The Nation April 05, 2013

Nigeria’s widest circulating newspaper

Ondo ‘killer cop’ remanded

‘Arrest of ACN chair abuse of federal might’ •Party seeks release of leader

NEWS

Page 10

•Women lawyers seek justice

NEWS Page 8

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VOL. 8, NO. 2449 FRIDAY, APRIL 5, 2013

TR UTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM TRUTH

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•From left: Bishop of Catholic Diocese, Sokoto, Rev. Matthew Hassan Kukah; Niger State Governor Babangida Aliyu; House of Representatives Speaker Aminu Tambuwal; Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole; Arewa Consultative Chairman Alhaji Aliko Mohammed; Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) National Leader Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu; former Minister of Education Dr Oby Ezekwesili and NLC Vice President Comrade Issa Aremu at the symposium to mark Oshiomhole’s 60th birthday in Benin City…yesterday. Story on page 2

Oil field dispute: Rivers takes Bayelsa to court

Four tipped to replace Tukur

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•‘It’s abuse of judicial process’

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FTER a brief break, Rivers and Bayelsa states have reopened their battle for the Soku oil fields.

In contention is their boundary in Akuku-Toru and Nembe council areas in Rivers and Bayelsa states.

Bayelsa State yesterday accused Rivers of an abuse of the judicial process in the disputes .

The authorities of Akuku-Toru Local Government Area in Rivers State had, in a suit against the National Boundary Continued on page 61

•Tukur

OUR candidates are being tipped as likely successor to the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, if he is consumed by the ongoing crisis in the party.

The Northeast may, however, still retain the slot - in line with the party’s zoning formula.

The candidates favoured by

From Yusuf Alli, Abuja

some governors and antiTukur forces are ex-Governor of Bauchi State Adamu Mua’zu; a former Deputy National Secretary of the party, Dr. Musa Babayo; Nigeria’s former Ambassador to the United States, Alhaji Hassan Adamu(Wakilin Adamawa); and a former National Publicity Secretary of the party, Prof. Rufai Alkali.

Also, the anti-Tukur forces are seeking the disbandment of the parallel National Working Committee (NWC) as part of the ongoing reconciliation in the party.

According to sources, those against Tukur are still pushing ahead in their call for his removal.

A source said: “At least Continued on page 2

Amnesty likely for Boko Haram in two weeks Security Council committee to weigh requests

A •Dr. Jonathan

MAJOR development occurred yesterday in the amnesty-for-Boko Haram controversy.

A National Security Council committee was set up to consider the various requests for amnesty for the fundamentalist sect whose activities have cost the nation so much in lives and property.

The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Saad Abubakar III, and many Northern el-

From Yusuf Alli and Augustine Ehikioya, Abuja

ders have pushed for amnesty for the group. Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) National Leader Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu also advocated amnesty – with justice – for the group, saying those with blood on their hands should face the law.

But the Federal Government insists it cannot grant amnesty to ghosts, saying Boko Haram leaders should

remove their masks and come out into the open.

A source, who does not want his name in print because he is not authorised to speak on the issue, said that the government set up the committee during a meeting between President Goodluck Jonathan and security chiefs.

According to him, the committee, whose members were not disclosed, have two weeks to recommend to the

government the feasibility of granting or not granting the amnesty and what the modalities should be – if it must be granted.

The committee, the source said, is to work directly with the office of the National Security Adviser (NSA). Its report is to be submitted to the President when the Security Council meets in two weeks time.

The source said: “What was disContinued on page 2

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THE NATION FRIDAY, APRIL 5, 2013

NEWS How to deepen democracy, by Tambuwal, Aliyu, Tinubu, Kukah

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•From left: Governors Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers); Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti); Adams Oshiomhole (Edo); Chairman Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote; Governors Tanko Almakura (Nassarawa); and Abdul’aziz Yari (Zamfara) at the lecture...yesterday

MEND: Okah, Tompolo disown threat

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WO former leaders of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) Chief Government Ekpemupolo (aka Tompolo) and Henry Okah have allayed fears of the possible resurgence of violence in the Niger Delta.

Their assurance came on the heels of Wednesday’s threat

by MEND’s Jomo Gbomo to resume violence through “Hurricane Exodus” from today (Friday) at 00:00 hrs over the March 26 sentencing of Mr. Henry Okah in South Africa to 24 years jail term for the October 1, 2010 bomb blasts in Abuja.

But despite the assurance, tension pervaded the creeks of the oil-rich region last night.

Residents of riverine communities in Bayelsa, Delta and Rivers states told our reporter they noticed movement of a large number of security operatives, particularly men of the Nigerian Army and Navy at the waterways.

Spokesperson for the Joint Task Force (JTF) Lt. Colonel Onyeama Nwachukwu, confirmed that troops were indeed deployed.

He said the move was to warn trouble makers of the JTF’s readiness to tackle any threat to peace.

Tompolo and Okah attributed the fresh threat to imper-

Ex-militants protest unpaid benefits

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X-MILITANTS captured in the third phase of the amnesty programme yesterday stormed the Eagle Square, Abuja to protest their unpaid benefits.

The Abuja protest option, the group said, was to alert the Presidency and the National Assembly that the managers of the amnesty programme have not kept faith with the agreement reached with the Federal Government by the demilitarised agitators.

One of the protesters, Commander Paul Amakiri Wakirigbo, told The Nation on telephone from Eagle Square said the exmilitants planned to take their case to the National Assembly.

According to Wakirigbo, it has become necessary for the Federal Government to honour the agreement it entered with them in the wake of increasing calls to grant amnesty to members of the Boko Haram sect.

He said: “We are at the Eagle Square AbuFrom Shola O’Neil, Warri

sonators.

Okah blamed the threat on “a group of people in Northern part of the country.”

Tompolo told The Nation in a telephone chat yesterday that the author of the threat was an impostor and a criminal using the name of the group without permission.

Comrade Paul Bebenimibo, who spoke for him said: “The MEND founded by Tompolo has been disbanded; whoever is making this fresh threat

From Precious Dikewoha, Port Harcourt

ja and we will leave there for the National Assembly. We are the third phase of the amnesty programme and we have not been paid and the Federal Government is busy suggesting how to give amnesty to Boko Haram.

“It is unacceptable that Boko Haram will be granted amnesty when they have no agenda. The truth is that we are going back to the creeks soonest and this time around, it is going to be war.

He warned that giving amnesty to Boko Haram would encourage more militancy in the Niger Delta and other parts of the country.

“We were offered amnesty because the reason for our agitation was clear. Don’t be surprised if the Federal Government gives amnesty to Boko Haram, there will be more group of agitators in Nigeria,” Wakirigbo said.

must be a criminal aiming to use the name of the group for selfish purposes.

“They did not receive the backing of High Chief Ekpemupolo before the issuing that statement.”

He advised security agents to be on the alert for criminals who have hijacked the group and are now using its name to foment trouble.

Another statement signed

by Commander Azizi, who claimed to be speaking for the Henry Okah-led MEND, said Continued on page 61

OW can Nigeria deepen its democracy? That was the question yesterday at a colloquium organised to mark the 60th birthday of Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole at the Imaguero College hall in Benin-City, the state capital where some eminent Nigerians spoke “Deepening Democracy and Enhancing Public Welfare”.

The event was attended by top political leaders, traditional rulers, businessmen and ordinary citizens.

House of Representatives Speaker Aminu Tambuwal said the independence of the electoral umpire was critical to democracy.

Tambuwal noted that for Nigeria to continue to deepen democracy, the electoral umpire must be seen to be independent.

He said: “To have a good political party, there is need for political not only to be built around ideology but critical objectives and not objectives of individuals.

Niger State Governor Babangida Aliyu said the challenge in the country was not how to deepen democracy but how to build democracy.

Aliyu said Nigeria must go back to the family system, if it must have good democracy, adding that “servant-leaders” must be transparent in all their dealings.

He said: “We must enthrone a political process where people can go through voting process, knowing their votes will not be skewed. We must go back to the family system. Edo people have shown how to deepen democracy. When my party came to Edo to crush our friend, Edo people said no be-

cause God has given them a good man.”

“If you aspire to be a godfather, there must be rules and regulations to become a godfather. We must learn the mantra of one-man-one-vote. That will entrench democracy in our community.”

The governor criticised the slow process of the legal system, adding that everybody must be seen to be equal before the law.

“Where a political party does not follow internal democracy, we must fight it strongly,” he said.

The Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Rev. Matthew Hassan Kukah, noted that Nigeria is not practising the right democracy.

In his view, although Nigeria may have gotten rid of dictatorship, the ingredients of dictatorship remain in the country. Rev. Kukah said providing infrastructure was not synonymous with democracy as according to him, “there has to be something of unpredictable about the substance of democracy.”

“A president or governor has to be clear about what legacy they want to leave behind. We can’t run a country this way.

We have not started the foundation of democracy that enable citizen determines the character of leadership.”

Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) National Leader Asiwaju Bola Tinubu lamented that President Goodluck Jonathan has polarised the Governors’ Forum.

He lampooned governors for not seeking redress in the court Continued on page 61

Four tipped to replace Tukur Continued from page 1

four candidates are on the card to succeed Tukur if the crisis in the party lingers.

Any of these candidates can lead the party to victory in 2015.

“The merits of these candidates are already being sold to party leaders and governors, if it becomes necessary to effect leadership change.”

Another source added: “Some governors, NWC and BOT members are hoping that we won’t get to a point where we will change the party leadership. But if it is

•Okah

From Osagie Otabor, Benin

inevitable, we will choose any of these candidates.

“The ball is in Tukur’s court to bow to PDP members’ request to manage the party with fairness, equity and justice. He should stop being part of the problems of the party as the case in Adamawa State.

“Chief Tony Anenih’s BOT committee also has a lot to do to reconcile groups opposed to Tukur’s style of administration, which is like that of a sole administrator of the PDP. Continued on page 63

Amnesty likely for Boko Haram in two weeks ACF: North not sympathetic to sect

Continued from page 1

cussed was the issue of Boko Haram because so many groups are now calling for amnesty for Boko Haram. In response to the clamour, the government must show that it is listening to the people.”

“This security council meeting was called on the issue. A committee has been set up to report back in two weeks. It is to consider all the requests, the feasibility and recommend modalities for granting the amnesty.

“The committee will work hand in hand with the NSA. The Security Council will meet in two weeks to consider the recommendations of the committee.”

“The President, when he visited Yobe and Borno, did not say government will not grant amnesty. What he demanded is that those members of Boko Haram should

T

HE pro-North socio-political organisation, Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), said yesterday in Kaduna that it was not sympathetic to the Boko Haram fundamentalists.

The forum explained that its call for clemency for the sect was borne out of a belief that amnesty could serve as a bait to draw out the insurgents for dialogue.

The ACF also renewed its call for the abolition of the onshore/offshore dichotomy, lamenting that the policy has encouraged lopsidedness in the sharing of national revenue and imbalance in the development of the country.

The Forum’s National Publicity Seccome forward, if they are interested in any deal. The issue of Boko Haram is very complex and also the issue of amnesty.”

At the end of the meeting, the security chiefs declined

From Tony Akowe, Kaduna

retary, Anthony Sani, told the Acting American Ambassador to Nigeria, Jeffery Hawkins, who visited the ACF Secretariat in Kaduna, that the notion being held in many quarters that North’s leaders have been supporting the insurgency was misplaced.

Defending the North’s position, Sani said leaders believe that violence has never resolved any problem anywhere in the world.

Besides, he said it has become imperative for the government to look for another way to rein in the insurgents following the failure of force.

He said: “Northern leaders are not sympathetic to Boko Haram. Our call for dialogue

comments on their discussion.

At the meeting, which started around 12 noon, were Minister of Interior Abba Moro and Minister of State for Defence Olusola Obada.

The Minister of Justice and

with the group is as a result of our belief that the use of violence and force has never solved any problem. If you used force and it failed, why not try dialogue.

“But nobody is coming out because there is no motivation for them and that is why we believe that there should be a different mechanism of bringing them out for dialogue. We believe that the offer of amnesty will be a carrot that will bring them out for dialogue.”

Sani also told the American envoy that while the North was not opposed to any form of derivation especially

Attorney General of the Federation, Mohammed Adoke and Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) Senator Anyim Pius Anyim were also at the meeting.

Among the security chiefs at

Continued on page 61

the meeting were the National Security Adviser (NSA), Lt.Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd), the Director General of State Security Service (SSS) and the NIA boss.

Continued on page 61

•Sultan Abubakar

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THE NATION FRIDAY, APRIL 5, 2013

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THE NATION FRIDAY, APRIL 5, 2013

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NEWS

Nemesis

•Kaduna State Governor Mukhtar Yero (middle), Agwam Takar, Chief Tobias Nkom-Wada (left) and Chief of Kagoro, Mr Ufuwai Bonet, during the governor's condolence visit to Atakar village....on Wednesday.

The parade yesterday of men who allegedly specialise in making fake drugs, alcoholic drinks and other consumables, once again, brings to the fore the unending antics of merchants of death, report SEUN AKIOYE and WALE ADEPOJU

H • Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson (right) inspecting the State Transparency Plaza under construction at the Ox-Bow Lake Area in Yenagoa...yesterday. With him are Commissioner for Lands and Survey, Furoebi Akene (left), Commissioner for Special Projects, Mr. Fred Obua (second left) and their Works counterpart, Mr.Lawrence Ewrudjakpo (second right).

•From left: Chief Executive Officer/Consultant, Peculiar People Management, Ghandi Olaoye, Head of Service, Ebonyi State, Mrs Ugo Nnachi, programme facilitator, Dr. Myles Munroe and Permanent Secretary, Minister of Land and Survey, Ebonyi State, Mrs Ann Agom Eze, at a two-day Leadership Retreat for top government functionaries, tagged, ‘Effective Leadership - The foundation for state transformation and good governance’, held in Abakaliki.

•Incoming Bishop of the Diocese of Lagos West, Revd.

James Odedeji (left) greeting the outgoing bishop, Rev Peter Adebiyi at the opening of the second session of the fifth Synod of (the Church of Nigeria) Anglican Communion, Diocese of Lagos West, ...yesterday.

With them are Lagos State Deputy Governor, Mrs Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire (second right) and Rev Odejide’s wife, Kemi PHOTO: NNEKA NWANERI

OUSE 21, Ashogbon Street, Idumota, Lagos Island looks ordinary. It is hard to believe any criminal act could go on there.

So does 5, Arochukwu Street, Ejigbo, Lagos mainland. Both addresses share this innocent mien with 7, Afolabi Close, Ojo, on the outskirt of Lagos.

But within their walls were men whose survival depended on making fake products that not only do damage to the health of people who innocently patronise them, but also move them closer to their graves.

Maduabuchi Abuzu was the kingpin on 21, Ashogbon Street, Idumota, Lagos Island. His pre-occupation was to allegedly make fake drugs. At the time he was arrested, fake drugs worth N19,522,500.00 were found in his house.

While Abuzu called the shot in the illegal world that House 21, Ashogbon Street, Idumota has now become, Nne Ikenna was the don on 5, Arochukwu Street, Ejigbo, Lagos. He too was illegally manufacturing fake drugs. Five large cartons of fake Zentel tablets, thousands of packs of Zentel tablets and a large quantity of printed packets for packaging Postinor tablets were recovered from the fake factory.

The estimate of the fake products recovered from him is N31,277,000.00. Dry-ink coding machine, which he was using for blister packing and printing of labels and codes on the counterfeited medicines, was also seized from him.

Ikenna was actually arrested on March 21 by the police. The 58-yearold said he learnt the skill in India.

When Ikenna was earlier paraded by the image maker of the Lagos State Police Command, Ngozi Braide, he denied manufacturing the drugs, saying he only packaged them.

He said: “The drugs are not fake.

They are effective. I use them myself and they work for me. I even administered them on my children.

“I repair machines for pharmaceutical companies and I’ve even worked in a company in India. I, however, do not produce the drugs.

The machines are owned by one Uche who brought them for repairs but he left them in my workshop

and told me to assist him in packaging the drugs.

“For each drum of drugs I package, he pays me N20,000 and N35,000 for using my place every month. I don’t market the drugs neither do I produce, I only package them.”

He said the drugs were imported from India and China, adding that he seized the last goods Uche brought, following his refusal to pay him for previous job done.

The Divisional Police Officer, Oliver Inoma-Abbey, a Chief Superintendent of Police, who led a team of operatives to cordon and search the premises, gave details of the items recovered from the fake factory. They are: two packing machines, one blistering machine, five big cartoons of counterfeit Albendazole (Zentel)tablets in 10 big bags; large quantity of printed packets for packaging Albendazole tablets and Levonorgestrel (postinor 2) tablets and 37 cartoons of leaflets for packing Zeltel tablets.

Also paraded yesterday were two crime mates, Kingsley Okoro and Fred Nwafor, of 7, Afolabi Close, Ojo, on the outskirt of Lagos, who were into illegal manufacturing of fake Red Label Whiskey and Carlo Rossi wine. Five packets of Jonny Walker, five cartons of Carlo Rossi Wine and 46 Red Label Whiskey were recovered from the house.

The counterfeiters also have not left out food products. A 20-feet container of food products imported through Apapa Port were also recently intercepted. It was laden with Mama Stars De Tomato paste, imported by Divine Chris Link Communication.

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) yesterday said it caused the arrest of these merchants of death.

A smuggler of four trailers of suspected fake McDowell Reserved Whiskey, Tochukwu Eze, said the NAFDAC Director-General, Dr Paul Orhii, has also been apprehended. He said the trucks carrying the suspected fake regulated products were plying the Lagos Badagry Expressway before they were intercepted.

Orhii, who briefed reporters, said the goods had made their way into the country through the land border.

The NAFDAC boss said a superintendent pharmacist with Uchest Pharmaceutical Limited, Mrs Mary Awoyinka, used a forged Pharmacists Council licence to import a one-by-20 feet con-

THE NATION FRIDAY, APRIL 5, 2013

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NEWS

catches up with merchants of death •Mrs. Awoyinka (left), Ikenna (second left) Abuzu (third left), Eze (third right), Okoro (second right) and Nwafor (right), when they were paraded... yesterday by NAFDAC. PHOTOS: ABIODUN WILLIAMS

•Dr.Orhii (middle), NAFDAC’s Director of Enforcement, Mr. McDonald Garba and the agency’s Director, Chemical Evaluation and Research Directorate, Seribu Momodu, displaying fake alcoholic drinks seized from counterfeiters...yesterday.

‘

Fake anti-malarial medication has been threatening efforts to control malaria in Africa. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), in 2011, 64 per cent of Nigeria’s imported antimalarial drugs were fake. Nigeria is Africa’s largest drugs market, and over 70 per cent of its drugs are imported from India and China, considered the biggest source of fakes tainer of pharmaceuticals. She has been arrested.

“The agency also arrested one Mr Maduabuchi Abuzu of 21, Ashogbon Stree, Idumota, Lagos. Some fake drugs were found in his house. They were estimated at N19,522,500.00,” he said Orhii said Kingsley Okoro and Mr Fred Nwafor of 7, Afolabi Close, Ojo, Lagos, had confessed to illegal manufacturing of fake Red Lebal Whiskey and Carlo Rossi wine. “Five packets of Jonny Walker, five cartons of Carlo Rossi Wine and 46 Red Label Whiskey had been recovered from the house. One Ileazor Okoro was arrested in connection with the case and he is being interrogated,” he said.

The DG said the agency intercepted three by 20 feet containers of food products imported through Apapa Port.

“The containers, which contain Mama Stars De Tomato paste, are owned by a company by the name Divine Chris Link Communication,” he said.

Orhii said investigation was ongoing on a company, VYN Trade Limited located at 102, Faulks Road, Aba, Abia State for importing fake saccharin with forged NAFDAC stamp.

Fake anti-malarial medication has been threatening efforts to control malaria in Africa. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), in 2011, 64 per cent of Nigeria’s imported antimalarial drugs were fake. Nigeria is Africa’s largest drugs market, and over 70 per cent of its drugs are imported from India and China, considered the “biggest source of fakes.”

Lekan Asuni, President of the Asso-

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ciation of Nigerian Representatives of Overseas Pharmaceutical Manufacturers (NIROPHARM), once described the situation as a global challenge requiring swift counter-measures.

The seriousness of the problem has forced NAFDAC to adopt a number of measures. It is working with the National Orientation Agency (NOA), whose DirectorGeneral, Dr. Mike Omeri, said shipment of counterfeit drugs into the country must end.

Omeri, who spoke during a visit to Orhii, added that both agencies need to partner with the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) to device effective ways of discouraging importation of fake and counterfeit drugs into the country.

He said: “NOA will utilise its numerous platforms including the community theatre, community radio, bulk SMS, e-polling and other on-line platforms to communicate the message against fake and substandard drugs to Nigerians in all the 774 local governments of the country.”

Dr. Orhii said he believes the campaign would help.

He said: “I believe the campaign

by NOA on this project will go long way in sensitising people about the dangers of fake and counterfeit drugs.”

NAFDAC's Director, Drugs, Research and Evaluation, Mrs. Hauwa Keri, in an interview with the News Agency for Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja

yesterday, called for life jail for counterfeiters.

Keri said the punishment was necessary to serve as deterrent to counterfeiters of fake drugs in the country.

She said the proposal, if implemented, would make drug counterfeiting non-bailable.

Mrs. Keri said: “The agency is reviewing the current law, which stipulates a fine of N500, 000 or 15year jail term upon conviction of offenders involved in the sale, distribution, importation and advertisement of counterfeit regulated products, to make the law serve as deterrent.

“The new law seeks life jail term and confiscation of assets upon conviction, compensation for victims if products is found to be the proximate cause of death or severe bodily injury and to make this a non-bailable offence.”

Keri said effective regulation was vital to improving access to quality essential drugs.

She said the agency had put in place measures to reduce the scourge of drug counterfeiting in the country.

Mrs. Keri said: “One of the major strategies is the use of cutting edge technologies to secure the supply chain. The use of these cutting edge technologies has impacted positively in the fight against counterfeit medicines.

“Our findings over the last one year with the deployment of

•Omeri

Truscan, which is a hand held device, indicate that there is a major decrease in the level of counterfeiters in circulation in Nigeria.

“The deployment of the Mobile Authentication Service (MAS) using our telephone system, sending an SMS, is another means which we are using for end- patient regulated medication authentication.

“We put the power to detect the counterfeit at the hands of the consumer, so that they can buy, check immediately, if it is good, they take it, if it is bad, it will indicate it and immediately we follow and track the system for the location where the medicine has been purchased.”

The director said the agency was partnering with international agencies to create awareness on the dangers of drugs counterfeiting.

Mrs. Keri, who represented Dr. Orhii at a meeting with the U. S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the U.S. Pharmacopeia in Abuja while he was parading the counterfeiters in Lagos, said Nigeria's population has made drug counterfeiting lucrative.

The meeting was to establish quality medicine management programme in malaria in partner-

ship with the National Malaria Control Programme.

She said NAFDAC was still faced with the challenge of drug counterfeiting.

Mrs. Keri: “Counterfeiting can apply to both branded and generic products, and may include products with the correct ingredients with the wrong ingredients without active ingredients or otherwise.

“Nigeria, with a large population, heavy disease burden, good market size, and low production capacity, vast and porous borders is a prime target for counterfeiters of medicine.

“These drugs are used in high volume for managing diseases of public health interest such as anti-malarial, antibiotics, anti-hypertensive, anti-diabetic agents as well as lifestyle drugs.”

She said the agency had adopted a multifaceted and well coordinated strategy to ensure access to quality medicine.

“The Pharmaceutical Security Institute data estimates that drug counterfeiting is a 75 billion dollarbusiness, while the World Customs Service puts it at 200 billion dollars annually, “ she said.

She added that with the advent of globalisation, international collaboration and cooperation was necessary in fighting drug counterfeiting to a halt.

He said NAFDAC was working tirelessly to ensure that Nigeria's pharmaceutical industry got World Health Organisation's prequalification, for easy access to medicines that met unified standard of quality.

The Vice Chairman of the U. S. Pharmacopeial, Dr Patrick Lukulay, commended NAFDAC on its fight against drug counterfeiting.

He said the partnership was to ensure effective monitoring of quality of medicines in the country.

He said effective regulation was important to improving access to quality essential medicines, adding that as regulator agents, efforts must be geared toward balancing access and quality.

For now, the loopholes are still many and are being exploited by the merchants of death, who Dr. Orhii yesterday said must be crushed to save Nigerians from diseases and untimely death.

THE NATION FRIDAY, APRIL 5, 2013

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CITYBEATS

CITYBEATS LINE: 07059022999

Robbers kill two policemen in Lagos bank raid

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NDCDC rescues 32 teenage girls from factory

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•No, it's one officer, say police

WO policemen were allegedly killed by robbers yesterday in a dawn raid of a newgeneration bank in Ifako, a Lagos suburb.

One of the slain policemen was simply identified as Inspector Nafiu.

The hoodlums, numbering about 16, were said to have gained access into the bank by scaling the fence which separates it and a Conoil fuel filling station. They came in two vehicles.

Some of them laid ambush for the policemen outside the bank, while others attempted to break into the bank.

Sources said the robbers tied all the security men on duty while attempting to break into the banking hall.

When they could not break into

By Jude Isiguzo and Ebele Boniface

the hall, they tried to dismantle the bank's ATM machine with an equipment.

Sources said it was in the process that some policemen from Area 'G' Command, Ogba, on routine patrol, stumbled on them.

On sighting the policemen, the robbers opened fire, killing one of them instantly and injuring another.

The police fought back, leading to the killing of another policeman.

Four of the robbers were reportedly injured.

Residents said they took cover in their homes to avoid being hit by stray bullets.

Two Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) and some policemen from the Area 'G' Command,

Millions of naira, properties lost in market fire

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FIRE broke out at the popular Kara market in Ifo Local Government Area of Ogun State on wednesday, destroying cash and properties worth several millions of naira.

Efforts by members of the community to battle the fire failed as it spread from one structure to another, leaving in its trail, pains of loss of properties and cash. No life was lost.

The fire began around 7.45 pm on that day, but the Kara community leader, Alh. Mohammed Gbadamosi, urged the state government to rehabilitate the victims.

According to Gbadamosi, the number of victims, value of goods damaged and the cause of the incident could not be ascertained.

The South West Zonal Coordinator of the National Emergency Management (NEMA), Mr. Iyiola Akande, who visited the scene to assess the extent of damage, said it would have been avoided if approval was sought by Kara residents before erecting structures. He urged them to be security-conscious.

Also, Secretary to the State Government, Mr Taiwo Adeoluwa, who led government delegation to the community yesterday, said it was a thing of joy that no life was lost.

Adeoluwa urged prospective property developers to always obtain necessary approvals from relevant government agencies before embark-

Ernest Nwokolo, Abeokuta

ing on construction to avoid such incidents.

He said the state government would proffer palliative measures to cushion the effect of the loss.

He said: "We thank God that no life was lost. We are here to commiserate with you and also to assess the level of damage done by the fire. Apparently, these are shanties built without government approval and we are not happy about the development.

"But as a responsive government, we will stand by you during this period. We will do something in the meantime to assist those affected after consultations with your leaders, but we also need to investigate the cause of the fire."

•Lagos police chief Umar Manko moved to the scene, but the robbers had fled, leaving the slain.

Lagos command spokesperson Ngozi Braide, a Deputy Superintendent (DSP), however, said only one policeman was killed.

The injured policeman, she said,

was in hospital.

Braide, who said a gas cylinder and some drilling equipment were recovered, advised the public and hospitals in Lagos to alert the police if anybody with bullet wounds comes to them.

BIA State Command of the Nigeria Security Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has rescued 32 teenage girls from a baby factory located in Osisioma area of the state.

Members of the first set of 16 rescued girls, aged between 16 and 20 years, were sighted at the state Ministry of Women Affairs while others were still at the Command Headquarters along Azikiwe Road, Umuahia.

The Command’s Public Relations Officer, Ogbonnaya Victor, revealed that the feat was achieved through a tipoff about an illegal home being allegedly run by a woman, including an intelligence, which prompted the men to storm the place in Umuozu in Osisioma local government, on April 2 around 10.00 hours and arrested 32 teenage girls including the proprietoress one Nnenna Mba. Ogbonnaya said that preliminary investigation proved that these girls go there either with pregnancy or got there and got impregnated, there, they were locked up in form of a prison yard.

NAFDAC arrests smuggler, counterfeiters

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HE National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), yesterday said it arrested Mr Tochukwu Eze, a smuggler, with four trailer-loads of suspected fake McDowell Reserved Whiskey.

Its Director-General (DG), Dr Paul Orhii, said the trucks were arrested along the Lagos Badagry Expressway.

Orhii, told reporters that the goods got borders.

The DG said Mr Nne Ikenna of 5, Arochukwu Street, Ejigbo, Lagos, who was illegally manufacturing fake drugs, had been caught.

Fake products such Zentel tablets, Lincocin capsules, postinor packs and aluminum foil were found his apartment, he added.

He said: "The estimate of fake products recovered is N31,277,000.00.

Also recovered were dry-ink coding machine used for blister packing and printing of labels and codes on the counterfeited medicines."

•Orhii

By Wale Adepoju

Orhii said Mrs Mary Awoyinka, a superintendent pharmacist with Uchest Pharmaceutical Limited, who had been operating her pharmacy with forged Pharmacists Council certificate was also arrested.

"The agency also arrested Mr

Maduabuchi Abuzu of 21, Ashogbon Stree, Idumota, Lagos. Some fake drugs were found in his house. They were estimated at N19,522,500.00," he said Orhii said Mr Kingsley Okoro and Mr Fred Nwafor of 7, Afolabi Close, Ojo, Lagos, had confessed to illegal manufacturing of fake Red Lebal Whiskey and Carlo Rossi wine.

"Five packets of Jonny Walker, five cartons of Carlo Rossi Wine and 46 Red Label Whiskey had been recovered from the house. One Ileazor Okoro was arrested in connection with the case and he is being interrogated," he said.

The DG said the agency intercepted three by 20 feet containers of food products imported through Apapa Port. "The containers, which contain Mama Stars De Tomato paste, are owned by a company by the name Divine Chris Link Communication," he said.

Orhii said investigation was ongoing on a company, VYN Trade Limited of 102, Faulks Road, Aba, Abia State, for importing fake Saccharin with forged NAFDAC stamp.

Arewa leader’s advice on trial of Boko Haram suspects

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HE National coordinator of Arewa United and National Vice Chairman, Arewa Youths Development Association, Alhaji Ado Shuaibu Dunsudu, has urged the Joint Task Force (JTF), to be thorough in screening suspects arrested in connection with Boko Haram to avoid implicating the innocent.

Dunsudu made the appeal yesterday in Lagos while lamenting the insecurity in the northern part

By Ebele Boniface

of the country.

He noted that all those arrested over the Boko Haram issue were not all from the North, stating that those caught in the North were not all Hausas, nor are they all Muslims.

Dunsudu said: "I am surprised that such things will be happening and when you look at it very well, you will wonder why they

are only happening in the North.

If you look at it well, you will see that it is only where opposition is strong that such a thing is happening, like Kano, Yobe, Bornu and Bauchi.

“May I ask: why? Maybe President Goodluck Jonathan wants to come back and may be that is why they are causing problems in those states.”

He added: "Maybe during election, nobody will be able to chal-

lenge them, including the federal government agents, the police and the army. That will give them the opportunity to do what they like.”

"Nobody can rightly say that the people causing the trouble are only Muslims because some Christians had been caught and so for some Muslims.

No one has any moral right to say that the thing is being perpetrated by a particular people. The problem is that whenever people are arrested, there has been no proper investigation".

Communities praise 'good daughter' Dabiri-Erewa

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member of the House of Representatives, Mrs Abike Dabiri-Erewa, has received praises from her constituents for bringing development to them.

The leaders of nine communities in Ikorodu Federal Constituency of Lagos State, that benefited from a solar power built by the lawmaker described her as “our pride in the National Assembly".

The chairman of Agura Community Development Association (CDA), Chief Saliu Olanrewaju Erubami, who described Dabiri-Erewa as a worthy ambassador, said: "The last time we tasted dividends of democracy in this community was 21 years ago during the days of the defunct Social Democratic Party (SDP). It was when our daughter was voted in to represent us that we started having the feels of democracy again. We have never regret-

By Jeremiah Oke

ted voting for her and her party, the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN)."

His Igbonpa counterpart, Pastor Olohunlomotito Stephen said DabiriErewa had proved beyond doubt that she is worthy of celebration. lhaja Fausat Amoke Taiwo from Ijede, who also praised her, asked for more. The longest road at Okoitan, was named after the lawmaker.

The elated politician thanked the people, explaining: "No member of the House handles projects' money; what we do is to table the needs of our people and lobby for their execution without having hands in who the contractors should be. It is the duty of the communities to prioritize their needs out of which we would pick the most pressing one and the sites for their projects without the interference of their representatives in the House."

• L-R: Chief Adebowale Oluyoye, Oloku of Agura; Dabiri-Erewa, Fasasi Abideen Oyetunde, councillor, Ward ‘G’ and Deputy Leader, Saheed Ibikunle, during the commissioning of Sogar Water Project donated to the Ikorodu communities.

PHOTO: ABIODUN WILLIAM

THE NATION FRIDAY, APRIL 5, 2013

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CITYBEATS LINE: 07059022999

Four LASU students arraigned for alleged cultism

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OUR students of Lagos State University, (LASU) Ojo Campus, were yesterday arraigned before an Ebute Metta Chief Magistrate’s Court, Lagos Mainland, for their alleged membership of secret societies.

They are: Olaleye Jaiyeola Habib, 20, Olawuyi Olalekan Temitayo, 23, Olaosebikan Ibrahim, 22, and Akinniyi Adedapo, 26.

Three of them, Temitayo, Ibrahim, and Adedapo are 400-level students of the Department of Economics; Habib is a 200-level student of Mass Communication Department.

They were alleged to have conspired to commit felony to wit, by belonging to unlawful societies in March, 2013, on the Ojo campus of the institution.

The police also alleged that while

By Adebisi Onanuga

Habib, Temitayo and Adedapo belong to the Buccaneer confraternity, Ibrahim is of the Eiye group.

According to the prosecutor, Inspector Frank Inah, the offences are punishable under Sections 409 and 42 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2011. All the defendants pleaded not guilty.

The defence counsel, Mr. Lanre Folahan, R. O. Olubambi, Emmanuel Adebayo and Lekan Adebanjo applied for their clients’ bail on liberal terms.

They told the court that the defendants had been in the costody of the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) in for three weeks without trial.

The prosecutor did not oppose the bail application.

Magistrate Mr. A. O. Komolafe, granted them N200, 000 bail sum of with two sureties each in the like sum.

Komolafe also ordered that one of the sureties must be a blood relation to each of the defendants, while the other must be a Grade Level 14 officer, either in the Lagos State or a federal ministry, who must show to the court, evidence of a three-year tax payment to Lagos State Government.

He said the tax, residential addresses and means of livelihood of the sureties, must be verified by the court's prosecutor. The case was adjourned till April 24 for mention.

Tribunal on Lagos explosion set to sit

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HE Tribunal of Inquiry set up by the Lagos State Government to look into the December 26, 2012 fire and explosion that rocked OjoGiwa and Okoya areas of Lagos Island and destroyed property and houses worth several millions of naira, will begin sitting on April 8.

Justice Sunday Oladokun Ishola (rtd) who chairs the tribunal, disclosed yesterday at the inaugural sitting of the tribunal held at the Council Chambers of the Lagos City Hall, said it has three months to complete its assignment and submit its report to the government.

The state governor, Babatunde Fashola, had, as part of his administration's commitment to protecting lives and property in the state, inaugurated the three-member tribunal on February 18.

Other members of the tribunal are: Engineer Olokunola Olatunde Wasiu, a Special Adviser in the Office of Infrastructure and Asset Management

By Adebisi Onanuga and Jeremiah Oke

of Lagos State; Mr. Richard Ahonaruogho, founding secretary of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Section on Legal Practice (SLP), and Mrs. Olubunmi Fagbayi, Chief State Counsel (DLD) and Secretary to the tribunal.

Justice Ishola said the sittings will be by public hearing that will hold between 10am and 4pm daily between Mondays to Thursdays, and in rare cases, on Fridays, when situations demand.

According to him, the panel is to investigate the recent explosion and fire outbreak in the state.

The tribunal, he said, will later advise government on whether it is legal for knockouts to be kept, sold or used in residential areas.

Justice Ishola stated that the panel has the power to summon

any witness that it considered fit and in position to shed light on happenings that led to the explosion.

He urged witnesses to tender original copies of their documents which will immediately be returned to owners after perusal.

Ishola also allayed their fear that anything could happen to witnesses who comes out to give testimonies.

He assured that witnesses are protected by the law, adding that it is only those who give false information that has cause to fear.

He said that the tribunal is to inquire into the remote and immediate causes of the fire incident which occurred when fireworks allegedly stored in a building at 45, Ojo-Giwa Street, Idumota, Lagos, exploded, causing fire outbreak and destroying lives and property of residents and traders at the Jankara Market.

C ITYBEATS BRT officer charged with assaulting woman A Bus Rapid Transport (BRT) ticketing officer, Ganiyu Ojikutu, has been arraigned before a Yaba Magistrate's Court in Lagos, for allegedly indecently touching a female trader.

Ojikutu, 27, of 65, Jebba Street, Ebute Metta, Lagos Mainland, is facing a one-count charge of indecent assault before Magistrate M.A. Ladipo.

Ojikutu was alleged to have committed the offence on March 23, about 8am at Fadeyi bus stop on Ikorodu Road, Lagos.

Prosecuting Inspector Peter Nwangwu told the court that the complainant, Mrs. Blessing Ogonnaya, had warned the defendant severally to desist from touching her indecently.

Nwangwu said: "Ojikutu on March 23, at 8am, began indecently touch-

By Precious Igbonwelundu

ing Mrs Ogonnaya, a fruit seller, at Fadeyi bus stop, without her consent. The complainant had repeatedly warned the defendant against his indecent behaviour towards her, stating clearly that she was married and was not interested in any of his amorous advances. But he refused to heed her warnings and had progressively continued to assault her, which forced her to report him to the police."

The prosecutor said the offence contravened Section 134 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos, 2011.

Ladipo granted the defendant N50,000 bail with two sureties in the like sum. She adjourned the case till May 13 for mention.

Customers groan under poor ATM services BANK customers have decried the poor performance of the Automated Teller Machines (ATM) in Lagos and its environs, making it difficult for them to access cash for transactions.

Customers, who spoke to The Nation, lamented that problems such as failure of the machines to dispense cash accurately, network, unlawful debit of accounts, long queue at various centres, among others, had become daily occurrence.

They said they lost valuable human hours while trying to withdraw money during and after Easter celebration, due to technical hitches.

During the Easter in Egbeda, Idimu, Akowonjo, and Dopemu on the outskirts of Lagos, customers battled to withdraw through ATMs. Many customers went homes frustrated because of their inability to conduct transactions.

At Guarantee Trust Bank (GTB) 's Egbeda branch, there was a long queue as customers battled the sun to

•Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Gorvernor Sanusi Lamido

By Akinola Ajibade

collect from the three cash-paying ATM machines.

Speaking on the issue, the Chief Operating Officer, Interswitch Limited, Mr Akeem Lawal, said he was not aware of any network failure in recent times.

Support for orphans in Osun THE Osun State Chapter of Asiwaju Grassroots Foundation (AGF), has donated gift items to orphans in commemoration of the 61st birthday anniversary of the National Leader of Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

The state coordinator of the organisation, Comrade Adeboye Adebayo, who led his group to the Orphanage on Testing Ground, Osogbo, said the presentation was in line with Tinubu's philanthropic spirit.

He described the ACN leader who turned 61 on Friday, last week, as "a dogged fighter for freedom, a committed democrat and a passionate believer in the evolution of a just and egalitarian society.''

Adeboye added: "Whenever you

come in contact with Asiwaju Tinubu, you will never remain the same again politically, economically and socially.

He will make sure he puts smile on your face and hope in your heart. That explains why the man is being celebrated today across the world. We are here to identify with that inspirational leadership that transforms lives by sharing, in our own little way, with these less-fortunate children."

