April 17, 2014

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•Sambo on Ekiti, Osun: we’re going to war front AND MORE •Fayemi deserves another term, says wife •ON PAGE 9 •APC members, police disagree •Senator speaks

APC faults Jonathan campaign day after Abuja blast •PDP justifies President’s singing, dancing in Kano

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From Gbade Ogunwale, Abuja

RESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan came under fire yesterday from the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) “for exhibiting the traits of an insensitive and utterly hardhearted leader by returning to his illegal campaign trail, barely 24 hours after 75 of his compatriots died in a bomb blast in Abuja, and as news broke that 200 school girls have been abducted by Boko Haram in Borno.”

Interim National Publicity Secretary Lai Mohammed in a statement said the party renewed its call on the President to urgently convene a stakeholders’ summit and pursue a nonpartisan approach towards ending the insurgency, as it is now very obvious that the challenge posed by it is beyond the capacity of the government.

But the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Minister of Information Labaran Maku rose in defence of the president.

The APC said: “The President’s quick return to the hustings was reprehensible and has shown that his visit to the scene of the blast was merely to avoid the kind of flak he has received for refusing to visit Yobe, where 43 school children were massacred recently, rather than a genuine show of sympathy by a truly compassionate leader. ‘’The message that President Jonathan is sending to Nigerians is that keeping his plum job, at all cost, is more important to him than the security and welfare of the SEE same people who voted him into office. Otherwise, the President ALSO would not have rushed back to PAGES his illegal campaign trail at a time

2&3

Continued on page 4

•APC Governors (from left) Rochas Okorocha (Imo), Tanko Al Makura (Nasarawa), Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun), Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti) and Abdulfatah PHOTO ABAYOMI FAYESE Ahmed (Kwara) encouraging a victim of the Nyanyan bomb blast in Abuja at the National Hospital...yesterday .

A president who said his ambition is not worth the blood of anyone is now dancing gleefully on the graves of over 70 of his compatriots. What is so important about the illegal campaign stop in Kano? —APC

The PDP-led administration was popularly elected and shall never allow terrorists ...to dictate the tempo of government... no government allows terrorists to influence —PDP the course of its action

Boko Haram: Eight girls still missing as troops rescue 80 14 others out of kidnappers’ den

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•Shettima

HE Defence Headquarters said yesterday that only eight of the 129 students abducted by Boko Haram from the Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok in Borno State were still missing.

Eighty of the students were said to have escaped from Boko Haram’s

From Yusuf Alli, John Ofikhenua, Grace Obike, Abuja, Tony Akowe, Kaduna

camp or rescued by troops.

Some of the girls were alleged to have been freed by the sect on compassionate grounds.

Troops were ordered last night to rescue the eight remaining girls before

Suspected abductor captured

dawn.

One of the abductors was arrested.

According to the Director of Defence Information, Maj-Gen. Chris Olukolade, who spoke with our correspondent last night, the girls were “rescued in a village on one of the routes taken by the insurgents after ab-

ducting the girls”.

Gen. Olukolade said: “More students of the GGSS, Chibok have been freed this evening in the ongoing Search and Rescue Operations to free the abducted students.

“With this development, the principal

Continued on page 4

•FOUR DEAD, 283 MISSING IN FERRY DISASTER P69 • BOKO HARAM KILLS EMIR P4

THE NATION THURSDAY, APRIL 17, 2014

2

NEWS

Enough of A

• House of Representatives’ Speaker Aminu Tambuwal (right), Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola (left) and DirectorGeneral of the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC) at the Champion 2013 Awards in Lagos.

•Innitiator, Project Smile,Dr. TraoreEtisalat Shumbusho speaking at the media launch ProjectEtisalat Smile in Lagos ... at the •From left: Manager, Pricing Amy andTariff, Nigeria, Monisola Alabi; Head Massof Market, Nigeria , Idowu weekend. With are Brand Communiocation Manager Oral B,Tomiwa Ajewole and customer, Brand Operations IntegraAdesokan; Headher Customer Experience and Retention, Etisalat Nigeria, Biola Edun;(left) Etisalat Moshoodand Ismael and tions Manager OralEngineering, B,Ojo Folarin.

BOLA OMILABU Director, Network Etisalat Nigeria, Temi Ogunbambi, at the Akure edition of EtisalatPHOTO: Customer Forum 2014, in Akure Ondo State.

•From left: Head of Department Planning, Research and Statistics, Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps, Lagos State Command, Uzor; Commander, Lagos StateCivil SectorAviation Command, Chidi Nkwonta Instructor Trainer, •From left:Adigwe Director, Air Sector Transport Regulation, Nigeria Authority (NCAA), and Justus Wariya and , Managing Nigeria Cross Society, Sobande Francis duringOlugbodi the FRSC’s Community post crash Bird care initiative Training of DirectorRed Bytol Travel and Tours, Mrs. Biyi Tunji andNational Commercial Manager Gambia West Africa, Sodieri PHOTO: OLUSEGUN RAPHEAL Volunteers held at Sector Command's Headquarters of FRSC, Lagos.

Osei - Bonsu at the unveiling of GAMBIA BIRD Airline in Lagos.

•From Left: Corporate Affairs Manager, Nestle Nigeria Plc, Dr Samuel Adenekan, former Nigerian Goal-keeper Peter Rufai and Managing-Director, Nestle Nigeria Plc, Mr Dharnesh Gordhon at a news conference n the third Nestle Milo U13 African Championship in Lagos ...yesterday.

LL Progressives Congress (APC) governors, the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), the Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP), the Presbyterian Church and many others yesterday said the country has witnessed too much bombings.

They said an end must be found soon.

The APC governors announced the establishment of a Trust Fund to support them.

Addressing reporters at the National Hospital, Abuja, the forum’s chairman, Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha, said the governors would join forces with other democrats to end the bad story as soon as possible.

His words: “We also out of our concern decided to establish a Trust Fund by the APC governors to support the families of the victims of this unholy act. And we shall also join forces with other democrats to ensure that this bad story ends as quickly as possible. Once more, we pray for the deceased and the families of those that lost their lives.”

Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola, Adamawa State Governor Mutala Nyako, Nasarawa State Governor Tanko Al-Makura, Kwara State Governor Fatai Ahmed, Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun and Ekiti State Governor Fayemi Kayode were part of Okorocha’s delegation.

Okorocha said the forum was at the hospital to commiserate with the victims at of the bomb blast.

He urged President Goodluck Jonathan to fish out the perpetrators of the incident.

The governor also urged the President to guarantee lives and property.

He said the forum has observed that the shedding of blood in the country has become worrisome.

The governor said that: “We notice that the shedding of blood in our nation is becoming worrisome, and as leaders we believe that this is not the time to say what is wrong or who is wrong.

“But this is the time that we must all close ranks to ensure the safety of lives and property. This is not the time to talk politics with people’s lives.

“This is not the time to talk politics with people’s lives. So, we appeal to all Nigerians irrespective of political party and religion to come together and unite to fight this evil of the moment, which has terrorise our nation.”

Al-Makura, urged all Nigerians to take security consciousness as part of their responsibility.

He advised that “security should not be left in the hands of security operatives alone.”

His words: “My advice to Nigerians is that we should be vigilant. We should not leave the issue of security in the hands of security operatives alone. Security should be everybody’s business. We should be more meticulous, we should be more careful, we should be more observant.”

The governor urged the citizenry to report suspicious persons and their activities to security operatives. Once we do that, we will be complementing the efforts of the security operatives in checkmating crimes such as this.”

The NSCIA called for a change of strategy in curtailing the insurgents.

The council said the military strategy had become obsolete for the problem at hand and it must be urgently changed.

It said it suspected that Nigerian may be engaging in a ‘war of attrition’ with criminals who may have undisclosed scores to settle with the country The NSCIA made its position known in a statement by the Chairman of its Media Committee, Alhaji Femi Abbas.

The statement said: “For the umpteen times the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) is

•Fashola (second right) and Wamakko (right) consoling a victim at the National Hospital... yesterday.

From Yusuf Alli, Abuja, Chris Oji, Enugu, Fanen Ihyongo, Jalingo, Bukola Amusan, John Ofikhenua, Abuja and Tayo Johnson, Ibadan

hereby lamenting and condemning the bomb blast that once again occurred in Nyanya, Abuja on Monday in which scores of innocent Nigerians were killed in cold blood.

For how long will these lamentations and condemnations continue in a country that is supposed to be guided by law is the capital question for now.

“We have a three-tier government to which the citizenry look for protection and necessary provision of social amenities. Yet, the feeling sense of security looks alien to an average Nigerian. Where is the place of loyalty and patriotism in this?

“Nigeria has consistently had a government in place for decades since independence (in civilian costume and military uniform) but there has never been any difference. Is this a matter of carelessness or one of complacency?

“We need to ask ourselves some fundamental and bitter questions.

Where are we coming from and where are we going from here?

“Unless these questions are sincerely answered and the necessary decisions are taken at the appropriate time any hope of graduating from a country into a nation may end up in forlorn.”

The NSCIA queried why it had been difficult to tackle insurgency in Nigeria.

The statement added: “Today’s precarious experience is not peculiar to Nigeria. Some other countries have passed through similar experience in their history. The only seeming difference is that while others were very serious in tackling such a horrible situation, the required seriousness is conspicuously absent in our own case.

“We prefer to pass the buck even where buck passing serves no purpose. It is strange that in a country which claims to be civilized we are still applying an 18th century solution to a 21st century problem and yet expecting a deserving result.

“Treating the effect of an ailment while ignoring its cause, Nigeria seems to have been doing in the past three years is like scratching a monster on the head .

“While we do not necessarily need to repeat here that security is not about bayonets and tanks alone we are constrained to warn that with the current situation, Nigeria may have become engaged in a war of attrition with criminals who may have undisclosed scores to settle with the country.

“And such a situation will rather require strategy and wisdom than military might to be tackled. We have lost enough lives to those who do not value their own lives let alone those

THE NATION THURSDAY, APRIL 17, 2014

3

bombings, say APC governors, NSCIA

•Ahmed condoling with a victim, who is a Kwara State indigene, at the National Clinic and Research Centre, PHOTOS: ABAYOMI FAYESE Abuja.....yesterday.

Fed Govt to install bomb detectors at parks, markets

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INISTER of Information Labaran Maku yesterday said the Federal Government would install bomb detectors in markets and motor parks.

He added that the type of terror being witnessed in Nigeria is the worst in the world.

He spoke while briefing State House correspondents at the end of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting presided over by President Goodluck Jonathan at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Maku wondered why the terrorists would kidnap 100 girls in a secondary school in Borno State if they were really fighting for Islam.

He said: “Well on the kidnapped students which we condemned, I also know that every effort is being made to locate those female students and those who kidnapped them. Security services are on for the girls who have been kidnapped.

Council didn’t have the full report as the details of how it took place other than merely the media reports but we will get the detail.

“The thing with terror is that they go to places you least expect them. So, they go to areas they think nobody is looking at to soft target. But I know that awareness is increasing in the North East. The criminality of kidnapping young children is what makes this group of terrorists in Nigeria among the worst in the world. Complete non-respect for human lives, respect for even basic moral issues. What will terrorists be doing with female children if they claim to be pursuing a religious course.”

The minister, who was accompanied by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Bala Mohammed and the Minister of State for Health, Khaliru Alhassan, said deliberations at the meeting were mainly focused on the Monday bomb attack at the bus park in Nyanya, Abuja.

He said the purpose of the attacks was to cause confusion and make the government lose focus.

He also faulted how the media reported the Abuja bomb blast.

According to him, the 9-11 terrorists attack in United States never had such gory pictures shown in the media.

On media reports: “Let me also say that we observe with regret that inspite of the great job the media has continue to do, we saw that the way this incident was reported in the last two days has been very insensitive.”

“The council noted and this is very unprofessional that the papers and most of the television stations just unleashed on Nigerians gory details of pictures that should never have been published on the basis of humanity, on the basis of professional ethics, and on the basis of feelings for the sensibilities of our people.”

“We saw on some pages of newspapers the remains of shredded dead bodies

A

From Augustine Ehikioya, Abuja

printed on the pages of newspapers. This doesn’t happen anywhere in the world because journalism has responsibility to the sensibility of people.

“Newspapers, televisions are watched by children and minors and it is expected that in cases like this, that professional training, commitment, should be upper most in the way we report. We continue to urge the media that yes we expect that whatever happens must be reported but in reporting we must show extra care for the psychology health of our citizens and the image of our nation.

“So those gory pictures that were just splashed on the front pages of newspapers and even the inner pages as well as on television screens, we collec•Maku tively feel that should never have been the case.”

He went on: “You will notice that throughout the 9/11 incident in the United States, hardly was any picture shown of the victims. It shows disrespect for the dead and disrespect for the living, and it showed absolute lack of sensitivity to the health of members of the public.”

Mohammed said 75 people died in the Abuja bus park bomb blast, 126 receiving treatments, while 47 motor cycles, 20 buses and 14 intercity mini buses were involved in the incident.

According to him, 100 new buses would be imported by the government and CCTV will be installed at the Nyanya motor park.

Markets in the FCT and motor parks, he also said, will be properly fenced and bomb detector devices to be installed.

The Minister of State for Health said one of the greatest challenges the incident posed was need for blood donation for the victims.

On why the bodies were moved without body bags, he said: “We were overwhelmed by the incident. We have body bags but they were exhausted.”

Nigerian Observer confirms pregnant employee’s death in blast

According to the management, Mrs. Iyogun was on her official duty to take delivery of the day’s She joined The OBSERVER Newspapers as a Observer at Nyanyan Park, Abuja for circulation blast. when she died.

Circulation Clerk on January 3, 2000.

A release by the newspaper’s management said Born on January 12, 1979, the late Mrs. Iyogun She was in the Benin office until 2010 when she the late Mrs. Iyogun was a mother of two and was was transferred to Abuja following her marriage in hailed from Uhiele, Ekpoma in Esan West Local pregnant at the time of the incident.

Government Area of Edo State.

2009.

CIRCULATION officer with the Abuja office of the Nigerian Observer, Mrs. Macelina Omon Iyogun, died in Monday’s Abuja

of others.

“There is enough evidence to show that the same strategy used in the past three years has become obsolete for the problem at hand and it must be urgently changed.

Condoling with victims of terrorism now and then can never proffer solution a seemingly inseparable problem like the one currently faced by Nigeria.

“Enough of losing lives of women, children and innocent Nigerians without any hope for a better option.

“As usual, we painfully condole with the families of the victims of this latest tragedy and all Nigerians who are directly or indirectly touched by the devastating effect of that tragedy

From OSemwengie Ben Ogbemudia, Benin

believing that another one will not be allowed to occur soon.”

The Prelate and Moderator of the General Assembly of The Presbyterian Church of Nigeria, Most Rev. Prof.

Emele Mba Uka condemned the bomb blast .

The Prelate, in a statement by the church’s Director of Information and Public Affairs, Rev. Kalu U. Eme, lamented such heinous and barbaric massacre of innocent citizens and said that the perpetrators were not only inhuman, but also sick.

Most Rev. Prof. Uka called on security agents to effect tighter security controls in the country as it appeared that the orgy of terrorist attacks was spreading more rapidly and with im-

punity.

"Today, it has happened in Abuja.

Who knows where else the terrorists will strike?"

The CNPP urged the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to stop playing blame game politics with the heinous serial bomb explosion spreading in the country like wild fire by evil forces.

A statement by Mr Osita Okechukwu, spokesman of CNPP said “the inferno in our hands requires deep thinking, introspection and not the blame game; for if we are to play the blame game, the PDP led Federal Government has to explain what happened to the trillions of Naira voted for Security Equipment?

“If the blame game is the solution, then the PDP should refund the millions of dollars spent in the installation of Circuit Television (CCTV) in Abuja, for some Nigerians had warned then that the Chinese company, ZTE, is not the best equipped and that the contract was awarded in less than transparent manner.

“With effective and operative CCTV, it could have been easy either to prevent the disaster or track down the culprits to stop future mayhem.

“It is our considered view that the evil forces are deranged and mad people whose motive is opaque, as it is only a mad man that can haul bomb to the motor park. African proverb has it that one should not throw stone into

the market, because it may hit your kindred.

“To us, the Nyanya Motor Park is neither PDP park nor APC park, or Hausa, Igbo or Yoruba park; therefore PDP should not trivialize a heinous crime. PDP is simply pedestrian.”

The CNPP challenged PDP to provide evidence to support its claim within seven days, “otherwise we shall head to court.”

Wives of northern governors condemned the Nyanya, Abuja bus terminus bombing in which 75 persons were killed.

They said they are “saddened” by the development.

They urged the Federal Government to “strengthen the security architecture of the nation and also seek the help of other countries to end the problem of insurgency in the country”.

The Northern Governors’ Wives Forum (NGWF) met at the Niger State Governor’s Lodge, Asokoro, Abuja.

In attendance were the forum’s chairperson, Dooshima Yemisi Suswam (Benue), Hajiya Adama Dankwambo (Gombe), Hajiya Jummai Aliyu (Niger), Hajiya Asmau Yari Abubakar (Zamfara) and Hajiya Halima Wada (Kogi), among others.

In a communiqué by Mrs. Suswam, the northern governors’ wives condoled with the families of the blast’s victims and prayed for speedy recovery of those who were wounded.

The forum asked Nigerians to be vigilant, security conscious and to report suspicious persons or activities to security agents.

It appealed to politicians to “cooperate with one another for the good of the country regardless of their differences for the peace and progress of Nigeria.”

Mrs. Suswam said: “The Nigeria Immigration Service should step up its game to check the influx of foreigners and goods into the country.

“Mothers must keep watch of their children and wards.

“Politicians should empower the youth in skills or trade so that they will not be used as tools for violence and criminal activities.”

The northern governors’ wives appreciated the “exemplary conduct” of the British High Commissioner Andrew Pocock and other Nigerians who donated blood for those affected in the blast.

A group which campaigned for President Goodluck Jonathan in the last general elections, Neighbour to Neighbour, yesterday donated relief materials to the Nyanya bomb blast victims.

Its Deputy Executive Director, Mr. Charles Nwadiagwu who led the team to the Nyanya and Asokoro General hospitals, said the organisation was moved by the blast.

Items donated include rice, bottled water and toiletries.

Speaking during the presentation of the gift items to the Medical Director, Nyanya General Hospital, Dr Frank Idegwu, Nwadiagu said: “If we care for our neighbour, there will be a better Nigeria. We feel that what happened on Monday can happen to any of us as Nigerians. We therefore feel that it is important for us as Nigerians to rally round these ones that need care at times like this.”

A lawmaker representing Ibadan North II State Constituency in Oyo State House of Assembly, Mr Olaleye Olusegun, said PDP spokesperson, Chief Olisa Metuh, comment on the blast depicts “cowardice, unpatriotic, malicious and highly demonic on the part of the ruling party”.

He said: “I hereby urge the PDP scribe and PDP government to put aside all sentiments of all kinds and mobilise Nigerians to unite in the face of insurgencies; and stop playing politics with blood of innocent Nigerians.”

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THE NATION THURSDAY, APRIL 17, 2014

NEWS ‘How 10 girls escaped from camp’

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ORNO State Governor Kashim Shettima spoke yesterday about how 10 of the abducted girls escaped from the gulag.

He also offered to give N50 million to anyone that gives information that will lead to the rescue of the girls.

A statement yesterday by Isa Gusau, the governor’s media adviser, said the escape of the 10 took to 14, the number of pupils escaped from the Boko Haram abductors. Four escaped when the vehicle conveying them to the camp broke down on Tuesday morning.

Shettima explained that “a total of 129 final year science pupils undertaking exams were at the school hostel as at the time of the attack”.

He said the exact number of abducted pupils was yet to be ascertained but that a register

•The Korean ferry that sank off the country’s coast...yesterday. Of the 462 on board, 283 were still missing last night. Story on page 69

Boko Haram: Eight girls still missing as troops rescue 80 Continued from page 1

of the school confirmed that only eight of the students are still missing.

“One of the terrorists who carried out the attack on the school has been captured.”

Responding to a question, Olukade said: “Most of the girls were rescued in a village along one of the routes used by the insurgents.

“Also, some of the girls actually escaped from the sect’s camp. The troops have got a marching order to rescue the remaining eight girls before dawn.”

There was outrage yesterday over Tuesday’s kidnap of the girls .

Labour told security operatives to “find the girls”.

Republic of China, the United Nations Children’s Education Fund (UNICEF), First Lady Patience Jonathan and many groups called for urgent action.

Borno State Governor Kashim Shettima said 14 of the abducted girls had escaped – 10 from custody and four as they were being taken away. He offered

•NLC, UNICEF, First Lady call for action N50million for information that could lead to the girls’ rescue.

President Goodluck Jonathan, who expressed shock over the kidnap, will preside over a security meeting today. It will be followed with an enlarged meeting with governors.

Some of the girls have also spoken on how they escaped.

In a statement titled “You must find these girls” by its acting General Secretary, Chris Uyot, the NLC said: “We fear that except there is a fundamental change of strategy that involves the people and reflects basic security initiatives, we will pay a heavy price in the Northeast.

“It is absolutely important that neither the insurgents nor government contractors be allowed to take control of this war.

“Meanwhile, we commend the fighting spirit, the resourcefulness and the staying power of the people of the Northeast who have put up with unspeakable losses and indescribable violations and deprivations. We salute their courage and patrio-

tism and their sense of selfworth.”

The NLC described the abduction as “disgusting, repugnant, nauseating, chilling and totally unacceptable”. This is a heinous crime against our children, our women, the Nigerian nation and against humanity, and must not be allowed to stand, it said.

“The Nigerian security forces must restore their honour and dignity by speedily finding and rescuing these young and innocent girls before any more harm befalls them.

“It is mind-boggling that in spite of repeated assaults on schools in the Northeast, no appreciable effort has been made to secure the schools where these students have had to study under the most hostile conditions.

“It is equally amazing that in spite of the supposedly innumerable security checkpoints in the region, truck-loads of young girls could disappear into thin air in a Sahel region!”

The First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, in a statement signed by his media assistant Ayo

Adewuyi, said the action was “inhuman and needless perpetration of evil against innocent school children”.

“It has again become necessary for us to strengthen the advocacy for resolving differences in our society in a peaceful manner, to avert violence and wars in our country.

“No nation profits not from a regime of fear and insecurity because where there is no peace, there cannot be development.

“There is the need to put a stop to all these, in order to put the nation back on track and enable our leaders to focus on development,’’ she said.

To the Muslim umbrella body in the North, the Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI), the abduction was shocking.

Secretary General Dr. Khalid Abubakar Aliyu said: “The abduction is another shocking story regarding the unfortunate happenings in Nigeria, especially the North.

“It is quite unfortunate and, in fact, painfully confusing, that despite the state of emergency imposed on Borno State for a Continued on page 67

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From Bodunrin Kayode, Maiduguri

had been opened for parents and guardians to make reports on missing students. He said “50 complaints by parents and guardians have so far been documented in the register.”

The governor, at a news conference, said his administration was willing to do everything to ensure that the girls reunited with their families.

He has been in touch with the principal of the school and the leaders of Chibok, getting everyone involved in the search for the students.

The governor, who was visibly shaken by the abduction, said: “The Commissioner for Education has been in constant touch with the school and the people of the town. I have also Continued on page 67

Jonathan invites governors, National Security Council

RESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan has summoned members of the National Security Council to a meeting today at the Presidential Villa on the developments in the country.

The meeting, according to a statement by Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, is scheduled for 11.00 a.m.

Abati said: “Those expected at the meeting include Vice

From Augustine Ehikioya, Abuja

President Namadi Sambo, the Minister of Defence, Lt.-Gen Aliyu Gusau, the National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd.), the Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh, the Service Chiefs, the Inspector-General of Police, the Director-General of the State Security Services and the Continued on page 67

Boko Haram kills emir in his palace

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USPECTED Boko Haram insurgents have been on the prowl in Borno State in the last 48 hours, following Monday’s horrific rush hour blast at Nyanyan Motor Park in Abuja in which 75 people died.

No fewer than 100 girls were abducted on Tuesday from their hostel at the Government Girls Secondary School in Chibok, also in Borno State.

The Emir of Gwoza, Alhaji Idrissa Timta, who last Sunday raised the alarm about the activities of the sect in his domain, was shot dead along with his guard at his palace.

The killing of the emir was followed up with the killing of

From Bodunrin Kayode, Maiduguri

no fewer than 19 others .

Politician Hyeldi Bwala said the gunmen marched into the palace on Tuesday evening and gunned down the emir and his security guard.

The emir had urged the government to “save our souls”, saying his people were being attacked daily.

Two officials said gunmen attacked a Gwoza village and killed 18 people yesterday.

Alhaji Timta, had in a statement in Maiduguri, the state capital, said economic Continued on page 67

APC faults Jonathan campaign day after Abuja blast Continued from page 1

he should be leading the nation in mourning the dead. ‘’A President who said his ambition is not worth the blood

of anyone is now dancing gleefully on the graves of over 70 of his compatriots. What is so important about the illegal campaign stop in Kano on Tuesday that could not have waited for the smoke to clear from the scene of the deadly blast on Monday? Who will President Jonathan rule over when his countrymen and women are being daily mowed down under his watch? ‘’Without mincing words, President Jonathan erred badly by not showing enough sympathy for the victims of Monday’s blast. More people died in the blast than from Kenya’s mall shooting last September, yet President Uhuru Kenyatta declared three days of national mourning during which flags at public buildings flew at half mast and the people of Kenya prayed for the dead and the injured. ‘’In 2012, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari ordered the immediate postponement of all activities long planned to mark his 70th birthday, following the death in a helicopter crash of Gen. Azazi, Governor Patrick Yakowa and others in a helicopter crash in Bayelsa. Such is the stuff of a great leader. ‘’Even if President Jonathan does not want to mourn the death of the citizens, he should have at least kept a low profile for a few

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PDP justifies President’s singing, dancing in Kano

he Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has once again accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of supporting terrorist agenda.

The PDP said the APC demonstrated this by criticising President Goodluck Jonathan’s singing and dancing at a political rally in Kano, barely 24 hours after the Nyanya bomb blast that killed 75 people and injured 124.

A statement yesterday by the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Chief Olisa Metuh, declared that the President would have shut down governance by not going to Kano, simply because there was a terrorist attack in Abuja.

The statement said: “It is common knowledge that those behind the attacks seek to impose a reign of terror in our country, cow the President, dictate the tempo of government and ultimately shut down governance; a plot which the APC has betrayed its support for.

“Indeed, Nigerians are no longer at a loss as to the agenda of the APC. The APC has again exposed its support for acts directly aimed at shutting down governance and imposing anarchy and reign of terror on our people. They had expected the President to be intimidated by acts of terrorism which days to avoid a repeat of the disgusting show last February, when he led others to pop champagne corks and clink glasses at the wasteful centenary celebration right after at least 43 school children were massacred in Yobe. Nigerians are now asking; ‘Would the President have re-

From Gbade Ogunwale and Augustine Ehikioya, Abuja

have continued to be motivated by their utterances.

“However, we wish to restate that as a party vested with the sacred mandate freely given by over 160 million Nigerians, the leadership of the PDP and the government we formed shall not be cowed, intimidated, harassed or tele-guided by acts of terrorism.

“The PDP-led administration was popularly elected by the Nigerian people and shall never allow terrorists and their supporters to dictate the tempo of government, which has been their direct objective.

“It is a globally settled principle that no government allows terrorists to influence the course of its action, otherwise they have achieved their purpose.

“This is why the Conservative Party continued with its convention in Brighton, in October of 1984, even though the then Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher, was almost killed by an IRA bomb that exploded at the venue of the convention.

“During that incident, five people were killed, including two high-profile members

turned so quickly to the soapbox if any of his family members had suffered the fate that befell the victims of the blast, or if any of his appointees had been a victim?’ ‘’How can a President whose failure of leadership has led to the untimely deaths of 1,500

of the Conservative Party, and 31 were injured.”

Stating that the PDP-led Federal Government would not in anyway be cowed or intimidated to abandon its mandate, the statement stressed that President Jonathan has remained committed to the welfare and security of Nigerians.

The party added that contrary to the general impression of insensitivity on the part of the President, he has continued to be sensitive and responsive to the welfare of the people.

This, Metuh said, was aptly demonstrated when the President visited the scene of the blast and cancelled a scheduled social visit to Ibadan on the day of the blast.

“After the Dana crash of June 3, 2012, the government flew the Nigerian flag at halfmast and the President and the Federal Government wisely refrained from celebrations,” the statement said.

The PDP called on Nigerians to be vigilant and wary of the APC while commending President Jonathan for “remaining steadfast and focused” in delivering his transformation agenda in spite of the insurgency and unnecessary attacks by the op-

mostly civilians in the hands of terrorists this year alone be so numb to the fate and plight of those who voted him into office?

Or how else does one describe the action of a President who was in a celebratory mood in Kano on Tuesday, even when the surviving victims are still

Continued on page 67

writhing in pain in various hospitals, the bodies of the victims are still lying cold in the morgue and the fate of dozens of abducted school girls remains unknown?’’ the APC queried The party urged President Jonathan, as a father, a leader and a human being, to take a moment of deep introspection,

•Dr. Jonathan

to reflect on his actions, adding: ‘’Perhaps he will realise that long after the glitz of office would have dimmed and the retinue of lick-spittle aides would have vanished, a leader would be remembered more for his humanity than his vanities.’’

The APC said it was imperative for the President to hearken to the voice of reason because his aides and party officials, desperate not to be pushed off the gravy train, would rather blame everyone but the President and themselves for the woes that have befallen Nigeria under the President’s watch.

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THE NATION THURSDAY, APRIL 17, 2014

5

NEWS

National Conference delegates protest over committees

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ROTESTS dominated yesterday’s proceedings at the National Conference, as delegates complained about procedures and the composition of committees.

Youths, women, traditional rulers all aired their disagreement with the composition of the committees, despite the release of an addendum list, which they claimed, was also inadequate.

Youths at the conference, numbering 18, said they were excluded from four sensitive committees.

Clifford Abur, who spoke for the youth, said they identified the conference as an opportunity to contribute to nation building and correct the negative impressions about the youths.

He cited thecommittees on security and devolution of power as instances where no youth delegate was represented, adding that the youths have been identified as foot soldiers for the crimes and security breaches around the country, such as violence, kidnapping, bombing and other vices.

According to him, it would be an injustice for the youth to be denied the opportunity of contributing to such key committees work that touches on the future of the country.

He said the youths were not satisfied with the list.

He apologised to the Chair-

Conference committee chairmen/deputies Devolution of Power: Obong Victor and Ibrahim Coomasie Political Restructuring and Forms of Government: Mohammed Kumalia and General Ike Nwachukwu National Security: Mohammed Jimeta and Chief Albert Horsefall Environment Meteorology and Climate Change: Senator Florence Ita-Giwa and Y.Bukar Mandara Politics and Governance: Professor Jerry Ghana and Chief Olu Falae Law and Human Rights: Justice George Oguntade (rtd) and Professor Auwalu Yadudu Social Sector: Josephine Anenih and Professor Ruqaiyatu Rufai Transportation: Senator Musa Adede and Ralph Onanaiye Science, Technology and Development: Dr Daniel Maddo and High Chief Raymond Dokpesi Agriculture: Umaru Hadeija and Mrs Ifeoma Idigbe From Dele Anofi, Abuja

man, Justice Idris Kutigi for addressing him in harsh voice and threatening a youth action if corrections were not made in favour of the youths.

Women at the conference also protested for not being evenly spread among the Committees, in addition to not being given enough leadership positions in the Committees.

According to Rabi Ibrahim, being lumped in one committee would not serve the best interest of the women and their individual expertise.

Ramatu Bala Usman, who

advocated for 35 percent affirmative action in the leadership of the Committees for women said equity should be observed by the Secretariat.

Hajia Mariam Bubba was against the Chairmanship of some Committees by old politicians, whom she said had headed similar Committees in previous conferences without having anything to show for it.

Akiyode Afolabi kicked against designation of some as ‘super delegates’ for being placed in choice committees.

She also complained about the Chair of Civil Society Commit-

Civil Society, Labour and Sports: Mrs Bola Ogunrinade and Issa Aremu Public Service: Ebele Okeke and Ambassador Adamu Aliyu Political Parties and Electoral Matters: Dr Iyorchia Ayu and Senator Ken Nnamani Foreign Policy and Diaspora: Professor Ibrahim Gambari and Professor Lawrence Ekpebu Land Tenure Matters and National Boundary: Gen A. B. Mamman and Oba Michael Gbadebo Economy, Trade and Investment: Bola Shagaya and Fola Adeola Energy: Senator Rashid Ladoja and Engr Bello Suleiman Religion: Bishop Felix Ajakaiye and Alhaji Nurudeen Lema Public Finance and Revenue Generation: Adamu Aliero and Senator Azu Agboti Citizenship, Immigration and Related Matters: Dr Muhammed Abdullahi and Chidinma Uwajumogu tee that was headed by a woman who has never worked in the sector before.

Traditional rulers also voiced their grievances of being confined in areas where they can offer useful suggestions.

Oba Aderemi Adedapo said to have lumped all the traditional rulers in one Committee was a deservice to the individual expertise of the monarchs.

According to him, there are several professionals among the traditional rulers and their experience would be useful if spread to other committees.

Femi Falana also complained

about the inadequacy in the composition of the committees, citing the exclusion of the youth delegates from fundamental committees.

He also raised the issue of preferential treatment for some heads of delegation in picking their choice of committee.

He said being a head of delagation he was never accorded such treatment.

However, Falana advised that those with genuine concerns about the committees should formally address it to the Secretariat for necessary correction so that proper committee business would commence

by Tuesday.

The chairman denied Falana’s allegation of preferential treatment.

He said the Secretariat worked with the list submitted by all the delegates. He urged those with complaints to make them available on time for the Secretariat to work before Tuesday.

The chairman announced that committee session would commenced on Tuesday with 10 committees holding their sessions in the National Judicial Institute (NJI) venue of the conferemce and the other 10 holding theirs at Sheraton Hotel and Towers.

It was announced that Ambas-

sador Abdulmumin Abubakar who slumped on Tuesday evening is in a stable condition.

Delegates used the opportunity to demand a functional medical facility in the complex having been told that the ambulance that conveyed Abubakar has no oxygen.

Justice Kutigi said there was a clinic in the complex but knew nothing about oxygen.

Justice Mamman Nasir (rtd) raised a motion of urgent public importance on the need for the conference to raise a delegation to meet and advise President Goodluck Jonathan on how to disregard disparaging statement aimed at him by governors and others.

According to him, the President should no longer join issues with governors that were against him.

He said the situation the country is in at the moment should be of concern to everyone and that exchanging words with governors would rather distract the President.

He said the President should be more tolerant and patient witb those against him being the leader of the country.

Sergeant Awuse, while seconding the motion, advised those that were hauling expletives on the President to desist.

Besides, the President should be respected by the governors, if they expect respect from their own citizens too, he added.

However, in the midst of arguement for and against on procedural defects of the motion observed by some delegtes, plenary went on to other matters without voting on the motion.

The chairman had to use his authority to overrule delgates that clamoured for adjournment till Tuesday, 22nd rather than today.

He had problem finding who to second the motion for adjournment till today until he called on Iyom Josephine Anenih, who said she seconded it according to the chairman’s wish.

‘Why Jonathan deserves second term’ •From left: Flag Officer Commanding, Western Naval Command, Rear Admiral Samuel Alade; U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr James Entwistle and Representaive of the Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Ameen Ikioda, at the openinig ceremony of Exercise Obangame Express 2014 in Lagos...yesterday. Story on Page 7.

Immigration stampede victims await govt’s compensation

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ICTIMS of the March 15 Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) recruitment stampede on Wednesday said they were yet to be compensated, one month after Federal Government’s promise.

The victims said this during the public hearing on the stampede, organised in Abuja by some

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NGOs to sensitise the public and government to the plight of the victims.

The organisations are Say No campaign, Centre for Democracy and Development, Berekete Family Radio and the Open Society Initiative for West Africa.

President Goodluck Jonathan had offered automatic employment to three mem-

bers of the family of each deceased applicants and all those injured in the stampede.

Mr Paul Nasiru, who lost his wife, Mariam in the stampede, said that all the promises made by the government to employ three members of their family were yet to be fulfilled.

“I am a business man and my wife was also a business woman before she went for the

exercise that claimed her life.

“Altho u g h t h e N I S called me a week after her death to get information about her next of kin, I have not heard anything else since then.

Miss Helen Ademu, an applicant who sustained injury during the recruitment, said she had to walk with crutches for three weeks.

Police: we’ve clues on Abuja Nyanya explosion

R Suleiman Abba, the Assistant InspectorGeneral of Police in charge of Zone 7, says the police have evidences that will give clues to those responsible for the Nyanya Motor Park explosion.

Zone 7 comprises FCT, Niger and Kaduna.

Abba spoke yesterday in Abuja.

The AIG said no arrest had been made connecting to the incident.

“Arrest, I am not aware of any arrest yet but links, yes; there are evidences that we hope will link us to those responsible for this crime.

“But I cannot disclose these links yet because the whole purpose is for the links to

achieve the purpose for which we got them,’’ he said.

Abba said a team of highly experienced investigators, formed by the Inspector-General of Police, Mr Mohammed Abubakar to probe the incident, had begun work.

He said in no distant time,

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the public would know those behind the bombing and stated that they would be prosecuted when arrested.

Abba said that the police high command met after the incident and re-examined its strategies, to fashion out a better approach to deal with

crime in the territory.

He gave residents the assurance that everything was being done to avoid a recurrence.

“I will not say all the strategies we have pencilled down but let me mention that we will certainly strengthen our partnership with the public.

Lawyers seek action on jet scandal

GROUP of lawyers has called for the removal of the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs Diezani Allison-Madueke, over the alleged N10 billion jet scandal.

The lawyers, under the aegis of Lawyers United Against Corruption (LUAC), urged President Goodluck Jonathan to remove the minister, in line with his commitment to anti-corruption crusade and to redeem the image of the country.

Alternatively, the group advised the government to suspend her, pending the outcome of the

By Adebisi Onanuga

investigation of her activities in the ministry.

LUAC threatened to sue the government if it fails to accede to its demand.

Addressing reporters yesterday in Lagos, LUAC President Marthias Emeribe decried the “nonchalance and lackadaisical attitude” of the Federal Government to the scandal.

He noted that many committees had been set up on the matter but without a report yet from any of them.

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By Segun Ajiboye

HEAD of the 2015 Presidential election, the Southwest zone of a youth group, under the aegis of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Youth Network, has said President Goodluck Jonathan has recorded numerous achievements to secure a second term.

Speaking at the end of a meeting of its Central Working Committee (CWC) in Lagos, the group’s Zonal Director for Media and Publicity, Afolabi Semiu, said: “The President has diligently implemented its agenda for national transformation in priority areas, including power, rehabilitation and expansion of national infrasructure, agricultural development, increased funding for education and employment generation”.

Also speaking, the National Deputy Director-General, Prince Adedolamu Akitoye, said the increase in the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) which has placed Nigeria as the largest economy in Africa justifies the group’s support for Jonathan.

How we’ll tackle fake drugs, by SON

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From Tayo Johnson, Ibadan

HE Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has said it will recruit over five million Nigerians for its campaign against substandard products.

Its Director-General, Dr Joseph Odumodu, spoke in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, at the beginning of the Southwest road show and “walk for zero tolerance” on substandard products at Oba Akinyele School, Basorun.

Odumodu said the five million people should be sufficient to sustain the campaign and assist the organisation to achieve its goal of zero tolerance for substandard products.

The SON chief said the campaign started in Northwest and spread to the Southeast.

According to him, the Southwest campaign started in Ibadan because it is the centre of excellence in region.

Odumodu said the campaign would soon move to other states in the region.

He said: “Substandard products kill our economy and destroy our environment. Nigerians love patronising foreign products - most of which are substandard - when our locally made products are not patronised. This kills our economy.

“We are focusing our campaign on life-endangering items or - goods that can lead to loss of life. The campaign will move to a level that will make it hard for people to bring in substandard products to Nigeria. This will also improve our economy and create jobs for the mass of unemployed youths.”

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THE NATION THURSDAY, APRIL 17, 2014

NEWS CJN, NAFDAC chief seek new laws against fake drugs

Easter: FRSC deploys 455 patrol vehicles, 34,000 personnel

By Joseph Jibueze

From Bukola Amusan, Abuja

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HE Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Aloma Mariam Mukhtar and the DirectorGeneral of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Dr Paul Orhii, yesterday called for new laws to combat drug counterfeiting.

The duo spoke yesterday in Lagos at a two-day International Judges’ Conference.

They said the existing laws are inadequate and hinder effective regulatory control and punishment of offenders.

Orhii, who said drug counterfeiters are worse than armed robbers, added that such criminals were mostly not severely punished.

He said NAFDAC had proposed a minimum of life jail and confiscation of the assets of fake drug merchants upon conviction.

The conference was jointly organised by the National Judicial Institute and NAFDAC, with the theme: Legal Protection for Consumers of Food and Drugs: Issues Arising Within Regulatory Framework.

The CJN, who chaired the event, urged NAFDAC to push for a review of the antidrug counterfeiting laws to make them more stringent to deter rather than encourage offenders.

She said: “It may be conceded that the legislations in the area of administration of food and drug in Nigeria are grossly inadequate to combat this menace, most especially in the area of penalties and victims remedy.

“NAFDAC can engage with the appropriate bodies to review its laws, while the judges will explore all the options within the ambit of the laws to ensure the protection of consumers.”

Expert calls for national bomb prevention

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SECURITY expert and President of the Association of Industrial and Safety Security Operators of Nigeria (AISSON), Dr Ona Ekhomu, has urged the Federal Government to urgently design a National Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) Prevention Initiative.

He said the initiative would save the lives and property of Nigerians from incessant Boko Haram bombings.

Ekhomu spoke in Lagos when he reacted to the Monday morning bomb blast at the Nyanya Motor Park in Abuja. Over 70 people were killed and over 100 others injured in the blast.

The security expert said the national bomb prevention initiative was long overdue because those who would be enrolled in it would form the bulwark against bombings.

Ekhomu, who is also the Chairman of Trans-World Security, said the security awareness programme on IEDs would enable the citizens to identify suspicious objects - which may be bombs - and identify suspicious vehicles that may carry IEDs. He explained that bombers (throwers or planters) exhibit suspicious behaviours which citizens could detect, if they are educated by the national awareness programme.

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•From left: Head, Legal, National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Mr Kingsley Ejiofor; Lagos State Commissioner for Justice, Mr Ade Ipaye; Dr Orhii; Justice Mukhtar and Presiding Judge, Court of Appeal, Lagos Division, Justice Amina Augie, at the conference in Lagos...yesterday.

PHOTO:ABIODUN WILLIAM

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Ekweremadu proposes modified presidential system

EPUTY Senate President Ike Ekweremadu has said Nigeria should adopt a modified presidential system of government to engender effective governance and sustainable democracy.

He also said the nation should return to regionalism, where the six geo-political zones would become the federating units.

Ekweremadu, who is the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Constitution Review, spoke at a lecture he delivered at the Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), Johns Hopkins University, Washington, United States, with the theme: Constitution Review in An Emerging Democracy: The Nigerian Experience.

Among the areas of modification he sought is the introduction of question times in the parliament, to hold the ministers consistently accountable, and the replacement of impeachment with a procedure for vote of no confidence.

With the arrangement, he said the country could checkmate the overbearing attitude of non-performing ministers and control the activities of “super minis-

From Onyedi Ojiabor, Assistant Editor, Washington, DC, U.S.

ters”.

Nigeria, the senator said, should retain its presidential system to hold together the contending forces of the federation.

Ekweremadu also said the nation should examine the subsisting Simple Majority system of election and consider the adoption of Proportional Representation.

The Deputy Senate President said the country would be better served with Proportional Representation system of election than the zero-sum attributes of Firstpast-the-post system, where a candidate for an election could emerge winner on the strength of the votes from his area.

Ekweremadu said: "The presidential system has often come under criticisms for its concentration of powers in political chief executives, encouragement of divisive, zero-sum factional and sectional competition for political offices, expensiveness and promotion of the politics of strong

men, rather than strong institutions.

"However, supporters of the current presidential system point to the failures of parliamentary rule in the First Republic, claiming that the trouble with Nigeria is not the choice of governmental systems per se, but the warped implementation or corrupt operation of these systems.

"I suggest a modification of the present presidential system. We need the presidential system to hold together the contending forces of our federation.

"Such modification includes the introduction of question times in the parliament, to hold the ministers consistently accountable, and the replacement of impeachment with a procedure for vote of no confidence.

"The Proportional Representation (PR) system is increasingly becoming popular around the world, suggesting an increasing movement away from pure Plurality-Majority system.

"This may not be unconnected with the value rendition of fairness, depth of

representation, and more adaptable variants of the PR. "Nigeria may be better served with the PR system than the zero-sum attributes of First-past-the-post system."

In other fora before this, I have advocated a return to regionalism instead of creating more states and dispersing resources thinly.

"In that case, the six geopolitical zones in the country will become the federating units.

"This, to me, seems the major plausible thing to do if Nigeria is to nurse any hope of significantly reversing the dwindling fortunes of our federalism by engendering viability and self-reliance of the component units, massive development, healthy competition, reduce the cost of "Interestingly, geopolitical zones are already moving towards regional integration for development.

"The Governors and leaders of the South-West, which constituted the old Western Region not long ago, met to draw a charter and trajectory for regional cooperation for development."

On local government, he

INEC: ‘hasn’t suspended constituency delineation’

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HE Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has not suspended the plan for constituency delineation, contrary to claims a national daily yesterday, the commission has said.

Also, INEC Chairman, Prof Attahiru Jega, has “never blamed the National Assembly for not passing an enabling law for the exercise”, the commission said yesterday.

“No such law is required,” INEC said last night in a statement in Abuja by Mr Kayode Idowu, the Chief Press Secretary to INEC Chairman.

The statement said: “The constituency delineation programme by INEC is well underway, and this is best evidenced by the inauguration of the Nation Committee on Constituency Delimitation in Abuja at the instance of the commission on Monday, March 31, 2014.

This committee, besides INEC, involves the chief ex-

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Commission to sign technical support MoU with AU, ECOWAS

HE Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is on the verge of signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with African Union (AU) and Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) countries.

The agreement, which is through The Electoral Institute (TEI), would enable the commission to provide technical assistance to AU and ECOWAS. TEI’s Director-General, Prof Abubakar Momoh, spoke yesterday in Abuja on the MoU when he opened a two-day certified trainers’ workshop, organised by TEI and the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES).

Participants were drawn from different departments of the commission. ecutives of relevant organisations, such as the National Boundaries Commission (NBC), the National Space Research Development Agency (NASRDA), the Surveyor-General of the Federation, and the National Population Commission (NPoPC), among others.

From Vincent Ikuomola, Abuja

Prof Momoh, according to a report in the INEC bulletin, said the training was the first in a series to put everyone on the same page and ensure that there is a pool of trained and certified personnel who could be called deployed any time.

The agency chief also affirmed the commission’s confidence in its effort to build capacity and technical skills for its workers to strengthen the electoral process.

The Country Director of IFES, represented by Deputy Country Director, Mrs Uloma M. Osuala, said the training was the beginning of several courses IFES and TEI would organise to strengthen the electoral process.

“INEC also never ‘highlighted the gerrymandering role of the National Assembly in the matter’, as the newspaper claimed, because no such role is being played.

What the Commission has always said is that whatever constituency arrangement it comes up with will have to

be validated by the National Assembly, as required by the 1999 Constitution (as amended), before it could become effective.

“This is to categorically state that the editorial in question does not reflect the facts of the ongoing delineation exercise.”

HE Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has deployed 455 patrol vehicles, 66 ambulances, 102 motor bikes, 12 tow trucks and over 34,000 personnel on designated routes.

The move is among the corps’ measures to ensure sanity on the nation’s highways during this year’s Easter celebration.

The FRSC explained that its nationwide patrol includes a massive deployment of personnel and logistics on 23 designated critical corridors and black spots identified for this exercise.

This is besides the corps’ 24 emergency ambulance response centres located at designated routes. These include the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Kaduna, Gombe, Jigawa, Taraba, Niger, Kogi, Ondo, Edo, Osun, Nasarawa, Plateau and Kwara states, which will be complemented by relevant security outfits.

A statement by the corps’ Education Officer Jonas Agwu said the operational road map for a crash-free 2014 Easter celebration, tagged: Operation Easter 2014, would reduce road crashes by 15 per cent and fatalities by 25 per cent.

The FRSC said this year’s nationwide exercise was necessary to reduce road crashes, usually attributed to the perennial rise in the violation of traffic rules and regulations, especially during festive seasons.

Fani-Kayode’s trial stalled as judge chides Keyamo

By Joseph Jibueze

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HE trial of a former Minister of Aviation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, was stalled yesterday at the Federal High Court in Lagos following the absence of the prosecuting counsel, Mr Festus Keyamo.

Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia was dissatisfied that Keyamo, who was said to be ill, failed to give the court a prior notification of his absence.

She said: “The court is displeased that the prosecutor did not have the simple courtesy of writing to inform the court of his absence. This is a case in which the accused attends court from outside jurisdiction. So, it was wrong for the prosecution counsel not to have intimated the court of his absence.”

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is prosecuting Fani-Kayode on an amended 40-count charge of money laundering.

The former minister was said to have laundered about N100,219,500 by paying them into his personal account through an associate.

Fani-Kayode is to be represented by former Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) President, Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN).

The lawyer told the judge yesterday that he had joined the defence and would lead the team as from the next proceedings.

Olanipekun takes over from Mr Ifedayo Adedipe (SAN), who will remain a part of the defence team. He was in court yesterday.

THE NATION THUR0SDAY, APRIL 17, 2014

7

NEWS US envoy urges govt to rescue abducted girls

By Precious Igbonwelundu

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NITED States Ambas sador to Nigeria Mr James Entwistle urged yesterday the Federal Government to rescue the girls abducted by members of the extremist Boko Haram sect at the Girls Senior Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State.

He spoke with reporters after the opening ceremony of exercise Obangame Express 2014 held at the Western Naval Command (WNC) in Lagos. Entwistle also described as horrible and shocking, the Monday’s bomb blast at Nyanya bus terminus in Abuja.

He said that based on President Goodluck Jonathan’s request to US President Barrack Obama for assistance to stop crude oil theft, a report has been submitted to him (Jonathan) by the US Government.

Refusing to give details of the report, Entwistle said it contains the ability of the Nigerian Navy to control key check points; what happened to missing oil revenues and how the US could assist Nigeria to curb the menace.

“It is condemnable. That kind of incident along with the bombing in Abuja, just explains why my country stands with your country in the struggle against terrorism.

“We are willing to help in every appropriate way. But that kind of incident is shocking and that just underlies how serious this is. “But our heart goes out to those children and to their families.

“I am sure the security forces are already looking for them and trying to respond to the situation. I know your government is already doing everything it can but it is a horrible incident.

“President Jonathan last September in New York, solicited for the support of the US in containing oil bunkering.

“We were asked to help your government in the struggle against oil bunkering. We sent out an interagency delegation and have delivered a report to your government.

“One clear conclusion is that your Navy has a key role to play in fighting oil bunkering and that is one of those reasons we are so eager and proud to continue our close relationship with the Nigerian Navy.”

Court restores Obiano’s multiple registration case

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HE Enugu Division of the Court of Appeal yesterday ordered the restoration of all paragraphs struck out by the Anambra State Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Awka in the pre-trial stages in the election petitions filed by Senator Chris Ngige. Ngige and the All Progressives Congress (APC) are seeking total cancellation of the Anambra State governor’s elections of November last year.

In a unanimous judgment read by the Chairman of the five-man panel of the Appellate Court, Hon Justice Abdulkadir A. Jega,the court found substance in the grounds of appeal raised by the legal team of Sen. Ngige and APC, led by Rotimi Akeredolu,SAN and Emeka Ngige,SAN. Six interlocutory appeals, all arising from the Anambra Tribunal were determined in yesterday’s judgment by the appeal court.

The court however did not grant the second appeal by Ngige seeking to consolidate all objections to the final address.

Also to benefit from the Appeal court’s ruling were Comrade Tony Nwoye, Peoples

Williams died of strangulation, says witness

By Precious Igbonwelundu

•Ngige, Nwoye, Obidigbo win Democratic Party (PDP), and Dr Chike Obidigbo of All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) all petitioners in respective actions brought before the lower tribunal.

