. A paid bill. PHOTO: Getty Images It’s really important to see exactly what you’re spending your money on.” Mbere added that those receiving bonuses can also use them to pay off large expenses such as school fees, loyalty schemes and other credit-based services that are regularly used. “We have financial advisers who actually sit in our branches and they’re accessible. It’s very difficult nowadays to navigate through all these solutions about financial wellbeing,” said Mbere. The ease of transactions, from accessing cash to borrowing credit, however dealing with finances much simpler and provide a range of payment and saving methods. “The fact that people can make payments off internet banking, that’s actually bringing it back to the customer’s control, where anywhere and anytime you can make payments. You don’t need to always rely on the automatic things like debit orders,” Mbere added. “What we always say is review your insurance and savings plans regularly. You need that comfort that you’re still okay, especially now in such difficult times. [Do it] more than once a year. You need to go back to your insurance, your savings plan, just to make sure that you’re still okay for the next two, five and 10 years.”

The number of Nigerians with investable assets of at least 1 million US dollars will jump 23 thousand by 2017. PHOTO: Getty Images

A WHOLE NEW WORLD FOR THE WWW IN AFRICA By Dara Rhodes NTERNET penetration is significantly increasing in Africa Idevices. with over 60 per cent of users accessing it through mobile

expensive continent when compared with other continents in terms of internet usage. “The costs on the wholesale side have come down, [however] there is still bottlenecks in the retail distribution networks to move high speed broadband data capacity to the end users,” she added.

The e-commerce space in Africa is growing at 25 per cent. PHOTO: Getty images

A FRESH PERSPECTIVE NEEDED TO ADVANCE WOMEN IN BUSINESS By Nicole Cassandra Naidoo HERE needs to be a change in the way one thinks in order T to see women advance in the South African business environment. “In order to promote women in the workplace you have to be able to change your mindset. When you go to ways of thinking and traditional management styles in the modern world, you see in the emerging markets more modernistic thinking, and that is where you have women in senior leadership,” Grant Thornton Johannesburg deputy chief executive, Jeanette Hern told CNBC Africa. “You have management styles that [are] encouraging, coaching, mentoring, diversity in the workplace, inclusive decision making processes, and in that sort of environment, it’s easier for women to come to the fore and they feel more comfortable.” According to Grant Thornton’s 2014 International Business Report, the percentage of women in senior management positions in business in South Africa stands at just 26 per cent, a two per cent decrease from last year. “If you take the research back even further, there’s been no progress over the last seven years so we’ve been trying to understand why this number is fluctuating around 26 per cent. What we’re seeing is that companies seem to be committed when you talk to them but when you try and unpack what they’re doing within the workplace, there’s very little being done,” Hern explained. “Once you’re at the top, make sure that you’re an appropriate mentor to the young ladies coming through because for young women with career aspirations, it’s nice to be able to work with somebody that’s senior, to understand the path that they’ve taken and to work on that path.” Hern added that women also have to have confidence in who they are in the workplace in order to succeed and grow. “Many women come into the workplace and believe they have to compete in a man’s world – that’s where women go wrong. If you try and be somebody you aren’t, you’re not necessarily going to succeed. To add value, we need to be the women we are and bring out the diversity that we can bring to the decision-making process,” she said. “To young women coming through – be yourself, understand that there is a ‘ceiling’ but very often that ‘ceiling’ is something you might impose on yourself through the choices you make. Be selective about the company you join – if you find yourself in an environment that’s not conducive to having women in the workplace and you want to have a career, it’s best to move on to another company that will provide you with that environment.”

As internet users across the globe celebrate 25 years of its existence this week, millions of Africans are still expected to go live across the continent. “It’s been 25 years [since the global introduction of the internet] and perhaps 10 years since we had initial usage and access in Africa through some sub marine cables but really only three years on the west coast and four years on the east coast since we’ve had new entrance,” Funke Opeke, CEO of Mainone cable told CNBC Africa. Africa saw an exceptional number of submarine cables go live in 2010 for the first time and has continued to see the rise of cable connectivity throughout the continent. Sub-Saharan Africa currently accounts for 0.2 per cent of the global international bandwidth. “In terms of the progress we’ve seen…, [there are] new business models that are online-based, you have e-commerce sites, the travel sites, you have job sites and retail,” she explained. With the rising urbanisation and increasing middle class in Nigeria, e-commerce in the country is growing rapidly and the online business space in Africa is the fastest growing in the world. This sector is currently growing at 25.8 per cent compared to the rest of the world, which is growing at 16.8 per cent. “Brick and mortar retail stores are starting to create a significant presence online. If you look at online banking, you can open an account via Facebook. Those are some of the developments that we are seeing in this market,” she said. According to Opeke, with the current percentage of people in Nigeria accessing the internet through mobile phones sitWomen in senior management positions in business in South Africa ting at close to 40 per cent, there is a lot more potential for decreased by two per cent this year. PHOTO: Getty Images the web in the future. Nonetheless, Africa remains the most

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Friday, March 14, 2014

EVRAZ BEGINS RECOVERY FROM 2012 STRIKE By Farhaanah Mahomed VRAZ Highveld Steel and VanaE dium are slowly recovering from the effects of a 2012 labour strike. The company’s operating loss for the year ended 31 December 2013 was 293 million rand, compared to a loss of 854 million rand for 2012,

The steel industry.

PHOTO: Getty Images

mainly attributed to lower production due to the effect of the 2012 strike. Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization were at a profit of 22 million rand, compared to a 697 million rand loss the prior year. Revenue from sale of goods increased from 4,346 million to 5,190 million rand. “Labour stability, health of the market and production stability continue to pose a threat to the operations of the company and the ability to generate profits,” they said. The integrated steel and vanadium slag producer’s iron output increased by 3 per cent to 638 912 tonnes for the year compared to 2012 when output suffered as result of a four week strike. Steel output rose 12 per cent from 571 787 tonnes to 642 405 tonnes in 2013 year as a result of increased iron availability and improved stability in the steel plant. In their mining division, production of lump ore increased by 22 per cent to 1 430 346 tonnes, while fine ores rose seven percent to 651 209 tonnes for the year. The pit mining trial that commenced in March 2013 has been completed, while first commercial pit mining is scheduled to start in the first half of 2014. In their vanadium division, a total of 49 299 tonnes of vanadium slag was produced containing 6 675 tonnes for the year, compared to 43 132 tons slag containing 6 205 tonnes for 2012. Despite these earnings, the company believes that the global economy remained weak in the fourth quarter of 2013 and has not reached

A volatile labour market remains a major risk to the South African economic stability. The domestic economy remains under pressure of electricity supply concerns and notable energy tariff increases, which adversely affects the competitiveness of the domestic steel industry. the levels of growth needed to support a strong recovery in steel demand. “It is predicted that global steel demand is likely to increase by 3.1 per cent to 1 475 million tonnes in 2014 following growth of only 2 per cent in 2013,” added the group. They stated that the sub-Saharan African region however, remains a key growing market for the steel industry, driven mainly by opportunities from the widely published infrastructure projects in countries such as Nigeria, Kenya, Tanzania and Zambia, as well as mining related investments in Mozambique. “However global producers who target this market aggressively with competitive pricing keep this market under pressure,” said Evraz. “A volatile labour market remains a major risk to the South African economic stability. The domestic economy remains under pressure of electricity supply concerns and notable energy tariff increases, which adversely affects the competitiveness of the domestic steel industry.”

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36 ARTS Friday, March 14, 2014

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Theatre

Scene from the play

Akanni… scheming for survival By Omiko Awa IFE in its duality is like a mirror that gives back to its beholdL er what he or she puts into it. In its tranquility, it rewards everyone according to his or her work. But in its benevolence, it has given all mortals the facility to overcome the challenges of his or her remote and immediate environments. As part of its goal to enliven the theatre, Davidhouse Multimedia through its Live Theatre On Sunday for the month of February, thrilled guests to a hilarious play, Akanni And His Proposal that depicts the stated truism about life at the Unity Centre, Ikeja GRA, Lagos. Written by Adelarin Awotedu, but directed by Adeoye Salem Shobakin and produced by Adenugba Oluwanishola, the play, a contemporary adaptation of Efua Sutherland’s The Marriage Of Anansewa, opens with Akanni (a.k.a Baba Sewa) complaining of his fortune, which has nosedived as a result of his retirement from active service. With his dwindling income, the wife becomes the breadwinner providing for the family. The responsibility of fending for the family later begins to affect her other domestic duties as she begins to pay less attention to her children and husband. With his poor financial state, Akanni’s respect in the home also begins to wane, especially with Sewa, who no longer has regards for him for not being able to pay and register her for the GCE examinations. Worried about the situation, Akanni capitalises on the feat Sewa made while in secondary school, where she emerged the most beautiful girl in a beauty contest and then crowned a queen. The win turned her to become toast of men as they fall head over kneel for her hand in marriage. Akanni then plans to exploit this fortune to regain his financial status. Convincing Sewa to accept the plan, father and daughter write and send letters to three out of the numerous prospective husbands. Akanni systematically selects the bigwigs in politics across the three Nigerian popular tribes — Megida (Hausa), Ogbuefi (Igbo) and Jagunlabi (Yoruba). Exxpectedly, the politicians fall for the plan and generously begin to give Akanni huge sum of money that made him rich again. He settles all his bills and gives the daughter a comfortable life. While he is thinking of relocating to his village, having made more than he needs, his benefactors pulled a fast one on him; they coincidentally fix a date for Sewa’s marriage.

Confused, he decides to play on with the threesome. On the day of the marriage, he arranges with his daughter and Sewa pretends to be dead. The threesome, not knowing each other’s intent, were invited to see what has befallen the family of Akanni. While the suitors were still commiserating with their in-law-to-be the said dead lady sneezes, as if the people were not sure of what they were seeing, the dead lady sits up, making all including the suitors to run for dear life, forgetting their ambition to marry. Highlighting deception, greed and inordinate ambition, the play x-rays the gullibility of the Nigerian society and how our leaders waste public fund on trivial things while those they are meant to lead, often time, feed on their crumbs and still applaud them.

However, aside from the social commentaries, the producer or director should endeavour to correct some of the shortcomings against next production. One of the scenes spotlights Akanni telling her daughter that he would prefer she use a manual typewriter for the letters he wants to send to his would-be sons-in-laws; and that the letters would be sent by post. But at the next scene, the daughter says she sent the letters through electronic mails. This leaves the question of who sent the letter and by what means? If a particular medium is to be used, it would be proper for the characters to be well informed of the medium, so that, they may know what to say on stage. How could a letter typewritten with manual typewriter be emailed? Also, since Sewa is said to be dead, it would be expected that her shoes should be pulled off, pending when she would be interred. But for the duration she was lying on the stage nothing of sort was done. Though a stage play, the audience should be made to have a real life feeling of the situation. Again, having an African setting, particularly the cultures of three Nigeria’s ethnic groups — Igbo, Hausa and Yoruba — it becomes difficult to believe that the suitors having invested their monies, either worked for or stolen, would not be bothered on the interment of their wife or how she died. This does not portray the three ethnic groups’ culture, which the politicians talk about, in good light. Though, the producer may for time wants to cut off such details, it would have been proper to mention it in the passing. Agreed that pop culture is fast taking a firm grip on our society, it has not gone to the extent of a child pushing the aged or his or her father off from a seat to make way for him or to sit, as presented by the play, in Sewa pushing off the father from her seat. Theatre as a medium of mass communication highlights the ills of the society, educate the people, effect positive changes and direct audience thinking; presenting this gross disregard for can’t be a moral lesson in a play presented before a large audience dominated by the youths. This leaves the impression that the youths could as well emulate Sewa. Lastly, Akanni’s role interpretation appeared weak, his mien did not depict his role expectation. He gave the impression that he was playing the role of a disgruntled aged pensioner, but soon forgot this and acted like a young man in his speech and act. Comic effect could have enriched the package, if he had played his role well.

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Friday, March 14, 2014 ARTS

VisualArts In Battle Scars, sympathisers’ lenses shoot down By Tajudeen Sowole HeN a subject as breast cancer found its W way into the lenses of five women photographers as discovered during the opening

pains that patients go through.” Kuku’s past knowledge of breast cancer included myths such as “cancer is caused by juju or witchcrafts.” But her subject in the Battle Scars project seems to have none of that, so, suggests the colour picture of a women with masked face, in ecstatic pose, displaying the full and vanished sides and the breasts. In fact, the awareness against linking breast cancer with unproven beliefs such as witchcraft and myths of some native origins was among the core issues that inspired the show, the director of Camara Studios and convener of the project, Aiyeni-Babaeko, told guests during the opening. In battling the scars, the place of spirituality cannot be completely ruled out, at least from the faith perspective, reveals one of Aiyeni-Babaeko’s works. It’s a twin-photograph of a victim in hijab and holding the Islamic tesbih (rosary) and in apparent reliance on her Creator for succor. In Nigeria, inadequate diagnosis facilities and treatment have been identified as factors in reducing the increasing deaths caused by breast cancers. The tense hospital atmosphere during treatment of breast cancer is not excluded from the works on display. Timing of drips being administered by a doctor is captured and placed just above the praying victim earlier mentioned; quite a good curatorial score. As a medium in creating more awareness among women and draw public sympathy in the fight against breast cancer, as well as create early detection alert, Battle Scar, as initiated by Aiyeni-Babaeko is a great concept. And as a photography exhibition, the photo artists, to a large extent force their way through the emotional subject at hand to render a balance

of the show, Battle Scars, at Goethe Institut, Lagos Island, photographic skills struggled for attention. The emotions from the images of the exhibiting photo artists — Yetunde AyeniBabaeko, Damilola Kuku, Bisola Ijalana, Koleosho Kikelomo, Jokotade Shonowo and Yemi Disu — appeared too weighty for technique and styles of the photographers to assert the essence of such a show. And how did Battle Scars force photography into such a state of submissiveness? Breast cancer is, perhaps, the fastest killer of all women-related health challenges. According to statistics, it accounts for about 26 per cent of all cancers-related issues. With such statistics of shivering dimension, hardly would there be enough photography skill to sway attention from the suffering of victims — no matter how hidden — to the beauty of photo imaging. An initiative of Camara Studios and featuring works of X-Perspective photographers, Battle Scars, an ongoing show is supported by 1K4Cancer, Sebeccly Cancer Care Foundation and Goethe-Institut Lagos. The organisers said the show is a charity event aimed at giving proceeds from the sales of the exhibits, including the postcards prints, to support the treatment of patients who are on the waiting list of the Sebeccly Cancer Care Foundation. At the immediate entrance of the Goethe Institut’s improvised gallery space, two of the works by Aiyeni-Babaeko summarise a most likely world of victims of breast cancers. In The Beauty Never Lost, the sufferer is still bold enough to flaunt her beautiful face in a modeling-like pose enhanced by a sun hat. As much as Ayeni-Babaeko attempts to add her modeling photography experience to liven up the image, the missing part of the left torso evokes sympathy. Next comes tears-jerker in Tick Tick, a long shot capture of a patient in her room. Hovering inside her apparent expansive room is the race that every breast cancer patient has against time. For Disu’s images of an elderly woman, the pains, over the decades, are not missing in the weakened eyebrows and swollen hands hidden by the silhouette lighting technique. Disu recalled the courage of her subject to offer herself for the shoot despite resistance from the family. “She has five children, all adults, but she insisted in making her self available to be photographed against the advice of the family.” And when she was ready, the photographer took over the emotive moment. “It was a difficult and emotional shoot for me,” Disu disclosed, while explaining the scenario of a picture in which her subject’s husband poses with his wife. Against a semi-silhouette lighting, the couple images explain the bond of love that has kept them going through decades of horrifying breast cancer. Kuku, who is one of the youngest photographers in the project, recalled her closest experience of a sufferer who later died. “That was long time ago. But now that I am involved in a breast cancer project, I can also feel the During the opening of Battle Scars

One of the works from the photography exhibition Battle Scars works of art within the glaring unavoidable confines of the lens. However, Shonowo’s high key lighting shot that blackens the supposedly missing breast of a victim and highlights the full side, offers a balance of photography skill and sympathy expressions. Courtesy of Sebeccly, and in the past two years, the photographers have been linked with members of the breast cancer support group in order to provide an insight into the challenges faced by cancer survivors. According to the organisers, Goethe Institut and Camara Studios, breast cancer “is the most common cancer and a leading cause of death among women in Nigeria.” The Battle Scars show is also to create awareness for alert on the symptom and “early diagnosis.” With intensive campaign, “more women”, they hoped, “can survive breast cancer by having prompt treatment.” Derin Ajao of Goethe Institut noted that the exhibition’s opening on the International Women’s Day “is no coincidence’ as the challenges facing women across the world can be reduced with awareness such as the Battle Scars. A partner in the project, Sebeccly was worried about the stigma still associated with

breast cancer in Nigeria, and Africa in general.. Referencing what is globally known as Target 5 of the World Cancer Declaration – fight against stigma and dispelling the damaging myths and misconceptions - Sebeccly Cancer Care Foundation re-assured the public of its “belief in raising the awareness profile of cancer survivorship and reducing the stigma associated with cancer in Nigeria.” The foundation noted, “the persistent high death rates caused by breast cancer” and insisted that “it is important to create awareness, advocate for better cancer care, raise funds to support cancer treatment and strengthen cancer care institutions.” On the photography show as a strong medium in the awareness drive, Sebeccly was sure that “the public will be inspired to join us in the fight against cancer, to understand how cancer affects us all and take steps in reducing the Nigerian cancer burden. “This first-of-a-kind photography show will tell stories of cancer survivors, their challenges and coping strategies. Highlights of the exhibition are breast awareness information and breast examination.” For Ayeni-Babaeko, Battle Scars is another score in her feminist-agenda. Having embarked on a lone ranger mission in lifting the cause of women when she started a photography empowerment project for young enthusiasts in 2009, Ayeni-Babaeko has been using Camara Studios to groom female photographers. And when she exhibited 12 young female photographers, in 2011, Goethe Institut was her partner. Her efforts have given birth to the The X-Perspective female photographers Ayeni-Babaeko had shown in group exhibitions such as A Perspective on Contemporary Nigerian Photography, regarded as the largest gathering of Nigerian photographers in recent time. The show, which featured 20 artists, held at the Omenka Gallery, Lagos Island, in 2009.

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38 ARTS Friday, March 14, 2014

Bold and Beautiful Fashionistas by Bunmi-Oyesanya Ayaoge

For feminist, Oyesanya-Ayaoge, a Symbiosis returns six years after Stories by Tajudeen Sowole NCREASINGLY, the canvases of some female Ithemes artists are being populated with gender-based as the newest addition from painter, Bunmi Oyesanya-Ayaoge’s brush palette roves through some of the contentious aspects of women’s living and styles. From fashion, gossips to the reality of aging, Oyesanya-Ayaoge’s feminism thoughts are expressed in her second solo show titled Symbiosis, which opens from March 22 to 29, at Terra Kulture, Victoria Island, Lagos And when the first series of works she presented during the preview of Symbiosis focus plus size ladies, an impression of personalising the theme was created. “No,” she protested. “Focusing the fashion trends of the big size ladies is just a concept I love; it has nothing to do with

my built.” Ladies on the large side, particularly in briefs or tightening wears are enough attractions, even in simple representation or realism form. And stylizing the depiction in burlesque or caricature as Oyesanya-Ayaoge puts them on canvas adds more theatrics. She calls them Bold and Beautiful Fashionistas.” Yes, the big ladies in fashion statements are on the increase at social events and on the walkways on the streets, doing the morning walk in sporting wears. From mini skirts to really short knickers and near loose straps, OyesanyaAyaoge captures the bold ladies as familiar as they flaunt their weight. She detests the fact that “so much attention has been given to the slim ladies,” to the neglect of the “fashion big size women.”

From Ghana, young water colourist, Aggrey, debuts in Lagos with African Essence S an emerging art hub in show is one of the activities put volved an opportunity for a A Africa, Lagos keeps attract- together to mark the 50th cultural exchange between ing new artists from the conti- birthday of Omolayo, who is Ghana and Nigeria and foster nent as one of the leading art galleries, Biodun Omolayo, brings in a young Ghanaian water colourist, Jonathan Kwegyir Aggrey. During a chat few days ago, the director of the gallery, Biodun Omolayo, disclosed that Aggrey is scheduled for a solo show titled African Essence, opening from March 29 and ending April 11, 2014 at the City Mall, Onikan, Lagos-based gallery. The artist, according to Omolayo, is the newest on the list of the gallery’s plans for African artists that are slated to show in Lagos before the end of the year. Coincidentally, the young artist will be opening his first solo in Nigeria about two weeks after the University of Nigeria, Nsukka-based master, El Anatsui, would have been hosted by Centre for Contemporary Art (CCA), Lagos as part activities marking his 70th birthday. The gallery described Aggrey as a vibrant and highly talented. Also, for the gallery, Aggrey’s

the manager and founder. In addition to the exhibition, the artist has been scheduled for a workshops as well as visits to the Old People’s Home, Orphanages in Lagos. The art workshops are for the less privileged. Omolayo recounted how he met the artist via Facebook, “and the friendship later developed into a business relationship which resulted into the forthcoming art exhibition and workshop.” Aggrey is a graduate of the University College of Education, Winneba, Ghana. He has been involved in local and international exhibitions and series of workshops in Western and Eastern Europe with so many awards to show for it. Beyond the show, the gallery hopes it would promote bilateral cultural relationship between Nigeria and Ghana. “In the cause of the exhibition, the artist will interact with other Nigerian artists, art enthusiasts, journalists, art historians gallery managers,and others in the Lagos art hub This will give every body in-

friendship between the two West African countries. In addition, the show will promote bilateral cultural relationship between Ghana and Nigeria.” Some of the top collectors expected to welcome the new addition into the Lagos art hub are Akinmade, Mr. Emmanuel Ibukun Efuntayo, Engr. Charles Kunle Aldewolu, Cornnie Price ( Country Director Of The British Council Lagos), Mr. Sammy Olagbaju, Engr. Omoba Yemisi Shyllon, Chief Rasheed Gbadamosi, Mrs. Nike Okundaye, Engr Lanre Ishola, Professor Pat Utomi and Mr. Robert Mbonu. Aggrey’s bio states: his is the youngest of eight siblings, and was born in 1984. He received both his basic and senior education in Ashaiman. When he was about five years old, he knew that he wanted to be an artist. His family and friends did not discourage his early efforts but rather visualized his potential and realised that he had to be an artist. He continued to study and work as a part-time roadside artist from 1995 to 2003.

