Sun 25 May 2014

Democracy: COVER 18

The Pains, The Gains Since 1999

S U N D A Y

e D i T i O N

POLITICS 57

CITYFILE 6

BUSINESS 34

Edo APC:

Residents want

SMEs Struggle Under

To Your Govt’s Intervention Tents, Oh On Ajao Estate-Oke Partisans Afa/Ejigbo link Road

Inconsistent Policies, Poor Funding

TheGuardian Conscience, Nurtured by Truth

Sunday, May 25, 2014

Vol. 30, No. 12,932

N300

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Help Fight Terror, Aliyu Begs IBB, Others From John Ogiji (Minna) and Isa Abdulsalami Ahovi (Jos) ORTHeRN leaders and former heads of state have been urged to assist governors from the region curb the Boko Haram menace within three months.

Governor of Niger State and Chairman of the Northern States Governors Forum (NSGF), Dr Babangida Aliyu, who expressed concern about the insurgency in the North, made the plea, yester-

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•Military Not Overwhelmed, Says Defence Chief day, at the maiden convocation ceremony of the ibrahim Badamasi University, Lapai (iBBUL). He pointed out that activities of the islamic fundamentalists have completely destroyed the economy of the north.

Gov. Aliyu noted that, with

concerted efforts from former heads of state and other leaders from the North, the security challenges in the states would be crushed within the next three months. “i call on General Abdulsalami Abubakar to invite general Danjuma,

Shagari, Babangida, to come together and help the NSGF end the scourge of Boko Haram in the next three months,” he said.

Aliyu’s plea came just as Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh, reiterated his unflagging con-

Another explosion in Jos - Page 2

fidence in the country’s armed forces, saying that the fact that the Military could not summarily end the Boko Haram insurgency does not mean that it is overwhelmed.

Badeh stated this in Jos when he visited the scene of Tuesday’s twin blast that killed many and destroyed property worth millions of Naira. The blasts took place along the busy Murtala Mohammed Way near the Terminus Market.

The CDS, who spoke to journalists on why the insurgency is spreading to other places from its original target of Northeastern part of the country, said the insurgents are moving away from the North east because of the pressure the military is mounting on them.

“So, the North east is no longer a safe place for them to operate and they are moving to other softer targets. That is CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

2015: Save Nigeria, Cleric Urges Politicians • PDP, APC In Fresh Blame Game Over Insecurity

By Kamal Tayo Oropo (Lagos), Azimazi Momoh Jimoh and Nkechi onyedika (Abuja) iNe months top the 2015 N general elections, Primate of All Nigeria

Real Madrid Rules Europe Again Real Madrid’s goalkeeper, Iker Casillas (centre) and teammates celebrate with the trophy after winning the UEFA Champions League Final game against Atletico Madrid at de Madrid at Luz Stadium in Lisbon… yesterday. Real Madrid won 4-1 PHOTO: AFP

(Anglican Communion), Most Rev Nicholas Okoh, has appealed to politicians to work hard to save the country from anarchy and disintegration.

The warning came as the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC), yesterday, traded accusations over ‘political events’ in Gombe State. Reacting to APC’s allegation that the ruling party in the state had clamped down on its members, destroying their property, the PDP, through its Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh, accused the opposition of deliberately trying to undermine the existing peace in Gombe. Metuh CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

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NEWS

APC Crisis Deepens, As Meeting Fails To Resolve Conflicts

By Kamal Tayo Oropo HE leadership of the All T Progressives Congress (APC), during the week, failed to resolve the crisis tearing the party apart in a number of states, particularly ogun, where the APC has been factionalised.

It was gathered that, rather than alleviate bad blood, the party’s mid-week interim exco/stakeholder meeting in Abuja failed to calm frayed nerves, leaving gladiators to go back and re-strategise. ogun State governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, as well as former Lagos State governor, Senator Bola Tinubu, were said to have either walked out of the meeting or threat-

ened to do so at different times.

Even the party’s Interim National Vice Chairman (Southwest), former governor Niyi Adebayo, was said to have openly distanced himself from Tinubu’s decisions, as well as those of the Interim National Chairman, Chief Bisi Akande.

Governor Amosun, addressing the meeting comprising 19 leaders of the party, described the ogun State APC as stable, saying that the crisis had been resolved. This position apparently annoyed one of the national leaders of the party from the state, Mr. Yemi Sanusi, who, while giving his account, contradicted the governor.

Sanusi, who is the only mem-

ber from the state at the national exco, insisted that the party in the state needed urgent surgery to cure it of the virus threatening to snuff life out of it. He said the ope Salami committee sent to the state to conduct the congress was a sham; he called it a “kangaroo committee.”

But, as he was still giving graphic details of the crisis in the state, Governor Amosun, who felt slighted by the socalled “truth” about the state of the party in his domain, abruptly stood up screaming and ordering Mr. Sanusi to “shut up and keep quiet.”

Amosun’s outburst reportedly caught many party chieftains unawares. Former Anambra State governor, Dr. Chris Ngige, reportedly

reminded Amosun that his reaction fell short of gubernatorial expectations.

The governor threatened to walk out on the meeting, after which he sought permission to leave, saying he had a meeting to attend to with the former Mexican president, Mr. Vincente Fox, who was in the country to attend the ogun State Investment forum.

Efforts by Tinubu to call Amosun back failed, while Zamfara State governor, urged the meeting to continue.

In apparent reference to Gov. Amosun’s outburst, Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams oshiomohole, alluded to the fact of the crisis when he said that it is worrying that some of the party’s state governors are trying to completely hijack the

structures in their respective states. He apologised for the negative press report the Edo APC had attracted. “I wish Governor Amosun was here with us. I cannot deny the fact that we have some crisis in my state, but we are doing all that is possible to address and resolve it”, he said. He also lamented how he, alongside other governors, had advised their ogun State counterpart.

Meanwhile, Adebayo pointedly distanced the party from the decision, as announced by Akande, over the nomination of Alhaji Kawu Baraje as chairman of the convention planning committee.

Akande had stood up to inform party members of

the decision to adopt Baraje, but Adebayo sought to know what Akande meant by “we” and insisted that he was not a party to such decision.

Consequently, Sokoto State Governor, Alhaji Aliyu Wammako, was adopted instead. The same process led to the adoption of Dr. Chris Ngige as the secretary as well as rejection of Lagos for Abuja as the venue for the convention, holding on June 13 and 14.

All unresolved crises by the harmonisation committee, emanating from the state congresses would now be tabled at a national council, which will submit its findings and decision to the national executive committee of the party for adoption.

PDP, APC In Fresh Blame Game over Insecurity CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 accused the APC of fueling violence and insurgency in the Northeast through its body language and utterances.

Yesterday’s altercation between the PDP and APC was the first after The Guardian exclusively reported “unofficial ceasefire agreement” by politicians to support the fight against terror.

Rev. okoh noted that the first project in the 2014 and 2015 politics would be to ensure survival of the Nigerian State without which there would be no platform for political activities.

Addressing the First Session of the ninth Synod of the Anglican Diocese of Abuja held at the Basilica of Grace, Gudu, he warned that “if politicians mismanage the 2015 politics, refuse to recognise the limits imposed by decency and our collective desire for survival as a nation,” the aftermath would disband the political corps itself.

According to the primate, it is in the interest of politicians that Nigeria survives.

The cleric stated that the ongoing National Conference is a great opportunity to speak frankly to ourselves about our past, present and future, adding that the conferees should be courageous enough to discuss knotty issues of reoccurring religious crisis, loss of lives and property in the country.

He pointed out that efforts should be made to ensure that the time, finance and energy committed to the

Confab are justified. on the continuous crisis between herdsmen and farmers in the country, the cleric said the permanent solution to the crisis is to encourage animal husbandry through ranching.

According to him, the crisis between the herdsmen and farmers will naturally intensify due to the fact that in their encounter, a means of survival of one group is enhanced. okoh, who decried the high rate of unemployment in the country, said the disaster and national embarrassment caused by the huge number of applicants who were unfortunately mismanaged by their handlers across the country is a warning that frustration arising from unemployment is growing steadily an could explode in ways the nation do not anticipate.

National Chairman of Labour Party, Chief Dan Nwayanwu (Right), Ondo State Governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko, Labour Party Governorship Candidate in Ekiti State, Hon Michael Opeyemi Bamidele, his running mate, Alhaja Mariam Ogunlade, and the Ekiti State Chairman of LP, Akinbowale Omole, at the Labour Party Mega Rally, in Ikere-Ekiti, on Saturday.

Military Not overwhelmed, Says Defence Chief CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

matter how many goals the goalkeeper catches, nobody will remember. It is that lone goal that has been scored that people will not forget. That is exactly what has happened here.

“Nigerians should be patient, and everybody must contribute, giving informa-

what is happening and we will follow them,” he stated, adding that the Boko Haram insurgents are mere cowards going after softer targets.

According to him, “coming to the market to kill…the poorest of the poor in society (is very bad); what they (the Boko Haram sect) are trying to do is just to intimidate us. But you know that terror will not deter us from being Nigerians. We will continue to do what we By Isa Abdulsalami-Ahovi are doing. We will continue to ARELY a week after twin live our lives. Terror will not bomb blasts ripped succeed. We will eventually overcome it,” Badeh said. through a market in Jos, the on the possibility of hav- Plateau State capital, killing ing Improvised Explosive more than a hundred perDevices (IEDs) waiting to sons, another explosion has explode, Badeh praised securi- been reported in the city.

Reports said the blast, ty agencies in the country, saying they are doing so much which occurred at about (so) that “if we tell you the 9pm yesterday happened number of arrests and the near a viewing centre along number of things we thwart, Bauchi Road, near the of Jos. you will always be scared. University Residents described the “We have been catching these people (insurgents). You know explosion as deafening.

It was reported that the that, in a game of football, no blast occurred when an explosive device on a suicide bomber detonated, shortly before the bomber reached the viewing centre, believed to be his target.

A source said response by emergency teams was

tion, no matter how little.

Find somebody and give him information. Call emergency number 112 on your GSM even if you don’t have credit.

Report it. Somebody will take action,” the defence chief stressed.

Badeh instructed the

Plateau State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Chris olakpe, to discourage those trading near the roads, adding that the casualty figure would not have been much if roadside traders had stayed off the way. on the entourage of the

Defence Chief are the Commander, Special Task Force, Major-General David Enetie, Former General officer Commanding 3 Armoured Division, MajorGeneral Awala, and other senior military officers. .

Five Feared Killed In Fresh Jos Explosion B

delayed for fear a second explosion could go off.

Some residents who rushed

to the scene of the blast, which rocked the city about a week ago, had been caught in

a

second explosion.

As at press time, there had been no reports of casualties.

LASU Strike: Govt Calls For Dialogue AGoS State Government L on Saturday appealed again to striking LASU workers to embrace dialogue instead of continuing with their industrial action, which it described as an unnecessary drawback for its spirited efforts to boost the academic standing and reputation of the institution.

While explaining its stance on the various issues raised by the lecturers, the State Government said the strike is a crude attempt to force new terms and conditions of service on the university without due regard to their

practical feasibility or the State Government’s interests and perspectives as employer of labour, proprietor and sponsor of the university.

A statement signed by the State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Lateef Ibirogba, and released to The Guardian said, “the striking members of the local branch of Academic Staff Union of University (ASUU) appeared to be whipping up sentiments to justify a premeditated industrial action, as all the points they advanced could not even be properly

classified as trade disputes that could warrant an “Indefinite Strike Action.”

The lecturers’ union executives, according to him, have in an attempt to rush out on strike, evaded all attempts to make them follow due process and engage in reasoned dialogue as regards the issues raised, most of which, he said, were not at all contemplated by the terms and conditions of the lecturers’ employment as well as it’s financial and academic plan.

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Sunday, May 25, 2014

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Sunday, May 25, 2014

NEWS Public Service, A Glorious Venture, Says Obi ORMER governor of AnamFdescribed bra State, Mr. Peter Obi, has public service as a glorious venture. He said this yesterday at the Holy Rosary College, Enugu, when he visited the school.

Mr. Obi exhorted the students to view education as the most potent tool for global competition. Recalling the old song that education is valuable but hard to acquire, he called on them to be blind to pleasure and easy things of life and pursue their academics with all seriousness.

On what he might likely be doing after serving out his second term, Obi said that, as former governor of Anambra State, education was one of his priorities, which led to the return of schools to their missionary owners.

Representative of Chief Edwin Clark, Prince Oghene Egoh (left); Chairman South-South (PDP) Forum, Lagos, Prince Friday Atang and Lagos State PDP Chairman, Capt, Tunji Shelle during the South-South for Goodluck Jonathan Must Run rally in Lagos…yesterday.

PHOTO OSENI YUSUF

Anti-terrorism: Clark, George, Others Urge Nigerians To Back Jonathan

By Seye Olumide ORMER Federal Commissioner for Information and Ijaw national leader, Chief Edwin Clark, and former Deputy National Chairman, South West zone, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olabode George, have called on Nigerians to support President Jonathan in the ongoing fight against terrorism, and also disregard enemies of democracy bent on frustrating the President from seeking a second term in office.

The duo spoke yesterday at the Jonathan Must Run rally, organised by the South-South PDP Forum, Lagos chapter, saying, there wouldn’t have been the need to make such call if those insisting Jonathan must not run have been democratic in their action.

Clark, who was represented at the event by Prince Oghene Egoh, appealed to Northern elders and the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to embrace the tenets of democracy by leaving the decision to vote for, or not, for Jonathan to the electorate, if

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his party presents him.

According to him, “I want to appeal to the Northern elders to be patient because four years is like a second in the life of a nation. We are all witnesses in this country to the fact that the South waited patiently for the North when five presidents from the North succeeded themselves for a period of about 26 years as follows: Shehu Shagari was succeeded by Maj-Gen.

Muhammadu Buhari (Rtd), then Gen, Ibrahim Babangida, Gen. Sani Abacha and then Gen. Abdulsalam Abubakar.

“These Northern presidents ruled for over a period of 26 years consecutively.”

He said it is infuriating, naïve and provocative the call that Jonathan should drop his second term ambition because of the ongoing Boko Haram insurgency, saying: “The murder of innocent people by the sect

should be a sad thing that all Nigerians must condemn.”

George, who was represented by the Lagos State chairman of the PDP, Chief Tunji Shelle, said instead of listening to those who were out to truncate democracy in the country “the truth is that Jonathan has carried the affairs of this country with all dexterity.”

Assuring South-South people that the South West is solidly

behind them in their quest for Jonathan in 2015, he said: “It is also important they throw their full weight behind whomever the Lagos PDP presents as its governorship candidate in 2015.”

Present at the rally were the Grassroots Development Initiative (GDI), led by Chief Mrs. Daba Obioha, representatives of the Igbo group in Lagos, the Arewa group and others.

Auditor General: Groups Oppose Brown-Njokanma’s Appointment From Hendrix Oliomogbe (Asaba) and Geoff Iyatse (Lagos) ELTA State government has come under pressure to look elsewhere, rather than yield to the manipulations of Mrs. Mary BrownNjokanma for appointment as Auditor General, a position that has not been filled since the immediate past holder, Mr. James Iwube, retired.

A group has filed a petition against Brown-Njokanma, the current Local Government Auditor General, saying her breach of civil service

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• ‘She Has Breached Civil Service Rules, Ethics,’ rules in a bid to occupy the position brings the accounting profession into disrepute.

In the petition obtained by The Guardian, the group said Brown-Njokanma was not seconded to her current position, as she claimed, but was duly transferred.

But the Head of Service, Mr. Paul Evuarherhe, said nothing stops the government from redeploying the embattled Local Government Auditor General to the controversial office.

Evuarherhe, who was reacting to the mounting criticisms at the weekend said only the governor can decide whether Brown-Njokanma merits the appointment or not.

He said this, just as he confirmed that concerned groups alleging misconduct have filed petitions at the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). He, however, said that the avalanche of petitions would not deter the state government from redeploying her to the vacant of-

fice, since no anti-crime agency has indicted her for any misconduct.

Evuarherhe said there is nothing wrong if her name is among those submitted to Governor Uduaghan for consideration for the position and that it is the prerogative of the governor to send a nominee to the House of Assembly for consideration.

He said if Brown-Njokanma could be deployed from the state to local government audit, she could also equally be redeployed to the state if it pleased the governor.

Thugs Shoot Man For ‘Vandalising Political Billboards’ From Hendrix Oliomogbe, Asaba OR allegedly burning the billboard of one of the governorship aspirants of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in next year’s election at Agbor, Ika South Local Council of Delta State, a middle-aged man, Sunny Okonye, narrowly escaped being killed Okonye, a hotelier, was shot on the chest, hand and leg, and is presently battling to survive the wounds. He said the incident happened last Sunday at Isede Street, Boji-Boji Agbor.

In pain, he explained that he was wrongly accused of pulling down the billboard of the governorship hopeful. And that the assailants, who did not give him any chance to defend himself, shot him and left him for dead.

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Okonye said four men in a Mercedes Benz car, armed with pump action rifles intercepted his vehicle. His denial was rebuffed, as the gang leader ordered his boys to kill him. Okonye added that when they started shooting, he tried to escape and ran to a nearby

police station where he received a report that enabled him seek treatment at a hospital.

Okonye said: “I did not pull down any billboard. I was wrongly accused. I don’t even know where they were mounted. One of the attackers came to me and talked about

the damaged billboard. I told him that I don’t know anything about it. I don’t know if there is any reason for the wrong accusation. They don’t know me; so I was totally surprised when they accused me of pulling down the billboard.”

The police in Agbor have yet

to make any arrest but the Delta State Police Public Relations Officer, Mrs. Celestina Kalu, confirmed the shooting, explaining that the police have stepped up investigation into the matter with a view to prosecuting the culprits.

Vet Doctors Advocate Laws To Curb Abuse Of Animal From Msugh Ityokura, Lafia IGERIAN Veterinary MedN ical Association, Delta State chapter, has called on the State House of Assembly to enact laws that would give right to people to institute legal actions for and on behalf of animals treated cruelly.

The association, which

made the call on the occasion of 2014 World Veterinary Day celebration held at Asaba, also advocated stiffer penalties for quackery, animal abusers and their patrons.

In an address read by the chairman, Dr Augustine Ojogbo, the association stated that the constitution holds that any person who is guilty of an offence of cruelty

to animals is liable to imprisonment for six months or a fine of N50 or both.

But the association noted that in Nigeria, despite the backing of the constitution and various animal rights laws, there is lack of information on successful prosecution relating to cruelty against animals.

According to the associa-

tion, it is an offence if any person beats, kicks, ill-treats, over-rides, over-drives, overloads, tortures, infuriates or terrifies any animal or causes or procures or being the owner, permits any animal to be so used wilfully without any reasonable excuse, administers any poisonous or injurious drug or substance to any animal.

Grace School: ‘Sports Is Potent Tool In Developing Talents’

HE role of sports as a tool T for developing the talents and potentials of students cannot be overemphasized, said the Administrator, Grace Schools Gbagada, Lagos, Mrs. Tokunbo Edun. Edun, who noted that sports is critical to developing the innate endowment of students, spoke during the announcement of the annual inter school football competition organized in memory of the school’s founder, Deaconess Grace Oshinowo. She called for collaborative effort to further ignite the passion of students through sports to achieve well-rounded scholars. According to her, the annual football competition has become an avenue for discovering future talents in the game of football, for which Nigeria is known worldwide.

Ohanaeze Appoints Okereke As Int’l Coordinator From Gordi Udeajah, Umuahia HANAEZE Youth Council (OYC), the youth wing of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, the apex Igbo socio-cultural organization, has appointed US-based founder and publisher of Nigeria Masterweb, Charles Okereke, as OYC’s international coordinator, ambassador-at-large and media consultant. According to his letter of appointment dated April 17, 2014, jointly signed by Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro and Okwu Emmanuel, National President and Secretary General, respectively, Okereke, would “establish OYC structures all over the world and facilitate their inauguration in conjunction with the national executive council of OYC.”

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CVL Holds Prayer For Chibok Girls ENTRE for Values and C Leadership and the Art of Living Foundation is organizing a one-hour prayer and meditation session for the release of schoolgirls kidnapped in Chibok, Borno State. The event will hold 9am today at the CVL House, Victoria Island, Lagos.

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Sunday, May 25, 2014 NEWS

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Lawmakers, Cleric Condemn Schoolgirls’ Abduction From Chuks Collins, Awka, Isaac Taiwo (Lagos) HE Anambra State House of Assembly has condemned the recent abduction of more than 200 schoolgirls by Boko Haram few weeks ago.

Calling on Federal Government to intensify efforts to rescue the girls, the lawmakers said such actions would encourage effective tackling of the menace of terrorism in the country.

In a related development the Archbishop of the

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Province of Aba and Bishop of Aba (Anglican Communion), the Most Rev. Nkechi Nwosu has deduced that the abduction of Chibok girls by Boko Haram sect is commensurate to mortgaging the future of Nigeria since these girls are part of the future generation of Nigeria.

Speaking on Saturday during the second session of the second synod of the Diocese of Isiala Ngwa South, which was held at St. Mary’s Church, Mbutu-Ukwu, Abia State, with the theme, ‘King-

dom Investment’, Nwosu described what is happening in the nation as worrisome and embarrassing, adding that the handwriting was already on the wall when some sections of the country without respect for the Federal Government and the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria declared to run their states with another law called ‘Sharia.’

“We needed no soothsayer to tell us that we would definitely run into problems when all these started. I feel

sorry for these girls, their parents and their relations while my prayer is that the intervention of the United States of America and other countries that have decided to come to our rescue would yield positive results and all the girls will regain their freedom.

“Terrorism is a battle you do not know who your enemies are and it becomes more complicated in Nigeria because with the kind of sophisticated weapons members of Boko Haram Is-

lamic sect are armed with, it is apparent that they not only have international backing, but also sponsors within Nigeria,” he said.

Nwosu, who urged the participants at the National Conference to focus on those discussions that would bring lasting solutions to the quagmire in the nation said it is better for the nation to remain as one.

“All we need to do is to work together, believe in ourselves and put our trust in God to help us,” he said.

Bride, Christiana Moyosoreoluwa and Groom Ebenezer Olugbenga during their wedding ceremony held at Eternal Sacred Order of Cherubim and Seraphim, Monut Zion, Igbala; Sango, Ogun State...yesterday.

PHOTO: AYODELE ADENIRAN

Assemblies Of God Crisis: EFCC Probes Church’s Finances From Lawrence Njoku, Enugu NOTHER chapter has been A opened in the crisis rocking the Assemblies of God Church as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has begun a probe into the finances of the church as well as alleged purchase of N220 million property in Germany by the church.

Already some key members of the church have been interrogated by the commission over the development, while others said to be involved in the scam have gone into hiding.

The probe is sequel to a petition by a faction of the church led by the Assistant General Superintendent, Rev Chidi Okoroafor who alleged that it was neither privy to the Germany property, discussed nor approved of it.

A group from the Church alleged that the property whose purchase was said to have been completed in 2011 does not exist, adding that its embattled General Superintendent, Prof. Paul Emeka had solely engaged in the transaction.

But Emeka in a swift reaction told The Guardian that his predecessor, Rev. Charles Osueke, commenced the process of purchase of the

property with an initial deposit of N20 million, adding that his administration continued with the transaction when he came on board four years ago.

He stated that the transaction was completed from a loan secured from the GTBank, adding that the entire transaction was based on the decision of the executive council of the church.

Emeka informed that Okoroafor and the General Secretary of the Church Rev. John

Ikoni had all gone to Germany and ascertained the authenticity of the property, stressing that the documents for the transaction are in the possession of the church’s legal department.

Addressing a press conference in Enugu at the weekend, a faction of the executive committee of the church, said they decided to petition the commission over the Germany property following the discovery that funds accruing to the church

was used to settle loan obtained for its purchase.

A member of the Executive Committee and District Superintendent, Lagos Mainland, Rev Ejikeme Ejim, who spoke on behalf of the members said: “The investigation by EFCC is in respect to the purchase of property by Rev Emeka in Germany. He claimed he bought a property for us in Germany and we are saying where is the property and where are the papers? That is

why we decided to take the matter to EFCC.” Speaking on ways of restoring peace to the church, Ejim said it is for Rev Emeka to accept his suspension, withdraw processes he filed in court and apologise to the committee as well as retrace his steps on certain action he had solely carried out, which were not in tandem with the church administration, adding that neither the court nor police had ever settled church issues.

Nigeria Loses 10 Per cent Revenue To Lack Of NQP, Says SON From Itunu Ajayi, Abuja HE Director General of the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Joseph Odumodu, has revealed that the country loses up to 10 per cent in revenue in its non-oil sector to the absence of a National Quality Policy (NQP).

He said for Nigeria to be able to compete favorably with other African countries and the rest of the world, it needs a functional NQP. Odumodu made these assertions in Abuja at the SON’s quality policy Steering Committee on NQP. He informed that countries like Kenya, Ghana, South Africa and Namibia have NQP and some

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of them are at the verge of reviewing their policies while Nigeria is yet to have one.

Explaining what usually takes place whenever farm produce from Nigeria is being exported, Odumodu said foreign countries do not want to accept these produce because Nigeria does not have a globally accepted standards for such produce. This Odumodu said has made the county lose not less than 10 per cent on earnings from such produce, adding that this development has adverse effect on farmers who cannot compete financially with their counterparts in other parts of the world.

His words: “If you want to ex-

port cocoa today from Nigeria, you will find out that the cocoa would not attract same intonation in price in the international market because when people buy it in Europe and America, they insist on measuring it again because cocoa has a challenge of heavy metal in it and they insist they cannot accept it like that, what they do is discount the price by 10 percent of its value, which is a huge loss for Nigeria.

“This is because Nigeria does not have an accreditation body. This body actually ensures that there is certification of all laboratories in Nigeria, which is linked to other laboratories all over

the world in such a way that when you test a product in Nigeria, the certificate issued is accepted all over the world such that no one need to test your product again and it would attract the same financial value in the international market.

“Nigeria through the industrial revolution plan is looking at adding value to our primary commodities instead of exporting them raw, that would again lead to job creation. From the document we have, we see a chance that over $500m can be saved over a period of first five years from implementing this policy this year,” he said.

We Will Overcome Boko Haram, Says Obanikoro

By Tope Templer Olaiya he Nigerian Navy has been T urged to commit itself fully towards the ongoing fight against insurgency and Boko Haram the Islamic sect.

The Minister of State for Defence, Musiliu Obanikoro, who gave this charge at the weekend in Lagos during a visit to the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) QUORRA, Apapa to kickstart this year’s Navy Week marking the 58th anniversary of the Nigerian Navy, also called for vigilance by the officers and loyalty to the Commander-in-Chief.

According to the minister, the nation’s naval operations have contributed immensely to the development of Nigeria, particularly in the maritime sector, with policing operations specifically aimed at checking crude oil theft, illegal bunkering, piracy/sea robbery and illegal fishing, among other vices.

He reaffirmed that the Nigerian Navy had been unrelenting in its operations to protect the nation’s maritime environment against all forms of threats to the country’s interest. “Some people see the amalgamation of Nigeria as a mistake, but the strength of our armed forces, the Nigerian Navy inclusive, has been a blessing to Africa and the entire world. It is our obligation to protect this cherished history.

“This anniversary and the entire activities of the Navy Week is important for us to reflect on the successes of the last 58 years and rally round other forces to stamp out the roots of insurgency in the country. Nigeria has served us; let us all join hands to serve Nigeria. Let us be vigilant and remain loyal to the Commander-in-Chief and our commanders,” he said.

Noting that Boko Haram is not Jonathan’s problem alone to deal with, Obanikoro said: “If anyone kill a person, it is like you have killed humanity; and if anyone save a life, it would be as if we have saved the whole humanity. Now is the time the nation looks on us to quell this insurgency, a threat to one is a threat to all.

Aspirant Backs Jonathan’s Second Term Bid

By Ijeoma Opara Federal House of RepreA sentatives aspirant, Prince Oghene Egoh, has commended efforts of the ‘Goodluck Jonathan Must Run Rally’ while condemning those who want to undermine the President’s constitutional right to run for a second term.

Speaking at the rally, which was held yesterday at the Lagos PDP Secretariat, Egoh said efforts to deny Jonathan his constitutional right comes from enemies of democracy.

He noted that it is worrisome to move against Jonathan’s interest to contest for a second term as a result of activities of insurgents, saying the country should rather join hands with the presidency to stop the crisis.

TheGuardian

www.ngrguardiannews.com

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Sunday, May 25, 2014

Conscience, Nurtured by Truth

Cityfile

Who Is Responsible For This Road?

Fatai Atere/Creseada Junction on the service lane near Toyota bus stop, Lagos State

PHOTO: CHARLES OKOLO

Residents Want Govt’s Intervention On Ajao Estate-Oke Afa/Ejigbo Link Road

By Daniel Anazia OMMUTERS passing through the Ajao Estate-Oke Afa/Ejigbo link road are experiencing difficult times, as a result of chaotic traffic situation.

When the Lagos State government disclosed that it would construct the road, residents in NNPC, Oke Afa, Cele-Egbe, Ikotun, Ijegun, Abaranje, Isheri-Oshun, Idimu, Isheri-Olofin, Igando and others greeted the news with joy. They had believed that the construction would ease the pains they go through to get to their places of work everyday. It was expected to free them from the terrible gridlock they face on the Mushin-Isolo-Jakade-Ejigbo road.

With the ongoing hectic traffic situation in the area, however, it appears the purpose for constructing the road might have been defeated.

Several roads that connect the link are regrettably narrow and in deplorable states and are unable to withstand the pressure of heavy vehicular traffic witnessed daily.

The government, while commissioning the link, had promised that it would also construct adjoining Kolawole Shonibare

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(Elengaza) and Ati Okoye streets. Three months after, nothing has been done. Instead, the roads have gone from bad to worse, especially Kolawole Shonibare, which leads to some factories, warehouses, schools and hotels in the area.

A trader at Ladipo spare parts market, Mr. Chukwuka Maduegbuna, described the situation as a nightmare. He said: “I don’t take my car to the market anymore because of the gridlock. Everyday, the traffic condition gets worse. Recently, I spent about two hours to get to 7&8 junction. The problem is that these roads (Kolawole Shonibare and Ati Okoye) that have been designated one-way are terrible. They require urgent attention. Government should tar the roads.

“The rain is here and you know that whenever it falls, the roads are waterlogged. The governor did well by constructing the link, but people will be more appreciative if he expands narrow streets, like Alhaji Atobajeun and Robinson Gbagi, which serve as alternatives to motorists.

Agnes Oyeniyi, who works in Ikeja, lamented: “I left my house by 7am and expectedly I should be in the office by 7.30am and then go in for a meeting at 8am. But here am I still trapped in

traffic at 8:50am. If I knew this would happen, I would have taken a motorbike. I don’t know what I’m going to say to my boss. It is really frustrating.

“Government should tar the roads (Ati Okoye and Kolawole Shonibare), since they have designated them one-way. Also, officials of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) should tow away trailers and other vehicles parked indiscriminately on the road. These vehicles obstruct the free flow of traffic.”

According to Francis Olisaemeka, an IT engineer, “The pathetic condition people are subjected to daily is worrisome and demands urgent attention from the authorities. I find it difficult to understand what actually causes the gridlock, morning and the evening, and why government is not doing anything about it. This is really getting out of hand.

“This is a waste of man-hours that could be committed to productive use. On several occasions, it has adversely affected my business appointments. I seldom take out my car. If I have an appointment, I simply take a bike to 7&8 junction and then pick a cab. It is expensive but it saves me a lot of stress.”

WARRI: Residents Applaud ‘First’ Sanitation Exercise

By Daniel Anazia T was mixed reactions last Saturday, as Warri, hitherto known for filthy and illegal structures witnessed what many called ‘first-of-its-kind’ environment sanitation exercise.

While some commended the government for a job well done, others, however, knocked it for destroying their means of livelihood.

The aim of the exercise, The Guardian learnt was part of the state government’s effort to rid the city of its image as one of Nigeria’s dirtiest cities; inculcate in the people proper waste disposal habits; restore sanity to urban life and prepare it to embrace the mega city status, as well as restore health to the people and attract investments as part of government’s commitment to the ‘Delta Beyond Oil’ initiative.

The state government had in recent times embarked on a

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massive demolition and sanitation exercise that would enhance aesthetics and improve the cleanliness of Warri as an urban city centre.

And with the new look, many residents have commended the state governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, for taking the bull by the horns, as the three councils — Warri South, Udu and Uvwie, which make the city, are now beginning to wear a different look.

The exercise, which began from 7am and lasted till 12pm, was carried out under the supervision of government officials and law enforcement agents, with a total restriction order on movement in and out of the city.

Many residents came out to participate in the exercise, clearing bushes and drainages within their surroundings amid fun, laughter and exchange of banters. According to them,

the exercise is a welcome development and should be a continuous process.

Mr. Vincent Nwaehike, a community leader in the city in a telephone conversation with The Guardian, praised the governor for carrying out the exercise, stressing that it is first of its kind in Warri and Effurun.

He said, “It is a welcome development and we would like it to hold often, may be once in three months. Though we have been having the monthly sanitation exercise, this is a different thing and it is the first time such exercise will happen since I have been resident in Warri.

“Unlike the usual monthly sanitation exercise, there were no vehicles on the road and people took it seriously because government was serious about it. Before the day, there were announcements on radio and television.”

THE GUARDIAN, www.ngrguardiannews.com

Sunday, May 25, 2014

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CITYFILE LAGOS’ TRAFFIC: ‘How To Beat The Gridlock When Rain Falls...Heavily’ Water Water Everywhere... A flooded road, following a downpour

By Femi Alabi Onikeku T goes without saying that in Lagos a heavy downpour will Iparts almost certainly be followed by intense gridlock in several of the city. The city, however, has two kinds of drivers.

The first are the regular motorists. Interestingly, that doesn’t mean they are not peculiar; these can manoeuvre through the naughtiest of gridlocks, intimidate lily-livered car owners at junctions, drive on ‘illegal’ one-way roads without being ‘arrested’ by the police, and even outwit the city’s dreaded Vehicle Towing Cabal (VTC). Yet, they are nothing compared to the second category – those residents who can successfully take home their vehicles when there is a heavy rain and nervewracking holdup. Here is a comical take on how to beat the congestion.

O you know when I arrived home?” Shola asked a colleague, “D switching his eyes to full beam for emphasis. He was speaking about the heavy downpour that jostled residents on the night of Wednesday, May 14, 2014. “I got home at 1.32am.” And as if the colleague was hard of hearing, he repeated, “1.32am!” But there is

nothing strange about that; many residents now and again have to knock on the locked gate of some premise at uncanny hours.

Shola’s frustration stemmed from the anguish of having to leave the office at 7pm for a journey, which at worst-case scenario should have found him at home by 9pm. He was six hours on the road!

But if Shola spent six hours, he was very lucky. Tayo spent only one hour in the gridlock. For the remaining 12 hours, his car was stuck.

“My brother, it was hell,” he said pathetically. “Some vehicles began to make a turning off the road, as the rain intensified. I followed them. It was my worst traffic experience,” he lamented. “We had begun to drive through a street when a truck ahead of us broke down.

As we attempted to reverse, another truck at the rear also broke down.”

One trick is stay back in the office and snore away until the wee hours when all ‘madness’ would have subsided. This advice is very crucial for people trying to make their way to the Ikotun axis, through Isolo-Jakande road or Oke Afa-Ejigbo. It also applies to motorists plying the notorious stretch between Sabo and Yabatech, and several other trouble spots. But if your office lacks a place to lay one’s head for the night, then you can hit the road, paying attention

ANAMBRA: N10b Roads Construction Project Flagged-off N furtherance of the Continuity Agenda of his government success of the state’s agricultural programmes, Obiano said: Iflagged-off on roads, the governor of Anambra State, Willie Obiano, has “We will keep a close eye on the progress and quality of work the construction of more roads in the state at a cost of over N10b.

The roads include the 27-kilometre Amansea-NdiukwuenuAwa-Ufuma road; 4.5-kilometre Ndiukwuenu-Okpeze road; and the 5.5-kilometre Amansea-Agu-Awka old road.

Speaking during an inspection of ongoing projects in the state, Obiano expressed satisfaction at the quality and pace of work so far, and noted that the roads under construction are vital to food basins in the state. According to him, “the roads are peculiar as they traverse four local government areas of Awka North and Awka South, as well as Orumba North and Orumba South. And when completed they will facilitate the evacuation of agricultural produce from the food basins.”

Emphasizing the importance of good road networks for the

done on these projects because we are determined to ensure that we achieve one of our targets in agriculture, which is selfsufficiency in food production and food security for our people.”

The Amansea-Ufuma road, which was awarded March last year has two bridges and culverts and will be completed within the next 18 months. The 4.5-kilometre Ndiukwuenu-Okpeze road has one bridge component and is on schedule, while the Amansea-Agu-Awka road is to be completed in six months.

At the Amansea-Agu-Awka road flag-off, Obiano called for vigilance among indigenes and residents of the area. He enjoined them to report suspicious movements and strange characters promptly to security agents to forestall any threat to peace and security.

Behold Abdullahi, The Cobbler Philosopher

By Femi Alabi Onikeku HE meeting would commence in an hour’s time. And pretty T Helen was miles away from home. Amid the rush of passengers to board the bus, someone accidentally stepped on her sandal. CUT! There was little sense getting on the bus; she could not imagine walking into the office with grinning footwear. Then a cobbler appeared. She heaved a sigh of relief.

For many, like Helen, needing repair for an embarrassing malfunction, or shoes painted with mud or dust from deplorable roads, or even residents weary of travelling miles to the nearest market or thoroughfare for mending services, the timely appearance of one of these footwear fixers is saviour-like. The Guardian ran into one such recently.

He looked thirty-something. Abdullahi, however, insists he is just 20. “Twenty! You can’t be serious. But you look much older.” Abdullahi replied: “Na because I do suffer work.” Unlike many of his kind who might speak the Hausa language or even French, Abdullahi, who said he hails from Niamey in Niger, is restricted to his native dialect and small English.

While he busied himself at mending, the conversation turned to his family; after all he had admitted he had a wife. “But aren’t you too young to man a woman? “No,” Abdullahi returned.

Back at home, according to him, when you are 15, a girl would be brought to you. It sounded like a nuptial boon. “So, how many children do you have?” “None yet.” “But how many do you hope to have: 10…20…100?” he was asked with tongue in cheek.

For Abdullahi, he would have as many as God gives to him.

And if the assertive tone with which he dropped his answer were anything to go by, he meant every ounce of what he had said. Then he waxed philosophical: Worrying about what the yetto-be-born would eat is inconsequential. God gives children. And God will take care of them. God conceals from parents what the unborn would eat. But when eventually the child appears, there is a corresponding divine budgetary allocation released into the family.

If you still have not got it, here is the analysis: there’s no need to factor your present income or financial capacity into how many children you will have. Bread will appear automatically as the children emerge. Clearly, the Ministry of Health and proponents of Family Planning might not have been doing their work or have been shoddy about their sermons.

to the following: Never switch off the engine even if you purchased the vehicle from the factory that morning. It will not start until boys from Ladipo spare parts market finger it. The explanation is a little complex. It’s not that the engine can’t be trusted; it’s a mysterious ‘something’ about rainfall and engines on Lagos roads that even scientists can’t explain.

If you have premonition that your engine will betray you, and you don’t want an additional rain of curses from angry motorists accusing you of complicating matters with an engine failure, then you had better done this: park the car, grab a sausage roll and a bottle of soft drink (you will always find these on sale), and wait for the ‘storm’ to pass. Look around after a while, you will find you have influenced some drivers already imitating your wisdom.

Do not take orders from everybody executing the duty of a traffic warden. Disregard especially Danfo bus conductors and appropriate every opportunity to step on the accelerator. Those guys are not out to serve your interest, but that of their drivers some 20 cars away on the queue. However, make sure you obey the following: uniformed personnel; uniformed and armed personnel, even if all they carry is a soldier’s belt; or any armed person, whether in uniform or not. This simple tip could save your windshield from being shattered, or your wife from becoming a widow.

Wives! That’s a reminder. It’s a general rule of traffic in the city: DON’T MESS WITH ANYBODY’S WIFE! You could end up biting more than you can chew. On days when the rain is pouring down furiously, these women are more desperate than you are to return to base. Therefore, they will not ‘give you road’. Meanwhile, nine out of 10 women drivers in Lagos, especially the thickset ones, are wives of police or military officers. You certainly don’t want to be a bloody civilian.

If you are a private car owner, pray seriously before you decide to follow any Danfo driver that veers off the main road for some of those magic alternative routes, especially the ones at Ejigbo; your car might never return in once piece.

Whether it rains cats or dogs, maintain your speed. Be not unnecessarily fearful of potholes, thereby slowing down whenever you approach one. They are the same crevices you have always known, except this time, they are filled with water. And think of it, the presence of water could even make passing over them a less discomfiting activity.

If and when you successfully meander out of the gridlock, resist the temptation to over speed in frustration over lost hours; you might hit anything from a broken down PSP truck to a late night bread seller, and unfortunately start a fresh round of gridlock.

Now that you have followed these instructions and have arrived home successfully, CONGRATULATIONS! It is going to rain heavily again some day, and you will once more pass through the eye of the storm. But don’t worry. Be patient. Things will get better. The Lagos State government will eliminate all potholes, repair all bad roads, and fix all drainages before the year 2020.

Believe it my brother. BELIEVE!

land. Even there, as Abdullahi suggested, life is hard. After a year, with harvest over, Abdullahi jumps on the next bus. Destination: Nigeria.

Average heighted and light-skinned, the cobbler was not entirely out of touch with the times. He fetched a red dual SIM mobile phone from his pocket. At least, one of the GSM lines had enough credit to flash. But getting him to pose for a photograph was not easy and snapshots had to be taken surreptitiously. According to Abdullahi, if his people saw his picture in a newspaper, they would become alarmed, fearing that some evil had befallen him. “But they would read the writing beside the picture, and know that it isn’t so.” “They no fit read,” he replied.

Job completed. It was time to pay Abdullahi for the work done.

He had been engaged in a conversation, perhaps like no other customer had ever done him. The cold silence that usually attended his services had been broken. Some warm familiarity had been built in its place. “So, how much am I to give you,” the question was put to him.

The walk through countless streets, the hot midday sun and cleverness of Lagosians might have conspired to make Abdullahi sharp. “Na you go know wetin you go give your brother,” he replied.

Hmmn…Suddenly, he had become my brother!

Safe Water For Ikorodu Residents Abdullahi

UT then, let’s return to the business of shoe repairs. AbdulB lahi said his everyday take-home, in recent times, has not been pleasant. On some gloomy days, he manages to rake in a paltry N300. It could be that Nigerians have become unwilling to part with lower naira denominations. Perhaps, less footwear needs repairs. Or worst, more Nigerians are learning to manage for longer periods their damaged shoes.

‘A market is always accessible by more than one road’, says a popular Nigerian adage. And while Abdullahi’s eyes remain targeted at breaking the poverty barrier, hitting the road to Niamey becomes a ritual he must undertake every two years or thereabout. Upon saving some money, he travels to the West African country to see his family, but most especially, to till the

By Paul Adunwoke UINNESS Nigeria Plc, under the Safe Water for Africa initiative, has provided potable water to residents of Sabo in the Ikorodu area of Lagos.

The project is a partnership between Water Health International (WHI) and a consortium of private sector organisations, one of which is Guinness Nigeria.

The Director, Corporate Relations, Guinness Nigeria Plc, Mr. Sesan Sobowale, said access to potable water would go a long way in combating the prevalence of water borne diseases among the citizenry.

In his remarks, chairman, Ikorodu Local Government Area, Hon. Sheriff Anipole, congratulated Guinness Nigeria for selecting his constituency as a beneficiary of the project. “We can assure Guinness Nigeria that this water is a blessing for our people,” he said.

The General Manager, Water Health International (WHI) Mr. Varma Ramakrishna, Nigeria said, the purpose of the partnership is to provide healthy drinking water to communities around the world.

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THE GUARDIAN, www.ngrguardiannews.com

NEWSFEATURE

Nigerians Applaud Fresh Court Ruling On FRSC’s New Number Plate From Itunu Ajayi, Abuja IKE an auctioneer would proclaim: “GOING! GOING!!...,” the infamous order by the Federal Road Safety Commission forcing new number plates and licences down the throat of innocent Nigerians might soon die of injuries from repeated collisions with judicial ‘trucks’.

“The respondent cannot force upon Nigerians a hastily conceived policy without any enabling legal framework. It is dictatorial and a violation of democratic norms to want to adopt that kind of approach concerning an issue with fundamental effect on the right to personal liberty and freedom of movement of citizens. Such attitude is unacceptable in a democratic dispensation,” said Justice James Tsoho in a 20-page judgement delivered in Abuja on March 26, 2014.

A lot of Nigerians are not yet conversant with the ruling. Many of the people The Guardian approached for reactions said they were not aware of the judgement, however, they applauded the court’s decision. Many motorists in the FCT had already procured the new number plate in anticipation of the October 1 deadline.

With the recent ruling, however, they are at a loss as to whether the FRSC would refund their monies or offer some form of palliative.

Collins Ema told The Guardian that the rate at which the country’s policy makers impose their will on the people is uncalled for. He said the good thing, however, is that people are beginning to ask questions. He was optimistic things would continue to get better. “Now that they are saying that there is no new number plate, my question is: what of the people who have bought theirs? I paid N30,000 for it. Are they going to refund my money?

With the little knowledge I have about Nigeria, when somebody has a little opportunity to hold public office, he looks for a way to bring up something that would generate money for him, not minding the feelings of people. For example, the VIO put out something they call an indicator on number plates. It does not serve any purpose, yet you have to pay N5,000 for it. Also was this park and pay issue. It was just someone out to fleece the public.

What was wrong with the old number plate? The excuse by the FRSC that they would track stolen vehicles does not hold water.

Even with the old plates, they can still track vehicles, if they have the technology. The only difference between the two is the map of the country, which is in the middle of the new one. Is it the map they want to use to track stolen vehicles?”

Theresa Igwe welcomed the ruling, saying the FRSC’s decision was cruel. “They ought to have said the new plates would be for persons who had just bought cars, so that those who have the old plates could acquire the new whenever their licences expire.

But no, they just gave a blanket order that everybody had to get the plate at a specific date. That alone could cause someone to have hypertension. That somebody took the FRSC to court shows that Nigeria is improving. I was very happy also with the court’s ruling on the park and pay policy. Things are changing.”

Ola Adedun said she could not “see any difference in the two plates. There was a time they made it compulsory; that we had to buy something they call an encoder, and we paid N5,000 to the VIO. Many of us did not even get the item after we had paid. I paid N35,000 for the new number plate. I am doubtful the FRSC would refund any money. Such things unfortunately do not happen in Nigeria. People should just go ahead with their lives and not waste their time asking for a refund. A lot of money has been collected from people by different agencies. They are just exploiting Nigerians.”

Adekola Olaniyan said he was happy when news of the judgement broke, especially after a Lagos court had ruled the same. He said it is time Nigerians began to take policymakers to task.

“Egypt is not up to half of Nigeria. Recall that they protested some years back because of an increase in the price of bread. Can that happen in Nigeria without the police teargasing innocent citizens? I think the judiciary should be given a thumbs up for these rulings, after all no one can prove that the judges had been compromised.”

He granted a mandatory order restraining the FRSC, its Corps Marshal and their agents from giving effect to the directive they made on September 30, 2013 until the expiration of the existing licenses being held by the plaintiff and others. The judge also declared that the purported declaration by the FRSC and its Corps Marshal is null and void and amounted to executive recklessness.

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HE myriads of complaints that greeted the scheme led two T lawyers to seek redress in court challenging the right of the FRSC to enforce new plates on Nigerians. Following a suit filed by one Emmanuel Ofoegbu (on September 30, 2013) challenging the

Ema

HE Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) was established T February 1988 by Decree No. 45 of 1988 as amended by Decree 35 of 1992. It was referred to in the statute books as the FRSC Act

FRSC men at work

PHOTO: NAN

powers of the Commission to issue the new number plates at a Federal High Court in Lagos, Justice James Tsoho said it was unlawful for the Commission to impose the plates on motorists, where there was no existing law permitting the same. He added that the issue of redesigning new plates by the respondent is not covered under the provisions of any law in Nigeria.

In Tsoho’s words: “While it is conceded that the respondent is vested with statutory powers and responsibilities by the Federal Road Safety Commission (Establishment) Act, 2007, it is obviously overreaching itself by its proposed action, which runs contrary to the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999.”

The judge continued: “Finally, I hold that the threats by the respondent to impound vehicles of defaulters, inclusive of the applicant over the redesigned vehicle number plates, when the plates in use so far have not been outlawed, amounts to an attempt at arbitrary use of power, which must be deprecated. I hold that the act of the respondent amounts to an arbitrary use of power, and is therefore illegal and unconstitutional. Judgment is, therefore, entered in favour of the plaintiff and all the reliefs sought are hereby granted.”

In the same vein, Justice Adeniyi Ademola of an Abuja Federal High Court last Tuesday restrained the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) from imposing the new licence and vehicle particulars on motorists whose documents had not yet expired. He upheld an earlier judgement in Lagos, which ruled that the FRSC lacked the constitutional power to compel vehicle owners to renew vehicle particulars, which had not yet expired.

Ademola declared the Commission’s planned enforcement of such a decision on vehicle owners as “ultra vires, null and void”.

He also granted all the relief sought by the plaintiff, Mr. John Musa, a lawyer. The plaintiff had joined the Commission and its Corps Marshal and Chief Executive, Osita Chidoka, as co-defendants in the suit.

Ademola said: “Judgment is therefore entered in favour of the plaintiff and all the relief sought are hereby granted, I so hold.

The Commission’s planned action is tantamount to executive recklessness, as the FRSC cannot amend any act of the National Assembly or promulgate another one. The court is also mindful of the recent judgment of a Lagos Federal High Court on the same subject matter, which I completely align with. The court, therefore, orders the Commission to stop forthwith its threat to start arresting vehicle owners accordingly, until the expiration of the extant licences.”

Adedun

cap 141 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria (LFN). This law was, however, passed by the National Assembly as Federal Road Safety Commission Act 200. The commission was vested with statutory powers and responsibilities by the Federal Road Safety Commission Act, 2007.

Prior to its establishment in 1988, the Federal Government had no oversight body on ground to check the activities of road users or reduce carnage on highways. There were, however, pockets of attempts by some states, individuals or institutions to rein in some form of control on roads. Of particular reference was Oyo State; it established the Oyo State Road Safety Corps, which made local input to the management of roads. This lasted till 1983, when the Federal Government disbanded it to make way for a harmonized agency.

The Commission has over the years made appreciable effort at curtailing the excesses of road users. At a time, drivers feared men of the corps more than they did any other road regulatory agency. Auto crashes were reduced significantly, and by implication, reports of deaths and injuries were minimised.

Apart from its traditional functions: preventing accidents, clearing obstructions on highways, educating members of the public on road use and recommending safety devices, the commission also has the statutory responsibility of designing and producing licenses for various categories of vehicle operators, determining standard requirements for applicants of the same, and designing and producing vehicle number plates.

The National Road Traffic Regulations (NRTR 2004), which made provision for the issuance of the old number plates is a subsidiary legislation made under the FRSC Act, Laws of the Federation as revised in 2004. The FRSC, however, introduced the idea of new number plates and licenses in 2012 and pronounced October 1, 2013 as deadline for compliance with the directive. The date was later revised to June 30, 2014. Many vehicle owners, however, did not welcome the decision, saying it was fraudulent and extortionist.

In defence of the new scheme, Corps Marshal, Osita Chidoka, during a public hearing by the Committee on Federal Character and Inter-governmental Affairs in March 2012, highlighted what he said were problems of the old number plate, stressing that security concerns necessitated the introduction of new plates and licences.