Chike Obidigbo filed two appeals, while PDP and Nwoye filed one apiece bringing the total to six.

In two separate appeals heard together on April 10, Senator Ngige , along with his party asked the Court of Appeal to rely n the seven grounds of appeal raised in the first appeal and twelve in the second to reverse the decisions made by the lower tribunal which implies consolidating all objections till the final address as well as restoring all paragraphs of te petition struck out on 28th February 2014.

Consolidation of the objections ,as conveyed by the application ,overruled by the tribunal was intended to allow the tribunal focus on the substantive matter of the petitions and hear them speedily, to enable justice be done in the 180 time limit of the petition, the restored paragraphs will enable the petition-

ers lead evidence on relevant aspects of the pleadings truck out which covers such allegations as the presentation of forged certificates to Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) by Chief Willie Obiano,allegations of corrupt practices by APGA agents and thugs, while. It would also enable the petitioners restore three schedules attached to the pleadings which contain graphic illustrations of child voting, voting by inanimate objtcs,inconsistencies in the voter register as well as picture impositions used to bastardise the voter registers use don election day.: The petitioners had by a petition filed on December 20 , 2013, asked the tribunal to nullify the gubernatorial elections held in Anambra State on 16th,17th and 30th November 2013 on the fours ground that : • the election of the 3rd Respondent, Chief Willie Maduabuchi Obiano, the person whose election is questioned, was invalid by reason of noncompliance with the provisions

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• Senator Ngige

of the Electoral Act, 2010 (as amended) and the INEC Manual for Election Officials 2013/2014; • the said election was marred by various acts of corrupt practices; • the said Chief Willie Maduabuchi Obiano was not elected by the majority of lawful votes cast at the election; • That the said Chief Willie Maduabuchi Obiano was not qualified to contest the election.”

Similarly all paragraphs struck out by the tribnal in the respective petitions of Comrade Tony Nwoye of PDP were restored by the Appeal court ,as well as those of PDP and Chike Obidigbo.

Obidigbo however lost the appeal to join in other petions at the tribunal as a party.

Fashola urges Fed Govt to address Apapa gridlock

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AGOS State Governor Babatunde Fashola has urged the Federal Government to address the traffic gridlock on Apapa Road, which he said are caused by disorderly activities at the Apapa Ports.

Hosting members of the Senate Committee on Privatisation, led by its Chairman, Senator Gbenga Obadara, on Tuesday, Fashola said vehicular congestion, which is at the root of the gridlock, was driving away businesses in the area.

He said new investors were discouraged from going there and residents were looking for homes outside the area.

Fashola said: “Businesses have shut down because of the gridlock. Sometimes, chief executives of companies call me from their offices to say they are trapped in their offices and cannot go home. So, we send officials of the Lagos State Traffic Management Agency (LASTMA) there at night to go and make a way for them to go home. Did we concession Apapa Ports to destroy our economy or improve it?”

Wondering why the concessionaire shut out vehicles from

•Hosts Senate’s privatisation committee where they had been parking since the port was built, the governor said: “The real issue is efficiency. Many businesses have closed down because the owners cannot get to their offices. Now, tankers have moved into residential buildings. The result is that people are moving out of Apapa and property values are falling.”

Fashola warned that joking with ports is tantamount to joking with the livelihood of the hundreds of thousands of people who work there and their dependants, adding: “The inefficiency of importing and exporting goods is killing our economy. Why should I want to put my goods in a port that takes weeks to turn around, if I can do the same business in a port where it takes hours? So when we complain of unemployment, the real causes are starring us in the face. It will be easier to produce goods elsewhere and enter this market with finished goods.”

He regretted that the people who made the decisions that resulted in the problems in Apapa were “too far removed

from the reality”, saying: “This is why I say privatisation has consequences and when we take those decisions, we must work through the distance to see that the teething problems that come up as a result are addressed before they become real cancers.”

Fashola said heavy duty trucks were destroying Lagos roads and urged the Federal Government to revive the rail tracks that lead to the ports and run across the state.

On privatisation, he said: “I have nothing against privatisation, but it has legal and economic consequences. Let’s look at the financial side.

Where have the proceeds of privatisation gone? Where is the money?

“Privatisation is to create efficiency and we saw the kind of efficiency that occurred in banking when the government took its hand off the sector.

We saw what happened in the Media and Telecoms. So, as a principle, the growth is there.

“But lawmakers must under-

stand the consequences of the laws you make. The assets that have been sold are not the assets of the Federal Government, but those of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Therefore, the proceeds should not go to the Federal Government’s account but the Federation Account.”

Obadara said the committee was in Lagos to check out privatised assets and see the traffic gridlock in Apapa.

At the meeting were the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Lanre Babalola; Secretary to the State Government Mrs. Oluranti Adebule; AttorneyGeneral and Commissioner for Justice Ade Ipaye; Commissioner for Information and Strategy Lateef Ibirogba; Commissioner for Commerce and Industry Mrs. Sola Oworu; Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development Toyin Ayinde; Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning Ben Akabueze and Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure Femi Hamzat, among others.

Lagos High Court, Igbosere heard yesterday that former Lagos State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, Funsho Williams died of suffocation due to manual strangulation he suffered in the hands of his killers.

Prosecution witness Prof.

John Obafunwa told Justice Adeniyi Adebajo that Williams’ death was caused by lack of air intake.

Led in evidence by prosecution witness Mrs. O.A. Akin Adesomojo, Obafunwa said the cause of death was revealed by the postmortem findings.

He said he visited the scene of the crime on July 27, 2006 at Corporation Drive, Dolphin Estate, Ikoyi at 5:30pm following a call which informed him about the death.

Obafunwa told the court that he waited for policemen to arrive before he later saw the corpse at 10pm.

“I saw the body of a middle aged man, identified by the family, having his hands tied and lying face down in a pool of blood on a dagger wrapped with a newspaper.

“Icoveredthehandsandtapedit with a paper to prevent a foreign DNA which may occur during the movement of the body so as not to affect forensic investigations.

“Inoticedthattheroomwasscattered along with two other rooms whichicheckedbeforethebodywas moved to Creek Military Hospital and i left at midnight.

“Duringthepost-mortemexamination and two other pathologists at Creek Hospital discovered a cut on the deceased forehead and bruises around his neck,” he said.

Obafunwa,saidthereweredeep bruises on the arms and legs of the deceased which suggested that he tried to restrain somebody before his death.

“An x-ray was also carried out on the deceased which revealed a fracture of the thyroid cartilage (neck bone).

“Based on our findings, the deceased’s death resulted from asphyxia or lack of air intake due to manual strangulation and the wounds found on the deceased can be described as defence wounds.

“Blood and Urine samples, eye fluids, stomach contents, nail scrapings and clippings were also taken by the police for forensic analysis after which I made a report.” he added.

Defence counsel Agbara Okezie, said he was not cross-examining the witness.

After listening to the parties, Justice Adebajo adjourned the matter to May 7 for continuation.

L-R: Amb. Fulvio Rustico (Italy); Mr. Daouda Traore (UNDP Representative); Amb. Hoang Ngoc Ho (Vietnam); Amb. Svante Kilander (Sweden); Dr. Orji Kalu (chief host), Sen. Ben Obi (Presidential Adviser); Amb. Joao Andre Lima (Brazil); Sen. Emmanuel Onwe; Amb. Marco Antonio Garcia Blanco, Lady Quiteria Pereira and Amb. Antonio Correia (Sao Tome) during a dinner in honour of the Ambassadors at Kalu’s Abuja home... yesterday

THE NATION THURSDAY APRIL 17, 2014

8

NEWS

PDP can’t rig August 9 poll, says Aregbesola

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SUN State Governor Rauf Aregbesola has said the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), its governorship candidate Senator Iyiola Omisore and Police Affairs Minister Jelili Adesiyan lack the capacity to rig the August 9 poll.

Aregbesola spoke in Ilesa while opening 15 township roads.

The governor, who also inaugurated the Ibala Community Primary School, assured the people of protection before and after the poll, saying: “It will be practically impossible for the PDP to foment trouble in any part of the state.”

He warned that those planning to use “federal might” to rig the election would face the people’s wrath, adding: “The time of brigandage, violence and election rigging has gone for good. Whosoever makes such attempt will surely regret it. This is the seventh year after I was chased out of Ilesa because of election and such trend will meet serious resistance. They will be dealt with beyond their imagination.”

Aregbesola said his administration was focusing on road projects because of their high impact on the economy and the people’s lives.

•Governor opens 15 roads in Ilesa He said: “In Osogbo, 21 township roads are being constructed/rehabilitated and have gulped N4.095 billion. In Ede, 13 township roads have been repaired through direct labour at N873,817,458.85. Most of them have been completed.

“In the various federal constituencies, 79 kilometres of intra-city roads are under construction and rehabilitation. Twenty others traversing the cities and covering 294.27 kilometres are at advanced stages of completion.

They are worth N10.62 billion.

“We are also building six selected roads, covering over

74.1 kilometres, in the six geo-political zones. They cost the government N17.5 billion. We inherited eight road rehabilitation projects of 144.29 kilometres from the previous administration, which we have almost completed.”

Aregbesola said work was ongoing on the dualisation of the 36.85km road from Osogbo to Ila-Odo and the Gbongan-Orileowu-IjebuIgbo road.

He said the construction of the Omoluabi Motorway, a dual-carriage road from Akoda to Gbongan Junction, with its Bisi Akande Trumpet Interchange, cost N29.23

billion.

Aregbesola said: “The Osogbo East Bypass Road is one of major road construction we are undertaking. The East Bypass is a 17.5kilometre road that will have a railway underpass at Ofatedo, an interchange at Ataoja and two bridges across the Osun River. The government is investing N14.5 billion in the project.

“Today’s commissioning is part of the township road development projects for Ilesa. The 15 township road rehabilitation works have been completed to the glory of God and for the greater good of the people. On these

roads, totalling 29.71km, we have expended N3.7 billion.”

He said his administration’s dream was to put every road in good shape and make driving on them a pleasure.

The Owa Obokun of Ijesa, Oba Adekunle Aromolaran, said: “We are marveled by your doings because we have not had it this good since the creation of Osun. Traditional rulers, not only in Ijesaland, but the whole of Osun, give you a 10/10 score card.

“Your administration has accomplished various transformational projects with the state’s meager resources through the prudent management of funds and budget discipline.”

‘Lagos doesn’t need Fed Govt’s permission to build bridges’

By Miriam Ekene-Okoro

T

HE Lagos State government has said it does not need the Federal Government’s permission to build bridges.

Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure Dr. Kadri Hamzat told reporters yesterday in Alausa that the state consults relevant organs of government and individuals before embarking on projects.

Hamzat said: “We do not need the Federal Government’s permission to build a bridge in Lagos. That is the reality. We work with a lot of stakeholders when building bridges or roads, including the Federal Government, tenants and home owners on the road.

“If you recall the opening of the Ikoyi –Lekki Link Bridge, the governor thanked the former President, the late Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, for giving up four Federal Government buildings to enable us execute the project.

“He gave us permission to remove the buildings to pave the way for the bridge.

That shows that there is discussion. If those building did not belong to the Federal Government, we would have needed the permission of the owner and compensated him or her.

“We do not need the Federal Government’s permission to build a bridge in Lagos, but if the Federal Government owns an asset that will be affected, just like any other human being, we would need to talk to it.”

Hamzat said the state government had completed over 161 roads measuring 147 to 347 kilometres, from 2011 till date and 211 road projects are ongoing.

•Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola (right) discussing with the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Privatisation, Senator Gbenga Obadara, at the Lagos House, Ikeja...on Tuesday.

Senator calls for reconciliation in Ogun APC

By Leke Salaudeen

S

ENATOR Akin Odunsi (Ogun West District) has called for the harmonisation of contending interests in the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ogun State.

Odunsi said the just concluded ward and local government congresses showed that there was need for genuine reconciliation to ensure the party’s victory in next year’s general elections.

He said the parallel congresses that featured at the ward and local government levels could be prevented from recurring, if members resolve their differences and work together as a family.

Odunsi said: “Nothing is impossible. We can work together as a family. There is need for mutual respect for one another.”

He urged the party’s national leadership to intervene and resolve the differences “aggravated” by the ward and local government congresses.

The senator said: “The time is now for the APC’s national leadership to investigate contending issues in the Ogun State chapter. With the parallel congresses held across the state, the leadership should know that there is a division. We cannot continue like this till 2015. We should work together for the party as an indivisible family, like we did in 2011 when we sent the ruling party packing.”

INEC’s report on Ondo by-election indicts Obanikoro •APC: stay off Osun •Students, group call for minister’s sack

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HE report of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has indicted the Minister of State for Defence, Musiliu Obanikoro, of obstructing the smooth conduct of the by-election in Ilaje/EseOdo, Ondo State, which was declared inconclusive.

At a stakeholders’ meeting, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Akin Orebiyi, said Obanikoro obstructed the electoral process, soiling his hands in the process.

Orebiyi was quoted in the media as saying: “We are aware of how Obanikoro soiled his hands obstructing the electoral process. You can quote me anywhere. One of our officers was almost lynched by the people because they mistook him for Obanikoro. We know what happened and you can quote me anywhere.

The REC blamed the inconclusiveness of the election on Obanikoro’s conduct, saying the minister brought in soldiers to intimidate the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP’s) opponents and compromise the electoral officials to his party’s advantage.

A PDP official, who did not want to be named, said Obanikoro’s actions could taint the PDP’s record in the Southwest.

Speaking with The Nation yesterday at the party’s secretariat, he said majority of the PDP National Working Committee (NWC) members were of the opinion that Obanikoro

‘

We are aware of how Obanikoro soiled his hands obstructing the electoral process. You can quote me anywhere. One of our officers was almost lynched by the people because they mistook him for Obanikoro. We know what happened and you can quote me anywhere.

From Gbade Ogunwale, Assistant Editor, Abuja; Adesoji Adeniyi, Osogbo and Damisi Ojo, Akure

should be redeployed to a less sensitive ministry.

He said: “There is no reason the minister should be drafting soldiers for electoral contests. If the PDP wins such election, would other parties not accuse us of using soldiers to oppress them? Drafting soldiers for a local election creates the impression that the PDP cannot win election in the Southwest without intimidating other parties.

“Our party leaders have seen the need to ask Mr. President to call the minister to order to avoid a situation where the PDP would fall prey to media propaganda.”

A socio-political group, Restoration Alliance, called for Obanikoro’s resignation and prosecution.

In a statement by its General Secretary, Akin Ulenuse, the group said following Obanikoro’s indictment by INEC, the minister should “resign and his prosecution should commence immediately.”

It urged INEC to declare Mr. Kolade Akinjo of the Labour Party (LP) winner of the by-election.

’

The group said the REC’s revelation disqualifies the PDP’s candidate, “in whose favour Obanikoro acted”, and “implies that votes counted in his favour be declared invalid.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State warned Obanikoro against attempting to militarise the August 9 governorship poll.

In a statement by its spokesman, Kunle Oyatomi, the party said it was aware that the Ondo by-election “incident” was a test-run of what Obanikoro and his counterparts plan to do in Osun State.

The APC said that any attempt to use the military, police or armed youths to corrupt the electoral process would result in chaos.

It urged the Federal Government to prevent its officials from using federal institutions for criminal purposes.

The party said Obanikoro’s actions in the by-election caused ripples in top military circles and threatens democracy.

APC urged Osun people to defend their votes on August 9.

The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) called for Obanikoro’s sack.

The students gathered yesterday at the Gani Fawehinmi Free-

dom Arcade in Akure, the state capital, where they expressed their disappointment over Obanikoro’s conduct.

They said it was saddening that a minister would attempt to frustrate the electoral process.

NANS’ National Financial Secretary Timielyin Ayenuro urged the President to sack Obanikoro, who he described as “a disgrace to the democratic process”.

Ayenuro, who was in the company of NANS’ Zonal Coordinator Asefon Sunday; National President, Association of Ilaje Students, Ekudehinwa and NANS JCC Chairman Adewumi Rufai, urged INEC to declare a winner in the by-election.

The placards-carrying students, who said they were

M

•Obanikoro

not sponsored by any party or person, said they would have marched to the INEC office to vent their anger but they changed their decision because of Monday’s bomb blasts in Nyanyan.

Ayenuro said: “We are condemning the minister’s involvement in the election. His action is undemocratic, barbaric and irresponsible. It is sad that a Minister of Defence, who is supposed to conduct himself orderly, involved himself in an election using soldiers to intimidate and harass voters.

“Indeed, Obanikoro is a disgrace to our political system. In a sane clime, people like this would be sacked immediately.”

Ajimobi gets aide

R. Razaq Olubodun has been appointed the Special Adviser to Oyo State Governor Abiola Ajimobi on Project Monitoring.

Alhaji Taofeek Akeugbagold has been re-appointed as the Chairman of the State Muslim Pilgrims’ Welfare Board.

Until the dissolution of the State Executive Council last September, Olubodun was the Special Adviser to the Governor on Parastatals.

He holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Psychology from the University of Ibadan (U.I.).

9

THE NATION THURSDAY APRIL 17, 2014

NEWS

EKITI 2014

•LET’S DO IT AGAIN: Fayemi with APC leaders addressing supporters at a rally in AramokoEkiti.

T

APC members: police partisan

WO members of the All Progressives Congress (APC)in Ekiti State and leader of the Oodua People’s Congress (OPC) in the state, Mr Niyi Adedipe yesterday relived their ordeal in police detention.

The APC members, Ayodele Owoju and Richard Apolola, are both Senior Special Assistants to Governor Kayode Fayemi on Special Services.

They were detained on Monday for allegedly attacking the campaign office of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the state, Ayodele Fayose.

They were arraigned at the Magistrate’s Court in AdoEkiti and released on bail.

Adedipe, who accused the police of intimidation and harassment, said: “The whole experience we had showed clearly the police were partisan.”

But the Commissioner of Police, Mr Felix Uyanna, said the accused persons should

•Commissioner: lodge complaint From Sulaiman Salawudeen, Ado-Ekiti

report their grievance to appropriate security agencies for proper actions.

The OPC leader explained that all three of them had been receiving calls from the PDP members, urging them to dump the APC. Adedipe said: “The Mobile Police Commander came to our cell at midnight on Monday, heavily drunk in company of 25 policemen and started threatening to shoot us, using many unprintable words, saying ‘I have given them (the police) the instruction to shoot you if you behave funny. You (refering to me), I have heard enough about you. I will personally kill you’.

“Though the case is still in court, the issuance of death threat to us as mere suspects was uncivilised, barbaric and

unprofessional. He was particular that he would deal with me if I work against the PDP. He even said whoever works against PDP is working against his brother, President Goodluck Jonathan.

“I have told those Fayose has been sending that I personally cannot go back into darkness after seeing and knowing light. I know what Fayose represents in the state today. I will not associate with that for whatever benefit.”

Apolola, a former Commissioner in the State Universal Basic Education Board during Fayose’s administration, accused the police of double standard in the manner of their arrest and prosecution.

Said he: “ In the letter dated April 9 and signed by Godwin Okoro on behalf of the Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of Criminal Inves-

tigations Department, we were invited on an allegation of malicious damage, but to our surprise, we were yesterday (Tuesday) arraigned for an attempted murder.

“In the letter dated April 9 and signed by one Godwin Okoro on behalf of the Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of Criminal Investigations Department, what we were invited for was an allegation of malicious damage.

“But, to our surprise, the charge had been changed to attempted murder.”

Uyanna said his men have always shown professionalism in the way they treat suspects, noting: “What the Mopol Commander did was purely professional. He was only doing his job and he never did anything adverse as they said.

“I don’t have drunks as policemen in my command.

That my men are getting drunk at the headquarters is out of this world.”

Sambo on Ekiti, Osun: we’re going to war front

V

ICE President Namadi Sambo yesterday declared in Abuja that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) would win the governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun states. The election would hold in Ekiti on June 21.

Osun’s election is slated for August 9.

Sambo, who heads the party’s campaign committees for the two Southwest states, described the elections as “war front”, vowing that the PDP would bring back what he described as the stolen mandate of the party in the South west.

He said: “We are going to the war front and bring back our stolen mandate; everybody knows that Ekiti belongs to PDP, they used all instruments to take it away from us.”

Vice President Sambo said election in the two states would mark the end of what

From Gbade Ogunwale, Assistant Editor, Abuja

he called “electoral stealing”.

He continued: “Osun is PDP. Osun was stolen from us. The end of stealing has come” He restated the administration’s commitment to transparent, free and fair elections; adding that the party’s candidates in the two states should ensure that party members were carried along to ensure the party’ssuccess.

Sambo praised the leadership of the PDP for the emergence of Ayo Fayose and Senator Iyiola Omisore as the party’s candidates for Ekiti and Osun states.

PDP National Chairman Adamu Mu’azu charged the committee to put in place a good programme and strategy, considering the perculiarities of Ekiti and Osun states.

Mu’azu said: “I urge you to ensure that campaign teams are set up and work vigorously, including reconciliation and consider everybody’s interest.”

Other members of the campaign committees for

the two states include Senate President David Mark; PDP BoT chairmanTony Anenih; deputy National Chairman Uche Secondus; Plateau State Governor Jonah Jang and Governor Godswill Akpabio.

Fayemi deserves another term, says wife

E

KITI State Governor Kayode Fayemi’s wife, Bisi, has given reason why her husband, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, deserves a second term.

She spoke while distributing food stuff to farmsteads in the state. She said the governor deserved another four-year tenure to enable him extend the dividend of democracy to the nooks and crannies of the state.

At every stop, the governor’s wife urged women to form themselves into cooperative societies to benefit from the Ekiti Development Foundation’s soft loans.

Mrs Fayemi has distributed kerosene, garri and palm oil processing machines to farmsteads in the 16 local governments as a continuation of her empowerment schemes, which has seen her touring the state since her husband, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, became the governor of the state.

She has visited 12 locations in Ekiti Southwest, Ijero and Oye local governments.

Among items distributed were cooking stoves, treated mosquito nets and other materials.

The visit presented a veritable platform for the governor’s wife to rally support for her husband’s second term ambition in the June 21 governorship election.

The women, who are predominantly farmers, trooped out in their hundreds to give the First Lady rousing welcome, singing and holding brooms, the symbol of the ruling All Progressives Congress.

Each hamlet leaders seized the opportunity of the governor’s wife’s visit to present catalogue of demands, which included request for grading of roads, provision of potable water and electricity.

The Baale of Bolorunduro, Alhaji Ganiyu Oyebode, thanked the government for empowering the women at the grassroots and assured the governor’s wife of his people’s support for the governor in the coming poll.

The governor’s wife urged the villagers to rest assured of her husband’s commitment to taking the state to greater heights if given another opportunity.

She said: “Governor Fayemi has delivered on all his promises to the people of the state. My visit is to demonstrate to you that the government is also concerned about the development of rural areas.”

Why Ekiti governor’ll win second term, by senator

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ENATOR Tony Adeniyi representing Ekiti South District has said Governor Kayode Fayemi has achieved so much to win a second term.

The lawmaker, who spoke in an interaction with reporters during Governor Kayode Fayemi’s campaign tour of Ise-Ekiti, said the decision to re-elect Fayemi was based on his performance.

Adeniyi, who is vice chairman, Senate Committees on Agriculture, Communications, INEC, Banking, Insur-

From Sulaiman Salawudeen, Ado-Ekiti

ance and other Financial Institutions and Constitution Review, said measuring the governor’s performance would require a faithful interaction with the people.

He said: “You cannot as a political figure in this state today escape appreciating the great works of Dr. Kayode Fayemi. The empowerment programmes of the senators and house of representatives members

are primarily intended to encourage the team leader, Dr. Fayemi, to do more of the great works.

“Though a thoroughbred academic, our governor has proven a masterful understanding of the whole essence of leadership and governance as shown clearly in the entire delivery of the gains of democracy under his watch.”

He said the governor’s 8Point Agenda has midwifed the development of the state and would be replicated at

the federal level when the All Progressives Congress (APC) assumes leadership of the country next year.

Adeniyi said: “Who would not be impressed by Governor Fayemi’s renovation of entire 183 secondary schools and charge-free distribution of over 40,000 laptop computers to the students; renovation of the 19 General and one teaching hospital; the construction and renovation of nearly 1300 kilometre of roads across all the towns and communities in the state.”

THE NATION THURSDAY, APRIL 17, 2014

10

CITYBEATS

‘My husband is irresponsible’

By Basirat Braimah

“I don’t need his presence in our home; he is irresponsible, irresponsive to me and thinks little about the upkeep of my children”. These were the words of Taiye Onifade, a trader, at the Oshodi Customary Court in Lagos.

Taiye, a former resident of Igbehinadun Street, Lagos, complained of how her husband, Semiu, a butcher, forcefully took their children from her in November last year and never made an attempt to take care of their education let alone their upkeep.

“Several times, my children are seen walking helplessly in the streets in tattered uniforms during school hours which saddens my heart. I had to go to their school to pick them , unfortunately I wasn’t allowed to take them,” she said.

They have been married for 14 years with three children - Basit 13, Jubril 9, Aliu 7. the court was told that Semiu had packed out of the house without catering for them.

The respondent, Semiu, refused to collect the court’s summon which prompted its president, Mrs Remi Ekundayo, through the court clerk, to forward another summon to his residence. The case was adjourned till April, 19.

CITYBEATS LINE: 08023247888

Probe Adegboruwa’s assassination claim, Lagos tells police

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HE Lagos State Government yesterday asked Commissioner of Police Umar Manko to investigate activist lawyer Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa’s claim of an attempt on his life.

On Tuesday, Adegboruwa raised the alarm that his Lekki home was invaded by assassins who tied up his guard and driver.

In a letter titled: “Re: Assassination attempt on the life of Mr. Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa”, Commissioner for Justice and Attorney-General, Mr Ade Ipaye urged the police to probe the lawyer’s claim and make their report public.

The government was responding to Adegboruwa’s statement, on Tuesday, in which he alleged that the government should be held responsible if anything happens to him.

The statement claimed: “The Lagos State Government and all those who have vested interests in the LekkiIkoyi Bridge toll fee, are responsible for any harm that may come my way.”

Copies of Ipaye’s letter were sent to the State Director, Department of State Security Service (DSS), Lagos Command, Mr. A. B. Olayi and the State Commandant, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC),

By Adebisi Onanuga

Mr. Clement Dayo Adesuyi.

The letter reads: “I write to bring to your attention a report about an alleged assassination attempt on the life of Mr. Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, a legal practitioner, which report contains reference to officials of the state government as being responsible for the attack.

“It is a fact that Mr. Adegboruwa is a litigant in a case involving the state government and which I am handling personally. The case is currently pending before both the Court of Appeal and the Federal High Court.

“The state government, as a consistent champion of rule of law and good governance, considers it preposterous that a legal practitioner of Mr. Adegboruwa’s standing would level such a grievous and unsubstantiated allegation against the Lagos State Government without any factual or empirical investigation being conducted, and without providing a shred of evidence in support of his claim.

“Nevertheless, the safety and security of every single member of this society is of great concern to our government. Having regard to the seriousness of Mr.

Adegboruwa’s allegation, I hereby respectfully request your office to please investigate the allegation for the purpose of establishing veracity of same and apprehending of the alleged assailants. Kindly prioritise this investigation and make a report of your findings public as early as practicable”.

Also yesterday, a Lagos lawyer, Mr Bamidele Aturu, asked the Federal and Lagos state governments to provide adequate security for Adegboruwa.

Aturu said the alleged assassination attempt on Adegboruwa by yet-to-be

T

HE Oke Afa – Egbe Bridge will undergo repair from today till April 28, the Lagos State Government announced yesterday.

During the maintenance, vehicular movement will be restricted to one-carriage way in alternate section, the government said.

Re-routing will also be carried out to facilitate seamless flow of traffic.

The Assistant Director of Public Relations in the Ministry of Transportation, Mr. Sina Thorpe, advised motorists to take alternate routes to avoid delays and watch out for di-

identified persons was worrisome.

He said: “That the attempt came shortly after the decision of the Federal High Court which agreed with him on the case he filed on the illegal tolling of the Lekki-Ikoyi Bridge by the government of Lagos State creates opportunity for people to read meanings into the dastardly attempt.

“In the circumstances, I do not expect Lagos State government to indulge in fruitless recriminations over the incident. It must do its constitutional duty of ensuring that the life of Ebun is not snuffed out. If it has to pro-

• Ipaye

vide security it should do it right away as Nigerians will not accept any lame excuse from the government. In the same vein, the police and federal authorities should ensure that Adegboruwa and his family are given adequate protection”, he stated.

Restriction as work begins on OkeAfa-Egbe bridge

By Adeyinka Aderibigbe

version traffic signs and obey traffic rules and regulations.

A partial restriction of movement on the LagosAbeokuta Expressway will also occur on April 24, to enable the completion of the ongoing pedestrian bridges at Ile Epo and Ijaiye bus stops.

Thorpe said the contractor handling the pedestrian bridges, CCECC Nigeria Limited, would

launch the longitudinal beam inbound in Lagos on Tuesday, April 22.

Today at Ijaiye Bus Stop, the contractor will launch the longitudinal beam on the pedestrian bridge inward Abeokuta and will do same inward Lagos on April 24.

Thorpe said the relevant agencies had been directed to ensure free flow of traffic and reduce all inconveniences that might attend the exercise.

NEWS (SHOWBIZ)

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AFRIFF calls for entries

HE organisers of the fourth edition of the Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF) have called on Nollywood producers and directors to enter their movies for its awards ceremony scheduled to hold between November 9 and 16, at Tinapa in Calabar, Cross River State.

In a statement, the organisers said eligible films must have been produced after January 1, 2013, while preference would be given to films that are yet to be screened globally.

The categories for entry include: Best Feature Film, Best Authentic Nigerian Feature, Best

Actor, Best Actress, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Documentary, Best Short Film, Best Student Short, Best Animation, Jury Special Prize for Outstanding Film and Audience Choice, with monetary award prizes ranging from $3000 to $6000.

AFRIFF is a platform that seeks to give expression to the African cinema by recognizing and rewarding excellence in the industry.

According to the statement, submission of entries in the short film category will end on June 13, while that of feature length films closes on June 30. “All entries will be viewed by the selection committee. The Festival will make no cuts or changes. Festival selections will be announced in September, 2014. All entrants will be notified by email. The Festival jury and special guests will present awards to films selected as best in their category at the awards ceremony in November.”

F

• Adenuga

Ushbebe set to host comedy concert

• Ushbebe

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OME Sunday, May 18, popular on-air personality and comedian, Ushbebe, will hold the maiden edition of his standup comedy show tagged The Chronicles of Ushbebe Live, an off-shoot of his TV show, The Chronicles of Ushbebe.

The show, which holds at MUSON Centre, Onikan, Lagos, according to the Naija 102.7 Fm’s presenter, will feature comedy, music and stage drama. “Every day, I do standup comedy. What I am trying to do right now is to take my show, which already airs on Ben TV UK and some other cable stations from TV to stage.

Therefore, we decided to call it The Chronicles of Ushbebe Live. It is happening at the MUSON Centre,

so it will give people a chance to enjoy all the different parts of me.”

The event, which is being put together

by Pride Rock Entertainment, an events planning and consulting outfit, will also feature a three-character stage play titled Official Duty, featuring Ushbebe Godwin and Laff Up. It will be directed

by Bunmi Davies.

A number of comedians, including I go Dye, AY, Gordons, Seyilaw, Maleke, will entertain the guests with jokes, while the likes of Kcee, Iyanya, Terry G, Sean Tizzle, Harry song and Illbliss will also perform on the occasion.

The show, according to Ushbebe, is being organised in partnership with Lakeem Suites Official Hotel, HNK Interiors, Cintron Energy Group, Beat FM, Classic FM, Naija FM, Nigezie, Hip TV, Media Crush, Real Star TV, Delta Kitchen, De Prince Supermarket, Mobile Screens and Sound , Afrotainment, Inspiration FM, LASAA, AY Show and Kropmann Communications.

MBGN winner Anna Banner in Superstory debut

ANS of Anna Banner, the 2013 winner of the Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria (MBGN), will be greatly delighted soon, as she will be making her debut in a TV drama titled Too Blind To see, another series of the popular television drama, Super Story.

Speaking on the TV drama billed to hit TV screens on Thursday, April 25, Wale Adenuga Jnr., the Managing Director of WAP and Producer of Superstory, said Too Blind to See is the most intriguing tale of betrayal and revenge that viewers will ever witness. “We really pushed it to the limits on this production. The story is laced with edge-of-your-seat suspense, twists and an overall enlightenment on inexplicable human behaviour. The cast and crew really over-stretched themselves to ensure the masterpiece story was interpreted awesomely,” he said.

The story also stars other artistes, including Jide Kosoko, Jennifer Umar, Kelechi Udegbe, Amanda Ebeye, Jide Alabi, Lanre Hassan, Kola Olaiya, Angela Phillips, Chidex Brown, Patience Oseni, David McKenzie, TobechiOnyeka, Melvin Obriangoand Ekemini Enakere, among others.

•Banner

BUSINESS

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THE NATION THURSDAY, APRIL 17, 2014

At the moment, there is an average of about 18 hours per day of constant power supply to different parts of the country. This feat was brought about by the implementation of the integrated power sector reform programme anchored on the power roadmap.

- Minister of Information, Labaran Maku

THE NATION

E-mail:- bussiness@thenationonlineng.net

Union threatens strike over aviation agencies’ merger

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•From left: Head, E-Business Stanbic IBTC Bank & Internal Auditor, Committee of E-Banking Industry Heads (CeBIH ), Adeleke Adekoya; Head, E-Business & Channels, Keystone Bank, Ernest Obi; Iku; and Anyalenkeya, at the press conference in Lagos .... yesterday.

ATMs at risk as banks miss Microsoft’s Windows 8 deadline

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ITH the expiration of the April 8 deadline set by Microsoft for users of Windows XP to migrate to Windows 8 Operating System (OS), there are fears that the automated teller machines (ATMs) of most of the lenders in the country may no longer function as most of them have failed deadline.

Most of the ATMs run on Windows XP. Speaking at a briefing yesterday in Lagos, Chairman, Committee of e-Banking Industry Heads (CeBIH), Chuks Iku said Microsoft Nigeria had directed banks to migrate to the improved platform, which, he said would allow for enhanced banking benefits and security.

The Windows 8 is a personal computer operating system (OS) developed by Microsoft as part of Windows new technology family of OS. The application has introduced major changes to the operating system’s platform and user interface to improve its user experience on tablets. This became exigent as Windows was

DATA STREAM COMMODITY PRICES Oil -$117.4/barrel Cocoa -$2,686.35/metric ton Coffee - ¢132.70/pound Cotton - ¢95.17pound Gold -$1,396.9/troy Sugar -$163/lb MARKET CAPITALISATIONS NSE -N11.4 trillion JSE -Z5.112trillion NYSE -$10.84 trillion LSE -£61.67 trillion RATES Inflation -8% Treasury Bills -10.58%(91d) Maximum lending -30% Prime lending -15.87% Savings rate -1% 91-day NTB -15% Time Deposit -5.49% MPR -12% Foreign Reserve $45b FOREX CFA -0.2958 EUR -206.9 £ -242.1 $ -156 ¥ -1.9179 SDR -238 RIYAL -40.472

•Lenders lobby ITgiant for extension

By Collins Nweze

now competing with mobile operating systems, including Android and iOS. Iku, who is the Head of EBusiness at Skye Bank, said Microsoft is the owner of the licence and banks are taking steps to ensure they comply.

“CeBIH has engaged Microsoft Nigeria to fashion out means of creating a uniform approach to compliance with the need for migration of ATM operating system from Windows XP to Windows Embedded 8.1 which is the new operating system designed to run on ATMs. This step ensured security of ATM transactions and helped to prevent attacks on ATM terminals,” he said.

He said the group is also looking at what happens next if the banks fail to comply, including extension of the deadline.

The CeBIH comprises all heads of e-business/ ebanking/ e – channels/ card services of all banks in Nigeria, aimed at promoting electronic banking services in line with global best practices.

Iku said the group is working on getting more banks to migrate their Windows XP to the new version adding that different banks have their different ways of approaching the challenge.

The banker said despite failure to comply by some lenders, ATMs remain secured and safe for transactions. He however said non-compliant ATMs might not be able to carry out improved service delivery.

“By upgrading, we are taken to a higher version, but that does not mean that the version that you have will not run. The ATMs are still working, and are not going to go down. “But the migration will only enhance the features of the ATMs. There is really no cause for alarm, the important thing is that we should do it quickly to ensure that our ATMs are in top performing levels,” he advised.

Group Head, E-Business,

Unity Bank, Benedict Anyalenkeya explained that not all ATMs were affected.

He said some of the ATMs came with Windows 8 by default, adding that the entire industry is not having backlog of ATMs migration.

Anyalenkeya said the ATMs that were installed in the last one or two years would have been upgraded except for the old ones. He said the compliance level depends on each lender and assured that there is no cause for alarm.

He said the CeBIH has agreed with the banks to consult with Microsoft on a much cheaper way of doing it.

“Each individual bank still has the responsibility of upgrading its own software. I cannot give you a timeline on compliance but it will be completed within a very short time,” he said.

Equally speaking on the occasion, Head, E-Business & Channels, Keystone Bank, Ernest Obi said banks are simply trying to buy time. He said Microsoft is also aware that it lacks the capacity to get all banks migrated to the Windows 8 adding that the CeBIH is helping lenders to buy time and solve the migration challenge.

But General Manager Microsoft Nigeria, Kabelo Makwane, told The Nation in a phone interview that the company has the capacity to migrate all the banks that are willing and ready for the project. He said Microsoft has over 2,500 partners involved in the migration process, one of which is Zinox Technologies.

He however said several banks have identified nonmigration to the new technology as a priority for them and are taking steps to address the challenge. He said that non-migration to the Windows 8 can open the banks up for potential security vulnerability and threats.

Makwane said: “We have the

capacity to migrate all the banks to the Windows 8. We have no capacity challenge at all and have been advising the banks on the need to migrate to the new technology,” he said.

He explained that Microsoft will keep supporting the banks to achieve compliance.

MALGAMATED Un ion of Public Corpo rations, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Service Employees (AUPCTRE) has threatened to embark on strike if the Federal Government fails to reverse its decision to merge the aviation industry.

AUPCTRE said the white paper that was drawn by the government on the report of the Presidential Committee on Restructuring and Rationalisation of Federal Government Parastatals, Commissions and Agencies will affect the workers of these sectors.

They have rejected the merger of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) and Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET) into the new body of the Federal Civil Aviation Authority (FCAA) saying that the merger will reduce the efficiency of NCAA. National President AUPCTRE, Comrade Solomon Adelegan said this yesterday at a press conference in Abuja.

He said that the merging of the sectors will not do the

From Grace Obike, Abuja

economy well.

Adelegan also added that, they will resist the merger and will not condone with anything that affects their workers, saying that the union in this sector have promised to fight back with all that is in their disposal.

His words, “If the Federal government refuses to reverse its decision we will end up calling for strike.

“We believe from our end and convinced that the merging of this sector will not do the economy any good and we are ready for the Federal Government to sit with us on a round table.

“This merger will affect our workers in the different sectors because there is no way that this will come on that our workers will not be affected, all these sectors have their administrative, accounting departments and commercial departments by the time the sectors are merged, what happens to some of them?

“Each sector covers several other subsectors but merging them together now won’t give them enough room. We will not condone whatever will affect our workers”

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BUSINESS

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Southwest cement dealers okay Dangote’s 3x cement

EMENT dealers and distributors in the Southwest have endorsed the newly packaged Dangote cement’s 42.5 grade (3X) and expressed optimism that its entry into the market would help sanitise the building and construction industry.

Callers during a live Yoruba programme ‘Owuro Lojo’ of Radio Nigeria’s Gold FM, Ilesha, Osun State, pointed out that the timing of the introduction of the cement grade and the decision to rebrand it by Dangote Cement would help check adulteration of the vital products.

To help the consumers, the radio callers urged the government to ban the low quality 32.5 grade from the market so that unsuspecting members of the public would not be deceived.

The callers who lauded Dangote for the initiative said the incidence of building collapse has become a source of worry to cement dealers as all fingers are being pointed towards them anytime the consumers detect any fake cement.

To ensure effective distribution and force counterfeiters out of business, the call-

• Root for ban on 32.5 grade ers advocated the establishment of depots across the length and breadth of the region so that the product would be readily available.

Fielding questions from callers, the Dangote Cement Regional Director for the West, Mrs Funmi Sanni, who was the guest during the programme explained that the new cement was an effort by the company to rid the cement market of low quality cement by ensuring the high quality 42.5 grade is branded in a way that it would stand out. “It is tamper-proof and we have ensured it is not easily adulterated,” she said.

She added that the new cement brand contains ingredients that makes it better than the common 32.5 being produced by some cement companies hence the brand of 3X saying the products offers longer life for structures, higher strength and more yield especially for block makers who would make more blocks with the cement than it would do with 32.5 grade.

While thanking the people

for their interest in the new Dangote Cement, she disclosed that despite the fact that the 42.5 is of higher grade, the company has not increased its price warning that the people should not allow themselves to be cheated.

On scarcity of cement, Mrs Sanni assured that all hands were on deck to ensure its availability, adding that the prevailing scarcity is due to the shortage of gas being experienced by manufacturing concerns all over the country.

According to her, gas is a critical input in the production of cement.

She said Dangote Cement is considering all options available to source for gas to ensure its brand of cement is available everywhere.

Mrs Sanni equally told the listeners that ongoing nationwide training of block makers by the firm would soon cover all the states in the Southwest.

She charged them to insist on 3X anytime they need cement saying only the Dangote 3X that is extra strong and offers extra life and extra yield for both the block makers and other customers.

Govt to introduce uniform charges, rates HE Federal Govern tor, Nigerian Ports Authorat port ment is set to provide ity (NPA), Mr Omar

T

a platform that would usher in the regime of uniform charges and rates for operations and activities at ports to promote business.

Speaking at a stakeholders’ meeting organised by the Shippers Council in Lagos yesterday, its governing board chairman, General Saliu Ibrahim (retd), said the Federal Government has appointed the Council as a tentative economic regulator of the port industry pending the passage of the Port and Habour and the National Transport Commission bills by the National Assembly.

He urged stakeholders in the maritime industry to join hands with the council for effective implementation of its role as economic regula-

M

By Oluwakemi Dauda

tor to make the ports attractive for business.

Ibrahim said the role of a commercial regulator was given to the agency to sanitise the ports by standardising its operation with defined rules and regulations to guide the day-to-day activities at the ports.

In his remark, the Minister of Transport, Senator Idris Umar who was represented by his Permanent Secretary, Mr Nebolisa Emodi assured the stakeholders of government’s determination to promote the maritime industry by ensuring the quick passage of all the bills relating to the sector.

Former Managing Direc-

Suleiman urged the government to consider economic viability before spending tax payers’ money on the development of deep sea ports in any part of the country.

Availability of cargo, the former NPA boos said, must be a sine qua non for a new port to be developed.

The Chairman, Seaport Terminal Operators Association of Nigeria (STOAN) Princess Vicky Haastrup said the country lost about 600,000 metric tonnes of rice between January and March 2014 to the neighbouring ports in Benin Republic, Cameroon, Accra and Togo due to 110 per cent tariff slammed on the commodity by the Federal Government last year.

Marketers promise fuel at Easter

AJOR Oil Marketers Association of Ni geria (MOMAN) has dispelled fears of possible fuel scarcity during the Easter period, saying it has made arrangements to provide adequate fuel for the public.

Its Executive Secretary, MOMAN, Mr. Obafemi Olawore, told reporters in Lagos yesterday that the association and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), would ensure that there is fuel in every part of the country, urging the public not to embark on panic-buying.

He said members of MOMAN, including Mobil,

By Emeka Ugwuanyi

Total, Oando, MRS, Forte Oil, and Conoil, have 26,268 metric tonnes (MT), equivalent of 1000 trucks and that some are bringing in more vessels.

“For the forthcoming Easter celebration, we have made some arrangements to ensure that problem of scarcity will be ameliorated. It is very obvious to me that products are coming in and major marketers are ready to push the products out.

“At Apapa, we have 26,268 metric tonnes (MT), which is approximately 1000 trucks and a truck has 33,000 litres capacity. Actually, there are about two marketers that have low stocks

but efforts are on to give them products. Their 2014 first allocation imports are almost exhausted and that is the reason we involved the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to give them products.”

He added: “NNPC said there is a vessel laden with 15,000 MT, which is about 600 trucks that is coming in today. Besides, marketers are also bringing in products in Lagos and Port Harcourt. Between now and weekend, we will get about 95,000 MT. Also a larger volume will be coming in next week but I’m sure that even if what we have now goes into the market, there shouldn’t.”

Toyota Nigeria orders parts for recalled vehicles

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OYOTA (Nigeria) Lim ited (TNL) said it has ordered spare parts for vehicles to be recalled in the country.

The parts, TNL said, will arrive the country between three and four weeks time.

TNL Executive Director of the firm, Kunle Ade-Ojo, said at a press conference in

By Tajudeen Adebanjo

Lagos that the recall was to allay the fears of customers.

Flanked by Head, Service and Technical, Mr Victor Connaway and Assistant General Manager, Dealer, Development/Special Project Mr Henry Ojuoko, Ade-Ojo announced the re-

call of the 2005-2010 Hilux and the 2006-2008 Rav4 vehicles from the market in order to replace a malfunctioning spiral cable.

It also said the 2006-2008 Toyota Yaris would be recalled to fix its seat track that was found to be unstable in some of the units.

THE NATION THURSDAY, APRIL 17, 2014

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THE NATION

BUSINESS LABOUR

Ex-workers of privatised companies get N602b A TOTAL of N602, 229,832,996.09 billion has been paid by the Federal Government to former workers of of its privatised companies between 2000 and this year, Director-General of Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), Benjamin Dikki, has said.

Dikki, who disclosed this during a two-day capacity building workshop for members of Labor Writers’ Association of Nigeria (LAWAN) in Ibadan, Oyo State, said over 50 per cent of this amount was used to settle labour liabilities of the defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN).

Dikki, who was represented on the occasion by the Head, Communication, Mr. Joe Anichebe, said the amount included N32,693,774,917.18

Stories by Toba Agboola

paid as salary arrears and N544,058,078.91 paid to the workers as gratuity and pension.

According to him, over 100,000 workers in 29 privatised enterprises were paid. He said the multi-layered approaches adopted by the BPE signified its seriousness in handling labour issues, praising labour unions for their display of maturity and flexibility in addressing the challenges posed by the privatisation.

On the impacts of privatisation on the economy, he said: “The telecommunications reforms have ensured that telephone lines have dramatically increased from 450,000 lines to over 16 million

GSM lines. Pension reforms have also led to the accumulation of over N3 billion in stable deposits that have greatly enhanced the ability of banks to lend long term, besides ensuring retirees receive their entitlements as at when due.

The reforms of the power sector, following along the same path, will result in massive investments in the power sector that will banish darkness from Nigeria forever.’’

He said it was imperative for Nigeria to continue with the reforms in other critical sectors of the economy, stressing that the Transformation Agenda of the Federal Government was aimed at providing an enabling environment for the private sector to spearhead

economic growth.

He said reforms in the transport sector would soon enter the implementation stage after the passage of the roads, railways, inland water ways and the port and harbour bills.

BPE’s Head of Labour Relations, Samaila Yusuf, said privatisation was the panacea to the lingering pension crisis and the economic problems.

He, however, said the BPE was challenged by the lack of proper and consistent data from the management of the privatised companies on the service record of the employees, resolution of negotiated conditions of service, ambiguous negotiated collective bargaining agreement, litigations, as

well as unfounded pension schemes in some Federal Government’s enterprises.

Other challenges, he said, included the non availability of funds to settle negotiated liabilities, lack of actuarial knowledge by the leadership of labour unions, lack of openness from both the representatives of Federal Government and labour unions and budgetary constraints.

In his paper titled: “The Press and Labour in the Era of Privatisation,” President of Trade Union Congress (TUC), Comrade Bobboi Kaigama, said his union was not against the Federal Government’s privatisation programme that would create jobs and increase economic prosperity for Nigerians.

Reform Act 2004 did not abrogate gratuity, says TUC boss

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ECRETARY of Trade Union Congress (TUC), Lagos State Council, Comrade Mike Anochirim, has said the Pension Reform Act 2004 did not abrogate the payment of gratuity. He told employers of labour that the Act was not promulgated to take away all the successes that had been achieved through collective bargaining and unionism over the years.

Anochirim, who is also the head, Industrial/International Relations of Association of Senior Staff of Banks, Insurance and Financial Institutions (ASSBIFI) reminded employers not to use the Pension Reform Act to abrogate gratuity He said: “The Contributory Pension Scheme which draws contributions from both workers and employers is a scheme working towards an efficient and effective pension scheme for workers, while gratuity, on the other hand is supposed to be the sole business of the employer; an in-house company arrangement whereby the company gives or pays a worker some monetary compensation for the services he or she had rendered to the company during active services.

“It is a thank you gift, golden handshake to deserving staff, paid at the point of exit – resignation, termination, retirement or death,

except of course on dismissal. This is also different from Long Service Award policy.”

According to him, gratuity payment is based on an earlier agreed percentage against the number of years of service to the company, a product of collective bargaining.

“Adequate budgetary provisions are made regularly, and the funds set aside and managed by the trustees–management and unions’ representatives to ensure the sanctity of the operations of the scheme which is enshrined in a carefully crafted document commonly referred to as the Trust Deed and Rules approved by the Joint Tax Board (JTB), currently under the supervision of the Pension Commission (PENCOM) that issues operational guidelines periodically.

“Part of this document is transcribed into the staff handbook,” he said.

He said it is important to note that gratuity payment could be transferred from one organisation, parastatal or agency to another, taking into cognisance the service years in all the previous ones. He said: “The implication of this on industrial relations is that once a worker is paid off, the employment has been severed and if still retained; he or she has nothing (literally) at stake in the organisation.”

Labour demands N687m payment to textile workers

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HE organised labour in the textile industry has called on the 19 northern states governors (NGF) to pay Kaduna Textiles Limited (KTL) their entitlements valued at N687,073,346.00.

It said the sum was awarded to the workers by the National Industrial Court (NIC), Abuja Division in 2005.

The governors have refused to respect the judgment till date.

The National Union of Textile Garment and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria, (NUTGTWN) also expressed shock that KTL closed since 2002 by the northern states governors has not been re-opened till date to engage workers and reduce the army of unemployed youths in the region.

It equally called on the management of Arewa Textiles Plc to pay the entitlements of its workers, lamenting that while many of the workers have died, those are still alive have been going through untold hardship and suffering.

The union in a statement by its Deputy General-Secretary, Sylvester Chimezie, expressed concern over the

worsening insecurity in the country.

He said: “The sustainable development of any country or state lies in industrialisation and mass job creation. The root of the current security crisis in the country is economic and social. It is against this background that the union is disturbed by the continuous closure of Kaduna Textiles Limited since 2002.

“Even more worrisome is the continuous delay in settlement of the entitlements of KTL workers by its owner - 19 Northern States of the Federation. KTL workers are suffering untold hardship due to non-payment of their benefits since the unilateral closure of the factory in 2002.

“The union since September 2005 obtained a court judgment for settlement of the entitlements of the workers amounting to N687,073,346.00. Unfortunately, the management and owners of the company (19 Northern states) are yet to comply with the judgment through settlement of the entitlements of the workers in spite of repeated appeals, rallies and protests by the union.”

•From left: Labour Adviser, Bureau of Public Enterprise (BPE) Salisu Mohammed, Deputy Secretary-General, Trade Union Congress (TUC) Comrade Simeon Amachree, Head, Corporate Communication, BPE Joe Anichebe and Deputy Director, BPE Mrs Adelanke Omojola, at the workshop in Ibadan.

PENGASSAN, NCDMB close rank on local content monitoring

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HE Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has agreed to collaborate with the Nigerian Content Development Monitoring Board (NCDMB) to ensure total compliance by companies in the oil and gas sector to the provisions of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development (NOGICD) Act. PENGASSAN’s President Comrade Babatunde Ogun stated this in a paper “Building Synergy with Trade Unions to Optimise Value Creation in the Oil and Gas Industry in Nigeria: Benefits and Challenges of Implementing NOGICD Act,” during a roundtable discussion organised by NCDMB PENGASSAN branch in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.

Represented by the General Secretary, Comrade Bayo Olowoshile, Ogun said PENGASSAN saw the collaboration as a statutory and key obligation, as it champions the building of a strong advocacy on matters of in-

terest to its members, labour and the society.

