Sun 05 May 2013 The Guardian Nigeria by The Guardian Newspaper

S U N D A Y COVER 45

VISION 20:2020

E D I T I O N NEWSFEATURE 28

IBRUCENTRE 36

Amansea Community:

‘Why Children Of The Clergy Are Wayward’

Drinking From The Same River Of Floating Corpses

No Longer Feasible, Why?

TheGuardian Conscience, Nurtured by Truth

Sunday, May 5, 2013

Vol. 29, No. 12,547

N300

www.ngrguardiannews.com

Why Foreign Investors Shun Nigeria’s Solid Minerals By Marcel Mbamalu (News Editor) and Nkechi Onyedika (Abuja) HE Federal Government, at T the weekend, came under intense criticism for failing to attract core foreign invest-

• How Gold ‘Poachers’ Stole N8 Trillion In 2 Years • FG Moves To Standardise Mining Practices ments in the solid minerals enue, experts say, could dwarf oil proceeds. sector, whose potential rev- current

Pat Okedinachi Utomi, a professor of Political Economy

and founder of the Lagosbased Centre for Values in Leadership (CVL) expressed the concern that easy money from oil, its attendant corruption and “hazardous” licensing regime, deter serious investors from launching deep

into Nigeria’s mining market. The country is said to be losing trillions of naira to “poachers” in the underground economy, especially the gold sector Permanent Secretary in the

CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

Scores Die In Taraba Religious Crisis From Charles Akpeji, Jalingo CORES of people have been Sgious killed in the ongoing relicrisis in Wukari Local Council of Taraba State. The crisis started barely 48 hours after the inauguration of a judicial committee by the Acting Governor, Garba Umar, to ascertain immediate and remote causes of the last religious crisis in Ibi and Wukari councils. The mayhem, according to residents, has paralysed business activities in all parts of the state as owners of business centres closed shops for fear of reprisal attacks. The crisis also led to massive destruction of worship centres and property worth millions of Naira. According to an eyewitness account, travelers through the Jalingo/ Wukari axis now have to seek alternative routes, as passengers were being dragged out of their vehicles and killed. “This crisis,” the eyewitness said, “is worse than the one that happened on February 23 this year because over a hundred people have been killed and more than 60 houses

CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

Gov. Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State (second right) with other participants on take-off line during the VIP session at the Okpekpe International 10km Road Race in Auchi, Edo State… yesterday.

UN Warns Jonathan On Amnesty To Boko Haram From Oghogho Obayuwana (Foreign Affairs Editor) and Laolu Akande (New York) LTHOUGH the Federal A Government may have swallowed its pride by opening negotiations with the Boko Haram group, there are indica-

• Minister Debunks Alleged Suspension Of US Military Aids • US-based Nigerians Say Group At War With Nation • Nigeria Remains Strategic Partner To U.S., Says Govt tions that this decision has not gone down well with the international community. This comes as government

reassures Nigerians that the country remained a strategic partner of the United States. Reports credited to the US

Ambassador, Terence McCulley, during the week, had suggested his country was withdrawing military assis-

tance to Nigeria because of various human rights violations by security forces, particularly the military accentuated killing and destruction in Baga, Borno State, during a clash with members of the Boko Haram. The US supports the Nigerian military and security agencies with trainCONTINUED ON PAGE 3

PHOTO: NAN

CITYFILE 6

Road Safety Week:

Lagosians Want More Pedestrian Bridges

TheGuardian

2 | Sunday, May 5, 2013

Conscience, Nurtured by Truth

NIMASA Blockade: Three NLNG Ships Stranded In Bonny Bay By Marcel Mbamalu oRTy-eight hours after the FAdministration Nigerian Maritime and Safety Agency (NIMASA) shut down the operations of the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) over unpaid levies, three ships belonging to the company may have been stranded. The ships, according to official

statement from the General Manager, External Relations, Mr. Kudo Eresia-Eke, include NLNG Lagos, NLNG Adamawa and Stena Clear Sky. While the product-laden NLNG Lagos, heading to Pacem Brazil, could not depart due to the NIMASA blockade, the Shines, Portugal-bound NLNG Adamawa was denied entry. Similarly, the Montoir, Francebound Stena Clear Sky was

• Gas Company May Shut Down Operations denied entry as a result of the blockade, which started around 4pm on Friday. This is coming on the heels of strong indications that the NLNG may temporarily shut down operations following the blockade of its loading bay in Bonny. The company told The

Scores Die In Taraba Religious Crisis CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 burnt down. “As I am talking to you now, we have left our home and we are hiding in the bush and I don’t know what has happened to my building and property.” Former governorship candidate of the Action Congress of Nigeria in the last election, Joel Danlami Ikenya, expressed the concern that Wukari, which used to be the “most peaceful town to live in, has turned to something else.” Ikenya, a native of Wukari, added, “we don’t know the

cause of these crises; but it seems that they want to destabilise us.” Efforts to reach the commissioner of police, Jubril Adeniji and the command Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Joseph Kwaji, failed as all their mobile lines were switched off. But a senior police officer, who offered to speak on the issue disclosed that police and other security personal recovered several corpses from the area. “You know I am not the right person to speak to you on the crisis in Wukari, but

since you promised to hide my identity, I have no option than to open up to you. “The crisis, I must confess to you is worse than the one we experienced on February. Passengers are being slaughtered like chickens. A lot of lives have been destroyed and our men on ground are still corps. recovering busy “Don’t let us talk on the numbers of buildings, worship centres and properties that have been destroyed because the numbers are extremely high. “I must confess to you that this state is sitting on a time bomb because those bad guys gaining already are entrance…” Neighbouring states of Benue and Plateau, The Guardian learnt, have began to play host to those who succeeded in escaping from the troubled Wukari.

Guardian, last night, that its production process has dangerously been affected by the blockade, as it could not discharge its products after production. Also expressed the concern that NIMASA’s action could affect the economy and image of the country. A statement issued by NIMASA’s acting Director, Shipping Development, Capt. Warredi Enisuoh, shortly after the action said it blocked all access to the Bonny Channel “from the fairway buoy to buoys 17 and 18” over unpaid levies. The blockade stops all NLNG vessels from leaving or entering the area until, according to NIMASA, all obligations are met. But the General Manager, External Relations, Mr. Kudo Eresia-Eke yesterday said the agency resorted to self-help to extract levies from the company. According to him, the Act establishing the NLNG does not empower it to pay such levies, as the company may not be able to defend the action before its local and international investors. The NLNG is owned 51 percent by international investors and 49 percent by Nigerians through the Federal Government. We understand

Name of Ship

Destination

Remarks

LNG Lagos Pacem, Brazil

Departure denied

LGN Adamawa

Sines, Portugal

Entry denied

Stena Clear Sky

Montoir, France

Entry denied

that NIMASA has resorted to this as self-help to extract levies from the company. “NLNG had continuously informed NIMASA that it is exempted by the NLNG ACT, an Act of parliament, which has provided waivers from such prescribed levies. Any such payments contrary to the NLNG ACT would therefore be illegal.” A statement issued by the NLNG noted that NIMASA had earlier gone to court to resolve the issue, but later withdrew the case. “We believe that under the rule of law the courts are the appropriate interpreters of the law, where there is an issue in contention. We believe that NIMASA as part of the Federal government of Nigeria is also a respecter of the rule of law. It is believed that continued blockade of the Bay would translate to economic loss to the country as a result of imminent production shutdown that the action might cause. “There is the greater potential reputation damage to the country, which will have impact on governments

efforts to attract Foreign Direct Investment, and not augur well for Nigeria’s effort to be seen as a destination to investments.” The NLNG is a joint venture of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation) (49percent), Shell (25.6percent), Total LNG (15 percent) and Eni (10.4 percent) The rift between NIMASA and the NLNG over levies is not entirely new, as the matter has been subject of litigation for years. While NIMASA wants levies, the NLNG insists the levies are not admissible in the light of the NLNG Act. The agency headed for the courts but withdrew at some point. The NLNG yesterday said that NIMASA has been in discussion with it at various fora, including the National Assembly but stressed that it had insisted on doing what is lawful and congruent with the Act establishing it. It was discovered that the Niger Delta Development Company had a similar issue with the NLNG but had to seek redress from the courts, going all the way to the Supreme Court, where it lost out.

How Gold ‘Poachers’ Stole N8tr In 2 years CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Ministry of Mines and Steel Development, Mr. Linus Awute, was recently quoted as saying that, in just two years, the nation lost over N8 trillion to neigbouring countries as a result of illegal mining and exportation of unprocessed gold alone. The two-year N8-trillion loss to gold poachers would amount to N4 trillion per annum, an equivalent of Nigeria’s national budget, going by the structure of current and expenditure estimates in the last five years. Another stretch of analysis reveals this amount as representing over 10 per cent of Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), going by the 2011 official figure of $238.92 billion (N37 trillion). Describing this business as being far beyond control, Awute particularly fingered Ghana as the major route, where Nigerian gold is illegally being processed. Local media quoted the Permanent secretary as saying that “the amount of unprocessed gold that has left Nigeria through neighbouring countries, Ghana in particular, and being processed in Ashanti, is enormous.” But international journalist, Alan Katz, paints a picture of another major route that is probably more significant than the Ghana channel. In his graphical representation of the “mine-to- worldmarket” movement of unprocessed gold from the Nigerian State of Zamfara, Alan says (gold) ore is collected from mines near Sunke, bagged and brought by motorcycles to villages like Dareta or Sunke, where villagers grind it and then wash the mix over a ridged board.

The villagers, who do the processing themselves, then use mercury to extract the gold, the result of which is sold to gold traders in Gusau, the Zamfara State capital, where the remaining dirt and impurities are separated. The gold, according to Alan, is then driven to the Benin border and turned over to dealers from the port city of Cotonou, who then sell it to wholesalers from Europe and the Middle East from where it is introduced to the world market. Meanwhile, the Federal Government has expressed commitment to ensuring that mining activities in the country is controlled and follows professional best practices. This follows the release of N800million for remediation of 400 homes affected by lead poison in Bagege village in Zamfara State while the consulting firm, Teregraphics International Foundation has declared that by June 2013, it will hand over certificate showing that the village is clean. Minister of Information, Mr. Labaran Maku, who stated this when he led the Good Governance Team on an inspection of the village, noted that President Jonathan had instructed the Ministers of Environment, Health and Solid Mineral Development to network and ensure that the issue of led poison anywhere in the country is prevented. Maku, who lamented the high number of people killed by lead poison in the country, said that government would ensure that miners operating in the country do not endanger the safety of Nigerians. He noted that lead poison is an issue of international concern due to the high level of death recorded, the pollution

of the environment as well as the danger the issue poses to the survival of young people in community. the A top management personal in the Ministry of Mines and Steel Development, who disagreed with the allegation of corruption and incoherent legal framework in mining administration, said foreign investors would need more “geological information” before they could venture into market. the The source, he said the Ministry is currently embarking on “road shows” in Australia, Canada and South Africa with a view to attracting these “big-time” investors. Debunking allegations of corruption and touting, he noted that informal mining remains a major challenge to the sector even as he explained that all that investors from big-time mining countries — South Africa, Canada and Australia — need enough geological information. Asked whether the Ministry is not in a position to provide such information, hesaid, “the Ministry is already doing its best on that.” The Federal Government, he said, does not want to be involved in mining operations but would provide the necessary legal framework for private sector investors to do business. “Government just needs to oversight as regulator and administrator, putting in place the legislative framework, which is already on ground, ” the source told The Guardian in a telephone chat. “The Minerals and Mining Act of 2007 and Mining Regulations of 2011 are there. The Metallurgy Bill is being worked on to effectively oversight operations in the steel sub-sector of the economy.” According to him, the coun-

try is losing enormous revenue to “informal mining”, which could surpass oil proceeds. “That is the reason efforts are being made to formalise operations to make sure informal miners form cooperatives and apply for their licence; they can then be monitored and the issue of illegal mining will be addressed. you cannot take royalties because they are unknown. We do not call them illegal, but informal miners. “If they form cooperatives, we can give them recognition. one thing about the whole 34 mineral types is that, apart from the South-South, every local government, especially in the North, has a site. That is a lot of money.” officials of the Federal Ministry say the country has discovered over five hundred (500) locations of mineral deposits, nine of which may be promoted for commercial gains. The nine include Gold, Lead/Zinc, Iron ore, Coal, Tin ore, Bitumen, Columbite, Tantalite, Wolframite and industrial minerals. yet, 33 of the solid minerals are said to be in exportable quantity that could create the much-needed competition for the oil sector, in terms of revenue earnings. Walking this talk has, however, remained impossible, as these minerals remain officially untapped. Instead, a network of smugglers appears to do it better! “Utomi puts the blame at the doorstep of the Ministry, which, according to him, has not adequately created incentives for transparent exploraton of Nigeria’s touted minerals. He also believes that the easy money from oil will continue to asphyxiate whatever remains of the incentive for solid mineral exploration. DETAILS, BUSINESS 42

NEWS 3

THE GUARDIAN, Sunday, May 5, 2013

NEWSHIGHLIGHTS Nigeria Can Salvage 2.4m Out-of-school Children, Says UNESCO By Kamal Tayo Oropo and Gbenga Akinfenwa HE need to properly manage the country’s natural resources for sustainable development of the educational sector has been raised. Nigeria is one of the 17 countries analysed in the paper, titled, Education for All Global Monitoring Report by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO). The country currently keeps almost three-quarters of the income from exporting oil, but isn’t investing it wisely and today accounts for almost one in five of the world’s out-of-school children. According to the new UNESCO report, which is scheduled for release at the World Economic Forum on Africa holding in Cape Town, South Africa, from May 8 to10, 2.4 million children that are out of school in Nigeria could get access to education, if the country’s natural oil revenue is well managed. Findings of the paper also indicated that Nigeria could raise nearly half a billion US dollars per year for education if 20 per cent of its oil revenue were invested in education.

INTERNATIONAL The amount raised would be almost three times the amount Nigeria currently received in aid to education. The paper noted these could finance access to primary school for 86 per cent of their out-of-school children or 42 per cent of their out of school adolescents if their natural resources are properly managed. The policy paper revealed that an extra $5 billion in funding for education could be raised from these countries per year if 30 per cent of income from their minerals and 75 per cent from their oil and gas were converted into public revenue and 20 per cent of this sum invested in education. This is equivalent to two and a half times the amount that these countries received in aid to education in 2010. It would fill a fifth of the $26 billion financing gap needed to give all children a good quality basic education. Director-General of UNESO, Irina Bokova, was quoted as saying, “National commitment to education has to be supported by adequate resources. The 17 countries

In some cases, the funds have been channeled into armed conflicts instead of towards education. If they managed their income revenue better and put 20 percent of the revenue into education, ten of the 17 countries we analyzed could reach universal primary education. covered in this study face tremendous educational challenges that can be met only through additional financing to expand their systems. The study finds that revenue from natural resources could enable these countries to reach over 11 million out-ofschool children. This is an investment in future generations that should be seized now.” The EFA Global Monitoring Report’s paper, Turning the resource curse into a blessing for education, gives examples of the revenue that natural resources could bring to education in Uganda, Lao People’s Democratic Republic and Democratic Republic of the Congo It was further stated that Transparency of natural resource exports is key, but is not enough on its own to secure a country’s future; it is also vital to ensure countries strike a good deal, and allocate a share to education.

Pauline Rose, Director of the EFA Global Monitoring Report, disclosed that many countries have mismanaged the income from their natural resources, have poorly negotiated with extractive companies, or have made misguided spending choices. “In some cases, the funds have been channeled into armed conflicts instead of towards education. If they managed their income revenue better and put 20 percent of the revenue into education, ten of the 17 countries we analyzed could reach universal primary education.” The EFA Global Monitoring Report has partnered with international NGO Global Witness and the Africa Progress Panel, chaired by Kofi Annan, to call on countries to use their natural resource revenue for social goods such as education. They are also calling on the G8 to prioritise transparency on the agenda.

NPC Picks Imo Varsity For Population Studies • First Batch Graduands Pass out From Charles Ogugbuaja, Owerri

IMO

N preparation for the next Nigeria’s head count, the National Population Commission (NPC), has officially approved Imo State University (IMSU), Owerri, as centre for the training of officials for 2016 census. Disclosing this over the weekend, during the graduation of 19 officers, including the Imo State Correspondent of The Guardian, Mr. Charles Ogugbuaja, the Commissioner representing Imo State in the Commission, Chief Emma Nwaogu, said, “NPC selected the university in view of the quality training it gave to the first batch of students in the three-month programme that ran from February to April 30, this year. Nwaogu said: “Imo State University, Owerri has been approved as one of the centres chosen for training of next census workers. We are happy for the quality of training going on here.” Addressing graduands, the Acting Vice Chancellor, Awuzie, represented by the Dean, School of Social Sciences, Prof. Nkwam Uwaoma, said the university was undergoing transformation in all fields undertaken for studies, stressing the will-

ingness of the institution’s authorities to partner with NPC in the training of man power. He stressed the importance of knowing the population figures of the country, saying that such knowledge will guide the country in planning, recognizing birth and death rates.

Minister of Information, Mr Labaran Maku (LEFT) with Head, EU Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Amb. David Macrae at the World Press Freedom Day celebration in Abuja at the weekend

Nigeria Remains Strategic Partner, Says U.S. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 ing, intelligence and weapons. Only on Friday, the United Nations categorically rejected Federal Government’s plans to grant amnesty to members of the group, who the body said have been involved in serious human rights violations. Some US-based Nigerians are also against the amnesty, saying the group is at war with Nigeria. In a statement in Geneva, at the weekend, the United Nations’ Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, UN-OHCHR, said while welcoming the important step the country undertook by establishing a Committee “to

open talks with Boko Haram and work out modalities for an amnesty and compensation for victims,” the UN still wants perpetrators of serious violations of peoples fundamental rights to be punished. According to the statement made available on Friday, the UN-OHCHR urged the “Nigerian authorities to make sure that perpetrators of serious human rights violations, including Boko Haram elements and members of the security forces, were held accountable and that amnesties were not granted to anyone responsible for very serious human rights violations.” Diplomatic sources explained that the UN’s rejec-

tion of amnesty to the group and Nigerian security officials and soldiers is not unexpected. It would be recalled that already, the UN-backed International Criminal Court (ICC) had announced last November, “there is a reasonable basis to believe that since July 2009, Boko Haram has committed acts constituting crimes against humanity,” including murder and persecution, according to the Court Prosecutor’s report in 2012. That report also cited a “reasonable basis” to believe that the group has “launched a widespread and systematic attack that has resulted in the killings of more than 1 200 Christians and Muslims”, further noting that the group is

pursuing a policy of “imposing an exclusive Islamic system of government in northern Nigeria at the expense of Christians specifically.” The UN-OHCHR statement, signed by its spokesperson, Rupert Colville, noted that the UN is “very concerned about the large number of casualties, reportedly including many civilians, and massive destruction of houses and property, as well as population displacement that had taken place in over the past few weeks in north-eastern Nigeria.” Meanwhile, some US-based Nigerians have supported the military’s intervention in the insurgence at Baga. According to Dr. Ola Kassim, a former Chairman of the

Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation, NIDO, a worldwide group of Nigerians abroad, “we cannot send our soldiers and policemen into a battle with the Boko Haram with one arm tied to their backs.” Although the US-based Prof. Joseph Igietseme, an award winning scientist, objected to extra-judicial killing, he argued, “the baby gloves with which the Nigeria government and people are handling Boko Haram is mainly responsible for why the situation is still not under control.” According to him, “a bunch of mindless, rag-tag religionists cannot hold a nation to ransom and render citizens’ lives to standstill.”

FG, Czech Republic Partner On Technical Education NATIONAL HE Federal Ministry of Education, at the weekend, kick-started the process of cooperation with the Czech Government to develop the nation’s technical and vocational education when the Minister of State for Education, Ezenwo Nyesom Wike, met with officials of the Vitkovice Secondary School, Czech’s largest vocational institution. The meeting and a facility tour of the institution were held at the expansive school facility at Ostrava, about 400 kilometres away from Prague, the capital of Czech. The Federal Government’s delegation and the school administration deliberated on the implementation process of the collaboration on the promotion of technical and vocational education, fashioned out alongside the Czech Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport. Wike stated that Nigeria hopes to take advantage of the 180-year experience of the school in the use of technical and vocational education to develop the economy of the Czech national economy. He noted that the negotiations with the authorities of the Vitkovice Secondary School were fruitful, as the institution has excelled in linking graduands with relevant industries after training. “We are working towards a comprehensive overhaul of our technical and vocational schools, to ensure that they are relevant to our economy. We believe that the partnership we are forging with the Czech government will assist us achieve our goal. Our fundamental objective is to have a technical and vocational education that trains the youth in relevant trades that will make them self-reliant, and also equipped with the capacity to work in companies within their environment,” he said. Lubomir Gogela of the Vitkovice Secondary School told the delegation that the institution is prepared to put its 180-year expertise in technical and vocational education at the disposal of the Nigerian Ministry of Education, He stated that the school has developed pragmatic ways to impact technical and vocational education to improve the living condition of the youth.

THE GUARDIAN, Sunday, May 5, 2013

NEWSHIGHLIGHTS

Jonathan/Amaechi Rift: Rivers Assembly Meet Tomorrow From Kelvin Ebiri, Port Harcourt

EMBERS of Rivers State House of Assembly, which had adjourned sina die, are compelled by the serial political crises rocking the state to reconvene tomorrow just as the Police continue to siege to obio-Akpor Local Government Council secretariat. Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream), Dakuku Peterside, said the deployment of the Police to the council is a frank display of poor sense of judgment and flawed articulation of application of federal power.

Leader of the state legislature, Chidi Lloyd, revealed yesterday in Port Harcourt that lawmakers who through the speaker, otelemaba Dan Amachree, on Friday called on the Inspector General of Police to redeploy Rivers State Commissioner of Police Rivers State, Mr. Mbu J. Mbu, will meet tomorrow to deliberate on pressing issues affecting the state. Lloyd, who described the Police excuse that it stormed obio-Akpor secretariat to protect life and property, as laughable, wondered why the Rumuodumaya Divisional Police officer who he accused of acting a script asked the care-

NATIONAL taker committee of the council to vacate office. He said those bent on plunging the state into precarious political situation, are not merely after Chibuike Amaechi but want to gain unfretted access to power to enable them plunder the resources of the state, which the governor has refused to waste on them. When The Guardian visited the obio-Akpor secretariat, two police van blocked the main entrance while four others, including that of anti-terrorist squad, were parked

inside the secretariat complex. one of the policemen who spoke on ground of anonymity said they would remain at the council until they get directives from the state command to leave. The Speaker of the State Assembly, Amachree, has raised alarm that the democratic structures of the state are systematically collapsed with the intention of preparing for the declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers. Reacting to the situation, Dakuku said the Police siege at obio-Akpor makes it difficult for the Presidency to exonerate itself from the unfolding

Pini Jason, Renowned Columnist, Dies At 65 • Gov. Obi Mourns HIEF Pini Jason onyegC badue, a renowned newspaper columnist and journalist, is dead. onyegbadue (popularly called Pini Jason) died yesterday at a Lagos hospital after undergoing a surgery some days earlier. He was 65. Pini Jason was a long time columnist with vanguard but took a leave of absence in 2007 to work as Special Assistant (Special Duties) to former Gov. Ikedi ohakim of Imo State. He returned to writing following the end of ohakim’s administration in 2011. Gov. Peter obi of Anambra State, who spoke from the United States, said the death affected him personally. He described late onyegbadue as one of the finest journal-

ists who earned his living through hard work. He condoled with the Imo State Government, journalists and the onyegbadue family while praying God to grant the deceased eternal rest.

Schlumberger Partners Amnesty office From Ayoyinka Olagoke, Uyo HE Presidential Amnesty T Programme (PAP) has gone into a strategic partnership

President, United Nations Women (National Committee) in Canada, Ms. Almas Jiwani (left); Wife of Ogun State Governor, Mrs. Olufunso Amosun; and Partner/Consultant, ABN Global Events, Mr. Charles Chikezie, during the 2013 Distinguished Women Advancement Forum-Millennium Development Goals Award given to Mrs. Amosun for her projects anchored on the actualisation of MDGs in Johannesburg, South Africa...at the weekend.

Lamido Blames Ringim Attacks on Security Lapses From John Akubo, Dutse ovERNoR Sule Lamido of G Jigawa State has blamed the recent attacks by unknown gunmen in Ringim that claimed the lives of three police officers and two others on security lapses. The Governor, who cut short his annual leave returned to the State, on Wednesday night, and proceeded to Ringim, on Thursday morning, for an on the spot assessment of the incidence. Lamido promised to take up the issue of lack of adequate equipment, armoury and support for security with the President for possible solution. “obviously there were some lapses in the security arrangement, it is very clear. I will meet with the police and other security organisations to identify the lapses and forestall future occurrence.

JIGAWA “Above all the Nigerian Police is ill-equipped simple. The police is simply lacking in all the support equipment; armoury and, even, the normal commitment. There is no way the police could stand armed robbers, who come with more sophisticated weapons. There is no way this can happen because they are ill-equipped.” The Governor observed that the entire town supposed to have been cordoned off while the attacks lasted for about four hours, but because the police could not match their strength in terms of weapon they were unable to do that. It was even alleged that the police officers on duty virtually took to their heels when they knew their weapons were no match to that of their attackers. Some group of people have

continued to expressed dismay over the inadequacy of security in the country, despite the N1trillion budget for security by the Jonathan-led administration. The Governor also decried media reports, which distorted facts on the Ringim incidence, calling on the media to always crosscheck their facts before publishing, so, as not to cause more harm than the good they intend. Lamido said he would use the remaining five days of his leave in the State to confer with other stakeholders on how to overcome the situation, adding that it is an obligation for his government to ensure that the citizens of the State do not live in fear. The governor directed the Emirs to assemble all the Imams to embark on prayer session across the state for the hoodlums to be brought to

book. The Governor, who traveled to Saudi Arabia for the lesser hajj was billed to spend 11 days, but cut off his trip after six days the news of the incidence was broken to him. “The bank is a few kilometres away from the police headquarters, you could see the attacker came to get some arms and nothing serious was done there. I think they were scared when they saw the armoured vehicle in front of the former IG house, which made them to throw the bomb at it,” Lamido said. His word: “The entire purpose was to rob and that is why the media should endeavour to crosscheck their facts before going to press, because many of the stories were not true, adding that when this kind of robbery occur security was to Seal off the entire place, but you can do that if you are well equipped.”

with Schlumberger Limited to train some of its delegates in oil drilling engineering. Schlumberger is the world’s largest oilfield services company, with approximately 120,000 employees representing more than 140 nationalities and working in more than 85 countries. It has principal offices in Houston, Paris, and the Hague in The Netherlands. The first batch of 15 out of the 30 successful delegates was deployed on Friday to study Drilling Engineering at the Schlumberger Technologies, Melun in France. The training is expected to run for 42 weeks. At the pre-deployment orientation for the delegates in Abuja, the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta and Chairman, Presidential Amnesty Programme, Kingsley Kuku, charged the delegates to be good ambassadors of Nigeria in France. Kuku, who was represented by the Deputy Director (Procurement), Mr. Jaiyeola Tikolo, said the Amnesty office considers the training very important because of the pedigree and global status of the company. “Always remember where you are coming from. The Nigerian government through the amnesty programme has invested so much in you by

sponsoring your training. There is always a great reward for hard work. So you must be good ambassadors of your country,” Kuku admonished the delegates. Also speaking, a representative of Lagoon Global Services, an engaged vendor of the amnesty office, Bekewei Ajuwa, said the delegates were selected by Schlumberger staff, who came into the country to conduct a very rigorous selection test. He said 30 of them eventually made the shortlist out of the large number of candidates that undertook the test. According to Ajuwa, the selection process was very thorough and that the negotiation with the company lasted almost two years. “Considering what we went through to get this training programme endorsed by Schlumberger, I’m particularly happy that you are finally being deployed for training. I have no doubt in my mind that you will do well. Just remain focused because there are other challenges.” The Chief Security officer to the programme, Lt. Col. Ade Adekoya, while reeling out a code of conduct to the delegates, advised them to abide by the laws of the host country. “All forms of violence or disorderly conduct before, during or after your training are strictly prohibited. Anyone who engages in activities that affect the training of other delegates will be expelled from the programmes,” he said.

THE GUARDIAn, Sunday May 5, 2013

nEWS

nEWS Gov Fayemi names Olayinka’s Replacement From Muyiwa Adeyemi, Ado Ekiti n Ado Ekiti princess and Professor of Education from the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Mrs. Modupe Adelabu, has been nominated Deputy Governor of Ekiti State. The governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi, in a letter dated May 3, and addressed to Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Dr Adewale Omirin, requested the house to consider Prof. Adelabu to fill the vacant position following the death of Mrs. Funmilayo Olayinka. Prof Adelabu is currently Chairperson of the State’s Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB). Adelabu was Head of the Department of Education Administration and Planning of OAU before her appointment to her current position two years ago. Adelabu was born on May 23, 1950 to Prince and Mrs. Samuel Adepoju Adejugbe in

Minister of Trade and Investment, Dr Olusegun Aganga (left); Canadian Associate Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Peter Boehm; Vice President Namadi Sambo and President, Canadian Council on Africa, Mr Lucien Bradet, at the closing ceremony of Canada–Nigeria Investment Conference in Toronto, Canada… on Friday.

nigeria Will Join Top Eight Economies Soon, Says Okonjo-Iweala From Mathias Okwe (Assistant Business Editor, Abuja)

NATIONAL

MID growing concern over the feasibility of the Vision 2020:20, Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr. ngozi OkonjoIweala, says the country will join top biggest economies in no distant time. She anchored her claim on ongoing reforms across different

sectors of the economy. The minister said the country is already the best investment destination in Africa, the largest economy in West Africa and the second largest economy in the Continent with brightest prospects of outplaying South Africa to emerge the largest economy in the next five years. Iweala gave the highlights

last Friday in Abuja when she hosted Lord Mayor of the City of London, Mr. Roger Gifford, who led a delegation of visiting investors from London on a fact-finding mission. She said: “nigeria is now the best investment destination in Africa. With a foreign reserve of nearly 50 billion dollars, stable exchange rate, strong banking sector and massive human/natural re-

UnFPA, ICM Seek Support For Midwives By Kamal Tayo Oropo

S the world celebrates A the International Day of Midwifery, the United nations Population Fund (UnFPA) and the International Conference of Midwives (ICM) have commended the role midwives towards efforts to reduce maternal mortality rate. In a joint statement ahead of today’s commemorative event holding in Abuja, the two organisations said with adequate equipment, skills and support, midwives can make a huge difference in the success or failure of the battle against maternal mortality. “On this International Day of the Midwife, UnFPA and

ICM celebrate the work of midwives in contributing to the miracle of birth and for the myriad other things they do every day to contribute to the wellbeing of mothers and children around the world. The tireless work of midwives is also a crucial step towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 4 and 5, targets A and B, by 2015 and beyond.” They noted. The national association of nurses and midwives is usually the convener of the commemoration of the global event in nigeria. However, the rift in an attempt by midwives to break away and from association with nurses led to a delay of this year’s

edition. This year’s global theme is The World Needs Midwives Now More Than Ever. “Economic differences, inequalities in countries and inaccessibility of services in some areas contribute to a shortage of some 350,000 midwives at a time when the world needs then more than ever,” regretted UnFPA and ICM. They encouraged “all nations to work together to address the inequalities and inaccessibility of midwifery services. We encourage them to support quality training, innovative technologies and provide enabling environment for midwives to match the vital role they play in communities.”

sources, nigeria has become one of the most attractive investment destinations in the w o r l d . “nigeria is currently the largest economy in West Africa, second largest in Africa with potential to become the largest in the next five years. nigeria has succeeded in bringing down inflationary rate to a single digit of 8.6 per cent; it enjoys a stable exchange rate. “The government has made frantic efforts to reduce infrastructural problems that were inherited from past administrations. The government is partnering with

China to revive the rail sector and rehabilitate roads to ease movement of goods. “The power problem will soon be a thing of the past, as government has taken a bold step to privatise the power sector, which has almost been completed. There is serious re-modeling of the country’s airports to meet international standards. “Due to past experiences, nigeria is now allergic to borrowing, and has also reduced its domestic debt to 19 per cent and external debt to two per cent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

Women For Africa Honours Odumakin, Erewa, Others By Tunde Akinola OMEn for Africa, a nonW governmental organisation (nGO) based in London will honour Dr. Joe OkeiOdumakin, Abike DabiriErewa and other women from over 15 African countries at its 2nd Annual Women for Africa Awards holding on May 18 in London, the United Kingdom. In a statement, founder of the organisation, Sam Onigbanjo revealed that this year’s award is focused on honouring the achieve-

INTERNATIONAL ments of “amazing” women the continent of Africa has p r o d u c e d . “Women for Africa will also be recognising some outstanding women for their contributions and achievements. Some of the women to be awarded and recognised include first female disabled radio broadcaster in Zimbabwe, Soneni Gwizi and founder of Mineke Foundation in Liberia, Tonia Dabwe.”

EFCC Arraigns Kebbi Officials Over n64m Fraud By Bertram Nwannekanma HE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned a director of Kebbi state Ministry of Finance, Yahyah Saidu Andarai, and one Farouk Abubaka Uduli for allegedly stealing the sum of n64 million belonging to the Coscharis Motors Ltd. The suspects were ar-

raigned before Justice Adeniyi Onigbanjo of an Ikeja High Court, Lagos on a 27-count charge of conspiracy, fraud and stealing. According to the charge filed by EFCC, the defendants were said to have converted the amount being proceed of AX motorcycle property of Coscharis Motors entrusted to them on behalf of Jega national

KEBBI Union Local Government Employees of Kebbi State to personal use. While Uduli (the second defendant), was charged with two-count charge, the first was charged with all 27-count charge. The offence, EFCC counsel, Oluwabumi Abosede,

said was committed between August 26, 2009 and August 2, 2012, in MazaMaza area of Lagos. According to her, the first defendant had sometime in August 2010 stole 20 units of Ax motorcycle valued at n2.2million The anti-graft agency also said the second defendant had on August 26, 2009, with intent to defraud, con-

verted to his use the sum of n17 entrusted to them by the Jega national Union of Local Government Employees of Kebbi State. According to the EFCC, the offence committed contravened Section 309 Cap two laws of Lagos State. The defendants, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges read to them by the court registrar.

ADO EKITI Ado Ekiti. She attended Christ’s School, Ado-Ekiti (1962 - 1967) and Olivet Baptist High School, Oyo (1968 1970). She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Education (1975); MPhil (1981); and PhD (1990), all from OAU. She started her teaching career as a Graduate Assistant in 1976 in the Department of Educational Administration and Planning, where she rose to the post of professor in 2008. She served as Head of the Department of Educational Administration several times and as external examiner to other universities, including University of Ibadan, University of Lagos; University of Ilorin and Ekiti State University. She has served as Council Member of the national Teachers’ Institute (20012003), Council Member, Christ International Divinity College (an affiliate of Acadia University Canada); Member of Planning and Implementation Committee Joseph Ayo Babalola University and member of Council Joseph Ayo Babalola University. She was also a foundation member of Board, Ekiti State World Bank Assisted Poverty Reduction Agency and member of Oxford Round Table.

‘Transparency, Corporate Governance, Key To Investment Growth’ RAnSPAREnCY and adherT ence to corporate governance in business have been described as key to increased investments. This position was, at the weekend, expressed by Seplat Petroleum Development Company Limited, an indigenous operator in the oil and gas industry. Chairman of the company, Dr ABC Orjiakor, who contributed to the discussion on “Investor Risk in West Africa” during a Breakfast Session convened by FTI consulting in London Friday, noted that the success of the ongoing divestment by International Oil Companies (IOCs) is predicated on transparency and adherence to corporate governance principles. This oil divestment, he said, has led to a lot of investment in the country with a lot of local banks playing active roles in providing financing support. “The situation has also created new opportunities for companies like Seplat,” Orjiakor said. According to him, “when we speak about transparency and corporate governance in nigeria, we should look from two perspectives: the previous period when the government did not play an active part in encouraging transparency and the current dispensation where the government is actively promoting the entrenchment of global best practices and the rule of law by tackling bribery and corruption and encouraging corporate governance best practices in corporate nigeria.” Making a connection be-

TheGuardian

Sunday, May 5, 2013

Conscience, Nurtured by Truth

Cityfile UN Road Safety Week:

Lagosians Want More Footbridges, Zebra Crossing By Tope Templer Olaiya, Assistant Lagos City Editor HE Second United Nations (UN) Global Road Safety Week, which begins from tomorrow to May 12, is dedicated to pedestrian safety. The week seeks to draw attention to the urgent need to better protect pedestrians worldwide, generate action on the measures needed to do so, and contribute to achieving the goal of the Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011-2020, targeted at saving five million lives. The short-term goal of the week is to ensure a fatality-free week, which is a significant contribution towards making walking safe for all. More than 5,000 pedestrians are killed on the world’s roads each week and this awareness week is to prevent even a single pedestrian fatality from May 6 to 12. In Lagos, there has been renewed clamour for more pedestrian bridges and zebra crossing in all the major highways in the state. There are, however, simple actions that could be taken to advance the week and save the lives of pedestrians. With the support of technical experts, the following interventions could be initiated in communities around the world in the hope of making the week fatality free: raising awareness of existing traffic laws on speeding, drinking and driving, distracted driving and walking, and pedestrian-right-of way. Others are increasing enforcement of the above traffic laws; making “quick wins” to improve road infrastructure; improving lighting around facilities used by pedestrians; removing objects from streets, which block facilities used by pedestrians; improving the safety of routes to and from schools and in school zones;

and enhancing the visibility of pedestrians by encouraging the use of reflective materials. The long-term campaign goal, which seeks to make a significant and long-lasting contribution towards making walking safe for the world’s pedestrians, could be achieved through a number of measures. Though not an exhaustive list, some of the measures which could be put in place over the long-term include: installing and/or upgrading crosswalks, sidewalks, overpasses, underpasses, raised medians, and road signs and signals; lowering ve-

hicle speed limits and otherwise “calming” streets with speed bumps, rumble strips and chicanes; developing and enforcing new and existing traffic laws on speeding, drinking and driving, distracted driving and walking, and pedestrian-right-of way. Others are restricting or diverting vehicles from pedestrian zones; establishing and ensuring vehicle safety standards, which protect pedestrians; improving mass transit route design; organizing and/or further enhancing trauma care systems and timely rehabilitation services; and providing education and training to all road users and the public generally.

Cluster Communities On Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway Plead For Pedestrian Bridges

pedestrian bridges – at Oshodi and Ikeja Along. It is commonplace to see large crowd of pedesHE menace of incessant killing of pedestritrians bumping into each other in the attempt ans attempting to cross the highway at ma- to dash across the express, a situation which jor bus stops in Lagos is startling. The area most times leads to injuries and death. with the highest casualty rate is the LagosAlong the expressway, there is need for over 20 Abeokuta expressway; a long stretch of road cov- pedestrian bridges though about 12 bus stops ering several densely populated communities. are considered extremely dangerous areas with From Oshodi through Mongoro, Cement, densely populated neighbourhoods. These inIyana-Ipaja, Ile-Epo/Oja, Abule-Egba, Ijaiye, clude Mongoro, Cement, Iyana-Ipaja, AbuleSango, Ifo to Ita-Oshin in Abeokuta, the Ogun Egba, Ahmadiyya, Ijaiye, Meiran, Ajegunle, State capital, there are only two functional Toll-gate, Dalemo, Joju and Ifo.

By Gbenga Akinfenwa

There is, however, a pedestrian crossing at Ladipo bus stop, which is ineffective due to the traffic light at the junctions. Pedestrians have to wait until motorists plying the highway are stopped before attempting to cross in between cars joining the express from Mafoluku Oshodi. A combination of traffic congestion during peak periods and potholes at some spots has come to the rescue of pedestrians; while on the other hand, over-speeding drivers have dealt a fatal blow to others. The casualty rate was even

worse before the restriction of motorcycles on the expressway by the Lagos State government. One of the reasons given by government officials is that the master plan of the road is lacking in the provision of pedestrian bridges. Another reason offered is that the road was designed and constructed at a time there were no cluster towns along the expressway. A recent incident was the pathetic killing of nine students of Itori Comprehensive High School, who were returning from school. The Lagos bound tipper-lorry that was descending the slope at Itori lost control and poured its content on the students who were walking along the median to cross to the other side. Also in Ifo, a middle-aged woman, who just got the news on phone that her mother had died, was killed instantly by a fasting-moving vehicle while crossing the road. Cases abound of terrible accidents at Pleasure, Ijaiye, Meiran, Cement and Mongoro. Mongoro seems to be the worst hit with residents recording casualties every week. Community leaders in the area have on end sought government’s intervention to end the carnage by constructing a pedestrian bridge for the community. What the community thought was succour came its way last year when some welders and construction experts began the casting of a mighty iron rod, which gladdened the heart of residents. They gave the workers water, food and other gifts to hasten the job, but it dawned on them later too late that the welders were working on a billboard, which was erected across the road. Mr. Tunde Sanyaolu, a resident, said the provision of bridges for pedestrians is long overdue, considering the number of lives lost on the road. He noted that though RoadSafe, a body of road safety experts, believes that eliminating excessive speed will save lives, government should act on time to save the lives of pedestrians. Taiwo Oshuntoki, a student, said the job is not ended with the construction of pedestrian bridge. “Due to the volatility of the area, a barrier should be erected between the lanes to prevent people from crossing, as observed in areas

THE GUARDIAN, Sunday, May 5, 2013

CITYFILE

Why Pedestrians Shun Footbridges vide a safer structure before ordering people to use them. Any time I go through Fadeyi, I cross the highway because I cannot get myself to climb the footbridge and have one’s heart in one’s mouth,” he said. Some people also complain that the footbridges are not convenient for the elderly, physically challenged individuals and pregnant women as the steps are too steep and dangerous. According to Jacob Taiwo, a security officer at the Onipanu Bridge, “our duty is to ensure free movement and security of pedestrians on the bridge. Before the reconstruction of the bridge, there used to be street trading here and people were robbed at nights by hoodlums, but all that has reduced because there is light at night and people can see and recognise themselves easily.” On the street trading, he said, “though some people are insistent on trading on the bridge but because we are here, they are prevented from doing so. If you go to the Fadeyi bridge, the street trading is still going on but I believe when the new bridge that is under construction is completed it will stop, as there will be security on the bridge like we have here.” His job includes but not restricted to the general security of the bridge and assisting some of the aged, especially women, who most time times after climbing the bridge, always feel tired and often ask for water. “Some even collapse and we immediately alert the state mobile ambulance service (LASEMBUS). “Since I resumed duty at the bridge, there has never been any case of robbery or people sleeping on the bridge at night. People usually complain that the bridge is too high, so they prefer running across the express instead of climbing the bridge. “There are instances where defaulters try to overpower the KAI officials because they are not armed and are usually not more than two at each bus stop. At a time, officers from Onipanu Police station and LASTMA officials joined the KAI men to arrest defaulters but stopped after a while.” The Guardian’s checks also revealed that destitute children and beggars have turned the bridges to their haven. The sanitary condition of some of the bridges is an eyesore that keeps users away; though some physically challenged individuals make the effort to keep it clean while soliciting for alms.

By Gbenga Akinfenwa, Daniel Anazia and Paul Adunwoke HE animal spirits — disobedience — are increasingly migrating among Nigerians. It is now more a burden to do the right thing than wrong ones, especially on major highways. Don’t expect the average Nigerian to do the right thing here, as the spirit of disobedience has taken over many. In spite of the campaign for more pedestrian bridges on major highways in Lagos, The Guardian’s checks have revealed that many of the existing footbridges in the state are underu t i l i s e d . It was discovered that despite efforts by Lagos State government to rehabilitate defective footbridges and equip them with covering for the comfort of pedestrians, some people still prefer to endanger their lives by making quick dashes across the highway. This ugly trend is so rife in places such as Oshodi, Cele Express, Orile, Anthony, Obanikoro, Ojota and 7&8 bus stops that you wonder whether fines often imposed by the government agency responsible for enforcing order on the highway are not just mere token that should be made stiffer. An eyewitness to an accident in Mafoluku Junction, Oshodi, in a fit of anger, shouted recently: “Why are Nigerians a difficult people to please? Why would people shun pedestrian bridges that are meant to provide safe means for crossing the highways?” According to him, “it gives me concern when I see people dashing across the highway, when they are aware that there are a large number of reckless drivers in Lagos.” He told The Guardian of a recent incident, when a man, who just arrived Lagos with his wife from Ibadan, Oyo State, in the process of crossing the road at Ojota, was crushed to death by a fast moving vehicle. “The driver didn’t even stop to check his victim,” he said. “You can imagine the agony such a death has put on this family.” But Oladele Ekundayo, a commercial bus driver, puts the blame on the authorities. According to him, “if you observe properly, touts and street urchins have made the public utility their resting place. But beyond resting here, they unsuspectingly pick pockets and rob users of valuables, so, in that case, what do you expect people to do?” He also pointed out that in Lagos, pedestrian bridges have become a mini market square for brisk trading, ranging from household utensils to food items, usually sold at cheaper prices. At Orile, where the bridges are relatively strong and sturdy, they have been turned into markets, where traders display their wares indiscriminately. At CMS, where barriers were erected on the highway to compel the use of the bridge, there is hardly a space to walk on the bridge as petty goods vendors, trading in all kinds of wares, including biros, shoes, fairly used clothes, bags, belts etc have taken over the space meant for pedestrians. Ekundayo said, “the display of wares by traders leaves narrow spaces for pedestrians, which forms a long queue of users from both end of the bridge colliding with each other, hence the reason some people prefer to shun the bridge.” He continued, “one reason traders are attracted to the bridge is the prospect of getting patronage from passers-by, who may not have the time to go to conventional markets.” In this regard, Ekundayo wants the authorities to make sure that bridges are rid of people who constitute nuisance on the bridge. The Guardian also gathered that some other reasons include indiscipline of law enforcement agents, who are quick to release offenders who violate the law after taking bribe. Some others look out for the Kick Against In-

HERE is the joke in town about the T cautious use of zebra crossing by Lagosians. Some have advised pedes-

discipline (KAI) officials and not seeing any trace of them, make the quick dash at the expense of their lives. At Ojota, where enforcement is strict, one of the residents, Patrick Ogah, said he is encouraged to use the bridge because of the presence of KAI officials. “I know it is dangerous to run across the road, but we have mastered the art of me-

andering through the traffic. The KAI officers used to arrest us but now we move far away from them before crossing the road,” he said. A pedestrian at Fadeyi, Thomas Okoro, disclosed that the major reason people shun these bridges is because they pose more danger than what would have happened when they cross the high-

way. “Many of them are dilapidated and have become death traps. If you have been on any of these bridges on Ikorodu Road, especially the rusty iron bridge at Fadeyi, you will stop blaming people for not using them. “How do they want us to use the bridge when they are not safe? It is the responsibility of government to pro-

trians not to take the zebra crossing seriously because most motorists in the state mistake the markings for Tom-Tom adverts. However, it is not all gloom in the city, as there exist modern footbridges with concrete culverts, durable aluminum sun shields, good lighting to illuminate the bridge even at night and staircases that are not so steep. Many of them are also manned by security attached to private security firms. A civil servant, Bamidele Joshua, said indiscipline was responsible for the problem of people shunning the use of pedestrian bridges, as people have apathy for respecting rules and regulations, especially traffic laws. “People have decided not to use the bridges, though some of them are not in good condition. Government spent money to build them, yet people chose to cross the highways. If we must have the Nigeria of our dream, we must individually be disciplined, while government does its job of keeping public utilities well maintained,” he noted. Even in the face of these new developments, there is a general observation that the bridges are not enough for a growing megacity like Lagos. The pedestrian bridges are built very far from one another; thereby forcing pedestrians to either trek long distances or cross the highway.

THE GUARDIAN, Sunday, May 5, 2013

CITYFILE

Ojodu Berger… In Earnest Need Of A Pedestrian Bridge

A physically-challenged boy crossing the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway... last week. trian bridge at the spot. By Oluwakemi Ajani Berger bus stop, located in Ojodu Local CounCCIDENTS and deaths on a busy highway cil Development Area (LCDA), is the borderline like the Lagos-Ibadan road is not an un- between Lagos and Ogun states and serves as a common sight, but many of such inci- port to different destinations in the country, dents are avoidable, especially death and while it is the first bus stop to those coming injuries resulting from a on pedestrian’s at- from outside the state. tempt to cross the express. But as important as Ojodu Berger is to comOnly recently, four people died as they made mercial activities in the state, Berger-Oke, the to cross to the other side of the road at Ojodu- bus stop on the Lagos-Ibadan expressway, Berger bus stop. According to an eyewitness, which is a federal road, lacks a pedestrian some pedestrians were coming from work in bridge. Thousands of travelers and residents, inthe evening and had misjudged the speed of a cluding school children, cross the road daily to vehicle on the last lane coming from Ketu. reach their destinations. The driver, who saw the pedestrians so late, Constructed during the military administrain the bid to avoid crushing them, swerved off tion of General Olusegun Obasanjo, it is one of the road to hit those standing at the bus stop, the busiest roads in the country. Several atwaiting to cross the express. Unfortunately, tempts to redesign and rehabilitate the road in they all died on the spot. recent times have been stalemated. The incident is just one of many cases in With no other alternative than dashing across which pedestrians have been knocked down the road, it has become a game of chance for by vehicles as a result of the absence of pedes- pedestrians, some of who make the sign of the

cross and literally cross the six-lane road with their hearts in their mouth. Many people have died while trying to cross the road, while some lucky victims are still alive, though with some form of disability. Due to motorists slowing down for pedestrians, there is usually traffic logjam at Berger for those heading towards Ibadan, which most times, builds up to Motorways at Seven-Up, Ojota. From Ketu to Berger, motorists spend several hours in the traffic caused by the slow movement of vehicles waiting for pedestrians. Also, commercial buses have formed the habit of dropping off passengers in the middle of the road, which compounds the traffic. While narrating their experience on the highway, some pedestrians who spoke to The Guardian described the situation as suicidal and want something done quickly to avert further deaths. While stressing the need for a pedestrian bridge, a trader at the bus stop said: “I have wit-

PHOTO: AYODELE ADENIRAN nessed many accidents on this road and have lost count of people who have met their untimely death while crossing. Many others have sustained serious injuries. It has become imperative for government to construct a bridge here because of the number of people that use the road daily.” ITH the daily influx of migrants to the growW ing communities on the Lagos-Ibadan expressway, especially Mowe and Ibafo, it has become a necessity for pedestrian bridges to be sited in the areas. A resident of Mowe, Mrs. Yetunde Oyebode, has appealed to the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), owner of the popular Redemption Camp along the express, to construct a pedestrian bridge close to the camp where worshippers alighting from commercial and private vehicles can safely cross the road without endangering their lives or obstructing the free flow of traffic during their monthly pro-

... Ladipo Traders Also Demand For One At Toyota Bus-stop Plateau Seeks Lagos Expertise On By Paul Adunwoke OLLOWING repeated incidents of hit and run at the Toyota bus stop on ApapaOshodi Expressway, traders at the Ladipo Auto Spare Parts Market in Mushin have appealed to both the state and federal governments to provide a pedestrian bridge for road users. Toyota bus stop is usually

crowded because of traders and patrons of the largest automobile spare parts mart in the country, who daily visits the area except on Sundays. Traders have on numerous occasions drawn the attention of the state to the danger faced by pedestrians crossing the expressway. President-general of Ladipo Central Executive Auto Dealer Association, Comrade Ikechukwu Animalu, said: “We are appealing

to Lagos State governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola to come to our aid because our members are dying every day. “Just two days ago, eight persons died crossing the road. I believe a pedestrian bridge here is the lasting solution to this unfortunate incidents. We have on countless occasions brought this to the attention of the state government and we will not

get tired of reminding them until the bridge is constructed.” Animalu also urged traders to comply with the rules guiding the market to avoid another closure by the state government. “My second appeal is to our members. We don’t want another situation that would warrant the government closing down this place. “To avert this, we have instructed our taskforce to arrest anybody caught transacting business by the roadside or anybody parking illegally on the roadside,” he added. The market leader is also worried that some sections of the Aguiyi Ironsi wing of the market, especially the International Market, has remained shut since the closure of the general market two months ago. President emeritus of the association, Mr. Humphrey Obiwulu, said Toyota bus stop is main entrance into the market, signifying the huge importance of having a pedestrian bridge. A trader, Akinjide Mathew, said the footbridge at Five Star bus stop, about three kilometers to Toyota, though accessible, is far away from the market. Pedestrians have the choice of trekking long distances to the market or taking a risk at crossing the road at

Transportation Management By Kamal Tayo Oropo N its bid to improve transportation sector in the state through its newly created transport ministry, the Plateau State government has appealed to the Lagos State government to help train its officials on vibrant and efficient transportation management. Speaking during the week when they visited Lagos State Transport Ministry, in Ikeja, and Lagos Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) Headquarters in Oshodi, the Plateau State Commissioner for Transportation, Mr. Ghamzaki AbdulHamid, who led the delegation, said the state is looking beyond the party politics to emulate the giant strides recorded by the Lagos state government in transportation policy implementation and management. Abdul-Hamid added that Plateau State Government is interested in efficient management and performance as demonstrated by the state transportation agencies, saying people of Plateau are ready to adopt strategy of Lagos transportation sector like Osun, Ogun, Edo and Ekiti states. He said: “Our visit to the Lagos State ministry of Transport and relevant agencies is as result of the newly created ministry of transport in Plateau State. We

are on the fact-finding mission on the template of the Lagos transportation sector, which is worthy of emulation. Lagos State Government is the only state government that has really performed in term transportation and policy implementation. “Lagos is worthy of emulation nationwide, there initiatives ought to be extended to all the state of the federation. In term of performance we keep party differences aside, our visit is informed by the focus of our governor which is to develop the state‘s transportation sector. So, without minding politics, we are after performance, we are here to learn from Lagos State. It is not party affairs but to under study implementation.” Responding the LASTMA General Manager, Engr Babatunde Edu who received the delegation in LASTMA head office, expressed the readiness of the State government to partner and assist any state government, saying it is the goal of the Lagos State is to ensure safe transportation system anywhere in the country. Edu, however lamented what he called the carefree attitude of motorists and other road users in the country, stressing that many flout the traffic laws without regard to other road users.

