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2 NEWS
THE NATION,
OSUN GOVERNORSHIP POLL
SATURDAY, AUGUST 9, 2014
Two INEC officials held for allegedly diverting poll materials •Electoral body denies allegation, says officials misinterpreted instructions
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ESIDENTS of Ibokun, Obokun Local Government Area, Osun State on Thursday night arrested two INEC officials over alleged diversion of election materials. The concerned residents were said to have trailed the white Hilux van marked Presidency: FG 816 V01 after suspecting that it was carrying the sensitive items. Some leaders of the All Progressives Congress in the area were said to have raced down to the scene and insisted that the officials and the vehicle be taken to the headquarters of the Osun State Police Command in Osogbo for the content of the boxes to be unveiled. The Police Commissioner in charge of Osun State governorship poll, Augustine Evbakhabokun, however, said theý matter was investigated and that the people who arrested the INEC officals were misinformed. Addressing journalists at a press conference in Osogbo yesterday, Evbakhabokun said the INEC officials had no clandestine intent. He said: “The Independent National Electoral Commission dispatched those involved. The Resident Electoral Commissioner is there for you to ask further ques-
Yusuf ALLI, Managing Editor Northern Operations, Adesoji ADENIYI and Seun AKIOYE, Osogbo tions. “We are not here to coarse innocent persons. Those alleging are just making a mountain out of a mole hill.” While admitting the arrest and grilling of the electoral officer for Obokun Local Government Area and another staff, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) yesterday said no sensitive materials for today’s governorship election in the state had been diverted. It said that one of the two officers in Obokun Local Government Area only misinterpreted an instruction to distribute mattresses to Registration Area Centres (RACs). It said the officer instead went ahead to distribute nonsensitive materials, alongside the mattresses, contrary to the earlier agreement between the Electoral Officer for the LGA and political parties. INEC, which made the clarifications in a statement by the Chief Press Secretary to INEC Chairman, Kayode
Robert Idowu, said the arrested officers had been released to continue their electoral duties. The commission said: “There is no truth in the report that the Electoral Officer (EO) of Obokun Local Government Area (LGA) in Osun State and another official of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the LGA were caught diverting sensitive materials, investigation by the Commission has shown. “This statement is to clear the air over the widely circulating report, especially on
online sites, which suggested that the integrity of the process leading up to the Osun State Governorship Election on August 9, 2014, has been compromised. “Investigation shows that no sensitive materials were diverted, neither was any official of INEC caught in cohort with political partisans. The commission gave an insight into how the officers were arrested and quizzed by the police. The statement added: “The full explanation of what happened is as follows: The EO of Obokun Local Government had, at some point on
Wednesday, discussed and agreed with all stakeholders, including political parties in his LGA, that sensitive and non-sensitive materials would be distributed together once the sensitive materials were received at the INEC LGA office. “Early on Thursday morning, all EOs in Osun State were asked to report in Osogbo to collect sensitive materials for their respective LGAs, hence the Obokun EO and one of his officers left for the state capital to collect the materials. “While they were in Osogbo, the EO realised that
mattresses needed for operating the Registration Area Centres (RACs), which ought to have been delivered at the RACs, had not been distributed. Consequently, he sent back his officer to go and distribute the mattresses to all the RACs. “The officer assigned to perform this task misinterpreted the instruction and, rather than distribute only the mattresses, began to distribute non-sensitive materials as well – contrary to the earlier agreement between the EO and political parties. •Continued on Page ??
Don’t set Nigeria on fire, Jakande warns THE first civilian governor of Lagos State, Alhaji Lateef Jakande, has warned those in position of authority to be wary of actions that could lead to chaos in the country. Alhaji Jakande bemoaned the “militarisation of democracy” tactics employed by the Federal Government in Ekiti State and now Osun, describing it as unfortunate. The veteran journalists said never in the history of the nation has election been so tense as the case of the Osun governorship election. He said: “The electorate should be allowed to freely choose their leader without molestation, inducement or harassment. “The idea of deploying large numbers of security operatives is wrong and should not be encouraged. It discourages the electorate from discharging their duty and gives room for impunity.” Jakande asserted that those who are heating up the polity do not love Nigeria. Nigerians, he warned, should beware of desperate politicians who want to win elections at all cost. He enjoined the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to maintain its neutrality at all times, saying that allegations of connivance with any particular political party is not good for the integrity of the commission. Meanwhile, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has described as appalling the appearance of soldiers in hoods in Osun State at a time the state is soaked in election tension.
Tajudeen ADEBANJO MURIC said: “Soldiers in hoods can be anybody: fake security officials, political thugs, Boko Haram insurgents or Niger Delta militants. Anything is possible.” MURIC Director, Prof. Ishaq Akintola, described as worrisome the brutalisation of Ayodeji Moradeyo and Binafia Miebi, reporter and cameraman with Television Continental (TVC) respectively, by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) loyalists at the secretariat of the PDP in Osogbo while they were on fact-finding mission. Akintola said: “Whereas politicians in developed countries regard members of the press as partners and an integral part of electioneering, Nigerian politicians are turning journalists into punching bags. “MURIC strongly denounces these two developments. They constitute potent threats to a free and fair election. Hooded soldiers are serious sources of worry. They create fear and engender suspicion about the intention of the Federal Government. “Attacks on pressmen during an election symptomise a lack of readiness to embrace transparency. With these developments, fears are being raised that the ground for a severely doctored gubernatorial election skewed in favour of the controllers of the security agencies is already well laid.” Akintola called on the Chief of Army Staff to explain to Nigerians if the hood is part of a soldier’s kit.
•One of the streets of Osogbo... yesterday
PHOTO: NAN
APC accuses police chief of giving cash to security agents
THE All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday accused a police chief in Osun State of distributing cash to police personnel and soldiers so they can work to give the PDP victory in today’s governorship election in the State. In a statement issued in Osogbo, National Publicity Secretaryof the APC, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said the police chief distributed the money after addressing the police personnel and soldiers at the NYSC camp in Ede yesterday during which he told them point blank that his mission is to ensure PDP’s victory at the elections. In another statement,the party said that partisanship of INEC, security agencies is raising serious doubts about credible polls. The party alleged that the police chief gave each police officer present N50,000; while other ranks got N30,000 each and non-commissioned soldiers N45,000 each. The APC saluted “the courage and patriotism of some security agents who gave us this valuable information, and who have vowed never to do anything to subvert the country’s constitution and its democracy,whether or not they are being lured to do so with filthy lucre. ‘’The fact that there are still good men and women even in thesecurity agencies that have become highly-partisan
...to skew election in favour of PDP WHO GOT WHAT
Police officers Soldiers Others
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gives us hope that our country’s democracy will survive this unprecedented assault fromthose who swore an oath to uphold the constitution of the FederalRepublic of Nigeria.’’ The party wondered where the Police chief got the huge amountsof cash he gave away so casually in order to use security agencies to thwart the will of the people. The APC also alleged that a PDP chieftain has arrived Osogbo with 50 soldiers from the Southeast “with the mission to use the result sheets already given to him to manipulate the results of the election,as well as to harass and brutalize any APC member who would not let the PDP carry out its rigging plan, earlier exposed by the APC, during Saturday’s election. It said:’’Where else in the world will the government give a man who is not in the military 50 troops to command, for the purpose of rigging an election? It is now very clear that the PDP’s desperation to win at all cost in Osun is right from the top!
