August 02, 2014 by The Nation

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HE Lagos State Government on Friday said two persons out of those who had contacts with Mr. Patrick Sawyer, the dead Liberian Ebola victim, had manifested symptoms of fever. The Commissioner for Health, Dr Jide Idris, made the disclosure when he addressed newsmen on the update of the country‘s first Ebola case in Ikeja. Idris said the two persons were among the 70 contacts being monitored and investigated for any symptoms of the disease by the state government and other partners. The commissioner, who said the two cases were under observation, however stressed that they did not test positive to the virus. Idris said the state government would continue to monitor all contacts with the victims until the end of the 21 incubation day period of the virus.

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Ebola: Two down with fever in Lagos after contact with victim “Our Rapid Response Team is currently tracking all contacts of persons exposed to the dead passenger with Ebola virus. “The contract tracing team is following 70 contacts of the EVD case and linking them to clinical support when needed. “Two suspect cases had fever, they are under observation and so far have tested negative to the virus. “The monitoring of suspect cases will continue until the end of the period of 21 days from their exposure to the victim,’’ he said. The commissioner said an emergency operation centre had been activated in Lagos ,by the state and its partners

as part of efforts to check the threat of the virus. He added that the Federal Government had stepped up measures to screen incoming passengers to Nigeria to identify any traveler with symptoms through, airport, seaport and border crossing. Idris said a deceased body was recently brought to Ni-

geria from Liberia, explaining that the government was investigating if he died from Ebola. The commissioner urged residents to collaborate with government in checking the Ebola threat in the country by reporting suspected case for government‘s intervention. While saying diseases

thrived well in dirty environments, Idris urged residents to maintain clean body and environment to reduce the risk of the virus. Also speaking. Prof. Abdul Salim Nasidi of the National Disease Control Centre said noted that though disease had no cure ,it was treatable. He warned members of the public against emphasizing

that the virus had not cure,saying it might discourage those with suspected cases from accessing treatment. While saying the Federal Government was doing everything to check the threat of the disease,Nasidi urged citizens not to panic as no fresh case had been discovered yet in the country

We’ll prevent Ebola outbreak in Oyo – Govt

HE Oyo State Government has assured the people of the state that it has taken some steps to ensure the prevention of an Ebola disease outbreak in the state. A statement issued in Ibadan on Friday by the state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Muyiwa Gbedegesin said that the state government was working closely with the Federal Ministry of Health, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Ministries of Health of the neighbouring states to prevent the outbreak of the disease. “All the disease surveillance and notification officers in all the local government areas have been alerted and sensitized to promptly respond to the outbreak,’’ it said, adding that a sensitization programme had been also been organized for a similar pur-

pose. The statement also said that public enlightenment highlighting how to prevent Ebola Virus disease, its causes, mode of transmissions and steps to be taken in case of outbreak had already commenced in form of sensitization of traditional healers, religious and community members, as well as through airing of jingles and distribution of posters. It highlighted the signs and symptoms of the disease to include onset of fever, weakness, muscle pain, headache and sore throat, conjunctivitis, hiccups, dysphasia followed by vomiting, diarrhea and rash. While assuring the people of the state of effective monitoring of the situation, the state government, however, urged them to take any suspected case to the nearby public health facility for adequate care.

Ebola scare: Anambra bans corpses from outside •Six patients relocated from hospital housing suspicious corpse

ORPSES are henceforth barred from being taken into Anambra from outside the state,at least for now. This follows the scare triggered by the deposit of the corpse of a native of the state at the morgue of a private hospital at Nkwelle Ezunaka,in Oyi Local Government Area of the state. The man died in Liberia which,along with Guinea and Sierra Leone ,is waging a battle against an Ebola outbreak. The cause of the man’s death is yet unknown . The scare was partly on account of the death in Lagos last week of a Liberian,Patrick Sawyer. Mr Sawyer died of the disease. Six patients who were on admission in the Nkwelle Ezunaka hospital have been relocated to the Umueri General Hospital in Anambra East Council Area. A medical team from the Federal Ministry of Health

Nwanosike ONU, Awka was being expected in the state yesterday to investigate the cause of the man’s death. But as a precaution,Governor Willie Obiano yesterday ordered security agencies in the state not to allow any corpse to be brought into the state from outside. He said there was no confirmation yet that the man died of Ebola. The governor who addressed women at the Women Development Centre ,Awka said only an investigation by experts could confirm the cause of the man’s death. Sources said security men yesterday prevented relations of the deceased from allegedly smuggling his corpse from the mortuary. It was also gathered that the six patients were removed from the hospital as a precaution.

•Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Dr Jide Idris (2nd right), his Information and Strategy counterpart, Mr. Aderemi Ibirogba (left), Special Adviser on Public Health, Dr (Mrs.) Yewande Adeshina (2ndleft) and the Director, Nigeria Centre for Diseases Control, Abuja, Professor Abdulsalami Nasidi (right), fielding questions during a joint press briefing to provide an update on Ebola virus by the Lagos State Ministry of Health and Federal Ministry of Health, at the Bagauda Kaltho Press Centre, Alausa Secretariat, Ikeja, Lagos, yesterday

Ebola: Bush meat vendors close shops in Benin

HIS is not the best of time for bush meat vendors in Benin, Edo State. Many of them have closed shop following reports that the virus may be contacted through wild animals. Consumers are also wary of buying what is considered in many homes as a delicacy. Vendors at Eki Osa, Uwa, new Benin and Yangan markets, as well as those

Osemwengie Ben OGBEMUDIA, Benin along the Benin / Auchi Road confirmed low patronage over the last few days. Low patronage is also being recorded by bush meat/palm wine joints. Mrs. Asosa Idemudia, a bush meat seller said: “the Ebola alert has scared people away from consuming

bush meat.” Another vendor, Mrs. Jane Ekinafo said: “since bush meat is believed to be a cause of the disease, I don’t want to touch it for now. “If you can contact it (Ebola) by eating an infected animal, it is possible that one who handles it for sale can also be infected.” Meanwhile, the Edo State Government said yesterday that there is no trace of the disease yet in the state, but

advised residents to remain vigilant and report any suspicious case to the nearest health facility. Health Commissioner Aihanuwa Eregie told reporters in Benin that the state Ministry of Health and the World Health Organization (WHO) have mounted a surveillance in all parts of the state to ensure early detection of any infection and timely containment and control of same.

WHO chief says Ebola out of control

ONAKRY - An outbreak of the deadly Ebola virus in West Africa is out of control but can be stopped with more resources and tougher measures, World Health Organization chief Margaret Chan said yesterday. The outbreak is the worst since the disease was discovered in the mid-1970s, with 729 deaths in four countries. “This outbreak is moving faster than our efforts to control it,” Chan told the presidents of Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone at an emergency meeting in Guinea’s capital Conakry. “If the situation continues to deteriorate, the consequences can be catastrophic in terms of lost of lives but also severe socio-economic disruption and a high risk of spread to other countries,” she said, according to a WHO transcript. But the outbreak could be stopped and the public was

not at high risk of infection, she said. Governments might need to restrict population movements and public gatherings, and use the police and civil defence forces to guarantee the security of response teams, she said. With healthcare systems struggling to cope, more than 60 medical workers have lost their lives, hampering efforts to tackle the disease. Two Americans working for aid group Samaritan’s Purse who contracted the disease in Liberia were in a serious condition and would be medically evacuated by early next week, the organisation said. Liberia has put in place measures including closing all schools and some government departments as well as possibly quarantining affected communities. Sierra Leone declared a state of emergency and called in troops to isolate Ebola victims.

However, the leader of Guinea’s Ebola taskforce said his country would not be following these moves. “Some measures taken by our neighbours could make the fight against Ebola even harder,” Aboubacar Sidiki Diakité told Reuters, citing in particular the closure of schools. “When children are not supervised, they can go anywhere and make the problem worse.” The outbreak has prompted some international organisations to withdraw. The U.S. Peace Corps has said it was withdrawing 340 volunteers from Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea. Samaritans Purse said on Friday it would complete the evacuation of its 60 international staff from Liberia over the weekend and WaterAid said on Friday it was suspending its operations there as well. The WHO is launching a $100 million response plan

and the United States is providing material and technical support to the three countries. Further assistance will be discussed at a meeting in Washington next week. Chan said she was taking personal responsibility for coordinating international response efforts and mobilising the vast support needed to fight the virus. The WHO has convened an emergency committee on Aug. 6-7 to decide if the outbreak constitutes a public health emergency of international concern and to recommend measures to tackle it. “The demands created by Ebola in West Africa outstrip your capacities to respond,” Chan told the presidents. Chan said cultural practices such as traditional burials and deep-seated beliefs were a significant cause of the spread and a barrier to containment and needed to change.

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SATURDAY, AUGUST 2, 2014

Bayelsa educates residents on Ebola virus, Hepatitis

AYELSA State Government on Friday commenced an enlightenment campaign on Ebola virus and hepatitis, as part of it efforts to checkmate the diseases. The state Commissioner for Health, Dr Ayibatonye Owei, told newsmen in

Yenagoa that members of the public should be cautious on the state of the foods they eat. He said being sensitive to such things would go a long way to prevent infections from the two killer ailments. “I call on all people of Bayelsa to take all necessary precautions against

Ebola virus and hepatitis. “This campaign will reach out to every nook and cranny of the state; we have jingles on radio and television; so, make good use of it. “And you must know that Hepatitis-B is a silent killer; the diseases caused

by Hepatitis-B can be prevented by vaccination. “Immunisation has gone over 80 per cent in the state on Hepatitis and all the eight local government areas are benefiting,” Owei said. Owei commended the organisers of the 2014 World

Hepatitis Day in Bayelsa, adding that the theme “Hepatitis: Think Again”, was a wakeup call to control the disease. “Hepatitis vaccination is free for everybody; go to any health centre and immunise yourself; all beneficiaries should ensure that they receive the required three doses for complete protection. “Ebola has also become a threat to the society; I urge Bayelsans to also inculcate a good washing hygiene of hand, cloths, body and maintain cleaner environment.

“Everything you do, make sure you wash your hand, avoid using needle or razor blade used by another person,’’ Owei said. The commissioner said the state government had placed the health sector on priority list to achieve standard health care delivery system for the people. He said that work was ongoing in all the referral hospital projects in the eight local councils of the state. “I must remind you once again that `health is wealth’ and the best way to empowerment people is to give them good health.”

Ebola Virus: Ebonyi LG commences enlightenment campaign

•Hunters lament loss of livelihood

•Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State (right), speaking to newsmen on the outbreak of Ebola virus, on his arrival from Umurah, in Lagos yesterday. With him are his Special Adviser on Media, Mr Hakeem Bello (left) and Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Lateef Ibirogba.

Glasgow 2014: Sierra Leone athletes want longer UK stay

P to 30 Commonwealth Games athletes from Sierra Leone are considering extending their stay in Glasgow amid fears over the Ebola virus. The BBC reported yesterday that a second Sierra Leone competitor, Samuel Morris, was tested for Ebola and cleared by doctors in Glasgow. Cyclist Moses Sesay has also tested negative for the virus. It has also emerged that another Sierra Leone cyclist, Mohamed Tholley, has vanished from the athletes’ village. Ebola has caused more than 700 deaths since February in an outbreak affect-

ing four west African countries. Sesay, 32, was admitted to a Glasgow hospital last week after feeling unwell and doctors tested him for various conditions, including Ebola. The cyclist was given the all-clear and released from hospital in time to compete in the men’s individual time trial at the Games on Thursday. It later emerged that table tennis player Morris, 34, was also tested in Glasgow and given the all-clear. Meanwhile, Sierra Leone’s Commonwealth Games chief de mission, Unisa Deen Kargbo, confirmed Police Scotland had joined the search for missing cyclist

Mohamed Tholley. He was due to compete in the men’s time trial on Thursday but failed to show up for the start of the event. Mr Kargbo said: “He did not talk to anyone in the camp. No one knows where he is. “Legally, Mohamed Tholley is supposed to be in the country up until September. But if he had discussed that with any member of the delegation, we would not have been much worried. “Whether he has gone missing or whether he has moved to his family members, we haven’t got a communication. Now we are trying to get in touch with some family members.” He added: “We just want

to be sure first of all that he is safe, wherever he is, and we don’t know if he is safe or unsafe. “We have reported this to the Commonwealth Games organisers. The police are also trying to see if he is safe.” The cyclist’s coach, Winston Crowther, believes Tholley may have vanished due to fears over the Ebola outbreak. However, Mr Crowther did not rule out other reasons for his disappearance, including economic factors. Sierra Leone has declared a public health emergency after more than 200 people died from the disease. The outbreak - the world’s deadliest to date - was first reported in Guinea in February.

Ebola: Fashola urges FG to shut borders with neighbouring countries

AGOS State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, has urged the Federal Government to shut the nation’s borders with neighbouring countries without delay to avert the spread of the deadly Ebola virus. The governor’s concern is coming on the heels of the controversy generated bythe case of a recent corpse from Liberia, said to have been routed through Lagos to Anambra State. Fashola, while speaking with Journalists yesterday, at Ikeja House, noted that, “This is no longer a local, but an international problem. This is because it is easily transmittable across the borders and boundaries. The Federal Government team has been working with the state team. I think what the Federal Government needed to do at this time is to consider the imperative of closing some of our borders. “It is difficult to stop this

Miriam Ekene-OKORO epidemic. We must now choose the treaty obligations that we hold under the Economic Community Of West African States (ECOWAS) treaty and perhaps short term benefits in terms of economic cost to human life. “We must make that choice and consider it very seriously. It is a national security issue. I think we should give it that attention. I think men and women who man our border postssea, air and land, especially the customs, now know that they are our first line of defence.” Fashola said there is no pretence about the issue of such importance, saying few West African countries who are at the epicenter of the virus pose danger to others. He said:“I believe some of the countries were Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea.

There is a risk to the entire sub-region. I like to appreciate all the health workers at the state level for the very professional manner they have responded while I was out of the country.” Giving update on the Ebola issue, Professor Abdulsalami Nasidi of the National Center For Disease Control (NCDC) who briefed the press with Lagos State Government officials, allayed fears on possible outbreak from the corpse brought in from Liberia . He said, “All the handlers of the corpse brought into the country from Liberia will be registered and tracked. And those who accompanied the corpse to Anambra and the mortuary handlers are under quarantine in Anambra State. “Our team in Anambra State will tomorrow (today) give us the statistics of those who came in contact

with the corpse.” On the collaboration with other countries, Nasidi explained that the ministries of Foreign Affairs, Aviation and the Federal Government will soon issue directives on matters of bringing corpse into the country.

OLLOWING growing fears across the country over the deadly Ebola Virus, Afikpo North Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, yesterday advised the people of the area to be wary of the deadly disease. The council area, which is also the hometown of the Minister for Health, Prof Onyebuchi Chukwu, also cautioned against indiscriminate consumption of bush meat by the people. The advice was contained in a release signed by the Public Relations Officer of the council, Sir Emmanuel Irem. It also advised the people to maintain a clean environment and to avoid contact with some bush meats, especially monkeys, so as not to contact the Ebola disease. “We wish to advise the people of Afikpo North Local Government Area to be wary of the deadly Ebola Virus. The World Health Organization (WHO) reports have it that the virus has killed many people in recent time. “It is important that people of the area maintain a clean environment and to avoid contact with some bush meat, especially monkeys species so as not to contact the Ebola disease. The disease, as of now, has no cure and is more deadly than the HIV/AIDS

Ogochukwu ANIOKE, Abakaliki scourge.” He further stated that the Ebola disease is transmitted through close contact with the blood, secretion, organs or other bodily fluids of infected animals. Our correspondent gathered that there have been growing fears in the state, especially, Amasiri in Afikpo North Local Government Area, where their major occupation and source of revenue is hunting and selling of bush meat and other wild animals. Similarly, the council has also advised the people of the area to effectively participate in the forthcoming Independent National Electoral Commissions INEC voters’ registration exercise and issuance of permanent voters cards billed to commence on August 15th 2014. The PRO urged all eligible and qualified people of the council to turn out enmass for the exercise, noting that the voters’ cards would afford them the opportunity to vote in the 2015 general elections and other elections. He warned against multiple registration and urged parents to restrain their children below 18 years from registering, describing it as a criminal offence.

No Ebola in Anambra—Obiano

OVERNOR Willie Obiano of Anambra, said in Awka yesterday, that there was no case of Ebola virus in the state. Obiano made the clarification at the 2014 Mothers Summit and the inauguration of Caring Family Enhancement Initiative of Anambra First Lady, Mrs Ebele Obiano. Obiano’s statement came against the background of a reported case of the return of the remains of an Ebola victim from Liberia to Anambra. “There is no Ebola case in Anambra and by the Grace of God there will never be. “The rumour we have con-

cerns one corpse that was brought from one of the West African countries. “On our own, we decided to take precaution. We were doing the proper thing to confirm that the corpse has nothing to do with Ebola. “As we speak, from preliminary reports we have so far, there is no Ebola incident in Anambra State. “I have told the police not to allow any corpse to be brought into Anambra by road or by air if the corpse does not have a certificate confirming the cause of death.