Continuing her highlights of ladies’ characteristics in another series titled Breaking News, two ladies, almost neck-to-neck live nothing else to imagination, but “gossips.” While aging worries cut across the genders, the graphical representation of what OyesanyaAyaoge titled, Symbiotic Metamorphosis, stresses the more eventful, but faster, stages of the softer gender. Still in the stylised burlesque rendition, the metamorphosis takes of from a schoolgirl preparing to be tomorrow’s elegant woman, moves into an adolescent, full womanhood and starts raising family. And from the middle age to the frail old lady, Oyesanya-Ayaoge’s woman still would not give up on “the fashionista character she was in the active period, several decades ago.” Irrespective of choice of career, the challenges and demand of meeting societal value, sometimes comes into conflict with the personal and professional aspiration of a woman. However, for most women, the traditional values of African woman such as raising a family remain sacrosanct. Interestingly, the artist, whose professional and family lives have thrown up similar challenges. come as an example of how to sacrifice one for the other. She had her last major and solo outing in 2008, when she showed Artforms at National Museum, Onikan, Lagos. “The break was unavoidable; taking care of the family front is as important as creating art,” she argued. Six years is not exactly long, but in art it could me a huge gap between the artist and the art. “I was never cut off from the art during the six years,” she quipped. Her works have been featured in several group exhibitions just as “I always worked at home, squeezing out time from the children to

Jonathan Kwegyir Aggrey with one of his works

sketch and paint.” Oyesanya-Ayaoge’s quality of time stolen from the family and invested in the body of work for Symbiosis would face the test of her followers when the exhibition opens. When she had Artforms, in 2008, strong skills in illustrations and high sense of humour were some the assets she brought onto the canvas. And the fashion themes within the context of women are not exactly new in the artist’s vocabulary. For example, in Artform, she had Women of Substance. However, in about 40 works expected for the show, eclectic mix comes to the rescue to prevent a possible bore of repetitive themes, even in the styles and technique. Oyesanaya-Ayaoge therefore dips into her other background of stints with Universal Studios of Artists, bringing in landscapes such as Harmattan Haze, Tranquility and Lagos Lagoon. And with her supposedly up-dated Artist Statement, which takes off on an inspirational note, the past six years may just be part of what she noted as “every aspects of life is a unique definition of human existence.” On inspiration, her journey into the world of feminists must have been influenced by her first contact with the public when, In 2001, she made her debut in a group show titled, Feminine Touch, at the National Gallery of Art (NGA) Iganmu, Lagos. It was a year before she bagged her Higher National Diploma (HND) in Fine Art from Auchi Polytechnic, Edo State. Oyesanya-Ayaoge’s bio lists, among others, shows such as group exhibitions titled Spain Through Nigerian Art at the Spanish Embassy, and at Commonwaealth Arts and Crafts, Marlborough House, Pall Mall, London, UK as some of her past outings.

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Film Aduaka goes to Cannes, puts Nigeria on the map Stories by Shaibu Husseini IGERIAN born but France based filmmaker, Newton I. Aduaka is the only Nigerian and African filmmaker that has been invited to be part of The Cinéfondation’s Atelier, a special talent showcase programme held as part of the yearly Cannes International Film Festival. Aduaka listed as a Nigerian filmmaker, will be showcasing his latest feature, Oil on Water at the Atelier that was created in 2005 to stimulate creative filmmaking and encourage the emergence of a new generation of filmmakers. This is the tenth edition of the showcase and Aduaka will join 14 other filmmakers

selected from Spain, Argentina, and Bosnia, to showcase their projects at the Cannes Film Festival. The other projects listed include Invisible, Pablo Giorgelli (Argentina); Territoria, Nora Martirosyan (Armenia); Tabija, Igor Drlja a (Bosnia); Saudade, Antonio Méndez Esparza (Brazil); Ville-Marie, Guy Édoin (Canada); The Darkness, Daniel Castro Zimbrón (Mexico); White Sun, Deepak Rauniyar (Nepal); To All Naked Men, Bassam Chekhes (Neth/Syria); and Dogs, Bogdan Miric (Romania). A statement from the organizers indicates that the 15 directors are expected to travel to Cannes with their producers. They will also be given the opportunity to

meet potential partners in a bid to finish their projects and start the making of their films. “From May 16 to 22, L’Atelier will arrange meetings with the directors for film industry professionals interested in investing in their projects,’’ said an official of the foundation who also hinted that Argentina’s Pablo Giorgelli will bring Invisible, his second feature after road movie, Las acacias, which won the Camera d’Or at Cannes 2011. So far, out of 141 projects acquired by l’Atelier, 85 have been released in theatres and 44 are currently in pre-production. Interestingly, Aduaka is expected in Nigeria early in May as President of the Jury of the Zuma International Film Festival.

Aduaka

Fowowe motivates youths at PEFTi matriculation OTIVATIONAL coach, Praise M Fowowe has challenged upcoming television and movie producers as well those in the entertainment industry to be creative in their approach to work and thinking. The change agent gave the charge as special guest speaker at the Matriculation ceremony for the 2013/2014 NID students of PEFTI Film Institute, which was held recently at D’ PENCILS Multipurpose Hall, Ajao Estate, Lagos. Fawowe gave examples of past presidents, public leaders and superstars who rose to the top of the careers but

fell to the bottom as a result of uncontrolled weaknesses and lack of creativity in their approach to governance and leadership. He further encouraged the youths to be globally observant and innovative and not to be carried away by frivolities. The matriculation ceremony, which attracted over 500 people including Managing Director, PEFTI Film Institute, Biola Adenuga; Managing Director Wale Adenuga Productions, Mr. Adewale Adenuga Jnr, lecturers and staff of the Film Institute as well as parents, guardians, friends and well-wishers of the matriculating stu-

dents was spiced up with presentation of documentaries, short films and short plays by both past and present students as well as performances by the PEFTI Band, and a number of comic and music artistes and dancers. The Federal Government-approved and internationally renowned PEFTI National Innovation Diploma (N.I.D) offers 2 years full-time/4years PartTime courses in Film & Television Production, Performing & Media Arts and Music Technology. Meanwhile, fans of the popular television show, Nnenna and Friends are still talking about their last experience at the Nnenna and Friends Valentine show where Galala music

exponent and self styled ghetto soldier, Daddy Showkey, made a spectacular comeback as he took the stage to entertain thousands of children, mothers and fathers with his golden hits including Somebody Call My Name, Dyna and Fire Fire. The show, which held at the National Theatre, Lagos, was sold out. It featured outstanding performances by Nnenna and the N-Stars, Papa Ajasco & Company, The Oshadipe Twins, MC Prince, Desmond Osarobe, Universal Crew, wapTV’s Omonla and an exclusive performance by Superstory’s Chief Ahun. Over 5,000 fun-seekers reportedly attended the two shows that were aired on wapTV on StarTimes 116

across Africa and worldwide via the channel’s live online stream on www.thewaptv.net. Most fun seekers revealed that they went home with numerous gifts and products including Indomie Noodles, Bobo Drinks, Bigi Sausage Rolls and Aquarite Water. In the meantime, preparations have already commenced for the next show by Wale Adenuga, which is the much, anticipated Nnenna & Friends Easter Show. This years edition is scheduled for Sunday, April 20, 2014 and the organizers have assured that as always, it would be the biggest live show this Easter.

NFC brokers partnership with Bollywood on film production HE yearning by the Nigerian filmT makers for collaboration with their counterpart in the Hindi Movie

Adewale Adenuga Jnr; Biola Adenuga; and a graduand at the PEFTI Matriculation ceremony

Ivie Okujaiye’s Make a Move to hit cinema era where Nollywood movies Akinmolayan. IandNareangiving not selling much in cinemas A leading actor in the film, Wale producers and practi- Adebayo popularly referred to as

tioners return on investment nightmares, Amstel Malta Box Office (AMBO) and African Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCA) winner, Ivie Okujaye desires to set new trend in the Box office figure with her debut movie as a producer, Make A Move. The movie, which will be released to cinemas nationwide from June 6, 2014, is a story of two sisters who found dance as an escape route from a non-pleasant past. They must dare to make a move to get to the land of their dreams. Make A Move, which has heavy musical and dance slant, stars 2face Idibia, Omawunmi Megbele, Majid Michel, Tina Mba, Wale Adebayo, Ivie Okujaye, Beverly Naya, and Derenle Edun and is directed by Niyi

Sango described the movie as one that will inspire every young African with the determination to succeed. “I have done a number of movies but I think Make A Move will rank as one of the best I have done as an actor. The attention to details by the production crew is commendable. The story line and technical details were handled maturely. This is something I think every young person will be proud of. Ivie has done her generation proud. I believe her when she says the movie is setting new cinema and box office record.” The movie would be released nationwide on Friday, June 6, 2014 after an elaborate premiere.

Industry otherwise called Bollywood may soon be realised. Talks opened last week in Abuja between Nigeria and India on the need to collaborate and promote film production activities in both countries. At the talks, His Excellency, Mr. A.R. Ghanashyam, Indian Ambassador to Nigeria; and Dr. Danjuma Dadu, Managing Director of the Nigerian Film Corporation (NFC) acknowledged that the film medium has helped to shape the behavioral pattern of peoples of both countries. The potency of film as a tool for social mobilization, they further agreed should be fully utilized continuously for the purpose of stability, political and economic development of India and Nigeria. Ambassador Ghanashyam acknowledged that the film industry has contributed immensely to the development of India, and that despite the existence of over 118 different languages, the only language that has unified the people of India is film, with several cinema theatres and viewing centres spread across India. Ghanashyam said that the influence of the film industry has been instrumental to the growth of the Indian economy and as such there has been the deliberate attempt to ensure that films are produced for all age groups on a sustainable basis. The Indian envoy called on Nigerian filmmakers to sustain the tempo of film production activities especially those that will positively influence the attitude of youths towards a brighter future for

Nigeria. He assured that India would participate in the forthcoming ZUMA International Film Festival holding in Abuja, Nigeria, May 4-8, 2014. Also during the talks, a Nigerian film festival to be staged in India also received the endorsement of both the Indian Envoy and NFC Boss. They both agreed that such a festival would engender the needed collaboration and partnership between filmmakers from both countries. Speaking earlier, Dr. Dadu traced the history of the relationship between Nigeria and India to the early 70’s stat-

ing that Nigerians would not forget in a hurry the incursion and influence of Indian movies. Dadu expressed optimism that discussions already ongoing with the India National Film Development Corporation and the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting on coproduction, skills development, training and capacity building will soon lead to the signing of a memorandum of understanding and appealed on the Indian Envoy to facilitate a speedy conclusion of discussions.

Dr. Dadu and the Indian Ambassador, Ghanashyam

40 ARTS Friday, March 14, 2014

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Revue Confessions of Daniel K. Daniel…

He hated Nigerian Movies—and Izu Ojukwu hated him! In 2009, Daniel K. Daniel drove someone to a movie set in Abuja; and the director shoved a script into his hands. He has been busy ever since— appearing in five productions, in as many states, within the last two months. A 27-year old bachelor, Daniel is the archetypical reluctant hero: A “Biochemistry” major, who dreamed of becoming a fighter pilot and hated Nigerian movies. The Best of Nollywood nominee was in Port Harcourt recently, to film Mummy Dearest,” the first full-length feature of Willis Ikedum — assistant director of the heavily hyped ’76. This interview emanates from a late-night rendezvous at the chic Sasun Hotel, in Transamadi Layout, Port Harcourt. Articulate and quick to laugh, ‘D.K.D.’, as he is known on the set, shares a medley of insights and experiences with The Guardian’s J.K. OBATALA — including his hilarious double-cross of super-director, Izu Ojukwu and an insider’s look at the ‘Old’ and ‘New’ Nollywoods. E last talked two years ago, on the set of ’76. W What are you doing in Port Harcourt? It’s good to see you again. I’m filming a movie called Mummy Dearest. The director is Willis Ikedum, who worked under Izu Ojukwu on ’76... As the title suggests, the story is about a young guy’s relationship with his mother. He works in Lagos but Port Harcourt is home. That’s why we’re filming here. My character takes leave from work, to spend some time with his mother, whom he has been neglecting. During this renewal, a lot of things happen — including a girl... So there’s a love interest. It’s just a beautiful family story… Shooting this film enhanced my appreciation of one Kande Daniel—my own precious mother, whom I don’t see often enough. I’m co-starring with Liz Benson, Gina Castel and a new local talent named Elenwo Anwurichi, among others... What have you been doing, since our last interview? Well, I’ll start with Car Hire, a series for Ebony Live T.V. It’s a very nice story, which explores the life of a young taxi driver, in Abuja... I also did Match-Maker for M-Net; and I worked with Tchidi Chikere, a very prominent director, in Jujuwood —a fictional expose of our film industry. I play a ‘director’. Jujuwood is a peep behind the scenes at the struggle for roles…The desperation … What people do to try and get popular...The diabolical means…Those who use their bodies…Those who use money… I should also mention Obitade Xavier’s The Body of the King, in which Kenneth Okonkwo, a pioneering Nigerian actor, was a co-star…After that I did ”The Book of Magic,” with Nonso Ekene-Okonkwo, another fine director. So I’ve been quite busy. But while I’m very active, I’m also careful about the roles and the movies I appear in. You know, I’m selective… That’s very wise. What’s your most successful movie? Well, it’s supposed to be ’76. But it’s not out yet! ’76 should be a career-changing experience. But I’m still waiting... Apart from ’76, I’d say Izu Ojukwu’s The Child, a big movie by a big director. I also received lots of fan mail for my role in Jujuwood. It’s been two years now. Why hasn’t ‘76 come out? …The last time I spoke with the producer, he mentioned “endorsements” and “sales”. I think he’s trying to get some companies on board, as part of his marketing strategy. The producers spent a lot of money on ‘76. I believe…they’re trying to recoup as much as possible, before releasing it… I understand we now have female directors? Yes. We do… How do you rate them? I can only comment on the ones I know about. Serah Donald, with whom I’ve worked, is very professional. I also like Mildred Okwo. I’ve never worked with her. But I saw “The Meeting,” with Rita

Dominic. I was impressed. What’s next, after Mummy Dearest? I have a movie to shoot in Lagos. Then I’ll make a guest appearance on the BBC radio drama, “Story, Story”… I remember, from our last interview, that you read ‘Biochemistry’. How did you get into acting? Yes. I majored in ‘Biochemistry’ at Nnamdi Azikwe University, Anambra State. I’ll probably get shot for this… Daniel with Liz Benson in a scene from the Daniel on the set of ‘76 (waiting for his scene to be shot) But I never liked Nigerian movies! When I was film young, my Dad—who’s now late—had houses in Port Harcourt and Enugu. My Mom, a broadIt was so easy…So cast journalist, lived in Abuja—and still does... natural. I didn’t have Film crews used to shoot at our house in to try hard, you know. Enugu. My Dad let them use the place.... When My Mom came to my I’d return from school and see them there, I first recording. She became irate. I mean, it really pissed me off! No said, “You know, you one could have convinced me then, that I’d never liked Nigerian end up being an actor! film. Are you sure you Why were you angry? can cope? …” …As a kid, I didn’t want anything to do with I told her not to Nigerian movies. They used to terrify me…. worry; and she sat That was back in the days of blood and gore? through the shooting. Yes! After watching a Nigerian film, I’d have We were filming night to leave the bathroom door open! Or leave the scenes. But she insistlights on, to sleep! Anyway, I started modeling ed on being present in Enugu and did two adverts, including a bill- for my debut. board. Then, I went to Abuja for my NYSC serv- Your career took off ice. immediately? Or did In Abuja, I ran into an old friend, who was you have to struggle? also a model, from Enugu; and we hooked up I’ve never had to again. struggle for a role; and One day, I drove her to meet a director, she I’ve never played bit knew. It turned out to be Kabat Esosa. As we parts. Right from the beginning, I always got Daniel being made up for a scene in Mummy Dearest were walking into the compound, he took the big roles. script from someone and gave it to me. “O.k.,” …While I was on the set of “Albeta,” for he says, “You’re next!” instance, someone saw me and thought I was just decided, “O.k., let’s do the BBC movie. And I say, “Really!”. doing well. So I was invited to come and read We’ll call Ojukwu—and hope he under“Yes. It’s your turn”… stands”. for a BBC movie, entitled “Sarah’s Choice”. I take the script, walk in and read. I’ll tell you: Izu Ojukwu and I are friends BBC needed one male and one female actor He now asks me to, “Read and act”. only. I and Sylvia Oluchy read last: And we got now; but we were enemies first! That’s I read and I act; and he says, “What’s your the parts. This was extraordinary, because because he didn’t “understand”. He hated my name?” there must have been 200 people who audi- guts for not showing up on his set! “Daniel K. Daniel,” I tell him. Izu reported me to the Actors’ Guild of tioned! “Are you serious? What’s your real name?” ”Sarah’s Choice” was my second film. While Abuja; and the Chairman called me in. He said “Daniel K. Daniel!” shooting it, I learned that Izu Ojukwu was Ojukwu was fuming! “Who is this Daniel K. He says, “If I issue a check and you can’t cash auditioning, in Jos, for “Cyndy’s Notes”…. Daniel? ... I gave him a role in my movie. But it, don’t come back—because I won’t write a I was just a greenhorn... I didn’t know any- when it was time to start shooting, he didn’t new one”. body... When they said, “Izu Ojukwu,” I was show up!” I show him my driver’s license…. It became a big issue. So I apologized, both like, “O.k. Who’s that?” “O.k. That’s fine,” he says. “Take this script “He’s only the biggest, greatest director in to the Guild and to Izu. But Ojukwu wasn’t home. Study it”. Nigeria!” they told me...So I went, with the having any of it. And that was it. That’s how I got my first act- Abuja actors, to audition. I’ve never told anyone this story. Nobody ing role. It was in a television soap opera, Incidentally, Oluchy was also at Jos: And, knows what really happened. But three or which aired around 2009, into 2010… once again, the two of us garnered starring four months passed; and Izu was still mad at So you made a ‘U-turn,’ on Nigerian film!? me. So I drove all the way to Jos, to apologize roles. Yes. Something very strange happened while Then, I found myself in one hell of a dilem- again. we were shooting: I started to like what I was ma: I learned that BBC and Izu Ojukwu were I knew his younger sister; and she had doing! “This is not so bad!,” I told myself. “I like both about to begin shooting! agreed to help me... “Whenever you’re ready doing this stuff…Even if the pay is not good! I A clash of commitments! to face him,” she offered, over the phone, “just actually do enjoy this!” Yes. Now we had to make a choice… So we CONTINUED ON PAGE 41

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… Why Izu Ojukwu hated D.K.D CONTINUED FROM PAGE 40 come to our family house”. I went; and the sister rang Izu: “Hey Izu, Mummy wants to see you. Come to the house”. [He Laughs] …Funny Story. I never told anyone this before! Ojukwu is going to kill me, probably! Izu drives up; and his sister meets him out front. “O.k.,” he says to her, “You said Mummy wants to see me?” “Ah brother, wait,” she pleads, sheepishly. “It’s actually someone else who wants to speak with you”. “Who?,” Izu asked. That’s when I step out of the house. “Daniel! What are you doing here!?,” he demands. (Daniel is laughing) I said, “Big Bro I’m so sorry…” and explained everything to him. I felt that if he saw me faceto-face, he would understand—because he too was young once. “O.k., I forgive you,” he said, finally. “But you’ll be punished. I won’t work with you for the next six months…” That meant I couldn’t be in “Nnenda,” which Ojukwu was going to shoot for Prince Tonye Princewill and Adonis Productions, in December. …On January 2nd, I called Izu to say, “Happy New Year”; and he declared the suspension over, promising that we’d be working together soon. Sure enough, when it was time to shoot “The Child,” Izu summoned me to Yola… Do you envision yourself, one day, being on the other end of the camera? …Yes. But even after I learn directing, I won’t stop acting. I’ll always be an actor. I love acting. That’s ironic, because, when I was growing

up...I wanted to be a pilot! I have three uncles who were fighter pilots. So I’d always wanted to follow in their footstep… But…I had flat feet, or something like that; and I’m also nearsighted…So I couldn’t get into the Nigerian Defense Academy. Have you ever played a pilot? I haven’t, funny enough! But I look forward to doing so… Is there any role you’ve had, that you wouldn’t play again? Yes. There is one. I played a gay guy, in “Under”. It was filmed in Ghana. If I could do it all over again, that’s a role I wouldn’t accept! ... There were no explicit homosexual scenes. It’s just that the film has gotten me a lot of unwanted kind of fans and attention… The gay community? Yes. The gay community loves me! And then, when you don’t respond to them, they think you’re just, you know… Who are your role models? Like I’ve said, I never wanted to be an actor. So…I didn’t have any heroes. This was embarrassing initially. Sometimes the director would advise me that I was working with a certain big star; and I’d ask, “Who’s that?” At a point, people began to insist that I start watching Nigerian movies. “You can’t continue like this,” they’d protest. “You ought to know what is happening in the industry … Know the actors and the directors you’re working with”. My Mom joined the chorus. “You have to know the thing you want to improve on, to be effective,” she urged. That line, from her, did the trick. It started me to watching Nigerian film. Until then, I never even used to look at my own