THE GUARDIAN, Sunday May 5, 2013

Backlash Abraham Ogbodo

08055328079 (Sms only) abogbodo@yahoo.com

When I Become President HIS sounds too dangerous to be left hanging. himself and climb the presidential chair. There T We all know why Governor Rotimi Amaechi of are also times, when the presidency is reduced to Rivers State is today sleeping with both eyes a casino centre where luck, rather than skills is open. A once proud private jet owner has been cruelly reduced to a common passenger on Arik Air flight all because he got too excited and said something that sounded close to applying for President Goodluck Jonathan’s job in 2015. If you ask my opinion, I will say he was reckless and did not show enough presence of mind and political sagacity. Even in job searching, there is due process. The job has to be available first before applications are invited from prospective candidates. Nobody is ever asked to apply for a position that has not been declared vacant. Accenture and all the top recruitment and management consultants in the world will confirm this. And so, before someone somewhere whispers dangerously into the ears of Mr. President, I want to unequivocally clear the air. Mine is just a mere aspiration without a definite time frame. It has nothing, I repeat, NOTHING to do with 2015. I will wait patiently till Jonathan is done with his tenancy agreement in Aso Rock Villa. I am not in a hurry. As a matter of fact, I have just read somewhere in the 1999 Constitution that as a free citizen of Nigeria, part of my inalienable rights, the type activist lawyers call fundamental human rights, is freedom to dream big and long lasting dreams. It is on the basis of this that I am planning to become the president of Nigeria. As you all know, our democracy does not run on a smooth path. There are too many studs on the pathway and so I have decided to keep tightly to my chest the exact year that I will roll out the drums to campaign. I want all this noise about 2015 to dissipate because I do not want anybody to ground my tokunbo car on account of my ambition to become president. I have discovered that people do not prepare for the presidency. This is not healthy at all. Sometimes, a man is conscripted straight from the prison or farmhouse into the high office. Other times, a man whose ambition is to quietly retire as the governor of a state is forced to over reach HE death, eulogies and burial rendered in T honour of the departed deputy governor of Ekiti State, Olufunmilayo Olayinka exposed certain aspects of Nigeria’s political system that deserve prying into, and perhaps, one or two lessons could be drawn therefrom. Amid the sobs and outpourings were some details that might have passed as footnotes to the larger ceremony, but because there should be no end to learning, this narrative has decided to recall some of these and place same against the larger political picture, for analysts to contemplate. Many elegies were written, in prose and verse, and they were all good. But I decided to pick just two, which were those written by Governor Kayode Fayemi and his wife, the First Lady, Erelu Bisi, for this discourse. I find it instructive, that the governor and his wife, in the midst of crying and fixing the ceremonies were able to write two detailed, but separate recollections about the woman they worked and related with between 2007 and 2013. The two pieces were distinctly separate, but they connected so easily at critical junctions of fact and history. Erelu’s only added more details, just in the effeminate manner. The fact that those two pieces were written at all is to me, a testimony of a working relationship that went beyond the ordinary, in this same country where governors are in a hurry to offload their deputies. It was not just politics, but the blending of two, no three soul mates that did not see the game as an end, but a means to purse the most essential goal of humanity, sharing love. In his search for a deputy to work with in 2007, Fayemi had latitude to look for someone he could work with, without some persons breathing menacingly down his neck. There were suggestions though, but the core of the business was his, to sort out a deputy with whom he could blend. Now that is strange. The impressions we have had since 1999 is that deputies are imposed, if not by some godfather, then by some weird processes, like arrangee marriages, no blending, no bonding; just two strange individuals struggling to patch up a make believe relationship. That did not happen between Fayemi and his late deputy. Two, three previous attempts by him to find a deputy had been fruitless, because the first two people approached had rejected the offer. How curious; that in this same clime, some persons still reject such offers. We didn’t have the details of why those two declined, maybe out of fear, because of the unfriendly political atmosphere in

the determinant. You don’t do things the same way and expect different results. The presidency is too important a business to be operated on adhoc basis or run like a national lottery programme. This is why I want to start preparations well ahead my election so that I will hit the ground running as soon I am sworn-in as president by the Chief Justice of the Federation. I don’t mean Justice Aloma Mariam Muktar. Sorry, I have to constantly draw attention to the fact that mine is a long term vision so that I don’t run into trouble. Instead of activating your hopes with promises of what I will do when I become president, I think it is much safer to stick, for now, to the things that I will not do. For instance, on the economy, I will not go to the Breton Institutions to source a sophisticated finance and co-ordinating minister of the economy, whose only path to economic growth and prosperity is removal of fuel subsidy and who will coordinate the economy entirely on the principle of demand and supply, without any allowance for social responsibility. Instead, I will look diligently around in Ariaria market Aba, Onitsha main market or Idumota market Lagos, for one with a lot of street wisdom, who understands the correlation between subsidy removal and the cost of a tuber of yam or a measure of amala. I will disappoint my best friend, Eddy Odivwri, who will be hoping to be appointed Chief Of Staff in the presidency. He is too familiar and too close to be competent. If he refuses to take ‘no’ for an answer and keeps pestering me like a gadfly, I will cause a federal university to be established in my village and then appoint him a super registrar with powers to sack the vice chancellor and the governing council if he likes. To further pacify him, I will ask my wife to step down for his wife for the position of permanent secretary in the Delta State civil service. By this time of my presidency, 67-year old uncle Richard Iyasere will have advanced to a loqua-

cious octogenarian and an elder statesman who will be abusing anybody that runs uncomplimentary commentary on my administration. But I promise one thing, I will do everything within my presidential powers to contain him within reasonable limits so that he does not say things that will increase my task of governing Nigeria with all its complexities. More importantly, I will not want the Urhobo to see my presidency as their turn to have unhindered access into the so-called national cake. Consequently, I will call a meeting of stakeholders including kings of the 23 kingdoms in Urhobo land to clearly state the point that mine is not an ethnic heritage and I will vehemently resist any attempt to make the Aso Rock Villa the 24th kingdom of Urhobo land. Definitely, I will come under tremendous pressure to appoint an Urhobo man or woman as petroleum minister because that is where the action lies. I will oblige, but on the condition that the right candidate is sourced and presented for the job. I will be most careful so that nobody confuses me with good looks to make him or her permanent minister of petroleum resources. That ministry is too strategic for a try-your-luck game. For instance, the would-be petroleum minister must know enough to catch oil subsidy thieves without recourse to endless committees and the services of consultants. On security, there is nothing serious to say for now, except to note that things will have hopefully normalised before my ascendancy. But if for any reason, the bombings, shootings and killings continue, I will come out most decisively against the perpetrators of these acts of violence. Governors of the affected states should be warned well ahead that I will not declare a half-hearted emergency rule in some 10 or 15 wards and local government areas and then go to sleep hoping for miracles to happen. I will invoke my powers under Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution to proclaim a complete state of emergency and sack governors of the affected states. I will be most hard, but if it becomes necessary along the line to soft pedal and offer amnesty, I will ensure that only human beings excluding ghosts are forgiven. In fact, I will set up a committee of witch doctors to apply magical powers to separate ghosts from human beings and prevent the former from benefiting from the amnesty package. All my uncles, aunties, mentors, etc should begin taking lessons on good citizenship. It is a new dawn and they do not have any option than to be of good character. In fact, they should be exemplary if they genuinely wish to enjoy my presidency. I am saying this because, if in the course of my presidency any of them falls short of the law and becomes an ex-convict, I am not going to be generous with the prerogative of mercy as others before me and grant the much-needed presidential pardon. I mean, if a man or woman hides

SUNDAY NARRATIVE Alabi Williams williams.alabi@ngrguardiannews.com 08116759790 (Sms only)

Recent Lessons From Ekiti Ekiti then, or the feeling that they could be tasked with the burden of campaign funds. All the same, it is still an issue; that persons still show restraint when they are tempted with the possibility of political office, whether out of fear or modesty. Now, going to meet his would be deputy for the first time, for Fayemi was like going out on a first date. He had seen her bio and he was impressed. When he saw her, he wasn’t disappointed by her looks and manners. And you know what, she gave him tough time. Mrs. Olayinka did not jump at the offer. She consulted, because she wasn’t just looking for a job. She had a good banking job and the last thing on her mind, apparently, was to go and saddle herself with some political troublemakers uptown. Fayemi literally pleaded, because he saw what she had, intellect, beauty and manners. Just take a moment and compare that with the manner Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State and his ‘divorced’ deputy, Jude Agbaso met, at some strange and weird political meeting. The former deputy was said to have been used as a bargaining chip, by the elder (Martins) Agbaso and his camp to give Okorocha some leverage in Imo’s fluid politics. Having achieved result and finding no further use for the deputy, Okorocha worked swiftly to offload Agbaso, before he becomes a burden in 2015, when another round of bargains will begin. The man was accused of demanding bribe, but instead of asking the EFCC to professionally bring him to account, a more politically convenient way of discharging him was procured, using the House of Assembly. The man was impeached, a euphemism for giving a dog a bad name and hanging it quickly. Or, have we forgotten how former governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu liquidated his former deputy, Kofoworola Bucknor, who according to political history, was imposed on him by some elders in the former Afenifere politburo? The tough woman was disarmed and she went home

sulking and took her political wares to market elsewhere. She is now in the PDP. We also cannot forget the fate of Eyinaya Abaribe, sound and well-educated former deputy governor of Abia State. Orji Uzor Kalu, his former principal suffocated him out of office, for no serious offence other than intolerance. So far, 13 deputy governors have been prematurely discharged ignominiously since 1999, for no serious offence. There is no respect for the office and those who often agree to serve in that position do not also wait to count the cost. Mrs. Olayinka counted the cost. She didn’t just want to go and serve in the manner of the average politician. I’m sure she finally agreed to serve because of the calibre of the person who asked her to join him. She saw a man who embodies the details of nobility and gentility, not a principal who would lock her office and throw the key into some obscure river and ask security details to embarrass her. She deserved respect and love; she searched through the man who offered her a job and she was convinced. She couldn’t have been disappointed and that was what we all saw, for two weeks, the state was shut down, the tears flowed and her memory was engraved in hearts. Politics and humanity can blend; after all, there is enough for all. Another aspect of the lesson is that a deputy governor is indeed, a good spare tyre. It is not derogatory, except for those who are wicked and misguided. No reasonable motorist would handle his vehicle’s spare tyre with levity, because those who do are often stranded where and when it hurts most. Some governors are not fair to their deputies; they handle them roughly. Some aides and cabinet members also do not have high regards for deputies, because they do not sign the cheques. But one day in the affairs of men, the deputy who is lowly and scorned could get elevated to

under my relationship with him or her to make corruption a second nature, he or she will be thoroughly disappointed because I will step aside like former President Ibrahim Babangida and allow the law to run its course. I will resist the temptation of inventing a slogan for my presidency. The variables are just too difficult to be pre-determined. The drumbeats will dictate the dance steps when the actual show begins. And so, whether I adopt a Seven-Point Agenda or a Transformational Agenda, the things I will find on ground upon my inauguration will draw up the best agenda. However, if you insist I say something on agenda, I can tell you right away that I will prosecute a WORKABLE AGENDA when I become president. It simply means, you get what you see and not what is expected. That way, the content of unfulfilled promises regarding steady electricity supply, good roads, improved education and healthcare, security of lives and property and even the over promoted Vision 20:20 20, will be kept minimal. I will also source for a less garrulous information minister who will speak less from his head or imagination and more from government’s achievements that are on ground. I do not know what the National Assembly is planning to do with the tenure of the president and governors as it sets to amend the 1999 Constitution. If however the two terms of four years apiece stay as against the proposal to make it a single tenure of six years, I will play my re-election politics without blemish. I will clinically handle matters at the grassroots. For example, I will cause key politicians from the South-south geo-political zone to undergo a loyalty test to select would-be governors who will not turn against me midstream. I will engage pastors and even witch doctors to administer oaths of allegiance. Having said that, I also think what is more important is the realisation that as president, I am automatically larger than my small world. I will make the governors especially those from the South-south geo-political zone my foot soldiers in the task of engaging the larger polity. Everybody will understand his or her place in the scheme and there will be no reason for the commander in chief to contest limelight with his soldiers. In other words, I will strive to lift myself to the station of the Biblical Roman centurion who says to one, come, and he comes, and to another, go, and he goes. If however one or two choose to breach the established protocol and invite me to a wrestling match, I will not hesitate to wield the big stick. We all know that the kite loses its predatory status when it fails to catch chicken. Do not be frightened. My authority will not flow from coercion or brute force, but an understanding on the part of the followership that there is no better way outside the path of the leader.

the position of a front tyre. This is no fable. Goodluck Jonathan was a vice president and a lot of people scorned him. Some in late President YarÁdua’s Federal Executive Council did not reckon with him; some governors, particularly some from the Southsouth did not accord him the respect his office demanded as a vice president. They thought he was lame. Today, the man is our President and it is only the fear of God that will teach him to treat all men fairly, because tomorrow, it could also be another’s time to shine. The cases in Kaduna and Taraba States are similar, but not quite. Kaduna lost a governor, Ibrahim Yakowa in an air crash. Kaduna has a history of a north/south dichotomy, so sharply divided, in ethnicity, religion and politics. The contrast is so sharp and there are no pretences about it. Once Yakowa was dead, it was like a good leap for a deputy who had been largely ignored. Those who did not accord him due respect did not expect to be well favoured in his administration. In Taraba, Danbaba Suntai, loved flying. Today, the man is in the hospital, somewhere in Europe, on account of a plane accident. The man has been away since October 2012, but the state has been running. Reports say his deputy Garba Umar, is working hard to deconstruct the structures, at least, before his principal returns. Apparently, Suntai never took him on some flying lessons; just in the manner governors push deputies to the far corner. Today, the man is in charge and working hard to build his own team. Part of that conspiracy is the impeachment of the Speaker of the Taraba House, Istifanus Gbana and his Deputy, Abel Diahat, to give some legislative space for manoeuvring. Then we hear he has put on lease an aircraft belonging to the state to Arik, to generate money for the state, instead of it rusting away. Since he does not have flying tendency, let the state make some money. Too many lessons from Ekiti. Finally, Erelu Fayemi remembered the crisp, kind voice far away on the other side of the phone, ‘I Just Want To Hear Your Voice’. That was the regular voice of a deputy governor, to the wife of his principal. They blended perfectly, two women who had no relationship until politics joined them. They shared everything, their private lives, political lives. There was enough for everyone and the space was large enough. It was not perfect, but it was a model of politics with human face, so loving and so kind. I’m not ashamed to confess that after reading Erelu’s piece, I struggled with tears. Politics without bitterness.

THE GUARDIAN, Sunday, May 5, 2013

CITYFILE

Abuja Inhabitants Query Govt’s Land Swap Policy By Aloysius Omo THE FCT administration’s policy on land swap is yet to be well understood and accepted by the original inhabitants of the Federal Capital’s Territory, who are asking what is in the policy for them. The land swap policy according to government, would allocate 60 percent of the land in the FCT to private investors, in lieu of their investment, while the FCTA will take the remaining 40 percent. In this arrangement, original inhabitants are asking government to spell out their place in the policy. This was among views canvassed at a town hall meeting of original inhabitants’ communities in the FCT, recently. Pastor Jeji Danladi, president of Original Inhabitants Development Association (OIDA) at the meeting asked: “What happens to us when government and their business partners take over all our lands? Since government is the one driving the land swap initiative, it has the responsibility of explaining to affected communities how their interest would be protected in the land swap project.” According to him, the government has so far been vague in its communication, while there is no direct discussion with the people. “For now, the Minister through his spokespersons has chosen to speak in vague and indiscernible manner on the land swap policy. So far, nothing concrete, specific and written has been brought forward by the FCTA to the attention of affected communities, especially with regards to how government intends to take care of community interest in the implementation of land swap policy. “Most instructively, the struggle for justice by oil producing communities in the Niger Delta led to devotion of 13 percent oil derivation to oil-bearing states. So, our demand as FCT original inhabitants for specific quota in the land swap policy leans on historical experience. For FCT original inhabitants, our land is

our identity, our land is our means of livelihood, our land is our life,” Danladi stated. The group lamented that successive governments have treated FCT original inhabitants worse than second-class citizens, while the people’s hands of fellowship extended to government and other Nigerians is being taken for granted. On paying compensations for community lands, OIDA said, contrary to Section 44 of the Constitution, government has not paid any FCT original inhabitant compensation for the ancestral lands taken away from them for the development of Abuja as Nigeria’s capital. They also query the notion that government lawfully acquired lands upon which the Federal Capital City sits.

OIDA said: “Far from that! We just read from newspapers that the FCT spent N150 billion on compensation of original inhabitants. This sum is mind-boggling. The FCT original inhabitants wonder where, when and how this huge sum got to our people. We can say here and now that our people did not get a whiff of this colossal sum by no means whatsoever. “In line with the current administration’s stand on public probity, we demand that this broad daylight scam should be investigated and those found culpable brought to justice. As a matter of fact, government’s failure to pay compensation to FCT original inhabitants informs the continued habitation by indigenous communities of some sections of Abuja city centre.”

FRSC Introduces ‘ICE’ Campaign To Save Lives HE Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) has unveiled a new concept known as ICE – In Case of Emergency. It is a concept, which advises mobile phone users to save some numbers on their contacts as ICE so that such numbers can be quickly contacted in the event of any emergency. “As mobile phones are carried by the majority of the population, all you need to do is store the number of a contact person or persons who should be contacted during emergency under the name ICE. “We all carry our mobile phones with names and numbers stored in its memory. If we were to be involved in an accident or were taken ill, the people attending us would have our

mobile phone but wouldn’t know who to call. “Yes, there are hundreds of numbers stored but which one is the contact person in case of an emergency? Hence, this ‘ICE’ (In Case of Emergency) Campaign. The concept of ‘ICE’ is catching on quickly. It is a method of contact during emergency situations,” an FRSC official stated. The idea was thought up by a paramedic who found that when he went to the scenes of accidents, there were always mobile phones with patients, but they didn’t know which number to call. He, therefore, thought that it would be a good idea if there was a nationally recognized name for this purpose. In an

emergency situation, emergency service personnel and hospital staff would be able to quickly contact the right person by simply dialing the number stored as ICE. Popular blogger, Chris Kehinde, while rooting for the ICE campaign, advised phone users, especially those travelling to also unlock their phones. “For this campaign to be effective, phone users must also be advised to deactivate their passwords, especially when traveling, so that the phone can be easily accessed in case of an emergency. You can then reset your password on getting to your destination,” he said. An accident scene in Lagos... recently.

CITYSHOTS:

Let My People Go! Very risky business on a Lagos road... recently.

Tattered and ready to go! Worn flags of the All Nigeria People's Party (ANPP) begging for attention at the party's Enugu State Secretariat along Ogui Road. When would members of political parties respect their platforms? PHOTO: SOBECHI ONYEKACHI

TheGuardian

Sunday, May 5, 2013 | 11

Conscience, Nurtured by Truth

Outlook The Imperative Of Wealth Creation By Tony Anonyai T has become very necessary, more than ever before, that we begin to focus on wealth creation in the new Nigeria of our dream. The underlying urgency to declare this subject matter as an ‘article of necessity’ can, therefore, not be over-emphasised. Although, capable of being viewed from a wider perspective, I will dwell on three fundamental questions: why create wealth, how do we create wealth, and who should lead wealth creation? (Why, how and who creates wealth?). I expect that as we reflect on these questions and harmonise the ingredients that follow from their answers as a tripod for the emergence of a new Nigeria, our dream will be racing to reality. Neither wealth creation nor wealth creation for nations is a buzzword. Adams Smith in his paper, “The Wealth of Nations”, gave a foundational perspective. He states that the wealth of a nation is expressed in “the combination of materials, labour, land, and technology”. This takes place in Nigeria in the most inefficient form. A 2006 World Bank publication — Where is the Wealth of Nations — states that the total wealth of a nation include: produce, natural, human and institutional capital. The Wealth Creation in Rural Communities (WCRC) initiative identified seven forms of wealth: Financial, natural, social, individual, built, intellectual and political. In Nigeria, the challenge is neither the correct definition of wealth creation nor the determination of what constitutes wealth for a nation. Clearly, our challenge is how effectively the components interact and whether their use is efficient. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) emphasises the wealth of a nation with regards to the efficient use of resources towards achieving economic growth and development that reflects in a better standard of living for citizens. The ‘new Nigeria’ of our dream will evolve to its full potential when collective resources are judiciously put to work to achieve near-maximum value, or, at the least, well above-average output value from inputs. To continue in our old ways spell disaster for us now, and for future generations. Take for example, our current political structure, it has been commonly advocated that our present democratic governance structure is hugely expensive and unsustainable. The WCRC definition of political wealth as a critical asset class in a nation’s wealth creation effort is worthy of deeper analysis in Nigeria. There is consensus opinion on why it is imperative that we create wealth. Some of these imperatives include infrastructural developmental needs, quality education, health care, national competitiveness, social security, and support for sustainable growth and development. Also, viewed from the perspective of generational equity, given the abundance of our national endowments, coming generations will not forgive us if we continue to deplete our natural resources without replenishing them. Countries around the

CONversation

world are building infrastructure with an eye on future generation. Yet, in Nigeria, most of our capital expenditure projects are executed with short-term objectives. Sadly, investment funds are continually exported to other countries. Take the health and education sectors, for example. It is well known that families now generally exhaust their savings on overseas healthcare and education not necessarily for want of the best but to meet these basic needs. The implication is that what should have been spent locally with the attendant multiplier effect on our nation’s wealth and creating infrastructure is being exported to help countries that we are in competition with. It becomes more offensive when Nigerians go to Ghanaian universities and Indian hospitals. We have done badly on all indicators! A 2012 report by Knight Frank and Citi Private Bank, titled ‘The Rise of the New Rich’ mentioned Nigeria as a ‘potential analysis’ country. The report noted that our GDP at a projected growth figure of 6.5% higher the average figure of 5.4% for Sub-Saharan African is not reflective in our quality of life. It further said that if the right things are done, Nigeria would emerge a wealthy nation. . Recently, CNN’s Fareed Zakaria in his book, “The Post-American World”, discusses ‘The Rise of the Rest’ and holds a positive outlook for Nigeria. Zakaria, chronicled world history citing the economic transformation of the BRICS countries, and tenaciously repeated his optimistic view, like many of us, that if the right things are done Nigeria will emerge a wealthy nation. A number of strategies can be articulated if clear objectives are defined but we know that objective definition and strategies make no sense if the strength of will and discipline of implementation is lacking. Some questions highlight our nation’s wealth creation debacle. What do we produce? How modern are our production engineering facilities? How globally competitive, in terms of costs and quality, are our products? Is there any industrial revolution in sight that will improve the current local production process? How optimally have we created wealth from our rich natural resources? Has oil not really become a curse than a blessing? Is our human resource dutifully employed? How healthy are we? What is the life expectancy of the average Nigerian to guarantee sustainability of experienced workforce? Are we innovative and entre-

preneurial? Are we building institutions with capacity that transcends beyond the efficiency or otherwise of whoever is in power? What is our savings culture? What policies are being pursued to improve capital formation? What is the cost and tenor of funds available for entrepreneurs? Does the legal system encourage investments? How do we ensure social security so that the threat of unrest does not continue to be a disincentive to would-be investors? Are the allocations on research and development judiciously spent? Are we funding education sufficiently? Does our current political structure support wealth creation? It is likely that answers to these questions will explain why we haven’t done very well. And the consequences are all too obvious for anyone to see. We must stop our lamentation and begin to address these issues. My narrative of our wealth destruction in Nigeria is drawn from a 2006 World Bank publication “Where is the Wealth of Nations?” The publication, a millennium wealth assessment exercise of 120 countries was focused on deepening the understanding of the linkages between wealth creation and development outcomes. It discusses the key role of wealth management through savings and investments and went on to recommend the development of a comprehensive agenda that looks at natural resources as an integral part of the policy domain as policy makers considers the management of a nation’s wealth from the perspective of portfolio management. Every Nigerian can trace our wealth-destroying story to the root cause – corruption. Take the case of petroleum subsidy and the can of worms that the removal of subsidy last January revealed! In the publication, Botswana and Malaysia were cited as countries that have created wealth through natural resources, but went on capitalise resource rents thereby providing developmental finance as a transformation instrument. Finally, building on The Hartwick Rule, which recommends that nations invest all rents from exhaustible resources in reproducible capital goods so as to manage current consumption as a model for sustainability, the World Bank carried out a study on a 30-year time series of resource rents of countries with rich natural resources using rent data as a basis for deter-

Investment funds are continually exported to other countries. Take the health and education sectors, for example. It is well known that families now generally exhaust their savings on overseas healthcare and education not necessarily for want of the best but to meet these basic needs. The implication is that what should have been spent locally with the attendant multiplier effect on our nation’s wealth and creating infrastructure is being exported to help countries that we are in competition with.

mining if the adjusted net saving estimates were constructed applying the Hartwick Rule. The question was asked: how rich would countries have been in the year 2000 if they had followed the Hartwick Rule since 1970? It found that in the year 2000, Nigeria, a major oil exporter, could have had a stock of produced capital five times higher. This estimates to US$30,000 per person, comparable to the Republic of Korea. Yet, Nigeria has a per capita income of less than $3,000. Which way forward? I will flow from the last paragraph. Macroeconomic analysis has fully stretched the extended implication of the model to address: savings, consumption and investment, intergenerational equity, sustainable development, efficient allocation of resources, national competitiveness, etc. But, we all probably know what to do as a matter of fact. So, a more appropriate question should be: why aren’t we doing what we should to move us from a country of ‘potential-analysis’ to a wealth-creating country. As noted earlier, a major impediment over and above all others factors is, corruption. Let’s fight corruption resolutely. If we succeed at reducing corruption by at least 50% we can be sincerely optimistic about our future. Who leads the process of wealth creation? We all have a role to play. For the purpose of eradicating corruption, I have segmented our society into two: the leaders and the followers. I have narrowly defined leaders as those holding political positions and all others are classified as followers. I consider political wealth as the transformation instrument because it engenders central planning and proper and articulate coordination, galvanising the other wealth components of a nation for macroeconomic growth. Governments will need to ensure improved governance structure, articulate public policy making, solid institutional building, macroeconomic management, infrastructural development, and as noted above will have to deal decisively with the deadly corruption starting with themselves. Also, the followers have roles to play. Professionals will consider their attitude to work, disposition to learning and of course adaptability to change, insistence on strong ethical values, participation in democratic process and insistence on citizenship rights, etc. Entrepreneurial skills, in terms of identifying opportunities and innovation are also needed for effective wealth creation. On a positive note, some few things are happening. At the least, an improved policy articulation and coordination regime can be noted. The last sentence in the second reading on Ash Wednesday, from the Catholic liturgy, taken from the second letter of St. Pauls to the Corinthians, chapter 6, verse 2 instructs, ‘well, now is the favourable time; this is the day of salvation’ is very apt here. It is a call to repentance. As a matter of urgency and necessity, the time to act is now. We must not continue on this lacklustre path but begin to do things right in order to attain the new Nigeria of our dream. •Anonyai, a Financial Strategist, is Co- CEO, Planet Capital Limited In Lagos.

By Obe Ess

TheGuardian

12 | Sunday, May 5, 2013

Conscience, Nurtured by Truth

Editorial Unhygienic Abattoirs And Public Health ECENT protests by residents of Oko-Oba, Agege in Lagos over the filthy condition of the abattoir located in the area underscores the failure of government’s supervision of a facility that has direct impact on public health. Abattoirs are supposed to be kept clean and regularly inspected by public health officials. Allowing heaps of animal wastes, congealed blood and wastewater to pile up within the precincts of the abattoir in an area inhabited by people is most objectionable. And allowing the meat sourced from such a dirty abattoir to be sold for the city’s residents’ consumption is an open invitation to an outbreak of diseases. The unbearable stench oozing out from the abattoir apparently forced the residents to protest as a way of drawing attention to the pollution. Yet, on daily basis, hundreds of tons of meat consumed by Lagosians are produced from this unhygienic abattoir. Abattoirs are specialised facilities where animals are slaughtered for consumption and there are conditions for operating them. Cleanliness is the principal requirement. The availability of adequate water supply to flush out blood and fecal wastes from the slaughtered animals is imperative. Jets of hot water are required to thoroughly flush out dirt and clean so the drains. For instance, there seems to be no regulation on the slaughter method like cutting around the intestines to prevent fecal contamination; removal and inspection of the internal organs for parasites and disease. No government inspector inspects the carcass for safety. No attempt is made to reduce bacteria by using steam, hot water and organic acids. There is no chilling of the carcass to prevent meat deterioration. In other countries these processes are strictly observed. But in Agege, and probably in many such facilities all over Nigeria, disorder is the norm. The wastewater is directed into open drains and canals thereby polluting the environment and constituting public health hazard. Bones, skin and other disused parts are heaped and not disposed of. Without implementing such systematic cleaning operations, the abattoir turned into a cesspool of filth and decay with adverse environmental and public health effects. With poor water supply, the waste products (offal) are abandoned and the abattoir is left in a mess. Lack of regulation and supervision is at the root of this mess. Last year, the Lagos State government threatened to close down the Oko-Oba Abbattoir and Lairage in Agege because of its unhygienic practices and non-compliance with relevant laws governing slaughtering of animals. It inaugurated a 17-man task force on the abattoir and animal market in the state. But regrettably, nothing has changed ever since. Also, the State Government a few years ago introduced the Eko Meat Van and customised tricycles to avoid unhygienic conveyance of meat products to end users. Government also banned the packaging of beef in sacks and distribution by motorcycles. But these rules are hardly obeyed and the law is hardly enforced. The Managing Director of Harmony Abattoir Management Services Limited, Moshood Bello-Olusanya recently accused the butchers of preferring to use unapproved slaughter slabs instead of the well-equipped modern slaughter facility built by the government because of fees charged. For instance, while the slabs reportedly charged N1, 000, the government abattoir took N2, 500. The result is that an abattoir that has the capacity for about 2,000 animals daily hardly gets 200 cows prepared there. What is the rationale for underutilising the modern facility when its use could be maximized in the public interest? Government may wish to review the fees charged at the abattoir to make it affordable to the butchers. It should also enforce its laws on sanitation and health. As things stand, the people are at risk of a pandemic with meat being consumed in a city like Lagos emanating from such an unhygienic source.

LETTER

Kidnappers And Security Men IR: The ongoing abduction of after the criminals have carried moving in groups. That way, they Scountry expatriate oil workers in the out their activities. It takes more will not make themselves an easy is quite disturbing, and resources to launch a “manprey to criminals waiting to kidthere seems to be no end to the problem. The Guardian, Tuesday, April 30, 2013 reported that about 14 oil workers were kidnapped in a day. Some of these were said to have come from Sri Lanka, Russia and Myanmar, and they were on board an oil vessel along the high sea close to Sagana waters in Brass Local Council of Bayelsa State. Nine Nigerian oil workers were also reported to have been kidnapped. The southern Ijaw waters have become so inundated with security troops that the indigenes of the coastal communities are feeling uneasy with their presence. The fact that the criminals are still outwitting the security squad shows that something more needs to be done. A thorough understanding of how these criminals operate may be necessary. The sea pirates don’t just strike. They take time to monitor their victims and then descend on them. It is certainly not after the criminals have attacked and kidnapped someone that the rescue operation should start. The security squad in the area should be proactive to contain the activities of the kidnappers and sea pirates. Every effort should be made to disinfest the criminals prowling the waterways. This is simple and can be achieved through regular surveillance and patrol on the waterways. The security squad will achieve little or nothing by being in one location waiting to be called

hunt” to rescue a kidnapped worker. It takes less to prevent it. It does not pay us to stand idly by while the hoodlums continue to embarrass us and to keep our lives miserable. Those who use the waterways should not take the matter lightly. They should exercise extra caution while using the waterways. It makes more sense to use them when travelling on them is safe. No one would want to learn in a hard way. For the expatriates, they should not leave the matter of their security to chance. They should not make the costly mistake of

nap in great numbers. The expatriates should endeavour to learn to mingle with their local colleagues who have proved to be trusted friends. This approach may distract the criminals and leave enough room for their victims to escape. It will also provide an opportunity to prevent any kidnap. Further, the flow of communication between the people and the security squad always should be kept wide open. This will make for effective and close monitoring of the kidnappers on our waterways. •Leo Smart, Abuja, FCT.

The Bottleneck At Effurn Roundabout IR: It is a heart aching experiSEffurun ence driving through the roundabout at week-

lums can catch on the disorderly situation to commit crime. The simple reason for ends. I had a first-hand experi- this, apart from the impaence lately and I think if noth- tience of drivers and other ing is done urgently to salvage road users, is lack of obedience the situation, its effect could to simple traffic laws and regube very colossal. On my way lations. from Sapele on a Saturday Solving this problem will immediately after the last require the effort of the men of army checkpoint inward the FRSC and other law Effurun, we ran into a hold up. enforcement agencies. We Under normal circumstances, would have gone through the from the army checkpoint to road with less hitches if offithe roundabout cannot take cials were on ground to conmore than five minutes but trol vehicular movement and without exaggeration, we bring order. I am sincerely spent approximately three appealing to the FRSC covering hours to get there. Effurun to do something about It was a sad experience with a the situation and save road heavy toll on social and ecousers this unwarranted stress. nomic life. Besides, it poses a •Alexander Ighoro, grave security threat as hood- Effurun, Delta State.

THE GUARDIAN, Sunday, May 5, 2013

16 SUNDAYMAGAZINE

SPECIAL REPORT

STATE OF TERTIARY HOSPITALS (2)

UNTH-Dentistry Unit

ENUGU: From LAWRENCE NJOKU, Enugu T the accident and emergency ward of the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH), Ituku–Ozalla, that Thursday morning, Jane stood confused. That fateful morning, she had, in company of other relations, rushed her sick mother to the hospital for treatment. Having obtained approval to pay necessary fees, she had done same; but returned to the unit to discover that the lab scientists who should conduct the medical test on her “dying” mother before treatment could commence were not available. “The doctor on duty that we met earlier only examined her, asked us a few questions and recommended that a medical tests be conducted immediately so as to ascertain her state of health before treatment”, she said. Still holding receipts obtained from the revenue unit of the hospital where she made the payments, she said, “The problem is not the payment but getting the right person that would attend to your case early enough before much harm could occur. It’s over 20 minutes now that I made this payment, yet the laboratory scientists are not here. I don’t even know where to find them. I can’t even find a doctor to complain to, except the nurses here who are asking me to wait. But for how long? My mother’s condition is becoming critical. I pray that God should take control.” Several persons who brought their sick ones to the hospital that morning had one thing or the other to complain about, ranging from delay in getting medical services as a result of inefficiency of a unit to the carefree attitude of the staff on duty.

Hi-tech Equipment Inefficiency, Staff Attitude Not Helping Patients It was gathered that the attitude of personnel at the hospital had often discouraged many, while it had also had negative impact on cases that could have been salvaged. Recently, when Ojri Jude lost his mother at the hospital, two weeks after she was admitted there; he came back and complained to anybody that cared to listen, that the nonchalant attitude of the staff was responsible for the mother’s death. He said that his mother suffered a domestic accident leading to her being rushed to the hospital. The doctors on duty had recommended a surgery following an observation that she suffered a blood flow into the brain. “For two weeks, I moved from one unit to another, paying bills and buying drugs while waiting for a consultant surgeon, whom they said was the only one that could attend to my case. When it was much on me, I had to go to the Servicom unit of the hospital and complained that my mother had been abandoned, that the staff have poor attitude to their work, even when they are being paid to do so,” Orji lamented. He stated that what pained him most was that, ‘somebody is dying and you are required to buy drug. You get to the dispensary, somebody there, who gets salary monthly will tell you that he or she will not attend to you because, she has closed and

The 500-bed space hospital is a significant improvement on the 250-bed space at the old site. Although, the hospital has thrived, it cannot be said that the upgraded facilities, which should effectively raise the services rendered at the hospital, have provided the much-needed excellence due to frequent breakdown, vandalisation and human factors. Only recently, the hospital announced the resumption of openheart surgery, which stopped several years ago following the breakdown of the facilities and the movement of the

only waiting to hand over to the person that will take over from him.” He said that though the surgery was later conducted and the mother died few days later, getting her into the hospital mortuary was another herculean task. “They will charge you the official fees, you will give the workers there a stated amount if you want them to attend to the corpse, you will also pay mortuary tax, which we are told is for Enugu State government,” Orji said. The UNTH is one of the hospitals modernised in 2007 by the Federal Government through the VAMED engineering project. Since the refurbishment and movement to the permanent site, the hospital has assumed an international status as it has removed from it the negative toga of one that reels in neglect. To enable it live to the billing of a centre of excellence in cardiology and cancer treatment, government upgraded its facilities to an international standard, while fast-tracking its movement from the old site in Enugu to Ituku-Ozalla. Among the state-of-the-art facilities installed at the hospital is the linear equipment, used in treating cancer. This is the first of its kind in Nigeria. Others are an ultra-modern treatment machine, a CT scan for diagnosing ailments and a modern laboratory for carrying out tests. The UNTH also has a modern mortuary, as well as a morbid anatomy laboratory. Dr. Amah

CONTINUED ON PAGE 17

THE GUARDIAN, Sunday, May 5, 2013

SUNDAyMAGAZINE

|17

SPECIAL REPORT

‘Deploying Modern Equipment Has Made Services Better’ Prof. Edmund Banwatis the Chairman Medical Advisory Committee (CMAC), Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH). He is also its Acting Chief Medical Director (CMD) who is holding the forte for the CMD, Dr. Ishaya Pam, who is currently abroad. Pam is expected to have ended his tenure in June this year. In this interview, he spoke on a number of issues including why people prefer overseas medical attention to the local, and the impact that VAMED Engineering Company has had on the hospital. Excerpts JOS: Hy are services charged in this hospital W too prohibitive? I want to say that our prices are affordable. As you go to the wards, you see even the person you will describe as the common man being able to afford our services. So, strictly, we adhere to the fact that this is a social service. There is no high cost of services here as far as we are concerned; it is affordable to everybody. In spite of huge investment in these government hospitals, Nigerians are still patronising hospitals abroad for treatment. What went wrong? This is not peculiar to us here or is it peculiar to Nigeria as it were. It has to do mostly with attitude because in most tertiary hospitals, we provide tertiary health services, specialist services and specialist services in the sense that you have specialists in most of the teaching hospitals. They are going there as a matter of preference as it were, which is their right anyway if they can afford it. Strictly speaking, it is social services that we render and they are affordable and it has to do with attitude. What about the issue of patients being handled with levity for lack of money or they are completely abandoned? That is alien to us here in Jos University Teaching Hospital. Here, patients are not

JUTH-Doctors working on one of the equipment abandoned, patients are not handled with levity because we have a very serious workforce here. And to curtail this issue of people not affording treatment and they are abandoned or whatever, we have here a ‘League of Friends’ that handle indigent patients. Patients that are admitted and accumulate a lot of bills that they cannot even pay, the League of Friends now step in to intervene. So, that is the way we handle that. And the League are made up of philanthropic organisations, public spirited-individuals that source money to actually handle this kind of patients, who are very poor and cannot afford to settle their accumulated bills. What has been the impact of VAMED on JUTH? I must tell you that the equipment that VAMED has supplied have impacted positively on our healthcare delivery system. Services that we could not ren-

der before VAMED came, we can now handle them. And this has attracted specialists that have retired in services outside the country. We have some of them here. For instance, we have a neuro-surgeon who has retired from Saudi Arabia. He has come here. And what is the attraction? Our CT Scan is working, our MRI is working etc. These are high technical equipment that are supplied by VAMED. Tests that people would go abroad to do, we can now do them in this teaching hospital. So, if it is the impact, I will tell you that VAMED has impacted positively on our own medical services in Jos University Teaching Hospital. The equipment are there, they have been installed, they are functional, we have been running them; they have upped our services, they have upped our revenue generation and they have upped the quality of our medical practice. VAMED is still on ground. The contract is for five years. It has not expired. VAMED is exiting next year.

Prof. Banwat

Equipment Inefficiency, Staff Attitude Not Helping Patients CONTINUED FROM PAGE 16

hospital to the permanent site in Ituku–Ozalla. Chief Medical Director of the hospital, Chris Amah, told reporters recently that getting such services, which used to cost N2m had been reduced to N500,000 due to the intervention of a United States based non-governmental organisation, the VOOM foundation. He noted that upon assumption of office two years ago, he decided to resuscitate the programme by partnering with the foreign organisation since it would be difficult to use the local surgeons to re-start it when they had not done so in the past 10 years. The hospital had commenced Radiotherapy services for the treatment of cancer patients following the reactivation of her earlier installed but vandalised ultramodern Radiotherapy equipment a year ago. The Radiotherapy equipment, which is crucial for the management of cancer ailments, was installed in 2007 as part of Federal Government’s VAMED intervention projects in tertiary hospitals across the country. Information obtained at the hospital revealed that officially, fees for admission at the GOPD (General Out-Patient Department) and the Clinics ranged between N500 – N590, but this does not include consultancy services, laboratory and x-ray tests and drugs, should there be need for such. The other handicap, The Guardian learnt, is the inability of PHCN to provide steady power supply at the hospital, adding that the equipment are so heavy that they must rely on public power supply to operate

The main gate to the hospital

effectively. Efforts to speak with the Chief Medical Director, Dr Amah on the state of the facilities as well as the alleged nonchalance of the medical staff proved abortive. Amah could not also respond to inquiring through his e-mail.

But a management staff, who would not want her names printed, said though the supply of equipment by VAMED brought about improved service delivery, it was done without consideration to the peculiar circumstances of the hospital. According to her, “because of the way the

equipment are built, sometimes when they break down, you may require to wait for an engineer from outside to come and rectify it”, she said, adding that fluctuations in power supply was the major challenge confronting the effectiveness of the facilities. She stated that there was an agreement between the Federal Government and VAMED to “run and maintain the facilities,” stressing that the agreement, which elapsed last year, was tidied up by the federal government and sent down without the institutions making their inputs. “Some of the consumables use in maintaining VAMED equipment are very costly. Most of the parts are not in Nigeria. But you have to do all you can to restore the services back whenever the need arises and that is what is happening here,” she said. The official said that the hospital does not reject patients, adding that “serious emergency are treated without pay, while relations of the patient could be asked to pay later.” She said that the hospital does not pretend about efficiency of staff while on duty, stressing that the Servicom unit has taken it upon itself to ensure that the business of the hospital was conducted fairly to all manner of persons. “But this does not mean that health services are free in Nigeria. It is not free and not everybody can afford it. At times people come and can’t afford cost of medical services, this does not mean we are turning people back. If cost of consultancy is N5000, you have to pay or you would not receive the service. That is the way the hospital is run,” she said.

THE GUARDIAN, Sunday, May 5, 2013

18 SUNDAyMAGAZINE

SPECIAL REPORT

Thermographic scan machine

CALABAR: From Anietie Akpan, Calabar NIVERSITy of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH) is currently operating from two sites: the old permanent site at More Road with its colonial structures and the new permanent site at Satellite town, which the then Chief Medical Director, Professor Rowland Ndoma-Egba had to effect its movement by all means. Facilities like electricity, water, modern equipment, personnel and funds have been the main problem of the hospital. The old site is an apology as patients often hang in the corridor for lack of space. The place is mosquito infested and there is very poor water and electricity supply. Sometimes, patients have to come with their water while the generators are either always over used or lacking diesel to run properly. The permanent site needs much fund for the completion of infrastructure to facilitate the total movement of all facilities and personnel. However charges in the UCTH remain the cheapest in the state as compared to the state owned and the private hospitals although some very poor patients find it difficult to pay their bills and are sometimes let go as part of special humanitarian services while some others just escape.

Dr. Agan

The Chief Medical Director of the UCTH, Dr Thomas Agan said the VAMED Engineering project in the UCTH is on course except for paucity of funds and some of the equipment for the project have been installed while some are still in their containers as there no funds to build the facilities or infrastructure to house them. He said, “Five large theatres have been worked upon with modern lightings. The intensive care unit and the Radiology department are ready. We also have the ultra scan machine, the colpolcope machine used in clinics for the diagnostic of early cervical cancer. We can install these machines in a short time if good funding is done”. The first phase of the project, which involved mainly the administrative block, emergency unit, orthopedic, the ENT unit and few others were commissioned about 16 years ago and some departments moved in under the tenure of Professor Ndoma-Egba. As at 2008, the hospital needed N2bn to do infrastructure get some facilities for the wards and embark on a complete movement in the second phase but this failed. The phase two is expected to involve mainly an Ultra-modern Radiology Department, five theatres, intensive care units, ultra modern central sterilizing unit, ultra modern laboratory with state of the arts equipment, a mortuary, female/a pediatric block, some wards and few others. Dr Agan, said his immediate target is ensuring that the hospital moves to its permanent site as soon as possible and “we intend to do our very best with Internally Generated Revenue, Federal Government Allocation, State Allocation and Philanthropic goodwill to ensure that we work under one umbrella” According to him, the hospital is gradually picking up since his assumption of office in 2011 with staff discipline and morale now at very high level. He said that the hospital has problem of infrastructural

development which, has forced some of the Consultants to be operating from their cars and commended the authority of the University of Calabar for coming to their rescue by providing accommodation for some of the consultants. According to him, ``We are doing very well if not for the challenges of infrastructure; majority of the consultants do not have their own offices they work from their cars. We are working toward providing office accommodation for them and if we can do that, it will go a long way in solving the challenges we have”. Agan disclosed that the UCTH was one of the teaching hospitals in the country that the Federal Government recently provided with equipment through the Presidential Project Implementation Committee and “what we are trying to do now is to quickly develop the infrastructures so that those equipment would be installed and put to use”. The Guardian gathered that the UCTH would need about N10 billion to move completely to its permanent site as at now. The Cross River State government has declared its readiness to partner with the UCTH so as to take good healthcare delivery to the rural populace. The state governor, Senator Liyel Imoke, who stated this in Calabar when board members of the UCTH led its Chairman Dr Aye Dirisu paid him a courtesy call recently, said that the state regards the Teaching Hospital as a strong partner in its efforts to recording successes in its health care delivery programme as he sought for the provision of modern facilities to improve the programme. In view of this, Imoke suggested that the management of the hospital should introduce a six-month rural based medical training for its medical students before graduation. Some of the doctors in the hospital who preferred to speak off record said the federal government has for long forgotten the UCTH and even with the equipment supplied under the VAMED project most of them are still lying idle in the containers. “We need good equipment and buildings to operate”. They urge the Federal Government to release funds to ensure that the UCTH moves to its permanent site finally this year. Agan said in the UCTH, “first, we were

faced with challenges of attitudinal corruption on the part of staff. They were either not coming to work or did as it pleased them. In certain cases, they gave a picture of being at Moore road or Permanent site when interrogated. We also inherited contractors whose commitment to duty left much to be desired. They were either not willing to complete jobs or did so shoddily. I have been busy supervising contract jobs at the expense of my primary responsibility. To sanitise revenue collection and ensure transparency in the system, which was riddled with corrupt tendencies, we engaged banks to collect revenues accruing to the hospital. All these issues needed to be tackled if any progress must be made. “To address these issues, I met with Heads of Departments and other stakeholders in the hospital project. I urged management staff and other Heads of Departments to live by example. We started by addressing the issue of punctuality. Management staff and Heads of Departments started coming to work between 7 - 8 a.m. If the Heads of Departments are at their duty posts by 8 a.m. latest, then subordinates will not come late. Now, even at 7.30 am, you won’t find space to park your car. “We had to power the laboratories, the theatres etc to make them functional. The theatres are now beautiful and operational. The C. T. scan at the radiology unit shall soon become functional. We are currently training our Radiologists to man installed equipment. The mammogram and dialysis equipment have all been installed. These will assist us tackle cancer and kidney related diseases. The Minister of Health, Prof Onyebuchi Chukwu, inspected these facilities when he last visited. He could not hide his joy at the positive developments. Work on network of roads to link all these facilities is on-going. The laundry block is being completed. The female block is almost ready. If this facility is ready, we shall completely relocate the maternity from Moore Road to the permanent site. The purpose of re-location is to reduce overhead, indiscipline on the part of staff and facilitate effective healthcare. Don’t forget that the Teaching Hospital has three cardinal responsibilities - training, research and service delivery. When infrastructures are in place, you need equipment and human capital.”

THE GUARDIAN, Sunday, May 5, 2013

SUNDAYMAGAZINE 19

HEALTH

A Spiritual Approach To Healing By Moji Solanke

ANY readily agree that there is a spiritual dimension to the individual, and it is usually deemed an important, if nebulous, dimension, and therefore not particularly as relevant as the physical, when it concerns humanity and healing. In many cases, the spiritual carries with it a sense of mystery, if not superstition; but most would agree, at least in Africa, that spirituality has a direct relationship to the divine, whom is named God. When thinking about spirituality in the context of healing therefore, it would seem rational to the individual to trust the tangible material, more than the spiritual. Things look very different however when, rather than starting from the premise of spirituality being one of several dimensions to man, the spiritual is seen as the only dimension, or,

all there is to man. In other words, acknowledging man as wholly spiritual, rather than a mixture of the spiritual, the physical and the emotional. This premise, or way of thinking about man, would have significant, positive implications for healing. However, is it rational to start from the premise of man being wholly spiritual? It would be, if, and only if, healing results when the spiritual approach is taken. Mankind yearns for good health, and more and more institutions and individuals are dedicating thought and resources to research, in a bid to find lasting solutions to the issue of healing. The spiritual approach to healing is gaining respect in this regard, especially as reports show that it is not only effective, but reliable. In the forefront of this approach to healing, one individual, considered worldwide as a pioneer, wrote a book, based on her discovery of man as

Practical Psychology

Understanding Mental Health Status (MHS) 1 By Passy Amaraegbu

NITIALLY, she tried to give him the benefit of doubts. They were newly married and rightly too, a husband ought to protect his new and precious possession; the wife of his youth. Ted would hardly allow Kate to interact with other males. Meanwhile, he placed no such restriction on himself. Kate kept studying the matter and remained within the limit of the boundary her loving (better, possessive) husband placed her. Twelve months after the marriage, the boundary was growing thinner. Ted required her to change her antenatal clinic, get another job, and attend another church in a far away location all because, Kate had male acquaintances in these places. While, Kate was considering how to handle these knotty issues, she noticed that Ted had began to cross-check her laptop to read her mails and history of events, as well as her handset for call history and text messages. In spite of the heaviness of the pregnancy, Kate was ready for a showdown with Ted that fateful Friday evening. She could no longer endure this form of psychological torture from her husband. But how psychologically healthy is Ted? Is he conscious of the great harm he is inflicting on his wife and home? Is he out to harm Kate or is something wrong with him? Is Ted a sufferer (victim) or an offender? In Africa, Asia and other underdeveloped parts of the world, there is an increasing awareness towards the maintenance of physical health. Obviously, this trend doesn’t match with the level of health consciousness in the developed Western World of Europe and America. However, it is significantly appreciable. Yet in the aspect of psychological or psychiatric health, Africa and Asia are dangerously lagging behind. A major reason is the prevalent superstition and surrealism, which still govern the mindset of the majority. Also, social stigmatisation of mental illness rules the psyche of our society. For instance, in our society, a cancer patient merits our sympathy while a schizophrenic, our fear and rejection. Ted’s case mentioned earlier introduces us to the issue of mental health status. What is it? Of what relevance is it in our society? Mental health status is the index of one’s state of psychological well-being. On one hand, it shows the absence of psychological (mental and emotional) disorders and on the other, the presence of psychological well-being. It refers to the cognitive or mental and emotional balance of an individual at a given period. Those with a positive mental health status are marked out by such characteristics like, ability to enjoy life, equilibrium, flexibility, resilience and also attain the enviable state of self-actualisation. Very remarkably too, such individuals are known to contribute significantly to the well being of others as well as their community or society. Conversely, those with a negative or poor mental health status are marked by undesirable behaviours such as; extreme mood changes, breakdown in communication, indiscipline, indiscretion, incorrigible tendencies, and their likes. They may harm themselves and in most instances, they are prone to inflecting harm on others. Those who are close to them are the most endangered targets. For instance in the case of Ted, Kate, his wife was the major victim of his negative mental imbalance.

drpassy@yahoo.com

wholly spiritual. Studying the book has led tens of thousands to find healing from all kinds of diseases. In Science and Health with key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy presents the spiritual approach to healing, based entirely on the example of Christ Jesus, and his method of healing. She names it the Science of Christ, because all true science must be demonstrable. Eddy confidently invites anyone seeking healing, to try the spiritual approach, and prove for themselves whether or not it is practical. Those relying on this spiritual approach to healing testify to the healing of terminal and incurable maladies, as well as acute and chronic ailments — both physical and mental. The effects of accidents are healed, as well as childhood diseases and diseases related to old age. Other issues such as emotional, financial

m_asolanke@hotmail.com

RICE in Emergency Medicine: Part 4 (Rest II)

By Segun Owonikoko

ODAY, we will be learning a bit more about the mechanics and the use of the rest aids in the form of Broad arm slings. Broad Arm Sling a) In general terms, it is a large triangular piece of bandage that is used in giving rest to the upper limb. In reality any piece of cloth or towel can be cut to size (though a pre-made one is better). The approximate length of each of the two limbs (apart from the long base) of the triangle should be about 18 inches (One and a half of a ruler’s length). The alternate way of making the sling up is to find a square piece of cloth that is approximately 3ft (36 inches) by 3ft. Then fold it one corner to another to make a triangle. b) Ensure that you remove any piece of

and character flaws have all yielded to this spiritual approach of healing. In one of her other writings Rudimental Divine Science, Eddy answers the question whether healing the sick is the whole of the Science of Christ, thus: ‘Healing physical sickness is the smallest part of Christian Science. It is only the bugle-call to thought and action, in the higher range of infinite goodness’. She goes on to say that the emphatic purpose of Christian Science is the healing of sin. If the spiritual approach to healing, which Eddy names Christian Science, does what it says it can do; and one major requirement is for the individual to change their premise, from seeing man as a mixture of several dimensions, to seeing him as entirely spiritual, (made in the image and likeness of God, Spirit), it is certainly worth a try.

jewellery or body ornaments that might get caught in the sling or can cause dangerous swelling of tissue while the limb is in the sling. c) Lay the sling on the body underneath the arm which is being treated. The apex of the triangle will be pointing beyond the elbow and the long base of the triangle towards the fingers. At this point, the sling should be positioned in such a way that about half of it is above the elbow and the other half below it. (See Fig 1 & 2 below). d) Raise the part of the sling lying below the arm upwards to lie over the shoulder and around the back of the neck to meet the other end of the sling that has already being slung across the uninjured side of

the neck and tie the two ends of the sling behind the neck. It is important not to catch any air in the knot. (See Fig 3 &4 below). e) Use a safety pin to bring the ends of the sling at the elbow to conform to shape and to cradle the elbow. f). Adjust the length and tighten the knot behind the back to ensure that the hand is raised slightly above the elbow. This is to facilitate reduction of swelling in the hand and forearm (lower arm) (See Fig 5 below).

Dr. Segun Owonikoko, CEO & Clinical Director, Kephalus Health Nigeria: emergency medical services specialists

Product Marketing Manager, Home Appliances Division, LG Electronics West Africa Operations, Peter, Adegor (left), Lecturer/Researcher, Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Faculty of Public Health, University of Ibadan, Dr Oladapo Okareh; Research Fellow Medical Entomologist, Institute for Advanced Medical Research and Training, Dr Patricia Nkem Okorie; Professor of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Institute for Advanced Medical Research and Training, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Prof. Olusegun Ademowo; Corporate Marketing Manager, LG, Rajesh Agnihotri during a symposium to mark World Malaria Day at the College of Medicine, University of Ibadan.

Health And Your Mind

Issue Of Faith And The Kingdom Of Heaven (6) By Babatunde Ayo-Vaughan

HAD already stated the fact that my aim of writing the book Jesus Christ The Master Psychologist is not only to bring the character and person of Jesus out of the jungle of religion and its confusion but also to use the book as the basis of the understanding of the rule of intelligence in throwing practical light on such very vital topic as the issue of faith and the kingdom of heaven. The rule of intelligence is about a methodology of understanding. In the intellectual world, this method is generally called science. This may not necessarily suggest a laboratory affair, as those religious bigots want to perceive it as a result of their warped idea that anything pertaining to God must not be associated with laboratory scrutiny. In this respect, it should be explained that psychology indeed is a scientific subject not only of the laboratory type but also of the process of intelligent methodology. When a methodology is intelligent, it is also recognised as scientific. It is all about the logic of thinking, which has a pattern of discernible rules that will always stand the test of time. The bible for example; told us that ‘whatever you sow you will

reap’. To the layman who is familiar with the bible but not science, that statement is of spiritual import. But those who are familiar with science know that, that apparent spiritual statement has scientific validity. They know that you cannot sow corn and reap wheat. You must sow corn to reap corn. Jesus in this same bible said something to the effect that when a seed is on its own, it remains just one seed. But when it falls into the ground and dies, it grows and multiplies into many seeds. The religious faithful might just be contented in accepting this statement as a spiritual truth that draws analogy from nature but the scientifically minded person would easily see how Jesus had gone scientific to explain spiritual matters. If mankind over these years had been favourably disposed towards seeing the scientific perspective of the mission of Jesus, they would have long accepted the truth which I am trying to introduce now that to understand the person of somebody like Jesus very well without distractive controversies, a pattern of the rule of intelligence ought to be established to make sense of everything that He said. So while you might still want to remain in a religion that is associated with His

name for whatever reason best known to you, you will equally know that for the sake of goodwill and the brotherhood of man, this name through the application of the rule of intelligence is not allowed to be involved in anything that will create bad blood and distress among people. It is very sad to note that in this respect, those who call themselves Christians — His followers, because of the many factions they have broken into exhibit enormous bad blood among themselves. Which is just to convince you that religion may not be enough in these matters. We need the rule of intelligence to help all of us out. It is the reason for the book – Jesus Christ The Master Psychologist. It transcends religion. The book once again is not only about bringing the person of Jesus out of religious acrimony but more importantly to use it as the basis of the rule of intelligence which throws useful light on such very vital topics as the issue of faith and the kingdom of heaven, which scientifically speaking will be proved to be about our mind functions. Ayo-Vaughan, a psychologist, lives in Lagos.

THE GUARDIAN, Sunday, May 5, 2013

20 SUNDAYMAGAZINE

LIVINGWOMAN

‘Every Woman Should Reach For Highest Heights’ Her sojourn/experiences AM a chartered accountant and the past President of Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) from 2004 to 2005. I served on so many platforms as council member for over 20 years and I still serve there up till now. I had over 40 years of varied experiences in the accounting profession, auditing sector, business and financial advisory services, insurance banking, construction and regulatory sectors of the Nigerian economy. I was also involved in the training of countless young Nigerians to become Chartered Accountants. I lectured at the training school on auditing and financial management at KPMG Nigeria. I was the International Liaison Partner for insurance, banking and finance for over 10 years at KPMG. I attended several training courses in England, Switzerland, South Africa and Canada. I participated in several workshops and conferences in the UK. After my tenure in the Institute, three years ago I was nominated to attend a forum in Uganda. So I still attend ICAN activities as a devoted ICAN member and being a former president of the Institute is a lifetime assignment. Last Friday, I attended a dinner and award night. I still mingle with young accountants members and other past presidents of the institute. Present activities Being the President of the Institute is not a permanent job. I was a partner in KPMG, which was my full time work. So I go round the company to audit the accounts. I was the first female partner in an International firm. I retired in 2002, which makes it 11 years ago since I retired from active practice and after that I became the president of ICAN. I served ICAN travelling around to represent them on corporate affairs commission and other bodies where they need my services. I have my own firm. I also served on a number of companies as a board member and chairman of company and I served my church as a church choir and society. Achievements as a former ICAN president The achievement is more or less teamwork. It will be selfish of me to claim that I achieved this and that. We have a council and the president is the chairman of the council. Every year we have a budget and we come up with what we want to focus on, which usually are regular standard activities and whatever you want to add to the rolling plan you are free to do so. During my tenure, we started to develop the ICAN Centre, a magnificent edifice at Amuwo Odofin though it was abandoned. But we started it as a programme to cover a number of years. It is a teamwork because I didn’t build it with my money. We also improved on our examination syllabus because passing ICAN examination used to be a headache for students and people were getting frustrated. So, we started a ‘piece meal passing’ whereby if people make two papers out of the four, they can come back later to write the remaining two; unlike before when if people failed a paper they had to start all over again. During my tenure, within five years we doubled the number of accountants in the country. The number of chartered accountants we have in the country is too small compared to the economy. Every incorporated company should have at least a chartered accountant. Accountants cut across the economy. Our members have contributed immensely to the accounting profession. Accountants are needed to help the national economy because an economy that has no accountability is more or less dead. We keep on doing public services by training and developing accountants at our own expense without getting any subvention from the government. The services we render to our community we don’t get paid for it. We do it with the interest of developing our nation. Just like people put in effort and energy to develop and make me a very good chartered accountant. I also turned around to develop others. I am also the grand patron of Society of Women Accountants of Nigeria (SWAN). We educate and encourage secondary school students to do accounting as a profession, as many students run away from. We normally invite a woman of substance who has attained a good position in their careers to educate the students We also visit market women to educate them on how to keep records because most of them believe that all the money in their purse belongs to them whereas there is capital and profit. So, we teach them to separate the capital from profit. Family Life I am married to my dear husband, Barrister

Ibironke Mojisola Osiyemi has proved time and again that she is a woman of substance in every ramification. A believer in hard work, focus and sincerity of purpose, she always aims for the highest in every endeavour she undertakes. The accountant of repute succeeded in leaving a legacy worthy of emulation in the sector before bowing out. The former President of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) though retired seems not to be tired, as she continues to make herself relevant and resourceful. She told OLUWAKEMI AJANI recently that the ability to remain oneself and put in the very best is the main ingredient of success.

OSIYEMI Osiyemi and we’ve been married for the past 42 years. We are blessed with three children, one of whom is a chartered accountant and we are happy and contented though my husband is much more older than me. He was 80 years in December and I recently celebrated my 70th birthday in March. We live everyday as it comes. We live in the same house and we do things together. We raised the children together when they were young. I would be in the kitchen cooking and he would be bathing them. He dropped them in school and I would pick them later. We saw them through their education and now they are all grown up. It is a question of time. When you have a task ahead and you are focused and have somebody of like mind who is not an impediment to your aspiration, you won’t have any problem. Some men are the clogs in their wives’ wheel of success. It is good to know the person you want to marry; no one should get married just because they like the person. When I was a young girl, if a man was not interested in my career, we would not even talk not to mention dating. And I preferred a man buying me a novel as a gift and teaching me mathematics than taking me out. We would then discuss career objectives and how to be on top in future. But when people enter into marriage with a wrong notion, they run into problems afterwards. It is important people know themselves and what they want before getting married. Most times when I watch couple and the way they are carrying on, I wonder how they will live together and be each other’s helper. There should be no pretence whatsoever on the part of either party. A woman is not a slave but a companion in the home. When I travel sometimes my husband prepares things for me at home but when my husband is not at home, the house helps are my companions. We laugh and joke together because I treat them like my your own children.

Our system is supportive and if we care for each other our life will be more wholesome. But if people live in pretence— they don’t want to see anybody just you and your husband then the children won’t understand the culture. After I retired, my son brought two of his children to stay with me. He said he wanted them to have Nigerian root. I have two house helps; one for my mum and the other for the children and I supervise them. I planned the home front and I buy things in bulk. I look after my family. Managing the home and career I cannot pin point any because you need to be focused and I don’t carry problems around just like I don’t carry people in my mind. If there were an issue, I‘d rather focus on it than the personality. I cannot say I have a problem. I am a very open minded person. When you have an open mind you really don’t have challenges. My home is organised because my mother was living with me. There is always somebody in the house. Views on the role of women as mothers There is an adage that says if you educate a woman, you educate a family. So, an educated woman is an asset to the family. Presently, the economy does not allow a woman to sit at home and look after the children alone or just live to please the man. Unless the husband is financially buoyant so that he can give provide all the needs of the family, the woman has to work. We are just kidding ourselves. In those days, we used to return from work by 4,0 clock. During my own time I moved around with my daughter and attended my children school activities. That was during the Jakande administration. Because a woman is working shouldn’t mean she should not have time for her family. It is a joint effort. There is no reason why a woman in our society should sit at home and not be economically vi-

able. The most important thing is for a woman to manage her time very well and for the husband to cooperate with the wife. When a wife needs assistance, the man should offer to help. And that is why I taught all my children how to cook so that if their wives are not around, they should be able to cook for the family. Women should teach their children, regardless of whether male or female how to maintain and keep the home. If there is no cooperation and love in the family, it will be difficult for the woman to achieve her goal. Background I was born in Ago-Iwoye Ogun State in 1943. I started primary education at Ilesa Isona Primary School and later moved to Imososi Wesley School, Ago Iwoye. I attended Methodist Modern School also in Ago Iwoye and then Mayflower Secondary School, Ikenne, Ogun State for Modern 2 and WASC in 1958 and 1963 under the proprietorship of Prof Tai Solarin. I proceeded abroad for professional courses in accounting- ACCA sections I -1V in Fulks Lynch Tuition School and College of Commerce, Woodgreen, England respectively. Advice for women Every woman should get her priority right and do what she has a passion for. Women should work hard and be serious in what they do. Being a woman should not be an excuse not to reach for greater heights. Every woman must work hard to achieve something good in life because success is not an easy thing, one must work for it. Leisure I go to parties on Saturdays and read novels. I don’t go to people’s house anyhow and I manage my time very well. Everyday, I plan my day and as an auditor, I have a diary where I normally write what I want to do on daily basis.