N50,000 each N45,000 each N30,000 each Now, neither the Chief of Army Staff nor the Inspector General of Police can exonerate themselves from the PDP’s rigging manual. ‘’And of course the man behind all this is President Goodluck Jonathan, who keeps assuring the international community of his commitment to free and fair elections even as he continues to lead the process of subverting credible polls. After all, the President is responsible for the conduct of all public officials appointed by him. In another statement yesterday,the APC said every available evidence going into today’s election showed the “ clear hostility by INEC and the security agencies towards the APC.” The party expressed grave concern over recent pronouncements by INEC Chairman Attahiru Jega, including the one pushing party agents 300 metres away from polling booths, that clearly negate the provisions of the Electoral Act. It also cited another indication of the partisan stance of
INEC, which is supposed to be a neutral arbiter but has now descended into the fray, as the Commission’s blunt refusal to respond to all the issues of concern raised by the APC, with less than 24 hours to the election. Citing instances, APC said: ‘’On the 4th of August 2014, the Osun State Secretary of the APC wrote a letter to the State Resident Electoral Commissioner asking to be furnished with the certified copy of the Register with which the Permanent Voters Cards were distributed. ‘’Again on the 6th of August, the Osun State Secretary of the APC wrote a letter to the Osun State Resident Electoral Commissioner asking for the resolution of discrepancies in the updated voters register, a copy of which was given to each of the political parties. In the said letter, the party made particular mention of discrepancies in various units in Wards 01 Ayedade Local Govt, Ward 06, Atakumosa Local Govt, Ward 05, Ede North Local Govt,Ward 02, Ejigbo Local Govt, Ward 06, Ifedayo Local Govt. Up till this moment, the party is yet toreceive any response to either of the letters.’’
THE NATION,
OSUN GOVERNORSHIP POLL
SATURDAY, AUGUST 9, 2014
N
ATIONAL Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Alhaji Lai Mohammed, was arrested by security agents in Osogbo,last night a few hours to today’s governorship election in Osun State. He is one of the many leaders and supporters of the party seemingly targeted by soldiers and other security operatives. About 30 student supporters of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in Osun State had been picked up earlier in the day in Ilesa in what the party said was part of the plan to intimidate it ahead of today’s governorship election. Other leaders of the party including the State Commissioner for Agriculture,Mr.Wale Adedoyin and the Chairman of Osogbo Local Government
NEWS 3
APC spokesman Lai Mohammed arrested •Commissioner, LG chair abducted •Police: we’re not aware Adesoji ADENIYI, Osogbo were also abducted last night by suspected thugs of the PDP. Alhaji Mohammed’s personal assistant, Mr. Williams Adeleye, said in a statement at 11.57pm yesterday that he was on the phone with his principal when suddenly he heard voices saying : “you are
under arrest, enter this vehicle.” Mr. Adeleye said his subsequent attempts to reach his boss failed, as his numbers all rang out. The 30 students,according to the Situation Room of the APC attend the College of Education,Ilesa. Their arrest at Imala area of
Ilesa was said to be at the instigation of a former minister from the area who personally led the soldiers to effect the clampdown. It was unclear at press time where the students were kept, or their destination. Some of the arrested students were named as
Awowole Samuel, President, National Association of Nigerian Students, College of Ilesha Chapter, Dada Oluseyi, Ogunmode Suraju and Odutola Olaniyi. A member of the State House of Assembly representing Ilesa West , Fafowora Fafiyebi, was separately ar-
rested as was one Mickey Jaga. They were both arrested by soldiers . No reason given for their arrests. The police spokesperson in Osun State, Mrs. Folasade Odoro, denied knowledge of the arrests. The APC condemned the arrests which it described as an unwarranted provocation •Continued on Page 6
1.4m voters registered to vote in 3,379 polling centres THE Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has released an handbook containing the names, contact addresses and phone numbers of elec-
toral officers across the 30 local government areas of Osun State. The 18-page book reveals that there are 29 accredited observers out of which 19
are domestic and 10 foreign. It also shows that there are 30 electoral officers, 30 assistant electoral officers (administration) and 30 assistant electoral officers (opera-
tions), with their phone numbers and office addresses. Also found in the handbook is the number of registered voters and voting units. According to the book, 1, 407, 222 voters were registered for the poll that would take place in 3,379 Voting Points. It also breaks down the data along the 30 local governments, their codes, units, registered voters per council and their voting points. There are 332 registration areas (RAs), 3,010 units, 1,407,222 registered voters and 3,379 at 1, 407 voting
points. Male voters are 661, 395 (47 per cent) while their female counterparts are 745, 828 (53 per cent). It also contains the names of candidates of 20 political parties, their running mates and members of InterAgency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES). The book, which has the map of Nigeria on its cover, reveals that the population of the state, according to the census figures of 2006, is 3, 423, 535.