Director of Mummy Dearest, Willis Ikedum with Daniel

PHOTOS: MOJANA

movies. It was a long time, before I could actually sit and watch myself on film… Why? I just enjoyed doing it. And then you’d lose interest? Yes. I enjoyed being on set, you know, being someone else. It was fascinating, how the director just says “action” and you’re off. A director once remarked, in commending me, that “Even if Daniel is sleeping, laughing or playing around: Just say ‘standing by’ and he becomes another person!” That’s how it always happens with me. Once I shut my eyes and open them, I become the person in the script. That’s the fascinating thing about acting… Alright. You’re doing very well in an industry you didn’t like… But I love it now! Let it be on record, that I love the Nigerian movie industry now! How do you assess the industry? Well, I’m not too old in film... But I’m actually very proud to be part of it, because all the things I didn’t like are changing. Two years ago, for example, you wouldn’t see more than one or two Nigerian movies in a cinema over a year. But now you have ten to fifteen… Many kudos, for the pioneers. If they hadn’t started the film industry then, we wouldn’t be where we are today. I feel very proud to have worked with Kenneth Okonkwo, for instance. He was one of the very first actors in Nigeria… We played “brothers”! Can you believe that? [Laughing] He was my “elder brother” in “Body Of The King”. He still looks great—very fit and everything... So the industry is evolving — but in which direction? I don’t know if you’ve heard this thing, about the “New Nollywood” and the “Old Nollywood”? … No. I haven’t. It’s just people trying to create a divide, between “lower class” and “high class” movies—between film good enough to be shown in the cinema and those that are strictly DVD releases. Some see Old Nollywood productions as being purely commercial, with little artistic merit. They look down on them as “Asaba movies,” because many are shot there. But a lot are also filmed in Okah, Enugu, Oweri, and other eastern locales. The Easterners—the “Marketers”—are criticized for churning movies out en mass—no matter how badly produced or how weak the stories are…. So “Old Nollywood” films are “Eastern” and “substandard”? That’s what some people think. But I’ve done some very good movies in Asaba and in Enugu. In fact, several of the movies I am best known for were actually shot in the East. For example? For example, Jujuwood… For example, Body Of The King. I know how many fan letters I’ve

gotten for Jujuwood and also for Body Of The King…Very nice movies. Then there was The Book Of Magic. So it’s just a belief. Actually, I don’t think one “Nollywood” can do without the other. If we shoot only cinema class movies, let’s be honest: How many cinemas does Nigeria have? In how many cities? If your city doesn’t have a cinema house, too bad! You can’t watch Nigerian film! Where do the highest financial returns come from—DVD or cinema? I really don’t know. Maybe both are lucrative. “Cinema” movies, for example, end up as DVDs, after a run in the theater. If profits weren’t made at both levels, producers and directors wouldn’t shoot film… I know the quality could be better. But I believe that’s already happening. Eastern movies are not as bad as they used to be. The only problem I have is with dividing one production into “parts,” each bearing different titles... What is the reason for that? So viewers will buy each installment of the film. A lot of people won’t buy a film that is numbered “Part I,” Part II,” etc. Instead, they will look for a complete movie. Take “Paint My Life,” for example. It is packaged as a single movie. But at the end, you find that it’s a serial! So you have to go and look for the sequel. The people in the market will then tell you the sequel is “Tempest”—because they knew it, even as they were selling you “Paint My Life”! (Laughing) So it’s a smart move by my “Brothers”! The Igbo men! ... Elaborate on “New Nollywood”? The New Nollywood is ’76, supposedly. In other words, the emphasis is on cinema? Yes…On cinema and on quality—taking time to make good movies. I’m very lucky, in this regard. Some actors have been stereotyped into the Old Nollywood and find it difficult to get a shot at the New Nollywood. Others have also been stereotyped into the New Nollywood and can’t cross over... I’m blessed to have a foot in both worlds…In the past two months, for instance, I’ve been in Enugu, Asaba, Abuja, Lagos and I am presently in Port Harcourt—five different movies, in five different states. You entertain others on screen. How do you entertain yourself? Do you honestly want to know what I do for entertainment? (Laughing) Yes. I play video games! ...I love my play station. I play video games 70 per cent of my free time. Then, I’ll probably use another ten percent to watch a movie... What kind of movies do you watch? (Laughs, sighs) That’s a tough one… I see all kinds of movies—thrillers, action, romantic, comedies. I like comedies. But I always make it a point of duty, to watch at least one Nigerian film each week—every week…

I’m set to inspire new beats, says Zamir By Tunde Akinola OBOLAJI Razaq Ladipo, popularly known as Zamir, was born on October 8, 1993. He is a rapper, songwriter, producer and performing artiste. The name Zamir, which means music in Arabic, was given to him by a family member. He never considered using it as a stage name until he found out its deep meaning. “Being the last child of the family, I used to always hang around my brother, who at the time, made me fall in love with music and sports. I did track and field sports and won most of them. I played soccer for about 13 years of my life and had a dream of going professional, but by the beginning of high school, I found a new love; basketball, and focused more on that. I also have several trophies and medals to prove I wasn’t just playing for fun. The dream came to an end days before I could go for my college try outs when I had a finger injury that made me unavailable for the try outs. That when I finally decided to take up music seriously,” he said. Zamir said: “Music, for me, started through my brother. I used to look up to him. I would listen to everything he listened to. I started writing music at the age of 12 while in middle school

with Bridge. I began taking music seriously when I turned 15 and started recording tracks. We — Loud on Sound (LOS) — used to put out free music, but I’d say, we started getting recognition gradually when we put out a cover for Everygirl. Tomi and Briss joined the group shortly after, and we put out a couple of other songs that went viral too. From then on, I knew music was it for me.” According to him, “I used to draw as a kid; I guess I got the side of art from my mum because she was a fashion designer and an artist. But I chose music simply because it came naturally to me. I didn’t chose it, it chose me.” On how his parents reacted when they found out his plans to go into music, he said, “at first, they were a bit sceptical about it, but over the years, with performances and two sold out shows, they had no choice but to become my biggest fans.” For Zamir, music has really been a blessing. “I make profit off what I love and enjoy doing the most and it makes me learn new experiences every day. Therefore, I’m grateful for all that comes with it good and bad,” he retorted. On his favourite music, he said, “I listen to all kinds of music to be honest, so, I can only try and narrow the long

list. I would say Kendrick Lamar, Tupac, Kanye West, Coldplay, Sade Adu, Erykah Badu, Fela Kuti and Sunny Ade.” Beyond these influences, “God inspires me,” he added. Talking about his dresssense, he said, “it is a mixture of class and vintage pieces. I’m not really into the name of the brand; I’m all about the quality of the item. Fashion is a huge part of me, so, I like to look good always.” What’s his personality like? According to him, he is always “relaxed and friendly. If we are friends, don’t talk much, if I don’t know you, I can be impatient sometimes but I’m a cool guy if you get to know me. I just love music.” What does he think about the Nigerian music industry? “Personally, I think it’s almost at its peak. It has grown over the years, and I feel it can finally be widely accepted same way reggae is now. It’s just left for us to present it in its most proper way; I’d say with more creativity, we’d go farther.” If not music, what would he have done? “I’d still be on TV playing professional soccer or basketball and who knows probably a businessman in the entertainment industry,” he laughed out loud.

What should we expect from Zamir in the near future and next five years? “Music, Fashion and more music. In five years, I see myself going global. I will be internationally known and will contribute to putting African music in its rightful place. Hopefully, get a Grammy and a couple of awards,” he said. Advice for up and coming acts… “Don’t follow trends, be patient, just because a song trend is hot today doesn’t mean it’d be hot tomorrow Be creative and pray to God to find yourself as an individual.” What is his philosophy of life? “God is life, for there is nothing without Him, so, just stay happy and have no regrets,” he breathed.

Zamir

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Literature I walked on same Fiditi grounds as Okigbo, says poet laureate, Ipadeola By Anote Ajeluorou IGERIA’S poet laureate for 2013, Mr. Tade N Ipadeola, received his award last Friday in Lagos from sponsor of The Nigeria Prize for Literature, Nigeria Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) Ltd. It was a full house at Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), Victoria Island, where students from some highbrow secondary schools in Lagos were in attendance. That, on its own, was a sharp contrast. Winner of the prize, Ipadeola, attended Fiditi Grammar School, Oyo State, certainly not a highbrow secondary school. As a result, no student from Mushin, Isolo, Makoko, Oshodi, Ajamgbadi, Badagry or Epe had a chance to meet and take photographs with the poet laureate or even own copies of the winning book, The Sahara Testament, that was given free, as a means of stimulating their creative imagination the way Ipadeola’s was fired for walking the same hallowed grounds as pioneer modernist poet, Christopher Okigbo, who once taught at Fiditi Grammar School long before Ipadeola was born. In a documentary profile on him mostly set in Fiditi Grammar School premises, Ipadeola relived his past and the influences he had while growing up. His father, Chief Ayantade Ipadeola, who taught English and Literature, he said, was unrelenting in directing his attention to literary texts and personalities. Today, he is the better for that overbearing filial encumbrance, as he took home the US$100,000 prize worth. Later at Federal Palace Hotel, Ipadeola had lunch with fellow poet, Dr. Ogaga Ifowodo and his guests from Spain, Irene Lopez de Castro, an artist (whose painting adorns the cover of the winning book, The Sahara Testament), her husband, Dr. John Damanti, and a budding poet, Femi Morgan. After lunch, Ifowodo read two poems in honour of the laureate for winning the prestigious prize. He read ‘Rather than burn’, a piece that condemns banning of gay and ‘Sixty Lines by the Lagoon’, written to celebrate notable poet, Mr. Odia Ofeimun, when he turned 60 back in 2009. N his response, Ipadeola paid tribute to Ithread, astrologers and architects for the path they particularly J.K. Obatala, in his untiring efforts to expose the field of astrology, as “Keepers of knowledge and true believers in a world drowning in ignorance, poverty and doubt. They see farther than us all, probe deeper and reach further into reality. All the while, the best of them keep the sense of wonder and faith alive in themselves and in the world they keep discovering. They move us beyond rhetoric into a realm we do well to dip into from time to time”. He expressed gratitude to prize sponsor, Nigeria LNG Ltd, for humouring him and his ilk to be part of the prize in spite of their initial skepticism 10 years ago when it was instituted. Governing board chairman for the prize, Prof. Ayo Banjo, also praised prize sponsor for their consistency in growing the prize in worth and prestige and for choosing to invest in the area of creativity in Nigeria. He said the effect of such sponsorship was already redounding in similar prizes (Etisalat Prize for African Literature, for instance, that was instituted last year), saying the prize was already fulfilling the purpose for which it was established 10 years ago. Also Managing Director of Nigeria LNG Ltd, Mr. Babs Omotowa paid tribute to Lagos as city of the poets even though Ipadeola is from Ibadan. But he said awarding the prize to Ipadeola in Lagos seemed fitting enough, adding, “I am happy to say - Lagos is the city of poets. Ofeimun’s famous anthology, Lagos of the Poets, brings together a diverse immensity of poets writing on Lagos, poets ranging from this country’s first president, Nnamdi Azikiwe, through the heavyweights Wole Soyinka, JP Clark, Gabriel Okara, Niyi Osundare, Femi Osofisan and Ben Okri to the younger generation poets like Esiaba Irobi, Ogaga Ifowodo, Maik Nwosu, Obi Nwakanma, Lola Shoneyin, Akeem Lasisis and Unoma Azuah, among others”. After cataloguing the immense contributions his company was making to Nigeria’s economy,

Manager, Corporate Communications, Nigeria LNG Ltd, Dr. Eresia-Eke Ekudo; poet laureate, Tade Ipadeola (holding aloft his plaque), his publisher, Mr. Odia Ofeimun and Prof. J.P. Clark at the presentation last week… in Lagos Omotewa said, “But, of course, today is about Tade Ipadeola. It’s about The Sahara Testament. It’s about poetry and the poets who write them. It’s about writers and the books they write. It’s about recognizing and celebrating excellence that the young ones with us today may see the way and follow it to their individual successes”. He said seeing the students in the hall nudged in him a feeling of nostalgia, which might prompt him to go back to the classroom where it all started for him. Goodwill messages from Prof. Clark, Ofeimun and Chief Elechi Amadi completed a fine afternoon in honour of poetry. Clark stated bluntly that he wasn’t “a fan of LNG establishing a prize for literature. When I see what is coming out of Nigeria, I get more than goose pimples, even from university teachers. The kind of poetry I see, I’m not encouraged. But Tade’s poetry makes me say poetry has come out of this exercise. It’s not imagination alone, but the discipline of practicing the quatrain style in a sustained manner. I read the whole book in one night; I couldn’t go to bed. At last something has come out of it, and I hope more will come”. Clark said prizes were given by people who wanted something out of prizes, as “nothing is for free; they know what they are promoting. But we will tell them what to promote, in confidence”. Amadi praised the prize, saying it was wonderful and a milestone in the progress of Nigerian literature. He tasked other companies to emulate Nigeria LNG Ltd to do the same for literature, saying, “I value local prizes because we can access them based on local, cultural sensibilities. Foreign prizes don’t always coincide with local tastes; foreign prizes have done so much for us, too. Young writers should aspire to write for prizes but

Ipadeola’s wife, Governing Board chairman, Prof. Ayo Banjo; prize-winner, Tade Ipadeola; MD, Nigeria LNG Ltd, Babs Omotowa; Chief Elechi Amadi and board members, Dr. Jerry Agada and Prof. Ben Elugbe with some students after the event they should write what they feel, as the prizes will come”. Although he was one of the biggest critics of The Nigeria Prize for Literature at inception 10 years ago, Ofeimun (publisher of The Sahara Testament, with his Hornbill African Poets, Lagos; 2013) commended the sponsors for the initiative. He also said he was happy Ipadeola abandoned his law to write the winning book, adding, “I’m lucky to be able to identify with young writers before they break out! “In this year of conference, it’s important we have a great book. Tade has written a great book. When great literature begins to be created in a particular environment, it forces people to notice literature, especially those who would not ordinarily bother about it”. Also paying tribute to Ipadeola’s poetic ingenuity was Spanish painter, de Castro, whose

painting is on the book’s cover. She said, “We come with our heart full of love for Africa, for Tade and to be with you. It’s magical that you (Tade) won the prize with a book with my painting; this is after our meeting five years ago in South Korea. I discovered Africa in my last trip to Mali, with the River Niger as my inspiration. Many people in Europe only know about wars, hunger and problems in Africa. They don’t know about its beauty. This is the real gold (artistic talent) that Nigeria, Africa has and I hope the smart phone doesn’t destroy it”. Prof. Idowu Bamitale, Vice Chancellor of Obafemi Awolowo University, where Ipadeola studied law, was also in attendance to support an illustrious alumnus for making the university proud.

Friday, March 14, 2014 ARTS 43

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Redemption of Africa (A review of Wole Soyinka’s Harmattan Haze on an African Spring) By Soyombo Opeyemi N Harmattan Haze on an African Spring, Nobel IthatLaureate Wole Soyinka condemns the notion any of the major civilizations occurred in a vacuum. Most often, especially as it relates to Africa, these civilizations - Roman, British, French, etc. - were erected on the ruins or ashes of other civilizations “by fire and the sword.” The recent discovery of the non-literate Kush civilization in Sudan, whose organised society was at par with Meroic, Sumerian, Hittite, Egyptian, Greek civilizations, has led to a rethink on assumptions, adumbrations and generalisations on civilization. The author laments the lacuna in much of the African experience when it comes to attachment, dialogue, conversation with past civilizations on the continent of Africa. He is left with no choice but to denounce some African leaders and scholars who lend their hands to the destruction of ancient civilizations of the continent in the name of development, modernity or ‘civilization’. The location of the origin of the human species has continued to be a subject of debate, though all eyes seem to focus on Africa in recent times. In May, 2013, I was on the entourage of Governors Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State and Rauf Aregbesola of the State of Osun, in the company of Prof Wole Soyinka on a visit to the 250,000-year-old Igbale Aiye in the Republic of Benin, said to be the origin of man. The two governors, we must note, are doing their best to protect and promote the cultures and values of Africa. The playwright-historian then posed the germane question, “If the primogenitor of humanity did indeed emerge from the continent, why should the first civilization not have emerged from the same landmass? Whence came the break in continuity?” The dramatist, Wole Soyinka, believes that the description of Africa by the then imperial world as the Dark Continent is nothing but “the wilful cataract in the eye of the beholder.” We have attained the age when “that external world must come to terms with a tradition of selfindulgence that encouraged layers of visual cataract to accumulate and harden over centuries, obscuring a truthful apprehension of the continent.” Notwithstanding the accounts of the explorers, a truthful exploration of Africa is yet to take place. Interestingly, no one has ever claimed to have discovered Africa unlike the Americas and Australasia. Soyinka has done us the world of good by giving the lie to the narratives of some of these adventurers, the products of Herodotus’ school of thought. Frustrated by their inability to comprehend the cultures and mores of their hosts across the continent, these explorers transferred the aggression to their pens, dripping with half-truths, distortions, contortions and outright fabrications, which they presented as the gospel truths. They suffered from what may be pronounced as authoritative ignorance. Buoyed by personal gain, recognition and nationalism (in relation to other European competing interests), these adventurers suffered no compunction nor had any qualms in standing the truths on their heads, pronouncing mere embarrassing conjectures with a tone of finality as authoritative truths. Imagine the scabrous denigration of the entire Yoruba race by Frobenius (Yea, Leo Frobenius of the famed Ori lokun – bronze head of Ife), who lacked even a smattering of the language of the Yoruba, as quoted by the author in in the book under review: “There is an element of typical rigidity in the Ilifian (Frobenius’ name for the native of Ile-Ife) and his intellectual poverty struck me repeatedly as being his most distinguishing quality...The kernel of the conundrum offered by this singular African city is this, namely, that these people are managing an hereditary estate, whose spirituality is quite out of touch with their present conception of life. The people of Ile-Ife lie like a slumbering dragon over the gold of a pre-historic treasure-house. Poverty-stricken in mind, because of their ignorance, they guard the old city which lends them respect...” (Italics supplied) In Wole Soyinka’s Harmattan Haze on an African Spring, we have a riveting and sobering account of atrocities by Europeans, Arabs and, of course, some African chiefs - as collaborators - in the trade in human flesh. The poet regards this as no different from genocide: “The history of any violent dispersal is the history of genocide.” The Holocaust, Hiroshima and African Slave Trade, which predates the two, all question the humanism of the so-called torchbearers of “civilising missions” to Africa. But then, what exactly is the nature of man white, black or coloured? Former slave owners