He later presented the gifts on behalf of Tinubu and other members of the foundation in the state to the managements of the home.

An officer at the orphanage, Mr. Olusegun Akande, who received the items on behalf of the state Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Welfare, praised the foundation for remembering the less-privileged.

Police to rid formations of derelict vehicles

• L-R: Chief Richard Ahonaruogho, a member of the tribunal; Hon Sunday Ishola, chairman and Olatunde Wasiu Olokunola, another member, at its sitting at City Hall, Lagos... yesterday.

PHOTO: SOLOMON ADEOLA

Ogun council donates drugs, uniforms

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HE chairman, Ogun Waterside Local Government, Ogun State, Hon. Tunde Rufai has distributed school uniforms to over 10,000 pupils in public primary schools in the council area.

The council's Director of Information, Education and Sports, Prince Segun Soneye, in a statement, said the gesture was aimed at preparing the pupils for the next academic session.

At the presentation, Rufai said the decision to focus on children is in line with the council's coordinal programme of rebuilding Ogun State as directed by Gov-

By Nneka Nwaneri

ernor, Ibikunle Amosun, whom he said, had taken the issue of education with utmost importance.

He assured his residents that his administration was committed to providing qualitative primary school education to the citizens of the state.

Drugs were also distributed to all health facilities at subsidised rates.

Rufai also laid the foundation of a modern office complex in the council's secretariat.

He said that maternity centres and health posts will be built in the Alo and Okeibi communities soon.

Among the projects that the council had executed in the past few months, according to him, include: Complete overhaul and renovation of Community Development Department Office; resuscitation of electricity supply through to the entire local government area, which had been in darkness for long; payment of outstanding leave bonuses, travelling allowances and prompt payment of staff salaries.

THE Osun State Police Command, in its effort to decongest police stations and Area Commands of accident and abandoned vehicles, has warned owners of such vehicles parked at Ife Area Command Headquarters, Moore, IleIfe, to remove them or risk losing them to the public through auction.

In a statement by the Command's spokesperson, Folashade Odoro, a Deputy Superintendent (DSP), the affected vehicles are: Honda Accord marked AV852 MAP; Mitsubishi Bus, DX629LND; Honda Accord, BB671KJA; Toyota Corolla, EA585 ABJ; Datsun, ROYXA609FFE; Volkswagen Golf RZ845KJA and an unregistered Bajaj motorcycle.

She advised all owners of the vehicles to come with prove of ownership to claim them within the next 21

days.

Meanwhile, the Lagos State Police Command has warned owners of ‘accident vehicles’ abandoned at Orile, Oko-Oba, Oworosoki, Onireke, Satellite and Ayobo Divisional Police stations to remove them or risk losing them to members of the public through auction after the next 21 days.

They are: Honda Accord Saloon car marked LD972KJA; Honda Accord Saloon, EY210LSR; Toyota Carina, NE641AAA; Audi, CQ738LSR; Pontiac bus, CQ584JJJ; Ford Bus (unregistered); Howo Truck, XM752EPE; Mack Truck YF919ENU; Peugeot 505, AH894KJA; Volkswagen bus, XR90KTU; Volkswagen LT bus, XV640GGE, Suburban SUV (unregistered); Peugeot 406, EW 786ABC and Mitsubishi, XK 233 BAG.

Pa Obafemi for burial THE final burial rites of a prominent Okun community leader in Kogi State, Pa Emmanuel Buraimoh Obafemi, who died on February 23, have been scheduled for today and tomorrow.

According to his burial programme announced by one of his children, Prof. Olu Obafemi, Director of Research, National Insti-

tute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru, Jos, a wake-keep in his honour will hold at Odo Affin, Obaro Way, Kabba tomorrow from 5.00 pm.

He will be interred on Saturday in Akutupa-Bunu, near Kabba, after a commendation service at 9.00 am while reception follows thereafter in the town.

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THE NATION FRIDAY APRIL 5, 2013

NEWS Jonathan’s govt is confused, says Bishop of Lagos

By Joseph Jibueze and Nneka Nwaneri

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NGLICAN Bishop of Lagos West, Revd Peter Adebiyi yesterday said President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration is “confused” on how to solve the myriad of problems facing the country.

He said many who call themselves leaders ought to quit their positions and apologises to Nigerians for misleading them.

Rev. Adebiyi spoke while presiding over the Second Session of the Fifth Synod of the Diocese of Lagos West, Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion).

It was his last major assignment as he will retire on April 27.

The Bishop regretted that Nigerians have suffered so much in the hands of its rulers and have been “cheated, punished, battered and pauperised”, with their lives and those of their children wasted.

“The country is being battered and is on the precipice of failure because it does not have true and sincere leadership. The future of our children hangs in the balance.

“Politicians who are in various Houses of Assembly and the National Assembly appear to have no clue about what to do to make things better soonest.

“The Presidency itself is confused. The fabric of the country is being torn apart and less unity is obvious.

“In several parts of the country where there is no menace of Boko Haram, one of the terrorist groups presently in Nigeria, ethnic clashes are the order of the day,” Adebiyi said.

According to him, the government is not serious about fighting corruption.

To him, many of those who regard themselves as leaders are not representing the country in a befitting manner.

“Many of them are corrupt in various ways. They are corrupt in behaviour, in speech, in action and of course in governance.”

Explosion in Kano From Kolade Adeyemi, Kano

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BOMB, which was reportedly planted in a drainage by suspected terrorists, exploded yesterday night in Kano.

The explosion, which rocked the roundabout at Zoo Road – connecting Zaria Road and Kofar-Nassarawa Road – caused panic in the area.

It was learnt that the explosion occurred after the Maghrib prayer (about 7pm) when traders and other residents were retiring into their homes.

However, information on the explosion was sketchy last night. But it was learnt that its impact was not so devastating.

At the time of the incident, sources said, some residents reportedly sighted a strange object and took to their heels.

At the time of filing this report, there was no information on the explosion from either the police or the Joint Task Force (JTF).

‘Arrest of Ekiti ACN chair is abuse of federal might’

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HE Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) yesterday described as a gross abuse of federal might and a blatant misuse of power, the decision to arrest the Chairman of Ekiti State chapter of the party, Chief Jide Awe, following the death of an indigene of his hometown, Erijiyan Ekiti, in an intra Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) crisis.

In a statement in Benin City by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said the harassment and intimidation of Chief Awe is part of a grand plan by the PDP to muzzle the ACN in Ekiti and trigger a breakdown of law and order, which the instigators hope will culminate in a state of emergency, as boasted by the impeached ex-Governor Ayo Fayose, who said no Governor after

•Party demands unconditional release of leader

By Precious Igbonwelundu

him would finish his term. ‘’What the PDP cannot get through the ballot box is what it wants to achieve through brigandage and abuse of federal might.

But this will not succeed as the peaceful people of Ekiti will resist any attempt to turn their state into a theatre of war. ‘’The truth is that the PDP has a history of violence in Ekiti State, as in other places. Factions and rivalry within the party have been responsible for incessant skirmishes during rallies, primaries or meetings. This has happened in Ilawe, Oye, Ikere and EfonAlaye where many of their members sustained injuries during such internecine

clashes. The Erijiyan shooting fits into this pattern, and it happened because a faction of the PDP tried to prevent another from taking part in the defection ceremony,’’ it said.

ACN said Chief Awe, a highly-respected high chief from Erijiyan, is being selectively persecuted by the PDP, through the Minister of Police Affairs, Capt. Caleb Olubolade (rtd), who has decided to abuse his office just to get the ACN Chairman arrested and taken to Abuja, after he (Chief Awe) had been interrogated and released by the police in Ekiti. ‘’It is shocking, to say the least, that the minister, who is also an interested party, a gubernatorial aspirant and a factional leader of the PDP, did not see anything wrong in the fact that no member of his

party, the PDP, in the state has been interrogated by the police over the Erijiyan crisis. ‘’He did not see the glaring unfairness in the fact that even ahead of the crisis - which was triggered by the planned defection of some ACN members in the town to the PDP - the leader of the defectors, also an indigene of Erijiyan, had boasted that the day of the event would be bloody. ‘’The threat became a reality as sporadic shooting started on Friday night and continued till Saturday night by a chieftain of the party in the town, who is known for using gun shots to announce his presence in the town. That our party chairman will now be arrested and taken to Abuja, over a crisis in Ekiti, while those who instigated the crisis are walking free, is not

the definition of fairness and justice,’’ the party said.

ACN therefore demanded an unconditional release of Chief Awe and his safe return to Ekiti, while all those who precipitated the crisis but are now walking free should be immediately invited by the police for interrogation.

The party warned that the police must not allow itself to be used by anyone, no matter his status in the federal government, because in the end, the credibility of the law enforcement agency will rest on the perception of the people concerning its fairness and non-partisanship.

It also appealed to its members to be calm and to resist all attempts to provoke them into violence, which is what the pre-meditated persecution of the ACN Chairman is about.

Minister meets 13 Ambassadors, Consuls-General From: Yusuf Alli, Managing Editor, Northern Operation

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•Book reviewer, Prof. Eyiwunmi Falaye of the Faculty of Agriculture, University of Ibadan (left); General Secretary, The Apostolic Church, Pastor Bassey Duke; Mrs Nike Adesanya, author of a book: Odyssey, a biography of Pastor Gabriel Oladele Olutola, President of The Apostolic Church worldwide to mark his 80th birthday; and the celebrant, Pastor Olutola, a at the book presentation and launch of Olanrewaju Oladele Olutola Foundation, in memory of Pastor Olutola’s late wife, in Lagos...yesterday.

PHOTO:ADEJO DAVID

GTBank sets record with N103b profit

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UARANTY Trust Bank (GTBank) Plc has strengthened its position as the pacesetting Nigerian financial institution as it achieved a record profit before tax of N103 billion during the financial year ended December 31, 2012.

GTBank grew pre-tax profit by 66 per cent from N62.08 billion in 2011 to N103.03 billion in 2012, the highest by any bank so far.

Profit after tax also rose by 69 per cent from N51.7 billion to N87.3 billion. Gross earnings grew by 22 per cent from N182.41 billion to N221.94 billion.

The audited report and accounts for 2012, which were in compliance with the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) and approved by all regulatory agencies, confirmed GTBank as the first Nigerian bank to cross the N100 billion profit before tax milestone from continuing operations at both bank and group levels. Four banks have so far released their audited reports including Zenith Bank, Sterling Bank, Access Bank and GTBank.

By Taofik Salako

Key extracts of the audited report showed that GTBank recorded impressive performance in profit and loss accounts as well as balance sheet structure and size. The bank closed the 2012 financial year with on-balance sheet size of N1.73 trillion as against N1.608 trillion in 2011 while total assets and contingents stood at N2.26 trillion compared with N2.14 trillion in 2011.

Besides, deposit liabilities of the group grew by 12 per cent to N1.15 trillion in 2012, reflecting a decent growth of N120 billion from the N1.03 trillion recorded in 2011. The growth in customer deposits underpinned modest increase in the loan book with net loans and advances of N783.9 billion in 2012 as against N707.05 billion in 2011. Shareholders’ funds increased from N230.4 billion in 2011 to N283.4 billion in 2012.

Further analysis showed quality growth as continuous improvement in credit risk management kept non-performing loans within the lowest rate in the industry in spite of growth in loans and

‘GTBank grew pre-tax profit by 66 per cent from N62.08 billion in 2011 to N103.03 billion in 2012, the highest by any bank so far’ advances. The proportion of non-performing loans to total loans and advances improved to 3.4 per cent compared with 3.5 per cent in 2011. Cost-to-income ratio also improved significantly to 42.7 per cent from 52.9 per cent in 2011.

The bank’s stance as an upstanding social citizen and commitment to full disclosure was further evidenced by its 2012 tax liabilities, which came to over N16.3 billion.

The board of GTB has recommended gross final dividend of N38.26 billion in addition to interim dividend of N7.36 billion paid earlier, bringing total dividend for the year to N45.62 billion.

On per share basis, shareholders of GTB would receive a final dividend per share of N1.30 in addition to interim dividend of 25 kobo.

Besides the cash payouts, underlying returns showed greater values for shareholders and other stakeholders. Return on equity and return on assets closed at 33.9 per cent and 5.2 per cent in 2012 as against 23.2 per cent and 3.7 per cent recorded respectively in 2011.

Chief executive officer, Guaranty Trust Bank (GTBank) Plc, Mr. Segun Agbaje said the performance in 2012 reflected the bank’s continued adherence to a defined growth plan, high corporate governance standards and the cultural values for which it is known.

According to him, the performance was driven by several competitive advantages including a resourceful board, an in-depth understanding of the market and the passion of GTBank employees, which have enabled the bank to grow market share and continue to avail its stakeholders with valueadding services.

OREIGN Affairs Minister Ambassador Olugbenga Ashiru yesterday met with 13 Ambassadors and two ConsulsGeneral in Beijing on the challenges facing Nigerian Missions in Asia and The Pacific.

The two-day session is also expected to address issues bordering on the welfare of Nigerians serving prison terms or in detention abroad, prisoner’s exchange and transfers as well as drug trafficking.

A statement from Beijing last night, said the meeting would focus on investment promotion strategies by the affected missions.

The statement reads: “In furtherance of the efforts by the Federal Government at tackling the barrage of consular challenges facing Nigerians abroad and the continued drive for attracting greater inflow of Foreign Direct Investment as espoused by President Goodluck Jonathan, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Olugbenga A. Ashiru, today opened a two-day Regional seminar of heads of Nigerian Missions in Asia and The Pacific holding in Beijing, China. “ At the seminar which had the Minister of State I, Prof Viola Adaku Onwuliri, 13 ambassadors and two Consuls-General in attendance, Ashiru noted that it was essential to constantly self - assess and review foreign policy initiatives so as to enhance effective service delivery for the benefit of Nigerians, both home and abroad.

“While Nigeria enjoys excellent political and economic relations with most nations, consular matters arising from the activities of a few compatriots had served to pose irritants to Nigeria’s relations.

“This seminar would adopt positions to effectively tackle such irritants and ensure that genuine cases of maltreatment of Nigerians by foreign countries are identified and appropriately resolved.

THE NATION FRIDAY, APRIL 5, 2013

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THE NATION FRIDAY, APRIL 5, 2013

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NEWS

Ondo: ‘Killer cop’ remanded in prison

Urban renewal: Yuguda, monarch hail Ajimobi •Governor mourns Awolowo

•Women lawyers demand justice

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MAGISTRATE’s Court sitting in Akure, the Ondo State capital, yesterday remanded a Police Constable, Abdul Alonge (32), in prison custody.

Alonge was arraigned for allegedly killing an expectant mother, Mrs. Segi Olajiga.

Police prosecutor Ayodele Atandeyi said at about 6:30pm last Tuesday, Alonge shot Mrs. Olajiga with his service rifle at the Plaza Hotel, Akure.

Atandeyi said the charge would be amended to include attempted murder.

He said the suspect allegedly attempted to kill the driver of the vehicle in which the deceased was.

Atandeyi said the court lacked the jurisdiction to try murder cases.

He sought an adjournment to enable him send a duplicate of the case file to the De-

From Damisi Ojo, Akure

partment of Public Prosecution (DPP) in the Ministry of Justice for legal advice.

Defence counsel Mr. Fele Aso did not object to an adjournment.

The Magistrate, Mrs. Charity Adeyanju, adjourned the case till June 18.

Women lawyers in the state have urged the Commissioner of Police, Patrick DeyDokumor, to ensure that Justice is done in the matter.

In a petition by the State Secretary of the Federation of International Women Lawyers (FIDA), Mrs. Bunmi NiyiArajua; the Public Relations Officer (PRO), Mrs. Abimbola Ajileye and eight others, the group described the killing as “very painful”.

The statement reads: “It is sad, given the fact that the accused was neither responding to a distress call, armed robbery or a

civil disturbance in the community.

“Eye witnesses said the police constable aimed to shoot a taxi driver, who refused to bribe him, but the bullet hit the expectant mother. We are making this representation to your good office to ensure that justice is done in this matter.

“The death of two lives cannot be treated with levity. The constitution of Nigeria guarantees every citizen the right to life as stipulated in Section 33(1) of the 1999 Constitution.

“A police officer who points a loaded gun at an innocent civilian on the street is assumed to intend the killing of such civilian. We seek proper prosecution of the suspect.

“Mere dismissal from the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) will be grossly inadequate. This petition is the first way we can register our disdain for this unwarranted killing.”

•Sen. Ajimobi

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AUCHI State Governor Isa Yuguda and the Olugbo of Igbo, Oba Fredrick Obateru Akinruntan, have lauded the urban renewal programme of the Oyo State Governor Abiola Ajimobi administration.

They said it has transformed the state.

Yuguda spoke yesterday in Ibadan, the state capital, when he visited Ajimobi to condole with him on the demise of Chief Oluwole Awolowo, publisher of the Nigerian Tribune.

Yuguda said he noticed significant improvements in the environmental sanitation,

infrastructural development, renovation and beautification of buildings, including the Governor’s Office and other ministries at the State Secretariat.

He said: “Seeing is believing.

Everybody is conscious of the new environment. I congratulate you on the physical changes in Ibadan. We can compare Ibadan favourably with Lagos in terms of cleanliness. We can see the orderliness and the infrastructure under construction. Residents are happy with the massive infrastructural development.

“This office has witnessed a transformation. I was here in 2003, when I was in the Ministry of Transport as Minister of State, and in 2005 as Minister of Aviation, and I know what I saw here.

“This morning, when we went to the palace of the Alaafin of Oyo to sympathise with him on the fire that gut-

Apostolic Church president urges Nigerians to be tolerant

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HE National President of the Apostolic Church International, Dr. Gabriel Olutola, has said tolerance is the panacea to the country’s problems.

He urged Nigerians to be tolerant, regardless of their ethnic and religious background, adding that none of the two major religions in Nigeria supports violence.

The cleric, who spoke with reporters in Lagos on the ac-

By Jeremiah Oke

tivities marking his 80th birthday, said despite the nation’s abundant resources, it is lagging behind.

He urged political office holders to meet the expectations of the people.

Dr. Olutola urged the government to equip law enforcement agencies, saying it would tighten security.

He urged the government to return Christian schools to

their owners and advised youths to maintain peace to secure the nation’s future.

Dr. Olutola said: “Nigerians need to wake up and work for the rebirth of this nation. Our country is endowed with abundant human capital and resources, such as solid, liquid and gas, which our leaders can use to transform the nation, but the reverse is the case.

“If we tolerate ourselves,

this country will be peaceful and foreigners will love to live here. I advise political office holders to live up to the people’s expectations. They should bear it in mind that much has been given to them and much is expected.

“Christianity brought education to Nigeria and I thank God for the increasing standard of education in modern days. But it is sad that as our country embraces education

and civilisation, Christianity is systematically marginalised.

“This game started with the subtle way Christian schools were taken over by the government. However, I thank governors who have redressed this anomaly.

“None of the main religions practised in Nigeria teaches or encourages arson, killing, maiming and brutality of fellow persons.”

ted a part of his palace, we enjoyed the peace reigning in the state.

Commiserating with the people of Oyo and Ogun states, as well as the Awolowo family, on Oluwole’s death, he said: “We have lost one of the greatest sons of Nigeria. May his soul rest in peace.”

Ajimobi lauded Yuguda’s leadership quality, describing him as a rare administrator.

He said: “If you can have more governors like Yuguda in Nigeria, this country will definitely improve. Yuguda is one of the most intellectual governors I have ever met.

He has the ability to keep relationships. He lubricates the human cord that ties you together. He is constantly nurturing and tendering his relationship with you. He remains the only governor from across the Niger, who came to commiserate with us during the 2011 floods and he made a substantial donation.

He is very humble and unassuming.”

Oba Akinruntan spoke at the inauguration of a book in honour of the Alaafin, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, at the D’Rovans Hotel, Ibadan.

Oba Akinruntan said: “With your leadership quality, you have transformed Oyo into another London. I associate with you and urge you to keep it up. If there is anything I can do to return you for a second term, I will do it. I urge the people to support Ajimobi.”

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THE NATION FRIDAY, APRIL 5, 2013

BUSINESS THE NATION

E-mail:- bussiness@thenationonlineng.net

Risk management could entail avoiding the risk completely, reducing the negative impact of the risk through risk mitigation actions, transfering or sharing the risks with other parties and retaining the risk; ie, accepting some or all the consequences of the risk and budgeting for it.

- Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, CBN Governor

‘Nigeria may lose US FAA Category One rating’

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GROUP Aviation Roundtable (ART) has warned that the Category One rating secured in 2010 may be lost if the Ministry of Aviation does not desist from interferring in aviation regulation.

Category One is the highest level of civil aviation regulation rating for any country. It is awarded by the United States Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) Nigeria became the sixth African country after Ethiopia, Cape Verde, Egypt, Morocco and South Africa to at-

• No cause for alarm, says NCAA

By Kelvin Osa Okunbor

tain the certification.

According to the Roundtable, the much-touted autonomy secured for Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) in 2006 is a ruse, as officials of the supervising ministry are not giving the regulatory agency the free hand to do its job.

President of the Aviation Round Table (ART), Captain Dele Ore, spoke yesterday at

an interactive session with reporters in Ikeja, Lagos.

He said: “I am scared, the Aviation Round Table makes bold to say that the Category One status that we are so proud of is already been threatened and if we are able to sustain it for another six months under this dispensation, we will be too lucky. It did not take Ghana one year before losing her category one status. We are on the verge of losing it because of these undue interference of

government in safety and economic regulation. It is not done. The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) is against it. ICAO makes sure that it is a standard within which we cannot go. We cannot say that there is a Nigerian style of aviation.

If we must do our own Nigerian style, we must go ahead in line with Article 38 of the Chicago convention.

“There is no autonomy under the present dispensa-

• From left: Managing Director/Country Manager, Forever Living Products(Nigeria and Benin Republic), Mr Cornelius Tay; Vice President Africa, Mr Gary Shreeve, and Director for Africa Operations Mr Jackson Adagala, during the launching of Fab Energy drinks in Lagos by the firm.

tion, safety and economy regulation is been manipulated from the ministry of aviation and that is exactly why the ECOWAS parliament said that there should be no ministry of aviation in their member states.”

In his response, Acting Director-General, NCAA, Dr Joyce Nkemakolam, assured that the Category One rating is not by any way threatened as alleged by the Aviation Roundtable.

Nkemakolam in a telephone interview said the fear by the group is non-existent, adding that the structures and processes that led to the attainment and sustenance of the rating for Nigeria are intact.

He said the autonomy of NCAA has not been tampered with as is being alleged by the group, adding that NCAA would continue to do its job.

He said the autonomy of NCAA remains intact, denying that the agency was under any pressure from the ministry to act contrary to international standards and practices.

On the allegation that NCAA was not doing enough to regulate domestic airlines, Nkemakolam said the agency is stepping up measures to bail the affected carriers out of trouble.

She cited the mediatory role the agency has been playing to resolve the impasse between workers of Aero Airlines and the management.

Reps, CBN alleged deal stalls BOFIA Act amendment

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HERE are indications that the bill to repeal and re-enact the Banking and Other Financial Institutions Act (BOFIA) may not be passed in the seventh House of Representatives.

There are allegations that the House leadership has been compromised over it.

The House was alleged to have sold the soul of the

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•Apex bank: it’s a mischievous allegation •Reps: it’s not true From Victor Oluwasegun and Dele Anofi, Abuja

BOFIA amendment to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for an undisclosed amount. There appears to be a consistent and orchestrated attempt by the House leadership to bury the BOFIA Act, or at best to ensure that it was not passed during the Seventh House, The Nation gathered.

It was learnt that February 18, a day to the presentation of the BOFIA amended Act for consideration at the Committee of the Whole House by its sponsor, Betty Apiafi, the CBN was sent a copy to enable it to remove aspects that are offensive to the financial sector’s regulator.

Though independent sources at the CBN confirmed receiving the bill on the eve of its consideration, the apex bank authority denied any passage of money- for -non-passage of the bill.

The bill entitled: “An Act to Repeal the Banking and Other Financial Institutions Act, 2004 and to Reenact the Banking and Other Financial Institutions Act, 2010, and for

Matters Connected Therewith” in its current form, whittles down the powers of the CBN Governor and bars directors from collecting loans in banks where they work. It also revises upwards the outdated penalties for various offenses in the banking sector.

The repeal and re-enactment of the BOFIA bill is also aimed at improving regulatory regime as well as protecting depositors from losses in situations where banks fail.

The consideration of the bill on the floor on February 19, 2013 was stalled by the Deputy Speaker, Emeka Ihedioha and the Chairman of the House Committee on Banking and Currency, Mr Chukwudi Jones Onyereri, to the amazement of members.

Since then, only three clauses were considered in the bill and that was at the instance of the Speaker, Aminu Tambuwal, on a day he presided over plenary.

The Speaker, who is said to be unaware of the deal, called for the consideration of the bill and three clauses were subsequently considered.

Every other attempt to continue the presentation

has been continually frustrated, as the House allegedly await the CBN version of the bill.

There are allegations that the CBN was promised by some members of the House leadership that the presentation and consideration of the bill would be delayed by whatever means to ensure the non-passage untill the CBN makes its input.

Efforts to initially present the bill was rebuffed by Ihedioha who always refused to mention the bill when it is listed.

The Rules and Business Committee also ensures that the bill comes last on the few occasions it was listed so that members never get to it at plenary.

But Oke Epia, Chief Press Secretary to Ihedioha, said he would not speak on the issue and referred the reporter to Onyereri.

Onyereri said the allegation is not true, adding that the new BOFIA bill, “ is the best thing that has happened to the country,” no one would be allowed to truncate it. He further stated that the bill is at the Committee of the Whole for consideration and that at that level, “no one, can

stop it.”

The committee chair, while applauding Apiafi, said the House was going through the bill and that at the end of the day, “ the country will applaud the BOFIA we will present.”

The spokesman of the CBN,Ugochukwu Okoroafor, told The Nation that people who are insinuating that the CBN is stalling the BOFIA Amendment Act “are mischievous.”

His words: “The bill is a public document and there are many copies flying around . People saying that CBN is trying to stall the process are mischievous.

When we come to public hearing CBN makes presentations.

“Amendment of BOFIA is not a CBN issue but what do we want as a country, is what we have different from other countries, The BOFIA is not such a big deal. What if Sanusi steps down, will the bill be stepped down?

“The bill might send wrong message. In a country where people know that the laws can be fiddled with, it will drive away foreign investors. Why should they hid it from CBN, we proposed some bills ourselves.”

Construction begins at Lekki seaport

By Miriam Ndikanwu

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AGOS State Governor, Mr Babatunde Fashola (SAN) yesterday said construction has started at the Lekki Sea Port.

Governor Fashola, who spoke while addressing the Organised Private Sector at the Lagos Second Corporate Assembly, said its contractors have been mobilised to site.

Fashola, however, stressed that the speedy completion of the project was subject to availability of funds. He solicited the cooperation of the investors to ensure that the objectives of the project are achieved.

“I cannot tell you the date that the port will be finished, but work has started at the port and the contractor is on site.

“There are still a few issues in terms of getting funding and commitment from the private sector because clearly both the management and the private sector own the zone. They are not government-owned, but government has an enabling role to play in the regulation of the zones.”

He said plans were on to drive the zone on water transportation because it is bound by the Atlantic Ocean and the lagoon.

“This zone is located on a peninsula. That is why we are considering the need to transport our goods on the water.

We have put the cat before the horse. This peninsula sits so strategically in that it has access to its own transportation which is water transportation.

“That was why we have decided to fast-track the plan of accessing the zone and evacuation of cargo by using the lagoon. This lagoon goes as far as Ondo State. Most logs come into the state through water. I do not know any country where the haulage of its industrial cargo are transported by road.

“It is not sustainable.The roads will not last. The water ways would be our immediate and short term focus. And before the end of the year, we would ensure the possibility of water transportation in the zone,” Fashola explained.

Governor Fashola also informed the crowd of business owners and investors that the design for the construction of airport on the zone is also ready, adding that soon the bid would be sent to the public for investors who want to build to indicate interest.

He said the state was strategically positioned, citing the advantage of population and proximity to Europe, Middle East and South America, all of which the development of the airport would benefit.

He said the management would source private capital to develop Lekki International Airport, noting that the airport would be of international standard according to the approved plan.

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THE NATION FRIDAY, APRIL 5, 2013

BUSINESS NEWS

Oil deals throw up new leaders in energy sector

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PPORTUNITIES opened to indigenous firms on account of International Oil Companies (IOCs) drive to disengage from some on-shore oil prospecting activities and dispose their assets over oil theft and other considerations, have thrown up a new generation of oil barons.

The new breed of home grown and well-connected entrepreneurs, according to The Financial Times of London, gather in hotel bars to discuss the buying opportunities created by the recent development.

In the past five years, oil majors, such as Royal Dutch Shell , Total, ConocoPhillips and Eni of Italy have sold $5billionn of on-shore oilfields to local companies. The shift in ownership is the first attempt by indigenous executives to tap global capital markets to buy part

By Simeon Ebulu with agency report

of the domestic oil industry.

The transition has left bankers salivating over a deal-making boom and the potential for Nigerian oil companies to list in London and North America . The sell-off is also an opportunity for local businesses to show they can better handle the operational challenges and corruption that have bedeviled the Nigerian industry for decades, and provide more benefits to local communities.

Joshua Holland , an Africa analyst at PFC Energy in Washington , says: “The indigenisation process creates the potential to utilise fields that would otherwise lay idle and not produce any sort of revenues for local communities.”

But the risks are also high.

Critics fear that Nigeria , with

a long history of corruption and nepotism, could follow South Africa , where policies to increase black ownership of businesses created a new oligarchy, rather than the redistribution of wealth.

About a third of Nigeria’s oil production capacity of 2.5m barrels a day is located onshore, mostly in the Niger Delta swamps. A few years ago, international oil companies operated the vast majority of them. But a combination of rising oil theft, the majors’ focus on larger and more secure offshore fields and government pressure has led to deals between oil majors and local companies.

The deal-making wave is set to gather pace if Nigeria’s longawaited petroleum investment bill is passed, defining the fiscal terms for production by local and foreign companies.

“After the PIB there is the potential for a land grab in Nigeria,” says Wale Tinubu, Chief Executive of Oando , whose upstream subsidiary successfully bid $1.8billion for the Nigerian portfolio of ConocoPhillips in December.

That prospect is creating fertile ground for alliances between international investors and well-connected local entrepreneurs. Local companies, which have sprung up almost overnight to bid for oilfields, have been deliberately structured to take advantage of the push for indigenisation. They often combine an international oil company, bringing capital and expertise, with a majority local shareholder, often with little connection to the oil industry.

London -listed independents Afren and Heritage Oil hold substantial stakes in First Hydrocarbon Nigeria and Shore-

line Natural Resources, two companies set up specifically to buy oilfields from Royal Dutch Shell .

Labi Ogunbiyi , chief executive of FHN, says the main difficulty is not raising capital, but the competition. “If you can appeal to companies looking to break into Nigeria you can quickly get into the bidding.”

The presence of international companies raises questions about just how indigenous the new local companies are, and to what extent they will help spread Nigeria’s hydrocarbon wealth more widely within the country.

Local operators deny they are passive shareholders providing an indigenous seal, and say that joint ventures allow for knowledge transfer from foreign companies. Some, such as Oando , have resisted foreign partnerships.

• Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs Alison-Madueke

Oando has introduced a share reward scheme, which allows its Nigerian managers to earn stock, depending on performance. Mr Tinubu is “very happy” with the number of middle- class Oando employees, who can frequent Lagos’ growing phalanx of bars and nightclubs, a sign, he says, of “Nigeria’s growing middle class”

‘Resolve Nigercem dispute’

By Eric Ikhilae

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GROUP, Concerned Citizens of Ebonyi State, has urged the state government to work with all parties to the dispute over shutting of Nigercem with a view to resolving it in the interest of the people.

In a statement yesterday, the group faulted the argument of some members of the National Assembly from the state, supporting the government’s position on the dispute.

In the statement signed by its President, Elechi Ikeburu, the group urged the government to reverse its decision to revoke the Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) on the land on which the company is sitting.

It argued that prolonging the dispute was capable of scaring away private investors, more so when the state is regarded as one of the few heavily indebted states in the country.

“The revocation of certificate of occupancy of the land area known as Nigercem, the subsequent prevention of Ibeto Group from taking over the company thus stalling its bid to revive and transform the company into a modern cement plant, and most recently the dethronement of traditional rulers who dared to go against government’s position by welcoming Ibeto’s takeover of Nigercem, portends grave danger to freedom to hold contrary views.

“The concerned citizens of Ebonyi State are appalled by the current needless actions of the State Government against an investor, who to all intents and purposes, is trying to bring investment to the state which has been ranked as one of the poorest in the South-East and in the country.

“The chain economic effect of a functional Nigercem, amongst which are, employment for indigenes, skilled and un-skilled, increase revenue base for the state government, general improved standard of living and ancillary benefits, such as emergence of subsidiary companies that will vastly improve the environment and by extension the state,” are too numerous to state here.

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•Okorocha

South-South development centre to train entrepreneurs

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HE South South Zonal Office of the Enterprise Development Centre (EDC) in Calabar, Cross Rivers, says it will soon begin the training and empowerment of 2000 entrepreneurs in the zone, this year.

The Zonal Project Coordinator, Mr Gbenga Owolabi, who disclosed this in an interview with journalists in Calabar, said that preparatory stage was almost completed.

“After the preparatory stage, we hope to fully begin operations in April when the first batch of entrepreneurial training will commence.

“We have a target to reach out to not less than 2000 entrepreneurs by the end of the year, and that will mean training 10,000 entrepreneurs in five years.

“And for every quarter, we will be looking at training 500 entrepreneurs” Owolabi said.

He said that the programme was a Public Private Partnership (PPP) initiative with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), through the Bank of Industry and the state governments.

“So the state governments are very much

T

Imo to fight flooding

MO State Governor Rochas Okorocha has announced the state government’s plan to demolish buildings in Owerri and other parts of the state to check flooding and erosion.

This is contained in a statement signed by his Special Assistant on Media,Mr Ebere Uzokwa, in Owerri.

The statement said that government’s plan was part of the measures aimed at seeking lasting solution to the menace of flooding and erosion in the affected areas.

It listed the affected buildings to include those not captured in the Owerri Master Plan, as well as those erected without approval by the relevant government authorities.

The statement said that owners of buildings pencilled down for demolition should contact the Ministry of Lands and Housing with relevant documents for further clarifications.

The statement, however, said that the pro-

Cross River involved and they are quite aware. We are using the state governments as facilitators to create awareness among their own citizenry,” Owolabi said.

According to him, some of the states have vocational and skills acquisition centres that teach the technical knowhow, but how to manage the business enterprise was still quite lacking.

He said that those trained in the various vocational centres would be moved to EDC to receive training on entrepreneurial skills to enable them improve on the business aspects of the skills.

“We are also reaching out to Non-Governmental Organisations, private organisations, micro finance banks and others to get a list of their entrepreneurs.

“And also other small businesses that are already in existence, so that we can provide support to them.

Imo posed action was not targeted at any individual or group.

It added that government was merely taking proactive measures, in view of the warning from relevant agencies on the impending flooding in some states this year.

The statement said further that government was concerned about the inherent danger and difficulties likely to befall some residents, hence the planned stringent measures.

It stated that studies had shown that the illegal structures were worsening the problems, adding that the present administration was determined to restore sanity in the state.

The statement urged the occupants of the affected buildings to relocate immediately.

It would be recalled that the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) had warned that there would be flooding in some states including Imo this year.

Administrator makes case for sports THE director of studies of M/s Oluwafunmilayo Banjoko Funktob Schools, Palmgrove, Lagos has called on government and other stakeholders in football to invest in the round leather game in order to discover more talents for the country.

She was speaking to journalists immediately after her school fourth edition of Funktob schools held at Arepo’s school modern sports complex weekend saying that it is an event organized every two years adding we want our children to showcase their skills. According to her this sports meet is the first of its kind at our Arepo (Sport Ground).

•Members of the foundation with children at the orphanage

Foundation donates to orphanage

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EMBERS of the Asiwaju Grassroots Foundation (AGF), a non-governmental organisation (NGO) comprising young individuals who believe in the leadership ideology and philosophy of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu across the globe had paid a courtesy visit to Hearts of Gold Children’s Hospices Centre in Masha, Surulere on Friday, March 29, 2013. It presented gift items to the orphanage.

This gesture was in commemoration of Asiwaju’s 61st birthday which held in Lagos recently.

The team was led by the National Coordinator of the group Comrade Akanbi Saheed Afonja, Alhaji Folawiyo Bello and members of the state executive.

In a statement, Comrade Afonja said: “What we did today is to extend the hands of hope on behalf of our principal Asiwaju Bola Ahmed

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• Beneficiaries of the programme in a group photograph with Mrs. Jonah (middle) at the event

HE Esit Eket Local Government Council in Akwa Ibom State says it will empower 2,000 youths through an effective skill acquisition programme.

The chairman of the council,Mr IbangaEtang,told newsmen in Esit Eket that the scheme would make the youths self-reliant.

Etang said that the council would also invest in agriculture with a view to creating job opportunities for the youths in the area.

He explained that the youth empowerment programme and agricultural investment had been captured in this year’s N3.5 billion budget of the council.

“We will empower about 2,000 youths in various skill acquisition programmes like carpentry, ICT, electrical installation, welding, shoe making, hat making, bead making and barbing.’’

Etang said that his administration’s “Budget of a New Dawn’’, was predicated on his desire to achieve a considerable level of macro-economic stability geared towards wealth creation, poverty reduction and em-

Council to empower 2,000 youths Akwa Ibom ployment generation.

The chairman said that the budget would achieve some aspects of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in an unprecedented way and ensure total transformation of the area.

According to him, the budget was 15 per cent higher than the N3.1 billion of 2012 he inherited, showing an increase of N470 million.

He said that the current budget consisted of an estimated recurrent revenue of N3.3 billion, while capital receipts was allocated N246.100 million.

•Chairman, Agege Local Government, Alhaji Jubreel Abdulkareem (middle) assisted by Leader of the House, Hon Habeeb Sanusi and Head of Budget and Statistics Department, Mrs Oluwakemi Ayo-Michael during the signing of the budget

Youths urged to shun violence

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MEMBER of the House of Representatives representing Ibadan North Federal Constituency, Hon. Abiodun Awoleye, has urged youths across the country to embrace peace to sustain democracy.

The lawmaker called on governments at all levels to engage youths to avoid social vices that may render them useless in the future.

Awoleye, who stated this shortly after the kickoff of the sixth edition of his football competition tagged: “Hon. Abiodun Awoleye Free Age Football Competition (HAAFAFC) in Ibadan” said he had discovered many young talents through his annual football competition.

He urged all other political office holders to take the advantage of their offices to brighten the future of the youths so as to build formidable future for the country.

Awoleye maintained that the annual football competition apart from discovering talents, has also been a means to maintain good relationship among youths in the area to promote peace, love and harmony in his constituency.

In his words: “As we are all aware that sports, most especially football has been a universal language among people, irrespective of age, sex, nationality and religion, we have been using this

football competition to discover talents since 2008. It has been an avenue to sth; we have been using it to promote peace, unity , harmony and love in our constituency. We are also using it to share love, ideas and also to empower our youth.

This year’s competition will not be an exception to what we have been doing.

“We believe in encouraging our youths to participate in sports because it is not only helpful health-wise, but it is a means to empower those who stand tall among their peers and to promote mutual understanding so as to encourage them.

“I want to use this medium to call on other political office holders to encourage the youth because they are the future of this nation,”he added.

•Hon Awoleye

Council inaugurates committees

By Emmanuel Udodinma

THE Executive Chairman of Badagry Local Government, Hon. Husitode Moses Dosu has inaugurated two Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) committees to transform the area.

Husitode urged members to be dedicated and cooperate with the Presidency’s representative on MDGs, the technical adviser and Mr. Rotimi Toviho.

The council chief said that Badgry is fortunate to have been selected as a beneficiary of two projects - health and education His words: “The two laudable projects are practical evidence of dividends of democracy. I am quite sure that at the completion of our community-based projects in both health and education, Badagry will not be the same. Badagry would be a role-model to other local governments”.