“Wherever we see a corpse, we stop and find out what killed him/her before going further. It is only a precautionary measure by=a responsible government to protect our people.” In his address to the women, he urged them to participate actively in the political process, saying their role was critical to ensuring the nation’s stability and security. He also enjoined them to endeavour to obtain the Permanent Voter Cards, which he said, its distribution would commence on Aug. 16.

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SATURDAY, AUGUST 2, 2014

OSUN 2014

Oyegun, APC leaders storm Osun Monday A

S part of the final leg of the preparations for the governorship poll in Osun State, the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, and top leaders of the party will from Monday relocate to Osogbo, the state capital Also, the Peoples Democratic Movement (PDM) yesterday said it had withdrawn

Yusuf ALLI, Managing Editor, Northern Operation

Mr. Oludare Timothy Akinola as its governorship candidate for the poll. The relocation of APC leaders was contained in a statement in Abuja by the APC National Chairman, Odigie-Oyegun. The statement said: “This is to inform the general pub-

lic and millions of our dear members and supporters that as from August 4, the National Secretariat of our great party, the APC, will relocate to Osogbo, Osun State, until after the August 9 gubernatorial election. “The relocation to Osogbo is in deference to an ancient African proverb which states that rats cannot eat the fish of the man who is awake and watchful. Hence the APC

leadership wishes to reassure our millions of members, supporters and compatriots that we shall keep awake to guide and protect our mandate. “This also serves as notice to all state chairmen of the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory to attend the final public rally of the APC in Osogbo on August 5 and the subsequent meeting with the National Working Committee on August 6.

“I use this opportunity to salute the courage of the good people of Osun State for their courage and steadfastness in the face of intimidation and militarization of the state. “I appeal to our dear compatriots in the state to ignore all manner of provocation and turn out massively to

vote for Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola to continue his good work and clean government in his second term. On its part, the PDM in a statement by its National Chairman, Dr. Oluwole Akinwumi, said it had dropped Mr. Oludare Timothy Akinola as its candidate for the governorship poll.

INEC recruits 10,432

BOUT 10,432 adhoc staff have been re cruited by the Independent National Electoral Commission for the conduct of the August 9 Osun State governorship election. Addressing reporters at a press conference at the INEC Secretariat along the Gbongan Road yesterday, the Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state, Mr. Olusegun Agbaje, disclosed that the adhoc staff, who are presiding officers, assistant presiding officers, supervisory presiding officers, lo-

Adesoji ADENIYI, Osogbo cal government collation officers and returning officers, were youth corps members drawn from Osun, Kwara, Oyo, Ondo and Kogi states. He assured people of early delivery of election materials to all the 3,379 voting points across the state. He reiterated the readiness of the INEC to conduct a free, fair and credible election, saying the exercise would meet the aspirations of all and sundry.

NUJ plans debate for candidates

•From left: Representative of Lagos State Governor, Hon. Kayode Opeifa; Commissioner for Home Affairs and Chieftaincy Affairs, Barrister Ademorin Kuye; Chairman, Bariga Local Council Development Area (LCDA), Hon. Akeem Omoyele Sulaiman; and Chief Funsho Ologunde during the Conference 57 grassroots empowerment at PHOTO: MUYIWA HASSAN Alausa Secretariat, Ikeja, Lagos...yesterday

FG terrorising Osun, APC cries out

HE All Progressives Con gress (APC) yesterday al leged that the PDP-led federal government has started terrorizing and intimidating the people of Osun State, “with a view to cowing them ahead of the August 9 governorship election in the state.” The APC cited the deployment to the state of agents of the Department of State Services (DSS), some of them masked and clad in black. National Publicity Secretary of the party, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said the move was to “harass innocent citizens in an unprovoked and primitive show of power that can only be described as sheer gangsterism.” He said:''As widely reported, DSS agents, armed to the teeth and riding in over 50 trucks, drove around Osogbo and other parts of Osun State on Wednesday blaring siren and shooting sporadically in the air, thus disrupting the normally peaceful life in the state. ''Residents who were visibly traumatized by the shameful display of state power ran helter-skelter and wondered why their government has sent masked men, or ninjas, to terrorize them. “They now understand that the masked thugs who have been following the PDP candidate around on his campaign trail were actually government sanctioned. This is a power show taken too far, even with the well-known impunity tendencies of the Jonathan administration.'' The APC said as many as 5,000 more DSS men are being dispatched to the state before the election, on the basis of an orchestrated petition alleging that certain APC leaders are planning to foment trouble during the election.

''Flooding Osun with irresponsible DSS officials to terrorize the residents is another low for a government that is notorious for abuse of power and federal institutions. It is no longer news that the military, the police and other security agencies are working for the Jonathan aministration, rather than for

all of Nigeria. What is new is that the security agencies have now been unleashed on the citizenry,” he added. ''What rankles even more is the constant assurances by President Jonathan that the election will be free and fair. How can we have a credible election in an atmosphere of state-led gangsterism? How can we have a credible election

when the FG that is supposed to protect the people and ensure violence-free polls is the same one that purveys violence? Where else in the world do secret police announce themselves by firing to scare away harmless citizens? When did masks become part of the uniform of the State Security Service agents?'' the party queried.

APC chieftain condemns use of soldiers in elections

security consultant and chieftain of the All Progessives Congress (APC), Dipo Okeyomi, has described as over-kill the plan to use soldiers during the governorship election in Osun State. Okeyomi said there is no need to militarise a civilian election when the country is not in a war situation whereby the electorate would need tight security to and from polling centres. He, therefore, described the action as a danger to democracy and a temptation to the military authorities. Okeyomi advised the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and Federal Government to allow the electorate to decide their preferred candidates among the contestants, instead of pursuing what he called desperate politics. “Nothing can be more desperate. That is what it is. And it is unfortunate that international community would be mocking us as unorganised country. How can a state election be such militarised? It is an attempt to deny the electorate their right to troop out to vote for their choice candidates,” he noted. The politician also said that his finding among the electorate in Osun State had shown him that the incumbent governor Rauf Aregbesola, is

people’s choice, urging the Federal Government to respect the people’s right to express their preference as stipulated by the principle of democracy. Okeyomi further stated that the physical transformation of Osun State by the Aregbesola administration in the last four years informed the people’s readiness to give the governor a second term to complete many projects he is currently handling. Parents of school children, he stressed, had never had it so comfortable with the free uniform and new buses the government has provided for them. “These were done to encourage mass education without making the parents going through financial stress. Free diet for the basic school pupils has proved to be a success as well,” Okeyomi said. He then warned the Federal Government to allow peace to reign during the election by instructing the soldiers and other security agencies to allow the electorate free access to polling booths to cast their vote without fear. He said failure to do this might be counter-productive because the people of Osun are passionate about the rate of development going on in the state. “They should not underrate the feelings of these people. They are ready to use their vote

to show appreciation to a governor who has brought change to their towns. So, denying them the opportunity would not be met with a smile,” he said.

HE Nigeria Union of Jour nalists (NUJ), Osun State Council, in collaboration with all the state broadcasting stations, is planning a debate for all governorship candidates in the August 9 poll in the state. The debate will be transmitted live by the broadcasting stations in the state as part of the efforts of the NUJ to ensure peaceful governorship election. According to a statement by the Chairman of the union, Mr. Abiodun Olalere, and Secretary, Bamigbola Gbolagunte, the debate will hold on Monday, August 4 at the White

Movement (PDM) yes terday dissociated itself from the continued reference to Mr. Oludare Tomothy Akinola as its candidate in next weekend’s governorship election in Osun State. National Secretary of the party, Dr. Oluwole Akinwunmi,said the party withdrew Mr.Akinola as its

Plain Hotel, Osogbo by 3.30pm. The six governorship candidates that have been duly invited for the two-hour live broadcast debate are Hon. Niyi Owolade of the Accord Party, Senator Sunday Fajinmi of the Alliance for Democracy, Mr Rauf Aregbesola of the All Progressives Congress, Alhaji Fatai Akinbade of the Labour Party, Senator Iyiola Omisore of the Peoples Democratic Party and Mr. Segun Akinwusi of the Social Democratic Party.

Election ‘ll decide Nigeria’s future, says former Edo Dep Gov

HE former Deputy Gov ernor of Edo state , Rev. Peter Obadan, said the conduct of the governorship election in Osun State may decide the future of Nigeria. Obadan, who is a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress of Nigeria (APC) stated this in an interview with newsmen yesterday in Benin. He expressed fear that

‘No going back on withdrawal of HE Peoples Democratic PDM candidate’

Adesoji ADENIYI, Osogbo

candidate as far back as June and “has not changed its position in this regard.” “The decision of the party and its reasons for withdrawing Mr Akinola as its flagbearer was communicated to the Chairman INEC, the Chairman of PDM in Osun State and Mr. Akinola himself,” Akinwunmi said.

should the wish of the people be subverted, it may spell doom in the state and the 2015 general election. He urged the Chairman of the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Attahiru Jega to ensure a level playing field for the political parties and their candidates in the poll. He noted that the activities of the opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in the state have already heightened tension ahead of the August 9 election. He noted that the APC as a party was not unmindful of what the PDP is capable of doing in order to emerge victorious in the poll. He urged the political parties, participating in the governorship election, to play by the rule for peace to reign in the state.

People urged to perform their civic duties

HEAD of next Saturday’s election in Osun State, a group, the Progressive Solidarity Forum (PSF), has enjoined the people of the state not to be discouraged by the series of ploys to discourage them from performing their civic duties. PSF condemned the attitude of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the face of the challenges currently facing the country. It expressed worry at what it described as the “excesses and the recklessness of President Goodluck Jonathan and the PDP in undermining all positive steps

to change Nigeria for the better.” While scoring the performance of the ruling PDP low ahead of the gubernatorial election in the state, the PSF warned against the arbitrariness of the Federal Government in the deployment of its vast resources purportedly for peaceful election purposes. The PSF advised the Federal Government to respect the rights of the people of Osun State to have a free and fair election in an atmosphere devoid of intimidation and arbitrary arrest. “Osun people must be allowed to choose freely. We therefore, enjoin the people of Osun

State not to allow the so-called ‘federal might’ rob them of the enviable developments and visionary leadership they currently enjoy under the administration of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola. In a statement signed by its Global Coordinator, Dr. Ibrahim Emokpaire, and Director, Media, Onowu Amaechi Nwaenie, the PSF said it would not be hoodwinked by the explanation of INEC, PDP and the Federal Government on the removal of the INEC Resident Commissioner and the appointment of new INEC Resident Commissioner a few weeks to election in Osun State.

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SATURDAY, AUGUST 2, 2014

•Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun (9th right); Secretary to the State Government, Barrister Taiwo Adeoluwa (4th right); Chief of Staff to the Governor, Prof. Ganiyu Olatunde (left); Pro-Chancellor and Chairman, Governing Council,Tai Solarin University of Education (TASUED), Ijagun, Ijebu-Ode, Prof. Olufemi Bamiro (10th right); and members of the newly inaugurated TASUED Governing Council during the inauguration at the Governor's Office, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta... yesterday.

NDLEA destroys over 184 hectares of cannabis plantation in Ondo

combined team of 100 National Drug Law E n f o r c e m e n t (NDLEA) officers drawn from eight commands have jointly raided Wese Forest Reserve and destroyed 184 hectares of cannabis plantations. The raid, according to NDLEA spokesman, Mr Mitchel Ofoyeju, lasted 72 hours leading to the dismantling of a cannabis syndicate known as Akunnubas. The treasurer of the group, Eke Sylvester, 37, and five members of the association were apprehended. They are Friday Julius, 28, Azonobi Godwin, 21, Leke Cletus, 29, Festus Osagie, 30, and Charles Osanebi. Chairman/Chief Executive of the NDLEA, Ahmadu Giade, has described the operation as a positive step towards the total dismantling of cannabis cartels in the country. “I am very pleased with the success of the Operation Wese. This is obviously a positive step towards the eradication of cannabis cartels. I commend the officers for a great job. Let me assure members of the public that this is the beginning of total war against cannabis cultivation in the country," Giade said. Since the commencement of the Operation Burn the Weed exercise in 1990 where NDLEA officials discovered and destroyed cannabis farms, the battle against cannabis cultivation has grown in leaps and bounds. According to Ofoyeju, there is no state that has not recorded cannabis farm destruction in Nigeria. From Lagos to Sokoto and from Adamawa to Rivers State, the story is practically the same. Cannabis, he said, is grown effortlessly across the length and breadth of the country. NDLEA statistics have shown that large scale cultivation of cannabis occurs predominantly in the South West and South South states of Ondo, Ekiti, Osun, Oyo, Ogun, Edo and Delta. The scope of cannabis cultivation has grown dangerously with grave security implications. The Operation Wese has revealed the modes of operation of cannabis production syndicates and related implications for the country. In Akure, the capital of

Ondo State, cannabis cultivators have now organised themselves into illegal associations. The name of the cannabis syndicate dismantled by the Operation Wese is Akunnubas. According to investigation, this full-blown drug-trafficking network has an executive arm that oversees the administrative affairs of the group. There is a Task Force that implements policies and decisions as well as advisers who serve as consultants to the group on legal and technical affairs. In a surveillance operation that lasted six months, the NDLEA has uncovered the top hierarchy of Akunnubas. The chairman of the group, Akwuzonu, is currently at large. The chief scribe of the syndicate is known as Saky, while Ojo is the manager of the group. There is a Task Force headed by one Babatunde also known as “Brazil.” The treasurer of the Akunnubas, Eke Sylvester, known as Okworo is among those apprehended during the Operation Wese. He said: "The cannabis cultivators find their way into the heart of Forest Reserves, cut down economic trees and cultivate their deadly weeds. The clandestine activities of the drug cartel are not known as legitimate farmers do not go that far into the forest to cultivate their crops. “In the early hours of the day, the 100-man tactical team drove into Wese Forest Reserve at the Ipele area in the Owo Local Government Area of Ondo State. “After driving for over two hours along the narrow bush path, the team arrived at a point where the vehicles could no longer negotiate the rough terrain rendered impassable by the heavy rains. “The team had to continue the rest of the journey on foot. Armed with rifles, the team made its way through the heavy forest until they located the first cannabis farm which had at its centre a makeshift tent which served as shelter for workers who provide security and look after the farm. “The tent was camouflaged by corn stalks strategically planted around it to conceal it from view. Upon arrival, a suspect was apprehended and the farm was immediately cordoned off. “Armed with machetes,

the officers cut down acres of the cannabis farm and set the plants ablaze with the tent before continuing their search for more farms. Within 50 metres, they discovered that several hectares had been cleared and converted into a large collection of cannabis farms. “The officers walked the length and breadth of each farm to accurately calculate the size of the farms. This con-

tinued until it was getting dark and the team withdrew to Akure NDLEA Command Office. “After a review of day one activities that night, the team rested for a few hours before setting out very early the following morning to continue the mission. Along the bush path one of the suspects, Festus Osagie was promptly apprehended while trying to escape on a motor bike with

four bags of harvested cannabis weed. " He further:" The threeday operation, led to the discovery and subsequent destruction of approximately 184 hectares ( 456 acres) of cannabis plantations. “Cannabis plantations are located in the deep forests far beyond where legitimate farmers care to cultivate. The process is kickstarted by cutting down

trees to create room for sunlight at the nursery beds. It is from there the seedlings are transplanted to the farms. Much labour is required at the preparatory stages because it involves falling trees. “Investigation revealed that members of the group hire people to work in the farms. Part of the illegal workforce is drawn from minors and school age children. They are reportedly paid the sum of ?10,000 monthly. "

