The Nation April 2, 2014 by The Nation

Police occupy Ibadan forest NEWS Page 9

•Oyo vows to find ‘killers’

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News Senate to strip Jega of power P4 Sports Iheanacho, Nwakali for F/Eagles P24 Business CBN, NNPC, AGF get ultimatum P53

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VOL. 9, NO. 2806 WEDNESDAY, APRIL 2, 2014

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AND MORE •Why PDP should not field Fayose •ON PAGE 8 •Opposition has nothing to offer, says Fayemi •Bamidele: development possible in unity

Court didn’t ask us to vacate seats, say APC lawmakers •Party protests verdict From Victor Oluwasegun, Abuja

LL Progressives Congress (APC) lawmakers moved fast yesterday to correct what they saw as a wrong interpretation of the Federal High Court’s ruling. The party caucus in the House of Representatives said Justice Adeniyi Ademola did not ask the 37 lawmakers to vacate their seats. According to the caucus, the judgment was that the 37 members could not participate in the removal of principal officers. “Other pronouncements by the judge as to the status of our 37 members were mere opinion,” the caucus said. The lawmakers, who spoke with reporters after plenary, said the ruling had confirmed their worst fears and accused their colleagues in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of being “in collusion with a certain judge to turn facts and law on It is unprofes- its head to sinister sional and unethi- achieve ends”. cal for one judge M i n o r i t y Whip Samson to delve into a Osagie, who a statement matter that is sub read titled: “Justice judice in another A d e n i y i Ademola’s court. A judge judgment on 37 Represenshould not make APC tatives: at last comments on mat- our fears have been conters being litigated firmed”, on be-

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in another court

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Continued on page 4

•KIDN AP SUSPECTS’ ARSEN AL: •KIDNAP ARSENAL: Arms and ammunition recovered from suspected kidnappers of Chief Godwin Okeke, Chairman of GUO Motors, tendered as evidence before Justice Chudi Nwankwo of Onitsha High Court, Anambra State…yesterday. STORY ON PAGE 12 •Recovered arms and ammunition…yesterday

•Chief Godwin Okeke…yesterday

Boko Haram: 21 die in sect’s suicide attack Cameroon seizes 288 rifles, 35 rocket guns Suspects held

T •Boko Haram leader Shekau

WENTY-ONE people died yesterday in a “botched” suicide mission at a Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) facility near Maiduguri, the beleaguered Borno State capital. The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) said the dead were six insurgents and 15 civilians, including a member of

From Yusuf Alli, Abuja

Youth Vigilante Group. It said 17 others were injured in the explosion, which was triggered by the planned suicide bombing. But one of the suicide bombers was arrested by troops before he could flee the scene.

The Director of Defence Information, Maj-Gen. Chris Olukolade, gave the update in a statement on the incident after the mop-up operation was concluded by troops. He said: “Also, 15 civilians, including a member of Youth Vigilante Group, died while 17 others were wounded in the explosion that oc-

curred at Mule near Maiduguri on Tuesday afternoon. “Eight vehicles were also destroyed in the incident. Six of the terrorists died while one has been arrested.” Many suspected terrorists were also said to have been shot dead by troops who recovered 15 AK47 rifles and 12 Continued on page 4

•LIFE P13 •SPORTS P23 •MONEY P26 •INVESTORS P28 •POLITICS P45 •FOREIGN P58

THE NATION WEDNESDAY APRIL 2, 2014

NEWS NATIONAL CONFERENCE

Why delegates

•Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola (with mic) at the unveiling of The Brook, Businessday Corporate office Complex in Lagos...yesterday. With him are Publisher, Mr Frank Aigbogun and his wife Juliet. PHOTO DAYO ADEWUNMI

•Chris Agbonwanegbe (left); Alhaji Abubakar Sadiq; Dr Segun Aina and Igwe

Conference calls for memoranda By Emmanuel Oladesu

HE National Conference Secretariat yesterday invited the general public to submit memoranda on any matter to it for discussion. However, the Conference Secretary, Dr. Valeria Azinge, maintained that discussion on the divisibility and dissolubility of Nigeria will not be entertained. In a statement, Azinge said that all memoranda should be clearly typed, adding that they should take the format of introduction, statement of facts on the subject matter, issues from statement if facts for determination, arguments in support of issues for determination and reliefs sought. She also said that the names, addresses, and signatures of writers should be stated in the memoranda, which should be submitted in 10 hard copies. Azinge said the memoranda should be forwarded to the conference not later than April 15. •Former Governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi (right) discussing with former Managing Director of Access Bank, Mr. Aigboje Aig- Imoukhuede (second right), Director-General, Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Ms Aruma Oteh and President, Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote at a meeting of the Economic Management Team at the Presidential Villa, Abuja...yesterday.

Jonathan wrong in giving ‘no go areas’ to conference, says Kalu By Kelvin Osa-Okunbor

•From left: Chief Financial Officer, First City Monument Bank (FCMB), Yemisi Edun; Partner & Head of Financial Services, KPMG, Ayodele Othihiwa; Partner & Head, Management Consulting, KPMG, Bisi Lamikanra; Partner & Lead Facilitator, KPMG UK, Adrian Harkin and Executive Director/Chief Financial Officer, Diamond Bank, Abdulrahaman Yinusa, at the KPMG Cost optimisation seminar for banks and other financial institutions in Lagos...yesterday.

From left: MD/CEO, Hi-Nutrients Animal Feeds, Mr Olabode Adetoyi; MD/CEO, Tom Associates, a consulting firm, Mr Abiodun Toki; anniversary lecturer and Chairman of Hi-Nutrients, Muyi Ladoja and Mrs Bukola Adetoyi at the inauguration of Hi-Nutrients Premix Factory and 10th year anniversary in Ojodu-Berger, Lagos... yesterday. PHOTO: NNEKA NWANERI

ORMER Governor of Abia State, Orji Uzor Kalu, yesterday faulted the directive by President Goodluck Jonathan that delegates at the ongoing conference that discussions about the divisibility of Nigeria is a “no go area.” Kalu said the delegates should not be restricted on areas they want to talk about, adding that this is the first time in a long while Nigerians will have an opportunity to examine all issues agitating their minds about the country. Speaking at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, on arrival from London yesterday, Kalu said the delegates should be free to discuss everything about Nigeria and its many challenges without any restrictions. The former governor said setting restrictions for the delegates will not bring about enduring unity for the country. He said, “Mr. President was wrong on that occasion. There should not be “no go area” in the discussion of Nigeria’s unity. It is those things that will strengthen the unity of the country. We have fought one civil war and we can never fight the second civil war; no country goes for civil war twice and survives it. So I believe Mr. President did not think aloud or the adviser did not advise him well. They (conference delegates) should discuss everything, including the unity of the country. It helps the country to become one unified country.” According to Kalu, the conference has given Nigerians the opportunity to discuss their problems, to discuss their sentiments, to discuss their belief in the country, adding that the conference is a good and unique opportunity for us to discuss all the national issues. “If we don’t discuss, we will be bearing anger. But when we discuss, we will be able to understand. I want to tell members of the national confab that they should discuss everything, including the unity of Nigeria. Nigeria will not break. We Igbos, we have decided that we are not breaking to anywhere because it will be a disadvantage to Nigeria for Nigeria to break. You see the European Union is coming together. America is acquiring more entity to become Northern America and everybody is coming together. So Nigeria is not going to break but let them discuss the issues that are making us not to have this unity.” Commenting on the recent attack on the State Security Services complex known in Abuja close to the Presidential Villa when members of the dreaded Boko Haram attempted a jail break, Dr. Kalu said that the Federal Government could have gotten idea of the attack if it had invested in intelligence gathering. He noted that the recurring attack by members of the sect could be eradicated if the government had a team in place that gathers intelligence on the group in order to foil their plans, instead of using the options of fighting them with guns. Said he, “I think the Federal Government should invest more on intelligence gathering, which I have been saying. Intelligence gathering is more important than men carrying guns on the road. It is just like some policemen in Abia State breaching the journalists’ rights by arresting some journalists on their fundamental human right of writing. The commissioner of police in Abia is like a savage as far as I am concerned because he does not understand what the constitution is all about. The Inspector General of Police understands the laws of this country and understands that journalists have right of existence. So I want to warn that police commissioner in Abia; I am appealing to Mr. President to have a second look on that commissioner in Abia before they will have another Mbu in Abia State.”

THE NATION WEDNESDAY APRIL 2, 2014

NEWS NATIONAL CONFERENCE

are divided over new constitution

•Sola Akanmode and Senator Ayu... yesterday

ELEGATES at the National Conference were of divergent opinions yesterday on the effectiveness, workability and continued existence of the 1999 Constitution. During the continuation of debate on President Goodluck Jonathan’s inauguration speech, some delegates felt that the current constitution has failed the nation and should be replaced with a new one that can be called a people’s constitution. Others, on the other hand, saidthe document was not flawed, that there was no need for a new constitution. Those in this school of thought claimed that the conference should not attempt to arrogate powers it lacked to itself on issue of drafting a new constitution. Alani Akinrinade, former chief of defence staff, discussing the President’s speech, said he has no apologies on behalf of the military. His reason is that politicians assisted the military in all the coup d’états that have taken place in the country. According to him, it is true that the military in government was responsible for the present situation the country has found itself. While he apologised to the youths for not being part of the current state of the country, Akinrinade said the conference has provided an opportunity to do away with the current constitution and come up with a new one that will meet the yearnings and aspirations of Nigerians, old and young. Dr. Akiyode Abiola supported the call for a new constitution, adding that the extant laws have taken power away from the people. She said the current constitution has failed to guarantee citizens’ access to basic rights. Others such as Mrs. Ankio Briggs, an activist, said the 1999 Constitution is no longer relevant or acceptable to the people of Nigeria. Reiterating that no one in the conference was there to canvass for the breakup of the country but to answer questions on how to build it, she added, “We are not here to keep the status as it is because it has not worked for Nigeria.” However, protagonists of the 1999 Constitution argued that the political will to implement the letters of the Constitution was the problem that should be addressed. They also argued that the conference lacked the powers to draw up a new constitution. One of them is Prof. Jubrin Aminu, who said he hoped the ongoing conference would be the last the country would ever convene for the resolution of its differences. Advising that time and opportunity

•Mrs Maryam Jummai (left), Mrs Sarah Benjamin and Pastor Emmanuel...yesterday. From Onyedi Ojiabor, Assistant Editor and Dele Anofi, Abuja

should not be wasted developing the country the elder statesman added, “The Constitution is very good, we should not rubbish it but try to make it better by looking at items that should be removed and insert new ones. We should look at clauses like immunity, local government administration, and others that should be in tune with the reality of our time.” Senator Iyorchia Ayu said the conference should be aware of its mandates as related to the constitution, “We may be taking ourselves too seriously if we think we can solve all the problems of this country, like some of us saying we can write a new constitution. “Most of our recommendations would go into policy making or presented as legislation for those responsible for what is right to do with it. It’s not for us to draw a new constitution, but it is a joint responsibility of the President and others,” he added. Former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) women leader, Josephine Anenih, who said women and youth need more political and economic space in the current dispensation, pointed out that the efforts of the conference might come to naught without the input of the National Assembly. She said rather than calling for a new constitution, the National Assembly should be involved to prevent the conference rep o r t f r o m b e i n g dumped. “We should not usurp the role of the National Assembly,” she added. Senator Iyabo Anisulowo claimed that the foundation of the country should be addressed, saying, ”When the foundation is destroyed, what do we do? Let us review our foundation and those structures responsible for disunity and discord. The National Assembly should rather help us so that the conference report will get a legal backing.” Aisha Aliyu, noted that attitude and not the constitution is the problem facing the country. Pastor Bosun Emmanuel said there were too many inconsistencies in the constitution

Igwe Lawrence Agubuzu...yesterday.

We should look at what is wrong in the constitution and the imbalances smuggled into it that have led to bad blood among Nigerians. Unless justice, equity and fairness is brought to all, what we are doing here is futile.

that must be reviewed. He said Section10 prohibits government from adopting any religion as a state religion but in another section made provision for religious courts. He also cited the mention of some religious terms in the constitution to the exclusion of others, like Sharia mentioned 73 times; Islam 28 times; and Muslims 10 times, while Christians and churches were not even mentioned once. He ended his submission by saying that there is no problem with the constitution, but its implementation. “We should look at what is wrong in the constitution and the imbalances smuggled into it that have led to bad blood among Nigerians. Unless justice, equity and fairness is brought to all, what we are doing here is futile. We should respect the sanctity of the religion but whatever is done to one should be done to the

•Prof Akinyemi

other.” He called for neutrality of government on religious matters and that if the constitution permits, it should be amended to create court on the level of customary and Sharia law for the other religion. Pastor Tunde Bakare however warned that if the expectations of President Goodluck Jonathan, who convoked the conference, were not met, the conference might as well be a jamboree for the delegates. He expected the conference to deliberate and come out with strong and proactive recommendations on the critical issues of form and structure of government. “Let’s tackle it once and for all, as Nigeria has not practised true federalism since the advent of military coup in the country,” he added. Senator Ahmed Mohammed Aruwa however generated some reactions from his colleagues when he refuted a previous argument by a delegate on the unity of the country. He started his review of the President’s speech with comments that were contrary to general commendations showered on the President. He noted that some parts of the inauguration speech were rather from someone who was under severe pressure and who gave straight warnings to the delegates. The senator added it was baffling that some delegates want to re-write the constitution, while some delegates that were supposed to be impacting knowledge on students across the country were distorting history in the conference. “It is baffling that Professors sit here and tell us stories a b o u t Sar-

PHOTOS: ABAYOMI FAYESE

duna of Sokoto and Nnamdi Azikwe that many of us cannot believe. That is the garbage with which they feed our students with,” he said. The comment drew murmurs from the floor and Haruna Yerima raised a point of order on the use of foul language. The Vice Chairman Prof. Bolaji Akinyemi sustained the point of order, but another delegate wanted the submission expunged from records, having been ruled out of order. “It means the word was not spoken,” he said. Several voices shouted disagreement and Prof. Akinyemi intervened, saying that proceeding should continue unless the violation was repeated after which the leadership would be forced to take action. Former Governor Adamu Aliero said the conference has provided an opportunity to redress the issue of too much power concentrated in the center. But former chairman, Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. Amodu Ali commented on the population disparity between the North and the South, saying the North has always been more in number that the South. He said, “We must put Nigeria in the first burner in anything we are doing. Since amalgamation, there has never been equality from the time of regions to the provinces to the present arrangement. We should always have that in mind when we are thinking of creating states and local government. We know that it was the West that didn’t have as much States as the rest of the country during the regional era. “The whole of the North put together had more states than the South. So that inequity started early on. At amalgamation, the Northern Region had over nine million in population without Kano, while the South had just over eight million. “The North, out of all the regions at that time, was a place that has no limit to the number of wives. So the population cannot be rigged. So it’s a fabrication that figures are being inflated in the North. Let us stop all these useless talk, it will carry us nowhere. We should remember that as •Justice a nation we came Kutigi together and should live together.”

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, APRIL 2, 2014

NEWS 21 die in sect’s suicide attack Continued from page 1

magazines. Besides, they destroyed 14 vehicles, which were either be-

•Borno State Governor Kashim Shettima with 30 female pupils selected to study medicine at the University of Khartoum, Sudan on the state’s scholarship during the presentation of letters to them at the Government House, Maiduguri…yesterday

Court didn’t ask us to vacate seats, say APC lawmakers Party: Judge’s comments unnecessary

Continued from page 1

half of the caucus, said: “The judgment has turned law on its head and cannot stand.” The caucus accused the judge of “veering off the course of the case before him to do the bidding of the ruling party.” The 37 affected members yesterday appealed the ruling via a letter from their solicitors, M.A. Mahmud (SAN) & Co. The appeal is on seven grounds of “Error in Law”. The statement, presented by Osagie, reads: “Yesterday (Monday) a Federal High Court presided over by Justice Adeniyi Ademola handed down a ruling in which he restrained 37 APC members, who

joined our great party on December 18, last year from effecting the change of leadership in the House of Representatives, thereby granting the prayers of the plaintiffs - the PDP in the suit. “For us in the APC, we were not surprised because in the course of the proceedings, the same judge issued a preservative order as soon as the arguments against his jurisdiction in the case was taken. This was our first apprehension at the commencement of the case.

HE All Progressives Congress (APC) has said Justice Adeniyi Ademola did not order the 37 members of the House of Representatives, who defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC), to vacate their seats, because he is not competent to issue such an order. It said the issue of whether or not the lawmakers could defect was not before Justice Ademola. In a statement in Lagos yesterday by its Interim National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party, however, said it would appeal the ruling because Justice Ademola’s perpetual injunction, restraining the concerned lawmakers from participating in motions and debates in the House, is unconstitutional and defeats the purpose for which the members were elected. The APC said Justice Ademola’s unsolicited comments were unnecessary and had no foundation in law or fact, hence should be ignored. It asked the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) to sanction Justice Ademola for engaging in mischief, which could bring the bench into disrepute. “If this case had been issued a day later than Monday, we would have said the judge was caught in the web of April Fool! Alas, he indeed made the ruling on Monday, hence the need for us to take it seriously for several reasons. “Firstly, the question whether the House of Representatives members should vacate their seats was not a question before Justice Ademola

“Our fears were further confirmed when the judge, after granting the reliefs sought in the suit, went ahead to render an opinion on the issues that were

for determination. The only question for him to determine was whether the APC members, with their numerical strength at that time, had the right to change the House leadership such as the Majority Leader, Chief Whip and their deputies. So Justice Ademola had no business commenting on seats being vacated. “Secondly, it is unprofessional and unethical for one judge to delve into a matter that is sub judice in another court. A judge should not make comments on matters being litigated in another court. The question of seats being vacated or otherwise is being heard by Justice Ahmed Mohammed in the Federal High Court in Abuja who, on March 29, said the issue was still before him and was not ripe for judgment,” the party said. The APC recalled that it raised the alarm on December 14, last year that PDP was planning to change the course of justice. The party wondered whether there is any link between what is clearly an exercise in judicial rascality and President Goodluck Jonathan’s recent boast in Kwara that the PDP would soon retrieve its ‘stolen’ mandate from those who defected from the PDP to the APC. “It is necessary to unravel this so the PDP and the Presidency, in their desperation, will not paint the Judiciary with their brush of failure and crash our democracy,” it said. The party urged its supporters not to panic, as the judgment was clearly intended to cause mischief, adding, however, that the plan by the PDP and the Presidency had fallen like a pack of cards.

not before him nor solicited by the plaintiffs. “Consequently, a section of the media and indeed the public have been misled by the court

ruling into believing that the judgment has terminated the tenure of office of the affected members. This is not only unContinued on page 57

ing used for operation or hidden by the terrorists in various parts of the Sambisa forest. The botched suicide mission was said to have occurred in Mule in the outskirts of Maiduguri where trucks loading fuel from the depot are parked. The DHQ has ordered troops to protect all sensitive installations and facilities in Borno and Yobe states. The foiling of the suicide mission came on a day that Cameroon security forces seized over 288 rifles and 35 Rocket Propelled Guns and 35 (IEDs) from insurgents after a fierce encounter. A statement by the Director, Defence Information, Maj-Gen. Chris Olukolade, in Abuuja said: “Four terrorists believed to be suicide bombers, apparently heading for an NNPC facility along Maiduguri-Damboa road, have died in their IED-laden vehicles. “The explosions took place at Mule on the outskirt of Maiduguri. Three of the four explosive laden vehicles were immobilised by shots fired at them by soldiers at the checkpoint shortly before the explosions that rocked the area. “Five soldiers were wounded

while the civilian casualties are yet to be determined. More details follow later.” A military source said: “Following intelligence reports on likely huge reprisals from insurgents since the botched March 14 attack on Giwa Barracks, security has been beefed up in all checkpoints. “These suicide bombers targeted the NNPC depot in Mule and many trucks in the area awaiting loading. But the soldiers at a checkpoint in the area took a pre-emptive step to curtail their mission. “If the troops had not been on the alert, we would have been faced with a serious disaster. “Troops are already combing the area to forestall any fresh bid by the insurgents.” Responding to a question, the source added: “The DHQ has ordered a 24-hour protection for all sensitive installations and facilities in the Northeast, especially Borno-Yobe axis. “In spite of the recent gains by the troops, the insurgents have not given up. This is why we are unrelenting in mopping up suspected hideouts or camps in this axis.” The botched suicide mission came on a day Cameroon security forces seized over 288 rifles and 35 Rocket Propelled Guns and 35 locally made IEDs from insurgents after a fierce encounContinued on page 57

Tambuwal, Ihedioha appeal judgment against defecting lawmakers

HE House of Representatives, its Speaker, Aminu Tambuwal and Deputy Speaker Emeka Ihedioha have appealed Monday’s judgment by Justice Adeniyi Ademola of the Federal High Court, restraining some defecting members of the House from altering the composition of its leadership. In a notice of appeal filed in Abuja yesterday by their lawyer, Mahmud Magaji (SAN), the three appellants faulted Justice Ademola’s reasoning and urged the Court of Appeal, Abuja to set aside the judgment. The judgment was on a suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/4/14 filed by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) against the House, its principal officers and members of the House, who defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the oppo-

From Eric Ikhilae, Abuja

sition All Progressives Congress (APC). The appellants, who raised seven grounds of appeal, with a promise to add more, argued that the judgment is “perverse, not supported by the reliefs sought by the plaintiff”. They added that the trial judge “erred in law when he granted reliefs not sought by the plaintiff”. The appellants contended that the judgment “is against the weight of evidence” and that Justice Ademola erred “when he granted the reliefs sought by the plaintiff and “went further to hold that the 1st to 39th respondents ought to have resigned their seats as members of the 1st appellant. They argued that the judge erred when he held that the reContinued on page 57

Senate moves to strip Jega of power to appoint INEC’s Secretary

NDEPENDENT National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman Prof. Attahiru Jega will be stripped of the power to appoint the commission’s secretary, if a bill under consideration by the senate sails through. The Bill for an Act to amend the Electoral Act, 2010 to provide for tenure of office of secretary, power to issue duplicate voter card, determine voting procedure and for other related matters 2014, scaled yesterday the second reading at the Senate. The upper chamber also considered a Bill which seeks the conduct of all elections same day. The Bill entitled: “An Act to amend the Electoral Act No. 6 of 2010 to provide for the holding of elections on the same date, accreditation of voters by electronic means and to confer on the Independent National Electoral Commission power to cause a debate to be conducted for candidates contesting election for the office of the President and for connected matters,” was sponsored by Senator Abu Ibrahim (Katsina South). Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu who led the debate for the provision of tenure

From Onyedi Ojiabor and Sanni Onogu, Abuja

for INEC’s secretary, said the Bill seeks to provide a renewable tenure of four years for the position of Secretary of the INEC. Ekweremadu said: “The broad aim of the Bill is to build on and consolidate on the gains of the Electoral Act 2010. “The positive impact of the Electoral Act has not been a subject of doubt in our effort to operate a reliable electoral process in Nigeria. “The Extant Act only empowers the Commission to appoint a secretary without stating how long such a person can remain in that position. “The position of a secretary cannot be underestimated in any organisation, and for an election management body, it is proper to tenure the office of the secretary in the Act establishing the office. He added: “Furthermore, it has been observed and it is a known fact that ‘lack of time’ has remained a very strong excuse for not doing certain things right or for explaining failure in fulfilling certain responsibility whose cumulative effect undermines the credibility of elections and electoral process.

“This Bill therefore seeks to : (i) conduct a re-run election from seven to 21 days (though this has constitutional implication, which has been recommended in the Constitution amendment additional report); (ii) receive and treat application for transfer of voters’ card from 30 - 60 days; (iii) receive and treat application for duplicate voters’ card from 30 - 60 days. “It also increases the number of days within which parties and candidates can have access to and inspect certified true copies of polling documents.” Ibrahim, who is the Deputy Minority Whip, said the import of the amendment which the Bill proposes in Section 25(1) of the Electoral Act No. 6 of 2010 is for holding elections on same day. Ibrahim said: “This falls in line with global practices and Nigeria should move in that direction. “Indeed, staggered elections are not cost effective and it is not cost efficient; it is expensive and as a country we should follow the example of Ghana, SierraLeone, the United States and Venezuela. “Taking a look at the colossal amount of money with which INEC executed staggered elections in 2012 and all previous

elections in the country, this can be reduced by (1/3), taking into consideration three election weeks which will now hold in just one day, going by our proposed amendment. “In 2011 alone, INEC spent about N50 billion. The amount included payment of election duty staff, cost of essential and non-essential materials and logistics for the conduct of the elections. However, the amount did not include the money spent on security personnel assisting INEC in conducting the elections. “The same can be said in respect of the political parties. The cost implication in paying party agents, supervisors and other party election monitors can be downsized by one third as well. “Quite a number of political parties cannot finance the cost of election due to their meagre resources. In other words, they do not have the resources to protect their votes. “If this distinguished Senate gives effect to the amendment being sought, then in effect we are promoting greater participation in the conduct of our elections as these smaller parties can utilise their little resources in participating in only a one-day election.

“Most importantly also, voter apathy can be greatly minimised if we accept to conduct our elections in one day, indicate that the first election to be conducted, which in most cases the National Assembly election used to witness a larger voter turnout which after the announcement of its result and final conclusion people lose interest in the process due to poor or shoddy handling as witnessed in 2011. “In the conduct of that election, INEC entirely cancelled the election and ordered its repeat the following week. The same thing happened during the controversial November 16 Anambra election, which spilled up to Sunday 17th November 2013 and a supplementary election ordered. “Voters refused to show up on the day of the supplementary election, thereby recording a low voter turnout of between 24-36 per cent in most of the polling units due to general dissatisfaction by all the major political parties i.e. APC, PDP, Labour Party and the rest. “I submit that such voters’ apathy can be avoided if INEC can organise a hitch-free , credible election in just one day. “The participation of international donor agencies. The inter-

•Prof. Jega

national and local observers, money and time being spent in staggered elections can as well be minimised when a one-day election is conducted. “One thing we must do to ensure that the 2015 elections are more credible than the last four rounds is to lend your support for this amendment to scale through so that all elections are conducted on the same day.” Continued on page 57

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THE NATION WEDNESDAY, APRIL 2, 2014

NEWS German govt launches training THE German government, under the auspices of the Delegation of German Industry and Commerce in Nigeria, will tomorrow at the ITF/ISTC Centre, Ikeja, Lagos, launched its Dual Vocational Training Partnership with Nigeria (DVTPWN). The Project Coordinator, Kehinde Stephen Awoyele, said the launch, which would also feature the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with training centres, would be attended by a team of German project organisations and other stakeholders.

Don advocates first degree for nurses From Tayo Johnson, Ibadan

PSYCHIATRIC and a Mental Health Nursing expert at the Babcock University, IlishanRemo, Ogun State, Prof. Joseph Aina, has urged the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria to initiate reforms in the education of nurse, to meet the global standards and realities. He spoke yesterday at the Conference Centre of the University of Ibadan (UI) during the opening of the 3rd North American Nursing Diagnosis Association (NANDA) International Conference, organised in conjunction with the UI Department of Nursing. Delivering a keynote address titled: “Nursing Diagnosis, Implementation and Outcome in Nursing Education, Strategies for Effective Nursing Practice”, Aina said nursing education standard should be raised to a level where at least 80 per cent of practising nurses would hold a minimum of a bachelor’s degree. “Since we are practising a lot of systems borrowed from the United States of America, we can also borrow ideas from their health policies. America aims at ensuring that by 2020, at least 80 per cent of their nurses will have a minimum of Bachelor’s degree. Nursing should be given that seriousness in Nigeria. “The bulk of health care activity rests on the shoulders of nurses, hence the need to tackle inadequacies suffered in terms of resources for education and research. The lack of adequate continuing education is a major challenge for us. The Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria as well as the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives should look into this,” he said. According to him, the number of degreeawarding nursing institutions in the country was inadequate, adding that nurses required university education to become whole. Aina said: “Of 196 nursing schools, only 15 are degreeawarding. Seventy four are doing hospital-based programmes, while 23 are offering basic midwifery courses, with just four being post basic midwifery. This is still low.” Delivering a lecture titled: “Nursing Diagnosis: Past, Present and Future”, a guest lecturer and member of the NANDA International Education and Research Committee, Dr. Marcelo Chanes, said nursing had evolved to become an academic affair.

‘How co-defendant forged oil marketer’s signature to commit fraud’

LAGOS High Court sitting in Ikeja heard yesterday how the signature of an oil marketer was allegedly forged to perpetrate a N1.5billion subsidy fraud. An Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) witness Mrs. Oghara Eburu, told Justice Lateef Lawal-Akapo that the signature of an oil marketer, Ifeanyi Anosike, was forged by one of the co-defendants to perpetrate the fraud. Mrs. Eburu, an investigative officer with the antigraft commission, made the admission while testifying at the resumption of the trial of Anosike and co-defendants before Justice LawalAkapo. EFCC sued Anosike and his firm, Anosyke Group of Companies. Other defendants are Emeka Chukwu, Ngozi

By Adebisi Onanuga

Ekeoma and Dell Energy Ltd. The anti-graft commission alleged that the defendants fraudulently obtained the money from the Federal Government for the purported importation of 15, 000 metric tonnes of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) from Europe. Mrs. Eburu, who was led in evidence by the EFCC counsel, Mr. Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), said Anosyke Group of Companies was issued permit by the Petroleum Product Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) to import fuel under the Petroleum Support Fund (PSF). The witness said the allocation was obtained by the fourth defendant (Chukwu), under the authority of Anosike, but his company could not execute it.

She said: “Chukwu went ahead to sell the paper to the third and fifth defendants (Ekeoma and Dell Energy Limited). “Anosike claimed not to have knowledge of the sale, but Ekeoma and her company, Dell Energy Limited, executed the transaction in his name and that of his company.” Mrs. Eburu said an account was opened at Sterling Bank by the defendants, using Anosyke Group of Companies as the name of the account. She said two workers of Dell Energy were listed as the signatories to the account, which was used for the transaction. “The requisite documents used for opening the account were provided by Chukwu and submitted to the bank by Ekeoma. “One of the documents used was a board resolution,

purported to have been signed by Anosike on a letterhead of Anosyke Group of Companies.” Mrs. Eburu said further investigation showed that the signature was not that of Anosike. The witness said the original letterhead was presented by Anosike to the EFCC to cross-check with the one used for the account opening and was found to be fake. “Under forensic examination, it was found that the one used for processing the account was different from those Anosyke Group uses in its business transactions,” she added. Mrs. Eburu, however, said the transaction was carried out by the defendants and that they benefited financially. Justice Lawal-Akapo adjourned hearing till today.

Nda-Isaiah quits as Leadership chair for presidential race

HE Chairman of Leadership Group, Mr. Sam Nda-Isaiah, will step down from tomorrow. He is stepping down to contest for the presidential ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC). In a statement by the Group Managing Director, Mr. Azubuike Ishekwene, on behalf of the Board, he said Nda-Isaiah stepped down after months of consultations with his family, friends and associates to answer a national call. A new chairman will be announced shortly. The statement reads: “On April 2, the chairman and founder of Leadership Group will step down from his position. This is not a decision he is taking lightly.” Nda-Isaiah told the Board at its last meeting in February that having put the company on a solid path, he felt the need to answer a national call to work with millions of women, men, young and old of all faith and creed, who have, in an earnest search for something new, invested their hopes and dreams for a better country in SAMFORNIGERIA.” The statement said: “NdaIsaiah is unaware of the trepidations, genuine and not so genuine, by person who fear the worst not just for the company, but also for what his coming would mean.

Fed Govt to rehabilitate 30 dams From Frank Ikpefan, Abuja

T •From left: Sales Strategy Manager for Hewlett Packard, Greece & Africa, Mr Assif Mohammed Karim; Managing Director, Stefanos Glouveris; and Managing Director, Hewlett Packard Nigeria (H/P), Mr Ime A. Umo, at a news conference in Ikoyi, Lagos...yesterday PHOTO: JOHN EBHOTA

1.8m graduates enter job market yearly, says Okonjo-Iweala

HE Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, said yesterday in Abuja that 1.8 million graduates move into the labour market yearly. Mrs. Okonjo-Iweala, who is also the Coordinating Minister for the Economy, spoke at a meeting with the delegates of the Arewa Youth Forum (AYF) on youth development in the North. She said the data was generated by the National Bureau of Statistics and that it was to enable the Federal Government ascertain the level of youth unemployment and come up with policies to address it. “I am proud to say that after two months of methodological work, statisticians have come up with a data that 1.8 million people enter the job market yearly. “I am happy to tell you that last year, we created 1.6 million jobs. So we are getting close to the 1.8 million, who enter the job market.

“We also have a pool of 5.3 million unemployed graduates, who have been accumulating over the years. “So, our strategy is to come up with policies that will cover the number of entrants every year before taking care of the backlog,” Dr. Okonjo-Iweala said. The minister noted that President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration was doing a lot to create employment for youths. “Through YouWin programme, we have had 3,600 winners, among whom 2,400 winners have created 27,000 jobs so far. Our target is to create a minimum of 80,000 jobs through this. “Through SURE-P, so far we have created 120,000 jobs. While YouWin is geared towards graduates, the SURE-P is for those youths, who may not have gone through school or did not complete their education. “The President has

launched the National Mortgage Re-finance Corporation, which will not only provide housing for the low income earners, but will also create thousands of jobs for our youths. “We are targeting 10,000 mortgages this year and for every house you build, you create five direct jobs and two and a half indirect jobs, which can create another 75,000 jobs,” she added. On agriculture, Mrs. Okonjo-Iweala said more than 400,000 part time jobs had been created and had become a source of income for youths. She said government was designing a special programme for states in the Northeast, adding that the scheme would focus on education and agriculture. The President of AYF, Alhaji Gambo Gujungu, said the visit was to deliberate on the issues of development in the North with regards to unemployment.

•Mrs Okonjo-Iweala

“The AYF is making this important visit to discuss with you, issues of national interest, particularly the development of the North as it affects youth unemployment. “We wish to also discuss the absence of peace and unity, which has divided the country, washing away the brotherhood we were known for,” he said. Gujungu said the association had through the Chief of Staff to the President, presented a paper to the Presidency on the issues.

HE Federal Government is to rehabilitate 30 dams to boost power supply. The dams, recommended by the Ministry of Water Resources, are expected to generate additional 147.60 mega watts to the existing power source. The Minister of Water Resources, Mrs. Sarah Ochekpe, who spoke in Abuja, said access to electricity is put at 40 per cent. The minister, who was represented by the Director, Dams and Reservoir Operations in the ministry, Dr. Emmanuel Adanu, said while building dams in the past and recently for water supply and irrigation, the ministry constituted small hydro power plants in the construction processes. According to her, the ministry has partnered energy sectors to conduct studies on the proposed dams and engineering designs of the small hydro power schemes accompanying each of them. She said this was to serve project activities and generate electricity to rural communities, adding that the supply of water and energy were important to achieving sustainable national development. “In Nigeria, statistics have shown that only 40 per cent of the people have access to electricity, 60 per cent of the population have access to potable water, while access to sanitation is put at 41 per cent.

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, APRIL 2, 2014

NEWS Atiku: our structure of govt needs to be reworked

CHIEFTAIN of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, has said the need to rework the federal arrangement should be a major focus of delegates at the National Conference. In a speech delivered at the Nasarawa State University, Keffi, the ex-Vice President said the federal structure arrogated many functions and resources to the government at the centre, thus killing the spirit of innovation and enterprise among the people which was a critical component in building a self-sustaining economy. Acknowledging his initial stance in opposing the constitution of the conference, Atiku said delegates should make the best of the opportunity. “I want to assume that a new and improved Nigeria is the goal and I believe any opportunity for people to talk is better than to fight,” he said. According to him, “the conference should focus on designing a political and •Corps members on parade during the closing of the NYSC 2014 Batch ‘A’ orientation at the new NYSC permanent camp in PHOTO: NAN Gbakuta, Iseyin, Oyo State...yesterday

the NYSC temporary camp at Kangere, Bauchi State, said: “The corps members contribute to the development of the society, hence the need for Bauchi indigenes, irrespective of religion or political inclination, to show them care and affection. “Let me reiterate that government will hold leaders of our communities where the security of corps members is threatened, responsible.” The governor said his administration would partner

security agencies, traditional, community and religious leaders to ensure the safety of the corps members and urged them (corps members) to be on a look out for evil and anti-social elements, who might want to disrupt peace. “My dear corps members, you are advised to be law-abiding, respect the tradition and culture of your host communities, shun behaviours that run counter to the ideals of nationalism,

•Yuguda

stay at your places of primary assignment and travel whenever necessary,” he advised.

121 corps members relocate from Kano, says coordinator

VER 121 National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members posted to Kano State have relocated to other states. However, 1,480 of the Batch “A” corps members are to serve in Kano this year. Kano State government has assured the corps members of the safety of their lives and property. It urged them to feel at home and not to panic. The NYSC Coordinator, Mr. Sanusi Abdulrasheed,

From Kolade Adeyemi, Kano

said the 121 corps members, who relocated to other states, were married women whose husbands were residents of other states, noting that such requests were granted because it would not be proper to separate the couples. He spoke yesterday at the passing out parade of the corps members at the

NYSC camp in Karaye Local Government. Abdulrasheed said the corps members were happy that there was no longer security threat in the state. According to him, “you can see that the corps members are not only happy to serve in the state, but are also in high spirit waiting for the local government authorities and other establishments to come and pick them to where they will do their

one year programme.” The coordinator, speaking on the fear of corps members being rejected at where they may be posted, said such fear does not arise, adding that many organisations are even requesting for corps members, but the irony is that they are not enough. The Deputy Governor, Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, who represented Governor Musa Rabiu Kwankwaso, said there was no cause for alarm concerning the security of the corps members.

Akpabio urges corps members to be patriotic

HE National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members posted to Akwa Ibom State have been urged to be patriotic. Governor Godswill Akpabio spoke yesterday during the end of the orientation course for Batch “A” corps members at the NYSC permanent orientation camp at Ikot Itie Udung in Nsit Atai Local Government. He said: “As you set out of this orientation camp

From Kazeem Ibrahym, Uyo

today, it marks the beginning of a year’s journey of patriotism, which should be achieved judiciously. It is a journey of sacrifice for your dear nation, so you must drop all criminal vices like cultism, among others to serve the nation positively. “Since the orientation course sought to prepare you for the remaining

period of your service year, I challenge you to avail yourself of the opportunity of fitting in Akwa Ibom State, whose people you will find hospitable and friendly. “Ours is a fast growing state that places much value on the educational sector where I expect most of you to serve, in order to complement government efforts at providing free and compulsory education, with the hope of raising the next generation of corps

African Court faults Burkina Faso over killing of journalist

‘Community leaders ‘ll be held liable for corps members’ security’

AUCHI State Governor Isa Yuguda said yesterday that community leaders would be held accountable if anything happened to the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members posted to their areas. He urged the leaders to be of help to the corps members, whom he said are to serve their fatherland in the state for the next 12 months. Yuguda, who spoke at the closing ceremony of a threeweek orientation course at

governmental system, which empowers local authorities and gives them autonomy to address peculiar local issues, and enhances accountability, while contributing to the general good of the country.” Atiku said the envisaged robust federal system would reduce the tension built into the nation’s over-centralised system. He noted that the federal structure, which he termed unitary federalism - was a creation by and for the military governments of the past. “As more power was concentrated in the centre, the Federal Government appropriated more resources and expanded its responsibilities. All these were done in the name of promoting national unity. The process was easy, as the unified command structure of the military ensured little opposition. “Therefore, fixing Nigeria, to me, will require reversing decades of over-centralisation of power and over-concentration of resources at the centre,” Atiku said.

members, whose foundation would have been laid by you.” The governor hailed the NYSC management for the supply of manpower to schools, hospitals, ministries and most importantly, their posting to the rural areas. He warned corps members’ employers against unnecessary rejection, saying they should accept them, show them the love the state is noted for and give them challenging task, which would enable them exhibit their potential.

FRICA’s highest court, the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights, sitting in Arusha, Tanzania has held that journalists should practise without intimidation or threat to life. The court, in a judgment, held that the failure of a government to apprehend and punish those responsible for the assassination of a journalist or their intimidation could affect free expression, violate the human rights of journalists and endanger truth. The judgment was in a suit filed by the relatives of the late Norbert Zongo, publisher and former editor of I’Indépendant in Burkina Faso, who was killed with four others over 16 years ago. The court held that proceedings in cases in Burkina Faso were unduly prolonged; and that the Burkina Faso authorities did not investigate crimes. The court also held that the families of the victims had not been contacted over eight years after the beginning of the case they filed; that no proper investigation was ever conducted into the case; and that the government showed no will to hold the killers to account.

‘Why FUTA won’t reinstate workers’

HE management of the Federal University of Technology Akure (FUTA) has said it would not upturn the decision of two successive governing councils to reinstate the workers facing disciplinary action. The Registrar and Secretary to the Council, Dr. M.O. Ajayi, said in a statement that the erring workers should forfeit their salary for the period under sanction, as decided by the councils as conditions of the amnesty before their reinstatement. She said this was the cause of the conflict between the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), Western zone and the FUTA management when they came for the 48th quarterly meeting, which coincided with the matriculation. Dr. Ajayi advised SSANU to stay off the affairs of the workers and management of the university if it cannot use its office to improve their relationship. She debunked a report published in The Nation on March 30 headlined: “SSANU threatens showdown with FUTA VC”, saying it was the Zonal Chairman of SSANU, Mr. Jimoh, who ended the meeting abruptly, as he and

By Wale Adepoju

other top officials of the association walked out on the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Adebiyi Daramola and other principal officers. She said the entreaties of the principal officers of FUTA to allow the meeting continue were rebuffed. Dr. Ajayi said FUTA was disappointed in the manner the group approached the issue. The school, she said, is responsive to the issues relating to the welfare of its workers at all levels, stressing that its cardinal principle is consensus building through dialogue because “it will not detract from it.” Dr. Ajayi said: “Prior to their arrival, the management received a notice of their intention to pay a courtesy call on the VC and the management made the necessary arrangement for the meeting. “The university provided the necessary logistic support to facilitate a hitch-free meeting, including change of venue of this year’s matriculation to another location to accommodate SSANU’s request. “As part of preparation, two days to SSANU’s meeting, the VC caused an internal

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, APRIL 2, 2014

CITYBEATS ‘I smuggled guns stacked in yam flour’ A

SUSPECTED gun smuggler, Abdulazeez Amao, has been arrested by men of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) of the Lagos State Police Command. The suspect was arrested following intelligence reports on his exploits at the Seme border. Amao and his accomplice, Olatunji Tubosun, were paraded yesterday at the Parade Ground of the Police Command Headquarters in GRA, Ikeja, Lagos. Items recovered from them included 10 new AK47 rifles and 19 AK7 magazines, all loaded with 30 rounds of ammunition. Amao told reporters that he imported the weapons from Burkina Faso, adding: “I was introduced into the business by a man, Gbenga. I am a serious smuggler, but I do any other business that comes my way. When Gbenga promised to sponsor me to Burkina Faso, I grabbed the idea because I believe that if there is no venture, there won’t be success. One of my wives is from Ouagadougou, the Burkina Faso capital; so, I was able to mix up and got connected to Zakari Watara, who was bringing arms and ammunition from Mali to Burkina Faso. I would buy from him and import to Nigeria.” On how he was able to beat security operatives in Mali, Amao said: “It is by packaging my consignment into cartons of milk. Whenever I arrived Paraku Town in Benin Republic, I would repackage the arms and ammunition into bags containing yam flour (Elubo) and then transport them to Ibadan, Oyo State capital, through the border. “Gbenga who introduced me into the deal also introduced Tubosun who was bringing buyers to me. I was not investigating whoever he brought as what mattered to me was my money. I used to buy one AK47 for 600,0000 CFA (N200, 000) and resold for N320, 000. Tubosun is a good man because he used to pay me

•The suspect...yesterday. Inset: The arms and ammunition By Jude Isiguzo and Ebele Boniface

cash. However, I was shocked that he was bringing armed robbers to buy arms and ammunition from me.” Tubosun, who claimed that he only brought hunters to his master, said: “I am a farmer and hunter. We were being attacked in the bush by some land grabbers; so, we used the rifles to defend ourselves.” Commissioner of Police Umar Manko, who paraded the suspects, said following the information he received, he engaged the Officer in Charge of SARS, Abba Kyari. “We were informed that one suspected armed robber, Olatunji, was arrested in Ikorodu area of Lagos, with an Ak47 rifle and after he was quizzed by Kyari, he confessed that he bought it from Amao, a notorious arms dealer in Ibadan,” said Manko. Saying that a ‘Decoy’ police team deployed to

Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, by Kyari arrested Amao, Manko added: “He confessed that he had sold several other AK47 rifles and English pistols

to many buyers in Oyo, Lagos and Anambra states.” The police chief said efforts were being made to recover the arms from the

armed robbers who bought them and also arrest the Burkina Faso dealer through the assistance of the International Police (Interpol).

Customs seizes hard drugs at airport

HE Murtala Muhammed International Airport Command of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has detected substances suspected to be hard drugs in a consignment containing various spares and household goods packaged for export to Gabon. The suspected agent of the illicit substances, Mr Nyeaka Anslem, The Nation

• The chairman, Odi-Olowo/Ojuwoye Local Council Development Area (LCDA), Lagos State, Aremo Adeyemi Ali (left) presents the council’s 2014 budget proposal to the leader of its legislature, Hon Hakeem Saka.

By Kelvin Osa Okunbor

learnt, is being detained by the Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA). The command’s spokesperson, Deputy Superintendent of Customs (DSC) Mrs Thelma Williams, said the substances were detected during a joint examination by customs officers led by Toyin Momoh, a Deputy Superintendent of Customs (DSC), and other agencies. The agencies include: State Security Services (SSS), Directorate of Military Intelligence (DMI) and the Anti-

Bomb Squad of the police. Mrs Williams, who said five wraps of the substances were found concealed in a stabiliser, explained that tests by the NDLEA confirmed them to be cocaine, which weighed 600 grammes. She further explained that the package in which the hard drug was uncovered was in NDLEA’s custody, adding that the remaining five packages of the consignment had been transferred to government warehouse pending further investigations.

CITYBEATS LINE: 08023247888

UN, Lions Club celebrate

HE District Governor, District 404B, Lion Gbolagade Adebisi, has hailed the partnership between the club and the United Nations (UN). Speaking at this year’s Lions’ Day with the UN, he said: “During the years, the two organisations have cooperated on many humanitarian ventures. Lions have provided aids and manpower for the UNICEF (United Nations Children’s Educational Fund), World Health Organisation (WHO) and United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) projects.” The event, according to the organisers, was meant to count the gains of the relationship Lions Club established with the global body immediately after the Second World War. The bond was established between the UN and Lions’ founder, Melvin Jones, past International Presidents Fred W. Smith and D.A. Skeen. The UN resident coordinator, Mr Daouda Toure, said: “The UN continues to benefit from the efforts of Lions Club members around the world who are supporting our work to prevent diseases, end poverty, promote education, empower women and protect the environment. You have been a worthy partner for the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals since its declaration.” Saying that Lions clubs had fulfilled the aims of MDGs, he urged other corporate bodies to intensify efforts at achieving the targets set for MDGs.

Missing vehicle

BLACK Mercedes Benz G-Wagon Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) marked GG 868 AL (with Chassis number: WD CYC7BF4BX193049) has been reported missing. A source at the police at Bar Beach Police Station, Victoria Island, Lagos, where the incident was reported, said the vehicle which belongs to Mr Festus Igbomor of Worldspan Holdings Ltd. It was reportedly stolen by unknown persons where it was parked on March 25. All efforts by the police to recover the vehicle, according to the source, have failed. Any information about the vehicle, the source said, should be reported to the police station, any other police station or Mr Igbomor at 18A, Okoawo Close, Victoria Island.