In his address, the Technical Adviser, Mr. Rotimi Toviho, stated that the technical committee is basically composed of technocrats.

He said they should see themselves as field officers to identifyand determine the needs of the people which are paramount to their existence. He added that community leaders must be carried along in their activities.

“Non-debt recurrent expenditure is expected to gulp a total of N1.7 billion, while capital expenditure is proposed to stand at N1.8 billion, which is expected to be spent on capital projects in the 2013 fiscal year,’’ he said.

Enugu

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Meat sellers urge Amaechi to build market

Briefly

•Governor Akpabio

NDE trains 100 graduates

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By Medinat Kanabe

research; one can sit in a place and research many things. Computer can give you access to e-library, helps collaboration and assimilation,” he added.

Also speaking at the event, Mrs Lucy Jonah, mother of the association’s founder, Mrs Ukor who also represented her daughter at the graduation, said the association is a non for profit organisation and that they have been helping the poor and widows since 2004.

“We train indigent girls who either cannot get admission or parents cannot pay for them to study. It is free of charge. My daughter goes to different churches to look for the girls who are in need. She believes all her life is to give,” she said.

She said her daughter likes giving to the poor but this time, she decided to assist educators.

“This is a pilot programme for educators, she added.”

In her own words, Mrs Mokolo who spoke via computer chat room said the computer programme is aimed at bridging the gap of technology.

Tinubu to the less-privileged individuals in the society.

“Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is a father and a leader who cares for all, especially the less- privileged people.

“He is a man of hope to the masses; giving out to the needy is one of his greatest leadership philosophies. Our objective in the AGF is to continue in the propagation of his leadership philosophy for the world to know that Asiwaju is not only a Nigeria leader but an outstanding African and world leader who cares for all.

“Therefore, we are using this medium to urge all the progressives who also believe in the cause we are pursuing to partner with us in order to realise the objectives of the foundation.”

EAT sellers in Mile 1 Market, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, have called on Governor Chibuike Amaechi to build the second phase of the market.

Some of the traders who spoke to journalists in Port Harcourt, said the building of the second phase would create a healthier business environment.

Mr JohnBull Adisa, the Chairman of Meat Sellers Association in the market told newsmen that the meat line in the market was no longer conducive for the sale of meat due to its dirty environment.

He said meat traders ought to have designated area specifically for the product in the market, adding that the blood and water gushing out of the meat often contributed to dirty nature of the environment.

He said that the market lacked drains as such the water gathered to form gullies with offensive smells which scared customers from coming inside the market to buy meat.

Importance of ICT stressed HE Chief Executive Officer of Stanbic IBTC Bank, Mr Yinka Sanni has stressed the importance of Information Technology, saying anyone that is not computer literate is living in the past.

He said this while delivering a keynote lecture entitled: Role of computer literacy for educators in improving education outcomes,” at the graduating ceremony of Lucinma Women Development Centre in Lagos .

Sanni said that only 3.6 per cent of Nigerians have access to the internet as at today. “Internet is more prominent in Lagos, Abuja, PortHarcourt and Kogi. In Kano, Kebbi, Sokoto there are almost no computers and that is why they are behind other states,”he said.

He noted that computer enhances the work of school teachers and help productivity. “In those days we wrote our notes in long hand but now you can write your notes and send it through the internet to the principal who will check, make corrections and send it back to you.”

He further stated that it helps job competitiveness, reduce cost of writing materials and other means of transportation. “It also helps in

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•The District Governor Lions Club International Lion Stella Agbogun inugurating a pipe bone water donated by the Egbeda Host Lions Club to the Isheri Tipper Garage, Isheri, Lagos. With her is the president of the club, Lion Yomi Oriretan.

Lawmaker gives free medicare

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ESIDENTS of Ajeromi-Ifelodun 1 Constituency in Lagos have been urged to take advantage of the free medical services provided by their representative at the Lagos State House of Assembly to do comprehensive check to know their health status and also receive treatment.

The lawmaker representing the constituency at the Assembly, Hon. Abdoulbaq Ladi Balogun, made the call at the flag-off of a 10day medical care programme tagged’ Good Friday, Ajegunle! Free Medical Mission’ he organised for his constituents at his constituency office in Ajegunle.

According to him, there are health challenges everywhere, “and although government is doing its best but we can’t expect the government to do everything and as a legislator I believe it is also my responsibility to cater for the health of my people, so the free medical programme is to cater for their health.

“I am quite close to my people here and I know what the problems are, we need to work on their health to complement whatever they have to do to make them better people and achieve what they want to achieve in their daily lives, economically, socially and politically”, Balogun said.

He stressed that a lot of the people cannot afford the type of medical care he has provided for them and that is why he brought it free of charge to them to make them happy, put smiles on their faces, ensure they are healthy and allow them do whatever they want to do in their daily activities.

Speaking at the event, Deputy Speaker of the Assembly, Hon. Kolawole Taiwo who represented Speaker Adeyemi Ikuforiji, praised Balogun, saying it is always a thing of joy when giving back to the people who gave the mandate to represent them at the Assembly.

He advised the people to take the exercise seriously and “if you are referred for further

By Oziegbe Okoeki

test please do so because it is important”, he said.

Chairman, House Committee on Health, Hon. Hodewu Suuru Avoseh who spoke on ‘Health is Wealth’, stressed on the importance of good health calling on the people to take full advantage of the exercise.

The exercise which will last for ten days will take the medical personnel round all the wards in the constituency. “They will also move round our leaders to examine them and give them the necessary treatment, they will also visit police formations in the constituency to render same services”, he said.

O fewer than 100 unemployed graduates and youths with interest in agriculture were trained in different agricultural programmes under the National Directorate of Employment (NDE) Rural Agricultural Scheme in 2012.

The Enugu State Coordinator of NDE,Mr Nnamdi Asomugha, told journalists that the trainees were posted to farms for one month attachment after the training.

“They did tutorials for one month after which they were posted to commercial farms to get practical experience. It was very successful.

“We also concluded the training of 50 disabled persons, socially weak persons and widows in fashion design, cosmetology, catering, etc. It was equally a successful programme,’’ he said.

According to Asomugha, 10 out of the 50 trainees will be re-settled soon based on the recommendation of their trainers for showing tremendous passion during the training.

He said that funds for the re-settlement had been made available, but they were awaiting further directives from NDE headquarters.

The state coordinator said that each of the trainees would be given nothing less than a N100, 000 as re-settlement package.

Asomugha said that Enugu State was one of the beneficiary states in the 450 Graduate Coaching Scheme of NDE. He said that under the scheme, graduates were engaged and deployed to teach those sitting for WAEC, NECO, JAMB or post JAMB examinations in nine designated centres last month.

He said that three centres were sited in each of the three senatorial zones of the state and the beneficiaries were selected in partnership with the local government councils.

Asomugha said that while the students were being tutored free of charge, the Federal Government would pay the coaches as part of efforts to provide temporary employment to the graduates.

•From left: Chairman, Riverdrill Group, Prince Tonye Princewill; Host comedian, Ay Makun; and Sholaye Jeremi, during Ay Live show ‘The Old and New Testaments’ at the Eko Hotel

THE NATION FRIDAY, APRIL 5, 2013

19

COMMENTARY EDITORIALS

FROM OTHER LANDS

Theatre of the absurd •This is what government’s plan to turn National Theatre into hotel is

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HAT precisely is the Federal Government’s design for the National Arts Theatre, Iganmu, Lagos, a cultural monument with a revered history and a significant attraction in the mega city? The alarming news that Minister of Tourism, Culture and National Orientation, Edem Duke, has issued a twoweek quit notice to culture-related government agencies at the 37-year-old arts centre has, ironically, came at a time the administration is planning another monument, the highly publicised Abuja Centenary City, to commemorate the 100th year of the 1914 amalgamation of the country’s Northern and Southern protectorates by the British colonial government.

The National Arts Theatre is home to National Council of Arts and Culture, Nigeria Gallery of Arts and National Troupe of Nigeria.

It is apt to wonder whether, given the disturbing development at the National Arts Theatre, the administration is indeed motivated by a positive sense of history, and whether the proposed $40 billion commemorative city in the federal capital will not end up as a monument to visionless profligacy. For, there is no doubt that it takes a genuinely history-conscious administration not only to preserve historical legacies but also to build monuments that have historical merit.

The planned expansion will be carried out under a “Public-Private Partnership”, Duke said, and asked the agencies to relocate their offices “within two weeks to an alternative location”. He explained, “This relocation is temporary as the structures that will eventually provide accommodation for your operations are being envisaged under the new arrangement.”

Further, Duke argued that these “infrastructural facilities” will be “complementary to the National Theatre, as it is with other theatres in other parts of the world”, and boasted that the project “will be a thing of pride when completed.”

Of course, the minister is entitled to his starry-eyed projection, but seems not to see the gray areas that make the entire project highly suspicious. Why the unfair and disruptive haste to get the agencies out of the place within two weeks? If the intention is truly to build “complementary “structures on the land without touching the theatre complex, why eject the agencies? What is responsible for the sudden and impulsive attention to alleged details of the master plan? How long will it take to complete the expansion, before the agencies will presumably be allowed to return to the land?

Will the envisaged business facilities that will be privately run boost the cultural essence of the theatre, or shift focus from it?

It is noteworthy that the National Arts Theatre has, in recent times, been in dire need of rehabilitation and, as a solution, there were moves by the then President Olusegun Obasanjo administration to privatise the facility which failed, following intense public outcry. The truth is that the people have a sentimental attachment to the architectural masterpiece well known as the venue of the 1977 2nd World Black and African Festival of Arts and Culture (FESTAC). It remains the country’s preeminent cultural event centre despite its unfortunate neglect over the years, and there can be no excuse for sacrificing its soul for commercial interests. Besides, there is the important issue of whether the expansion of the theatre will amount to its use for purposes other than what it was

approved for, a situation that would create a conflict with the Lagos State government, which by law is the approving authority.

There will always be room for culture in society despite the Philistine imagination of structures of power, which is what Duke’s move sadly represents. It is pertinent to ask why the National Arts Theatre cannot be, for instance, like the John F. Kennedy Centre for the Performing Arts in Washington, USA. The centre, which represents a public-private partnership, was opened in September 1971, and is the busiest performing arts facility in the United States. It receives federal funding each year to pay for the maintenance and operation of the building, and generates revenue through ticket sales and gifts from individuals, corporations and private foundations. The underlying lesson of this example is: the job of government is to run things, and not to run things down.

‘The truth is that the people have a sentimental attachment to the architectural masterpiece well known as the venue of the 1977 2 nd World Black and African Festival of Arts and Culture (FESTAC). It remains the country’s pre-eminent cultural event centre despite its unfortunate neglect over the years, and there can be no excuse for sacrificing its soul for commercial interests’

Here we go again •Is the President’s wife ill again or is she not?

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GAIN, we seem to be waddling down a familiar road and singing the same ribald tunes. Is the wife of the president, Dame Patience Jonathan ill and needing medical attention in a German hospital, or are we about to go through the same embarrassing hide and seek games played out to its most comical end last year by Nigeria’s first family?

The media, including some online news platforms had reported that Mrs. Jonathan who recently returned from a medical trip abroad may have suffered a relapse and had been flown abroad once again. The reports though unconfirmed, noted that she shuttled between Spain and Germany but eventually settled for a German hospital. They stated that there may be an option of also seeking medical treatment in the United States. Speculations as to her condition were stoked by her conspicuous absence during the Easter holiday celebrations, including not being available for the

‘While we will give the presidency the benefit of the doubt in this matter once again, we wish to restate our take on the ethics and economics of presidential health challenges.

First, the first family is public property by virtue of the office the president occupies. He is not entitled to privacy and anything that befalls the family – good or ill – befalls the entire nation; thus, the people need to know as a matter of right’

Good Friday church service held in the Aso Rock Villa Chapel. She is also said to have travelled without her usual retinue.

However, the Presidency last Monday, debunked all insinuations of ill health by the first lady in a news release signed by its spokesman, Mr. Ayo Osinlu. Yes, she would be out of the country for about two weeks but she certainly is not on a medical trip.

The statement reads in part: “For the avoidance of doubts and ambiguities, I wish to state that Her Excellency had travelled to participate in the 1st Green Women Conference in Paris, France on March 17, where she received the Global Women Leaders’ Award for Peace, 2013.

“Thereafter, the First Lady called on ‘Mama Sisi’ (her foster mother) who is currently receiving medical attention. It was in her normal plan to spend some time overseeing the management of the foster mother’s condition.

“The First Lady also seized the opportunity to spend some time in the company of Mama’s children before they return to school. Dame Patience Jonathan is expected in the country next week.”

While we have no intention to lend any credence to the rumour mill, we are troubled by a strong sense of déjà vu. We loath to remind that it was under exactly the same circumstance that she left the country last year and news broke that she had been admitted in a German hospital. Then, as he is doing now, Mr. Osinlu had described the news as malicious rumour, insisting that his boss had proceeded on vacation after the tedium of hosting African First Ladies Forum in Nigeria. Even senior spokes persons in the presidency had lent their voice to denying the report about Mrs. Jonathan’s hospitalisation.

Dame Jonathan, upon her return after several weeks, had equally denounced the report and berated the purveyors as mischief makers who did not wish her well. However, in a most confounding volte-face mid February, during an elaborate thanksgiving service in the Aso Rock Villa, Mrs. Jonathan had admitted to her large audience that she was indeed suffering a terrible health condition. She was not only hospitalised in Germany, she made it known that she went under the surgical knife about nine times. “I was dead for about seven days,” she confessed to Nigerians.

It was a moment of truth as well as a suffocating admixture of national anguish and exasperation. Nigerians were pained that they would not be allowed to share in the pains of the first lady, and upset that they had been lied to so glibly by the first family.

While we will give the presidency the benefit of the doubt in this matter once again, we wish to restate our take on the ethics and economics of presidential health challenges. First, the first family is public property by virtue of the office the president occupies. He is not entitled to privacy and anything that befalls the family – good or ill – befalls the entire nation; thus, the people need to know as a matter of right. Second, the president is not to be perceived to lie to the people and lastly, the president is spending public funds.

On these counts, we expect the president to at all times (but especially so in matters of health) be upfront and truthful to Nigerians. If the first lady is ill and requires medical attention abroad, that is what it is. The Nigerian is sure to show more empathy and understanding if he knows the truth.

A promising and difficult plan to end polio

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HE WORLD witnessed only 223 polio cases last year, the lowest level in history and an impressive advance from the hundreds of thousands of children afflicted as recently as the 1980s. However, the eradication quest is not over, and the next steps look difficult. The Global Polio Eradication Initiative, an umbrella group, has unveiled a promising strategy over the next five years to reach zero cases, the elusive goal first set a quarter-century ago.

The polio virus is highly contagious, can spread rapidly and remains endemic in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Nigeria. In Pakistan, 15 health workers in the anti-polio campaign have been killed since July, and a World Health Organization official estimated that 240,000 children have missed vaccinations in the tribal areas because of security concerns. In Nigeria, nine workers have been killed this year. In both countries, the workers were killed by militants who hold wrongheaded notions that vaccinations are some kind of Western plot. In fact, the danger is not in the vaccination but in the virus, which affects the nervous system and can lead to paralysis, largely among children age 5 and younger. Any effort to conquer polio is going to have to fully protect those carrying out the vaccination campaigns.

Wiping out a disease is an extraordinary accomplishment; it has been done only once before, with smallpox. Yet as polio case numbers plunge, the task of complete eradication grows harder. The oral polio vaccine, which contains a live, weakened virus, has been key to the dramatic progress in reducing cases. But on very rare occasions, the virus strain in the oral vaccine has reverted to a paralytic one and begun to circulate. Earlier, it was a tolerable risk, but now it must be stopped. The new global strategy involves a switch to an inactivated vaccine that can attack the circulating virus. This requires a shot, not just an oral drop. While the oral dose costs about 20 cents apiece, the inactivated one costs a dollar or more. The switch to the inactivated virus is an important firewall against a further outbreak, but it won’t be easy and must go hand in hand with strong, routine immunization to prevent the virus from returning.

The five-year strategy is estimated to cost $5.5 billion from varied sources, according to the eradication initiative, a partnership spearheaded by the WHO, Rotary International, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and UNICEF with support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Instead of trying to raise money year to year, the new strategy calls for gathering up the total at the outset. This will be difficult in an era of budget austerity, but there have been some promising new private sources of funds, including $100 million recently pledged by New York Mayor and publishing magnate Michael Bloomberg.

Hopes for wiping out polio globally have been raised by the achievement of India, now free of the virus. But success is not assured and demands a fight to the finish.

– Washington Post

TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief Victor Ifijeh • Editor Gbenga Omotoso •Chairman, Editorial Board Sam Omatseye •General Editor Kunle Fagbemi •Editor, Online Lekan Otufodunrin •Managing Editor Northern Operation Yusuf Alli •Managing Editor Waheed Odusile

• Executive Director (Finance & Administration) Ade Odunewu

•Deputy Editor Lawal Ogienagbon

•Advert Manager Robinson Osirike

• Gen. Manager (Training and Development) Soji Omotunde •Chief Internal Auditor Toke Folorunsho •Senior Manager (sales) Akeem Shoge

•Deputy Editor (News) •IT Manager Adeniyi Adesina Bolarinwa Meekness •Deputy Editor (Nation’s Capital) Yomi Odunuga •Press Manager •Group Political Editor Udensi Chikaodi Emmanuel Oladesu •Group Business Editor Ayodele Aminu •Sport Editor Ade Ojeikere •Editorial Page Editor Sanya Oni

•Manager, Corporate Marketing Hameed Odejayi • Manager (Admin) Folake Adeoye

THE NATION FRIDAY, APRIL 5, 2013

20

CARTOON & LETTERS

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IR: These are indeed troubled times for the national chairman of PDP Alhaji Bamanga Tukur. These are indeed troubled and unpredictable times for the ruling party that has traversed the political landscape for the nearly 16 years like a bull China’s shop, destroying everything in sight and breaking everything breakable. It can never be out of place to suggest that the ruling party is putting everything in place to fight the last battle to keep our stolen and conquered patrimony.

In London, Tukur is crying out loud that the opposition is bent on destroying his PDP and asked members to prepare for battle ahead. I guess that the stress and strains occasioned by the deep crisis in PDP is beginning to take its toll on the chairman. I may not like PDP because the party is synonymous with poverty development but I do not want anything to happen to Alhaji Bamanga Tukur. I pray that he will live long to see how Nigeria will be after the demise of PDP in 2015.

For nearly 16 years, PDP has shown that it is deficit in honour, deficit in integrity, deficit in capacity, deficit in skills required to transform our dear country. Under our very eyes, this party has ruined the

EDITOR’S MAIL BAG SEND TYPEWRITTEN, DOUBLE SPACED AND SIGNED CONTRIBUTIONS, LETTERS AND REJOINDERS OF NOT MORE THAN 800 WORDS TO THE EDITOR, THE NATION, 27B, FATAI ATERE ROAD, MATORI, LAGOS. E-mail: views@thenationonlineng.net

PDP is the problem of Nigeria future of a promising country, dividing the country in order to remain in power, frittering away our common patrimony with reckless abandon and accepted impunity as a way of life. In 2015, it is either we destroy PDP or PDP will destroy us completely. This is the reason why good men must take a stand in Ni-

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geria come 2015.

A British soldier dying of bullet wounds at the battle of Trafalgar says “London with all your problems I love thee”. I love Nigeria with all my heart in spite of her teething problems because I know there is nothing wrong with our country, our land, our air, our wa-

ter, etc. The leaders of Nigeria have failed her in all fronts, in all spheres and in all facets. They have made Nigeria a land without soul, without mind, without eyes, without heart.

The PDP will not go down without a fight. They are ready to sacrifice our hard earned democracy.

The clash between Police and NSCDC

IR: It is not only despicable but lugubriously unspeakable for those empowered by the constitution to protect lives to constitute themselves into a gang of monstrous death hawkers. The news of the alleged murder of NSCDC officials by the Police at Ikorodu did not come to me as surprise because other ‘sister’ security agencies in Nigeria including the

Army have one time or the other been victim of Police massacre and belligerent bellicosity. The dynamics of crime in our society points to the irrefutable fact that the Police alone cannot be relied upon to provide security for lives and properties. Ipso facto the NSCDC was established by an act of parliament to perform specific duties, which includes the protection of oil facili-

ties and to complement the effort of other ‘sister’ security agencies in Nigeria.

It is shocking to note that the officers allegedly killed by the Police were on a legitimate assignment to checkmate vandalism at Ikorodu.

One would have thought that the Police who arrived the scene of crime owe Nigerians a duty to complement the effort of the NSCDC

Still on the same-sex marriage debate

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IR: There is perhaps no debate that is divisive right now as the one on same sex marriage.

It has been ranging on for ages and from the look of things, it’s not about to abate, not with all the sides sparing no punch to make their voices heard. Hardly, a day goes by on the international news channels that you don’t hear one party or the other advocating their position. It got a head even during the election of the new pope that those in support were rooting for some candidates who they feel are most likely to be sympathetic to their cause.

The whole argument is all about seeking equality in relationships in that a marriage should be considered as a union between two people as against the current practice of strictly seeing it as a union between a man and a woman.

Those in support are of the opinion that irrespective of your gender you should be able to marry whomever you want without any discrimination. For some, it is discrimination in the cloak of apartheid and

They can stop at nothing to bring the roof of the house down. The desperate gang will not let go easily. They have to suffer a crushing defeat to let my people go. The signs are there. The plot to destroy the opposition is gathering storm but it will fail.

The task to reclaim Nigeria from PDP is going to be local, national and international and on all fronts.

In 2015 everybody must answer his or her father’s name, loud and clear.

The slogan is - give us Nigeria or we die because this nation is worth dying for. Yes this country is worth dying for. Let us sweep PDP and redesign our country for the better.

• Joe Igbokwe Lagos

the other forms of discrimination that the world has been subjected to.

While those against are of the opinion that it is against natural law, and that such relationships are not self sustaining as it would need a third party to bring forth a fruit i.e. children.

The way it is being carried on is as if everyone in Europe and the US are in support of the proposal to legalize same sex marriage. And from findings, opinions are evenly divided on the issue and even some states have those who are against more than those who are in support.

It seems there is a conspiracy on those against not to be heard. I think journalism and news reporting is all about airing fair and balanced news which has been lacking in the debate. It took me listening and reading some faith based news channel and magazine for me to know that there are millions as well who are against.

I personally find same sex relationship disgusting and will not for any reason advocate it being legalized

and accepted as a norm like the heterosexual marriage. This does not mean I feel more important or human than those in support or who in fact have such inclination. But nobody should be blackmailed and made to look stupid just because you do not support it. My disagreement stems from several levels and one of the reasons for my speaking now is to at least give voice to those against.

Studies have shown that most prison inmates are victims of dysfunctional families where in most cases the father absconded leaving the woman alone to cater for the children. Are we not with this debate making rooms for more future prison inmates where man and man or woman and woman will try to play the role they are not meant for?

No matter how physically built a woman can be, she cannot play the role of a man same with a man.

There are inherent attributes that God gave to a man and woman that cannot be supplanted by any artificial attributes. The future of children

from same sex relationship from the foregoing is at best uncertain.

And by the way, where do we stop?

Soon enough, the argument will be for human beings to have the right to marry their pets like cats, dogs, horses and donkeys as some opinion in this regard is already brewing. We must not allow ourselves to be cowed by the developed countries.

• Olumuyiwa Ayoola Palmgrove, Lagos

officials in accordance with the principle of espirit de corps but the reverse was the case. As the NSCDC lost two of her personnel while others escaped with various degrees of injuries.

I dare to submit that there are clear jurisdictional dichotomy that exists between security agencies in Nigeria, but the real challenge is that we live in a nation where the Police desire to perform the duties and responsibilities of the NDLEA, DSS, immigration, prison, road safety, customs and even that of NSCDC. This challenge will linger on if we fail to amend the Police Act. I therefore call on Nigerians to appeal to the National Assembly to begin the process of amending the Police Act as a matter of urgent public importance. Our service chiefs should lay more emphasis on inter-service relationship so as to reduce the incessant case of interservice bellum-inter-duos in Nigeria.

• Ogbaisi G. Ekpoma, Edo State.

Re: Omatseye’s Achebe versus Soyinka

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IR: I found Sam Omatseye’s professional statement on an old subject matter of who is the greater writer – Chinua Achebe or Wole Soyinka - in The Nation of April 1, extremely enlightening, objective and seminal.

I always thought attempting to establish this ranking was frivolous and uncalled for. For once, I can see the value of peer-review as distinct

from press hypes which invariably establishes the vintage judgement and standards that create Nobel Laureates and underpin literary creativity. You successfully established for me that this is not necessarily a matter for populism or one of who is bestseller but deeply nuanced.

I sure will keep this for reference.

• Tunji Olaopa Abuja

THE NATION FRIDAY, APRIL 5, 2013 16

21

COMMENTS

Readers’ parliament “Who’s your daddy?”

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OU have said the mind of sane people still remaining in the church. The most foolish people are those that even with the glaring diversion of our hardearned money into their personal accounts, we still can’t talk to a “man of God.” Church is another business: “Me and my sons” limited. 08079279831.

What a beautiful and educative write-up you have here. You have expressed exactly my views but most times those close to me think I am an unbelieving individual who is too proud to be subservient to any of their fraudsters called daddies. 07038001105.

The problem is that most believers are not interested in truly and faithful worship of God rather people are just interested in their wicked desires. There is no more dignity in labour. Everyone wants to make it without working hard.

Present day pastors and church founders are preaching their own gospel, not that of Jesus Christ.

From Sunny Okafor. Nkpor.

08035755641.

Who is this? What religion is he representing? Could this not probably be the foretold antichrist?

These and many other questions will definitely be agitating and tormenting the minds of the few of the Nigerian faithful who will care enough to read this masterpiece of exposition but will not reason deep on its intent and thus miss its intended purpose – that is, a call to add a little bit of sensibleness to their misconstrued faithfulness. For those who will not read the article for whatever reasons aside from those who see any attempt at redirecting their

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incorrigible wayward daddies as an affront to Christ. Our prayer is that people of like mind, effrontery and boldness like you…who are truly interested in honest and sincere belief should not rest even when it is sure that your fans will be very few. Have solace in the fact that truth and honesty are orphans in the morally and religiously deprived society that we find ourselves. Keep up the finer work.

08032078292.

Hello, Mr. Olatunji, I have been following your article and I love your presentation. I totally agree with you where you wrote: “he strips the believer of intellect and thought, he silences his ability to think.” That’s what is happening to the two major religions in Nigeria. I find it very depressing that people can no longer think on their own. I have while reading the article if this writer is a free thinker, only to be disappointed in the last paragraph in which you mentioned “God-given intellect.”

From NANDIP Wuse 2, Abuja.

07037793312.

Thank you Olatunji for your piece. You have put it just as it is.

My prayer is that this truth will set free all who have been bewitched by these hirelings. God bless you. From Ben Ilebode ESQ. Benin City. 08033015690.

You are on point but how many people will listen to you? The soul of the Nigerian believer has been sold to the smooth tongue of the daddies’ greed and craze for materialism in the name of religion.

This philosophy thrives on pervasive poverty and a hopeless economic situation occasioned by inept political leader-

HE Imo State Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, set the tone for his approach to governance with his maiden broadcast on June 6, 2011. During the broadcast, the governor, tagging his administration Rescue Mission government, announced a coterie of policies and far-reaching decisions regarding the state and its people.

This came at a time when the governor’s partners in governance, particularly the legislature and the executive council, were yet to be inaugurated and constituted respectively. Thus, several major policies were initiated without consultation or being made to pass through rigorous scrutiny by the legislature or any other relevant body.

As it is generally known, any public policy initiated by a government under separation of powers system must be backed by an enabling legislation. That is, the legislature must pass such a policy into law. This also allows for public participation and contributions through legislative hearings on such a bill under consideration.

As is often the case, if there are negative reactions from the public or the legislature regarding the bill, the executive may withdraw it or it may not be passed into a law that would later become a policy of the government. This enables the government to save the cost it would have otherwise committed to the execution of the policy. This is the hallmark of responsible and responsive governance.

This has not been the case with the administration of Governor Okorocha. He instituted a number of policies and embarked on some projects which have been generating rancour and controversies between the government and the governed. The government has had to reverse some of these policies based on the public’s reaction or rejection of the policies.

One of such policies is the relocation of the Imo State University main campus from Owerri zone to Ideato in Orlu zone. There were widespread public reactions and opposition to this move but it fell on the deaf ears of the government.

Without an enabling legislation, the government acquired land and immediately started construction of new structures for the university. Hundreds of millions of naira were spent.

Several of the buildings had been completed. Out of the blues, Governor Okorocha, while interacting with a group of media practitioners, announced that his government was reversing its decision and returning the Imo State University back to Owerri zone based on negative public reactions. He

ship.08057797241.

Your article was very good. May God bless you to unravel more.

Nigerian pastors are shamelessly corrupt. Thanks. 08038772010.

This is about the best local article that I have read in a while. God bless and keep you. 08098422768.

You have just hit the nail on the head. People rush to spiritual homes for deliverance forgetting that deliverance lies within us just as the kingdom of heaven is in us.

From Biodun Soga, 08060006790.

That was an excellent piece bro.

So glad to find out someone else is in their right senses. Let them worship on God, the father.

08023506040.

I have read Part 2. You are a serial, blatant, cureless clown who tells the truth with religiosity, sentiment. Shame. Pity. From Kehinde Olalemi. Ibadan. 07041851806.

May your pen never run dry. I enjoyed the article. I hope those who have ears will listen. We are in a state of decadence that makes people believe easily and get quickly brainwashed that there is miracle waiting for them at the expense of their intellect and ability.

The so-called daddies capitalize on the socio-economic problems of the country to exploit them claiming that by paying their tithe, miracle is on the way. From

Rotimi Akinbiyi. 08033050814.

The creeps in our worship houses My friend, it appears you are qualified to be appointed a ‘chartered writer’— From 08187209543 Kudos! I consider myself a victim of our desperate pastors because my wife is hooked on their opium. Our society is gradually slipping into the abyss because of illiteracy and unwillingness amongst the literate to read. We have more “men of God” and less godly men. From 08037400478.

Mr. Ololade, I read your June 3, opinion. The question is, ‘are u five years early or one day behind the time?’ I am surprised that a Nigerian could say such a thing in this 21st Century. It’s okay, it’s an opinion. From Jacob 08034679229.

Nobody made them pastors, apostles and bishops and till tomorrow, they are fakes, they claim God spoke or called them. The biggest liars in the world is and among them adhere to the teachings of Jesus Christ? They go all length and even make magic and yet, prosperity , healing etc is not achieved because the source is satan. In Nigeria, less than 10% are real Christians. Thanks.

08039456567.

You have told the pastors the

“The Creeps in our worship houses 1 and 2”: Nobody made them pastors, apostles, and bishops and till tomorrow, they are fakes. They claim God spoke or called them yet they are the biggest liars in the world. Is any among them adhering to the teachings of Jesus Christ? They go to all lengths and even make human sacrifice to make magical prosperity, healing and so on. In Nigeria, less than one per cent of the people are real Christians. Thanks. From 08039456567.

truth. Until you tell your Islamic terrorists the truth, I will continue to believe you are suffering from Logorrhoea. Truth. 07041851806 Ola, you have not come by a more candid expository on our National malady in our time as yours on page 21 in The Nation of August 12. If I could, I will post unedited to all Nigerian Pastors hoping they will understand. Keep it up.

From E.J Ebong. 08038137269 There is no reward for goodness other than goodness. The truth you have said in the Nation about the true nature of Islamic Banking will be a success for you and your entire both in this world and hereafter. Amen…From Goodluck!

08065392578 “The Creeps in our worship houses 1 and 2”: Nobody made them pastors, apostles, and bishops and till tomorrow, they are fakes. They claim God spoke or called them yet they are the biggest liars in the world. Is any among them adhering to the teachings of Jesus Christ? They go to all lengths and even make human sacrifice to make magical prosperity, healing and so on. In Nigeria, less than one per cent of the people are real Christians. Thanks.

From 08039456567.

Olatunji, I have not come by a more candid and expository piece on this national malady in our time. If I could, I will post it unedited to all Nigerian pastors hoping they will understand. Keep it up. From E.J. Ebong. 08038137269.

There is no reward for goodness other than goodness. The truth you have said about the true nature of Islamic Banking will attract success to you and your entire household both in this world and the hereafter. Amen. From Goodluck.

08065392578.

Okorocha’s leaps in the dark

By Ikechukwu Uzodima also announced that the structures already developed in the Ideato zone would be appropriated for the newly proposed Imo-European University. He claimed that the proprietors of the new university would reimburse the state treasury for every penny the government spent on the project.

The governor also embarked on the spree of awarding contracts without taking into account the paucity and volatility of the state’s source of revenue. Over a hundred road contracts were awarded. Contracts were also awarded for the building of a hospital in each of the 27 local government areas of the state. The government also embarked on the construction of over 320 security gates in Owerri, the capital city. The road projects have largely been stalled. The hospitals have also been abandoned. The security gates have only not been abandoned but have been dogged by the controversy of the governor claiming that he never approved the construction in the first place.

The government further mired itself in bitter controversy by announcing the dissolution of the constitutional offices of elected local government councils and replacing them with illegal transition committees during his maiden broadcast. Statutorily tenured commissions of the state were also dissolved during the same broadcast.

As a result of its several illegal acts, the government has been subjected to over 300 citizen law suits. It is most likely that at the end when all the judgments from the various law suits may have been entered, the government’s treasury will be so burdened with judgment debts that the state will be hard pressed to finance any capital project.

With the illegal transition committees, the government will also end up paying two salaries for every political office in its local council areas. The July 5, 2012 Court of Appeal verdict has established that decision.

Critics have characterized Okorocha as exhibiting destructive bulldozer-like attitude through his actions and conduct, tagging him with the label of ‘bull in a China shop’.

As a result, the governor has alienated himself from the

well-meaning citizens of Imo State. His policy and project summersaults have projected him as undisciplined and immature administrator.

It behoves a responsible potential government to make credible campaign promises after factoring in necessary cost implications. As a commentator observed, trying to execute campaign promises made purely out of emotions, when the resources are not available for execution, only advances the hardships of the general public. A responsible government should bite only that which it can chew.

It is also pertinent that any policy or project of a long term nature must be backed by law or popular public opinion before it is embarked upon. This is the essence of democracy.

As an observer once said, when the head of any administration imposes his will through executive fiat, it is no longer a democratic government but rather, an autocratic or imperialistic one.

Consultation and sensitization translates to due process.

This brings about transparency.

• Uzodima writes from Imo State

‘The government also embarked on the construction of over 320 security gates in Owerri, the capital city. The road projects have largely been stalled. The hospitals have also been abandoned. The security gates have not been abandoned but have been dogged by the controversy of the governor claiming that he never approved the construction in the first place’

THE NATION FRIDAY, APRIL 5, 2013

22

COMMENTS I look on that man as happy, who, when there is question of success, looks into his work for a reply, not into the market, not into opinion, not into patronage ——Ralph Waldo Emerson VERY passing day, those in the corridors of power make mockery of the entire soul of government. They seem to have forgotten that the social contract between the government and the governed makes it compelling for leaders to provide purposeful and beneficial governance for the people. The truth as at today is that Nigerians are being denied this invaluable right because of the deformed inclination of most of their leaders. Can Nigeria ever get it right when leaders without conscience are in power? Will the country ever move forward with rulers that erroneously believe that today is forever? Can leadership without principle - but one centred on what to grab from the system - take the nation far?

Today’s discourse will readily show the difficulty that lies ahead for the country.

Just recently, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, national chairman of the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) gave the public an insight into why the whole essence of good governance might remain elusive in the country. At a recent meeting of the Northwest zone of his party in Kaduna, Tukur befuddled the nation with his proffered laughable panacea to looming threats of his party’s political extinction that emanates from imminent merger of four strong opposition parties. He betrayed the fears and desperation of the ruling party’s leadership with his disreputable panacea on keeping the party united ahead of the 2015 elections when he said: “PDP is all about patronage. We are going to dole out our patronage to all our members who remain in the party…There is a heavy war ahead in 2015. A group has come up and wants to sweep the mat off our feet. We cannot allow that to happen.”

He went further: ‘…Let me inform you, we are going to give patronage to all our members who have contested elections and lost.

There is enough in the party to go round everyone. There is no need to leave the party.”

Also a Peace Panel headed by Governor Ibrahim Shema reportedly mentioned patronage for PDP members in an alleged secret memo published during the week.

This statement by Tukur gave his party away as one that is ready to play the politics of door-die at the expense of the wellbeing of Nigerians. The politics of clientelism of PDP leadership, as conservatives, is geared towards

E

I

STATE upfront that my original article was to be: “You ain’t literate if you haven’t read Things Fall Apart (TFA).” But upon reading “Achebe Versus Soyinka”, the submission of Sam Omatseye, my Editorial Board chairman, in his In Touch column in The Nation last Monday, I changed the focus of my write up and expanded the scope a little. Sam in his inimitable way restoked this long-running controversy about Chinua Achebe vs. Wole Soyinka; and what makes up art in literature. It is a continuation of some of our heated debates during meetings. As part of my vehement disagreement with Sam on his take on TFA, I thought of this new title. The trouble with TFA in my reckoning, is the trouble with Chinua Achebe; it is the trouble with Nigeria. I will return to it later.

TFA as pristine art Sam asserts that Achebe “wrote good works, not great works, not textured by deeper insights you would see in better accomplished works”.

He says further that “Achebe was a good storyteller (but) turning from a raconteur to an art of sublimity and depth belongs to the masters”. First, one would have expected to see a list of such exemplars of great works of sublime depths so we can compare with TFA but Sam did not give us such an opportunity. In my humble submission however, Achebe’s spare and simple style of narrative is deliberate and not to be mistaken for Wole Soyinka’s convoluted and multi-layered streaming. So it is first a question of style.

I believe that Achebe is capable of twisting his thoughts to the 10th degree if he wanted, the way Soyinka is wont and is naturally predisposed. It is genius no doubt but I find greater genius in deconstructing even genius so that mere mortals like us could feed from its morsels. Prof. Niyi Osundare says TFA, “ represents Achebe’s literary essence because of its delicate simplicity.”

Gabriel Okara, another master of the art puts it this way: “I found it (TFA) interesting because here is a book written in a way I would have liked to write. I was happy that someone had done what I was trying to do in writing our African experience using the English man’s language to explain the African experience. And I appreciated the skills with which he did it.”

Elechi Amadi, another great man of letters and contemporary of Achebe’s puts it thus: “My impression of the book then (1958/59 when he first read it) was that I felt it was well written. The language was ‘rock-solid’. He handled the English language competently. In my opinion, com-

Who craves politics of patronage?

• Bamanga Tukur preserving the status quo ante as long as possible thereby making almost any means in their perverted political view to be legitimate.

The practice of patronage has grown to become a challenge that is usually provoked by a complacent political class that is historically willing to subordinate its ethical values and legal standards to that of its greedy leaders. In the process, the political system and the entire society are held hostage to the egos of a few leaders who consider the country as their fiefdom and its people as a malleable mass that could be easily trampled upon.

The essence of clientelism is therefore meant to keep people dependent, with lots of largely unfulfilled promises. In the end, the people remain perpetually the troops needed for prosecuting political battles. Ordinarily, when

the candidate of a political party wins an election, the newly elected has the right to appoint a reasonable number of competent persons to jobs in his government. But in the interest of good and effective governance, the appointees do not necessarily have to be members of the victor’s party. A patronage system of appointing persons to government positions on the basis of political support and work rather than on merit or objective criteria by any ruling political party will be detrimental to societal wellbeing.

Nigerian leaders should endeavour to be good students of history. Nigeria does not have to exist for centuries before getting things right. After all, there is an avalanche of historical books and documents from well developed democracies that could guide our political leaders in their approach to governance, especially on this issue of patronage. For instance, the patronage system thrived in the United States of America’s federal establishment at a point in history.