Pitan, friends commence free medical mission for Lagosians

ORMER Commissioner for Health, Lagos State, Dr. Leke Pitan, and his friends, under the aegis of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Association of General and Private Medical Practitioners of Nigeria (AGPMPN) and Medical Women Association of Nigeria (MWAN) Lagos State Chapters, will from Monday, August 4, commence a free medical outreach to all 20 local government Areas and 37 local council development areas of the state. The programme will be run by qualified, experienced and specialist doctors from the three medical professional bodies. They will attend to various health challenges of the general public and dispense drugs to them free of

charge at each location. The team will also include experienced eye specialists who will conduct on-the-spot eye screening, dispense drugs and give glasses free of charge to residents in the various communities. In addition, there shall be free cancer screening, hypertension and diabetes screening, urine tests, general check-up and body mass index verifications. Shedding light on the initiative at his Ikeja office at the weekend, Dr. Pitan described the exercise as his own way of giving back to the society from his Godgiven area of knowledge and specialisation. “This is not the first time my friends and I are under-

taking this sort of community assistance. So when my friends came up with this idea again, I naturally said yes since it’s obvious it will benefit a large number of our people, especially at the grassroots, and on a long time basis. This is clearly beyond politics. It’s a practical way of adding value to people’s lives beyond the immediate. I am very proud of my friends for offering themselves freely to improve the health status of all Lagosians,” he said. It will be recalled that the NMA and AGPMPN have just endorsed the political aspiration of Dr. Pitan at separate ceremonies. Dr. Pitan is one of the leading aspirants under the

Muslims told to continue doing good after Ramadan

HIEF Imam of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon Abdul Hakeem Abdul Lateef, has urged Muslims to continue living a righteous life even though the Ramadan month has ended. Speaking in Lagos, Hon Abdul Lateef said that Muslims need to understand that the essence of fasting is for them to be righteous and fear Allah. “The month of Ramadan is a season to train Muslims to abandon their food so that they can abandon greed. If you can look at your own food and not move near it from morning till evening, it will assist you to avoid what belongs to someone else. “Also, if you are looking at your wife and you can’t touch her from morning till night because you are fasting, that

Olatunde ODEBIYI and Omolara OGUNWALE will also help you to abstain from other people’s wives,” he said. He added that the month of Ramadan also teaches tolerance and patience because both are needed to avoid sins and overcome trials. Ramadan also teaches mercy and compassion, he said. He urged Muslims to continue in their good deeds of helping and feeding their neighbours including Muslims, Christians and the idol worshipers. He noted that the issue of bombing in the country has got nothing to do with the Islamic religion. He said Islam is a religion of peace which does not

preach war or violence. He told Muslims to open a new chapter in their lives and devote same to Allah.

banner of the All Progressives Congress(APC), jostling for the governorship ticket to contest the 2015 elections in Lagos State. The NMA, at its just concluded 54th Annual Congress, unanimously passed a motion moved by Dr. Adedamola Dada to endorse the gubernatorial ambition of Dr. Pitan. Also, the AGPMPN, at its special congress held recently, has also endorsed the political aspiration of Dr. Pitan. The Annual General Meeting of the NMA is the highest decision-making body of the association. It comprises all the executive members and elders of the association. Dr. Pitan is a National Honours Rolls Awardee of the NMA. The free medical mission will kick off in the Alimosho Federal Constituency on August 4. The exercise will have Dr. Pitan personally leading the team.

Police committee assures Acting IGP of support

HE Police Assistance Committee (PAC) has welcome on board the Acting Inspector General of Police, IGP Suleiman Abba, assuring him of its total support in the huge tasks ahead of him. In a statement issued in Lagos and signed by its DirectorGeneral, Dr Martins J. Oni, the PAC expressed confidence that the Acting IGP as a tested officer, who had served in various capacities in the Police Force, will use his wealth of experience to build on the achievements of his predecessor, improve the fortune of the Nigeria Police Force and inject new ideas in confronting the current security challenges facing the country. The committee called on the IGP Suleiman Abba to be a good team player by ensuring that all stakeholders on security matters are carried along in the scheme of things in the performance of his duties, while praying that his tenure will usher in lasting solutions to security problems plaguing the country.

6 NEWS

HE military has traced some of the explosives being used by Boko Haram female suicide bombers to a Chinese factory which was seized some weeks ago by the sect. Also, preliminary findings revealed that some of the teenage bombers were not aware that they were on suicide mission. It was learnt that most of the girls were lured on errands without knowing the import of their mission. But there were feelers last night that the Federal Government may direct the military to wage a full-scale battle against the sect in Sambisa Forest before the December deadline given by the National Council of State. According to a military source, who spoke in confidence, the military and other security agencies have started probing the increase in suicide bombings by Boko Haram and sources of the Improvised Explosive Devices which were mostly remote controlled. The source claimed that one of the clues stumbled

Recapitalisation:

Bureau De Change operators rush to beat deadline

MEMBER of the Association of Bureau De Change Operators of Nigeria, said on Friday, that majority of the operators had complied with the N70 million capital base requirement for operators. The member, Mr Harrison Owoh, told reporters in Lagos that most of the operators were in Abuja to complete the formalities as directed by the CBN. Owoh said that though the exercise had distabilised many, most of the operators would not want their licences to be revoked after the July 31 deadline. He said that CBN might publish the list of the defaulting operators next week. “I do not know whether there were mergers or outright acquisition, but majority of our members are in Abuja to complete the CBN documentation,” he said. It will be recalled that the CBN, on June 23, raised the minimum capital requirement for Bureau De Change operators to N35 million from N10million. It also raised mandatory caution fee from 10,000 dollars to N35million, bringing the total requirement to N70 million. But the association protested and urged the CBN to give it members up to 40 weeks from June 23 to comply with the directive. Besides, the association also appealed to the CBN to reduce the N35 million caution deposit.

THE NATION, SATURDAY, AUGUST 2, 2014

Boko Haram suicide mission: Military traces explosives’ source to Chinese factory in Cameroon Yusuf ALLI, Managing Editor, Northern Operation upon by the military traced the explosives to a Chinese plant which was attacked by Boko Haram in May. The sect had attacked a quarry plant of a Chinese road construction firm in Northern Cameroon near Waza town, which is about 20 kilometres to Sambisa Forest. Apart from abducting 10 Chinese workers, many blasting materials were carted away by the insurgents. The military source said: “”The military and security agencies have started probing how the insurgents came about the massive IEDs being deployed to attack various institutions and locations. “We have done analysis of some samples of the fragments of the IEDs used to attack some of these places. The initial part of the investigation showed that some of the explosives forcibly evacuated from the Chinese plant in May were being used for the ongoing suicide mission. “The second leg of the ongoing probe borders on the need to find out whether some of the IEDs also came from some of the allies of the sect in other countries like the Taliban, Al-Qaeda in the

Maghreb and others. “But certainly investigation is in progress in order to nip the spate of suicide bombings in the bud.” Responding to a question, the source said: “Findings also confirmed that some of the female suicide bombers were innocently conscripted to run errands they were not aware of.

“Once the girls were sent on errands, the sect members used to stay somewhere to use remote control to detonate the IEDs. “This development does not rule out the possibility of the training of some of the female bombers for the missions. “We are studying all bends to the new tricks of

bombing before it assumes a large scale dimension. On the December deadline given by the National Council of State to end the insurgency in the North, the source added: “We are working to address the security challenges before the timeline. “The deadline presupposes that we will wage a

full-scale battle against the insurgents without minding the collateral damage. “Once the presidency gives the directive, the military will have no option than to launch an outright war against the insurgents in Sambisa Forest or wherever is their base. “I think we have reached a stage to either address the insurgency or allow the situation to degenerate.”

•President Goodluck Jonathan (right), receiving a book ‘Nigeria At 100, What Next’ from the author, former President of Ohaneze Ndigbo, Prof. Joe Irukwu, in Abuja yesterday. Photo: NAN

FG nets N58.7b to support terror victims

ICTIMS of terror attacks in the country have a N57.790billion kitty for their rehabilitation. The amount was amassed on Thursday night in Abuja by the Federal Government and key players in the private sector under the Terror Victims Support Fund. It is about N10billion in excess of the N50billion targeted by the initiators of the fund. An elated President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday expressed ”immense appreciation of the kindness of all persons who responded enthusiastically” to his appeal for collective action by contributing generously to the fund. N20billion of the donation came from the Federal Government while key players in the oil sector gave N17 billion. Other high profile donor were:the banking sector-

…May launch full-scale war against Boko Haram before December

•Danjuma,Dangote, Adenuga, Elumelu, Tinubu, others donate billions

Augustine EHIKIOYA, Abuja

N15 billion; Mr. Tony Elumelu, N2.5 billion; General T.Y. Danjuma, N1.6billion; and Alhaji Aliko Dangote, Mr. Jim Ovia, Wale Tinubu, Mike Adenuga,all of whom donated N1billion each. From the 36 states and the FCT came N3.7billion; Arthur Eze and Mohammed Indimi, N800million each;and Mrs. Folorunsho Alakijia, Alhaji Dahiru Mangal, Abdul Samad Rabiu, N500million each. Presidedent Jonathan speaking at the occasion bemoaned the terror unleashed on Nigeria by Boko Haram for the umpteenth time ,but declared that the defeat of the sect was imminent. He vowed to personally

lead Nigerians to victory over the terrorists. He told the audience comprising key players in the polity and the economy that he often wonders why Nigerians make themselves available to be used as suicide bombers. “I never for once thought that I would, in my life time, hear of Nigerians strapping bombs to themselves and blowing up innocent people. We would have sworn that it is impossible! Ten years ago, no Nigerian would have imagined it. We thought it was something that could only happen in other countries,” he said. “But here we are today witnessing this sordid phenomenon. Even women, who are not known for violence, are now involved.We will defeat terror and I will lead Nigeri-

ans to achieve this.” He said the setting up of the fund should not be seen as an acceptance of terrorism as a way of life in the country. ”No! Never! Rather, this is just one of the short-term measures in our overall strategy against the enemies of peace and progress,” he said and spoke of government’s determination not to allow evil to overcome good in the country. He also said he found it unbelievable to think that “some twisted minds” could kidnap innocent school girls and keep them in captivity for months. Government,he added,was now caught between demonstrating military might and endangering their lives or undermining the sovereignty of Nigeria by succumbing to the blackmail of the terrorists on

Judiciary workers suspends 21-days strike

UDICIARY Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) on Friday suspended its 21day old strike following the intervention of the Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chief Emeka Wogu. This is contained in a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at the end of a meeting between the minister and JUSUN leadership in Abuja on Friday. “The meeting noted that the issues in dispute are constitutional matters in which judgments had been given in a suit No FHC/ABJ/CS/

667/13 between JUSUN and the National Judicial Council (NJC). “The Federal Government was not in breach of the constitution, and therefore, the judgement cannot be enforced against it. “The state governments are obliged to respect the provision of the 1999 Constitution as amended and comply with the aforementioned judgement of the court,’’ it stated. The MoU further directed the Technical Committee to work out the modalities for

the implementation of the judgement dated Jan. 13, 2014. It stated that the committee should work out the modalities for implementing the MoU from Friday Aug. 1 to Monday, Aug. 4. It, however, added that no JUSUN member shall be victimised for participating in the strike. The MoU was jointly signed by Nigeria Labour Congress President, Abdulwaheed Omar; JUSUN President, Mustapha Adamu; Director, National Judicial Council, Eugene Odukwu;

and Chairman, Accountant General’s Forum, Mr Udo Isobara. The others were Mr Adetokunbo Kayode, Nigerian Bar Association; Bola Odugbesan, Ministry of Justice; Mrs Chinedu Dike, Ministry of Labour, and Abdullahi Zubair, Office of the Accountant General of the Federation. JUSUN embarked on strike on July 11 following state governments’ failure to implement the subsisting judgement of the Federal High Court delivered on Jan. 13, 2014.

their own terms. All options, he said, were still opened to bring the girls back home safely. He said: “We will come out of this tougher and better nation. In these trying times, we have seen Muslims and Christians, Northerners and Southerners, men and women, and Nigerians from all walks of life rise up in unison to condemn the terrorists. “By bombing mosques and churches, they have shown to us that they are enemies to all. By killing Muslims and Christians, they have demonstrated to every Nigerian that their evil agenda does not discriminate. Unintentionally, they are motivating millions of Nigerians to see them as common enemy whose only purpose is to steal, to kill and to destroy.” Chairman of the Fund Committee and former Minister of Defence, Lt. Gen. Theophilus Danjuma said : “All too often, the victims of terror are soon forgotten. The majority are the soft targets the terrorists prefer but unable to fend for themselves. The funds being collected are not for combating terror or fighting terrorists organizations but for supporting victims of terrorists attacks.” The President said yesterday that he was overwhelmed by the “expression of support, cooperation and solidarity by Nigerians and friends of Nigeria from all walks of life” at the launch He said this showed that the public ”is genuinely concerned about the threat of terrorism to our common humanity and stands ready to support worthy causes and pro-people policies.”

THE NATION, SATURDAY, AUGUST 2, 2014

COMMENTARY

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Lastly the activities of the Victims Support Fund in Nigeria as well as the required payment of allowances to recall our legislators to approve the president’s expenditure to fight terrorism are economic and funding issues and are really two sides of the same coin

The economics of terrorism, war, and security T was Chinese Communist Party Leader Mao who was credited with the saying that ‘a revolution is not a tea party.’ I hasten to agree with that timeless piece of wisdom today even though the word ‘revolution’ is not in vogue or currency, in today’s global politics and diplomacy. Yet, Mao’s long sighted definition of an insurgency or war against the status quo or establishment - which is what a revolution is all about, is quite relevant in considering the issues of war, terrorism and security that are confronting the world right now. In the US in Washington DC next week on August 4 , the 2014 US- African Conference coordinated by the US is taking place involving 50 African nations to discuss US partnership in tackling the menace of both Boko Haram in Nigeria and the Sahel and that of Al Shabaab in East Africa. The theme of the confab, the first of its kind, with more to follow according to the US Under Secretary of State for African Affairs Linda Thomas Greenfield is – ‘Investing in the Next Generation‘. Also with effect from August 1 this week EU sanctions prohibiting finance for 5 major Russian banks came into effect with regard to the role of the Russian backed rebels in shooting down a Malaysian plane in Ukraine recently. EU nations have also banned arms sale to Russia as well as the export gas equipment to Russia. Russia of course is the largest exporter of gas in the world and the second largest exporter of oil and can cut off their supplies to the EU nations in retaliation . Yet the Europeans are punishing Russia because they believe that the Pro -Russian rebels in Ukraine shot down the Malaysian Airlines plane killing 295 people in a flight from Amsterdam very recently. Similarly in Nigeria, where reports on daily Boko Haram killings are the vogue, the news is that the government must be ready to foot the bill to recall legislators to come from their recess to debate the $I bn military expenditure proposal from the presidency. The expenditure is to buy new equipment and upgrade some for the military to confront Boko Haram and really this lawmakers’ demand for recall expenses is evidence enough that there is no free lunch even in fighting terrorism in Nigeria. Also Nigeria has launched the Victims Support Fund to provide for victims of Boko Haram bombings and their dependants just as the news broke that young girls of an age as low as 10 have been used to detonate bombs in Kano killing several innocent Nigerians. Starting with the US –African Confab this week in

the US there is no denying that the concern of the US on the matter is a good and legitimate one to help Africa fight terrorism given the US exposure and experience on the matter. In addition the theme – ‘Investing in the Next Generation ‘ is quite apt although a bit futuristic and advisory rather than being pragmatic. The aim of the organisers, from the theme, is to show that providing jobs for African youths will make them less opportune or available to be lured by terrorists to join their ranks. My contention is that almost all the leaders from the 50 African nations at the confab already know this but are simply not doing anything about it. The US organisers should research for the manifestoes of the political parties of the African nations attending. These will show that these African nations have pledged employment for their youths during political campaigns and have been elected on the basis of such promises which they have subsequently not implemented. The US- African Confab should therefore focus on making these nations fulfil their election promises to their masses of unemployed youths to stem the high flow of such people into the recruitment ranks of real and budding terrorists. This alone will make a success of the US /Africa conference which I fully support. In addition I urge the US not to be distracted by hostile criticism that it is creating business and jobs for its military industrial complex or that it may even be funding terrorism in Africa. Such criticisms are based on Cold War animosities between leftists and laissez faire capitalists and such views are stereotypes to be ignored in the face of the new frontiers of modern terrorism, the containment of which requires urgent regional and continental cooperation and vigilance. Certainly the US Africa Confab is such a problem solving platform for the wave of terrorism unleashed on African nations by Al Shaabab in E Africa and Boko Haram in Nigeria. Next Russia has described the EU sanctions against it as ‘destructive and short sighted.’ Yet Russia has not shown any remorse on the downing of the Malaysian plane nor has it been able to persuade its Ukrainian rebels to allow international observers to have access to the Malaysian plane crash site. Neither has the Russian strongman President Vladmir Putin shown any remorse at least in terms of his body language in condemning the terrorist act. All the same the EU is not unaware that its 28 - member nations will suffer when Russia targets some trade links with EU nations such as food imports to Russia which is expected to adversely affect weak EU nations like Greece already in dire economic straits with attendant political uprisings and discontentment on EU financial palliatives. The EU nations

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are however united in their resolve that Russia should not get away with murder for its role in the downing of the Malaysian jet. The EU nations have described their sanctions as capable of inflicting the ’maximum pain on Russia’ and the ‘minimum pain on the EU’. That to me is vintage economic pragmatism in confronting terrorism at least in world airspace or global aviation. Lastly the activities of the Victims Support Fund in Nigeria as well as the required payment of allowances to recall our legislators to approve the president’s expenditure to fight terrorism are economic and funding issues and are really two sides of the same coin. The legislators can maintain their stand and call inevitably into question their sense of patriotism. The government on its own cannot watch idly while it is being made ineffective and toothless in the face bloody terrorism. Already there was news that the legislators have not been able to cash their huge monthly and quarterly allowances as and when due. It is therefore a ding dong tussle between the Executive and legislature although this time around the Presidency is winning the contest of wills in the court of public opinion as the death toll on terrorism rises on a daily basis and the law makers are not on their seats. Even the argument on diversion of funds for 2015 elections does not jell this time around. On the Victims Support Fund alone the personality of the Chairman of the Committe former Minister of Defence General Theophilus Danjuma speaks for itself in terms of accountability. Danjuma in accepting responsibility has stated that the insurgency is a war that is taking too long to put down. This week the Council of States made up of governors and former heads of state offered similar sentiments and went on to give a deadline of December for the war on terror to be concluded. That is how it should be. Surely, people like Danjuma should have been recalled to advise on how to end the war NOW. Rather than being called to raise funds for victims of a war they know is expensive and protracted in terms of time, and human lives while such people are being used to raise money for victims of a war without end running on a daily basis into an avoidable pyrrhic victory at the end, hopefully by December. It may sound wicked but to me putting all hands on deck to end the war is far more important than the opportunity cost of running the Victims Support Fund which seems to be a priority right now. Having a large such fund is like prolonging the war and that again is like treating terrorism with kid gloves or making money like a funeral parlour which is not in any way desirable in this nation at least for now.