THE GUARDIAN, Sunday, May 5, 2013

SUNDAYMAGAZINE

NEWSPEOPLE

Mike Adenuga, A Samurai At 60 By Gbolabo Ogunsanwo S friends, family, associates and Nigerians celebrate the birthday of Dr. Mike Adenuga, it is appropriate to reflect on the life’s journey of a major national icon. The popular, public image of Mike Adenuga is that he is a man of money — lots of it, plenty of it and when he wants to splash it, he knows how to do just that, perhaps, better than anybody else. This trait he shares with the American real estate mogul — Donald Trump. Both men are charismatic and can be flamboyant when they want to. But Mike Adenuga is more than just money. He is a ‘boy-wonder.’ A man with the Midas touch. A hard-nosed businessman; with an iron determination, incredible vision, willpower, courage, energy and who believes that there is nothing that he sets his mind to achieve that is impossible. I salute him. In 60 years, he has achieved much more in his life than most people can achieve in five lifetimes. He is a walking personification of a major MBA programme. You watch him, you study his life and go “do thou.” Because of his image, as what ordinary Nigerians call a “money man”, it has been difficult to fully and adequately appreciate and take a full measure of the man. Michael, Adeniyi, Agbolade, Isola Adenuga is an achiever extraordinaire and qualifies as a major African icon in his own right. Apart from the Federal Government, he is possibly the largest direct employer of labour in Nigeria. By so doing, he has personally affected for the better, the lives of more people than many pretenders in the public arena, who deceive themselves that they are impacting on the lives of Nigerians for the better. A close and complete study of his life will fill anybody with awe. It would appear that very early in his life, he had made up his mind he was reaching for the top of the mountain that he has set for himself. If the fact that he had become a multimillionaire by the time he was 30 years old without having a major financial inheritance dues not qualify as a extraordinary feat, the fact that before the age of 40 he was already a silent economic titan, with ownership of two banks, investments in real estate and commodities and the big one - oil, that will show that there is something special, something magical and something extraordinary about him. At the age of 38 on December 24, 1991 by which time many of his contemporaries were still carousing in seedy nightclubs with women of easy virtue, Mike Adenuga struck oil. What bravery! What imagination! What derring-do! And in a country where the per capita income at that time was nothing to write home about and when few contemporaries would dare go into even small cottage industries not to talk of highly complex and highly technical industries as banking, and petroleum exploration. Most were content with ‘buying and selling’ or ‘contract supplies.’ To take the full measure of the man, we should realise that operating in the then most modern and most sophisticated economy, John D. Rockefeller, the first billionaire in history and the eternal grandmaster of the oil business got into the oil business at the age of 25. A 38 years old man who owns two banks and has an oil bloc that is already producing oil is not just a rich man, but a serious-minded, extremely serious-minded visionary and bold entrepreneur. He is a conquistador, an African Samurai. In Japan, they call people like Mike Adenuga a Zaibatsu that is a national living treasure. Were he a Japanese, he would be in the class of Akio Morita and Masaku Ibuka, the founders of Sony Empire or Soichiro Honda, the founder of Honda or Mitsu Takaloshi, the founder of Mitsui. In our clime, Mike Adenuga is in a class of his own — a Pathfinder, a Trailblazer, a mountain mover. A man with tremendous physical presence

in his own right, one can say that again, Mike Adenuga is worth his weight in gold; sorry – in diamond. He is a man after my heart. He is a man who has defied insuperable odds to be where he is today. He deserves to be saluted for his vision, for his bullish doggedness and his appetite for risk-taking. His life is a testimony to the triumph of human spirit over any obstacle or adversity. IN 1999, Mike Adenuga through a company called Communications Investments Ltd (CIL) had obtained a GSM licence. This license was later revoked. In 2002, the Olusegun Obasanjo government decided to auction four GSM licenses. The story is told that Mike Adenuga instructed his bidding team going to Abuja never to come back to Lagos without a GSM licence, no matter the cost. Adenuga is alleged to be the person that drove the sale price of each licence to $265million. He had paid the mandatory deposit of $20million. Unknown to him, there was allegedly a powerful person in the Nigerian Presidency, who had sworn to do everything to ensure Adenuga did not get any licence. A few hours to the closing time for the payment of full auction price, Mike Adenuga was able to successfully pay into the New York account of the NCC. During the crisis that followed this affair, Adenuga published for all Nigerians, photocopy of the exact time that the money hit the NCC account. But the ‘Oga at the top’ at Abuja decided that Adenuga did not meet the deadline. Maybe he was using Greenwich Meantime on his wristwatch. And, so, Adenuga lost the licence and the $20million deposit. In today’s terms, that would be N3.2billion. That would have knocked out practically any man except anybody made of steel. Adenuga was down, but not out. He decided to try again when he bidded for the Second National Operator’s Licence in August 2002 through another company called Globacom Ltd. The SNO licence empowered him to operate a GSM network. It is estimated that what Adenuga lost in the initial attempt to have a GSM licence was well over N5billion. How many people — Nigerians or non-Nigerians — would still be interested in a business after losing over N5billion and to make matters worse, when his competitors have gone ahead to capture the entire market. Even the big Vodafone did not believe there was anything left in the market. That is the main defining character of Adenuga. A divine intervention enabled Adenuga to get a licence. “When your ways please the Lord, He makes your enemies to be at peace with you.” Adenuga got on the ball and forced his two competitors, who had been raking in unconscionable multiple millions on the basis that there was no way a “Per Second” billing for GSM telephone usage was possible in Nigeria, to sit up and know that a war was on. A Samurai nay, a Sumo wrestler had arrived on the scene. The Barracuda was determined to eat them live – salt or no salt maggi or no maggi. The rugged pursuit of his goal, which culminated in his acquisition of the GSM licence is perhaps the ultimate public display of his ruggedness as a businessman and

his fierce determination to succeed in life. M. A. Jr. as he often signs his documents, is now a major brand in Africa. Perhaps the next task is to make the name a universal brand like Bill Gates, Donald Trump or Ray Kroc of McDonald’s. Adenuga had led an indifferent life as a secondary school boy at the famous Ibadan Grammar School. But just before he left for the United States a chance meeting in Lagos at a social gathering with the then unknown Lt. or Capt. Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida turned out to a meeting with destiny. The two of them got on like fish and water and became great pals. He openly acknowledges the good hand that IBB later dealt him and his business in life. But the question is — Where are the other Nigerians that IBB tried to provoke to success by giving them oil licences? Returning to Nigeria, from America, after his MBA from Pace University he dabbled in commodities and real estate becoming a millionaire before the age of 30. Most young men of 30 then, even now would have lost their head with that asset value, but not Mike Adenuga. Rather, plotting his way to the top with the calculation of a master tactician, he decided to go for the big game. He obtained two banking licences and soon after an oil bloc. There is the uncharitable gossip that he was fronting or is it backing for a known military officer. But there was a number of Nigerians that the IBB government decided to empower by such means. Everyone of them except M. A. Jr. either sold off their licences to some pink coloured men or leased them out to collect yearly rent. Against all odds, against the blandishments of foreign oil companies, who told him he must want his head examined to think as a Nigerian he wanted to actually utilise, risk tens of millions of dollars, dig the ground for oil without absolute, cast-iron guar-

antee of success. But M. A. Jr., the ultimate risktaker did just that. The rest, as they say, is history. Adenuga was hitting them everywhere. The first blow was his introduction of the ‘per second billing.’ While his competitors were still struggling, trying to figure out what had bit them, he slashed the SIM card cost to N1.00. By that time, I myself thought he wanted his head examined. But he knew what he wanted — to lure customers onto the Glo Network — and then they would have to buy recharge cards to stay alive there. He must have been a good study of John D. Rockefeller. It is not only in his triumph against all odds in the Globacom issue that the Mike Adenuga genius is evident. He had prior to this acquired the loss-making Premium Motor Spirit dispenser, National Oil and Marketing Company Ltd, done a no-sentiment management overhaul that had the old management screaming and cursing and shouting – blue murder. Within a span of five years, he turned the company around to profitability. In this operation, which put him very much in the public eye, he showed that he did not mix business with sentiments. In hiring senior managers of any of his companies, after the recruitment consultants have done their jobs and done all the short listings, Adenuga is wont to want to sit on the panel, where the final decisions are taken. Why? Not because he wants to impress the new entrants as to who the ultimate boss is, but because in all entrepreneurs and management gurus from Henry Ford to Rockefeller to Lee Iacocca, Jack Welch, Stephen Covey, Tom Peters, Warren Buffet; there is the quality or gene in them to enable them ‘smell’ would-be staff that have not just brilliant IQs, impressive C.Vs, but that unquantifiable factor that makes an employee an achiever, an ultimate star. I think the Jews calls that chutzpah. Finally, a word about Mike Adenuga Jr’s generosity. Over the last 30 years he has reached out to hundreds if not thousands of people in cash, in kind, buying or building houses and giving them away, giving out Naira in tens of millions, giving out money in various currencies in hundreds of thousands that I will not be surprised if his welfare budge is not in the billions every year. There is this contemporary testimony of a friend of mine-a-manabout-town in Lagos social circles, who had a major health challenge and managed to prevail over the understandable stumbling blocks that Adenuga has erected to prevent Nigerian pan-handlers from eating him up alive. He asked his aides to enquire where the fellow wanted to be treated – the UK, the US or India. Inexplicably the fellow chose Nigeria and Adenuga shelled out breathtaking millions in Naira to his hospital. On discharge, the fellow wanted to come say ‘thank you’ to his benefactor, but Adenuga made himself unavailable. Up till today, the man has been unable to see the guy who paid millions for his healthcare. At 60, Mike Adenuga would not obviously be interested in the free bus ticket on London Transport to which he would be entitled. Rather, I think he would be looking for the next mountain to conquer.

THE GUARDIAN, Sunday, May 5, 2013

22 SUNDAYMAGAZINE

NEWSPEOPLE

Celebrating Adewole, UI VC At 59 By Sunday Saanu

HEN David Brinkley postulates that a successful man lays a firm foundation with the bricks other people have thrown at him, the philosopher has in mind, the like of Prof. Isaac Folorunso Adewole, the Vice Chancellor, University of Ibadan (UI) who is today turned 59 years old. By every standard, Adewole can be described as a successful man, having being a leading light right from primary school, post primary school and through a tertiary level. Today, the VC of the Nigeria premier university is successfully leading other 300 professors in Ibadan, thus, validating John Maxwell position that a leader is the one who knows the way, goes the way and shows the way. But in his own case, Adewole is not just showing the way, he is in fact, constantly seeking an unbeaten path to tread and unusual course to chart, to the extent that he has thus elevated the university campus to a place of scientific information, reformation, innovation and transformation. Certainly, every worker in UI can attest to the fact that they have never had it better than now. Perhaps the uniqueness of Adewole administration, in the history of the university is its welfarist and populist orientation. He made a lead into a new dimension of possibility when he initiated payment of workers’ salary between 22 and 25 of every month with or without federal allocation. Saved one or two occasions, he has kept this idea running since 2010 and workers have been praying for him. Still passionate about workers’ welfare, he has established housing scheme for them, which is private sector driven. Interestingly, as a way of motivating the work force, the VC has instituted awards for the outstanding workers in various categories. In the maiden edition, 10 staff members went home with a monetary reward, certificate and trophy of honour. He says inspiration without motivation will lead to demoralisation. His strength of mind and passion for humanity as well as his amazing vitality have directly, made so much difference in UI to such a degree that success remains a destination much desired. With immensity of his knowledge, fecundity of his mind and profundity of his thoughts, the university is considerably benefiting from a life-time of consistent hard work, unsparing self-discipline and unflinching commitment to worthy pursuits of the leader of men and manager of resources. Here is a man who pays unscheduled visits to various Centres, Departments and Directorates so as to deracinate the workers of lame ducking. As much as he wants maximum comfort for the university workers, he is never at home with people who are bereft of sure footedness in their duties. Following deep-rooted lethargy in the system, the VC has developed all kinds of therapy to prevent inherent atrophy in the university. In his determined effort to get the best from every worker and lift the system higher than he met it, he has established Centre for Social Orientation (CENSO) with a mandate to preach proper conduct so that everyone will be at their best behaviour. He has also set up Quality Assurance Unit just as he recently inaugurated AntiCorruption and Transparency Monitoring Unit (ACTMU) with a mandate to investigate anybody (including the VC) and report findings to national anti-corruption bodies.

There is no over flogging the fact that he is really out to leave lasting legacies behind as observable changes are clearly discernible for all to perceive unless there is a resort to the ostrich self delusion of burying one’s head in the sand. The recently commissioned sawmill, where trees will be processed for the end users, among other projects are testimonies of his vision. Again, from various interactions one has had with him, it is obvious that Adewole is a man of irresistible influence with rich possession of people management skill. This attribute must have accounted for his ability to hold his administrative team players in synergy. There is no crack in the wall of their unity and mutual respect for one another. With his robust sense of humour, there is no dull moment around Adewole’s mien. While the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), Prof. Idowu Olayinka is always tactically prodding the VC to crack a joke, the DVC administration, Prof. Arinola Sanya who is the only female among them, is always the target of the VC’s hilarious joke as oga will always have something hysterical to say about

either her beautiful hair-do, or attractive dressing to the enjoyment of others. The Registrar, Mr. Jimi Olukoya, the university Bursar, Mr. Ibrahim Aponmode, the Librarian, Dr. Benedit Oladele among others deserve kudos for the support they give Adewole’s regime. Adewole does not underestimate the power of a smile, a kind word, an honest compliment and the smallest act of caring – all of which have been making his administration a spectacle. In many more ways than one, he has certainly accomplished the deeds that history will gleefully remember.

spect for elders is one of the cardinal imperatives of our traditional customs. It is hope that their adolescence will soon fade into adulthood. They will know better with time as they are still driven by utopia. However, as Adewole marks 59 years of impactful and meaningful existence today, there is no doubting the fact that friends and well wishers will eat beyond satiety. There are more than enough reasons to celebrate this man of regal gait and admirable moral force. His reputation, public and private records are stellar. He has reconstructed many old templates of public service delivery without grandstanding oratory. His achievements so far, have, absolutely eclipsed a malicious and relentless campaign of calumny and public obloquy that his detractors subjected him to when he was coming to reign. It is now obvious to even the most obtuse that Adewole will go down in history as a hero of recovery from the road of retrogression. If happiness is indeed a state of consciousness, which proceeds from the achievements of one’s goal and values, then our boss has reasons to be happy. Today, therefore, he has many reasons to thank God. But beyond the ululations and champagne popping, there are still challenges ahead! Success is succeeding in succession. It is getting plus every day. One is not successful if one’s yesterday is better than today, therefore, Adewole must continue to succeed. He must continue to pursue his desires with sufficient intensity so as to ensure more actualisation of his conceptualisation. Indeed, there is always a skill to improve, innovation to be applied and development to be achieved. He is still obligated to provide much more quality leadership than he has ever done. Prof. Adewole was born on May 5, 1954. He attended Ilesa Grammar School from 1966-1972 and even at that tender age, he was a role model to his schoolmates, on account of his good conduct, exemplary character and exceptional brilliance. He obtained Grade 1 with Distinction in his West African School Certificate in 1970 and scored AAC grades at the Higher School Certificate Examination in 1972. He enrolled as a National Award Scholar at the University of Ibadan in 1973. He obtained his MB BS degree in 1978, winning the Glaxo Allenbury Prize for the best overall performance in Pediatrics. He underwent further medical training in Nigeria, becoming a Senior Registrar in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, in 1984. He then proceeded to the United Kingdom for a Research Fellowship in the Department of Medical Oncology at Charing Cross Hospital in London. He obtained the Fellowship of the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria (FMCOG) in May 1986 and the Fellowship of the West African College of Surgeons (FWACS) in January 1994. He became the UI VC December 1, 2010. As he marks his 59th birthday, one prays for more divine wisdom with which to keep piloting the affairs in UI in order to ensure the sustenance of the system for the benefit of humanity.

Prof. Adewole’s ability to manage crisis was put to test when he insisted that bad attitude of cooking inside the room in the hostel should not be turned to norm by the students. Many uninterrupted his intentions as some students were taking counterfeit innuendoes to the market place of ideas, challenged their VC to a road side brawl! Prof. Adewole took all the impudence in his stride with an uncommon stoical calmness. Well, those sundaysaanu@yahoo.com students in this category must be told that re-

Puncturing Provocative Propositions By Adidi Uyo

DIVERSE or divided country is a laboratory for testing the validity of the saying, “One man’s meat is another man’s poison.” One thing that could be meat or poison in any polity, especially, a diverse or divided one, is a proposition, which, put simply, is a statement, an idea, or an argument. The reason is that propositions are the combustible elements that fire public discourse. When a “man” sees a proposition as poison and not as meat, he invariably considers it provocative. As we had tried to point out on the language train before the transition, provocativeness is a matter of degree, for it could be placed anywhere on a semantic scale marked mild, moderate, and severe. Hence, whenever you do not accept a proposition, you can apply the semantic scale and gauge your pulse. I cannot speak for you, but every time I encounter a provocative proposition, I try to puncture it in my head. Besides, I am exceedingly delighted whenever I find someone else puncturing it for me via newspapers. But instead of toasting the person who has punctured the provocative proposition for me, I indulge in appreciating his or her language, specifically, his or her choice of words, diction, for short. And if you don’t mind, let me indulge you in such appreciation. “Falae: Proposed Amnesty For Boko Haram Is Misplaced Priority” was the headline of a news story in The Nation of April 21, 2013. The lead of the story reads: “A former presidential candidate, Chief Olu Falae, yesterday described the proposed amnesty for members of the Boko Haram sect by the Federal Government as a misplaced priority.” The second paragraph reads: “Falae, who spoke with reporters in Akure, the Ondo State capital, said granting amnesty to people whose identities

remain unknown is ludicrous.” Hmm, can you see what I see, I mean, the choice of words? Let me tell you about the two words or phrases in the opening paragraphs of the news story that struck me immeasurably: “misplaced priority” and “ludicrous.” For somebody to use such words to puncture a proposition tells you how strongly he has been provoked. On our semantic scale, I would place the degree of provocation to the extreme right, that is, severe. However, ask me not whether I am on all fours with the erstwhile presidential flag bearer, because that is not on the menu of the language train. If, instead of trying to know whether I agree or disagree with him, you ask me about how I appreciate his diction, I will be most delighted to take you through this simple semantic exercise, which I have dubbed, Tasting The

LANGUAGE ON PARADE Flavour Of Words. This exercise is a very unusual one for a newspaper reader, but I did say I want to indulge you, didn’t I? First, draw five lines – in your head or on a piece of paper - with the following five pairs of words to the left and right hand side, respectively: tasteless, elegant; mealy-mouthed, unequivocal; ambiguous, precise; blistering, soothing; and pacific, bellicose. We could draw more of such lines with more of such pairs of words, but these are enough for our purposes here. Therefore, let us just say that these words may be collectively seen as either bitter or sweet, but remember: “One man’s meat is another man’s poison!”

Getting down to our Tasting The Flavour Of Words exercise, how would appreciate the language with which Falae punctured the proposition concerning granting amnesty to Boko Haram? Was his choice of the word, “ludicrous,” for example, tasteless or elegant? Was it mealy-mouthed or unequivocal? Was it blistering or soothing? What about his choice of the phrase, “misplaced priority”? Before I check my flavour with yours, or vice versa, let me quickly make a proposition that is bound to provoke some people to no end. I dare say that the way a man uses language shows, above all, three things: his learning, his character, and his disposition? Mindful of Shakespeare’s dictum that, “There’s no art to find the mind’s construction on the face,” I cannot tell you that you can discern the constructions of any man’s mind from his use of language. But, oftentimes, if not invariably, when you hear a person use a word or phrase such as “ludicrous” instead of “rubbish,” or “misplaced priority” instead of “bogus,” you can say that such a man is learned, noble, and calm, simply because his language evinces taste, good taste. When in a public or formal situation somebody uses a phrase, like “damn it” or “I don’t give a damn,” you can tell his frame of mind. Mind you, do not confuse or equate “frame of mind” with “the mind’s construction.” That a man is disturbed does not mean he has evil intentions. Anyway, my five lines with those five pairs of words are right here before me, and I am ready to taste, with you, the flavour of Falae’s diction, plus that of others who have punctured provocative propositions pertaining to sundry matters, beside that of granting amnesty to Boko Haram.

THE GUARDIAN, Sunday, May 5, 2013

SUNDAYMAGAZINE 23

KALEIDOSCOPE

‘Instant Gratification, Bane Of Leadership In Nigeria’ Ten years ago, Prof. Pat Utomi founded the Centre For Values in Leadership, (CVL); an organization committed to making people that would help shape Nigeria for the better. He spoke to GBENGA AKINFENWA, ONYEWUCHI IKECHUKWU and KAYLA GRAGE, why Nigeria has not got its leadership right among other critical national issues. What is CVL all about? IRST of all, one has to go back to why I do many of the things I do in Centre For Values in Leadership, (CVL). As a graduate student, in the United States, I realised that the problem with Nigeria is that we often complain about things but do little to make a change. So I pledge that if I ever spoke on any social phenomenon, with which I thought something was wrong, I had the duty to proffer a solution. My pledge then was to make a decent effort to make a difference. And I would like to explain that. The first thing that heats me up on returning to Nigeria in November 1982 was the death of a dear friend, who was a successful businessperson. As he was dying, he told his wife that he was so sorry that he was leaving her so early, knowing the tradition. And his brothers were already struggling to take his things while he was alive. And I was wondering if the wife was going to survive the battle with his siblings, given the terrible widowhood practice in our country. I watched this woman, in a very short space of time; go from an upper middle class to being homeless and poor. I thought it was so unjust and I started at that time to create a network of people who can support widows. I began to organise ways to help poor widows. About 20 years ago, I created what is now called a Widows Support Centre, which still exists in Surulere. It is located at Akerele area, where some of them have stores. We do micro-credit support for them and train them on how to make different things. So, that is my first example. But in between, I have so many other things. It came to a high point about ten years ago when I came to the conclusion that the late Chinua Achebe was absolutely correct that the trouble with Nigeria was leadership. Thus, the question is: how do you affect the next generation in order not to have the same problems, having people who are ill prepared for leadership. Consequently, the Centre for Values in Leadership (CVL) was created precisely to do that, a place to shape the generation next on the meaning of leadership, the dos and don’ts of leadership. So that they can be more effective leaders whether it is in business, civil society or in public service. Even in the family. We have established a number of basic templates. One is the CVL tripod. Many things are important for leadership, but three are critical in the CVL approach. One is that you must be knowledgeable to be able to lead. If you don’t know, you can’t lead. There is a lot of mess in our country today, because those in position of authority really don’t know. And because they don’t know, they really can’t have a vision that is bigger than themselves. A man cannot give what he does not have. The CVL model tries to create the concept of learning to learn, developing the capacity to keep learning. And knowledge is not certificate by the way; knowledge can be from experience and exposing self. So you need knowledge to lead. The second one is that leadership is not about self; it is about others. Leadership is others-centered not self-centered. If you don’t have a habit of selflessly giving, a sense of service, you cannot get there. If you look at the political terrain in Nigeria today, a lot of people who claim to be leaders, lack compassion. They lack a sense of service towards others. Therefore, creating a people of compassion, and service is a major part of the CVL agenda. The third is courage of conviction. If you don’t have the courage of conviction, then you’ll follow the wind. To help affect young people along the path of this tripod, CVL has a variety of programmes. One of the best-known CVL programmes is the Role Model Forum. It takes place every third Saturday at CVL auditorium. Usually a leading executive, somebody who has been in leadership position, comes to share the values and how he overcame the challenges to arrive at where he or she is. We will have one of these programmes soon and one of the people that will share her experience is the Country Manager of Google, the other is a business person, who has gone bankrupt three times and today runs a business with 50 million dollars turnover a month. This is a very popular series. And of course, we have the CVL Annual

Lecture. For this year, we had the Sultan of Sokoto, Governors Peter Obi, Kayode Fayemi and a US congressman. A new serie that we started weeks ago is called the Solutions Conference Series. That is to say, you need leaders to solve problems. Great leaders tend to emerge when there is a major problem or crisis because they are the ones who have emerged to provide solutions. The world may never have known of Winston Churchill had Hitler not chosen to assault the dignity of everybody. So Churchill, who was thought of as a semi-drunkard, conservative politician, emerged as one of the greatest rulers of the greatest country, because of his capacity to respond to the Hitler challenge as the Prime Minister of Britain. Nigeria has many serious problems, how do we find the young people who have the mindset of solving those kinds of problems? This is the goal of the Solutions Conference Series. And the first one, we tackled the problem of faith, youth and tolerance. We had three panels to discuss the issues. We had the policy-makers panel. This policy-makers’ panel was made up of state governors, speaker of the House of Representative, Aminu Tambuwal, an Appeal Court Judge and Abike Dabiri, a member of the House of Representative. These are the people who are involved in policy-making. The second panel was a panel of religious leaders. Among those on that panel were Bishop Hassan Kukah, the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto, Bishop Fiyaroh, the Anglican Bishop of Kaduna, Sheik Rahman, the Ansar-Ud-deen Leader and others. Then, the youth panel made up of leading young minds like Hassan Rilwan of the Sardauna Magazine, Kingsley Bangwel of the Youngstars Foundation and others. At the programme, the young leaders compendium was unveiled. The compendium is a coffee table book on leadership that includes interviews with some outstanding leaders; write-ups on global leaders and Nigerian historic and political leaders like Awolowo and Azikiwe. It also includes leadership quotes and reviews of some famous leadership books. In May, at the centre, we will begin some leadership development programmes, where companies can send in young people they expect to be leaders in the future. The programme will be on for weeks to develop these young people. Of particular importance for the programme and the various leader-development programmes of CVL is what we call the Pedagogy of the Determined. Many years ago, there was a famous educationist called Paolo Freire, who developed the Pedagogy of the Oppressed. We are taking out of Freire’s thesis a different perspective, which we call the Pedagogy of the Determined. People, who are determined to triumph and overcome; how do you develop such people? What model do you adopt? We have developed a completely unique model of teaching, which has several dimensions. One dimension of it is that we must hit an appropriate nexus between theory and practice. Two people will teach every class; one, an academic type, the other, somebody in practice, who has some experience in the field. The two would simultaneously stand in front of the class to deliver any lecture. So that people’s interrogation of issues will be conceptually clear on one hand and practically engaged on the other hand. We will have practice, where after thinking up some concepts, you go out, practice it, develop an action plan, then come back to refine it. We will have a group role-play where people in a particular development group will then be part of an e-learning experience where they chat. They get a book every two weeks they must all read. On the Internet, they will be developing issues and discussing the issues based on their experience. After going through all of these kinds of development issues, they come back to what we call a Mentor’s Panel. This Mentor’s Panel will be made up of successful people, who have had experiences in different areas, as executives and as leaders in public life. This panel will then proceed with these young people who have gone through the leadership development programmes in what is traditionally called an assessment centre. In this assessment centre, questions are posed to these people who have had the development programme. They will

Utomi

then debate with each other on how to solve the problems with the experienced hands interrogating the conversation from time to time to create a wholesome engaged development of mind of how to solve social problems. So this whole package is what we call the Pedagogy of the Determined and we will be unfolding it in May. Can you tell us about membership, cost of programmes and sources of funding? Almost all CVL programmes up till now have been free. Some, corporate sponsors pay for us to be able to offer it to people. The Role Model Forum, for example, which is monthly. And the qualification for all of these is on the first come, first serve basis. You send a text message or phone in, or go to a website or blackberry message to say I will attend. The place is reserved for you. The auditorium we have downstairs can take about 120 to 150 people. Once we get 120 or 150 people, that gate is closed. All of these have been free of charge. But the leadership development programme, which is almost like executive development programme, is still a major business school like Harvard. You will go through it over a couple of months. But it will be broken down; though not everyday. You can still be doing your work and be coming for a day or week over several months. Sponsors pay for that and it is not advertised. Somebody can say we like to train one of our young emerging leaders. NDDC can sponsor two young people from Niger Delta who they believe are promising. That is the way those ones will come. It attracts a fee but not one that will be advertised. It’s going to be word of mouth. And those who feel a person deserves this kind of programme sponsor such a person. Some schools of thought believe that leadership is not the problem of the country but lack of value. How do you think we can introduce this to leadership in the country? Value and leadership are related. Nigeria has suffered a collapse of culture and crisis of values. You can’t even get leaders who

We have enormous poverty in a country that has the potential of been wealthy; corruption has been a critical part of it. Not only has corruption in Nigeria depleted resources we could have used in Nigeria, it has sealed the conscience of people in power, such that, they don’t see the primary role of a leader, which is compassion for the people.

have the values. Those values are a sine-qua-non for being called a leader. You cannot be a leader, if you lack integrity. It is integrity that makes people trusts you and it is trust that makes it easy for you to lead people into a particular destination. The damage the collapse of culture has done is that people who have gotten into authority do not actually know the right from wrong. They don’t have the etiquette, decency of a social life to be effective as leaders. Yes, there is a collapse of culture in Nigeria and part of our goal is to reverse this collapse by affecting how socialisation of young people takes place. For example, one of the major values of a society that brings progress is the value of delayed gratification or deferred gratification. You sow, watered, and then harvest. What has happened to us in Nigeria is the unfortunate value frame that followed this collapse of culture. Instant gratification is what government want. People want their reward now and now. One of our series in CVL is called ‘The leader without a title’. It is to show young people an example that it is not money, title or position that are important things in life, but having a successful life by making a difference in the world without a title. And I’m glad that just as we were having one of the series, Robin Shamman visited. He was the man who wrote a brilliant book “The Leader Who Had No Title”. What is the major reason for insecurity and unrest in the country? I cannot say one thing is the cause. Among the reasons we have this problem is leadership failure. So we have not put our resources where it should go. We have enormous poverty in a country that has the potential of been wealthy; corruption has been a critical part of it. Not only has corruption in Nigeria depleted resources we could have used in Nigeria, it has sealed the conscience of people in power, such that, they don’t see the primary role of a leader, which is compassion for the people. So they are disconnected from the society. Thus, we have angry people all around. Because education has also collapsed, we have angry but not educated to know right from wrong, good from evil, presenting a situation politician can exploit. How would you have handled the issue of security if you were in a position to do so? I would have laid emphasis on intelligence and the retraining of the Police Force. Let’s be honest with ourselves, the Nigeria Police Force needs to be retrained. South Africa at a point dismissed its IG and hired the Chief Executive of one of its biggest companies to become the IG. I would probably make the Police Force an allgraduate force. When the English Police says to you, “the Police is your friend”, it is not just a slogan.

TheGuardian

24 THE GUARDIAN,Sunday, May 5, 2013

Conscience, Nurtured by Truth

Junior Guardian City Pride Celebrates Cultural Heritage ITH the recognition that cultural values form the founding principles of one’s early life, the management of City Pride School, Amuwo-Odofin, Lagos, last week organised year ‘2013 Cultural Day Festival’. The well-attended event saw the pupils and staff decked in different royal regalia, representing different ethnic groups in Nigeria and other international countries, also featured various cultural presentations by the pupils. Proprietress of the school, Mrs. Monica Lori, said the yearly programme, which is the fifth in the series, is one sure way through which the school inculcates moral lifestyle in the children and remind them of the need to acknowledge their heritage. She said the school decided to go international this year to create awareness for them about the cultures of the world so they can easily identify people from other countries and adapt wherever they find themselves in their higher academic pursuit. The School Head Teacher, Dr. Emah Sunday, said the idea of reminding children of their origin will help them imbibe the norms of their culture and appreciate every aspect of the nation’s heritage. He said it builds moral character and stimulate the children’s innate cultural tendencies. “This event has created awareness for the children. Now they know various ethnic groups that make up the country, the cultural attires, the food and most importantly the cultural values they adhere to that bind them together. It will always remind them of where they come from”. Parents at the occasion were thrilled by the pupils’ presentations in Yoruba Hausa, Igbo, Calabar, Edo, South African, Ghana, China and Brazil among others.

— Ujunwa Atueyi Pupils of City Pride School in a Scotland presentation during the cultural festival of the school.

KIDNAP Solutions To Brain Teaser (3) SAILOR

DISPLACE

PREGNANT

COMMERCIAL

ADEQUATE

Cross section of LASPOTECH Staff School students during their inter-house sports in Ikorodu, Lagos.

THESAURUS Craggy a) rocky b) hole c) drain d) smooth Smirk a) beat b) kick c) drag d) grin Culpable a) attract b) guilty c) like d) cope Dangle a) shake b) cut c) hang d) turn Wallop a) push b) whack c) pull d) brave Chairman of Onigbongbo LCDA, Babatunde Oke addressing the audience during the ‘Kids To Fame’ programme organised by the Council ’at Dream Factory Studio Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos.

COMPILED BY KIKELOLA OYEBOLA

(You can contact us on events for this page through: e-mail: jideoojo@yahoo.com

TRAVEL PRESIDENT

THE GUARDIAN, Sunday, May 5, 2013

SUNDAY MAGAZINE

CAMPUS FUTA Partners U.S. Varsity To Boost Quality Of Graduates From Niyi Bello, Akure

N an effort to improve the quality of its graduates and expose them to global practice, the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA) has entered into an agreement with the Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University in the United States to jointly undergo training of its undergraduates. Under the arrangement, which is tagged “4-2 System”, FUTA students would spend four out of their five-year undergraduate stint at their home institution and two years in the US to come out with a Masters Degree in their fields of study. The new arrangement, according to the institution’s Vice Chancellor, Prof. Adebiyi Daramola, includes a collaboration between the US varsity, where the students would spend their final year, and FUTA, which will issue the first degree certificate with final year results inputs from Florida. The initiative, according to Daramola, would produce graduates that would be sought after by captains of industries as they will be employable both within Nigeria and outside the country, particularly the US, which will issue them the Masters degree certificate. The university don, who disclosed this during a chat with The Guardian, added: “apart from getting high profile employment, the system would produce graduates that would be able to stand on their own and contribute to human development through the deployment of technology.” And to make the scheme an all-inclusive one, every course being offered by FUTA is listed in the programme while benefiting students would pay “home fees” which are tuition payable by America citizens and only 25 percent of what foreign students pay in the US educational system. Daramola, who disclosed that the first batch of students who are currently in their fourth year would leave Nigeria for the US next November, said a lot of parents have already signified their intentions to enlist their wards in the programme.

Why We Cohabit In Higher Institutions, By Students By Rufai Hafsat Omowunmi

NADEQUATE hostel facilities has been identified as the main cause of cohabiting that is now rampant in higher institutions in the country. Cohabiting, in which opposite sex live together like a couple but outside of legal marriage, has been fuelled by government’s policy that encourages both off-campus and private student hostel accommodation, giving rise to what is now called “campus marriage.” Findings also revealed that most parent do not provide their wards in higher institution with necessary finance to cater for their tuition, feeding and accommodation. A survey carried out among students at The Federal Polytechnic Bida, Niger State, who cohabits, revealed responses like “we live together so that we can know each other better, but it is definitely affecting me because I have to satisfy her and satisfy myself too.” A female respondent said: “Due to lack of accom-

modation, I had to live with my boyfriend and I don’t see anything wrong in it.” Another student added that “I can’t lose my boyfriend for another lady, so I have to stay with him.” Speaking on the issue, a lecturer in the department of General Studies, Federal Polytechnic Bida, Charity C. Inechi, expressed his disapproval of the act. According to her, “cohabiting among student is not a good thing because of risky sexual behaviours, since no religion permits pre-marital sex. Even traditional religion kick against it.” Though Inechi blamed parent and guardians for negligence, she added that the school management should not be left out of the blame. “In erasing this sinful act, more accommodation should be provided for student to avoid flimsy excuses by those who cohabit. They can look for a friend who is of the same sex to live with though it not always easy but cohabiting seems not to be the only option,” she said. In agreement with Inechi, Samuel Egbezien, an ND II Office Technology and Management student, said

there is danger in cohabitation, like students engaging in negative acts to keep the affairs going at all cost, with could lead to other unpleasant situations. He added that cohabitation can never be the solution to unfaithfulness by partners. Findings show that 99 percent of students who cohabit do not end up in marriage, the relationship ends at the school gate after graduation. And the one percent that leads to the altar is prone to divorce in the first five years of marriage because most of them got married not because they really love each other but because they had been together for long. Also 99 percent of students who cohabit involve in risky sexual behavior. Therefore, the females are prone to risk involve in abortion in case of unwanted pregnancy. Many others do not leave school with good grades.

Rufai is HND II student of Mass Communication, Federal Polytechnic Bida, Niger State.

Desert Studies Debuts At Yobe State University By Y.T Wagani

T is no mean feat that the Yobe State University has moved from being a low-rated university at the bottom of the totem pole of university ranking when it was set up in 2006 to being one of northern Nigeria’s fastest-growing and most innovative universities. People who have observed the university closely in the last couple of years testify that it keeps growing from strength to strength and justifying the high ratings that higher education watchers gave it. For instance, since 2011, the university has added up to 18 new academic programmes, which are awaiting accreditation by the National Universities Commission (NUC). More academic courses, including journalism and media studies, will be added from 2014. According to the university’s Vice Chancellor, Prof. Musa Alabe, Yobe State University has done everything necessary to satisfy all the requirements for adding new courses to the curriculum and is confident that the NUC will grant full accreditation to all the new courses. Among the innovative courses the university has introduced is a first-ofits-kind diploma in desert studies,

which draws professional and scholarly resources from Egypt, India, and other parts of the world that contend with the problem of desertification. It’s amazing that no northern university had ever thought of this programme until now, even though desertification has posed an enduring threat to the livelihoods of northerners for years. The sense of responsibility of universities is measured by how many academic programmes they offer that cater to the immediate needs of the communities in which they operate. Yobe State University has clearly passed that litmus test. It is hoped that the diploma in desert studies would someday be upgraded to a bachelor’s degree. Apart from adding new courses to its curricular offerings and designing socially responsible programmes, the university has also been engaged in an aggressive staff recruitment drive. In its bid to beef up its research and pedagogical capacities, the school chose to tap the best brains from all over the world. To this end, a special team from the university is scheduled to travel to India to identify, interview, and hire top-notch scholars to fill various professorial seats. Up to 30 professors are billed to be recruited in this exercise.

Accommodation has already been provided at the university in time for the professors to be recruited and hit the ground running with their lecturing and research works. Subsequent initiatives will take recruiters from the university to other developed and emerging countries in search of the best brains to fulfill the mission of the university. The university is also actively seeking, exploring, and establishing institutional affiliations with world-class universities around the world. This effort will make it possible for professors in international universities that have affiliations with the Yobe State University to occasionally visit and teach or conduct research for the benefit of the university. The institutional affiliation will also afford lecturers and professors of the university to travel abroad, share and learn from their colleagues and, in the process, both advance their careers and enhance the visibility of the university on the international stage. In the service of this initiative, Governor Ibrahim Gaidam recently approved a Memorandum of Understanding with the University of Bradford in the United Kingdom. The MoU formalizes an institutional affiliation with the Yobe State University that will see lecturers from YSU receive

further education at Bradford on a periodic and sustained basis. As of the time of writing this article, there are 11 YSU lecturers pursuing various advanced degree programmes at the University of Bradford. This is a great move that is sure to enhance the quality of teaching and scholarship at Yobe State University. International exposure will arm lecturers with the scholarly and pedagogical tools needed to make the university a first among equals.

With the fitful but sure return of peace to the state, the Yobe State University can only grow by leaps and bounds. In the end, Yobe’s quest for trained manpower and its desire to power its future with the best of currencies – knowledge – appear certain to be fulfilled through this young but promising high-flying institution.

Wagani writes from Garki, Abuja

WISECRACKS An amazing thing, the human brain. Capable of understanding incredibly complex and intricate concepts. Yet at times unable to recognize the obvious and simple. Jay Abraham All life is a chance. The person who goes farthest is the one who is willing to do and dare. Dale Carnegie If you’re not making mistakes, you’re not trying hard enough. Vince Lombardi Your own resolution to succeed is more important than any other one thing. Abraham Lincoln

Let us know Every week, LIFE CAMPUS reports on events in students’ communities across the country. You can contribute by sending stories, gossips, reports on events and your pictures for Campus Faces to us at: templer2k2@yahoo.co m or guardianlife2005@yahoo.com

THE GUARDIAN, Sunday, May 5, 2013

26 SUNDAYMAGAZINE

PERSPECTIVE

OSAISAI: Nigeria Will Commission Nuclear Reactors Dr. F. Erepamo Osaisai, chairman and founding Chief Executive of the reconstituted Nigerian Atomic Energy Commission (NAEC), gives J.K. OBATALA a status report on the nation’s controversial nuclear power programme. In this intimate discussion, Erepamo, who is an acclaimed nuclear engineer and scientist, makes the surprising revelation that despite reported uranium deposits in six states, Nigeria’s first reactors will not use indigenously produced fuel. He announces further, that the power plants themselves may not necessarily be Nigerian owned and plays down the importance of any political fallout from the 2011 Fukushima meltdown in Japan. The encounter took place at NAEC head office, in Abuja. HAT’S happening at the Nigerian Atomic Energy Commission? Please bring us up to date. ONE new development, since we last talked, is that in March 2011, Mr. President reconstituted the Nigerian Atomic Energy Commission (NAEC)—in line with the Nigeria Atomic Energy Act (decree 46) of 1976. That act provides for a chairman and members of a Commission. So I was transformed from a “Director General,” like you used to know me, to chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Commission. The change brought in six knowledgeable persons: Four in various areas of nuclear science, engineering and technology, plus an accountant and a lawyer… As to specific activities, there are quite a lot. First of all, we’ve been able to finalize the preliminary aspect of our site-selection activities. By virtue of the work we’ve done— visiting and analyzing various sites—the number of prospective reactor locations has been reduced from seven, initially, to two. One site is at Geregu, in the Ajaokuta Local Government Area of Kogi State, and the other is in the Itu L.G.A. of Akwa Ibom. They have been recommended to Government; and we’re waiting, optimistically, for the go-ahead to do more detailed work on them... In our own thinking, these two sites are good enough to earn validation by the International Atomic Energy Agency (I.A.E.A.), the United Nations regulatory body for nuclear energy. Secondly, we have taken manpower training as a major component of our programme—collaborating with international partners, as well as Nigerian universities… Which universities are you partnering with? We are collaborating with five universities. One is Obafemi Awolowo University, which has hosted one of our nuclear energy centres for the past 25 or 30 years. That’s the Centre for Energy Research and Development. The Centre for Energy Research and Training, at Ahmadu Bello University, is another old operation. That leaves three newcomers: The University of Maiduguri; the University of Port Harcourt; and the Federal University of Technology Owerri (FUTO) … When I last spoke with you, our graduate programme was just tasking off. It has since been approved in several institutions. We actually began our instructional programme, early last year— with 29 young Nigerians, who underwent three months of “remedial training” in all areas of nuclear technology. We’ve also started a Master’s programme. We’re hoping, if everything goes well, that by mid- year—June or July—we will have graduated our first candidates… That’s very interesting. In the mean time, the strategy for implementing the Nuclear Power Road Map is being fine-tuned continuously. One of the key things we’re doing is building educational infrastructure—nuclear power-related infrastructure—in some of our collaborating institutions. What does that entail? You have to build laboratories. You have to have workshops. You have to have classrooms. You have to have training equipment. You’re operating some new centres too, I think? Yes. We currently have six nuclear energy centres. Five of them are university based. I’ve already mentioned those... Then we have another old centre—I think it was the third one. That’s the Nuclear Technology Centre, located about 70 km from where we are, at Sheda. That’s the one everybody knows about…? Yes, particularly those of us who are here in Abuja. But the centres at Il-Ife and Zaria were operating 10 years or so, before the one at Sheda came on stream. Are the new centres functional? Or have they just been designated? …They are not just centres in name. We have specific prorammes, such as the design of laboratories, workshops and all that. So those things are going on. The centres are functional… But in any endeavour, there is a developmental phase. Some of these centres already existed and so have the critical facility and equipment, required to carry out their mandate. The others are building capacity. You have one reactor, which went critical in 2004. Is it still operating? …Reactors are designed to operate for dozens of years. So, as far as we know, the reactor at Zaria will continue to operate for 10, maybe 20 years. It’s still operating. It’s very functional. Let’s get back to the prospective sites of the first two nuclear power plants.

Yes, like I said in my opening remarks, quite a lot of work has to be done: Because when you’re trying to fully characterize a site for building a nuclear power plant, a large number of things are involved. Some of them are technical. Some are economic. Some are social. Among the social factors are, how will the location of that facility impact the livelihood of the people. How will it affect flora and fauna? …The water supply? What about the receptiveness of the locals? Do they want it? Have you provided enough information for them to understand what you are doing? Technical issues include, what is the nature of the physical forces in the area—for instance, seismicity? Seismicity means you are going to factor in the possibility of an earthquake. What about the type of rock formations at the site? Can one build a large facility on those kinds of rock and be able to stabilize it? Then, there is the issue of ground water? If you have hazardous substances being released, there is a possibility of some getting into water channels…which, of course, is unacceptable. In addition, you have a number of accessibility factors. How feasible is the movement of heavy equipment into that particular location? Also, you want to make sure you can evacuate the electricity…feed it into the grid conveniently. Then, there is the economics—the cost of what it would take to do all of these things at one place, compared with other locations. …So there are quite a large number of factors that go into the proper evaluation of a nuclear power reactor site. But all these things are being done. We’ve done a good deal of technical work. From the preliminary report we’ve got, and its assessment by our foreign partners, including the International Atomic Energy Agency (I.A.E.A.), those two sites seem to be quite good. We are going to do some additional work on them—once we have the Government’s approval. When can we expect to see reactors installed and operating at those to sites? J.K., I think you are actually leaping—in the sense that, when starting a nuclear power programme, many countries give themselves about 15 years. We have gone quite a long way into those 15 years. As for the building, by the time you award a contract and the first concrete is poured, it will take something in the neighborhood of 50 to 60 months… That’s a long time! Yes. A nuclear programme is not a short term expedient. If you want to quickly add some power to the national grid, within, say, two or three years, then you have to think of gas or coal fired plants—not nuclear. In our own case, Government envisages the commissioning of the reactors by the end of this decade. But again, that depends on a large number of variables. We, as a Commission, wouldn’t want a situation where we are under the pressure of strict timelines. Reactors are not toys; and building nuclear power plants is not child’s play. We are committing the Nigerian people to a project that has a lifespan of about 100 years. When you are doing this, every issue needs to be properly addressed and every problem solved. You don’t rush… How did the Fukushima meltdown, in 2011, affect the working climate of the Commission? Before a country embarks on a nuclear power programme, there has to be a national decision process, in which certain critical factors are considered: Do we need more electricity? Are nuclear reactors a reliable resource? Do economic, strategic and other

interests justify the nuclear option? Nigeria has been engaged in this process since about 2004. In fact, the plan to build nuclear power plants date back to around 1976 to ’78. The first feasibility study was completed then, albeit without sustained follow-up. The point I’m driving at, J.K, is that the vital economic and strategic national interests that prompted policy makers to embark on a nuclear power programme, cannot simply be wished away, in a knee-jerk reaction to Fukushima! Well put! Fukushima has taught us a number of good lessons though, about what we have to do…you know, the whole issue of nuclear security, nuclear safety vis-a-vis environmental factors and so on and so forth. But I doubt it will stop Nigeria’s nuclear project, or related activities. It is worth pointing out, that not one death at Fukushima, was due to the melt-down of those three reactors. It was the earthquake and the tsunami that did the killing. In fact, Japan has started turning on some of her nuclear power plants. Two of them are already back online. They are doing some technical work to see that, once the other ones come on stream, they won’t be a danger to the environment. Fukushima is an experience that will make us think well—about our critical situation, about our infrastructure, emergency management and so on. It will make us wiser in planning. You’ve recommended two sites to Government. Can you point to any other promising locations? …We’ve taken a decision to go on with those two sites, because we think that, for a number of reasons, they will meet Nigeria’s needs better. These are the ones we’re going to worry about. As for the other sites, there may be quite a number of issues. But it doesn’t really pay anything for me to start talking about them. I read somewhere, that Nigeria has uranium deposits in six states. Will you exploit this indigenous fuel supply to drive your reactors? J.K., let me put it this way. A country does not necessarily have to have uranium within its territory, for a nuclear power programme to be successful. Take South Korea, for instance. Nuclear reactors currently contribute something like 35 to 40 percent of its electricity output. Yet Korea doesn’t mine uranium. Their enriched uranium is imported. They then process it into fuel elements, into fuel bundle assemblies, for use in their reactors. Likewise, I don’t believe the first set of Nigerian reactors to become operational will be fueled by domestically mined uranium. Having said that, I know there’re places within the country—I wouldn’t want to start talking about specific locations—where you have what we call “uranium occurrences”. If you talk to a geologist, he will tell you the differences between “deposits” and “occurrences”. What we’re talking about, is the economic feasibility of trying to mine the ore. Yes, the uranium occurrences are there. But you will need to explore and be sure that they are mineable deposits. I also want to quickly add this: The technologies that are required to beneficiate and enrich uranium, to make it useable in a reactor, are very sensitive politically—because of the possibility of duel usage… The production of weapons grade uranium…? Yes. Also, people don’t even think of the economics—in terms of the cost of generating electricity. It doesn’t make sense for us, having one or two or three or even four reactors, to begin developing our own nuclear fuel. I see. So Nigeria is planning to import fuel for its nuclear reactors? It is going to be part of the reactor supply contract. Fuel supply will be a component of that. What about the future? Do you have long terms plans to process fuel in Nigeria? Presently, NAEC has a mandate to implement a nuclear power programme. “Implementing” it means building power plants, working out all the technicalities, developing the technical and human resource base and the needed infrastructure—creating a seamless programme that will succeed. It’s quite an awesome job, a serious one. That is what we are concerned about. At some point in time, Government will take the appropriate decision as to what it wants to do with the resources available in the country. That is not my decision; and, right now, it’s not my concern. Who is manufacturing the reactors and where are you getting them from? There are quite a number of reactor vendors worldwide, which we are thinking about…Reactors have been in commercial operation for quite a while. As early as 1957, for example, U.S. president Dwight Eisenhower was talking about “atoms for peace”. This led to the establishment of the International Atomic Energy Agency, to regulate the development and use of commercial reactors. So you now have many technology owners. You have them in the U.S.A., Japan, France, Russia and China. At the appropriate time, we’ll decide on what type of technology we want to use. We will then begin to look at the various vendors, to see which one meets our needs… I asked, because there was a bit of a controversy a while back, over a memorandum of understanding with Russia. I don’t believe there was a controversy. The information became available. I think once you have a new piece of information, depending on who’s listening, how well he is able to digest and absorb it, it can generate questions. I think there were one or two questions at that point in time. But I think Nigeria is doing its best to ensure that, when the appropriate decision is taken, we’ll have a viable technical partner that will be able to help us to achieve our objectives.

ThE GUARDIAN, Sunday, May 5, 2013

SUNDAYMAGAZINE 27

SOCIETY Pastor Agbabiaka Gives Daughter In Marriage

Adetona

Shonekan

Odungide

Birthdays

C.M.S Grammar School, Lagos. he also attended and received a law degree from the University of London and was later called to bar. he soon joined the United African Company of Nigeria (UAC) in 1964 and was sent to the harvard Business School for further managerial training. At U.A.C, he pursued a legal path, a few years after joining the company; he was promoted to the position of assistant legal; adviser. he became a deputy adviser two years later, and soon joined the board. In 1980, he was made Chairman and Chief Executive of U.A.C; he was Chief Executive of the largest African controlled company in Sub-Saharan Africa. On January 2, 1993, Shonekan assumed office as the head of government under the leadership of military president, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida. he was appointed as interim president of Nigeria by Babangida on August 26, 1993. Prior to his political career, he was the Chief Executive of U.A.C. Member, Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry; member, harvard Business School Alumni Association. he holds the tradi-

tional title of Abese of Egbaland.

ADETONA, Oba Sikiru Olukayode, traditional ruler and Awujale of Ijebuland will be 79 on Friday, May 10, 2013. he was born to the family of Anikilaya Ogbagba Royal family of Ijebu Ode, his father was Prince Rufai Adetona while his mother was Alhaja Ajibabi Adetona (nee Onashile). he was educated at Baptist School, Ereko, Ijebu-Ode; Ogbere United Primary School, Oke Agbo, Ijebu-Ode and Ansar-Ud-Deen School, IjebuOde; he was at Olu-Iwa (now Adeola Odutola) College, Ijebu-Ode between 1951 and 1956. he took up an appointment with the then Audit Department of the Western Region, Ibadan between 1957 and 1958 and later resigned in 1958 to pursue further studies in Accountancy in the United Kingdom. he was appointed as the Awujale of Ijebuland on January 4, 1960. ShONEKAN, Ernest Adekunle Oladeinde, lawyer, politician, industrialist and administrator will be 77 on Thursday, May 9, 2013. Born on May 9, 1936 in Lagos, he was educated at

BADMUS, Khamis Olatunde, industrialist, businessman, farmer, philanthropist and journalist cocked 67 on Thursday, May 9, 2013. he was a former member of Directors, Nigeria Machine Tools Limited, Chairman of Poultry Group of Manufacturers Association of Nigeria; member, Presidential Standing Committee on Problem of Farming in Nigeria; Presidential Committee for the three MULTI Commodity Development and Marketing. Deputy National President, All Farmers Apex Association of Nigeria (ALFAAN). Member, Board of Trustee of Poultry Association of Nigeria. he has published many books on poultry farming and manufacturing industry. he is the Executive Chairman, Tuns International holdings Nigeria and U.K-based Rapid Market Ltd. he is Otunba-Akayejo of Osogboland and Asiwaju Musulumi of Yorubaland.

Groom's father, Pa Wilson Onugha, bride's mother, Sherpherdess Adebunkola Agbabiaka, the couple, Mr. & Mrs. Prince Onugha, bride's father, Pastor Oladipupo Agbabiaka and Mrs. Esther Onugha at the wedding... on Wednesday.

hE joy and happiness of the family of Pastor T and Mrs. Oladipupo Agbabiaka of the Alpha Seventh-Day Adventist Church, Magodo, GRA,

part of their routine, in order to enjoy the presence of God at all times. The bride’s father, Agbabiaka noted that the sigShangisha, Lagos knew no bound last Wednesnificance of the marriage is the unity and oneday as the family gave out its only child, Titilope ness without tribal discrimination. in holy matrimony to Prince Okezie Onugha. he noted that interestingly, the bride who is the The event held at the Magodo Church drew only child of the family was hooked to an Igbo guests from the Adventist family, friends, fami- husband, adding that what is important is the lies of the couple and well wishers from within love, understanding and unity of purpose. and outside Lagos. Agbabiaka said if more of cross-cultural marIn his sermon, the officiating Minister, Pastor riage is practised in the country, there would be (Prof.) Kayode Makinde urged the new couple to less of dichotomy among the tribes in the counensure that they honour God always in their try because such would reduce hatred and enhome by respecting each other. mity, saying it should be encouraged on a larger Makinde, who likened marriage to a new jour- scale. ney, said though it may look chaotic and dark he advised the couple to continually pray for but at the end, it would be okay because when their marriage, ask God to increase their love for God created the world, it was dark and shapeless each other. until he spoke his word to make it beautiful. he challenged them to make daily meditation a — Gbenga Akinfenwa

ODUNGIDE, Ekaete Okon is 50 today. The husband and all members of the family wish her a happy birthday.

Mr. Greg Enahoro (third left), Parish Priest of St. Michael’s Catholic Church, Lafiaji, Lagos, Msgr. Gabriel Osu, wife of Enahoro, Msgr. Anthony Obanla and other priests, during a thanksgiving mass to mark the 20th anniversary of Greg Enahoro’s company.

Events

Wise Women Award Extends Nomination Date From left, Director Monitoring and evaluation Nigerian Content Development Management Board, Tunde Adelana. Deputy Managing Director, Operations, Addax Petroleum, Young Chen. Chairman of Board, Addax Petroleum, Xinmin Wu. Managing Director, Addax Petroleum, Cornelis Zegelaar. At the Addax petroleum celebration of 3rd anniversary of Nigerian Content in lagos yesterday.

hE nomination for the first ever Wise T Women Award targeted at Christian women will now close on May 8 as against April 30. The initiator of the project, Pastor Marjorie Esomowei, said that the award is meant to celebrate women because they go the extra mile to contribute meaningfully to

the home, church and society. According to her, there are 10 categories that cover the fields of Business, Professional, Ministry, Leadership, Music, Media, Missions, Life Transformation, over 60s and Youth. Esomowei said that those who wish to make nominations should visit www.wisewomenawardsng.org.

AMORC holds Seminar

Head; Public Relations MultiChoice Nigeria. Segun Fayose (left), General Manager, DStv, Mayo Okunola, Vice President, Business Development (Konga.com), Philip Akesson, and Vice President, Marketing (Konga.com) Onyeka Akumah, during the media interactive session on DStv"s partnership with Konga.com in Lagos.

National Marketing Manager, Abblat Company Nigeria, Dr. Yemi Gbemibade (left); Managing Director, Dr. Abiola Oluwatobi; Relationship Manager, Miss Chukwu Cynthia; and Brand Manager, Khamar Sandip, at the launch of Yoyo Sappiro Lemon Ginseng Liquor, in Lagos at the weekend.

You can send your pictures, birthday events and reports to: jideoojo@yahoo.com

• The Lagos zone of the Rosicrucian Order (AMORC) will on Saturday, May 11, 2013 at Golden Gate Restaurant, Ikoyi, Lagos, between 9a.m and 3p.m hold a seminar with the theme Rethinking National Peace, Stability and Progress. The seminar will be anchored by four key speakers such as Dr. hussain Abdul, Country Director, Action Aid Nigeria, who will speak on Nigeria’s Stability and Development: how far and what else?, John Idiodi, Professor of solid state physics at the University of Benin who will handle the topic, National Integration, What Role for Rosicrucians, Otunba Francis Meshioye, Managing Director,JMG Engineering Nig Ltd, who will address the topic: The Mystical Nigeria, What is it? And Mr Johnson Ikube, Consultant/ Managing Partner, J I Global, who will discuss Understanding God, Imperative for individual and Societal peace. The Special guest of honour is Prince. Dr. Kenneth U Idiodi, President of AMORC, Nigeria and Director, Supreme Board of the Rosicrucain Order, AMORC. • The remembrance of Elder (Pa) Timothy Adebisi Aremu Ajisafe (Alias Omoiya), who passed on five years ago at the age 75 years, was marked yesterday. he was born in Inurin’s Compound, Oyan, OdoOtin Local Government Area of Osun State in 1933. he is survived by children, grand children and great-grand children. Among whom is Chief D. A. Ajisafe.