Akume to Jonathan: halt imminent civilian ‘coup’ in Osun
•INEC monitors arriving for Osun governorship election in Osogbo... yesterday
PHOTO: NAN
Falae urges stakeholders to ensure peaceful election in Osun
CHIEF Olu Falae, former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, on Friday, called on stakeholders in the Osun governorship election to ensure a peaceful and credible election. Falae told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) by telephone that the electorate and political party candidates in the state should replicate the conduct witnessed during a similar election in Ekiti on June 21. He said each candidate
should have the primary purpose of winning the election for the development of the state. He also cautioned against thuggery, actions and utterances that might mar the election. According to him, successful conducts of state governorship elections are indications that the general elections in 2015 will be free and fair. Meanwhile, preparatory to the election on Saturday, the
Independent Electoral Commission (INEC), said it had taken measures to ensure that the election “is free, fair and credible’’. INEC stated in its information kit that 20 registered political party candidates for the election on the platform of different political parties had been captured. The kit also stated that INEC could entertain complaints bordering on the conduct of the election by placing telephone calls to its Situ-
ation Room in Abuja. “Complaints can be lodged or incidents reported from any polling unit throughout Osun for swift intervention as may be appropriate,’’ it said. It gave the numbers of cell telephone lines to be used for the calls as: 07098115257, 07098117563, 07098110916 and 07098116381. It said text messages could as well be sent via: 08101774434 and 07032492303
Residents arrest two INEC officials allegedly diverting poll materials •Continued fromPage 2 “The EO returned to the LGA office around 7pm on Thursday with sensitive materials for his jurisdiction and, on learning that the officer had overreached his instruction, became concerned about the breach of the agreement he had with the political parties and other stakeholders. He immediately ordered the retrieval of the non-sensitive materials from all RACs. “The bid to retrieve the nonsensitive materials triggered suspicion of something untoward among the communities, some of which resisted the retrieval. A number of them alerted se-
curity agents, who promptly arrested the EO and the officer who had distributed the non-sensitive materials. “The EO and his officer have since been released and they have gone on with their duties, following the Commission’s investigation and satisfactory explanation to the security agencies about the true nature of the incident. “For avoidance of doubt, sensitive materials were not involved in the incident. Actually, sensitive materials from the State INEC Headquarters arrived at the LGA long after the non-sensitive materials had been distributed.
“Also, there is absolutely no truth to the claim that the EO or any other staff of INEC was found in a vehicle other than the Commission’s vehicle distributing materials. That may explain why the only vehicle shown in the various social media reports on the incident was the Commission’s vehicle with registration No.: FG 816 VO1. “This is to reassure the public that this INEC remains committed to ensuring high integrity of the electoral process and delivery of free, fair and credible governorship election in Osun State.” Earlier, the Situation Room of the All Progressives Congress (APC) had alleged that
the Minister of Police Affairs, Alhaji Jelili Adesiyan, had instructed the police high command to release the vehicle and the officials. In a statement issued by APC’s spokesperson in Osun State, Barrister Kunle Oyatomi, yesterday, the party warned against illegal release of the two officials. “Already, we know there is pressure on the police officers at the State CID to release the vehicle and the officials, but the people are there watching. “The APC also wishes to warn the police against this unbridled bias against the wishes of the people of Osun,” the statement read in part.
THE immediate past governor of Benue State,Senator George Akume yesterday likened the preparation of the PDP for today’s governorship election in Osun State to executing a civilian coup. Citing the militarization of the state and alleged coercion of the electorate by the PDP ahead of the election,Senator Akume asked election observers, civil society organisations and the international community to prevail on President Goodluck Jonathan to avail the Osun people “a civil enabling environment to perform their constitutional duty of electing their governor.” The senate minority leader ,in a statement yesterday said: ”This culture is both undemocratic and antithetical. It is even unsustainable. That it worked for PDP in the Ekiti does not mean it will work in Osun state whose level of citizens’ vigilance is above par.” The APC chieftain said that the soldiers deployed to Osun State would serve Nigeria better by rescuing “our abducted daughters and restore our ter-
ritorial integrity by chasing out the criminal insurgents North East of Nigeria.” He pointed out that while the APC has been campaigning and mobilizing the electorate to come out and vote, the PDP “ is busy celebrating that with the arrival of the military, their victory is assured. The PDP is threatening the electorate who will dare to come out and exercise their civic responsibility, with arrest.” Akume added: “Democracy is defined as government of the people, for the people and by the people. This means everything should be done to encourage people participation in elections. Elections are also said to be free, fair and credible when citizens are allowed free will of franchise. “Deployment of heavy security with frequent muscling of the people during electioneering or actual vote cannot by any cannon of interpretation approximate to free poll. There are already reports of selective arrests and detention of APC members assigned critical roles on election day.”
APC sets up boundary committee to monitor Osun poll THE Ondo Central Senatorial District of the All Progressives Congress(APC) yesterday set up a committee to monitor local government areas sharing boundaries with Osun and Ondo Central to checkmate cross-border activities of election riggers before and during tomorrow’s poll in Osun State. Members of the committee include the Central Senatorial District Publicity Secretary, Titiloye Charles and Chairmen of APC in Ifedore, Ondo West, Ondo East and Ile Oluji Oke-Igbo Local Government. The committee, in a statement, urged members of the public in boundary towns between Ondo and Osun states who noticed strange any suspicious movement or act that could undermine the election to call the following hotlines: 08033738237, 080174160170. The party appealed to all its members in the said boundary communities spanning
Damisi OJO, Akure owena to Oke-Igbo/Ondo West to prevent the use of any of the boundary towns to manipulate or influence Osun polls. It also inaugurated the Central Executive Committee with Titiloye as its Publicity Secretary. The Party Vice Chairman, Gboyega Ademola, said the choice of the activist as the new spokesman was necessitated by the need to reposition the party towards effective mobilisation of supporters for the 2015 general elections. Other Committee members are Mrs Lola Fagbemi (treasurer), Festus Fadayomi (Secretary) and Alhaji Sulaiman Jimoh (Strategic Committee Secretary).
•More Osun stories on Page 6
THE NATION
4 NEWS
SATURDAY, AUGUST 9, 2014
THE EBOLA VIRUS
Lagos now fully ready for patients, says Fashola
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OVERNOR B a b a t u n d e Fashola of Lagos State said yesterday that the state is now fully prepared to handle patients with symptoms of Ebola. The governor, on an early morning inspection visit to the Isolation Ward prepared for such patients, said the facility is ready for use. Flanked by the Commissioners for Health, Dr Jide Idris; Special Duties, Dr Wale
Ahmed; and Special Adviser on Public Health, Dr Yewande Adeshina,Fashola told newsmen that the state has a health challenge on its hands and owes it a duty to prevent an outbreak of Ebola . The governor, who interacted with some of the health workers, expressed appreciation for the work they are doing. Governor Fashola, who
also expressed delight at the report that the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) has called off its industrial action, expressed the optimism that the members would come and sign up in the battle against the disease. He emphasized that the Ebola Virus Disease, as devastating as its consequences can be, is not an automatic death sentence, explaining that the consequence of death would depend on what is
done and what is not done. He stressed that there are already reported cases of patients who are recovering in other parts of West Africa and that the issue is about being able to respond to it appropriately and taking precautions. He spoke on other measures to keep the state safe from Ebola. ”We are also taking precautions and that is also why
we did not go into where the patients are because there is a very strict protocol for going there. So if you are going there, you must wear a fully protected gown. “In the place where we are expanding to ensure that we are able to cope with anything that comes, you would see the shower there; people have to go through a protocol, one way in, one way out. That is why you cannot go into where patients are now unless you are fully protected appropriately and unless you walk through the mandated process for going in and for coming out. “Those who are detoxifying and decontaminating, they don’t go in. They are waiting outside and those who go in do so under a very rigorous protocol set up with advice from the Centre for Disease Control. Provisions have already been made so that we can separate very critically ill people from people who are just showing symptoms, but who need to
be in isolation. ”Now from what the Centre for Disease Control told me yesterday, there is no known cure, but if it is known and diagnosed early, patients can make full recovery because here you can give them very intense medical care which involves managing their waste, managing their body fluids, giving them antibiotics and fluids to rehydrate their body and to ensure that their immune system is able to find a standing chance to combat and make full recovery as we have seen in some parts of Liberia and Sierra Leone. ”Secondly, if such people get to the hospital early and treated, the disease could be contained. The risk in not doing that could be far reaching and for that we must be thankful that the hospital acted professionally and reported that case,”he said. Fashola asked private hospitals to develop a first line of defence immediately on how to handle Ebola cases.