Senators on the committee were not particularly impressed; they queried why monies generated by the FRSC were not remitted to the Federation Account, as stipulated in section 8 (2) of its Act and also section 162 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and why Nigerians should be burdened with so much financial demand in the guise of acquiring new plates.

The committee chairman, Dahiru Awaisu Kuta, had said: “The main reason we are here is for Nigerians to tell us whether it is appropriate for the new scheme to come with high rates or not.

We are not here to victimize anybody. So, please feel free to make your representation.”

Chidoka explained that fees charged by the FRSC were fixed by the Joint Tax Board (JTB), and was shared on a 50-50 basis with the 36 states of the federation. He said the FRSC had an agreement with the office of the Accountant General of the Federation (AGF) and that it was impossible to remit funds within 24 hours as stipulated in section 8 (2) of its Act. He added that in 2011 alone, the Commission paid N1.4b into the Federation Account from penalties and fines.

“There were problems associated with the old system, which necessitated the upgrade. In 2008, we approached the tax board in Kano, which approved the new scheme. Nextzon and Price Waterhouse Coopers were commissioned on the scheme and they

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Sunday, May 25, 2014

THE GUARDIAN, www.ngrguardiannews.com

NEWSFEATURE Court Knocks FRSC’s Directive On Number Plates, Licences CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8 recommended that there should be a system where you tie the number plate to an individual, and not just the vehicle. From there, a database network is generated, which is shared with security agencies including the Police and the State Security Service (SSS). The data is also available online,” he said.

Thereafter, Chidoka explained the cost implication of the scheme and how the money is shared. “In the old scheme, FRSC takes N1,500 while the states take N3000. In this new scheme, the driver’s licence is N6,000 while it is shared N3,000 for FRSC and N3,000 for the states. For the number plates, the JTB took the decision that if you are changing from the old to the new, you would pay N10,000 while if it is a new purchase, it is N15,000. Nigeria is the only country where you pay one-off registration fees for number plates. It’s not true that the new scheme is designed to impoverish Nigerians,” Chidoka said.

In a report in the September 1, 2013 edition of The Guardian titled: “New Number Plate, Driver’s License: Nigerians Cry Foul As October Deadline Nears”, vehicle owners, however, faulted the new initiative. They decried the high-handedness of the FRSC for insisting on the deadline, irrespective of whether vehicles still have valid documents or not. Also, agencies saddled with the implementation of the scheme – the FRSC and the Directorate of Road Traffic Services (DRTS) popularly known as ‘VIO’ traded accusations and counter accusations.

While a lot of Nigerians may not necessarily be bothered by the financial implication of the new scheme, concerns were raised about its genuineness and integrity. A cross-section of Abuja residents bared their minds on the scheme. They expressed doubt on claim by the FRSC boss that his commission would be able to track stolen vehicles by the mere punch of buttons. In the newspaper report, a road safety official who took the reporter for a prospective customer had said

that only the Commission’s vehicles could be tracked from anywhere across the country.

Contacted on phone for the Commission’s take on the ruling and whether there would be respite for persons who had already obtained new number plates, Corps Marshal, Osita Chidoka, told The Guardian that he was out of Abuja. He, however, directed that enquiries be made to the Corps Public Education officer, Jonas Agwu, who was not on seat when The Guardian visited the agency’s headquarters.

Speaking on phone, Agwu explained that the Commission had already issued a press statement to that effect. But urged to make further clarifications, he promised to comment via email. Agwu acknowledged receipt of questions mailed to him, but as at the time of filing this report, he was yet to respond.

HE statement noted that the new directive is T in line with decisions taken by the Joint Tax Board at its 129 meeting held April 23-24, 2014 th

at the headquarters of Edo State Internal Revenue Services in Benin. It stated that the Board suspended the June 30, 2014 deadline earlier announced for change to the enhanced Motor Vehicle Number Plate and the Driving Licence pending the outcome of the appeal by the FRSC. It reads in part, “The States Internal Revenue Service, the Federal Road Safety Corps and Vehicle Inspection Offices have been encouraged to put all necessary logistics in place to improve motor vehicle registration and issuance of driver’s licence in order to build a comprehensive database.

“The corps re-affirmed that the court never vacated its statutory powers to design and produce the new number plate, but only questioned its powers to fix deadline for enforcement of the new scheme, as confirmed by the recent directive from the Joint Tax Board which has the statutory powers to fix prices and set deadlines for implementation of the new number plate and driver’s license.”

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Backlash Abraham Ogbodo

08055328079 (Sms only) abogbodo@yahoo.com

Jonathan Is A Very Good Christian HRISTIAN theology teaches something close C to infinite forgiveness. Quantitatively, a man or woman is required to forgive his or her offenders seventy times seven times in just one day! Further worked down, the injunction says Christians should forgive their offenders 20 times every hour of the day. That is breathtaking, but it is what the Lord Jesus Christ says His followers should practice. It is not open to debate.

President Jonathan being a very good Christian is doing exactly as directed by Christ. He is always forgiving his offenders. When some people said that he was clueless, he forgave them for as many times as they said so, almost close to seventy times seven times. Others followed suit and branded him a kindergarten President; he also forgave them. Till date, they have not stopped calling him names and he has not stopped forgiving them. There is no offence that the President does not forgive. He has actually gone beyond just forgiving his offenders to appeasing them so that lasting peace can reign supreme. He is ready to pay any price for peace.

I am just imaging how former President Olusegun Obasanjo would have reacted under these same provocations. That is, for some opposition politician to call him, (the same General Obasanjo to whom Colonel Philip Effiong surrendered the sovereignty of Biafra to officially end the Civil War), a kindergarten or a clueless president. Although the man is also a Christian (his baptismal name is Matthew), I can’t tell if he is good enough to appreciate Matthew 18:22 and stomach all of that insult without getting upset. I mean, would Baba have allowed a Governor Amaechi, Nyako, Shettima or whoever to talk or behave anyhow to him and the fellow would still be moving about answering Governor?

But Jonathan is different. He is a good Christian and even practises Christianity a little dif-

ferently from others. I can explain this. He takes the Church as an indivisible unit. Denominational variations or Pentecostal branding as the case with many people does not limit him. He goes to any Church that preaches salvation through Jesus Christ to commune with his God. He is much at home among the orthodox priests as he is among Pentecostal General Overseers (GOs) and even Baba Aladuras. This Sunday, he may be kneeling down before Pastor Enoch Adeboye for blessings in the Redeem Christian Church of God and by next Sunday, he may shift worship to Church Of Christ In Nigeria (COCIN) or some other Pentecostal brand in Abuja for a change.

Even while in Jerusalem where the people believe more in Moses than they believe in Jesus, Jonathan would still find time to knee before some priest to receive the blessings of God. On this score alone, we can say the President is a better Christian than many of the characters around who call themselves men and women of God. This is also why he does not love showing his full powers. In fact, by his own admission, he is exercising less than 60 per cent of his powers as president. Instead, he loves compromises to keep the peace. As the Lord Jesus directed, Jonathan turns the other cheek when he is slapped on one side. He has been slapped on both cheeks yet he is not getting respite from his traducers. He has given almost everything for nothing. Even in paganism, people expect some form of relief when they sacrifice blood.

Jonathan has offered both burnt and peace offerings without a corresponding succour.

Once, the enemies insisted that for peace to prevail, former National Security Adviser (NSA) General Andrew Awoye Azazi, who later died in a chopper crash must be sacked and Jonathan obliged, without asking questions. The General was replaced by a colonel and that was where it all ended. The promised peace for which Azazi

was sacrificed has remained elusive ever since.

In fact, there is more trouble now and the same people who said that Azazi should be traded for the colonel are no longer talking about the incompetence of the latter with the same vehemence with which they chased the former out of office and ultimately out of this world. Like fake gods, they would accept the sacrifice but reject the responsibility.

Jonathan has even done more for the sake of peace. He has sacked his entire security chiefs thrice over to assure enemies that he is committed to seeking peace by whatever means.

But peace has not come. He has had three Inspectors-General of Police in four years all to no avail. He has got the best for a defence minister according to experts but the game has not changed. Things are still sliding dangerously down the negative curve.

What is more, when the man tries to avoid quarrel by swimming with the tide, the same people would turn around to call him a weak president. For instance, it was to avoid trouble that he decided to spare former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) governor, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi when it was most auspicious to sack the loquacious apex banker. Some people had threatened brimstone and fire from heaven if Sanusi were hammered and Jonathan recoiled because he did not want to start a fight. Sanusi himself was emboldened by the turn of events to declare himself impregnable. He said that the peace loving Jonathan did not have powers under the 1999 Constitution or any other law in Nigeria to remove him as CBN governor.

The President’s patience is legendary. I wouldn’t know if this has a thing to do with his wife, whose name is Patience. Whatever, the man is too patient for comfort. Even when he had to be hot for once, he was mindful not to offend anybody. He redefined the concept of emergency rule in Nigeria and imposed one where nobody was hurt in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa States in Northeast Nigeria.

Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, the country’s first Prime Minister did well to establish the scope when he declared the first state of emergency in Nigeria in the then Western Region in 1962.

There was no such thing as a parallel authority in the affected region; only the federal authority reigned. The regional government under Chief Ladoke Akintola was completely dismantled. Dr Moses Majekudomi was appointed as administrator to oversee the region on behalf of the Federal Government.

And when Chief Obasanjo had reason to declare his own state of emergency in his second

HE media and the military have never been T the best of friends. The bruises and scars borne from decades of cat and mouse relation-

SUNDAY NARRATIVE

ship have not yet healed. Now it appears Boko Haram is about to flip back the pages to expose old wounds suffered by practitioners on the two sides.

Our soldiers who are toiling night and day to chase and overtake Boko Haram insurgents have complained that reports of the ongoing campaigns in Northeast Nigeria are not favourable to them. They dislike the idea of comparing their response level and firepower to that of the insurgents. In conclusion, they blame a section of the media for what amounts to a calculated attempt to weaken the morale of the military.

Obviously, the military is not comfortable with the concentrated focus by the media on the crisis in the Northeast. In the past two weeks, the global media has literally relocated to Nigeria in hot pursuit of fresh news on the Chibok girls.

Their pace and thirst for logical answers to troubling questions are too hot for state officials to handle. Most times, they seem off guard. These people who had been used to a rather languid approach to managing information, have been kept on their toes.

For the military, it appears not a good time to be spotlighted. If the local media had shown some reasonableness in mitigating the huge losses suffered by Nigeria in the hands of Boko Haram, the foreign press does not want to hear long stories. They cannot contemplate why it took so long to commence a chase after the Chibok girls had been kidnapped. And they want to know why the girls and their captors have not been located 41 days after.

Until the coming of the international press, both the local media and the military seemed to be nearing freezing point on the issue of Boko Haram. The phenomenal audacity of the insurgency and the ghostly apparel of their foot soldiers had created some dampening effect on both gun and pen, so much that there wasn’t any special need for either side to embark on a blame-game. After all, we all journeyed with Boko Haram from the very mild beginnings till we got to this bizarre crescendo. Each episode soaked us in until we were nearly fossilised. We really did not need to blame anybody.

Now we are beginning to ask touchy questions and the soldiers are reacting. The military did not like reports of the near mutiny in Maiduguri barracks on Wednesday, May 14, which revealed deep-seated problems within the military. The soldiers, according to reports got

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

The Media, Military And Boko Haram angry with their superior officers over an ambush that claimed some fellow soldiers. The rank and file suspected foul play and responded accordingly. Their target was reported to be the GOC of the 7th Division, Major General Ahmadu Mohammed, but army spokesman, General Chris Olukolade dismissed that reasoning. But that occurrence provided a basis for analysts to probe the military and postulate on why morale might be low in the fight against Boko Haram.

There had been media commentaries on whether huge defence budgets in the last three years have been properly managed and targeted towards achieving prompt results in the Northeast. Others think there are those on top who profit unduly from the insurgency, which lends credence to the theory that soldiers fighting in Sambisa forest do not get their dues adequately and promptly.

It was Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno State who openly accused the military of not exhibiting superiority over the insurgents, in terms of material and morale. He said so right inside Aso Rock when he visited two times in one week, to update President Jonathan on the dire situation in his state.

His worry, which is also that of millions here and abroad, is that the response of the military is always too little too late. The insurgents always have a field day to operate for hours and it is only after they had operated and disappeared that the military would surface to issue statements.

Nigerians did not agree that the military is inferior to the insurgents, but they want a proactive military that is ahead of the attackers. Nigerians want a situation where villagers are not left at the mercy of the invaders for hours without the military rising to their defence, particularly in an environment where there is a state of emergency. This is the reason for the global outrage over Buni Yadi Chibok and the others.

And I do not think the media should have a different agenda from that of other concerned Nigerians. So far, I think the media has shown

some commitment in the battle against Boko Haram. Apart from peddlers of hysteria in the social media, who are in haste to publish before confirmation, the generality of Nigerian media practitioners, who have also been targets and victims of the insurgency, would gain more to be on the side of the people.

Notwithstanding, the military and those in government should know that the Nigerian media, despite been outside government has a unique role to play in this journey to nationhood. The media does not claim to be what it is not, but no matter how stringent the legislation, whether it is a military decree or act of parliament, the media is not suppressible, you might only attempt to tame it.

The media has seen many battles in the history of Nigeria. Many practitioners were clamped in detention at different times and others suffered irreparable damages. Media houses were forced to shut down at different times. Dele Giwa was killed via parcel bomb on October 19 1986. But even under the most authoritarian regime, the media still thrived and played a significant role in the final restoration of democratic rule in 1999.

Since the inception of this dispensation, incidents of crossfire between soldiers and journalists have reduced drastically. There is now limited meeting point for the two former sworn enemies to interface. Until now that Boko Haram insurgency has brought the two closer, each had kept to the limits where the constitution had confined them. But on issues of national security and cohesion, the two can work together without one arrogating to itself more stake in the survival of Nigeria. When the politicians are misbehaving, the way they are doing now, the military and the media have a role to play in ensuring that military budgets are put to transparent use. It is inconceivable, that billions of naira that has been appropriated to defend the territorial integrity of Nigeria since the insurgency is not yielding results. The entire North-

coming as head of state, he stuck to the rule as a law abiding citizen. Joshua Dariye and Ayo Fayose were not anywhere near the State Houses in Plateau and Ekiti States as governors when both states were put under emergency rule by President Obasanjo. But Jonathan is a good Christian who believes more in the divine order than earthly codes and the instruction from above says, ‘do unto others what you would wish them to do unto you.’ Matthew 7:12 and Luke 6:31 That position is faultless spiritually and sociologically. Since Jonathan would not want somebody to remove him from office as president under whatever pretext, he had re-modified the operating rule to graciously allow their excellencies - the governors of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa to continue in spite of the declaration of a state of emergency in the three states. Put differently, Jonathan forgave the sins of those incompetent governors so that he too could be forgiven his sins.

But some people said there were veiled threats that hell would be let loose on the country if the three governors who are members of the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) were rendered jobless for the period of the emergency and that the President acted to avoid trouble. Now, everything was given to avoid trouble but trouble has continued and those who ordinarily should be locked up in the wings to give peace a chance are looming large on the centre stage and accusing Jonathan of not doing enough to arrest trouble.

Truly, Jonathan has been beating about the bush instead of charging straight to dismantle those stumbling blocks called governors to enthrone full emergency and get cracking. Unfortunately, he is not going to do this because he is a good Christian. He is going to continue the same way and then expect different result.

Foremost physicist, Albert Einstein called this kind of optimism, that is, the idea of planting cocoyam and expecting to harvest yam, insanity.

This Boko Haram thing and associated security challenges have dragged on for too long and if you ask me, I will suggest we arrange a vacation for the President in Israel to offer him ample time for more supplication as a good Christian. While he is away, we can recall Baba Obasanjo from his farm in Ota to fix the tough job. He is a veteran and he knows what to do precisely. Nothing spoil! Jonathan will resume when the deed is done to continue as President. east is in disarray and this is not time for the military and the media to break ranks.

It is not a matter for disputation that these are very challenging times for the media, the military and the politicians. And it is better to have that understanding so that all stakeholders are abreast of the challenges and made to adhere by the rules of prosecuting the war. The media should get its dues and the attention required to report fairly and without bias for or against the military. Until the international media came to Nigeria, government officials were not forthcoming with the kind of explanations the people desired. But they were rudely dragged out of their cosy offices to offer half-hearted responses.

The military did not see the need to carry along the Nigerian media to see the challenges and the difficulties in accessing the vast region of the Northeast. But the rules seem to have changed since the coming of CNN Hopefully, things will be getting better until the insurgency is routed and Nigerians in the Northeast are allowed to enjoy their peace. The way to achieving that is to demonstrate more openness on the part of those managing the funds and those procuring the materials. The recent exchange between the minister of finance and the military authorities regarding the management of defence budget is most uncalled for. You cannot subject the defence budget to the same punishment you subject others to. Even in the procurement law, some items are classified, so that they can take on some mysterious cloak. But that does not permit fund managers to misapply or misappropriate.

It is true that no amount of budget will be enough to meet military demands anywhere, not even in the US, but that which is appropriated should be released timely and there should be some element of transparency in the disbursement process. And that is what the military chiefs are talking about. They say what was appropriated does not get to them and that is a dangerous bend to the whole matter. This is a sensitive exchange that should not be permitted at tense moments like this.

We are talking of a situation where soldiers have rioted against their officers in Maiduguri over allegations of delayed remuneration. The military chiefs have now confirmed that even money approved by the President does not get released.

The Commander-in-Chief, President Jonathan has a crucial job to put his house in order before 2015. As for the media, there is work to do, to report responsibly.

TheGuardian

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Conscience, Nurtured by Truth

Outlook Do Something Before You Die

By Akin Osuntokun “It is better to be feared than loved, if you cannot be both: Hatred is gained as much by good works as by evil: He who wishes to be obeyed must know how to command: Never was anything great achieved without danger: The first method for estimating the intelligence of a ruler is to look at the men he has around him”- Niccolo Machiavelli HAVE bad news for President Goodluck Jonathan and Nigeria. The Boko-Haram crisis is not going to go away anytime soon. In one form or another it will keep festering and be kept on the front burner up to the 2015 general elections — if it holds, and thereafter. Beyond the tragedy of the captivity of those young innocent souls, there is the utility the crisis holds to damage and render Jonathan prostrate. If I were his enemy, the temptation to pray for the crisis to escalate will be too difficult to resist.

It is very difficult to be happy with Jonathan but it is easy to sympathise with him. The sympathy derives from what he personifies in the evolution of Nigeria’s power politics. I cannot in all honesty give him a good grade in his performance on the job and he has proven to be self-destructive on occasions. This observation should, however, be tempered by the countervailing fact that competence has seldom been a standard parameter in the choice or more appropriately the imposition of those who govern Nigeria. But hypocrisy and bad faith easily becomes Nigeria.

Presidents get mostly criticised for reasons that have nothing to do with competence. For all his shortcomings former President Olusegun Obasanjo, for instance, deserved better ratings than he got. I refer interested assessors to the media reportage of him in the eight years he served as President.

If you ask me I will volunteer that Obasanjo got a few things wrong including the one that bears direct relevance to our present predicament — his succession strategy. Granted the constraint of the limited pool of potential successors — in deference to zoning, he could still have done better than the late President Umaru Musa Yar’dua.

The choice of Dr Goodluck Jonathan as running mate was not as deliberate. He came up for consideration less than 24 hours to his public presentation. His choice was as much news to him as it was to the Nigerian public.

There is nothing derogatory in the suggestion that Jonathan did not aspire to become Vice President let alone President and infer from this observation that he was not prepared for the office when it fell upon him. In the swelling ranks of his critics, he is often unflatteringly compared with Obasanjo. It is an unfair comparison. Right from the moment he took the surrender of Biafra over 30 years ago it would have crossed Obasanjo’s mind that there was a chance he could one day emerge the leader of Nigeria. This became a reality six years later in similar tragic circumstances as Jonathan attained to the Presidency in 2010. When Obasanjo came back in 1999 as President, he was overqualified for the job in terms of what was required to succeed.

The circumstances of his return were such as gave him wide latitude to govern undisturbed and he had the hectoring military temperament

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CONversation

to match.

In contrast, Jonathan started to learn wading and swimming through Nigeria’s turbulent waters from the deep end of the pool.

Not accustomed to waiting too long and deferring to a de facto President outside of its hitherto politically dominant region, the conservative wing of the Northern political establishment could not wait for the departure of Obasanjo from power. Jonathan then became the butt of the fury and bitterness of those who felt dispossessed by the sudden death of President Umaru Yar’dua three years after he assumed office. It was taken for granted that Jonathan will not seek election as President in 2011 not to talk of seeking a second term tenure. The wound had since festered.

The office of the President recently published a booklet titled ‘no enemies to fight’ to capture the desired projection of Jonathan as a peace loving, cuddly and innocent President. With this reality evading mindset it is easy to see where and how the rain started beating him. In the most quiescent of times, the Presidency of Nigeria is not a tea party much less an interlude whose virulence is comparable to the months leading to the Nigeria civil war. He has advertised himself as a sitting duck for far too long and has complemented this with considerable doses of a self-destructive streak.

I have nothing personal against Mrs Allison Maduekwe and am only being consistent — with my earlier identification of her as a frenemy — if I advocate her exit from government with utmost dispatch. She has increasingly become a liability for her boss and any attempt to shield her has always resulted in terrible backlash on the reputation of the President — as it did in the last Presidential media chat. Given the harrowing economic hardship the overwhelming majority of Nigerians contend with N10 billion on charter travels within three years is not a piece of information our government should want to linger in public imagination beyond its first mention in the media.

Ditto for the Minister of Interior-Abba Moro, under whose watch the immigration employment tragedy visited Nigeria. The Prime Minister of South-Korea had nothing to do with the Korean vessel that sank and took away the lives of many promising young citizens of that prosperous country yet he took responsibility and paid penance by resigning his office. In so doing he has accorded the highest respect to those young souls and proffered the best condolence message to the grieving families and his nation. Rumours have it that Moro is the protégé of the respected Senate President, David Mark, and I find no fault with the President patronising him. The patronage should not be synonymous with Moro. Mark should be requested to propose a replacement.

The politics of seeking reelection has a tendency to demean and compromise all incumbents but the cost appears to be far too prohibitive in Jonathan’s case. It is rather late in the day to dissuade him and it is not now clear the purpose that would serve anyway.

Foregoing second term would have been well worth the sacrifice if it was in aid of pushing for radical reforms of the dysfunctional structure of Nigeria in which, we found ourselves stranded and entrapped.

In the latest theatre of the absurd of the abduction of the Chibok girls, Nigeria has been laid bare as a nation at war with itself. America has said it will not share intelligence with the Nigerian military in the effort to locate the abducted girls. Reminiscent of Jonathan’s earlier revelation of the infiltration of his government by sympathisers of the insurgents, the Americans cited the reason that our military is shot through with Boko-Haram moles.

Any foreign observer who has witnessed the evolution of the abduction crisis could be forgiven for mistaking the Nigeria military for a political party actively in contest against all manners of closet and manifest politicians.

The military is routinely heckled and invited to engage Nigerian Senators (mostly representing Borno State) in partisan altercation on the CNN. A steady stream of corrosive alle-

gations are daily grinded and rolled out to undermine its confidence and damage its credibility.

The frontiers of this partisanship also seem to have crested our national borders. Three weeks into the crisis when anybody who wishes Nigeria well was calling for the cessation of trading blames, Amnesty International suddenly announced that it has found out from unnamed but impeccable sources that the military received warning of the attack four hours before it took place. Assuming this information is correct — which is doubtful, what purpose is it intended to serve in the task at hand — the rescue of those innocent girls? Other than deepening the poor perception of the Army, how does this intervention boost concerted efforts at securing the release of those languishing in Boko-Haram captivity?

Typically, when Jonathan was going to declare a state of emergency in the three affected states of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa, he was more concerned with not offending the governors of the states than the effectiveness of the deployment of the emergency rule policy initiative. In acknowledgement of this friendliness, Governor Murtala Nyako went to town to castigate him as the 21st century Hitler out to do to the North what the Nazi leader did to the Jews; and called him out as the sponsor of Boko-Haram. The most selfdamaging consequence of the half-hearted declaration of the state of emergency would later manifest in the wholesale abduction at Chibok.

Several weeks before the Chibok tragedy, students in boarding school dormitories in BuniWadi had been massacred by the insurgents.

Personally, I was scandalised to learn that there were still students being kept in schools in that dangerous axis — where the insurgents had clearly indicated over and over that school children had become their new target of choice. The federal government second guessed me by directing that all such schools in the three affected states should close down forthwith.

Against the advice of the federal government and the West Africa Examination Council, WAEC, the Borno State governor — who was spared by Jonathan’s peculiar understanding of a state of emergency decided to keep his own schools open — claiming he would provide adequate security against the eventuality of Boko-Haram attack. So where was the guaranteed adequate security when the bad guys came calling? Were the federal government to have appointed an administrator to oversee the emergency rule in Borno State, it is inconceivable that such an administrator would have defied the advice to shut down the schools.

As we write, Jonathan has requested a renewal of the emergency rule in those states but almost all the regional politicians in the axis are opposed to it. If precedence is any guide, we can rest assure that blame for any disastrous consequences resulting from termination of the state of emergency would be laid squarely and derisively at the doorsteps of the President by those advocating the termination.

Former President Jerry Rawlings staged a coup twice in Ghana within three years. The junior officers who collaborated with him interpreted the need for a second coup as resulting from lack of resolve to push through the reformative agenda of the initial coup. The sentiments were captured in their rally cry of ‘do something before you die’ — urging Rawlings to go all the way.

I’m borrowing this battle cry to similarly urge on President Jonathan to do something before you die!

By Obe Ess

TheGuardian

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Sunday, May 25, 2014

Conscience, Nurtured by Truth

Editorial Nigerian Life And Its Worth HE recurring murder of Nigerian citizens in mysterious circumstances within and outside the country is heart-rending enough, tardy official reaction to the crime is even more so. For victims’ families who desire succour and redress, the insult of an uncaring state practically deepens the injury of their loss.

This is unacceptable and must stop.

Over the years, what has been on display is a shameful reaffirmation of the minimum value or low premium placed on citizens’ lives by the government whose prime responsibility is to protect them.

Young Oluwatobiloba Falode, a student in far away Dubai recently joined the growing list of victims of foreign assailants of Nigerians but the agonising cries of the mother, Aishat Falode, for justice must now spur a spirited and conclusive government investigation. Nigerian envoys everywhere should prove that they are worth the honour as true representatives of the country and its citizens abroad.

Barely two months before Oluwatobi’s suspicious death, another family woke up to the reality of the brutal killing on February 20 of their son, 19 year-old Godwin Chukwudi Ayogu, a 300 level Social Science student of University of Cape Coast in Central region, Ghana. His body had been found in the school campus with some internal organs gorged out, with his hands and legs tied. For days, everyone seemed to be clueless about what could have prompted the killing.

Ayogu’s death was the fourth of Nigerian students’ in the space of four months in Ghana (the first incident was reported in October 2013 of 15-year-old Austine Chukwuebuka Ogukwe, a student of Ideal College, Community 5, in Tema, in mysterious circumstance; the second was barely 26 days after, involving two students - Eddy and Charles of KNUSford University in Accra on excursion to the Volta region).

These deaths have not only questioned the safety of Nigerian students overseas, but it has also raised the question of how much interest school managements show in the well-being of their foreign students, most of whom are teenagers.

It is quite unfortunate that it took the effort and public outcry of Ms Falode and, before her, Mr. Fred Ayogu to get the deserved attention of the government through the envoys. Thankfully, Ayogu gave the Nigerian embassy in Accra the credit for assistance but not before he had personally launched an inquest into the matter. Five suspects were arrested and the case is still being investigated by the Homicide Unit, Police Criminal Investigations Department, Headquarters, Accra.

Similarly, Falode made for Dubai with her lawyer but with little achievement.

The police in Dubai are believed to have issued a tainted report of the death but yet to be accepted by the ambassador who acknowledged receipt. The Foreign Affairs ministry must pursue the case to a very reasonable and logical conclusion on behalf of Falode. If a cover-up is suspected because of the alleged connections of the suspect, the case must be taken up at the highest level of government.

For certain economic reasons, the population of Nigerians in Dubai has risen in recent years, and it is still growing. For this same reason, Nigerian officials must not allow the suspect(s) to get away with the murder thereby protecting the dignity of other Nigerian citizens out there and in all other countries. In spite of the challenges at home and the bad image some give the country abroad, many other law-abiding Nigerians deserve and must be accorded their due respect in foreign lands. The government can do more to assist in this respect.

Every life is valuable irrespective of the status of a citizen. However, it is sad that Nigerian governments or their agents do not show sufficient disposition to this natural law. The scale has always tilted against the poor and the weak of the society. Where any commitment has been shown even to the rich and the strong, bungling of cases has almost always resulted in unresolved murders. Nigerian officials are duty bound to exhaust all necessary leads to secure justice for the victims in suspicious deaths of compatriots. In that lies the integrity of any government.

Though the Ayogus have expressed regrets in sending their son to Ghana to study but they need not engage in self-pity or any regret. It is normal to seek the best education for any child. If anything, the government should take the blame for terribly and shamelessly messing up the Nigerian educational system, thereby compelling parents who can afford it, to look elsewhere for direction on the future of their wards.

However, parents are also advised to devise means of monitoring their young ones abroad, especially students who may be tempted under peer influence to take wrong steps or join bad gangs. For instance, they could demand periodic reports on the children from the schools or guardians.

In particular, no effort should be spared to formally link the Nigerian Embassy in any country with the ward just to protect his or her interests when such is required. Nigerian officials should also learn to move speedily to investigate criminal activities against citizens as soon as they are brought to their attention.

The authorities in Dubai must be made to reopen the case of Master Falode in the interest of justice.

Every life is precious. Much more so is a young Nigerian life.

T

LETTERS Roadmap To No Electricity IR: Many people were very their two main transformers Sepileptic jubilant that the days of broke down about October power supply were 2013. Since, they chose to ration over. The onset of President Jonathan’s roadmap to electricity supply caused Nigerians to enjoy a sweet change to having full current and almost uninterrupted power. Electric generator dealers were beginning to mourn the end of their business. Surprisingly, the shrewd ones were not shaking; instead they stored more generators in their warehouses. And today, they are smiling to the bank because they have sold out their stock and are importing more.

What secret do they have? They know the beast they are dealing with. Nigerian government is so mired in decadence; it will take a messiah to bring electricity at every turn of the switch. Think about how many billions of dollars – no one talks in naira when it comes to the posh project – sunk into the abyss to revive the dinosaur known by different names with the objective to achieve steady power supply.

Many communities will agree that the euphoria is over and the nightmare has returned. The government finally celebrated the privatisation of the power sector, a laudable accomplishment by international standard. Unfortunately, for Nigerians, that ushers in the beginning of electricity sharing or total blackout. The town of Umuoji in Anambra State, for example, was told by officials of the private company, Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) that one of

power every two days for the two sections of the town with the remaining transformer. Of late, they said that the active transformer broke down also and now the entire town is in a state of total darkness. Barbers, welders, tailors and the public are suffering to maintain a modern living.

The buzzword by the government is patience. They said it will take time to re-construct the dilapidated electricity

infrastructure. But they do not have the goodwill. The people have for long lost any trace of trust.

The President cannot boast to Western dignitaries that he is leading a civilised country, when the society is running on power generators. If by election time, there is no conviction in actualising the roadmap to power supply, he will be stomping on frayed nerves of the electorate during his campaign.

• Pius Okaneme, Umuoji, Anambra State.

Traffic Managers Promote Offences IR: I have noticed that various traffic compliance corps Sorgans are being set up for the purpose of maintaining peace and security.

However, it is noted that they have abandoned the ideals, rather they have turned to agencies for revenue collections. The corps will rather see drivers committing crime than prevent them from committing such crimes. It is amazing to see the LASTMA in Lagos, TRACE in Ogun, the Road Safety Corps, etc, asking offenders to pay fine ranging from N20, 000 to N100, 000.

Many of these traffic compliance units show that in Nigeria crimes are allowed to thrive when we should be preventing them to save lives, energy and time.

In fact, I am wondering why the various state governments are setting up parallel traffic control corps since we have

traffic warden, which is a branch of Nigeria police in each state.

State governments should have demanded for more men rather than setting up the so-called Traffic Compliance Corps if not that their objective is to make more money from citizens.

For instance, the Federal Road Safety Commission, which was established to maintain safety on our various highways seems to have abandoned its duty. One can hardly find them on our highways or where one finds them, they are extorting money from motorists.

They can only be found inside towns and villages standing on the roadsides looking for commercial vehicles instead of being in the expressways to check erring motorists.

It is time for those in charge of these outfits to re-organise them and make them change their modus operandi.

• Enakeme Solomon, Abeokuta, Ogun State

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DEMOCRACY: The Pains, The Gains Since 1999

P/49 NEWSFEATURE P/26 INTERVIEW ‘NASRDA Is Proactive In DISABILITY: A Huge The Niger Delta’ Burden In Tertiary Institutions

LAFETE P/48 Why Black Audience For Jazz Music Has Diminished

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Conscience, Nurtured by Truth

Cover

DEMOCRACY: The Pains, The Gains Since 1999

By Armsfree Ajanaku NOTHER Democracy Day is here, and, across the nation, there will be different events to mark it.

May 29, 1999 was the fateful day Nigeria made its transition from being governed by a band of military adventurists to a civilian dispensation.

Unlike today when daily killings from bomb blasts have become a sad part of Nigerian existence, the minds of those who remember the atmosphere of May 29, 1999 will be filled with the nostalgic scenes. Those close witnesses at the Eagle Square would remember the parades, and the ceremonious movement of the presidential motorcades as the then Head of State, General Abdulsalam Abubakar handed the reins to President Olusegun Obasanjo who was elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

It was a moment of freedom, laced with cautious optimism about what democracy as a system of government would bring. The tentative relief of the ordinary people had to with the fact that the oppressive rule of the military, and their jackboot style of governance which brooked no opposition or debate had been done away with.

The promise was one of a system in which the voices, wishes and aspirations of the people mattered and determined the entire process of governance.

Back-slapping politicians, the prime beneficiaries of the electoral politics that preceded May 29, 1999, started priming themselves for the task and the bountiful rewards ahead. To this group, democracy was not just the freedom it meant to the ordinary man; it also meant living lavishly off the public till. Bad enough, the frenetic pace of the transition programme leading to the handover in 1999 gave no room for several key issues to be discussed. Even the constitution meant to govern the new dispensation was surreptitiously imposed by a military decree pronounced by the Abubakar junta.

Dissatisfied civil society groups, including the

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While it has been observed that the rise of corruption within the context of the Nigerian nation begun way before the advent of civil rule in 1999, democracy seems to have accentuated the problem. Instead of working hard to meet the yearnings of the people, Nigeria’s democracy seems to have produced a bunch of gluttonous elite bent on stuffing themselves with all of the nation’s resources

Joint Action Forum (JACON), led by the irrepressible late Gani Fawehinmi, had called on Nigerians to boycott the transition, and insist that the right mechanism be put in place before the elections.

In spite of these inherent contradictions, Nigerians hopefully embraced the process. The people long tired of the military, and their attendant ruining of the polity, shrugged off the imperfections of the system, while investing truckloads of expectations that democracy would yield positive results.

So profound were the expectations of the people that a few months into the democratic experiment, the expression “dividends of democracy,” became an integral part of the political lexicon. The logic was that the Nigerian people had invested in the democratic project by buying “shares” through their votes given sacrificially to their representatives.

In return, they expected to get “dividends,” as soon as the project of democracy began to yield fruits.

To the people who were systematically placed at the base of Nigeria’s democratic pyramid, therefore, the expectation was that, with democracy, certain benefits would trickle down. The very first of those benefits was freedom of expression and association.

However, beyond those abstract freedoms, millions of Nigerians also wanted freedom from poverty. They also wanted to see decent hospitals, good schools for their children, passable road infrastructure, potable water amongst a long list of other goods they had reasoned would come with the advent of democracy.

Unfortunately, over 14 years into the democratic experience, those expectations have been repeatedly dashed. Notwithstanding that Nigeria recently rebased her economy, with an outcome that shows it has overtaken South Africa as the leading economy on the continent; resentment exists over the mass poverty that so stridently stalks the land.

The reality of the ordinary Nigerian is that of a man suffering the constancy of lack and poverty in the face of plenty. And to further add salt to injury, the poor Nigerian is systematically made a spectator of the ostentatious lifestyle of the political class. The time bomb of youth unemployment ticks away bringing to the fore the scary notion that one day the poor would have nothing to eat but the rich.

Analysts of this growing gulf between ordinary Nigerians and the political class, which has made the most of its access to the commonwealth, point to corruption as the bane of Nigeria’s retarded development. Many concerned civil society activists have repeatedly characterised Nigeria’s democracy as a misnomer, which has encouraged the growth of corruption, instead of consolidating the institutions created to fight it. The cost of running the democratic project itself seems prohibitive, with an exponential increase in the budgets of the National Assembly, and the Presidency since 1999. For the ordinary man on the street, there has been no such largesse.

In terms of resources and what accrues to the nation, the point has been made that there is actually enough to go round, and that the elite could still enjoy all the ‘big man’ perks and privileges, if they decide to work for the economic empowerment of the vast majority of the people. But for 14 years of democracy, sheer greed, as amply demonstrated in the humongous amounts that have disappeared through corrupt practices, has continued to swell Nigeria’s army of the poor.

While it has been observed that the rise of corruption within the context of the Nigerian nation begun way before the advent of civil rule in 1999, democracy seems to have accentuated the problem. Instead of working hard to meet the yearnings of the people, Nigeria’s democracy seems to have produced a bunch of gluttonous elite bent on stuffing themselves with all of the nation’s resources.

Within a few years in the post-1999 period, the

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Sunday, May 25, 2014

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DEMOCRACY DAY As the nation marks another Democracy Day, Zikirullahi Ibrahim, Chairman of the Transition Monitoring Group (TMG), Nigeria’s foremost elections monitor, is of the view that the last 15 years of democracy have amounted to a monumental failure. Fielding questions from ARMSFREE AJANAKU, he indicts the nation’s political elite for the rot in the polity.

Looking at Nigeria’s democracy since 1999; what is your assessment of the challenges, the opportunities and the problems?

WILL say it has been a monumental failure in the last 14 years that this civilian rule has been in place. It is a monumental failure in the sense that those issues that make the civil society organisations to stick out their necks to fight the military have remained unresolved. One of such is the issue of federalism; there is the issue of devolution of power and the need to make life abundant for the citizenry.

Today, we have massive youth unemployment in the country, which I can say is unequaled anywhere in the world. Over 60 million Nigerian young men and women are unemployed, and that is a time bomb for this country. So, some of the manifestations we are seeing today in violent conflicts rocking the country are part of the realities of what our political class has entrenched in the last 15 years. As at today, the military can be used because we know what the military represents; they are not trained to rule, but are trained to defend the territorial integrity of Nigeria. Very few of the military people can think from the perspective of involving the people in what they are doing.

Coming now to the civilian dispensation, you still find that majority of the people are excluded from issues of governance and the issues of reform and in fact from the democracy project itself. So the rituals of elections conducted every four years, where the people turn out massively to cast their votes amounts to the only role given to Nigerians. The budgets in this country are not participatory; you will see few individuals sit down in the name of committees sit down to create the budget. It is only this year that you find some kind of debate on the national budget, and that is because the tide is changing.

There was a major crack in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which made the All Progressive Congress (APC) to seemingly have a large number in the House of Representatives.

And to show that the PDP cannot just have it in its own way, that was where there was a semblance of some debate.

At the state level, budgets can be presented in the morning, and by evening it is already passed. So, where do the people stand in all of these? In other places, budgeting is a rigorous activity in which the people are genuinely engaged. You have to ask people what they want you to do for them, not the other way round.

Government is supposed to aggregate opinions and the interests of the people. At the end, the opinions and interests are prioritised based on the resources you have. We certainly do not have that; and it is all about this and that committee.

This is not the way to govern people. And the budgets of the National Assembly and the Presidency keep swelling. And now you have the first lady who has her budget entirely. Looking at all of these, vis-à-vis what is happening at the local governments, where the states have unilaterally taken over the responsibilities of the local governments, including their resources, I can tell you that what we have gotten so far, is a monumental failure.

You may say that there is a National Conference going on, which may address some of these problems. But don’t forget that there was also a political reforms conference that was set up by former President Olusegun Obasanjo, which, at the end of the day, was tailored towards rubber-stamping his third term agenda. What became of that political reform after billions of Nigeria’s public monies had been wasted? Now, in this conference, the issue of tenure elongation to about 18 months or thereabout because of the issue of insecurity is coming up. And we don’t know what will be the end of that process. The process of even involving the people in a referendum has not been created. I was in Liberia in 2011 to observe the rerun election for the presidency. For a country that just emerged from war, when I saw that for just two issues; change or the voting month and raising retirement age of judges, which to us in Nigeria would not have been issues , every Liberian of voting age had to go out and cast their “yes or no” vote. In Nigeria you would have heard that the National Assembly has approved and the President will sign, and that will be all.

There are those who will disagree with you and would describe Nigeria’s democratic experience as a learning curve; they also insist that there are positive things; they even point to the fact that

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COVER

ZIKIRULLAHI: Nigeria’s Democracy Yet To Meet Our Aspiration Nigeria’s economy was recently rebased and that we have overtaken South Africa. Are you saying there are no positives from these 15 years?

On the question of our democratic experience being a learning curve, let me use MKO Abiola’s adage at the time June 12 was annulled. The Babangida regime said Nigeria was still learning; I remember Abiola saying that if it takes a would-be mad man 30 years to learn madness, how many years will it take him to practice the madness before he dies?

From the First Republic, they told us they were learning; the military too said it was learning, and the civilians in the last 14 to 15 years are again telling us they are learning. I think that is meant to beg the issue; as far as I am concerned, there is nothing to learn.

You don’t learn how to address hunger because you know that when you are hungry, you have to put food on the table and eat; that is the solution to hunger.

The roads are not good and people are dying on the roads; you know that fixing that road is the solution, and you don’t need to learn it.

You don’t need to go to university to learn that if a road is not good, it is hazardous to the users and that you need to fix it.

Nobody should also tell you that as population is growing, we also need to develop our security to match the size of the population, so that it can be well policed. These are not things you need to go to America, India or any other place to learn. In terms of creating jobs, we all know that industries in Nigeria have virtually closed down; the few that are working are doing so at very minimal output.

Even those who claim to be successful businessmen in Nigeria today are fronts for government. Given the harsh economic environment in this country, there is no genuine

business man that will survive the environment; there is no electricity, no water, and if you set up industries, you have to provide all those things and it is very costly to run those facilities. Then you keep increasing tax all the time, and you are telling us that the economy has been rebased.

The South Africa we said we have overtaken has over 40,000 megawatts of electricity, and they are planning how to increase it. In the next five years, they want to get to over 70, 000 megawatts. We are being told that our 4000 megawatts has dropped, and they are telling us that we are now ahead of South Africa. A South African can still eat three square meals a day, unlike the Nigerian.

For me, I don’t see the positives that we have achieved along these lines. There is still violence rocking the system; the political parties still don’t have internal democracy, and it is still all about selection. Look at the PDP. A mere election in Ekiti and they are already saying governorship candidates would have to pay about N10 to 11 million to obtain a ticket. So no matter the beautiful ideas you have as a retired professor or whatever you are, and you want to change the system, you can’t get there because you cannot afford that amount. So you have to leave leadership to the rogues who have stolen from the system, who also want to pluck more. It is not all negative because the military itself is now a fortune military, so we have not had a coup in the last 15 years, so you can say it is not all negative.

Looking at the Nigerian democracy and the electoral process; what is your take on the evolution of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) since 1999; would you say it now has better capacity to deliver transparent elections?

With all sense of responsibility, I can say there is marked improvement in terms of INEC as an institution. But the same challenges, which have weighed against the people, are the same challenges weighing against INEC. The issue of the

powers of the President that are so wide for him to dictate the pace of everything in Nigeria is a big problem. We have Professor Attahiru Jega, a man of impeccable character, who is known both in Nigeria and internationally for his credibility. But an individual can only strive to attain certain goals.

We are however emphasising institutions; Jega, as an individual has done credibly well in the last five years. If what he has done is weighed side by side with the challenges he is facing there, we will realise that the same way he was appointed is the same way the entire 37 Resident Electoral Commissioners in the federation were appointed. So, Jega has little or no control over them. And there is no way Jega can take decisions alone, no matter how beautiful his arguments are. He has no powers to suspend or retire any REC; he can only recommend such to the person that recommended all of them, and that is the President. If the President decides to work on that recommendation, fine. But if he doesn’t, Jega would only be wasting his time because the person you want removed that was not removed will even become more vicious, and more antagonistic to the progress Jega is making. So, this thing plays out in ways that when you get to the INEC headquarters, the story is different from what you get in the states. And you ask yourself, are the states independent of what the head office is doing? To a very large extent, they have cleaned so many things at the headquarters, but if you get to the state level, you still find that they do things the way they like.

So I think we also need to change our perceptions as regards the arrangement in INEC, and that is why we keep calling for reforms. They are still lots of areas in need of reforms. If that power of appointment is removed from the President, that will be the beginning of having an enduring INEC that can be firm, and be fair to everybody. I say so because if the President cannot use Jega, he might as well use others; in fact, Jega does not even matter much to him, like the RECs, if they decide to play along. It is very sad, the way INEC is constituted.

We also look at all the arrangements in INEC; they are saddled with so much responsibilities; and that is why we keep calling for the Uwais report to be revisited for the unbundling of INEC such that if they are focusing on conducting elections alone, that would have removed the burden of voter registration, political party monitoring, prosecution of election offenders and so on. I say so because at some point, they left some things undone. Look at campaign financing for example; we know what they do, both the state governments and the President.

I think we also need to change our perceptions as regards the arrangement in INEC, and that is why we keep calling for reforms.

They are still lots of areas in need of reforms. If that power of appointment is removed from the President, that will be the beginning of having an enduring INEC that can be firm, and be fair to everybody

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COVER

DEMOCRACY DAY

‘Democracy Failing In States’ Professor Adele Jinadu in this chat with GBENGA SALAU spoke on Nigeria’s democracy suggesting what should be done to deepen the process.

Nigeria would be celebrating another Democracy Day, since we started this journey in 1999; are the democratic institutions really strong enough?

HERE is the general perception that our democratic institutions are not strong because separation of powers has not been working as well as it should, particularly at the state level. There are many reasons for this perception: the panoply of powers to disburse patronage in the executive branch, typically used to nurture patron-client networks; the centralization of the power of the purse, notably of cash control, which incapacitates MDAs and tends to slow down development projects; the emasculation of local governments; and more seriously the conversion of most states into one-party dominant states, encouraging arrogance of power, feeding arbitrariness and a paternalistic or patronising attitude to governance by public authorities.

More worrisome is the trend, perhaps fortuitous, in the last eight years, following the 2007 and 2011 general elections, towards “politicising,” the Judiciary, to immerse it in the “political thicket,” through the election adjudicatory process, which was well intended to defuse violent electoral conflict but which has now gravely undermined public confidence in the Judiciary.

On the more positive side is the development of a vibrant civil society, a generally vocal National Assembly, and a flowering of a number of

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democracy-promoting institutions collectively serving, against all odds, as a virtual fourth branch of government and, therefore, as sentinel of democracy, notably the independent national electoral commission, the EFCC and the human rights commission.

I think we have also done well in organising political succession, though not too smoothly or unproblematic, since May 1999 at the federal and state levels, through constitutional means. This is, perhaps, a noteworthy achievement in the consolidation of democracy in the country since May 1999. However, the local government level is the weakest link in our democracy chain, with about 15 or more states without democratically elected local government councils.

Are lessons being learned in all of these?

An important lesson we have learnt is the need to strengthen the electoral process for political succession and for managing our rich diversity as a force for democracy and development. It is a pity, reflecting lack of firm and demonstrable commitment by our mainstream political elite and our major political parties, without exception, that the far-reaching and thoughtful recommendations contained in the masterful Report of the Hon. Mr. Justice Uwaisled Electoral Reform Committee on how the country should move forward in this respect have been effectively disregarded.

Unless we solve the question of political succession in ways to build and solidify mutual trust and proactively manage our diversity, our experiment in democracy and federalism will be fragile and we may experience democratic reversals.

Unless we solve the question of political succession in ways to build and solidify mutual trust and proactively manage our diversity, our experiment in democracy and federalism will be fragile and we may experience democratic reversals Jinadu What we have is growth without development. For several years, we have performed poorly on the UNDP human development index and we have not done well in our progress towards achieving the 2015 millennium development targets.

What we have is a paradox of an embarrassment of riches, poverty

amidst plenty, portending gloom and doom. Social infrastructures are in deplorable state everywhere and this is because the social sector–– education, health, and water and sanitation–– is not given the priority it deserves in federal and state budgets and their share of actual expendi-

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The Pains, The Gains Since 1999 Ribadu and the EFCC did that Nigeria began to improve in the Transparency International ratings. By 2007, Nigeria, which had been rated the most corrupt country in the world in 1999, Nigerian people were rudely awoken to the fact was rated 33rd from bottom. In that year, it was that the time-tested ethos of public service was not the motivating factor for those who had got- ranked 147 out of 179 countries that were rated. ten themselves elected. Instead, private gain, and In 2008, Nigeria ranked 121 out of 180 countries rated, making it the 60th country from the botself aggrandizement became the factors propelling Nigerian politicians to seek public office. tom in that year’s ranking.

But the anti-corruption crusade, which was The implication was that the sacred trust that governed a people-given mandate was repeated- gathering steam under Ribadu, suffered a big blow because of the need by the political class ly thrown to the dogs by the crop of politicians to accommodate members who had been that came on the scene in 1999. caught stealing from the till. Ribadu was Public office holders thus deliberately became shunted out of the EFCC in 2009, and ever blind, and refused to draw a firm line between since, the commission has struggled to find its public and private property. The result was an apparent privatisation of public resources for the verve. Not too long ago, it was revealed at the National Assembly that the commission was sole purpose of commandeering the commonbroke, and therefore incapacitated to carry out wealth for private benefit. All of these gave the the functions of curbing corruption. Little anti corruption watchdog, Transparency wonder, several cases that should have attractInternational the statistics required to adjudge Nigeria as one of the world’s most corrupt coun- ed action from the commission are being overlooked. try.

Even the organised stealing, as was the case This monumental, albeit negative recognition of the various subsidy frauds, have been lanof Africa’s giant as a global powerhouse for corguishing in the courts where cases were perruption riled many citizens. Nigerians are functorily instituted to fulfill all righteousness. known to be proud people who resented the A detailed inventory of corruption cases and dubious gold medal that the political elite had won for the country. It jolted civil society as well how they are being handled would tell a story as critical voices and there were strident calls for of the pervasiveness of corruption, which has government to launch an onslaught against cor- become a way of Nigerian life. The reality on the ground suggests that people can get away ruption.

President Olusegun Obasanjo responded with with anything and that there is so much incentive for corruption. It is not just about the the setting up of two anti-corruption agencies, administration at the federal level; it is about a the Independent Corrupt Practices and other value system, an attitude that puts a lot of preRelated Offenses Commission as well as the mium on outsmarting the system.

Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Apart from corruption, Nigeria’s democracy (EFCC). since 1999 also institutionalised other forms of With a fearless Nuhu Ribadu at the helm, the impunity. In the political process, a big strugEFCC launched a major onslaught against corruption at the public and private level. High-pro- gle is still going on to ensure the electoral file cases involving governors were investigated, process becomes credible. Although the elecand the agency demonstrated its resolve to pros- tions of 1999 were not spic and span, stakeholders in Nigeria’s democratic process who ecute. A serving Inspector General of Police was brought to book for grand scale larceny. While a had expected that things would improve were shocked when the 2003 elections proved to be number of figures in the opposition flayed Ribadu’s tactics, and what was deemed the selec- worse than those of 1999. The 2007 elections tive nature of his onslaught, there was no doubt engraved themselves internationally in the that his exertions brought people who had cases halls of infamy.