THE NATION WENESDAY, APRIL 2, 2014

NEWS EKITI 2014

Aspirants urge party to drop PDP candidate

HIRTEEN aspirants of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ekiti State have rejected the emergence of former Governor Ayo Fayose as the party’s flag bearer in the June 21 governorship election. They said Fayose’s choice would cost the PDP the election. The aspirants adopted Senator Gbenga Aluko as their consensus candidate. They said they chose Aluko to save the party the “tragedy” of fielding an “ineligible” candidate. Speaking with reporters yesterday in Abuja, Aluko said having been impeached as governor in 2006, Fayose is not eligible to contest any election until 2016, when his impeachment would have run the mandatory 10-year period of grace. Aluko, who spoke for 12 other aspirants, said Fayose is currently facing murder and corruption charges in various courts and it would be unwise for the party to field him while the cases are still pending. He said the party’s decision to field Fayose in the election has divided members, “some of who have been reaching out to opposition parties with the view to either defect or work against the PDP at the election”. Aluko said: “In most communities in Ekiti State, it is shameful to be seen following Fayose. As a matter of fact, the majority of our people are now saying that it is better for them to stick with Governor Kayode Fayemi than to follow Fayose. “Already, our party is undergoing serious meltdown in Ekiti because of Fayose. Out of our 16 local government chairmen, 11 of them are talking with the opposition; 12

Police on alert as Fayose returns to Ekiti •’We’ll remain in PDP and work against ex-governor’

KITI State Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP’s) flag bearer in the June 21 governorship election former Governor Ayodele Fayose will return to the state today from Abuja. He collected his Certificate of Return at the PDP’s national headquarters in Abuja two days ago. The police said they are ready to handle security challenges that may arise. Police spokesman Victor Babayemi said policemen had been deployed in Ikere and Ado-Ekiti. He said: “Like the rallies held in Ado-Ekiti and Ido-Ekiti last Thursday by the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Labour Party (LP), today’s rally will be devoid of crisis. We are aware of the problems in the PDP and we have to do what is necessary to avert crisis.” Fayose emerged the party’s flag bearer after a controversial primary on March 22, defeating former Police Affairs Minister Navy Capt. Caleb Olubolade (rtd), Prince Dayo Adeyeye and 11 others. Publicity Director of the Ayo Fayose Campaign Organisation Mr. Idowu Adelusi said the former governor would come into the state through IkereEkiti, a border town with Ondo State. Adelusi said: “This is going to be like a carnival. Fayose has been in Abuja since his emergence on March 22 to collect his Certificate of Return from the PDP’s National Working Committee (NWC). From Gbade Ogunwale, Assistant Editor, Abuja

of our 16 women leaders are reaching out to the opposition; eight of our 16 youth leaders are talking with opposition parties. “This was the same Fayose who contested for Senate on the platform of the Labour Party (LP) and lost. Our party leaders in Abuja are claiming that he won the governorship election in 2003, but as players in that election, we all know how he won that election.” Urging President Goodluck Jonathan and the PDP leadership to

withdraw Fayose’s name and replace it with that of Aluko as the party’s flag bearer, the aspirants said: “The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) window is still open for us to present our consensus candidate. If the PDP insists on fielding Fayose, majority of our supporters will leave the party. “We do not understand why the leadership of our party wants to inflict this blindness on the enlightened people of Ekiti State. It is only in a country like Nigeria that you see this type of thing happening. “The PDP national chairman is from

From Sulaiman Salawudeen, Ado-Ekiti

“Reconciliation efforts are being made among aggrieved members and they are already yielding fruits as mutual commitments to the progress of the party are being expressed by hitherto rival figures. “It is no longer hearsay that Adeyeye and Fayose have reached a common ground for a working and workable alliance. A joint letter written by the two has removed all speculations and doubts regarding that.” However, some PDP members, who pleaded for anonymity, told reporters that they scuttle Fayose’s efforts to win the election. To them, the alliance between Adeyeye and Fayose was an indication that “politics within the party has remained one of individual interest and lacks in genuine corporate aspiration”. They accused party leaders of side tracking members in their decision to broker accord with Fayose, adding: “Many times, we have spoken with our so-called leaders and we made them realise that Fayose is a bad product. We will not go anywhere because this is our party. Fayose cannot make us leave this party. We will remain in the PDP and work for any other party of our interest. “We do not hate Fayose. Our position is that he does not deserve to represent PDP. PDP must change its approach to elections. We have to be interested in who we promote as leaders. That is what we are saying.” Bauchi; his deputy is from Rivers and the National Organising Secretary is from Kaduna. Instead of them to listen to party leaders in the Southwest, they are taking decisions that are capable of ruining our chances in Ekiti. “If they so wish, let them bring voters from Bauchi, Rivers and Kaduna to vote for Fayose in Ekiti. We can only hope that reason would be allowed to prevail in this matter. If they insist on Fayose, we wish them good luck. June 21 is around the corner. Unfortunately, President Jonathan may be the biggest loser because the presidency is bigger than one state.

Opposition has nothing to offer, says Fayemi Campaign HE John Kayode Fayemi (JKF) Cam-

paign Organisation has urged the people of Ekiti State to be wary of “the lies of opposition politicians, who are bare of progressive and development ideas”. The organisation’s spokesman Mr. Dimeji Daniels spoke on a private radio station in Akure, the Ondo State capital, ADABA 88.9 FM. Daniels said: “It is less than three months to the election, what can anyone say are the campaign points of the opposition parties?” Urging prospective voters to see the June 21 election as an opportunity to “retain that which they already have”, Daniels said: “The opposition is confused by the superlative performance of Governor Kayode Fayemi, who has instituted transformation in every sphere of life.” According to him, the rumour by opposition parties that Fayemi would sack workers if he wins is “untrue, baseless and unfounded”. Rather than sack workers, he said the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led government had been employing more workers. Daniels said: “The opposition is overwhelmed by the numerous achievements recorded by Fayemi and they are peddling lies, but the people are not buying into their lies. How can a government that is daily employing people sack workers, who have contributed to its success? “The governor has achieved so much that the opposition has nothing to campaign against him and that is why they are resorting to lies. I go around on a daily basis and the people are saying the gov-

From Sulaiman Salawudeen, Ado-Ekiti

ernor has performed well. Ekiti people are too enlightened and discerning to be fooled by the antics of the opposition.” He was optimistic that Fayemi would have landslide victory at the poll, “based on the record he has set as the best performing governor in the history of the state”. Daniels said: “We cannot do anything without the support of the electorate. A vote for Fayemi is a vote for the continuity of good governance and consolidation on the transformation being witnessed across the state. It is a vote for transparency, decency, focus, dedication and devotion to a common cause. “Between 1999 and 2003, the

state enjoyed peace, but that changed when another party took over power in 2003. Between 2003 and 2006, people were harassed, intimidated, hounded and killed. The people could not comment freely on how they were being governed. But since October, 2010, our people have been enjoying peace, which has brought development to our state. “Ekiti people are enjoying peace under the administration of Dr. Fayemi and they want this peace to be sustained so that we can continue to enjoy the development that we are witnessing now. “They do not want to return to the dark days of violence, killings, assassinations and all other vices experienced before the progressive government took over in Ekiti.”

“If we lose in Ekiti and proceed to lose in Osun, we will lose the Southwest. So we are gradually moving towards defeat. We do not want that to happen; that is why we are saying present another candidate and not Fayose.” The other aspirants include Adeyanju Bodunde; Dayo Adeyeye; Adubiaro Abibat; Ajayi Deji and Abiodun Aluko. The rest are Aribisala Adewale; Bejide Oluwadare; Obafemi Peter; Ogunbolude Ropo; Ogundipe Modupe; Olubolade Caleb and Omoyeni Adebisi.

Bamidele preaches unity From Sulaiman Salawudeen, Ado-Ekiti

•Bamidele

KITI State Labour Party (LP) candidate for the June 21 governorship election Mr. Michael Opeyemi Bamidele (MOB) has said the state can only develop, if the people are united. Bamidele encouraged the people to be peaceful in their conduct, especially during campaigns, saying: “The elec-

torate must not support politicians who want to use them for their selfish ends. Ekiti people are one and in togetherness and unity we shall move the state forward and restore its lost glory. Unity is key to development. We have to agree on this.” Bamidele, who kicked off his campaign last weekend in Ido-Ekiti, visited Oye and Ikole local government areas yesterday. He was received by his admirers, who defied the scorching sun to make it to the venues. Bamidele said: “Agriculture, which is the mainstay of our economy, will be one of my programmes as our land remains accommodating of any crop you decide to plant in it.”

Pledging to encourage mechanised farming, he said: “This is the only way we can have enough food for local consumption and export. Any government that considers the nutritional sufficiency of its populace would give more than passing attention to agriculture. Go to any developed country today, you will know that mechanised agriculture is the only answer to food insecurity. “With successful mechanised agriculture, our farmers will be enabled to tap into larger markets in the state and across the country. This will increase their income.” Bamidele pledged to create a business-friendly atmosphere and pledged to create jobs for youths within six months, if elected.

•Chancellor, Covenant University, Dr. David Oyedepo (middle) congratulating the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Charles Ayo (second right) and other Senate members after the 100th sitting of the university’s senate last Thursday.

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, APRIL 2, 2014

NEWS

Police occupy Ibadan ‘forest of horror’

OLICEMEN from the Oyo State Police Command and the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID), Abuja, have taken over the Soka “forest of horror” in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital. The FCID team, which includes forensic experts, arrived in the state last Friday. Residents are prevented from going near the crime scene to enable the police carry out their investigation undisturbed. When our reporter visited the scene yesterday, he was politely advised to keep a distance and was not allowed to speak with any personnel. Mechanics whose workshops are close to the scene were sacked by the policemen and the street was deserted, but for the security agents. The State Security Council met yesterday to discuss the discovery of the kidnappers’ den and how to curb crime. The meeting was presided over by Governor Abiola

•Oyo to shelter mentally-sick OPC vows to uncover ‘hidden dungeon’

HERE may be a spiritual approach to uncovering the whereabouts of the commercial motorcyclist, whose distress call led to the discovery of the Soka “forest of horror” in Ibadan, Oyo State. It is believed that the commercial motorcyclist and eight others are still in captivity. The Yoruba militia group, Oodua Peoples’ Congress (OPC), said yesterday that the place where the victims are being held could not be visible to the ordinary eyes. It vowed to use “every means available” to discover the “hidden dungeon where more victims are being held on the premises”. An OPC chieftain in Ibadan Rotimi Olumo told reporters that the group would uncover the purported cellar where the missing motorcyclist was phoning from. Olumo said: “There are strong indications that some people might still be trapped there because the missing motorcyclist who phoned his wife and friends said he heard From Oseheye Okwuofu, Ibadan

Ajimobi. The council assured resi-

From Oseheye Okwuofu, Ibadan

the voices of his friends who were looking for him from the place where he was kept underground. “He claimed that there were eight others with him in a place there that has not been discovered. His family and those of the other victims are in anguish. “The fact about it is that such places cannot be seen by ordinary eyes and that is why we cannot fold our arms. We are taking serious steps and making deep consultations in the other realm to uncover the hidden place and the people behind the horrible act.” Olumo, who is the OPC chairman in Ibadan and lives in the neighbourhood of the Soka den, said the OPC at the national level would wade into the matter. He said: “If Boko Haram is not disturbing us in the region, why should we allow ritualists to make Ibadan, a peaceful city, a danger zone.”

dents that the operators of the “forest of horror” would be apprehended. Commissioner of Police

Muhammed Ndabawa told reporters after the meeting that the kidnapper’s den had been in operation for over 10

years. Ndabawa said: “From the information available so far, that place has been there for a very long time, perhaps about 10 years. It was initially used by a construction company during the channellisation of the Ogunpa River. After then, the site was abandoned. The kidnappers’ den had been on for a long time but the government (past and present) was not aware of it.” He said the forest was discovered following the prompt response of the state anti-crime unit, Operation Burst, to a distress call. Besides revoking the Certificate of Occupancy of the land on which the kidnapper’s operated, Ndabawa said the council has told security agencies to identify uncompleted/abandoned buildings in the town to enable them respond promptly to distress calls in the future. He said the police had evacuated 42 mentally-sick persons from the streets af-

ter angry residents killed two of them, who were suspected to be ritualists. The police commissioner said: “After the discovery of the Soka forest, the police rescued 42 or presumed lunatics from the streets. So far, two have been killed. Investigations are ongoing and two of the so-called lunatics have confessed that they were looking for human body parts, but are not related to the Soka incident.” Special Adviser to the Governor on Public Affairs Toye Arulogun said the state government would create a temporary shelter with medical personnel and other facilities for the mentally-sick before they are re-united with their families. He said: “The Oyo State government has decided to establish a temporary site to accommodate the destitute that were rescued from the streets by the police. That will also go for others as time goes on. This is an invitation to Non-Government Organisations (NGOs) and religious groups who have some expertise in this area to support the government.”

Mark, Tinubu, Akeredolu, Oyebode eulogise GOK Ajayi

MINENT Nigerians have continued to pay tributes to Chief G.O.K. Ajayi (SAN), who died last weekend in Lagos. They described him as an embodiment of “discipline and finesse”. Senate President David Mark yesterday sent his condolences to the Ogun State government. In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Paul Mumeh, Mark said the late Ajayi was not just a legal giant but one of those at the forefront of the struggle for the enthronement of democracy and emancipation of Nigerians. All Progressives Congress (APC) National Leader Asiwaju Bola Tinubu described the late Ajayi as “an inspiration” and “one of the leading lights of the judiciary”. In his condolence message, Tinubu said: “The late Ajayi stood for justice and had a sterling professional career. He enriched our judiciary and served Nigeria well.” He said Nigeria has, once again, been robbed by death of the knowledge of a great mind, adding that the late Ajayi was a courageous jurist, who upheld the law and used it to secure democracy. Tinubu said: “Though saddened by his departure, we are comforted by the knowledge that he lived a fulfilled life and impacted on many lives. He was an inspiration at the bar and in public life.” Former Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) President Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN) and Professor of law Akin Oyebode said the late Ajayi, fondly called “gentleman G.O.K.”, was a quintessential lawyer of impeccable pedigree. They described his demise as a monumental loss. Oyebode said the late Ajayi exuded a methodical advocacy, superb intellect and dogged commitment to excellence, “the like of which is uncommon in our envi-

By Precious Igbonwelundu, Ernest Nwokolo, Abeokuta and Sanni Onogu, Abuja

ronment”. Akeredolu said since Ajayi’s death, many people have talked about his dogged, principled and unwavering commitment to the fight for an egalitarian society, where no man is oppressed. He said: “G.O.K., as he was fondly called by his admirers and those who knew him, was an advocate indeed. He was debonair, unobtrusive, resilient, principled, courageous and decent. He was a man in whose presence one felt a sense of overwhelming and outstanding knowledge of law. Highlighting the deceased’s unwavering support for the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo and other progressives, Akeredolu said the nation’s politics has suffered retrogression from self-appointed representatives of the people. He accused the deceased’s contemporaries of offering themselves to highest bidding politicians, adding: “Unfortunately, some of his peers are busy seeking to rubbish the age-long principled stance of the progressive order. They are, regrettably, available to the highest bidders while masking their predilection for material acquisition, pretending that altruistic politics is possible in a society where ethno-religious bickering holds sway. “G.O.K. was a major advo-

cate in the defense team of the defunct Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) under the leadership of the late Awolowo until the end of the Second Republic. “The defense of the late Abiola, winner of the 1993 presidential election that was annulled by the military government of General Ibrahim Babangida, was another index of his unwavering commitment to the progressives. “He was unshaken in his belief that in spite of the hostile environment, the military under the late General Sani Abacha, must be made to adhere to the rule of law. He participated, actively, through the courts, in the activities that culminated into civil rule in 1999. “We pray that his family would have the fortitude to bear the loss. This occasion should also call for sober reflection on the part of those who have, disappointingly, lend themselves to the destructive scheming of the current holders of ephemeral power. May G.O.K.’s resourceful soul rest in perfect peace.” The Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Ijebu-Ode branch in Ogun State, described Ajayi’s death as “a great loss to the legal profession”. The late Ajayi hailed from Itan-Ntebo Quarters in IjebuOde. NBA Chairman, Ijebu-Ode chapter, Chief Biyi Odugbesan, in an interview with The Nation, said many lawyers passed through the

•Asiwaju Tinubu cconsoling Ajayi’s widow... yesterday

late Ajayi, adding: “His death is a great loss to the bar and legal profession. We are going to miss him. He is a revered lawyer and has contributed to the growth of the legal profession in Ni-

geria.” Former Ijebu-Ode Local Government Chairman Giwa Mufutau Oseni said the late Ajayi was “a courageous legal practitioner who used his professional calling to ad-

vance the cause of justice and defend the oppressed”. Oseni said the late Ajayi handled many landmark cases that helped to shape the “bar and bench” and would be missed by the country.

Accord, PDP disagree on Ladoja’s governorship ambition

HE Accord and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Oyo State yesterday disagreed on former Governor Rashidi Ladoja’s governorship ambition. House of Assembly Minority Leader Rafiu Adekunle said Ladoja, a former PDP chieftain, could not contest the election without returning to the PDP or partnering another party.

From Bisi Oladele, Ibadan

The Accord insisted that Ladoja would not return to the party he bade goodbye three years ago. Adekunle said he was sure Ladoja would return to the PDP before the 2015 election. In a statement by its Media Director, Prince Dotun Oyelade, Accord said Ladoja would not return to the PDP because he has laboured to

build the Accord to an enviable height. The statement reads: “The Accord debunks a report credited to the Minority Leader of the PDP at the House of Assembly that Ladoja will return to the PDP. “While the Accord has nothing against any party, including the PDP, Ladoja has worked hard to nurture the

Accord to its enviable position in the last three years that contemplating dumping it now will be unacceptable to the masses. “Contrary to Adekunle’s opinion that Accord cannot contest on its own unless it collaborates with the PDP, Accord’s tentacles has spread and are entrenched in the 33 local government areas.”

Ladoja was elected governor in 2003 on the platform of the PDP. He was impeached in 2006 but reclaimed his mandate through a court judgment. He joined Accord in 2011 and contested the governorship election on its platform. He lost the election to Governor Abiola Ajimobi of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN).

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, APRIL 2, 2014

NEWS Tiv farmers reject ceasefire

ARELY 24 hours after a ceasefire agreement was signed between Tiv farmers and Fulani herdsmen at the Government House, Makurdi, victims of the attacks in Ayilamo, Tombo ward have rejected the peace pact. The National President of Miyetti Allah Cattle Association and Chairman, Benue Conflict Resolution Peace Building Committee, Bello Bodejo and Brig - Gen Atom Kpera, signed the ceasefire on Monday. But the leader of Tiv Market Union (TMU) in Ayilamo, Logo Local Government Area, Tyo Gumsi, has described the purported agreement as a “ huge joke and an insult “ on Tiv people, who are at the receiving end of the crisis. In a telephone interview, Gumsi, who has fled to Gboko, said the agreement cannot stand. “You cannot kill people, burn their houses, occupy their lands and later sign a useless paper to stay and

From Uja Emmanuel, Makurdi

co- exist with them. “I heard on Radio Benue that there was an agreement between Tiv farmers and Fulani herdsmen. I also heard that in the agreement the Fulani said they would stay in Benue and co- exist with Tiv people. I think it is a huge joke. “I think those who signed such paper are not in anyway affected by the crisis so they don’t know the pains of seeing someone kill your father, mother and child in your presence and you are helpless. “They are signing a peace deal yet Fulani herdsmen are still burning Ayilamo, a town, which is 10 minutes from Anyiin , the home town of Governor Gabriel Suswam. “Those who signed the socalled agreement have sold out. I advise Tiv farmers to reject any peace deal for now, until the real victims of the crisis are involved in the discussion.”

Police dismiss rape suspect •Corporal to stand trial From Yusufu Aminu Idegu, Jos

•Pzigu...yesterday

OLICE Corporal Damudu Pzigu of the 13 PMF Makurdi, Benue State, who allegedly raped a minor in Jos last week has been dismissed. Plateau State Police Commissioner Chris Olakpe broke the news yesterday while parading the suspect and others at the command’s

quarterly briefings in Jos. Olakpe said: “Preliminary investigation shows that the corporal has questions to answer and he has to do that in a court. So he has been dismissed, he is no longer a member of the Nigeria Police Force.” The mobile police officer attached to the Special Task Force (STF) on Jos crisis was arrested last week by the STF commander, following the allegation that he raped a fouryear-old girl in Kassa, Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau State. The minor was allegedly lured by the officer on the pretence that he wanted to send her on an errand. Pzigu denied the allegation.

•One of the houses torched by the herdsmen

Fulani herdsmen kill seven in Benue

ULANI herdsmen have attacked Gbise village in Katsina-Ala Local Government Area of Benue State, killing seven people. The attack on Gbise followed the killing of over 100 persons in two attacks on Vingir and Gawa, all in Katsina-Ala Local Government Area. Gbise was reduced to ashes in the latest attack. Its market and shops which spread across the KatsinaAla-Takum Road were also torched. The Nation’s senior correspondent in Taraba State, Fanen Ihyongo’s father, Joshua Ihyongo, fled the village days before the attack. His cousin, Tavershima Shenge, who witnessed the carnage, said the assailants, numbering over 300, came in two batches with sophisticated weapons. “Some of the assailants were dressed in military uniform; others wore Hausa-Fulani dresses. They killed people and torched houses simultaneously.” Governor Gabriel Sus-

Relief materials donated From Uja Emmanuel, Makurdi

EADERS of Hausa community in Benue State yesterday donated food items to internally displaced people. Head of the delegation Garuba Bala, who presented the items to the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), expressed his sympathy to the victims. Bala said the crisis had caused untold hardship and pleaded with the warring parties to sheathe their swords. Receiving the items on behalf of SEMA, Joseph Akaasar thanked the Hausa community for its gesture. Items donated include bags of rice, bags of various grains, toiletries, cartons of vegetable oil, cartons of soap, and cartons of noodle, among others. From Fanen Ihyongo, Jalingo

wam was at a funeral nearby, when the herdsmen struck at Gbise. Suswam visited the scenes of destruction on his way to the Government House. The governor’s visit did

not deter the assailants, who continued their onslaught throughout the night. Our correspondent said he received midnight calls from fleeing residents. A resident, Wilfred Moughna, said gunshots

were heard throughout the night. Moughna, who called our correspondent at 2:45am, said the marauders laid siege to the suburbs of TorDonga –another settlement. He said many residents were looking for vehicles to leave the area. They gathered at a Catholic church, where a cleric prayed for them. A source said some soldiers watched as the herdsmen destroyed Gbise. He said the attackers are Fulani, although there were mercenaries with them. The Fulani have claimed responsibility for the Gbise invasion, including all the attacks on Tiv settlements in Benue and Taraba, saying they are on a revenge mission.

Ripples over PDP membership registration in Kwara

HERE was confusion yesterday over the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) membership registration billed to have started last weekend in Kwara State. The All Progressives Congress (APC) described the non-commencement of the exercise as a sign of the party’s unpopularity in the state. The PDP insisted that the exercise had begun as scheduled. APC spokesperson Sulyman Buhari said: “We welcome the decision of the PDP to conduct its membership registration. However, we view the continued postponement of the registration by the PDP as a sign of rejection by the people. “This is a clear indication that Kwarans have forged ahead with the APC after the mass abandonment of the PDP. Why has the PDP postponed its membership registration four times? “The truth is that each time

From Adekunle Jimoh, Ilorin

it attempts to conduct it – it is met with stiff opposition from the people who now have better understanding of the PDP and its ill-conceived slogan. “The politics of rented crowd has failed the PDP. Where are the rented PDP members who attended its last rally? Will they be mobilised back to the state to make the membership registration a success since the people have rejected the sinking PDP? “A party that cannot successfully register its few members cannot be entrusted with the management of Kwara State. “Even, with its target of 200,000 which is just 53.5 per cent of our membership strength, the PDP has failed to record any success. “When we registred our members, it was like a carnival. The youths partici-

pated, the aged were involved, the elders registered, market women, artisans, drivers and all classes of the society were involved. “We appeal to our members and supporters not to be distracted by the deceitful propaganda of the out-of-favour PDP. The administration of Governor Ahmed Abdulfatai and the APC will continue to make Kwarans the focus of policies and programmes.” But the PDP’s spokeswoman Mariam AlHassan debunked the claims, adding that she had been on air to repeatedly inform members that the registration was still ongoing. A source said the exercise was not cancelled, adding that some notable party leaders were expected in the state to witness the exercise. The source said: “I can confirm to you that John Dara is on his way and Gbemisola Saraki is also on her way for the exercise.”

Arewa youths demand empowerment package

EMBERS of the Arewa Youth Forum (AYF) have called on the Federal Government to create a Northern Youth Empowerment Programme similar to the one created for Niger Delta militants. Members of the group, led by its National President Gambo Gujungu, made this call when they met with the Minister of Finance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, in Abuja. The AYF President said the empowerment

From Nduka Chiejina (Assistant Editor)

programme for northern youths should be patterned after the one given to militants in the Niger Delta. He urged the Federal Government to work hard to ensure better result of other empowerment programmes. Gujungu advised the government to tackle “insecurity, marginalisation, underdevelopment and decay within the region.”

THE NATION WEDNESDAY APRIL 2, 2014

NEWS

Priest, 20 others held for alleged child theft in Akwa Ibom

FFICIALS of the Department of State Security (DSS) in Akwa Ibom State paraded yesterday a Catholic priest and 20 others for their alleged involvement in child theft. The State Deputy Director, Fubara Duke, said Rev Okono Joseph of St Peter’s Parish of Owerri Catholic Diocese in Imo State, was arrested for buying two boys (three and four years) at N900,000. Duke, who spoke at the DSS headquarters in Uyo, said the self-styled man of God bought the children from an agent sponsored by Uche Joel Canice Onyekedru from Ogiri in Imo State. Other suspects are: Mercy Etim; Collins Edet; Caroline Nkwonna; Cecilla Ngene;

•Joseph (right) and other suspects... yesterday. From Kazeem Ibrahym, Uyo

Eleka Okoye; Nwaonu Okoro; Adaobi Onyeke; Elizabeth Onubogu, Umeh, Ebele Nwadika, Florence Onyodobi, Emenka Anaefuna, Nnamdi Onuchukwu, Ifeoma Gladys Nweze, Chiyneyen Roseline, Idam Vivian Ogbona and David Ogbuagu. The Assistant Director said in the last eight months, over 60 children had been sold. Duke said the leader of the syndicate, Onyekedru, could not remember the number

of children he has sold. “He usually operates in conjunction with agents, who liaise with government officials in children homes and maternity hospitals. “The investigation took our men to Abia, Imo and Ebonyi states before they arrested some of the suspects. Over 20 children were rescued. “Though some of the suspects are still at large, efforts are being intensified to ensure that they are all arrested.” He advised parents to be wary of strangers.

•Some of the children rescued

Rivers APC condemns Agumagu’s suspension

HE All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State has condemned the suspension of Rivers State Chief Judge Justice Peter Agumagu by the National Judicial Council (NJC). APC said it was surprising that the NJC could suspend Justice Agumagu few days after he was sworn in. A statement in Port Harcourt yesterday by the Media Aide to the APC Interim Chairman, Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, said: “The

From Clarice Azuatalam, Port Harcourt

powers of the NJC have to do only with recommending to the president and governors on the appointment and disciplining of justices and judges. “It was in line with this that the NJC recommended the suspension of the President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Ayo Salami. “PresidentGoodluck Jonathan accepted the recommendation and suspend-

ed Justice Salami. After due investigation, Justice Salami was cleared. The NJC again recommended his reinstatement but President Jonathan did not accept the recommendation.” Urging the NJC to rescind the suspension, the party said there was a court judgment which the House of Assembly and Governor Rotimi Amaechi acted on. Eze said the NJC had a right of appeal “but under Part 1, Section 21 (d) of the

third schedule of the 1999 Constitution, the NJC has no power to suspend Justice Agumagu.” The statement added that the NJC breached Agumagu’s right to fair hearing. “The purported query should first have been given to him to defend himself before suspension, if found wanting. “Since the procedure was not followed, the NJC is totally partisan in this particular issue as it has clearly demonstrated in this case.”

Police arrest 40 suspected political thugs in Sokoto

HE police in Sokoto State said yesterday that they arrested 40 suspected political thugs. Commissioner of Police Shaiubu Gambo said at a briefing in Sokoto that the suspects belonged to various political parties. “Twenty three of them have been charged to court while the remaining are being investigated.’’ He said 10 of the suspects were arrested for allegedly

attacking Governor Aliyu Wamakko’s convoy on March 29. Gambo said the command will charge the suspects to court after the conclusion of investigation on their individual roles and motives. The commissioner said the command had taken proactive security measures to ensure the arrest and prosecution of criminals. “We will not tolerate any act of political violence. As a

special unit, charged with the responsibility of apprehending thugs, we are always on the alert,” he said. Gambo urged parties to sensitise their supporters on the need to adhere to the rules of the game. “Any act of violence that will tamper with the peaceful nature of the state will not be condoned. “Dedicated officers have been stationed in strategic parts to arrest and prosecute

Oil spill in Edo community

‘Support Ndokwa aspirants’

HE people of Ndokwa in Delta State have said it is their turn to produce the next governor. The Chairman of the Organisation for Ndokwa Unity, also known as Ndokwa Unite, Steve Uweh, said it would be fair for an Ndokwa man or woman to be governor. He observed that Ndokwa land is strategically located and serves as a bridge among ethnic groups. “We are not insisting that it is compulsory for the

next governor to come from Ndokwa land but, in terms of fairness and objectivity, reasonable Deltans will see reasons to advocate for the next governor to come from Ndokwa land. Uweh congratulated Godwin Emefiele on his confirmation as the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) governor. He said the appointment was a good development and urged him to use his experience to handle the nation’s banking sector well.

offenders,” he said. The commissioner called on parents not to allow their children to be used as political thugs. “They will use and dump them after achieving their set objectives,” he said. The command impounded a vehicle loaded with dried leaves suspected to be Indian hemp. The commissioner said the driver abandoned the vehicle and fled.

ARMLANDS in Ogugu community, near Okpella in Etsako East Local Government Area of Edo State have been destroyed by an oil spill. The spill has polluted the only river in the area, which is the source of water for the residents. The spill, which was discovered by the residents, was caused by a ruptured pipeline from Warri which passes through Ogugu community. Some of the residents, who spoke to The Nation, said the spill had destroyed crops.

From Osemwengie Ben Ogbemudia, Benin

A palace chief in Ogugu, Alaye Yusuf, said the community had lost millions of naira to the oil spill. “We discovered the oil spill when our farmers went to the farm and suddenly the whole area was filled with crude oil,’’ he said. Yusuf said if the ruptured pipeline was not repaired, it could cause more damage to the farmers and the community. “We are calling on NNPC to immediately repair the ruptured pipeline.

Oshiomhole protests PHCN ‘extortion’

DO State Governor Adams Oshiomhole has kicked against the N750 monthly fixed charge collected by the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC). He said it amounts to extortion and exploitation of electricity consumers. The governor spoke at a meeting with the management team of BEDC, led by Mrs Funke Osibodu, the Benin Forum, led by Chief David Edebiri and Civil Society Organisations.

From Osemwengie Ben Ogbemudia, Benin

“Madam, you will recall the day I first received you in my office. I think I mentioned that it is important that you improve on your service delivery to consumers and failure to do so will spark off a revolt from consumers. This is exactly what is happening today. “As the people’s representative, I cannot be quiet because it is certain that what is being done in Edo does not exist in other states.”

Police foil ambush in Delta

OLICEMEN yesterday in Delta State foiled an attack on a van conveying two male suspects to court. Police spokesman Celestina Kalu said the suspects were being conveyed to a magistrate’s court in Oleh, Isoko South Local Government by operatives of the Special Anti-Kidnapping Squad. The incident occurred on the Oloh-Ogwashi road near Kwale, Ndokwa West Local Government.

From Okungbowa Aiwerie, Asaba

In the ensuing battle, the two suspects were hit. They died at the hospital. Ms Kalu said the suspects, Efe Edehki and Ogaga Enueme, were to be arraigned for alleged conspiracy and kidnapping. The suspects had in March kidnapped Mrs. Vivian Obonyano , who was on her way from church on the AsabaAse Road. The victim has been released.

Find our members’ killers, says NBA

HE Warri branch of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has called for an investigation into the assassination of two of its members,Horace Eguono Dafiaghor and Samuel Ekwuaghanju, last Thursday. The NBA, in a statement by its Chairman, Ben Oji and Publicity Secretary S.G. Ediagbonuvie, urged the police to arrest the perpetrators. Dafiaghor and Ekwuaghanju were attacked on their way to the State High Court in Ozoro, where they were defending a kidnap suspect, who was alleged to

From Bolaji Ogundele, Port Harcourt

have kidnapped the son of Ovuzorie Macaulay, the Secretary to Delta State Government. The NBA statement said Dafiaghor had repeatedly complained of threats to his life. “We call on the police to carry out an investigation and unravel the circumstances leading to the deaths of our colleagues. “On our part, we shall do all that is necessary to ensure that justice is served. We owe this to our departed colleagues,” the statement said.

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, APRIL 2, 2014

NEWS Clash averted in Oko over rector’s removal •13 indigenes banned from community

HE crisis over the second term of Prof Godwin Onu, rector of Oko Polytechnic, Orumba North Local Government Area of Anambra State, is deepening. Thirteen indigenes, accused of sabotaging the efforts of the community to stop the second tenure, were suspended at a meeting at the monarch’s palace. The meeting, which was slated for yesterday at the Oko Civic Centre, was stopped by the police. The monarch, Prof Laz Ekwueme, was almost assaulted by policemen from Ajalli. Dvisional Police Officer (DPO) Hassan Musa prevented his men from assaulting the first-class monarch. The police cordoned off the

From From Odogwu Emeka Odogwu, Nnewi

venue, preventing the indigenes from entering the hall. On arrival, Igwe Ekwueme defied the police orders and entered the civic centre. The policemen were about to assault the monarch when the DPO intervened. He explained to the Igwe that the Police Commissioner Usman Gwary, ordered them to stop the meeting. Sources said other arrangements were made and the meeting later held at the Igwe’s palace. The 13 indigenes accused of alleged sabotage were suspended and banned from the community’s activities. The suspended indigenes include: Messers Ebuka Okoli, Toochukwu Ezekafor, Justus Onyeagba, Jeremiah Nwafor,

Blind teacher wins FCMB’s SUV

From Tayo Johnson, Ibadan

UCK smiled at a 57-year-old blind teacher, Mrs. Saidat Ajitena, yesterday in Ibadan, Oyo State, as she was presented with a Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) by First City Monument Bank (FCMB). Ajitena was the winner of the Lagos/Southwest regional draw of the bank’s 30th anniversary promo. Presenting the car to her at the Challenge branch of the bank, the Southwest Executive Director, Mr. Femi Bakri, said Mrs. Ajitena was not present during the draw, but she was called on phone when her name and account number came up during the electronic selection of the winner. Bakri, who was represented by the Zonal Head, Southwest 1, Mr. Ayodele Ayodeji, explained that the promo was launched last October to encourage savings. Mrs. Ajitena said when the bank phoned her and told her that she won an SUV, she taught it was a lie until her brother went to one of their branches and confirmed it. She said: “I have been struggling to buy a Golf Two car that costs N450,000 without knowing that God has a special plan for me. Thanks to FCMB.”

Ojukwu would’ve joined APC, says Okorocha •Party registers 637,000 in Imo

From Okodili Ndidi, Owerri

MO State Governor Rochas Okorocha has said the late Igbo leader, Ikemba Odumegwu Ojukwu, would have been a founding member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the interest of Ndigbo. Okorocha, in a statement signed by his Senior Special Assistant on Media, Mr. Sam Onwuemeodo, said Ojukwu was concerned with how to launch Ndi-Igbo into the mainstream of Nigerian politics after the civil war. He said: “That was why, when Ojukwu came back from exile in 1982, he did not join the Nigeria Peoples Party (NPP), which was somehow ethnic-based but joined the broad-based National Party of Nigeria (NPN). “And the NPN then unlike today’s PDP, had an Igbo man as vice president and other Igbo sons and daughters in sensitive positions. Ojukwu also joined APGA at the time he did, to protest against the neglect of Ndi-Igbo by the PDP, with no Igbo holding any sensitive position either in the PDP-led Federal Government or in the party.”

Three children drown in river

Chidiebere Nwamuo and Lazarus Okafor. Others are: Sopulu Ezeonwuka, Ephraim Ofoma, Nze Goddy Okoli, Nze James Okoli, Chinedu Okeke, Ifeanyi Ejikeme and Nnamdi Ezeonwuka. Some are members of the Oko Progressives Union (OPU). The monarch said: “Any Oko indigene flouting this ban by associating or interacting with the suspended members shall be banned.” Reacting to the suspension, the President-General of OPU, Mr. Ike Cyprian Nwammuo, alleged the suspended members aligned with enemies of Oko to malign the town. Nwammuo said: “Prof. Onu should leave. His four-year tenure has expired and the

members remain suspended.’’ Shortly after the meeting, protesting youths called for the sack of Onu. They carried placards, which read: “Onu! Respect el-

ders”, Onu! Go, your tenure has expired; Onu will know no peace”, Onu, Stop corrupting our youths, Onu, leave Oko alone among others. Onu dismissed the call for

his removal, saying he was shocked by the attitude of the monarch. His Public Relations Officer, Obini Onuchukwu, said Onu did well and deserved a second tenure

Gunmen kill ex-NCC chief in Anambra

UNMEN have killed the ex-Chairman of the Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC), Dr Emma Nnamah, in Nibo, Awka South Local Government Area, Anambra State . Nnamah was attacked at the entrance to his late aunty’s home where he went to attend a meeting for her burial.

From Odogwu Emeka Odogwu, Nnewi

They asked him to lie down but he refused. He was shot and rushed to the hospital where he died. President-General of the community, Okey Goodluck Nwankwo informed reporters of the incident.

Police spokesperson Emeka Chukwuemeka said the police were searching for the killers. Sources said the killing might not be unconnected with funds for the renovation of the home, following the burial plans. The gunmen were said to have asked for the money before the shooting.

Family sources said Nnamah went to his mother’s village, Umuka Ezeawulu, for discussions on the burial of his aunty, Mrs Ezekwe, whose husband was the first Igbo physician, the late Dr Philip Ezekwe. Nnamah was the Owelle of Nibo and a former Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA), chairman.

Woman’s mutilated body discovered in Enugu

OUR suspected ritualists have been apprehended by the Umuagama Neighborhood Watch in Enugu Ezike in Igboeze North Local Government Area and handed of over to the police. The Chairman of the neighborhood watch, Mr. Onyema Ossai told reporters one of the suspects, Ndukwe Omeke, confessed to the killing of Ngozi Eze. He said the four of them ambushed and raped her before mutilating her body. Ossai said: “Ndukwe

•Four suspects arrested From Chris Oji, Enugu

Omeke, the leader of the gang, named Chinedu Ugwuanyi (palm wine tapper), Eugene Ukwueze and Ibekwe Eya, (Okada rider), and identified Kenneth Idoko, a butcher as their anchor man, who offered them the job of delivering to him female private parts for N600,000. “What we found out from the suspects after interrogation was that they have a list

of high profile indigenes and politicians who are backing them.” A police source said the four suspects said Idoko gave them a white handkerchief to put the mutilated parts and them to him for N600,000. Investigation showed that after delivering Ngozi’s parts to Idoko, the four were yet to be paid until they were apprehended. Condemning the act, the Par-

ish Priest of St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Umuagama, Enugu Ezike, Rev. Fr. Mellitus Idogwu, said he was happy the culprits had been arrested by the police. He said the police should find out the so-called powerful people behind the ritual killing and prosecute them. “I hail the neighbourhood watch for their effort in apprehending the suspects”, he said. Confirming the arrest, police spokesman Ebere Amaraizu said investigation had commenced.

GUO kidnap: Defence objects as court admits weapons

N Onitsha High Court in Anambra State, yesterday admitted weapons allegedly used by the suspected kidnappers of Chairman of GUO Motors, Chief Godwin Okeke. The weapons admitted in evidence include five AK 47 rifles; two General Purpose Machine Guns, GPMG; one rocket launcher, five rocket propellers; three rockets; 5,830 AK 47 ammunition and 1,135 rounds of GPMG ammunition. The PW3, Victor Edet, a police officer, who was part of

From Ogochukwu Anioke, Abakaliki

HREE children drowned in Ebia River at a swimming expedition yesterday at Egwugwu Agbaja in Abakaliki Local Government Area of Ebonyi State. It was learnt the victims live in the same yard at No. 19 Ikechukwu Ogbaga Street. Two of the deceased Kingsley Nwenyi (12 years) and Obinna Nwenyi (six years) were brothers, who lived with their widowed mother and seven other children. The third victim, Somtochukwu Ogbonna (11 years), was the last child in a family of four children. Sources said they drowned when they went to swim at the river after school. “When the first person jumped into the river and did not come out, the other two followed and never came out,” he said, adding that a fourth child, who went with them to the river, refused to swim.

•Oko indigenes protesting Onu's removal... yesterday

•Judge transfers case From Odogwu Emeka Odogwu, Onitsha

the investigation team, said the weapons were recovered from the kidnappers’ armoury at a bush in Nando, Anambra East. Prosecution counsel Chris Ajugwe pleaded to tender the weapons as evidence. Counsel to the first, second and third defendants, O. U. Oduma, D. U. Nwafor and J. N. Okongwu said there was no proof that the weapons were

used by the defendants, but Ajugwe insisted the weapons be admitted because PW1 Okeke mentioned some of the weapons in his evidence-inchief. The court admitted the weapons as evidence. Justice Chudi Nwankwo, however, transferred the case preferred against three accused, Kelechi Okafor, Anthony Ifeanyi Okafor and Alexander Onyinanya to the

Administrative Judge of Onitsha High court for reassignment. The transfer came shortly after the PW3 Edet displayed the weapons allegedly used by the accused. In his ruling, Justice Nwankwo blamed the defence for raising unnecessary objections to frustrate the case. The court approved that the weapons be returned to the Special Anti-Robbery Squad Headquarters, Awkuzu.

Montage TV unveiled in Lagos

ONTAGE Cable Network, (MCN), a digital satellite television company was yesterday launched in Lagos. It promises to offer top of the range family conscious entertainment, lifestyle, news, documentaries, movies, children movies and sports channels Its Chief Executive Officer, CEO of the pay television Mr. Bamidele Adetunji said the new cable network would serve as

alternative to DSTV, adding that the network is qualitative and affordable as monthly subscription is pegged at N5,000 irrespective of the number of channels on its network. Unveiling the station to reporters and other critical audience at a news conference at the station’s head office on Victoria Island, Adetunji said with a 36 channel range, Montage Cable Network is coming to a competitive market with cutting edge programmes and

would not compromise on customers viewing and technology preference. He said: All decoders come standard as Personal Video Recording (PVR) that record video in a digital format to a disk drive, USB flash drive or any other mass storage device. This affords our viewers the opportunity to record any of our programmes which they could later view at their convenience.” He listed some of the exciting channels on its offerings to

include Sports News, a sports station, Atmosfair, a a rounded programme and documentaries channel, Atmosfair+ which feature a variety of biographies and biopic and culturally stimul;ating African movies and series; fightbox, a unique sports channel dedicated to combat sports from Judo to Taekwando, Karate and Sumo; and MTV base, an entertainment and general entertainment channel.

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, APRIL 2, 2014

Life

The Midweek Magazine E-mail:- ozoluauhakheme@yahoo.com

Text only: 08023058761

Season of partnering for tourism – Page 15

Dead Roses: Story of a rape victim – Page 16

INFOGEM to market Olubadan centenary

‘My father left big shoes’ •The late Ogunde

– Page 51

– SEE STORY ON PAGE 14

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, APRIL 2, 2014

The Midweek Magazine E-mail:- ozoluauhakheme@yahoo.com

HUBERT ADEDEJI OGUNDE: TWO-AND-A-HALF DECADES AFTER Almost two and a half decades after the death of Dr. Hubert Adedeji Ogunde, the family of the theatre doyen who died at 74 says a museum to showcase his collections is in the works. The family marks his anniversary this week, TAIWO ABIODUN visited Ososa, his village in Ogun State reports.

‘My father left big shoes’

ROM the entrance and exit of Ososa village in Ogun State are two giant sculptures of the late theatre icon Dr Hubert Ogunde in his costume with his plaited hair holding a fly whisk. Underneath the artworks are dates of his birth and death (from 1916 to 1990) boldly engraved. In his expansive compound where he was living before he died are different carvings representing some aspects of his life. On his tomb is his giant human size statue with the head decorated with cowries and on the wrists and necks are tied beads. His two hands hold sticks beating a carved giant drum - all these depict his theatrics while alive. It is his final rest place. The big compound is full of artworks in his remembrance. Also in the compound are statue of his late mother, Owotusan, and that of his late wife, Adesewa, holding a microphone. Adesewa died in an auto crash in 1970 in her 40s and to honour her, her giant statute is erected in the compound. Welcome to the home of the late Nigerian doyen of theatre, Hubert Adedeji Ogunde. During Nigeria’s centenary celebration, the late theatre legend was among the 100 Nigerians honoured for his contributions to the development of arts in the country. The children of the late Ogunde have converted the expanse building into a tourists centre by turning it into a museum where people from all over the world can have a look at his works. On Friday, the family will be marking the 25th anniversary of the demise of the late theatre guru. According to one of his children, Bayo Ogunde, “This Friday, we will go to church for a short service and prayer, we will fry akara (bean cake) and entertain friends and families. It will be a low-key ceremony.” Contrary to people’s opinion that his late father was fetish and used juju while acting weird plays such Aiye, Jaiyesimi, Ayanmo that had to do with fighting evil, witches and wizards on stage, Bayo denied this and said: “He was not fetish, and what he was doing on stage was all acting and for stagecraft. My father was a dramatist. He captured what was going on in the society, especially in the villages and in the rural areas where the witches and wizards were confronting one another; there was war between the good and the bad. He got the idea of incantations, ifa oracle, egungun from our grandfather who was the head of the oracle in Ijebuland. My late father was able to know what was going on then and he put all of these into acting. It was just an act. He used modern technology to do all these. Ola Balogun was the man that directed his first movie Aiye.” Bayo continued: “He only used modern technology and he got all his crew from England. He had a studio there and he used celluloid, then everyone in Nigeria was using 16mm but he was using 35mm. He was far, far ahead of his time in the theatre; it is the 35mm they are using now.” He said his father did not belong to any secret society. “I don’t think so, no, he didn’t. He was never a member of Ogboni. He participated in what we know as Rosicrucian and The Grail Message. He was a devoted Christian. We had a church in our compound; he was a member of the Cherubim and Seraphim Church. He was a devoted Christian.” Asked whether the children are also involved in theatre, he said: “Every Ogunde child must have participated in one way or the other in the theatre with our late father, whether using the maracas or acting on stage.” Going down the memory lane, he said: “My father was once jailed in the 40s when he started agitating like other Nigerians, like Papa Awolowo, Nnamdi Azikiwe, Herbert Macaulay for liberation, as he was fighting the colonial masters with his plays, he was speaking out against the colonial masters. The colonialists were not happy with him when he said they should be paying more to Nigerians. He performed stage plays like Bread and Bullet, Strike and Hunger and The Tiger’s Empire; the plays were provocative and he accused the colonial masters of enslaving Nigerians and paying them peanuts.”

Memories are forever Speaking on the project on ground, Bayo, who is the spokesman for the family said work is going on to build a museum in their father’s memory. “If he could be honoured and remembered along with former heads of state, I think we too should elevate him and make him proud. That is why we are turning this place into a museum. Before now, many people

•Photograph of dancers at the museum.

•Entrance to the late Ogunde’s home at Ososa.

ANNIVERSARY from far and near have been going to Ososa village on a pilgrimage to see how this man made this small village popular. In the museum, all his items such as music and costumes that he used would be displayed for all to see. Everybody knew him as a dramatist, but not many knew he was a musician; he was a complete musician. He played the saxophone, guitar and the drums. In fact, he recorded more than 96 songs. The small vinyl and songs and we are putting all his costumes, the items he used in the movies and on stage, his bedroom, and many others are being put together in the museum as you will find in modern museums.” According to Bayo, many of the old man’ s wives are dead while some are still alive. Among those alive are Mama Ibidun, Aje Pupa, Oludayo, Ebun, Aira, and Alaba. Bayo disclosed: “My father had 24 children and we are all involved in different businesses; some are in theatre arts, but dad left his big shoes and none of us could wear it. No Nigerian artiste or film maker could wear his shoes. My late father came up with 35 mm celluloid when Nigerians were using 16mm, but that does not mean some of

My father had 24 children and we are all involved in different businesses; some are in theatre arts, but dad left his big shoes and none of us could wear it. No Nigerian artiste or film maker could wear his shoes. My late father came up with 35 mm celluloid when Nigerians were using 16mm, but that does not mean some of them nowadays are not doing well.

them nowadays are not doing well.” The family said they are still expecting the Ogun State government to assist in setting up of the museum. The museum project is spearheaded by Richard Ogunde. “Up till now, the Ogun State government has not contributed and I believe they will still come in. If the Federal Government can recognise the late Ogunde’s contribution, the state government should please come in. Although when we finish the packaging of his music.” He thanked Ekiti, Ondo and Osun States for financially aiding the project. Bayo said he feels great seeing his father’s statue. “I feel great seeing my father’s statue and paintings all over the place. He was a great man. If you have such a kind of hardworking man, you will like it. He was also honest. When you see a hard working man you feel great.” Referring to one of his honest deeds, Bayo said: “When my father did Yoruba Ronu, he was called to present a play in Ibadan for the opposition, and Chief Fani-Kayode and Chief Samuel Ladoke Akintola were there at the University of Ibadan in Obisesan Hall, but he went ahead to stage a play on how Awolowo was betrayed. In the hall, they started going out one after the other before the play got halfway. He was later banned. The second day, these people came with a box of money and asked him to perform another play, but he declined!” Mama Ibidun, one of the wives of the late Ogunde, said she would not forget her husband. According to her, “I used to act and prepare their costumes in those days. But now I am 83 years old. If you want to know more about my late husband, the children will tell you.” Idowu Ogunde, who is the custodian of the museum said: “This place has become a tourist attraction centre as people come from America, United Kingdom, among other places, to have a look at what Ogunde used in those days. Ogunde was a great man.” Going round the big compound, one could see the buses, lorry, propeller, calabashes, different drums, beaded crowns, police uniform and other costumes he used both as a colonial policeman and theatre practitioner. All these are materials for public sightseeing. Bayo finally said,”He was a great man.”