L-R: Ogun State governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun; State of Osun governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola; Nobel Laureate, Prof Wole Soyinka; and King of African Renaissance Mission, Olofindji Akande; at the 450,000-year-old village of Igbale Aiye, in Commune de Ketou, Akpoutokou, Republic of Benin on Thursday, May 30, 2013. who endured the shackles of disgrace, victims of the barracoon, now free and wealthy, also became slave owners. After the two World Wars and the Holocaust, European humanism lay in debris. Can the claim of superiority of civilization of one continent or race over the other stand the test of any objective appraisal? No. “Africa remains the monumental fiction of European creativity,” submits the activistwriter. “Workable or not, the external arbitrariness of such an act, undertaken without even the cynical expression of consideration for the histories, cultures, and economic usages of their peoples, but as mere conveniences of the external will, was doomed to have dire repercussions. Africa has paid, and continues to pay a heavy price for the upkeep of a European fiction.” Politics of exclusion, intra and inter-country boundary problems, lust for power, warped ideology, etc. are identified as the heart of the crises plaguing the continent in the book. While underscoring the place of “strict adherence to democratic justice” in resolving most of the myriads of convulsions threatening the continent, the blind defence of these European-created boundaries of death certainly demand interrogation: “Is it truly in the interest of the occupants of that continent that the present boundaries are being consolidated, defended, held so inviolate that the population of the continent is routinely decimated, millions maimed and incapacitated for life, vast hectares of farm land rendered useless by liberally sown anti-personnel mines? Youths are robbed of their innocence and their humanity, as the continent becomes the corrupted playground of boy soldiers. In short, what price is worth paying for the illusion of boundaries and ‘sovereignty’?” To clear any misconception, the playwrighthistorian is not advocating the disintegration of the present nation entities. In fact, a proper interrogation could even lead to the opposite amalgamation. The point is where such horrendous human conflict is traceable to this product of European fictioning, as in the case of Sudan, “Where this is seen clearly to be the case, and internal instability of a costly dimension evidently derives from such impositions, common sense urges that, at the very least, the basis for such amalgamations be revisited with a view to ascertain where precisely lies the will of the people themselves, acting in freedom.” The criminality of the Janjaweed, under the banner of impunity, really troubled the human rights activist and he devoted a lot of attention to it. South Sudan eventually gained its independence after the publication of this book but then what does one make of the current internecine upheavals in the new country? I think the answer to the situation could be located in Soyinka’s lecture during his investiture as Awo Laureate on March 7, 2013: WINDING DOWN HISTORY: RELIGION AND NATION, POWER AND FREEDOM. One then comes to the conclusion that, whereas there are no absolutes in any propositions, it seems the path of “democratic justice” , as enunciated by the author, can be the best of all the

alternatives as a way of restoring our humanity in Africa. The sanctity of the rule of law, constitutional provisions that safeguard the interest of minorities and entrenchment of democratic norms such as free and fair elections, all within the structures of government most suitable for different countries based on their cultural, economic and socio-political realities - federal, confederal or unitary. But admittedly, these can only be achieved through interrogation of the present in an atmosphere perfumed with burning passion for justice. Restructuring, either of the structures of government, forms of government or power relations, seems inevitable across the African continent. In Nigeria, for instance, the present unitary system disguised as federalism must be dumped without further ado. The aim of dividing the country into three regions, each with a Regional Council in 1947, according to the then Governor of colonial Nigeria, Sir Arthur Richards, was “To create a political system… within which the diverse elements, may progress at varying speeds, amicably and smoothly, towards a more closely integrated economic, social and political unity, without sacrificing the principles and ideals in their divergent ways of life.” Inherent in this submission was federalism. Again at the Ibadan General Conference, preparatory to the promulgation of Macpherson Constitution of 1951, the question on the structure of Nigeria was asked: “Do we wish to see a fully centralised system with all legislative and executive powers concentrated at the centre, or do we wish to develop a federal system under which each different region of the country would exercise a measure of internal autonomy?” The London Conference of 1953 and Lagos Conference of 1954 that followed emphasized a full-blown federal constitution, which was later captured in the Lyttleton Constitution of 1954 and Independence Constitution of 1960… Now that history has come full circle in Nigeria, we need to return to the bequest of our founding fathers - federalism. In Harmattan Haze on an African Spring, Wole Soyinka (WS) also holds that the redemption of African spirituality, indeed, Africa and the world lies in the embrace of the doctrines of Orisa. “Thus, for all seekers after peace and security of true community, and the space of serenity that enables the quest after Truth... we urge yet again the simple path that was travelled from the soil of the Yoruba, across the Atlantic landmass to contiguous nations, across the hostile oceans to the edge of the world in the Americas - Go to the Orisa, learn from the Orisa, and be wise.” What WS presented in this book is an exegeses of Orisa worship. The Babalawo (traditional healer/diviner), the equivalent of a Bishop or Imam is “the wistful embodiment of all that is missing in the political life of a continent.” Ifa, the equivalent of Bible or Koran, according to WS, “emphasizes for us the perpetual elasticity of knowledge. Ifa’s tenets are governed by a frank acknowledgment of the fact that the definition of Truth is a goal that is constantly being sought by humanity, that existence itself is a passage to Ultimate Truth, and that claimants

to possession of the definitiveness of knowledge are, in fact, the greatest obstacles to the attainment of Truth.” He rejects the tag of paganism often placed on believers of Orisa by Christianity and Islam and cautioned that these traditional religions should not be conflated with cults. “The accommodative spirit of the Yoruba gods (Ogun, Esu, Oya, Sopona, Sango, etc) remains the eternal bequest to a world that is riven by the spirit of intolerance, of xenophobia and suspicion,” he submits. WS spoke of the “beneficent gods and their potencies, their curative and fortifying interventions…the combative, even malevolent, who can be invoked to work against the enemy,” citing the reference by a former head of state after a visit to Mandela in prison to the potency of these traditional powers: “Where is our egbe? Where is our onde? Where is our famed juju to take out these perpetrators of hideous injustice on our own soil?” Rightly or wrongly, the question cannot escape the attention of a reader, let alone a reviewer: Why did these traditional powers not work against the intruders, including their religions on the continent of Africa? The dramatist is a faithful of the Orisa but is he a worshiper in any shrine? This certainly is another conundrum. In summary, we cannot but agree with our erudite scholar that religion should be an evocation and constitute “the spice of life, not the trigger of strife.” The culture icon made a strong case for the efficacy and potency of traditional medicine, citing a haunting instance where the latter had come to the rescue of orthodox/western medicine. Harmattan Haze on an African Spring is a treasure trove, controversial to boot in some aspects. Finally, WS urged that the questioning of cultures and social norms within the concept of what is globally acceptable or fundamental human rights is a categorical imperative. Cultural relativism or respect for other cultures should be within such a context. You cannot say because in your own culture, the toe of the first born must be cut or that girls must not go to school, therefore I have to respect such. Of course, this lucubration cannot but contain some errors - the ritual every reviewer must perform. “African past and present” is given as “African past and presence” on page 19. Berlin Treaty of Partition of Africa took place in 1885, not 1881 as provided on page 50. “...is one of my favourite” should have been “favourites” on page 98; “it serves” is typed as “it serve” on page 196. Through the exploration in Harmattan Haze on an African Spring, Prof Wole Soyinka, my intellectual avatar, has once again reiterated the immensity and polyvalence of his knowledge. He has sown a seed on a fertile ground, which should sprout to produce “a new breed of explorers for the relay race towards a deeply craved Age of Universal Understanding - African inspired.” Soyombo, a media practitioner, writes via densityshow@yahoo.com

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44 ARTS Friday, March 14, 2014

ArtHouse Global Excellence awards after party to hold at Club Ace

N Sunday, March 16, 2014, by 8pm some Nigerian top hip-hop O artistes would come together in Lagos for the Global Excellence awards ‘after party’, which holds at Club Ace (formerly The Place), Ikeja, Lagos State. Notable artistes like Davido, Danny Young, Olamide, Jaywon, KCee, KSB, Wacomzy and LKT would grace the event. Others include DJ Mystic, DJ Chascolee, Malaika, Francis, Alabai, Ray G, Oluwaseun, Inspire, Dude Tetsola, D’Tee, Bombastic, DJ Chenz, DJ Femedyy and many more.

Exhibition at GreenHouse

SOLO exhibition, titled Ounje Ale Oluwa (The Last Supper of A Jesus Christ and His 12 Disciples) opens on Sunday, March 16 at the GreenHouse Art Empowerment Centre in Olambe near Akute in Ogun State. The exhibition, which is scheduled to run from 2 to 4 pm, features both painting and prints by the artist, Princess Theresa Iyase-Odozi and is complemented by a performance around the theme of the season. Curated by Okechukwu Uwaezuoke, the exhibition is on until June 30. Also on the exhibition’s opening day, there will be a presentation of the craft book, Afro-centric Arts and Crafts, by Princess Theresa Iyase-Odozi, Rose Odozi and Dr M. O. Awogbade at the same venue.

Davido, HKN Gang billed to perfom in Canada

IFTH of April, 2014, will see ‘Omo Baba Olowo’ crooner, David Fthrilling Adeleke, popularly known as ‘Davido’ alongside the HKN Gang fans in Toronto, Canada. The live performance will take place under the auspices of the ABB (Abroad Boys) Entertainment. It promises to be exciting. Compiled by: Florence Utor

The School Orchestra in perfomance

At concert recitals, Standard Bearer students thrill audience Stories by Florence Utor ECENTLY, parents, guardians and well wishR ers were treated to musical recital from students of Standard Bearers School, Lagos. Held at Trinity House Church, Lekki, the individual and collective performances of different genres of music ranging from hip-hop, jazz, Afro, highlife, folk showed the students’ dexterity in the use of musical instruments such as violin, guitar, saxo-

phone and trumpets to sing contemporary and some evergreen songs such as Onyeka Onwenu’s One Love, Redemption song by Bob Marley, Man in the Mirror by Michael Jackson, a popular Yoruba folk song, Omo Pupa, to mention a few. Audiences couldn’t contain their excitements, as most of them got up on their feet dancing all through the programme that lasted for about three hours. The director of the school, Mrs. Adeyinka Oni, who watched the students’ rehearsals before the day of the event, was also amazed at their performance. “I saw their rehearsals in school, and I must confess, there is something magical

Ademide Adedeji performing Shackles by Mary Mary

when you are on stage. The students have done well, I’m proud of each one of them. Most of us in our time wouldn’t have done this well,” she said. Asked why music is taken seriously in the school curriculum, Oni added, “basically, children, apart from being knowledgeable, there are some basic skills they need to have to succeed in life and one of them is confidence, they also need to be articulate, which is all woven into their day-today life. We also have subjects in our curriculum called creative development where we do all kinds of things that seems to bring them out of their shell. It makes them understand that they have to sell themselves, as a result, wherever you find standard bearers school children, they standout, it is important for them to show what they are capable of.” She continued, “in the 20th century when I grew up, it was all about what we could write, what we had in our brain, but today, there are so many creative careers that didn’t exist 10 and 15 years ago. What we are saying is that we have to prepare them for the world that they are going into, it’s a technology driven world it’s about what you can do not just what you know because everybody knows the stuff you think you know. “So, how do you set yourself apart,” she asked. She further said, “if you call any of those kids now and talk to them about what is happening here they will respond to you like adults because they

understand that every time they are out there, they have to speak well and all these is through the embodiment of knowledge being brought together in the development of the whole child.” Emphasising on why some arts subjects such as music should be taken seriously, she said, “most times, people graduate with first class and end up being lab rats in some other people’s organisation that may not have a first degree. So in essence, your academics alone does not take you to the promise land, other things come to play, and the earlier they get use to it, the better for them.” According to Oni, “one of our students is in the Nigerian Idols competition and she is already in the first 30 and we are supporting her and hoping she will win. She stood on the stage to sing while in primary six just like you have seen today and since then, she found out that she could sing and since she wanted to be a performer, she is going to NYU, the top school for performing arts in August to study. She added, “I have children who are in secondary school and have formed a band, some write music on their own, there are some who are going to study music in the university. Tito is one of our student who is going ahead to study architecture as a major, but music as a minor, you can never tell,” she concluded.

Clinton, Okonjo-Iweala, Mo Abudu, others bag African Woman Award XECUTIVE Chairman and CEO of part of the evening, brought togeth- Abudu thanked the organizers of risks. So, thank you for celebrating E EbonyLife TV, Mo Abudu, has been er transformational women with WomenWerk and encouraged the what I love to do. I feel so proud to honoured as Entrepreneur of the global perspectives on modern next generation of women to stand be an African woman and to be Year at a leadership Forum and Gala event that held in Manhattan, New York, USA. Entitled The Century of The African Woman, the gala was organised by WomenWerk, a body co-founded by the alumni of Columbia University in commemoration of International Women’s Day on March 8. Other awardees at the event included Nigeria’s Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Dr. Ngozi OkonjoIweala; former President of the United States of America, Bill Clinton; and Dr. Mehriet Mandefo, President of Truth Aid and winner of a 2014 Sundance Film Festival Award. The Forum, which was the first

issues, some of who included renowned author Taiye Selasi; CEO and inventor, Jessica O. Matthews; fashion mogul Adiat Disu of Adiree; and Africa Fashion Week Professor Abena Busia, among others. The gala was the second of the twopart celebration and this was aimed at the recognition and celebration of the positive and excellent contributions of African women from across the globe, as well as a highly inspiring opportunity for learning, investing, and networking. It was an evening of awards, performances, VIP cocktail reception, live entertainment and dinner, with the guests being mostly young and seasoned African professionals from diverse international backgrounds. In her acceptance remarks, Mo

up and support the womenfolk towards the realization of their goals and dreams. “This, indeed, is the Century of the African Woman,” she declared. “It’s so uplifting to see the number of African women who are doing really amazing things and who are being celebrated all over the world today. When I look at Moments with Mo for instance and I consider the number of women that we have celebrated on that platform for various groundbreaking achievements, it makes me feel very proud as a woman. “Thank you so much for honouring me with the award of Entrepreneur of the Year,” she continued, “I love being an entrepreneur. It’s what I am. I love taking

recognised in this award. For me it is humbling and challenging. I celebrate my team at Ebonylife TV whose commitment to excellence consistently pushes the frontiers in media on the African continent.” Mo Abudu continues to be recognised locally and globally for her sterling contributions to the media and entertainment industry in Nigeria and Africa. Some of her recent plaudits include the Forbes Award for the First Woman in Africa to own a Pan-African TV Channel; The Hollywood Reporter’s recognition as one of The 25 Most Powerful Women in Global TV; New African Magazine’s recognition as one of the 100 most influential Africans, to mention a few.

Mo Abudu

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Friday, March 14, 2014 45

AutoWheels

Behold! Sturdy, elegant Amarok By Dele Fanimo PPARENTLY flowing with the new automoA tive policy tide, Volkswagen has continued to register its presence in the country with competitive brands. Specifically, the automaker on Wednesday, in Lagos unveiled its latest commercial vehicle range- Amarok, Caddy, Multivan, Transporter and the 30-seater crafter bus. Volkswagen commercial vehicles (Utes) are a replica of the passenger cars and SUV models but are fortified with technically advanced engines that deliver more power and less fuel consumption. Head, Sales and Marketing, Volkswagen Centre Lagos, Mr. Manish Daryanani said Volkswagen has consistently improved on its commercial range to give them an edge over competitions.

The Volkswagen Amarok pick-up, for instance, is particularly “more than good enough to worry competitions such as Toyota, Nissan, Ford and Mitsubishi,” Daryanani said. According to him said the Amarok is Volkswagen’s first pick-up and a direct competitor to the ubiquitous Toyota Hilux. Built on a platform at the Pacheco factory in Buenos Aires, this German engineered Amarok gets a classy, aggressive interpretation of the VW grille, a six-speed manual gearbox, low-range transfer box, permanent fourwheel drive, locking centre and rear differentials as well as the latest direct-injection twinturbo 2.0-litre petrol engine that delivers 118kw (160bhp), while the diesel 4WD delivers 90kw (122bhp) with traction/stability control. The Volkswagen Amarok also sounds admirable when viewed against an unprecedented torque generated from its 2.0-litre

four-cylinder engine compared with either the Toyota Hilux’s 2.7-litre or 3.0-litre or Nissan 3.0litre V6 and Ford/Mazda 3.2-litre five-cylinder. And with a pair of turbochargers, the VW Amarok TDI420 delivers quick performance, good fuel efficiency and strong towing capability with low cost of maintenance due to longer service intervals (10, 000kms or six months). Volkswagen’s reputation for quality interiors also translates to the Amarok despite its workhorse status. Though clad with hard plastics – for the sake of durability – Amarok has the classiest dual-cab ute interior design - thanks to instrument dials, heating and ventilation controls and an infotainment screen that clearly compares with Golf and Passat. Unlike competitions, the (large) door bins of the Amarok are carpeted and none of its rivals as yet has matched the satisfying door-closing

Govt raises Bills on transport sector reform From Mohammed Abubakar, Abuja S part of its efforts to open up A the transport sector to the private sector, the Federal Government has begun moves to instuitionalise reforms of the regulatory bodies in the sector. Consequently, the executive arm of the government yesterday begun deliberations on the draft copies of the enabling laws to give legal teeth to the bodies. As such the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) yesterday discussed on four Bills raised by the Minister of Transport, Senator

Idris Umar. The bills are: National Transport Commission Bill (2014); Nigeria Railway Bill (2014); Nigerian Ports and Harbour Authority Bill (2014); and National Inland Waterways Authority Bill (2014). Information Minister, Labaran Maku, while briefing state House correspondents after the FEC meeting chaired by President Goodluck Jonathan, said that a special committee which will be headed by the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Bello Adoke, (SAN) had

been raised by the Council to fine tune the Bills meant to reform the nation’s land, sea and aviation sectors by involving private sector participation before submission to the National Assembly. The proposed committee would draw its membership from the ministries of Aviation, Transport, Works and would incorporate relevant government agencies and other stakeholders in the railways, maritime and aviation sectors. The committee is expected to get the four draft bills ready for FEC’s approval in the next one

or two weeks for onward transmission to the National Assembly for deliberation and enactment. He explained that the idea was to get the private sector into construction, maintenance and ownership of seaports, harbours and airports across the country, with possible privatisation of existing facilities. These are facilities currently owned by government only, but Maku pointed out that the reform initiative was based on the need to open the sectors for com-

CONTINUED ON PAGE 46

thuds of the VW that enhances its reputation for build quality. The Volkswagen Amarok TDI420 comes in a choice of two trim grades: Trendline and Highline for the Nigerian market. The Trendline feature highlights include fog lights, 4-speaker audio, leather gearlever, handbrake and multifunction steering wheel, Bluetooth with audio streaming, 16-inch alloy wheels, full-size spare, electric side mirrors, and cruise control. Highline additions include rear parking sensors, higher-grade audio with six speakers, stainless steel side steps and sports bar, chrome exterior touches, 17-inch alloy wheels with extended wheelarches, rear privacy glass, and dual-zone climate. Couple with these is classy, aggressive interpretation of the VW grille, a six-speed gearbox, low-range transfer box, permanent four-wheel drive, locking centre and rear differentials, with the latest direct-injection, twin-turbo 2.0litre engine with traction/stability control. What’s more, the Volkswagen Amarok range is expansive to give it the broadest coverage against key competitors, comprising single cab chassis, single cab ute, dual cab chassis and dual cab ute, as well as, a split of 4×2 (rearwheel drive) and 4×4. The Volkswagen Centre sales and marketing helmsman however listed some of the highlights of the Amarok as maximum torque of 300 Nm at 1,600 rpm; lowest fuel consumption and largest cruising range; safety features like Off-road ABS, Hill Descent Control, Trailer Stabilisation and widest load area between the wheelhouses (1.22 m). Other distinctive features of the Amarok are lowest loading edge height within the competitive environment, high towing capacity of up to 2,800 kg at 12 per cent incline and most spacious headroom in class for front and rear.

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AUTOWHEELS Friday, March 14, 2014

Mercedes, Infiniti to pool small cars, plant AIMLER’S (DAIGn.DE) D Mercedes and Nissan’s (7201.T) Infiniti plan to pool development of compact cars to cut costs, expand the German carmaker’s North American production and broaden the Infiniti lineup, according to a top source. The outline deal, which reinforces Daimler’s relationship with the Renault-Nissan alliance, will see Nissan build the next-generation Mercedes GLA sport utility vehicle and related models in Mexico alongside all-new cars for its own Infiniti brand, said the sources, who asked not to be identified. The plans are due to be presented to the Daimler board for approval as soon as April, the sources said, with the first jointly manufactured vehicles expected in late 2017. Daimler and Nissan have said they are looking to increase

cooperation in smaller premium cars, but neither carmaker would confirm the Mexico production plan on Tuesday. The companies have yet to reach a “joint formal decision,” Infiniti CEO Johan de Nysschen said in an interview at the Geneva auto show. “But Mexico does have a lot going for it,” he added, including tariff-free exports to the U.S. and Europe. Mercedes, Nissan and alliance partner Renault (RENA.PA) have shared engines, plants and vehicle architectures for small cars and vans since Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche and Renault-Nissan boss, Carlos Ghosn announced a broadbased partnership in 2010, underpinned by token reciprocal shareholdings. The latest agreement will help Infiniti to fill a big gap at the bottom end of its model range with a new SUV, sedan and

coupe built with the same parts and architecture as successors to the Mercedes A- and B-Class, GLA and CLA, the sources said. In return, Daimler gets a first North American production site for its front-wheel drive “MFA” architecture, development savings and economies of scale - in a vehicle category where it has struggled in the past with low profitability. Such a deal could make good sense for both partners, said

Ronald Harbour, an automotive consultant with Oliver Wyman. “For Mercedes it would allow them to get into that market without having to invest massive capital.” The new Mercedes and Infiniti models will be built at Nissan’s Aguacalientes 2 plant northeast of Guadalajara, opened in November with an initial production capacity of 175,000 vehicles, the sources said. The initiative will cut the cost

by about a quarter compared with going it alone, two of the sources said. In a sign of deepening co-operation, the new investments will be split evenly - despite the higher production volumes expected for Mercedes. “Some people argue that we should (negotiate) with Daimler because they will sell more cars on the platform,” one Renault-Nissan executive said. “But that’s what gets in the way of successful

alliances.” To build the new models in China, their most important growth market, both carmakers would have to establish separate assembly lines with their joint venture partners Dongfeng (0489.HK) and Beijing Auto BEJINS.UL according to the same sources. “It’s a bit more complex in China,” one said. “But you still get all the savings from sharing parts and supply networks.”