He said members of PENGASSAN would act as whistle blowers where there are abuses of expatriate quota or any contravention and circumvention of the provisions of the NOGICD Act to guarantee compliance.

“Since the main objectives of the Act is to create more jobs in the country while preventing export of jobs to other countries and development of the manufacturing sector, the major roles of the union is job security, it is imperative for the two parties to regularly communicate and interface. In cases of reported abuse and circumvention of the NOGICD Act provisions, the application of whistle-blowing mechanism where necessary by the union will be explored,” he said.

Other areas of collaboration identified by PENGASSAN include advocacy and support of socio-economic programmes and benefits that foster mutual co-existence among govern-

ment, companies and the host communities. Others are fostering industry and corporate policies that fairly recognise labour issues and interest through employment and job security initiatives.

NCDMB Executive Secretary Mr Ernest Nwapa said there was the need for the union to partner with the government and the NCDMB on longterm policies that could bring back jobs that had been lost.

He said: “The era when unions were agitators is gone. Nowadays, unions, such as PENGASSAN, are the foundation for growth because of continuous dialogue in terms of employees relations, among others.

“There is the need to continue in this spirit and for other unions to emulate PENGASSAN because the stability and growth of this country depend on that. There is the need for them to support the government’s policies that will not only creates jobs but also ensure job security.”

monthly estimated bill rate regime, all the payments they have made without corresponding power supply.

“We summarily condemn the hypocritical apologies being offered by the drivers of power sector reform over the poor power supply in recent months.

One wonders whether the Ministry of Power and Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) just woke up to discover this power sector malady. ”The most worrisome aspect of their

public apologies is that before now, they have consistently promised Nigerians that very soon, the power supply situation will improve. We have lost count of increases in megawatts that were promised in numerous occasions.

“While Nigerians believed what appears today to be a cork and bull story and waiting for power improvement, the drivers of the reform were busy preparing how to aplologise,” the group said.

Civil society decries poor electricity supply

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IVIL Society Group, acting under the aegis of Citizens Centre for Integrated Development and Social Rights has decried the current poor electricity supply in the country.

Rising from its meeting, the group described the persistent government’s apologies as new smart methods of covering up for cheating electricity consumers. The group therefore, said the power reform drivers should refund every electricity consumer under the

THE NATION THURSDAY, APRIL 17, 2014

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COMMENTARY EDITORIALS

Two strikes

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•The blast in Abuja and kidnap of 100 school girls reinforce need for a new thinking in handling the insurgency

VEN as Nigerians were still part of the president is not the issue here. been attacked last year.

We may ask for a summit on secubusy counting their losses from Suffice it to say that the Abuja blast and the bomb blasts that rocked a bus abduction of the students have exposed rity, but a pertinent question in all station in Nyanya, near the Federal the nation’s underbellies once again in these is the place of inside intelliCapital Territory (FCT) on Monday, several areas. gence. It is unfathomable that 100 insurgents suspected to be Boko For example, what has happened to the students could be taken away unnoHaram members abducted 100 girls at N76billion National Security Communi- ticed in a state under emergency the Girls Senior Secondary School, cations System Close-Circuit Televi- where every school should be under Chibok, Borno State, on Tuesday. The sion (CCTV) cameras that were re- surveillance. Could there be collurelative successes recorded by the portedly installed in strategic areas sion on the part of some security insurgents in both incidents would of the FCT? Some FCT residents want agents with the insurgents? There suggest that we are still a long way the government to justify the money are also complaints that, in spite of from winning the terrorism war. Yet spent on the project by providing the our experience on the insurgency, this is a war on which we have spent video footage of those who perpe- our response to such tragedies rebillions of naira; a war in which we trated the crime. Would one be wrong mains slow. Some eyewitnesses said have had to declare a state of to smell corruption here? With spe- it took rescue teams some time beemergency in three states for close to cific reference to the park incident, fore arriving the scene of the Abuja a year. cameras ought to have been installed tragedy and that some of the victims The Abuja incident occurred be- in every garage, given that this is not who could have been saved had tween 6.30 a.m. and 6.55 a.m., when the first such attack on garages. there been prompt emergency reworkers, traders, artisans and others In the same vein, it should not have sponse during the critical moments were setting out for work. An account been easy for the insurgents to take died after losing much blood. had it that the blast came from a Golf away 100 students the way they did Given the frequency of the attacks car XQ 2291 SD that was parked near if government had ensured adequate by the insurgents and their ferothe buses in the park where commut- security in schools after the attack on cious nature, it would seem we lack ers had converged. A top security the Federal Government College, the capacity to adequately address source said: “Report indithe scourge. This is a cated that five insurgents war that we have spent came out of the car prebillions to prosecute tending to be waiting to without much result. join a bus. But these insurWe may need more gents had barely alighted foreign assistance than when the remote-controlwe presently have. But led bomb went off”. By the even then, intellitime the dust settled, no gence is key to the sucfewer than 150 persons cess of the outsiders were killed and about 164 with the requisite others injured, many critiknowledge and expecally. Official death toll rience in anti-terrorhowever stood at 72. The ism matters that we sight was too gory to bemay invite. If the govhold, with human parts ernment feels otherlittering the scene apart wise, fine; but it must from the heavy losses inhave realised by now curred by vehicle owners that there is need to whose buses were burnt berestrategise in the batyond recognition. “I saw a tle to defeat the insurwoman lying face down withgents. One thing is out limbs. One who was sursure however, and that rounded by the children, strugis the fact that the matgled for life and gave up in ter has gone beyond • President Jonathan their arms”, an eyewitness the usual presidential recounted.

The abduction of the secondary school Buni Yadi, near Damaturu, the Yobe assurance that “… we will get over girls may not be as bloody, but it also State capital in February, during it” that we are now so familiar with leaves sour taste in the mouth that as many which they either burnt or shot to whenever the evil ones have done as 100 students could be abducted at once death 59 students. All the school’s their worst.

Yes, we will get over it; but we without anyone being able to abort the buildings were burnt and the Federal plan before it was executed. And this in a Government responded by closing have to be alive to get over it. And state under emergency! Armed men were down five schools in Borno, Yobe if we are to get over it, the president said to have stormed the town in the night and Adamawa states. It also asked must lead the way; he should show of Monday, burning and shooting. They students writing public examinations genuine leadership. He cannot be killed the soldier and the policeman on to relocate to other schools. The Feb- junketing about to social functions guard. The girls were said to be preparing ruary 24 attack on FGC Buni Yadi was and political rallies and expect the for their Senior Secondary Certificate Ex- the fourth recorded attack on schools Boko Haram challenge to disappear amination (SSCE) when they were forci- in Yobe State since the insurgency into thin air. That is tantamount to commenced, as Government Second- Nero playing the fiddle while Rome bly taken by the gunmen.

It is intriguing that the president could ary School, Damaturu, Government burned. To wish Boko Haram away not even take time to rue the Abuja Secondary School Mamudo and Col- is the height of incurable optimism incident as he visited Kano and Ibadan lege of Agriculture, Gujba had all on President Jonathan’s part. We cannot subscribe to that. on Tuesday. He was in Kano for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Unity Rally to receive former Governor Ibrahim ‘Yes, we will get over it; but we have to be alive to get Shekarau to the party; and Ibadan to rejoice with the Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba over it. And if we are to get over it, the president must Samuel Odulana, who was celebrating his lead the way; he should show genuine leadership. He centenary birthday. Did the president cannot be junketing about to social functions and think the few hours between when the Abuja blasts occurred and the time of the political rallies and expect the Boko Haram challenge rally was enough to grieve with the agto disappear into thin air. That is tantamount to Nero grieved? Could the rally not have been playing the fiddle while Rome burned’ rescheduled? However, whether this insensitivity is becoming a pattern on the

FROM OTHER LANDS

Standing up to Russia

• If Moscow continues to threaten Ukraine, the U.S. and Europe should impose tougher sanctions.

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ERHAPS Russia can be induced to pull its troops back from the border with Ukraine and to abandon efforts to destabilize what is left of that country after its illegal annexation of Crimea. It’s not a sign of weakness for the United States and other nations to pursue those objectives through negotiations.

But the U.S. and its European allies simultaneously need to make it clear that if Russia continues to threaten and intimidate Ukraine, new economic sanctions will be imposed not only on individual high-ranking Russian officials but also on entire sectors of the Russian economy. That would admittedly be a more painful policy for European countries than for the United States, given Europe’s dependence on Russian energy.

On Sunday, in a debate that recalled Cold War confrontations between the U.S. and the old Soviet Union, U.S. envoy Samantha Power accused Russia of orchestrating the “synchronized surgical seizure of buildings” in eastern Ukraine by pro-Russia separatists.

Power didn’t provide a smoking gun comparable to the reconnaissance photos brandished by her predecessor Adlai Stevenson in 1962, when he accused the Soviets of installing nuclear missiles in Cuba. But she referred to “videos of professional military shepherding thugs into a building in Kramatorsk” and “the photographs showing the so-called concerned citizens taking over Slavyansk equipped exactly like the elite troops that took Crimea.” (ProRussia forces continued to occupy government buildings Monday, as Ukraine’s president called for the deployment of a United Nations peacekeeping force — an operation that Russia could block by exercising its veto on the U.N. Security Council.)

Unlike in Crimea, Russian President Vladimir Putin may not intend to annex the regions in eastern Ukraine where armed separatists have challenged the government in Kiev.

His objective may instead be to undermine the authority of Ukraine’s current leaders and pressure them into granting greater autonomy to pro-Russia regions. But that sort of “slow-motion invasion” is also an intolerable violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty.

Ukraine isn’t a member of NATO and the alliance isn’t bound to defend it. Arizona Republican Sen. John McCain’s suggestion that the United States supply Ukraine with “light weapons” (which would be useless against the Russian army) is more of a primal scream than a policy prescription. But the U.S. and its allies can take measures short of military action to punish Putin for his adventurism and disregard for international law. After the invasion of Crimea, German Chancellor Angela Merkel warned that Russia would face “massive” political and economic damage if it didn’t change course. That can’t become a hollow threat.

- Los Angeles Times

TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief Victor Ifijeh

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THE NATION THURSDAY, APRIL 17, 2014

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CARTOON & LETTERS

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IR: THE Transition Monitoring Group (TMG) condemns in strongest terms the unfortunate and dastardly bombing of the Nyanya Bus station which killed no fewer than hundreds of unsuspecting commuters and petty traders early hours of Monday April 14. We equally decry the reported weekend killing of about 98 people and burning of properties in Ngoshe, Kaigmari and Achaka in Gwoza, Konduga and Bama Local Government Areas of Borno State.

We consider these horrendous, senseless and barbaric killings and maiming of innocent lives as attempt to destroy the peace and unity of Nigeria; and most importantly a calculated attempt to abort the 2015 General Elections.

Although no group or individuals have claimed responsibility of the Nyanya mass murder, the perpetrators are indeed the greatest losers of all time and bound for hell fire. The defenseless victims, who met their untimely deaths on their way to work in pursuit of daily means of subsistence in our harsh economic situation, are innocent, unsuspecting, and indeed victori-

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Nyanya bombing condemnable ous heroes and heroines whose blood must not be seen to be shed in vain. Dying, we all must, but these deaths must push all and sundry to play a role. This is not the time to sit on the fence, not a time to stand aloof or hands akimbo. All hands must be on deck to confront this terror of our time.

We call on Nigeria security agencies and the PDP-led government to summon the political will to expose the perpetrators of these heinous crimes and must not cover those that may be fingered one way or the other. Terrorism is not to be treated with kid gloves. The international laws on terror are no respecter of individuals no matter how highly placed and should start to take effect and take a toll on those deserving of prosecution and

punishment. The government must stand up to its primary responsibility of protecting lives and properties. These killings can no longer be condoned and tolerated.

Time has come for government; the legislature, judiciary and all security agencies and personnel, particularly the intelligence agencies to do things differently this time to prove their competence. They must identify those behind the heinous acts, expose them, shame them and make them liable. We must dig deeper into every citizens or groups; be they in or out of government, past and present leaders, politicians, ruling party, the opposition, military personnel, the police, SSS, Navy, Air force, Civil Defense, Immigration, Customs, Traditional rulers, Religious lead-

the adverse effect of the strike on foreign reserve and GDP; and other jargon incomprehensible to the common man? But in no time at all we came to a resolution. Why? In a nation where millions of students whose parents’ tax money adds up to the GDP and fosters infrastructural development, ought not the education of their children be seen as priority? ‘Education is the only weapon of emancipation’ has been our mantra fro decades. How true is this in the light of recent developments?

In all of these, the response of the Federal Ministry of Education is most shameful. Of what use is a ministry that cannot minister mercy to her many subjects?

We need more than a figure-head ministry. We need a proactive min-

istry that can hoist the hope of 50 million students to relevance; a ministry they can fly with.

My complaints on ministerial decadence will hold no ground if this second complaint is not addressed. I am most importantly concerned about the Colleges of Education in Nigeria. It is clear to the blind, and audible to the deaf that they are not what they ought to be.

In fact I see them as a third class higher institution in the country and nothing more. Any surprise? That’s what they have been recently designed to be.

Take a look at the admission scheme of the various tertiary institutions in the country, then, you will understand. The less performed are today found in the Colleges of Education, as if to suggest that the

ers or adherents, and among ordinary Nigerians.

Finally, TMG is disappointed that the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has cut short the nationwide mourning of victims of Monday’s bomb blast to intensify their campaign ahead of 2015 elections. To overlook and ignore the loss of hundreds of lives and the mood of the nation at this critical time as done by the ruling party- PDP shows the light-heartedness, levity disdain and utter disregard to citizens lives and insecurity in the country.

We condole with the family and relations of the Nyanya bomb blast victims and pray Almighty God to give them the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss. We call on the Jonathan administration to

COEASU/ASUP strike and ministerial irresponsibility

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IR: If I were to put a hundred billion dollars in a fixed deposit account over the past months that the College of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU) and the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) strike have lasted, we all can imagine how much it would have yielded. Has anyone put a value to the strike by ASUU (now resolved), COEASU and ASUP (still on going) – all totalling 12 months in two years of the academic calendar? If it is any worthwhile to monetise the lost academic value within these periods, how much have we lost?

I remember in the early days of January 2012 when labour went on a national strike and how the federal government yelled about the countless barrels of oil lost each day;

teaching profession is reserved for the dreg of the education sector whereas the colleges should be filled with brilliant minds, students who outscored their university counterparts. I mean people who really want to be teachers and not teachers of performance circumstance.

We need to raise the cut-off mark for admission into Colleges of Education higher than those of Polytechnics and Universities. We need a Ministry of Education that will go on strike on behalf of the academic industry. We need a Nigeria built on sound practicable education and not a facade of soon-to-dry-crude oil.

• Kariola Mustapha Lagos

take inventory of all the victims and pay handsome compensation to the families and dependants.

Those who sustained injuries and loss of properties should also be compensated.

•Comrade Ibrahim M. Zikirullahi & Chief Eddy Ezurike, Transition Monitoring Group, Abuja

Abuja bombing: Unanswered questions

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IR: We recall that President Goodluck Jonathan recently said that the security agencies had successfully kept the terrorists away from the Federal Capital.

With the latest attack in the nation’s capital on Monday, April 15, it now appears nowhere is safe. One wonders how the President now feels hence the following posers.

Can the President keep trusting those who give him the assurances that the situation is under control?

In the aftermath of the deadly explosion at Sabon Gari Motor Park in Kano, shouldn’t the security agencies have been proactive enough to have their eyes on motor parks in the country?

Given the trillions on naira that have been allotted to security agencies since the counter-insurgency started, why can’t the needed and functional technology such as close circuit cameras be installed at strategic places for effective monitoring?

If the security chiefs cannot provide satisfactory answers to these questions, I think the President should relieve them of their appointments.

Nowhere in the world do you rely heavily on men and riffles to tackle insurgents in this modern era.

May God grant the bereaved families succour.

• Mustapha Alhassan, IBB University, Lapai, Niger State

THE NATION THURSDAY, APRIL 17, 2014

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COMMENTS

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The APC team for 2015 Presidential election

HE emergence of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has given Nigerians for the first time in recent times, the chance for a true two party system namely: a party in government and a party in waiting. Democracy as a system of government offers the electorate the possibility of change especially if the party in government is not performing well. Since 1999 at least at the federal level, one party has been in government and it does not matter whether the party performs or not, it has remained in government either through the free will of the people, or as a result of manipulated poll. It reminds me of what happened several years ago when the European Union told the Kenyan government that it would no longer grant economic assistance to it if the one-party rule in Kenya was not changed. I remember what a funny colleague of mine from Zimbabwe jokingly said about Kenya and his country that they were practising “one-party multi-partism”, of course everybody laughed. Nigeria is too important to be subject of ridicule of one-party government.

This is why the emergence of the APC is a positive development in the political life of Nigeria. In other words, Nigeria has an opportunity for peaceful change of government from one party to another party in the next election all things being equal. This opportunity does not mean this will happen. It is left to the sagacity of political leaders in the opposition party to make this happen. In other words, in next year’s election, it is for the APC to lose and not the PDP to win. No matter how badly the PDP government has performed, the APC must still offer a winning team for the electorate to find it attractive to vote for. If we were a normal country the PDP will lose the election of next year but we are not a normal country. The ethnic and the religious plurality of Nigeria make it incumbent on the APC to find a winning formula through the choice of its presidential candidate and his or her running mate. Since adoption and embrace of the presidential system in Nigeria, we have had a combination of Shagari and Ekwueme, Moshood Abiola and Baba-Gana Kingibe, Obasanjo and Atiku, Umaru Yar’Adua and Jonathan and Sambo and Jonathan. The pattern in these combinations has been a north-south combination and a Christian –Muslim ticket except in the Abiola and Kingibe combination. The conclusion from the above is that, to win, there is a need for religious balance as well as regional balance. The only exception in the religious combination is Kingibe and Abiola ticket which in spite of that exception still won the election simply because their opponents were weak and unattractive. If the APC wants to be

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N this business, the chances of being misunderstood are high. Of course, not everybody will agree with what we write, but when people leave the issue at stake and impute other motives, there is a need for clarification. Last week, this column looked at the report of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on the September 20, last year killing of the Apo 8, which indicted the State Security Service (SSS) and the Army.

My position was clear. I concurred with the NHRC Report, but that did not say that I am in support of the activities of Boko Haram. For the sake of emphasis, what the article said was that there is need for our security agencies to get their acts right before embarking on any operation, which may result in the loss of lives and limbs. Our security agencies are not paid to waste people but to enforce law and order. The article was clear on that.

Expectedly, there were reactions, some in support and some against. One of those who felt bad about the article went a step further on Monday after the suicide bombing in Abuja by calling me.

The reason for his call is to know what I have to say about the bloody incident in which

taken seriously it must present a Christian-Muslim ticket. If it does something different, then it is not serious about taking over power in Nigeria. It is a shame that one should dwell on religious and regional backgrounds of candidates but we are talking about reality; the ideal thing may be to ignore ethnic and religious identities of candidates but it’s not realistic in the Nigeria of today. This is why the APC must perish the thought of a Muslim-Muslim ticket. The victory of Abiola and Kingibe was due primarily to the personality of Abiola who had over the years worked himself into the hearts of Nigerians, Muslims and Christians alike through his generosity of building mosques and churches for the adherents of the two religions of Islam and Christianity. Abiola was educated in a Baptist secondary school and was comfortable attending church functions, singing hymns and chanting psalms; there are not two people like him. So to predicate the future of the APC on Muslim-Muslim ticket is totally politically stupid. If the APC does this, it will destroy itself and that is the truth. Having said this, the APC must look into various options for the 2015 election.

Because of the existing tradition of alternating the president of Nigeria between the north and the south, the presidential candidate of the APC must necessarily come from the north.

Where in the north would depend on who the party feels can draw the maximum vote across the north. Since the last two elections in this country, I have always voted for General Muhammad Buhari. My reasons for wanting him to be president are as follows: First, I believe things are so bad in Nigeria that we need somebody of his character and persona to fix it. This I believe is in the collective interest of Nigeria and in the interest of the future of our children. This is a man who has been a state governor of what is today the entire north-east of Nigeria, Petroleum Minister and Head of State and he is not known to have vast amount of money through corruption unlike others who have held these posts before. Corruption eats deep into the body politique of Nigeria and we need nimble hands of a surgeon like Muhammad Buhari to operate it. In the process of surgery, you have to cut through the body. The patient may get hurt but at the end of the day, the patient may get cured.

Secondly, in this country, both the leadership and the followership lack discipline. We need a leader who by example will show the way for the people to follow. Buhari and Idiagbon did this before so the man has a track record of discipline. The combination of discipline and honesty which we have in this man will lead us to our promised land. I do

not know anybody in Nigeria who has this combination. I have heard that Buhari is a religious fanatic and a northern regional hegemonist. He may be this, but in a democratic regime he will be constrained by the constitution and I personally do not see anything wrong in being a strict Muslim or Christian and as for being a northern regional hegemonist, if we are honest with ourselves, don’t we all Jide feel comfortable with Osuntokun people of our region?

This is why we have a constitution and we can take care of these problems if we devolve power like it used to be under a proper federal system so that developmental activities will take place at the regions or zones while the centre in a restructured constitutional architecture will only deal in common services such as defence, customs and immigration, aviation and shipping, finance and currency and Foreign Affairs in a carefully calibrated constitutional design.

The candidates of the APC is not for me or anybody to dictate but if the party wants to win, it must have a winning combination of candidates and there is no shortage of the right calibre of people within the APC. It is the duty of all of us who are interested in a multi-party democracy to advise a government party in waiting not to throw away its chances. The big wigs in the APC must borrow a leave from the Ahmadu Bello political book of the first republic and stay at home while their younger lieutenants go to the centre with their advice and political support. A dream APC ticket therefore will be either Buhari and Oshiomhole or Amaechi while Tinubu contests the senate with the aim of becoming senate president in 2015. Another possibility is Kwakwanso and Oshiomhole or Amaechi whilst Fashola contests for the senate for the purpose of becoming senate president whist Okorocha sponsors somebody from Imo State to become speaker. Anything short of this will not be ideal but anybody thinking of a Buhari-Tinubu ticket should perish the thought because the voters will not accept this.

This is not because the two gentlemen are not good but what is ideal is not usually realistic. We need to have a breath of fresh air in the political terrain of Nigeria. Fifteen years of one-party rule is enough and Nigeria should not throw away the chances of another party coming into power because of the political unwisdom of its leaders.

The Boko Haram burden scores died. “What do you have to say about this Boko Haram attack?” I pretended as if I did not hear him. “Answer me now I am the one who sent you a text message on the article you wrote last week... What will you write now with this attack? Are you happy that Boko Haram has killed a lot of people? Answer now, I am ....”(mentioning his name). He cut off the call when I did not answer him.

Whenever or not I got this call, I would still have written on Monday’s senseless suicide bombing in which over 70 people were said to have been killed. Although, my caller feels that Boko Haram is behind the dastardly act, which I also do not put beyond the sect, but until it claims responsibility it may be too early to hold it responsible for the tragedy. However, the attack has the imprimatur of the group. It is likely that Boko Haram is behind the bloody attack. It is something you cannot put beyond the group.

For years, we have been at the mercy of the group because it seems to know when to strike and hit, so to say, the bull’s eye.

‘No matter what it takes, the government must bring Boko Haram down to its knees in order to make the country safe for all.

Enough of the tough talks, it is time for action. But, whatever we do we should not shed the blood of the innocent under the guise of tracking Boko Haram’

Any time it strikes, it leaves death and destruction in its wake. The sect, it seems, is more adept at intelligence gathering than those trained for that job. If it is not so, it will not be catching our security agencies flatfooted whenever it strikes. By now, the security agencies ought to be conversant with the sect’s modus operandi. The sect bides its time before it strikes as shown by Monday’s invasion of the Nyanya Park in Abuja.

From my little assessment of the sect, its targets, in the main, are churches, mosques, schools, parks and at times vulnerable individuals. The sect knows what it is doing. By its action, it seeks to deceive the public that it is after “soft targets”. But, so far, what is “soft” in the way it has killed thousands of people since it began its murderous campaign about five years ago. I don’t know what Boko Haram is fighting for, but whatever it is it is not worth the shedding of blood the way it has been doing. Only the group knows what it wants and what it is fighting for because all efforts to get it to come to the roundtable have failed.

Boko Haram listens only to Boko Haram. The situation has become so dicey that we cannot continue to allow it to operate freely as if it is law unto itself.

The government must find a way round this Boko Haram threat because things have got out of hand. For many Nigerians today, Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states have become no go areas because of the fear of Boko Haram. Graduates can no longer

be posted to these states for the mandatory one-year Youth Service; pupils can no longer go to schools and traders dare not venture to these places.

Must Boko Haram hold us to ransom? The answer is no. We must find a way of containing the sect now. We can no longer wait to take drastic action against the group. It has shown that human life means nothing to it. If it can take lives in a callous manner, the government too should not hesitate before descending on it, except if it is saying it has no capacity to do that. If we wish to give the sect the benefit of doubt over the Nyanya bombing, we cannot do so in respect of the abduction, barely 24 hours after the Abuja incident, of over 100 school girls in Chibok, the boundary town between Adamawa and Borno states. he abduction is the handiwork of the sect, which name translates to “western education is a sin”. Before the abduction, it had warned parents to withdraw their children from school. What I do not understand is what is the business of Boko Haram with the way a parent decides to educate his child? Is it the sect that will determine how parents want to bring up their children? It is sad that this Boko Haram nonsense has been allowed to last this long. Yes, we know that security is a collective thing but government should not hide under this assertion to shirk its responsibility.

It is its job to make the country safe not only for the citizens, but also for the foreigners in our

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Lawal Ogienagbon

lawal.ogienagbon@thenationonlineng.net

SMS ONLY: 08099400204, 08112661612

midst, who no doubt will be sending reports of what is happening back home. As we have always maintained in this space, Boko Haram cannot be bigger than the government. No matter what it takes, the government must bring Boko Haram down to its knees in order to make the country safe for all. Enough of the tough talks, it is time for action.

But whatever we do. we should not shed the blood of the innocent under the guise of tracking Boko Haram. If our security agencies get the Boko Haram elements and bring them to justice, they will hailed. But, they will not get our support if they kill the innocent. The security agents are not immune from the Boko Haram terror. They have suffered losses in men and materials. So, they too feel the heat like every other Nigerian. In this fight against terror, we are with them. But, let them discharge their duties with the highest sense of responsibility.

As for Boko Haram and its sponsors, I leave them with these words: “Woe to the wicked, it shall be ill with him”.

THE NATION THURSDAY, APRIL 17, 2014

20

COMMENTS

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AMIDO of Adamawa owes no one an apology for appearing to demonstrate his loyalty first to members of his Fulani ethnic group located in Adamawa and Cameroon before Nigeria. After all, the whole essence of federal arrangement is to liberate individuals and groups from the tyranny of the state. For me, the real enemies are the self proclaiming crusaders for the elusive Nigeria common vision, a lucrative enterprise that carries rewards such as political appointment, import duty waivers, allocation of oil block and even getting nominated by the presidency to the confab without representing anyone.

I also think he was right to have pre-empted some of his colleagues who could not wait for the actual debate to commence before expressing righteous indignation about the current revenue sharing formula by disclosing that the north has no objection to the oil producing states holding on to their oil 100 per cent provided the non-oil producing states also own their land including Abuja where most of the stolen fuel money is dumped, 100%. His sidekick to his ‘civilized’ colleagues from the Southwest who have for 50 years strived to export their unsolicited superior values of representative democracy to mind their own business is a legitimate demand in a nation with federal arrangement.

I think the Lamido’s deft handling of his presentation of Fulani/northern agenda has only reinforced the argument of those who have said the most important assignment of this confab is the restructuring of our country to reflect the aspirations of the various federating nationalities. Our structure, everyone agrees is the bane of our society.

All our country woes – crisis of revenue allocation, corruption, infrastructural decay, collapse of educational sector as well as religious intolerance, stem from the unworkable federal arrangement selfishly imposed by the military and sustained by those benefiting from the anarchy especially the parasitic federal government whose major preoccupation is sharing what does not belong to it, cornering in the process over 50% of what others produced.

With the First Republic structure of four regions, designed to ensure each group developed at its own pace without interference from others or the six geopolitical zones structure canvassed by well meaning Nigerians, the recklessness currently associated with an insensitive

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Value of restructured Nigeria federal government that behaves as if it owes no one any explanation for its irresponsible behaviour becomes impossible. For instance the late Olusegun Agagu, a former minister of energy claimed the nation generated 4200MW of electricity in 2002. Twelve years down the line and an expenditure of between $25 and $50 billion dollars, we today generate less than 4000MW; yet the government caries on as if it is not accountable to anyone and in fact has been busy going around the country campaigning for re-election.

First, the Lamido was right. The Fulani tribes located all over West Africa are said to be defined by their locations, occupation and dialects. The Adamawa Fulani in Nigeria are therefore the same with about two million Fulani who live across the border in Cameroon and Chad. With a restructured Nigeria, we don’t need to argue about who the Lamido owes his allegiance. Under a federal arrangement, it is first to his people.

But then he also carries his own responsibilities as well as the consequences of failure of leadership in the manner President Jonathan recently asked the governor of Borno State where only 27% of children of school age go to school thereby providing fertile ground for recruitment of insurgents, to face his own demons.

A restructured North-east will enable Nigerians know who the Lamido whose allegiance to his two millions kinsmen in Cameroon and Chad has never been in doubt speak for. Does the north he speaks for include the current Hausa farmers , and other non Fulani ethnic groups who are currently victims of mindless killings by Fulani herdsmen and Boko Haram insurgents who drive in unchallenged from Chad and

DO not know how many people out there know of a community in Ondo State known as Ilara Mokin. What I know is that neither myself nor the other members of the touring party that visited Ilara Mokin from April 4-6, would have had any business undertaking a four-hour drive from Lagos to Ilara Mokin but for its magnificent golf course ( Mokin Smokin Hills). For many months now, there has been talk in the air especially in the Nigerian golfing community about a new world-class golf course ‘near Akure’. Given the typical golfer’s notorious inclination for fanciful description of not only his golfing prowess but familiarity with international golf courses, I was initially dismissive of excitable utterances like ‘The only championship course in Nigeria!’ ‘Finer than all the golf courses I have played in Spain!’ and so on! The increase in not only the decibel level but the number of golfers making these claims prompted the touring party aforementioned.

At this juncture let me state and quite emphatically too that this piece is not about golf. In the context of the times we live in Nigeria, that will be an insensitive and meaningless elitist literary venture. But before making my point, I need to finish with the touring party. Ilara Mokin also boasts a private University, Elizade University, so the touring party was told.

Having been so pleasantly surprised with the quality of the golf course and its awesome scenic beauty, we were curious to see what the university will look like so we undertook a tour. Again we were pleasantly surprised by a large well laid out university campus with very impressive robust facilities including high rise faculty buildings, modern sports facilities, staff and student quarters all connected with well paved roads!

Both the golf resort and Elizade University are owned by Chief Michael Ade Ojo. Ordinarily and without the benefit of seeing the investments in the golf resort and university, my categorization of Chief Ade Ojo would have been as a wealthy car dealer albeit self made. This piece is also not about Chief Ade Ojo so I will not bother about coming up with a more appropriate nomenclature. However my categorization as a car dealer is clearly an unfitting misjudgement perhaps based on popular (mis)perception. From my limited interaction with his kith and kin who populate the workforce in the golf resort, guest house and university, his people will obviously have a more befitting nomenclature for Chief Ade Ojo and given the talent of the Yoruba for flowery adulation, the translation into English will obviously lose some colour but hopefully not the translucent essence.

Now to the main point of this piece. Our touring party was led by the captain of Ikoyi Club Golf section, Ted Iwere and

Cameroon ?

I am sure with a restructured North-east, the Lamido would have had to find explanation for how Boko Haram breezed in from his brethrens in Chad to kill his subjects’ 58 children in their dormitories in Yobe or how armed men from Cameroon, his second home, laid a six-hour siege on Madagali Local Government Area of Adamawa State looting and burning Michika, Gulak, Shuwa communities. With a north eastern region, the Lamido and political opinion leaders of the area such as the Bamanga Tukurs, the Danjumas, the Ribadus, the respected Adamu Ciromas along with other influential leaders of the zone, would have also been asked to confront their own demons because it is they and they alone that know how to appease the angry members of their families from Cameroon and Chad or Sudan which hosts eight million Nigerians.

Restructuring will also answer the question of who in fact own the 72% of land of Nigeria which Ahmed Bugaje and the Lamido claim belong to the north. What percentage of the land belongs to the Hausa and their Fulani conquerors that came to Nigeria about 200 years ago? What is the share of the minorities who have since independence, wanted liberation from their feudal overlords? Does this also include chunk of land in Kwara, and Kogi unilaterally ceded to the north by the colonial masters? Restructuring will expose those parasites that have continued to impoverish the real owners of the land in the name of the monolithic north whose ghost was laid to rest with the creation of a 12-state structure by General Yakubu Gowon in 1967.

Restructuring will also solve the crisis of indigeneship and settlers by modern day Nigerian nomadic cattle farmers who move around with AK 47 and other sophisticated weapons confiscating their hosts’ farmland, declaring them no man’s land. And with Lamido’s suggestion, it will also end the unwholesome activities of those who impoverish their people of Niger Delta, creating an army of angry militants through the theft of oil revenues meant for development to buy off other peoples land in the name of federal land without paying compensation.

It will also allow the acquisitive Igbos who take pride in thriving in other people’s land to plough back some of their wealth to their own land to end the revolt of the poor who are in the business of kidnapping for ransom of those who venture home at Christmas to display their wealth or to build ‘a place of the people’ among the squalor of the poor and the deprived as the great Ozunba Mbadiwe did.

And for the South-west, restructuring will put an end to the mischief of our gifted and talented Yoruba leaders who dabble into other ethnic group affairs in the guise of exporting Yoruba values of liberalism and participatory democracy, which often result in the devastation of Yorubaland by vengeful feudal reactionary forces. It will encourage our leaders to devote their time and talents to the unfinished Awo and his compatriots’ crusade to create an egalitarian society that support free education, free health services, full employment and life abundance for our people. And for their own good, it will put an end to their coming back as body bags after venturing to the centre where they are not welcome.

Restructuring rather than an elusive search for national character or common vision is a win-win situation for all. For instance it will be sweet justice for some northern states’ exgovernors like Sani Yerima of Zamfara State who according to retired ambassador Olu Aina ‘underwent indoctrination and exposure in all the training camps of Osama Bin Laden,’ before coming to launch his political sharia with fanfare supported by some northern leaders and others who sponsor some youths to Al-Qaeda training camps, if products of their political perfidy opted to take over the running of government of their states with strict application of Sharia law.

After all, is it not said a people deserve the type of government they get?

Different colours of money

By Edo Ukpong consisted of very fine, exposed gentlemen, distinguished professionals and wealthy businessmen. In addition they all see themselves as patriotic Nigerians. Beholding the golf course and university were therefore very thought-provoking as is perhaps to be expected from a group of that colouration. The investments Chief Ade Ojo has made and sited in his ancestral community would evidently albeit without scientific accuracy cost several billions of naira. You do not need to be an investment guru to know that there are more profitable ways to invest that kind of money. That kind of money deployed as a political godfather will certainly yield quicker and much greater financial returns. And if an ego massage is the motivation, one could buy an English Premier League football club! Also clearly no bank funding would have been involved, as most credit analysts would have laughed off any such requests. Our touring party had long healthy debates and general rubbing of the minds and a few facts are given. Chief Ade Ojo is not the wealthiest Nigerian, neither is he the first to found a university or build a golf resort. What we were most impressed about was that these investments have evidently not been made for personal gain. Apart from putting Ilara Mokin on the world map, it is in the future that the full impact of those investments will manifest and the fortunes of that community have been positively affected forever.

Obviously comparisons with other men of means cannot be avoided and that is indeed the essence of this piece. My late father was a great fan of my opinion pieces but was always uncomfortable with my practice of using real people as examples and advised against what he considered as being unnecessarily provocative. My memory fails me as to whether I ever categorically promised to heed that advice. Many years ago, I was in another touring party and we happened to be guests, though not of, but at the mansion quarters of Chief Arthur Nzeribe. The sheer opulence and majesty left me awestruck for long afterwards but I had since stopped thinking about it. For some reason, that experience came back to me during my visit to Ilara Mokin. The idea of having two tennis courts with spectator stands, Olympic- size swimming pool, private luxury suites for up to 50 guests, acres and acres of lush green lawns and gardens along with a long stretch of private

approach road lined by geometrically spaced trees as in Chief Nzeribe’s edifice is no doubt also an appealing way of enjoying ones money. The colour of that money though is not transluscent, its colour is different and of the kind that dazzles into opaqueness and ultimately tarnishes into distasteful colourlessness.

I have made several trips to Oguta since my first visit, I have had no interest in beholding the edifice again and there is no other evidence of the impact of Chief Nzeribe’s wealth in his ancestral community. Nzeribe is not the only wealthy man with that colour of money. I never had the privilege of visiting Alhaji Mai Deribe’s house but legend has it that it was something to behold. Unfortunately for Nigeria the number of wealthy men with that colour of money far outstrips those of the translucent variety. And perhaps therein lies a major cause of our social dislocation and mass poverty.

Our wealthy people create poverty by the way they spend their money. Buying expensive overpriced assets abroad, leaving the money in foreign banks for foreign access and mindless luxury in the midst of grinding poverty have certainly not helped the course of national development which is meaningless without the personal development of a greater number of people. Yet most of the wealthy in Nigeria have made their money by exploiting their people. The same people they profess to love and represent when it is time for politics or sharing the national cake. Asari Dokubo is a newly created man of means. Shockingly he has invested and built a university in another country! The same people that complain that Ijaw oil money is being unfairly used to develop other parts of Nigeria are developing other parts of the world with the same Ijaw oil money! There is however no irony, because that colour of money is for self-development. All the warmongering and divisive rhetoric are just tactics for self-development. Their people are mere pawns!

Chief Ade Ojo is by no means the only wealthy businessman who has been practical in his exhibition of love for his community and humanity in general -love that will manifest in communal transformation. However many wealthy people claim to be philanthropists and whilst that is commendable, it is solid investments and not philanthropy alone that will transform communities – a badly needed component of national development.

• Ukpong is a Lagos based Legal Practitioner

THE NATION THURSDAY, APRIL 17, 2014

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COMMENTS

F

ROM my life-long studies of the countries of Black Africa, I want to bring, with all humility, the following thoughts to the benefit of the National Conference. If we really desire to make a success of Nigeria, we must honour certain building pillars and proceed carefully to build upon them.

The first and most important is an acknowledgement that our country is a country of many different nationalities, and that each of these nationalities, large or small, deserves to be respected by all the rest of us and by the ways in which we manage the affairs of our country.

The second is that we must show deference to these nationalities in the ways we constitutionally structure our country. Not only must we opt for a federal arrangement, we must be respectful of the identity and sensitivity of each nationality while delimiting the federating units of our federation.

We must not split up any nationality with any state boundaries, and we must not nonchalantly push any small nationality into any state. Where some nationalities have to join to form a state or region, they must all negotiate the constitution of their state.

We must also evolve a culture of respect for each nationality and its culture in all aspects of the interactions and interrelationships in our country. Thus, if boundary disputes should arise between two neighbouring nationalities, there should a

‘Loading our federal government with all powers, responsibilities and power over money and resources, we have relentlessly led our country into hideous poverty, deprivation and corruption, terrible conflicts, and now, very probably, towards total collapse’ “To understand God’s thought, we must study statistics.”

———— Florence Nightingale (1820-1910)

W

ITH due respect and heartfelt empathy to the families of all the graduates that lost their lives, and those that were injured in the recently aborted, Abba Moro’s profiteer-wired Nigeria Immigration Service recruitment exercise, I beg to bring to the notice of all caring Nigerians, the unpalatable and one-sided statistical and biased presentation of the unemployment crisis in Nigeria. Whenever unemployment is mentioned in today’s Nigeria, what comes to the mind of majority of the people, is the Nigerian graduate!

Hear the indefatigable Minister for Finance and the Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala: “I am happy to tell you that last year we were able to create 1.6 million jobs. So, we are getting close to 1.8 million that enter the job market.”

She would add: “We also have a pool of 5.3 million unemployed graduates that have been accumulating over the years.”

It appears that out of the conflicting statistics of the jobless and the under-employed, which are put at 51.18 million and 41 million, by the National Population Commission and the National Bureau of Statistics respectively, the Nigerian graduates, are the major focus of Nigeria’s policy makers, and the employers’ of labour. It shows that the unemployment rate in Nigeria has become so high that if you do not belong to the elite club of “Nigeria’s unemployed graduates union”, you had better forget it! And to stretch it further, there are also more classifications, as the so-called sanctified graduate job seekers search for the highly competitive and elusive white and even blue collars’ jobs in the labour market. The Polytechnics’ and Colleges of Education graduates are not as venerated as the “special ones”, called the Nigerian university graduates! The discriminations go on, as “certifi-

Nigeria: Pillars of success federal agency designed to deal with it cautiously and respectfully. And if any citizens go to live and do business in the homeland of another nationality, it must be part of Nigerian culture that they must show respect to their host nation. The kind of noise being heard today from some immigrants to other people’s homeland that they are conquering their host’s homeland must be strictly forbidden in the culture of Nigeria.

And it should be part of federal policy to make sure that Nigerians can live wherever they choose in their country – that the other peoples of Nigeria will be encouraged to develop the Yoruba culture of openness, hospitality, and inclusion of foreigners. To these ends, those who are now proposing that Nigeria should establish rules granting immigrants the rights of indigenes should give it up. Such rules arise from the belief that Nigeria should ‘integrate’ us.

They are unnecessary and unenforceable; they threaten every nationality, particularly the smaller nationalities, and they are sure to cause our nationalities to become unduly defensive of their homelands.

Thirdly, in determining the share of development responsibilities, and resources, between our federal authority and our state authorizes, we must make the state authorities the main bearers of development responsibilities, and share powers and funds accordingly, and vest resource control in the natural owners of the resources – with the federal authority having the power to levy tax thereon. For our kind of country, a trim and efficient federal government would be the best choice.

Finally, we need to prefer a system of government which emphasizes the sharing of responsibilities and the spirit of collective leadership. The excessive control of government by a president or governor is bad for our country. The parliamentary system will serve our country’s interests much better.

I must now briefly state the thought processes that led me to all the above suggestions for my country. When marriages fail, it is often because one or other partner refuses to accept the other as he or she is –

because one spouse is set on changing the character of the other, ignoring the fact that by the time they were old enough to decide to marry, each was already mature in his or her character. As my Yoruba people say, it is impossible to change the shape of a dried fish.

Almost all countries of Black Africa have, since independence, been going through disastrous conflicts and various kinds of failure. I know virtually all these countries intimately. I have been to most of them – over and over in some cases. Studying these countries is a major part of my life’s pursuit. In fact, I have just finished writing a book on the subject of the almost uniform failure of Black African countries among the countries of the earth.

Though many causes can be adduced for the failure of these countries, there is always one central, cardinal, cause. And that cardinal cause is a foolish refusal, especially among the dominant political elite of each country, to accept that each of the nationalities whom they have to rule in their new country is an ancient ethnic nationality – with its own ancestral homeland, its own culture, worldview, self-image and pride, its own way of responding to challenges, its own mode of dealing with the rush of changes in the modern world, and its own desires and expectations. Ruling a country with this kind of composition cannot be easy. It requires vary cautious handling, and calls for the best in statesmanship.

Unfortunately, in none of our multi-people countries in Black Africa have we been able to muster this high level of carefulness and statesmanship. In every country, our rulers came into power at independence believing that they had a ready-made answer – namely, to “integrate” our many peoples, meaning to crush their identities and give them all, together, a new identity.

Since 1960, we in Nigeria have been foolishly trying to accomplish this impossible outcome. We have been striving to enforce a Nigerian identity on all, and going to great lengths to deny that each of our nationalities has a life of its own. Sometime in 2002,

Gbogun gboro a member of the Urhobo nationality made a statement saying that the land over which the Nigerian federal government was stampeding in the Urhobo homeland was a land of the Urhobo people; that the land had belonged to the Urhobo people for 6000 years, whereas Nigeria was less than a century old. In answer to that, scholars in the employment of the federal government launched out with fiery writings asserting that an Urhobo nation did not exist – that, in fact the various nationalities of Nigeria did not exist, and that the only entity and identity that mattered in Nigeria was Nigeria!

Of course, the Urhobo man was right and the “federal’ luminaries were wrong. All the best scholarship on the subject agree thatalmost all the nationalities that now belong to Nigeria had evolved into distinct ethnic nationalities as far back as 4000 BC – about 6000 years ago. However, the luminaries had the much bigger voice, and so they were able to proceed from their initial position of folly to construct for us what they called “the Nigerian mainstream”.

Following these aggressive integrationist paths, and loading our federal government with all powers, responsibilities and power over money and resources, we have relentlessly led our country into hideous poverty, deprivation and corruption, terrible conflicts, and now, very probably, towards total collapse. I believe we can change these trends. That is why I keep addressing these messages to the National Conference.

Graduate unemployment and the rest

By Chinedu Ohaegbulam cates and grades” considerations come into play in determining who gets a job or not; without minding whether the holders of the so much sought-after top-grade certificates are worth the pieces of papers on which the scores are written on.

When few vacancies are advertised in the media, that is, after the greater number of the jobs had been given to some persons whose names are “favour”, through the backdoor, there are always “caveats” on the method of application, which most times favour those with upper decrees, higher grades of First Class Division, Second Class Upper Division, years of experience etc. Does anyone spare some thoughts for the non-graduates unemployed, who make-up the greater battalions of the army of the unemployed in Nigeria?

The case of Nigeria’s artisans and petty traders, who if we dispassionately and objectively assess the Nigerian economy - even with the rebasing of Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product, which Dr. Okonjo-Iweala, has just informed Nigerians that we are now the largest economy in Africa, and the 26th in the world - we would benevolently agree that they are the ones who are basically shouldering the economy, even as the dregs of the Nigerian-world. And most of these artisans and petty traders are into these existential struggles mainly because of exigencies, rather than by preferences. And no matter how you recalculate the GDP, they would still see Nigeria’s economy, as “foundationally artisanal and petty”, unless those who have rebased the GDP would be sensitive enough to make policies that would be favourable to all Nigerians, who are fit to work.

The non-graduate unemployed are mainly

school leavers, those who have ingenious minds, creative, inventive, and innovative geniuses, without tertiary education, or the type of ‘certificates”, that would qualify them to earn a living, by the standard of Nigeria’s policy makers and labour market Czars. If one may ask, are they not entitled to job opportunities, with or without requisite “paper” qualifications?

Do graduates have higher stakes in Nigeria than all other Nigerians? Are the good things of life not meant for everybody? Considering all the absurdities romancing Nigeria, does it follow that all Nigerians, who must be relevant in the Nigerian unemployment statistics must be graduates of tertiary institutions? Now, we know the reason there is a mad rush for tertiary education, especially university education in Nigeria, whether the seekers of this type of education are academically equipped, intellectually sound and mentally fit, to pursue and endure the rigours of learning, is out of the question. Nigeria being a “certificate” worshipping country, as a norm, one must get a degree or diploma, either by hook or crook, to belong to the elite club of the respected, even as an unemployed citizen.

If only Nigeria’s policy makers and employers’ of labour know what they are doing to the psyche of non-graduate unemployed citizens, they would become more sensitive to the rights of the citizenry. We know there are programmes like, YouWin, and Sure-P which are geared towards creating jobs for the teeming Nigerian youths, by President Jonathan’s administration. According to Dr. Okonjo-Iweala, “Sure-P is for those youths who may not have gone through school or did not complete their education.”

Really!

If we investigate or probe further, are we sure we will not discover that Sure-P has been

hi-jacked by those who need jobs most, in the Nigerian policy makers’ conjecture? Be that as it may, it is an incontrovertible fact that every citizen has a right to work or earn a living etc, through indiscriminate opportunities provided by policy makers, but when those in authority lay more emphasis on one group of people, at the expense of the others, they end up insulting the sensibilities and abuse the rights of the rest, who deserve to live as much as those who might have higher opportunities, because of their training. With high unemployment rate ravaging Nigeria, the graduate and non-graduate unemployed are both time bombs that must be vigilantly handled.

• Ohaegbulam writes from Port-Harcourt.

‘Every citizen has a right to work or earn a living etc, through indiscriminate opportunities provided by policy makers, but when those in authority lay more emphasis on one group of people, at the expense of the others, they end up insulting the sensibilities and abuse the rights of the rest, who deserve to live as much as those who might have higher opportunities, because of their training’

22

THE NATION THURSDAY, APRIL 17, 2014

THE NATION THURSDAY, APRIL 17, 2014

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THE NATION

EDUCATION

THURSDAY, APRIL 17, 2014

INSIDE

5,333 matriculate at UNIMAID

The May/June 2014 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) is on. But, no fewer than 30 candidates who registered with Mentors Secondary School in Ota, Ogun State, cannot write the exams. Reason: the school's proprietor allegedly absconded with their registration fees. KOFOWOROLA BELO-OSAGIE and MOJISOLA CLEMENT report.

-Page 27 -

Ghana leads in 2013 WASSCE GHANAIAN candidates have clinched the top three spots in the May/June 2013 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), despite Nigeria producing 80 per cent of the candidates for the examination.

-Page 28

ASUP: Fed Govt yet to take decision •Not so, says Fed Govt

•Some of the candidates waiting for Mrs Akintayo on the first day of the exam.

-Page 45

CAMPUS LIFE •A 10-page section on campus news, people, opinions etc

14 injured in campus crash

-Page 29

Dashed dreams as candidates miss WASSCE •Proprietor absconds with registration fees

A

GNES Kalu regrets the day her mother's friend recommended that she enrols at Mentors Secondary School in Dalemo near Sango Ota in Ogun State as an external candidate for the May/June 2014 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).

But for that suggestion, she would have been sitting for the examination at Omole Senior Grammar School, Omole, where she is an SS3 pupil. At Omole, Agnes would not have paid a dime as the Lagos State Government sponsors SS3 pupils for the examination.

To register at Mentors High School, her mother paid N25,000 as WASSCE fees, N19,000 for specimen, logistics, form and some other sums for sundry expenses, totalling N47,500. To their dismay, the school proprietor, Mr Matthew Praise Akintayo, absconded with the money pupils of the school and external candidates paid for the examination. To make matters worse, the school is neither recognised by the Ogun State Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, nor the West African Examinations Council (WAEC).

The case has since been reported to the Police, which have charged it to the Ota Magistrate’s Court.

At the court, Mrs Dora Akintayo, is standing trial on a 38-count charge of obtanining money from the candidates under false pretence and converting the money into personal use. She said to have committed the offence with her husband, who is now at large.

Some of the other victims are Olalekan Praise, Precious Ogundele, Femi Phillip, Igunmu Olasile, Mukaila Lateef, Daniel Abigael, Babatunde Dare, Amosun Gbemi, Omenai Victoria, Azeez Ganiyat, Ayeni Tosin, Abubakar • Continued on Page 26

•Dora Akintayo

•Akintayo

•Mrs Ogundele

•Praise

THE NATION THURSDAY, APRIL 17, 2014

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EDUCATION •Ejigbo Local Council Development Area (LCDA) Chairman, Kehinde Bamigbetan(right) presenting a photocard for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) to Ajayi Michael, one of 200 beneficiaries of the council’s empowerment initiative.

Council gives free check-up to pupils

T

O commemorate the ‘World health day’, the Mushin Local Government Education Authority (LGEA) in partnership with HILLSTAR Hospital, Mushin, organised free medical checkup and counselling for pupils, teachers and parents of Eleja Complex, which houses six primary schools for four days last week.

The programme, which started Monday last week, featured health talks, blood pressure checks and other screening.

Education Secretary of the LGEA, Mr Aremo Yusuf Olokodana, said the programme was put in place to complement the state government’s efforts towards ensuring healthy living among the pupils, teachers and parents in Mushin Local Government Area.

By Ibrahim Adam

“As the state government has put structures in place to achieve the second item in the Millennium Development Goals by providing Universal Primary Education, we at the local education authority in partnership with HILLSTAR Hospital noted for quality health care delivery at reasonable charges have decided to complement the government’s efforts in this direction,” he said.