THE GUArDIAN, Sunday, May 5, 2013

28 SUNDAYMAGAZINE

NEWSFEATUrE

AMANSEA CorpSES: Communities’ reports Finger police For Mystery Corpses By Chijioke Iremeka these were normal times, the Federal or IableFstate government would have taken reasonsteps to pacify the aggrieved, heal the wounds and possibly, constructed a reservoir for its citizens to enjoy the dividends of democracy. But these are not normal times. Everybody is held hostage and the falcon can no longer hear the falconer. or, how do you explain it; that several weeks after over 21 bodies were evacuated from Ezu river, which runs through Amaowelle, Amansea and Umuji in Ebenebe community, Awka North Local Council, there is still no possible clue as to how the bodies got there? Worse still, there’s no good water for the people to drink because the only one they know and drink from has been contaminated. These villages had always relied on the river for domestic water use, however, with the current development, it seemed they would continue to depend on the polluted water. They are now crying for government to come to their rescue before they die of cholera and other water borne diseases. Feelers gathered show a possible foul play in the strange deaths. In fact, those who spoke to The Guardian in the community called on the Nigeria police to answer some questions related to the deaths and why they would be compelled to drink poisoned water from the ‘river of death’. Many wondered how the Nigeria police Force would claim ignorance of events that happened at the bridge of their nose in Ezu river, where they had a permanent post and check point. They queried the efficiency of such a force if such a number of dead bodies could be dumped in the river by night, yet the police, which keep 24 hours surveillance around the villages, did not see the perpetrators, let alone, apprehend them. Many asked, if the people got drowned on their own, as they had been made to believe, why were the victims all men without clothing, no woman or any child? They are also surprised that the bodies were quickly buried without autopsy, and if there was any, where was the report submitted. Majority of those spoken to asked the police to provide answers to honest questions as: • Who conducted the autopsy, the police, state

“That there is no autopsy result alone, tells you that there is foul play somewhere. one, they never jumped inside the water to be government or a neutral person because he The initial and immediate response of the gov- drowned. Two, they are not from this town or that pays the piper calls tune? ernment to give a mass burial to the bodies, to village and they didn’t come to the river on their own. Some people brought them and • If they were drowned, can an evil river or them, was to damage all shades of evidence water give up the bodies so quickly within that would reveal the truth on what happened, threw them inside the river. May be they were killed one-way or the other. They did not die a eight hours, when it takes 24 hours for water to he said. give up what it has taken? “Why rush to burry?” Dr. obi ozalla asked. In natural death,” an elderly man in one of the communities, insisted. • Can the police say we are safe when such a his words, “there are a number of experts in For the state’s Commissioner for Informathing happened yet claimed ignorance and in- Anambra State, who can conduct reliable tests tion and Culture, Joemartins Uzodike, the ponocence of the crime? Why are police blaming on these bodies before burial. The state has the informal policing group, which does not both federal and state higher institutions with lice are the only institution that can answer the question on who killed and dumped bodmove across neighbouring community with- medical, technological and archeological exies in the Ezu river. The state does not take reout invitation, when it happened under their perts that can tell us what happened.” sponsibility on that.” nose? What were police doing there? Another angry villager fumed. “This killing • If police is innocent of the allegation, would and dumping is done by the same source. They He continued, “but I’m aware that the result the police also consider it a slap on its face that don’t think of our well-being. How can they say of autopsy was done with and given to the necessary Federal government body that rethe enemy came and dumped over 21 dead bod- they are protecting our lives and at the same quires it. So, police will be able to tell us what ies in a river, within the area, where they keep time, killing us with poisons? I’m sure the poguard over and went scot free? lice will have a word to say in this matter. They happened. They sent the bodies for autopsy and result has been given to the Senate too. • If a vehicle came by night to do this, didn’t the are the source of these occasional bodies that “It’s not what should be declared openly, but vehicle flash its light or did the vehicle come we see in Ezu river. We have become vampires it’s required by the people in authority. Auwithout light and sound that the police didn’t that eat and drink water from human body.” topsy is not something that a doctor conducts see or hear? The source added that everybody is playing • What is mysterious about the bodies? There is dumb, but which other organisation will come and gives out the result to the public; rather nothing mysterious about these bodies beand dump dead bodies in the water, where po- they may release it to the family members or cause the police know everything that haplice are on guard on regular basis? “After all, is the state. The state can then decide whether to keep it secret or make it public. pened? this not a police post and look at the bridge “It was done by our teaching hospital in Awka “This is not the first time we are seeing dead where the crime was done? Government and has been duly interpreted to the Senate. bodies in the river, but this is outrageous and doesn’t want to say anything.” we had to alert the state government. SomeAlso, one of the swimmers met at the Ezu river, police conducted the autopsy while the state government sponsored it because it was times, you will see one or two bodies but 21 are side of Enugu State, John Amadi, from Ugwufound in our waters.” rather too much. Are we really safe here?” a ogba, disclosed that the river is owned by a source wondered. “Are we really safe in this shrine and whenever the river is troubled, it country? If government and the police are takes life, but not from Enugu. He further rejointly telling us that they are ignorant of such, vealed that for the life of an Enugu man to be why were the bodies mass-buried and extaken by the river, it would have warned the humed for autopsy after various authorities person several times, but not taking such numcondemned the act of mass burial without an ber of men at a time. autopsy?” “Nobody can claim that it was Ezu that killed A commercial bus driver, Nzubechukwu those people. Yes, I’m aware that Ezu used to Agbo, said, “if president Goodluck Jonathan have a chief priest, ozo Chukwudodie Anigwants to know what happened and tell the bogu, who before his death in 2007 repented masses, he knows what to do. one day, we will and denounced his priesthood. Then, another all be killed and thrown inside the river and no priest was elected but unfortunately, the new autopsy would say what happened to us.” priest died few months before repented priests According to the people, the communities did. Both died in the same year. have not taken arms against one another to “So, since then, Ezu never had any priest that I warrant such number of death. know. But that does not imply that Ezu killed “of course, there was no recorded case of an those people because it was troubled. I have accident during the period under review. And said all that I know. This agency will never be there is no family that has declared any of its separated from what happened to those young Iga Ebenebe members, missing,” a source told The Guardian. men at Ezu river.

• Cry For Potable Water Unending

THE GUARDIAN, Sunday, May 5, 2013

SUNDAYMAGAZINE 29

NEWSFEATURE

... ‘We Still Drink Ezu River And Await Our Death... Man Must Die Of Something’ • …No Alternative Source Of Potable Water, What Do We Do?

HE communities are still battling with the effects of T that dreadful Saturday morning, January 19, 2013, when over 21 dead bodies were found in Ezu River polluting their major and only source of drinkable water. Upon discovery of the dead bodies in the river, government and other sympathisers rallied around the host communities to offer a palliative solution, by supplying bags of sachet water. Some resorted to deploying tankers to supply drinkable water to the affected communities, especially at Amaowelle and Amansea. A black Gee-pee tank was sighted at the seemly market place, where the villagers often go to get drinkable water, during the incidence. A further step to give the community a regular source of water led to sinking of boreholes in the community sponsored by former state governor, Senator Chris Ngige, and current governor, Peter Obi. At these points, villagers assembled their containers to get water, but all that stopped in early March. People have returned to drinking from Ezu River because borehole sank by Peter has not been connected nor treated and changes colour, hence not potable. The water runs 24 hours non-stop. No reservoir to store water or machine to pump water out. But underneath rock was broken, which pushes water out on its own. It has been in such condition for too long, the project seemed to have been forgotten. During The Guardian’s visit to the site, that is, the borehole construction being sponsored by Ngige, it was discovered that work had stopped, as it is yet to be connected. No pumping machine was sighted, no pipes laid on both sites, an 8x8 hut meant to house the borehole and its equipment at the site, is yet to be roofed. Also, at Amaowelle, there is no single borehole, whether public or private, despite their proximity to the state capital, the community depends on Ezu River and sachet water. “Though Amansea shares border with the state capital, the community is forgotten. We do not have common public borehole in this community. We contributed money for electricity that we have to today. The community contributed money for poles, wires, transformers, pay NEPA for energy, yet they bring crazy bills to us,” a youngman just coming from farm said. Almost weeping, he said: “We are pleading with the state government and Ngige to come and complete their water projects in this community so that the villagers would stop drinking water from Ezu River. Dead bodies are found in that river on regular basis. What happened to them, we don’t know? We are forgotten communities. For long, no government functionaries had come here. Most times, when they come, they go to traditional rulers who do not come from this community. Most times, if they give them anything, we don’t get to know.” He added, “Prof. Dora Akunyili came with water and

bread, but the most important to us is the completion of these boreholes. Water is an essential commodity in this community.” A little boy fetching water at the site said: “This water is not drinkable. It changes colour. It will change to this colour (pointing at brown), when fetched in a container.” However, the President General of Amansea Community, Basil Onwuzulume, believes that the demand for potable water in the community is spurious. He said, “Amansea do not have any problem. Obi is working. He sunk a powerful borehole for the community. So, we don’t have water problem in Amansea. Governor came immediately to see to the issues. Power has been restored. And we are still waiting for senate committee on the matter. There is no challenge at all. There is potable water. We are fine.” When further prodded with facts about the deplorable water situation in the community, Onwuzulume said he wasn’t a water engineer or experts in water engineering and so, wouldn’t know if is potable or not. According to some aggrieved members of the community, what is painful is that most of the relief materials sent to the community never get to them. “I only know of the one they brought to the village, but the ones that went to the leaders’ houses, I don’t know, as those ones can’t be reached,” a respondent to our questions said. Another respondent, who identified himself as Mazi Agbata, said he is not waiting for anybody. “They have come and gone. The boreholes they promised us are not functional. When it happened, I carried my family and ran away. Coming back, I continue to drink the water because I do not have any other alternative. We are hoping and believing that government and Ngige will one day come and complete their project. Man will die of something. So, anytime I die, I go. Even, what is in the water does not kill.” AT Ebenebe, there was nothing as such. It was gathered that the government has not visited the community since the incident. “It was only Andy Uba that sent 2500 bags of sachet water to us because he’s representing us in Senate. Nothing has been heard of the whole thing,” said His Royal Highness, Iga Ebenebe, Igwe Chris E. Nnaegbuna JP. The community calls for government presence in the community, where their domestic activities hinge on the Ezu River. The Guardian’s visit to Ezu River in Ebenebe revealed that villagers still make use of the river for all kinds of domestic activities contrary to the commissioner’s claim that nobody still drinks the water. They drink the water and wash processed cassava for fufu in the river. Children, teenagers and adults were found swimming in the same river, a confirmation that the community depends so much on the river for its daily activities.

His Royal Highness, Iga Ebenebe, Igwe Chris E. Nnaegbuna, JP issue of dead bodies in the Ezu River affects, majorly, two T communities in my environment. They use the water for everything, cooking, washing, drinking and other uses of water. HE

When the incident happened, some sympathizers donated to alleviate the suffering. Andy Uba gave us 2500 bags of pure water. Enyi Oha I of Okija came with team of medical experts and administered some medications to forestall outbreak of diseases. We are calling on both Federal and state governments to give us permanent solution. If they give us two water boreholes, one at Umuji and another at Ugbene, it will go along way to prevent the outbreak of natural disaster. Now that this happened, they came and sprayed chemical into the water so that it will not hurt people, but are people not going back to drink the same water? What we need now, is for the government to come and do what they have done for Amansea in Ebenebe and save my people from dying. Umuji in Amagu village is the most affected. There is no form of borehole in this region for any reason. There are other three villages directly affected by this incidence because Ezu River is their major source of water. We are the second largest population in Awka North as at 1991. No government has visited Ebenebe with a view of finding what should be done for the community. We have light but we paid heavily for it. We sponsored everything that has to do with electricity in Ebenebe. We only got energy from NEPA in 2003. There was no war within the communities or raid from any community, what we saw, were dead bodies and do not know what happened. I will tell you that if someone in drowned in the river, it takes 24 hours for the river to throw out the body and it begins to float. But there is a permanent police post, a stone throw to where it happened and they didn’t know? The Commissioner insisted nobody drinks the water. “Before the event, there was nobody drinking Ezu water, they are all sentiment. In other communities that have rivers, people also defecate in the water, and so, drink faeces-contaminated water. “Ezu River passes through 32 communities. The water that carried few corpse three months ago would have reached Australia today. “The reason for the stoppage of work at borehole site is unknown to me. Nobody will take up water project and allow it to be wasting. I’m not a geologist. The people working on the project have their reasons for not completing it. The project has been paid for. “In case of Ebenebe, they never said they have need for water. I’m the commissioner for information and I’m not aware that they need water. They have not come to tell the governor that they have water problem. I treated their matter this morning and no-

TheGuardian

Sunday, May 5 , 2013 30

Conscience, Nurtured by Truth

Lafete Obu…the lawyer with a big heart

MOVIE

/31

DUKWE Sam Obu sat, his legs folded N across each other in the sofa. He was spotting a designer T-shirt over a pair of smart shorts. He looked everything but a successful lawyer that Sunday morning as he told the story of his life and his efforts geared towards “building up a vision and mission that reflects the need to improve on the socio economic status quo; to adopt an expanded service delivery with programs for interventions; and above all, to target the specific groups of young men and women.” He was actually talking about his support initiative popularly referred to as Non Governmental Organisations, NGO, Next 2 None. Obu is a legal practitioner, founder and chairman, Board of Trustees of Next 2 None. He is also a social activist affiliated to many international organisations that dwell on humanity and “I intend to use my wealth of experience to transform our society through youth empowerment and support for good governance,” he said, his gaze fixed permanently on the TV set but not actually watching the action movie going on. His soft side was revealed when he started talking about his family. “I am married to a lovely and beautiful wife, Mary, with two lovely kids, Diamond and Soncharles.” Incidentally, his wife and kids are in with him in his fight against Human Right Abuse and Human Trafficking being championed by Next 2 None. “We are all jointly fighting these causes from our Abuja base. Diamond at six years and my dear wife are models, presently modeling for Human Right Commission, while Soncharles is an artiste at 8, he would feature in the upcoming movie by Next 2 None in collaboration with Nollywood, Human Right Commission and Ministry of Information.” Obu said. His childhood story is interesting. “I am one of the numerous children of late chief Sam Obu, Akajiaku of Ania, Ohafia in Abia State; a successful merchant married to my mother, Mrs. Ojeka Sam Obu. My mother deemed it necessary to send me to my late grandmother who was a renowned teacher and disciplinarian, for tutelage at Queen Eliza Hospital, Umuahia, and wonderful environment to rare children in all ramifications. Therefore I did my kiddies, primary and secondary school education in Umuahia. Kind of Parents Permit me to say I am a product of many parents; Chief and Mrs. Sam Obu, successful business people, my grandmother, an academician, farmer and disciplinarian; Chief Awa U. Kalu, a renowned lawyer under whose auspices I studied law (my first five years of practice was in his chambers in Aba). “The orientation I got from all these personalities, gave birth to who I am today; a lawyer, humanitarian activist, businessman and love for handicraft.” Obu debunked the claim he had dropped his wig for his humanitarian cause. “Point of correction, I never and would never drop my wig and gown as I remain a lawyer and would always be. Kindly note, Law is my primary constituency. However, it is axiomatic to state categorically that in every society, lawyers have been catalyst and the pivot upon which the society revolves. Luther King, Abraham Lincoln, Gandhi were all lawyers. Coming home, the likes of Femi Falana are lawyers. These are people who made and are still making contributions of immense proportion to vigorously transforming their societies. So, I am greatly, enshrined with the historical perspective of these great people therefore influenced by them. His pursuit for a better society may be taking a toll on his family life. “I must be frank with you, it (NGO) has to a large extent given me a fulfilling, challenging, exciting and momentous life as at today in spite of overwhelming difficulties but not impossibilities. For example, I miss my lovely family a lot because I am always junketing around in order to prosecute this cause. My appointments, engagements,

YMAA set to roll out nominees, honours’ list ALL THAT JAZZ 36 ALL THAT JAZZ

activities that surround the initiative have sky- rocketed. I attend an average of three seminars a week, it is no mean feat but; to be frank with you, I enjoy what I am doing because it has created an avenue for me to chat this cause with powerful people in Nigeria and across the globe. We are working hard to spread our tentacles the world over. “It has also given me a privilege to study what it takes to be a peasant and to live in abject poverty, the abused, the tortured, incarcerated, the dehumanised, psychologically traumatised, suppressed, the enclave youths, children and women and to appreciate what extra judicial killing is all about in true sense of it. Hence, I stand in a better position to comparatively analyse these two extremes, the reason for which this initiative was set up. We are established to give a helping hand through advocacy, mobilization, storytelling, apprenticeship and a lot more in order to create an enabling environment so as to transform our society.” He talks about funding for Next 2 None. “Kindly note sir, that Next 2 None was founded with three major development plans; the short, medium and long term. The first five years is the short development plan, time within which to establish it (foundation stage) where only the board of trustees and Governing Council will take up the financial responsibilities without external influence so as to build confidence, integrity and sense of responsibility for the initiative. The trustees and the heavyweights from the Governing Council have been of tremendous assistance to see this dream come true. “Now, we are in the medium term development phase which has been encouraging as we now have ECOWAS Commission, Nollywood, Federal Government Agencies and Commissions such as the Human Rights Commission, NAPTIP, Ministry of

Information, private and corporate bodies among others working hard to take the initiative to the next level while we wait for the last phase which is internationalizing the initiative by having romance with other countries, nation- state and the world over.” Part of the plans this year; include the shooting of a movie to further educate the general public on the evils of unprecedented Human Right Abuse and the latest trend of Human Trafficking. (Human Organ Harvest) “Having carried out a scientific research through a committee of Professors drawn from different universities in the country, Next 2 None is now set to be more pragmatic by way of shooting the most revealing, thought provoking, epoch and captivating movie of our time that will span from Nigeria, South Africa, U.K and America in order to expose the most heinous crime, inhumanity to man, deceit and ungodly actions and inactions, perpetrated by the high and the low rank of monstrous people in human disguise. “We are also embarking on a street celebrity campaign across the 6 geo political zones to showcase our sincerity of purpose. We have already achieved Abuja representing the Federal Capital Territory where the Information Minister Labaran Maku, NAPTIP representatives, Nollywood community and N2N as a body jointly participated.” Obu’s dream for his support initiative is for it to metamorphosis to a formidable platform for justifiable society. Adopt a saner approach to actualising a saner society that would within the set time frame wipe away the sordid tears of the encapsulated youths. “We hope to become a household name the world over as a frontier for achieving a better society. This is our prayer. You can reach us on our web site www.next2none.org.

/34

Miles Davis’ Kind Of Blue… A Significant Watershed! READING NATION

Muffled Voices... An Insight Into The Niger Delta Plight

THE GuArDIAN, Sunday, May 5, 2013

SuNDAYMAGAZINE 31

MOVIEDOM

BY SHAIBU HUSSEINI

shaibu70@yahoo.com

Around and about Nollywood... From WAP, Superstory: Is This Love? debuts FTEr months of collaboration with NAPTIP A in creating awareness on dangers of human trafficking and child abuse through the popular Superstory: Itohan story, Wale Adenuga Productions (WAP) have begun airing of the next story from the stable. Titled, Is This Love?, it tells the story of Prince Abioye and Ajoke as they struggle for survival, and have their love for each other tested. It is an epic African love story that reveals the dangerous sides of human emotions. It stars multitalented actors such as Jide Kosoko, Bukky Ajayi, Yemi Solade, Joke Muyiwa, Dele Odule, Yemi remi, as well as some upcoming actors from PEFTI Film Institute. It airs on NTA and AIT Networks and several other top TV stations including wapTV on Startimes, which was recently awarded the Best TV Station of the Year by English Students Association redeemer’s university.

At NFVCB forum, stakeholders call for more children movies, increased public enlightenment TAKEHOLDErS in the Nigerian motion picSforum ture industry rose from a one day consumer organised by the National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB) with a call to producers and movie stakeholders to ‘think out of the box’ and create movies that will stand the test of time. The forum also called for the production of more children movies and increased public enlightenment by NFVCB on responsibilities of the society and the filmmakers. Held at the Musa Yar’adua Centre, Memorial Drive, Central Area Abuja on April 29, the forum was chaired by former Director General of National Broadcasting Commission Dr Tom Adaba. In his welcome address, Adaba reiterated the importance of culture in movies and advised producers to balance creativity with responsibility. Former Director General of the NFVCB, Mr. Emeka Mba, and speakers like Prof John Egwugwu Ellah, Tony Ojobo, Dr. Dul Johnson and foremost director, ruth Sankey, all harped on the need for the producers to always go beyond the lure of cash and project the image of the country in good light instead of emphasising on the negatives. They advised that they should be more creative in the handling of rituals and voodism in their films. Participants also advised the NFVCB to do more enlightenment campaigns to educate the public on their responsibilities. Prof Ellah of the university of Jos was categorical on the need for government to replace all obsolete teaching equipment and aids in Nigerian universities with modern ones to help in the teaching of film studies in schools. He maintained that if students don’t have the proper foundation, then it would be a case of ‘’garbage in, garbage out’’. There was also a consensus that the Nigerian movie industry is not ‘’child friendly’’ as no children films are produced. Similarly government was also advised and encouraged to create platforms for the filmmaker to plug into.

Future of African cinema in focus at FEPACI Congress HE ninth congress of the Federation Pan T African Des Cineastes otherwise called FEPACI got underway in Johannesburg, South Africa, on Friday with members meeting to chart a new path into the future of the African audio visual industry. There is a good representation of Nigerian motion picture professionals at the FEPACI Congress, which ends on Monday. The out-going regional Secretary Western region 1 of FEPACI and former President of the Association of Movie Producers (AMP), Madu C Chikwendu is in Johannesburg. So are the filmmaker Mahmood Ali-Balogun, former Managing Director of the Nigerian Film Corporation (NFC), Afolabi Adesanya, President of the Directors Guild of Nigeria, Andy Amenechi, founder of the Abuja International Film Festival, Fidelis Duker, and a delegation of the NFC led by Brian Etuk. Mr. Ali-Balogun is on the advisory board of FEPACI. The congress will consider and adopt key policies designed and developed to strengthen FEPACI . Delegates will also adopt measures that enhance its role in providing an enabling environment for the interests of its constituency. Similarly, the congress will ratify

Nigerian filmmakers at last year’s Cannes Film Festival the offer made by Kenya in 2012 for the central secretariat to be located in Nairobi for at least four years. It is an offer the federal board of FEPACI has accepted and so delegates will be expected to ratify the noble offer at the Congress. Delegates are expected to elect new officers for the body founded in 1969 by the late Senegalese filmmaker, Sembene Ousmane and other frontline African filmmakers as a “Not-For-Profit” legal entity, whose purpose is to promote the growth of the audio visual sector. With membership drawn from 54 countries and a permanent headquarters in Ouagadougou, organisation works closely with its affiliate national bodies to leverage policies, action programmes and projects for the development and enhancement of the audio visual sector in Africa.

Top Yoruba actress, Bisi Obe, on her happiest moment OPuLAr Yoruba actress, Bisi Ibidapo-Obe, P has said that the day her daughter, Destiny, was born, is the happiest of her life. She made this revelation at the Celebrity Night-Out, a programme put together by Odua TV, Channel 204 on Startimes. In spite of the controversy surrounding the birth of the child, the Omologbalogba actress said Destiny has given her joy beyond measure. recall that the alleged father of the child, Dino Melaye, reportedly denied paternity. Celebrity Night-Out shows on Odua TV. It is a platform for celebrities to answer questions from fans, the media and select guests. The event, which started with red carpet, attracted celebrities like Gbenga Adeyinka

and Iyabo Ojo. It was a fun-filled atmosphere, as friends and fans trooped in to have a good time with the popular actress. It was indeed a night of excitement, as thrilled the excited audience with her rhythmic dance steps, as the band of Saint Janet played on. Speaking on the happiest days of her life, Bisi said: “The day my daughter, Destiny, was born, was and is still the happiest day of my life. I experienced love, greater than anything I had ever felt before, and I don’t think it can ever be replaced.” Host of the event, Soji Omotayo, spoke on the event. “It is our custom to host celebrities regularly because we believe they should be appreciated for the efforts they put in entertaining us. Besides, their fans want to get to know them for who they really are, and so we try our best to make that happen”. Celebrities

YMAA set to roll out nominees, honours’ list HE Yoruba Movie Academy Awards T (YMAA), the prevalent awards in the glamorous Yoruba movie industry, is scheduled for the transformed city of Ibadan, the capital of Oyo State this month. According to the Oyo State Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Mrs. Adetutu Ahigbe Adeyemi, there is a need for all well-meaning citizens of the state to support the growth of the Yoruba movie industry as it plays a major role in the socio-economic development of the state as well as the propagation and promotion of the Yoruba culture worldwide. Mrs. Adeyemi further commended the role played by the Oyo State Governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi in recognising and supporting the Yoruba movie industry since the inception of his administration two years ago. Tunde Oshinibosi, popularly called Laface, YMAA executive producer, says: “The Awards are billed to standardise and celebrate creativity in the Yoruba movie industry like never seen before. It is a known fact that today’s Nollywood started with Yoruba movies and the roles played by legendary artistes from Oyo State like the late Duro Ladipo, Lere Paimo, Ishola Ogunsola, Oyin Adejobi, Ojogbon Akinwunmi Ishola, Alagba Adebayo Faleti, Alagba Supo Kosemani, Moses Olaiya (Baba Sala), and Mistura Asumo among others cannot be overemphasized, hence the need to reclaim its rightful position as a major custodian of Yoruba culture and the pacesetter state in Nigeria. “The overwhelming success of the Yoruba movie industry creates the need to re-position it through the authenticity of the YMAA brand, as we propagate and promote the rich Yoruba culture and race globally.” The maiden edition of YMAA held in Abeokuta, Ogun State last year created a major buzz as movie stars and top celebrities witnessed the birth of a new dawn in the entertainment industry. Meanwhile, the planning committee will release the final nominees and honours’ list for YMAA

THE GUARDIAN, Sunday, May 5, 2013

The GUARDIAN, Sunday, May 5, 2013

34 SUNMDAY MAGAZINe BY BENSON IDONIJE benidoni@yahoo.com

All That Jazz

Miles Davis’ Kind Of Blue… A Significant Watershed!

ARTSVILLE BY TOYIN AKINOSHO

May Is The Month Of Theatre feOMA fafunwa’s interpretation of The Vagina Monologues raised the Imonth. curtain to three promising productions of drama around Lagos this She directed the play that featured Taiwo Ajai-Lycett, Iretiola Doyle, Bimbo Akintola, Biola Segun-Williams, Dakore egbuson-Akande, Omonor, Kemi Lala Akindoju and Rita edwards, earlier this weekend. This umpteenth version of eve einsler’s award winning drama opened at 6pm on friday, May 3. Two more shows followed on Saturday at 3pm and 6pm. VMonologues, The Nigerian Story was produced by Akindoju’s Make It happen Productions. The venue was Agip hall of The Muson Centre in Onikan. Across town, at Terra Kulture, from this afternoon Sunday May 4, at 3pm, and twice every Sunday of the month, the Performing Arts Studio of Nigeria presents Ita hozaife’s To Love A Ghost, directed by Kenneth Uphopho. The play is part of the Theatre @ Terra Series, in which the venue hosts two performances of a drama piece every Sunday for one month. This means there will be eight performances, this month, of hozaife’s take on child abuse, a drama of loss and awakening. The production that has received the most, pre-show hype is Uche Nwokedi’s Kakadu: The Musical, set to premiere on Thursday, May 9 at the Agip Recital hall, Muson Centre Onikan. “Kakadu is a ‘play’ on the historical factors which show how Lagos lost its innocence because of events occurring outside Lagos, which were beyond its control”, says Winifred Nwokedi, the drama’s co-producer. “It is the story of our parents. At the same time it is our story, and also the story of our children”. The actress Tina Mba, who is part of the cast, calls it “very moving, emotional and nostalgic”. Kakadu Nite Club, which the play is named after, was on the heartland of the city’s night life in the sixties. But the drama is not particularly about nightlife. “An interesting aspect for me is the fashion of the period, where everything was in minis and midi’s, wigs and dark glasses, the attitude and fashion of assimilation and aspiration for a new and promising country”, Nwokedi says. Then she asks: ”Did we stay the course?”

Lagos Is In Due Season AGOS is the focus of much culture production this season, not as site of Ltives. performances, but as the location of fictional and non-fictional narraSefi Atta’s some- of –my- best- friends- are- corrupt new novel, A Bit Of

saded by Lester Bowie. Flamenco Sketches may be a blues, but because the approach is linear rather than harmonic, the familiar ing electric instruments and eleblues sequence goes by the board. ments of popular songs into his In compensation, we hear alto saxomusic – from 1968. As a matter of phone player, Julian Cannonball fact, this experimental intervenAdderley and John Coltrane both tion also sparked a bitter debate breaking out of the cage of convenamong musicians, scholars and tional cliché. The echo of folk audiences (that included some of his ardent fans) about the relation- strains is quite unmistakable, as is the sparseness of the piano backship between jazz and popular ings, another characteristic of Davis’ music. tactics. Some even said that Miles was Blue in Green, a 10-bar sequence pandering to commercial trends, poised to dabble in hits and charts (whose structure takes on the resemblance of Where Or When and whereas he was only reaching out A nightingale Sang In Berkeley Square) to new levels of creativity. he was updating jazz’s long standing tradi- is a deeply affecting fragment of tion of refashioning popular songs melancholia. Miles’ playing on this as vehicles for improvisation. These track is unmatched throughout the entire world of jazz today. All Blues critics might have pretty well realis another fascinating variation on ized the fact that Miles previously an old theme. each soloist begins took jazz to a new level with the with a series of five scales, to be water shed album, Kind Of Blue, played on until the cycle is completushering in ‘modal’ jazz in 1959. ed. It is interesting to notice that What they failed to appreciate was despite the danger of chaos in using the possibility of this new wave such an anarchic method, each playjazz developing in various direcer sustains the mood of his predetions on the one hand, and the cessor, and that a Moorish overtone eclecticism of Miles Davis himself enters the proceedings at the same who was a rare bird and a musical stage in everybody’s solo. introvert- on the other. In So What?, a modal structure This album sees Davis return to the small group formula, but once rather than a harmonic sequence, is used once again; and the resulting again discarding conventional folk strains are not always necessariapproach. Instead of getting each ly Negroid. musician to travel along those Freddie Freeloader sees Miles Davis tram lines of the harmonic moverecasting the shape of the blues. All ment, this time Miles has prethe embellishments of modernism arranged things so that each have been pared away until only the soloist is thinking in terms of scales, short collections of consecu- utterly indispensible remains.. This tive notes which each have an emo- classic severity is the hallmark of Miles’ painful sensitivity as he tional atmosphere. In Flamenco Sketches, for example, devotes his attention to each single note. Apparent simplicity like this is a 12- bar blues played in 6/8 time, the most complex effect any artist all the playing is based on the creation of a sparsely beautiful modal can strive for. It leaves him relevant for all time because he appeals to mood. The question may arise, everybody. In the case of Miles “Why?” And the answer is quite Davis, this phenomenon manifested simple: Mile Davis hoped by these stratagems – to make it possible for itself in the way he came across jazz to continue to develop. And, it with the economy of notes where has developed in various ways ever his contemporaries loaded audiences with the multitude of notes, since, even resulting in the discoveven as they rushed them. Besides, ery of the ‘Great Black Music’ cruRITICS of trumpeter Miles Davis C often refer to the evolutionary exploits, which found him integrat-

Difference, launched four months ago, is a historical treatment of Lagos. Chimamanda Adichie’s newly launched third novel Americanah, is her first to be set in Lagos. At Patabah Bookstore last week, where it had its second reading, it sold 100 copies. Oil and Gas Lawyer, Uche Nwokedi, a child of the 60s, is inviting theatre goers to his memories of the city he grew up in, with Kakadu! The Musical, which he wrote and is producing. Some producer is working, as we write, on a musical about Lagos, set to be produced sometime around Christmas. And Sefi Atta again, will be the creativity behind the choice of having the reading of her new play: 50th Birthday Party, which is about notes and phrases, the tonal con- Owambe parties in Lagos, around Christmas of 2013. ception with which they were unleashed on the audience – were Goethe: Search Still On To fill Umweni’s Shoes both evocative to say the least. OR 30 years, the soft spoken, self-effacing Sunday Umweni was the gohe watershed which Kind Of T Blue represents in the history of fto-guy- at the Goethe Institut, the most active european cultural centre jazz may perhaps not have been as in Nigeria. he worked with over 10 directors of the centre between 1981 profound as it turned out but for Miles’ choice of sidemen for the recording date: On hand was the tenor player of the moment in Coltrane who was then in the limelight, competing for preeminence with the saxophone Colossus, Sony Rollins. Taking on the role of the alto saxophone was Julian Cannonball Adderley who, though influenced by Charlie Parker, was now extending his ideas beyond the frontiers of his mentor- so much that critics began to refer to him as the ‘super Charlie Parker’. Miles had the cream of the fifties’ rhythm section men as he surrounded himself with pianists Winston Kelly and Bill evans, bassist Paul Chambers and drummer James Cobb – all of whose credentials were as brilliant as the recording itself. Pianist Bill evans’ words may suitably close these random thoughts on a highly intriguing and intelligent session which, in 1959 established a landmark that removed jazz from the restrictions of the bop and bebop revolution of modern jazz created at Minton’s Playhouse in New York in 1942 by alto saxophone legend Charlie Parker, guitarist Charlie Christian, trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie, drummer Max Roach. he said of Kind Of Blue, “Miles conceived these settings only hours before the recording date, and arrived with sketches which indicated to the group what was to be played. Therefore, you will hear something close to spontaneity in these performances. The group had never played these pieces before the recording.”

and 2011. Since his retirement two years ago, the organisation hasn’t been able to find a new “Programme Assistant for The Cultural Department”. Marc-André Schmachtel, the current director, has combined both roles of director and programme assistant. A vacancy was formally published in January 2013, on the institut’s website. Now the centre says receipt of applications will end on May 22, 2013. Goethe is looking for someone to plan and organise its cultural events (technical and organisational preparation, reporting), administer such events (with Goethe-Software PPS), do a lot of correspondence, both with the Director (internal) as well as artists and other stakeholders. The job entails compilation and processing of information for planning sessions, programme flyers, homepage (special focus on social media) as well as assistance in public relations with Partners and potential sponsors. Umweni’s successor will assist the Director of Goethe Institut with conceptualising and planning of cultural programmes, compilation and lay-out of print products for cultural department, coordinating programme guests visits, negotiating with partners and time management in cultural events. Requirements include a very good knowledge of German, strong capacities in conceptual and practical culture-related work, experience in planning and organisation of cultural events, a very good knowledge of the cultural scene in Nigeria, a University diploma in relevant field, high flexibility, commitment to work in a team and excellent computer skills (Office-tools, Internet, social media, etc.). The job is a contract job, initially limited to 31.05.2014, and the allowance is according to Goethe’s local remuneration scheme. Application can be sent to il@lagos.goethe.org.

At The Shrine: Call for Papers for Savvy Journal he fifth edition of the SAVVY Journal for critical texts on contemporary T African art will explore the influence of music on contemporary art practices and map interfaces between visual media, fine art, and music in the African and African diaspora context. The title of this collection, “At the Shrine” is a reference to fela Kuti‘s Shrine Nightclub and concert venue; a cultural space and an epitome of a social sculpture. This music venue captures our vision of the links between visual expression, music, and critical inquiry. The mutual relationship between music and fine art, which goes back to time immemorial, manifests itself on different levels. Both artistic languages inform each other in diverse enriching ways. The editors say that this edition of SAVVY Journal is not intended as an anthology of music and fine art. “Instead, we ask contributors to investigate where disciplines meet, how genres are demarcated, and what emerges from their various encounters, as well as explore the nexus between performativity, fine art, music and technology”. Contributions deadline: August 15, 2013. for more information please visit www.savvyjournal.com. Submissions to: editorial@savvy-journal.com. Compiled by Staff Of Festac News Agency

THE GUARDIAN, Sunday, May 5, 2013

SUNDAY MAGAZINE 35

THE READING NATION

Muffled Voices... An Insight Into The Niger Delta Plight Muffled Voices; Author House, Bloomington, USA; 2013; Declan Umege UFFLED Voices is the story of M environmental pollution, ecological damage and human degradation in the oil producing area of Nigeria’s Niger Delta region. These human rights crimes. Committed by oil prospecting companies is the focus of this novel, Oilgate here represents the oil producing company with Tembeli as the nation state – Nigeria. The author Declan, Chukwuma Umege is showcasing the dilemmas of the people of the Niger Delta region where the production of petroleum is causing environmental degradation and the destruction of human and animal lives. Tembeli is the kingdom representing the travails of Niger Delta, while Oilgate represents the multifarious international oil prospecting companies in Nigeria. Muffled Voices traces Tembeli’s outcry against environmental degradation committed against her. It also features the wicked alliance between the country’s military rulers, particularly in the regime of Mazanga. The military government is so desperate on continuing crude oil exploitation to the extent of kidnapping and killing Ben Sare, a human rights activist in the country. According to the story, the Muzanga junta was alleged to be responsible for the abduction of Ben Sare, and that they had knowledge of his whereabouts. In the press release on the previous day, the deputy president of the national liberation font, Mr. Moses Kpandei stated that the abduction was a ploy to divert public attention from the

90-day ultimatum given to Oilgate. Another reason was to create panic and confusion among the union members and the people. Thus, Declan Umege depicts the zonal vegetation of his Niger Delta region as swampland where gorillas, giraffes and crocodiles live together. Indeed, the great diversity replicated in the book is largely the result of Nigeria’s location at the meeting point of transcontinental migration routes. Consequently, in the struggle to liberate the people from the stranglehold of oil bunkerers, oil producers and the oppressive military junta, the people resorted to coaxing youngsters to drop out of school and join the liberation struggle. “Now listen attentively: I am neither suggesting you drop out of school nor suggesting that you take up the leadership of the liberation movement. What I’d rather suggest is that you spearhead the birth of a new movement – a youth wing of the liberation movement. You can operate undercover in the meantime. Any time you want to sneak out of school, I will always provide the cover you need.” Such was the situation in the Niger Delta as portrayed by Muffled Voices that it behooves the United Nations Human Rights Commission to intervene to remedy the human carnage caused by oil spillage. It is therefore timely for the international community to listen to their plea: “We are not saying, ‘Don’t produce oil,” rather we are saying, ‘Let’s have a fair share of the oil being produced in our land so that we can use the revenue to rewrite the history of our kingdom.” For this agitation for a judicious use of oil revenue there were clampdowns in the country. Great fear and insecurity hung around the region. People woke up in the mornings to behold declarations of dusk-to-dawn

curfews in the region. Anybody caught contravening the order was dealt with as saboteurs. This is 140 page book is clarion call or save our soul to the world community to come to the aid of the oil producing areas to arrest the environmental degradation going on as a result of oil spillage in the region. Indeed, oil has become a curse rather a boon to the inhabitants of these areas. Indeed, the reader is besieged by the oil spill which covered and changed the face of the creeks, with thick layers of glistering crude oil. This face-to-face encounter with environmental degradation is all the more harrowing than could be expected. Muffled Voices constitutes an appeal for global action against aggression The book is also a good portrait of children who transit into adulthood in atmospheres of ancertainty where insurrection abounds on a daily basis. It isn’t a good place to raise happy families. Thus, every aggrieved community needs her Ben Sare to fight for and renew it. That Ben Sare was eventually hanged is reminiscent of the Saro Wiwa hanging by Sani Abacha. On the whole, this a fine book, clean, well printed and properly illustrated. The clear print is itself inviting. Besides, it is a short novel, meaning the author is aware of the need for brevity to make impact. Muffled Voices is reality told as fiction. Unfortunately, our leaders who are involved in sanitising the country would not read it. However, it is punishment enough for a corrupt leader that he has God as his avenger. Umege the author is an environmental protection activist. He is using his background in the environmental practices as a lever of espouse a novel that would explain

the problems of his people. He has a master’s in Environmental Health and Safety Management from the University of Portsmouth, U.K, a diploma in Petroleum Engineering and a bachelor’s degree in Microbiology. Also, he is a full member of the Nigerian Environmental Society

and an associate membership of the Institute of environmental Management. Umege is a member of Safety in Workplaces in Australia and Canada among other nations. Presently, he is a staff of Seplat Petroleum Development Company in Nigeria. His is married with children.

Identity, Conception And African Philosophy In Postethnophilosophy discursive practice rather than the theory of the knowing subject. Sanya Osha, Postethnophilosophy, Amsterdam This is the approach of Foucault, because it Value Inquiry Book Series, 2011: 256 pages avoids a “transcendental consciousness” (Foucault, 1970: xiv). However, what is not at FRICAN philosophy at its outset grappled with issue in this debate is discarding identity or the a question that is a clear and reliable indicator agency of the subject. of its existence. That question is the question of This is what Sanya Osha, a SARChI Fellow at the the existence of African philosophy. Institute for Economic Research on Innovation This question and the debate it generated, I (IERI), Tshwane University of Technology, believe, are proof of the existence of African phi- Tshwane/Pretoria, South Africa, does in his new losophy. Every philosophical system, no matter book Postethnophilosophy (2011). He attempts to what claims it makes for itself, must derive its dismantle the foundational hold of ethnophilosauthenticity from self-examination. ophy on African philosophical discourse. It does not matter, ultimately, whether this Osha feels that the focus of ethnophilosophy on meta-philosophical exercise is conclusively the problem of identity and self-conception has resolved. stalled African philosophy. Consequently, in a The question of what is African philosophy, in bold move, the kind that gives rise to discursive contrast to any other kind of philosophy, is a rupture and instantiates paradigm shift, Osha question which permits no simple answer. tries to set a broad new agenda for African phiConsequently, the attempt to answer this queslosophy. tion produced two distinct discursive formaThe imperative of Osha’s book is in its second tions, that of universalists and traditionalists. chapter where Osha discusses the need to resist Paulin J. Hountondji, an African philosopher, “The Lure of Ethnophilosophy,” based on Paulin who advocates the scientific method for African Hountondji’s critique of ethnophilosophy. philosophy, denigrates the traditionalist Ethnophilosophy has acquired a reputation of a approach to African philosophy as ethnophiloso- ‘we’ versus ‘them’ discourse which only breeds phy, because it follows Placide Tempels’ Bantu racial exclusivity and status definition. It is also Philosophy (1949), in which African philosophy seen as bringing ethnocentric baggage to bear based on African culture was paradigmatic. Undeterred, the traditionalists took ethnophilosophy as a badge of honor and patriotism and kept it as a major current of African philosophy. The construction of an African identity became a major task. The concept of identity is beset with conceptual difficulties. The basic difficulty is the lack of understanding of how the concept of identity and its unconscious process of becoming developed within the discourse. And without making this any clear, there emerged an articulation of identity as the knowing subject. This has, consequently, influenced ethnic, racial, social, cultural and national conceptions of identity. As a result, searching critiques and deconstructive criticisms of the essentialist approach to the concept of identity have emerged. This has in turn, prompted a two way response. One, are are attempts to replace insufficient concepts of identity or the knowing subject with ample ones. Two, are efforts to offer a theory of

By Anthony O. Agwuele

on African philosophical discourse, through its perennial quest for African identity. On account of these problems, and the alleged western origin of ethnophilosophy, Paulin Hountondji railed relentlessly against it (ethnophilosophy). For the most part, Osha accepts Paulin Hountondji’s assessment of ethnophilosophy and dismisses its two popular critics, Olabiyi Yai (1977) and Oyekan Owomoyela (1987). While the former charges that Hountondji’s work has no political value, the latter contends that it undermines African tradition. Osha labels the two critiques Marxian and nativist, respectively, and discards them thus: To identify and appreciate the value, richness, and range of Hountondji’s philosophical contributions in Africa we have to look beyond Marxian and nativist critiques to refocus on the historical conjuncture in which took shape in terms of cultural, political, and intellectual parameters ... (p. 46) And with a note of finality, he dismisses the critics: “Consequently, both Yai and Owomoyela have little of enduring value to say of Hountondji’s work.” (p. 47). Osha goes on to offer a reading of Hountondji’s “The Struggle for Meaning” (2002) as a way to account for the intellectual influences that shaped his views.

Furthermore, Osha praises Hountondji for the useful discoveries he made in the evaluations of William Amo and Kwame Nkrumah. All in all, Hountondji’s critique of ethnophilosophy becomes the basis for Osha to reject ethnophilosophy in order to set a new agenda for African philosophy. Some of the topics Osha wants to be the fulcrum of African philosophy are: ‘decolonisation’, his favourite topic, others are, ‘globalisation’, ‘race’, ‘culture’ and ‘sexuality’. In advancing these topics, Osha offers criticism of philosophers before him and his contemporaries too on a very high theoretical level. This results in an entirely new, highly original approach to the understanding of African philosophy. However, the attempt to set a new agenda for African philosophy away from the problem of identity is fraught in particular ways. One, Osha’s problem with the concept of identity, is not based on its essentialist nature, but on the idea that it is not a good way to think ethnophilosophically. Two, taking away the concept identity from African philosophical discourse strips it of its dominant theme. Every tradition of philosophy has a dominant theme, i.e., British philosophy (rationalism), American philosophy (pragmatism), French philosophy (existentialism), and German philosophy (idealism). The theme that has proven to be germane to African philosophy is identity. Even though it has attracted searing critiques, it is a theme without which the question of what is an African philosophy can neither be thought of nor answered. Without doubt, therefore, it remains a foundational tool of African philosophy. Like other traditions of philosophy, African philosophy can take on other themes without necessarily abandoning its dominant theme. In the final analysis, Osha’s book provides a tool to understand African philosophy. It challenges all the authoritative positions in the domains of African philosophy and offers new ones. As such it is sure to give rise to debate beyond African continent and African philosophy.

Agwuele is of Liberal Arts Programme, Seneca College, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

TheGuardian

36 Sunday, May 5, 2013

Conscience, Nurtured by Truth

IbruCentre ‘Why Children Of The Clergy Are Wayward’ The issue of wayward children, especially children of the clergy, has its root from the Bible days. For example, the sad failure of Eli to train up his sons in the way of the Lord resulted in the behaviour that led them to be tagged: “Sons of Belial,” meaning that they were worthless, disrespectful and do not know the Lord. They showed no respect for their father and the office he represented, as the priest. In some way their father made the sad mistake that many men of God are making today, and the question is: ‘why are the children of most pastors or the clergy wayward? Could it be that the popularity of their parents is getting into their heads or are they under the pressure to live an upright life? Why are they lethargic, loose and sometimes involved in crimes? Some clerics and psychologist spoke to CHRIS IREKAMBA, ISAAC TAIWO and GBENGA SALAU on the possible cause and how to correct the ugly trend. vants of God fail to develop their skills in the ‘Children Do Not Follow Footsteps area of parenting and this leads to adverse Because They Are Not Carried consequences on their children. Along’ Second, giving more time to ministry than to (PASTOR JOHNSON ODESOLA, Personal Assistant to the General Overseer, The Redeemed Christian Church of God on Administration/Personnel and Pastor-in-Charge of the Headquarters)

O save our children as men of God from T being wayward and taking to crimes, we should not dissociate our family members or children from the work of God we are doing. We should carry our entire family, including children along. The main reason many children do not follow the footsteps of their fathers is because they are not involved in their parents’ Ministry, as everybody goes his own way. Most fathers believe the call is just for them and as such neglect to make the children part of their ministry. Another reason is over-zealousness or misinterpretation of the Bible. There cannot be a Church without the family, because the family is the integral part of it; in fact, the Church begins at home. This is why the Bible says a man that cannot rule his own house is not worthy to be a shepherd. Another point to note is that some men of God even discourage their children from being like them. They would caution, ‘don’t be a pastor like me’; and I wonder, if a man of God does not want his children to take after him, what else does he expect from them? However, the issue of some children being under pressure cannot be ruled out of it, because they are not always at liberty to express themselves like other children. They are overprotected, and in the process of their parents not wanting them to mix freely with other children, they get involved in all sorts of immorality and even cut themselves off from every social life. Going through this dilemma, a kind of curiosity is created in them and in the process of wanting to be like others, they over do things. What they really need is Biblical training and proper guidance that would enable them to know the differences between children whose parents are not pastors and those whose parents are in the service of God of whom much is expected from them.

‘Many Parents Are Preachers, But Not Builders’

PAUL OLUSEYI OGEDENGBE, Regional Coordinator, CongressWBN)

Y father and mother are ministers and I M made up my own mind to sincerely embrace Christianity. And embracing Christianity, working in the laid down standards, starts with what the parents set before the children. Many parents are mere preachers and not builders. They preach to everyone but they don’t ‘build’ what they preach. That is why we all need the apostolic grace to help us build properly; first through our lifestyle. Pastors or ministers must lead a life that their children can emulate; the children should be bold to say I want to be like my father or mother. I think that is the starting point and not the pastor’s wealth or influence that makes their children wayward. If the children’s hearts are sincerely after God, their parents’ wealth or popularity would make no difference to them. Children always learn faster from the home; and the home, according to sociologists and anthropologists, is the first exposure a child has to the world. If the home is properly built it will impact positively on the child, then the society. To a large extent, everybody expects the children of ministers to be of good behaviour, but in all honesty, God expects all of us to behave well. So, I don’t really think that most pastors’ children are wayward because they are caged. However, to correct this anomaly, ministers must despite their busy schedules create time to build their families. For instance, I sit down

Odesola

Ogedengbe

their children: lots of men and women of God operate with the mentality that since they are working for God, they believe that the same God will train and raise up their children even without any effort on their part. Third, setting bad examples before them: when parents fail to live what they preach before their children, they will have delinquent children Fourth, when ministers fail to pray continuously for them: when you don’t lift up your children in prayers always, praying for them, praying before them and teaching them to pray, then you are setting them up for satanic influences. While these factors and many more have turned many leaders children into rebels, vagabonds and delinquents, the goodnews is that all hope is not lost. Our children may rebel against our teachings, rebuff our counsels and shun our corrections, but they are powerless against our good examples and continuous prayers and love.

Children Of Pastors, Too, Are Susceptible To Aberrations’

(PASTOR JERRY ASEMOTA, Church Secretary, Deeper Life Bible Church)

Ifeacho

Akin-John

at least, three days a week with my daughters and we go through the scriptures together. Aside from creating time for their families and also show true example of Christ before their children. Virtues such as gentleness, kindness, love, patience and others should be a part of their lifestyle. If a child sees father and mother quarrel all the time she/he is going to indulge in that, when they grow up. You can come to the pulpit and look so good; be calm, use the right word and stir the people to shout and clap their hands, but if you do not have virtues in your life, it all boils to zero. If you misbehave before your children, or they see how you mishandle church finances and church resources, they would end up living accordingly; thinking it’s the right thing to do.

narrow and may prefer to follow the world. There is nothing the parents can do than to continue to pray and admonish. The fact is that at the end of the day salvation is an individual matter; everyone has to bear his own burden (Ezekiel 18:20; Galatians 6:4; Philippians 2:12). Some clergymen are not firm in training their children to follow righteousness. While they wake up early to observe morning devotion, the children are allowed to be sleep, on ground that they are still children. By the time they want to enforce Christian discipline on them, it is too late. In some cases, even when their children are grown, some clergymen tolerate indiscipline from them. They do not insist on the standards they preach and exact from the flock when it comes to their children. They practise double standards because of love for children. Another problem is that a number of clergymen become rich or are so well provided for by the congregation that their children grow in the midst of plenty. Whereas the parents rose gradually, internalising a number of Christian virtues as they climbed up the ladder, the children have more than they need at their beck and call. Such children tend to be prodigal not only in their spending habits but also in their lifestyle. It’s difficult for children brought up in wealth to practise true Christianity. They feel they are self-sufficient; that it is the poor that needs prayers. Some so-called clergymen are immoral and their children copy such behaviours (Matthew 23:27). Of course, only a few of children from such homes will take to true Christianity having seen the double standards their parents had been practising. Herein lies again the importance of practising what we preach (James 2:12; 1:25-27; Romans 2:1, 20-24).

‘Children Brought Up In Wealth Hardly Practise True Christianity’

(BROTHER GODWIN IFEACHO, Chairman, Executive Board, God’s Kingdom Society (GKS)

T is true that, in a number of cases, the chilIdards dren of clergymen do not live up to the stanexpected of them from such backgrounds. This has been from time. The children of Eli were greedy and sexually immoral (1 Samuel 2:12-17, 22). The sons of Samuel were no better (1 Samuel 8:3). It should be pointed out, however, that the devil is always working to ensure that he drags as many people as possible from true Christianity. The homes or families of genuine church leaders would, of course, be his targets. It is important that parents must do their utmost to bring up their children to love the way of the Lord all the days of their lives if not God will hold them accountable if they fail in that duty (Deuteronomy 4:9; 11:19; Ephesians 6:1-4); etc. Again, we should note that whereas the father had the faith to do the work of God, the children might not have such faith. One, who merely attends services with his parents but had not taken the decision to do the will of God all the days of his life, is not yet a Christian. It makes no difference whether such a one is the son or daughter of a clergyman or not, (Acts 16:14; 2 Corinthians 5:17). The parents may have done their best to bring up the children in the way of God but the children or some of them may feel the way of the Lord is too strait and

‘Not Living By Example Produces Delinquent Children’ (Francis Bola Akin-John, Church Growth Expert) N my interaction with pastors and church leaders over the years, I have come to discover that leaders children tend to be wayward. Prophet Eli and Samuel’s children were biblical examples and in contemporary history, we can cite many practical examples. My research has uncovered a number of factors. The number one factor is poor parenting skills; many ser-

AM not very familiar with children of men of Ichildren God, who took to crime, but be that as it may, of pastors, too, are susceptible to some kind of aberrations, which can be overcome through prayers, commitment to sound teachings and biblical training. Another angle to it is that individuals are created by God and everyone has his or her personal life to live. Nevertheless, we should not also forget that people are influenced by what they hear, see and the company they keep. This is where the issue of training a child according to the Scriptures comes. The Bible says: “Train up a child in the way he should go and when he grows up, he will not depart from it.” This also includes monitoring them to know the type of friends they keep, especially in this modern world of so many junks, in terms of what we hear and see on television and Internet. We need to monitor them to ensure that they do not indulge in immoral, obscene and unbeneficial visuals. Accessibility also defer from person to person. Children, who are privileged to have sound training early in life grow up to behave well, while those not so fortunate, even when given good training, may in course of the vicissitude of life get into rough life. Another aspect we should not forget is that some of these unwholesome traits in the lives of pastors’ children are instigated by the devil to deliberately disgrace their parents. Therefore, in some cases, it could be the devil’s strategy to trap the family or distort the flow of peace in it, so that everyone will be distracted from following Jesus. What the devil does is that when he fails to get the father or the mother, he turns to the children. This is why families of men of God should not cease to watch and pray. If men of God are committed to prayers and teaching their children sound biblical principles, they will surely overcome. It may not be deliberate in some cases that the children want to be wayward; sometimes they are influenced by the devil. (DR. OLUFEMI AKINTAYO, psychologist and enior lecturer in the Department of Psychology, University of Lagos, Akoka, Lagos)

HE socialisation processes produce proT found changes in the individual. They establish a set of behavioural standards and create a wide variety of habits. Behaviour standards have their origin in the expectation that other people hold towards the

CONTINUED ON PAGE 40

The Ibru Centre is under the trusteeship of the Trinity Foundation Charity trust founded for the promotion of spiritual growth

THE GUARDIAN, Sunday, May 5, 2013

IBRUCENTRE

Sunday School Victorious Christian Living (1) Memory Verse: “For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.” Romans 8:13. Bible passage: Romans 8:1-13. Introduction HE flesh” is not referring to our physical body or organs, but our fallen human nature and its propensity to sin, which we inherited from Adam that is our “old man” or Adamic nature. The penalty for sin was paid with the death of Christ on the cross; so, we can now be free, rm. 6:6. Characteristics Of The Flesh The flesh is quite contrary to the spirit. The attributes of the flesh are enmity with God, inability to please God, it profits nothing, spiritually dead, alive to sin, Gal. 5:17, rom. 8:6-8, Jn.

“T

...With Pastor Enoch Adeboye

6:63, Mk. 7:21-23. The works of the flesh are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envying, murders, drunkenness, revelling. The Bible makes it clear that those who do these will not inherit the Kingdom of God. This tells us that the end of the flesh is death and everlasting punishment, Gal. 5:19-21, rm. 6:23, Matt. 25:46. How Can Victory Over The Flesh Be Obtained? Jesus lived a victorious life, tempted in every way yet, was without sin. He completed our redemption. And we are now free to walk in obedience to God, Heb. 4:15, rm. 8:9, Jn. 19:30, rm. 8:8-14, rm. 8:3-4. However, we still have to appropriate this victory. Note the following points: • Knowledge of the victory. Ignorance will lead to destruction, Hos. 4:6.

• Walk in the spirit. We are to walk in obedience to His inner promptings day by day, Gal. 5:22-25. • Recognise temptation. Yielding to temptation is sin. • Understand that God has promised a way of escape for you, 1Cor.10:13. • Avoid temptation, Ps. 101:3, I Tim. 6:9-11. • Be aware of Satan’s devices, 2Cor. 2:11, Jn.8:44, I Pet.5:8, rev. 12:10, rev. 12:9. • Mortify the flesh with regular fasting and prayer. Conclusion As Christians, we are called to live in victory over flesh, Gal. 5:16. You, too, can live above sin if you are determined. Sin should no longer have dominion over you. Will you submit to the Holy Spirit today?

The Price For Success (1) By Seyi Ogunorunyinka ATAN does not attack nonentities; he has his reasons for attacking successful people or those who have great potentials. The price to pay for one house is different from the price for two, if they are of the same size, shape and in the same location. For a student to pass his examination in flying colours, he must pay the price of sleepless nights. The successful story of every man is backed up with the stories of things he has to sacrifice to achieve success — the examinations, trials and tribulations. Jesus sacrificed His life; that was the price He paid for us to live. Often, we see people who want to make it in life, yet they don’t want to pay the price. In this country, people like positions; positions of authority in government, offices, social clubs, societies and even in the house of God, but they are not willing to pay the price. Those who are in positions, but refuse to work for their positions; those who refuse to work in accordance with their positions in this ministry shall be removed. Those who abuse their positions in ministry shall be removed. Those who are placed in positions of leadership, but use their positions to destroy, will be removed. The Lord appoints and removes. When a big man makes millions of Naira, his story will not be complete without the pains he went through to make the money. The pertinent question to ask is ‘Where did God tell you He is taking you to and what are you seeing presently?’ Most times, the Lord is telling you that He is taking you to a glorious height, but what you see is trouble. If you allow what you are seeing to hinder you from getting to where God has promised you, then you have yourself to blame. If you just walk to that position that God is taking you to without trials and tribulations, how will you appreciate it? That is why some people who were appointed into positions of power in this ministry, those who did not go through trials and tribulations before getting there, and are now abusing their positions shall be removed. We should realise that the power in the church is not based on quantity, but on quality. If you have studied me very well, you will know that I am not afraid of battle and I am not in a hurry. I wait on the Lord, He has never failed me and He will never fail. In life, what you see is very important. Also crucial is how you are seeing what you see. When you see trouble; do you see it as something that can overwhelm you or as something that you can deal with? Your vision is not bigger than you. What you see may be the limit of where you can go. In Genesis 13:14-17, the Bible says, “The Lord said to Abram after Lot had parted from him, “Lift up your eyes from where you are and look north and south, east and west. All the land that you see I will give to you and your offspring forever. I will make your offspring like the dust of the earth, so that if anyone could count the dust, then your offspring could be counted. Go, walk through the length and breadth of the land, for I am giving it to you.” This means that Abraham was the one to limit himself; for he could possess as far as he saw. When the Lord calls, He equips. Before the Lord showed you the vision, He had already empowered you. So, whatever trials and tribulations you encounter, you are already equipped to overcome them.

