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Sunday, May 12, 2013

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Votes Must Count In 2015 Polls, Says Buhari • Delegates Dissolve CPC, Endorse Merger • Government Has Failed — Buhari From Adamu Abuh, Abuja RESIDENTIAL candidate of P the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) in the 2011 presidential polls and former Head of State, Gen Muhammadu Buhari(rtd), has said there is no more room for “rigging, vote thievery and general impunity that have become the norms and standard practices during elections in the country.” Buhari spoke yesterday at the national convention of CPC, which held at the Eagles Square, Abuja. He reiterated the opposiCONTINUED ON PAGE 2

NEWS 5

Member CPC Board of Trustees, Alhaji Sule Hamma; Chairman, Prince Tony Momoh; and former Presidential Canidtate, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, at the party’s Mid-term National Convention NAN PHOTO in Abuja…yesterday.

Gunmen Kidnap Supreme Court Justice’s Wife, Daughter

Pressure Mounts Over N106b Housing Fund Contribution By Marcel Mbamalu (News Editor), Nkechi Onyedika (Abuja) and Tosin Fodeke (Lagos) GAIN, the National A Housing Fund (NHF) is in the eye of the storm: workers under the contributory scheme are angry over what they refer to as the “uncertainty and difficulty” on the path to getting refund and access to housing loans in the country. But the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN), which drives the process, says ignorance among contributors, is at the heart of their inability to access their entitlements, as the bank has facilitated thousands of housing loan portfo-

•Govt Workers Kick Against Deductions • We Will Engage Govt — TUC • Federal Mortgage Bank Allege Ignorance lios and refunds in the last few years. Employees of some ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) and subscribers to the fund, who spoke to The Guardian, at the weekend, said there is uneasy calm among the workers, now angling for a “possible showdown.” Although there are pockets of

complaints about the scheme in private-sector organisations, The Guardian also learnt that office of the Head of Service, Budget Office, the Accountant General’s Office and the Ministry of Works, among others, are most affected by this new wave of demand. An official of the Independent National

Electoral Commission (INEC) yesterday said the workforce, having observed the difficulties encountered by their retired colleagues in securing the facility, are now eager to discontinue with the contributions but cannot muster a united front to prevail on their organisation. “There are, at least, three people who retired three years

ago but could not access any fund and nobody is talking to them about how to go about this. “The problem is that my office is not in Union. If not for this challenge, we would have constituted a pressure group and pushed for this; but we are frustrated,” she said. Yet, contributing workers decry lack of ‘transparent” path to accessing Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeriafacilitated loans. There is “uneasy calm” within the ranks of the employees over the deductions for the NHF. The official, who said she has been working for INEC since 2007 decried failure of

the FMBN to engage in robust sensitisation campaign to help contributors access the fund. Conceding that the FMBN “has its own challenges,” President of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Comrade Peter Esele, however urged Nigerians not to throw away the baby with the bathwater. He urged workers to be more strategic in dealing with the housing issue and mount “enough” pressure on the Federal Government to deliver on Housing. “We should not throw away the baby with the bathwater. I

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TheGuardian

2 | Sunday, May 12, 2013

Conscience, Nurtured by Truth

Southeast Govs Meet Over 2015 From Lawrence Njoku, Enugu OVERNORS of the G Southeast geo-political zone met in Enugu yesterday to articulate the position of the zone on the Southern Nigeria political leaders meeting holding today in Asaba, the Delta State capital. Although there was no official confirmation to the positions reached by the governors, sources said the Enugu

meeting, which lasted for over four hours, deliberated extensively on the role of Ndigbo in 2015 dispensation, stressing that such position would be presented today, when the leaders of the 17 southern states meet in Asaba. At the meeting were Governors Peter Obi (Anambra), Martin Elechi (Ebonyi), Theordore Orji (Abia), Sullivan Chime (Enugu) and Deputy Governor of Imo state, Eze Mmadumere.

There were also others in the meeting including, Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Emeka Ihedioha Senator Ayogu Eze,Senator Uche Chukwumerije, Minister of Power,Professor Chinedu Nebo, a representative of the traditional institution of the zone, the clergy led by Dr Amos Madu, the archbishop of Enugu Ecclesiastical Province, Anglican communion, among others.

But Governor Obi, who is also the chairman of South East governors forum, who emerged after the closed door meeting told Journalists that the meeting discussed about the visit of President Goodluck Jonathan as well as the burial

ATIONAL chairman of the All Delegates Dissolve CPC, Endorse Merger NNigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), Dr Ogbonnaya Onu has

past 14 years the ruling Peoples Democratic Party tion’s resolve not to allow the (PDP) has been in power. He noted: “The government mayhem government deliberately creates in order to cover has failed in almost everything; it has proved it cannot up guilt. secure the country; there is He said: “We have resolved insecurity everywhere. There that, henceforth, our votes must all be counted… And we is spiralling lawlessness all over the country. There is declare that this nation has now resolved through its unit- widespread and rising povered opposition that it will never, ty and unemployment across the length and breath of the again, tolerate or allow the country. There is a complete mayhem the government deliberately creates in order to and total decline in the qualcover up its guilt, obscure the ity of social services and an irremediable dilapidation in issues and blame the opposithe nation’s socio-economic tion in order to deceive infrastructure across board.” gullible folks. And we will no Delegates at the convention longer be intimidated by anyunanimously endorsed the one.” party’s merger with other Lamenting the rot in the polity, he assured that an APC- political parties to form the led government would tackle All Progressive Congress (APC). the multi-faceted problems The decision followed adopbesetting the country in the

tion of a motion moved by a member of the board of trustees, Alhaji Sule Yahaya Hamma, and seconded by Chief Oskar Udoji. Earlier, a motion moved by Vice Presidential candidate of the party, Pastor Tunde Bakare, calling for the dissolution of the CPC received the nod of delegates. Buhari, who particularly described the occasion as historic, since several political parties have resolved to come together to change Nigeria for the better, assured that once the APC comes on board, the yearnings and aspirations of Nigerians for good governance would be achieved.

governors. President Goodluck Jonathan will be embarking on a working visit to the Southeast zone of the country within the week. Obi added that the visit formed the reason for the emergency meeting.

Onu Charges ANPP Supporters Not To Be Afraid From Isah Ibrahim, Gusau

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plans of literary icon, Late Professor Chinua Achebe. Achebe, he restated would be buried on May 23, this year at his family compound in Ogidi, Anambra state, stressing that the meeting was basically the review plans already made by the burial committee and the

called on members of the newly formed political party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), not to be deterred by threats from any quarter, as the hands of God is with the party. While addressing 6,054 delegates from the 36 states of the federation and Abuja in Gusau, Zamfara State capital, yesterday, at the party’s 2013 National Convention, the chairman disclosed that the time has come to change the baton, so that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) would be in the list of opposition parties, considering its failure to transform the political development of the country for better. In a solidarity message, chief

Bisi Akande, national chairman of the Action Congress of Nigeria and one of the brains behind the merger plans said the challenge is to reorganise the country and save it from imminent collapse under the poor leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party. In a similar message, Femi Fanikayode, a former aide of Olusegun Obasanjo said he congratulates the ACN, CPC and ANPP on their various conventions and their final resolutions to merge into the new party called the APC. He said the merger provides hope for Nigeria and represents the only vehicle and platform that can deliver the country from the hands of the PDP and the Jonathan administration. Onu said: “…do not be afraid, for what we are doing today in this Convention, it shall give birth to a new life that will pro-

duce something bigger for the happiness of all and the good of our country. We are on the move. The hand of God is with Onu. said us,” He noted that the merger, when fully realised, would strengthen the unity of the country as one people with a common destiny, to work and defeat the bad governance led by PDP in the past fourteen years. He pointed out that APC would seek and pursue the happiness of all Nigerians, particularly the weak, the poor, the oppressed and the disadvantaged among the citizens. While confessing that the project is being encountered with challenges, he was quick to maintain that efforts are being made by all the stakeholders to overcome the challenges, which will eventually lead to the victory of the project.

Govt Workers Kick Against Housing Deductions CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 think the NHF has its own challenges. But I urge the Unions to be alive to their responsibilities. Let’s come together and see how we can access the fund,” Esele urged Ngerian workers. The TUC boss also disclosed that his team recently held discussions with a developer, who acquired thousands of acreage in Bauchi with a view to making the resultant houses available to workers. “Yesterday, I met a developer, who acquired thousands of acreage in Bauchi and they are asking people to come and take it over. I also met another developer in Abuja. We are going to engage FMBN to see how this is going to be mortgaged,” Esele stressed. Esele, who urged government agencies involved to be more vigorous in creating awareness on means of accessing the fund, however, urged subscribers to the scheme to be ready to do the necessary paper work. There is no enough awareness but we should try and ensure that the programme doesn’t become elitist, going out of the reach of the average worker. We need to be strategic.” Meanwhile, sources at the FMBN said about N106 billion has been realised as contributions into the National Housing Fund (NHF) as at March 2013. Established in by Act N0 3 of 1992, NHF is a mandatory contributory scheme for all Nigerians including the selfemployed to create access to affordable mortgage financing for home ownership.

The Act mandates all Nigerians earning a minimum monthly salary of N3,000.00 to contribute 2.5 percent of their monthly salary to the fund. However, the scheme currently has only 3,772,031 contributors. Information obtained from the Corporate Affairs unit of FMBN in Abuja indicates that out of the amount, about N100billion has been disbursed since inception of the scheme to March 2013 with 73,676 eligible contributors as beneficiaries. A breakdown of the figure showed that about N40 billion was disbursed by FMBN to Primary Mortgage Institutions for the financing of housing for 22,246 beneficiaries while about N60billion was granted as Estate Development Loan to some private developers, State owned housing corporations and the Federal Housing Authority for the construction of 36,348 housing units across country. the The Guardian gathered that cumulative number of refunds made since inception of the scheme till March 2013 is N1.7billion. about A document made available to The Guardian indicates that Nigeria has a national housing deficit of 16 million units for its over 160 million population and a home ownership rate of only 25 percent. It was gathered, at the weekend, that eight of the 36 states of the “Federation” and some MDAs are not participating in scheme. the The states are Lagos, Oyo, Ondo and Ekiti, Kano, Sokoto, Benue Edo. and Although Lagos and some of the other states were initially part of the scheme, the later

opted opted out. “We are working to ensure that all the states participate in the Scheme,” a senior management personnel of he FMBN said. According to the source, there is high incidence of cases where, organisations and ministries deduct NHF contributions from their staff salaries “but fail to remit same or in some cases, not remit the amount in full.” FMBN, it was revealed, is working to identify critical defaulters and make example of them. “We have visited several organisations to sensitise the staff on the need to follow up these deductions and ensure that they are remitted. We are also persuading organisations to voluntarily comply with the NHF Act because this is not a tax, but deductions from workers salaries. We want to exhaust the option of persuasion; but if they continue to default, we will embark on prosecution as last option.” On agitations by some contributors who have not benefited from the scheme, despite having contributed for several years, the source said: “Most of the agitations were born out of ignorance, the FMBN, as the apex mortgage institution in the country, channels the loans through accredited Primary Mortgage Institutions (PMIs) and most of these individuals have never approached any PMI to find out conditions they have to fulfill in order to access the mortgage. We are sensitising Nigerians on this”. On the Informal Sector Housing Cooperative

Scheme launched in 2011, The Guardian gathered that a total of 931 co-operatives have been registered from 2011 to April 2013, with 15,706 members and about N42 million raked in by the FMBN. According to NHF Act, mortgage facility is granted to beneficiaries who are Nigerians above the age of 18 through accredited PMIs and such individuals must be contributors to NHF for a minimum period of six months with satisfactory evidence of regular flow of income to guarantee loan repayment. With a minimum of 16 million housing units required nationally to meet the present shortfall, industry experts have questioned government’s sincerity in tackling the challenges of housing. They claim that, with about 500 housing units demolished in Abuja and several others in Lagos and other parts of the country, the action of government agencies does not reflect its concern about how to close this deficit. Although recent figures from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) reveal that Nigeria’s housing shortfall hovers between 12 and 14 million residential units, real estate experts maintain that 16 million housing units are required, going by calculation that there are 160 million Nigerians and 30 percent of the population are working adults. Various ideas, such as alternative building materials, mortgage finance, public private partnership and financial support packages have all been put forward by experts. But Federal Government appears to have set its sight on mortgage finance.

THE GUARDIAN, Sunday, May 12, 2013

NEWS

Telecom: Dual SIM Phones Poses Challenge For Number Porting By Adeyemi Adepetun ITH about three weeks into the formal launch of Mobile Number Portability (MNP) in Nigeria, investigations by The Guardian have revealed consumer apathy to the process. Investigations revealed that apart from poor education about how the process works; its newness to the Nigerian environment; the processing periods and in particular, decrease in the quality of service offered by all the operators including MTN Nigeria; Airtel; Globacom and Etisalat, most Nigerians could said to have already ported, as most go about with dual SIMs phones

or an outright three to four mobile phones for each of the networks available. Apart from the likes of Nokia, Samsung, LGs, RLGs that have introduced dual SIM phones into the Nigerian market; new entrant into the market — Techno Mobile — has changed the dynamics of the market, with its recently launched four SIMs mobile phone, by so doing, compounding the woes of MNP adoption in the country. A visit to Computer Village by The Guardian and survey conducted revealed that about 55 per cent of those buying phones go for dual SIM phones.

NATIONAL Indeed, with so much noise made on the day of its launch in the country by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), many Nigerians are undecided about the process, because they already carry multiple mobile devices. It could be said that most Nigerians have already ‘ported’ with their dual Sim phones. MNP, which is the process that enables mobile telephone users to retain their mobile telephone numbers when changing from one mobile network operator to another came into Nigeria in

2013, when the about 35 million subscribers in 2004 had to cope with the challenge of quality of Service provisioning in the country. The Guardian had reported that Nigeria is the 64th country to port numbers, after the likes of Singapore, which pioneered it in 1994; New Zealand; USA; Ghana; South Africa and others. A visit to two of MTN service outlets revealed that subscribers are yet to really give the process the needed trial. An official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, told The Guardian that “people have not really embraced the process. Though some have

President Goodluck Jonathan (middle), with President Jacob Zuma of South- Africa (right), and Gov. Peter Obi (left) at a meeting in Cape Town, South-Africa…on Wednesday.

come and done it. Others expressed concern about the porting period, saying they cannot wait for two days or be tied to a network for 90 days before they could switch if the need arises.” One particular subscriber said he has all the four networks on two dual SIM phones, stressing that porting will be an exercise in futility. At Airtel service outlet, the same scenario was painted. An official, who simply gave her name as Tonia, said, “I think more awareness still need to be created. We have seen so many subscribers, who have actually ported from competition and move to our network, but most Nigerians use dual SIM phones, so they may find it tough to port.” The same story was also painted at both Globacom and Etisalat’s service outlets. A subscriber by the name Gbenga Adenekan complained bitterly that he had announced its intention to port from its Airtel network to MTN, after visiting the outlet, but for about one and half weeks now, the process that was to take two days is yet to be completed. He urged the regulator to look into such cases. Indeed, the Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, Dr. Eugene Juwah, had said that any porting process that didn’t sail through within 48 hours means a failed one, stressed that the process should be relaunched. Juwah said that MNP has been identified as one of such services that could further deepen the competition in the telecommunications market. “ With the issues of waiting time to change network service, provider has exacerbated the sore-footed approach to mobile number portability, the Chief Operating Officer of Interconnect Clearing House, the company handling the switching, said. Uche Onwudiwe explained that subscribers will have to obtain forms from the intending operator to migrate to and send SMS to a short code 3232 and will get a confirming or denying port response within 48 hours, stressing that the process will still gain subscribers confidence and would be embraced.

CAN Re-elects Oritsejafor For Second Term By Chris Irekamba HE Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), has reelected Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor for a second term. The re-election took place, last Thursday, in Abuja. It will be recalled that early this year, the Catholic Church, which is part of the five blocs that make up the organisation stated that they have pulled out from CAN. Stating reasons for the pull out, the Administrator of the Catholic Diocese of Abeokuta, Monsignor Christopher Ajala, said, “the Catholic

ABUJA Church suspended its activities in the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), because the Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor-led CAN has derailed from its objectives and too close to the government, stressing that the Catholic Bishops Conference was not comfortable with the development, hence its decision to pull out. “The Catholic Church took its stand before the aircraft was donated to Oritsejafor. But what the Catholic Bishops Conference is complain-

ing about is the way they are running CAN, National, now that it is no longer meeting the goals and objectives of the founding fathers. “CAN is now run as part of the government and we have to say no to that. If we allow that government will dictate to us on what to do and they won’t take our advises serious. The Catholic Church decided to withdraw from the activities of CAN at the national level, but we are still part of the state level.” Declaring the results of the CAN presidential elections at

the National Christian Centre, Abuja, the returning officer of the five-member Electoral Committee, the executive Secretary of Nigeria Christian Pilgrims Welfare Board, Mr. Kennedy Opara, said, “Pastor Oritsejafor scored 80 votes while his only opponent, Rev. Oyekunle had four.” The 82 accredited delegates drawn from blocs that is not part of the five that make up CAN overwhelmingly opted for the Open Ballot System of balloting because of its openness.

The electoral victory, which marked the second of a three-pronged exercise for Oritsejafor, who was give A True Servant of God Award by Christian Elders Forum of Northern States, NOSCEF, will, however, be ratified by the General Assembly of CAN scheduled for July 9, this year. In what appeared to be an acceptance speech, Oritsejafor condemned the menace of the Fulani headsmen, saying it was part of the agenda to Islamise the nation.

Govt Sanctions Offenders, Introduces Football Competition IMO From Charles Ogugbuaja, Owerri MO State Commissioner for Youth and Sports, Mr. Kenneth Emelu, has disclosed that the State would discipline anyone found culpable in the lapses that led to the sanctioning of the Imo State contingent in last year’s National Sports Competition, Receiving the report of a panel instituted to probe the circumstances that led to the sanction, including imposing a fine of N100,000 against Imo contingent, Emelu, said the state government was embittered by the lapses, regretting that despite all the efforts put in place to develop sports internationally, some persons were handling the efforts with kid gloves. He said anyone found culpable in the investigation would be seriously dealt with. Other members of the panel include the Vice Chairman of Imo Football Association, Mr. Emma Ochiaga; the member of Imo State Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN), Mr. John Nwaogu; and the Acting Director of Sports Development, Mr. E.E. Ihesiaba.

NUPMTPA Inaugurate Executive Committee

NATIONAL HE National President, T Nigerian Union of Pharmacists, Medical Technologists and Professionals Allied to Medicine, (NUPMTPAM), Comrade Felix Faniran, has called for the autonomy of teaching hospitals by appointing Chief Medical Directors from within the hospitals rather than from the academic. Faniran spoke in Lagos, recently, when he inaugurated the executive committee of the association in the Federal Medical Centre (FMC). According to him, rather than academic staff dominating the management staff of the teaching hospitals, staff within the teaching hospitals should be promoted to management cadre, from which the Chief Medical Director should be appointed. Comrade Suleiman Shehu is the chairman of FMC chapter while Augustina Ugwumba is the Vice –Chairman. Others are Enemuo Nkiruka, Secretary; and Afolabi Kayode, PRO. The president charged the new executive to see their election and position as an opportunity to serve and not to amass wealth. The State Chairman of the Association, Comrade Christian Ugboaja, enjoined the new executive to carry along all members in its day to day activities while the members should be committed to the association through regular payment of dues for better running of the association.

THE GUARDIAN, Sunday, May 12, 2013

NEWS Anti-Tobacco Campaigners, Others Fault Proposed Ban On Smoking By Wole Oyebade LAN by the Lagos State government to ban smoking in hotels, schools, nightclubs and so on was, at the weekend, faulted by both anti-tobacco campaigners as well as tobacco industry. Meeting at a public hearing, held at the Lagos State House of Assembly (LSHA) complex on Friday, representatives of the anti-tobacco groups argued that the smoking regulatory bill currently before the LSHA was just too soft to check tobacco-related injuries. Conversely, tobacco manufacturers led by British-American Tobacco Nigeria (BATN), tobacco-product distributors, bar and hotel owners and others have condemned the proposed regulation as being too harsh on businesses and tailor-made for

LAGOS increasing unemployment. The ‘Bill for a law to provide for the regulation of smoking in designated places in Lagos State and for connected purposes’ is a private member bill, sponsored by Gbolahan Yishawu, representing Eti-Osa II Constituency. The bill has scaled through the second reading. The 13-paragraphy bill has a schedule of 18 items, indicating designated areas that are no-smoking areas in the State. The smoke-prohibited areas are premises that are being used wholly or principally as a place of work, restaurants, bar and nightclubs, shops and shopping centres, hotels, libraries, archives, museum and galleries, and all premises used for entertainments.

Others are halls, conference centres, public toilets, factories, educational institution premises, healthcare premises, crèches, day care centres for children and adults, call centres, public transports within Lagos, stadia and lifts. Presenting the bill at the public hearing, a member of the House, Sanni Agunbiade, added that the bill sought to restrict smoking from people under the age of 15, even as it would become the duty of owners or operators of smoke restricted areas to display ‘Nosmoking sign’ and its prohibition. Failure will attract a fine of N100, 000 or six months imprisonment or both. The bill also makes it an offense to obstruct a duly authorized officer from entering and arresting, when carrying out his duties under the provision of the law. Any person,

who smokes in the presence of a child is guilty of an offence and liable to N15, 000 fine or one-month jail term. Presenting their memoranda, representative of Nigerian Tobacco Control Alliance (NTCA), consisting 40 Civil Society Organisation (CSOs), Nurudeen Ogbara commended the House for championing the course of democracy, though faulted the bill as too limited in scope to aid the course of public health. According to Ogbara, the bill though designated some areas as smoke-free, “it means other undesignated areas like police stations, Assembly complex, Airports, garages, markets and so on are smoke-friendly. This is like setting a dangerous precedence to public health.”

Video Reveals 30-year Time-lapse Of Earth’s Changing Surface By Dylan Stableford

N 1984, the U.S. Geological Survey and NASA launched a programme called Landsat, capturing and archiving hiresolution satellite images of the earth’s surface. Google and Time magazine recently teamed up to create time-lapse videos from the images, releasing the results of the project on Thursday. “We believe this is the most comprehensive picture of our changing planet ever made available to the public,” Rebecca Moore, engineering manager for Google’s Earth Engine & Earth Outreach programme, wrote in a blog post announcing the Timelapse launch. Zooming in, users can see startling video footage of melting glaciers in Alaska, deforestation of the Brazilian Amazon, coastal expansion in

Dubai and urban sprawl in Las Vegas, created using millions of historical satellite images: “We started working with the USGS in 2009 to make this historic archive of earth imagery available online. Using Google Earth Engine technology, we sifted through 2,068,467 images—a total of 909 terabytes of data—to find the highestquality pixels (those without clouds), for every year since 1984 and for every spot on Earth. We then compiled these into enormous planetary images, 1.78 terapixels each, one for each year. “As the final step, we worked with the CREATE Lab at Carnegie Mellon University, recipients of a Google Focused Research Award, to convert these annual Earth images into a seamless, browsable HTML5 animation. “Consider: a standard TV image uses about one-third of a million pixels per frame, while a high-resolution image uses 2 million,” Time’s Jeffrey Kluger noted. “The Landsat images, by contrast, weigh in at 1.8 trillion pixels per frame, the equivalent of 900,000 highdef TVs assembled into a single mosaic.” Culled from Yahoo News

Committee Distributes Cement To Flood Affected Communities BAYELSA From: Willie Etim (Yenagoa) AYELSA State Post Flood Management Committee has commenced the distribution of bags of cement to flood affected communities to assist people whose houses were affected by the 2012 flood. The chairman of the Committee, Chief Francis Doukpola, disclosed this in Yenagoa, during a meeting with the Chairmen of the eight local government areas and the chairmen of all the development centres in the state. Doukpola explained that the distribution, which will be done in phases within the weeks, intend to make the owners of affected houses fortify their houses, especially in the light of the rain fall predictions of this year. The committee chairman noted that the meeting was intended to seek the assistance of the chairmen in collaboration with CDC chairmen of the various communities and traditional rulers in the distribution of bags of cement to the flood affected communities and victims. Chief Doukpola while emphasizing on the importance of the distribution exercise mandated the chairmen to supervise the distribution to beneficiaries at, noting that the first phase of the distribution will go to 50 per cent of the flood affected communities in each of the concerned communities across the state. According to him every affected community will get 400 bags of cement to assist widows, the aged and other vulnerable persons, whose mud houses were destroyed.

Coordinator, Nightingale Senior Citizen Foundation, Mrs. Modupe Oloruntoba-Oke (left) distributing foods and other valuables to the elderly during the Foundation’s Elderly People’s programme held in conjunction with the Ifako Ijaiye Local Lovernment in Lagos at the weekend. PHOTO; SUNDAY AKINLOLU

Govt Hospital Tasked On Revenue Generation, Medical Bills From Gordi Udeajah, Umuahia HE new Board Chairman of the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) Umuahia, Wakil Chibok, has tasked the management to increase internal revenue without sky-rocketing its medical charges. Chibok, who spoke to The

ABIA Guardian, at the FMC when his new seven Board members paid a visit to the workers, said the management could generate more revenue if they provided quality medical services that would encourage more

Nigerians to seek medical attention at the Centre. He also called for upgrade of the FMC to the status of a teaching hospital saying that the existence of a federal university in the State makes it even more imperative. “In the case of Abia State,” he

said, “there is already the Micheal Okpara University of Agriculture at Umudike Umuahia, whose conversion to a conventional university is already being canvassed. “We are very impressed with the facilities on ground here and wonder why this centre

has not been upgraded to a teaching hospital yet. I therefore call on the Federal Government to consider this, because the FMC Umuahia fully qualifies for a teaching hospital and there is already a Federal university in Abia State, specifically in Umuahia.

IGP Calls For Public Support For Police From John Ogiji, Minna HE Inspector General of Police, Alhaji Mohammed D. Abubakar, has admitted that the Nigerian police can only tackle the current wave of insecurity in the country with the cooperation and supports of law-abiding citizens. He, however, said that the force has began to elaborate on its strategies and methodologies with a view to check-

mating the increase in criminal activities. The Inspector General stated this in Minna, yesterday, during an interactive session with newsmen shortly after declaring open the one-day geo-political security awareness workshop for the North Central zone, which comprise Benue, Kogi, Nassarawa, Niger, Plateau and Kwara States. The theme of the interactive

NATIONAL session was ‘Enhancing National Security Through Intelligence at Community Partnership in the North Central Geo-political Zone of Nigeria. According to the IGP, who was represented at the occasion by the Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of Training, Mr. Marvel Akpoyibo, said, “the Police must partner

with members of the public, especially the communities to ensure that lives and property of Nigerians are safe. We also want to create an elaborate awareness for every Nigerian to know his civic responsibility.” Abubakar, who admitted that the continued insecurity in the country is a great challenge to the nation after 50 years of independent, however, disagreed with the no-

tion that the security challenge was a declaration of war against members the Nigeria Police in the recent time, adding that there is a clear difference between declaration of war and increase in security challenge across the country. “My expectations are very great because we have all come to realise that it is the responsibility of every Nigerian to ensure effective and efficient policing mechanism.

THE GUARDIAN, Sunday May 12, 2013

NEWS

Security Swoops On Aliyu’s Poster Printing Press From John Ogiji, Minna OVERNOR of Niger state, G Dr. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu, has disassociated himself from posters and billboards (erected in some parts of the country) announcing hi interest to run for 2015 presidential race. Aliyus’ reaction comes just as security operatives, yesterday, swooped on printing press in Kaduna State where his purported 2015 campaign materials were allegedly printed. The arrest comes two weeks

• Governor Dissociates Self after Rivers State Governor, Dr. Rotimi Amechi, dissociated himself from his 2015 ambition’s presidential posters pasted all over the Niger state capital, Minna, and other towns in the state. The campaign poster of Aliyu, which bears the logo of the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has the inscription: “Vote for Change, Chief Servant, Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu (Talban Minna) for Presidency 2015

KADUNA Insha Allah”. The posters were said to have been neatly packaged and labeled for dispatched to Suleja, Abuja and Minna before security agents swooped on the printing press. It was gathered a faceless group by the name, Concerned Citizens for Change and Transparency, was behind the production of the materials.

A combined team of the Nigerian Police and the State Security Services (SSS), acting on a tip-off, stormed the press where copies of the A3-sized posters were wrapped and ready for mailing to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and major towns in Niger state. Reacting to the poster in Minna on Saturday during North Central Geopolitical Zone Security Awareness Workshop, Aliyu described the action as the handiwork of mischief makers.

He told the gathering, which had top security officers, that he had not printed or contracted anyone to print posters for his 2015 presidential ambition while appealing to security operatives to destroy the materials and arrest those behind their production. The governor said sponsors are out to cause mischief, thereby overheating the polity and that their intention is to cause disaffection between him and the ruling party.

NEWS Obi Flags-off N9bn OzubuluAtani Road Project ANAMBRA ZOMA Nzeagwu, Awka U It was jubilation in Ozubulu and Atani, communities in Anambra State, yesterday when Gov. Peter Obi flagged-off the N9 billion Ozubulu-Atani road project. The governor said three major bridges on the road, replacing old ones built by the colonialists, and 30 culverts started last November have reached 90 per cent completion. Obi, who inspected the three bridges before the flag-off of the road, commended the pace of work. Obi explained: “For the roads to be completed within record time, we have engaged three tested contractors. While one is doing the bridges and culverts, another will start the actual road from Ozubulu, which we are commissioning today. The third contractor will soon start construction from Atani”.

2,000 ACN, LP, ANPP Members Defect To PDP Ogun By Gbenga Akinfenwa OVE by the Peoples Democratic Party’s determination to regain the control of Ogun State received a boost yesterday when 2000 members of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), the Labour Party (LP) and the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) in Ijebu East Local Government Area defected to the party. Despite the early morning downpour, those who decamped, led by Prince Yemi Duduyemi, a former chairmanship aspirant, came out at a stakeholders’ meeting held at Ijebu-Mushin, to declare for PDP. Most of them are aggrieved members of the ACN, who claimed to have been shortchanged and sidelined by the state’s ruling party. The meeting had in attendance executive members of the party, at both state and national levels.

Former Inspector General of Police, Alhaji Musiliu Smith (right); Chairman, Sodapex Nigeria Limited, Sore Dapo Osibodu (middle); and author of the Soul Refreshers and Pleasant Dreams, Femi Onasanya, at the book launch in Lagos...Thursday.

Policymakers, Others Meet On MDGs From Bola Olajuwon, Cape Town, South Africa LL is set for the take-off of a two-day policy research seminar holding in Cape Town, South Africa, to assess progress Africa has made towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The seminar titled, ‘Achieving the Millennium

INTERNATIONAL Development Goals (MDGs) in Africa’, starts tomorrow. It is organised by Centre for Conflict Resolution (CCR). About 30 policymakers, scholars and civil society member from different parts of Africa, are already in Cape Town for the cru-

cial meeting. According to the organisers, the policy meeting will draw on the expertise of participants to explore systematically the chances that African countries will meet key targets. The targets include halving poverty and hunger, achieving universal primary education/gender

Olaitan Memorial Holds May 16 In commemoration of the OMRADES and friends LAGOS first anniversary of his C of Olaitan Oyerinde will death, a public lecture hold the first yearly public lecture in Lagos on Thursday, May 16th, 2013 in honour of the revolutionary activist who was assassinated by yet-to-be-identified gunmen in Benin City, Edo State, last year. Oyerinde was Special Adviser on Special Duties/Principal Private Secretary to Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State at the time of his assassination on May 4, 2012. He lived and died a committed comrade whose revolutionary struggle traversed the student

movement, civil society, prodemocracy platforms, trade unionism and political activism.

with the theme, Sanctity of Life and Democracy in Nigeria, will be delivered

equality, reducing child mortality by two-thirds and maternal mortality by three-quarters, reversing the spread of HIV/AIDS, halving the proportion of people without access to safe water and dealing comprehensively with the debt problems of developing countries. The seminar will suggest

by human rights activist and lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana(SAN). The event will hold at Textile Labour House, 10 Acme Road, Ikeja, Lagos.

Gunmen Kidnap Supreme Court Justice’s Wife, Daughter From Alemma-Ozioruva Aliu, Benin city NKNOWN gunmen suspected to be kidnappers, on Friday, abducted the wife, daughter, and driver of a Supreme Court Justice, Bode Rhodes-Vivour. The victims were said to be travelling to Edo State, ahead of the Justice’s daugh-

EDO ter’s wedding. Though the exact location of the incident remains uncertain, unconfirmed sources said the unfortunate incident happened along the Benin-Shagamu Expressway.

When contacted, Edo State Police Command Public Relations Officer, Moses Eguavoen, said he was unaware of the development. “I am not aware of that. But let me call the control room and get back to you.” Sources close to the family said the kidnappers were yet made contact.

concrete ways of accelerating Africa’s progress towards the MDGs and supporting institutions, including the African Union (AU), the regional economic communities (RECs) as well as the African Development Bank (AfDB) in shaping the post-2015 development agenda. “The seminar presents a unique opportunity to bring together relevant policy perspectives to assess the implementation of MDGs. CCR has commissioned eight papers to be presented by experts in their respective fields, which will culminate in the publication of an edited volume by 2014,” the organisers stated yesterday. Drawing on the eight MDGs, organisers said five themes would form the basis for presentations and discussions during the CCR seminar. The themes are poverty/hunger/ education, child mortality HIV/AIDS/malaria/other diseases; gender equality/maternal health; environmental sustainability and global partnership for development.

Jigawa To Immunise 1.6million Children

JIGAWA From John Akubo, Dutse VER 1.6 million children are to be immunised against polio virus in the ongoing vaccination in Jigawa State. Director, Primary Health Care, Gunduma Health System Board, Dr Kabiru Ibrahim, disclosed this while monitoring the exercise at Gumel, Gagarawa, Suletankakar communities. He said a total of 1,643,135 children were immunised against the disease during the recent programme. He described it a huge success, while attributing it to commitment and sacrifice of all stakeholders.

TheGuardian

6 Sunday, May 12, 2013

Conscience, Nurtured by Truth

Cityfile Pains, Gains Of Going To National Assembly Complex

From Bridget Chiedu Onochie, Abuja

T the inception of this present democratic dispensation over a decade ago, going to National Assembly Complex was a hitch-free journey. The assembly was accessible and lawmakers were also available for people to interact with Nigerians. People were at liberty to visit their representatives in the Senate and House of Representatives without hurdles. That era of easy access to the complex also came with its own consequence: huge distraction to the business of lawmaking in the country. There were hangers on and women of easy virtues who enjoyed business boom. Even corporate beggars and teaming jobless youths all flocked around the assembly for favours from lawmakers. But all those liberties have suddenly disappeared. What is in now in place is restriction of both human and vehicular movements. No thanks to the Boko Haram insurgency, which has led to public structures in the north and Federal Capital Territory (FCT) being subject of attack. These days, lawmakers are much more careful and are less interrupted. Majority of them come through the back door and retire through the backdoor of their respective hallowed chambers. In fact, it has given them the opportunity to place hurdles on people pestering them for one favour or the other as the main Assembly gate is opened only to those who have serious businesses to transact. For car owners, the experience could be described as a nightmare, especially during the rush hours. The manual check at the first gate, which is a distance off the Federal Secretariat often

result in a heavy traffic situation. The reason is that drivers are expected to alight from the cars to open their booths for the routine checks. Even with improved security facilities, movement remains slow at the gate. The problem does not end at the main entrance gate. There are other two hurdles a visitor has to face before arriving the two chambers and at each stop, people are meant to either display their identity cards or be made to go through rounds of questioning and screenings in the process of procuring a Pass. This development has attracted criticisms from concerned citizens, who see the situation as rather risky and old fashioned. According to a worker in the National Assembly, the very essence of the security measure is defeated if people are trapped in a long queue. “Supposing a suicide bomber is in one of the vehicles and a bomb goes off while people are on the queue, waiting to be searched? What do you think would happen? Your guess is as good as mine,” she said. The lady said that the measure is strategically aimed at safeguiding only lawmakers who either go in and out through the backdoor or gain easy access to the complex whenever they choose to go in through the main gate. But for some other people, the check is necessary irrespective of the method adopted. Although they would want government to live up the demands of the 21st century security challenge, they maintain that if someone would have to be frisked for safety purpose, it is worth the suffering. “There is nothing wrong with the search. Those who have lived in states such as Kaduna, Kano, Yobe and Borno, where the insurgents operate regularly will not see it as abnormal because there

are security checks at every interval at every strategic point,” another worker in the assembly said. But the agony is not limited to car owners. Pedestrians, especially women, are also subjected to greater embarrassment as the contents of their bags are exposed to public glare. The emergence of the security challenge also led the end of the use of Democracy Square as car park. Those who do not have the special car park have resorted to a makeshift park in the nearby bush, subjecting their cars to carjackers and petty thieves that have developed the habit of vandalizing cars. While some complain that the about 300 metres walk from the make shift car park to the Assembly buildings is too cold for comfort, others believe that the decision to vacate the square is good for the aesthetics of the assembly. “You can now appreciate the beauty of the assembly better than it was when all manners of cars are parked in a disorganised form. Originally, that place was not meant for car pack. “From the security angle, it makes the assembly much more secured. By refusing cars access to the square, it is in the interest of the citizens and lawmakers who might be soft targets of insurgents on a suicide mission that may use explosive laden cars to ram into the assembly complex.” Remarkably, some argue that the long walk from the present car park is good for health since one doesn’t need to spend money to go to the gym to keep fit any longer. A male journalist who wanted to remain anonymous said: “Some see it as punishment, but I don’t see it that way because even doctors will attest to the fact that exercise is good for health. “If drastic measures such as these are forcing the physical exercise on us, we should be ready to embrace it. I remember that a few months ago, anytime I trek for an average of five minutes, I gasp for breath. But today, I now feel good inside me.” On the general situation, he said: “For me, it is all right. That is how it should be because I have observed that even those who have the needs to see the legislators have equal window of opportunity because they reach out to lawmakers through handsets and they are granted access the moment the security agents alert them accordingly. Even those coming for public hearings also find their ways because it is based on appointment.” With no solution to the insurgents on sight, visitors to the National Assembly may have no option than to brace up for whatever challenge placed on their ways in the days ahead.

When The Guardian visited, evidence that the whole area bordering the Electronics market and Ogboafere were submerged in the deluge, were still visible. But the premises of a beauty products industry were the worst hit as the flood flattened the perimeter walls of the industry. However bulldozers have been mobilised to the area to demolish shanties extending from the Ogboafere market erected by those who sold fruits. Business Consultant to the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, (MAN) Mrs. Ijeoma Ezeasor, who visited the premises of the Industry, told The Guardian that it was a shame that despite repeated warnings and alerts from the Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NIMET) stakeholders should be caught napping. Ezeasor, who said she was in Onitsha to see things for herself and make necessary documentations, regretted that such monumental losses could be recorded by the traders and industrialists so early in the year. “And to recall that none of the victims of the last flooding in Onitsha industrial area has been paid, makes one ask what the government is up to. My worry is that more workers would be laid off by this destructive emergency,” she said. The MAN consultant noted that it was evident from the nature of the latest flooding in Onitsha that government agencies do not carry out into the canal caused the flooding. What hapenough impact assessment before putting up pened was that the canal received more water than it can control because the force of the flood sewage and other environmental controls broke the walls of that factory down there. If the adding that what happened in Onitsha is canal was blocked, how then did the flooding ex- “warning enough for all stakeholders to buckle up”. tend to Electronics market?” he remonstrated.

Rain Flood Warns Onitsha Residents From Leo Sobechi, Abakaliki

OR residents of the boisterous city of Onitsha, Anambra State, the usual blessing of rain, which they have been expecting as a relief from the protracted heat, has turned out to be a curse. The heavy downpour, which fell penultimate Monday, reportedly started at around 6.45 pm the previous day leaving destruction on its trail. A distraught trader in the popular electronics market said the flood that followed the rain was like a warning signal that this year will witness a repeat of the destructive flood that ravaged farmlands and properties last year. The young man, who gave his name simply as Chukwudi, condemned both local and state governments for paying lips service to prevent a repeat of last year’s occurrence. “My neighbour is getting married next week and we are part of the planning so we left the market early on Saturday. By the time the rain began on Sunday, nobody thought of going to the market because it was late and security men would not allow anybody. The damage done by the flood was too much. What we did yesterday was to evacuate the wet television sets, home theatres and other equipment from our shops. In short we are losing close to one billion naira to the flood,” he narrated. The trader disclosed that though the state Governor, Peter Obi visited the area on Monday morn-

ing, he blamed government for not considering where the water should empty into. He debunked the claim by the state government that garbage thrown into the drains caused the flooding insisting that the canal was free of silts. “We do not believe that the waste materials thrown

THE GUARDIAN, Sunday, May 12, 2013

CITYFILE By Gbenga Akinfenwa

HE much-hyped emergency intervention work ‘Operation Zero Potholes Programme’ of the Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA), meant to put all federal roads across the country in good and motorable condition, is total failure on the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway. Very soon, the entrance into Ota and descent into Owode will be no go areas to motorists. The present state of the road from Ile-Zik around Ikeja, through Iyana-Ipaja, Ile Epo, Ijaiye, down to the Toll Gate is ridden with potholes. Anywhere vehicles are stranded, killing man-hour is a sign of one huge pothole. Around March this year, FERMA pretended it was rehabilitating bad spots, after Julius Berger Plc the contractor handling the dualisation of the road was forced to abandon it since the federal government did not fulfill its part of the contract. When FERMA began the palliative measures, it was widely criticised for using manual labour to do palliatives on a trunkA road. And as if to buttress the criticism, with just a few days of rainfall, the newly done part has been washed away with the drainage system blocked and the plight of motorists aggravated, and endless traffic jam is the order of the day. Iyana-Ilogbo through Owode, Joju, Sango Motor Park, Toll Gate, Alakuko, Ijaye, Adura, Abule-Egba, Super, Ile-Epo/Oja, Iyana-Ipaja to Dopemu among others, harbour various sizes of ditches causing serious nightmare to motorists. Commuters and motorists are having terrible experience on this route. A trip from Oshodi to the old tollgate, which ordinarily shouldn’t be more 30 minutes now takes two hours or more. In a recent interview, Engr. Alexander Mazoya, the FERMA boss in charge of Ogun State, told The Guardian that the agency had identified bad spots and the contract awarded to some nameless contractors, who promised to fix the expressway before the coming of the rains. “We have identified all those problem areas such as the Toll Gate, Temidire, Owode and Iyana-Ilogbo. Those are terrible areas, which we intend doing something on and I can tell you that we’ll press for that case.” Some of the contractors have not shown up till date and the

FERMA’s Costly Potholes On Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway

road is getting worse. Even the tollgate section rehabilitation, which according to him was estimated at the cost of N40m, is yet to be completed. The work carried out along the Owode stretch is not helping matters. Efforts to get the FERMA boss to speak last week were futile; as he said he would be on field with his superior and didn’t know the exact time he would be available for a chat.

It would be a good thing if Architect Mike Onolememe, the Works Minister pays a visit to Abeokuta via the Expressway and when coming, he should come with Labaran Maku, his information counterpart. They should travel by road and see the good governance citizens are enjoying along this axis. Mazoya, the FERMA boss had said that, “the agency does not pay contractors until after they have finished their work.”

OKE-ABIYE...

Waiting For PHCN, After Seven Months In Darkness O

By Gbenga Akinfenwa

KE-ABIYE is a remote Community in Alagbado, Agbado Oke-Odo Local Council Development Area (LCDA) of Lagos. The community boasts of over 260 houses and several shops from where government generates income on regularly. Despite this, however, there seems to be no government presence in the community. The road leading to the community is in a bad shape and there is no potable water. The only amenity enjoyed by the residents is electricity. But in the last seven months, the community has been in darkness due to its faulty Transformer. The authorities of the Power Holdings Company of Nigeria (PHCN) claimed to have approved two new

The faulty transformer

Transformers five months ago but they are yet to be seen. At present, the Welders, Barbers, Frozen Foods operators and other artisans have begun to leave the community en masse because there seems to be no solution in sight yet. When The Guardian visited the community last Thursday, commercial activities in the area have been paralysed with most of the shops closed. The few shops that opened for commercial activities were operating skeletal services, due to the black out. The first Vice Chairman of the Community Development Association (CDA), Mr. Ib Igbikis told The Guardian that the problem between the community and the PHCN is a multiple issue that has been on for many years. He explained that despite the communal efforts at provid-

ing all the poles in the community for convenience, throughout last year, there was no day the community enjoyed electricity supply for six hours. The CDA Chairman, Mr. Balogun Akeem who spoke on the same issue said everything in the community are through self-effort such as levies from houses, saying no government can run without money. Both executive officials debunked the allegation that the CDA levied the houses to pay N3, 000 each for transformer, saying the allegation is false, misleading and baseless. “Nobody was asked to pay N3, 000. Two years ago when the transformer was efficient, we had uprisal problem and each house was levied N1, 000. Another N1, 000 was also levied to install the trans-

former whenever it is ready. The last N1, 000 is a levy for maintenance. It was part of what we used to transport the poles down here,” they said. They explained that after several attempts, a letter was issued to the community five months ago that two transformers have been approved, but had not gotten to the community because the “PHCN said they are waiting for allocation to transport it down here.” The Baale of the community,

Chief Nojeem Ajolojuota, who corroborated Igbiki’s claim, said a good Samaritan gave the faulty transformer to the community. He stated when it was in good condition, the PHCN were fond of bringing crazy bills to the discomfort of the residents. He stressed before the transformer finally broke down, it used to blow off occasionally, which prompted the call for its disconnection from the power source. “With the intervention of

one Mr. Adetoro, two transformers and 50 poles have been approved and we have transported them down here ourselves. We did not collect any money from anybody for transformer, what the CDA collected was special levy of N1, 000 to prepare the place meant for the transformer’s installation,” he said. The Baale appealed to PHCN to as a matter of utmost urgency bring the transformers to ease the pain of residents

Lagos Made Over N10billion On Land In 2012 ...Blames Shortfall On Global Financial Crisis By Kamal Tayo Oropo

HE Lagos State Government from land transactions in the last one year has generated a sum total of over N10.275 billion. The Permanent Secretary, State Lands Bureau, Mr. Hakeem Muri-Okunola, who disclosed this in Ikeja at a news conference to mark Governor Babatunde Fashola`s sixth year in office, said that the figure was 6.6 per cent lower than the N11billion recorded in the corresponding period last year and blamed the situation on the global financial crisis. He said the bureau had mapped out strategies to record more revenue by the end of this year while also promising better service delivery. Disclosing that a total of 2,321 Certificates of Occupancy (C of O) were successfully processed in the last one year, Muri-Okunola said that the government had concluded arrangement to start issuing the C of O electronically from August to ease processing and issuance He, however, urged resi-

dents who had acquired their property before the advent of the Land Use Act in 1978 to regularise titles to such property and ensure they had the right legal titles on them. The permanent secretary decried the rising cases of encroachment on government’s lands by some residents. “The alarming rate of encroachment on lands belonging to the state government is a matter of great concern. “Some residents and communities, with their traditional rulers, engage in illegal sale of some government’s acquired land, especially in areas like Magodo, Igbogbo, among others. “Members of the public are advised not patronise criminal land speculators as all infringements by way of erecting illegal structures on government’s land would be dealt with,” he said. The bureau, according to Muri-Okunola, had developed a number of new land schemes in Lekki, Ikorodu and other areas. The state government also paid N2.56 billion compensa-

tion to residents whose properties were affected by ongoing projects during the period under review. Muri-Okunola said the beneficiaries were those who lost their property to projects such as expansion of Lagos-Badagry expressway, Lekki Epe expressway and expansion work on Ago-Palace way in Isolo. He said that government had also allocated land in certain cases to individuals who opted for this option in lieu of monetary compensation. “In the remainder of this current year, compensation of at least N5billion will also be paid to those affected by the Ikorodu road expansion, the Lekki Airport project and the Resettlement project for the Free Trade Zone. “Also those affected by construction work on LagosBadagry expressway and Okota Link Bridge will benefit. “The property were acquired for public good and as a responsible government we are paying compensation to ensure owners do not suffer from this,” he said.

THE GUARDIAN, Sunday, May 12, 2013

CITYFILE Anorue, Adewale and Awka-Etiti streets, already abandoned by government, have been left in a very awful state. Residents who spoke to the Guardian experienced displeasureat the neglect of such project. Unlike the abandoned cases, the authority of the Isolo Local Council Development Authority (LCDA) has shown interest in Alhaji Bashorun Street road, another road in the estate. Many months after the Council had erected a sign post indicating that it would rehabilitate the road within three weeks, the contractors have done nothing to fix it. The drains have been blocked, making it difficult for water to flow through. A resident lamented the stench emanating from the gutters, which now breeds mosquitoes, spiders and even rodents. It has unfortunately exposed residents to malaria and other related diseases. John Umunna and Jide Roland streets are the worst hit of these roads. They have become no-go-areas to smaller cars, due to the ditches that dot the road. Now, most of the residents are resorting the “All Wheel Drive” (AWD) vehicles to navigate the roads. Pedestrians have no choice than to suffer much inconvenience. Most times of the rainy seasons, they have to wade through the waWhen The Guardian visited the Investigations revealed that the roads has been deteriorating, and roads have been neglected for the now the roads have gotten worse as area, Imasuen Street road, which ter to get to their destinations. The residents of the estate are apthey have been the major cause of leads to Robison Gbagi Street, is past few years, despite signs of vehicle accidents and discomfort to half graded. This street is packed pealing to both the state and local patching. With the present state of the road, even a higher rainfall the residents and visitors. Unfortu- with potholes and ditches making government to come to their aid would make the road impassable. nately, the roads are major links to it difficult for low-level cars to pass. and bail them out of the distressing situation. the seaport and airport. Construction works on Benson Since 2010, the standard of the

AJAO ESTATE Residents Task Govt On Roads Rehabilitation

By Kayla Grage

HE deplorable state of Ajao estate roads, located close to the Murtala Muhammed International Airport as well as the Apapa Oshodi Expressway is in need of urgent attention to ease the plight of the residents and other motorists.

Irate Traders, Residents Condemn Burning Of Goods In PH From Ann Godwin, Port Harcourt

HE new policy introduced by the Rivers State Ministry of Urban Development, through its task force to punish traders operating at strategic locations in the state capital, is not going down well with the traders. The task force has turned its method of operation from carting away wares and destroying the goods to on the spot burning. The new approach caused upheaval in the city when the traders, having watched the goods they toiled for years burnt within a split of second could not resist the hurt; hence barricaded all the link roads to the Mile One flyover as well as the Azikiwe road that leads to the ever busy Aba road. The development resulted to heavy traffic in the areas but the traders, comprising young men and

women were not perturb as most of them were sighted steaming to cause further disorder before the security agencies calmed them and opened up the roads. One of the affected traders, Chinedu Richard, who narrated his ordeal said, “I took a loan to start the shoe business but the operatives of the task force just arrived at the flyover unnoticed with a team of military patrol escort and gathered all our goods and set them ablaze.” He lamented that it was the hardship in the country that forced him to go into the profession, saying; “If the economy were to be good and jobs are available, no right thinking person will be happy to suffer the way we are suffering, yet the state government came and burnt our goods, this is the kind of pressure that forces

By Gbenga Akinfenwa

HE Nigerian Girl Guides Association (NGGA) has appealed to the National Assembly to as a matter of utmost urgency enact laws to address the rising spate of cases of violence against women in the country, before it finally gets out of hand. The Project Coordinator for “Stop The Violence Against Girls And Young Women Campaign” of the organisation, Mrs. Tejiri Okeregbe, who spoke during the pilot campaign of the project held at its headquarters, Ikoyi, Lagos said women and girls are not animals and should not be treated casually, urging government to quickly do something to protect womanhood. “The law should be enacted, the various ministry of education should have civic subjects in their schools. There should be right for women to take decisions. Government should address the matter through traditional rulers, through the Ministry of Culture, there is no gain in it at all,” she said. Okeregbe who noted that NGGA is a grassroots association that ensures that its vision is getting all girls and young

youths into criminality.” For Chineye Ezeagbo, another trader who sells shoes in the area with his wife, the situation was frustrating and has rendered them hopeless and useless. He disclosed that he started as a pure water seller, where he saved money and set up a snacks business, before venturing into shoe business. He described the incident as a huge setback. The aggrieved traders said they should have been properly briefed by government, if there was a plan to relocate them rather than abruptly burning their goods. Ezeagbo explained that he went through the sufferings because he did not want to join the gangs of pick-pockets to get quick wealth but he is disturbed that his goods of about N150,000 has been burnt over night. He therefore called on

the state government and kindhearted individuals to intervene in the situation by resettling them. However, a statement from the Commissioner for Urban Development and Physical Planning, Dr Tammy Danagogo said the development was in line with the state government’s policy to check the defacement of Port Harcourt. He noted that he was determined to restore Port Harcourt to its Garden City status, adding that the city requires adherence to standards in terms of planning, maintaining that the restoration of the Garden City will not be compromised. The commissioner, who spoke through the Special Adviser on Media, Mr Ovie Igho, said that the ministry would implement the urban development policy to the latter. Meanwhile, some residents have condemned the action of the ministry, warning that it was capable of increasing criminal activity in the state. They reasoned that the ministry in the course of pursuing its objective, would have provided alternative site for the traders.