THE NATION, SATURDAY, AUGUST 2, 2014

COMMENTARY

Nameless, shameless and clueless? OMETIMES you wonder whether you had unconsciously left something out in your previous writings to warrant this repetitive lamentation. When the entire madness began to unfold, everyone had thought it was a rude awakening that would soon evaporate into thin air, ending as abruptly as it began. Days ran into months, months into years and we, the lucky ones alive, have come to accept President Goodluck Jonathan’s declaration that terrorism has come to stay with us. It is the sad and terrible reality of our new dawn. Today, as I settle to write this, I can’t help but ponder over what we have lost to this gripping monstrosity, this harvest of bloodletting. Aside the constant erosion of our humanity in words and in deeds, is anyone out there taking stock of the gradual collapse of that building block called trust among the various ethnic groups and religious divides? And are the authorities weighing the long-term implications of this eerie feeling of mutual distrust in a nation already cursed with a near-dysfunctional political system? Of course, we had lived in denial for months with the hope that the government would deliver on its dud promises to put an end to the killings, maiming and daily dehumanisation of the citizenry. We even delude ourselves with the lame thought the no Nigerian would dare wire himself up with bombs just to commit mass murder. We said Nigerians love life too much to contemplate death! However, the unfolding events in the last few weeks must have awakened many Doubting Thomases to the real futility of living in a fool’s paradise. With the insurgents unleashing bombs after bombs at different locations while deploying female suicide bombers to wreak havoc during the Eid-El-Fitr holidays, it just dawned on us that a once fading fear of the unknown bomber is now fully engraved in our hearts. And so, within a 24-hour interval, three female suicide bombers were at their suicidal best in Kano and they could have effected maximum damage but for providence and the valiant efforts of security men on duty. Yet, lives were needlessly lost at a period when Muslim faithful were celebrating the successful end of Ramadan. It could have been worse if the officers of the Nigeria Police had not moved in swiftly to detonate the bomb-laden Peugeot car parked in front the Eid mosque in Kano. We can only imagine how many lives would have been lost if a vigilant resident had not reported the strange presence of the car in that vicinity at that awkward time to the authorities. Yet, in spite of the ‘minimum’ damage wrought by the insurgents over the weekend, we should not forget that the people that died were not that ‘common’ to their family members. They were not nameless. Few moments before their untimely death in worship places, fuel stations, markets, villages, homes and even on the roads, they had interacted with friends and associates and had looked to the future with renewed hope. But then, they were hacked to death by that faceless female suicide bomber; that brainwashed coward that threw grenades into the church during mass; that gun-toting extremist who opened fire on defenceless residents of Garkida in Adamawa State; the equally avoidable massacre of over 30 Shii’te members in Zaria including three sons of its spiritual leader and the twin bomb blasts in Kaduna which almost claimed the lives of two very prominent northerners. It was yet another week of sorrow, pain and anguish. As the monster growls

and dehumanising abuse which the girls must have been experiencing in the hands of their heartless captors, what would happen if these extremists succeed in brainwashing them into becoming suicide bombers like the three alleged With female bombers in Kano and the one that killed a soldier in a recent suicide attack in Gombe? What if any of these ones had succeeded in penetrating a crowded place at any location? Would we have been satisfied with the muffled explanation of a ‘female bomber between the ages of 16 and 18?’ The point needs to be made that it shouldn’t take the assassination of a General Muhammadu Buhari or Sheik E-mail:yomi.odunuga Dahiru Bauchi for the nation to be thrown into a deadly @thenationonlineng.net turmoil. The killings in Zaria were, to say the least, SMS only: 07028006913 uncalled for. Though the military has pleaded self-defence in the killing of over 30 members of a group on a peaceful in pursuit of more blood, we quiver in silence knowing that the protest, there has been no evidence to suggest that those authorities would always dribble round the issues concerning killed bore any arms or threw grenades at their killers. our safety. How misplaced can hope be on this canvas of Surely, the lives wasted were not just numbers. They were blood? known faces being mourned by family members. We need To my mind, the greater tragedy lies in the facelessness of the to understand that nothing estranges the citizenry than a suicide bombers. In saner societies, a DNA test would have situation where they are confronted with a military that revealed the identities of the three female bombers that died in pays scant or little regards to the sanctity of human lives. the Kano tragedies. Okay, there was a faceless, fourth bomber a Why should anyone feel comfortable justifying the use of day after. But, as I write this, all we could rely on are the conlive bullets against armless protesters? What happened to jectures of sources regarding the average ages of the harbingers the use of water canisters, tear gas or other softer, less armof death. They remain nameless, rootless and traceless other ful method of dispersing a crowd? than being teenage female bombers! How pathetic. To add salt If there is anything that is as clear as the daylight, it is the to a festered wound, there was no report of any CCTV recordfact that the carnage is not about to stop. In another needing of any of the blast to, at least, give one a glimpse of the less attack on Wednesday, a female suicide bomber killed modus operandi of the sect. In any case, how can anyone be five students at the College of Islamic Studies, Kano State sure that the Kano bombers were actually young ladies when Polytechnic, Kano. She was said to have joined a queue of the security agencies had recently exposed a male bomber who students checking the list of postings by the National Youth disguised as a woman in the Kaduna blast? And if we are to Service Corps. And in Potiskum, Yobe State, 13 lives were believe that the female gender is being massively proselytized wasted by suicide bombers when two mosques were into becoming human bombs, can we trust the authorities to attacked late on Tuesday night. The list of the injured keeps get to the roots of this and nip it in the bud before it metamorincreasing as the harvest of tears continues. Nothing sugphosed into a huge killing factory? gests that these faceless and nameless killers are by any Particularly more saddening in the novel deployment of means clueless. Not with the accuracy with which they female suicide bombers for attacks on innocent citizens is the continue to pick their targets in recent times. involvement of a 10 year-old girl. Security agents arrested a We have heard that this is not, by any means, a convenpair of suspected Boko Haram members, who were allegedly tional war. We have been told that the security agencies are travelling in a Honda CRV with a 10-year-old girl who was closing in on the insurgents and the abducted girls would wearing a suicide bomb apparatus along a road in Katsina. The soon return home to their parents. We have been admonchild, named Hadiza, was later discovered to have been ished to cooperate with the security and report suspicious strapped with an explosive belt. Anguish, anger and anxiety movements in and around our environment to the appromounted further about the possibility that some of our Chibok priate authorities. We have witnessed how timelines have girls could be brainwashed into such acts after their prolonged been given and shifted severally in the fight against terror. captivity. Of course, the government has vehemently denied Inasmuch as we want to believe those who say they are on the rumour, claiming knowledge of the location of these ones. I top of the situation, our minds are troubled because we are believe the government the same way I believed The not sure anymore. The upsurge of female suicide bombers Presidency when it denied offering financial gratification to the calls for worry. The clinical execution of deadly bombings parents of the abducted girls who visited Jonathan last week! I in states under emergency rule calls for worry. The focus can only imagine that the N22.4 million that was disbursed to on politics as the country burns is nonetheless troubling. some of the parents in their hotel rooms was a ‘gift’ from the And the mere thought that those who tell us not “to panic concerned presidential aide that did the disbursement in the and go about our normal business” might just be as cluedead of the night! Pity. less as the rest of us sends shivers down our spines. And The outpouring of emotions notwithstanding, there is an then, we ask: would there ever be an end to this endless urgent need for the government to re-strategise on its fight bloodbath as the President assured us, once again, in his against terror. We need to focus attention on the new trend in condolence message to the families of the Eid-El-Fitr which women and young girls are being abducted by insurkillings? Only the President and his lieutenants can answer gents each time they raid communities. It is scary to think of this question and that’s if they are not as clueless as the rest what they could do with the 219 school girls that were abduct- of us! ed over 110 days ago in Chibok. Beyond the mental torment

Knucklehead Yomi Odunuga

NEWS Murder of El-Zakzaky’s children: Military enquiry begins, says DHQ HE Defence Headquarters yesterday said a military enquiry has begun into the shooting of Shiite’s procession in Zaria on July 25 leading to the death of three children of a Muslim cleric, Ibrahim ElZakzaky, and 32 others. It was gathered that the GOC, 1 Division has constituted the military board of inquiry into the killings in Zaria Also, about 20 other suspects were said to be undergoing interrogation as at press time. The DHQ, however, said it was late in responding to the

Yusuf ALLI, Managing Editor, Northern Operation

encounters in Zaria because of the need to calm the situation. The Director of Defence Information, Maj-Gen. Chris Olukolade, who made the military’s position known in a statement last night, said no effort will be spared to ensure necessary justice on this matter. The statement said: “The need to calm the situation in Zaria city after the recent encounter between soldiers on routine

patrol and members of Shiite Islamic sect in Zaria on July 25 informed the initial taciturn posture of the Defence Headquarters on the issue. “While not underplaying the significance of such incident, it was also necessary to ensure that sufficient information was obtained beginning from the unit level and other reliable sources at the location. “A preliminary investigation was, therefore, initiated to unravel the circumstances surrounding the unfortunate incident. An enquiry is subsequent-

ly ongoing at the divisional level. “Although the report of the preliminary investigation at the unit level has vehemently contradicted some of the issues raised by the leader of the group, in his statement, especially on the allegation of extra judicial killings, the higher Headquarters is conducting additional investigation on the incident to ascertain the claims in the preliminary reports from the unit level.” The DHQ explained why higher military authority is tak-

Oil theft: Navy hands over 11 Indians, five others to EFCC HE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday said 11 Indians, three Ghanaians and two Nigerians have been handed over to it by the Nigerian Navy in connection with crude oil theft. The commission said the 16 suspects and a vessel, MV MARO, are undergoing investigation. The disclosures were contained in a statement by the Head of

Yusuf ALLI,

Media and Publicity of the commission, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren. The statement said: “The Nigerian Navy Central Command, Yenagoa on Thursday July 31, 2014 handed over 16 suspected oil thieves and a vessel, MV MARO to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for further investigation and prosecution.

“According to the Commanding Officer, Navy Captain N.M. Madugu, the vessel and the suspects were arrested on July 22, 2014 at Agbara, Yenagoa. “Aboard the vessel were three Ghanaians: Robert Gakpetoe, the captain of the vessel; Quarshie Kofi Eric and Hanson Jacob. “Others are two Nigerians, Wilfred R Fianu and Raphael Agidi and 11 Indians:

Mohammad Towavalam, Soni Kumar, Parveen, Heeray Yodam, Pradeep Kumar Sharma, Ajay Kumar, Ankit Rana, Manoj Kumar P, Puran Chand Yadan, Jogesh Chand Yadan, and Joyfull D Rongmei. “Senior Detective Superintendent Chinedu Ogbu received the suspects and the vessel on behalf of the commission for further investigation and prosecution.”

ing a second look at the preliminary findings into the incident. It also assured that no effort will be spared to ensure necessary justice on this matter. The DHQ added: “In spite of the preliminary findings, the importance placed on the respect for human rights in all military operations, activities and interactions, has prompted the additional steps currently being taken to ascertain the true situation. “Accordingly, the higher level of military enquiry is with a view to unmasking the remote and immediate causes of the incident and to identify anyone found culpable. Meanwhile, those apprehended during the incident are being interrogated. “The Defence Headquarters deeply commiserates with the families of those that lost their lives in that unfortunate incident, especially the leader of the group who was reported to have lost his sons. “Indeed, his present disposition is understandable as it is pathetic. No effort will be spared to ensure necessary justice on this matter.”

THE NATION

SATURDAY, AUGUST 2, 2014

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SATURDAY, AUGUST 2, 2014

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SATURDAY, AUGUST 2, 2014

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CRIME & OTHER STORIES Fadipe: Mother-in-law dies from injuries sustained during attack

olukunle87@yahoo.com

Ogun community leaders take supremacy battle to court n Kunle AKINRINADE n

n Kunle AKINRINADE n few days after Lagos lawyer, Kunle Fadipe, was killed, another tragedy struck the family as his mother- in- law, Madam Cecelia Owolabi (nee Ogunleye), who was also stabbed by Fadipe’s assailant died shortly before he was buried. The 74-year-old woman was stabbed in her left breast at Fadipe’s Harmony Estate, Ifako residence in Lagos on July 4, while on a visit. An impeccable source, who spoke in confidence, said: “She was admitted to a private hospital and discharged two days later. She was subsequently taken to Ibadan, Oyo State, by Fadipe’s wife’s relatives for further treatment.” It was gathered that the woman later died on July 14 even though this was not disclosed to Fadipe’s wife. “She died on July 14 ,but her death was not revealed to Fadipe’s wife, Kemi, who was still •Fadipe’s widow and her children grieving over the loss of her husband. Although •Late Kunle Fadipe the woman’s health had improved, it suddenly relapsed as a result of the trauma she suffered, ment Area. In fact, the house The late lawyer was buried last Saturday in Ile-Ife amid having witnessed the incident. She was complaining of rewhere the woman lives was the first house built by the late tears by sympathizers who witnessed the burial. His recalling the horrific scene and at a point expressed reservalawyer before he moved into his house in Harmony Esmains were interred at his residence in the Parakin Estate, tion about continuing with her treatment. At a particular tate,” Ile-Ife. The brief funeral service started about 12 pm and point, she stopped responding to treatment and that was It was emotions all the way last Thursday at a wake held ended at 1.30 pm ,following which his body was lowered when her health began to deteriorate. In fact, she told for the deceased at his residence. Not a few sympathizers into the grave. some of those around that it was better for her to die than who had tasted from his legal benevolence expressed Until his death, the Ile Ife, Osun State-born legal practito battle with the trauma of the incident for live,” the shock at his gruesome death. tioner was seeking compensation source said. “When I had problems with some people a few years for some female members of the Peoples Democratic Party Fadipe’s widow began to suspect that something was ago and was to be detained by police, he came to my res(PDP), Lagos State chapter, who were injured in a ghastly amiss at the burial of her husband when her siblings who cue without collecting a kobo from me. He was couramotor accident in 2011, while travelling to Abuja for the were supposed to be taking care of her mother showed up geous and forthright. He believed that the poor should final lap of President Goodluck Jonathan’s campaign. in Ile-Ife, Osun State. have access to justice, despite their limited financial reThe women were among 50 enthusiastic members of the “Her worst was confirmed last Sunday when her sibsources and he worked in tandem with that principle till PDP who had left the party’s secretariat in Ikeja, Lagos on lings along with their pastor visited her at her Lagos resideath,” said a sympathizer who simply called himself Friday, March 25, 2011 to take part in the campaign rally of dence to break the news of their mother’s death,” he said. Tade. President Jonathan at the Eagle Square, Abuja, the next Fadipe’s mother, who is said to be unaware of her son’s Another sympathizer, Deacon Babatunde Opawunmi, day. death, according to a source, is already becoming suspisaid: “He defended me free of charge when I was charged But tragedy struck as the travellers approached Ikire, an cious that something is amiss. to court with three others on trump-up charges. We were ancient community in Osun State. The driver of the luxury He further said: “Fadipe is survived by an aged mother to be remanded in prison when I got in touch with Kunle bus that conveyed them lost control of the vehicle, leading who should by now be 85. Kunle(Fadipe) was so fond of (Fadipe) through a friend and he quickly responded by to the death of a passenger while scores of other passenhis mother that he ate his lunch on Sundays in her residefending us in court. We were granted bail and he chalgers sustained various degrees of injuries that have redence in the Haruna area of the Ifako-Ijaiye Local Governlenged the suit till it was dismissed.” fused to heal till date.