Nigeria’s rabid and desperate band of politito answer to book. It is a testimony to the work

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cal gladiators left no stone unturned in ensuring that the electoral process became as chaotic and disgraceful as it could ever be for the country. Perhaps, if the Nigerian political class had the temperance, and maturity to ensure stability by playing by the rules, the political process would not have become so chaotic.

The unstable character of the Nigerian politician is at the heart of the serial disorganisation, and the attendant conflicts that have characterised the nation’s electoral politics. When he is not fanning the embers of hate just before an election, the Nigerian politician is either jumping from one political party to the other or forming sinister alliances to undermine the integrity of the ballot.

Elections, instead of being moments for celebrating democracy became flash points for bloody conflicts that often resulted in deaths of innocent citizens. Vote rigging resulted in several litigations, which in turn affected governance is many negative senses. Political parties did not fare better; these crucial components of the democratic project were plagued by anti-democratic tendencies, including the imposition of candidates and the use of extortionate charges for aspirant registration to discourage politicians with bright ideas and popularity. In the face of these, the nation’s elections management body, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) struggled in terms of capacity and credibility.

The widely acclaimed appointment of Professor Attahiru Jega provided some solitary rays of light in an extremely dark tunnel that was the nation’s electoral process. Jega has since been grappling with the task of repositioning INEC in terms of credibility and capacity. But that remains a tall order with the President still wielding enormous powers over the appointment of the INEC Chair and the 37 Resident Electoral Commissioners. The recommendations of the Justice Muhammadu Uwais that the President be striped of those powers, among other key findings have been met with sneers by the powers that be.

On top of all the problems faced in the

polity, the Boko Haram insurgency has continually tested state authority to its limits. To show that the Nigerian democratic experience has tended to weaken key institutions of state, instead of strengthening them, Boko Haram terrorism is almost making a joke of the Nigerian military’s previous myth of invincibility. Now, the images assailing the minds of traumatised Nigerians is that of Nigerian soldiers commencing a quick dialogue with their feet whenever the blood thirsty Boko Haram hounds come to town to maim, and cheapen the value of life, limb and property.

One of the effects of the chronic insecurity the nation is currently experiencing is that the right of millions to elect their leaders is increasingly coming under threat as a result of insecurity.

This is the reason why INEC has considered creative options to avoid a situation in which voters are attacked on Election Day in states that are currently under emergency in the North East.

However, Boko Haram bloodletting is by no means the only source of insecurity. Repeated clashes between herds men and farmers, as well as a rise in other mind boggling violent crimes, has kept Nigeria perpetually on the brink.

Nevertheless, there are optimists who insist that the Nigerian democratic experience since 1999 does not amount to a totally gloomy picture. These optimists insist that the nation is learning incrementally by going through the crucible of the democratic process.

They also point to the successful transition from one civilian administration to another, which had never happened before in the history of Nigeria’s democracy. Also noted are initiatives to reform the political and electoral processes to make them more participatory and less chaotic.

One of such, it has been noted, is the ongoing National Conference, which is expected to provide a road map for Nigeria to leave the woods.

Added to this is the unceasing struggle by civil society activists to ensure that the sinister machinations of the political class are continually checked by remaining on the side of the people. It is a somewhat good sign that not all stakeholders have given up on Nigeria’s wobbly polity on yet another Democracy Day.

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Sunday, May 25, 2014

COVER Professor Benedict Benapepena Naanen teaches History and Diplomatic Studies at the University of Port Harcourt.

He is a former chairman of the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) Provisional Council. He told KELVIN EBIRI that Nigeria is not yet a democracy, but a state in transition. He also observed that the weakness of Nigeria’s institutions has continued to adversely impede her democratization process.

WHAT is your assessment of Nigeria’s democracy thus far?

WIll rather say that Nigeria as a State is undergoing transition to democracy. I don’t think that we have a democratic government in every sense of it at the moment. But the country is in a state of transition, or like some people will prefer to use the term civilian government, instead of a democratic government. It is not like we are not practicing and conducting elections as should be done in democracy, but we are not there yet. If you look at some of the tenets of a democratic regime like free and fair elections, accountability, transparency, most of these values are not there yet in the polity. Maybe we could be there someday, but at the moment, I don’t think we are there yet.

Why has it been difficult to achieve some of these tenets of democracy you cited?

You know there are certain inherent indigenous values that we seem not to have been able to overcome. The issue of corruption is something that is so serious and ingrained in the system that has greatly undermined our democratic experiment. So we have to be able to tackle the issue of corruption and that is also largely responsible for our leadership not being unaccountable, and why the practice of governance is not transparent. Corruption is a big issue that has to be tackled. Talking about values, society that values corruption enrichment cannot really make progress. This is a cultural issue that we also have to address. Here in this country if you enter leadership and honestly come out without amassing wealth, you will even get ridiculed in your own community. I don’t think that our current value system encourages democracy. So, we need absolute, total transformation to be able to imbibe democratic values.

Have we witnessed real development under democracy?

DEMOCRACY DAY

NAANEN: Weakness Of Nigerian State Undermines Democratization Process

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Everything is in a state of chaos, be it power and other critical infrastructure. It is true that some of these problems did not originate with this present administration and it did not also originate with the present democratic dispensation. A lot of them are effect of accumulated misrule during the time of the military. But then, we have to look at the current effort being made to overcome these issues. It has been fifteen years of civilian rule and one had expected that some of these deficits would have been addressed and controlled.

It is time we should have been able to address some to these issues like power, critical infrastructure, health, education and so on. I don’t think we are making the kind of progress we should be making. And the rate we are going, I don’t think we are yet in the 21st century.

Recently, they were talking about the rebasing of the economy, the GDP and Nigeria being Africa’s largest economy. That is laughable. Which kind of largest economy in Africa with the largest unemployment in the continent and the people are not

feeling the impact of that largest economy? What economy are we talking about? It is a matter of statistics but the realities on ground are completely different. Africa’s largest economy that does not have basic industrial infrastructure? We could not manufacture anything and we have to import absolutely everything. And because of that we are not able to create jobs.

Manufacturing creates jobs. The oil and gas, which is the mainstay of the economy does not create much jobs because it is highly technologically driven. Jobs are not created in the oil and gas industry in the way that agriculture and industrialization will do.

So the economy is in comatose and the people are miserable. We have to look at the material value of our democracy, that satisfaction, that feeling good factor that people should be having in a democratic and well balanced economic system is not there. These are some of the critical issues we have to look at when evaluating our democracy.

What is your assessment of the three arms of governments so far?

I think each of them has been playing

their respective role in our current democratic initiative. Taking the legislature for example, they can always thumb up themselves and say they are not doing badly. But if you also have to look at some issues about democratic governance, one is bound to be concerned. We don’t know how much the members of the legislature are earning and that is a big question mark on the legislature. If you are practicing a democratic government, why is everything not open? Why is the pay of national and state legislators so secretive? It is a shame that we don’t know how much the people representing us are earning. I challenge them to publish and to actually show their earnings to the public if truly we are practicing democracy, because democracy is about openness and transparency.

When you are not transparent and certain thing are made secretive, then it is not a democratic government. That is a mark of dictatorship. Yes, they are making laws but we hear of a lot of financial horse-trading going on in that place. There are certain thresholds that they are yet to achieve and we want to see them establish these

Everything is in a state of chaos, be it power and other critical infrastructure. It is true that some of these problems did not originate with this present administration and it did not also originate with the present democratic dispensation. A lot of them are effect of accumulated misrule during the time of the military. But then, we have to look at the current effort being made to overcome these issues. It has been fifteen years of civilian rule and one had expected that some of these deficits would have been addressed and controlled.

It is time we should have been able to address some to these issues like power, critical infrastructure, health, education and so on. I don’t think we are making the kind of progress we should be making. And the rate we are going, I don’t think we are yet in the 21st century

thresholds.

For the judiciary, if you remember the elections between 1999 and 2003, especially 2003, the judiciary was highly compromised. When you lose an election that you are supposed to win, you could not depend on the judiciary to be responsible and responsive to dispense justice. No, it didn’t happen. Of recent, the judiciary has tried to be proactive and that is good enough. But, there is still a lot to be said of the judiciary itself.

We are not there, honestly. There are a whole of things to be said about the executive arm of government. The government is trying but there are whole lots of things that it needs to accom-

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Our Democracy Hasn’t Failed — AGU CONTINUED FROM PAGE 21 nor? Are there adequate checks on the governor who is the trustee over land? The land use act should be removed.

The issue of devolution of power is there because we have not had a good leader, if we had a good leader, you won’t even be thinking about changing him. America does not have embedded in their constitution any provision for rotational presidency and you still find in America the son taking over after his father.

People who are good are acknowledged and given their rightful place; that is what we need.

The 1979 constitution can be considered as the best constitution we have had; all the cosmetic improvement will not lead us to anywhere.

If we have really had a fair constitution, why the clamour for fresh constitution that have thrown up different conferences, including the ongoing one in Abuja?

You know I won’t say that what is happening in Abuja presently is a jamboree. I won’t even say that it is an opportunity of massaging somebody’s ego. But we have had the committees turn in their reports. And I want to ask: what have they done differently? look at the derivation, which is supposed to

be the most contentious issue, have they not returned the 13 percent? Tell me one or two things that they have done differently. The constitution is not a document for day-to-day activity of government and what some of them have been saying in various committees are implementation guide that may not be found in the constitution but in delegated authority.

Just look at what they have returned, where have they differed from the provisions of the constitution. People are saying we didn’t come together to make constitution and now that we are together, let us see where it will differ. So many people find space in talking and so many of them (with due respect) may not have this opportunity of being in Abuja for some time and stay in a cozy hotel. I don’t see anything different but it is good to talk and the good thing is that people are beginning to appreciate the wisdom in the provisions of the constitution and you hear from both sides and then agree.

The way the polity is with its level of insecurity, can we still have the 2015 general elections?

I can tell you that the politicians moving around are the greatest foxes, very uncanny

and witty. They won’t allow this project to fail because they won’t have anywhere to go to; politics is their job?

The point is that, as they are hitting up the polity, those who are not strong enough will run away and those who are strong will go to field and get what they want; I don’t think there is any cause for alarm.

At the end of the day, it will appear that the President will not have anybody to contest against him. He will be endorsed by circumstances because everybody will want him to continue to fight to save until 2015. I am not saying nobody is qualified to contest against him but the circumstances that will throw him up will be such that everybody will want protection first before talking about election.

We have helped him call in foreign aid – America, UK, France, China — to help in the fight and how do you think we can change somebody in battle? let me say with every sense of responsibility, the picture of 2015 is going to be between June 21 and sometime in August. Why did I say that, if for any reason the PDP capture the two states of Ekiti and Osun, then there won’t be any contest in the future because the bastion of all the issue will have been solved? Again, the June 12 convention of the APC is a make or mar event;

there is a rivalry and bickering in the party and it is difficult to manage because it is a generational thing. Some young ones are hell-bent on removing those who are in the headship of the APC and some people are feeling somehow marginalised.

So, if most of them in APC are dislodged, you will find them, coming into PDP and at the end you won’t find anybody to contend with. labour party has aligned with PDP as well as APGA. And so if, by any action, the APC is made less vibrant, you will have only PDP and that is the way we are going. That is why I am saying that before the end of the year, the fear of 2015 will have ended and we will be talking about 2019.

The way this thing is going, Ekiti and Osun will be the determinants and that is the way we are going.

How do we strengthen the democracy?

We need value orientation. Once we begin to re-orientate ourselves to do that which is good, once we start respecting the intrinsic value in man, develop strong institutions and not personalities, it will help advance our democracy.

When you have strong institutions, whether the person there is weak or incapable, the system will work; you don’t have to rely on persons to move the country forward.

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

Sunday, May 25, 2014 23

DEMOCRACY DAY

COVER

OGUNSANWO: We Don’t Have Democracy Yet executive that is looting; looting is taking place at all levels of governance. We are not having real governance. What we are having is something else.

You spoke about some people not wanting President Jonathan in office and seeking to make the country ungovernable for him. But many are also questioning the president’s body language, his efficiency and method of handling issues; particularly security matters.

Against the backdrop of hiccups experienced Does this not matter to you? since 1999 and especially between 2010, how Jonathan is a weak president. There is no strong would you say this democracy is? doubt about this. In fact, he is the weakest ROM 1999 till now what we have had is not head of government this country ever had. As democracy, but lootocracy. The politicians far as I am concerned, he is very weak. But he are just there to loot the treasury; that’s what was put there deliberately by former we have had and that is what we have seen so President (Olusegun) Obasanjo, so that they far. So, as far as I am concerned this is not dem- would be able to use him to achieve certain ocratic practice. The political leaders are much objectives. Unfortunately, that has not been more concerned about their own interests. what is happening. He also has a weak backIf it were a truly democratic system, you ground when you talk about ethnicity in the would not find any reasonable politician talkcountry, which is the base of politics. He’s ing about 2015, when we have ongoing probfrom a small group and therefore to such lems that can destroy the country and when extent, he is open to manipulation. And people are being slaughtered right, left and because he is personally weak, he surrounds center and there is no collective effort to deal himself with those he thought they could get with it. And some people are talking about ral- away with things they should not get away ly and all manners of rubbish. with under normal circumstances.

As far as I am concerned, the security of the In spite of the apparent weaknesses in the people is paramount. A situation where politi- democracy, there are a number of institutions cians seem not to care about this is sad; in fact, that should deepen democratic practice and the politicians started the insecurity. Don’t for- rule of law such as the Independent National get the way they heat up the polity in the run Electoral Commission (INEC), the Judiciary… up to the 2011 elections. They were giving the Which judiciary are you talking about? Don’t impression that they would make the country you know what the judges are doing? For ungovernable. It is all of that that led to the God’s sake, we all know what they are doing! If post-election violence, which, of course, skya judge can give an order restraining investirocketed. gation of any particular person… I mean what Before then, there had been this movement are we talking about? If a High Court can give in Borno State, which was started by a politiorders stopping investigation of what Odili cian, Ali Modu Sherriff, who started Boko has done as a governor and the order is being Haram; although, it was not called Boko obeyed and you say you have a judiciary, what Haram then. He got people together to protect an illusion? himself against the PDP controlled-police and A former governor was tried and 178 count army. At the end of the day, he denounced charges were summarily dismissed. The same them to the SSS. man pleaded guilty when he was tried in But the problem had already started because London. And you say you have a judiciary. You these were the people he was responsible for don’t have a judiciary. To a large extent, these financially. They were hijacked by others and, are judges, who are lawyers changed to of course, they turned against him ultimately. judges. And they operate in a way they are They were hijacked by others who set out to manipulated by the political class. achieve whatever they set out to achieve. From Are you saying we don’t have democratic instithat moment it was political, but it has now tutions that can strengthen the system? been hijacked by international terrorist groups Democracy the way we are looking at it is like al-Qaeda and others who are now using it just holding periodic elections. Even then, we for something else. have never held a free and fair election in this When Modu was with them there were not country. The one we managed to hold was attacking Christians and police stations, but that of 1993 and it was annulled, precisely what has happened since he abandoned them because it was not expected to turn out the is the ongoing problems we are coping with. way it did.

And for politicians not to see that; that they But don’t we have institutions that can guarcaused it and that they must find solution to it antee credible elections? is what I cannot understand.

We don’t have. Because what is at stake when On the other hand and referring to your posiyou get to power is so much; the enormous tion regarding the 2015 elections, some have wealth that you can get, the extent to which argued that certain politicians never wanted you can deprive your opponent, the extent to election to hold in the first place and that it which you can create billionaires are so limitserved their interests. Don’t you think this less. There is too much attach to power. And could be plausible argument? the decentralisation under which we have It could be true. But I can assure you they been operating since the military got there would be pushed out; those politicians who compounds our problems. want to perpetuate themselves in office by You will recall that, under Prime Minister compromising the system would be pushed Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, we had just 44 items out completely. I believe they know that them- on the exclusive legislative list. When Ironsi selves. It’s a double-edged sword they have if tried unification, they killed him. They said that is what they are planning. I am aware of because he promulgated a unification decree. such position. But it has also been argued that But it is that centralisation we have succeeded some never wanted Jonathan to ever get there to put in place since then. To that extent, there in the first place, they want to push him out is so much power at the centre. And because and if they could achieve that by creating inse- there is so much power at the centre, the batcurity, all jolly well and good. you started it tle for political office becomes fight to finish –– yourself and you will know how to hang it a do-or-die battle the way Obasanjo described yourself. it; it’s a zero-sum game. To that extent, you It is like what they did to deposed President cannot have free and fair election. If you have Mohammed Morsi in Egypt. The armed forces free and fair election, it would then mean it is in that country, which is different from that of not what Nigerians consider it to be. ours; Egyptian military controls about 55 perAll these have become a recurring decimal in cent of the economy, in terms of corporation our national life. Are there any lessons learnt? and all of that.

Clearly not yet. Lessons are not learnt yet.

We have a situation where political class does There is awareness among the Nigerian popunot seem to care about the country. They only lace, but there is no consciousness. The concare about what they want to get from it. As sciousness comes up when you are able to long as they continue top gain from the situaassociate the malfeasances of those who are tion, that is what is important to them. governing you, the malfeasances with your Look at the National Assembly, for example. own declaration and deprivation of the massThey hold secret meetings on how much lootes. But. as long as you put your ethnicity or ing they are going to embark upon; they never religion forward and you say, ‘well, that is the allowed this to come out. And all those things, issue’, you are not conscious. which had been published have not been Yes, you have information to the extent that denied by them in terms of how many millions you say, ‘everybody is corrupt let him be, he’s they are taking home every month. For what? our own’. You slam everybody else and you For doing what? now make noise. We have that. And this cuts When I said this is lootocracy, it is not just the across all the gamut of multi-dimensional par-

Prof. Alaba Ogunsanwo teaches political science and international politics at the Leads City University, Ibadan. In a chat with KAMAL TAYO OROPO, he lamented dearth of democratic values in the system, and dismissed the current democratic experience.

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asitic elite that we have. I’m not excluding any –– I am not excluding the ivory tower because I know what goes on, even here.

Would it then be safe to conclude that political actors have not been doing enough in deepening this democracy?

It is not in their interest to do so. The existing situation is very okay with them, to the extent that if it goes on like that, they don’t mind.

They are not interested in deepening any value.

Has there been enough development to justify the huge expenses of this democracy?

To begin to talk about the cost of democracy is to say it exists. We don’t just have it. That’s my view. If something does not exist, you cannot begin to talk about it.

But what can be done to strengthen the modicum of democracy we have? To make it less of lootocracy according to you?

In the first instance, we have to restructure the political system that we have. There is too much power at the centre. You must have a drastic devolution of power to the regions. We must go back to regional arrangement, in line with the six geo-political zones.

You can always have within the regions provinces or states or whatever we choose to call it. We have to devolve to them (the six geopolitical zones) a great deal of power, so that there is minimum left at the centre. The struggle to get to the centre and steal will become less of a do-or-die matter.

When you are at the regional level, your own community can police you more because you have them all around you and everybody can see you around. They can see you and they have your people around. It is not possible to do this at the federal level.

Would you trust the ongoing national conference coming up with this ideas?

Whether they come up with such desire or not, it is important that there is dialogue; there is talk in Nigeria. From reports, it is most likely that they would return with a fundamental restructuring of the country, which is the only thing that can save us as a people. If they don’t do that, we will just continue as we are doing.

Lessons are not learnt yet.

There is awareness among the Nigerian populace, but there is no consciousness. The consciousness comes up when you are able to associate the malfeasances of those who are governing you, the malfeasances with your own declaration and deprivation of the masses. But. as long as you put your ethnicity or religion forward and you say, ‘well, that is the issue’, you are not conscious

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THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

Sunday, may 25, 2014

COVER

DEmOCRACY DAY

BIAKOLO: Our Democracy Is Very Weak, We Need To Build Institutions Prof. Emevwo Biakolo is the Dean, School of Media and Communication, Pan-Atlantic University, Lagos. In an interview with KAMAL TAYO OROPO, he lamented the weaknesses in the nation’s democracy, while urging specific development of both formal and informal institutions of governance.

How strong would you say Nigeria’s democratic experience has been?

Am going to try to break it down to what part of the democratic experience we should be talking about. We can begin to think about the experience from the point of view of the institutions like the National Assembly, the executive, the judiciary and the rest of it, but we need to examine the informal institutions of governance.

We will certainly come to specific institutions.

But what are your general perspectives on the state of health of the democratic experience?

One needs to be very careful in this kind of situation. The operators of the system are a completely another matter all together. We can talk about the institutions on the one hand and the operators on the other hand; these are all indicators of how strong or otherwise the system has been. We can also talk about the actions of non-formal governmental institutions. For instance, what has the institutions of democracy, such as the media, for example; the labour group, that’s another; the civil society and other associated groups.

When I think about the strength of democracy, I would like to look as it from a multi-dimensional angle, which includes the generality of the citizens themselves. That’s in addition to the formal and informal institutions of democracy.

We have to factor all of these into our description of the strength of democracy as we have it.

For instance, issues of literacy and political awareness in the system. my general perception, however, is that at the moment we have weak institutions, both at the formal level and informal level. Looking at the media, for example, we should be talking about the media being stronger than any of the other institutions for reason of having been in existence, experience and contribution to democracy. But sadly, the media are weaker now than they used to be during the military era.

Our democracy is week not only from the point of view of the formal level but the institutions themselves are weak. But most weaker than the institutions are the operators of themselves; people who have subverted the system.

But as weak as these operators (formal operators) are the people themselves. Their commitments to democratic principles and awareness, for example, are weak. If the citizens’ commitments and awareness are strong, ensuring that the operators don’t over-step the bounds, we will have a much more stronger democracy. So, the institutions are weak, the non-formal institutions are weak, the political operators are weak in their banality and their quest for power without responsibility and also weak are the citizens themselves in their commitment to principles, values and awareness; and this cuts across board.

Some of these issues have been around for quite a long time. Is there no lesson learnt over the years?

It does seem to me that the operators of the system behave as if they have learnt absolutely thing; they have learnt nothing before 1999 and they have learnt nothing after 1999.

For example, the way opposition reacts to some national issues. There are some issues you cannot politicized. Looking at the security challenge; this is not something your should be going to town asking what is the President Good luck Jonathan doing? They are issues bothering around security, which you cannot politicized. Something you need to involve the top leaders of political parties in the security challenge and not issues to be used for political campaigns. Some of these irresponsible governors are going round trying to politicized what should not. It is mark of irresponsibility on the part of the operators. This goes to show that they have learnt nothing at all from our experience as a nation so far before 1999 and since 1999. I will say that our people as well as our democracy have a long way to go. We have a long way to and we really have to decide if we are really interested in working together as a

Weakness Undermines Democratization Process — NAANEN CONTINUED FROM PAGE 22

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nation. You cannot expect the system to just fix itself. Understandably, this partisan politics, so there are some things you can expect in the spirit of give and take and some level of element of conflicts, of course. But , as I said, issues about security are not those that should be toyed with.

We need to demonstrate that we have learnt and that we are committed to a learning process that would ensure continuity and growth. The rate at which we run is a question of continuity and sustainability.

Specifically, will you say the political operators are doing enough in strengthening and sustaining this democracy?

Certainly no! They have not demonstrated that they are committed to it and they have not shown sufficient desire to create a robust democratic culture. A robust democratic culture, in my understanding, is strengthening the institutions and ensuring that we are not engaging in this egunje democracy that we are in; because that is all that is basically happening these days.

Surely, it’s a horse-trading system that is going on in the National Assembly. And even what is happening at the states house of assembly is not a fair and robust engagement at ensuring check and balances on the executive on a basis of probity and fairness. It’s all about personal gains. They really should be asking questions and ensuring that the executives are doing the right thing. They should be ensuring fairness and that there is probity in the way things are run. At the moment it is all about egunje and how much you can get before agreeing to approve things. That’s on one side.

On the other side and on the side of the executive and electorates. There should a serious and conscious effort political education of the people. I don’t see the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) doing that at all. These are the most demonsratable and evidence of growth. Political education and participation by the people. This is critical.

It is not only when things are going wrong and people are demonstrating that you begin to address issues piecemeal. You need to ensure that the people are involved in the political process and because of that they are participating in the system and they are aware of their rights. This whole education process; ensuring political education, political awareness, political commitment, political participation and the rest. This is something I don’t see politicians, either the opposition or those holding executive posts, to be doing. And this is the only way you can guarantee democracy if the people are participating in the political system. I don’t see participation in the political process, apart from some few enlightened groups such as in the media. I don’t see

political participation and involvement on the part of the citizenry.

Against the backdrop of the abysmal score sheet you have painted, has there been appreciable level of developed to justify the huge expenses on the this democracy?

Democracy is expensive; there is no doubt about that. Dictatorship is always cheaper former the economic point of view, even though at the end of the day it is less productive and less gainful. So, democracy will come very expensive from that point of view. But really it is question of releasing productive energy of the people. The capacity of this country has still not been exploited. The capacity of the people to produce is still at the minimum level. The gain of democracy is releasing the productive capacity of the people.

Look at the mass of employment people in the country and it is not as if the resources are unavailable. The youths’ productive capacity is not released.

The government had made some effort at developing some enterprise development, but this is just training. It should about making it possible for those who want start businesses to start them. If they want to start businesses they have to look for certain X amount of money. There should be places to access fund to start viable businesses. I want to see the productive capacity of the people developed.

That way we will not be worrying about the cost of democracy. Democracy is expensive but if you release the productive capacity of the people, they will pay for it. We are in a much larger economy even before the recent rebase thing. We don’t have the industrial capacity because you don’t release the productive capacity of the people. It is these small businesses that should be feeding the big businesses.

That’s not what we are having at the moment. We don’t have big businesses and we are importing all kinds of things into the country. You are not releasing the productive capacity of the Nigerian people. We need to be looking at the whole credit system to see how do we make it available to people so that they can access loans and credits that will enable them to develop businesses. It will be nice to see that system working. The banks are demanding 25 per cent or more, how can you grow honest business from that?

Apart from this, what in specific terms can also be done to strengthen this democracy?

I wanted to breakdown the different elements to underscore the point that when if we are talking of strengthening, we are not just strengthening in abstract. But we are strengthening specific and achievable productive segments. Fro example, if the

plish.

We need to improve lives. Democracy is about the improvement of the quality of life. If you don’t have development, if you don’t have the basic needs of life, then that government has failed. There is an argument about failed states. People are saying we need to identify what you call structural failures and functional failure. That is in every sense of the word, we could have a government that is in place; that is a State in place structurally as a cohesive entity, but as far as the performance of government is concerned, it is grossly incompetent and in that case you have a failed government in a failed State. That you are not able to have some of the basic needs which citizens could be proud of, basic needs that could improve the quality of life, security, good governance, basic social infrastructure such as good health, and qualitative education it means you have failed. If you cannot provide some of these things, why do we have a government? It is regrettable that some things that every modern state should be able to provide for its citizens, things that have been taken for guaranteed elsewhere in the world and things that we could possibly afford given our resource endowment are lacking here in Nigeria. These are some of the issues that we have to look at in assessing the various arms of government We have had turbulence in the polity occasioned by intrigues and parochial inclinations. What does this say about our democracy?

You need to look at the relationship between the states and the federal government. You could say that is part of the contentiousness of democratic system. Like the federal government trying to muzzle Rivers State and other none PDP states. I see that as part of the contentiousness of a democratic system. Sometimes, there have to be creative disagreement, creative disorder in order for a new and better order to emerge. So, often, I see that as part of that creativity that is part of democratic system.

If you look holistically, the polity is in a state of negative turbulence, perhaps; insurgency in the Northeast that has greatly undermined any initiative to develop the North. The North is in the state of backwardness compared to the rest of Nigeria and one would have expected that everything should be done in order to improve the living condition, illiteracy, health and social conditions in the North generally. But, as things now stand, it seems impossible to achieve that under insurgency, where there are wanton killings. You don’t even know whether there is any ideological basis for what is happening. In the past, we used to know insurgency to be political movements that are geared towards attaining specific political objectives. But at the moment, you don’t know what the insurgents stand for. The only ideology that is there is, how many people you are able to kill. How much destruction you are able to achieve. No modern and civil society will be able to withstand that level of destruction and develop. Assuming that anybody can just rise up and just do anything, imagine the kind of chaos we could have. That kind of lawlessness could destroy human existence; it could destroy society.

It baffles me the kind of psychology and thinking these insurgents have. They are not guided by any serious ideology that could improve society. Or, will they say they are struggling for certain principles other than destruction of society? That is something that is greatly undermining our democracy and the State itself. If anarchy should reign supreme all over the country as it is doing in certain parts of the country at the moment, then the country will become ungovernable. There was insurgence in the Niger Delta, but was controlled and it was largely better that the insurgence in the Northeast. The country is in dire need of peace, security and leadership.

Some people are of the view that Nigeria made more progress under the military than in democracy?

Every regime, so far, has something it contributed to national development; we have to accept that. But if you give too much credit to the military you also need to remember that it was under the military that the State was privatized. You remember the wanton looting of state resources under military dictatorship. A situation where the Central Bank of Nigeria almost became an ATm to the existing regime, when you just send troops to go and collect money whenever you wanted. That couldn’t have been progress whatsoever. Since 1999 some progress have been made. Every system has its cost. During the military, corruption was a little restricted to the military elite. We know that the bureaucrats were also involved, to some extent, but it was not as wide as we are having under the civilian administration we are running at the moment. We have to prune down corruption because it is now widespread. There are so many people having access to resources that should not be. Democracy is more expensive in terms of corruption, in terms of outcome, in terms of financial management than under the military in which corruption was restricted to the military elite.

What should be done to strengthen the democratiza-

Sunday, May 25, 2014 /21

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

COVER

DEMOCRACY DAY Prof. Agu Gab Agu is a Professor of law and dean of law faculty, Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT). He spoke to LAWRENCE NJOKU on the country’s democratic experience.

IGERIA will be marking another celebration of her democracy that began in 1999 this week. What can you make of the journey so far?

The most important thing is that we are still an entity called Nigeria; there has not been much to celebrate. It has been all motion without movement.

The things we had expected from democracy have eluded us. More people are getting richer on the proceeds and fallouts from it against the interest of the common man and if the trend continues, it will spell doom for the country. If they continue to perpetuate themselves in power, there could be unimaginable crisis depending on where the people are going to come from.

I must concede that the present government has taken some strides that appear very progressive; the efforts in telecommunications and in energy seems to be yielding some fruits; but in all, 15 years down the line, there is not much to cheer about (we are still living on hope that things will be better).

We are presently experiencing one of the greatest challenges on our security. At what point did we get it wrong?

It is still this cycle that I was talking about, which is people trying to perpetuate themselves in office, people being very ambitious, thinking about themselves only. You will realise that some of the fallout of this brigandage is the insecurity and unemployment we are experiencing.

Looking at the issue of Boko Haram, every hand points to the issue of ECOMOG they put in place in Borno State. One way or the other, it is not easy to have a hold on these people you put there. They will always come back, now they have been able to link with their counterparts and we cannot control them again. It is this greed in Nigeria that caused all of these; people tried to develop very powerful persons instead of powerful institutions. People tower above the persons they are called to lead.

Until we begin to call a spade by its name and try to get those involved, we cannot get anywhere. Look at what is happening, we are talking about extending the period in which the army will take care of the situation in Yobe, Borno and Adamawa and you see the opponents and those siding seriously against the army in the National Assembly kicking against it and these are some of those facing trial in the Senate over their alleged link with the Boko Haram. They are saying that they should be allowed free reign; and you see another senator who claims to see the movement of the abducted girls and he is still in the Senate.

You see, we say that Ceaser’s wife should be above suspicion and anybody whom we have reason to suspect that he knows what is happening should not be in the chamber where such issues are discussed.

Why should anybody threaten the resolve of strengthening the army to get to the root of what is happening? What I am saying in effect is that our problem started with this group of people. We should allow our laws speak for us. People, who have committed offences, should be made to face the law.

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AGU: Our Democracy Hasn’t Failed; The Enemies Are Within I don’t celebrate that people should go to prison but people who committed offence should be punished adequately and that is the deterrent for breaking the law. If a culprit sees that another has not been punished, why should he be afraid of the law?

In very civilised climes, once an atrocity is committed, the law takes its cause. Look at what is happening in Israel, former Prime Minister has gone to prison for taking bribe; that is the problem. Our institutions of enforcement should be strengthened.

Some people say that this democracy has failed because of insecurity, unemployment, lack of electricity among others; do you agree with this?

It has not failed. Where were we coming from and how did we get to where we are? Before 15 years, what was the state of the nation?

Why did the rail collapse completely and why did we have that kind of decadence in the society? That is where we will start. People have been in the helm of affairs and contributed to this sorry state that we are in and what has happened to them? Are they not the same people that are in the commanding height of the economy? These are the people that call the shots in the economy today and why have we not attempted to bring them to book and set up machineries to ask them questions?

In the 70’s, railway stations were operating optimally, there were good roads, but today, these things are no more; even air transportation has collapsed. Who are the transporters, those who control the haulage vehicles, did they contribute to the making of this system the way it is, are they contributing now?

The point is that, no matter what has happened, they benefited. We should find out who have been part of our problems. But I don’t think that 15 years is so much a time to even conceptualise the idea that development has eluded us properly. It is only that we may not have had men who are selfless; that is the problem. We have had people who have made their lots better at the expense of the people they are meant to serve.

Nonetheless, we are moving on, though on a slow pace.

Our constitution has partly been blamed for the problems we have. What are those areas that you want changed so as to improve the situation?

Let me say very clearly that our problem may not be the constitution, as people may want to believe. Our problem is the operators of the constitution.

There is no way you would find everything contained in one document that can determine what should be done and the people

avoid doing those things, yet, you want things to work. The constitution has given us a free reign, a free market economy where everybody, who is hard working, will do well.

The constitution has given us the rights of persons; we have had improvements, even on the rights of access to information. But have we been able to make use of them? How many people have been able to give you the right information? Why is it that if you come to a state, they will tell you that it has not been domesticated, is that supposed to be the position? What are they hiding from and are they supposed to be hiding what belongs to the people? Our constitution is inherently good but the operators fall short of what is expected of them.

Again, there are few things that I feel should be removed from the constitution and they include the 1978 land Use Act. It is like forcefully taking over people’s land and putting it in the care of somebody who may not be good. You said that the governor is a trustee over land, but how good is a gover-

CONTINUED ON PAGE 22

The constitution has given us the rights of persons; we have had improvements, even on the rights of access to information. But have we been able to make use of them? How many people have been able to give you the right information?

Why is it that if you come to a state, they will tell you that it has not been domesticated, is that supposed to be the position?

What are they hiding from and are they supposed to be hiding what belongs to the people? Our constitution is inherently good but the operators fall short of what is expected of them

‘Local Governments The Weakest Link In Democratic Chain’ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 20 tures, while local government councils, which should be agents of social and economic development at the grassroots, have been rendered powerless, with the recentralisation of their powers, functions and revenue sources.

Everywhere, public authorities have moved away from pursuing pro-poor policies. What we have sadly, therefore, is the failure of our public authorities to fulfill their obligations under Chapter 2 of our country’s constitution.

What can be done to strengthen this democratic dispensation?

The answer to this question is already implied in my answers to questions one to two: a reorientation of our political culture in ways that view politics as a public interest project; in ways that will turn our electoral governance into an effective and positive mechanism for managing unproblematic political succession and our rich diversity, as recommended by the Uwais-led Electoral Reform Committee.

I should mention another point: as part of the reorientation of our political culture, we need to move away from a confrontational to a cooperative approach to federalism, particularly to federal-state relations. Federalism should be viewed

less as separated and divided government than as fused and inter-linked government.

Too much focus on the legislative division of powers and functions has tended in our practice of federalism to obfuscate the opportunities in federalism for fused governance responsibilities to serve the citizens, in whom sovereignty resides, and not in the so-called and misleading notion of federating units, which are in any way artificial creations.

The electorate are critical element of the process, but they seem to be unperturbed, what is responsible for that and how could they be helped?

One of the major “dividends” of our democratic experience since May 1999 is the development of a critical mass of Nigerians, across the country, to work for and defend the sanctity of electoral mandates. The notion of apathetic voters can be misleading and does not necessarily translate to passive citizens. The dynamics of electoral politics in our country since May 1999, and the contradictions they have spawn, seem to have energised the electorate everywhere to defend their votes and the sanctity of the electoral process.

We have seen this demonstrated in a number of states since

May 1999. What we need to do is to institutionalise at various levels what I call “neighborhood watch groups” to protect the electoral process.

The political parties are critical components of democracy, how can we ensure that they are ideologically based so that they could deepen the democratic process?

Political parties constitute a significant problem for democratic politics in our country. They have not offered to the wider society a mirror image of what democracy should mean.

However, one can discern internal contradiction within them impelling them to democratise. This is a major cause of the current crisis rocking the major political parties in the country. It is not the ideological or programmatic content of their vision that is the major problem, important as it is in offering the electorate a choice, but the political culture of zero-sum and rent-seeking approach to politics that animates their practice of competitive party and electoral politics.

How we can overcome this has been thoughtfully outlined in the Uwais-led Electoral Reform Committee Report, which situates party reform as a core element in the wider electoral governance reform it proposes.

Sunday, May 25, 2014

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

25

LIVINGWOMAN

IGBOKWE: We Need To Develop Value For Human Life

By Geraldine Akutu

HERE is one thing that Dr. Nwamaka Henrietta Igbokwe delights in, it is the belief in and exhibition of godly virtues. A Pharmacist, who loves prayers, hard work, setting goals and achieving them, she is focused and persevering.

Nwamaka holds an NCE certificate in Chemistry/Physics.

She also has a B. Pharm. from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, M.Sc. Pharmaceuticals from the University of Ibadan and Ph.D. Pharmaceutical Microbiology from the University of Lagos. She trained as a molecular microbiologist at the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee in collaboration with the City of Milwaukee Health Department, in the U. S. For her dedication and commitment to the progress and welfare of the society and her field of specialty, she won the World Bank innovator of tomorrow award in 2010 and Best Resident Poster award for American society for clinical Pathologists (ASCP) in 2013. Currently, she is a lecturer at the faculty of pharmacy at the University Of Lagos.

Life was, however, not a bed of roses for this strong woman, though it was quite fun and interesting, as her parents lovingly catered for her and siblings from the little they had. “I grew up in Anambra State, where I obtained my primary and secondary education. Living with my parents in Onitsha, a commercial city in the state, where my father traded in fabrics and my mother was a petty trader, life was interesting, as my basic needs were provided for,” she recalls.

As a child, Nwamaka always had the urge and constantly thought of what she could do to help cure people with different sicknesses and diseases. Unconsciously, she was already being prepared for her future career.

“Growing up in the village exposed me to the beauty of natural herbs and medicinal plants with which we are endowed. Most times as a child, I saw these herbs/medicinal plants being utilised for minor injuries and sicknesses and I desired knowing more about them,” she recalls.

“This informed my choice of Pharmacy as profession. I owe so much to my mother, Mrs. Susan Udechukwu and Prof.

(Mrs.) C. I. Igwilo, Director of Foundation Programme, University of Lagos. They both impacted my life positively.”

To Nwamaka, these two women will forever remain her mentors, as they contributed in no small measure to the person she is now and how her life has turned out. “They helped to bring out the best in me and for this, I shall remain grateful to them. I have learned a lot from them and I am glad I knew these wonderful people.”

Nwamaka prides herself in the uniqueness with which she has learned to handle her numerous clients. To her, this represents the epitome of professional service to humanity. “Every moment, I place myself in the position of the patient or the consumer and imagine how I would feel if treated or attended to the way I treat or attend to others, knowing clearly that my approach to a patient can make him/her feel worse or better even without drugs. Above all, my uniqueness is of God’s divine grace,” she says.

She feels somewhat disturbed and sad, when discussing the issue of fake drugs, which are on the increase in the country. She says without mincing words that those indulging in this wicked act are ungodly and does not have value for human life. “It is a pity. Some human beings are without conscience. One does not need to be a professional to understand that drugs can kill or save life and so, must be handled with utmost sincerity and genuineness.

Intentional involvement in compounding, importation, distribution and dispensing of fake drug(s) is an act orchestrated from the pit of hell and those who are involved in such will surely drink their own deadly poisons in one way or the other.”

In proffering solutions to the menace, she says: “People involved in drug manufacturing, importation and distribution, the quality assessors in the quality control units of NAFDAC and the law enforcement agents of NDLEA should all strive to maintain a clear conscience. They should not sell their conscience for money knowing that whatever a man sows, he reaps. Nigerians should also be careful of where they get their drugs. They should not patronise quacks. People should endeavour to buy drugs from registered Pharmacy premises managed by professionals. No effort should be spared to ensure that good and quality drugs are bought from professional pharmacists.”

Aside lecturing, Nwamaka also helps young people grow, which has made those that come in contact with her love, cherish and trust her.

“During my Ph.D. research in the United States, I had the privilege of having deep interactions with African youths through All Saints Church in Milwaukee. This singular experience has helped to bring integrity and dignity to my life and person. I am particularly happy that lives are being touched and restored in the process. A lot of young people believe and confide in me. This is in line with ministering to the Nigerian Army Christian Women (Protestant). To God alone be all the glory and honour though.

“My desire to be a candidate of heaven and my understanding that life in Christ Jesus is the only hope of glory drives and motivates me, which is why as a mother, I feel deeply for the over 200 girls abducted by the Boko Haram

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Without mincing words that those indulging in this wicked act are ungodly and does not have value for human life. “It is a pity. Some human beings are without conscience. One does not need to be a professional to understand that drugs can kill or save life and so, must be handled with all manner of sincerity and genuineness sect. I find it very difficult reconciling myself to what is happening around us, but whatever the case is, the faceless group, who are workers of iniquity and are getting their orders from Satan and the whole company of hell, should know that that as long as the Lord lives, their battles are in vain and except they repent, they remain forever condemned.”

Regarding the current situation in which Nigeria and Nigerians have found themselves, she says: “We are not being sincere in all that we do, as a people and nation.

Our priorities are misplaced and we love praising mediocrity, greed, wickedness and unreasonable manipulations, thereby discouraging hard work and due process, which are the keys to success and development.

“Most of us at the helm of affairs are so selfish, doing everything possible within our means to satisfy selfish desires and ambitions no matter the consequences to the nation. And though the country is so endowed with human and material resources, the privileged group of persons, who have access to developing and utilising

these resources for the good and welfare of every Nigerian, prefer looting and destroying these treasures. They would rather travel to foreign countries and import finished products, thereby satisfying their selfish ambition.”

To her fellow women, Nwamaka has a word of advice: “Women should strive to stand out in their various fields of endeavours. They should never settle for the second place. Everyone should desire to be positively unique, and to achieve this, women need to devise strategies on how to be successful. There is also the need to always ask for wisdom from the Lord, Who gives liberally and freely. Anyone that delights in Him is sure of attaining his/her heart’s desires.”

Nwamaka says her career does not prevent her from giving her best to her family and home, where she tries her best to bring about a balance.

“The Lord’s grace has been sufficient for me. Knowing my full responsibilities as a wife, mother and working lady, I wake up early in the morning and sleep late to ensure that all is taken care of. My husband’s great understanding and love are also making things much easier for me, she explains.

To avoid stress and take the well-deserved break from her busy schedule, she relaxes mostly on weekends, and once in a while, goes on holiday with her husband and children.

For upcoming pharmacists, she has this to say: “Always put yourself in the position of others and imagine how you would feel if you were the patient or beneficiary. Remember always that you have a name and an integrity to protect.”

On the issue of domestic violence, which is becoming rampant in the society, she says: “It is such a terrible, wicked act. Laws concerning such acts should be reviewed to involve heavy sanctions and penalties on the perpetrators and they must be enforced without delay.”

26

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Sunday, May 25, 2014

NEWSFEATURE

By Gbenga Salau N Africa, Nigeria has the highest number of children of school age on the streets, which could be linked to inadequate planning on the part of education managers. And the majority within that category are persons who are physically strong, with no disabilities. So, a nation that has not fully catered for its able citizens would probably never bother planning for those living with one form of disability or the other.

With government’s scant attention to persons with disabilities, individual families have been making concerted effort to integrate members with disabilities into the larger society.

At the primary and secondary stages, there are specialised schools that cater for people with disabilities; that is not the case at the tertiary levels. Students with disabilities enrolled in postsecondary institutions have to be in the same class and go through the same process with their able and fit colleagues. So they are compelled to learn under a system where, those who have no form of disability are even grappling to cope. And for many of them, there would be that culture shock since they may probably not get the special attention they were used to in their primary and secondary schools.

Ironically, most higher institutions in Nigeria are still grappling with providing basic infrastructure, so going a step further to provide specialized facilities for people with disability might be far flung.

It is a fact that for the special students to acquire tertiary education and get the best, there must be some facilities in place. If not, it is either the students would have to improvise or go through the process with some pains or get poorly educated because they have to exert extra energy, which no doubt will further compound their plight.

Though Nigeria is a signatory to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disability (CRPD), but has she made efforts to ensure that people with disability are adequately catered for to ensure that their innate talents and skills are better honed to enable them become useful citizens.

Ugochuckwu Godfrey, is an 100 Level student of Political Science at the University of Lagos.

Godfrey, visually impaired, disclosed that it has not been an easy journey for him, because when it comes to learning, he needs to get textbooks and academic materials like every other student, especially when it is made compulsory, but while other students stop at that point, he would have to look for the soft copy of the textbooks in order to convert it into audio to be able to listen to the content of the book.

“So if the textbooks have audio form or softcopies, it would help and make it easier to interact with the textbook. If not, buying a print copy of the book is almost useless to the visually impaired.”

According to him, having access to softcopies of most textbooks is usually very difficult, so in the alternative, he would need to scan the book from page to page for conversion into audio or get the textbook brailed, which is a tedious process and time consuming.

“To attend lecture, I must seat in the front row to be able to record the lectures, so I have bought a midget to record. To sometimes access the content of some textbooks would require scanning the textbook, and transfer it to my laptop in order to convert into audio.”

He added that understanding pictorial aspect of teaching and in textbooks has not been an easy task because most times information provided in pictures are lost, as he cannot see them and words most times cannot vividly explain the pictures.

Giving a brief on his journey to the university, especially writing his JAMB Exam, he disclosed that though they were given Braille copies of the questions during the JAMB Exam, he preferred somebody reading the questions to him in order to type the answers.

“I did not use the Braille paper because the time it will take to read, drop the Brailed question paper, type the answer, thereafter locating where I stopped to move to the next question would take a lot of time. But if somebody reads for me, I would type faster.”

On how he has been moving around the campus, Godfrey said it has been through God’s help. He revealed that the first time he entered the campus; it was tough. “It was same process till I got accommodation. So during that period, I was coming to the campus from Orile-Iganmu, Lagos, everyday, though I have some mobility skills, but because I did not know the terrain, I found it difficult moving around. The hostel I was allocated, I have not yet mastered the terrain, so I mainly restrict myself to the areas I have mastered or I get somebody to help me move around. Though I stay in a 10-man room, I can move to the toilet and use the bathroom without any assistance.”

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DISABILITY: A Huge Burden In Tertiary Institutions

Physically challenged students get assistance from friends at the University of Lagos.

But with high unemployment in Nigeria, is he not argued that “if there is special education in the discouraged? He replied, “I am not, because I know school, may be, more people will have better when I get there, God will provide a job for me.” orientation on how to engage special people or people with special needs.”

UYIWA Fatogun is another visually impaired Fatogun, who had gone through an NCE prostudent at the University of Lagos. He is a 300 gramme before getting admitted into the level student of the Department of Guidance and University, narrated his experience in his early Counseling. He also noted that the learning environ- days on campus, stating that it was very, very ment is not conducive for the visually impaired difficult to understand the environment, as he because the way some of the faculties were struc- faced a lot of challenges, including not getting tured are not favorable to the visually impaired. “If anybody to assist him to move around, not able you do not have anybody to depend on, you will not to easily braille his textbooks and not getting make it to the classroom,” he said. accommodation on time.

On academic engagement, he said that when he “Can you imagine a visually impaired student buys a textbook for N1,500, it would take N2,500 to coming from Sango, Ogun state? Until I got a turn it to Braille. This, he said, is part of the chal- place in Oshodi before moving into the camlenges they are facing. “So the school could help by pus, when I got my accommodation, I come for subsidising the cost of Brailing,” he suggested. lectures daily from those places.” Though According to him, he often had to rush to the class- Fatogun commended the university manageroom to beat other students, if he must get a space in ment because attention is often given to special the front row to seat, which would make him con- people, he is worried that it is only when such centrate, understand better and record the lectures. persons approached the authorities that they Commenting on how members of the university are attended to. have been relating with people in his category, he On better ways to engage students with dis-

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There is no national policy. Most of the things we say are just lip service. If you go to most of our universities and higher institutions, you see high-rise buildings; you wonder if people with disabilities were considered in putting up the structures. We talk about elibrary and e-payment; the truth of the matter is that we do not take them seriously. So, this country does not think about the poor and the disadvantaged persons

abilities, he suggested that orientation be given to the staff and lecturers so that, for instance, during examination, people with disabilities are given extra time, because if the sighted person uses an hour, the visually impaired should use one hour thirty minutes, because it takes more time for the visually impaired to write using the Braille.

BDULFATAI Atunda is a part three student of A Computer Science at the Yaba College of Technology, Lagos. He is a student with physical disability, who moves around in a wheelchair.

According to him, the school has been so friendly to him, which is why he is very pleased with the conditions that assist learning.

He, however, said that until recently, he found it difficult moving from one point to another, especially when it is about accessing the buildings, because most of the structures have stair cases with no ramp, which makes it difficult for him to go into the buildings unaided.

“To get into any of the buildings, my friends and colleagues would have to lift me in. Though I learnt there are plans to have ramps in all the buildings.

To go to toilet, I found it difficult because the space is small. I find it difficult wheeling in.”

He said in the last three sessions, he has been allocated a room on the ground floor, which aids his movement.

“The teaching environment has been friendly and I appreciate that. Friends and colleagues have been helping me to carry on with the course and I have adapted quickly than my expectation. I really appreciate the Rector, Registrar, Dean of Students and my HOD. Though part-time students are not given accommodation on campus, but we were

CONTINUED ON PAGE 27

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Sunday, May 25, 2014

27

NEWSFEATURE

‘Structures On Campuses Are Largely Inaccessible’ Barrister Daniel Onwe is a member of the community of people with disabilities. In this chat with GBENGA SALAU, he narrated his experience as a student.

What was the experience schooling in the university?

NDEED, it was tortuous. Let me begin with my undergraduate days at the University of Uyo. In my first year, when we did many non-law courses, venues for the lectures were scattered across the two campuses of the university. We had the main campus and the annex. So, I had to be wobbling on my crutches from one lecture hall to the other, and they were far apart. Some of the different lectures held consecutively, for instance, one could be for 1 pm another for 2pm and may be another for 3 pm or so. That means, even an ordinary person would be literally running from one lecture hall to another. Mind you, we hadn’t campus shuttles then. Again, there were the architectural barriers. Many of the lecture halls were not bungalows. The law library was on the second floor and I frequent it on daily basis. Now, to life in the hostel, on the positive part, I always got accommodation, and the ground floor, so that was no problem.

However, there are some other challenges. For instance, I had to fetch water; I had to wash my clothes, go to the laundry lines to spread them. I would use one hand to hold my crutch, and carry my bucket of water with the other hand, as I walk.

That was also how I would carry my washed clothes to the line to spread.