Girl Guides Advocate Law On Violence Against Girls, Women women to be valued, positively exposed and be part of the machinery of change around them, said the projects was carried out by the Girl Guides Association and Girl Scouts in collaboration with United Nations Women. She revealed that the campaign was a replica of a pilot project held last year in Mexico where 25 countries and two world centres attended, adding that as the pilot project was featured in Lagos, all the representatives from all the states of the federation would go back to their states and do such. During the programme held for three days in Lagos, the participants were taken through sessions on personal development, values, self esteem, goal setting, finding help, consequences of rape and abuse and curriculum activities, among others, after which outstanding representatives were awarded badges.

Protesters Seek Stiffer Penalty For Corrupt Practices By Wole Oyebade GROUP of protesters under the aegis of A Nancy and Jennifer Ibe Center for Public Accountability (NAJICPA), have called on lawmakers to promulgate law on stiffer penalty for corrupt and sharp practices in the country. The protesters said it was high time lawmakers at the Federal and State levels consider the status of capital offence for corruption related practices. Staging a peaceful protest at the complex of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Alausa, at the weekend, the protesters described as alarming the rate of corruption in Nigeria, “now almost with impunity.” The group, led by Barr. Ikechukwu Ikeji; fellow practitioner, Justice Uhuegbu and Weremara Amadi Awa, demanded that the National Assembly and other legislative institutions, including the Lagos State House of Assembly make laws that would pronounce corrupt practices as capital offences. Awa, younger sister to Nancy and Jennifer Ibe, two of the 163 victims who perished in the Dana plane crash last year, attributed the crash as one of the episodic fallouts of endemic corruption in the Nigerian system. According to Awa, “It is only corruption that could have made the Federal Ministry of Aviation allow Dana Airlines to operate faulty aircrafts thereby putting the lives of passengers at peril.” Awa, however, expressed gratitude to the Lagos government on behalf of the Ibe family for the exemplary roles the government played during the incidence. In the same vein, Barrister Ikechukwu Ikeji commended the House for promoting good governance and democracy. Receiving the group, Chairman, House Committee on Information, Strategy, Security and Publicity, Segun Olulade promised to convey the message to leadership of the House. He said the three arms of Government in the State were determined in the fight against sharp practices and corruption in Lagos.

THE GUARDIAN, Sunday May 12, 2013

Backlash Abraham Ogbodo

08055328079 (Sms only) abogbodo@yahoo.com

Jonathan And Amaechi For Trial HERE is no error in the headline. President T Goodluck Jonathan and Governor Amaechi are going on trial and that is authoritative. Section 308 of the 1999 Constitution, which confers immunity on both men from criminal prosecution, is of no consequence in the matter at hand because the team of public prosecutors have chosen to follow a completely new and confusing direction. Instead of the regular courts, the matter is being charged at the Village Square before a council of elders. The two politicians are standing trial for quarrelling openly over nothing and causing the socio-economic tension in the Niger Delta to rise by several degrees. It is most unfortunate that the immunity clause did not envisage this kind of trial. The clause only says, while still in office, the President and the 36 governors cannot stand trial in any court presided over by a magistrate, qadi, grand qadi or a judge, including the Chief Justice of the Federation. It does not say that 55-year old Jonathan or 48-year old Amaechi cannot be summoned by elders of their respective communities and families to answer questions bordering on misconduct. Reports say two men have been talking on top of their voices and disturbing the entire Southsouth neighbourhood. The elders and youths of the zone are not able to have good sleep because of the ensuing noise from the quarrel between Jonathan and Amaechi. Yet nobody appears capable of calming them. Attempts by their political party, the PDP to quell the noise has not been too successful. Their voices are still rising in pitch. This is why they are being summoned to the village square, the only court with jurisdiction to try a sitting president and governor, next market day, to explain to the elders why they are disturbing the peace of the region. I am glad to announce that the initial challenge of constituting a credible jury to hear the case has been surmounted. It was discovered in the course of arranging the processes that sourcing elders to handle crucial matters in the Niger Delta region is as difficult as sourcing responsible for the same purpose. Some names that were THINK it was a good thing that President ISouthern Goodluck Jonathan had to cut short his trip to Africa last week. The President and his 88-man team that went to market Nigeria’s economic potentials and also seek foreign investment, returned home hurriedly without completing the trip to Namibia. That decision, painful as it may have been to the travelers, would no doubt have saved for the country some hard-earned foreign currencies, since the entire delegation did not stay to exhaust their estacodes. In Mr. President’s absence, insurgents decided to deal deadly blows on security outposts in Bama, Borno State and then in Lafia, Nasarawa State. Just as it was announced that the team was returning, another piece of news item was aired on a South African news channel monitored in Lagos that Thursday night. In the usual cynicism with which we view critical reports from the West, it was as if the timing of the release was designed to rubbish the effort of the Nigerian government to market the country on global stage. The news had to do with the listing of some African countries among the top ten out of 102 best places to invest around the world. The report was prepared by the US think tank, Foreign Policy, which ranked countries based on their attractiveness as investment destinations. The curious thing to ask is, why release that report on a week Nigeria took a crowd of policy makers to attempt to sell herself to foreign investors down South? The bad news is that Nigeria, so desperate as she is for foreign investments was nowhere on the positive side of that list. Instead, small and less endowed countries were praised and well rated. Botswana, Rwanda and Ghana were listed in that order as first three best countries to do business with in Africa, based on the general credentials of, ease of doing business, return on investment and political stability. Botswana came first in Africa and second globally; Rwanda ranked fifth globally and second in Africa, while Ghana came third in Africa. The other specific criteria that qualified these countries in that rating are not enablers that you must go to South Africa with an entire government to acquire. They are conditions that you have to create first, before you even go out in search for investors. For instance, Botswana, Rwanda and Ghana are said to offer good exemptions in taxes and customs; they engender good governance, fiscal policies, provide quality protection for in-

thrown up did not meet the bar. The selection committee specifically said three persons, namely, the renowned Ijaw elder statesman, the acclaimed fixer of Edo and national politics and the untiring two time governor of Bendel State were part of the issues and should be avoided like plagues. One elder suggested that instead of searching far and wide, the region’s council of traditional rulers should be unanimously adopted for the assignment. He had hardly made his point when another elder countered angrily that apart from the Omo N’Oba and two or so others, the rest rulers can be summoned anytime like school children to government quarters by the President, governors or even local government chairmen and they would run at top speed to beat the time set for arrival. When the search was beginning to look too difficult, a handful suggested that a team be selected to go to Ghana to rent some good elders from that country to constitute the jury to hear the case. To the glory of God, it didn’t get to that. The search was intensified and a jury has been assembled anyhow and awaiting the trial to begin as scheduled. The prosecutors have concluded their investigations too and are cork sure that both men will be guilty as charged. Jonathan and Amaechi must answer the questions themselves because proceedings at the Village Square do not have room for representations by counsels who, most times, confuse simple and straightforward issues with excessive sophistry. The President and governor must answer questions on the specific benefits of their quarrel to the Niger Delta region and its people. For instance, Amaechi must say how the quarrel will fix all the bad roads in Port Harcourt and make traffic to flow more easily in the so-called Garden City. The governor will be instantly discharged and acquitted if he is able to convince the jury that the unending mono rail project from Lagos Bus Stop to Waterlines in Port Harcourt, which has reportedly gulped N16 billion will be completed before December, if the

tempo of the quarrel is sustained. Many more people will jump on the side of Amaechi to give Jonathan the heat of his life if all the 23 model secondary schools the governor has built in Rivers State will start functioning in another two weeks if the quarrel continues. But who knows, Amaechi, who added a law degree to his qualification, may prove beyond all reasonable doubt that there is indeed a nexus between his quarrel with the President and measurable gains in the building of a new state capital called Greater Port Harcourt City, which his administration is handling. If he does, all the women in Rivers State including those from Okrika, the hometown of Dame Patience Jonathan, wife of the President will queue behind him to ensure that the quarrel continues even beyond 2015. After Amaechi, it will be the turn of Jonathan to step into the village square to present his defence. His interrogation will be longer because he is president and older. The East-West Road that is increasingly looking like an unending road from Japan in the far East across the Pacific, Africa and the Atlantic to Canada in the far West, is of paramount interest to both elders and youths of the region. Consequently, the prosecutors and the jury will like to hear from President Jonathan if his quarrel with Amaechi can bring some pressure to bear on Minister Godsdey Orubebe to double up efforts and finish the East-West Road before the rains intensify in July or thereabout. The Niger Delta is all water without a flourishing seaport. Jonathan will tell the jury if the quarrel holds potential for the reactivation of the seaports in Sapele, Koko, Burutu, Warri, Port Harcourt and Calabar. A typical questioning session may go this way: Elder: Goodulokoo! (no one in the gathering will call him president or even his surname. Those that cannot manage the ‘tongue twisting’ Goodluck may settle for ‘Ebele.’ Jonathan: yes papa! Elder: Now, listen very carefully. You did not become president of Nigeria to be shouting Boko Haram, Boko Haram, Boko Haram up and down. Open your eyes well, well. Na wetin sef? Why all our things dey always dey get coma! When other people be president, their own people be enjoy well, well. E reach our turn now, na so so Boko Haram and quarrel we dey hear. There is no good road from Yenagoa to Otuoeke, the road from Ogbia to Nembe has been on since you were in primary school yet we do not know when government will finish it. Stop shouting Boko Haram and also stop this your yeye quarrel with that small boy in Port Harcourt and think seriously of how to helep us and our children... Another elder cuts in angrily: See Ebele, we are not joking with you. Don’t come back to Otuoeke if you are not able to do all the things we expect you to do. Jonathan: But papa I am president of Nigeria as a whole and not Niger Del...

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

Nigeria, A Hard Sell vestments and have ample availability of economic opportunities. This is not the first time Nigeria would be dumped in the class of struggling economies around the well. The other time, she was listed as the worst place on earth for a child to be born. That sounded really cruel, but what are the facts on ground to challenge it. The indicators seem quite clear. When a country’s health system is incoherent and she is unable to exit terrible childkiller diseases, she certainly is not going to be considered child-friendly. When a population is fluid and easily replaceable, it is easy to dispense with a thousand here and some hundreds there, in avoidable road accidents, communal clashes, ritual killings and then bomb blasts. Is it not even funny, that there are now daily reports of booming baby factories everywhere that are not captured in government’s data? Is there any data on births in this country? So, you do not feel the pinch of infant mortality and it is easy for government officials to dismiss a ranking where Nigeria is classified as the worst place on earth to raise children. On this latest ranking, it would not be any surprise, if government officials go to town tomorrow, to discredit it. It is in the manner of government appointees to always react, instead of being self-critical and proactive. Government officials do not admit these rankings, because that would amount to an admission of failure. Instead, they award pass mark to themselves, just as they are doing in the fictitious good governance tour. That was the mindset that took the President and his team to South Africa, to attempt to sell a product that can be good, but has been rendered so unattractive by them. Nigeria used to be good and very promising. At the time the country had her eyes set on the top in the early 60s, she was in the ranks of emerging countries like China, India, Malaysia and Brazil. If the original goals were not tampered with along

the way, this country would have remained very competitive, at least in the ranks of the world’s best second elevens. It would not have been necessary for our President to go begging for foreign investors. Investors would be the ones begging to come here. The real truth is that the polity is not stable, not at all. If the polity were stable, why did Jonathan abandon the trip to Namibia, to come home to confront the monster of insecurity? One is not saying that this government alone must take the blame for this instability, but it should admit that this polity is not stable and that it is unfair to go out and woo unsuspecting investors to come and do business here. If the politicians in government are smart and sincere enough to admit that all is not well, that could be the beginning of the real transformation, going back to the basics and dismantling a faulty superstructure. But Jonathan told them in South Africa that when he came on board after his principal died in 2010, he promised he would stabilise the polity, which he said he did with a free and fair 2011 election. If the truth must be told, the polity has never been stable since 1999, when the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) came on board. Nigeria is yet to debate and settle the crucial political questions of how to share power (presidency), without which the polity will continue to be unstable and very hostile to foreign investment. If the polity is not stable, what is the attraction for foreign investors to come do business here? As we write, the entire northern Nigerian economy is in shambles, but the real truth is that it is in the vast agrarian land in the North that the real potential of a new Nigeria could be quickly realised, that is if we are serious about diversifying the economy. Those three countries listed above are basically like Nigeria in terms of climate and resource base. They have the capacity to earn big from

Elder: Shut up your dirty mouth. What do you know? You think you are the first person to be president of Nigeria? How old were you when Zik was president? I and your father campaigned for Zik and even Herbert Macaulay. Where were you? Jonathan: (struggling to murmur an explanation) Eherr... Papa, we are trying... Elder: Look my son, we are not abusing you but you need to look down and behind while you are on top of this your Aso Rock or whatever mountain in Abuja so that in the end, you will not slide into a foolish blame game or shout the popular phrase: had I known (I would have acted differently)! And you (turning to Amaechi) Rotimi or what are you called, be very careful. I and your late father were very good friends and I know your father, my good friend, did not teach you while you were growing up in Ubima to spend good time quarrelling with people when there is work to be done. Don’t you know how to prioritize your engagements? If you don’t, find time to come home to me and I will teach you how to organise your time and energy including your tongue to achieve good results and stay out of trouble. Look at you, foolish boy! Small time, you will jump on a plane and fly fiam fiam all over the place. Begin fly now! Amaechi: But sir, I am not the aggressor in this matter. They took away oil wells belonging to Rivers State and gave to Bayelsa State so that the governor over there can earn more money than I do and I did not complain. They say I want to be vice president; what is wrong with that? Are we not in a democracy? Elder: Everything is wrong with that. Have you finished your work as a good governor before asking to become vice president? This was how your other brother behaved six years ago, spending Rivers money in pursuit of the presidency and left undone the things he was employed to do at home. I do not want a repeat of that nonsense. Seek ye first to be a good governor and all other things will be added unto you! This is actually the crux of the matter. And it is the point that the prosecutors must exclusively pursue in order to secure the conviction of the accused. Both men are enmeshed in a diabolic political chess game with their eyes fixed on the same trophy. Their supporters and indeed the people of the South-south geo-political zone are the unfortunate pawns in the ruthless power game where money is absolutely indispensable. Nothing else matters while the game last. The people are subordinate to their ambition. Now the verdict: If by 2015, there is nothing to show that both men worked well for the region as President and governor, they should be banished; the younger one to Maiduguri and the older one to Afghanistan. agriculture, as well as the potential to get rich through minerals resources. But what they have that Nigeria has lost is the resolve to be disciplined, fiscally and morally. Without a stable polity, you cannot have a government that is sincere on reforms. Without sincere reforms, you cannot showcase best practices in business transactions. The tariffs in Nigeria are embarrassingly high because government sets unrealistic revenue targets in an economy whose infrastructure is dead. And what does government do with those huge earnings? Absolutely nothing, except that politicians have enough money to go to South Africa to create a wrong impression. And the South Africans are smart, too smart to be fooled around. They see the way Nigerians spend money, so recklessly and they want to tag along because you have a huge population with good taste for imports. They do not mind that a few hundreds of Nigerian citizens, who are at best pests, had to be accommodated in their jails. You want foreign investment and your ports are rowdy, congested and one of the most expensive to do business in around the world? The point is that government should listen to the truth and do what it must do to return the country on the path of seriousness. What we have at the moment is a huge joke. And the South Africans know that. Do you know that Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa –the (BRICS) nations- the biggest emerging markets are working to establish a new development bank that would run parallel to the World Bank and IMF? Think of South Africa, playing with the big boys and also finding time to pacify a crawling Nigeria? Think of it. A Word For Christine Lagarde, IMF OF recent, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has redoubled its obsession with calls for countries to do away with subsidies. They say world economies are crippling under heavy weights of subsidies. Last week, IMF advised Nigeria to do away with the remainder of fuel subsidy. Mrs. Lagarde, the IMF boss and her team may have to relocate to Nigeria, so that they would manage the aftermath of the final subsidy removal. Government so far has not shown sufficient integrity in the management of SURE-P. So, let IMF come to Abuja. Also, let IMF tell countries of the developed West to build more prisons that would accommodate a hapless population that would offload itself when fuel and other subsidies are finally removed. Nigerians too deserve good life.

THE GUARDIAN, Sunday, May 12, 2013

MOTHER’SDAY SPECIAL

A Mother’s Gift

By Jamie Cooper-Hohn

OTHER’S DAY is the time we pause annually to celebrate the miracle of life, and the joy around our role in bringing laughter, ideals and strength into our children’s lives. A mother’s intense desire to see her child thrive and the ability to empathise with the child is universal. As the saying goes: a mother is only as happy as her least happy child. In many African societies, we say that mothers carry the nation. (Individually, first in the womb and then on their back and through life as a support structure, child after child). It may come as a shock to many that for hundreds of millions of mothers that delight or agonise may forever come down to whether a child and mom had a few key nutrients in the right quantities from the time of pregnancy through until a child’s second

birthday—the first vital 1,000 days of the life cycle. Today, under-nutrition is the largest single contributor to child mortality worldwide, accounting for more than 35 per cent of deaths amongst children under five years – that’s around 2.6 million child deaths annually, due to nutrition–related causes. This leaves many mothers in mental anguish, if not dead or physically disabled. The main reason for this is that nutrition remains one of the most overlooked and under prioritised issues in global development. Undernourished women are at a greater risk of giving birth to undernourished babies, whose cognitive development is compromised, leading to poor learning ability, poor skill acquisition and un-employability. Hence, under-nutrition has the ability to travel not just throughout a life cycle but also to jump across life cycles, as these children give birth to equally challenged children of their own. Undernourished children of five years or over are more likely to develop chronic diseases, such as diabetes and heart disease later in life and are five times more likely to die from diarrhoea. This counter-intuitive conclusion is because under-nutrition very early in life disrupts the body’s lifelong ability to regulate energy. This nutrition crisis is endemic in many parts of the world, and it will continue to affect the poorest women in Africa, South Asia, Latin America, and across the globe, unless we are all committed to addressing the problem and finding new ways to tackle it at its roots: Quality not just quantity of food is crucial. Food and hunger are about calories, while nutrition is about the right types and amounts of nutrients, care practices and overall maternal and child health. A

child can have unlimited access to rice or maize but lacking the proper nutrients they still face a much higher likelihood of death and will certainly end up stunted, limiting their potential and that of the nation. One hundred and eighty million children under five are stunted globally and are failing to realise their full potential. A mother’s health is a baby’s wealth - nutrition during pregnancy, exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months and proper and appropriate nutrition during the first two years of life, enhances cognitive development and avoids lost learning and earning potential for the child. Under-nutrition affects mothers at conception, the health of the baby in the womb and the development of children through the critical early years and consequently for the rest of their learning and earning life. Failure to obtain optimum nutrition negatively impacts the life chances of the next generation and prevents them from contribution to the Gross Domestic Product of the country; robbing their communities and the country from achieving full potential, sustainable growth and development. The eight Millennium Development Goals (MGDs) universally adopted by all 193 United Nations member states, at the time, and at least 23 international organizations of the United Nations in 2000, and most specifically, MDGs 4 and 5, which directly relate to maternal health and child mortality will not be reached by 2015 unless we do more and we act wiser. In particular, the one difference between reaching MDG4 on child survival and not reaching it is under-nutrition in pregnant and lactating mothers, and children. It is true that funding for global health has more than doubled since 2000, saving millions of lives of children and adults in some of the poorest countries. Despite this significant progress in the amount of money given by governments, aid agencies, foundations and individuals; funding for nutrition is neither large nor predictable enough to reach the UN’s Millennium Development Goals’ health targets for children. Because under-nutrition causes irreversible damage to a child’s brain and body and not only affects the health and cognitive development of millions of children but has a di-

rect impact on human capacity and national level productivity, competitiveness and economic growth; it must be tackled urgently. An increase of just a few centimetres for a child translates into twenty to forty five per cent increased wages and a one third reduction to the likelihood that individual will live in poverty as an adult. Addressing this lost opportunity in Africa and Southeast Asia will protect the next generation from the crippling current loss of eleven per cent of annual GDP, attributed to under-nutrition. A series of case studies from UNICEF launched just last month and recently documented examples from Latin America show how even countries with the most extreme stunting rates can dramatically cut undernutrition by as much as a third in five to seven years with a bundle of simple interventions (complementing existing food and nutrition as required with relevant interventions such as hand washing campaigns, vitamin supplementation, support for exclusive breastfeeding, diarrheal control; as appropriate) and eliminate stunting and severe acute malnutrition within a generation. In a few weeks’ time, governments, civil society organisations, business, academics and scientists will meet in London to take action on under-nutrition. The commitments made at the ‘Nutrition for Growth’ event on 8 June both political and financial – aim to prevent stunting in 20 million children by 2020. The meeting will herald the start of a transformation in the lives of millions of mothers and children and will boost the economies of many of the world’s poorest countries. We have a unique window of opportunity in 2013 to exploit the global coalescence around the nutrition agenda and to tackle the root cause of poverty, child mortality and economic underachievement. The best gift we can give mothers, as they carry the next generation and hold up half the sky this special day, is a happy child — and if that comes down to nutrition — it is well within our reach.

Cooper-Hohn is the President of the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation and Joy Phumaphi, Trustee of the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation and Executive Secretary of the African Leaders Malaria Alliance, WHO.

TheGuardian

Sunday, May 12, 2013 | 11

Conscience, Nurtured by Truth

Outlook To Save The North From Destruction By Dayo Olaide

ORTHERN Nigeria needs help. Decades of bad governance has continued to traumatise the region. In the period, successive administration and political leaders have failed to educate the region’s poor; pursuing instead conscious policies to lock vast majority in poverty and illiteracy in order to keep them subservient and passive. In so doing, the North’s political elite hope to disempower the people, minimize potential resistance to their power and political influence over flows of petrodollars from the central government. The result is dangerously high levels of inequality that has produced a fragile society with sharp divisions between a small, despised rich elite class and an impoverished, illiterate majority. The people, once considered subservient and passive, have become fuel for the incendiary conflicts that frequently ravage the North. The responsibility to solve the problem rests, first, with the people and government of the region. Different ethnic and religious groupings that once lived and co-existed in the region for decades and centuries must learn to tolerate one another and live together again peacefully in order to reverse imminent danger of complete breakdown of law and order throughout the region. The evidence is clear. Militants with fundamentalist ideologies are gradually taking hold of parts of the region. This is a dangerous development and must be quickly confronted to avoid a possible scenario of Somalia, Afghanistan and Mali. However, leaving the region to deal with the problem alone is bound to be counterproductive. The consequence is bound to reverberate through to the rest of Nigeria. Four things need to be done necessary to save the region. First, governments and political leaders, at state and local levels, with assistance from the federal government must address the massive youth illiteracy and unemployment in the region. A lot of the drivers of grievances that frequently turn violent are economic in nature. They stem from limited economic opportunities and exclusion from state programmes. Second, leaders and peoples of the region must fix the ‘identity’ question that eats its peace and security. A lot of exclusion and discrimination in the allocation of economic opportunities takes place on the basis of ‘identity’. Your identity as ‘indigene’ or ‘‘settler’ is crucial to your being in Nigeria; but the destructive potentials of this constitutional lacuna is most evident throughout the north. It has caused more havoc than benefit to cohesion and development. And it is time to expunge the provisions from our body of laws before its full destructive potential is unleashed on the land. Third, the region must uphold accountability and justice. Reports of public inquiries into violence and deaths have been abandoned to gather dust. Without implementing the recommendations and bringing perpetrators of violence and killings to justice, there cannot be forgiveness and healing.. Fourth, the north is in urgent need of political and economic revival. Nigeria’s north has the highest number of chil-

CONversation

dren out of school in the world, according to a 2010 World Bank report. The girl child is most affected with enrolment rate of 20 percent and 25 percent respectively in the north-east and northwest compared to 85 per cent each in south east and south west and 75 per cent in the southsouth. World Bank, in another report in 2012, estimated that 50 million youths are underemployed in Nigeria. A 2010 poverty profile released by Nigeria’s National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) reveals the devil in the details. Unemployment is highest in Zamfara, Bauchi, Niger, Gombe, Bauchi and Nassarawa with rates between 36.5 and 42.6 per cent. It is not surprising that income inequality is also highest in the north- in Taraba and Yobe state; based on result of the Gini coefficient released by the NBS. Gini coefficient measures income distribution on scale of 0 to 1. According to experts, numbers between 0.3 and 0.4 indicates relative income gap; 0.4 and 0.5 indicates large income gaps while above 0.5 means that inequality is severe requiring urgent actions in the society. Income inequality is 0.5241 and 0.523 in Taraba and Yobe states respectively; more than 0.447, the national average. Urgent actions are needed to check inequality in the region and reduce grievances that turn violent as a result of the apathy expressed by the ‘have nots’ for the ‘haves’. There is realization among northern elites of the danger youth unemployment poses to development and peace in the north. The growth in number of governors’ initiatives and budget spending on youth unemployment, poverty alleviation and empowerment programmes are indicative. If sustained, these programmes could go a long way to reduce the risk of grievances from limited economic opportunities turning violent. But the current approach of poverty alleviation and empowerment may be counterproductive and could exacerbate cynicism and distrust for government and its programmes. This is because a lot of employment and empowerment programmes are fraught with secrecy, favouritism and corruption. In the absence of clear guideline for managing and measuring performance and impact, it then implies that the programmes are politicized; often to gain political mileage and therefore leave no dent on the problem. Some programmes are simply exuberant. For instance, a state governor recently announced international scholarship to train 100 pilots in an expensive international graduate training programme. The announcement has sparked public reactions among residents in the state. One resident asked ‘of what use to the state is a graduate training programme for pilots when the state neither runs nor owns an airline business capable of absorbing the new pilots?’ It is not clear how beneficiaries of the pilot graduate programme has been selected or the children of whom they are? A lot of the responses to the problem of limited economic opportunities merely scratch the surface. The missing link has been poor planning, politicization of programmes, the lack of openness and citizens’ participation. Promoting transparency, openness and predictability in government youth employment and empowerment programmes can improve the benefits and

beneficiaries and reduce grievances and risks of violence that often result from apathy and feeling of exclusion. Transparency will benefit the citizens and government. By making information on employment and empowerment programmes available to citizens they (the people) are able to participate in the design and functioning, draw benefits and hold responsible government agencies accountable for the management of the programmes and budget allocations. This is likely to result in positive change in citizen-government relations. A transparent and accountable government will benefit from reduction in distrust, cynicism and confrontations that often characterize government-citizen engagement. Governments must be able to envision the long-term benefits in being more open in order to invest in it. Over time, Nigeria citizenship has been defined into ‘indigene’ and ‘settler’ where the former is synonymous with ‘nativity’; that is, being born in a particular location into a specific ethnic group considered to have a “homeland” within the locality. Settlers on the other hand have their ethnic genealogy elsewhere, even if they were born in a particular state or lived all their lives there. This classification has evolved as the basis for citizenship rights, entitlements and access to opportunities. It is the basis for discrimination- in employment, admission to schools, running for political office, scholarship, etc. It has gravely fractured the north far beyond the rest of the country with frequent violent conflicts. Experts have explained that ‘indigene’ and ‘settler’ status are creations of the misinterpretation of the 1999 constitution. Yet the absence of a clear mechanism for a perceived ‘settler’ to become an indigene, in order to draw citizenship benefits makes the dichotomy a major challenge in the North especially. For example, a third generation resident of Jos, who has lived in Jos for more than a century is disqualified from aspiring for a political office; even if he lived in Jos for five centuries. This crude interpretation of the constitution should have no place in modern Nigeria and must be urgently addressed. While the constitutional reform process in the 2009-2011 phase failed to put the ‘identity’ question to rest, some states in the south have found creative administrative procedures to achieve inclusion and involve minority groups in state running. The ongoing constitutional reform presents a second chance for the northern region to put this vexed issue to rest once and for all. Northern governors’ forum and residents must seize the moment before Nigeria switches fully into the elections mode. Leaving the issue to drag for too long could make it ‘petrol’ for violence during the next elections in 2015. Nigeria has had a history of unresolved violent conflicts. The failure of the federal and state governments to address the root causes and drivers of these conflicts leaves room for reprisal attacks and increases the risk of conflicts throughout the northern region. According to the International Crisis Group, at least 80 episodic violent conflicts were recorded in Jos between 1994 and 2004. The conflicts, mostly between indigenous

Berom, Anaguta and Afizere groups and non-indigenous Hausa and Fulani people has consumed about 4000 souls over the ten year period according to the Human Rights Watch. National figures estimated that conflicts displaced more than 6million people throughout the country. Governments’ response is often to set up commissions of inquiry. The inquiries have generated reports and recommendations that are never implemented. This action of government does not show any commitment to justice or interest in finding lasting solution to the frequent bloodbath in the region. Some reports contained recommendations to prosecute individuals that have been identified on account of their roles and payment of compensation to some groups and individuals for the losses they have suffered. Implementing the recommendations of the commissions of inquiry will deliver justice, help the healing process and facilitate the process of peaceful coexistence necessary to rid the north of intolerance and violent conflicts. Commitment to justice and fairness is the essential ingredient for lasting peace in the region. Implementing the various reports of commissions of inquiry is an important first step to this. Federal and state governments must therefore work together to ensure accountability and justice. Politics of winner takes all in a multi-ethnic, multi-religious and highly classed society like Nigeria is dangerous and unsustainable. The failure of the political elite to respond to national development needs in the last five decades have deepened ethnic suspicion and religious rivalry. Every ethnic and religious group is suspicious of potential domination by the other; and has no confidence that the other group, if given power, would protect its own interest. This suspicion runs deep in the politics and governance across the country. It is responsible for the wide inequality, exclusion and rivalry that have devastated the north. The region remains chronically poor and worse-off than the rest of the country in many development indicators. This is in spite of its record of producing most number of Nigeria’s Presidents. The northern political hegemons have failed to develop the region. Inordinate greed for western lifestyle and absence of active citizenry fed the lack of vision and waste that plundered the state resources. The result is high level of illiterate, unemployable labour force that is frequently instrumentalised by its political elite. The story is not very different in other parts of the country, which may be considered lucky so far not to have recorded as many conflicts. Northern leaders at all levels have urgent responsibility to rally round and find lasting solution to widespread poverty and inequality in the north, expand opportunities and ensure equity and fairness in the distribution and allocation of benefits to all residents. They must recognize and embrace conflict sensitive-approaches in government programming by encouraging inclusion, transparency and accountability, equity and justice and fair representation. A stich in time could save the whole of the north from imminent combustion. •Olaide is a Development Practitioner based in Abuja.

By Obe Ess

TheGuardian

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Sunday, May 12, 2013

Conscience, Nurtured by Truth

Editorial Why The People Are Poor

BLESSED land, a cursed people is the well-worn phrase with which Nigeria is often described to paint the paradox of a nation endowed with abundant human and material resources, yet having majority of its people trapped in poverty. Tragedy is: well-worn the phrase may be, there is hardly a better one for the Nigerian condition. Nigeria is rich but the people are impoverished by their leaders. Recent announcements of policy targets and strategies from the World Bank Group during the yearly World Bank/IMF Spring Meeting highlight the dynamics and dimensions of poverty and its relationship with state capacities. The World Bank’s targets, figures and analyses amply demonstrate the extreme importance of the efficient delivery of key services such as sanitation, education and healthcare by the state. While the role of market-liberalising reforms and the private sector in delivering economic growth is incontrovertible, hundreds of millions of people and poor nations will remain trapped in extreme poverty and low productivity if the state fails to guarantee decent standards of key public services. The Bank called for the eradication of extreme poverty, defined as living on less than $1.25 per day, in 30 years, the first time it has set an “expiration date” date for poverty. It announced that the extreme poverty had declined from 43 per cent in 1990 to 21 per cent in 2010 with Sub-Saharan Africa accounting for more than one third of the 1.2 billion or 21 per cent of the global population still living in extreme poverty. It also made it known that $260 billion is lost every year as a result of poor sanitation, which aid the spread of the two leading killers of children — malaria and diarrhea. Unfortunately, Nigeria, despite being a major exporter of petroleum and the buoyant prices of crude oil in the last decade, is a major contributor to Africa’s poor development indicators. The incidence of extreme poverty remains unacceptably high, with 63 per cent of Nigerians living on less than $1.25 a day. The rejection of anti-polio immunisation due to politically motivated misinformation has seen more than 1,000 cases of the easily prevented disease reported in Nigeria. Nigeria is also the only country in the world, which still reports cases of the type three poliovirus. The World Bank itself recognises the primacy of “overcoming institutional and governance challenges” to the goal of ending poverty. Only in very few places are these challenges more apparent than in Nigeria. As the World Bank identified, a key “institutional and governance” challenge is investing in “infrastructure and agriculture”, which enables millions of citizens to find jobs or become significantly more productive, hence able to contribute to growth rather than remain trapped in poverty. Despite the fact that Nigeria remains a significant food importer while exports of key crops have declined over the decades, 31 per cent of Nigerians still remain in agriculture related employment. The problem is the ability of Nigeria to make the right investments and craft the smart polices required to boost the production and processing of agricultural products. A disproportionate percentage of the nation’s budget is still consumed by the public sector whose productivity and contribution to growth is abysmal. It is erroneous to think that paying people to be underemployed in the civil service serves any social good; the money and manpower trapped are better diverted to the production useful goods. It is also clear that spending almost 20 per cent of the yearly budget on fuel subsidy, which is consumed in a few cities while only about four per cent is spent on the roads needed to transport agricultural products to national and international markets is not the way to end poverty. Of course, the big problem is the absolute lack of credibility of successive Nigerian governments and their inability to convince rightfully skeptical Nigerians on the need for civil service reforms and fuel subsidy liberalisation. The political class has indeed benefitted from the fraudulent administration of the wasteful fuel subsidy and stuffed many more people in unproductive jobs in the civil service. In the social sectors, which World Bank analysis has shown is critical to the productivity of millions of citizens and thus to the reduction of poverty and economic growth, Nigeria has suffered immeasurably from the scourge of predatory politics and cynical political leadership. Voting money for schools and hospitals hardly translates into the delivery of learning and healthcare. Nigeria’s democracy continues to give offices to people as political reward; for their personal service rather than the publics. Things that ought to be taken for granted cannot be so as a result of the Nigerian factor. Funds for education are often embezzled and books meant to be distributed to students for free find their way into bookshops. Many studies have shown how the possession of just six years of primary education by women greatly improves the chances of their children surviving childhood and becoming educated. Mismanaging education funds not only robs two or three generations of the opportunity of acquiring an education, it indirectly kills children. It is in this context that the government should ensure that the $829 million recently received from the Global Fund on AIDS, TB and Malaria is well monitored to ensure every dollar is used for the intended purpose. Nigerians running Government agencies in the health sector have been known to misuse funds donated by foreigners for the care of poor Nigerians just as they mismanage funds allocated to them from the national budget. The extension or indeed the deepening of State failure in Nigeria’s oil sector from which about 84 per cent of government revenue is derived further threatens Nigeria’s ability to invest in economic infrastructure and the delivery of vital social services required to meet poverty reduction targets. The interminable delay in passing the Petroleum Industry Bill and the consequent uncertainty over the tax treatment of investment in the sector has seen close to $100 billion in investment put on hold by international and Nigerian oil companies over the last five years. Meanwhile, more African countries discover oil and are attracting investment into production. Ensnared by greed. Nigerian politicians are not at all embarrassed by the more than five-year delay in passing a critical legislation that undergirds the national economy. Indeed, Nigeria’s leadership, with its failure to offer appropriate services to the people, with corruption in high places, is the main reason the people are poor.

LETTER

Lawlessness And The Right To Strike IR: It appears that Nigeria is from government had fallen on to engage in a strike action, but Swhere about the only country deaf ears. In frustration at the to stress that that right is not a anything goes, about closure of these institutions the only country I am aware of in which conducts are purportedly guided by laws, but impunity is actually the operative rule of behaviour. And the thing about impunity is that it renders law meaningless and makes an outright mockery of the whole exercise of law-making. The real essence of the law is not in its making, but in enforcement. It is about time we, as a country, got serious about obeying laws and creating a truly law-governed society. The ongoing strike by lecturers of higher institutions in Osun State brings this problem back into focus. The Association of Academic Staff in Osun State- owned tertiary institutions had been doing battle with the government over the usual stuffs; wages, retirement age, tax relief, pensions and sundry matters. Apparently, the series of negotiations between the two parties had failed to bridge their differing positions and this had culminated in a strike by the academic staff members of the four tertiary institutions in the state, to wit the Osun State Polytechnic in Iree, the Osun State College of Technology at Esa-Oke, and the two Colleges of Education located in Ilesa and Ila-Orangun. The government has since been calling on the lecturers to resume work and return to the negotiating table. The appeals

and the impact it would have on the future of its innocent students, the students sought redress in the law court. After all, the law is supposed to be the basis for defining relationships, whether as individuals or as groups. Represented by the presidents of their respective unions, the students of the four institutions approached an Osogbo High Court to order the re-opening of the schools. The Court on Wednesday, April 17 granted the students’ appeal and ordered the striking lecturers to immediately return to work. But the lecturers had flagrantly ignored the order and have yet to go back to classes. The issue here is not to question the right of a labour union

licence for lawlessness. What makes a strike right is the law, and the use of strike to violate the same law makes it unlawful. Therefore, by flouting the law that gives them the right to strike, the lecturers are engaging in lawlessness rather than exercising their right to strike. We must begin to realise that the law was not made to uphold the particular interests of a person or group at all times and at all costs. The law is made to provide for lawful and civilised conducts in everything we do or say. It is the law that makes us what we are – civilised beings. And we must learn to respect it, whether or not it suits our purpose. •Kola Adeyemi, Osogbo, Osun State.

Dress Code For Police

IR: The Nigeria Police has three standard uniforms: the all black, the light blue shirt on black trousers (which we learnt is for the senior ranks), and the camouflage. These along with the other variants like the mobile police outfit and that of the traffic wardens are known identity of our Policemen. But in recent times many of the operatives commonly in the Alimosho (Lagos) zone go about on black T-shirt (though with police logo in front) and casuals, carrying their guns. We do not think that such is a good statement to make of the institution. Many times, armed robbery will take place and the victims will claim that it was carried out by policemen.

The police authority will say that it was robbers in police dress. With all sorts of outfits by policemen, it becomes difficult to distinguish them. We are aware of some policemen that need to work under cover in public, but not the way they appear on the roads. Our Police need to dress smart (just as the IG always is) with easily identifiable dress, not dresses with doubtful identity card hanging on their neck. We implore the Inspector General of Police and the Zonal commanders to work on the public appearance of their rank and file. •Ifechukwu Ukwuegbu, essenceicu@yahoo.com

THE GUARDIAN, Sunday, May 12, 2013

SOCIETY Birthdays AKINLAGUN, Samuel Okunola, teacher, educationist and philanthropist would be 76 on Wednesday, May 15, 2013. Born on May 15, 1937, he was educated at Ereko Methodist School, Lagos, 1945-55; C.M.S Grammar School, Lagos, 1956-60 and St. Gregory’s College, Lagos, 196162. He also attended and received a degree in Botany from the University of Lagos, 1965-69; and later a Post Graduate Diploma in Education (PGDE) from the University College, Ibadan (now University of Ibadan), 1974-75 and

Advance Management Certificate (AMC) from the Administrative Staff College (ASCON), in 1991. He worked at the Federal School of Arts & Science as Lecturer, between 1969 and 1978, St. Timothy’s College, Onike, Yaba, Government College, Eric Moore, Government Teacher’s College, Epe, Schools Management Board, Ikeja, Awori College, Ojo, Eti-Osa Local Government Education District as Assistant Director of Education and TESCOM Zonal Office, Badagry as Director of Education, among others. He rose to the level of Director of Education in the office of the

Akinlagun

Special Adviser to the Lagos State governor from 2000 to May 2002, from where he retired. He attended series of top management courses such as the challenges of Educational Management, Workshop on implementation for

Strategies for 6-3-3-4 system of Education and others. He won lots of accolades from his contributions to the education sector such as Best Principal Award, Pillar of Excellence by Institute of Human and Natural Resources, and National Quality Education Award, among others. He holds the traditional titles of Otun Balogun Ijo of the United African Methodist Church, Badagry, Jagunmolu of Youth Christian Association of St. Michael’s Church, Epe and Jagunmolu of Idumota, Lagos Island. BADMUS, Khamis Olatunde, industrialist, businessman, farmer, philanthropist and journalist was 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 ofFarming in Nigeria; Member, 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 Associa-

tion 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 OtunbaAkayejo of Osogboland and Asiwaju Musulumi of Yorubaland.

NOA Osun Takes Value Re-orientation To Prison Inmates SUN State Director of NaO tional Orientation Agency, Apostle Samson Adeyemi, has

Former Miss Foluke Adebayo and Mr. Alaba Lijirin durrin their wedding at Ode-Irele, Ondo State.

called on inmates of the Nigerian Prisons to imbibe the Nigerian Core Values in the bid to transform Nigeria stating that value re-orientation is critical to reformation of the inmates. Adeyemi stated this in Ilesa

and Ile-Ife prisons when the agency took the value re-orientation campaign on National Core Values to the inmates at the two prisons. He said it behoved every inmate to imbibe the core values of honesty, obedience, restraints, hardwork and patience, which according to him, will transform their lives for better future after leaving the prison walls. “The Director-General of the Agency, Mike Omeri is of the conviction that the bane of the myriad of problems confronting the country stem from failure to do the right thing,” Adeyemi said. Prison officials and inmates who spoke under the condition of anonymity noted that the prison has metamorphosed from being punitive to a reformation centre.

Mr. and Mrs. Kelvin and Ifeoma Ekawhare during their holy solemnisation in Lagos.

Deputy General Manager, Protea Hotel Ikeja, Jean Kriel , winner, Adewuyi Abiodun and Marketing Services Manager, Brian Munro Limited, Abayomi Ajao at the presentation of Hotel Ticket of Campari- Shoprite Easter Rewards Program in partnership with the hotel.

Deputy Governor of Ekiti State, Prof. Modupe Adelabu and the Onipere of Ipere-Ekiti, Oba James Olufemi Omiyale, flanked by the State Commissioner for Rural Development and Community Empowerment, Mr. Olabode Folorunsho and the Caretaker Chairman, Ilejemeje Local Government, Prince Bamigboye Adegoroye, at the official presentation of staff of office to the new Onipere ... yesterday.

Mr and Mrs Kola Jebutu (middle), flanked by friends and family members on the occasion of Mr Jebutu’s 70th birthday anniversary.

Transition

Vice Chancellor Convenant University, Prof. Charles Korede Ayo (left), Chairman The Ambassadors Schools, Ota, Samson Yomi Osewa, winner of the Mathematics Competition, Master Agunwa Stephen and Dr Etofolam Osuji at the Prize Giving to The Ultimate Mathematics Ambassadors 2013 ceremony powered by the Ambassadors School, Ota, Ogun State.

• Pa Emmanuel Ofotogu Agbugba, a devout Catholic and foundation member of St. Ferdinand Catholic Church, Boys Towns, Ipaja is dead. Aged 77, He will be buried on May 22, 2013 at his home town, Umuezuo Naze, Owerri North Local Government Area of Imo State. He is survived by his wife, Adatugo (Mrs. Celestina Agbugba, a woman leader), children and grandchildren, including Mr. Tony Agbugba of the Directorate of Social Communications, Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos.

Children and grand children of late Chief Samuel Igbayiola Adegbite during the burial at in Ibadan, Oyo State

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

• The celebration of Madam Janet Ojenike Adesanya, 99, who passed away on Monday, April 15, 2013 in Lagos started on Thursday May 9, 2013 at The Apostolic Church Car Park, 3/5 Ajibode Street, Tejuoso, Yaba. A commendation and thanksgiving service was held on May 10 at the same grounds after which interment took place at the Ebony Private Cemetery, Atan, Cemetery, Yaba. She is survived by her children — Mrs. Olufunso Romeo, Mrs. Olufolake Adekoya, Mr. Femi Adesanya, Mr. Dapo Adesanya and Dr. Olusola Adesanya.

THE GUARDIAN, Sunday, May 12, 2013

SUNDAYMAGAZINE 17

LIVINGWOMAN Christy Opara ought to be a household name in Nigerian sports. However, only few people are familiar with the name that brought glory to the country at the 1992 Olympic game in Barcelona, Spain. Opara was one of the four golden girls that won gold medal in the 4.1 Relay Race. Indeed, she was the very person that gave the baton to Mary Onyeali, who ran the final leg. Ironically, nothing much was heard of the other shortly after. But Opara has put all this behind her. She is currently in the country with the desire to contribute to sports development. With her huge investment in sporting facilities, she is poised to boost sporting activities in FCT as well as uplift the underprivileged in sports. She spoke recently with BRIDGET CHIEDU ONOCHIE about her background and how it has shaped her passion to assist young talents who lack the substance to train in sports. Project and motivation HERE are two different projects. One is the establishment of sports development centre that comprises track and field, football soccer field, lawn tennis, volleyball, long jump, table tennis and gymnasium. The motivation for the sporting facilities is to create an atmosphere for relaxation for Nigerian families. In advanced countries, families go out on weekends for relaxation. Here, we do not have enough provisions for that. So, this facility provides a place for soccer development; it also provides a place for women to focus on weight loss and a playground for children so that when daddy is on the field playing, mummy is in the gym and the children will be in the playground. It is a sporty environment designed to accommodate husband, wife, children and sports development all in one place. I believe that with true health and physical fitness, one is able to face life’s challenges, deal with work environment, which increases productivity. When the family is happy, the society at large is happy. The one-hectare land was swampy when we bought it but the desire to help my community and give back to the youths kept us going. The second project is a Non-governmental organisation (Soho Sports Foundation) that aims at providing assistant to the under privileged in sports. There are millions of young talented Nigerians in sports, who cannot afford even tennis shoes. There are those who cannot pay to go to sporting playground or transport themselves from point A to point B. They are talented but no one is encouraging them in any way. My mission is to scout for these talents and provide them a ground to play for free while I seek sponsors to expose them to competition. It gives me joy to see positive changes in people. I love seeing people overcome all kinds of trauma to become confident and proud. Sport life I started running as a little child but could not continue after I left high school. I later went to Lagos State where I continued training and from there, I succeeded in travelling to the United States on scholarship. I represented Nigeria in 100 meters long jump. I held the African record in long jump until Chioma Ajunwa broke it in 2006. I was one of the golden legs that won medal for Nigeria in 4/1 Relay in 1992. In fact, I ran the third leg that gave the baton to Mary Onyeali, who did the finishing in that victorious game. There were four of us - Faith Idehe, Mary Onyeali, Beatrice Utondu and myself. Unfortunately, I will be walking on the road and people don’t recognise me. It is sad that people don’t even know the three of us. This was the first victory for Nigeria in that capacity and we won award worldwide for eight consecutive years. The photo shot that was taken at that moment won best picture of the year in 1992 and 1996. We have used it worldwide but when we come to Nigeria, there is no recognition. But we cannot continue to live in the past; we have pushed that behind us. It hurts to know that we have great talents as far as women track and field is concerned but since our time, it is gone and nobody has done well ever again. I don’t know the reason but I am going to help in sorting that out. Improving on the situation Nigeria right now is at the bottom of the ladder. The reason is because we are not structured to developing sports. Everything has to start from the fundamentals of body movement. If you cannot hold yourself, you cannot

OPARA: The Lady With Golden Legs Returns With Goodies I left Nigeria for the US on scholarship. Before then, Mary Onyeali and Beatrice Utondu were already there on scholarship. Both of them were training in Texas University while I was on my own under coach supervision in California until Faith Idehe who was training in Alabama came to train with me. Coaches were training four of us and we were representing our individual schools. So, it was easy for us to come back and team up because we were trained and we understood what training was all about. In Nigeria however, athletes are trained locally in different locations and are brought back within two weeks to prepare for competition under a coach. It usually ends in a sheer waste of time. For me, the coach should not be blamed for the failure, rather, those respective coaches should be held responsible because they trained them from the beginning and had seen their performances prior to the game. By now, other countries have already started training for the next Olympics but we will wait until it is only weeks ahead before assembling athletes. That is not the solution; we are only spending money. Equal opportunity for both sexes in sports Government should encourage women who have proved competent in sports the way the Eagles are supported. There should be a balance irrespective of sex. It should be a matter of who is representing the country better. This should also cut across other sports that women are involved in. It is obvious that men have more time for recreation than women. So, few women who show interest and are determined to excel should be encouraged. Early Life I was born in Owerri West, Imo State and had my primary and secondary education in Owerri before going to Lagos to train with Lagos State Sports Council. From there, I developed greater interest in sports and was offered scholarship to study sports in the US. Upbringing and career My upbringing had some influence on my interest in sports. My father was in sports and my mother supported me when I started running in primary school. I am the second of six children. My father died while I was in primary six and I lost my mother when I was in class one. I became a mother when I was 13 and had to trade to pay my school fees and take care of my siblings. Life was very challenging then. Our youngest was five years old when mother died. With my kind of background, if I was able to succeed, then, those youths out there also can. So, I decided to offer the little assistance I can to those talented young Nigerians who don’t have what it takes. Most glorious moment The day I got visa to travel to the US. I was happy but also sad. I could not comprehend it. This was precisely January 12, 1989. I was the only Nigerian athlete who got the visa that day. I never applied for visa before and nobody taught me anything about the procedure. When it was my turn, I only tendered the scholarship paper and after series of cross-examination, I was given a visa. But I became confused, I cried, smiled and I went home. It was very difficult for me to leave because my siblings were with me. I told my coach I was not going because of my challenges but he insisted I should go. He told me that the same God, who has sustained us since our parents died would take care of my siblings. With those words of encouragement, I jetted out to the US. Advice to younger ones dance well. A coach must understand the fundamen- of a child and how much children can do on I will say to the girls that God never disappoints tals of body structure and movement. He must be their own before they are moved to the area of anyone who trusts in Him. Everyone has a speable to analyse the body and know what it takes to sport that they are likely to do better. cial gift and talent to succeed in life. Girls should take one step and how far a muscle of individual can For women, we should monitor their developtravel, to be able to help athletes position themselves ment early enough and help direct them to fields not engage in prostitution on account of difficulties. Rather, they should go the right way and in their areas of specialties. of interest. Training together is another key to ask the right question. Unfortunately, we don’t have specifications in Nige- succeeding in sports and until Nigeria imbibes ria and we cannot direct our athletes because we that culture, we will continue to be at the bottom Those in sports should just go to the stadium or where people are training; somebody will disdon’t have sports academy where we can start from of the ladder. cover their talent and help them. I am a living the grass root to watch performance and behaviour Her Olympic victory proof of the fact that God makes way where there is no way. Don’t give up; be sincere to yourself. Do not hinder yourself because someone says the contrary. Philosophy I have never given up on my dream. I don’t believe in failure and unfinished jobs. The worst thing in life is to give up on one’s dream. There is nothing wrong in putting it on hold and using what is available to survive. I sold groundnuts, bread, beans and oranges to survive. I planted vegetables and waited for it to grow so I could harvest it and cook for my siblings. If you lose your grip, go to someone who is higher and better than you and s/he will put you through.

OPARA

Government should encourage women who have proved competent in sports the way the Eagles are supported. There should be a balance irrespective of sex. It should be a matter of who is representing the country better. This should also cut across other sports that women are involved in. It is obvious that men have more time for recreation than women. So, few women who show interest and are determined to excel should be encouraged.