•The suspects

•Recovered weapon and charm

Land speculators behind most crimes in Lagos —Robbery suspects WO robbery suspects in the dragnet of the Special AntiRobbery Squad (SARS) Lagos State Police Command, Akinbola Akinyemi,34, aka Chiefoo and Abdul Rasheed Ahmed,18, have blamed the crime rate in the state on queer land speculators. “I blame my predicament on land speculators aka Omo Onile. They were the ones who hired us to protect their land with a token fee. Instead of calling professional surveyors they give local surveyors a token, despite advising them to call professional surveyors. At times, they pay me as little as N2, 000. Some of the landlords are retired armed robbers. However, the attraction there is that, at times, if you are lucky you can be given a plot of land as compensation. At times, they purchase guns for us to fight rival gangs. They gave me an acre of land at Isawo in Ikorodu.” “What happened that day when guns were discovered in our bag was very unfortunate because I was not used to carrying ammunition for them. A police source said the two suspects are members of an 11man robbery gang who also work as thugs for some land speculators. “ Akinbola was arrested by a team of highway policemen in the Ikorodu area of Lagos State after an exchange gunfire, while other members of the gang escaped. Akinbola’s confessions during interrogation led to the arrest of the second suspect, Ahmed.

n Ebele BONIFACE n

A bag containing one locally made short gun, axe, charms, five cartridges and one expended cartridge was abandoned by the fleeing gang members. When interrogated, Abimbola said he was attached to a Task Force under the Federal Ministry of Works. Ahmed, who claimed to be jobless, later told police that he was employed by the first suspect, Akinbola ,to join his gang to protect lands for their clients and, at times, to take over disputed property. Ahmed, in his confession, said, “We are 11-man gang. Akinbola, who is popularly called Chiefoo is my brother. He asked me to follow him to the site. When I got there, I saw many of the boys armed with machetes, cutlasses, iron rods, guns and other dangerous weapons, smoking and drinking heavily. We drove a rival gang away from the land with our superior fire power and charms. After taking over the land, we told some policemen in the area to arrest any of the boys driven away anytime they are sighted within the neighbourhood.” Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Umar Manko, is expecting the officer in-charge of the SARS, a superintendent of police ,SP Abba Kyari, to fish out the remaining nine members of the gang as a standing order that no hoodlum that dares Lagos would be allowed to rest until fished out, even if they escaped to foreign lands.

We grind human heads to make powder for ladies in search of husbands –Native doctor •Continued from 19 Confessing his role in the saga Omodijie said, “I was content with being a grave digger before I met Owolabi in a restaurant in front of the cemetery in Gbogbo area of Ikorodu. Since I met Owolabi, my life has not been the same again. I have moved from one problem into another. I was enjoying my N15,000 monthly salary as a grave digger before I met him and he lured me into supplying human heads to him at N4,000 each. “The naked truth is that there is nothing reasonable I have done with the N4,000 per human head that he has been paying me. I used it to drink gin or smoke cigarettes with it. It is the devil’s money. “I hardly fell sick since I was born. But after selling human heads to him, my health has been deteriorating. I buy drugs as if it is food, making me to spend more money than before. “I was moulding blocks before I secured a job in the cemetery as a grave digger. We were paid on a daily basis. We used wooden or machine moulder. But whichever moulder we used, we charged the owner N500 per bag of cement, which can give one about 40 blocks. If we did three bags, we collected N1,500. “When I got a job in the cemetery, I was happy because it is not as hard as moulding blocks. The

salary was small but I was enjoying it. The grave was shallow or deep, depending on the owner of the corpse and the way he or she wants it to be buried. “My trouble started a day I went to buy food opposite the cemetery. That was where I met Owolabi and he said there was something he had wanted to tell me. He asked whether I was a worker in the cemetery and I said yes. He said I should give him a human head and I asked him what he meant. He said the head of a corpse already buried. “We have cemetery rules which forbid us from doing such a thing. I told him that I would not be able to do that, and he left. But thereafter, each day I went to the restaurant to buy food, he would accost me with the same request. I insisted that I would not do it because I did not want to lose my job, but he said it was better to sell human parts to him than allowing them to waste. “I summoned courage to ask him what he wanted to do with human heads and other parts. He said he was a native doctor and alfa, and that he wanted to use it to make medicine. He said he would grind it into powder and mix it with certain herbs for pregnant women to drink in order to deliver their babies without complications or operation. He also said that he grinds human heads and mixes them with the powders some ladies carry in their handbags, saying that it helps those that are looking for choice husbands and big government contracts or companies’ LPOs to secure them without stress. He also said that it can cure sickle cell anemia, among other ailments. “I told him that I didn’t have any but if I got one, I would call him. A few days later, I called him on the phone and told him that I had got some. He asked me where I kept it and I told

him that I kept one in a nearby bush. He asked me to bring it to my house so that he would come later to collect it. “He knows my house because he had followed me to my house several times after we met and became friends. He gave me N4,000 for the first head he came to collect from my house. The following day, he bought another one for N4,000.” Asked how he obtained the heads he sold to Owolabi, Omodijie said: “The graves where I normally bring out the skulls from are shallow, and coffins are not used for the corpses brought there because of religion or financial status of the owners. It is cheaper to bury a corpse in a shallow grave than to do so in a deep, cemented or marbled one. “Most burials done in shallow •Suspects and graves are temporary. That is why that section of the cemetery is called the temporary site. After some months, the corpses buried in shallow graves are excavated and burnt. That was why Owolabi I should not allow the skulls to waste and that I should sell them to him instead.” “Four of us work in the cemetery, but the other workers did not know that I was smuggling out human skulls and other parts to sell to native doctors. It was only two heads I had sold before detectives from SARS arrested me. “There is no useful thing I can say I did with the money. I was deceived by the devil. I am pleading for forgiveness because I did not kill anyone to sell

HERE is no end in sight to the battle for supremacy among community development associations in Ejigun-Agbede community under the AdoOdo/Ota Local Government Area of Ogun State as chieftains of the associations have taken their fight to an Ota High Court. The suit was filed by Ogunshola Abiodun, Ishola Dauda and Taiye Badru on behalf of the Ejigun-Agbede Community Development Association against Ifeoluwa, Toluwalase, Irewole, Anuoluwapo, Ikeoluwa, Ejigun-Ilo and Itele-Awori Community Development Associations (CDAs). The defendants who are chieftains of the aforementioned CDAs are Olayinka Ezekiel; Michael Adeniyi; Lawal Bashiru; Olufemi Olushipe; Sheik Awayewasere; Babashola Adeyemi; Prince Olatunji; Lola Alayande ; Yemi Olu and Rashidi Osho. The claimants, among others, averred that the defendants have been disrupting its activities and truncating the peace hitherto enjoyed by the community. An affidavit sworn to by Abiodun, on behalf of the claimants, reads in part: “When the election to the central executive council held, the defendants ,most especially the 1st defendant herein led thugs to disrupt the free and fair conduct of the election. Since the outcome of the election wherein I was elected, the central chairman has not favoured the 1st defendants who also vied for that position; he has been doing everything to truncate the peace hitherto enjoyed by the community. One of such instances is the disruption of the inauguration of new executives at the central meeting and further disruption of the meeting held on October 9, 2010. “Subsequent to the disciplinary measure meted out to the 1st defendant, the 1st7th defendants being zonal chairmen of zones under Ejigun-Agbede CDA decided to secede from Ejigun-Agbede CDA to form their own community development associations. Having formed these new CDAs, they decided they attempted to co-opt some members of their various zones into becoming members of the new CDAs by informing them that Ejigun-Agbede CDA no longer exist as it has been dissolved. While some of the members in these zones decided to identify with the newly formed CDAs, others refused to join these newly formed CDAs and decided to remain with Ejigun-Agbede CDA and did not go down well with the defendants.Owing to this, the 1st-7th defendants resorted to threatening and harassing members that refused to go with them claiming that Ogun State government did not recognize Ejigun-Agbede CDA due to its incorporation at the Corporate Affairs Commission(CAC).When they saw that people were not falling for their cheap lies and could not substantiate their claim, they resorted to thuggery and violence, disrupting meetings and activities of the Ejigun Agbede CDA.” The claimants, therefore, sought an order restraining the defendants, their privies and agents from disturbing its peaceful assembly/association or interfering with the use of public /social amenities by its members. Saturday Nation had reported a few weeks ago the revocation of EjigunAgbede CDA by the Ogun State government over alleged gross misconduct of some of its leaders. In a counter- affidavit deposed by the 2nd defendant, Michael Adeniyi, on behalf of six others, he said: “Community Development Association (CDA) is a creation of the Ogun State government to reach out to the grassroots for the development of each community as an integral part of the larger society to engender and foster development in its community and maintain peaceful co-existence among the people of the community as enshrined in the constitution of the Ogun State Community Development Association. In order to attain the set goal, the state government established a ministry for the purpose of taking care of the community development and the ministry is named ministry headed by a commissioner. The ministry is saddled with the registration of community development associations in Ogun State and issuance of a certificate of registration to CDAs. Upon registration by the ministry and issuance of certificate, the ministry would direct the local government of the community to also issue a certificate of registration to the CDA. “Ejigun Agbede CDA was the only CDA under Itele-Awori Area Community Development Committee up till year 2000.Sometimes around 2010, the ministry directed that all CDAs executive members should be dissolved and that those with larger population should be divided into more CDAs for administrative convenience. After wider consultation and agreement of all community leaders, six CDAs were created from Ejigun-Agbede CDA by the Itele-Awori Area Community Development Committee. The six CDAs are: Ifeoulwa;Toluwase; Irewolede; Ejigun-Ilo;Anu Oluwapo and Ike Oluwa; all from Ejigun Agbede CDA as it then was…the six CDAs were duly registered and issued a certificate of registration by the ministry, while the Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government Area also issued a certificate of registration to the six CDAs.Each of the six CDAs has its geographical boundary which was ratified by the (Ado-Odo/Ota)local government and the (Ogun)state.However, in the ‘wisdom’ of Mr.Sunday Arowomole,the pioneer chairman of Ejigun Agbede CDA and Mr.Abiodun Ogunshola, the 2nd claimant in this suit, the entire town(Ejigun Agbede) should be under one simple CDA chairman which is alien to Ogun State CDA constitution.The Chairman of AdoOdo/Ota LGA and Itele-Awori CDC had at various times resolved this matter amicably but Mr. Sunday Arowomole and the 2nd claimant rubbished their peace move as they perceives themselves as harbinger of development in Ejigun community. “When all efforts at peaceful resolution of the impasse between the community on the one side and the claimants on the other side reached a crescendo the IteleAwori CDC, the umbrella body of all CDAs in Itele area caused a clarion call letter dated June 19, 2014 to be forwarded to Governor Ibikunle Amosun on the atrocities being perpetrated by the claimants. His Excellency(Gov Amosun), through the ministry replied by a letter dated July 1, 2014, withdrawing the certificate of registration(No 1002786), issued by the ministry to the claimants.” The respondents, therefore, asked the court to dismiss the prayers of the claimants on the grounds that it was frivolous, vexatious, abuse of court process and action aimed at embarrassing them.

human head their heads. I sold the skulls of corpses already buried and had decayed. I did not know that it would land me in this trouble.” Owolabi on his part said: “I am an alfa and a native doctor. But I am not yet registered. I finished my Arabic studies in Kwara State about 13 years ago and relocated to Ikorodu to work as a native doctor. I have the ambition of building a native hospital if the government gives me an approval. “I started by praying for sick people. Last year, I met this cemetery worker (Omodijie) and told him about the products (human parts) they were wasting. I learnt about using human skull to do power-

ful charms and medicine after travelling to Kano, Kaduna and other parts of the north. “In Kano, I met a Yoruba native doctor who told me that if I mixed ground human bones with soap and some herbs, it would bring luck for my clients or patients. He said it could also cure chronic and stubborn sores and help pregnant women to deliver without complications or operation. It can also cure madness and other terrible diseases that defy orthodox solution. “Women who are looking for husbands can also mix the ground bones with their powder. When they see a man they like, especially if they want a husband, they would rob the powder and talk to the man and the man will fall for them. It can also bring good luck and help job seekers to secure employment. “It can make somebody to become rich. It can cure epilepsy. A woman can also bath with it and men will be begging her to marry them. I sell a tablet of the soap for N2,000. It depends on the pocket of the buyer. Some buy it for N1,000. I sell it around Ikorodu and Ajah in Lagos. “Saliu had told me to help him to get a human head and I collected one for him from the cemetery worker. He gave me N4,000 and I gave it to the cemetery worker that supplied the products. “When SARS operatives arrested him, he led them to my house and I was also arrested. I knew the grave digger to be a worker in Gbogbo Cemetery at Ikorodu. When he wanted to throw away some (human) parts, I told him that I needed them. I normally gave him N4,000 per skull.” Saliu said: “I am a native doctor. I also spent nine years in Ralwu Islamic School, Ikewu, Osun State. I pray for women who are looking for husbands. I collected whatever amount they gave me. When

the prayer worked for them, they would come to thank me with anything they liked. “I usually lock myself up to pray for my clients for between seven and 21 days, depending on the personality involved. They paid whatever amount they liked. The only money they were required to deposit with me was the one to buy certain things that I would use to prepare the things I would use for the prayers.” Asked why he had to use human skulls for his prayers, he said: “I had not used it before. One of my brothers came and met me in the house one day and told me that he went to Ila-Orangun in Osun State to do rituals for money but the person he met told him that it would require a human skull and certain leaves. “When I met my brother, Owolabi, we talked about how to get the human head. He told me that he himself used to do the same medicine with human heads and some herbs and even made medicinal soap with it. He asked me to go and bring money and he would help me get a human skull. “I asked Owolabi where he would get it from and he said he had a link at the Gbogbo Cemetery in Ikorodu. After six to seven months, my brother called me while I was still in bed and asked whether the human head was ready. I told him to let me ask Owolabi about it. When I asked Owolabi, he told me to come and meet him. When I met him, he said it would cost N18,000, saying that he bought it for N12,000 from the cemetery man. “A friend of Shina came and gave him N15,000. Owolabi took N10,000 and gave me N2,000 only, and told me that he would use the remaining N3,000 to pay for the transportation of the human head to the final destination.”

THE NATION SATURDAY, AUGUST 2, 2014

I acquired my five planes

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SATURDAY, AUGUST 2, 2014

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THE NATION SATURDAY, AUGUST 2, 2014

SOCIETY Former President, Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria, Dr Segun Aina, has given out his daughter, Lauretta’s hand in marriage to Oluwasanmi Oyeleye Famoriyo at the Catholic Church of Assumption Falomo, Ikoyi, Lagos, reports JOSEPH ESHANOKPE

•Bride’s parents: Dr Aina and his wife, Olufunlayo (left) and groom’s parents, Mr Famoriyo and his wife, Bolanle •The couple, Oluwasanmi and Lauretta

A conjugal bliss I

NITIALLY, it appeared there would be no wedding at the Catholic Church of Assumption, Falomo, Ikoyi, Lagos on Saturday, July 5. When The Nation arrived the venue at 9.30am for the ceremony billed for 10am, the main door to the building was shut. There were not many cars or people around to indicate that the beloved daughter of the former president of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN), Lauretta Oluwaseun Aina, was getting married to her beau, Oluwasanmi Oyeleye Famoriyo. Even when The Nation’s man and a few others found their way through the side doors, the church was almost empty. At a corner of the welldecorated church, some members were holding group prayers.

Music wafted from the choristers, who were ‘petched’ in the gallery on the first floor facing the altar to entertain the few guests. By 9.47am, all these changed. The would-be couple arrived in state-of the-art cars. So did many family members and guests. A few minutes later, the door opened and they marched in amid songs. And at 10 am, the service began and ended 12:20pm. The colour of the day, for the women, was red. They wore specially selected, expensive and designed buba, iro and head gears that marched the colour of the day. The men had no special cloth or colour. After an opening hymn, some selected Bible verses were read. The Bishop of Kafachan Diocese, Most

Rev. Joseph Bagobiri, preached. The cleric said a Christian life is in three stages of growth. The last, he said, being the spousal stage, where man attains a certain level of communion with God - and where his heart is captivated with the love of God. Noting that true marriages start from friendships, Most Rev Bagobiri said sacrifice is at the bottom of spousal love. “To live in love is to fulfill God’s commandments. Love should be in the heart of our lives,” he added. He urged all to live in love. He also admonished with the words of St Augustine: “Only charity, only love distinguishes the children of God and the children of the devil.” He believes that there is nothing like a failed Christian marriage. “It happens because there is no love. Many marry and after six months, their marriage is dissolved. This is because the three – man, woman and God - are not in the marriage. Where they are, there can be no divorce or polygamy.