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, APRIL 2, 2014

The Midweek Magazine

E-mail:- ozoluauhakheme@yahoo.com

ARELY 10 months after she was appointed as the Director-General of the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC) Mrs Sally Mbanefo has literarily captured the diplomatic community and other key players in the sector for the development of domestic tourism. In line with her three-pronged approach to developing domestic tourism, she initiated series of collaborations that have witnessed the signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with countries such as the Gambia, Venezuela, Germany, Mexico and Cuba among others. Also, agencies such as the Nigerian Immigration Services, MTN, Nigerian Olympic Committee, Arik Airline, Heritage Bank, Nigeria-Turkish Chamber of Commerce, ABC Transport and VISA Reddinton are among the collaborators. Since assumption of office as DG of the corporation, Mbanefo has traversed more than 12 states in the country preaching the gospel of domestic tourism. Interestingly, these initiatives have started yielding results as MTN Nigeria, the largest telecommunication firm in the country, has pledged to partner the corporation. Last week in Abuja during a courtesy visit by representatives of MTN Nigeria, Mrs Mbanefo highlighted efforts at driving the domestic tourism to generate wealth and create employment for Nigerians. The strategic imperatives, according to the NTDC boss include, rebuilding the NTDC, growing the tourism value chain and re-inventing Nigeria’s tourism. She said these are designed is to grow the tourism value chain as a significant contribution to job creation, poverty reduction and revenues that seek to exploit the regulatory provision of the law establishing NTDC to grow revenues, partner with private and

•Mrs Mbanefo (centre), Mr Iyashere and Prof Nwazurike (right)

Season of partnering for tourism By Ozolua Uhakheme Assistant Editor (Arts)

TOURISM development finance sector, financiers and investors. “The strategy is also expected to create funds to enhance the physical and information infrastructure supporting the tourism value chain, exploit image right, create commercially viable events and media properties around tourism sites and re-energise, market and defend ‘Brand Nigeria’ on tradi-

tional media, physical channels, brand touch-points and cyberspace to attract domestic and foreign tourists. “We have signed MOU with over 10 companies such as Arik Airline, Heritage Bank, the Gambia, Nigeria-Turkish Chamber of Commerce, ABC Transport, VISA Reddinton amongst others in the country to grow the tourism value chain for Job creation and revenue generation,” she said. Mrs Mbanefo urged the Nigerian Nollywood actors to choose any Nigerian site to shoot their movies as that would go a long way in projecting the good image

of the country. The MTN Senior Marketing Relations Corporate Service Division, Mr. Austin Iyashere, who was elated about the giant strides taken by the Mbanefo-led administration pledged to do all within his power to help the corporation in terms of collaboration for the benefit of the country. “This partnership will not only be for the benefit of institutions such as NTDC but for the benefit of individuals who associate themselves with this corporation.” “I am aware of what tourism can do for this country, in terms of wealth creation and revenue gen-

eration. I think with all these your programmes embarked on, you have opened the door for a change that will impact on the life of people generally,” he said. He enjoined the corporation to package and present a programme to the marketing executive MTN Nigeria regarding the project they can do together and how the NTDC wants MTN to impact the society. “This is a marketing thing. I need to put it like this, that you will need to package a presentation for marketing Executive MTN Nigeria and what I will do is to facilitate that meeting for you. I will engage the executive regarding the thing we can do together to impact the society,” he assured. Meanwhile, the President of Nigeria Olympics Committee, Engineer Sani Ndanusa has called for partnership with the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation to enhance sports tourism in the country. Ndanusa, who made this call during a courtesy call on Mrs. Mbanefo in Abuja, said sports gatherings are of unifying force and avenues for interaction which can be used to promote tourism potentials of the country. He said the partnership between NOC and NTDC should be strengthened and sustained. “I want us to have a gallery, which can showcase our tourism in our stadia. This is a lot of potentials in sports tourism in which I want us to come together to invigorate and strengthen. There are a lot of tournaments like Youth Commonwealth Games coming up and we will give you the opportunity to key into them,” he disclosed. Mrs Mbanefo expressed the readiness of the corporation to partner NOC towards promoting the country‘s tourism within and outside the country. She commended NOC in its drive to unite sports and tourism potentials.

Cross River Valley breaks boundaries

HE geographical boundaries created by the old colonial administrators in the country ‘crumbled’ at the National Museum, Onikan Lagos. It was at when an exhibition on the traditional art of ethnic groups along the Cross River basin through to the Cameroon Mountains was opened recently. The exhibition, tagged Cross River Valley: Eden of art and culture featuring some works from the collections of National Museum, Lagos that have hitherto not been exhibited in previous outings. It was put together to focus on the multifaceted social, religious and economic lives of the people in Cross River, Benue, Akwa-Ibom, Ebonyi States and Southern Cameroon that form the mainstream of the Cross River Valley. The exhibition was opened by the Director-General National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM) Mallam Yusuf Abdallah Usman. He said the exhibition is to demonstrate the creativity, ingenuity, skills, aesthetic qualities and technological know-how of the people of this area dating back to several decades. Usman noted that the display is however not exhaustive, but limited to objects from the commission’s collection and from states such as Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Ebonyi and parts of the Cameron. “The exhibition presents a number of stimulating aspects of the traditional art pieces of the groups dwelling along the Cross River Valley such as masks, cur-

By Linda Ogudo

EXHIBITION rencies, ancestral figures, terracotta works, royal paraphernalia, body ornaments, household utensils, traditional rulers, yam barn and fire place,” he said. According to the DG, ‘our valuable collections are our pride as a nation and as a people not only to those that visit the museum on daily basis, but most importantly to the outside world as a boost to our reputation, integrity, creativity and ingenuity as a people with a very rich and robust historical past.’ Curator of National Museum, Lagos Mrs. Edith Ekunke said the objects show that Nigeria is culturally endowed. “We as a cultural commission are desirous to showcase our heritage to the world,” she said. She further narrated that the critical thinking that has given birth to today’s exhibition will also give birth to further exhibitions that will feature fascinating objects from other geo–political zones. The concept behind the exhibition is to educate and entertain visitors to the museum. It is to prove that museums are not were fetish objects are kept as people erroneously believe,” she added. Apart from the exhibits on display, there are rich historical facts on the socio-cultural life of the different ethnic groups. Also on display are objects of body adornment, face and masks, royal insignia and costume, household items and food

•Usman (centre) cutting the tape to declare the exhibition open. preservation. Among the exhibits are Ingay, Calabar Terracutta, Afikpo Masquerade, Y Shaped Currency, Yala Salt and Obong of Calabar. Obong of Calabar is the statue of Obong of Calabar, the paramount traditional head of the Efiks and the custodian of the Efiks tradition in Cross River State. By the 19th Century the kingship institution in old Calabar area was fully developed based on the cross cultural interactions between the various ethnic groups occupying the lower cross river basin. Ingay (human figure) A male pair wooden figure is a collection from the Tiv people of Benue State. It is

worshiped by the Tiv. Calabar Terracutta comprises of decorated bowls, pots, head rest, figurines and anthropomorphic figurine. The bases of the figurines are plain while the body, neck and head are demarcated. The body is divided into vertical sections that are decorated in a wide variety of raised or incised patterns and shapes while the head display an endless assortment of shoved coiled or braided coiffure or head gear. Afikpo Masquerade captures the Afikpo Igbos of Cross River Valley that is rich in masquerade tra-

dition and is linked to the men’s secret society and the annual festivals. The masks carved in various shapes, sizes, designs are also used for social control. Y Shaped Currency reflects the economic life of the Ogoja people showing iron currency popularly known as Ogoja Penny. It is found in the Ogoja area of Cross River State and was equivalent to penny used for payment of bride price in Ogoja. Yala Salt was difficult to obtain and so it was highly valued trade item to the point of been considered a form of currency by certain people.

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, APRIL 2, 2014

The Midweek Magazine

E-mail:- ozoluauhakheme@yahoo.com

To mark this year’s Women’s Day, Nigerian women threw their weight behind calls for a more stringent law against rape. Multi-talented Oluwakemi Omowaire’s novel, Dead Roses, gives a literary spice to the campaign against the inhuman act, writes EVELYN OSAGIE.

Imagine Lagos in 2060 By Evelyn Osagie

BOOK

Dead Roses: Story of a rape victim

HAT Saturday morning, the weather was right for enjoying a book. And Oluwakemi Omowaire’s novel, Dead Roses, was the pick. As I sat with the novel, a cool glass of Hibiscus flower drink in hand and the melodious tunes of the legendary musician, Tracy Chapman in the background, the book brought back memories. The first thing that attracted me was its cover design that bore the half-face painting of the author with patches of red on her eyebrow, lips and ear. It was no smiling Kemi, as she is fondly called, that stared at one, forcing one to pause and reflect on the significance of the picture and the colour red – love or rage? The novel tells a story of love that turns sour on a day when “love” is to be worshipped and celebrated. Ironically, the 13-year-old protagonist was gang-raped and died ultimately on Valentine’s Day. With the cases of rape on the rise, Kemi’s novel is a spicy addition to the many voices of reason. As I sat reading the book, as is usual with such pre-occupations, it drew various emotions and memories from within. I remember seeing the heated emotions her novel raised during its unveiling at the reading of the Lagos State Chapter of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA). Interestingly, Kemi chose to unveil her book few days to this year’s Valentine’s Day. I remember her being put on the hot seat; and her work rousing diverse issues that day, which ranged from the dearth of the art of letter writing; state of literature in the electronic age to the significance of women telling their own stories and more. But among the issues raised, the violent effect of “rape” on its victims and the need for drastic measures to curb the menace took centre stage. I remember the audience asking Kemi why her choice of concern, and she, answering so passionately, said: “The book is a tool to raise awareness and dialogue about rape, especially in our part of the world where it is rarely reported due to the social stigma cast on girls or women who have been raped. I chose the subject because it is something that I feel strongly moved about.” Kemi, the “advocate” raised alarm over the rise in the trend, saying: “Every now and then there are cases of forcible rapes. Cases of rape and other sexual assaults are increasingly on the rise and are becoming

•The CEO of Project Stretch, Omotola Fawunmi (left)and Kemi

LITERATURE more common throughout the world. Almost every girl child has been close to being raped or assaulted at one time or the other either by a trusted fellow, cousin, close friends, even uncles or that elder brother in the neighbourhood.” When asked if she had been a victim of rape, Kemi smiled and said: “No”, that she was inspired by the story of a rape victim she heard while in secondary school. She recounted: “The girl was tricked to a stream on Valentine’s Day, raped and didn’t make it alive. Although I never knew her because she wasn’t in my school, I heard she was a good girl. I felt deeply hurt to hear that the life of a young girl was cut short because of someone’s sexual desires that couldn’t be tamed. I thought about her all through the night: imagining how happy she had been the night before and then, in the morning, her face wet with tears because of the pains she must have gone through while being raped. I didn’t want to forget her like that. “I decided to write about it to warn others that rape is not often all about carefulness. Some people have become victims regardless of their sexual orientation, age, gender, race, religion, or education. Many fall victim not because they are not cautious, but because their ‘predator(s)’ had it so wellplanned that the victims are caught helpless in the face of their viciousness. I didn’t exactly know who the girl was but I decided to create a character named “Adebola” and built family, friends and events around her.” It was interesting how my mind would often wander from the book to the author and stories of rape one had heard. As I read on, I discovered another preoccupation worth noting. Aside rape, the book touches on the effect of broken marriage on the child. We see a

young girl, who is trying hard to deal with the effect of her parents’ broken marriage and how far that singular event shaped her world for the worse. Adebola’s dilemma and state of mind at the divorce of her parents, took me a decade back into my childhood. The character reminded me of Ileya, not real name, who had a Jamaican mother and Nigerian father. In those days, she was a beauty to behold. She was every guy’s dream and every girl’s nightmare. I remember my elder ones and their friends talk about the pureness of her beauty and the many line of poetry they recited secretly in her honour. I remember older girls winched at the sight of her beauty while secretly wishing they had half of it. All went well for Ileya until her parents’ divorce, which was due to the death of one of their children. From then on, she moved from being the “village beauty” to victim of all sorts of abuse. Although, she was years older than I was, I remember feeling the pains in her teary eyes that had become a usual feature of her sad frame. I remember silently being angry with her parents for choosing divorce as last resort, while wondering whether the father, whom she was living with then, didn’t notice the changes in his daughter. That was the effect Kemi’s novel had on me that morning. Her concerns blended well with the lines,”What you gonna do, go and give a boy a gun…now there nowhere to run to…”from Chapman’s song Bang Bang Bang. Kemi’s work, not only highlights the consequence of divorce and rape, but, touches on the need for sex education and security tips at home and at school. Her imaginative attempt shows the discipline of a fine-artist that she is. Like her art exhibitions, she has again added another creative piece to the cause of humanity. Her background in psychology and biological science also comes into play in the story.

Mexico seeks collaboration with NTDC on domestic tourism

EXICO’S Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Marco Blanco has said that his country is ready to partner Nigeria to fast track the development of domestic tourism in the country. Blanco said Mexico would help Nigeria to take advantage of the fact that it is an emerging tourism destination in the world. “We seek to collaborate with Nigeria and this would better reposition tourism in both countries and expand the market frontier in the industry,” he said. The ambassador described tourism as the best way to move the country forward, adding that “tourism is the best way to create and strengthen the relationship between Nigeria and Mexico.” “Mexico has continued to be a

destination of choice for many people around the world and currently ranked 10 th globally in the international visitor arrivals.” The ambassador who lauded the Director-General, NTDC for her achievements in such a short time she assumed office said, “we have been monitoring Nigeria for some time now and we are proud of what you are doing to sell Nigeria to other countries. We applaud the commitment, innovation and passion brought by NTDC and this is our ground for partnering with NTDC,” he said. The Director-General NTDC, Mrs. Sally Mbanefo said the partnership would assist in developing tourism in Nigeria. “I am pleased to partner with the Mexican representatives, I am happy that

they reached out to us. The partnership is also a sign of better things to come and Nigeria recognises the importance of tourism to the economy,” she said. Mbanefo added that the promotion of domestic tourism is to encourage Nigerians to travel within Nigeria, believing it will create unity and peaceful harmony. She said the corporation would sign a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Mexico for a proper tourism exchange programmes between the two countries. She said: “This will develop and strengthen the relationship, friendship and bilateral cooperation between the two countries and also promote the concept of tourism value chain.” •Continued on page 49

HAT will Nigeria look like in another 60 to 100 years. From terrorist attacks to unsteady electricity supply, unemployment, fuel scarcity and political crisis, imagine…just imagine after surviving all these and making it to 2100, what kind of country would we have and what changes would have taken place then? Would we be seeing a new Nigeria with lots of developments? Would we see a Nigeria where arts and science, talents and potentials of her citizens are properly harnessed for national growth? Would the government have solved the energy problem and petroleum scarcity? the main stay of the economy? What kind of cars and the popular bikes (okada) would we have? Would we have palaces suspended in the air or be teleporting from one place to another through technological advance transport systems? How deep would globalisation be in our national fabric? And as one thinks of Nigeria in the future, one cannot help but think of what becomes of major cities particularly Lagos - the "Mega city". Those were the thoughts that came to mind when one first learnt of the book, Lagos_2060, which was unveiled last month at the British Council. Although the book did not get us to another century in the time travel, it is exciting to find that one could grab a book by African writers that takes one into the future in the eyes of an African like the exciting science-fiction movies hitting the market every day. The eight young and vibrant writers of Lagos_2060, a collection of short stories published by DADA Books, takes their reader into a literary time machine into the future. Although from different professional backgrounds, they are linked together by their creative talents of writing. In the pack are Temitayo Olofinlua, Adebola Rayo and Kofo Akib (women); Arigbabu, the collection's editor; Afolabi Muheez Ashiru; Okey Egboluche; Chiagozie Fred Nwonwu and Terh Agbedeh. In the words of the anthology's editor, "The future is already here. Nigerian authors have already taken over the globe and Lagos is one of the most exciting cities in the world of fiction right now." What began as a workshop tagged: Lagos_2060 in 2010 conceived to commemorate Nigeria's golden jubilee grew into the telling of eight different versions of the future. Arigbabu gives a clip of what the anthology offers its readers. "In Lagos_2060, an unusual scenario planning exercises is achieved through the power and magic of a creative writing programme. There are climate change-induced natural disasters actively plugged by doomsday preachers of the day; serious government institutions involved in first rate science and more often than not, these institutions tackle and solve the energy crisis to various degrees of success. There are wars and near wars as Lagos threatens to secede from the Nigerian state to have full control of its own economy. There are robots, amphibious speed trains, psychedelic drugs and highly trained security operatives with conflicts of interest, but more importantly, there are the ubiquitous Lagos people, whose industry and inventiveness seems largely unchanged, despite how much their city has travelled in the intervening half century. Why the choice of Lagos in this time voyage? Arigbabu says: "Lagos is one of the most exciting cities in the world and given the rapid rate of urbanisation in Africa… Lagos lends itself to experimentation and improvisation. We have drawn from the chaotic freedom the city offers to the best of our abilities." And so the book offers its reader an opportunity to provide others with free e-copies of the book through Unglue It, a project by DADA Books through which readers can pledge towards creating eBooks that will be legally free, worldwide. Arigbabu and his gang efforts should be encouraged and more science-fiction and futuristic writers should emerge to meet the need of consumers.

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, APRIL 2, 2014

COMMENTARY EDITORIALS

FROM OTHER LANDS

Climate change is here, now. Will the world act?

Looted funds •Countries where they are stashed should not hide under legal niceties to keep the money

HE United States and other countries should remit monies seized from businesses linked with the late General Sani Abacha now. The recent action by the United States government to make companies linked to funds looted from Nigeria by the late military Head of State forfeit such assets is welcome. In an action filed before a district court in Washington, the American government asked that the said fund, about $500 billion, be forfeited and served notice that the Nigerian justice ministry should file necessary papers to assist in repatriating same to the country. We hope the United States would not hide behind legal niceties to continue holding on to the stolen assets. While we welcome the moves, we note that neither the American government, nor the Federal Ministry of Justice has done enough to ensure that the money is recovered and duly used for promoting the growth and development of the Nigerian economy. It is 16 years since General Abaca died, and almost 15 since civilians took over from the military, yet, not much has been done to retrieve the funds to reflate the Nigerian economy; rather it is being expended since then to further stabilise other countries. Countries that are noted to be repositories of the Abacha loot include Liechtenstein, Luxembourg,

France, United Kingdom, United States, France and Switzerland. The only one known to have cooperated in recovering the money stashed away in its banks is Switzerland. It does no good to the image of a country that pontificates on corruption and transparency but encourages corrupt leaders to bleed their countries’ treasuries, thus depriving them use of their resource endowments and keeping such countries perpetually poor. Of the 10 most corrupt leaders ever, Nigeria’s Abacha was number four and the Nigerian funds he looted has been put at two to five billion dollars. This is about N800 billion, which is more than the annual budget of seven of the country’s poorest states. It is unfortunate that the Federal Ministry of Finance has failed to satisfactorily account for recoveries so far and the use to which they have been committed. This is however no excuse for the United States, United Kingdom, France and other economic powers to sit on the looted funds. We restate our consistent call on the federal and state governments to be more transparent and prudent in financial management. The people deserve to have the full details of looted funds, the countries to which they have been traced, efforts being made at recovery, the level of cooperation by the beneficiaries of the loot and what has been done with what has

been repatriated so far. In all other facets of life, government should deliberately promote openness as a means of growing local and international confidence in its activities. This would also help in mobilising the citizenry for development, and the international community in respecting Nigeria and Nigerians. The task before the Federal Government at this point is to improve the image and economic rating of the country. It is obvious that we missed previous marks because of the insincerity of successive governments. As the national planning ministry has said, the 20-20-20 Plan has failed again. What it did not say was that this government contributed largely to the failure.

‘It is unfortunate that the Federal Ministry of Finance has failed to satisfactorily account for recoveries so far and the use to which they have been committed. This is however no excuse for the United States, United Kingdom, France and other economic powers to sit on the looted funds’

Charity begins abroad •We support Nigerians in Diaspora’s plan to stage protests abroad over the country’s ills

IGERIANS in the Diaspora appear set to lead the way in staging protests over the unpleasant developments back home. In a full page advertorial signed by one Ms OnyenyeChukwu Okereke for Nigerians in Diaspora for Accountability, based in the United Kingdom, the group made reference to the recent revelations of an unremitted $20billion to the Federation Account by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), which led to the purported suspension of Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). It also referred to the allegation that the petroleum minister, Mrs Diezani AlisonMadueke, spent N10billion to hire and maintain private jets for her personal use.

‘There are several other issues that ought to have brought Nigerians out of their shell, perhaps to the streets, to tell the government ‘no more’. One of these is the recent death of 19 applicants seeking employment into the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS). Nigeria is one of the few places where most of these strange things could be happening with the government going on with business as usual, and without anyone lifting a finger’

The group, which is apparently piqued by the Federal Government’s complacency in fighting corruption, made a clarion call on “… all Nigerians in Diaspora to prepare for a public protest in London and Washington DC, if the minister is not immediately sacked by the President”. The protests would take place at the Nigeria High Commission, Nigeria House, 9, Northumberland Avenue, London and the Nigerian Embassy in Washington DC at dates to be communicated soon by the group’s coordinators in both countries. Although the group noted that the group executive directors of the NNPC had been sacked, it believed, and rightly so, that they were not the issue. “If Diezani is not sacked to redeem the nation’s image and reverse the rot in the NNPC …” Nigerians in Diaspora have been fully mobilised to embarrass the minister whenever she is on any international assignment abroad. We fully back this initiative if only for the simple fact that Nigerians at home are becoming increasingly docile for comfort. Indeed, it is amazing the way they have become so passive about the developments in the country. Corruption has continued to worsen, leading inexorably to chronic underdevelopment, power supply remains epileptic as ever, the number of idle youths keeps increasing and there is general insecurity in the country. There are several other issues that ought to have brought Nigerians out of their shell, perhaps to the streets, to tell the government ‘no more’. One of these is the recent death of 19 applicants seeking employment into the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS). Nigeria is one of

the few places where most of these strange things could be happening with the government going on with business as usual, and without anyone lifting a finger. It would appear that they have seen the worst of it all such that nothing shocks them again. This is bad for the country. So, if it takes this type of elixir by Nigerians in Diaspora for Accountability to make them alive to their responsibilities, so be it. Of course this would not be the first time that Nigerians outside of the country would be protesting against government’s policies and programmes at home. The 2012 fuel subsidy protests in the country were followed by such protests, first in London, from where it spread to parts of the United States and other countries, including South Africa, Ghana, Canada, Australia and Finland. Like the protests in the country, the protesters abroad also carried placards and sang, even as they spiced the protests with intermittent speeches in front of the Nigerian embassies in these countries and the International Monetary Fund office in Washington, as well as the UN headquarters in New York. The same thing happened during the efforts to revalidate the June 12, 1993 election result. Although with the advancement in IT, the world has become more or less a global village, such protests are not only symbolic, they also draw the unsavoury developments vividly home to the international community, in the hope that such externalisation of the issues could force the hands of government back home to do something about them.

• Crop yields are down, deaths from heat are up. A U.N. panel’s report should be a call to action.

HERE’s a new tone in the latest report on climate change from the United Nations’ expert organization on the subject. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change doesn’t just forecast the usual sweeping changes that are likely to occur as the planet warms, the kinds of warnings the public has heard (and often ignored) for decades. The report released Sunday goes further by pointing out alarming signs of what is happening already. In a rational world, it would be more than enough to propel world leaders into action. Corn and wheat yields are down, the report says, possible harbingers of future disruption to the global food supply. Animals are migrating toward areas of cooler temperatures nearer the poles. The mountain snowpack in the Western United States is diminishing, reducing the country’s water supply. Coral reefs, which shelter a quarter of the ocean’s species, are bleaching — losing the algae that color them, causing their death over time. Droughts and heat waves are becoming more frequent and more intense. The number of people dying from the heat has increased in some regions, while the number of cold-related deaths has decreased. Climate change is even transforming the Alaskan shore, the report says. The loss of sea ice has produced bigger waves, more erosion and the forced movement of some settlements away from the coast. Of course, the report also includes a lot of predictions: higher sea levels, flooding of lowlying major cities, more of the extreme weather events that already have become familiar. On food, the report is more circumspect: There will be shifts in what kinds of crops grow best, and where and when they can be farmed, but it’s unclear exactly what those transformations will be. Still, people in the poorest countries will be at even greater risk of starvation. The panel points out that many governments are falling behind in two ways: Not only are they doing too little to slow and perhaps reverse climate change, but they are failing to adapt to its ongoing impacts. The United States has done some incremental planning, and some states and cities have begun more serious work. After Superstorm Sandy, for instance, New York state’s utilities commission ordered extensive electrical upgrades to prevent massive power outages from future storms. Though we can reasonably debate the details of how climate change will affect us and when, the time for debating whether it will have a serious impact is long past. We would do better to discuss how quickly we can reduce its severity by cutting greenhouse gas emissions, and which steps we should take first to reduce the effects that we are already too late to stop. - Los Angeles Times

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

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THE NATION WEDNESDAY, APRIL 2, 2014

CARTOON & LETTERS

IR: THE illustrious Professor Wole Soyinka once referred to Nigerians of his time as the wasted generation. Not given to careless talk, the old wordsmith must have arrived at the conclusion after a rigorous and perhaps depressing analysis of his generation’s wasted opportunities, of what could have been but is not. Actually, pre- and immediate post independence generation of Nigerians could also be referred to as the lucky generation. Considering what used to obtain, one would not be wrong to say they had it so good. Even amidst their exploitation, the colonialists also endeavoured to build infrastructure. So this generation of Nigerians enjoyed relatively sound amenities. Our education system was sound and many obtained qualitative education at home, abroad or even both often at state or

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Wasted and wretched generations community expense. Even before graduation, students had well-paying jobs awaiting them. The country teemed with opportunities and possibilities. The pre and immediate post independence generation of Nigerians failed to take the country to the next level; they squandered opportunity to establish a world power on the African continent, to emphatically demonstrate that the African is not inferior. They to whom much was

given, so woefully failed to extend similar gesture to those coming after them. They burned the bridge after crossing. Why? The answer is loosely captured by the word: irresponsibility. Of course the irresponsible man bequeaths not wealth but wretchedness to his offspring. The wasted generation begot the present wretched generation. Over time, the country has so degenerated that the youth now has to labour several times as hard to suc-

ceed. The education sector is in tatters. The youth goes to school only to come out hardly educated, rarely skilled. On graduation, he is never sure of securing a job. In fact he often has to wallow in unemployment for years. And when eventually he finds one, the take-home may not really take him home. Those who take the path of entrepreneurship also have to contend with decayed or non-existent infrastructure. With little or nothing to build on, the Nigerian

A country battling for breath

IR: Has the fear of death not gripped Nigerians, especially those living in the north-eastern parts of our country? Are the killings being executed by the Fulani herdsmen and the Boko Haram group not portents of doom for Nigeria? Nigeria has not descended into war; however, people are being needlessly killed in many states of the federation. Insecurity of lives and property is the major problem in the country. The murderous bloody campaign of the Boko Haram has led to the deaths of thousands of Nigerians. Many have fled the troubled states. And, those displaced by the Boko Haram insurgency are begging for financial help and shelter. But, it is not only the Boko Haram group that is causing problem in Nigeria. The nomadic Fulani herdsmen do raid villages in

Benue, Nassarawa and Taraba States on the grounds that animal rustlers are poaching their cattle. So, the Fulani cattle rearers often clash with native farm owners in the north central states of Benue, Nassarawa and Plateau. Human lives, farm produce and properties have been lost to their fights. What we have is an anarchic situation on our hands. Now, armed robbers and kidnappers are having a field’s day in Nigeria. They terrorize people in broad day-light, unchallenged. The rich live behind fortresses and drive in bullet-proof cars for fear of being kidnapped. Daily, we hear news of the abduction of prominent Nigerians by kidnappers. Lawlessness precedes war and the disintegration of a country. Do our leaders think that what happened in some Arab countries cannot be

re-enacted here? Are they not aware that the huge army of the unemployed youths is a time-bomb waiting to explode? The unemployed youths can cash in on the chaotic situation in some states of the federation to cause revolution in Nigeria. Some weeks ago, about 20 young Nigerians died trying to enter the venues for the Nigerian immigration service recruitment test. It is said that over five hundred thousand people were vying for five thousand vacancies in the Nigerian Immigration Service. People with postgraduate degrees are doing menial jobs not befitting them in order to earn a living. Where is the dignity of labour? And, millions of young Nigerians are without jobs after they had completed their mandatory NYSC programmes. Nigeria’s myriad problems are not intractable; and, Nigeria is not

irredeemable. We can still reclaim Nigeria from the jaws of ruination and disintegration, and set it on the path of political renaissance, economic prosperity, and technological advancement. The on-going national conference offers us another golden opportunity to reach consensus on many issues, which have been hindering our national development and dividing us. These agreements will serve our national interests. But, delegates to the national conference should subsume their selfish and ethnic interests under the national interests when they’re discussing national issues. But, can our leaders muster the political will to implement and abide by the decisions and resolutions reached at the on-going national conference? • Chiedu Uche Okoye Urouwulu-Obosi,Anambra State.

youth could be described as most unlucky; his is the wretched generation. His plight was aptly captured by the pictures that streamed out of the various Nigerian Immigration Service examination centers on March 15. But is the youth condemned to wretchedness? No! No matter how unfavourable ones background is, one can still rewrite ones history. Notwithstanding the errors of past generation, the youth can still make things right by taking the right steps. But is he doing that? Unfortunately, no. Is he likely to do so in the near future? I’m not confident. The youth is imbued with a devastating combination. To his terrible wretchedness is added an incredible fecklessness. He seems bereft of ideals, incapable of standing up for anything. The wretched youth sings praises of his despoiler in hope of crumbs. Social media which offers an invaluable platform for constructive networking has been debased to a tool for either frivolous engagements or trading of vile abuses. The youth rarely sees beyond his nose, beyond tribe and religion. Like the slave who loves his chain, he is so much in love with these tools with which the elites divide and enslave him. Yet many were united at the various NIS examination centers by unemployment. When the man in the long dark coat visited, he neither considered religion nor ethnicity while picking his victims. The Nigerian youth cannot be exonerated from complicity in his woes. And judging from what is on ground, the situation seems more likely to endure and even worsen; that is unless he begins to ask relevant questions, resolves to stand up for what is right, to take his destiny in his own hands. •Nnoli Chidiebere Aba, Abia State.

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, APRIL 2, 2014

COMMENTS

Agodi Museum; CBN cheap loans; ‘Masterminds of Mass Murder’: Soka/ Sambisa Forest Terrorists

ELCOME to the New Agodi Gardens compliments of Ajimobi Oyo government –Public-Private Partnership (PPP). Government could make Tony this different from GarMarinho dens and Parks, GAP, in Nigeria which are empty of intellectual stimulation. Government should put money into and encourage the developer to put a new, big, different ‘Agodi Inspirational Exhibition/ Museum’ with ‘shock and awe’ material from major research institutions. To challenge Ibadan visitors and residents, the developers and government especially the Ministry of Science and Technology could invite for display projects from students, creative artists, the 80 departments in University of Ibadan, the 30 in UCH, Polytechnic, IITA, CRIN, FRIN, NISER, NIG-Sat and Corporate Ibadan like Procter and Gamble, Coca Cola, Zartec, etc in education, health, photography, sculpture, technology, history, culture fisheries etc. So Odein Ajimogobia, has reiterated this column on March 12 ‘Too many geriatrics and too few 30-50 year olds’ at the 2014 Non Sovereign ‘snooze’ National Conference. Students should calculate how many delegates are over 80, 70, and 60. Are we cursed, mumu or just blessed with good humour in the face of a permanent failure to succeed inflicted by our now geriatric leadership? Have they no shame, still seeking the spotlight in the economic and electricity darkness they caused? Since 1966, years of religio-ethnic aggression rammed through by military fiat has been met by an increasing religio-ethnic defence, sometimes suicidal, just like in any lethal football game. Jonathan is not a geriatric and did not choose over 380 of the delegates. So he is not guilty of religious bias if indeed there is any. Let the Sultan ‘send forth emissaries’ to examine the states and other ‘biased’ constituent bodies. Complaints at the religious bias in many pre-Obasanjo past government appointments and

HEN President Goodluck Jonathan dropped the hint that a national conference was in the offing in October, last year, the whole country erupted into a frenzy of debates. Many thought it was a tall ambition. They, therefore, spared the President no chance at all. To them, it was impossible. Others viewed it differently. To this other category of people, it was worth a trial. Both groups then went the whole hog to canvass their positions, but the President did not blink, he stuck to his guns. First, he set up a consultative forum of eminent and not-so-eminent Nigerians. Their mandate was to gauge the pulse of the people, collate their opinions and see the desirability of holding the conference in the second quarter of the year. Though there were some stumbling blocks on its way, the committee toured the six geo-political zones of the country in a record time. Everywhere it went, the scenarios were different. When the committee was done with its consultations, it presented a report to the President in which it assured him that the consensus of people was that they were willing to dialogue. Pronto, the President, through Anyim Pius Anyim, former Senate President and now the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, quickly puts modalities in place. The result was the inauguration of the 492-man conference inside the hallowed hall of the National Judicial Council Secretariat in Abuja on Monday, March 17. The conference started with great optimism but there was also skepticism among discerning Nigerians who were not so sure that the exercise could produce the desired result which would allay the fears

in several including Lagos State for 40 years have always fallen on deaf ears. Token posts to the few ‘outsiders’ without power were the ‘keep quiet and shut up’ lot of most Nigerians while religious/ethnic zealots, under the protection of the religious/ethnicised military and prostituted political classes, warped the federalism to suit themselves. They now seek to preserve that criminally warped state of the distorted nation. They thus created the very reason why a National Conference is so essential now- to right the wrong federation imposed upon so many Nigerians ruining their future for years. Interestingly many traditional rulers have major military affiliations and are centrist, or unitary-federalist, false federalist, in nature as they benefit from federal and even CBN handouts if they are in the favoured religio-ethnic class. So are we beyond the redemption of even a geriatric dominated Non Sovereign National Conference, the old brigade from all corners of Nigeria, all with religious, traditional, political, baggage? As younger citizens, they led us blindly to the perdition of maximum corruption, a 17,500% fall in naira, maximum power darkness and maximum high interest rates in the world and worst education scores and even maximum Boko Haram? But rich from eating Nigeria, their families all have mansions and billions! As snoozing old men are they threatening to donate a piece of Nigeria to Cameroon? This, even though history lessons in school taught us Adamawa’s Emir is from a three percent minority which invaded Adamawa. Is that correct? Hardly an example of democracy 100+ years down the line. Why should such people want change in ‘status quo’ in spite of glaring failures? The events at CBN show us how CBN was run under the military and even under Sanusi with largess being distributed largely to the favoured with a few drops to others as camouflage. Today’s Nigeria is founded on, and flounders on and sufferers from, yesterday’s fraudulent ethnic politics and policies. If we had decentralised electric power or railways 30 years ago, where would power be now? How can we be ruled by people who say ‘No, you states cannot have rights to power, roads, railways, phones or waterways’? Are we slaves in our own country? Yes, there are very bad and greedy people in every

state stealing the local budget. But even that does not negate federal evil and ‘secret agendas’ perpetrated with local collaborators in every state. Are we cursed by no or low power since 1978, high interest rate forever, lower value of the naira from $1:N1 in 1980s to $1:N173+ on parallel market, high unemployment plus the worst statistics in the world? New CBN governor: ‘Whose side are you on?’ CBN celebrates stable inflation rate but at murderous cost to the people. The banks miraculously declare 20-75% increase in profits as poverty bites. The ‘false stability’ is like ‘false federalism’ and kills business and people through high MPR, interest rates 25%, high sterilised funds in CBN and falling naira with more dying Nigerians- dying for jobs at NIS and from ‘No cheap loans’. CBN has killed more people and businesses than Boko Haram. Surprisingly, CBN knows the value of ‘cheaper’ loans which it gives to selectively ‘stimulate’ textile, aviation, Agric and Nollywood industries. The market trader and everyone also need cheap loans. When will interest rates come down? When all Nigerians are dead? The Soka Forest terrorism is similar to the Boko Haram terrorist camp in the Sambisa Forest for ‘Masterminds of Mass Murder’. We need routine mass police and local DPO surveillance and counter-measures. Elsewhere a man carrying 18 heads was picked up. Do police investigate or coordinate the investigation of the hundreds of ‘common man’ kidnappings yearly in each state? What forensics exist in Nigeria?

‘Today’s Nigeria is founded on, and flounders on and sufferers from, yesterday’s fraudulent ethnic politics and policies. If we had decentralised electric power or railways 30 years ago, where would power be now?’

The Nigerian Agenda of the citizenry about the political acronym called Nigeria. This stems from the fact that there appears to be a conflict within and among the ethnic nationalities that were corralled together 100 years ago in the political definition called Nigeria. Since then, this ethnic conglomeration has flourished under the atmosphere of mutual suspicion and sometimes disdain for one another. In the last two weeks, series of events bordering on muscle-flexing and playing to the gallery have punctuated the conference as various speakers, one after the other, scheme to foster hidden agendas. Come to think of it, the trend of events is not entirely new in an exercise such as this. History is replete with several examples where diplomatic discussions have dragged on for several years, over several round-table conferences, before the desired breakthroughs were achieved. The country recently celebrated its 100th year of nationhood. What used to be Southern and Northern Protectorates were woven together in a holy wedlock (or is it unholy?) by the British-born Lord Frederick Lugard. In 1960, the country became independent, free from the clutches of British imperialism and with a new Constitution. That singular event did not come overnight. It was preceded by three conferences at Lancaster House in London in 1957, 1958 and 1959 before the actual Independence Conference, where Sir Ahmadu Bello, Alhaji Tafawa Balewa and Chief Obafemi Awolowo, all now late, finally put

‘Above all, all the delegates at the conference should take cognisance of one thing: ‘hungry and angry boys’ are out there waiting restlessly for the outcome of this jaw-jaw’

pen to paper to seal the union that produced Nigeria. In 1963, the constitution was amended but it later followed an unpalatable path as it was being gradually and systematically destroyed by the vaulting ambition of some of the dramatis personae of the country’s evolution. When late Chief Samuel Ladoke Akintola broke pact with Chief Awolowo of the Action Group in the early 60s, since he needed the then Federal Government to protect him against Awolowo and his group, he literarily signed away so many things to the northern oligarchy. Therefore, since July 1966, the constitution of the country has always been a North-dominated constitution. Gradually, the North has moved from being one-third of the country at Independence, to six out of the 12 states decreed by General Yakubu Gowon (retd.), who became the Head of State in July 1966. From then on, it has moved gradually until late General Sani Abacha made the North 19 states out of the 36 states of the country in 1996. The old Western Region got eight states, while the old Eastern Region got nine states. What this means is that the north has assumed control over more than 50% of the country, leaving less than 50% to the rest of the country. For many years, whatever the North said became law. Now, ever since, this is the first time that the country is discussing. Hitherto, the military had dominated the whole period with the North always having the upper hand in everything and every coup in the country. What I believe is subtly playing out at the ongoing National Conference is the fear of the North that the South might treat them the way they had been treating the South all this while. In several conversations I had with some of the key delegates at the conference, across the country last week, it was clear that the climate of mutual suspicion, distrust and mistrust pervading this conference is so thick

that it could be sliced with a knife. This is simply a manifestation of the old and archaic belief that one section of the country is superior to the others. The truth of the matter is that, in the reality of the present-day Nigeria, that assumption is no longer tenable as it is unacceptable. It is no longer “what we have, we keep”. This conference should afford each side of the divide the ample opportunity to state what they want. It is now left to the moderators, who are men of excellent pedigree, men who have distinguished and acquainted themselves creditably in their various professional careers, to pilot the conference successfully and steer it out of rancour and unnecessary acrimony. It is on record that when the issue of voting pattern erupted, the moderators quickly came to the rescue by constituting a balanced committee of 50 wise men to pave way for a compromise. Initially, the South wanted 66 percent votes to constitute a simple majority, while the North stuck to 75 percent as proposed by the President. After much consultation and arguments for and against, the North conceded 5 percent and came down to 70 percent while the South moved up by 3 percent or so. It will be good enough if they can reach a compromise on 70 percent. Like a Yoruba adage says: “Oju lasan ko la fi ngbomo lowo ekuro,” meaning “it is not easy to extract palm kernel from palm fruit.” So, for the Lamidos of this world and his ilk, we must all bear it in mind that we are living together in the same country. It is the responsibility of all of us to preserve and protect what we have. That was why probably the President said so much at the inauguration of the conference that the only agenda should be a “Nigerian Agenda,” not a Northern or Southern agenda. Whatever may be our desires, and I suppose they are reasonable ones, we should endeavour to canvass our positions without issuing vague threats; we

Dele Agekameh must negotiate, we must be flexible, and we must concede where necessary. The North would have to realise that it can no longer force anything, just any concoction, down people’s throats. Let us accept the reality that history and sociology conferred on our multi-ethnic and multi-cultural existence, which we must guard jealously in order to preserve the bond of nationhood that binds us together. This is because in our diversity lies our strength as a nation and that is if we are able to rise above primordial and or clannish interests. Above all, all the delegates at the conference should take cognisance of one thing: “hungry and angry boys” are out there waiting restlessly for the outcome of this jawjaw. Therefore, let us stick to the rule of commonsense and avoid plunging the country into a needless vicious circle of conflict and bloodshed. Let us remember that the greatest wars in history ended up on a conference table where binding decisions are taken. At the end of the day, deaths and destructions that usually accompany all devastating wars become regrettable features of our lives. I think we can do without that in this country. Send reactions to: 08058354382 (SMS only)

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, APRIL 2, 2014

COMMENTS ‘That was a funny but factual one on Obasanjo. His less caring attitude towards his grooming in the past must have been because all his life, he was in military outfit over half a day. So, to him, what was prime in grooming was covering up what part should not be exposed; of the body. And that was in tandem with his attitude of calling a spade what it is and nothing else on any grave issue; whatever it might be’

• Obasanjo

For Dare Olatunji Mr Tunji, what an article on former President Obasanjo, you made my day. “Obasanjo has changed” is a study case for our university dons. From Dr Jide Akinyemi, Ikole Ekiti On former President Obasanjo and his latest sartorial tastes, you’re spot-on. That piece would’ve been incomplete without that amiable lady, Bola. I had a personal encounter with her sometime ago when I went visiting Baba at his hilltop mansion with some clients. She was so hospitable that she insisted we take lunch while waiting for our turn to see the ex-president. And while she was at it, she did her duty without airs. A woman manifesting such nobility of character can go to any length to groom her man. Afterall, in this day and age, image seems to be everything. From Abayomi Adeniji, Esq. There is a new Obasanjo in town refers: Dear Olatunji Dare, by this adoption of your oncevillified former President Obasanjo as your sartorial godfather and model, no one who enjoys THE NATION shall claim ignorance that Obasanjo’s sins have been forgiven. For the first time in his long life, the western press will rise to give him an excellent press. Welcome Obasanjo to APC. From Barrister Chima, Owerri I liked your article on former Predident Obasanjo. Your observation is right. Obasanjo is a man and leader that cannot be ignored, whether good or bad. Well done! From Dr. Adeagbo Being given to sartorial inelegance, I found your Tuesday, March 25 piece on former Presi-

S a local resident and typical of one in the hinterland of Edo State, I always watch Edo Broadcasting Service, EBS, the state government owned media outfit especially at 8pm, to monitor government programmes and polices, special announcements such as job vacancies and opportunities. I need to be informed, to avoid being deformed and more so, to track and monitor the governor on his electoral promises. On this particular Wednesday, I watched Governor Adams Oshiomhole as he addressed the excesses of the Edo State Traffic Management Agency (EDSTMA). If anyone needed evidence that the cup of the agency that has long acquired the sobriquet of “Oshiomholes’ police” by reason of their highhandedness and impunity was finally full and running over, this would be it. The intention behind the creation of EDSTMA was certainly noble. Trust, Nigerians when it comes to obeying simple rules, regulations and instructions; we are never there except an extra-ordinary measure is employed to whip us into line. Tuke-tuke or bus drivers in Benin City are a typical example: never patient, always in a hurry oftentimes veering-off the lane to face on-coming traffic. In Benin, it is commonplace to find motorists, both private and commercial, drive against traffic and beat traffic lights. In fact, statistics say in every 100 vehicles that passes a traffic light, 80% of this number violate the red light rule. Oftentimes, it is not because the drivers lack education on road signs and traffic rules but rather evidence of the thriving culture of impunity and brazen disregard for law and order. It is against this background that “Oshiomholes’ police” is best situated. Unfortunately, theirs too became a case of curing impunity with impunity. Ifeoma Okoronkwo, a lecturer at the Department of Philosophy and Religions, University of Benin would capture the dilemma this way: “the interpretation of traffic rules by many of these officials is suspect....This is even made worse by the fact that Benin is now one huge road construction

dent Obasanjo’s new-found trendiness so compelling that I now wish to ‘transform’ my wardrobe as well. The piece was rich in subtle wit and humour, with a sprinkling of some prickly remarks for good measure. I have decided to make it my literary companion for a while. A masterpiece! From Bassey Itam Asuquo, Calabar Mr Dare, that was a funny but factual one on Obasanjo. His less-caring attitude towards his grooming in the past must have been because he was in military outfit most of his life. So, to him, what was prime in grooming was covering up what part should not be exposed of the body. And that was in tandem with his attitude of calling a spade what it is and nothing else on any issue; whatever it might be. The sudden change in his dressing mode could be linked to his wife’s influence. And, for a man of Obasanjo’s clout, it would take a strong willed, persuasive and respectful woman to influence a strong willed personality like Obasanjo. Apart from that, Obasanjo’s can of responsibilities has reduced drastically to accommodate such a “trivial” change; to atleast make “mama” happy and proud of him. Or could his caving in to “Mama’s” plea be linked to vegetable soup; as some would figure? Laugh! From Lai Ashadele Re-”There is a new Obasanjo-OBJ- in town”. “When someone is attaining the growth age, he fights a battle with cleverness and tactics”. If Obasanjo in recent time had receded into his shell, he knows what he’s watching, hence, his retreat! Obasanjo loves Nigeria’s unity and always wanted to contribute to topical issues that will to growth! On his new dressing mode, Obasanjo needs that because when one labours all the years, changing wardrobe is not a crime. But, I guess, Madam Bola OBJ does a good job. From Lanre Oseni. Baba is truely the best Nigerian and still believes in one Nigeria. Nobody will like to demolish a house he has suffered to build. I only

pity Baba because he deserves more than what he’s geting. His critics were not fair to him. Where were they when Nigeria was on fire? How many of them think of Nigeria, not to talk of Africa? It’s high time Baba enjoyed the fruits of his labour, I wish him long life; salute to a rare General. From Lawal Rasheed, Ibadan. For Tunji Adegbaoyega Re: ‘Dem say, dem say governor’, (your column of March 31). A wonderful article as usual. But Tunji, one governor you have failed to add is the Akwa Ibom State Governor, Godswill Akpabio (although a performer unlike his colleague). From Dapo Lagos. Governor Dickson is working hard to carry everybody along to move Bayelsa forward, despite that some appointments made by the governor were unnecessary. From Gordon Chika Nnorom, Umukabia, Abia State. I know that no matter the punishment that the Seriake Dickson’s committee on rumour mongering may plan for the perceived offenders, the judiciary/courts will serve as redeemers for the same perceived offenders. This is a democracy. How will there not be ‘dem say, dem say’ where a First Lady was dashed the position of permanent secretary whereas she ought to have earned it! Dem say, dem say will continue where the same free-funded permanent secretary would not do the work! Dem say people want to know the practicability of permanent secretary who is eating without working! Dem say people, ride on o jare. Also, concerning your “Mr President remember January 2012”, I think Mr President was just sensitising Nigerians on what he has for us, and what suggestions we have to move Nigeria forward on the proposed fuel price hike. We are all glad that you reminded the President of January 2012 because ‘a word is enough for the wise’. We are all too sure that the era of fuel price increase is gone. Rather, we want to see the

•Alison-Madueke end of the fuel subsidy scam. From Lanre Oseni. Tunji, thank you for yet another good outing on March 17 titled: “Mr President, remember January 2.” It may interest you to know that NNPC is the reason our refineries may not work even at 50 per cent capacity! Government is using it as a conduit pipe. Anonymous I agree with you that Nigerians are not ready for high fuel prices. I ask: which class of Nigerians? The exploited, yes! Well, the whole truth is that the existing social system is based on exploitation. What is more, the exploited have the right to build a government of their choice. Thanks. From Amos Ejimonye, Kaduna. They have started oiling and assembling their rigging machinery. Very soon, they will begin to visit governors, chiefs, emirs with money in the name of consultations for 2015. The money is raised through phoney contracts, oil blocs, fuel subsidy, tax and import waivers awarded to some characters in the rigging machinery. That is where real rigging starts. I urge you editors (NGE) and journalists generally to remember how you people fought Gen. Abacha. Do the same to the PDP government’s misrule. Nigerians are ready to join in the fight; all we need is leadership and direction from the professionals, civil society groups and labour. From N. Ndubuisi. Tunji, you wrote well, your pen will never dry in Jesus’ name (Amen). Where is the SURE-P money to cushion the oil subsidy withdrawal? Nigerians are not feeling the impact of the socalled SURE-P funds. What went wrong? Time will tell. From Chika Nnorom.