I must also say that my schoolmates were very supportive. So, I didn’t always have to fetch my water or carry my washed clothes to the laundry lines myself. There were people who helped me out without my asking; I will continue to be grateful to them. Even when we would have to queue for water, once I showed up, I was, most of the time, allowed to take water not joining the queue.

Some even volunteered to be washing my clothes for me, but I did not allow that. I considered it a luxury too much for me, for from childhood, my parents taught me to be self-dependent as much as possible.

At the law school, the story was better, in that, all the lectures were taken in the same auditorium; so I only needed to get to that auditorium. And some of my hostel mates had cars. So, for much of the time, I had free ride to the lecture hall.

However, on many occasions, I still had to trek to the lecture auditorium. And it was quite a distance from my hostel (Snake Island, as we called it). One interesting moment was during the exam period.

The Enugu Campus of the Law School was at its

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Onwe nascent stage then; we were the second set on that campus. There weren’t sufficient seats. So, towards the exam, all the seats in the hostels were taken to the exam halls, thereby necessitating students to leave their rooms for the halls to read. After lectures, I remained in the room to read. So, I approach the lecturer in charge, who incidentally is my friend. I requested that a seat be left for me in the room to read, instead of shuttling between the halls and my hostel, especially at night, when I read more. I was actually expecting my request to be granted before I finished making it. However, I got the opposite. The lecturer coldly retorted, “Daniel, we have no sacred cows here.” And that was it.

When I did my masters program at the University of Lagos, there were still challenges.

All my lectures were upstairs. In fact, the professors were on the topmost floor. And there was no lift in the Law Faculty Block. The offices in the Post-graduate School where we had dealings were on the topmost floor. Also, there was no lift there either.

Through it all, God has been our strength. The challenges did not break us; they rather made us

unbreakable. My experience as a practicing private legal practitioner is a story for another day.

From your observations and interaction with students with disabilities, has anything changed, between when you were in the university and now?

Well, architecturally, I have not seen many changes. The schools are still inaccessible to persons with disabilities, due to architectural barriers. No student with disability I interact with has told me a better story than what it was in my days in school. On the other hand, I think persons with disabilities are becoming more conscious of their rights as persons with disabilities.

And generally, the consciousness of disability rights in the context of fundamental human right is gradually increasing.

For instance, there is presently a suit seeking interpretation of the provisions of chapter IV of the Nigerian Constitution in the context of persons with disabilities. We were not thinking this way before. Lagos and a few other states in the country have passed laws for the protection of persons with disabilities. A similar bill has been pending at the National Assembly.

What would you want changed?

I would want a level playing field to exist between persons with disabilities and other members of the society. Note, I am not advocating the lowering of standards for persons with disabilities. They should rather be given opportunity to compete with others on equal basis.

Let the environment and buildings, academic materials and personnel be accessible to them on equal basis with other persons. Could you imagine the fate of a student doing a project who is on wheel chair and the office of his project supervisor is not on the first floor; say on the third floor? Let school authorities recognise the state of disabilities of their students and make the necessary reasonable accommodation.

What suggestions would you make in terms of improvements on the part of the institutions and policymakers?

Students with disability should believe God and have confidence in themselves. They should know that in every disability there is a corresponding ability. Therefore, they should dwell on, develop and show the world their corresponding abilities. They should let the world see their ability and not just their disabilities.

Whether you are a student, a professional or what have you, the world celebrates excellence.

So, if you excel in what you do, the world will come to you and celebrate you. It does not matter whether or not you have disability. So, let’s give the world something to see and celebrate, beside our disabilities. Persons with disabilities should also, endeavour to maintain a healthy relationship with others.

The institutions and policy makers on their part should know that persons with disabilities are not strangers, who may be tolerated in the scheme of things, rather they are equal stakeholders. Therefore, their peculiar needs should be factored into all the policies, practices and planning. Their input should be sought and obtained in all issues that affect them.

What role do you think the private sector could play in making things better?

A lot. They could help out in making school environment and buildings accessible to persons with disabilities. Scholarship could be provided to subsidize the high cost of education for persons with disabilities. The area of employment is another. There are a thousand and one persons with disabilities, who are qualified and competent to add value to businesses and establishments. Private sector should also put the proper attitude toward persons with disability and help in creating the necessary environment.

‘Dilemma Of Students With Disabilities’ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 26 allocated bed spaces, because I am not the only one.”

“The levels of disability vary; some limp, others are on wheelchair or are visually impaired. But for now, the visually impaired have no provision here (YABATECH). The main thing is that if they can plan for people that are on wheelchair, it will be easier for people that are limping or using crutches. My advice is that the persons with disability should be considered in every project and programme of the school.

“For instance, I cannot use the library now, because it is on the first floor, though the director of the library gave me a place on the ground floor to read, but I cannot go through the available books in the library; if I need to, somebody has to do it for me.”

Yaba Tech is not the first tertiary school Atunda will attend, he had to leave Ladoke Akintola University of technology (LAUTECH), because the stress was too much. The school had no hostel, moving from the town, where he rented an apartment, to the campus daily was very difficult and unbearable after some time. Atunda revealed that he was not born with physical disability. He only found himself in the present state in 2003 after a serious sickness, a month to his WAEC. AMI Akintade, a 300 Microbiology student of the University of D Lagos is physically challenged, lame to be précise. He said that the facilities within the university are friendly, except the older buildings; probably because the time they were built, there was no consciousness to attend to students with disabilities. “In the newly constructed facilities, the special needs persons are considered. I could say it is in a ratio of 75 percent positive in the University of Lagos”, he said.

For him, using any of the facilities that are not friendly to persons that are physically challenged is usually very strenuous. Akintade called on tertiary institutions to always put in mind the physically challenged when putting up structures in order to have facilities to help them access classrooms, libraries and laboratories, even halls of residence, as the case may be. This, he said, will enable them to be more active and motivate them to perform better as students.

He said though some students employ helpers to aid their movement within the campus and in performing some chores, he has no helper because “I don’t think it’s a major necessity for me.”

VISUALLY impaired student, Faith Ekienaboi, speaking on how technology has aided them in functioning as students, said it has help tremendously. “With the software installed in our phones and laptops, we are able to browse, able to call and know those calling us, then the recorders to tape lectures.”

The Dean of Students, University of Lagos, Professor Olukayode Amund, said that since the inception of the university, the institution has been having students with disabilities, polio victims, those with hearing and visual impairment and other challenges. He further said that the university had been able to manage those it has admitted so far.

“Those with visual impairment have the mechanism with which they operate, the Braille. We have a section of the library where facilities are provided for them to use. This is besides some special books that have been made available for them. Some of them have helpers, especially in the hall of residence to assist them so that they could be on the same platform with others.”

To ensure they have conducive environment to operate, he said, “We give them special consideration in the allocation of bed spaces. We normally keep them on the ground floor so that they will not go long distances that will make life difficult for them. These are the things we do to cushion the effect of their disabilities.

“We had to purchase a hearing aid for a student to the tune of about N490,000 because he could not afford it. A brilliant student, but has such a disability; the parents could not afford it, but we had to assist.

We have many sickle cell patients in the university; they are very fragile. These are the classes of people we manage.”

The Dean added that the institution admits many students with disabilities if they meet the basic qualifying requirements, as the university does not discriminate.

He said that the school is willing to do more for students with disabilities, but funding has been a major challenge, because there are no special grants, except public-spirited individuals and groups, who donate and assist the university. “So we need funding and we believe other organisations should borrow a leaf from MTN that provides scholarship for students with disabilities.”

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ISOLA Fatai, a student in the Department of Social Work, assists one B of the visually impaired students in navigating the University of Lagos campus. According to her, providing the support has not been a difficult task because apart from developing interest in her friend, as a student of social work, it is what she is meant to do, providing

support for others.

A professor of education, Ejiogu Aloy at the University of Lagos, noted that the main challenge is that the country does not have a policy for students with disabilities. “There is no national policy.

Most of the things we say are just lip service. If you go to most of our universities and higher institutions, you see high-rise buildings; you wonder if people with disabilities were considered in putting up the structures. We talk about e-library and e-payment; the truth of the matter is that we do not take them seriously. So, this country does not think about the poor and the disadvantaged persons.”

According to him, the issues are not restricted to institutions of higher learning, but in moving forward, the government should formulate a policy to cater for the educational needs of people with disabilities. “We need to sit down and think about them, not just tokenism and a one-off thing, where a governor goes to donate two wheelchairs and the whole world is made to feel that the government is planning and taking care of people with disabilities.”

The Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on Education, Fatai Olukoga, said the state government has instructed all the institutions under its care not to discriminate against students with disabilities, in terms of admission, once they meet the requirement besides providing scholarship for some of them. He further said that since the passage of the Disability Law, the structures being built by the state are friendly to people with disabilities.

However, when The Guardianvisited the Isolo campus of the Lagos State Polytechnic, virtually all the structures are not disabilityfriendly, in spite of the fact that majority of the buildings are bungalows.

Even the manner the walkway gate into the campus was constructed, because of the barricade mounted at the gate, majority of persons with disability cannot walk into the school, except they walk in through the gate meant for vehicles.

It was gathered that none of the students here is with a form of disability. This according to a student may be why the school management care less about ensuring that the structures are disability-friendly, even when attempts were made to upgrade some of the classrooms.

It was also noted that besides students with physical disabilities, who are lame and uses crutches or wheelchair and the visually impaired students, there are no provisions for others like the deaf and dumb students.

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TheGuardian

Sunday, May 25, 2014 29

Conscience, Nurtured by Truth

Junior Guardian Pupils Of Ocean Crest Sympathise With Chibok Girls UPILS of Ocean Crest P School, Lekki last Tuesday, took time off their academic schedule to empathise with the kidnapped Chibok girls at a programme, which held in their school premises.

Four of the pupils— Melody Ewubare, Olivia Oni, Mitchell Oriahi and Feyikemi Awobadejo took turns to read four different poems, which expressed the pupils’ feelings about the kidnapping of the Chibok girls and the activities of the Boko Haram sect generally.

The poems were extracted from the compilation of poems titled: Echoes From Our Hearts written by the pupils. The well-written poems vividly capture the agony, horror and terror being unleashed on the victims, affected families and Nigerians by members of the dreaded sect. It was dedicated to all children, “who lost their lives as a result of Boko Haram activities in Yobe State, Nigeria.

May your parents be comforted and may history never repeat itself!”

In her opening address, the Head Girl, prayed that the Lord touches the hearts of members of the sect so that they would release the kidnapped girls.

The families of all children, who have been killed through the activities of Boko Haram since they started, were also wished the fortitude to bear the loss.

Tope Soluade praised the pupils for the efforts put into the writing of the poems. He encouraged them to always express their feelings in writing, as this has the capacity to spread whatever it is to any length.

In her address, Uloma Iro also commended the children for the talent exhibited in the poems, as “they were written from your hearts.” She urged them to continue to develop their unique God-given talents.

POEMS Feyikemi Awobadejo, Mitchell Oriahi, Melody Ewubare and Olivia Oni in sympathy against the kidnapped students

SOLUTIONS TO BRAIN TEASER (4) TRANSGRESS REALIZE

PROVIDE ENFORCE

STUBBORN APPLY

CRUCIAL SPANIARD

Chaos! Chaos! Chaos!

Chaos everywhere Looting here, bombing there Kidnapping here, shooting there Chaos in the east, chaos in the west Chaos in the north, chaos in the south I wonder when all this chaos will end Looking forward to happy days When I switch on the radio and all on air is good news For now, all I hear is BRING BACK OUR GIRLS!!!

Feyikemi Awobadejo Ocean Crest School, Lekki, Lagos

Bring Them Back Our girls Bring them back Please don’t throw them in a shack They are human beings just like you Don’t treat them like a smelly old shoe We love them and we care Please, let this be fair.

BRING THEM BACK!!!

Toju Oghoetuoma Ocean Crest School, Lekki COMPILED BY KIKELOLA OYEBOLA

Students who participated in the Greensprings School’s Season 5 Annual Talent Hunt Competition ‘Discovering Talent in Music’ tagged: PC’s Got Talent held at the Greensprings School, Lekki Campus, Lagos.

Senator Ganiyu Olanrewaju Solomon, representing Lagos West Senatorial District, (middle) with a cross-section of the Founders, administrator, staff and pupils of AOD Montessori Nursery & Primary School, Lagos during the school’s visit to the National Assembly, Abuja.

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IBRUCENTRE

Sunday School Keep Walking (2)

... With Pastor Enoch Adeboye

Memory Verse: “And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the thereafter, keep walking straight ahead.” (Joshua 6:1-6, 20).

LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; Partner With God walk before me, and be thou perfect.” Genesis 17: 1.

Rom. 8:31. With God, you are unstoppable. No enemy can resist the Scripture: I Samuel 7: 3-11 Almighty. When God arises, His enemies will be scattered - Ps. 68:13. Complete obedience causes the enemy, who came in one way to Introduction be dispersed and scamper seven different ways - Deut. 28:1-7. He Enoch walked with God and was no more. Abraham was 90 and changeth not – Heb. 13:8. Let us learn from Joshua: Josh. 1:5. childless. He continued his walk with God. The God of Moses helped Joshua. The Red Sea may be different Be Determined from Jordan but God is the same - Mal. 3:6. Goliath may be differPs. 46:1,2. God is particularly interested in helping the committed ent from a lion and a bear, but the Lord of host is the same - I Sam. and willing. Moses understandably stopped at the Red Sea and 17:32-37 He will remove every obstacle - Mark 11:22-23. However, the cried to the Lord for help “Keep moving forward.” was God’s re- choice is yours. The majority is not necessarily right. Majority may sponse - Ex. 14:15 Similarly, when Joshua was stopped by the wall of stop walking. Resist the herd instinct. - Ps. 57:7. There were 50 odd Jericho, the Almighty said “keep walking till the wall falls and

generic sons of the prophet but only one Elisha – 2 Kings 2:7. Elisha was right, they were wrong. When Moses sent 20 spies to view the Promised Land, 10 reported, “We cannot go forward anymore.”

They were wrong. Caleb and Joshua were the minority, which reported, “There are obstacles all right, but they cannot and should not stop us. Let us keep moving forward.” They were right - Num. 14:6-10.

Joshua and Caleb have remained iconic names thousands of years down the line.

Conclusion Only you can decide to stop. Intimidating obstacle may loom large ahead, but God will turn them to stepping-stones. Jesus is the way, the truth and the life”. So, follow The Way and keep moving.

EXCEL 2014: Adeboye, Others Minister, As Apapa Family Comes Together On Saturday, May 31, the Apapa Family of the Redeemed Christian Church of God will be holding its 7th edition of EXCEL. It is an annual event that brings all the parishes in the Family together. One of the highlights of the event will be the commissioning of additional 16 solar power streetlights in about five or six streets in Mushin. This, according to the Pastor-in-charge of Province 4 and Head of the Apapa Family Parish, Pastor Idowu Iluyomade, “will make it a total of 38 that we have installed between last year and this year.” Addressing a press conference in Lagos, recently, the cleric spoke on some key issues concerning his group and the achievements made so far. Chris Irekamba was there.

What is the theme of this year’s event?

T IS: “Signs of Change” and the event is scheduled for May 31, and Sunday, June 1, respectively.

On May 31, all our churches are going to embark on massive corporate social responsibility (CSR).

And on Sunday, June 1, the climax will be a thanksgiving service at the Tafawa Balewa Square at 7am. As usual, our General Overseer, Pastor E.A. Adeboye will be ministering and we are also expecting other men of God, captains of industries, members of the diplomatic corps and the public.

Last year, your parish commissioned some streets light in Mushin. Why are you still focusing on Mushin?

We are focusing our attention on Mushin because there is a lot of crime going on in the area known as Akala in Mushin. From past experience, we’ve seen massive change in that area since we started our project. But if you institutionalise a project and you notice an improvement, then you should strive to do more. For instance, if I did five and notice some changes, then if I concentrate and do 10, there will be greater impact and before you know it, the whole of Mushin would have been transformed. We believe that it is good for us to concentrate in one area for now, especially when it comes to streetlights, while hoping that other churches and organisations would see what we are doing and join to spread the impact all over Lagos. We are partnering with the state government because they can’t do everything. If people pay their tax and all that, this is what the state government should really be doing. We are leading by example and hoping that other organisations would take a cue from there.

What actually informed this year’s theme?

For the last seven years, we have been sowing seed of change in various sectors of the community and right now, those seeds have started to germinate and they are now noticeable signs of change. We want to draw the attention of people to the fact that, when you sow seeds, those seeds would germinate so that the change you are talking about is something that is noticeable. You know that change starts with an individual; you cannot change anything unless you are changed first. So, our primary focus is on transformed life and transformed thinking in line with the Bible, so that wherever we are as individuals, we are the change agent. So, that is why we say ‘be the change’ and if the change agent in Lagos travels to Abuja and he/she interacts with others, they will know this is a changed person and whatever he is doing will be seen as something that is dif-

I

ferent from the norm. We have over 1,000 churches across the globe — we are in America, Europe and in almost four continents of the world and so, the impact really is not only in Lagos, where our headquarters is, but everywhere. But Lagos is like the platform, where we come together and begin to implement things in our immediate communities, and as we are doing it this year, it is happening in all our centres all over the world. Of course, they say charity begins at home.

What is the uniqueness of this year’s event?

This lies in the fact that we started small. For example, if you are talking about health in all our churches, we started by having medical outreach, testing people’s blood sugar level. Over the years, however, we have institutionalised all the things that we are doing in the various areas of intervention. For example, we have intervened in the area of healthcare, education, youth development and entertainment, infrastructure, sports, prison and police and various areas of intervention.

Right now, we have a cancer screening and diagnostic centre in Surulere, which was dedicated in 2011. Since then and up till now, we’ve treated about 10,000 people, and most of these things are free. We have a full-fledged hospital and diagnostic centre, which is called Healing Stripes Hospital and in the past few years, we have treated about 8,000 people and spent almost N200, 000 million. We have a dialysis centre and in March alone, we treated about 83 patients with dialysis and between January and March, we’ve had about 560-dialysis intervention for people. Also, there is Mercyship, which is a hospital, where we treat people with different ailments and it’s also free.

In the area of food, initially when we started, we had only one soup centre but over the years, we’ve grown to become 17 centres. We were feeding about 10,000 people a day, but that has increased to 60,000. We have served over 1.2million meals to people just between 2011 and 2013 at a cost of over N200, 000 million and also 9,512 souls have been saved in all. Concerning the food initiative, we’ve spent over N500, 000 million in recent times.

So, the uniqueness of this year’s event is to let the world know that ours is not a church that takes offering and tithes from people, without giving back to the society. We give back to the society much more than anybody can give to the church. And I believe that is the gospel that we’ve come to preach — love in action. So, this year is unique because we are showcasing the growth, the ‘signs of change,’ and the massive impact we’ve had in education, healthcare and in various other areas. In the area of sport, we are the only church that has football teams, including one

for women. We are in the national league and have a professional playing club. So, we are making great impact taking children off the streets.

We have visible signs of change, measurable signs that the society is changing gradually and it’s the church that is behind it.

How has the church been able to make the public know it has a cancer-screening centre?

Through our women’s wing (ARISE Women), we have acquired three mobile clinics. There are some communities that cannot get to these hospitals; so, we now have hospitals on wheels. Each of these mobile clinics costs N22m and with these, we have been going to communities such as Makoko and Surulere in Lagos to treat people that cannot afford it. Now, we can perform surgeries right inside the mobile clinics. Our plan now is to have daily feeding. Our women football team won the champions of Lagos State, which is an achievement this year.

As per the awareness, there are awesome testimonies coming from people that have benefitted from us. They are the ones telling others, where they can get the cheapest dialysis intervention in Nigeria. We have free medical intervention for women every two Wednesdays in a month. And we believe that through the testimonies of lives that are touched, people would get to know and of course, we are counting on the media to help us.

What is the essence of the professorial chair the General Overseer endows every year? Where is it going this year?

Our general overseer and his wife, have a soft spot for education. In Apapa Family, we have over 60 schools. In the larger RCCG, we have various schools, which include a university. Globally, the churches are encouraged to set up schools, because education brings light, which dispels darkness. Before the General Overseer became one, he was a Ph.D. holder and a lecturer in the university. It is on account of this that he decided to endow Chairs in mathematics at various universities in Nigeria. Right now, he has done five in the past five years on the platform of EXCEL because he identifies with what we are doing. Every year, he gives out over N50m to the universities, so that research can be done in various areas and a professor is appointed to the Chair and lectures, seminars and such things are undertaken for the improvement and advancement of education in our universities. At the moment, he has done five at the cost of N250m to show that the church is giving back to the society. He is an example for other people, because one man cannot do the whole thing. What we are doing is to encourage others to join us in this noble venture. And over the years, organisations such as MTN, Cadbury and others are supporting the work of the church, which was not the case before.

Most organisations don’t want to identify with the church, b u t w h e n they see signs of change and the Pastor Iluyomade great im-

pact we are making, they started supporting corporate governance. Now, the multinationals are identifying with us. For example, Shell gave the cancer-screening centre N10m.

Concerning the professorial Chair, this year, we are doing a different work. I think that if he has endowed Chairs in five universities, it is sufficient for now and we need to ensure that those Chairs are functioning. Of the five Chairs, it’s only the University of Lagos that has appointed a professor to occupy the Chair. So, there is no point giving money to other universities until they appoint professors.

Still in the area of education, the Apapa Family parish has rural schools, where we pay the teachers, feed the children every day and buy uniforms. We also have indigenous schools, where we teach Hausa, Yoruba and such things. We have schools in Makoko called the “Hope Centre Primary School.” There, we fed them, built a house for the Baale as well as establish a medical outreach. We are also building a clinic there, too.

We have a school at the Opeabe, which is an offshore at Epe and you can only get there by boat.

We are now building a secondary school there and it is free. We have built houses for the teachers and headmasters. We have those kinds of schools in the East too.

What is the state of the 9,512 souls that were saved?

When we come together on Sundays, we meet with all the souls that are saved and distribute them among our churches within the areas they live. So, wherever they come from, there is always a Redeemed Church they can go and get grounded in the faith.

How many churches have you established since the last EXCEL? We have set up 300 churches in the past year.

This is aside the intervention.

Insecurity in the country As our General Overseer, Pastor Enoch Adeboye said, we believe that help is coming. As Christians, we believe that the spiritual controls the physical; so, we must continue with prayer. The Bible says: ‘if we pray, He will heal our land.’ President Goodluck Jonathan should declare prayer and fasting. At the Redeemed Christian Church of God, we started this year with a 100-day fasting and I believe the situation would have been worse. We believe you must start from the spiritual. The second thing is that this problem is not a religious one. The devil is out there using some individuals as terrorists. I think the government should have been more responsive at the initial time when these things happened.

Concerning the Chibok girls, a lot of things had happened before the girls were kidnapped.

Twenty people had been kidnapped and some died. If you go through accounts, you would know that a lot of things happened in that community and nothing was done. We must always remember that Christ came to die for souls; for you and I so that we will not end up in hell. If God in His love and compassion can send His Son to come and die so that souls won’t go to hell, then how much more we on whose behalf this grace was given? I believe everyone, including the government, should be more responsive and compassionate towards the maladies that are happening in our nation.

What is your advice to Christians and Nigerians?

We should continue to be becons of light and continue to be our brothers’ keepers. We should be the change and catalyst of change and ensure that whatever we are doing to improve our little community are measureable, visible and noticeable so that all of us can become signs of change. Our works can become signs of change and that way our nation will be better.

Sunday, May 25, 2014 | 31

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IBRUCENTRE Springs Of Wisdom

Living Waters

Why We Are Chosen?

By Pastor Lazarus Muoka “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you”(John 15:16).

HE call to be a Chosen and T bear fruit is a call to be a born-again Christian, a call to soul winning. If you are a Christian and not winning souls for Christ wherever you are and in whatever position God has placed you, you are not meeting the demand by which you are chosen, and are, therefore, not a chosen.

Beloved, if you are a Christian indeed, you should know that God has placed you under sacred obligations to be entirely devoted to His service and to execute the important purposes of His providence. He has

designated you to be soul winners. He has set you apart to bring forth fruit, and persevere in all the fruits of holiness and obedience.

And if you are to bear fruit, you must not think to live an idle life. You must not wait till work is brought to you, but must go and seek it. You must labour so as to bring forth fruit, i.e. to get souls converted to the Lord. You must take care to water your fruits so that the souls whom you have gathered is not scattered. Thus, you must have passion for souls and understand the importance of follow up, and continuous prayer.

There are increases in crime, prostitution, divorce, killings and amoral lifestyle because those that were chosen have consigned their commission to win souls to the bin. And any Christian, who has ceased to win souls — bearing fruits, has lost the privilege of having his name written among the chosen ones, and should no longer regard himself as a Chosen.

1Peter 2:9 says, “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal

Never Again! (2)

By Gabriel Agbo ES, you will recover all you lost Y and you will never be ashamed again! Praise God! But before we go on, can we just briefly look at what exactly brought the terrible situation on the children of Israel. This is very important, if we actually want to avoid the same unpleasant experience. They were to go through that dehumanising experience because of their disobedience to divine instructions. They were forsaking the laws of their God. When you disobey God or abandon His ways, you pay heavily for it. You invite punishment, problems, famine, battles (both seen and unseen), sicknesses, shame, defeats, etc. True!

I want you to look into your life right now. Look into our nation and you will see what brought us to this very unfortunate situation. We have for long carried on as if God does not exist. We have consistently, deliberately lived as if we are not answerable to anybody. We have exceeded Sodom, Gomorrah and Babylon in wickedness, immorality, ungodliness, disobedience, materialism and Satanism. The people, the leaders and even the priests today compete in this unholy race. Now, tell me why the divine anger will not be let loose on us?

God is even merciful to us. We have indeed exceeded Sodom and Gomorrah, which was totally wiped out of existence because of its wickedness and immorality.

Yes! We must run back to God now before the worst comes. You must come back to Him. Look at the level of wickedness and corruption among our leaders. It’s like once you’re elected or appointed to a position in the

By S.K. Abiara ET us consider an event in the book of John 21: 1-2 “Afterward, Jesus appeared again to His disciples, by the sea of Tiberiars. It happens thus: Simon Peter, Thomas (called Didymus), Nathaniel from Canaan of Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together. ‘I’m going out to fish,’ Simon Peter told them, and they said, ‘we would go with you.’ So, they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.

Early in the morning, Jesus stood on

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land, then, you’ve been automatically sentenced to hell, because you must steal public fund. How many of our leaders will make it to heaven? Tell me.

Most of them, if not all will after all this worldly glory end up in eternal bondage, weeping, tormented and gnashing of teeth in hell fire. They keep stealing the common wealth, while the masses die of hunger, accidents, preventable crimes, diseases, frustration, unemployment, etc.

Let me leave this topic for another day. (I am already doing a write-up on it). Look at the priests (both the genuine and the fake). It is corruption, immorality, occultism, murder, materialism, worldliness, vainglory, vanity and strife everywhere!

The people, the leaders and the priests must immediately repent and come back to God. We must seek His face now. I mean, now! Collectively and individually, we must do this. As a nation, we must repent. As individuals, we must look inwards. Why are all these happening to us? If we ignore this, then, we better get ready for the worst. Yes! Listen to this, “Blow the trumpet in Jerusalem! Announce a time of fasting; call the people together for a solemn meeting. Bring everyone – the elders, children, and even the babies. Call the bridegroom from his quarters and the bride from her private room. The priests, who minister in the LORD’s presence will stand between the people and the altar, weeping.” Joel 2:15-17. Everybody must get involved immediately.

Individual, mass, national repentance!

Rev Agbo is a minister with the Assemblies of God Nigeria. the shore, but the disciples did not realise that it was Jesus. He called out to them, “friends, haven’t you any fish?” ‘No, they answered.’ He said, “Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some. When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish.”

As a professional fisherman, Peter and his colleagues tried all the techniques of fishing through the night, yet they caught nothing. But at the intervention of Jesus, they were able

priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of Him, Who hath called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.”

God has chosen us that we should make Jesus the Lord of lords and King of kings and in doing so; we bear fruits for the Kingdom of Heaven. Thus, we the chosen ones are doing daily. So, when you see us in our aprons preaching the gospel in the markets and buses doing the work we are commissioned to do, you should not misconstrue our action, for it is not our fault, we are chosen to bear fruits — win souls. It is not that by nature we are more inclined than others to seek God, but because He graciously inclined us to seek and bring others to Him. So, if you are a chosen, know, therefore, that the primary reason you are chosen is that you should be rich in good works and successful in spreading the gospel, for this is the great business to which you are set apart, and this you should faithfully accomplished. It is the great

By Pastor W. F. Kumuyi end for which Christians are chosen. You were not chosen to seek enjoyment but to do good and spread, as far as possible, the physical and spiritual rich blessings, which the gospel confers on mankind.

Therein shall the effect of your labour be made permanent on mankind and then whatever you ask, shall be given you.

As a Chosen, you are expected to be diligent in your work, and untiring in your efforts to spread the gospel. You are to toil without being weary of His work, till God shall call you home, for the Saviour never called a disciple to serve Him merely for a part of his life, nor to relax his endeavours or to suppose himself to be a Christian, while his religion produced no fruit. He that enlists under the banners of the Chosen of God does it for life. He that expects or desires to grow weary and cease to serve Him, has never yet been a Christian, or known anything of the grace of God. We are Chosen to win souls.

Negative Points Of Contact (1)

By Seyi Ogunorunyinka ATTHEW 24:28 states, “For M wherever the carcass is, there the eagles will be gathered together.” Whenever there is a dead body lying about, it will not take long before the vultures begin to gather around it because the presence of a carcass in a location is an implicit invitation for the vultures to visit that place. In the same way, where there are dead people gathered in the vicinity, demons will be attracted to that place.

Because of the evil that is prevalent in our land today, there are a lot of living dead people walking the streets, which is why demons or vultures have gathered in every corner of our country.

Evil is commonplace in our nation today; mothers, fathers and our leaders engage in evil activities without qualms. Those who cry out against such evil acts are labelled loudmouths and told to shut up. The end is approaching, so; whoever has ears should listen now. In John 14:30 the Bible says, “I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming, and he has nothing in Me.” What is it that the Lord will find in us if He examines us today?

Love for material things, food, clothes, jewellery and money, but there is no love for God in our hearts. Our attitudes give Satan a direct entry into our lives to cause havoc. Many people ignore what is right and go after wrong things just so that they can accumulate enough money to acquire material things. They fail to realise that there is no guarantee that they will live long enough to enjoy these

things that they are working for.

We need to immediately begin to examine the relationships that we have with those around us, to determine if the impact they are having on our lives is positive or negative. Associating with the wrong person can destroy your life; if you look at someone’s life and you see that they are practising even one thing that is outside the will of God, then, you need to distance yourself from that person at once.

In Psalm 1:1-3, the Bible says “Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on His law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prosper.”

The days of emotions and sentiments are over; this is a time, when you need to be focused and sure of what you are doing and what direction your life is going. Heaven should be your only focus. The entire Bible, from Genesis to Revelations is all about making heaven.

A point of contact is a connection with a source of ultimate authority. A positive point of contact with the ultimate authority is a starting point, where God will begin to reveal Himself afresh in your life. Pastor Ogunorunyinka, General Overseer, The Promisedland Restoration Ministries, Surulere, Lagos. pastorseyiogunorunyinka@gmai l.com

The Great Decision ECISIONS are crucial in life. They determine the direction a D person takes, and most times, condition such a person for twists and turns that lie ahead. This was the case with a young woman in the Bible, called Ruth. She took a decision that changed not only the course of her life, but also her destiny. Her story is specially preserved in the Bible to help us take right decisions at all times. Ruth was a poor widow who did not have hope of ever remarrying. Yet she retained a pious lifestyle. She was poor, yet virtuous! What a shining example for women today who have lost their husbands! Truly, none has any excuse to live in a licentious way. Actually, there were two women in the same situation. The name of the other woman was Orpah.

She and Ruth were companions and sisters in-law. But they reacted to their situation in two different ways. In life, it is not unusual to find two people reacting differently to a given situation.

The background to the story of Ruth and Orpah had to do with the change in fortune that came for the family of Elimelech into which they were married. Originally from Bethlehem-Judah, Elimelech and his family became sojourners or immigrants in the land of Moab following a spell of famine in their native land.

Searching for greener pastures, Elimelech migrated to Moab with his wife, Naomi and his two sons, Mahlon and Chillion.

While there, his two sons fell in love and eventually got married to these two young women from Moab: Ruth and Orpah. They obviously looked forward to a great future. But then tragedy struck. One after the other, Elimelech and his two sons, Mahlon and Chillion, died. Their death left not just a yawning gap in the family, but also a bleak future for their survivors. As we toil and labour in life, it is good to remember that there could be times of change, from bad to good, and vice versa. But then in the light of these changing times and seasons: “What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboureth?”

For the family of Elimelech, it was a time to die, and for those they left behind, a time to weep, and mourn. Elimelech’s wife, Naomi, having lost all, decided to return to her native Bethlehem-Judah, particularly prompted by the good news she heard about the turnaround in the economy there. But she needed to inform her daughters-in-law of her intention. “And Naomi said unto her two daughters in law, Go, return each to your mother’s house: the LORD deal kindly with you, as ye have dealt with the dead, and with me. The LORD grant you that ye find rest, each of you in the house of her husband. Then she kissed them and they lifted up their voice, and wept. And they said unto her, Surely, we will return with thee unto thy people. And Naomi said, turn again, my daughters: why will ye go with me? Are there yet any more sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands? Turn again, my daughters, go your way: for I am too old to have a husband. If I should say, I have hope, if I should have a husband also tonight and should also bear sons; would ye tarry for them till they were grown? Would ye stay for them from having husbands? Nay, my daughters, for it grieveth me much for your sakes that the hand of the LORD is gone out against me.”

It was a very emotional moment as the older woman stood lamenting her fate before her daughters-in-law and attempting to dissuade them from seemingly jeopardising their future.

Not surprisingly, “they lifted up their voice, and wept again, and Orpah kissed her mother in law; but Ruth clave unto her. And she said, Behold, thy sister-in-law is gone back unto her people, and unto her gods: return thou after thy sister-in-law. And Ruth said, Entreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee, for whither thou goest, I will go and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people and thy God my God; Where thou diest, will I die: and there will I be buried: the LORD do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me.”

This was the decision that changed the course of history for Ruth. It did not only fetch her a good husband, one of the richest men of those days, but also more importantly, put her name among Christ’s genealogy. Remember, she was not a Jew, but a foreigner, yet her fortune was changed by the decision she took.

It is instructive that while Orpah walked by sight, Ruth chose to live by faith. Orpah thought through Naomi’s words and felt that she had a point there, but Ruth, while acknowledging Naomi’s strong point, was willing to look beyond that and to put her faith in God. That was the difference between Ruth and Orpah. There are still many people that walk by sight and swayed by the circumstances they see around them. But walking by sight can only keep you in the realm of fear and reality; only faith can take you beyond it. Therefore, from today, learn to “walk by faith, not by sight.”

References: Ecclesiastes 3: 1-9; Ruth 1: 8-17; Matthew 1: 5 and 2 Corinthians 5:7. All scriptures are taken from the King James Version

You Need Divine Direction to catch multitude of fish with very little efforts. What was the process? Jesus came to the scene; they were able to recognise Him. They equally acknowledged their failure, when they were asked. Then, Jesus instructed them on what to do and as they followed the instruction, the miraculous occurred, they caught great number of fish. Are you full of worldly wisdom, professionalism and skill with no re-

lationship with God through His Son, Jesus Christ? This is the most appropriate time to make God your source of help in life.

Or else, true success may elude you. The Word of God says: “unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labour in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain. In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat for He (God) grants sleep to

those He loves.” (Psalm 127:1-2.)

Professionalism without a sense of direction will lead to futility and culminate in frustration.

Dear reader, it is high time you stopped trusting your skill, bank account, man or woman, charms and other things. Bible refers to them as arm of flesh.

Every other thing will fail but God has never failed and He can never fail. I encourage you to put your total trust in Jehovah Jireh –

the great provider. He will neither fail nor forsake you. He will only lead whosoever makes Him their shepherd on the path of righteousness. That business, vocation, career, marriage, spouse, child, country can still be a channel of blessing and joy, if only you surrender to Jesus Christ.

Prophet (Dr.) Abiara, General Evangelist, CAC Worldwide. skabiaraofciem@yahoo.co.uk He is a wonderful pathfinder and a sure way maker.

32 Sunday, May 25, 2014

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

IBRUCENTRE

Power Of Connectivity “And the POWER OF THE LORD was present to heal them” (Luke 5:17).

HEREVER you are on the globe, the POWER of the LORD is available. The Word of God declares that our “God is a very present help” (Psalm 46:1). God is everywhere at the same time. His power to lift, heal, help and bless you is available where you are.

The eyes of the LORD are running to and fro through-

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out the whole earth searching and looking for an individual that will trust Him for a positive change and intervention (2 Chronicles 16:9).

Power is where you are; you are not short of power availability. What you need now is power connectivity. Trust God for the release of power, where you are, the Grace of God will show up instantly to set you free. Reach out by faith and receive God’s elevation and intervention, where you need God most.

God is as close as the mention of His Name – JESUS – Call now. Connect now and

you will become HOLY GHOST CONDUCTOR. God’s power will flow through you continuously and transform your life.

PRAYER: FATHER GOD, I recognise You as a very present help in times of trouble. I receive Your power right now in the Mighty Name of JESUS. I plug my faith into your unfailing power and love. (I experience Your help and intervention right now in JESUS MIGHTY NAME).

Email: bishoplanreobembe@yahoo.com; Prayer Lines: 08128110565, 07033477441, 08023280877.

THE

FAITH &

GRACE

DIMENSION with

Bishop (DR.) OLANREWAJU JOSEPH OBEMBE

Ogizien: I Am A Christian, I Also Practice Herbal Medicine Dr. Ukpebor Ogizien, the Adaeze of Ewohimi Kingdom, Esan, Edo State, is worried at the way things are going in the country and wants government to involve traditional medicine practitioners in governance to enable them proffer solutions to some of the problems facing the country. Ogizien, who is also the president of Edo State Herbal Medicine Practitioners, Lagos, spoke with OMIKO AWA on how to make Boko Haram, an insurgent group terrorising the country to give their arms.

You are a native doctor and also versed in the Bible, which religion shall we say you now belong to?

AM a Christian and also believe in traditional religion. I belong to both religions because God made them both. He is, in fact, the creator of heaven and earth and both religions are the expression of His Being.

I used to be a Seminarian; I attended St. Paul’s Seminary School, Benin for five years before going to Major Seminary School, Ibadan. I also served as a maidservant, but a few months to my ordination as a Reverend Father, I dropped my cassock to be a native and herbal doctor. However, as a result of my secular training, I still uphold the Christian ethos we were taught in school. I don’t dress in a particular way — beads around my neck or ankles or put on special attire — to portray I am a native doctor. I am a Christian, but also practice herbal medicine.

How can you be a Christian when you still worship idols and spirits?

I don’t bow to any image, medium or spirit. I use them as messengers because the Almighty God said we should not worship any image because He is a jealous God. The images you say I worship could be likened to the Madonna Catholics reverence.

So, there is no difference between a

I

native doctor bowing to any image either moulded with wood or caste with iron from a Catholic bowing to the image of Holy Mary. Images or spirits are mere messages to us, they are like our gatekeepers and we do not worship them. The truth is that we believe in our ancestors, who include Jesus Christ, that is the reason we call them whenever we are to carry out our work. We do this by dropping pieces of food, kolanuts, local chalk and other edibles on the ground and as well through libation.

But Bible is against libation or ancestral worship?

Please note that there are three dominant religions in Nigeria — traditional religion, Christianity and Islam. Traditional religion approves the use of libation in worship. We are Africans and we must do it always.

Other races of the world have their traditional practices; so, as an African, I must do what my religion says.

How were you called to be a native doctor?

I inherited the profession from my father; I never knew this while I was in the seminary school. I was chosen by my father to do it and I strongly believe in God, Almighty, and the herbs He has provided for our own use.

You said Ogun, Ojukwu, Orisha and others are the same god?

Yes, they are one. Africa has traditions and we need to project them.

You should know that Africa has three dominant religions – Islam, Christianity, and our traditional religion. African religion believes in deities and if we truly serve them, we will get quick solutions to our problems because they have quick actions. They have no place for patience, they are very straight forward and do not believe in injustice.

Many people are hiding under Islam and Christianity because they know the Gods of these two religions are patient and whatever they do, He will not punish them till the end of the world; but the deities of African traditional religion do not believe in

Ogizien that. However, all the deities relate back to the Almighty God. Okija Shrine, Soka Forest and other places known for ritual killings are encouraged by native doctors, how then do you want people to believe in you?

It is just like as we have different churches, there are different shrines; some of which indulge in human sacrifices and other evils. Native doctors that indulge in any ritual killing will never make heaven, because they are evil and are not called by God. They are in the profession to exploit people, make quick money and we are always fighting them.

How do you fight them?

I must tell you, there are two types of witches – black and white. The black witches are those initiated into the spiritual coven with meat, they are usually very wicked. They only destroy and cannot amend. But those initiated into witchcraft with kolanut are the white witches or wizards; they are merciful and stand for justice. So, the ritual killings are perpetuated by black witches or native doctors with black witch spirit.

Are you saying white witches or wizards cannot turn to black witches or wizards?

They can’t because light and darkness can never be one; they are sepa-

Sabbath Keepers Write National Conference SSOCIATION of Sabbath Keepers (ASK) has forwarded a crowd, seeking to remain in peace with all men and to A letter to the delegates at the on-going National Con- serve our God, relying on the sacrosanct provisions of the ference in Abuja, seeking due consideration of the rights constitution, international treaties and charters to which of Sabbath keepers in the country. Sabbath Keepers are members of a Christian sect that observe Saturday as the worship day of the Lord instead of Sunday.

In the letter it addressed to the Chairman of the National Conference, and signed by its Chairman of Incorporated Trustees, Pastor (Dr.) Patrick I. Oyinkari, the association congratulated all the confab delegates “as they fashion a pleasant future for all Nigerians,” and prayed for God’s guidance in their deliberations. The association, which described themselves as “the Bible believing Christians, who keep the Sabbath of the Lord our God on His holy day; the seventh day of the week, commonly called Saturday,” said in spite of the fact that over five million strong followers are spread across the length and breadth of Nigeria, they may be among the minority people of the country. “But we are nevertheless a great

our country is a signatory, should be worth your thoughts and time,” the letter stated.

The body further disclosed to the confab delegates that its membership cuts across tribes, tongues and geographical boundaries in every state of the federation. It, however, expressed its displeasure that its members live and work among peoples of all walks of life with much pains, afflictions and misunderstanding.

“This conference is to us an avenue to be heard and accorded our due respect. If it pleases the conference to have us make a more elaborate presentation of our plight, answer questions on some misgivings about us and our God, and demand for fairness, we shall be most obliged, willing and eager to appear before you or any committee you may set up to this end,” the body appealed to the confab.

rate. It is the black witch doctors that would make charms for armed robbers or charms that would encourage evil or devilish acts. White witches would never do that because of the spirit in them. I am a white witch; I heal people and do not charge for the services because God freely gave me the knowledge of herbs to heal people suffering from one ailment or the other.

How do you know those herbs since you spent major part of your life in the city and the Seminary studying?

I was not born in the Seminary; I am from a family that practices traditional medicine. My great grand father was a great native doctor, my grandfather was one, my father was another and now, it’s my turn. It is a thing that runs in the family. I get revelation of herbs that cure different diseases in the dream and once I apply them or use them according to instructions, the illness will be over.

But if it’s a sickness I can’t heal, I usually direct the patient to another white witch.

How can we now use the power of white witches or wizards to better the society and improve on governance?

Federal Government does not recognise native doctors; we are treated as if we do not exist. If we are brought into the power fold, corruption will be reduced to zero level. If government really wants to stop corruption in public offices, let them make those taking oath of office — the commissioners, ministers and others — to do that in the shrine before a deity. You will see all of them will change their lifestyle.

Corruption is high because those taking oath are doing so with the Quran or the Bible, which they see as ordinary bound pieces of papers. The Gods of these religions is patient and would wait till the end of the world to pass judgment. Government should let these officials take oath of office in shrines, which could be brought to state house. These deities have no patience, if you go against them, they will kill you or disgrace you; they can make you mad. If you make our governors to swear in their names they will not embezzle public fund or inflate contract or do any dubious thing.

Corruption will be reduced because if they do, the person will run mad or be crippled. There are powers in Africa, we can treat ourselves.

How can we use traditional power to fight Boko Haram?

There are charms that would not allow bullets from any gun to penetrate the human body; they are like bullet proof. Boko Haram is not beyond traditional people, there is a charm in form of powder that would be blown in different directions and you will see them come out from their hiding places. We have natural bullet proofs worn by soldiers, but for it to work, the user must live a clean lifestyle. We cannot just get up to say we want to arrest Boko Haram, it would appear as if we are craving for attention and money, but we pray that government will one day remember to call us to contribute

to fighting this evil sect. They are not more powerful than we are, no matter their weapons.

As President Edo State herbal and traditional medicine practitioners, could you not gather your members to save the schoolgirls held in Chibok?

We have been crying for government to involve us in governance, but they would not listen. They say we are uncivilised and evil, and would prefer to deal with Imams and Pastors, but little did they know that most of the Pastors they are dealing with sneak to us under the cover of darkness to get spiritual powers for their miracles.

The issue of Boko Haram and others yet to rear up their ugly heads are caused by our refusal to follow the footsteps of our forbearers. Let us go back to our tradition, our traditional ways of doing things and the country will be better for it. If you could recall in the Bible when there was trouble in Israel their leaders consulted the oracle and things were normalised. Oracle is a Hebrew word, it is not English, so, Nigerian government needs to learn from that. All these evils are happening because we have deviated from our tradition. Government needs to rise up to the task of recognising traditional medicine, give them the rightful place in our community. We need to have a ministry of our own not just a Department of Culture or Religious Affairs, where what they do is quite different from traditional things. If we live by our tradition, things will move for us and Nigeria will be better than America.

So, you believe that America has a tradition?

Yes, they do and they know the powers in Africa and fear it. In fact, Africa is the giant of the world when it comes to spiritual matters or traditional medicine. Let me tell you, it is disheartening to hear of people die of malaria, TB, stroke and others when the medicines are in our villages. We so much believe in the whites that we ignore our local medicine, even when the whites recognise them and are willing to undertake a study of them.

We can cure any sickness. God gave us herbs to the cure illness. My father lived up to 132 years and my mother 115 years because they depended on herbs. My great grand father also lived long; he died at the age of 115, in fact, when he died nobody saw his corpse. He turned to termites and disappeared leaving the clothes he wore.

In your witchcraft meetings do Americans come there?

In the meeting we do not discriminate, there is no race and we do not go with our physical body. It is something spiritual, so, it is our spiritual beings that attend the meeting; there is no American, Asian or Arabs. And the headquarters of all the witches and wizards is in Africa; you may be surprised to hear that it is in Benin, Edo State, Nigeria. As you have the American White House in the United State, so, we have our own traditional headquarters in Benin.

Sunday, May 25, 2014| 33

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

IBRUCENTRE

By Ernest Onuoha

‘For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south but God is the judge: he putteth down one and setteth up another,’ Psalms 75:7-6.

From The Rector

HE Psalmist was right for: ‘promotion neither Ibru International Ecumenical Centre, Agbarha-Otor T comes from the east, nor from the west or south but only from the Lord…’ The Diocese of Nsukka, situated in a rural setting, received a boost, when God remembered it not only as an Archdeaconry, but also elevated it to the status of a Diocese.

The journey to becoming a diocese received a nod from the national Church, when Nsukka Diocese was inaugurated on Tuesday, January 11, 1994 at St. Paul’s Cathedral Nsukka by the then Primate of All Nigeria, the Most Rev. J. A. Adetiloye. Thereafter, the pioneer Bishop of the Diocese, Rt Rev. Dr J. C. Ilonuba, was enthroned as the first Bishop of the diocese.

At inception, the diocese had only two Archdeaconries, 18 Parishes and 32 priests. The pioneer Bishop laboured hard to lay a solid foundation and to give the diocese a focus. He retired meritoriously after 14 years of service to God and humanity.

To the glory of God, the young, dynamic and visionary Bishop, Rt Rev. Aloysius Agbo took over the mantle of leadership as the second Bishop on July 6, 2008 and has since then consolidated on the foundation laid by his predecessor. The diocese now has 287 churches, 79 parishes, 19 Archdea-

Nsukka Diocese At 20 conries with 116 Clergymen and 180 Catechists.

In furtherance of the work of God, the diocese has been able to establish the following firms: Faith Foundation Mission Hospital (FFMH), SAMAH water Packaging company, Agric Farm, Bethany shopping Plaza, Filling Station (ongoing), Benedictus Petroleum Limited, Printing Press, Bethsaida Institute of Leadership and Mission (BILEM) and the ongoing imposing Saint Paul’s Cathedral building project.

It is interesting to know that Bishop Agbo is ably being supported by his amiable wife, Mrs. Ifeoma Agbo because he noted somewhere about the wife: ‘she has been a source of inspiration and support to my ministry.’ The wife is the President of Women’s Guild and Mother’s Union in the Diocese. What a helpmeet indeed!

Therefore, to mark its 20th anniversary, the Diocese had weeklong activities, which started

from Monday 12 and ended on Sunday, May 18, 2014. Highlights of the anniversary includes: march past, Bible quiz, football competition, praise night, different awards to deserving individuals including the Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, the Archbishop Elect of Enugu Province, the Most Rev. Emmanuel Chukwuma and Evang. Dr. Samuel Maduka Onyishi, MD, Peace Mass Transport Ltd. among others. Also anniversary lecture titled, ‘Church growth: the Biblical paradigm revisited’ was delivered by the Prolocutor of Church of Nigeria, (Anglican Communion), Ven. Prof. Israel Okoye.

A thanksgiving service to mark the anniversary of the diocese was held on Saturday, May 17, 2014 at the Cathedral. The preachers were Archbishop of Kaduna Ecclessiastical Province and the Bishop of Kebbi, Most Rev. Edmund Akanya, who spoke on the topic: ‘Our Ebenezer’. While the Rec-

tor of Ibru Centre and his wife, Ven. Ernest and Mrs. Chioma Onuoha served as retreatants for collated Archdeacons and Canons. Preaching on the Sunday sermon for collation, the Rector spoke on the theme: ‘Fulfilling your Ministry,’ Col. 4v17.

Indeed, God remembers His people for good at different times and that is why we sincerely rejoice with the Diocese of Nsukka under the spiritual guidance of the humble and God-fearing servant, Rt Rev. Aloysius Agbo on this 20th anniversary of the Diocese. May the good Lord continue to take the Diocese and its leadership to greater heights.

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

Cleric Warns FG On Dangers Of Negotiating With Boko Haram From Isa Abdulsalami Ahovi, Jos HE National Chairman of Project Reachforth Nigeria, Rev. Yunana Anto Oganto has said that Boko Haram insurgents are entering a desperate phrase in their acts of tyranny by the abduction of the over 200 students of Government Girls Secondary School in Chibok, Borno State.

According to Oganto in a statement, the sect is not likely to kill the girls but to use them as propaganda tools, adding that they may attempt to use the girls to consolidate their assumed relevance among the ranks, files and affiliates of Al-Qaeda within Islamic fundamentalists.

He said the insurgents want to negotiate a safe landing for their arrested leaders. Oganto advised the Federal Government not to succumb to the pressure to enter any type of negotiation with the insurgents but rather to intensify its intelligence gathering until it closes in on them.

He appealed to the insurgents to unconditionally release the girls,

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as God and humanity have condemned their evil acts.