Besides, Most Rev Bagobiri traced the Boko Haram insurgency to parental failure. “The problem in Nigeria is due to lack of education and because of that the children grow to be violent. These children are indoctrinated to kill. The earlier we train them, the better and no manner of indoctrination will change them,” he said. He prayed for the couple, saying: “May you leave to see your children and children’s children.” After the charges and signing of the marriage register and others, the ‘new couple in town’ was presented to the church as Mr and Mrs Famiriyo. As the priest blessed them, the heavens opened. In some areas of this country, that rain, signified blessings on them. Guests moved to Landmark Village Events Centre on Victoria Island, Lagos, for the reception. Though white outside, the inside was creamy. The white shelter matched the white chairs and the yellow covering on the table. Though a large tent, it was tastefully decorated, especially the ‘high table’ where the couple sat.

Security was tight. Uninvited guests and those who could not identify themselves properly were either barred from entering the ‘VIP’ tent or graciously directed to another one nearby, where there was a big screen and a speaker to make them get a feel of the event. At the spelling of O-L-U-W-A, the couple cut the cake. Assessing their performance, the President, CIBN, Debola Oshibogun, said: “Seun is my daughter. Sanmi is my son. Who would I say won the race? I think they both deserve a round of applause.” At the event were CIBN’s First Vice President Segun Ajibola; Catholic Archbishop of Ibadan Diocese Gabriel Leke Abegurin; Anthony Cardinal Okogie sent a representative; Bishop of Ekiti Diocese Bishop Ajakaye sent words, the groom’s parents Chief and Mrs Olusegun Famoriyo; the bribe’s parents Dr and Mrs Aina; Manager, Ecobank, University of Lagos Branch, Mr Tunji Jayeola; and Mr Sylvester Ngiri . There were monarchs from Osun State, the bride’s state.

RCCG donates to Makinde police station The Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Province 9, Mafoluku has donated generating set to Makinde Police Station, Mafoluku, Oshodi, Lagos, writes AMIDU ARIJE

HE Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Province 9, Mafoluku has donated a 6.9kv generator to the Makinde Police Station in Oshodi, Lagos. It also renovated the station’s cells and toilets. According to the Pastor in charge of the Province, Pastor Remi Oluboba, the gesture is in fulfilment of one of its corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives to its host community. He said: “As a church, we have corporate social responsibility to our community, to interface with our host community on how to move the community forward we want to identify with their needs and then assist as much as possible, the police are helping us; they are keeping our community safe and so we need to make them and their environment comfortable so that they can do better work.” Pastor Oluboba said the police force need to be assisted to enable them to tackle the security challenges in the country. “Given the security situation in Nigeria, the police needs to be assisted more than anybody in the country, if our environment is not secured and if the police are not happy doing their works, we cannot be safe,” he said. The cleric said the items would assist policemen in Mafoluku to work harder in ensuring a safe community, promising that the

church would continue to better the lots of the police through their donations. “The gesture will encourage the police to do more and then put more security on ground; a happy police means happy community; we have assisted in renovating some of the cells and we are not going to stop at that we are going to continue we have looked at other things we can do, so we are coming back to continue,” he said. The Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Makinde Police Station, Mrs Oluwatoyin Kazeem who received the RCCG team, said the donations would help the police discharge their responsibility to the community. “This donation will make our job more effective because when there is power failure we can power the generator to continue our work in the office and make more effective,” she said. She promised that the police would continue to do their best to ensure a safe and secured environment. “The community can testify we have been working hard; we have very intelligent officers; we promise them we will not fall short we will continue to do our best,” she said. She called on the community members to partner with the police in ensuring a more secured and safe community.

•Mrs Kazeem (left); Pastor Oluboba (second right); Assistant Pastor-in-Charge and Cordinator, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Pastor Christopher Ogunmakin (right) and Admin Officer, Mr Linus Chinyerenwa during the presentation.

THE NATION

SATURDAY, AUGUST 2, 2014

THE NATION SATURDAY, AUGUST 2, 2014

Institution for child-training Email: counselling@faithoyedepo.org

ear Reader, you are welcome to this wonderful month of August. This month, my focus will be on how to make your home a conducive atmosphere for child-training. The home is the most important institution in the world. It is the first agency of development in a child. By home, I mean primarily the members of the home or more specifically, the father and mother. Among the institutions for child's training, the home has the largest share of the responsibility. If the home fails, the church, society and the school will be greatly affected. The many atrocities all over the world today, are a direct result of improper home-training. Drug addicts, armed robbers and fraudsters are all from the home, because no one dropped from the sky. Every living being today, came from a home. If the home fails to carry out its responsibility, their children will become the dregs of the society. “Charity begins at home,” they say. It is also important to understand that child-raising in the home, should be allowed to follow a natural process. While the formal method of training is good, you must use every opportunity that presents itself in the home to pass something across to the child. These include mealtimes, maybe when you are in the kitchen together or in the sitting room or even before bedtime. All these times that you may count as informal, training is going on. It is in this atmosphere of love that the Holy Spirit is able to move freely, and the destiny of the child is easily realized. No doubt, it is time to work on the atmosphere of your home and to make it conducive for the Holy Spirit to move. You know that God cannot dwell in a

he term diabetes, when not specified, refers to Diabetes mellitus, a serious metabolic disorder characterized by defects in the body's use of carbohydrates. The other kind of diabetes is Diabetes insipidus, which is quite a different and relatively rare condition, in which an individual passes large quantities of pale, dilute urine, with consequent dehydration and excessive thirst. Diabetes mellitus is a syndrome in which the basic defect is the absence or shortage of the hormone called insulin. This hormone is carried by the blood to the kidneys, where it limits the outflow of

place where there is strife, fighting, envy and bitterness. Where such things are found, there will be room for all kinds of evil. God's Word says: For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work (James 3:16). The question you must answer is, “What kind of home do I have?” Is it a place of healing or a centre of gossip, where you analyze everybody in your church or office and tear them down? I discovered something amazing in Jeremiah 22:29 which says: O earth, earth, earth, hear the word of the Lord. Do you know that even the ground of your life absorbs what you say? So, when you abuse people, backbite or gossip, your ground is absorbing the words of your mouth! In other words, the words of your mouth are seeds being sown into your ground. The unfortunate thing there is that you are the one sowing, but it is not only you who will reap it; your children will reap it also. May you be found a sower of good seeds. The place of a woman in the atmosphere for training the child can never be overemphasized. This is because, to a large extent, it is the woman who determines the

Congratulations! You are now born again! Till I come your way next time, please call or write, and share your testimonies with me through: Email: contact@faithoyedepo.org, counselling@faithoyedepo.org and Tel. No: 07026385437, 08141320204. For more insight, these books authored by me are available at the Dominion Bookstores in all the Living Faith Churches and other leading Christian bookstores: Building a Successful Family, Understanding Motherhood, Raising Godly Children, and Success in Marriage (Co-Authored with Dr. David Oyedepo).

Diabetes water in the urine. The great majority cases of Diabetes insipidus are due to a tumour or inflammation in the region of the pituitary gland, thereby suppressing ADH production. Physical damage in form of fracture of the base of the skull or surgery in the pituitary area can also cause Diabetes insipidus. In addition, there is a rare inherited form of Diabetes insipidus where the production of Anti-Diuretic Hormone is normal, but the kidneys do not respond to the circulating hormone.

•Mr. Olasupo Oladinni, Chairman, Diadem College, Ifako, Lagos and Mrs Abimbola Oladinni, Proprietress, (middle) with graduands of the college during their graduation ceremony last weekend.

atmosphere of the home. Do you know that just by entering a home, you can feel the atmosphere in it? If there is bitterness, envy, strife, etc, you can sense it. But where there is peace, love and joy, it is easy to tell, also. We are told, Napoleon Bonarparte, was asked what the greatest need of France was. He said, “Good mothers!” If I am asked what the greatest need of this generation is, I will say, “Good mothers!” This is our greatest need because irrespective of your efforts on the adults of today, if you don't raise children, you'll get to tomorrow and find nobody there! Until you are born again, you don't have what it takes for a conducive atmosphere for child's training. This is done by confessing your sins and accepting Jesus as your Saviour and Lord. If you are ready for this new birth experience, please say this prayer: Dear Lord Jesus, I come to You today. I am a sinner. I believe You died and rose on the third day. Forgive me of my sins. Cleanse me with Your Precious Blood. I accept You as my Lord and Saviour. Now, I know I am a child of God.

Coping with diseaseS With Prof. Dayo Oyekola Ph.D. (Ibadan), NMD,FNCP Tel: 0803-330-3897 Website: www.holisticlifecare.com E-mail: kolemetric@yahoo.com

As earlier stated, in Diabetes mellitus, an organ in the body (called the pancreas) is found not to be functioning properly. Insulin is a hormone produced by the Beta cells in the Islets of Langerhans in the pancreas. Insulin is carried by the blood to all parts of the body. The body's cells use glucose (blood sugar) as their fuel. They have receptors to which insulin becomes attached. This binding of insulin enables the cells to use glucose by converting it into energy or storing it as fat. Any defect in this process, either in the pancreas, where insulin is being produced, or at the sites of attachment of insulin to the cells, would interfere with the body's use of fuel to produce energy. Apart from the malfunctioning of the Pancreas, one other cause of this disorder is unbalanced diet. Most of us consume denatured food in one way or the other. Also, food additives and unhealthy drinks, whether soft drinks, teas, coffee or liquor may predispose one to metabolic imbalance. The symptoms of diabetes include: frequent urination, loss of flesh, inordinate appetite, constant hunger, mental depression, progressive weakness, great thirst, dry tongue and impaired vision. The person could be irritable, restless and morose. The loss of energy is due to the loss of sugar, which is needed to generate the energy for daily activities. In Holistic Lifecare, it is strongly advised that imported styles of living (i.e. cooking, eating & drinking) must be

looked into especially on the use of food additives and colourants in fast foods and so-called take-away. Heavy starchy foods should be cut down drastically, if they cannot be avoided, pending total recovery from the ailment. As we make efforts to repair a malfunctioning pancreas, there are some fruits and vegetables known to be helpful. These include carrots, pawpaw, cucumber, onions, garlic and lettuce, combined with soya-milk mixed with guinea-corn pap or porridge. Control: The Holistic remedy that has been popularly suggested for the control of Diabetes is a combination of the natural extracts of some herbs scientifically called Anchomanes difformis, Pergularia daemia, Vinca rosea and Viscum album. For further information and consultation on Holistic Lifecare research and services, especially on Blood Infections, Infertility, Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Chronic Debilitating Conditions as well as mental and social problems, please call on: 0803-330-3897 or visit: Mosebolatan Holistic Lifecare Centre, Adeyalo Layout, Ogbere-Tioya, Off Olorunsogo Express Bridge, Ibadan. Website: www.holisticlifecare.com. Distance is no barrier, we can send remedies by courier if need be. We also have facilities for accommodation, admission and hospitalization in a serene and homely environment.

60 NEWS

THE NATION SATURDAY, AUGUST 2, 2014

Jonathan appoints new CEOs for NNPC, NPDC

RESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan yesterday approved new appointments and changes in the management of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC). The new appointments, according to a statement by the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, are with immediate effect. Dr Joseph Thlama Dawha is now the Group Managing Director, NNPC, while Mr Anthony Ugonna Muoneke is the Managing Director, NPDC Ms Aisha Mata Abdurrahman was named as the Group Executive Director, Commercial and Investment, NNPC. The new Group Executive Director, Business Develop-

Augustine EHIKIOYA, Abuja

ment, NNPC, is Dr Attahiru B. Yusuf. The statement said that the new Group Managing Director of the NNPC, Dr. Dawha, hails from Borno State and has served previously as the Group Executive Director, Exploration and Production of NNPC and Managing Director of Integrated Data Services Ltd (IDSL), a subsidiary of the NNPC. Mr. Anthony Muoneke, the new Managing Director of the NPDC, hails from Anambra State and was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1985, with over 29 years’ experience at both local and international levels in the oil and gas and energy and power sectors. He also served as Executive Director, Finance & Admin, Niger Delta Power Holding Company Ltd. (NDPHC).

NCAA lifts suspension of operations on ASKY Airlines •Nigerian carriers not barred from flying to Ghana- NCAA

HE Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), yesterday lifted the suspension placed on Asky airlines last week following the outbreak of the deadly Ebola virus in the countries where the airline operates. A statement by the General Manager, Public Affairs of NCAA, Mr. Fan Ndubuoke, said the lifting followed the steps undertaken by the airline to abide by the rules and regulations. Such rules and regulations, Ndubuoke said is with a view to curtailing the spread of the deadly virus by not flying to countries where the disease is prevalent. Ndubuoke said the NCAA is collaborating with other airlines with a view to curtailing the spread of the virus, assuring that everything possible would be done to ensure the safety of Nigerians. It will be recalled that the Director-General of ASKY Airlines, Yissehak Zewoldi, a few days ago, faulted the suspension of its operations into Nigeria by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA). The airline said the suspension was having serious impact on passenger movement within the West African sub region, urging the authority to reconsider its stand on the issue. Zewoldi said failure by the NCAA to lift the suspension would hamper passengers’ movement. The ASKY boss said since the initial outbreak of the Ebola virus in Guinea Conakry last February 2014 and the recent spread in Liberia and Sierra Leone, the airline has been highly concerned, even as it has taken measures to avoid further spread of the virus. He disclosed that he has already written two letters to the Director-General of NCAA on the measures taken so far and his full commitment to closely work with all authorities, governments and organizations in the fight against the spread of the disease.

Kelvin Osa OKUNBOR He noted that ASKY is determined to keep its passengers and staff safe during this unsettling time, adding that the carrier is following the situation closely and will issue updates as the situation changes. According to him, “Considered to be the biggest carrier with a very large network within the West and Central Africa region, the carrier has constantly followed up all developments in collaboration with airport authorities, the World Health Organization (WHO), Ministries of Health and the civil aviation to implement collective preventive measures against the spread of this deadly disease in suspected areas.” He listed steps do far taken to include stoppage of food uplift, stoppage of overnight for crew, re-enforcement of aircraft disinfection, implementation of sanitary items such as gloves, antiseptic liquids as well strict control of the transportation of perishable goods and food items. He said :”The management of ASKY airlines received with great astonishment from the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority – NCAA this 28 July 2014, the decision to stop all operations into Nigeria, precisely Lagos and Abuja. In both letters sent to the Director General of NCAA, the airlines clearly pointed out all the measures it has taken to prevent the spread of the virus in collaboration with the local civil aviation authority in Lome – Togo. Among the measures is that ASKY suspend all flights to Sierra Leone and Liberia; ASKY stop uplifting food at Conakry. ASKY passengers departing from Conakry are screened for signs of the virus before boarding. Others include the deployment of medical professionals at the airports in Lome, in collaboration with the Togolese Ministry of Health, the Civil Aviation Authorities and airport authorities

•Chairman, Dangote Group of Companies, Alhaji Aliko Dangote (left ) with Agric Minister, Dr Akinwumi Adesina, at the Signing of a 1 billion dollar investment in rice production in Nigeria by Alhaji Aliko Dangote, at the State House, Abuja... yesterday PHOTO AKIN OLADOKUN.