Reforming ‘Oshiomhole police’ By Onaivi Mayaki site....They can improve on their activities by simply being honest and friendly in their interactions with Benin City drivers”. Is anyone worried about the flagrant display of wares/goods by traders on walkways around mission road, Oba market, New Lagos Road by new Benin market area? What of the indiscriminate parking of vehicles along the major roads which constitute bottlenecks to free flow of traffic? This is what the “Oshiomhole police” – EDSTMA’s – is all about; to help reduce the horror caused by reckless driving in the state. This would partly explain the stiff resistance from the motorists and other road users. The truth is that the job of this agency is not one to be admired, fancied or coveted. And as one would imagine, the agency was not without its own internal challenges; some unpatriotic elements unfortunately found their way into the agency with the result that it became a byeword for incivility. Indeed, the agency, until the intervention of Governor Adams Oshiomhole was fast developing into a monster. They would harass, intimidate, coerce and embarrass. Oftentimes, some over-zealous officers would attempt to wrest the steering wheel from motorists in a bid to effect arrest of traffic offenders. Crude and unconventional means were deployed to track their victims. Today, Governor Oshiomhole has risen to the challenge posed by the operations of the agency. Now, workers know that it is not business as usual particularly with the coming of Commissioner Orobosa Omo-Ojo, into the transportation ministry. I watched him caution officials against unruly and uncivilized means in the discharge of their duties on commuters. For Governor Oshiomhole, it is a case of con-

stant admonition on the officials to be civil in dealings with traffic offenders even when an offence has been committed. Said he: “we must be civil in our methods. We must wear a smile while being firm on the issue. The important thing is to keep our eyes on the ball…You must not extort, you must not criminalise innocent people, and you must not let offenders go after extortion. If anybody beats the red light, you must arrest the person, no matter his status. If it’s the governor or deputy governor, you must arrest and interrogate him. The only person exempted from the red light rule is the President or Vice President, when they visit, in which case the road will be blocked for their easy passage”. While further charging them, he would note: “if you can stop and interrogate the governor for beating the red light rule, no other person is bigger in the state that you can’t stop. Anybody that contravenes the red light rule, stop him and detain him for at least two hours. Many innocent people have been crushed because someone wanted to contravene the red light rule. This must stop. As for their deplorable methods, the governor was unequivocal: “I speak the minds of Edo people when I say that many people have been victims of your very crude and harsh traffic management methods. When you misbehave, as some of you do, people in anger dismiss you as Oshiomhole police. I have no police. In fact, I am one of the few, who have spoken out against state police. I am commended for so many things, but not so many people have commended me for this particular intervention, even as you have come into existence to help control traffic.” Edo people are unanimous on the need to assist Governor Oshiomhole in the cleaning of

the agency’s Aegean stable. The governor has restored our confidence that government works for the benefit of the people and for the general good. He has also shown that he is that leader who will act as an agent of positive change as exemplified by his polices and programmes. With Oshiomhole, the feeling that development and progress is anathema or alien to Edo State has finally been laid to rest. The proof is in the monumental and landmark achievements and strides in infrastructure and human capital development recorded in just over five years of his government. Now, more than ever, we need to assist the administration to succeed and to leave a lasting legacy. We are all involved or else we may all become victims of our undoing. To the extent that the agency is also a window - a mirror – into the activities of the government, it must constantly shun and avoid everything that could bring government into disrepute in the course of its duties. • Onaivi sent in this piece from Igarra, Akoko Edo local government.

‘With Oshiomhole, the feeling that development and progress is anathema or alien to Edo State has finally been laid to rest. The proof is in the monumental and landmark achievements and strides in infrastructure and human capital development recorded in just over five years of his government. Now, more than ever, we need to assist the administration to succeed and to leave a lasting legacy’

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, APRIL 2, 2014

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THE NATION WEDNESDAY, APRIL 2, 2014

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THE NATION WEDNESDAY, APRIL 2, 2014

BUSINESS THE NATION

E-mail:- bussiness@thenationonlineng.net Stories by Taofik Salako

25 NLNG is one of the biggest success stories in our country. From what I am told, the company has invested $13 billion so far since inception, and has become a pacesetter in terms of revenue generation for the government. -Minister of Trade and Investment, Dr Olusegun Aganga

Forecasts Niger Insurance Gross Premium - N2.73b Profit after tax - N212.95m Mutual Benefits Gross Premium - N2b Profit - N885.633m Regency Alliance Gross Premium – N812.596m Profit after tax – N256.437m Learn Africa Turnover - N1.06b Profit after tax - N58.336m Total Nigeria Turnover - N46.676 b Profit after tax - N942.1m MRS Oil Nigeria Turnover - N51.20b Profit after tax - N712 m Eterna Turnover - N27.64b Profit after tax - N563.834m Okomu Oil Palm Turnover - N2.667b Profit after tax - N1.044b Stanbic/IBTC Bank Net operating income N16.805b Profit after tax - N2.737b ASL Turnover - N1.084b Profit after tax - N101.355m GT Assurance Gross Premium - N3.892b Profit after tax - N710.62m Cornerstone Insurance Gross Premium - N1.223b Profit after tax - N80.01m Oasis Insurance Gross Premium N562.500m Profit after tax - N79.868m African Alliance INS Gross Premium - N1.215b Profit after tax - N107.213m Berger Paints Turnover - N976.303m Profit after tax - N88.258m SCOA Nigeria Turnover - N835.0m Profit after tax - N18.200m Dangote Sugar Refinery Turnover - N38.251b Profit after tax - N3.49b Studio Press Nig. Turnover - N3.375b Profit after tax - N20.422m Julius Berger Nig. Turnover - N80.125b Profit after tax - N2.55b Intercontinental Wapic Ins Gross Premium - N1.41b Profit after tax - N250.450m Equity Assurance Gross Premium - N2.45b Profit after tax - N287.283m Standard Alliance Insurance Gross Premium - N2.142b Profit after tax - N475.964m Continental Reinsurance Gross Premium - N6.917b Profit after tax - N805m PRESCO Turnover - N2.60b Profit after tax - N800.9m RT Briscoe Turnover - N4.553b

•President, Odua Chamber of Commerce, Iyalode Alaba Lawson (right); representative of Director-General, Energy Commission of Nigeria, Joseph Dioha, and Seriki of Egba, Chief Olwatosin fadare, during the opening ceremony of the Chamber’s leadreship workshop on alternative sources of energy at City Hall in Lagos.

‘IKEDC gets only 300 megawatts’

HE Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company (IKEDC) operates on 300 megawatts (Mw) of electricity, as a result of recent drop in power generation in the country, its General Manager, Customer Services, Ms Olubukola Ojuronpe has said. Ojuronpe said the development is coming on the heels of the recent drop in power generation by 963 megawatts (Mws) from 3,463Mw to 2, 500Mw. She said the firm receives 300 megawatts, instead of 1,000 megawatts, adding that the development is affecting power distribution in the area. She said: ‘’Due to reduction in the electricity megawatts allocated to Ikeja Electricity

By Akinola Ajibade

Distribution Company, we have no choice than to embark on rationing of light. An average person cannot get light for more than six hours a day. If it comes to load shedding, we have to do it to.’’ She said the statement by the Minister of Power, Prof Chinedu Nebo that electricity generation has dropped drastically is good, capable of letting the public knows the ongoings in the power sector. She attributed bureaucratic bottlenecks affected distribution of supply during the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) era, stressing that the problem is not new. ‘’ Contractors were made to

supply metres before the privatisation of PHCN. Then we are under the government and we all know delays that accompany such responsibilities. Now that PHCN has been unbundled and given to privately run operators, it our duties( power firms) to seek how the process of supplying metres would be fast-tracked. One of the conditions given to the new power investors is that they must look for technical partners abroad to handle certain issues. For the distribution companies, the partners must ensure that critical infrastructure is made available to the companies for growth. ‘’ When we are under the government, we give consum-

ers what we got from the government. But that has since changed. We must ensure that we meet the needs of consumers by providing quality services to them as time goes on. According to her, efforts are being made to improve on services rendered to the public in the light of transition from a publicly-owned electricity company to a privately run firms. The power distribution companies, Ojuronpe said, are not happy that the country is in darkness since people need electricity for growth. She said the problem is beyond the power firms, enjoined consumers to exercise patient.

‘Chevron’s investments in Africa worth over $37b in 10 years’

HE Chairman/ Managing Director, ChevronNigeria Limited, Andrew Fawthrop, has said the firm’s investments in Africa in the last 10 years are worth over $37 billion. Fawthrop, who gave a keynote address on the operating environment and outlook for the future in Nigeria, at a forum in Abuja, drew the government’s attention to creating the right environment in the oil and gas industry through the policy framework to attract foreign direct investment to energy security for Nigerians. He explained that the step was important for the government to take without further waste of time because many parts of Africa are competing for these investments. He said the Chevron has grown relationship with Congo, Morocco, SierraLeone, Nigeria and Chad, among others, adding that as the population of the continent grows so is its energy requirement.

CBN bars mortgage banks from leasing - P 26

By Emeka Ugwuanyi Africa, he noted, produces about 10 per cent of world’s crude oil and about six per cent of its natural gas, but consumes only about three per cent of crude and three per cent of the natural gas. He also said the continent exports more than half of the fuel it produces and needs to change the equation to ensure enough energy for its people. Although a lot of exploration is going on in Africa, he agreed with the Director of Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), George Osahon, that there had not been exploration in Nigeria in the past two years, a problem which he attributed to the environment and policy. Fawthrop said: “Africa should show commitment to the security of the world by promoting the environment for security and providing necessary infrastructure to liberate the energy. If we look for where to find the resources, Africa is very well positioned. It is no doubt that Africa has had a lot of foreign

investments over the decade. Over the past 10 years, Chevron alone has invested over $37 billion. But the reality here is that our investment like those of many other foreign investors are not explored as it could be, given the resource potential.” He continued: “To achieve the right resource potential, the continent needs continued foreign direct investment, Diaspora and indigenous investment and government’s direct participation. To continue to attract these investments and government’s funding, Africa needs welcoming viable energy policy framework, policies that are practical and win-win for resource owners and resource developers.” “Nigeria faces competition for energy foreign direct investment from other parts of the continent - East Africa, South Africa and on a large scale the energy revolution, such as unconventional or shale oil and gas in Europe and North America. With the right policies, energy investment would continue to square

Economy still in the woods - P27

across the continent. The right policies include active reinvestment in its resources. It is important that Africa invests in its own economic and social development. Investing in Africa’s infrastructure, in other words, the development of infrastructure required to get Africa’s energy to Africans and Nigeria’s energy to Nigerians. Africa exports more than half of the fuel it produces and it has to change that equation to ensure enough energy for its own people. “That portends a lot of work, a lot of technology and a lot of money. An estimated $602 billion in investments will be required to provide access to electricity by 2030 in subSaharan Africa. Much of the percentage of the investment required is believed to go to gas and electricity and other forms of energy, which is essential for Africa to develop its energy security.” Chevron is the third-largest oil producer in Nigeria and one of the largest investors, spending more than $3 billion yearly.

ARMTI urges telcos on IT for farmers By Daniel Essiet

ELECOMS firms have been urged to launch agribusiness information system meant to provide real time information to farmers on their networks to increase yields and income from the sector2. Director, Department of General Administration, Agricultural and Rural Management Training Institute (ARMTI), Dr Ademola Adeyemo, said the sector needs such projects to provide farmers with access to agriculture-related information, advice and research. The service, he explained, should focus on essential crops, such as cassava such as maize, sorghum, rice and cashew, adding that farmers should be able to benefit from weather updates and marketing pricing information. According to him, farmers should receive daily text messages reporting localised weather information that deliver important, usable information to farmers and extension workers. He said farmers need information on precipitation, temperature, wind speed, humidity, and growing degree days. With access to daily, highly localised weather information, provided by the telecom firms in partnership with the meteorological service , farmers, he maintained would be able to make informed decisions and reduce their vulnerability in the face of weather variability. He stressed the importance of agriculture in the development of the country, explaining that mobile phones can bring tangible economic benefits by mobilising farmers through improved communication.

‘Equities at risks of declining reserves, tight liquidity’ - P38

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, APRIL 2, 2014

THE NATION

BUSINESS MONEY

e-mail: money@thenationonlineng.net

CBN bars mortgage banks from leasing T

HE Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has spelt out operating modalities for microfinance banks (MfBs), primary mortgage institutions (PMIs) and finance companies. In a statement, the CBN said PMBs shall maintain a minimum ratio of 50 per cent of mortgage assets to total assets, 75 per cent of which must be residential

Stories by Collins Nweze

mortgages. Also, a minimum of 60 per cent of PMBs’ loanable funds, defined as total deposits plus on-lending loans, shall be devoted to the creation of mortgage assets. According to the CBN, the PMBs are not to engage in leasing business or take proprietary position

in real estate development. “The maximum loan from a PMB to an individual shall not exceed 5.00 per cent of its shareholders’ funds unimpaired by losses and 20 per cent in the case of a corporate body. All PMBs shall be required to comply with the uniform underwriting standards for mortgages and commercial real estate financing,” it said.

For MfBs, the CBN said the sector’s loan portfolio would, at all times, comprise a minimum of 80 per cent micro-loans and a maximum of 20 per cent macro-loans. The maximum loan by an MfB to any individual borrower, director or related borrower is not exceed one per cent of the shareholders’ funds unimpaired by losses, while a maximum of five per cent is prescribed for group borrowers. Also, insider-related loans shall not exceed five per cent of the shareholders’ funds unimpaired by losses. For this purpose, loans under a staff scheme shall not be taken into account. State and local government’s equity participation in MfBs is allowed under the revised guidelines to facilitate financial inclusion. However, all such investments must be gradually divested to private-sector investors within a maximum of five years. In addition to the Head Office,

Unit MFBs are allowed to have not more than one branch within the Local Government Area approved for their operation. This is subject to the availability of free funds (shareholders’ funds unimpaired by losses, less fixed assets and long term investments) of at least N20 million and maintenance of the prescribed minimum prudential requirements. The minimum capital requirement for finance companies (FC) during the programme period shall be N100 million only. All existing FCs shall be required to comply with this requirement 18 months. The minimum amount that a finance firm can borrow from any one person or corporate organisation is N50,000. Conversely, the maximum loan by a finance company to any person or maximum investment in any venture shall be 20 per cent of its shareholders’ funds unimpaired by losses.

BoA embraces mobile payment

• From left: Registrar, Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) Dr. ‘Uju Ogubunka giving a document to Managing Director, Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) Alhaji Umaru Ibrahim during the presentation of the first set of NDIC-sponsored candidates for the Chartered Bankers/MBA Programme in Lagos. With them are Executive Director, NDIC Mrs Omolara Abiola-Edewor (sitting) and Assistant Director, CIBN Mr. Akin Morakinyo.

World Bank, IMF, AfDB move to improve Nigeria’s GDP

HE World Bank, International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the African Development Bank (AfDB) have begun data validation ahead of Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) rebasing in May at the World Economic Forum. Head of Research, Standard Chartered, Razia Khan, said the rebased data would take Nigeria’s economy from $270 billion to about $400 billion, adding that GDP statistics have not been rebased since 1990. Khan said the low weights given to rapidly growing sectors, such as telecoms and financial services in current GDP measures, most likely meant that activity in the sectors was understated. She said key positive expectations from the rebasing implies that GDP would be revised substantially higher; the oil sector’s share of GDP is likely to rise from the estimated 14 to15 per cent while Debt-to-GDP ratios, which are already benign, are likely to fall further as a result of the rebasing. Khan also said the average percapita income is likely to be revised higher which she sees as likely to be positive. According to her, some rating negatives are also likely to emerge. For instance, survey data suggests that as many as 64 per cent of Nigerians live on a dollar per day. The difference between average and median per-capita income is likely to widen, revealing greater in-

equality. Also, non-oil revenue as a percentage of GDP is likely to fall from an already-low seven per cent to below five per cent, showing how much work remains to be done on revenue mobilisation. Khan explained that even with much larger measured GDP, Nigeria will remain dependent on oil, its key commodity export. “The level of oil savings measured against GDP is likely to appear even more inadequate, and Nigeria’s current account surplus will be smaller as a percentage of GDP. Important vulnerabilities will remain. Passage of the 2014 budget is still awaited The IMF expects continued robust performance in Nigeria’s non-oil sector, with overall GDP growth of 7.3 per cent in 2014. “Our expectations are more subdued. The non-passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill and uncertainty over future fiscal terms mean that conditions will remain difficult for the oil sector. Delays in the passage of the 2014 budget are an additional source of uncertainty,” she said. Khan explained that under Nigerian law, at least 50 per cent of the recurrent budget expenditure allocated in the previous fiscal year can be used for spending in the new year without requiring a new budget to be passed. Also, should last year’s spending levels be maintained, this should be enough to see the country through the first six months of this year.

Alternatively, if recurrent spending is set at half of 2013 levels, this could theoretically see the country through a whole year. “With elections approaching in February 2015, few stand to benefit from a postponement of capital expenditure plans. Officially, the 2014 budget aims to reduce the budget deficit to 1.9 per cent of GDP (from 2.17 per cent in 2013). Our higher estimates reflect our doubts over whether the oil output levels assumed in the budget, of 2.39million barrels per day, can be sustained. Augmentation of revenue, using windfall oil savings from the Excess Crude Account (ECA), is likely to be required. Ahead of an election, there is always a risk of further fiscal deterioration if spending plans are increased,” she said. Khan said revenue shocks arising from constrained oil output will cause the mix of recurrent to capital expenditure to fall short of plans in the medium-term expenditure framework (MTEF) which aims to create more room for investment spending. However, this is seen as a temporary departure from MTEF plans, as it is typically easier to cut capital than recurrent expenditure when revenue is pressured. She said efforts to mobilise non-oil revenue in more meaningful quantities in the coming years will be key to Nigeria’s credit strength, and the economy’s ability to reduce its oil dependence.

HE Bank of Agriculture (BoA) has begun the computerisation of its operations to include e-payment facilities, card payments and mobile devicesbased transactions using mobile payments. Its Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Dr. Mohammed Santuraki noted that the deployment of Information Technology (IT) infrastructure and the core banking solution software will reduce transaction turnaround time and enable the lender reach more people faster with its services. He said the exercise would enable its clients access cuttingedge real- time banking services across the various platforms it offers across its networks. The computerisation programme is part of the strategic vision of the management to reinvent and position it as the foremost self-sustaining Develop-

ment Finance Institution (DFI) in Africa. Santuraki said BoA remains the first Nigerian Development Finance Institution (DFI) with a retail orientation to computerise its operations. “As a DFI, BoA constantly innovates in order to meet the expectations of our clients, the bulk of whom, are constantly embracing new technology. We therefore decided to up our own game through the full computerisation of our operations and the introduction of mobile payment platforms. “The driving force for all of these is to remain the bank of first choice for our clients across the country by deploying the latest technology that makes banking experience easy, safe and accessible,” Santuraki said. According to him, this will also promote the development objectives of the bank and improve its capacity to track the growth of its clients.

UBA subsidiaries emerge ‘World’s Best’

HREE subsidiaries of the United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc are the World’s Best Emerging Market Banks in Burkina Faso, Cameroon and Senegal. In a statement, the bank said UBA Burkina Faso, UBA Cameroun and UBA Senegal were considered the best in their various countries of operations by Global Finance magazine in an exclusive survey on the ‘World’s Best Emerging Markets Banks in Africa 2014’ in the region and in 31 countries. It was done by the magazine’s editors with input from industry analysts, corporate executives and banking consultants. Publisher and Editorial Director of Global Finance Joseph D. Giarraputo, said: “Faced with slowing growth and volatile markets, these banks are star performers under increasingly challenging conditions. “The banks that Global Finance is honoring may not be the largest or oldest, but they are the best at targeting their products and offerings to the specific markets they serve.” Criteria for choosing the winners included growth in assets, profitability, strategic relationships, customer service, competi-

tive pricing, and innovative products. In addition, for the first time, a poll of Global Finance’s corporate readership was conducted in order to increase the accuracy and reliability of the results. The Global Finance World’s Best Banks 2014 Awards Ceremony will be held during the IMF/ World Bank Annual Meetings, on the morning of Saturday, October 11, this year, at The Washington National Press Club. Chief Executive Officer, UBA West Africa, Mr. Oliver Alawuba, said the awards in three different countries in Africa testify to the fact that it made the right decision to venture into Africa in the first place. He said: ”In this era of slow economic growth, high markets volatility and rapid changes in the regulatory environments across Africa, banks are facing increasingly challenging operational environments, yet UBA country subsidiaries are able to target their products and services offerings to specific markets that drive the economies of their countries of location. That is why many of the UBA country subsidiaries are doing well and would continue to do well in years to come.”

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, APRIL 2, 2014

MONEY The economy is not faring well. It is bogged down by huge outflows in foreign direct investments. Portfolio investments face similar crisis, as the steady decline in foreign exchange reserves, investments in equities and bond markets show. This is giving the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and other stakeholders the goose pimples, reports COLLINS NWEZE.

HE drop in Foreign Direct Investments (FDI) and portfolio investments is giving the government and the private sector a sleepless night. The impact of investment reversals is felt in foreign exchange reserves, investment in the equities market and bonds. FDI is a direct investment into production or business in a country by an individual or company from another country. This is done either by buying a company in the target country or by expanding operations of an existing business. FDI is in contrast to portfolio investment which is a passive investment in the securities of another country, such as stocks and bonds. According to the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), there has been a negative spike in foreign portfolio transactions this year, with more funds moving out than coming in. The NSE’s maiden foreign investment report said total foreign outflow was N50.14 billion in January as against inflow of N39.53 billion during the period, bringing total foreign transactions to N89.67 billion. In January, last year, foreign inflow was higher at N40.96 billion against outflow of N20.50 billion. Also, data from the CBN showed that gross external reserves as at December 31, 2013 stood at $42.85 billion, representing a decrease of $ 0.98 billion or 2.23 per cent compared with $43.83 billion at end- December 2012. The reserves have further dipped to $38.79 billion as at March 12 after dropping by $3 billion in one month. The reserves were at $42.77 billion on February 3, and dropped to $39.72 billion on March 3. It has further dropped to $37.8 billion in March 28. Analysts said the reserves declined as imports of fuel and foods soared.

CBN explains drop in reserves

The decrease in the reserves level was driven largely by the increased funding of the foreign exchange market in the face of intense pressure on the naira and the need to maintain stability. CBN said the pressure on external reserves was deemed to be consistent with the seasonal annual payment of dividends to foreign investors. Oil prices remained relatively high while production was improving, and there were signs of accretion to external reserves. The CBN also expressed concern over the sudden surge in domiciliary account balances which may offset the gains from imposing 75 per cent cash reserve ratio (CRR) on public sector funds. It expressed concern over the continued depletion of the Excess Crude Account (ECA) which balance stood at less than $2.5 billion on January 17, this year compared with about $11.5 billion in December 2012. According to the CBN, the absence of fiscal buffers increased its reliance on portfolio flows thus, constituting the principal risk to exchange rate stability, especially with uncertainties around capital flows and oil price. On the depletion of fiscal buffers, it decried the continuous fall in revenue from oil despite stable price of oil and production last year. It said accretion to external reserves remained low while much of the previous savings have been depleted, thereby undermining the ability to sustain exchange rate stability. The apex bank, therefore, urged the fiscal authorities to block revenue leakages and rebuild fiscal savings needed to sustain confidence and preserve the value of the naira. It said the reduction of the United States (US) stimulus, especially, could in addition, trigger capital flow reversals and put greater pressure on the naira exchange rate. It also expressed concern about the widening gap between the official and the Bureau De Change exchange rates, noting that this could precipitate speculation and roundtripping. The CBN also noted that the decrease in the reserves level resulted largely from a slowdown in portfolio and FDI flows in the fourth quarter of last year resulting in an increased funding of the foreign exchange market by the CBN to stabilise the naira. The regulator expressed concern over the continued depletion of the ECA which bal-

Economy still in the woods

• Finance Minister Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala

•Acting CBN Governor, Sarah Alade

• Dike

ance stood at less than $2.5 billion during the last Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting on January 17, compared with about $11.5 billion in December 2012. “This absence of fiscal buffers increased our reliance on portfolio flows thus, constituting the principal risk to exchange rate stability, especially with uncertainties around capital flows and oil price,” the CBN said.

heavily managed currency regime, an unsustainable downward trend in foreign reserves is generally the prelude to devaluation, as a qualitative drop in confidence and positioning against the local unit eventually force the central bank to adjust the exchange rate anchor. But Eurasia Group’s Africa Director, Philippe de Pontet, said despite the upheaval at the CBN, Nigeria’s economic fundamentals remain strong compared to other frontier markets given a relatively low debt-toGDP ratio and budget deficit. The economy is forecast to grow around seven per cent this year.

seems good on the surface but definitely not the major solution or panacea to the problem of insufficiency of revenue or eradication of corruption which has eaten deep into the fabric of the system,” he said. The CITN boss said the success of a unified tax system depends largely on the government’s use of tax professionals who are its members to handle their tax matters in order to eliminate quacks in the tax system. “The regulation of the tax practice and administration in any country is necessary to discourage sharp practices. This apart, the low level of tax education among the populace has made voluntary compliance quite difficult, hence, the need to consult members of a regulatory body like the CITN for professional tax advice and guidance,” he said. Despite these challenges, the World Bank calculates that Africa received $48.2 billion capital inflows in 2011, an increase of $8 billion, and notes that the continent remains an investment destination.

Other stakeholders’ view

Emerging markets strategist at Standard Bank Group Ltd, Samir Gadio, said there is a difference between current depletion in reserves and the sharp slide in late 2008 when oil price collapsed and foreign investors pulled out. He said the difference in the current reserves erosion is that the oil price has remained robust in recent years and that capital outflows have been somewhat less extreme. “Nevertheless, drastic steps will be required to stop or slow the erosion of foreign reserves and restore confidence in the Nigerian market. In our view, a sharp tightening of monetary and liquidity conditions is urgently required if the CBN still wants to protect current dollar/naira levels,” he said. He said the naira to dollar rate at the interbank exchange rate appears to have found a new level in the N164 to N165 threshold, but would have probably trended higher without direct CBN dollar sales to the banks. The CBN, he said, has intervened more proactively, and at an earlier stage even on an intra-day basis, especially as it sought to reassure the market after the change of leadership at the apex bank. The CBN has also continued to provide dollar via its Retail Dutch Auction System (RDAS) window and resumed forex exchange forward sales to reduce the immediate pressure on the currency. The key question is obviously how long the CBN can afford to defend the recent level of the exchange rate amid a deteriorating foreign reserves reserve position. With a

Multiple taxation

President, Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (CITN) Mark Dike said multiple taxation is a disincentive to FDI and therefore hinders economic development. He said multiple taxation is hindering economic development and social emancipation. “There is no doubting the fact that taxation is inevitable because it provides the resources for government to provide infrastructure for its citizens, but when taxes are severally replicated on the income of an individual, then there is a big cause for concern. For instance, some state and local governments request people to pay for registration of business premises and licence of business premises,” he said. Dike explained that the above example is one of the same as the only difference is the change of name. He regretted that governments, unfortunately, seemed not to have the wherewithal to enforce discipline and sanctity in the tax system as it is obvious that all levels of governments today are bent on collecting any taxes, anyhow. He said clients and policy makers have continued to look up to us in their constant search for solutions to these various taxation and fiscal policy problems. “For instance, there had been several agitations from some quarters for an upward review of property tax. This call, though,

‘Multiple taxation is a disincentive to FDI and therefore hinders economic development. When taxes are severally replicated on the income of an individual, then there is a big cause for concern. For instance, some state and local governments request people to pay for registration of business premises and licence of business premises’

Solutions to the problem

To check this trend, the CBN is looking at possibilities on taxing FDIs and other capital transfers to check capital reversals by short-term investors. CBN Deputy Governor, Operations, Dr. Kingsley Moghalu, said the apex bank and other emerging markets were worried over ‘Faustian bargain’ with short-term portfolio investors and, therefore, looking at explicit measures to stem capital outflows in wake of Federal Reserve’s quantitative easing programme. Capital transfers involve the acquisition or disposal of an asset, or assets, by at least one of the parties to the transaction and are made in cash or in kind. Moghalu’s position was obtained from a report by ‘Central Banking-Daily briefing’, a journal on Central Banks Policy, Regulation, Markets and Institutions. The Deputy Governor told The Nation in an emailed response to enquiries that he was “looking at possible options for emerging market economies, not necessarily what Nigeria will do” to check capital reversals. Moghalu last year said Africa needs the right skills, education to attract needed FDI. He said the continent needs to direct FDI according to their priority, not according to that of foreign investors. He said African countries will not jump into prosperity until they have developed strong manufacturing base driven with developed information technology. He said it is only through industrilisation that the over 20 per cent unemployed rate in Africa will reduce.

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, APRIL 2, 2014

THE NATION INVESTORS

SEPLAT sets minimum orders of N60m, N18m S for $500m IPO EPLAT Petroleum Development Company Plc, an indigenous independent oil and gas company, has set a minimum order of between N18 million and N60 million for high networth individual and institutional investors as the upstream oil firm commenced the institutional book building for its global initial public offering (IPO) of $500 million. SEPLAT plans to make the maiden public sale of its ordinary shares and subsequently list its shares on the London Stock Exchange (LSE) and Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE). The minimum order for individual investors is set at 25,000 shares, implying minimum investment of N13.375 million and N17.500 million at the indicative price range of N535 and N700 respectively. Also, the minimum order for institutional investors is set at 85,000 shares, which implies minimum application size of N45.475 million and N59.50 million at the bottom and ceiling prices. A document on the IPO obtained by The Nation indicated that the institutional book-building has commenced with the publication of the pathfinder prospectus. BNP Paribas and Standard Bank are the joint global coordinators for the IPO and book-runners. Standard Bank is also acting as the stabilising manager. Also, Renaissance Securities (Cyprus) Limited, Citigroup Global Markets Limited and RBC Capital Markets are acting as joint bookrunners. On the home front, Renaissance Securities (Nigeria) Limited and Stanbic IBTC Capital

•Eyes N330b capitalisation, N700 share price By Taofik Salako

Capital Market Editor

Limited have been appointed as Nigerian joint issuing houses. According to the report, the indicative price range for the global offer has been set at 195 pence to 255 pence per ordinary share for shares to be traded on the LSE's main market and N535 to N700 per ordinary share for shares to be listed on the NSE. The commitment form for the IPO indicated that the offer is targeted at high networth investors (HNIs) and qualified institutional investors (QIIs), with the least possible investment set at about N14 million. The initial offer size is expected to raise gross proceeds of approximately $500 million, equivalent to £300.9 million and N82.5 billion. With this, and based on the midpoint of the price range, SEPLAT's implied market capitalisation upon listing would be about £1,200.9 million, equivalent to $ 1,995.5 million and N329.5 billion. The indicative price range of between N535 and N700 will make SEPLAT the second highest-priced stock at the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), after Nestle Nigeria. The listing market capitalisation of N329.5 billion will make the company the seventh most capitalised stock on the NSE.

SEPLAT has, however, indicated it intends to absorb over-subscription. According to the report, the over-allotment option in the global IPO shall represent 15 per cent of the final amount allocated to the international offering in the base offer. The over-allotment option shall be exercisable for a period of 30 calendar days from the announcement date of the final pricing of the global offer, expected on or about April 9, 2014. Thus, the global offer will comprise a base offering and an overallotment option, consisting of new shares to be issued by the company. The report noted that the global offer will be effected variously by means of offering of ordinary shares to qualified investors in certain institutional investors in the United Kingdom and elsewhere outside the United States. Shares would also be offered to qualified international brokers in the United States. In Nigeria, shares will also be offered to ordinary shares to qualified institutional investors and high networth investors as defined in Rule 321 of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Rules. The company indicated that it intends to use $48 million from the net proceeds of the IPO to repay in full all outstanding amounts under its shareholder loan from MPI S.A. (MPI) while the balance would be

used to acquire and develop new acquisitions or pay down any additional debt raised in connection therewith, of both onshore and shallow offshore acreages, assets or joint venture (JV) farm-ins. According to the company, the main source of acquisitions is expected to come from divestitures by various international oil firms. Upon listing, SEPLAT will thus be the first Nigerian company to have its ordinary shares listed on both the LSE and the NSE. The report indicated that announcement of the final pricing of the global offer and the commencement of conditional dealings in the ordinary shares on the LSE are expected to occur on or around Wednesday April 9, 2014 under the ticker symbol "SEPL" Also, admission of the ordinary shares to the official trading list of the NSE, under the ticker symbol "SEPLAT", to the official list of the FCA and to trading on the main market for listed securities of the LSE and the commencement of unconditional dealings are expected to take place on or around Monday April 14, 2014. Earlier, Chairman, SEPLAT Petroleum Development Company Plc, Dr. ABC Orjiako, had said the global offer will allow the company to further implement its business strategy, which includes acquiring new assets. "We are confident that SEPLAT will continue to succeed and flourish as a leading Nigerian oil and gas operating company with a proven track record for delivering value to its investors, while fostering indig-

enous participation in the Nigerian oil and gas industry. We are committed to maintaining our track record and achieving our growth aspirations through sound corporate governance and best practice," Orjiako said. SEPLAT was founded in 2009 by Shebah Petroleum Development Company Limited and Platform Petroleum (Joint Ventures) Limited for investing in oil and gas opportunities. Maurel& Prom, a French independent oil company, subsequently acquired a 45 per cent equity in SEPLAT; this interest was later spun-off to form Maurel & Prom Nigeria S.A, which is known as Maurel & Prom International. In July 2010, SEPLAT acquired a 45 per cent participating interest in, and was appointed operator of a portfolio of three onshore producing oil mining leases-OMLs 4, 38 and 41, which are located in the Niger Delta. In June, last year, the firm entered into an agreement for the acquisition of a 40 per cent participating interest in the Umuseti/ Igbuku marginal field area located within OPL 283 in the Niger Delta. SEPLAT is regarded as one of the leading indigenous oil and gas operators in Nigeria with average gross operated oil production of 51,400 barrels per day (bpd) as at December 31, 2013, a substantial mileage from 13,900 bpd in August 2010. The company's average gross gas production last year was 99 million standard cubic feet per day (MMscfd). SEPLAT is targeting gross operated oil production from its assets of 85 Mbpd by the end of 2016.

•From left: Representative of Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), Wayne Bertlett; President, Association of National Accountants of Nigeria (ANAN), Sakirudeen Labode; Ist Vice President, Anthony Nzom and Representative of Institute of Certified Public Accountants in Ireland, David Fitzgerald at a Workshop on International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) in Lagos.

ORTE Oil Plc has said it will continue to distribute the larger part of its net earnings to shareholders as the company assures shareholders that it would surpass its previous figures in the current business year. Chairman, Forte Oil Plc, Mr. Femi Otedola, who spoke to shareholders on the outlook of the company, said the board and management would continue to pursue initiatives that will enhance margins and ensure increase in shareholder value annually. He said the company’s short-medium term focus of expansion into upstream and oil and gas sectors through participation in government bids rounds and acquisition of marginal fields from the international oil companies remain on track. “We shall continue to pursue initiatives that spur business growth and efficiency, liquidity management and aggressive diversification into related high margin business that would continue to increase shareholder value and distributions on an annual basis,” Otedola said. He pointed out that the company

Forte Oil raises expectations on future dividends •NSE hails compliance record

has strong future growth potential noting that the earnings from its power subsidiary, which contributed 10 per cent of group’s earnings within two months of operations, is a clear indication of what to expect in the years ahead. Group Chief Executive Officer, Forte Oil, Mr. Akin Akinfemiwa, said the decision of the company to pay more than 85 per cent of its net earnings for the 2013 business year as dividends to shareholders was to compensate shareholders, who had waited patiently for the past five years without dividends. “Dividend decisions going forward, like we did this year, will be driven by our earnings, liquidity and growth needs,” Akinfemiwa said. According to him, the group will continue to review its processes and use technology as a driver for talent, business efficiency, cost reduction and improvement in profitability.

“We remain very confident of not only a sustainable but an improved business performance in 2014,” Akinfemiwa said. Forte Oil set the ball rolling for this earnings season at the weekend with the announcement of gross dividend of N4.32 billion for the immediate past year ended December 31, 2013. Forte Oil’s dividend recommendation and audited report is the first to be announced by quoted companies, which operate the Gregorian calendar as their normal business year. Breakdown of the dividend recommendation indicated that shareholders would receive a dividend per share of N4, a dividend yield of 4.4 per cent on Forte Oil’s market consideration of N90.20 by the close of market yesterday. Key extracts of the audited report and accounts for the year ended December 31, 2013 showed that turnover rose from N90.98 billion

in 2012 to N128.03 billion in 2013. Profit before tax increased to N6.52 billion compared with N1.15 billion recorded in 2012. Profit after tax also leapt from N1.01 billion in 2012 to N5.0 billion in 2013. With these, earnings per share jumped to N4.32 in 2013 as against 93 kobo in 2012. Meanwhile, the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) has commended Forte Oil Plc for its timely compliance with listing requirements, especially the release of its interim and audited results. In an investors’ notice, NSE stated that Forte Oil has continued to exceed NSE’s operating requirements through its corporate actions. According to NSE, with the release of Forte Oil’s 2013 audited report in January 2014, the company has become the first listed corporate entity since the establishment of the NSE, to announce its full year audited financial reports within 31 days of the end of its fiscal year in January. “Listed companies are expected to

announce their audited financial statement within ninety days after the close of the fiscal year. Forte Oil has also added to that feat by being the first public company to host its annual general meeting (AGM) with its shareholders within the first quarter of 2014,” NSE said. Forte Oil was scheduled to host its AGM last Friday. Akinfemiwa said the timely compliance is a testament to the company’s unflinching commitment to financial and business disclosures. He added that the company is committed to creating value to the ultimate benefit of its shareholders and the entire investment community in general. Forte Oil operates over 500 retail outlets in Nigeria and Ghana. It diversified into power generation with the recent acquisition of the 414MW Geregu Power Plant. The company also supplies well production chemicals and drilling/ completion fluids to the Nigeria upstream sector.

Newspaper of the Year

AN EIGHT-PAGE PULLOUT ON THE SOUTHWEST STATES

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 2, 2014

PAGE 29

•From left: Former Governor Ekiti State, Adeniyi Adebayo; Deputy Governor Kwara State Elder Peter Kishira; Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun; Sokoto State Governor Aliyu Wamakko; Erelu Bisi Fayemi; Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi; Zamfara State Governor Abdulazeez Yari and Senator Ali Modu Sheriff.

Mega rally as Fayemi begins quest for second term Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi has begun his bid for a second term in office with a mega rally in Ado-Ekiti. SULAIMAN SALAWUDEEN reports that eight governors from the All Progressives Congress (APC) were among the large crowd that attended the event.

INSIDE

HE Oluyemi Kayode Stadium in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, had throbbed and quaked in the presence of thousands of supporters and admirers of Dr. Kayode Fayemi, as he flagged off his campaigns for re-election as the Ekiti State governor last week. The event was attended by eight All Progressives Governors (APC) state governors in-

New Osun has emerged, says Bureau •PAGE 32

cluding Alhaji Isiaka Abiola Ajimobi (Oyo), Senator Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun), Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (Osun), Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed (Kwara), represented by his deputy, Elder Peter Kishira, Alhaji Yori Abubakar (Zamfara), Owelle Rochas Okorocha (Imo), Alhaji Aliyu Wamakko (Sokoto) and Alhaji Murtala Nyako (Adamawa). Others in attendance were the former Ekiti State governor and

APC Southwest National Vice Chairman, Otunba Niyi Adebayo; former Governor of Borno State, Ali Modu Sherif; Senators Babafemi Ojudu (Ekiti Central); Olubunmi Adetunmbi (Ekiti North); Tony Adeniyi (Ekiti South) and five House of Representatives members from the state including Hon. Robinson Ajiboye; Hon. Bimbo Daramola; Hon. Oyetunde Ojo; Hon. Ifeoluwa Arowosoge and Hon.

The transformation of Ekiti varsity •PAGE 34

Bamidele Faparusi. The lawmakers were joined by their colleagues from Ondo State including Senator Ajayi Borofice and many others. Many other political functionaries equally made it a date at an event which officially signified the commencement of campaigns by the APC Governorship candidate in the June 21 election. Also in attendance were the traders associations among

which the market women and artisans featured prominently, student groups, and many more. The official outfit of Ankara on which the picture of the Dr. Fayemi as his party’s candidate was boldly printed, was worn by a minimum of 80 per cent of those who attended the event, including his colleagues from eight other states.

‘Complete our bridge’ •PAGE 36

•Continued from Page 30

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, APRIL 2, 2014

SOUTHWEST REPORT •Continued from Page 29

Also on the campaign ground were a whole horde of notable figures from the nation’s entertainment industry, including high flying actors, actresses, musicians, alongside a motley line up of comedians. Fuji maestro, Adewale Ayuba and traditional music exponent, Elemure Ogunyemi dished tunes in timed turns as the event progressed. Some others, however, appeared in vests, donned fez caps and other wears, all branded boldly with the name Kayode Fayemi for Second Term and the logo of the All Progressives Congress (APC), as every other item within the stadium including the various objects ballooned high up in the sky and visible even to those located elsewhere outside the stadium, urging people to ‘Vote Dr. Kayode Fayemi for Second Term’. As early as 9am, the stadium, now endowed with various colours reflective of the ordained duty it must undertake in the course of the day, had started receiving visitors as the gates were thrown open for party members and admirers who came in all manner of vehicles. It was gathered that representatives of the APC came from all the 16 council areas of the state and elsewhere. Entry into the stadium was initially not restricted, but the story changed later when it was apparent the spaces within the sprawling enclosure had been filled up. By the time the event officially kicked-off around noon, it was not sure again how many music bands were on hand, but it could be ascertained that they were more than one. Tunes upon tunes and beats upon beats spiced the event all through with each new magnificent entry and every new voice at the massive speakers got heralded by musical sounds in rather quick turns. It would be difficult to ascertain by how much the maximum number of 15,000 official capacity strength of the stadium was overshot. But, modesty assisted by objective imagination would suggest that rough estimates be fixed at double the official capacity fixture, given the fact that every available space within the stadium was filled, while hundreds of admirers and party faithful had no option than to stay outside, watching the event being beamed life on massive TV screens strategically positioned at several places outside the stadium as within it. Elsewhere around the stadium stood massive portraits and several posters of Governor Fayemi, commending his achievements and urging the electorate to reelect him for the sustenance of the developmental strides which his administration had instituted in the state in three and a half years. Vehicular and pedestrian operations across the capital were also not free as major streets, especially those which bother the stadium, were guarded by fierce looking and heavily armed security personnel. Within the stadium and around were a complete line up of security and para-military personnel, including men of The Nigeria Police (NP), Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Federal Roads Safety Corps (FRSC), the State Security Service

(SSS) and others, who were engaged all through in controlling the ever surging crowd. Urging the electorate to see the coming election as an opportunity to assist the state with a credible leadership which had proven sincere commitment to its development, Fayemi maintained that “no one can deny the achievements I have made in the three and a half years of this administration”. According to him, the coming election was not about him, but about “consolidating his achievements and ensuring that the state does not go back to the dark days of one week, one trouble, violence and looting of public funds”. He equally warned the electorate not to be deceived by the wrong propaganda of the opposition politicians that he would ban commercial motorcycle riders and sack teachers if re-elected. Said he: “They know we are the state of teachers. They are trying to poison the minds of teachers. Fayemi will not sack teachers. Fayemi will keep employing more and more teachers. Fayemi will remunerate teachers. We are the only state that pays 20 percent rural teachers allowance in Nigeria. “We are also the only state that pays 20 percent core subjects allowance in Nigeria. If you are a core subject teacher including English, Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry, you are also receiving 20 per cent of your monthly basic salary on top of your normal salary. There is nothing that is independently verifiable that they can use against us with teachers and the teachers know better”. Debunking the claims of opposition parties that he would demolish markets if re-elected, the APC candidate said administration had in the past months been busy constructing ultra-modern markets across the communities in the state. Fayemi spoke further: “There are people who will come and promise heaven and earth. There are people who will tell you what they want to do. The advantage that I have as your son, as your brother, as your leader, is that I can tell you what I have done on education. I can tell you how I have made the lives of our elderly people better in Ekiti and how I have banished poverty in the lives of our elderly. “I can tell you what I have done in the area of infrastructure. I can tell you what I have done in the health sector. I can tell you what our women have benefitted by having a gender-sensitive leader. I can tell you what is happening in tourism in Ikogosi. I can tell you what we have done in reviving industries. I can tell you how we have made lives better by creating jobs and empowering our people. Even Governors extol Fayemi’s virtues Other Governors, including Wamakko, Nyako, Abubakar, Rochas, Ajimobi, Amosun, Aregbesola, spoke in turns, extolling the virtues of Governor Kayode Fayemi and urging the electorate to see in him an advantage to sustain the development process he instituted in the state three and a half years ago. Rochas Okorocha urged the

Mega rally as Fayemi

•Tambuwal (second left) assisting Jakande (second r

electorate to see the governor as a man ordained by God himself to institute change in Ekiti, adding that “If Fayemi contests as governor in other states in Nigeria, he would win”. According to him, PDP means People Destroying People in English and in native slang it is ‘Papa Destroying Pikin’. Okorocha warned the electorate to be wary of a party whose 15years reign has brought nothing to the country in terms of development, saying “If you want to measure their performance, remember what they did to our youths in Abuja stadium and other stadia across the country. Nigeria, under PDP, has become a country of no roads, no electricity, no jobs for the unemployed,

no this, no that”. He said: “That is why we are bringing change with APC. Let me assure you that Fayemi’s victory in the next election has been signed sealed and delivered. Fayemi has the entire people of the state behind him. We should all support Fayemi with everything that we have. He also asked ‘How many people here will give Fayemi N100 for this election?’ “If Fayemi contests as governor in another state, he will win. This is a young, handsome and ever articulate man. I tell the Ibos in this state to queue behind me as the Owelle Indigbo, Commander of the Masses. I am directing you as your leader to queue behind me. Speaking briefly in Hausa

‘

I can tell you what I have done in the area of infrastructure. I can tell you what I have done in the health sector. I can tell you what our women have benefitted by having a gender-sensitive leader. I can tell you what is happening in tourism in Ikogosi. I can tell you what we have done in reviving industries. I can tell you how we have made lives better by creating jobs and empowering our people

‘

language, he said, all Hausa community should also queue behind our other governors here. This is where we are going and should go. Thank you”. Ibikunke Amosun said, Dr. Fayemi had worked for the people of Ekiti State and that all the things his predecessors in office said were not possible had been done for the people of Ekiti to see and feel. He said unlike before, Ekiti State now have good roads, social security for the elderly citizens and many other life-enhancing programmes. “Ekiti people should not allow deceivers to plunge them back to the dark days. Everyone agrees that Fayemi has performed. The other parties don’t have anything. All they want to do is to rig. We should all be ready to say one man, one vote,” Amosun said. Speaking in Yoruba anecdotes laced with admirable rhetorical questions, Ajimobi maintained that Ekiti is a land of intellectuals, who should not be allowed to be governed by those who lack that quality. Also speaking, the chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State, Chief Jide Awe, assured the electorate of the readiness of the party to ensure a peaceful election, saying APC does not need any external forces to win the June 21 election as it has Ekiti people on its side. Said he: “Despite the threats and portents of coercion against the re-election of Dr. Fayemi, the people of Ekiti have already made up their minds to re-elect him (Fayemi). June 21 will bring

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, APRIL 2, 2014

SOUTHWEST REPORT

•Continued on Page 36

begins quest for second term

ting Jakande (second right) to present trophy to winner of the football competition

to them (the opposition parties), the evidence of their losses. What campaign issues will Fayemi promote for his re-election According to the Director-General of his Campaign

Organisation, Hon. Bimbo Daramola, the issues which Fayemi will bring up would centre round the familiar 8-Point Agenda which has been responsible for his (Fayemi’s) achievements so far. Daramola noted that there was no way any campaign would

happen and the accomplishments of the state government around good governance, health, agriculture, education and human capital development, tourism and others would not be mentioned. Said he: “When we say issues will form the fulcrum of our cam-

paigns, we mean accomplishments of Fayemi regarding road construction and rehabilitation, the Social Security Scheme, the massive employment and empowerment of several sections of the populace, the renovation of the Ikogosi Warm Springs and the wholesale renovation of en-

tire 20 state general hospitals and 183 secondary schools in Ekiti. “Fayemi has an opportunity to continue all these great works and we are seeking the approval of the populace for that opportunity. That approval will surely come on June 21,” Daramola said.