Dr. Ogboih Kennedy of HILLSTAR Hospital educated the participants on personal hygiene, prevention of common disease through use of mosquito nets, accident prevention, need for exercise and rest, good nutrition though balanced diet, sex and sexuality, and keeping off tobacco.

Speaking with The Nation, the Medical Director of the hospital, Dr. Ade Omosule, said the programme would help improve the health indices of the community.

“Health is not something the government can handle alone that is why we are contributing to the primary healthcare to prevent diseases at the grassroots. Also, this programme is to give health education to students, teachers and parents in Mushin.

When they understand their health matters, they will practice them and it will enhance their health.” he said.

The Head Teacher of Community Primary School, Eleja, Mrs Enwenna Theresa, described the programme as a wonderful experience which served to draw the parents closer to the school.

50th anniversary: College honours Babalola, Tinubu, others ADEYEMI College of Education (ACE), Ondo Town is preparing to mark its golden jubilee with a host of events and awards programmes.

They include a special convocation for awards of NCE, degrees and presentation of prizes and fellowships to eminent Nigerians.

The recipients are the Minister of Communication and Technology, Mrs. Omobola Johnson, Legal luminary and founder, Afe Babalola University, Chief Afe Babalola (SAN), the Director-General, National Teachers Institute, Dr Aminu Ladan Sharehu and the Chairman, Pacesetters Groups of School, •Aare Babalola Abuja, Kenneth Imansuangbon.

Besides the inauguration of projects by the Minister of Education, Chief Nyesom Wike and the public presentation of a festschrift in honour of the Provost, Prof Adeyemi Idowu, there will be recognition of the benefactors of the college.

The benefactors include Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State; Odunwo of Ondo Kingdom, High Chief Sir Olabanji Akingbule; Senator Oluremi Tinubu; Registrar of Joint Admission and Matriculation Board, Prof ‘Dibu Ojerinde and former member of House of Representative, Dr. Tayo Fawehinmi Other activities to mark the anniver•Senator Tinubu sary which will commence on May 2, include special Jumaat Service and interdenominational service on May 4 at the Christ Chapel Interdenominational church; press conference to be addressed by the Chairman, Governing Council, Ambassador John Musa, May 5; , book launch to be chaired by Senator Oluremi Tinubu; oratory skill competition and convocation play.anniversary walk from the college to the Osemawe’s palace, alumni week, student week and exhibitions by the Departments of Home Economics and the Fine and Applied Arts.

Prof Kabiru Isyaku, from Bayero Univeristy will deliver the special anniversary lecture titled: Teachers and quality of education: 50 years after Ashby Report on May 19.

Highlights of other activities are football match between ACE and O.A.U team The celebration will be rounded up on May 23 and 25 with Jumat and thanksgiving services.

Dashed dreams as proprietor absconds with WASSCE fees

‘

• Continued from Page 25

Zainab, Yusuf Sunday, Sorunke Funto, Debedero Ibrahim, Babatunde Grace, Bernard Junior, Taiwo Bukunmi, and Oludele Tolani.

Agnes and others candidates are depressed that they have missed the examination. Some of them are hiding from their friends because of the shame of not writing the exams; others have resorted to lying over the fate.

The truth is that they have lost the chance to write the examination. The option left for them is to register for the November/December examination as private candidates.

Agnes said: "I came all the way from Lagos to enrol for my WAEC after hearing good testiomines about him (Akintayo) from his last students. He collected N25,000 for registration of the examination, N1,000 for the form, N500 for passport, and N2,000 for practicals. Later, I was told to pay N5,000 for logistics. I thought the school was registered. I did not know it was not registered."

Olalekan Praise, a pupil of Mentors, said she was disappointed that her preparations since last year have been in vain.

"I paid N45,000 for my WASC but my proprietor did not register me for the WASC. I feel so sad and dejected because I started coaching lesson for this examination last October, and now the examination I prepared for, I was not allowed to write," she said.

Mr Bukola Oludele is angry that his daughter, Tolani, would have to lose one year.

"I am not concerned about the money the man ran away with. I am very angry because of the time wasted; now my child is at home while her counterparts are writing the examination.

She feels dejected and has been lying to her friends that she is also taking the examination," he said.

Another parent, Mrs Esther Ogundele, said her daughter, Precious, has been downcast since the incident.

"Precious is worried that she would be in the same class with her younger

•Parents, Mrs Aisha Abubakar and Mrs Philip Olusegun waiting for justice in court.

sister who is already in SS2 next year.

To her, it is like she is repeating a class again," she said.

Parents say this was not the story last year. Mr Lekan Ayeni, a parent, said for the 2013 WASSCE, in line with the policy of WAEC’s policy not to conduct examinations for schools with low candidature (less than 20), the school partnered with another in its neighbourhood, Funmec College, to register its candidates for the examination. Ayeni said they expected to use the same school this year but were surprised when the story changed.

Ayeni said he suspected foul play when his daughter, Tosin, came home about three weeks to the examination with a spurious bill, yet no definite information about details of the examination centre.

"Last year, the students of Mentors wrote at Funmec International School, which is also in Dalemo. This year, they even used the Funmec school uniform to take passport photographs for the examination. We were all expecting them to use Funmec. But my daughter had been complaining that apart from taking photographs, they did not thumbprint or do any other registration. Later, the proprietor said they were not using Funmec again.

But each time we asked which school they would use, he would say it would be sorted out. This continued until

three weeks to the exam.

"The week before the examination, the proprietor, Akintayo, told the children to go home and get N8,000 for specimen, N5,000 for logistics, N5,000 for party, and N1,000 for mock examination, making N19,000 after we paid an initial N25,000. That was when I became suspicious," he said.

He was not the only parent that kicked against the additional levies.

Disagreements about the new bill led to an emergency meeting on March 29 during which Akintayo, who is now at large, insisted that parents pay the bill or their children would not be allowed to write the examination.

Mrs Ogundele said the urgency of the demand close to the start of the examination on April 1, made her to part with N15,000 so that her daughter, Precious, would not be adversely affected.

"We were asked to pay N15,000 again for logistics which all the parents said we did not have. Akintayo said the money was for specimen, practical, their end-of-the-year party and all that. He said if we did not pay, our children would not be allowed to write the examination. He also said he disallowed his sister-in law from writing a particular subject in the WAEC examination of last year because his father-in-law did not complete the payment. He said it was 10 minutes to the end of the paper that he got an

I paid N45,000 for my WASC but my proprietor did not register me for the WASC. I feel so sad and dejected because I started coaching lesson for this examination last October

’

alert from his bank that the money had been paid; that was when he allowed his sister-in-law to write the examination. His wife also confirmed it. So, we all looked at ourselves and said if he could do that to a close knit family, then surely he would do more than that to us," he said.

However, she said the situation assumed an alarming dimension when Akintayo's wife, Dora, who heads the nursery and primary arm, claimed that her husband had been kidnapped, a day to the start of the examination.

"It was the day I went to pay the money that the wife called me in the night crying that her husband had been kidnapped, and the next day was the beginning of the examination. But she calmed my nerves and told me that she would take the children to their centres that they should put on black skirt. On the day of the examination, the woman who was crying hysterically on the phone the day before was gorgeously dressed and she also made up her face and I was wondering about her claims that her husband has been kidnapped," she said.

The worst was yet to come. On the D-day, the parents and candidates said Mrs Akintayo abandoned them at a petrol station at Ipaja.

Agnes said: "On April 2, the day of the first paper, Yoruba, she informed us that we were registered to write the

exam at Ajasa at Ayola College. We went past the school and I was thinking there was another one with the same name. After some minutes, she said we have gone past our centre, so we turned back again. By that time we were already panicking because it was 8.30am and the Yoruba paper should have started.

"She left us under the sun and said she was going to look for the centre.

Later, when we called her around 9am, she told us not to disturb her as she is still looking for the centre when the paper had started already. By 12pm, again, we called her and she said she was still looking for the centre. The teachers that followed us ran away. She later called one of the parents with us that she has found the centre. She called the place Ayola College, on getting to the place, we discovered Ayola was a street and not a school."

But for the parents' decision to follow the candidates that morning, Mr Ayeni said, they would have been stranded. He said most of them did not have money since they had paid N5,000 for logistics.

Mr Ayeni said: "Some parents decided to follow the candidates. I asked the proprietor’s wife for the details and after a lot of pressure, she told me the school was called Ayola High School at Ajasa Command in Alimosho Local Government. So, we went there; later, she said the school was in Ipaja, we followed her. She later abandoned the students at a petrol station and disappeared. I had to pay N1,800 and another N1,400 to transport them from Ipaja back to Sango. We first reported the case at Meiran Police Station, from where we were redirected to Sango Police Station, which has the jurisdiction over the area of the school."

During the hearing of the case last Friday, Magistrate S.T. Bello, refused the plea of Mrs Akintayo's father,..... to strike out the case. He appealed for the case to be struck out because he had refunded N420,000 of the money collected by the Akintayos. Magistrate • Continued on Page 27

27

THE NATION THURSDAY, APRIL 17, 2014

EDUCATION

5,333 matriculate at UNIMAID

•??????????????

•Some of the freshers

A

MID security challenges rocking Borno State, the hotbed of Boko Haram insurgency, 5,333 candidates who got admitted into the University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID) through the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination

F

From Bodunrin Kayode, Maiduguri

(UTME) and Direct Entry on Tuesday.

Ushering the students officially into the university, the Vice Chancellor, Prof Mala Daura said that the large number of students admitted

was a sign that the university was still popular despite the lingering challenge of insurgency in the state.

Daura reminded the students that their oaths were sacrosanct which is why they should adhere strictly to it as it promotes the basis for

civilised university life.

“You are joining a reputable citadel of learning and you must therefore act in a manner consistent with continued maintenance of peace and stability in the system. I hope that you will not be found wanting in this regard.

The Vice Chancellor urged the fresh students to shun social vices like cultism, drug abuse, and violent demonstrations, warning against anything that would breach the peace on campus.

To prevent extreme tendencies due to the trauma of insurgency, the VC said that a robust counseling centre has been located within the hostels to ensure that students are able to discuss issues that affect their psychology and studies.

Daura assured them that the student affairs department in conjunction with trauma centres within the hostels will soon organise an orientation programme for them.

A breakdown of students showed that 488 were admitted into the College of medicine; 158 into the Faculty of Agriculture; 333, Arts; and 949, Education.

Engineering had 761; Law, 210; Management Sciences, 587, Pharmacy, 128; Social Sciences, 797; while Veterinary Medicine Department had only 58.

Foreign engineers to train graduates

OREIGN Engineers under the aegis of CADD Centre Nigeria have opened an engineering training Centre in Port Harcourt which will focus on enhancing the employability of engineering students after graduation.

Unveiling the new training office in Port Harcourt on Monday, the company said the Federal Government can now sign the Petroleum Industrial Bill (PIB) into law as they have all it takes to train the local engineers to fill the gap.

Mr. Vijay Baskar, General Manager, CADD Centre Nigeria, said over the years many Engineering students are not given their rightful

From Precious Dikewoha, Port Harcourt

place in the industry after graduation because they have no requisite experiences to showcase efficiency.

He said CADD is in Nigeria to strengthen their skills so they are employable, productive and efficient for the good and growth of the local economy.

Baskar said Port Harcourt was chosen to host the centre because of its importance in the production of oil and gas in Nigeria.

He noted that the CADD Centre has all the available courses and teaching aids that will improve the skills of all those who train at the centre. He added that its presence in

Nigeria will reduce the use of expatriate engineers.

He said: “We are in Nigeria, Rivers State particularly, to fill the gap and to ensure that Nigerians seeking employment in any engineering company, especially fresh students, will now make use of this opportunity to be competent.”

Health Centre relocated THE Health Centre of the Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education (AOCOED), NorforijaEpe, in Lagos State, has finally moved to the new medical complex located behind the AOCOED International School.

The college’s Theatre Arts Department which was razed by fire last month will now operate from the old medical centre.

All activities, enquiries, consultation, among others at the old building have ceased.

Deputy Registrar honoured THE Deputy Registrar, Students Affairs Division, Alhaji Muhideen Shehu Oladamola, has been honoured with the Fellowship of the Institute of Information Management.

The induction/investiture, which held at the Sheraton Hotel, Lagos, had in attendance former president Olusegun Obasanjo as chairman of the occasion.

BRIEFS Oyo College on break STUDENTS of the Oyo State College of Agriculture, Igboora (OYCAI) are to resume for the second semester on April 22.

This followed a week’s holiday approved by the Acting Provost, Prof Gbemiga Adewale.

Adewale said the break became necessary following the completion of the first semester examination recently.

He urged the students to resume on April 22 and commence the second semester registration immediately.

New book targets job seekers

Candidates miss WASSCE • Continued from Page 26

Bello ruled that not all the victims had been accounted for and duly compensated. She, however, granted Mrs Akintayo bail and adjourned the case to May 21.

When The Nation checked the status of the Mentors High School with the Ogun State Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, the Public Relations Officer, Mr Kayode Oduyebo, said the school is not registered, thereby illegal. He also said the ministry will formally take action against the school.

"The school is not approved. It will be shut and the proprietor invited to the ministry," he said.

Shedding more light on the registration process, the Deputy Director, Public Affairs, Mr Yusuf Ari, said schools are only recognised by WAEC as examination centres after recommendations by the state Ministry of Education, and inspection by the council. In essence, he said the school cannot be registered by WAEC if it is not registered by the Ministry of Education.

"To get recognition from WAEC, a school has to get approval from the ministry to start operating. When its pupils are getting close to the examination classes, the ministry will write to WAEC and recommend that the school should be given recognition.

But that recognition is not automatic.

WAEC will inspect the schools and give full or partial recognition if they deserve it. Partial recognition means that the school cannot present candidates for examination in some subjects and we tell them what to do about it," he said.

AOCOED FILE

•Leaders of the new association taking the oath

Elizade varsity gets science students’ association

T

HE Faculty of Basic and Applied Science, Elizade University, Ilara-Mokin in Ondo State, has inaugurated its first students’ group, the Elizade University Science Students’ Association (EUSSA).

Vice-Chancellor of the university, Prof. Valentine Aletor, said during the inauguration that the university would allow students to form associations, clubs and societies that are academic based, which could help their pursuit of academic excellence.

Aletor said the association would provide an avenue for the students to share information, develop social and leadership skills, garner professional experience and develop personally with improved communication skills.

While reminding members of the association of the university’s core values of honesty, Integrity, diligence and excellence, the vice-chancellor called on the newly consti-

By Olawale Tosin

tuted Executive Committee to be prudent in the management of the Association’s financial resources.

In his goodwill message, the Registrar, Mr. Omololu Adegbenro congratulated members of the association on being the pace setters for other faculties.

He urged the new leaders to form an all-inclusive government with transparency, accountability and prudence as benchmarks.

He informed that the University would not hesitate to enforce appropriate sanctions on any leader who misappropriates the association’s fund.

Also speaking, the Dean of the Faculty, Prof. Olatunji Oyelana, said the formation of the association was necessary as it would assist the university to build an excellent alumni spirit in the students.

He thanked the university man-

agement for approving the students’ proposal to form the association and promised that the Faculty would monitor their activities to ensure they do not derail.

Jaiyeola Oluwatumise Amos (200Level, Computer Science) was sworn in as the President, while Ezenwoye Esther Chigozie (200L Microbiology) was appointed VicePresident.

Others are Omobo Okeoghehe Blessing, (200L Computer Science), General Secretary, Jaiyeola Abidemi, (100L Biochemistry), Assistant General Secretary, Adhuze Orezime Damilola (200L Microbiology), Financial Secretary, Ogunmoriyele Oladapo (200L Microbiology), Assistant Financial Secretary, Shola-Shittu Oluwatobi (200L Computer Science), Public Relations Officer, Gbenedio Ogheneyoma (200L Microbiology), Director of Welfare and Peter Johnson (100L Geophysics), Director of Social and Sports.

YOUNG graduates and final year students preparing for the labour market can learn from a recruitment manual, which has just hit the bookstands.

The manual, You’re Hired, written

by Harry Nnoli, a business expert, gives hints on the recruitment process of employers and how candidates can make themselves employable.

Nnoli said the book is a blend of his personal experiences and wellresearched work from authorities around the world.

While it provides applicants with tactics for selling themselves, answering interview questions, and making the best of job interviews, the book also guides employers on how to hire good candidates.

Nnoli has over 20 years in marketing, sales and business management. In addition to being the managing director at Transaction Payment Solutions, he is a management consultant, business philosopher and motivational speaker.

Foundation holds lecture ALL is set for this year’s Hayford Alile Foundation annual lecture scheduled to hold on April 24 at the Julius Berger Hall, University of Lagos.

Fola Adeola, founder and Chairman Fate Foundation, is to chair the lecture, titled: ‘Innovating for market distinctiveness,’ which will be delivered by Ms Evelyn Oputu, Managing Director, Bank of Industry (BoI).

The foundation’s Executive Secretary, Mrs Bawo Kujore, said this year’s ceremony promises to be exciting as well as enriching as it coincides with the 74th Birthday of Apostle Hayford Alile.

28

THE NATION THURSDAY, APRIL 17, 2014

EDUCATION NOUN promotes provost

EKSU FILE

Alumni praise VC THE Vice-Chancellor, Ekiti State University (EKSU), Ado-Ekiti, Prof Patrick Oladipo Aina has called on the alumni of the institution to emulate the 1989 Sociology graduates in supporting the University.

He made the call while hosting the Sociology graduates led by their President, Mr. Godwin Uzoh.

The former students, who passed through the university between 1985 and 1989, donated computers to their former department.

Expressing joy over the gesture, Aina said with about 55,000 members of the alumni, the university would benefit from their contribution to its development.

Responding, Uzoh said they were impressed by the great development noticed in the university and promised to mobilise others to support further growth.

Other members of the set on the team included Mrs Toyin Onisile, Mr Olorunsola Olorungbenga, Mrs Bola Olusesan and Chief Peter Adekunle.

A lecturer, Prof Wale Adesina, noted that the visiting alumni were among the brilliant students of the set in their days.

Ogunyemi is Acting Registrar THE EKSU Governing Council has appointed the Director, Council Affairs of the Institution, Mr. Emmanuel Adebisi Ogunyemi, as the Acting Registrar of the university.

His appointment takes effect from May 1.

Ogunyemi’s appointment follows the Council’s approval of the terminal leave of the incumbent Registrar, Dr Omojola Awosusi, at its 111th meeting.

Ogunyemi obtained his Bachelor’s in Economics at the University of Ife, (now Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife) in 1983 and his Post-graduate Diploma in Computer Science from the University of Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria in 1997. He obtained his Master of Business Administration at the University of Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria in 2000.

He has held virtually all Administrative positions in the university since joining on November 30, 1990 as an Administrative Officer I and Faculty Officer (Faculty of Science). He rose to the position of Deputy Registrar in 2002.

He became the Registrar of the erstwhile The University of Education Ikere-Ekiti, (TUNEDIK) from May 16, 2008 to 2011, when the state government decided to consolidate the three state-owned universities into one.

FRSC promises safety THE sector commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in Ekiti State, Mr R.T. Kumven, has promised adequate patrol of roads leading to EKSU to prevent accidents.

He made the pledge when he visited the Vice-chancellor, Prof Oladipo Aina, with some officers.

Kumven further thanked the Vice-Chancellor for donating a car to special marshals on campus and asked for more support from the university.

The Vice-Chancellor promised to continue to support the Road Safety personnel in preventing accidents and untimely deaths.

All special Marshals in the university accompanied the Road Safety boss to the ViceChancellor’s office.

By Adegunle Olugbamila

•Pupils of Meritland School, Ajao Estate during their Culture Day programme

Ghana leads in 2013 WASSCE

G

HANAIAN candidates have clinched the top three spots in the May/June 2013 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), despite Nigeria producing 80 per cent of the candidates for the examination.

Out of 2,109,122 candidates that sat for the examination in Nigeria, Ghana, The Gambia and Liberia, 1,689,188 registered for it in Nigeria.

The three Ghanaians, who excelled in the examination, miss Ivy Ama Mannoh (1st Prize), Miss Rhoda Adu-Boafo (2nd Prize) and Master Mwinmaarong Lucio Dery (third), were honoured with the International Excellence Award during the 62nd Annual Meeting of the Governing Council of the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) held in Freetown, Sierra Leone.

A statement by Mr David Aduloju, Director, Public Affairs, WAEC Headquarters, Ghana, noted that Ivy also won the Augustus Bandele Oyediran Award for the Best Candidate in West Africa, while the Distinguished Friend of Council award was conferred on Mr. V. A. V. James, a Sierra Leonean and former Head of the Freetown

By Kofoworola Belo-Osagie

Office of WAEC, in recognition of his contribution to the development of education.

In his keynote address at the opening of the three-day meeting, Sierra Leone’s President, Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma, congratulated WAEC on the successful execution of its mandate for 62 years despite various challenges that seek to undermine its standards.

He urged stakeholders in education to stand firm and sustain the fight against examination malpractice in order to uphold credibility, integrity and excellence in all examinations.

President Koroma, who was represented by the Minister of Education, Science and Technology, Dr Minkailu Bah, explained that his country’s decision to adopt a 6-3-44 system of education was to create the required contact hours for adequate syllabus coverage and improved performance in the terminal examinations.

The meeting also featured the 19th Council Annual Endowment fund Lectures entitled: Last to be hired, first to be fired: Addressing the challenges

of teacher management in the provision of quality education in Sierra Leone which was delivered by the Acting Vice Chancellor, University of Sierra Leone, Prof Ekundayo Thompson.

During the meeting, Council received reports on its examinations conducted in the preceding year in the member countries and ratified the decisions taken on its behalf by various committees and also considered action plans of the national offices for quality service delivery in the year ahead.

The council also congratulated the Liberian Government on the successful conduct of the WASSCE for the first time in that country in May/June 2013; and discussed plans to host an international conference on Education, Gender and Development in October 2014 in Liberia, as well as a National Stakeholders’ Dialogue on Examination Malpractice in each of the five member countries.

The meeting ended with the election of the leader of the Sierra Leone delegation, Dr. Alhaji Mohamed Kamara, as Vice-Chairman for one year. He succeeds Mr. Baboucarr Bouy of The Gambia.

THE Governing Council, National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), has promoted the Provost of Michael Otedola College of Primary Education (MOCPED), Olu Akeusola as Professor of Comparative Grammar of French and Yoruba.

His promotion, was contained in a letter dated March28, and signed by the NOUN Registrar, Mrs. Josephine Akinyemi. It was backdated to January 1, last year.

Born in Epe, Lagos State on March 21, 1962, Akeusola attended Epe Grammar School, Epe between 1974 and 1980. He proceded to the then Lagos State College of Education, now Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education (AOCOED) Otto/Ijanikin and graduated in 1986. He had his first degree at the University of Lagos (UNILAG) in 1990, emerging the Best Scholar of the year (1988/89 session).

He was also the recipient of the Dean Faculty of Arts award for the Best Performance in French (1989/90 session); Vice-Chancellor’s award for the Best Performance at the Degree Level (1989/90 session).

Akeusola also obtained his Masters and PhD from the university in 1994 and 2003.

The don has over 15 text books, 60 articles published in national and international journals to his credit.

He has presented over 20 seminar papers and edited several publications. He is a member of over 10 professional bodies and has served in various capacities.

In a related development, Akeusola has been re-elected National Secretary-General, Committee of Provosts of Colleges of Education in Nigeria for another two years.

A statement by COP said the decision was ratified at the committee’s 69th regular meeting held at the National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE) conference room Abuja, on April 1.

According to the statement, the Provost, Federal College of Education, Asaba, Delta State Dr. Ignatius Ezeom, emerged the National Chairman; his counterpart from the Niger State College of Education Prof.

Frauk Haruna was elected the national vice-chairman.

Rivers inducts 176 exam ethics marshals

W

ITH the induction of teachers and other officials as Exam Ethics Marshals in Rivers State, the Commissioner for Education, Dame Alice Lawrence-Nemi, said the state is looking beyond infrastructure to entrenching ethical practices.

The inauguration of the 176 educationists was done by Mr Ike Onyechere, founding Chairman of Exam Ethics Marshal International, a group that advocates integrity of examination and other processes within the education system, at the Alfred Diete Spiff Civic Centre in Port Harcourt.

Mrs Lawrence-Nemi said the induction further underscores the seriousness about ridding the state of malpractices during both internal and external examinations. She said the Marshals are expected to be sterling examples of the gospel of ethical practices.

She said: “As a state that is very committed to the promotion of best practices and integrity in the conduct of our examination, and in line with our Mission Statement of providing qualitative and sound education, we are now resolved to go even further in stamping out the scourge of examination misconduct in Rivers State.

•From left: Onyechere presenting a certificate of induction to Mrs Lawrence-Nemi. With them is the Permanent Secretary, Mr West

“The state government is not only building schools but we are also committed in raising a new breed of future leaders with character and learning through entrenchment of ethics, integrity and best practices’’. Change is inevitable to the socio-economic development of any nation and that change can only come from us. Today is a special day in the history of Rivers State Ministry of Education as we induct an army of Exam Marshals that will preach the good news of honesty, Integrity and best practices to all and sundry in the state.”

On the part of government, the Commissioner said the Ministry of Education has introduced many avenues to curb examination malpractices, including clamping down on

many miracle centres and insisting on the registration of right candidates for every external examinations.

She, however, charged the Marshals to live up to the expectations of the oath they took, warning that penalty awaits any of them found guilty of examination malpractice.

In his address, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Minabelem Michael West, described examination malpractice as a big offence that is even worse than corruption. To this end, he warned principals, teachers and invigilators that are supervising the on-going May/June 2014 West Africa Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) to desist from extorting money from candidates taking the examination.

With their inauguration, the Exam Ethics Marshals International EEMI Chairman, Onyechere, said the marshals have joined over 100,000 others waging a war against examination malpractices in many African countries, including Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia, Cameroun, Tanzania, and Republic of Benin.

He said the goal of the organisation is to enlist and deploy at least one million marshals by 2015.

The Chairman, Rivers State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEBE), Sir Alli Oruitemeka, praised the government for inducting exam ethics marshals in the state. He said the induction of the marshals will lead to the eradication of examination malpractice.

29

Memorable day for freshers

*CAMPUSES

NDDC’s kind gesture

Page 31

*NEWS *PEOPLE *KUDOS& KNOCKS *GRANTS

Page 42

CAMPUS LIFE

THE NATION

0805-450-3104 email: campusbeat@yahoo.com THURSDAY, APRIL 17, 2014

Website:- http://www.thenationonlineng.net

email:- campuslife@thenationonlineng.net

14 injured in campus crash Fourteen students of the Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU), Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State, were injured when a commercial bus conveying them to their hostels lost control and ran into the bush.

MODESTUS DIKO (400-Level Microbiology) and SANYA BOLUWATIFE (200-Level Law) report.

T

HERE was panic on the AgoIwoye Campus of the Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU) in Ogun State last week when a 14-seater commercial bus conveying students lost control and veered off the road.

All the passengers, including the driver, were injured after the bus crashed into the bush, about 200 metres from the institution’s main gate.

Students rushed to the scene to rescue victims from the mangled vehicle. Female students wailed at the sight of blood. The school security personnel moved to the scene with an ambulance to join rescuers.

The victims were returning to their off-campus hostels when the accident occurred.

Four students, CAMPUSLIFE learnt, were critically injured, nine others had bruises on their faces and legs.

For more than 30 minutes, rescuers laboured to remove the vehicle’s doors to bring out the trapped victims. After they were brought out,

•The mangled bus on the spot of the crash

they were rushed to the institution’s Health Centre. Those seriously injured were referred to the Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital (OOUTH) in Sagamu.

The institution’s top management, led by the Vice-Chancellor, Prof Saburi Adesanya, were at the Health Centre to see the victims. Weeping

students gathered at the hospital to pray for the victims, who were writhing in pains.

Our correspondents gathered that the seriously wounded driver was transferred to a government hospital in Ijebu Ode. A passenger in the ill-fated vehicle said the accident was caused by brake

failure.

“When we discovered that the brake of the bus had failed, we started screaming for help and some wanted to jump out of the vehicle before it crashed into a tree,” a victim, who spoke to our correspondent, said.

CAMPUSLIFE gathered that it was the fourth accident on that spot in

two weeks.

It was learnt that a Toyota Camry skidded off the spot last week, crashing into the bush. Penultimate Monday, a cab got burnt on the spot. The next day, a commercial bus’ brake failed on the spot but the vehicle did not crash.

•Continued on page 30

•Mixed reactions trail exam postponement•Students protest management-lecturers’ face-off -P32

THE NATION THURSDAY, APRIL 17, 2014

30

CAMPUS LIFE The exploitation of our fault lines (I)

R

EGULAR readers of this column know I seldom discuss politics; my major concern - in almost two years now - has remained Nigeria’s tertiary education sector. I mainly dwell on education policies and how it affects the sector alongside other sundry issues. But I will be deviating from this today based on an encounter I had with some young undergraduates from my home state, Benue. It is not often that one comes across young men who understand what the weighty issues concerning Nigeria are.

The young men expressed serious concerns over the ongoing farmers/herdsmen clash ravaging some states in the middle belt or central Nigeria, particularly Benue.

Only a couple of weeks ago, the entourage of Benue State Governor, Gabriel Suswam was attacked by suspected Fulani herdsmen while on his way to undertake an on the spot assessment of a community that suffered one of these attacks. Reports had it that the governor was visibly shaken from the attack.

One of the major concerns from our discussion is the deliberate attempt to destroy the economy of the region which is basically farming; it is for this reason that Benue State is referred to as “The food basket of the Nation.” Before I progress further, it is pertinent to point out that cattle herdsmen operate within an expansive geography oscillating between their major base within the savannah in the rainy season in the middle belt and the wetter south during the dry season. They are in search of natural pasture, water and for marketing of their animals and products. Herdsmen, who often settle in small tents, use familiar grazing areas and cattle routes each year.

Interaction between two or more interdependent resource users, in this case between pastoralists and crop farmers over common environmental resources including land, pasture, crop-residue, livestock routes, water points has in the past been

Pushing Out with

Agbo Agbo 08116759750 (SMS only)

•aagboa@gmail.com well managed. In essence, the Fulani herdsmen interact well with their host communities whenever they are in their annual migratory sojourn. There have been instances where cattle destroy crops and the herdsmen were known to have apologised and make amends.

But as my guests observed, “all these are in the past now” as the present day herdsmen is not just a mere herdsman but a mercenaries roaming around with sophisticated weapons only soldiers were known to carry. In their “quest” for grazing rights they have been accused of sacking whole communities through scorched earth campaigns so that their cattle can roam freely and unhindered.

Crop damage caused by animal belonging to herdsmen often results in conflicts which arises from farm encroachment or cattle routes and sometimes water points. Other conflicts sources include grazing harvested crops. If this was well managed in the past, why is it not managed now? But the bigger question hanging in the air right now is this: Are they really herdsmen?

What makes the whole scenario scary is that there appears to be no solution to the menace as there have been thousands of internally displaced people within the state.

One of them raised the issue of food production and security for 2015. “By this time of the year, farmers are supposed to be getting their land ready for the next planting season as they await the rains. But with this situation how can they go to their farms when they are not sure they will return alive? He asked rhetorically.

Covering 40 percent of Nigeria’s land area and having ¼ of Nigeria population, communities in the middle belt consists of frag-

ESSAY CONTEST FOR UNDERGRADS THE Nation CAMPUSLIFE, in collaboration with AfricanLiberty.org and Network for a Free Society, is calling for entries into an essay competition.

Details are as follows: Question: Freedom creates prosperity. It unleashes human talent, invention and innovation, creating wealth where none existed before. Discuss.

Eligibility: All African Students in any tertiary institutions (university, polytechnic, college of education and technical schools) in Africa. The format of the text should be in Microsoft word and not more than 1,500 words.

Interested students can visit www.africanliberty.org for background materials. Note that plagiarism is not allowed; any text or sentences copied from other people works must be indicated in quotation marks and credit must be given at the bottom of the paper to the author. Any entry that contains plagiarised work will be disqualified.

On the first page of the completed essay, please write your full names, department, level of study and name of institution.

Also include your email address and mobile phone number.

Send your entries to adedayo.thomas@gmail.com Entries will be received between March 6 and June 6, 2014.

Late entries will not be accepted. Winners will be announced on July 3 , 2014. All entries will get a free book titled Why Liberty

by Tom G. Palmer OR Foundation of a Free Society by Eamonn Butler. Please be sure you include your postal address if different from your school address.

Prizes: 1st - George Ayittey (Platinum Prize): $1,000 and scholarship to 2014 Students and Young Professional African Liberty Academy (SYPALA)/ASFL at the University of Cape Town Business School, South Africa, from August 14-17, 2014 2nd - Anthony Fisher (Gold Prize): $700 and scholarship to 2014 Students and Young Professional African Liberty Academy (SYPALA)/ASFL at the University of Cape Town Business School, South Africa, from August 14- 17, 2014 3rd - Derenle Edun (Silver Prize): $500 and scholarship to 2014 Students and Young Professional African Liberty Academy (SYPALA)/ASFL at University of Cape Town Business School. South Africa, from August 14- 17, 2014 4th – The Nation CAMPUSLIFE Media Prize (Bronze): $300 and scholarship to 2014 Students and Young Professional African Liberty Academy (SYPALA)/ASFL at the University of Cape Town Business School, South Africa, from August 14- 17, 2014.

We also have eight consolation prizes of $50 each.

mented ethnic groups with some Fulani population based on migration.

I was made to understand that what fuelled the latest round of unwarranted and senseless killings is the rumour that the people of the state - who have lived for decades with Fulani herdsmen - are responsible for cattle rustling in which herdsmen have lost their cattle in recent times. Newspaper reports had it that Governor Gabriel Suswam attributed the killings and wanton destructions in the state to this misconception.

He also stated that the attacks - in which over 200 persons have been killed in the last few weeks - may have been carried out by terrorists from outside his state, saying the Fulani who live in communities in the state carry sticks and local guns, not sophisticated weapons like AK-47, which have been used in the mass killings. There have also even been unconfirmed reports about chemical weapons being used.

In an interview with Sunday Trust the governor was quoted as saying: “I think what is happening in Benue is a reflection of what is happening elsewhere across the country. The Fulani that we have lived with we know very well. The highest weapons they carried were local guns and their sticks. But these crops of Fulani that we now have are people who carry sophisticated weapons. Therefore, I still believe, and it is the conviction of most Tiv people, that this is a different crop of Fulani who are not the ones that have settled with us and joked together with the Tiv. Therefore, the belief I have and which is shared by a lot of people is that it is the same insurgents that are operating in other parts of the country that have found themselves in Benue, using the Fulani as façade to unleash mayhem and create the impression that the Tiv people are fighting with the Fulani.”

Perhaps I need to point out that it is not only the Tiv people of the state that have had to deal with these herdsmen; the Idomas have also had a fair share of the mayhem. Last month, unknown gunmen attacked some villages in Agatu local government area killing no fewer than 19 people and abducting 15 people, including women and children in the process. The people of Kogi, Nassarawa, Taraba and Plateau also have stories of woes to tell.

The Deputy Governor of Benue state, Chief Steven Lawani, said on the average, 12 people were being killed on a daily basis in the State, something that was unheard of in the communities previously.

What we later found disheartening is the politicization of our fault lines. There is a misconception within the ranks of the political elites in the state where some “old breed” politicians are accusing the “new breed” politicians of lacking the experience to handle such a sensitive issue as the of herdsmen incursion. I was made to understand that this is one of the “tools” being used to accuse the younger generation of lacking tact and vision. To me, this is standing truth on its head because what we are dealing with presently is a national calamity with international connections.

The Borno-Yobe Elders pushed this further when they held a press conference on Monday. It was revealed that insurgents get their weapons delivered to them with helicopters!

What this is telling us is that our airspace can be breached without us knowing it.

A former Chief of Air Staff, Air Vice Marshall Al Amin Daggash, who spoke on behalf of the leaders, asked some questions without answers. Hear him: “Are the authorities unaware of helicopters dropping arms and ammunition, food and medical supplies to areas well known to be strongholds of the insurgents?

“How were the insurgents able to attack the Maiduguri Air Force Base and demobilise as well as burn planes and other military installations, despite existing state of emergency and curfew in the town? How could 20 to 30 Toyota Hilux vehicles move in a convoy freely with subsisting curfew and still go undetected?

“How did a little band of rag-tag misguided youths metamorphose into a well kitted, well-armed killing machine moving freely in convoy, of vehicles and supported by helicopters?

“How did the Shilka Tank, a multipurpose self-propelled anti-aircraft artillery weapon positioned to secure Giwa Barracks fail to function, resulting in heavy loss of lives both civilian and military, as widely reported in the media? Are we dealing with fifth columnists in this crisis?”

Are these questions far removed from that of Governor Suswam? Some forces are definitely exploiting our fault lines and want this nation to disintegrate if not checked.

Adebayo Adegoke has served in various capacities in the Students’ Union Government (SUG) of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) in Ile-Ife, Osun State. The 300-Level student of Psychology, who contested for president in the just-concluded SUG election, tells KEMI BUSARI (400-Level Political Science) how he started campus politics.

‘Politics is an avenue to serve’

W

HEN did you start politics?

I became politically conscious in 1995 when I was in primary school. I had always been the class captain for my classes. I got a better understanding of politics through the fact that my family listens to news regularly. My father mandated all of us to read newspapers and listen to news on the television, especially the NTA Network News.

What has been your experience in students’ unionism?

Immediately I completed my registration as a student of this university, I started engaging in students’ union activities. I began by watching the proceedings of the parliament. Later, I contested and won a seat in the Students’ Representative Council (SRC) and served till the union was proscribed in 2011. I have also served at the departmental level. But I felt I could serve my colleagues in a higher capacity. I contested in the just-concluded SUG election.

Would you say that vying for

•Adebayo

SUG presidency is your highest ambition?

Politics, for me, is a platform to serve humanity in any capacity one considers it necessary. Over the years, passion for service and love for humanity have kept me going.

The union presidency can never be my highest ambition; after school, I want to be a senator. My experience in the parliament makes me to develop passion for law-making •Continued on page 31

14 injured in campus crash •Continued from page 29

“It is abnormal for different accidents to happen on the same spot,” a student, who did not mention his name, said.

Another student said: “It is be yond what the students can comprehend.

As I speak with you now, two students of Philosophy Department are in hospital as a result injuries from an accident on Oru Road in March.

All these accidents happened within the school. This is a sign that this university needs prayer.”

The president of the Students’

Union Government (SUG), Segun Ifade, said he was grateful that nobody died in the accident.

“It is sad that people spread rumour of death of the victims of the accident. I can confidently tell you that all the students involved are responding to treatment. Our prayer is that they all recover on time. We will ensure we do follow up to ensure that none of the victims is abandoned,” he said.

At 8:30pm on Thursday, six of the victims with minor injuries were discharged.

Ifade said the union had taken

step to prevent a recurrence. He said the union would organise training for bus drivers plying the campus route. “We discovered that many drivers violate the speed limit set for vehicles moving on the campus. The union will invite Vehicle Inspection Officers (VIO) to carry out inspection on the buses and help us to detect the ones that are not road worthy,” he said.

Ifade said the union would meet the management to construct speed breakers on major roads on the campus.

THE NATION THURSDAY,APRIL 17, 2014

31

CAMPUS LIFE Part-time members of the National Association of Computer Science Students’ (NACOSS) of the Lagos State Polytechnic (LASPOTECH) have held an orientation for freshers. TOLULOPE OGUNLEYE (graduating student of Computer Science Department) reports.

Memorable day for freshers

I

T was their first orientation since they were admitted into the Lagos State Polytechnic (LASPOTECH). After welcoming them, president of part-time members of the National Association of Computer Science Students (NACOSS) Robert Uwemedimo said: “This is the department that is not only helping students to achieve their academic dreams, we also have lecturers that are committed to your future.”

This was how the orientation held for part-time students of Computer Science began last Sunday.

The orientation with the theme: Aptitude meets exposure, took place in the auditorium of the Students’ Union Government (SUG). It was attended by the co-ordinator of the Computer Science part-time studies, Mr Idris Aremu; SUG president Abdulkareem Yusuf; president of regular members of NACOSS Oyewole Eweje; his General Secretary, Isaac Ogbonnaya and other student-leaders.

Robert described the department as the institution’s centre of excellence, saying its graduates have distinguished themselves in the field of networking and computing. He said the programme was organised to help the freshers find answers to some of their questions. He said he was convinced that the event would help them to take a long-term career decision.

Aremu advised the students to face their studies, saying: “If you want to be strong after your graduation, you have the opportunity to start strong.”

Aremu urged them not to engage in malpractice, saying any

•Freshers at the orientation.

student caught would be expelled from the institution. He advised them to consult their brilliant senior colleagues whenever they face academic challenges.

Ganiyu Babalola, a former president of the association, who is now a professional in the Information Technology world, spoke to the students on Professionalism in IT: Where lies your career. He told the students to strive for excellence and make themselves employable after graduation.

He advised them to use their time productively, showing them how to bring themselves up to date about innovation in technological world.

Babalola introduced the freshers to lucrative areas of computer science, advising them to

•Robert

choose their career path and follow it with passion.

He said: “There are numerous

graduates with good results but without jobs. They only have certificates and not necessary skills that will make them employable.

If you can adhere to the gospel I am preaching here, you will not graduate and be jobless.”

Gabriel Fawehinmi, a final year student in the department, took the freshers through the laboratory ethics, culture and regulation to ensure safety at all time. Mr Bolaji Adebayo, a technologist in the department, taught the students how to calculate their Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA), which, he said, would determine their academic wellbeing on campus.

Moses Emoriken, a motivational speaker and graduate of Psychology from the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) in Ile-Ife, Osun

State, encouraged the students to discover their natural ability while striving for academic excellence. He said many graduates remained unemployed because of their thinking that their certificates would get them jobs, while the wise ones use their talents to empower themselves.

Emoriken encouraged the students to read widely and think outside the box, saying: “You must also imbibe the habit of giving back to the society by participating in community development programmes which have their own reward.”

Some of the freshers, who spoke to CAMPUSLIFE, described the programme as educative and memorable, saying they have been equipped with tools for success.

Timothy Olubodun, a final year student of the Adeyemi College of Education in Ondo, died in an accident on his way to Ibadan to repair his smashed android phone. TAIWO ADEBULU reports.

‘Live today as it were the last’ •Student’s last words before death in crash

H

E saw the Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU) ongoing strike as an opportunity to do something in school. So, he did not leave when some of his fellow students at the Adeyemi College of Education in Ondo were leaving. The late Timothy Olubodun, a final year student of Primary Education Studies (PES) in English, stayed back in school to acquire more skills.

He felt the strike was an opportunity to add value to his life by learning a trade before graduation.

Last week, the late Timothy travelled to Ibadan to repair the screen of his android phone. which got smashed. With the hope of returning to Ondo after the repair, the late Timothy told his colleagues: “I will be back soon.”

He never did. The vehicle in which he was was travelling was involved in an ac•Continued from page 30

and the belief that through effective representation and impactful laws, things will change for the better in the country.

Do you think student unionism is achieving its aim in Nigeria?

It depends on how one looks at it. But I must add that there has been progress and

cident on the Gbongan-Ikire Road. He died on the spot.

Eyewitnesses told CAMPUSLIFE that the driver of the ill-fated bus lost control of the vehicle, which was said to be on top speed. The bus rammed into an electric pole on the highway. Timothy was said to be the only occupant that died in the 18-seater vehicle.

Other passengers, it was learnt, sustained severe injuries and are receiving treatment at the State General Hospital in Ikire, Osun State.

Before his death, Timothy, was the course representative in his department and choir coordinator of Winners Campus Fellowship in the college.

At his funeral in Akure South Local Government Cemetery in Ondo State, last Friday, bereaved relatives recalled his last

moment with them.

His elder brother, Sunday, who said the deceased was the last child of the family, described him as “an easy-going and friendly person whom everyone loved to be with”.

His classmate and roommate, Oluwasunkanmi Afiwajoye, said he was still devastated by his friend’s death.

Oluwasunkanmi said he had a telephone conversation with the late Timothy three hours before the accident. He said the deceased was a bundle of inspiration to his friends.

“He had been my friend since our secondary school days. He was a mentor and confidant. The day he died, we chatted on 2go social network. I never knew that would be our last conversation,” Olawunmi Olorunmola, the deceased’s classmate, said.

A Winners Campus Fellowship member, who did not say her name, said everyone knew “Brother Timothy” as a vibrant member of the fellowship. She said: “He was the choir coordinator; a vibrant one at that.”

Two days before the ill-fated journey, the

‘Politics is an avenue to serve’ shortfall. In my opinion, students have benefitted more from students’ unionism. Some lives have improved; students are decorous now compared to the past when they destroyed property before making their griev-

ances known to the authorities. Some needless protests by student-leaders have altered academic calendars negatively. Such is bad for academics.

What is your advice to student-politicians?

They must acquire knowledge and develop

•The late Timothy

late Timothy wrote on his Facebook page: “Redeem thy mis-spent time that’s past; live this day, as it were thy last.” competence in their chosen careers. They must also possess a good character before going into politics fully. As young politicians, we must not allow material gains to becloud our motivation to render selfless service to the society. Above all, they should see politics as a vehicle to advance the cause of humanity and not to attain leadership position without good reason to lead the people.

THE NATION THURSDAY, APRIL 17, 2014

32

CAMPUS LIFE Mixed reactions trail exam postponement

Shun prostitution and cultism, VC advises freshers

S

TUDENTS of the University of Agriculture in Makurdi, Benue State, have decried the postponement of their examinations, which was slated for April 7.

CAMPUSLIFE gathered that the development was caused by the recent rainstorm in the state capital, which affected the roof of the Electronic Testing Centre where the examinations are to be conducted.

Samuel Edoh, a 200-Level Home Science and Management student, said: “ I don’t have anything to do than to work with the new exam timetable, but the university authority should know that that this change can lead to mass failure because students can lose their morale.”

He said the rainstorm should not be used as excuse for postponing the examination.

Graduating students are the worst hit. Many of them lamented their prolonged stay in school due to the shift in timetable.

Timothy Akogwu, a 400-Level Statistics and Computer Science

From Enyinna Udenze MOUA

•Prof Adeyemo (with megaphone) addressing the students in Dalhatu Tafida Hostel

From Abba and Benjamin Idoko UNIAGRIC MAKURDI Education student said: “I am tired of being a final year student for too long. I need to go out there to show the world what I have got.”

But for Obinna Onwuka, a 300Level Physics student, the extension was a blessing in disguise. “I would rather say I am happy because this

adjustment will make me prepare better for the exams. As for my upkeep, I have sufficient resources to sustain myself during the period.”

To calm the angry students, Dean of Students’ Affairs, Prof M. O. Adeyemo, visited hostels to sensitise students on the development. The Dean was in Dalhatu Tafida Hostel on South Core Campus.

He said: “I got the complaints of the students on phone last night and I thought it wise to discuss the issue with you. The management postponed the examination because of the destruction of the electronic testing centre by rainstorm. I assure student that by next week, I will meet with all those involved in timetable planning and possibly resolve this issue for the good of everyone.”

Best students to get N1m

Students protest managementlecturers’ face-off

From Saad Aliyu MAUTECH

D

EMONSTRATION rocked the Federal Polytechnic, Offa (OFFA POLY) last week when lecturers boycotted the on-going examinations to protest their unpaid salaries.

Chairman of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) at the institution, Mr Ojeniyi , said the examination was stopped because of the unpaid salaries of the lecturers.

Students protested the decision of their lecturers, saying it was not in best interest of the polytechnic. They staged a violent protest to compel management to continue the examination. They carried placards with inscriptions such as “No to strike” and “Exam must continue.”

Vehicular movement was interrupted for hours. The protesters moved to the palace of Oba Mufutau Agbadamosi , calling on the traditional ruler to intervene.

The Students’ Union Government President, Festus Adedeji, told the

•The polytechnic students during the demonstration

From Jennifer Umeh OFFA POLY students that it was wrong for their lecturers to stop the examination until they were paid their salaries.

Rotaract organises quiz for pupils

A

S part of activities to mark its literary week, members of Rotaract Club in Ikoyi and Mushin, both from Rotary District 9110 Nigeria, have organised a quiz and spelling bee competition for 10 schools in Ikoyi-Obalende Local Council Development Authority and Mushin Local Government Area.

Participating schools included the Community Junior Secondary School, Mushin; Oduduwa Junior Secondary School, Mushin; New State High School, Mushin; Lafiaji High School, Obalende; Aunty Ayo Girls Comprehensive Secondary School, Ikoyi; Girls Junior Second-

THE Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike (MOUA) has held its 21st matriculation at the Ceremonial Pavillion on campus.

The event started at 10am when the Public Relations Officer, Mrs Onyinye Nwachukwu, ushered the freshers into the venue according to their departments.

The Vice-Chancellor, Prof Hilary Odo Edeoga, urged the new students to be worthy ambassadors of the institution. He advised them to take their studies seriously, saying it was their primary responsibility. He told the students to shun cultism, exam malpractices, prostitution, drug abuse and all form of social vices.

A lecturer, Dr Uchechi Apu, advised the new students to be diligent in their academic pursuits.

The freshers took the oath of matriculation amid excitement. Some of them, who spoke to CAMPUSLIFE, expressed joy, promising not to let their parents down.

Speaking to CAMPUSLIFE, Fatima Issa, ND II Mass communication, said: “The lecturers’ excuse for disrupting the exams is flimsy. Why would they stop the examination just like that? They did not even con-

sider the plight of the poor students.”

Later, a team of security operatives came to disperse the students by shooting sporadically into the air and throwing teargas to scare the students away.

From Dayo Ojerinde LAGOS ary School, Ikoyi and St Gregory’s College, Obalende.

At the end of the competition, Aunty Ayo Girls Comprehensive Secondary School and Community Junior Secondary School emerged the overall best schools from the two local governments.

A representative of the club, Ayeni Timothy, presented the awards to the schools. He expressed satisfaction at the performance of the participating schools; urging other members of the club to embark on life-transforming projects.

•Members of the club with participants after the contest

AS part of efforts to encourage Adamawa State students studying engineering-related courses at the Modibbo Adama University of Technology (MAUTECH) in Yola, Ambassa d o r H u ssa i n i S u l a i m a n Tahirhas, has instituted the sum of N1million as reward for the best engineering student of the university.

The cheque was presented to the Vice-Chancellor, Prof Bashir Haruna Usman, in his office last week. The overall best student in Agricultural Engineering, Civil Engineeri n g, C h e m i c a l E n gi n e e ri n g, Electrical and Electronics Engineering and Mechanical Engineering would share the cash prize.

Tahir said the gesture was aimed at encouraging students to study hard and promote development in the society.

Prof Usman thanked the donor for his generosity and assu re d h i m th e sc h o l a rsh i p would go a long way in motivating students in their quest for knowledge.

Newspaper of the Year

AN 8-PAGE PULLOUT ON SOUTHEAST STATES THURSDAY, APRIL 17, 2014

Customs intensifies clampdown on smugglers

Abia people ‘ll decide who governs them •PAGE 34

•PAGE 39

PAGE 33

Obiano cracks down on criminals •PAGE 40

•Dignitaries rounding off the 25th Enugu Trade Fair

‘Fed Govt should build Enugu T Trade Fair like others’ HREE of them started the race together. Two made it to the finish-line. One has been limping, uncertain when to sight the breast-tape.

That is the story of the Enugu International Trade Fair. It was one of the three approved by the Federal Government. The other two are in Lagos and Kaduna.

The Federal Government undertook to develop and build the three trade fair complexes. That of Lagos was developed 100 per cent by the federal government. The Kaduna compex was given state-of-the-art facilities by the defunct Muhammadu Buhari-led Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF).

What about the fair grounds in Enugu? It has remained an orphan, unloved and jinxed. After much empty posturings by the Ibrahim Babangida administration, the permanent site of the Enugu International Trade was declared a Private Public Partnership project. All entreaties by the Enugu Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture (ECCIMA) as well as well-meaning people of the Southeast for the federal government to fully develop the permanent site did not impress the federal authorities.

ECCIMA protested: “We are not interested in buying into the Public-Private Partnership because they developed the Lagos and the Kaduna International Trade Fair

From Chris Oji, Enugu

without using the PPP arrangement, so why will they use the PPP arrangement when it comes to Enugu International Trade Fair.

“We are saying to them that they should have enough money in the budgetary allocation to ensure equity, to ensure that no zone is favoured against the other. This is our position and we hope that they will live up to our expectation by bringing about development, bringing in reputable contractors to develop the Enugu International fair to a reputable arena for exhibition of wares.”