Automakers see recalls rise over new models roll out SURGE in new car models, A increasingly complex technology and heightened regulatory scrutiny has led to more automobile recalls, particularly over safety concerns,

a new study has found. More than 10 million vehicles were recalled last year because of safety-related issues, the most since 2009, according to the study of

automaker and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recall data by the financial advisory firm Stout Risius Ross Inc. Ford Motor Co. and General Motors Co. (GM) together are introducing 30 new or revamped models in North America this year. As the number increases, the chance for increased quality issues also rises, Neil Steinkamp, a managing director at Stout Risius Ross, said in an interview. “The challenge is to do that without incurring significant exposure related to warranty recall costs,” Steinkamp said yesterday. “I think we’re at a really fascinating point in the industry where the next year or two could be very, very interesting.” Automakers on average order recalls on 54 per cent of their models in the vehicle’s first year of production, according to the study. Hyundai Motor Co. (005380) ranked highest with 67 per

cent affected by recalls in the first year; Toyota Motor Corp. was lowest at 42 per cent, the study shows. The report comes as NHTSA investigates GM’s recall of 1.6 million cars over a defective ignition switch linked to 13 deaths in crashes. U.S. regulators are investigating why it took the company years to recall eight affected models, including 2005-2007 versions of the Chevrolet Cobalt, after learning about problems related to the ignition switch. GM said key rings that are too heavy or jarring can cause the ignition to slip out of the run position, causing the engine to shut off and a crashsensing algorithm to misfire and deactivate the air bags. For the warranty study, Stout Risius Ross said it used NHTSA’s definition of safetyrelated vehicle components, which includes air bags, child seat parts, seat belts, brakes, steering, visibility, acceleration and wheels.

Govt proposes Bills on transport sector CONTINUED FROM PAGE 45 petition that would enhance productivity and efficiency. He said Nigeria was taking cue from is happenings in most developed countries where governments have been gradually disengaging from managing businesses and creating enabling environment for the engagement of private sector. The Minister said that, in Nigeria, the private sector had shown capacity to move in whenever there is a correct policy in place by government adding that “All those key sectors that government appropriated to itself in the past have not worked. We had Nigerian Telecommunications Limited NITEL), National Electric Power Authority ( NEPA) amongst others that have not worked. “Besides, there is the realisation that government alone cannot fund the needs of the sector, whereas extant laws restrict the private sector from participation beyond operating ships, aircraft and commercial vehicles. “In order to ensure effective competition, regulatory functions will be taken away from any of the operators in the system, and handed over to neutral umpires,” Maku said. He further explained that the bills, when enacted, will open up lots of opportunities for Nigerians to enjoy more and better road, rail sea and air

travel infrastructure, along with the employment that will be generated. For instance, well maintained private roads and terminals will be a big boost to easier public transportation while providing jobs for more Nigerians, he stated. Maku to stressed however, that government would not because of this hands off provision of needed public infrastructure. Instead, taxes paid by the private sector and the money saved by government from providing the marginal infrastructure would be available for use in other critical sectors like health and basic education. He assured the public that the interests of Nigerians would be uppermost in all the decisions taken by government with regard to the formulation of the transport sector reform bills. Meanwhile, the FEC received a report on the National Council on Works meeting held in September last year, Which was presented by Minister of Works, Mike Onolomemen. The report, according to Maku, showed that major arterial roads across the country were being rehabilitated and expanded, while more funds were being made available by government to improve the road network.

Friday, March 14, 2014 47

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BusinessTravel

Quote of the week There would be very few accidents if the elementary rules of flying were rigidly observed and stupid risks avoided. The road hog, with whom we are all so familiar nowadays, has his counterpart in the air, so cultivate the sane mind in the sound and healthy body. — Halton magazine, (Summer 1931) ibeuwaleke2012@yahoo.com 08033151041 (SMS only)

Mystery in the air as search continues for Malaysia’s jetliner By Ibe Uwaleke ONDERS will never end, W they say, and mystery will always remain the wonders of mankind. This popular belief seems to be playing out here regarding the Malaysian passenger jetliner which mysteriously disappeared into thin air early last Saturday after losing contact with air traffic control at 1.30 am after it took off. About a week of its disappearance from radar tracking with 239 people on board and with all human and material deployments to exploit all possible clues that will locate the Malaysian Boeing 777200ER, there seems to be no end in sight to determine its where-about. In a desperate move to find the plane China, one of the multinational countries involved in the search and rescue operations announced late on Wednesday that its satellite spotted images of three large objects 200 nautical miles from the point of disappearance in the South China Sea that could be linked to the debris of the missing plane. But the country’s officials quickly denied the images claiming that they were released in error. Malaysia and Vietnam responded immediately by deploying aircrafts to scan the area but could not see any object. Again, Wall Street Journals reported that research by experts who analyzed nature of the Boeing 777-200 said the aircraft could have continued the journey for four hours after it disappeared from the

tracking radar. Malaysian authorities at yesterday’s press conference debunked this report saying that ‘it is inaccurate’. As it is now, all the clues are at the level of speculations giving rise to frustrations, agonies, pains and despondency. The search seams to be endless, but the Malaysian Government said yesterday that it would not give up hope. The only focus now is to find the plane which if it happens will calm strained nerves and restore hope. For now all efforts by authorities which by yesterday had involved 13 countries with a total of 43 warships and 40 aircrafts deployment in the search and rescue operations have yielded no meaningful results. Even with the expanded operations to South China Sea and the Straits of Malacca which included search to the East and the West has shown no trace of locating the aircraft. Agency reports said that this fruitless efforts by the authorities were creating apprehension, frustration and confusion within the ranks of the authorities and the people as no hope of finding the plane with 239 on board in being raised. ‘Malaysian officials not only don’t know what happened to the plane, they don’t seem sure where to look’. They were reported to have contracted diviners including one Ibrahim who said he did not see any crash, adding that all he saw was darkness meaning that either the plane is still in the airspace

Getting rid of aerophobia “The emotional part of the brain needs to be told that everything is OK, because the logical part knows the solid safety statistics already and cares less about them,” he said. “What I tell fearful flyers is to visually/physically prove to the brain that it is seeing a safe environment at the airport and in the plane.” — Salem

or inside the sea. The question on every person’s lips is where is the MH 370, 777-200 Boeing jetliner? On Wednesday, officials announced they had once again expanded the search area. It now covers nearly 27,000 square nautical miles, more than double the size of the area being searched before. Indeed, the lack of a clear direction prompted Vietnam to say Wednesday that it was pulling back on its search efforts until Malaysian authorities come up with better information on where to look for the plane. Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 vanished early Saturday with 239 people on board during a flight between Kuala Lumpur and Beijing. Phan Quy Tieu, Vietnam’s Vice Minister of Transportation, said the information Malaysian officials provided was “insufficient.” “Up until now we only had one meeting with a Malaysian military attache,” he said. For now, Vietnamese teams will stop searching the sea south of Ca Mau province, the southern tip of Vietnam, and shift the focus to areas east of Ca Mau, said Doan Luu, the director of international affairs at the Vietnamese Civil Aviation Authority. At a news conference Wednesday, Malaysian transportation minister Hishamuddin Bin Hussein defended his government’s approach. “We have been very consistent in the search,” he said. Confusion over flight path But even figuring out where authorities believe the plane may have gone down has been a difficult and shifting proposition. In the immediate aftermath of the plane’s disappearance, search and rescue efforts

were focused on the Gulf of Thailand, along the expected flight path between Malaysia and Vietnam. Over the weekend, authorities suddenly expanded their search to the other side of the Malay Peninsula, in the Strait of Malacca where search efforts now seem to be concentrated. That location is hundreds of miles off the plane’s expected flight path. An explanation appeared to come Tuesday when a senior Malaysian Air Force official said that the Air Force had tracked the plane to a spot near the small island of Palau Perak off Malaysia’s west coast in the Straits of Malacca. The plane’s identifying transponder had stopped sending signals, too, said the official, who declined to be identified because he was not authorized to speak to the media. Malaysia’s civilian administration appeared to dispute the report, however. The New York Times quoted a spokesman for the Malaysian prime minister’s office as saying Tuesday that military officials had told him there was no evidence the plane had flown back over the Malay Peninsula to the Straits of Malacca. The Prime Minister’s office didn’t immediately return calls from CNN seeking comment Wednesday. Then, in another shift, Malaysian authorities said at a news conference Wednesday that radar records reviewed in the wake of the plane’s disappearance reveal an unidentified aircraft traveling across the Malay Peninsula and some 200 miles into the Straits of Malacca. However, it wasn’t clear whether that radar signal represented Malaysia Airlines Flight 370, Gen. Rodzali Daud, head of the Malaysian Air

Force, said at the news conference. Rodzali said Wednesday that officials are still “examining and analyzing all possibilities” when it comes to the plane’s flight path. Malaysian officials are asking experts from the U.S. Federal Aviation Authority and National Transportation Safety Board to help them analyze the radar data. The FAA said Wednesday that it “stands ready to provide any necessary additional support.” The agency has already sent two technical experts and another official to Kuala Lumpur as part of a NTSB investigative team. No trace The search zones includes huge swaths of ocean on each side of the Malay Peninsula, as well as land. Forty-two ships and 39 planes from 12 countries have been searching the sea between the northeast coast of Malaysia and southwest Vietnam, the area where the plane lost contact with air traffic controllers. But they are also looking off the west coast of the Malay Peninsula, in the Straits of Malacca, and north into the Andaman Sea. So far, searchers have found no trace of the plane. What happened leading to the plane’s disappearance also remains a mystery. Leading theories include hijacking, an explosion or a catastrophic mechanical failure. Suggestions that the plane had veered off course and that its identifying transponder was not working raise obvious concerns about a hijacking, analysts say. But a catastrophic power failure or other problem could also explain the anomalies, analysts say. In a sign authorities are looking at all options, Kuala

Lumpur police told CNN they are searching the home of the airliner’s Capt. Zaharie Ahmad Shah. They were also questioning a man who hosted two Iranians who boarded the flight on stolen passports, the man — Mohammad Mallaei said on Wednesday. Authorities have previously said they do not believe the men had any connection to terror groups. Families’ frustration As the vexing search drags on, frustration has grown among friends and family of those who were on board. “Time is passing by. The priority should be to search for the living,” a middle-aged man shouted before breaking into sobs during a meeting with airline officials in Beijing on Tuesday. His son, he said, was one of the passengers aboard the plane This aircraft has an excellent safety record. Malaysia Airlines has 15 of the 777-200 planes in its fleet. The airline operates in Southeast Asia, East Asia, South Asia, the Middle East, and on the route between Europe and Australasia. The expected trip length was roughly 2,700 miles (4,350 kilometers). It was expected to land in Beijing at 6:30 a.m. The length of 2,300 miles (3700 kilometers) refers to nautical mileage it has covered. The crew members are Malaysian. The pilot is Capt. Zaharie Ahmad Shah, a 53year-old veteran with 18,365 flying hours who joined Malaysia Airlines in 1981. The first officer, Fariq Ab Hamid, has 2,763 flying hours. Hamid, 27, started at the airline in 2007. He had been flying another jet and was transitioning to the Boeing 777200 after having completed training in a flight simulator.

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FridayWorship By Afis A. Oladosu

In the name of Allah, the beneficent the merciful “O you who believe...be among the truthful.” (Quran 9:19) UT our knowledge of what is the truth and our preparedness to do and say it does not often mean we shall always find ourselves among lovers of truth. Perhaps this explains why those who say the truth often become villains while those who stand beside and behind falsehood are treated as heroes and heroines. In a village headed by men and women who depend more on luck to survive and succeed than on personal competence, to say the truth is to lose power and position, to see and do evil is to keep your position in the highest quarters of governance. But we all know that truth has no other name except truth; it is beyond the imaginary barriers that separate the north from the south. In other words brethren, reference to truth in this sermon is to a universal virtue, which should be the cornerstone of the Muslim’s character, the springboard of his deeds, the benchmark for her conduct. Brethren I refer to truth in the Orwellian manner and that is that “in a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act”. How else can this be manifested other than when the bearer of the truth is positioned in the palace of the “king” and in the midst of bootlickers and vainglorious personages? The above finds exemplification in the circumstance of the teacher of our teachers who was asked to give a sermon in the presence of the village head

“Surely, the religion with Allah is ISLAM,complete submission”... Qur’an 3:19

Truth versus falsehood in Nigeria in the village square the other day. He, therefore, chose to say the truth, to remind the village head of the pains in the shoes of the ordinary masses, to remind the chief of empty pots in the furnaces, to remind the village head of children in the city who still go to schools barefooted, to remind the village head that though the city centre now appears radiant and dandy, the inner of the peoples’ hearts is full of cobwebs of hunger, frustration and loss hopes. Brethren, the teacher of our teachers chose to remind the village head that even though city-renewal is noble and redoubtable it is nonetheless inferior to the development of the mind of the generations who would either destroy the city or improve on it. Brethren, what an error saying the truth could be in the presence of truth haters. The teacher of our teachers was consequently interjected and harangued. Those whose future he was fighting for camped behind the king. They chorused in disapproval of the truth he was saying. Our teacher’s circumstance then reminded me of the statement of Author Schopenhauer. He it was who said, “all truth passes through three stages. First it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third it is accepted as being

self-evident.” Though the truth of the message could not be controverted neither by the king nor the assemblage of hungry-looking, political jobbers who camped behind him, the message they sought to convey was that now is not the season for truth. There are some truths that cannot be told no matter how “truthful” they are. Brethren, when the story of the encounter of our teacher with the politicians was told to me, I became angry. Soon my anger disappeared only to be replaced by empathy. Again, my empathy soon gave way to pity. I pitied the village head that gloried in the momentous emptiness of public office. I pitied the assemblage of luckless and jobless compatriots of mine who continue to stake their fortune and future at the backyard of the politicians. Their circumstance is like that of the sheep that seeks comfort from and companionship in the lion. The event I mentioned above is actually picaresque of the current state of anomie in which Nigeria as a nation is steeped. It reminds me of the ascendancy of falsehood in state governance. It awakens me to the fact that today the moral currency of this nation has become as invalid as its national security, the national security has become as insuperable as the oddities of corruption which has become the most lucrative business in corri-

dors of power. Brethren contrary to Mahatma Gandhi’s suggestion that “an error does not become truth by reason of multiplied propagation, nor does truth become error because nobody sees it”, mediocrity in governance and lack of performance, which is a form of error, has gravely become the truth in this country not only because of “multiplied propagation” but also as a result of the insistence of the underperformers not to better their own records. Again contrary to Gandhi, dear brethren, error has become so pervasive in this country today such that any claim to the truth now verges on felony. Thus the Shakespearean axiom comes to mind again: in our village today fair is foul and foul is fair. Brethren, while pitying the political jobbers who camped behind the village head and sang his praise, I realised I actually needed to pity myself more for choosing (was it really my choice?) this backwater for the interment of my umbilical cord. Why has truthfulness become an orphan in this village? Why has it become an anathema? Ibn Qayyim’s perspective is as solemn and profound as usual. He says: “Truthfulness is the greatest of all stations in life, from it springs all the various stations of those traversing their path to the Almighty;

and its abandonment leads to perdition. Through it the hypocrite is distinguished from the believer and the inhabitant of Paradise from the denizens of Hell. Truth is the sword of the Almighty on earth: it is not placed on anything except that it cuts it; it does not face falsehood expect that it hunts it and vanquishes it; whoever fights with it will not be defeated; and whoever speaks it, his word will be made supreme over his opponent. It is the very essence of deeds and the well spring of spiritual states…” Brethren what more can I say? As for ways and means by which this virtue of truthfulness can be attained in our daily lives, our leader has this to say: “Guarantee for me six things and I will guarantee Paradise for you: say the truth when you speak, fulfill your promises, be faithful when you are trusted, safeguard your private parts, lower your gaze, and withhold your hands (from harming others).” Brethren, life and living have taught me that to live in wonderland does not mean one can produce wonders. History has also taught me that it is not all those who lived with Prophet Isa (Jesus Christ a.s) who received salvation; it is not all those who heard the message of Islam who chose to worship the Almighty, the unseen fashioner of the world. Brethren, when the door of Paradise is opened ajar for all to enter – and it is opened each time the sun rises in the horizon- it is sobering for one to discover that some among us still prefer to move on to the next door even if the latter leads to hell. May your greed not lead you to perdition; may the truth constantly be our solace and grace. (08122465111 for feedback).

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GlobalStocks U.S. stocks fall as China, Ukraine overshadow economy .S. stocks fell, erasing this U year’s gains for the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index, as weaker-than-forecast data from China and tension in Ukraine overshadowed reports showing an improving American economy. United Technologies Corp., Pfizer Inc. and American Express Co. tumbled more than 2.4 percent to lead declines in the Dow Jones Industrial Average. (INDU) An S&P gauge of homebuilders lost 3.2 percent, falling for a seventh straight day. Dollar General Corp. slipped 3.2 percent as it forecast earnings below analyst estimates. The S&P 500 fell 1.3 percent to 1,844.67 at 3:29 p.m. in New York. The benchmark index reversed earlier gains after climbing to within four points of its closing record of 1,878.04 reached on March 7. The Dow dropped 238.67 points, or 1.5 percent, to 16,101.41. Both gauges are poised for their biggest decline since Feb. 3. Trading in S&P 500 stocks was 4 percent above the 30-day average at this time of day. “People have certainly moved on to worrying about global issues and a lot less about domestic ones,” Jeffrey Kleintop, Boston-based chief market strategist at LPL Financial LLC, which manages $414.7 billion, said in a phone interview. “The market is clearly focused on the Ukraine situation today, which could further contribute to volatility tomorrow.” The S&P 500 has declined 1.6 percent this week, sending the index to a 0.2 percent loss for the year, amid concerns that China’s economy is slowing and the crisis in Ukraine is escalating. The U.S. and Germany stepped up pressure on Russia to back down from plans to annex Crimea from Ukraine after the region holds a referendum in three days, warning they’ll exact an economic toll if Russia doesn’t. Secretary of State John Kerry told a Senate panel in

Traders at the New York Stock Exchange…yesterday. Washington that the U.S. and Europe will take “very serious” steps the day after the vote “if there is no sign” of a resolution to the crisis. China’s industrial-output, investment and retail-sales growth cooled more than estimated in January and February, data showed today. China announced an economic growth target of 7.5 percent last week, the weakest since 1990, and had its first onshore bond default after a solar-panel maker failed to make an interest payment. “Ongoing concerns about China’s growth and the fluid situation in Ukraine continue to linger on markets,” Ryan Larson, the Chicago-based head of U.S. equity trading at RBC Global Asset Management (U.S.) Inc., said. “As Kerry meets with his Russian counterpart tomorrow in a last ditch effort to divert the referendum, mar-

kets could be a little jittery, and we might be seeing some of that play out today as well.” Global concerns overshadowed better-than-forecast data in the U.S. Retail sales rose in February for the first time in three months, as Americans ventured out to shop last month even as colder-than-normal temperatures and severe snowstorms blanketed parts of the U.S. A separate report showed a drop in unemployment benefits for the latest week, indicating further improvement in the labor market. The government’s monthly jobs report last week showed U.S. employers added more workers than estimated in February. The Federal Reserve is trying to determine how much recent economic data has been affected by weather. “The lingering question has been how disruptive this deep freeze has been to the

Source: Bloomberg economy,” James Dunigan, who helps oversee $127 billion as chief investment officer in Philadelphia at PNC Wealth Management, said by phone. “As we come out of this deep thaw, if we get some better, more clear data on the underlying trend, we’re going to see that the economy is continuing to gain momentum.” The S&P 500 rallied to all-time highs this year as Fed Chair Janet Yellen said the U.S. economy was strong enough to withstand measured reductions to the central bank’s monthly bond purchases. Three rounds of Fed stimulus have helped push the S&P 500 up 173 percent from a 12-year low, as U.S. equities begin the sixth year of a bull market that started March 9, 2009. The Federal Open Market Committee, which meets March 18-19, has cut monthly bond buying to $65 billion from $85 billion in December.

Policy makers have indicated they plan to taper by $10 billion at each meeting absent a weakening in the economy. “After last Friday’s employment numbers, we believed they were worthy of the FOMC continuing to take $10 billion off the table every month,” Ernie Cecilia, chief investment officer at Bryn Mawr Trust Co. in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, said in a phone interview. “After the March 1819 meeting, we should be at $55 billion a month.” Stocks are falling at the anniversary of a bull market that sent the S&P 500’s priceearnings ratio to 17, approaching the level where equities peaked in 2008. The advance is about a week away from supplanting the stretch of equity gains that lasted from 1982 to 1987 to become the fifth longest of all time, according to Bespoke Investment Group LLC.

It’s also three weeks before the end of the first quarter, a period for which Wall Street analysts have lowered forecasts for U.S. earnings growth to 1.9 percent from 6.6 percent at the start of 2014, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. For all of 2014, analysts see profits climbing 7.6 percent, compared with an estimate of 9.7 percent at the end of December. The decline in equities comes after more than $41 billion returned to U.S. exchange-traded funds that own shares in the past four weeks, reversing withdrawals that swelled to as much as $40.2 billion last month, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. The Chicago Board Options Exchange Volatility Index, a gauge for U.S. stock volatility, rose 15 percent to 16.58 today. The measure has advanced 21 percent this year.

Russia’s violations of international law and its encroachments on Ukraine.” “Investors will be reluctant to take large positions before the weekend with the Crimea referendum,” said Jean-Paul Jeckelmann, who helps manage $1.5 billion in equities as chief investment officer at Banque Bonhote & Cie. in Neuchatel, Switzerland. “The background remains uncertain. We don’t know what the international reaction will be. Sanctions, military interventions will all weigh on markets.”