Ogun orders suspension of wildlife hunting
T •Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola SAN (right) with the Minister of Health, Professor Onyebuchi Chukwu (middle), and his Information and Communication counterpart, Mr. Labaran Maku, during a Federal Government delegation’s meeting with the governor on the Ebola Virus Disease at the Governor's Office, Lagos House, Ikeja...yesterday
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WO people have lost their lives in Jos, Plateau State as a result of the use of the salted water therapy to neutralise the effects of the Ebola virus. 20 other users are also being hospitalised. The two victims were said to have died due to the effects of heavy salt intake. The salt provoked the rise of their high blood preasure (BP) and they were rushed to the hospital where they later died. Those who died included a taxi driver and a woman from the Jos South Local Government Area of the state. A source, who spoke to our reporter and does not want his name in print, said about 20 persons are currently in various hospitals in the city. According to the source, the people rushed to the hospitals are hypertensive, adding that they are mostly women and children. Meanwhile, the Federal Government has advised Nigerians to disregard a text message and postings on social media that hot water and salt may be used to prevent the Ebola infection and cure infected persons. The Minister of Information, Mr Labaran Maku, said in a statement in Abuja yesterday that the people should disregard such rumours as cure had yet to be found for the disease. The message reads: “Please ensure that you and your family and all your neighbours bath with hot water and salt before daybreak today because of Ebola virus which is spreading through the air.’’ Maku said the information being circulated to Nigerians about the cure for the disease
HE Ogun State Govern ment has urged those hunting for wildlife and game animals to suspend their activities forthwith in the state as part of measures to curtail the outbreak of
Salted water therapy kills two was false and should not be taken seriously. “Nigerians have been urged to disregard rumours being circulated in the social media that bathing with hot water and salt cures the Ebola disease. “There is no cure yet for the Ebola disease. What is being circulated is only a rumour that will only mislead Nigerians,’’ he said.
•20 hospitalised • FG debunks remedy rumour, vows to prosecute culprits Yusufu AMINU IDEGU, Jos,
The minister said Nigerians had already been informed on the necessary steps to adopt to avoid the spread of the virus and would be duly informed on additional
measures when necessary. He urged the people to continue to maintain maximum environmental and personal hygiene to guard against contracting the virus. The federal and state
governments have been on the alert on the control of a possible spread of the virus. The government had also dismissed claims that bitter kola could be used to cure the disease or prevent people from contracting the disease.
Two more Nigerians down with virus— FG
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NE hundred and thirty-nine people are currently under surveillance for Ebola, Health Minister Onyebuchi Chukwu announced yesterday in Lagos. Nine cases have already been confirmed with the fatality rate of two. Chukwu with whom was Information Minister Labaran Maku told reporters that the situation could have been worse “but for what we are doing.” As he spoke,the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) shut down indefinitely its clinic at Muri Okunola, Victoria Island, Lagos, following a suspected case of the Ebola virus at the clinic. "As at Tuesday there were seven confirmed cases, but we got two more cases confirmed today (Friday) making it a total of nine cases. Seven out of the cases are alive and receiving treatment in Lagos, while two have died,” Chukwu said. But he said that despite the situation, no one should re-
•139 under surveillance ports, sea ports and land Oyeyemi GBENGAMUSTAPHA/ John OFIKHENUA, Abuja
gard Ebola as a death sentence. He warned people against wearing gloves in their attempt to avoid being infected by the virus. He said: “There is no need for people to be wearing gloves because, by doing so, they may be potentially be gathering the virus to unknowingly transmit to their community and immediate family members." The minister dismissed the salt water bath remedy for Ebola and threatened to track and prosecute the people behind the circulation of the misleading information. “Salt can cause further damage to health leading to non-communicable diseases such as hypertension and diabetes. For further help visitwww.ebolaalert.org; or call a toll free line080EBOLAHELP,” he said. He stressed the need for
people to engage in personal hygiene, especially constant hand washing with the use of soap and water. “Where there is shortage of water, people can also mix bleach with a bucket of water and clean their hands with same. I got this information from contacts in Liberia. People can also use sanitizers in the public places. “I must warn that nobody should wear hand gloves in public places or even wear (personal) protective garments. Those are meant for health workers working in the hospital where these Ebola suspects are being quarantined. Mr Maku said: “Nigeria will win this war against Ebola. We won against Guinea worm; chicken pox and about to finally kick out polio. So Ebola war too would be won. As part of measures to check the spread of the Ebola disease in the country, the government has commenced mandatory screening of all outbound passengers at the country’s air-
ports.” Health commissioners are scheduled to meet in Abuja on Monday on the development and other ways to contain its spread. In Abuja, the Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division of the NNPC,Mr. Ohi Alegbe, said the company’s clinic on Victoria Island ,Lagos had been shut down after a patient on admission there was found to have tested positive to virus. The corporation, in a statement, explained that the preemptive step was taken after the case was duly reported to the Federal Ministry of Health as well as officials of the Lagos State Ministry of Health. “In the meantime, all contacts with this case are being traced and adequate precautionary measures instituted to contain the possible spread of the disease,’’ the corporation stated. The medical team said the patient was in a stable condition.