At the closing ceremony of the just concluded 25th edition of the Enugu International Trade Fair, Enugu State Governor Sullivan Chime lent his voice to the call for the total development of the permanent site of the trade fair like its Lagos and Kaduna counterparts. Chime who was represented by his Commerce commissioner, Dr. Jude Akubuilo pleaded with the Federal Government to do to Enugu what it did to Lagos and Kaduna with regards to the trade fair complex.

The occasion, which also served as

‘The Federal Government should have enough money to ensure equity, to ensure that no zone is favoured against the other. This is our position and we hope that they will live up to our expectation by bringing about development at the Enugu Trade Fair’ Enugu State Day at the fair, was attended by the Minister of state Ministry of Industry, Trade and Industry and supervising minister of Aviation, Dr. Samuel Ortom.

Chime who argued that the call for the total development of the Enugu trade fair complex was informed by the conducive investment environment prevalent in Enugu and other Southeast states, capitalized on the occasion to showcase the business opportunities in Enugu and highlight the achievements of his administration.

He believes that only the development of the Enugu International Trade Fair complex would attract genuine investors to the region.

The governor said it was now common knowledge that the government of Enugu State has since the inception of his administration, spared nothing to ensure the entrenchment of a conducive environment for business and commercial activities to develop and thrive.

Said he: “Massive and unrelenting development of relevant infrastruc-

ture in all parts of the state, coupled with a high level of security and socio-political serenity are only but a few of the major efforts of the government in this direction, that led to a very significant boom in business activities in many sectors of the economy.

Today, Enugu State not only ranks as one of the fastest growing states in the Nigeria in terms of economic development, but has also been acclaimed as the safest place in the country.

The government has indeed continued to engage and partner actively with the private sector towards the actualising of its desire to bring about a complete transformation of the business outlook of the state.

For example, the government only recently signed a lease agreement with Dao Gia JSC of Vietnam for the reactivation and operation of the Sunrise Flour Mills, Enugu with the expectation that it would commence full operations soon. We have also recently signed an MOU •Continued on page 35

THE NATION THURSDAY, APRIL 17, 2014

34

THE SOUTHEAST REPORT One-time Speaker, Abia State House of Assembly, and ex-member, House of Representatives, Sir Stanley Ugochukwu Ohajuruka, is a founding member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abia State. In this interview with SUNNY NWANKWO, he speaks, among other issues, on his eight years as Speaker, his ambition to run for the state’s Central Senatorial seat as well as who determines who governs the state in 2015. Excerpts:

Abia people ‘ll decide who governs them W

HAT is your assessment of your administration as Abia State Speaker?

I think we did our best during our time when I was Speaker of the state and that was why I was re-elected to serve as the Speaker in the State House of Assembly and thereafter, it was also as a result of my sterling performance that I was elevated to serve as a member of the Federal House of Representatives, where I also excelled by attracting not less than 65 constituency projects to my Ikwuano/Umuahia federal constituency; the rehabilitation of the Umuahia/Ikwuano Road by Arab Contractors; Solar-powered Streetlights, Umunwawa solar-powered borehole, skill acquisition centre at Ogbodi Umuopara in Umuahia South, schools built and many more, all as a result of my legislative intervention in the National Assembly.

There is rarely a community in Ikwuano/Umuahia that you cannot find one project that I attracted. I think my performance has been unpararelled by any other person. I think that the judgment is yours to make.

Would you like to compare what obtained in your time and the present?

It is not for me to make comparism. Everyone has his own style. I had my own style. The comparisms are for you to make. It’s for the members of the public to know whether our performance is better than the performance of those who are occupying the position now or whether the performance of those that are there now is better than ours.

But I think everyone is contributing, even the ones that are now there are making their own contribution positively too. Everybody has his contribution to make too. Legislature is not like the Executive, it is just law making and persuading the Executive and also to ensure that through legislative intervention to ensure you use your leverage on your opposition as a member of the legislature to attract some projects to your constituency.

Coming from 1999, how would you describe the level of political awareness in Abia State?

I would say that the level of political awareness has not being very encouraging because we are still playing ethnic considerations.

Ethnicity tends to influence what we do and I think that ethnic politics is something we have to address if we must move forward. People tend to give preference to their ethnic cleavages and I think that the earlier we dissipated less energy playing the ethnic card when we take decisions, the better for us. That is the only sore area from my assessment, if you ask me to make an assessment of people towards politics in Abia State.

After the 2011, general election in which you contested for the governorship under Labour Party, are you still in politics or have you retired?

(Laughs) I am very much alive. I am still a very young man. The reason why we have not being visible is because we do not want to run foul of the electoral laws of Nigeria.

•Ohajuruka

There are times stipulated for people to play politics and that is what we are waiting for. Of course you may be aware that I am under pressure by my community and political associates to run for the senate in my senatorial zone, which I am still considering. However, I do not want to jump the gun yet because the electoral act clearly stipulates the time for politicking and as a lawmaker, I do not want to run foul of the law and when it is decision time, you will hear from me.

You have being in three political parties before now, PDP, PPA and Labour Party, as a lawmaker and gubernatorial aspirant. Now that you are in APC, would you say that you have found your heartthrob in terms of politics?

Yes! In Nigerian politics, it is such that there are reasons that propel people into moving from one political party to the other. Where there is no transparency in the mode of choosing candidates to run for an election. Where you see imposition, it does not augur well for proper political engineering.

And if it happens in APC, what will happen?

I do hope it will not happen. We have assurances and for now, there is no semblance of that happening in the party, I can assure you. If it happens in APC, I will condemn it.

But I can assure you that APC is built to address some of these anomalies that are prevalent in other political parties and I do hope that transparency should be our watchword as it were. It is not about me as an individual, I think it is about the people.

There is this insinuation particularly from the opposition that APC is not a national party and that the interest of the Igbos will not be protected in APC. What is your position on this?

Am I not an Igbo man? Is Rochas Okorocha not an Igbo man? Is Ogbonnaya Onu not an Igbo man? I

‘I will do a lot differently. Like I said, I will de-ethnicise governance.

I will also ensure that merit should take centre-stage. I will also digitalise governance and will go out of my way to ensure that the people determine what I do’ can assure you that APC is a national party. It is also built on this tripod of nationalism; the three major national groups are fully represented including the south south zone. Of

course, you have Governors Oshiomhole and Rotimi Amaechi there; these are very credible Southsoutherners who are also driving events in APC. Let me also say

that in APC, we talk about religious tolerance. Wives to our national party chairman and Governor Babatunde Fashola are Christians and his children are also Christians, is that not religious tolerance? It is only those who are politically myopic who resort to religion when they want to score political points. Let me assure you that APC is a national party. We are all equal stakeholders in the party. APC is the only party where people are free and proud to be members of the political party.

The governor has said that his administration has performed more than any other in the state. What’s your response to that?

Well, I am not actually given to making political assessments and judgments of governments of the day. When you make such assessment, people will say that you are biased. The only time people can make that assessment is when it is time to vote. That is when people can now decide whether the way they were governed is appreciated by them or not.

When I tell you that the governor did well or that they didn’t do well, they will also come on air or come to the media to say we did this and we did that. So, I am not in the habit of discussing persons or personalities. But if our people feel that what they are getting now is the kind of governance that suits them or they appreciate as a people, so be it.

What difference would you make if you had the opportunity to serve the people again?

I will do a lot differently. Like I said, I will de-ethnicize governance.

I will also ensure that merit should take a centre-stage. I will also digitalise governance and will go out of my way to ensure that the people determine what I do, and will not also allow anybody under the sun to sing my praises, but to sing the praises of the Almighty God because I cannot take the position of God. I will also make sure that no one wears any dress or insigma where you have the face of Stanley Ohajuruka.

Instead of wearing any cloth with my picture, let them wear the one with the face of Christ.

I will also give education priority. Agriculture will also be given priority. Employment of our teeming number of youths; practical employment will also take center stage.

I would make sure that Abians witness modern infrastructural development here; well tarred and paved roads. I will also create industrial centers and other things that will •Continued on page 35

Ob

NGO helps students, four tertiary institutions

A

By Jude Isiguzo

NON-GOVERNMENTAL organisation, the Samuel Maduka Onyishi African Entrepreneurship Foundation (SAMOAEF) has awarded scholarship to 125 students from various tertiary institutions.

The scholarship scheme was instituted since 2008 and has awarded scholarships to 725 undergraduate students across the country.

Speaking at the event which took place at the Princess Alexandra Auditorium of University of Nigeria Nsukka, Thursday, the Chairman, Peace Group of companies, Dr. Sam Onyishi said, “the reason for the award is to better the lot of humanity and touch the lives of the poorest physically challenged in tertiary institutions in the country.

“The idea of the scheme is to establish a unique institutional partnership with the University of Nigeria to engage in multidimensional educational, social and entrepreneurial programs aimed at enhancing the educational and scholarship potential, opportunities for Nigerian undergraduates in tertiary institutions in the country.”

The businessman disclosed that the next edition of the scholarship scheme will integrate primary and secondary pupils across the country.

Four brand new units of 18-seater Hiace Buses were presented to the management of Institute of Management and technology (IMT), Enugu, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Akanu-Ibiam Federal Polytechnic Uwana, Ebonyi State and Ehamufu College of Education, Enugu, respectively.

Catholic Diocese of Nsukka, Anglican Diocese of Nsukka and Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, Nsukka Chapter equally received one brand new 18seater Hiace buses each.

•Obiano

S

INCE Anambra State Governor Chief Willie Obiano announced his resolve to fight armed robbers and other criminals such as drug addicts, everybody has been waiting for him to walk the talk. But he has been matching his talk with his walk. For instance, he set up a joint military task force comprising all the security agencies in the state.

And the result? Criminals have started fleeing the state.

THE NATION THURSDAY, APRIL 17, 2014

35

THE SOUTHEAST REPORT Abia people ‘ll decide who governs them •Continued from page 34

•Participants at the end of the fair

Why is Enugu Trade Fair unlike others?

•Continued from page 33 with Goalmark Superjet, a Chinese company for the establishment of the largest industrial park in south east Nigeria.

The government has also granted a Certificate of Occupancy to Classic Beverages the makers of Lacasera drinks to commence production at Nsude in Udi Local Government Area.

In the agric sector, it established the Heneke Farm Settlement at Obinofia, Ezeagu.

Local Government and also in partnership with the federal government is reactivating the Adani Rice Farm at Uzo Uwani.

The San Carlos pineapple farm at Ihe, Awgu LGA to Umuabi Udi is also another success story in the State Government’s partnership with foreign investors. The Government has also signed a partnership agreement with another Vietnamese company for enhanced rice production at Amagu Nze, Nkanu East LGA while expediting action on the establishment of21 green cities across the state.

It is the intention and expectation of government that these ventures will not only create massive employment for our people but also help the state achieve its aspiration to become a major exporter of food.

The government is at this moment talking with some foreign concerns on the possibility of reactivating the coal industry in the state with a view to using the abundant deposits to augment power supply and other ancillary ventures.

We have also strengthened the rural areas by providing them with basic amenities such as roads, water and electricity, in such a manner that

‘We want to see how we can work with even indigenes or other investors to partner with us and see how the trade fair complex will be constructed, not just like any other one in Nigeria but such that will be different and exceptional with the most modern facilities.

The one that will make anyone that visits it to say ‘yes, I have come to a trade fair complex’ they can host and sustain major industrial activities.

All these, coupled with the full activation of the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu and the expected establishment of a Free Trade Zone at the 9th Mile Corner, have greatly enhanced the economic development of the state and indeed the entire South East. We hereby plead with the Federal Government to intensify efforts to see to the full reactivation and commissioning of the Port Harcourt-Umuahia- Enugu-Markurdi Rail link. Equally important is the need to give NARCHO an immediate mandate to bring to Akanu Ibiam International Airport, heavy cargo handling equipment as well as the erection of a cargo shed all be it temporary to handle cargo at this historic Southern Nigeria transit hub.

Indeed time and space would not permit us to mention everything here but it is important to note that despite these many milestones that the government has achieved in the area of economic development, it is deter-

mined to intensify its efforts towards the full actualization of its aspirations in this area.

In this respect, the government will continue to encourage and welcome new investments as well new ideas for economic expansion while ensuring that the existing business- friendly atmosphere in the state is further enhanced and strengthened.”

Minister Samuel Ortom in his response insisted on the partnership arrangement in the development of the Enugu International Trade Fair complex. In his words: “We are also mindful of the fact that there are challenges and what we are doing as a ministry is to see how we can work with even indigenes or other investors to partner with us and see how the trade fair complex will be constructed, not just like any other one in Nigeria but such that will be different and exceptional with the most modern facilities. The one that will make anyone that visits it to say ‘yes, I have come to a trade fair complex.’

We are mindful of this. It’s still on

our table and we are working on that and by the grace of God, we shall overcome the obstacles.

I will also want to appreciate the government of Enugu state led by His Exellency, Sullivan Iheanacho Chime who has done so much as acknowledged by the Enugu chamber president. I want to the government of the state that ensured that the trade fair continues to function every year despite the challenges that confront us.

We will continue to do our best and you can see what we are doing at the airport. I did an oversight function at the airport today and some press men asked me why we have to site and construct a new terminal in Enugu. And that whether the commercial activities will be commensurate with what the Federal government is investing at that new terminal building.

And I answered him that commercial activities in Nigeria is anchored by the South Easterners as far as am concerned. That if one is too much into commercial activities, people will always ask whether the person is an Igbo man. I am one of them. Because I am a Tiv man from Benue state, and because I am so much engaged in commercial activities, even my people look at me as an Igbo man.

And so I believe that Enugu is the headquarters of the South Easterners.

And we have no regret, whatsoever.

We believe that trading, industries, investments and other commercial activities, when the new terminal takes off, a lot of activities will be taking place.

And what is important to us as a government is to try to ease sufferings of our people. So instead of going to Lagos, South Easterners can fly from Enugu to any part of the world. This is what we seek to do in the transformation government.

Obiano cracks down on criminals From Odogwu Enmeka Odogwu, Onitsha

But just before their flight, there was a large haul of felons picked up by the task force. Residents are also coming up with information.

Last week, over 25 armed robbery and kidnap suspects were arrested and paraded, even as not less than four were shot dead in exchange of gunfire.

Obiano has demonstrated uncommon resolve to stamp out violent crimes in the state, launching an all-out offensive against kidnappers and armed robbers.

For one week, the joint military task force ransacked the three senatorial zones of the state making arrests. The state police command on its own despite being members of the joint military task force, went on its own through Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS) making arrests.

‘The joint military task force ransacked the three senatorial zones of the state making arrests. The state police command on its own despite being members of the joint military task force, went on its own through Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS) making arrests’ The police at the weekend paraded 20 suspected kidnappers and armed robbers at the headquarters of the Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS), Awkuzu.

Commissioner of Police Gwary Usman who paraded the suspects said five AK 47 rifles, one Barrette Pistol; six pump action guns, 9,000 live cartridges; eight magazines; 1 locally made pistol and two and a half bags of Indian hemp were re-

covered from them.

Gwary commended the efforts of the SARS leader, James Nwafor for leading the his men in apprehending the kidnappers of former Federal Director of Finance, Chief Robinson Ezeife and Chief Felix Obiefuna from Agulu.

He assured the state citizens that with their collaboration and volunteering of information to the police, they would send packing all armed

robbers and kidnappers as well as other criminal elements in the state. He thanked Governor Obiano for his support to the police and other security agencies in fighting crime especially with the formation of Joint Military Task Force.

The Commissioner for Police regretted that many people are providing information to kidnappers and armed robbers on who to kidnap and rob, describing those people as worse than the robbers and kidnapers.

Usman said further: “These men were arrested this week with all these arsenals. By special grace of God and the support we are getting from the Governor of Anambra State Chief Willie Obiano, we have the courage and zeal to fight crime and we are going to achieve the desired results.

Anybody who is a criminal or a •Continued on page 50

make my administration different from other administration.

Don’t you think that the governor’s incumbency factor, who is also from your senatorial zone, may work against you?

Well, as far as I am concerned, it is a matter of choice. It doesn’t matter to me. It is the people who decide. We are not afraid of incumbency. A lot of people talk about this incumbency thing but as far as I am concerned, it is the people that will decide who will represent them.

Do you think that building an airport by the present administration is a priority to the state?

Well, airport is an infrastructure that anybody would not shy away from. Of course, as an Abian, I would want to see an airport built here. So, if that can be achieved by the government, it will be a step in the right direction.

How would you assess the present administration both at the state and federal level?

I would say that the government of the day has done their best and I will assure that an APC government will do better than what they have done. The signs are there and our people are craving for change. That is the slogan of our party. Part of our problem was accessibility to the media. During the registration exercise that took place in the state recently, we were prevented from using public places for that exercise and what our people did was to go to the homes of people to now canvass for membership. You might be surprised that at the end of that exercise, we had over 120, 000 card carrying members of the APC. That should give you a signal.

APC bigwigs visited Orji Kalu, your former boss and former governor of Abia State to woo him into the party, would you say that visit was desirable?

APC is open to everyone. It is not a party that prevents people from coming in, so it can accommodate everyone. And I can assure you that as long as you are in APC, you will conform to the rules and code of ethics of the party. APC is a political party. Political parties are not meant to prevent people from coming in; you choose the kind of person that will come and then you leave out the next person.

I do not have anything against former Governor Orji Uzor Kalu.

He is a good man, I can tell you. I make bold to say it, that I don’t have anything against him. I don’t also have anything against the present governor of Abia State as a person.

He is my senior brother. I disagreed with my former boss Orji Uzor Kalu and the present governor on matter of principle and that principle, I will always uphold. That is Stanley Ohajuruka for you.

People have criticized the presidential election coming before the governorship and other elections.

What is your view?

My own opinion is that the presidential election should have come last because that is the climax of the elections. Once a presidential election is conducted, it is assumed that every other has ended and you know this bandwagon effect on our society? We don’t want anything that will influence the outcome of any other elections. However, it is not to say that our party is afraid of that presidential election coming first. Ordinarily, I would have preferred a situation whereby the presidential election would have come last after other elections must have been conducted so that nobody would be influenced in anyway as to whether he or she would be allowed to retain his or her job or not.

THE NATION THURSDAY, APRIL 17, 2014

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THE SOUTHEAST REPORT

•Personnel and vans at the safety campaign

•The busy Upper Iweka bus terminal, Onitsha during the enlightenment programmes

•FRSC chiefs and other dignitaries at the pre-Easter safety campaign

•They helped to drive the point home

F

OR three days Anambra State was abuzz with the campaign to end drunk-driving. Officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) stormed the state with motorbikes and a road-show motorcade, freely handing out leaflets to road users. As the leaflets literally flew around, the officers, using the public address system, consistently appealed to motorists not drive drunk. There was a lot of dance too.

The mega campaign was sponsored by Guinness Nigeria Limited, while the Anambra Sector Command was chosen to kick-start the event. The target was the Easter celebrations, a time when road crashes tend to increase apparently because of festivity fever.

Since then, the only phrase that hits motorists’ ears is “Don’t drive drunk”.

That event was so important that the Corps Commander, Hyginus Omeje, the state sector commander, invited the Zonal Commanding Officer, RS5HQ, Benin, ACM Nseobong C. Akpabio to witness the campaign.

The mega-campaign which started about 1pm from Aroma Roundabout with Akpabio and Omeje leading over 200 participants, including the sponsors, staff, special marshals, NYSC members

•FRSC personnel at the campaign in Awka

•The GUO park at Upper Iweka Onitsha during the exercise

•The campaigners

FRSC fights drunk-driving in Anambra From Odogwu Emeka Odogwu, Onitsha

and the media.

They did a 15-kilometer walk from Aroma Roundabout through Amaku General Hospital Gate 1 and 2, Eke Awka Market, Ukwu Orji junction, Nigeria Prisons junction, Amawbia Roundabout (Old AwkaOnitsha road), Nwalusi junction and back to the Sector Command.

Safety tips fliers, branded Tshirts, branded bottled water cans were distributed to the public.

At Amawbia Roundabout, the Zonal Commanding Officer ACM Akpabio spoke to Okada riders and drivers of fleet operators on the dangers of drunk driving and equally conducted a breath test for alcohol with the aid of an Aqualizer.

Addressing the participants at the end of the walk, the Sector Head PE and PROT, ACC Chinelo Ezekwesili appreciated the Zonal Commanding Officer and the sector commander Omeje as well as other participants for the time and effort put to make the Mega Rally a huge success.

Omeje thanked the Zonal Commanding Officer for initiating the event and bringing sponsors down to hold the first phase in Anambra State. He reiterated the Command’s commitment to duty which has re-

‘Akpabio said that the essence of the road show was to enlighten the public on road safety before and during the Easter period. He said the event was timely and a success, judging from the response and turnout’ sulted in the Command consistently leading other commands in the Zone for three years running.

Akpabio appreciated all that participated in the event, adding that the essence of the road show was to enlighten the public on road safety before and during the Easter period.

He said the event was timely and a success, judging from the response and turnout.

He thanked the management of Guinness Nigeria Limited for sponsoring the programme and urged other stakeholders to live up to their civic responsibility of partnering with the Corps to actualise its man-

date of eradicating crashes on our roads.

The Unit Commander RS5.31 Onitsha, ACC Anthony C Metta in his vote of thanks appreciated the Zonal Commander for initiating the project and thanked all that participated but thanked God for the success recorded and prayed for journey mercies to all as they go back to their respective place of abode.

The FRSC said it would digitalise all its records in 2014 in order to improve its operational and statistical competence.

Chidoka, FRSC Corps Marshal, who disclosed this to newsmen in

Onitsha after delivering road safety leaflets to motorists at the Niger Bridge, noted that very soon record of motorists would follow them anywhere they go in the country since access of each motorist particulars would be a click away through an online data base.

Chidoka said: “This is an important year for us in FRSC; it is a year of education and enforcement. We are moving our operations from the manual form to the digital form and people’s records would follow them anywhere in the country. I would advise road users to respect road rules and know that whatever offence or offences they commit; it would go along with them.

“And FRSC is poised to protect the people who obey the rules on the road and punish those who disobey them,” he said.

The corps marshal also noted that “Peace Ambassadors numbers” were fake, adding, “We have made series of announcement for those who have it to return them and then register their vehicles with the right numbers’’.

“They are not produced by us and we do not know where they come from,” he stressed.

Chidoka also said that there had been reduction in road crashes as well as people injured and death

resulting from the crashes in the country in 2013 compared with the previous three years.

“However, we are yet to compile our statistics for the year; but from the day-to-day records; there had been a reduction,” he said.

He revealed that with the ongoing issuance of convoy drivers with the new convey drivers’ licence; the commission would be able to track-down each individual convey driver.

“And with this, we would be able to punish any of them that goes contrary to the traffic rules and put them in effective check,” he added.

The leaflets are with the flowing inscriptions: “Mother/Child Safer Awareness”; “Safer Roads, Fuller Lives” and “Avoid Overloading and Over-Speeding”.

However, the Sector Commander, Federal Road Safety Corps, Anambra State Command, Hyginus Uche Omeje has lauded the former Anambra State Governor, Mr Peter Obi for his positive relationship and assistance to federal agencies in the state.

Omeje made this commendation after the former governor presented a Ford Ranger Truck and Chevrolet Life Ambulance vehicles to the FRSC in Awka at the twilight of his administration and called on the incumbent to do more for the

‘The Sector Commander noted that all other federal agencies domiciled in Anambra State like the Army, Police, Civil Defence Corps and the State Security Service have all received enormous assistance from the Obi administration in the past which have made their operations less cumbersome’ FRSC as they are set to give their best to the state.

The Sector Commander noted that all other federal agencies domiciled in Anambra State like the Army, Police, Civil Defence Corps and the State Security Service have all received enormous assistance from the Obi administration in the past which have made their operations less cumbersome.

He noted that the donation to the road safety command will help them in rescuing accident victims in line with latest international standards while they can easily access the nooks and crannies of

the state with the vehicles owing to the good network of roads already created in the state by the Obi administration.

Omeje thanked Obi and Obiano for fulfilling his promises to the command while assuring his continued commitment for the reduction of road crashes in the state.

Omeje lamented that about 107 people reportedly died in road crashes between December 19 and 23 last year in the country, adding that the World Bank has rated the FRSC, under the leadership of Chidoka, the best in the world.

He commended the helicopter

surveillance of major roads in the country, and his patriotism, dedication and commitment in discharging his duties which all other staff of the corps is emulating.

Chidoka himself had at one of his visits commended the Head of Department, Special Marshal and Partnership, Victor Nwokolo, Zonal Commanding Officer, Zone 5 Benin, Nseobong Akpabio and Anambra State Sector Commander, Hyginus Omeje among others for their support to him to make his job easier hence available records so far obtained shows that there is a reduction in number of deaths and crashes in 2013 compared to year 2012, hoping there would be greater improvement in 2014.

The Corps Marshall had attributed the corps success recorded during the yuletide from the heavy duty trucks they received from the world bank , commitment of the officers and synergy between other law enforcement agents which has ensured the achievement of President Jonathan’s directive to the command to ensure that road travelers were not unduly delayed.

Chidoka said no fewer than 1.3 million people die annually through road traffic crashes worldwide.

He said that unless immediate and effective action is taken, road

traffic injuries are to become the fifth leading cause of death in the world resulting in an estimated 2.4 million deaths each year.

The Corps Marshal called on churches to include Road Safety Enlightenment programmes as part of their worship activities.

“Road traffic crashes are caused by certain actions we take on our highways and while the church remains prayerful, there is also the need for us to obey traffic rules and regulations.

“Praying and driving on used tyres (tokunbo) at 130km per hour is like tempting God. “We should keep to the speed limit, fasten our seat belt and maintain our vehicles regularly.

“Let us avoid wrongful and dangerous overtaking, overloading and use of phones while driving” he said.

In that spirit, the National Youth Service Corp (NYSC) Club under Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), distributed fifty (50) helmets free to Okada riders for their safety recently.

Cadet in Chief FRSC/ NYSC Club Onitsha Unit Command, Corper Ayomide said the aim of the sensitization was to protect the riders head in preventing and reducing head injury in order to save the rider’s life.

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THE SOUTHEAST REPORT

P

ARTICIPANTS at a health summit in Enugu have raised the alarm on the deplorable state of health service in the country and called for quick intervention of the Federal Government.

The experts, drawn from the national body of the Nigeria Health Economics Association, (NIHEA) expressed the view that Nigerians were yet to enjoy good healthcare services, despite the country’s huge economic disposition as one of the leading oil-producing countries of the world.

In a keynote lecture entitled “From Nowhere to Somewhere– Improving the Nigerian Health System with Evidence for Universal Health Coverage (UHC)”, the National President of the Nigerian Health Economics Association Prof.

Obinna Onwujekwe, regretted most health facilities in the country take the posture of mere consulting clinics with total absence of health personnel and essential drugs in many of them. This he attributed to poor funding.

Onwujekwe, who is the Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences and Technology at the University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN), stated that a durable health system must have good oversight of resources and power, improvement of health of its population, efficiency, equity and quality with respect to service provision, financial risk protection and universal health, among others.

He said: “Judged on these expectations and other factors, it was discovered that Nigerian health system is weak and was ranked 187th out of 191 health systems globally. This was attributed to plethora of factors, including weak governance structure, weak information system; inefficient use of critical resources, sub-optimal financing system and non-responsiveness to the needs of the people, among others.”

He also observed that the current national health policy was outdated, leaving so much responsibility to the primary healthcare level, adding that there was a disconnect between plans and implementation and planning, as policy-making was not based on evidence.

“On a more practical term, the health system was viewed from different perspectives. From the maternal and child health perspective, there is high maternal mortality ratio and under–five mortality rate of 153 per 1,000 live births (the figure is higher in rural areas) owing partly to the low proportion of births attended to by skilled health personnel and low coverage of other interventions, and from the perspective of health financing, less than five per cent of the population is currently covered by financial risk protection mechanism (health insurance) and payment for healthcare are mostly out of pocket, which are often catastrophic to households.”

Onwujekwe disclosed that there were, however, some positive achievements in immunisation coverage, increased use of insecticidetreated nets, through massive distribution campaigns nation-wide and some decline in infant and maternal mortality.

While calling for the development of a health system backbone, which would usher in the introduction of new cadre of health workers with management skills, strengthening health system activities required for achieving universal health coverage, the medical expert noted that improvement of work efficiency, equity and comprehensive sector – wide delivery of essential primary health care services in the 36 states and Abuja, were imperative for the country’s healthcare sector to move forward.

The don further explained that the Nigerian Health Economics Association was a body that constitutes health economics, policy analysts and policymakers, who are experts in their various fields either by their official training or practical experi-

•President of Nigerian Health Economics Association, Prof. Obinna Onwujekwe (third left, front row) and members at the event

Experts worry over poor healthcare system

From Chris Oji, Enugu

ence in the field of health economics and policy. He added that the target of the association was to promote and sustain the development, knowledge and application of health economics in Nigeria.

Also speaking, another scholar, Dr. Tarry Asoka from Rivers State, maintained that for the health sector reform to yield any dividend, there was need for a systematic change around the three drivers of change namely–agents, institutions and structures.

Asoka, who spoke on “Innovative Imperatives for Universal Health Coverage in Nigeria”, stressed the need for alternative thinking that could bring about a systematic change and various models which the health sector could borrow from, even as he named the Nollywood paradigm and satchet water, as few products that had achieved universal coverage.

“The health sector can study these to understand how they were able to achieve success, one of such reasons; especially in the case of the Nigerian movie industry was the determination of a group of people to think differently on how to do things in order to make things happen, notwithstanding existing limi-

M

‘The health system was viewed from different perspectives. From the maternal and child health perspective, there is high maternal mortality ratio and under–five mortality rate of 153 per 1,000 live births (the figure is higher in rural areas) owing partly to the low proportion of births attended to by skilled health personnel and low coverage of other interventions’ tations arising from lack of funds,” Asoka added.

He therefore warned that unless things were done differently, progress could be difficult while the task of achieving universal coverage and better health for all would remain a mirage.

Papers were also presented by Dr. Emeka Udeh, Charles Ezenduka, Chijioke Okoli, Dr. Chima Onoka,

Dr. Mrs. Enyi Etiaba and Dr. Ogoamaka Chukwuogo who represented the Executive Director of the Africa Health Economics Association, Dr. Chris Atim.

Meanwhile, in a 16–point communiqué issued after the third Scientific Conference of the Nigerian Health Economics Association, held in Enugu, the organisation called for the development of a new

national health policy, which would be context–specific and one that would address current and future institutional challenges.

The experts observed that the weak Nigerian health system was in dire need of innovative reforms as most health interventions in the country do not provide satisfactory value for money, even as they maintained that efficiency is a major issue that should be promoted within the Nigerian health system.

According to the communiqué, many components of health policies and strategies are developed without using evidence, although such policies and strategies could have been motivated or catalysed by evidence.

“Nigeria is not making satisfactory progress towards achieving universal health coverage, as universal financial coverage is less than five per cent in Nigeria due to poverty,” he noted.

The brain–storming workshop attracted more than 100 participants from within and outside the country, including those from the academia and private sector engaged in health service.

Motorists rue poor roads in Aba

OTORISTS and pedestrians have lamented the poor state of federal and state roads in Aba, the commercial hub of Abia State.

They expressed the fear that if nothing urgent is done to fix failed roads in the city, road users might find it difficult to move around or go about their normal businesses when the rainy season sets in.

Some of the residents who spoke to our correspondent said the condition of major roads connecting the commercial town with its neighbouring states of Akwa Ibom and Rivers states may cost the city its fame.

They expressed the view that if nothing was urgently done by the federal and state to fix the dilapidated road network, economic activities and volume of trade in state would

From Sunny Nwankwo, Aba

drop severely.

“Everybody knows the importance role Aba plays in the sustenance of the state and Nigeria’s economy. Aba and Onitsha are the two markets we Igbo can boast of.

Abia State and Federal Government should not allow our roads to degenerate more than it is now.

“Aba-Ikot-Ekpene and Aba-AbayiOhabiam roads are two major entry and exit points into and from Aba which generates a lot of revenue for the state and the Federal Government. We are really suffering because of the situation of these roads.

Business is seriously nose-diving in Aba. “Most of our customers are now going to nearby cities of Onitsha and

Akwa Ibom to buy their goods to avoid the stress associated with these roads,” a resident told our correspondent.

Investigations revealed that motorists and commuters coming in and out of Aba from Akwa Ibom State and Port Harcourt were subjected to harrowing situations as the entry points to Aba from the two neighbouring states are heavily flooded, making it inaccessible for motorists and commuters.

It was also revealed that youths in some of Abia communities along the Aba-Ikot Ekpene Road collect toll fees from drivers for making use of their local roads, a situation that has been condemned by motorists.

An electronic dealer at the Orie Ohabiam market, who identified •Continued on page 40

•A flooded portion of Aba-Ikot Ekpene Road opposi State

THE NATION THURSDAY, APRIL 17, 2014

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THE SOUTHEAST REPORT

Customs intensifies clampdown on smugglers T

HE Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone C of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has intensified onslaught against the smuggling syndicates in the Southeast and South-South. They are believed to be behind the smuggling of contraband and counterfeit products into the country, especially rice and fairly used vehicles popularly known as tokunbo.

In the last two years, it had recorded unprecedented breakthroughs in the war against saboteurs of the country’s economy.

First was the bursting of a powerful syndicate that specialised in importation of banned poultry products that are injurious to consumers’ health. Currently, they had been neutralised due to the proactive and effective tactics employed by the officers in the zone under the leadership of the Controller of FOU Zone C, Victor David Dimka.

After they had been dislodged in the business of smuggling contraband poultry products, the smugglers began smuggling unapproved variety of rice which they cleverly mix with bags of approved ones.

Once again, the FOU Zone C has lived up to its constitutional responsibility of protecting the country’s economy from the activities of smugglers.

At the last count, the zone had made seizure of smuggled rice with total duty paid value (DPV) of over N375, 634 million at two different occasions.

Displaying the seized smuggled lorry loads of rice which included fake Mama Africa brand of rice valued at N160, 440 and other brands of rice, with a total DPV of N235, 634,000 assured that the synergy currently existing between the NCS and other security agencies, especially the Police, Army, the State Security Services (SSS) and NAFDAC, would be strengthened to reduce the menace of smuggling in the country.

He expressed optimism that despite the upsurge in smuggling in recent times, the scourge could be effectively tackled with the support and co-operation of all patriotic Nigerians with security agencies, stating that the Nigeria Customs Service would sustain its public enlightenment/sensitisation campaign on the dangers inherent in the illegal business of smuggling, patronage and consumption of contraband goods.

“The items were brought in with every amount of ingenuity and if we are not able to check them, those who criminally brought them in would eventually have their way to the market,” said Dimka who expressed shock over the resilience of the smug-

‘The syndicate, after buying large quantities of the banned rice, discharge them in neighbouring countries, where they are re-bagged with the bags of the ones that are approved for importation and then smuggle them into the country in small quantities...Despite their tricks, we are able to identify the fake products and pick them up when they have entered into the country’

•Comptroller David Dimka displaying the seized goods

•Some of the seized rice

From Okodili Ndidi, Owerri glers after losing so much money as a result of the clampdown on their illegal trade. He warned transporters to always be careful and mindful of the purpose for which their vehicles are being used at any point in time since ignorance of the use of

kot Ekpene Road opposite Ebere autonomous community, Aba, Abia

any vehicle for a criminal act can never be tolerated as an excuse.

Continuing, he said: “The story behind our success is the co-operation and support we receive from the Comptroller-General of Customs Abdullahi Dikko Inde, the management. We have also embarked on training and re-training, even as our

intelligence unit is at its best to meet our challenges.

“The Nigeria Customs Service, more than ever before, is adequately trained and motivated to confront the smuggling racket. This is a warning to smugglers and would-besmugglers that it is no longer business as usual.

•A commercial bus of Nwafor Orizu College of Educationm in a ditch at Ogbor Hill, Aba after a rainfall

“No matter the tactics they employ to deceive security agents, they cannot escape the eagle eyes of the officers of FOU Zone C and they will be arrested, prosecuted and punished.

But we will continue to partner with the public on the area of intelligence gathering to help in curbing the menace.”

Disclosing the method of operation of the rice smugglers, Dimka said. “The syndicate, after buying large quantities of the banned rice, discharge them in neighbouring countries, where they are re-bagged with the bags of the ones that are approved for importation and then smuggle them into the country in small quantities.

“Despite their tricks, we are able to identify the fake products and pick them up when they have entered into the country. What we normally do is to keep tracking them until they enter into safe zone when we can move in and round them up.”

He said the consignments were intercepted along the AgborOkpanam Road, Onitsha/Asaba Road and Benin/Onitsha Road by his men who acted on a tip-off.

Dimka further stated that five suspects arrested in connection with the crime are currently detained in Benin, Enugu and Calabar and are helping Customs officials in their investigations, adding that those already granted bail would soon appear in court.

He warned that although officers of Nigeria Customs Service are to shoot to maim, they can shoot to kill whenever it becomes inevitable in the discharge of their duties, especially when a smuggler is armed and their lives are in danger. “They are now better trained, equipped, motivated and informed to meet their challenges in the interest of the country’s economy,” he said.

Dimka attributed the upsurge in smuggling to unbridled quest to make quick money by desperate Nigerians. He assured that his men would always support the government and implement its policies and programme geared towards the elimination of smuggling.

Seizure made in the zone which covers Edo, Bayelsa, Delta, Anambra, Enugu, Abia, Ebonyi, Rivers, Cross River, Imo and Akwa Ibom states in the last one month included lorry loads of smuggled rice with Duty Paid Value of N235, 634 million, 31 assorted types of vehicles valued at N18 million.

THE NATION THURSDAY, APRIL 17, 2014

40

THE SOUTHEAST REPORT

Obiano cracks down on criminals •Continued from page 35 kidnapper should surrender his or her arms now unless he wants to be arrested. We are not relenting until we get rid of all criminal elements in the state’’.

On the joint task force constituted

by Governor Obiano , Gwary said: ‘’ the formation is marvelous. We are still working on Onitsha by the time we finish with Onitsha , we would move to other senatorial zones. The Governor said he wants the state to be cleaned of all bad elements and we in security decided to come together and fight crime collectively because we have realized that one arm of the security agency could not reach everywhere it supposed to get to. ‘’But these operation is by the police led by OC SARS James Nwafor, we arrested some in Lagos, others in Asaba , others in Imo and anywhere a kidnapper runs to we would be there to arrest the kidnapper or armed robber……..’’ .

But in a swift reaction some of the 20 suspects paraded admitted the allegations leveled against them and appealed for public forgiveness as they were led into the crime by frustration.

A kidnap suspect, Ogochukwu Ngwuche from Eziagu, Enugu state admitted he is a kidnapper this way: ‘’I am a kidnapper. I kidnapped PC Emerah brother. My gang is here and the person that gave us information is here. He paid ransom of N5 Million’’. He said he was arrested in Asaba.

On how he got the guns he used, Ogochukwu said: ‘’We bought one AK47 for N450,000 and the man I bought the gun from is here.

For another suspect Philip Amia from Nkanu Enugu state :’’ I am a kidnapper . I don’t know the man we kidnapped but the person who gave us information is here. The police arrested me in Asaba. Look at the information manager here. ……..This is the third time I am kidnapping since I came back from Malaysia. I was in Malaysia for 8 years , doing very well and had so many property until I ran into problem. I

•Suspected kidnappers and armed robbers paraded in Awkuzu, Anambra State

lost everything in my house …. And I was looking for money or what to do to survive until I was lured into this.

He admitted that he had raised N2 Million since he started the kidnapping business and he used it to send somebody to Malaysia to get goods for him but the person ran into problem too and has not returned. He said he regretted all his actions now.

Again, Echezona Akpulu from Nkitaku village Agulu admitted giving information the kidnappers used to kidnap his kinsman Felix Obiefuna and his proceeds from the crime was N300,000 which he used to send some money to his brother at South Africa and used the remainder to buy drinks for the memorial service of his late father.

On Monday, the joint military patrol team arrested four suspected criminals, recovering some bags and wraps of substance suspected to be Cannabis Sativa (Indian Hemp) estimated to weigh 100 kilograms.

The team comprising the Army, Navy, Police, Department of Security Services, DSS and National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA among others.

On a tip-off, they stormed a hideout near the Old Motor Car Spare Parts (Mgbuka) Market, Obosi, near Onitsha at about 12 noon but the

‘On a tip-off, the task force stormed a hideout near the Old Motor Car Spare Parts (Mgbuka) Market, Obosi, near Onitsha at about noon. The suspects sighted the team, took to their heels but after a concerted chase, five of the suspects were tracked down’ suspects sighted the team, took to their heels but in a concerted effort, five of them were tracked down.

Many others escaped into a nearby bush even as all efforts to arrest more suspects proved abortive as the team left the area after thorough combing and firing tear gas canisters into the area to smoke them out.

The team took off from the 302 Military cantonment, Onitsha, and when they returned with the suspects and their Indian hemp, they interrogated them briefly and discovered that one of them was just a passerby and released him unconditionally with apology.

A principal suspect who identified himself as Chibuzor Echendu, a native of Imo State, confessed to newsmen that he was a major distributor of Indian hemp in the area, adding

that Samuel Nonso who was also among the four suspects in the team’s net, was once his apprentice in the hemp business.

Some of the residents of Mgbuka Obosi market who witnessed the joint operation, including Pastor Kingsley Ezeoke of the Jesus Transformation Ministry, Diaku Ifesinachi, Mrs, Uche Okeke, Victor Ezechi and Chibuzor Nnabuchi, commended Governor Obiano for setting up the joint team and urged him to sustain the tempo until all the criminal elements are flushed out and adequate security maintained in the state.

They regretted that some hoodlums had attacked unsuspecting residents of the area within that same spot by way of snatching their motorcycles and dispossessing them of

their valuables but urged the joint team not to harass and intimidate law-abiding citizens while carrying out their duties.

The grand commander of the joint team and state deputy commissioner of police, Agyole Abeh told newsmen shortly after the exercise that the operation started about 10 days ago, adding that a considerable arrests and recoveries have been recorded by the team since its inception.

The leader of Army team, Captain Tukuru and his NDLEA counterpart, Ameh Inalegwu who is also the Assistant State Commander in charge of Operations/Intelligence, said the operation would continue until all the criminals in the state are flushed out of existence.

On Tuesday there was tension in Onitsha yesterday following the killing of two suspected armed robbers by policemen attached to one new generation banks at Limca road, in the commercial city of Onitsha.

Eye witnesses said the two suspected robbers operating in Okada met their waterloo when they had successfully robbed a lady who had gone to the bank to withdraw an undisclosed sum of money and wanted to zoom off before policemen attached to the bank opened fire.

Motorists rue poor roads in Aba

•Continued from page 38

himself as Joseph, lamented the hardship traders experience on the road.

He disclosed that some of the traders now board public vehicles instead of using their own vehicles because of the poor state of Aba-Abayi-Ohabiam Road.

A resident of Uratta Junction said: “Port Harcourt Road has become a source of anguish and sorrow for most residents in the area. There was a time the state government rehabilitated the road. We were happy, but our happiness was short-lived because the road collapsed in less than a year after its construction. “It became bad that we started questioning the quality of job that the contractor carried out. If the state and Federal Government will come to our aid, it will be a welcome development.”

A motorist that plies Aba to Port Harcourt lamented: “Roads in Aba are in a sorry state. Expressway from Aba to Port Harcourt is also in a sorry state. Sometimes we wonder if the state and Federal Government have abandoned us to our fate. They should come to our aid.

The Director, Federal Ministry of Works in Abia State could not be reached for comments on the matter as he was not in his office when our reporter visited their Amakama Office near Umuahia, the state capital.

However, a staff of the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) who spoke to our corre-

•A failed portion on Aba-Abayi-Ohabiam Road opposite Ohabiam Girls Secondary School along Port Harcourt Road, Aba

spondent in confidence because he was not competent to speak to the press on the matter said before the rains, they had started what he described as palliative work on the two roads to reduce the sufferings of road users.

The source also stated that soon, a contractor will be mobilised to the two sites, as arrangements were

being made to ensure that commuters drive in and out of Aba on good roads.

Recall that Abia State government had recently called on the Federal Government to immediately commence work on the reconstruction of all federal roads in the state, especially the Aba/Ikot Ekpene and Port Harcourt.

It was learnt that the Commissioner for Works, Hon. Emeka Longman Nwachukwu was quoted to have said that the deplorable state of federal roads in the state which serve as links to other neighbouring states were not only causing embarrassment to the state government, but also affecting commercial activities in the state, adding that the

‘Port Harcourt Road has become a source of anguish and sorrow for most residents in the area. There was a time the state government rehabilitated the road. We were happy, but our happiness was short-lived because the road collapsed in less than a year after its construction’ huge sum of money expended by the state government on maintaining the roads are yet to be reimbursed by the Federal Government.

Nwachukwu said many roads are being constructed in Aba, even as he warned Aba residents to stop the habit of building structures on drainage system.

THE NATION THURSDAY, APRIL 17, 2014

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CAMPUS LIFE Education students elect leaders

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HE Nigerian Universities Education Students’ Association (NUESA) at the University of Ibadan (UI) has elected new leaders to steer the affairs of the association in the new academic session. The election was conducted through an e-voting system.

The office of president was keenly contested by three aspirants from Department of Teacher Education, Department of Kinetic and Health Education and Department of Special Education.

Olalekan Oladiran, 300-Level student of Special Education, polled 273 votes to emerge as president.

Others are Vice-President, Halimat Agboluaje; General Secretary, Saheed Jimoh; Assistant General Secretary, Idoharia Eruag; Financial Secretary, Christopher Iseo; Treasurer, Tolulope

•From left: Oluwaseun, Mrs Okeke, Dr Ossai, Dr Onyeka and Omeh during the donation exercise

Corps member donates medical equipment

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HUAIB Oluwaseun, a BatchB corps member serving in Enugu North, has donated medical equipment to Enugu State Veterinary Hospital.

The items were donated as personal Community Development Service (CDS) of the corps member.

Oluwaseun said the donation was aimed at increasing productivity, performance of workers and strengthening bio-security in the hospital.

Items presented to the hospital included a signpost, a glass wall, drug

From Hammed Hamzat UI shelf, a quartz wall clock, wall pictures, weighing balance, packs of 12 analogue thermometers and five digital thermometers.

Other items include two clinical stethoscopes, a ceiling fan, five packs of bandages, packs of surgical dissecting sets, two sets of knives, writing materials, two packs of 100 rubber hand-gloves, detergents and national flag.

The items were presented by the Zonal Inspector of the National

Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in Enugu North, who was represented

by Agricultural CDS Group Staff Coordinator, Mrs Ngozi Okeke.

Veterinary Officer in charge of the hospital, Dr Uwani Omeh, thanked the corps member for he donation, urging others to emulate the gesture.

The event was attended by Commissioner for Agriculture, Enugu State, represented by Dr Ossai Jonathan, Director of Veterinary Service Department at the Enugu State Ministry of Agriculture, Dr Onyeka, staff and interns of the hospital.

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From Hammed Hamzat and Adio Badru UI Fagbeja; Social Director, Oyeleye Oyedayo; Sports Director, Yusuf Ibraheem; Public Relations Officer, Samuel Oluwatosin and Oluwaseun Amoo, Academic and Welfare Director.

The President, Nigerian Association of Computer Science Students (NACOSS), UI Chapter, Faruk Salami, who coordinated the e-voting exercise, said the software was designed by former executives of the association.

Salami identified unstable power supply and poor internet facility as major hindrances facing the e-voting software, calling on government to improve the nation’s power sector.

Corps members urged to acquire skill

O fewer than 1500 members of the 2014 Batch “A” of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in Cross River State, have held their orientation. The ceremony took place recently at the NYSC permanent orientation camp in Obubra.

Speaking at the event, Governor Liyel Imoke, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Youths and Sports Development, Mr Egwu Egeh, congratulated the corps members, saying the scheme was for promoting inter-cultural integration.

He noted that the NYSC had been an integral part of the Nigerian success story. Imoke charged the corps members to disciplined, honest and selfless.

The Chief Judge of the state, Justice Okoi Itam, who administered the oath on the corps members, graced the ocassion with a team of eight Judges and other members of the state’s judiciary Speaking during the ceremony, the NYSC state Coordinator, Engr

From Cyril Iboro NYSC CALABAR Nkereke Ibangha, described the corps members as ‘centenary corps members,’ stating that the scheme had adopted a more proactive role towards complimenting government’s drive to create self-reliant youths instead of job seekers through its skill acquisition and entrepreneurial programmes.

Ibangha gave an insight into the three weeks orientation programme which included lectures on security, culture and traditions of its host communities as well as leadership training and social activities. He added that the activities were aimed at preparing the corps members both physically and mentally for post service life.

Chairman, NYSC Governing Board Cross River State , Mr Patrick Ugbe, who was represented by the Director of Youth Development , Ministry of Youth and Sports Development , Mr John Kejim, encouraged corps members to distinguish themselves during the service year .

Dept holds public lecture

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•Hon. Eyo speaking to the beneficiaries as Johnpaul looks on

Corps member deworms host community

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ESIDENTS of Esighi community in Bakassi Local Government Area Cross River State have benefited from a health outreach and deworming exercise organised by Johnpaul Nnamdi, a corps member serving in the community.

The event witnessed distribution of free drugs, deworming of children and adults, HIV and AIDS testing and counselling by experts from the Local Government Committee on AIDS (LACA).

There was also a free medical check-up and sensitisation on contagious diseases. The exercise was supported by the councillor representing Ward II Bakassi, Hon Felix

From Isaac Mensah NYSC CALABAR Eyo. Johnpul said the exercise was carried out to alleviate health related problems in the community and fulfil the objective of the Millennium Development Goal Six, which aimed to combat HIV and AIDS, malaria and other diseases.

In his remark, Hon Eyo urged the people to give priority to their health and visit medical centres when they have health problems rather than rely on self-medication.

He also emphasised the importance of education, advising students in the community to strive to attain

academic excellence.

Eyo encouraged corps members to add value to their host community, stating that he would always support such developmental initiatives.

The medical team urged the beneficiaries to shun habits that would predispose them to diseases, warning them against victimisation and stigmatisation of persons living with HIV. One of the beneficiaries, Bocco Okon, praised the organisers for the outreach. “I am more careful now that I know my status. I will also make sure I live a healthy lifestyle to avoid contracting the virus,” he said.

HE School of Health Technology (SOHT) at the Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO) has held its 5th lecture series.

The lecture was delivered by a lecturer in the Department of Public Health, Dr Uchechukwu Chukwuocha and entitled: Anti-malaria drug resistance: Molecular considerations and implications for evidence based research in Nigeria.

“Malaria is a disease of poverty and major hindrance to economic development. The actual number of deaths is not known with certainty, as accurate data in many rural areas in most cases are not documented,” he stated.

He said some of the factors that contributed to the spread of the disease included drug pressure due to complacency, indiscriminate drug usage and adulterated drugs, biological influence, decreased immunity, malnutrition and cross reactivity with drugs for other ailments.

He listed therapeutic efficacy test, studies of parasite susceptibility to

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From Mohammed Sani FUTO drugs in culture, case detection, molecular methods of gene mutations or gene amplifications associated with parasite resistance as tools for managing the spread of the disease.

Chukwuocha said there was the need for high-quality monitoring of antimalarial drug resistance, sustained funding and encouragement of high level research for routine monitoring, continuous surveillance of molecular drug resistance to inform better planning and effective implementation of drug policies based on evidence.

In his remark, Dean of the school, urged the students to be committed and dedicated to their academics. “The future of Africa is in your hand, especially in the fight against malaria, HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis, which are the diseases affecting Africa. So I encourage you to go into research in these areas,” he said.

Tedder Hall wins UI Students’ Union League

ODE FC of Tedder Hall at the University of Ibadan (UI) has won this year’s Students’ Union League of the institution.

A total of six teams from different halls of residence participated in the tournament. The league was declared open by the Vice Chancellor, Prof Isaac Adewole at the Maracanna Stadium, Nnamdi Azikiwe Hall.

Prof Adewole emphasised the need for students to participate in sporting activities as a way of showcasing their talents.

The competition was sponsored by the Chairman, House Committee on Public Fund, Oyo State House of As-

From Hammed Hamzat UI sembly, Hon Oluegun Olaleye and supported by Dr Sofela of the Department of History. It was coordinated by Sports Secretary of the Students’ Union, Opeyemi Akindele and chaired by former Sports Secretary of the union, Emmanuel Otto.