•Governor Abiola Ajimobi (holding mic), addressing members of Itesiwaju Group, from Akinyele Local Government Area, who paid him a solidarity visit at the Governor’s office, Ibadan. PHOTO: OYO GOVERNMENT HOUSE

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, APRIL 2, 2014

SOUTHWEST REPORT Ehingbeti 2014: Lagos lists priority areas for agriculture

AGOS State government has identified some key agriculture value chains it hopes to leverage to achieve food sufficiency for the residents of the state as power again occupies the front burner at the seventh edition of the biennial Lagos Economic Summit, popularly called Ehingbeti. Speaking on how the state government intends to harness power for the development of the agriculture sector, the Commissioner for Agriculture and Cooperatives, Prince Gbolahan Lawal, said the agriculture value chains being focused are poultry, rice production, cassava cultivation, aquaculture, vegetable, postharvest as well as abattoir and lairage. Speaking on the theme of this year summit: “Powering the Lagos Economy: Real Opportunities, Endless Possibilities” which takes place at the Eko Hotel and Suites from April 8 to10, the commissioner said like every other sector of the economy, inadequacy of electric power has impacted negatively on the agriculture value chains; a development he noted was a threat to food sufficiency in the country as well as the African continent as a whole. The commissioner said for instance, absence of or inadequate power supply has been a major setback for farmers who engage in hatchery production, poultry processing, layer birds and broiler production as a result of high mortality of birds, increase in the cost of production and feed as well as post processing loss. He stated, however, that by attracting investors into the power sector of the state economy, the government was poised to reverse the ugly trend. ‘‘Electricity is very crucial in the hatchery sub sector of the poultry industry in Lagos State. It will reduce the cost of production of dayold chicks by about 50% which will invariably reduce the cost of producing broilers, cockerel as a result of economies of scale due to expansion of operations. The attendant market prices of these products will also reduce substantially’’, he declared. Lawal said that with improved power, there would be significant increase in capacity utilization and output, revealing that the state poultry facilities alone were expected to increase by 30% in the first year and over 75% in the third year aside the multiplier effect on farmers in the private sector. According to him, operations like feather plucking, digital scale weighing, chilling and cooling were 100% dependent on electricity but inadequate power has made most processing facilities in the state to be operating at less than 15% capacity due to high cost of diesel. On rice cultivation which requires irrigation, he informed that the high cost of powering irrigation facilities with generating sets has adversely affected the cost of production and milling thereby resulting in high cost of locally-produced rice in the market. He said the availability of power would not only enhance rice production twice in the year, it would also result in almost 100% yield and a further increase in production from the present two to three metric tonnes per hectare to between four and five metric tonnes per hectare in the first year of intervention. In the same vein, the commissioner added that electricity was a key factor for rice parboiling, drying, destoning, milling, processing and packaging, hence adequate power was capable of guaranteeing all-year availability of quality locally-produced rice. ‘‘It will trigger the cultivation of rice from the present figure of about 1000 Ha to over 3000 Ha in the next few years of intervention. More jobs will be also created’’, he stressed.

New Osun has emerged, says Bureau

COMBINATION of modern educational facilities, new network of roads, better structured environment and empowered citizenry have led to the emergence of a new Osun under the administration of Governor Rauf Aregbesola. This was the conclusion of the Bureau of Communications and Strategy, Office of the Governor in a statement. The Bureau said the peoplehave seen remarkable difference in the rot inherited by the current administration on November 27, 2010 and what the state has become in terms of social amenities, motivation of the people and above all, restoration of peace. This was just as Architects in Nigeria under the aegis of the Nigeria Institute of Architects (NIA) described Osun’s urban renewal as a good template to cause peer-review with other states of the federation. During a meeting with the governor last weekend, the architects said the various restructurings taking place throughout the state showed that the administration is poised for the birth of a new society. The Bureau, in a statement by the Director, Semiu Okanlawon, noted that the completion of at least 39 mega schools, completion of almost 800 kilometres of roads across the state, creation of better environment for healthier living, empowerment of the various strata of the

society have created a strong sense of newness in all spheres of life. “So, 39 schools containing over 1,700 classrooms with modern facilities have been concluded. However, more than that figure has reached near completion stages and would soon be put to use by the pupils for whom they are targeted. “If you place that side by side the huge network of newly built, inter-city and intra-city roads already completed, there is no doubt that this government has created a new Osun which is a source of attraction to people. Osun now offers a more conducive atmosphere for business and pleasure more than any other time in its 22 years of creation. “As the state with the least unemployment rating, the highest public school enrolment figures in Nigeria and as the 7th largest economy in Nigeria, Osun no doubt has transformed from its old self to a modern state with great potentials for more growth.” The Nigerian Institute of Architects has said it was in the state to understudy Osun’s urban renewal of the government with a view to recommending it to other parts of Nigeria. NIA President who was represented by the body’s 2nd Vice president, Adibe Njoku said: “The Executive members and scores of members from all parts of Nigeria and from different spheres of practice are here to see, study your ur-

ban development initiative and evolve ways to provide requisite supports to nurture pragmatic progressivism in the governance and genuine innovativeness in the Administration as epitomised by your Administration. “We do hope to establish some benchmark to assist other state’s in peer-review.” Aregbesola, while addressing the body of architects, said Nigeria must be rebuilt by professionals like architects as the responsibility for the rebirth of the society cannot be that of political leaders only. Aregbesola said: “Nigeria must be re-built by professionals like you who are selfless in the development of human society and humanity because political leaders cannot be generalists and therefore need all other professionals to develop the nation’s socio-economic sphere. “We have pandered too much on the failure of our country, but we owe it a duty nevertheless, to try our utmost best to use our expertise to solve the problems of building and bridge collapse and other sundry issues related to our individual professions. “It’s puzzling though that Nigeria Architects have not developed or build on the roofing sheets designed by the colonial masters, some of which are injurious to our health and other environmental hazards. “We don’t need university certifi-

Akoko community killing: OPC leaders, monarch have no case to answer, says DPP

•Aregbesola cate to know that we are in danger of health crisis and need more environment - friendly roofing material that will support our claims to being part of a global village that preaches environmental sanity. “The mentality of our people is so subservient that we don’t even know that we are in danger by using the present roofing materials, and this is where the professionals come in who can distinguish between genuine building materials from fakes”, the governor said.

•Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola (fouth left); Commissioner for Science and Technology, Mr. Adebiyi Mabadeje; Public Sector Leader, Oracle, Allan Marker; Vice President, Oracle, Customer Support Services, Mid-East and Africa, Peter Fuzes; Vice President, Head-Application, Business Unit, Oracle, Arun Khehar; Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Science and Technology, Mrs. Nike Animashaun; Director, Business Application for Africa, Oracle, Sherif Hamza; Special Adviser to Governor Fashola on PPP, Ayo Gbeleye and Commissioner for Works, Mr. Obafemi Hamzat when the Oracle team visited the governor in Ikeja.

Don urges Osun to make Yoruba language compulsory in schools

SENIOR lecturer in the Department of Public Administration at the Obafemi Awolwo University, Ile-Ife, Dr. Taiwo Makinde, has made a case for Yoruba language compulsory in primary and secondary schools in Osun State. The university don canvassed the option during a lecture she delivered in Osogbo. The lecture was titled: “Yoruba Must Not Die: Our Children Must Not Lose Their Identity.” It was organised by the Awolowo Centre For Philosphy, Ideology and Good Governance, at the St. Charles Grammar School, Osogbo, Osun State capital. Praising Governor Rauf Aregbesola’s policies and programmes in

From Adesoji Adeniyi, Osogbo

promoting the Yoruba language and culture, Makinde said scholars should be encouraged to work on the lapses confronting the language. According to her, doing so would make the Yoruba language be brought to a level that it can be used in teaching of various academic disciplines. Mrs Makinde said when the language is made compulsory in schools in Osun State, it would enable more pupils to offer the subject in the Joint Admission Matriculation Board examination, thereby

providing opportunities for them to study it at the university level. She said: “Teachers of Yoruba Language should be encouraged to improve themselves through the processes of training and re-training. Most importantly, there is need for re-orientation of the people – young and old – to sensitise them to appreciate the beauty of Yoruba as a language we should be proud of.” Makinde said there was need for the lecture and sensitisation on why Yoruba language must not die because of the noticeable gradual extinction of the language due to deliberate destructive contribution of the government, the school and parents.

The Director General of the Awolowo Centre For Philosphy, Ideology and Good Governance, Moses Makinde, a Professor of Philosophy, said it has become urgent that concrete steps were taken to preserve Yoruba language to ensure the people’s continued existence. The Principal School 1 of St. Charles Grammar School, Osogbo, Mr. Okunola Famoriyo, who was the chairman at the programme, called on the management of the Awolowo Centre For Philosphy, Ideology and Good Governance, the organiser of the event on preserve the Yoruba language and extend it to other schools in the state, especially the private ones.

From Damisi Ojo, Akure

HE controversy over the murder of Igbekele Oyeleye in 2009, by unknown persons in Arigidi-Akoko, in Akoko North West Local Government Area, Ondo State, over chieftaincy tussle still lingers on. There was a public outcry recently by some aggrieved indigenes, calling on the government to probe Oyeleye’s killing whose corpse is still in the mortuary at the Federal Medical Centre, Owo, where it was deposited five-years ago. However, the Department of Public Prosecutions (DPP), of the Ministry of Justice has entered a ‘no case’ submission against the three accused. The accused according to a petition by one Mallam Gani Ashiru, to the Commissioner of Police are the National Coordinator of Odua Peoples Congress (OPC), Otunba Gani Adams, who is an indigene of the town, his personal assistant, Mr. Segun Akanni, and Arigidi’s monarch, Oba Yisa Olanipekun, the Zaki of Arigidi-Akoko. Speaking during a protest by some members of Arigidi community at the Governor’s office, Akure, the spokesman of the group, Mr. Amos Ogunleye, said many residents of the community now live in fear over alleged attack on some of them by supporters of the embattled monarch. He appealed to the state government to release the White Paper on the report submitted by a commission of inquiry set up to look into the crisis in Arigidi community in 2011. However, the OPC coordinator, Adams, has cautioned that those who are fond of accusing him and Oba Olanipekun of killing Oyeleye should stop such accusation or face prosecution since the DPP has already entered a ‘no case’ submission on the case. According to the legal advice sent to the Assistant Commissioner of Police, ‘D’ Department by the DPP and signed on behalf of the state Attorney-General by a senior legal officer in the Ministry of Justice, J. M. Itiola, the petitioner has no credible evidence linking the suspects to the alleged killing. The legal advice conclude thus; “In view of the above, I have so many unresolved doubts in my minds considering the gap in the period of years between the incidences and the fact that several other names were mentioned in connection with the incidence, who were never arrested or interrogated. “I am of the view that the issue is premised on malice and to this end, I humbly suggest that the uninvestigated and unresolved doubts should be resolved in favour of the suspects, while the statements of the purported eyewitness, Mrs. Beatrice is considered an afterthought. “I therefore humbly advice that all the suspects in this case, i. e. pages B1-Oba Olanipekun, B2Otunba Gani Adams and B3-Segun Akanni, be let off the hook for lack of credible evidence.”

Ekiti 2014: Groups vow to resist rigging

AN-YORUBA groups across the Southwest, last Saturday, vowed to resist any attempt to rig the forthcoming governorship election slated for June 21 in the state, adding that it would be a major test of the dignity of the Yoruba people. The groups, under the auspices of Oodua Nationalist Coalition (ONAC), comprising self-determination and Pan-Yoruba groups from nine Yoruba-speaking states, including parts of Edo and Delta states, said the adoption of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate last Saturday signals the form that the election would take. “We urge authorities to realise that the rigging of elections in 1964 and 1983 led to violent uprising. The rigging of 1983 led to a military coup, while the 1964 rigging eventually led to civil war. The crisis began in the Southwest and took 30 months of bloody conflict to resolve. Nigerian political leaders appear to have learnt nothing from history,” the groups said at the conclusion of a two-day conference at Ado Ekiti.

By Dada Aladelokun

The groups adopted the incumbent, Dr. Kayode Fayemi as the sole candidate of the groups in the election, describing Fayemi as the Pan-Yoruba candidate because of the progressive bent of his administration. Leaders of other ethnic groups drawn from Ekiti and other parts of the Southwest especially HausaFulani, Tiv, Igbo and Ebira communities were also at the event. The groups also set up what it called PanYoruba Campaign Movement for the election of Dr Fayemi on June 21. The groups expressed worries that the PDP in the state is beating its chests that they have the support of the president to ‘turn Ekiti state into ashes in the name of power,” saying that such arrogant posture will only burn out the patience of the people of Ekiti state and the entire Yoruba nation. The groups suspect the current registration of voters in Ekiti state, saying: “It gives us a lot of concern and suggests that INEC has shown a prelude to massive election rigging in

Ekiti state. We call on INEC to conduct a free and fair election and resist attempts to turn Ekiti state into an axis of turbulence.” “We warn politicians that have not learnt anything from history. The Yoruba people must not be taken for granted. The Ekiti election is a Yoruba affair; it is also a local and international affair. We do not want the current democratic experience to fall. But we warn that any attempt to rig the forthcoming election in Ekiti may lead to mass resistance and the eventual torpedo of the emerging electoral culture. “In the past, we did not see anything to defend, but now the Ekiti people and the greater Yoruba family have seen what is worth defending in Ekiti State”, the groups stated in the communiqué, which was signed by 55 groups and was proclaimed on behalf of the groups by Mr Popoola Ajayi and Mrs Adenike Ojo. Several leaders of the groups who spoke at the two-day meeting said the Ekiti election is crucial to the survival of the progressive movement and its transformation agenda in the South

West states. The gathering was attended by about a thousand delegates drawn from the south west states. National leader of the TIV community, Mr. Yaro Gowon said he was in Ekiti to join forces with Pan-Yoruba groups to ensure victory for Dr Fayemi at the poll. It stated “We have an historical duty to defend the gains of the past three and half years. In 1965, our people rose up against attempts to impose alien values on us. The recalcitrant posture of the Federal Government eventually led to the civil war that engulfed the country. In 1983, our people laid down their lives in defense of the gains of democracy under the Unity Party of Nigeria, (UPN) led by the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo.” The groups added: “Today we have seen the transformation of the government in Ekiti state. We have seen gains in the area of education, health and the drive for over all human development. We are here to defend the radical tradition of the people of Ekiti state and the revolution that has made Ekiti state the destiny of local and international interests.”

IGERIANS from all walks of life have been trooping to the Surulere, Lagos home of the late legal luminary, Chief G.O.K. Ajayi (SAN) to commiserate with his family. The Chief Ajayi died last Saturday in Lagos. Among those who visited his widow, Magaret on Monday were the Interim National Publicity Secretary, All Progressive Congress (APC), Alhaji Lai Mohammed; the deceased best friend, Chief Bode Ogunlana and his wife: the Ajalorun of Ijebu Ife, Oba Adesesan Oguntayo; the former Chief Judge of Lagos State, Justice I.A. Olorunnimbe, Justice Lateefat Okunnu, Diocesan Bishop Anglican Communion, Dr. E.A. Ademowo; Chief Ladi Rotimi – Williams(SAN) and his wife, Dr. Henrieta, Mrs. Kudirat AkaBashorun, Mr. A.J. Owonikoko (SAN), activist, Mrs. Ayo Obe, Pastor Ituah Ighodalo among others. Best friend to the late legal icon, Olola Bode Ogunlana said the deceased was a friend of 70 years and “one with whom he shared many things in common”. Ogunlana said “his demise was like a part of him gone. “We have been friends since we were in primary school. I will miss him so much for many things. He was also a director in all my companies,” he added. APC Interim Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed described his demise as the passing away of a titan, not just a legend in the profession of law. “He made the legal profession what we all want to belong to,” he said , adding that the late Chief Ajayi also fought for the actualisation of late Bashorun Moshood Abiola’s June 12, 1993 mandate. “He was a gentleman, a man that you can rely on, very reliable, very disciplined and had many admirers who are not known to him. He stood for truth. Of course he came to limelight in the battle for actualization of June 12 because he has this principle of fighting for the truth. I think we would all miss him”, he added. Oba Oguntayo described the deceased as “ one of the illustrious son of Ijebuland, a national figure in his profession, a lawyer that fights for the rights of the down trodden, and stood by justice, fairness and equity throughout his life”. “So we are missing a very important person in the legal profession. You remember the Alhaji Abdulrahman Shugaba case, the trial of Chief Obafemi Awolowo, the trial of MKO Abiola? I can go on and o. We are happy that he led

•Oba Oguntayo with Ajayi’s widow, Margaret

Nigerians salute ‘gentleman’ GOK Ajayi By Adebisi Onanuga and Wale Adepoju

a good life, a fulfilled life and we hope that other lawyers and people would emulate him”, Oba Oguntayo added. The Diocesan Bishop, Lagos Anglican Communion, Dr. Ademowo wrote in the condolence register, “a child of God. May your soul rest in perfect peace”. Dr Ademowo was represented at the house of the deceased by four clergymen including Venerable J.O. Adeyi, Canon Egbinola, Canon D.O. Adebayo and Reverend Bimbo Adewoju. Oba Oguntayo described the deceased as “ one of the illustrious son of Ijebuland, a national figure in his profession, a lawyer that fights for the rights of the down trodden, and stood by justice, fairness and equity throughout his life”. “So we are missinga very important person in the legal profession. You remember the Alhaji Abdulrahman Shugaba case, the trial ofChief Obafemi Awolowo, the trial MKO Abiola? I can go on and o. We are happy that he led a good life, a fulfilled life and we hope that other lawyers and people would emulate him”, Oba

Oguntayo added. The Diocesan Bishop, Lagos Anglican Communion, Dr. Ademowo wrote in the condolence register, “a child of God. May your soul rest in perfect peace”. Dr Ademowo was represented at the house of the deceased by four clergymen including Venerable J.O. Adeyi, Canon Egbinola, Canon D.O. Adebayo and Reverend Bimbo Adewoju. Chief Bose Olujobi McEwen said he has done the country proud, adding: “May God bless your soul wherever you are in His universe. Rest in peace (RIP).” Former Chief Judge of Lagos State, Justice I. A Olorunnimbe said the late legal luminary was a fine gentleman. He described him as a legal icon, defender of the law, defender of the masses. “May his soul rest in peace,” he added. Chief Rotimi Williams and wife, Henrietta in their tribute wrote, “he was an inspiration to many of us. May his soul rest in perfect peace”. Chief (Mrs) Ronke Atere said the deceased was a gentleman, one that people can rely on. He was a very supportive man who would be available at the times of trouble for people. “We should thank God for his life,” she added.

Alhaja Kudirat Aka-Basorun wrote,” daddy, rest in perfect peace”. Mr. Owonikoko (SAN) also in the condolence register said of late Chief Ajayi, “it is a glorious exit for a mentor, a leader,a father figure and above all an icon of the legal, profession. You were integrity personalised and your legacy shall never dim. Audieu sir”. Activist Mrs. Ayo Obe wrote that she was always proud to have followed late Chief Ajayi to court adding “may you rest in perfect peace”. Mr. Olusegun Ajayi wrote, “daddy, you were a great patriot, a true legal luminary of all times. May God grant your family the forituide to bear this great loss. May your light shine perpetually”. Pastor Ituah Ighodalo also said in the register, “a truly great man. May the Lord grant you peace, joy and g r a c e ” . Mr. Gboyega Onabanjo wrote on behalf of the family of the late former governor of Ogun State, Chief Bisi Onabanjo, “rest in perfect peace”. Chief Supo Shonibare also wrote, “our mentor, our boss and the last of the truly good barristers in the country. A gentleman and a great leader. May your soul rest in perfect peace”.

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, APRIL 2, 2014

SOUTHWEST REPORT

•Faculty of Agricultural Sciences

“Education is our passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to the people who prepare for it today” (Malcolm X)

HE above quote by Malcom X may have prompted the present administration in Ekiti State to embark on putting Higher Education on the right track more so when the state is reputed as the Fountain of Knowledge, Land of Honour and home to uncountable professors who had made their mark in various fields. The citadel of learning known today as the Ekiti State University, has undergone many transformations especially in name. The institution was established on March 30, 1982, by the Adekunle Ajasin administration and was called, Obafemi Awolowo University, AdoEkiti at inception with Professor I. O. Oladapo, as the first Vice Chancellor. The military administration of Navy Commodore Michael Bamidele Otiko, changed the name of the university in 1985 to the Ondo State University, AdoEkiti, and cancelled the multi-campus and non-residential policy of the institution. Following the creation of Ekiti State, by the military junta in 1996, economic assets, institutions and establishments previously owned by the Ondo State were shared with the newly created Ekiti State. Hence, the ownership and proprietorship of the Ondo State University, Ado-Ekiti, came under the joint administration of the governments of Ekiti State and the Ondo State respectively. However, the joint management irretrievably broke down understandably in 1998, necessitating the creation of Ondo State University at Akungba by the Ondo State government and years later, under the Agagu administration, a University of Science and Technology at Okitipupa. Subsequently, the government of Ekiti State took over the ownership, full administrative control and funding of the Ondo State University at Ado-Ekiti and enacted a law to rename the university as University of Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria. The Ekiti State government also took steps to ensure that all records and properties of the university remained intact. In the year 2007, a new civilian government led by Mr Segun Oni was installed in Ekiti State. The government, in addition to the existing University of Ado-Ekiti, established two new state owned universities in controversial circumstances; University of Education, Ikere-Ekiti and the University of Science and Technology, Ifaki-Ekiti. These two universities, along with the existing University of Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria, were funded from the public treasury; this took a great toll on the public purse and led to the polarisation of the educational system. In October 2010, there was a change of government in Ekiti State and the new government under Dr. Kayode Fayemi, convened a statewide Education Summit in 2011, to consider the best ways to sustain tertiary education and to

•Faculty of Social Sciences

The transformation of Ekiti By Hakeem Jamiu

fund public institutions owned by the government of Ekiti State. Part of the decisions taken at the summit was to merge the three stateowned universities as a single public institution for better funding and management. In June 2011, the Ekiti State government, merged University of Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria; University of Education, Ikere-Ekiti and University of Science and Technology, Ifaki-Ekiti as a single university and following the assent of the governor to the Ekiti State University, Law No. 11 in July 2011, renamed it, Ekiti State University, AdoEkiti, Nigeria (EKSU). In order to appreciate the state of the university today, it is necessary to know its trajectory in the last 32 years of its existence. The university, which today has a population of 25,000 students started off with a student population of 136, at an old catering rest house in Akure, Ondo State with three faculties; Arts, Social Sciences and Sciences. The Faculty of Education was added in 1983/84, when the population rose to 724, and new courses such as Geology, Biology, Chemistry, French, Yoruba Studies, Philosophy, Religious Studies, Political Science and Psychology were established to strengthen the faculties. In the 1985/86 session, the Faculty of Engineering (Civil, Mechanical and Electrical) and a Department of Banking and Finance, were established. The Faculty of Law was established during the 1991/92 session, and the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences was established in 2001, bringing the faculties to eight in total and a student population of 10,000. The student population is now in excess of 25,000 (49% male and 51% female), spread across the various academic progr-ammes.

There are 555 teaching staff and 1,500 non-teaching staff. The libraries boast of over 150,000 volumes in journals and books apart from virtual library, while there are over 1,000 titles. Today, the university is running degree programmes in 67 fields of academic specialisation, which are domiciled within the 11 faculties, one school of Postgraduate Studies and a College of Medicine. The other academic centres that run faculty programmes are, Directorate of Continuing Education, Directorate of Part-Time Programme, Directorate of Sandwich Education Degree Programme, Affiliate Colleges, Institute of Education, Institute of Science Laboratory Technology, Directorate of Pre-Degree Programmes, General Studies Unit, Centre for Entrepreneurial Studies and the Centre for Research and Development, among others. The university had its fair share of the travails that afflicted universities in the late 80s and early 90s, more so when it was a new state university at that time. The problems of the university which ranged from lack of funding to absence of infrastructures did not make the environment conducive for learning. In terms of infrastructure at that time, there was no good access road as the Ado-Iworoko road was very bad, such that commercial vehicles avoided the route like a plague; lack of students’ hostel; lack of regular electricity and pipe-borne water, which made the university looked like a glorified secondary school with a campus environment that became a fertile ground for cultism. Although, cultism was not peculiar to the university as it was a national phenomena, it was worse with the then University of Ado–Ekiti, where cultists killed and maimed one another in broad daylight on campus.

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Today, cultism is gradually fading away as the incidence of cult killings is becoming a thing of the past. One lane of the Ado-Iworoko road that leads to the campus has been completed by the Fayemi administration and this has made access to the university by commuters easier and faster. Electricity has become more regular because the institution has been connected to Ado-Ekiti electricity grid. The university was ranked 17 by webmetric from its previous 79 position in 2012, after it was repositioned under the Vice Chancellorship of Professor Oladipo Aina, and the governing board headed by Professor Olajide Osuntokun, a respected world acclaimed scholar. The Statewide Education Summit, which recommended the consolidation of the three existing universities into one was a turning point in the life of the embattled university whose fortune changed for the better in 2011. The transformation and change of fortune became noticeable a year after the recommendation of the education summit were adopted and implemented by the state government. The first noticeable change in the university was that the Tertiary Education Fund (TETFUND), former Education Trust Fund (ETF), of which the state is a contributor and which was not easily accessible because of the multiplicity of universities became easily accessible by the consolidated university. The arrears of the TETFUND was made possible through the intervention of the state government. Another change was that fake students were shown the way out as well as some lecturers, who were involved in examination malpractices and admission racketeering, thereby sanitising the

It is a thing of joy and pride for all Ekiti citizens and stakeholders to know that Ekiti State University is now a higher institution to be proud of. EKSU students had the best result in Law School in 2012. The campus is gradually taking shape and looking like a real university environment, though a lot of work is still required

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•Faculty of Engineering

academic standard of the institution. Unlike in the past, when graduates of the university waited for donkey years before they could collect their certificates, they now do so on convocation day. The institution has become a promising and emerging centre of research. Discipline was restored amongst the staff and student of the institution. Talking about structures, apart from facilitating easy access to TETFUND, the state government released a capital grant of N400 million (N100 million of this is meant to facilitate the upgrading of the College of Medicine building), which made the construction of the buildings possible. It is worthy of note that this was the first time in the history of the university that the state government would release a capital grant. Similarly, the state government increased the monthly subvention of the institution from N210 million to N260 million. Today, Ekiti State University is such a beauty to behold as many state-ofthe-art buildings have been completed, while others are still under construction. The buildings that have been completed with the capital grant are; the Biochemistry/Pharmacology building, the Medical Library building and the Clinical Students’ hostel. Other buildings that have been completed are, Faculty of Agriculture, Entrepreneurship Centre, New Faculty of Education, Physiology Department, School of Post Graduate Studies, Social Sciences and Anatomy Department, 1,050 seater lecture theatre and a twin auditorium. A new SUB building, donated by an old student of the institution, Mr. Kingsley Kuku, is almost completed. The Library, Faculties of Arts and old Education were renovated in 2012,

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, APRIL 2, 2014

SOUTHWEST REPORT

State university from the IGR of the university. Engineering equipment worth millions of naira was procured for the Faculty of Engineering, from the capital grant released to the university. Apart from the mentioned structures, this is the first time that the state government would be constructing a 2kilometre road inside the campus. It is pertinent to mention and acknowledge the contributions of many individuals, organisations and philanthropist to the development of EKSU, over the years. Philanthropists, such as Dr. Lawrence Omolayo, shall never be forgotten. He donated the administrative block, consisting of 271 offices, Aare Afe Babalola (SAN), constructed and fully furnished a 350 seater Law Auditorium, Dr. Ahmed Aliyu Mustapha, built a 400 seater Lecture Theatre, while AdoEkiti community built the administrative block for the Faculty of Law. The Kole Ajayi-led Alumni Association built an Alumni Centre for the university in 2002, while the Jadesola Babatola-led Alumni Association constructed the Faculty of Law Moot and Trial Court in 2009. Shell Petroleum, recently established an Information Communication Technology Centre (ICT), in the university apart from the donations of NUC virtual library and Access Education, which also donated computers and server to the university. Out of the 67 academic programmes run by the university, 52 are fully accredited, 11 are accredited in the interim, while 4, including the College of Medicine are yet to be visited for accreditation. Though the courses in the College of Medicine have the approval of the Nigerian Universities Commission (NUC), and Nigerian Medical Council (NMC).

The university has joined the ICT age, as almost all its academic activities are linked to one on-line facility or the other. The university is undergoing an institutional accreditation exercise, as a selected institution in South West, Nigeria. The council of the university also recently set-up an endowment fund for indigent, but brilliant students with an initial contribution of N1million, pointing out that the problem of indigency has become real in the university because of the poor economic situation and the rising cost of university education. The university has a limited number of residential and sports facilities for staff and students within and outside the main campus. The university will embark on building of students’ hostels before the end of this year. Also, the state government has pre-qualified and recommended about six private companies to partner with the university in the construction of students’ halls of residence on Build Transfer and Operate (BOT) basis. Recently, the university set up the University Advancement Centre, chaired by Prince Julius Adeluyi. The centre is to further enhance the advancement of the university by collaborating with other established institutions across the world and can enter into negotiations that can further enhance the fortune of the university. It is a thing of joy and pride for all Ekiti citizens and stakeholders to know that Ekiti State University is now a higher institution to be proud of. EKSU students had the best result in Law School in 2012. The campus is gradually taking shape and looking like a real university environment, though a lot of work is still required. With the current steady pace of development going on in EKSU, in no time, the university will compete with the likes of UNILAG and OAU. Little wonder, an alumni of the school, who had not visited the school in 8 years, but did this year exclaimed and asked no one in particular, Whaooo! Is this UNAD? A student answered him, no sir, it was UNAD before but now, it is EKSU! This was underscored by the governor in his own words, “I want EKSU to be of the standard of the UNILAG that I went to. That is my obligation to you. For the first time in 30 years, this is the first government in Ekiti to give capital grant. The government has just given EKSU N100 million for the accreditation of medicine. Anyone who knows what EKSU used to be knows there is an improvement. Roads are being tarred. I am not doing that to curry favour. I want our tertiary institutions to be of good standard. I want all our institutions to be institutions that can compete with good ones all over the world.” •Jamiu is the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Research & Documentation.

Town planners present plan for regional integration among Southwest states

N an effort to provide concise strategies for the integration of South-Western Nigeria, town planners in the region have come up with policy document geared towards development agenda among the six states that make up the region. The document, entitled: “SouthWest Strategic Regional Plan - A case for Integrated Development Agenda”, was presented to all stakeholders including community leaders, commissioners of physical planning in the region, captains of industry, permanent secretaries, Obas and professionals in Lagos recently. Agenda contained in the document encompassed various issues affecting urban and regional planning in the zone, including strategies for cooperation for repositio-ning development within the region. Town planners’ representatives from Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ondo and Ekiti states were visible at the meeting. The document was endorsed by Chairman of South West Forum and Chairman, Nigerian Institute of Town Planners (NITP) , Lagos State, Mr Ayo Adediran; Chairmen of NITP from Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ondo, Ekiti states, Mr Ranti Osoko, Olatunji, Niyi Olanipekun, Ademola Adesida and Gregory Ojo, respectively. Director General, Development Agenda for Western Nigerian Commission (DAWNC), Mr Dipo Famakinwa, said there was need for regional integration of the zone, being a region with a common language, boundary, culture, values and religion. He listed various areas such as education, industry, innovation, regional competiveness, agriculture, culture, trade and commerce, and religion by which south-western states could integrate for development, saying it makes more sense for states in the region to integrate.

By Okwy Iroegbu-Chikezie

Speaking, Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development in Lagos, Mr Toyin Ayinde, stated that if the South West states could achieve regional integration plan to drive development, they would be doing Nigeria a lot of good. He recalled that regional integration programme was not new to the region, pointing out that the Late Chief Obafemi Awolowo, once came out with integrated rural development in 1978, with a plan to have integrated rail system, but regretting that up till now, the region is still grappling with the problem. He tasked stakeholders to pursue regional integration for the development of the region, adding that there is need to retrace the value and community spirit system of the region which have totally vanished. Former President of NITP, Mr Bunmi Ajayi, said the private sector must partner with government in running the commission to avoid influence by political parties. Chairman, WEMABOD Estate Limited, Dr. Adebanjo Adewusi, listed challenges to the regional integration among south west states which must be addressed. According to him, commitment of leadership to embrace the implementation of the document must be secured, adding that the policy must look at how the teeming youths would be employed, saying this would require the coming together of stakeholders and leaders. He also talked about the issue of sourcing fund for the development of rail system for economic integration of the zone, advising that PPP models must be applied to drive this. “There is need for value orientation; our people should stop worshiping money. We must look at our educational system. Ekiti

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Commitment of leadership to embrace the implementation of the document must be secured, adding that the policy must look at how the teeming youths would be employed, saying this would require the coming together of stakeholders and leaders

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State should do what China did by setting up a location for Free Trade Zone for education,” he said. He said the region should see agriculture as the main emancipator, urging the need to embrace agriculture and create a revival scheme for the sector by establishing farm settlements. He also tasked government and the private sectors on the need for infrastructure development, saying this is vital to economic integration of the south west states. President of Association of Town Planners’ Consultants of Nigeria, Mr Moses Ogunleye, said there was need to look at the area of legislation, saying there were laws guiding railway and power generation. He stated that lack of data has always been the bane of development plans for the region while urging for effective communication about plans for regional integration amo-ng the citizens. During the presentation of the document, Chairman, NITP’s committee on Strategic Regional Plan, Mr Olubunmi Adeyeye, stated that plans and policies that would be required for the purpose of integration of the region and to be facilitated under the new institutional framework would include land accessibility and development policy, transport and mobility integration policy; agriculture integration policy; housing, resettlement and migration plan, employment and poverty reduction policy, tourism integration plan, industrial integration plan, trade and commerce integration policy. Others include education integration policy, security plan, health policy, energy, power and environmental integration plan, extractive resources plan and governance integration policy. For sustainable and effective integration procedures, he suggested that each state must first develops accessible and comprehensive policy on each sector outlined above so that the convergence states’ policies on each sector could be amended, harmo-nised and conceptualised into regional integration policy on specific sector. In order to promote effective governance, he pointed out that physical and land use planning in the south west should be such that every state prepares a state regional plan, while every local government should establish a local planning authority and prepare a master plan for major towns and cities to cover its area of jurisdiction within the context of the state regional plan. “Also, every state must prepare infrastructural master plan, development planning and development control departments as the main components on physical planning,” he said.

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, APRIL 2, 2014

SOUTHWEST REPORT

F 52-year-old Adeolu Adeleke, knew what fate had in stock for him on May 10, 2013, he would probably have stayed indoors and most likely be alive today. But as he had done for several years, he left his house that day for Number 52, Marina in Lagos, to eke out a living as a roadside petty trader selling wares, hoping to return home at the end of the day with some money in his pocket. He never did. As he sat down waiting for customers, the clear blue sky suddenly became dark and within a twinkling of an eye, a fierce wind invaded the area. And as he scrambled to gather his wares together and take to a safe location the heavens opened up in a torrential downpour accompanied with storm. In the process the wind brought down a faulty hollow mast on top of a nearby two-storey building and deposited it on Adeleke crushing him to death. The mast belonging to Jubilee Savings and Loans Limited, also damaged structures in the area. Adeleke’s case was one of the several people crushed to death in the Lagos metropolis by collapsed masts erected on top of buildings and other business premises. Many people have been killed, houses destroyed and properties estimated in billions of naira have been destroyed by masts made of hollow pipes which often come down each time there was heavy rainfall accompanied with strong wind. These hollow pipe masts being used by banks, financial institutions, internet service providers and other companies are susceptible to collapse as they cannot withstand severe pressure from wind and storms. And the state government is expectedly worried. In a bid to salvage the situation, the Lagos Urban Furniture Regulatory Unit (UFRU), an agency under the Lagos State Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, decided to take to bull by the horns in ensuring that the issue of incessant collapse of masts in the state is brought to a halt or minimised to the barest minimum. The government decided that all masts users must replace their hollow pipe masts with the new and modern galvanised steel masts. The galvanised steel mast is thick, big and can withstand severe pressure from wind, storms and rusts. Early last year, UFRU held a stakeholders’ meeting with banks, financial institutions, internet service providers and other companies using hollow masts, intimating them of the need to phase out the hollow pipe masts and replace them with galvanised steel masts. After purchasing the galvanised steel mast, approval must be sought from UFRU and an installation fee of N850,000 (Eight Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira) must be paid per installation. For the records, there are about 5,000 hollow pipe masts in Lagos Due to non-cooperation from the stakeholders, the government in September 2013, issued a 60-day ultimatum to users of hollow masts to decommission them and commission the galvanised steel masts, vowing to remove any hollow pipe mast still standing after the expiration of the ultimatum which lapsed on December 31, 2013. To set the example, Governor Babatunde Fashola dismantled all hollow masts being used at the State House, Ikeja and replaced them with the galvanised steel masts. General Manager, UFRU, Mr. Joe Igbokwe lamented that death caused by this type of mast in the metropolis had become a recurring decimal, saying the death toll had been increasing. Igbokwe said, the government had come up with a prototype mast that it wanted banks, internet users and others to adopt and build, stressing that UFRU expected that the operators would change their minds in their interest so as to avoid incurring the wrath of Lagos State government. “We have severally engaged and dialogued with banks, internet service providers and other small users, who use these local masts to boost their communication systems to see

Battling to phase out hollow masts The Lagos State Urban Furniture and Regulatory Unit (UFRU) has been battling recalcitrant masts users to decommission the old hollow pipe masts in their premises and erect the standardised galvanised steel masts, which are not susceptible to collapse. OKWY IROEGBU-CHIKEZIE xrays the move by the government to enforce compliance and halt the menace posed by disused masts.

•Mr Igbokwe the need to employ new ways of building these structures to stem the tide of these tragic incidents, but they will not listen. “We have carried out series of structural integrity tests on some of these structures and reports made available to them. Our findings on some of the masts within Lagos metropolis have shown that nearly all masts in the state used by banks and other companies are not only defective, but accidents waiting to happen at the slightest wind storm,” he explained. Igbokwe said, the report exposed the causes of this failure to include bad foundation, rusted joints, bad height, space problem, abandoned mast, weather condition, lack of maintenance and use of inferior materials. According to him, “we have also made it known to them that these tragic incidents of masts collapse and their attendant grave consequences could be reduced to the barest minimum if the operators and other users will listen to us and adopt UFRU standards and specifications.” He said the time had come for UFRU to wield the big stick, saying that the government did not need to beg residents to obey the law for the common good of all, adding that “insurance companies and other local users must evacuate their old disused and dangerous masts to save lives and property. They have 60 days to go round their branches, remove outdated masts and seek permit to erect new ones. If they fail to do it, UFRU will carry out the task and the companies involved will pick the bill. Enough is enough.” At the expiration of the ultimatum date, UFRU swung into action in January 2014, by dismantling the hollow pipe masts belonging to First Bank branch, opposite Daily Times; United Bank of Africa (UBA) and Union Bank on Acme Road, among others. Services were disrupted in the three banks as all their networks connected to the masts were cut off by UFRU officials, who stormed the banks with armed policemen to enforce the ultimatum.

•Standardised galvanised steel According to Igbokwe, government had been trying to persuade banks, internet providers and others using masts to switch to the new ones for about two years, lamenting that they had refused to comply with the directive. “We have been asking banks to

remove the disused hollow masts in Lagos State because of the coastal nature of the state and the inherent dangers involved. They think we are not serious. We just started with these three banks. These three banks have not been showing commitment to

this issue. “They are not committed, we just want to show them the stuff we are made off; there is no need talking and talking. We are using this as a serious note of warning to all other users to decommission their old mast and commission the new one,” he stated. Igbokwe said, for allowing government to dismantle their (hollow) masts for them, the affected banks would pay N250,000 each as fines for not complying with government’s directive, saying that “we have done away with the hollow type of masts and have moved to the galvanised masts.” He said UFRU had enough manpower to enforce compliance and would not mind whose ox is gored, as the safety of lives and properties were paramount to the government. Despite this action, some mast users have remained recalcitrant and refused to dismantle their hollow masts. But due to plea for extension, UFRU has issued a final ultimatum extending the deadline to April 30, 2014. Igbokwe said, “we want to serve this as a final warning to all concerned. The concerned companies, organisations and small users have been treating the UFRU directive with impunity and disregard. They have begged and asked for more time to comply and as such, UFRU had shifted the ultimatum for compliance several times while these companies and organisations have consistently refused to comply. “Since the last ultimatum, only banks like Guaranty Trust Bank, Zenith Bank and WEMA Bank have shown serious commitment to comply with this directive. Except these three banks, others including government agencies (federal and state) have ignored our ultimatum to replace these old, dangerous structures. “Some of the companies that still use these old masts have asked for more time, which we have given. We will commence total decommissioning of these old masts if they have not been removed by April 30, 2014. UFRU has been magnanimous on this so far because we did not want to cause disruption to the services of these companies, agencies and organisations.”

•Okeigbo bridge

Complete our bridge, Ondo community pleads

HE Okeigbo community in Ondo State, has appealed to the state government to complete the bridge on River Ooni. An indigene of the community Ayodeji Olapade Snr, said since 2010, when contractors of the state government deployed their equipment and materials in building a dam in the area, the bridge was affected. He said, “when the people of the community saw the contractor moved to site, they were very happy, because the dam would have brought to an end the problem of water shortage in the area. But their joy was short-lived when the contractor allegedly left later, without

By Joseph Eshanokpe

completing the work,” he lamented. “During the building of the dam on the river, the big structure on which the bridge was built had its foundation dug. Shortly after the contractors and their employees left the site, a petrol tanker slipped off the bridge and plugged into the river with one of the occupants drowned. The driver was fortunate to have escaped death.” Olaopade, who is of the Okeigbo Economic Committee (an arm of its Consultative Forum), the community’s economic think tank, said since that incident, many passengers and motorists had either

died, or had their vehicles plunged into the river. Also, he said activities in the area had been paralysed because they were cut off from their neighbours. Noting that the bridge is “the major link of Okeigbo with our kith and kin in the southwest,” he added: “We, therefore, appeal to the appropriate authorities to come to our aid by ordering the contractors to go back to the site before the rains. The only alternative road is the Ife/Ondo Express road. Unfortunately, the bridge on same river, which serves as boundary of Ondo and Osun states is now a death trap. Many vehicles have fallen into it, especially when the river overflows its bank.”

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, APRIL 2, 2014

THE NATION INVESTORS

Evans Medical seeks N1.22b from shareholders

VANS Medical Plc has concluded arrangements for a rights issue to raise about N1.22 billion from existing shareholders of the healthcare company seeks to deleverage and strengthen its balance sheet and position for certification by the World Health Organisation (WHO). A document obtained by The Nation indicated that Evans Medical will next week open application list for a rights issue of 486.47 million ordinary shares of 50 kobo each at a price of N2.50 per share. The rights issue has been pre-allotted on the basis of one new ordinary share for every one ordinary held. The rights issue is expected to run till the latter weeks of next month. The net proceeds of the rights issue is estimated at N1.17 billion and would be used primarily to strengthen the balance sheet of

By Taofik Salako

Capital Market Editor

the company. About 34 per cent of the net proceeds, estimated at N396.08 million, will be used to refinance existing debt in the current loan portfolio while another 55.5 per cent, estimated at N649.67 million, will be used as additional working capital. The balance of N125.04 million, about 10.7 per cent, will be used for the WHO cGMP certification project. Devpharm Limited, the major shareholder in the company, is expected to provide about N342 million while another major shareholder, Liquid Africa Holdings, is expected to provide N10.4 million while other minority retail shareholders will provide the balance of the funds. According to the company, the rights issue is part of the long term strategic plan to strengthen the position of the company, and

put it in good stead to surmount the challenges of the evolving pharmaceutical industry, both locally and globally. Chairman, Evans Medical Plc, Chief Saifudeen Edu, said the company was raising funds to take advantage of emerging opportunities in the healthcare industry. According to him, the company is committed to attaining the enviable position of a large corporation with multiple plants, products brads and diversified income stream, which will make Evans Medical to be one of the most admired healthcare companies in Africa. He pointed out that in the light

of the intensified regulatory efforts to curtail unfair competition and dumping of substandard drugs in Nigeria, the pharmaceuticals industry will continue to enjoy remarkable and sustained growth. “The healthcare sub sector is consolidating its gains from the crusade against substandard and adulterated products. This has led to an unprecedented rise in capacity utilisation. Consequently, the industry has experienced a significant increase in turnover and size, as the effect of the reforms continue to trickle,” Edu said. He outlined the major growth

factors for the industry to include government policies aimed at controlling the importation of poor quality pharmaceutical products, improved operating margins as the industry recovers market share hitherto lost to fake and adulterated cheap drugs and ongoing investment in plant rehabilitation and expansion projects aimed at meeting WHO and general manufacturing practice standards in an effort to become globally competitive. Edu urged shareholders to pick, up their rights noting that the company has a “unique growth potential in the pharmaceuticals industry”.

‘Equities at risks of declining reserves, tight liquidity ’

S stock market closed the first quarter on the negative, leading investment banker, Mr. Jonson Chukwu, has said the market would remain susceptible to the downtrend given the macroeconomic and monetary conditions. Chukwu, who is Managing Director, Cowry Asset Management Limited, outlined that the continuing decline in Nigeria’s foreign reserves, the continuous monetary tightening view of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), high cost of funds and the intense political environment would impact negatively on the performance of the equities’ market. In a lecture a lecture titled: Investment instruments in Nigerian capital market: Risks and benefits delivered at a forum organised by Capital Market Correspondents Association of Nigeria (CAMCAN) in Lagos, Chukwu said the market’s outlook had been cautious because of the macroeconomic, monetary and political conditions. According to him, the stock market, which has a negative year-todate return of 7.6 per cent, is facing both internal and external constraints, especially with the beginning of the United States (US) tapering. He pointed out that external reserves remains a cardinal barometer for assessing the financial risk of an economy and it is a major gauge for foreign portfolio investors in either the equities sector or in the debt instruments. “The Nigerian external reserves currently stands at $38.07 billion from a high of $48.86 billion on the 2nd of May 2013. This represents a $10.79 billion or 22 per cent decline in 11 months. Some of the responsible factors include continued Naira defense, lackluster crude oil prices, decline in crude oil production and panic withdrawals by foreign portfolio investors,” Chukwu said. He noted that the recent CBN’s increase in deposit money banks’ Cash Reserve Requirement (CRR) on public funds has curtailed banks’ investment potentials and ultimately their earnings capacity adding that the increase has triggered a cautious outlook on the banks’ equities. According to him, with leaner cash for lending, banks’ lending rates remains high at about 26 per cent which was a disincentive to real sector borrowing while nonbank companies have continued to face challenges as business activities are scuttled by non availability of funds. He noted that election fever has

also increased uncertainty on equity investment. “The political terrain has been intertwined with highpowered rancour, particularly between ruling Peoples Democratic Party and the All Progressives Congress. The need for funds for political campaigns and the fear of postelection crises mount a divestment pressure on some investors,” Chukwu said. He, however, noted that the capital market remains attractive as one of the most robust emerging markets. “The capital market as one of the emerging and frontier markets presents a lot of investment opportunities for discerning investors,” Chukwu said.