Pastor Tony Uche (left), Senior Pastor, Christ Livingspring Apostolic Ministry (CLAM), Wole Oladiyun and Pastor (Mrs.) Bukola Oladiyun, during a press conference to mark the 15th anniversary of the church in Lagos… recently

Be Slow To Judge Others ‘Judge not, that you be not judged.’ (Matthew 7:1) By Gabriel Osu ET him who is without sin be the first to cast the stone,’ Jesus once ‘L said to a group of men, who were at the verge of condemning a woman found wanting for immoral conduct. It is common for men to pass instant, and sometimes, inappropriate judgment on people’s conducts or way of life, especially if they happen to be celebrities or public office holders. The more famous the persons are, the better for those who have made the ‘pull him down syndrome’ their way of life. While there could be some element of credibility in some of the ‘brash comments’ often hauled at the ‘guilty’ persons, many a time, too, the accusations may just be mere fabrications borne out of envy. Sometimes, the accusations we haul at others are simply reflections of our expectations or what we would likely do if placed in similar circumstances. For instance, there have been several cases of very consistent critics of the government, who when given some juicy government appointments or contracts would end up performing worse than the previous occupiers of the same offices. In a country like Nigeria, where the citizens have often been let down by their leaders, it is understandable that so many have since lost hope. Outlandish criticisms laden with hypocritical disposition is equally very rampant in the house of God. In fact, in recent times, it seems the norm is now for people to cast aspersions on men of God; calling them all sorts of unprintable names either in the conventional media or the social media. Is this right? What should be our attitude to such? Anyone who calls himself a leader or a man of God; Pastor, Priest, Evangelist, Bishop, General Overseer, and others, is accountable to

By Prophet S. K. Abiara

God. He would stand before his maker on the last day to render account of his stewardship. Thus, anyone who decides to use his privileged position to oppress others has God to contend with. But then, no human is perfect. We are all striving daily to be like our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. In the process of doing so, we stumble and fall, and then get up. We face series of temptation along the way and if we are not careful, when we look back at the trail of sins attributed to our human frailty, we may feel discouraged and give up all together. That is why God in His infinite mercy does not deal with us according to the enormity of our sins like in the Old Testament. If it were so, humanity would have long gone extinct. In Matthew 7 verse 13, Jesus warned us against passing judgment on others: ‘Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye...’ As Christians, we are called to be very vigilant. True, there are so many people of questionable characters claiming to be leaders, but we must be wary of falling into the temptation of making sweeping remarks, as to cast aspersions on all. What, in the view of one, as amoral could be justifiable by another. In that case, it is only God who sees the heart of all men that can be better placed to pass judgment. However, when the issue at stake is expedient such that it concerns the well being of all, then effort must be made to give it utmost attention that it deserves, without necessarily personalising the matter. Very rev. Msgr. Gabriel osu is the director, Social Communica- Pastor Seyi Ogunorunyinka, General Overseer, The Promisedland Restoration tions, Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos Ministries, Surulere, Lagos. pastorseyiogunorunyinka@gmail.com

Obedience To God’s Word Is Key To Success

out a little from the land. And he sat down, and taught the people out of the ship. Now, when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught. And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net. And when they had this done, they enclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake. And when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook all, and followed him (Luke 5:1-4). Sequence of event that led to the breakthrough in Nd it came to pass, that, as the people pressed upon him the passage quoted above are: • The fishermen had exhausted their skill and power. to hear the word of God, he stood by the lake of Gennesaret, and saw • There was an encounter with the master of the universe — Jesus Christ. two ships standing by the lake: • Simon recognised Jesus and willingly let go his but the fishermen were gone out frustrated and bitterness, as a result of failure. He was of them, and were washing their open to accommodate others, even, in his moment of nets. And he entered into one of the ships, which was Simon’s, and failure and disappointment. He voluntarily gave his boat to Jesus when he requested for it. (vrs 3) prayed him that he would thrust

“A

• Simon Peter took instruction from the ‘One’ that made everything in the world. He instructed him on what to do to be success where he had failed. • The story changed from failure to success at The Word of Jesus and Simon’s obedience. • Reverence /worship • Immediate decision to follow Jesus Christ and to know Him more through fellowship. According to the incident narrated above, the fishermen by experience knew that night is the best time to fish. However, they experienced something contrary, even, after they applied all known principles and skills. It is their usual style to wash their nets, but this very day, they were washing it in frustration due to futile efforts. Jesus Christ came into the scene and because he is the all-knowing, without telling him their predicament, after using Simon’s boat, he instructed him on what to do. And because Simon obeyed, there was abundance. The same water, boat, net and individuals that brought nothing, now, got extraordinary results.

This teaches us the following: many people like the fishermen use their entire youthful and meaningful life to serve the nation, a company or a master, hoping to have something meaningful to show for their service. Alas! It ends in futility. Just like the fishermen, they give up, leaving the scene in frustration and not knowing what next to do. They are hopeless and dejected. Like the fishermen, is it in your marriage that you have given your best, but you are yet to see the result. Note, I have a good news for you; there is one who has the solution to that hopelessness, his name is Jesus. Invite him into that situation, surrender all to him and prepare to do his will, even when, it sounds ridiculous. Decide to have a lifelong fellowship with him, and then you can have your story changed from failure to success. skabiaraofciem@yahoo.co.uk

IBRUCENTRE

Beautiful But Barren By Gabriel Agbo “This town is located in beautiful natural surroundings, as you can see. But the water is bad, and the land is unproductive”, 2 Kings 2:19.

from the streams was bad; causing death, infertility and miscarriages. Terrible! What was the problem? The city was laboring under a heavy curse. Now, you remember what Joshua did after destroying the place during his time? He said that the curse of the Lord would be upon the city; that anybody that will try to rebuild it will lay the foundation with the cost of his firstborn and set up the gates with the life of his youngest child. Now, hundreds of years after, during the ungodly reign of Ahab, in disobedience, a man from Bethel called Hiel rebuilt the city. When he laid the foundation, his first son, Abiram, died. And when he had finished and set up the gates, his youngest son, Segub, died. Presumably, his other children had died in between. So, Jericho has been laboring under this terrible curse until this particular encounter with Elisha the prophet. The prophet was just fresh from receiving the anointing from the ‘Prophet of Fire’ Elijah, when the elders of the city, with tears, ran to him seeking for help, “We have a problem, my lord...,” they told him all they were going through. And prophetically, the man of God ordered them to bring a new bowl with salt. He went to the spring that supplied water to the town and threw the salt saying, “This is what the Lord says: I have made this water wholesome. It will no longer cause death or infertility.” And immediately the water and land were healed. Praise God! Thank God the people and the elders of Jericho recognized that they had a problem and took it to the God of Israel whom Elisha represented. What is your problem? What is happening in your life? Are you toiling through the night without a catch? I just remembered Peter. He toiled all night without catching any fish. But when Jesus came into the situation, the story changed. God wants you to be fruitful. It is His wish that every part of your life prospers. Be set free today in the mighty name of Jesus — Amen!

E are continuing on the prophetic. And it is time to break everything that has caused barrenness in your life. Barrenness is infertility, unfruitfulness, and unproductiveness. While beauty is attractiveness, gorgeousness, well arranged and others. So, when you see a beautiful thing, but not productive, then there is definitely a clear case of disagreement. This is what some of us are going through in life. Your physical looks; education, location, age, connection and even background are not in agreement with your current level and position in life. You know very well that this is not where you are supposed to be, considering the grace and endowments in your life, but you cannot say exactly what has gone wrong. It’s like something is pulling you back and you don’t know what to do to break out of the invisible barriers. You helplessly and angrily watch people with less qualification overtake you. Maybe, it is a family or medical condition that you cannot fully explain the cause. Some live close to the blessing, but unfortunately languish in penury, pain and sorrow. Yet, some do everything that is expected of them, but have their dreams aborted at the point of breakthrough. You experience unidentifiable forces resisting all your efforts to advance into your destiny. You cannot live the life that God wants from you. If you are going through any of these, I would like to tell you that you have come to the point of your deliverance. Let everything that has held your life in bondage be broken today in the mighty name of Jesus! This was exactly what the people of Jericho were going through. Their city was well situated. It was close to the richly endowed River Jordan. It had streams running through it and well secured because of its topography, but the land was barren and the water Rev. Agbo is of the Assemblies of God Nigeria. gabrielagbo@yahoo.com

Chief celebrant, Most Rev. Alfred Adewale Martins (middle) flanked by Parish Priest, St. Michael’s Catholic Church, Ketu, Lagos, Rev. Fr. Sebastian Ngene (fifth left), Dr. Obiorah Chukwuka and Assistant Parish Priest, Rev. Fr. Charfa Christopher (third right) with other guests during the 20th anniversary of St. Michael’s Catholic Church, Ketu, Lagos... recently.

Ketu Catholic Church Marks 20th Anniversary By Gbengba Akinfenwa HE main auditorium of St. Michael’s Catholic Church, Ketu, Lagos came alive two Saturdays ago, as the parish, its members and clergy from outstations rolled out the drums to mark the 20th anniversary of the Church. The event was also used to raise N250 million for the ongoing church projects. In his speech, the Catholic Archbishop of the Metropolitan See of Lagos, Most Rev. Alfred Adewale Martins, who was the Chief celebrant, commended the entire parishioners and its outstation members for their endurance despite the prevailing challenges, praying to God to reward their efforts. The Archbishop encouraged members to positively impact on its immediate community, adding that the Diocese would also

make its own contributions to the parish, so that when it becomes a Diocese it won’t forget their contributions. Earlier, the Parish Priest, Rev. Fr. Sebastian Ngene, in his address noted that the zeal and hard work of the founding fathers of the parish contributed to making the parish unique. He revealed that the present challenges facing the parish necessitated the fundraising, which he described as the cry of the Apostles ‘come over to Macedonia and help us’. “The topography of this compound is very bad and very pathetic. It is a nightmare whenever it rains. It is a collecting point of the entire flood in Demurin Street because the drainage terminates in front of our gate. So, we are appealing to government, not only to connect the drainage to the canal, but also to tar the road,” he pleaded.

ECWA Tasks Govts On Compensation Of Churches, Businesses Belonging To Christians By Chris Irekamba HE Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA), has called on governT ments at all levels to compensate churches and Christians whose business outfits were destroyed in the wake of the post-election violence and the Boko Haram insurgency without further delay. In a communiqué signed by ECWA President, Rev. Jeremiah Gado and ECWA General Secretary, Rev. Samuel Waje Kunhiyop and issued at the end of its 60th General Church Council (GCC), yearly meeting held at its headquarters’ Conference Centre, Jos, Plateau State from April 8 to 12, the Council commended the courage and doggedness of security agencies in their efforts to sustain and maintain peace in the country. It noted in parts: “Our lawmakers must in the interest of justice, enact laws requiring victims of violence, especially religious intolerance, to be compensated from the allocations due to the states and local governments where the crisis persist. This must be deducted from the source, which means from the federation allocation meant for the states and local governments as a deterrent to others. ECWA as a law abiding denomination will seek constitutional means in ensuring that compensation is paid to all churches and individual ECWA members affected.” On the agitation for amnesty for Boko Haram, the Council stated, “we are in support of the earlier position of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan not to grant amnesty to ‘ghosts’ and advises the

President not to succumb to pressure from any group.” The Council also frowns at the attempt in some quarters to place the agitation for amnesty for Boko Haram side by side with the legitimate agitations of the Niger Delta, saying it insults the sensibilities of all enlightened Nigerians. “Council believes that entertaining the idea of granting amnesty to Boko Haram is playing with fire and a betrayal of the trust reposed on Mr. President by the electorate.” The church also doubts the sincerity of the self-appointed Northern Elders Forum (NEF), constituted to undertake cessation of hostilities on behalf of Boko Haram “Conspicuously missing on the Elders’ agitation for amnesty list is the call for justice for victims of various Boko Haran attacks. The pertinent questions begging for answers are, do these ‘Northern Elders’ truly speaking for all northerners, irrespective of their religious beliefs? Are they truly speaking lasting peace in the region in particular and the nation in general? “The Council reiterates its earlier position that the funding of the Almajiri education, which in actual sense is Islamic education, without a corresponding funding for Christian Mission schools is tantamount to misappropriation and misapplication of tax payers’ money, which ECWA finds unacceptable, as we are aware that 40 completed Almajiri schools built by the Federal Government are awaiting handing over to the Universal Basic Education Commission.”

Springs Of Wisdom By PASTOR W.F KUMUYI

Danger Of Dabbling In Dark Powers ARK or satanic powers are, by nature, too dangerous to be D toyed with. Which is why anyone who is not just innocently afraid of evil spirits, or merely showing curiosity about satanic activities, but submits to being initiated into evil powers, is willfully disobeying God. Some seek to excuse their involvement in witchcraft, for instance, by signposting their supposed good intention. A woman accused of witchcraft may confess to her children that she does nothing evil with her dark powers, but rather seeks their prosperity. Some even draw a distinction between what they term black magic — which they say is evil and destructive; and white magic — which they extol as a tool for attracting prosperity and such other good things. In reality, there is nothing to be recommended about Satan, witchcraft or familiar spirits. They are all works of darkness; they are evil, and will be punished by God. A certain fearful and fiery repercussion awaits all those who possess, and operate by dark powers. The only escape route for them is to sincerely, completely turn away from their evil ways, plead with God for forgiveness and pardon for their past actions, and rest their confidence on the grace that God bestows through Jesus Christ, to help them live a new life. The activities of those who operate by dark powers are captured in an instance in the New Testament, where “a certain man called Simon which beforetime in the same city used sorcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria.” Then, there was the story of a king in the Old Testament who sought to hire a man who turned out to be a false prophet, to curse or ‘bewitch’ the Israelites. The king pleaded with the man: “Come now, therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people; for they are too mighty for me: peradventure I shall prevail, that we may smite them, and that I may drive them out of the land: for I wot that he whom thou blessed is blessed and he whom thou cursest is cursed.” He wanted a spell cast on the Israelites, because he felt threatened by their very presence. He “saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites. And Moab was distressed because of the children of Israel. And Moab said unto the elders of Midian, Now shall this company lick up all that are round about us, as the ox licketh up the grass of the field.” You see, witches and wizards do quite often curse, or cast a spell on hapless persons not for any wrong doing whatsoever, but to satisfy a wicked desire to stop such people from making progress in life, to weaken them, obstruct their dreams, and to defeat and destroy all their worthy aspirations. Examples of this can be seen in sometimes inexplicable circumstances surrounding certain individuals and families. Members of a family, for instance, just cannot seem to make a headway in life: business stagnates, mature men and women are unable to get married, and those that are married cannot have children even when all medical tests have shown that the couples are medically sound. Other people are weakened through protracted illnesses or litigations that serve as a drain on their financial, mental and other resources. Evil forces often seek to weaken people so as to destroy their resistance to all machinations. Had the Israelites been cursed, it would have led to their defeat, which in turn will result in their complete destruction, extermination, and eventually, the disruption of God’s eternal plan both for the Jews and for the rest of mankind. A prostrate Israel will warrant no expense from their enemies to engage in a fight. Such sly strategies are what Satan and all his cohorts operate by. And our Lord Jesus Christ captured this sentiment well when he summarised the Devil’s agenda thus: “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy…” The Bible also reveals another realm of the operations of witchcraft when it spoke about “the multitude of the whoredoms of the well floured harlot, the mistress of witchcrafts, that selleth nations through her whoredoms and families through her witchcrafts.” God here, associates whoredom or prostitution, immorality or adultery and fornication, with witchcraft. While immorality destroys character, witchcraft destroys lives. Both are agents of defilement and destruction. In the case of the Israelites, God had expressly warned the prophet not to curse them because they were blessed. But the prophet succumbed to the inducements of the king who promised to promote him. Many people unwittingly subscribe to the vain promise of promotion, wealth, popularity or fame, which the devil deceitfully offers. For the prophet, the lure of sudden riches promised him by the king perverted his knowledge of God’s express commandment. Ironically, the Bible account shows that he did not receive what he was promised. But what he could not achieve through the power of darkness, he got through adulterous inducements. He advised the king to unleash his women on the men of Israel on the understanding that once they began to commit immorality God will turn away from them, allowing their enemies the chance to destroy them. That strategy worked, because Israel fell into the trap, resulting in the untimely death of twenty-four thousand of them. This calamity shows clearly that when witchcraft combines with fornication, adultery or any form of immorality, it leads to great destruction. Little wonder then that witches and persons possessing familiar spirits tend to be very seductive. By the way they walk, move or swing their bodies; by the way they dress, talk and wink their eyes, they entice and seduce unwary and naïve men and women. What witches find difficult to do by enchantments and divination, they easily achieve by moral defilements. Christians need to be particularly careful because their adversary the Devil, like a roaring lion, walks about seeking whom to devour, those who would fall by his evil machinations. He would only succeed in his bid to kill, steal and destroy when you give him room, in this case, through any form of immorality. Once the moral defence of an individual is removed, the Devil through his agents, begins the operation of all kinds of evil works. These come in different forms — sickness or disease, or demonic oppression. References: Acts 8:9; Numbers 22:6, 2-4; John 10:10; Nahum 3:4; (All scriptures are from Kings James Version).

THE GUARDIAN, Sunday, May 5, 2013

IBRUCENTRE

The Pastor Embraced My Wife, Then I… By Femi Alabi Onikeku OME write-ups must begin with a confession. And so, I admit that I am carnal; far removed from the more spiritual multitude that thinks there’s nothing wrong when a man of God brings his chest point-blank to hug my wife, ‘what do you call it.’ We had travelled. And finding that the branch of our rather conservative fellowship was not in town, wife and I settled for a certain Pentecostal church. We had, of course, agreed to ignore its bombastic name, which gave the impression we would be taking a jet flight, straight to heaven. We wanted to simply walk in and worship God, rather than stay at home on a Sunday. The service over, we were ushered into a spacious and tastefully furnished office. The man of God was happy we had stopped by, and seeking an apt way to express his appreciation, he gave me a hug. That was cool. He turned to Honey. It seemed he didn’t see the hand she proffered. Perhaps, he wanted to demonstrate deeper gratitude at our visit. He held her hand, and with (forgive me) what I thought was subtlety; he touched his chest to her ‘you know what I am talking about.’

THEN I… But wait. Wait. Should clerics hug women — the wives of their members and some of those young well-shaped sisters? Does a preacher climb so high on the rungs of spiritual development until male and female differences stop to exist? Now, we mustn’t even broach instances where some pastors have literally required women to strip for some ‘holy baths.’ Or in queer circumstances, have held ‘anointing sessions’ at forbidden thresholds. And so, I put the questions to Godman Akinlabi, Lead Pastor of The Elevation Church, Lekki, Lagos. “Generally, I will say it should not be encouraged,” he said. “A hug means many things to many people. Since the Bible says that the man of God should be blameless, then such should try to refrain from whatever can bring shame or blame.

“If you hug somebody, who is not used to it, who feels that your way and manner of doing so is unbecoming of a man of God, it casts aspersion on your integrity. So, why don’t you limit it to people you have developed some measure of relationship and trust with? Relationship is what gives us the latitude to say ‘this is how I can greet this person.’ You don’t go around hugging people; it may be misconstrued. “I don’t think there is a level of spiritual development that you will get to, as a man, unless you are very old and your body system has stopped working… The reaction of the body is not a matter of spiritual maturity or development; it is how you respond to that reaction that is a matter of development. Whether it will affect your thought and make you gravitate towards that person with the intention of doing the wrong thing, like fornication or adultery, is a matter of spiritual maturity. But that your body will not react… there is no spiritual level that can take you through.” John Okechukwu pastors the Endtime Truth Assembly, Ikorodu, Lagos. “Every man is sensitive; let’s forget about Holy Ghost or not. You cannot say that because you have the Holy Ghost, your sensitivity, as a man, is gone. No. That was what happened to Samson. Our souls have been saved, but our bodies are still subject to temptation,” he said. AND I… Well, what did I do? I reached for a gold-plated offering tray and slammed it on his skull, in registration of my gross disapproval! Not exactly. But I wore on my face the grouchiest countenance. It worked! The erring pastor stuttered twice in his immediate attempt at speech after the rude territorial incursion. Also, our reception didn’t last. We left the room barely three minutes after we stepped in. As we walked away from the church, I made it a matter of urgency to re-hug my sweetheart: that offensive embrace had to be purged. You get what I am saying. Abi wetin you talk?

Ademowo Decries State Of Female Prison In Ikoyi, As Synod Begins Today Bishop of Lagos and Dean Emeritus, Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), His Grace, Most Rev. Ephraim Adebola Ademowo, recently briefed the press on the first session of the 32nd Synod, which begins today with the opening service in the Cathedral Church of Christ, Marina, Lagos. He fielded questions from newsmen and CHRIS IREKAMBA was there Synod OUNTING Your Blessings” is the theme of the Synod and it was taken from (Psalm 103:3). The Lord has been good to us as a Diocese and there’s need for us to thank Him for His goodness. The Diocese being the oldest in the Anglican Dioceses in Nigeria was inaugurated in 1919 from where Dioceses in the whole of Western region — Edo, Delta including that of the Northern Nigeria emerged. The Dean of St. Francis of Assisi Theological College, Zaria, Rt. Rev. Praises Omole-Ekun, will deliver the sermon while the Lagos State deputy Governor, Mrs. Victoria Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire and Justice George Adesola Oguntade will read the Bible passages. Archbishops, Bishops, House of Clergy and Laity from all over the Dioceses are expected. On Monday, May 6, the Synod officially opens with a presidential address to be delivered by me, at Our Saviour’s Church, TBS, Lagos. The Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Raji Fashola, will also address the Synod. Other activities include Bible study; Morning Services; presentation of papers and meetings in the afternoon, plenary sessions. The Synod continues till Thursday, May 9 when Rt. Rev. Phillip A. Adeyemo, Bishop of Omu-Aran, Kwara State will present his paper. Thereafter, a communiqué will be issued and motions brought before the Synod for approval. Our Diocese is known for ‘SHE’ (Spirituality, Health and Education. Our spirituality as a Diocesan family is daily becoming deeper; in fact, the Anglican Pentecostalism is alive among us. The Synod will deliberate on church growth and other issues. Church Corporate Social Responsibility We have many churches and clinics in our parishes catering for the needs of members and non-members. We have five schools, which include CMS Grammar School, Bariga; Anglican Girls Grammar School, Surulere; Babington Macaulay Junior Seminary, Ikorodu; Howells Memorial Grammar School, Bariga; and Anglican Comprehensive High School, Ipaja. In Ikoyi Prisons, for example, the Diocese of Lagos has done a lot to assist the inmates. A Chapel was refurbished; the Diocese also bought a 14seater Hyundai bus for the female prison. That provision has been of a great assistance to the prison because an average of 14 inmates go to court daily with corresponding 14 escorts. Inmates writing various examinations have been regularly assisted with payment of examination fees. The Diocese of Lagos paid for 40 inmates writing JAMB, NECO and WAEC examinations not too long ago. Our Saviour’s Church, TBS, Lagos has provided a sickbay with drugs and facilities for operations. It also sank a borehole in Ikoyi Prison while St. John’s Church, Falomo,

“C

Ademowo

built 22 toilets in the same prison. The Cathedral Church of Christ, Marina, has been benevolent by sponsoring some inmates studying for degrees at the National Open University of Nigeria. Then our women in the Diocese have also assisted the female inmates in re-roofing the hall aside from giving out a deep freezer and other items. They are fully committed to the prison ministry, visiting the place and providing them different items. The female prison is facing the challenge of congestion, as there are many awaiting trials without regular access to the courts or speedy conclusion of their cases and I think government should do something about the situation. Our churches also give financial assistance to Ile Aanu Preschool and Atunda Olu, School for the physically and mentally challenged children in Surulere. During this synod, we want to assist jobless graduates. So, we are starting with skill acquisition programme and youth empowerment. We will give them interest-free loans. To get the loan, recipients are expected to provide two guarantors. We want to encourage these young graduates to go into small-scale businesses and not depend on white-collar jobs. State Of The Nation The churches in the Diocese of Lagos and the country are regularly praying for our country, and during this synod, we are still going to intensify that. God knows we need divine intervention because this country is on a downward slope. There is insecurity, unemployment, corruption and inadequate electric power supply. All these need government attention. Government needs to address the problem of poverty; a situation where many Nigerians live below one Dollar a day is very bad.

Living Waters By Pastor Lazarus Muoka

Be Warned, God Will Destroy Humanity Again “But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation”. 1Peter 1:15-16. ELOVED, God who is holy did not create us to have a nature B of unrighteousness. Though He forgives sins, but forgives only repented sin. If a sinner does not repent of his sin, the sinner will bear the full brunt of the law, which is death. That is why the Scripture says emphatically, “… the soul that sins, shall die” (Ez. 18: 4). What will save a sinner/wicked generation from destruction is repentance, and not economic summit, call for disarmament or political jingoism. Generations of Noah and Lot were destroyed, when they chose to continue in wickedness. And God used everything including, prophets to warn them of the consequences of their sin, but they remained adamant, thus their destruction. Now having seen the degree of wickedness in the world, I am giving a warning to our generation that God will destroy humanity again, because this generation has provoked God more than any other generation, thus calling for God’s anger. Different countries have legalised various kinds of abominations ranging from abortion, marriage between same-sex, homosexual (sodomy, lesbian) to prostitution, cultism, corruption, fornication, killings and others. And except we repent quickly from all these evil, we shall likewise be destroyed. The question now may be, is God not merciful again? Or what will happen to the Covenant of Rainbow? But what people do not realise is that, He did not say He will not destroy the world again, but He will not destroy it again with rain or water. The reason for this message People will wonder at the cause of this warning as though there is some imminent danger. Yes, the people of this generation have provoked God by their sinful ways more than any generation ever created. It has come to the point of begging God’s anger and judgment upon them. There has never existed a more sinful generation than the present one, whose transgressions have superseded all those recorded in the Bible. Today, we live in a generation where nobody gives a damn about corruption, where parents encourage their children to engage in prostitution, where fathers sleep with their daughters and mothers with their sons, where licences are issued to prostitutes, where the practice of homosexuals and lesbianism are legalised, where marriage of same-sex is encouraged, where kidnapping, robbery, and child trafficking are careers. These wicked and abominable acts were what brought the destruction of old generations. He is very angry and is about to judge this generation except we repent. This generation has bought the gospel of Satan to bear on humanity, thus do no longer see the evil in sin. They take pleasure in evil and forget the consequences. They desire peace and economic boost in the world, but legalise abortion, corruption and marriage of same sex, which are gross wickedness. They are trying to control crisis in Europe, Africa, Asia and the Middle East, when the blood of aborted babies are daily crying: “Oh Lord, when will you avenge us? These days, fraud, adultery, fornication, kidnapping, robbery, terrorism, abduction, and evil of various kinds are freely committed everywhere among the high and low. And nobody is concerned; instead people are seeking for new evils and wickedness to legalise in the name of human right without any show of respect for God. Who says God has changed His nature of holiness. My brother and sister, God has not changed. Prov. 11:21 says, “Though hand join in hand, the wicked shall not be unpunished: but the seed of the righteous shall be delivered.” If we do not quickly do something to retrace our footsteps from evil, we shall soon be destroyed. This is a warning.

Do Not Pray For Bad Politicians, Says Oladiyun HE Senior Pastor of Christ Livingspring Apostolic Ministry T (CLAM), Wole Oladiyun has called on Christians, especially leaders not to pray for ‘unworthy’ politicians, who have plundered the wealth of this nation for their selfish interest. At a press conference in Lagos, last month, to mark the 15th anniversary of the church, Oladiyun said it was wrong for pastors to pray for bad leaders. Explaining the rationale behind his hard stance, the cleric said: “it is wrong for pastors to pray for ‘unworthy’ politicians who have oppressed Nigerians knowingly or through negligence. Why should somebody who has pocketed millions of Naira meant to improve the standard of living of the people be prayed for? These politicians after coveting money meant for the repair of roads run to churches for prayers. I will not pray for such leaders, because through their acts many people have died from road mishaps,” he said. The Senior Pastor also called on the Federal Government to look into the salary structure of the Nigeria Police, recommending a monthly emolument of N75, 000 for a Police Corporal.

THE GUARDIAN, Sunday, May 5, 2013

IBRUCENTRE ‘After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go. He told them, “the harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.’ Lk. 10:1-2 OR the mission work, it is God and God alone who calls would-be workers. Impliedly, no one calls himself. Jesus selected 72 disciples to help in the mission work in towns and villages; to prepare people for the kingdom before his return. There is usually a purpose attached to the call. Here, we saw the agenda Jesus had for the recruited 72 disciples. His agenda for them was that of mission. The mission to win souls and make disciples of all nations (Mtt. 28:19). The issue of whether the work of mission is to be convenient or not is completely ruled out. However, the worker that must be sent out for the mission field is expected to do so in the power of Jesus. Interestingly, he is not to entertain any fear because the power of Jesus, which is capable of healing, delivering and restoring people back to God is with him. Here Jesus reassures the worker: ‘you will trample upon scorpions and nothing shall hurt you,’ Lk. 10:19. ‘I am with you till the close of age’ Mtt. 28:20. Sometimes when a worker is distracted; he begins to complain, murmur, indulge in fault-

By Chrysostomos Ndidi Onyekakeyah HE Orthodox Church and the Oriental T Churches (Coptic, Armenian, Syriac and others) all over the world celebrate, today, May 5, the great feast of ‘Holy Pascha’ also referred to as ‘Holy Easter,’ which is the celebration of the glorious resurrection of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ from the dead. The word ‘Pascha’ is derived from the Hebrew word pasach, which means ‘Passover.’ The Jews celebrated Pascha to commemorate their liberation from the Egyptians and their passage (Exodus) of the Red Sea. This day, it is also called Lambri (Brightness) because the day of the Resurrection of Christ is a day of joy. The Resurrection of Jesus Christ is the centrepiece of the Christian faith because if He has not been resurrected, our faith would be worthless and futile (1Cor.15: 14 -17). Therefore, without Easter, the feast of faith, there would be no Christianity. Christians believe according to the Scripture that Jesus came back to life days after His death on the cross and subsequent burial. The Biblical accounts can be found in the following passages; Mathew 27: 2728: 8; Mark 15: 16,19; Luke 23: 26-35; and John 19: 16 – 20: 30. This great feast is preceded by the season of lent, a 40-day period of fasting and repentance. Historically, there is evidence that Christians originally celebrated the resurrection of Christ every Sunday. At some point in the first two centuries, it became customary to celebrate the feast, especially, on one particular day each year. However, the very specific day on which the resurrection should be celebrated became a major point of contention within the entire Church. First, should it be on the Jewish Passover, no matter the day it falls on? Or should it always fall on a Sunday? With these issues resolved, the next problem was to determine which Sunday to celebrate it. The variance that characterise the date of Easter has been a dilemma that a sizable number of Christians find disturbing, this owes to the reality that there are times when the whole of Christendom celebrates the feast of the Resurrection together on a specific day, and at times, some Christians had celebrated the feast on a different date contrary to the rest of Christendom, though the determination of the date of Easter has been definitively regulated

From The Rector

Ibru International Ecumenical Centre, Agbarha-Otor

A Worker And The Work Of Mission

interest in the things of God and ramble-rousing type of life that is inimical to their spiritual finding, develops an unforgiving spirit and grad- Bring back those that have departed from the way growth. Jesus desires that committed and genof God to the Lord’s house. There is no doubt that uine workers should be sent to the mission field ually looses satisfaction for the work of God. I to really recover this group of people from the many out there have not known Jesus as their know this is a strategy of the devil to derail the devil. Lord and personal saviour. To such people, comworker. I prayer for the Holy Spirit to deliver The Holy Spirit, our senior partner in mission mitted and willing workers must seek to deliver those in such situation. It behoves the church therefore, to go to God in them from eternal damnation. The volume of evil work, is highly needed to enable us perform. A worker that is not empowered by the Holy Spirit in our community suggests that more people prayer for real and genuine workers to be will not get it right. Holy Spirit is a great enabler need to be engaged in evangelism. involved in the mission field. Jesus’ outburst is and a great energiser, when He is given its rightRemember, ‘the devil prowls seeking whom to worthy of our consideration, for He said: ‘the ful place in our lives, He will guide us aright. harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask devour,’ 1 Pet. 5:8. Already, some young people have fallen prey to the whims and caprices of the the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out Ven. Ernest Onuoha is the Rector, Ibru International evil one. You can easily see that from their dressworkers into his harvest field.’ Ecumenical Centre Agbarha-Otor, elta State. www.ibrucening, interest in pornography, alcoholism, lost of The mind of God is to reach the unreached. tre.org

On The Resurrection Of Christ The Feast Of Faith by the decision of the First Ecumenical Synod, held in Nicaea (325). The resolve of the date of Easter is governed by a computation based on the vernal equinox and the phase of the moon. According to the ruling of the First Ecumenical Synod in 325, Easter Sunday should fall on the Sunday, which follows the first full moon after the vernal equinox. If the full moon happens to fall on a Sunday, Easter is observed the following Sunday. The day taken to be the invariable date of the vernal equinox is March 21. Within the Orthodox Church and most Eastern Churches, feast days and fast days are reckoned according to two distinct calendars, the Julian calendar and the Gregorian calendar. The first is attributed to the Roman Emperor Julius Caesar, whose name it bears. The latter was introduced in the sixteenth century around 1582 AD, by Pope Gregory XIII whose intention was to review and harmonize the calculation of the Easter date due to the everincreasing discrepancy between calendar time and calculated astronomical time. Thus the Gregorian calendar came into being. Here lies the first difference in the determination of Easter between the Orthodox Church and the other Christian Churches. The Orthodox Church continues to base its calculations for the date of Easter on the Julian calendar, which was in use at the time of the First Ecumenical Synod. As such, it does not take into consideration the number of days, which have since then accrued due to the progressive inaccuracy of the calendar. Practically speaking, this means that Easter may not be celebrated before April 3 (Gregorian), which had been March21 — the date of the vernal equinox — at the time of the Synod. In other words, a difference of 13 days exists between the accepted date for the vernal equinox then and now. In the West, this discrepancy was addressed in the 16th century through the adoption of the Gregorian calendar as earlier noted, which adjusted the Julian calendar still in use by all Christians at that time. Western Christians, therefore, observe the

date of the vernal equinox on March 21 according to the Gregorian calendar. The other difference in the determination of Easter between the Orthodox and other Christian Churches concerns the date of Passover. Jews originally celebrated Passover on the first full moon following the vernal equinox. Christians, therefore, celebrated Easter on the first Sunday after the first full moon following the vernal equinox. After the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. and the other tragic events, which gave rise to the dispersal of the Jews, Passover sometimes preceded the vernal equinox. This was occasioned by the dependence of the dispersed Jews upon local pagan calendars for the calculation of Passover. As a consequence, most Christians eventually ceased to regulate the observance of Easter by the Jewish Passover. Their purpose, of course, was to preserve the original practice of celebrating Easter following the vernal equinox and to adhere to the tradition that Easter must always fall after the Jewish Passover, since the Resurrection of Christ happened after the celebration of the Passover. Since the Julian calendar had been in continuous use in the Christian East and West throughout the centuries, the subsequent introduction of the Gregorian calendar in the West created yet another anomaly in the deteriorating relations between the two Churches. The need for correction of the Julian calendar was well understood in the East, and had even led some to devise a new calendar themselves. Nevertheless, the Julian calendar remained in use throughout the Byzantine period and beyond. Despite the efforts of the emissaries of Pope Gregory to convince the Orthodox to accept the new (Gregorian) calendar, the Orthodox Church rejected it. The main reason for its rejection was that the celebration of Easter would be altered: contrary to the injunctions of canon 7 of the Holy Apostles, the decree of the First Ecumenical Synod, and canon 1 of Ancyra, Easter would sometimes coincide with the Jewish Passover in the Gregorian calendar. It would be recalled that until the 1054AD, both the Eastern and Western Churches were in communion. The widening schism was caused

by a mix of cultural, political, religious and theological differences. In 1054, a formal split occurred when Pope Leo IV, head of the Romans, excommunicated the then Patriarch of Constantinople — Michael Cerularius (head of the Eastern Church). And who in turn condemned the Pope in mutual excommunication. The Churches remain divided and separated to the present date. The political domination by the West ensured that the secular world followed the religious world and consequently they are mostly tied to its new calendar method of calculation. While the Eastern Churches sincerely have no time for such Romish inventions. Essentially speaking, Christians through this Feast of Faith in the working of God are spiritually resurrected with Jesus, so, that they may walk in a new way of life; subduing passions like hatred, jealousy, corruption, greed which results to false petitions and witnesses, lust and others. Because Easter must fall on a Sunday, there can be a discrepancy of up to five weeks gap just as it happens this year between the two historical Churches. It also coincides some other times depending on the Easter dating computation of the churches for that year. Indeed, the actual dates of Easter, March 31 and May 5 as observed this year are practically irrelevant. What matters is what we do with that revelation of God to us. What is important is how we proclaim that Gospel of the Feast of Faith and what we do with that the truth in our own lives and others. This is absolutely what matters, rather than the adherence to one calculation of date or another. It is the Resurrection that has transformed our lives, our corrupt society and we must not allow the secular world to lose sight of that. We cannot keep away from telling what we have seen and heard” (Acts.4:20). For “Christ is risen and demons have fallen! Christ is Risen and life rules! Christ is risen and no one dead remains in the tomb!” • Rev. Fr. Onyekakeyah is of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Nigeria

‘Why Children Of Pastors Are Wayward’ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 36 child. With this, the child gradually adopts a set of behaviour patterned after some models he likes. And whatever he sees such people do, he will also do. And at that point, the child begins to form his conscience. But the principal agents at the stage the child is internalising some of the norms play significant roles. How significant is the house girl to the child? This is the reason we are advocating that government should be paying mothers to stay at home to take care of their babies, because the baby at that tender age is undergoing socialisation process. For instance, when a baby is sucking the mother’s breast, he will bite the mother’s nipple and thereafter looks at the mother’s face with a smile. If the mother slaps the child’s buttocks, the child may cry and may likely not do it again. But if the mother laughs, the child will surely repeat it. So, the child is internalising some things and that gradually becomes his conscience. The conscience is a system of norms

that an individual applies to his own acts or contemplated acts to arrive at a judgment of right or wrong. When that child is trying to internalise some social norms, who and who are the significant people around him; so that the child can identify with them and take those people as role models. When the parents are not always at home, the child is then with the house girl, who has little no standards. So, the child has no other option than to internalise the house girl’s norm, which in fact, is a major problem. So, when that child is trying to form his conscience, it does not matter who the father or the mother is, he would mould it around those whose behaviour have affected him. That is why the principal agent of socialisation at that stage should control the child; he should know the child’s friend and the type of people he moves with. Another thing is, the child should be made to know about the good and bad side of life. In the morning Jesus, afternoon

Jesus, evening Jesus, the day the child gets to boarding house and sees that there is freedom, the parents may lose that child. For a Pastor or Reverend, the child should be made to realise that there is Jesus and there is Satan; there is light and darkness; and that there are two sides to a coin. So that when the child sees the other side, when the parents are not there, he will not be lost in the crowd. But when we show one side, as if the other side does not exist, they will later know that ugly side. This is the reason a girl will get to a boarding house and joins a secret cult like the Daughters of Jezebel or clubs, because she has some freedom. So, it does not matter, who you are — Reverend, Teacher or Pastor — the socialisation process should be complete, if not, you will lose the child. To get the best in our children, we should have quality time with them. In those days, the first choice of a wife is a teacher, because she closes from work by 1or 2pm to take care of the home. But today, we have career women who have no time for the children; which indeed is a major problem in the society.

TheGuardian

Sunday, May 5, 2013 41

Conscience, Nurtured by Truth

Business Customer Services Skills In The Nigerian Context(2) By Helen-Linda Azodoh HIS article will be looking at People Skills in NigeT ria; in the work place and in Business. The ability of an employee to effectively interact with other employees and customers is very important to the success of a business. Difficult and stressful situations are bound to arise, and the employee has to be equipped with how best to handle these situations. Sometimes the drive for profits in an organisation as well as limited availability of other resources puts added pressure on the employees, thereby making their ability to communicate effectively and efficiently that much more tasking. To have good people skills, we need to be equipped to communicate effectively with difficult people and difficult situations. In the Nigerian context, the main problem starts with ourselves, i.e. the employee. Employees in Nigeria, seem to have the general notion that their job is to make everyone else’s as difficult as possible. We need to change that mindset and orientation in order to move forward and reach the desired goal, i.e, exhibiting and extoling good people skills. As an employee of any organisation, your priority should be to project a positive image of your organisation and treating its customers in a way that shows them they matter. You have to realise you are there to facilitate your customers in whatever way they seek, as opposed to hindering them. That in my experience, is what the average Representative of National Planning Minister, Dr. Zakari Lawal (left); Managing Director, SAP West African Region, Richard Edet; and Director, Economic Planning, Federal Character Territory Authority Nigerian employee does. (FCTA), Isa Muhammed at the SAP Government Performance Monitoring and Evaluation Seminar held in Abuja. There is a totally opposite approach in the western world where businesses and employees understand that the customer is king and is never wrong. They understand that without the customers, they have no business, and without the business, employees have no jobs. They understand this and it is reflected Friday Oboh, who said he has in the way they treat their customers. In the Nigerian He said nine trucks are under for more than five years told The By Godfrey Okpugie, his supervision and that cusGuardian that they earn enough to been operating trucks for people context, neither the employers nor the employees Deputy Lagos City Editor seem to appreciate the importance of the customer. tomers normally come from dif- cater for themselves and families. in the park since 1988, told The DDO Motor Park, situated at the ferent parts of Lagos Metropolis Another man, Mr. Olufemi Olubi, Guardian that haulage business is To tackle this problem, we need to look at it from difvery lucrative if properly manferent perspectives; Railway Terminus, Iddo, Lagos, to get them to convey goods to who said he is a motor boy (apAba, Owerri, Calabar, Port Haris a popular auto rendezvous, prentice) but also learning how to aged. The Business where privately owned lorries, ar- court, Enugu, Jos, Maiduguri, drive, said he is a father of two chil- According to him, several comticulated trucks (popularly called Kano, Sokoto and other places. Business in this sense does not refer to only profit dren who are in a private primary panies whose transport departtrailers) and other vehicles used in He said that on a very good day, school. He said he derives income ments had been ruined by making organisations. The term is used broadly to fraudulent staff have realized that cover all sorts of organisations, including the public up to 10 or more customers can carrying goods are stationed. from being a motor-boy to take come to get vehicles on an aver- care of the children whose mother it is better to engage the services sector. All businesses exist for a purpose, be it profit Many members of National of Iddo Motor Park operators to Union Of Road Transport Workers age of N100,000 per truck. died some months ago in the making or otherwise. They have their mottos, aims, transport their products. of Nigeria (NURTWN) who operate According to him, if he had process of giving birth to a third objectives and missions. Central to the achieveHe said that any time such comments of these aims and objectives are the people in the park do not know how long hired out all his trucks and more child. customers come, he would go to Mr. Anthony Orji, who said he is a panies need trucks to convey the garage has been in existence, they deal with on a day to day basis. The organisation products; they will call a trusted a colleague to negotiate for the but it is generally believed that it union leader in the Park, conneeds to understand that without these people, their use of his vehicles and at a cerhas been there for decades. firmed that many people earn their motor manager at Iddo to handle mission is destined for failure. The leaders of an orthe assignment. tain commission for bringing It is estimated that a total daily income from the trucking ganisation are the ones who set the tone for an orAsked if the operators and driv- ganisation’s culture, and as such should empower amount of N5 million is used daily such business. business. These include sellers of He revealed that all the motors spare parts and tyres. Same as me- ers of the trucks pay tax? Oboh to hire lorries here and in a their employees in how to deal with these prized asin the garage come from differmonth, N125 million, about 50 chanics, auto electricians, vulcaniz- queried: “Pay tax to who? We do sets (customers), by providing them the right trainent sources and under the super- ers, welders, battery chargers, food not pay tax. I only paid tax six trucks are hired daily at an avering. The most successful organisations today, are the vision of different managers, age haulage rate of N100,000 to sellers and hoteliers, who give ac- months ago for the first time ones that invest substantial amount of funds in prowho also act as surety for the convey goods to different locacommodation to the drivers, who since 1990 that I came here and viding continuous development programmes in Peothat was because I wanted to acgoods carried by the trucks untions nationwide. do not reside in Lagos but always ple Skills for their employees. Training in People The worth of goods hauled by the der his care. All the managers get wait for days to get goods to trans- quire Certificate of Occupancy (C Skills should not be a one off event. It should be a of O) for my plot of land in Lagos. continuous development programme in order to commission for doing their job. port out of Lagos. trucks is also reckoned to be beHe said that many of the trucks He explained that many of the vehi- All the money I make here goes tween N2.3 billion daily because achieve the desired results. for the school fees of my children, an articulated truck can, at times, were brought by drivers from the cles are owned by either the drivcarry goods worth more than N35 countryside and for them to be ers, or individuals who give same feeding and others. The Employees million, especially electronics and able to get goods to carry in Lato the park operators at a monthly When contacted, tax officials at The employees take their cue from management. If the Inland Revenue office in the gos, they usually get a notable op- payment of an agreed amount. other costly goods. management act like the customers are important, area, said it is difficult to get the erator of the park to act as a The business transactions in the Other times, the drivers get the this will reflect in the training provided to employmiddleman, because nobody place is informal, in that, drivers truck on operate, pay and own ba- drivers at the Park to pay tax beees, and will in turn, cascade down to the way the emcause many of them do not stay would be willing to hire the or managers of the trucks do not sis and at completion of the sucployees relate to the customers. The organisation in Lagos. They come and go. Moretruck driven by a driver that is accept cheques or other means of cessful payment of the agreed has to equip the employee with the necessary tools to payment except cash, which they not traceable. amount, the driver will become the over, their real income is not easy be able to relate, listen and empathise with the custo assess because many of them Some drivers who said they normally do not take to the bank proud possessor of the truck. tomer. The aim of a good employee should be to achave been operating at the Park but used in buying fuel, feed and Another manager in the park, Mr. do not have steady means of inquire the skills necessary to communicate with come. Their trucks, which are at times used to pay intalmentally customers and communicate and relate with other mainly second hand or tokunbo for the hire-purchased trucks. staff , towards the achievement of the aims and obbreak-down sometimes too often, jectives of the organisation. When The Guardian visited last thus frustrating attempt to make week, different types of trucks N indigenous company, Mor- grow their business exponenwere parked at different locations pheus Online Business Servtially without the normally pro- them pay tax. Difficult People and Difficult Situations What about putting money in in the area. It was gathered that in ices, has launched an exciting hibitive associated cost. In any walk of life, difficult people and difficult situabanks? The Guardian probed. the past, trucks used to park on e-commerce platform in Lagos. According to him, this will be a tions are bound to arise. Employees need to be “Banks?” Oboh asked. any available space and at the The platform buyam.com.ng is dependable avenue to buy wide equipped to handle this. This situation should not “Well, I can only speak for myself roadsides at Iddo, but that reset to alleviate stress shoppers en- range of products online at great come as a surprise to any employee and cause them and my drivers. We do not norcently, the Lagos State governcounter. It is a unique ‘storefront’ prices for the teeming populato react in a way that reflects a negative image of mally put money in banks bement forced them out of the concept that allows merchants to tion of Nigerians. their organisation. undeveloped plots and converted create an online destination for Giving further insight into the cause we do not have enough to take care of our old tokunbo them into other uses. The Park op- their brands within the portal. Azodoh, Chartered MCIPD (London), is a human platform, Emeka stated, we know erators were thus compelled to re- In a press release, the company’s that a lot of Nigerians want to do trucks. Some of us have accounts resource consultant based in the UK. She is also in the banks but many of the aclocate to the Nigerian Railway Managing Director, Emeka their shopping online but are counts are out-of-use now (dorMD of Orchardview HR Solutions, accompany Corporation’s (NRC) compound. Mordi, affirmed the company’s hesitant because of the usual is- mant) because we do not always Mr. Okeke Ndubisi, a manager of excitement and been thrilled that provides HR training to organisations in sues of online fraud, security, get enough to repair our trucks. some of the trucks, said the NRC about the platform and the opproduct quality and general servNigeria. graciously allowed them to be us- portunities it presents Nigerian ice quality; issues we believe are So, we don’t go there to put money in the accounts.” ing its compounds when the state stores to leverage e-commerce to unfortunately genuine. Email:helen.azodoh@virgin.net government evicted them.

How Iddo Park Records N123b Turnover I

Firm Launches Online Market In Lagos

THE GUARDIAN, Sunday, May 5, 2013

BUSINESS

Nigeria Under The Burden Of Abandoned Heritage By Marcel Mbamalu OR failing to harness its mineral sources, other than oil, Nigeria is losing trillions of naira to “poachers” in the underground economy. The Federal government alluded to this when the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Mines and Steel Development, Mr. Linus Awute, was recently quoted as saying that, in just two years, the nation lost over N8 trillion to neigbouring countries as a result of illegal mining and exportation of unprocessed gold alone. The two-year N8-trillion loss to gold poachers would amount to N4 trillion per annum, an equivalent of Nigeria’s national budget, going by the structure of current and expenditure estimates in the last five years. Another stretch of analysis would reveal that this amount’ represents over 10 percent of Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), going by the 2011 official figure of $238.92 billion (N37 trillion). Describing this business as being far beyond control, Awute particularly fingered Ghana as the major route, where Nigerian gold is illegally being processed. Local media quoted the Permanent secretary as saying that “the amount of unprocessed gold that has left Nigeria through neighbouring countries, Ghana in particular, and being processed in Ashanti, is enormous.” But international journalist, Alan Katz, paints a picture of another major route that is probably more significant than the Ghana channel. In his graphical representation of the “mineto- world-market” movement of unprocessed gold from the Nigerian State of Zamfara, Alan says (gold) ore is collected from mines near Sunke, bagged and brought by motorcycles to villages like Dareta or Sunke, where villagers grind it and then wash the mix over a ridged board. The villagers, who do the processing themselves, then use mercury to extract the gold, the result of which is sold to gold traders in Gusau, the Zamfara State capital, where the remaining dirt and impurities are separated. The gold, according to Alan, is then driven to the Benin border and turned over to dealers from the port city of Cotonou, who then sell it to wholesalers from Europe and the Middle East from where it is introduced to the worldwide market. Even the Ministry of Mines, in its website (as at 11 am on Friday, April 19, 2013), admits “absence of any systematic exploration and development” for gold deposits. It further observes that the goldfields have experienced “intense artisanal workings,” which target both the primary goldquartz reefs and their associated alluvial occurrences. To channel this “underground economy” to official government revenue therefore, Awute gave the assurance that the Federal Government would boldly address this challenge in artisanally mined gold from Nigeria. He hinted of a new problem-solving mechanism, part of which would formalise the operations of illegal miners to address the issue of revenue loss. Gold in Nigeria, according to the Ministry, “is found in alluvial and eluvial placers and primary veins from several parts of supracrustal (schist) belts in the northwest and southwest of Nigeria.” The most important occurrences are found in the Maru, Anka, Malele, Tsohon Birnin GwariKwaga, Gurmana, Bin Yauri, Okolom Dogondaji and Iperindo areas, all associated with the schist belts of northwest and southwest Nigeria. Going by official maps, there are also a number of smaller occurrences beyond these major areas. “Officially recorded gold production in Nigeria,” according to the ministry, “started by 1913 and peaked in the period 19331943 when about 1.4t of gold were produced. The gold production declined during the Second World War period and never recovered, as colonial companies abandoned mines. “The Nigerian Mining Corporation started exploration of gold in Nigeria in the early 1980s but failed to be sustained due to lack of funds,” the Ministry explains. But, in what appears a self-indictment, it also concluded that discovery of crude oil, and its subsequent dominance of the economy, actually contributed to the lack of attention to gold exploration despite its widespread potentials. In reality, gold, as a natural resource, represents just an infinitesimal part of huge mineral deposits across the 36 states of Nigeria, including Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). In fact, the argument goes that oil — and

Solid Minerals On Bended Knees

• How Gold ‘Poachers’ Stole N8tr In 2 yrs

the manner of its distribution —, which has become the focal point of socio-political discord, would become a ‘non-issue’ when real commercial mining begins in those other spheres.

lost to poachers in two years speaks volumes of the kind of fortune going down the drain due to the neglect being meted out to other potential sources of revenue like coal, tin, Columbite etcetera, that nature plentifully bequeathed to LMOST certainly, the multi-regional shouts the country. of marginalisation, the Niger Delta’s fight Experts argue that Nigeria has the largest defor (oil) resource control, the North’s belated posits of Bitumen, Columbite and Tin most of calls for oil prospecting in the area and Southwhich are available in large, commercial quaneast’s cry of abandonment, including matters tity. of insecurity and disguised battle for politicoIt is also believed that further exploration could economic control of the soul of the nation, lead to discovery of more minerals not yet offiwould all be resolved if Nigeria dig a little cially listed among the 34 being ‘promoted’ by deeper for her sleeping wealth. the Solid Minerals Ministry. Interestingly, the N8 trillion said to have been The nation has a full map of mineral

endowment, as the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (established back in the mid-1980s) undertook a comprehensive mapping of all geophysical attributes. But tapping into the economic benefits of these resource deposits has remained an uphill task. Officials of the Federal Ministry of Mines and Steel Development would inform that the country has discovered over five hundred (500) location of mineral deposits, nine of which according to official sources, would promoted for commercial gains. The nine include Gold, Lead/Zinc, Iron ore, Coal, Tin Ore, Bitumen, Columbite, Tantalite, Wolframite and industrial minerals.

Toursim... Dying Fast

ET, 33 of the solid minerals are said to be in Y exportable quantity that could create the much-needed competition for the oil sector, in

resources, other than oil, have been IthesoF natural neglected, one wonders what becomes of tourism sector — chiefly driven by national monuments that thrived in the 1960s, through the1980s. One of such, the Ogbunike Cave, now a ghost of its former self, has been in existence for over 200 years and once served as major tourist and research centre for local and international holiday seekers and scholars alike. But current “sights and sounds” from the cave located in Oyi Local Government of Anambra State is, however, replete in official neglect: First, the road leading to the cave is dotted with potholes and ditches, making it rough and almost impassable A guided tour from the old Onitsha road/St. Monica’s junction to the cave entrance covers a distance of about 5.5 km, where a sign, ‘welcome to Ogbunike Cave’, displays the dos and don’ts of the hitherto vibrant tourist centre. The actual tour usually begins with a 50-feet descending distance leading down to a very large clearing inside the cave, which is surrounded by thick forest of tree (including bam-

boo and climbers) and shrub species. According to the manager, Mr. Benjamin Chukwuma Ezeakor, the stream flowing in the cave originates from within and forms a tributary with Nkisi Umuduaka River, which empties into the River Niger. “The spring water is spiritually powerful for cleansing ailments, diseases and other natural illnesses,” said Ezeakor, who made reference to the plastic buckets used in collecting water from the roof of the cave. Crocodiles, pythons, antelopes and deer, among others, which, hitherto, inhabited the environment in large numbers, were not noticed last week, as poachers have reportedly driven them further inside the thick forest. For research purposes, the Ogbunike national monument had hosted students and lecturers from Nigerian universities, including the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), the University of Benin (UNIBEN), the Enugu State University of Technology (ESUTH), the Institute of Management Technology, (IMT) Enugu, and Federal Polytechnic (FEDPOLY), Oko, among many others.

terms of revenue earnings. Walking this talk has, however, remained impossible, as these minerals remain officially untapped. Instead, a network of smugglers appears to do it better! It is telling enough that the entire solid minerals sector, not just gold, contributes a meagre one percent to Nigeria’s $238.92 GDP, a situation that is often attributed to underdevelopment of he sector. For instance, reports say that over $30 worth of tantalite was delivered to the global mineral market in 2000 alone; but this was done almost entirely through a network of smugglers, according to BHP Billiton, a global mining analyst. The country, at some point, was a major exporter of tin, columbite and coal, the most bituminous in the world given its low sulphur and ash content that makes it the most environment-friendly, according to experts. Official statistics indicate that about three billion tonnes of coal reserves abound in 17 coalfields, 600 million tonnes of which were proven to exist in Kogi and Enugu States. In the same vein, Nigeria can boast of 42 bil-

HE GUARDIAN, Sunday, May 5, 2013

BUSINESS lion tones of Bitumen, twice the amount of its proven crude oil reserves. This huge deposit, if well harnessed, could ease cost of road construction projects and ultimately make the country a net exporter of Bitumen. Bentonite and Barite Ore are constituents of mud used in drilling all types of oil wells; but Nigeria’s 7.5-million-ton barite, naturally sitting in Taraba and Bauchi states, is said to possess special a gravity. Many states are endowed with large reserves of bentonite (amounting to 700 million tones) waiting to be developed and exploited. Even as major companies — tanning, food and beverages, paper and pulp as well as bottling — expend billions of Naira in importing table salt, caustic soda hypochloric acid, hydrogen peroxide, sodium bicarbonate and chlorine, among others, the huge reserves of 1.5 billion tones in Nigeria are still in limbo. Government, at a point, said it was carrying out investigation to ascertain the quantum of reserves. While Plateau State has salt springs in Awe, Imo has rock salt in Uburu. According to reports, Nigeria’s 3 billion tonnes of Kaolin is almost evenly spread in all states of the country, even though the Kaolin Company only has a mining site in Bokkos, Plateau State. Kaolin, due to its coating nature, is useful in major industries, including cosmetics, paper, plastics, concrete and paint. Needless to say that Limestone, which is used in cement manufacturing, is readily abundant in Ebonyi, Sokoto, Ogun, Kogi and Cross River; little wonder the like of Dangote Cement is widening operations along the axis. Yet, the estimated 2.3 million tones of limestone remain largely untapped. Aside the minerals, the country has a repertoire of gemstones — Sapphire, Ruby, Aquamarine, Emerald, Tourmaline, Topaz, Garnet, Amethyst, Zircon, and Fluorspar — the mining of which blossomed in parts of Bauchi, Kaduna and Plateau states.