During that epoch, the loss of a presidential election by a political party usually gave birth to bitter fights and blanket turnover in their federal government. Even in 1881, President James Garfield, the twentieth president of the United States was assassinated by a disgruntled office seeker who did not get political appointment. This goaded the Congress to pass the Civil Service Act/Pendleton Act of 1883 (5 U.S.C.A. § 1101 et seq.) that created a Civil Service Commission and advocated a merit system for the selection of government employees. The Hatch Act of 1939 (53 Stat. 1147)

EXPRESSO STEVE OSUJI

SMS O8181624757, email:steve.osuji@yahoo.com

The trouble with Things Fall Apart pared to his other novels, Things Fall Apart is his best. It was the first novel written by a Nigerian or an African to attain world recognition…he galvanized us into action to write books of quality as he has done. Achebe was an inspiration.”

This is how Time magazine puts Achebe’s style in an obituary tribute in its current edition: “He liked writing in English.”I feel the English language will be able to carry my African Experience,” he declared in 1965. It would have to be a different English, though, “still in communion with his ancestral home but altered to suit its new African surrounding.” There it is: what Sam may have mis-read as a lack of depth or as pedestrian narrative was altered, contrived to suit; the way only a great mind would.

Wole Soyinka, Nobel prize and the Asiwaju controversy I think Achebe was right to have asserted that Wole Soyinka is not the Asiwaju of African literature, Nobel prize or not. It is the way he said it that might have furrowed eyebrows. While only an illiterate would doubt WS’ genius, I think his forte is not literature. He is the quintessential human, the artful crusader for social justice and sanctity of the human man; a cultural icon. Soyinka represents the original man in his most pristine and divine state. With all sense of responsibility, I hold that Soyinka dabbled into literature as a platform to project his original essence.

Let us make a few conjectures: if WS didn’t write literature, he would have easily written anthropology, laws of social justice, governance with

equal dexterity. Would he not have remained the universal icon he represents today? If he did not get the Nobel prize, his ultimate literary validation, would his literary works have amounted to much beyond serving as literary repast for grayhaired academics? For instance, while I read TFA in primary six, I could never grasp The Man Died in class five and I had to give away my copy of The Interpreters during Youth Service because I couldn’t break through it. One thinks that Soyinka effectively started his literary career with his autobiographical Ake, a story of his childhood days.

Since then, he had dutifully ensured he brought his high genius down to the pedestal of mere earthlings.

On the other hand, without literature and the seminal TFA, what would Achebe be? Perhaps another renowned professor among a myriad, teaching contextual African literature and literary criticism across the world. But Achebe’s validation was in his world acclaimed literary prowess. Not getting the Nobel did not diminish him one bit. How many other writers of literature have a singular book which has sold 12 million copies worldwide; a book never out of print and is read in every corner of the globe? It has also been translated into about 50 languages and has been adapted into different forms including business books.

I wager that the Nobel clan will forever live with the burden of ignoring Achebe and TFA. I have a feeling that as the friendly fire of TFA continues to rage and ‘consume’ the world for a

restricted partisan activities of federal employees. And by 1980, 90 percent of federal positions in the United States had become part of the civil service system thereby reducing drastically undue political patronage. Even currently, there is some display of decency in the award of political patronage in that country.

Why can’t Nigerian leaders, most especially from the ruling PDP, emulate such political virtue of knowing the limit of political patronage? It is sad that everything, including the important and the inconsequential, are seen from the prism of patronage. Even the essential issue of fuel subsidy is being treated by the PDP leadership in government as a weapon of political patronage. No wonder several of those arraigned beneficiaries of the fuel subsidy loot are sons, relatives and close buddies of leading PDP members.

In the United States, good precedent in this regard was set when President Garfield did not baulk from continuing investigation into the Star Route Scandal that showed that the Republican Party members were involved in the mail route contracts that were fraudulently awarded. This investigation culminated in the all-important above mentioned civil service reforms that curbed undue political patronage in that country. May be one should call on President Goodluck Jonathan to emulate the Garfield example by bringing to books, culprits in the fuel subsidy roguery rather than blooming the spoil system to enhance his 2015 ambition - even when he has not provided good government for Nigerians to savour. A political party like PDP that is all about patronage but bereft of ideas and good policies as confirmed by Tukur is not good for this country, now or beyond 2015. The entire PDP family should realise that Nigerians want progress in the management of their affairs, not insensate patronage meant to maintain the ineptly debilitating status quo ante.

‘Nigerian leaders should endeavour to be good students of history. Nigeria does not have to exist for centuries before getting things right. After all, there is an avalanche of historical books and documents from well developed democracies that could guide our political leaders in their approach to governance, especially on this issue of patronage’ long time yet, I see the Nobel people shamefacedly admitting their error and reconsidering their policy on post-humus awards. TFA would elevate the Nobel.

Again, what is art?

Art, in my view, has been what the critics and superior culture determine it to be. Thus Mozart’s work is high art. So is Shubert’s and Beethoven’s?

That is what they have trained our minds to accept. Is Osita Osadebey’s work art? What about Sunny Ade and Fela‘s? But if you ask me, beside Achebe and his TFA, the only other cultural and artistic export out of Nigeria and the Black world is Fela and his body of works. In other word, for me, art must have universal appeal for it to be socalled. And before I am accused of mixing pop culture with art, I note that even pop culture could grow to be art. Example: William Shakespeare’s work was pop culture in his days and the likes of Samuel Johnson derided him as a hacker. Today, Shakespeare is the touchstone of literature in English.

Trouble with TFA The trouble with TFA, I dare say, is the trouble with Nigeria. Let us do further conjecturing: what might have been if Wole Soyinka was Chinua Achebe and vice-versa? My guess is that the armada of the boisterous and very active (God bless their souls) Yoruba intelligentsia would have hoisted TFA on their wings of glory and (mark my word), staged it on every street corners of the world. It would have been the recommended standard text of the Yoruba, nay Blackman’s worldview; his history, sociology, anthropology, etc. No grudges there though because enlightened self-interest is the first wisdom.

The trouble with TFA is the trouble with Nigeria. TFA is the hard copy, the crystallization of the ethnic rivalry between three major nations yoked together under one flag. The trouble with Nigeria is that three peoples; Igbo, Yoruba and Hausa, three great nations are strapped together as one. Their very existence is a pervasive mindgame, a rivalry that will either make or mar them.

Imagine England, France and Syria under one flag as a nation! That is Nigeria, a salad of a nation that gets increasing sour and unsavoury by the day.

But egbe bere, ugo bere, nke si ibeya eberele, nku kwa ya. That remains the Igbo dictum. Let the hawk perch, let the eagle perch (on the iroko), he that seeks to upstage the other, let his wings dislocate.

Adieu Chinualumogu, the great ugo flies into the horizon…

THE NATION FRIDAY, APRIL 5, 2013

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THE NATION FRIDAY, APRIL 5, 2013

PEOPLE THE NATION

AN EIGHT-PAGE SECTION ON SOCIETY

•From left: Chief Anyaoku, his wife Bunmi; Asiwaju Tinubu; Governor Obi and General Gowon

Obosi, a remote community in Anambra State, came alive last Saturday as former Commonwealth Secretary-General Chief Emeka Anyaoku and his wife Bunmi, threw a party at their countryhome. It was to mark Anyaoku’s 80th birthday and the couple’s 50th wedding anniversary, ODOGWU EMEKA ODOGWU reports.

The Anyaokus’ crowd-pulling show T

HEY came from every face of the earth.

Virtually every continent was represented. It is not everyday that such dignitaries gather under one roof on a day. But as a guest said on the occasion: "What do you expect when Anyaoku celebrated?" Chief Emeka Anyaoku needs no introduction. An international figure, he was for 10 years Secretary-General of the Commonwealth. Since his return from London, he has lived an enviable life from which many draw inspiration.

His Obosi hometown in Anambra State was a beehive last Saturday when he celebrated his 80th birthday and 50 years of marriage to his darling wife, Bunmi. Posh cars were everywhere. The dignitaries were resplendent in native attires and suits. Obosi is used to hosting such dignitaries but last Saturday was different.

The rustic community turned a metropolitan city of sorts that day.

The ceremony was unique by all standards.

The St. Andrew’s Anglican Church, Obosi, venue of the service, was filled to capacity.

Those who could not enter the church stayed in their cars waiting for the service to end.

At Anyaoku’s residence, many, including reporters, were turned back at the gate and directed to canopies outside. Security was tight and almost everybody wanted to enter the modest compound.

President Goodluck Jonathan was represented by the Minister for Labour and Productivity, Chief Emeka Wogu.

At the church service, the Primate and Metropolitan Archbishop of Nigeria, Most Rev Nicholas Okoh, said Chief Anyaoku’s life is

‘We need men and women of honour like you to stand up for us to move the country forward and to say that God has not finished with Nigeria’ worth emulating. He bemoaned the lack of honest and selfless leadership in Nigeria, saying unless leaders imbibed principles of servant-leadership, the county cannot move forward.

He praised Anyaoku for his accomplishments, urging him to still be committed to the advancement of humanity.

Rev Okoh lamented that presently Nigeria is full of contradictions, highly polarised, a lot of political squabbles and insecurity”, adding: “We need men and women of honour like you to stand up for us to move the country forward and to say that God has not finished with Nigeria.”

Rev Okoh said the country, though passing through security challenges, could still stand

if only the leaders became servant-leaders who would be ready to devote their lives to the service of God and humanity.

“In Obosi, Anambra, Nigeria and on the international scene, wherever you go, you are the leader of the people who continues to offer himself as a leading sacrifice. Offer yourself for services for mankind,” he said.

He urged the Anyaokus to always remember that they were kept together by God for the purpose of protecting the society as well as protecting the black race, adding “your ability to say and stand by the truth must always be impeccable and, in doing that, you must be the servant of the people.”

Jonathan described Anyaoku as a leader whose commitment to the growth of the country is total, urging him to re-dedicate himself to the service of God and humanity.

Former Head of State Gen Yakubu Gowon prayed God to protect the Anyaokus to continue to be of service to humanity.

National Leader of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Prof Pat Utomi praised Anyaoku for his great accomplishments in life.

Tinubu described Anyaoku as “one of the most critical voices for constitutional democracy.”

The Jagaban Borgu urged Nigerians not to keep quiet when their leaders fail them, saying that the masses should begin to ask their leaders questions about the way they are ruling them.

Utomi described Anyaoku as a patriot who should be celebrated.

He said most of those being celebrated in Nigeria were “those who want to be celebrated

and not those who deserve to be celebrated.”

Former Secretary-General of Ohaneze Ndigbo and renowned constitutional lawyer Prof Ben Nwabueze praised Anyaoku for “a lot of accomplishments he brought to Nigeria.”

Governors Peter Obi and Theodore Orji of Anambra and Abia states eulogised the celebrators, describing them as great Nigerians who stand for the country’s unity.

Anyaoku, while appreciating the dignitaries for the honour done to him, urged those interested in giving him and his wife gifts to donate them to the Iyi Enu Hospital where he was born on January 18, 1933.

In attendance were former Vice-President Alex Ekwueme; Governors Adams Oshiomhole (Edo); Rochas Okorocha (Imo); Rauf Aregbesola (Osun); Anambra State Deputy Governor Mr. Emeka Sibeudu; Minister of Finance Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala; former Minister of Education Dr Oby Ezekwesili; Director-General of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Ms Aruma Otteh; Senators Andy Uba (Anambra South); Chris Ngige (Anambra Central) and Presidential Adviser on National Assembly Matters, Senator Joy Emordi.

Others are former Information Minister Prof Dora Akunyili; Second Republic Minister and elder statesman, Dara Mbazulike Amaechi; former Communication Minister Air-Vice Marshal Canice Umenwaliri; former Presidents General of Ohaneze Ndigbo , Ambassador Ralph Uwazurike; Dr Dozie Ikedife; former Chairman, Police Service Commission, Chief Simon Okeke.

•More pictures on page 26

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THE NATION FRIDAY, APRIL 5, 2013

SOCIETY A dinner was held last week at the Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos, to mark the 61st birthday ADEBANJO and PRECIOUS IGBONWELUNDU report.

•Asiwaju Tinubu and wife Senator Oluremi (middle) cutting the cake. With them from right are Governor Fashola; Aremo Osoba; Mr Chagouri; Alhaja Tinubu; Mrs Fashola; Alhaja Aregbesola and Prince Audu.

H

IS wish was for a cocktail, but some of his friends and associates overruled him. “Sir”, they said, “how can you host a cocktail to mark your 61st birthday? It must be a full-blown party". They had their way.

Last Friday, they held a dinner in Lagos to mark the 61st birthday of Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) National Leader Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

A red carpet at the entrance of the venue led guests to the elevator which took them to the 10th floor. On entry, they were treated to a cocktail with light background music.

A round shelf manned by waiters was filled with choice drinks. Many took time to unwind and chat.

Afterwards, they moved in batches to the exquisite hall reserved for the ceremony. The setting was awesome. A long table reserved for the special guests faced three tables for the other guests. The arrangement was superb.

Behind where the guests were seated was a live band, entertaining the gathering.

This was the setting at Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos, venue of the dinner.

Tinubu was clad in a deep grey Senegalese outfit - his usual simple style, a pair of glasses, self-styled cap and matching black pair of shoes.

Beside him, was his wife, Oluremi fondly called “Distinguished Senator.” She shone in white French lace, designed with Taffeta, a diamond choker on her neck, lovely earrings, hand chain and wrist watch, head gear and a matching pair of shoes.

The Tinubus acknowledged cheers from guests.

Comedian Gbenga Adeyinka who emceed the event was at his best; dishing out jokes.

It may not be wrong to calling the ceremony

Dinner with the Jagaban a night of style; many guests made statement with their outfits.

Former Kogi State Governor Prince Abubakar Audu, Senator Ali Ndume and other guests from the North appeared in Babaringa. Former Ogun State Governor Olusegun Osoba, Asoju-Oba of Lagos, Chief Molade Okoya-Thomas, Omooba Olumuyiwa Sosanya, Chief Pius Akinyelure, and ACN National Publicity Secretary Alhaji Lai Mohammed looked regal in Agbada.

Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola (SAN), Senator Babajide Omoworare, Vanguard Publisher Sir Sam Amuka-Pemu and former Ondo State Governorship aspirant Chief Segun Abraham wore blazers.

Senator Gbenga Ashafa, former Zenith Bank Managing Director Jim Ovia and a few others were in suits.

The women were gorgeously dressed.

While the wife of Osun State Governor Alhaja Sherifat Aregbesola turned heads in her black French lace with an inner bridal satin, Fashola’s wife, Abimbola, wore Ankara fabric. Former Minister of Commerce Mrs Nike Akande dazzled in a velvet bridal satin with silver stones; wife of the Chief of Staff to Osun State Governor Alhaja Kafayat Oyetola appeared in an embroidered guinea brocade and former Lagos State Deputy Governor Princess Sarah Sosan opted for Indian style.

The highpoint of the night was the cutting of the cake supervised by Fashola after a series of goodwill messages.

The birthday boy later led guests to the dancing floor.

Congratulating Asiwaju Tinubu, Mr Roland Chagouri, who chaired the occasion, wished him more prosperous years.

Chief Akinyelure, Tinubu’s former boss at Mobil, described him as highly cerebral.

According to him, Tinubu got the job the day he was interviewed.

“We always go out to catch fun after office hours. The management did not want him to leave when he wanted to quit for politics. He was given a letter to return to the company anytime he wished to continue his job there,” he said.

Chief Akinyelure described Tinubu’s wife as tolerant.

Mrs Patricia Arawore, who worked with the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo for five years, said Tinubu has indeed stepped into the shoes of the late sage.

“What I see in him is the leader of the Yoruba just like Papa Awolowo. They are of different generation with the same mission. Yoruba are sophisticated and cerebral. If anyone could gather them together, such a person is a true leader,” she said.

Senator Ndume said Tinubu is a nationalist.

Ndume said if Nigeria had six people like Asiwaju, the country would be a better place, noting that Lagos is the only state where the dividends of democracy are evident.

“You see us here because we are celebrating

a true nationalist. People like Asiwaju are rare.

So, when God blesses him with another year, we are delighted to come and celebrate him,” he said.

Tinubu’s longtime friend, Kashim Ibrahim Imam said there is no Nigerian politician who knows his onion as much as Tinubu.

Imam, the former Presidential Adviser to the National Assembly, described Tinubu as an incredible fellow.

Chief Okoya-Thomas, Dr Leke Pitan, Alhaja Fatimat Bintu Tinubu and Lukman Edun also congratulated the celebrator.

Others in attendance were Governor Adams Oshiomhole represented by his Commissioner for Information Louis Odion; Chief of Staff to Osun State Governor Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola; Senators Mudashiru Hussain, Gbenga Obadara, Olorunnimbe Mamora and Ganiyu Solomon; Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon Adeyemi Ikuforiji and wife Mayowa and Mrs. Remi Agbowu, a frontline businesswoman.

Others included Oba Saheed Elegushi; former Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Dele Alake; the Managing Director, The Nation Mr. Victor Ifijeh; the Chairman, Editorial Board of The Nation, Mr. Sam Omatseye; Mrs Kemi Nelson; Mrs Elizabeth Ayilara; Chief Leo Stan Ekeh; Mr Emeka Okafor; Mr Obi Onwuka; Dr Ken Mordi; Dr Abiola Adenuga; Alhaji Ayilara Suraju and wife Elizabeth; Mrs Olabisi

27

THE NATION FRIDAY, APRIL 5, 2013

S OCIETY of Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) National Leader Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. TAJUDEEN

Chief Akinyelure and wife

•From left: Lagos State Deputy Governor Mrs Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire; Hon Ikuforiji and wife Mayowa

Omoworare; Chairman ACN Delta State Chief Joe Okotie-Eboh; Hon Edwin Joseph; Sunny Ajose; Mr Michael Babatunde; Dr Femi Hamzat; Alhaji Akeem Apatira; Hon Hakeem Munirudeen; Mr Afolabi Salami; Prince Diran

Iyantan; Otunba Paul Akintelure; Mr. Sesan Awoniki and wife, Shade; Mr and Mrs Remi Makajuola; Mr Fola Tinubu; Hon. Arole Fancy; Mrs. Olanlesi Mamora; Bisi Fafunmi and Alhaja Modupe Ariyo.

•Imam

•From left: Senator Ashafa and wife Sade; Hon Lola Akande and Hon Afeez Ipesa-Balogun

•Alhaji Oyetola and wife Kafayat

More pictures on page 28 and 37

THE NATION FRIDAY, APRIL 5, 2013

28

SOCIETY DINNER WITH THE JAGABAN

•Senator Ndume (left) and Senator Hussain Mudasiru •Chief Okoya-Thomas

•Otunba Busurah Alebiosu

•Senator Mamora

Senator Omoworare

•Oba Shaeed Ademola Elegushi and Mrs Kemi Nelson

•Chairman ACN Delta State Chief Joe Adolo Okotie-Eboh

•Alhaji Moshood Tijani (A.k.a Tijaco)

•Aliyu Maigari and wife Amabua

•Senators Pius Ewherido, Solomon and Gbenga Obadara

•Mr Kole Funsho and Mrs Agbowu

•From left: Alhaji Jubreel AbdulKareem; Hon Omobolanle Akinyemi-Obe; Hon Akeem Sulaiman and Hon Abiodun Mafe

•Hon Hakeem Bamgbola and wife Ashabi

Continued on page 37

THE NATION FRIDAY, APRIL 5, 2013

29

DISCOURSE

Forging a synergy between public and private universities for the attainment of national development Text of a paper delivered by Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN), former president, Nigerian Bar Association and pro-chancellor and chairman of Council, University of Ibadan, at the debut of Distinguished Lecture Series of the Elizade University, Ondo State, on March 28.

O

N or about February 11, 2013, I had some repeated calls from telephone number 08037212260 which I did not attend to, as it is not all that safe and advisable for me as a person to pick calls from unregistered or un-stored numbers whose owners and identities I do not know. Subsequent to the repeated calls, I received an SMS from the same number and this time around, from a gentleman who introduced himself as Omololu Adegbenro, the Registrar of Elizade University, Ilara-Mokin. His objective was brisk and straight forward, to wit, a ‘command’ (or do I say ‘an order’?) from Chief Michael Ade Ojo, OON, the Founder of Elizade University that I should ‘debut’ the Elizade University Distinguished Lecture Series on March 28, 2013. According to Mr. Adegbenro, a letter to this effect was already drawn up and about being delivered personally to me in Lagos. I quickly asked myself whether or not I had a choice in the matter and came to the realization that the ‘order’ or ‘command’ of the Founder of this exquisite Institution is binding on me for so many reasons, including but not limited to the fact that Chief Michael Ade Ojo, OON (aka Elizade) is a respected and respectable Nigerian, an industrialist extraordinaire, a business icon and mogul without a reproach or blemish; a foremost senior citizen of Nigeria, an outstanding patriot who is both scandal and corrupt-free; a very rare mentor in a clime like ours where the tribe of actual mentors is dwindling, if not evaporating or dehydrating by the day; a global role model who a lot of us not only aspire to copy, but also see as a beacon of hope and symbol of ‘paradise regained’ for our nation. To me as a person, Chief Ade Ojo exemplifies and has in-built in him all that is good, lovely, godly, beautiful, charming and beneficial to mankind. It is apt to publicly acknowledge and appreciate one good gesture of Chief Ade Ojo to me in 2007 when some political miscreants, ostensibly from the opposing camp of a client I was representing in a sensitive political Petition at a Tribunal went to my Ikere-Ekiti country home and set it on fire. The house was substantially damaged before my towns men and Fire Brigade staff eventually quenched the fire.

Chief Ojo became aware of the incident on the pages of newspapers.

He there and then sent to me a cheque for a handsome amount, representing his own contribution towards the repair, reconstruction and rehabilitation of the edifice.

I accepted the invitation, although with much trepidation, for several reasons. The conveying letter dated February 11, 2013 reads in part as follows: “On behalf of the Founder, the Board of Trustees, Council and Administration of the University, I wish to invite your eminence to debut the Elizade University Distinguished Lecture Series named: ‘Elizade University Distinguished Lecture Series 1.’ As it is named, this is the first in the series of the lectures, which is organized to officially open the new university. It is also organized to commemorate the Maiden Matriculation Ceremony of the University to which parents and several dignitaries from within and outside the country are being invited. It will be our great pleasure if you would honour this epoch-making occasion with your presence as our first Distinguished Lecturer on a befitting topical issue of your choice. It will be an hour lecture holding at the University Events Centre at 11.00am on Thursday, March 28, 2013.”

This lecture is not too dissimilar to a university inaugural lecture, although the Vice-Chancellor is not presiding. From my humble knowledge and appreciation of University lectures, whether inaugural or distinguished, whoever is the Guest Lecturer must be highly cerebral and sure-footed. I do not think I am. I am not in the academics and I make no pretense that I am an academic. Simply put or summarized, I am a humble lawyer.

Be that as it may, my position as the Pro-chancellor and Chairman of Council of the University of Ibadan has afforded me the golden opportunity of having first-hand dealings with academics of different grades, shapes, sizes, heights and depths for the past four years. Again, this does not make me one of them. Permit me, ladies and gentlemen to situate myself under a safe and comfortable haven to debut this Distinguished Lecture Series, not as an academic, but as a stakeholder in the Nigerian education project, particularly under the Chairmanship of another distinguished Nigerian, who though is a Medical Doctor by profession and politician by vocation and reputation, but definitely not an academic, irrespective of the fact that he is a Visitor to two State Universities. I am not talking in parables. I am directly referring and pointing to my friend, brother and former colleague in the Ondo State Executive Council, His Excellency, Governor Olusegun Mimiko, the Governor of Ondo State. Still meandering in trepidation, I got into the deepest of dilemma as to the choice of topic, but at the end of it all, I resolved to address this gathering on the topic ‘Forging a Synergy between Public and Private Universities for the Attainment of National Development’.

Introduction We all live in an interrelated world where no one constitutes an island to himself. By the same token, nobody, however scholarly endowed, has the monopoly of knowledge. We borrow ideas from one another, even in the presentation of either distinguished or inaugural lectures in the universities. Therefore, let me make an open confession that at kick-starting the sketches of this lecture, I found great inspiration in a number of Greek mythologies and the postulations of leading thinkers and statesmen.

I have always been excited about the myth of the Grecian Priest Abaris. This priest was depicted as a sage who travelled with a magic, golden arrow given to him by the god Apollo. It was said that the arrow enabled him to ride through the air, and that it also rendered him invisible. He was benevolent enough to use it to cure diseases, as well as invoke oracles. But do you know what interests me most about Abaris? Despite the power he had at his disposal, by virtue of owning the golden arrow, he later gave it to Pythagoras in exchange for lessons in Pythagoras’ philosophy!

Those of us who went to secondary schools are not (and should not be) unfamiliar with Pythagoras theorem in geometry. I also make no pretense that the Egyptian myth of Amenhotep, a sage and

•Chief Olanipekun

minister under Pharaoh Amenhotep III also encourages my intellectual exploration. During his days, he was often invoked as an intercessor by the people in times of trouble or need. Yet, his wisdom was what he was known for – a man famously portrayed as a scribe with a roll of papyrus on his knees.

These two myths highlight the value of education and also what, I might call synergetic learning. Amenhotep and Abaris recognized that being knowledgeable was not an individual affair, but that, at the core of being human, is the need to participate in a learning process.

To J. F. Kennedy, the 35th President of the United States of America, America could not progress further and farther than her education. In his words, ‘Our progress as a nation can be no further than the progress in education. The human mind is our fundamental resource.’ Also, Clairbone Pell clearly brought out the potency of education vis-à-vis the strength of the USA when he posited thus: ‘The strength of the United States is not the Gold at Fort Knox, or the weapons of mass destruction in our arsenals, but the sum total of the education and character of our people.’

With the theories, myths and postulations of these and other great thinkers, philosophers, statesmen etc in mind, this lecture intends to highlight how learning is collaborative. Put succinctly, this would be the thrust of this presentation. I have come to the realization that knowledge has always been participatory.

Universities are founded on the premise that knowledge can, and should, be shared for the benefit of all. We find the word ‘mankind’ stated in the Vision Statement of the newly founded Elizade University. Immediately that word is invoked, the ‘pursuit of academic and moral excellence’ becomes a shared action.

Synergy, as a word and concept, will help drive home my points as this lecture unfolds. My approach is to think of collaboration between learning systems in Nigeria and also between individuals. To put things in perspective, I have attempted to ensure a ‘global’ approach to my analysis, building context for my ideas on university education in Nigeria on worldwide examples and approaches. It will soon become apparent that this lecture is a collage of ideas on education – touching importantly on the prospects for a synergetic relationship between public and private universities, but equally considering national development through education.

My methodology is to define the key terms that form the basis of the topic, and then to analyze what university education, both on the private and public levels, are. After this, I will attempt to highlight the state of university education in Nigeria, comparing it to other climes. This will then lead to a position on synergy and national development as it relates to the synergetic relationship between private and public universities.

Definition of key terms university The word ‘University’ is an institutional name adopted from the Latin word ‘universitas’ which connotes ‘corporate’, ‘community’, ‘total’, ‘whole’ or ‘general’. It is a term that refers to the teaching of general or universal knowledge. The term was specifically applied to an academic community in Medieval Latin through the use of the following Latin words: ‘Universitas Magistrorum Et Schorarium.’ The original Latin word ‘universitas’ refers in general to a number of persons associated into one body, a society, company, community, guild, corporation, etc. At the time of the emergence of urban towns, life and medieval guilds, specialized associations of students and teachers with collective legal rights usually

‘Synergy, as a word and concept, will help drive home my points as this lecture unfolds. My approach is to think of collaboration between learning systems in Nigeria and also between individuals. To put things in perspective, I have attempted to ensure a ‘global’ approach to my analysis, building context for my ideas on university education in Nigeria on worldwide examples and approaches’

guaranteed by charters issued by princes, prelates, or the towns, in which they were located came to be denominated by this general term. Like other guilds, they were self-regulating and determined the qualifications of their members. The original Latin word referred to degree-granting institutions of learning in Western and Central Europe, where this form of legal organisation was prevalent, and from where the institution spread around the world.

In the Wordweb dictionary, three meanings are accorded the word: • The body of faculty and students at a university.

• Establishment where a seat of higher learning is housed, including administrative and living quarters as well as facilities for research and teaching.

• A large and diverse institution of higher learning created to educate for life and for a profession and to grant degrees.

The International Encyclopedia of the Social Sciences defines University as an organization that engages in the advancement of knowledge; it teaches, trains and examines students in a variety of scholarly, scientific and professional fields.

The Universities confer degrees and provide opportunities for both their teaching staff and students to do original research. They are the research and development arm of the world of thinking men. But in line with the changing nature of the definition of a University and the global challenges, a University must be seen as being more than a research citadel or a degree-awarding institution.

It must be a community that is capable of producing quality leaders, a platform for social and economic change and a force to be reckoned with in formulating national policies.

The authors further stated: “The term ‘University’ embodies a platform for universal knowledge utility. ‘The university is a universality of ideas’ is an apt phrase for the great wealth of opportunity and experience with which the institution endues its scholars during the period of their academic pursuit. A university connects its individual members physically. It fosters greater partnership and relationship between its members and members of its fellow institutions nationally, regionally and internationally.”

The above definitions make it clear that the universities are key drivers in the knowledge economy – in fact, the central hub of knowledge impartation and exchange.

Public university To my mind, and viewed, defined or interpreted within the Nigerian context, a Public University is one established, owned, funded and controlled by the Government, whether Federal or State. At the Federal level, it is established by the instrumentality of an Act of the National Assembly, while at the State level, the State House of Assembly passes a Law to establish it. The University of Ibadan Act 1962 provides thus: “There shall be established, as the successor of the University College Ibadan, a University which shall be a body corporate by the name of the University of Ibadan … and shall be constituted in accordance with the provisions of this Act.” Precisely on April 13, 1962, the Act establishing the University of Lagos was passed by the Federal Parliament with the following Preamble: “BE IT THEREFORE ENACTED by the Legislature of the Federation of Nigeria in this present Parliament assembled and by the authority of the same as follows: 1(1) There shall be in the Federal territory a University to be known the University of Lagos to provide courses of instruction and as learning in the faculties of arts, law, medicine, science, education, commerce and business administration, engineering, and any other faculties which may from time to time be approved under this Act.” The laws establishing and governing public Universities are always elaborate, extensive and detailed. They provide for, amongst others, the academic structure, Governing Council, Senate, Principal Officers, Students, Convocation, Alumni, Congregation, powers, functions etc. The Councils are constituted by the respective Governments, while, at the Federal Universities, the ViceChancellors are appointed by the respective Governing Councils.

But in a good number of the State Universities, the position of the Vice Chancellor is as unstable as the British weather, for he remains in office at the pleasure, hatred, dislike, whims and caprices of whoever is the Governor. Put in the proper perspective, there is much more freedom in the Federal Universities than the States’.

With my experience as the Pro-Chancellor of a Federal University for the past four years, at no point in time has either the President, who is the Visitor to the University or the Minister of Education interfered in decision-making policy of the Council or in the appointment of the Principal Officers which we have made so far, or in the conferment of Honourary Degrees to distinguished individuals, in and out of Nigeria. Contrast this with the halting and the ultimate withdrawal of the planned conferment of the Honorary Degree of the Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba, Ondo State on that foremost Nigerian lawyer and human rights activist, late Chief Gani Fawehinmi, SAN at the instance of the then Ondo State Government.[10] Also in contradistinction to the high fees paid by students in the private universities, Governments at both Federal and State levels regulate, leverage on and dictate what the tuition, boarding and other fees payable by students should be, apparently out of tune with the realities on ground and in order to meet political expediency. It is necessary to add that while the older Federal and State Universities like Ibadan, Lagos, Ife, Zaria, Nsukka were carefully structured and planned, at times after the submission of a report of a particular Commission set up for that purpose[11], the later generation of Government/Public universities have come into being without any planning, debating, structuring or altruistic intention, but merely to fulfill political righteousness, not minding or caring whether these latter day universities would last.

• To be continued

THE NATION FRIDAY, APRIL 5, 2013

30

Brandnews

Close Up to set world record in tooth brushing L

EADING oral care brand Close Up toothpaste has reiterated its determination to set a new world record in tooth brushing.

During the celebration of the World Oral Health Day held in Lagos, Close-Up pledged to partner the Lagos State government, Nigerian Dental Association (NDA), HEIT Solutions, Vas2Net & Core Media to sensitise the public on the importance of proper oral care.

Oral Close-Up Category Manager, Mrs. Vivian Ihaza, said Close Up and its partners intend to nurture healthier teeth and gums amongst communities and fami-

Stories by Raji Rotimi Solomon

lies across the country. According to her, “Close Up will support the event where 300,000 students, at the same time in Lagos State will take part in a World Record tooth brushing challenge to break the Guinness Book of Records earlier set by India”. The latest Guinness Book of Records on the event held

by India brought together 176,000 people to brush their teeth at the same time.

The Special Adviser to Lagos State Governor on Health, Dr Yewande Adeshina, in her remarks, reiterated the importance of healthy oral hygiene and en-

joined Nigerians to embrace a proper routine for their oral health which includes regular care of the teeth and mouth by brushing twice daily.

Close-Up Brand Manager, Mr Dexter Adeola called on Nigerians to join the campaign to break the world record by counting down daily until May 23 when the Actual feat of having 300,000 children brush their mouth simultaneously comes up in Lagos State.

He added that Nigerians will be expected to brush twice on that day in support of the cause and join in the campaign.

New eatery berths in Ibadan JAAGEE Nigeria Limited has unveiled a new eatery called Stop-Over Grilled Chicken Centre which offers freshly grilled chicken and chips.

The centre is a new innovation which focuses on quality and a modern preparation of grilled chicken, chips and fried fish.

The Managing Director of the company, Mr Gbolade Famoriyo, stated that the decision to position the stop-over was to serve as a quick linking channel to people coming from the north, east, south and west.

Famoriyo added that travellers were only expected to have a quick stopover for their order which should not take more than five minutes. “We have brought in a completely new innovation into the fast food industry in Nigeria,” The Managing Director added that services were also rendered for formal and informal events, with home delivery, noting that the unique selling point of the eatery was the low fat content of the meal.

Mr Famoriyo said the business of quality service would only be appreciated by those who love good food and would be willing to pay for a quality meal. He also revealed that experts managing the business came from Ghana and the United Kingdom to ensure international standard and uniqueness.

Jaagee Nigeria Limited has been in the business of ensuring food standards and the nutritional value of food for over 20 years and has identified the need for quality in grilled chicken and chips meal after consultations with directors of major food eatery centres in France, Sweden, Japan, United kingdom and the US.

Firms unveil photo printing machine SKYSAT Technologies Limited and KIS Photo-Me Group, a photo printing machine manufacturer, have launched the new DSK Wet Minilab Generation 4.

The machine produces formats up to 12"x18"or x36", prints in HD quality and features an exclusive automatic enhancement technology for digital pictures.

Some of the features and specifications of the new machine include compact design, new version of eye-tech digital science operating software and optional film scanner. Others include 340dpi resolution, 800 prints per hour and internet 500GB archiving capacity (equivalent of 250,000 photos).

Speaking in Lagos during an interactive session with key dealers drawn from Nigeria and Benin Republic, the International Sales Manager, KIS PhotoMe Group, Mr Pierre Buendia, said the need to match consumers’ dynamic expectations was responsible for the new product that was launched last year in France.

“Photo-Me recognises that today’s consumers are expecting more from their photos and that is why the new DKS4 delivers a full range of high value-added services in a simple operation. The machine, which is a new generation of professional wet digital minilabs, is fully compactable with the Photo-Me Photobook Builder,” he said.

MoneyGram rewards customers in promo

• From left: Adeola; Dr. Adeshina and Mrs Ihaza at the event.

Indomie to sample nine million consumers D

UFIL Prima Foods Plc, makers of Indomie Instant Noodles, will sample over nine million people nationwide this year. This projection came about as a result of the company’s desire to surpass last year’s 6,500,000 consumers sampled last year.

Speaking on this development, the Marketing Manager, Dufil Prima Foods Plc, Mr. Manpreet Singh affirmed that the company intends extending the sampling to every geo political zone in the country which are: North central, Northeast, Northwest, Southeast, Southsouth and Southwest. The sampling will be carried out on all flavours produced by the brand.

He stated that the intent behind the sampling exercise is to create excitement and increase the emotional connection between the brand and its consumers; as it is a way of reproducing a store experience in the consumer’s home.

“Indomie aims at winning con-

sumers by letting them try it before buying it. Sampling our consumers is important to us because it affords us the opportunity to have an idea of their preference, which no other medium can do, that is, putting a physical products’ in the hands of a consumer, free of charge. This would further increase the bond between the consumers and the brand” Singh also stated that after the sampling exercise, consumers would have access to a website where they can let their opinion about the brand they have sampled known. The feedback gotten from the consumers would go a long way in determining what needs to be done to improve the brand to soothe consumers’ needs.

Also speaking on the sampling exercise, the Public Relations Manager, Dufil Prima Foods Plc,

Mr. Tope Ashiwaju, ascertained that sampling of the brand is an ideal way to win customers’ faith in a brand because consumers feel that sampling gives them the actual experience of the product and they don’t have to risk any investment to buy it as it is free.

“The importance of enabling our consumers to sample the brand cannot be overemphasised. This is so because some consumers’ especially prospective consumers are still anxious about the current economy and have become much more discriminating about their purchases. Some prospective consumers do not want to spend their money on a product they are unfamiliar with, so a trial experience will gear them towards becoming a consumer of the brand.”

The sampling exercise would be on all flavour of noodles provided by the brand and is expected to run all through the year.

GLOBAL money transfer giant, MoneyGram International, has rounded off this year’s edition of its ‘Share-the-Passion & Win-Big’ Consumer promo with a public draw where 70 customers of its agent banks in the country emerged winners.

The promo ran from January 19 to February 28 and offered MoneyGram customers who received money through any of the agent banks during the promo period a chance to enter for draws and win prizes ranging from smart phones to plasma TVs. Out of the seventy winners that emerged at the draw which used a transparent, technology driven process that treated a pool of 135,000 transaction entries from MoneyGram’s twelve agent banks in the country, twenty won plasma TVs while fifty others won Samsung Galaxy smart phones The event which held at the Oceanview Restaurant on Wednesday March 20 was witnessed by MoneyGram officials, representatives of agent banks, officials of the Consumer Protection Council (CPC) and the Advertising Practitioners Council (APCON), journalists and some invited guests.

In a brief remark, MoneyGram’s Regional Director, North and West Africa, Francois Peyret, described the Nigerian market as a key receiver corridor in Africa just as he congratulated the country for winning the recently concluded 2013 AFCON tournament, thereby re-stating her generally acknowledged position as giant of Africa.

Brands suffer on Wikipedia, says report EIGHTY-FIVE per cent of brands on Wikipedia are poorly represented, leading to calls for brand managers to better understand the site’s content needs, a study by EthicalWiki, a US consultancy specialising in Wikipedia has said.

Fox Entertainment Group, LG Corporation, Playtex and Pepsi Bottling Group were among brand pages identified by the Wikipedia community as incomplete or low in quality.

The report, entitled: Brands on Wikipedia by the Numbers, was produced

by EthicalWiki, owner and consultant David King, based on an analysis of 2,578 brand pages and the opinions of Wikipedia’s volunteer community.

Although the report has established that majority of brand pages on Wikipedia are poorly edited, King warned firms that if they improved their pages, or asked agencies to edit entries, they would ‘engage in a controversial practice in ethical grey areas that are ripe to put the firm through media humiliation’.

Instead, he suggested that when looking to supply information for entries, Public Relations professionals should engage with Wikipedia’s editors in the same way as dealing with journalists.

King said: “The level of sophistication on Wikipedia has remained stagnant. Companies should offer content of value to the Wikipedia community in a transparent way, not by directly editing articles they have an affiliation with.”

The research also revealed that 51 per cent of Wikipedia’s requests for improvements on brand pages were related to providing credible, thirdparty sources to draw content from, such as press, books and scholarly works.