TheGuardian conscience, Nurtured by Truth

THE GUARDIAN,Sunday, May 12, 2013 18

Junior Guardian Nawair-Ud-Deen Marks Road Safety Week

TUDENTS of Nawair-Ud-Deen Grammar School (Junior), Solu-Ifo, Ogun State, joined the rest of the world last Tuesday to mark the second United Nations’ Global Road Safety Week. It was scheduled for May 6th-12th, 2013 across the globe with the theme: “Pedestrian Safety”. The event, marked with ‘The Long Short Walk rally’, with the support of the Ogun State Road Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps (TRACE) and the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), was used to enlighten motorists on the essence of safety of pedestrians. From the main school compound, the students with various placards marched to the main Ifo Motor Park, where drivers’ unions received them. The founder of Nigerians Unite For Road Safety (NUFORSA), Mr. Adedapo Oyedipe, who gave a short lecture at the park, urged drivers to shun the consumption of alcoholic drinks and other acts capable of causing pedestrian accidents. He told them to always abide by the 10 commandments of safety, adding that students should ensure that safety rules are adopted to save their lives. A Union leader, Alhaji Jimoh Ogunronbi said the five unions are doing everything possible to ensure reduction of accidents to the barest minimum. He appealed to government to provide necessary road signs and traffic signs to assist the drivers to save lives. Earlier in her address, Principal of the School, Alhaja Memunat Arogundade said the essence of the programme was to create awareness on the importance of safety of pedestrians because in most cases, students are always at risk and the need to create frequent awareness is essential She appealed to government at all levels to ensure regular use of the media to create awareness in order to inculcate the sense of security in motorists and road users alike, to drastically reduce road accidents. Representative of the Ota Zone Command of FRSC, Mr. Wasiu Ogunmefun called on the unions to always desist from habits that can lead to careless driving, saying there is need for instal-

POPULATION Solutions To Brain Teaser (4) PERMANENT

ELECTRICITY ENUMERATE

lation of foot bridges and road signs to save lives of road users. The global status report on road safety states that pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists make up almost half of those killed on the roads and that road traffic injuries are the leading

PASSENGER KIDNEY

MIDWIFE

PROSTITUTE

cause of death for children and young people aged between five and 29.

— Gbenga Akinfenwa

SAY IT IN FRENCH! By Asuquo Dennis French Gender I French lovers! If you’re one of those people who always wish that the acquisition of a good linguistic competence level in French were an air-borne infectious disease so they could get exposed to it and eventually contact it, then this lesson is specially designed for you! This is because this edition of Say it in French! centers on gender which is certainly a very important aspect of learning French. Gender, as it concerns language learning, often has to do with the grammatical sex to which a word belongs. In French, there’re just two of them namely masculine and feminine. Most Nigerian learners of French often experience a lot of difficulty when dealing with the issue of gender in French since less emphasis is laid on gender in English language and in most of our local languages. Surely, you’ll need to learn and possibly master current gender usage in French if you wish to go far in your quest to learn the language. To start with, the most common way to form the feminine in French is to add an –e to the masculine.

Masculine Petit Grand Bon Ami

Feminine petite (small)) (big) grande (good) bonne amie (a friend)

Here’re some illustrative sentences.

Le garçon est petit. The boy is small. La fille est petite. The girl is small. L’homme est grand. The man is big. La femme est grande. The woman is big. However, there’re some exceptions. If the masculine word already has an –e ending, an extra –e need not be added in the feminine. Masculine Feminine Un élève une élève (a pupil) Un bébé une bébé (a baby)

Birthday Greeting Tolulope Olaniyi Is 2

Some more illustrative sentences.

THESAURUS Precarious a) shaky b) sit c) change d) dark Capricious a) clear b) count c) impulsive d) star Tacit a) hide b) unspoken c) honest d) dare Wobble a) vibrate b) drag c) cross d) danger Grouch a) plant b) noun c) grumbler d) soak Simmer a) slow b) heat c) boil d) blow Drudgery a) unpleasant b) smelly c) tool d) labour Clout a) nose b) paw c) influence d) date Jittery a) nervous b) cold c) speechless d) high Gibberish a) sly b) nonsense c) odd d) pat

Mummy and Daddy wish her happy birthday

coMpileD by KiKelolA oyebolA

L’exercice est facile. The exercice is easy. La leçon est facile. The lesson is easy. Some words with –e ending are masculine and not feminine.

Un livre (a book) Un homme (a man) For words ending in –er, their feminine form is –ère. Here’re some examples. Masculine Feminine Le premier La première (first) Le dernier La dernière. (last) Le boulanger La boulangère. (baker) Please study these illustrative sentences.

onsieur Ime est boulanger. Mr Ime is a baker. Madame Eze est boulangère. Mrs Eze is a baker. Le garçon est le premier. The boy is the first. a fille est la première. The girl is the first. I’m sure you had a nice reading through this package. Please keep a date with us next week for the second part of this lesson.

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

THE GUARDIAN, Sunday, May 12, 2013

SUNDAY MAGAZINE

CAMPUS

Nativity Night Rocks Maiduguri Varsity By Isola Taiwo and Josiah David

MIDST ongoing security concerns in Maiduguri over activities of the dreaded Boko Haram sect, the Nativity Night, an annual cultural event organised by the Redeemed Christian Fellowship (RCF) brought excitement to students of the University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID) last week. Reputed as the biggest event in the cultural calendar of the university, the ceremony brings together students from all ethnic backgrounds in a fanfare to celebrate their cultural heritage. Though the sky threatened to rain heavily, students were not deterred as they trooped en masse to the Ecumenical Centre of the university for the much anticipated nativity night. Each ethnic group was colourfully represented with their trademark attire, while their cultural heritage was showcased to the public. To add glamour to the event, native foods of the ethnic groups are prepared and served to the audience. There is also an exhibition preceding the parade, where materials and paraphernalia of each nationality are displayed and questions about the origin and traditions of the ethnic groups are answered. The highlight of the event was the procession of the various groups featured, including Arewa, Tiv, Idoma, Igbo, Ijaw, Calabar, Yoruba, Niger Delta among others and performances in native songs and dances. The drama group of RCF capped a memorable night with a play on the dire need for unity, peace and love. One of the participants, Deborah Moses, said the event added value to her life by helping her learn how to relate with people of different cultural backgrounds. “The programme was enlightening and I ate three dishes from three ethnic groups, which tasted really nice.” President of the fellowship, Bethel Patrick, who was dressed in Igbo attire, said: “the event seeks to foster unity irrespective of our cultural backgrounds. As you can see, all ethnic groups represented here were allowed to display their heritage and that is the message our General Overseer, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, would want us to convey to the students.” Students of the University of Maiduguri dancing during the Nativity Night, a celebration of Nigeria’s ethnic groups... recently.

Abia Varsity Graduates 5,450 From Gordi Udeajah, Umuahia

BIA State University (ABSU), Uturu last week, marked its 22nd convocation ceremony, with the conferment of honorary doctorate degrees on governors Peter Obi of Anambra State and Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State. Abia-born president of Masters Energy Oil & Gas, Dr. Uche Sampson Ogah, was also conferred with a Doctor of Business Administration. A total of 5,450 students, comprising 5,048 first degrees and 402 postgraduate degrees, were awarded with their certificates. Unlike last year where 36 students graduated with First Class, only 10 clinched the highest grade this year.

The overall best graduating student, Solomon Odochi Chibuzo of the department of Animal and Environmental Biology, who finished with a CGPA of 4.8, and is beneficiary of the governor’s Ochendo Scholarship Scheme, was offered an automatic employment by the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Chibuzo Ogbuagu. The VC said he was delighted that the pleas made at the convocation ceremony last year to the governor of the state, who is also the institution’s Visitor was given urgent attention with the release of about N5.4 billion to implement infrastructural projects at the university. He added that of the 31 courses offered in the university, 18 sailed through

NUC’s reaccreditation, 13 were placed on interim status and none was denied accreditation. He, however, lamented that the university still faced challenges in erosion control. Pro-Chancellor and chairman of Governing Council, Senator Ike Nwachukwu, said ABSU has renewed its emphasis on high academic standards and quality instruction, which has armed the institution’s graduates with two valuable assets, “a certificate that attests to their successful completion of the senate-prescribed academic programme and the culture of an indomitable spirit to confront life’s problem, with puts premium on diligence, tolerance, rational discourse, and respect for facts and logic.

… As OAU Admits 5,501

HE newly matriculated students of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, have been urged to refrain from any act that is capable of extending their stay in the university beyond the normal duration of their courses or abruptly terminate their programme. Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Tale Omole, gave this advice during the 51st matriculation ceremony of the university. Congratulating the new students, the VC said the oath they have sworn to is sacrosanct and could be used against

Cyprus University Woos Nigerian Students With Scholarships Counselors Task Nigeria, Mr. Praise Folaji, GAU, established in 1985, with campuses in Cyprus, United Kingdom, United States, Turkey and Singapore, is focused on providing access to an American-style education to learners in Nigeria and across the world. To achieve this, GAU uses a wide range of strategies, fostering a variety of instructional approaches and encouraging scholarships. “Over 800 Nigerian students have benefitted from various scholarships of the institution, with over 500 others presently studying different courses. We also engage in collaborative community services and empower our constituents to become responsible citizens,” he explained. The university’s liaison office in Abuja was established to cater for the welfare of prospective students and alumni in the country. “The office also provides orientation programmes, designed to provide strong, enhanced and tarVice-Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology, Akure, Prof. Adebiyi Daramola geted support to new students (left) and Raphael Ikumapayi, who led the Town Planning Registration Council of Nigeria from the start of their university (TOPREC) team, which came for the statutory professional re-accreditation of the uni- experience,” Folaji added. versity’s Department of Urban and Regional Planning. partners emerging the most outHE Girne American University standing international partners (GAU), Cyprus, recently con- from over 74 countries. According to the director of the cluded its first International Partners Workshop, with Nigerian University Liaison Office in

By Victor Olushola

School Administrators On Security By Gbenga Akinfenwa

HE Counseling Association of Nigerian (CASSON) has appealed to school administrators in the country to be security conscious and avert any form of violence or security risks. Chairperson of the association in Ogun State, Prof. (Mrs.) Olufunmilayo Sotonade, who spoke at the CASSON annual conference hosted by Babcock University High School, said no nation could afford to treat with levity the security of its people and territorial integrity. She advocated that in tackling the country’s insecurity challenges, Counseling Psychology, as a field of study should be introduced in policy formulation and implementation to promote national cohesion and integration. The state Commissioner for Education, Segun Odubela, noted that there is increasing incidence of violence in schools, with reported cases of cultism and misuse of technology, among others.

any erring student if it is violated anytime during the course of their studies. Giving the breakdown of the applicants, the VC noted that out of the 79,809 candidates that made OAU their choice, only 39,632 candidates were able to pass the UTME examination and “out of these, only 5,501 passed the post-UTME screening and eventually got admitted. This is about 12.5 percent of those who sat for the post-UTME.” The VC specifically appealed to the students to channel their grievances to the appropriate quarters through dialogue and shun any violent demonstration, gangsterism or confrontation with the management.

WISECRACKS Miracles sometimes occur, but one has to work terribly hard for them. Chaim Weizmann Anger is a wind, which blows out the lamp of the mind. Robert G Ingersoll Everyone starts from scratch, but not everyone keeps on scratching! Anonymous We either make ourselves miserable or we make ourselves strong. The amount of work is the same. Carlos Castaneda

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.com or guardianlife2005@yahoo.com

THE GUARDIAN, Sunday, May 12, 2013

20 SUNDAYMAGAZINE

NEWSFEATURE

Why Private Mortuary Services Abound In Southeast

Maduemezie mortuary By Chijioke Iremeka and Charles Ogugbuaja, Owerri

• Concern over quality control, standards paramount for professionals

lifted by their owners, just as more bodies were being deposited in the mortuary. According to the mortuary attendant, deposit of a corpse or transfer from a mortuary to ment-owned facilities while also making Maduemezie mortuary is at the rate of N6000, services available and closer to the masses. which attracts an additional N100 per day Mortuary is a place specially made for the within the first week of deposit and N200 from preservation of dead bodies until the relathe second week. Upon delivering of the corpse, tions of the deceased are ready for burial. In Anambra and Delta states, where a survey N2000 is charged for dressing. was conducted, lying-in-state is a practice wel- The attendant noted that the corpses within the mortuary could last for months as long as comed by Christians and traditionalists. the depositors are ready. “We do not have refrigThough, none of these religions force it on members to adopt any form of corpse preser- erating services, rather we do only embalmment and it lasts for a long period of time.” vation method, the choice of embalmment over refrigeration or immediate burial resides At St. Luke Private Hospital, Ebenebe, Awka North Local Council of Anambra State, it was in the hands of the individuals. learnt that it started as a mortuary, later metaRespondents, however, differ in choice of morphosing into a morgue. methods of body preservation. While many According to the Igwe of Ebenebe, there is no prefer embalmment to refrigeration, others said immediate burial is the best, as the dead traditional mortuary, but there is one private one in the community. He said that the choice of would leave the mother earth with body depositing bodies y in the mortuary lie solely parts. During The Guardian’s visit to Nwakaego Maduemezie Memorial Medical Centre, X-Ray Diagnostic & Laboratory Services, Asaba, Delta We do not have refrigerating services, State, it was gathered that not less than 25 rather we do only embalmment and it dead bodies were at the mortuary. Also, a number of these bodies were seen on the lasts for a long period of time shelf and ramps awaiting dressing. Those already dressed in caskets were to be HE growing number of private mortuaries T in the southeast, to many, is a good development, as it will reduce pressure on govern-

A modern mortician”s chamber

with the relatives of the dead. He stated that for matter of choice, some men often leave instruction with their families that they shouldn’t put them in mortuary when they die. According to him, some people would order their children and relatives to bury them immediately after death. “Some people do bury their deceased due to lack of funds. So, you will see a number of dead men and women being buried immediately after death.” Speaking on his preferred option, Mr. John Okafor said he preferred simple embalmment to refrigeration because refrigerating system changes the colour of the corpse. Sometimes, when there is no power supply, it makes the body to smell but embalmment does not have this problem. He noted that corpses are more sanitised with embalmment and have good look for presentation. “It delays the natural process of decomposition and gives more natural appearance to the face,” he noted. A hairdresser in Asaba, Mrs. Iloba Nwaka, said before her grandfather died, he left an instruction that he shouldn’t be deposited in the mortuary, warning that he would kill anybody that deposits his remains in the refrigerated ramps. He demanded that he be buried immediately after death. “So, since then, when anybody dies in my family, we bury the person first before we open discussion for burial arrangement and funeral ceremony,” she disclosed. Samuel Chukwunulu prefers embalmment to refrigeration, because to him, it lasts longer. Making reference to Genesis 50:2-3, where Jacob was embalmed and transported from Egypt to Canaanland, which lasted for 40 days, he said, “I do not have any other method in mind. Refrigeration would have been a better option, but due to poor power supply in the country, many hospitals have resorted to embalmment.” According to Ezenwa Ojiako, a mortician, when death occurs at home, there should be a preservation method. “This procedure may be recommended but not imposed. Dry ice is applied on different parts of the body, which freeze the body on contact. The ice is changed within 24 hours. Also, refrigerated ramps are used in mortuaries and funeral chambers. Beds and refrigerated ramps may be suggested if the body will remain in the home.” Governments have put some measures in place to ensure that services offered by operators of

these mortuaries meet with prescribed standards. In Imo State, many residents are worried about the rate at which private mortuaries are springing up in Owerri. Be that as it may, the primary concern of the state and local councils included ensuring that there is quality assurance, according to the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Joe Obi- Njoku. In virtually all the 27 local councils within the state, there is at least a private mortuary, while waiting in the corner are some people providing embalmment services. In Imo, one of the thriving private mortuaries is the Aladinma Hospital, Owerri owned by Dr. Darlington Amamasi, a popular physician in the state. There is also a public facility within the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Owerri. Usually, many of the residents of the city are amazed by the degree of vehicular movement conveying corpses from Thursdays through Saturday in and out of the private hospital. There are cases where bodies from overseas are taken to Aladinma Hospital for preservation, pending the burial time or day. Reason for this is that bodies are taken care of in the morgue within the hospital. Many are, however, worried over the proliferation of morgues along roads and in isolated areas because they are simply built in rooms, probably for any emergency though often not equipped. Respondents believed that governments should put in place better regulatory measures to promote not only better service but also quality assurance in that sector. Before now, FMC was bedeviled with poor facilities, including its mortuary as there were cases dead bodies piled over one another in a very crude form. At a time, the authorities of the health institution made announcements on the electronic media (radio and television), threatening to conduct a mass burial if the owners of unclaimed bodies failed to claim them. In order to increase the carrying capacity of the facility in FMC, the Medical Director, Dr. Angela Uwakwem, said a new ultra modern morgue is to be constructed with modern drawers to carefully slide in corpses. According to an activist, Chief Lambert Adibe, “People should not just go into it without adequate training and experience. It should not be an all comers affair. Government should come out and ensure that standards are enforced.”

THE GUARDIAN, Sunday, May 12, 2013

SUNDAYMAGAZINE 21

NEWSFEATURE

Proliferation Of Unlicensed Mortuaries In Southeast Worrisome A Security expert and former Special Adviser to Anambra State Government on Security Matters, Mr. Bonaventure Maduafokwa, in a chat with LEO SOBECHI, maintained that the floating corpses on Ezu River in Anambra State, has exposed the nation’s preparedness for emergencies stressing that many unlicensed mortuaries make the dumping of corpses possible. Excerpts: HE issue of floating corpses on Ezu River has remained a puzT zle; do you think the right steps have been taken to establish the identities of the dead persons? It is quite unfortunate that what we have done as a nation since that incident broke out appears to me to be running round a circle without really dealing with the main issues. We should commend the government of Anambra for offering N5 million to provide information that could help in unraveling the mystery. They equally went further to commission medical experts to run autopsy on those corpses. I am not aware of the main purpose of that autopsy, because what we ought to do was to determine the time of death, sex and age ranges of the dead persons. If the times of deaths appear staggered, it would suggest that they were not killed on the same day. The sex distribution of male and females as well as age ranges could hint on whether the dead persons were traveling in a boat that capsized. You know there are smugglers everywhere moving various items here and there. But the snag about the possibility of a boat capsizing is that nobody in the whole of the country has ever raised an alarm of any missing relative, whether in Anambra, Kogi or nearby states. This, to me, appears strange that no single family has ever come forward to report of any missing member. The suspicion that the corpses may have come from extra judicial killings by the security agencies amounts to taking the matter so far, essentially because the number of dead bodies defies explanation. Where could the security agencies have detained the persons and the entire security apparatus would condone those that carried out that nefarious crime without uproar? There would ordinarily be people within the security establishment that could subvert such callous mass murder. There is always the likelihood of an officer going to report the matter to higher authorities. Then, if they were arrested and detained, they could not have been arrested from the skies; they must have been removed from certain areas. Their relations would have known of their arrest and where they were taken to after. And any moment they discover that the suspects are no longer there, the relatives would raise an alarm. In this case, we do not have such outrage. Does that not call attention to the security situation in Anambra State? The problem we now have in Anambra State right is that it has exposed the entire nation of being unprepared for emergencies. That this kind of thing will happen and the Federal Government, the Senate would set up committees with the security agencies involved and we do not seem to have appropriate response

Prof Chukwu

mechanism to deal with this situation is disturbing. You need to find out a lot of things about those floating corpses. But you see, up till this moment, nobody has said anything tangible. We are not prepared for emergencies. If we have a similar situation of may be, a big boat capsizing in big waters; we would still have the same difficulties to rescue or determine the identity of the corpses. We don’t have emergency response system; even the navy does not patrol inland waterways. We tend to have overlooked the one important factor relating to this kind of thing. It is easy with the agencies of government to determine these things especially with the ministry of health. We have proliferation of mortuaries across the nation especially in southeast and southsouth, most of which are not properly licensed. All these mortuaries are filled to the brim, in most cases, with corpses people can’t retrieve. A solitary man residing in the town far removed from his family could die and deposited in the mortuary without anybody knowing. There are also situations whereby police run into accident scenes and evacuate corpses that are dumped in mortuaries, they never go back to determine the next of kin’s of those dead persons. There are a lot of mortuaries especially in the southeast that are not licensed. We know also that in the entire southeast the issues of cemeteries have become obsolete. We don’t have where to bury the dead. The question then is where do these mortuaries empty their vaults of dead bodies? I say this because nobody can claim to have seen officials of the morgues digging graves to bury unclaimed corpses. What I think we should have done by way of investigation is to approach mortuaries within ten kilometers radius to Ezu River. If they are going to discharge the bodies, they cannot exceed that distance for fear of running into Police checkpoints. Nobody can go more than 10 or 15 kilometres to discharge corpses. Those areas are such porous places in Nigeria that even if you have checkpoints, by night, you don’t see anybody. They may be doing that for a long time and that explains why no single person has come forward to announce missing persons. This is a conjecture but the scenario suggests that those corpses belong to people that died a long time ago. I am sure the autopsy report would show they did not die at the same time. Police has no mortuaries where they could dump bodies and wait

No corpse can come into the mortuary without documentation. They need to explain even the numbers of inflow, where they moved the outflow, because if the mortuary is saddled with a lot of unclaimed corpses, there would be no record of outflow. That is where the problem lies, so we need to go to all these mortuaries and determine the inflow of bodies, which must be recorded. The only out flow to be recorded are the ones collected by persons. The difference they cannot explain forms the balance we are looking for.

Maduafokwa till the number gets to 39 or 40 before burial. Thirty corpses is a large number and nobody can collect these corpses and keep in a police station and wait till it gets to 40 before going to dump them in a river. So, we must be careful how we relate police and security agencies to this incident, we should not label security agents as culprits without material evidence. And the Police under the current Commissioner of Police, Nassarawa, is doing a great job in Anambra state. He has refused to be intimidated by anybody. I should ask the security agencies of government to move within 20 kilometres of Ezu River and determine the mortuaries within those places. They have their records of inflow of bodies, which explains the records of outflow of bodies. That is the way to determine these things, because no corpse can come into the mortuary without documentation. They need to explain even the numbers of inflow, where they moved the outflow, because if the mortuary is saddled with a lot of unclaimed corpses, there would be no record of outflow. That is where the problem lies, so we need to go to all these mortuaries and determine the inflow of bodies, which must be recorded. The only out flow to be recorded are the ones collected by persons. The difference they cannot explain forms the balance we are looking for. But we may be talking about what happened in Lokoja axis because water from the tributaries flows downwards towards the ocean. All the same, I would like to urge Anambra State government to please double up on security. It is a shame what is happening in Anambra State when put side by side with the huge expenditure on security in the state. It does not match the outcomes and expectations of the people. It has been noted that government buys gadgets and vehicles for vigilante and other security agencies but often refrain from supporting these vehicles with maintenance funds or assist in running the system. Buying vehicles does not make sense if those given the vehicles do not have money to fuel them. But they refrain from supporting these nice things they are doing with reasonable funds to those security agencies to do what they are expected. A situation whereby we have vehicles all over and they don’t have fuel or maintenance funds makes mockery of the whole thing. But the Senate committee is still investigating… It is very interesting that the person representing Anambra South Senatorial zone, Dr. Andy Uba, brought this matter to national consciousness, by raising it as a motion of urgent national importance leading to the setting up of a committee headed by very credible individuals. Major Gen Magoro, a fine officer and gentleman is on the panel with other well-known upright and disciplined persons committed to this nation. So, it is good that Senator Andy Uba was able to set this agenda on the table at the national assembly. But for Christ’s sake, we should have gone beyond this to find out what has really happened to monies budgeted for security in this country. I like to see the distinguished senators of the federal republic investigating what we have done with allocations to security in this country with the nation turned into a killing field. In the last fiscal year, we had a budget of N999 billion, only one billion short of a trillion; yet the policeman has no desk, he buys his uniforms, buys his belts, they repair their vehicles on their own; they go at pains to protect this nation. That is the cause of this problem and we begin to parade ourselves as people determined to protect society. If we, as a nation can evolve a policy of distributing police allocations along the three tiers of government it would make a difference. Those at the federal level having their budget separated from the ones at state level and the area commanders being responsible for all those within their zones. This is the way it should be after all; the Police budget is built from the grassroots. Whether it is Department of State Security Services (SSS), army or whatever, their budgets are built from the grassroots. Why dump this money at the federal level and force those at the states to be traveling to Abuja, paying PR (public relations tips) to receive peanuts?

THE GUARDIAN, Sunday, M,ay 12, 2013

SPECIAL REPORT

‘Running Africa’s Biggest Mills Apart, Our Mr. Paul Gbededo, took over the mantle of leadership at the Flour Mills of Nigeria Plc on April 1, as Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, after holding fort as Executive Director and Managing Director, Agro-Allied division of the leading flour milling conglomerate. Not one who shies away from treading unfamiliar terrain, Gbededo could be rightly described as a ‘Corporate fore-runner,’ having tested the grounds for the organisation in the start up of the fertiliser, pasta, and rice companies and even the Agro-allied division, where he was in charge for about a year before mounting the top saddle. From a fish eye view of the entire organisation, Gbededo lets FABIAN ODUM into the reasons the group is making fresh forays in agriculture and food processing to drive the economy and create jobs. MNPLC is an engine driver in agro-allied Fevenbusiness and processing of food, and beyond these, a beacon of the industrial sector; what lessons would the nation take from the way the organisation has been managed as a successful conglomerate of so many decades? I think the key thing is to believe. Flour Mills as a group believes in Nigeria. That is why, for over 50 years now, we have been investing in Nigeria; 20 years on, we have been investing in agriculture though there have been challenges. We believe we have a competitive advantage and we cash in on that to create value in the agro-allied space. If we believe in Nigeria, that we make things better here, definitely that will be a takeaway for the entire country. Gbededo In difficult times, Flour Mills has continued to have that belief that we will add value, we crush, extract and refine the oil for edible create employment and improve on the vegetable oil. lives of the people of Nigeria. So, that is very So, you can see that we have a whole valueimportant to us. chain for crops and the philosophy is that we We have a strategy to continue to look at take from the farm right to the table for conthe crops in the country that will give us sumption in Nigeria. And this is creating value competitive advantage over the outside for our stakeholders, bringing employment to world, like, think about corn. In our farm, in Nigerians and helping the government in its Kaboji, we cultivate corn. We add value, Transformation Agenda. through our feed mill to the produce from You can see that we have an alliance with Kaboji farm. You know, we have the largest government in that respect and we have been mill in sub-Saharan Africa, which is the Pre- working very closely with the Minister of Agrimier Feed located in Ibadan, Oyo State. So culture to ensure the attainment of the transthe corn from our farm in Niger State is formation goals. processed into animal feed in our mill in Back to cassava processing, do you see any obOyo State. stacle in Nigeria being able to get cassava flour Of cassava, Nigeria has a competitive adbecause sometimes it appears too many layers vantage in cassava. Nigeria is the biggest of bureaucracy don’t give the speed needed to producer of cassava tubers in the world. So, push for cassava flour and its rightful place in Flour Mills group has looked at this through the agric sector. its agro-allied division and set up processing For me, let me say this very clearly; flour plants to add value and to complete the millers are cooperating, of course, we lead in value chain of cassava. We are cultivating that respect. As Flour Mills of Nigeria, we concassava in our farms in Ososa (Ogun state), trol over 50 per cent of the flour market, so we Kwara, and in our farms in Kaboji, Niger are leaders in executing the agenda of governstate. ment. Government wants us to have high qualWe take the tubers to our processing plant, ity cassava flour included in the wheat flour. convert if to high quality cassava flour and The drawback has been getting the quality the next now, we are looking at starch and consistently and in the right quantity to the syrup plants. flour millers. Up until now, the average that is For sugarcane, we are cultivating sugar being included is about five per cent. But we cane in our farm in Sunti, Niger State. There, have made progress. Before now, it was about our plan is to have a mill to extract the raw one or two per cent inclusion. But we have sugar from the sugarcane. Then, we will made it up to the five per cent level. Of course, process that into refined sugar in our Sugar the ambition of the government is to get berefinery in Lagos. yond 10 per cent and we are driving and supWe have our oil palm plantation in Edo porting that. That is why our High Quality State. There, we cultivate palm, extract the Cassava plant in Ososa, Ogun State is very key crude palm oil on site and then take it to our to ensuring that we get High Quality Cassava vegetable oil refinery in Ibadan and the Flour and we are expanding. crude palm oil is converted into edible oil. When we took over that processing plant, it We also have, under cultivation, soy bean, was at best, doing about 30 metric tons of which we take from our farm in Kaboji, quality cassava flour a day; we have moved it bring it to our vegetable oil refinery, where up to 90 metric tons of high quality cassava

flour a day. And our plan is to double that in the next couple of years. Our biggest challenge has been raw materials, getting the right quality of tubers and at the right quantity on a regular basis to the plant. And this has helped us to change our strategy a bit, that if we want to continue to have a consistent production of High Quality Cassava Flour and then move into starch and syrup production from the tuber, we have to have our own farm, with out-growers supporting the nucleus that we build for our self. It is one of the reasons we want government’s assistance in securing land. And the framework within which we work this is through what the government has come up with, which is Staple Crop Processing Zone. That framework is supporting us to have land, where government will support through infrastructural development and then we can concentrate on the cultivation. That is working, and we want government to keep supporting us through that means so that we can have the competitive advantage in processing and in getting the right product out at the right process, without increasing cost unnecessarily. If government can support and continue to support, then private sector investors will be attracted to the farms. But it appears Flour Mills is more committed to exploiting the cassava tuber because now you want to go the starch, syrup and of course the flour. But where are the other flour milling companies; are they going to be left behind; Some may be using cassava flour, for example and others might not? No. There are so many other producers of High Quality Cassava Flour that are also supplying millers. Even, Flour Mills of Nigeria doesn’t depend on our plants alone; we are still buying from other sources. So, the key is to ensure that there is supply of the raw materials, of the tubers and that is why we are con-

centrating on developing farms, cultivating cassava, ensuring that it is the right quality of cassava and the quantity that we need for our processing plant. That has been the greatest challenge and as we move on, we are trying to scale that hurdle of ensuring that we improve on our inbound logistics, so that the processing plant will be able to run at a profitable level. The key in the cultivation of our crops is ensuring that we have the yield. That is why whatever farming technique and improvement we need in crop, we have to have it so that we crack the code of the yield; the higher yield, the better. And that would bring down the cost of the raw material, which will help to ensure that the cassava flour inclusion, for instance, is sustained and also for other crops, we can produce food cheap for the household. On investment… Apart from the monies raised in the past from the Capital market, we were successful in raising a sum of N37.5bn by way of corporate bond in 2010. These funds have gone a long way to support and finance our strategic growth and development. Last September, we commissioned our ultramodern milling complex, West Mills, a stateof-the-art milling facility; it cost us $65 million and that would sustain our flour sales growth for the next five years. It is the most modern mill in Nigeria. The mills have a collective mill grinding capacity of 2250 metric tons per 24 hours to give over 8,000 metric tons. This makes our Apapa milling site the second largest single flour-milling site in the world. Is that why you have the new silos…? Yes, our milling capacity is increasing; we have to have our storage capacity also increase, so that we can have the storage capacity to serve the mills. We have grown to over

CONTINUED ON PAGE 23

HE GUARDIAN, Sunday, May 12, 2013

SPECIAL REPORT

Fresh Acquisitions Place Us Even Betterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; CONTINUED FROM PAGE 22 10,000 metric tons of capacity per day. The West mill is 2,250 metric tons of milling capacity; that we have added this had really given us the flexibility, especially when it comes to the cassava flour inclusion. The West mill gives us that flexibility to keep on improving and increasing the percentage cassava flour in our flour. So, that was really the goal and also to create the capacity we need in the next five years. Because, we are not utilising all capacities at this point in time per day, not more than 55 per cent of the capacity and we projected that in the next five years, we should be reaching much more than that. So, we have that capacity to fire ahead. And that is what makes the difference. We can always jump into space to take whatever is available. We have always maintained our lead and expanded our share of the milling market. Whatever business we have chosen to go into, we want to be the best, we want to be largest and we want to do it the best way to benefit all stakeholders. That is our philosophy. We have gone into agro-allied space, and we want to be the biggest agro-allied business in Nigeria. We want to keep expanding. Over the next five years, we are going to invest over $300 million into the agro-allied business that we have chosen to go into and will be creating the opportunities for Nigerians. Of course, there are challenges, but we will have to take them on. For instance, funding is one of our biggest challenges. Getting a lower interest rate, funding with long payback terms and some level of moratorium, that really is drawing back agro-allied businesses in the country. Good funds with low single-digit interest rate are not available. And that is what the government should look into, because agriculture is a long-term investment fraught with so many problems and challenges. The private sector needs to be supported with the right set of funding. Government needs to create funds that would drive the agro-allied businesses in the country. Like in Brazil, you can have agric loans for as low as two per cent with long term, say 10 years payback period, and with at least, three years moratorium. That is the kind of scheme that government should also create in order to support the businesses. At the moment, it is like a token that we have from Bank of Agriculture, NISRAL, probably the best you can do for NISRAL at this point is about 10 per cent, and that is not good for agriculture. Second to funding is infrastructure. Otherwise, you will have to build your own roads, and supply your own electricity and these are major areas the government should look into in order to drive the agricultural revolution. If we want, for instance, the graduates to go back to the farm, which is what the government intends to do, you will have to provide the infrastructure. Someone from the University will not want to go into the bush, where he cannot get water, road, and electricity, how do you drive him to go into agriculture? And the third area is land. Land must be provided. What we are used to in this country is just subsistence farming, where everyone owns just one or two plots. That has been very useful, because with that, we have food security, people can eat; about 80 per cent of Nigerians are farmers, so people can eat. But we are talking about industrialisation of agriculture. For you to have industrialised agricultural, it should be mechanised agriculture. We are talking about land area of 10,000 hectares up to 400,000 hectares. Those are the kinds of lands that government should make available or facilitate, so that the private sector can really take advantage of and invest their own money; in order to develop agriculture and make sure we have food security, we have employment security and we add economic value to the people. That is the only way out for Nigeria to survive. From the look of things, it appears there have been some shortcomings from the Bank of Agriculture in terms of funding? There is no funding. When we are talking of large scale investment in agriculture, you are not talking of just two billion naira, you are not talking of N10 billion, you are talking of multiples of N10 billion. And funds will need to be provided.

For instance, we are developing the sugar plantation, 10,000 hectares sugar plantation. And we want to put a mill in there. The total cost over the next four years, only of investment that will go into that, is in excess of $175 million. That is what we are looking for. And that is for only a 10,000-hectare land. So we need funding. That is even a small thing. There are places where you have 40,000 hectares of sugarcane plantation. So, think of the scale and what Nigeria needs. Nigeria consumes, and as of the moment, about two million metric tones of sugar per annum. You need 200,000 hectares to produce that. Where is it? And we want to be self-sufficient in the next seven years. Government has to provide the land or facilitate the release of the land. So, the 10,000ha we are doing is only five per cent of the sugar need of the country. And that is what we want to develop over the next five, six years. Five per cent of the demand, so there is still large opportunities in the agro business sector. And that is what we need to drive the business. When you talk of the starch and the syrup from cassava, do you intend to give a hand to the pharmaceutical industry? Of course, cassava is a magic crop. You can get so many products from cassava. You can get cassava chips, High Quality Cassava Flour, starch from cassava, and syrup. You can get sorbitol, the one used in toothpaste and also fructose. There are many products obtainable from cassava. But we are focusing on High Quality Cassava Flour, starch and syrup for the moment. That is why we are driving our cultivation of cassava. We have got land. The federal government, and the Kwara State Government and Kogi State Government are supporting to ensure that the land is available for cassava cultivation. How much are you putting into developing hands-on experience as an organisation for students to get technical experience and for your future workforce too? Broadly speaking, we leave education to educational institutions. But we support the schools through various schemes that we have. Of course, we need people who are highly skilled in order to drive our business, we need managers that are highly skilled and educated and in that respect, we support educational institutions in various ways through sponsorship of programmes. We have one programme with the University of Ibadan, for instance, where we are helping to build a food technology laboratory under the Faculty of Technology; we are sponsoring that fully, that is, Flour Mills of Nigeria. We have support in various other institutions, for instance, the University of Agriculture, Umudike, Abia state. We have professors that are our consultants in some of our businesses. We have another also at the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta. But, in-house, we do the training and re-training of our staff. For instance, in the area of milling, we ensure that we get all of our millers up to date. We have relationship with milling organisations within and outside the country that update and help our millers, so that we can have the best products in Nigerian market. Then coming to Technical training, we have an in-house technical training, where we take up technicians and develop them in-house and they sit for external exams and become qualified, multi-talented people that become fitters, welders, milling machine operators and so on. They are multi-talented. This is the kind of technical training that we encourage internally in Flour Mills. We also have baking technology department that the flour millers generally are supporting at the Yaba College of Technology. So these are schemes to train Nigerians and support education, This ensures that we have a steady stream of qualified people for our operation. You didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t really emphasis on rice? I just picked on a few crops in which we are investing at this time. For rice, we have a farm in Niger State that we have just acquired. It is a 4,000 hectare land, near Mokwa that we have just acquired to cultivate rice and of course, you know we have a rice mill in Lagos. Our strategy is to have a rice farm whereby, we can dehusk and de-stone on site and then bring to our rice mill for polishing. That also is part of the agro-allied valve-chain we are de-

When we are talking of large scale investment in agriculture, you are not talking of just two billion naira, you are not talking of N10 billion, you are talking of multiples of N10billion. And funds will need to be provided. For instance, I give you an idea, we are developing the sugar plantation, 10,000 hectares sugar plantation. And we want to put a mill in there. The total cost over the next four years, only of investment that will go into that, is in excess of $175million. That is what we are looking for. And that is for only a 10,000-hectare land. So we need funding. That is even a small thing. There are places where you have 40,000 hectares of sugarcane plantation. veloping at this time. What are the shareholders looking forward to? It is to add value, strengthen our position and continue to create more value to our stakeholders. Whatever project we want to go into, we want to make sure that it is very lucrative, it is one that we can have a payback and be able to increase shareholders funds in the company. We want to ensure that whatever project we want to go into is well analysed, we know the cost and benefit of the project and make sure we take the right decision so that we can stand and expand our portfolio in whatever area we choose to go, both in food division and also in the agro-allied. How about your cement business; is agri-

Gbededo

business taking its place or what? Within the Flour Mills group, we have about 30 per cent share in UNICEM in Calabar. So effectively, we are still in cement business. However, we are looking at opportunities to expand. We are looking at all the options we have at this time to see what we can do because we have facilities, for instance, in Lagos, the bagging facility is in Lagos. We have the port facility in Lagos also. That has given us an edge in the past years in our business. But we are looking inwards now and see what we can do to ensure that cement gets to our local users in Nigeria at the right price and at the right quality. At the moment, UNICEM is looking at doubling its capacity. The present capacity is 2.5 million metric tones per annum. We are looking at the opportunity to double that capacity and we are looking at the options available to reach that target. Does the GMD unwind, or is it just work, work, and work? Well, all work and no play makes you dull. So I unwind, but in my own way. I know how to sleep and how to walk and jog and I do that on a daily basis. So that keeps me very fit. I love talking to people and I do that very regularly at my own time. I love watching television. I love football. These are the ways I really relax and keep myself fit. What kind of feeding regime do you run? I have a very strict regime with food. I know what I eat for each day; it never changes. I never have anything but fruits as my lunch and that has been going on for over 24 years. So that makes me very fit and I recommend it to anyone. At the close of the day, beyond what time do you not go for dinner? I eat anytime, when I get home, I eat. I eat because my wife ensures that I eat dinner at home. So, even if I get home at 10 p.m., Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d eat. But, I do not fail to exercise.

THE GUARDIAN, Sunday, May 12, 2013

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KALEIDOSCOPE

Vaccines, Most Effective Public Health Intervention In recent times there have been heightened concerns over possible adverse effects associated with vaccination such as weakening of the immune system, infertility, and Human Immuno-deficiency Virus (HIV)/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS). The issues were brought to the fore during the World Immunisation week in April. Dr. Taiwo Ladapo is a consultant paediatrician at Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) Idi-Araba, Lagos with special interest in nephrology (kidney disease) and immunisation in this interview with CHUKWUMA MUANYA said that vaccines are the most effective public health intervention and on the contrary help to boost the immunity. Excerpts: Why vaccines? VACCINE is a substance that is introduced into the body of an individual to help that individual develop immunity or protection against a particular disease. I will call those substances that are produced, soldiers. It helps the body to produce soldiers. The idea is this, when a foreign substance for example a germ, bacteria substance what ever it is, gets into the body, the body is recognising it as an intruder, like people invading the country, and the body is equipped with certain special cells that help to try to attack and destroy those organisms and prevent them from causing infection. So that is one. The idea is that if you give a person a vaccine, a vaccine is usually a form of the organism not the organism itself. If you give an individual a form of the organism, the individual develops antibodies against that vaccine. But it is like these antibodies are produced let me say ‘in vain’ but they are there ready. Take for example, one of the types of vaccines is called a ‘killed vaccine’. What they do is that they take an organism, they take away its power, its ability to cause disease; they kill it. But it still has some properties such that when it enters the body, the body recognises as foreign and those soldiers, antibodies, are produced. So when you give that person that vaccine, the soldiers are produced but the soldiers don’t have any work to do, so they are there. So if the person now comes in contact with the real organism, the person already has those soldiers ready. The person already has antibodies produced against that organism and those organisms now help to fight that infection rather than wait for two to three weeks to produce antibodies. So that is the basic concept behind vaccination. The other types of vaccines are those that are not killed but their strength is reduced. They are called attenuated vaccines. Those ones are also introduced to the body and the body recognises them as foreign again, produce antibodies but they are not really there to fight. They are just there to stimulate antibodies ready for when a person is exposed to the real thing. I can tell you categorically that vaccination has been found worldwide to be a major strategy in disease control. I give example of small pox, which was the first vaccine to be discovered, I think it was in the 18th century. The smallpox vaccine was discovered and following introduction, smallpox was eradicated by the year 1979 or thereabout. Before smallpox was eradicated about 300 to 500 million people had died of smallpox worldwide. So, that was the first breakthrough in the area of vaccination. And since then efforts have been made to develop different types of vaccines with significant success recorded all over the world in the reduction of morbidity and mortality of diseases in adults and children worldwide following successful vaccination. Vaccines are the most effective public health intervention. The WHO has stated that Immunisation currently prevents about two to three million deaths every year in all age groups

Ladapo

Vaccines are the most effective public health intervention. The WHO has stated that Immunisation currently prevents about two to three million deaths every year in all age groups from diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough), and measles. Under five mortality rate in Nigeria is about 143/1,000 mostly due to vaccine preventable diseases from diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough), and measles. Under five mortality rate in Nigeria is about 143/1,000 mostly due to vaccine preventable diseases. Much lower in developed parts of the world. Is it everybody that can be vaccinated? Who and who should be vaccinated? Or rather is there any reason why some people cannot be vaccinated? Yes! And I say that with caution because while there are one or two reasons, there are also many reasons that are flying around that are not reasons for not getting vaccinated. I did talk about some vaccines that the organism is still alive but they have reduced the potency to cause disease. So if a person has a problem with their immune system, that person will not be able to properly mount a response to that attenuated vaccine and seemingly impotent vaccine can actually cause diseases in such a person who cannot mount an effective response. So in people who have problems with their immunity, for example people who have cancers and are on drugs that reduce immunity, people who are on steroids. Some people also have some defects of the immune system. For such people vaccination maybe deferred until their immunity is boosted. Another reason why you may not vaccinate somebody against a particular disease is that if a child has had significant reaction. For example, some children have severe reactions to the diphtheria (DPT) vaccine. If a child has had severe reaction, then you have to withhold subsequent vaccination because the next action may be fatal. But there are not many reasons why you would refuse somebody vaccination. Some of the so called reasons that people give such as fever, the child is teething and all that and they don’t take a child for vaccination, they have been shown, scientifically, to have no effect whatsoever on vaccination. So fever is not a contraindication to vaccination. Children with fever have been shown to be able to mount immune response to vaccination. So there are not many reasons. Is it only children that should be vaccinated? No, certainly not. The burden of vaccine pre-

ventable diseases is higher in children but certainly adults too can be vaccinated and I will give examples. Tetanus vaccine is recommended for all women of child-bearing age and during pregnancy to help prevent tetanus in their new baby. The mother transfers the antibodies to the baby through the placenta. Unfortunately, tetanus in the newborn is still a problem in Nigeria because of poor antenatal attendance reported to be in the region of 60 per cent. It is also given to people with dirty injuries or puncture wounds especially if they have not been previously vaccinated to prevent the disease. For example cervical cancer is caused by Human Papiloma Virus (HPV) so the vaccine is being given in developed countries of the world to reduce the incidence of cervical cancer. Also in the United Kingdom (UK) for example flu is a common and can be very terrible illness there so once it is getting towards winter you see them announcing that people should go for their flu jab. So all the elderly people, everybody goes for flu jab. And also some of our childhood vaccines like the pneumococcal vaccines, in adults that are above 65. For the same reason children are prone to infection, after 65 immunity also begins to reduce and all that so such adults can be vaccinated. Adults also that have specific conditions like leukaemia, nephritic syndrome like kidney disease and all that. So vaccination certainly is appropriate in adults. Chicken pox for those who have not had the disease before and have not developed antibodies to the organism. I had to receive this in the UK last year. Others vaccines given to adults include: Hepatitis B especially for those at risk of exposure example health workers like myself; Yellow fever vaccine; pneumococcal vaccine, which I already discussed; HPV and influenza, which I already mentioned. Following the concerns, what really will be the consequence if the world were to stop immunisation?

The consequences of that are better imagined. I have given the example of smallpox that prior to the introduction of smallpox vaccine over 300 to 500 million people has died in the world, worldwide. Now we don’t hear about smallpox imagine if we stop vaccination. And that amount is greater than any amount of people killed in any war in the world. Look again at measles for example, measles vaccine was introduced in developed countries in the 70s and since then they have been recording barely no death from measles and so they took off measles from their immunization schedule for example in the United States (US). But in the last five years, we have been hearing about outbreaks of measles in the US, UK, Italy everywhere, places where measles were thought to be eradicated. But you know the world is a global village, there are practically no boundaries, the world is now virtual. If a child has measles goes into the US and an epidemic will occur. So certainly if we stop vaccinating, it will be a global disaster. There are some concerns that some vaccines weaken the immune system is that true? I can say categorically that is not true. I have also come across such information and as a professional, I find it amusing. Such information is based on ignorance. So vaccines do not weaken the immune system. There are categorical scientific papers stating this clearly. In fact, it is the opposite, vaccines help to boost the immunity, they don’t weaken the immune system. What is the current status of childhood vaccination in Nigeria? I must admit that there has been some improvement in vaccination coverage in Nigeria in the last few years even though there is still quite some ground to cover. For example, coverage with DPT3, which is the reference vaccine used to guage immunisation coverage, was about 29 per cent in 2000 but rose to about 69 per cent in 2010 according to WHO estimates. Also, the first ever Nigerian National Vaccine summit was held in April last year and involved major stakeholders such as the Federal Ministry of health, WHO, Paediatric Association of Nigeria, United Nation Children Fund (UNICEF) amongst others. I believe this is a major milestone in the history of childhood vaccination in our country. The first lady stated at the summit and I quote: ‘With over one million Nigerian children dying each year from conditions that can easily be prevented by vaccination, we all would be failing in our duties as mothers, parents, and leaders in the various segments of our society, if we don’t take this advantage to do something concrete’. If this momentum is sustained, it will certainly facilitate progress towards the achievement of Millennium Development Goal (MDG) 4.

THE GUARDIAN, Sunday, May 12, 2013

SUNDAYMAGAZINE

KALEIDOSCOPE

World Asthma Day: Foundation Crusades Against Asthma, Urges Awareness that more drugs are added when the situation worsen and vice versa when it reduces. However, Erhabor, who is also the President, Nigerian Thoracic Society, warned against tobacco smoking and smoke from tobacco counseled on reduction of indoor pollution and staying away from fumes. He said, “Avoid, foods and addictives known to cause asthma, such as aspirin and others. Avoid occupational sensitisers and keep away from household pet as much as possible. Keep house clean from cockroach. Use of pesticides will be helpful but ensure patients are not indoors, when spraying. “Remain indoors and close windows, when pollen and mould are at their peak. Wash bed lines and blanket weekly with hot water and dry in the sun. Remove carpet and replace with hard flooring. Encase pillows and mattresses in airtight cover to help prevent the triggers to asthma attacks.” However, with today’s knowledge and treatments, most people who have asthma are able to manage the disease. They have few, if any, symptoms. They can live normal, active lives and sleep through the night without interruption from asthma. If you have asthma, you can take an active role in managing the disease. For successful, thorough, and ongoing treatment, build strong partnerships with your doctor and other health care providers.

By Chijioke Iremeka STHMA is fast becoming a global disease of A concern due to its increasing incidence across the globe. It’s a common disease, which ranks the sixth in the world causes of death. Globally, about 300 million people have asthma and over 100, 000 people die annually from the disease. It is predicted that by year 2025, over 400 million people will be diagnosed with asthma in the world. In the United States, more than 25 million people are known to have asthma. About seven million of these people are children. Asthma affects people of all ages, which in most cases, starts during childhood. According to Nigerian Asthma and Chest Foundation’s reports, anecdotal evidence in Nigeria suggests that 15-20 million people suffer from asthma and most of them are unreached, under-recognised and consequently under-treated. In the report titled, “Asthma Education Series 2,” many people said to be living with asthma in Nigeria either received less than optimal care for their disease or suffer fatal consequences due to inactions and inappropriate intervention. The report revealed that of the Nigerians suffering from the scourge, most are predominantly children and young adults. In a recent study, conducted at Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Osun State, 14.1 per cent of the university students were found to have probable asthma and only 32.5 per cent of them were previously diagnosed. According to a consultant chest physicians, Professor of Medicine and Project Coordinator, Asthma and Chest Foundation, Nigeria, Prof. Greg Erhabor many people living with asthma have not been diagnosed and a number of them are under treated. He noted that in the past, asthma was seen as disability but with long term treatment and preventive measures, the symptom of asthma can be controlled, adding that nearly everybody with asthma can expect to be symptom free but for that to happen, the person requires careful and diligent diagnosis and care from a physician. At the just concluded Word Asthma Day celebration, a day set aside to create awareness on the scourge of asthma and its management, he noted that asthma is a chronic (long-term) lung disease that inflames and narrows the airways. Erhabor stated that asthma causes recurring periods of wheezing (a whistling sound when you breathe), chest tightness, shortness of breath, and

Children are also pre-disposed to Asthma coughing, which often occurs at night or early in the morning. According to him, this makes them swollen and sensitive to react strongly to certain inhaled substances. “When the airways react, the muscles around them tighten. This narrows them, causing less air to flow into the lungs. The swelling also can worsen, making the airways even narrower.” He explained: “Cells in the airways might make more mucus than usual. Mucus is a sticky, thick liquid that can further narrow the airways. This chain reaction can result in asthma symptoms. Symptoms can happen each time the airways are inflamed. Sometimes asthma symptoms are mild and go away on their own or after minimal treatment with asthma medicine. When symptoms get more intense, one is said to be having an asthma attack, which also

referred to as flare-ups or exacerbations.” According to the Foundation, treating symptoms at the development stage is important since it helps to prevent the symptoms from worsening and causes a severe asthma attack, which may require emergency care, or they could be fatal. The Foundation, which embarked on awareness creation during the just concluded World Asthma Day celebration said for one to control asthma symptoms profitably, one needs to be in partnership with one’s physician, attend asthma clinic regularly and monitor one’s symptoms as well as taken one’s medication regularly. Another way of effective control of asthma attacks is to study one’s asthma and know what triggers the symptoms and avoid them. Drugs are prescribed according to the severity of one’s asthma and a step care approach is used. This implies Erhaboor

How We Puncture Provocative Propositions By Adidi Uyo

EFORE the unofficial guardian of President Goodluck Jonathan’s political ambition bombed the public space last Monday or so with that utterly wanton provocative proposition, one grand proposition that many people were still trying to puncture was the one about granting amnesty to members of Boko Haram. One person who could not help puncturing the idea was a former presidential candidate, Chief Olu Falae. And as we were saying on the language train before its recess, newspapers had reported him as saying that the proposal was a “misplaced priority,” and that “granting amnesty to people whose identities remain unknown is ludicrous.” Our concern, to reiterate, is how Chief Olu Falae and other people who are provoked by certain propositions try to puncture them, especially, the words they choose for puncturing them. And the point that bears repetition is that the way a man uses language, generally, and his choice of words, that is, his diction, particularly, is a function of many factors, chief amongst which are his learning, character, and disposition. To dwell on just one of the locutions aforementioned, instead of describing the idea as “ludicrous,” another person who was equally provoked by the idea could have tried to puncture the amnesty proposition by using the word “foolish.” As the saying goes, in everybody’s vocabulary are words that have been picked from the roadside and words that could only have been gained from a school, especially, at the higher levels of education. You’d agree with me that anybody who uses the word “ludicrous,” and uses it very aptly, must have acquired it from the four walls of a classroom, or through diligent self-study. In other words, “ludicrous” is an example of elegance of diction, and it pertains to the first of the five lines we had asked you to draw in order to TASTE THE FLAVOUR of the words with which provocative propositions are punctured. To be sure, the line we are talking about here has “tasteless” at one end and “elegant” at the other. The other four lines or scales had as their word-pairs “mealy-mouthed” and “unequivocal;”

“ambiguous” and “precise,” “blistering” and “soothing,” and “pacifist and “bellicose.” Putting all the five scales together, now, I would characterise the words that Chief Olu Falae used in puncturing the provocative amnesty proposition as elegant, unequivocal, precise, soothing, and pacifist. And if you do agree with me, I’d go further to say that the flavour of the words is sweet. No matter how severely they might have been provoked, learned men of noble character, especially, when they are calm, tend to pick “sweet” words from their vocabulary to puncture provocative propositions. That point bears underscoring: The disposition of a man could upset the applecart, I mean, his diction. Learned men of

LANGUAGE ON PARADE noble character have been known to use unthinkable words when they are in a bad mood. Take yourself, for example. I am sure you can recall one or more occasions when you have been driven to use words that you’d latter regret to respond to some very stupid and infuriating statements made by a friend, colleague, or sibling. Indeed, a fiery disposition can set the tongue of even learned and noble men afire! But for the uncouth and the ignoble, disposition may make little or no difference in their choice of words. If you consider that to be a provocative proposition, before you try to puncture it, listen to these words, and then determine the learning and the character of the speaker: “I want to say there will be no peace, not only in the Niger Delta but everywhere, if Goodluck Jonathan is not president by 2015…. Jonathan has uninterruptible eight years of two terms to be president, according to the Nigerian constitution…. I am not in support of any amendment of the constitution that will reduce the eight years of two tenures that Goodluck Jonathan is expected to be president of Nigeria.”