Ebola virus in Nigeria. Commissioner for Agriculture, Mrs Ronke Sokefun, in a statement said hunting of wild life and game animals do facilitate the outbreak of the disease as they pose some risks. While noting that transmission is relatively easy through direct contact with bodily fluids, such as blood, saliva, sweat and vomit of infected animals, monkeys, or fruit bats, she advised that domestic pets be screened, especially at night in the area that are known to have significant bat population or areas that serve as migratory routes for bats. Sokefun also advised members of the public to stop the consumption of salvaged or dead animals, while meats should be properly cooked. The commissioner said currently, Ebola virus is at the human to human level, adding that her ministry had placed officials on alert for quick intervention at the Animal- Human Interface with four dedicated toll free lines08033371451, 0 8 0 3 3 7 9 4 4 5 0 , 08033892861, and 08025195494 for further information. Also the state government has stepped up security and surveillance along border areas in order to ensure the state remains Ebola free. Commissioner for Health in the state, Dr Olaokun Soyinka, who made this known in Abeokuta, said Governor Ibikunle Amosun has authorized further training of health workers, purchase of protective equipment for health workers and other agencies. He explained that the arrival of the disease necessitated increased action, particularly in informing the general public about the symptoms of Ebola, the behaviour of the virus and how to protect themselves.
THE NATION
NEWS 5
SATURDAY, AUGUST 9, 2014
THE EBOLA VIRUS
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IGERIA’S war on Ebola moved a notch higher yesterday. President Goodluck Jonathan proclaimed a national emergency to control and contain the spread of the virus which has already claimed the life of a Nigerian. One hundred and thirtynine other Nigerians across the country are under surveillance. A sum of N1.9billion is being released under a Special Intervention Plan to strengthen the anti-Ebola campaign. The Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the President, Dr. Reuben Abati, told State House correspondents that the funds will be used for the establishment of additional isolation centres, case management, contact tracing, deployment of additional personnel, screening at borders and the procurement of required items and facilities. The President had met stakeholders at the State House on the Ebola threat. The Federal Ministry of Health is to “work in collaboration with the state ministries of health, the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and other relevant agencies to ensure that all possible steps are taken to effectively contain the threat of the Ebola virus in line with international protocols and best practices." President Jonathan urged that the movement of corpses from one community to the other and from overseas into the country be stopped forthwith. “Every death should be reported to the relevant authorities, and special precautions should be taken in handling corpses," Abati said while re-
FG declares national emergency ligious and political groups, spiritual healing centres, families, associations and other bodies were asked to discourage gatherings and activities that may unwittingly promote close contact with infected persons or place others at risk for the meantime. Similarly, President Jonathan pleaded with state
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HE number one global health authority,World Health Organisation (WHO), yesterday declared the Ebola outbreak ravaging West Africa an international public health emergency. It said the situation requires an extraordinary response to stop its spread. It is the largest and longest outbreak ever recorded of Ebola with a death rate of about 50 per cent. The death toll so far stands at 961 in Liberia,Sierra Leone and Guinea. A Nigerian nurse who attended to the Liberian-American, Patrick Sawyer, at a Lagos hospital two weeks ago has also died of the virus. The authorities are monitoring seven other cases among people who had contact with Sawyer. WHO declared similar emergencies for the swine flu pandemic in 2009 and for polio in May. The WHO chief, Dr. Margaret Chan, said the announcement is “a clear call for international solidarity,” although she acknowledged that many countries would probably not have Ebola cases. “Countries affected to date
Augustine EHIKIOYA, Abuja
governments and private day care, nursery, primary and secondary school owners to consider the option of “extending the current school holiday until such a time when a national reassessment of the level of the Ebola threat is conducted." Public enlightenment agen-
cies, including privately-owned media organs, were told to “support government’s efforts and disseminate correct information in all Nigerian languages about preventive personal hygiene measures, the nature of the Ebola virus, modes of transmission and consequential steps to be taken in the event of infection.”
•••WHO too simply do not have the capacity to manage an outbreak of this size and complexity on their own,” Chan said at a news conference in Geneva and urged the international community to “provide this support on the most urgent basis possible.” The agency had convened an expert committee this week to assess the severity of the continuing epidemic. The current outbreak of Ebola emerged in Guinea in March and has since spread to Sierra Leone and Liberia, with a suspected cluster in Nigeria. Since it was first identified in 1976, there have been more than 20 outbreaks in central and eastern Africa; this is the first one to affect West Africa. The impact of the WHO declaration is unclear; the declaration about polio doesn’t yet seem to have slowed the spread of virus. “Statements won’t save lives,” said Dr. Bart Janssens, director of operations for Doctors Without Borders. “For weeks, we have been repeating that a massive medical, epidemiological and public health response is desperately needed.
Lives are being lost because the response is too slow.” “I don’t know what the advantage is of declaring an international emergency,” added Dr. David Heymann, who directed WHO’s response to the SARS outbreak and is now a professor at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. “This could bring in more foreign aid, but we don’t know that yet,” he said. In the United States, the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention already recommends against travelling to West Africa. The agency has also put US hospitals on alert for symptoms to spot potential cases as quickly as possible. Two Americans infected with Ebola recently received a drug never before tested in people and seem to be improving slightly, according to the charity they work for. Next week, WHO will hold another meeting to discuss whether it’s ethical to use experimental treatments and drugs in the current outbreak. There’s no evidence in people that the experimental treat-
The public was advised to desist from spreading false information about Ebola which can lead to mass hysteria, panic and misdirection, including unverified suggestions about the prevention, treatment, cure and spread of the virus. He also applauded the good work of health authoriments work and it would take months even to have a modest amount. There is no licensed drug or treatment for Ebola. Other experts hoped the WHO declaration would send more health workers to West Africa. “The situation is very critical and different from what we’ve seen before,” said Dr. Heinz Feldmann, chief of virology at the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease. “There are so many locations with transmission popping up and we just need more people on the ground.” WHO did not recommend any travel or trade bans, but said people who had close contact with Ebola patients should not travel internationally. For countries with Ebola, WHO issued various recommendations, including exit screening at international airports and border crossings to spot potential cases. It also discouraged mass gatherings. WHO said countries without Ebola should heighten their surveillance and treat any suspected case as a health emergency.
ties at both state and federal levels who traced persons who had contact with late Patrick Sawyer, isolated other identified cases and embarked on massive public enlightenment. Abati said: "As the effective implementation of the Federal Government's Special Intervention Plan will require other stakeholders to take certain precautionary steps that are supportive of the government’s initiative, the President calls on members of the public to follow all directives by health authorities and report any suspected Ebola case to the nearest health facility for immediate medical attention. "The President further directs the National Emergency Management Agency and similar agencies at the state level to strengthen their public enlightenment campaigns and to use their networks to distribute hand sanitisers and other protective items nationwide. “He has also directed the aviation and health authorities to embark on immediate intensification of the screening of travellers at all the nation’s borders. "Medical workers and other health professionals are expected to regard this declaration of a national emergency as a patriotic call to duty and service," he stated. At the stakeholders’ meeting were Vice President Namadi Sambo; Minister of State for Health Khaliru Alhassan; Petroleum Minister Diezani Alison-Madueke; Finance Minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala; Foreign Affairs Minister of State II Nurudeen Mohammed and Permanent Secretary of the Health Ministry.