FG, Dangote sign $1b MoU on rice project

HE Federal Government and Dangote Industries Limited, yesterday announced a $1 billion (N165bn) investment for commercial rice project and farming to be operated by the firm in Nigeria. The firm has acquired 150,000 hectares of farmlands in Edo, Jigawa, Kebbi, Kwara, and Niger states, to be used for the commercial production of paddy rice. The President and Chairman, Dangote Group, Mr. Aliko Dangote, disclosed his firm’s investment plan at the headquarters of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in Abuja. He told ministry officials and journalists that the move to invest in rice production was aimed at developing Nigeria’s economy through agriculture. Dangote said: “What we are trying to do is actually to join hands with the ministry. Apart from making Nigeria self – sufficient in rice, it is also to make sure that Nigeria exports rice because we have no reason not

Augustine EHIKIOYA and Frank IKPEFAN, Abuja to export rice. I think it will be very shameful for the biggest economy in Africa not to be self – sufficient in what we consume.” He said the investment would further boost the Federal Government’s drive to attain food sufficiency in Nigeria, adding that Nigeria will become an exporter of rice in the next four years. Dangote said once his rice industry starts producing the staple food, the price of the locally produced rice will be cheaper than the imported ones, adding that this will create room for a lot of investments in the sector. “With rice as a major staple, we have placed total sufficiency in rice production as a major priority for our country and key value chain for our economy. “Today’s signing ceremony marks a revolutionary tipping point by the Dangote Group to make Nigeria a net exporter of rice within the next few years, as

well as boosting inclusive wealth creation and employment generation,” he said He further noted that his industry will establish two state-of-the-art large scale rice mills, each with a capacity to mill 120,000 metric tons of rice paddies, bringing total capacity to 240.000MT, with plans to double the figure in two years. “We will try to make sure that we have out growers. We will give them training, we will give them the fertilizers, and we will guarantee to buy their paddy and process. We will buy the paddies from smallholder farmers and process. “With this installed capacity, the project will become the largest integrated rice mill in Africa,” Dangote said. Dangote, who led a delegation from his firm to the ministry, later proceeded to the Presidential Villa for the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with the Federal Government. In his remarks, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr.

Group raises alarm over use of military group, Democracy for election duty Vanguard, has ad-

vised the Federal Government not to engage the military in the forthcoming Osun State governorship elections and subsequent elections in the country. Speaking in Lagos, the National Coordinator of the group, Comrade Adeola Soetan, said the use of soldiers for assignments meant for the police portend grave danger for the nation’s democracy. “It is dangerous to bring armed military men to voting centres. It is as good as militarizing the electoral process. When you militarize an election, it puts fears in the electorate and discourages them from voting. The police and other civil security bodies should be empowered and engaged in all elections. According to Soetan, “The government appears not to be aware of the danger inherent in using the military for elec-

Gbenga ADERANTI tions and the myriad of other purposes in the country. This may propel some ambitious military officers to take over the government since they have been the ones being used to accomplish different tasks by the government of the day,” he said. He urged the electorates in Osun State to eschew any form of inducement to vote for any candidate, saying, “they must let their consciences guide them. They must vote on the basis of conviction and not on the basis of inducement, intimidation or religion. He accused politicians of bastardising the election process and making the voters see themselves as people that do not count. “The electorates no longer see themselves as the determinants of the fate of

politicians.” Charging the electorate, Soetan advised them to henceforth believe in their votes, adding that, “they need to know that the solution to our problems cannot come from spiritualism, but from the determination of individuals to bring about the needed change. They need to appreciate the power of their thumb, because election-rigging is worse than armed robbery. Armed robbers can only take your valuables, but an election rigger steals your future.” Soetan, who is currently championing the gospel of ‘One Man One Vote, One Woman, One Vote’, said the group had been at the forefront of sensitizing the electorate and educating them on the danger of election rigging.

Akinwumi Adesina, said that the Dangote farms and mills were expected to significantly boost small-holder rice production in the regions through a nucleus and out-grower farming model. He said this will directly transform livelihoods in rural Nigeria, as the sites selected are rice-growing communities that will be supported by Dangote’s provision of agro-inputs, training, and marketing linkages to improve community-farming. He said the massive investment will create employment opportunities for at least 8,000 Nigerians in rural communities. Dr. Akinwumi said: “This single investment by Dangote Industries is a turning point for Nigeria and the rest of Africa completely. We will invest in research and development to support this particular endeavour in new varieties, in new agronomic practices and also new mechanization services that can support our farmers. “Through this billion dollar commitment, Aliko Dangote, Africa’s leading businessman, has clearly attested to the policies and approach the Federal Government has undertaken to transform the nation’s agricultural sector.” Meanwhile, President Goodluck Jonathan has commended the Chairman, Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote for investing one billion dollars ($1billion) in rice production in the country. The President, according to a statement by the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, said that the Dangote Group’s investment is the single largest investment ever made in rice production in Africa, and thanked Alhaji Dangote for investing in agriculture and assured him that his investment will be worthwhile. President Jonathan said that he looked forward to a time Nigeria will be self-sufficient in rice production and a net-exporter of the grain.

THE NATION

NEWS 61

SATURDAY, AUGUST 2, 2014

Impeachment: Al-Makura waives immunity, to appear before panel Monday D

ETERMINED to prove his innocence, the Gov ernor of Nasarawa State, Alhaji Tanko AlMakura, has offered to waive off his immunity to appear before the seven-man investigative panel on alleged mismanagement of state funds. But it was learnt yesterday that members of the Nasarawa State House of Assembly have become jittery following likely stunning revelations about their financial demands. Some of the disclosures might include certain documents already before the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

•Lawmakers jittery of stunning revelations at panel’s sitting Yusuf ALLI, Managing Editor, Northern Operation Investigation by our correspondent revealed that in spite of the setting up of a nine-man legal team to defend the 16 allegations against him, Governor AlMakura has waived off his right to immunity in Section 308 of the 1999 Constitution to testify before the panel.

Barring last minute change of mind, the governor may testify before the panel on Monday. A highly-placed source said: “The panel will begin the public sitting on Monday; all parties have been notified, including the House of Assembly. “We learnt the Assembly might boycott the open session because it has rejected two out of the seven mem-

•Chief Hakeem Alobo-Bakare, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), rejoices with his daughter, Folake, during her graduation ceremony at the Coventry University, United Kingdom where she bagged a degree in International Relations. With them is Mobola Alobo-Bakare.

Obama to meet Jonathan, other African leaders on Boko Haram threat

HE threat posed to Africa’s security by Is lamic militants will top the agenda when President Barack Obama of the United States of America holds a summit for African leaders, including President Goodluck Jonathan, next week in Washington D.C. It is expected to discuss kidnappings and killings by Boko Haram in Nigeria, the civil war in South Sudan and deadly attacks by the Somalia militant group, Shebab, in Kenya. Invitations were sent to 50 heads of state and government for the three-day meeting that is also seen as a counterweight to China's decade-long surge in investment and trade with Africa. Only four presidents were excluded: Zimbabwe's Robert Mugabe, Sudan's Omar alBashir, Eritrea's Issaias Afeworki and the Central African Republic's transitional leader Catherine Samba Panza. The outbreak of the Ebola virus in West Africa could find itself at the centre of talks,although the leaders of

Sierra Leone and Liberia have cancelled their trips to Washington over the epidemic, which was first declared at the beginning of the year in Guinea and has so far claimed more than 725 lives. President Obama said yesterday that delegates to the summit from Ebola-hit areas would be screened for the disease. "Folks that are coming from these countries that have even a marginal risk, or an infinitesimal risk of having been exposed in some fashion, we're making sure we're doing screening on that end as they leave the country," Obama told reporters. He added there would be "additional screening" in the United States for the summit. "We feel confident the procedures we have put in place are appropriate," Obama insisted. The United States, working through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other health agencies, was also planning to "surge some resources down there and organization to these countries that are pretty

poor and don't have a strong public health infrastructure so that we can start containing the problem." Obama sought to reassure the public that the Ebola virus was not easily transmitted. "The key is identifying, quarantining, isolating those who contract it and making sure that practices are in place that avoid transmission," Obama said. "It can be done, but it's got to be done in an organized, systematic way and that means we have to help these countries accomplish that." President François Hollande of France,way back in May hosted the Presidents of Nigeria,Chad,Niger and Cameroun to map out strategy on containing terrorism in West Africa. Nigeria and its neighbours agreed,at the Paris mini-summit, on a regional plan of action to combat Boko Haram. They pledged cooperation including joint border patrols and sharing intelligence to find the over 200 school girls abducted in Chibok by Boko Haram in April.

bers of the panel. “But the most surprising is the decision of the governor to appear before the committee to respond to issues and place all facts before the committee on the allegations against him. “The governor is determined to set a record to account for his stewardship and to prove to the people of the state that he did not steal their money. “This is a governor who declared over N20billion assets and cash to the Code of Conduct Bureau when he assumed office. The records are there, anyone can apply for his Assets Declaration Form. “For two or three months when he took over, the state could not afford to pay workers’ salaries and he used his personal money to offset some bills of the state. “The governor has been saying that in what way could he have sacrificed for the state. The people of the state will hear a lot. “As I talk to you, the governor does not begrudge the lawmakers. He is ready to meet with them in order to move the state forward.” Contacted yesterday, Governor Al-Makura simply said: “I think I will make first appearance on Monday, and then my counsel can thereafter take over.

“I hope my counsel will allow me to have the first shot before they go ahead with the legal representation.” He refused to talk further insisting that he has tremendous respect for the House of Assembly and constitutional guidelines on the ongoing impeachment proceedings against him. Section 308 of the constitution says: “Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Constitution, but subject to subsection (2) of this section (a) no civil or criminal proceedings shall be instituted or continued against a person to whom this section applies during his period of office; (b) a person to whom this section applies shall not be arrested or imprisoned during that period either on pursuance of the process of any court or otherwise; and (c) no process of any court requiring of compelling the appearance of a person to whom this section applies, shall be applied for or issued; “Provided that in ascertaining whether any period of limitation has expired for the purposes of any proceedings against a person to whom this section apples, no account shall be taken of his period of office. “The provisions of subsection (1) of this section shall not apply to civil proceedings

against a person to whom this section applies in his official capacity or to civil or criminal proceedings in which such a person is only a nominal party. “This section applies to a person holding the office of President or Vice-President, Governor or Deputy Governor; and the reference in this section to “period of office is a reference to the period during which the person holding such office is required to perform the functions of the office.” Meanwhile, members of the Nasarawa House of Assembly were said to be jittery about the likely stunning revelations on their financial demands and expenditures which might be presented to the panel by the government and stakeholders. Another source added: “Everyone is excited about the decision of the panel to subject the sitting to public hearing. All the facts and documents will be laid on the table for the people of the state to judge. “At least people will have the knowledge of what comes to the state monthly; how it is disbursed and the projects already carried out by the government. “The breakdown of funds, including extra-budgetary cash, spent on the lawmakers will also be known to the public.”

THE NATION SATURDAY, AUGUST 2, 2014

SPORT EXTRA 2014 COMMONWEALTH GAMES:

Why Nigerian women are doing well, by Onyali

•Amalaha

DOPE TEST LATEST:

Amalaha stripped of weightlifting gold

IGERIA teenager Chika Amalaha has been stripped of her Commonwealth Games weightlifting gold medal after failing a doping test, the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) said on Friday. The 16-year-old, who won gold in the women’s women's 53kg competition, provided positive ‘A’ and ‘B’ samples

that contained prohibited diuretics and masking agents. “The Commonwealth Games Federation has determined that Nigerian weightlifter, Chika Amalaha, has committed an anti-doping rule violation and has fully suspended her from the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow,” the CGF said in a statement.

“As a result, Ms Amalaha has been disqualified from her event at the Games, with her result in the Women’s Weightlifting 53 kilogram competition nullified.” Dika Toua from Papua New Guinea has been awarded the gold medal with Indian duo Santoshi Matsa and Swati Singh claiming silver and bronze. Amalaha was Niger-

ia's first gold medal winner in Glasgow, equalling the Games snatch record of 82kg with her first attempt before lifting 85kg on her third. Her combined total of 196kg was also a Games record, and according to the International Weightlifting Federation she was the youngest woman to win a weightlifting title in Games history.

‘Okagbare will rule the world in the 100, 200m’

OMMONWEALTH and Africa’s fastest woman Blessing Okagbare has been tipped to dominate the world in the 100 and 200m. After a sterling performance at the ongoing Commonwealth Games in Glasgow where she sped to 100m gold in 10.85 seconds and claimed victory in the 200m in 22.25 seconds, Okagbare’s coach, John Smith, reviewed her performance yesterday and said that there was still more to come from the 25-year-old. ‘’I’ve watched her grow up.

She is going to dominate the 100 and 200m in the world for a long time,’’ a jubilant Smith said at the Games Village in Glasgow. ‘’She is disciplined and hardworking. She knows what she wants and dedicates herself to a tough regime at achieving that. I’m happy for her and Nigeria because she is going to rule the world of athletics for a long time,’’ he declared. Smith said he was still looking at the possibility of Okagbare combining the 100 and 200m with the long jump. ‘’She is good in long jump. The

•Continued from back page heights where our national anthem would be sung at international competitions, such as the Commonwealth Games. Uduaghan’s monitoring of Okagbare’s growth should serve as a wake-up call for companies and public spirited Nigerians to invest in potential greats such as Okagbare, if we truly want sports to be the business that it is in other climes. Uduaghan left pressing official duties in Delta to identify with his young kinsmen and women, who he had provided state-of-the-art facilities to train. Uduaghan said in Scotland: “The important thing is that they are serving Nigeria. And I’m happy that they are from my state and all efforts in building these facilities are not in vain. In Delta, we appreciate and reward all our athletes who bring honour to the state. You can see the marvelous job they are doing for Nigeria and Delta. It is in our character to welcome them home as heroes and heroines.” Well said, Uduaghan. One only hopes that other governors will emulate Uduaghan by using sports to reunite the people and create jobs for the youths. Sports can be used to rebuild Nigeria, only if those in charge can deploy the cash to develop the industry and not their pockets. The government would continue to bankroll sports, if it doesn’t provide reliefs that would encourage corporate firms to invest in the industry. It is about time brand ambassadors are made of budding talents, such as Okagbare. Had Uduaghan not stood by her as she developed, what happened on Sunday night in Glasgow wouldn’t have occurred. Okagbare has been through the worst and best of times in her career. But she has this irrevocable belief in her talents.

problem with the jump is that it comes in-between the races. It distracts other events. That is the reason why she did not do well at the London 2012 Olympics. Here in Glasgow, we had to shelve that to concentrate on the two and she came out sparkling in them.’’ Does that mean that Blessing is going to drop the long jump for good?’ ‘’No,” said Smith. “We have to study more on that.” “The problem with long jump is that it is determined by television, unless we are ready to play politics.’’

•Okagbare

HEN Team Nigeria officials count their blessings in the ongoing XX Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland, much of the plaudits would no doubt be going to women for making Nigerians walk with their noses in front. In competitions such as these, Nigerian women usually amass more medals than their male counterparts and the Glasgow Games has not been any different. They have been carrying the banner in Scotland and remain a priceless treasure of Team Nigeria. Former African record holder Mary Onyali could not help but laugh when asked why this is the case. ‘’The Ladies are on top,” Onyali began, “Women are more coachable than the men. Men are hard to coach and to convince. It’s a natural thing. She continued: “Men have been under our shadows for a long time. It is like taking a horse to the stream. It is difficult to force it to drink water.” “We’ve been supporting our male counterparts morally and financially and yet they are not hungry enough to pull their weight. They need to put their acts together. They need to wake up!’’, Onyali, who has been an inspiration to the emerging force of women led by Blessing Okagbare, said. Weightlifting coach Emmanuel Oshomah, who coached Maryam Usman to a gold-winning performance, agrees that women

have been on the groove over men in Glasgow. ‘’It has to do with the level of discipline and endurance. Oshomah reasoned. “There are things that women cannot do for a long time. It is not so with men. It is natural.” “Also, the elasticity level of women is better than men’s. Women tend to start sports earlier than men. This is so because men want to be independent before embracing sports. And when they enter sports at old age, once they sustain injury, it takes longer to heal because of age. Don’t forget that men are always fending for themselves,’’ Oshomah said. A break-down of Team Nigeria’s medals shows that women have won eight gold, three silver and five bronze medals while men have only three silver and six bronze medals. The amazons who have won gold so far are Blessing Okagbare (gold in the 100m and 200m), Ese Brume (Long Jump gold), Adesanmi Oluwatoyin (Weightlifting), Usman Maryam (Weightlifting), Adekuoroye Odunayo (Wrestling) and Adeniyi Aminat. The silver medal-winning ladies are Winifred Ndidi (Weightlifting), Okoli Obioma (Weightlifting), and Ebireguesele Itohan (Weightlifting). The men who got silver medals are Ayenuwa Yinka (Weightlifting), Dick Abibo (Wrestling) and Welson Ebikewenimo (Wrestling). Six men and five women won bronze.

Yaya tips Iheanacho for success

IGERIAN youngster Kelechi Iheanacho has been tipped to record massive success in future by Manchester City and Ivory Coast midfielder, Yaya Toure. Iheanacho has impressed with Manchester City in the club’s tour to the U.S.A. with manager, Manuel Pellegrini extravagant in his adulation for the 17-year old’s talents. Toure, the reigning African Footballer of the Year, has moved to salute the prowess of the former Nigeria Under 17 star. “Kelechi is an exciting player. I love the way he plays and I feel that he will have a good career at the club and go on to become one of the players of the future,” he told the

club’s official website, mcfc.com. Iheanacho has been impressive for City in pre-season and scored in his senior debut against Kansas City on July 23. His performance against the MLS side was so impressive that Pellegrini described him as the “future” of the club. He showed his display against Kansas City was no fluke when he netted his second goal in as many games against AC Milan on July 27. Following his heroics in preseason Toure has now joined Pellegrini to express admiration for the talent of the youngster. It is still unclear if Iheanacho will be integrated into the full City squad for the 2014/15 season.