SHOPPING

31

THE NATION

e-mail: shoppingthenation@hotmail.com

Website:- http://www.thenationonlineng.net

FRIDAY, APRIL 5, 2013

Shopping@thenationonlineng.net

•Traders at Iyana-Ipaja

Why roadside trading booms

It is an offence, yet many indulge in it. They trade on the road and in front of markets. In most cases, there are spaces in those markets but these traders prefer roadside trading. Why? The traders seem to enjoy wide patronage from shoppers who believe they get better bargain from them, TONIA ‘DIYAN reports.

•STORY ON PAGE 32 MY SHOPPING

Innovations in fast food industry

Ice block machine for convenience

Jumia to transform homes Page 33

Page 34

Page 34

THE NATION FRIDAY, APRIL 5, 2013

32

SHOPPING

T

HEY are traders of note with the means to either buy or rent shops to display their goods; but no; rather than confine their wares to their shops, they still take delight in displaying them on streets outside their shops to the inconvenience of motoring shoppers in particular.

Street trading is thriving despite laws against the practice in Lagos and other states.

As in other parts of the country, much as the anti-street trading law enforcement agencies have tried to tackle the problem, traders are not discouraged because of their perception that their wares are better attractive to shoppers when on display in open spaces rather than “hide” them inside their shops. It has become the order of the day as petty traders of all sorts of consumables have joined the fray.

They are daily seen displaying their wares on market streets out of the desperation to earn a living.

These traders are seen in markets like Idumota in Lagos Island, Oyingbo, Orile, Ikorodu, Ketu, Mile 12, Obalende and the Alaba International Electronics market.

Some of them move their wares from various shops situated inside the market to roadside, especially in the evenings when workers are expected to have closed from their offices.

They push their wares in the faces of people who walk down, pleading with them to buy; they fondly say na small money.

At some point, the Lagos State government launched a crackdown on illegal roadside trading and partnered with private sectors to construct modern markets with facilities such as car parks, water supply, standby electricity and public toilets, the new retail development is surely not welcomed by petty traders. A large number of them have complained that they cannot afford the rents charged by the revamped markets.

“We thought that rather than having them on the streets, let’s organise them and put them in one good location,” said Mr Fransisco Abosede, the Lagos State Commissioner for Physical Development and Urban Planning.

An example of one of the upgraded facilities is the Oluwole market in Lagos. The Oluwole area used to be home for criminal activities such international passport racketeering, credit card fraud, drug cartels, and various kinds of forgeries.

The government partnered with a private sector consortium led by ARM Properties Plc for the construction of the Oluwole Urban Market & Multifunctional City Centre. The new facility comprises four levels with shops as well as traditional market stalls.

“At Oluwole, our aim was to provide for the different layers of the existing retail space demand as well as encourage new and complementary uses. We provided stalls for the petty traders and hawkers that are the characteristics of this area of Lagos, small and medium line shops for the garment and consumer goods shop owners and on the top floor small business units for the myriad of businesses (insurance companies, microfinance banks, telecom company customer centres, etc) that service the market population. This is similar to the bottom of the pyramid strategy, where we offer the basic features and conveniences of formal office and trading platforms in little dose to small entrepreneurs and traders. This has proven to be a high yield product,” said Mr Yinka Ogunsulire, Managing Director of ARM Properties.

A similar development is the new Tejuosho market, which will replace the old market that burnt down in December 2007. It is being redeveloped through a publicprivate partnership (PPP) concession by the Lagos State government.

In Ilorin, Kwara State, some of

Why roadside trading booms

•Traders on market routes

‘These traders are seen in markets like Idumota in Lagos Island, Oyingbo, Orile, Ikorodu, Ketu, Mile 12, Obalende and the Alaba International Electronics market. Some of them move their wares from various shops situated inside the market to roadside, especially in the evenings when workers are expected to have closed from their offices. They push their wares in the faces of people who walk down, pleading with them to buy; they fondly say na small money’ the phases of the Ilorin Ultra Modern Market have also been completed under a PPP arrangement.

The idea behind the market was to bring under one roof all unorganised trading points scattered across Ilorin.

However, the act has been observed as a phenomenon causing obstruction to public access to footprints, reducing the beauty and orderliness in the markets, causing more congestion on roads also limiting sustainable economic tourist development.

Most times, it generates solid waste which when not properly managed results to hygiene problems especially for traders dealing with food items. In reaction to the law against this act, traders involved through their trade unions have organised protest meetings and demonstration several times.

Some traders have seen the meas-

ure of the government to curb the act as unfair and they have argued it does not only have its negative sides but also its positive sides which includes that it serves as a means of employment to those that are unemployed as it engages people in doing something useful, goods can be purchased at anytime because the traders do not have a definite closing hour, cheap services are made available to members of the public making sure their location is accessible and goods are provided at cheap prices since they do not have the expense of overhead cost such as rent unlike other retail stores.

At the Alaba international market over the weekend, it was a very busy scene with foodstuffs sellers welcoming shoppers with their wares instead of the main electronics traders. Shoppers now visit the market also with the intention to buy food items aside electronics.

The Nation Shopping spoke with a shopper, Mr Gariel Agelibe who said he was only using one stone to kill two birds. “ I don’t have to stop by at another market to buy foodstuff, I have come to buy a television set and I have also decided to buy some food items to ease stress.”

Women especially, find it more convenient to buy food items by the road sides. Mrs. Sefinat Ishola, who was sighted buying croaker fish and other soup ingredients along Ikorodu road, Ketu, said: “Buying from the market street is a trend that Lagosians are used to.

I was trapped in traffic longer than usual, I don’t have the strength, patience and time to visit the shops, moreover things are cheaper here compared to the shops. If I can get everything I need to prepare a meal without entering a shop, why stress myself? I have found out that the shop

owners are the same people outside here.”

One of the street traders at Alaba international market, Mr Ugo Amechi said: “We want to cater for people’s needs and also make more money. This is what we traders call quick market; it is an opportunity for us to make sales if we didn’t make much during the day inside our shops. It is also an opportunity for people patronising us to save time and avoid stress visiting our hidden shops”.

Traders found on the highway during traffic are not all displaced traders who have no shops to stay and sell. They prefer to come out of their hiding places as they would call their rented shops inside the markets. “It pays us more to be here, especially in the evenings”, said Mr Uchena Kalu, a bread baker who owns a bakery at Oshodi but goes to markets around to supply bread sellers fresh hot bread.

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THE NATION FRIDAY, APRIL 5, 2013

SHOPPING The ongoing road construction in Itire, Surulere, Lagos Mainland, is taking its toll on Ola Market. TAIBAT IDOWU reports .

Our pains, by traders, shoppers

O

LA market is located in Itire, Surulere, Lagos. The road has been under construction since last November.

Traders and shoppers said the construction is obstructing sales as well as movement inside the market. However they appreciate the state government for renovating the market.

Mrs. Adeola Bakare, a trader said activities in the market has not been moving like before since the market has been under construction because customers cannot walk freely, most especially those that use cars. “Customers can no longer patronise us like before because there is no space for them within the market. Those who

•Aerial view of Obalende market

use cars rather go to nearby markets or park their vehicles at Ijesha road, then walk down to the market.”

Miss Omolara Okeowo, a shopper, said she doesn’t like coming to the market.

“This is my second time of coming here since last year because of the ongoing road construction” she said.

Mrs. Lanlonpe Adams, a trader, said apart from low patronage, the ongoing construction is disturbing their market display.”I cannot display my goods as usual; the space has been reduced because of the gutter used in demarcating the road.

The government should please hasten up so the exercise can be completed on time,” she said.

Deserted on Good Friday While markets in Lagos were busy at Easter, the Obalende market was deserted. TONIA ‘DIYAN writes.

S

HOPPERS were disappointed when they visited the busy Obalende market on Good Friday and found the market empty. Most shoppers who visited the market went with the intention to shop for the Easter, especially to buy food stuffs.

One of them, Mrs Okafor Mary who was unable to do her shopping during the week, lives on Keffi street close to the market and decided to prepare herself for the Easter but was disappointed. She said: “I reside in this area, therefore, find this market very convenient as it is close. I was unable to shop for Easter during the week because of my tight schedule. I am disappointed that I cannot get anything to buy here now. The shops and the main gate to the market are locked, activities are at stand still. I am really disorganised.”

Traders at the market were mourning a colleague who died the previous day. The deceased, simply called Hajia, Mama Francis sold minerals and hailed from Bauchi State.

According to traders, she died as a result of not being able to defecate for three months. She only made this known to the

market authority, some days before her death.

The doctor who was on duty when she was admitted at the General Hospital, Lagos Island confirmed that the deceased had been on pills since last year which must have blocked the veins to her anus and she was unable to defecate since January though she was eating and drinking.

Alhaja Falilatu Olohunse, who is one of the market executives said: “We are mourning one of our members. She died as a result of the blockage in her system. We are paying our last respect. This is how we honour our members when we loose any one. It is unfortunate that it is at this time when people are patronising us for Easter.”

Another trader, Mrs. Jumoke Olaosebikan told The Nation shopping that it is the proper thing to do when someone dies. Other markets in Lagos imbibe this culture too. Ours is happening during festive period when we all look forward to making sales. We believe God will compensate us. We are also using this medium to appeal to all our customers to please bear with us.”

Want a generator? Some shops are available to give you good bargains. TAIBAT IDOWU writes.

Where to get good generators

A

GENERATOR converts mechanical energy into electricity. Successful organisations cannot do without it as well as most homes. It serves as an alternative when there is power failure.

You are sure to find good bargains in places like Yaya Abatan Street, Ijaye Road, opposite the Nigerian Institute of Journalism (NIJ), Ogba-Ikeja, Ope-llu Road, Mouka Foam Bus/stop, Agbado Station, Oyingbo Market at Ebute-Meta, Alaba International Market and other places in Lagos.

• Ola market, Itire

They come in different models and prices.

Sumec Firman models are 1800; 2500; 3000; 3800; 6500;8000; 8,500 and they cost: N22,000; N33,000; N44,000; N70,000; N90,000; N95,000; N100,000. Elepaq models are 2500, 2900, 3000, 3800, 6500, 8000,10,000 and 12,000 and they cost N32,000, N38,000; N44,000; N65,000; N85,000; N90,000; N95,000; N105,000 respectively. While Tiger 2700TM and 950TM cost N30,000 and N14,000.

Generator maintenance is more important than just owning one. It is wise to know the power of the model you have in mind or consult a generator engineer before buying one. Be sure of how much you are ready to part with. Also know the price range.

Be sure you are choosing a durable type such that will give you value for your money.

•Jumia crew

Jumia to transform homes

N

•Generators on display

IGERIA’S number one online retailer, Jumia, is at it again bringing rewards to its customers.

Two promotions were announced last week, ‘The Easter Massive promotion’ and the ‘Easter Flash Sales’. These are two experiences shoppers wouldn’t want to miss. In a statement by Jumia, “we overwhelmingly attribute the success we’ve achieved as Nigeria’s number 1 online retailer to the beautiful customers we have and we want to show them our appreciation for sticking with us through promotions such as this”.

To win in the massive promotion,

By Tonia ‘Diyan

shoppers need to visit the website www.jumia.com.ng and shop from any of the categories and stand a chance to win gifts worth millions of naira from a living-room makeover, kitchen makeover to a wardrobe makeover. Winners will be selected through a raffle draw.

Shoppers who are looking for great bargains, can be involved in an everyday flash sale which involves a mix of three selected products from any category with discounts of up to 50 per cent worth.

THE NATION FRIDAY, APRIL 5, 2013

34

SHOPPING MY SHOPPING

Innovations in fast food industry

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HAT new innovations is Mr Bigg’s bringing into the fast food industry In the last two years, we have been restructuring the business completely. Two years ago the board decided to franchise the company owned restaurants, which included staffing, management property and rebranding of Mr Biggs. We finished the restructuring process last year. This year, we will be building our processes, which includes areas such as compliance, training and franchisee selection.

There were quite a few shops that were in bad locations, we closed them. Shops that were mismanaged were closed. You can’t survive in this business if you continue to do the same old things; therefore there are lots of changes and innovations which we will be rolling out in our three year plan.

Are there other reasons why some of your outlets are shut?

Bad or a change in road direction is a major factor why some of our branches had to be closed down. Security issues also play a part in closures.

Part of our rebranding is changing our model to a smaller sized structure. We have also improved on equipment changing to more modern and power efficient items.

There are many reasons why we might close down shops. Another issue could be noncompliance with the franchisee, if the franchisee is not competent enough, the shop can be closed down this will occur after a lot of training and hand holding has been done Take our marina outlet as an example, sales started dropping and so we remodeled it, we made it smaller and now it is doing very well.

The LASU outlet has been shut for years now, it is a student environment, what are you doing about it?

Yes, it is a student environment, but business has changed. In the past it was wise to be in a student environment. All of us opened in universities but the economy has lessened the spending power of students, maybe parents can’t afford to give so much money to their children. Therefore, universities haven’t become popular sights. Universities have also realized that one can charge high rentals for the space, this has made the student model less profitable. We are still in the student market but mainly through schools where we can have products in their local shops.

•Mr Derrick Van Houten, Managing Director, UAC Restaurants

By Tonia ‘Diyan

Why are you giving your outlets to franchisee?

In the past, if you had money and you can afford to own a fast food outlet, you could simply pay and get a franchise. It didn’t matter who you are. We had examples of franchisees who just wanted the image of owning a Mr. Bigg’s, they were never on ground, they travel all the time and then give it to some young person to manage, you can imagine what would be going on.

We stopped this practice, a franchisee has to be involved in the business You have to be a good franchisee and pass through the selection processes. The outlets are better managed with good competent franchisees instead. We have the largest number of franchisees in West Africa.

How do you intend to sustain the new innovations?

Some of these innovations do not work in all our regions. The practicalities of some new innovations only become evident after we have launched them. For instance, our village kitchen is given a separate section, that used to operate inside the shop, but it doesn’t work well in all areas, so we have incorporated local food with our Biggs counter, which does work well. The local food menu is heavily competed in with many brands offering local meals, so we constantly measure our effectiveness with our customers.

The concentration of our meals around a centre point also reduces floor space as well as equipment, this all assists the operator to provide a better service to our consumers.

We have also found that certain menu items

work better in certain regions/areas, so we have changed the menu choice for our franchisees to select off a pre-approved list.

There are a lot of “normal” franchising rules which will not work in Nigeria, and we are open to that.

How have you managed competition over the years?

I have been here for six years and I’ve seen things change in our sector for the good. The business has transformed tremendously. We welcome new ideas; we monitor our opposition carefully, however, we also realize that we are a true Nigerian grown brand, which sets it’s own rules sometimes What has been interesting is to observe new players coming into the market here for the first time and the challenges they meet.

A further advantage which we have developed over the years is our variety with our menu items, this allows the customers to have different meals which assists with menu boredom.

What is the rationale behind the newly introduced naija meal?

Our customers were demanding cheaper meals and that is why we came up with another new idea called the ‘Naija meal.’ We saw that customers are moving from the average priced meals to the cheaper meals on our menu. After consulting with many of them, we realized that we had to come up with an innovative idea to re price our most popular menu item which is chicken and rice What is the new Mr. Biggs like?

The new Mr. Biggs is rebranded, restructured in terms of management and processes which all assist in producing quality food at affordable prices. We have built on the foun-

‘You can’t survive in this business if you continue to do the same old things; therefore there are lots of changes and innovations which we will be rolling out ... In the last five years, the industry has been positive to the Nigerian economy, we employ many people as an industry and spend vast sums of money in our supply chain, which has a large impact on the Nigerian economy.

There are a lot of negative forces, such as power, high government levies and expensive real estate, which we have to deal with, if these were removed, our sector would grow even better’

Ice block machines come in different sizes and shapes, depending on what the buyer wants.

They are used in hotels, bars and clubs. TAIBAT IDOWU writes.

Ice block machines for convenience

T

HESE days, quick and fast gadgets are mostly appreciated. Therefore, just like handsets are a quick means of communication, so also ice block machines are means of getting block instantly. It forms different shapes and sizes with its settings intact.

Its can be gotten from stores in Lagos like Adebowale Onipan Bus/ stop, Ikorodu Road; Lawanson, Itire- Surulere; Alaba International Market, Trade Fair Complex, Lagos Island - Oniru market, Chisco market, along Aja Expressway, Yaba Makoko market, and Elpina Creek Road, Apapa.

They are new and fairly used , they come in different prices.

The fairly used ones are negotiable and come in three different sizes. The small, medium and large sizes, the small size produces 12cubes of ice within 45minutes at the first production, it is sold for between N45,000 and N50,000. The medium produces 45cubes of ice within 45minutes at the first production and cost between N120,000 and N150,000. While the large size produces 175cubes within the same

time duration and cost between N250,000 and N300,000.

The new ones come in brands like Philips, Toshiba, Panasonic, kelvinator, Gibs and Higher Thermo cool which consumes up to 500 gallons of water at a time.

They are more expensive costing twice the price of the fairly used.

The manual usage ice block machine takes hours before it get frozen. Some of them take between 18 and 20 hours.

According to Mr John Chukuebuka an ice block machine dealer who explains how good machines can be identified.

He said: “Weather works has features of storing up to 2.5ibs of ice block. It produces 33cubes of ice per day consuming two gallons of water.

It drains easily, it is easy to clean and makes three sizes of ice cubes, the small, mediums and large ice cubes depending on its settings per time.

The machine comes in different shapes, the rectangular shape, circular shape and the triangular shape.

• Different sizes of ice block machines

•Derrick

dation that we have and will continue to improve all the areas of our business.

How is fast food industry building the economy, especially Mr. Biggs?

I think in the last five years, the industry has been positive to the Nigerian economy, we employ many people as an industry and spend vast sums of money in our supply chain, which has a large impact on the Nigerian economy. There are a lot of negative forces, such as power, high government levies and expensive real estate, which we have to deal with, if these were removed, our sector would grow even better.

Why has Nigeria become an attractive venue for franchisers?

Nigeria has a big population with a high growth rate, that’s what investors look for.

How do shoppers respond when you come up with new ideas?

They react very well, they accept it and appreciate us and most importantly help us to achieve our aim by patronising us immensely.

Food is one product that continues to sell well through franchising. Does it have the greatest number of franchise establishment with paid employees?

The QSR (Quick Service Restaurant) and FMCG (Fast Moving Consumer Goods) sectors employ a large number of permanent people.

How do you think more franchises would find their way into the fast food industry?

Franchising will continue to grow as our market matures.

THE NATION FRIDAY, APRIL 5, 2013

35

Noah’s Ark marks 5

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N commemoration of its fifth anniversary, Noah’s Ark Communications Limited, one of the leading new generation creative Advertising agencies in Nigeria recently engaged the crème de la crème of the creative industries including advertising, photography, films, art as well as literature in a workshop on the state of creativity and the future of the industries in Nigeria with the theme ’The Business of Creativity, What’s next?’

The workshop tagged ‘Creative Safari’ was held on March 21, at Terra Kulture, Victoria Island, Lagos. The workshop, which was moderated by a Nigerian leading poet and writer, Toni Kan, witnessed two sessions of discussions by invited guest speakers including Jumoke Verissimo, winner of Carlos Idize Ahmad Prize, ), Itah Hozaife CEO, Ink Marks Limited (Literature) , Ace Photographer, Kelechi Amadi-Obi (Photography), Biola Aloba, CEO comedy factory (Comedy), Tosin Martins, popular musician and olo mi crooner (Music), Nnamdi Ndu, Chiny Productions (Advertising) and Sesan Adedeji, Publisher of Bubbles Magazine (Entertainment) Among other notable personalities that attended the workshop are Kola Abiola, Chairman Board of Directors, Noah’s Ark Communications, Hakeem Bello, the Special Adviser to Lagos State Governor on Media, Tunji Adeyinka, Managing Director, Connect Marketing Board Member of Noah’s Ark, Alhaji Hameed Soyemi, another Board Member of Noah’s Ark, Steve Babaeko, Managing Director, X3M Ideas and Sunkanmi Ajiboye, Managing Director of Mart Link Advertising. The event was well attended by Advertising practitioners, the Media as well as Students and Faculties from tertiary institutions including, University of Lagos, Yaba College of Technology, Lagos State University and University of Ibadan.

Delivering his opening remarks at the Creative Safari, the Managing Director and Executive Creative Director, Noah’s Ark Communications Limited, Lanre Adisa, explained that the agency decided to set the pace by creating a melting pot for practitioners in the different fields of creativity including but not limited to Advertising but also music, literature, photography, comedy and entertainment to meet and deliberate on issues affecting the indus-

tries with a view to creating a better future.

Adisa disclosed that he strongly believes that the gathering will mark the beginning of a journey that will shape the future of creativity in the advertising industry and the country as a whole. He noted that the Advertising industry has a lot to learn from the other auxiliary industries such as music, comedy, visual art, films, photography, literature and other forms of creative expressions. ‘’Beyond rolling out the drums to celebrate the agency’s fifth anniversary, we have decided to set a pace in the industry by holding the Creative Safari to allow for creative professionals to brainstorm and deliberate on the state of creativity in the country in perspectives with the global trends with a view to contributing to the development of the industry for better results,” he said.

Also Speaking during the cocktail, Adisa noted that the five years journey of the agency has been very remarkable working on different brands with several milestone achievements to show for the great works. He explained that apart from several laurels won from the local LAIF Awards, the agency placed the Nigerian Advertising industry on the global limelight by being the first to have its work featured in the Luzers Archive in 2012.

He then used the medium to express the agency’s profound appreciation to its numerous clients comprising the Tolaram Group (with brands such as Indomie Instant Noodles, Nobel Carpets & Rugs, Hypo and Power Pasta), GOTV, uac Restaurants, CAP Plc. (Dulux), Paga, Swift Network, Energen, Chellarams Plc., Lotus Capital, Primlaks among others.

The cocktail event was attended by representatives of the agency’s different clients, captains of industries, members of staff of the agency, suppliers and partners as well as friends and well-wishers.

Lanre Adisa-led Noah’s Ark Communications Limited opened shop in 2008. Adisa has over 20 years’ experience in the Advertising industry having worked with several agencies like MC&A, Rosabel Advertising, Insight Communications and TBWA Concept where he resigned as Executive Creative Director to start Noah’s Ark. Adisa is generally regarded as one of the leading Creative Directors in Nigeria and a thought leader in the industry.

Judges sit for Indomie scholarship awards

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UFIL Prima Foods Plc, makers of Nigeria’s most popular noodles, Indomie Instant Noodles has announced the seating of the panel of judges for the sixth edition of its corporate social responsibility initiative on educationIndomie MSc Nutrition Scholarship Awards.

This has resulted in the selection and adjudication of 12 qualified candidates from the numerous entries collated from different parts of the nation.

The members of the panel for this year include; Professor, Department of Biochemistry, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, D.A Ameh; Dr. (Mrs.) Onot Ekpe, Department of Biochemistry, University of Calabar; Professor, Chairperson Admissions Committee, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB); and Dr. Oluseye Onabanjo of the Department of Dietetics and Nutrition, FUNAAB. Commenting on this development, the Public Relations Manager, Dufil Prima Foods, Mr. Tope Ashiwaju stated that the panel of judges are credible people with proven integrity and their level of proficiency in the field of Dietetics and Nutrition and other related fields has brought about ideas to reach informed decisions that has led to the selection of the 12 awardees.”

“I am pleased to announce once again that another creed of veteran scholars have sat to ascertain the 12 deserving Nigerians for the 2012/2013 session on the Indomie MSc Nutrition Scholarship Awards. It is also worthy of note that the scope has been expanded to achieve more national coverage.

Ashiwaju revealed that the selection phase of the 2013 edition by the Dufil-Nutrition

Awards Committee recorded over 200 entries, out of which 62 candidates were carefully selected having met the initial requirements before undergoing the last stage of screening in which the judges selected 12 finalists in consonance with the set criteria for selection.

Also speaking on the Scholarship award, Coordinator of the programme, Professor Babatunde Oguntona, testified to the fair and eligible process in which the committee of judges arrived at the 12 finalists. He further stressed that the criteria for this selection was strictly adhered to, and it was through this means that the 12 finalists emerged.

“The panel of judges for the 2012/2013 Indomie MSc Nutrition Scholarship Award selected these 12 finalists using certain specified criteria. As part of the criteria for eligibility, the candidate must be a Nigerian with qualification in any Nutrition related course at the degree or post graduate level within the age range of 20 - 35years. Eligibility was open to all candidates from all geo-political zone of the federation including the FCT, candidates must have secured admission to undergo the PGD or MSc degree programme in Nutrition and Dietetics, amongst others.”

A member of the panel of judges, Dr. Oluseye Onabanjo of the Department of Dietetics and Nutrition, FUNAAB commended the effort of Dufil Prima Foods Plc for the continuous opportunity being given to the less privilege since 2008 as this will have a very great impact not only on the beneficiaries but also a multiplier effect on their family and the society at large. She also went further to urge the 12 awardees to take advantage of the opportunity and make the best of it.

2

0:2020. Does the figure mean anything to you? That is good. Ah, in case the figure looks like some obscure answers to an obscure some mathematical equation, a recap will suffice. According to some government’s economic eggheads, for the country to attract credible direct foreign investments and have robust economy that can compete favourably with other global economies, Nigeria needs to be one of the 20 biggest economies by the year 2020.

That is government’s vision.

That is the expectation, seven years from now. Anyway, to give that aspirational date some political swagger, cascade it down to the populace, 20:2020 actually sounds really, really preppy.

However, some of these eggheads in the corridors of power have also posited that Nigeria would be an economic hub for the rest of West Africa, and that since South Africa is struggling with some economic teething challenges, it is Nigeria has to mount the saddle as the next best destination for foreign investors. They argued that because Nigeria is the most populous nation in Africa with over 160 million people, it would ordinarily be tempting to these investors.

As such, to attract these investors and achieve 20:2020 vision, they reasoned further, Nigeria would need to attract credible investments. However, they forget to look inward. They have not looked at the way we are. They have not looked at the way we are structured, the way we are organisedin a disorganised fashion. Can we say we are efficient? Can we say we have the required infrastructure that would attract investors, keep them here, now, forever?

Okay, okay. We understand Nigeria is not that organised and all that. We understand we are not as efficient as Europe.

We know. However, you cannot compare the level of development in Europe with what is available in Nigeria. To do that would be tantamount to comparing a kid with a cow. Okay? Then, that should not be a bother, should it? The eggheads said.

You have to realise that Nigerians thrive when things are disorganised. We thrive when things are in disarray. We thrive when everything is dismembered,they boasted.

That is when we, like cream, always rise to the top. That is the ‘resilience’ spirit in us. By extension, our resilience has turned us into a peculiar nation, an unusual people, a nation bound in freedom. We are different in a totally, different way. Shall we say, we are wired in a way that is hard to pin down? That is our cutting-edge. That is our brand-value. That is why one diesel-merchant and a senator would open a can of worms over bribery allegations in the village square, and still have the temerity to throw their weights around. That is why a serving councillor of a local government would build a block of classroom and spent twice the amount it cost to build the classroom on commissioning the same project.

That is why a governor would ‘dash’ a musician’s wife SUV. That is why he would also bankroll the couple’s wedding in Dubai. That is why he would sponsor several people to attend the same wedding ceremony in that country. That is why an incumbent president of the Security Exchange Commission (SEC) is still sitting pretty, and no one dare ‘touch’ her. That is why, amidst the incessant bomb blasts in the northern part of the country business has continued as usual.The show, as they say in show business, must go on. Agreed, we must look at the brighter side of life.

We must count our blessings, look up and hold on.

Though suicide bombers surround us, threatening our peace, we remain firm.

Though cyber-attacks lurk on the horizon and Symantec ranks Nigeria as occupying

Success at a cost the 59th position on its latest internet security report, we would take that as the price we pay for our success. Did you say success,dear Columnist? Before an answer is provided, chew on this piece of news: Symantec ranked Nigeria 66 on the report in 2011. The Symantec Internet Security Threat Report is one of the most comprehensive sources of internet threat data in the world covering Indian Ocean Islands, West, East and Central Africa (IWECA).

This report, released recently, is an analysis of all internet threats, based on its deployment systems to scan over 8 billion e-mails daily.Nigeria’s position has actually increased on the list of countries vulnerable to cyber-attacks. The ranking works this way: if a country is ranked first, that country has the most security threats.

This is so for Nigeria because of some level of successes the country has recorded in the number of mobile devices it hasand the myriads of internet connectivity available.

There are more mobile phones in the country now more than ever before, about 11.4 million, according to latest report from the NCC. There are more underwater cable systems on our shores than ever before [though last-mile connectivity remains a Herculean task]. The advent of more bandwidth routes and explosion in mobile devices is an indication that our economy is booming. The adoption rate of mobile devices has increased significantly. More Nigerians now own smart phones such as Blackberry, Android, iPhone and iPad. These mobile devices are all internetenabled and are exposed to worms and malicious virus on the internet. That is why there is an increased internet security threat in Nigeria.On the other hand, broadband capacity has also increased, and businesses and individuals have unlimited opportunity to access the internet.

Therefore, the internet with broadband access is a platform for malicious activities for security threats.

Because of this, according to the report, the avalanche of technologies, especially mobile devices, have caused internet security threats to triple in Nigeria. Does that answer your question, dear reader?

However, do not panic. Nigeria is not the only country on the hit list. 200 countries are on the list. Symantec sensors networks, which have gathered tremendous amount of information and intelligence about the threats happening in the world on the internet, have also estimated that based on its perception, the reason for Nigeria’s cyber-attacks threat is the country’s booming economy.

According to Morgan Stanley Research by 2015, Nigeria’s economy will be bigger than South Africa’s economy. That is cheery news.However, this is not a cheery at all: 2015 is just two years away. 2020 is just seven years away. We are yet to achieve the 20:2020 Vision. There are infrastructural… never mind.

The eggheads brushed it aside. They hate to be reminded that things are not in order, infrastructural wise. They are just blind to see. The fact they cannot see does not change the fact of the matter, and the heart-of-the-matter is that there are infrastructural decay in telcoms, power, energy etc.

Well, well, if they cannot see, could it be that they are not internet-literate? If that is so, now they should know that, right now, right here, cyber-attacks, internet security threats, cyber-crimes are the cost we need to pay for our success in accumulating high numbers of mobile devices and internet capacity. Every success comes at a cost. This cost would soar beyond the imaginations of the economic eggheads by year 20:2020!

*Editor - Wale Alabi *Consulting Editors - Rarzack Olaegbe, Sola Fanawopo * Correspondent-Jimi David * Business Development - Kenny Hussain * Legal Adviser - Olasupo Osewa & Co Brandweek is powered by Brandz Republic Consulting and published every Friday in THE NATION newspaper.

All correspondence to the editor - 0808.247.7806, 0805.618.0040, e-mail: korede2000@gmail.com © All rights reserved.

THE NATION FRIDAY,APRIL 5, 2013

36

COMMENTARY

“A

ND beware of a calamity that may afflict not only the transgressors amongst you but also the innocent ones and know that Allah’s retribution can be very severe.....’’

Q. 8:25 Writing a drama is like conceiving a pregnancy. For the drama to be practically actable, the writer must take into consideration not only the theme, the setting, the characters and the complications of such a drama as they build up spirally to the climax. He must also think of the anticlimax of the drama as well as its possible denouement.

Nothing shows the ingenuousness of a playwright as vividly as the crew of actors who put into action the script that gives birth to the drama in question. It is like delivering a pregnant woman of her pregnancy. If the delivery process is not carefully handled, the deliverer may end up becoming an undertaker. And that is when a drama is said to be tragic.

Brilliant students of literature must have perceived today’s entire world as a paradoxical theatre in which over seven billion human beings, including Nigerians are watching a drama. For either ecstasy or dismay the viewers may randomly roar into controversies or anxiety as the drama progresses. But the main concern of each viewer is what may become of his favoured character.

In the ongoing global drama against which we had been warned in the Qur’an as quoted above, the concern of this columnist in today’s article is the ‘colony’ called Nigeria. This is not just because the colony is my immediate and paramount constituency but also because Nigeria is the heart of Africa. And if anything negative happens to her, the whole of Africa will cease to be at rest.

Currently, the Federal Government of Nigeria is half-heartedly preparing for the centenary anniversary of the country’s existence as a unified entity as designed by the colonialists in 1914. The anniversary is expected to come up in 2014 when the country will be 100 years old, God willing. But no one except the Almighty Allah, is cock sure of what may happen to Nigeria subsequent to its centenary anniversary. This is because the same deliverers of Nigeria as a country have prepared a mausoleum in anticipation of her funeral. A clandestine script was unveiled in 1995 predicting a tragic absurdity awaiting the most populous African country.

The contents of the script revealed that this heart of Africa called Nigeria was heading for a break up by the year 2015 when she will be 101 years old. The designers of this devilish agenda had set a timeframe of 20 years for its execution without proffering any positive alternative. And to portray their dream as a realisable one they kept hammering the probability of the success of that obnoxious project citing some hazardous occurrences in the land as reason.

For students of International Relations, such a prediction cannot be strange. It is part of the strategies often used by the imperialists either to re-colonise some old colonies or to scoop on and dominate their economies in a typical capitalist style. As a result of such an imperial strategy, Poland had once ceased to be a country for about 123 years when it was partitioned about four times by Russia, Prussia and Austria in 1772, 1792 and 1795. And for well over a century thereafter, the country did not exist. But the Polish people never gave up the resilient spirit of regaining their independence until the country was fully revived after the World War I in 1918. In contemporary time, the modern day imperialists have been doing the same successfully in some other countries none of which is now firmly on her feet. Countries like Vietnam, Korea, Yemen, China, Iran, Syria, Iraq, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Yugoslavia, Somalia, Sudan, Palestine and lately the entire Arab nations all of which have had their bitter share of the subtle pillage can testify to this assertion. It is a modern day equivalence of the 1884/1885 partition of Africa carried out in Berlin, Germany, by the European imperialists, which led to the colonisation of the black continent. If any of the above countries had resisted that obnoxious project at the planning stage and stood their ground in resistance to imperialism, perhaps the world would have been spared the throat-cutting threats posed today by the United States

FEMI ABBAS ON Femabbas@yahoo.com 08122697498

By their script

•President Goodluck Jonathan

and her allies against what they perceive as lesser nations.

Incidentally, the US had also once been a victim of this same imperialists’ guillotine especially in the hands of Britain. Yet, the cult of capitalism which has now become their common bond would not allow the duo of Britain and US (which had been mutually antagonistic) to dwell differently because it is only in such collaboration that the gains of their common interest can be accomplished. Unfortunately, Nigeria doesn’t seem to have learned any lesson from countries that had been tricked into toeing the imperialists’ path hook, line and sinker.

Rather than looking inwards for solution to our domestic problems as the US did in her time of resistance to oppression, our own government does not beckon to Uncle Sam for solution even to a minor problem but also cries out randomly to the collective body of imperialists for help. The official behaviour of Nigerian government is just like that of a baby who has adapted to being spoon-fed at all times even while asleep. Today, Nigerian government can hardly think on anything without reference to American or European example.

Whereas some progressive countries like Japan, China, India, Brazil and even the United States in their days of search for growth and development shut their doors to the world and made do with whatever they could produce internally which was why their sudden zoom into the limelight came to the world as a surprise, this has never taught Nigeria any lesson. Rather, all that matters here is empty and monotonous noise about becoming one of the biggest economies in year 2020 even when it is crystal clear that such aspiration will only end up being forlorn. No truly progressive country in modern time has ever indulged in such empty and wishful propaganda. What would have ordinarily justified such propaganda is a surprise zooming into the global economic stage as the above listed countries had done.

It can only take a shameless country with so much wealth and without any visible progress in place to embark on such hopeless propaganda even as over 75% of her citizens wallow in penury.

What our government ought to have told us is how billions of Dollars allegedly voted for revamping our electricity was spent without any resultant availability of power or the billions of dollars allegedly recovered from General Abacha’s loot or multi-billion naira realised from the so-

‘We are our own problems. We know the sources of what we call problems and we incubate them. We know how to proffer solution to those problems but like ‘lotus eaters’, we are so much drunk with illegality that it has become so difficult if not impossible for us to part with it’ called privatisation policy that threw our national economy into taters or the scandalously embezzled billions of naira realised from the arbitrary and callous increase on fuel price and many others of the like. On the other hand, the government ought to have shown Nigerians the blueprint that qualifies us for such empty propaganda about year 2020 since it is a Nigerian project.

Now, by inviting foreigners, including the US and Israel, to help resolve the problem of insecurity in Nigeria, has the government not only admitted its incompetence in protecting the citizenry thereby surrendering its authority to the invited countries? And with that has it not also begun to compound the existing problems by externalising those internal affairs?

After all, are these same invited countries not the manufacturers of the instruments of insecurity in our land? Security of a country is like the heart in human body.

Handing it over to someone else is like paving way for one’s fortuitous death. No serious government will ever trivialise the existence of its nation to that extent. We all know that whoever pays the piper must surely dictate the tune. Iraq, Libya and Pakistan are living examples confirming that in diplomacy, a friend today may become an enemy tomorrow.

Yes, in the name of solving Nigeria’s problem even when they have been unable to solve theirs, the invited countries may bring their arsenal to subdue some government’s perceived and imaginary enemies. But what is likely to happen thereafter is the question which many generations of Nigerians may not be able to answer for decades in future. This has happened in most of the countries which had solicited for military intervention of the imperialist countries. Today, those countries are licking their fingers in total regret. Yet, Nigeria’s ruling class which sees power as a matter of life and death is bent on forcing the country into the league of hopeless nations.

A government is said to be in power only if it is believed to be capable of protecting its citizenry and defend the territorial integrity of the concerned nation.

Any government that is incapable of doing this and rather decides to throw the gate of the nation’s security open to foreigners for whatever reason is unfit to be called a government.

Globally, the US and Israel are known for their belligerence and implacable transgression against nations that refuse

to comply with their imperialist policies.

And it is probably in reference to such imperialist powers that Allah had warned mankind in the Qur’an over a millennium and a half ago thus: “When imperialists enter a territory they audaciously pillage and brutally destroy it even as they subjugate the juggernauts therein to the level of servitude”. Q. 12: 22 The real problem of Nigeria is neither the destructive anti-economic activities of the Southsouth militants, nor that of the greedily callous Southeast kidnapers nor even that of the heartless Boko Haram bloodletting vandalism. Rather, it is the willingness of the so-called government to turn the country into an incubator of problems while relying on foreign imperialists for solution even when such imperialists cannot solve their own domestic problems. It is like the case of an infamy who consumes poison while depending on an antidote for safety. In an axiomatic stanza, an Arab poet once opined thus: “We all blame time for our misdemeanour; whereas, the misdemeanour blamed on time is actually in us; We smear time with all types of iniquities and yet expect time to cleans us of any blame; Were time endowed with mouth to comment on us; it would have blamed us for generating all crimes; No dog eats fellow dog; it is only men that eat fellow men’’.

The truth of the matter is that the roots of the multi-dimensional problems staring Nigeria on the face are traceable mostly to the corridors of our government. Of all the vices that constitute seemingly insuperable problems for Nigeria today particularly corruption and injustice, none originated from a source other that of the government. The various high profile corruption cases since 1999 have confirmed this assertion. How, on earth, can any sensible person justify the case of immunity clause deliberately injected into our constitution to protect stealing of public funds either by the President or Governors in a country where overwhelming majority of people are so wretched that they can hardly afford even one meal per day despite the enormous wealth with which we are naturally endowed? And this so-called constitution was never subjected to any referendum as a way of assessing its general acceptability in the first instance.

The real absurdity in that immunity clause is not just in chasing around the protected public thieves after vacating office but also in setting up anti-corruption agencies as a political camouflage.

For God sake, if a person aids a thief in the casting away of his property has he not become an accomplice in stealing that property? What justification will such a person have in wanting to prosecute such a thief? Those who injected immunity clause into our constitution as well as those who are in position to remove it but rather chose to retain it are together accomplices in the entrenchment and spread of corruption in the land. Ordinarily, such people should never have moral right to talk of fighting corruption because they are its creators and sustainers but we live in a shameless country where conscience does not matter.