A Commerce Department showed that sales at U.S. retailers climbed 0.3 percent in February, the first increase in three months, after a revised 0.6 percent drop in January. Economists in a Bloomberg News survey had called for a gain of 0.2 percent. Separate data showed that initial jobless claims unexpectedly fell to 315,000 in the week ended March 8, the lowest level since November, from 324,000 in the earlier period. That compares with the 330,000 economists had

European shares slide to one-month low UROPEAN stocks fell to a E five-week low, with a slump in Wm Morrison Supermarkets Plc (MRW) leading retailers lower, while concern grew over the standoff between Russia and Ukraine. Morrison plunged the most in 11 years after forecasting a profit decline. Adecco SA (ADEN) fell 6.6 percent after its largest investor sold a stake of about 16 percent in the world’s largest provider of temporary workers. Deutsche Lufthansa AG rallied 3.9 percent after it

resumed dividend payments and maintained a target of tripling operating profit within two years. The Stoxx Europe 600 Index lost 1.1 percent to 324.51 at the close of London trading after earlier gaining as much as 0.2 percent. That brought the gauge’s two-day drop to 2.1 percent, the most since January. The European index has fallen 4.1 percent from a six-year high reached Feb. 25. “Investors will be selling everything with exposure to Russia ahead of what could be an explosive weekend,” said

Eduardo Silva, a broker at XTrade Brokers DM SA in Lisbon. “The focus is the vote in Crimea. It will be a provocative act that promises to roil the markets if international powers decide to intervene either diplomatically, politically, or militarily. There’s a lot of volatility in the markets.” The VStoxx Index, which measures expected Euro Stoxx 50 Index volatility using options prices, surged 9.3 percent to 22.09 today, a fiveweek high. The U.S. and Germany

stepped up pressure on Russia to back down from plans to annex Crimea from Ukraine as Western powers try to muster economic and diplomatic sanctions to force Russian President Vladimir Putin to defuse the situation. The region will hold a referendum in three days. U.S. President Barack Obama, who met Ukraine’s interim Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk at the White House yesterday, said “the international community -- the European Union and others -will be forced to apply a cost to

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MarketReport EQUITY MARKET SUMMARY

AS AT 13-03-2014

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Friday, March 14, 2014 MARKET REPORT

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MARKET INDICATORS

AS AT 13-03-2014

PRIMERA AFRICA

‘Demutualisation of NSE will not affect public interest’ By Helen Oji ECURITIES and Exchange Commission (SEC) has assured capital market stakeholders that the guidelines on the demutualization of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) would be thoroughly reviewed by the Ministry of Finance in the interest of the general public. The commission also expressed optimism that the exercise would be done in a transparent manner to ensure that the owners of the Exchange get real value on investment at the end of the exercise. Demutualization is a process where stock exchanges transform into a Public Limited Liability Company (PLC) and by implication a profit-making organization listed on itself and any other Exchange around the world. With the demutualization exercise , investing public will have the opportunity to trade on the shares of the Exchange just like any other quoted company. Where it is implemented, the exercise usually results into members of the public holding 51 per cent of the demutualised company’s equity capital. The Director-General of the SEC, Ms Arunma Oteh, while addressing Journalists at the Women in Management, Business &Public Service (WIMBIZ) forum held in Lagos yesterday, disclosed that the ministry of the finance is already reviewing the guidelines on the demutualization of NSE, developed by the

industry committee and demutualization board. She said;” We agree about the importance of demutualization to Nigerians and that is why we started early on the issue. In 20011, we set up a an industry committee on demutualization who did an excellent work and presented the report to the board. We also consulted with the Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Toronto Stock Exchange that advise countries of the world on demutualization to work with us in developing guidelines and the board considered it and we submitted to the ministry of finance. “I believe that the ministry of finance is reviewing it to make sure that public interest is not affected by the issue and that is why they are being diligent and taking their time to consider these issues. I believe that government is aware of the importance of public interest and that is why they are taking time to review this issue and the guideline we submitted to the ministry of finance is not just focused on NSE but guideline that can be used for any other demutualization work anytime. “Our position is that if there will be demutualization exercise, let it be that the owners real value and the Exchange that was inherited in 2010 is not the exchange today. It would bring more value to the owners than it would have brought before.” assured.

Compliance rate by quoted firms high, says Onyema • Urges operators to adopt corporate governance rating system HE Chief Executive Officer T (CEO) of The Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), Oscar

What Happened? The NSE All-Share index depreciated by 165bps (1.65%) and closed at 38,503.65. This represents a year-to-date performance of -6.84%. Market Capitalisation also depreciated 1.65% to close at N12.367.80trillion.Total value traded decreased 41.67% to N1.817 billion and total volume traded increased 30.38% to 367.19 million units.

Where? At the close of trading, the banking sector represented 44.76% of the total market value traded, while the breweries sector represented 6.70% The Top 5 stocks as a % of total market value traded were: ZENITHBANK (11.38%), FBNH (11.12%), TRANSCORP (9.37%), WAPCO (9.22%) and NB (6.70%). On a volume basis, the Top 5 most traded stocks for the day were: AFRINSURE (150.00m), TRANSCORP (41.55m), MULTITREX (19.50m), FBNH (16.46m) and UBA (15.27m).

Onyema, has disclosed that the level of compliance by listed companies and other operators on the exchange has increased tremendously following the zero tolerance policy for any infraction put in place by its current management. Onyema made this known on Wednesday while speaking as a guest speaker at a breakfast meeting organised by the Society for Corporate Governance Nigeria (SCGN), with the theme, ‘Corporate Governance: Ideas and Changes in The Nigerian Capital Market.’ He said unlike prior to 2011, listed companies have recorded 88 per cent compliance rate as at 2012 year-end reporting while dealing members made 85 per cent during the same period. According to him, the exchange now has in place zero-tolerance policy for infractions or non-compliance. He said many listed firms have been penalised for one reason and the other, disclosing that a firm was penalised to the tune of N50 million. Moreso, he said solid governance structure is in place at the exchange and investor education is now ongoing while an investor protection fund would soon be opera-

tional. Besides, to further drive the promotion of integrity and transparency among the listed companies in the country, Onyema asserted that the exchange has introduce Corporate Governance Rating System (CGRS), which he urged listed companies to adopt. According to the CEO of NSE, the adoption of CGRS have many benefit to the companies and the country, adding that its adoption provides a framework for rating the best compliant companies codes, rules and postlisting requirements of NSE. His words: “Among the benefits of CGRS are the provision of valuable information for conducting research in various fields of governance; increase credibility in and attractiveness of companies that meet the rating threshold; provide a tool to enable regulators judge the progress of corporate governance reforms; pre-empt and prevent adverse business situations by reducing company reputation, risk and many more.” However, in his address, the President of SCGN, Chief Olusegun Osunkeye, said corporate governance impacts on the operations of a company, its economic performance and ability to attract capital on a sustainable basis.

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ExecutiveBrief

EDITION 299

In association with TRIPPLEA ASSOCIATES LIMIED

QPROXIM: Deploying Smart Card Technology to Manage Heath Care QPROXIM Limited is a fully indigenous Technology company owned and started by visionary and result-oriented professionals that are committed to ensuring positive service delivery to our great nation and the world at large. They uphold integrity, accountability and professionalism, toeing the right link between the present and future technology, thereby ensuring that maximum benefit is derived by people. Dr. Gbenga Idowu, the Executive Vice Chairman/ Chief Executive Officer of the firm, has over 3 decades of experience as a Medical practitioner and Consultant Surgeon; a Fellow of the Medical College of Surgeons of Nigeria, and the Chief Medical Director of mount Pisgah Hospital. Dr. Idowu has over ten years experience in the managed healthcare industry. Find below the details of Dr. Idowu’s interview with Nnamdi Nwokolo on the benefits of smart card technology he developed to manage healthcare. S a medical practitioner, what influenced your interest in A technology? The business landscape is constantly evolving. Only a short time ago, what took years to change, now occurs within seconds. On a daily basis, leaders from ‘C’-level executives to line managers face this brutal reality, knowing it is their mandate to embrace change and enhance their company’s and business processes. A key stimulus for re-engineering has been the continued development and deployment of sophisticated information systems and networks. Leading organizations are becoming bolder in using technology to support innovative business processes, rather than simply refining current ways of doing work. Long before I left Multishield Limited (HMO) as the Managing Director, I’ve always toyed with the idea of deploying

technology to ease some of the daunting challenges being experienced by Health Management Organisations in the country. The challenge was that the volume of work didn’t let me concentrate; but when I left the organization, I was able to articulate with my team to develop innovative products that will redefine how HMO’s do business. Tell us about the product and how it will help HMO’s Perform optimally Qproxim delivers health benefits to corporations in a seamless, innovative manner providing clients with a total solution for their employees. We developed an equipment that will be deployed in various hospitals that the HMO’s have appointed. Access & benefits management can be done within seconds using a smart card in this equipment. Admission notification is a very important area where this machine will help in reducing the encumbrances associated with admission notification. Authorization to refer a patient is another area where it will come in handy. It completely eliminates the delay associated with referrals for patients. The design of this equipment has been going on in my mind even while I was managing Multishield HMO. I couldn’t concentrate to work it out until I left. I realized that this will help the system and it will be cheaper to run. Our experience, coupled with comprehensive administrative capabilities and web tools now enables companies to provide their employees with the benefits and administration they deserve in a health plan. The acceptance level has been good. For the HMO’s it will save the money they would’ve used for courier service and for the hospitals, the patients bill can be submitted to the HMO’s online real time. It is a fantastic stuff, there’s no end to it, because there’s room for continuous improvement. What is the level of acceptance by the regulatory authorities? The first time I went to the NHIS, the then Executive Secretary was suspicious, so they did not buy into it. But, we have a new Executive Secretary who I believe will understand the value we are trying to deliver. As a veteran, what’s your assessment of the Managed Healthcare industry? My assessment of the industry is that the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) is a very good idea and well accepted but the growth has been very slow. The major challenge we had was that, because of the expectation we had about the rapid growth of the scheme, we made the premium very low and that was a miscalculation. As at today, all the HMO’s combined in this country have not gone beyond 6 million people about 7 years down the line. The reason is that the pioneers in the industry are professionals who lacked business acumen, we did everything on assumption and it really caused a big conflict

between the HMO’s and the hospitals. There was a battle for so many years. To increase premium was a big challenge. The second challenge was how do we improve acceptability? The paid up capital was N100m and we were operating with a low margin. We didn’t have the wherewithal to embark on massive media campaign the way the telecoms do. At the time we started multishield, to hire a billboard was about N500,000.00, today the same billboards goes for N25m. We couldn’t afford it & even the radio jingles are equally very expensive. I think it really affected the acceptability of the scheme. The greatest challenge was the frequent friction between the HMO’s and the regulator. For some reasons, suspicion under lined the relationship between them. We have, however, commenced to put that behind us. What other areas does your organization have competence? Qproxim has a global reputation as a leading claims consultant on major projects and clients can be confident that we have the professionalism and expertise to look after their interests. We provide clients with an honest appraisal of their contractual and commercial position at the outset of a commission and do not embark on a process until all the risks and benefits have been evaluated. It is our policy to discuss a client’s specific claim objectives with them and then to provide recommendations as to how they can be achieved. Qproxim develops customised smart card applications according to requirements. We assist with any step in the smart card development cycle including requirements, specifications, design, coding, and testing. We even handle smart card personalization for demo presentation or pilot roll-outs. We specialize in smart card systems with anything from stateof-the-art, multi-application operating systems such as MULTOS and JavaCard to storage cards such as Mifare and HID iCLASS. Qproxim is deeply familiar with a multituse of card edges and develops custom on-card application if functions are required that are not available through standard cards. Qproxim works hand-in-hand with companies of every size and complexity through the entire Business Process Re-engineering (BPR) cycle. Qproxim’s Practice examines and evaluates each core business process within and outside the company and recommends executable solutions and business systems. You’ve spoken passionately about the managed healthcare industry, what drives you? When I believe in something and I dabble into it, I put everything into it. The same thing happened when I set up Multishield Limited (HMO) in 1997. I believed it would work and I put everything into it to make sure it worked. I was practicing health insurance even before it started officially in Nigeria. Close to my hospital, there were Lebanese firms around that employed over a thousand people. I sold the idea of health insurance to them and they accepted at reasonable charges. We had monopoly of the market before people realized it. We were the pioneers of this scheme in the country. Do you still find time to unwind? I enjoy what I’m doing, so I find it relaxing. I’m happier in a hospital environment but you know how the country is, you have bills to run, school fees to pay etc and nothing much is coming from there, that’s why I had to move to the business side of healthcare. I’m still happy. This is not all we do; Qproxim develops software and delivers services that automate IT operations. Our identity management and access governance solutions make organizations more secure and productive in the shortest time at the lowest costs. Qproxim provides solutions that adapt to the needs of the business user delivering a unified framework for business processes across operations. You will find this technology in our solutions for User Provisioning, Password Management, Compliance Governance, and Risk Analytics. Unlike our competition, Qproxim aims to make our technology almost invisible to your operations staff and end users, allowing your organization to focus on solving business needs. Advice to young entrepreneurs: I developed grey hairs when I ventured into business, I never had grey hairs before. The young entrepreneurs will probably grow grey hairs @ 40. My advice is don’t go into any field, if you don’t enjoy working in that field, it is the only thing that will provide the passion to move on.

Dr. Gbenga Idowu For Advertisement and Enquiries Call Nnamdi on 08025070837 or E-mail:editor.executivebrief@trippleagroup.com

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Sports Glo Premier League

Super Eagles have the quality to succeed in Brazil, says Gullit By Christian Okpara ormer World Footballer of the Year, ruud Gullit, believes Nigeria have the quality to succeed at the Brazil 2014 World Cup, which kicks off in June. But he is quick that the Super eagles have to overcome their naiveté if they are to achieve that success at the mundial. Nigeria have been at the World Cup four times, with the second round finish at the USA 1994 and France 1998 editions of the competition as its best outing in the football fiesta. Speaking in Lagos yesterday during a session with the press, which is part of his UeFA Champions League trophy tour itinerary, Gullit said he was impressed by the individual brilliance of Super eagles players during the 2013 African Nations Cup in South Africa, adding, however, that the World Cup is a higher competition that requires a lot of mental toughness from successful teams. According to Gullit: “Nigeria’s current team may not be as gifted talent wise as the teams of the 1990s, but they have the sense of unity required for success. “I have watched the African teams over the years and when you think they will succeed, they will just show that they lack that extra thing that pushes teams to victory. So, if the team can add that little extra ingredient to their game, they can

succeed in Brazil. “Fortunately for African teams, the weather in Brazil is warm, which is more favourable to Africa than european and other teams.” Gullit is in Nigeria as Heineken ambassador in the UeFA Champions League Trophy tour, which will also take him to Vietnam and Argentina. on his experience as Heineken ambassador in the trophy tour, the former Netherlands captain, who won the UeFA Nations Cup with the Oranjes in 1990 and the UeFA Champions League trophy back to back in 1989 and 1990 with AC milan, said it is a wonderful experience seeing the enthusiasm the trophy brings to people, who watch the Champions League. “It is great to see people getting crazy over the trophy. But I want to say that as a football player, this is the highest trophy you can aim for; and when you get to countries whose clubs do not compete for this trophy, you will notice how the people clamour to touch it.” Gullit, who has now cut his trademark dreadlocks, revealed that he chose to change his looks to close the football chapter of his life. He said: “I wore the dreadlocks for years and it was my trademark at the time I was playing football. But I had to cut it to close the book. “I don’t think anybody will recognize the new me if I was still wearing dreadlocks. I cut the dreadlocks 14 years ago.”

Enyimba hold Sunshine, Bayelsa sink Sharks NYImBA held Sunshine e Stars to a 0-0 draw in Akure, while there were

Super Eagles’ Victor Moses (right) tries to run past an Italian midfielder during their FIFA Confederations Cup game in Brazil…last year.

ICC World Cricket League Division Five Championship

Nigeria drop to fourth positions, Jersey are champions By Christian Okpara, with agency reports IGerIA won the man-ofN the-match title, but lost their quest to finish as the third-best team at the ICC World Cricket League (WCL) Division Five Championship, which ended in Kuala Lumpur, malaysia yesterday. Playing at the royal Selangor Club, olajide Bejide got his maiden ton of the tournament when he scored106 runs, but it was not enough to help his team overcome fellow Africans, Tanzania, who won the game by three wickets. Yesterday’s loss was Nigeria’s second defeat by Tanzania in the championship, but the

Keshi’s choice of players will determine Nigeria’s success in Brazil, says Nwosu By Alex Monye ormer Super eagles’ Captain, Henry Nwosu, says Nigeria’s chances of going beyond the second round at the Brazil 2014 World Cup depends on the caliber of players Coach Stephen Keshi selects for the mundial. Nwosu told The Guardian yesterday that the World Cup was a forum for Keshi to assemble the best crop of domestic and foreign based players to contend with the world’s top footballing nations, adding that wrong selection could mar the team’s quest for success in a

big championship like the World Cup. Advising the coach against using sentiments to pick his players, Nwosu urged Keshi to avoid giving any player the impression that he has automatic shirt to the World Cup, stressing that such gesture could erode the African champions’ focus and commitment ahead of the competition. “I am still waiting for Keshi to release his final list of players for the World Cup because this will determine Nigeria’s success in Brazil. “Keshi should be very careful and vigilant at this point to avoid some people imposing

players on him. He has enough players to pick from, but I think he understands that the caliber of players taken to Brazil would determine his failure or success in the competition,” he declared.

Super Eagles’ Coach, Stephen Keshi.

boys have every reason to hold their heads high on account of their superlative performance in Kuala Lumpur. But it could have been better. Nigeria finished on 225 runs for nine wickets in 50 overs, while Tanzania reached 227 runs for seven wickets in 47 overs, with Hamasi Abdullah the toast for the east Africans, as he got four wickets. In other games played yesterday, unbeaten since Division six, Jersey continued that momentum and won the ICC Cricket World League Division Five title after

trouncing malaysia by 71 runs. Unbeaten in 12 Cricket World League matches, the side led by Peter Gough will hope to continue that form in Singapore when they begin their Division Four challenge in June. At Bayuemas oval, Guernsey finally got a win in the last day of the tournament after beating Cayman Islands by seven wickets. Lee Savident impressed with 98 runs, while William Peatfield got three wickets to help Guernsey end their tournament on a good note.

home wins for Bayelsa and Warri Wolves in rescheduled Glo Nigeria Premier League game played yesterday. Sunshine goalkeeper Ikechukwu ezenwa was at his best to keep enyimba strikers at bay. emeka Nwanna missed a glaring chance to score for enyimba as the keeper ezenwa covered well to confuse the experienced striker. returning striker Dele olorundare failed to give Sunshine the lead in the 51st minute and six minutes later, Abdulrahman Bashir missed a scoring chance to put enyimba ahead. musa Najare’s 71st minute penalty was all Warri Wolves needed to beat el Kanemi Warriors 1-0 in Warri. el Kanemi were resolute before Najare stepped forward to score from the spot kick after Joshua obaje was brought down in the vital area. The former Black Leopards of South Africa forward told mTNFootball.com the game was tough but they did enough to earn the three points. “It was a tough game. el Kanemi gave us good fight but we won. The three points were the most important thing and we earned them,” obaje said. Bayelsa United defeated Sharks by a lone goal, with veteran left back, mutiu Adegoke, scoring the only goal of the game in the 20th minute.

DStv Basketball League

Hoopers, Oluyole Warriors clash, as Mentors host Bulls By Adeyinka Adedipe oYAL Hoopers Basketball r Club of Port Harcourt will have its first taste of action in the DStv Basketball League when it takes on oluyole Warriors of Ibadan in one of the week two games that would be played across different centres in the country today. The Hoopers were walked over last Friday after they failed to show up for their games against Dodan Warriors in Lagos. The Port Harcourt outfit would face a free-scoring oluyole side, which defeated Police Baton 102-68 in the opening league game last Friday. In Lagos, Police Baton would hope for its first win when it takes on Islanders Basketball Club. After losing to oluyole

Warriors last week, the police team will take on an inform Islanders teams that defeated Nigeria Custom 79-41. In another game, Union Bank will take on Custom in what promises to be a thrilling encounter. The Border Boys (Nigeria Customs) will play for a win after last week’s loss to Islanders. Dodan Warriors will not be playing again this week after their game against Kwara Falcons was postponed. The Lagos Warriors walked over royal Hooper of Port Harcourt last Friday and they would have to wait till next week Friday when they play oluyole Warriors before they have their first feel of action in the league. In the Savannah Conference, mark mentors would take on

Gombe Bulls in Abuja. The Bulls are new in the elite division, but boost of players who can hold their own against any topside. The Bulls lost 76-64 to the defending champions, Kano Pillars last week and must be at their best to avert another defeat against mentors that pummelled Niger Potters 11847 last week. mentors coach, Peter Ahmedu, told The Guardian that his team would have to be at its best against the Bulls and would have themselves to blame if they underrate their opponent in today’s game. In other games, Niger Potters will take Plateau Peaks in minna, Bauchi Nets hosts Kada Stars, while Immigration confronts Kano Pillars in Kaduna.