Why Foreign Investors Shun Rich Mineral Resources N an unsavory practice that has lasted for more than 40 years, however, Nigeria’s heritage in solid minerals is, no doubt, being neglected, for the very simple reason that oil inflow is fairly easy and outsourceable: Government simply abdicates to a number of multinational producing companies and money comes into the treasury. The Mines and Steel Development Ministry has the responsibility for mining administration, a function, which the Minister does with assistance from four major departments — the Mines Inspectorate, Environment and Compliance, the Mining Cadastre Office and the Artisanal and Small-scale Mining Department. Interestingly, there was a very huge campaign for investments in solid minerals exploration/exploitation during the tenure of former World Bank Vice President, Oby Ezekesili as Minister. Although the strategic brand marketing initiative tagged “34 minerals” to promote the 34 types of solid minerals located in Nigeria is still in force, according to the MMSD website, the campaign appears to have lost its major steam. While mouthing platitudes about diversifying the base of the Nigerian economy, successive governments almost exclusively concentrated on this practice of abandonement. In fact, from the1980s till today, this idea of diversification has remained the most-used phrases in budget broadcasts; yet, the more it is used, the less diversified the Nigerian economy becomes, for the very reason that dishonest political and military

leaders have, over the years, taken only the easy way out. Asked why this is so, Pat Okedinachi Utomi, a professor of Political Economy puts the blame at the doorstep of the Ministry of Mines and Steel Development, which, he says, has not adequately created incentives for exploraton of the touted 34 minerals. He also believes that the easy money from oil will continue to asphyxiate whatever remains of the incentive for solid mineral exploration. Rather than bring the expected strength from solid minerals, oil appears to have made the country lazy, so much so that other milk cows of the economy, including the Ajaokuta Steel Company and the Delta Steel Company, which basically remain the weeping child of official corruption and political maneuverings in the last four decades, have been abandoned (or so it seems). But the professor has another issue with the management of the (lincensing) process: “Unbriddled corruption,” he said. “Very importantly, I think that part of what Nigeria suffers from is, of course, unbridled corruption. Unbridled corruption has made the Ministry of Solid Minnerals one of the biggest embarrassments in Nigeria. The level of corruption is really so bad that people are not encouraged to enter the solid minerals sector and that’s why the major operators in that area are shifting, fly-by-night kind of miners. “Unfortunately, the genuine ones always tend to run into some kind of problems. Local authorities are generally so hostile to potential investors to solid minerals; just like the Alaye

Spread Of Mineral Resources in Nigeria ABUJA - Marble - Clay - Tentalite - Cassiterite - Gold (partially investigated) - Lead /Zinc (Traces) - Dolomite ABIA STATE - Gold - Salt - Linestone - Lead/Zinc ADAMAWA STATE - Kaolin - Bentonite - Gypsium - Magnesite AKWA IBOM STATE - Lead/Zinc - Clay - Limestone - Uranium (Traced) - Salt - Lignite (Traced) ANAMBRA STATE - Lead/Zinck - Clay - Limestone - Iron-Ore - Lignite (Partially investigated) - Salt - Glass-Sand - Phosphate - Gypsium BAYELSA STATE - Clay - Limestone - Gypsium (partially investigated) - Uranium (partially investigated) - Manganese - Lignite - Lead/Zinc (Traces) BAUCHI STATE - Amethst (violet) - Gypsium - Lead/Zinc (Traces) - Uranuin (partially investigated) BENUE STATE - Lead/Zinc - Limestone - Iron-Ore - Coal - Clay - Marble - Sakt

- Berytes (traces) - Gem stones - Gypsium BORNO STATE - Diatomite - Clay - Limestone - Hydro-carbon (oil and gas) Partially investigated) - Gypsium - Kaolin - Bentonite CROSS RIVER STATE - Limestone - Uranium - Manganese - Lignite - Lead/Zinc - Salt DELTA STATE - Marble - Glass Sand - Gypsium - Lignite - Iron-Ore - Kaolin EBONYI STATE - Lead - Gold - Salt EDO STATE - Marble - Lignite - Clay - Limestone - Iron Ore - Gypsium - Glass-sand - Gold - Dolomite Phosphate - Bitumen EKITI STATE - Kaolin - Feldsper - Tatium - Granite - Syenite ENUGU STATE - Coal - Linestone - Lead/Zinc GOMBE STATE - Gemstone - Gysium IMO STATE - Kead/Zinc - Limestone - Lignite - Phosphate - Marcasite - Gypsium

- Salt JIGAWA STATE - Butytes KADUNA STATE - Sapphire - Kaoline - Gold - Clay - Surpentinite - Asbestos - Amethyst - Kyanite - Graphite (partally investgated) - Silhnite - Mica (Traces) - Aqua marine - Ruby - Rock Crystal - Topaz - Flosper - Tourmaline - Gemstone - Tentalime KANO STATE - Prrochinre - Cassiterite - Copper - Glass – Sand - Gemstone - Lead/Zinc - Tantalite KATSINA STATE - Kaolin - Marble - Salt KEBBI STATE - Gold KOGI STATE - Iron-Ore - Kaolin - Gypsium - Feldsper - Goal - Marble - Dolomite - Talc - Tantalite KWARA STATE - Gold - Marble - Iron-Ore - Cassiterite - Colubite - Tantalite - Feldspar (Traces) - Mica (Traces) LAGOS STATE - Glass-sand - Clay - Bitumen NASARAWA STATE

- Beryl (emerald) - Asquamirine and - Haliodor) - Dolomite/Marble - Sapphire - Tourmaline - Quartz- Amethyst (Topaz, gamet) - Zireon - Tantalite - Cassiterite - Columbite - Limenite - Galena - Iron-Ore - Barytes - Feldspar - Limesstone - Mica - Cooking coal - Talc - Cay - Salt - Chalcopyrite NIGER STATE - Gold - Talc - Lead/Zinc OGUN STATE - Phosphate - Clay - Feldspar (traces) - Kaolin - Limestone - Germstone - Bitumen ONDO STATE - Bitumen - Kaolin - Gemstone - Gypsium - Feldspar - Granite - Clay - Glass-sand - Dimesion stones - Limestone - Coal OSUN STATE - Gikd - Talc - Toumaline - Toumaline - Colimbite - Granite OYO STATE - Kaoline - Marble - Clay - Sillimnote - Talc

- Gold - Cassiterite - Aqua Marine - Dolomite - Gemstone - Tantalite PLATEAU STATE - Emerald - Tin - Marble - Granite - Tantalite/columbit - Lead/Zinc - Barytes - Irton-Ore - Kaolin - Belonite - Cassiterrite - Phrochlore - Clay - Coal - Wolfam - Salt - Bismuth - Fluoride - Molybdenite - Gemstone - Bauxite RIVER STATE - Glass-sand - Clay - Marble - Lignite (traces) SOKOTO STATE Kaolin - Gold = Limestone - Phosphate - Gpsium - silica-sand - Clay - Laterrite - Potash - Flakes - Granite - Gold - Salt TARABA STATE - Kaolin - Lead/Zinc YOBE STATE - Tintomite - Soda Ash (partially Investigated) ZAMFARA STATE - Goal - Cotton - Gold

factor,’ they will come to say, ‘give me this or that.’ One group will come and attack them and people get so frustrated.” Utomi narrated to The Guardian his encounter with a former Australian diplomat in Nigeria, who gave him a hint on why Nigeria is yet to become a destination of choice for foreign investors in Solid Minerals: “I remember many years ago, early 1990s, I said to the Australian High Commissioner in Nigeria, Matthew NeuHaus, a good friend of mine: ‘what’s happening, Nigeria is full of all kinds of minerals that Australians are mining all over the world; why haven’t Australians come here? And NewHaus started laughing and told me some incredible stories of Australian companies that tried to enter here and ran away out of frustration. Many of them ended up in Ghana and are doing well in smaller places like Ghana than taking the trouble of solid minerals exploitation in Nigeria.” TOMI, who runs the Centre for Vales in U leadership (CVL) argues that, beyond corruption, the Nigerian economy has also suffered from the fact that “the financial services sector has not been particularly friendly to anything short of supporting some multinational companies to bring in things for sale”. This, according to him, has discouraged risk taking, especially in the solid minerals sector. Be that as it may, governments at all levels in Nigeria have been passive on harnessing these vital resources for a composite development. The Nigerian economy in the 1950s and ‘60s was driven by certain endowments in agriculture and solid minerals, and almost every region was specialised in some particular endowments. Specifically, the North was famous with groundnut (hence, the good old days of the groundnut pyramids) and cotton, while, in the West, mountains of cocoa bags would stare a first –time visitor at the face. The Midwest — present-day Edo and Delta States — had rubber as mainstay of its economy; whereas, the Eastern part of the country — comprising all the South East and some of the South South states — would harvest tonnes of palm oil for exports. To enhance the beneficial outcome from agricultural produce at the time, regional marketing boards were created. The board has a long history attched to it: some of the best writings on the subject suggest that World War 1 and the sinking of merchant marine vessels in the North Atlantic, which increased the risk of shipping produce to Europe, were the critical drivers of its evolution. The issues around the war made many of the marketing companies — including the UACs, the PZs, the Goldchalks and others — become reluctant to export produce. To encourage them and ensure that the war efforts, which required those produce in Europe were not jeopardised, government then, purchased the produce in Lagos and Port Harcourt and undertook the risk of shipping them to Europe. This became the initial basis for the emergence of marketing boards, which were christened along regional lines; and they (the boards) became means of financing rural farmers, as well as linkage to research institutions that ensured expansion of quality of yield at the regional basis. At that (regional) level, mineral interest was well-spread: Jos was specifically known for tin mining, the basis upon which the tin city of Jos was built. The Eastern Nigeria became famous with coal; hence, the much-touted coal city of Enugu. With huge deposits of gold waiting to be exploited around Ilesha, Western Nigeria (the present-day Southwest states) was associated with the resource. But, in Utomi’s words, two terrible things — soldiers and oil —, which came together, happened to Nigeria and this once florishing heritage suddenly went into coma. Today, the country — though blessed with, at least, 34 other viable mineral resources — is still comfortable with its monolithic oil economy. Of course, the concept of ‘peak oil’ talks about the end of reign of oil — when the crisis will be such that oil prices will crash dramatically and the ‘commodity’ becomes less relevant. And for Nigeria, different kinds of projections, including a report that suggests maximum 30 years of flow. Besides, the research going on in the United Staates of America warns that major consumers will soon be less dependent on oil. Other oil-producing countries appear to be getting the gist: Using very little of petrol, Brazil currently runs on bio-fuel (which is well refined from sugacane, reducing dependency on oil and fosil fuel). Similarly, in what appears a breakaway from the old order, Bangladesh runs almost completely on natural gas, as all automobiles use unrefined gas. Where then does Nigeria stand in this new order?

THE GUARDiAN, Sunday, May 5, 2013

BUSiNESS

‘Retail Sector Has Witnessed Tremendous Growth’ By Olalekan Okusan OR the President of DMSRetail West Africa, Joseph Ebata, the retail sector in Nigeria has witnessed a huge growth, despite the challenges bedeviling it. The Canada-based outfit is the world’s leading retail management, training and consulting company set up to increase retailers awareness towards better customer service and employee satisfaction, using the resulting synergy to improve revenues and profits. According to Ebata, “the entrance of his company into the West African retail business will reposition the operations of retailing business in the sub-region. And with the emergence of big western styled retail business operation and the gradual shift from the traditional retail trade model to the modern, there is the urgent need to focus on managing businesses for success. “This is, so, because the successes of the emerging modern retail trade businesses are largely a question of how well they are managed, and we cannot afford a situation where there is no institution or system specifically focused to do this, as it is the case presently. However, it is this void that has led to the creation of support systems as DMSRetail,” he said. With the retail sector in Nigeria generating over $108b in 2011, Ebata observed that though the sector has witnessed some growth in recent years in terms of its contribution to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), it would experience boom with better infrastructure. “The revenue accruing from the sector increased from $69b in 2007 to $108b in 2011. (Source: Retail Planet). Similarly, the sector is undergoing changes with international supermarket brands coming into the country and giving rise to new malls such as The Palms and ikeja City Malls in Lagos, Tinapa Shopping Centre in

Nzamujo, Opeke, Sanders For FSD Seminar

Ebata Cross River State, Ceddi Plaza in Abuja, the Polo Park in Enugu State and others. He informed that the ongoing transformations of informal markets such as Oluwole Urban Market and Multifunctional City Centre,

the New Tejuosho Market both in Lagos, the ilorin Ultra-Modern Market in Kwara State and others scattered across the country into more modern facilities will further attract investors into the country.

Recalling that the first major retail outlet emerged in the country in 2005 with the coming of Shoprite from South Africa, Ebata said,“ others retail outlets like Spar in partnership with the Artee Group, Adide and Woolworth later came into the country following Shoprite, noting that the influx is not peculiar to Nigeria alone, as other West Africa countries are also experiencing it.” Listing the factors that account for this development, Ebata, said, “the growing population, emerging democratic institutions, governments and political stability that come from excessive reliance on oil exports, strong economic growth, rising interest in Africa and the recent crash experienced in the more advanced economies, especially in Europe have combined to make Nigeria and, indeed, the sub-region an attractive bride for global retailers.” On the challenges facing the sector, he said, “despite the attractiveness of the sector, there are challenges that range from low infrastructure, inadequate electric power supply, limited use of e-payment systems to lack of tools, systems, method and metrics for the retailers to depend. “Others include the non-existence of established institutions whose main objective is to develop, monitor and manage the successes of retail businesses,” he noted. Using well established and time tested principles, DMSRetail, he said, has helped to move retail businesses to enviable heights in terms of sales, revenue, profit, greater employee engagement and satisfaction, customer satisfaction and returns to stakeholders. On the vision of the company, Ebata noted: “it’s our goal that all retailers have access to transformational tools, materials, methods metric systems and cutting-edge technology that deliver more results and match the performance of re-

Discount House Raises Shareholders’ Fund To N25b ONSOLiDATED Discounts LimC ited (CDL) has grown its from N200 million it stood in 1996 when

it started business to N25 billion as at December 2012. Within the same period, its Profit Before Tax (PBT)

rose from N22 million to N4.5 billion. This was disclosed the company’s

OUNDATiON for Skills Development (FSD) Fandwill hold the ninth series of its micro, small Medium Enterprises (MSME) seminar for women at MAN House, ikeja, on May 9. A press release issued by its Executive Director, Mrs. Omowale Ogunrinde, said the purpose of the seminar is to equip small business owners, particularly women, with information to grow their businesses, saying it will help more women connect with available resources in the public and private sectors of the economy. FSD is partnering with the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), the United States Embassy, UPS, Field of Skills and Dreams, VTE Academy and other organisations on the seminar. “MSME seminar has impacted several business owners across the country positively with amazing success stories. The seminars feature successful business owners telling their personal growth stories, life coaches, business training consultants and government agencies offering counselling sessions” she said. Speakers at this session include President of Songhai Centre, Father Godfrey Nzamujo; Managing Director/CEO of Main One Cable, Funke Opeke and former US Ambassador to General Manager, Holloware and Houseware divisions of Tower Aluminium (Nigeria) Plc, winner of Top Ranked Dealer award, Mr Umeasiegbu Edmund; and Head of Marketing, Holloware and Houseware, Mr Rajiv Lokur, at the company’s dealers’ meeting in Lagos… on Thursday. Nigeria, Robin Sanders. The seminar will focus on Maximizing Cash Flow and Accessing Available Incentives for Small Scale Business Owners.

Tax Conference To Attract 2,000 HE 15th Annual Taxation Conference of T the Chartered institute of Taxation of Nigeria (CiTN) will draw over 2,000 partici-

General Manager (Business Development), Tayo Adeola, during a two-day interactive session with its customers in Lagos last week. Responding to questions, Managing Director of the company, Leke Shittu, said growth has qualified the firm to apply for merchant banking licence but “we will watch the trend before making such move.” Shittu, who was represented by Executive Director, Emmanuel Akinola, said CDL’s growth is fueled based largely on referrals from faithful customers and that strategies put in place would help the company to continue to enjoy the support. He disclosed that the firm is currently in the process of implementing a new customer charter. When completed, he said, its customers would enjoy better services. “We have embarked on a series of audits to examine our brand perception and customer care evaluation. Our role as a discount house remains steadfast, as management has embarked on series of initiatives and projects that will make us be of better service to customers,” he said.

Consumer Good: Manufacturer Blames Poor Sales On Northern Violence, illiquidity By Onyewuchi Ikechukwu

OWER Holloware, a division of Tower Aluminum (Nigeria) Plc, pants from within and outside the country, has attributed its market domiincluding state governors. Ahead the conference holding at the TiNAPA nance to innovation, quality consumer service and environmental Lakeside Hotel, Calabar, Cross River State, friendliness of its products. from May 7 to 11, Chairman of the Local OrThe company’s head of marketganising Committee (LOC), Mr. Kelly Ayamba, said the conference would stand as ing, Mr. Rajiv Lokur, disclosed this one of the most successful event organised at the firm’s yearly dealers’ meeting held at ikeja, Lagos, last week. by the institute. Ayamba, who spoke during the meeting of He also noted that violence in the members of the LOC described the choice of north and poor access to fund have serious impact on sale of conCalabar as a well thought out decision. in a statement, he disclosed that adequate sumer goods. According to him, Tower has accommodation, transportation and security arrangements have been made and that been market leader in the past 50 years because it imbibed global the organisers have received tremendous best practices in its business operasupport from the Cross River State governtions. ment.

He noted that the company has been widely accepted in the country because it makes quality products and incorporate customers’ suggestions in product design. He disclosed that the company would soon modernise its pots, pans and other traditional products to meet changing needs of consumers. As part of response to demand of climate change, the company recently introduced new charcoal and firewood stoves to Nigerian market. On this, Lokur said: “We have new cook stoves we just introduced. They are charcoal-fired and woodfired stoves. They are USA patented and designed stoves produced in partnership with a leading US firm.

“They use 60 per cent less fuel and charcoal compared to conventional local means of cooking.” He also said the new stoves emit less smoke and comes on the heels of revelation by the World Health Organisation (WHO) that 90,000 Nigerians die yearly due to unhealthy cooking culture, noting that Tower introduced the stoves as part of its corporate social responsibility (CSR) programme. Lokur said the violence in the north has made more difficult to do business in the region thereby reducing the volume of business transactions in the country. He added that low illiquidity has also impacted on the

purchasing ability of the masses. Chairman of Royal Panoe Concepts Nigeria Ltd, an Abuja-based distributor, Mr. Paul Oraezue, agreed that the company has a robust interaction with its dealers: He said: “The company carries its dealers and consumers along and we have been consulted on major issues confronting its operations.” Also, General Manager of Mormark Nigeria Ltd, a distributor in the west, Makanjuola Osunfowora, said the company has been at the forefront in the industry with a robust dealer-manufacturer relationship. He said Tower is responsive to needs of “its partners”, as recommendations made during last year’s forum have been satisfactorily attended.

TheGuardian

THE GUARDIAN, Sunday, May 5, 2013 | 45

Cover Conscience, Nurtured by Truth

Okonjo-Iweala

Shamsudeen

By Marcel Mbamalu OW ready is Nigeria to join the league of H top 20 economies in just a stretch of seven years, 2020 to be precise? By all intent, the Vision 2020 has the ultimate plan of positioning the country among the top 20 economies of the world by 2020, a tall order one might say judging from the current state of the economy. To achieve this laudable goal, Nigeria will have to overtake, and, in fact, dislodge, at least, one of the advanced economies already in the category of what has come to be known as the G20. Some of these countries — going by Gross Domestic Product (GDP) ranking — include the European Union, United States of America (USA), Japan, China and Brazil. Others are Germany, Brazil, Russia, Canada, Spain, France, Italy, Indonesia, Turkey, Netherlands, United Kingdom, Australia, South Korea Saudi Arabia and Switzerland. These G20 economies, one of which Nigeria must dislodge in seven years’ time (2020) based on its four-year-old Vision, are designated as such not for any mean reason but the fact that they record a lot of highs in terms of industrialization, employment rate, governance, infrastucture and macro-economic indices, among others. Collectively, these economies, account for more than 80 percent of the Gross World Product (GWP) 80 percent of the world trade, including European Union intra-trade) and two-thirds of the world population. According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), they also account for 84.1 percent of the global economic growth by nominal GDP and GDP by purchasing power parity (PPP) from the years 2010 to 2016. The most vulnerable in this category, according to the IMF’s 2012 GDP estimates, are Saudi Arabia (19th position) and Switzerland (20th position). Naturally, Nigeria anticipates a quantum leap on macro-economic indices, with a GDP of not less than $900 billion and a per capita (perhead) income of not less than $4000 per annum to remain on course for this vision. But, with less than seven years to the 2020 finishing line, the race remains unclear, especially as available statistics (2011 estimates) show a relatively paltry $243.98 billion in GDP. It, therefore, entails that, to keep the dream alive, the country will have to rapidly industrialise and grow the nominal GDP by as much as 300 percent in the next few years. Interestingly, Nigeria also has to ensure that the countries, which show the weakest signs of growth

20: 2020: A Vision would either remain static or grow by such an infinitesimal percentage as to provide the muchneeded space for an ‘overtake.’ By every stretch of imagination, or analysis, this tall dream appears doubtful, because the likeliest candidates for this ‘dream dislodgement’ remain the oil-rich Saudi Arabia and the financially-stable Switzerland, whose polity and economies are relatively too strong to cave in to these conjectures: Both countries, according to the IMF, still brandish GDP estimates of over $700 billion and $600 billion respectively. Besides, keeping other ambitious non-G20 countries under “lock and key,” to ensure they do not dream as much as Nigeria remains very central to realising the Vision 2020 project. Iran (no. 21) and the ‘magical’ Norway (no. 22) are all waiting on the flanks for a shot at the top. The relatively stable South Africa with a distant 29th position still lurks around the corner. Given Nigeria’s socio-economic and infrastructure challenge as Minister of National Planning, Shamsudeen Usman, subtly agreed, the plausibility of the Vision 20:2020 project has dominated public discourse right from 2009 when the late President Yar’ Adua’s administration, first, proposed the Vision 2020 programme. Usman, again, stirred the hornet’s nest when he reportedly “agreed” that the Vision would not, after all, be feasible within the given time frame. The soft-spoken Minister would, however, deny the allegation a few days later, even though the

same position was officially canvassed on August 3, 2012 at the opening session of the 12th Nigeria Economic Summit (NES) in Abuja, where the Minister painted a picture of success for the economy but insisted that aspiring to become number 25 would rather be more realistic. Curiously still, the ministry began to push a sen-

The document, in itself, is not just a product of ‘accidental discharge’: it is actually an embodiment of previous ‘vision documents’ — ‘ancient’ and ‘modern,’ which started during the heyday of the late General Sani Abacha, when the dictator came up with the Vision 2010 plan, a plan that could not see the light of the day. Apart from Abacha’s failed plan, other input documents to the Vision 20:2020 also included former President Obasanjo’s NEEDS 1, NEED 2, among others

sitisation campaign for the Nigeria Vision 20:2020 shortly after the Minister’s presentation and participation in the Presidential Dialogue session of the NES held at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel. It even engaged a frontline PR agency to flesh up the campaign. The radio jingle, which vividly captured the mood and essence of the economic plan of the Federal Government, put in perspective the need for Nigerians to believe and share in the vision, unite and work towards the attainment of the goals set out in the broad plan of making Nigeria an economic force. Although the Vision 20:2020 sets out key parameters — Macro-economy, Polity, Agriculture, Education, Infrastructure, Manufacturing and others — for measuring progress, many of these indices are still at the lowest ebb, a sure sign that Nigeria may not be able yet to overtake any of those major economies, all of which are already advanced and do not appear to be in any ‘waiting mode.’ In line with this realization, Usman, who spoke to the leadership of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Abuja during the review of ministers’ performance, reportedly said the country must now aim to become one of the world’s top 25 by 2020 (not top 20 as contained in the Vision document). He allegedly expressed the hope that, by 2020, the country would have gained a place among the top 25, considering that when the vision started in 2009, the country was placed 44th. “Where were we in 2009? We were number 44. By the end of 2011, we were number 39 by the end of 2012, we were 36. “This is progress. We made quite a lot of progress. In other areas we are not. I don’t want any of you to meet me in 2020 and say you are the one telling us that we are going to be among the top 20. “But what I am saying is that even if we are not among the 20 by that time, we were number 44 in 2009. If, by 2020, we are number 25, I will be a very proud man. The reason is because we are consciously moving and doing all the necessary things to move up there. “It’s not saying we must be there. What I am saying is if we get there then, these are the actions we must need to take as a country. We must do this and that in governance, in human development, in infrastructure. But analysts insist there is more to economic growth than mere positioning and ranking. Days after the media went to town with this story, the National Planning Minister made a rather weak u-turn. In a statement, which accepted nothing and denied nothing, his Technical Adviser, Communication and Media, Mr. Ikechukwu Eze, explained that Usman merely said that the Vision 2020 would be realised, only if the nation did all that was required of it to succeed. Many analysts, according to Usman, are impressed that Nigeria has continued to record economic progress over the years. “We wish to place on record that the Commission and the Minister, have continued to repose hope in the Vision, as a realistic long term growth and development roadmap for the country, in line with this administration’s demonstrated determination, disposition and capacity to do things differently; to bring about change and the needed economic growth and strategic development. ‘’This determination is evident in the comprehensive reforms going on in different sectors towards infrastructure renewal, promoting sustainable development and the growth of the nation’s economy.” Perhaps, a quick look at the parameters set by the 2020 plan would shed light on why the Minister appears to have been put on the spot. These goals, which must be in their proper shape and mix, are spelt out in the Vision 20: 2020 document. The document, in itself, is not just a product of ‘accidental discharge’: it is actually an embodiment of previous ‘vision documents’ — ‘ancient’ and ‘modern,’ which started during the heyday of the late General Sani Abacha, when the dictator came up with the Vision 2010 plan, a plan that could not see the light of the day. Apart from Abacha’s failed plan, other input documents to the Vision 20:2020 also included former President Obasanjo’s NEEDS 1, NEED 2, among others. The Vision 2010, for instance, was a projected plan for Nigeria to improve economically. In the creation of the Vision, 248 members developed plans that would hopefully guide the country out of poverty and other national crisis. Sub-committees worked on solving key issues needCONTINUED ON PAGE 55

THE GUARDIAN, Sunday, May 5, 2013

COVER Chief Philip Asiodu is a former Federal Permanent Secretary, 1965-75, a man very passionate about good governance, meticulous planning and sound discipline. In this discussion with GBENGA SALAU, Asiodu took time to provide insight into the key issues that affect the nation; his argument is that this is the time to quickly correct past mistakes before Nigeria disappears. HE civil service is supposed to be the engine room of any government, providing the right guidance for socio-economic policies, but this is not the case with Nigeria; why? I think the situation we have now can be traced to 1975, the coup that removed General Yakubu Gowon, and brought to power General Murtala Mohammed and Olusegun Obasanjo. Before that coup, there was widespread feeling that the civil service was very influential and to a great extent, was responsible for what Gowon did and did not do. I know that among the top circles in the army, there had been demands for General Gowon to appoint new governors, change the old governors. And he had been giving the impression that he would do it but hadn’t done it quickly, as there were a lot of postponements. If the feeling was in the army that the civil servants were responsible, this is wrong. Among the politicians, many of them had hoped that as soon as the civil war ended, General Gowon will hand over to them, and in fact, before then, he had been working on a programme of transition from military to civilian. He had indicated that by 1976, the military will handover. Somehow, in 1974 or 75, he made a statement to the fact that, the date was no longer realistic and many people, very erroneously thought that the statement was on the advice of the civil service, especially the top permanent secretaries; that of course is not true. I think this was more in response to his military constituency, who were more concerned with a change of governors, with some of them replacing those who had been governors for eight years. I must say that when we saw this, as top permanent secretaries, we were not happy and we consulted and produced for him a paper, saying that, with the situation in the country, making such statement might deteriorate things and

ASIODU:

The Path To Better Governance Is To Go Back To Planning And Discipline • Rot In Public Service Began With Sack Of Gowon • Battalion Of Special Advisers And Assistants Cannot Replace Civil Service might even lead to a change of administration. And we suggested that at least, in order to make things easier, if there would not be a handover, then certainly, there must be some basic reforms, like in legislation. And we had suggested in the paper, and it is there, some kind of advisory or consultative parliament, so that any law to be proposed will not just come overnight by decree, it will be sent to that parliament or advisory body. There will be opportunity for input and debates from the general public; so that people will see we are not just being ruled by military dictators. We made some other suggestions, including change of some governors, so as to give the regime a greater appearance of responsiveness. But of course, we were doing that behind the scene and by the nature of the civil service, we do not come to say this is the advice we are giving our political head. So that won’t have been known, but there was this feeling of resentment, that the civil servants were preventing the military from handing over. There were some journalists, who participated in this feeling. So, on the eve of the removal of General Gowon, because the civil service was the available party, everybody had a grievance with it; it was in the army and among the politicians, and of course, among some of the businessmen, who had pressured for indigenisation, and for various things, which were not possible in a situation where you were trying to encourage level playing field and competiveness in the economy. So it was not a surprise when the coup came, that the civil service was at the receiving end of negative actions. What made things really bad was that they did not stop at dealing with the lead-

ership of the civil service, to retire the permanent secretaries, which would have been fine. But they went on to purge and remove about ten thousand civil servants from the rank of permanent secretary to messengers. You could say permanent secretaries gave the instructions, but other people behind them carried out lawful instructions and there was no real basis, given the discipline that should exist in the service, to have gone through all those ranks. Now, the effect of that, removing ten thousand people, all over the country, in a period of two months, without due process, query and respect for the condition of service, of course, demoralised and destroyed the competent, professional and non-partisan civil service we inherited from the British colonial administration, which had served the nation very well. When, following the two coups of 1966, for some time, there was no real government, the civil service managed to fill in the gap. So the consequences of the sudden sack was huge because, probably, the very senior ones had managed to build a house for themselves, but the ones below them, who lived in government houses, but were sent out within a week or two, people with children in schools in Ikoyi, were now finding quarters in Kirikiri or Ojota. The sheer hardship and stress killed a few people. But the feeling of injustice, where people who had been recommended, just coming from courses, good role models, were suddenly removed for carrying out lawful instructions, all these were demoralising and even contributed to ‘making hay while the sun shine’ syndrome, which is a euphemism for corruption. And for once, the people who should point out the rules, financial instructions, doing things orderly were no longer motivated. Not only were these people cashiered, but a decree was passed, that they cannot go to court to seek redress, that this is my contract and this is how you have dealt with me. So it initiated that culture of impunity, which has escalated and also initiated this lack of checks and balances against corruption. And impunity and corruption are almost about to destroy the country called Nigeria, not only that, the institutional memory. If the civil service is properly organised and non-partisan, if whoever is in charge wants to do something, the service will explore it, give him the options, and precedence of what had happened, why certain decisions were taken or not taken. Then, of course, the political boss will take his decision, fully informed of the consequences. But once you destroy the ability

“There is too much of self-seeking. The cost of seeking political office, is so high, almost compels the man, who is elected to go all out to repay his debt and investment and not to serve. And of course, part of it is because having reached there, we have broken all the rules, we do not respect any international conventions, in fixing public salaries, salaries for legislatures in particular and some elements in the executive, which are outrageous by international standard, and which then compels people to seek to get it as an investment”

THE GUARDIAN, Sunday, May 5, 2013

COVER or the will of the civil service to do necessary preparatory work for good policies and the civil service is no longer fearless and competent enough to implement them, you get into this downward cascade of bad governance. Another unfortunate dimension was that, the civil service was very much involved in planning processes, processes leading to the pre-identified national priorities, projects to be implemented, if resources came, and of course, obeying the rules of procurement to make sure that money was being spent effectively. As a body with some authority, they will be able to help and guide whoever came, because minister comes and goes, but civil service is suppose to be permanent. Once you destroyed that, destroyed the institutional memories, we now have people who came, not knowing any rules, nor wishing to obey any rules, with no prestigious civil service to say, ‘no, this is not the better way to proceed.’ I must stress that after the first military coup, the suggestion was that permanent secretaries should become like ministers, political head of ministries. We, the permanent secretaries, then, advised against it because we did not think that military intervention was permanent. Two, right from the beginning we were advising, that, pity what has happened but that senior, well known Nigerian political figures must be invited to serve as ministers, so as to give credibility externally to Nigeria. And for months, this was not heeded but finally, on the eve of the civil war, breaking out in 1967, they acceded to this long-standing request and advice of the civil service. Luckily for the country, Gen. Gowon invited very distinguished and well known Nigerian politicians, like Chief Obafemi Awolowo, who was designated vice chairman, Federal Executive Council, Anthony Enahoro, Shehu Shagari, Ali Monguno from Borno area, Briggs, younger people like Femi Okunnu from Lagos to join the federal cabinet. So these people gave government credibility, it was very important because we could not have gone successfully through the civil war if personalities like these were not known to be in support of the federal government and therefore, to be guarantors of the promise that at the end of the civil war, we would still remain one nation and organise ourselves accordingly. So that was the civil service then. But that massive purge, without due process and justice, which was confirmed subsequently, when Pedro Martins, the Catholic Chaplain of the Army reviewed what happened, destroyed it. He came to the conclusion that of the over 90 percent of those cashiered, there were no basis to do that. It was too late; the damage had been done. Not only to the civil service, because this was then carried on, even to the universities and all that. Now, we have not recovered from that because in the civil service, which was destroyed, we had begun to do some affirmative action, bringing people from areas not adequately represented. There was always insistence on minimum qualification and there was always the advice, ‘you have a lot to learn’ and they really tried and learnt. But with the recklessness and impunity after 1975, it was as if anybody could do any job, which is not true. In the pre-1975 civil service, there was a conscious attempt to identify high fliers and to encourage them. But after 1975, we now started emphasising in a canister manner, federal character, quota; we begin to breed mediocrity, especially the post coup page. In 1975, some of the brightest and the best were removed. Some good role models were removed and then people were put in places, not as in the old days after a proper selection of who was best and sometimes senior. We now began to have people in positions who were not the best available. And the soldiers did not act on their own; it was civilians who go to whisper names, sometimes, based on long seated animosity or jealousy. But once you allowed the room for people to come through all these sources of funny processes, suggesting people to be victimized and they were victimized, and you abandoned due process of enquiries and trial, many things go wrong. And we then ended up with mediocrity at the top, which does not inspire, which cannot train and delivery is less. It did not stop there; successive military regimes that were in a hurry and wanted their wishes implemented went on hammering. And unfortunately in 1987, a committee was set up under one Prof Dotun Philip, which produced a report. Gen Babaginda was in charge then, which it accepted, whereby the civil service was finally, if you like, completely altered in character. Three things; one, permanent secretaries were no longer to be selected in a process. In the old days, it was the Head of Service, in consultation with the Secretary to the Head of Government and Public Service Commission, who proposes a name to the Prime Minister, but it is the Prime Minister that appoints. But it is well understood that he would only appoint from the most competent and senior civil servants proposed to him. And once you are appointed a permanent secretary, you are a permanent secretary until you retire. Now, as a consequence of the Philip report, which was decreed in 1988 into Law, permanent secretaries were to be appointed for the duration of the government that appoints them. And once the government leaves, the permanent secretary is supposed to resign and retire. That made the appointment of permanent secretary political. Two, it was no longer to be designated permanent secretary, it was to be called director general, who was also no longer to be the accounting officer of the ministry, it was now the minister. But the rationale of the permanent secretary being the accounting officer was because it is a permanent official, minister may come for one or two years and go, but when the account of the ministry is being considered by the audit committee of parliament, he is still available, if he was a permanent official. But if he comes and goes with the minister, you can imagine if these are people of, ‘do what you like and go, nobody is going to call you to account.’ If he knew that his career continued and that he was still accountable, it will be a different approach. Third and this was terrible, against the considered advice, which was accepted by our founding fathers, of building a nonpolitical and non-partisan civil service, which will serve whatever government in power honestly and objectively, there was now the principle that the minister could hire or fire officials. A minister, who comes to a place from a different background, may be six months, he is there and is going, he now brings in officials

equally endowed with intellect and if we were serious about education, within fifteen to twenty years, we would not be talking about any disadvantage state. So whatever qualification is specified for a post, fairly speaking, people from any part of Nigeria will be there. Thus we must go back to the system whereby, we start the minimum stated conditions for entry for any service, map out a career lane of progression of training and assessment. But once you have entered, then advancement should be on the basis of merit and productivity. But it requires several years, and may be two or three administrations committed to improving the service. You cannot substitute it for what we now have - battalion of special advisers and special assistants, no body knows their qualifications in some cases and they come with a minister and that minister may be deployed to another ministry. The expertise you required in the Ministry of Works may not be the same in the Ministry of Health, let alone Ministries of Aviation or Finance. There is no substitute, especially in a developing country where we do not have too many highly skilled and trained people and private consulting institutions, which are quite solid. The civil service still remains the source and area where you can concentrate on skills, train and develop them and once we can return to a state where we are satisfied that these are non-partisan, well trained, competent people, it is more cost effective for us to use them, in the research which goes with formulating policies, and certainly in the execution of policies and this is what we should aim for. What is your position on the planned merger of ministries, departments and agencies? into the civil service, not Federal Public Service Commission, it I have always recommended that the proliferation of agencies was very bad and the consequences are still being felt in the is unnecessary. It has led to bloated cost and confusion. And it civil service, even though this happened twenty five years ago. has not delivered. The US, powerful, super power, is ruled by What then is the way out? twelve departments equivalent of our ministries. It does not Many proposals have been made, we have to go back and try to have fifty ministries. And the provision in the constitution that re-institute a non-partisan, competent civil service, inbuilt with there must be a minister from each state does not mean there patriotism to serve the public good. must be as many ministries as states. People can have ministeriThere was one thing I was going to say; in the older civil service al ranks and be deployed as necessary, if we must maintain that I was talking about, it was more homogenous, in terms of the path as written in the constitution. Supposing tomorrow, there type of persons and qualification. And you worked out stages of are fifty states in Nigeria, must we have fifty ministries? No. courses, assessment, examinations and once you have come in, There are many exercises we have done before, which shows you will be given the chance to advance because advancement that with eighteen ministries we can cover everything we are was more predicated on the basis of merit and productivity. doing. This, we must re-establish. When I was a permanent secretary, 1965 to 75, I do not think Two, one thing which was introduced in 1988 and I hope, it has there were more than twenty or thirty people so called of that been abandoned, was that whoever was admitted into a minrank. I was shocked when I went back into government in 1993, istry, it was from the same set that a permanent secretary will during the transition council, to see that there were about twenbe picked, which was pure non-sense. Because when you are ty permanent secretaries in the presidency alone. looking for leadership and quality, you do not say that because Two things happened, after the destruction of 1975, gradually, fifty of you or twenty of you entered thirty years ago, one of you people were just being employed without proper definition of becomes the head. At an age where Americans were going to tasks to be done. In the past, you have to justify any new post Europe and Europe to America to look for leaders for establishyou have to create, you have to have a proper organogram for ment, we are now trying to say that our ministries be isolated to the ministry and what each is supposed to do, but people were themselves, even where we had accountants, legal advisers, promoted within existing organogram. You did not say because who could be deployed from various ministries. And of course, a man has been in a place for long, therefore you promote him at the top, whatever was your background, by the time you to a higher salary position, it is better to revise salaries, make become permanent secretary, even deputy PM, you are really them comparable to the private sector, than to distort performing coordinating and management function. And what organogram. was important, as you rise in the service, before you reach that And this is not just the civil service; take Nigerian Army, I do very top, you are given training. A brilliant architect starts not know how large the army is, lets say eighty four thousand. designing his houses and structures but by the time his archiIn the normal international standard, normal NATO division, tectural firm grows big, and he is now the chief executive, look- fourteen thousand people are commanded by a Major General ing for contracts and coordinating the resources, he is no and, there may be, three or four Brigadiers in that division. longer the man designing. However you look at it, may be, the Nigerian Army today is not It is for us to go back and re-institute the culture. But we must really more than eight divisions. So, to command that on the manifest the political will to insist on it. And as far as I am conground, may be, you have people of the rank of thirty generals, cerned, what we need is to make sure that in every part of the CONTINUED ON PAGE 48 country, every child has access to quality education. We are all

“We have many people who are not doing anything productive and we should find a way of pushing them out. When I addressed the civil servants in 1997, on how to deliver the vision 2010 then, there was this human aspect I thought we should do everything possible to re-invigorate the development and diversification of the economy. So that you are creating jobs, not just throwing people out of the civil service to nothing. And so, the two must go together, we must begin quickly by much better governance, making Nigeria more internationally competitive and of course, accelerating the delivery of power and infrastructure. Get the economy moving and growing and in effect, we would be redeploying people from being unproductive in the public to being productive in the private sector”

THE GUARDIAN, Sunday, May 5, 2013

COVER

Rot In Public Service Began With Sack Of CONTINUED FROM PAGE 47 then in the headquarters, you have people coordinating, may be another group of thirty generals. So strictly at anytime, if we were conforming to international standard, probably, there will not be more than fifty serving generals if they stayed the normal course of to up to sixty years and retire. But what do we have today, sometimes in one year, you hear about fifty people of that rank being retired and appointed to do what? How many ships do we have per a Real Admiral? How many planes per Air Vice Marshal? How many troupes per Major General? Then you come to the civil service, same bloating. It is important for us to try to go back to standards. When we had independence, probably we had twelve ministries. Therefore, I think there can be rationalisation; there is nothing wrong with rationalising. Two, we have many people who are not doing anything productive and we should find a way of pushing them out. When I addressed the civil servants in 1997, on how to deliver the vision 2010 then, there was this human aspect I thought we should do everything possible to reinvigorate the development and diversification of the economy. So that you are creating jobs, not just throwing people out of the civil service to nothing. And so, the two must go together, we must begin quickly by much better governance, making Nigeria more internationally competitive and of course, accelerating the delivery of power and infrastructure. Get the economy moving and growing and in effect, we would be redeploying people from being unproductive in the public to being productive in the private sector. There is no doubt when you do all that, you see thousands of ghost workers, who do not exist but just collecting money, you see so many people doing nothing in the offices, some even just show up to be seen, then, the rest of the day they are not there and they litter all over the place. There is need for rationalization of structures and number, rightsizing, but we must do the rightsizing in conjunction with re-stimulating the economy, so that we are not just producing more and more unemployed and redundant people in a situation, which is already unsatisfactory. Why because we have arrested economic development and diversification, many of our graduates and school leavers are not employed.

In fact, figures given is over twenty five percent, some project it as much as forty percent and this is very intolerable, especially in a country that has resources to exploit. And where there is so much scope for development, we should not be stagnating like this. You talked about re-invigorating the economy, the power sector will play a critical role, but in spite of the huge money spent so far on resuscitating the sector, no solution has been found? Like in many aspects of our national life, the first thing is now to agree that we do our best to get the power working. That when we are taking decisions, we are not looking after our personal interests. We should put corruption to a minimum, as corruption often has led to two terrible things, delay in doing what is necessary. You have seen what is necessary, you have advertised how it should be done, you have defined the incentives and when people who qualify come, you tell them come tomorrow, come the day after, because you are seeking private rent. We are at a stage where at last, after more than ten years of protracted discussions and delays, the institutions and companies, which under privatization had taken over from PHCN are having firm contracts signed. Never minding there might have been other models to arrive at privatization, but we have taken this decision. We must do our best without obstructions to get the companies take over and start working. I was very distressed to note that a very prestigious and capable company like the Manitoba of Canada signed a contract under

our terms, to run the transmission grid of Nigeria and then it took nearly a year finally to let them proceed. Decision taken, contract signed, then, you hear of one Nigerian public entity objecting, then postponement and delay, this sends the wrong signals. Once we have signed this contract, we should do our best to let them function without hindrance. Improvement can be negotiated later. We can proceed with this model, but I would have preferred a situation, in which, five or so major players were given franchise in Nigeria, divided into five zones, running from the coast to the north, under which they can generate, transmit, and find their own distributors, which they will sell to. But we have to do all the calculation necessary to make sure that at each stage in generation, the people to deliver gas to them, where thermal stations are concerned, have adequate appropriate pricing to enable them to invest and transmit the gas to the power stations. Having invested in generation and all that, the price of the bulk power must be adequate to make sure that it is done and there must be some profit. And of course, there is a cost for transmission and finally, the price you pay the distributor who delivers power to your factory or your house must enable him to meet all the prices down the chain. We have Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC); this should be their primary function. They must do it professionally, transparently and expeditiously all the time. And there must be adequate arrangement for interconnectivity, so that if for instance, there is a major failure in one section of the country,

â&#x20AC;&#x153;If the civil service is properly organised and non-partisan, if whoever is in charge wants to do something, the service will explore it, give him the options, and precedence of what had happened, why certain decisions were taken or not taken. Then, of course, the political boss will take his decision, fully informed of the consequences. But once you destroy the ability or the will of the civil service to do necessary preparatory work for good policies and the civil service is no longer fearless and competent enough to implement them, you get into this downward cascade of bad governanceâ&#x20AC;?

it will still be possible for power to be taken to it from the other zone. These are things, which are not new; there are good models in Europe and America, which we can copy. But the important thing is that everybody concerned with public service and regulation must quickly be motivated to become patriotic, to serve the public good, not to seek to advance personal interest. In fact, they will realise that when you serve well and meritoriously and leave, you probably have people who, even if it is only one out of fifty, appreciate the good work you do, it will open door to your children. You do not need corruption and crude amassment of personal wealth in order to be happy post retirement. This is one bad thing occurring, which is pushing our country, almost to become a failed state and into anarchy, where in fact, down the line, nobody seems to be interested in doing something so that Nigeria of tomorrow is better than today; so that our children and their children will even be guaranteed welfare higher than the present one. There is too much of self-seeking. The cost of seeking political office, is so high, almost compels the man, who is elected to go all out to repay his debt and investment and not to serve. And of course, part of it is because having reached there, we have broken all the rules, we do not respect any international conventions, in fixing public salaries, salaries for legislatures in particular and some elements in the executive, which are outrageous by international standard, and which then compels people to seek to get it as an investment. Everything has to be done by leadership, to make it clear, they must first realise it, that this route will take us nowhere. It is not possible to sustain what is happening now, where seventy five percent of our budget at the federal level is to pay a few thousand people, hundred thousand public servants, and money to be made available for investment in critical infrastructure especially in education and capacity building because the human resource factor is the most important in the development, only a paltry 25 percent. Throughout British rule, central government budget never exceeded forty million pounds a year; under Balewa, it reached fifty million pounds. Of course, when we converted from pound to naira, it was one pound to two naira. It was under Gowon that it reached hundred million pounds in the second year, by which time, we were in civil war and we fought that war without borrowing. But the important thing is that under British, with the forty million pounds, we built the harbours of Lagos, Port Harcourt, Warri, Sapele, Calabar, the four thousand miles of Railway lines; provide telegraphy facilities across the country and the airports of Lagos and Kano. Under First Republic and Gowon, we added the Ring roads and the other airports. It was from such proper frugal management. It was under the British that the schools people of my generation and before went to, from which, we went to the best universities in the world, were built. And when Ibadan, ABU, Nsukka and Ife started, they were rated among world-class universities. But what has happened, I think from 1999 to 2007, the first eight years of our current democratic dispensation, we must have earned more than three hundred billion dollars. What do we have today? Governors being prosecuted for billions, one or two people in private sector that diverted depositorsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; money in banks to private enterprises of their own. We do not need more than a certain amount, which is not too much and you reach the maximum of comfort in physical terms, housing, well furnished, ability to travel on holiday. Beyond that amount, it is just statistics. The man has thirty houses, fifty houses, so what! Is he going to live in them? And to do this criminally and deprive one hundred and seventy million people of the chances of stability and security, I think is indescribably wicked. But the point is that, it is unsustainable. It means that we cannot have this few islands of opulence, in a massive ocean of poverty, that ocean will generate a tsunami. So, it is not even in the enlightened self-interest of those who are doing it to continue in this pattern. Something must happen, where the leadership or critical element of it says it does not matter how we got here, it is not sustainable and we must go back to reasonable things. A situation where, a Nigerian legislator can end up with three hundred million naira a year, equivalent to two

THE GUARDIAN, Sunday, May 5, 2013

COVER

Gowon million dollars, where the US President does not have half a million dollars, where the US Senator probably earns three hundred thousand dollars, and the US GDP is thirty times that of Nigeria’s GDP; or look at any developing country or our friends in Ghana, India, where do legislators take this sort of money? And because of that, the general control, and the message you send down the line become very bad. I feel very strongly about this because there is no point a country, so blessed with tremendous resources and so many good people, both within and Diaspora continues cascading into doom, because a few people are not willing to exercise self-discipline. I will as well suggest that, given the fact that, the per capita income of the average Nigerian, is about three hundred thousand naira and if you multiply that by 170 million, you get our GDP; drawing from that, it is quite reasonable to say, let the President draw thirty million naira a year, governors and heads of federal assembly, may be twenty five million and cascade down from the public purse. The very lucky business tycoon may make more, but I think that these are reasonable salaries. In the First Republic, the Prime Minister, I think earned five thousand pounds, the minister was three thousand and about the same salary of permanent secretary and university professors. The legislator earned eight hundred pounds and it was not full time, they came for two months to debate the appropriation, they recess, they came back four or five months later, debate any bill for two months. Certainly today, in the state legislature, there is not enough business to stay full time. And even in the National Assembly, you often see on television the attendance ratio. So we must look at these things and reduce the expenditure on recurrent, public service salaries, general services and all that, to less than fifty percent, may be forty percent, so that we can release money for education, aspects of transportation and power supply, especially in the rural areas, which cannot be profitable for private enterprise. Release money for health, the infrastructure, which will enable us to have a welltrained, productive population and accelerated economic development. And this should be obvious to everybody; that it should be so and the sooner we start on that path, the better. This emphasis on billions and billions in order to seek office, this slippage; imagine the idea that people in charge of pension, people are dying, because they were not being paid after working their life time, managing to misappropriate 26 billion and then the laborious process we take to deal with them. I was just seeing a quotation from Machiavelli, which says that left on their own, most people will drive towards evil and will do evil, and that the good law must bear this in mind. In the colonial days, the sanctions were clear and they were visited on you without fear or favour. The good governance, which we must go back to, must embrace the rule of law. This behaviour of impunity can take us nowhere. It must embrace prompt and transparent administration of justice. If we want to be internationally competitive, we have to be fair to ourselves. We must obey the sanctity of contract, once you have signed a contract, you respect it and if there is to be adjudication, arbitration, let it be prompt. We must go back to discipline, planning, identify ahead what you will do if money comes and do it. Because one of the tragedies of the post 1975 situation is that we abandoned the plan of 1975 to 80, which was to initiate economic diversification, emphasis on productive things, capital and intermediate growth, agriculture modernisation and agro-allied industries, and value added to oil and gas. Look at the disgrace of a major oil producer and exporter, importing petroleum product, it should not be. Look at the disgrace of saying that with all the manpower that we have in Nigeria and the Diaspora, we cannot have refineries. Of course, we can, what is happening is corruption and crude interference in the selection and deployment of staff in the NNPC to run these refineries. From what we have seen from the petroleum subsidy scandals, vested interest then arises, which in a very wicked and inhuman manner profiteer from pretending to bring product to sell to us, which are diverted. And the other aspect, I have talked about fixing salaries reasonably, so that you do not send the wrong signals and invite the wrong people. Then there must be emphasis on recreating the situation, whereby, resources are channeled down as before through the security apparatus. So that we get adequate information before the worse happens, we should not be in a situation where we are data blind and security blind, we do not know what is happening, we are only reacting simply because old channels of honest disbursement are no more, so that we make sure that we are on top of the security situation because part of the basic covenant of a government with its people is that it must deliver security of person and property. Otherwise, we might all be animals on our own and everybody carrying his weapons. These are very essential things to do and they are more important than personal self-seeking, because personal self-seeking without addressing some of these basic issues is self-defeating. It is in our own enlightened self-interest to go back to the tenets of good governance and try to arrest the drift into anarchy. Spending huge sums on recurrent as against capital projects, is it the form of federalism we operate that is responsible for this? It is not at all. We were federal in the First Republic. But there was decency and discipline. When the first national development plan, post independence was introduced in 1962, despite the political differences of the Northern People’s Congress, (NPC), NCNC and Action Group at that time, Balewa and all the regional premiers and their ministers took a ten percent cut from their salaries to trigger the need for domestic savings to

finance our plans. This was before the oil thing came. Here, what do we do, you suddenly see somebody who does not have a bicycle, after two years as chairman of a local government he has a string of houses and some cars. It escalates up. I see somebody who was not really known as a millionaire, after three years in the House of Assembly, he calls people to come to see that he is going to donate two hundred motorcycles and hundred cars or buses to enable the people and the security service function. And nobody asked where he got the money to finance the project. Or, you wake up to see forty pages of a newspaper advertisement, congratulating somebody, because he is forty or fifty as governor or senator, it is a national disaster. And I keep asking, have you ever seen a page of London Times, Independent, Telegraph or Times of India to name a few, where a minister is congratulating the president or the chairman of a local government is congratulating the governor. What model of a serious governance is Nigeria pursuing, it was not always so. This did not happen in the First Republic. So my answer to your question is, it will require a re-orientation in our minds and the motivation of people seeking to rule us. If we return tomorrow to parliamentary government, but they still insist on the kind of money to be spent to get elected, we end up with money, which must be collected post election. Federalism in America as I told you, is ruled by twelve departments of state, they did not manufacture forty ministries. There is no state in America with more than four or five people, apart from the governor, which is equivalent of our commissioners. We have states here with twenty-five commissioners. Also, in states here, apart from the commissioners, we have fifty, sixty special advisers and assistants, doing what? It is not just the form of government. When we look at the dictates of our government, as I said, we can have a Presidential System, where you do not have all the agencies you have created. You can have governors in the states, without all these paraphernalia. I must say that I am disturbed by the attitude expressed recently, somebody was appealing to people to come to his political party and he said, ‘when they come, we shall dole out

patronage.’ Let us encourage our parties to become real parties, with programmes and manifestoes about how to move Nigeria forward, which are pro-people, development and public good. Then our party members will benefit from the jobs and opportunities being created in a rapidly developing economy. This is better than coming to seek patronage, creating new boards, offices, pouring out money, which should go into development but wasted. And if you ask me frankly, what form of government I will prefer, I have always said that perhaps it is better for us to have the modified presidential system, like you have in the French Fifth Republic, where you have the president selected by universal suffrage or we can look at the South Africa model, where he emerges by being elected by the majority party, it may be cheaper. Apart from the president, I will like to have a prime minister who coordinates the functions of government, under the president. In the sense that, he and the ministers are subject to approval, but the changes is that like in the Parliamentary System, they can be defeated by a vote of no confidence, but the president is still there, not touched. And when he likes, he presides over cabinet, but the prime minister and the minister can be removed with vote of no confidence. This will give us the advantage we use to have in the parliamentary system. The minister is in parliament, introduces the business of the ministry, it is subject to debate and questions everyday. The advantage of this is that people begin to emerge, people will see them, these are leading light, people that are contributing a great deal. Under the parliamentary system, every morning, there are parliamentary questions, which are answered with the help of civil servants but then there are supplementary questions, which follow, you can take up any policy of public interest and ask the minister to explain. But that apart, when it comes to formal legislation, the minister it is, who now in parliament introduces the bill and the object of it. The public is seeing the candidate for future leadership. I do not like the present system, whereby, after a president is elected with his vice president, he then goes to submit a list of forty and

CONTINUED ON PAGE 50

THE GUARDIAN, Sunday, May 5, 2013

COVER

Battalion Of Special Advisers And Assistants Cannot Replace Civil Service CONTINUED ON PAGE 49 then says make these people ministers. On what basis? Yes, they are Nigerians; they are not criminals. The American system, which we thought we are copying is not like that; you are nominated to a specific post in America, the president comes and proposes somebody as secretary of treasury, health, state, labour. And that person is grilled as to his suitability for that post and it is only when he passes he is confirmed. Here, you call somebody, and you hear, ‘take a bow’. So we are not even pursuing presidential system as such. There are many things we are doing which are not challenging people to bring out their best. Unless people are challenged, they will not perform optimally. If I can get all the kudos sitting at home, why should I make an effort? And this is part of what has destroyed the effectiveness of the civil service. Once I can wait, it will be a quota of my state and I am the most senior and I’m sitting there, why should I make an extra effort to be good, brilliant and deliver? What is the clear way to sustainable energy sector in Nigeria? This is a very big question and it is regrettable the way we have mismanaged the energy and petroleum sector. Debate is still going on PIB, I do not know when it would be concluded, but I was certainly distressed to hear that they do not want to do anything until PIB is passed. Who knows when it would be passed? And this brings me to the point that there is a very criminal neglect and unnecessary delays in doing many important things in the oil and gas sector and energy over more than ten years. Within our existing laws, they could have negotiated for much better conditions and for what they want to achieve, while waiting to pass Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB). In any case, the government in 2009, in introducing the PIB, it said they were trying to consolidate sixteen different petroleum laws and that this had never been done anywhere in the world. It is not bad to be first in the world but you must be sure that your first in the world is a first good case. Now, specifically, you may have heard over a long time that we are getting less revenue from the product sharing contracts, which were signed in 1993 for deep offshore, when of course things were new, except for the gulf of Mexico, nobody was producing one thousand meters plus. There were certain assumptions of the investment required, reserves, you may find and therefore, profitability. And at that time, oil prices were been dangling between twelve and sixteen dollars a barrel. And the assumptions were that what are the terms, which will enable an investor to make perhaps, up to fifteen percent profit. But there were three reopener clauses: One, if oil prices should reach twenty dollars, you were to re-examine again the share in terms of the fiscal terms, because then the profitability of the oil company will be greater and the need to equitably have more government revenue will be established and that happened by 2000, thirteen years ago. Two, second re-opener clause, we were talking in terms of probably discoveries and if there should be discoveries above five hundred million barrels, again, we re-examine and re-negotiate the fiscal terms for more equity in favour of government. And the third one was that after ten years there were to be reviews, and this was signed in 1993 and ten years elapsed in 2003; some mega discoveries were made in 2000, what is the explanation for waiting for thirteen years and getting lower revenues, when within our existing contracts and laws, we could have improved? In oil and gas, in 1993, as Secretary of State for Petroleum and Natural Resources, I campaigned a great deal for appropriate pricing, because in my earlier involvement as a civil servant - permanent secretary- we had agreed that even government can take oil at flare point, free of charge for a project. Have we done that? We could not because if there is no appropriate price to be paid for the gas, which justifies investment in the pipelines and the maintenance of it, it will not happen, government or private. Therefore, proper policy and realistic policy is important. What will it take to produce this gas and deliver it to the power plant or deliver

“You cannot substitute it for what we now have - battalion of special advisers and special assistants, no body knows their qualifications in some cases and they come with a minister and that minister may be deployed to another ministry. The expertise you required in the Ministry of Works may not be the same in the Ministry of Health, let alone Ministries of Aviation or Finance. There is no substitute, especially in a developing country where we do not have too many highly skilled and trained people and private consulting institutions, which are quite solid. The civil service still remains the source and area where you can concentrate on skills, train and develop them and once we can return to a state where we are satisfied that these are non-partisan, well trained, competent people, it is more cost effective for us to use them, in the research which goes with formulating policies, and certainly in the execution of policies and this is what we should aim for” it to the processing plants, fertilizers or petrochemicals that will make it feasible for somebody to go to take money, savings or banks borrowing to invest, it does not require months to calculate. And we are people with gas, wishing to add value, have we done that? And I know myself, after leaving government, I was involved in one or two companies, for more than ten years, I have got beautiful plans to produce methanol, olefins, poplins and all that, which could have brought in investment of more that two billion US dollars, for ten years; we have had inconclusive discussions on gas being delivered, and we are flaring gas and we have enormous gas reserves and we have needs for employment and diversification. And petro-chemicals account for more than sixty percent of the industrial raw materials we import. You do not say because you have a vision of a perfect thing, so you refuse to do something that is good enough and competitive by international terms. And when you go into the oil refineries, under Balewa, as soon as we saw that we were getting enough oil, the oil companies were oblige to build refineries, which they did and commissioned in 1965. Later on, we added PortHarcourt two, Warri and Kaduna with combined capacity of 435 thousand barrels a day, which is much more than adequate for Nigerian economy, with the number of cars we have, and industrial plants. I’m not sure we can consume more than 300 thousand barrels, but when we had this inappropriate pricing and subsidy, which goes into racketeering and slip-

pages all over our borders, we most probably are subsidising up to hundred thousand barrel a day of products for neighbours, without gratitude and acknowledgement. And who benefits from these subsidies, you have seen partly the diversion of tankers, collection of subsidy in Nigeria, with oil delivered in Ghana or Togo. And we have in fact; distorted pricing and very few people outside Lagos or Abuja even get this official price for motor spirit. The hypocrisy of the average Nigerian is tremendous, he goes to buy in the black market, when there is no petrol in the filling stations, he pays fantastic figures, much more than what will be appropriate and we would have no scandals. Then he comes into the open to say, ‘over my dead body, you will change the oil price’. But it is a matter of campaign and education, not just waking up one day to say subsidy is removed. Again, it is a matter of proper administration. And again, I’m sorry, in 1993 government had decided that we would remove subsidies after proper campaigns, we negotiated with trade unions, we campaigned, we took newspapers to demonstrate our income and salaries and our neighbours’, what they were paying and what we were paying and so on and then decision was taken to remove subsidies, but in a phase process. First, on April 1, we would remove subsidy in aviation fuel and non-pump products. Of course, lubricants were never subject to subsidies. It was then agreed by June 1, 1993, we would remove subsidy from motor spirit and diesel but keep it on domestic kerosene.