Nigerian, one other show symptoms in Benin Republic •Test results awaited
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ENIN Republic says it has placed two patients with Ebola-like symptoms in isolation and is waiting for test results to establish, if the pair are infected with the deadly tropical disease. Deputy chief of staff at the health ministry, Moufalilou Aboubakar, told journalists that the two patients were being treated as suspected cases of Ebola and that blood samples had been sent to foreign laboratories for conclusive results. “We cannot say today that the virus is in Benin,” Aboubakar told reporters. “The patients are in isolation
and under observation, pending the results of the ongoing tests.” If the patients are confirmed to have Ebola, Benin would become the fifth country in the region to be hit by the outbreak. One patient was identified as a Nigerian man being treated at a hospital in the capital, Porto-Novo. The other is at a hospital in the economic capital, Cotonou. Cotonou is just a few hours drive from Lagos and there is significant traffic between the two cities each day, especially among traders.
•Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State (middle); his deputy, Mrs. Titi Laoye-Tomori; and Managing Director, Chams Plc, Mr. Demola Aladekomo, during the launch of the Student Biometric Cards for all public schools in the state recently
US drug agency lifts hold on experimental drug
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HE United State of America (USA) health body, the Food and Drug
Drug from Japan offers hope for cure
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drug from Japan’s Fujifilm Holdings Corp has emerged as a candidate for treating the Ebola virus, which has killed nearly 1,000 people in West Africa. The drug–an anti-influenza tablet called favipiravir–was created by a Fujifilm subsidiary, Toyama Chemical Co, and approved by the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare in March. A Fujifilm spokesman said yesterday that the company was in talks with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on
how to prepare for trials of the drug in treating Ebola. “Since Ebola and influenza viruses are the same type, theoretically, the same effects can be expected on Ebola,” said the spokesman. He added, however, that the drug is currently approved to treat only novel and re-emerging influenza viruses. Fears over Ebola are growing especially after two American medical aid workers were infected in Liberia with the disease, which has a fatality rate of up to 90%.
The two Americans were treated with an experimental drug not yet evaluated for safety in humans called ZMapp and developed by San Diego Mapp Biopharmaceutical Inc. They are currently hospitalized at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta. Fujifilm’s drug works in a different way from other anti-influenza drugs such as Tamiflu, the spokesman said. It inhibits viral gene replication within infected cells to prevent propagation.
Administration (FDA), has eased safety restrictions on an experimental drug to treat Ebola. The move could clear the way for its use in patients infected with the deadly virus. The drug is produced by a Canadian drug company, Tekmira Pharmaceuticals Corp. The company has a $140 million contract with the U.S. government to develop its drug, TKM-Ebola, which targets the genetic material of Ebola. But last month, the FDA halted a small study of the injection in adults to request additional safety information. Tekmira said on Thursday the agency "verbally confirmed" changes to the hold that may allow the company
to make the drug available, although it has yet to be proven as safe and effective. The Tekmira Ebola drug is different from ZMapp used in treating two Americans diagnosed with Ebola recently. The FDA's move came amid an Ebola outbreak in West Africa that health officials warn could sicken more
people than all previous outbreaks of the disease combined. More than 1,700 people have been sickened in the current outbreak, which began in March. Currently, there are no licensed drugs or vaccines for the deadly disease. Several are in various stages of development, but none has been rigorously tested in humans.
Kano designates hospitals to handle cases
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HE Kano State government has designated some of its hospitals for the handling of possible Ebola cases in the state. The hospitals have accordingly been equipped with protective wear and vehicles for the purpose,according to Governor Rabi’u Kwankwaso. The governor,at a press conference in Kano, said government is working with the federal government at airports and land borders to prevent the virus from spreading to the state. But he said there has been no report of Ebola in the state. He told the people of the state to ensure personal hygiene and take care of their environment.
THE NATION,
6 News
SATURDAY, AUGUST 9, 2014
U.S. takes control of $480m stolen by Abacha W
ASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States has taken control of more than $480 million looted by former Nigerian dictator Sani Abacha and his asso-
ciates after a court ruling, the Justice Department said on Thursday. The money stolen during Abacha’s 1993-1998 de facto presidency of the oilrich African nation and
stashed in banks around the world will be returned to the Nigerian government, the department said in a statement. “Rather than serve his county, General Abacha
used his public office in Nigeria to loot millions of dollars, engaging in brazen acts of kleptocracy,” Assistant Attorney General Leslie Caldwell said in the statement.
U.S. District Judge John Bates in Washington ordered on Wednesday that the funds, frozen by the Justice Department in March, be forfeited to U.S. control. The judgment includes about $303 million in two bank accounts in the British offshore center of Jersey and $144 million in two bank accounts in France. Three accounts in the United Kingdom and Ireland hold at least $27 million, the statement said. Claims to another $148 million in four investment portfolios in the United Kingdom are pending. Abacha, who took took power in a coup, died in 1998. Nigeria has been fighting for years to recover his money, but companies linked to the Abacha family have gone to court to prevent repatriation. Between $3 billion and $5 billion of public money was looted dur-
ing Abacha’s regime, according to Transparency International. The Justice Department suit filed in November 2013 saying that Abacha, his son Mohammed Sani Abacha, their associate Abubakar Atiku Bagudu and others embezzled, misappropriated and extorted money from the Nigerian government. They laundered funds by buying bonds backed by the United States using U.S. financial institutions, prosecutors said. The assets were held in banks that included Deutsche Bank AG, HSBC Holdings Plc and Banque SBA, according to the lawsuit. In June, after a 16-year legal battle, Nigeria recovered from Liechtenstein $228 million stolen by Abacha and his associates. As of last year, Nigeria had recovered about $1.3 billion of Abacha’s money from various European jurisdictions
NMA President resigns •Some security operatives deployed for the election
PHOTO: NAN
Two candidates withdraw from Osun governorship race
O
SUN State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mr. Olusegun Agbaje, yesterday disclosed that two of the candidates for today’s governorship election have quit the race. Agbaje, who disclosed this in an interview with our reporter in Osogbo yesterday, did not however disclose the identities of the candidates and their parties. But he said that their decision to quit the race so late amounted to a contravention of the electoral law which stipulates that a candidate cannot pull out less than 25 days to the election.