The Mode FC of Tedder hall emerged winner after securing a total of 21 points from 10 matches. Noble FC of Sultan Bello Hall and Premier FC of Mellanby Hal were first and second runners-up with 18 and 14 points from 10 matches.

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CAMPUS LIFE The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has donated a 174-room hostel to the University of Benin (UNIBEN) to ease accommodation problem. EDDY UWOGHIREN (200-Level Medicine) and EZEKIEL EFEOBHOKHAN (300Level Pharmacy) report.

•Gov. Uduaghan (third left) with officials of NDDC commissioning the edifice

NDDC’s kind gesture T HE stretch from the main gate of the Ugbowo Campus of the University of Benin (UNIBEN) to the hostel area was plastered with posters and banners.

On them were inscriptions, such as “Thank you NDDC” and “UNIBEN welcomes Delta State governor”.

Welcome to the inauguration of the 696-bed space hostel donated by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

Security was tight.

The institution’s security personnel had a hectic time controlling traffic on the campus.

The students turned the occasion into a carnival with glamorous dance troupes, colourful masqueraders and drummers. They said they now have the opportunity of living in a world-class hostel with modern facilities befitting an Ivory Tower.

The Vice-Chancellor (VC), Prof Osayuki Oshodin, in smiles, said: “We are grateful to the NDDC for this project.” The VC, who noted that the commission recently donated electricity transformers and street lights to the school, described the NDDC as a development partner.

Prof Oshodin appealed to other government agencies and private organisations to help the school to rebuild some dilapidated structures, NDDC, he said, had shown “good

•The NDDC hostel

example” on how higher institutions could be lifted to promote learning.

The Pro-Chancellor, Senator Effiong Wilson-Bob, appealed to the commission to assist the university renovate its old hostels, noting that such move could improve students’ welfare. With the delivery of the 696-bed space hall, Senator WilsonBob said the NDDC had fulfilled part of its mandate to promote the development of education in the Niger Delta.

He said: “Development of education must be a collective effort of all stakeholders and as such, providing accommodation should also be a joint effort of all. This is what the

NDDC has demonstrated with the construction of a modern hostel to the University of Benin.”

While inaugurating the building, Chairman of the NDDC Advisory Council and Delta State Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan said he was impressed with the activities of the commission, promising to support it to get more funds to bring development to the oil-rich region.

He said: “As the chairman of the advisory council of the NDDC, I am impressed with the efforts of the new board and management. I assure the commission of support of the governors in Niger Delta states.”

Advising students to shun vices

that may tarnish the image of the university, Uduaghan said: “I have not seen anybody who belongs to a cult group that made First Class in the university. I urge you to focus on your studies and make good grades.”

NDDC Governing Board, chairman, Senator Bassey Ewa-Henshaw said the commission brought its top management staff to inaugurate the hostel because of its commitment to the future of students of the university. “We are pleased to be in the University of Benin today to hand over this project to the students. This project is the second of these prototype hostel projects we are commissioning within our 100 days in of-

fice,” he said.

The construction of the modern hostel was in line with the Transformation Agenda of the Federal Government to develop human capital by improving access to quality education across the Niger Delta.

The President of the Students’ Union Government (SUG), Osasere Osifo, said: “The NDDC has given us a wonderful edifice; it is not only the newest, it is also the best hostel on campus today.”

The Vice President, Margret Odia, who ntoed that accommodation had been a challenge in the university. “We appreciate the NDDC for building us a modern hostel and I believe female students would have spaces in the new hostel.”

Francis Uko, president of the National Association of Akwa Ibom State Students, said more students would relocate to the school, with more bed spaces being provided by the NDCC. “The inadequate accommodation forced many students to live off-campus and sometimes fall prey to the menace of cultism, which is taking its toll in off-campus halls.

With the NDDC hostel, more of our students will now be accommodated within the university premises where they will feel secure,” he said.

An excited 300-Level student, Vitus Ohakosin, said: “My joy today knows no bounds; NDDC has come to our rescue.”

The 174- room hostel is fitted with amenities such as a water tank connected to, a solar-water treatment plant, which would provide water constantly to all rooms. It also has spaces for buttery and administrative offices, cybercafé, games rooms and specially-fitted rooms for physically challenged students.

The University of Ilorin (UNILORIN) Students’ Union Government (SUG) has held its annual Students’ Week, reports HAMEED MURITALA (400-Level Mass Communication).

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A week of fun

HEY wore different uniform with bags strapped to their backs. They assembled on an open space. Then, the ‘principal’, the Dean of the Faculty of Education, Prof Samuel Olorundare, took the podium to address the ‘pupils’. After the talk, the assembly dispersed and the ‘pupils’ sang back to their classrooms.

But this was not a secondary school.

All this happened last week at the University of Ilorin (UNILORIN) when the Students’ Union Government (SUG) held its Week tagged: Have fun while you study.

The campus erupted in excitement at the sight of students dressed in secondary school uniforms. There was a

comic touch to the event when some students appeared in funny old school attires.

The event with the theme: I am young; I am the future, was declared open by the Vice-Chancellor (VC), Prof Abdulganiyu Ambali, in the university auditorium. The VC said youths of today would only be leaders of tomorrow if they are knowledgeable, adding that youths must read to understand the future in which they want to be leaders.

Prof Ambali, represented by his deputy for academics, Prof Bayo Lawal, pointed out that youths were •Continued on page 44

•Students in secondary school uniforms marking the Week

THE NATION THURSDAY, APRIL 17, 2014

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CAMPUS LIFE

LASU fees: Calling on Fashola

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By Nurudeen Yusuf

N the last couple of years, students of the Lagos State University (LASU) have had to contend with increment in tuition fee. But by calling for superior arguments and proposal in order to reduce the fee is, however, a testament to the fact that the state government is not inflexible to change.

Following series of crises that rocked the school, the Lagos State House of Assembly, in 2011, passed a resolution, which led to setting up of a Visitation Panel by the state executive to look into all issues that nearly tore the state-owned institution apart.

In its report, the panel made farreaching recommendations that could help the government take the school to the next level. Unfortunately, in the implementation of the panel’s report, the government

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N every nation of the world, the population of the youths is invariably the largest. Nigeria is no exception. According to a statistics, the nation is populated by 70 per cent of youths, but potential of this population is yet to be harnessed. Rather, the government treats the youths with contempt.

Section 18 of the Constitution stipulates that government has the responsibility to provide equal educational opportunities for all.

Unfortunately, the government has not only ignored this provision of the Constitution, it is also making sure that the youths do not get quality education.

The recent almost six-month strike by the university teachers and the on-going industrial action by Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) and their colleagues in colleges of education are glaring examples that government is not concerned with education of the youths.

Students are being subjected to

carefully selected those recommendations that favoured it alone.

For instance, in Section 4, Term of Reference (iii), and Section 4.0.2 paragraph (g), where the panel recommended that there should be an “increase in the budgetary allocation to the university, using the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) benchmark of a minimum of 25 per cent of annual budget of the state to be expended on education”.

Given the social status of the panel members, the “outrageous fee” we are asked to pay could be afforded in multiple folds by these people. None of them belongs to the so-called middle class; their children are studying in world top universities. Meanwhile, LASU is a school for the average man’s children.

The law setting up LASU stipulates in Section 3 (f) that the school must “provide access for citizens of the state in particular to higher education regardless of social origin or income”. It is suffice to say that the law, in effect, states that LASU must be a school for all manners of people, without prejudice to social status or economic income.

With the increasing population of Lagos, we have more than six million prospective undergraduates every year, even when the tertiary institutions cannot accommodate more than 700, 000 students. LASU

is out of the reach of the people because it is not affordable for the poor.

I want to consider everything that was summed up before they arrived at N193,750, N223,750, N248, 750 and N348,750 for students of Arts and Education, Social and Management Sciences, Law and College of Medicine respectively.

Going by the breakdown, the fees cannot be justified. For instance, Teaching Practice, which students of the in Faculty of Education will undergo, is fixed for N15,000. This is a service to be rendered by students to public secondary schools in Lagos. It is just like house job which medical students undergo after their training. They are paid during the period. This same thing should apply to students taking Teaching Practice; they meant to be paid for rendering the service to the state. But government says the students should pay it.

The University of Helsinki in Finland is ranked first in the country and 76th in the world; yet it is tuition-free for student. Maybe the state government wants to tell us it is subsidising education of students in LASU with N 700,000.

If a private university can charge N450,000 to include feeding and accommodation for a year, then LASU is expensive at N350, 000 tuition fee without benefit of accommodation and feeding. However, LASU is not a private institution. It is a public facility that is meant to serve the

people and not to be profit-making.

Therefore, the fee hike is unjustitiable.

On enrolment trend, before now, LASU used to be a university of first choice. At present, the reverse is the case. The enrolment trend has dropped drastically from 4,570 in 2006 to 1,416 students in 2014.

In 2013/14 enrolment list, only one student applied to study Physical Education. The same thing goes for French, Fisheries and Aquatic Biology and Physics, which had less than three students applying. This trend can reduce students’ population in the school from 24,000 to 6,000 next session.

From the above analogy, the government will pay dearly for it. Resources that can be used to effectively train 4,500 students are used to train 1,000 students. As studentship drops, it doubles the cost incurred per student. Assuming the government spends N700,000 on 2,000 students, the cost will increase to N1.4 million, if the number of students drops to 1,000. Whereas, the school is entitled to 5,000 students from National Universities Commission (NUC) quota.

Abraham Lincoln said: “If you run away from responsibility, you will be held responsible.” For Lagos not to be held responsible for impending illiteracy, the government must stand up to the responsibility of making LASU affordable for Lagosians.

With the outrageous fee, dreams of

thousands of youths have been shattered. One day, these youths would ask for their rights; so Lagos State must begin to invest heavily in security system.

The Students’ Union as the representative of the students, wants the progress of this great citadel of learning. But we say “no to fee increment” because Lagos is the third largest city in Africa after Cairo and Kinshasa; and the sixth emerging mega city in the world. With this, it is richer than many African countries.

Mr. Bode Augusto, the Pro-chancellor, said: “The increment is not enough to pay salaries for three months because LASU needs N900,000,000 a month to survive.”

Also, when Dr Obafemi Hamzat, Commissioner for Works, was on campus to inspect on-going projects, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof John Obafunwa, noted: “The infrastructural development in LASU has nothing to do with the fee hike.”

Now, why the fee hike?

Wilfred Pareto famously noted that a change that makes at least one individual better off and makes no individual worse off, is an improvement in social welfare.

Making LASU a school for the rich must not deprive the poor access to higher education. To this maxim, we submit.

Nurudeen is the Students’ Union president-elect, LASU

The youth have suffered enough pain while government and the lecturers disagree. The government seems to careless about the fate of students; it pretends not to understand their lecturers’ plight.

The government looks away while the parents cry.

It will only amount to futile exercise to devote time to list unpalatable consequences of the last Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) strike on us, which was caused by the lackadaisical approach of the government to education. But it is good to appeal to the Federal Government, as a matter of national importance, to put an end to the on-going ASUP and Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU) strikes. The government must act fast to save students from academic frustration because of the protracted actions.

Granted, the rot in the system

cannot be attributed to the Federal Government alone; there are bad educational policies of state governments and schools’ managements that have also contributed to erosion of our educational values.

An example of this is the crisis rocking the Lagos State University over fee hike. How can a government that is unable to pay N18,000 minimum wage to civil servants expect the poor to pay N300,000 as tuition on a single child? For God sake, that is daunting. The matter becomes more sensitive, with the revelation that some state governments are generating revenues from state-owed institutions. Is this how to develop a nation?

The suffering of the youths has doubled in the recent time, with the vicious attacks by Boko Haram insurgents on educational institutions.

Scores of innocent students were butchered at the Federal Government College in Buni Yadi, Yobe State recently. The unconcerned Federal Government went on with the centenary celebration, and the killers clinking glasses after the bloody assignment.

According to police reports, between June 2013 and February 2014, a total of 140 students were killed.

These are the future leaders with various missions and destinies to fulfil.

Nations of the world have their peculiar challenges; Nigeria is not insulated from this. But our approach to solve the challenges matters. The government has taken a highly devastating and ludicrous method to fight our problems.

The most depressing challenge we face in this country is the increasing rate of unemployment. According to Subsidy Reinvestment Programme

(SURE-P) report last year, about 40 million Nigerians are unemployed.

It said about 90 per cent of youths are in this group. One begins to wonder if Nigeria can ever become a developed nation this millennium.

The reason why Nigeria is faced with vices such as insurgency, kidnapping and militancy is because of unemployment, which is a direct product of corruption. The earlier we understand that these vices may not augur well for the future of the country, the better for us.

Our leaders must set aside personal aggrandizement and put the nation’s future (youths) first in every policy they make. The youths must also rise up to the challenge. Let there be a stop to demand of a better future.

We have to be part it.

Juwonlo, student of Agriculture, OAU

Parable of chicken and eagle

By Temitope Ojedele

A

CERTAIN man went into a forest, seeking any bird of interest he might find. He caught a young eagle and took it home; he put it among his fowls, ducks and turkeys and gave it chickens’ food, even though it was an eagle.

Five years later, a naturalist came to see the man, and after passing through his garden, the naturalist said: “That

bird is an eagle, not a chicken.” “Yes,” the owner replied, adding: “I have trained it to be a chicken; it is no longer an eagle but a chicken even though it measures fifteen feet in height.”

“No,” said the naturalist, “it is an eagle still; it has the heart of an eagle and I will make it soar high up to the heavens.” The owner said: “No, it is now a chicken and it will never fly.”

They agreed to test whether the eagle could fly or not. The naturalist held the eagle on his palm and said: “Eagle, thou art an eagle, thou dost not belong to the sky and not to this earth; stretch forth thy wings and fly.”

The eagle looked at him and turned the other way to see the chickens eating food. It jumped down from the naturalist palm.

Chuckling, the owner said: “I told you it is a chicken.” The naturalist disagreed. “It is an eagle,” he maintained, saying he would give it another chance the next day. He took it to the top of a house the next day and said: “Eagle, thou art an eagle; stretch forth thy wings and fly.” Again, the eagle saw chickens eating and jumped

down to eat with them. The owner reminded the naturalist that the eagle was a chicken.

The next morning, the naturalist rose early and took the eagle outside the city to the top of a mountain. He picked up the eagle and said: “Eagle, thou art an eagle; thou dost belong to the sky and not to this earth; stretch forth thy wings and fly.”

The eagle looked around and trembled, but it did not fly. The naturalist then made it look straight at the sun. Suddenly, it stretched out its wings and flew away. It never returned. It was an eagle, though it had been kept and tamed as a chicken.

The legend was Dr Aggrey’s best known sermon. Whoever Dr Aggrey was, I do not know - perhaps a clergy.

But when I came across the story, the underlying message struck me hard and I didn’t give it a second thought before I decided to write on it. Without beating about the bush, the message in the story is discovering one’s ability.

Different people discover themselves in different ways and at different speed. For some, the family

background or lineage discovers them even before they discover themselves; these people are usually the type that finds themselves in a family that is known for a particular profession or ability.

In the traditional Yoruba system, there are people who bear names that portray the vocation the family is known for. Such names include Ayanwole (drummers), Elegbede (singers) and Odeyemi (hunters) among others.

Most people discover themselves in a society that has helped in taming their productivity. Using Nigeria as a case study, average youth finds it difficult to discover his talent. Most of young people make the mistake of following the trend and believe they have discovered themselves. Later, they get confused and frustrated about their chosen life.

General, chickens are naturally weak and docile; they roam in restricted areas and eat what they are given. They easily surrender to be slaughtered. But we all know eagles are kings in their own world.

Nigeria is like the owner in the above story; it does not encourage its youth to ‘fly’, it does not even believe in their creativity, passion and dreams. The reason why a youth who invented an Amphibian Jet during the regime of General Ibrahim Babangida is still waiting on the former Head of State’s promise till today.

However, it is no news again that our society does not encourage the youths to discover their dream. But it does not mean we should automatically accept that fate. Like some people would say, Nigeria is bad but some people become successful.

Yes, Nigeria has its problems, but people are achieving great things through their honest, God-inspired efforts.

Most youth have been brainwashed to believe the only way they can make it in Nigeria is through fraud or robbery.

Everyone has different potentials in them; everyone is created with something distinct to achieve great things.

•Continued on page 44

THE NATION THURSDAY, APRIL 17, 2014

44

CAMPUS LIFE UNILORIN a pace setter, says KWASU VC

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HE Vice-Chancellor of the Kwara State University (KWASU), Prof Abdulrasheed Na’allah, has described the University of Ilorin as worthy of emulation by other universities. The university, he said, is ahead of many other academic institutions.

He said: “UNILORIN will continue to be an example for other academic institutions in the country, including KWASU, in terms of unionism, innovation, stable academic calendar and development.

UNILORIN is largely the first in terms of innovation.”

Na’Allah said this recently when campus journalists from UNILORIN visited his office. He said he was delighted with the collaboration between UNILORIN campus journalists and those of KWASU, noting that the partnership would go a long way in assisting both schools.

F

From Hameed Muritala UNILORIN “We are always happy doing things with UNILORIN because it is a university that is far ahead of its counterparts. So, we can work very closely with one another. We will embrace campus journalism totally. I was once a campus journalist while at UNILORIN,” he stated.

He added that campus journalism was a rewarding platform, saying it afforded students the avenue to inform, educate and tell the world what is happening in their various schools.

He explained that radio and television stations would soon be established for the Department of Mass Communication of the school for students to gain practical experience and skills required by their profession.

In his remark, president of the

•Prof Na’Allah with the campus journalists

Mass Communication Students’ Association at the school, Yinka Yusuf, thanked the UNILORIN student journalists for educating them

on campus journalism.

The delegation was later received by the Information Officer of the

that it would go a long way in enhancing effective journalism on campus. He urged the campus writers to be conscious of ensuring a crime free campus at all time through their publications.

The outgoing Dean of Students, Dr Ibrahim Magawatta, expressed delight at the programme and urged the association to continue to inform, educate, entertain and criticise constructively the campus through their writings.

Some participant who spoke to CAMPUSLIFE expressed satisfaction on the training. Sarat Alabidun, said: “The training was fantastic and I enjoyed every bit of the sessions.”

•Continued from page 42

Campus journalists discuss

OR three days, members of the National Association of Campus Journalists at the Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto (UDUS) were trained by professionals in print and electronic media. The programme was organised by campus journalists to train members on the basic and fundamentals of journalism. It was held at the auditorium of the Sokoto Energy Research Centre with the theme: The role of the media in National security.

Journalists in Sokoto State, including the Chairman of the state chapter of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Mallam Labaran Dundaye, Editor of The Path, Sir

From Ibrahim Jatto and Halimah Akanbi UDUS Ahmad Shehu, The General Manager of Nigerian Television Authority, Mallam Abu Shekara and representative of the Commissioner for Information, Mallam Nasir Dalandi Bako, spoke on basic writing skill, ethics of journalism, its legal aspect and new media.

At the closing ceremony, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration), Prof M.L. Ahamadu, praised the effort of the campus journalists for putting together the workshop for its members, stating

On and Off Campus By Solomon Izekor 08061522600

institution, Mrs Aminat Suleiman, who urged them to be objective in their reporting.

A week of fun

the foundation of the country’s future, noting that an illiterate youth population could not lead in the modern world.

“If you are not a reader, you cannot be a leader. If you are not a reader, you are not the future. The first person you must lead is yourself. When you lead yourself successfully, you will be able to lead others properly,” the VC said.

Prof. Ambali encouraged the students to develop the two “Cs” of leadership, which he called competence and character. Explaining that competence would always lead to better capacity and capability, the VC said character gives rise to confidence.

He told students to strive to be the best in their field, urging them not to rest on their oars but to improve on their weaknesses. He said acquiring knowledge was the only way they could rise to become future leaders.

The sub-Dean, Students’ Affairs Unit, Dr Abdulraheem Yusuf, urged the undergraduates to aim for success in all their endeavours. He told them not to think of failure, noting that students of the institution pride themselves as future leaders because of the

stable academic calendar and quality teaching they get.

He said: “No matter how bad things may go, your focus must be to attain success, strength, victory and belief.

No one will tell you who and what you can be; no one will tell you what you can or cannot be; belief will change your world and the country.

History will remember you for this.”

The SUG president, Ahmed Lawal, said the event was organisedto improve social life on campus and to promote peace and unity among students.

Ahmed said: “We want to promote unity in diversity through the exhibition of culture of the our various ethnic groups.”

The Week also featured activities, such as games, cooking and eating competition. The event ended with a musical show where May D, a popular hip-hop artiste, thrilled the students in the university stadium.

The eating contest was won by a 400-Level female Microbiology student, who ate 10 wraps of fufu(cassava flower) within four minutes. She was given a cash prize of N10, 000; the runner up, also a female student got N5, 000.

Commissioner hails college

T

HE Oyo State Commissioner for Water Resources, Mr Adewale Adeoye, has praised the management of the Oyo State College of Agriculture, Igboora (OYSCAI) for its entrep r e n e u r s h i p •Hon. Adeoye with the Acting Provost of the programme. Speaking College, Prof Gbemiga Adewale when he visited the inFrom Helen Olawore stitution, Adeoye, said OYSCAI the school was making progress. He said with the facili- parts of the state. ties at the college’s laboratory his Adeoye said the collaboration ministry would partner with the would boost the internally generschool in soil and water analysis. ated revenue drive of the college, He promised that no fewer than charging laboratory scientists in the 36 boreholes would be sunk in college to improve on their skills Ibarapa region, noting that the for greater efficiency. project would be extended to all

Parable of chicken and eagle •Continued from page 43

As an individual, we have our strength and our weaknesses.

We have to discover ourselves.

There is nothing impossible, even if the word itself says “I’m impossible”.

One of the factors that kill people’s dreams is fear. From the story, the

eagle finally realised where it was supposed to be - the sky. But it was afraid to try; it did and soared higher and higher. We are afraid to fail, but success can only be achieved if we try.

Just like the eagle, there is only one thing we should aim: fly to the sky and discover our dream.

Temitope, 300-Level English, UNILAG

THE NATION THURSDAY, APRIL 17, 2014

45

CAMPUS LIFE UNILORIN FILE

ASUP: Fed Govt yet to take decision

T

HE President, Association of Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP), Mr. Chibuzor Asomugha, said the association is yet to hear from the Federal Government on how to end the industrial action.

However, the Special Adviser to the Education Minister, Simeon Nwakaudu, has refuted this claim.

Speaking with The Nation in Awka, Asomugha said if President Goodluck Jonathan had intervened, that the union would want to see it in real terms.

It was reported last week that the President had intervened in the crisis between ASUP and the federal government which was initially being handled by the supervising minister of education, Chief Nyesom Wike.

The union met with the Federal Government about two weeks ago with the President of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), members of College of Education Association of Staff Union (COEASU) and the Education minister in attendance.

Asomugha said during the meeting ASUP and COEASU granted further compromise and took new position so that the strike would come to an end.

“Our understanding was that the Minister would take the new position to the President. Our timing was

F

•Not so, says Fed Govt From Nwanosike Onu, Awka and Kofoworola Belo-Osagie

that within one week, we would meet based on the understanding.

“But up till now, there had been no response and no step has been taken and that is what is delaying any further progress” Asomugha said.

If there had been any agreement, Asomugha said the union’s National Executive Council (NEC) would have met to resolve issues.

“We are still waiting for the Federal Government, the onus lies with the government to facilitate the end of the strike,” he said.

In a statement, Nwakaudu said of the four key demands agreed by the unions, the Federal Government has resolved three.

He said: “What is outstanding is the payment of arrears for migration to higher levels for staff and CONTISS 15. The demands that have been resolved by the Federal Government include the establishment of Needs Assessment Committees and the setting up of governing councils. The office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation has concluded work on the White Paper. The white paper of the Polytechnics and Colleges of Education

will not be released in isolation. They are to be released alongside those of universities.”

He also said the government has concluded the process to pay arrears owed the ASUP, COEASU and others, which stand at over N40billion.

He however accused the unions on back, tracking, on the agreement.

“The Federal Government has placed an offer before the two unions in terms of the payment. Right in the presence of journalists, the Supervising Minister of Education, Ezenwo Nyesom Wike announced the Federal Government offer to pay the striking workers in two installments. The unions agreed at the beginning, only to renege through a letter written by ASUP. Prior to this public meeting which ASUP objected, the ASUP President had claimed that the Federal Government ignored the unions,” he said.

Meanwhile, some of the students, who were affected by the strike cried out to the Federal Government and ASUP, to end the industrial action.

Chinenye Nnaemeka of the Library and Information Science Department, Federal Polytechnic Oko in Anambra State, told the Nation

•Asomugha

yesterday that they were suffocating at home, adding that the strike could lead some of the students into various crimes.

“We are no longer happy with the strike, when Association of Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) was on strike, the federal government was up and doing in making sure that it ended, then what is the problem with this ASUP one” Nnaemeka asked.

Also, Prisca Okoye of the Mass Communication Department of the same institution, said the strike dealt a devastating blow on some of them.

“What we are saying is that the issue has to be resolved, we have over stayed at home and at times, some of the Parents who do not understand the situation would feel that one had a problem with the school,” she added.

FUNAAB fights corruption

OR the fight against corruption to be effective, Nigeria should be ready to treat corrupt people as social lepers, while proceeds of corruption should also be seen as loot from crime, the President, Women Arise and Campaign for Democracy (CD), Dr. Joe OkeiOdumakin, has said.

Dr Okei-Odumakin spoke during the inauguration of the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related Offences Commission/Anti-Corruption Transparency and Monitoring Unit (ICPC/ACTU), at the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB).

Delivering a lecture titled: Eliminating corruption in the university system, the United States Secretary of States’International Woman of Courage Awardee, said corruption, which she defined as an inducement to do wrong by bribery or any unlawful means, had eaten deep into the fabric of the Nigerian society, including universities.

She identified corrupt practices in the university system to include fraudulent admission processes, admission and accommodation racketeering, financial fraud, examination malpractices and sex/cash for marks.

Others are plagiarism, stifling of staff and student unionism, cultism and academic gangsterism. She added that corruption thrived in the nation because the opportunity cost for stealing was positive in the sense that alleged corrupt persons were always celebrated.

Though a global menace, Mrs OkeiOdumakin lamented that Nigeria

T

Don seeks N1b for malaria research

ranked 143rd of 183 nations in the 2011 Corruption Perception Index Report

by Transparency International.

Making a case for better funding of universities, the human rights activist said underfunding was the precursor to corruption.

She charged the unions to step up their watch-dog role to check corruption in the university system.

“The university must be the change agent in the society to liberate the down trodden. ASUU and other unions must be ready to act as checks and balances to the administrators of the ivory towers, and by extension, the leaders in the coun-

try”, she said.

The activist advocated that sanctions against corruption should be enforced to deter offenders, and advised that all schools - private and public, reputed for manufacturing high percentages of passes in external examinations - be monitored by anti-corruption bodies.

The FUNAAB Vice-Chancellor, Prof Olusola Oyewole said though the university has zero tolerance for financial misconduct or corruption, admission into the university was strictly based on merit.

He hoped that the lecture would further spur the university to keep

the fight against corruption alive.

The Head, ICPC Oyo/Ogun states Office, Mr. Olusesan Olukile, said ACTU was one of the strategies of the commission to curb corrupt practices in Federal Government Ministries, Departments and Agencies and promot integrity in the public service.

He commended Prof Oyewole, saying his intolerance for corruption had made the occasion a reality and the commitment of Dr. Abiodun Amusan, Chairman of the local ACTU and his members. He added that corruption in the university system should be of great concern to every Nigerian.

•Kwara State Commissioner of Police, Mr Ambrose Aisabor (4th right) with Dr. Ayodele Olaosebikan, Deputy Rector, Administration(3rd right), Federal Polytechnic, Offa (FEDPOFFA) when he visited the polytechnic. With them are: the Bursar, Mr Paul Adegbemi (2nd right); Librarian, Dr Femi Quadri (3rd left); Deputy Rector, Academics, Alhaji Biaminu Saliu (4th left), representative of the Registrar, Alh. Moshood Nafiu (2nd left) Police Public Relations Officer, Mr Ajayi Okasanmi (left). Back row from right: Deputy Registrar, Senior Staff Establishment, Alhaji Tunji Agboola (right), Divisional Police Officer, Offa Division, Mr Emmanuel Aina (3rd right), Head of the Polytechnic Security Unit, Mr Moshood Ibrahim (4th), Chief International Auditor, Alh. Kolawole Babatunde (5th) and other Security Officers.

A Professor of Biochemistry at the University of Ilorin (UNILORIN), Elizabeth Abidemi Balogun, has urged the Medical Research Council of Nigeria to institute a well-funded competitive research grant of up to N1 billion for basic and applied researches into alternative antimalarial medication.

Balogun, who gave the advice while delivering the 146th Inaugural Lecture of the University last Thursday, also called for more extensive efforts on malaria research and phyto-medicine.

In her lecture, titled: Dreadable unpaired species: Biochemical approach as panacea, the scholar said there is a lot to research about the disease to keep researchers busy.

“The devastating effects of the malaria scourge on the productivity and livability of human beings remain evergreen challenges to scientists seeking affordable solutions,” she said.

Balogun, whose lecture was the first to be delivered in the new Faculty of Life Sciences, suggested N1 billion as the take-off grant for a special Research Intervention Fund for the production, quality control, patenting and marketing of natural/ herbal anti-malarial drugs from the avalanche of research outputs by the multi-disciplinary team involved in the exercise in the university.

VC explains school’s relocation THE UNILORIN Vice-Chancellor, Prof AmbdulGaniyu Ambali, has said the University of Ilorin Secondary School was relocated from the Main Campus to the heart of Ilorin city to make it more accessible to the general populace in the city Ambali, who made this known while addressing members of the executive committee of the Ilorin Emirate Descendant Progressive Union (IEDPU) in his office, said that the decision was taken in good faith, as the school now attracts more pupils from the university’s host community.

“You are our host and we are your guests. Our relationship is symbiotic. We are partners in progress,” Ambali said to the leader of the group, Alhaji Abdulhamid Adi, who assured him of the union’s support.

Other members of the IEDPU leadership, who visited Ambali were, Dr. Salihu Adebayo, National Vice President; Dr. Hamza I. AbdulRaheem, National Secretary; Mr. Abdulwahas Saliu, National Publicity Secretary; Mallam Moh’d Bello Lamidi; Ex-officio; Mr. Tijani Z. Orisankoko, Ex-officio; and Alhaji Mohammed M. Salman.

Tansian varsity counts gains of exchange programme

ANSIAN University, a faithbased institution in Oba, Anambra State, has instituted a programme to help students seeking foreign education do so with ease.

The institution is partnering foreign universities in Philippines to run certificate and degree programmes which allow students to start at Tansian and travel to the Asian country to complete them.

The university’s Director, Directorate of Exchange and Linkage Programmes, Mr. V.C. Ogueze, said since starting the programme last year, the second set of students en-

By Mmaduka Odogwu

rolled will soon be travelling to the Philippines after completing their second year in Tansian. He explained that this would give students a legal path to travel abroad and avoid problems associated with illegal migration.

He said: “Nigerians have been trying to go out of the country in a wrong way, and at the end of the day many are trapped. Perhaps, after selling their landed properties to travel out to overseas, they would be arrested and imprisoned because

they tried to go out illegally. So we decided that as a university the best option would be to establish a link or linkage with a university out there through which our students could do two years here and exit to do another two years abroad and graduate with the degree(s) of that overseas university.

“And that we have done. We have successfully linked up with the University of Northern Philippines and Pangasinan State University, both in the Republic of Philippines . Right now, the first set of our students travelled in December last year

(2013), second set would be traveling very soon.”

Ogueze also said the students on the exchange programme do not pay more than the fees obtainable at Tansian when they move abroad.

“The same fees they pay in Tansian University are the same fees they will pay when they get over there until they graduate except medical students,” he said.

For Medicine, he said students have to first earn a biological science degree before being admitted into the college of medicine.

“For you to study medicine over

there, you are supposed to have a first degree in any of the biological sciences. So, what we do here is that first of all, we admit them into B.Sc biological sciences. They will do two years here in that B.Sc programme; they go over there and continue for another two years. After that two years, they get their B.Sc may be in microbiology and then they would be admitted into the College of Medicine over there,” he said.

He said at N140,000 per semester, the Medical tuition fees is very considerate compared to the quality of education provided.

THE NATION THURSDAY, APRIL 17, 2014

46

CAMPUS LIFE SCHOLARSHIPS

AAUA FILE

New session begins THE Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko (AAUA) Ondo State, will resume for the 2013/ 2014 academic session on Sunday.

According to the academic calendar, which was approved by the university Senate on Wednesday last week, fresh students are required to complete their pre-registration immediately.

Resumption and on-campus registration for all returning students; screening and registration for fresh students are to be completed between April 20 and May 3.

Alumnus represents Nigeria AN alumnus and the 2012 Best graduating student in the Department of Political Science and Public Administration, AAUA, Mr. Adekunle Akinola, is one of the two Nigerians presently participating in a 60day Tour De Future Project organised by ActionAid International in Denmark.

ActionAid is a nongovernmental international organisation working to end poverty and hunger.

The Campaign Officer, Mr. Jonathan Bunch, in a statement said: “The purpose of the project is to create awareness raising activities about tax justice, sustainable development and hunger among the Danes.”

Tour de Future, which is a bicycle caravan that will go through 15 cities of Denmark, began on March 30, and would end on Wednesday, May 28, 2014.

APPROACHING DEADLINES Call for Application: Graduate Research Program on Climate Change and Agriculture THE La Trobe Business School offers MBA scholarship for international students in Australia. Applicant must have a minimum 70% GPA from the undergraduate degree Level. Seniority of work experience will also be considered where applicable. The scholarships are each worth A$10 000 and will be disbursed equally across enrolled subjects for the duration of the course. The application deadline is 11 July 2014.

Study Subject (s): Scholarship is provided in the field of business administration at the La Trobe University.

Course Level: Scholarship is available for pursuing master’s degree level at the La Trobe Business School, Australia.

Scholarship Provider: La Trobe Business School, Australia Scholarship can be taken at: Australia Accreditation: La Trobe University is an accredited university. La Trobe University is accredited by the International network of universities, Universities Australia, Innovative Research Universities Australia, Association of Commonwealth Universities.

Eligibility: -Applicants must be a citizen of a country other than Australia and New Zealand.

-You must satisfy all course entry requirements

-You must hold an Offer Letter from La Trobe University for the Master of Business Administration with a commencement date in Semester 2, 2014 -You must have a minimum 70% GPA from the undergraduate degree Level and seniority of work experience will also be considered where applicable -You will need to meet the course academic and English language entry requirements at the commencement date.

Scholarship Open for International Students: International Students can apply for these scholarships.

Scholarship Description: La Trobe Business School offers MBA Scholarship for International Students in Australia. Scholarship is provided in the

Why graduates fail interview test

A

LACK of relevant ethical skills during job interviews has been identified as a major factor hindering employment opportunities for many graduates.

Dr Soji George, a Senior Lecturer at the Department of Business Administration, University of Lagos (UNILAG), told The Nation that the problem of unemployment in Nigeria is not only that graduates are not qualified, but that they are unemployable based on certain skills they lack.

George who lived in the United States for about 25 years, joined UNILAG about three years ago. He also the Chief Executive Officer of J. Soji George and Co, a global firm of management consultants and training facilitators.

He said most young Nigerians neither know how to write a Curriculum Vitae (CV) nor a proposal. Some

From Nicholas Kalu, Calabar

•Dr George

curriculum, adding his outfit, is trying to establish a finishing school that would teach graduates these ethics.

He also called for the review of the nation’s curriculum to agree with the demands of employers who are out to get the best from the labour market.

He advised lecturers to create time to teach their students some ethics that are not included in the curriculum, but which George believes would help them possess prerequisite skills employers are looking for.

New director for CSEER THE Vice-Chancellor of AAUA, Prof. Femi Mimiko, has approved the appointment of Dr. M. Z. Mohammed as Acting Director of the institution’s Centre for Space and Energy Environmental Research (CSEER). The appointment took effect from Monday.

A statement by the Principal Assistant Registrar (Personnel Division), Mrs. Ajoke Araoyinbo, said Muhammed would be responsible to Prof Mimiko for the daily administration of CSEER, in addition to providing academic leadership for its efficient running.

Dr. Mohammed is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Earth Sciences (formerly Department of Geology and Applied Geophysics).

THE Governor of Cross River State, Senator Liyel Imoke, has approved the appointment of Prof Anthony Owan-Enoh as the ViceChancellor of the Cross River University of Technology (CRUTECH).

Until his appointment, OwanEnoh was the Provost of the state College of Education in Akamkpa local government area.

A statement by the Secretary to the State Government, Mike Aniah, which confirmed the appointment, also announced Dr. James Bassey Ejue as OwahEnoh’s successor.

•Prof Owan-Enoh

Catalyst for fuel efficiency

•Acting Chairman, Governing Council, Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education (AOCOED), Ijanikin, Prince Abiodun Ogunleye (left) and Guest Speaker, Mr Owolabi Amisu, at the maiden registry lecture of the college.

Senator Tinubu, ex-provost get AOCOED Fellowship

Dep. Bursar is ICAN Fellow THE Deputy Bursar, Accounting Services of the university Mrs. Olubunmi Ologun, has become a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountant of Nigeria, (ICAN).

Mrs. Ologun was honoured during the conferment of fellowship on some members by the institute.

The conferment permits Mrs. Ologun to affix the acronym, FCA, to her name.

In her appreciation, Ologun thanked AAUA management for providing the enabling platform that made her attain the height.

She promised to continue to put in her best in the services of the University.

•To be continued

CRUTECH gets new VC

By Olatunde Odebiyi

do not know how to prepare for interviews, George added.

He said: “In an interview session, ladies are to cross their legs while men are to unbutton their jackets when seated. Many male television broadcasters fall victim of this,” he added.

“Many male graduates are not aware that when giving a lady a handshake, she should make the first move and the guy should shake gently. Many graduates have mouth/ body odour and are not aware of it.

“All these are some of the challenges which imitate against graduates getting jobs because the first impression at the interview session goes a long way,” he said.

He called on the government to include ethics, such as these into the

field of business administration at the La Trobe University. The scholarship is available for pursuing master’s degree level at the La Trobe Business School, Australia. The scholarships are each worth A$10 000 and will be disbursed equally across enrolled subjects for the duration of the course.

Number of award (s): Not Known Duration of award(s): Scholarships are offered for the duration of the course.

What does it cover? The scholarships are each worth A$10 000 and will be disbursed equally across enrolled subjects for the duration of the course.

Selection criteria: Not Known Notification: Not Known

•...College plans combined convocations

By Adegunle Olugbamila

•Provost AOCOED Olalekan Bashorun

S

Mr

Wasiu

ENATOR Oluremi Tinubu and former Provost of the Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education (AOCOED) Otto/Ijanikin, Prof Bashir Babatunde Oderinde, will both be conferred with the fellowship of the college at her convocation next Thursday.

The combined convocations are featuring 32nd, 33rd and 34th sets will

see graduands across the college regular programme as well as those from the School of Part-Time being conferred with NCE certificates at the convocation ground. Time is 10.00am According to the college’s Registrar Mr Bola Disu, the week-long event begins today with briefing at the council chamber, and a mock football match among senior and junior staff at the sports field.

A Jumat service and interdenominational Christian service hold tomorrow and Sunday respectively, while the monthly environment sanitation as well musical concert/ convocation play come up on Tues-

day next week.

Prof Kavita Pandit from the University of Georgia Anthens United State will deliver the convocation lecture with the theme: ‘The Internationalisation of higher education: Opportunities and Challenges, on Wednesday April 23.

The 55-year old institution owned by the Lagos State government is the oldest college of education in the country. The institution runs full and parttime programmes in Arts & Social Sciences, Primary Education, Early Childhood Care Education, Languages, Sciences and Vocational & Technical Education. The college also runs various degree programmes in collaboration with the Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, Nigeria.

AN alumnus of AAUA and graduate fellow in the Department of Chemical Sciences, Mr. Femi Oloye, has recommended the use of bi-functional catalyst in the petroleum industry in Nigeria.

Mr. Oloye, a post-graduate student at the University of Aberdeen, Scotland, gave the recommendation at the maiden alumni-tutored seminar of Faculty of Science held in the university.

He spoke on the topic: ‘Can fuel efficiency bee improved without causing pollution?’

He said: “At present in Aberdeen, Scotland, we have successfully synthesised bi-functional catalyst. We want to provide an alternative catalyst (bi-functional catalyst) that is cheaper and environmental friendly. It will work for a very long period of time and at the same time work at low temperature. I strongly recommend it for Nigeria as soon as it is ready.”

Oloye noted that the various catalysts being used in oil refineries were prone to sudden and easy deactivation, work at high temperature and have some environmental effects.

On the impact of his research on AAUA, Mr. Oloyede said the study would make the university the pioneer of the use of bi-functional catalyst for fuel efficiency in Nigeria. He also said AAUA could liaise with the petroleum industry to produce the bi-functional catalyst.

The Dean of the Faculty, Prof. Victor Olumekun, who was represented by Dr. Alaba Gbadamosi, advised Oloye to return to his alma mater on completion of his study. He also stressed the need for all members of staff undergoing post-graduate studies both at home and abroad to do same.

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47

EDUCATION

Lagos approves harmonised calendar from 2014/2015 session W ITH the Lagos State Government approving a harmonised schools’ calendar for the state, both public and private primary and secondary schools are expected to resume and close at the same time beginning from the 2014/2015 academic session.

A committee of stakeholders set up by the Commissioner for Education, Mrs. Olayinka Oladunjoye, worked out modalities for the harmonisation of the schools’ calendar and curriculum between last October and December 30, when it submitted its report.

In light of the new harmonisation, which was announced last Thursday, Mrs Oladunjoye urged all owners of private primary and secondary schools to adjust their cal-

By Kofoworola Belo-Osagie

endar to fit into the new structure.

She however noted that schools affiliated with embassies, missions and those who usually present candidates for international examinations have been given a window of flexibility of one week before and after official resumption date.

“Private schools should adhere strictly with the 2014/2015 academic year calendar and subsequent ones in the opening, resumption and mid-term dates. However, schools affiliated with embassies, missions as well as those presenting candidates for International examinations may be given a window

of flexibility of one week before and after official resumption or closing dates but they must comply with the mid-term dates,” she said.

Oladunjoye also underscored the importance the state attaches to the completion of the 38 to 39 weeks of academic period in order to adequately cover the curriculum.

“It is mandatory for all schools to complete the 38 to 39 weeks of academic contact periods where the curriculum is well covered by schools as seen in other developed countries. Regular monitoring visits will be made to private schools while sanctions will be meted out to schools that do not comply with the academic year calendar,” she

warned.

In line with the new calendar for the 2014/2015 academic session, schools are to resume for the first term on Monday, September 15, go on the mid-term break on Thursday, November 30, and end the term on Friday, December 12. The first term holidays is expected to last between Monday, December 15 and Friday, January 2, 2015.

For the second term, activities are to begin Monday, January 5, 2015 and end on Friday, April 3. Midterm break will be on February 19; Mock examinations for SS III students will be held between February 24 and March 6; while the term ends after the unified examinations of between March 24 and April 3.

The third term is scheduled to begin April 20 and end July 17. The

•Mrs Oladunjoye

Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) will start June 16 and end 29; mid-term break June 4 and 5; end of session unified examination will however take place between, July 7 and 17, while the resumption date for the 2015/2016 academic session will be September 15, 2015.

Pupils mark International Day with fanfare

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MID fanfare, parents and pupils of Wisdom Spring School International, Igando Lagos, marked the international day penultimate Saturday.

The event took place within the school premises where officials of the embassies of the United States of America (USA), United Kingdom (UK) and other countries gave tips to students on how to apply for visa to travel abroad. Thereafter, the pupils were screened to determine the eligibility to travel for a programme in the UK. The proprietor, Mrs. Clara Olufunmilayo Adenoid, said the programme aimed at exposing the students and broadening their knowledge.

“The essence of this programme is to extend teaching from the four walls of the classroom. It is to teach

T

By Oluwayemisi Awe

the children on how to obtain visa to any country of interest so that they don’t hear it from outsiders, “she said.

The schools principal, Mrs. Tula Mary, thanked Mrs Adenoid for the initiative.

She said: “In fact, the pupils were able to interact with others and their teachers. The airport they have been hearing for long has been brought to their domain. To the proprietor, I thank you for this kind of innovation.”

The parents appreciated not only the dance and music but the way pupils were dressed. Their colourful costumes and hairdo decorated with beads made for a perfect photography while some parent struggle to get shots of their wards.

• Pupils presenting cultural dance at the event

Traditionalists seek establishment of more schools

HE Chairman of Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Iseyin Local Government Area of Oyo State, Comrade AbdulFatai Gbeko and the National Secretary of Orunmila Youngsters International, Priest Fayemi Fakayode, have advocated the establishment of traditional schools across the country.

The duo, who spoke at the second annual school meeting of Olokun Asorodayo Primary School, Iseyin, said that such development will avail them to teach their children based on the provisions and prin-

By Jeremiah Oke

ciples of the traditional religion.

The school teachings, according to Gbeko, are part of what Yoruba descendant inherited and it must be maintained properly.

“I want to implore you parents to enrol your children in this school regardless of your religion because it is part of the inheritance of Oduduwa descendants. I also want to use this medium to implore the traditionalists across the country to establish this kind of school for the benefit of their children. Though this

school was established by the traditionalists, once it has been taken over by the government, every citizen, Muslim, Christians or traditionalists has the same right in the school.”

Such development to Fakayode is already in the pipeline. He said the organisation has been encouraging the traditionalists to establish their own schools to solve the unforeseen challenges.

According to him, there are now schools for the traditionalists in both Oyo and Osun States, adding that the two are not yet sufficient for their children.

He maintained that Nigeria, either overtly or covertly allows the indoctrination of their children and that is the reason it is very important for them to set up a national standard primary and secondary schools across the country.

He charged the pupils to be hardworking so that they can withstand their counterparts in other schools owned by Muslims and Christians.

Fakayode noted that traditional education system in Nigeria has

School celebrates culture

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•Head, Internal Audit, GlaxoSmithkline Consumer Nigeria Plc, Mr. Raphael Adebiyi; Head, Fundraising and Communications, SOS Children's Villages Nigeria, Mrs. Uche Odiase-Omozoje; Programme Director, SOS Children's Village Programme, Isolo, Mr. Ayodeji Adelopo; Shift Manager, Mr. Hyacinth Okpechi; Communications and Engagement Manager, GSK Consumer Nigeria Plc, Ms. Bolaji Sanyaolu and Corporate Admin. Officer, Mr. Abayomi Ajayi; GSK during GSK's visit to SOS Children's Village, Isolo, Lagos as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility.

been portrayed negatively, saying that the development accounts for factors militating against its growth and the development.

“Your programme for today has been encouraging and interesting.

You all need to take the bull by the horn in your academic pursuit so as to compete with your counterpart in other religions. That will also help you to be useful to yourselves, the community and the traditional religion, so that the Religion will be promoted to a level that will make it great.

HE cultural day of Jerrytim Group of Schools, Alagbado, Lagos left parents with many pleasant memories.

There was applause as pupils sauntered on the stage decking various costumes of Edo, Efik, Igbo and Yoruba origins, among others.

Parents will also not forget one of the performers, a lad who rushed to the stage dressed as a Benin chief. Clutching a walking stick, he greeted the happy crowd in Benin language.

The theme of the bi-annual programme ‘Celebration of culture’ resonated in the news casting session as news was presented in various Nigerian dialects. Aside, there was also songs, dances, poetry, fashion show and display of delicacies of the various ethnic groups.

Dignitaries at the event commented on the importance of culture. They agreed that it is the sum total of people’s way of life from generation to generation.

In her speech, the proprietress of

the school, Mrs. Mary Amuzie, said cultural and linguistic diversity are a feature in Nigeria, resulting in harmonious co-existence of people from different cultures and tongues.

Amuzie observed that within multilingual societies, the maintenance of the languages of the various ethnic and cultural groups is critical for the preservation of cultural heritage and identity.

“The loss of language means the loss of culture and identity,” she said.

Parents at the event expressed dissatisfaction on the dismal state of culture in Nigeria.

One of them Mrs. Chinyere Alino Alino who protested against christening child with foreign names on the side of parents, urged government and institutions of learning to imbibe the culture of charity begins at home by getting more stiffness to their culture than foreign culture they know little or nothing about.

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48

EDUCATION EDUTALK

with

Parental gimmicks

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HIS past week, I clapped my hands and exclaimed in wonderment and perplexity many times, like I have seen done on Nollywood movies when characters hear incredulous tales. The source of my bafflement had to do with the extent parents go to put their wards in trouble in the name of helping them get ahead faster in life.

For reasons I cannot under-

•Members of Green House, winners of the Inter-House Sport competition of Fehintolaolu School, Mushin, Lagos, celebrating after the event.

I

NGO to teach finance online

N commemoration of its 15th anniversary, Junior Achievement Nigeria (JAN), a NonGovernmental Organisation (NGO) that teaches financial literacy, entrepreneurship and work readiness to pupils, will launch an e-learning platform on May 22.

The launch, billed to take place at the Oriental Hotel, Lekki, Lagos, on May 22, will have the Minister of Communication and Technology, Ms. Omobola Johnson in attendance.

JAN’s Executive Director, Mrs Kunbi Wuraola at a pre-event

•Launches platform May 22

By Oluwayemisi Akinyemi

briefing in Lagos, said the platform is designed to reach pupils outside the classroom environment, and demonstrate the power of technology.

She said various activities have been lined up to mark the anniversary, including the unveiling of the “I am JAN’’ ambassador campaign which would showcase 15 Nigerians who mirror the JAN philoso-

phy and serve as role models for young ones.

Since its inception, Mrs Wuraola said JAN has impacted a lot of pupils across the country.

“JAN started operations in Nigeria in the last quarter of 1999, and since then has reached over 400,000 students in over 650 schools in 17 locations , Lagos, Ibadan, Abeokuta, Port Harcourt, Abuja, Kano, calabar among others,” she said.

Etisalat helps pupils choose careers

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T was an excited group of over 500 secondary school pupils that participated in a career counselling programme sponsored by telecoms company, Etisalat for schools in Iyana-Ipaja, Lagos.

Pupils from nine secondary schools including Government College, Agege, Girls Junior High School, Agege; and Dairy Farm Senior Secondary School, Agege; Sango Senior Secondary School, Agege; Yewa Junior High School, Agege; Keke Senior High School, Agege and Stadium Junior Grammar School, Agege, heard from experts what they need to do to prepare for successful careers in future.

The experts, employees of Etisalat, and the Lagos Empowerment and Resource Network (LEARN), an NGO founded by Mrs. Abimbola Fashola addressed the pupils on academic requirement and soft skills and competencies that will help them get ahead in their fields.

Head, Learning and Development, Etisalat Nigeria, Mr. Chike Otubelu, said the initiative gave

By Kofoworola Belo-Osagie

members of Etisalat staff opportunity to mentor and counsel the pupils, one of the company’s core values.

“We are aware that our success is a product of the society in which we live and do business in, that is why we are committed to contributing to development at all levels of society. At the Career Counselling programme, our staff volunteer time and employ skills to provide career counselling and mentorship to those with the most critical need for such guidance students of secondary schools. We are aware that students need appropriate direction towards making compatible and fulfilling career choices, because a wrong career move may have some negative long-term effects.” He said.

Senior Project Officer, Lagos Empowerment and Resource Network, Mrs. Tonne Saheed, said the NGO shares the empowerment objective that Etisalat set out to achieve through the initiative.

She underscored the importance of preparing the pupils for the fu-

ture roles they will play in the world of work.

“Building a career is as complex as building a house. As such, these students need to be educated and counselled on how to go about making positive life career choices for their future. This partnership with Etisalat Nigeria is coming at a time when Nigerian teenagers need to see that there is hope for a brighter future,” she said.

Guidance Counselor at Diary Farm Senior Secondary School, said the event would allow the pupils not to be pressured into choosing careers they do not want.

“By the time we catch them young and give them the motivation they need, they will be able to make the right choice. Some parents will want them to take after their professions but with this, the students can make their own choice based on their strengths, she said.

One of the participants, Friday Aaron, an SS1 pupil of Dairy Farm Secondary Schopol, who wants to be a neuro surgeon, said he was excited about attending the event.