We are our own problems. We know the sources of what we call problems and we incubate them. We know how to proffer solution to those problems but like ‘lotus eaters’, we are so much drunk with illegality that it has become so difficult if not impossible for us to part with it. Now, as we start importing imperial mercenaries into the country to solve our immediate problems, we must not forget the social and financial implications of their coming. And we must remember that those mercenaries will like to find a permanent seat here even if they will have to invent new problems for us in order to justify their profitable stay.

This admonition may taste bitter especially to those in government who may have hidden agenda. But Allah’s words will never be in want of relevance. They are regularly accompanied by relevance. Allah warns us in Qur’an 13:11 thus: “Surely, Allah will not change the situation of a nation or community until they (the citizens) themselves, have resolved to change it through their attitude”.

Whoever calls for equity must come with clean hands. Those in government must show good example of what they want Nigerians to be as citizens. Acting the imperialists’ evil script will do no one any good in Nigeria.

Think before you act.

THE NATION FRIDAY, APRIL 5, 2013

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SOCIETY DINNER WITH THE JAGABAN

•From left: Dr Segun Abraham, his wife Bunmi and Divin Dzegbla from Ghana

•Mrs Arawore

•Princess Sosan

•Mr Ovia

•Omooba Sosanya

•Mrs Akande

•Alhaji Muhammed (left) and Otunba Dele Ajomale

•Hon Bolaji Muse-Ariyoh

•Sir Amuka-Pemu

•Comrade Ayodele Adewale PHOTOS: OLUSEGUN RAPHEAL AND ADEJO DAVID

THE ANYAOKUS’ CROWD-PULLING SHOW

•Governor Orji and wife of Anambra State Governor Mrs Margaret Obi

•Hon Wogu

•Governor Okorocha

•Governor Obi flanked by Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Alfred Achebe (left) and Bishop Emmanuel Chukwuma

•Ms Otteh

•Ogbeni Aregbesola

THE NATION FRIDAY, APRIL 5, 2013

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SOCIETY Senior Pastor of Love of Christ Churches International, Prophet Niyi Olowoporoku has celebrated his 47th birthday in Lagos. NNEKA NWANERI reports.

A preacher’s tale A T 17, Prophet Niyi Olowoporoku left his father and mother for Jesus. Since then, he has been serving in the vineyard of the Lord.

Last Friday, the shepherd was celebrated by his flock at Lisabi Hall, Ebute-Metta, Lagos Mainland when he turned 47.

It was a two-in-one celebration the birthday of the General Overseer of Love of Christ Church and Good Friday.

As early as 7am, the church's faithful gathered to sing, praise and give thanks to God. The congregation eulogised the celebrator and talked of his fatherly gesture.

For Mrs Dauda, she was in tears as she told the congregation of how the man of God had turned her home into bliss. "We listen to your messages on radio and my family is always in joy. I used to be a trouble maker in the neighbourhood, but now, your messages have changed me."

There was a brief sermon from Pastor Sunday Ephraim, a childhood friend of the celebrator.

Pastor Ephraim said he knew Olowoporoku since their teen days adding that his experiences show that there is hope for everyone.

"He began his ministration from a humble beginning and was raised

by God who gave him a voice that

has liberated many today. His bed was a pew inside the church, where mosquitoes feasted on him," he said.

The cleric enjoined the audience to go after God as a family and a nation by choosing the path of righteousness.

After the sermon, a large multicoloured cake was wheeled into the hall. It was decorated with small cupcakes and bottles of wine placed on the table. The celebrator cut his birthday cake with members of the church who came out in batches to pose for photographs with him.

Prophet Olowoporoku thanked the members for honouring him.

He recalled his early days when his parents had given up on him having done a lot of atrocities.

"I caused them pain so much that they renounced me and told me I was from the devil. Even though I was less than 17, I became a negative picture of humanity by painting the entire Ibadan town where I grew up red.

"When I gave my life to Christ 30 years ago, I went round the neighbourhood begging for forgiveness from all and since I got arrested by God; my life has never been the same. God has given me a new value added life," he said.

The celebrator worked with the African Alliance Insurance Company, Ibadan, until he got his calling.

‘He began his ministration from a humble beginning and was raised by God who gave him a voice that has liberated many today. His bed was a pew inside the church, where mosquitoes feasted on him’

•The celebrator Prophet Olowoporoku (second right) assisted by (from left) Mr Bolaji Olaonipekun; Pastor Doyin Olushiwa; Pastor Ephraim and Pastor Charles Olatuja to cut the cake

•From left: Pastor Kunle Akinkusote; Florence Omotoso and Alhaja Adelomo

PHOTOS: ABIODUN WILLIAMS

A book, Post Conflict Building in Liberia written by a retired military officer Ogochukwu Agbogu, has been launched in Lagos.

NNEKA NWANERI was there.

That Africa may know peace H

E witnessed wars. His experience led him to write a book so that people can learn from it.

Last Saturday, Abia State born Ogochukwu Agbogu relived his experience when he launched a book documenting his travails during the Liberian war. The book entitled: Post Conflict Building in Liberia came at a time when wars are being fought in several parts of the world.

The conference Hall of Union Bank Club on Bode Thomas Street, Surulere, Lagos Mainland was agog with celebration.

Every seat on the high table had its microphone. A copy of the book was also dropped on each table.

Many of the author’s kinsmen and friends from the east graced the occasion. They were decked in traditional attires.

Chairman of the occasion Sir Chijoke Iwunze enjoined guests to see from the perspective of the author and contribute to the eradication of wars.

Dr Sola Afolayan of Ekiti State University (EKSU), a classmate of the author at the University of Ado-Ekiti, where they read English, reviewed the book.

Dr Afolayan said Agbogu’s 72-paged non-fiction book brings to the fore the already dwindled echoes from the horrendous Liberian war which up till date still has its debilitating grip, and its

• From left: Sir Iwunze; Agbogu and Maxwell Brown-Okudoh

•Dr Afolayan

suffocating effects on the totality of the country.

“This book was stemmed from the event of what is today known in history as the First Liberian Civil War from 1989 to 1996.” He

PHOTOS: NIYI ADENIRAN

urged non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to rise up to the task and play important roles in peace building.

Dr Afolayan described the author as an old

friend and outstanding classmate during his days in school with the author.

Other guests eulogised Mr Agbogu in superlative terms, saying, their love and respect for him underscored their presence at the launch.

In attendance were Chief Maxwell Okudo with the title (Osuofia Ogidi); the Enyi of Aba Chief Elobuike Onyebunmo.

In response, the author rose to thank guests for attending. His height dominated all there and he began sharing his life experience with his guests.

He said he was mandated by God to write the book and for his love for the reign of peace, having had the experiences first hand.

Giving an account of his sourjourn when he joined the Nigeria Prison Service in 1988 and his service in NAF from 1992 to 1994.

On the book, he said: “This book is a research work, even though I participated in the Liberian war as a soldier while I served in the Nigerian Air Force before I pulled out of the military. So the book is part of my experiences and other research work did with the collaboration of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA).”

Ogochukwu faulted the United Nations (UN) for having failed to do anything to help Africa.

“Look at the crisis in Africa from the Nigerian Civil War, the Rwandan crisis, the Congo Democratic and the Dafoe Region. What preventive measures have the UN been able to do for Africa? Even when the war broke out, what did they do to support the civilians who suffer the war the most? Even when the war breaks, they should be able to support to make peace and reinstate the nation back.”

In his view, wars should be prevented because they who went there had no choice than to go there.

“We couldn’t stop going there. When I went to school, I found that if I had a choice, I wouldn’t have participated in it,” he added.

Agbogu, a retired military officer, holds a Masters degree in International and Public Affairs from the University of Lagos (UNILAG).

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THE NATION FRIDAY, APRIL 5, 2013

SOCIETY The Ikere Development Foundation (IDF), has been launched in Lagos.

Some indigenes of the town, including former Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) president, Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN) were honoured at the event.

AMIDU ARIJE reports.

All for their roots T

HE hall was filled to capacity. Guests shook hands as they entered.

They are indigenes of Ikere, the gateway to Ekiti land, home of former President of Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN) and Evangelist Bamidele Olumilua, former governor of the old Ondo State. They gathered at Best Western Hotels, Ikeja, Lagos, under the canopy of Ikere Development Forum (IDF).

Their mission: To brainstorm on how to fast-track the development of their town.

Speaker after speaker complained about the slow pace of development of their town which they noted is among the first few Ekiti towns to embrace civilisation.

The programme, which was jointly anchored by Tope Orolu and Tope Ajayi, was chaired by Dr Kola Adeyina of Legus Hospital, Lagos.

They expressed hope for speedy development of the town to enable it take its rightful place on the state.

The high point of the occasion was the presentation of award plaques to some indigenes that excelled in their careers and made the town proud.

The awardees are: Olanipekun; Commissioner of Police in charge of Special Fraud Unit (SFU), Ikoyi Lagos, Mr Tunde Ogunsakin, and Brig. Gen. Adedapo Adebayo.

Olanipekun, who gave the keynote address, charged the indigenes to be passionate and dedicated to the development of the town. “We are here for very serious business; we have to take bold steps to restore the glory of Ikere and every one of us must be involved,” he said.

With copious biblical references, he emphasised the need to take consideration for one’s nativity seriously as Jesus did with Bethlehem, and the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo, with Ikenne.

He said he is passionate about the development of Ikere at any time, adding: “I am a very practical person; when it comes to Ikere, I am very passionate about this town and I don’t compromise the passion.”

The legal icon charged the people to rise to the challenges facing the town by emulating the life of Bishop Enoch Adeboye who has always been a good ambassador of his town, Omuaran, for which he had done many good things.

“It will be a shame in this world if anybody denies where he comes from,” he said as he charged the people not to run away from their root.

In his welcome address, the chairman of occasion, Dr Adeyina appealed to the people to embrace unity of purpose and love. He told them to expedite action towards the development of the town.

Orolu, who chairs IDF’s steering committee, said the essence of the gathering is to look at how they can get better together in unity to bring meaningful development to the town and its people.

“It is an all-encompassing forum that can serve as the umbrella body and complement the efforts of our leaders, to ensure unity and progress of the town,” he said.

The Ekiti State Commissioner for Inter-Governmental Affairs, Hon Funminiyi Afuye, who was praised as a “people’s leader,” also stressed

COMMUNICATE YOUR IDEAS What is Public Speaking?

I

•Chief Olanipekun displaying his plaque. With him is Dr Adeyina

•Mr Ogunsakin (left) receiving his plaque from Prof Olowokudejo

•Mr Omoyeni (left) and Afuye

the need for oneness and unity as a factor in developing the town.

Afuye asked the people to make their leaders accountable and ensure there is development in the town.

Former member, Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon Niyi Fabikun, said the move by the Lagos-based indigenes of Ikere was a good beginning in the development of the town.

“This is a good beginning in the development of Ikere and I want all to let it be actualised,” he said, adding: “I will implore all to develop Ikere by building houses and businesses there, that is when I will know you are serious.”

Among other indigenes in attendance were: former deputy governor of Ekiti State, Mr Abiodun Aluko who was represented by Mr Victor Adeniyi; the Managing Di-

rector, Easy De Mayor, a paints distributing company, Mr Tope Akintade; Prof Dele Olowokudejo of the University of Lagos (UNILAG); Gen Ajana Olusegun (rtd); former Managing Director, Wema Bank Plc, Chief Adebisi Omoyeni; Mr Dada Aladelokun of The Nation; Mr Femi Ekundayo; Kola Ayeni of Wemabod Estates Limited, and Olumuyiwa Ogunkolade, a legal practitioner.

Femi Ayodele, an engineer, who gave the vote of thanks also emphasised the need for every indigene of the town to always consider home before anything because according to him, “home is the best.”

Omoyeni, who, like Olanipekun, was praised for having done a lot to assist many needy indigenes of the town, described the forum as one seriously needed to lift the town and its people on all fronts.

N its simplest form, public speaking is the art of delivering a prepared speech before an audience. Of course, the fact that the speech is prepared does not mean it is read by the speaker; rather, it is presented in a way that is captivating and impactful. As the name implies, it is public speaking and not public reading, so, the art is more in the presentation than in the speech itself. That is not to say, AMODU LANRE OLAOLU however, that the content of the (Ph.D) sospeak2lanre@yahoo.com. speech or its style of writing is 07034737394 not important, it only means that just as a drama script is not alive until it is acted, a speech is not alive until it is presented.

Public speaking is one of the most useful skills that can be acquired in life. It is a skill that transcends disciplines and professions. Knowledge is great, but the ability to share it is greater. New ideas are good, but better is the ability to communicate them. Leadership qualities are priceless, but what are they compared to the ability to clearly define one's vision and goals to subordinates? The art of public speaking is indispensible at any stage of life because it helps to build confidence and makes one a meaningful contributor rather than a mere receiver.

Everybody needs to be trained in public speaking. At one time or the other in our lives, we must have faced two or more people that we needed to address, be it in school entrance examinations, class presentations, religious programmes, job interviews, board rooms, or even at family meetings. Any situation that warrants you expressing your ideas or views before people requires that you clearly and systematically present your points. With this consideration, it is believed that public speaking is not even restricted by age. The same way a child would feel when a class presentation goes wrong in front of a class full of eyes, is the way an adult would feel when a major project presentation goes wrong, though with a graver consequence.

Dale Carnegie, in his book titled How to Win Friends and Influence People, narrated his interview with Charles Schwab. According to Carnegie, Schwab was one of the two people he knew in history (in his days), who were ever paid a million dollars a year. In response to Carnegie's query, Schwab said, "I consider my ability to arouse enthusiasm among the men the greatest asset I possess, and the way to develop the best that is in a man is by appreciation and encouragement." This shows that the ability to communicate effectively is a priced asset that employers are willing to pay for. Public speaking has to do with transferring one's passion to others. At the end of such a presentation, the audience should share the passion the speaker carries.

One of the reasons interviews are conducted for admissions into institutions or for employment is to assess the level of reasoning and expression of the candidates. Sometimes, it goes beyond what you can write to what you can say. If you write well but you cannot speak convincingly, you will still have some challenges to overcome.

For instance, I know that in the university system, final year students are asked to defend their projects before a panel of examiners.

If the student does not demonstrate convincing knowledge of the work, it is assumed that plagiarism is involved. Can you imagine the unfortunate distress a student would experience if he/she actually conducted the research but is unable to defend it for lack of proper understanding of public speaking?

Public speaking can open doors to you beyond your imagination.

For instance, it is a known fact that as at the time President Bill Clinton left the White House, he was in debt to the tune of about $12million. Currently, however, he is a millionaire, mostly as a result of his public speaking activities. According to the interviews and financial disclosure of his wife at the beginning of her presidential race, Bill Clinton made $40million in speaking fees over six years.

Also, if anything would be vividly remembered about President Barak Obama's journey to the White House, it would be his legendary speeches. No doubt his public presentations contributed immensely to his being voted in as the president. His style was compelling and his message was believable. Obama made Americans believe in change.

In Nigeria, we also have renowned speakers such as Sam Adeyemi, Fela Durotoye, Leke Alder, Poju Oyemade and a host of others. These are people whom crowds would troupe to any location to listen to.

Along with effective communication comes the power of influence.

If you have ever dreamt of making a difference in your generation, or birthing a movement that would revolutionize your world, you have to embrace public sapeaking. It would give you the platform you need to share your dreams with others. Take every opportunity you have seriously. Talk to a few like you would a multitude. Practice at the slightest opportunity. You too can change your world through public speaking.

Dr. Amodu teaches at the Department of Mass Communication, Covenant University, Ota, Ogun State.

THE NATION FRIDAY, APRIL 5, 2013

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SOCIETY

•Chief Basorun

•Oba Fatola presenting certificate to the Yeye Asiwaju, Mrs Basorun

A woman of honour The Adeboruwa of Igbogbo land, Oba Johnson Fatola, last Saturday, made Mrs Bolanle Basorun, wife of Chief Olorunfunmi Basorun, former Secretary to Lagos State Government, Yeye Asiwaju of Igbogbo land. Five others were also honoured. WALE AJETUNMOBI was there

I

T was a sunny Saturday. But despite the scorching sun, guests continued to troop to Igbogbo-Bayeku near Ikorodu on the outskirts of Lagos. They were heading to the palace of the Adeboruwa of Igbogbo, Oba Johnson Ola Fatola, who was conferring some people with chieftancy titles to mark his 80th birthday.

Clad in different colours of aso ebi and their hosts ran into the traditional drummers who ushered them into the palace.

The natives, young and old, moved into the palace. It was reminiscent of a traditional village council meeting but it was not.

Those conferred with titles are: Dr Omotunde Ogunlaja, first medical doctor in Igbogbo town, and his wife, Adebola; Hon. Adebimpe Akinsola, a member representing Igbogbo in Lagos State House of Assembly, Mrs Bolanle Basorun, a textile merchant, Alhaji Tahir Amusa, proprietor of Homat Group of Schools, Ikorodu, and Mr John Ehinon Ihimire, an engineer and former manager in Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

Welcoming the chiefs and their guests on behalf of the monarch, the Asiwaju of Igbogbo, Chief Olorunfunmi Basorun, said the honorary chieftaincy titles were given out by the monarch to encourage individuals, who contributed to the development of the town.

Basorun, whose wife was among the honorees, said the new chiefs are expected to bring more development to the town, adding that the progress of Igbogbo should be their watchword.

Recalling how he was persuaded by the monarch to be Asiwaju of Igbogbo land in 1994, Basorun said his devotion to religious activities made him to initially reject the offer. “But when Kabiyesi told me that if people like me refused to accept challenges, the town’s development may be at stake; I reconsidered my view and accepted the offer. Glory be to God, since 1994, Igbogbo has witnessed more development in human, structural and economic terms,” Basorun said.

The initiation rite was performed by the Afobaje (kingmaker), Chief Taiwo Oriyomi, who stood before the new chiefs with a bottle of local gin and a calabash containing clean water. He offered prayers for the honourees, after which he drank from the calabash and asked the new chiefs to also drink one after the other.

The palace chiefs poured libation to the gods and said prayers in succession. The monarch blessed the procedure and directed that the chieftaincy beads be placed on the honorees’ necks and wrists. Afterwards, the title cap and leaves were placed on their heads.

Mrs Basorun, who was installed as Yeye Asiwaju of Igbogbo land, was accompanied by members of Bola Tinubu Women Foundation and fellow textile dealers to receive the title. Elated, the Yeye Asiwaju (women leader) said she hoped to encourage women in the town to participate more in politics and empower them economically.

On why she wanted to introduce politics to her traditional duty, Mrs Basorun said poli-

•Alhaji Tinubu (left) and Otunba Alebiosu

•Cross-section of new chiefs

tics and royalty were Siamese twins.

“There is no way you can separate politics from royalty. These two terms are interwoven. To me, improving the political awareness of women in Igbogbo and Lagos State is a task that must be accomplished. I advise women to aspire and take up responsibilities to stop themselves from playing a second fiddle,” she said.

Asiwaju Basorun, a former Secretary to

Lagos State government, thanked Oba Fatola for complementing his efforts by also giving his wife a title. He also appreciated the traditional chiefs for their gesture.

Dignitaries at the event included the Lagos State Head of Service, Mr Adesegun Ogunlewe, who is a prince in the palace; Alhaji Rafiu Tinubu, former Head of Service; Otunba Busura Alebiosu, a politician and Mrs Bewaji Kuku, among others.

WHAT AND WHERE Wedding

T

HE traditional marriage between the Senior Special Assistant, Bureau of Communications and Strategy, Osun State, Mr Ademola Adesola and his better half, Miss Ibitola Oludemi will take place tomorrow at Domino Events Centre, Mafoluku, Oshodi, Lagos.

C

Nikah

HILDREN of Alhaji Balogun Danmale and Mr Adewale Onilogbo, Fatimah Biodun and Yusuf Omotayo will hold tomorrow at Anchor Events Place, Agidingbi, Ikeja, Lagos.

Reception will take place at same venue.

Synod

Birthday

T

HE Synod of the Archbishop Vining Memorial Cathedral Church, Ikeja which began on Wednesday will end with a thanksgiving service on Sunday at the church’s premises.

The Synod is tagged “Occupy Till I Come”.

The Bishop of The Diocese of Lagos West, Anglican Communion, Revd Peter Adebiyi will preside over the service.

Dignitaries expected at the Synod include the Governor of Lagos State, Mr Babatunde Raji Fashola, his deputy Mrs Joke Orelope-Adefulire, captains of industry and traditional rulers.

T

Wedding

HE 80th birthday of the National President of the Apostolic Church Nigeria, Pastor Gabriel Oladele Olutola will hold tomorrow at the The Apostolic Church National Temple, Ketu, Lagos.

Guests will be entertained immediately after the church service at the same venue.

T

HE wedding between Olaide Oluseyi and Babafemi Ayobami - children of Mr Adewale Odumosu and Mr Olusola Olawoye - will hold tomorrow at St James Anglican Church, Ibadan.

Entertainment of guests will take place after the church service at Abal Event Centre, Akobo, Ibadan, Oyo State.

Funeral •Revd Adebiyi

R

EMAINS of the late Justice Edemekong Edemekong will be interned today at his Shelter Afrique compound, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.

The thanksgiving will hold on Sunday at Qua Iboe Church Nigeria, Uyo.

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THE NATION FRIDAY, APRIL 5, 2013

AGRO-BUSINESS FIRST QUARTER REVIEW

Only a ring away •Rural farmers to get cell phones soon

F

OR stakeholders in the agric sector, the first quater of the year reflected strong long term growth expectations in the agric sector. The growth was supported by robust domestic demand, high commodity prices and increased export volumes. This was achieved despite the monetary tightening measures. A lot of foreign equity firms showed interests in Nigeria. African Development Bank (AfDB) is looking at projects and evaluating them for funding.

Global leaders’ endorsement President Goodluck Jonathan hosted the first meeting of Nigeria’s new Eminent Persons Group (EPG). This newly formed group of influential global leaders will advise the President on actions to help achieve Agricultural Transformation Agenda as well as provide a global platform for encouraging investment in the agricultural sector. Members of the EMG include co-Chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Bill Gates; Chair of the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), Kofi A. Annan ; President of the African Development Bank, Dr. Donald Kaberuka; President of the International Fund for Agriculture Development Dr. Kanayo Nwanze and Chairman and CEO of Fresh Del Monte Produce Inc. Mohammed Abu-Ghazaleh. Also at the EPG at the Geneva meeting were the Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development Akinwumi Adesina, Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, and other chief executive officers of global multinational and Nigerian corporations.

South African food firms South African food and agribusiness companies are continuing to look at growth opportunities in the rest of the continent.

Last year South African consumer goods giant Tiger Brands announced that it had bought a controlling stake in Dangote Flour Mills (DFM). Another South African food company Zambian agribusiness firm Zambeef, also is looking to expanding into Nigeria and Ghana as an inroad to West Africa.

Zambeef is an integrated, farmto fork company involved in the production, processing, distribution and retailing of beef, chicken, pork, milk, dairy products, eggs, edible oils, stock feed, flour and bread.

The company , listed on both the AIM market of the London Stock

Stories by Daniel Essiet, Agric Correspondent

Exchange and the Lusaka bourse, is one of Zambia’s most celebrated companies.

Cassava bread The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, said cassava bread has come to stay, and the process of its production and commercialisation is no longer a mirage.

According to the Minister: “The substitution of cassava flour for wheat is no longer a political decision, but an economic decision. The substitution of up to 40 per cent of wheat flour with cassava flour will save the economy N254 billion annually. The savings will become incomes to our own cassava farmers and processors, creating millions of jobs in our economy, instead of exporting jobs to other countries.

“The journey to make cassava bread a commercial reality in Nigeria started with aggressive research and development by research institutes and to ensure that the cassava bread is available all across the country. We have initiated the training of master bakers across the country.

“So far, 385 Master Bakers across the six geo-political regions, indeed, in each areas, the quality of the cassava bread produced by some of the master bakers was very high and quite impressive. We will accelerate further training and support for the master bakers from the second quarter of this year, so as to get the cassava bread closer to the public across the country,” he said.

Foreign firms to invest $5 billion A group of foreign investors, mainly Americans and Europeans are discussing modalities on how to invest in the Nigeria’s agricultural industry, a member of the Federal Government Delegations to the recently concluded World Economic Summit in Switzerland, Mr Emmanuel Ijewere told The Nation.

Ijewere said the development followed the government’s presentations at the summit which had in attendance top government functionaries from different parts of the world.

He said after the summit, the investors have been coming to Nigeria to talk to relevant government’ institutions on how to tap into investment opportunities in the agricultural industry.

He said: “At the summit, we drew the attention of the world to the the investment opportunities in Nigeria. We told them about the need for foreign investments in the

agricultural sector, abundance of manpower, expanse of arable land, among others. The fall out of the meeting was the discussion being made to invest substantially in the farm plantation, cassava, soya beans among others. Besides, they are investing $5 billion in the sector.

He said the government’s involvement in the summit was borne out of the need to project the nation’s economy to the outside world, increase inflow of foreign investments into the country, and increase the growth of the economy.

USAID and Fed Govt partnership United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, launched a partnership in which the parties expect to leverage up to $100 million in commercial lending for the country’s agriculture sector.

The partnership, cemented through a Memorandum of Understanding will engage financial institutions, provide technical assistance, explore new financial products and establish a staff exchange programme to encourage the growth of the agriculture sector in Nigeria.

Young Graduates Farmers Scheme The Federal Government announced plans to implement a Young Graduate Commercial Farmers Scheme as part of a revolutionary agricultural programme that will help the country achieve self sufficiency in the agricultural sector.

The scheme will absorb 780,000 graduates in its first phase and provide an estimated four million jobs in the agricultural sector in the first year.

10 m cell phones to farmers The Federal Government said it would provide 10 million phones to farmers .This is to enable the government reach farmers directly through the Growth Enhancement Support scheme (GES). The Ministry of Agriculture and Ministry of Communications Technology are partnering to implement this policy. The government intends to use the GES scheme to distribute these phones. To be entitled to a phone, farmers must be registered on the e-wallet platform. Paper vouchers will be issued to farmers who do not have phones.

The GES scheme delivers input (fertilisers and seeds) to farmers directly by using farmers’ cell phones. The Government has created an electronic platform (e-wallet) on which it registered

•Adesina

•Minister for State Agriculture and Rural Development Dr Bukar Tijani

farmers and agro dealers who own shops that sell farm inputs all over the country. To date it has registered 4.2 million farmers and about 900 agro dealers.

tion jobs and projects around the area, 500 of them direct and the rest around the country,”said a statement.

Nigeria to benefit from $63.4m AfDB agric intervention Nigeria is to benefit from an African Development Bank (AfDB) initiative known as the Support for Agricultural Research for Development of Strategic Crops.

The Deputy Director-General, Partnerships and Capacity Development, International Institute for Tropical Agriculture, Mr Kenton Dashiell, said the initiative would help narrow the yield gap facing Africa’s strategic crops, even as most countries on the continent embarked on agricultural reforms.

He observed that the SARD-SC would focus mainly on maize, rice and wheat, stressing that these crops were of strategic importance not just for Nigeria, but for Africa.

Dashiell said: “The total figure given by the African Development Bank for this project is approximately $63.4million and it will run for five years. The outcomes of this project are in three major areas.” $250 m loan to Nigerian fertiliser plant A Nigerian nitrogen fertiliser plant is set to receive a $250 million loan from US Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) to boost agriculture, infrastructure, energy and financial services in the country.

The venture, which is backed by the OPIC, is part of the Obama administration’s efforts to enhance Africa’s private sector.

The Edo State’s Greenpark nitrogen fertiliser project is a re-engineered ammonia/urea plant from Kenai, Alaska, that has been out of operation since 2007.

“It is going to use gas captured from a gas field nearby, thereby helping with greenhouse gas emissions,” said US State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland.

“And it’s going to provide a reliable and secure source of low-cost fertiliser and nearly a 1,000 construc-

18 cassava industries coming The Federal Government plans to work with the private sector to set up 18 cassava industries.

The aim , according to the President of the Nigeria Cassava Growers Association, Olusegun Adewunmi, is to put the country at the forefront of the global foods market, while improving the livelihoods of millions of Nigerian farmers by creating employment opportunities, said Adewunmi.

“For the first time, a farmer can sit down and make a programme of his own and it is acceptable to the bank and to the government. In the past, it was the ministry that will make the programme, but we are glad it is no longer like that. The agenda is working; it is giving us freedom,” Adewunmi stated.

Adewunmi, however, said cassava farmers would need to put hard work in to meet the requirement of the processing industries since the exports of cassava grits and chips to China.

‘We don’t need imported rice paddy’

T

• Harvesting of rice in Bauchi

$150 m for rice production The African Development Bank (AfDB) said it had earmarked $150 million to support rice value chain under the Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA) of the Federal Government.

Chief Operations Officer of the Bank Dr. Patrick Agboma made this known at the opening of a two-day stakeholder’s workshop on AfDB Pre-Appraisal Mission on the Bank’s Rice Value Chain Development Programme (RVCDP) in Abuja.

He explained that AfDB last year pledged $500 million to support Rice, Cassava, Aquaculture and Sorghum of the ATA. Agboma said: “It is well known that the AfDB has committed $500 million for the ATA over the next three years but for this programme maybe up to $150 million could be put up.”

He said there is the need for infrastructural development in the sector for sustainable development across states.

HE Federal Government has assured Nigerians of enough rice through local production. This will be achieved through the progress being made under the rice transformation agenda.

The assurance is coming in the wake of subtle agitation by some business interests who are asking for waivers to import rice paddy.

In a statement by the Special Assistant on Media,Dr Kayode Oyeleye ,the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development,Dr Akinwumi Adesina, said there was no need for rice importation as there are tremendous local efforts to boost rice production.

The rice transformation agenda, he said is entering into its second year of operation, the government is about to record – in 2013 – the target it has set for

2015, which is to produce about 3.23 million MT, to give over two million MT of milled rice to replace 2.1 million MT the nation imports.

According to him,the rice transformation action plan has set a goal of gradual substitution of imported rice with locally produced, high quality, long grain parboiled rice, reaching 100 per cent substitution by 2015.

He said it was the first time ever for the government to support dry season in the north, under an arrangement in which the needed seeds are given free to beneficiary farmers, with additional support in terms fertiliser. The initiative, he added is receiving unprecedented response from the farmers in the north, who are rushing to rice production, as a result of the government’s support.

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NEWS Fayemi, Okonjo–Iweala, Uduaghan for symposium EKITI State Governor Dr. Kayode Fayemi; his Delta State counterpart, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan and the Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala are among eminent Nigerians that will speak at the second edition of the Nigeria Symposium for Young & Emerging Leaders.

The symposium, slated for the Ikogosi Warm Spring Resort in IkogosiEkiti, starts today and ends on Sunday.

Also to speak at the event, hosted by the Ekiti State Government, include Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole; former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Mallam Nasir el-Rufai and Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi, among others.

The event will feature an interactive session with former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

The theme for this year’s event is: Project 2015: The character of our involvement.

Tinubu, Ajimobi, others laud Alaafin at book presentation E

MINENT personalities from all walks of life yesterday extolled the virtues of the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi III, at the public presentation of a book, titled: Chieftaincy Laws in Nigeria: Principles and Practice.

They described him as a rare breed, who loves history and culture.

The book was written by Mr. Tope Fadaunsi and Mr. Elias Adedokun in honour of the monarch. It has 10 chapters, 289 pages and examines the importance of chieftaincy laws in Nigeria.

The event was held at D’Rovans Hotel in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

The National Leader of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, said Oba Adeyemi is highly respected among Yoruba rul-

From Bisi Oladele and Tayo Johnson, Ibadan

ers, not because of his personality, but because he has “the weight of history behind him and the weight of contemporary endeavours”.

Tinubu, who was represented by Prof. Adebayo Williams, said since the monarch was installed in 1971, he has been protecting the interest of the Yoruba.

He said Oba Adeyemi has gone through “cold and hot wars” for the Yoruba.

Tinubu said: “Only a man with a sense of history can do what Alaafin is doing. He is an incredible man of destiny.

Before his installation, his father knew he would become a king. That was why he al-

lowed him to live with four Yoruba monarchs.”

The former Lagos State Governor described Oba Adeyemi as “an exceptional man, a scholar, diplomat, historian, anthropologist and warrior, whom God has a purpose for on earth”.

Oyo State Governor Abiola Ajimobi described the traditional ruler as “an intelligent man and a custodian of culture”.

He praised the writers for honouring the monarch and said he would consider the possibility of distributing the book to secondary school pupils.

Former Oyo State Governor Omololu Olunloyo called for a review of chieftaincy laws in Nigeria.

He said the Alaafin, who is a boxer, is the only monarch that can recite 10 pages of history by heart.

The Olugbo of Ugbo, Oba Obateru Akinruntan, said the Alaafin is “an epitome of intellect, who is respected by all”.

Niger State Commissioner for Information Prof.

Mahammed Kuta Yahaha, who represented Governor Babangida Aliyu, said the Alaafin represents honour, culture and character.

He said: “You are a successful monarch. In Nigeria, people do not trust politicians again, but they trust and rely on you. We are honoured to be associated with you.”

Kwara State Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed and his

Bauchi State counterpart, Isa Yuguda, were represented.

Oba Adeyemi said the federal system of governance has excluded the traditional system of governance.

He said the book would protect our culture and tradition.

The Alaafin thanked the writers for their initiative and thanked the guests for honouring him.

He prayed for peace and progress in the country.

Also present were Minister for State for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Ms. Jumoke Akinjide, who represented President Goodluck Jonathan; the Aare Musulumi of Yorubaland, Alhaji Abdulazeez Arisekola-Alao; Chairman of the Odu’a Investments Limited Mr. Sarafadeen Alli and former Minister of Power and Steel Elder Wole Oyelese, among others.

Police: we didn’t parade nursing mother and baby From Ernest Nwokolo, Abeokuta

THE police in Ogun State yesterday debunked the report in the social media and some newspapers that they paraded a nursing mother, Mrs. Adeosun, and her two-month-old baby.

The woman, a suspected armourer for robbers, and her baby were arrested and taken to the command headquarters in Abeokuta on March 11.

She was said to have confessed to the crime.

Her fleeing husband is a suspected member of the gang.

Police spokesman Olumuyiwa Adejobi said the falsehood being circulated is a calculated attempt to distract the police from going after the fleeing members of the gang.

Adejobi said: “To set the records straight, Mrs. Adeosun is a self-confessed armourer to an armed robbery syndicate, from whom one pump action and one cut-to-size single barrel guns and ammunition were recovered.

“The woman, her husband and other members of the robbery syndicate have confessed to a series of robberies and the killings of more than five people during their operations.”

•Ajimobi (fourth left); Arisekola-Alao (second left); Ms. Akinjide (right); Alaafin (second right); the Iyalode of Egba, Chief Alaba Lawson (third left) and Oyo State Commissioner for Culture and Tourism Princess Adetutu Adeyemi...yesterday.

Ondo may sack 6,000 illegal teachers

S

•Prof. Williams and Oba Akinruntan...yesterday.

PHOTOS: FEMI ILESANMI

IX thousand public primary school teachers in Ondo State may lose their jobs.

Those likely to be affected are teachers were illegally employed between 2009 and 2013.

The teachers, according to sources at the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), were employed by some officials of the board and the former Area Education Secretary (AES) without approval from the governor.

Already, 13 Area Education Accountants, two treasurers and auditors have been queried on the matter.

It was learnt that the officials would face a panel.

A source said: “The indicted Area Education Accountants, treasurers and auditors have

From Damisi Ojo, Akure

been queried and transferred to the offices of the Accountant-General and AuditorGeneral, where they will face a panel. They have been replaced by new officials.”

It was gathered that the illegal recruitment has raised the salary wage bill of primary school teachers by 61.79 per cent.

Sources said the affected teachers did not have the required qualification but were employed because of the influence of their godfathers/mothers.

Sources said some of the former AES may be invited to face the panel.

Governor Olusegun Mimiko has ordered the screening of public primary school teachers across the state to sanitise the workforce.

Erijiyan-Ekiti killing: ACN accuses top govt official of intimidation

T

HE Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in Ekiti State has accused the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and a top official of the Federal Government, who is from Ekiti, of using the “federal might” to persecute ACN members.

It said the detention of its Chairman, Chief Jide Awe, over the killing of Mr. Ayo Jeje last weekend in Erijiyan-Ekiti, is aimed at clamping down on the opposition.

Awe was invited on Tuesday and was quizzed by the police

•PDP seeks police chief’s transfer •’Probe opposition leaders’ From Sulaiman Salawudeen, Ado-Ekiti

at the Command Headquarters in Ado-Ekiti.

He was reportedly moved to the Force Headquarters in Abuja on Wednesday.

In a statement, ACN’s Publicity Secretary Prince Tunde Adeleke said: “The police’s investigation has been manipulated and skewed against the ACN’s chairman and other members of the party by a top

official of the Federal Government, who is a governorship aspirant and factional leader of the PDP in Ekiti.

“We view the latest development as an abuse of the official’s office. It is a reminder of the dark days of dictatorship and impunity and we shall resist all attempts to intimidate ACN members under any guise.

“We call for the immediate release of Awe, who has been detained for the Erinjiyan-Ekiti

killing since Tuesday.”

The PDP has called for the redeployment of the Commissioner of Police (CP), Mr. Sotonye Wakama.

It alleged that Wakama was “aiding and abetting lawlessness”urged the Inspector-General of Police to redeploy him, as well as probe Jeje’s killing.

In a statement by its Media Director, Chief Gboyega Aribisogan, in Ado-Ekiti, the

state capital, PDP said: “The spate of robbery and politicallymotivated crises in the state is worrisome. The CP appears compromised and helpless.”

A socio-political group in Osun State, De Raufs, has urged the police to expose Jeje’s killer(s).

The group urged the police to extend their investigation to the camp of a former Ekiti governor and the PDP, “as opposition politicians carry out heinous crimes to implicate the ruling party”.

In a statement by its Chairman, Mallam Musiliu Oladimeji, the group said Awe was a man of integrity and cannot be involved in “such a dastardly act”.

Calling for a proper probe of the matter, it warned the police against being used by the PDPled Federal Government to clampdown on the opposition.

De Raufs alleged that the crisis was caused by PDP members to discredit the Governor Kayode Fayemi administration as the 2014 governorship election draws near.

THE NATION FRIDAY, APRIL 5, 2013

54

EQUITIES NIGERIAN STOCK EXCHANGE DAILY SUMMARY AS AT 4-4-13

Agro stocks set market aglow

T

HE stock market presented a mixed-grill of the upside and downside of the streaming largely impressive earnings of quoted companies as investors responded to dividend recommendations by agricultural stocks with a major scramble. They also cashed in substantial capital gains in recent period.

Okomu Oil Palm Plc yesterday announced a dividend per share of N7 and a bonus issue of one for one share, triggering a massive bullish rally that saw the agriculture stock with the highest possible daily gain of 10 per cent. Okomu Oil’s share price rose by N8.77 to close at N96.49 per share.

Another agriculture stock, Presco Plc, which had announced a dividend per share of N1, also recorded the highest possible daily percentage gain of 10 per cent, rising by N2.25 to close at N24.75.

But in spite of significant gains by the agricultural stocks and gains by 25 other stocks, the market was overwhelmed by the selling instincts of bargain hunters, who took profits on several equities, which had mostly garnered double digit returns in recent period.

Weighed down by losses by 34 stocks as against gains by 27 stocks, aggregate market capitalisation of all equities retreated from its N11 trillion mark to N10.990 trillion, indicating a loss of N67 billion from N11.057 trillion recorded as value-on-board.

The main index at the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), the All Share Index (ASI), also slipped from 34,548.73 points to close at 34,339.65 points.

•NSE to reactivate SMEs’ board

By Taofik Salako and Tonia Osundolire

Breweries were the main drags on the market, although the spread of the losses showed cross-market bearishness.

Nigerian Breweries topped the losers’ list with a loss of N9.99 to close at N159.01.

Guinness Nigeria followed with a drop of N1 to close at N265. UACN Property Development Company (UPDC) dropped by 83 kobo to N16.02. Airline Services and Logistics lost 52 kobo to close at N4.75. Cement Company of Northern Nigeria dropped by 59 kobo to close at N10.55.