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Flamingoes eye history, as team prepares for World Cup opener in Costa Rica • Our girls can rule the World, says NFF By Gowon Akpodonor FTER 19 days of training in Faro, Portugal, Nigeria’s U17 Women team, The Flamingoes, departed Lisbon on Wednesday for Costa Rica, venue of this year’s FIFA U-17 Women World Cup. The tournament will begin tomorrow and run till April 4. The Nigerians will kick off their campaign against China in Group D opening game on Sunday. The group also has Mexico and Colombia. As one of many ever-present teams in the FIFA Women cadet championship, players and officials of Flamingoes are hopeful of making it to the final this time around. The Nigerian team has qualified twice for the quarterfinal stage of the championship. After being eliminated on goal difference at their first attempt in 2008, the team topped their group two years later, but were knocked out in the next round in one of the all-time classic matches of the competition, going down 6-5 after extra time against eventual winners, Korea Republic. In 2012, the Flamingoes led by Coach Peter Dedevbo again won their group, but their hope of becoming the first African team to reach the

semifinals was dashed, as they were eliminated by France on penalties. The French went on to lift the trophy. This time around, officials of the Nigeria Football Federation, the players and their handlers are singing victory song, even before the tournament kicks off this weekend. Secretary General of the NFF, Musa Ahmadu, told The Guardian that the soccer house was looking forward to seeing the girls go beyond the quarterfinal stage this time around. “The essence of giving the girls the best of preparations ahead the tournament is to see our girls play in the semifinal. They can win the World Cup if things work out for them because we have really given them the attention and support they need to do well in this year’s FIFA U-17 Women World Cup,” Ahmadu said yesterday. The Flamingoes qualified for this year’s edition of the tournament in Costa Rica without playing a single match. Together with South Africa, the Nigerians received a bye into the final round of the preliminaries, where they were drawn against South

Sudan. However, the crisis in that country forced South Sudan to pull out of the competition before the first match, thereby giving the Flamingoes a free ticket to Costa Rica without kicking the ball. The disadvantage of not playing in the qualifiers not withstanding, the girls and their handlers are assuring Nigerians back home that they have what it takes to win the title. Assistant captain of the team, Uchenna Kanu, said yesterday that the Flamingoes would follow in the footsteps of their male counterparts, the Golden Eaglets, by winning the U-17 Women World Cup in Costa Rica.

Onaolapo

Onaolapo inspires Sunshine’s lead as NTTF league ends ROM the brink of defeat, Fhandedly Ojo Onaolapo has singletaken Sunshine

Ahead Calabar 2014 National Sports Festival

Lagos dismisses talent poachers’ antics, employs 3,685 athletes AGOS State’s LSports Commissioner for Youth, and Social

Warri Wolves celebrating a goal during the 2013 Federation Cup final against Enyimba in Lagos. PHOTO: FEMI ADEBESIN-KUTI

Development, Enitan Oshodi, says his state is not bothered by the antics of some states, which has been trying to poach its athletes ahead of the 19th National Sports Festival scheduled for Calabar, Cross River State. Oshodi told journalists yesterday that his ministry would not stop any athlete that wants to decamp to another state from doing so since the basis for their mass defection is on money, stressing that the state government has been able to offer job opportunities to its athletes. “Athletes always go where there is money. Since I came on board as the Commissioner for Sports, Lagos State, we have corrected that. “Some of them are now placed on allowances, they

BOA Lawyers League

Aluko & Oyebode, Probitas Partners/ B Ayorinde in early lead FTER two matches each at A the on-going second Bankole Olumide Aluko Tournament, the law firm of Aluko & Oyebode and Probitas Partners/B. Ayorinde have taken the early lead in groups A and B of the competition featuring 12 teams at the Astroturf pitch. Both teams have won six points from their two games, with Aluko scoring six goals and conceding only one in Group A, while Probitas Partners/B. Ayorinde have found the net three times without conceding any. Last weekend, Probitas/Ayorinde demolished Babalakin & Co. by 3-0, just as Aluko & Oyebode hit The Law Crest two times. Also on the same day, Pinheiro & Co beat Olisa

Agbakoba and Associates by a lone goal, the same score line Aelex recorded against Tayo Oyetibo & Co, while the games featuring Banwo & Ighodalo against Falana and Falana and the Lagos State Ministry of Justice against Tokunbo Orimobi LP ended goalless respectively. Matches in the league, which is in a round robin format, continue on Sunday at the AstroTurf 2000 football facilities. The Bankole Olumide Aluko Football Tournament is a competition held in memory of the notable lawyer, Late Mr. Bankole Olumide Aluko, a founding partner in the law firm of Aluko & Oyebode, who passed on 12 years ago. Last year’s competition was won by Banwo & Ighodalo, with Olisa Agbakoba & Associates in the second posi-

Club to the top of the table in the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF) pilot

tion, while Probitas/B. Ayorinde took the bronze medal.

are in school and under the employment of the Lagos State government. So we have created a lot of opportunities for them in Lagos. And some of the greatest coaches training our athletes.” Saying that Lagos youth development programme is to build athletes for Nigeria, Oshodi revealed that the state has employed 3,685 athletes, adding: “The gesture is to tell other states that Lagos State gives its athletes a future more than any other state.” On the just concluded Premier Lotto Lagos Athletics Championship, Oshodi, who commended Premier Lotto for supporting his ministry’s grassroots development programme, said the secondary schools’ athletics meet has given the state the opportunity to pick fresh talents, who would participate in a six-week training programme under the tutelage of Coaches Lee Evans and Tony Osheku. “The discovered athletes will participate in the Lagos State Sports Festival. We have a chance to see them again compete at the school level during the South West Games,” he added.

league, which ends today at the new look knock-up hall of the National Stadium in Lagos. Onaolapo has emerged winner two times, a performance that has taken him to the top of the table with 60 points in the five days concluded in the championship. Onaolapo’s Sunshine Club of Akure has now taken over leadership from G20 with 97 points, while G20 has 64 points. Closely following Onaolapo is Kazeem Makanjuola, who has 48 points and Ganiyu Ashimiyu with 40 points. A confident Onaolapo said he is in Lagos to win the title despite his inability to start his campaign on a good note. “I don’t think I will be unstoppable because I am regaining my form and I hope to maintain this till the end of the league. “To be sincere, it is not an easy competition for most of the players because we are

playing more games than we expected. But in all, it is a good start by the federation, which will keep us in shape and also give us the opportunity to win some money for our efforts,” the former national junior champion said. However, Makanjuola, who recently featured in the ITTF World Tours in Kuwait and Qatar believes the dominance by Onaolapo will be halted today since it is only 12 points separating them. “It is just unfortunate that Onaolapo is leading because twice I have beaten him in this competition, but I most times lose to his teammates. But I am battle ready to take charge of the table at the end of the competition,” Makanjuola said. The winner of each day’s event has been rewarded with N30, 000, while the total prize money is N890, 000.

FMCG stakeholders’ forum gets date HE Fast Moving T Consumer Goods Games (FMCG) stakeholders’ forum has been scheduled to hold on Tuesday, March 18, 2014 at the prestigious Jevinik Restaurant - 1st Floor, 21 Isaac John Street, GRA, Ikeja by 1:00 p.m. The FMCG Games, which made its debut in May 2013, is a replication of the prestigious and highly successful Nigerian Bankers Games, Nigeria Telecoms Games and Nigeria Insurance

Corporate Media/Brand PR Manager, Nigerian Breweries Plc., Edem Vindah; Marketing Director, Walter Drenth; Ex-International, Victor Ikpeba; Senior Brand Manager, Heineken, Ngozi Nkwoji and the Corporate Affairs Adviser, Ekanem Kufre, at the formal opening of the Heineken House in Ikoyi, Lagos…on Tuesday. PHOTO: FEMI ADEBESIN-KUTI.

Games, organised by MediaVision Limited, Nigeria’s Leading Events Management and Sports Marketing Company. The forum will seek to update all participants of final plans for the Games holding in May and to ensure the participating organisations maximise the opportunities presented by the event. Speaking on the tournament, Francis Ihejirika Team Manager for Nestle Nigeria Plc, said: “This is a great and remarkable event that has propelled our organisation to meet and showcase our sporting talents on the pitch. Kudos to MediaVision for creating an avenue for employee engagement.” The invited companies, which include Dufil Prima, GlaxoSmithKline, Nestle, Unilever, Honeywell, UAC, Cadbury, PZ Cussons, amongst other FMCG Giants, would be duly represented by officers from each organisation, as their interactive contributions will be to the success of the Nigeria FMCG Games 2014. The Nigeria FMCG Games 2014 promises to be a glamorous and eventful tournament.

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SPORTS Friday, March 14, 2014

Heroes Of Olisadebe: Giant strides from the streets Although Emmanuel Olisadebe had proved his worth in the Nigerian league in the mid 1990s, he actually came into national consciousness when he switched allegiance to Poland after three seasons with Polonia Warsaw. For the talented striker, it was fortuitous that he ended up a professional footballer considering that he never enjoyed the support of his family and only played for fun. However, the support he lacked from his family, he got from adoring fans, who usually came to watch him play on open fields after his secondary school in Delta State. Fielding questions from ADEYINKA ADEDIPE, Olisadebe says playing football at the 2002 World Cup was a dream come true. HEN he set out to play football as a young kid on the W streets of Surulere in Lagos, Emmanuel Olisadebe never thought that he would end up as a professional footballer. He was just a happy kid ready to showcase his skills in inter street competitions in his neighbourhood and if anyone had told him his talent would take him to the World Cup, he would have taken it with a pinch of salt. The fact that he didn’t enjoy the support of his father, Emmanuel Olisadebe (snr) and indeed his entire family, made him believe that football would only be recreational for him. His family wanted him to study and become a professional in another field and definitely not football. He had no choice but to bow to their wishes. But fate has a way of turning things one’s way when destiny beckons. And so despite his family’s wish, Olisadebe still found time after school to play with his friends. The more he played football with them, the better his skills became and the louder the adoration by his peers, who saw the potential in him. But even then, he was a better sprinter than the footballer he later became. Olisadebe could run faster than most of his peers and that also gave him the edge over his mates when they played on the corner of the streets. According to Olisadebe, playing among his peers was great fun and he did everything possible to be with them, even at the risk of being scolded by his father. He said: “I was born in Warri, but I was brought to Lagos as a baby and my family settled in Surulere where I began playing on the streets with other young boys. “I would say that football was in me right from my tender age and I was bent on making something out of my talent despite my family members being against it. We played in inter street competitions and we had fun doing that. All we did at that time was to have fun playing football.’ But his foray in sports did not come easy. His private primary school had no sporting facilities and so the only time he had for football was after school hours and weekends. After his primary school education, Olisadebe moved back

Olisadebe

to Delta State, where he enrolled into the St Anthony’s College, Ogwashi Uku. It was there that his football skills developed to a level that he became known in the locality. He said: “It was in Delta State that my football skills blossomed. Football was the in-thing and we all had the opportunity to play against other classes and schools. It was also very difficult for me because it was a boarding school. The school’s focus was not on football, but the annual inter house sport. “I was a sprinter and I won laurels for my house, but kept playing football when I had the opportunity. “Even at this stage, it was all fun for me and I enjoyed my time on the pitch each time I played football. I got into the school team in form Four (SSS 1) but I never really played inter school competitions,” he added. He idolised the likes of goal king, Rashidi Yekini and skillful Etim Esin; and watching them play strengthened his resolve to play football professionally. After his secondary school education in 1995 and while retaking his SSSCE examination, he started playing at a local field where he earned himself the nickname Yeboah after Ghanaian striker, Anthony Yeboah. He explained: “A Ghanaian, who was always at the field started calling me Yeboah and the name stuck. I didn’t know much about Yeboah, but he told me that I had the same quality as the former Black Stars’ player. He also advised that I take football more seriously as I had the potential to become a big player.” In 1996, the opportunity to play club football presented itself and Olisadebe took it with both hands. He was invited for screening at Jasper United that had just gained promotion into the first division. After the trial, he was signed on by the owner and financier of the club, Late Jude Ezechukwu and began his career under coach David Adiele. According to him, his sign on fess was N250, 000, but only got N70, 000 with the balance spread over the season, which he never got. “It was not about the money for me. It was about getting the opportunity to play professionally and I was happy to get it at Jasper. I was always ready to play at training and in matches.”

The prolific scorer didn’t have to wait for long to make his mark in the league, as he opened his account in the opening game of the season against Eagle Cement of Port Harcourt. Despite his doggedness, the condition in camp, according to Olisadebe, was scary as the players had to live under conditions that were not befitting. He wasn’t discouraged despite the setback and he continued to churn out good performances every week. Reminiscing on some of his memorable games in the Nigerian League, Olisadebe picked a match against Enyiimba and another against BCC Lions as games that would forever linger in his memory. “Jasper against Enyimba was always a big game at that time because both sides came from the Eastern part of the country. In one of those games, the score stood at 1-1. Towards the end, I got a pass, dribbled past three defenders and with a feeble shot, which beat the goalkeeper, I got the winning goal to send our fans into wild jubilation. “I was not supposed to play against BCC Lions in Gboko, but most of the players pulled out because away games at that time were as good as lost. Also, a new coach had come into the team who felt I wasn’t a first team material. I also decided to go to the game so I could see my friend Dondo Ava, who played in Gboko. “The match began on a good note and we were under pressure, but we stayed in the game with some good display. The Lions also lost two penalty kicks in the game and I scored the winning goal in the dying moments of the game to make it 21. “Some of my team mates at Jasper were Ifeanyi Ekwueme, Henry Onwuzurike, Ikemefuna Ozua, Issa Musa and Loveday Omoruyi, who was the captain.” In 1997, Olisadebe had the opportunity to go to Poland to further his career, but many, including his team mates, warned him not to go to the Eastern European country. Some told him that it was the backwaters of Europe and he may not have the opportunity to improve his football. Other said that freezing weather would be too harsh for someone from the

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School Sports of Surulere to the World Cup I was a sprinter and I won laurels for my house, but kept playing football when I had the opportunity. Even at this stage, it was all fun for me and I enjoyed my time on the pitch each time I played football. I got into the school team in form Four (SSS 1) but I never really played inter school competitions. tropics. As always, Olisadebe was determined to go to Poland and prove to those who expressed doubt that he had the ability to survive under any harsh condition. To him, it was a risk worth taking since, according to him, football itself is a risky venture. On arrival in Poland, he had trials with three clubs but he settled for Polonia Warsaw for a transfer fee of $170, 000 in 1997, a fee considered high in the Polish league at the time. Breaking into the first team in his first season was difficult, but he still played 13 games, showing the club fans what to expect in subsequent seasons. During his time at Polonia Warsaw, he helped them secure their first championship title in 50 years in the 1999/20000 season, scoring 12 goals in the process. He also won the League Cup that season and the Super Cup the year before. “Making it into the first team in my first season at Warsaw was difficult. There was a Lithuania striker the club was building his profile so it could sell. After the Lithuanian was sold to Dynamo Zagreb and I got my chance to play. It was very difficult in training because my team mates were hard on me, a far departure from the more relaxed training I was used to in Nigeria. “Unknown to him, the coach was toughening me for the task ahead.” The opportunity for Olisadebe to play for Poland came in 2000 when he became a polish citizen and he was selected by the national team coach, who had become the coach of the Polish team. He scored in his first game against Romania but he had his best spell as a Polish striker during the qualifiers, scoring eight times as Poland became the first country to qualify for the 2002 World Cup in South Korea/Japan. Olisadebe scored Poland’s first goal of their World Cup campaign in a 3–1 victory against the United States. However, Poland did not progress to the second round and Olisadebe would not score again for his nation, which he attributed to selfish ambition of his colleagues. “After that first goal, I discovered that my teammates were not passing the ball to me, they wanted to sell themselves, which worked against us and we crashed out in the first round.” After this experience he became discontented with the national team set up, but he still played some game before quitting the team in 2004. “Playing in the national team of Poland was good for me. I would have loved to play for Nigeria, but I was never invited despite doing well at Warsaw. So when the opportunity came to play for Poland, I grabbed it with both hands. May be if I had played my cards well, I would have been invited to the Super Eagles. I was naïve and didn’t know that I had to contact the national team handlers to show that I was available.” In the 2003/2004 season, Olisadebe moved to Panathinaikos where he scored 24 goals in

74 matches. In 2004, he helped the club win the title for the first time in seven years by scoring all the winning goals in the last three of four games of the championship. He also won the cup that year, making it a double. However, during his time at Panathinaikos he suffered an injury that required surgery in Greece. “I came to Pana as a top striker, but I was surprised that the coach left me on the bench and sometimes, the first team, but still proved myself each time I got the chance to play. It was a strange situation because I scored goals each time I went back to play for Poland,” he said. In January 2006, he joined Portsmouth until the end of the 2005/2006 season. Olisadebe played only two games while at Portsmouth – though many believed that he was plagued by injury, but he said that he was fit and was at a loss on why Harry Redknapp didn’t give him a chance with the team. His contract was terminated after four months, at which point he travelled to Xanthi, where he wasn’t given a chance to play. He then featured for APOP Kinyras Peyia FC where he played in the 2007/08 season, featuring in 17 games scoring six goals. In 2008, he was offered a deal with Chinese Super League club, Henan Construction. In his second match with Henan, the third round of 2008 Chinese Super League against Liaoning, he scored two goals. In first season at Henan he scored 12 goals in 26 games in the Chinese super league. On September 27, Olisadebe scored the opening goal for Henan in a 2–0 win over Shanghai Shenhua to regain lead in the league less than 10 minutes before injuring his knee. Initial diagnosis showed that he had torn his cruciate ligament of the left knee, and the injury could end his entire football career. Further results confirmed that he injured his patellar ligament and would only miss the rest of the season. He was nominated for the MVP awards two years consecutively only to be second in both occasions. Due to his performance, he has been granted by the government of Henan province citizenship. In 2011/12 season, Olisadebe joined Vyzas Megaron, but failed to make any league appearances before moving to Veria before calling it quit. Olisadebe said he is impressed with the Nigerian league, which has improved tremendously since he left the country in 2007. “The fact that the Nigerian league has grown big and we have clubs who are rubbing shoulders with the best in Africa. I was playing in Poland when Enyimba won the CAF Champions League in 2002 and 2003. It shows that the league is better organised now. The referees and the playing pitches are better and this would enhance the growth of the game in the country. According to him, the Super Eagles has become a global brand since Stephen Keshi took over as coach, urging the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to give the former Eagles captain the support to excel. “I have watched the Nigerian team play since Keshi took over and I can see the players putting passes together with ease. Though the transformation he is bringing into the team might not go down well with everyone, I believe he should be given a free hand to do the job,” he said. The retired football, who has his investments mainly in Poland, said he is hoping to become a coach in the near future to pass down his experience to the next generation of Nigerian players.

e (right) Olisadeb

Olisadeb e with his

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g in trainin

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60 Friday, March 14, 2014

SchoolSports Tennis coaching clinic brings 800 kids to Warri By Gowon Akpodonor N opportunity beckon on the youths especially school children in Warri, Delta State to exhibit their talent in tennis is being organised by Iso-Black Concepts Ltd, which is staging a grassroots tennis talent development programme in the city next month. It will run from April 7 to 26 at the Shell Club, Ogunu, Warri. The event, tagged Warri Tennis Coaching Clinic, is for children between the ages of six and 16 years and already, the excitement generated among the various schools in the city has seen over 800 kids subscribing to the project, thereby forcing the

organisers to adjust their plans. “Our target is to stage the tennis coaching clinic for 500 kids, but as it is now, we have to adjust our plan because there is over-subscription already and many entries are still coming,” the Chief Executive Officer of IsoBlack Concepts Ltd, Mr. Igho Okor, said during the week. Apart from the kids, various corporate organisations, including ARCO, Promasidor, SYKES, Mutual Life Assurance, Carex, Cadbury and NPIMS, a subsidiary of NNPC, have indicated their interest in sponsoring the event, which will run between 9.00 am and 2.00pm daily.

Okor revealed that the Warri Tennis Coaching Clinic is aimed at discovering young talents in the area. “We want to re-awake the interest of the youths in the game of tennis. The focus for now is children between the ages of six and 16 years. This is the first time we are staging such a big event in that part of the country. The people of Warri have proved that they are true sports lovers. They want their children to be part of this event, which is going to be a yearly event. At the end of the event in Warri, the kids who perform well will be taken to Lagos and from there we will take them to our partner Tennis Academy in South Africa.

Primary school pupils running for honours in the 4x100 metres relay race of the 2013 Cross River Primary/Secondary Schools Sports Championship at the U.J Esuene Stadium, Calabar. Some of the athletes discovered in the championship will feature at the 2014 National Sports Festival to be hosted by Cross River State later this year.

Academics, sports build holistic students, Trinity College tells schools As Blue House win yearly competition UST as schools expects high Jfrom academic achievement their students, the man-

Athletes running in one of the long distance races at the just-concluded Premier Lotto/Lagos State Secondary Schools Athletics Championships held at the Teslim Balogun Stadium. PHOTO: FEMI ADEBESIN-KUTI.

agement of Trinity International College, Ofada, Ogun State has urged them to also take advantage of the opportunities available in sports to groom holistic students. Speaking at the 13th yearly inter-house sports competition at the college’s premises recently, the Chairman, Board of Governors, TRICOL, Samuel Olatunji, said all stakeholders must live up to their responsibilities of promoting sports from the grassroots.