Intel advocates technology education

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N ICT expert, Mr Emmanuel Eze, has urged the teachers and the government to integrate ICT into classroom learning.

Eze, who is the Lead, Public Sector & Education, HP, spoke at ARTE (African Resources and Technology for Education) Show 2014 sponsored by HP and Intel.

It was declared open by Benue State Commissioner of Education, Dr Elizabeth Ugo in Abuja.

In his treatise of the topic: How

Technology can challenge Convention, encourage Change and Improve Education in Africa, Eze said teaching in the 21st century has gone beyond the classroom to embrace technology, which he said enhances learning.

He said using ICT allows students to learn at individual paces and acquire needed knowledge.

He added that it also promotes retention by 90 per cent because of active participation.

On his part, Business Develop-

ment Manager, Intel, Omoboyade Abe, spoke on an education solution which allows the learners to access e-textbooks.

“The Intel Explore and Learn is an education solution that provides access to a vast repository of free and low cost digital text books and interactive learning resources. At Intel education, the focus is on creating education solutions that aids learning and it is not profit focused,” he said.

Kofoworola

Belo-Osagie Kofosagie@yahoo.com 08054503077 (SMS only)

stand, related stories of this nature came my way like tidal waves almost every day of the week. The first I heard was told by a colleague whose neighbour sought his assistance to counsel her daughter to apply for a science-related programme in the university because of her impressive O-Level grades. But the girl would have none of it. When my colleague dug deeper, the girl told him that she got those grades only because her mother had registered her in a school that specialised in helping candidates cheat to pass. She knew that should she face those subjects in the university, she would not be able to cope so she had to weigh her options carefully.

Unfortunately, her choice did not please her mother, who said she paid exorbitantly to get her into the centre. Ultimately, both of them will lose at the end if nothing is done to truly upgrade the girl's knowledge of the subjects.

The second amazing story was that of the school owner who collected fees to register candidates for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) and fled without doing so. Now, the poor SS3 pupils are forced to live with the nightmare of watching their peers take the examination while they wait till next year to re-take the examination. Of all the victims involved, none moved me like Agnes Kalu, who is a pupil of Omole Grammar School, Omole, in Ikeja. For similar reasons as the first girl, her mother's friend advised her to enrol in the private school located in Sango Ota, in Ogun State.

She paid over N47,000 for registration, specimen, form, passport photograph, logistics, name it. Unfortunately, the school is not registered by the Ogun State Ministry of Education, and as a result, not approved as a centre by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC). The owner's practice was to register his candidates with a recognised school for the examination. Whatever happened that he could not do so this year can only be explained by him. However, he did not wait to offer explanations before absconding and leaving the candidates and their parents in tears.

The irony of the matter is that Agnes is enrolled in a public secondary school where she does not pay fees because of the free education policy of the Lagos State government. The state foots the WASSCE bill for its SS3 pupils. The government does it to reduce the financial burden on parents who cannot afford the high tuition fees charged by private schools. Is it therefore not funny that these same parents can cough out as much as N40,000 to enrol their wards as external candidates in private schools? Where does the money come from? When things like this happen, one is tempted to say that the government should end such programmes. Every year, the officials of the ministry of education sit with WAEC officials to reconcile account so that the government does not suffer loss because of candidates who were sponsored but did not show up.

It was also in the course of the week that I heard of a father who sent his daughter abroad to study. After four years, she failed to graduate. It was when an aunt started questioning her closely about the programme she was studying abroad that they discovered it was all a fluke. She had to be flown back to Nigeria and enrolled at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka. The aunt said she just completed her studies. The girl's father nearly made a mistake with her younger sister too. He paid heavily to get her admitted into the university to read Medicine. About a session or two later, the girl sent a text message to her father that she was no longer studying Medicine but Animal Science because she just could not cope.

The average parents want the best for their wards. They struggle to give them better lives than they had growing up. They try to earn income, put them in the best schools, get them well dressed and provide all the comfort they can manage. However in doing so, some parents get it wrong. While it is good to give children better lives, it should not be at the detriment of values and principles that they need to live ethically and contribute positively to societal development. Buying grades for children and paying for mercenaries to sit for examinations in their stead do no good. It only harms them. They tend to think that they can get anything of value by just paying for it. And if they cannot afford to pay, they get into dirty deals to do so. Life is not a bed of roses. Children must understand this. But they can also be told that if they persevere, they can be the best in whatever field of endeavour they choose. This is indeed a more honourable path to follow.

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THE NATION THURSDAY, APRIL 17, 2014

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POLITICS In this interview with MUSA ODOSHIMOKHE, Osun State Commissioner for Special Duties and Regional Integration Hon. Ajibola Bashiru speaks on the achievement of Aregbesola Administration and the governors’ re-election bid.

‘PDP is party for old brigade’

By Nneka Nwaneri

‘Osun will vote for continuity’ L

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HY IS Governor Rauf Aregbesola seeking a second term?

The justification lies in several aspects. Government has changed the fortune of the state and there is the need for consolidation. Secondly, the people of the State of Osun deserve the best, in terms of leadership and good governance. Thirdly, looking at the facts of history, the government has performed and, with all sense of modesty, he has used his position to serve the people. He has been able to deliver on his promises, which require consolidation by having a second term. He has provided leadership for the people and, of course, the people want the continuity of the leadership. The sustainability of good governance for the welfare of the people is very important at this point.

The opposition do not believe in the picture you have painted. They believe the governor has come to divide the state along religious line...

As far as I am concerned, what the opposition believes is outright derailment from the real issues.I would empirically demonstrate what the government of Osun State wants to do.

It has come up with programmes and policies that have justified the pragmatic action of the government. I will like to comment on the intervention in the area of education. Before this government took over, the performance of the students in the educational ranking was 34 per cent. As at today, because of the intervention in the area of education, it has fast tracked the position.

The school enrolment compiled by the Nigerian Bureau of Statistics indicates that Osun has the highest enrolment in this country. That is not unconnected with the intervention by the government. And what is that intervention? We have embarked on massive infrastructure development. New schools are either being completed or undergoing construction. They are schools that match training standard all over the world.

In terms of infrastructure, we are doing very well. It is only somebody who is a pathological liar that will say we have not made massive investment in that direction. We have the school feeding programme by which we feed the school children with nutritious meals.

Aside the direct benefit of the nutritional quality, it has direct impact on their mental development. It also has some economic advantages. For instance, we have the food vendors with about 2000 of them recruited in the schools. That provides empowerment for the women. These women do not only serve as food vendors, they are equipped with modern facilities for them to be able to serve as community caterers.

So, aside from whatever they make from providing school services, they earn additional income, acting as community caterers. So, the school feeding programme offers the benefit of empowerment and economic development. Another aspect of that school feeding programme has to do with agriculture. It will impress you to know that the quality of products the schools children are taking have nutritional value. What we have done is to create a scheme by which we give day old chicken to poultry and even the supply of cows which are supplied for use.

We created the enabling markets for agriculture which have help to advance the cause of making the state dependable and having food security. Let us also look at the school uniform programme, we have provided over 700,000 uniforms to students in our schools.

What are other areas of interventions?

Government has also started the Omoluabi Garment Factory. It is located in Osogbo. The factory employs

• Bashiru

over 2000 tailors that produce school uniforms, uniform for corporate entity and other departments. Through this, we have created an economy that is employing people to the scheme.

That is another aspect of our intervention and it is affecting our people positively. Of course, the Osun Youth Empowerment Scheme (OYES) has provided youth employment. During its commissioning, government did not lie to anybody. It was clear in the advertorial that scheme will provide 10,000 jobs. It is to offer important services to the communities. We have been able to get 20,000 into the scheme. Out of the 20,000, at least, 15,000 of them have been engaged in one way or the other. Some of them were absorbed into the civil service, which we did with equity.

So, when I heard somebody says that the OYES scheme is not functioning, they are not fair in their comments.

One of the things that the OYES scheme has done is to rekindle the spirit of entrepreneurship in our people. I want to say the first batch was taken to Germany for training and are now back. The second batch is going to leave by September for training in modern agriculture. So, what the scheme has done is to provide leadership training for the people. Fortunately, the world saw the wisdom in what we have done, even though the mischievous people said that we deceive the World Bank.

How could somebody even allege that a government of the state deceives the World Bank?The World Bank tagged the project as one of the best engagement and empowerment schemes that has ever been developed in this part of the world. So, in the area of education, what we have also done is to ensure that we have necessary facilities to train the students like the Opon Imo, which is celebrated worldwide. So, when I hear somebody say over eight billion was spent on Opon Imo, that is not true. Only N1.2 billion was spent and if we are to buy text books this will be costlier. That is we will need about N10 billion to provide text books for 150,000 students.

So, aside the fact that Opon Imo is convenient, it is innovative. It also has cost savings effect of ensuring that materials are made available to every-

‘From the records of INEC, one cannot say with confidence that it will conduct free, fair election. But, we need to be vigilant. We will ensure that we deploy the resources to compel them to conduct free and fair election’

body.

And when you talk about the so called segregation in our religious life, it is only in the imagination of mischief makers. This is a state that, for the first time, has provided a level playing ground for all religious organisations.

We have traditionalist, there are Muslims and Christians in the state. I want to say we have predominantly Christian cabinet, even though the cabinet is not constituted on the religious ground, but those who have the competence to perform. Out of a cabinet of 30 people, not less than 24 are Christians. In the House of Assembly of 26, which will make law on every government policy, 15 out of them are Christians. Nonetheless, we still work in harmony. We still work for the best of the people. So, those people that are talking about religion are mischievous people.

What is your reaction to the emergency of Senator Iyiola Omisore as the Peoples Democratic Party governorship candidate?

One of the problems is the projection of questionable characters for our growing democracy. I believe that any political party that has the interest of the people at heart should not allow such a man to emerge as its flag bearer. The question you should ask is: what his pedigrees in terms of governance? This was a deputy governor who was impeached because of his misconduct. This is a man who was at the Senate for a period of eight years and did not deliver on anything. The road leading to his house was not even tarred. He could not use whatever influence he has at the federal level to tar the road. Even the road to his father’s house was not tarred. It means that the man is not even qualified to be a councilor and yet, he is gallivanting around that he will bring value to governance. As far as I am concerned, it is one of those dark spots in our democratic development for him to emerge in any political party, not to talk of the so-called ruling party in Nigeria.

The presidency is bent on hijacking the Southwest ,beginning with Ekiti and Osun states, and the Minister of State for Defence and Minister of Police Affairs have been coming to the Southwest regularly. What are your fears?

As you can see, these people that say they want to come and hijack the Southwest are either false students of history or they don’t mean well for Nigeria. If you go to the historical development of Nigeria, the First Republic collapsed because of the same agenda of hijacking power. How could they win? The only way that these characters can be able to get to power is to ride on the blood of the people of the Southwest and I know that will not be possible. In a free and fair contest, they cannot win.

The facts are there. Senator Musiliu Obanikoro contested against Governor Babatunde Fashola in 2007. At that time, Fashola was still a dark horse in the political contest. But, he beat him with close to a million votes.

What is the level of confidence you have in the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)?

I will tell you that, from the records of INEC, one cannot say with confidence that it will conduct free, fair election. But, we need to be vigilant. We will ensure that we deploy the resources to compel them to conduct free and fair election.

How can you curtail thuggery, arson and violence during the electioneering?

I think we need to sensitise our people and we also possibly to caution those people that perpetuate this violence. If you want to serve the people, why must you maim them? Why must you distabilise them psychologically? But as I said, the PDP primaries in the state of Osun showed that some people are interested in causing trouble and thread on the blood of the people to get to power.

AGOS State House of Assembly aspirant Bolaji Ajimotokan has described the All Progressives Congress (APC) as be the party to beat in 2015 because it is a mass movement.

He said the APC manifesto is one of the best in Africa, adding that the party will transform the country, if voted into power.

Ajimotokan described the APC as a party of the future. He said the People Democratic Party (PDP) is a aprty for the old brigade because it projects a conservative aganda.

The politician spoke with reporters in Lagos after unfolding his ambition to vie for a seat in the Lagos State House of Assembly in Agege Constituency.

He said: “I have come to bridge the gap between the needy and the affluent. Politics is about service. The Lagos State House of Assembly is a place the mission can be realised. Through law making, the ordinary people of Lagos State will continue to enjoy the dividend of democracy.”

Ajimotokan promised to sponsor a bill that will make school attendance compulsory for children of school age, if elected as a lawmaker.

He said: “I have to start by assisting in developing the minds of the people in the areas of education and their political rights. I also want to galvanise the youths through programmers that will bring them into the mainstream of development.

• Ajimotokan

‘Yoruba, Igbo can avert Nigeria’s disintegration’

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By Emmanuel Udodinma

LEADER of Igbo in Lagos State, Dr Femi Ferguson, has said that Nigeria will not disintegrate, if Yoruba and Igbo unite.

He urged the leaders of the two ethnic groups to come up with suggestions on how to resoplve the security challenge confronting the country.

Ferguson attributed the problems of Nigeria to conflicting interests, urging the diverse tribes to settle their differences at the national conference. He told reporters in Lagos that, for Nigeria to survive, Igbo and Yoruba leaders should cooperate with their Northern compatriots to salvage the country.

Ferguson said that Yoruba have been good to Igbos living in the Southwest, particularly Lagos, adding that their businesses are doing well due to conducive environment which the Yoruba, their hosts, provide for them.

The Igbo leader noted that Yoruba gave lands to the Igbos to settle and do businesses, recalling that, during the civil war, their abandoned property were protected in the Southwest.

He said, based on the age-long relationship, Igbos and Yorubas owe Nigeria a duty to save it from chaos, disintegration and imminent war.

Ferguson maintained that Igbo and Yoruba have what it takes to save the country from disintegrating. He stressed: “The American Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) has predicted that Nigeria would disintegrate in 2015. I am appealing to these two strong brothers to forget political rivalry and face the business of building this country to an enviable status. The national conference is a very good idea, but nothing meaningful would be achieved, if the Igbos and Yorubas fail to cooperate.

“Personally, I don’t know why this has become difficult because the Yoruba protected the Igbos in the defunct Western Region during the civil war. There is no record of massacre of Igbos during the civil war in Yorubaland and afterwards. After the war, the Yoruba still welcomed Igbos with open arms, gave them land to settle and start their businesses.”

Journalist for House of Reps

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JOURNALIST, Mr. Adewale Ogunniran, has unfolded his ambition to vie for a seat in the House of Representatives in Ona-Ara/ Egbeda Constituency, Oyo State.

Ogunniran, who is the publisher of Integrity Reporter, told the leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the constituency that he was motivated by the desire to serve the people.

The aspirant and his supporters were received at the weekly meeting of the party bythe local government chapter chairman, Pa Buiaminu Oladele, who promised a level playing ground for aspirants.

Ogunniran solicited the elders’ support for his aspiration, promising not to let the party down. He said he would offer a qualitative representation, if elected as a federal legislator.

A party elder, Pastor Matthew Bogunmbe, told Ogunniran that the elders have noted his ambition. He also prayed for his success at the primaries.

Another elder, Pa Jaiyeola Bankole, decribed the aspirant as a young, dynamic figure, assuring that he will not disappoint the progressive family.

He said: “We are happy that Ogunniran has come to us. He has shown that he is a true son of Ona Ara and Egbeda and we will give him our support for his ambition in 2015.”

Other elders at the meeting were Mr Sunmaila Akani, Chairman Caretaker committee of Ona Ara Local Government, Mr. Sina Adeagbo, Baba Elege, Hon. Jenrade, Mr Bola Fawole and Alhaji Ore.

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NATURAL HEALTH THE NATION

E-mail:- health@thenationonlineng.net

Foot odour is a common problem caused by excessive perspiration and bacteria growth.

OYEYEMI GBENGA-MUSTAPHA writes on how to treat it.

‘Smelly feet can be prevented’ D

O you know that excessive perspiration and bacteria infection can cause offensive foot odour? Do you also know that the feet are a veritable breeding ground for bacteria? The bacteria that grow on the soles of the feet actually produce gases similar to those released by bacteria used in producing cheese; hence the name ‘cheesy feet’, otherwise called smelly foot or foot odour.

According to a Podiatrist, Dr Bodunde Oluwa, the most fastidiously clean people can suffer from foot odour because each foot has 250,000 sweat glands and produces about a cup (500 ml) of sweat daily.

Dr Oluwa said: “Most of us have suffered from foot perspiration and odour from time to time, yet for some people, sweaty feet are a persistent problem, which can be embarrassing and uncomfortable. A sweaty foot is a problem known as Hyperhidrosis, or excessive sweating, and has a lot to do with how the sweat glands in this part of the body work. With 250,000 sweat glands, feet tend to sweat more than other parts of the body. But with a daily hygiene routine, few people should suffer from the em-

N

barrassment that it may cause.

He continued: “There are more sweat glands per inch in our feet than anywhere else in the body and their function is to keep the skin moist and supple. They secrete all the time, not just in response to heat or exercise as elsewhere in the body.”

Dr Oluwa said sweaty feet can be caused by stress on the foot. “This may be due to a structural problem, or because the foot is under strain or tired, for example, when standing all day. Hot weather can make matters worse. Although sweaty feet are both dry and wet season problem; it can also be an inherited condition. Some bacterial or fungal infections may need medical attention. Mostly, it is treatable.

“In adolescents, sweaty feet are probably caused by over-active sweat glands, triggered by changing hormonal levels in the body.

As the sweat glands on the soles of the feet (and the palms of the hand) respond mostly to emotion, mental or emotional stress is a common cause. Yet, there are a range of simple treatments available to address it. Simple hygiene is usu-

•Oluwa

•Smelly feet

ally effective in dealing with sweaty feet. Careful consideration of footwear and socks is essential. Wellfitting shoes made of leather, which allow your feet to ‘breathe,’ are best.

“As a lot of sweat is absorbed by insoles or the uppers of shoes, don’t wear the same pair every day, and allow them to dry out before wearing them again. Detachable insoles are also a good idea. Socks that absorb moisture well, such as wool, cotton, or wool/cotton mixture, will also help. Always wash your socks before using them again,” he said.

Other recommendations according to Dr Oluwa, are the use of the

bathtub or a small foot basin to wash the feet in hot water. He also said care must be taken for one not to scald oneself, emphasising the use of antibacterial soap and its lather getting in between the little tootsies.

He said: “At this point if the antibacterial soap isn’t doing the trick rubbing alcohol should kill the germs. Pour it over the entire foot and if you have a small towel you can work it into the space between the little piggies. This can dry out the skin too much so you might want to use a nice foot lotion afterwards. Some also like to soak their feet in cold tea for a half hour.

He continued: “Dry feet are the

best way to put off the stench from building up. After you bathe, dry your feet with a hair dryer if you feel that the towel isn’t sufficient.

Wear sandals or flip flops around the house or outdoors. Let your shoes air out after wearing them.

You can also throw away old socks and replace the disposable absorbent shoe liners. Cotton socks are healthier than synthetic ones. In fact, white cotton socks without dye in them are considered the best for your feet.

“Change your socks at least once a day. Think about how germs live.

Don’t put dirty socks back on.

When you come home from a day at work if you don’t shower right then you can change your shoes and socks.”

Dr Oluwa said if the odour persists, it may mean has some foot disease. “If you suspect that, you should seek proper medical attention. Left unattended a diseased foot can fester,” he said.

How ‘good nutrition’ can aid growth, by experts

UTRITIONISTS have called for adequate education on nutrition to foster growth.

According to them, nutrition is the bedrock of development and Nigeria should ensure that its people are nourished to fulfil their potential.

This was their submission at the Nutrition Society of Nigeria (NSN) nutrition education programme in Lagos.

President, NSN Prof Ngozi Nnam said improved nutritional knowledge would improve the health of the people. She stressed that only those who take the needed nutrition can reach the desired growth.

Prof Nnam said 37 per cent of children have stunted growth; 29 per cent underweight and 18 per cent is wasting because they do have the required nutrients for growth.

She said nutrition is beyond taking balanced diet, but consuming the required nutrients for proper development.

Poverty, she said, is not responsible for malnutrition because there are food the poor can take to attain the right nutritional status.

"The problem is that they lack the knowledge to choose from food that can support their nutrition needs," she said.

Director of Nutrition, Lagos State Ministry of Health, Dr Abimbola Ajayi said people are what they eat.

"Food is what makes people what

By Wale Adepoju

they are and nutrition is an integral part of food," she said.

Mrs Ajayi said a lot of people eat food that does not meet their physionomical needs.

She said nutrients contribute to growth and development, adding: "Elements such as iron, zinc and iodine among others, are found in food and they are useful to the body when taken in the right proportion.

"People without nutritional knowledge may take the same kind of food and still lack adequate nutrition."

She said would-be mothers need to take food that will give them nutrients, which can support them in pregnancy, adding that expectant mothers should have required nutrients before, during and after delivery, to support the development of their babies.

Ajayi, who is the chairman of NSN, Lagos State branch, said women, who compromised healthy diets, would not have a well-developed baby.

"When a baby is suffering from diarrhoea, he will not be able to use the nutrition he is getting from food.

This is because the disease eats up the nutrients," she added.

Prof Nnam, therefore, said the time has come to address nutrition, which she described as a serious cankerworm in the society.

"We need to reduce the rate of

•From left: Dr Ajayi, Mr Ajieroh and Prof Nnam at the event.

malnutrition in the country, in order to increase productivity," she added.

Mrs Ajayi said many children do not have adequate nutrition and some are too short for their age, while a few lack basic nutrition.

Unilever Nigeria’s Nutrition and

Health Manager,Victor Ajieroh, said nutrition is the main focus of his organisation.

Nutrition, he said, fits into the objectives of the Unilever Sustainable Living Plan. "One major goal of the programme is to improve the health and wellbeing of over a billion people

across the world and nutrition is a key pillar for achieving this,” he said.

Ajieroh said the company's brands serve as vehicles to reach the people with many essential micronutrients. For instance, Blue Band is fortified with six Vitamins: Vitamins A, D, Folic acid, B2, B6 and niacin.

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THE NATION THURSDAY, APRIL 17, 2014

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THE NATION

BUSINESS INDUSTRY

industry@thenationaonlineng.net

Since it was done, the rebasing of Nigeria’s gross domestic product (GDP) has been dominating discussions. What does it mean for the industrial sector? Will it bring back to life dead industries? Will it lead to the return of companies that left the country? Experts call for caution in celebrating the rebased GDP, which makes Nigeria’s economy the first in Africa and the 26th in the world. OKWY IROEGBU-CHIKEZIE reports.

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Will rebased GDP aid real sector?

ITH its rebased gross do mestic product (GDP), Nigeria’s economy has been ranked high. It is now the first in Africa and the 26th in the world.

But what does this translate to for the economic indicators such as the industry? Will it result in the resuscitation of Mori-bund industries?

Will it lead to the return of those who left the country because of the harsh operating evironment? These questions were not answered by the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, while unveiling details of the rebased GDP in Abuja about two weeks ago.

But the World Bank Chief Economist for African Region, Mr. Francisco Ferreira, is canvassing for caution on celebrating Nigeria’s new economic position. According to him, the emergence of Nigeria as the largest economy in Africa may not necessarily trigger financial inflows unless there are good policies and prospects to woo foreign investors.

To a member of the African Roundtable, Prof. Ben Ike, Nigeria can only boast about growth if the infrastructure needed by the various sectors to grow and create employed are there. He challenged the government to work hard to resuscitate the textile and agricultural sectors, which are huge employment windows with the capacity to grow wealth.

He called for policies that will stimulate the sectors in terms of financial engineering and credit facilities, particularly, for the Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs). He criticised the importation of artisans from abroad to the detriment of millions of their indigenous counterpart without jobs. He urged the government to build an infrastructure base that will target the growth of the film industry

‘

Living conditions in the past couple of years have been progressively nosediving and pathetic. Similarly, economic growth without jobs and food on the table, means nothing in realty. The unemployment figures are frightening. We have found it necessary to warn, times without number, that the army of unemployed youths constitutes a veritable army of the disparate, the desperate and the angry, and that government should urgently address the problem •Mrs. Okonjo-Iweala

•Henry Boyo

popularly known as Nollywood.

Ike said if the film and entertainment industry could grow from zero to 1.4 per cent without government intervention, a little intervention would take the industry higher. He listed some of the infrastructure needed to boost the industry to include a film village, electricity, big screens, human capital and institutional development.

A legislator from Degama Federal Constituency, Dr. Sopento Davis, asked for a policy that will encourage wealth distribution. Citing India, he said the government took advantage of the country’s huge population and economy to develop

its human capital in the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) sector to employ a lot of people.

He also sought a law to establish leasing companies that will lease to operators in the agricultural sector.

He decried the declining fortunes of those engaged in the sector, noting that the nation spends $1 billion yearly on fish importation, consumes 2.7 million metric tonnes of fish but produces 700,000 metric tonnes, leaving a gap of two million tonnes. He urged the government to build capacity in high sea fishing and provide trawlers.

•The French Ambassador to Nigeria, Jacques Champagne de Labriolle (left), President of Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry Alhaji Remi Bello and Chairman of the Africa Committee, Medef International/Head of Delegation Patrick Lucas during a visit to the Chamber by a French Business Delegation.

‘

President of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), Kabir Mohammed, said the rebasing would boost foreign direct investment (FDI).

An industrialist and Managing Director, Koinic Industries Limited, mr Kachukwu Duru, said the size of the economy would give investors confidence and also attract FDI. Duru’s position alligns with that of Dr. Okonjo-Iweala:, who said rebased GDP is boosting interest in the economy. The Minister, who spoke at the just-concluded Spring Meeting of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) in Washington, said Nigeria came into the meeting with the rebasing that was favourably welcome by many delegates and participants.

According to her, the fact that Nigeria has a better measurement of its GDP and base, bring about a lot of interest among participants.

“Even some private sector players have come to show more interest in investing in the Nigerian economy. For instance, Blumberg grain has already sent a team to Nigeria working with the Minister of Agriculture.

“They want to make Nigeria the hub for grain storage, cold storage and agriculture logistics in Africa; they want to invest $250 million.

“So, they have a team, the fact that we have the largest economy in Africa is making them feel that this may be the hub,’’ she said.

Okonjo-Iweala said that if Nigeria handled it right and the decision made, Nigeria would have a lot to benefit from it.

But the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) is praying the government to translate the figures into improved living conditions for Nigerians. In a statement titled: “Good GDP without sustainable and viable Jobs: A time bomb,” its acting President, Mr. Pomise Adewusi, said eco-

nomic growth without jobs and food on the table meant nothing.

The statement reads: “As cheering as this news may be, we at NLC are not completely swayed by the latest GDP figure, nationalist as it seems. Nigeria being the biggest economy in Africa ought to make no news if vital national statistics, such as population, natural resources, among others, were to form the requisite assumptions for assessment. More importantly, an improved GDP will only make meaning to us in labour if it translates into improved living conditions for the ordinary Nigerian, which is not the case at the moment.

“Living conditions in the past couple of years have been progressively nose-diving and pathetic.

Similarly, economic growth without jobs and food on the table, means nothing in realty. The unemployment figures are frightening. We have found it necessary to warn, times without number, that the army of unemployed youths constitutes a veritable army of the disparate, the desperate and the angry, and that government should urgently address the problem.”

Nothing, NLC said, illustrated this fear better than the recent Nigeria immigration Service recruitment tragedy.

“We, therefore, do not need any economist or diviner to tell us that life has improved, because it has not,” NLC said, adding: “A GDP could not be said to have significantly improved if our industries are virtually shut and operating environment increasingly hostile.

Government should worry that the performance index of industries dropped from 46.08 per cent to 25.81per cent, while service industry more than doubled to 50 per cent from 23.03per cent.”

An economist, Mr. Henry Boyo, described the GDP rebasing as a development that is “good for the ego”, insisting that the standard of living of an average Nigerian is lower than a South African.

The Portfolio Manager at Investec Asset Management, South Africa, Mr. Roelof Horne, said the rebasing would probably not mean a significant change, but it will improve Nigeria’s balance sheet. He argued that it can only lead to lower borrowing costs for the government, which may ultimately be beneficial to the citizenry.

Horne said: “The country still faces an immense challenge in terms of infrastructure deficits – slow ports, bad roads and a lack of electricity are some of the major factors hampering business activities.

However, it is commendable that they have shown commitment to addressing these backlogs, but it will likely take some years before these can be resolved.”

He said given its relatively more developed state of infrastructure and financial systems, South Africa will remain one of the important economies of the continent, but the rebasing of Nigeria’s GDP will be a significant step in establishing Nigeria as a true African powerhouse.

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INDUSTRY

French investors eye Lagos BOI boosts economy with N870bn T B HE conducive investment cli mate in Lagos State, South-west Nigeria, has drawn the attention of investors from France who are eager to invest in the state. Apparently encouraged by the relative peace and security in Lagos, the commercial nerve center of Nigeria, a high powered French business delegation has met with the Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola (SAN) during which the French investors made useful enquiries on the prospects of investing in water and other critical sectors of the Lagos economy.

The French delegation met with the Governor on the sidelines of the just concluded Lagos Economic Summit, (EHINGBETI 2014) held at Eko Hotels and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos, where the Governor assured the delegation that the state was open to prospective and genuine investors ready to invest in various sectors of the state’s economy. While noting that the visit of the investors represents one of the gains of his administration’s international economic diplomacy, which saw officials of Lagos State visiting France in 2009. This, he said, was why some French companies are now

signifying interest to invest in the state.

The Governor pointed out, for instance, that the Lagos Mile 12Ikorodu Road expansion project is being funded by a French concern.

The project is due for completion by end of 2014. Governor Fashola who fielded questions from the French investors said state government’s waste to wealth project, which seeks to convert waste to energy and money, in addition to the possibility of generating up to 40 megawatts of electricity through waste conversion process, is still on-going, and that the state is ready to partner with private investors in that area.

The Governor also listed the transport sector as another area where there are investment opportunities.

He said he would like to see the possibility of local bus assembly plants being powered by private investors.

The State Government, Fashola disclosed, is still considering a revisit of the Lagos Metroline project. He reiterated that the objective of the government is about getting efficient and safe transportation for the people by ensuring that it is entrusted in the

hands of those who make a living from transportation.

Fashola said the state government is also thinking of contracting all waterworks in the state to private sector operators. He said the state has built 15 mini water works with each having a capacity of two million gallons daily, which still fell short of the requirement of the people. According to him, this informed the construction of the Adiyan Phase Two water project with a capacity for 70million gallons of water daily.

In the area of sanitation, the Governor said the challenges facing the state are in three broad areas namely, solid waste, liquid waste, waste water and air pollution, adding that the model developed by Lagos has moved it from the old system of how to move the solid waste to the position of what to do with the solid waste that is being moved.

“I think the problem is our waste water management capacity. The existing capacity is under 10 per cent. We have developed a 10 year plan to close that gap. We have met the unregulated operators who have agreed to bring solid waste from the water septic tanks to our treatment plants where we treat and discharge into the open water bodies,” Fashola said.

Stories by Okwy Iroegbu-Chikezie Asst. Editor

ANK of Industry (BoI) has put the total loan disbursement across vari ous sectors of the Nigerian economy within two years at N870.44billion and recorded more than 53.4 per cent growth in its income in 2012, its chairman, Shareholders Committee, Alhaji Muhammed Dikwa has disclosed.

Speaking at the 53rd Annual General Meeting of the bank in Abuja last weekend, Dikwa said that loans and advances to the real sector of the economy and other comprehensive incomes accounted for the performance. According to the chairman, the gross income rose from N10.01 billion in 2011 to N15.35 billion in 2012.

Giving the breakdown of the N870.44billion disbursed across the various sectors of the country’s economy within the years under review, he said that the “agri-business value chain, including rice, cassava and the cotton, textile and garment sub-sectors benefitted N53.3billion while the entertainment sector gulped N337.60million.” Other sectors that have benefitted from the bank’s loan disbursement include Aviation, 181billion; Textile, 50.39billion; Rice, N2.8billion; NAC fund, N9.74billion; Cement, N0.719billion, and Restructuring and Refinancing Fund, N229.18billion.

Dikwa said that the bank surpassed its record of 2011 in terms of development loans and advances to small businesses in the country. He also stated that “impairment charges” rose from N40.048 million in 2011 to N6.989 billion in 2012 and attributed the achievement to the adoption of International Financial Reporting System by the bank.

The chairman, however, announced that the bank’s profit after tax dropped from N1.85 in 2011 to N1.10 in 2012, describing the decrease as “drastic”. He said that in spite of the drop in profit “which is mainly attributed to IFRS adjustment, the modest sum of N178, 642, 300 is being proposed as dividend to be paid to shareholders.”

He expressed optimism that the bank would record tremendous improvement in its operations in 2013, saying that it had remained focused in the transformation of the country’s economy. The chairman noted that the bank made substantial investment in building the capacities of its staff in key professional areas, including investment risk evaluation, monitoring and portfolio management skills. He said that the bank carried out intervention in “Agribusiness” in 2012, as demonstration of its role as a key driver of the transformation agenda of the present administration.

Society urges development of gold, coal, limestone, others

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•From left: Yetunde Banwo, Jeff ‘Vwede Obahor and Charity Ibe, all members of the American Society of Safety Engineers, at a press briefing announcing the forth-coming professional development conference and exhibition in Lagos..

T

Group hails quality policy steering committee

HE Champions of Develop ment Nigeria (CDN) has ex pressed delight with the inauguration of the National Quality Policy (NQP) Steering Committee by the Federal Government. In a statement signed by its president, Mr. Jonas Yomi, the group described the committee’s inauguration as a timely step towards enthroning the quality culture in Nigeria.

CDN decried the lack of an integrated approach to quality management in Nigeria, saying that the harmonization of regulatory agencies and existing quality policies was overdue if Nigeria was determined to establish national quality infrastructure, which is an important tool for implementing NQP. The group also lamented the non-existence or insignificant number of accredited laboratories in Nigeria, noting that accredited laboratories are the backbone of consistently valid testing results

By Chikodi Okereocha

without which products or services cannot be said to be certified or conforming to requirements.

“These unacceptable deficiencies of the present approach to standardisation highly recommend NQP. Without NQP Nigeria’s standardisation efforts will continue to look uncoordinated and unclear. NQP’s objective is to make quality the way of life in Nigeria.

It will define the apex standardisation institution in the country; clarify the boundaries for each of the regulatory agencies; minimize conflict between them; enhance cooperation between them; and identify existing as well as needed infrastructure, and chart its own implementation,” the statement said.

The group urged the Steering Committee to ensure that all stakeholders are carried along in the process of the policy drafting and evaluation since only an all-inclu-

sive policy will gain the needed broadbased support. “There is need to reach out across the whole spectrum of stakeholders. This can be done through road shows as well as sustained mass media campaign. Within the framework of national interest, the diversity of views should be considered,” the group stated.

CDN also urged the Committee to see ahead and make only recommendations that will stand the test of time.

“Imagine how it will be if the nation has to start drafting a new NQP in the next couple of years due to some unforeseen factor,” Mr. Yomi noted.

With the Minister of Trade & Investment, Dr Olusegun Aganga as chairman and the Director General of the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Dr Joseph Odumodu as secretary, the NQP steering committee is mandated to review and harmonize existing quality policies in Nigeria, identify Nigeria’s national quality infrastructure needs, identify the best model for national economic growth and develop the roadmap for National Quality Policy implementation.

HE President of Nigerian Mining and Geosciences Society (NMGS), Prof. Clifford Teme, has advised the Federal Government to develop some minerals as a precursor to the development of the mining sector. He listed the minerals as gold, coal, limestone, iron ore, lead/zinc, bitumen and barytes.

Teme said in an interview in Abuja that the seven minerals are in commercial quantities around the country.

“We have found that we have enough commercial quantities of the seven minerals. So, we should start exploiting them to boost our revenue earning. During my discussion with the Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Alhaji Musa Sada, he gave me the list of these seven minerals. The list is on his table; we should first commence the mining of the seven minerals before going into the second phase of the other minerals,” he said.

Teme disclosed that private investors had started the processes aimed at developing the minerals, adding: “Before we begin mining, we have to isolate the minerals. We have to estimate the reserves to ascertain their quantities.’’

He said the Federal Government had prioritised the seven out of the 44 minerals it identified across the country.

Teme urged the government to issue mineral titles only to genuine miners who have the technical and financial capacity to carry out mining operations. He, however, urged miners to refrain from illegal mining and engage the services of registered geologists, mining engineers and metallurgists in their operations.

He praised the Nigerian Geological Survey Agency (NGSA) for identifying minerals that abound in commercial quantities and advised it to continue with routine survey to discover more minerals.

“We used to have 20 minerals before; it came up to 24, 30, 34 and, presently, 44 minerals have been identified in this country,” Teme said.

According to him, the number is growing because the agency’s work is ongoing. Teme said very soon, solid minerals would become the mainstay of the economy while less focus would be on crude oil.

“Minerals are beneath the ground everywhere in Nigeria. Even under your homes, we have minerals. You have clay, sand and everything. So, mining will become the in-thing in Nigeria,’’ he added.

Teme advised miners to always go to NGSA for credible geo-sciences data to work with during exploration. He said NGSA and other technical partners would soon finish their work in gathering credible data to attract potential investors, adding that many investors were eager to go into mining.

He said the agency had identified the location of every mineral across the country, adding that it was the duty of investors to estimate minerals’ reserves before investing.

‘Only 500,000 pay tax in Kaduna’

K

ADUNA State Accountant General, Mr Ishaku Shekari, said only 500,000 of the six million taxable residents in the state pay their taxes. Shekari said this in an interview in Kaduna.

He promised that the state government would soon carry out biometric registration of taxable persons to check tax evasion.

“Many recognised offices will soon be closed down over (alleged) tax evasion. Biometrics registration of all taxable persons in Kaduna State, including civil servants, will soon be conducted. This is in line with the state government’s efforts to enhance revenue generation to ensure efficient service delivery,” he said.

On ghost workers, Shekari said some disengaged members of staff were still on the government’s payroll. He said from the verification exercise in 2013, the state still had a large number of disengaged workers on its payroll. He said his ministry was working with other ministries, departments and agencies to ensure the disengaged staff were removed from the payroll.

“I do not have any power to remove a single name from the government’s payroll unless a directive is given to me to that effect,” he said.

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THE NATION

BUSINESS e-Business

e-mail: e-business@thenationonlineng.net

Nigeria’s telecoms revolution has brought about growth in the number of subscribers. It has also led to flooding of the market with cheap internet-enabled mobile phones. Parents buy their kids mobile phones, iPads and other electronic devices, oblivious of what they do with them. LUCAS AJANAKU reports that some of these kids are either posting embarrassing messages and goofy self-portraits on Facebook or doing it on Instagram.

What kids do online T

HIRTY-FOUR year-old Esther Daniel, mother of three, is a busy woman. She works with a private firm on Victoria Island and she lives in Egbeda, a Lagos suburb.

Her husband is an Abuja-based civil servant while their three kids attend private schools in Abule-Odu. The eldest is a 10-year-old boy, who is in Junior Secondary School (JSS1).

With the increasing dangers of keeping housemaids at home, she felt the best way to stay in touch with her kids is to buy a mobile phone for the eldest so that she and her husband could monitor their movement to and from school. To complete the communication circle, mummy also buys airtime on the phone so that when the kids are in need of anything, they could call either her or their father.

She bought one of the cheap internet-enabled mobile phones for N2,500 for the boy. For long, the family stayed in touch happily and effortlessly.

One weekend when everybody was at home, Mrs Daniel picked her son’s mobile phone, opened the message inbox and was shocked by what she saw. As soon as she clicked on the web browser, what opened was his son’s Facebook page. “I was shocked to discover that my son already had about 1000 friends on Facebook. I took my time to read some of his chats and was dumbfounded. My worry is the time he has the opportunity to stay on the internet and engage in all these frivolous chats. I seized the phone and called his school teacher to complain that the school management was not doing enough in monitoring what the kids do. I was shocked to discover later that the teacher I called is also one of my son’s friends on Facebook,” she said.

The experience of Mrs Daniel is one out of many in the country. It is one of the many other sides of the telecoms revolution.

The number of popular social media sites available on kids’ mobile devices has exploded in recent years with the smartest applications (apps) now enabling kids to chat informally with select groups of friends with ease and without being monitored by parents, care-givers, coaches and college administrators, who are frequent Facebook posters also.

According to an online tech news platform, Balancing Act, many of these new mobile apps don’t require a cellphone or a credit card. There are free and can be used on popular portable devices such as the iPod Touch and Kindle Fire, as long as there’s a wireless internet connec-

•Kids browsing. Insert: A cyber criminal

tion.

A non-profit, non-partisan research organisation that provides free data and analysis on the social media, Pew Research Centre’s Internet and American Life Project, says more than three-fourths of American teenagers have a cellphone and use online social networking sites such as Facebook. But educators and kids say there is plenty of evidence to suggest that Facebook for teenagers has become a bit like a school-sanctioned programme – a necessary rite of passage with plenty of adult onlookers –while apps, such as Snapchat and Kik Messenger are the much cooler after-party.

Educators say they have seen kids use their mobile devices to circulate online videos of school drug searches to male students sharing nude pictures of their girlfriends.

Most parents, they say, have no idea about this.

Head, Science Department, Jofem Comprehensive College, Egbeda, Lagos, George Akpan, said he used to consider himself fairly tech savvy because he is frequently on Facebook, but was shocked to learn that his kid brothers could message their friends with Samsung Galaxy.

His uncle shuts their home’s Wi-Fi after 9 p.m, but laments his uncle’s attempt to keep tabs on the kids’ online activity is not yielding any dividends.

Mobile apps ‘refer to the software applications that can be downloaded to a mobile device through an online store such as Apple’s iTunes. According to the Federal Trade Commission, there are some 800,000 apps available through Apple and 700,000

apps on Google Play.’

According to Balancing Act, among the most popular mobile apps among kids is Instagram, free software that digitally enhances photos and posts them to user’s account online. The photos can be shared on other social media sites such as Facebook, which bought Instagram last year.

Then there’s Snapchat, among the top 10 free iPhone apps available.

Coined by the media as the “sexting” app, Snapchat lets users send a text, photo or video that selfdestructs within 10 seconds of being opened.

Kik Messenger also allows unlimited texting for free and offers anonymity to its users. Able to run on an iPod Touch or Kindle Fire, Kik allows vague user names – for example, a nickname or a string of random digits – that won’t reveal a person’s real name or phone number.

But as with anything online, each of these apps comes with serious caveats.

Snapchat, for example, acknowledges on its Web page that its messages aren’t guaranteed to disappear: Anyone receiving a text or photo can use their 10 seconds to capture a “screenshot,” or photo of their device’s screen, and save that image to their phone. Video also can be downloaded, although Snapchat says it alerts senders when their data is saved.

Instagram is considered pretty tame as long as kids adjust their privacy settings to limit who can see their photos and don’t post nudity, which could subject them to child pornography laws. But many par-

ents, such as Mrs Daniel, don’t know their kids are on Instagram until there’s trouble – usually when kids post photos at parties, and other kids who aren’t invited see them.

A career guidance counsellor at Jofem Comprehensive College, Lagos, Mr Fab Olawole, said parents often would hand their kids a mobile device without understanding what they can do with it. He estimated that even without the latest social media app, the average secondary school student probably transmits some 150 texts a day.

“Some of the kids are so tech savvy that they explore areas where their parents never could imagined. A lot of them have fallen victims to cyber bullies while others have learned one bad habit or the other online.

“While it is good to allow the kids to have early access to technology as demonstrated by the availability of computers in the school, it is the duty of all care givers to monitor what their kids do at home. At school, the teachers do the best they can but you will agree with me that the bulk of the job is at home because that is where the kids have freedom-most of them have their rooms fully equipped, where they could do what they like when their parents are asleep,” he said.

Balancing Act reports that there are general security concerns too. A recent report by a cyberthreat research company, called F-Secure, found that some of the new social networking sites have become ripe targets for spreading malware and propagating scams.

It said in January, the Federal Bu-

‘I was shocked to discover that my son already had about 1000 friends on Facebook. I took my time to read some of his chats and was dumbfounded’

reau of Investigation (FBI) in the United States (US) arrested a 27year-old man in Los Angeles who allegedly hacked into hundreds of social media and email accounts, including Facebook and Skype, and found naked photos and personal passwords that women had stored online. He used the naked photos to try to coerce women into disrobing for him via Skype and threatened to post their private photos to their Facebook accounts if they refused to comply, according to the indictment.

Another important thing is that almost every mobile app available collects some kind of personal data, such as a person’s birth date or the location of their phones, and shares same information with third parties for marketing purposes. While a new regulation by the US Federal Trade Commission this year is aimed at keeping advertisers from tracking kids younger than 13, there is nothing near such regulation in Nigeria. Most social media apps require that a person promise to be at least 13 when they sign up, thereby exempting themselves from the tougher privacy restrictions.

President, Nigeria Internet Group (NIG), Bayo Banjo said the internet has become a huge platform for criminals who take advantage of the anonymity it provide to perpetrate criminal activities. He said parents should warn their kids against providing information to strangers.

He recalled that in years preceding the advent of the internet, parents always warned their kids against giving undue attention to strangers or people that are unknown to them.

He urged parents to monitor what their kids do online.

Some experts have also recommended the use of filters and blockers that would limit the sites kids are exposed to.

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59

e-Business

GTBank chief to telcos: seek banking licence for mobile money T HE Chief Executive Officer of Guaranty Trust Bank, Mr Segun Agbaje, has advised telecoms firms to apply for banking licence if they are so interested in mobile money business.

Speaking on the sideline at a forum with business editors in Lagos, he described mobile money as a new product in the country, insisting that with time, acceptability would come as more people get to know about it.

According to Agbaje, accepting money deposits from customers is a business that is regulated by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), arguing that any person or group of persons that wish to get involved in the business of deposit-taking

A

Stories by Lucas Ajanaku

must seek operating licence from the CBN. Asked if the mobile money scheme would have been better were it driven by the telcos, he said: ‘’No. I shouldn’t think (mobile money would have done better if it had been led by the telcos) so. I think mobile money is a new product. I am sure it will eventually pick up.”

He said the starting point for telcos wishing to do mobile money

is first seeking licence from the appropriate authority.

He said: “If telcos want to do mobile money, you gonna have a banking licence because banking is a regulated business and mobile money is a deposit taking business and anybody who wants to do deposit taking business would have to get a banking licence or agree to be regulated by the CBN.” The telcos have complained about unfair treatment by the apex bank.

They argue that they own the infrastructure on which the transac-

‘Boko Haram still hindering access to stations’

CCESS to the decommissioned base transmission stations (BTS) in the troubled parts of the North is still hindering restoration of services, the Association of Lincence Telcom Operators (ALTON) has said.

ALTON is the umbrella body for major telcos in the country, drawing the strength of its membership from operators, such as MTN, Airtel, Globacom and Etisalat.

Its Chairman, Gbenga Adebayo, said it is sad that the operators

still do not have access to the sites to rev their engines.

He spoke on the sideline when the group signed a landmark agreement with Lagos State government on issues that have been hampering rapid deployment of infrastructure in the state.

He said: “Again, it’s a function of access and the kind of access that we have. We are ready to work and we are here to work because no operator is happy, hav-

ing equipment sit down somewhere and not on live traffic.

“But if access is a challenge then you can risk people’s lives; you can risk machinery; you need to wait until you have it all cleared.’’

He said other state governors should see telecoms infrastructure as means to socio-economic development but not items on which to grow internally generated revenue.

tions take place and they are allowed to play passive roles.

Speaking in Lagos, Acting Chief Executive/Chief Commercial Officer, Matthew Willsher, said the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), CBN, the lenders and the operators need to sit and put an efficient programme in place that would assure the success of the scheme.

He said: “I have always believed that the CBN, NCC, telecoms operators and banks need to build efficient mobile money structure that

T

will guarantee the project’s success.

Mobile money remains a convenient, secure and affordable way to send money to friends and family.

“As at today, mobile money remains a huge business opportunity for stakeholders, but there is the need to get the fundamentals right.

It is only when the fundamentals, like knowing whether a bank-led or telco-led model is best for the country, that the level of success expected would be achieved. At Etisalat, we are committed to the mobile money project. We see a lot of business potential in this field.

But, as I said, regulators and other stakeholders need to get the fundamentals right.”

MTN offers roaming at Easter

HE General Manager, Consumer Marketing, MTN, Kola Oyeyemi, said MTN is offering a variety of mouth-watering packages to its Christian customers this Easter and Lent season.

In a statement, Oyeyemi said the telco is doing this as a way of giving back to its customers during this season. He said: “This is a way of showing our commitment to our esteemed customers of the Christian Faith, by connecting to them at this period of spiritual reflection and appreciation for the sacrifice that the Lord Jesus made by laying down his life for mankind to live”.

He further said there is a roaming offer with special MTN rates to Jerusalem and Rome, to ensure pilgrims stay in contact with families and friends. The offer is one of the many ways MTN is touching the passion points of its teeming Christian customers, especially during this season, as a way of encouraging the spread of unity, love and peace everywhere its customers go.

The offers will enable Christian

faithful on the MTN network enjoy value added services like spirit filled daily devotionals, Bible quotes, sermons, songs and hymns; and other faith enriching content to keep Christian customers connected to their Maker on a daily basis.

Customers can also access Christian content via an IVR platform where a customer dials a short code 797 and listens to an array of uplifting contents such as songs, prayers, sermons and more. The IVR based service requires a weekly subscription of N50 weekly.

Besides the Christian Service from MTN, there are other inspirational quotes and messages from anointed ministers of God. Christian customers can also subscribe to receive anointed messages from great men of God like Bishop TD Jakes, Pastor Reinhardt Bonnke, Pastor Joel Osteen and other anointed ministers; all these through the VAS/ content for Lent and Easter.

EFCC arrests suspescted counterfeit software reseller

T • From left: Finance Controller, Sweet Sensation, Yemi Opedemowo; Regional Operations Director, Lagos, Airtel Nigeria, Adebayo Osinowo; and Executive Director, Sweet Sensation, Olatunji Kamson during the press conference to announce the firms.

Group seeks govt’s help on internet cost

P

RESIDENT, Nigeria Internet Group (NIG), Bayo Banjo, has sought the Federal Government’s intervention in the prohibitive cost of bandwidth to help internet users.

Banjo, in a telephone interview, said when the high cost of bandwidth is lowered to attract usage, there will be economies of scale which will drive down cost while end user experience will be redefined.

He said: “The quality of internet services in the country will continue to be bad because the cost of bandwidth is too expensive. Bandwidth is too expensive for the average Nigerian. So what the companies are doing is that they are trying to share.

“Things will always be bad because the average Nigerian cannot afford the cost of bandwidth and to get good services, we have to bring the cost of band-

width down. What I suggested to the Federal Government is that it should subsidise the cost of bandwidth. When there is subsidy, it will encourage more people to go online and use the internet. This will inevitably shoot up the customer base and when this becomes large, when the security man or the road side mechanic starts browsing, there will be economies of scale which will bring down the price.”

According to him, somebody has to brave the odds and break the jinx, adding that indigenous continental submarine cable firm, MainOne had assured the group that if the firm is able to achieve XYZ level of volume, the firm will bring down the price.

He said: “MainOne has said if the firm has XYZ amount of volume, it can bring bandwidth down to $25 dollars per one meg per month which is like N3,000 for a month but the firm needs

that volume. So, what ISPs are doing is that they are giving you one meg at N10,000 per month but the truth is that it is not one meg they are giving. The truth is that they are sharing it. That is why sometimes it goes so slow that you get frustrated while at other times, it does not go at all.”

•Banjo

HE Economic and Financial CrimesCommission (EFCC), has arrested another suspected counterfeit software operator, Arewa Systems Limited, which specialised in the production of HQC software.

According to a statement, the raid which followed a consumer tip-off and petition to the local law enforcement authorities was aimed at curbing unsafe play in the country, and addressing the harmful impact to individuals as well as the Nigerian economy caused by pirated software.

Partner in the Law firm of Lexavier Partners and Microsoft’s Anti-Piracy Attorney in Nigeria, Francis Chuka Agbu (SAN), said: “The strident message that this intervention sends is that computer software albeit an intellectual property qualifies better as a literary work that must be protected from the exploitation of merchants of counterfeiting and crass opportun-

S

ism. ‘’Additionally, the theft of such creative expressions fixed in a tangible medium of expression constitutes a serious economic crime in Nigeria under Sections 18 & 46 of the EFCC Act, Cap E1 LFN 2010 and Section 491 Criminal Code Act Cap C28 LFN 2010.To all the dealers in imitation and fake products, big or small, it is no longer business as usual.”