Domestic kerosene, we are going to colour deep purple, so that you will not use it to adulterate diesel or aviation kerosene. And how was it to be done, we were to have two sets of pumps, if you go to a filling station, on one side we were going to have a new thing we call super premium, no subsidy from day one. On the other side, a set of pumps with subsidy on motor spirit and diesel, but those ones, we will be increasing the price by a few percentage points every month or quarter, with the view that within twenty-four months subsidy would have been removed. On the other side, no subsidy from day one. The thing is that if you go to that side, within three minutes, you have your fuel, you are gone; but you go to the other side, you can wait three hours, five hours, six hours, until the queue is gone, it is left for you to make your calculation. That way, latest end of 1995, this debate would have been a thing of the past. Good incentives would now have been given to both public and private to run refineries efficiently. Deregulation would have happened. Now, it is our neighbours who are enjoying because in their frontiers, you see petrol in bottles and all that. Since they derive a lot of revenue from product taxation as opposed to us who do it on crude, they will now be more eager to get oil products officially. Then our own refineries will be allowed to charge competitive x-refineries prices, not artificially depressed one, so that xrefineries, Port Harcourt or Warri, will be equivalent to x-refineries in Southern Spain or anywhere. We will still enjoy lower prices in Nigeria, because we would not be charging too much of product prices and our neighbours would pay our x-refineries price and pay their product prices. And these horrible things we read of billions of dollars lost in subsidy scam will not have happened. And the incentives to create more corrupt people would not have happened. So there are many things, which should be done, which has not been done. And we should stop giving the excuse that we are waiting for PIB to go into these hardheaded negotiations. One thing, I must say unfortunately, about the sector is that we have allowed a lot of political interference to impact negatively on professionalism in NNPC. Ministers have come and suddenly fired people in whom we have invested twenty to twenty five years of training, it should not be. And one major criticism about the present PIB, the intentions are okay, the point is that you have to sit down and negotiate them and make sure that what we finally pass actually serves those good intentions. Talk about transparency, efficiency, and so forth; all very good fiscal regimes, which encourage investment, and increases government taxation as profitability increases. But they now talk about creating a national oil company, independent and able to go market like other companies, Petrobrass, Sunatrack of Algeria, perform, produce and refine oil, distribute it and pay the normal royalties and duties to the government. This was what we have started in NNOC in1971 by law, which became operational in 1973. Unfortunately, after the coup of 1975, the Obasanjo government was persuaded that there is no need for a Ministry of Petroleum to do the regulation and interface with other government ministries, especially finance and industry since we were going to use the products of petroleum, which is a depleting asset to finance in the main time economic diversification. Therefore, close consultations in terms of policy and revenue profiles must occur between the ministries of petroleum, industries, agriculture, economic planning and finance. I must add also that by 1971, as a policy, the government had decided that no more giving of concessions to private interests, foreign or local and that all open encage and encages to be surrendered will be vested in NNOC, the Nigeria National Oil Company, which will then do product sharing contracts or contractual arrangements. Unfortunately this policy was reversed after the removal of Gowon in 1975 and we began to see and hear all we now hear about oil blocs. When I went back in 1993, I did not want to reopen the issue; we implemented, but the point is that now you want to create an independent national oil company, unfortunately in the PIB which they are now discussing, the minister of Petroleum is being proposed as the chairman of that company, is that independent? The minister is the regulator for everybody,

CONTINUED ON PAGE 55

THE GUARDIAN, Sunday, May 5, 2013

COVER

FALAE: If Corruption Is Dominant, No Development Is Possible • Good We Are Admitting We Had No Plan • By 2020 Or 2030 We Will Still Fail Chief Samuel Oluyemisi Falae is a former secretary to the government of the federation and former minister of finance. He is very familiar with government’s developmental plans. Speaking with KAMAL TAYO OROPO, the Yale-trained banker and national chairman of Social Democratic Mega Party (SDMP) wants government and policy makers to, first be honest, transparent and committed before embarking on any development plan. The Federal Government has eventually owned up that it might not meet the vision 20:2020. What do you make of the admission? IRST and foremost, I think we would have to praise the government for having the honesty to admit the truth and for having the courage also of accepting the obvious; but from the very beginning, some of us had said the so-called objectives are not realistic; they are not realisable given where we were and what needed to be done. It is good to be optimistic and keep hope alive, but such optimism must be situated within reality. No significant economic development can be achieved if the basic infrastructures required are absent. If you want to launch a rocket into space, the launch pad has to be there and working. They basic issues are forever there. One is electricity, which powers industries and commerce. Power consumption per head must be accepted as basis for development. The higher the power consumption per head, the more developed the society is, by and large this is very true. If there is power deficit and you say you are planning development, you are just being unrealistic –– that’s number one. Secondly, you have to improve infrastructure and transport system. The transportation network, make no mistake about it, is the backbone of the economy. If you cannot move from one place to another in ease, the economy cannot grow. Last Friday when I went to Abuja from Akure, it took me nine hours from Abuja to Lokoja –– a journey that normally should not exceed two hours. I had to sleep there in Lokoja. Now, I will not go there again in the next one year. This goes to illustrate my point. There must efficient transport system for personnel and goods. In 1975 when we launched the third national development plan, we projected in that document that Nigeria will reach 6000 megawatts of electricity by 1980, but 35 years later we are barely hovering around 2000 megawatts. That tells you the kind of deficit we are facing. When this idea of 20:2020 came on, we said these objectives would go down unrealizable, unless certain fundamentals are put in place. But no one listened. We said so. Maybe, those in the authorities just felt because we are in the opposition political party, we were just criticising the government. I am happy they have now come back home to reality. What to do now is to have a solid programme to address the issue of infrastructure in the next two or three years. We will still make other plans for development, but let us make improved infrastructural development, which includes power, our core goal for now –– roads and power. Communication itself is becoming another problem, in spite of recent gains. During the Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP), we put emphasis on liberalisation and commercialisation, which are what we have today. Even though, credit is being given to the regime that came after our own. We had commercialisation and privatisation of the communication sector as part of the programmes of the Ibrahim Babangida regime. It is the commercialisation aspects that sought the ending of monopoly in marketing board, in transportation, in communication and power generation. All these were powerfully launched in the programme. Going memory lane there are various developmental programmes, even as there is also an agency, National Planning Commission. What exactly is wrong with all those attempts? The truth is that they were not plans. The developmental Plans are no plan. The so-called rolling plans are just self-deception. How much plan can you do in one year? For example, you want to build a road, why are you taking one year to design the road? Everything should have been taken care of

Falae

In 1975 when we launched the third national development plan, we projected in that document that Nigeria will reach 6000 megawatts of electricity by 1980, but 35 years later we are barely hovering around 2000 megawatts. That tells you the kind of deficit we are facing. When this idea of 20:2020 came on, we said these objectives would go down unrealizable, unless certain fundamentals are put in place. But no one listened. We said so. Maybe, those in the authorities just felt because we are in the opposition political party, we were just criticising the government. I am happy they have now come back home to reality. What to do now is to have a solid programme to address the issue of infrastructure in the next two or three years. by a viable developmental plan of five years. Even corporate organisations have 5-10 years plans. It makes corporate sense to plan. But to say you have rolling plan is self-deception. Yet, these infrastructures, power, roads and so on, you spoke about are not exactly rocket science, why does the country seem content with just continuous postponement? It’s only during the General Yakubu Gowon time we performed wonders in the area of infrastructure; and we didn’t have, as at then, as many contractors as we have today. All the ring roads in Lagos, the Airports, expressways and so many universities were built in a very short time. It does not have to take so long if the government is serious and committed; and if there is transparency. But now, what do you have? The government budgets N400bn naira for roads and you cannot find any road; and no one goes to jail for it. How can we have development? The problem is that we are corruption friendly. And under such situation, development will still remain far from us. There is no serious attempt at ensuring efficiency, accountability and transparency. These are real problems that we face. Until the public faces up to the reality and demand a new template, we are not going to go anywhere. In a country where you can budget trillions of naira and nothing to show for it and nothing will happen; I’m sorry, but that is the situation of the country. WHAT roles are there for the various tertiary institutions; the universities and polytechnics? Shouldn’t one expect them to be incubation centres for developmental plans? Yes, they are supposed to. But here I am talking of integrity and accountability. Transparency in handling government projects and resources – that’s what I am talking about. It appears in the

last 10 or 15 years there has been a freefall in terms of integrity, in terms of seriousness and in terms of government being passionate about development. I always say that Chief Obafemi Awolowo was so passionate about education, and he attained success. If you are not passionate about what you are doing and you are merely doing it as a routine, or you are merely doing things because people say it must be done, you are never going to achieve much. Throwing money at a problem will not solve the problem. You must show commitment to the public good. When Awolowo was planning free education, every minister was asked to go every weekend to his locality and supervise education there. That’s what governance was about –– total commitment to the common good. And I don’t see that happening in our country now, except in a very few states of the federation. In my state, Ondo, we are seeing that kind of commitment. The governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, has been demonstrating the commitment I am talking about. He appears very passionate about achieving what he has set out to achieve. There is no magic about it. Ondo State is not the richest state in the country, yet one can confidently say that Mimiko has been able to demonstrate attitude towards development, more than many his peers. The difference is in the commitment and passion. The Federal Government now says it is focusing on making Nigeria join the league of best 20 economies by 2025; would you say that is realisable? We should stop focusing on these dates. These are just numbers. Rather, we should focus more on changing the level of integrity and commit-

ment to development in government. We must submit ourselves to some kind of psychological rebirth. We must re-orientate our public officers towards attainment of public good. The date will come and go, but if there is no change in attitude, if there is no change in value system, if there is no change in commitment and there is no change in integrity, 2025 or whatever date will come and it will still be the same story. Planning alone will not solve the problem. Planning with value and commitment and leadership can change the problem –– honest leadership; leadership that wants result; that wants to be measured by the ability to deliver public good to the greatest number of the people. Not charade and slogans. Is it not a mark of integrity that Dr. Ngozi OkonjoIweala, the Central Bank governor, Malam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, the Minister of National Planning, Dr. Shamusideen Usman, and others, with vast experience from various international agencies are in this government; what then is the problem? No! That is not the type of leadership that can change or turn things around. These are technocrats that were brought in to help the government. It is the political leadership that I am talking about. And they are the only ones that can bring about the desired change –– if they can get their acts together. I am talking of those who are governors, those who are chairpersons of the councils, some ministers and leaders of political parties. Unfortunately, today the attitude is ‘what can I get out of government’. And the civil servants have taken a cue from them. When I was in government, no one dreamt of taking contracts for self. Today, that seems to be the norm and at all levels of governance –– both states and federal. Corruption is everywhere; even the judiciary. There is a limit to which these technocrats can do under this prevailing, unfortunate situation we have found ourselves. However, the leadership must provide an enabling environment and punish offenders. If you budget certain money for public good and someone embezzles it and nothing happens, that is an incentive for others to emulate. These technocrats do not call the shots. It is political leadership at all levels that is deficient. It all still boil down to corruption. Some leaders have alluded to the fact that it does appear the malaise has now been democratized. What’s your take on this? I attended an Afenifere meeting recently, and the conclusion is that corruption has become the fifth estate of the realm. It is has become part of the norm. That is the danger. Until we break that yoke that is promoting corruption as the norm, we cannot move. The technocrats that you mentioned are not the one that will do this for us; it is the political leadership. And activists out of government should be in the forefront of this campaign to break the bones of corruption. Otherwise, Nigeria cannot develop. It is not possible. If corruption is dominant, no development is possible. Everything is compromised. But you represent one of the political leadership in the country. What are you doing at your end? Firstly, the best thing to do is to lead by example –– leadership by example. With all modesty, in my public life I led, and still do, by example. I have never been part of any shady dealings or anything to compromise the public interest, whether as a banker or as a minister. Wherever you are, lead by example. Let people see in you that a person in high office can lead a plain and simple life. I dedicate my life to public commitment. When I was in government, I would take lunch to the office and left it untouched throughout. I would be too busy to touch the food. I was committed to what I was doing. So, integrity and total commitment, with all sense of humility, were my watchwords. If others could do that, Nigeria will change. Leaders must be ready to lead by example. Everything I have done, I have done with that commitment and with integrity. If we all do this, this country will be a different place. But how many of us frown at a man made the chairman of a local government, who builds six houses only two years into his tenure and riding very exotic, big cars? When I was a minister, I was using a government’s Peugeot. The car will take me from my house in the morning and return by 6 or 7 pm and I will drive my own car after then and at weekends. I lived in my personal house for five years I was in government; I didn’t move into government quarters. One was allocated to me, but I didn’t stay there. That was the standard we embraced. We live Awolowo standards –– that’s what I am talking about. We have to enter into covenant with ourselves that, ‘we will not take bribe again, either directly or through other people, live in my personal house and drive my personal car.’ If people say this and practice it, Nigeria will change. We have to stop this attitude of everyone trying to get his hands in the tilt, building wealth generations yet unborn can never finish spending. This is why Nigeria is getting poorer. It is time Nigeria gets richer.

THE GUARDIAN, Sunday, May 5, 2013

COVER By Geoff Iyatse CONOMISTS, at the weekend, described the E Vision 20:2020 project as very ambitious, saying the parameters for measuring its progress are

The Trouble With Nigeria’s Vision, By Experts

obsolete. This concern is not new: while the Federal Government, at its inception, mobilised resources for conferences on the Vision, many economists suggested it focused on less ambitious but more achievable targets. Doubt on the reality of the vision reflected the inability of government to decisively fight corruption, ineffective civil service, rising unemployment rate among other challenges. Dr. Shamsuddeen Usman, might not have admitted that the vision has failed. Nobody would expect a man who served as Minister of Finance and, now, that of National Planning, to admit that a project passionately championed by the administration he is part of turned out a ruse. Former president of the Charted Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN), Mazi Okechukwu Unegbu, at the weekend, said classifying Vision 20: 2020 as another botched aspiration is as real as government loathes hearing it. He said the vision died on arrival. “The reason I said that is that the level of unemployment has been rising. Yearly budgets are mostly recurrent, just as the middle class that grows an economy does not exist. The same minister, who just agreed that the vision is not achievable, never agreed with dissent views when they were planning the vision. “Nothing has changed since they started the vision. There was no plan at all. For any vision to succeed, there must be strategic and tactical planning. Neither of these was done. There should have been short-term and long-term plans. Short-term plans, in this case, should have given birth to long-term plan. But neither was put in place. Rather, they engaged in under-thetable planning. There were no institutional frameworks, which could have led to success,” he continued. Unegbu, a lawyer and retired banker, said the government failed to carry out comparative analysis on the domestic economy to determine its strength vis-à-vis others. He noted that planning offices lost out in marshalling expected machinery that could translate into a meaning- the rule of law.” ful impact on the people much less outplaying Owoh, observed that the vision was nothing betestablished economies. ter than a plastic developmental paradigm that is He called for disbandment of structures set up only suitable for conference discourse. He regretto articulate strategies for achieving the vision, ted that its pursuit has succeeded in depleting noting: “It was most disastrous that the revela- public funds, saying it only amounted to “generation is coming from Shamsudeen who had tion of internet downloaded and plagiarised poliargued that the dream would materialise”. He cy documents that do the country no good. charged the minister to resign for giving “The cost of pursuing ‘this world economic posiNigerians false hope. tion’ appears to make no sense, except if it is conYet, Executive Chairman, the Society for sidered as one of the usual veritable tools of invitAnalytical Economics, Nigeria (SAEN), Dr. Godwin ing friends to ‘come and chop.’” Owoh, described the vision as “a huge economic He described excuses given by Shamsudeen to joke” even though he said current administra- support his new tune as escapist. He said it is not tion could not have been adjudged to havefailed expected of government official to concentrate since it started from a failed position. Even if the on rehearsing why things are wrong but to be vision were achieved, Owoh said, it would not solution providers, noting that the minister have made much difference because it was failed when he assumed that he would be perfounded on defective economic indicators. forming his mandate by “merely telling people Owoh, like his previous comments on the plan, why things have gone bad.” argued that its expectations are as faulty as the He likened the minister’s recent action to a situassumptions it was laid, noting: “At best, the ation where a candidate marks his own examinaassertion remains a good hope-building that can tion script while choosing which grades he guarantee an average minister his tenure. The awards himself — a circumstance he said has proponents of the rating did not tell us what has become a Nigerian culture. He also questioned changed and what benchmarks were under con- why Shamsudeen would hastily pass judgment sideration. It is not clear whether other countries when the economy continues even “beyond the would experience a state of economic inertia. It zero coordinate of the growth axis.” also remains a question whether the rating is Owoh, also a public sector accountant and truthful in view of evolving high incidence of macro economist, blamed the process of gaining non-productive costs incurred on defence on access to power for the failure of most national account of recent upsurge in violence in the goals, asking how the vision was expected to have country. materialised when the civil servants who should “The government is currently experiencing have implemented the framework are only interunanticipated high cost of maintaining security ested in projects that will earn them extra of lives and property. The challenge now is how incomes. to maintain the basic mandate most economies “Between 1997 to 2009, recurrent expenditure don’t worry. Truly, not many states among the averaged 143.7 per cent of non-oil revenue. Since official 179 countries are in conditions that are as then, fiscal dependency had constrained ecoprecarious as ours. It would be unfair for any one nomic diversification. There is empirical evidence to expect Nigeria to be among the best 50 to show that Federal Government’s fiscal operaeconomies by 2020.” tions signal warnings, especially with a CBN that Owoh wondered how a country that “needs has no clue of its mandate,” he said. another 10 years to return to the level of security And the views of Victor Ogiemwonyi, a member of lives and property it was 10 years ago” would of Council of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), join 20 biggest economies in just 13 years time. are not completely different. He noted that many He continued: “This assessment is very late in welcomed the vision with optimism because of coming. Innately, there are layers of misrepresen- the country’s poor execution culture. tations with very dangerous policy implications. The investment expert said: “It not enough to The targets were based on out-dated measure- plan; those plans must be executed as envisaged. ment indicators since it was principally based on It is becoming obvious that we also lack the the size of the national economy, using GDP crite- capacity in our civil service to execute anything. rion. Given the inherent weakness of GDP as a The corruption we have all been talking about is measure of relative developmental growth of now obvious to everyone, and this has coneconomies, especially in developing countries tributed to the inability to achieve the goals. with considerable data integrity questions, the Every Nigerian has a scheme of his own when he index has long been replaced with an elongated gets into power at any level, no matter how good lagged deflator derived from the Value for Money the plans of the predecessor is. Index (VMI). “Don’t you wonder why every government “The VMI accommodates discounting coeffiagency wants to build a new head office or cients for corruption, proportion of productive change the existing structure? This is because of expenditures relative to non-productive expendi- the contract syndrome! Every head of a governtures, governance efficiency, accountability and ment department or agency will only execute

The government is currently experiencing unanticipated high cost of maintaining security of lives and property. The challenge now is how to maintain the basic mandate most economies don’t worry. Truly, not many states among the official 179 countries are in conditions that are as precarious as ours. It would be unfair for any one to expect Nigeria to be among the best 50 economies by 2020

policies and programme he initiated. They jettison any contract they did not give; you have projects started before their tenure abandoned for lack of funding because the new head is not interested. “How can any cohesive plan emerge when everyone has his plans? Vision 2020:20 is a very good document on its own, but those plans were meant to work in unison. All agencies, departments at all levels are expected to work together. But what you have is that all the units are working at cross purposes.” Ogiemwonyi, who is also managing director of Partnership Investment Plc, said frequent change of guards in key sectors such as power also affected the co-ordination process and, ultimately, the death of the prpgramme. “Look at the power project, the National Integrated Power Projects (NIPPs) were put in place with most of them pre-paid to ensure there was no reversal. A new administration came and decided the projects should be stopped; we lost two years before it was continued, yet this was a major cahllenge that needs to be solved to enhance the economy and social welfare.Thank God for Atedo Peterside and his team, it took less them less than nine months to complete the privatisation process, which has just raised fresh hope. “Lagos State Government is currently working on a major light rail project in to ease the traffic congestion. The project will cost, at least, three times what it would have cost in 1980 during the Jakande administration. Despite the careful planning and involvement of the World Bank, somebody somewhere woke up and insisted it must be cancelled. Twenty years later, the state had to settle millions in cost to the foreign contractors who had won in arbitration as a result of its stoppage.” As the government comes under fire for mishandling a vision that should have ushered the country into an Eldorado, Chairman/CEO of ICON Stockbrokers Limited and member of Steering Committee of the initiative, Chike Nwanze, said Soludo, not government, was the author of the project. He explained that 2025 was the target picked by those who conjured the initiative but that the government joined the popular trail when the former CBN Governor launched the FSS 2020 campaign. The disclosure implies that the country might remain on track. Still, that possibility stands on quaking foundation, as Nwanze admitted that there are enormous challenges that could perpetually stall the economy. Nwanze, unlike some other economists, acknowledged that there was a vision, and a noble one for that matter. And that the government, indeed, put rigorous plans in place to achieve it. He continued: “The government set up different thematic groups which were further constituted into national working committees. There was a vision; and there were plans. After the steering committee completed its work, a national implementation committee was set up. “Originally, it was 2025 that Goldman Sacks suggested. Before Obasanjo came in, there was Vision 2010, which he jettisoned. I wished he implemented it. I served in the steering committee, and I never thought that we would be one of the most developed economies in 2020. The reason some of us participated was that it helped us to go back to planning. After Gowon administration and that of Shehu Shagari, they brought in long-term planning. The vision gave us some feeling that were making medium and long-term plans.” He acknowledged the huge challenge infrastructure deficiency poses to the country, noting that the performance of industries central to achieving supposed Vision 2020:20 has been hampered by problem. Commending ongoing power reform, the renowned stockbroker said the vision could not have materialised without adequate electricity supply. According to him, not until the local manufac-

Unegbu

Ogienwonyi

Owoh

turing sector is competitive, the economy cannot experience serious growth. He observed that prices of local good could only compete with imported goods when road, rail, power and other infrastructure are supportive unlike the current situation where companies struggle in self-help. While the power is being addressed, Nwanze said the quest for industrial breakthrough would continue to be mirage until functional multimodal transportation system is guarantee. Asked why the government was giving false hopes when it was obvious the timeline was not achievable, Nwanze noted: “There is nothing wrong in making projection and work towards it. Everybody or company makes forecast. As time goes on, if they discover that the forecasts are not achievable they revise them.” However, he agreed that the forecast should be honestly pursued.

TheGuardian

Sunday, May 5, 2013 53

Conscience, Nurtured by Truth

Opinion ‘MEND’ Vengeance Mission And Biblical Abhorrence By Felix Adewusi N Monday, April 15, 2013, virtually all newspapers in Nigeria were inundated with news of threat by Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) to avenge killings by Boko Haram. According to MEND, the execution of the threat would begin from May 31, 2013 and it would involve a crusade to save Christians in Nigeria from annihilation. The crusade according to them would be heralded with the bombings of mosques, hajj camps, Islamic events and assassination of clerics that propagate doctrines of hate. One good “clause” about their threat is that they would be ready to change their mind if Christian Association on Nigeria (CAN), the Catholic Church and Henry Okah intervened. Not only that the activities of Boko Haram are evil as rightly put by Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, it is even more barbaric and cannibalistic. Their activities have been condemned widely by Muslim and Christian scholars and leaders in Nigeria. It has been argued with Koranic verses that Islam is a religion of peace hence it abhors the killing of fellow beings. It is no gainsaying, that their operations are indeed very agonizing, worrisome and tempting. However, Bible frowns at vengeance. In all ramifications God Almighty abhors vengeance. Bible scriptures are very clear about this. Let us, therefore, turn to some scriptures in the Bible to substantiate my claims. Leviticus 19:18 said, “Thou shall not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shall love thy neighbour as thyself, I am the Lord”. Also in Micah 6:8: it is stated that “He that shewed thee mercy, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy and to walk humbly with

thy God? In Mathew 5:38, 39: our Lord Jesus said “Ye have heard that it hath been said, an eye for an eye, and tooth for a tooth; ‘But I (Jesus) say unto you, that ye resist not evil; but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek turn to him the other also”. In Romans 12: 17 we read, “Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men” while James 5:9, stated that “Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned behold the judge standeth before the door”. From the foregoing it is very clear that revenge is unchristian and expressly forbidden in God’s word. Beside these, revenge is dangerous and the Bible shows the dangers in seeking revenge. In Proverb 11:17, it is stated that “The merciful man doeth good to his own soul; but he that is cruel (unmerciful or vengeful) troubleth his own flesh”. This statement is most suitable for Boko Haram because they are troubling their soul in that they live in fear and penury. They know no

peace. They themselves smell hell here on earth. Christians are enjoined to seek love and peace because perfect love cast out fears. In Mark 11:26 our Lord Jesus said, “But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in Heaven forgive your trespasses.” Apostle Paul in Galatians 6:7 wrote that “Be not deceived, God is not mocked; for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he reap” and in James 2: 13(a) we read that “For he shall have judgment without mercy that hath no mercy. From these scriptures, therefore, we can understand that those who seek revenge bring more trouble upon themselves and the nation. The solution thus is to return no evil for evil as stated in the scriptures. Proverb 25:21,22 stated “If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink’; (22) ‘for thou shall heap a coast of fire upon his head, and the Lord shall reward thee

see’ .See also Roman 12:20 and I Kings 6:21,22. Our Lord Jesus said further in Mathew 5:4345 that ‘Bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you” (45) “That ye may be the children of your Father which in is in Heaven; for He maketh His sun to rise on the evil and on the good and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust” (see also Luke 6: 27, 28, 32 – 36). Our Lord Jesus corroborated the fact that our God (the Almighty God) is merciful. In I Thessalonians 5:15 we read that “See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves and to all men.” Similarly Saint Peter wrote in I Peter 3:9 that “Not rendering evil for evil or railing for railing; but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are there unto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.” He wrote further in I Peter 4:8 that “Above all things have fervent charity (love) among yourselves, for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.” So my dear MEND, you cannot avenge for God. Leave God to avenge for Himself. God does not require men to avenge for him. When we are tempted to seek revenge, God admonition is to commit the situation and the wrongdoers to the Lord. See Proverbs 20:22; Hosea 12:6; Roman 12:19; I Peter 2:19, 2123. Christians in Nigeria are not weak, neither slothful nor ignorant of what could be done to defend or retaliate at every provocation. As Christians, we are guided by the strong words of God, which forbid them from engaging in any vengeance mission. I know MEND consists of enlightened members hence, my believe is that this message will be fully digested, understood and comply with unlike the Nigerian evil sects. •Adewusi is of Adekunle Ajasin University Library, Akungba Akoko, Ondo State.

From Boston To Lagos By Paul Irikefe HE Boston Marathon on April 15 in the U.S. can now be considered as a quintessential struggle between fear and freedom, and between hate and heroism. It was supposed to be an event that marked both the beginning of the American Revolution and the deadline for taxes, but it turned out to be a black Monday in which freedom was momentarily usurped and in its place was injected fear, blood, and violent deaths. The choice of explosive devices made from ordinary kitchen pressure cookers, the use of ‘kitchen-type’ egg timers, and the black duffel bags has nothing fortuitous about it, but only to induce mass panic over the uncertainty of everything else, even the eerily familiar –– the car, the airplane, the cellphone, the pressure cooker, and so on. It did not matter to the terrorists that the casualties involved innocent children and athletes. The goal was to bring down this “great Satan” –– a favorite concept of extremists about America around the world, but especially in the Arab world –– this licentious, and pervert country, this jaded civilization on the slippery slope of decay and decline. However, what came across was a resolute, and a self-sacrificing nation. One of the most graphic and gripping viral images was that of 53-year-old Costa Rican immigrant, Carlos Arredondo. Not a stranger himself to horror and grief, he had come to mark the day specially by handing out flags in memory of his sons –– the one who died in 2004 in the Iraqi war, and the other out of suicide because of grief and depression for his death –– and the rest patriots who died for duty, honor and country. And although he was standing in the bleachers by the finish line, as soon as he heard the explosion and saw the carnage he vaulted a barricade and raced straight into the acrid smoke and mayhem without a second thought over his own safety to help a victim reeling from the loss of his two legs. Then the second bomb went off 100 yards away, but Arredondo kept his focus on him, asking his name and offering his own. He told the Press Herald, “I kept talking to him. I kept saying, stay

with me, stay with me.” But Arredondo had not been an outlier, had not acted alone. One man from Duxbury, Massachusetts, was reported throwing himself atop his kids when the bombs detonated, and a stranger threw himself on top of the dad to give them more protection! Now comes the anticlimax and the nadir of the narrative: Iju-Ishaga, Lagos. June 3, 2012. That was the site and date of the second-deadliest aviation accident on Nigerian soil, beside the Kano air disaster. Something that was supposed to elicit grief, sympathy, heroism, and even self-sacrifice among compatriots evoked instead greed and plunder. The first object of plunder according to the account of eye witnesses was the carcasses of the cow the plain hit as it made a frantic and wobbly landing. Many of them were reportedly saying, “Plane crash! Plane crash, there’ll be dollars there!” Then they made a rush to the site like scavengers over fallen carcasses, only that the carcasses this time were not human flesh but valuables –– wallets, laptops, bags, cellphones, suitcase, anything that smelled money, anything but fellow countrymen. Mr. Akin Aina, secretary of the Community Development Area, said he called 767, which was Lagos State emergency number, but the number was unavailable. Poor fellows! Plundered by compatriots, failed by emergency responders, they died completely, all 160 of them. Is a country decent and sane that does this? Why are so many Nigerians hungry for dollars, and everything material at the staggering expense of things that propelled nation and civilization forward –– patriotism, heroism, excellence, creativity, truth, justice, compassion, sacrifice, respect, imagination, hard work, innovation, and nationalism. How many billions does a governor or a president, or a member of national or state assembly need before he/she considers duty to fatherland? Nigeria is upside down and we are worst of it. We suffer from a shortened radius of trust and identification; from the inability to set our sight beyond the narrow confine of ourselves, family or ethnic group. We seem to live by the ethos of ‘amoral familism’ so well described by the great political scientist, Edward Banfield as the pursuit of material, short

run advantage, and the assumption that everyone else is doing the same. Now everybody wants amnesty, not necessarily for sustainable peace, and certainly not for truth because these are values that do not emerge out of bribery projected as amnesty. The militants have had it, and many of them are now billionaires. And why should they eat alone? There is now even a call for amnesty for MASSOB, the next could be from the West. But one suspects that Boko Haram may not accept it, because being a motley of forces and demands and channeled by a belief in a cause that trumps life and death, it has a point to make to its audience howbeit devastating and destructive to the country. What we need in this country are men and women who can rise up to the call of history, who can see life as a profound and passionate thing, leaders who are ideologically driven, and governors who can realize that what gets you into the archive of history is not how much billions you have stashed in Swiss bank accounts, but how many paved roads you have constructed, hospitals you have built, and institutions of education you have reconstructed to become once more truly learning and research centers that can attract the best and brightest minds in the world. Just one governor can tip that balance by redefining the values and the meaning of power, and shunning its banality. Without such a leader or a coalition of citizens hungry for truth and justice, hungry for greatness and heroism, Nigeria is probably going nowhere. South Africa had in Nelson Mandela, Botswana had it under Seretse Khama, Japan had in the Meiji Restoration, Taiwan had it under the Chiangs, China had in Deng Xiaoping, Great Britain had in the Glorious Revolution, so did France in the French Revolution, and now the Arab countries in the Arab Spring. Finally, culture and cultural decay or collapse does operate or function in a vacuum. Values disintegrate in a society because of how the polity is managed and how power is transferred or manipulated. Certainly things cannot bode well for a nation whose state institutions have long been criminalised.

TheGuardian

54 | Sunday, May 5, 2013

Conscience, Nurtured by Truth

Opinion Problems With Electric Power Supply By Reuben Eboh Corruption HIS is dishonest or illegal behaviour, especially of people in authority and dishonesty is the intention to trick people, especially in order to get something from them. The biggest problem in the power sector is corruption and it is the practice and the order of the day. The reason pre-paid meter has not been regularly available to consumers of electricity is that the revenue to the power service provider reduced drastically after the introduction of pre-paid meters as it stopped the collection of money through estimated billing. Whether a customer received power supply regularly or epileptically does not matter. What matters is that the regular monthly estimated bill is given to such a customer. The electricity consumption cards that were normally used to record the readings of consumptions on meters were intentionally removed by the public power supply provider just to perpetuate estimated billing. Even when the meter is working perfectly, the bill that is shared is on category D — ‘Account with non-functional meter or meter not in place’ just to enable the service provider to milk money from the customer through dishonest means. Power supply is restored a few hours so that customers are pacified and the estimated bills are shared by marketers from the power supply service provider and then the blackout returns. Corruption! The Bible says in Proverbs 10 verse 2a that “wealth that you get by dishonesty will do you no good” and Quran chapter 83 verse 1 says: “Woe unto the defrauders – those who when they take the measure from mankind demand it in full but if they measure unto them or weigh for them that causes them loss… Do such (men) not consider that they will be raised unto an awful day….’ The reason so much money is sunk into the power sector in Nigeria and yet power supply goes up and down is corruption, dishonesty. Today, it is 4,000MW generation level, tomorrow it is 2,200MW level, one step forward, one step backward. The bible also says that ‘curses cannot hurt you unless you deserve them (Proverbs 26 verse 2). I have seen severally people heaping curses on the PHCN because of epileptic services for which they are compelled to pay huge bills. The bitterness becomes more when they know that the PHCN enjoys monopoly and so are stuck on the PHCN. The only thing that such helpless Nigerians, especially the not too educated ones and the aged ones can do out of frustration is to heap curses on the PHCN and these curses do have effects and that is why it’s been forward and backward movement all these while. Why should a customer submit the original copy of the receipt of a brand new transformer to PHCN just because it is connected to the PHCN network and so becomes the property of PHCN? Why should the fee (official and non-official) for connection to PHCN network for a customer with a personal brand new 100KVA transformer be more than N50, 000.00? It is all dishonesty! The system is heavily polluted and in darkness and that is why the sale of the PHCN generation and distribution companies should be speeded up and completed as quick as possible so that we can start on a clean slate. The generation and distribution

JAW JAW By Didi Onu

Nebo companies should be sold to companies, whether local or foreign who understand the ethics of business, making money honestly by delivering stable power supply and being paid by consumers for exactly the quantity of power supplied. This business principle will ensure that there is stability in the system. It is necessary to point out that as the successor generation and distribution companies are sold and the workers disengaged, they should be paid their severance packages at the point or time of severance so that they can pick up their lives and move on. PHCN workers have dependants to take care of and that means the need for money. Once they are paid their severance packages, they can start up businesses that will enable them to live and cater for their dependants. It is a belief amongst PHCN workers that electricity workers in the developed countries of the world earn remuneration that is commensurate with that of workers in the banking, oil & gas and the telecommunication industries and it is our sincere hope that the companies that will buy up the successor companies of the PHCN will pay salaries and allowances that compare with other countries of the world. These buyers will definitely need experienced hands and some of these hands will definitely come from the pool of disengaged staff from the PHCN so that such workers will end up earning more than when they were in the PHCN service, a case of one door being shut and a bigger door being opened. Outsourcing This is the contracting out of an internal business process to a third party organization. Two organizations may enter into a contractual agreement involving on exchange of services and payments. Outsourcing is said to help firms to perform well in their core competencies and mitigate shortage of skill or expertise in the areas where they want to outsource. Outsourcing can offer greater budget flexibility and control. Outsourcing lets organizations pay for only the services they need, when they need them. It also reduces the need to hire and train specialized staff, brings in fresh engineering expertise and reduces capital and operating expenses. Companies outsource to avoid certain types of costs. In banks, services outsourced are printing of cheque books,

tellers, AGM reports, etc, cleaning and fumigation services, security service, generator, transformer, fire extinguishers, air conditioners, fire alarm system, etc maintenance services, vehicle maintenance, etc. In the telecommunication industry, outsourced services include generator, transformer, airconditioners, A.M.F panel, lightings, fire extinguisher diesel tank, etc maintenance services, supply of diesel for running of base stations, transmission equipment maintenance services, etc. It is saddening that in the power sector, PHCN staff are still in charge of transformer installation and maintenance, installation of concrete poles and overhead aluminum conductors, feeder pillar installation and maintenance, clearing of faults, etc. These services ought to be contracted out to companies who will cover parts of states in Nigeria e.g. Ikeja, Surulere, Ikorodu, etc and charge for materials, labour and mileage and will be supervised by technical staff in the distribution companies and the same applies to generation companies. This is what obtains in the telecommunication companies with huge success and should be replicated in the power sector. Some of the disengaged staff of the PHCN such as Executive Directors, General Managers, Assistant General Managers, Service Managers, etc can form service provider companies to the new owners of the generation and distribution companies so that they will be the ones to clear local faults, install transformers, feeder pillars, concrete poles, overhead aluminum conductors, etc on behalf of the distribution companies and be paid based on mutually agreed schedule of rates on goods and services. The system can indeed run like a welloiled mill such as what obtains in the banks, telecommunication companies and oil & gas companies. The distribution companies should concentrate their staff on marketing in order to ensure that customers are billed correctly for power consumed, every house that consumes electricity receives commensurate bills to ensure that there is no loss of revenue, customers’ meters should be checked from house to house, one business premise to another, to ensure that no customer tampers with meter in order to reduce electricity consumption bill illegally. Marketers also need to educate consumers on how to conserve energy and save money by rightful use of all electrical appliances, switching them off when not used. When power is conserved by residential apartments through the switching off of appliances when not in use or needed, the consumer saves money and releases power for industries that need them and thereby saving money by using less diesel to run generators. There will also be less need to do load shedding by power distribution companies. No Sentiment in Business There is the saying that business succeeds when family and friends pay for goods and services; there is no sentiment in business. Government agencies and parastatals and military establishments/formations owing billions of naira in unpaid electricity bills kill the power distribution companies. These organizations cannot try this with the telecommunication companies; they cannot owe thousands of naira without telecommunication companies discontinuing telecoms services. Every organization, whether public and private, starting with the Presidential

Villa (Aso Rock), Abuja should pay for electricity consumed monthly and should be disconnected immediately when not able to pay and should not be connected back till they are able to pay every naira and kobo owed the power distribution companies. This is the more reason the pre-paid meters should be made available to consumers at a price not more than N10, 000.00 so that bills are not allowed to accumulate. When there is no money to buy card to recharge the meter, electricity will not be consumed! Let the Private Sector Take Over The Government is just supposed to regulate the power sector and not still be building power generation and transmission stations. The Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC) does not build base telecommunication stations, switch centres, etc, but leaves these to telecommunication companies that provide telecommunication services to Nigerians and one can see that the companies are rolling out more base stations, installing optic fibre cables, etc to improve telecommunication services. The NCC successfully reduced cost of text messages from N10.00 to N4.00 early in 2013 and is doing more to ensure that Nigerians get quality telecoms services such as the GSM number portability. The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) does not build radio and television stations or even operate newspaper houses but regulates the print and electronic media and grants licenses to radio and television stations. This is what the National Electricity Regulation Commission (NERC) should do in the power sector on behalf of the Federal Government of Nigeria and not the Government embarking on building power stations and power projects through the National Integrated Power Projects (NIPP). Alternative Gas Supply Channels There should alternative power supply sources apart from the gas to power generation companies through gas pipelines from the Nigerian Gas Company (NGC), a subsidiary of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). We have had cases of gas being unavailable at Power generation companies to generate power, there is gas condensate that needs to be evacuated from the pipeline, the pipelines are being maintained, etc. Why can’t gas be stored in reserves in the power generation stations? Gas is stored in filling stations and sold to domestic gas users. Gas is transported as Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) in ships and sold to countries. Why can’t gas be transported to power generation stations that are built near the sea e.g. Egbin thermal plant, Ijede, Lagos via ship? This is the more reason why the private sector should take over the power sector, as they are service and business oriented than Government. Nigerians need power in homes and factories and they are tired of the stories of ‘there is no gas and that is why power generation has dropped from 4,500MW to 1,400MW’. Nigeria has more gas than crude oil and the excuse of no gas is grossly unacceptable.

•Eboh is an Engineer living in Lagos.

THE GUARDIAN, Sunday, May 5, 2013

COVER

‘We must make Nigeria internationally competitive’ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 50 he/she cannot be the chairman of a national oil company you want to operate with flexibility and compete with others. Those are aspects, which have to be looked at. In the main time, we cannot not afford any further delay, even now as they are debating, people should do their homework and go to untie these things, which are obstructing decisions. And in the main time, investments had been diverted, some to Angola. In the main time too, the world oil industry prospect has changed. America has found a technology for producing acceptably from environmental sphere. During this decade, America will become self-sufficient in oil and gas. More than that, America will become a net exporter, challenging us in some of our markets; prices are taking a tumble in NNLG, we have lost ten years, which we could have reaped revenues, we can no longer recover. But this new prospect should wake us up to realise that we are not an island in the world. We are competing and we must make Nigeria internationally competitive, not only in terms of regulations and fiscal arrangement, but also in the speed and politeness with which we interact with would be investors, whether they are Nigerians or foreigners. In the power sector situation, we have done things without coordination; you decided you are citing power plants in some areas and you do not at the same time, discuss and make sure that by the time you are to commission those power plants, if it is gas, the gas pipe there is ready, if it is fuel oil, in one or two cases, fine. And I remember that in 1973, we commissioned a Switzerland and a Canadian firm to project Nigeria’s power requirement from 1975 to 2000 AD. They did it and they indicated where we should have hydropower sites and thermal stations based on gas. They also indicated magnitude of investment and we did nothing with the report, very little investment in the sector, none, even on maintenance till 1999. But the population was growing at three percent per annum. We were supposed to grow the economy; we did not. If we had power today, we would be competing with some of these Chinese imports. We have people ready to do many things, but you cannot get small and medium scale industries investing on generators, they have to have public power and if we had public power today, reliable and steady, even the tailor, who is sewing with one machine will have three or four to work with. The woman who goes to the market take her corn or maize and laboriously have to grind it for hours, it will be done for her in five minutes and all these things will create jobs. And I have been in centres in Turkey, for example, a room of twenty by fifteen; you have about ten girls with machine producing embroider tablecloth and napkins for export to America. We are not doing that. We should; the power sector is critical and of course, for quality of lives. We need to pump water, distribute water, when you need to study, you need light and an air-conditioned library makes you to be more productive. So, for some of us, to see how much time and wealth we have lost, how sad it is, that a country which has less than twenty five percent living below the poverty line, should have more than seventy percent after fifty years of independence, with such enormous resources. To go from Texas’ oil field to say Pittsburgh, where you have steel, it will take over two thousand miles, but from Ajaokuta to Warri, it is about five to six hundred kilometers. More than that, we have geographical advantage, Nigeria is in a position where the markets of Europe and America, is three thousand five hundred miles, while the Asian competitors will do over ten thousand miles to get to Europe or America. We have all these resources, gas, oil, which should be serving the plastic market in the US and those are in billions. On garment, Mauritius alone is doing more than eight hundred million dollars a year under AGOA, which President Clinton passed into law, whereby African

exports do not need quota in tariff. I do not think we do up to two million dollars, but we used to grow cotton. We have the gas to produce artificial fabrics to blend whether polyesters with cotton. We should be doing that. Then, processing of agricultural commodities for the world market, there again, we have not done what we should. If we had a proper system, there are guaranteed prices in specified commodities, like they have in common market in Europe and pay whatever it takes, even if it is above world price; within five years, our farmers will not be discouraged, they will be producing. Now, we are in position to attract any processor wanting any quantity, guaranteeing him that this will be deliver to him. It will transform the sector. We had invested so much in pulp and paper, Iwopin, Ogun State, another in Akwa Ibom and Jebba. Our melanin here can be turned into pulp within seven years. In the Scandinavia, they need twenty-five years. Kenya and we started the paper industry same time, I visited them, they are exporting paper and they are practically self-sufficient. We have neglected ours, even places, which had been commissioned under Shagari, like Iwopin. And the trees were planted in anticipation, now they have grown and are now being cut for firewood; all these because we abandoned the plan, which was to lay the basis for diversification. And it is that abandonment of the 1975 to 80 plan, which made our path diverge from the Asian tigers and Singapore. We lost all these time. Prime Minister Neru was a friend of Prime Minister Balewa; they inspired us and sent us the first economic advisers for planning. We stopped planning because the 1980 to 85,which would have been the fourth, were not implemented. Under vision 20:2020, we now produced a plan for 2010 to 2013, then 2014 to 2017, 2018 to 2021 to implement vision 20:2020. That our plan of 2010 to 2013 would be our fifth plan, but in the main time, the Indians have completed their 12th five year plan and you see the economic consequences. Even this our plan, now changed a bit due to the Jonathan transformation agenda 2011 to 2013; when you see the releases we have made, and compare them with what was intended in the plan, you will find out that the releases under the capital project is not being followed, with this situation where most of our money is going into recurrent. This is no way to adhere to planning. So, part of what we must do under better governance is to go back to planning and accept the discipline of planning. And there is less money available for corrupt purposes.

“I have always recommended that the proliferation of agencies is unnecessary. It has led to bloated cost and confusion. And it has not delivered. The US, powerful, super power, is ruled by twelve departments equivalent of our ministries. It does not have fifty ministries. And the provision in the constitution that there must be a minister from each state does not mean there must be as many ministries as states. People can have ministerial ranks and be deployed as necessary, if we must maintain that path as written in the constitution. Supposing tomorrow, there are fifty states in Nigeria, must we have fifty ministries? No. There are many exercises we have done before, which shows that with eighteen ministries we can cover everything we are doing”

20: 2020: A Vision So Blurred? CONTINUED FROM PAGE 45 ed to be resolved: the rest is now history, as the plan suffered a stillbirth and was only given a slim chance of reincarnation in the struggling Vision 2020 project. Again, what appeared a prelude to the 2020 vision, was what erstwhile CBN Governor, Chukwuma Soludo, refereed to as the Financial System Strategy 2020 (FSS2020), a part of the Federal Government’s reforms and CBN’s 13-point programme at the time. The ambitious aim was to transform Nigeria’s financial services industry into a catalyst for growth, develop the country into an international financial centre, making it one of the 20 largest economies in the world by the year 2020. Of course, the FSS2020 and, by extension, the Vision 2020 projects were ‘instigated’ by Goldman Sach’s 2003 report, which pointed out Nigeria as one of the identified “Next 11” countries (N11) with the potential to become like Brazil, Russia, India and China (BRIC). The broad objectives of the FSS2020 were to develop a shared vision and an integrated strategy for the nation’s financial system, as well as establish a harmonious and collaborative environment for the development and delivery of the strategy, among others.

Led by the CBN, FSS2020’s stakeholders included the Federal Ministry of Finance, National Assembly, Securities and Exchange Commission, Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation, and the National Insurance Commission. Others were the National Pension Commission, Money Market Association, Federal Inland Revenue Service, Nigerian Insurers Association, Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, Debt Management Office, Nigerian Stock Exchange, deposit money banks, Federal Mortgage Bank, Bank of Industry, Nigerian Export-Import Bank, and Nigeria Agricultural Cooperative and Rural Development Bank. Although the new Vision in 2009 under the late President Yar Adua did not make any clear allusion to these antecedents, especially the FSS2020 and the Goldman Sach’s 2003 report on Nigeria’s possibilities, there is every indication that it drew its first breath from past experiences and considered very little of the country’s peculiarities. For instance, the Vision 20:2020 clearly sets out far-reaching indices for journey to the ‘Top 20’, which and include, but not limited to, attaining: • Peaceful, harmonious and stable democracy • A modern technologically-enabled agricultural

sector that fully exploits the vast agricultural resources of the country, ensures national food security and contributes to foreign exchange earnings • Modern and vibrant education system, which provides the opportunity for maximum potential, adequate and competent manpower • a health sector that supports and sustains life expectancy of not less than 70 years and reduces to the barest minimum the burden of infectious and other debilitating diseases • Adequate infrastructure services that support full mobilisation of all economic sectors • a vibrant and globally competitive manufacturing sector that contributes significantly to GDP with a manufacturing value added of not less than 40 percent. Was the Minister, therefore, correct in warning (as alleged) that the socio-economic fundamentals are not yet right for such vision; was he merely being politically correct by turning around to make public denial, in view of the fact that the media was already feasting on that misstep? Would it have been okay to defend the position and possibly insist that the Vision 20: 2020 project is just a vision without guaran-

tee, especially as all parameters for measuring success are not yet ‘quantity-specific?’ Rightly so, Usman told the ‘family members’ of the PDP that long years of military (mis)rule could be responsible for low performance in the power sector, which is key to realising the Vision. But indications are rife that Nigeria earned well over N48 trillion from oil from 1999 to 2011 as against N3trillion it earned from 1979 to 1998, when the Military held sway for most of the years. Yet, it does appear that the country needs a miraculous break to meet any of the above criteria — whether economic, health or governance — within the time frame of seven years. Besides by the year 2020, successful politicians in the ‘problematic’ 2015 general elections would have barely completed their very important fouryear tenure. Would there have been enough time to focus on massive infrastructure building and development, good governance and healthcare to meet those 2020 expectations? These far-reaching improvements are crucial to shooting up life expectancy in Nigeria from its current 48/52 years to 70 years, as required by the visionary journey to the top.’ Obviously, citizens in those G20 countries ‘at the top’ understand have a better deal because their governments do not just work to join or remain in a club.

THE GUARDIAN, Sunday, May 5, 2013

INTERNATIONAL POLITICS

Syria Chemical Weapons:

But the message originally taken to Uganda which analysts think may soon be brought to other African countries, is a rehash of Syria’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Bashar alJaafari’s prodding for the continental leaders to resist the campaign of calumny against the Asad regime. Speaking in New York last week, Al-Jaafari reminded that France and Britain that themselves did use different types of weapons of then a second group. Many were foaming at the mass destruction, recalling how Winston mouth and their pupils were dilated. Then some Churchill, then secretary of state of Britain, used chemical gases in 1920 in Iraq, purportedly of my medical staff started to become affected, too. We gave them all atropine. For most, it had declaring that “I am strongly in favour of using poisoned gas against uncivilized tribes.” an immediate positive effect.” He also referred to France’s first nuclear tests The United Nations (UN) Chemical Weapons on neighborhoods in the Algerian desert, recallConvention (CWC) is an arms control agreeing also the use of these types of weapons by ment, which outlaws the production, stockpiling, and use of chemical weapons. Its full name Italy in Libya and by the US forces which used chemical weapons against the Iraqi city of alis the Convention on the Prohibition of the Fallujah in 2004 and ‘Agent Orange’ in Vietnam. Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use “We haven’t heard anybody condemning or of Chemical Weapons and on their Destruction. even talking about these inhumane practices, The agreement is administered by the and therefore the countries which are involved Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical in using weapons of mass destruction have no Weapons (OPCW), which is an independent organization based in The Hague, Netherlands. right to hold others to account,” al-Jaafari capped. As of August 2010, 188 states are party to the CWC, and another two countries (Israel and A Flurry Of Denials, Russian Stance, American Myanmar) have signed but not yet ratified the Positives convention. UST as Damascus is denying ever using the UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon announced chemical weapons on its citizens, an official earlier this month that he had a team of 15 inspectors on stand-by in Cyprus ready to go and source at the Syrian Civil Aviation Authority investigate allegations of chemical weapons us. (SCAA) responded to recent media claims that a In 2002 United Nations Security Council unani- Russian passenger plane was targeted while in Syrian airspace on Monday, saying that, “this mously adopted Resolution 1441 offering Iraq plane entered Syrian airspace and left it without under Saddam Hussein “a final opportunity to comply with its disarmament obligations” that any incident” had been set out in several previous resolutions. Russia’s Ambassador in Lebanon Alexander Zasypkin stressed Russia’s absolute rejection of Then, Iraq’s breaches related not only to what is being plotted against Syria under the weapons of mass destruction (WMD), but also pretext of using chemical weapons. the known construction of prohibited types of In an interview with the Lebanese al-Manar TV, missiles etc Zasypkin said all the talks about the use of Still global attention is not diverted by last week’s bomb explosion in the country’s capital chemical weapons in Syria aims to be used as a Damascus where 13 people were killed and many pretext to intervene in it similar to what happened in Iraq, adding that there are only “accumore injured. A bomb is believed to have been sations” regarding this issue without evidence. detonated in a square in the central district of “Russia can never accept any foreign aggresMarjeh. sion against Syria or interference in its internal affairs in the same way that we would never Asad Looking The Way Of Africa accept foreign interference in any country’s AVING failed to convince the west that his internal affairs,” he added. civil war of attrition is justifiable, Asad has Considering the dynamics, it is not farfetched started reaching out to a most unlikely region. for analysts like By Andrea Berger Royal United Africa. In a message to Ugandan president Services Institute to argue that the chemical Yoweri Museveni, he tried to draw attention to usage saga be thoroughly investigated before the crimes perpetrated by al-Qaeda-linked terrorist groups, supported by some neighboring, any action is based on it. regional countries, which he did not name. His Russian Foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov, already message was conveyed by Assistant Foreign and met John Kerry on the sidelines of the Ministerial meeting of the NATO-Russia Council Expatriates Minister Hussam al-Din Ala to the in Brussels on April 23rd. Ugandan Minister of Foreign Affairs Henry At first, the Obama Administration said it was Oryem Okello during a meeting in Kampala. weighing its options even though it made it And swiftly, minister Okello affirmed his country’s support to Syria in confronting “terrorism” clear that it will wait for more evidence of chemof the Takfiri organizations affiliated to al-Qaeda ical weapons use before making a decision on military force. Last week, the US government “who seek to destroy Syria, the land of civilization. Uganda supports a political solution to the warned against a rush to judgment on Syria’s use of chemical arms, but said proof of their use crisis in a way that guarantees the respect for would trigger a “rethink” of his reluctance to Syria sovereignty” He also expressed Uganda’s rejection of what he use military force. The world surely does not want a repeat of the called “any attempt to violate the principles of the international law, on top, the non-interven- situation where real evidence eventually failed to prop up after the US-led invasion of Iraq had tion in the internal affairs of sovereign counbeen accomplished. tries”

Another Huge Source Of Global Worry By Oghogho Obayuwana Foreign Affairs Editor HE world, or at least the policing segment of T our world is on edge over the news that the Syrian government, in its quest to vanquish a two year-old insurgency, had used chemical weapons. Not since the detonation of nuclear bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945, the 1986 Chernobyl reactor disaster, the 2011 Tsunami induced nuclear accident at Fukushim, the frightening debates over the purpose for which Iran is acquiring nuclear capability as well as the current tension in the Korean peninsula over the nuclear threat of North Korea, has the world held its breath as it is the case now over the use of chemical weapons in Syria. Western leaders over the receded week continuously fumed over what was thought to be a sarin (banned chemical substance) attack by the embattled Syrian president Bashar Al Assad regime on people in rebel held city of Alepo. This is viewed as a war crime. Sarin is a colourless and odourless liquid which scientists say is an extremely potent nerve agent. What is more, Last week United States (US) Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel told the listening world that American intelligence agencies had concluded “with some degree of varying confidence” that the Syrian regime had used chemical weapons on a “small scale.” In the same vein, The White House, in a letter to Congress, said the intelligence community had “physiological samples” that indicated the use of sarin – a colourless and odourless nerve agent invented in Germany in 1938. Although Syria is not a party to the 1993 Chemical Weapons Convention that bans the development, production, possession and transfer of chemical weapons, it is party to the 1925 Geneva Protocol banning their use in warfare. But Syrian officials has since denied the government had used chemical weapons against rebel forces. A Syrian Lawmaker Sharif Shehadeh called the claims by western governments “lies” and likened them to false accusations that Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction. The United Nations (UN) Security Council had on 28 April 2004 unanimously adopted Resolution 1540 under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter which affirms that the proliferation of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons and their means of delivery constitutes a threat to international peace and security. Diplomatic watchers say if it is verified that the Assad regime has used sarin, that would in itself place it in direct violation of international law as well as international norms against chemical weapons use. From London, the British Prime minister David Cameron added his own voice saying “there is

Assad

growing evidence of the use of chemical weapons by Bashar al Assad’s regime” condemning the reported attacks as a war crime. Cameron told the BBC: “It is very disturbing what we are seeing. It’s limited evidence, but there’s growing evidence that we have seen too of the use of chemical weapons, probably by the regime. It is extremely serious, this is a war crime, and we should take it very seriously.” And the voices rose further in the US where president Barrack Obama is being encouraged to take decisive action on Syria because it is largely felt that the red line has now been crossed. Now, US president Barack Obama had repeatedly said that any use of chemical weapons would be cross a “red line”, triggering possible military action. A possible tough action could also mean enforcing a no fly zone and creating safe zones inside the country. His comments were backed by the US Secretary of State John Kerry, who said, the Syrian regime had carried out two small-scale chemical weapons attacks. What Obama has simply said is that Washington believed chemical weapons had been used in the country’s vicious civil war but did not know exactly who had fired them. The video, now sparking the outrage was taken in a hospital and shows men and women frothing at the mouth and twitching from the effects of the nerve agent. One was first posted online just over a week ago. Dr Kawa Hassan, an orthopaedic surgeon who treated the first casualties, told agencies’ reporters: “We received an initial five casualties,

What’s Behind The King Of Morocco’s Three-Nation Tour? HE king of Morocco, Mohammed VI recently visited three African countries, two of which (Senegal and Cote d’Ivoire) are in Nigeria’s backyard. Even the third-Gabon is not too far off Nigeria’s southern sea frontier flanking the gulf of Guinea. Morocco currently sits in the United Nations (UN) Security Council. Recall that the kingdom of Morocco withdrew its membership of the then Organisation of African Unity, now the African Union (AU) following the admission of the Saharawi Arab Republic in 1984. So what diplomatic missives are being flown at a time when there has been talk in certain quarters about a possible readmission of Morocco into the fold of the AU? Also, at a time when diplomats in the country including Nigeria’s former High Commissioner to Canada, Ambassador Olufemi George, have added their voices to the fact that Nigeria might have made a mistake in the recognition hurriedly granted the Saharawi Arab Republic back then. At the recently concluded summit of the heads of state and government of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in Yamoussoukro, King Mohammed also sent a special envoy, the country’s

Prime Minister Abdellah Benkfrane who delivered a lengthy message of support and continued collaboration in the fight against terrorism. Morocco, alongside Libya, Algeria and Mauritania are all borderline states in the huge Sahelian belt. It is not surprising that since 1984, Morocco had and has still been involved in what it has termed “African engagement”. It is a natural tendency for those shut out of the door to shout the most so those (African nations) inside (AU) would hear the resonance bearing the message that on the surface, shut doors do not shut out partnerships, particularly economic cooperation in a globalised world. And so, seven years after its last big tour of the continent, Mohammed VI seems to have given a new momentum to his African policy in the need to revitalize the good, old African solidarity diplomacy. The country’s Minister delegate for Foreign Affairs Youssef Amrani was quoted by agencies recently when asked what Morocco was now about, saying: “We offer our African brothers a win-win partnership. Our entrepreneurial expertise and our training schools are also very popular because they have taken into cognizance, African elements and peculiarities in

problem solving “ How true is this? What was discussed in Dakar? What was the international politics and economic moves on offer in Abidjan? And what were all the things said in whispers in Libreville beyond the cooperation agreements signed in the fields of tourism, trade, mining and energy, transport, education, fisheries, police, security and judicial cooperation? In Senegal, President Macky Sall who took the royal delegation to its eastern settlement of Matam, romanticised with what he called, “the quality of exceptional relations between Senegal and Morocco” But then, he also spoke about the new opportunities that the visit would open in terms of development. Of particular interest was the inauguration of the Mohammed VI ophthalmologic clinic, as well as the industrial medical plant also known as West Africa Pharma. In Cote d’Ivoire, the kite of Morocco’s place in the AU was flown. Stressing that several African heads of state have agreed to take the initiative for the return of Morocco to its fold, the country’s president, Alassane Dramane Ouattara, did not mince words in declaring: “Morocco’s place is within the African Union is defined by the fact

Mohammed VI

that the country can bring a lot fresh economic competitiveness to Africa and to the African Union. This north African country of old glory is one of the founding fathers of the Organization of African Unity and Morocco is a much respected country by all and throughout the world” It is no secret, the news cables are already awash with the fact that bilateral cooperation is expected to be deepened at the upcoming session of what has now been termed “joint grand commission” which would meet in June in Abidjan and in respect of which

Ouattara has said “Morocco can bring a lot to African action, thanks to its experience and its diplomacy. That is why we have to use it to herald a good departure and for the consolidation of relations between our countries, mainly through the signing of six cooperation agreements covering several fields” Following its recent civil war, Cote d’Ivoire is currently going through a phase of reconstruction and reconciliation and would surely need any country –– nay Morocco’s support ––

CONTINUED ON PAGE 57

THE GUARDIAN, Sunday, May 5, 2013

INTERNATIONAL POLITICS By Bisi Alabi Williams OCIO-POLITICAL and economic advanceSthement of women could mostly be achieved in shortest- possible time if the global community shows appreciation of the capacity of women. That, experts say, would widen the network of women and build their capacity to do great things. This is part of the revelation at this year’s Women Advancement Forum (WAF), which took place last week at Birchwood Hotel, Johannesburg, South Africa. WAF provided a network for women from different continents and different backgrounds in the professions, businesses, politics, social service (NGOs), public service, to share and find ways to improve their capacities. The Forum provided a unique opportunity for participants to appreciate themselves and their contributions to making the world a better place for every woman and girl-child. These women came together to share ideas on how to scale up on Women Advancement. A number of highly placed women drawn from across the world made presentations on the team of women advancement. Hear them. Candide Bamezon-Leguede, President Of ECOWAS Federation Of Business Women And Entrepreneurs (ECOWAS FEBWE). She said the work done by women remains invincible in Africa, despite that women work as much as men or even more, because threequarter of their time is dedicated to non remunerated work. That Women are not considered as fully active economic actors because the domestic and informal works are not taken into account by our national statistics. Women, she said are very active because they are mainly in the informal economy, which is estimated to generate 20percent of the global economic production. In the African continent it generates up to 70percent of new employments as at 1990. Despite this, women, she said have excelled in every sphere of human endeavor to the extent that their contributions and practical involvement in policy and decision-making, international and national development issues cannot be undermined. Bamezon-Leguede salutes the courage and the wisdom of WAF executives at creating a forum for the advancement of women, where women’s views and contributions to continental issues are put in the front burner. She charged women to make more décisive efforts to leave the traditional roles in which they have since been confined by nature, common law and men. “Women should also choose the fields of training different from the traditional ones that they have always followed in order to rise to the same level as men and maximize their potential in socio economic and political activities. Changing the way we think systematically is a sine qua non condition toward those changes that we all desire from our hearts.” She said leadership for change calls for the acquisition of a new conscience, the integration of new habits, the development of new capacities and full participation to the decision making process. These elements, she noted are crucial and necessary in order to strengthen the capacity of women the world. Fatoumata Jahumpa Ceesay, Former Speaker,

Mrs. Candide Leguede, President, ECOWAS-FEBWE, Hon. (Mrs) Nkiruka Onyejeocha, Chairperson, House committee on aviation, Iyalode Alaba Lawson, MFR and Mrs. Madelein Mkunu, President Leading Women of Africa (LWA), at the women advancement forum awards, Johannesburg, South Africa

Global Forum Tasks Women On Empowerment, Maximizing Potentials The Gambian Parliament & ECOWAS Parliament, said for women to have a say in decision making, the girl child must go to school, get good education and be able to take up the challenges of nation building. She said; “When our girls are educated, they will be in better position to take up decision making responsibilities and then give priority to women’s empowerment, especially through the MDGs.” According to Ceesay, the key milestone in the road map to the MDG’s and women empowerment is for governments to continue to enact women and girl child friendly laws. With good education, women’s participation in politics will be facilitated and they will acquire the political clout to bring about the advancement and emancipation of women and girls. Gambia is still struggling to attain the MDGs, because of poor policy planning and poor implementation. She blamed culture and tradition for some of the drawbacks. For there to be emancipation and advancement, she said there is no end to trying, even as she cites Blacks in America, who were legally emancipated in 1863, yet, they are still fighting for more emancipation and advancement till date. “The same with us, every small step gained should be applauded with the hope that it will

lead to more steps towards emancipation. Our effort towards this should be seen as never ending. Let’s awake the sleeping lioness and keep her awake to nurture the next generation of leaders for our continent.” Hon. Nkiruka Onyejeocha, Chair, Nigeria’s House Committee on Aviation, National Assembly. She said now is the time to reposition the African women for equal and full participation in the power structure and policy making process. She identified the urgent need for awareness, which arises from the fact that a reasonable percentage of African women are not educated and live in absolute ignorance of their rights, positions and privileges in the society. She said that women in Africa are educationally disadvantaged is a societal and policy challenge that requires urgent attention. Hence, she called on African states, their governments, gender-based non-governmental organisations and women societies to take urgent steps in addressing the low level of education among African women. According to her, educating women is a step in the right direction and will tremendously boost the chances of women to fully participate in policy- making, business and economy. Looking at other climes where similar efforts

King Mohammed’s Three-Nation Tour CONTINUED FROM PAGE 56 particularly as the north African country already has a presence in Cote d’Ivoire through banks, cement as well as low-cost housing enterprises. What is more, Cote d’Ivoire has reportedly expressed clear and unequivocal support to the idea that western Sahara as Moroccan territory. It has also labelled the Moroccan initiative for autonomy in the Sahara “the appropriate solution for the final settlement of the conflict” . Leveraging on what was gotten from Morocco during his country’s conflict period. Ouattara was excited by the jointly signed draft agreement covering vocational training, agriculture, sea fisheries, tourism, decentralization, ports and sea transport, industrial cooperation as well as water management. In Gabon, the story was pretty much the same. Enjoying the company of President Ali Bongo at the Libreville presidential palace in Libreville, six cooperation agreements in different fields were signed. And under the first cooperation agreement, which concerns the field of health, both nations went for the development of the National Gabonese Institute for training,

health and social action (INFASS). Morocco would provide technical assistance for the management of health and epidemiology services. The deal also includes providing the Gabonese side with an annual quota in medicine faculties for medical personnel in specialties of that country’s choice. There were other agreements apart from the one on cooperation in civil protection, especially in “preventing and managing major risks that pose a serious threat to the security of people, property and the environment” But they advanced things further to the point of signing an agreement that provides for the creation of a sectoral Moroccan-Gabonese committee, while authorising Radio Méditerranée Internationale to broadcast on FM in Gabon. This was only a precursor to the establishment of a framework for strategic partnership in the areas of information technologies and systems. Declaring a new renaissance in partnership following the visit, President Ondimba, told the listening world that “the excellence of the privileged partnership between countries exacts that multiform links be consolidated and broadened in various fields of common interest”.