Oando lost 47 kobo to close at N17.3 while International Breweries dropped 38 kobo to close at N21.60.

Current earnings remained major mitigating factor in the pricing dynamics with several stocks that had recently declared dividends on the upside.

Dangote Cement rose by 95 kobo to N156. Julius Berger Nigeria and Cadbury Nigeria, which had recently announced dividend recommendations, chalked up 80 kobo and 50 kobo to close at N51.80 and N35.50 respectively. GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Nigeria added 49 kobo to close at N48 while Red Star Express gained 30 kobo to close at N3.90.

Altogether, investors staked N4.26 billion on 418.6 million shares through 6,887 deals. Banking stocks accounted for 221.88 million shares valued at N1.89 billion in 2,808 deals. Insurance stocks recorded a turnover of 76.76 million shares valued at

N160.2 million in 391 deals.

Meanwhile, the NSE will present its repackaged platform for small and medium enterprises this month, as part of efforts to woo companies and open up access to capital for growing firms.

The Alternative Securities Market (ASeM) will be a specialised board where small to mid-sized companies can access the capital market under less stringent rules. It will afford companies, which could not meet the requirements of the main board, opportunity to raise long-term, low cost capital.

ASeM had existed previously under categorizations such as emerging markets and second tier market.

Executive Director, Business Development, Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), Mr Haruna Jalo-Waziri said the renewed ASeM demonstrated the Exchange’s commitment as a staunch believer in the critical role of emerging enterprises in a developing economy.

“The ASeM board will allow issuers; especially indigenous companies the opportunity to inject relatively low cost and long term capital into their businesses through flexible rules that recognize their growth potential rather than the size of operation.”

General Manager, Listings, Sales and Retention, Mrs Taba Peterside, said the Designated Advisers (DA) will be required for all companies listed on the ASeM board to ensure compliance with all the requirements and obligations of the alternative market.

According to her, designated advisers would provide professional resources to qualifying companies for guidance and advice on securities-related matters.

The NSE is scheduled to announce the designated advisers today.

NIGERIAN STOCK EXCHANGE DAILY SUMMARY AS AT 4-4-13

THE NATION FRIDAY, APRIL 5, 2013

55

MONEY LINK

Private sector loans hit N15.3tr, says FBN Capital

L

OANS to the private sector increased to N15.3 trillion in February 2013, indicating a 0.9 per cent leap month on month and 8.6 per cent year on year.

In a report obtained by The Nation, FBN Capital said the February statistics showed that state governments’ borrowings from the banks stood at N666 billion as at last December.

The research firm noted that commercial banks accounted for close to 70 per cent of the private sector credit, while the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) provided the balance, mostly in the form of Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) bonds.

It said net loan growth has slowed

•States borrow N666b Stories by Collins Nweze

to single digits year on year, especially as some large AMCON-related transactions have dropped out of the calculation.

This according to FBN Capital is not generally consistent with an economy growing by more than six per cent annually in real terms for more than a decade. It said: “We could query the national accounts but we should also note an established Nigerian track record in achieving healthy growth with modest access to credit.

World Bank President calls for poverty free world

W

ORLD Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim has outlined a bold agenda for the global community toward ending extreme poverty by 2030 and promoting shared prosperity to boost the incomes of the poorest 40 per cent of the population in each country.

Calling for ambitious new goals to help the most vulnerable, Kim in a statement said: “We are at an auspicious moment in history when the successes of past decades and an increasingly favorable economic outlook combine to give developing countries a chance - for the first time ever - to end extreme poverty within a generation,” Kim said in a speech at Georgetown University.

“Our duty now must be to ensure that these favorable circumstances are matched with deliberate decisions to realize this historic oppor-

such rapid loan book expansion.”

The research firm noted that the foreign exchange reserves added $1.4 billion to bring the figure to $47.4 billion, stressing that the reserves have grown in each of the seven past months other than December.

It said that the reserves added $10.9 billion since the end of July when the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) and the cash reserve requirement for banks was raised by 400 basis points to stem their forex activities.

tunity,” he added.

Speaking in advance of the upcoming World Bank/IMF Spring Meetings, Kim observed that developing economies rebounded quickly from the crisis and are now in a fundamentally sound position, thanks to greater macroeconomic stability, a stronger rule of law, and increased investments in human capital and infrastructure. Productivity growth in the private sector, the source of 90 percent of all jobs, is high.

Kim noted that the first Millennium Development Goal (MDG), to halve extreme poverty, was achieved in 2010, five years ahead of time, after developing countries spent years investing in social safety nets and working hard to build the fiscal space and create the macroeconomic buffers to respond effectively if a crisis hit.

“There is some conjecture that the banks will move to boost their loan books aggressively because the returns on Federal Government of Nigeria paper have fallen by up to 600 basis points in nine months.

“We are not aware of any “undiscovered” sectors where the banks have the required credit skills to expand their operations, and would therefore be worried if there was

Naira climbs to three-week high on IOCs sales

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HE Nigerian currency rose for a third day to the highest in three weeks as International Oil Companies (IOCs) were said to sell dollars to meet local expenses. Bloomberg said the naira climbed 0.1 per cent to N157.87 per dollar, the highest on an intraday basis since March 14, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. The currency’s declined 1.1 per cent this year.

“Some companies sold some undisclosed amount of dollars. If sales continue “we’ll definitely see some more strength,” Sewa Wusa, head of research at Sterling Capital Ltd., said.

IOCs are the second-biggest

source of the currency after the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), which offers foreign currency at auctions on Mondays and Wednesdays to maintain exchange-rate stability.

The CBN sold $237 million at an auction on Wednesday, compared with $300 million at the previous sale on March 27.

Nigeria’s foreign-currency reserves have risen 10 per cent this year to $48.7 billion to April 2, according to data compiled by the CBN. Bonny Light crude, the nation’s main export grade, is priced above this year’s $79 budgeted benchmark set by the government at $110.26 a barrel.

D

IAMOND Bank Plc has rewarded more than 3,000 customers with over N2 billion through its SavingsXtra reward scheme that commenced five years ago.

Speaking at the Season 5 Easter Special draw of the reward scheme, the bank’s Propositions Officer/ Liability Products Team, Mr. David

Otukpe, said the Diamond SavingsXtra reward scheme, which commenced five years ago has seen over 3,000 customers win over N2 billion both in cash and house hold items. Before now, we were giving out air- conditioners and other electronics as rewards in the scheme.

“We have now narrowed it down

Amount N

Rate %

M/Date

3-Year 5-Year 5-Year

35m 35m 35m

11.039 12.23 13.19

19-05-2014 18-05-2016 19-05-2016

WHOLESALE DUTCH AUCTION SYSTEM Amount

Price Loss 2754.67 447.80

PRIMARY MARKET AUCTION (T-BILLS) Tenor 91-Day 182-Day 1-Year

Amount 30m 46.7m 50m

Rate % 10.96 9.62 12.34

Date 28-04-2012 “ 14-04-2012

GAINERS AS AT 4-4-13

SYMBOL PAINTCOM PRESCO OKOMUOIL LIVESTOCK ABCTRANS REDSTAREX ROYALEX UTC NEIMETH FIDSON

O/PRICE 1.40 22.50 87.72 2.62 0.73 3.60 0.63 0.77 0.87 1.65

C/PRICE 1.54 24.75 96.49 2.88 0.80 3.90 0.66 0.80 0.90 1.70

CHANGE 0.14 2.25 8.77 0.26 0.07 0.30 0.03 0.03 0.03 0.05

O/PRICE

AIRSERVICE VONO MULTITREX CILEASING WAPIC NB IKEJAHOTEL CUSTODYINS CCNN UAC-PROP

5.27 2.88 0.73 0.63 1.18 169.00 0.86 1.91 11.14 16.85

C/PRICE 4.75 2.60 0.66 0.57 1.07 159.01 0.81 1.80 10.55 16.02

Rate (N)

Date

150m

150m

155.2

2-7-12

350m

138m

138m

155.8

27-6-12

350m

113m

113m

155.7

22-6-12

CAPITAL MARKET INDEX Year Start Offer

Current Before

C u r r e n t CUV Start After %

NGN USD

147.6000

149.7100

150.7100

-2.11

NGN GBP

239.4810

244.0123

245.6422

-2.57

NGN EUR

212.4997

207.9023

209.2910

-1.51

149.7450

154.0000

154.3000

-3.04

Bureau de Change 152.0000

153.0000

155.5000

-2.30

(S/N) Parallel Market

154.0000

156.0000

-1.96

NSE CAP Index

27-10-11 N6.5236tr 20,607.37

28-10-11 N6.617tr 20,903.16

% Change -1.44% -1.44%

NIGERIA INTER BANK (S/N) (S/N)

MEMORANDUM QUOTATIONS Name

153.0000

DISCOUNT WINDOW Feb. ’11

July ’11

July ’12

MPR

6.50%

6.50%

12%

Standing Lending Rate ,, Deposit Rate ,, Liquidity Ratio Cash Return Rate Inflation Rate

8.50% 4.50% 25.00% 1.00% 12.10%

8.50% 4.50% 25.00% 2.00% 12.10%

9.50% 5.50% 30.00% 2.00% 11.8%

ARM AGGRESSIVE GROWTH KAKAWA GUARANTEED STANBIC IBTC GUARANTE AFRINVEST W.A. EQUITY FUND LOTUS CAPITAL HALAL BGL SAPPHIRE FUND BGL NUBIAN FUND FBN MONEY MARKET FUND FBN FIXED INCOME FUND NIGERIA INTERNATIONAL DEB. PARAMOUNT EQUITY FUND CONTINENTAL UNIT TRUST CENTRE-POINT UNIT TRUST STANBIC IBTC NIG EQUITY • ARM AGGRESSIVE

Offer Price

Bid Price

9.17 1.00 138.34 147.89 0.80 1.14 1.10 100.00 1,000.00 1,786.88 15.58 1.39 1.87 10,855.53

9.08 1.00 137.92 147.26 0.78 1.14 1.09 100.00 1,000.00 1,781.87 14.82 1.33 1.80 10,528.92

• KAKAWA GUARANTEED • STANBIC IBTC GUARANTE

CHANGE 0.52 0.28 0.07 0.06 0.11 9.99 0.05 0.11 0.59 0.83

Exchange

Sold ($)

350m

LOSERS AS AT 4-4-13

SYMBOL

Amount

EXHANGE RATE 6-03-12 Currency

INTERBANK RATES 7.9-10% 10-11%

Amount

Offered ($) Demanded ($)

MANAGED FUNDS

OBB Rate Call Rate

to cash prizes. This season alone, we have given out over N600 million to 1,019 customers. We are half way through as the season ends in September 2013,” Otukpe said.

He said the lender has measures in place to monitor the activities of customers who have won to make sure the money is well invested.

DATA BANK

Tenor

NIDF NESF

“Provided that the oil price obliges, in our view the CBN will be able to hold the line on the naira exchange rate this year,” Gregory Kronsten and Olubunmi Asaolu, strategists at FBN Capital Ltd. in London. “Reserves at end-March provided cover for more than nine months’ imports of goods, and close to seven months when we include services.”

Yields on the government’s localcurrency bonds due June 2019 rose eight basis points, or 0.08 percentage point, to 10.73 per cent, according to prices compiled on the Financial Markets Dealers Association website.

Diamond Bank rewards more customers

FGN BONDS

Initial Current Quotation Price Market N8250.00 5495.33 N1000.00 N552.20

• CBN Governor Sanusi Lamido

• AFRINVEST W.A. EQUITY FUND

NIBOR Tenor 7 Days 30 Days 60 Days 150 Days

Rate (Previous) 4 Mar, 2012 9.0417 9.6667 11.2917 12.1250

Rate (Currency) 6, Mar, 2012 10.17% 11.46% 11.96% 12.54%

Movement

OPEN BUY BACK Previous

Current

04 July, 2012

07, Aug, 2012

Bank

8.5000

8.5000

P/Court

8.0833

8.0833

Movement

THE NATION FRIDAY, APRIL 5, 2013

56

NEWS Oshiomhole: I spent three days with police

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DO State Governor Adams Oshiomhole, who turned 60 yesterday, has promised to re-dedicate his life to the service of God and humanity.

Oshiomhole spoke at a thanksgiving mass held at the Government House Chapel to mark his birthday.

The governor said he wanted a quiet celebration with his family, but his children and friends insisted that his birthday celebration must be elaborate.

He recalled how he was touched when his son told him that the only thing he would do to make the children happy was to accompany them to church regularly.

Oshiomhole said he was fortunate to have had a wife, who encouraged him to be baptised and whose spiritual influence had a great impact on his children.

The governor recounted his early struggles through

From Osagie Otabor, Benin

life and how he slept at the police station for three days when he first went to Kaduna because he had no place to stay.

His words: “My life is a life of miracles. One of those who was to testify at the tribunal but was not called wanted to say how the village association supported my secondary school education but he lied when he said I didn’t finish school.

“When I went to Kaduna, I ended up sleeping at the police station for the first three nights because I didn’t have anywhere to stay.

“My struggles through the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to becoming the governor and support from the people were acts of God. “Whatever we are is that which have been decreed by God. You might be working and no one will seem to no-

•Oshiomhole

tice it.”

Oshiomhole called for more prayers for him to overcome his weakness and not to do things that would benefit a few at the expense of the majority.

Rev Andrew Obinyan, in his homily, described Oshiomhole as a man of good works and creativity.

The mass was attended by the Deputy Governor, Pius Odubu, Speaker of the House of Assembly Uyi Igbe, Chief Tom Ikimi, Oshiomhole’s children and political associates.

Osun NLC, NJC, TUC can’t call for strike, says national body

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THE Joint National Public Service Negotiation Council (JNPSNC) has said the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC) and Joint National Congress (JNC) in Osun State have no constitutional right to ask workers to go on strike.

The body said the trio could not do so until the crisis among the labour unions is resolved.

Speaking with reporters yesterday in Osogbo, the state capital, after a meeting with the Osun Head of Service, Mr. Sunday Olayinka Owoeye, the JNPSNC National Secretary Mr. Omokhuade Marcus said NLC, TUC and JNC cannot call for a strike without the consent of all the eight unions.

Marcus said the crisis in the labour circle in the state will be causing confusion for the

From Adesoji Adeniyi, Osogbo

government.

He denied the report that JNPSNC has no constitution.

Marcus said: “There were lots of misunderstanding in the unions, which led to the division in Osun JNPSNC and we came to clear the issue.

“NLC, TUC and JNC have no members. The members belong to the unions. So calling a workers assembly for a strike is unlawful. They do not have a right to call workers for that assembly. Only leaders of the respective unions have the power to mobilise their members to attend that gathering.

“The joint council is made of the chairmen and secretaries of the eight unions. We have established that if you are not a chairman or secretary of

your union, you cease to hold any position in the joint council.

What we have in Osun is that we have one person holding the chairmanship post of the joint council in Osun for the past nine years and the person is no longer the chairman of his union for eight years. We said that is a misnomer and must not continue.

“There have been rumours, claims and counterclaims and the state needs to know the truth. That is why we came for the meeting.”

He said to resolve the crisis in the labour movement in Osun, the Head of Service has been mandated to get the constitution from the Head of Service of the Federation and meet with all the factions at a round table.

Marcus urged government to act fast.

Uduaghan calls for more local govt funds

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ELTA State Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan has called for a review of the federal revenue allocation to local governments to enable them meet the developmental needs of the people.

Uduaghan made the call when the Nigerian Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) visited him in Asaba yesterday.

“If we want the local governments to succeed, the federal revenue allocation should be reviewed and more funds given to them.

“This is to enable them pay primary school teachers’ salaries and carry out their other developmental needs.

“Over 80 per cent of local governments are expended on the payment of primary school teachers’ salaries.

“This is not healthy for the development of the council areas. If the councils must continue with this responsibility, then their revenue allocation needs to be reviewed upwards or the responsibility should be taken from them to enable them carry out infrastructural projects and meet the developmental needs of the people at the grassroots.”

Funeral for Deacon

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HE Owolabi and Okutoro families have announced the death on of their father, grandfather and great grandfather, Deacon Samuel Ayinde Owolabi. He was 80.

In a statement by the families, funeral arrangements and final rites are as follows: Service of songs and burial will hold on April 18 and April 19 at his home, 17, Adeyemi Street, Oshodi, opposite Owoseni Primary School, Lagos.

Pa Owolabi is survived by several children, including George Owolabi,

Chairman Area Community Development Committee (ACDC) Ilogbo, Ado-Odo/ Ota Local Government Area, Leke Owolabi, Chairman Ajerogun Orile Igbusi Community Development Association (CDA), Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government Area, Olelekan Owolabi, Reuben Adisa Owolabi and Moses Shorinwa; several grand children, sisters, nephews and nieces.

There will be an outing service after the interment at Holy Flock of Christ, 114, Oshodi Road, Oshodi Lagos.

Entertainment of guests

•The late Owolabi

follows immediately at Owoseni Primary School, Adeyemi Street, Oshodi Lagos.

THE NATION FRIDAY, APRIL 5 , 2013

57

NEWS Senior citizens: Fayemi has given us hope

We’ll work for peace, say Obi, Wada

From Sulaiman Salawudeen, Ado-Ekiti

B

•Visit Ministry of Transport

A

NAMBRA State Governor Peter Obi and his Kogi State counterpart, Idirs Wada, have resolved to work for peace, progress and good neighbourliness of their two states.

They spoke yesterday at the Kogi State Governor’s Lodge, Asokoro, Abuja, after a meeting on the dispute between Odeke in Kogi State and Agulueri-Otu in Anambra State.

In a joint communiqué, the governors condemned the dispute between both states and assured that adequate measures are on to end the crisis.

They affirmed faith in the steps taken by President Goodluck Jonathan to settle the boundary dispute and called on the people to be patient for the Boundary Commission to do its work.

In the communiqué, they

T

•Wada (left) and Obi at the meeting...yesterday

said the boundary crises did not result in any casualty as the media reported and that only five houses, not 57, and four motorcycles were destroyed.

The governors assured that they would assist the victims.

They also said they would continue to preach peace as the country does not need any cri-

sis at this time.

Both governors visited the Federal Ministry of Transport where they called for the inclusion of Onitsha through Ayamgba to Abuja in the railway master plan.

Obi said Onitsha is very critical considering the volume of trade traffic it carries.

He said whatever equi-

table criteria for determination of towns to benefit, that he was sure Onitsha would be eligible.

The Minister, Idris Umar, thanked them for working together to seek the welfare of their people.

He said their request would be given due consideration and a reply given to them in two weeks.

1,000 evicted from Onitsha barracks

HE mood in Onitsha, the commercial city of Anambra State, yesterday was pensive as 1,000 policemen living in the barracks at Central Police Station (CPS) and Area Command were ejected from their homes.

The Nation reports that a combined team of policemen, bailiffs and executors, led by the Commissioner of Police, Bala Nassarawa, demolished the houses and shops as well as makeshift structures.

The policemen accused the state police command of complicity in the demolition.

The victims with their families were seen making alternative arrangements.

It was gathered that the Ekwerekwu family of Onitsha leased the land to the police about 100 years ago and on expiration of the lease, the family went to court to

•Victims accuse CP of complicity From Odogwu Emeka Odogwu, Onitsha

recover the land and its prayer was granted.

The evictees accused the Onitsha Area Commander, Benjamin Wordu, the Central Police Divisional Officer, Mr. Tope and Nassarawa of collaborating with the family to eject them.

But Nassarawa said only illegal structures were demolished.

He denied that the police were demolishing officers’ houses.

One of the victims, Inspector Udoh, said he had been living in the barracks for 21 years and had paid tenancy to the police authorities.

He said the commissioner could not describe them as illegal occupants.

Udo said: “It was yesterday morning that we saw a

quit notice pasted on our doors signed by Officer in Charge of Provost.

“It ordered us to vacate our homes and our wives to vacate their shops within 48 hours without prior notice.

“Before now, we had no problem with anybody, as we were paying our tenancy to the relevant authority and even some of us have just signed what we call accommodation money in January.

“The money is being deducted from our salaries. To wake up and kick us out of our homes is an act of wickedness.”

Speaking for Police Officers’ Wives Association (POWA) Shop Owners Association, Mrs. Maria Iguh said the demolition was done in bad faith and called on President Goodluck Jonathan to come to their aid.

Mrs. Iguh said: “We bought these shops from POWA and since then we have been paying to the police for what they called security and we obeyed and painted our shops in police colour.

“Then this morning, we saw quit notice ordering us to vacate within 48 hours.

“We are in trouble because some of us have lost all we’ve worked for. We don’t have any other place to go,” she said.

Police spokesman Emeka Chukwuemeka said there was a court order that the police should vacate the place, so the order is being executed.

“The Ekwerekwu family of Onitsha leased out the land and in a bid to recover it after expiration of the lease went to court and got judgment in its favour.

“It is not police land, the victims should be patient because with time the hiccups will be over,” he concluded.

APGA has no apologies for Okorie, says Umeh

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MBATTLED National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) Victor Umeh yesterday said the party did not commit any injustice against its founder, Chekwas Okorie.

Umeh was reacting to a visit by a splinter group to Okorie where the party apologised to him for the injustices meted on him.

The APGA national chairman, who is in court challenging his sack, said Okorie deserved his removal as the national chairman of the party “because he betrayed the party.”

He said it was only posterity that would judge the present relationship between Anambra State Governor Peter Obi, interim Chairman Maxi Okwu and Chekwas Okorie.

He added that it was because of Okorie’s sabotage of Obi’s governorship am-

Anambra APGA sacks chair, others From Nwanosike Onu, Awka

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HE All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) yester day sacked its chairman in Anambra State, Mike Kwentoh, for allegedly causing confusion.

Also sacked were the Secretary, Ifeanyi Obiora and the deputy chairman, Ifeanyi Udokwu.

They were replaced by Obi Mbonu, who is the acting chairman. Sunday Onuora becomes the deputy state chairman and Angus Ochiogu the acting secretary.

Their sacking, according to Fidel Okafor, who read the communiqué, yesterday after the party’s state executive meeting said their actions were an insult to the party.

The trio, on Wednesday, dissociated themselves from the proposed state congress for today.

But Kwentoh described the action of some of the party members as a joke.

From Chris Oji, Enugu

bition that led to his removal as the national chairman.

Said Umeh: “The APGA leadership can never forgive Okorie because he betrayed the party.

“The party did not commit any injustice against

him because all the actions taken against him were approved by the court.

“We have no regret morally and legally for removing Okorie as what we did was to install democracy by insisting through litigation that APGA won the election in Anambra State.

“Okorie was against our battle to claim our mandate.”

He said Okwu is the national chairman of Citizens Popular Party (CPP) and wondered what he is doing in APGA. He advised Okorie and Okwu to stop talking of merging CPP and the United Progressives Party (UPP) founded by Okorie.

“They have nothing to do with APGA,” he said.

On the proposed congresses and convention planned by Okwu’s APGA, Umeh asserted that there would be no congress and convention before 2015.

“The leadership of APGA is intact. Okwu has never written to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) informing it of any programme of the party because he knows very well that he has no locus standi and INEC will not recognise him.”

ENEFICIARIES of the Ekiti State’s Social Security Scheme for the Elderly said the initiative has given them hope to live a better and longer life.

They spoke in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, through their representatives, Mrs. Florence Adeniyi (78) and Mr. Felix Aduloju (82), after receiving their allowance for March.

They said the monthly stipend of N5,000 has enabled them cope with their basic needs.

Aduloju said most of the beneficiaries found life difficult prior to the inauguration of the scheme.

He said the initiative has also given them an opportunity to interact with one another monthly when they gather to receive the stipend.

Aduloju said: “What Fayemi did for us is more than the money. He has reintegrated us back into the society and most of us are healthier than before.

“Most times when we have cause to go to places to make amends in the community as elders, we do not beg for money again. We go out and come back on our own. Although, this is not and cannot be frequent.”

The Commissioner for Labour, Productivity and Human Capital Development, Mr. Oluwole Ariyo, urged those yet to benefit from the scheme to be patient.

He praised those handling the payment and security agents for the peaceful conduct of the exercise in Ado Local Government.

Ariyo urged Ekiti people to continue to pray for the success of the administration to enjoy more dividends of democracy.

Ohanaeze: Committee to submit report

By Augustine Avwode, Assistant Editor

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HE committee inaugurated to find a solution to the leadership crisis rocking the pan-Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, is to submit its report on Sunday.

The committee was set up on January 27 by governors, elders and political leaders of the Southeast and was expected to submit its report on February 10.

The committee chairman, Senator Ben Obi, said the date, was communicated to him by the chairman of the Southeast Governors’ Forum, Peter Obi, who doubles as Anambra State Governor.

“I have been informed by Governor Peter Obi that the meeting will hold on April 7 because all the governors are now available.”

Senator Obi said the committee couldn’t present its report because some governors were not available on the proposed dates.

“The governor has assured me that we would meet on April 7. The implication is that, we, the members of the committee, have to meet today to put our papers in order,” he said.

Asked to comment on whether the intervention of the committee would be able to solve the crisis rocking the group, the chairman assured that the committee has looked into all the complaints.

Diamond Bank honours Onitsha monarch

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IAMOND Bank will tomorrow honour the Obi of Onitsha, Nnaemeka Alfred Achebe, with a sponsored group art exhibition, entitled Orakwue, (Let the world talk) at the Alexis Gallery, Akin Olugbade Street, Victoria Island, Lagos.

The exhibition will feature nine Onitsha Ado artists and eight guest artists that will showcase paintings, sculptures and ceramics.

According to the organisers, the exhibition is part of the activities to commemorate the monarch’s 10th coronation anniversary.

The exhibition will run till April 13 at the gallery. The artists include Afam Okwudili, George Nwadiogbu, Ato Arinze, Osaji Dubem, Gaby Emengo, Chinwe Uwatse, Frank Anammah, Onyeoma Mbanefo and George Edozie.

Others are Abiodun Olaku, Alex Nwokolo, Gbenga Offo, Duke Asidere, Agorsor Kofi, Fidelis Odogwu, Tola Wewe, and Dominique Zinkpe.

Ex-teacher for burial

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HE funeral arrangement for the late Deaconess Dorcas Olufunmilayo Odunlade has been announced. Mrs. Odunlade died on March 17.

She was born on May 14, 1947 at Oda – Odo Quarters, Omuo – Ekiti in Ekiti State.

The late Mrs. Odunlade obtained a Grade II Teachers’ Certificate in July 1975 from Methodist Teachers’ Training College, Sagamu, Ogun State.

She had an Associateship Certificate in Education from the University of Ibadan in 1984; and a Certificate of Professional Studies in Education, with specialisation in Home Economics from the University of Lagos in 1988.

The deceased worked with the Lagos State Ministry of

•The late Mrs Odunlade Education and retired as head teacher in 2010.

She will be buried on Monday at her home in Aseese Town, Ogun State.

She survived by her husband, Adetunji and four children: Adeyinka, Adedolapo, Adesanmi, Adebusuyi and many grandchildren.

58

THE NATION FRIDAY, APRIL 5, 2013

NEWS 2014: Rights groups back Fayemi, Aregbesola

Kano signs metro line contract with Chinese firm

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HE Nigerian Human Rights Community (NHRC) yesterday adopted Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi and his Osun State counterpart, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola. The rights group took the decision after an extensive national meeting in Lagos and attended by over 100 representatives.

The group describedhe forthcoming elections in Osun and Ekiti States as “pearls for deep concern” to the human rights movement in Nigeria and abroad.

The group, which comprises over 100 notable human rights groups from various parts o the country, in the communiqué at the end of the meeting, said the adoption of the two candidates has more to do with the ongoing campaign of the Nigerians to prevent repression and underdevelopment in the hands of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The communique redas: “The decision to adopt the two candidates reflects the mood of the local and international communitis, which are deeply impressed by the grandeur the two states have conferred on Nigeria and the societies they administer. We commend them in the areas of human rights, fight against corruption, good governance, citizen mediation mechanisms, social security for the vulnerable, standard and computerised education, the promotion of indigenous culture, rebuilding of the almost extinct middle class and the creation of jobs and skilled entrepreneurship.

“This adoption is historic. It will deepen democracy and sustain the little gleam of hope in a country, which is tottering in the hands of bad leadership and unprecedented corruption at the national level. The adoption has more to do with the peopledriven social and economic policies of the two states than with the political parties that the governors belong...”

LOSS OF DOCUMENT JOHN OYENIYI FADIPE CONVEYANCE IN RESPECT OF NO 97 IKORODU ROAD FADEYI LAGOS REGISTERED AS NO 53 PAGE 53 IN VOLUME 606 of LAGOS STATE LAND REGISTRY ALAUSA IKEJA LAGOS GOT LOST IN TRANSIT.

LOSS OF DOCUMENT This is to notify the general public that original offer certificate of land with certificate no KDL 39551 belonging to Mustapha El-Mohammed of No. 13BJ Legislatie layout Kaduna issued by land and survey, Kaduna, got lost on 1/1/2010 in Kano. All efforts to trace it prove abortive.

From Kolade Adeyemi, Kano

T

•Chairman, Bauchi State Football Association, Alhaji Yahuza Adamu (right), presenting a football licence to the coach of Gumau United Football Club of Toro, Alhaji Mubarak Ahmed, during Bauchi Emir’s Cup Football Competition draws and grouping of teams in Bauchi...yesterday

Fed Govt’s N3b aid divides Nollywood

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IGERIA’S movie industry, popularly called Nollywood, appears to be divided following Federal Government’s promise to assist the industry with N3billion.

Factions have appeared in the industry. They are demanding an explanation on the modalities for the selection of members of the committee, set up by the Federal Ministry of Finance, to manage the fund.

Some Nollywood big wigs, who were not chosen to serve in the committee, have been throwing brickbats.

President Goodluck Jonathan, on March 2, at a dinner with filmmakers in Lagos, promised a N3 billion aid for the nation’s movie industry.

The largesse, Dr Jonathan said, is a consolation for the effort of the filmmakers whom have been developing the in-

By Victor Akande, Entertainment Editor

dustry in the last 20 years, beginning with Living in Bondage, the acclaimed first direct-toVHS film in the country.

The package, which will be launched as Project Nollywood and managed by the Ministry of Finance, in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, is expected to include grants for the best film scripts, capacity building and infrastructure development.

Notable filmmaker, Amaka Igwe, was more perceptible during the dinner with Dr Jonathan. She has been picked to serve on the committee. Others are veteran Yoruba language film thespian, Jide Kosoko, as well as actressturned producer, Stephanie Okereke-Idahosa.

There are other notable professionals from the Finance, Judiciary and Education sectors.

But stakeholders, under the aegis of Nollywood Monitors, are not at ease with the choice of the three.

Although their dissension was shown in a communiqué sent via an email to members and the public by the President of Screen Writers Guild of Nigeria (SWGN), Chike Bryan, it was suspected that other members of the Nollywood Monitors, may include Mr. Paul Obazele and Zack Orji.

The group is demanding that only association heads, who were duly elected by members, should be included in the committee.

Mrs. Igwe, last Saturday, called 30 members of the film industry to a meeting where she asked for their inputs on the

best possible ways to distribute films, which is a part of what the N3 billion is meant for. She was collating participants’ views and present them as the proposed guidelines for the Federal Government Committee on the fund.

The discussion focused on IP protection in Nollywood movies.

The group had said filmmakers made 30 per cent of gains from their movies while pirates made 70 per cent of the investment.

The committee, which is chaired by Finance Minister Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, is said to have 12 members, including the Senior Special Assistant (Communications) to the Minister, Mr. Paul Nwabuikwu, and Mr. Hope Yongo, a director at Nigerian Export-Import (NEXIM) Bank, among others.

Kano Hisbah discovers 20 HIV-positive widows

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WENTY widows were yesterday found to be HIV-positive during the mandatory medical checkup for participants in the proposed 1,000 mass wedding organised by Hisbah, the Shariah Implementation Agency of the Kano State Government.

The exercise, the third to be organised by the agency, is meant to cushion the effect of divorce and single parentage in Kano State.

The Commander-General of the Hisbah Board, Sheik Aminu Daurawa, spoke yesterday in Kano ahead of the mass wedding.

He said each of the 44 local

PUBLIC NOTICE

UNIFIED BREED SPORTS CLUB This is to inform the general public that the above named club has applied for Registration under the Companies and Allied Matter Act 1990 TRUSTEES ARE: (1) MR. ASUQUO E. OKON (2) HH ETINYIN ENE MKPANG BOCO (3) MR. EDEDET EKANEM (4) MR. OKOKON EFFIONG AIMS AND OBJECTIVES (1) The Furtherance of spirit of unity and friendship among members of the club (2) The promotion of better health standards among members of the club and society at large.

(3) The improvement of sporting standards in the society.

(4) Bidding for and execution of community based projects for the overall benefit of club members and the society at large.

(5) The rendition of necessary assistance to members of the club and the society at large.

Any objection to this registration should be forwarded to the RegistrarGeneral CAC plot 420 Tigris crescent off Aguiyi Ironsi Crescent Matiama District Abuja within 28 days of this publication

SIGNED: HH ETINYIN ENE MKPANG BOCO

From Kolade Adeyemi, Kano

governments in the state would hold the wedding prayer for 21 couples while the wedding for the other 76 couples would be conducted in the state capital.

The Hisbah chief told The Nation that the board discovered five expectant mothers among the 1,000 widows and divorcees for the mass wedding, despite the Shariah stipulations against pregnancy before wedding.

According to him, the board

has set aside N10 million to be paid as dowries to the brides, besides providing other needs for the couples.

Daurawa explained that the affected women were detected during a medical screening conducted on prospective brides by the board in the 44 local governments.

The Muslim cleric has also said a renowned Kano-based businessman, Alhaji Isiyaka Rabi’u, and Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Sunusi Lamido

Yola market fire: Adamawa Rep donates N1.5m to traders

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MEMBER of the House of Representatives, Hajiya Aisha Dahiru Ahmed, representing Yola North/Yola South/Girei Federal Constituency, has assisted distressed traders in a Yola, Adamawa State, market with N1.5million.

The traders, last Saturday, lost several goods to a fire at the Ranatafitu Jimeta Shopping Complex in Yola.

Hajiya Ahmed gave the money when she visited the victims.

The lawmaker said apart from sharing in the pain of the traders, she chose to fulfil her major campaign pledge to stand by the masses at all times..

The only female Federal lawmaker from Adamawa State met with the traders in company of the Peoples

Sanusi have donated N2 million and N1 million for the mass wedding.

A chieftain of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and traditional title holder of Dan-Saran Kano, Alhaji Gambo Danpass, also donated 200 bundles of lace to the participants.

Nigeria’s frontline GSM firm, GLO Mobile Telecommunication Company, also donated free 2,000 SIM cards for distribution to the couples.

From Yusuf Alli, Managing Editor, Northern Operation

Democratic Party (PDP) Chairman for Yola North, Alhaji Isa Bagalti; the party’s Chairman in Girei Council, Alhaji Siddiq Haske and ward chairmen in the Federal Constituency.

A statement from her media team quoted her as saying: “I am sad that fire has gutted a part of this shopping complex.

Being my constituents, I feel for you and I pray to God to be with you in this hour of need.

“But as part of my contributions to your rehabilitation programme, I wish to donate a token of N1.5million to those affected by the inferno.”

The lawmaker urged the traders to get insurance cover for their goods to minimise

•Hajiya Ahmed

their losses.

She also advised owners and managers of shopping complexes to invest in safety measures against floods and fire.

Hajiya Ahmed said: “It is a pity that we have not been paying attention to safety in this part of the world. This type of disaster should serve as a wakeup call to us as a nation to have a rethink on our poor attitude to safety precautions.

HE Kano State Government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with a Chinese firm, CCECC, for the construction of a modern intra-city railway system in Kano city.

The Commissioner for Works, Abba Kabir Yusuf, signed for the government, while CCECC Managing Director Chao Chao signed for the company.

After the signing ceremony at the Government House in Kano, Governor Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso said the agreement is for the company to send engineers to begin the project design.

On completion of the project, according to the governor, it will ease transportation in the state capital, which is grappling with traffic congestion.

The governor hoped that barring any unforeseen development, the state government would have built at least a railway line by 2015, when the tenure of his administration expires.

Chao said CCECC was handling some large scale civil engineering works in Nigeria, including sections of the Nigeria Railway modernisation project.

According to him, the company has sufficient equipment to execute such hi-tech job, thus giving it the competitive advantage over others.

Chao added that CCECC intended to do the project in five phases in the next four years.

Cleric warns Fed Govt on Boko Haram

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HE General Overseer of The Wisdom of God Pentecostal Church, Rev. Isaac Olu Simon, has said unless Nigerian leaders resolve the lingering insecurity posed by the Boko Haram insurgents, the nation may explode in a civil war.

The cleric noted that the Federal Government needs to be pragmatic in handling the security threat the sect’s activities pose to the nation.

He urged President Goodluck Jonathan to summon a meeting of Nigerian leaders, including traditional rulers and political leaders, to douse the sect’s menace.

Rev Simon said: “Nigerians cannot tolerate the situation anymore. This situation has dented the image of the country abroad. This cannot bring investors and development.

“Nigerians want peace. The faceless Boko Haram must be tamed because 2015 election is near.”

The cleric expressed worry that some of the sect’s members were recently arrested in Lagos.

According to him, this portends grave danger to the nation’s security.

He noted that if President Jonathan heeds the advice of some national leaders, the 2015 general elections could be conducted peacefully.

Rev Simon added that the President could only run the government under peaceful co– existence.

He advised church leaders to be upright and speak the truth on matters militating against the country.

THE NATION FRIDAY, APRIL 5, 2013

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THE NATION FRIDAY APRIL 5, 2013

60

FOREIGN NEWS Desmond Tutu wins Templeton Prize

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OUTH African antiapartheid campaigner Desmond Tutu has won the 2013 Templeton Prize worth $1.7 million (about 264 million Naira) for helping inspire people around the world by promoting forgiveness and justice, organizers said on Thursday.

A leading human rights activist of the late 20th century, the former Anglican archbishop of Cape Town played a pivotal role in the downfall of apartheid and subsequently worked to heal wounds in South Africa’s traumatized society.

Tutu, 81, won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1984 for standing up against whiteminority rule. He remains a prominent campaigner for peace and human rights.

The Templeton award was announced as his friend and fellow Nobel laureate Nelson Mandela was fighting pneumonia in a third health scare in four months for South Africa’s first black president.

Established in 1972 by the late American-born investor and philanthropist John Templeton, the annual prize - worth more, in monetary terms, than the Nobel - honors a living person “who has made an exceptional contribution to affirming life’s spiritual dimension”.

“When you are in a crowd and you stand out from the crowd it’s usually because you are being carried on the shoulders of others,” Tutu was quoted as saying in a statement released by the U.S.-based foundation.

“I want to acknowledge all the wonderful people who accepted me as their leader at home and so to accept this prize in a representative capacity.”

Last year’s Templeton Prize went to the Dalai Lama, the Tibetan Buddhist spiritual leader. Other recent winners include British astrophysicist Martin Rees and Canadian philosopher Charles Taylor.

The foundation, whose first award went to Mother Teresa in 1973, praised Tutu as a moral voice for people around the world”.

“Desmond Tutu calls upon all of us to recognize that each and every human being is unique in all of history and, in doing so, to embrace our own vast potential to be agents for spiritual progress and positive change,” it said.

“Not only does he teach this idea, he lives it.”

CAR leader accepts regional transition plans T HE rebel leader who seized power in Central African Republic and proclaimed himself president accepted yesterday a call by regional leaders to speed up a transition to democracy, but could stay in office, his information minister said.

Michel Djotodia led thousands of rebel fighters of the Seleka coalition into the riverside capital of the mineralrich country on March 24, toppling President Francois Bozize.

African heads of state refused to recognize Djotodia as the country’s legitimate leader at a summit in Chad on Wednesday and called for the creation of a transitional council to lead the nation to elections within 18 months. “(Djotodia) accepted all of

sitional government headed by a civilian prime minister, Nicolas Tiangaye, and promising elections in three years.

However, the regional leaders called for the creation of a transitional body elected by all of the country’s political actors and rebel groups to be charged with drawing up a new constitution and preparing the way for elections.