•INEC assures on credible election Seun AKIOYE “What they have done is that they would waste the votes of their supporters who would vote for them,” he said. Agbaje, however, assured that today’s governorship election will be free and fair, adding that the commissioner had spared no efforts in ensuring a credible free and fair election. He said that all electoral materials had been distributed and secured while every necessary operation had been carried out to ensure a hitch-free election.
Sani warns against rigging in Osun election
CIVIL rights activist Comrade Shehu Sani, yesterday warned against rigging in today’s Governorship Election in Osun State. He also urged resistance to coercion and brigandage in the state. Sani, in a statement ahead of the election condemned the use of troops to intimidate voters,warning: “The Osun state Gubernatorial elections must not be rigged.” “The massive deployment of troops and the gale of arrest of APC chieftains in the state stands condemned. The people of Osun and indeed all the people of Nigeria must stand firm in the defence of free,transparent and fair elections in Osun,” he said. Any attempt to rig the election,he stressed would amount to a declaration of war against all Nigerians and a deliberate mutilation of the 1999. He added: “Ekiti must not repeat itself in Osun.The use of heavily armed troops by the Federal Government is aimed at intimidating the voters of Osun just as it was done in Ekiti. Nigerians must
Yusuf ALLI, Managing Editor, Northern Operation
resist coercion and brigandage. “We fought military dictatorship to a stand still we can together defeat the misuse of armed troops to rig elections. “The resort of the ruling PDP and their dogs to use the presence of soldiers to win elections is a testimony to their unpopularity. PDP believes and depends on physical force to win elections. “Injustice and evil flourishes when it’s not resisted at its budding stage.osun elections will determine the sanity, orderliness or otherwise of the 2015 general elections. All Nigerians must be interested on what is happening in Osun. “The future of our country is bleak under reactionary and retrogressive forces whose mission in power is lining their pockets with public funds. Genuine democratic forces must be supported in all respect. “If we allow guns and boots to determine the results of our elections,guns and boots will decide the fate of our democracy.”
He said: “I want to assure everybody that INEC will be transparent throughout the conduct of the election. We are prepared. Everything is set. We plead with the electorate to go about their vot-
ing without fear. We are neutral. INEC has no party or candidate, so we cannot dictate to anyone. “The people should come out and vote for the candidate of their choice. After the election, we call on both winner and losers to be magnanimous in whatever they do.”
Lai Mohammed arrested
•Continued from Page 3 its members across the state. The party’s Director of Publicity, Research and Strategy,Mr. Kunle Oyatomi, asked the security agencies to refrain from getting partisan in the governorship poll. The APC alleged that it was clear that the security men were working for the PDP. Agriculture Commissioner Adedoyin and the Osogbo council chairman were allegedly abducted by PDP thugs in separate incidents.
Massive harassment of APC leaders and supporters was also said to be going on last night in Ile Ife,Ilesa and Osogbo. PDP leaders at a late night meeting yesterday in Ile-Ife resolved to ensure that no APC leader in Ife is allowed out of his house during today’s election. The office of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Osogbo was also burgled yesterday by unknown people.
PRESIDENT, Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), Dr. Kayode Obembe yesterday resigned from office. His exit came 24 hours after he announced the suspension of the strike embarked upon by the association. Obembe in the Thursday statement calling off the strike, said the decision followed positive signals from government at the negotiation table and the need for doctors to join in the war on Ebola in the country. He was soon contradicted by a faction of the association which dissociated itself from the strike call-off. The stance of the pro-strike faction seemed to have forced Obembe to throw in the towel. In a three paragraph letter yesterday,he said: “There has been a request for clarification about the two postings from NMA secre-
Vincent IKUOMOLA, Abuja tariat, on the NMA blog. “I want to make it categorically clear that I stand by every letter of the document I signed – That the strike was suspended. “And since upon my integrity and honour, I cannot continue to drive the doctrine of ‘strike continues’, I hereby tender my letter of resignation as NMA president. “What I have written, I have written.” The faction declared that the strike would continue until the federal government addressed all its 24 demands. It was learnt that most of the delegates from the 36 states of the federation and FCT were against the suspension of the strike as they had insisted not to call off the strike until government meets all their demands.
Confab: Lagos delegates may not endorse report THE delegates representing Lagos State in the National Conference have resolved not to sign the final report to be presented to President Goodluck Jonathan. Their decision was prompted by the failure of the conference leadership to allow the presentation of the state memorandum for consideration during the plenary. The conference is to reconvene on Monday to review and adopt its resolutions preparatory to the compilation of the final report to be endorsed by members. A Lagos delegate who confided in our correspondent said: “Several attempts made to present the state memorandum were rebuffed. The position of Lagos was not allowed to fly. “Our opinion was not reflected in the Yoruba agenda accepted by the conference. Every move made by the Lagos delegates to be part of Yoruba position was rejected. Given the treatment
Leke SALAUDEEN meted out to us by the conference leadership, we may not sign the final report.” Reflecting on the delegates position, Chief (Mrs) Yetunde Arobieke said: “We in the Lagos East Senatorial District support the decision of the delegates not to endorse the conference report because it does not reflect the interest of Lagos State.” Arobieke, the immediate past chairperson of AgboyiKetu Local Council Development Area, cited three issues in the memorandum that are critical to socio-economic development of the state but which were never allowed to be aired by the conference leadership. She explains thus: “The issue of Value Added Tax is very crucial to the economic viabililty of Lagos State. Oil producing states are talking of derivation because of the values that oil contributes to the Federation Account. Much of the VAT proceeds
that go into the federal purse are generated in Lagos. “So if the oil producing states are qualified for derivation, Lagos too is entitled to it on the basis of VAT. “The Lagos State position is that immediate steps should be taken to repeal the Value Added Tax Act and the Federal Government should forthwith desist from the practice, administration and collection of VAT. “In true federalism, the central authority lacks control over waterways. The right of sub-national states to their intra-state waterways is inviolable. “It is a breach of the rule of law for central authorities to administer inland territory of any state in Nigeria against the wishes of the people of the states. “We expect the Federal agencies to respect the constitutional autonomy of states over intra-state inland waters, its violation must abate forthwith. “We made a case for special
status for Lagos. “Up till tomorrow New York is still being compensated for being former United States capital. Lagos should not be abandoned because capital has been taken to Abuja. Federal roads in Lagos are abandoned. For example the Federal government has failed to maintain OshodiApapa High way that leads to the sea ports where the Federal Government generates huge revenue on daily basis. “Our position is that Lagos should be accorded special status for the purposes of allocation of revenue and other resources as a final line charge on the national budet in keeping with recognised practice of rehabilitation for former capital territories.” Arobieke said no one should blame the Lagos delegates for refusing to sign the report. The report has not taken the interest of the state into consideration, she added.