For Blessing Okagbare She easily puts behind any bad tournament and plans for the next. She accepts that she is prone to mistakes. She accepts corrections, hence her steady rise to the top. Many would want to ask who Okagbare is? She told her story to the BBC in 2011, before the London 2012 Olympic Games. There were plenty of interesting twists, including the fact that she spent over nine months in her mother’s womb. Many had given up on her birth and expected the worst, but the family trusted God for a miracle. When eventually her mother gave birth on October 9, 1988 in Sapele, Delta State, her father aptly named her Blessing. Blessing, daughter of Margaret and Francis Okagbare, has lived up to the meaning of her name so much so that she has grown to become one of Nigeria’s gold medal prospects at the London 2012 Olympic Games. She told the BBC: “I asked my daddy why I was called Blessing and he said that I spent over nine months in my mother’s womb. When I was delivered, he named me Blessing. Since that time, I have brought joy, hope and aspiration to the Okagbare family. I have seven step brothers and seven step sisters. My family is behind me and keeps track of what I am doing. I would have loved to have them in London during the Olympics. But in Nigeria, such luxuries don’t form part of government’s obligation to athletes. I agree with the sense that they could distract me, but I will remain focused.”

With seven step brothers, Okagbare’s first contact with sports was football. She played with boys and later soccer clubs. But it isn’t in soccer that she is writing the name of Nigeria in gold and making her parents proud. Let’s move away from the sport whose actors are treated like gods. Yet they cause us more pains when we bank on them to shine. Let’s consider athletes who bring us glory through their exploits in sports that we often derisively tag lesser sport. Let’s acknowledge these athletes who toil to make others perceive Nigeria from the prism of endless stream of producing world champions and not a polity of jesters. For us as a nation, soccer is it. Other sports can hit the roof with their exploits, we cannot be perturbed. It is extremely unfair to reward Okagbare with $7,000 for her feat in the 100 metres when soccer players are paid more than that to motivate them when they draw matches. A national honour, $100,000, a house and a car are what Okagbare deserves. After all, don’t our fumbling soccer coaches and players have unrestricted access to the President? Again, this is the best time to give Okagbare training grants for the 2016 Olympic Games. Nigeria returned from the London 2012 Olympic Games without any medal. Okagbare’s feats in Glasgow, show that she can win a medal at the 2016 Olympics in brazil, if she starts her preparation now. Take a bow Okagbare. All hail Uduaghan for believing in her. Oba Khato Okpere, Ise.

THE NATION SATURDAY, AUGUST 2, 2014

EQUITIES NIGERIAN STOCK EXCHANGE DAILY SUMMARY AS AT 1-08-14

Flour Mills, roads Nigeria to distribute N5b, 244m shares to shareholders

HAREHOLDERS of Flour Mills of Nigeria Plc and Roads Nigeria Plc would receive more than N5 billion in cash dividends and about 244 million ordinary shares as dividends for the immediate past year. The boards of the two companies yesterday in separate statement announced dividend recommendations for the immediate audited year. The board of Flour Mills indicated that N5.01 billion would be distributed as cash dividends on the basis of N2.10 per each ordinary share. Also, a total of 238.6 million ordinary shares of 50 kobo each would be distributed to shareholders through a bonus of one for 10 shares. The dividend will be paid on September 15. Directors of Roads Nigeria

stated that they have recommended payment of N12 million to shareholders, representing a dividend per share of 60 kobo. Shareholders would also receive 5.0 million ordinary shares on the basis of one new shares for every four shares already held. The dividend would be paid on October 6. Key extracts of the audited report and accounts of Flour Mills for the year ended March 31, 2014 showed that turnover rose from N301.94 billion to N332.14 billion. Profit after tax however dropped from N7.54 billion in 2013 to N5.37 billion. Meanwhile, Flour Millsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; share price rose by N3.69 to close yesterday at N77.67 at the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE). The stock played the contrarian against the general

downtrend at the stock market. The All Share Index (ASI), the main index at the NSE, dropped from its opening index of 42,097.46 to close at 41,934.40 points. Aggregate market value of all quoted equities dropped from N13.900 trillion to close at N13.847 trillion. With 36 losers to 19 gainers, the market was dominated by the sell sentiments. Nestle Nigeria led the losers with a drop of N14 to close at N1, 106. Seplat Petroleum Development Company also dropped by N10.62 to close at N659.38. Guaranty Trust Bank and Mobil Oil Nigeria lost N1.10 each to close at N28.80 and N160 respectively. Presco dropped by N1.01 to close at N37 while Guinness Nigeria declined by N1 to close at N194 per share.

DAILY SUMMARY AS AT 1-08-14

TOMORROWPUNCHLINE IN THE NATION

SATURDAY, AUGUST 2, 2014 TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM VOL.9, NO. 2926

Nobody is safe, nobody is protected from the suffering, injustice and insecurity that such negative and foolish risk taking creates, not even the wealthy and the powerful themselves —Biodun Jeyifo

LASSICALLY defined as the government of the people, by the people and for the people, contemporary conventional wisdom describes democracy as the best form of government. One of the reasons for this view is that representative democracies are predicated on the will and consent of the people and must thus be responsible and accountable to them. Since democratic governments derive their legitimacy from the will of the people and remain in power only at the pleasure of the electoral majority, it is assumed, at least in theory, that they will be more compelled than dictatorships to promote development and the public good. However, this assumption cannot be taken for granted. Its validity depends firstly on free, fair and credible polls and, secondly, on performance being a key determining factor in electoral outcomes. What we have experienced in Nigeria since 1999 is the strange phenomenon whereby the PDP has continued to ‘win’ elections at the centre and in a majority of the states even as the fortunes of the country continue to decline in virtually all sectors and the vast majority of Nigerians increasingly impoverished under its watch. What then can be the motivation for a government to perform and keep its electoral compact with the people when it is rewarded with emphatic victories at the polls irrespective of the quality of its performance or the extent of its ineptness and moral degeneration? As the country has grown richer, at least according to the re-based GDP, unemployment, insecurity and hunger have worsened with the majority of Nigerians descending deeper into poverty. The increased impoverishment of Nigerians has fuelled the monetisation of elections with the highest bidder likely to triumph at the polls through the deployment of stolen public wealth. It cannot get more absurd than that. This is a classic case of what the late Claude Ake would describe as ‘how democracy underdevelops Nigeria’. Matters are not helped when a desperate Jonathan presidency cynically and ruthlessly exploits all opportunities to keep Nigerians divided along ethnic, religious and regional fault lines all in a bid to perpetuate itself in power at all costs beyond 2015. Can you see, for instance, how a Chibok community, hitherto united in their single-minded quest for the return of their abducted girls by Boko Haram brigands, have been divided through monetary gratifications by a delegation’s visit to Abuja’s cash-laden presidential Villa? All that the Jonathan presidency touches, it taints and divides! The enthusiasm and impunity with which the Jonathan presidency deploys asymmetric federal powers and resources to crush all opposition and impose its might on Nigerians no matter how lawlessly, shows that the whole idea of the national conference , purportedly convened to restructure Nigeria, fundamentally reduce the powers of the centre and create a more balanced federation, was an entire ruse. Let no one think that resolutions passed by a

All eyes on Osun

‘

•Aregbesola collection of unelected Nigerians with absolutely no legal powers can convince this president to give up the immense powers conferred on him by the existing constitution. That purpose can only be achieved by the irresistible force of people’s power expressed through a genuine mass movement. But that is a matter for another day. Is all therefore lost as far as elections are concerned in Nigeria? Must we raise our hands in helpless surrender and watch federal might and the emergent culture of ‘stomach infrastructure’ enable the PDP actualise its wish of imposing its suzerainty over Nigeria for the next six decades? I do not think so. There are some glimmers of hope that people’s power can still triumph in elections over arrogant and irresponsible use of federal might. In the Ondo and Anambra governorship polls, for instance, the PDP could not use its federal might for its own benefit. It had to work through auxiliary parties, Labour Party (LP) and All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) respectively to contain a resurgent and threatening APC. The behemoth may be grossly overrated after all. In Edo State, massive deployment of federal force and resources as well as crude ethnic manipulations could not displace the ebullient, high performing and grassroots-oriented Adams Oshiomhole. The jury is still out on what went wrong in Ekiti. Some attribute the unexpected outcome of the June 21 governorship election to sophisticated, scientific rigging. The APC has taken its case to the

Next Saturday, we will see a confrontation between federal might and people’s power in Osun State. I am confident that the latter will triumph decisively as a signpost to the possibilities of 2015

’

Election Petition Tribunal contending that a process tainted by excessive militarisation, intimidation and harassment of targeted party leaders could not have produced a flawless outcome. My take is that the gains of excellent governance and visionary reforms were eroded by inept, divisive and detached politics, which enabled an intellectual and moral Lilliputian like Ayodele Fayose to defeat a far more competent and credible Kayode Fayemi in Ekiti. An excited and misguidedly optimistic PDP now has Osun as its target in next Saturday’s governorship election. The Minister of State for Defence, Musliu Obanikoro and his collaborator in mischief, Minister of Police Affairs, Jelili Adesiyan, are once again hyperactive. Thousands of heavily armed security operatives have already been deployed to Osun, driving roughly round major towns and shooting in the air like thugs and ruffians. And this at a time when we need all the men and resources we can muster to contain the raging insurgency in the North-East – a war in which the country is continuously being given a bloody nose. This is clearly the most irresponsible Federal Government in the history of Nigeria. Yet, in Ogbeni Raufu Aregebesola, the diminutive Governor of Osun State with a razor sharp intellect and magnetic political charisma, the PDP has met its match. You cannot fault Aregbesola on the terrain of performance. Osun is 34th of the 36 states in terms of statutory allocation from the Federation Account. Apart from this paltry federal allocation, previous administrations were incapacitated by an

Internally Generated Revenue of approximately N300 million monthly. Thinking outside the box and devising ingenious strategies, Osun’s IGR has grown to N1.6 billion monthly under Aregbesola’s watch. According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), Osun state today has the lowest poverty index in Nigeria. Through the revolutionary Osun Youth Employment Scheme (OYES), Aregbesola created 40,000 jobs, which injects N200 million into the local economy monthly. This is in addition to recruiting thousands of workers into the civil service and teaching service cadres. His massive road construction projects are visible across the state with beneficial impact on economic productivity. His administration has consistently supported the huge population of farmers to boost food production and enhance food security. His reforms in the education sector have created jobs for hundreds of tailors who produce school uniforms as well as caterers who provide one nutritious meal per day for all children in public schools. Of course, the innovative and revolutionary computer learning tablet, ‘Opon Imo’ has become a household name and even received international acclaim. There is no doubt in my mind that the flawed and insulting ‘stomach infrastructure’ hypothesis will be discredited, cremated and buried in Osun next Saturday. Aregbesola is at home both in the company of professors as well as of farmers and marketmen and women. He is the quintessential man of the people. As a grassroots mobilizer, he is incomparable. This is why the PDP candidate, Senator Iyiola Omisore’s antics of riding on okadas and eating roasted corn with a masked gun man behind him is so utterly ridiculous and laughable. You cannot give what you don’t have. Incidentally, Omisore, who recently claims to have acquired a Ph.D in some nebulous discipline, ran away from engaging Aregbesola and other candidates in a televised debate. Aregbesola’s grassroots mobilization skills are understandable. As a student, he was the President of the Black Nationalist Movement. Under the influence of the late Marxist theoretician and economist, Comrade Ola Oni, he became inclined towards revolutionary Marxism. We can thus understand the progressive, welfarist orientation of his politics. As commissioner for works for eight years in Lagos State, Aregbesola was a key pillar of the formidable grassroots structure of the ACN. This is why the APC in Osun is a true mass movement. Although a fervent and devout Muslim, Aregbesola symbolises the liberal and tolerant religious outlook of the Yoruba of the South-West. The attempt to negatively tag him as a religious fanatic has failed abysmally. All religious faiths have been allowed to thrive under his administration and leading Christian clerics have openly identified with his administration. Next Saturday, we will see a confrontation between federal might and people’s power in Osun State. I am confident that the latter will triumph decisively as a signpost to the possibilities of 2015.

Ade Ojeikere on Saturday talk2adeojeikere@yahoo.com

For Blessing Okagbare

HE urge not to write about soccer this week is strong. I wish I could do without writing about Nigeria’s king of sports. I cannot because of the season we are. It is the transfer period. We expect to see young Nigerians earn a living playing the game. With such a setting, it is only appropriate that the exploits of some of our kid stars in Europe come to the front burner at a time like this. Today in Manchester City, Kelechi Iheanacho reigns supreme. His exploits in two friendlies have compelled the club’s scouts and coaches to consider him for the main team when the European season opens in England with the Charity Shield game against Arsenal at the Wembley Stadium. Iheanacho was the best player at the last FIFA U-17 World Cup held in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), playing for Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets. After his dazzling moments for Nigeria, European scouts struggled to get his signature, culminating in all the stories leading to his

picking Manchester City ahead of others. So much was said about Iheanacho’s move to Manchester City, especially after his father chose his son’s career path. Iheanacho’s acrimonious movement to Manchester City set him against the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) chiefs and the country’s senior team coaches, leading to his exclusion from the Super Eagles squad to the 2014 World Cup. A few people felt Iheanacho’s decision to join Manchester City was wrong considering the club’s penchant for signing celebrated players in its fold. But the beauty with the game is that it creates the platform for immensely talented players such as Iheanacho to exhibit their silky skills for the world to appreciate. Manchester City’s manager Pellegrini’s comments about Iheanacho’s abilities lifts the spirit at this time when the Super Eagles need new stars to elevate the team to the world class status it truly deserves. Pelegrini was so impressed about Iheanacho’s performance that he told media men after the citizens’ 5-1 thumping of Italian giants AC

Milan at Heinz field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on Sunday that: “ we have a lot of young players here with us. We have Kelechi Iheanacho, Greg Leigh, Jason Denayer and several others. Kelechi has stood out. He’s on fire at the moment. He can’t stop scoring; he’s very calm in front f the goal. It’s an important chance for them to show what they can do, and maybe this moment is their moment.” One only hopes that Pelegrini’s wise words would tickle the imagination of Eagles coaches to quickly include him in their plans for the country’s defence of the Africa Cup of Nations diadem, which the Eagles clinched in Johannesburg, South Africa on February 10. Such mundane talk as Iheanacho not fitting into the Eagles’ plans because of his age must be jettisoned because we saw several young lads exhibit tremendous skills that left their markers sprawling on the turf. Young boys can only improve if fielded in matches. They will never get a big break if they are left at home. Iheanacho could have done better than many players that our coaches picked as our best at

the Brazil 2014 World Cup. Iheanacho’s talents remind one of the glorious moment at the Hampden Park Stadium in Glasgow on Monday night when Nigeria’s speedster, Blessing Okagbare, ran a terrific race in the women’s 100 metres to fetch the country the prestigious gold medal. Okagbare also set a new Commonwealth Games record of 10.85 seconds to become the fastest woman in the Commonwealth this year. On Friday night, she clinched the gold medal in the 200 metres for women, the fourth person in the Commonwealth Games’ history. What a feat. What a moment for the girl with a humble beginning bolstered by the financial support of her state governor Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, who was in Glasgow to watch the worthy girl justify the trust placed in her to develop into the world class star that she is. Uduaghan has been there for Okagbare through thick and thin. He lifted her spirits two years ago after Okagbare failed to sparkle at the London 2012 Olympic Games. Okagbare’s exploits in Glasgow underscores the essence of investing in our kids, who most times need financial assistance to raise their game to the Continued from Page 62

Published and printed by Vintage Press Limited. Corporate Office: 27B Fatai Atere Way, Matori, Lagos. P.M.B. 1025, Oshodi, Lagos. •Continued on Page 62 Telephone: Switch Board: 01-8168361. Marketing: 01-8155547, Abuja Office: Plot 5, Nanka Close AMAC Commercial Complex, Wuse Zone 3, Abuja, Tel/08099650602. Port Harcourt Office: 12/14, Njemanze Street, Mile 1, Diobu, PH. 08023595790 ` Website: www.thenationonlineng.net E-mail: saturday@thenationonlineng.net ISSN: 115-5302 Ag. Editor: VINCENT AKANMODE