I have no intention whatsoever of puncturing or having someone else puncture that extremely provocative proposition. But there is something in it that I do embrace, because it serves the purpose of today’s parade. You see, it is one thing to pooh-pooh the Nigerian Constitution, quite another to puncture a provocative proposition pertaining to it. “A Misbegotten Constitution Review” is the title of the opinion piece by Professor Olatunji Dare in The Nation, April 23, 2013. Essentially, the columnist was trying to puncture a proposition that has provoked him and many others to no end, the argument, as articulated by the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Emeka Ihedioha, and his ilk, that they “are keeping faith with Nigerians” by embarking on the task of fashioning a new Constitution for Nigeria. Peruse and then characterise these words with which Dare tries to puncture that provocative proposition: “The process (of constitutional review) is nothing of the sort; it is as incurably flawed as the 1999 Constitution it was supposed to modify. To begin with, what the nation needs is not a trainload of amendments to a constitution that may not be a grand forgery, as many leading authorities have called it, but is so shot through with errors and omissions, and so constricted in its underlying assumptions that it cannot serve as a useful guide for resolving the conflicts convulsing the country.” If you have perused and characterised Dare’s choice of words, compare how he punctured the provocative proposition with the way Misan, my bosom friend and alter ego, did it. When I confronted him with the Deputy Speaker’s provocative proposition, he said: “I have very few words to spare to that effect. But let me just say that, the so-called Constitution Review Process is a self-imposed hogwash. It is a nonstarter par excellence.” Surely, how you puncture a provocative proposition depends on who you are. But however you do it, we, the readers, can taste the flavour of your words and adjudge them bitter, sour, or sweet. That’s the way language goes!

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THE GUARDIAN, Sunday, May 12, 2013

HEALTH

Spiritual Healing Is Available To Everyone By Moji Solanke

HE reason why spiritual healing is available to everyone is because man is spiritual. Of course, to the five material senses, this seems not to be the case at all; rather, based on the testimony of these senses, man seems to be a physical entity, made up of material organs that can, at any time, without rhyme, reason or prior warning, become disordered, resulting in ill health. Before a case is made for spiritual healing and its availability and universality, however, the case must first be made for the spirituality of man, as this is the premise on which this a priori reasoning is based. Does man originate from a material egg, with his individuality, character and health determined by material genes and DNA, — (as put forward by the Darwinian theory)? Or is God, Spirit, the Creator — (according to the divine statement in many Holy Books)? Either one of these premises is plausible, depending on the point of view adopted. Both, however, cannot be, because they are diametrically opposing premises. Atheists, agnostics, many physical scientists, and even people of faith accept to varying degrees, the Darwinian theory, while more and more scientists are lending greater credence to the ‘Big Bang theory’, especially with the on-going research and findings of the Higgs Boson particle. However, there is incontrovertible evidence that has persisted throughout the ages, which proves practically that man is spiritual. If man originates from an egg, how was the first egg created? If evolution is from the Big Bang theory, what caused the bang in the first place? The best scientists agree that the answers to these questions have not been satisfactorily found. If man originates from God who is acknowledged to be self-existent Spirit, then the Creator is responsible for creation albeit

this creation must be like the Creator — spiritual. Spiritual healing, which is based on the premise of the spirituality of man, is therefore seen to transcend religious belief, and the level or lack of faith of an individual, and is found to be dependent on Spirit, God. And as it is acknowledged that God made all, as the various Holy Books impute, it not only becomes obvious, it becomes demonstrable too, that spiritual healing is available to all. Around the world, individuals from all walks

of life are beginning to find out for themselves that spiritual healing is readily available for anyone to learn and to practice. They are also finding out that it is reliable and practical. All it takes is a willingness to start from the right premise of the spirituality of man, and build on that in an intelligent manner. The benefits that accrue are improved health and morals. The words of Mary Baker Eddy (1821 – 1910) capture the essence of universal spiritual healing. She writes in her seminal book, Science and

Health with key to the Scriptures, that God is ‘impartial and universal’ in His adaptation and bestowals. She goes further to say that He is ‘the open fount which cries, “Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters.”’ For anyone courageous enough and willing to think out of the conventional box of matterbased healing, the good news is that spiritual healing is available to all. m_asolanke@hotmail.com

RICE In Emergency Medicine: Part 5 (Rest III) By Segun Owonikoko

ODAY, we will be finishing the Rest part of RICE. Over the last couple of weeks, we have learnt about the use of this acronym in the management of soft tissue injuries. Last week, I looked specifically at the use of a broad arm sling. Its construction was looked at in detail. Today, a similar analysis of crutches will be done. Crutches do a similar job in the lower limbs to what a broad arm sling does to the upper limb (i.e. rest), however in a very different manner. Crutches: Crutches are technically classified as a walking aid. However in the context of this topic of soft tissue injuries management, they are used for providing rest to the injured lower limb in the form of non-bearing of weight. There are generally two types of crutches available: i. Axillary crutches ii. Elbow or forearm crutches. I will quickly move to discourage the use of axillary crutches. There is a general move across the world to discontinue the use of the axillary crutches. This is due to the increased risk of

nerve and arterial compression in the axilla (arm-pit) when it is incorrectly used (which happens more frequently than it should). It is also far more uncomfortable than forearm crutches. I will concentrate on elbow crutches henceforth. Elbow crutches are also known by other names such as forearm crutches, Lofstrand crutches and Canadian crutches. They essential consist of and adjustable metallic stick with handles that are gripped by the hand and a cuff at the very top of the crutch through which the hand and arm is slipped into it. The cuff and the hand grip are often made of plastic material. Fitting of Crutches Crutches look like easy-to-use device when they are being used by someone who has been well fitted and trained in its use. However, a badly fitted crutch is dangerous equipment and can cause far more harm than what it was trying to correct. A crutch is a medical device and should be prescribed and fitted by qualified health personnel. It does not fall into the same first–aid category that broad arm sling does. An appropriately sized crutch must be chosen.

Usually they are provided in adult or paediatric sizes. The presence of the adjustable metallic stem makes adjustment for height possible to achieve. At the end of the fitting of the crutches, the top ends of the cuffs should be sitting just below the elbows. Using the crutches to mobilise involves taking short measured steps. The movement technique can be either two-point or fourpoint. A two-point movement involves a crutch and an opposite leg moving simultaneously, i.e., left crutch and right leg advanced forward together and then right crutch and left leg advanced together. A four-point technique involves crutches and legs moving independently, i.e., advance left crutch, then right leg, then right crutch and then left leg. These movement techniques are described for weight bearing use, in situations that require non-weight-bearing (e.g. fractures), a different technique is required.

Dr. Owonikoko, CEO & Clinical Director, Kephalus Health Nigeria: emergency medical services specialists info@kephalus.com

Practical Psychology

Understanding Mental Health Status (MHS) 2 By Passy Amaraegbu ORMALLY, mental health status (MHS) is a product of Mental Health Examination (MHE). Psychologists and psychiatrists employ a battery of indices, which constitute the mental health examination. It is very relevant and crucial that everybody participates in this examination exercise at least annually. If we recognise the crucial relationship between the mind and body (psycho-soma), it is only wise that each of us should undertake a regular examination of our psychological (mental and emotional) well-being. Perhaps on a more serious note, if we understand that the mind controls and rules the body, the need to participate in at least an annual mental health examination would become a necessary aspect of our lifestyle. We note that the Lagos State government included mental health examination as a requirement for some level of traffic offenders. This is only a starting point. It would be better if everybody participates in this exercise if not annually at least before they undertake any serious assignment such as driving, working, marriage, business, governance, politics, leadership in the religious organization or community. The essence of this exercise is to forestall the unlimited danger of saddling individuals with psychological disorders with the crucial affairs of managing human lives. In the first place, to prevent self-harm and also the unnecessary destruction of other people’s lives. In the recent time, we are inundated with sordid stories of suicide, murder and perpetuation of horrible crimes by individuals we all thought were mentally healthy. Imagine giving your daughter or son in marriage to a maniac! Or paying a schizophrenic to teach your child; or electing kleptomaniac as a governor! Again the knowledge of one’s mental health status would enable the individual to take the right decision to seek help, adjust one’s lifestyle or be encouraged to live well. It will enable organisations to take effective management decisions on their staff and prospective employees. We now understand that some people we thought were offenders are actually victims or sufferers. This is the meeting point of psychiatry, psychology and law. It is the specialist sphere referred to as forensic psychology. We can begin from the basics as one asks oneself such relevant questions like – Do you have control over your emotions? How congruent is your understanding of virtue or vice to that of your community? How conscious are you to the suffering of others? Do you enjoy inflicting harm on self or others? Mental health examination is available in psychiatric hospitals, ministry of health units, hospitals with psychology or psychiatric departments and some health organisations. It will be of immense benefit to one and the entire society if one undergoes this crucial examination. Give it a trial.

drpassy@yahoo.com

Governor Ibrahim Gaidam of Yobe State donates medicines to the orphanage in Damaturu

Health And Your Mind

Issue Of Faith And The Kingdom Of Heaven (7) By Babatunde Ayo-Vaughan

S I hinted at in the last write-up, the application of the rule of intelligence, which is independent of any parochial religious influence will help us appreciate the fact that the issue of faith and the kingdom of heaven is largely concerned about our mind functions. If as an individual the mental and emotional functions are not right, nothing about the life will just be right. And therefore even if the idea of the kingdom of heaven is a place outside this world, which one may like to go when he/she leaves the world; then one can be sure that the state of warped mental and emotional functions may never let one see the way to the place. We can then begin to have an understanding of why the spiritual life depends much more on how much attention we pay on the proper state of our minds. The mind functions very well when it recognises certain rules of operation. The recognition and application of those rules is what is called intelligence. Spirituality and intelligence go hand in hand. The widespread religious acrimonies all over the place suggests how defective people are spiritually. This is because the method of spiritual practice for a lot of people lack the rule of intelli-

gence. So therefore notwithstanding the spiritual books they claim to have at their disposal like the children of Israel of old, they are still perishing because they cannot make head nor tail of the knowledge, which they claim to have at their disposal. They are affected in their understanding of the true approach to truth and that is taking direct responsibility over how their individual minds are being affected and moulded. It is the appreciation of this kind of truth that makes Jesus, Christ The Master Psychologist a sort of roadmap in addressing the issue of intelligence in the whole process of religion. According to Jesus ‘what defiles the man is within him and not without’. Certainly nobody can conceive the ‘within’ the way Jesus had used it if not to see it as His own concept of the mind. He went on to say thereafter that out of the within of man comes all sorts of evil. This is what any responsible psychologist will tell you and for Jesus to have made reference like that to what obviously is His notion of the mind, shows how the issue of the mind might be so paramount in our understanding of the kingdom of heaven. To move on further to prove why the kingdom of heaven may be strongly associated with the

concept of the mind, it was Jesus who said ‘neither shall say Lo here! or lo there! For behold the kingdom of heaven is within you (LK 17:21). I really don’t know in what other way will any one want to interprete this statement other than to acknowledge the fact that, ‘The kingdom of heaven within you’ is an allusion to the awesome power of the mind that is locking within you as an individual. The kingdom of heaven of course is also regarded in the bible as the kingdom of God. And to take you further on this, when Jesus said in the bible that you should not be bothered about ‘what shall we eat, drink or what shall we wear for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things but that you should seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you,’ then you might just have to start accepting the fact that much as the concept of the kingdom of heaven may figuratively represent a place outside the world, the realisation of its concrete reality lies in the deep within of man and this is where the factor of faith comes unto it.

Ayo-Vaughan, a psychologist, lives in Lagos.

THE GUARDIAN, Sunday May 12, 2013

SUNDAYMAGAZINE 27

PERSPECTIVE 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.

Is there any long-term thinking, about the possibility that Nigeria might one day manufacture nuclear reactors? I think yes. But is that our immediate aspiration? No. ET me go back a little bit, into the history of technological development in this country. J.K., you will agree with me that the first drops of commercial oil were struck at Oloibiiri in 1956.From 1956, until now, we are talking about 57 years? It’s getting close to 60. You would also agree that currently, the technology to explore, to exploit crude oil in the country, is still not indigenous. We have foreign technical partners and joint venture companies that partner with NNPC and so on. But you can also see that there is a strong movement in the country to indigenize—indigenize by way of increasing local content… and by owning some of the technology. Petrobras, the Brazilian equivalent of NNPC, is an attractive model. They are technology owners. They do the drilling. In fact, Petrobras has to its credit, the achievement of drilling the deepest marine oil well ever. This is the kind of thing we, as a country, should be thinking of; and we are gradually moving in that direction. So in the nuclear sense, we are not going to become technology owners overnight. But if you are going to use this technology, if you are going to develop it, you have to master it in a way that you can retain it…You have to gradually increase your understanding and degree of participation... I’ll give you a quick example. The Republic of Korea awarded its first contract to build a nuclear power plant, around 1969-70. Their contribution, as they told us, was very limited. They only supplied sand, gravel and unskilled labour! Now, Korea is a technology owner. Recall, if you will, what happened three to four years ago, in the United Arab Emirates. And this is quite instructive, J.K.—because U.A.E. is a very oil-rich country, with a very small population. U.A.E awarded contracts for four nuclear power plants. The Koreans are the ones building them! Yet these are the people who, in 1969, could only supply sand and gravel… What arrangements have you made for storing used fuel rods, which are radioactive? Yes. This has been an issue…and we are addressing it. First, we’re creating a facility for our low and intermediate reactive waste materials, which we have already begun to generate. It’s being built at our Sheda Nuclear centre. The issue of nuclear waste is quite important. I think it has a key role to play in the general public’s acceptance of nuclear power worldwide.… There are technologies available... I feel certain that we will be able to benefit from that global knowledge... This has both technological and commercial implications. Are you liaising with other African countries with nuclear power ambitions, like Ghana, for example, which is operating a reactor? If you are going to partner with any other country, it’s supposed to be a symbiotic partnership, where somebody has got something to offer you. It has to be something that is useful to us, in our own programme... I think South Africa currently is the only African country where you have nuclear power reactors operating—at the Kuberg power station, near Cape Town. I think they just affected a plan to add another 9.6 gigawatts. That is 9600 MW of nuclear capacity. It is interesting to note that South Africa has the largest coal reserves on the African continent. They have all this! And they are still developing their nuclear capability. The South Africans have the foresight to see that coal won’t last forever. Governments will change. But the country remains. Its people remain. So policy makers have to think about resource management... Nuclear technology has applications beyond power generation, such as the production of radioactive isotopes for medical research and

OSAISAI:

Nigeria Will Commission Nuclear Reactors By End Of This Decade (2) agricultural use. Do you have plans to branch out into other areas? You are quite right. Nuclear technology has multifarious applications, covering a large number of areas. Yes, in medical applications, you have radiotherapy facilities, as well as nuclear medicine for the management of cancer. You also have nuclear technology being applied in water resources management, e.g., isotope hydrology to study underground aquifers...as well as oil and mineral exploration… The Nigerian Atomic Energy Commission is the focal national agency, which is able to collaborate with other institutions. We are not going to claim to have a monopoly. No. If you’re talking about the application of nuclear technology in the Health Sector, for example, there is the Ministry of Health. They would know how best to do it. But we will catalyze the process with them—work with them. Also, being able to have assistance from the International Atomic Energy Agency is important. I can tell you, “Yes. We’re doing that”. We have facilities being built, which are devoted to nuclear medicine. We’re also working to ensure that people are trained… NAEC is also collaborating with other institutions, in the area of isotope hydrology. Through the I.A.E.A., we got an isotope hydrology laboratory at the Zaria Centre—in partnership with the Ministry of Water Resources. So, in answer to your question, yes, we are branching out—catalyzing and collaborating with pertinent ministries, agencies and department. How do you assess the public’s perception of NAEC? You had it pretty rough in the beginning. But it seems now, that people are beginning to open up a little? You’re quite right. When you are talking about any new technology, misconceptions are inevitable. People didn’t know much about nuclear energy. Their first awareness was of the elements of danger. The nuclear era literally arrived with a bang! It was a negative bang—Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Every child, when he gets into a science class, and his teacher starts talking about nuclear energy, is likely hear about “the atomic bomb”. So when a country like ours, starts implementing a nuclear power programme, the

public tends to react strongly…Of course people have a right to complain. They have to assess their own level of readiness to deal with it! Four or five years back, that was quite a serious problem. But we have tried to demonstrate our own readiness…And I think the people are beginning to see with us. They are beginning to look at our endemic power problem and say, “Yes. We’ve got a lot of gas and oil. But over time it will be exhausted”. It could last 50 years; it could last 90 years, depending on who you’re talking to. But we need to start thinking of other sources...Without power you can’t industrialize or enjoy high living standards. As a kid in the village, I didn’t have a lot to worry about. But now, my son will say, “Daddy, the power is gone!” He probably would not tell me explicitly to buy a generator. But it’s implied. Like other modern Nigerians, he needs that level of comfort. He needs power. And if you need power, you have to think of the basket of options that are available. I think we’re beginning to get this message across... I’m not claiming that, if people were polled, 70 percent would say “Yes. We want nuclear power plants.”! Unfortunately, that probably is not the case. Yet when I go on radio Nigeria, and listeners are calling in to ask questions, the majority of them—which, admittedly, may not be representative, wants us to go nuclear. But plan well and do it very carefully. And that’s what we’re doing… When Government embarked on this programme, there was a certain amount of money it planned to spend. How has your budgetary situation changed? J.K., a nuclear power programme is an expensive proposition. It requires a serious national commitment—both politically and financially. There are two elements of the financial commitment. One is the initial funding for the implementation: For the critical infrastructure; to train the manpower; to develop the regulatory structure, complete the licensing procedure, etc. That’s quite a lot... And Government is providing the financial resources for it. The other component is the actual ownership of the nuclear power plants. If you are the owner, you’re going to pay! But we’re

being resourceful. You know, until about five years ago, we had NEPA, renamed the Power Holding Company of Nigeria—power being a national monopoly. Part of the Power Reform Act, was to be able to break that monopoly so that power generation and transmission could be commercialized and you could have individual companies involved. …I think the only enterprise Government wants to hold onto is the transmission company… What you’re saying is…. Let me finish. The point I’m getting at is, when you’re going to build a nuclear power plant, it is the owner who will pay for it. We are not in any way suggesting that Government would have to take ownership of these nuclear plants. Government will facilitate it. But there are numerous instances now, where power plants—coal fire plants, hydro-power plants— have this ownership (or contractual) structure that is referred to as “build, own and operate”. There is also “build, own, operate and transfer”; “build, own and transfer”. So we are exploring numerous financing/ownership options—because Government wishes to disengage from generating, transmitting and distributing power. One possibility is a technical partner—somebody who could assume financial responsibility. The technical partner would be the owner. What, exactly, the structure would be, is one of the issues we’re working on. It is hoped that Government would provide the enabling environment, through of bilateral and multilateral agreements. But I don’t see a situation where we are going say, “The Nigerian Government owns these nuclear power plants—and must therefore budget a basket of money, to pay for these facilities”. It won’t work. The times have changed. One model we are looking at is that of Turkey, which is building its first nuclear power plants through a BOR input. They have partners, and all that… What do you mean by “BOR” input? It means “build and operate”. Somebody else is going to pay for it. What the Government has to do, is ensure that we have the market base for the electricity. We are about to arrange what we call, an “advance power purchase agreement”. In

THE GUARDIAN, Sunday, May 12, 2013

28 SUNDAYMAGAZINE

LAFETE

Conversing the brand builder @ 55 BY GREGORY AUSTIN NWAKUNOR OHN Ehiguese’s young look gives a disconcerting impression that he is a decade or so younger. Except, perhaps, the grey beards, all you get from him are youthful energy and zest. Sporting a T-shirt, trousers and blazers this morning, Ehiguese, popularly called Uncle J, chatted in a way that exuded calm. Even when there was turbulence in the air. He was really calm… Well, the man was actually seated next to me in the aircraft, as we flew. You now know where the interview held: almost 30, 000 feet above sea level. He chugs on mineral water while trying to relax his nerves, as the aircraft glided through the turbulent cloud. I trembled a bit. Does he not feel the pressure or is he not scared that something terrible would happen to the aircraft at the rate at which it was thrown around? He laughs in amazement, as the band of ‘prayer warriors’ went on in their supplication to the Almighty for the turbulence to recede. “I’m not scared; at my age, I know anything can just happen,” he says. You wonder how old the man is, really. “It feels good to be 55,”he says with a light, amazed laugh. He continues, with an engaging gurgle, “when I was much younger, 55 used to look like such a long way off. I thank God that I have now arrived there successfully, and it’s not really as bad as I expected.” Ehiguese, the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Mediacraft Associates Limited, was born on April 7, 1958. He studied Mass Communication at The Polytechnic, Ibadan, graduating with a Distinction and with specialisation in PR and Advertising. He holds an MBA from the Lagos Business School (Pan African University). He is also an alumnus of the IESE Business School, University of Navarra, Barcelona, Spain. So, you could say that it was inevitable for him to end up in marketing communication, though he spent most of his early working years post-graduation, doing business. He brought into Mediacraft, over two decades of cross-functional experience spanning sales and marketing, journalism, broadcasting, advertising and public relations (10 of which were in senior management positions). Doesn’t he think that all these years outside marketing communication was a minus for him, I teased? With a sense of responsibility that is chiefly for himself, he says, “no knowledge is ever lost; everything I have learnt along the way has come to play in one thing or the other in my profession. I have actually worked a whole gamut of business sphere and that has been a very big advantage to me, because my perspective is a lot broader compared to other people. The reason why I went into PR? I looked at my natural endowment and my talents are aligned with a career in the sector. I thought it was an area I could make impact in the shortest possible time because my vision was and still is to build one of the biggest and the best PR firms in the country. I thought I was more likely to achieve that line of PR. Besides, I also had a passion for what I do. I have no regrets at all that I anchored in PR. I think we have done aggregately well and the vision is very well on course.” He draws a long breath and says encouragingly, “like every start-up project in such a difficult environment, the early days were quite challenging. I started Mediacraft Associates at the same time as I was doing my MBA at the Lagos Business School. So I had to balance so many things: starting my practice, meeting my family commitments and coping with my MBA programme. But thank God for how far we have come, regardless.” You wonder what the challenges are being in that field? Ehiguese, who is a registered member of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) and the Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON), says cheerfully, “they are of two types: the environmental ones, which affect businesses in general, and the ones that are peculiar to your specific profession. The environmental challenges are pretty well-known, largely infrastructural, and bordering on our work

ethics, in general. As for the ones exclusive to the PR profession, well, there are issues of capacity, standards, and a relatively weak regulatory environment. But the good news is that we, as professionals, are doing our best to address these challenges.” Over the years, Ehiguese has had the privilege of managing the PR accounts of several high-profile organisations such as NBL, Starcomms, Virgin Nigeria and quite a lot of clients. On July 26, 2010, he was elected the Secretary General of The Public Relations Consultants Association of Nigeria (PRCAN). Glancing around and listening silently to the sound of the engine, he says, “the truth is that, with the advent of globalisation, there is no longer a Nigerian standard, but a global one. The practice of PR is pretty standardised, globally. The extent to which we observe these standards is of course another matter. There may be some local cultural and environmental nuances, but the principles are essentially the same worldwide.” S an employer of labour, he reflects on A the challenges faced by employers, especially in the creative sector, saying in a thoughtful and slightly intense manner, “you have to cope with it, however, a general work ethic could be better. There are obvious capacity issues. Many of the graduates our universities are churning out are simply not employable, especially in my kind of business where good communication skill is an absolute minimum entry requirement. So, you have to invest heavily in training. Sometimes, you face serious cash flow hiccups, because receivables do not come in as and when due.” He says quietly, “all my life, I have had to deal with challenges, and this has made me a strong person. One thing I have learnt, and which I have translated into a personal motivational ethos is: ‘There’s always a way. Find it, or make one yourself’. If I want something badly enough, I’ll find a way to get it.” For Ehiguese, his organisation is guided by three pillars — Faith in God, confidence in their abilities and the power of vision. He says from the outset, they have set themselves aside as a very professional organisation that does not compromise with standards. “I think we are doing very well with our clients in terms of service delivery and we keep getting referrals from our clients. 80 per cent of the new business we got where from referrals and I think most of our clients we worked for are actually happy with what we have done for them and we ourselves are satisfied with that. We are a very professional agency, we take our work very seriously and our relationship with our clients,” he says. IS background? H “I am an Esan man from Edo. My mother is from Delta State. I grew up in Gusau, Lagos and Sapele. We had to move around because my father worked at Mobil Oil. We had to leave the North because it was at the time there were crises in the area. I attended Federal College Warri in 1973. I was more of a regular child, not too troublesome. One thing about me was that I respected intellectual people. I met my wife in 1986 in Lagos. She was working with a friend then. One thing led to another and we got married in 1990. We have children and they are all doing great,” he says. Growing up for him was interesting, he tells you. “Things were much easier in those days,” he says in an angry tone. “My first job at the Nigerian Ports Authority, which I got in 1973, when I was less than 16 years old, I got strictly on merit, and on the basis of my School Certificate result. I didn’t have to know anybody.” Ehiguese is frustrated about the turn of events in the country that his voice tumbles out, “when I rented my first apart-

Ehiguese ment in Lagos (1974) at age 16, the landlord kept my money for three months, without a receipt (because the house was till under construction at the time). When the house was finally ready, he simply looked into his diary, confirmed that I had paid him months earlier, and gave me my keys.” Do you know, he says almost raising a quizzical eyebrow, “everything I ever got in those days were strictly on merit, I didn’t have to know anyone. Those were the days! I doubt if all that is still possible in today’s Nigeria.” On his favourite authors, and his face changes. “Oh, world’s greatest biographies: Abraham Lincoln, Winston Churchill and Thomas Edison,” he explains. And for fiction? He breaks off with a grin that suggests something like, but ‘I told you before’

When I rented my first apartment in Lagos (1974) at age 16, the landlord kept my money for three months, without a receipt (because the house was till under construction at the time). When the house was finally ready, he simply looked into his diary, confirmed that I had paid him months earlier, and gave me my keys.

“Sidney Sheldon.” For non-fiction, he says, “no one in particular.” Asked about his favourite books, he says, satisfying his mind: “The Bible. It contains all the principles by which you can live a fruitful and successful life.” Your favourite perfume? “None,” Ehiguese confesses. His style tips? “Anything I’m comfortable in, that looks good,” he breathes. What will you not be caught wearing? “Anything that offends decency and good sense.” His favourite fashion piece? “My shoes, perhaps?” he quips. What’s the greatest regret you have of the age you are living? “The serious erosion of values in our society today. These days the line between good and evil, between right and wrong, is getting more and more obscure. Sometimes I fear for the up-coming generations,” he reveals. Which century would you have preferred to be born outside the 20th? “None other,” he smiles.

SUNDAYMAGAZINE 29

THE GUARDIAN, Sunday, May 12, 2013

LAFETE

Oyemi… The making of another diva BY CHUKS NWANNE ITH the rate at which female musicians are emerging on the scene, it is becoming obvious that the era of male dominance in the music industry is gradually coming to an end. Aside from the rise in their numerical strength, the quality of works by female singer and the depth of their lyrics, shows that the industry is really not all about ‘Hennessey, Moet, shake your bombom…’ A songwriter, producer in her own right and also an aspiring actress, Oyemi Joyce Karen Sagay, is on the verge of joining the league of fast rising female musicians in the country. Though not yet a household name, the artiste, whose songs are rated high in Denmark and Iceland, has always been around, mostly touring with notable Nigerian artistes such as Dede Mabiaku, Seun Kuti, Ade Bantu and others. Ahead of the official release of her debut album, Oyemi recently dropped her new single, Picture Perfect (Happy), Only Human and African Woman. The songs, which are gradually picking up on air, give an insight into Oyemi’s world of music. “My love for music has been my sustenance in a world fraught with negativity. Through my music, sharing of my spirit, I hope to bring you a little succour. I love

Ogun State to raise awareness as part of activities to mark this year’s World Malaria Day by Reckitt Benckiser in partnership with Ogun State Ministry of Health. The award winning songstress led mothers to take the Mortein pledge that reads, “I’m a Nigerian mother and I promise to wait no longer to take up the malaria fight. Protecting my child from mosquito bites I stand firm to protect my own. No stagnant water or dirt in my home. Let’s embrace our countries plight standing as one, One enemy, One fight.” Omawumi informed the mothers that fighting malaria is everybody’s duty, not

Portraying herself as an all round artiste, Oyemi, as she’s fondly called, is also making inroad into the movie industry, with her first acting role in a soap, The Circle of Three, alongside Bimbo Akintola, Kate Henshaw, Keppy Ekpeyong, Ireti Doyle and others. With her charming looks, it won’t be long before the blue-eyed artiste establishes herself as a frontline actress.

music and I want to use it to make people feel good and also pass a message to them,”she said. As a young girl, Oyemi started listening to great African artistes such as Miriam Makeba, Evelyn King, Yvonne Chaka Chaka, Onyeka Onwenu, Shalamar, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti and others and later started training her voice by listening to the late Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey. “I’ve been singing right from my primary school days; I won singing competitions and I remember one of the prizes was to go and sing at a radio station. I was a leader in singing and dancing groups both in primary and secondary school,” she enthused. Unfortunately, she never got her father’s nod to become a singer. “My mum, my brother and sister were okay with it but my dad wasn’t too happy. He didn’t speak to me for quite a while. But in 2006, a few months before he passed, he prayed for me and gave me his blessings to pursue music and since then, I have not looked back.” Having forgone her academic activities at the University of Benin, to pursue her music career, Oyemi is in no haste to launch. “My first album should be out very soon; I’m taking my time to do it right. Most importantly, I don’t want to rush it.

Omawumi leads mothers pledge against malaria WARD-WINNING Nigerian artiste, and A Mortein anti-malaria campaign spokesperson, Omawumi Megbele, was in

But I just released three singles, Picture Perfect (Happy), Only Human and African Woman; it took me a long time but its finally done.” Oyemi’s genre of music is Neo-soul, which she combines with a blend of jazz, classical ballad, funk and Afrobeat, a style she described as ‘the feel good kind of music.’

just the role of the government. “We want to get a message out. Malaria is a serious problem. It kills more people in Nigeria than many other diseases, but with relatively simple practices like using quality insecticide, bed nets and keeping the environment clean, the impact can be reduced. The good news is that malaria is preventable. All that is required is our hard work and contribution to prevent it. We all need to defend Africa and make it Malaria free.” Omawumi visited expectant mothers at Ijaiye State Hospital where she presented gifts items to the first baby delivered at the State Hospital in Abeokuta. Mother of the baby, Mrs. Bola Adebayo, was full of thanks to the company for the gesture.

The Bazaar brunch BY DANIEL ANAZIA T was indeed a nice opening recently for Itemporary the Bazaar Restaurant, an upscale conrestaurant located on the 4th floor of Mega Plaza shopping mall on Idowu Taylor Street, Victoria Island Lagos. The restaurant, with its world-class chef serves a wide selection of decadent dishes from Lobster to Lamb. Its distinguishing factor is in the fusion of the food that they serve — some of the very best cuisines from around the world — from the best of Indian to Chinese, Nigerian and Mexican; it is such an exotic mix that is best experienced than it been spoken about. There is something to satisfy any craving. And to top it off, its service is outstanding. Owned by two Canadian-Indian sisters, Jyoti and Kiran, they both have created a unique dining experience with the latter being a self-taught chef. The unique selling point of the new restaurant is its attention to the minutest

Interior of the restaurant

details; everything is obviously arranged for comfort. Also, they have got combos that would continually whet the appetite of those who appreciate good food that is well served and in the right environment. While Kiran, a self taught food enthusiast serve as the House Chef, the equally gorgeous sister Jyoti, who is a ‘budding’ photographer amongst several hobbies is more into management of the first class restaurant. They both combine their strengths to run the affair of the new ‘in’ restaurant. As part of its pre-opening activities, some selected journalists were hosted to a brunch package to sample the best of the dishes. And the grand opening attests to the fact that the restaurant is a 5-star, as there were celebrities and corporate players in attendance. Guests at the event included the publisher of ThisDay Newspapers, Nduka Obaigbena, Ambassador Greg Mbadiwe, Anselm Tabansi, former Abia State, Dr Orji Uzor-Kalu, Olisa Adibua, Nikky Ogbuefi and very many others.

THE GUARDIAN, Sunday, May 12, 2013

SUNDAY MAGAZINE 37

THE READING NATION

Honouring The Memory Of Chinua Achebe By Hope Eghagha Y first encounter with Chinua M Achebe was through the sociological cum literary eyes of the immortal and seminal Things Fall Apart (TFA), first as a secondary school aficionado of the in-any-form written word. As impressionable young men, writers James Hadley Chase, Sidney Sheldon, Barbara Cartland, Nick Carter, Harold Robbins, Erle Stanley Gardner and the rest of the thrilling Western junk had dominated the consciousness of our group. Achebe, through TFA, later returned to me as a required read in Form Three, and changed my focus permanently, forever. My Literature teacher, one Sunny Ade Oloba (where would that man be now?) made additional difference. The gusto with which he taught Achebe, Cyprian Ekwensi and African Literature, only added fuel to the fire of love for this ‘simple’ African writer! I was completely taken in by the ‘simplicity’ of the novel, of the hero who boldly, individually struck against the intruding colonial forces, masquerading as agents of a superior culture, religion and political machinery. To be sure, before developing the appropriate critical appraisal tools, we faulted Okonkwo for attacking the civilising band of white men. Much later, with maturity, we came to understand Okonkwo’s fall as a tragic occurrence, a waste of the huge human resource, which the continent had in stock in the period in question. The language was captivating, fresh; its deep referents were close to the nuances of my Urhobo ontology, as represented by my Udu mother’s nightcap narratives. Reading Achebe’s now legendary sentence: ‘among the Igbo, the art of conversation is regarded very highly, and proverbs are the palm-oil with which words are eaten’, opened the ears of my eyes and the eyes of my ears. With all the proverbs issuing from Obierika’s wise tongue, I could not resist reading and rereading TFA, puzzled by Unoka, attached to Ikemefuna, shocked and thrilled by the ogbanje motif. Later, as I read Arrow Of God, No Longer At Ease, A Man Of The People, and Anthills Of The Savannah, and much later There Was A Country, followed by digesting critical works on our subject’s oeuvre, the Achebe world view was not as simple as the naivety of the formative years had suggested. Achebe’s narrative is that of the Igbo, of Nigeria, of Africa, of the world. The platform certainly is Igbo religious/cultural cosmology, full with all the accoutrements of language, ethos, ancestral presence and, even, politics. Yet, Achebe’s is a peephole into the unflattering narrative of the African experience; the tension between the periphery and the centre, between the empire and the willy-nilly subjects who had no say in the cascading trajectory of their disjointed lives, and the need to interrogate how and when ‘the rain began to beat us.’ If the cultural framework and sociological referents of the early writing were essentially Igbo, the message in my view was certainly bigger than the immediate geography of the subject matter. Perhaps, this accounts for the ascension into and the permanent residence of TFA in the canon of world literature. How come the capture of the big picture through the small canvas of our own ‘Umuofia’ etched itself into the memory of the world? Our own ‘Umuofia’? Yes, our own ‘Umuofia’, a near-mythological time and place of which we are proud, our local differences notwithstanding. Umuofia was not just Igbo or Nigeria; it was Africa. It was the minority of the world. It was the black race. It was thus Umuofia in Igbo, yet not Igbo. Umuofia in an imaginary Nigeria; yet not Nigeria. Why has the classic, TFA, found a niche in any clime where there is identity struggle, where literature is taught? Where the colonial encounter has severed links, destroyed bridges, exploited weaknesses, destroyed local heroes, displaced cultures? Because it speaks to all of humanity, the exploiter or the exploited, the possessor and the dispossessed, black and white races, no matter the geographical setting. In subsequent novels, Achebe entered

into the contemporary world, dwelling on a wide range of themes and concerns, from the challenges of the post independent nation to official corruption and the political dynamics of a modern dictatorship. The predictive A Man Of The People placed him in the prophetic mould, speaking for the weary Nigerian, frustrated by the political heists of the 60s, which reached a crescendo in January 1966, resulting in the pestle-entering-the-mouth years of 1967 to 1970. He was a man of the people of Nigeria. But of course, from the small he went to the big; ‘where one thing stands, another can also stand,’’ Achebe would later say. Through all the novels, of course we saw, came to know and embraced Achebe somewhat personally. We could almost speak for him, read his thoughts and pontificate on his philosophy, his disenchantment with what the political leaders had done to the dreams of Nigerians in the aftermath of independence. We empathised with him and even blamed our shortcomings when a road accident permanently confined him to a wheel chair. We could swing with him when he wrote The Trouble With Nigeria, placing the burden squarely on failed leadership. We agreed or disagreed with him when he wrote There Was A Country, the last testament he

wrote before he danced into the night of his life in far away America. He was an icon, a voice of dissent and a voice of consent; but above all, a voice of hope for the dispossessed. If we were in the time, so poignantly captured in TFA, Achebe would certainly have been elevated to the pantheon of deities. So, let it be with the spinner of words as he returns home with the bounce of one of the ancestral spirits, who presided over disputes in TFA; let him return home as a conqueror of the world space whose final space though located in Ogidi, is the nation that gave him birth. In concluding this tribute to Chinua Achebe, a man who ‘though dead yet speaketh,’ we do not need a prophet to conclude that with translations into 60 languages across the world, TFA, his greatest work in the fictive genre, will never die; Achebe will never die. His place in the pantheon is eternally assured, even long after all the pussyfooting elements of the Nobel world are gone. When a big tree falls in the forest, we do not need a town crier’s gong to alert the world. The fall itself is the announcement. Or do we wet the floor for our pathway, when we return from the stream after a bath? Ehn, do we? When or where was it heard that baby lizard laid eggs

for its mother to hatch? When or where was it heard that the breasts of Omotekoro removed to the back to feed her infant a week after birth? When baby ants strut on the fallen tree with words of bile, it does not reduce the power of the belly of the tree. Ask Ojighele, who cut off his nose to put anger inside the belly of his face. It is goodnight Albert Chinualumogu Achebe, iroko among irokos, father and grandfather to many near and distant children, torchbearer of the African continent, survivor of many battles, and agile dancer on the floor of fluid narratives. As a writer, Achebe’s overall concern for humanity, for Africa, for Nigeria, for the Igbo, was an inquiry into ‘when the rain began to beat us’ that we started entering our house through another man’s gate. He was concerned that though that boy called us father, we still bore a hand in his death; that, a man who asked you for your god must have a terrible story one should not pry into; that, when things began to fall apart, we failed to remember that there was once a country. Umonwu Ogidi-Africa, kachifo! Umonwu Ogidi-Nigeria, to ode! Umonwu Ogidi-Igbo, oda ro! Professor Eghagha is Commissioner for Higher Education, Delta State

Moment of silence for the late Achebe in Port Harcourt

… As Rainbow Book Club Holds An Evening Of Tribute was an evening of encomiums recently, as the Rainbow Book IisedTClub, in partnership with the British Council Port Harcourt, organa night of tribute in honour of the late Prof. Chinua Achebe at the council office in GRA, Port Harcourt. The evening programme, which was scheduled for 5pm, began with opening remarks from Ms. Ijeoma Agruba, centre manager of the council office in Port Harcourt. This was followed by a reading of Achebe’s biography by Mrs. Judy Nwanodi, a trustee of the book club. Thereafter, the celebrated poet and author, Gabriel Okara, set the tone for tributes with his moving encomiums on Achebe whom he said was not dead but lived on in his work. The evening also had a session tagged, Why We Love Things Fall Apart, an open discussion on why this classic novel is still held in high regard. Led by PEN, the session saw everybody share his or her favourite characters, scenes and proverbs in the book that is widely believed to have changed the way African literatureis perceived by the rest of the world. The beauty and simplicity of the language in Things Fall Apart, proverbs and vivid imagery, characters like Okonkwo, who rises above adversity against all odds, came up for study. The book’s unique title, and its ability to yield itself to different age groups of readers, was all part of the reasons why TFA has endeared its self to generations, noted guests at the event. The tributes continued with people coming to share with the audience, different Chinua Achebe books and poems they love. The founder of Rainbow Book Club, Mrs. Koko Kalango, also gave a moving tribute on Achebe, who was an honorary member of the club. Kalango told everybody present how Achebe had severally supported the club’s events including what was to be his last outing in Nigeria, when he delivered the keynote address at the 20II Garden City Literary Festival. A one-minute silence was observed in honour of the late Achebe. Signing of a condolence register, after which group photographs were taken, followed this. EANWHILE, the late renowned author would be buried on May M 23. An eight-day programme of activities to bid the literary giant farewell begins on May 19 with prayers and religious worship at the National Christian Centre, Abuja. Tagged, Day of Prayers and Religious Worship, it shall also hold in other centres across the coun-

try. The Association of Nigerian Authors, which was pioneered by the late Achebe, would hold a special symposium on the life and times of the late author on the second day. The event, which holds at the International Conference Centre, is tagged, Day of Tributes. The remains of Achebe would be received upon arrival in Nigeria on May 21 by a delegation of Nigerian leaders, as well as diplomatic and cultural representatives from African nations, who will pay their last respect to the late literary icon. Consequently, cultural troupes from different parts of Africa are expected to perform at the airport reception. Coming from the academic, Nigerian universities and those within the African region are expected to participate in a procession and ceremony that would herald the arrival of the corpse in Enugu, Enugu State. This, however, is after the body has been received at the Akanu-Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, by the south eastern governors under the chairmanship of Governor Peter Obi of Anambra State. Also on hand to receive the body would be the leadership of Ohanaeze and other traditional rulers, whose activities will continue with “Ohanaeze Night of Mourning and Ikoro Salute at Ohanaeze Secretariat in Enugu.” CHEBE’s remains will arrive home state, Anambra, on day four of A the programme (May 22) and according to the committee, be received at the Enugu-Anambra border by Governor Obi in company of other state leaders. As a culture activist, there would be a carnival of African culture to celebrate his life and works. The programme scheduled for Alex Ekwueme Stadium, Awka, will have all state governors and ministers in attendance. The body departs Awka for Ogidi, where it would be received by family members, President-General of Ogidi Town Union, Ogidi Regent in Council as well as the elders of the town for all-night activities. President Goodlcuk Jonathan would be leading other heads of state, governors, diplomats and international literary dignitaries to the burial service and interment at Achebe’s compound in Ogidi, Idemmili Local Council. Also, part of the programme is Muslim Ju’mat service at the Abuja Central Mosque on May 24 as well as Christian outing service and thanksgiving on May 26 at St. Philips Anglican Church, Ogidi.

TheGuardian

38 Sunday, May 12, 2013

Conscience, Nurtured by Truth

Business

Nigeria Sneezes, As China Runs Rings Round Africa African heads of states during the opening of AU headquarters built by China in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

By Marcel Mbamalu S it really fair what is going on between IWhile China and Africa of which Nigeria is key? proponents of China’s dominance of Africa trade and investment believe the continent has seen a lot of benefits infrastructurewise, other critics argue that the relationship has been purely a mercantile transaction between business elites and politicians. But there are enough grounds to insist that China’s business interest in Africa and, indeed, Nigeria, does not, in any way, weigh against the continent, which has recorded some tangible benefits from the Asian Tiger’s huge investment and aid. As one of the world’s emerging socio-economic power, with special interest in securing vantage position to invest its huge, idle funds, China could provide useful economic opportunities to the benefit of the continent, although this will depend on readiness of political leaders to demand and procure necessary commitments for economic benefits. Besides, assistance from the Western world has experienced significant drop since 2008 as a result of global recession; and China appears to be filling this gap. Following its resolve to continue to offer aid to Africa through infrastructure building and allied matters, China early 2012 announced an investment of additional $20 billion in Africa. This followed the January 2012 delivery of a symbolic structure in the form of a $200 million headquarters to house the African Union (AU). The superstructure, no doubt, has transformed the skyline of Addis Ababa, and, in the process, added an important layer to the SinoAfrican discourse- helping link Africa’s present with its past. Sure, China’s approach in engaging African countries has been that of versatility; and this fuels its surge as one major economic influence on the continent. From less than $2 billion in 2000, trade between China and Nigeria, for instance, reached nearly $18 billion in just 10 years. Between 2003 and 2012, Nigeria was (and

remains) a top destination for Chinese Foreign Direct investment (FDI) on the continent, second only to South Africa. The Asian Tiger’s attractions are clear: vast energy reserves and a large domestic market of over 160 million inhabitants with growing disposable incomes. Initially driven by its vast demand for energy resources, China’s involvement in Nigeria has since expanded far beyond oil, even as its public and private companies foray into manufacturing and Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) sectors. For Nigeria, the incentives lie in China’s own successful economic transformation, its capacity to deliver large-scale infrastructure projects and, more importantly, its ability to finance them. A senior Chinese official disclosed to The Guardian in Lagos that “China attaches much importance to Nigeria as the most important country in Africa,” and is looking to helping its private businesses expand in capacity and outlets. The Asian country really does “walk the talk,” evident, for example, in the activities of the like of Cway and Viju in the Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) sector, and the continuing partnerships being forged by Huawei with local telecommunications firms. Although, some Chinese government-backed Nigerian contracts were reversed for political reasons, the recent construction, oil and gas, and other service contracts, which China signed with the Federal Government, attest to the fact that the business is in no way “cosmetic.” China is fast building schools, hospitals, hotels and tailor-made companies in Nigeria, an indication that it might not be in a hurry to call it quits with “the African giant.” Almost by the minute, Chinese citizens throng the Murtala Muhammed International Airport to provide Labour, which ironically eludes Nigerian casual workers in most of the Chinaowned companies. The Asian new giant had had (and, perhaps, still has) a field day in Nigeria’s energy sector, infrastructure, construction and, most recently, hospitality sectors.

Its incursion in Nigeria saw the light of the day following the re-introduction of democracy in 1999, with Chief Olusegun Obasanjo as civilian head of government. Riding on the back of home government support, Chinese companies won oil blocks, secured contracts in construction projects and enjoyed consolidated grip on strategic sectors of economic growth. Energy challenges notwithstanding, Chinese firms made an inroad into manufacturing, provided self-sourced power for production and created jobs in a manner that was considered controversial. Over the last 13 years, or so, China’s demand for oil (estimated by the IEA in 2010) to rise by another 27 percent by 2015, has remained insatiable. Thus, the famous China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) will continue to be in the forefront of this drive in Nigeria, Africa and Latin America. Nigerian and African oil has become the object of China’s hunt largely because other sources were either taped up by western interests or were unreliable. But oil producers on the continent are becoming cannier and cannier by the day. It is instructive that, not minding the in-road China has made in the economy, Nigeria, as giant producer, has managed to keep its distance by limiting it to relatively minor role in the sector. Political tensions and community agitations helped to make this possible. Notwithstanding the fact that its huge spending in Africa is already helping it to learn fast on how to compete in more mature and hard-nosed markets, China is specifically ready to spend big in Nigeria and is ready to run rings around government. But this strategy appears to be getting very expensive for China acting alone. Would the future, therefore, be more about partnerships between Chinese state enterprises, who are learning the capitalist ropes, and Western multinationals entrenched in Africa but wary of costs? Is the recent telecoms deal between Huawei and MTN a precursor to this model? China is already using South Africa, which appears to be in a pole position to put all the

bits together, as a launching pad for this model. As the continent’s most-developed economy, global companies are also using South Africa as trampoline into Africa. Unfolding events also point to the fact that it (South Africa) has overtaken Angola as China’s biggest trade partner, with trade rising 56.1 percent in the first half of 2010, compared with the same period in 2009, reaching $10.8 billion. Also, half of China’s FDI in Africa goes to South Africa. The most prominent of these investments was when Standard Bank sold 20 per cent of itself to Industrial and Commercial Bank of China for $5.5 billion in early 2008; a lot of water has passed under the bridge between then and now. In fact, there are constant high-level visits between China and South Africa, with 4.5 million visits to the South Africa Pavilion at the 2010 Shanghai Expo. South Africa, in itself, is vigorously riding roughshod into Nigeria’s economy, with strategic investments in telecommunications, finance, hospitality and, subtly, in oil and gas. And, if the conspiracy theory is anything to go by, the long-term success, or otherwise, of South Africa in this venture would, as well, determine the fate of its ‘principal — China. Not much progress has been recorded from the Standard Bank-Industrial and Commercial Bank of China transaction; but the news that Standard Bank’s customers in 17 African countries would be able to open Yuan bank accounts for trade with China points to China’s resolve on economic colonisation of Africa. Even so, the Sino-Africa business relationship, as it stands today, also raises pertinent questions as to its true spirit, integrity and purpose. Uzo Nduka, an entrepreneur, thinks Nigeria has a lot to learn from China, which has managed to industrialise and emerge as a super power at a very fast pace without losing its cultural and traditional identity, but warns that it must not sell its soul to China; we must not allow ourselves to be colonised by China.” While this argument subsists, there is the general notion that Nigeria — and, indeed, Africa — is not prepared for a balanced business rela-

THE GUARDIAN, Sunday, May 12, 2013

BUSINESSCOVER

SpECiAl REpoRt

Africa: China On The Prowl tions with China often accused of habouring colonization instincts. The major challenges are culture and language. Whether, or not, the negative public image of Chinese companies and traders worry the authorities in Beijing is an entirely different matter. There is talk of some of the gigantic Chinese financial surplus funding a new aid programme for Africa. There are more than 20 new Confucius Institutes on the continent, with a mission to spread language and culture. In Nigeria, some of these institutes are already on ground in some states, including Anambra. Drawing from its Africa-wide strategy and mode of execution of local projects for example, there are posers as to whether, or not, China really attaches high premium to its relationship with Nigeria. Across the breadth of the continent, it has not been that simple, especially as politics, culture and migration are apparently in the mix. China keeps investing in Africa’s infrastructure but answers to the question of what percentage of African workforce are found in most of the construction sites remains elusive. The $200 million AU headquarters, for instance, is being managed (on behalf of the AU?) by China with about 70 percent of its workforce. A visitor to the Addis Ababa edifice would have to speak Mandarin to be able to communicate effectively. In fact, China’s flag now flies high in the new AU building. This is already rubbing off on Sino-Africa relations: There was unseemly stampede of 48 African heads of state to the 2006 summit in Beijing but only seven turned up in Cairo in 2009, a situation many an analyst attribute to all the bad publicity about unequal relationship — power, on one side, and greed, on the other. There are speculations that this negative publicity could lead to a much more low-profile meetings in the future, hence the RBAs’ Accra meeting in March 2012. Critics allege that China’s relationship with Nigeria is that of a cheque-book transaction without real economic value for Nigerians. Interestingly, Nigeria, at a point, touted the idea of holding some of its reserves in Chinese currency. Central Bank Governor, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, in 2011, said he saw China’s Yuan becoming global reserve currency. He would, therefore, decrease Euro holdings to make way for the Yuan. In what the apex bank governor termed currency swap, Beijing would also settle its Nigerian oil purchases in Yuan. The country, according to Sanusi, plans to reach a target of holding 10 percent of its foreign-exchange reserves in Yuan ‘as soon as possible.’ But experts believe there are more strategic reasons for holding foreign reserves in designated currencies than trade and trade settlement. The enormous size of China’s reserve holding in U.S dollars confers great economic (and sometimes political) power on China. And it is feared that the move could vicariously make Nigeria unduly susceptible to China’s power. Abuja-based professor of Financial Accounting, Wilson Herbert, wonders why Nigeria would contemplate keeping some of its dollar reserves in Yuan, when China has no plan in the foreseeable future to diversify its $3.2 trillion ‘packed in US currency.” Mr. Wilson also regrets the unequal trade and economic relation between China and Nigeria given the fact that it has become almost impossible for Nigerian companies to invest in China. According to him, the success of Chinese investments in the country has failed to bring in real value, technological advancement and job creation. Without having to subordinate the Naira to the Yuan, the growing trade imbalance between Nigeria and China is already a source of concern. Experts say the apex bank should instead encourage Nigerian businesses to gain strong foothold in the Chinese market as opposed to denominating Nigeria’s reserves in Yuan simply to engender inter-bank transactions and to foster collaborations and alliances with Chinese financial institutions and businesses. This position becomes even stronger when viewed against the fact that Nigeria has not witnessed any major interbank collaborations and alliances since keeping its foreign reserves in the U.S. dollars.