The government is not alone in this quest to tackle the menace as many organisations in the country are clamouring for a safer business space, and frequently organise awareness workshops and enlightenment campaigns one of which is the Microsoft Play it Safe Day designed to drive global awareness across businesses, government organisations, and consumers of the increased risk of cyber security issues as a direct result of pirated software.

Weco Systems, Cisco partner

YSTEMS integration company, Weco Systems International, has partnered with Cisco Systems, worldwide leader in networking to introduce a hardware solution called Unified Access Solution to organisations that are particular about productivity and systems security.

A workshop organiised by the firm that had Sever the Cable not the Service as its theme, in Lagos, presented a new opportunity for businesses and organisations to learn new ways of making their employees more productive on devices they love to use.

Apparently, mobile devices are swiftly becoming the primary communications and computing platform for business. However, the adoption of smartphones and tablets in the enterprise introduce cost,

security risks, and usability challenges that traditional IT management tools cannot address. A new management approach is required which is Mobile Device Management (MDM).

Solutions Manager, Mobility Solutions, Weco Systems International, Mr. Tunde Ogunbiyi said: “This new Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) implementation will enhance and harden company’s existing security infrastructure. “This new security strategy is to provide granular management of end users’ device access into your network and its enterprise resources.

The security systems will provide better users’ devices tracking, visibility, controlled access, user/device profiling and devices posture assessment.”

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61

MONEYLINK

A

Ecobank, FBN, others provide Accugas $170m facility

CCUGas Limited has signed a $170million a medium-term acquisition finance facility with Ecobank Nigeria, FBN Bank (UK), Union Bank of Nigeria, and Union Bank (UK).

FBN Capital Limited acted as structuring bank, sole initial mandated lead arranger, financial modelling bank and global facility coordinator.

The facility will be used to partfinance the acquisition of the entire issued share capital of East Horizon Gas Company (EHGC) Limited for a total consideration of up to $250 million. EHGC was established by Oando Plc with the intention of constructing and operating an 18-inch, 128 km gas

By Emeka Ugwuanyi

pipeline that connects with the Obigbo-Alscon pipeline at Ukanafun to supply gas to an industrial off-taker located in Mfamosing, Cross River State, and to meet the needs of other industrial users in the Calabar region.

Seven Energy’s acquisition of EHGC is in line with its strategic plans to expand its gas infrastructure assets in the south east Niger Delta, Accugas Managing Director, Mr. Stephen Tierney said.

Through its assets and subsidiary, Accugas, Seven Energy has a number of infrastructure projects in the region, including a gas processing facility at the Uquo field

and a gas pipeline network, which will have the capability to supply gas in the Port Harcourt, Aba and Calabar areas. In consolidating the gas infrastructure assets of Accugas and EHGC, Accugas aims to strengthen its distribution platform, increase efficiency and broaden its geographical reach, furthering Seven Energy’s intention to create a leading gas distribution business in Nigeria, Tierney said.

Commenting on the transaction, Phillip Ihenacho, Chief Executive Officer, Seven Energy said: “This is a landmark transaction for us.

We are delighted to expand our midstream operations in Nigeria

with this investment. It is a perfect fit to our strategy of investing in core midstream infrastructure assets in the south east region of the country. I would also like to thank the entire team for their achievement in bringing this important financing transaction to a close.”

The Chief Financial Officer, Seven Energy, Bruce Burrows, commended the lenders for their support, and in particular, their dedication to ensure that the completion of the EHGC acquisition process was in line with the sponsors’ timetable. He noted that FBN Capital’s role, particularly in working closely with Seven Energy, the lenders and the various independent consultants in concluding the transaction.

The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of FBN Capital Limited, Kayode Akinkugbe, said: “FBN Capital is

Economy needs central bank’s assistance, says Federal Reserve chair

F

EDERAL Reserve Chair Janet Yellen said yesterday the US economy appeared to be slowly moving toward full employment, but that it would need help from the central bank for some time to come.

In her second public speech since taking the Fed’s helm, Yellen said it was “quite plausible” the economy would be back to near full employment and a healthier level of inflation by the end of 2016.

“I do think we are seeing very meaningful progress, although clearly ... the goal has not been achieved at this point,” she told the Economic Club of New York.

Yellen used her speech to provide a monetary policy road map of sorts to one of the Fed’s most

important constituencies - Wall Street.

How long rates will stay near zero, she said, will depend on how far the U.S. economy remains from the central bank’s employment and inflation goals, and how long it will likely take to meet them. She stressed that the Fed would respond to shifting economic conditions as it judges when to finally tighten monetary policy after years of unprecedented stimulus.

And although she emphasized how important it will be for the Fed to keep monetary policy easy for some time, she pointed to an eventual end to those policies.

“As the recovery proceeds and healing occurs, it’s obvious that we will need to tighten monetary policy to avoid overshooting our

target,” she said. “We will remain very focused on removing accommodation when the right time has come.”

But she also emphasized that unforeseeable events could alter the central bank’s current course, as it has several times over the course of the recovery.

The Fed could even set aside efforts to wind down its bond-buying stimulus, she said, pushing back against broad expectations that the Fed is nearly certain to end the bond-buying, now at $55 billion a month, by the end of the year.

The Fed, frustrated with the slow U.S. recovery from the 2007-2009 recession, aims for maximum sustainable employment and a rise in inflation to 2 percent from just above 1 percent now.

Stanbic, Goldman Sachs emerge advisers for $100m Diaspora bonds THE Federal Government of Nigeria has appointed Stanbic IBTC Bank and Goldman Sachs as advisers for its debut $100 million Diaspora bond issue, the debt management office said on Tuesday.

The debt office, which also appointed legal advisers for the issue, said it was also looking to appoint bookrunners for the bond sale.

Stanbic IBTC Bank is a subsidiary of Stanbic IBTC Holdings Plc, a full service financial services group with a clear focus on three main business pillars - Corporate and Investment Banking, Personal and Business Banking and Wealth Management.

Standard Bank Group, to which Stanbic IBTC Holdings belongs, is rooted in Africa with strategic representation in 18 key sub-Saharan countries and other emerging markets; Standard Bank has been in operation for over 150 years and is focused on building first-class on-the-ground banks in chosen countries in Africa and connecting other selected emerging markets to Africa and to each other.

DATA BANK

FGN BONDS Tenor

Amount N

Rate %

M/Date

3-Year 5-Year

35m 35m

11.039 12.23

19-05-2014 18-05-2016

WHOLESALE DUTCH AUCTION SYSTEM Amount Amount Offered ($) Demanded ($) 400m 400m 400m 400m 400m 400m

MANAGED FUNDS Initial Current Quotation Price Market N8250.00 5495.33

NIDF

OBB Rate

Price Loss 2754.67

INTERBANK RATES 7.9-10%

PRIMARY MARKET AUCTION (T-BILLS) Tenor 91-Day 182-Day

Amount 30m 46.7m

Rate % 10.96 9.62

Date 28-04-2012 “

GAINERS AS AT 16-4-14

SYMBOL

O/PRICE

IKEJAHOTEL 0.57 SEPLAT 635.04 LIVESTOCK 3.01 ACCESS 7.83 CAP 37.75 MAYBAKER 1.64 VITAFOAM 4.01 RTBRISCOE 1.10 AVONCROWN 1.41 NEM 0.73

C/PRICE

CHANGE

0.61 666.79 3.16 8.22 39.60 1.72 4.20 1.15 1.47 0.76

0.04 31.75 0.15 0.39 1.85 0.08 0.19 0.05 0.06 0.03

EXHANGE RATE 6-03-12 Currency

Year Start Offer

Current Before

C u r r e n t CUV Start After %

NGN USD NGN GBP

147.6000 239.4810

149.7100 244.0123

150.7100 245.6422

-2.11 -2.57

NGN EUR 212.4997 NIGERIA INTER BANK (S/N) 149.7450 (S/N) Bureau de Change 152.0000 (S/N)

207.9023

209.2910

-1.51

154.0000

154.3000

-3.04

153.0000

155.5000

-2.30

DISCOUNT WINDOWx Feb. ’11

July ’11

July ’12

MPR

6.50%

6.50%

12%

Standing Lending Rate ,, Deposit Rate ,, Liquidity Ratio Cash Return Rate

8.50% 4.50% 25.00% 1.00%

8.50% 4.50% 25.00% 2.00%

9.50% 5.50% 30.00% 2.00%

LOSERS AS AT 16-4-14

SYMBOL

O/PRICE

ETERNA OKOMUOIL BETAGLAS COSTAIN JOSBREW TRANSEXPR INTENEGINS NPFMCRFBK NEIMETH REDSTAREX

3.80 42.00 19.95 1.25 3.77 2.35 0.65 0.88 1.32 4.40

C/PRICE 3.61 39.90 18.97 1.19 3.59 2.24 0.62 0.84 1.26 4.21

CHANGE -0.19 -2.10 -0.98 -0.06 -0.18 -0.11 -0.03 -0.04 -0.06 -0.19

very proud of the instrumental role it played in assisting Seven Energy to structure and arrange the financing for the acquisition. FBN Holdings Group feels a strong sense of responsibility towards fostering growth in the power, gas pipeline and oil and gas sectors and we will continue to deploy our extensive debt arranging experience and structuring expertise in executing robust transactions in record time.”

The Director and Head Debt Solutions, FBN Capital Limited, Patrick Mgbenwelu, said: “We appreciate the responsibility and trust Seven Energy has placed with FBN Capital to advise and arrange the financing for the acquisition of EHGC. FBN Capital remains committed to further strengthening this relationship and supporting Seven Energy in realising its various financing goals and objectives.”

NIBOR Tenor 7 Days 30 Days 60 Days

Rate (Previous) 4 Mar, 2012 9.0417 9.6667 11.2917

Rate (Currency) 6, Mar, 2012 10.17% 11.46% 11.96%

Amount Sold ($) 399.9m 399.9m 399.9m

Exchange Rate (N) 155.75 155.8 155.7

Date 2-5-14 2-3-14 1-29-14

CAPITAL MARKET INDEX

NSE

6-2-14

28-10-11

% Change

CAP Index

N13.07tr 40,766.16

N6.617tr 20,903.16

-1.44% -1.44%

MEMORANDUM QUOTATIONS Name Offer Price AFRINVEST W.A. EQUITY FUND 154.22 ARM AGGRESSIVE GROWTH 9.17 BGL NUBIAN FUND 1.09 BGL SAPPHIRE FUND 1.17 CANARY GROWTH FUND 0.71 CONTINENTAL UNIT TRUST 1.39 CORAL INCOME FUND 1,634.20 FBN FIXED INCOME FUND 1,061.91 FBN FIXED INCOME FUND 1,063.29 FBN HERITAGE FUND 114.62 FBN HERITAGE FUND 115.39 FBN MONEY MARKET FUND 1,087.30 FIDELITY NIGFUND 1.67 INTERCONTINENTAL INTEGRITY FUND 1.05 KAKAWA GUARANTE ED INCOME FUND 143.11 LEGACY FUND 2.50 NIGERIA INTER DEBIT FUND 1,910.24 NIGERIA INTER DEBIT FUND

Bid Price 153.47 9.08 1.07 1.17 0.72 1.33 1,631.63 1,061.01 1,063.01 115.44 114.59 1,087.00 1.62 1.03 142.62 0.76 2.44 1,903.64

• UBA BALANCED FUND • UBA BOND FUND • UBA EQUITY FUND • UBA MONEY MARKET FUND

1.2524 1.2952 0.9090 1.1574

Movement

1.2636 1.2952 0.9261 1.1574

OPEN BUY BACK

Bank

Previous 04 July, 2012

Current 07, Aug, 2012

8.5000

8.5000

Movement

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THE NATION THURSDAY, APRIL 17, 2014

EQUITIES NIGERIAN STOCK EXCHANGE DAILY SUMMARY AS AT 16-4-14

DAILY SUMMARY AS AT 16-4-14

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63

EQUITIES

US Ambassador throws weight behind listing of oil companies, others U NITED States Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. James Entwistle, said the listing of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), newly privatized power companies and other key companies would enhance corporate governance and ensure inclusive distribution of Nigeria’s wealth creation.

Speaking during a courtesy visit to the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) y e sterd a y in Lago s , Entwistle said listing on the stock market would deepen the culture of long-term strategic corporate development and enhance transparency among Nigerian companies.

According to him, public quotation forces corporate leaders to think long-term in order to meet their obligations to shareholders while the notion of being answerable to shareholders forces a level of transparency and market discipline that will benefit the Nigerian people.

He noted that the Niger i an sto ck mar ket h a s proven to be a catalyst for corporate growth given the performance of major companies listed on it.

“I understand that government officials and regulatory authorities are considering a requirement that newly privatised Nigerian companies list on the NSE. I’m also aware of legislation in the National Assembly that would transform the NNPC into a national oil company that could list up to one-third of its equities on the NSE. Other national companies like Petrobras and Petronas have long been traded on publicly and have thrived as global competitors in the oil sector. Being answerable to shareholders forces a level of transparency and market discipline that will only benefit the Ni-

Stories by Taofik Salako Capital Market Editor

gerian people,” Entwistle said.

He commended the various regulatory efforts at the Nigerian stock market noting that the NSE is one of Nigeria’s finest institutions.

He pointed out that a healthy, well-run and well regulated stock exchange allows citizen shareholders to participate and share in Nigerian economic success.

“A healthy stock market is a vote of confidence in Nigeria’s future. It gives Nigerian pensioners and investors a place to invest for the long term, and the opportunity to demonstrate their faith in local business leaders,” Entwistle said.

According to him, a virile stock market gives youth starting out their careers confidence that healthy Nigerian companies will create employment opportunities far

into the future while encouraging corporate leaders to adopt longterm strategies in order to meet their obligations to shareholders.

He canvassed for continuous improvement in the business environment in Nigeria noting that improved operating environment will bring more investments into the country.

While admitting that Nigerian had several challenges, Entwistle said the US would continue to collaborate with Nigeria to promote policies that would lead to broad-based, sustainable growth and improved trading relationship between both countries.

He outlined that there is already a good level of

US-Nigeria commercial cooperation with some of US biggest companies already active in Nigeria.

“I believe that as your government continues to make the investment climate here attractive to foreign companies, you will continue to see the GEs (General Electric) and the Procter and Gambles and the other key US companies coming to Nigeria,” Entwistle said.

PUBLIC NOTICE THE MANAGEMENT AND BOARD OF DIRECTORS GATE COAST PROPERTIES INTERNATIONAL LIMITED

CAVEAT EMPTOR

KNOW YE ALL MEN that the property situate at No. 34 Child Avenue, Apapa - Lagos belongs to GATE COAST PROPERTIES INTERNATIONAL LIMITED and have not authorized any person or persons to alienate or dispose, mortgage either equitable or legal basis sell, on their behalf the property situate at 34 Child avenue, Apapa, Lagos.

Anyone who purports to deal with the property otherwise does so at his or her own risk.

FURTHER KNOW YE ALL MEN that the previous OWNER CHARLES. N. UDEMBA had ASSIGNED AND RELINQUISHED all his ENTIRE VESTED RIGHTS, INTEREST, TITLE and OWNERSHIP OF THE SAID situate No. 34 Child Avenue, Apapa Lagos SINCE 2008.

Anyone who purports to deal with the property otherwise does so at his or her own risk.

The Federal Lands Registry Ikoyi, Lagos, among others, are invited to note.

ROY BASSEY UKOH 1 ESQ. JP Corporate Attorneys 11, Yesufu Sanusi off Adeniran Ogunsanya, Surulere Lagos 01, 2705419, 08029951765, 08170066918, 08169707777, 08100367747 Fax 01-2705419 cattorneys@gmail.com

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65

NEWS

Death toll increases in Taraba attack

M

ORE bodies were recovered yesterday in Wukari, Wukari Local Government Area of Taraba State.

Fulani herdsmen killed seven people and injured 18 others in an attack on the town on Tuesday.

Two brothers of the member of the House of Assembly representing Wukari II, Daniel Ishaya Gani, were among the casualties.

Gani confirmed the killings in a telephone chat. He said the bodies of his brothers were buried immediately.

He said: “One of them is my immediate elder brother. The two of them were killed right in the house. Their remains were buried immediately.”

The lawmaker accused Acting Governor Garba Umar of being “nonchalant” and “incapable” of restoring peace in southern Taraba. He called on the Federal Government to act fast.

The Red Cross’ State Coor-

•Acting governor imposes curfew

From Yusuf Alli, Abuja and Fanen Ihyongo, Jalingo

dinator, Umar Waziri, said it was not possible to ascertain the exact number of casualties, following unending gunfire in the area.

Waziri said: “Our men are on ground but for now gunfire is still on so it is not possible for us to get the accurate number of casualties.”

The insurgents have invaded Gassol, Ibi, Takum, Bali and are concentrated in Wukari Local Government Area.

Wukari, Tudun-Wada, Jibu and Nwokyo, including the suburbs of Wukari headquarters, have been reduced to ashes.

Thousands of residents, especially farmers, have fled their homes.

Residential buildings, worship centres, including the Deeper Life Bible Church,

Christian Reform Church of Nigeria (CRCN), as well as commercial malls have been razed.

The Defence Headquarters said troops deployed to restore law and order in Wukari have apprehended 14 armed men.

The Director of Defence Information, Maj.-Gen. Chris Olukolade, in a statement, said: “The troops also captured a building where arms were being fabricated.

“Four locally fabricated machine guns, one sub machine gun, four single barrel guns as well as 21 live cartridges were recovered in the process.

“Normalcy has since been restored as troops maintain patrols of the locality.

“Security forces have been directed to continue with the tempo of offensive on all the terrorists’ enclaves anywhere in the country.”

Umar has imposed a 24hour curfew on the local government.

His Senior Special Assistant (SSA) on Media and Publicity, Aaron Atimas, said the curfew was imposed to find the perpetrators.

He said: “The government is supporting the security personnel morally and financially to do a good job.”

Police spokesman Joseph Kwaji, who gave the casualty figure as seven, attributed the violence to reprisal attacks by youths in the town, following alleged incessant raids by suspected herdsmen from surrounding villages.

He said: “Let me use this opportunity to tell the public that the crisis was neither religious nor political.

“I can confirm to you that seven persons died in the violence; many others were injured.”

Jungle justice for kidnap suspect in Kwara

T

HE end came yesterday for a woman kidnap suspect in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, as a mob set her ablaze.

The arrival of some policemen saved two others from being lynched at the Saw Mill Garage area.

Eyewitnesses said the first incident took place on Oyun Bridge along the University of Teaching Hospital Road.

The woman was alleged to have ‘confessed’ that she was working with a team of other kidnappers, who have been mandated to kidnap a certain number of children.

It was gathered that the woman also ‘confessed’ to have

From Adekunle Jimoh, Ilorin

kidnapped five children from the same area and was on her way to abducting the sixth, when some people accosted her.

She was unable to give satisfactory answers to their questions, they were said to have raised the alarm, which attracted the crowd that lynched her.

Police spokesman Ajayi Okasanmi confirmed the incident.

In a statement, Okasanmi warned against attacking people, who are likely to have mental challenges and are being mistaken for ritualists.

The statement reads: “The Commissioner of Police, Ambrose Aisabo, wishes to warn the public not to take the law into their hands.

“Meting jungle justice to people suspected to be kidnappers, who are in most cases wrongfully accused, must

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stop immediately.

“The command will not shirk in its responsibilities of dealing with any individual/ group of people caught in such acts of unbridled lawlessness.

For the purpose of emphasis, any suspected person is to be handed over to the police.”

Belgore’s man is Kwara PDP chair

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From Adekunle Jimoh, Ilorin

LOYALIST to the governorship candidate of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Mohammed Dele Belgore, Iyiola Oyedepo, has emerged the chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kwara State.

Returning Officer and former PDP National Chairman Senator Barnabas Gemade said Oyedepo polled 375 votes to defeat his closest rival, Bode Ojomu, who scored 255 votes.

The senator was assisted by Mrs. Rita Ezeani, Mike Ahubuche and Nasiru Faruk from the PDP National Headquarters, Abuja.

The former spokesperson of the PDP caretaker committee, Mariam Alhasan, came a distant third with 19 votes.

The post of the Deputy Chairman went to Abdulkadir Manko Attahiru. Hassan Rasaq is the new Secretary.

All the posts were keenly contested, except for the post of Vice Chairman (South) and Assistant Treasurer.

The two posts were returned unopposed to Gbenle Adeyemi and Julius Ore. Bolaji Raji, Nma Mohammed and Abiola Moshood were elected as assistant secretaries for South, North and Central districts.

Ms. Nimota Oba-Sulieman was elected Women Leader; Segun Olawoyin became youth leader while the post of Legal Adviser went to Musa Audu.

The post of publicity secretary went to Rex Olawoye who polled 296 votes to floor his rival, Tajudeen Kareem. Babajide Stevens became the Financial Secretary.

There was airtight security at the venues of the congress in Ilorin. Anti-riot and plain cloth policemen, with officials of the Civil Defence Corps were deployed in the venues. Delegates were thoroughly screened.

Accreditation of delegates and voting took place at the Michael Imoudu Institute of Labour Studies (MILS) and Maryam Event Centre in Ilorin. Counting of the votes lasted throughout the night and spilled over to yesterday.

Senator Gemade, addressing reporters at the end of the exercise, described the congress as very peaceful, orderly, free and fair.

He said the delegates behaved well and conducted themselves in a manner that was acceptable to the team that supervised the congress.

Gemade said the outcome of the congress portrayed the true picture of a winning party like the PDP, because what happened at the congress was a complete internal democracy.

He said imposition of candidates which has made PDP to sensitive places like Kwara State will not happen again.

Kuku denies Akure house rumour

PECIAL Adviser to the President on Niger Delta Kingsley Kuku has denied reports that he is building a “multi-million naira mansion” in Akure, Ondo

State.

Kuku, in a statement yesterday, said his only home in Akure was built when he was member of the House of Assembly between 2003 and 2007.

The special adviser, who is also Chairman, Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), said: “I’m a loyal party man and can never be involved in anti-party activities. My sup-

port for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is the reason for all the mudslinging.

“It is all politics by desperate politicians and individuals who are afraid of losing election. It is just mere distraction.

“For the umpteenth time, let me state that I have no governorship ambition now or in the future just as I have nothing against the government or the governor.

“But I will continue to support progressive individuals in my party who have such ambition and are committed to bringing real change and development to Ondo State.”

Your Sexual Health & You: Novelty Tips, Questions & Answers

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ir, when I come home from work, I am usually too tired to satisfy my wife. I have sex for three minutes and when I ejaculate, that’s it for the day. I want to be able to satisfy my wife – Allen Dear Allen, it is normal to be tired after work. Everybody feels that way most times. It is just because most working people usually have sex in the night that they want energy to perform. What you need is an energy drink like the Spanish Fly Cherry. It is a performance enhancing supplement that fires you up with the stamina to have sex for hours without getting tired. It is very good. If you also want to last longer than three minutes in bed before ejaculating, you can use the premature ejaculation prevention cream called Shane Diesel’s Erection Cream. Combine this delay cream with the energy drink and you will perform much better to your wife’s satisfaction - Uche My wife does not enjoy me most times even though she does not complain. My penis is too short and thin for my liking. The pest penetration per time is a little below the surface. Also my wife is difficult to arouse, infact she is cold. What can she do as well? Ibrahim It is possible to have a bigger penis with the right enlargement products. For men with really small penises, we usually recommend that they combine two different penis enlargers such as a penis enlargement cream or supplement with a penis pump. So for you I recommend combining the Big Bam Boo penis enlargement supplement with the Potent Developer Pump to get the very best result. You take the drug in the morning and then you use the pump for your enlargement exercises several times a week as specified in your receipt. Follow this treatment regimen seriously and your penis will get bigger with time. For your wife, she needs a libido booster. Get her thePink ElevateFemale Libido Supplement or Max Desire supplement.Let her take this daily. This will get her ready for whenever both of you to be intimate. To

arouse her externally, you can use the Spot On G Spot Arousal Gel. When massaged on the clitoris before and during intercourse, this gel works well with the above supplements for unparalleled sexual enjoyment. If you choose to stimulate her with a vibrator after the gel has been applied, the results are even better – Uche Hello sir, please there is a penis enlargement cream I bought from you many years ago. I really liked it because it gave me results but I travelled before I could finish the dose. The name is Max Width Enlargement Cream. Do you still have it? Tony Tony, it is currently out of stock but there are many alternatives such as the Liquid Sex Dick Plumper and the Plump Enlargement Cream. They are all fast acting instant penis enlargers. In addition to enlarging the penis, they also help men have better erections – Uche Dear Sir, sometimes I experience dryness and pain during sex - Lucy Sexual dryness is an indication that there has not been adequate stimulation before intercourse. It is also an indication of menopause in older women and can be caused by certain types of medication as well. Whatever the case may be, you can get rid of the dryness and pain with a lubricant. For this, useColt Slick Lubricant or Swiss Navy lubricantduring intercourse. Apply the lubricant generously all around the genitals during intercourse and you will not feel pain again – Uche I just wanted to thank you for the Exploding Thunder supplement you recommended for my weak erection. It really helped me and today, my erections are back and stronger than before. God bless you and thank you again – Echezona You are welcome. That’s it for today. Adults in need of these treatments/novelties can reach us on 08191978308 or 08027901621to order or they can order online at www.zeevirtualmedia.com. Zee Virtual Media delivers to you wherever you are in Nigeria. For enquiries email us at custserv@zeevirtualmedia.com- Uche Edochie, MD, Zee Virtual Media.

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NEWS Boko Haram: Eight girls still missing as troops rescue 80 Continued from page 4

long time, with the attendant huge amount of resources earmarked for security operatives, and despite the presence of uniformed security men at checkpoints which are strategically located at closed intervals, this horrific act could still happen.

“JNI condemns this act of barbarism in the strongest terms and calls on the authorities concerned to put all the needed efforts to free these innocent girls and get them to continue with their studies.

“We sympathise with the victims and their teachers and families at this traumatising moment and pray that Allah will end their agony in the shortest possible time.

“JNI also calls on all Muslims in the country to intensify Qunut and du’a so that Allah (SWT) will unveil and deal with all the perpetrators of these activities.”

The Minister of State for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT),

Olajumoke Akinjide, also condemned the abduction of the girls.

Ms Akinjide’s media assistant Ayodeji Adeyemi said: “Oloye Olajumoke Akinjide has condemned the abduction of 136 girls in Borno State. As a mother and a family woman, the minister is saddened and has urged Nigerians to pray for the safe return of the girls back to their families. “ China’s Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, Hua Chunying said“China strongly condemns and opposes terrorism in all forms”.

“We urge the immediate release of those innocent students, and assurance of their safety.’’

She said China, as Nigeria’s strategic co-operative partner, would continue to firmly support the Nigerian government to safeguard its national security and stability.

The girls said they were lured by the abductors who pretended to be soldiers on a rescue mission. They had returned to sit fi-

nal-year certificate exams at their school despite a Borno state-wide closure of educational centres because of Boko Haram attacks. They initially obeyed the armed visitors, thinking they were soldier there to protect them.

“When we saw these gunmen, we thought they were soldiers.

They told all of us to come and walk to the gates; we followed their instructions,” 18-year-old Godiya Isaiah, who later managed to escape the abductors, told Reuters.

But when the armed men started ransacking the school stores and setting fire to the building, the terrified girls being herded at gunpoint into vehicles realised they were being kidnapped.

“We were crying,” Isaiah said, recounting how she later jumped from a truck and ran away to hide in the bush. Other girls were packed into a bus and some pick-ups.

Borno State Education Commissioner Inuwa Kubo said

five other girls who also managed to escape told the same story.

“They went into the bus unsuspecting,” he told Reuters.

“They were lured into the vehicle because they were told that the school was going to be attacked,” he added. The attackers also raided Chibok town, ransacking stores and offices there and killing several people, witnesses said.

The police and army patrols were yesterday scouring the bush and hills around Chibok for the missing girls, believed to about 100. Kubo said 129 girls had been at the school taking their exams when the abduction took place.

Chibok is not far from a rugged area of forest, hills and caves where military officials say Boko Haram has camps near the border with neighbouring Cameroon. They have abducted girls in the past to be sex slaves for the fighters and to do camp work.

by them in the last farming season have ended up with the Boko Haram as the harvests were seized by the insurgents, making life unbearable.

“There is an urgent need for the security agents to intensify and change their tactics of operation to stop the mass killings in this area,” Alhaji Timta said.

He said the insurgents had also killed many people by blocking major highways, and appealed to security agents to intensify patrol on these roads to prevent the attacks.

“If care is not taken my people

will completely flee the area to neighbouring states and countries for safety,’’ he said The emir urged the General Officer Commanding (GOC) the 7 Division of the Army and other security arms to stop Boko Haram from killing people on the Gwazo - Maiduguri highway.

Alhaji Timta said poor security has caused the death of 350 people this year in the hands of the insurgents on the 135kilometre Gwoza-Maiduguri; and 152-kilometre AskiraChibok-Damboa-Maiduguri Forest roads.

In January there were “ambushing and killing” of innocent motorists and passengers daily.

Besides the “blocking and taking over” of three roads in the chiefdom, two bridges on the Bama-Gwoza and DamboaGwoza roads have been blown up and destroyed completely with explosives by insurgents.

According to the Emir, these and other life threatening activities of insurgents have prevented many traders and motorists from travelling to Maiduguri.

Continued from page 4

opportunity of washing plates to flee the camp.

Shettima said he would have visited Chibok but for security advice which told him to stay away as search and rescue operations launched by the military and vigilantes were ongoing.

He said: “I wanted to go to Chibok, but I was advised against it because of military operations going on around there. My convoy may interrupt the efforts and that will be counterproductive. What is important is to safely rescue our

daughters and sisters.”

Shettima added that the time called for sober reflection and should not be used to apportion blame, insisting that everyone is required to contribute his quota at finding the students and reuniting them with their families.

He said: “I want to appreciate the efforts of the military in the task of bringing peace back to the state.”

Shettima said he would not rest until all the abducted pupils has been reunited with their families.

Boko Haram kills emir in his palace

Continued from page 4

activities had been cut off in his territory, in addition to daily invasions and killings by the sect. There is no more social life.

Farms are being invaded, he added.

The statement was signed on his behalf by Gwoaza Emitate Council Information Officer Ahmed Karau.

The Emir called for a better policing of the GwaozaMaiduguri highway to enable the people resume their normal economic lives stalled by the activities of the sect on the major highways.

“Even the food crops cultivated PUBLIC NOTICE CHANGE OF NAME I formerly known and addressed as Miss. OBEHI ONOME EHIAMETALOR, now wish to be known as Mrs. OBEHI ONOME EKOH. All former documents remain valid.

General public please take note.

‘How 10 girls escaped from camp’

been speaking to the principal and the district head of Chibok on hourly basis.”

On how the 10 pupils escaped, the governor said they were asked to be involved in the preparation of meals by the insurgents and they took the

CAVEAT EMPTOR Notice is hereby given to the general public that some unknown persons with ulterior motive are on the street misrepresenting facts to convince unsuspecting persons that they have interest in the Equity holding of Worker Bee Logistics Company Limited with the view to misguide, deceive and swindle genuine businessmen and women.

All our customers are to take notice while CAC are hereby accordingly notified of this development Signed: Management PUBLIC NOTICE

MERIT CLUB, OMU-ARAN, KWARA STATE, NIGERIA This is to inform the general public that the above named Club has applied to the corporate affairs commission for registration under part C of the Companies and Allied Matters act (1990) THE TRUSTEES ARE AS FOLLOWS: 1. Mr. Adekunle Oyinloye - President 2. Mr. Rasak Lawal - Vice President 3. Mr. Femi Onipede -General Secretary 4. Mrs. Odunola Owolabi - Chief Whip 5. Mr. Azeez Olagoke - Legal Adviser 6. Mr. Yinka Abegunde -Financial Secretary AIM AND OBJECTIVE: 1. Promote Peace, love and unity among Members 2. Create and promote mutual relationship, the spirit of oneness and sense of belonging among members of the club.

3. To foster mutual understanding among the peer group in Omu-Aran.

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5. To promote Education, social and cultural programmes, among youth in Omu-Aran Any objection to this registration should be forwarded to the registrarGeneral, corporate Affairs Commission, plot 420 Tigris Cresent,Aguyi Ironsi street, maitama Abuja within 28 days of this publication.

Signed MR. AZEEZ OLAGOKE Legal adviser (08023036516)

PDP justifies Jonathan’s singing, dancing in Kano Continued from page 4

position.

After the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting yesterday in Abuja, Maku said the President’s visit to Kano was a loud statement to the terrorists that it cannot stop the government from working.

He said: “One thing that terrorists want is to paralyse the society to make sure that they keep you and I at home, frustrate every normal activities of society and they will do it again and again, so that when they strike, government stops and everything stops, they will be very happy.

“You will remember that on the day terrorist, struck, he cancelled his trip to Ibadan and other engagements, and visited the scene personally and directed all the services to provide support. He appealed to the nation to remain united.

“Don’t forget that this pain is to the president of this country more than any other person in this nation today. And this president has suffered psychologically as a result of this criminality which terrorists carry out to distract the public, to disrupt the

normal activities of government, to set people against government, so that when people die, whatever the government says is not what people will hear.

“You will notice that whenever there is any significant story, something will just come negatively. So the purpose is to demoralise, disrupt government, society and to set people against each other and create paralysis.”

“So if we are to say we will do nothing because of the strike, then it means that terrorists would have succeeded in putting a stall each time they strike in our country. And I think going to Kano was a loud statement that terrorists will not stop this country from moving and from working. “ Politicians will still want to exploit even the most dark moment for political advantage and this is what we should not do.

We should not be exploiting the emotions of citizens for cheap political points. People will use everything including murder, including trauma like what we have gone through to score cheap political points and this is really very sad.”

Jonathan invites governors, National Security Council Continued from page 4

Director-General of National Intelligence Agency.”

“The meeting of the National Security Council will be followed at 1300 hours by an enlarged meeting on security developments in the country to which President Jonathan has invited state governors.”

According to the statement, the President, members of the National Security Council and the governors will review the security situation and ongoing measures and operations with a view to determining the best way forward.

Jonathan reassured “all Nigerians and persons living in the country that the Federal Government remains very mindful of its responsibility for the safety of their lives and properties in all parts of Nigeria and will continue to do everything possible to protect them from the scourge of terrorism and insecurity”.

The President, Abati statement

said is particularly concerned about the plight of the young Senior Secondary School girls who were reportedly abducted from their school in Borno State on Monday night and has ordered the military and national security agencies to deploy maximum efforts towards rescuing all of the girls and returning them safely to their parents.

“He welcomes reports that the military and security agencies have already rescued some of the girls.”

“President Jonathan deeply regrets the pain, sorrow and anguish brought upon many Nigerian families in recent days as a consequence of recurring security challenges which the nation is contending with.”

“The President remains convinced that with the patriotic commitment and support of all Nigerians, the country will ultimately overcome its present challenges and move forward in unity and strength.”

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FOREIGN NEWS

283 missing, four dead in South Korea ferry disaster

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FERRY carrying 462 people, mostly high school students on an overnight trip to a tourist island, sank off South Korea's southern coast on yesterday, leaving more than 280 people missing despite a frantic, hours-long rescue by dozens of ships and helicopters. At least four people were confirmed dead and 55 injured.

The high number of people unaccounted for - likely trapped in the ship or floating in the ocean - raised fears that the death toll could rise drastically, making it one of South Korea's biggest ferry disasters since 1993, when 292 people died.

One student, Lim Hyung-min, told broadcaster YTN after being rescued that he and other students jumped into the ocean wearing life jackets and then swam to a nearby rescue boat.

"As the ferry was shaking and tilting, we all tripped and bumped into each another," Lim said, adding that some people

were bleeding. Once he jumped, the ocean "was so cold. ... I was hurrying, thinking that I wanted to live."

Some 160 coast guard and navy divers searched for survivors inside the ship's wreckage a few kilometers (miles) from Byeongpung Island, which is not far from the mainland and about 470 kilometers (290 miles) from Seoul.

Cho Man-yong, a coast guard spokesman, said 16 divers approached the ferry Wednesday night but failed to get inside because the current was too strong.

He said the water was very muddy and visibility was poor, but navy and coast guard divers planned to make another approach after midnight.

Those rescued - wet, stunned and many without shoes - were brought to nearby Jindo Island, where medical teams wrapped them in pink blankets and checked them for injuries before settling them down on the floor of a cavernous gymnasium hall.

The ship had set off from Incheon, a city in South Korea's northwest and the site of the country's main international airport, on Tuesday night for an overnight, 14-hour journey to the tourist island of Jeju.

Three hours from its destination, the ferry sent a distress call at about 9 a.m. Wednesday after it began listing to one side, according to the Ministry of Security and Public Administration.

Officials didn't know what caused it to sink and said the focus was still on rescuing survivors.

Lee Gyeong-og, a vice minister for South Korea's Public Administration and Security Ministry, said 30 crew members, 325 high school students, 15 school teachers and 89 non-student passengers were aboard the ship.

Authorities said the dead included a female crew member and two male high school students. A coast guard officer confirmed a fourth fatality but had no immediate details about it.

LENTEN MESSAGE

Theme: His blood and His power of Passover

Text: "......and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you...... And this day shall be unto you for a memorial....." Exodus 12:13-14

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NE of the most serious challenges in the history of our beloved nation and by extension the citizenry, apart from power, is insecurity.

That there is a palpable sense of insecurity within our polity is obvious, even to babies. The number of innocent people that have lost their lives in the hand of militants, 'jihadists', and cattle rearers when sleeping, in places of worship, on way to write examinations, in their dormitories, on the street, in places of work, at homes and motor parks are unimaginable. The remark in the hearts and lips of the generality of our citizenry now among other pitiful ones are "nobody is safe again" and "who is next?". That this latter-day challenge has obviously defied change of military helmsmen, plea for dialogue and call for military action is not contestable. It is obvious that we have employed all but to no avail.

Instead of getting better, things are getting worse.

This too was the case with the Egyptians who held children of Israel in bondage for 430 years (Exodus 12:40-41). As a result of King Pharaoh's stubbornness and wickedness cascading in his determination to hold on to power over the Israelites, God's anger was ventilated on his people and they consequently passed through lots of hardship. From our text, God now announced to Moses that the angel of death was going to visit Egypt but whatever doorpost that the blood is seen, death would pass such a household over. Besides what happened, God instructed that the Passover must be a memorial. True to God's word, the following morning, there was weeping and wailing in the household of the Egyptians over the loss of their first born children but the household of the Israelites were spared because of the blood of the lamb (Exodus 12:30).

It is illogical to assume that 'ordinary blood' can wade off the angel of death but Paul told the Corinthians that "God uses the foolish things of this world to confound the wise" (1 Corinthians 1:27). The things that are seemingly useless with human beings are very useful tool in God's hands. When Samson was to face the Phillistines, he used

By The Revd. Henry O. Adelegan

the 'ordinary jawbone of an ass' to slaughter thousands of men (Judges 15:15-17). When the Midianites and Amalekites that "lay along in the valley like grasshoppers for multitude; and their camels were without number, as the sand by the sea side for multitude" also waged war against Israel, Jerubbal also called Gideon was asked to use an army of 300 men as against 32,000 that volunteered to and the defecated the huge army (Judges 7:112).

Not only that, with 'ordinary songs and praises' Judah destroyed the armies of the Ammonites, Edomites and Moabites (2 Chronicles 20). When the axehead was lost by the sons of the prophet to River Jordan, an ordinary stick was thrown into the river by the man of God which prompted the axe-head to jump up from the belly of the river while the stick sank (2 Kings 6:1-7). It was also an 'ordinary stone' in the hand of David that destroyed the intimidating Goliath (1 Samuel 17:49).

It is by same token that God holds the matter of blood very dearly. When Cain killed his brother, God told him that "the blood of your brother is crying from the ground" (Genesis 4:910). In Leviticus 17:11, He explained it further that "the life of the flesh is in the blood". This is the foundation of the Holy Communion which Jesus Christ gave to His disciples as a memorial that must be duly observed in remembrance of Him (Luke 22:19). The blood of Jesus Christ might look ordinary to unbelievers but the blood of the lamb that was slain has potency above the blood of bulls and goats for cleansing from sin and protection in times of evil ( Hebrews 9:1315).

In the new testament, and on a day like this (Maundy Thursday), Jesus Christ, as recorded in Matthew 26:26-28, "took bread, blessed it, brake it, gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body. And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed

•Revd Adelegan

for many for the remission of sins". Besides that, in Luke 22:19, He enjoined that the Holy Communion must be done in His remembrance.

The Holy Communion, apart from having power to protect from the hands of angels of death that have pervaded the land, it also enlightens one's eyes of understanding, provides insight and gives direction (Ephesians 1:18 cf Luke 24:30-35). This becomes expedient at such a time in our national life where it is possible for a person or nationals to suffer in the midst of God's blessings on the land and pervasive opportunities. When God opened the eyes of Hagar and she saw the well, she was saved along with her son from death. Not only that, the Holy Communion opens the window for divine favour, grace and unmerited blessings. In Acts 2:4647, when the disciples gave themselves to breaking of bread, God added to their number.

Lastly , the Holy Communion facilitates long life, good health and showers of blessings. Paul told the Corinthians in 1 Corinthians 11:29-30 that people sleep, fall sick and die when the Communion isn't well administered and taken.

To enable you get maximum advantage of the Holy Communion, it is important to first examine yourself (I Corinthians 11:27-28, 11:18, 21-22). You must also surrender your life to Jesus Christ and endeavour to live a Holy life henceforth.

As a follow up to that, the Holy Communion must be taken reverently, not with disrespect to the poor and needy, and must not be taken with unbelief. As you partake of the Holy Communion, may God protect your family members from the devil's onslaught, incapacitate powers of wickendness in our land, bless our dear country, prosper your ways, keep you healthy and give you a long life in Jesus' name Prayer: Father, let the blood of Jesus purify me, empower me, protect me and prosper me, in Jesus' name.

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TODAY IN THE NATION

THURSDAY, APRIL 17, 2014 TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM

‘No matter what it takes, the government must bring Boko Haram down to its knees in order to make the country safe for all. Enough of the tough talks, it is time for action. But, whatever we do, we should not shed the blood of the innocent under the guise of tracking Boko Haram’ LAWAL OGIENAGBON

VOL. 8, NO. 2,821

COMMENT & DEB ATE EBA

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IGERIA is a commentator’s nightmare. Just before you start putting your thoughts together on an incident, another falls upon you like a piece of brick on a construction site, leaving you numb and dumb. You pull yourself together and settle down to pour out your thoughts, then, another hits you with a greater force that leaves you devastated. Suddenly.

I was to join the revelry of the rebasing miracle that has overnight turned our dear country into an economic super power. Suddenly, all those arm-chair theorists and old school academics who mock our economy as poor, are taking back their word. By a stroke of the pen, our economy has become the biggest in Africa, knocking South Africa off the top of the ladder on which it thought it was comfortably seated.

Nobody ever thought it was this simple.

Since 1990, Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) had been static. From a modest $305b, it has now leapt up to about $488b.

South Africa’s is about $384.3b. Now, the G20 will be inviting us to take our seat. Won’t the UN Security Council be forced to create room for the new economic power house?

The rebasing feat that we are celebrating is simple. Many sectors, such as telecommunications and financial services as well as Nollywood – Aki and Paw Paw, Mr Ibu, Osuofia, Mr Latin and Baba Suwe - never featured in past calculations. Even now, some sectors are left out. When the last rebasing was done in 1990, our cities were not this flooded with commercial motorcycles and tricycles battling for right of way with rickety buses and smoking cars. Their contributions to the economy, I am sure, are yet to be calculated.

Instead of congratulating the government on this feat, some off-form economists and lazy politicians, who obviously think GDP is the name of a new political group associated with the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), are saying it is all a joke. They say it is all on paper and that the figures do not reflect the reality – of insecurity, hunger and disease - that Nigerians experience. Cheeky fellows. They do not seem to understand that in Nigeria, everything must be made to look good and great – in the spirit of the perception war among our politicians. No matter how sour a meal is, it doesn’t matter so long as it is dished in glittering china.

But the government seems to have developed a shock absorber to withstand the pressure as every inventive step it takes in its Transformation Agenda (TA) is pilloried by its opponents. The other day when the President approved that the families of those who died in the Immigration jobs stampede should get three jobs – those injured got automatic employment – the idea was scorned to no end by those jobless critics who would do everything to scupper any creative initiative. Now, what they derided as death-forjob has been tested in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, where an unemployed graduate went flat right in the middle of a busy road, an envelope containing his documents on his hand, waiting to be run over. Unconfirmed reports said he got a job after newspapers splashed his photograph on their front pages.

Another fellow who can hardly afford one decent meal daily has been chuckling confi-

RIPPLES PDP blames APC for Abuja blasts–News

Name NAMES now, or KEEP QUIET FOREVER!

GBENGA OMOTOSO

EDITORIAL NOTEBOOK

gbenga.omotoso@thenationonlineng.net

•Editor of the Year (NMMA)

A commentator’s nightmare

•A police officer appealing to the unemployed graduate to leave the road in Uyo.

dently all over the place, saying in rebasing he has found an answer to his poverty. He says excitedly: “I will simply sit down, trace my past activities that those who call me poor may not have noticed, rework the whole thing and cry to the world: bye to poverty! Simple.”

Even before the rebasing wonder, the National Conference had taken off with great excitement.

There were some teething problems. The manner of voting was an issue. There was also the culinary complexity. Delegates grumbled that the feeding arrangement was inadequate. Many would like to have their choice dishes and not just anything dished out by the kitchen. Some wanted Chinese rice with shrimps, butterfly prawns, hot and sour soup, spare ribs with spicy sauce, chicken satay, crispy fried won ton and such stuff. Others wanted simple Nigerian dishes, such as ogbono and pounded yam with bush meat – to hell with Ebola – and all that. All with nice wines for full effect. It was later discovered that after the culinary battle had been fought and won – thanks to the gourmets in the house, including Mrs Josephine Anenih – many delegates spent the afternoon sections dozing off.

Photographers were having a field day, trading their lens on those snoring off the day. This, a source told me, was part of the reason for some delegates’ suggestion that the media should ei-

ther be barred from covering the conference or be told how they should cover the show.

There was also the question of grammar.

Many delegates were quick to point out errors in the minutes. Besides, names were wrongly spelt. A traditional ruler said he should not be addressed as “His Royal Highness”, but as “His Royal Majesty”. Remember, it is no longer fashionable to be a “chief”; you must be a “high chief”.

Nevertheless, the conference has offered a cornucopia of ideas, thoughts and feelings.

Besides, it has kept busy many of those busybodies who had time to lampoon the government for its seeming inadequacies.

Another traditional ruler flared up. Suddenly. The Lamido of Adamawa warned that his people should not be provoked to denounce their Nigerian citizenship and head for Cameroon where, according to him, his kingdom stretches. Then, he came under attack for promoting disunity and bringing bad feelings into a conference that had gone on under remarkable conviviality and camaraderie.

Till date, nobody has asked the Lamido of Adamawa why he spoke the way he did. As they say, there is no smoke without fire. What sparked the royal anger, expressed in so pugnacious a manner? We may never know.

An Ondo State delegate urged the confer-

P

Jonathan vs Kwankwaso

RESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan and Kano State Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso have been locked in a bitter war of words. The governor said he regretted voting Dr Jonathan to become president. The President said Kwankwaso never voted for him.

In fact, said Jonathan, the cash he gave the governor for Kano delegates during the primary was not delivered.

Kwankwaso chided Jonathan for embarking on “merry-making trips” and “gallivanting round the country in the name of PDP unity rally” when he should be mourning those who died in the Nyanya suicide bombing. He said if he contested the presidency with Jonathan, he would win even with only PDP votes.

If all was well, it would have been some comic relief, if our leaders are hurling barbs at one another. Yabis, said the late songster, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, “ is no case.” Nigeria has been seized by the throat in a season of unequalled fiendishness. Boko Haram. Fulani herdsmen against farmers . Kidnappers and armed robbers. Ritualists and other killers.

Our leaders should be more inspiring now or keep quiet.

•For comments, send SMS to 08111813080

HARDBALL

F

ROM the look of things, Chief Femi FaniKayode, an ex-minister of Aviation, former partisan of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and lately an enthusiastic voice of the opposition in the All Progressives Congress (APC), may be exploring a renewal of old political affiliations. Evidence of such possibility was supplied not just by his publicised closed-door meeting with President Goodluck Jonathan at the Presidential Villa, Abuja; it was even more strongly provided by his words after what may not be inaccurately described as a reunion.

In the first place, after familiar but unconvincing bromides about the Presidential Villa being a place where every Nigerian who is welcome can always visit, Fani-Kayode spoke about “the wonderful people here”, a flattering reference that was food for thought, given his known oppositional attitude to the Jonathan administration. What has changed about the government to warrant the praise, or perhaps more precisely, what has changed about Fani-Kayode to inspire the new song?

“I won’t go into that,” was his curt reply to reporters who sought information about what he discussed with Jonathan; and when he was

ence to proclaim the castration of rapists. It was not immediately clear why Dr Yemi Mahmud- Fasominu made this seemingly bizarre suggestion. An insolent fellow asked in bewilderment: has he been raped before? I am surprised that our advocates of women’s rights – some of them are at the conference – have not seen the potential of MahmudFasominu’s suggestion to stem the tide of rape in the land. Nobody - old women, housewives (some raped by their men), students and infants - is spared of this social aberration.

Those who have been saying the conference will make or mar Nigeria should, by now, know that they are merely justifying their participation in what many perceptive observers have condemned as a grand deception and diversion. It will neither make nor mar Nigeria. But, one fact is clear: it will rob the treasury of no less than N7billion – in the first instance.

The serenity of the conference hall was shattered on Monday when the news of the Nyanya suicide bombing was broken. No fewer than 150 died in that incident. The government said 75 died. The victims were poor Nigerians struggling to make a living in the city. President Goodluck Jonathan visited the scene. He was also at the hospital to see the injured after putting off a trip to Ibadan for the centenary birthday of the Olubadan, Oba Samuel Odulana, Odugade 1. It was a national calamity.

The scene was a huge canvass of blood and human flesh, symbolising man’s descent into Satan’s abyss. Horrendous. Many were crying. Hospitals and morgues were jammed. It was hell on earth. Apparently unwilling to waste precious presidential time on mourning the dead, the very next day, Dr Jonathan was off to Kano to receive former Governor Ibrahim Shekarau to the PDP. Before the Kano trip, the news was broken of Boko Haram’s abduction of more than 100 girls in a school hostel in Borno State. From Kano, Dr Jonathan hit Ibadan to join Oba Odulana in cutting his birthday cake. Nothing, it seemed, could get in the way of politics. But, Mr President, when will politics give way for sane governance? When?

Fani-Kayode’s rigmarole asked whether this rather unexpected meeting was a signal that he was about to exit APC, his answer was pregnant with meaning. He said: “The step I will take will be made known to Nigerians at the right time. The most important thing, and I think you are fully aware of this, is that I cannot and will not be associated with a situation whereby any group of people is promoting a religion above another.”

It would appear that there was a lot more significance about what he did not say than what he actually said. There was an unmistakable implication that all is not well with his APC-connection. More importantly, there was also the implied point that religious differences, or differences in perspectives on religion and its political influence, may be why he is rethinking his political affairs. According to him, “I think all of us have gone past the stage of religious politics in this country.

•Hardball is not the opinion of the columnist featured above We must treat the Muslim community with utmost respect and we must treat the Christian community in the same way, and even the non-religious.”

So who is playing “religious politics” by FaniKayode’s definition or standard? It is noteworthy that Jonathan, before he visited Pope Francis at the Vatican last month, which was possibly the ultimate move in a series of churchy activities, faced a barrage of public criticism for his overt romance with Christian places of worship in particular and his indecent exploitation of otherwise spiritual space for the strictly secular business of politics.

Fani-Kayode is probably yet to make full public disclosure concerning the apparent reawakening of his old political passion. Although in a clearly unpersuasive defensive effort, he subsequently argued that his visit to Jonathan did not amount to departure from APC, adding it was premature for observers to conclude that he had defected to PDP, there is little or no doubt about the signs of disconnection.

Of course, his freedom of political association is beyond question. So, if Hardball may ask, why the rigmarole?

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