The cleric said that the Boko Haram is perpetrating an outright spread of criminality under the cover of Islam because there is no existing record, where Islamic Mujahidin kidnapped teenagers and forcefully converted them.

“Boko Haram brand of Islam is too strange. It is neither based on the principles of the Sunna nor on the dogma of the Sunnis or the Shiite sects,” he

Registrar, Diocese of Isiala Ngwa South, Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), Barrister Emeka Eze (left), retired Bishop of Mbaise, Rt. Rev. Bright Ogu, Bishop of Calabar, Rt. Rev. Tunde Adeleye, Labour Minister, Emeka Wogu, Bishop of Isiala-Ngwa South, Rt. Rev. Isaac Nwaobia, his wife, Hope Nwaobia, Sir Stanley Muchi Awake and retired Archbishop of Niger Delta, Most Rev. Emmanuel Inglas, during the second session of the second Synod of the Diocese of Isiala Ngwa South, at St. Mary’s Anglican Church, Mbutu Ukwu.

PHOTO: ISAAC TAIWO

Bishop Seeks Federal Government Attention For Urhobo People

By Gowon Akpodonor

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HE Bishop of Sapele Diocese (Anglican Communion) in Delta State, Rt. Rev. Blessing Avbenayeri Erifeta, has appealed to the Federal Government to extend to the Urhobo ethnic nationality what rightfully belongs to them. Bishop Erifeta, who spoke recently on the occasion of his 50th birth/golden jubilee celebrations, lamented that over the years, the Urhobos have been relegated to the background, despite their contribution to national economy, as one of the largest producers of crude oil.

• Marks 50th Birthday With Triplet Brother, Sister He explained that having been pained by the perceived deprivation of the Urhobo nation, he was compelled to write the book titled: ‘Lamentation of a Nation’ the way Prophet Jeremiah lamented over the situation of Israel.

“It is my little way of portraying to the entire world how their fellow Urhobos are being treated in the midst of many resources,” Erifeta said, “From origin, the Urhobos have their own grace and they have enjoyed what God provided for them. But as a re-

‘Good Leaders Are Problem Solvers’

By Ijeoma Opara

HE Surveyor General of T Lagos State who doubles as a cleric, Joseph Olorunjuwon Agbenla, has called on political office holders to carry out their duties in honesty and truth by having the nation’s interest at heart.

He made this call at the 3rd anniversary of the Lamb Empowerment Summit and opening of the Lamb Christian library held recently in Lagos.

The cleric said good leaders are problem solvers, who believe in good governance. “If we have good leaders, we will not have high rate of unem-

ployment, bad roads, insecurity, attacks and lack of power supply, which has daunted the society in recent times.

He, however, noted that the programme, which is focused on national development with special focus on leadership, is germane at this time of our democratic dispensation. “It is important to educate the people to elect leaders that will not only lead us to the ‘Promised Land’ but with the fear of God in their hearts.

“As leaders, when people see the fear of God in us, just like David did, we would be doing the right thing at the

right time. People will know that we do not engage in affairs that is detrimental to the nation’s interest, which should be utmost in our hearts rather than personal interest,” he said.

Commenting on the achievement of the Lagos State government, he said: “other states look up to Lagos State in terms of infrastructural development, economic variance and good governance.

Governor Fashola has already given direction to other governors to see that if you give good governance to the people, then all these Boko Haram insurgence will not happen. As we

sult of their respectability, they opened doors to so many strangers all around them because of the influence of the Portuguese and others, who came around them initially to carry out their trade. These strangers today have become thorns on their flesh and they have reduced this Urhobo nation to almost nothing.”

He lamented a situation, whereby sons and daughters of the Urhobo land, the fourth largest ethnic group in Nigeria, have been deprived from

all sensitive positions at federal level. “The Urhobos too have been politically reduced to the background and they no longer have a voice in their own land. The minority is now the voice, while the majority has been silenced. This calls for lamentation,” he said.

Speaking further, Bishop Erifeta said: “I just have that belief that there is going to be a “tornadoes,” except those that are perpetuating this evil against Urhobo land stops it.

If you are enjoying the dividends of democracy, let oth-

ers enjoy it. After all, the Urhobos voted massively for those in government.”

The cleric described the birthday celebrations as the best thing ever to happen to him and his triplet brother, Bright, and his sister, Bridget.

Among top dignitaries present at the occasion was PDP Deputy Chairman in Delta State, Chief Emmanuel Ighomena, Commissioner for transport, Hon. Benson Igbakpa, Commissioner in DESOPADEC, Dr. Henry Ofa, HRM UkuOghara Na-me, Orefe III, Ovie of Oghara Kingdom and HRM Erhiekevwe 1, Ovie of Idjerhe Kingdom.

approach a new dispensation, we need to pray and rightly choose godly leaders, who will protect the people’s interest,” he said.

The Senior Pastor of the Lamb Christian Centre and organiser of the Lamb empowerment summit, Kayode Obembe, said that the vision of the ministry is to build exceptional leaders that will transform the world.

“We want people to be aware of who they are. God or His angels cannot come down and build our nation for us, because the Bible made us to understand that government is upon our shoulders and so, we should

not leave our responsibility as Christians to the enemies,” he said.

Speaking on the motivation behind the Christian library, he noted, “The Lord mandated us to build the first Christian library. Books transform my life and the heights I have reached today in life were made possible by the books I read and the word of God. This is why I am poised to transform the lives of other people.

Continuing he said, “There are more wealthy pastors who, have not been able to come up with this initiative.

I, therefore, urge them to put this initiative in action be-

cause there are people who cannot afford some of these books. Most times, if people do not see books to engage themselves, they become the devils workshop.”

On his message to Nigerians, he said: “we should focus on what God is saying and whom God wants to use.

The problem is that most of the failing governments are truly doing their best. Honestly, if you go closer to them, you will find that it is not their wish that things do not work out fine, but there is one thing about God, whoever He calls, He will support.

So, the issue with Nigeria is that they lack God’s divine

TheGuardian

34 Sunday, May 25, 2014

www.ngrguardiannews.com

Conscience, Nurtured by Truth

BUSINESS SMEs Struggle Under Inconsistent Policies, Poor Funding Even at the Technology Incubation Centre, Lagos, where enterprises are supposed to be pampered by governmnet, generators of varied sizes common. last. If it continues for days, it means the peTechnology (or business) incubation cenBy Geoff Iyatse BOUT two years ago, the Federal Government, through the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, made attempt to establish the National Council for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) as part of efforts to strengthen the sector’s policy framework. Taking clue from countries like China, which used similar institution, to boost the performance of small businesses, the government intended to make the council the rallying point for SME policies.

The council, which entrepreneurs said would unlock the potential of SMEs, was to be chaired by the President, while Olusegun Aganga, the trade and investment minister, would serve as the deputy. Key associations in the sector were to be represented in the national council, which would serve as ‘clearing house’ of official statements relating to the development of the sector. Other members were to be drawn from relevant ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs).

After months of deliberations, The Guardian, last year, reported that the promoting ministry (Industry, Trade and Investment) dispatched a proposal letter to the Presidency detailing the operational mode of the council.

Entrepreneurs were excited that the government was finally awake to its responsibility to extend a sustainable lifeline to the important sector.

But more than one year after the ‘groundbreaking’ efforts were completed, nothing has been done about the creation of the body; not even a public reference has been made to it in recent months. The sector has suffered similar laxity and absence of timely follow up of crucial decisions in the past.

Recent history is full of instances of complete abandonment of programmes, swap of policies that undermine existing commitments and, in many cases, establishment of agencies that increases cost of governance instead of improving the lot of SMEs. For instance, concerned stakeholders have raised questions on the significance of technology incubation centres (TICs) operated by the Federal Government in different parts of country.

Motivated by its impact in economies of China, India, Japan, Taiwan and Britain, the government, in 1993, introduced the TIC with the establishment of the pioneer Agege centre.

The centres, which have grown to 27, were placed under the control of the Ministry of Science and Technology. But in 2005, the National Board for Technology Incubation (NBTI) was set up, as a parastatal under the ministry, to oversee the centres.

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tres are expected to lessen the burden of starting a new commercial idea through provision of expertise, network opportunity and tools needed to nurture a business idea up to the stage it can compete adequately in an un-pampered environment. They are created where an economy is largely monolithic, in the case of Nigeria, and as such requires unconventional support to break into new industries in order to diversify its frontier.

When effectively managed, the programmes help struggling entrepreneurs to cut cost and stand the chance to survive gestation phase.

Incubation Centres And Dying Innovative Ideas HEREAS, electricity, water, legal service, marketing support and delivery means are provided for enterprises that are under incubation, in the case of Nigeria the companies still suffer the plight that befall their counterparts in the open environment. At the Lagos Centre, for instance, operators are left to source for power whenever there is no public supply to run their operations.

Unfortunately, public power, it was learnt, is rarely available for use at the centre. At best, noted an owner of an incubated firm, it is available for four hours daily. “This is because the area is considered as residential location.

When we complain, electricity officials say we are supposed to enjoy supply at nights. The question I often ask is: if this place is, really, a business incubation centre, why is it difficult to extend the privilege enjoyed by the Ikeja Industrial Estate to this place since it is not far from there?,” he asked.

Indeed, Oba Akran, the hub of Ikeja industrial axis, is less than two kilometers away from Agege, where the incubation centre is located. But neither the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology (which sited the centre) nor the dismantled Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) thought it was important a national facility that grooms strategic enterprises is classified industrial area to avoid the alibi power officials often rely on to deny the centre electricity.

As a result, the operators are forced to part with a bribe if they must enjoy electricity in the daytime and for a reasonable period that may not last over four hours daily. To fill the gaps, the majority switch between public power and generator sets. Those who use generators in the intervals, of course, incur additional costs but their case is still not as terrible as those who use heavy machine for production. One of them said he simply suspends production “for as long as the blackout

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riod is part of our holidays.

“Sometimes you just wonder if it pays more to part up and try something else. But when you have made some commitments that demand some obligations on your part, it is not an easy decision to bowl out. If I consider that there are thousands of people out there who are doing what I am doing without any form of relief, I think I am fortunate.”

The Guardian visited the centre thrice; and, in all the cases, there was no electricity in the area. Last Wednesday, specifically, many factory workers whose lines of business demand high units of power loitered around amid cacophony of noise from electric generator, including I-better-pass-myneighbour. For three hours — between 2pm and 5pm — less than 40 per cent of the factories were running, apparently due to power failure.

Apart from the power challenge, operators also complained they have no access to other facilities promised by the concept.

There is no legal service; there are no delivery vans, they said, arguing that the services were promised by the management.

Surprisingly, about 40 per cent of the entire complex is kept aside for administrative office and parking lot by NBTI, while the blocks of factory spaces are crammed on the remaining portion, leaving little room for ventilation. As challenging as the inadequate space appears, available portions for factories are still not fully occupied. This does not imply that prospective entrepreneurs are not showing.

An employee of NBTI said they receive heaps of applications, which they regularly forward to Abuja for processing. He explained that an applicant is expected to register his company, which would be monitored for six months (a period termed pre-incubation) before he is allocated a space. Applicants are also expected to have feasibility study and business plan (factoring in three-year exit plan) before they could be considered.

The source said an applicant pays only N5000 processing fee while the accommodation is free. But an operator said nobody gets consideration through “the official procedure”. He disclosed that every manufacturer operating in the area comes through the ‘backdoor’, adding that only two additional business have moved into the premises in the past two years he has been there.

Poor Funding ANAGER of Jos Centre, Mr. Kefas Dashe, recently identified poor funding as the centre’s major constraint. He said the technology-based centre, with the mandate to commercialise research and development and create jobs, was being held back by inadequate funding outlets.

“We are expected to take products of the operators to trade fair exhibitions to ensure exposure and effective advert but we just can’t do that because the resources are not there. In fact, the centre does not even have a vehicle to carry that out even within the state.

“To be effective, we must not only create an atmosphere for production of goods, but also help in promoting sales via advertising, trade fairs and jingles. We have not been able to do that,” he said.

Many other centre managers have made similar complaints. In 2011 budget, Lagos centre received a total of N52. 6 million, out of which N51.2 million was approved for its recurrent expenses with meagre N1.4 million going into capital projects. Other centres across the country have been similarly funded, a practice that seemingly confirms the concern that such organisations merely serve political patronage.

Also of serious concern is the rationale behind sending applications to Abuja for processing, instead of allowing individual centre managers who are on ground to assess the capacity and sincerity of the applicants.

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Poor Policy Implementation As A Challenge xecutive Director of the Field Of Skills and Dreams (FSD), a leading Lagos vocational and technical education centre, Mrs Omowale Ogunrinde, attributed failure of the country’s policies for SMEs to the distance between entrepreneurs and those who implement the programmes. She suggested that SME policies would achieve better result when grassroots authorities implement them.

He continued: “On paper, the policies look good. But are those they are meant for aware of their existence? We will achieve better result if the local governments are more involved in the implementation process. Local governments have easy access to the people. Federal and state agencies in SME matters should have offices in local governments where people can walk in to make enquiries.

“An example is the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), which we do a lot of things with. At every programme we bring SMEDAN officials, the participants ask where are you located in

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THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

sunday, May 25, 2014 35

BUsINEss

sMEs still Crawling Despite Interventions

By Daniel Anazia N many societies, small and Medium Enterprises (sMEs) remain the bedrock of economic growth and driver of national development. They contribute to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), with great potentials for employment generation, improvement of local technology, output diversification and development of indigenous entrepreneurship.

In developed and developing economies such as the Asian countries — China, Taiwan, Japan, Malaysia, Thailand and India — the economy is driven by sMEs, which not only employ majority as workforce, but also perform most of the manufacturing that go on in the countries.

However, the same cannot be said of sMEs in Nigeria as they have continued to underperform due to the myriad of challenges such as funding, capacity building, competition and regulation. And this, according to the immediate past managing director of Bank of Industry (BoI), Ms Evelyn Oputu, hampers growth and national economic development.

According to her, some of the major challenges high cost of doing business occasioned by poor infrastructure (power, roads, water), multiple taxation, high cost of legal documentation of credit facilities at both the states Lands Registries and the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC); bureaucracy in obtaining title to land and state governors’ consent to mortgage property; inadequate capacity building on the part of the sMEs in the areas of entrepreneurship, and skills acquisition, resulting in the perception of the sector as high risk; and poor attitude to loan repayment by borrowers in the sector.

With the lack of access to funds, high lending rate and effective infrastructures to operate, many small scale businesses in Nigeria do not have the muscle to compete with the multina-

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tionals in terms of marketing, due to what it takes in real terms to market a product. Also, the volume needed to produce to engage in profitable marketing to break even is also lacking for the local manufacturers.

Based on the National Council of Industries definition of sMEs as business enterprises whose total cost excluding land is N2 million, the harsh operating environment in the country has made it difficult for sMEs to thrive as most of them can scarcely fund their own operations.

Governments (Federal, state and Local Council) have in one way or the other focused on sMEs. While some had formulated policies aimed at facilitating and empowering growth and development as well as performance of sMEs, others have focused on assisting with soft loans and incentives.

International organisations like World Bank, United Nation Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), International Financial Corporation (IFC), United Kingdom Department for International Development (DFID), and European Investment Bank (EIB) are not only keenly interested in making sMEs robust and vibrant in developing countries, but also heavily investing in them.

In Nigeria several non-governmental organisations like the Fate Foundation, support Training and Entrepreneurship Programme (sTEP), Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC), Association of Nigerian Development Finance Institution (ANDFI) and individual Development Finance Institutions (DFIs) have been promoting sMEs in Nigeria through advocacy and capacity building initiatives, and they have continued to canvass better support structure for operators in the small and medium enterprise sub-sector.

However, it seems that all efforts by different organisations, agencies and individuals have failed to yield the needed positive result it

ought to. Hence, the objectives of creating the sMEs have not been achieved, while the problems mapped out to be solved by the policies are yet to be tackled. Many questions being asked by investors are not getting answers from government.

Apart from having potentials for self-reliant industrialisation using local raw materials, sMEs are in a better position to boost employment, guarantee even distribution of industrial development and facilitate growth of non-oil exports.

The first real attempt at addressing the issue of sMEs in Nigeria by government was the establishment of the small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (sMEDAN) in 2003, to promote the development of micro, small and medium enterprises (MsNE) sector of the economy.

Also, the Federal Government went to establish the Bank of Industry (BoI) to help drive the development of sMEs, and recently the subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (sURE-P), which was a fallout of the nationwide protest that greeted increase in the pump price of petrol in January 2012.

Despite the so-called efforts of government, it is obvious that more still needs to be done.

According to entrepreneurs, the combined contributions from agencies established by government to boost small-scale enterprises remain insignificant when compared to expectation of Nigerians. They say the agencies, particularly the Bank of Industry are extremely elitist and out of touch with the wider population of Nigerians, especially those in the rural area.

In a bid to provide long-term funding and fast track development of the MsME, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) provided various widows, notably the Nigeria Restructuring and Refinancing Facility (RRF), small and Medium Enterprises Credit Guarantee

scheme (sMECGs) amongst others. According to the CBN, the windows are expected to provide guarantees for credit from banks to sMEs and manufacturers, increase the access credit and set the pace for development of the country.

But financial experts say most Nigerian entrepreneurs do not have the investment culture of ploughing back profits. According to them, the attitude of a typical Nigerian entrepreneur is to invest today and reap tomorrow.

Also, the socio-political ambitions of some entrepreneurs may lead to the diversion of valuable funds and energy from business to social waste. The problem of bias against made-inNigeria goods is significant. Most Nigerians have developed a high propensity for consumption of foreign goods as against locally made substitutes.

Fashola, Others For Business Law Conference HIEF Justice of Nigeria, Aloma Mukhtar; AtC torney General of the Federation, Mr. Mohammed Adoke (sAN); Governor of Lagos state, Babatunde Fashola (sAN) and Chief Justice of Lagos state, Ayotunde Phillips, will be speaking at the eight yearly Business Law Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) holding in the next three days in Lagos.

Also attending are former Deputy secretary General of the United Nations and Vice Chairman of the soros Investment Funds, Lord Mark Malloch Brown; President of NBA, Okey Wali (sAN).

According to the conference programme as announced by the organisers, Muktar, Adoke and Phillips will deliver special addresses while Brown and Wali are expected to deliver keynote and welcome address respectively at the conference Fashola will declare open.

Belo-Osagie, Olugbodi, speak On African Business In UK HE rising success story of the continent is the theme of the 2014 Business in Africa Conference holding at Cambridge University, the United Kingdom. Now in its third year, this year’s event aims at breaking the myths about leading success stories in African business community.

Recognising that Africa is no longer just a land of opportunity but a region full of success stories, the Cambridge Africa Business Network (CABN), is interested in what Africa has done right through that attracted the success. speakers at the 2014 conference, which holds June 14, include Chairman of Etisalat Nigeria, Hakeem Belo-Osagie; Head of south Africa, Goldman sachs, Colin Coleman; Dean of Lagos Business school, Dr Enase Okonedo and Group Managing Director, Verdant Zeal Marketing Communications Limited, Tunji Olugbodi.

Others are COO, Rwanda Development Board, Clare Akamanzi and Director of Equity Investments Group, Peter Maila.

In a statement, Olugbodi said increasing awareness about success stories from African business community would result in increased interest in private sector-led development and economic growth.

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Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Airtel Nigeria, Segun Ogunsanya (right) presents a gift to Executive Governor of Oyo State, Senator Abiola Ajimobi during a courtesy visit to the Governor in Ibadan, Oyo State… at the weekend.

Local Authorities In Better Position To Implment sME Policies anything to promote the cause of sMEs. she challenged state and local governments to be Lagos? some of them don’t even know what more actively involved in sME development. the acronym stands for. That shows the While the policies are good, she observed, agency is too far from the people who those in charge of implementation do not now should benefit from its programmes.” know “how.” she wondered why people would Ogunrinde regretted that many sME own- sit in Federal and state capitals and expect peoers are not aware of tax reliefs, export reple in the villages to know who goes on in their turns benefits and credit facilities that are offices. she noted that those who do businesses available to them, noting that the instituin local governments that have no political altions charged with the responsibility of edu- liance with the centres suffer to the detriment cating sME owners are not living up to of the national economy since relevant agenexpectations. cies are not reaching out to the areas.

“That is why those who take advantage of “Relevant offices should be located in neighthe benefits of sME owners are not actually bourhood so that people don’t have to go to some. Government needs to enlighten, edu- centres to get information. Unfortunately, they cate and senstitise the people; they need to don’t know how to do it. How many sMEs bereach sME owners at the grassroots… Over long to chambers of commerce? The cost of 90 per cent of the sME owners we work are signing up is enough to scare them away… not even aware there is tax deductions,” she Nothing stops government from going on rainsisted. dio to tell people what is available at the Bank While there are avalanche of policies initi- of Industry (BoI), for instance. If you put a polated by the Federal Government, Ogunrinde icy in place and people don’t benefit from it, of said many state government are not doing what benefit is it?” she questioned.

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The irony with industrial parks, she said, is that people operate from home, whereas there are unoccupied spaces at the centres built for sMEs by the government. she observed that people would not use industrial parks when the conditions are harsh. she would not encourage advocacy for more industrial parks as that could result to grandiose centres, which sMEs owners cannot afford. similarly, Bode Ashogbon, an economist, faulted the sME policies for poor implementation. With reference to microfinance banking, he noted that while the policies are well conceived, implementation is often a serious challenge.

Besides poor implementation, he pointed out socio-cultural orientation of country as serious obstacle. He noted that many entrepreneurs waste their incomes and even capital on extravagant lifestyle. This, he said, is a major problem the microfinance banks have not been able to play their role as sME catalysts since the inception of the scheme.

CVL Holds Colloquium On Entrepreneurship In Banking s Part of its rebirth project aimed at showA casing specific values that could be emulated by younger Nigerians, the Centre for Values in Leadership (CVL) will, May 28 in Lagos, host a colloquium on the genesis of entrepreneurship in the financial services.

The colloquium panel includes Founding CEO of GTBank Plc, Fola Adeola; Group Managing Director of Diamond Bank Plc, Alex Otti and Director General of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce, Muda Yusuf.

Others are Canada-based Economist and former banker, Fred Olaleye; management consultant, Eileen shaiyen and Prof. Doyin soyibo.

The session, CVL’s Leader Without Title (LWT) series, is in honour of Otunba Michael subomi Balogun’s pioneering role in indigenous banking.

The panel discussion, which will be moderated by CVL’s founder, Prof. Pat Utomi, will explore the theme from Tom Forrest’s book, The Advance of Africa Capital while covering policies, capacity, and values that sustain entrepreneurial spirit.

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THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

Sunday, May 25, 2014

BUSINESS Africa’s Economic Growth Has Bright Prospects, Says Thistle Praxis Boss Ini Onuk, a member of the WEF Global Agenda Africa Council, convenes the annual African CEO Roundtable on Corporate Sustainability and Responsibility, through her company, Thistle Praxis. In this email exchange with MARCEL MBAMALU, she talks about the 2014 edition and the role the African Development Bank (AfDB) would be playing in this year’s conference.

Corporate Sustainability Key To Growth

ices of the same quality and at rates they can comfortably afford.

Second, financial inclusion is effectively a measure of the extent to which economic agents utilize the financial tools at their disposal, to affect the desired exchanges by supporting the development of the often marginalised groups in the economy.

What riole would the AfDB be playing in this conference; why did you have to choose Mr. Kaberuka, the AFDB president as keynote speaker?

The African CEO Roundtable on Corporate SuDr. Kaberuka is arguably the most respected stainability and Responsibility is here again; banker and financial professional on the contiwhat do we expect this year? nent. His records as a Finance Minister and the HIS is the fourth year we would be organiAfDB President are inspiring. Under his watch, sing the AR-CSR and this edition is focused the AfDB has made significant progress in inon discussing the real impact and interplay of vestments and not just core sectoral investfinancial inclusion. More often, financial inclu- ments but spearheading ground-breaking sion is discussed as a financial issue and not an research on financial inclusion and playing the economic sustainability trigger. In addition, lead on other issues such as Climate Change, Suthe event will again feature all the regular pro- stainable Energy and many significant efforts grammes: CEO Round-table, Conference, Suacross the continent. During our research for stainable Solutions Showcase, Gala Dinner, themes, the AfDB Report on Financial Inclusion Eco-Tourism etc. was a useful reference and it became clear that Every year, the AR-CSR stands out in the quality Dr. Kaberuka was our Keynote Speaker for 2014! of discourse, speakers, spin-off initiatives and We did a background check on his profile and ideas. It is the business meeting to attend annually.

The theme for the 2014 edition is: ‘The Intersection: Financial Inclusion, Economic Sustainability and Social Benefit.’

How do you usually arrive at the theme; do you wait for a trend, or you anticipate it?

We anticipate trends by commencing research in earnest on the topic from June every year (i.e. immediately after the conference) but by November, we develop draft themes and shortlist to at least three (3) possible themes. We, thereafter, hold strategy sessions where the trends and analysis are reviewed and debated before we arrive at a final theme.

After the theme, we develop the sessions, topics and CEO-Round-table sub-themes. By November of each year, we announce the theme for the following year and break the campaign online.

Interestingly, by the time other global events, such as World Economic Forum, announce the theme for the Davos Meeting, we are aware of whether we were wrong with our analyses and findings or not. So far, most times, we have been right with the global agenda.

Many government agencies have touted the idea of financial inclusion; how would you be interpreting it in the context of your project?

Financial inclusion means that the low-income population in any economy will have equal (if not special) access to financial servOnuk

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track record before we concluded.

This edition of the event will feature Brian Kuwik, Vice President & Africa Regional Head, Accion as Lead Discussant amongst other business leaders and professionals which include: Dr. Alex Otti, CEO, Diamond Bank Plc, Andrew S. Nevin, Partner/West Africa Advisory-Strategy Consulting Leader, PwC, Dr. William Derban, Director, PMO & Financial Inclusion, Fidelity Bank Ghana. Others will include: Hajara Adeola, CEO, Lotus Capital, Henrietta Onwuegbuzie, Project Director, Impact Investing Policy Initiative, Lagos Business School At the WEF Africa in Abuja, Kaberuka also spoke about financial inclusion...

Beyond just a gospel to those who are discerning, the AfDB President is walking the talk on financial inclusion. He has demonstrated that the change Africa needs can come from within and that sustainable development can be attained through strategic investments. The AfDB, under his leadership, has mainstreamed financial inclusion and kickstarted discussions across the continent through the background research study. The bank has also pioneered financial inclusion as a strategy for

WEF: Nigerian Aviation Beckons Global Investors

By Yakubu Dati OLLOWING Nigeria’s hosting of the World Economic Forum, Africa (WEFA) perhaps, one of the country’s best kept secrets, unveiled to foreign participants was the Nigerian aviation industry. Over the past three years, the country’s aviation industry has undergone a radical transformation that adequately prepared our airports to receive private investors both international and local.

The massive scale of infrastructural development of aviation facilities which may only be rivaled by that of China has positioned Nigeria as a true hub of aviation in sub-Saharan Africa and West Africa, in particular 22 existing airports round the country remodeled and expanded, including four international airports.

An important feature of the infrastructure upgrade is the addition of cargo handling facilities to some of these airports.

Undoubtedly, this is key if Nigeria is to compete in the global market for perishable agricultural produce, which include fresh fruits and vegetables and ornamental plants and fresh flowers. Sister African counties such as South Africa,Tanzania, Cote D’Ivoire, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Ethiopia, neighbouring Ghana and even far smaller ones as Namibia and Benin Republic were already making juicy profits from this market. In 2010, African countries participating in this trade recorded a turnover of about N245 billion.

It is also noteworthy that the construction of five brand new international airport terminals by the Nigerian government, commenced this year, in Lagos, Abuja ,Kano, Port Harcourt and Enugu. Agreements for financing and construction worth about $5 billion were signed in Bejing last year, between the governments of Nigeria and China.

Construction of these state-of-the art international airport terminals with cargo-handling facilities is being handled by the Chinese con-

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struction giant, CCEC. Foreign cargo airlines and experienced cargo handling companies should have a good opportunity here.

For a global buyer of fresh tropical fruits and vegetables, it is now easier to take a direct flight to, for instance Enugu in the South East where he can purchase large quantities of cashew nuts and freight his cargo back home through the cargo wing of the same international airport at Enugu through which he flew into the country. He could finish his business in three days and return to base. In the past, he would have had to fly into Lagos or Abuja or Port Harcourt where there are international airports, before boarding another flight to Enugu.

Last Monday, only few days before the World Economic Forum opened in Abuja Wednesday, the supervising Minister for Aviation, Samuel Ortom, opened the newly constructed VIP lounge at the General Aviation Terminal in Abuja which would cater to the taste and comfort of international business leaders and executives and high ranking government officials coming to the country for the summit. Ortom, who is also the Minister of state for Trade and Investments made it clear that the transformation plan of the present administration in terms of developing and opening up the country’s aviation sector to more investors would continue under his purview.

Last year, under Ortom’s predecessor, Princess Stella Oduah, a fresh programme to transform some Nigerians airports into economic hubs through the ‘Aerotropolis’ concept was slated for execution.

The novel ‘Aerotroprolis’ project adopted by the Ministry of Aviation is expected to attract investors to develop areas near the airport into flourishing economic and social centres with the airport at the centre.

The truly ambitious multi-billion dollar upgrade and rehabilitation of virtually all airport terminals round the country has lifted the coun-

women empowerment in Africa.

Why has sustainability become such a hot button topic these days; is it just a fad that would fade?

When you say ‘hot button‘ you refer to something that is likely to fade. I do not agree. I think we have sufficient reasons, global awareness and pressure to take sustainability seriously. Climatic changes and trends in health, agriculture and other key sectors should make any smart business executive rethink his/her modus operandi.

Corporate sustainability is intrinsically linked to the behaviour of a company as a responsible corporate citizen; how does it work with ethics to impact corporate sustainability?

Corporate Governance is one of the seven pillars of social responsibility. They are closely knit but not the same thing, sustainability in a lay man’s term can be said to be the umbrella under which CSR, Corporate Governance and Business Ethics interplay with many other factors, actors and of course, stakeholders. So, it is a complex-sounding yet simple relationship.

Corporate Governance and Ethics are practices that promote sustainability.

What other things doesThistle Praxis do apart from the annual conference?

The AR-CSR is no doubt our flagship initiative and one of our core projects under Thought Leadership & Advocacy. ThistlePraxis Consulting provides services in six (6) broad portfolios which are: Strategy & Performance, Assessments & Audits, Competence Development, Public Sector Effectiveness, Advocacy & Thought Leadership, Research & Reporting. We provide services to a number of organisations and also host other initiatives.

At the last conference, we rolled out our new media products, which include an online channel, Sustainable Conversations TV (www.sustainableconvos.tv) ; a Mobile App, ThistleApp (available on Android OS on GooglePayStore); an online Carbon Calculator, TP Calculator(www.tpcalculator.com) ; and a virtual testing website where individuals can take tests on a range of fields, Thistle Test Cafe (www.thistletestcafe.com) .

We are working on another bouquet of initiatives to be launched at our 5th anniversary.

Advocacy is key to us in order to bring people to speed quickly about sustainability.

You mentioned the conversations; do you think they are taking a back seat to the AR-CSR? Sustainable Conversation, if that is what you mean, is a different initiative and strictly for Thought Leadership, hence the WhitePaper issued at the end of each edition. We have hosted four editions so far on: Sustainable Development Planning, Agriculture, Public Health, Education with two more to hold be-

years. An ultra-modern TRACON equipment and technology is active round the country while several air traffic control towers at key airports round the country have been linked together.

Several international contractors including equipment suppliers and technical experts worked with the Nigerian aviation officials in the implementation of this project.

Similarly, the number of fire fighting tenders at key airports such as MMIA1 has been increased from 20 before July, 2011 to at least 46 by end of last year (2013.) Counter –terrorism screening equipment particularly the 3-in-1 (liquids, metals and explosives) have been installed in all Federal government operated airports round the country.

Late last year, in an unprecedented development, a Nigerian, Dr Bernard Aliu, was elected President of ICAO, the global UN body that regulates and monitors air transport safety round the world.

That amounted to a vote of confidence in the Nigerian aviation industry by the rest of the world, particularly, by the developed countries of the West.

There are opportunities for foreign investors to partner with Nigerian aviation agencies to provide state-of-the art access control equipment and technology at our airport terminals, passenger and cargo processing technology, business process/financial control software, among others.

There are also opportunities for foreign investors to set up duty free consumer shops at our airports, set up aircraft repair and maintenance hangers, among other facilities.

The Nigerian Aviation industry is open and ready to do business with the rest of the world, according to supervising Aviation Minister, Ortom, who has shown, in a number of ways, his determination to actualize the Aviation Roadmap, which President Goodluck Jonathan’s government instituted to enable Nigerians, reap in real time, the dividends of his transformation Agenda in the aviation Industry

try’s profile to a prominent position in the aviation sector on the continent. Several foreign and local investors have already taken notice especially in the associated hospitality industry with a good number of international hotel brands opening hotels in the country in recent times.

In Ikeja, which is close to the country’s busiest international airport—the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA 1, two Best Western hotels have opened at the posh Ikeja GRA between last year and now.

Similarly, two rival Protea Hotels have arrived the same area in the same period of time. A few other global hotel and hospitality brand names, including Radison Blue, are poised to join the market around the Murtala Mohammed International airport, where construction will commence in the coming days.

To also deepen the country’s air transport market, the Nigerian Aviation Ministry has signed a handful of Bilateral Air Services Agreement with several countries including Jordan and Israel. These agreements have facilitated the commencement of direct flights—for the first time in decades—between Amman and Lagos and Tel Aviv and Lagos, respectively.

Interestingly, the US’ Federal Aviation Authority, FAA has only recently concluded a recertification audit of the safety standards of country’s aviation industry that is expected to re-validate the country’s Category 1 status awarded in 2010.

That shouldn’t be a problem, according to Nigerian aviation authorities, given the giant strides taken by the government in the past three years to beef up air navigation by applying modern air traffic control equipment and technology with a mind to reversing the Dati, the Coordinating Spokesperson, Aviation Parastatals writes from Lagos derisive description of the country as one’ big black hole’ in aviation terms, in previous

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

Sunday, May 25, 2014

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BUSINESS

‘Nigeria Drives Global Turnover On Luxury Goods’ Lagos Generates $3bn In Sales, Says Polo MD HE mixed bag of opportunities and chalT lenges that exist for international luxury brands in Nigeria and other African countries was brought to the fore at the just-concluded Financial Times Business of Luxury Summit.

Founder and Managing Director of the Polo Luxury Group, Mr. John Obayuwana, who spoke as an expert from Africa, said, “wealthy Nigerians have a huge appetite for luxury from shopping abroad,” even as he emphasised the preference exhibited by Nigerians when consuming luxury goods.

“In Nigeria, customers are not just looking for logos; they are looking for quality and great service,” Obayuwana told his audience at the St. Regis Hotel in Mexico City. The threeday conference held between May 11and May 13, 2014.

Unlike the previous years’, the 2014 Summit took a critical view into the markets of the future — from the geographic to the virtual — and the value systems that make the difference.

Mr. Obayuwana spoke on a panel that focused on the economies and the luxury industry of Turkey and Africa. Other members of his panel were Christian Louboutin, Burak Celet, and William Hutchings.

The Polo Group MD, however, described the challenges inhibiting the luxury industry in Nigeria as “lack of power supply, high cost of operation, lack of human capital, and the lack of retail infrastructure.”

“Despite a chronic dearth of infrastructure, Lagos alone could generate about $3 billion in luxury sales.” According to him, the current consumption of luxury goods by Nigerians in shopping destinations, such as Paris, Dubai, UK, among others, show the spending power of the country in the luxury sector. Furthermore, he stressed the importance of paying attention to the middle class in order to ensure the sustainable development of the sector.

Displaying a sign with #Bring Our Girls Back, Obayuwana also seized the opportunity provided by the session to shed light on the ongo-

Mr. Christian Louboutin, Founder, Christian Louboutin Ltd; Mr. John Obayuwana, Managing Director, Polo Limited; and Burak Celet, Chief Executive Officer, DESA, at the Financial Times Business of luxury summit in Mexico ing struggle to ensure the return of the over 200 schoolgirls kidnapped by the dreaded Boko Haram sect at Chibok, Borno State.

Mr. Obayuwana harped on the need to continue to ensure the application of international S controversies rage over aging Director of Dangote It would be recalled that the standards in the retail luxury industry in Nigethe quality of cement in Cement, Devarkumar Edwin, Standard Organisation of ria, which, according to him, “is evident at Polo the market, Dangote Cement said the decision to embark on Nigeria (SON), apparently disLimited and Polo Avenue.”

Plc has explained that its the high quality grade was to turbed at the spate building The Financial Times Business of Luxury Summit newly rebranded product contribute to efforts at stemcollapse and the contribu2014 attracted senior executives, industry lead(3x) is thirty per cent stronger ming the tide of building coltion of cement to the inciers, brand experts and decision makers of the dent, recently issued a luxury industry, including designer and CEO of than its competitors. It stated lapse. that the 3x, which is 42.5 He said: “After 28 days, the 32.5 directive that OBE, Stella McCartney; President of Carolina strength grade, is produced grade gives a strength of 52.5R be used for bridges; Herrera, Caroline Brown; CEO of Italia Indefrom its three plants across 32.5MPA, whereas the 42.5MPA 42.5R for casting of pendent, Lapo Elkann; Executive Chairman of grade 30 per cent higher in columns, beams, slabs and Estée Lauder Companies, William Lauder; Presi- the country.

Speaking at the just constrength.” making blocks while 32.5MPA dent of Bottega Veneta, Marco Bizzarri and cluded Public Hearing on CeEdwin said the decision to was restricted to plastering.

Fashion Director & Chief Fashion Critic of the ment quality by the House of produce 42.5 is in Also speaking at the hearNew York Times, Vanessa Friedman.

Representatives, Group Manthe interest of Nigerians, ing, Director-General of SON Joseph Odumodu said the readding that it is for the same striction placed on the use of reason that it has not inlower grade is to mitigate the creased its price. opment programme with the we believe that this is the way “China, the number one pro- problem of collapse building milk in Nigeria, despite efto go, it will take a while. in the country. ducer of cement, is phasing forts of WAMCO since 2010 government.”

Also, the security challenge President of the Cement out the entire 32.5 grade by when the company took the We are the only one, who emManufacturers Association of July. India, the second largest barked on this expensive pro- that is ravaging the north east leadership of looking inNigerian (CMAN), Engr producer phased out 32.5 ward to find out the poten- gramme, because there is low of the country has had negaJoseph Makoju, said the 42.5 grade cement 12 years back,” yield of milk and we put all the tive impact on the company’s tials of getting fresh milk. operation. Mr. Eshikena said grade is superior to 32.5 and he added. cost in the activity, but in “At that point, we knew that Nigeria used to produce He questioned why other there was not enough milk terms of per liter price, it is still that the previous year’s showed really frightening demanufacturers will be produc- and import 42.5MPA before in Nigeria and then we em- very expensive compared to velopments. ing high grade cement in their the coming of 32.5MPA. what we import but because barked on our dairy develIndian factories but producing lower grade in Nigeria.

The GMD said before 2004, China, the number one Nigerian businessmen were producer of cement, is producing and importing the high-grade (42.5MPA), arguing phasing out the entire are written off at the end the At the launch, participants ex- that the phenomenon of build- 32.5 grade by July. India,

By Geoff Iyatse ing collapse increased astrocontract period while the gains pressed satisfaction with the the second largest proOWER Global Markets Limnomically from 2004 when are credited. product, as they were given ited, a subsidiary of Tower other manufacturers downducer phased out 32.5 “With Tower Solution, negaopportunity to experiment Securities and Investment graded to 32.5MPA. From 1974 Company, has launched an tive accounts are not closed au- the product in live global mar- to 2010, he said, collapse build- grade cement 12 years tomatically, thus allowing the ket and interacted freely with innovative product, Tower ing claimed 297 lives. back foreign traders.

Global Solutions for African client ample time to recover any loss.

The client is also free foreign exchange traders.

The solution, which is a no- to take a buy position in anticiloss transaction, will hedge pation of upward movement traders and investors against in prices and a sell position in anticipation of downward market volatility. moves in prices as often as he The product, which gives traders access to trade from a likes.” zero-account, is operated by According to him, the team is working on a number of soluTower in partnership with partnership with Forex Capi- tions to drastically cut down tal Markets (FXCM), a global losses. He said clients would stop recording losses in no displatform owner. tant time if they adhere to General Manager of the training designed based on recompany, Emmanuel search by the team.

Opabola, said the product would solve the problem oc- There are no margin requirecasioned by capital loss, ab- ments when using the solution, he said, adding that the sence of risk control, inadequate capital and psy- net benefit of the product is chological trouble, saying it that investors can now build wealth from trading global is the first of its kind in markets with confidence.

Africa.

Fisayo Olanrewju, the prodWith the product, traders uct manager, said the contract are expected to pay a preperiod determines the paid by mium (minimum of $165), which enables them to trade traders. He said the solution for a period of time without comes with regular trainings and access to research materiaccounting for losses als of Tower Global and its for- President, the Association of Food, Beverage and Tobacco Employers (AFBTE), Mr. Paul Gbededo (right), immediate past recorded in their portfolio vice president of the association, Mr. Sunil Sawhney (second right), past president; Dr. Emmanuel Ukpabi and Mr. Seni within the session. The losses eign partner.

Adetu (left) during the AGM of the association in Lagos.

Low Cement Quality Responsible For Building Collapse, Says Dangote Boss A

We Remain Market Leader, Says WAMCO Boss

By Kabir Alabi Garba and Ijioma Opara RIESLANDCAMPINA WAMCO Nigeria PLC, makers of premium dairy last week at its 41st Annual General Meeting held at the MUSON Centre, Onikan, Lagos declared a turnover of N120.3bilion for its financial year as at December 31, 2013. The performance showed an increase of 8.2 percent compared to the previous year's record of N111.12billion. At a post-AGM interaction with journalists, the company’s Managing Director, Mr. Peter Eshikena attributed the growth to a number of factors including dedicated workforce and deployment of innovative programmes to drive the business.

He however decried the harsh environment under which businesses in the country have been operating. “The indices of the economy have been in an upward direction, there is a big gap from what you see as the Gross Domestic Product growth, stability of the Naira and disposable income. In my view, I think that the part removal of fuel subsidy in 2012 still has an effect on the disposable income of the Nigerian consumer. Although inflation has been kept at a point where it is not increasing astronomically, salaries are not increasing and disposable income still remains an issue.”

Highlighting the company’s N120.3billion turnover and a profit before tax of almost N20billion, he stressed that the company has not remained stagnant despite the fact that they are market leaders.

WAMCO boss noted that there has been insufficient

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FXCM, Tower Global Launch Forex Insurance T

38 | Sunday May 25, 2014

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BUSINESSAGRO Obiano Launches Agric-Revolution, Flags off 2014 Farming Season From Chuks Collins, Awka HE Anambra State governor, Willie Obiano T has launched what he referred to as an agricultural revolution, Thursday, when he flagged off the 2014 farming season at Nteje, Oyi Local Government Area of the state.

Addressing a crowd of enthusiastic farmers, who turned up with various farm produce and livestock to mark the beginning of another season, Gov Obiano explained that the theme of the event, “A New Dawn for Agriculture in Anambra State,” was carefully chosen to reflect the mind of his administration to agriculture.

According to him, from time immemorial, “our ancestors judged a man by the strength of his arm. A man who could not feed his family was regarded as a failure! That tells us how important farming and agriculture in general was and will always be to our people. This is also a major reason why Agriculture occupies a pride of place among the four pillars of my economic blueprint.”

Describing Anambra State as a blessed state, Governor Obiano further said, “In the last two days, I have travelled around the food-belt of the state from Anam through Nsugbe to Nando, Ayamelum and finally Nteje. I was fascinated by the vast stretch of arable land that cuts across the eco-diversity of our state. And I was re-assured that our choice of Agriculture as a major pillar of my administration was the right choice.”

He further observed that all over the world, agriculture was regarded as a major employer of labour, and that informed his decision to inaugurate a Special Committee on Agriculture with a charge to draw up a blueprint for revolutionising agriculture in the state.

For greater clarity and focus, he said he had to give a clear direction to the committee to ensure that the state becomes one of the top three states in agricultural production, ranking number one in production of rice, cassava and fish in the first four years of the administration and finally ensure that agricultural output contributes at least 40 per cent to the Gross Domestic Product of the state.

According to him, the Committee had submitted its report and it was being reviewed, stressing that over the coming few weeks the state would draw from the recommendations to roll out specific initiatives, including mapping out of a land bank for high yielding crops that would give comparative advantage to the state.

He maintained that in specific terms, the government would force the door of agricultural productivity open in the state, pointing out that his administration had held several consultations with local and foreign investors with the prospects becoming brighter with each passing day.

This he said was the reason he had to receive a del-

By FABIAN ODUM HE Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Services (NAQS), in line with the requirements of a Single Window concept has developed an online platform where applications for phytosanitary issuance will be processed. This will be effective from the first week of June 2014.

In a stakeholders’ meeting in Lagos, Thursday, Coordinating Director, NAQS, Dr. Mike Nwaneri said the new system is aimed at reducing time and stress of doing business. Now, he revealed, exporters can process jobs from the comfort of their offices and be sure that the certificates issued are genuine.

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inflow into the state, governor Obiano observed that his administration would need the cooperation of all the landowners in the agricultural belt of the state to ensure the availability of land for the mechanised farming his government was planning.

He appealed for the cooperation of all for the newly formed Committee for Land Acquisition and Mediation, which he inaugurated the same day, saying it would ensure that all issues concerning the availability of land for investors in agriculture are perfectly handled to the satisfaction of all parties.

Large quantities of maize being winnowed at Kaboji Farms, Niger state… commercial agriculture like that being run by Flour Mills remains key to achieving food sufficiency in Nigeria

Agricultural Quarantine Service Opens Online Portal For Export Processing • Engage service providers to handle jobs

egation from a Vietnamese Joint Stock Group that had indicated a strong interest in investing in the state’s agricultural programme.

“I have also held fruitful deliberations with the Federal Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina and I am confident that the world will soon pay closer attention to what we are doing in the State,” he further revealed pointing out that he was enthused that big-time indigenous investors like Cosmas Maduka and Emeka Okwuosa had also indicated interest in investing heavily in the agricultural sector in the state.

Calling on Ndi Anambra to make necessary adjustments that would encourage investments

This is against the report of loss of revenue by both the exporters and government on arrival at the port of destination due to forged papers.

Nwaneri said this action, which received the approval of the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development is aimed at repositioning the Service to meet the challenges of international standard in export of agricultural commodities. In addition, this is expected to meet the rise in demand of quarantine treatments to be in tandem with the Agricultural Transformation Agenda of government.

To access the gains of the new portal, the NAQS website, the with live going is www.naqs.gov.ng where all the necessary entries would be handled by the Service providers scattered in the different parts of the

Confab Delegates Justify Rejecting Bill On Grazing Reserves From Karls Tsokar, Abuja proposal submitted to A three Committees at the ongoing National Conference in Abuja by delegates from the North Central gives broad insight mitigating the criticisms that has trailed the suggestion to create grazing reserves in and around Nigeria, saying it is unconstitutional.

The proposal submitted to the Conference Committees on Agriculture, National Security, and Law, Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Reforms, entitled Grazing Reserves or Ranches: Where Lies the Panacea to Herdsmen/Farmers Conflicts by erstwhile Senate President and Co-Chairman of Committee on Political reforms and Electoral Matters, Iyorchia Ayu, a delegate on the platform of Socio-Political/cultural and Ethnic Groups, representing North-Central Geopolitical zone and Magdalene Dura representing Benue State, faults the proposal of the Federal government to create grazing reserves and stock routes as a remedy to the clashes, and impart on the universal remedy to the incessant threat to peace in Nigeria.

The 22-paged document described, “the action so contemplated by the government as inconsiderate and insensitive towards other Nigerians” besides being unconstitutional, counter-productive,

anachronistic and economically unviable.

Putting five issues in perspective, the memo said contrary to the opinion that creating such reserves would ameliorate farmer-herdsmen relationship; it would worsen the situation and compound the security situation being experienced in the country.

“The most devastating forms of conflicts, which have affected, and keep breaking out in most parts of Nigeria is the conflict between farming communities over dwindling farmlands. Reducing the land available to farmers as proposed by the Grazing Reserves would therefore not reduce, but increase communal conflicts. Creating grazing reserves and stock routes will cost the country more and create an enabling environment for civil war, the cost of dealing with which the Country may find unsustainable.

“Having regard to the International Character of the Fulani Nation, who are principally the herding ethnic group in Nigeria, the increase of terrorist activities in Africa and the sophistication of attacks by herdsmen across the country, whether establishing grazing reserves across the country will not create legal access for nonNigerian Fulanis to infiltrate our country and states compounding our security challenges...

“This is because the Fulani exist in many countries of Africa and there is evidence that climate change impact elsewhere in Africa is driving many of them into Nigeria.

Grazing reserves across the states will open up the states to the influx of Fulani across Africa. Given the weapons that the herdsmen have used in the Benue invasion, there is serious fear of arms smuggling into many states of Nigeria”, the paper posits.

Citing examples of the trend in her states even without the passage of the proposed bill, the joint memo say, “Without legal claim to any piece of land, the herders in Benue have sacked many council wards in Benue and have been sleeping in the villagers’ houses that they chose to spare.

The entire Mbalagh Council Ward of Makurdi Local Government Area stretching from behind NASME Barracks and 72 Special Forces Battalion of the Nigerian Army, Makurdi up to Nassarawa State, have been deserted for over five years now and only wellarmed Fulani herdsmen are competent to freely walk the council ward. One is left to wonder what they will do if they are given a firm legal hold on Benue land in the name of grazing reserve. We therefore strongly oppose the idea of grazing reserves across the country but leave the issue to various state governments to decide as they chose”.

MEG WHITMAN: EMPOWERNIGERIA /46

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MONDAYS–FRIDAYS IN THE GUARDIAN

SUNDAY, May 25, 2014

LASU…Yet Another Strike the expiration FtheOLLOWING of the ultimatums given to state government and the university council to resolve issues affecting the progress of the institution, the tripartite union in Lagos State University (LASU) — Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), the Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Universities (SSANU), and the Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU), down tool with strike register their displeasure over hike fees of the institution and other issues.

ASUU-LASU, after a meeting on Tuesday with ASUU national body in Lagos, made public its decision to embark on strike. According to the body, the struggle is to save LASU, as happenings at the institution had put it at a cross road with all the unions coming together to decide their destiny.

ASUU Chairman in the institution, Dr Idris Adekunle, at a consultative meeting held earlier in the month in the school noted that workers of the institution may lose their jobs if they don’t speak now and allow the obnoxious policies of the university management Stories By Daniel Anazia to thrive.

HE saying, ‘everyday for the thief and one day for the master of the house’ played One Killed In Abia out on Friday, May 16, when Justice O. A. Adeniyi of the State Polytechnic Federal High Court Abuja, conEAR has gripped the resivicted and sentenced Ebiloma dents of Umungasi in Aba, Abdullahi to 12 years imprisonment for forgery and obtainAbia State, after the shooting ing money by false pretence. and eventual killing of a stuIt was gathered Ebiloma, had dent of Abia State Polytechnic, been paraded himself as a stuAba, by unknown gunmen dent of Federal University of believed to cultist.

Technology, Minna, and The victim, whose identity could not be ascertained as at assumed the position of the President, National press time was said to be a Association of Nigeria Student native of Ndume Ibeku in (NANS) and in such capacity Umuahia North Local Govpaid courtesy visits to the government Area of the state.

The incident is coming barely two months after a worker of the polytechnic from Umungasi, Umuahia North Local Government was murALEB University, Imota, dered near his father’s house Lagos has been closed after within the city. the students’ protest against what they called ‘strict rules’.