Besides, China is seen by many as a developing country, supported by its government, with an unwritten or covert intention to perpetually subordinate African economies to the vagaries of its own markets, products and economic policies. While it is busy participating actively in Nigeria’s economy and infrastructure projects, for example, there is little evidence that China’s infrastructure were built by the Chinese. Take the railway projects for example. China’s infrastructure in that sub-sector was built by Germans and U.S experts. The “missing” satellite project it helped Nigeria with has remained a mystery to date. “Why should we hold our foreign reserves simply to support huge importation of fake and inferior products from China? Perhaps, the next move will be for Chinese Government and its officials to cajole their Nigerian counterparts to devalue the Naira in favour of the Yuan so as to make their imports cheap for the Nigerian market,” Prof Wilson queried. “Because of opportunism with guile, Nigerian officials tend to make decisions they know are not altruistic. If we must be blunt, China cannot enable Nigeria to develop. If we want to build strategic industries we defer to China or some other non-English developing country simply because the latter can and will protect the opportunistic disposition of Nigerian officials with whom they negotiate. “This is the kind of illegal protective cover which Western multinationals or their companies cannot offer their Nigerian counterparts. If they do, it is only a matter of time Wikileaks will get to know about it because Western foreign companies and their executives, unlike Nigerians, must account for every dime they make.

The German Siemens’ and the U.S. Halliburton’s cases are a pointer to the fact that Nigerians cannot contrive the kind of hankypanky deals they do with the Chinese with Western multinationals. ‘Ironically, Nigerian leaders can’t ask or imagine why China engages mature Western multinational firms for the development of their own critical infrastructure, like their fast railways or their electricity which was built by the U.S. General Electric. China’s financial system can in no way be compared with the efficiency level of the U.S system. “If China’s financial system is benchmarked against the U.S., why should we benchmark ours against China? China still operates a largely closed economy. China has an inhospitable property rights tradition that is both provocative and exclusive. The literatures that explain China’s economic and political systems are in Chinese,” according to Wilson. Whether, or not, the negative public image of Chinese companies and traders in Africa worry the authorities in Beijing is unclear. But there are more than 20 new Confucius Institutes on the continent, with a mission to spread language and culture. But how dynamic are these Institutes? Unfolding events also point to the fact that South Africa has overtaken Angola as China’s biggest trade partner, with trade rising 56.1 percent in the first half of 2010, compared with the same period in 2009, reaching $10.8 billion. Also, half of China’s FDI in Africa goes to South Africa, which is the continent’s most developed economy. Many global companies, including those from China, are already using South Africa as trampoline into the continent. China, despite the ease of entry into Nigeria, also engages this model.

interestingly, Nigeria, at a point, touted the idea of holding some of its reserves in Chinese currency. Central Bank Governor, Sanusi lamido Sanusi, in 2011, said he saw China’s Yuan becoming global reserve currency. He would, therefore, decrease Euro holdings to make way for the Yuan. in what the apex bank governor termed currency swap, Beijing would also settle its Nigerian oil purchases in Yuan. the country, according to Sanusi, plans to reach a target of holding 10 percent of its foreign-exchange reserves in Yuan ‘as soon as possible.

AU headquarters built by China in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

China In Africa: Facts And Figures HINA reviewed its growth prospects for C 2012 downwards to about 7.5 percent; and this is consequent upon the changes in its government. The direct impact would be that the SMEs and other big corporations that contribute the greatest chunk of its annual GDP would be privatised. But whether, or not, China will have the courage to do this is another matter entirely. But if the government does relax its strong support and ownership in some of these “outgoing” companies, the Asian country might as well sacrifice some of its business successes abroad. China’s non-financial Outbound Direct Investment (ODI) rose 1.8 percent year-on-year to $ 60.07 billion last year, according to the information released by its Ministry of Commerce (MOC) in January. The official figures are straightforward; they show that trade has, indeed, exploded: Every three years since 2000, Africa’s trade has doubled. It hit $107 billion in 2008, eclipsing the United States as the continent’s biggest trading partner. Trade with China fell to $90 billion in 2009 due to global recession; but this drop peters into insignificance when compared with the collapse of US-Africa trade in the same period. Figures released by the US Commerce Department said it fell from $141 billion in 2008 to $86 billion in 2009. Chinese investments in Africa hit $32.3 billion in August 2010 and may have risen by as much as 70percent in 2012, based on its MOC’s disclosure and promise of additional $20 billion investment in early 2012. Its trade with Africa reached $166.3 billion in 2011, according to Chinese statistics. In the past decade, African exports to China rose to $93.2 billion from $5.6 billion. Industrial and Commercial Bank of China 601398.SS, for example, the world’s most valuable lender, has invested more than $8 billion in various projects across the continent. Over the last 12 years, or so, China’s demand for oil (estimated by the IEA in 2010 to rise by another 27 percent by 2015) has remained insatiable. Thus, the famous China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) will continue to be in the forefront of this drive in Africa and Latin America. Nigeria is at the heart of this drive, even though South Africa gets the biggest chunk of China’s economic presence.

THE GUARDIAN, Sunday, May 12, 2013

BUSINESS COVER

Jonathan’s Investment Tourism: Costs And Gains By Geoff Iyatse N 1979, late Chief Obafemi Awolowo promised that if elected president, he would not travel anywhere for three years. His reason, then, was that the challenges confronting the country were so enormous that its leaders needed to sit down firmly to tackle them (the problems). Back then when the sage made the pledge, the country had little to worry about ethno-religious conflicts. Youth employment was not a huge challenge, just as public infrastructure had not gone moribund. Thirty-four years after, Awolowo would, perhaps, be more convinced that a Nigeria griped by undaunted insurgents, mass unemployment and obsolete public social infrastructure requires always-available leaders, notwithstanding growing inter-state dependency. Unfortunately, those who manage the country (and its complex challenges) are not Awolowos. They are men and women with different approaches. A recent visit to South Africa by President Goodluck Jonathan and his team raises questions on the priority of government, returns of previous similar trips, the rationality of continuous dominance of Nigeria’s economy by South Africa’s vis-à-vis the country’s interest and conflicting signals corrupt lifestyle of political office holders send to the international market. The second coming of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo in 1999 begot what some may be described as an era of iterant leaders. Obasanjo’s foreign trips became so disturbing that late Gani Fawehinmi was said to have employed a staff whose job specification was to keep records of the former president’s foreign trips. In his first three years in office, Obasanjo had jetted out of the country 93 times. Criticism trailed his travelling mania but undisturbed Obasanjo increased the frequency. By the time he was leaving office in 2007, he had made a record 400 foreign trips. While the jamboree lasted, the former dictator kept re-assuring Nigerians that his trips were undertaken in quest for some illusory foreign investments, which he claimed, were in the best interest of the country. Though he boasted that his government changed the status of the country from being a pariah nation due to such travels, six years after his exit, an average Nigerian does not see any difference Jonathan Obasanjo’s tour has made. The former president was not alone. His love Sadly enough, the ritual has continued with justify the cost incurred on the journey? And for ‘gazing across the seas’, like a virus, infected President Goodluck Jonathan the past time to new where are the results of previous MoUs of heights. his ministers, governors and even council such scale? chairmen, thereby extending the absurdity to Last week, the President was on a four-day invest- Such travels have become the tradition. On all levels of political leadership in the country. ment-and-sundry trip to South Africa. The journey June 19, 2012, the President left the country did raised pertinent questions: at what cost was In 2010, the Senate Committee on Foreign for Rio de Janeiro, Brazil for the United the trip made? What sort of investment does the Nations’ Earth Summit amid high profile vioAffairs castigated the then Foreign Affairs Minister, Ojo Maduekwe, over his frequent trips President want from South Africa? Did the lence in Damaturu, Yobe State, and Kaduna on which he allegedly spent N2.7 billion, expen- President intend to ridicule Nigerians who have State where scores lost their lives. The diture the then Committee Chairman, Senator complained that the country is already overPresident reportedly travelled with a team of stuffed with South African businesses? Does the Jibril Aminu, described as “wasteful. While 116 others, including 18 aides of the First Maduaekwe defended the “wasteful” spending President give a hoot what happens if South Lady. He embarked on the journey 24 hours with the argument that “diplomacy is all about Africans pocket the entire Nigerian economy? after about 75 persons were killed in multiDoes he care about the country supposed regional ple attacks. visibility”, it was disclosed that the ministry economic aspiration and the subtle competition failed to disburse funds to foreign missions, Expectedly, Nigerians took on Jonathan for for the regional economic power? resulting in non-payment of salaries and perceived negligence of what looked like an Most importantly, what is Nigeria bringing to the emergency at home for some abstract disallowances of diplomats for three months. table? Has Jonathan bothered to find out the oper- cussion in South America. Still, the President, Those who should actually negotiate deals were crippled while the minister who should ational style of existing South Africa’s companies who arrived from Brazil on June 22, left for in the country? Does their modus operandi con- Belgium for the Summit of the World have sat in his office to collate feelings from overseas went around doing jobs of the diplo- cur with the Nigeria’s aspiration? Do they respect Customs Organisation immediately, unpercontractual agreements and simple labour laws? turbed by torrent of criticism that welcomed mats. When people complain that Nigerians work for Interestingly, members of the National his arrival from Brazil. He dismissed the critiAssembly are not spared the junket bug. If the South Africa in their own country, does it send any cisms, saying he had no regret travelling to lawmakers’ travelling budget has been worri- serious message to those in power? The President Brazil. some, the huge expenses incurred on them by might have earned another minus again when he “One of the tactics of terrorists is to stranministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) chose to package the South Africa’s trip in such a gle government. If they hear that the bazaar manner. in the guise of overseas training and workPresident of Nigeria and the ViceAccompanied by a team of 88 on the South Africa President…wanted to travel but they couldshops are more disturbing. trip, the only achievement Jonathan came back Last year’s revelation by Director General of n’t travel because they struck, they are going the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), with is a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to celebrate it,” Jonathan concluded. on capacity building. Does the value of the MoU Arunma Oteh, on how former Chairman of The President, just like his ministers, goverHouse Committee on Capital Market, Herman Hemba, collected money from the commission Last week, the President was on a four-day investment-and-sundry trip to South for an overseas workshop he never attended Africa. The journey did raised pertinent questions: at what cost was the trip made? says much about the degree of the challenge. Perhaps, the governors benefit more than any What sort of investment does the President want from South Africa? Did the President other set of office holders from the bazaar. A intend to ridicule Nigerians who have complained that the country is already overreport said the situation is so terrible at state stuffed with South African businesses? Does the President give a hoot what happens level that it is difficult to have up to 20 governors in the country at a time except there is a if South Africans pocket the entire Nigerian economy? Does he care about the country meeting in Abuja that requires the presence of supposed regional economic aspiration and the subtle competition for the regional all the state executives.

economic power?

nors and other grades of politicians, has not seen anything wrong in frequent travels. If he has altered the trend he met in office, the only difference is that his wife with her retinue of aides seems to love the feel of overseas banquet than her predecessors. Like his estranged political benefactor, Jonathan’s excuse is that the country must be in constant touch with the outside, especially Nigerians in the Diaspora, to harness its vast opportunities. The insurgency in the north also provides a useful alibi. There is need for regular dialogue among world leaders to tame global terrorism, “which manifests in Nigeria in form of Boko Haram.” And the President and his cabinet will not give in to blackmailers who want to halt the wheel of dialogue calling on the government to reduce foreign engagements. Last year, 32 wives of Oyo State lawmakers, led by the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Mrs. Monsurat Sunmonu, were in the United Kingdom on an eight-day training on how to take care of their husbands. Incidentally, at the same, their husbands were also on a “working tour” to South Africa. What Nigerians have been compelled to swallow in the past years is that political office holders can operate from anywhere with ipads and blackberries. The aides who make the argument have, however, forgotten the possibility of using the same smart technologies to hold meetings and conferences with friends and associates across the globe without necessarily visiting the airports. Industrialists suggest that the country has recorded more business closure in the past 14 years that politicians have increased across-theborder trips to “salvage the economy.” For instance, Dunlop Industries Plc (now DN Tyre and Rubber Plc) about 1,500 direct staff in its heydays while its competitor Michelin Nigeria had over 1,300. The two manufacturing giants controlled 60 per cent of the country’s tyre market. But high cost of production and unfavourable policies that made importation cheaper sent them out of business in about 2007 and 2008. While DN Tyre retooled its operations towards importation and marketing, Michelin relocated its plant to far Europe (a target region for Nigerian foreign investment drive) where it export finished goods to Nigeria. The concomitant impact is that thousands were rendered jobless. Old industrial estates across Lagos are ruins of once thriving manufacturing concerns that kept thousands active days and nights. A visit to Isolo, Iganmu, Ikeja, Matori industrial centres is a nightmare because those who should have welcomed visitors with cheers are jobless and angry. The textile industries that drove the economy of Kaduna, Kano and, partly, Lagos have closed shops. When the government thought of reviving them, the only item that was tabled for discussion was a bailout. There was no concrete plan on how they would source affordable energy. Most importantly, cotton farmers whose dismal capacity was said to be the major cause of the mass failure of the companies were left out of the solution. A Professor in the Department of Political Science and International Relations, University of Abuja, Saleh Dauda, had stressed: “No country will attract foreign investment where it is yet to restructure its economic policies and infrastructure to suit the purpose because foreign investors are out for profit not humanitarian services. They will consider where there is security not where there is a breakdown of law and order.” On the unfettered foreign trips, he said: “Even though a country cannot do without relating with others, the relationship should not keep the President away from his domestic duties. Where a president stays away from pressing domestic issues, it becomes a problem”. In an interview last week, Chief Executive Officer, CRC Credit Bureau, Mr. Tunde Ahmed Popoola, said investment does not necessarily respond to bilateral relations but environment that supports safety and returns. He listed indices that guarantee flow of investment as ease of doing business, infrastructural development, taxation, security, development of the capital market and political stability. He noted that countries that score high on the parameters naturally attract investment without its leaders necessarily going on travel spree. “If one has bilateral agreement with countries and give them concessions for things that should have been naturally done at home, you have chalCONTINUED ON PAGE 41

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THE GUARDIAN, Sunday, May 12, 2013

BUSINESS PIB Passage Will Revolutionalise Oil, Gas Sector — Seplat Boss Orjiako hoped PIB would be passed this year. He ultimately shape the outcome of PIB. These he

motives, Orjiako then went ahead to articulate what he noted as the key issues and events that will impact and shape the industry in the postwill not distort investment decisions especially PIB regime. He said: “The drive for more local content as an in deep-water projects; indigenous oil and gas companies seeking neutral fiscals vis-à-vis cur- irreversible issue that will lead to creation of more indigenous service companies, an increasrent terms as well as access to new ing need for domestic gas supply to meet the fields/acreages.” growing power sector industry and Agriculture The other forces that he pinpointed include, “Host communities, Niger Delta indigenes and demand; sustainability of the gas sector- gas pricing framework and power sector reforms; their representatives wanting more flow of funds to their region while the Northern region re-sizing and relinquishment of non-active and representatives do not want less than cur- acreages which may lead to atomisation of the upstream industry and increase in collaborarently allocated Federal funds.” tion. Having highlighted the major forces and

HAIRMAN of Seplat Petroleum Development said would include major International Oil Company, Dr. Ambrose Bryant Chukwueloka based his optimism on the fact that “PIB has C passed the second reading while the public hear- Companies (IOCs) seeking “robust fiscals that Orjiako, has observed that the passage of the

Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) has the capacity to ing has commenced.” He noted that the playing change the Nigerian oil and gas sector if it cap- field of the industry would be altered by PIB, stressing the need for a win-win situation for all tures key aspirations of stakeholders. stakeholders. He made the observation last week at the He averred that “new outcomes from the interOffshore Technology Conference in Houston, United State, where he spoke as a member of a play of units of complex systems usually entail the deconstruction; reconstruction and re-orderpanel that deliberated on Post PIB Regime: ing of some elements of the interplaying units Challenges, Prospects and Opportunities for Investment in the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry. to synergistically meet their collective preferThe discussion focused on the potential benefits ences.” Orjiako identified these interplaying elements and challenges of the Bill. Relevant issues were as “forces and stakeholder motives” which will examined by the discussants.

UNDP Seeks Low-income Communities’ Inclusion In Economic Decisions By Tunde Akinola HE United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) says the inclusion of low-income across Africa is essential for economic growth and sustainable development. A report released by UNDP’s African

Facility for Inclusive Markets (AFIM) examined approaches and conditions required to bring economic growth closer to low-income communities in Africa, focusing on how businesses can readily include the poor as consumers, entrepreneurs and employees processes. The report, which was launched on

Friday by President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), Donald Kaberuka, and the Manager of the UNDP Regional Service Centre in Johannesburg, Gerd Trogemann, at a side event of the World Economic Forum for Africa, identified promising opportunities in enabling enterprises

and entrepreneurs to build more – and stronger – inclusive businesses. The report calls for more efforts to support inclusive businesses with incentives and investment schemes as well as knowledge sharing about market information and implementation. Through the synergy aimed at increasing information, incentives, implementation support and investments required to make businesses more inclusive, the report urged policy-makers, business owners and development practitioners in Africa will be in a position to make dramatic advances across the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

NIIS holds 2013 Annual Security Conference HE Nigerian Institute for Industrial Security (NIIS) will T hold the second series of its yearly conference on June 1 at Raddisson Blu Anchorage Hotel Victoria Island Lagos. The conference will be attended by heads of security firms, companies’ security heads and representatives of the public sector. NIIS is holding the event in conjunction with Koba Institute of the United States. A statement by Executive Secretary/Chief Executive Officer of the Institute, Wilson Esangbedo, said the special guest Minister for Interior, Comrade Abba Moro, will grace the occasion that will be hosted by President of the Institute/executive member of the Independence Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC), Isa Ozi Salami. Esangbedo said the conference titled, Assessing Security Risk and Developing Effective Strategies, will assist the participants know new security trends, threats and proactive measures they could adopt to stay afloat.

Chairman, Organising Committee, the Nigerian Bar (NBA) Association Section of Business Law 2013 Annual Conference, Dr. Gbolahan Elias (SAN); Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Ibrahim Auta; General Secretary, NBA- Section of Business Law, Mr Olu Akpata; and Justice Donatus Okorowo during a courtesy visit to the Chief Judge, Federal High Court in Abuja… on Friday.

The Jamboree Called Investment Trips

‘ Deficit In Housing Offers $600b Opportunities To Developers’

By Geoff Iyatse HE increasing housing deficit in the country estimated at about 16 million commission would discharge its reasonabil- any extra persuasion. The foreign trips CONTINUED FROM PAGE 40 units has created $600 bility without budget. embarked upon by public officials to woo lenge. Nigeria still has challenges with all lion opportunities for develWhile he was not sure if the country has investors are self-serving jamborees,” he the parameters that determine investopers, Technical Director, made significant improvement in the past noted. ment. The country still ranks 131 out of 183 Growth and Employment in 14 years, Popoola noted that major indicaHe noted that the government has made States in the Construction countries listed on the 2013 report by the World Bank. And it is 14th in Africa; I don’t tors such as security and infrastructure have crucial interventions in recent times that and Real Estate sector (GEMS deteriorated, noting that security is prime are beginning to have impact on the think that is good rating. 2), Ronald Ashkin, has “What that means is that the ease is still determinate of the friendliness or otherwise investment climate and the entire econo- revealed. of a an environment. my. low. Business registration is not good Ashkins also urged developenough even though it has improved. The He, however, said investment trip/relation- Another investment expert and Chief ers to embrace the dry conmost critical aspect is enforcement of con- ship building is as important as fixing chal- Executive Officer of Forthright Securities struction as an alternative to lenges that frustrate investment. He and Investment Limited, Bode Ashogbon, tract. Until we are able to do a drastic wet method, noting that it is observed that international negotiation also described investment trips of politireview of the justice system, this will cheaper. could lead to record of “pockets of investcians as mere carnivals that are not remain an issue. It takes about one and Speaking at an interactive ment” even in the face of daunting chalexpected to yield results until the governhalf years to enforce contract today, and forum themed Innovative lenges at home front. He said “foreign trips ment address fundamental flaws in the that is very poor. Building Construction in the should be encouraged” if they will translate economy. He noted that political and poli“Apart from that, infrastructure is huge 21st Century, Ashkin stressed challenge. What can we achieve with the to breakthrough in “infrastructure and secu- cy stability, which the country is yet to the need for stakeholders in achieve, are the essential things the govstate of infrastructure? One could consider rity.” the construction sector to Yet, Chief Executive, Lambeth Trust and ernment should strive to get right rather the taxation system, we need to streamline adopt a new approach to protaxes that are payable. When I mean taxes, Investment, David Adonri, said Nigeria is fast than staging spurious investment roadviding affordable houses for it also implies rates and rents that are paid transiting from a mixed economy to a free show that gulps the resources that should Nigerians. market economy where government’s role have been used to development infrato government. There are so many governPresident, Nigerian ment agencies collecting one form of levy in business development should be giving structure. Institute of Builders (NIOB), way for private. Ashogbon said that the government’s or the other; and they keep harassing busiChucks Omeife also noted “The role of government in building a new continues invitation to South Africa nessmen,” he noted. that dry construction is the Popoola pointed out the lingering con- competitive and investor friendly economy betray a country that has lost hope in its way forward to addressing is creation of enabling environment. If the capacity. He wondered why the country flict between lawmakers and SEC that culthe housing deficit in the minated in stalemate of budgetary alloca- country is safe with good engineering infra- should single out South Africa, which it country. tion of the latter, saying that leaving SEC structure and enunciates investor friendly should compete with, to ‘dash’ if it were Technical Products Manager, policies, foreign and domestic investors will not completely disoriented about its deswithout allocation portrays Nigeria as an Nigerite, Onovre Jesse, tiny. unserious society. He wondered how the have enough incentives to invest without

explained that dry construction is the use of composite panels or boards installed on metal or timber structures to build exterior and interior walls. He noted that the construction process involves the use of pre-fabricated building components brought to site for assemblage. According to him, with components already fabricated to design specifications, housing projects can be delivered faster and cheaper and still meets required standard. According to, National Director Fuller Center for Housing, Sam Odia, dry construction saves as much as 70 per cent of time when compared to wet method. Onovre revealed that machines and other necessary technology needed for the implementation of dry construction are currently available in the country. However, some stakeholders at the forum expressed concern over easy adaptation to the new method, noting challenges as regards reskilling artisans.

THE GUARDIAN, Sunday, May 12, 2013

BUSINESSINTERVIEW

Identity Card: Biometric Data Of Nigerians Remain With FG, Not Mastercard, Says Monehin In a conference call initiated by The Guardian’s MARCEL MBAMALU and the Africa Press Organisation (APO), at the weekend, the Division President, Sub Saharan Africa, Mastercard, Mr. Daniel Monehin, shed more light on the proposed Mastercard-branded National Identity smart cards with electronic payment capability announced at the World Economic Forum in Cape Town, South Africa. Excerpts: OULD you shed more light on how the project C keys into the Central Bank of Nigeria’s “cashless Nigeria” scheme? It really keys into the process of financial inclusion and banking the unbanked, and giving access to formal financial services in the country. That’s the original goal, which Nigeria has set to be achieved. I think, the next checkpoint is in the next seven years — that is, the year 2020 — to reduce the number of unbanked by certain percentage. So what this does is it effectively give access to formal financial system to every Nigerian, aged 16 and above, so that, in one fell swoop, the country achieves unique identification, which on its own is a stimulant to the economy and at the same time achieving reduction and annihilation of the unbanked and opening up access to everyone. So when we talk about financial inclusion, there are three categories: there is the access, the usage and the quality of financial services. What this has done is that it has opened the floodgate to the access of financial services. So, it is now left for us, the participants, the cardholders, and the government, to stimulate the usage and begin to drive the quality. But what we did not have before was access, over 70 percent of Nigerians did not have access to financial services but when these cards are issued that means seven out of every 10 Nigerians would be getting access for the very first time; that is massive to any economy and really there’s no country in Africa where this has happened. Globally, there is no country that has achieved this massive scale, in terms of percentage and coverage of its population. So this is an excellent initiative and we are excited to be a part of it. You talk of something close to general application of the card; yet, the finance Minister was quoted as saying that it will begin with government pensions before… That was in response to the question that was

asked the honorable Minister as to what would be the criteria for selecting the pilot citizens. She responded that she’s really excited at the auspicious time that this is going on because there’s a lot of work that is being done centrally for central treasury and for payment within the federal government, and she would like to see pensioners being part of this first group of the pilot, so that the federal government can begin to load their payment automatically, take out the physical nature of it so that the old tale of people dying on the line while trying to wait on the line to collect their pension would be a thing of the past. The whole thing that is happening is that this is a platform not just for receiving government tension but for receiving government pensions, benefits, bursary payments, NGO’s that are funding private segments of the society can be funded directly; salaries can be paid directly. Anybody with that card has a whole new world opened to him or her. So, from government-topeople payments, from people-to-people payments, ATM all of those platforms or avenues are open. This is not a card that is restricted, its not even restricted to Nigeria; it is loaded. You can go out of Nigeria to Ghana, Gambia, USA, China and use it. It is accepted in 210 countries and territories, and over 13 million acceptance locations around the world.

The whole thing that is happening is that this is a platform not just for receiving government tension but for receiving government pensions, benefits, bursary payments, NGO’s that are funding private segments of the society can be funded directly; salaries can be paid directly. Anybody with that card has a whole new world opened to him or her So, in terms of potential, this is a massive platform and what the minister just alluded to is just one segment of its use, not all. The issuance is starting within the next three months. The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) is going to do an event locally to flag it off. The need to streamline identity management projects in the country has been debated in several quarters. Is the government getting close to doing that? I’m sure the policy makers would be able to make decisions around streamlining; but I also know that it is not uncommon to have various data bases in one economy with a central one that links up with other data bases. The central one is the one we are talking about

now; that is, the one that is supported by an Act of the Legislature, the 2007 Act establishing NIMC. Therefore, every other one can shake hands with it, can connect with it, can co-exist with it but the central one becomes the main one and that’s the one we are talking about here. But you do make a good point about streamlining. Once this takes off, I’m sure anyone that needs to be streamlined, the policy makers would probably make that happen. Since this scheme, according to you, takes off in three months’ time; why then do you consider it important to announce it in far-away Cape Town a few days ago? It was an auspicious moment, one that doesn’t come around until the next 12 months, to have the global attention in one spot on the world economic forum on a platform that has integrity. Even though it is directly impacting Nigerians, it is actually a global standard. I’ve been receiving calls from several countries now saying, ‘can we learn more about this, can we look at doing this in our country?’ So, even though it is starting in Nigeria, it has a global perspective and that’s why we are happy to talk about it here. So the world economic forum would be coming to Nigeria in 12months. So, if this were a Nigerian location, we would have announced it. Regardless of the location, it was really about the attention and the platform, which the event offered.

Lessons On Entrepreneurship, As Africa’s Youngest Billionaire Hits Nigerian Shores By Onyewuchi Ikechukwu

billionaire by the Forbes Magazine. Mara Group, which Ashish chairs, NDEED, there will be real lessons in comprises numerous holding compaentrepreneurship, wealth and Cor- nies that operate in 26 countries. In porate Social Responsibility (CSR) for 1996, Ashish borrowed $6,000 to start organisations and chief executives in his first IT company whereby he the country when Africa’s youngest bought and sold computers. In a space billionaire and President, Mara of one year, he transitioned from a Group, Ashish J. Thakkar, hits the high school student to a full time enshores of Nigeria in June. trepreneur with immense potential, He is billed to grace ThistlePraxis dreams and extraordinary business Consulting’s 2013 Africa CEO Round- drive. He has successfully grown his table & Conference on Corporate So- companies and currently employs cial Responsibility (AR-CSR) over 7,000 people worldwide. scheduled to hold in Cross River His business presence in Africa is curState. rently at 19 countries and is steadily Ashish, a serial entrepreneur and growing. role model to many young Africans, Ashish devotes much of his energy to started his first company at the age commercial and philanthropic initia15. His visit to Nigeria is considered tives in Africa. The Mara Group has resignificant for entrepreneurs aspirceived global recognition for its ing to do profitable business in a way achievements and contributions not that conforms to societal norms and only in Africa but also worldwide. In aspiration. 2010, the World Economic Forum Ashish is adjudged Africa’s youngest (WEF) recognised the Mara Group as a

Ashish

dynamic high-growth company because of its potential to evolve into a future industry leader and a driving force for economic and social change. The event, holding at Tinapa Business Resort, Calabar, is an all-inclusive CSR and Sustainability management conference and themed, ‘Driving Innovation through Transformational Leadership and Sustainability’. The first of its kind in Africa, the event will attract thought and business leaders from within and outside the continent who will share their expertise and experiences on an array of Business and Development topics, while making the case for a greater focus on transformational leadership in seeking innovative and responsible ways for sustainable development. Leading experts will feature as speakers who will discuss issues bordering on how responsibility in leadership promotes innovation and encourages youth empowerment and active par-

ticipation and also the effects of climate change and the increasingly inadequate natural resources that demand better governance. A series of events have been scheduled to take place such as the CEO round-table sessions followed by a one-and-a-half-day conference, Sustainable Solutions Showcase (an exhibition of eco-friendly products and Sustainable service solutions), Eco-Tourism Tour, Networking cocktails and Gala Dinner amongst other inspiring and intellectually stimulating activities. Past editions of the AR-CSR were held in 2011 and 2012 and were graced by Former President of Ireland & President, Mary Robinson Foundation, H.E. Mary Robinson, INSEAD Chaired Professor on Ethics and Responsibility, Prof. Craig Smith, President, Africa Sustainable Investment Forum and Principal Graham Sinclair, amongst others.

THE GUARDIAN, Sunday, May 12, 2013

BUSINESSAGRO

Bearing Rice Burden, Camels At Work In Kebbi • Job Creation In Rice Value Chain In Practice By Fabian Odum HOUGH ‘Keke Napep,’ the near ubiquitous commercial tricyT cle has created jobs in both rural and urban areas round the country, it has its limitation in certain areas. Far away in a local community called Suru, near Argungu, the rice-farming community is working their fingers sore – the dry season rice cultivation, empowered by the Rice Transformation Agenda Team in Abuja, is turning in good harvest. While there is excitement in the farm as farmers and farming families sweep swathes of grains with their sickles, the challenge of moving the bagged paddies remains. The distance from the major road, which is paved with asphalt, to the rice field vary from 1.5Km to 3Km depending on the part of the farm the farmers’ plot is located. A Short distance, but a no-go area for the tricycles; the condition of the earth road to the location would not encourage commercial tricycle operations. A four-by-four wheel drive vehicle could do the job but the cost for the rural dweller would be prohibitive and finding such services is far fetched. This seasonal window of opportunity to do business in the rice value chain has driven some of the youths to own camels, the natural ‘Beasts of Burden.’ One of the operators, barely able to communicate even in smattering English, agreed the dry season farming has made some difference. Along the short distance, these hardy camels are seen trudging along with tremendous weights on their backs, being nudged by

Camel transport operators loading bags of paddy rice on the beasts

their owners to finish the distance faithfully. Those that move faster are mostly not ladden and, are usually on there return to the fields. Camel transport is in the in-thing now as far as the harvest and threshing continues. Each beast bears as much as six to seven bags weighing 75kg each per trip; that is equivalent to 300kg to 375kg for each journey. On the average, and during the period, a camel makes about three trips moving about a ton of paddy. For each bag, the camel operator charges between N100 and N150 for the trip usually executed in about 40minutes. And to ensure the owner of the produce repose confidence in the service, the camels are usually muzzled to prevent them eating the grains. They are forced to wait on their masters for compensation time at the end of business.

Abia Govt Pegs Fertiliser Price For Farmers

A bag of rice is sold for as much as N6, 500 and a day’s trip of each beast moves about N140, 000 and with as much as 10 camels at work, more than a million naira in churned out in that location per day. For the operators, who The Guardian found out, have other businesses on the side, a camel rakes income from the transport business of about N3,000 daily or N18,000 weekly if Fridays are kept work-free. This is clearly beyond the national monthly minimum wage on a weekly basis. When all the rice fields come alive as the rains return, the income generation would tempt even the city dweller to get back to land or farm part-time. At N18,000 weekly or N72,000 monthly for almost six months here the rice activities run for 12 weeks in each planting stream, about N200,000 is attainable. When farmers do two crop streams per year, the income could as well be doubled.

Cocoa, High Nutrient Content Beneficial To Consumers the market contain less than 10 per cent of the cocoa powder that are a rich source of O reap the real nutritional flavanols required by the value of most cocoa beverbody for good health. ages, it is better to take them According to Dr. Olubamiwa without milk. The correct drinking of unsweetened cocoa and other experts at the venue of the launching, the beverages can help in the prevention of Malaria, high blood regular intake of cocoa beverpressure, diabetes, fatigue and age does a lot of good to the since its richness in antioxistress. dants helps to fight disease Dr. Olayiwola Olubamiwa, a cocoa expert at Cocoa Research factors in the body. But, he warned that the Institute of Nigeria (CRIN), intake of cocoa in the beverIbadan who dropped the hint yesterday at a media forum for age form cannot ensure that these health benefits of cocoa the launching of a Jingle for a are enjoyed. new cocoa beverage, “Oluji His words: “Cocoa Pure Cocoa Powder” also said powder has a higher amount that most cocoa beverages in

From Kehinde Olatunji, Ibadan From GORDI UDEAJAH, Umuahia farmers. At the said summit, whose theme was “ Agricultural GRICULTURE received a fresh boost at the weekend Transformation Agenda- A Road Map To Increased Food in Abia state when Gov. Production,” the governor Theodore Orji, at the formal flagging off of this year’s farm- through the Secretary to the State Government, Professor ing season. at Ibeku High Mkpa Agu Mkpa reiterated School, Umuahia, slashed the his commitment to transprice of a bag of fertiliser for farmers from N6500 to N3500. forming the agricultural sector with a view to enhancing Also at the state Agricultural the state economy, provide Stakeholders Summit held in employment and making the state, it was announced food available to all. that in addition, 450,000 He said was the state was cocoa seedlings and 100,000 oil palm seedlings are to be dis- collaborating with the federal government for the supply tributed free-of-charge to the

of 240 ton per-day High Quality Cassava Flour processing plant, cultivation of of 6,000 hectares of cassava in Abriba and inaugurating of the state agricultural implementation committee. Also during the week, the governor performed the formal handing over of the Abia Palm Estate at Ukwa to a foreign company and launched the state Liberation farms project located statewide, which the state Agriculture Commissioner, Ike Onyenweaku said will provide 8,000 jobs.

Tanzanian President To Inaugurate IITA Science Building HE President of the United T Republic of Tanzania, Dr. Mrisho Jakaya Kikwete, will, on 13 May, inaugurate the IITA Science Building in Dar es Salaam. President Kikwete will be the Guest of Honor. Other dignitaries at the event include the President of Zanzibar, Dr Ali Mohamed Shein; and Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, former President of Nigeria and IITA Goodwill Ambassador. The event will also be graced by members of the diplomatic and donor community, the public and private sector, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), and the farming community. The inauguration will be followed by a workshop with the theme “Grow Africa and the role of agricultural

research by national systems, IITA, and its partners.” The ultra-modern and environmentally friendly Science Building has five modern laboratories that would deal with agricultural challenges such as plant pests and diseases, poor soil fertility, and crop value addition. With a capacity of 70 researchers, the building will be open to researchers from national partners and students from higher learning institutions in the region. Its construction is part of IITA’s efforts to boost agriculture through capacity development and improve the livelihoods of smallholder farmers in eastern Africa through its research-fordevelopment approach.

of the antioxidants even in comparison with dark chocolate, and so makes it the best cocoa form that people should take as part of their diet.” He added that: “The best cocoa powder to take is that made by milling dried cocoa bean from which the cocoa butter has been extracted. It is necessary to caution against intake of cocoa with milk as this lowers the potency of cocoa. The culprit in milk is a group of proteins called caseins that interact with cocoa decreasing the concentration of the polyphenols. In addition, sugar or honey should be used in mild quantities for best effects. Some take it that a cup of this precious drink permits a man to walk for a whole day without food.” He added that a cup of cocoa also keeps the doctor away. “A cup of cocoa is rich in antioxidants that help combat free radicals, which have been linked to diseases like cancer, heart disease and stroke” he said, thus, suggesting that cocoa is a better healthy drink. Given that most people are suffering from health challenges Dr. Olubamiwa said if people consciously increase their cocoa intake, it will help to also lower their blood pressure. The ability of the antioxidant flavanols in cocoa to promote nitric oxide production in the body to make the body produce more of the hormone insulin, he said, has made cocoa consumption helpful in preventing diabetes. He declared that the insulin produced after ingestion of cocoa powder was more active and, hence, better at preventing high blood glucose levels that precede or indicate diabetes.

TheGuardian Conscience, Nurtured by Truth

44 Sunday, May 12, 2013

IbruCentre ‘To Excel In Ministry, Women Must Listen To Their Husbands’

Omobude

Fondly called Mama, Pastor Abiola Theodore Omobude, wife of Rev. Felix Omobude, President, Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) and the general overseer of the New Covenant Gospel Church International Ministry, is a preacher of the word, a motivator, singer and instrumentalist. Aside from being the backbone of Covenant Praise Choir, Mama is the president general of the Covenant Women Fellowship; a ministry she has used to empower and mentor women to be of good use to themselves and their homes. At 63, Mama is still waxing strong, using her voice to sing for her God. She spoke with AYOYINKA OLAGOKE on her life, ministry and nation building. Growing Up? was born in Lagos, on Wednesday, September 27, 1950 to the Numa family of Ekiugbo, Ughelli, Delta State. I started my early life education at Anglican Primary School, but had to completed it at the Regan Memorial Baptist Girls Primary School, Yaba, Lagos in 1964. After that I attended the Regan Memorial Baptist Secondary School, also, in Yaba, Lagos, before

going to study Secretarial Studies. Leaving school, Pastor Omobude had a stint with Tamaco Company Limited, Lagos, between 1971-73 where she garnered experience as a leader. To equip herself for God’s work, Mama enrolled to GLIM Bible College in 1990 and upon graduating take to lecturing Music and other courses in a Bible College. What were your interesting moments while

growing up? It was music, I grew up developing interest in music and singing in the church choir under the leadership of Akin Bankole, and Ayo Bankole, both now late. Ayo Bankole was my choirmasters, but the duo made music interesting to me. I grew up in a close knit family, where aside from loving one another and imbibing the virtue of hard work, we were taught to respect our elders; and our parents had quality time with us. There was no discrimination between the boys and the girls, we were all treated equally and value one another. How did you meet your husband? Oh, we met in the Church of God Mission, Iyaro Branch; he was the Pastor, while I was in the choir. I never thought I would marry a pastor or even be one; it never came across my mind because my dad was not a born again. How long have you been married? We are married since December 3, 1977. How is it marring a pastor? It’s been very wonderful. Marriage is about companionship; it’s about accommodating each other and reasoning together. It’s about letting go and letting God in everything, because sometimes you may be thinking this way while God may want it in the opposite direction. I wouldn’t say everything is always easy, because two different persons from different backgrounds and tribes are involved, and definitely, they can’t behave alike; but because it is built on Christ Jesus we are able to reach an agreement. My husband came from a big family and he made me know this right from the beginning. Are there any challenges being a pastor’s wife? There are a lot of challenges. For instance, when something happens in the church and my husband is not around, I would always stand as the rallying point. I also coordinate the women and support his ministry. What role challenges you most as a pastor’s wife? It is home prayers; I love women that can pray. If believers can get God’s presence, then they can talk with him. What is lacking in many believers’ prayer altars is the place of worship. We need to really worship God before we make any request. I love to see a church worship God with all their hearts. How are you combining your role in the ministry with that of being a GO’s wife? The Bible says, “I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me.” I have been able to combine both because of my upbringing. If you are going to excel in the ministry you must be ready to listen to your husband, because if people know you to be rude to him, they won’t listen to you. Before you do anything let your husband know of it because if he gives the go ahead, heaven too will back you up. To excel in the ministry, women must learn to listen to their husbands. Another thing is prayer, I don’t play with it in my house; we hold it every morning and evening. Lastly, God has given us good people that make up our team. In what ways are you complementing your hus-

Cleric Calls For Talba’s Dismissal Over Pension Case By Dele Fanimo HE suspension of Justice Abubakar Talba, the judge who sentenced John Yusufu, the pension thief, to two years imprisonment or a fine of N750, 000 has drawn the ire of the clergy. The Primate, African Church, Most Rev. Emmanuel Udofia, at a press conference heralding the church 112th yearly conference

in Lagos, recently, said, the judge deserved outright dismissal from the judiciary. According to the cleric, the suspension was just a slap in the wrist compared to the enormity of his offence to the nation, at a time when concerted effort is needed to fight corruption. He wondered how a judge could tell somebody who stole over N32 billion pensioners’

fund to pay N750, 000 and walk out of the court. Udofia, who said corruption is the root of social vices bedeviling the country, sought urgent steps towards strengthening the various institutions of government to fight the menace. On amnesty for Boko Haram, the Primate said the church was not averse to amnesty

band? I have been of help, especially in areas of prayers for his ministry, the family and the entire church. Secondly, I am always with the choir, partaking in all their activities — fasting, praying and rehearsals. Another area of note is organising the women and carrying out programmes, including going to the mission field, which we do twice a month and also the Gospel Light Campus Fellowship started about 10 years ago that is targeted at winning the youth for Christ. What can other women learn from you? Prayers and through the fellowship I organise for female ministers and pastor’s wives every first Saturday of the month, I have been able to touch lives. God has been using me to settle disputes in homes, empower women with skills on how to make bread, cakes, hats and others and as well mentor women to be of help to their husbands and bring out the best in them. Our camp meeting holds once in a year, the next one will run from August 29 to 31, 2013. But why is divorce rate still high with marriage trainings in the church? Well we strongly believe in one man, one wife; and teach our young ladies that any man they marry remains their partner in life. This is why we talk about praying very well before going into marriage. We take a very strong stand on marriage and by the grace of God, we have programmes that mentor young ladies on how to keep their marriages, handle misunderstanding at home and other family issues. Do you still have time for the home front? Yes, I cook for my husband whenever I’m around and also create quality time for him and other members of the family. If you don’t have time for your husband what are you going to tell God. Some people claimed to be too busy in the ministry, leaving their husbands to suffer, which is not Godly; because your husband is your first assignment after Jesus Christ. You must make sure that the man eats well, dress well and the house must be conducive for him. You too should be able to fulfill your ministry. What’s your view on the saying, ‘women are to be seen not heard? Deborah was a woman and she led soldiers to war in Israel. She was even the one that told Barack what God said. People are always misinterpreting Apostle Paul, when he said ‘women should keep silence when they come to church.’ Go and study the book of Corinthians, you will know what happened and why Paul made that statement. But generally, women are involved in productive work for God in the choir, preaching the word and doing exploit for Him. Advise to womenfolk? Whatever God lays in your heart as a woman do it with all your strength, do not cut corners and you will excel. My believe is that if women are given the opportunity to run the government, they will do it better, because when a woman wants to do anything, she would want you to know that she can do it; and if she has her husband support then it becomes excellent.

for the sect, provided they show remorse. Urging Christian victims of Boko Haran crisis to leave the fight for God, Udofia said, “I admonish all the people, directly and remotely involved in the Boko Haram violence to sheath their swords. The Bible says, ‘he who kills by the sword, shall die by the sword. Let no one deceive you, you cannot fight the Lord’s battle based on your mortal knowledge,” he noted.

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

THE GUARDIAN, Sunday, May 12, 2013

IBRUCENTRE

Sunday School Victorious Christian Living (2) 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 8:5-13. Introduction T is easier to deal with the enemy without than with the one within. Our flesh is our most dangerous and most intimate enemy, Eph. 5:12, Rm. 7:19-20, Ps. 19:12). Gateways of the flesh The primary gateways of the flesh are our eyes and ears. The mind then responds to the impulses received and in the exercise of our free will, sends signals to other organs of the body to the flesh. The mind or heart remains the main coordinating centre, Job 29:11, Job 42:5, Pr. 23:7, Matt. 9:4, 15:19.

...With Pastor Enoch Adeboye

Fatality of flesh The flesh is pre-disposed to sin the wages of which is death. Corruption, perversion and destruction are the end products of carnality. The flesh profits nothing and can only end in decay and shame, Rm.7:18-20, 8:13, Jam. 1:15, Eze. 18:20, Gal. 6:78, Pro. 22:8, Hos. 8:7. Victory over flesh God wants us victorious over the flesh and its works. He is a Spirit and wants us to relate to Him in Spirit and in truth. We need to cooperate with Him, observing among other things, the following: • Reject the demands of the flesh, Rm. 13:14, Gal. 5:16. • Mortify the flesh, I Pt. 2:11, Gal. 5:16, I Cor. 9:27.

• Keep the flesh under subjection to the Holy Spirit, Rm.6:6. • Abstain from its lust, I Thes. 4:3-5. • Make no provision to satisfy lust, Gal. 5:24. • Flee from danger zone areas, I Tim. 2:22. • Bring offending members of your body into subjection, Mt. 5:29, Jn. 15:5. Conclusion Beware of little foxes that spoil the vine. We can and should have dominion over the flesh and live victoriously. God has empowered us and is eager to help us but we have to cooperate with in the exercise of our free will. You will win the battle over the flesh in Jesus’ name. Amen!

Stop Toiling! By Gabriel Agbo

“We worked hard all last night and didn’t catch a thing. But if you say so, we’ll try again,” Luke 5:5. OUR toiling is over! These remaining days of the year shall be Y miraculous for us. You shall receive the reward of all your labour since the beginning of this year. Look at this incident that took place

Chaplain to the Primate, Ven. Festus Nwafili (left), Director of Communications, Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), Ven. Foluso Taiwo, Head of Programmes to the Lord Mayor, Neil Chrimes, Bishop of Kubwa Diocese, Rt. Rev. Duke Akamisoko, Lord Mayor of the City of London, Rt. Hon. Michael R. Gifford, Primate, Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), Most Rev. Nicholas D. Okoh, Primate’s wife, Mrs. Nkasiobi Okoh, British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Dr. Andrew Pocock, General Secretary, Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), Ven. Michael Oluwarohunbi, during the Lord Mayor’s visit to the Primate in Abuja… recently.

The Three Folds Of Christ’s Ministry By Prophet S. K. Abiara EACHING, preaching and healing were the three main aspects of Jesus’ earthly ministry. “Jesus traveled throughout Galilee teaching in the synagogues, preaching everywhere the Good News about the Kingdom. And he healed people who had every kind of sickness and disease,” Matt. 4:23. This threefold ministry were perfectly in line with the will of his Father because the teachings show Jesus’ concern for people to understand spiritual things; preaching explains his concerns for commitment to the will and way of God; and healing is evidence of his interest for spirit, soul and the body wholeness. What is the significance of teaching in Jesus’ ministry? To begin with, let me define teaching as an act of imparting knowledge or skill to somebody by instruction or example. Jesus consistently modeled effective teaching in his ministry by teaching the truth about God, the way to live with others based on godly principles and so on, using tools such as parables, illustrations and stories; and showing them by his life examples. Jesus Christ did a comprehensive teaching during his Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5). On another occasion he said: “Anyone who listens to my teaching and obeys me is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock,” (Matthew 7:24). It is imperative he expose some salient spiritual truths to the people because he came from heaven and knows what God expects man. Jesus Christ succeeds as a teacher because many people embraced, believed and followed him; these were the disciples who later became the Apostles. They continued to spread the gospel from where he stopped. The second fold of Jesus’ ministry is preaching. Preaching on the other hand, is solely the proclamation of the gospel. What is the gospel? The gospel is simply the Good News of Jesus Christ — his life, death and resurrection. The gospel is so important because it is centered on the story of God’s great love for us. God sent Jesus to take the punishment for our sin and to bring us eternal life. Nobody can receive the gospel without the help of the Holy Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit that empowers us to believe the gospel and spread it to others. The Teaching and Preaching of Jesus Christ’s ministry were firmly rooted in proclaiming the Good News, which simply announces the kingdom of God. Healing is the third prominent occurrence during Jesus’

earthly ministry. Healing is described as the process of curing somebody or something or of becoming well. Healing in essence is the restoration of health. One is able to construe from these definition that before one can talk of healing, something must have gone wrong with an individual’s health. That is, there would have been sickness and diseases such as fever, epilepsy, inflammation, leprosy, dumbness, blindness, insanity, cancer, ulcer, jaundice and others. I will like you to pay close attention to this scripture and do a thorough meditation on it, then, you can be sure to contact a miracle. The word of God says,”….And he healed people who had every kind of sickness and disease,” Matt.4:23. If Jesus was teaching and preaching the Good News about the Kingdom, it was natural for him to physically demonstrate what is obtainable in that Kingdom in the lives of the people he ministered to, especially whenever he sees anything contrary to the will of his Father in people’s life. skabiaraofciem@yahoo.co.uk

Bishop Of Egbu Diocese Retires HE out-going Bishop of the Diocese of Egbu, Church T of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), Rt. Rev. Emmanuel Iheagwam, two Saturdays ago, celebrated his Valedictory Service as the presiding Bishop of the See of the Diocese at the Cathedral Church of All Saints, Egbu in Owerri North Local Government, Imo State. In a sermon conducted by the coadjutor Bishop of the Diocese, Rt. Rev. Geoffrey Enyinnaya Okorafor, Bishop Iheagwam said he had looked forward to the Eucharistic Service since his consecration and enthronement 17 years ago. Referring to the first Bible lesson of the service taken from Genesis 1:1-3 and read by his wife, Mrs. Adaku Iheagwam, the Bishop noted that just as the earth at the beginning of creation was covered with darkness while the Spirit of God hovered over the face of the waters, so, it was at the inception of the Diocese, when its future looked extremely bleak. Many people, he said thought the Diocese would not survive, giving the new Diocese only three weeks within which to fold up and return to the mother Diocese. He averred that because the Spirit of God was hovering over the Diocese such expectations did not happen, attributing the secret of their collective success partly to self-denial, patience, tolerance, humility, accommodation, openness, love and team spirit.

at the Sea of Galilee. Peter and his fellow fishermen had gone to the sea with their boats, nets and high expectations to have a good catch for the night, but were disappointed; as no fish or even its resemblance entered into their nets. It was like the fishes were ‘instructed’ to avoid their nets for that night. So, in despair, they packed their nets out of the cold water. As they were ashore washing their nets Jesus appeared. He stepped into one of the boats and began to preach. After preaching, He asked Peter to go into the sea and throw down his net, promising him a great catch. Peter with complains mixed with faith, told Jesus how they have toiled throughout the night without any result. But, thank God he added something to the complain. And what was it, “if you say so, we’ll try again,” Luke 5:5. Before we continue, let’s look at this word Toiling. It means working or labouring hard and long with difficulty and trouble. Struggling, sweating, putting more to achieve less. When you put in so much to achieve very little, you are toiling. A lot of people go through this. Nothing comes to them easy. They struggle where others have favour and easy ride. Some will work so hard, doing everything required of them, yet, there will be nothing to show for their efforts. Others will do what is necessary, but will always meet with disappointment and heartbreak at the end. Today, I pray that that curse over your life be broken in the name of Jesus! Peter and his company did all that were necessary to have a good catch that night, but got nothing. They had their boats, nets, baits and others. They went to the sea at the right time, and don’t forget that, they were very experienced fishermen. Fishing was their main occupation. They also knew where to get them at that time. Unfortunately, all these were not able to translate to success. They toiled all night, applied all their expertise and yet, got no positive result. Is this the picture of your life or in your family? I speak to that toiling spirit to leave now, in the name of Jesus! Toiling And Night Now, please permit me to give this application to the issues of night and toiling. According to the Bible, night is a time of groping in darkness. It is a time of suffering and fears. It is a time the enemy comes to sow tares, sorrow and confusion. It is a time of the enemies attack. It is also a time of weeping. But thank God that His word said that though weeping may endure for a night, joy will surely come in the morning. Praise God! I don’t know the night you have been going through? The night of your relationship? The night of your business or health? Your family, job, faith or your ministry? I see your day breaking forth now in the name of Jesus! Stop toiling! Yes, it will be so. Because you have come in contact with this message and because you believe what you’re reading, it will be so. Solution Appears As these frustrated fishermen were washing their nets in readiness to go home, accepting their fate, the master of situations suddenly appeared on the scene and asked Peter to lend Him his boat. Thank God Peter consented. And after Jesus had finished using it, He asked Peter to go back to the same sea and throw in his net. The same Peter, the same boat, the same net and bait, and the same sea. The only difference is that these are now accompanied by a prophetic instruction and prompt obedience. And what happened? The catch was so much that it was about breaking his net and sinking his boat. Don’t ask me where those fishes came from. Every creature hears the voice of the creator. And prophetic instructions are just declaring the definite intentions of heaven on earth and watch them come to pass. Now, what is that ‘boat’ that God has been asking you to surrender? Is it your life or what? You have to do that, to have ‘net-breaking’ and ‘boat sinking’ breakthroughs. Do it immediately. Don’t waste any more time. Today! Yes, Peter gave Him his boat. Rev. Agbo is of the Assemblies of God Nigeria. gabrielagbo@yahoo.com

THE GUARDIAN, Sunday, May 12, 2013

IBRUCENTRE

The Price For Success (2) By Seyi Ogunorunyinka OUR location is very crucial to the realisation of your vision. Y Where are you standing right now? Are you standing with somebody who is in the valley? If you are standing with somebody in the valley, then you cannot see much, but if you are standing with somebody on a mountaintop, then you can see as much as possible and possess as much as possible. The people you are standing with, your friends, determine the level you go. Some people have been labelled as failures and if you associate with them, they will drag you down. The man on the mountaintop will have a broader view than the one in the valley. You need to also ask yourself the question; ‘where am I standing, spiritually?’ If spiritually, you are in the valley, then you will be a candidate of manipulation and destruction. How powerful is your spiritual sight? Do you sit down to analyse issues based on your head-knowledge or you analyse issues based on spiritual knowledge? How powerful is your sight to see in the realm of the spirit? A lot of people do not know that life on earth is all about the spiritual. In John 17:14, the Bible says, “I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world.” To live successfully in this world, you must be in the spirit. Hebrew 11:27 says, “by faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger; he persevered because he saw him who is invisible.” It is possible to see the impossible through faith; we all have to develop ourselves to this level. Every Christian must operate on a high level of discernment. We need to realise that there are Christian witches. In the house

of God, sometimes, you find the worst things happening there. An average white man who is not a Christian is better than many Christians in Africa. The average white man is always willing to obey laid down rules and regulations, whereas the black man is always looking for ways to cut corners and break the law. The heart of a black man is full of evil, wickedness, treachery, lies and hypocrisy, but the Lord has a word for those who engage in such evil; their end shall be according to their works. A white man wrote a book called, “Witchcraft in the Church.” In it, he asked where you focus your gaze when you are confronted with problems. He concluded that what you focus on determines whether you will prevail over the problem or otherwise. Moses sent 12 spies to spy the land of promise, they did well reporting all they saw; they adhered to their terms of reference, but 10 of them focused too much on the strength of the inhabitants, their walled cities and the giants who lived there; instead of what God promised that He will give them. The 10 spies missed it because they forgot the Lord their God, who had fought and won battles on their behalf. Suddenly, the 10 spies began to “shrink” and became like grasshoppers because they kept their focus on giants. If you concentrate your focus on your problems, God will become insignificant in your eyes. Invariably your faith will vanish and you will be swallowed up by your difficulties. Pastor Seyi Ogunorunyinka, General Overseer, The Promisedland Restoration Ministries, Surulere, Lagos. pastorseyiogunorunyinka@gmail.com

Archbishop Ekong (right), Bishop Sadadi receives his staff of office from Ekong. With them is Mrs. Veronica Sadadi at the occasion.