According to Olatunji, training students to combine academic prowess with sports would build them into superlative students that would always strive for excellence. He also noted that promoting sports, especially through the junior secondary school category, would lead to skills development at the international stage, adding that secondary schools in Nigeria need to commit more resources in sport development to promote a true culture of excellence in their schools. Chairman of the event,

Grace House triumphs at Wellsprings’ competition By Ujunwa Atueyi T was a triumphant victory for Grace House, which came tops at the end of the eighth yearly inter-house sports competition of Wellspring College, Lagos. The competition ended with much excitement from the spectators, organisers, teachers, parents and other invited guests, who were particularly amazed with the high level of athletic talents displayed by the students. The result analysis shows

that Grace team won 12 gold medals, nine silver and 14 bronze to emerge winners; Praise House came second with 12 gold, nine silver and eight bronze; with 11 gold medals, 10 silver and nine bronze, Favour House settled for third place. Overwhelmed by the students’ performance at the competition, the School Principal, Yemisi Oloriade, remarked that the school would continue to invest and bring out hidden talents in every child that passes through its tutelage.

Unity House outshines others at Baptist Girls Academy’s 24th sports festival By Adebisi Olonade NITY House are the chamU pions of the 24th yearly inter-house sports competition of Baptist Girls Academy (BGA), Obanikoro, Lagos. The house won 11 gold medals, four silver and six bronze to beat Peace House, which got nine gold, six silver and seven bronze medals, to the second position.

With three gold medals, three silver and seven bronze, Hope House came third, while Wisdom House was fourth with just one gold medal. The competition, which also featured the old students, parents and staff race, started with a match past parade, followed by the athlete races and the invitational relay race, among other events.

Olusegun Adeniyi, who is also the chairman of Editorial Board, ThisDay Newspaper, in his remark, encouraged the students to cultivate the spirit of good sportsmanship. He said: “In some events, those regarded as favourite sometimes end up losing their game. A true sportsman or woman should be ready to accept their faith whether

Stage set for district finals of Lagos GTB Principal’s Cup ll is now set for district A finals of season five of the Lagos State Principal’s Cup, as the draws for the championship has been concluded in Lagos. The draw for the district finals witnessed some of the winners from the six education districts in Lagos drawn into four groups made up of six teams each, while the female team is made up of five teams in each group. The top two teams from each group progress to the knockout stage of the competition, which is geared towards the development of grassroots football, the discovery of young football talents and fostering camaraderie amongst secondary school students. Over 300 schools from the

Scholastic Hall encourages knowledge, skills and attitude acquisition through sports HE Overseer, Scholastic T Hall School, Ikeja, Mrs. Pamela Umebuani, has urged parents to allow their wards participate in sporting activities to enable them function effectively in the cognitive, affective and psychomotor domain. Speaking at the school’s just concluded inter-house sports competition held at the Opebi Primary School

sports ground, where Yellow House emerged overall winner, Red House came second, Blue House took the third position and Green House were fourth, Umebuabi disclosed that the school recently marked its “Love your heart day,” where parents and children were enlightened on the need to stay healthy with focus on sports activities.

they win or lose. It is not of he that willeth or he that runneth, but it is of God that showeth mercy.” At the end of the 20 events, including March Past, athletics, Sack Race, Spiritual Drill, Tug of War and Relay Race, among others, Blue House topped the medals’ table with 18 Gold, 13 Silver and 10 Bronze to clinch the first posi-

The over all winner of the Baptist Girls Academy, Obanikoro, 24th annual inter-house sports competition, Unity House (Yellow), during their match past at the event held on the school’s field…last week. PHOTO: ADEBISI OLONADE

20 education zones in Lagos took part in the preliminary stage with 24 male and 20 female making it to the district finals. The winning male and female teams while the first will win the ultimate prize of N1million, second and third runners up will receive N750, 000, N500, 000 and N250, 000 respectively.

Hiseed Schools marks maiden inter-house sports tourney HE maiden inter-house T sports competition of Hiseed Schools holds tomorrow by 10:00am. According to the proprietress of the School, Mrs. Olaitan Olayinka, the sports day is to aid the attainment of corporate objective of the school. Four houses jostling for honours at the one-day tournament, which will be chaired by Mr. Kola Gbadamosi, Managing Director of Oilbath Limited, Lagos. “The choice of names for the different houses is borne out of the name of the school “His Seed,” which is from plant and so the reason for the flowers: Red Rose (Red House), Heavenly Blue (Blue House), Green Day Lily (Green House), and Sun Flower (Yellow House),” she added.

NEWS Friday, March 14, 2014

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UEFA Champions League fallout

Man City turn focus to EPL title chase Calm Aguero injury concerns ANCHESTER City have M played down concerns about the muscle injury sustained by striker Sergio Aguero in the 2-1 defeat at Barcelona. The Argentina forward, who has scored 26 goals this season, was forced off at halftime in the Nou Camp. Assistant manager Ruben Cousillas is hopeful that the injury is minor. “We don’t think it’s anything serious. He felt some muscle pain but it was more a precaution than anything else,” he said. “It’s too early to know how long he’ll be out. We’ll do some tests to assess the injury.” Aguero, 25, has missed two spells this season with calf and hamstring problems and has started 15 of City’s 26 Premier League matches this season. City were beaten 4-1 over two legs by Barcelona. Trailing 2-0 from the first leg, their first goal of the tie came when Vincent Kompany found the net in the 89th minute in the Nou Camp. Aguero had started the game as a lone striker, with City only switching to two recognised forwards when Alvaro Negredo came on to partner Aguero’s replacement Edin Dzeko with 17 minutes left. Cousillas, a prominent figure on the touchline with boss Manuel Pellegrini serving a two-game touchline ban, defended City’s tactics. “In the second half, we had three or four clear chances with just one striker, so you

can’t say if we’d played two strikers we’d have had the same chances,” he said. “I’m proud of the team because we played a fantastic game. “We usually play with two, but against Barca, with such good midfield players, we thought we needed to reinforce in midfield. But I don’t think it would have changed the result. “Up to last weekend, we were the only team chasing four trophies, which is not easy to do. We are out of two, but are still very much alive in the Premier League. The team is recovering and have been through some low times, but we are alive and we will fight for the title.” City won the Capital One Cup this season - a first trophy under Pellegrini - but were knocked out of the FA Cup at the quarter-final stage by Wigan on Sunday. Despite two setbacks in four days, Kompany believes that his side, which were in the Champions League knockout phases for the first time, will be a force in Europe next season. He told Sky Sports: “Only the winners get remembered, but it’s only the third year ever for Manchester City in the Champions League. “I’m looking at this and I don’t see why next year we should fear anyone.” Pablo Zabaleta was shown a second yellow card for dissent after French referee Stephane Lannoy refused a penalty appeal for Gerard Pique’s challenge on Dzeko.

Man United great, Eric Cantona arrested ORMER Manchester FCantona United footballer Eric was arrested and cautioned for common assault in north London. The incident took place on Regent’s Park Road, in Camden, at about 12:55 GMT on Wednesday.

Cantona was placed in custody and later received a caution from police. The male victim did not require medical attention. The Frenchman won four Premier League titles with Manchester United before retiring to become an actor.

No way…Messi and Aguero struggle for the ball in Wednesday’s UEFA Champions League match.

We have returned to ‘real’ Barca, says Messi Messi hailed underLtheirIONEL fire Barcelona as back to best as they saw off Manchester City to reach the quarter-finals of the Champions League and keep alive their hopes of the treble. Critics had rounded on Barca and their coach Gerardo Martino after the reigning champions suffered three defeats in six Primera Division matches, with the latest - a shock 1-0 reverse at lowly Real Valladolid on Saturday - seeing them fall four points behind arch rivals Real Madrid in the title race. That loss came four days before Barca’s Champions League last-16 second leg against City and would have given the English side increased hope they might be able to overturn their 2-0 deficit from the home leg. However, there would be no fairytale recovery from City as Barca earned a 2-1 win on the night to progress through to the last eight 4-1 on aggregate. And Messi, who was on the score sheet along with Dani Alves - the same scorers as in the first leg, believes his side showed just what they are made of in Wednesday’s match. He said: “We were coming off two very serious setbacks away from home (at Real Sociedad and Valladolid), but more so for the performances than for the results. “Here we’ve returned to be the Barcelona that we want,

Celebration time…Messi and his teammates celebrate after Barca defeated Man City in Wednesday’s return leg of the UEFA Champions League.

that the fans expect.” Messi also rubbished suggestions Barca’s Primera Division title hopes have been sunk by their recent poor form, pointing out

there are still 11 games to go including a clash with leaders Madrid. “I don’t know if the criticism was exaggerated or not. We’re the first to be self-criti-

cal and we know we haven’t done things well, we know when we’ve done badly,” said the Argentina ace, whose side are also through to the Copa del Rey final.

Hyypia proud of Leverkusen in defeat AYER Leverkusen manB aged to regain a bit of respect and self-confidence from Wednesday night’s Champions League elimination at the hands of Paris Saint-Germain, according to coach Sami Hyypia. After going down 4-0 at home, the tie was effectively over, but Leverkusen played for pride and nearly came away with a draw at the Parc des Princes, missing a penalty in a 2-1 defeat. “This was a good performance from us today

(Wednesday),” said Hyypia. “We showed character and a good mentality. We can take a lot of self-confidence out of this defeat. “I’m very proud of the way my lads played. If we do our homework, then we will be playing in Europe next year too. “Maybe we can benefit from this on Saturday.” Leverkusen travel to Bayern Munich at the weekend, bidding to end the Bavarians’ 49game unbeaten run in the Bundesliga, a run, which

started after their 2-1 loss to Leverkusen at the Allianz Arena in October 2012. “It was important that we tanked up on self-confidence for our coming Bundesliga matches,” director of sport Rudi Voller told Sky. “That’s what mattered most in this game. “It was already a big success for us to get through the group stage because in Europe, there are four, five or six clubs who will always make it hard for Leverkusen to get any further.”

Bayern Munich boss jailed GERMAN court has senA tenced Uli Hoeness, president of European football champions Bayern Munich, to three years and six months in jail for tax evasion. He admitted defrauding German tax authorities of millions of euros. The former World Cup-winning Germany striker, 62, had kept the funds in a secret Swiss bank account. His lawyer had argued he should escape punishment because he gave himself up. But judges ruled his confession fell short of full disclosure. Hoeness was initially charged with evading €3.5m (£2.9m; $4.9m) in taxes but he then admitted to dodging another €15m. It finally emerged in court that he owed a total of 27.2m euros. Yesterday, the court in the southern city of Munich found Hoeness guilty of “seven serious counts of tax evasion”. “The voluntary disclosure is not valid with the documents that were presented alone,” the judge said. The defence said it would appeal against the sentence. Meanwhile Hoeness will remain free until a final verdict has been handed out.

Prosecutors had called for a term of five years and six months. Bayern Munich fans were gathered outside the court building, holding up banners expressing support for the football boss. The BBC’s reporter in Berlin, says the sentence is very significant because it indicates that attitudes towards tax evasion have changed in Germany since the financial crisis. A string of famous people, perhaps not normally associated with cheating on tax, have recently been revealed to have had secret bank accounts, our correspondent reports. But Hoeness could be the first to go to prison, he adds.

Hoeness…goes to jail

The football legend, who helped Germany win the 1972 European Championship and then the World Cup two years later, came clean about his secret bank account last year, filing an amended tax return in the hope of an amnesty in return for paying the tax he owed. But prosecutors said he did so because investigators were already pursuing his case. Earlier this week, he told the court he deeply regretted his “wrongdoing”. “I will do everything necessary to ensure that this depressing chapter for me is closed,” he said. The case has been described as one of the most spectacular of the year by the German newspaper Sueddeutsche Zeitung.

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GolfWeekly Caddies competition to tee-off Ikeja Captain’s Day HE programme of activiT ties marking the end of tenure of the outgoing captain of Ikeja Golf Club, Adewole Adegoriola Sowole will begin on Monday, March 17th with a caddies’ competition. Making the revelation yesterday, the club’s competition secretary, Esimaje Yomi-Egbe, said the caddies would do battle over 18holes and would be joined by staff members of the club. On Tuesday, March 17th, it will be the turn of clubbased professionals. While the pros will be playing for an undisclosed winning purse, they would be joined by veteran golfers who would be seeking for honours in that category. Wednesday, March 19th has been reserved for lady golfers. The ladies, the club official said would be playing over 18 holes, while a special kitty, tagged “Captain’s Kitty” is billed for Thursday. Gentlemen golfers, especially members of the club will take their turn on the course for the first round of

Gentlemen golfers, especially members of the club will take their turn on the course for the first round of their scheduled 36-hole event. their scheduled 36-hole event. Saturday, March 22nd is the grand finale, where the gentlemen golfers are expected to conclude their competition before the event’s closing ceremony and presentation of prizes, which has been fixed for someday. Yomi-Egbe said all necessary arrangement at making sure the event go as planned has been put in place. Outgoing Captain, Sowole took over the captainship from Tunji Adeyemo last year. During his reign, he contributed his quota to taking the club to a new level. One of the most notable contributions of his tenure is the ongoing reconstruction of a new clubhouse for the club.

Golf for the Marketplace launch holds April 19 OLFER Deji Ajomale- added, “yes, the book serves G McWord says he would as a little window into the be launching a non-instruc- world of golf, but the text

Ibom Golf Club, Le Meridien Ibom Hotel and Golf Resort, Akwa Ibom State member, Usenobong Akpabio, watches his drive on the fairway of the club during a recent tourney PHOTO: ENO-ABASI SUNDAY

tional golf book with a tournament on Saturday, Aril 19 at Elephant Cement Club, Ewekoro, Ogun State. The book titled Golf for the Marketplace, according to the author, explores golf rules/ethics/etiquettes, everyday experience on the golf course and how they can be applied in business and personal lives of golfers. Ajomale-McWord who said the book was no instructional manual for golfers

and pictures in this volume are not meant to provide golf lessons, only professional golfers are authorised to provide that.” He added that the tournament would also serve as a little memorial for his late cousin, late Lt. Yemi Sowole, who died in the line of duty as co-pilot in the chopper crash of December 14, 2012, which involved late Gen. Azazi, late Gov. Patrick Yakowa, Colonel Daba among others.

Haruna, Asemota, others to witness PGAN election Stories by Eno-Abasi Sunday HE Life President of the T Professional Golfers Association of Nigeria (PGAN) and former Chairman of Arewa Consultative Forum General I.B. Haruna, will lead other dignitaries to observe the forthcoming election into the executive committee of the body. The 2014 PGAN yearly general meeting (AGM) is slated to hold at the Golden Palm Hotel, Otukpo, Benue State on March 20. Apart from the life president, trustees of the body includ-

ing Solomon Asemota, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria as well as Chairman of CMCL Golf Tours Ltd, Olusola Adekanola, among others are also expected at the event. According to the Director of the PGAN, and Warri, Delta State-based senior tour player, Festus Makelemi, the presence of these dignitaries will put a stamp of credibility on all that would be done on that day. “We have quite a number of eminent golfers who have interest in the workings of the PGAN and by extension are life vice-presidents of the

body that we are expecting to grace our coming Annual General Meeting.” Makelemi who confirmed that Haruna who replaced late Anthony Enahoro as the association’s life president has confirmed his participation at the AGM slated for March 20. He added that the successes that the PGA has recorded in recent time has earned the body commendations from different quarters and the AGM is essentially to make decisions that would strengthen the future of the PGA.

“There is no other time that the PGAN needs all it members than now. We have taken some steps in the past that has put professional golf in pole position. This is what we are all proud of. This AGM is one that is equally crucial and I believe all our stakeholders are watching what the outcome will be”. The AGM has been scheduled to run side-by-side with the ULO Championship billed for March 20th to 23rd at the Otukpo Golf and Country Club, Akpegede, Benue State. Meanwhile former director general of the Nigerian

Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC), Olusegun Runsewe has described professional golfer, Umoh Edet as a special athlete. Speaking on Umoh’s untimely demise, Runsewe said, “A lot of people have shared their experiences with Edet (Umoh) and I think it a sign that he had a lot virtues that we can learn from. I particularly cherish the way he walks up to amateur players and offer tips from what he seen them do wrong. He was personally concerned about each player’s progress in the

game.” Runsewe, a member of the IBB International Golf and Country Club credits the departed with some improvement in his game. “Even on the day he died, he walked up to me on Hole One and walked me to the Hole One green, just assessing my swing and correcting the flaws he noticed me. He was a selfless golfer.” Edet slumped barely a month ago while playing football. He was later pronounced dead at the hospital he was rushed to for attention.

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Friday, March 14, 2014 63

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Friday, March 14, 2014

Conscience, Nurtured by Truth

By Obi Ebuka Onochie HE sanctity of human life universally taken as so serious that many individuals and countries attach capital punishment to the crime of taking another man’s life without authority or for some economic gain. Whenever taking of life is mentioned, people’s mind often conjures up assassins, police, military, corrupt judges, extra judicial killing in a mob action or even through diabolical means which is often called African science. None of these is as painful as one lost where lives are supposed to be saved, especially for possible economic reasons. Hospital according to Oxford advanced learner’s dictionary is a large building where people who are ill/sick or injured are given medical treatment and care. Anybody walking into a hospital for its services has one of two things in mind: To be treated or to be checked and advised. But the alarming thing these days has to do with a situation whereby people walk in alive and are carried out dead. The rate of its occurrence has crossed the red line especially in the commercial city of Onitsha in Anambra State. It is dangerous to keep quiet at this moment when people who are barely sick, are being trucked to the morgue from the hospital. It would appear the number of people surviving hospital treatment is dwindling by the day. On February 14, which millions all over the world, especially the youths, celebrated St. Valentine, my neighbour’s wife was in heart rending mourning as her husband of four years was laid to rest. What happened? On the morning of January 28 this year, he complained to his wife that he felt that something was moving in his stomach and would like to go to hospital to check it out. Naturally, as a good wife is wont to do, she joined her husband who drove to the hospital. The hospital ran a series of scans and told the man that there was nothing in his stomach and indeed nothing was wrong with him. He told the doctor that since nothing was wrong with him, he would like to go and prepare for the market. He would return should he notice anything afterwards. His wife at this point excused herself to go home to prepare their two children for school, leaving the husband with the doctor. That was the last time she would see her husband alive. Surprisingly, the doctor said he would like to administer on the man intravenous infusion (known to the uninitiated as drip) before he would allow him leave. The supposed ‘patient’ declined basing his argument on what the doctor had said earlier that he had found nothing wrong with him. The hospital insisted and, on second thought, believing it should know better, he agreed. He called his wife to inform her of the development. My neighbour, being on the bulky side, could be suffering from high blood pressure which experts contend has become the biggest silent killer in our world today. He was put on infusion. According to accounts, within minutes of the infusion being administered on him, he told the hospital authority to remove it, complaining that it was choking his chest. The hospital did not accede to this request. Out of pain he removed it himself. He felt the hospital probably did not understand what he was going through. At this stage he fell off the bed and started gasping for breath. The next thing, he started reacting violently. The hospital tied his both hands and legs. In no time he passed away! The same fate befell a middle-aged man also in the same Onitsha. He received an injection. These deaths are believed to be avoidable and are being attributed to evident failure of the state’s government regulatory agency. Some of the nurses may need to be examined to ascertain the quality of their training. In this instant case, the victim was an outpatient. After he thought he was through he was told to stay behind for an injection. The account by those who know says he may have been given procaine penicillin at once instead of first administering a test dose to see if he would react to it or not. He slumped and before oxygen could be

It is dangerous to keep quiet at this moment when people who are barely sick, are being trucked to the morgue from the hospital. It would appear the number of people surviving hospital treatment is dwindling by the day.

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What manner of hospitals?

rushed to him he died. Everything lasted less than one hour. The experiences are giving cause for apprehension in the state. This calls for close monitoring of private hospitals mushrooming in the land. It is feared many of the hospitals employ low quality auxiliary staff and use out-dated equipment. Not only are the bills high, there is a high level of deaths, too. All these are happening in a state where there is supposedly Ministry of Health. Anambra State is one of the few states in Nigeria that

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have eradicated polio and was promptly commended by the European Union. It must, therefore, be confounding that the same state does not appear to closely monitor goings on in private hospitals enough. Nobody is condemning polio eradication but the ministry should not pursue it at the expense of other health issues. After all, what is the benefit and happiness of saving children from polio who, by our own negligence, are likely be made orphans and their future put in great jeopardy?

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Editor: MARTINS

OLOJA

ABC (ISSN NO 0189-5125)

The Ministry of Health may wish to take a cue from the Ministry of Education. In the past, the latter ministry embarked on inspection of schools, especially the private ones and many had to be closed down in the aftermath of the visitations. We have seen the work of NAFDAC and SON in various markets and we have seen government tax officers updating their books by chasing shop owners and market men and women. We will like to know what is stopping the Ministry of Health from doing the same, to rid the state of phony clinics masquerading as private hospitals. How I wished that we were so organised that the Federal Ministry of Health can produce statistics of deaths for every state and the causes thereof. There is no doubt that we will be shocked that the issue is the same in the whole country and not peculiar to only Anambra State. • Onochie is a public analyst from Onitsha.