The management of University CARTOON SERIES /40 closed the institution following a violent students’ protest on Wednesday May 15.

Although no life was lost, the students destroyed properties worth millions of naira as they smashed the glasses of no fewer than four cars.

Life Campus gathered that

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Fake NANS President Bags 12 Years Jail Term ernor of Bauchi state, Alhaji Isa Yuguda; former Chairman of the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF), Alhaji Sani

Lulu, from whom he obtained the sum of N500,000 under the pretence that the money will be used to mobilise Nigerian stu-

dents to support the Super Eagles.

He was arraigned in November 2009 on a seven-

Caleb University Closed After Students’ Protest Against ‘Strict Rules’

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DR. DO-WELL

trouble started when a staff of the institution stopped a Muslim student from praying in the school. This action, however, provoked other students who frowned on the decision of the staff and they mobilized in their number, chanting solidarity songs and making calls for freedom of worship. The protest later degenerated as students attacked the university official and started destroying properties on campus.

Announcing the forced closure on Thursday, the Vice Chancellor, Prof Ayo Olukoju, admitted that the action of the students prompted the ‘temporal vacation’, but stated that the school would reopen on June 2, adding that the religious link to crisis was a mere pretence.

“We have rules and regulations in the school and all the students agreed to abide by them. These rules are in the student handout.

Before now, we have been applying appropriate sanctions against students who default in any of these rules.

BUSNESS ETIQUETTE /40

Meeting Etiquette

count charge of impersonation, forgery and obtaining money by false pretence. The judge found him guilty on count one and seven (forgery and obtaining money by false pretence) and consequently sentenced him to two years on count one and 10 years imprisonment on count seven without an option of fine. He was however, discharged and acquitted on counts two to six.

The sentences are to run concurrently.

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

CAREER /41

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In Lagos New Mums, Babies Find Succour In Mortein

By Daniel Anazia ALARIA is a major cause of M infant and maternal mortality in Nigeria. It reportedly accounts for over 600 deaths daily in children less than five years and most deaths in pregnant mothers especially those in rural and semi-urban settlements. It is also the main reason for out-patient admissions and visits to health facilities.

But moved by the worrisome plight of new mothers and children that are being afflicted with malaria, Reckitt Benckiser through its insecticide brand Mortein has again raised the ante of its Corporate Social Responsibility by intensifying anti-malaria campaign during the commemoration of this year’s World Malaria Day (WMD), in Lagos, recently.

This particular day, the Mortein Anti-Malaria Campaign train was at some public hospitals in Lagos to give succour to new mums and babies whose delivery coincided with the World Malaria Day. One of the hospitals was the General Hospital, Ajeromi in Ajeromi-Ifelodun Local Government where Mrs. Gift Odia and her baby boy were presented with a certificate, cartons of Mortein insecticide and baby gifts.

The second hospital was the Primary Health Centre, Ijora in Apapa Local Government where Mrs. Kafayat Tajudeen and her newly born girl also received a certificate, cartons of Mortein insecticide and baby gifts. The lucky beneficiaries would also receive five years’ free supply of Mortein insecticide for their continued protection against malaria.

Explaining the spirit behind the initiative, the Marketing Director, West Africa, Reckitt

BY SEGUN DUROWAIYE

Benckiser, Oguzhan Silivrili, said malaria has become a global health concern because millions of deaths occurred annually due to malaria while in Africa alone, over 3,000 children have been reported to die daily from malaria.

“As I speak to you, millions of people are suffering from malaria all over the world and 3,000 kids in Africa reportedly die daily from malaria,” he said.

He added that the gesture from the company aligned to its global mission and vision of building healthier lives and happier homes, stressing, “we see malaria as a serious threat to the health of new mothers and their babies.”

Silivrili further unfolded plans

by Mortein to reach 500,000 new mothers and children this year through a series of engagements that would create awareness and provide education and counsel that would help them to be free from malaria.

The Marketing Director was accompanied by two other executives of the company - the Brand Manager, Mortein, Mr. Oladipupo Ogundele and the Marketing and Activation Lead, West Africa, Mrs. Omotola Bamigbaiye-Elatuyi, to the hospitals where they put hope and joy in the hearts of the new mothers and officials of the Lagos State Government who were on hand to witness the presentation of certificates and gifts.

Ogundele on his part revealed that the Mortein Anti-Malaria Campaign was in line with the Roll Back Malaria (RBM) programme and other initiatives aimed at eradicating the malaria pandemic especially in Africa. ‘‘Mortein cares about the effect this disease has on women and children and is sparing no effort to ensure a significant reduction and eventual elimination of malaria in Nigeria’’, he asserted.

Business Etiquette with Rita Okoye

Rita Okoye

Ways To Make A Good First Impression

Ou never get a second chance to make a first impression.

This is very important for anyone who wants to advance their career. This article will show you the different tips that will help you make a good first impression.

Think about all the people you know with a positive attitude.

Don’t you find they always seem to have good things happening to them. They get the job on the first interview. They get promoted very quickly. They are head hunted. The reason why they appear lucky or favoured is because they have a great attitude. A great attitude is the key to a good first impression.

Another way to make a good first impression is to dress to impress. In the professional environment, it is always better to dress up than dress down. Make sure your clothes are ironed. Do not wear clothes that have holes or are stained. Men should be clean shaven. Ladies should make sure their hair is tidy and not in their faces. They should also not apply too much makeup especially bright red lipstick. Everyone should invest in a good suit for interviews or for work. Make sure you smell fresh and take great care of your personal hygiene. Invest in aftershave or perfume. If two candidates turn up for a job interview with exactly the same qualifications and work experience, they are going to be judged by something. And it’s usually the first impression.

A great smile will always leave a good first impression. The memory of a great smile is long lasting. It doesn’t take that much effort to smile but many people forget to and do not realise its value.

Many people have heard of Oscar winner Lupita Nyong'o. Apart

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Another way to make a good first impression is to dress to impress. In the professional environment, it is always better to dress up than dress down. Make sure your clothes are ironed. Do not wear clothes that have holes or are stained. Men should be clean shaven.

Ladies should make sure their hair is tidy and not in their faces.

from being a great actress, no one can forget how she carries herself with such grace and has a beautiful smile.

Even if you dress to the 9’s but you don’t have a good smile, you may still not make a good first impression.

Suzzie wondered why she was not getting job offers after going to several interviews. Finally she was brave enough to ask for feedback and was told that she just didn’t look friendly. The feedback was that she frowned a lot and looked like she was ready to fight somebody. That is not the impression the company wanted from their staff. Suzzie worked on herself and improved on how she came across and eventually got a job. Be aware of your body language and practice your look in the mirror.

Ask your friends to rate you because you need to make that good first impression.

Make sure you smile, appear positive, look interested and you will surely make a good first impression.

• Author Rita Okoye rita@majesticallyrare.com • Rita Okoye is an event planner, publicist & personal development trainer

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National Development Strategy Series

NICHOLAS OKOYE, Founder EMPOWER NIGERIA Initiative,

FROM THE DESK OF THE CEO PILLAR 3 SYSTEMS, STRUCTURE AND INFRASTRUCTURE PAPER 6 NIGERIAN STRUCTURE N paper 5 I broke down the basis for which we must start to look at the Nigerian structure. And I broke it down into Political Structure, Economic Structure, Educational Structure and Medical Structure. All other important elements of our lives will be fitted into one of these structural pillars.

We have a golden opportunity to restructure Nigeria with the ongoing National Conference but the feelers I am getting is that the delegates want to come back to the Nigerians people with the same old structure that they met when they started. I wonder why they believe that the National Conference was set up in the first place? So they will go there spend billions and billions, waste our time and come back to the Nigerian people with the same old 36 state structure? That would be a big shame and the delegates who are proposing this position stand the risk of becoming part of the ranks of the infamous collection of Nigeria’s failed Leaders, we have their names and we will make sure their history is told. To make matters worse these delegates are even going further, I have read recently that the same committee that is trying to recommend that we maintain the 36 states or create another state for the South East bringing the total to 37, is also recommending that we include political rotation of power of the President between the six regions (By the way, the same regions they did not recognize), and that the Governors in the States should also rotate between the senatorial Zones in the State. There is nothing that can be more stupid, childish and dangerous to the future of Nigeria than putting this ridiculous clause of Power Rotation in our Nation’s constitution.

It beats me how intelligent people can sit down in Abuja conduct debates and come back to us with a document that recommends rotation of power in a modern society? That is how we got into this mess Nigeria is in, in the first place, by selecting our Leaders based on tribe, religion and so on, now some “WISE: people are trying to put it into our constitution, so they can put the final nail into the Nigerian coffin? There are so many things wrong with this approach I will only address the most important ones 1.

Power Rotation will destroy meritocracy, it will undermine innovation and it will ensure that no creative people will ever get to power in Nigeria ever again, once you have a national constitution that says that the Presidency is turn by turn, then you have destroyed Nigeria as a Nation. All the future Presidents will owe their allegiance to the zoning formula and not to Nigeria, and so that is the kind of country you will build.

Once it is the turn of one zone, all other

I

about Power Rotation based on sex, sexual reasons I have listed above are the most preference, skin colour, family background, important. In any case what are the reasons I mean it will go into the most ridiculous that the so called delegates who claim to be levels of rotation as people will even representing the Nigerian People are advodemand power rotation based on family cating for a Power Rotation? The only reason name, whether you have children or not, I can find from some of the interviews these whether you studied in Nigeria or abroad delegates have conducted is that they want etc etc. Please delegates of the National all zones and every Nigerian to feel a part of Conference get rid of this useless clause. the Nation. Sounds lofty right, but this only 3.

Power Rotation will lead directly to holds a little water because this same comconflict and a dismembered Nigeria in the mittee has rejected the regional structure not too distant future. There is no way that which is what over 80% of the Nigeria people smart and intelligent people will agree to want. Once we have a regional structure live under a System where their National there will be no more interest in who Political Leaders are chosen officially and becomes the President of Nigeria. The constitutionally based solely on where they Regions will be strengthened and most of are from in the country and officials are the issues that effect every days lives will be appointed based on the sole fact that it is handled at the regional level. The Education, their turn to rule. Young revolutionaries Health, Agriculture, Water Resources, will rise and they may be violent, to oppose Transportation, Commerce, Mining, such an outdated and retrogressive system Exploration, will all be handled at the and Nigeria may not survive it.

Regional level. The National Government Nigerian Political Structure need only concern itself with Defense, There are so many other reasons why this Security, Foreign Affairs and integration. This Power Rotation nonsense should be rejectis what the Nigerian people are looking fored by the Nigerian People I believe these ward to. And this is what we want from the delegates at the National Conference. And we will work together to make sure that a campaign to give us the structure we want is launched to guide our delegates and remind them that they are representing the Nigerian people and not themselves. The Delegates should be advised that the Nigerian people will reject any structure that does not provide solutions to our present predicament.

A New Nigerian Political Structure A lot of the opposition to the creating of a workable political structure for Nigeria can be traced to fear. People are afraid of what will happen in a new structure, people are afraid of what their fate will be in this new structure. People are afraid of losing their status now which they believe to be good and so they do not want to rock the boat. I know this because the delegates from Ebony State have made this clear all the time that they do not know what being part of a larger South Eastern region and that it would be like after they have gained their independence by gaining Ebony State. This fear is shared in the North as well and indeed all over the country mostly by the older generation of failed political leaders. However when you speak to the younger more educated, more enlightened people from the same Ebony State or the North the story is completely different. So how do we get to a meeting point for a new Nigerian Structure, that will satisfy all stake holders?

1. The first thing we must all agree with is that the present structure is not working. It is too expensive, too cumbersome and very very clumsy. It does not allow for innovation and creativity, two of the most important elements for any Nation in this 21st century. If we do not get innovative Leaders into Government at all levels really quickly there will be more insurgencies in the months and years to come and it will get more and more violent. Our present generation of Leaders who are the same generation that ruled Nigeria for the past fifty years, are not capable of tackling this problem as the problem is complex and it requires strategic and innovative responses and positioning. It requires the creative minds of the younger generation who must be brought to the table based on merit and not zoning, not rotation and certainly not because it is their turn.

2. The second thing we must do is to design a new structure that is workable and that will General Ike Nwachukwu RTD is one members of the Political Structure committee of the National promote economic growth, jobs for the Conference that is advocating the outdated and ineffective rotational presidency and a retaining of the young people and higher standards of living.

36 state structure ( they are recommending one extra state foe the south east making it 37 states) the The six regional structure is the best way to South East Leaders have however rejected this Greek gift, the South West have also rejected this status go in terms of border lines however we must quo as well as some delegates of the North Central and the South South. In fact 80% of the Nigerian also provide an insight into what the people have insisted on a Six Regional Structure which will have a weak centre and strong Regions so Government will look like. that Nigeria can meet its full potentials. The Committee stands the risk of failing in their mandate and 3. Proposed Regional Government Structure. ( please read paper 7) incurring the angry of the Nigerian People. It makes you wonder whose agenda are they proposing??

zones will suffer neglect. Corruption in Government will be legalized as favoritism, nepotism and all other forms of ills we are currently suffering will be expanded and widely practiced. No modern Nation chooses its Leaders based on zoning as the results are always disastrous.

2.

Power Rotation will destroy our weak and shaky unity. As it will give rise and play up all our differences and demands for a rotation of all kinds of differences will take place. Politicians will play up all these differences and all future political offices and officials will be appointed NOT ON MERIT, but based on your zone, your religion or even your gender. In addition all appointments, all contracts and even jobs in the private sector will start depending on differences and rotation after all it will be in our constitution so its legal and it must be right. The rotation will play up our religious differences, why stop at power rotation based on regional zones?

We must also include power rotation based on religion. Then will also start talking

46 Sunday, May 25, 2014

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CASE STUDY

Guide to Personal Development

GLOBAL ENTREPRENEURAL LEADER

By Nicholas Okoye

nokoye@empowernigeria.com

STRATEGY UR Journey will cover the personal strategy for Professionals, business people and Political Leaders over the next week months. I will provide you with the strategy for Peak Performance and success which in turn will give you the money you deserve. You can get rich by positioning yourself and driving up your creativity. As I have always said getting rich is about creating value through creativity and innovation and not the sad way in which wealth is promoted in political circles in Nigeria. My audience are the professionals, entrepreneurs and businesspeople who want to play on the global stage, together we will define the path for greatness.

Personal Strategy In order to define your personal strategy we have to define what your purpose in life is. In Nigeria many people tend to limit their purpose in life to the need to make money, be rich or wealthy.

However that is a lame definition of purpose and that is what fuels the Nigerian way of life which the rest of the World sees as a largely corrupt society. Your Personal Strategy will include your overall life journey, where you have been where you are going ad how you intent to get there. In developing your personal Strategy we must go through the following a. Determination b. Positioning c. Connecting d. Excursion Determination To determine what should be your purpose in life you have understand your true passion.

What excites you? What would you do for free? What would you rather be doing in place of what you are doing now? If you love educating people then maybe you should be a teacher, or even own a school or a University. If you love numbers then you should be involved in the finance industry as an investment banker, financial analyst or asset manager, or if you have the means or you can create the means then you should own a bank. Whatever you decide it should be something you are passionate about. If you have gone far in your career.

O

EG WHITMAN is the successful corporate M executive, serving as CEO of eBay and later Hewlett Packard. In 2010 she lost her bid to win the California governorship.

Meg Whitman was born Margaret Cushing Whitman on August 4, 1956, in Cold Spring Harbor, Long Island, New York. The youngest of Hendricks and Margaret Cushing's three children, Meg grew up in Cold Harbor Spring, New York, the product of a father who worked on Wall Street and a stay-at-home mom.

Confident and bright, Whitman didn't shy away from her intelligence, and in 1974 she graduated from high school after just three years. Whitman then enrolled at Princeton University, where she earned a bachelor's degree in economics. She then took on the MBA program at Harvard Business School, graduating in 1979.

Following Harvard, Meg moved to Cincinnati for a job as brand manager at Proctor & Gamble.

There, Whitman cut her teeth in the marketing and business world, working with future Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer.

But Whitman's time in Cincinnati was short.

After two years, she packed up with her new husband, neurosurgeon Griff Harsh. They moved to San Francisco, where Harsh completed his residency. Whitman's job search eventually landed her at Bain & Company, a wildly successful business-consulting firm, where she worked with future Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney.

From Bain, Whitman would go on to land a number of high profile positions at big firms like Disney, Stride Rite, FTD and Hasbro. In 1998, she changed course a bit and landed in Silicon Valley as CEO of eBay. Still in its relative infancy, eBay, with its non-traditional start-up culture, seemed like an odd fit for the more traditional Whitman. But under her

MEG WHITMAN: THE TOP ONLINE AUCTIONEER direction, the young company soon grew into an online auction giant that went from sales of $86 million her first year to $7.7 billion a decade later, when Whitman stepped down as CEO. She purchased Skype, the Internet calling company, for $2.5 billion, in 2005. Later, eBay took a $1.4 billion write-down on the purchase.

In 2009 Whitman, a conservative Republican announced her plans to run for governor of California. In a state mired in an economic meltdown with hefty deficits to overcome, Whitman and her supporters believed California would benefit from her business background.

It helped that Whitman, who had served as an advisor to John McCain during his 2008 presi-

dential run, was also willing to pump a record $119 million of her own cash into the campaign.

In all, her race would end up costing some $175 million, enough to win the Republican nomination, but not enough to defeat former California governor Jerry Brown in a tight race.

Following her political loss, Whitman, who is estimated to be worth more than $1 billion, found that she was still in demand in the world of business. In September 2011, she was tapped to run computer giant Hewlett-Packard.

Whitman has two adult sons with her longtime husband, Griff, who works at Stanford Hospital. The couple resides in Atherton, California.

Sunday, May 25, 2014 47

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

LAFETE

YOUTHMAGAZINE

BY SHAIBU HUSSEINI

Around and about...

shaibu70@yahoo.com

Censors Board Approves 43 Films In April But Silent On HOAYS

any scene will cause uproar’ has waned. But there are hopes that the film soon get a rating that will restrict viewership at the most.

However, moviegoers have continued to HERE is still no word from the National express their desire to see the film, which Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB) had its US premiere last weekend. But so far on the classification status of the big budg- and for the month of April, there was only et feature, Half of a Yellow Sun (HOAYS), but one ‘PG’ category film among the 43 the Ms. Patricia Bala-led board recently approved, which is The Return of Baby Oku in announced that it had verified and America, an English language film. Sixteen approved 43 films for the month of April movies were classified ‘15’ including Pretty 2014. HOAYS was missing on the list of the Liars (English), A Thousand Kisses (English), 43 films passed by the board’s Film First Cause (English) and Ebun Akoko Censorship and Classification Department (Yoruba). Also, 26 movies were classified ‘18’ (FCCD). According to a statement released including Anwo Ino (Ibibio), Anwo Ino 2 from the board only 19 films in English, 14 (Ibibio), Baba Babi (Yoruba), Baba Were in Yoruba, seven in Hausa, two in Ibibio (Yoruba), Asake Oni Bread (Yoruba), Baba and one in Bini have been classified for the Rana (Hausa), Badurwa (Hausa), Har Da mijimonth of April. It follows that board still na (Hausa) and Egbo-Eziza (Bini). For movies has issues with HOAYS because the films classified ‘15’, the consumer advice is was reportedly submitted for classification imitable technique, strong language, vioin April after the board insisted that it lence and sex. For those classified ‘18’, the must receive certification before it could consumer advice is ritual, and imitable techbe publicly released. The board directives nique, fetish practices, strong language and came after the promoters of the film drug abuse. Other movies approved include announced an April 25 date for general Spirits and dogs (English), Kubayashi (Yoruba), release of the movie. The directive forced Ojokoja (Yoruba), United Apart (English), The the promoters to announce a May 2, date, Harvest Season (English), Jaiye Ogo (Yoruba), hoping that it would have passed the hur- Discussion Continues (English) and others. dles before it. Apart from the directive that it must receive appropriate certification ... And HOAYS Opens In New York before it could be publicly released for viewing, the classification committee HE much anticipated Half of a Yellow Sun reportedly asked that ‘two scenes capable screened last week at the New York African of sparking ethnic uproar be expunged’ Film Festival and also opened on Friday May before the movie could be considered for 16 in New York, There was equally a Friday classification. Though, the board did not May 23 opening in Los Angeles. Meanwhile, a make public, which scenes it wanted major character in the movie, Anika Rose ‘expunged’, it simply said in a statement Noni, who played the character of Kainene that it had issues with the film and until the issues are resolved, HOAYS will remain said she was excited playing the role of an Igbo woman. In an interview with Essence in the pouch of the promoters. The board reiterated in that statement that it was set Magazine, Anika said, “I loved Kainene in the book. I loved her. I was really happy to find up to carry out specific responsibilities, and so, it will not shy off from carrying out out that it was her I was playing”. As for Igbo such duties especially when they bother on language learnt, as she portrayed the character, she said, “my favorite Igbo word was what a staff of the board say was ‘national “Mba” which means ‘No’. It just sounds like it interest’. However, an inside source revealed that the board feared that ‘a scene means no. Mba”. Speaking on the refusal of the NFVCB to classify the film, she said, “I say in Kano with heavy violence, where some it’s disappointing. You can’t hide history. We Igbo’s were mercilessly killed’ may spark ethnic uproar. The source also revealed the want to see history and share history and talk about history so that you don’t get concern over a scene it considered ‘too obscene’ and that where the lead actor cast caught in the cycle of repetition because we are human and it is our tendency to repeat. aspersions on a major tribe’. Mum has been the word for the promoters of HOAYS. We are at turns wonderful and giving and The campaign they took to social media to kind and then the other end we are atrocious and awful and inhumane. Those are the compel the board to ‘simply classify and things we don’t want to repeat.” The Britishrestrict viewership even if they feel that

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A scene from Half Of A Yellow Sun Nigerian collaboration is an adaptation of Chimamanda Adiche’s award winning novel with the same title. It stars OSCAR nominee and BAFTA award winner Chiwetel Ejiofor, Thandie Newton, Onyeka Onwenu, Genevieve Nnaji, OC Ukeje, Anika Noni Rose, Joseph Mawle, John Boyega, Wale Ojo, Tina Mba, Zack Orji and Hakeem Kae-Kazim. The movie was directed by UK-based Nigerian playwright Biyi Bandele and was produced by winner of an OSCAR and three BAFTAs, Andrea Calderwood and Yewande Sadiku, an investment banker.

Living Funeral To Feature At Cannes Short Film Corner HE prestigious Cannes International T Festival ended yesterday after a two-week outing. Udoka Oyeka short film Living Funeral, which aims at creating awareness on breast cancer, featured at the short film corner of the festival. The ‘Short Film Corner’ is a side event of the Cannes film

festival that provides opportunity for emerging filmmakers to showcase their works and to seek future production and coproduction deals. So many short films by Nigerian filmmakers had featured previously at the short film corner. Fidelis Duker’s Senseless screened at the corner in 2008 and so for many short films by students of the National Film Institute (NFI). Directed by Udoka Oyeka and produced by Applegazer and KarmaCause Productions with the Pink Pearl Foundation, Living Funeral screened throughout the festival duration at the corner. It stars Liz Ameye (formerly known as Liz Benson), Stephanie Wilson and Norbert Young. The film recently screened at the 2014 Pan African Film Festival in Los Angeles and was on official selection at the New York African Film Festival. The film was nominated in the Best Short Film Category for the 2014 Africa Movie Academy Awards. It has also been selected to screen at the 2014 Durban International Film Festival in South Africa in July.

Before We Forget... An Interrogation Of History scription cannot cure those ailments Indeed, many of Obasanjo’s critics of insurgency. saw the letter as part of a larger plot to EFORE We Forget is a compilation intimidate Jonathan and distabilise He tells Jonathan that the country of chief Olusegun Obasanjo’s let- him politically. But the idea of publishshould not wage war against violence ter to President Goodluck without understanding the root causing this book is for record purposes.

Jonathan and the attendant uproar The peace and development project es of this insurgency. it engendered from the public.

Obasanjo accuses him of being an promotes peace and development and When Obasanjo wrote the letter, he it believes that a dialogue of this nature Ijaw man rather than a detribalised didn’t expect the kind of rebuttal Nigerian. He also alleges that the comdeserves a special attention. The from the broad spectrum of the soci- exchange of letters is historical with mander in Chief is keeping a 100 ety, much less his own daughter, the the reactions being very interesting Nigerians on a watch list for eliminaformer president didn’t bargain for and educative. tion and that he is training snipers what he got. secretly like the late Head of State, The reactions give us an insight into Obasanjo isn’t the proper person to the hearts and minds of Nigerians. The General Sani Abacha. pass judgment on Jonathan’s presi- lines of arguments are diverse that you Obasanjo also called the Demon of dency. Fresh in the collective memo- cannot, but appreciate why Nigeria is Owu, out of reverence for his fearlessry of Nigerians is his role in the ness, great energy and drive, accused such a blessed country. Besides, it has installation of Jonathan. the president of assisting murderers to been alleged these problems, critiThis book, however, deals with evade justice. cisms arose from the fact that 83 per more than Obasanjo’s letter. It cov- cent of oil blocs licences belonging to He affirms that corruption, inequity ers President Jonathan’s reply, An and injustice breed poverty, unemNortherners and former military leadOpen Letter To My Father, by Iyabo ployment, conflict, violence and terrorers would expire in 2015, which is why Obasanjo-Bello; Let The Truth Be Told they want to destroy Jonathan in order ism because the opulence of the goverby Chief Edwin Clark and an assess- to obtain smooth sail with oil licenses nor can only lead to the leanness of the ment of the letter from Alhaji governed. But God never sleeps. He is renewal.

Mujahid Asari Dokubo. watching, waiting and biding His time In part one, former president In part two, the publishers report- Obasanjo in his letter to Ebele Jonathan the grievances of Boko Haram as hav- to dispense justice. ed reactions from Jonathan’s gives reasons for alerting the president ing many strands — Drug, indoctrina- He urges Jonathan to rise above such bootlickers, Part three contains reac- on the dangers lurking in the corner tion, fundamentalism, gun-running, pettiness. In the letter dated December tions from the Nigerian press. And foreclosing good governance. hate culture, human trafficking, mon- 2, 2013, Obasanjo informs the presipart four contains the reactions of Obasanjo alleges that Nigeria is slipey laundering, religious bigotry, pover- dent that he has shared its contents the common people as recorded by ping into the Abacha era. Obasanjo, in ty, unemployment, poor education, with General Ibrahim Babangida, ThisDaylive, Sahara Reporters, Daily the letter, accuses Jonathan of reneging revenge and international terrorism. Abdulsalami Abubakar, Yakubu Trust and the publishers conclusions. on his one-term pledge by seeking a He advises Jonathan to apply various Gowon and Dr. Alex Ekwueme, and In its introduction, the publishers, second term in office. He says the presi- means of conquering Boko Haram, and indicates he might extend sharing its Peace and Development Projects, dent is weakening the party by supone dimensional solution would not contents with many more. assert that the letter did not receive a porting other parties against the solve the menace. That one single pre- President Jonathan’s rebuttal of the unanimous accolade. contents of the letter is to be expected.

People’s Democratic Party (PDP) candiThat Obasanjo received applause dates for state governorships. Obasanjo mostly from the political opponents notifies the president that as head of of the President whom Obasanjo was state, he is dividing Nigeria along believed to be fronting for. Obasanjo North-South, Christian-Muslim lives in Elechi Amadi’s The Great Ponds will be on show today, as the secretariat of the was soon playing host to them at his his re-election campaign.

World Book Capital continues with its showcase of thebest of African literature.

Hilltop home in Abeokuta.

Indeed, in his letter Obasanjo analyses The time is 3pm at the Royal Banquet Hall, Hotel Presidential, Port Harcourt.

By Bayo Ogunmupe

B

World Book Capital Book Of The Month

The most damaging revelation is the letter purportedly written by Senator Iyabo Obasanjo – Bello to her father. In it, she castigates her father being a megalomaniac. That means that her father is afflicted with a form of mental illness marked by delusions of greatness and wealth.

But Obasanjo proves himself the demon of a leader when he said: “ I would rather die than have Yar Adua die at this time.”

That was how Iyabo reported Obasanjo feeling over the rumored death of the then presidential candidate, Umaru Musa Yar Adua.

Like Iyabo’s letter, another letter ghostly penned in support of the commander-in-chief is the one sent in by Clark.

There is no justification for Clark to write the letter other than to sympathise with Jonathan over the Obasanjo bashing.

Indeed, most of the commentators listed in here are supporters of Jonathan or those who hope to benefit from him in the future. This book is a good testimony for future generation of Nigerians on the county’s politics, culture of betrayal and the limits of its intellect. It, however, breaks many conventions of historiography.

The publishers never disclosed the names of its editors, some of the commentators were not identified.

However, the book is a good volume of living history and valuable for record purposes. I commend the publisher for its good and expensive print.

As an author, I know the book would have cost millions of naira to the publishers. It made interesting reading.

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

48 Sunday, May 25, 2014

LAFETE

BY BENSON IDONIJE benidoni@yahoo.com

All That Jazz

Why Black Audience For The Music Has Diminished VER the years, there has been a systematic decline in the patronage of jazz by black audiences, a phenomenon, which is even more rampant and noticeable in Europe and America where it all began.

This reality fully dawned on me four years ago when, in London, I attended a few jazz clubs including Jazz Café and Ronnie Scott’s Club. At Jazz Café, where saxophonist Archie Shepp performed, only this writer, his son, two of his Nigerian friends and the pianist Funso Ogundipe, were black among the teeming population of the white audience that filled the club to over- flowing.

On another occasion, the story was the same at the famous Ronnie Scott’s whose ambience and operational tradition had completely changed in favour of white culture and supremacy. Even my good friend, Ademola Johnson who used to be honoured with a special seat – for his remarkable patronage and passion for jazz – told me he had not been to the club in years.

I had been wondering why this sudden reversal of situations until I stumbled on Archie Shepp’s interview with the All About Jazz magazine, where he spelt it all out. His explanation was quite illuminating and elucidating. The reasoning behind his contention was as sound and cogent as his credentials for making the pronouncement. The interview roamed from the genesis of this attitudinal shift to its impact on today’s generation of black musicians who are embracing the hip hop culture; and the solution to the problem: “I can understand why African American audiences are not in tune with socalled jazz music,” Shepp begins. “First of all, up until the ‘40s and ‘50s – let’s say until Coltrane – much of this music still had roots in the African – American community. Coleman Hawkins lived in Harlem. Dexter Gordon, all these people, they came from the African – American community.

Today, more and more of the so-called jazz musicians are fleeing into suburbia like all the other black middle class people. And so how can they expect we can relate to people we no longer associate with? There are no longer any references.”

About the current situation’s effect on the

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so into a rather complex music – complex art music. Though Negroes are hard pressed to understand that for some reason.”

According to Shepp, the situation has come with far- reaching implications and consequences – the prospect of jazz becoming ‘white’ music – its domination by white players and producers: “There is not a single major night club in the United States owned by an African American. African – Americans don’t make saxophones. We don’t produce trombones. We play them. We’re not producers. We’re basically consumers. We don’t own anything and we don’t control anything. And so it’s no accident that some young white singer is replacing Ella Fitzgerald. Coltrane has become a white man.

At all the big, so – called jazz concerts, there are fewer and fewer African Americans performing – more and more white players who are being put in the place of those African Americans. I just did a documentary film in France. The young man was talking about great saxophone players. And I mentioned George Coleman. Of course, he was talking about Joe Lovano and the fact that Joe is now playing two instruments at the same time. Joe Lovano used to come to my gigs and sit in at Sweet Basil years ago. Now he’s a big super star. I love Joe. Nice guy. I then said, well, haven’t you guys ever heard of George Coleman or Gary Bartz? And you know what they said? “Who are they?”

The point the ex-Coltrane disciple and university professor of African- American Studies is making is that jazz is black art music. It is not black dance music, so called jazz music. It is music people listen to and not dance to. So we do have black art music. Unfortunately, we have not bothered to treasure that music!

However, credits must go to the numerous young black musicians who have continued to crusade this art form despite all odds - trumpeters such as Terence Blanchard, Nicholas Payton, Wallace Roney, Roy Hargrove; saxophonists such as Branford Marsalis, Joshua Redman, Ravi Coltrane, Craig Handy; vocalists such as Dee Dee Bridgewater, Kevin Mahogany; bass players such as Christian Mc Bride, Avery Sharpe, Reginald Veal; piano players such as

young generation of musicians and their audiences, Shepp is not surprised at all that young black kids are listening to rap music. “When I was a boy”, he explains, “to buy a saxophone, I could go to the pawn shop and maybe get a saxophone for a hundred dollars. Or as my grandmother did, she helped me buy a saxophone for five hundred. But today, a saxophone costs five thousand dollars. What youngster in the ghetto is going to be able to buy a saxophone? Of course, they buy records and turntables and they create new instruments. They’re making something out of nothing. I’m all for these young people. In fact, I think we have to come over to their side. We should begin to make connections with their life style, their culture and their music. I would love to have heard Coltrane play with Digable Planets or James Brown. Those things just never happened because our people never saw the connection.”

Shepp blames the low attendance of black audiences on the distance of venues saying, “In the 20s and 30s up until the 50s, many of those clubs were located right in the community.

Connie’s Inn was in Harlem. White people went to the Negro neighborhoods to hear jazz music.

Now, blacks have to go to Lincoln Center in New York to hear this music, to hear players like Wynton Marsalis, who have now become the black bourgeoisie. This used to be a people’s music. It is no longer. The music has actually been taken out of our community and awarded to middle class white communities, where poor blacks are now expected to go on buses and trains to hear their own music. And actually, the music they‘re expected to hear is music that they never hear on radio. The music they hear on radio is popular music. They’re not hearing Coltrane and Ellington on most of the popular stations. You have to tune to so-called jazz stations for that. And really, to listen to this music requires special training.” Why? “African - American art music is serious music.

It’s just like classical music. You can’t just come on in the middle of Coltrane playing “Impressions” or “Transition” and expect you are going to pat your feet. This is a very special type of music that has been created. It has evolved over a century or

Shepp Geri Allen, Stephen Scott, Benny Green, Eric Reed and many others on the various instruments. They may not be happy playing exclusively to white audiences but they are committed to the art form; and are inspired by the fact that some people appreciate what they are doing.

Excitement As Naija Street Champ Auditions Hit Lagos HE ever-bubbling Ajegunle and Festac suburbs of Lagos went agog over the weekend as the train of Nigeria’s newest music talent hunt— Naija Street Champ —berthed in the two areas for the second rounds of auditions to discover the next Nigerian music talent.

Both Ajegunle, popularly called AJ, and Festac, are known to have contributed to the revolutionalisation of the country’s music with the Galala and Hip-hop offerings.

The Ajegunle audition, which held at Maracana Stadium, Ajegunle on Saturday May 17, 2014 was packed with an electrifying crowd who were delighted as contestants stepped up to the stage to represent their hood.

Nigeria’s leading music talent and producer, Terry G, who is one of the three

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Participants at the Ajegunle auditions with Terry G

The Story Of Joseph On Stage For Children’s Day Covenant Music House Holds N celebration of International Children’s Day, Boatseed Productions, an organisation that has been born from a desire to produce theatrical material that is suitable for children and the whole family, is set to perform The Story Of Joseph, based on the biblical story of Joseph. Paul Alumona directs the play, which is full of fun and laughter.

According to the outfit’s director, Mrs Temitope Adeyemi. “the aim of the production is ultimately to encourage children to go to the theatre and to participate in the dramatic arts.”

She said, “children of all ages love to pretend. As toddlers, they mimic things they see in everyday life. In preschool, they recreate familiar roles and events. By elementary school age, they act out stories, creating original plots, adapting fairy tales or children’s books.

As children leave early childhood, they

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enter a new and more formal type of play-acting, whereby they are able to go on stage and present prepared scripts.

More advanced skills such as acting; directing, scene and costume design, playwriting, and stage management begin to develop after elementary school. As young children take part in drama, they gain many benefits such as: Increased concentration; Improved interpersonal skills; Development of speech and language; Assists physical development; Increased confidence; Enhanced creativity; and Social growth.”

Adeyemi noted, “it is important for children to see adults performing in front of large audiences, so, they can understand the importance of having self-confidence and the ability to express themselves freely in public. This skill is one that cuts across many professions, from teaching to news- casting, from public speaking to making boardroom presentations.”

Praise Concert ECENTLY, Covenant Music House staged a praise concert at Mount Koseunti, on LagosIbadan Expressway, Mowe, as part of its launch programme.

According to the chief executive of the label, Bose Folarin, “the aims and objectives of Covenant Music and Films International is to highlight outstanding and quality music production, enriching and soul-winning messages/music, and talent hunt, especially in the gospel line.”

She said the praise concert was CEO, Covenant Music and Films International, Bose Folarin divinely inspired. ative talents and treasures are According to her, “it is a total deviation from our initial plan to discovered and promoted. We shall also give records of our preshowcase secular artistes. We shall ensure that this programme vious year’s achievements and becomes a yearly event, where cre- challenges.”

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producers for Naija Street Champ, was the special guest at the event. He encouraged the young and aspiring contestants to live their dreams and become the next star out of Ajegunle town, which has produced a lot of stars in the past.

At the Ajegunle audition, 20 contestants battled for the three slots of contestants to proceed to the next round. After the keen competition and overwhelming cheers from the mammoth audience, Chinedu Okafor (X Busta), Ademola Martins (Michelyn) and Mike Arane (X-Brown) were unanimously adjudged by the audience as the best talents to represent AJ in the next round of the competition.

The atmosphere at the FHA playground, venue of the Festac audition, was not different. It was turbo charged, as residents defied the scorching Sunday afternoon sun to catch a glimpse of the contestants representing the area.

Ace producer, ID Cabassa made a special appearance at the Festac audition to the admiration of the cheering audience. He admonished contestants to pursue their dreams with strength and work hard to become a notable music talent.

At the end of the keenly contested audition, the trio of Omenogor Caeser (Caeser) Timi Tony Jnr (Cyclone) and Big Daddy Africa emerged winners.

Speaking at the end of the week 2 auditions, the Project Manager for Naija Street Champ, Oladeinde Fajana, expressed satisfaction with the large turnout of audience at the two locations as well as the brilliant performance put up by the contestants.

He then announced that the audition train would stop next at the Skypower Grounds GRA, Ikeja, (auditions held yesterday for Ikeja zone) and Nigerian Army Sport Ground, Somolu, today, for Bariga zone.

sunday, May 25, 2014 49

THE GUardIaN www.ngrguardiannews.com

INTErVIEW Fighting Floods From space...

Nasrda Is ‘Proactive’ In The Niger delta, Says Shaba In this interview with J.K. OBATALA, Dr. Halilu Ahmad Shaba, Director of Space Applications, explains the surprising scope and dimension of the National Space Research and Development Agency’s (NASRDA’s) satellite studies in the Niger Delta.

Before we get into specifics, give me an overview of what space applications is about.

HaT we do here, is process data from Nigeria’s satellites — adding value to it. as you are aware, Nigeria launched its first satellite, NigeriaSat-1, in 2003. We have since decommissioned Sat-1 and replaced it with Sat-2. a second earth observation satellite, SatX, was launched along with Sat-2.

Both spacecraft have three transmission bands, each band with its own capabilities. The satellites have the capacity to see certain things from space and generate data. The things they sense are called either “artifacts” or “natural resources”.

Each band is identified by a colour — red, green or infrared.

Based on that, we combine the three bands to form what we call “colour composites”. so, in space applications, what we do is try to validate as well as assess the viability of Nasrda’s two satellites, in mapping Nigeria and other parts of africa. We apply our expertise on the images we get from the spacecraft.

The telemetry from the satellites comes to you first?

No. It goes to “MCC”— the Mission Control Centre. From MCC, the telemetry comes to us. We then add value the data, so the information will be readily available to the public.

When you say, “add value,” what do you mean?

We process it. We extract useful information from the raw data.

You were showing me some satellite images, from the Niger delta, on your computer…

Yes. We believe people ought to be proactive in tackling problems. Long ago, for instance, even before the seven Point agenda of the late President Musa Yar’ adua administration, Nasrda was trying to be proactive — identifying problems in the region and developing research programmes to address them.

Our research strategy takes into consideration the uniqueness of that environment — unique, in the sense that it’s the only place where you have a delta environment, a very rich ecological setting and also petroleum resources, whose exploitation is causing degradation.

We at Nasrda felt it was pertinent to consider the Niger delta region as a case study — a place where we must study and carry out some analysis. Consequently, we have been working in that area since 2005.

Permit me to interject, parenthetically, that we have Ph.d. holders, within the space agency, whose research is focused in that region. One of them has conducted extensive air pollution studies there.

That’s great. You also have a number of programmes in space applications that impact the Niger delta?

Yes. We have one that involves the use of medium resolution imaging — a 50-meter digital terrain model for Nigeria.

This entails an in-depth study of the Niger delta, because most parts of the terrain there are at or below sea level.

If you look at the images from the U.s. shuttle Topographic Mission, which the space agency Nasa conducted before the space shuttle programme was terminated, you will discover that some areas in the Niger delta are not covered, because they are below sea level.

We have, therefore, developed the digital terrain project around the Niger delta, so that Nigeria will be able to use its own model in developing topographic maps and also to study land subsidence, which is the sinking of the land, after the petroleum has been extracted.

We have since been developing an Optimal Geodynamic and Geodetic Network for the whole of Nigeria, to measure changes in surface levels. Here too, the Nigeria delta is done in greater detail, because the more you explore and extract crude oil, the more subsidence you are going to have.

The Optimal Geodynamic and Geodetic Network will thus enable us to monitor and study the rate of subsidence in this ecological zone. apart from that, we have a satellite-Based Environment research Project that also focuses on the Niger delta. What we want to know, are things like “How has the region changed over time — from about 30 years back to the situation we see now? What is the degree of environmental degradation?”

We have also been monitoring gullies in southeastern Nigeria and collecting data. This gully erosion extends up to some parts of the Niger delta. If you look at what constitutes a “delta,” you have erosion upstream and deposition close to the coast. This largely accounts for the complex creek system. another major concern of Nasrda is the rate and extent of the rise in seal level, a process we’re following through the use remote sensing. You are, of course, aware of climate change. Because of the warming of Earth’s surface, the polar ice caps are melting — which releases tonnes of water into the sea.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change projects, for example, that sustained global temperature rises of five to

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Omobola-Johnson, Minister of Communication Technology

six degree centigrade, could melt both Greenland and the western antarctic ice sheets by mid-2100 — resulting in a sea level raise of up to 13 meters.

Our immediate concern though, is not this long-term, worse-case scenario but rather the more “moderate,” shortterm projection of a 2.7 meter rise (if you can call that “moderate”!) over a 30-year period: Whose effects are already being felt globally.

Including the Niger delta region?

Yes, severely in some places. Five or six years ago, I was opportune to have visited Ekeremor, in Bayelsa state, (near Bomadi, in delta state), and some creek communities, where you have what they call “school break”.

In the olden days, I was told, school breaks lasted about four months. But residents I spoke with then, said some breaks were, at that time, up to six months in duration. I don’t know what the situation is like now — whether flooding has been checked or whether the affected communities have relocated. “school break” is, by definition, a period when pupils don’t go to school, because of inundation. But the number of months is almost academic. Whether the inundation is for four months, six months or one month, the children are not learning.

When this happens, the whole country should be concerned, because the child is growing older, parents are spending money, teachers are being paid and the school system is bearing the added financial burden. so flooding costs everybody: parents; pupils; government; and society-at-large.

Is this the only community, where water was flooding out the schools?

No. Flooding is widespread in the Niger delta. Ekeremor is actually a Local Government; and conditions in the whole area are very similar. some larger communities are also affected, especially those close to the estuary, where inland, fresh-water-bearing bodies, meet the sea. But residents are re-

We have a Space Based Niger Delta Coastal Monitoring Programme, which is ongoing. But it’s not easy, because there is something like nine months of cloud cover during each year. What we are trying to do is create a model that will help us to predict flooding in specific locales — and, therefore prepare for it and mitigate the impact. Whether we have a 2.7 meter rise, or even a one meter rise, the consequences are potentially dire. We hope that, in time, NASRDA will have acquired a synthetic aperture radar satellite (S.A.R.), which can see through the cloud cover.

luctant to relocate, because the fishing is good. so you want to keep an eye on these areas, from space?

Yes. We have a space Based Niger delta Coastal Monitoring Programme, which is ongoing. But it’s not easy, because there is something like nine months of cloud cover during each year.

What we are trying to do is create a model that will help us to predict flooding in specific locales — and, therefore prepare for it and mitigate the impact. Whether we have a 2.7 meter rise, or even a one meter rise, the consequences are potentially dire.

We hope that, in time, Nasrda will have acquired a synthetic aperture radar satellite (s.a.r.), which can see through the cloud cover. Our director General, Professor s.O. Mohammed, has been working very hard to make this a reality.

Yes. It’s his fighting piece! anytime I interview him, he puts in a word for s.a.r... …Here, for instance, is some telemetry from our satellites that underscore the need for s.a.r. and illustrate the gravity of the situation (displaying satellite images on his computer).

These are images of delta and rivers state. You can see the flooded areas. But these are also areas of almost perpetual cloud cover. You have about nine months of rainy season.

That means about nine to 10 months of clouds.

By the time the satellite passes over, there may not be a window through which the camera can see the surface, to give us an image of the flooding. again, that’s why we are trying to get the synthetic aperture satellite — so we will have continuous access.

You can see here, that these particular areas, in Bayelsa state, are above sea level. They are not likely to be flooded. Once we can get all this information stored in our data bank, we should then be able to construct a model and make predictions: “This area will be flooded. That area will not be flooded”. …These areas you see here are by the estuary. This terrain is flooded — as you can see. If we experience a sea level of even one meter here, all these communities will be gone.

What remedies are Nasrda proposing?

Our job, as scientists, is to: (a) Identify problems; (b) develop models that explain the situation; and (c) predict what is likely to occur under a given set of circumstances. We then present our findings and make recommendations.

Ultimately though, it’s government and the communities that will decide what is to be done. I’m sure the state, local and Federal Governments have not been idle. It’s just that I cannot give you any detail about their remedial activities.

What I can say, categorically, though, is this: If the sea level continues to rise, whatever has been done is transitory — merely a temporary expedient. The ocean will engulf all these communities, because most of them are already at or below sea level.

50 Sunday, May 25, 2014

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Birthdays OYEWUNMI, Oba Oladunni, Soun of Ogbomosoland, businessman would be 88 on Tuesday, May 27, 2014. Born in Ogbomoso, he had his elementary education at St. Patrick Primary School, OkePadi, Ibadan. He also attended Ogbomoso People’s Institute, which later transformed into Ogbomoso Grammar School. He left Ogbomoso for Jos in 1944 in search of greener pastures.

He cut his business teeth by trading in consumer goods, which later culminated in his appointment, as distributor for the French owned trading firm CFAO in 1954. In 1967, he formed a limited liability company named J.O Oyewunmi and Co. Nigeria Ltd. He has travelled far and wide both as a businessman and as an Oba since he ascended the throne in 1973. In 1980, he was on President Shehu Shagari’s entourage to Mecca where he performed the Hajj. In 1966, he was a member of the federal delegation on a pilgrimage to Mecca. In recognition of his contributions to national development, he was conferred with the title of Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON) in 2002. He was also honoured with the Doctorate Degree in Business Administration at Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso on April 23, 2010.

Association of Judges. In 1996, he was given the Aachen Peace Award and has also been honoured by American Bar Association, International Bar Association, Institute of Directors (IoD), Nigerian Maritime Lawyers Association. Fellow, Chartered Institute of Mediators and Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (FCIArb).

Oyewunmi

Akitoye

Agbakoba

Bunmi

AKITOYE, Dr. Charles Aderemi, politician, agricultural scientist and former Lagos State Commissioner for Agriculture will be 69 on Thursday, May 29, 2014. Born into the notable Akitoye Royal Ruling House of Lagos on May 29, 1945 to Prince Babs Akitoye and late Olori Omo-Oba of Lagos and Mrs. Christiana Olagunju Akitoye, nee Ogundimu of the Oloto Royal Ruling House of Lagos.

He attended Salvation Army Primary School and St. Paul’s Roman Catholic School, Lagos, between 1952 and 1959; CMS Grammar School, 196065; and later Ahmadiyya College and the Federal School of Science for his Higher School between 1966 and 1967. He gained admission to University of Lagos in 1969, where he graduated with B.Sc (Hons) degree in 1972. He thereafter proceeded to the University of Salford, UK between 1974 and 1976, where

he bagged Masters Degree in Environmental Resources and a Ph.D in 1979 in the same discipline. He was at the University of Leeds, UK, for Certificate in Public Administration and Los Banyos University in the Philippines, between 1980 and 1981 for a Certificate in Agro Business.

He holds Certificate in Fisheries Management from the National Institute of Fisheries Management of South Korea and a Certificate in Remote Sensing of the University of Ibadan, 1981. He started his working career as a Laboratory Assistant, at the University of Lagos, between 1968 and 1969, Senior Science Tutor with Lagos State Teaching Service, 1972-74; and Graduate Assistant, University of Salford, UK, 1977-78. He joined the Federal Civil Service on return from overseas in 1980 as the Zonal Head, Federal Fisheries Department, Enugu, 1980-82 and Manager, Fisheries Terminal, Borokiri,

Rivers State, 1983-86. He was appointed Commissioner of Agriculture, Lagos State between 1986 and 1992. Member, Board of Governors, Niger Delta Basin Authority, 1987-89; member, Institute of Remote Sensing of Nigeria, Fisheries Society of Nigeria, UK; Institute of Fisheries and the National Polymer Institute of Nigeria, among others. He is also a member of Island Club, Ikoyi Club and Musical Society of Nigeria (MUSON). He is presently, National President, Breadfruit Elders Shareholders Association.

studied law at the University of Nigeria and Nigerian Law School and he is a graduate of the London School of Economics and Political Science.

He was admitted to the bar in 1978 and served as a research fellow in the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA) Law and Intelligence Department. He left NIIA after a year and formed his own law firm, Olisa Agbakoba and Associates, which specialises in commercial Maritime Law. He has been a leader in the country’s prodemocratic movement, and is the President of Afronet, an international NGO dedicated to furthering the human rights cause. He became known through his work in human rights and democracy movement in Nigeria.

He was also the founder of United Action for Democracy and the Zambian pan-African human rights organization, AfroNet. In 1993, he was honoured with the Human Rights Award of the German

AGBAKOBA, Chief Olisa Charles Nicholas, lawyer, maritime lawyer, human rights activist and former president of Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) will be 61 on Thursday, May 29, 2014. Born in Jos, Plateau State on May 29, 1953, he is the co-founder of Nigeria’s foremost human rights organisation, the Civil Liberties Organisation. He

OKE, Mrs. Bunmi, Patron of Brand Journalists’ Association of Nigeria (BJAN) was 50 on Friday May 23, 2014. After her graduation from the University of Lagos, she began her advertising career at Grant Advertising/Account Management Trainee between 1986 and 1989. Her unique organisational and presentation skills resulted in her being moved to client services department, where she worked on multinational brands like Unilevers Blue Band Margarine, Berec Batteries, Coca-Cola, UTC, among others, where she worked as a PR executive. She later moved to LTC-JWT Lagos in 1989 and spent 10 years, where she worked on different accounts before she became the first Chief Operating Officer at 141 Worldwide. As the second female to pilot the affairs of AAAN, she has brought focused and purposeful leadership in the affairs of the association.

Compiled by Gbenga Akinfenwa gbengaherkin@yahoo.com

Award The Managing Director of Union Diagnostic and Clinical Services Plc/Trucare Fertility Clinic, Dr. Olusola Akinniyi, an Obstetrician Gynecologist has been honoured with Platinum Award of Excellence by Nigeria Medical Students Association (NIMSA). Akinniyi is the fourth recipient of the award.