Re-what If Heaven Is Real? By Gabriel Osu

“And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God; the Almighty and the Lamb. And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb.” HE past weeks of our national life have witnessed several T chaotic incidences leading, unfortunately, to the loss of lives and properties. From avoidable luxury bus accident on the Benin-Ore highway to the commando-like destruction of Baga community by some military personnel, our land is over-flowing with too much blood that leaves much to be desired. But, during this period the living are reminded that they are not necessarily better than those who have passed away. Rather, we should see every day, as opportunity to make peace with our Creator, so that, when the time for us to move on is nigh, we would not be found wanting. This week, while praying for the repose of the souls of the departed compatriots, I decided to reproduce an excerpt from one of my earlier pieces that talks about the inevitability of the passage of time and what lies ahead. If you drop dead this very moment, where do you think you will be? Is there lasting rest in death? No matter how we try to pretend, the inevitability of death stares at us right in the face every time. People die every second all over the world. It could be you, your wife, children or your friend. It could be anyone. Every day seems like a borrowed time because we don’t know the time or the hour death will come. No one is immune: the rich, the poor, the young and the old. But, whether we like it or not, we all have a date to keep with death. And then what follows? The Bible says after death comes judgment. “Then I saw a great white throne and he who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were open. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done,” (Rev. 20:11-12). The above Bible verse is very clear about this. When we die,

we are going to face the judgment throne of the Almighty. Death too will not be spared. “Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone’s name was not found in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.” Just as there is the lake of fire (hell) for the condemned, so, also there is a place of bliss for those who have been saved by the blood of the Lamb. That place is called Heaven. A place of everlasting bliss and happiness! “Then the king will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” In the story of the rich man and Lazarus, we learnt how Lazarus, a poor beggar, died and was carried into Abraham’s bosom while the rich man was taken into hell. While in hell the rich man begged for water to cool his tongue. Full of anguish and regret, he begged Abraham to send messengers to his father’s house to warn his brothers against making the same mistakes brought him to hell. The lesson of this passage is that no matter how much proof you present to the skeptics, they will not believe. Why? Because their hearts have been hardened by the Prince of Darkness. Even if Christ were to come down from heaven, they will still doubt it. Such people need our continuous prayer of intercession for God to touch their hearts and make them see reasons to accept Christ before its too late. Very Rev. Msgr. Gabriel Osu is the Director, Social Communications, Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos.

Springs Of Wisdom By PASTOR W.F KUMUYI

Deliverance From Dark Powers NE of the greatest tricks of the Devil is the way he O packages his activities, making them very attractive to the hapless and gullible. Even in this age of the explosion of knowledge, he remains as effective as ever. He knows how to shroud the activities of dark powers in such a nice and harmless manner to appeal to the spiritually immature, even the intellectual. The story was told about a man that took home as a pet, a little snake that looked helpless and harmless. But he woke up one day to discover that the snake was missing. Naturally, he looked for it everywhere, but could not find it. With time, he forgot all about it, until many days later, he wanted to pick up something that fell from the top of his wardrobe. As he stretched his hands almost absentmindedly, he felt a sharp stab at the back of his finger. The seemingly harmless little snake had surfaced to act true to his nature! His life was saved from the poisonous venom of the snake, by the quick intervention of paramedics, who came to his rescue. Similarly, people who ignorantly dabble into dark powers, either through campus initiation, reading of occult literatures or through some seemingly innocuous occult practices, expose themselves to incalculable harm, spiritually, financially, physically and mentally. The scourge may begin when the family, which had hitherto prospered, materially and spiritually, begins to experience mysterious setbacks financially, spiritually and, even, moral weaknesses that might snowball into big scandals if not nipped in the bud through prayers. The question that gnaws at the back of the minds of victims of such evil circumstance is: Can the captive of the mighty be delivered? Can the prey be taken away from the strong oppressor? It does not matter what aspect of your life is under the Devil’s attacks, there is power in the name and blood of Jesus to upturn the situation. Jesus said: “Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.” As serpents crawl in secretly to hurt and kill, so do witches, wizards and all other dark powers. They attack men at the time and place they are most vulnerable, and leave in their wake, dire pangs and pains in lives. To be free from the activities of such dark powers, you must turn away from all known sins, big or small, and ask for and ensure that you receive pardon from the Lord Jesus Christ. This is the only key to permanent deliverance, as sin opens the gateway for the Devil and all dark powers to afflict a person. Secondly, you need to destroy or do away with every occult item in your possession. This could be in the form of literature or regalia used for occult practices. You must also sever all relationships with any acquaintance known to be dabbling in occult activities. “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? And what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.” Thirdly, you will need to always plead, by faith, the blood of Jesus upon your life and family. The blood provides the believer with absolute protection from the activities of dark powers. Fourthly, you will need to pray with the authority that is in the name of Jesus. There is awesome power and authority in that name. Finally, you must put on the whole armour of God. You will need the shield of faith to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one, “for thus saidth the Lord of hosts; after the glory hath he sent me unto the nations, which spoiled you: for he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye.” No matter what you might have suffered in past, deliverance is possible. Only let your resolve and prayers be like that of the psalmist: “I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.” Make the Lord the ultimate source of your help.

References: Colossians 2:15; 1 John 3:8; Luke 10:19; 2 Corinthians 6:14-18; Zechariah 2:8 and Psalm 121:1-4. (All scriptures are from Kings James Version).

Church Dedicates Auditorium RCHBISHOP Timothy Olufosoye Memorial Anglican A Church (ATOMAC), Ogba, Lagos rounds off activities marking its 10 anniversary with a Thanksgiving Service th

today, while the dedication of its ultra-modern church auditorium is on Saturday, May 18. Activities lined up to celebrate the anniversary, which started on Wednesday, May 8, included fast/prayer, street

evangelism, hospital visitation, blood sugar test/blood pressure check-up at the church premises and vigil. Vicar of the church, Rev. Abiade Adeniji, said that the newly enthroned Bishop of Lagos West Diocese, Rt. Rev. James Odedeji, Bishop of Idoani Diocese, Rt. Rev. Ezekiel Dahunsi and Bishop Emeritus of Lagos West Diocese, Rt. Rev. Dr. Peter Awelewa Adebiyi would attend the dedication.

THE GUARDIAN, Sunday, May 12, 2013

IBRUCENTRE ‘God Is Faithful Despite What’s Happening’ Most Rev. Adebayo D. Akinde is the Archbishop of Lagos Province and Bishop of Lagos Mainland, Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion). As the church begins its first session of the third Synod on Thursday, May 16, at St. Jude’s Cathedral, Ebute Metta, Lagos, Rev. Akinde shares with CHRIS IREKAMBA the importance of Synod, reasons government has to provide job for unemployed youths and others. The importance of the Synod HIS year’s Synod is an important one because we are starting a new Synod. In the Anglican Church, Synod runs for three sessions, we’ve just concluded the third session of our second Synod and, now, starting a new one. The new session will be the first session of the third Synod of the Diocese of Lagos Mainland. It will start on Thursday, May 16, with an opening Eucharistic Service in the Cathedral of St. Jude Church, Ebute Metta, Lagos at 4pm. The presidential address will take place on Friday, at 11am. Lagos State Deputy Governor, Mrs. Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, will be special guest of honour while Chief Olusegun Osunkeye is the special guest. Chief Osunkeye will be presented to the Synod as a worthy ambassador, for others to emulate. The Bishop Theologian for our Church, Rt. Rev. Dapo Folorunso Asaju, will preach at the opening service and the thanksgiving service while the Bishop of Ohafia-Arochukwu, Rt. Rev. Johnson Onuoha will take the Bible Studies. Bishop of Awori, Rt. Rev. J. Akin Atere will be the missioner. We are expecting other Archbishops, Bishops, the clergy and the laity. With the theme, God’s Faithfulness In An Unfair World, we hope to strengthen the faith of our members. The God, who controls and sustains the entire universe is very faithfulness, very dependable, reliable and very stable. What God says He will do He will do. He is the promise-making and promise-keeping God. His faithfulness is great, but when you look at the world around us, too many things appear to be unfair. The haves continue to have more while the less privileged are getting poorer. There are people who are godly, but are not rich because they would not steal or do 419 and, then, you begin to wonder, where are the promises of God? Because of the excruciating pressure to do evil in the world that’s why we are considering God’s faithfulness. We want to let our members and Nigerians know that God is faithful, despite, what’s happening around us. Unemployment has assumed an epidemic dimension in the country and with different challenges here and there; we want to tell Nigerians never to lose heart in God because He is still faithful. Another reason for the theme is to caution Christians not to join the crowd to do evil, never to compromise the Christian and traditions. Lastly, the forum would be use to reecho to the people to be mindful of their acts, as this world is not our permanent place of abode, we have a better commonwealth, which is in heaven. During the Synod there would be revival fellowship every morning. We see the Synod as a holy convocation of God’s people and as such, we are going to use it to revive ourselves spiritually. Every synod delegate is a Christian leader because we are standing in gap for many other members that cannot attend the synod. It is a period for us to be spiritually renewed, spiritu-

By Pastor Lazarus Muoka

The Day Of God’s Wrath Is At Hand ` “The morning is come unto thee, O thou that dwellest in the land: the time is come, the day of trouble is near, and not the sounding again of the mountains. Now will I shortly pour out my fury upon thee, and accomplish mine anger upon thee: and I will judge thee according to thy ways, and will recompense thee for all thine abominations”- Jer.7: 7-8.

RETHREN, anybody who is enjoying sin and assuring B himself that God cannot destroy humanity again has not heard or read what He did in the Bible days, in the days

Akinde

ally rejuvenated and spiritually restored. There will be Bible studies, elections; reports from various churches in the Diocese. Questions will be asked and answers provided. The fiveday event ends on Monday, May 20 with a clergy conference. How could government bridge the gap between the rich and the poor? Largely, the government has the responsibility, first of all, to appreciate that deficiency in the Nigerian society. A situation where some people are stupendously wealthy while the vast majority is wallowing in abject poverty is not fair at all. I don’t have the statistics, but less than 10 per cent of Nigerians have close to 90 per cent of the nation’s wealth. So, a situation where more than 90 per cent of Nigerians now scramble for 10 per cent of the nation’s wealth should give the leadership some concern. We have serious security challenges in the country today and many of our well-trained youths are unemployed because the jobs are not there. Government has the responsibility of creating conducive environment, you can’t ask the unemployed to go and create jobs without providing the capital or making the environment conducive for investment. Conditions for getting money in the banks are too stringent and people that can meet the conditions are those in possession of the money. Those who need the money have no assess the loans. These are serious issues any responsive government should address.

Does God Answer ‘Non-violent’ Prayers? By Femi Alabi Onikeku

quantum of physical demonstrations, antics, dramatics or ONE, perhaps, are days when Christians could simply dial acrobatics can move Him to answer prayers,” he said. “God answers when and how He wants.” heaven, and have dispatch angels deliver happy bundles According to the legal practitioner and lecturer at the Deat their doorsteps. The network signal, in recent times, may have faltered. And heaven-bound supplications must be force- partment of International Law and Jurisprudence, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, “Problem arises when exterior perfully reinforced with a shout, a scream or sheer hysterics. Fifty-three years of Independence have produced some posi- formance and strange demonstrations are taken to be the quintessence of prayer. In other words, in the absence of tive changes to the nation, but the citizens have also been such gyrations, prayers become impotent and perhaps stunned silly by retrogression. They have witnessed poverty, insecurity, mishaps, unemployment, diseases and inept lead- travel with less speed, if at all. This, as a matter of fact, is the ership: signs of the Last Days, the faithful would say, in appar- understanding of ‘modern prayers’ and it is pretty bad theology.” ent spiritual colouration. Amid these, the average Christian might have unwittingly come away with the arithmetic that if He, however, adds: “We must not exclude the anthropological dimension to prayer. It is man who prays, and he does so times are this challenging, then prayers must also transit with the totality of his being — spirit, mind, body, emotions from jelenke to ‘violent’ mode! and passions. If, for instance, as it often happens, that in the Nigeria is a praying nation. This is evidenced by the thousands of prayer grounds; from modest infrastructure in some spontaneity of the spiritual transactions in prayer, a man is city spot to hills and mountains in remote villages. Pay a visit moved to shout, dance, clap, scream or run, nothing has operated to make his prayers suspect.” to some of these places, but hold firmly to your conviction More often than not, those who give in to such demonstraabout what prayer really is. It’s a warning: you could return home, led into believing you have not prayed at all. Or worse: tions feign the behaviour to give indications of their privileged spiritual experience and rare capacities, Izunwa said. that you have not backed your requests with enough emo“What is often at work,” he notes, “is pride and showmantions for God to take the faintest cognisance. ship. The operative philosophy is pragmatism, and the psyBut did not Christ say: “The kingdom of God suffereth viochological framework is egoism; while the mentality is lence, and the violent taketh it by force” (Matthew 11: 12)? Prayers must ‘therefore’ be attended by intense contorting of typically magical.” “Theologically and scripturally, there is nothing like violent facial muscles, repeated punching and kicking of the air, spoprayer. Categories of force, violence, and all such other pararadic clapping and, of course, shouting and screaming. Christianity, as practiced in Nigeria, might never have expe- metres are unknown to spiritual theology. Such terminologies are designed or crafted by ‘spiritual merchants’ to rienced outburst of so-called violent praying, as is now the case. Ironically, the society has never been more evil and vain market their products. But to be fair, such terms may be honestly deployed to inspire adherents to serious commitin its thoughts and deeds. And it seems also that with all the shouts, the Church slides continually into shocking inability ments to prayer,” he said. Were you in church today? How did you speak to your to discern between what it could do, and what is expedient. Maurice Izunwa is a priest of the Catholic Diocese of Nnewi. Maker? Have FAITH in God! “Prayers are supplications made to God who is spirit, and no

Living Waters

of Lot, Noah and others. The iniquities of those generations provoked God to destroy them. And the iniquities of this generation have superseded all the iniquities of other generations, thereby begging for God’s destruction. We should know that God drove Adam and Eve out from the Garden of Eden because of sin. When Satan, as angel Lucifer, and other angels became proud and disobedient, God drove them out of heaven and prepared hell for their eternal punishment. Yet, God has not changed. The grace of our generation would soon run out and if there is no repentance, God will destroy man again. Zeph.1: 14, says: “The great day of the LORD is near, it is near and hasteth greatly, even the voice of the day of the LORD: the mighty man shall cry there bitterly.” Beloved, this warning of approaching destruction is enough to make any sinner tremble. The great day of the Lord is coming, the day in which He will manifest Himself by taking vengeance on careless sinners. The day of God’s wrath is very near. It is a day of trouble and distress to sinners. On that day, sinners would be left to walk as blind men, in the dark, without guides and falling at length into the consuming wrath of the Lord, because they refused to repent. There shall be no escaping and neither their silver nor gold, which they have hoarded, would be able to deliver them. But what shall it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and lose his own soul? And what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? As you read this text flee from the wrath to come, choose the good part that shall never be taken from you; then be prepared for every event. I am sure God will not forsake those who obey His commandments. Proverbs 16:25 says, “There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.” It may seem right for you to initiate or support the legalisation of abortion, adultery, homosexualism and prostitution. Nevertheless, you should understand that the end of that path is destruction. Amend your ways for tomorrow may be too late. But if you choose to remain adamant, then prepare to incur the wrath of your Maker. The Scripture says in Hebrews 10: 31, “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of God.” To fall into the hands of God is to fall under His displeasure; and He, who lives forever, can punish forever. You can imagine how dreadful it would be for one to have the displeasure of an eternal God forever!

CAC Four-day Prayers End With Testimonies By Isaac Taiwo

HE people of Ekiti State and its environs experienced T divine power at the just concluded Christ Apostolic Church (CAC), Babalola Centre, four-day Marathon Warfare Prayer, held at the Covenant Ground, Ido-Ile, Ekiti. With the theme Restore My Glory, the programme presided over by the programme coordinator, Prophet Timothy Aduroti, featured healing, salvation, breakthrough and others. The prayer meeting, which was also attended by traditional rulers, witnessed people whose glory and lives have been turned upside down delivered from the powers of darkness. Among the many miracles that took place was that of an old man, whose back has been bent for over six years straightened. According to Oba Aderemi, “when Prophet Adurota said he was coming to pray for Ekiti Monarchs I never took him serious because I thought he was one of those ‘Abracadabra prophets. Surprisingly, he showed up at our meeting and performed quite a number of miracles and also gave words of prophesy to each Oba, which tallied with what each of us was facing both in our families and domains.” “Another remarkable thing he did was turning down the money the Council of Obas offered him for his prayers. He refused to collect it, we even tried to give it to his followers, but he warned them not to collect it and left. “Since his visit, things have changed for good for all of us in the Ekiti Royal kingdom”, he said. He also corroborated Adurota’s point that since the town changed its name from Ido-Ajinare to Ido-Ile that a lot positive developments have taken place.

THE GUARDIAN, Sunday, May 12, 2013

IBRUCENTRE “Stay there, eating and drinking whatever they give you, for the worker deserves his wages. Do not move around from house to house.” (Lk. 10:7).

HEN Jesus sent out the 72 disciples, He cautioned that they should not take bags, sandals or purse. His intention was that where they were going to work they would not be stranded for the people in the mission field will provide all their needs. He, therefore, directed that whenever they enter into a city and they were accepted and hospitality presented to them, they should accept. For Jesus, a labourer deserves his wages. It is a Biblical demand about a labourer that what is due to him should be given to him. According to the scriptures, it is not good to muzzle the ox at the threshing floor or to withhold his wages overnight, as whoever does so is a murderer (Deut. 25:4; 1 Cor. 9:9; Prov. 14:31). Jesus’ statement about the labourer is an inclusive statement. By that, He is saying to government that employs workers, when the workers put in their best as it were in the Federal, State and Local government levels, what is due to them should be given to them as at and when due. Impliedly, money fixed in different bank accounts not for the welfare of the workers should not be so. Also, pilfering with workers pension scheme is highly condemned, as we have witnessed in the recent times. The workers day celebration of May1 of each year is a quick reminder that workers deserve love,

From The Rector Ibru International Ecumenical Centre, Agbarha-Otor

A Labourer Deserves His Wages care and their wages. By extension too, those who have hired servants in businesses or in their homes are also called upon to be fair to them. Any form of maltreatment is a direct affront on their maker and, so, employers of these categories of persons should have conscience in their daily dealings with them. A situation where they are wrongly accused, cheated, not settled when it is due for them to be free or sometimes giving them physical wounds instead of a simple correction to make them better is unbecoming. Sincerely speaking, beyond the above, Jesus was directly speaking to those He called, sent out on mission to heal, deliver and to restore troubled souls. Remember, Jesus is very much concerned with the committed labourer, who is engaged in productive and sacrificial work. It is to be noted that they have actually aban-

doned their father, mother, close family ties for the sake of the Kingdom and, so, their needs are to be met while out there on the mission field. In practical terms, the Bishop of Diocese of Gwagwalada, Rt. Rev. Tanimu Aduda, recently directed that whatever is collected in his diocese, every first Sunday, should be sent to the headquarters to assist in the defray of wages of church workers. This was part of his Synod charge at St Augustine’s Anglican Church, Zuba, FCT Abuja, to the members of his Diocese. He is of the view that workers should be adequately taken care of. What did Jesus have in mind about the wages of the church worker? I think and rightly too, that what He had in mind could be achieved through these means: One, that workers on the mission field regularly, should be paid their agreed salaries and wages, to enable them keep body and soul together and also take care of their dependants.

‘Nigeria Is Born By God, Not A Mistake’ Archbishop God-Do-Well Avwomakpa is the Chairman, SouthSouth Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, and founder of Christ’s Missionaries (Crusaders) Church. In a chart with OBIRE ONAKEMU, the church leader spoke on issues that border on national security, Boko Haram insurgency, President Jonathan seek for re-election, the leadership of CAN and others. Is Nigeria really a mistake? ELL, Nigeria is born by God; no country can live without God. It was God who says there should be a country called Nigeria. And, we are not together by coincidence or mistake. God put all the tribes together for a purpose. And in every good thing, there must be a challenge! If you don’t have challenges in what you are doing, then forget it! For now, we have the challenge of Boko Haram. We are aware that when we were to gain independence in 1960, the North refused and the British, too, never wanted to leave. Now, that the British have left us, they have decided to indirectly suffer us, but God is seeing them. However, we need more prayer than ever to bring to pass the will of God on this country. Do you see Nigeria breaking up? No, it won’t, but those who want the country to divide it will break! That is the truth and nothing but the truth. How about the security crisis and Boko Haram For National security, we have not done well! President Goodluck Jonathan is a full-fledged civilian and knows nothing about security. And because Presidents before him did not do what they are supposed to do, the country’s borders become too open for anybody from Niger, Cameroon, Chad and other countries to enter. As for the Boko Haram sect, they are human beings. Some people, in this country, had at a time vowed that if they were not allowed to rule the country, they would make it ungovernable. I’m quoting them in verbatim and the government knows them. If the government is afraid to arrest them, I wonder what the rest of us will do. For me, I don’t arrest; I report people to God. However, I believe solution will come soon, for the fact that the Northern

Avwomakpa

States economy is reducing, making the people to suffer untold hardship. hould we then renegotiate Nigeria’s Sunity? O doubts, the people of South-South are already feeling cheated. And N some other people from different zones are also feeling the same, yet the North wants to dominate it, holding onto power; this is slavery in disguise. And the only solution is the convocation of National Conference for everybody to come together and talk on a way forward. What are the keys to Nigeria’s growth? First, the country should return to God, call for National prayers. The President should announce date and time. It should be just one-day affair for all to pray; no work or holiday. If the country can do this, there will be some positive changes and our economy will grow. How have you been coping with challenges as Chairman, Delta State Christian Pilgrims Welfare Board? Yes, that is why I told you that the most pronounced problem of Nigeria, today, is corruption. We are dealing with it from all angles. And those who are near know that there is a change. By the Grace of God, we are going to have a total turn around for good. How do you see the resignation of Pope

Benedict XVI? Emeritus Pope Benedict XVI did a very good thing by resigning, because as a leader, he knew when he could no longer perform. Pope Benedict stepped aside; he did not step aside from serving God. And I feel those who cannot function efficiently and effectively due to one thing or the other — ill health inclusive — to resign. So, the Pope acted according to the will of God. How do you see CAN under the leadership of Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor? Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor is a dynamic leader. He is instrumental to the laying of the foundation of Jubilee House in Abuja and construction works is going on very fast. That apart, he has impacted on many lives. Some people are of the view that CAN has been reduced to a mere spiritual wing of the ruling party – PDP? NO, it is not true. It is only those who don’t want to be part of us that are saying that. We are ‘fathers’ of all politicians. It is only those who run to us that we would be able to father. CAN partners with every ruling party because they are the government in power and God said we should pray for them. So, we have to do that, we can’t come against them; we don’t criticise them, but only pray for them. Besides, we don’t only pray for PDP states, there have cases none PDP state government invited and we went to pray for them; I can count them. Could it then be said that the intention of the Catholic Church was wrong when they threatened to pull out of CAN? That matter is an in-house affair; when you have a problem with your wife, you don’t go to the press until it is settled. So, it is an in-house affair, it is not a press matter and we are making progress. Last words There is hope for Nigeria to excel, there is hope for tomorrow; good times never end. Those, who ran out of the country, thinking there is life in Britain, America or elsewhere will return to the country; they will live to see Nigeria flourish again.

Emulate Christ, Owoeye Tells Christians By Oluwakemi Ajani

HE Pastor-in-Charge of The Redeemed Christian Church of God, My Father’s T House Parish, Stephen Owoeye, has called on Christians to follow the template of Jesus Christ, so that the society can be crime free, adding that people should cultivate the habit of helping one another. Speaking at the Thanksgiving service of the church, last weekend, Owoeye noted that the way many Christians behave, nowadays, is worrisome, stating that the country’s retrogression is as a result of the failure of the church.

Two, that the emotional needs of the workers, be met as it will serve as a form of encouragement to the workers. A case in point is that as found in 2 Kings 4:8-10 where a woman of Shunem by the support of her husband took care of the needs of the prophet Elisha. Third, that the workers be appreciated from time to time as a way of lifting their spirit in the mission field. The church congregation may put in place events like Minister’s Sunday, giving their children scholarship to further their education, even the church hierarchy can boost the morale of those on mission field by way of preferment and others.

Ven. Ernest Onuoha Rector, Ibru International Ecumenical Centre, Agbarha-Otor, Delta State. www.ibrucentre.org

Okoh Urges Solution To Boko Haram Insurgency By Kenechukwu Ezeonyejiaku

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There has always been frictions all along, but the situation is usually managed, saying that Christians are attacked and murdered at the slightest of provocations, even when the provoking act is not caused by them.

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HE Primate of Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), T Most Rev. Nicholas D. Okoh has stated that for there to be a lasting solution to the insurgence of Boko Haram in the country, all political, religious and traditional leaders must be sincere and unbiased to putting an end to it. He stated this, last week, during the courtesy visit of the Lord Mayor of the City of London, Michael Roger Gifford, accompanied by the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Dr. Andrew Pocock, to his residence in Abuja. He said: “if we are all sincere and have the survival of this country as our first priority, the problem of Boko Haram insurgence will be solved. Because if there is no country; there will be no room for anybody to do religion, be a traditional ruler or practice anything. “We need our country first, and if people are able to understand the priority of this, I think the problem will not be there for long.” Frowning at the ways authorities concern are handling the situation, the Primate stressed that if they are doing anything now, they actually started late and their lateness has made the problem to spread across the country. The cleric recalled that the insurgency started as a religious ideology, but along the line was high jacked by politicians to their selfish ambition. He said: “it started as a religious ideology, but when politicians interfered the group began to acquire AK 47, bomb, rocket launcher and all sort of things. It is a religious group that is serving some political interests, adding that their operational methods shows the group is working towards the disintegration of the country.” Clarifying the suggestion made by Mayor Gifford that Christians and Muslim communities in Nigeria get along well, the Primate stated, “there has always been frictions all along, but the situation is usually managed, saying that Christians are attacked and murdered at the slightest of provocations, even when the provoking act is not caused by them.” He sighted the Danish cartoon massacre as example. The Primate revealed that some Fulani herdsmen, now, go around some communities with AK 47 terrorising people, raping women, killing farmers and allowing their cows to destroy their crops in farmlands. He called on the people to adopt the principle of reciprocity as a way of coexisting peacefully, stating that no man should kill the other for refusing to accept his religious beliefs. “Principle of reciprocity entails giving and taking from one another. Wishing anyone that does not accept your religious beliefs dead is not the solution, because running for safety, they may end up going to where they will find a homogenous religious community or would be cut off from you. And if this continues, then Nigeria is at the brink of dividing. And if you want to divide Nigeria today, I don’t think it will be a matter of North and South. It’s not going to be just that, as there will be so much of bloodletting that it would be difficult to reorganize. So, it is better to avoid such because we won’t succeed dividing Nigeria in a way it will give peace to anybody or group of people.”

TheGuardian

THE GUARDIAN, Sunday, May 12, 2013 | 49

Conscience, Nurtured by Truth

Cover JTF’s Arduous Battle Against Sea Pirates, Oil Thieves And Vandals From Willie Etim HE Joint Military Task Force (JTF), was handed T the responsibility of sanitising the creeks and waterways in the Niger Delta region on January 9, 2012. The were given the mandate to curb, if not to exterminate the incidence of illegal oil bunkering, crude oil theft, pipeline vandalisation and other acts of criminality militating against the socio economic life in the region. The ugly development of oil theft and sundry crimes occasioned the expansion of the JTF’s area of responsibility, to cover the nine oil producing states, as well as inclusion of other paramilitary security and civil agencies to tackle the menace headlong. Realising the multifaceted nature of the operation and campaign, the authority of the Joint Task Force stationed in Yenagoa, the capital of Bayelsa State, thought of the need to synergise with other stakeholders in the oil and gas sector, to ensure a more inclusive approach. The Joint Media Coordinator of the JTF in Yenagoa, Lt. Col. Oyema Nwachukwu, explained that four months into the year, the task force had recorded impressive achievement in securing the land environment and water ways, eradicating illegal oil bunkering, protecting oil and gas facilities, as well as life and property of the populace in the region. Some of the activities carried out, according to him include; protection of oil and gas infrastructure, anti-illegal oil bunkering patrols, destructions of militants’ camps as well as destruction of kidnappers and sea robbers hideouts and camps along the water ways. The sundry crimes in the country’s oil and gas sector are usually in form of crude oil theft, theft of refined petroleum product through vandalizing of pipelines and well heads, as well as illegal distillation of crude oil (illegal refinery) to pro-

Lt. Col Onyema Nwachukwu and two JTF commanders in Yenogoa

duced adulterated Automated Gas Oil (AGO). Nwachukwu told The Guardian that the Command has adopted a zero tolerance approach against these anti national economic crimes, noting that their tactical response to varying modes of crimes include air over fly, ground and water way/creek patrols, which have resulted in the interception and arrest of several suspects, the impoundment of vessels, barges, trucks and other apparatus used to perpetrate the crime. There are also destructions of illegal oil distillation camps. According to him, in the last four months a total of 18 vessels, 26 barges, 545 assorted boats were arrested by the command patrol teams, while 748 illegal crude oil distillation camps were scuttled in the entire area covered by the five sectors. He said: “so far, 498 suspect have been apprehended. After the arrests, preliminary investigations are usually carried out by investigators at the headquarters of the sectors, where the culprits were arrested and subsequently handed over to the relevant prosecuting security agencies.” He also explained that the incident of illegal crude oil distillation activities were more prevalent in Delta, Bayelsa and Rivers. Areas indentified for their notoriety in the illegal business include Akassa, Igbematuru, Tebidaba, Sangana and Kola/Obiekwu, a boundary town between Rivers and Bayelsa states. In the campaign against pipeline vandalisation, he said JTF provides full security on the Port Harcourt-Aba pipeline, which has successfully reduced incidents of vandalism on the axis. This operation has also enabled the PPMC to re-open the Port Harcourt pipeline, which had been closed for years as they are also considering opening the Aba-Enugu pipeline to be extended from Enugu to Markurdi. In its effort to protect oil and gas facilities, most

critical platforms have troops deployed on them round the clock; this effort has assisted in sustaining the operations of the oil companies. They are encouraged to adopt international best practices by installing ICT based sensors within their pipeline lines to provide early warning signals of acts of sabotage, a situation that assists in curtailing oil theft. Apart from the effort at checking illegal oil activities in the region, the said it has continued to maintain zero tolerance for existence of militants’ camps. They have recently discovered and destroyed a militant camp in sector 3, responsible for Cross River and Akwa Ibom, while troops of Third Battalion of sector 1 also discovered a training camp at Ogbe-Ijoh forest in Delta State, where some recruits were being trained in Physical fitness, unarmed combat and military drills using improvise rifles. Nine suspect were arrested at the camp, which was an abandoned training camp for ex-militants. On anti-kidnapping operation, Nwachukwu noted that due to the pecuniary gains accruing from ransoms, many young people who should be positively engaged are indulging in the crime. But JTF in the last four months had tackled issues of kidnap and recorded some success in anti kidnap operations. He said on March 13, JTF troops in Bomadi LGA in Delta State nipped in the bud, the attempted kidnap of the mother of one Mr. Patrick Akpobolouka Emi, DG NIMSA. In Afukang, Calabar South, two kidnappers were also arrested by the command team of JTF and Department of State Security Operatives in Sector 3. “Our troops in sector 4 of the JTF on patrol along Ngbodo and Akoli-Imeni in Bende local Government area of Abia State rescued one Mr. Chidi Victor Nwosu, who was kidnapped by unknown gunmen at Arochuchukwu Street, along Umuahia road. The

victim was extradited after a shootout with kidnappers during which one of them was killed,” he said. Overall, seven kidnappers were killed in shootouts with the troops of the JTF command, while 54 persons were arrested and assorted arms and ammunition recovered from the suspect. In spite of the success recorded by the JTF, the command also has faced a number of challenges. The task force said is biggest challenge is the shielding of saboteurs and oil thieves, being that several individuals in the communities are involved in illegal bunkering, pipeline vandalisation and invasion of flow stations for grievances they hold against the oil companies. The situation can best be appreciated when one imagines how some people converted their toilet pits into reservoirs to store stolen crude. This awful discovery has prompted the JTF to initiate advocacy program to sanitise the communities. The ineptitude of oil company surveillance contractors responsible for the monitoring pipeline network in the Niger Delta has continued to pose a major concern, such that illegal oil theft has continued despite the deployment of the these surveillance contractors. It was discovered that one major reason for their apparent ineptitude is the manner of their engagement by oil companies, who sublet the employment of the surveillance teams to contractors. Some of these contractors according to investigation are not dedicated. Late last year, some surveillance contractors were arrested trying to vandalise a pipeline at Kporgho, in Gokana, Rivers State. That was a challenge for oil compa-

CONTINUED ON PAGE 52

THE GUARDIAN, Sunday, May 12, 2013

COVER

NSIRIMOVU: Amnesty Did Not

Solve All Problems In Niger Delta

Anyakwee Nsirimovu, erstwhile chairman, subcommittee on Disarmament, Demobilization and Rehabilitation (DDR) of the Technical Committee on the Niger Delta, told KELVIN EBIRI in Port Harcourt, that the recent killings of some policemen by militants in Bayelsa State raises a lot of questions about the efficacy of the amnesty programme. He warns that if nothing is done urgently to rein in aggrieved ex-militants, they could easily become instruments of destabilisation in the Niger Delta ahead of the 2015 general elections. HERE has been spate of attacks by aggrieved T ex-militants. Will you blame this on the implementation of the amnesty programme? PRIMARILY, the fact is that the amnesty that was put in place to keep the militants out of violence has failed to a very large extent. Most of those who were supposed to have benefited from the amnesty programme did not benefit and those who are not supposed to benefit, benefited. Hence, people are now saying we fought this struggle and we are not been carried along. So why don’t we do what we were doing until somebody takes notice of our presence. It is a fundamental failure of the management of the amnesty process. What you have had in the Niger Delta is relative peace and now we are facing the reality. When we talked about this, people did not believe us, but now the recent killing of policemen clearly shows that the creeks are not safe and something urgently needs to be done to make sure that these young men are taken on board. What this suggests is that there are still guns in the Niger Delta, there are still people who are willing to use the guns. More also, good governance is an exception in Bayelsa, for instance. And in the absence of that, people think that the only way forward is to do violence. The way the amnesty was monetized is faulty, instead of keeping people away from violence, it has ended up motivating those who didn’t want to do violence to get involved so that one day they will be recognised and compensated. What are the factors fueling criminal acts like kidnapping, oil theft and dastardly killings of security personnel? I think it is a failure of leadership. We have leaders who are merely interested in public relations; who go on television, to take up programme space to say what they are doing; but when you go there on ground you won’t see anything. You will hear a governor say, I am doing so much but it is all empty words. There is still massive unemployment all over the place. Young people who are supposed to be in school cannot get in. There are people who need jobs they cannot get jobs. There are people who want to be artisans, but the government does not even recognise them. As long as these factors are there, one will merely assert that an idle mind is the devil’s workshop. We must not expect peace in this kind of situation. The bottom line is that the level of poverty in the Niger Delta has not changed. Before this time we said the majority ethnic groups in this country were cheating us because we didn’t have leadership at any level and because as minorities we were being suppressed. Today, we have our future in our hands. We have our own people as our governors and legislators, yet we are producing more people without hope in the Niger Delta. The offspring of that is an attack on society. Until you deal with the issues that border on the livelihood of the people, there is no amount of Joint Task Force, no amount of security vote spent will yield result; because people must find a means of livelihood and the only way they can do that now is to engage in deviant behaviour, unfortunately. The people are not born criminals but the State is forcing them to become criminals. If the security situation has worsened, what then is the essence of the JTF in the Niger Delta? The JTF is just an instrument in the hands of those who are governing us. They are using the JTF to accomplish bad governance. An objective analysis of the security forces in the Niger Delta informs me that they have not achieved much.

Nsirimovu

Yes, amnesty came in and solved some problems, but it did not solve all the problems and that is why we still have this mess. JTF, even when they are called to respond to emergency, hardly does respond. JTF, to a very large extent are also part of the corruption because you have an environment that is loose, an environment where there is so much money and if you want to steal and transport money, you need these armed people. If the security outfit that JTF is part of is doing their job, you will have minimum, if not total eradication of kidnapping, oil theft and piracy in the Niger Delta. But the level of criminality in the Niger Delta suggests to me that the amount of money, equipment, arms that are supplied to the JTF is not yielding the desired result. I think it is time we ask government to do what they are supposed to do and forget about this whole issue of thinking you can use guns to force people to forget what their rights and government’s responsibilities are to themselves and others. Has monetization of the amnesty programme fueled criminality? I was part of the Technical Committee on the Niger Delta and I can say that there was supposed to be standard and processes for the amnesty programme. Giving people amnesty was not the primary thing. One of the primary things that ought to have been done was to conduct research and know the amount of guns in the region. The government didn’t do that. The other thing was to carry out a census of those who are militants, this was not done. The government simply based its analysis on what those who think they are the fathers of militancy in the Niger Delta said. The figures they supplied were assumed by the government to be what mattered. But that was not it. The government didn’t know everything. There was supposed to be a process of discussion, you needed to bring people around the table and ask what are the problems? But you just took people to Obubura and from there to

other places. Sometimes people didn’t know what to do and so you foist something on them. You never asked what were your grievances. We know that some of the issues that informed militancy were environmental degradation, lack of infrastructure such as roads, hospitals, schools, and human capacity development. The government did not take these things into account; rather it just gathered people and granted amnesty. Even the rehabilitation was not properly done. Majority of those who went to Obubura are still roaming the streets. Even those purportedly trained have nothing to do. These are people who have known only one way of how to make ends meet, the use of guns. These are professionals in the use of guns and so why won’t they go back to using guns? That is what is playing out. One, they were not properly rehabilitated. Show me any of the young people who went through the so-called process of rehabilitation that saw a psychologist or psychiatrist? Where were the leaders or commanders of the militants rehabilitated? Or do we assume that they don’t need to be rehabilitated? What government has done is to give these leaders money and now they have abandoned their followers. To that extent, amnesty failed and needs to be revisited otherwise we will have big problem in our hands. Sometimes I sit back and ask myself why did I do what I have to do? The people who were in the creeks didn’t succeed because they were carrying guns. What succeeded was the intellectual advocacy that went into it, which was that the Niger Delta have been subjugated for a very long, that the environment has been degraded and that the place need to be developed. These were some of the arguments canvassed and so, there was reason for the agitation. But now what do you get? You have individuals who are living beyond their means, living on incomes, which ordinarily they won’t have been able to earn. Some of them have said in recent times that without Jonathan the country will stop moving and that is a signal to the effect that if there is a

change of leadership in Nigeria, whether in the next dispensation or the one after, it means the money will stop flowing and if this happens, there is going to be trouble. I don’t think another government will want to continue to pay the kind of handout these people are getting. Nigeria has a lot of problems, difficulties and investments that require money. Nigeria cannot continue to pay a group of people because they are blackmailing you. If we don’t stop this, if we don’t make sure that these people are properly trained and have a means of livelihood, then, we will have trouble in our hands. Do you think this resurgence of violence will have adverse effect on 2015 general elections? I think in the Niger Delta, since 1999 you have had an environment where elections have never been effectively held. By that I mean, elections have not been free, fair and credible. It had been won through thuggery, and the plan this time from the language you are getting from the socalled ex-militants like Asari Dokubo, is that, ‘if we don’t get our way, we will make trouble.’ For me, there is going to be trouble in 2015 if they don’t get what they want. But that should not scare anybody. The majority at the end of the day should have their way. What I think should be done by those who are running the affairs is to begin the process of deepening democracy. They should begin to create an environment where ordinary people can cast their votes and make a difference and not leave this environment for thugs and criminals to continue to ruin our lives. But based on the things that are happening presently in Rivers State for instance, you can see a situation where individuals, some call themselves opposition, who know that with the ballot box they will not win election, will began to build the kind of army that can destroy, dissimilate the environment if they don’t get what they want. I fear that that could be the scenario in the Niger Delta, whether it is in Akwa-Ibom, Rivers or Bayelsa, were some special interests want to impose their will on the rest of the people, not through democratic means, but by reason of who they are. Do you assume that these multimillionaire exmilitants could still muster the support of youths in the Niger Delta to return to the creeks if President Jonathan fails in 2015? I think they will no longer muster any support because those who initially supported them, including the communities in the Niger Delta have not seem any infrastructural development taking place. Take the East-West Road for instance. What about the Coastal Road? What has happened to the mega city we suggested should be built in the Niger Delta? Ordinary people here don’t see the benefit for the agitation. All they see now are individuals driving on SUVs and living a good life. There is no way they (ex-militants) can get that level of support ever. But what they might get is the use of money. The environment is still porous and people can still acquire arms. I will not be shocked if people have been using the money that has reached them to buy more arms for purposes of creating upheaval in the future.

The bottom line is that the level of poverty in the Niger Delta has not changed. Before this time we said the majority ethnic groups in this country were cheating us because we didn’t have leadership at any level and because as minorities we were being suppressed. Today, we have our future in our hands. We have our own people as our governors and legislators, yet we are producing more people without hope in the Niger Delta. The offspring of that is an attack on society

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COVER

NIGER DELTA: A Delicate Zone Upon Whose Shoulder Rests A Delicate Country By Willie Etim OBODY took the threat by some militants in N the Niger Delta region serious when they announced their desire to regroup under the Movement For the Emancipation of Niger Delta (MEND). But it did not take long for citizens to awaken to the reality that the threat by this group is real. Full-scale hostilities may have taken off, especially in Bayelsa State, were scores of persons including security personnel have been reported killed. The resurgence of militancy in the Niger Delta region has become a subject of serious concern for the people, as each aftermath of an attack always leaves sour taste and a crippled economy and social life. The activities of militants, between 2000 and 2009 brought the economy and government business in the region to a standstill. There activities were believed to be part of the agitation by the zone for a fair share of national development, given that the zone suffers huge environmental problems, resulting from oil exploration and production activities. The poverty and underdevelopment of the Niger Delta was seen not to equate the huge resources flowing from there into national coffers. Then there was amnesty, which late president Umar Yar’Adua used to engage the restive youths and pacify the region, in addition to other developmental plans. It would have been unthinkable, to imagine that in just a short while, after the amnesty, especially at a period when President Goodluck Jonathan, an indigene of the region is president of the country, that any form of hostility would emanate from the region. Recent activities and attacks in the region have been speculated to be handiwork of persons who have issues and personal scores to settle; that is between commanders of the militants’ camps and their foot soldiers. It is alleged that in the early period of the amnesty programme, some monetary pledges were not honoured. When the programme came on board, it was expected to be in phases, but soon after the first phase, there arose arguments over the selection process, leading to further intrigues, allegations of fraud and outright rejection of some militants. Subsequent phases did not ameliorate those initial questions and there were some aggrieved ex-militants who never made it to Obubra Camp, Cross River State, where the former creek boys took their first demilitarization lessons. They continued to agitate to be included in the programme. This scenario led to series of demonstration by ex-militants, especially in Bayelsa, the worst being when the they blocked the East-West road linking the region with other parts of the country for about eight hours, in the full glare of soldiers and police officers and obstructing movement of persons and goods. A few of them who were prominent were later to be included in the amnesty programme, while some who were not too lucky are still roaming the streets, with the potential to cause some crisis. The leftover ex-militants are now the lose canons in the region, they are now joining forces even with some aggrieved beneficiaries, who feel short-changed by their former general commanders and leaders; they are now out there and are regrouping and forming different camps in the region. Only recently, citizens woke up to see the rebirth of the reformed MEND; with a renewed threat to resume full scale attacks from the May 31, 2013. The re-grouped former militants still operate under the insignia and style of the older MEND. In a statement, which bore the Jomo Gbomo

pseudonym, issued a fortnight ago, they sounded the fresh threat of ‘Operation Barbarossa’ and their readiness to launch violent attacks on mosques, hajj camps, Islamic institution, large congregation in Islamic events and the assassination of clerics who propagate doctrines of hate. The spokesperson of the new MEND cautioned that their new campaign of retaliation against the Boko Haram activities, will in no way interfere with their ongoing ‘Hurricane Exodus,’ which on Saturday April 13, swept through the Ewellesuo community in Nembe local council of Bayelsa State, leaving behind the destruction of 62 oil wells belonging to Shell Petroleum Development Company. In its retaliatory threat to Boko Haram on the attacks on Christians, the new leadership of MEND said they might consider a revocation of ‘Operation Barbarossa’ if the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), the Catholic Church, Henry Okah and any other respectable Niger Delta Citizen intervened. Shortly after the threat by the new MEND, about twelve police officers where attacked and killed in Lobia community in Southern Ijaw local government of Bayelsa State. MEND quickly claimed responsibility for the attack, but the state commissioner of police, Mr. Kingsly Omira, said his men were not attack by MEND. Even though no arrest has been made and no evidence to support further claims, it was reported that some ex-militants, who were aggrieved over an alleged case of illegal deductions from their monthly allowances by the their leader, Comrade Kille Selky Torugha, (a.k.a) ‘Young Shall Grow’ took their vengeance against him to the day he was to bury his mother in his home town, Lobia, where the twelve police officers where killed in what appeared to be a crossfire. The MEND spokesman, Jomo Gbomo, claimed the killings were a confirmation that their threat of violence is real and has actually started. The Joint Media Coordinator of the Joint Task Force code-named Operation Poulo Shield, Lt Col. Onyema Nwachukwu, advised the public to ignore the false claim by MEND, as they no longer exist. The JTF spokesman said the insecurity and criminal activities by gunmen and other hoodlums in Azuzuama and other areas of Southern Ijaw Local Government Area took place when suspected militants attacked a police escort boat. According to him, the perpetrators were identified and tracked in a joint operation codenamed Operation Cleanslate conducted between 22-24 of April 2013, to apprehend the criminals and rid the area of hoodlums. He said in that operation the hideouts of the criminals were destroyed and various war-like materials, including speedboats, assorted ammunitions and communications gadgets were either destroyed or recovered. The joint military operation, the JTF media Coordinator explained, swept through Southern Ijaw, including the notorious areas of Ukubie, Lobia 1 & 2, Ekeni and Ezetu Communities. His said: “In this first operation, our troops recovered items including 1 AK 47 riffle, magazine loaded with 30 and extra four rounds of 7.62 mm, yards of Army camouflage and sewn uniform, 1 cartridge belt, wraps of marijuana, 2 Thuraya phones, radio intercom communication set and 109 Honduran Lempira (foreign currency notes) from the hideouts. The operation destabilised the criminals and put them on the run.” On May 5, on a tip-off, the Media Coordinator said, JTF troops were dispatched to Lobia 1, where an armed collision had reportedly

Jonathan

occurred between two factions, where about eight persons were killed. He said during the operation JTF troops promptly cordoned off and searched the community for possible culprits and arms; and that the troops recovered 2 x AK 47 rifles, 6 x AK 47 magazines, GPMG barrels, 145 rounds of 7.62mm, special and one speed boat. While confirming that a number of unspecified persons were casualties, while two corpses was recovered, he said in spite of the success of Operation Clean Slate, the JTF will continue to deploy troops to the areas. In their current effort, he said the JTF in line with the mandate deployed a robust reinforcement to the community, comprising all component of the JTF operation for effectiveness. The Guardian in Yenagoa, gathered that the two corpses reportedly recovered were buried in a shallow grave within the community, while other corpses were declared missing. While the MEND threat is still on and seems real, some prominent citizens have cautioned that it is not swept under the carpet. Others argue that the renewed hostilities are being masterminded and sponsored by some persons who are hell-bent on destabilising the President Goodluck Jonathan administration. Mr. Kingsly Kuku, special adviser to the President on the Niger Delta, in far away United States, in a parley with the State Department, led by Deputy Assistant Secretary of state (Bureau of African Affairs) Mr. Donald Teitelbaumin, predicted a full scale resurgence of violence in the Niger Delta region, if Jonathan is not re-elected in 2015. Ex-militant leaders in the nine states of the region have also declared their support for the statement credited to the presidential adviser, Kuku. The national coordinator of the Peace Advocacy Group and the Leadership Peace Cultural Development Initiative, Pastor Reuben Wilson, a foremost MEND coordinator, said all the ex-agitators are against the plot to provoke insecurity in the region. He said that the re-election of president Jonathan is the only guarantee to sustainable peace and development in the Niger Delta region beyond 2015. According to him, President Jonathan rightly deserves one more term, as a citizen of the county, as the bid by anti-Jonathan forces and a coalition of opposition groups to promote insecurity in the North and sponsor resurgence of militancy in the Niger Delta is a waste of time. Reuben, who is now the Coordinating

General of all the former militant leaders under the aegis of Leadership Base and Cultural Development Initiative, with headquarters in Yenagoa, explained that MEND ceases to exist the very day all the generals accepted amnesty. He said those who are now parading themselves as MEND are criminals and should be treated as such, while still condemning the threat to Boko Haram. “I want to emphatically say that MEND does not exist anywhere, any more; MEND has since collapsed and our concern now is to engender peace and work for the development of the Niger Delta region. People should not be deceived; the security agencies should go all out for any person or group of persons who are issuing such baseless threats.” According to the ex-militant, who was a very prominent figure in the original MEND, what is happening in the country and in the Niger Delta region are sponsored activities with the sole objective of causing confusion and destabilising the polity. “Some persons in the country are just bent on creating a semblance of chaos and violence to discredit the administration of President Jonathan and portray him as not being able to rule the country, just because he is from the minority Niger Delta,” he said. He said even the so-called MEND that issued the threat to retaliate against Boko Haram is being sponsored to join forces with the activities of Boko Haram to destabilise Jonathan presidency. The resurgence of the militancy activities in the Niger Delta region betrays some political bias. The leader of the Niger Delta People’s Volunteer Force (NDPVF) Alhaji Mujahid Asari-Dokubo had also in a recent interview said the current insecurity and tension in the country would be a child’s play if President Goodluck Jonathan fails to win a second term in 2015. He said the Niger Delta will ensure the nation does not know peace if Jonathan is prevented from running for the office in the 2015 general election. A pro-Jonathan pressure group, the South East/South-South Alliance for Jonathan (SESSAJ) has accused the political elite in the North of using Boko Haram as an instrument to truncate the administration of Jonathan. Leader of the group, Dr Mike Egbuchulam, has lamented that the best way to handle the security problem in the country was not to ask a performing president to relinquish his position. Instead, he should be encouraged to overcome the security challenges dragging the country backward.