•From left: Vice Chairman, Vital Products Plc, Sanjeer Kapoor; Director-General, NAEDAC/special guest of honour, Dr. Paul Orhii, and Chairman, Vital Products, Alhaji Bashir Aminu, during the inauguration of Vital Product in Ogba, Lagos. PHOTO RAHMAN SANUSI

UBA shows strong fundamentals, efficient assets

NITED Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc recorded significant improvements in the

cost of operations and assets quality as the bank grew its loans book by 42 per cent last year while reducing the number of nonperforming loans to one of the lowest in the industry. Analysis of the audited report and accounts of the bank for the year ended December 31, 2013 showed that the ratio of non-performing loans dropped to 1.19 per cent in 2013 compared with 1.90 per cent in 2012. The results also showed a significant drop in costto-income ratio to a low of 60.9 per cent as against 64.8 per cent in the previous year. The increase in loans portfolio and reduction in deficient loan assets underlined improvement in the credit risk management of the bank. Besides, the bank’s net interest margin improved to 5.9 per cent in 2013 as against 5.8 per cent in 2012, an indication that the bank is making more money from every naira lent out. The bank’s liquidity ratio stood at a healthy 55 per cent, well above the regulatory minimum of 25 per cent, a strong indication that UBA remains largely liquid despite the increase in the Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) for public sector deposits to a high of 75 per cent by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). This confirms the position of many analysts, including Renaissance Capital, that UBA will not significantly be negatively impacted by the increase in CRR on public sector deposits. The report also indicated that the bank kept to its projection to in-

crease lending support to critical sectors of the Nigerian and African economy. UBA has business operations in 18 other African countries outside Nigeria. The bank’s loan to deposit ratio stood at 44.3 per cent, a major achievement that gives it strong headroom to keep expanding its lending portfolio. The financials also showed a healthy liquidity position with a liquidity ratio of 55 per cent in 2013, substantially above the regulatory minimum of 25 per cent. Key extracts of the report also showed appreciable improvements in the top-line, operational efficiency and customer’s confidence. The board of the bank has recommended a dividend of 50 kobo per share. The report indicated that gross earnings rose from N220.1 billion in 2012 to N264.7 billion in 2013. The top-line performance was largely driven by a growth of 40.4 per cent in loans and advances as well as a 25 per cent growth in the bank’s total deposits. Consequently, the bank’s loanto-deposit ratio improved from 38.7 per cent to 44.3 per cent. It also enhanced its operational efficiency and productivity with the cost-toincome ratio improving by four percentage points from 64.8 per cent to 60.9 per cent. Profit before tax grew by 7.8 per cent to N56.06 billion in 2013 as against N52.01 billion in 2012. This indicated a return on equity of 21.8 per cent. The bank’s balance sheet expanded to N2.64 trillion while total deposit base closed the year at N2.22 trillion. The significant increase in lending had a positive impact on the

bank’s released financials with interest income rising significantly by 23.8 per cent to N186 billion while fee and commission based income rose 5.1 per cent to N50.01 billion. Group Managing Director, United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, Mr Phillips Oduoza, said the bank committed $700 million in funding to the power sector privatisation exercise in Nigeria , financing different investors to acquire the power assets put on sale by the Federal Government of Nigeria last year. Some of the major deals UBA actively participated in the power sector include taking up $120 million, N19.44 billion, of the financing in respect of Transcorp Ughelli Power Plant. The bank also acted as mandated lead arranger, underwriting the entire facility of $122 million, N20 billion, for Kann Utilities’ acquisition of the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company, financing the payment of 75 per cent acquisition of 60 per cent equity stake in Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company. The bank also threw its financial weight behind Aura Energy for the acquisition of Jos Electricity Distribution Company, acting as the lead arranger for N9.6 billion to finance the payment of 75 per cent of Aura’s 60 per cent equity stake in the electricity distribution firm. UBA also arranged debt financing of $68 million as well as secured equity investment from a strategic and technical investors for the acquisition of the Shiroro Hydroelectric Power Plc by North South Power Company Limited.

“UBA had a good performance for full year 2013. This performance puts us in a position to continue to pursue our goal to achieve Industry leadership in the medium term. We were also able to gain considerable strides in our project Alpha initiatives by improving customer service delivery and leveraging our balance sheet to participate in emerging growth sectors of the economy,” Oduoza said in a comment on the 2013 performance. According to him, the performance for last year was due to prudent cost management policies, enhanced efficiency of the bank’s network and the impact of other productivity initiatives. “Our bank achieved a good result despite a challenging operating environment, demonstrating the strength and resilience of our people and their dedication to implementing our growth plans in 2013,” Oduoza said. According to him, the bank’s customer-focused, corporate banking and treasury led business model drove success for the year. Also, in line with its African focus, the bank shared the responsibility of empowering African businesses through its network, capital and commitment to excellent service delivery. Oduoza assured that the UBA Group has the capacity to continually evolve and come up with new ways to provide high end and value adding products and services to its customers to enable it to thrive in a tough economic environment. He noted that the bank’s management remain committed to achieving set targets for the year by maintaining a disciplined approach to the execution of agreed strategic initiatives.

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, APRIL 2, 2014

THE NATION

BUSINESS PENSION

CBN pensioners kick against 15 per cent cut in payment O VER 1,600 pensioners of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), who retired under the old pension scheme, the noncontributory pension scheme, and who left the bank’s service not later than May 31, 2000, have protested the 15 per cent reduction in their pensions, describing the act as unjustifiable. The pensioners, who benefited from the enhancement of pension payments from July 2011, and the accrued arrears arising from the conclusion of the legal battle between them and their former employer, have demanded a reversal. In an letter signed by Wale Adebayo and Felix Obito of the CBN Pensioners Club to the Acting CBN Governor, Dr Sarah Alabi, the pensioners stated that they observed that on Wednesday, February 26, this year, that their colleagues received alerts on their cell phones, notifying them of their payments by their banks. They said from what each of them was paid in February, there was an unauthorised reduction of 15 per cent. The pensioners explained that on inquiry from some top officers of the CBN in Abuja , “we were told that the bank had to slash our pension because we were being overpaid since 2011, and that, the heavily reduced pension of last month is, from henceforth, what we will be paid as our monthly pension.” “Paradoxically, this is happening at a time when all the over 5,000 CBN pensioners have anxiously been expecting a substantial upward review of their pension to cope with the persistent rising cost of living in the country, as the last general review in the bank was with effect from January 1, 2007, more

• Apex bank: ‘we’re complying with Supreme Court’s ruling’

Stories by OmobolaTolu-Kusimo

than seven years ago, which is even at variance with the provisions of Subsection (3) of Section 173 of the Nigerian Constitution that stipulates a maximum period of five years for pension reviews. The statement reads: “This action by CBN Management is totally unprecedented in the over five decades of the bank’s existence as it has never happened at any time in the past that either the emoluments of the serving staff, or the pension has ever been slashed after some years of payment. On the contrary, each of them has always been reviewed upwards from time to time and not downwards. The CBN Management’s assertion that we were overpaid is totally untrue. “It will be recalled that after the Supreme Court’s judgment in our favour on May 21, 2010, it took the CBN a whole 14 months to commence the payment of the enhanced pension and the arrears in July, 2011. During that period, as a result of the ceaseless clamour for the quick implementation of the judgment by the pensioners, the CBN management held four separate meetings at various times with our accredited representatives between November 2010 and May 2011.’’ . It continued: ‘’At each of such meetings, the CBN top officials pleaded with us to exercise patience as it was taking its time to do a thorough job in order to ensure the arithmetical accuracy of the figures being calculated to be paid to us. We were told that the calculation, verification and the authentication of the figures to be paid involved not only the Human Resources but also the Finance and Accounts and the

Internal Audit Departments of the bank as well as the External Auditors”. The pensioners queried why after all the rigorous processes of authentication that took a long time to conclude and almost after three years of the commencement of the payment, the officials of the bank suddenly realised that they were being overpaid. According to them, there was no mistake in the pensions they were paid; rather, the slash in the pension was done in bad faith. ‘’It is clearly a punitive, vindictive and illegal action calculated to intimidate and arms twist us into abandoning our legitimate right to seek redress in court over the longlingering issue of an all-inclusive full harmonisation of pension in the CBN which we will stoutly resist. “What the CBN has done is not only wicked, but also shameful as it belittles the image and reputation of the bank. It even implies an indictment on the competence of some of the people working in the CBN. “We were in the various courts for 11 years and during that period, various past administrations, even though they tried but failed to persuade us to withdraw the matter from the courts, never ever at anytime declared war on us or treated us as enemies. They never stopped reviewing our pensions upwardly from time to time and were even communicating verbally and in writing with our leaders. “In view of the foregoing, we hereby earnestly implore you to direct the immediate reversal of the decision thus restoring our monthly pension to what it has

always been from July 2011 to January 2014 and the 15 per cent deduction made in February 2014 be immediately; refunded to us. We are therefore expecting that we are going to be paid our normal monthly pension along with the refund of the deduction illegally made in our February pension in March, 2014, but under no circumstance should it go beyond the April 2014 pension pay day. “Confident that you will urgently resolve the matter soonest, we have therefore decided that, for now, we should neither take our complaint to President Goodluck Jonathan and the National Assembly nor embark on street protests as suggested by some of our colleagues”. But Head, External Communication of CBN, Isaac Okorafor, said the apex bank regards its pensioners as members of the same family, even those that are no longer in service. He said the CBN wants the matter settled without any quarrel. He explained that the Supreme Court on May 25, 2010 ruled that the CBN should comply with the Federal Government circulars on Pension Review, adding that the bank computed the entitlements of pensioners and engaged a consultant to verify the figures to ensure that no pensioner was left out. He said: “At the end of the exercise, 1,604 pensioners, made up of 843 juniors and 761 Seniors/Executives of the 5,104 pensioners on the bank’s payroll, were found eligible and scheduled for payment. These were those that exited the bank’s services on or before April 30, 2000. “In April, 2011 the bank officials met with CBN Pensioners Club ex-

ecutives on the modalities for payment and full implementation of the judgment. At the meeting, in view of the huge financial implications, both parties agreed on the modalities for the implementation of the judgment. “Consequently, the bank conducted the Special Head Count exercise in May 2011 and commenced the process of payment immediately”. Okoroafor added that a court injunction, at the instance of a splinter group of pensioners, who were not eligible for payment, was received in June 2011 and that this put a hold on the payment of the pension arrears. He said after the injunction was lifted on July 8, 2011, all eligible pensioners who participated in the Special Head Count Exercise were paid. He, however, said the over-payment was discovered after the execution of the judgment. He said the cut came as a result of the discovery by the CBN that the harmonised pension paid to pensioners between July 2011 and January, this year was higher than what it should have been. Upon this discovery, he said from February, this year, the monthly pensions of the affected ex-workers were adjusted to relect the new amount. This notwithstanding, he said the bank believes in dialogue, adding that they met with their representatives to resolve the matter on March 21, this year. “We have repeatedly appealed to them to take the cases out of the courts to allow for amicable resolution. We have done a lot to show love and goodwill,” he added.

Premium Pension records N325b

• Interacts with Southsouth retirees

REMIUM Pension Limited has 12,288 retirees across the country with a total of N325 billion pension fund under its management, the Head, Corporate Communication, Mr. Paddy Ezeala, has said. In a statement, the Managing Director of the company, Mr. Wilson Ideva, reiterated the company’s policy of operating with its retirees and increasing the awareness of contributors in the Contributory Pension Scheme. He said the forum, which held consecutively in Calabar, Port Harcourt, Asaba and Benin was aimed at feeling the pulse of customers the scheme and sensitising them on the firm’s renewed resolve towards unassailable service delivery and customer care. He said: “The importance of keeping in constant touch with customers especially in an industry that is still unfolding cannot be over-emphasised. “There is need to interact with our customers to among other things identify how to serve them even better. While the company has recorded tremendous achievements, it is important that these giant strides are communicated to the customers to bolster their confidence in us and the industry and also identify where there are challenges and seek improvement.” “Premium Pension has 12,288 retirees across the country and is

committed to timely payment of all their entitlements to avoid unnecessary hardship during retirement. Permanent Secretary, Delta State Local Government Bureau, Mr. Sunday Okoh, expressed optimism in the service delivery of the PFA, noting that it is marked with transparency, cutting edge technology, timely and regular payment of pension benefits and prompt delivery of quarterly statements and SMS alerts.” Okoh described as the first of its kind, noting that the chief executive of a PFA was present. He also noted that they were encouraged by chief executive officers who empathis e with retirees in the state. Also, the Executive Director, Business Development and Investment, Mr. Adamu Mele, noted that it was the patronage and support of customers that lifted the company from zero balance at inception to more than N325 billion as funds under management. He said the company would continue to reciprocate by continuously seeking avenues to serve retirees better. He told the retirees that the company offers advisory services and would even be in a position to refer them to other relevant financial institutions that are ready to support retirees with viable business ventures and ideas.

• Mr. Ideva(left) and Okoh at the forum.

FUG Pensions restructures

UTURE Unity Glanvills Pensions Limited (FUG), has started the restructuring of its operation to capture a proportional market share and deepen its business reach. Its Managing Director, Mr. Usman Suleiman, said the restructuring was aimed at growing its assets when completed, and to catapult the company to be among the top players in the pension industry. According to him, the initiative is designed to capture more state accounts, multinationals and even local governments’ employees’ Retirement Savings Accounts (RSA)

as well as legacy funds. He said this would grow the company’s market share and reposition it for higher profitability. He said: “To achieve this feat, the company has commenced the restructuring of its operation to align with best global practices. “In line with our quality assurance policy, we will continue to provide prompt and better service delivery for existing and potential customers in 2014 and beyond, given our robust Information Communication Technology (ICT) platform recently upgraded and deployed to drive processes. “The company has staff strength

of over 85 members with professionals manning each unit. Also, embedding the right culture and values in the organisation is important and senior management is formally assessed to ensure they demonstrate the company’s desired values”. Suleiman also said the company is concluding plans to move into its own property on Commercial Avenue in Yaba, Lagos. FUG Pensions has a N1.5 billion capital base, a quantum leap from the statutorily required minimum share capital of N1 billion. It operates from about 26 business outlets in six regional offices strategically located across the country.

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, APRIL 2, 2014

SMALL BUSINESS AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP Ever heard of snails procreating so much at a time? Well, this may sound like a tale, but it is true. Snail farming is so lucrative that not only can it end unemployment, it can also be an avenue for self-reliance. DANIEL ESSIET reports.

Snail farming as money spinner B Y taking to snail farming, manyNigerians can be bailed out of unemployment. This is why experts have called on all local governments to support young school leavers to set-up snail farms. Chief Executive, Jovana Farms, Lagos, Mr. Arinze Onebunne, said snail farming does not require a huge capital, adding that it is lucrative. He explained that with a small piece of land or a space of one room size, and about N180,000, interested persons are on the way to making a kill from the venture. Onebunne said a farm with about 50 adult snails can yield about 5,000 babies after about three months, while in terms of employment opportunities, a large commercial farm of between 150,000 and 200,000 snails can employ about three staff and make good profit. Under suitable climate, one snail can lay at least 100 eggs yearly, and a small scale farmer can keep at least 300 snail breeders. Continuing, he explained that one snail can produce over 60 eggs yearly while 300 snails can produce no fewer than 18,000 eggs with at least 50 per cent success rate of survival. Thus if the 9,000 hatched eggs grow into adult snails in

two years, and are sold at N100 per snail, that is about N900, 000. And the profit, which can start rolling within six months, has an encouraging margin. “One advantage snail farmers have is that they don’t need to buy feeds for the snails, like it is done in fish farming, piggery, poultry, and the rest, because snails feed on shelter plants and vegetables already planted inside their pens. They are hermaphrodites (having both male and female reproductive organs) and this means that all the snails in the farm will be busy laying eggs all through the year,” Onebunne explained, adding that snails do not bite, kick, bark, sting or harm and they don’t mess up the environment like other livestock. He listed steps towards identifying the potential of the business to include analysing snail collection methods, designing a snail-holding centre, weighing the numerous packaging methods, designing a marketing plan, determining sale prices, and organising shipping and transportation methods. And with an expanding market, which cuts across big

hotels, restaurants, eateries as well as local joints, prospects of snail farming is very high, including that for international transactions. There is a growing global demand for snails in the international market, with the import to the United States alone hitting the $4 million yearly. France is also said to be playing a central role in the snail trade, by importing, preparing and repackaging the commodity for export to other European countries, such as Germany, Belgium, The Netherlands, Denmark. Other markets include Canada, Switzerland, Japan, Sweden and South Africa. Major suppliers of snail also include Greece, Turkey, Algeria, Tunisia, Thailand and China. Though the situation has created a new goldmine of opportunities, the challenge for snail farmers to meet the export demand considering that snails have become popular dishes in Europe and France, were they feature prominently. Europe consumes large proportions of snails, with preference for what is called the “juvenile snails’- the type just as small as the thumb, whose demand our local market is not able to adequately meet. With these findings of an in-

• Kehinde (left) and Taiwo displaying the mobile phone charger.

The Ilesanmi twins may be the inventors that Nigeria needs to join the comity of technologically inclined nations. But what prospects are there for these young inventors, whose products can make the Chinese green with envy? DANIEL ESSIET reports.

Behold the young inventors

HAT if you had a button on your phone that would let you turn off any device in your house, no matter where you are? This is what two brothers, Taiwo and Kehinde Ilesanmi, have done. The twins, barely 24 years old, have developed and invented electronic devices to alert owners when visitors come to their homes in their absence. In a quiet corner in Ejigbo, a suburb of Lagos, the twins, hunched over an assemblage of plastic tubes, spinning motors and wire. They flip switches. The result are various electronic gadgets that will make the Chinese green with envy. The twins told The Nation that they grew up with intense interest in sci-

ence and technology. “We are excited to witness an innovative concept becoming reality,” they said. Though their success story may still be confined to the precints and environs of Ejigbo, their electronic control systems for homes are going places. For these inventors, their home intruder device presents a heartwarming story that has, once again, shown the ability of the average Nigerian to excel if given the needed support, especially in science and technology. Kehinde and his brother Taiwo showed an early aptitude for engineering, while at Rexona Nursery School, Daleko, Ejigbo. At Ajumoni Secondary Grammar School, Okota, their effort in producing a standing fan

and a rechargable lamp as their projects won them the JETS Club award for creativity. After graduation, they attended an aviation school in Ikotun, that specialised in ticketing and booking. They were advised to quit because it was not the kind of place to nurture budding inventors. Taiwo and Kehinde launched out on their own, addressing many facets of electronics industry, but with emphasis on home automation. The rate of their success over the years has been impressive, with them churning out new inventions almost every two years. Brimming with new ideas and raring to go, the twins have perfected their abilities to insert components into electronic board and solder them in place.

• Snail farm

creased demand for the African species, Onebunne urged snail farmers to take advantage of the large market and improve their lot, that efforts are at advanced stage to explore the canning snails for export. But, as rosy as the business

is, some Nigerians have failed in the business. Onebunne attributes the problem to the lack of proper training. He said: “Some people who started the business without the right specie of snail or without practical training have already shut down. They

did it as a hobby, and at the end of the day, abandoned the business because of one mistake or the other.” To help prospective snail farmers avoid unnecessary mistakes, Jovana Farms has embarked on seminars on animal farming.

IFC, Goldman Sachs launch $600m facility for female entrepreneurs

NTERNATIONAL Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, and Goldman Sachs 10,000 Women programme, have launched a $600 million global facility that will increase access to finance to as many as 100,000 women entrepreneurs in emerging markets. The Women Entrepreneurs Opportunity Facility is the first of its kind to be dedicated exclusively to financing womenowned small and medium businesses in developing countries. IFC will invest an initial $100 million and the Goldman Sachs Foundation will provide $32 million. IFC will manage the facility, which is expected to mobilise up to an additional $468 million from public and private investors. The facility is part of the World Bank’s overall strategy to promote gender equality and ensure the social and economic welfare of one-half of the world’s population. IFC, through its Banking on Women Program, is playing a catalyzing role to help women-owned businesses. Since its inception in 2010, the programne has made 17 investments totaling more than $800 million in 17 countries. “This new initiative will create opportunities for tens of thousands of female entrepreneurs to thrive and prosper,” World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim said. “At the World Bank Group, we are committed to providing opportunities to aid women as leaders, business owners, employees, and stakeholders. We cannot afford to exclude half of the world’s population from their rightful role in helping to change the face of the global economy. Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. Lloyd Blankfein, said: “Through the experiences of the 10,000 women graduates, we have seen first-hand that investing in women is a key source that leads to economic growth, but there is clearly

more that can be done. By partnering with IFC, we will address one of the biggest obstacles to growth for womenowned small and medium businesses: access to capital.” An estimated $300 billion credit gap exists for womenowned enterprises, according to IFC research. Unfavourable business and regulatory conditions are also among the many barriers that impede women entrepreneurs. The new facility will extend lines of credits and share risk with local banks in developing countries to help ensure and promote access to finance

for women entrepreneurs. IFC Advisory Services and World Bank Group Global Practices Vice President, Nena Stoiljkovic, said: “IFC is delighted to partner with the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Women initiative, which has an impressive global presence. We need innovative models from the private sector to create opportunities for women entrepreneurs to thrive and prosper.” IFC and the 10,000 Women program will also provide training and advice to women entrepreneurs.

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, APRIL 2, 2014

EMPOWERMENT CLINIC with

How to plan your life BOOK REVIEW Author: Publisher: Reviewer:

GOKE ILESANMI

T is said that those who fail to plan are simply planning to fail. This is because planning is very critical to the ability to achieve set goals. This is why I want us to X-ray this book tagged How to Plan Your Life this week. It is written by Jim Davidson, a human-resource consultant and professional speaker. Davidson is a reputable motivational author who has given inspiration to more than 1, 600 audiences with his powerful messages of self-improvement. In this book, Davidson suggests how you can think about your life plan and what you can do to prepare yourself for your life work. According to him, success means different things to different people. He says there are two distinct areas to consider when talking about success. These, he educates, are the person and the career, job, or activities in which the person wants to be successful. This book has six parts of 23 chapters. Part one is labelled Who Am I? and contains three chapters. Chapter is entitled A new beginning. Here, Davidson says there are three questions you first need to consider. These are: Why did you pick up this book and start reading it? Where are you in terms of age, education, attitude, and past achievements? When it comes to making lifechanging decisions and choices, who will you be-

Jim Davidson Gospel Publishing Goke Ilesanmi

lieve? He advises you to have a positive mental attitude and look at life and future optimistically. Davidson says unless you are building your life and future on truth, you are definitely building on sand, and nothing of it will stand. In chapters two and three of this book, he examines the concepts of self-image and how it controls your life; and why goals are important for you in life. The second part of this book is generically labelled Where Am I? and contains four chapters, that is, chapters four to seven. According to Davidson in chapter four entitled Time for a check-up: Your personal inventory, in most cases, it is impossible to develop a plan to get where you want to go unless you first determine where you are. He says by taking time for a check-up in your own life now, you should have a better understanding of what talents and resources you have available as you plan for your future. In chapters five to seven, Davidson examines the concepts of the human mind and how it functions; the power of choice as your greatest power; and good health as the key to long-lasting success. Part three is conceptually summarised as Where Am I Going in Life? and contains four chapters, that is, chapters eight to 11. In chapter eight entitled The prelude to success: What success means to you, Davidson says one word that everybody is fond of talking about is Success. According to him, success has become more problematic since we became a highly mobilised, technologically advanced society. He adds that parents and educators have long known the value of teaching the importance of good character, but have neglected the value of teaching the importance, that is, success skills. In chapters nine to 11, Davidson discusses how to achieve success by meeting the needs of others; how to set and reach goals; and asks if goals can be too big.

BUSINESS COMMUNICATION

The fourth part of this book is notionally summarised as How will I get there? and contains three chapters, that is, chapters 12 to 14. According to Davidson in chapter 12 entitled A career or a job?, you must decide how you wish to travel – by means of a career or a job. He says since many of your goals require money, you will have to earn this money by providing a product or service to other people. “The vehicle or means you will use to earn this money will be either a career or a job. Since there is a vast difference between a career and a job in terms of potential benefits, I want you to see clearly what each involves….,” submits this author. In chapters 13 and 14, Davidson examines natural laws and how they affect our lives; and the demands of true and long-lasting success. Part five of this book is generically christened What kind of person will I be? and contains five

chapters, that is, chapters 15 to 19. In chapter 15 entitled Self-examination: Values, priorities, and rewards, Davidson says he hopes you are excited about the new and beautiful things that are going to happen in your life as you set in motion the goals and plans you have established for yourself. In chapters 16 to 19, Davidson discusses concepts such as spiritual life as an untapped power; the role of the traditional American family; and the income for present need and future security. The last part of this book, that is, part six, is summarily labelled What must I do to make success happen? and contains four chapters, that is, chapters 20 to 23. In chapter 20 entitled Managing and using time, Davidson asserts that as you begin each new day of your life, one thing that you have in common with every other living person is the same amount of time. “If you want to use your time wisely as you seek success, you must understand that time is money,” reflects this motivator. He adds that the actual value of your time is determined by the size of your goals and your commitment to them. In chapters 21 to 23, Davidson examines concepts such as the force of personal habits; good communication skills; and the life-long process of continuing education. He says for a person to be willing to successful, there must be a strong motivating desire to implement previous education, adding: “To be a well-rounded, welleducated person requires a balance of educational activities.” Regarding the assessment of ideas discussed, the book can be said to be very rich. Stylistically, this book is a success. The language maintains free flow and the syntax well-ordered. Davidson employs biblical and classical/literary allusions to reinforce the messages and achieve concrete conviction. To ensure that every reader practically participates, he includes Food for thought segment where he radiates philosophical and reflective messages. However, an error of notional redundancy is noticed in the last paragraph of page 42. Maybe Davidson deliberately uses it for emphasis. If you want to achieve success through effective planning, then you need to get a copy of this masterpiece.

Mastering reported speech for effective report writing

EPORTED speech is the opposite of direct speech. Direct speech refers to the original utterance of the first speaker and it is marked off by inverted commas in written discourse. It may be present or past in tense, depending on what the speaker is talking about. For example, if the speaker is talking about a present event, he uses present tense, and if it is a past event, he uses past tense. So direct speech does not specifically refer to present-tense utterance. Thus, the structure of direct speech may be: He says/said, “1 am happy” or He says/said, “I was around yesterday.”

Reported speech

This is otherwise known as Indirect Speech. It is opposed to the direct speech in which the original utterance of the first speaker is marked off by inverted commas. This is the ‘diluted’ form of the utterance of the original speaker. Reported speech does not necessarily mean pasttense version of direct speech, as it is possible to have present- as well as pasttense reported speech. What determines the tense of the reported speech is the tense of the reporting or introducing verb. So if the reporting verb is present in tense, the tense of the original words of the first speaker will not change, e.g. He says, “I am happy” (direct speech) will change to “He says (that) he is happy” in reported speech. Also, He says, “I was around” (direct speech) changes to “He says (that) he was around” in reported speech.

Backshifting

If, however, the reporting verb is in past tense, there will be backshifting. That is, the tense of the direct speech will shift one step backwards into the past in reported speech. In other words, if the direct speech is simple present, it changes

By Goke Ilesanmi

to simple past; and if it is simple past or present perfect, it becomes past perfect. Thus: He said, “I am happy” (direct speech) will change to “He said (that) he was happy”, while He said, “I was around “ (direct speech) becomes “He said (that) he had been around” in reported speech. Also, He said, “1 have written my note” (direct speech) becomes “He said (that) he had written his note” in reported speech.

Transformation

Apart from tense, in changing direct speech to reported speech, a lot of transformation manifests. For example, the personal pronouns change form. “I” may become “she” or “he” depending on the sex of the first speaker. “We” changes to “they”; “you” becomes “he”, “she” or “it” in the singular form, depending on the gender referred to by the first speaker. However, in the plural form, “you” becomes “they”. Also “this” becomes “that”; “these” changes to “those”; “today” becomes “that day”; “yesterday” becomes “previous day” or “day before”; “tomorrow” changes to “day after” or “next day”. Also, “next week” changes to “following week” or “week after”.

Flexibility

However, some of these changes are not always compulsory, especially adverbs of place and time, as well as determiners like “this” and “these”. This flexibility is especially applicable in real-life situation when the place of the original speech (reflected by “here”) has not changed, or when the time {represented by “tomorrow”, “next week”, etc.} still holds as the first speaker had in mind.

Addition

Also if the item modified by “this” is still within range in space, or the ones modified by “these”, then there is no need changing to “that” or “those” respectively. Finally, the relative pronoun or sub-ordinating conjunction “that” is an item of optional transformation in syntax when used in reported speech, especially with the verb “say”, and that is why it is usually put in brackets in the dictionary and grammar books. But lack of knowledge of grammar makes some people even add it as a compulsory constituent in reported speech, all in the name of trying to ensure expressions are grammatical.

Changing direct questions into reported ones

In changing a direct question to a reported or statement form, the interrogative tone will disappear. And for the interrogative tone to give way, there must be inversion of the auxiliary verb (e.g. is, are, will, etc.) and the succeeding noun or pronoun, especially in Yes/No and WHquestions. By analytical extension, “if” or “whether” is inserted after the reporting verb in reported Yes/No questions. For example, “Is he happy?” (direct question) becomes either “He asks if/ whether he is happy” or “He asked if/ whether he was happy”, depending on the tense of the reporting verb. Apart from “ask”, other verbs employed in the course of reporting direct questions are “enquire”, “wonder”, “want to know”, “demand to know”, etc. The verb “wonder” is used in rhetorical questions, that is, questions that expect no answer, e.g. “When am I going to get out of this problem?” In this WH-question, the speaker is not asking anybody, but only wonders about his condition.

Changing direct questions to statements is the problem of most Nigerian speakers. One often hears even highly-educated people reporting questions such as “He usually asks me that am I a banker.” The structure of this statement is faulty, especially that it still maintains some question tone occasioned by the use of “am” before “I”. The correct version is something like “He usually asks me if/whether I am banker.”

Structural exceptions

However, in some grammatical situations, especially in WH-questions, if the direct questions have interrogative pronouns like “who?”, “what?”, “which?”, “where?”, etc. as the subject, the word order will not change in the reported form. Therefore, “Who is there?” (direct question) becomes “He asks who is there” or “He asked who was there” in the statement form. To be continued PS: For those making inquiries about our Public Speaking, Business Presentation and Professional Writing Skills programme, please visit the website indicated on this page for details. Till we meet on Monday.

•GOKE ILESANMI, Managing Consultant/ CEO of Gokmar Communication Consulting, is an International Platinum Columnist, Certified Public Speaker/MC, Communication Specialist, Motivational Speaker and Career Management Coach. He is also a Book Reviewer, Biographer and Editorial Consultant. Tel: 08055068773; 08187499425 Email: gokeiles2010@gmail.com Website: www.gokeilesanmi.com

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, APRIL 2, 2014

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 2, 2014

POLITICS THE NATION

E-mail:- politics@thenationonlineng.net

NATIONAL CONFERENCE The National Conference has been described as a jamboree by many stakeholders. Other critics have also said that it is a mere talk shop. But, President Goodluck Jonathan, who set it up, has insisted that the delegates can chart the way forward for the country. The opposition has objected, saying that the President was trying to shore up his battered image, ahead of the next presidential election. Since the conference started its deliberations, it has faced many challenges. There are mutual distrust and suspicion between delegates from the South and North. The voting pattern has also generated controversy. There are fears that the outcome may not even see the light of the day. Correspondents ONYEDI OJIABOR and DELE ANOFI examines other obstacles against consensus building at the conference.

Where is National Conference heading to? W

HEN President Goodluck Jonathan set up the National Conference many stakeholders dismissed it as another fruitless search for a new order. A member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Pally Iriase from Edo/ Owan East/West Constituency, Edo State, said the conference was diversionary. In his view, the President was trying to divert attention from his inadequacy as a leader. He said nothing would come out of the conference. Explaining his objection to the conference, Iriase said: “We are a country ruled by the law and the constitution is clear. Legislative powers reside with the National Assembly. But, there is no legal framework for the conference.” Another lawmaker, who spoke on a condition of anonymity, pointed out that the National Assembly has not appropriated any fund for the exercise. He explained that the budget for the conference is hidden under the nebulous Service Wide Vote. “Since there is no legal backing, you cannot draw money for it from the national coffers”, he added. Since the deliberation kicked off, delegates have not found any common ground on preliminary issues. It is not certain whether the report of the conference will be subjected to a referendum or to the National Assembly. When some delegates called for a debate on the vexed issue, it polarised the conference. Also, mundane issues, including sitting arrangement, have led to disagreement. On Monday, two delegates were fighting over a seat, although the seats are not labeled. Muslim leaders have also protested to the President that Christians are dominating the conference. The controversy, said Iriase, has not been resolved. Unlike in the past, when Nigeria savoured temporary peace when a conference was in place, the current exercise has not appealed to the Boko Haram sect. Killings by the dreadful sect has continued unabated in the North. “This means that people are only asking for good governance, instead of playing to the gallery”, added the legislator. The Secretary-General of the Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), Prof Ishaq Oloyede, who is a delegate, agreed that the conference may pale into a wild goose chase. He said that the handling of proceedings by the conference leadership is worrisome. Oloyede lamented that that some delegates are even demanding extra-ordinary privileges at the conference. “I have reservations about issues raised, how they were being

• Kutigi

• Mrs Azinge

• Falana

• Ita-Giwa

raised, how insensitive some of the delegates have become. Nigeria needs more attention than this. I watched the drift of the debate and the resolution and I see how pedestrian most of the issues we are going to tackle would turn out to be,” he said. The conference has also been divided by religion. Efforts to provide a place of worship for Mus-

lims sparked off quarrel as Christians, who are observing the lent period, demanded the same from the leadership. It is still an outstanding issue at the conference. However, a delegate, Dr. Chukwuemeka Ezeife, former governor of Anambra State. said that what has transpired at the conference was normal in democracy. He said the conference will

• Akinyemi

• Ezeife

foster unity and understanding among the ethnic groups. Other delegates, including Senator Florence Ita-Giwa, Pastor Tunee Bakare, radical lawyer Femi Falana, and Hassan Riwan, a youth leader from the North, have criticised the procedure adopted for the deliberation by the Chairman, Justice Idris Kutigi (rtd). Senator Ita-Giwa

‘We are trying to build consensus, but, it is difficult. We have seen the mutual suspicion and lack of love among the geo-political zones. This suspicion is fueled by the huge number of old people who, have been in this business for so many years and are bent on using the same system that has not worked. They want us to continue to use that system that has not make us to develop, but we are saying no’

said that the conference did not kick off on a good note.”This confab is as a result of anger. There are people here who may not have the opportunity to this microphone and present their mission statement in the three months we are here. I suggest that two or three minutes should be given to each and every delegate to present his mission statement. Otherwise, you allow delegates to submit written statements”, she said. Falana was in the same frame of mind. He said: “There are 492 delegates here, brought here from all walks of life and you must expect all manners of contributions. The only unfortunate thing from the proceeding, so far, is the tendency of the secretariat to recycle those who brought Nigeria to her kneels, considering the composition of the 49- member committee that has just been drawn up. “The same people of expired ideas, who have fixations about Nigeria. It’s not about the Nigerian youth or women. In a committee of 492 people, only three women and no youth. Anyway, as they are consulting, we are also consulting. “Someone can say his territory extends to Cameroon. This is the time I expect the Chairman to say stop there, this is not the forum for that, but a conference of Nigerian. But, that is why we have not made any appreciable progress”. The National Chairman of the Labour Party, Dan Nwanyanwu, said that, if the conference is properly managed, it will achieve success. “We are trying to build consensus, but, it is difficult. We have seen the mutual suspicion and lack of love among the geo-political zones. This suspicion is fueled by the huge number of old people who have been in this business for so many years and are bent on using the same system that has not worked. They want us to continue to use that system that has not made us to develop, but we are saying no”, he added. Rilwan, said the conference was designed for the old men. He said the youths are marginalised at the debate. He also said that these elderly Nigerians were heating up the polity. He said the statement by the Lamido of Adamawa, Dr. Muhammadu Mustapha, on secession, was unnecessary. “This conference is something that must be properly worked out. This is a Nigerian project. The South and North have to come together and make sure it works for the future of this country. I want to believe that we won’t get to a situation where anyone or group would want to walk out of the Conference”, he said.

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, APRIL 2, 2014

POLITICS Presidential candidate of the defunct National Republican Convention Alhaji Bashir Othman Tofa is a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC). He spoke with KOLADE ADEYEMI on the Jonathan Administration, national Security and 2015 general elections.

‘Jonathan should go in 2015’ A

RE you an active member of the All Progressives Congress (APC)? I am active in the sense that I am a member of the party, but not an executive member. Because of my age and experience, I am comfortable to play the role of an elder statesman. What is your appraisal of the political situation? The political situation requires serious prayers, not just the political situation, but the country itself, so that we can have direction to enable us scale the hurdles that are ahead of us, so as to be able to do what is right for the country and for the people and emerge successful. The bottom line is that we have numerous problems and we need to seriously think about these problems and find ways to overcome them and do the right thing for the country. So, I think that is the situation for now. What is the way out of the problems Well, you see, the purpose of government is three-fold. One is to harness the resources of the country in the best and most efficient way and to use these resources to foster development, peace and security of the people of the country and to ensure that the rule of law prevails. These are the cardinal duties of any responsible government, while it has three tiers, the executive, the legislature and the judiciary and each of the tiers has their roles in the government. So, when we say government, it doesn’t just mean the Presidency. They are tied together. It involves the legislature, the judiciary and the executive. Government, as we are aware, secures the resources of the country, either through taxation or through the exploration of mineral resources or other engagements that it has to embark on. However, making the laws is the responsibility of the National Assembly and ensuring that the laws are complied with is the duty of the judiciary. So, government is the unity of the three tiers. In that respect, we have a government and each tier of government plays its role. We have to make progress and all stakeholders have to play their roles in the best way possible. As an elder statesman, what are your recommendations on the way forward? Well, the way forward from my perception is for us to first of all ensure that we have a credible election in 2015 and to accept the outcome of the election, as long as we unanimously agree that it is credible. Whoever that will win the election needs to be supported. Each of the political parties to the 2015 elections should field credible candidates, who would at the close of the day do this country proud. We must avoid corrupt people and those who are not transparent or decent. This category of candidates must be avoided and the electorate must also elect the right candidates. Once, we have the right candidates in place, we can begin to steer the ship of state in the right direction. So, that is the most important thing. Unless we do that, we will never have the kind of government we are yearning for; government that will be corrupt-free, government that will regard each and every Nigerian as equal citizens and give him or her the opportunity to do whatever he or she would do to advance their lives in accordance with the laws of the land, as well as to advance the lives of their communities in the country in general. Once, we can have that, and we have done away with corruption, we can thumb our chest and say that we are on the right track to real development

‘Nobody is satisfied with President Goodluck Jonathan’s style of leadership because it’s not even a style. I cannot define his style of leadership, in terms of the appropriate definition of leadership. He is absent from leadership. He has knowingly or unknowingly abandoned that part of his elected role to some elements, who will never help him. He has people around him, who misadvise him and are doing the wrong thing and he doesn’t seem to have control over them’ • Tofa

that this country deserves. As the 2015 general elections draw near, do you subscribe to the emergence of a consensus candidate? Well, it depends on the party and what the party’s constitution says? Consensus candidature is always good but it has to be a genuine consensus. But, if it cannot be a consensus to a minority group, that kind of consensus will never be successful or see the light of the day because it will definitely create factions within the party and, once we have factions within the party that feels strongly that it has been wronged, the success in the forthcoming elections would be questionable. So, it will be genuine, if it is just, then, we have consensus, but the next line says where that kind of consensus cannot be achieved in primary elections, where people cannot agree on a particular candidate, whereby the vast majority of those stakeholders cannot agree on a particular aspirant, then, there must be primaries. That has always been the condition. In the APC, that is the condition. Consensus is preferred but, justice would be better done, if primaries are conducted. Are you satisfied with President Goodluck Jonathan’s style of leadership? Nobody is satisfied with President Goodluck Jonathan’s style of leadership because it’s not even a style. I cannot define his style of leadership, in terms of the appropriate definition of leadership. He is absent from leadership. He has knowingly or unknowingly abandoned that part of his elected role to some elements, who will never help him. He has people around him, who misadvise him and are doing the wrong thing and he doesn’t seem to have control over them. For example, look at all these ministers that have done wrong, it has taken him so long to decide what to do with them. In some other countries, who know what they are doing, even the President does not need to act because the minister knows what to do, it’s just to resign. As long as you have done something which has been exposed, which is against the public interest, that

minister on his own knows that he does not need to be told but just resign. But in Nigeria, that never happens. They stay put and the President allows them to continue. Look at what happened with the Minister of Internal Affairs, Abba Moro, and look at what is also happening now with the recruitment exercise in the Immigration. It seems that the President is supporting them; they say he is a friend of this and a friend of that, who is so strategic. All these show that either the President is not aware or is absent of his responsibilities or that he is irrelevant. That is the impression that the President gives to so many people, not only in Nigeria, but even abroad. Now that the President has set up the National Conference, are you confident that the outcome will take Nigeria to another level of development? It will not take Nigeria to anywhere, it will be discussions, they will discuss and earn their N4 million per month and will write their report, which would be jettisoned, just as other reports. As I was telling some body in an interview what you would have done, which would even be much better was just to appoint some 50 wise men and women into a committee, retrieve all the previous reports and conferences that have been held. Let the wise men review and consolidate them into one single report and hand it over to the National Assembly. That would have been a better thing to do, so that the National Assembly that have the responsibility to amend the constitution and make other laws will look at these consolidated or synchronised report and take action. This conference has no legal authority to do anything. Nobody elected them. They are only nominated people. Some of them are very good people but they have no authority as the only authority they have is from the President but not from people like you and me. Once they talk, the talk is compiled in paper. Then, we have lost N7 billion in binding the report would lying somewhere where nobody will remem-

ber it. I heard that a former governor is suggesting that we should be given more time to do this work, that two more years should be extended, so that the tenure of the President and all the governors and the legislature should be extended by two years. But, this is even a criminal suggestion. It is criminal to suggest that the constitutional provision should be suspended. By who, by what kind of law, by what kind of fiat would you suggest that a constitutional provision, which says that the President has only a four-year term? This is a criminal act that he was suggesting that the country should undertake, which can’t happen. You cannot alter the constitution to achieve that purpose. So, right from the beginning, some people are flying a kite, showing that they are a hidden agenda to all these. If we not careful, these can cause seriousness problem, even to the democracy. People would not just accept some people to do whatever they like to do with this country. This country is big and it been existing together within 100 years and some people are attempting to destroy it. This cannot be acceptable. So, anybody who is trying to introduce some sabotage amendment or action would be resisted. The insurgency in some parts of the North has been threatening the corporate existence and unity of the country. What do you think is the solution? As I earlier told you, the purpose of the government is to ensure the security of lives and property of its citizens and the incumbent government is not performing that role. So, this is a very serious issue. It’s not just insurgency as every section of this country has it’s peculiar problem. In the North, there is this problem of insurgency. In some places, it’s the problem of kidnapping, while in some other places, it’s the problem of highway robbery and in some other places, it’s the problem of resources. In some places, it is the problem of restlessness. There is no single part of the country that is grappling with one problem or the other. Every section of the country has its own peculiar problem and we have to act as Nigerians and not look at other peoples problem, but look at our problems collectively and say look we have all these problems here and there, how do we resolve them. Whatever happens to the Northeast happens to the entire country and whatever happens to the Southeast happens to us here. So, we have to see ourselves as Nigerians. We should not insist that this is the problem of the North East or this is the problem of the South East but say that these are the problems that Nigeria have. Once we consider that is our collective problem, then we can collectively find sit down and see the best way to solve them but as long as we insist that a particular problem is some other people’s problem and not ours, then the problems cannot be amicably resolved. If you say that it is Armed Forces that would resolve the problem, these Armed Forces are not from space, they are Nigerians. So, how can you tell a military commander, who is from the South East, knowing that he would probably be killed in order to solve his problem. So, these problems are our problems wherever they occur and we have to see them as such because that is what makes us Nigerians, not just Easterners or South Easterners or North Westerners and so on.

Taraba 2015: PDP has no consensus candidate

HE Southern Taraba Stakeholders Forum (STSF) has denied reports that Mr. David Sabo Kente has been endorsed by the zone as its consensus candidate for the 2015 governorship election. The Northern and Central zones have produced Governors Jolly Nyame and Danbaba Suntai. But, the Southern Zone has not ruled Taraba, since its creation from the defunct Gongola State about 25 years ago. The zone is agitating for power shsift next year and the stakeholders have been assessing the aspirants, with a view to adopting one of them as the consensus candidate. The acting governor, Garba Umar, is from the North Nyame, who ruled for 10 years is also from the North.

From Fanen Ihyongo, Jalingo

The spokesman of the forum, James Abe Nwunuji, in a statement, said: “The news making the rounds that David Sabo Kente is our consensus candidate is fraudulent, deceptive and a distorted fact sponsored to mislead the people of Taraba South and the general public. “What is true is that Kente hails from Taraba South where we are negotiating that the 2015 governorship slot should rotate to. “It is also true that the Taraba North and Central districts have produced governors, who have served for 18 years while the South District has not. “Kente is eminently qualified to contest and become governor of the state. But, he has not been chosen to represent our interest.

“We want to make it clear that we have not endorsed a consensus candidate yet. “We are still assessing our aspirants to ensure that we must come out with a consensus candidate in the interest of the entire zone.” The forum also warned politicians from the zone to stop calling on former Defence Minister Gen. Theophilus Yakubu Danjuma to support Kente’s “dubious endorsement.” According to the forum, when Danjuma was approached to pick a candidate, said he would support whoever emerges as the consensus candidate. Nwunujin added: “In the report, Mr. Jibrin Anfani said Kente was chosen after a careful examination of all the aspirants from the zone. He should point out any other aspirant from

Taraba south [apart from Kente] who was there. “Was there any PDP exco member or traditional ruler there? Was there any local government chairman, House of Assembly members, House of representative member or our senator there? “If Kente says he was endorsed by Taraba South, who are the stakeholders that endorsed him, or doesn’t he know the [real] stakeholders of the zone?” The forum said the issue of consensus candidate for Taraba South is not a Wukari affair, but a collective agenda involving all the stakeholders from the five local government areas; Ibi, Wukari, Donga, Takum, Ussa and Yangtu areas. The forum said it is not against Kente or any aspirant.