According to the President of the Association, Prince Gbenoba Grant, Akinniyi honoured in appreciation of his contribution to health care development and outstanding devotion to humanitarian service and national development.

Georgehill Anthony (right), Executive Director, Niger Delta Budget Monitoring Group (NDEBUMOG) and others at the launch of the book The Oil Money and You in Port Harcourt, Rivers State... last Thursday

Dr Olusola Akinniyi (left), being presented with the award by Prince Gbenoba Grant at the event.

President of IDAN, Anselm Tabansi (left), Secretary General, Titi Ogufere, Vice President, Ekua Abudu, Ogun State Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Mrs. Yetunde Amusan and Oliver Enwonwu, President Society of Nigerian Artists (SNA) at the Interior Designers Association of Nigeria (IDAN) event in Lagos.

Law And Judiciary Committee Of The National Conference: Emir of Askira, Alh. M. Askiram III(left),President of Aka Ikenga, Goddy Uwazurike and Emir of Gummi, Justice Lawal Hassan during the meeting of the committee on Law Reform, Judiciary and Human Rights in Abuja… on Monday

Secretary, All Progressive Congress (APC), Ifako/Ijaiye, Tunde Olajide (left); Omotayo Jagun; Chairman, APC Ojokoro, Prince Adewale Bello; Vice Chairman Ifako/Ijaiye Local Council, B.I.Q. Rajh; Member, House of Representatives, Abayomi Ogunnusi; Deputy Chairman, APC Ifako/Ijaiye, Alhaji Ajao Ashiru; Chairman, Local Organising Committee (LOC) Ogunnusi Sports Organisation and Niyi Fadare of Ifako/Ijaiye Local Council during the commencement of the 2nd Ogunnusi Unity Cup in Lagos…last week.

Tony Zino (middle), and the Ark Bearers during the launch of the album Your mercy at the Redeemed Christian Church of God ‘House of God’, Surulere, Lagos.

52 Sunday, May 25, 2014

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TheGuardian

Sunday, May 25, 2014 | 53

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Conscience, Nurtured by Truth

Opinion Countdown Calendar: 370 Days Long HEN President Goodluck Jonathan steps off the presidential jet from his South Africa trip today, he will have 370 days left in office. In July 2011 when I penned his Countdown Calendar for the first time, he had almost 1400.

Those 370 days come from the constitutional clock. In practical terms, the Jonathan presidency ran out of time and meaning a long time ago. In the past couple of months, President Jonathan has proved to the world, sadly, that his critics were right.

Last week, he journeyed to South Africa supposedly to discuss the militancy challenge confronting Africa. According to his spokesman, Reuben Abati, he was expected to discuss with continental leaders “collective action to effectively roll back the scourge of terrorism in Africa.”

It is remarkable that Mr. Jonathan has no problem jumping on a plane to journey to away from the political heat of Nigeria. He has been to France to discuss Boko Haram, and he has been to South Africa to discuss terror.

You would expect Jonathan to be hosting these meetings, but it is obvious that nobody trusts him with any such serious state affairs.

Jonathan does not appear to trust his own ability to protect himself, let alone anyone else, as his refusal to set foot on the soil of Chibok has demonstrated to the world.

But while he is willing to go anywhere but the ground zero of Chibok to demonstrate his manhood, he does not seem to recognise that he deceives nobody, as people now seem to require no privacy to laugh at him.

Foreigners are not yet in charge of Nigerian security, only the compelling challenge of finding and bringing home hundreds of schoolgirls Mr. Jonathan’s kleptocracy could not protect. What is obvious, for now, is that others are concerned about the direction in which Nigeria under Jonathan is drifting.

Reflecting on the issue last week, President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda warned that the

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delegation to foreigners of the responsibility to protect is a vote of no confidence on a country, and that he would hang himself before ever doing so.

“I have never called the United Nations to guard your security,” he told Ugandans at a campaign rally. “Me, Yoweri Museveni to say that I have failed to protect my people and I call in the UN....I would rather hang myself.

We prioritised national security by developing a strong army otherwise our Uganda would be like DRC, South Sudan, Somalia or Nigeria where militias have disappeared with school children. It would be a vote of no confidence to our country and citizens if we can’t guarantee our security, what kind of persons would we be?”

Predictably, the crowds cheered. A voter loves a leader who is committed to security for the people, rather than for himself.

Mr. Museveni made those remarks the same day that the United Nations Security Council blacklisted Boko Haram.

Said Samantha Power, United States Ambassador to the United Nations, “By adding Boko Haram to the U.N.’s 1267 (AlQaida) Sanctions List, the Security Council has helped to close off important avenues of funding, travel and weapons to Boko Haram, and shown global unity against their savage actions.”

In the action, the UN described Boko Haram as an affiliate of al-Qaida and the Organization of al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM).

“Boko Haram has maintained a relationship with the Organization of al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb for training and material support purposes,” the Organization said.

“For example, Boko Haram gained valuable knowledge on the construction of improvised explosive devices from AQIM. A number of Boko Haram members fought alongside al-Qaida affiliated groups in Mali (in) 2012 and 2013 before returning to Nigeria with terrorist expertise.”

On the same day that those actions were being taken and views expressed, Mr. Jonathan was in Abuja trying to teach the world’s #BringBackOurGirls (BBOG) they do not know what they are talking about.

First, the presidency took extensive measures to fend off protesters who had announced they would take their daily protests to the villa. At both main gates, the government enhanced the already massive security visibility of various agencies.

Worse still, the president refused to meet the protesters, who were held off at the Federal Secretariat and lectured to change the focus of their advocacy.

Demonstrating the empty capacity in his government, Mr. Jonathan sent not only the Secretary to the Government, Mr. Anyim Pius Anyim, but at least four Ministers and four Special Advisers.

Their task was to tell the global BBOG: Blame the terrorists, not the government.

By his approach, Mr. Jonathan achieved the very opposite of what he intended. His message did not, and could not tell Nigerian and international protesters to focus on Boko Haram; on the contrary, it reminded them only that helpless Mr. Jonathan cannot help Nigeria.

If Mr. Jonathan had intended a shift of philosophical focus on the ineptitude of his government, his best approach was an appearance before the demonstrators at State House, and to have spoken to them as a man, without written notes or a prepared address.

By fleeing from confrontation and failing to take questions, the dirty work he sent his armada of overpaid and underemployed officials to do is far messier this weekend.

At greater stake is Mr. Jonathan’s credibility, which is in tatters, shredded by errors of omission and commission.

Yes, there is a Boko Haram. And yes, it was

sonala.olumhense@gmail.com Twitter: @Sonala.Olumhense

not caused by Mr. Jonathan, but it is an issue that—like other Nigerian problems of the moment—has been compounded by the Nigerian leader. The president may wish to contradict this assessment by citing any public concerns he has fixed since taking control.

I hate to repeat the obvious: When a government or a leader is without credibility, character, or respect; when a leader loses the authority of his word, only those who do not mind drinking from such sewage can swear by that government.

That is why, this morning, it is no comfort to remind Mr. Jonathan he has but 370 days left in office. That may appear to be good news to those who have failed to locate in a dictionary the term, “responsibility”, but it is an impossible agony for those whose daughters, like their government, are missing; whose commonwealth is being raped in the open; whose national pride has been punctured.

No, none of this is about the “scourge of terrorism in Africa.” At issue is the menace of corruption and incompetence being inflicted on peoples by rulers whose definition of governance is self, not service.

Is This Islam?

By Cornelius Afebu Omonokhua HORTLY after the release of the video of the Chibok abducted girls by Abubakar Shekau, Mallam Sikiru visited me in the office. Sikiru understands Arabic. He is also vast in Islamic theology. He has travelled to Egypt, Medina, Yemen, Sudan and Saudi Arabia. He quotes the Bible in a religious conversation to show that he likes interreligious dialogue. I told him that I have some of the videos of Shekau in Arabic and English. He was excited and requested to listen to them. After watching four of the video clips, he exclaimed almost in a rage as if he could kill Shekau the next minute. “Stupid, rubbish, is this Islam?”

He continued, “the terrorist activities of this lunatic is capable of causing ‘islamophobia’ (fear of Islam) in Nigeria.”

“Why do you think so? Is it not true that the Muslims in Nigeria have denied that Shekau and his terrorist group are Muslims?” I asked.

“Father”, he said, “let us critically look at this videos in the context of the teaching of Islam. In the first video we just watched, Shekau said that the Christians sent somebody to Egypt to learn the secret of Islam. The person came back and revealed the secrets of the Qur’an to everybody. Since then, people do not respect the Qur’an again. Because of that many Muslims in Nigeria have lost their Islam all in the name of Western education. “What is the secret of Islam? Is the ‘Islam’ of Shekau a secret cult? It appears that Islam for Shekau is violence and death. True Islam is peace.

If any Muslim has lost Islam in Nigeria, it is Shekau and his men/women who have lost their Islam. The Islam I know is peace. If Shekau has peace, why is he living in the forest?”

To Shekau’s assertion that his war is against Christians, Sikiru recalled the early relationship between the Muslims and the Christians (people of the book). He reiterated that the action of Boko Haram is simply criminal. He regrets that when the seed of hatred for other religions was being sown in the minds of children in some parts of Northern Nigeria, some traditional, religious and political leaders did not know that a time would come when a group of terrorists beyond their control would emerge. If they had the premonition, they could have nipped from the bud, any form of religious intolerance. The challenge now facing every orthodox Muslim is how to correct the false perception of Islam that Shekau has presented to the world.

On the video where the kidnapped girls were reciting the Qur’an, here is the reaction of Malam Sikiru. “Where in

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Islam are people converted with a gun? These girls wearing full veils and praying in an undisclosed location is an abuse of hijab. If Abubakar Shekau is a true Muslim, why should he, wearing military uniform and holding an AK-47 chant ‘God is great’ and appears confident laughing to show that human trauma means nothing to him. This man is heartless! Boko Haram militants claim to be fighting for an Islamic state.

Perhaps, the terrorists group believe that through the Boko Haram terrorist operation, Nigeria one day will be like the modern Islamic nations that were once upon a time dominated by Christians.”

Sikiru was very disturbed with this Shekau statement: “All I am saying is that if you want us to release the girls that we have kidnapped, those who have not accepted Islam will be treated as the Prophet treated infidels and they will stay with us. We will not release them while you detain our brothers.”

Sikiru interpreted this statement as an insult on the prophet of Islam. He wonders why the Muslims among the girls needed a second conversion. He said that the Christians among the girls who have been forced to wear hijab can never be true Muslims because it is forbidden to force somebody to convert.

Is this Islam? Sikiru queried again! If you understand Arabic, you would laugh when Shekau says that he will kill Goodluck Jonathan, Barak Obama, and destroy all the Western technology. Yet he is holding a gun that he did not manufacture and used a vehicle he did not manufacture to transport the Chibok girls to unknown destination. Shekau said that no one can defeat him because Allah is with him. Sikiru wondered if Shekau’s Allah is the same God that every body believes in!

While Sikiru was still talking, Jibril knocked and entered.

Jibril happens to be a friend of Sikiru. He came to tell Sikiru that somebody was waiting for him, but he too suddenly got involved in the conversation. Jibril introduced another dimension to the discussion. His problem was that many Christians are now thinking that Muslims cannot be trusted.

Some Christians according to him, now think that some Muslims are comfortable with what Boko Haram is doing to create an Islamic state. Jibril almost changed the topic, “You see, what Christians do not know is that there are many sects in Islam.” He wanted to lists the sects but Sikiru was not patient with him.

He responded immediately, “Is Boko Haram a Sect? Tell me which sect of Islam preaches this type of violence and terrorism? Boko Haram is a sect of criminals and not Islam, period!

You talk of trust. Is not Trust a virtue that is cultivated and built over a period of time? Why is Borno and the other states

that have become the citadel of Boko Haram different from other States? It will take another generation before Borno will recover itself again? If not for the effort of the military and the security agents, by now Borno would either be forgotten or converted to a terrorist empire with Boko Haram system of government.” Jibril kept quiet for a while and then submitted that Boko Haram is waging war on Islam. He supported this position with the following reason, “When all the electronic and social media were playing Shekau’s video with the girls chanting the Qur’an, one can conclude that the fear of many non-Muslims is justified. Many had believed that Boko Haram has an agenda to create an Islamic State. But the question is, what kind of Islam would be practised in such state.

I told Sikiru and Jibril that there is no need to cry over spilled milk. If there is a will to change, there is a way. I drew their attention to the Second African Synod of 2008 that emphasised the need for a collaborative effort between Christians and Muslims. The Synod identified the need of “Joining our Spiritual Forces” to remind Africans of their inner spiritual force to address common concerns. What we need actually now should not be an argument about whether Boko Haram is a religious sect or not. The point is that evil has befallen our nation.

What matters now is that the victims of these terrorists are human beings. “We are not fighting against flesh and blood, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the high places (Ephesians 6, 12). The devil is incarnated in our land and we must do something very fast. We must pray more now than ever before. This is the time to put aside our political differences. Very soon the flames will consume the person who made this fire. We need to save Nigerians and Nigeria. Otherwise, those who think that they must rule Nigeria by hook or crook may end up only as leaders of the cemetery. I do not have the answer to the question, “Is this Islam” that Boko Haram is propagating? If you have the answer, I will be happy to learn but for now, let us put all our spiritual resources together to save our children and our nation.

Fr. Prof. Omonokhua is the Director of Mission and Dialogue of the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria, Abuja and Consultor of the Commission for Religious Relations with Muslims (C.R.R.M), Vatican City comonokhua@hotmail.com).

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Conscience, Nurtured by Truth

Opinion Silence: Cabinet Meating Going On! HREE important truths have been kidnapped from our country today. As we speak, these truths are being taken out of the country, through one of our numerous porous borders, into foreign lands. And here we are the leadership of the country talking of meating instead of meeting, satisfied to discuss the sharing of the bush meat that we do not control, we do not grow, we do not replenish instead of meeting to find how we can bring back the hi-jacked truths of our land.

What truths are you speaking of? How do you hijack a truth? Is truth a commodity now, with physical manifestation, portable and malleable, and place-able in a truck to be sent out of the country?

What are these truths that have been smuggled out of the country by some armed group? What is the nature of this group? Who created them? Who armed them? Where are they taking the truths to?

When they have emptied Nigeria of all truths, what happens then?

Don’t worry, we can locate any truth that has been hijacked and bring it back into the country.

We have satellites, which can track down a needle in a haystack, so no truth is going to escape us.

Even if we do not have then, in spite of the millions spent to acquire them, our friends in the West and in the South Asian locations can help us to find these truths.

If there is something that shows the daftness of our leadership at this meating, it is that we think that truths are simply retrieve-able! Do you know the group that has hijacked truths out of this country? It is a group called TURUTU HARAM, that is a group dedicated to ensuring that truth never sees the inside of this country again. Truth is forbidden to exist. We want a country of LIES. And the

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three major truths that have been hijacked and trucked out of the country are political truth, economic truth and spiritual truth. They are all gone.

Our befuddled leader says that bombs exploding, educational institutions gutted by fires and thousands of the men, women and children of Naija killed and maimed is normal, nothing unusual about such incidents. And because it is normal for such things to happen in a place like Naija, he and his army will ensure that these things stop. If it is normal, and only temporary, rather than unusual and contemporary, why stop them? This is one political lie that has replaced the political truth that there is a civil war going on in this country. Every corner and bend and cranny of this country prepared us for this political lie. Have you ever heard of a set of successful politicians in an unsuccessful polity? Can you have a successful British prime minister in an unsuccessful Britain? Or have a successful President of the United States of America in an unsuccessful United States of America? Or have a successful Chinese political leader in an unsuccessful China? It is only in Nigeria that we have a string of political leaders, given medals and commendations for being at the head of an unsuccessful Nigeria. Wallahi, Turutu Haram!

Whatever he is smoking or drinking is the business of his minders but we do have a right to insist that our intelligence be not insulted by the leader of this country. To say that there are so many private jets in the country and so therefore the country is rich is another evidence of the presence of the Turutu Haram. Here

Economic truth has been replaced by an economic lie. Until recently when India turned consumption into an engine of economic transformation through taxes and rake-offs, consumption was just that – an activity that encouraged the consumption of the products of other lands.

India decided that if we have consumers, let’s tax their taste and use the proceeds to create economic activity in our country. There then is a creative response to an economic fact. Everywhere in the country food is cheap and the land is abundant and fecund. Yet we consume what we do not produce and produce what we do not consume.

A tear and a half for such a polity!

And what is the third truth that has been hijacked and taken out of the country? Spiritual truth of work and pray has been stolen out of the country. Now Nigerians pray 24/7 and work 00/0 and expect that their problems will be solved! All over the country plains, valleys, spectacular hills and elevations are occupied and declared the latest seats of heaven on earth and the paradise we seek here between the cradle and the grave. Ma koja mi Olugbala, kii se orin akunle ko!!! (Abandon me not o Saviour, is not a song you decant on

your knees!!!). But in the age of spiritual lies this also reigns.

At this point, the chairman of the cabinet meating announces the action that the cabinet will now take to confront these hijacking of truths out of the country. We, members of this cabinet, intend to lead demonstrations against the hijacking of truths out of this country. We shall lead these demonstrations in Abuja, in Lagos, in Calabar, in Lokoja and in Zugeiru. Why in these towns? All these towns are former capitals of this country. We do not fear the batons of the police and the guns of the riot police and the army!

But who are you demonstrating against? Who are you demonstrating in support of? Are you demonstrating against the government, your government? Are you demonstrating in support of your government for not preventing the hijacking of truths out of the country?

If you ask me, concludes Mr. Trouble with the support of Alaba, you and the country are suffering from general debility! Physical, mental and spiritual debility is what you are suffering from.

As VC Okolo Leaves, Nsukka Celebrates Renaissance

By Chido Nwakanma AREWELLS are often melancholic but at the University of Nigeria the over one-week farewell that began May 22 has a celebratory tone to underscore the renewed pride and sense of mission inspired by the work of the outgoing Vice Chancellor.

Professor Bartho Ndubuisi Okolo completes a five-year tour of duty as 13th Vice Chancellor of Nigeria’s first indigenous university on June 9. He has been visiting faculties and various groups as part of an elaborate farewell that would climax on June 6 at the Margaret Ekpo Convocation Arena.

The revival of the “can do” spirit that underlined UNN’s foundation and early life is at the heart of the achievements of the man fondly called Bartho. Simply put, this long-serving UNN academic has through excellent service delivery “restored the dignity of man” in the institution he loves with passion.

What has Bartho wrought at UNN? The achievements are comprehensive and multidimensional. They range from enhancing scholarship and learning environment, through infrastructure renewal and upgrade, human capital renewal, staff welfare to international strategic alliances and exchanges as well as igniting a true towngown partnership in the institution.

For many years, UNN suffered the gravitational pull of standards in all areas. One of the most disconcerting was joining the hitherto scorned state universities and such like in the national slough of delayed examination results, missing answer scripts and “sorting” of results that saw students moving from department to faculty and Records offices to get their scores. Unimpressed and vexed at the situation, Bartho Okolo got the University Senate to pass a resolution making it mandatory for all examination results to be certified no later than three weeks after. Examination results now flow from departments to faculties and to the Senate for assent every semester. No more “sorting” while graduands get their certificates readily during Convocation.

Measures like this that tackle fundamentals at the core of the institution’s raison d’etre signpost the work of the man who clocked 60 in March as he began the countdown to handing over to a successor. In sorting the mess of examination and results sequence, sorting in the positive sense this time, Bartho ensured a return to sanity in several areas critical to the system: integrity of examinations, adherence to agreed university calendar, and assurance of fairness and due process for students as well as their lecturers.

Okolo described his appointment as Vice Chancellor as “a sacred

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charge” and declared a mission to focus on the goals enunciated by the farsighted and selfless founding fathers. His mantra was always “only the best is good enough for the University of Nigeria”.

The clearly enunciated vision was “to place the University of Nigeria in the forefront of research and development, innovation, knowledge creation and knowledge transfer, human resources development, and community service, while promoting the core values which will ensure the restoration of the dignity of man”.

The second oldest university in Nigeria, UNN has a stock of greying faculty. Okolo initiated a programme for infusing new blood in the institution by offering automatic employment to First Class honours graduates desirous of pursuing a career in academics. The scheme has absorbed over 300 graduates with many sent to various institutions abroad as part of an aggressive internationalisation and exchange programme. He then engaged in a reverse brain drain by attracting Nigerians in the Diaspora to join the faculty.

UNN now has alliances with more than 80 institutions overseas under Okolo’s “international strategic alliances and exchange programmes.” Staff are getting international exposure or scholarships.

UNN under Okolo has modernised teaching and learning environment to be in consonance with international standards.

“Academic standards are global” is a refrain of the outgoing VC that informed the modernisation projects. Okolo sees his work as laying the foundation to reclaim the original vision of UNN as a “global centre of learning” as espoused by the late Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe.

Dreams do take wings and UNESCO established the Category 2 International Centre for Biotechnology under his watch recently.

UNN in turn has provided an International Scholars Village in readiness for the arrival of these academics.

The most obvious evidence of considerable work done and where his achievements would continue to speak for Okolo years after is in infrastructure development, renewal and upgrade. Under his watch, UNN wears a new ambience wherein the physical structures merge nicely with nature. New buildings, remodelled structures, roads and walkways that blend with the historic trees on the main access ways to the campus all bespeak this beauty and aesthetics.

UNN was known hitherto for basic structures that had little or no consideration for aesthetics.

Over the four-year period 2010-2014, UNN executed over 400 projects drawing on Tertiary Education Trust Fund and FG capital allocations as well as Internally Generated Revenue. TETfund’s N2.6bn enabled execution of 179 projects covering physical infrastructure,

teaching and learning environment and academic work. There were 20 construction projects, six procurements, 39 scholarships for higher studies while the Fund paid for 115 conferences and workshops attended by staff of the institution. FG capital releases of N1.7bn enabled execution of 17 projects involving 15 construction projects and procurement of laboratory equipment.

Okolo developed and engineered “capital campaign mechanisms and a culture of resource mobilisation” that activated the famed town and gown collaboration. UNN has thus become a net recipient of invaluable capital projects by major private sector organisations including the Shell Petroleum Development Company, Fidelity Bank, First Bank, Capital Oil, and Ibeto Group, among others. The institution’s ICT backbone was developed as a collaboration among local and international IT firms such as Google Inc, MTN, MainOne Cable, Microsoft, etc. As the University delivers on each project, other donors are motivated to action.

The “culture of resource mobilisation” also unleashed N4.9bn in Internally Generated Revenue enabling execution of 227 projects.

New and ongoing construction projects bear witness to the prodigious work at the Nsukka, Enugu and Ituku Ozalla campuses of the institution.

The fact of the projects alone tells a partial story. For UNN, the Okolo achievement with projects lies in the quality, speed of execution as well as the vision and scope of the projects. Courageous and forthright, Okolo is a product of the University of Ife and Strathclyde, UK. He is a renowned researcher and scholar and has experience working on industrial projects with various Nigerian firms in the areas of microbiology and biotechnology.

The true reformer in Okolo suffered the consequences in many battles with ethnic irredentists as well as other persons with a different vision or paradigms. He was true to his convictions and would not be cowed by blackmail of any kind including libellous invectives generously thrown at him. Okolo believes in the sanctity of the academic vocation.

While the projects bear visible and tangible witness, Bartho Okolo’s legacy lies in the intangibles. Okolo’s legacy would ultimately be the fact that UNN, a product of big dreams, is again dreaming tall dreams and the restoration of the dignity of the institution and all its stakeholders.

Nwakanma, a UNN alumnus, is president of the Public Relations Consultants Association of Nigeria.

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THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

GRASSROOTS

Council Poll: Reactions Trail APC’s Landslide Victory KANO From Abba Anwar, Kano S officially announced by A the Kano State Independent Electoral Commission (KANSIEC), All Progressive Congress (APC) swept all the 484 councillorship positions and the 44 local governments chairmanship seats. The chairman of the electoral body, Dr. Sani Lawan Malumfashi maintained that the election was free, fair and credible.

A day after the election, a former governor of the

state, Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau called a press conference and reiterated his party’s rejection of the entire result. “Having exercise our rights to participate, there was no evidence

by KANSIEC to provide adequate materials as required by the KANSIEC Law. In many local governments, no election was held. There was absence of ballot papers and boxes. We announced the condemnation and rejection of the so-called local government poll in the state.” Shekarau stated.

In his effort not to foment trouble, Shekarau said: “We

are calling our people to remain calm, as we will do our best to see that justice is done.”

Shekarau’s indicated how the party, PDP is becoming increasingly under his care and protection in the state.

The Guardian learnt that the absence of level-play field presented Shekarau not to visit his Giginyu Ward and cast his vote. With all the mobilisation done by Shekarau and his loyalists, the former governor

refused to go and exercise his electoral franchise.

Shekarau’s Giginyu ward is the biggest ward in the state with 71 ballot boxes across the polling units. In polling unit 022 where Shekarau was supposed to cast his vote, APC got 24 votes and PDP got 17, for the chairmanship contest.

In a twist of event, those that spearheaded council polls when Shekarau was governor are the same group of individuals that

are in Kwankwaso’s political camp today.

People like the former deputy governor during Shekarau’s tenure from 2007-2011, Engineer Abdullahi Tijjani Muhammad Gwarzo; former chairman of Nassarawa local government Nasiru Yusif Gawuna, who has just been appointed the Commissioner for Agriculture by governor Kwankwaso; Sani Mata, former Executive Secretary of

the State Pilgrims Board and others.

When Shekarau’s government conducted local government election during his tenure, it was believed that PDP won more than half of the local governments of the state. But to the surprise of all it was alleged that Shekarau’s administration hijacked all the local governments won by the then PDP, under the leadership of Kwankwaso.

Blame Al-Makuri If APC Loses, says Omar NASARAWA From Isa Abdulsalami Ahori ANDIDATE of the Action C Congress of Nigeria (ACN) for the House of Representatives in Lafia/Obi Federal Constituency in Nasarawa State, in 2011, Nurudeen Omar, has accused Governor Umaru Tanko AlMakura of dictatorship, tyranny and high-handedness in running the affairs of the party in the state.

Omar, who spoke to The Guardian in Jos, said, AlMakura is killing the All Progressives Congress (APC), a mega party, which assimilated the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), a platform on which the Governor was elected.

He argued that if the APC makes the mistake of fielding him again in 2015 general elections, the party is going to lose

the state to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), because he is running the party as a family affair.

According to Omar, who is a chieftain of APC, “the governor has killed the party in the state.

He has shown the world that he is not a progressive because a progressive man is the one who will do justice and carry everybody along. Al-Makura behaves like a modern day Nazi, who rules his subjects in a cruel manner. He takes decisions without considering the fact that the state belongs to a lot of tribes.

“APC is made of three parties (CPC, ANPP and CAN), but to our dismay, the way Al-Makura runs the party leaves much to be desired. In other states, APC is waxing stronger everyday, but in Nasarawa State, everybody is running away from it to PDP because of the attitude of AlMakura.”

Mrs. Hafsat Abiola-Costello (left); Adaora Ikenze; Isiaka Aderounmu, Chairman Ipokia Local Government Area, Ogun State; and Mrs. Elizabeth Shokunbi, Commissioner for Women Affairs, Ogun State

KIND Tasks Communities On Active Participation In Governance

By Gbenga Akinfenwa S part of its agenda to improve governance at the A grassroots and bridge the gap

between the citizens and their local governments, the for Initiative Kudirat has (KIND) Democracy enjoined residents of Ikere, Emure and Ekiti West local councils of Ekiti State to foster closer relationship between

EKITI them and their elected officials, in order to make joint decision on issues that concern the development of their communities.

The resolution was made at separate town hall meetings held last week at Ikere local council hall, Emure local council hall and Ekiti West local council hall,

Labour Party Denies Internal Crisis

By Gbenga Akinfenwa ABOUR party in Ogun State has debunked speculations of any crisis within the rank and file of the party. It accused opposition parties in the state for fuelling crisis and causing disharmony in its fold.

The party’s House of Representatives aspirant in Abeokuta South Federal Constituency, Soji Akin-Bankole, who revealed this recently during the official commissioning of the party’s Secretariat in Abeokuta, said the act is a ploy to confuse the people of the state.

“The opposition parties are the one causing problem and confusion in Labour party to distract the people. There’s no faction in Labour Party in the state,” he

L

OGUN said.

He noted: “As you can see, even the aggrieved members headed by Bode Simeon and Sunday Oginni are here today and have come out to say that we are one and that they are with us. They have also declared Otunba Gbenga Daniel as their leader, so where is the faction in the party? We are one indivisible family in Labour Party. It is the opposition parties that are spreading such rumour. Let them go and settle the internal crisis in their parties and leave us alone.”

Akin-Bankole said it would be an easy task for LP to unseat the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2015.

after reviewing the scorecard of each local council area.

The production of the scorecard was based on the intention of KIND to provide a public participation toll that would drive transparency and accountability at the local level, bringing civil society organisations and local officials together to strengthen governance at the grassroots.

A baseline questionnaire was

used to collect perceptions from residents in the three council areas.

Based on the report, residents in Ikere identified lack of ambulances for effective healthcare delivery and urgent need to clear blocked drainages as part of their problems. In Emure, government was urged to intensify effort to lessen the challenges facing primary health, education and

environment, while in Ekiti West, residents demanded for generators and adequate security in health centres to safeguard lives of health officials.

Participants in the stakeholder’s meeting said compared to when the data was collected, things have improved at the local councils, especially in the areas of road construction.

The director of the State Ministry of Budget and

Economic Planning and Service Delivery, Mr. Faniyan Babasola Daniel, who represented his commissioner, noted that the programme was aimed at empowering people living at the grassroots with knowledge to enable them negotiate their positions with government, especially at this election time, when their votes are needed.

Ohanaeze Youth Council Appoints Wada Tasks Council Bosses On Youth International Coordinator, Ambassador Empowerment Okwu Emmanuel, National empowerment programmes, ABIA President and Secretary General KOGI which are yielding positive From Gordi Udeajah, Umuahia N her bid to reach out to Ndigbo in the Diaspora, Ohanaeze Youth Council (OYC), the youth wing of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has appointed the USAbased founder and publisher of Nigeria Masterweb, Chief Charles Okereke as the OYC International Coordinator and Ambassador-At-Large/Media Consultant.

Okereke, founder and Publisher of Africa Masterweb (www.africamasterweb .com), composer of God Bless Africa and African Union award winning anthem among others, is also a writer, songwriter, poet and recipient of some other international honours and awards.

According to his appointment letter dated April, 17, 2014 and jointly signed by Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro and Mr.

I

respectively, a copy of which was made available to The Guardian, the Abia State-born appointee was given the task to establish OYC structures across the globe and also to facilitate their inauguration in conjunction with the National Executive Council (NEC) of OYC.” He was also directed to be reporting his activities to the office of OYC National President. Okereke, who is based in Wisconsin, while confirming the appointment and indicating his acceptance in a telephone chat with The Guardian, said, “by the development, OYC has under the leadership of Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, assigned him threefold portfolio as Coordinator, Ambassador-AtLarge and Media Consultant.”

From John Akubo, Lokoja N an effort to curtail youth Iactivities restiveness and criminal in Kogi State, Governor Idris Wada has charged chairmen of the 21 local councils in the State to focus more in investing in youth empowerment programmes.

Wada, who spoke in Okehi local council area recently, during his ‘thank you’ visit to the council said the only way the state can continue to enjoy the prevailing peace and tranquility is for the youth to be trained to be selfemployed so that they can fend for themselves.

He said his government had initiated several youth

results in the state.

The governor indicated that the state’s Youth Empowerment Scheme was structured to provide training in technical and vocational trade, while funds and incentives were provided for young people to start small scale businesses, which are labour intensive, so that, they can employ others.

“Our efforts have not only succeeded in giving a new orientation to our youths, but has also provided employment and empowerment for them.”

Wada sited the cassava-processing scheme established in Okehi local council as part of the youth advancement and development programmes,

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POLITICS EKITI 2014

Ekiti 2014: Candidates Turn To Teachers, Civil Servants For From Muyiwa Adeyemi (Head South West Bureau, Ado Ekiti) OR civil servants and teachers in Ekiti State, Fwiththis is the bargaining period to strike deals politicians and deal decisively with any candidate who refuses to give “unto Caesar what belongs to him.” Though the law forbids them to be partisan or carry political party membership cards, but they can vote and they constitute a significant bulk of voters that would decide who becomes the next governor.

Indeed, civil servants and teachers in Ekiti are the ones to decide the party and candidate that would get to Oke Bareke. Though the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), say there 634,315 registered in the state, but only 347,741 had collected their Permanent Voters Card (PVC), meaning that 285,574 may be disenfranchised because they are yet to turn up for their PVC. And fear of voter apathy has made the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Alhaji Halilu Pai to task politicians and political parties to commence aggressive sensitization programme, which will make the electorate see reasons why they must visit their local council headquarters to collect their PVC. Out of those that are eligible to vote, about 54,000 are Civil Servants, out of which 16,000 are teachers. They have all the records and data of the government at their disposal and are always willing to use it to support or destroy any government. They run underground campaigns and use their spread and strength to sell their political sentiments. Some villagers and others who are politically illiterate depend on them for a sound advice on the direction to and who to vote for.

Thus, civil servants have been combing hamlets and farmsteads canvassing for votes. They have families and dependants who look up to them for direction.

Because of the influence they wield, a typical politician dreads them and avoids stepping on their toes even when that was necessary to correct some wrongs in society.

However, a critical look of the situation in Ekiti shows that the ‘powers’ of civil servants may have been whittled down, as there are other residents that collect salaries and stipends from the government. They are estimated to be over 65,000 cutting across the 177 wards and 16 local councils in the state.

Among them are 25, 000 elder citizens that collect monthly stipend of N5, 000 under the Social Security Scheme of the state government; another set of 5,000 beneficiaries of Conditional Cash Grant. They also receive N5, 000 per month and will get N100, 000 at the end of the 12th month to begin their own businesses. Others include youths employed under Ekiti State Traffic Management Agency (EKSTMA), Ekiti State Youth in Commercial Agriculture (YCAD), Ekiti Peace Corps, and Ekiti State Volunteer Corps (EKSVC) amongst others.

For these set of workers and beneficiaries of government largesse, their source of livelihood, they believe, is predicated on the retention of the current administration, as another government may not continue with such scheme.

But be that as it may, civil servants are still seen as the beautiful brides being sought after by the politicians. The three major candidates for this election, namely, Governor Kayode Fayemi of the All Progressive Congress (APC), former governor, Ayo Fayose of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Opeyemi Bamidele of the Labour Party (LP) have been holding meetings with their unions, especially the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT) and National Union of Local Government Employee (NULGE), among others to extract support from them.

Some of them promised the workers Eldorado and juicy welfare packages without considering that Ekiti remains number 35 on federal revenue allocation ladder with Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of less than N700 million a month.

The state was generating about N100m before the advent of the present government, having blocked some of the ways the state revenue was

Bamidele being siphoned.

To underscore his determination to win the hearts of civil servants, Bamidele picked Alhaja Maryam Ogunlade, a former deputy director in the state Local Government Commission as his running mate. She retired few days before her nomination.

Bamidele said he picked the career civil servant out of many qualified Ekiti indigenes because of his love for the civil servants and that he sees them as partners to run an effective government in the state.

Apart from making several promises to teachers and civil servants, Bamidele said he won’t run a government that will see them as enemies because he holds the civil servants in high esteem as technocrats who perform the bulk of the transformation agenda of any government, promising that his government will build a synergy with them in all facets for rapid development in the state.

He said; “Like we use to say, the Labour Party is a party for the civil servants and the poor masses. With the selection Alhaja Ogunlade as my running mate, we have proved that our own progressivism and the claim that we will run a masses-oriented programme are by action and not a mere pronouncement like other parties.”

He promised teachers that they would not do any competency test just as he assured council workers of autonomy and election into councils within six months of his administration. Bamidele also promised pensioners of prompt payment and that pension will be in first line charge if elected as a governor.

For Fayose, who has kept on reminding the civil servants of how he was paying their salaries on the 22nd of every month when he was the governor of the state, he believed he got a record to win confidence and votes of Ekiti workers. His various meetings had been centered on how he would improve what he did before.

Fayose prides himself as the friend of the teachers and assured them of regular promotion and promised to start elevating them to the status of Tutor General and Permanent Secretaries. To him, Ekiti teachers should have confidence in him because they had worked

Fayose

Fayemi

together and they knew how he cared for them.

Fayose in a meeting with the council workers promised them autonomy and reminded them that he employed almost 80 per cent of them when he was the governor.

He accused the current government of “chastising workers with scorpion and placed heavy yoke on their necks,” promising that his government would remove the yoke, heal their bruises and put smile on their faces.

He said: “Nothing good, but suffering can come from the APC government because they are full of deceit. If you workers should return Fayemi, the teachers should expect mass sack through political test or delay of salary. I want you workers to vote for me in order to transform all the sectors of the state. I am your friend, your governor, who left office to chat with you at the roadside, at restaurants, at palm wine joints and the market.”

The beginning of Fayemi’s administration witnessed various reformation in the civil service and public sector that pitched him against some workers in the state. Unlike the typical politician who dared not thread where devil angels fear, Fayemi carried out reforms where his predecessors deliberately skipped or kick-started, but could not finish because of the pressure from the powers that be in the civil service.

The computerization of all revenue accruing to the state coffers and salary administration of the workers blocked many leakages through which the state was short-changed.

The computerization process began with the Segun Oni’s administration, but he had to suspend it midway, but Fayemi revisited it and concluded the process. He stopped over N400m said to be illegally going into the pockets of unscrupulous workers every month.

Besides, the state government also carried out a forensic audit of council workers and many ghost workers were detected. The affected workers were asked to show up while those with genuine cases presented their documents and were re-absorbed, but curiously, many of them have disappeared from the pay roll. Also, some council workers with NCE results were redeployed to the Ministry of

Education from where they found themselves in the classrooms where they can practice their profession.

But the most controversial of the government transformation agenda was the policy to make teachers write competency test, which they vigorously kicked against.

At inception, the Fayemi-led administration held an education summit to address recession in that sector. The summit had the renowned economist, the late Prof Sam Aluko as its head and apart from development of Infrastructure, improvement of teachers’ welfare was recommended; so also, the ability and competence of some teachers was questioned.

In implementing the recommendation of the summit, government refurbished all the secondary schools in the state and over 33,000 solar-powered laptops were distributed to students, while government also introduced core subjects allowance and rural allowance among other impetus.

But the last of the recommendation of the summit to test the competence of teachers was vehemently rejected and the issue became political as opposition parties feasted on it.

Even with the controversy, the consciousness for the teachers to complement government’s efforts in addressing the situation has yielded dividends. In the last WAEC and NECO results, Ekiti recorded more than 70 percent overall, including in mandatory subjects like English, Mathematics and Biology.

With this result, government decided to review its decision by cancelling the competency test and promised to engage them in training and re-training to sustain the tempo.

Government also introduced many welfare schemes for teachers, including the elevation of the school principals to Grade Lever 17.

The chairman of Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Mr Kayode Akosile said teachers in Ekiti never had it so good because of many opportunities made available to them by the state government.

Less than a month to the June 21 governorship election, all eyes are on civil servants to be the game changers.

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PoLITICS

Edo APC: To Your Tents oh Partisans!

From Alemma-Ozioruva Aliu, Benin City T was an ultimatum from a rather unusual Iwasquarters and when it came, many thought it a joke. Three pillars of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Pastor osagie Ize-Iyamu (Edo South); pioneer chairman of the defunct Action Congress (AC), dr Tony omoaghe (Edo Central) and Alhaji Usman Shagadi (Edo North), all erstwhile allies of Comrade Adams oshiomhole had spoken.

True to their threats, last Monday, they and their supporters announced their newfound love with the PdP and this has put a big question on the capability of the APC to still retain the state in next year’s general election and the governorship by 2016.

The crisis that has engulfed the party is majorly over who controls the structure of the fledgling party ahead of 2015 and ultimately who succeeds oshiomhole.

Many have expressed the worry that the crisis in Edo APC may be a ploy to decimate the party as was experienced in the days of the All Peoples Party (APP), in 2003 and 2007, which led to mass defections into the PdP and the party never recovered until it merged with others to become the APC. There is also the possibility of the emergence of a new generation of leaders across the three senatorial districts of the state, which some of the old block believe is a threat to their “permanent” positions as leaders of the party.

Three different personalities are involved in this battle – oshiomhole, his deputy, dr Pius odubu and Ize-Iyamu. oshiomhole’s successor had been narrowed to either, odubu or Ize-Iyamu. They have both indicated interest to succeed the governor, but from the blues came a third force believed to be the governor’s biblical ‘hand of Esau but voice of Jacob’ led by ogie.

The first signal that the new party may hit stormy water was during the nationwide party registration when all the groups tried to outsmart one another in ensuring that more of their members get registered, apparently in preparation for the soon to be held ward and local government congresses of the party.

In Edo North, the governor’s senatorial district, there were pockets of interests other than that of the Governor, but it was clear oshiomhole was fully in control, with foot soldiers like the Senator representing the district, domingo obende and the member representing Akoko-Edo at the House of Representatives, Peter Akpattason being the governor’s eyes in Akoko-Edo local government council; Pally Iriase, also of the House of Representatives and Commissioner for Agriculture, Abdul oroh represented the Governor in owan, while Shaibu took charge of Etsako axis.

In Edo Central, it was not too well with the APC, as omoaghe and Frank Erewele who resigned from the party moved with Ize-Iyamu to the PdP. The movement of omoaghe and Erewele seemed to have opened a chance for Senatorial aspirants, Theophilus okoh and Francis Inegbeneki, who are both loyal to the Governor and it is believed they can work together.

Edo South remains the hot spot because it commands the highest number of votes across the state and anybody who would be governor of the state must be able to win here. The resignation and then defections that have characterized the area and other parts of the state in the last few days is linked to losses incurred by the Ize-Iyamu group in the ward and local government congresses.

The seven local governments that make up Edo South are still comfortably in the hands of the governor and his deputy who were able to “unofficially” work together to ensure that their candidates occupy the executive positions of the party.

With the results from the wards and local government congresses, it was clear Ize-Iyamu group was not in charge, a development the leader of the group strongly contested, alleging that the congresses were skewed against him.

In Ikpobha okha for instance, the 10 wards were won by the oshiomhole/odubu alliance, using the instrumentality of osarodion ogie. In oredo it was 10 out of 12, in Egor, it was seven out of 10,

Oshiomhole in ovia South West, it was eight out of ten, in ovia North East, it was 13 out of 13, using the council chairman, Mrs Lucy omagbon and a long time ally, Chief Sunny Uyigwe. In Uhunmwonde it was seven against 10 in favour of the oshiomhole/odubu group, through the Special Adviser (Politics) to the governor, Charles Idahosa, while in orionmwhon, the council where odubu and Ize-Iyamu comes from, it was seven out of ten. observers believe that the indication that the party structure had been won by the oshiomhole/odubu group was responsible for the resignation and then defection of IzeIyamu and his followers from the party. His supporters claimed they had been left in the cold in terms of control of the party machinery. It would be recalled that the ward congress held twice in Edo South. First time was when Ize-Iyamu refused a proposed harmonisation of 40 percent each between himself and the deputy, while the remaining would be shared to other party leaders. odubu had won all the wards in the first exercise, but Ize-Iyamu’s protest that there was no proper accreditation in the wards led to the cancelling of the exercise in the entire Edo South.

The second exercise was not substantially different from the earlier results. For instance, in Ize-Iyamu’s Ugboko-Niro ward 5, the exercise was disrupted. There were meetings to resolve the crisis but it came to a halt about four weeks ago when at an enlarged meeting with five representatives from each of the 18 local government councils, the Ize-Iyamu group accused the Governor of marginalizing members of the legacy parties, who joined the ACN to form the APC, and that he encouraged factions by ostracizing party faithful who have refused to join his faction. “The governor has blurred the lines between government and party structures by using the machineries and functionaries of government to hijack the party all to serve very selfish and narrow political interests.”

In a statement read by omoaghe, they condemned the congresses and also demanded that oshiomhole relinquished what they described as the “control and monopoly of the party in order to pave way for an all inclusive political system that respects the sanctity of internal democracy.”

The issues came to a halt penultimate

“Day or night, come sun or come rain, I know that the voice of the people is the voice of God and when God stands by us, who can we be afraid of? I know that with time, water will find its level. Those who cannot cope will leave and many have left. Those who are happy with progress will stay and the overwhelming majority of the people have stayed

Anenih Monday when the group resigned en masse from the party and they said they would announce their next destination in few days, which many believed would be the PdP. Meanwhile, Ize-Iyamu and some of the leaders of the group have visited President Jonathan in Abuja, a visit facilitated by businessman, Captain osa okunbor.

And last Monday, the political equation in Edo State shifted a bit as four members of the Edo State House of Assembly, omoaghe, IzeIyamu and several others formally joined the PdP. But the APC Interim Publicity Secretary, Godwin Erahon said; “We wish them well and we wish them safe journey to the lion’s den.

And because they are seasonal birds, we are sure we are parting to meet again. And they will come back in the next season. I congratulate Comrade oshiomhole for the major relief and assure the people of Edo State that they stand to benefit from the exit of these people.

We wish them well.”

Speaking at their official declaration for the PdP, Ize-Iyamu said the move became necessary to save the political life of the state from “the selfish resolve of desperate individuals to dominate the political system.” He assured his supporters that the PdP would sweep the polls in 2016, while thanking them for their patience and support.

The APC described the resignation as a desperate act by Ize-Iyamu to become the next governor of Edo State. In a statement, obende described the defection as “a tendency that cannot stand the test of time.”

The APC accused Ize-Iyamu of having a “pathological fixation” with becoming the Governor of the state, no matter what it took.

In a statement signed by the party’s Interim State Exco Chairman, Chief osaro Idah, the party said while party’s congresses were still in progress and not yet concluded, Ize-Iyamu, and a few of his friends were already protesting. oshiomhole, during the week said he would not be intimidated to surrender the resources of the state to service private individuals who do not have the interest of the people at heart, saying his Government would continue to work for the masses and not for godfathers.

He said, “I am aware that some people have left our party. We wish them safe journey.

When I came, I was clear and I said, we shall work for the people of the state. I did not say I was going to work for individuals. So if individuals feel angry that I have not helped them in what they call ‘individual personal empowerment,’ I have the choice to make, to work for individuals or work for the people; I choose to work for the people. “day or night, come sun or come rain, I

know that the voice of the people is the voice of God and when God stands by us, who can we be afraid of? I know that with time, water will find its level. Those who cannot cope will leave and many have left. Those who are happy with progress will stay and the overwhelming majority of the people have stayed.

“I know that many people were deceived and they are already returning because they were told to come for a meeting, only to see people carry microphone saying they are resigning from the party. We will not decamp. We will continue to do what God asked us to do.

“I know that the more we work, the more benefits people will see, because we are still going to build more schools, the construction work will continue, we will deliver more transformers.

“Let me assure you, for us, it is ‘let the people lead’ not let the godfathers enjoy and allow the people suffer. If the godfathers like, let them move away, we will continue the development of Edo State and our people will continue to enjoy good governance.” observers believe that in then next few days and months, the real impact or otherwise of these defections would be established.

Iyamu

Sunday, May 25, 2014 58

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POLITICS NWOKO: Federal Government Alone Cannot Dislodge Boko Haram Uwemedimo Nwoko, activist, lawyer and pro-chancellor, Akwa Ibom State Polytechnic told AYOYINKA JEGEDE that northern leaders should do more to assist the federal government dislodge the insurgents. Insecurity in Northeast ORTHERN leaders are not doing enough to N enhance the efforts of the Federal Government in fighting insecurity in the Northeast. I’m of the very strong opinion that if the northern leaders come together as a team and work to ensure and restore security in their territories they will definitely succeed.

There is no way the Federal Government can successfully fight insecurity in the North without full cooperation of the Northern leaders.

The Federal Government needs to be complimented at this stage by the locals, traditional, religious and political leaders. They all need to come together and take the responsibility of restoring sanity and security in their enclaves.

The girls that were abducted are mostly their children. We have not seen any desperation and commitment on the part of northern leaders apart from the little noise made by their women. Where are the leaders of the north? Where are their religious, traditional and political leaders? What effort have they made to ensure that this young Nigerians are recovered from the hands of these hoodlums?

This is beyond politics. The northern leaders need to get up and take responsibility for the security of their environment; no government successfully fights Guerrilla warfare against insurgents without the full cooperation of the local community. This is not the time to start coming to Abuja to make noise, this problem is in Maiduguri, Borno, Yobe and Adamawa.

The wife of Borno State Governor recently led women to come and protest in Abuja? Why, to whom? Her husband is the chief security officer of Borno State and the girls were kidnapped behind her kitchen in Borno State, who is she going to talk with in Abuja? The Boko Haram insurgents that abducted these girls live in Maiduguri, they need to go back and protest in their state. The Boko Haram people are not living in Abuja.

NWOKO If you come to Abuja and appear on television with placards, would Boko Haram read it? Does that have any impact on them? It is time that northern leaders and women began to be honest and know that this is not a matter for Jonathan, neither for the federal government. This matter is purely for northerners and the Federal Government will assist. This is a federation and the responsibility for the security and wellbeing of all Nigerians in all parts of the country is the reason why state governments exist. The constitution has created state government and created the chief security officer in the office of the governor and the governor has to be responsible, not to put the blame on Abuja and President Jonathan.

Lasting solution to Boko Haram Boko Haram is a thing that has come to stay; it’s not going to evaporate overnight.

Boko Haram is fallout of the insurgency you have seen in Asian, Arab and Middle East countries. It will require a careful and thorough planning to uproot them. It’s not easy to capture one, look at how much it took America to catch Osama bin Laden.

Billions of dollars was committed into intelligence and planning. It’s not an overnight thing. Osama struck America in September 2001, American Government brought down Osama in 2012, eleven years after. Boko Haram is new and it’s going to be with us. All we need is to come together as a country, all the political, religious and traditional leaders and build a strong united force that can face Boko Haram, by giving information to security agencies who cannot work on their own. You bring somebody from a very far terrain and you put him in the forest of Borno State or the mountainous area of Adamawa State and expect him to win the war, it’s not possible because those insurgents have understudied that area and are very familiar with it.

It’s not easy to get in one day and comb them out. Nigerians need to know that existence of Boko Haram is not an indication of the failure of Federal Government.

It’s only a challenge and the Federal Government is rising to it, overtime they will succeed.

Recovering the Chibok girls All the governors, irrespective of political affiliation should come together and agree that insurgency is a national problem and demands collective attack. I want to salute governors of opposition parties that came together with the President and the governors of the ruling party to fight insecurity.

With that synergy we are going to achieve success very soon. They should not lose faith in what they have decided- to fight insecurity together.

Ongoing Confab The national Conference is in its critical stage now and the issues of devolution of powers and resource control are central.

So long as we want to create an ideal feder-

ation that is known by universal standard, there is nothing like Nigerian or African federation, a federation is known universally as a government with a weaker centre and stronger units and that’s what I expect.

At the end of the conference we should be able to set that out, draw out the plans and agree on devolution of powers and making the component states stronger than the federal.

Also, fiscal federalism needs to be restored and we should go back to adopt section 140 of the 1963 constitution, which appropriated 50percent of the resources gotten from any area to the owners of that resources, because that is what informed the founding fathers of Nigeria coming together to form the Nigerian federation. The barest we can do now is to go back to that foundation.

It is ignorance or mischief by those who refuse to know that in a federation, apart from the area that is constitutionally defined as the federal capital territory, no other part of that federation belongs to the federal government, whether it is land or water. The idea of land use act that was intended to give control over land to the government is a fraud. The resource on the land, above and beneath, all belong to the host communities.