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COVER

OKPOZO: Those Who Did Not Benefit From Amnesty Are The Ones Now Agitating

Okpozo

Francis Spanner Okpozo, former Deputy Speaker of the defunct Bendel State House of Assembly during the aborted Second Republic and former senator gave reasons for the resurgence of militancy in the Niger Delta. He also suggested what could be done to arrest the trend. He spoke with HENDRIX OLIOMOGBE in Asaba, Delta State. T looks like amnesty for former militants of IWHEN the Niger Delta is failing; why? amnesty was initiated to settle

only in Ijaw water area, because they said that they came out violently to fight. What of those who had fought before, what amnesty have you granted them? I opposed amnesty from the beginning. The boys are not criminals, as they were fighting for a particular issue, which is participation in the sharing of the oil wealth of the Niger Delta. They were also protesting against environmental degradation, the government did not take note of that. The leaders of the amnesty

aggrieved Niger Delta militants after surrendering their guns, the administration of the programme failed. It didn’t take proper notice of all the others who were also involved in the struggle. Amnesty was done in a partial way because the government did not spread it to other areas. It was localized to some areas and government, out of fear accepted those who showed up to say that they were the people who had been in the struggle and so want to benefit, ignoring a greater part of those who were involved in the struggle. Amnesty was concentrated only in Ijaw areas, forgetting the fact that the Ijaw were not involved originally in the struggle. So amnesty is not synonymous with the Ijaw CONTINUED FROM PAGE 49 nies to review the employment pattern of their alone? The struggle started when one Obe, an Isoko surveillance contractors and their manner of came with his group and team but unfortu- deployment. nately, he and his group were not involved in Of major concern is the issue of prosecution and the amnesty. Similarly those in the Rivers who prompt dispensation of justice. JTF does not were in the struggle, were they really brought posses legal powers to prosecute suspects; thereto one fold to discuss how amnesty will be fore all suspects arrested are handed over to the organised? The whole thing was concentrated

team were never part of the struggle and the way they are managing it, they are offending the actual people who initiated the struggle. The amnesty leaders do not visit the oil-bearing communities and have also not seen the leaders. Until the people share from the oil wealth, there will be no peace in the Niger Delta. They are not criminals but freedom fighters because when you are giving amnesty, it is to people who have committed offence and in order to grant them reprieve they are encouraged to be remorseful. Freedom fighters, on the hand are people that should be listened to and not referred to as criminals. They are not militants but freedom fighters. The trouble is that so many areas that did not benefit from the amnesty are the ones now agitating. Some have been taken overseas and trained while others are abandoned. There is one notion, which is wrong but is being expressed by the leadership of the Ijaw; that it is only those who fought violently that amnesty should be extended to. With due respect to those who hold this view, I take a very strong exception to it because the struggle for freedom by oil communities did not start with Ijaw. It started from other areas. I hosted some of these boys, giving them advice on what to do, telling them not to fight. What should be done now to create a balance? It was a peaceful struggle in Isokoland and we succeeded in some ways by creating impact on the government; so for them to say that it is only those who fought and surrendered their guns that should be granted amnesty is wrong. We did it wisely by not destroying properties and killing people and succeeded to some extent. Unless there is a regularization of the programme, there will not be absolute peace in the Niger Delta. The leadership should be involved and not small boys who are looking for money all about, kidnapping and killing. The government too should know those who can talk to the boys in their localities. There is no politics involved in this. MEND is threatening more showdown, against activities of Boko Haram; isn’t that alarming? The leaders of the areas where Boko Haram operates know those responsible for this violence. The Northerners know those who are

responsible for the violence. The leaders of the militant groups in the Niger Delta also know those who are responsible for the killings. The leaders know those who are fomenting the violence and are hiding themselves. They cannot control them because they are part and parcel of the struggle, which they benefit from, so they want it to be on every time. The leaders of the North are fighting for political relevance. Those in the South should wait for Boko Haram insurgency in the South before they start making threats. Those attacking the Police are making a mistake. Are the police obstructing them? What they are fighting for is the wealth of the place. The Niger Delta militants are not fighting for power, they are fighting for the distribution of oil and the money that is coming from it. They are not fighting because the North wants to take the presidency. Have they started campaigns? Killing policemen is condemnable and I don’t want to hear about it. The perpetrators are criminals. Except that some policemen are accessories to the stealing of oil. They are involved. They connive with the oil thieves and the youths get angry and kill them when they leak out information. They are in league with the criminals and major participant in illegal oil bunkering. Sometimes, when the police double deal by taking a greater portion of the money, the boys get annoyed and kill those who are unfortunate. The benefits that accrue to the area are enjoyed by only a few; crude oil sales should be investigated well, otherwise the matter will escalate. Those who own the various OML should be investigated. The leadership and the people that matter in those areas must be brought into the discussion with some of the youth leaders, to discuss how the benefits should be shared. The youths are tempted to join any little uprising because they have not benefited from the oil wealth in their area. They use soldiers to harass the people. As for the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB), the lawmakers must seek the opinion of the people before passing it and not sit in Abuja and pass it. In that case, it will not work. They must ascertain the feelings of the people first and this is very important.

JTF’s Arduous Battle Against Sea Pirates Nigeria Police Force, EFCC or NSDC. These cases, when pursued in court follow the normal court bureaucracy of bails and several adjournments; and some of these suspects return immediately to their illicit business the moment they are released on bail; and this has become a vicious circle. The serious delay in the quick dispensation of justice has frustrated the entire effort of the fight

Good governance And Inclusivity Is what We Need To Police Niger Delta - JOAB-PETERSIDE Dr. Sofiri Joab-Peterside is of the Department of Sociology, University of Port Harcourt. He gave this perspective on the resurgence of criminality in the Niger Delta. Return of militancy ET me begin by stating that what you have in the Niger Delta is peace of the graveyard, as recent events have shown. Oil theft, otherwise known as illegal oil bunkering is alarmingly on the increase, just as sea piracy is higher than the pre-amnesty period. These are negative signals that all is not well and will never be well until the underlying factors that gave rise to militant insurgency in the first place are fundamentally addressed. At this juncture it is apposite to respond to your questions in the sequence in which they are posed. It is correct to say that the creeks are busy with violent eruptions between remnants of the militia/militant movements and State security forces. Every keen-watchers of events in the region will not be surprised, given the manner in which the amnesty pro-

gramme is being implemented. It is also true to argue that new movements have emerged to occupy the grievance vacuum, which the amnesty programme has created. Failure of amnesty I have stated repeatedly that the amnesty programme will not achieve intended objectives because of the rapacious manner in which it is being implemented, especially its class character. There are genuine complaints by some groups of alienation from the amnesty process, which the programme’s leadership seems reluctant to address. Also, the manner in which benefits associated with amnesty were distributed and the ostentatious lifestyles of former militant leaders in midst of prevailing penury of their ex-combatants is one of the motive force that energized formation of new movements to attract government’s patronage. On JTF The JTF and sister security forces are in the region first, for their business interest and second for security of the political leadership, while the local people are left to their fate. Otherwise, what sense does it make to provide security to a former militant leader

against criminality in the region. To overcome these challenges, it has been suggested severally by the JTF that a special court for the prosecution of oil thieves be instituted. However, the JTF in its effort towards eradicating illegal oil activities in the Niger Delta region, will require the cooperation of all stakeholders, community leaders, opinion leaders and all law abiding citizens.

for the burial of one of his family members? How many citizens of the region enjoy such costly luxury? The effectiveness of JTF depends on the agenda and commitment of its leadership. It is my considered opinion that the Nigerian military possess the capacity to police the creeks. The problem is that securitization of the Niger Delta is problematic, especially commodification of its operations. Influence of politics Violence will escalate if the political elite continues to heat up the polity. This is the kind of circumstance that gave impetus to militancy as it was promoted to a statecraft, with associated tendency of breakdown of law and order was one of its potent outcome In the words of the Ledum Mitee-led Technical Committee on the Niger Delta; “A fundamental Perspective in resolving the Niger Delta crisis is governance. The failure of development in the Niger Delta is largely as a result of absence of good governance, which can effectively strengthen the use of political power and resources.” To entrench good governance, transparency and accountability, urgent actions should be taken to build people oriented institutions, improve processes and resources and practices of governance at all levels and also establish credible and effective ways of building community ownership and participation. Otherwise the more surveillance contracts awarded for protection of pipelines, the more the attacks by those who feel exclude in the patronage pacts, and the more amnesty declared for militants, the more new groups would emerge to benefit from the process.

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Sunday, May 12, 2013 53

Conscience, Nurtured by Truth

Opinion Delirium And Other Realities By Tunji Lardner

HAD wanted to pick up the threads of the article on the reality-illusion gap I wrote a fortnight ago but was undermined by a pervasive and powerful force. Malaria. Given its near total saturation in Nigeria, up to 97 per cent of Nigerians are at risk, according to the Health Minister, I was just another insignificant and statistical number, and potentially one of the 300,000 Nigerians that die annually from this disease. Nigeria carries a full 30 per cent of the global deaths by malaria each year, shocking statistics to be sure, but falling lockstep with our general indifference at the various existential threats that constantly undermine our existence as a viable and sustainable nation, I initially felt that it was after all, just malaria. That is, until I did a bit of research and looked at the fatality numbers and the persistence of those numbers year on year. In spite of the government’s best efforts and tens of millions of foreign dollars expended through multiple international initiatives, Malaria continues to kill Nigerians, especially young children in the tens of thousands. To this public health devastation, we might want to add rising HIV infections and deaths, high infant and maternal mortality rates as well as the growing Polio epidemic as just another ledger of our collective failures as a modern state. The import of these terrible numbers to the development and viability of Nigeria should not be underestimated. These problems are not in any special way unique to Nigeria because other countries through good governance and leadership have succeeded in improving and sustaining the health of their citizens. However, what is ‘special’ is the way we have collectively allowed our leaders and governments over the past five decades to make and keep Nigeria a sick nation...sick in many ways. I used to joke that Nigeria’s prime export products were oil, religion, Nollywood and polio in

no particular order, but I digress, probably on account of lingering malaria. In the familiar grip of malaria, my thoughts about the nature of the Nigerian reality and its persistent illusions became foggy and incoherent. I had really wanted to take another stab at the idea of a Nigerian ‘reality distortion field’ that I had mentioned in the previous article but somehow got trapped within the field itself. For days, with my body racked with aches, headaches, and stiff and painful joints, I could hardly sleep at night, but nonetheless, I was determined not to be sidelined by malaria. I went through my daily chores bravely wending my way through the illusions of normality, even as that ‘normality’ was itself being challenged by the enervating effects of malaria and the mind bending delirium of the anti-malaria drugs prescribed. I remembered a previous episode of malaria some two decades ago, then visiting from the United States I caught a fairly serious bout of malaria. A doctor prescribed a potent antimalarial medicine that must have been designed to kill the disease by killing its host. I remember the fitful sleep, tossing and turning between reality and the illusions of my disoriented mind, and then finally waking up, bolt upright and staring at a huge pink rhinoceros balefully staring at me, its nostrils flared and its fetid hot breath breathing down my face. It would periodically break away and stomp around my hotel room before returning to stare me down. Now, how it got past the hotel concierge and up six flights of stairs to stampede around my room is still a mystery to me to this day. This time around, there were no wild animals romping around, just me trying to negotiate my way through the urban jungle that is Lagos. Mindful of that previous malarial episode, I was determined to keep my illusions as far away from my reality as possible. I was aware that there were certain changes in my mental faculties brought on by the malaria. With a little bit of research, I discovered that there were indeed

known and scientifically proven cases of parasites that can alter the mental state of their hosts, ‘bugs in the brain,’ as it were. In the case of malaria, the plasmodium parasite when it first infects its vector the mosquito, it first cowers the host while it reproduces in its guts, and then when it is good and ready, transforms the docile mosquito into a raging vampire determined to track and bite you multiple times if necessary. Armed with this knowledge, I can now look back and begin to question my mental state in the week I was in the grip of malaria. I realized that somehow in that literally deranged state of mind, I found Nigeria to be quite an agreeable place to live. Never mind the monumental corruption, the comically inept government at the federal level as well as in many of the thirty-six states, the raging civil war in some northern states, the state sanctioned war lords in the Niger Delta, the meretricious and venal politicians at the national and state legislatures, the rising angry army of unemployed and unemployable youth and even the ruling PDP party and their shenanigans seemed to me like the genuine saviours of Nigeria. I should add that the entire political elite seemed like really good and caring people deeply committed to transforming Nigeria. I now realise that I was deeply ensnared in the mind-bending reality distortion field that was daily reinforced by those avatars of distortion, the Nigerian Press. In a week when hundreds of civilians were reportedly (mostly from the international media) killed in a JTF-Boko Haram clash in Borno State, there was initially not a significant local mention of this tragedy, instead, I was quite content to read in most of the major newspapers about the grounding of governor’s private jet and the subsequent brouhaha about the ownership of the said aircraft. With all the institutions and processes of the state collapsing all around us, and the very corporate existence of Nigeria increasingly

in doubt, I was very happy to see the television advert heralding the celebration next year of a century of the 1914 amalgamation of the Northern and Southern protectorates. I was particularly pleased and excited to the see the visage of our confident president extolling our unity against the backdrop of a montage of healthy exuberant children ethnically attired, of course-to represent our various cultures-affirming the greatness and unity of the giant of Africa. However, this blissfully altered state of reality that had expanded my illusions into a joyful delirium started to fade the moment the efficacy of the anti-malaria drugs took effect. Waning over a couple of days, it suddenly struck me one evening when I heard the health minister mention on television that 97 per cent of Nigerians were constantly at risk of contracting malaria. Eureka! The reason why Nigerians so unquestioningly accept the dysfunctions of their failing state brought about by compounded bad leadership and governance is because of malaria. Surely the prolonged and chronic exposure to malaria parasites must have rewired their brains turning them into mindless zombies incapable of thought and action on the basis of their own enlightened selfinterests. So even in the face of a clear and present danger to their very existence, Nigerians in their malaria addled state choose to hold on to their illusions rather than bravely confront their reality. The cure to Nigeria’s problem is easy, eradicate malaria and you will cure Nigeria’s derangement and delusions. However, there is the other problem of the parasitic ruling elite that much like blood-sucking mosquitoes are infecting the Nigerian host with their own peculiar strain of delirium. I think that Nigerians will have to develop their own eradication plan for these particular species of mosquitoes or else die of malaria. Comments can be sent to: me.tlardner@gmail.com

Africa’s 21st Century Infrastructure Imperatives By Goodluck Jonathan

AM delighted to be here with you today and to have the opportunity to make a few remarks on infrastructure, which is a major challenge facing the African continent. I thank the World Economic Forum (WEF) for creating the environment and providing the platform for this to happen. Let me also express my appreciation to the African Union Commission (AUC), the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), the African Development Bank (AfDB) and the NEPAD planning and coordinating Agency for establishing this infrastructure plan for Africa, appropriately christened Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA). In the last decade, Africa has come a long way from being mainly associated with economic stagnation, high inflation, high external debts, and civil strife. Today, the situation has changed due to significant macroeconomic, structural, and political reforms. Economic growth on the continent averaged five per cent annually in the last 10 years. However, despite this recent economic growth success story of the continent, infrastructure deficit on the continent across transport, energy, and communication remain binding constraints to further growth acceleration, our ability to compete, and the reduction in poverty. Inadequate and poor infrastructure in Africa remains a major constraint to the continent’s realisation of its full economic potential. Due to the relatively poor infrastructure and low connectivity on the continent, we have the lowest level of inter-regional trade. While we account for about 12 per cent of the world’s population, our share of global trade is just about two per cent. This is also a reflection of the fact that our economies are less diversified compared to other global regions. Most importantly, poor infrastructure serves as additional burden and cost to our businesses, making it difficult for them to compete, and accompanied by structural and high level of unemployment. To effectively tackle these challenges, diversify our economies, reduce poverty and provide employment opportunities for our bulging youth population, we must build necessary infrastructure in Africa across transport, communication and energy sectors.

Over the course of this past decade, African stakeholders have recognised the need to plug the gaps in infrastructure on the continent. From studies and reports on the subject, it is estimated that Africa requires about 100 billion US dollars annually for the next decade, whereas only a quarter is being spent today. Due to limited fiscal resources, Governments alone cannot build the infrastructure that Africa needs. Therefore, as we look to solving our infrastructural challenge, the underlying binding factor is finance. We must, therefore, continue to develop new innovations and ways of achieving this. Besides finance, our experience has shown that without a common framework as a basis for collaboration, little progress will be made. I am, especially delighted then that PIDA is building on the plans already established under different initiatives such as the NEPAD Medium to Long Term Strategic Framework and the AU Infrastructure Master Plans. As part of this infrastructure initiative, Nigeria is leading the efforts to construct the Nigeria – Algeria Gas Pipeline Project to run from Nigeria, through the Sahara desert to Algeria. The initial preparatory work is underway. However, in the light of the recent developments in the global gas industry and the collapse of gas prices, the project concept is now under review to determine its viability. My expectation is that this plan will hasten Africa’s integration through trade and migration, which has been a priority and central element of the continent’s development strategy. This is more so considering that inter-regional trade within the continent is just about 10 per cent. On our part, we are committed to the integration of Africa’s infrastructure and its development. In the ECOWAS sub-region, appreciable progress has been made. I can safely say that ECOWAS policies on free movement of people and the right of establishment have contributed in no small measures to the increasing success of multi-national companies in the region. Thankfully, PIDA is also aligned to the vision of the ECOWAS community that promotes the free movement of people, goods and services. We thus share the commitment to the full realisation of the Lagos – Abidjan West African road corridor and the Trans – West African Coastal link road. In addition, we are sustaining effort in the development of the gas sub-sector, not only for our growing number of power plants, but in line with the regional ini-

tiative of West African Gas Pipeline for the West African market. Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen, before I conclude, let me say a few words about some of the domestic initiatives we have embarked on to improve our infrastructure. My Administration has embarked on a number of reforms especially in the Power and Energy Sectors, Road Construction and Infrastructural Development to mention but a few. Just in the last two weeks, my government completed the biggest transfer of power assets in Africa to private investors. By this act, the power sector in Nigeria is now totally privatised, except for the transmission company, which is concessioned to a private firm to manage. Following these critical reforms, we expect an annual US 10 billion investment to follow for the next decade. My Minister for Power, Professor Chinedu Nebo is here as a member of the panel and he will share with you details if you require. To fund our investment on road and rail infrastructure, we have increased our capital expenditure ratio relative to our current expenditure from the national budget by eight per cent in the last three years, while we have also committed a significant portion of the savings from the reduction in subsidies on petroleum products to expand and improve road and rail infrastructure. As part of the reforms relating to infrastructure, the Petroleum Industry bill (PIB), which seeks to streamline the regulatory oversight of the industry is being considered by our National Assembly, and we expect it to be passed into law during this parliamentary session. In conclusion, I will like to express my gratitude to the World Economic Forum and all the critical stakeholders for supporting Africa’s progress towards the building of 21st century infrastructure across the continent in order to support our future growth. I urge you all not to relent in your efforts. The realisation that we cannot tread this path alone is very clear. I will be pleased to hear at the end of this summit that effective programmes and action plans that include roles for our development partners and international investors have been defined for the infrastructural goals that we have all set, and seek to achieve. President Jonathan, GCON, GCFR delivered this as opening remarks at the Infrastructure Summit of the World Economic Forum Africa 2013, Cape Town, on May 8, 2013

TheGuardian

54 | Sunday, May 12, 2013

Conscience, Nurtured by Truth

Opinion Pini Jason, Aloy Aguwa: I Grief By Ikedi Ohakim

“Look, life is nasty, brutish and short but you knew that when you became a caveman” New Yorker Cartoon

ET me begin by formally condoling with my people, the good people of Imo state, over the double tragedy that has befallen us: the loss of two of our most illustrious sons at a go. Although the entire nation weeps over the most unexpected death of the late Dr. Aloysious Aguwa and the late Pini Jason Onyegbadue, (I call him only Pini Jay) not many Nigerians know that the two late icons were kinsmen who hailed from the great Mbaise clan in Imo State. Not many Nigerians also know that between 2007 and 2011, the two were members of the Imo state executive council in which, by the grace of God Almighty, I was privileged to serve as Governor. While, the death of the two gentlemen at the same time (within a space of four days) is doubtlessly devastating, I am certain that it brings fond memories of that era which every well meaning Imolite acknowledges as one in which the state saw the biggest manifestation of its potentials. Needless to say, the involvement of Aloysious Aguwa, Ph.D., an academic and environmentalist of international repute and Pini Jason Onyegbadue, ace journalist and easily one of the most brilliant newspaper columnists Nigeria has ever produced, in that administration drew the attention of many, both within and outside Nigeria, to Imo. To be sure, that administration boasted of other very brilliant men and women who had distinguished themselves in various fields of endeavour, but I can say without any fear of contradiction that I count myself particularly fortunate to have been able to bring those two fellows, not only to be part of it, but to have remained with us throughout the period. As a public affairs commentator, Pini Jason had established a reputation as a fearless, bold and courageous fellow who would render his views no matter whose ox is gored. To be quite candid, I initially had to contend with a few friends who expressed some anxieties over the fact that I invited such a fiery critic, indeed, a radical, to serve with me. But I had no difficulty with that because my idea of governance was, and still is, that the people being governed should be given the benefit of having inputs from their best brains and hands, irrespective of the personal idiosyncrasies of the fellow who calls the shots as chief executive. Unfortunately, what Nigerians are still meant to witness is a situation where some state chief executives do everything to make sure that sound and critically minded people do not come close. This is a big disservice to the people. A people should be served by their very best. The discretionary prerogatives of a governor or president are there but the best public administrator is that fellow who gets inputs from the broadest segment of the society or community he or she is serving, especially those who could look him or her at face and differ on issues. During our tenure, I kept on telling mem-

JAW JAW By Didi Onu

Pini bers of the state executive council that any day they all agree with me on an issue without any debate, they could as well begin to pack their things because it would mean that I had no need for them, individually and collectively. Given his background, the late Pini Jason came in mostly as a member of my media team but his designation was that of Special Adviser on Special Projects. To be quite candid, I merely hid under that appellation to tap from his very fecund mind, after I had discovered that Pini was very vast on several other issues outside core media related matters. There was no topic the late Pini Jason would not give a sound opinion on (which you may disagree with) based on a thorough analytical expose. From politics to economics, from religion to culture, from diplomacy to folklores, Pini would treat you to fine details of both historical and contemporary perspectives that, if you had the patience to listen, you would wonder why you never knew all that before. Pini had been my debating partner since 1992. He was among the first three that joined my administration in 2007, along with Ethelbert Okere and Kezie Ogaziechi. These three were those on ground to set the stage before other appointees came on board. Even before his appointment, Pini was part of those who crafted the content and vision of our administration and because he completely believed in what we were doing, he remained steadfast to its ideals till death. Perhaps his most significant input in our administration was his insistence that we must accommodate criticism while, of course, abhorring the use of thugs. Looking back, I greatly appreciate that because that singular attitude shaped the character of our administration, an aspect that is being today remembered with nostalgia by the great people of Imo state who have since seen the difference. While we were in Owerri, even casual observers noticed that the late Chief Pini Jason Onyegbadue was one of the closest appointees to me. It was not for nothing. He shuttled between his office and mine several times and in most cases, he would return

after close of work and together we looked at issues far into the night. When we completed the new Governor’s Office Complex, Pini got an office directly opposite mine. In fact, he was the only Special Adviser who shared the third floor with me. And unknown to many, the late Chief Pini Jason Onyegbadue until his death shared the same office complex with me in Abuja. I was with him when the news of the death of Dr. Aguwa came. We were both very shocked but he managed the devastation that arose from losing such a young and illustrious kinsman of his; to be able to continually tell me: “Take it easy”. Pini took off to Lagos to take advantage of the May Day public holiday to be with his family. Before he left for the airport, he passed through my place to see how I was fairing. I bade him farewell but little did I know that that was the last time I would see him. Even before he suddenly took ill in Lagos, he had called and the major discussion was on the late Aguwa. Aguwa was of late in constant touch with me. We spoke almost every day especially in connection with the new book he was about to release on the environmental protection programmes of our administration. The late Aguwa was the Commissioner for Petroleum and Environment and had come up with a very fine account of what we did to make Imo state a model as far as cleanliness is concerned. The late Aguwa it was who presided over our programme that earned Owerri the subrequette of the cleanest state capital in Nigeria, a status conferred on it by the Federal Government itself. Unknown to many, the late Aguwa died while going for an assignment on a federal government anti-environmental degradation programme. Once, I was elected governor, one of the first things I did was to begin to ask for the best Imo brains on environmental issues wherever they might reside. The search took us to Michigan in the United States of America where the late Aguwa was presiding over an organization known as Altech Environmental Services Inc. U.S.A. It took weeks of persuasion from well meaning citizens of the state, especially members of the highly respected Aguwa clan, for Alloy to accept to return home to serve the country. It is unfortunate that the nation is losing him at a time his wealth of experience and expertise is mostly needed and under circumstances that may make his family, especially his nucleus family, begin to regret that decision. But in spite of the tragedy, part of my consolation is that it pleased God to let us come close to one fellow that combined intellect with a mien that almost set him aside as an enigma. Could a fellow of such academic standing and professional exposure be as humble as the late Aloysious Aguwa? That must have been the question most of his colleagues were asking. As I noted earlier, we brought him in into an area I was very passionate about. Although we had our own ideas about what we intended to achieve in the area of environment, I saw in the late Aguwa a very fresh ambience that, nonetheless, complemented our idea. He made inputs, not with a mindset of a

know-it-all expert coming from the greatest country in the world, but as a fellow who understood the constraints of his people right at home and eager to bring his expertise to bear. Aguwa was an egg head but he couched his inputs in the most easily graspable language that made otherwise technically difficult environmental issues easy to comprehend. Above all, Aloy was full of humor which, even as his boss at the state executive council, I benefitted from. Being a strict fellow and stickler to excellence, which I restate here without any apologies, the late Aguwa was among members of my cabinet whom I always looked forward to meeting because he had this flair for puncturing even the most tensed atmosphere with sheer humor; even while making the same point others would labour to do with grandiose verbosity. If Aloy Aguwa were to be alive and I lost two members of my cabinet at a go, it is to him I would have since ran to for comfort and wise counsel. Just as Pini Jason kept on telling me when the news of his (Aguwa’s) death reached both of us: “What can we do?” Indeed what can we do? The demise of these two great men reminds all of us of the futility of life. In fact, the late Pini Jason preached that we should do things today as if there will be no opportunity to do them tomorrow. That was why he was himself a stickler to excellence. He believed that you should leave no stone unturned today. Did Pini Jason have a premonition of death? I have been asking myself this question because in death, Pini achieved what he would himself: Have his wife, to whom he was very close, watch him die. And that was precisely what happened. Was it destiny that took him back to Lagos where his family resides? Pini was so proud of his family and would seize every opportunity to tell you: “God gave me a wonderful family”. Was his manner of death a wish that came true? Why did it happen that way, so fast? Why did it please God to take away these two great fellows the same time? Let me conclude this piece by paraphrasing the famous philosopher, Calimachus, in reacting to the death of his friend and contemporary, Hericlitus: “They told me, Hericlitus (Pini); they told me you were dead. They brought me bitter news to hear and bitter tears to shed. I wept when I remembered how often you (Pini) and I tired the sun with talking and sent him down the sky. Still, are they pleasant voices, thy nightingales; awake (Pini). For death, he taketh all away but them (our shared values and thoughts) he cannot take”. Great souls, Pini and Aloy, your colleagues and I bid you farewell. We may have been wounded but not captured. Surrendering to the enemy is out of it. We shall, continue to march on until the great injustice is reversed and our big dreams about Imo blossomed to eternal glory of God. Adieu great ones. Ohakim was Governor of Imo State between 2007 and 2011.

THE GUARDIAN, Sunday, May 12, 2013

POLITICS Dr. Matthew Kukah, Bishop of Sokoto Catholic Diocese is of the opinion that the problem of Boko Haram might be a lot easier to deal with if government had sought intellectual contribution from universities and research institutions, to unearth the sociological and historical factors that predispose people to violence. He spoke to KELVIN EBIRI in Port Harcourt. poverty truly the reason for the Boko IACTUALLY, Haram insurgency? I had a discussion with some S

journalists who came to visit me in Sokoto, they were six Germans and they were interested in finding out how Sokoto has been one of the most peaceful parts of Nigeria despite Boko Haram. I brought some professors from Usmanu Danfodiyo University to my house and said let’s discuss, because just a few weeks before then, the Bureau of Statistics had released a report that Sokoto State was the poorest state in Nigeria. I was not prepared to enter the debate, but to say, if Sokoto State was the poorest in Nigeria and Boko Haram is driven by poverty, shouldn’t it be the most violent state in Nigeria; and how is it that we are the most peaceful? I think what this does is that it exposes the myth and perhaps, we have founded our analysis on a wrong premise, because I don’t think that scientifically you can necessarily correlate violence with poverty. How has Boko Haram adversely affected socio-economic activities in Northern Nigeria?a I think it has affected the area quite negatively, because a lot of people in my diocese have moved. Economic activities even in most urban, vibrant environments like Kano have substantially crippled. Nobody can exaggerate what has happened, but even at the national level, every nook and cranny of Nigeria, there is a yellow card that has been raised from the international community. More and more people are unwilling to come to whether, it is Port Harcourt, Aba, Lagos, or wherever. We have a national problem; it is not something you can localize by talking about the North. It is about how to fix our nation. Let me tell you about my personal feeling. I think though this problem caught us unawares, and it is actually a symptom of lack of seriousness that we have been able to have in not subjecting our political experiences to the critical tools of analysis that are generated by contribution of intellectuals. The whole question of what was happening to us and what is now called Boko Haram has never been subjected to any critical intellectual analysis. We have just been interested in boom, boom, boom, the burning of houses and suicide bombers and all. But we have never attempted to ask what is the moral economic, what really predisposes people to this type of attitude, where did this come from? Beyond just thinking of intelligence, as gathering gossips and information from people, there are intellectual views that it is possible to trace the historical processes that have produced what we have now in the name of Boko Haram. It may have caught the political class unawares, but I think it is a measure of our own perception that the tools for governance are necessarily in the hands of politicians and that this is first a political problem, as opposed to something that I think with a little bit of clinical analysis, we could have come to terms about exactly what needs to be done. If Government grants amnesty to the sect and fails to tackle the core issues that led to the crisis, where will that lead us? Good question; but what are the core issues? The question we should be asking ourselves is that, rather than seeing Boko Haram at the level of just the explosion, we should be asking ourselves what is the source of this river? Where did it come from? Is there any connection between Boko Haram and the other forms of violent protests that preceded it, whether it is Maitatsine or whatever? Can we explain why this Boko Haram is dominant in Maiduguri, Yobe and not in Sokoto or Kebbi? These are questions that a dispassionate intellectual analysis, taken away from politics can help us to come to a conclusion because there must be a reason. It may be sociological. It may be cultural. It may be religious. It may be historical, as to

Kukah

KUKAH:Insecurity Is A National Problem, Not A Northern Issue why certain things happen in certain places. If these things were about religion and Muslims trying to expand the frontier of Islam, which type of a stupid man will be fighting inside his own house and hope to conquer other people? So, we have not even attempted to profile the key characters that are involved in Boko Haram. Up till today we don’t have the profile of the key actors. The guy profiling himself as Abubakar Shekau, for instance, who is he? A lot of literature has been churned out of Osama Bin Laden, his biography, so on and so forth. So these are things that a serious government that appreciates the intellectual contribution of universities, research institutions, policy making should have been able to deal with, but I think we see Boko Haram as simply what government can and cannot do. Goodluck Jonathan is not a magician and he certainly

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does not have more than two eyes but a lot of the discussions have been narrowed down to him, merely to politics. Will amnesty to Boko Haram bring the desired peace in the North? Even if it does not solve the problem, it will not make them worst. My own personal feeling is this, I have said it severally, it is not too late, but we have put the cart before the horse. This committee (amnesty for Boko Haram) should have actually started a year or so ago. And the result of its analysis of the problem should have been the basis for government policy, as to whether you are going to offer people amnesty; but in exchange for what? But clearly, I think that many people have responded to the amnesty thing by reflex, more than anything else. What I mean by reflex is that we have characteristically said okay, how

The question we should be asking ourselves is that, rather than seeing Boko Haram at the level of just the explosion, we should be asking ourselves what is the source of this river? Where did it come from? Is there any connection between Boko Haram and the other forms of violent protests that preceded it, whether it is Maitatsine or whatever? Can we explain why this Boko Haram is dominant in Maiduguri, Yobe and not in Sokoto or Kebbi? These are questions that a dispassionate intellectual analysis, taken away from politics can help us to come to a conclusion because there must be a reason. It may be sociological. It may be cultural. It may be religious. It may be historical, as to why certain things happen in certain places. If these things were about religion and Muslims trying to expand the frontier of Islam, which type of a stupid man will be fighting inside his own house and hope to conquer other people?

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can you grant amnesty to people, what about the destruction that has taken place. No. The reconstruction of Nigeria is also part and parcel of the problem of ending this problem, I mean of ending what we have in place. You can’t isolate all the issues. The result of this committee work should provide, hopefully a framework for the government to decide which way to go. Do you support the call for sovereign national conference? Again, unfortunately for us in Nigeria we always say that everything that we have on the table is that you either support or you don’t support. Do I support sovereign national conference, do I support amnesty; none of these things are in black and white. My position on sovereign national conference is that it has become an excuse for when we don’t want to have an exhaustive discussion on anything, we say let’s have a sovereign national conference. Now, it is not every time that you have a domestic problem that you hold a conference to resolve the issue. I think that what we have in Nigeria is not unexpected of a country that has come through many years of military dictatorship. Is it unexpected of a country that is so resource endowed. It is unexpected of a country whose source of resources is only one, oil well. These distortions are there. Their application to society is what you call corruption. The important thing is to appreciate that we are not going to resolve the problem in one single day. There is no single state in Nigeria today that anybody can take and say, this is a model state that the governor can show us, that as a result of what it is, this is how every state in Nigeria ought to be. You may be good in infrastructure, you may not be good in other things; but to manage a complex country like Nigeria requires a lot of patience and painstaking analysis and encouragement to realise that the good life we are looking for may not happen in our life time. Perhaps, twenty, thirty years or so, Nigeria will be a different country. Sovereign national conference will never produce anything that is not yet on the table. What we are witnessing are the sins we committed during our transition. We ought to have concluded discussion about constitution before we enacted a new government, but the Nigerian political elite largely made up of the other carpetbaggers, who are also with the military simply wanted the military to handover very quickly the keys of the kingdom. The result is that people with a real democratic reflex, who can appreciate the importance of the rule of law, have never really energized the system; who can appreciate the importance of constitutionalism and the range of other intangible things that drive democracy. Democracy is not just about the distribution of resources. It is not just about building roads, building houses and building hospitals; it is much more than that. Do you fear that if the Boko Haram crisis is not resolved urgently Nigeria might be plunged into sectarian war? I think in fairness to us as a nation, that we are still standing is one of the greatest achievement of our country. First of all, I have not read any editorial, I have not read any article or heard any opinion on radio calling for the military to come and solve our problem. That is a quantum leap for Nigeria and it is a plus for us, meaning that we have decided almost collectively that this project of democracy, no matter how bad it is we will remain on it. I think it is an intangible, but very important because it is like a man who believes that he is committed to this marriage being successful, so a fight is not enough for him to contemplate divorce, childlessness is not enough for him to contemplate divorce. If you sign yourself to it, you will deal with the problems. So, what I am saying is that the very fact that we have managed to hold together with Boko Haram, Nigerians have demonstrated very clearly that they want to be together. The twelve South Northern states now, the things they are talking about are the things that Gideon Orkar offered them in 1990 and it was precisely because Gideon made them that offer that Nigerians said no and that was why the coup failed. We have gone through a civil war to say we want to live together. The indivisibility of Nigeria, in principle, is almost unquestionable, but it is not something we can assume because it has to be met by a range of other factors.

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THE GUARDIAN, Sunday, May 12, 2013

POLITICS

LAWAL: Choice Of Amosun Was The Government And Ogun ACN Are In Harmony Alhaji Sola Lawal is the publicity secretary of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Ogun State. He gave a chronicle of the events that led to the choice of Ibikunle Amosun as the candidate of the party in the run up to the governorship election in 2011. He also explained why Kayode Soyinka could not have emerged the party’s flag bearer. He spoke with KAMAL TAYO OROPO.

S a foundation member of the ACN in Ogun State, is it correct to say some of you are foundation members while others joined later? I will want to get certain things clear. Who are the joiners? Who are the foundation members? Let me put this straight. All of us came into the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) at the same time. We may talk of joiners in terms of those who were in the former Action Congress (AC), before the ACN was formed. I have been the publicity Secretary, Ogun State chapter of this party since 2003, which means I held the same position in the party when it was the Alliance for Democracy (AD). I was publicity secretary when it was AC and I am still the publicity secretary as ACN now. As at the time ACN was being put together, many parties came together to join those of us from the AC. Senator Gbenga Kaka came in with his team from the Democratic Peoples Alliance (DPA), Amosun came in with his team from the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), and we formed ACN. So there is equal status for everybody. We have only a single leader, and that is the difference. That leader is Chief Olusegun Osoba. Are you aware that those who refer to themselves as original members of the ACN, including Senator Kaka are complaining of inadequate political patronage and unfair treatment in the hands of Governor Ibikunle Amosun? We should rather go specific, what exactly are we referring to? Which groups are we referring to here? I am referring to those who call themselves original ACN members, as against those who journeyed from the PDP, through ANPP before they landed in ACN? Let me come this way. Would I be right to say that you are referring to the Amosun team that came from ANPP? If you are referring to that team, what about it? The original ACN members accuse the governor of favouring his former ANPP loyalists? You see, we are running a party in Ogun State, but we are also running a government. In this party, some of us do not subscribe to the argument that there is a division. There is no division in the party in Ogun State. There might be differences in background, in terms of where individuals or groups are coming from. But the moment we came into the ACN, we put mechanisms in place to ensure cohesion; the leadership of the party put mechanism in place to ensure solid fusion of these diverse groups. And the moment we got into government, when we won election, the government itself started promoting that philosophy of unity within the party. Well, we may not be perfect, but I can assure that the concept, the idea, the determination and quest for unity is going on and the government is spare-heading it, while those of us in the party leadership are also promoting same, as against promoting any form of disunity within the fold. That is basically what it is. We may not be perfect. Don’t forget that we all are human beings. Human beings are involved here. There are differences, part of which snowballed into the uproar in the House of Assembly recently, and the verification exercise that turned violent after one group insisted it must be registered before the other. How do you hope to manage that? The dynamics of party politics itself does not allow for monolithic thinking. What that means is that dissent is allowed; that is the dynamics of party politics. You must disagree, you come together again, you resolve the disagreement, and you forge ahead. A political party would never be a party if everybody thinks the same way. There must be conflict of ideas, interests, perceptions and approach. So, if there were skirmishes during the party verification exercise it is just by the way of dynamism of party politics. Some people feel that you have not registered enough of this group or register

Amosun

more of this group. Or, are you sure we are okay with this group? It is normal, but after that happened the party still remain the same today. It has not led to the disintegration of the party. We still talk of one single ACN in Ogun State. Nobody can point at division, in terms of parallel leadership. So, if there are disagreements, the fact that the party still remains the same is an indication that the internal problem solving mechanism of the party is still intact, efficient and working. You would recall that not a few members of your party were apprehensive over the choice of Amosun as governorship candidate; some felt he could be too independent to submit to the party supremacy. To what extent would you say this fear has been allayed? Yes, I would say as a party we are comfortable that so far, the government and the party have remained on the same page. Where there are misgivings, the day-to-day process of resolution mechanism has been exploited to address issues. Having said that, let us get something clear; whoever is at the helm of affairs is conscious of the fact that the buck stops on his table. If the buck stops at your table, it means nobody answers any question about whether or not the government runs very well except you. If you are the only one who will answer question, if it is about your name, personality and competence, then it goes to reason that such an individual would want to put his finger in such a case. But so far so good, the government and the party, like I said, have been on the same page in this sense. But as human beings, there will always be reasons for disagreement, but whenever that hap-

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Osoba

pen, we would also quickly sit down, get ourselves together on the round table and discuss how to resolve the problem. Yes, there was apprehension, that by the time he assumes office as the governor, we will not be able to curtail Amosun; we will not be able to tell him what to do, he will be too independent. But must a governor be dependent first of all? However, the government cannot be so independent to the detriment of the party. It cannot happen in Ogun State. If anything like that ever happens, some of us would have come out to say, no; we cannot take this anymore. Don’t forget that before we got to where we are today with our government in place, we fought an eight years battle to get the PDP out of power. So, those of us who spearheaded the party’s battle at that particular time would not allow the party to be rubbished and there is nothing so far on the ground that has suggested to us that the party is been rubbished. Yes, appointments may not have gone round satisfactorily, okay. Yes, many party people may have not been taken care of adequately. Yes, the government keeps saying ‘ok, with time we would handle.’ But can we ever go to the electorate and say, ‘sorry, our party members are complaining?’ Is it not more reasonable to give the dividends of democracy to the electorate, rather than first take care of party members? This idea that people have been complaining they have not been taken care of, can we actually go to the public and say that to the people? I mean can you go on the streets of Ijebu Ode and say that our party members are angry, that we

I can tell you that my brother, Soyinka, has not made himself available to the present government of Ogun State. Bisi Adegbuyi contested the primary in 2011, he didn’t get it as Kaka got it, but he has made himself available. Up to some two or three weeks before nomination, Adegbuyi was the only aspirant for the Ijebu East Senatorial District. Providence made Kaka got it, but Adegbuyi is more or less part of this government. He has not abandoned Ogun State of Amosun era. Yomi Cash, who ran against Amosun in 2011, is also part of this government. The government is ready to embrace everybody provided that you are available. Party politics is about numbers. It is about people; you can’t do it alone.

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have not taken care of them? Won’t they stone us? As far as people are concerned, they want good roads, good schools, infrastructure and development and they want economic empowerment. That is the essence of governance. It is not about settling party faithful. But then, party faithful would be would be settled invariably, and the party has been deploring its energy in satisfying diverse interests within the party. Are you aware that some of your members are considering the option of moving out if the present regime is adopted for 2015? I will be very frank with you, what we know is that some people are talking about moving to the Labour Party. In party politics you have threats every time. This also happen in Lagos State once in a while, the latest being part of the fallout of local government election. But what exactly is the alternative to ACN in Ogun State? Is it PDP, which is not on ground, which has no leadership and which you cannot point out a viable faction of the party? If anybody begins to talk of going to whatever unknown party in Ogun State, the person must be deceiving himself. In any case, what is the electoral value of these people that are saying so? Where are they coming from? What is their electoral value in the progressive fold in the state? Were they with us when we were needy? One of your governorship aspirants in 201, Mr. Kayode Soyinka has alleged that the party has not treated him fairly… How? In terms of what; appointment, nomination or what? Thrice he contested and thrice his candidature was rejected. He alleges that Amosun was imposed on the party by the leadership and that the governor was never a consensus candidate. Is that fair to a loyal party member? When Amosun contested the governorship ticket in ACN, there were no fewer than other 10 contestants. Kayode Soyinka, with due respect, was just one of them. He is my professional colleague. He is somebody a number of us respect, especially those of us with media background. He is a gentleman and very competent to be governor of Ogun State; but so were the other 10 aspirants, including former cabinet members. Some of these aspirants are now part of this government. It is just unfortunate that Soyinka spoke the way he did recently. Frankly, to some of us who share the same professional background with him, we were not only shocked but disappointed as well. If anybody is going to come out and say the system was not fair enough to him in that process of nomination, it shouldn’t be Soyinka and I know why I am saying this.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 57

THE GUARDIAN, Sunday, May 12, 2013

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POLITICS

Our Most Viable Option In 2011 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 56 Why? In 2003, when Soyinka first contested, he did so against the incumbent governor then, Olusegun Osoba, a man who almost everyone in the party was solidly behind. Yet, Soyinka was not the only one who contested against Osoba. In 2007, he ran against the likes of Dipo Dina and it was not only the two of them that were in that race; there were about four of them, including the present Deputy Governor Segun Adesegun; we must put things in proper perspective. From the onset, it was obvious that Dipo Dina deserved that ticket. Was the party for Dipo Dina; why was he the preferred candidate? We were in opposition at that time and every one of us, even presently, knows the type of leader Governor Gbenga Daniel was; he tolerated no opposition. As a matter of fact, many leaders of our party had to abandon Ogun State for him. But a number of us had to stay behind and faced Daniel; grit for grit, measure for measure. I worked along with Dipo Dina to face that despotic government of that period. In the process, Daniel led us to detention in 2006. I spent the Christmas of that year along with Dipo Dina in detention. We were first locked up in Lagos, in Zone 2, before taken to Elewe-eran in Ogun State. It was a very difficult period in the history of opposition politics in Ogun State and because of that persecution that Dipo Dina went through, naturally, there was this feeling of sympathy that was in his favour. Nobody struggled and suffered for that ticket as much as Dipo Dina did. Nobody spent money and time campaigning for that AC ticket as much as he did in our party. Kayode Soyinka was also in the party and he was in the race; the present deputy governor has always been part of us since the AD days; he lost that ticket too. Ordinarily, the ticket would have gone to Segun Adesegun, who was commissioner of works in the Osoba government, but for the strong resistance put forward by Dipo Dina against Daniel, the sheer grace and determination that he displayed in pursuing that ticket. There were two other cabinet members of the Osoba administration in the 2007 race. So, if Dina was not able to get the ticket, everyone of us were for Osoba; meaning, if not Dina it would have gone to Adesegun or even Sam Durojaiye. Dina was an outsider in that group, yet he did his best to get the nomination. Yes, that is the fact. But you see, even Dina was able to snatch the ticket from traditional members of the group, because of sheer force of grit and determination. So where does Soyinka come in, in 2007? He did his campaigns, moved around some local governments; did this and that. But you don’t fight election on the pages of newspapers. Nobody fought in that election as much as Dina did and he did so using more than newspapers, even though we had a regular monthly publication attacking and exposing the government of that period, which was what eventually saw us to prison. Would Soyinka honestly think he would have gotten the ticket in 2003, running against Osoba? Would he have snatched it from Dina in 2007, not to talk of cabinet members during Osoba’s term Adesegun or Durojaiye? There was also Bajomo as well. Now, in 2011, apart from Amosun, there were 10 others that came out, including Soyinka. With due respect, none of them put forward the type of serious campaign that Amosun did. And don’t forget that we were trying to unseat a sitting government –– a despotic one for that matter. Though Governor Daniel was no longer eligible to run, but he was eligible to put up a candidate. And of course, he was still holding the party machinery and was still holding the government, including all the security apparatus. And Daniel was not a small fry, especially in the use and deployment of power. Maybe, you may wish to know why people call him ‘emperor’, a name we in the ACN actually gave him. Daniel was like a king, and whoever, we were going to put forward to confront him had to be someone who can match him money for money, grit for grit and shakara for shakara. The party was really in a dilemma, ten of our compatriots in the AC, Amosun then joined us. Amosun came with a lot of experience in campaign and an intimidating campaign structure. The first essence of any serious political party is to acquire power. To do this is not a tea party. Without the power, there is nothing you can do. We were coming from a weakened foundation. The candidate we fielded in 2007 had been shot and killed. The way I saw it then, we needed somebody who could deploy money at the election and who also had the determination and the courage to face the battle we confronted.

We had an idea of what the battle was going to look. We remembered in 2007, when Daniel was seeking re-election ballot boxes were snatched in the full glare of everyone and no one could do nothing; when majority of the people could not vote and when even candidates during the election were so intimidated, scared and could not vote, even for themselves. I can say categorically, Bisi Adegbuyi, who ran against the PDP candidate for the Ogun East Senatorial election, could not vote for himself. We knew what we went through in the 2007 and we were determined in 2011 that we needed someone for the governorship race who could match force with force with the emperor (Daniel). In the quest for that, I have to reveal this for the records; we started weighing the options. This same office (Alapere, Lagos) was the same place we, the leaders of the party invited Soyinka, about a month to nomination. We invited him to tell us how prepared he was and we advised him on what to do. We also gave him an assignment, to within a week, give us a synopsis on how he wanted to move. We wanted evidence that he was actually serious about the ticket; we were honestly and seriously considering him. He was the first to be so invited. It was after him we now invited Amosun to this same place. We weighed our options and came to the conclusion that if really we wanted power, Amosun was the man. It will be most unfair and unjust for Soyinka to claim that he was not fairly treated by the party. I personally went to his office to speak to him as a friend, brother and colleague, to encourage him that there is a chance for him, that we should show more seriousness and so on; that was before he was eventually invited. Left to me, there was nothing absolutely wrong with him becoming the governor, but there are many other factors in the political calculation towards achieving common good. We didn’t take kobo from him. It is unfair for him to be throwing stones at the party leaders. Osoba did not impose Amosun. No! It would be most unfair to the former governor, to even insinuate that he imposed Amosun. The fact is the, majority of the party members and leaders at that time wanted Amosun. Osoba only accepted the decision of the majority; and he couldn’t have done otherwise. It is the same way the leadership of the party at national level accepted him. We sold him to them. But don’t you think the political situation on ground in Ogun State at that time could have favoured any candidate presented by ACN?