• Suntai

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, APRIL 2, 2014

The Midweek Magazine

E-mail:- ozoluauhakheme@yahoo.com

‘More needs to be done for people with DS Stories by Evelyn Osagie AST Friday, the Down Syndrome Foundation Nigeria (DSFN) joined the world to celebrate this year’s World Down Syndrome Day (WDSD). The global event, which is supported by all Down Syndrome groups across the world, is a yearly ritual in which DSFN uses to focus on advocacy, awareness and interactive and educative partnerships with the mind of overcoming theprejudices of people living with Down syndrome,according to DSFN President, Mrs Rose Mordi. The inaugural WDSD was held on 21 March 2006 in Singapore. She said the Down Syndrome International (DSI), which is an umbrella body for non-governmental organisations working with people with the condition, adopted March 21 to signify the uniqueness of Down Syndrome in the triplication (trisomy) of the 21st chromosome and is used synonymously with Down syndrome (DS), adding that is a special day recognised by the United Nations (UN) to celebrate people with DS all over the world With this year’s theme as Equal accessibility to health care, Mrs Mordi observed that more needs to be done for people living with Down Syndrome in Nigeria, calling for structures and policies that would empower and support them along with organisations caring for them. While praising the Lagos State government for establishing a law that seeks to protect the interest of the people with disabilities (PWD) and establishing an agency to implement the provisions of the Special Peoples’ Law, she urged other states to follow the examples of their Lagos counterpart. Last Friday, the foundation held a symposium that created awareness on the condition at the United Nations Information Centre (UNIC). This year’s edition ended with a thanksgiving service at the Archbishop Vinning Memorial Cathedral Church, Ikejalast Sunday. Other activities included a Charity Car Wash, which is in its second edition, held at the Ikoyi and Ijora offices of the Sahara Oil Group. It was meant to create awareness and form new partnerships. DSFN also held an inter house sports competition at the Union Bank Sport Complex, Surulere that was attended by the Senior Pastor, Grace Assembly, Pst Femi Paul, who chaired the event; the Special Adviser, Ministry of Youth, Sport and Social Development, Dr Enitan Badru; Rev. Father Ugo Nweke and Mrs Angeline Bassey. A comedy show tagged: Comedy Infusion (SEASON 3) was also used to mark the celebrations. A mini-charity walk through the Surulere axis was also used to create awareness.

•Participants at the event

They gathered to preach love

HOSE who did not feel the slightest compunction over the heart-rending death of 19 job seekers in a stampede two weeks ago, at the recruitment exercise of the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), ought to have partaken of the outing. It was a gathering where those who never realised that love is a major ingredient of living so cherished by God knew better. “This should be a must-attend outing for every public office holder in the country. It is one that everyone who is at a loss for the cause of the various catastrophes in the land should witness. The main solution to our various problems as a nation is here.” A concerned Nigerian, Ogbonnaya Okike, made this observation after listening to various sermons that held guests spellbound at the kick-off of a three-day national conference of the Brotherhood of the Cross and Star (BCS), Christ Universal Spirited Children Fellowship (USCF). It was held at the National Theatre, Iganmu, Lagos, with the theme: Unified universal theocracy on earth. From the soul-stirring renditions of members of the choirs who, like other members of the brotherhood, appeared angelic in allwhite robes, to the priests, love was on the lips of everyone as the soul of human co-existence. To Pastor Sunny Ekanem, Lagos State leader’s representative, and others who spoke at the gathering, unrepentant lovers of materialism are enemies of Christ and hence, have no place in the kingdom of God, which the brotherhood represents. The mammoth crowd shook in awe-inspiring ovation when the Chairman, BCS Executive Council, His Holiness Olumba Olumba Obu was ushered into the gathering by his pastors, led by the Chairman, Planning Committee of the convention, Anita Reginald Anyalor. After an outpouring of hearty songs by the various choirs, and speeches that all bordered on the need for love, righteousness and selflessness among humans, Obu blessed all and admonished the congregation never to depart from righteous ways. After the carnival, Parkson Edjeketa of the BCS, Ikeja, told reporters: “Thank you for being here to witness this. You can see that ours is not a secret cult as being insinuated at some quarters. We are for righteousness, which the bible

By Dada Aladelokun

CONFERENCE teaches us, exalts a nation.” A leader of the brotherhood, Joseph Dike, spoke about how the convention affects our society thus: “We are out to break the boundary of religion, the barrier of our languages and other factors that have been posing problems to us. We decided to come together at this particular time when there is so much violence, bloodshed, acrimony and hatred. The bible teaches love as well as other religion; we expect children of God to come together and resolve our differences. We should forget all our biases, forget the hatred and those things that work against our wellbeing and come together as a family of God under one umbrella.” The brotherhood’s spokesman, Bishop Theophilus Idabre, debunked the seeming controversy surrounding the brotherhood, saying: “Brotherhood of the Cross is not a cult, nor a society; it is the kingdom of God on earth. It was established according to the prophesies of our Lord Jesus Christ. The foundation is based on His teachings. Look at the issue of condom use; what our Father teaches is abstinence and not getting involved in sexual indulgence. “There so much to benefit from this convention. With God, all things are possible. Lagos, being the venue of this conference will not only make spiritual gains, but economic advancement. We have witnessed so much spiritual progress, there are testimonies, people have been healed and the spiritual revival has been tremendous.” Sam Jack, a member, said: “The convention is for the spiritual development of Nigerians. Nigeria will grow better. I was born in the brotherhood. I used to be at the park, selling chips. The first day I met Olumba Olumba, he said: ‘Stay with me for two days and you will see what will happen to you.’ Since them, my life has transformed. Today, I have been to different counties that I could not have dreamt of. What we preach here is the solution to all the problems in the country.”

Mexico seeks collaboration with NTDC on domestic tourism •Continued from page 16

President, Federation of Tourism Association of Nigeria (FTAN), Mr. Tomi Akingbogun urged the Federal Government to create an enabling environment for tourism to thrive. “Tourism all over the world is private sector driven with little government support, but Nigeria can become one of the best destinations with the right policies in place,” he said. Meanwhile, Mrs Mbanefo, who was recently decorated as one of the new Oral Health Ambassadors for tourism industry, has reiterated her desire to promote the National Oral Health Policy developed by the Federal Ministry of Health and approved by the National Council on Health on May 2011.

She said: “My message to Nigerians is that it is essential to take oral hygiene very serious because it can constitute national threat if not properly handled. There is need for every Nigerian to take proper care of their mouth/teeth to prevent diseases and for healthy living of the people.” “I will ensure as Chief Tourism Officer of Nigeria, that I galvanised and continue the campaign in every state that I go to for domestic tourism, I will preach the gospel of oral health.” She spoke at the World Oral Health Day and National Oral decorated as an Oral Health Ambassador during the World Oral Health Day/National Oral Health Conference held at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja.

WHRINcalls for urgent UN Action on witchcraft accusations

“M

ANY women and children may suffer human right violations arising killing relating to witchcraft accusations and human sacrifice.” This was contained in a report entitled 21st Century Witchcraft Accusations and Persecution by the Witchcraft and Human Rights Information Network (WHRIN). Given the report, the organisation has urged the United Nations (UN) to take urgent action to curb these abuses. According to WHRIN Executive Director, Gary Foxcroft, many cases were recorded in 41 countries across all continents especially in India, Nigeria and South Africa. Foxcroft said: “Two hundred and nine horrific cases of witchcraft accusations, multi killings for body parts and human sacrifice were recorded on online media in 2013. In India high rates of human sacrifice were recorded. In South Africa cases of killings of people for the use of their body parts in magic prevailed. In Nigeria numerous cases of children being accused of witchcraft were documented. “The cases make particularly gruesome reading and are undoubtedly the tip of the iceberg of this form of abuse. We don’t know exactly how many people across the world have suffered due to these practices. But we do know that this is an emerging issue that needs more attention and constitutes a scar on the face of humanity”. Concerns around the ‘growing reality’ of children being accused of witchcraft were also raised at the Human Rights Council session held early this monthby the UN Special Representative to the Secretary General on Violence Against Children, Martha Santos Pais.She observed that: “To be labelled a witch…is tantamount to being declared liable to be killed with impunity”, adding that this phenomenon is systematically associated with serious acts of violence, starvation, abandonment and death in Sub-Saharan Africa, in Asia, in the Pacific and beyond. “Discrimination, social exclusion, violence, abandonment and sometimes even murder of innocent children regularly take place due to such beliefs. Vulnerable children, such as those with disabilities, children with albinism, children without parental care as well as specially gifted children, are often the target of witchcraft accusations. In some cases, traditional healers and local religious leaders condone witchcraft accusations, as itcan serve as a lucrative business venture for them,” she said. Whilst acknowledging the encouraging levels of interest shown in the issue by the UN Special Representative, WHRIN calls for the UN to take more concrete steps to deal with this human rights catastrophe and, in particular, urges that the UN initiates a process of encouraging dialogue between faith groups, governments and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) so that solutions may be developed to put a stop to these horrific human rights abuses.

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, APRIL 2, 2014

The Midweek Magazine

E-mail:- ozoluauhakheme@yahoo.com

Obiano’s wife splashes gifts on parents of quadruplets

HILDREN are blessings from God Almighty but when the basic needs are difficult to come by, they become a burden of sort to some people. That appeared to be the lots of the the family of Mr. and Mrs. Princewill Oluchi who were delivered of quadruplets on the day Governor Willie Obiano was being inaugurated in Anambra State. The quadruplet, three boys and one girl- Onyedikachi (Who is like God), Chimzaram (My God answers me), Chikamso (I am following God) and Kamsiyoochukwu (How I ask my God) were delivered on March 17 at exactly the time when Chief Willie Obiano and his deputy, Dr. Nkem Okeke mounted the saddle as the Executive Governor and deputy Governor of Anambra State. For six years the couples were without a child until this four came at a time. At first, they appeared confused but succour came from wife of Anambra State Governor, Chief Mrs. Ebelechukwu Obiano who gave cash and bounties worth over three hundred thousand naira to the family for the up keep of the babies.

From Odogwu Emeka Odogwu, Nnewi

Presenting the gift items ranging from bags of rice, beans, cartons of baby food, clothes and other provisions with an undisclosed cash sum to the parents of the quadruplets in their Ngozika Estate, Awka home, Mrs. Obiano said it is in recognition of God’s gift to mankind for showering the couples with quadruplets after 6 years of waiting on the Lord. Obiano’s wife announced that the Obiano administration has declared free maternal and childcare in all government hospitals in the state and urged all mothers in Anambra to avail themselves of such opportunity. She urged the couples to take good care of the children and ensure that they were trained to have good relationship with God from their childhood, adding that her office will also strive to be responsive to the needs and yearnings of the people in the state. The parents of the quadruplets Mr. and Mrs. Princewill Oluchi expressed gratitude to the Governor’s wife and described her gesture as signs of greater things to

•Entourage savouring the joy with the family.

happen in Anambra State. However, the Anambra State Governor, Chief Willie Obiano, through his wife, declared free maternal and childcare delivery in all government hospitals in the state and urged all expectant mothers in Anambra to avail themselves of the opportunity of

ensuring that they deliver their babies in government hospitals without any cost. According to the First Lady, “I was overwhelmed when the Women Affairs Commissioner, Lady Henrietta Agbata broke the news of the birth of the quadruplets especially now that infant

Abuja hosts World Fashion Week

HE Founder, Nigerian Fashion Week, Mr Lexy Mojo has described the World Fashion Week as a veritable platform for Nigerians to associate with the World Fashion Organization, which provided opportunity for the country to showcase its culture and fashion potentials to the world. Mojo said that the upcoming world fashion week holding in July for African continent, featuring about 40 designers would provide wide exposure for up-coming designers, who had a lot of creativity, but yet to be discovered. He said for creativity to grow there should be a platform that celebrates and supports it, hence contributing to its growth. “Therefore, it will not be out of place if one thinks of tapping into the abundant potentials in fashion industry to make a living,” he added. He spoke at Abuja during a courtesy call on the Minister of Tourism, Culture and National Orientation, Chief Edem Duke to intimate the government on the forthcoming world continental fashion week hold-

By Bukola Amusan

ing in July in Nigeria. Mojo explained that it is on this premise the WFO proposed a collaboration with the federal government of Nigeria to tap into the country’s fashion industry, to create wealth in the society, while generating job opportunities for citizenry. The minister expressed government’s readiness to collaborate with World Fashion Organisation (WFO) to create wealth, while empowering women and youth economically, using fashion industry. To this effect, the two bodies are planning to establish garment manufacturing plant in Nigeria, in addition to the proposed World Fashion University. Duke told the delegation led by WFO President, Paco De Jaimes, in Abuja that the desire of government to promote culture and fashion was burnt out of its struggle to take the country beyond oil. “For too long, we have been depending on mono product, which is oil; we have come to the realization that oil has producing

•Duke

wealth, but failed to employ people. “The fashion value chain which you have proposed today will find a fertile ground in Nigeria. The innate creativity and talent in the Nigeria fashion industry are inexplicable,” he said. The Minister however stressed that the government would focus on professionalism, competence and putting right policy in place, to ensure that exploring fashion

Use theatre to create jobs, ANTP members urged

EMBERS of the Association of Nigeria Theatre Arts Practitioners (ANTP) have been urged to hasten to use their talent in creating employment for the youth who are without any gainful employment. Wife of chairman Mushin Local Government, Mrs. Rachael Adepitan said theatre can serve as a platform for employment as well as opportunity for children to learn about culture. She added that it will also shape the moral values of the society through quality scripting, editing and story lines that can promote ethical behaviour. She spoke at a ceremony where she was honoured as the Grand Patroness of the Association of Theatre Arts Practitioners (ANTP), Mushin Chapter. She said: “I teach Yoruba language and I have seen that there are things that are better explained in native dialects for better delivery and understanding, you can use rich languages to reform the society, today, every family retires home watching one program or the other on television, radio or reading newspapers, particularly Drama series, it is the best

and maternal mortality rate is high in the country but we really thank God that they were born alive and in good health. The only unfortunate thing is that they were born in another state. If they were born in any of the government hospitals in the state, the bill would have been free” she said.

potentials in the country would not affect negatively the culture of the Nigerian people. He promised to promote the ideal among other agencies of government, while urging designers in the country to creatively design style that would promote the diverse cultures of the people. Earlier, the President of WFO, Paco De Jaimes said the aim of the World Fashion Week was to show case the country as leader of African fashion in the continent, adding that, it would contribute to education and economic empowerment for the people. He said they would explore all avenues to bring the World Fashion University to Nigeria to promote self reliance among the populace. Also speaking, The Patron of World Fashion Organization Africa, Mrs Merit Gordon Obua said Nigerians were passionate about their culture and the way they dressed. According to her, the diversity in the Nigerian culture makes its unique among the cultural potentials of the world. Obua maintained that if the culture and fashion potentials of Nigerians were properly harnessed, it could bring about total-turnaround of the country’s economy. She noted that Nigerian women and youth were creative, the only thing they needed was the platform that would not only build them, but also bring out the ingenuity embedded in them.

Integrity Int’l conference for Accra By Joseph Eshanokpe

•From left: Kufisile, Mr. Banjamin Gabriel, Mrs. Adepitan and Mrs. Morenike Babs-Ogunleye at the event. By Nneka Nwaneri

weapon to educate the society, less of violence, criminalities, get rich quick syndrome should be aired or published’, she noted. Also during the event, a 26-week drama

project, titled ADEPITAN was unveiled, depicting a child destined to be great despite the shenanigans of distractions. Others honoured at the occasion included protem legal adviser APC Dr. Muiz Banire, APC Chairman in Mushin, Aremo Michael Kufisile.

O enable African leaders to embrace integrity, a group, Integrity International, will hold its eighth Leadership Conference on Development on Saturday, April 26, at the Conference Hall of New Golden Tulip Int’l Hotel, Accra, Ghana by 6.00pm. The event’s lecture titled: Africa’s industrialisation in the 21st Century: Issues, options, challenges and prospects will be delivered by Mr. Tony Elumelu, former MD/CEO United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc. and founder Tony Elumelu Foundation. Dr. John Dramani Mahama of Ghana will be the chief host. Those expected to be in attendance at the event includes head of states, top government functionaries, envoys, business personalities, professionals, eminent African statesmen, religious leaders, traditional leaders, governors, among others. A few Africans and organisations are to be conferred with Integrity Awards at the end of the conference. Former Ghana President Jerry J. Rawlings is expected to deliver the keynote address. President Faure Gnassingbe of Togo and President Joyce Banda of the Republic of Malawi are expected at the occasion.

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, APRIL 2, 2014

The Midweek Magazine

E-mail:- ozoluauhakheme@yahoo.com

ARROW OF GOD @ 50

Arrow of God: Torchlight to Nigeria’s political landscape As Nigerian scholars and literati joined their counterparts across the world to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the late Prof Chinua Achebe’s novel at the Oyo State capital, the political and historical relevance was underlined, reports EVELYN OSAGIE.

T was a moment of sober reflection and intellectual rigour into Nigeria’s political terrain when Nigerian scholars and literati gathered at the University of Ibadan, Arts Theatre to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the late literary legend, Prof Chinua Achebe’s novel Arrow of God. Fifty years after the epic novel, Arrow of God was written, it still spells lessons for politicians and Nigeria’s political landscape, it was said. With Ekiti and Osun’s election on the way, politicians have been referred to the novel for lessons on politics and governance. The scholars raised concern over the state of the nation. “2015 is around the corner, we are worried for Nigeria,” they said. Tagged: Literature, Leadership and National Unity, the symposium marked the beginning of the Nigerian-leg of the global celebration. The power play in the work was linked to what is happening in Nigeria’s political scene. The book political relevance is not only being celebrated in Nigeria alone, but across 70 countries, the Chairman of the National Organising Committee, Arrow of God @ 50 Celebration, Dr Wale Okediran said. What was meant to be a celebration of one of Nigeria’ literary classics became a political summit of a sort as scholars x-rayed Nigeria’s

•From left: Chief Nwokocha, Prof Kew, Ayo Ojeniyi and Prof. Olayinka Idowu.

ANNIVERSARY political terrain. Aside from Ibadan, it would be celebrated in seven other cities March and April in Otuoke, Abuja, Lagos, Awka, Ogidi, Sokoto and Port Harcourt, according to Okediran. Set in the Southeast, the 1964 novel centres on Ezeulu, the chief priest of several villages who confronts adversaries to his office, colonial powers and Christian missionaries in the 1920s. Okediran said: “The portrayal of leadership in Arrow of God is unique in many ways. Ezeulu, the protagonist of the novel, is not just the chief priest of Ulu, the colonial government finds him exceptional and fearless especially in the case of the land dispute. However, Ezeulu’s leadership is under threat as he is in constant conflict with his rival – Ezeidemili for example, the colonial government and even his own family. In resolving these conflicts he puts himself in the place of his god and abandons his people in a fit of revenge.

“He forgets that he is merely an arrow in the hand of his god. As a leader, does Ezeulu exude the needed qualities of honesty and integrity? Does he carry the people along in the discharge of his duties? Does he have their love and the fulfilment of their desires at heart? Has he arrogated power to himself and momentarily forgets he is merely an intermediary between god and man? In the end, does he lead his people to progress and development or destruction? These are some of the questions the papers attempts to answer in the light of the place of leaders in present-day Nigeria where politicians as leaders do not see their function as that of service but live large at the expense of the poor people they claim to lead,” Okediran said. The US Professor on Conflict Resolution and Democracy Building, Darren Kew said he has been an admirer of his efforts in democracy building. Kew, who gave the keynote address, showed an in-depth understanding of Nigeria’s political scene which is not unconnected to his years of research and being an election monitor for four elections in Nigeria. He

INFOGEM to market Olubadan centenary

HREE distinguished Nigerians, Nobel laureate Prof Wole Soyinka, erudite historian Prof Toyin Falola and Senate President David Mark will be honoured with chieftaincy title by the Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Samuel Osundiran Odulana. This is part of programmes to commemorate the birthday centenary of Ibadan monarch, as indigenes of Ibadan, Oyo State Capital roll out the big drums on April 14 till 19, according to the Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes (CCII). In order to ensure a befitting and historical celebration for the Olubadan of Ibadan, CCII has engaged the service of INFOGEM Limited as a leading management consultant and marketer of the event. Are Mayegun of Ibadan Land and the Chairman Organising Committee , Olubadan Centenary, Chief Adebayo Oyero, made this revelation at a media briefing held at Ibadan House , Oke - Aremo, Ibadan, Oyo State, Chief Oyero who was represented by Oloye Lekan Alabi, Aare Alaasa Olubadan of Ibadan land and Chairman centenary celebration Publicity Sub-Committee said that Ibadan decided to celebrate the Centenary birthday of a historical king of a foremost historical city in a historical way . “We have every cause to thank God and celebrate the unique life of our unique Monarch in a historical style. You will agree with us that Ibadan is the city of almost all the first modern facilities in Africa. The first seat of local government administration, Mapo Hall, first television station, first stadium, the first tallest building, first FM station, first univer-

•Left-right: Olumoko, Alabi and Prof. Femi Lana By Ozolua Uhakheme Assistant Editor (Arts)

CELEBRATION sity, first College of Medicine among others. And now our Monarch clocks 100 years on the face of the earth, it calls for celebration with drums, sambas and flutes.” Oloye Lekan Alabi revealed that “what we are celebrating is a royal father with distinguishing features of private and public life, which is not only a Nigerian affair but an intercontinental personality who was a soldier during the World Wars. Therefore, the centenary birthday celebration of such a cosmopolitan king should not and cannot be organised without the invitation, participation and conscious rais-

ing of awareness to the whole world.” This, he said, necessitated the decision to engage CEO, INFOGEM Limited, Mr. Ayo Olumoko, not only to market the event but to network with all those who should be aware. He noted out that CCII has implicit confidence and assurance about the goal getting ability and the experience of INFOGEM Limited having successfully organised similar events in Nigeria. Oloye Alabi who was the chairman of subcommittee on publicity disclosed that series of programmes have been slated for the event, which starts on Sunday April 13 where President Goodluck Jonathan is expected to lead other top dignitaries to felicitate with the monarch. Part of the programmes includes symposium, carnival show, docu-drama, stage play and presentation of awards.

raised fears over the country’s political scene in the next year, saying Nigeria is faced with the most trying times. He noted that violence would allow the military to come in, urging the Civil Societies and trade unions to advocate for peace and fair play. “I don’t think Nigeria would collapse but it could if they engage the military. I hope politicians will not engage the military. What worries me is PDP pushing the religious candidate in the NorthEast; politicisation of the military, especially in the North. The CSO has a peacekeeping role to play and should ensure they monitor the elections. Kew observed that for Nigeria’s nascent democracy to flourish, there is need for a vibrant opposition, saying the success of the “APC” merger would spell change for Nigeria. He urged the opposition parties to borrow from the example of their Ghanaian counterparts He said: “Ghana and others did not arrive in one year at its position as one of the countries that have democratised. Democracy takes time to work. Clean election comes only with an agreement to obey the rule. In a good democracy, you need political parties pointing fingers at each other. Since their politics are based on self-interest, let ambition check ambition. We are in a very dangerous stage for Nigeria. It is going to be a bumpy ride in the next year. It is hard to determine how the game will play out in 2015 but where you have strong opposition, it is more difficult to rig. “Various scenarios can play out. APC may probably be rigged out again but the political parties must keep at it until they become strong enough to take on the ruling party. As the opposition gets organised, it becomes very difficult to rig. However, the rise of APC could bring about change. APC should think 2019 too (like Ghana in 1996): in 1992 the Ghanaian opposition were rigged out several times but they got there; think over a long term, build a base in the National Assembly to win in 2019. “With the defect of the governors, PDP is in more trouble now than it ever was. However, the heart of the APC is the agreement. There is the fear that it could still collapse into its constituent parts. More would depend on who the APC picks as presidential candidate. Can APC produce a Northern conscientious candidate?” He urged the public to rise up and protect their votes by being involved in the process from start to finish. Radical scholar, Azeez Akinwumi of the AlHikmah University, linked the quest for sustainable democratic governance in Nigeria to the text Arrow of God. In his paper entitled: Hegemonic Masculinity and the Quest for Sustainable Democratic Governance in Nigeria: Achebe’s Arrow of God as a Paradigm, Akinwumi said Ezeulu’s power play in the text is akin to those of present-day politicians, who are determined to hold power at all cost. The tragedy that befell the protagonist at the end, according to him, should sound a warning to power-drunk politicians. The book’s anniversary was also marked with a literary quiz between pupils in secondary schools in the state. Abadina College won first place.

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, APRIL 2, 2014

The Midweek Magazine

E-mail:- ozoluauhakheme@yahoo.com

LBHF 2014

•Participaating students at Freedom Park Lagos

AST Saturday, 30 students drawn from 26 schools in Lagos State demonstrated their creative talent in a live painting competition, Vision of the child, at the Freedom Park, Lagos. The students who were provided with brushes, paints and easels illustrated their literary presentation of this year’s theme; Rule of law and the law of impunity. Earlier, the children wrote poem and a short story on the same theme. The Vision of the child competition is sponsored by Diamond Bank and Lagos State government sponsored the youths’ segment of the Lagos Black Heritage Festival. It is a component of the yearly festival that focuses on the individual vision and artistic inclinations of children in Lagos State. The paintings will be assessed by a panel of judges, composed of the former Ondo State Tourism and Culture Commissioner and a renowned painter Chief Tola Wewe, Chief (Mrs) Nike Okundaye, Mr. Segun Almaroof, Mr. Folu Agoi, and Ms. Biodun Odunukan. The LBHF 2014 events will hold from April 14 through 21 at the Freedom Park (Old Colonial Prison), I Hospital Road, off Broad Street, Lagos.

Children’s voices on rule of law on canvas By Ozolua Uhakheme Assistant Editor (Arts)

FESTIVAL According to Lagos State Commissioner for Tourism and Inter-governmental Relations, Mr. Oladisun Holloway this year’s festival will take a break from its current series-The Black in the Mediterranean Blue to- focus on music. He observed that much is happening in the musical field and that there is a domination of Eura-merican pop forms, which near completely stifles the exploration of indigenous musical resources both in direct performance for audiences, and in their application to other disciplines-most notably in theatre and cinema/video. “Traditional drama was founded on what

Akinrinade, Tinubu, Anyaoku, others for presentation of book on Awo

ORMER Chief of Defence Staff, General Alani Akinrinade (rtd), will lead eminent Nigerians to Agip Hall, MUSON Centre, Lagos on Thursday, April 17 for the public presentation of a book, ‘The Yoruba Elite and Ethnic Politics in Nigeria: Obafemi Awolowo and Corporate Agency’ written by Dr. Wale Adebanwi. Published recently by Cambridge University Press, Cambridge (UK and New York, USA,) the book is a definitive text on the political movement and parties led by the sage and premier of the Western Region. Joining Akinrinade, the chair of the presentation is National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the chief presenter; Chief Awolowo’s ‘Jewel of Inestimable Value’, Mama HID Awolowo as the mother of the day and the Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade as the father of the day. The host governors are Dr. Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State, Senator Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State and Babatunde Raji Fashola of Lagos. The special guests of honour include Governors Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo, Segun Mimiko of Ondo, Adams Oshiomhole of Edo, Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers, Murtala Nyako of Adamawa, Rochas Okorocha of Imo and Rabiu Kwankwaso of Kano.

The guests of honour are Chief Emeka Anyaoku, Chief Reuben Fasoranti, Sir Olaniwun Ajayi, General Adeyinka Adebayo (rtd), Chief Ayo Adebanjo, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, Chief Bisi Akande, Chief Segun Osoba, Chief Olu Falae, Alhaji Lateef Jakande, and Otunba Niyi Adebayo. Executive Editor of TheNews, Kunle Ajibade, is the book reviewer while Deputy Editor-inChief of TELL Magazine, Demola Oyinlola, will be the MC. The Afenifere Renewal Group (ARG) and the Obafemi Awolowo Foundation, Lagos, are the joint hosts of the presentation ceremony which commences at 11am prompt. ‘The Yoruba Elites and Ethnic Politics in Nigeria: Obafemi Awolowo and Corporate Agency’ investigates the dynamics and challenges of ethnicity and elite politics in Nigeria. It is the first authoritative, scholarly book on the political elite of one of the largest ethnic groups in Africa. In its examination of how Chief Awólowoò re-made Yorùbá history in modern times, the book combines the perspectives and disciplinary methods of anthropology, historical sociology and political science. Adebanwi, who was a public affairs journalist in Nigeria for many years but is now an Associate Professor at the University of California-Davis, USA, demonstrates how the corporate agency of the elite transformed the modern history and politics of the Yorubas.

was generally dubbed folk opera, a form that is largely dying out. Additionally therefore, in an attempt to resuscitate this unique performance genre, so highly developed in other societies- see for instance, the heights to which it has been taken in countries like China-the festival yields Front Stage this year to Music, its fortunes under technological enhancements and the proliferation of foreign music. Music, we know, plays a dominant role in social life,” he added. Holloway disclosed that the festival will serve as platform to pay tribute also to pioneers- such as the late Steve Rhodes-whose struggling orchestra and choral ensemble won laurels in famous international competitions such as the Welsh Eisteddfod. He noted that it will provide a homecoming platform for contemporary composers

whose works have been enjoyed for decades by foreign audiences but remain totally unknown in their own homeland. The festival, he said, plans to open the eyes of aspiring musicians to the vastly unexplored possibilities of the musical forms right in their own backyards, as an option to the largely imitative trend currently pursued by a new generation of musicians. Innovative African music, we propose, should not end with Afro-beat. Also, the festival is expected to feature drama, expositions, water regatta, street carnival, film and do your own thing- to showcase surprise talents and unpredictable presentations. The water regatta constantly outdoes its previous outing, festooning the lagoon in a blaze of pennants and choreographed motions, while the street carnival continues to complement its Calabar sister Carnival, which rounds up each year, even as the Lagos version ushers in the next every Easter Monday. There will be the Night of the poets celebrates the lyric voices of the living, then further down to the next generation which is represented in the Children’s Carnival.

TKGM auction opens April 11

NE of Nigeria’s leading art auction houses, Terra Kulture Mydrim Gallery (TKMG), will hold its 7th art auction on April 11 at the Intercontinental Hotel Victoria Island, Lagos. It will auction works by 60 major artists that will feature over 90 exquisite pieces which represent a comprehensive offering of great African art ever to be offered at TKMG auction. Mrs. Sinmidele Adesanya said the collections are from notable art collectors in order to lead the Nigerian art market into the world stage and also to build investor confidence in not only the artists but the art market as a whole. “Our past auctions have tremendously increased confidence in both the primary and secondary art markets and have helped in grooming new collectors of art who are inspired by the activities on the auction floor.

By Linda Ogudo

“Also the auctioneer for the forthcoming auction is Mr. Yinka Akinkugbe who is bringing his wealth of knowledge of the art and business to bear. Highlight in the collections includes EI Anatsui’s and Bruce Onobrakpeya’s deep etching works. In addition, new artists such as Isaac Emokpae, Oyewole Olufemi, Tunde Owolabi and Adubi Mankinde Mydaz,” she said. Auction preview and cocktails will hold on April 6 at 5pm at the same venue. The preview will run till Thursday. Works at the auction will be displayed for viewing at the Intercontinental Hotel plot 52A, Kofo Abayomi Street, Victoria Island, Lagos. TKMG is the leading auction house dedicated to selling modern fine art works.

Terra Kulture hosts Art of Football

HE 23rd annual exhibition of Nigeria Art will hold on May 16 and 17 at Terra Kulture Victoria Island, Lagos. The theme of the exhibition is Art of Football and the guests of honour are Chief Segun Odegbami (MON) Ex-Super Eagles captain and Alhaji Bolaji Abdullahi former Minister of Sports. The exhibitors are over 90 emerging Nigerian

By Linda Ogudo

artists, showcasing over 100 artworks of various media. The event will feature awards such as lifetime achievement awards, sponsor of the year award, art journalist of the year award, art teacher of the year award and Gani Odutokun award for excellence in art.

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, APRIL 2, 2014

BUSINESS EXTRA

Missing N59.6b Service Wide Vote: CBN, NNPC, AGF get Reps’ ultimatum

HE House of Repre sentatives Public Ac counts Committee (PAC) yesterday issued a 24hour ultimatum to the Acting Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Dr Sarah Alade, the Executive Director of Finance, Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and the AccountantGeneral to the Federation (AGF), Mr Jonah Otunla to explain their roles in the alleged missing N59.6 billion Service Wide Vote in 2006. Representatives of NNPC, CBN and AGF had, during the investigative hearing held yesterday denied knowledge disbursing the fund.

From Victor Oluwasegun, Abuja

In his submission, the NNPC GM Accounts, Mr Sambo Aliyu, presented a letter written by the Budget Office in response to NNPC’s enquiry on the whereabouts of the missing fund. He, however, noted that the Budget Office responded that the money was released to NNPC. But when asked whether the money was released to the NNPC, Aliyu insisted that “the cash was not released, we did not see any money”. Reacting to his submission, members of the Committee said all the relevant agencies

should be summoned once again. When the representative of CBN, Mr Dipo Fatokun, was asked to explain what he knew about the missing fund, he simply said: “We will need to get the mandates from the AGF. “ Unhappy with his response, some of the lawmakers ordered Fatokun to come along with his superiors today as his responses so far have not been encouraging. Also, when queried on the missing fund, a Director in the Budget Office, Mrs. Tayo Toluwase, simply said she does not have all the relevant details.

Chairman of PAC, Hon Olamilekan Adeola, ordered the AGF to bring all the documents involving the disbursement of the fund. According to him, such documents include all bank transactions between July and December 2006, a copy of the Federation Account, copies of statements of accounts through CBN for the period under review. He said: “If there was any mandate on the said missing N59.6billion, it will show at a glance. “We are tired of all the excuses of all the agencies involved, claiming ignorance at one stage or the other. “

NNPC ‘restoring normalcy’ in fuel supply

HE Nigerian National Petroleum Corpora tion (NNPC) and its downstream subsidiary, Pipelines and Products Marketing Company (PPMC), have said normalcy is being restored to the supply and distribution of premium motor spirit (PMS) otherwise called petrol across the country. The Managing Director of PPMC, Prince Haruna Momoh, made this submission yesterday before the Senate Committee on Petroleum (Downstream) in Abuja. In a statement yesterday, the NNPC Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, Dr. Omar Farouk Ibrahim quoted Momoh as saying that on the fuel situation in the country, the NNPC/PPMC and other marketers are supplying fuel to the market,

From John Ofikhenua, Abuja

stressing that the long queues are beginning to disappear from most of the filling stations across the states. “I will like to put on record that based on the 40 million litres national daily consumption, the NNPC/ PPMC is responsible for 50 per cent of the allocation from the Petroleum Products and Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) and other marketers are responsible for the other 50 per cent. ‘’The NNPC/PPMC as the supplier of last resort ensured that when marketers withdrew from supplying, the country was sustained with the 50 per cent supplied from the inland and marine strategic reserves,” the PPMC chief was quoted as saying.

Seven Energy stakes $250m on East Horizon Gas Company

• From left: Managing Director, Frontiers (Frankly Speaking on Radio), Muyiwa Afolabi; Chief Financial Officer, Sterling Bank Plc, Abubakar Suleiman and Executive Director, LEAP Africa, Iyadunni Olubode, at a briefing on the bank’s ‘Get Ready for Work’- a programme for National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), fresh graduates and those seeking employment in Lagos... yesterday.

Presidency blames ‘saboteurs’ for unfulfilled power promise T HE Presidency yesterday blamed ‘saboteurs’ for the poor electricity generation and distribution in the country. It insisted that those who are bent on frustrating President Goodluck Jonathan’s Transformation Agenda for Nigeria are responsible for the problem. The Presidential Assistant on Public Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe, said some haters of Jonathan were executing a plot to make the President derail in his promise so that Nigerians would not return him to power in 2015. Okupe, who spoke in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital, said the drop in electricity generation to 3000 megawatts was the handiwork of persons flying the kite of anti-Jonathan agenda.

From Mike Odiegwu, Yenagoa

He recalled that the president had pledged to guarantee constant and uninterrupted supply of electricity to major cities in the country this year. He inisisted that “those who are unrelenting in their attempt to ensure that they give a wrong perceptive of President Goodluck Jonathan and his capacity to deliver and to perform”, have frustrated the promise. “It is an unhidden fact that there are some Nigerians in this country who are willing to put their lives down to ensure that Jonathan is not perceived as a

performer in the country,” he said. Explaining further, he said the promise of the president was predicated on completing the National Integrated Power Plant (NIPP) projects and making them functional. While he commended the president for completing 10 of the projects abandoned by previous administrations, he said saboteurs, had immediately they saw the president inaugurating the projects, began a campaign to render them inoperative. He said such persons started a sinister campaign of vandalising pipelines to cut off gas

Ogun industrialisation drive attracts $200m investment boost

HE industrialisation drive of the Ogun State government has attracted $200 million investments expected to generate no fewer than 1000 jobs. The Director/Coordinator, Overseas Investments, Hayat Kimya Nigeria Limited, Mr. Ali Zeybek, said: “Having carried out a thorough business survey of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) , we chose Nigeria due to its vast capital market and Ogun State in particular due to its unequalled conducive business environment. “We intend to invest at least between $180million and

$200million at optimal capacity while not less than 1000 people will be on the company’s payroll.” Zeybek made this known when he led the management of the company on a visit to Governor Ibikunle Amosun in his office in Abeokuta yesterday. According to him, Hayat Kimya Nigeria Limited is not just a household name in Turkey, its hub, it also has indelible footprints in the production and supply of baby diaper, tissue, detergent and other household consumptions across Africa. Responding, Amosun said

the state is strategically located for domestic circulation of goods and even to the international market because it shares borders with Lagos, Oyo, Ondo and Osun states as well as Benin Republic. He urged the investors to use the opportunity to positively impact on the state through corporate social responsibility (CSR) and help train the youths in the state. He said: “We are not taking our investors for granted; that is why we are investing a lot in the area of security to put their minds at rest and ensure their comforts across the state while they do their business.”

supply to the various NIPP projetcs across the country. He said: “When the President started to commission these NIPP projects and they were all coming to the stream, what did we experienced? Pipeline vandalism all over the country. A major sabotage. “In a particular place, gas pipeline that was buried six metres, below the surface of the earth was blown. We continue to play very dangerous game in the country, politicizing virtually everything.

EVEN Energy Limited, a subsidiary of Seven Energy International Limited (SEIL), the integrated oil and gas development, production and gas distribution company with interests in Nigeria, has completed the acquisition of the issued share capital of East Horizon Gas Company Limited (EHGC) for $250 million. This acquisition enhances the firm’s position as a leading gas marketing and distribution company in the Southeast, thereby expanding the reach of its gas pipeline network to over 260 km, diversifying its customer base across key sectors of the economy and increasing long-term contracted gas sales volumes to 200 MMcfpd. EHGC is a gas distribution and marketing company that operates the 128 km East Horizon gas pipeline through Akwa Ibom and Cross Rivers states. It has a gas sales agreement with an industrial offtaker to supply up to 25 million cubic feet of gas per day (mmcfpd), increasing to 50 mmcfpd upon completion of the planned expansion of the offtaker’s existing plant, under a 20-year gas sales agreement expiring in 2032.

The Chief Executive Officer, Seven EnergyPhillip Ihenacho, said: “This acquisition marks a significant milestone for Seven Energy as we continue to deliver on our strategy to become the market leading independent gas distributor in south east Nigeria. The East Horizon pipeline is an important component of the energy infrastructure of the region and we are pleased to add this asset to our portfolio.” He said the aggregate consideration of up to $250 million will be payable by way of an initial payment of $100 million in cash; the assumption of existing liabilities of EHGC, including approximately $62 million of bank indebtedness; and deferred payments due on achievement of certain operational and contractual conditions that are expected to enhance the long term profitability of EHGC. It is expected that these operational and contractual conditions will be satisfied during the first half of 2014. The cash component of the consideration is being funded using a new Accugas Limited medium-term loan facility of up to $170 million from SEIL’s internal cash flows, he added.

Arco Petroleum lauds local content initiative T

HE Group Managing Di rector of Arco Group, Al fred Okoigun, has lauded the Nigerian Content Law, saying it has empowered a lot of companies. Okoigun, who spoke at a forum in Abuja, cited how past governments, especially the military, ignored the promotion of local companies, which stalled indigenous capacity building. This made foreign companies to take over the oil and gas industry with its attendant capital flight. He said the administration has proved to be a game changer in that regard explaining that many local firms undertake real tasking responsibilities, which hitherto were exclusives of foreign firms and expatriates adding that today, his company has a workforce of over 400. “The present government in Nigeria has started to roll back the inertia of the past. It enacted the Nigerian Oil and Gas Content Development Law in 2010. Of course, the industry’s

By Emeka Ugwuanyi

initial conception of the law was that of ‘let us wait and see.’ I am glad that the government did not just put the law in place but is ensuring that the agencies put in charge are monitoring the situation. He said: “I will at this point commend Shell Petroleum for being currently active in supporting the law. Examples of what the company is doing on the growth of local capacity are all over the place in the industry.” Our company, Arco Group has, indeed, been working with Total towards the realisation of the objectives of the Law. Our relationships with other oil majors are showing signs along the same direction. I would like to seize the opportunity of this occasion to appeal to all concerned to recognise the changing trends in the oil and gas industry in Ni-

geria and facilitate it instead of looking for loopholes to circumvent it.” He made reference to the immigration interview incident in which many youths died. “Only a few days ago, we lost some young job seekers in the recruitment process of a government agency. Whether we are in government or in the private sector, we can vividly see that this issue of youth unemployment is a reality. When Arco started business 34 years ago, it was with a couple of hands. “Today, we have over 400 personnel in our payroll and 200 of them are engineers and technicians. We can imagine the number of skilled and semiskilled manpower that oil and gas industry can mop up if a lot more indigenous companies are gainfully involved in the industry. We strongly believe that when jobs are created, poverty will be alleviated. The overall positive results of this deliberate action cannot be underestimated.”

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, APRIL 2, 2014

EQUITIES NIGERIAN STOCK EXCHANGE DAILY SUMMARY AS AT 01-04-14

DAILY SUMMARY AS AT 01-04-14

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, APRIL 2, 2014

EQUITIES

NSE extends deadline for submission of earnings reports T HE Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) has extended the March 31 deadline for the submission of audited reports and accounts by quoted companies for a period of one month. Companies that operate the Gregorian calendar year as their business year now have up till April 30, 2014 to submit their audited earnings reports for the year ended December 31, 2013. The NSE yesterday in an emailed response to media enquiry by The Nation on the companies that missed the deadline stated that it had received requests for extension of the deadline by several companies. Head, corporate communication, Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), Nwando Ajene, said several companies requested for extension of the deadline to enable them tidy up and file their audited reports. According to her, the extension of deadline will apply to all quoted companies. During the extended period, the companies will not be liable for any sanction. “After due consideration of the challenges that these companies have in the rendition of the accounts, the NSE has magnanimously granted all listed compa-

Stories by Taofik Salako Capital Market editor

nies one month grace to submit their accounts after their respective filing due dates,” Ajene stated. Post-listing rules at the NSE require quoted companies to submit their earnings reports, not later than three months after the expiration of the period. Most quoted companies including all banks, major manufacturers, oil and gas companies, breweries and cement companies use the 12-month Gregorian calendar year as their business year. The business year thus terminates on December 31. NSE’s regulatory filing calendar indicates that the deadline for submission of annual report for companies with Gregorian calendar business year was Monday March 31. The Nation had reported on Monday that less than 20 per cent of affected companies had submitted their earnings reports. Several companies rushed to beat the deadline on Monday. While some 31 companies had submitted by the weekend, 27 companies submitted their reports on Monday. Notwithstanding the scurry for the deadline on Monday, there were indications that more than 50 per cent

of the affected companies missed the earnings deadline. Compliance within deadline is generally regarded as a measure of good corporate governance. Companies that failed to meet the earnings deadline will also be sanctioned by the Exchange. They are liable to monetary fines and naming-and-shaming publication of their names The NSE had slammed some N60.2 million as fines on 34 companies for failure to meet deadlines for 2011 audited reports. With a range of N3.8 million and N100, 000, average fine for the year was N1.77 million. NSE has since sustained the two-way sanction. Companies that have submitted their 2013 results included Unilever Nigeria, FCMB Group, Nigeria Aviation Handling Company (Nahco), Julius Berger Nigeria, Livestock Feeds, United Bank for Africa (UBA), First Aluminium Nigeria, Cement Company of Northern Nigeria, Sterling Bank, Dangote Cement, GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Nigeria, Berger Paints, Lafarge Cement Wapco Nigeria, Cadbury Nigeria, Zenith Bank, Transnational

Corporation of Nigeria (Transcorp), Guaranty Trust Bank, Nestle Nigeria, Forte Oil and Africa Prudential Registrars among others. NSE tags and applies fines on companies that fail to meet earnings reports’ deadline. Under the corporate governance and rules compliance assessment report known as X-Compliance Report, NSE identified four different kinds of tags or symbols to alert investors about the status of each quoted company. These include below listings standard (BLS), the first degree alert level indicating a company that has not complied with post listing rules such as late submission of financial statements, unauthorized publication, management failures among others. Also, financial services companies such as bank and insurance companies awaiting regulatory approval will carry the appropriate symbol of awaiting regulatory approval (ARA). Companies that are undergoing a capital reconstruction exercise including supplementary issue, share buyback, split, share reconstruction among others will be tagged with capital reconstruction exercise (CRE) while companies that have indicated that they will be delisting or companies that are being delisted at the instance of the regulator would be flagged with delisting in process (DIP) symbol.

Equities open second quarter with N117b loss

IGERIAN equities opened the second quarter with a tinge of bearishness as profit-taking transactions pressured most stocks to trade at discounts. Aggregate market value of all quoted companies dropped by N117 billion by the end of the first trading session in the second quarter, raising the spectre of the downtrend that had seen the market closing the first quarter with a negative year-to-date return of -6.25 per cent. With 37 decliners to 18 advancers, the benchmark index at the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), the All Share Index (ASI), slipped by 0.94 per cent, nudging the negative average year-to-date return to -7.13 per cent. The ASI dipped to 38,383.05 points from its index-on-board of 38,748.01 points. Aggregate market value of all equities dropped from N12.446 trillion to N12.329 trillion. The decline was exacerbated by losses recorded by several highly capitalised stocks, especially Dangote Cement, Cadbury Nigeria, FBN Holdings, Nigerian Breweries, Oando, Lafarge Cement Wapco Nigeria and Guinness Nigeria. Dangote Cement topped the losers’ list with a drop of N6.93 to close at N235. Guinness Nige-

ria and Lafarge Wapco trailed with a loss of N5 each to close at N195 and N104.50 respectively. Cadbury Nigeria declined by N3.55 to close at N75. Nigerian Breweries lost N1.98 to close at N151. Oando slipped by 65 kobo to close at N15.65. UAC of Nigeria dwindled by 51 kobo to close at N54. Cement Company of Northern Nigeria (CCNN) dropped by 48 kobo to close at N9.27. Dangote Flour Mills lost 41 kobo to close at N8.34 while Union Bank of Nigeria dropped by 39 kobo to close at N9.55 per share.

Investors staked N4.86 billion on 396.84 million shares through 4,496 deals. Financial services stocks were the most active with a group turnover of 316.07 million shares valued at N3.55 billion in 2,657 deals. Guaranty Trust Bank was the most active stock with a turnover of 65.53 million shares worth N1.70 billion in 411 deals. Zenith Bank placed second with a turnover of 40.61 million shares valued at N844.09 million in 339 deals. UBA Capital followed with 35.61 mil-

lion shares valued at N93.82 million in 270 deals. Meanwhile, Forte Oil led the bullish stocks with a gain of N4.79 to close at N101.29. International Breweries followed with addition of N2.48 to close at N26.68. UACN Property Development Company added N2.35 to close at N25.38. Zenith Bank chalked up 95 kobo to close at N20.95. Guaranty Trust Bank rose by 80 kobo to close at N26.30 while University Press added 40 kobo to close at N4.40 per share.

Infinity Trust Mortgage Bank to pay N125m dividend

HE board of directors of Infinity Trust Mortgage Bank (ITMB) Plc has recommended distribution of more than N125 million to shareholders, barely three months after the mortgage company listed its shares on the Nigerian Stock Exchange. A review of the audited report and accounts of the mortgage bank for the year ended December 31, 2013 showed that Infinity Trust grew its total balance sheet by 32 per cent from N5.6 billion 2012 to N7.4 billion in 2013. Gross earnings rose from N524 million in 2012 to N584 million in 2013. The shareholders’ fund of the bank grew by 20 per cent from N4.5 billion to N5.4 billion in 2013. This qualifies the bank to be a national mortgage bank subject to Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) approval. The dividend recommendation indicates that shareholders will receive a dividend per share of 3.0 kobo, a 50 per cent increase on the previous payment. ITMB has eight years of unbroken dividend payments. Managing director, Infinity Trust Mortgage Bank Plc, Mr Obaleye Olabanjo, said the performance in 2013 was as a result of discipline, hard work and a commitment to providing credible mortgage plans for all Nigerians. According to him, ITMB is set to take a leading spot in the mortgage business industry and it will continuously reinvent its strategies to meet the needs of its customers. “With ITMB, customers are top priority as sufficient time and research go into developing products that would ease their needs. Considering the tough operating environment for mortgage business in the country, the bank’s achievements are commendable. “These results could not have been achieved without a team of dedicated staff and a supportive board. A result like ours means one thing – we are serious about the mortgage business and we are here to stay despite the industry’s rapidly changing regulatory and operational landscape,” Olabanjo added. Infinity Trust Mortgage Bank Plc commenced operations in 2003 in Abuja as Infinity Trust Savings and Loan Limited. In 2012, the bank became a public limited company and was quoted on the NSE in December, 2013.