And then, not surprising, considering all the sweets brought in from Rabat, President Ondimba reiterated “Gabon’s unwavering support to the Moroccan initiative to give the Sahara region a large autonomy within the Kingdom of Morocco’s territorial integrity and national union” EFORE our very eyes, leaders in the Arab world ran from pillar to post trying to suppress, quell, or contain the peoples revolution which eventually demanded and got a change of order in the end. That was the Arab Spring. The sustained uprising that swept away autocratic or stiff-necked leaders in Tunisia, Egypt and Libya and is still trying to do so in Yemen and Syria. The latter leaders are currently swimming against the tide trying to resist a people’s power but it seems only a question of time. The behaviour of Morocco which has now produced what is popularly called “Next Generation Constitution” in the midst of the gale, provides a classic example of responsibility at a time when those who run the status quo in most African states would prefer to sit tight and damn whatever consequences! This has not escaped the eyes of diplomatic watch-

ers! The Moroccan referendum successfully changed the face of the state before its citizens and the outside world. Recall that the British monarchy reached a similar accord with its citizens in those years when the French revolution of 1789 had produced contagion effects across Europe. In the international politics that played out during the visits to Senegal, Cote d’Ivoire and Gabon, has Morocco succeeded in using what it has to get what it wants? For instance, President Ouattara had used the term “political acumen” in deference to the timing of the visit of the king of Morocco, paying tribute in the process to the Moroccan people “who managed to go through the Arab spring without any damages” But let us remember that years earlier, to prepare the grounds in the context of these latter visits, Morocco had cancelled the debts owed by least advanced African countries and then continued to pursue the policy of training of African executives (or potential leaders) year in year out. Now, what can a country like Nigeria, learn from this?

were made to address these challenges, she said contributions of women to national development in areas of politics and economy are overwhelming. Nkiru wants public policy to be used by African governments to boost women’s access to education through the introduction of mass and compulsory education, initiation of adult literacy programmes for women that have passed the age of basic education. While academic programmes and school curricular should be redesigned to address the challenges of women’s participation in policy making, business and the economy. Nkechi Mba, President, National Council Of Women’s Societies-Nigeria, said women have always been a part of every ideological and physical struggle for change as it is on record that many women played major roles in the struggles for the independence of many African countries, even though not much of this was recorded. In South Africa, before the 1994 elections, she said women formed a vibrant National women’s Coalition across ethnic, religious, political and social lines, which helped to sustain the Peace Accord and the creation of a democratic constitution and the Bill of Rights. She recalled: “A woman such as Mariam Makeba employed music as a formidable tool for the ideological struggle against Colonial Rule. Furthermore, during the Ethiopia-Eritrea war, women mobilized other women to end the war. In Sierra Leone, the Women’s Forum – a Coalition of Women’s Groups, raised public awareness on the Lome Peace Accord.” Mba said all these efforts by women brought about positive changes in all the affected countries. Just as in January 1949, Madam Funmilayo Ransome – Kuti, Nigerian Nationalist acted as a change agent when she led about 50,000 women and marched to the Palace of a despot, the Alake of Egbaland, and chased him into exile for his shortcomings, which the people could no longer tolerate. That brought about a change of an unjust system and the dethroning tyranny. She wants women all over the world and Africa to cause changes in the work place, public places and policies. WAF’s general assembly session deliberated on those issues affecting women and the society. At the end of the session, notable African women who had impacted lives of other women were given awards. EPILOGUE AT the end, it was agreed that until women have access to economic resources, women’s rights - civil, political, social and cultural – global peace and growth remain unrealizable. If realized, it will bring about effective participation of all in and the shaping of the political and economic policies that affect lives on a daily basis. The women went home with a greater determination to actualize the MDGs, change the tide of history and chart a better future that would ensure human security, gender equality and women’s empowerment.

THE GUARDIAN, Sunday, May 5, 2013

FOREIGNNEWS

Roadside Bomb Kills Five US NATO Soldiers AFGHANISTAN ROADSIDE bomb has killed five US soldiers serving as part of the NATO force in southern Afghanistan, the alliance says. The deaths came after three British troops were killed by a roadside bomb this week in southern Helmand province. The Taliban launched its annual

spring offensive on Sunday, saying it would target foreign military bases and diplomatic areas. NATO is in the process of handing security operations to Afghan forces. Some areas have already been transferred. Just over 100,000 soldiers are still serving with Isaf; they are due to be withdrawn by the end of next year. The US-led International Security

Bodies Of Two US Pilots Found After Bishkek Crash KYRGYZSTA HE Kyrgyz government says it has T found the bodies of two US pilots after a military refuelling plane crashed in the Central Asian state on Friday. Search teams found the remains on yesterday morning, the emergencies ministry told news agencies. The search for the third member of the plane’s crew was continuing. The KC-135 Stratotanker vanished from radar over mountains some 160km (100 miles) west of Bishkek where it had taken off. Witnesses said they saw the plane, believed to have been laden with fuel at the time, explode in mid-air. The wreckage was scattered across a wide area. Officials at the US base at Manas, outside the capital Bishkek, have released no information on the cause of the crash. Kyrgyz officials said the plane had taken off from Manas with some 70 tonnes of fuel on board.

It crashed at around 15:00 local time (09:00 GMT), disappearing from radar near the village of Chaldovar. Kyrgyz media quoted some witnesses as saying they saw at least one pilot escape the burning plane. Doubt has been cast over the reports as the plane, like other cargo aircraft, did not have ejector seats. An unnamed defence official in Washington told the Associated Press that the plane had been on a refuelling mission to Afghanistan. Manas has been used by the US military since 2001 as a hub for its operations in Afghanistan. The United States is leasing the facility for $60m (£38.6m) a year and wants to extend the lease beyond its end date of June 2014. Kyrgyzstan is reluctant to extend the lease, saying the presence of the base is a threat to its security. Seven crew members died when a US civilian Boeing 747 cargo plane crashed at Bagram airbase in Afghanistan on Monday.

California’s Springs Fire Spreads WILDFIRE raging on the coast A of Southern California has nearly tripled in size inside 24 hours, engulfing an area of 43 sq miles (111 sq km). Firefighters have been using engines, aircraft, bulldozers and other equipment to battle the flames 50 miles (80km) northwest of Los Angeles. Dubbed the Springs Fire, it has damaged just 15 properties but thousands of others are at risk. Firefighters are counting on cooler weather and rain to help control it. Captain Mike Lindbery of the Ventura County Fire Department said early on Saturday that crews intended to take advantage of the change in the weather. “That will give us a chance because it’s going to really bring that fire activity down quite a bit,” he said. “I think we will make some significant progress.” After breaking out on Thursday, the fire quickly swept through the

Assistance Force (ISAF) released a statement saying simply yesterday’s bomb was an “improvised explosive device”. The statement did not give further details of the bomb’s location or the nationality of those killed, but police in Kandahar and unnamed US officials told

news agencies the troops were American. Faisal Javi, a spokesman for Kandahar’s governor, said the roadside bomb exploded in Mewand district, which has a strong Taliban presence, but he said the group had not yet claimed responsibility for plant-

ing the device. The deaths bring the toll for coalition troops in 2013 to 47, including 37 Americans. Most NATO troops are due to leave Afghanistan by the end of 2014 –– when all combat operations are due to finish –– although a small number will remain in support roles.

Hundreds Flee ‘Massacres’ In Baniyas, AlSYRIA UNDREDS of Syrians have fled H coastal areas where activists accuse government forces of carrying out massacres in a campaign of sectarian cleansing. Footage of mutilated and burnt bodies, allegedly from the town of Baniyas, have been posted online. Activists said 77 people had died in Baniyas, a day after 72 were killed at the nearby village of alBayda. The government said it had fought back “terrorist groups” and restored peace and security to the area. Meanwhile, Israel has said its warplanes carried out an air strike on Syria targeting weapons heading to Lebanon’s Hezbollah. It is the second time this year that the Israelis have carried out such strikes. Activists have reported two massacres in two days in the coastal area of central Syria. They say the first was at the Sunni village of al-Bayda, which was overrun by regime forces on Thursday. Activists groups have named 72 people they say were massacred in al-Bayda, some of them women and children. Now they are reporting similar scenes at the Ras al-Nabaa quarter

of the nearby coastal town of Baniyas, where they say at least 77 people died. They have posted gruesome video clips to back up their claims. Foreign news organisations are severely restricted in Syria, so accounts and videos from activists are difficult to verify. The BBC in neighbouring Lebanon says the clips show the bloodied and tangled bodies of women and children, some of them mutilated or partly incinerated. Hundreds of families are reported to have fled Baniyas southwards towards the city of Tartus, but activists say they have been blocked from taking shelter there. The pro-government militia known as the shabbiha are widely reported to be involved in the operation. According to the BBC, there is clearly a strong sectarian dimension to the reported actions. Local activist and opposition groups have accused the government of launching a campaign of sectarian cleansing. The operation is also being seen as a sign of President Bashar al-Assad’s determination to fight on and consolidate his government’s position. Mr Assad made a public appearance yesterday at Damascus University, state media reports. It broadcast showed footage of him unveiling a statue honouring

“martyred students”, surrounded by bodyguards and crowds of people. International efforts to tackle the violence have recently focused on the alleged use of chemical weapons by the regime. US President Barack Obama has described such actions as a “red line”, but he said on Friday that he did not envisage a situation where US troops would be sent to Syria. The US has floated the idea in recent weeks of arming the rebel forces. Analysts say the US and its allies are also discussing action including air strikes to enforce a no-fly zone, but Syria’s ally Russia is strongly opposed to such measures. In a statement, the US state department said it was “appalled” by the latest reported incidents. “We strongly condemn atrocities against the civilian population and reinforce our solidarity with the Syrian people,” it added. “As the Assad regime’s violence against innocent civilians escalates, we will not lose sight of the men, women, and children whose lives are being so brutally cut short. “Those responsible for serious violations of international humanitarian law and serious violations and abuses of human rights law must be held accountable.”

UNITED STATES Camarillo Springs area. It forced the closure of a section of the Pacific Coast Highway and threatened a naval facility. Some 1,000 firefighters were deployed to fight it. Local people were grateful so many homes had escaped the blaze. “It came pretty close,” Shayne Poindexter was quoted as saying by the Associated Press news agency. “All of these houses - these firemen did a tremendous job. Very, very thankful for them.” Jonathan Neira, a graduate student in a Newbury Park district, told the LA Times: “It was frightening. You could see the whole ridge on fire.” Properties in the Springs area were well prepared for the fire after years of planning. Homes were built with sprinkler systems and fireproof exteriors from the roofs to the foundations.

Jobbik Rally Against World Jewish Congress In Budapest HUNGARY UNGARY'S far-right Jobbik H party has staged a rally in central Budapest in protest at the capital's hosting of the World Jewish Congress (WJC) on Sunday. Several hundred supporters took part, despite attempts by the government to prevent it going ahead. Jobbik said the rally was a protest against what it said was a Jewish attempt to buy up Hungary. The party, which says it aims to protect Hungarian values and interests, is the third largest in parliament. It regularly issues anti-Semitic statements. The event in Budapest yesterday

was billed as a tribute to what organisers called the victims of Bolshevism and Zionism. "The Israeli conquerors, these investors, should look for another country in the world for themselves because Hungary is not for sale," party chairman Gabor Vona told the rally, according to Reuters news agency. Marton Gyongyosi said Hungary had "become subjugated to Zionism, it has become a target of colonisation while we, the indigenous people, can play only the role of extras". Last year, Mr Gyongyosi had sparked outrage by saying all government officials of Jewish origin should be officially listed, as they might be a "national security risk". 'Worrying sign'

Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai gestures as he addresses local and international media representatives at The Presidential Palace in Kabul… yesterday. Karzai has denied that CIA cash delivered each month to his office had been used to buy the support of warlords who could tip the country back into civil war. US Central Intelligence Agency has secretly handed over tens of millions of dollars to Karzai's office over the last decade, the New York Times said recently in a revelation that provoked anger in both Washington and Kabul. But Karzai said the bundles of cash –– allegedly packed in suitcases, backpacks and plastic shopping bags –– had been used for health care and scholarships, and that full receipts had been issued to the Americans. PHOTO: AFP

THE GUARDIAN, Sunday, May 5, 2013

BUSINESSAGRO

Rice farmers with Dr. Adesina at the Bakolori Irrigation Project during the inspection of the dry season farming in Zamfara state

Bakolori: Irrigation Scheme Going Green Again Stories by Fabian Odum VERYBODY eats food and nobody drinks “E crude oil,” declared Dr Akin Adesina, Nigeria’s Agriculture and Rural Development Minister as he expressed delight at the program made on-farm in parts of the northwest agricultural belt of Kebbi and Zamfara states during the week. And the evidence was there to speak for itself; the Bakolori dam of old may not have returned to its former glory of the 80s and 90s, no thanks to unhealthy neglect, but the partially running water in the canals are reaching more than 11,000 hectares for dry season rice and wheat cultivation. With 33,500 Bakolori farmers engaged in dry season farming, the spread of the lush green land of rice and wheat was almost as far as eyes can see. At least the portion the canals service with water from the dam, kilometres away,

was impressive. Beyond the Bakolori Irrigation Project, an additional 13,000 farmers have been captured in the registration data for the GES package of the federal government. In different rectangular sections, scattered all over the large hectares, swathes of rice plants could be seen drooping under the weight of maturing grains as school children and young men busy themselves scarring quella birds, which target the endosperm that are yet to harden. This dry season undertaking, according to Aliu Zaki, Intake officer, who has been in the service of the Sokoto Rima Basin Development Authority for the past 25 years, is in response to the encouragement of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. With farmers owning a minimum of between half

•••Agric Minister Wants ‘Economic Marshall Plan’ for Northern Nigeria Agriculture LATED by the results of E the pilot dry season rice farming project in the Bakolori irrigation scheme, where more than 35,000 farmers and farming families have busied themselves growing grains, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr Akinwumi

It has not been enough as more farmers want to key into this federal initiative but an assurance from the minister is that registration this an hectare and as much as five hectares to cul- season should continue so that the e-wallet tivate the entire area, the boost in production plan would be fully utilized. is inevitable. Gov. Abubakar Yari of Zamfara State said the Ibrahim Abubakar, Assisstant Director, cooperation with the Agriculture minister is Agricultural Transformation Agenda office in on course and the state is already partnering Zamfara State said in the project farmers even with the federal government to give the farmdo two crop cycles within the period. He ers the best in both production and marketargued this was only possible due to the minis- ing. ter’s programme to give improved seeds and He assured that the government would do all other inputs from private sector companies as in its power to ensure farmers have no regrets Masalaha to farmers. engaging in food production.

• Farmers Receive Inputs, Engage In Dry Season Cultivation

Adesina has called for an Economic Marshall Plan for Agriculture for the northern part of the country. Adesina, who canvassed this plan during the inspection of the dry season farming projects in northwest, said the region has the potential to make the coun-

try a net exporter of food; this potential has to be unlocked. Presently, Nigeria spends N1bn daily on rice and staggering amount on wheat and other food items but this must, according to him must be private sector driven.

Agric Extension, Credit Access Key To Transformation Agenda HE Provost of the Federal T College of Agriculture, Dr. Folake Oluwatoyinbo has said that for the Agricultural Transformation Agenda to make meaningful impact, the Minister of Agriculture must intensify searchlight on extension services of the agenda. Oluwatoyinbo, who argued that because agricultural extension service is an integral part of agricultural development, said it behooves on policy and decision makers to embrace rxtension services and workers to achieve result. She said that though the ATA began on a sound footing in 2012, if it was not well consolidated in 2013, the gains recorded so far might go down the drain. “There is need for intensification in the area of agricultural extension services so that more people at the grassroots level will know more about the agricultural transformation agenda. “Although farmers listen to radio but you need to go to them on their farms in the rural areas and really talk with them. “The face-to-face interaction would bridge the communication gap and make them understand better apart from them feeling appreciated by government with the feeling that decision makers really hold them in high esteem by such personal enlightenment visits” she said. The Provost of the oldest college of agriculture in the

country noted that the Federal Government had been doing a lot in the provision of agricultural credit facilities. “We need more education for farmers. An educated farmer is a better farmer because he is enlightened and can take informed decisions that will enhance agricultural productivity and farm output. “But, unfortunately a lot of our farmers are illiterates so there is need for them to be properly educated and

enlightened. “They must be enlightened to form viable cooperative groups to have access to loans and other credit facilities meant for them so that such incentives will not end up in the hands of fake farmers” Oluwatoyinbo said. She expressed the belief that the Federal Government through the Ministry of Agriculture was genuinely out to make agriculture an easy business for interested Nigerians.

IFAD Commits $88.5m To Agric Transformation Agenda, Says Nwanze HE President of T International Fund For Agricultural Development (IFAD), Dr. Kanayo Nwanze has disclosed that his organisation has committed $88.5m into supporting Nigeria’s Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA). In a release by Dr. Olukayode Oyeleye, Special Assistant on Media to the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Nwanze, who paid a visit to the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina on Thursday expressed appreciation to the Federal Government for his re-election. The IFAD President was delighted at the assurance of progress of ATA’s value chain development to which the the international

body has committed the fund. He noted that IFAD would design on-going projects in close collaboration with ATA. He assured that IFAD would remain focused on rural population in developing countries, particularly the rural agricultural population, for continued support. He observed that, although IFAD’s investment in poverty reduction is being reassessed, the organisation would, however, contribute – in the next three years – to moving 80 million people out of poverty, worldwide. Adesina, commended Dr. Nwanze for decentralising IFAD’s operations to the field. He said IFAD, as a development finance organisation, is making significant impact on smallholder farmers. He disclosed that ATA will reach 20 million

THE GUARDIAN, Sunday May 5, 2013

KALEIDOSCOPE

Let’s Translate Growth To Poverty Reduction, Says Ugwu-Oju Emeka Ugwu-Oju is the President, South East South South Professionals of Nigeria and Deputy Chairman, Nigerian Association of Cold Rolled Steel Manufacturers. In a chat with TUNDE AKINOLA he bears his mind on how to grow private sector to create employment for Nigerians to check poverty in the country. What are some factors that work against the public sector at the initial stage and what efforts can be made not to allow reoccurrence in the private sector? HE governance structure we have in the public sector, sometimes does not give room for meritocracy and continuity in projects implementation. Also lack of incentives, because one of the key things in the private sector is that of the profit motive; you try to do your business to ensure that your income is more than your cost. But you found out in government projects, because the amounts are budgeted every year, some people do not really care whether the business is profitable. Then when you add to the issue of federal character, some people would say; “it is now our turn to run this company” and “our turn,” means different thing to different people. It might mean let us bring in our own people as employees, even if they are not the right calibre. Of course, you are laying the foundation of the death of that project. These are part of the hindrances in our public sectors. But in the private sector, you are straightforward because you are in business to make profit. That is what we are saying when we ask government to give us the right environment. Government should also protect the interest of private sector even in policies that has to do with international trade. How indigenous is WEMPCO, does it have the capacity to produce other raw materials apart from steel? I think the history of WEMPCO is interesting. We have come a long way. A lot of the employees are Nigerians while few of them are Chinese. The group is also sensitive about ensuring that as many Nigerians as possible are employed because it is more economical to employ a Nigerian than a Chinese who will have to go home two or three times a year. We did not come here to run a charitable organisation, we are in business. Most of the technologies we use are from Germany, United States and China, so some of the nationals of these countries work with us in their different areas of specialisations. We are trying that as Nigerians learn the requisite skills, they can take over. We need to do what the Chinese are doing so we can take over the steel sector because this is more economical. At what point did the private sector come into steel production in Nigeria? The government at a point in time saw they could not do this alone, that was when they had the issue of setting committee on privatisation. The key sector was one of the areas that were put forward for privatisation. This of course mean transferring the ownership to the private sector but it looks like there have been a lot of challenges in that regard. Ajaokuta has been in and out of court for sometime; I cannot really say what the status is at the moment. Privatisation has not really gone the way it should. Be that it may, it is still a step in the right direction. There should be one or two government-funded projects that we think we could be able to turn around and position as part of our

backward integration strategy. Considering the level of steel production in the country, can you tell us how we got to this present level we have found ourselves? I think I should start by situating the context of development. For any productive steel has a major role to play. The materials used in productive activities are being made from steel. At a point in time, the level of steel they consume will gauge a country’s level of development. Even as at today, the foundation of any strong manufacturing economy is based on steel, it is under that concept that Nigeria wanted to have a strong steel sector and it was reflected in our earlier development plan, which led to where we have Ajaokuta Steel Mill and the other ones in Katsina and the rest. The plan seems to have been okay, but some things went wrong and as at today, Ajaokuta has not delivered. Most of the steel rolling mills are either comatose or waiting for revival in one way or the other. We have not been able to achieve much based on our plan, maybe because it was public sector based. We lack continuity in governance, we have a situation whereby funding are not provided as at when they should and we also have situations

Principal, Babcock University High School, Elder Timothy Adetayo (left), Ogun State Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Barrister Segun Odubela and wife of Ogun State Governor, Mrs Olufunso Amosun, at the opening ceremony of 4th annual Conference of Counselling Association of Nigeria, Ogun State Chapter held at the school, in Ilisan Remo, Ogun State.

whereby appointments are politicised. Like making a person the Managing Director of Ajaokuta without looking at how effective the person can be. Such has hindered us from the ability to deliver a strong steel sector. But that was yesterday, we are here today saying we can turn things around and that is what we have started doing because at the end of the day, you show what you can do, not talk. That is what WEMPCO Steel Mills (WSM) has done. It is a company built by the Western Metal Product Company Limited at Ibafo, Ogun State. It worth $1.5bn and capable of producing 700,000 metric tons of steel annually. WEMPCO is expected to boost Nigeria’s capacity in the production. The private sector can do a lot if enabling environment is provided for us to continue to do what we want. The World Bank Springs Meeting in US, how do you think the Bank can help our situation despite some misgivings on the part of most radical scholars? I am not a party to the people that will throw a blanket and say World Bank is this or that. As an institution, they must have gotten certain things right and some wrong. The world is a

learning curve. But I am more interested in the strategies discussed during the 2013 Spring Meetings. I attended in the capacity of a President of South East South South Professionals of Nigeria, where the emphasis was on the reduction of extreme poverty on the surface of the earth. Secondly, we focused on some indices of development that can aid the intervention of the bank. Yes, there have been instances of growth but it did not trickle down growth. Now the bank is ready to focus on that as an objective. We are going to focus on the 188 countries to ensure that there is growth, equity and inclusiveness. We should know that growth alone does not translate into reduction of poverty, but now we want to key in strategies that make this goal realisable, which involves impacting on our governance structure. One of the interesting things that came up at the event was that poverty could be reduced with labour. One has to be creative, we have to look at labour intensive jobs, and from there, the quality in living could improve. We should be joining issues at all levels and the media as well, because they have a major role to play. The bank has shown us what to do, ours is to make sure that growth leads to reduction of poverty level. We must put hands together to see this is done. The World Bank presidency, should it be retained by Americans alone? When we talk about World Bank, we are also talking about its sister bank, the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The bank is made up of at least, 188 countries; it did not fall out from the sky. Virtually every country in the world is a member. It is important the leadership is reflected in the representation of member countries, although the head of the bank is always an American, but most people want it to be evenly rotated. That was when Okonjo-Iweala contested for the bank’s presidency because people thought she was the most qualified. She got to the second highest position and we can say that was fair enough. If you are a member and your country cannot be represented, we can say that is wrong. Would you say the present administration has provided an enabling environment for the steel industry to thrive? I think with the kind of support we got from the government, it has been playing its role so far, but we still need more. The Coordinating Minister for Economy and Finance Minister, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala not only visited but also gave advice and we had some incentives given during the building stage in terms of exempting some of the materials used in the factory from payment of duty and others. The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Olusegun Aganga, Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Musa Mohammed Sada and Minister for Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke have been very supportive. The key material we use is gas, so NGC, which is a subsidiary with NNPC, have been ensuring that we get our gas supplied. What are some of the challenges you are envisaging at the moment? In every business, there are challenges but you have to strive to overcome them. That is what we do at WEMPCO. We have been relating excellently well with the community and Ogun State government has been supportive. The only thing we are looking at is the externality, which is where the Federal Government comes in. Government should give us external protection against

Representative of the Managing Director, Fidson Healthcare Plc, Abiola Adebayo (left), Chairman, Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, Lagos State, Akintunde Obembe and Special Guest of Honour, Dr. Obiora Chukwuka during the 2013 annual luncheon of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, Lagos State Branch at the Sheraton Hotel & Towers, Ikeja, Lagos.

THE GUARDIAN, Sunday, May 5, 2013

|61

KALEIDOSCOPE

Childbirth Spacing: For Healthy Mothers, Wealthy Nation Husbands have more often denied their wives childbirth spacing methods citing religious and cultural prohibitions. But they are wrong. Wole Oyebade reports. DAMU had paced the lobby of the Primary Healthcare Centre (PHC) for several hours expecting the good news. None of his wife’s six deliveries, six actually, had taken this long. So, what is going on? The door of the labour-room suddenly swung to the left and right from the middle; the doctor emerged as if he heard Adamu’s thought. Something had terribly gone wrong, Adamu could tell. Defeated look on the green-cladded middle-age doctor made his heart pound. Softly but firmly, the doctor spoke: “Inalilahi waina ilahi rajiuna (‘Surely we belong to God and to Him shall we return). We did our best but…” Adamu would not hear the rest. He passed out, losing his grip on the doctor’s overall. Revived some minutes later, Adamu wished he had never woken to the reality of living without the woman he most loved or the thought that she died giving birth. Beads of sweats trickled down his face as his mind groped in his darkest moment. Where does he go from here? How would he cope with six young children, plus the new arrival still screaming in a nearby crib? Life would never be the same again. He felt like dying! A mother of two and friend of the deceased, Amina was also occupied with the agony of losing a neighbour and childhood friend. “Maybe if Abu (Adamu) had allowed her rest a while, help her prevent the unwanted pregnancy and another labour barely 11 months after her last delivery, maybe she would not have died,” Amina thought aloud. According to the doctor, the patient had died of maternal complications typical of timing pregnancies too close together. She had a ruptured uterus and bled to death. The uterus was not elastic enough to contract efficiently after seventh number of pregnancies. In obstetrics and Gynaecology practice, anything less than an 18-month gap has been shown to reduce a woman’s life expectancy. The health risks of pregnancy rise dramatically after four. Each pregnancy increases the risk for postpartum bleeding and haemorrhage. “There are lots of women of child-bearing age that are yet to embrace childbirth spacing, otherwise called family planning (FP) methods. The more pregnancies and deliveries they attempt, the more their risk of dying. And we still seeing a lot of them,” the doctor said. He added that the female body though was designed to have many children, but it is instructive that too many pregnancies, pregnancy in women over age 35 and births too close together all increase the risk of maternal deaths and burden in the country. The doctor’s fears were confirmed by statistics

and findings shown at recent three-day training for state health educator on demand generation for family planning. It is no longer news that the country has maternal death ratio of 585:100,000. What may be new is that the women silently dying of avoidable maternal complications like Adamu’s wife cause one-third of the maternal deaths themselves. The corollary, according to Dr. Olubunmi Asa of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Nigeria, is that one-third of the maternal death ratio would have been prevented with childbirth spacing methods. Family planning, as described by the World Health Organisation (WHO), allows individuals and couples to anticipate and attain their desired number of children, the spacing and timing of their births. It is achieved through use of contraceptive methods and the treatment of involuntary infertility. A woman’s ability to space and limit her pregnancies has a direct impact on her health and well-being as well as on the outcome of each pregnancy. “Family planning benefits the health and wellbeing of women and families throughout the world. Using contraception can help to avoid unwanted pregnancies and space births; protect against STDs, including HIV/AIDS; and provide other health benefits.” Speaking at the training, organised by UNFPA in collaboration with Nigerian Urban Reproductive Health (NURHI) and Centre for Communication Program Nigeria (CCPN), Asa noted that over 30,000 women were dying of childbirth related causes and one in 23 women has lifetime risk of maternal death. The reason is that Nigeria (of about 167 million population, with 70 per cent below poverty line) has fertility rate of 5.7 per cent. In the northern part of the country, like in Kebbi and Sokoto, fertility rate is as high as eight children per person. Fertility rate in Nigeria, like her maternal and infant mortality ratio, is one of the highest in the world because less than 10 per cent of the population demand for contraceptives or plan their family, while 20 per cent among this group still have unmet needs of the FP commodities. Though many women desire as many children as possible, none wants them in quick succession like they are currently having. A baseline research finding in six major cities by NURHI revealed that the problem is indeed multifaceted. Major reasons against contraceptives, according to respondent (woman), are refusal by their husbands because “they see it as an opportunity to be promiscuous”, against their religious doctrines and culture. Others cited health or side effects of contraceptives and ignorance of available commodities or where to get them. Conducting an advocacy visit in Hausa community in Lagos, it was evident that though many women had moved from scepticism to acceptance of FP methods, the fear of their husbands is still the beginning of wisdom! Health Educator at Agege Local Government, Akinterinwa Tope told The Guardian that it was not unusual for women to seek childbirth spacing commodities in secrecy.

According to her, “They don’t want their husband to have knowledge of it and would usually deny it in public. We’ve found instances where the knowledge of FP by husbands had resulted in a serious fight in the family,” she said. A male respondent in the community explains why this is often the case. “Islam forbids family planning. It is a ploy by the West to control population.” Several of the male-folks interviewed on the matter gave related view, though would not mind childbirth spacing or outright stop to fertility “If Allah so wishes”. Islam, through the Holy Quran does not specifically refer to contraception or family planning, but in verses forbidding infanticide, the Quran warns Muslims, “Do not kill your children for fear of want; We provide sustenance for them and for you” (6:151, 17:31). Some Muslims, like our respondents, have interpreted this as a prohibition against contraception as well. Islamic scholars vary in their opinions about contraception, but only the most conservative scholars prohibit birth control in all instances. Some scholars of liberal view observed that some early forms of birth control were practiced during the lifetime of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, and he did not object to their appropriate use – such as to benefit the family or the mother’s health, or to delay pregnancy for a certain period of time. Virtually all scholars considered allowances for the mother’s health, and most allow for at least some forms of birth control when it is a mutual decision by husband and wife. Executive Director CCPN, Babafunke Fagbemi said in as much as FP promote the health of the woman and help the family raise the size it can cater for, it cannot be equated with a population control ploy. Fagbemi added that FP/childbirth spacing method is a way of life; an informed decision by an individual or a couple as to when to start having children and how much time in between births. She said it behoves on the health educators in all states to pass the right information across, create social acceptability of childbirth spacing and encourage couples to talk and take action in planning their families. UNFPA consultant, Dr Bimbo Kolawole highlighted a number of methods available in the country that a woman could choose from, guided by advice from the medical caregiver. They are pills, injectable, implant, intra-Uterine Device (IUD), male and female condom, Exclusive Breastfeeding Method (LAM), tubal libation (permanent method for women) and vasectomy (permanent method for men). Continuing, she side: “The best method of contraception is the one that best suits a woman. Some of the modern methods have side effects, though not signs of illness. Some women do not have them at all. A client should go back to her provider for help if the side effects bother her. If a FP method fails, it could be because it is not used correctly,” she said.

Communication and Advocacy Programme Analyst, UNFPA Nigeria, Adeola Olunloyo noted that education is one of the key benefits of having a smaller family. “Families with fewer children could afford to send their children to school and could mean economic empowerment for the women.” Olunloyo said further that the campaign of health educators should target the male folks as well as the women, see the positives of child spacing. “The burden of FP use is on women. We need to equip them with skills on how to start and talk about the FP with their partners. So women must be educated on the benefits. “Equip them with the right knowledge and to talk about it at the right time. Family planning methods are safe and effective and there is a method that best suits a family. For every woman you are able to make talk about FP with her partner, you have changed the life of an entire generation,” she said. In similar vein, Lagos State Family Planning Coordinator, Olajumoke Adebajo observed that community mobilisation is important in the FP sensitization campaign to correct erroneous beliefs. According to her, the right messages must be disseminated coupled with available methods. “We need to let them be aware that there are several health facilities in the LGAs where they can access information and free family planning commodities that is best suitable for the woman and the family irrespective of religious bias,” Adebajo said. Health Educator Sokoto State, Muhammed Hadi added that it is important for all Nigerians to know that childbirth spacing directly impacts the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Hadi’s conviction is not unconnected with the FP/MDGs link, as established at the training workshop. It became clear that when family is well planned, there is reduction of extreme poverty and hunger because they generate more wealth with fewer mouths to feed. Childbirth spacing also reduces the aggregate demand for increasing scarce food products. There is prolonged education that would have been cut short by unintended pregnancy. FP/Childbirth spacing also empowers women, because unintended pregnancy disrupt education, work and career plans. Evidence has shown that a woman alive, through better childbirth spacing approach, improves the chances of survival of their babies. Also with improved maternal health, there is decreased maternal death by as much as 30 per cent. Countries around the world, including Bangledash has done this. In the area of infectious diseases, FP prevents HIV/AIDs transmission because contraception is the best kept secret in their control. Preventing unwanted pregnancy is a factor in population growth that is most amenable to intervention. Global partnership for development –global investment in FP contributes to stronger collaboration among governments, organisations and groups.

TheGuardian

62 |Sunday, May 5, 2013

Sports Conscience, Nurtured by Truth

Doping: C Of A Feste Ingesting or injecting substances that boost human ability to outperform peers in sporting endeavours have been around for a while. From substances that were easily detected, modern designer drugs built to avoid easy detection and take more than one test to decipher have also emerged. The craze to win at all cost has also led to the birth of genetically modified athletes just as beasts used for sports have not been spared the doping ordeal. The ugly trend has smothered the reputation of sports and sporting icons and also put their lives on the line. ENO-ABASI SUNDAY, writes on the changing face of doping in world sports, its social effects and chilling health implications, which includes cancer and organ failure.

MERICAN sprinter, Marion Jones and cyclist, Lance Armstrong, Canadian sprinter, Ben Johnson, Russians Sergei Morozov and Denis Shiryakov, Nigeria’s short put thrower, Vivian Chukwuemeka, Jamaican athlete, Steve Mullings, all have one thing in common-they were all international sporting icons dancing with the stars before falling to earth, where they were slammed with life bans for violating doping rules. In the last few decades or thereabouts, the foundation of international sports, has been threatened by a litany of doping scandals, some of which have been of seismic proportions. Ranging from a bizarre prescription-drug incident that occurred before the Australian swimming team’s drowsy performance at the London 2012 Olympic Games, to Armstrong’s admittance that he cheated throughout his career, other events have led to many a spectator doubting the genuine ability of the champion on the podium and wondering whether the shiny medal handed out will not be retrieved years down the line. Disturbing as this may be, a different bent was, penultimate week, added to the picture when it emerged that Mahmood alZarooni, one of the trainers at the Godolphin stable in Newmarket, United Kingdom, had doped 15 racehorses on his stable, causing them to test positive to either ethylestrenol or stanozolol, both banned anabolic steroids. The trainer, who was effectively handed an eight-year ban by the British Horseracing Authority (BHA), admitted to making “a catastrophic error.” The BHA banned all 15 beasts that were subjected to doping and named in the case from competition for six months, from the date on which the tests were taken. This was, however, not the first time racehorses have been drugged. Records dating back to the ages, lend credence to the fact that human beings have always tried to suffer less, but achieve much, especially in the area of sports and combats. For instance, Scandinavian mythology posits that Norse warriors were fed a concoction called “butotens”, believed to be prepared from the amanita muscaria mushroom to boost their physical power a dozen times. This was at the risk of insanity. Also, the people of Gabon, according to German missionary and medical doctor, Albert Schweitzer, in the early 19th century could, after eating certain leaves or roots, labour all-day without feeling hungry, thirsty or tired and even display outward signs of happiness. Early in the 20th Century, specifically in 1924, then Arsenal Football Club of England manager, Leslie Knighton, played host to a prominent medical

practitioner and Harley Street consultant, who ended up offering his team what he described as “courage pills”, which was to be used for an upcoming match against West Ham United. Knighton, after being assured that the pills were very safe, accepted them and offered same to his wards. Shortly before the match kicked off, the boys swallowed their tablets but the match was postponed owing to heavy fog Upton Park. The entire team became extremely energetic, restless and frightfully thirsty as they were shepherded back to their home ground at Highbury. The scenario repeated itself the following week when the boys swallowed the drugs yet again and the match was postponed the second time. As revealed by Knighton in his 1948 memoir, when the London Derby FA Cup tie eventually held at the third attempt, the drugged up boys played a barren draw against the Hammers and thereafter rebelled against further drug use. The story recorded in the section headed, “I Dope Arsenal for a Cup Tie”, gave the impression that even though the manager and his team did not feel they were cheating at that time, they preferred to remain silent and tended to see the silver pills as a variant of normal practice as doping was then viewed as another psychological or medical boost. Drug use in sports, however, started being an issue in the 1960s. To date, Russia and the United States (U.S.) have set themselves apart as the highest patrons of performance enhancing drugs. Fittingly, a former U.S. weightlifting team doctor in the 20th century, John Ziegler (1917–1983), is reputed as the father of anabolic steroids. Ziegler, having allegedly learnt from his Russian days that the successes recorded by the Soviet weightlifting team were tied to their use of performance-enhancing drugs, came to the conclusion that the U.S. athletes were in need of chemical assistance to remain competitive. Consequently, Ziegler got CIBA Pharmaceutical Company to develop an oral anabolic steroid for the U.S. team’s use. This led to the production of methandrostenolone, which appeared in the market in 1960. In that year’s Olympics Games in Rome, a Danish cyclist, Knud Enemark Jensen, collapsed and died while competing in the 100-kilometer (62-mile) race, and an autopsy later confirmed that amphetamines and a drug called nicotinyl tartrate were present in his system. VER the years, doping has been scientifically improved with O billions of Dollars going into efforts to beat its easy detection and concealment of the crime. Largely the athletes, their managers, partners, sponsors as well as family members, who crave for success at all cost for the athletes, perpetrate this. Examples are the Bay Area Laboratory CoOperative (BALCO) as well as the Armstrong/U.S. Postal Service scandals. There are a cocktail of sporting drugs that professional athletes resort to in a bid to improve their performances. This ranges from peptide hormones to analogues and anabolic steroids and their basic functions include increasing the size of muscles or facilitating its growth. Currently, epoietin alfa, shortened as EPO, tetrahydrogestrinone, also known as THG and nandrolone rank among the most used by professional athletes. EPO multiplies the amount of red blood cells in the body, which in turn carry oxygen round and makes it easier for the athletes to do exercises. THG improves the body’s ability to compete by reducing tiredness and building muscles while nandrolone, a hard to detect steroid, increases the size of the athlete’s muscles. For instance, Armstrong, one of the greatest dopes of all times, but who claims not to be a cheat, admitted using ery-

THE GUARDIAN Sunday, May 5, 2013

Changing Face ering Sore thropoietin, a blood booster, and steroids as well as blood doping and human growth hormones. The American, who claimed he did not feel bad about it and was never afraid of being caught, further admitted that his drug use was fuelled by a “ruthless desire to win” at all cost. As time pass by, many athletes have devised ways of avoiding testing positive for doping use by employing various methods ranging from urine replacement, which involves replacing dirty urine with clean urine from someone, who is not taking banned substances or using diuretics to cleanse the system before having to provide a sample. All these are in addition to the emergence of designer drugs, which require extra effort and time before they can be detected. Another area in which enhancement has been witnessed in the ignoble doping trade is the emergence of genetically modified athletes, whose genes are altered to make them stronger or something close to superhuman. There were fears that the London 2012 Olympics witnessed the participation of such genetically modified athletes. To arrive at this, the athletes’ genes are altered to enable them build muscles and sinew, as well as boost the oxygen-carrying abilities of their blood. According to scientists, “most gene modification techniques involve placing genetically modified Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) inside a virus and injecting it into the human body. The virus then enters human cells, and its modified DNA attaches itself to the human DNA inside those cells. With this step and other processes, it may well be possible for athletes to use a virus to introduce a gene that spurs the production of oxygen-carrying red blood cells or muscle-building hormones. And the heightened blood cell counts or hormone levels might simply appear to the doping agencies to be the product of an extraordinary athlete’s body. In 1999 after a series of doping scandals rocked the sporting world, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) was created to, among other things, promote, coordinate and monitor the fight Okon against doping in world sports. Governed and funded by both the Olympic Movement and governments from around the world, WADA has struggled to discharge its role of ensuring that athletes have a fundamental right to participate in dopingfree sport. The body has also appeared not too successful in impressing on international athletes the fact that doping endangers their health and sports’ integrity. Added to this, evidence abound that tests are being developed to detect the emergence of genetically modified athletes, but at the moment, WADA does not have one. This takes the body steps backward in its bid to fight doping as criminal elements are now resorting to this sophisticated way of cheating. Anna Baoutina, a senior research scientist at the National Measurement Institute in Sydney, while speaking at the Tackling Doping In Sport conference in London, tacitly confirmed that genetically modified athletes might have competed in London 2012, as there was no gene test in place for the Games. While speaking to journalists, she revealed that: “The major advantage of gene doping is that it is very difficult to detect compared to drug doping. The doping gene is very similar to natural cells Osayomi

found in the body... We are developing methods to fight it.” Currently, Olympics officials are relying on the success of their newly introduced “biological passport” to keep track of athlete’s overall physiological profile. This device, triggers an alarm if anything about it changes in a suspicious manner, for example if the athlete’s everyday hormone levels take an unusual leap. The numerous scenarios above provide silhouettes of the transnational threat posed by doping to professional sport. With Ajunwa many hundreds of doping cases taking place across the world, especially in major competition years, claims of not being cheats advanced by people like Armstrong, further call to question, the issue of fair play as well as that of integrity. Germany, Amaka Ogoebgulam, Gloria Kemasuode, Toyin Augustus and Chukwuemeka all tested positive to banned subNLY last week, Nigeria received the balance of gold medals stances. This was the same year Marian Adedun and Durotoye won by the country’s 4X400 metres relay team at the 2000 Adetuyi were suspended by the world athletics ruling body Sydney Olympic Games, following the disqualification of the U.S. IAAF for testing positive to banned steriods. team, who were the original winners over, dope violations. The year 2010 was particularly a terrible year for Nigerian The remaining gold medals are for the late Sunday Bada, Jude sports as seven of the country’s athletes tested positive to Monye and Clement Chukwu. Enefiok Udo-Obong, the other banned substances. member of the squad, had earlier received his medal, as he was At the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi, India, that year, the first to return his silver medal to Nigeria won a record 12 gold medals. But this feat was soiled by the International doping cases involving elite athletes like Damola Osayomi, Olympic Committee Folasade Abughan and 110m hurdler, Samuel Okon, who tested (IOC). positive to banned stimulant methylexanemine. Osayomi had Udo-Obong, who had to part ways with her 100m women gold, while Abughan, a forturned in his silver mer junior world champion had to return the two silver medal in October 2012, medals she won in the women 400m flat and relay. said upon the receipt of Many still believe that the AFN is not doing enough to educate the gold medal, “I feel these athletes on the chilling effects of doping. very happy, I am elated For the President of the Nigerian Universities Games (NUGA), by this development. It Dr. Ken Anugweje, drug cheats apart from the fleeting gains shows that destiny can that accrue to them, are saddled with immense moral burden only be delayed but of getting a competitive edge through unfair means. cannot be denied…” he But most importantly, they are also faced with a groundswell said. of medical challenges. For instance, female athletes are bound Nigeria’s elevation to to experience cases of cancer and infertility, development of the top position male characteristics like facial beards, male-type muscles and meant that Jamaica male-type baldness. Their gonads are also prone to malfuncwas promoted to siltion, while they also run the risk of kidney and liver failure. ver and the Bahamas “Male athletes who dope are also susceptible to infertility and team became the cancer as well as organ failure because their kidney and liver bronze medal winare negatively impacted by the substances they abuse.” ner. Anugweje, who is also Director, Doping, Medical and Scientific However, despite Research of AFN, warned that doping, in severe cases, could recently profiting lead to outright stoppage of the working of the heart leading from the indiscreto a heart attack. tion of the U.S. team, The NUGA boss, who was a member of Team Nigeria’s medical Nigeria, as an integral part of the world’s personnel to the London 2012, maintained that the pressure to sporting fraternity, has had her own excel at all cost and the desire to always win, were some of the macabre compendium of banned drug factors that have allowed doping to continue to fester. users, and they range from nondescript to Even though he noted that doping couldn’t be wished away, high-profile athletes. he expressed hope that the advent of new testing methods may Chukwuemeka, who got a life ban from succeed in reducing the incidence of this extreme behaviour. the Athletics Federation of Nigeria While also cautioning athletes against yielding to the tempta(AFN) for doping at the National Athletics tion of doping, he stressed that the unregulated sale of preChampionship in Calabar, Cross River scription drugs in outlets across the country was not helping State, in the build up to the London 2012 matters as some athletes unknowingly fall into the trap once Olympics, has continued to remonstrate they procure the so-called “nutritional supplement”. insisting she was innocent. Anugweje’s views, tally with that of a report in the British The national short put thrower, who was Medical Journal (BMJ). According to the report crafted by the dropped alongside Lauretta Ozoh, (who British Medical Association (BMA), routine use of performance also tested positive to banned subenhancing drugs, expose athletes to dire health risks including stances), was visited with the life ban imminent death. after her B sample returned positive too. Noting that the motivation to take dope range from media She got the maximum sentence having pressure to win to hefty pecuniary rewards, the report failed the dope test the maximum num- bemoaned the ease of acquiring these illicit drugs through the ber of times. internet as well as the black market. Chioma Ajunwa, Nigeria’s first and “Sportsmen and women should be encouraged to have longonly individual Olympic gold medalist, term medical monitoring after giving up competition work who won the women’s long jump event whether or not they were using drugs at certain times in their at the 1996 Olympic games, was in 1992, career, since intensive sport may lead to health problems,” the banned for four years after failing a report stated. drug test. It also recommended a development where professional athStill insisting that “I never one day letes should, as a matter of necessity, keep a drugs passport, went to the chemist to buy something which would be updated regularly with their testing history, to take to enhance my performance,” stressing that athletes participation in competitions, should be the 42-year-old police chief and first dependent on this scheme. African woman to claim the top spot The report also advised that athletes banned for doping in a field event now runs drug aware- should be made to undergo rehabilitation programmes before ness campaigns to help young being admitted back into the sport, adding that “doctors Nigerian athletes. should be involved in advising on the development and conIn 2009, the year of the World Championships in Berlin, tent of the rehabilitation programmes.”

TheGuardian

sunday, May 5, 2013

Conscience, Nurtured by Truth

kenyans Hit Jackpot At Okpekpe road race, Oshiomhole Finishes 131st From Gowon Akpodonor, Auchi WO kenyans, Moses Masai and romo Georgina, pocketed t the sum of $45, 000 after finishing top in both the male and female categories at the maiden 10km Okpekpe road

Arsenal’s Spanish midfielder Mikel Arteta (left) vies with Queens Park Rangers’ Camerounian midfielder, Stephane Mbia during their English Premier League match at Loftus Road in London yesterday. PHOTO: AFP

race yesterday in Edo state. the state Governor Adams Oshomhiole who competed in the race finished in the 131st position ahead some local athletes. the Okpekpe road race, which attracted top runners from various African countries and the world, saw Masai crossing the finish line in a time of 27 min 39 sec to clinch the $25, 000 top prize. A Ugandan, timothy tioitich was second and smiled home with $15, 000, just as Yusuf Bitwott (kenyan) and Abere Chane Lema (Ethiopia) finished third and fourth respectively. they got $10, 000 and $8,000. the first nigerian to finish the race was ismailia sadjo. He finished 7th overall in 31min 06 sec to pocket $2, 000. Another nigerian, Adamu Maizu finished 8th and went home with the $1,000 prize money. in the women’s category, kenya’s romo beat two Ethiopians to the top prize of $20, 000. romo finished the race in a time of 33 min, 01.14 seconds. Ethiopia’s duo of Deku Ahmed and safia sherusu came second and third respectively in a time of 34min 31sec and 36min 11 sec respectively to go home with $10, 000 and $5, 000. the first nigerian girl to cross the finish line was Deborah Palm (37min 34 sec). she was ahead two other nigerians, Jenet Dung and Olowora Aminat. the Governor was the main attraction in the race. He finished in the 131st position ahead of many athletes who fell by the way side. Edo indigenes also got special reward at the event. in the male category, Osheku Lawrence got n100, 000 for coming first, Moses Edetanien got n75, 000 for finishing second, Victor Yimlang finished third and went home with n50, 000 while Akenbor Eghosa who finished fourth got n25, 000. in the female category, Queensly Asezo came first and got n70, 000, isamaye Odion got n50, 000 for finishing second, Ajayi Mary Yinka got n25, 000 for finishing third while Osaremhen Ogbeifun, who finished fourth got n20, 000. However, one sour point of the event was the overzealous attitude displaced by some policemen, who prevented officials of the Athletics Federation of nigeria (AFn) from getting to the finish line on time for presentation of the medals. the AFn officials, including the secretary General, Maria Worphill were stopped at ibie junction leading to Okpekpe Village by the police team led by one Jonathan Acha. the athletes and the officials had gone ahead and the AFn officials were taking the medals to the finish line for presentation when they were stopped. All pleas by the secretary to let the team continue its journey were rebuffed by Acha, who claimed that the order to block the road came from above. But in all, the race was a huge success and the people of Okpekpe were full of praise for Governor Oshiomhole for bringing the entire world to the area. top nollywood stars were part of the race.

Wigan’s Win Gives Hope For Another Escape iGAn’s annual role as the Barclays Premier League escape artists was reprised again as they won 3-2 at West Brom yesterday. time and again roberto Martinez’s men have ended the season strongly to stay up, but going into saturday’s meeting five points shy of the rest, they looked in trouble. that situation didn’t improve when shane Long tucked in Markus rosenberg’s cross for the Baggies, but Arouna kone levelled before the break. Gareth McAuley put West Brom ahead again five minutes after the restart but Wigan equalised through James McArthur (58) and won it when

Callum McManaman scored with 10 minutes left. the Latics now have 35 points, three less than norwich whose dismal 2013 continued as they were beaten 2-1 by Aston Villa. Gabriel Agbonlahor scored both goals for the visitors, who ensured Paul Lambert enjoyed a happy return to his old club. Grant Holt netted a penalty to make it 1-1, but norwich are now in trouble, compared to Villa whose two wins in a week have pushed them out to 40 points. tottenham enjoyed a good day in the race for a top-four place as they beat southampton 1-0. spurs were struggling to find

a goal at White Hart Lane until Gareth Bale unleashed a stinging 20-yard winner to put them into fourth ahead of Arsenal, with the Gunners taking on QPr in the late game. A 0-0 draw at West Ham leaves newcastle in bother on 38 points. Papiss Cisse came closest to breaking the deadlock on an afternoon of few clear-cut opportunities, with the senegal international seeing a first-half effort cleared off the line by Winston reid. Already relegated reading went goal crazy at Fulham, winning 4-2. Hal robson-kanu’s early penalty put the royals on their way to giving nigel Adkins his first

win in charge, with the Wales international doubling his tally (62). Bryan ruiz gave Fulham a lifeline eight minutes later but Adam Le Fondre replied and, even though ruiz scored again (77), Jem karacan wrapped things up for reading. there was no such drama at swansea, though, as the Capital One Cup winners played out a meek draw with Manchester City. swansea, who are now without a win in seven games, enjoyed the better of the opening half but were aggrieved that Cheshire official Jones opted not to award them a penalty when Matija nastasic

Published by Guardian newspapers Limited, rutam House, isolo, Lagos tel: 4489600, 2798269, 2798270, 07098147948, 07098147951 Fax: 4489712; Advert Hotline Lagos: 7736351, Abuja: 07098513445 All correspondence to Guardian newspapers Limited, P.M.B. 1217, Oshodi, Lagos, nigeria. (issn nO 0189-5125) Editor: E-mail letters@ngrguardiannews.com ABrAHAM OBOMEYOMA OGBODO • A member of the Audit Bureau of Circulation •ABC

clattered into Michu. City wasted two wonderful chances to claim the three points through Edin Dzeko and David silva, adding to their frustration after Jones turned away appeals when the Bosnian went over Chico Flores just inside the box.

Results EPL Fulham 2- 4 reading norwich 1- 2 Aston Villa swansea 0- 0 Man City West Brom 2- 3 Wigan West Ham 0- 0 newcastle tottenham 1- 0 southampton Bundesliga Frankfurt 3 - 1 F/ Dusseldorf Hannover 2 - 2 Mainz nurnberg 0 - 2 Leverkusen stuttgart 0 - 2 Greuther Furth Bremen 2 - 2 Hoffenheim

Zenith Bank Basketball League

First Bank, First Deepwater, others win By Adeyinka Adedipe irst BAnk Basketball Club Fphase of Lagos began the second of the Zenith Bank

Basketball League with a 77-39 point victory over Plateau rocks yesterday in Asaba. the former champions remain unbeaten but current champions, First Deepwater Basketball Club recorded the most outstanding result of the day beating FCt Angels 8634. First Deepwater is also unbeaten and both teams have been kept apart by the new league format only likely to meet on the final day of the season in Lagos. For Coach Adewunmi Aderemi of First Bank, regaining the title his team lost three seasons ago is the target while First Deepwater’s Lateef Erinfolami will hope to propel his team to its fourth title in a row. in other games played, Customs defeated Coal City Queens 70-38, Dolphins beat Benue Princess 72-52 while AHiP Queens beat Gt-2000 5444.