It is not true. Mark my words with emphasis –– it is not true at all. Let us get this very clearly. That situation of bliss you just painted did not happen until about three weeks to the main election. Up to that time, three weeks to the election, the PDP had not disintegrated. PDP actually got disintegrated when Daniel, alongside his loyalists, moved into Peoples Party of Nigeria (PPN); and that did not happen until two weeks to the election. By that time, nomination had even closed in our party. From the benefit of hindsight, but for God, Amosun would not have been the governor, at least not on the platform of ACN, if the party nomination had waited two weeks more. If we had had another two weeks of grace, we most probably would not have picked Amosun. But as at the time nomination was closing in Abuja, the PDP was still intact in Ogun State and Daniel was still in the race for Senate under the party’s (PDP) platform. The question of Rotimi Gboyega emerging as PDP 2011 governorship candidate was almost a foregone conclusion. It was when that ambition collapsed irredeemably that Daniel moved to PPN. It was when this occurred that it became clear that the ACN was going to win the race; but nomination had closed by that time. That Amosun got the ticket was by providence. Putting it straight, we took Amosun out of fear! I used that word ‘fear’ emphatically. The situation was such that you had a challenge facing you, we had to be realistic in our choice. We looked at him, Amosun, and concluded that this man was serious, determined, experienced and had the structure on the ground. He appeared to know what he wanted to achieve in the Ogun State government. We had no doubt about his competence. But then, if PDP had not disintegrated, we most probably would have picked one of us. But there was no single one of our people in the contest, with due regard, that we were so confident had similar arsenal Amosun was coming with. We had to pursue political reality. Has the party reached out to some of them that still feel aggrieved? Party politics is not only about contesting for offices. People must endeavour to be good party men first, before they come out to ask for positions. Kayode Soyinka is like a brother and a colleague to me. He was the first person we invited for chat in preparation for the 2011 governorship race. This is chiefly because some of us believed in him and what he was trying to do. Soyinka is well-

The Government And Ogun ACN Are In Harmony

traveled, intellectually solid, cerebrally intimidating, comfortable, gentleman and a trust worthy individual. But then, winning election is not just about coming out every two or three months before the election to run around. Since the last election, which is exactly the same thing he did in the previous attempts, he has abandoned the party. He no longer has ward or local government he is visiting. In the run up to the 2011 polls we were so concerned that this man seemed to have disappeared. That he was not displaying the kind of seriousness he exhibited contesting for the party’s nomination against Dipo Dina. We invited him to know if had lost faith in the system. Since the last election in 2011, Soyinka has not attended a single ward meeting in his local government. He has not! Not even for once! Relevance within the party is not just about buying nomination form or printing campaign posters. People should pay their dues to the party by showing better commitment. People in your local government and ward, at least, must be familiar with you and what you stand for. You must show membership commitment. Many of us, the moment a particular election is over, we stop, until a few months to the next election. Suddenly, we begin to hear, ‘Sola is running’, running to where? It is whoever, that made himself or herself available to the party that you bring into the fold. I can tell you that my brother, Soyinka, has not made himself available to the present government of Ogun State. Bisi Adegbuyi contested the primary in 2011, he didn’t get it as Kaka got it, but he has made himself available. Up to some two or three weeks before nomination, Adegbuyi was the only aspirant for the Ijebu East Senatorial District. Providence made Kaka got it, but Adegbuyi is more or less part of this government. He has not abandoned Ogun State of Amosun era. Yomi Cash, who ran against Amosun in 2011, is also part of this government. The government is ready to embrace everybody provided that you are available. Party politics is about numbers. It is about people; you can’t do it alone. But the party and the government are available to everybody, whether you have been there before or you are coming in new. It was really unfair for Soyinka to start accusing the party leadership in Ogun State and particularly Osoba of being unfair to him. But then, I want to believe he has certain problem with Osoba, which may date back to their Daily Times days. I think he has an axe to grind with Osoba beyond the state politics. We were not in Daily Times with them. In any case, I do not expect him to say anything good about Osoba. And truthfully, I think the man is just being plainly mischievous. As at the first time he ran for governor, Osoba was not only the governor of Ogun State, he was effectively in charge of the party. And when I say in charge, I mean really in charge. But Soyinka got nomination form and he contested the primary, but lost. Fairly? Yes, fairly. So, he is now counting that as his first entry. In 2007, there was no way he could have beaten Dipo Dian to the ticket; no way at all. In 2011, we told him to go and oil his campaign machine in a way that will help his candidature, yet he did not. You do not campaign for election of a serious political party only on the pages of newspapers. You do not campaign in the cocoon

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Lawal

Amosun came with a lot of experience in campaign and an intimidating campaign structure. The first essence of any serious political party is to acquire power. To do this is not a tea party. Without the power, there is nothing you can do. We were coming from a weakened foundation. The candidate we fielded in 2007 had been shot and killed. The way I saw it then, we needed somebody who could deploy money at the election and who also had the determination and the courage to face the battle we confronted

THE GUARDIAN, Sunday, May 12, 2013

POLITICS

PIB: Hope Rises As NASS Nears Consensus From: Azimazi Momoh Jimoh, Abuja HE Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) crossed one of its major hurdles last week, as amendments to some of its troublesome clauses got the nod of the regional caucuses in the National Assembly. A group of concerned legislators moving to strike a balance between the original provisions of the Bill and those opposed to it, especially from the North has got a middle-way approach that seems acceptable to all parties in both chambers. Among the issues said to have been resolved is the alleged regional economic imbalance in the original Bill, which had attracted criticisms, particularly from legislators in the North. It was believed that the Bill was scripted to boost the economy of the oil producing areas, without any attention to non-oil producing areas. To resolve this, the much-desired issue of vigorous exploration of oil and gas in the North has now been inputted in the PIB. It was also learnt that proposed amendments to the contentious clause that provided 10 per cent provision for Host Community Fund has equally been agreed to. According to the proposed amendment, the 10 per cent provision for Host Community Fund will be extended to all communities hosting oil wells, farm tanks, pipelines and depots. However, all proposals and amendments are subject to further negotiations and horsetrading between the Presidency, National Assembly leadership and other stakeholders. On the issue of promoting oil and gas exploration in the North, Bills sponsored separately in the Senate and the House of Representatives for that purpose were to be quickly harmonised with the PIB. Senator Smart Adeyemi (PDP, Kogi) is the sponsor of the Bill tagged the establishment of the National Frontier Basin Exploration Agency (Est. etc) Bill, 2013 (SB.280) in the Senate, while Honourable Kaka Kyari Gujbawu (PDP, Borno State) sponsored similar version in the House of Representatives. Adeyemi’s bill has scaled its First Reading in the Senate, while Gujbawu’s bill has been referred to the House ad hoc committee on PIB for further legislative processing. When it comes into operation, the Agency would execute, promote and oversee exploration activities in the inland sedimentary basins in Nigeria. Legislators from the North had been putting pressure on the President Goodluck Jonathan administration to commence serious work in hydrocarbon exploration and gas-oriented projects in the North. Justifying calls for establishment of the

Agency, Senator Adeyemi, said it would guarantee different sources of crude oil from the different parts of the country, which in the long run would mean more funds accruable to the Consolidated Revenue Fund (CRF) of the country. The former President of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) further added that, “with oil production in the North, the attendant economic activities would check the high level of poverty in the region. “If oil could be found in Niger and Ghana, it is possible that we can discover oil in the North. We cannot continue to have one region contributing to the national coffers, while others do not. But if the different parts are contributing, then there would be equity and general sense of belonging.” He added that when established, the Agency would be headquartered in Lokoja, Kogi State. As proposed in the Bill, the Agency shall: Regulate petroleum exploration activities in all unassigned frontier acreages in Nigeria held by the Directorate; Identify opportunities and increase information about the petroleum resource base within all frontier acreages in Nigeria, in a cost effective manner and with demonstrable, technical and operational excellence; develop exploration strategies and portfolio management for the exploration of the unassigned frontier; promote and stimulate the interest of petroleum exploration and production companies in all unassigned exploration acreages in Nigeria. Further functions of the proposed agency include the promotion and stimulation of the interest of petroleum exploration and production companies in all unassigned frontier exploration acreages in Nigeria; etc. As with all government institutions, the Frontier Basin Agency, when established would be headed by a Director General who, having the status of a Permanent Secretary of the civil service shall be appointed by the president. The only snag about the position of the DG, but which would hopefully be corrected when it gets to the appropriate committee, is that the Senate has no say in the confirmation of the appointment. Being a public agency that would run with public funds, the Senate would never allow this kind of appointment be handled exclusively alone by the executive; same for the directors that would be appointed to assist the DG in the day-to-day running of the Agency. In another section of the bill setting up the Agency, it is provided that any sitting, the Petroleum Resources Minister would have the prerogative to determine any of the basins in Nigeria that the Agency would conduct its exploration services.

The PIB, formally titled, “A Bill for an Act to Provide for the Establishment of a Legal, Fiscal and Regulatory Framework for the Petroleum Industry in Nigeria and Other Related Matters, 2012”, is seeking to, among other things, create a conducive business environment for petroleum operations; protect health, safety and the environment in the course of petroleum operations, enhance exploration and exploitation of petroleum resources in Nigeria for the benefit of Nigerians. It is hoped that the North would see the Frontier Agency as the fulfillment of government’s plans to ensure economic growth of the region, which would hopefully, and in the long run, garner support for the new PIB. The demand by northern legislators for more balanced benefits from government’s petroleum activities had generated serious debate in the National Assembly and beyond. However, it was learnt that some forces in government are pleading with Northern senators to relax on their agitation and give the PIB a chance. But the National Assembly leadership according to sources is to meet with the presidency to informally harmonise ideas before the two chambers would take final positions. A source said: “I think there is a clearer picture to some extent. Senators from the North are saying that the 10 per cent Host Community Fund should not be limited to any region. “They want befitting communities to be those hosting oil wells, farm tanks, pipelines and depot installations. The misconception before was that only communities with oil wells would benefit from the Host Community Fund. “We have resolved that if this new condition is acceptable to the Federal Government and oil producing states in the Niger Mark

Delta, we will pass the PIB. All parts of Nigeria are exposed to oil exploration, refinery and distribution hazards.” Another source added: “The PIB is structured in such a way that oil producing states will be earning between 35 and 40 per cent derivation to the disadvantage of other parts of the country. “This is why we are insisting that the clause on Host Community Fund be an all-inclusive thing. Every state with oil installations or facilities must benefit from the 10 per cent fund. “This is the only condition for the passage of the bill.” A third source said: “We are also opposed to the discretionary powers given to the Minister of Petroleum Resources. Those powers are unnecessary because they could make a sitting oil minister more powerful than the president. The ball is in the Federal Government’s court to accept these conditions or not.” The Senate has scheduled to hold public hearing on the PIB in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt and Makurdi. Although some senators from the North prefer Kaduna, others settled for Makurdi because of the security challenges in the former capital of the defunct Northern Region. The House of Representatives ad hoc committee on PIB, led by House Chief Whip, Isiaka Bawa, had just concluded its own zonal hearings. The Northern States Governors Forum (NSGF) have rejected 10 per cent vote of the nation’s petroleum income to host communities. The Forum said the creation of Host Community Fund is a ploy to give more revenue to oil producing states.

…Group Tasks National Assembly On Dispassionate Treatment HE Niger Delta Budget Monitoring T Group (NDEBUMOG) has called on members of the National Assembly to approach the issue of Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) with patriotic zeal. He said if they do, whatever contentious portions of the bill would be harmonised seamlessly, for the good of the country. In a release singed by Georgehill Anthony, executive director of the group, he wants the lawmakers to pay particular attention to some key aspects of the bill. For instance, Part 1, Section 2 and Section 170 (2) of the PIB, according to him do not align with the aspiration of a section of Nigerian populace regarding true fiscal federalism. In view of this and for the purpose of this unrealised aspiration, Part 1, Section 2 of this Bill should reaffirm the enforcement of Chapter 2 of the 1999 Constitution.

He refers the lawmakers to Article 21 of the ACHPR, which he said should be respected by Nigeria in relation to this provision in the Bill. He wants Nigerians to research into contents of the amalgamation Constitution of 1914, the Clifford Constitution of 1922, the Richards Constitution of 1946, the Macpherson Constitution of 1951, the Lyttleton Constitution of 1954 and Nigeria’s Independence Constitution of 1960. According to him, some of the 22 petroleum laws listed on page five of the bill should be amended or repealed to situate the reality with the PIB. The nine international laws listed on page 6, need a critical study by Nigerians. He said, “We should decide either the country should implement EITI half-heartedly on matters of remediation, if not, Nigeria’s National Assembly should reinforce (N) EITI Act through critical amendment, to

make the body more effective in the fight against under-disclosure in the extractive industry. “Section 3 (b), (d) and (e) and 16 of the (N) EITI Act should be amended, among others. NDEBUMOG shall continue to be bold on this position without fear or favour. We are not seeking for any patronage but the collective survival of our suffering Niger Delta communities and people, which motivates our fight against corruption. “Discretionary powers of the minister are too overwhelming in the Bill and should be reduced. Such overwhelming powers are in Section 6, 7, 14, 15, 35, 65, 94, 77, 171(c), 172 (2)-(6). Laws should be made for a sustainable good system, not personalised to persons who will not remain in office forever. Our position on this is premised on the need for a fair system, without narrowing our consid-

eration to where the minister of Petroleum may come from at any given time. “On DPR, where a successor regulator (Upstream Petroleum Inspectorate) is proposed, as in Section 13 of the Bill, we suggest further sampling of opinion from Nigerians, if we really need separate regulators for Upstream and Downstream. Or, if what the country needs is to strengthen the existing regulator to function effectively, with adequate oversight from the National Assembly and anti-corruption agencies? Confidentiality, secrecy and lack of disclosure should not be encouraged within the Bill. Various sections of the Bill promote secrecy, confidentiality and under- disclosure. Conflict of interest must be separated on matters relating to “acceptance of gifts.” Anthony said Public Officers Protec-

tion Act (POPA), cannot take prominence over the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), as proposed in the Bill. Therefore, he wants the National Assembly not to legislate away its powers of oversight in the Bill. He also advocates for the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation to be interlocked on over sight issues in Sections 35, 65, 94 of the Bill. On rights and privileges accruable to host communities, the group wants broader specifications other than what is proposed in the PIB. Anthony said it is the responsibility of government to protect lives and properties, including oil and gas assets, a responsibility that cannot be transferred to host communities commercially or otherwise. He wants the deletion of Section 118 (5) of the Bill.

THE GUARDIAN, Sunday, May 12, 2013

FOREIGNNEWS

Blasts Kill Over 40 In Reyhanli On Syria Border TURKEY AR bombs have killed 40 peoC ple and injured 100 in the Turkish town of Reyhanli, near the Syrian border, Turkey’s interior minister says. Muammer Guler told Turkey’s NTV that two bombs had gone off in the town near the town hall and post office. Video from the scene showed injured people being carried to safety in rubble-strewn streets, amid shattered buildings and twisted wrecks of cars. The town is an entry-point for

refugees from the war in Syria. Local people attacked cars with Syrian number-plates and Syrian refugees after the attack, according to local media. Emergency services looked for possible victims buried under the debris. No group said they had carried out the attack. It appears that the bombs went off 15 minutes apart and video posted on Turkish media shows people running to help victims of the first when there is the sound of a second explosion. “I was sitting in my pharmacy and

suddenly we heard a massive explosion,” eyewitness Ismail Akin told Reuters news agency. “When I looked from my window I saw wounded people and dead bodies.” Another witness, Hayrullah Bal, said: “We were a bit far away from the explosions, it suddenly

happened and everybody started to run. It was so strong that all the windows shattered.” Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said his country would protect itself. Mr Davutoglu, who was visiting Berlin, said: “There may be those

who want to sabotage Turkey’s peace, but we will not allow that. “No-one should attempt to test Turkey’s power. Our security forces will take all necessary measures.” He added that the blasts had taken place to deflect attention from efforts to solve the Syrian crisis.

Coal Mine Blast In Guizhou Province Leaves 12 Dead N explosion at a coal mine in A China’s south-west Guizhou province has killed 12 miners and injured two others, state media report. The blast occurred on Friday evening in the Dashan coal mine in Pingba county, provincial officials said. An investigation has been launched into the incident, the Xinhua news agency reported. China’s mines have a notoriously

CHINA poor safety record, despite officials efforts to improve standards. Last month a coal mine gas explosion in the north-eastern Jilin province killed 18 miners and injured 12 others. More than 1,300 people were killed in mine accidents in 2012. Deaths and injuries are often blamed on a failure to follow safety procedures.

Montt Found Guilty Of Genocide GUATEMALA COURT in Guatemala has found A former military leader Efrain Rios Montt guilty of genocide and crimes against humanity. A three-judge tribunal sentenced the 86-year-old to 80 years in prison. Rios Montt was convicted of ordering the deaths of 1,771 people of the Ixil Maya ethnic group during his time in office in 1982 and 1983. Survivors described horrific abuses committed by the army against those suspected of aiding left-wing rebels. The retired general had denied the charges, saying he neither knew of nor ordered the massacres while in power. He is expected to appeal against

the court’s decision on the grounds of his age. Rios Montt’s former chief of military intelligence, Mauricio Rodriguez Sanchez, who was on trial with him, was acquitted. It is the first time a former head of state had been found guilty of genocide by a court in his or her own country. Other genocide convictions have been handed down by international courts. Relatives and indigenous leaders cheered when the sentence was read out by Judge Jazmin Barrios in Guatemala City. Rios Montt was sentenced to 50 years for genocide and 30 years for crimes against humanity. “The Ixils were considered public enemies of the state and were also victims of racism, considered an inferior race,” Judge Barrios said.

A woman is evacuated from the site where car bombs exploded… yesterday near the town hall in Reyhanli, just a few kilometres from the main border crossing into Syria, killing four people and wounded another 18, according to an initial toll. PHOTO: AFP

Landmark Election Marred By Karachi Unrest NREST in Pakistan’s biggest city U Karachi has marred landmark national and provincial polls. Pakistan’s election commission said it had been unable to carry out “free and fair” polls in Karachi and that voting would be re-run in some

Rafsanjani To Stand For Presidency Hardline nationalist Esfandyar Rahim-Mashaei, a close friend of Mr Ahmadinjed, is also seen as a threat RANIAN ex-President Ali Akbar to the clerical elite around Supreme Hashemi Rafsanjani has regisLeader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. tered for June’s presidential elecIran’s chief nuclear negotiator, tion, a few minutes before an offiSaeed Jalili, has also registered. He is cial deadline. seen as close to Ayatollah Khamenei. Correspondents say Mr Rafsanjani, 78, is virtually assured More than 400 candidates in total have registered but Iran’s Guardian the support of reformers and could pose a real challenge to the Council - a body controlled by the country’s conservative leadership. supreme leader - decides who can stand. Constitutionally, President The results of the last presidential Mahmoud Ahmadinejad cannot elections, in 2009, were disputed by stand again. But his choice of candidate reg- the reformist opposition, triggering mass street protests. istered minutes before Mr Seen as a moderate, Rafsanjani is Rafsanjani.

PAKISTAN

expected to gain support from reformers after supporting the protests. Opinion polls suggest he is currently the most popular of the candidates. The former president put his name forward in the last half hour before nominations closed. His aides said he was waiting to see whether Iran’s supreme leader would have any objections to his running as a candidate. “I came to serve. It is the right of the people to choose me or not,” Iranian media quoted him as saying as he registered.

Mubarak’s Retrial Starts HE retrial of ousted Egyptian T President Hosni Mubarak has opened at a court in Cairo. Mr Mubarak faces charges of complicity in the killings of protesters in the January 2011 uprising which overthrew him and of financial corruption. The trial has been adjourned until June 8. Mubarak was convicted in June 2012 but a retrial was ordered on appeal. State TV, which broadcast the trial live, said he entered court sitting on a stretcher. The retrial began amid a tense

EGYPT atmosphere and high emotions in court, as the judge urged lawyers to stop shouting, the BBC’s Shaimaa Khalil reports. The prosecutor then read out a list of charges against the accused. Mubarak and the others standing trial with him pleaded not guilty. The judge said that the adjournment was needed to consider new information presented by the prosecution. The trial is being held at a police

academy on the outskirts of the capital. Mubarak’s first retrial collapsed in April amid chaotic scenes as the presiding judge referred the case to another court. Judge Mustafa Hassan Abdullah said he was referring the trial to the Cairo appeals court as he felt “unease” in reviewing the case. Mubarak’s former Interior Minister Habib al-Adly and six aides are also being retried on the charges relating to the killing of protesters in 2011. Al-Adly also faces corruption charges.

PAKISTAN areas. In the worst election-day violence, 11 people were killed in the bombing of a political office in the city. The vote marks Pakistan’s first transition from one civilian government to another in its 66-year history. Voting was extended for an hour across the country before closing at 18:00 (13:00 GMT). Counting has now begun in some areas. But polls are expected to remain open for three hours in seven constituencies in Karachi where voting was delayed because ballot boxes and papers had not arrived on time. “At my polling station, the gates have remained closed all day. We have not been able to vote and the crowd outside is huge,” Karachi resident Nishat Aleem Khan told the BBC. Pakistan’s election commission said it was “investigating reports of threats made to election officials” and that there would be “no compromise” on the fairness of the poll. It ordered a halt to voting in 42 sta-

tions in Karachi’s NA-250 constituency and said the poll there would have to be re-run. Turnout is believed to have been high. An election commission spokesman said they hoped for a figure of 60-80 percent. The turnout in 2008 was 44 percent. The Pakistani Taliban have threatened to carry out suicide attacks. About two hours after polling started, a bomb attack was reported in Karachi, apparently targeting an Awami National Party (ANP) candidate outside the party’s political office. Eleven people were killed and more than 40 others were wounded, police told BBC News. Local ANP candidate Amanullah Mahsud was injured but not seriously. The attack happened in the Landhi district of Karachi, which known for Taliban activity. Another ANP candidate and his son were shot dead close to the area last week. Sporadic violence linked to the election was reported in several other areas of the country.

West Wing Of White House Evacuated Over Smoke Report UNITED STATES HE White House briefly evacuT ated its West Wing, where the president’s Oval Office is located, after reports of smoke. Staff were eventually allowed to return and there was no indication of danger to President Obama, CNN reports. The Secret Service, which are tasked with protecting the American leader, are investigating the source of the smoke, it

says. Fire engines were deployed at the scene but have reportedly since left. The Associated Press news agency says reporters and photographers were evacuated shortly after 07:00 (11:00 GMT) from the White House press room because of smoke, but were allowed back into the building about an hour later. White House press officials did not immediately respond to calls and emails and the source of the smoke was unclear, it adds.

THE GUARDIAN, Sunday, May 12, 2013

INTERNATIONAL POLITICS BY Oghogho Obayuwana Foreign Affairs Editor N the one hand, it was meant to be a major O push for greater cooperation among countries within the fold of the South, South Cooperation that are domiciled in Southern Africa. And on the other hand, another work cut out for the Nigerian team and president Goodluck Jonathan’s delegation to Southern Africa was to leverage on the window opened by the World Economic Forum which started last Thursday in Cape Town, South Africa to engage business, political, academic and other leaders of societies and present a Nigerian agenda that seeks partnership in industrialisation and trade. Coming just after the recent road show and investment summits in Canada and the United States (US), strictly speaking the southern African engagement, (in South Africa and Namibia), must not be seen as one of those banal foreign investment perambulating tours! Using the good old instrumentality of State visits, the recent push is meant to consolidate on the Bi-national Commission (BNC) between Nigeria and South Africa resuscitated after last year’s Yellow Card controversy which saw 125 Nigerians deported from that country, that was reciprocated by the deportation of 28 South Africans from the Murtala Muhammed airport by the Nigerian authorities. In the same vein, Nigeria and Namibia are now seeking to expand their bilateral relations beyond technical assistance and moving instead, into the realm of investment and capital repatriation. For instance, how Nigerian concerns can take advantage of that country’s salt deposit and have its businessmen on ground in that sector. Unfortunately, an increasing wave of violence, which has again exposed the papered security challenges at home forced Jonathan to cut short his trip. Now, the leaders gathered in Cape Town were actually looking at how to drive development on the continent such that our children’s children by 2063 can see the trajectory from fragility to stability In the last decade, the continent has slowly been emerging from being mainly associated with economic stagnation, high inflation, high external debts, and civil strife, into a situation of significant macroeconomic, structural, and political reforms. The forum in Cape Town maintained that economic growth has averaged 5 percent annually in the last 10 years. But despite this recent economic growth success story of the continent, infrastructure deficit t across transport, energy, and communication remain binding constraints to further growth acceleration, the ability to compete as well as poverty reduction. It has been said that due to the relatively poor infrastructure and low connectivity on the continent, it now has the lowest level of interregional trade. While Africa accounts for about twelve percent of the world’s population, it’s share of global trade is just about two percent, reflective of the fact that African economies are less diversified compared to other regions in the world. President Jonathan acknowledged this much when he said at the forum that, “poor infrastructure serves as additional burden and cost to our businesses, making it difficult for them to compete, and accompanied by structural and high level of unemployment. To effectively tackle these challenges, diversify our economies, reduce poverty and provide employment opportunities for our bulging youth population, we must build necessary infrastructure in Africa across transport, communication and energy sectors” What Nigeria Wants From Partners AVING identified the infrastructural deficits, president Jonathan then laid on the table what Nigeria expects from her partners in the wake of the privatisation of the total power sector in Nigeria excusing only the transmission company, which has been is concessioned to a private firm’s management. The Nigerian leader disclosed that Africa’s giant expects an annual $10 billion investment to follow for the next decade. Generally, Nigeria and South African governments signed nine Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) and agreements, which they hoped would strengthen bilateral relations between the two countries.

Jonathan (right) with Zuma

Jonathan’s Mission In Southern Africa: What Gains? The agreements are in the areas of defence cooperation, waver of visas on diplomatic and official passports, cooperation in legal field, oil and gas, geology, mining and mineral processing, and metallurgy. Others are on women and child development, power sector development, cooperation in the field environment, and information and communication technology. In this regard, the Nigerian president told his hosts “South Africa and Nigeria are critical countries in Africa and must work together so that Africa can move forward in the drive to boost the standard of living of our people. The world expects so much from us, we must cooperate and work together, so that we will not fail the world about these expectations,” His counterpart President Jacob Zuma was more reserved. Mainly, he noted that the Nigerian president’s visit “generated interest and excitement” in South Africa. Yesterday’s Road And Today’s Immediate Gains HEN South Africa emerged from the apartheid yoke, it also diluted the influence of countries such as Nigeria and Libya. But as far back as 1996, an investment forum between the two countries had identified agroallied business, tourism, mining, as well small and Medium scale Industries as areas where cooperation was desirable. Since 1999, bilateral relations between Nigeria and South Africa have been co-ordinated by a BNC. There was a hiatus between 2008 and 2012, but renewed interaction at the highest level of political leadership has brought to the fore potential synergies between the two countries. At the resuscitated BNC (8th session) in May

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last year, all the moribund issues again littered the table. They were subsumed under the omnibus agreement on Economic and Technical Cooperation. Wherein work was done on Mutual administrative assistance on customs matters and among others, a Trade, Industry and Finance Working Group was raised. Arguably, Nigeria is West Africa’s economic powerhouse. It is estimated to be growing six percent a year, contributing more than 40 percent of West Africa’s gross domestic product (GDP). Nigeria ranks seventh in terms of South Africa’s trade partners in Africa, and it enjoys a surplus trade balance attributable to a high demand for its crude oil in South Africa. More than 100 South African companies operate in Nigeria. These companies have come from the financial services and retail sectors, among others, but the telecommunications sector has been a shining example. MTN is a significant player in Nigeria and Broadband Infraco, a state-owned enterprise, is a top-tier investor in the West Africa Cable System, which also lands in Nigeria. Now, collaboration between Nigeria and South Africa in the area of power may be mutually beneficial. The South African firm Eskom is thought to offer massive intellectual capital, skills, technology and experience in both generation and transmission. It is actually looked upon as the best on the continent, producing 60% of Africa’s power and ranking highly among its peers in the world. To deepen the industrial capacity of both countries, co-operation needs to extend to investments in agriculture and agro-processing, mining, oil and gas. The MOU signed is expected to be in aid of this.

There is a school of thought, which says that the relationship between South Africa and Nigeria needs to be managed more carefully owing to the fact that the cultures of the two countries seem to place serious premium on hierarchy. It may therefore serve both nations well if the BNC is supplemented by regular summitry between leaders at the topmost level, at least once a year to track progress. The thinking here is that a more direct and regular interface will dispel any tension and misperceptions between Nigeria and South Africa that have even led to xenophobic attacks in the past.

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Furthermore, a bilateral air-services agreement signed in October last year should allow South African Airways (SAA) to use its Nigerian route optimally as part of its long-term turnaround strategy. While Nigeria’s geographic location also makes it a possible secondary hub for SAA. Therefore, the warm relations now being created between the two countries present commercial opportunities for both state-owned companies and broader SA Incorporated. There is a school of thought, which says that the relationship between South Africa and Nigeria needs to be managed more carefully owing to the fact that the cultures of the two countries seem to place serious premium on hierarchy. It may therefore serve both nations well if the BNC is supplemented by regular summitry between leaders at the topmost level, at least once a year to track progress. The thinking here is that a more direct and regular interface will dispel any tension and misperceptions between Nigeria and South Africa that have even led to xenophobic attacks in the past. When this happens, the estimated 1.5 million Nigerians living in South Africa may no longer be walking the country’s streets under a cloud of stereotypes. In this regard, both sides would have to make the Joint Presidential Council on Investment operational. What is being expected with the agreements signed is the removal of all impediments to free access to business. Nigeria has to try to match the number of South African companies operating on her shores. In the days ahead, both sides should be clearing the fog leading credence to the belief that there are some seemingly unfriendly laws in South Africa targeted at Nigerian businesses and potential investors. The big profits being regularly declared by MTN, Multichoice for instance swallows up the $200 Standard Bank said it brought into Nigeria in 2007. And then the big question: How can we get Nigerian banks registered in South Africa whilst Nigeria clearly wants a friendlier financial operations regulation in that country? So, the immediate gains can only be seen for now as the requests tabled on the ground, the agreements signed and the understandings reached. But these would only become tangible when their fruits start falling down

THE GUARDIAN, Sunday, May 12, 2013

INTERNATIONAL POLITICS

CAR: The AU, Nigeria And The Unspoken Issue By Oghogho Obayuwana Foreign Affairs Editor

S the continental leaders under A the banner of the African Union (AU) prepare for their summit in Addis Ababa later this month, there has been no pre summit preoccupation by contact groups, the national units of countries as well as the AU commission itself on what can be likened to be a sensible African response to the shame in Central African Republic (CAR) Two months after renegades truncated yet another African democratic government in CAR, that country continues to slide towards possible anarchy in the absence of an African Union (AU) intervention. And yet a sensible AU intervention beyond condemnations and imposition of ineffective sanctions is the most potent panacea to the political crisis in that country. Landlocked, CAR- a country of some 4.2 million people is itself, surrounded by unstable countries including Chad, Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). When the rebellion made advancements early in the day, attempts by some African Countries including South Africa to intervene fell through in a manner that should highlight a possible Nigerian success had Africa’s giant been involved as has repeatedly been demonstrated in flashpoints where she took up the gauntlet or led other states to achieve a peacekeeping goal. South Africa quickly withdrew its 200 troops stationed in Bangui, after 13 of her soldiers died during the insurgency leaving the country more vulnerable to external (beyond Africa) manipulation. By the beginning of this month, the number of people who had fled from the Central Africa Republic rose to 37,000 since the start of a rebellion in December last year according to the United Nations (UN) figures. Over the last six months, another 173,000 people have become internally displaced owing to the unrest. And there are genuine fears that the situation could get out of hand if democratic order is not quickly restored. The questions have then arisen: What should be Nigeria’s role in CAR at this moment? Why does the AU seem to be letting down the continent again in this instance? And if the Michael Djotodia- led junta fail ultimately to manage the state of affairs, should the watching world witness another external intervention possibly again from France to put a house (that was not in disarray in the first instance) in order? The Current Situation Junta leader Michel Djotodia has since suspended his country’s constitution, dissolved parliament and declared transitional rule. The former diplomat turned rebel leader, whose Seleka coalition took over the capital Bangui in a weekend assault, said he would rule by decree until elections are organised in three years. “I consider it necessary to suspend the November 27, 2004 constitution, to dissolve parliament as well as the government,” Djotodia declared to a bewildered nation. “During that transition period which will lead us to free, credible and transparent elections, I will legislate by decree,” he added. That was then. Now, last week the new transitional ruling body- The National Transitional Council (CNT) met to work on the means to legislate and to prepare for elections in the wake of a March

coup. The body is due to is due by the 21st of this month, to set up its own regulations, adopt a transitional charter and pass a decree setting out an electoral code. “The transitional parliament will enjoy the full legislative powers accorded to an ordinary parliament... apart from no-confidence votes,” CNT chairman AlexandreFerdinand Nguendet told the assembly later. The Council had on April 13 transmuted Michel Djotodia into a head of state for a transitional period of 18 months, will serve as both governing body and constituent assembly. The creation of the CNT was one of the recommendations of a summit of central African leaders in Chad’s capital N’Djamena held last month in a bid to restore normality to institutions in the country. Political parties have 24 representatives in the new assembly, while Seleka has 15, including Djotodia. What Role For Nigeria? When the rebels ousted former president Francois Bozize (Who then fled across the Oubangui river to Cameroon) last March, about 180 people including the country’s head of Parliament and two army Generals sought refuge in the Nigerian embassy in the country’s capital-Bangui. It then fell on the Nigerian ambassador to CAR Prince Roland Ola Omowa to ensure that the about 3,000 Nigerians living in that country kept their cool. They were told that Abuja would do everything possible to secure their lives and property. The ambassador was actually in Nigeria to deliver a special message from the ousted Bozize to president Goodluck Jonathan when the rebels struck. Lamenting the fate of CAR, his well considered opinion is that Africans must find solutions to African prob-

lems. Found out by the Guardian, he disclosed that the colonial interests in the Country has meant that it is constantly watched over and while the discovery of oil and the entrance of China as a player in the CAR economy has not gone down well with entrenched interests. He also spoke at length on what he thinks Nigeria’s role in the CAR should be. “Yes, there is nothing wrong if Nigeria stations troops in CAR. That country and its leaders adore Nigeria and looks to Nigeria for continental leadership. But it has been abandoned over the years. Those who are of the opinion that we should build on our healthy bilateral relations are correct. We can have a security partnership. And why not? If France, a former colonial power always has troops stationed on the ground” He added” He continued: “If we had a standby crack force, say a brigade with all the components. 50,000 troops stationed somewhere in the region armed to the teeth, should there be a problem (and in Africa you will always have this sort of problem), it can be taken care of with an African solution and France would not have to meddle of the country. But now that some gun wielding fellows have chased away a legitimate government, they can always do it again” Yes, president Goodluck Jonathan and fleeing Bozize met weeks before his ouster in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea during the South, South leaders summit. But considering its security challenges and the dictates of its economic diplomacy, Nigeria may have opted to focus more on the West African Sub-region for interventionist purposes. Thanks to a high-level source at

the ministry of foreign affairs, who said as a response to an enquiry: “It is imperative that we allow the continental instrument to take care of that... It has been discussed and this is the federal government’s position” Nigeria established diplomatic relations with CAR in 1960. The mineral rich country gained independence from France just two months earlier than Nigeria. WHERE IS THE AU? So far, the United Nations (UN)’s reaction to the CAR crisis has been a warning that the region has little absorptive capacity. On its part, the AU had in January this year warned against any form of coup in CAR. So the body knew it could happen in CAR but had absolutely nothing to offer in terms of pre-emptive measures or an activation of any early warning systems response. The AU urged that the rebels (now in charge) should consider holding elections in one year. African leaders including South African President Jacob Zuma then met in Chad’s capital N’Djamena to hash out a regional response to the coup. Encouragingly, the AU’s commissioner for peace and security Ramtane Lamamra, insisted that, “the best transitions are those that are short,” “There have been other examples in Africa where just a year was needed to return to constitutional order. We think this is possible, but it is left to the Central Africans to decide,” He added. From experience, how can a junta decide that without some heavy continental pressure? The way and manner Bozize fled was not dignifying. But beyond that country’s suspension, there has not (unlike the United Nations Security Council emergency talks) been any emergency meeting on the CAR at the

instance of the AU. Without a Standby Force, the AU had only suspended CAR (routine action) and imposed sanctions on rebel chief Michel Djotodia. Besides, another instance is the fact that ousted president Bozize had accused Chad of helping the rebels that toppled him. Has the AU investigated this sufficiently? What strings are being pulled to discourage or sanction states that help foment trouble in complete disregard of the sovereignty of neighbours and other states on the continent? THE REAL ISSUE But, conflict resolution experts say more is needed beyond condemnation of the coup in the mineral-rich former French colony. The CAR is rich in gold, diamonds and more. Its brand of wood is considered the very best in the world. But acute political turmoil, social unrest and successive rebellions have prevented any significant exploitation of such resources since independence from France in 1960. From intelligence now gathered, colonial France, not the Junta in Bangui could be the one actually in control of affairs in CAR. Paris has since sent additional troops to CAR even as the tottering country does not now have an organised military. Oil was recently discovered in CAR. The coup happened just when it seemed efforts were being made to galvanise the critical mass needed to get out of the country from poverty. After a long period of a sense of despondency, China was invited to help in the oil exploration and then this trouble came. The coup, by the thinking of observers, came as if to stop the Chinese embrace. There are three standard hospitals in Bangui; this including the city stadium and a five star hotel were all built by China. Is it then the case of keeping African presidents in power so long as that leader does the bidding of a neo-colonial master?

TheGuardian

62 |Sunday, May 12, 2013

Sports Conscience, Nurtured by Truth

Nigeria’s Legion Of Lost Athletes By ADEYINKA ADEDIPE and ENO-ABASI SUNDAY IKE other professionals, athletes also look for environment Lwhere they can flourish and make better living. The lure to move from one country to another in search of the proverbial greener pasture is also rife among athletes, especially those from the developing countries where conditions do not favour their progression. However, such athletes must be good at what they are doing, that is, they must have the potential to win medals. With their talent, they also seek to have better opportunities, which encompass good living environment, good training facilities, adequate and respectable remuneration and excellent coaching with regular participation in international competitions. While some denounce their country of birth to pitch their tents with a new one at will, other athletes wait for major championships before defecting. One of the largest defections in history took place at the 1956 games in Melbourne, Australia. As the Hungarian national team was competing at the Olympics, Hungary was in the midst of an uprising against the Soviet Union. Tension between the two seemed apparent at the games during a violent water polo match in which a Hungarian athlete left the pool with blood streaming down his face. When the games ended, the 83-member Hungarian team had the choice to either go home or start a new life elsewhere. More than half of the athletes ended up defecting, seeking asylum in the United States. Again, at the 1972 Olympics in Munich, 117 athletes defected, according to news reports, the largest of any Olympics in history, although scant details are available about who escaped and to where. The 1976 Games in Montreal saw fewer defections, but the Olympics did see the Soviets accusing the Canadians of kidnapping and brainwashing, as reported by UPI. Last year, athletes from Sudan and Cameroun defected at the Olympic Games in London with some making their way to France to seek asylum and hopefully continue their sporting careers. If the paper works that would allow such athletes stay legally in their new country are not forthcoming, they jettison their careers and settle for menial jobs, taking consolation in the fact that they have left their hostile country behind. Nigerian athletes have also had to dump their country and the reason for this is the haphazard nature, which the business of sports is conducted in the country. In Nigeria, athletes are not given the necessary incentives to develop their skills. It is not uncommon to find athletes eating beans and garri after a hard day’s training while some even go for training on empty stomach. In advanced countries, athletes have dieticians who give nutritional tips to them. They also ensure that athletes get the right type of foods or combination of foods that would enhance their development, and enable posses the right amount of energy to do well at national and international competitions.

Further more, apart from the availability of doctors who attend to the medical needs of athletes abroad, the athletes are barred from buying drugs across the counter without prescriptions unlike what is obtained in Nigeria and some in some other developing nations. One important element in the development of athletes is the availability of funds for the execution of training programmes. But now, except in few sport’s federations’, athletes are hardly given grants to undertake training tours prior to major championships. With this unreliable arrangement, the athletes are left to play second fiddle to others who come from countries where proper organisation is the norm. These are part of the reasons that explain why many ambitious athletes move to countries where issues concerning athletes are taken seriously. In countries where athletes are the major actors in the sports sector, they are well treated by the officials. The athletes in return are bound to reciprocate by discharging their functions with patriotic zeal. But in Nigeria, the reverse is the case, as the administrators take better care of themselves and their stooges. This they do to the detriment of the athletes. It is commonplace to see Nigerian officials shopping at international competitions instead of discharging their roles and showing interest in the welfare of the athletes. In fact, they careless about what the athletes are doing in their respective events. The list of Nigerian athletes that have found succor in other countries is endless and Daniel Igali, a Nigerian-born Canadian Olympic champion is one of them. For one who is engaged in combat sport, giving up easily is a great disincentive while a resilient spirit and a life of great stoicism constitute valuable innate tools of the trade. With inter-school sports competitions being the only platform to test his strength in sports, inner cravings saw him elevate his act to another level in a community where vessels of deprivations and under-development are never in short supply. But bent on extricating himself from extreme poverty and living life to the fullest, he stuck to wrestling, which provided him a lifeline. Before wrestling his way to the summit of the sport in the world, Igali who captained Nigeria’s wrestling team to Canada for the 1994 Commonwealth Games encountered a barrage of encumbrances, both natural and man-made, but his resolve not to give in saw him through. The seven-time Canadian champion (1997-2003) was discovered in his village after a wrestling contest in 1988 by the Late Nicholas Egbete. He was thereafter brought to Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital to take part in an intra-local government wrestling competition. At that event, Jackson Bidei spotted him and he was eventually taken to Port Harcourt for concentrated coaching. Despite showing so much promise, Igali, who was groomed by Rivers State, for some strange reason, was deemed both too young and not good enough to represent the state at a national championship, which was held in Makurdi, Benue State in 1990. “Because of that, a decision was made for me to only observe the championship and learn from it? Somehow though, a counter decision was made that it would be better for me to actually participate and get the hands-on experience. I therefore was loaned to Borno State. Curiously, I ended up winning the national championship and taking home the Nigeria national title in Greco Roman 62 kg that year,” he had told The

THE GUARDIAN Sunday, May 12, 2013

Igali

Guardian. That episode opened the floodgate of honours, awards and titles that accrued to Igali in droves as within a decade, he moved from being an African wrestling champion to being the first Canadian male to win the title of Wrestling World Freestyle Champion, and a gold medalist for wrestling at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games. After the 1994 Commonwealth Games, Igali remained in Canada. And just before he was due to return to Nigeria, he realised that Canada could offer him the athletic training and educational opportunities that he craved. He stayed back and earned a degree in criminology from the School of Criminology, Simon Fraser University, Canada, where he also won 116 consecutive wrestling matches at the school from 1997 to 1999. Within this period, he placed fourth at the 1998 World Championships, finished second at the 1998 World Cup and won a bronze medal at the 1999 Pan American Games. He capped all these up at the 2000 Summer Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia, where he won a gold medal in the Men’s 69 kg freestyle wrestling. When Igali was conferred with a national honour by the Federal Government alongside sporting greats Kanu Nwankwo and Chioma Ajunwa, a number of persons questioned his qualification for such honour considering the fact that he had dumped Nigeria to pick up Canadian citizenship and went ahead to represent that country at the Sydney Olympic Games. But the truth is that the multiple Nigeria national champion did the needful in his bid to represent the country, but was treated with ignominy by the powers that be. Hear him, “I decided to represent Canada in 1998 after I had made three attempts to represent Nigeria on three occasions. These were in 1996, 1997 and 1998. I was rebuffed on all three occasions. My university in Canada even insisted on paying my transport fare down to Nigeria for the trials, but I received deaf ears.” Asked if he would attribute his stellar career and attainments as world and Olympic champions as a consequence of his decision to represent Canada, he elected to wax philosophical. “I am one, who firmly believes that God pre-ordains one to become whatever he or she would ultimately become in life; to that extent, I would say God may have devised a way to get me to the top of my sport even if I had competed for Nigeria during the years that I was on the Canadian national team. “However, when looking at the reality of sports administration and participation in Nigeria, I would say it would have been next to impossible for me to have attained the status of world and Olympic champion in wrestling, if these same sports policies prevailed in the late 1990’s and early 2000. I say so because I saw so many athletes in the Nigerian national team in the 1990’s with enormous potentials, who never fulfilled their dream on the mats. I also weep secretly some times when I see a couple of young athletes who I currently have on my team, knowing that they may never achieve their true potentials because of the lack of support from the sports system in Nigeria. It is quite sad.”

Alozie

Igali is not alone in this ugly web. One-time Africa ‘s fastest man, Olusoji Fasuba in February last year, dumped Nigeria and joined the Royal Navy, where he says he hopes to someday represent Britain at a Winter Olympics.” Fasuba, an Olympic bronze medallist and an indoor 60m world champion, who completed a nine-month training to become a logistics specialist in the Royal Navy, had won bronze in the 4x100m relay at the 2004 Athens Olympics, gold in the 100m and 4x100m relay at the 2007 All-African Games and gold at the 2008 Indoor Championships in 60m. Earlier in 2006, he set an African record in the 100m (9.85 seconds), just 0.27 of a second slower than the fastest man in the world, Usain Bolt. Before finally parting ways with Nigeria, Fasuba had been threatening to do so alleging that sports officials in the country treated its elite athletes with contempt and disdain. He particularly frowned at the attitude of sports administrators who treated athletes like cash cows and allegedly dumping them the moment they were injured or facing trying times. One of the strongest messages Fasuba sent out regarding his disenchantment was at the 2007 All-Africa Games in Algiers when he refused to celebrate with the Nigerian flag after winning the 100m race. Doing his lap of honour, he was handed the Nigerian flag thrice and thrice he rejected it continuing his celebration without the Nigerian flag. One of Nigeria and Portugal’s most glamorous athletes, Francis Obiorah Obikwelu also falls into his category. While competing for Nigeria, Obikwelu was Africa’s 100 meters and 200 meters king. Running into a number of hitches with athletics’ officials in the country at different times, he bore his pains in his strides until he acquired Portuguese citizenship in 2001. Obikwelu brought glory to his adopted country at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece, where he finished second in the 100 meters and won the first silver medal ever in a sprint event for Portugal at the global games. The former 1996 world junior champion in 100 and 200 meters, in 2006 at the European Championships, won the gold in the 100 meters and 200 meters and became the first athlete to win both events in the same Euro championships since 1978. Gloria Alozie became African champion twice when she was competing for Nigeria. Before then, she was the world junior 100meters hurdles champion from 1986 until she graduated to the senior level. To date, she still holds the African record at 100 meters hurdles and became a Spanish citizen in 2000. However, many believe that the death of her fiancé, Hyginus Anugo (who was a 400m runner) in an auto crash when they were out representing Nigeria and the circumstances that followed contributed to her making the exit. But in an interview afterwards, she cleared the air on what led to her dumping the country for Spain saying, “... a lot of things have been said on my moving on to run for Spain, but there was more to it than what some people think. I went through a lot when my fiancé died. I was frustrated and encountered a difficult time taking his corpse home. The Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) never called a press conference after his death or showed any form of care. I felt abandoned and still went on to run at the Sydney Olympics, where I came second on that fateful day of September 30, 2000. But in all honesty, my fiance’s death was not the

Fasuba

major reason for my defection, whatever happened I did it just to improve my career. “When I came to Spain, I saw life from a different perspective. It was then I decided that I had to take a drastic decision if I must excel in my career as an athlete. I made up my mind that the only way for me to achieve my goal is to become Spanish. I did it because of my future even though lots of people read meanings to it. It was not an easy decision for me as a Nigerian, but what must be done has to be done. I never knew my defection would cause Nigerians heartache, I just felt it wasn’t a big deal after all. I have lived in Spain long enough to know its culture, besides, my club was in Spain, so I never saw my defection as a big deal until I was told how Nigerians reacted. It is now that I try to put Nigeria first in all I am doing here in Spain, when I realised how painful it was for people to take it. “It was important I acquire Spanish nationality to secure my future. A lot of people said I went to Spain for the money, well if I needed money I would have opted for an oil rich country like Qatar, but money was not the driving force behind my defection,” she added.

Born in Lagos State, Florence Ekpo-Umoh is now a German sprinter, who ran the first leg of the 400 meters relay for Germany at the Beijing Olympics. She last competed for Nigeria at the 1994 World Junior Championships before defecting to Germany in 1995 during a training camp there. She got married to her German trainer in 1998 and was granted German citizenship in 2000. Since 1998, she has represented the sports club, USC Mainz. Unlike the quartet of Igali, Obikwelu, Alozie and Ekpo-Umoh, who were given birth to and raised in the country, former British, Commonwealth and Olympics champion, Christine Ohuruogu was born to Nigerian parents in Newham, East London. Ohuruogu, a graduate of University College, London, who won Great Britain’s 50th gold medal in athletics (400 metres) at the Beijing Olympics, felt it was just appropriate for her to represent the country, which nursed her from birth. Other Nigerians born in Britain and donning British colours at international meets include Olympic silver medalist, Phillip Idowu (triple jump), Abiodun Oyepitan (100 meters), Joyce Maduaka (100 meters), Emeka

TheGuardian

Sunday, May 12, 2013

Conscience, Nurtured by Truth

Wigan Athletic’s midfielder Ben Watson (left) watches as his header beats Manchester City’s goalkeeper, Joe Hart (second left) to score the winning goal in the English FA Cup final football match at Wembley Stadium yesterday.

FA CUP: Wigan Shocks Man City To Lift Trophy EN Watson’s last-minute B header gave Wigan the FA Cup for the first time in their history as they provided one of the competition’s great upsets by beating Manchester City at Wembley. Watson turned home Shaun

Maloney’s corner to flatten 10man City, who had Pablo Zabaleta sent off near the end. It was a deserved triumph for the Latics, for whom Callum McManaman was outstanding, and completed a personal dream for chairman Dave

Whelan, who broke his leg in the 1960 final. But for City, it means a trophyless campaign and raises further questions over the future of Roberto Mancini, who may be replaced by current Malaga boss, Manuel Pellegrini in the

Record Breaking Lampard Lifts Chelsea RANK Lampard etched his Fbooks name into the history by deposing Bobby Tambling as Chelsea’s record goalscorer with a match-winning brace against Aston Villa. The England midfielder, restored to the starting XI ahead of Wednesday’s Europa League final, cancelled out Christian Benteke’s opener with a sweet left-footed effort just after the hour mark before sealing the points - and the record - with close-range

effort three minutes from time. That left him with 203 career goals for the Blues, a fitting landmark forged over 12 years at Stamford Bridge. How many more he will be able to add is open to question, with no contract extension yet signed, but the affection in which he is held by both team-mates and fans was clear in the ecstatic celebrations that followed his second goal. Victory in a dramatic match that saw both Ramires and

Benteke sent off for two yellow cards effectively assures Chelsea’s Champions League status next season, while leaving Villa still in the relegation equation. The first half had been such a different story, Villa ending it 1-0 up and with a man advantage. Villa fashioned a neat passing move in the second minute, building from the back and gaining momentum when Fabian Delph powered past Ramires in midfield.

summer. The pre-match touchline conversation between Mancini and chairman Khaldoon alMubarak would have been interesting considering the rumours flying around about the potential recruitment of Pellegrini. After all, City were aiming to land meaningful silverware for a third successive season for only the second time in their history. It is true to say City’s targets have changed markedly thanks to the money invested by Sheikh Mansour, but, as Roman Abramovich has discovered, and Tony Fernandes has done so painfully this season, money guarantees nothing. The Blues supporters certainly made their feelings known, chanting Mancini’s name at regular intervals and coming out with something pretty unkind about Pellegrini, who

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has confirmed he will leave Malaga in the summer. It was not that long though before they were starting to becoming critical of their own team. For Wigan, boss Roberto Martinez came up with an ingenious way of trying to overcome the massive odds stacked against his team. In leaving Arouna Kone and McManaman upfield even as City pressed, he forced the Blues to temper their attacking instincts, denying them the width which adds to the obvious danger their flair players pose. When the half-time whistle blew City could claim most of the best chances. But in Joel Robles, preferred in goal to Ali Al Habsi, Wigan had a keeper in form. The Spain Under-21 star turned away an early effort from Yaya Toure and denied Sergio Aguero and Samir Nasri later in the half. In the middle was the best of the lot as Wigan’s notoriously flaky defence parted to let Nasri through, which allowed David Silva to set up Carlos

PHOTO: AFP

AFN Boss, Nesiama, Gets Africa Athletics Post HE Technical Director of the T Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), Navy Commodore Omatseye Nesiama has been nominated to serve in the Technical Commission of the Confederation of African Athletics (CAA). Nesiama was picked as AFN Technical Director after the death of Sunday Bada. His arrival has brought some turn around into the federation. Nesiama led Nigeria to win African Championships in both the senior and youth categories in Port Novo, Benin Republic and the recently concluded AYAC in Warri, Delta State, where he served as tournament director. Nesiama also introduced steeple chase event, national relays and road race into the AFN calendar of events, just as he led effort into making incursions in the long distance and walking races, where Nigerian athletes have recently won some laurels. In a letter signed by CAA Secretary General Lamine Paye and made available to The Guardian yesterday, it was stated that Nesiama’s nomination was enabled by Articles 8.3.1.6 and 8.3.10 of CAA Statutes. “Accordingly, Navy Commodore Nesiama is henceforth entitled to sit at Committee/Commission meetings that deal with the technical management of Athletics and formation of continental teams in Africa,” Paye said.