Nahco declares N443m dividends as turnover hits N8b

HAREHOLDERS of Nigerian Aviation Handling Company (Nahco-aviance) Plc will receive total dividend of about N443 million for the 2013 business year as the company’s net earnings rose by 33 per cent. A breakdown of the dividend recommendation indicates that shareholders will receive a dividend per share of 30 kobo. Key extracts of the audited report and accounts of the company for the year ended December 31, 2013 showed that turnover rose to N8.1 billion in 2013 as against N7.4 billion recorded in 2012. Profit before tax rose by 32 per cent from N853 million to N1.1 billion. Profit after tax rose by 28.04 per cent from N593.24 million to N759.61 million. Earnings per share

rose by 33 percent from 48 kobo to 64 kobo. Commenting on the results, chief finance officer, Nigerian Aviation Handling Company (Nahcoaviance) Plc, Chinwe Chiji-Nnorom attributed the strong performance to stringent cost containment strategies adopted in the year. He added that recent investment in cargo modernization programme boosted the company’s top-line. He noted that the proposed dividend of 30 kobo per share reflects a dividend yield of five per cent which compares favourably with recently - declared results of most publicly quoted companies. Nahco recently obtained a license to operate a Free Trade Zone (FTZ) in Lagos. It has consequently estab-

lished a company to manage the FTZ licence. Nahco has also registered its operations in Liberia, Senegal and Cote d’Ivoire pursuant to its diversification strategy and is working to establish its presence in more African countries. Nahco has interests in aviation cargo, aircraft handling, passenger facilitation, crew transportation and aviation training. The company currently serves more than 35 airlines at seven airports across Nigeria, with plans to expand operations to other African countries. It handles about 70 per cent of domestic and foreign airlines operating in Nigeria. Nahco was incorporated on December 6, 1979 as an aviation servicing company but started operations in April 1979 with the com-

missioning of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos. The Federal Government of Nigeria, through Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), initially held 60 per cent equity interest in the company while four foreign airlines - Air France, British Airways, Sabena and Lufthansa shared the remaining 40 per cent in various ratios. In 2005, Nahco was privatized and subsequently listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange in 2006. The company is now owned by over 80, 000 shareholders, including two international airlines – Air France and Lufthansa; as well as local investors; Sycor Private Investment Limited and Rosehill Group Nigeria Limited.

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, APRIL 2, 2014

MONEYLINK

Alade advises central bank governors on industrialisation

HE Acting Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Dr Sarah Alade has called on African central bank governors to provide input in the design and implementation of effective strategies that would promote industrialisation in the continent. She disclosed at the Joint Annual Meeting of The AU Conference of Ministers of Economy and Finance held in Abuja. Alade said African central banks are inundated with several global challenges such as the aftermaths of 2007/2009 global financial crisis, incessant natural disasters like flooding with the resultant effect of rising food prices, exchange rate volatility due to dependence on primary commodity exports for revenue, capital reversal inflow as a result of tapering in the United States, among others. She said despite these daunting challenges, most African central banks recorded relative success in keeping inflation within a tolerable threshold, which could be attributed to effective and proactive monetary policy stance. According to her, there is still room for improvement, especially, in the achievement of the primary convergence criteria for sub-regional integration. She said all member countries are advised to strive to meet their respective sub-regional convergence criteria, which is a precursor to African Monetary Cooperation and adoption of single currency. “One major issue in Africa is whether the attention of central banks should focus on price stability and

Stakeholders discuss Nigeria’s economic growth at summit

Stories by Collins Nweze

financial stability only or should central banks in the region be concerned about developmental goals,” she said. Alade said although the focus on price and financial stability has served us well in containing inflation and deepening the financial sector, it has not been able to bring down unemployment or achieve inclusive growth on the continent. This has led to many social problems and general restiveness. “As

•Dr. Alade

central banks, we must find a way to work together to solve this problem, suggesting developmental role must be part of the agenda of central banks on the African continents,”she said.

UBA to partner MIGA on infrastructure financing

HE United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc is set to partner with Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA), the political risk insurance and credit enhancement arm of the World Bank Group, to mobilise capital for important infrastructure projects in Africa . In a statement, Michel Wormser, Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of MIGA disclosed that the collaboration plan during a visit to the lender yesterday. He said the proposed partnership would explore areas MIGA can increase its support to UBA towards increasing its investment into emerging markets in its countries of operation. He disclosed that MIGA provides political risk insurance and

TAKEHOLDERS from key sectors of the economy have attributed the instability in the country to economic differences between the north and the south parts of the country. Speakers at this year’s The Economist Events held last week in Lagos with theme: ‘Turning growth into prosperity,’ said Nigeria is now a hub for Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) for both the Eastern and Western world powers. Speaking during the summit, the Chinese government’s Special Representative on African Affairs Ambassador Zhong Jianhua, said economic transformation in Nigeria and Africa has been effective in the past decade which has contributed positively to the economic growth. He urged the Nigerian government to create more enabling environment for investors around the world to enhance development in the country.

Commenting on the outcome of the summit, Executive Director of The Economist, Daniel Franklin disclosed, “This year’s Nigeria Summit brought together over 350 leaders drawn from different walks of life, including Nigeria’s public and private sectors, international business players and investors for a discussion on how Nigeria can turn its economic growth into social and political prosperity.” Nigeria’s Minister of Communication Technology, Hon. Omobola Johnson, stated the growth in Nigeria’s ICT sector is sustainable, adding that the growth could be harnessed and leveraged to deliver on the transformational opportunities in Nigeria. She stated that by effectively executing Nigeria’s national strategic agenda for the sector, ICT could be leveraged to drive and sustain the socio-economic transformation of Nigeria.

need to provide full financial services in the Oshodi area. Abajue said the financial inclusion drive of the bank has seen a rapid expansion of its operations within Oshodi and its environs, necessitating the relocation to a more conducive environment for customers. “Stanbic IBTC Bank currently has over 180 branches nationwide with presence in every state of the federation. Our retail banking business operates a network of over 2,500 MobileMoney agents and we are succeeding in taking banking services to the under-banked; enabling them to carry out banking transactions from their mobile phones and devices.

Stanbic IBTC Bank relocates unit for improved service

credit enhancement products that can help mobilize UBA’s investment into projects with high development impact. “UBA is playing a prominent role as an investor in other countries in sub-Saharan Africa, and MIGA can help UBA increase its investments in these new markets,” he stated. Phillips Oduoza, UBA’s Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, while responding said the bank’s involvement in cross border businesses in 19 African countries means that it is well positioned to partner with MIGA. According to him, the lender is to collaborate with MIGA on credit risk management in big ticket transactions for infrastructure projects with particular interest in power and transmission projects.

S part of efforts to take banking services even closer to customers’ doorsteps, Stanbic IBTC Bank, a subsidiary of Stanbic IBTC Holdings, has relocated its Oshodi branch at Brown Street to a more accessible location along the OshodiApapa Expressway. The new branch is strategically located close to Oshodi bus stop to better serve the banking needs of residents of Oshodi and its environs. Speaking on the relocation, Executive Director of Personal and Business Banking in Stanbic IBTC Bank, Obinnia Abajue, said the move became necessary to accommodate the growing

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 NIDF

N8250.00

5495.33

Price Loss

Currency

INTERBANK RATES OBB Rate

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 “

INTBREW UAC-PROP UPL FO LEARNAFRCA ZENITHBANK LIVESTOCK ETERNA OASISINS WAPIC

O/PRICE 24.20 23.03 4.00 96.50 2.04 20.00 3.17 3.83 0.50 0.75

NGN USD NGN GBP NGN EUR NIGERIA INTER BANK (S/N) (S/N) Bureau de Change

Year Start Offer

Current Before

C u r r e n t CUV Start After %

147.6000 239.4810 212.4997

149.7100 244.0123 207.9023

150.7100 245.6422 209.2910

-2.11 -2.57 -1.51

149.7450

154.0000

154.3000

-3.04

152.0000

153.0000

155.5000

-2.30

C/PRICE

CHANGE

26.68 25.38 4.40 101.29 2.14 20.95 3.32 3.99 0.52 0.78

2.48 2.35 0.40 4.79 0.10 0.95 0.15 0.16 0.02 0.03

DISCOUNT WINDOWx Feb. ’11

July ’11

July ’12

MPR

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 01-04-14

SYMBOL

O/PRICE

C/PRICE

PAINTCOM 1.81 1.72 CCNN 9.75 9.27 COURTVILLE 0.61 0.58 STERLNBANK 2.65 2.52 NAHCO 5.30 5.04 CUTIX 2.07 1.97 DANGFLOUR 8.75 8.34 TRANSEXPR 2.37 2.26 WAPCO 109.50 104.50 CADBURY 78.55(78.55) 75.00

-0.09 -0.48 -0.03 -0.13 -0.26 -0.10 -0.41 -0.11 -5.00 -3.55

NIBOR Tenor

Rate (Previous) 4 Mar, 2012

Rate (Currency) 6, Mar, 2012

7 Days

9.0417

10.17%

30 Days

9.6667

11.46%

60 Days

11.2917

11.96%

Date 2-5-14 2-3-14 1-29-14

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 Offer Price

AFRINVEST W.A. EQUITY FUND 155.16 ARM AGGRESSIVE GROWTH 9.17 BGL NUBIAN FUND 1.09 BGL SAPPHIRE FUND 1.17 CANARY GROWTH FUND 0.68 CONTINENTAL UNIT TRUST 1.39 CORAL INCOME FUND 1,618.91 FBN FIXED INCOME FUND 1,090.40 FBN HERITAGE FUND 114.02 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 0.78 NIGERIA INTER DEBIT FUND 1,898.70 • • • •

CHANGE

Exchange Rate (N) 155.75 155.8 155.7

CAPITAL MARKET INDEX

Name

(S/N)

GAINERS AS AT 01-04-14

SYMBOL

EXHANGE RATE 6-03-12

2754.67

Amount Sold ($) 399.9m 399.9m 399.9m

UBA BALANCED FUND UBA BOND FUND UBA EQUITY FUND UBA MONEY MARKET FUND

Movement

1.2636 1.2952 0.9261 1.1574

Bid Price 154.40 9.08 1.07 1.17 0.67 1.33 2,616.04 1,090.11 113.22 1,087.00 1.62 1.03 142.62 0.76 1,894.36 1.2524 1.2524 0.9090 1.1574

OPEN BUY BACK

Bank

Previous 04 July, 2012

Current 07, Aug, 2012

8.5000

Movement

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, APRIL 2, 2014

57 57

NEWS Senate moves to strip Jega of power Continued from page 4

Ibrahim called for amendment of Section 47 of the Electoral Act to make provisions for the use of Direct Data Capture machines at all polling units. He noted that the development would restore confidence in the electorate and improve the quality of elections. He said: “With Biometric Voter Registration (BVR), Nigerians will have a chance at free and fair elections. Without it, we are doomed to fail again considering our tainted electoral history.” Ibrahim called for a provision to empower INEC to conduct a national presidential debate for aspirants. Senate President David Mark, who summarised the contributions of Senators, said: “It is not what we put down on paper that is going to make the difference. It is the capacity of INEC to do a free and fair election with minimal logistical problems that would make all the difference. “Whether we can do all the

elections in one day or just one election, if the materials don’t show up, then whether it’s one election or all the elections, it becomes meaningless. “I think what we want to do is ask INEC and then from their own experience gradually begin to do elections that would be credible, that would be accepted by both the losers and the winners. “I know it is very difficult for losers in this country to accept that an election is free and fair, but at least if we generally agree that it has been reasonably managed, then there would be less litigation from it. “I am, however, a bit worried about one thing which Abaribe said. Why should voters come and first do accreditation and then they sit down there? “Why can’t they do accreditation, vote and then go away? “Because then you decongest the area, and people can go and do other things. Most people don’t come for election because they don’t want to devote the whole day to the election.

“I think the issue of the appointment of INEC secretary was simply an oversight on our part. There is no debate about that. “For one reason or the other, we just didn’t remember because everybody was worried about the commissioners and the chairman and simply forgot about the secretary of INEC.” Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe (Abia South) called on INEC to ensure that the 2015 elections are not just be free, fair and credible but should not lead to incessant litigations. He added: “I do not believe that we did the right thing by empowering INEC to appoint its Secretary and now coming back to set the tenure limit. “When you leave the appointment of secretary to INEC, what stops the chairman from appointing his crony or brother to be Secretary! “I suggest that the power to appoint secretary should be removed from INEC just the way the appointment of the chairman

is not to be done by INEC. The President should appoint both the chairman and the secretary.” Senate Leader Victor NdomaEgba said the position of the secretary of INEC is of equal importance with that of its Chairman and that of other commissions. Ndoma-Egba said: “I think it is odd to reside the power to appoint secretary in INEC.” Senator Ayogu Eze (Enugu North) wondered why the National Assembly did not know that it was abnormal to empower the INEC chairman to appoint the secretary to the Commission. He said: “How did we not realise or wake up to it all these while that it is the INEC chairman that appoints the secretary of INEC? “The President should bring the nomination of INEC secretary along with other national commissioners.” The Bills, which scaled second reading were committed to the Senate Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution and INEC for further work.

Court didn’t ask us to vacate seats, say APC lawmakers Continued from page 4

true, but also a mere obiter dicta expressed by a judge, who veered off the course of the case before him to do the bidding of the ruling party. At best, the judgment has turned law on its head and cannot stand.” Osagie said the affected members had taken steps to appeal the judgment and that they are confident that justice will prevail, adding that there is no judgment before the House, directing any member of the APC to vacate his or her seat. He added: “In any event, Section 68 (2) of the 1999 Constitution makes it clear that satisfactory evidence must be presented to the House before any of the provision, of S.68 (1) can become applicable. At the moment, the APC in the House remains strong and focused on the need to provide necessary checks and balances to the ship of the state as being piloted by the ruling party. “At a time when this government is unable to explain to Nigerians the whereabouts of huge missing funds; at a time

when profligacy among ministers has reached its crescendo; at a time when scores have been sent to their graves under a scheme purported to be a recruitment sham; at a time when government assets in the power sector have been sold out with Nigerians experiencing more darkness than light; at a time when insecurity and insurgency have almost defied government emergency rule and at a time when mis-governance has taken a centre stage, while Nigerians are wallowing in penury, the PDP government has continued to run the country like the private fiefdom of those holding the reins of power. “Nigerians, we know, cannot succumb to the shenanigans of the ruling party that has plundered this nation for 15 years. “The House of Representatives remains the bastion of hope of the traumatised and pauperised Nigerians and we shall not give in to the attempt of some of our PDP colleagues in collusion with a certain judge to turn facts and law on its head to achieve sinister ends.

“Finally, for the avoidance of doubt, let me state on behalf our members that the import of yesterday ruling was that our 37 members cannot participate in the removal of principal officers of the House; nothing more, nothing less. “Every other pronouncements by the judge as to the status of our 37 members of the House were mere opinion, In any event, this judgment was given in vain and in ignorance of the House rules, which govern the appointment of party leaders in the parliament. It is also an attempt by the court to meddle in the internal affairs of the parliament.” Andrew Uchendu (APC Rivers), who led the former new PDP members into APC, said they had no regrets joining the APC, adding that their decision was final and irrevocable. Another member, Asita Honourable (APC Rivers), said the judge had no moral standing to speak on the moral status of members who had defected. The House of Representatives was calm yesterday, despite the ruling, which brought appre-

hension in some quarters. Prior to the sitting, The Nation learnt there was a meeting in which PDP members planned strategies on how to fully maximise the court’s ruling, which they termed “declarative.” But a source said that Speaker Aminu Tambuwal urged the parties to sheathe their swords in the interest of Nigerians. According to the source, the Speaker was of the opinion that heating up the polity would not augur well for democracy, adding that the country was going through challenges and it was necessary to close ranks and find solutions to them. In the House, there was tension, as members of the PDP taunted APC members on the corridors of the National Assembly. While the APC members insisted that the ruling would not hold, the PDP members joked that their counterparts should start packing their luggage. The APC members also held a strategy meeting convened in the morning by Osagie. It was to prepare them for any development.

Boko Haram: 21 die in sect’s suicide attack Continued from page 4

ter at Abugasse, which is close to the Chadian border. The DHQ, in a separate statement by Gen. Olukolade, said: “The resolve for collaborative efforts in fighting terrorism in the sub-region got a boost recently when Cameroon security forces made a huge seizure of arms apparently meant for use by terrorists operating in Nigeria last weekend. “ Over 288 rifles and 35 Rocket Propelled Guns as well as 35 locally made IEDs were recovered after a fierce encounter at Abugasse, Cameroon, close to the Chadian border. “Other weapons recovered included pistols, mortar bombs, sub-machine guns and various

calibres of ammunition following the arrest of two suspects believed to be major arms suppliers to the terrorists in Nigeria. “They were nabbed in Abugasse near the Chadian border with Cameroon. Also in their possession were over 50 Cameroonian Passports as well as a Toyota Jeep. “It will be recalled that the Cameroonian authorities recently pledged to back Nigeria’s counter terrorism efforts.” The statement gave an update on how Nigerian troops killed many suspected terrorists, destroyed 14 vehicles and recovered 15 AK47 rifles and 12 magazines. The DHQ said there had been intense operations in Alagamo

and Sambisa forest since Monday. The DHQ added: “Also, the renewed offensive on terrorists by Nigerian troops have continued to record series of arrests of terrorists and recovery of arms, especially close to the nation’s border with Cameroon. “Apart from arms recovered following disclosure from captured terrorists lately, more arms have been captured in the ongoing offensive in different fronts. “The arrest at a check point of a terrorist driving in a green Peugeot vehicle with registration number Bauchi 264 AA heading to Maiduguri from Alagarno during the weekend, led to the recovery of 15 AK47 rifles and 12 magazines and various yet to be

assembled rifles. “Meanwhile, the offensive on terrorists in various fronts is continuing. The Alagarno area as well as various points of Sambisa forest and suburbs have been witnessing intense operations since Monday. “Apart from several dead terrorists, 14 vehicles which were either being used for operation or hidden by the terrorists in various parts of the forests and theatres have been destroyed. “ Various calibres of weapons and ammunitions were also recovered in the course of fighting and subsequent cordon and search of the areas. “Intensive air and ground surveillance are also ongoing in the general area.”

Tambuwal, Ihedioha appeal judgment against defecting lawmakers Continued from page 4

liefs of the 1st respondent (PDP) were justiciable and proceeded to grant the reliefs sought without considering the provision of Section 30 of the Legislative Houses (Powers and Privileges) Act Cap L12 Law of the Federation of Nigeria 2004. The section provides that “neither the President nor the Speaker, as the case may be, of a legislative house shall be subjected to the jurisdiction of any court in respect of the exercise of any power conferred on or

vested in him by or under this Act or the standing orders of the Constitution”. The appellants argued that trial judge wrongly assumed jurisdiction over the suit, which was predicated on the internal affairs of the House, which is protected under Section 60 of the Constitution. They said the reliefs sought by the PDP were not justiciable, yet the trial judge proceeded to grant them. They contended that the PDP lacks the locus standi to institute the case because it was not

predicated on any recognised legal interest; the reliefs sought were not supported by any legal evidence and that the judge failed to reckon with the Supreme Court’s decision in the case of Fawehinmi vs Akilu (1987) 12 SC 136, Amaechi vs INEC (2008)1 LRECN 1. The appellants faulted the trial judge for holding that the suit was rightly commenced with originating summons, without regard to the provision of Order 3 Rule 6 of the Federal High Court Civil Procedure Rules 2009.

They also argued that Justice Ademola was wrong to have held that the claims of the PDP do not amount to an abuse of court process when there are similar cases involving the same parties, still pending before the court. They referred to the suit between Senator Bello Hayato Gwazo and 79 others vs Alhaji Bamaga Tukur and four others and argued that the parties and reliefs sought were similar with those on which the judge gave judgment.

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, APRIL 2, 2014

FOREIGN NEWS Nigeria assumes rotating UN Security Council presidency for April

• A view of the Foreign Affairs meeting at the NATO headquarters inBrussels...yesterday Photo: AFP

Ukraine crisis: NATO suspends co-operation with Russia

ATO foreign ministers have agreed to suspend all practical civilian and military co-operation with Russia. In a strongly worded statement, they condemned Russia’s “illegal” annexation of Ukraine’s Crimea region and praised the Ukrainian government’s “restraint”. Moscow is believed to have massed tens of thousands of troops on Ukraine’s eastern border in recent days, causing alarm in Kiev and the West. Nato’s top official said there was no evidence troops had been pulled out. On Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin told German Chancellor Angela Merkel he had ordered a partial withdrawal of Russian troops. But Nato Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen told

reporters: “Unfortunately, I cannot confirm that Russia is withdrawing its troops. This is not what we are seeing.” Ministers from the 28-member bloc gathered in Brussels for their first meeting since Russia’s annexation of Crimea. They agreed to suspend Nato co-operation with Russia in a number of bodies but added that dialogue in the Nato-Russia Council could continue, as necessary, at ambassadorial level and above “to allow us to exchange views, first and foremost on this crisis. We will review Nato’s relations with Russia at our next meeting in June”. They are also looking at options including situating permanent military bases in the Baltic states to reassure members in Eastern Europe. Russia’s actions in Ukraine have rattled nerves in Estonia,

Latvia and Lithuania, which were part of the Soviet Union during the Cold War. Nato jets will take part in air patrols in the region later in a routine exercise that analysts say has taken on added significance due to the crisis. Several Nato countries, including the UK, US and France, have offered additional warplanes. Mr Rasmussen said Nato’s message was clear: it stood by its allies, it stood by Ukraine and it stood by the international system of rules that had developed in recent decades. He urged Russia to be part of a solution “respecting international law and Ukraine’s borders”. Answering questions from reporters, he said he expected Nato-Russia co-operation over Afghanistan - including counter-narcotics operations to continue.

IGERIA on Tuesday assumed the rotating presidency of the United Nations Security Council for April. Mrs Joy Ogwu, Permanent Representative of Nigeria to the UN, took over the role from Mr Sylvie Lucas, Luxembourg’s representative. Nigeria was elected on Oct. 17, 2013 by the UN General Assembly as a non-permanent member to the UN Security Council for 2014-2015. This is the fifth time Nigeria

would be representing West Africa on the UN body. It was elected to serve on the council in 1966-67, 1978-79, 1994-1995 and 2010-2011. Ogwu listed her priority for April to include three open debates to address the Middle East, women, peace and security and on the initiative of Nigeria, maintenance of international peace and security. She also said other issues that could be taken up included the Central African Republic and Ukraine.

Under the UN Charter, the 15-member Security Council has the primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security. The council is composed of five permanent members – China, United States, Britain, France, and Russia and 10 nonpermanent members. The presidency of the Council rotates among the members on a monthly basis according to the English-language alphabetical order of the countries’ names.

CAR conflict: UN warns 19,000 Muslims ‘face slaughter’

HE United Nation’s refugee agency has expressed fear for the lives of thousands of Muslims at risk of getting “slaughtered” by Christian militia in the Central African Republic. The UNHCR said it was trying to evacuate some 19,000 Muslims from areas near the capital, Bangui. Nearly 16,000 people had

fled their homes in Bangui in the past 10 days amid an upsurge of violence, it added. Unrest broke out after Seleka rebels ousted the president in March 2013. Despite the deployment of some 6,000 African Union and 2,000 French troops in the country, violence has continued unabated. The conflict has taken on an

Uhuru Kenyatta: ICC delays trial till October

ENYAN President Uhuru Kenyatta’s trial at the International Criminal Court (ICC) has been postponed to October. The delay was intended to give the the government more time to “provide certain records” to the prosecution, the ICC said in a statement. Mr Kenyatta is charged with being behind the eth-

nic violence surrounding the presidential election in 2007. He denies organising the clashes in which 1,200 people died. This is the third time the trial has been postponed. “The purpose of the adjournment is to provide the government of Kenya with a further, time-limited opportunity to provide certain records, which the prosecution had previously requested,” the ICC said.

increasingly sectarian nature, with UN human rights chief Navi Pillay earlier warning that hatred between Christians and Muslims in CAR had reached a “terrifying level”. Yesterday, the UNHCR said it was particularly concerned for Muslims who had fled to the so-called PK12 district in Bangui. Other danger zones include Carnot, Berberati, Boda and Bossangoa - cities all currently surrounded by Christian militia known as the anti-Balaka. “UNHCR stands ready to assist with their evacuation to safer areas within or outside the country,” spokeswoman Fatoumata Lejeune-Kaba said. “We don’t want to stand by and watch people being slaughtered.” She added that “the only thing keeping them from being killed right now” was the presence of French and African Union troops.

LENTEN MESSAGE Theme: His knowledge and the edge Text: “......... but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits.” Daniel 11:32b

HE world is now governed, led and directed by knowledge and not brawn, deception, lies, cultism, thuggery etc as being brazenly displayed in the political life of our dear nation. Today’s world is a world of advanced technology where yesterday’s implements have been rendered useless. Therefore, whosoever is desirous of having full benefit of today’s opportunities must seek knowledge and never stop to seek knowledge. It is difficult if not impossible for anyone to enjoy the full benefits of life without having an understanding of its dynamics. 3 John 2 says that prosperity and health are products of knowledge development. From our text, the Bible says that knowledge is the key to strength and doing exploits. Suffice to say that when the knowledge of God increases, it opens the gateway for good health, success, prosperity, breakthrough and testimonies. The advantages of knowing God are that it will give you an edge of strength, meaning that you will be immovable, unshakeable and untouchable. Secondly, you will experience an edge of prosperous life. Where others are failing, you will succeed like Isaac who during the time of famine in Philistine heard

By The Revd. Henry O. Adelegan

God and that year, reaped a hundredfold and was envied by the entire city ( Genesis 26:1-13). No wonder Hosea said that “ My people perish for lack of knowledge” ( Hosea 4:6a). What he meant was that ignorance is a major highway to destruction and sudden death while knowledge, which is from two words “know” and “edge” means that it is what you know that sets the pace for the edge you have over your peers and contemporaries. Prophet Isaiah shed more light on that spiritual axiom when he wrote that “my people are led into captivity because they have no knowledge; their honorable men are famished, and their multitude dried up with thirst.” ( Isaiah 5:13). It is not knowledge of powers of wickedness or the terrible things they are able to do that avails but knowledge of Jesus Christ, His powers, supremacy of His power, greatness of His name (Philp 2:9-10) and the weapons of warfare that are available to us to counter and destroy the schemes and attacks of the wicked (Ephesians 6:10-12). The armies of Israel, for example, were once in the bondage of fear by the Philistines for many days as a

•Revd Adelegan

result of Ignorance of who they were in God until a young man of knowledge called David came to the battlefield. He heard the threat of Goliath but juxtaposed it with what he had experienced as a shepherd boy who partnered with God, and knew that the battle would be of no significance (1 Samuel 17: 32-37). He knew God so much that he dropped the garment of warfare that was given to him by King Saul for five stones. The end result was that God went ahead of him and the shame of many days was halted with a stone ( I Samuel 17:40-50) - His knowledge gave him an edge over his brethren! Beloved, the knowledge of God, and not fear, is very principal to success and living a life of victory over the devil and his agents. During this season of Lent, kindly ensure that you devote more time to studying the word of God as stated in Joshua 1:8, increase your knowledge of Him, meditate in the word every time and observe to do what He commands then you shall have good success in Jesus’ name. Prayers: Oh Lord, increase my knowledge in you and let me have strength and grace for exploits in Jesus’ name.

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, APRIL 2, 2014

NEWS (SHOWBIZ) Charles Granville drops Titilailai, joins Dicotyledon

IGERIAN vocalist, Charles Granville, last Friday, released his single, Titilailai, which has the production imprint of one of Nigeria's fast-rising producers, Philkeyz. Titilailai, according to the artiste, is a groovy gospel song that affirms the greatness of God. He also disclosed that the song had been released in both audio and video formats, with the video being directed by Adasa Cookey. In another development, Charles, who has also been described as one of the leading lights in Nigeria’s gospel music, has signed up with Dicotyledon Entertainment Ltd, a Lagos-based artiste management firm headed by Mr. Tony ‘Don T’ Anifite. Speaking on the new release, he said, "I like the fact that people are appreciating the new single, but it is definitely not the best to come from me in 2014. The idea behind Titilailai is to do a groovy song for everybody

AST Friday, the weeklong teaser tagged BlackREALvolution movement was unveiled, with Afrobeat King, Femi Kuti leading the performance at a campaign that turned out to be supporting Legend Extra Stout, a Nigerian Breweries product, against a rival brand. It was an exciting moment for thousands of curious Nigerians who stormed the Eko Atlantic, Lagos, venue of this product re-launch, which organisers built around ‘the real man’. The product now adorns a Staniol cover and metalized labels with the Monde seal of quality. Kuti, known as a social crusader, had aroused pub-

Stories by Victor Akande

lic curiosity, through comments on the social media, alongside award-winning artiste, 2face Idibia and others, to decry corruption, nepotism and oppression amongst other vices. The event kicked off with ace comedian, Gordons, who dished out rib-cracking jokes to the delight of the audience. This was followed by a theatrical performance through which the brand expressed its readiness to wrest the reins of leadership from a market leader. The show was presented through an intriguing drama, performed by Span Fest, a renowned dance group. Titled First vs. Real, the play depicted the consumer as a

lady, who is being wooed by two men - Legend Extra Stout and its fierce competitor. When words could not sway the lady’s heart in either contender’s favour, the stage was turned into a battlefield, using the dance and drama weapons. After several battles of wits, brains and brawn, the ‘Legend man’ was chosen above the fierce competitor. Shedding more light on the concept, Mr. Hubert Eze, Sales Director, Nigerian Breweries Plc., said: “What we just unveiled today is the culmination of one of the most successful social media campaigns which kept Nigerians guessing for weeks. We also had a tour bus traversing the length and breadth of Lagos, creating awareness about this unique

packaging. We presented the BlackREALvolution as a movement; and it is indeed a movement for consumers that yearn for more in terms of satisfaction and quality.” According to Eze, “though Legend Extra Stout is being re-packaged, the great taste, which our numerous customers have enjoyed all these years, remains the same. Legend is the only full brewed stout in the Nigerian market with a unique bitter taste and longer lasting foam head, giving it the authenticity to be called ‘The Real Deal’.” Highlight of the event was the sterling performance by Kuti, who kept the crowd dancing all-night to the rhythms of his band, even as his erotic dancers offered more, for fans to behold.

Attack on Ibinabo: Northern actor takes side

NOTABLE Hausa actor, Mallam Salihu Othman has pitched tent with the president of Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Ms Ibinabo Fiberesima, who came under attacks recently, over comments she made during her visit to President Goodluck Jonathan, in Abuja. Fellow actress, Clarion Chukwurah decried the visit, saying it was politically motivated. Chukwurah also faulted Ibinabo’s claim that AGN is the only umbrella body for screen actors in Nigeria, saying the statement demeaned the existence of an older association, the Association of National Theatre Practitioners (ANTP). Ibinabo visited the Villa of February 18, with other members of the guild, where they made the president the Grand Patron of AGN. Other actors like John Okafor (Mr. Ibu) and Charles Novia had also lashed at Fiberesima, but Chukwura’s onslaught appeared more pronounced. In a two-page release titled: IBINABO FIBERESIMA AND

THE AGN VISIT TO PRESIDENT GEJ: SETTING THE RECORD STRAIGHT, Chukwura who called for the resignation of the AGN president, said the request by the latter, for an Abuja secretariat for the AGN, as well as political appointments for actors was beggarly. The issue took another dimension, when Othman, who is the Vice President of AGN for North West zone told Ibinabo’s attackers to hold their peace. According to Othman, “the visit to Mr. President was well intended, just like other spheres of the society, whose associations or group leaderships have visited Aso Rock on courtesy calls.” He said Ibinabo’s attackers chose to find fault in the visit, because they were not invited as part of the entourage. “What is special in our visit to Aso Rock anyway? Other groups have visited without anyone making any fuss out of it. We have seen where the lawyers’ body, journalists, architects, engineers, medical groups and associations, even National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Christian Association of Nigeria

(CAN) Ja’amatu Nasril Islam (JNI) and other religious bodies have gone there and no one raised an eyebrow. So how is the AGN different?” He said Ibinabo couldn’t have accommodated everybody on the trip, and that those who didn’t make the list should not take it as disregard for their person or contribution to the film industry. “This could be an oversight too, which is human. So, they should desist from any form of criticisms henceforth.” He said contrary to Novia’s assertion that the group went

to collect handout from the Villa, “I want to let him and his likes know that the Ibinabo Fiberesima-led National Executive Council (NEC), with all good intention, went to visit Mr. President to request for assistance to build our national headquarters in Abuja, among other things. It was not to beg for any handout or take our share of national cake as being perceived.” Since the attacks, Ibinabo has not reacted personally to the allegations.

•Ibinabo, decorating President Goodluck Jonathan as Grand Patron of AGN

with a unique praise message. Titilailai means forever and praising God will be forever. I'm happy with the feedback so far.” Charles Granville is a recipient of several awards, including the Nigeria Gospel Music Awards.

PUBLIC NOTICE AGBI

I formerly known and addressed as Miss Folakemi Elizabeth Agbi, now wish to be addressed as Mrs. Folakemi Elizabeth Faderin. All former documents remain valid. Pharmacist Council of Nigeria (P.C.N) and general public take note. GBENEKANU I, Formerly known and addressed as MISS. GBENEKANU SHINE SORNULE now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. AKATA INNOCENT SHINE SORNULE. All former documents remain valid. Taabaa Khana Bori and general public should please take note.

AGUBATA I, Formerly known and addressed as MISS. OBIAGERI AGUBATA now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. OBIAGERI AGUTA NDULUE. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, APRIL 2, 2014

SPORT EXTRA MAN UTD 1 - BAYERN MUNICH 1

Vidic earns valuable draw for Utd

ANCHESTER UNITED upset the odds with a 1-1 draw against European champions Bayern Munich in the first leg of the Champions League quarter-finals. United had taken the lead after just four minutes when Danny Welbeck volleyed the ball past Manuel Neuer, but

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE Barcelona 1 - 1 Atlético Madrid V ManUtd 1 - 1 Bayern München TODAY’S FIXTURES Real Madrid v Borussia Dortmund Paris Saint Germain v Chelsea

the whistle had already blown the forward's high foot. The England attacker had another chance to break the deadlock before half-time after his pace got the better of the Bayern defence, but the Germany keeper stood his ground and denied the chip shot with his fingertips. The hosts eventually opened the scoring against the run of play when Nemanja Vidic got on the end of a Wayne Rooney corner. However, celebrations were short-lived after Bastian Schweinsteiger half- in the equaliser from inside the box.

BARCELONA 1-1 ATLETICO MADRID

Neymar bails out Barca

ARCELONA was forced to come from behind to claim a 1-1 at home to Atletico Madrid in the first leg of an absorbing Champions League quarter-final. After both sides had lost a key player to injury during the opening 45 minutes, with Blaugrana defender Gerard Pique having been followed off by Rojiblancos striker Diego

Costa, the visitors took the lead shortly after half-time with a stunning long-range strike from Diego. However, Neymar finished with aplomb after being the recipient of a sublime pass from Andres Iniesta to leave this all-Spanish affair beautifully poised ahead of the second leg at the Vicente Calderon next week.

‘Look beyond high performance’

WO athletics coaches say they want handlers of athletes to the 2014 Commonwealth Games to look beyond high performance index in selecting athletes for the Games. The Games are scheduled for Glasgow, Scotland from July 23 to Aug. 3. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the National Sports Commission (NSC) in 2013 benchmarked the various levels of performance for selecting athletes for national

assignments. The duo of Isaac OsagieIkhaobomeh, an assistant national coach and Uruemu Adu, a coach with the Lagos State Grassroots Sports, in separate interviews with NAN in Lagos on Tuesday, cautioned against exclusive use of performance index for selecting athletes. Osagie-Ikhaobomeh said: ``It will not be in national interest to domesticate a western idea hook, line and sinker without taking into cognizance our peculiar situation.

2.57m tickets allocated to fans

total of 2,577,662 tickets for the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil have already been allocated through all sales

phases and channels to date. A statement by the FIFA Media Office on Tuesday said, these tickets included those for the hospitality programme and other constituent groups.

•Vidic opens the scoring for Manchester United

Visually impaired students display commitment in sports

LUE House, with 75 points,won the 19th Annual Inter-House Sports competition of the Vocational Training Centre for the Nigerian Society for the Blind (VTC-NSB) held at the Yaba college of technology Sport Centre in Lagos. Michael Onifade, the house captain of Blue House, who lost his sight just after secondary school in 2007, was overjoyed at the victory. He said; “After I lost my sight, I had to learn how to do everything again, it was not easy, but since my enrolment here, I am back on my feet. I am familiar with computer, the Braille and other vocations.” Some of the winners in their different categories include 50 metres race – Olasunkanmi Funmilayo; Rounders game – Godwin Israel; Long Jump female – Nike Oguntope; Walking race – Kemi Kolawole; Shot put – Jaiyeoba

By Paul Oluwakoya Kayode. Guest schools also participated in the event. There were relay races by, Ilupeju Senior high School (boys and girls), Lagos City College (boys and girls) and Ransome Kuti Memorial (boys and girls). Aje Comprehensive Lagos, and Command Secondary School (1&2). The keenly contested race among the six invited schools both in the Junior and senior categories was won by Command Secondary School. The principal of the centre, Mr. Sola Ogunsiji, speaking on the event said; “This is our second time of doing this outside our campus. We want to showcase what the visually impaired people can do. They can run, jump and do all sorts of sporting activities that people with sight can, even better.

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, APRIL 2, 2014

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 2, 2014 TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM

VOL.9 NO.2,806

TODAY IN THE NATION ‘Today’s Nigeria is founded on, and flounders on and sufferers from, yesterday’s fraudulent ethnic politics and policies. If we had decentralised electric power or railways 30 years ago, where would power be now?’ TONY MARINHO

COMMENT & DEB ATE EBA

HE last time we met on these pages two weeks ago, I concluded my piece that morning by putting the burden of solving the Boko Haram "riddle" (my own word) on the leadership of the Muslim North, specifically on the new Minister of Defence, Lt-General Aliyu Mohammed, (retired), a veteran spymaster and a former army chief, and on Col Mohammed Sambo Dasuki, retired, the current National Security Adviser to the President. "On his part," I said, "the new army chief should know that if, along with the National Security Adviser to the president, Colonel Sambo Dasuki, a scion of the Sokoto Caliphate, he cannot solve the, admittedly complex, riddle of Boko Haram which has done so much damage to Nigeria generally but more specifically to the North and to Muslims and to the image of their religion, then the Muslim North will have no one else to blame but its leaders, both secular and religious." President Goodluck Jonathan's angry reply over the weekend in Bauchi to Governor Murtala Nyako's charge in far away America that the president is incapable and/or uninterested in solving the Boko Haram crisis - that is if, according to Nyako, the man is not himself outrightly complicit in complicating the crisis for political gain - has got me wondering if I have been fair and sensible in shifting even the immediate burden of solving the crisis from the president to his lieutenants, and through them, to the entire leadership of a region. Of course the ultimate burden of solving any national problem lies with the country's president; the buck, as they say, always stops at the table of the boss. However, there is also a lot his underlings can do to help him solve a problem. It was to that extent that I put the burden of ending the Boko Haram scourge on his two security chiefs. But then the president's angry remarks last Saturday, March 26, during the Peoples Democratic Party's North-East rally in Bauchi strongly suggests a frame of mind that is more interested in playing politics with Boko Haram than in ending its terror. With such a frame of mind, it will not matter much what his subordinates do to help their boss do his job satisfactorily of securing the nation. No doubt Governor Nyako's paper during the March 17-19 symposium in Washington DC, USA, on the Boko Haram insurgency in the North-East at the instance of the Unites States Institute for Peace, to which all the 19 governors of the Northern State were invited, was highly provocative. "The security situation we are facing," he said in the course of delivering his paper, "...could be sponsored by evil minded and over-ambitious leaders of government and society for political gains." Of course, he did not name names but it needed little or no imagination to guess those he was pointing his fingers at. As if to remove any doubts about those the governor presumably had in mind, the president chose the occasion of his party's rally in the main theatre of the Boko Haram insurrection to reply him. I solved the terror problem in my home state, Bayelsa, when I was deputy governor and then governor, so Nyako and other Northern governors accusing me of incompetent leadership should go solve their own Boko Haram problem, the president said, in effect. "All what they put on their bodies," the president reportedly said in his peculiar English and simplistic logic, apparently referring to the Boko Haram ragtag army, "is not worth N10, but they carry rifles and bullets worth more than N250,000. Some-

RIPPLES BETTER DAYS AHEAD, SAYS CLERIC

…and where are the better days when govt is planning to increase fuel price?

People and Politics By MOHAMMED H ARUNA ndajika@yahoo.com

A president playing dangerous politics with Boko Haram

•Jonathan

body gives them food so that they can kill. "You ask how we build this army of unemployed and unemployable youth? The Federal Government does not control primary education; it does not control secondary school education, and a governor has been on seat for nearly eight years and we have people in that state that can't go to secondary school. You say bad leadership? Who is the bad leader? Is it the Federal Government? I made sure that every state has a university. That is the responsibility of the Federal Government and I have done it." The president is right, damn right, that governors - and I must say that includes himself when he was one, as can be seen from the poor primary and secondary enrolment figures of Bayelsa - have been almost criminally negligent of their responsibilities to provide primary (through Local Governments) and secondary education in their states. However, the president was wrong to blame the states alone for their negligence. Part of the blame

must go to the Federal Government for cornering so much revenue for itself from the Federation Account (55% or so) that states seem to lack enough to attend to even their more basic responsibilities in such areas as education, health and basic infrastructure. The president was also wrong to think poor primary and secondary school enrolment is the main cause of Boko Haram. It is not. The Boko Haram army may be ragtag but its main recruits are not small kids who won't go to Western schools. On the contrary, it recruits mainly from youths who have been to such schools but have become totally disillusioned with a system which they can clearly see is more interested in producing a few billionaires than in raising millions out of poverty. The president may not be essentially responsible for such a system but he has not helped matters by the wilful way he has, for all practical purposes, refused to do anything about so much waste, corruption and scandal that has surrounded his administration. The president was also wrong to claim he solved MEND's terror problem in Bayelsa. He did not and could not. As governor, he had no control of the police and the security forces. As he knows all too well the credit for that goes mainly to his boss, the late President Umaru Yar'adua for his amnesty programme for Delta militants, and partly to himself as vice-president, who, as the son of the soil, helped to oversee the execution of the programme. The president's apparent misdiagnosis of the Boko Haram problem clearly suggests he is more inclined to playing politics with it than in trying to solve it. There have been, at least, two evidence of recent to support this thesis. First, is the reckless manner in which his party's spokesman, Mr Olisa Metuh, has been attacking the main opposition party, the All Progressives Congress, labelling it an Islamic party with a "janjaweed" ideology, as if it is a crime to be a Muslim in this country. Indeed, he has said worse by accusing the party without a shred of evidence of being the sponsor of Boko Haram and no one seems to want to call him to order. On the contrary, he seems to enjoy at least

HARDBALL

RESIDENTIAL Afghanistanism, what in the name of God is that? What clap trap? But please, at least, hear Hardball out. To start with, you know of Afghanistan, an old civilisation, rich in fairy tales, but brought into recent disrepute by Taliban stone-age men, who threw up the Al-Qaeda terrorists and Osama bin Laden, who bombed the twin towers of the World Trade Centre in New York, USA, which resulted in a long-drawn US-led anti-terror war. Yeah, yeah, yeah. An Afghan is a citizen of Afghanistan. And Afghanistanism? It is a media term for running away from urgent news at home, to feast on often irrelevant news abroad. Call it media filibustering, and you are not entirely wrong. And presidential Afghanistanism? Ah, that is today's gist! And you could make concrete examples of that from the foreign trips President Goodluck Jonathan makes, and local trips he refuses to make. Call them fleeing from the hot front of presidential duty and you are not entirely wrong. Yet, Goodluck Jonathan did not invent presidential Afghanistanism. In years gone by in the Second Republic, President Shehu Shagari took to the skies, even while the NECOM Building, the

the tacit support of his party's leadership. Even more telling than Metuh's recklessness has been the president's loud silence on the unmasking in February of his Senior Special Assistance on Social Media, Reno Omokri, as the brain behind a highly dubious attempt, through a Word document using a funny sounding alias, Wendell Simlin, that tried to link Malam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, the suspended Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), to the recent increase in Boko Haram violence in Borno and Yobe states. The discovery that Omokri was the real author of the document has yet to earn the man even the mildest rebuke, never mind a sack. It all reminds one, doesn't it, of the charge by Mr Henry Emomotimi Okah, since jailed in South Africa for his alleged role in the October 1, 2010 fatal bombing of Eagle Square during the Golden Jubilee of Nigeria's Independence, in an affidavit he swore to in a court in that country, that he was contacted by the presidency to prevail on the Movement for the Emancipation of Niger Delta (MEND) to withdraw its statement claiming responsibility for the bombing so that it can be blamed on some Northern politicians, notably General Ibrahim Babangida, former military president, who was initially in the running for the 2011 presidential election. Said Okah in his affidavit, "During the morning of 2 October, 2010, I received two SMS from Mr Tony Uranta...The SMS were sent from Mr Uranta's number +2348075407801. The first of the two SMS stated; - "Ask J.G to withdraw statement." (J.G being Jomo Gbomo the spokesperson for MEND). The final SMS sent at 10h28:32 am states; - "The government will blame on Northern elements." Okah has since claimed that his refusal to cooperate with the presidency was why the Federal Government leaned heavily on the South Africans to secure his imprisonment. In that same affidavit Okah claimed that "On the day of the bombing of 1 October, 2010, I received a call from Mr Moses Jituboh, the Head of Personal Security to President Jonathan, who solicited my assistance and continued cooperation with President Goodluck Jonathan towards shifting blame for the bombings to the North of Nigeria. He assured me in this meeting that President Goodluck Jonathan was determined to ensure that political power never returned to the North which Mr Orubebe described as parasites. To achieve this, President Goodluck Jonathan would pretend to do only one term in office and once entrenched, he would insist on a second term." Okah's affidavit may sound like the desperate act of a dog in a manger, but his claims seemed to have been borne out by subsequent events, including former president Chief Olusegun Obasanjo's now famous open letter to the president reminding him that he had promised to do only one term during his campaign for the 2011 presidential election. With a record like this, it is hardly unfair to suspect our president of being more interested in playing politics with the Boko Haram scourge than in bringing it to an end. In which case nothing his subordinates do will, in the end, make any difference in helping him secure the country and its citizens from terrorism.

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•Hardball is not the opinion of the columnist featured above

Presidential Afghanistanism tallest building in Nigeria and corporate headquarters of the defunct Nigerian External Telecommunications Ltd (NET), was gutted. The gentle president would rather not be frazzled by the NET-generated heat. Even then, President Jonathan appears to have perfected the concept of retreat-by-travel (abroad) and retreat-by-non-travel (at home). It is perhaps his own unique style of maintaining his personal sanity in the midst of so much madness. But what about the American quip: if you can't stand the heat, get the hell out of the kitchen? After the Abba Moro fatal job interviews that claimed the lives of 19 Nigerian job seekers, the president simply hee-hawed. Moro he would not sack or un-sack. On his fate, the president just opened and closed his mouth, and nothing came out of it. Of course, you must applaud this presidential focus on issues and not personalities. Pronto, he has cancelled the scandalous interview, ordered relations of the dead should be offered three jobs, in a three-jobs-for-one-death philosophy, and offered the living the opportunity to have another

go at those jobs, hoping of course that the interview(s) would be far less fatal next time round. Not only that: the Jonathan awards also approved a job apiece for the injured in the job melee. So, do we now expect another crush from veterans of that ill-fated interview, struggling to show their wounds and scars to land another job? Of course, all these were too much for our dear president, who quietly pressed his retreat-by-travel (abroad) button, and took off on a jaunt to Namibia, the Vatican and Holland. It's invaluable days of rest from the Nigerian nuthouse! Meanwhile at home, the rival All Progressives Congress (APC) has shouted -- and is still shouting itself -- hoarse on why the president must visit Yobe to condole with parents and guardians of the slain Federal Government College, Bunu Yadi, minors. But apparently APC has not studied the retreat-by-non-travel (at home) Jonathan presidential manual. The party should -- and be soundly educated on the latest techniques in presidential Afghanistanism.

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