There is nothing like federal government coming to exercise control when it comes to territorial waters We need to know that all the territory belonging to a federation first belong to a component unit that owns that area and there is nothing in both international and local law that appropriates any territory to the federal government, without first belonging to component state that owns the territory.

On Referendum My problem with a referendum relates to how well we have been able to conduct free and fair election? If you want to go and conduct a referendum we are going to fall back on voter register of INEC, which is highly disputed. We are going to fall back on the capacity of INEC to conduct free and fair referendum? How are we sure of the result of this referendum?

OSUN: The Responsibility In Power

By Semiu Okanlawon HOSE who have encountered the City of Gold: Dubai and the Dream of Capitalism, authored by that former Associated Press’ Correspondent in the Persian Gulf, Jim Krane, would easily reconnect with the story of how that hitherto isolated Village grew to today’s centre of commerce and tourism, that is the destination for all from across the globe.

Really, the aborigines of present day Dubai, were dismayed to learn that no part of the world knew about their existence (despite their glorified exploits in fishery and other aquatic activities) until the architect of that modern heaven, Sheikh Rashid Makhtoun decided to change that course through purposeful leadership; challenging his power with the responsibility to change the history of his people. No doubt, the Dubai’s story today stands tall among those who have demonstrated in practical terms the fact that in power really lie some heavy responsibilities.

Rauf Aregbesola, 57 today, sits atop the affairs of Osun, the almost 4 million strong populated area in the South-West of Nigeria. With an epic and tortuous journey to power, what manifests majorly in more than three years of being in the saddle are the responsibilities that accompany his position of power.

Arriving as a leader in a state that not many seeking peace and pleasure would want to live, there is a grandiose display of the realization that the power pails into insignificance if it does not translate into a tool for changing history from an unenviable past to a new world of possibilities.

The very grim scenario Aregbesola met in Osun is worth remembering! It was the story of a people boxed to an unfortunate corner of misery, hopelessness, want, violence, injustice occasioned by lack of functional education, jobs, dangerous environment, uncoordinated plans of actions and total failure of leadership.

They had equally but painfully resigned to fate

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given the dearth of choices away from the misery.

Any leader who fails to confront these multiple under-development evils with coordinated plans of actions must realise ab initio that he has written his name indelibly in the hall of infamy. Thus, what would be tools to confront these maladies with were no more than some six cardinal objectives that on their own appeared comprehensive enough to have taken care of the various dimensions the Osun challenge presented.

The ingenious manner with which the Aregbesola administration banished poverty, hunger, unemployment, restored healthy living, functional education and communal peace and progress have been pursued with the aim of achieving one result: transformation.

With doggedness, Osun is fast transforming to what Lisa Jones describes as “a model of progressive urban development” in her article, “The improbable story of how Bogota, Colombia, became somewhere you might actually want to live.”

Giving one of the reasons for awarding Aregbesola the Daily Independent’s Man of the Year 2013 honour, the national daily’s Editor, Rotimi Durojaiye, had cited the drift back to Osun as one strong illustrative point that the state where those who lived there were without choices is where dwellers of metropolitan Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt and others now want to return.

After three years of exploits, not a few are coming to terms with the potency of the Osun experiment under Aregbesola. There is a fascinating way in which the media, the voices of the people, appear to be amplifying what Daily Independent called “Symbol of Alternative Perspectives” and The Nation newspaper, just last week simply dubbed “The Osun Example”.

It was what Punch’s’s erudite columnist, Prof Niyi Akinnaso, referred to as “Unravelling the

Nigerian Paradox”.

Of course, the isolated case that “The Osun Example” has become in the face of national development tragedy appears to be the reason for clamour that Nigeria needs to look into that tiny fraction of its geographical spread to see how an application on a national scale could help provide answers to some of the nagging national questions.

In another article, I once made reference to Waller Newell’s The Soul of a Leader: Character, Conviction and Ten Lessons in Political Greatness.

“What, the author asked in his book, “are we looking for in a leader?” Given the Nigerian experience, what we must be looking for in a Nigerian leader is salvation through the deployment of those creative strategies that have practically solved some puzzles such as unemployment and its concomitant offspring, promotion of justice and fairness, commitment to the welfare of the people through people-centred, people-focused policies.

Jettisoning political sentiments, the Peoples Democratic Party-led Senate had recommended in very clear terms to Nigeria the latest education policies of Osun as pragmatic solutions to the current national education policies that produce more illiterates than educated minds.

What, for instance, is in it for Nigeria as a whole adopting the Osun initiative in youth empowerment just as The World Bank has compellingly suggested? The scheme that takes 20,000 idle but able-bodied youths out of the job market every two years definitely has the magic to ward off youth restiveness, insurgency and other crimes. What is in it for Nigeria to restructure its agricultural policies in a way that causes positive ripples in jobs creation, food sufficiency and other value chains?

Is there anything in it for Nigeria if it dedicates its resources to massive infrastructure upgrades in nationwide roads networks, energy generation and distribution and provision of adequate security to investments to thrive?

Are these not the requirements for igniting an industrial revolution that will engage more hands than the current army of idle hands? Is Nigeria not fertilizing the pull from which insurgency draws its Army of mindless attackers by failing to adopt a method that will erode that pull?

Perhaps, Nigeria’s main problems stem from that acute ignorance of the responsibilities that lie in power before those in leadership positions take it. The many decades of failed leadership in Nigeria buttresses Gary Hamel’s argument in The Purpose of Power, where he claimed, and rightly so, that “Power has long been regarded as morally corrosive, and we often suspect the intentions of those who seek it.”

I am more than convinced that many of those who passed through Osun as leaders in its 23 years of creation must be asking themselves whether it is the same Osun they governed that Aregbesola is currently handling. Compelled by the responsibilities he believes lie in the power he holds, Aregbesola has demonstrated that his eyes can be open where others are blind and that he can hear where others are deaf and dumb. That, to me, seems to be the layman meaning of The Nation Newspaper of last Tuesday, when it succinctly said that the state has shown that “there is ability in disability”.

And the lesson here! Power is empty and of no use when it is stripped of its responsibilities.

Every genuine leader must subscribe to that Martin Luther King’s position that “I am not interested in power for power’s sake, but I’m interested in power that is moral, that is right and that is good.”

This appears to be what Aregbesola, 57 today, has sworn to and for this, salute to his motto where he proudly and daily declares: Power is Responsibility!

Okanlawon is the Director, Bureau of Communications and Strategy, Office of the Governor, Osogbo, State of Osun.

Sunday, May 25, 2014

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

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INTERNATIONAL POLITICS

Still The World Waits As Ukraine Votes

By Oghogho Obayuwana, Foreign Affairs Editor HE traumatised people of Ukraine will go to T the polls today to elect a new president under the kind of tensed atmosphere that does not usually escape the prying eyes of the rest of the world. The world waits almost with baited breath, to learn a few more things, as the exercise is likely to throw up more curves and twists, giving scholars of international politics a few more lumps of brinksmanship to swallow so that some theories may be created anew.

A free democratic nation is holding an election with the shadow of a powerful neighbour looming around, probably in more suffocating manner than the world has been able to discern. The ghost of the crisis over the annexation/voluntary uniting of Crimea by Russia has yet to be buried, but other aspects of the country’s political life has to move on.

Would the conduct of the exercise throw up more tensions? Should it have been postponed?

Should it take a violent turn? Would the armiesUkrainian, Russian and NATO create a war with that? The glaring sign to fresh trouble is that voting in Donetsk and Luhansk had been seriously “disrupted” by the insurgency.

This election had been called after the last elected President, Viktor Yanukovych, was deposed in February amid mass protests against his proRussian policies.

Just following the political and military manoeuvring in and around Ukraine is an everinteresting matter. Russia appears to be withdrawing troops from its border with Ukraine, easing fears of a military intervention akin to what happened in Crimea last March.

In a tweet, NATO chief, Anders Fogh Rasmussen said that Russian troop activity near the Ukraine border might suggest that some Russian forces were preparing to pull back. This comes even as Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered troops near the border to withdraw to their bases earlier this week. Everyone knows that removing the troops - estimated to number 40,000 - could help de-escalate the Ukraine crisis.

All these as Russian TV aired a video, which showed the military leaving the Ukrainian border.

Then just as the watchful world was getting to say hurray at least on that last score, a dawn attack on a checkpoint in eastern Ukraine left at least 14 soldiers dead. This has since been described as the worst loss for government forces since serious trouble started in that region, to date. Heavily armed militants were said to have attacked the checkpoint in the Volnovakha area, in one of four reported overnight attacks in.

Dangerous Family Fight?

Now, although Ukraine’s interim Prime Minister, Arseny Yatseniuk, has called for an emergency session of the United Nations (UN) Security Council, claiming evidence of Russian involvement in the violence, it has to be said that in the midst of wild rhetoric on all sides, there are signs Ukraine’s national blood is not yet hot enough to ignite civil war.

For instance, In Kiev, the capital in which the Maidan Square protests by hundreds of thousands forced pro-Russian former president Viktor Yanukovych to flee the country in February – they can only count volunteer fighters in the hundreds. And according to news wire reports, on both sides – in the corridors of interim government power in Kiev and in rebel redoubts in the east – senior figures are attempting to shame their supporters into taking up arms to put down the real and imagined forces of the other side.

The Russian now referred to as the commander of the separatist movement in the east, Igor Girkin, was seen mocking people among a district population of more than 4 million for asking to be issued weapons – only to protect their homes; and he insulted their manliness by suggesting he would get women to enlist.

Yet to be forgotten is that Pro-Russian sympathies in the east prompted millions of “yes” votes in a secessionist referendum on May 11, yet as far as UN Assistant Secretary General for Human Rights Ivan Simonovic is concerned, Ukraine is now approaching a point of no return.

Agency reports quoted him as saying last Thursday: “What I am really afraid [of] is that

[that] country is reaching the point of no return if there is no adequate or urgent action taken” But what does he mean by point of no return?

The crisis for him had worrying echoes of the 1990s war in his native Croatia. And now his fears seem being confirmed with reports from eastern Ukraine saying that clashes between government forces and separatist militants have continued. And whereas the separatists have not taken part in European Union (EU) brokered talks to defuse the crisis.

Capturing what has been happening in Ukraine has all the imprints of a movie with constantly changing scenes. There are the separatists taking control of government buildings across cities in Southeastern and southern Ukraine. Dozens are left dead in spate of attacks.

What Can The UN Do? The UN says it has documented countless incidents of abduction, torture and murder in south and eastern Ukraine. But apart from the fact that a few powerful members of the international community like the United States take it upon themselves to show some responsibility whenever there appears to be threats to peace in parts of the world, and the hot air over sanctions and the well familiar resolutions, what really can the global body, the UN do that can arrest any further slide in the conflict lane?

Before now, the interim President of Ukraine, Oleksandr Turchinov, had been appealing to the United Nations to send UN peacekeepers to his beleaguered nation, the question that has always arisen and not for the first time, bothers on what is it exactly that the “international community” is doing?

Opinions vary on this poser. And going beyond the usual pro-west commentators, the views published recently as an article by Alexander Nekrassov, a former Kremlin and government adviser is stimulating and is captured here: “We don’t really hear about the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon - the most powerful politician in the world, as the joke says, after Sarah Palin - and his lieutenants working their socks off, travelling between Washington, Brussels, Kiev and Moscow, as they try to work out some sort of solution to the crisis.”

Up to now, the UN has come up with two “major” moves on Ukraine: First, there was a vote in the UN Security Council, convened in

March at the request of the interim government in Kiev, on the draft resolution condemning the referendum in Crimea that saw it leaving Ukraine and joining Russia. The resolution was - surprise, surprise - vetoed by Russia, with China abstaining and the rest, including Chad, supporting it wholeheartedly.”

Today, what do we have on hand? Pro-Russian separatists control swathes of eastern and southern Ukraine and although abuses have been committed on both sides, Simonovic maintains that the majority was by the separatists. The separatists have held referendums in the regions of Donetsk and Luhansk, and claimed to have won overwhelming popular backing. Both the Ukrainian government in Kiev and Western countries regard the votes as illegitimate.

Russia’s Nine Lives Concerning Ukraine Concerning the crisis in Ukraine, almighty Russia seems to have nine lives. Inundated by growing criticism from the West, isolated by political and diplomatic pressure, and with an economy beginning to feel the pangs of crippling sanctions, president Vladimir Putin simply brings up another trump card: He goes for a spectacular helping hand from a good, old friend- China!

China is Russia’s most important trading partner and some two-thirds of China’s imports from Russia are oil or natural gas. So a new deal over supply of the revenue spinning resources only underscores this critical relationship. So, while Russia may regard itself as a “Eurasian” power in geographical terms, Beijing is clearly now the rising player in the region. The handshake bringing about the deal comes at a time of growing tensions between Russia and the West, prompted in large part by the Ukraine crisis. And it is not just Ukraine: there are also fundamental differences over Syria and about the whole direction in which President Vladimir Putin is now taking his country.

Indeed, at times Mr. Putin seems to be setting Russia up as an alternative pole in terms of what he appears to regard as the “decadent values” of the West. Thus analysts think that this deal between Russia’s Gazprom and the China National Petroleum Corporation could symbolise an important moment of transition when both in economic and geopolitical terms, Russia’s gaze begins to look more towards the East rather than towards the West.

A survivalist ploy?

But Moscow’s eastern turn is not without its problems. Russia plays this role as a major energy supplier - it also sells significant quantities of oil and gas to Japan and South Korea - gives it an important stake in the region. But this could be looked at in a different way: A trend that emphasises the crucial role of energy exports in Russia’s finances - a dependence that could easily become as much of a weakness as a strength.

It is said that Russia remains, in part, a European power, eager to safeguard the rights of Russian minorities in a variety of countries in what it used to regard as its ‘near abroad.’

At the strategic level, it can equally be said that the country seems to be reinforcing its military ties with Beijing. Again the popular analysis is that a closer alliance with China may do Moscow few favours in terms of burnishing relations with other regional actors like, for example, Japan.

The timing of this deal inevitably reinforces its geopolitical significance but then it is still much too early to delineate the true consequences of the Ukraine crisis. For a start we do not know how this will end. Moscow may have pulled back from full-scale military intervention but it is hard to see any shift in Putin’s longer-term vision for a weakened Ukraine as a buffer between Russia and the West.

All sorts of claims are being made at the moment: that the post-Cold War era is over; that European countries will surely move to significantly reduce their dependence upon Russian energy; that NATO’S core mission has been reaffirmed and that the alliance will thus be given a new lease of life. A shift in the focus of Russian policy eastwards may also be a part of this.

On the other hand, a look at Kiev shows only a basic objective, even if it is pursued with a bit more subtlety. For instance, diplomatic watchers can learn and deduce a thing or two from the reality that the man who headed the country’s Maidan protest’s defences, Andriy Parubiy, now headed the interim government’s national security and defence council until the elections that are holding now...

With Ukraine in the past weeks, it is safer to leave posers unanswered than to draw sterile conclusions. Would the country slip into total chaos and skate close to a possible civil war?

The world waits.

60 Sunday, May 25, 2014

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

FOREIGNNEWS Three Die In Brussels’ Fatal Gun Attack At Jewish Museum BELGIUM

South African President Jacob Zuma (R) listens to Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng ahead of his inauguration ceremony in his final term at the Union Buildings in Pretoria… yesterday.

PHOTO: AFP

A gunman has shot dead three people at the Jewish Museum in the Belgian capital Brussels, and fled the scene, officials say.

A fourth person was seriously wounded, emergency services said.

Belgian broadcaster, RTBF, said the shooting had taken place inside as well as outside the museum.

Deputy Prime Minister Didier Reynders, who was one of the first people to arrive at the scene, said he was shocked by the attack.

“I heard bursts of gunfire, rushed here and saw the bodies on the ground,” he said.

The gunman arrived at the museum at around 15:50 (13:50 GMT) carrying a backpack, then opened fire before fleeing in a car, Belgian media reported.

Brussels Mayor Yvan Mayeur

said three men and a woman had been caught up in what he thought was probably a “terrorist act”. “It’s clearly extremely serious,” he was quoted as saying, “and on the Jewish Museum too, which isn’t a coincidence”.

Eyewitness, Alain Sobotik, told AFP news agency he had seen two bodies in the lobby of the museum.

One was “a young woman with her head covered in blood”, he said. “She was holding a leaflet and looked like a tourist.”

Interior Minister Joelle Milquet said everything pointed to an anti-Semitic attack.

A number of people were treated for shock after the shooting in the central Sablon area of the city.

Prime Minister Elio Di Rupo expressed his condolences and support for the victims’ families.

California Drive-By Gunman Kills Six In Santa Barbara UNITED STATES GUNMAN has killed six people A in drive-by shootings near the Californian city of Santa Barbara, US police say.

The shootings took place late on Friday in Isla Vista near the University of California-Santa Barbara campus.

The suspected gunman was found dead in his car with a bullet wound. It is unclear whether it was self-inflicted.

Police are looking into a possible link with a Youtube video in

which a young man complains of repeated rejection by women and threatens to take revenge.

Seven other people are in hospital, and being treated for bullet wounds.

The shootings occurred at several sites in the town of Isla Vista, and there were nine crime scenes, police said.

Witnesses described seeing a black BMW speeding through the streets, with shots being fired at people.

Student Michael Vitek told local TV station KEYT he had seen one woman being fatally struck and another critically injured. “I heard shots, scream,

Businessman Hanged Over Biggest Bank Fraud IRAN BUSINESSMAN involved in embezzling billions of dollars in Iran’s biggest bank fraud case has been executed, state media say.

Mahafarid Amir-Khosravi was executed at Tehran’s Evin prison yesterday.

Amir-Khosravi was convicted over a scam which came to light in 2011 and involved using fake documents to obtain credit, leading to the embezzlement of around $2.6bn (£1.5bn).

The case forced the then government to deny its members had been involved.

The case broke in September 2011 when an investment firm was

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accused of forging documents to obtain credit from at least seven Iranian banks over a four-year period.

The money was reportedly used to buy state-owned companies under the government’s privatisation scheme.

The affair fuelled weeks of political infighting between then President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Iran’s ruling hierarchy of clerics, with conservative hardliners accusing Mr Ahmadinejad’s economy minister of failing to take action over the fraud.

Rights groups have criticised Iran’s use of the death penalty, saying that it is one of the world’s heaviest users of the punishment.

pain,” he said.

The horrific sequence of events occurred in the university area of Santa Barbara, which is known as a party area for students, says the

BBC in Los Angeles.

With Friday the start of a holiday weekend in the US, it could be that the timing was chosen for maximum effect, he adds.

Police say they were alerted to the shootings around 21:30 on Friday (04:30 GMT yesterday). Six minutes later, the suspect and responding officers exchanged gunfire.

Banda Set To Annul Election MALAWI ALAWI’S President Joyce M Banda says she is annulling last week’s general election - in which she was a candidate because of voting “irregularities”.

Ms Banda had earlier said Tuesday’s vote had been marred by rigging, multiple voting and computer-hacking.

She said a new vote should be

held within 90 days but she would not stand again in any new poll.

However, the head of the electoral commission said the president did not have the power to annul the vote.

Malawi’s election was chaotic, with one BBC correspondent reporting people voting two days on from election, day because of delays in distributing polling material.

Frustrated voters set one polling

station alight and smashed election material at another.

In some places, voting boxes or lids did not arrive so officials used buckets and plastic wrap.

The president of the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC), Maxon Mbendera. said despite problems involving the electronic count, the poll remained valid and vote-counting would go on.

Pope Francis Praises Jordan At Start Of Middle East Visit JORDAN OPE Francis has praised Jordan P for its “generous welcome” to Syrian refugees at the start of a three-day visit to the Middle East.

The Pope was welcomed by King Abdullah II and in a speech at the royal palace, he stressed the need for an “urgent” solution to the Syrian conflict.

He went on to celebrate Mass at a stadium in the capital Amman and will later meet Syrian refugees.

The tour’s official purpose is to improve ties with the Orthodox

Church.

However, correspondents say many will expect Pope Francis to use his influence to try to ease tensions in the Middle East.

His highlighting of Jordan’s role in accepting Syrian refugees came weeks after the kingdom opened a new camp which could accommodate up to 130,000 refugees. Jordan is already host to almost 600,000 people fleeing the conflict, according to the UN. In his speech, he also called for more respect for religious freedom, calling it “a fundamental human right”.

“I cannot fail to express my hope that it will be upheld throughout the Middle East and the entire world,” he said. Christian minorities have been subject to increasing attacks in some parts of the Middle East in recent years.

He thanked Jordan for its “efforts to seek lasting peace for the entire region” and said this would also require a “just solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict”.

Today he is to begin two days in the West Bank and Israel.

He told journalists that the trip would be “challenging” but rewarding, AP reports.

New Tool Helps Avoid Global Food Waste

By Kamal Tayo Oropo N a world where over 840 million go hungry every day, achieving food security goes beyond increasing global food production. Better food systems and sustainable consumption and production approaches are needed to achieve food security for all.

A new tool, the Think.Eat.Save Guidance Version 1.0 – released on Friday by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nation (FAO), the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) as part of SAVE FOOD Initiative and FAO-UNEP Sustainable Food Systems Programme – provides guidance to governments, local authorities, businesses and others on designing effective food waste prevention programmes.

Research shows that at least one-third, or 1.3 billion tonnes, of food produced each year is lost or wasted – an amount corresponding to over 1.4 billion hectares of cropland. Even a quarter of this lost food could feed all the world’s hungry people.

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According to the FAO, almost half of all fruit and vegetables is wasted each year. About 10 per cent of developed countries’ greenhouse gas emissions come from growing food that is never eaten, and food loss and waste amounts to roughly USD 680 billion in industrialized countries and USD 310 billion in developing countries.

“Food waste carries direct economic and environmental costs and depletes the natural resource base that underpins food production,” said UN Under-Secretary-General and UNEP Executive Director, Achim Steiner.

“Today, diets are becoming more resource-intensive, and the way we buy and consume food is changing due to industrialization, the demands of a growing middle class, and the continued impacts of the economic crisis.

This first-of-its-kind guidance document on food waste prevention provides the technical expertise and impetus needed for a wide range of actors to take advantage of existing wisdom, catalyze action, and get a head start in tackling this critical issue,” he added.

Ensuring that all the world’s people have enough food is the vision of UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon’s Zero Hunger Challenge, and UNEP and the FAO are jointly charged under

the challenge with reducing food loss and waste.

To this end, UNEP in partnership with FAO, Messe Düsseldorf GmbH, WRAP and others, launched Think.Eat.Save: Reduce your Foodprint (www.thinkeatsave.org) – a global campaign to galvanize concerted action on food waste. In its first year, this campaign has engaged more than a million participants in awareness-raising activities, reached a diverse global network of followers, and provided a portal to showcase ideas and share resources.

The Think.Eat.Save Guidance Version 1.0 presents a full journey for users of the tool, beginning with the mapping and measuring of food waste and the development of national or regional policies and measures. In-depth modules then focus on programmes for food waste prevention in households and in the food supply chain.

The guidance document provides clear and comprehensive steps on scoping, planning, delivering and measuring food waste prevention programmes and activities, at national, regional, business and household level. It has been built on proven experiences around the world, including that of the United Kingdom, where avoidable household food waste has been reduced by 21 per cent between 2007 and 2012.

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

Sunday, May 25,

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HEALTH Consumption Of Fish Boosts Brain Development – Expert

By Fabian Odum

CONSULTANT nutritionist, Prof. Tola A Atinmo, has urged parents to increase the consumption of fish by their children in order to achieve optimal brain

development.

Atinmo who lectures at the University of Ibadan, made the call in Lagos according to News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) report.

“Fish contains omega 3, an unsaturated fatty acid that is required by children for brain development.

“Many children who lack the nutrient tend to have difficulties in learning

The Science Of Spiritual Healing

By Moji Solanke

PIRITUALITy and science do not seem to go Sfined together, especially when science is deas the study of the physical and natural world. But the Merriam-Webster dictionary has another, deeper, definition of science viz. ‘a knowledge or a system of knowledge, covering truths or the operations of general laws, especially as obtained and tested through scientific method.’ Indeed the oldest meaning of the word science refers to any knowledge that can be rationally explained and reliably applied. So, really, it is the more modern usage of the word ‘science’ that has narrowed it to refer only to the phenomena of the material or physical universe.

In like manner, there is more than one definition of spirituality. Social Science relates it to the sacred, while a more modern definition equates it with humanistic psychology, mysticism and religions aimed at personal development and wellbeing. In its oldest meaning however, spirituality is defined as a transformation aimed at presenting or revealing man in the image of God, which is deemed his original identity. (Waaijman 2002). This definition lifts spirituality beyond religiosity, to the realm of universality and applicability – one of the fundamental attributes of science, and practicality.

The paucity of language to accurately communicate the grandest ideas conceived, has

obviously resulted in various, and sometimes quite different, definitions of the same idea. Nonetheless, a critical look at some of the older definitions would reveal that spirituality and science can indeed go together. The science of spirituality may therefore be seen as the rational explanation of the truth of being, which, when understood, can be reliably applied, resulting in the transformation of thought, whereby man knows himself as the image of God. This idea is not new, and its practical outcome is healing.

Over the centuries, there has been outstanding work of spiritual healing by some individuals, most remarkable of course being Christ Jesus. His rational explanation of the truth, which he taught his disciples, and the consistent reliability of his healings, qualifies his work to be the science of Christ. Mary Baker Eddy, who discovered how to heal like Jesus Christ, and more importantly how to teach others, aptly named this practical system of spiritual healing, Christian Science.

She wrote in her internationally acclaimed book, Science and Health with key to the Scriptures, ‘The physical healing of Christian Science results now, as in Jesus’ time, from the operation of divine Principle, before which sin and disease lose their reality in human consciousness and disappear as naturally and as neces-

Brand Manager, Family Nutrition(Horlicks), Mrs. Adebimpe Osanyintuyi (left); Chairman, Scientific Endorsement Committee, Nutrition Society of Nigeria (NSN), Dr. Barthlomew Brai; Global Expert Marketing Manager, GSK, Ms. Jaya Mathai; Medical Commercial Manager, GSK, Ms. Chinyere Chima; and immediate past president NSN,, Prof. Ignatius Onimawo at the Horlicks Experts launch in Lagos.

sarily as darkness gives place to light and sin to reformation ‘. Eddy was able to make such a categorical statement from years of overwhelming proof of the efficacy of this system of spiritual healing. Many individuals continue to prove around the world, including right here in Nigeria, that there is a science of spiritual healing, and anyone who adheres strictly to it without breaking its rules ‘cannot fail of success in healing.’

m_asolanke@hotmail.com

abilities.

“More attention needs to be paid to the fact that omega 3 is a critical nutrient that is needed in the diets of children.

“In addition to its key roles in cardiovascular health and immune function, omega 3 is needed for normal brain structure and function,” he said.

The professor said that there was need for parents to understand the different kinds of nutrients that are required for the growth and development of their children.

“Information about our diets will make us choose foods that are healthy for our children.

“It is important that children eat well so that they can grow physically, mentally, and emotionally.

“What that means for our country is that we will have more able-bodied men and women, who will be productive in ensuring the growth of the nation,” he said.

Islam: The Principle Of Correct Human Development (1)

By Babatunde Ayo-Vaughan

T appears man has entered an un-usual age. An age when his capacity for knowledge seems to be increasing tremendously but apparently does not carry along his true understanding of the concept of Islam. There is really something be wildering about this rapid development that holds the potential of destabilizing man and that indeed the process of destabilization has begun could be seen in the level of distresses that have engulfed man today. Significantly Jesus said something in the bible in the form of a prophecy, which stated that when you see this magnitude of distresses engulfing mankind, that is the sign that the deliverance of mankind from these distresses is equally near in the form of a great transformation.

We are now at a threshold when the will of God of necessity will begin to be done on earth as it is in heaven. In other words, we are now at that point in the evolution of man where the import and the proper meaning of Islam will effectively be brought to bear on the affairs of the entire race of mankind. Ever since the meaning of Islam was allowed to evolve into the letter of a religion, it marked

I

Health And your Mind

Mother Of All Principles. It is on the strength of this that Mohammed was able to say it authoritatively that — the only religion before Allah is Islam.

But then we might even come back to accept the fact that He never made a mistake really when we come to appreciate the fact that religion has two approaches — the approach of the LETTER and the approach of the SPIRIT. Simply put, you have the letter of religion and you have the spirit of religion.

Most of humanity has always been particular about the letter of religion because of the culture it creates for them in terms of its creed, dogma and mode of worship. Along this pattern, you can identify different religions including what today is recognized as Islam.

The religion known as Islam today is the letter of a fundamental principle. The Islam of Mohammed is in the SPIRIT of religion. It is about SUBMISSION TO THE WILL OF GOD. This is what makes ISLAM the mother of all principles.

the tragedy of the understanding of its concept for the entire race of man.

What in reality could have been the only true religion of man was eventually made distasteful for a great deal of humanity by those who have appropriated it to serve sinister cultural and foolish patriotic purposes. The book – ISLAM IN ITS TRUE CONCEPT IN THE NEW COVENANT I‘m yet to publish hopefully explain very well that God Almighty who is the God of love could not be responsible or approve the level of distresses going on in the world today.

Mohammed said something in the Koran to the effect that the only religion before Allah is Islam. I being one born into a Christian family will have an understanding how the Christians or people from other religions might feel about this statement. It must be something close to disgust. That is the tragedy in the inadequacies of knowledge which religion has inflicted on man throughout the ages. Islam as a concept is a principle. Indeed, it is a fundamental principle and not Ayo-Vaughan, a psychologist, lives just a fundamental principle, in Lagos perhaps as it may adequately babatund_2@yahoo.com be proved one day – The

Other Reasons Why We Forget

By Passy Amaraegbu

ABS, a barrister at law is a dark complexioned middle aged family man. For two decades, he had worked in Wale and Wale legal firm. He is brilliant, diligent and conscientious. Currently, he is the deputy head of the firm and every staff knows that Babs would become the next head of the chambers.

However, three months ago, the chairman of the company, chief Wale Akiola (SAN) gave up the ghost in a London hospital and since then, events had gone awry in the company. The first son of the chairman, barrister Wole who was practicing in London had suddenly decided to take over the management of the chambers. One of the radical decisions Wole took was to use his younger generation lawyers to run the affairs of the firm.

After due consideration, Babs concluded his plan to quit the firm. As he sat in his study to right an application for a new position in another law firm, he struggled with the spelling of was. He could neither remember nor recall the spelling of was. He couldn’t make progress in the sentence he was writing. ‘I___’ How is

B

was spelt? Wars? Whas, wores or what? memory in some particular sample and cirBab’s forgetfullness or loss of memory was cumstances. These disorders attack the part precipated by mental stress and strain. The of the brain that are associated with memory unfortunate events in his firm, a chamber he functions such as, the hippocampus which is cherished and put in all his best was causing part o the limbic system. Also in Alzheimer’s him psychological trauma. His mind was disease, this part of the brain suffers significlouded and crowded. His mind was like an cant damage or lesion. Alzheimer’s disease erstwhile moving vehicle which was sud- is actually the most common type of demendenly arrested by terrible tia which has no stumbling blocks. One of the cure due to the Practical Psychology consequences was a tempofact that it is a derary loss of memory. generative disease Depressive patients also experience loss of of the brain diagnosed among individuals 65 memory. The onset of discouragement, dis- and above (the elderly). It needs particular enchantment and disinterest associated with attention in another occasion. depression creates a conducive atmosphere Besides psychological disorders which are for the loss of memory. Again depression associated with memory loss, there are some provokes some biochemical reactions in the physical or physiological illnesses which negbrain which produces the concomitant be- atively impact on the memory. These include havioural tendencies such as (carelessness, such chronic ailments like tuberculosis, HIV insensitivity to one’s need and environment) and other sexually transmitted disease (STD) which inhibits remembrance and recall. like syphilis. These chronic diseases attack The onset and exacerbation of psychological the central nervous system and invariable afand psychiatric disorders like dementia and fect the memory system. delirium significantly account for loss of As ironic as it sounds, forgetfullness may be

consciously self induced. Particularly some individuals not only desire but labour hard to suppress and erase traumatic or negative experiences from their lives. Most of us don’t want to recall the memory of a ghastly accident, a terrible robbery incident, a deep humiliation or wicked persecution.

Consequently, we tend to suppress the memory or cues that will remind us of such horrible experiences. This can be referred to as selective amnesia. However, selective amnesia primarily deals with the loss of memory as a result of injury, damage or disease of a particular part of the brain. The consequence is the loss of some peculiar memory. The self-induced form of memory loss is normally temporary because certain events in the environment may stimulate or provoke the individual to recall the lost memory. As we can see, memory is a major issue that affects us all at different occasions.

We shall be considering other aspects of this subject matter. Meanwhile, make the most the moment.

Dr. Passy Amaraegbu, A clinical psychologist lives in Lagos. drpassy@yahoo.com

TheGuardian

62 | Sunday, May 25, 2014

www.ngrguardiannews.com

Conscience, Nurtured by Truth

Sports ed in is the goalkeeper.

Who would you have as your number one?

I think Jasper Cillessen.

He plays for Ajax and came into the team this year and has played three or four times for the national team. He’s looked good as a young goalkeeper, he’s very good with his feet, that’s something that Ajax and the Dutch team need as we always try to involve the goalkeeper in keeping possession. He has the ability, I think, to retain the position for the World Cup finals.

He plays for my club, so of course I hope that any other one will do also as long as he keeps clean sheets throughout the tournament, which would

Van Der Sar: Loss To Brazil, My World Cup Low Point IDeLy regarded as one of the greatest goalkeepers W in recent times, edwin van Der Sar has left an indelible mark on the game, particularly with some stellar displays at club level.

The Dutchman’s list of honours is enviable, comprising a FIFA Club World Cup, Intercontinental Cup, two UeFA Champions League titles - with Ajax and Manchester United - and eight league titles. He defended the goals of Juventus and Fulham between the former pair, while claiming a record 130 caps for his country.

FIFA.com spoke to him on finals, penalties, breaking records and his hopes for the Netherlands at Brazil 2014.

FIFA.com: edwin, what is your most memorable moment from your club career? edwin van Der Sar: Normally you would say it was with the club who gave you your start in your football career.

I had a great time at Ajax, we were with a lot of young players, and I think in the mid-90’s, we really challenged the european elites and we won the Champions League in 1995.

But I think my moment of glory that sticks with me was in 2008 with Manchester United. Winning the Champions League in Moscow after penalties, saving the last penalty and knowing that the game’s over, and knowing that all the focus is on you for those three or four seconds and it was just an amazing experience. you hold a number of records, including most caps for the Netherlands and Manchester United’s oldest player since World War Two. Do you miss breaking records now you’ve retired?

Of course you miss football, you miss playing, you miss the fun in the dressing room. I’m a marketing director now at Ajax, so I’m still working in football, but in completely different surroundings. I can tell you that is much harder work, but it’s certainly fulfilling also, because we are trying to establish something at Ajax with our famous academy. We always thrive on our young players coming into the first team and we really try to challenge european clubs who maybe have a bigger financial backing than us. It’s a great opportunity for me to learn a lot about myself and invest in different things from my playing career. you won the Champions League in 2008 on penalties, but a decade earlier you lost in a shootout to Brazil at France 1998. Does that still sting?

Winning is the key in football, and with the national team I have reached some semi-finals, most of which I have lost on penalties. We never could take the last hurdle to get to the final in my era, though four years ago in South Africa the Dutch team was in the final, but unfortunately we lost again. That is three finals in a row that we have lost, which is not a good omen.

Of course it’s disappointing, but that game against Brazil was the highlight of my World Cup career. The atmosphere before the game, where one side was orange, other side was yellow and blue from Brazil, the sky was light blue and then turned to night where the lights came on. It was such a hectic and tense match, where it went to extratime and then to penalties. It’s nerve-wracking but it’s also quite rewarding that you were able to achieve something like that and to participate in a World Cup. How are you feeling ahead of Brazil 2014, do you think the current Dutch side have what it takes to impress there?

We are in a little bit more of a difficult time now, we don’t have the ten or eleven world-class players in our team – we have maybe three or four and they are getting older. So, it’s about time that the young Dutch generation pick up the laurels from the older ones and hopefully can achieve, first with their clubs and then the national team, a little more success than over the last three or four years. No, three years, as four years ago, we were in the final!

One position you will no doubt be particularly interest-

But I think my moment of glory that sticks with me was in 2008 with Manchester United. Winning the Champions League in Moscow after penalties, saving the last penalty and knowing that the game’s over, and knowing that all the focus is on you for those three or four seconds and it was just an amazing experience.

Van Dan Ser

Klose Ready To Break Record In Brazil eRMANy’S veteran striker, Miroslav G Klose has said he will be “100 per cent” ready for next month’s FIFA World Cup™ in Brazil, where he aims to break the tournament’s goal record.

With 14 goals at three previous World Cup finals, the 35-year-old Klose is just one short of Brazil striker Ronaldo’s record of 15 for the all-time goalscorer. As one of only two strikers in the squad, the veteran says he will be ready when Germany open their Group G campaign against Portugal in Salvador on June 16 after being blighted by injury at his Italian club Lazio from the end of March until the start of May. “I assume I will be 100 per cent ready for the tournament,” the ex-Bayern and Werder Bremen star said from the German team’s training camp in north Italy on Friday.

“I feel good and I’m on the right path. The fitness coaches know me very well and they know exactly what I need, so everything is moving in the right direction.”

Klose said his priority is to the team, rather than claiming goal records. “For me, the main thing is to be fit and the most important thing is the team,” he

said.

“I am convinced that when the team plays well, then the striker will also get his chances. But anyone who knows me is aware that the goal record is a target of mine.”

Germany play the USA and Ghana in their other Group G matches. There was bad news from the German camp on Friday as defensive midfielder Lars Bender, 25, was ruled out of Brazil 2014 with a thigh injury.

“We all know what a good footballer Lars is and he played a good season,” Klose said. “you need good players like that and I am really sorry for him that he is now injured.”

While Klose has always played as a striker, he says he can just as easily slot into the attacking midfield if needed.

“Basically, I can play the ‘False Nine’, but regardless of who

Klose

has experience, at the end of the day the coach makes the decision,” Klose said. “I just want to train so that the World Cup doesn’t pass me by.”

Sunday, May 25, 2014 63

THe GUaRDiaN www.ngrguardiannews.com

SpoRTS European Round-up

luiz Welcomes pSG Transfer

Robben Rules out United Move

RJeN Robben has insisted a that joining Manchester United is not an option as he is

happy at Bayern Munich.

The appointment of louis van Gaal as manager at old Trafford has seen Robben linked with a summer switch to link up with his fellow Dutchman.

Robben has experience of the premier league following a previous stint with Chelsea, but he has made it clear that he has no intention of returning to english football.

The 30-year-old signed a contract extension at Bayern in March to keep him at the club until 2017, and despite his admiration for Van Gaal, he is not interested in a reunion.

Speaking to Dutch Newspaper, De Telegraaf, Robben said: “Manchester United? That’s not an option. i am staying at Bayern Munich. period. “and i cannot imagine that Bayern would want to sell me. i have only just renewed my contract and we are happy with each other. it would have been a different story had i been unhappy. “i would have been open to a move then, because i had a great time under Van Gaal at Bayern. He has been very important for my career.

However, fact is that i am very happy at my current club.”

Robben will play under Van Gaal for the Netherlands at the

BAYERN MUNICH World Cup this summer before the manager takes up his post at Manchester United,

and the former Chelsea man feels he was the perfect choice to replace David Moyes. “i think United did great to appoint Van Gaal,” said

aViD luiz has taken to D Twitter to welcome his expected move to paris St

Robben.

Robben’s announcement that he is committed to Bayern comes just a day after teammate Toni Kroos revealed that he expects to stay with the Bundesliga champions.

Benitez Keen on Mascherano NAPOLI apoli president, aurelio N De laurentiis says his club has joined in the race to sign

Robben

Makelele Handed Coaching Role career when he joined Carlo France internationBASTIA ancelotti’s staff at pSG followFbeenoRMeR al, Claude Makelele has appointed as the new sons,” read a statement on the ing his retirement from playmanager of ligue 1 Bastia.

The 41-year-old had been serving as assistant to laurent Blanc at paris St Germain, but has left that post to replace Frederic Hantz on a two-year deal.

“Sporting Club Bastia is pleased to announce that Claude Makelele will be the trainer for the next two sea-

CHELSEA

club’s official website.

“He will arrive in Bastia tomorrow when he will sign his contract before being presented to the press the next day at 11am.

“The former paris St Germain man will be assisted in his task

by Didier Tholot.

“The great family of Sporting Club de Bastia welcome them.”

Makelele began his coaching

ing in 2011.

The former midfielder stayed in the capital when the italian left for Real Madrid but will now take on his first managerial job on Corsica.

Makelele won 71 France caps in a glittering playing career, which saw him represent Celta Vigo, Real Madrid, Chelsea and pSG.

Barcelona midfielder, Javier Mascherano.

Mascherano has been strongly linked with a return to the premier league, with his former club liverpool, arsenal and Manchester United reportedly keen to acquire the 29-year-old’s services.

The argentina international, who can also operate in the centre of defence, is under contract until 2016 and a buyout clause set at 100million euros.

“Napoli coach Rafa Benitez knows Mascherano well and esteems him,” De laurentiis said in quotes reported by Gazzetta dello Sport. “We are working on it but it’s a difficult negotiation. “in any case, the player will turn 32 in two years’ time.”

Benitez coached Mascherano during the player’s three-year spell at liverpool.

De laurentiis, whose side finished third in Serie a to earn a spot in next season’s Champions league qualifying round, insists his club does not want to sell Valon Behrami.

The Swiss midfielder started in just 16 league games for Napoli this season and has been linked with Tottenham.

“Right now no one is leaving,” De laurentiis said. “But it’s not a case that our Champions league destiny depends only on him.

ibikunle, okungbowa are Best athletes at DaWN Games

By Samuel Ifetoye iFTeeN year-old Senior FDaniel Secondary School Two (SS2), ibikunle of Herois Faith College, Mile 2, Kosofe and 12 year-old, Junior Secondary School Two (JS2), Morayo okungbowa of Meadow Hall School, lekki were the stars at the just concluded Development agenda for Western Nigeria (DaWN) Games for South-West Secondary School that ended in lagos on Friday.

ibikunle won seven gold and one silver medals, while okungbowa won 11 gold, one silver and one bronze medal to end up as the most outstanding athletes in the boys and girls categories respectively. in the overall medals table, Team lagos came tops with 90 gold, 61 silver, and 28 bronze to place first. Team ogun was second with 16 gold, 30 silver and 33 bronze, Team oyo settled for third position with seven gold, 18 silver and 43 bronze, Team ekiti placed fourth with six

gold, six silver and 22 bronze medals and osun was fifth with one gold, six silver and 11 bronze medals. event competed for included gymnastics, table tennis, volleyball, tennis, chess, scrabble, swimming, basketball, taekwondo, badminton, athletes and football. in his speech delivered at the closing ceremony, lagos State Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola, said: “the modest contribution towards developing our people through integration is already bearing fruits.

“The fruits are evident in the number of our children, from the various states who have been in lagos for the past eight days for the DaWN Games.

“While this is commendable, and the results visible in the increasing improvement of the quality of lives of our people, those interactions also take place among older people. While it is good to deal with today, it’s important to secure tomorrow.

“only one generation has the greatest stake tomorrow. it’s the generation who are the youth of today. They stand as our bridge to traverse from today to tomorrow. They must interact, they must know themselves, they must understand their environment and in that way, be conscious of its challenges and inspired by its opportunities.

Governor Fashola who thanked the governors of the participating states for their support, however, said that lagos State is happy to have had the opportunity to host the very first edition of the DaWN Games. according to him, “if you have made a friend while you are here, or you have learnt something new about lagos, or about any other state through your interaction, i believe that the objectives of the DaWN Games have been largely achieved in the very maiden outing.”

Germain after the French club agreed a fee with Chelsea for the transfer of the Brazil defender. it’s widely understood luiz will move for £50million, a world record fee for a defender, subject to a medical and the agreement of personal terms.

The French champions suggested the formalities of the deal would be completed on June 10 to ensure luiz can concentrate on the World Cup. a statement on the ligue 1 winners’ official website read: “paris St Germain FC, Chelsea and David luiz would like to confirm that they have reached an agreement on the conditions for a future transfer of the

Brazilian international defender that would occur when the next transfer market opens on June 10, 2014.

“To satisfy the desire of the player to prepare and play in the best possible conditions the World Cup in his country, the willingness of both clubs and David luiz was to achieve a fast agreement, one between paris St Germain and Chelsea FC and the other between the paris club and the player to formalize the transfer from the opening of the transfer window.”

Following the announcement of the agreement, luiz wrote on Twitter: “Tks CFC for this time of great partnership. i’m thankful for all! it’s a new challenge and together, we’ll go even further. allez paris!”

Barcelona and Bayern Munich were reportedly also pursuing luiz, who has spent three and a half seasons at Stamford Bridge.

Luiz

Tributes For Thunder Balogun’s Wife eMBeRS of the sports and M civil society have paid glowing tributes to late alhaja Mulikat Balogun, the spouse of Nigeria’s soccer legend, Teslim “Thunderbolt” Balogun, with events lined up to mark the 16th anniversary of her transition today.

She is credited with the success of Thunder’s footballing career and she is mostly appreciated for her role in encouraging the soccer icon to return from the UK to contribute to the development of football in Nigeria. “in 1958, she received a passionate appeal from the then premier of Western Nigeria, late (Chief) obafemi awolowo, who asked her to persuade her husband to dump his British Club, Queen park Rangers (QpR) and return to Nigeria to assist the Western Rovers in their quest to win the Nigeria Challenge Cup and she did exactly that.

“That set Thunder on the part of not only playing, but going round to develop the game of football in the grassroots and

through various districts,” recalls former national team coach and FiFa technical instructor, Chief adeboye onigbinde.

Member of the House of Representatives and former chairman of Coker-aguda local Council Development area, Hon. aliu Kazeem also described the late Mulikat Balogun as “a great lover of the game” recalling that she continued to render material assistance to various youth and grassroots sports clubs particularly in lagos State, even after the passing on of Thunder Balogun. pouring encomiums on the Balogun family, president General of the Nigeria Football Supporters Club, Dr. Rafiu ladipo, observed that following in the footsteps of their parents, the children have continued to invest in the development of the game having set up football academies for Under 13, Under 15 and Under 17 youngsters, as well as sponsoring periodic competitions for youth clubs.

TheGuardian

www.ngrguardiannews.com

Sunday, May 25, 2014

Conscience, Nurtured by Truth

Atletico Madrid’s midfielder Tiago (left) vies with Real Madrid’s forward, Cristiano Ronaldo, as Diego Costa looks on at the UEFA Champions League final between Real Madrid vs Atletico ...yesterday

Brazil 2014 FIFA World Cup

No Need To Set Target For Eagles, Akpoborie Warns

By Adeyinka Adedipe ORMER Super Eagles Striker, Jonathan Akpoborie has warned that targets should not be set for the Super Eagles at the Brazil 2014 World Cup, which begins on June 12.

Akpoborie noted that setting a target for the team would put the players under undue pressure and might hamper the team’s progress at the World Cup. The former Wolfsburg of Germany player stated that playing at a championship of this magnitude needed painstaking planning, noting that the team has to approach each game differently, as no two games are the same.

He said: “When I played in the victorious Golden Eaglets team in 1985, we were not given any target. What we did was to go to China and show the world what we could do.

But was we started winning, the world started taking notice of the team.

“Even in the final against Germany, no one gave us a chance, but we went into the game and defeated the Germans 2-0 and we became instant heroes. I wonder if we would have performed to that level if we had been given a target,” he added.

He said all the handlers needed to do was to put the team in good shape and also

F

advised Nigerians not to be too expectant as the Eagles tackle Bosnia, Iran and Argentina.

“What is important right now, is for Stephen Keshi to mould the team into a unit that can contest with the top teams in Brazil and the focus should be qualifying from the group, after which anything can happen.

“Wins against Bosnia and Iran would put us in good stead for qualification as we all know that it would be very difficult against Argentina, who are one of the favourites.

But with good game plan, the Eagles can do well in Brazil.”

He also called on the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and the National Sports Commission (NSC) to give the team the needed support to excel at the World Cup. “The job of taking the team far at the World Cup should not be left for Keshi alone, he needs the support of the sports bodies and stakeholders to excel in Brazil.”

Gerrard: I’m Over Chelsea Slip NGLAND captain, Steven E Gerrard says he has laid the disappointment of not winning the title with Liverpool last season to rest and is fully focused on leading the country at the World Cup.

PHOTO: AFP

UEFA CL: Real Madrid Wins 10th Title ARETH Bale finally helped G Real Madrid fulfil the dream of ‘La Decima’, secur-

• Beats Atletico 4 - 1

ing a memorable 10th Champions League triumph with an extra-time win against neighbours Atletico Madrid.

Born in Wales, raised in Southampton and honed at Tottenham, the 24-year-old continued to make light of his world-record fee by scoring a goal that will write him into club history.

Bale looked set to pay for a woeful first-half miss but instead capped a remarkable first season at Real by heading home to make it 2-1 in extra time, before Carlo Ancelotti’s men eased away to a 4-1 win.

The Wales winger looked like he would pay for missing a gilt-edged chance to open the scoring midway through the first half as shortly afterwards captain Iker Casillas misread a ball back into the box and was unable to claw back Diego Godin’s header before it crossed the line.

It looked to be enough to secure a famous double for Los Rojiblancos until the

third minute of stoppage time, when Sergio Ramos powered home a leveller - his sixth goal in seven outings.

That was a sucker-punch for Atletico, without top scorer Diego Costa since the ninth minute, and one they failed to recover from, with summer signing Bale heading Real ahead in the second-half of extra time.

Substitute Marcelo’s strike and a penalty from Cristiano Ronaldo added extra gloss to the scoreline at the Estadio da Luz in Lisbon, securing Real’s 10th European Cup crown and Ancelotti’s third as manager, seeing him join Liverpool’s Bob Paisley in the record books.

Counterpart Diego Simeone, so close to victory, lost it in the closing stages as he confronted Raphael Varane at the end of a memorable first cross-city showpiece in the 59-year history of the competition.

Heading into the game, the big news was Costa’s inclusion in the Atletico starting

line-up.

The Spain striker limped off with a hamstring injury during last weekend’s Primera Division decider at Barcelona, but was given the green light after reportedly going through horse placenta treatment.

However, that gamble did not pay off as he lasted just nine minutes before appearing to suffer a recurrence of his hamstring complaint and being replaced by Adrian Lopez.

It was a terrible start for Atletico but they soon managed the first shot of the evening as Raul Garcia blazed over, but the match was unable to match the intensity with quality.

Gabi and Fabio Coentrao went head-to-head as frustration boiled over, as it did again as Garcia was booked for a poor challenge on Di Maria, which saw Ramos booked for reacting.

The resulting free-kick from Ronaldo was easily gathered

by Thibaut Courtois, with

Bale then missing a giltedged chance to net the opener.

Intercepting a poor crossfield pass from captain Tiago, the Welsh winger raced through on goal and looked set to score, only to send his send his curling effort just wide.

It was a chance they were made to rue four minutes later as Casillas was caught in no man’s land.

After Gabi’s initial corner was cleared, Godin beat Sami Khedira to nod a Juanfran’s looped header back into the box goalwards, catching out the onrushing Casillas, whose attempt to claw the ball away before it crossed the line failed.

Adrian flashed a header over the bar as Simeone’s side looked to extend their advantage, with Garcia hooking over when play resumed for the second half.

Courtois tipped over Ronaldo’s 25-yard free-kick with Real’s first chance of the second half, before the Portuguese failed with attempts from the two resulting corners that followed.

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