Under the plan, the council’s head will serve as Central African Republic’s president during the transition, which Gazam Betty said could allow Djotodia to keep his current position, this time with international approval.

“Everyone will be a candidate. If Mr Djotodia, after all

•Djotodia

They say the presence of the 400 South African troops was covered by a 2007 bilateral defense accord with Bozize.

“South Africa and South African troops will never serve any unconstitutional government ... Because there is no constitutional government in CAR, our troops are coming back home,” Foreign Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane said on Thursday.

U.S. to send missile defenses to Guam

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•An aerial view of flooded streets after heavy rains flooded a large part of the city of La Plata, Argentina yesterday.

PHOTO: REUTERS

Mass protest at Palestinians’s funerals

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HOUSANDS of mourners turned out yesterday for the funerals of three Palestinians, including two teenagers killed by Israeli army gunfire in some of the worst violence in the occupied West Bank in years.

The upsurge in unrest was triggered on Tuesday by the death of Maysara Abu Hamdeya, a 64-year-old prisoner serving a life term in an Israeli jail and suffering from cancer.

Palestinian officials accused Israel of delaying treatment for Hamdeya and gave him full military honors at a funeral on Thursday in Hebron, where masked gunmen fired into the air as his body arrived at a mosque in the divided West Bank city.

In the wave of disturbances that followed his death, four Palestinian youths threw fire-

bombs at an Israeli checkpoint near Tulkarm in the northern West Bank on Wednesday, the army said.

Soldiers returned fire and killed two teenagers from the nearby town of Anabta — Amer Nassar, 17, and Naji Belbisi, 18.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said Israel’s use of lethal force showed that it wanted to “provoke chaos” in the Palestinian Territories

and avoid any moves toward a peace deal.

The bodies of Nassar and Belbisi, their blood-stained faces clearly visible, were carried on stretchers through the packed streets of Anabta, held aloft by uniformed members of the Palestinian security forces.

Following initial rocket fire on Tuesday, Israeli jets carried out their first airstrike on Gaza since a truce ended sev-

eral days of fighting in November.

An al Qaeda-linked group, Magles Shoura al-Mujahadeen, claimed responsibility for rocket attacks on Tuesday and Wednesday, saying it was responding to the death of Hamdeya.

Palestinians say Hamdeya complained of feeling sick last August, but was only discovered to be suffering from cancer in January.

U.S. agents seize Bissau drug kingpin

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S. anti-narcotics officers have arrested the former navy chief of Guinea Bissau, wanted by Washington as a kingpin of the international drugs trade, in an operation off the coast of West Africa, two sources familiar with the operation said.

Rear Admiral Bubo Na Tchuto, who has been involved in several failed coups in the former Portuguese colony, was arrested along with four other people on a boat in international waters in a sting operation mounted by undercover agents, the sources said.

He was transported to Cape

Verde, from where he would be sent to the United States for prosecution, the sources said.

Na Tchuto was one of two Bissau Guineans designated as drug kingpins by the U.S. government in 2010, suspected of involvement in cocaine smuggling from South America.

Italy: Renzi challenges Berlusconi

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•Tutu

the recommendations made in N’Djamena ... He accepted all the schemes outlined by the heads of state,” Christophe Gazam Betty told reporters following a meeting between Djotodia and regional foreign ministers.

African and Western leaders have condemned the seizure of power by the rebels, who accused Bozize of failing to implement previous peace agreements. The African Union suspended the former French colony and imposed sanctions on Djotodia while Washington said he was not a legitimate leader.

Djotodia has already tried to contain international condemnation by creating a tran-

he’s done to date, wants to be a candidate, I see no reason why he wouldn’t be president,” he said.

South African President Jacob Zuma, who attended the summit in Chad, announced late on Wednesday that he would be withdrawing his country’s troops from Central African Republic.

The killing of at least 13 South African soldiers by the rebels during the March 24 onslaught has prompted questions about South African’s role in the country, and how a military training mission there became entangled in an internal conflict.

South African media reports have suggested the soldiers were defending South African mining interests, but officials in Pretoria have denied this.

LORENCE Mayor Matteo Renzi launched a clear challenge to Italian center-left leader Pier Luigi Bersani on Thursday, calling for a government coalition with former premier Silvio Berlusconi or new elections in June.

Bersani won a majority in the lower house but not the Senate in February elections, leaving his center-left group unable to govern alone. He failed last week in efforts to forge a viable majority in parliament after his overtures to the anti-establishment 5-Star

Movement were rebuffed.

Renzi, 38, who lost to Bersani last December in a vote to be the center-left election candidate, gave interviews to several Italian newspapers saying he was ready to be a candidate in new leadership primaries.

Renzi had previously hesitated to challenge Bersani, a former communist politician who threw away a 10-point opinion poll lead in the February 24-25 election which left Italy in political deadlock.

But in recent days he has become increasingly outspoken in attacking Bersani's line that

a "grand coalition" alliance with scandal-plagued centerright leader Berlusconi is unthinkable.

Another option to emerge from the impasse is a technocrat government sponsored by President Giorgio Napolitano, but this is opposed by both center left and center right.

"We cannot stop here waiting for Bersani to get support ... It is ridiculous to stick with a frozen task. We must do something: a government formed by the president, a grand coalition, or we must return to vote," Renzi told La Re-

pubblica daily.

The Florence mayor, who had been widely expected by analysts to make his move after Bersani's failure to secure a workable majority, rejected suggestions party primaries could not be organized by June, saying they could be held within two months.

Berlusconi's center-right People of Freedom party (PDL) has repeatedly called for Bersani to join them in a coalition or go back to the ballot box in June, although analysts say there is a diminishing chance that an election can be held by then.

HE United States said it would soon send a missile defense system to Guam to defend it from North Korea, as the U.S. military adjusts to what Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel called a “real and clear danger” from Pyongyang.

Hours later, South Korea’s Yonhap news agency said North Korea had moved what appeared to be a mid-range Musudan missile to its east coast. It was not clear if the North planned to fire the rocket or was just putting it on display as a show of force, one South Korean government source was quoted as saying.

North Korea also barred entry to a joint industrial complex it shares with the South for a second day on Thursday and said it would shut the zone if Seoul continued to insult it.

Events on the Korean peninsula have begun to unnerve global financial markets long used to the rhetoric North Korea routinely hurls at Seoul and Washington.

“The assumption remains that this is more bluster ...,” said Rob Ryan, a strategist with RBS in Singapore. “But from here, we’ve reached a level of tensions that say things can’t get too much worse without an actual exchange of fire.”

The broadest index of AsiaPacific shares outside Japan was down 0.6 percent, dragged down by a 2 percent slump in South Korean shares, while the South Korean won slid 0.7 percent against the U.S. dollar.

U.S. stocks sank on Wednesday after Hagel’s comments and the Guam deployment news.

In the latest move, the Pentagon said it was deploying a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system to Guam in the coming weeks.

The THAAD system includes a truck-mounted launcher, interceptor missiles and an AN/TPY-2 tracking radar.

Last month, Hagel said the Pentagon would add 14 new anti-missile interceptors in Alaska and move ahead with the deployment of a second missile-defense radar in Japan.

Yonhap quoted multiple government sources privy to intelligence from U.S. and South Korean authorities as saying North Korea had moved what appeared to be a Musudan missile to its east coast.

THE NATION FRIDAY, APRIL 5, 2013

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NEWS Church launches pastor’s biography

Melaye urges NBA, agency to withdraw Adoke’s SAN

By Wale Ajetunmobi

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•He’s entitled to his opinion, says AGF’s aide

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HE Executive Secretary of the Anti-Corruption Network, Dino Melaye, yesterday accused the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister OF Justice, Mohammed Adoke, of contempt of court.

He also urged the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) and the Legal Practitioners and Privileges Committee (LPPC) to withdraw the minister’s Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) rank.

The former House of Representatives member said this has become necessary because the actions of the Justice Minister were unbecoming of a man of his exalted office.

Addressing reporters in Abuja, Melaye accused Adoke of alleged “abuse of office and conflict of interest”.

The politician-turned-activist urged President Goodluck Jonathan to relieve the minister of his job, if his fight against

From Sanni Onogu, Abuja

graft is genuine.

He said: “We are in times of vicissitude and vacillation in Nigeria due to conflict of interest and outrageous use of powers against public interest by the AGF. “With abuse of office and conflict of interest rising to its crescendo, we call on the President to immediately sack Mr. Mohammed Adoke as the AGF and Minister of Justice, if his fight against corruption is genuine.

“We also call on the NBA and LPPC to put their engines in motion and discipline Adoke for gross professional misconduct.

The former Minister of Justice, Michael Aondoakaa, was stripped of his SAN for lesser offenCes. So, we implore the NBA to investigate and punish Adoke accordingly in the interest of justice because he is worse

than Aondoakaa.”

Explaining his reasons for expressing anger against the Justice Minister, Melaye said: “The AGF has also shown gross disregard for court orders and judgments. The most recent was the case filed in a Lagos Federal High Court with suit No: FHC/L/CS/514/12 between Mr. Boniface Okezie and the Attorney-General of the Federation and one other.

“The court ordered that the Attorney-General of the Federation disclose to the plaintiff certain information within 72 hours after the judgment delivered on February 22, 2013. Unfortunately, over a month after, the AGF has not complied with the court order. If the AGF will not obey court orders, then who will in Nigeria?”

But the Chief Press Secretary to the AGF, Mr. Ambrose Momoh, dismissed the allegations. He urged Melaye to for-

•Melaye

merly channel his grievances to the ministry for appropriate response.

Momoh said the politician was entitled to his opinion, adding: “I cannot respond to a press conference that was addressed. I was not there to know what transpired. You will concede to me that it will not be appropriate to respond to what he (Melaye) has said.

“If he formally presents his allegations to the ministry, there will be an official way of responding to him. I don’t respond to issues like that; Melaye has aired his views and opinions and he is entitled to his opinions.”

NLC urges workers to shun work April 10 for pensioners’ protest

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HE Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) yesterday directed its members in Abuja and Lagos to stay off work on April 10 in solidarity with a peaceful protest by the National Union of Pensioners (NUP).

NLC Acting President Comrade Promise Adewusi said Labour would not rescind its decision unless the Federal Government “considers the inequities in the pension fund administration, particularly as they affect our members”.

He added: “The issues, in a

From John Ofikhenua, Abuja

nutshell, are non-payment of outstanding arrears to scores of pensioners, non-enrolment of thousands of pensioners on the Federal Pension Payroll and non-payment of death benefits to deserving next of kin.”

The Labour leader said other issues are the non-implementation of payments to reflect the 53.4 per cent salary review and payment of pension, in line with relevant increases in the Minimum Wage to N18,000; withholding of the NUP statutory

check-off dues for over a year and the slow pace at which pension was being processed by the Office of the Head of Service of the Federation.

According to him, pension fund administration has been enmeshed in unprecedented corruption with some public officers, government institutions and banks allegedly helping themselves to the fund.

Adewusi said this has made it impossible for scores of pensioners to enjoy the benefits of their

years of sweat, adding that majority of LC members were in penury and others dying on queues during verification exercises.

The Labour leader noted that the government has kept an undignified silence on the matter, despite the agony of the victims and criticisms of concerned citizens.

According to him, the NLC has tried to mediate in the matter by writing several letters to the Presidency and reaching out to the government through other channels.

Fed Govt shifts stand on amnesty for Boko Haram Continued from page 2

Also at the meeting was Chief of Defence Intelligence, Major-Gen. Sani Audu, Chief of Defence Staff, Admiral Ola Ibrahim, Chief of Army Staff Lt. Gen Azubuike Ihejirika, Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Alex Badeh and Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Dele Ezeoba.

The Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, also attended the meeting.

Parrying questions from State House correspondents, Admiral Ibrahim said: “Nigerians can now sleep with their eyes completely closed.”

Abubakar said: “The meeting is still on. NSA will come and brief you.”

But speaking on the matter at the end of the meeting, one of the ministers said that the meeting was to ameliorate the insecurity situation in the country.

She said: “The meeting is

just on what we can do with the spate of insecurity, to ensure that it is brought to absolute minimum.”

On whether amnesty for Boko Haram members was discussed, she said: “Some issues to ameliorate the situation were discussed.”

According to Section 1 of the Third Schedule to 1999 Constitution, members of the Security Council are the President, the Vice-President, the Chief of Defence Staff, the Minister of

Interior, Minister of Defence, Minister of Foreign Affairs, the National Security Adviser, the Inspector-General of Police and “such other persons the President may in his discretion appoint.

“The council shall have power to advise the President on matters relating to public security, including matters relating to any organisation or agency established by law for ensuring the security of the Federation.”

MEND: Okah, Tompolo disown threat Continued from page 2

the embattled warlord was not in any way connected with the threat.

He said: “I have been mandated by Mr. Henry Okah to issue a statement condemning the alleged publication credited to MEND, which is not

from us (MEND-Okah).

“Jomo Gbomo is no longer in existence as he was part of the old breed command; all authentic statements from MEND are issued through our spokesperson Comrade Azizi.”

Azizi said that despite his situation, “Okah is not as-

sociated with the publication, adding that “neither did he in anyway issue such directives to anybody to kill or destroy infrastructures in the Niger Delta region or any part of the country.”

Okah, according to him, warned that plots to bomb

locations in the Niger Delta region would be resisted.

“We (MEND-Okah) are strongly warning any group or persons by any name from the North that any attempt to bomb our region will not be tolerated which may automatically result to war.”

Oil field dispute: Rivers takes Bayelsa to court Continued from page 1

Commission (NBC) and Attorney-General of Bayelsa State, prayed the court to declare River Santa Barbara as the boundary between the Kalabaris in their domain and the Nembes in Nembe Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.

They also sought the court’s declaration on the purported 11th Edition of the Administrative Map of Nigeria, arguing that it was done in error and that its adoption should be declared null and void.

But one of the defendants - the Bayelsa State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Chief Francis Egele argued that Rivers State erred in its demand because it has no locus standi.

Egele claimed that boundary matter is an issue between states and not local government areas or communities and describe the suit as an abuse of the judicial process.

The Attorney-General recalled that the Supreme Court had earlier adjudicated on the matter and there wrong of any individual, group, or state to flout the order of the apex court.

Quoting copiously from the ruling of the Supreme Court as read by Justice Suleiman Galadima, Egele said the boundary between the two states could not be determined until after the completion of the NBC assignment as contained in the Supreme Court judgment in a suit.

The judgement reads: “I have set out the function of the NBC

above and from the provision of the NBC Act, it cannot be seriously suggested that before the jurisdiction of this court is invoked in a boundary dispute between states, the NBC should have determined the dispute or completed its exercise in delineating the disputed boundary.

“It is on account of the foregoing and because of the technical nature of the dispute and the claims of the parties this court finds that the NBC, as an authority vested with authorities and expertise know-how in dealing with this matter should have once and for all conducted an exhaustive exercise of delineating the disputed boundary.

“In the light of the observations, I have clearly expressed above, I do not feel comfortable

to grant the declarations sought until the NBC concludes its exercise of delineation of the disputed boundary to finality. It will be futile and premature to determine the boundary of the two states in the present circumstances.”

The suit filed in by Chief Goddey Orusah and seven others, for themselves and as representing the chiefs and principal members of the Akuku- Toru Local Government Areas, has been fixed for hearing at the Federal High Court 7, Abuja, on March 10.

According to Egele, despite the fact that Bayelsa government was not properly served the writ of summon, the state will file its defence at the hearing.

IGNITARIES from all walks of life yesterday gathered for the launch of the biography of the National President of The Christ Apostolic Church, Pastor Gabriel Olutola.

The event was part of a programmes organised by the church to mark the birthday of the cleric, who turned 80 yesterday.

The ceremony also featured the inauguration of the Olanrewaju Oladele Olutola Foundation, a non-governmental organisation (NGO) dedicated to the memory of Olutola’s late wife.

The biography, written by Mrs Nike Adesanya, a deaconess in the church, is entitled: Odyssey. It chronicles the pastor’s exploits in missionary work from childhood.

Mrs Adesanya said the book was dedicated to Olutola, who has never departed from the vineyard of the lord since his birth.

The biography has 228 pages that are divided into 15. It was reviewed by Eyiwumi Falaye, a professor of Fisheries and Horticulture at the University of Ibadan (UI), and Mr. Olusogo Odekunle, a lecturer of English Language at Osun State College of Education.

Falaye described Olutola as a Christian giant and an encourager of faith, who is not easily provoked. He said the book illuminated the trying times and tribulations of the pastor during his youthful days.

“Pastor Olutola is the only surviving child of his parents’ seven children. There was a time he was blind, but he has regained his sight. He was also afflicted with all sorts of illnesses, including smallpox. His faith in Christ made him to survive all the challenges,” Falaye said.

He said Chapter 2 of the book records the cleric’s strong passion; details of his personal life are in Chapter 3 and his evangelical life, which spanned four decades, is chronicled in the Chapters 8 to 15.

The academic said Olutola had never been overbearing in the administration of the church, adding that the progress of church members was the motivation of the pastor.

According to him, the biography is a spiritual literature to be possessed and studied widely by faithful.

Odekunle said the two-section book offers narratives of first and third persons, which also chronicles the unknown parts of Olutola’s youthful life.

After the copies of the book were unveiled, the Chief Launcher, Mr Fred Odutola, launched it N200,000; individuals and organizations, such as Zenith Bank, bought copies of the biography.

Pastor Olutola inaugurated the foundation, in which he is the grand patron. He said his late wife would be happy with the activities of the NGO. The Chairman of the occasion and National Secretary of The Apostolic Church, Pastor Bassey Duke, urged church to support Olutola’s evangelism. He quoted Ezra 10:4 to affirm his point.

At the event were the daughters of the celebrant; Chairman, Board of Trustees of Samuel Adegboyega University, Prof Ebenezer Okebukola; the Vice-Chancellor of the institution, Prof Ben Aigboka; Executive Director of Finance, Vintage Press Limited, publishers of The Nation titles, Mr Ade Odunewu, as well as top members of the church.

Four tipped to replace Tukur Continued from page 2

“It is also believed that Tukur’s media outbursts have not helped matters.”

Meanwhile, moves are being made to dismantle the alleged parallel National Working Committee(NWC) being operated by Tukur.

The parallel NWC members are special advisers serving the National chairman.

A third source said: “As we prepare for the National Executive Committee meeting, governors and leaders want the disbandment of the socalled parallel NWC in the interest of cohesion in Tukur’s Executive.

“Members of the same parallel NWC caused the crisis of confidence between Tukur and the sacked National Secretary of the party, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola.

“Oyinlola incurred the wrath of Tukur’s unofficial special advisers because he refused to sign their letters of appointment based on his conviction that their appointments by the national chair-

man were illegal and were not known to PDP’s Establishment Manual.

“Tukur, at the inception of the current National Working Committee, forwarded names of 10 people to be appointed his special advisers.

Oyinlola, however, refused to issue their letters of appointment and advised the national chairman against spending party funds on the special advisers.

“This was one of the causes of Oyinlola’s problem with Mallam Habu Fari, who operated in Tukur’s office for a few months with the nomenclature of Chief of Staff. Fari was later sacked by the national chairman to pave the way for smooth administration of the PDP national headquarters.

“The same parallel NWC was behind plans to ‘’clip the wings of state governors who had become too powerful.’’

“For instance, the National Legal Adviser has been rendered redundant as all his functions have been taken over by a legal advisor.”

ACF: North not sympathetic to sect Continued from page 2 position has ensured that the

when it is done to compensate for environmental degradation, it was not comfortable with the abolition of the onshore/offshore dichotomy by the government.

He noted that the North wants the issue revisited because of its belief that oil wells found deep inside the sea should not be used as a basis for derivation, pointing out that doing so will not be in the interest of other parts of the country.

He alleged that the current

funds allocation to some states in the oil-producing region are six times bigger than what accrue to other states.

The ACF spokesman also restated the North’s opposition to the six geopolitical zones being allowed to run as federating units, as such an arrangement will lead to the country becoming a Confederal State with a weak centre.

In his brief remark, Mr. Hawkins said he was at the ACF headquarters to have first-hand knowledge on some misinformation about the North.

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THE NATION FRIDAY, APRIL 5, 2013

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THE NATION FRIDAY, APRIL 5, 2013

NEWS ‘How to deepen democracy’ Continued from page 2

of law, saying they were supposed to be an institution that others depended on to deepen democracy.

Said the former Lagos governor: “You would have gone to court straight because by going to the court, you are deepening democracy. I went to court 11 times and I won all the suites. It is not for me. It is about taking our right seriously and protecting it.

“I make bold to say the greatest shame of the president was the day he announced the PDP Governors Forum. What a shame. The body is to protect constitution.

Leave the governors to unite to give reasonable level of performance and freedom of the constitution. Don’t polarise them on a partisan basis.

“Let us stop the lamentation.

If you have state police, you will know where militants reside. You will get rid of a bad system. Give more funds to the state. In the meantime establish community police.”

On amnesty, Tinubu said he disagreed with the question of a ghost because “from creation, ghosts never throw bombs. They remain quiet in cemetery. You cannot arrest ghosts”.

“President Goodluck Jonathan has said he cannot.

He says Boko Haram members should pull their mask to qualify for amnesty. The sect has killed thousand of people.

The former governor urged Tambuwal toprevail on the National Assembly amend the Electoral Act to provide for

biometrics use by INEC, if the last voter registration data does not meet the standard quality.

“Nigerians still suffer under the inferior and slipshod manual registration, verification and accreditation of voters when there is the biometric system to ensure one-manone-vote. In our situation, the struggle for one-man-one-vote is not yet over. We must push for the use of biometrics, as witnessed in Kenya, Sieria Leone, Ghana.

“Biometric is not electronic voting. That is the challenge.

Until we do that, the challenge of our nation is to have a credible leadership who are very honest. We don’t need the number of security operatives on election if we embark upon biometric registration and validation.”

He said progressives have made the APC for the PDP”, adding “If they cannot do it, we will do it.’

He said Oshiomhole deserved to be regarded as leader of ACN because he had performed well and made the party proud.

Tinubu said: “It takes extraordinary leadership for democracy to survive and to be sustained. Oshiomhole realised the importance of good planning to bring good governance. We have created an opportunity for a platform that can deepen democracy.

“We must insist that subsequent elections are free and fair. The people of Edo have seen the light. They are ready to protect their votes and to reject the erstwhile PDP gov-

ernment that served them a salad of corruption and rickety governance for years. “The people are now witnessing rapid development because they voted for change. This is manifest in the development across Edo State, the provision of water, modern transportation.”

The chairman of Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), Alhaji Aliko Mohammed said the ACN believes in Nigeria which was why its leaders moved round the country to convince people on their belief.

Former Education Minister Oby Ezekwesili said it is the people that would determine the scorecard of a government.

She said those who democracy has thrown up must have a rallying vision as ‘poverty has no ethnicity and no religion’.

Said Mrs. Ezekwesili: “ There has not been a change in the economic structure in Nigeria. No economy that has improved the lives of its citizenry keeps its manufacturing at 15 per cent.”

“A weakened citizenry cannot be the basis for the deepening of any democracy. What democracy do you want to deepen if you do not fundamentally think in terms of the structure of inequality and accountability that exist between the political elite and the citizen.

“You cannot say you started the deepening of democracy, until the people of the state tell you that you’ve started the job.”

SPORT EXTRA CAF CONFEDERATIONS CUP

Heartland FC for Gabon today

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AF Confederation Cup campaigners, Heartland FC of Owerri will now depart Lagos today (Friday), for Libravilles, Gabon for the second leg of their African Cup competition against Union Sportif Bitam after a failed attempt to embark on the journey yesterday (Thursday ).

The ‘Naze Millionaires’ were at Muritala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos yesterday morning for the trip but were disappointed as there were not enough seats to accommodate members of the contingent.

The Gabonese registered airline, Askia issued only 10 tickets to 10 players which would have made the team to travel in batches but after it was discovered that there would be no accompanying official to lead the players on the trip, the team was deboarded.

Heartland FC now hopes to get

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ELECOMS giant and official sponsor of the Nigerian national football teams, Globacom is ready to present two exotic automobiles to Stephen Keshi, chief coach of the Nigerian senior football team, the Super Eagles.

The exotic cars, including the latest model of Range Rover Sports and the latest model of Toyota Camry saloon car, are already on display at the Mike Adenuga Towers, Corporate Headquarters of Globacom.

The cars will be presented to Keshi on Monday.

Chairman of the company, Dr. Mike Adenuga Jr. (GCON) had

A

town hall at Okoro-Gbede.

A Christian wake will hold at 7pm at the same venue.

There will be a service of songs tomorrow at his home at 8am. It will be followed by an interment.

A thanksgiving service will hold at the Christ Apostolic Church (CAC), Oke-Alafia, Okoro-Gbede, at 10am.

the team’s spirit is not dampened by what happened rather, Heartland see it as an act of God. “Sometimes when a team is challenged this way, you see the best coming out of everybody.

We’ll do our best to be in Gabon and we’ll do our best to qualify,” he assured.

Ist Okpekpe Race: Momodu named Director of Organisation

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ACK MOMODU has been named as the Director of Organisation for the maiden edition of the Okpekpe international 10km race slated for May 4 in Edo State.

Others on the main organising committee are Comdr.

Omatseye Nasima, who will serve as the chairman of the committee, while Dr.Gloria Obajimi has been named the Race Director. Ex-international, Yusuf Alli and the secretary of

Keshi’s cars ready for presentation

Funeral for community leader COMMUNITY leader in Kogi State, Pa Peter Bamisaye Omofe (Babarere of Okun Land), will be buried tomorrow.

A funeral programme by the family said the body of the deceased would leave the mortuary today for lying-instate at his home near the

their 31-man contingent into Gabon through the same airline today after the club and Askia officials in Lagos got in touch with the airline’s headquarters in Libra-villes.

The Media Officer of Heartland FC, Cajetan Nkwopara who confirmed the development, said

pledged the two vehicles to Keshi when the Super Eagles won the African Nations Cup for the first time in 19 years at the competition in South Africa earlier in February 2013.In a press statement, Globacom said that the gesture was meant to reward hardwork and resourcefulness of the coach and encourage Nigerians to selflessly undertake any national assignment they are entrusted with.

Dr. Adenuga had earlier presented $1m to the members of the victorious Super Eagles and organised a grand reception in their honour.

the Athletics Federation of Nigeria(AFN) are among members on the committee.

The Group Sports Editor of The Nation newspaper, Ade Ojeikere, Calistus Ebere of AIT, Duro Ikhazuagbe of This Day and Toyin Ibitoye of channels, will oversee the media. In the same vein, Niyi Oyeleke of Supersports and Harry Iwuala have been listed amongst those also in charge of the media related issues.

Meanwhile, the 10-Kilometre race which is being powered by Pamodzi, a marketing company owned by the adviser to Comrade Adams Oshiomole on Sports matters, Mike Itemuagbor, will attract athletes across all over the world. The race is expected to cover Okpepe and its environs down to Iyamo, the home town of the state Governor, Adams Oshiomhole.

It is a mountainous region in Edo North Senatorial District of the state.

The international athletes that will participate in the event are expected to go home with 25,000 dollars for the first position for the men, while the first, female would cart home the cash prize of $5,000, while Edo indigenes will be 100,000 naira.

•The late Omofe

Nigeria wants to join world food alliance

N

IGERIA will soon join a new alliance for global food security, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, has said.

But for the nation to be fully accepted, it would need to reform its land policy, the minister added.

Adesina spoke yesterday in his office in Abuja when he hosted the Presidential Committee on Land Reforms, led

by Prof. Peter Adeniyi.

He said: “We will soon join a new alliance for global food

From Olugbenga Adanikin, Abuja

security and we have strong support with all existing countries for Nigeria’s participation in this. One of the policy reforms that are required is land reform as a condition because it is the only way you can guarantee access of the poor to land.”

The minister urged the committee to cut down the cost of land registration and examine women’s access to land.

He decried Nigeria’s inabil-

ity to utilise its arable land, stressing that land registration has been widely politicised.

According to him, the private sectors also experiences tough time in accessing land for large scale farming while farmers cannot use their land for collateral because of high level of politics and corruption in the system.

Adesina urged the delegates to address those issues and protect the rights of communities to land to avoid land grab.

•From left: Chief of Defence Staff Admiral Ola Ibrahim; Chief of Army Staff Lt.-Gen. Azubuike Ihejirika and Chief of Defence Intelligence Maj.-Gen. Sani Audu, arriving at the Presidential Villa in Abuja for a meeting …yesterday

•The Range Rover SUV and Toyota Camry , pledged by Globacom Chairman Dr. Mike Adenuga Jnr. (GCON) ready for presentation to Super Eagles’ Chief Coach Stephen Keshi, for winning the African Nations Cup in February 2013.

Europa League:Moses scores as Chelsea beats Karzan 3-1

C

HELSEA'S Europa League quarter-finalclashwithRubin Kazan was never tipped to pull in a capacity crowd at Stamford Bridge - but the Russian side being watched by around 50 fans can't have helped.

Those who braved the trip got a rare treat - Fernando Torres in hot form for the hosts.

The much-maligned Spanish striker - sporting a mask due to his broken nosesustainedinthelastroundagainst SteauaBucharest-openedthescoring forChelsea.

He also had a hand in Victor Moses' goal that doubled Chelsea's lead by working hard to get the ball and shooting, before the rebound and a headerfelltoMoseswhostruckhome with a sweet volley.

Ogun football talent-hunt competition enters day 2

T

THE grassroots talenthunt competition for students between the ages of 13 and 15 organised by the Wife of the Governor of Ogun State, Mrs. Olufunso Amosun yesterday entered day two as 150 players were eliminated from the camp.

Yesterday's screening exercise, which took place at the MKO Abiola International Stadium, Kuto, Abeokuta, had in attendance Nigerian exinternational, Chief Segun Odegbami, Football Ambassador, John Fashanu as well as Mr. Jim Colston, a renowned scout for the English Premiership League in the

United Kingdom.

The remaining 150 players are expected to go through another screening process which would bring the number to 30 players.

The qualified 30 players would play the final match on Saturday at the MKO Stadium which would produce the best 15 male talented players in Ogun State.

The programme tagged UPLIFTing Under-15 Grassroot Football was designed to identify young people with flair and passion for the game of soccer and to help them build their skills and expose the best team that emerges to international opportunity.

TODAY IN THE NATION

‘Nigerian leaders should endeavour to be good students of history. Nigeria does not have to exist for centuries before getting things right. ’ FRIDAY, APRIL 5, 2013

TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM

O

KE-OGUN is on my mind today. But I need tofollow a detour to get to my favorite landscape and its innocent people.

The credit for the 21st century popularisation of the term “moral revolution” is, without argument, Kwame Anthony Appiah’s. It was his 2009 book, The Honor Code: How Moral Revolutions Happen that reintroduces the term and injects it into our modern consciousness as the moral equivalent of scientific revolution. In his account, a moral revolution occurs when a people who have been long engaged in a shameful, embarrassing, immoral way of life or behaviour abandon it in favour of a decent or morally defensible practice.

Among his examples, one that resonates with us in this part of the world is the abolition of transatlantic slavery.

The practice of hunting, capturing, parking, and transporting, against their will, thousands of human beings across the Atlantic and forcing them into servitude was so inhumane and barbaric that it is still now a surprise that it was considered acceptable and legitimate for such a long time in spite of the efforts of a number of abolitionists and beyond the lifetime of the pioneers. That is the nature of tradition.

“Tradition” is a customary way of doing things that is unique to a group, a habitual way of life, what sociologist Edward Shils defines as “anything which is transmitted or handed down from the past to the present”.

Of course, being handed down does not necessarily entail being accepted. A tradition is a tradition only because it is accepted by the next generation. The acceptance of a traditional idea, belief, or practice is subject to what the people it serves make of it in terms of their well-being. The notion that a tradition necessarily has a suffocating grip on a people is, therefore, misleading. The influence of a tradition depends on the moral weight that the people accord it. A tradition survives if subsequent generations accept it, and that also depends on how they assess it relative to their interests.

Beneficiaries of the practice of enslaving African peoples obviously found it acceptable relative to their interests; hence their tardiness in accepting the abolitionists’ logic. When eventually they saw the proverbial light, the tide shifted and moral revolution occurred.

With the foregoing as a backdrop, I am interested here in what appears to me to be movement in the opposite direction of the kind of moral revolution that I just described.

Hence my title: reverse moral revolution.

If there is moral revolution, can there be a reverse moral revolution? Can a people with a good moral tradition abandon it for whatever reason, reverse course, and initiate a practice or set of practices that negate human flourishing? To my mind, the answer is “yes” and there can be no better example than the realities of our everyday experience.

We are heirs of a rich tradition of cultural and moral values which privileges the community as the bearer of value and the protec-

RIPPLES TREASURY LOOTERS SHOULD FEAR GOD –Cleric

No more FEARS...STEAL now, go to JAIL and get PARDON later

VOL.8 NO.2,449

C OMMENT & D EB ATE EBA

SEGUN GBADEGESIN gbadegesin@thenationonlineng.net

Reverse moral revolution

•Map of Oke-ogun

‘Do teachers still see themselves as the conduit for the transmission of communal moral values? Or are they overwhelmed by the incessant urge for primitive acquisition that defines our national life?’

tor and benefactor of the individual. Distant relatives would gladly contribute pennies and shillings for the upkeep of a young boy or girl on the way to school or college. They saw themselves as the keepers of their brothers and sisters. Teachers were accorded due respect as the guardians and mentors of the youth. Religious harmony was taken for granted as clerics of all faith took seriously their calling as shepherds of the entire people. Religion was an instrument for forging communal peace and allaying fear about the unknown. For the Yoruba, the individual who exemplifies its ideal of the human person is an omoluabi and that was what everyone desires to be.

Failure at realising the goal of becoming an omoluabi is not just the failure of a family; it is the failure of the entire community if the young ones turn out to be exiles from the moral community. When communal values that enrich human flourishing are set aside by a new generation, there is reverse moral revolution; and since such a revolution is against the ideal of human flourishing, it a communal failure.

There is no doubt that this is where we are now even as we are yet to place our feet on the

first step on the ladder of development. We have fully embraced the post-modernist distaste for moral values even as we collectively suffer from its suffocating grip.

It is happening in real time in unusual places. As Georgia was on the mind of Ray Charles, so Oke-ogun is always on my mind.

And as I sit by my current River of Babylon, contented and grateful for my life’s story, I cannot but remember my Zion, and I am certainly not ashamed to sing of its heritage, its innocence, its virginity, its rustic beauty, and above all, what I still celebrate as its core values: hard work and contentment. While the opportunities were limited, we learned that tenacity of purpose and perseverance paid out.

And there was communal cooperation in the training of children. While four eyes were there in the making of the baby, two hundred are involved in its upbringing. It was the tradition I grew up in and my generation accepted it and passed it on.

I am uncertain what is going on now and has been for some time. Do teachers still see themselves as the conduit for the transmission of communal moral values? Or are they

HARDBALL

MOBOLAJI SANUSI

overwhelmed by the incessant urge for primitive acquisition that defines our national life?

Of course, teachers cannot take on the responsibilities that parents and the community abandon. And when parents run after the elusive happiness of material wealth, they ought to be reminded that the children they fail to train will end up squandering whatever wealth they are lucky to accumulate.

The foregoing is not without a context. I received two calls in the past week from two friends for whom I have a lot of respect. They were both concerned about the current terrain of the moral tradition of our people. In particular, they raised issues about the young ones who cut school, do drugs, and engage in cult activities, and about parents who appear to have no time for the education and upbringing of their children. They offer solutions as well, which is part of what makes them respectable.

One solution is the recruitment of role models among the successful members of the professional class—those who passed through the proverbial fire and were not burnt; those who did not reach the pinnacle of achievement by cutting corners, and those who do not take political activism and participation as a means to self-advancement at the expense of the community. I hasten to say that Oke-ogun is not lacking in such individuals who put others, and especially the community before self, and that is one reason I applaud and endorse this suggestion as a viable option.

The issue, of course, is not all that simple.

Successful role models are willing and ready to make contributions and pay back a debt of gratitude to the community that gave them a chance in the first place. But you don’t get clean hands when you use just one hand to self-wash. And when one side lifts, and the other pushes down, you don’t get the luggage onto the head as you desire.

This is the predicament of Oke-ogun today as it is of Nigeria as whole. There is a side that is genuinely concerned about bringing up the next generation to their God-given potentials. And there is a side that sees the youth as exploitable entities. For the latter, good education is an impediment. I believe that the forces of good can and will overcome through tenacity and persistence. After all, that is the proud and enviable tradition of Oke-ogun.

•For comments, send SMS to 08111813080

•Hardball is not the opinion of the columnist featured above

At last, Ebonyi’s somnolent governor stirs himself

G

OVERNOR Martin Elechi, 72, of Ebonyi State is the oldest governor in Nigeria. His predecessor, Dr Sam Egwu, facilitated his election as governor in 2007. But either because of the mystery his advanced age evoked or of the obscurity he has dragged both himself and his persevering state, he managed to win reelection in 2011, thereby creating a paranormal phenomenon that no one inside or outside the state has been able to explain. For the about six years he has been in office, all we get from Ebonyi is perfect, inscrutable silence. In fact, it seems the governor and his cabinet have an antipathy towards news of any sort, and would rather that no news, good or bad, be written about them or the state. Since 2000 there has been only improvement in that silence, with more silence overlaying grosser silence until there is deadness.

Well, not anymore. Ebonyi’s dry bones are rising. Governor Elechi is breaking loose, and is stirring himself for the state and nation to feel his presence. He had been accused of not being in the news either in the past or present. Now, after firing four traditional rulers, he is definitely in the news. That forceful act has got the opposition Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) hopping mad. The party alleged the governor did not follow laid down procedures, and did not also give the victims of his executive action fair hearing. In the days ahead, the state may want to respond to the opposition’s allegations and present the true facts of the case to bemused

Ebonyians. Perhaps the governor can after all justify his action; perhaps the four chiefs’ sins were grievous and inexcusable. What is of interest to Hardball, however, is that he of whom it was said could neither stir nor speak, nor yet act with vigour, has finally conjured an earthquake.

Cynical Ebonyians would probably have preferred their governor to conjure volcanoes in government policies and put some life and substance in enunciating a coherent developmental paradigm for the state. But since they asked for action without specifying what kind of actions would please them, they must be contented with the sacking of chiefs. The problem Ebonyians and those who expect more from the governor are having is that they can’t in fact seem to understand the man they voted for. They should have known that apart from the permanent avuncular grin on his face, the man is simply impenetrable, even indecipherable. He has initiated some building projects and continues to wring hands on those begun by his predecessors, but it is an irony that this graduate of economics seems destined to leave his people poorer than he met them.

It is not for nothing that when he wanted a university education, he chose the Lovanium University of Congo in the Democratic Republic of Congo, at a time (1963) when that big, endowed but underachieving country was seething with discontent and chaos. He must be among the very few Nigerians who went in an unexpected direction to receive

tertiary education from an unlikely country.

It is all the more startling that though he graduated with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Economics (with distinction) in 1966, he has baffled his subjects by ruling as someone who read building technology. Ebonyi is rated as the poorest state in the Southeast in spite of its rich and indescribable agricultural potentials, but Elechi has blissfully elected to concentrate on white elephant projects than to build the capacity of his people. It is indeed a puzzle that he doesn’t feel what the rest of us feel: that Ebonyi seems to be in another country, its people and potentials unknown, and its governor even more mysterious.

In helping the election of his successor in 2007, it is possible Dr Egwu felt Elechi would be a safe pair of hands. Indeed, he is characteristically a very safe pair of hands. But there are times when safety may prove detrimental to progress, for it is easy to confuse safety with caution. Ebonyi may be receiving the second lowest allocation from Abuja, but given its enormous economic potentials, it is a state that should flourish in the hands of a less sedate, less cautious, less insular and more enterprising governor. If Ebonyians decide to vote foolishly and sentimentally next time, they could find themselves ineluctably drawn into the famous black hole in space (spacetime, actually), the graveyard of stars – except that Ebonyi never really shone, notwithstanding Abakiliki, Afikpo and Nkalagu.

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