THE NATION, SATURDAY, AUGUST 9, 2014
COMMENTARY
7
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From 1923 under the founder of Modern Turkey, Kemal Ataturk, Turkey evolved a secular constitution and the army was made the guardian of that creed from 1923. Which meant that the army regularly removed in coups any PM that violated secularity and tried to bring in anything Islamist
Quarantine elections, Ebola and security HE news this week that a US doctor who arrived in that nation with the Ebola virus must have escaped the quarantine set up at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos gave me the jitters, although my nerves were soon calmed by the assertion of the experts that the spread of the disease in Lagos was controllable. They went on state that such escape from quarantine was possible in situations where breaches occur in meticulous infection control, contact tracing and proper isolation of patients with Ebola. Ebola indeed is a terrible disease made more lethal by the fact that some of its symptoms like bleeding and coughing occur in other diseases and that can complicate its immediate identification before it kills which it does invariably. The only good thing about Ebola however is that it is not carried in the air which would have made it even more deadly and dangerous. However, Oshun state in Nigeria is having its gubernatorial elections today in spite of the Ebola outcry and Ebola is the last thing on the mind of the contestants and voters. But it seems to me that the state is in a state of quarantine of sorts. Not the Ebola type, but a water tight security put in place by the authorities to prevent rigging according to the news report. The rationale for this, if one is speculative is that the fierce security apparatus can drive away thugs and hoodlums who harass voters at our elections, and prevent them from using their vote to make a choice of candidates as expected in a free and fair election. Yet the same apparatus can similarly deter voters to come out and vote if they fear for their lives from the way the security people were said to be firing in the air when they arrived in the state capital, Oshogbo, sometime ago. This means that the incumbent state governor can not handle security for today’s elections even though technically he is the chief security officer for the state and is a leading contestant in the elections. Such security are in the hands of the Police and Army which are federal agents today in a state that the Commander in Chief has come to campaign for the incumbent governor’s opponent
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and has reportedly given directives. Which are to ensure the victory of his party’s candidate, by all or any means, which are amply and menacingly on the ground to intimidate even those voters bold enough to come out and perform their civic duties, in such a charged political environment. Yet quarantines can be broken whether Ebola or Electoral as the US citizen that broke that at the Murtala Muhammed Airport this week has shown. While it is dangerous and condemnable to break diseases’ quarantine it is a salutary responsibility and legitimate civic duty to break any election quarantine that seeks to isolate, intimidate and frighten voters away from the polling booths where they are expected to cast their ballots in an atmosphere of peace and serenity. Doubtlessly having voters vote in an atmosphere of belligerence creates a peace of the grave yard which cannot produce a genuine legitimacy for those calling the shots at that point in time. The Oshun state elections today create such an environment. Still, it is the duty of the citizens of that state to defy the odds bravely as descendants of Ogedengbe in Ilesha, Oranmiyan and Moremi in Ile Ife and Timi of Ede. Great Yoruba warriors who defied the odds to stand for justice and equity in their time and who will, in their graves expect their descendants to fight to assert their voting rights in today’s elections by braving the odds to vote at all costs. I ask them like Henry V rallied his small band of soldiers against the much bigger French army at the Battle of Agincourt in Shakespeare’s play of that monarch’s name to ‘attest that those whom ye called fathers did beget you‘ and ‘be copy now to men of lesser blood and teach them how to war‘ and just go out and vote bravely today. Similarly tomorrow Sunday August 10, in Turkey, the presidential elections to elect that nation’s first elected president will take place. It is widely expected that Turkey’s incumbent PM Tayyip Erdogan will be elected. Erdogan’s political and electoral history should be an inspiration to Oshun voters because he broke an electoral and constitutional quarantine in Turkey and that is what is expected of the good people of Oshun, in today’s elections. Let me briefly narrate Erdogan’s quarantine -breaking historical political and electoral
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romance story here. From 1923 under the founder of Modern Turkey, Kemal Ataturk, Turkey evolved a secular constitution and the army was made the guardian of that creed from 1923. Which meant that the army regularly removed in coups any PM that violated secularity and tried to bring in anything Islamist. This was also strengthened by Turkey’s biggest ambition to be a member of the EU even though the last German Pope and Angela Merkel Germany’s Iron lady Chancellor, have reportedly said that Turkey is Islamist and Europe is Christian, and they do not want an Islamist state in the heart of Europe. Erdogan since he became PM has not been rattled or bothered by such provocations and has been pursuing Turkey’s ambition of EU membership with all vigour and is the most popular politician in Turkey today. Since 2001 when he founded his AK Party in Turkey he has won three elections back to back with his party on his ideological platform of religious conservatism. Which violates Turkey’s secular creed but he has gotten away literally with murder in the process, jailing Army generals who planned coups in the past and putting on trials in the courts those suspected for potential coups. Yet, he remains popular and has literally castrated the secular bull of the army. If he wins tomorrow as widely expected he will operate a constitution that is not yet presidential but which he will be expected to railroad to a presidential one with his fresh, new, elected presidential mandate. Such is the of ambition made of sterner stuff that Turkey’s PM is made of, in breaking the constitutional taboo or quarantine in Turkey with popular, political and electoral mandates and victories. Again, if he wins he is expected to have two 5- year terms and lead Turkey till 2023. Erdogan has thus broken political quarantines successively in Turkey and has shown that with good performance no political system changes a winning team at the polls and vice versa. The ball is certainly in the court of the teeming masses of Oshun voters to go out and use their mandate as they wish today as the Turks have done for a decade for Erdogan in the last four elections in that nation. I wish them happy and safe voting in doing so.
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THE NATION, SATURDAY, AUGUST 9, 2014
COMMENTARY
Insurgents drain of our girl-child’s brain HE spate of female suicide bombings in Nigeria has become alarming and deplorable. Exacerbating the already appalling situation is the emerging trend where murderous insurgents use female children to carry out an increasing number of suicide bombings. A significant majority of the recent suicide bombers in Nigeria are believed to be girls between the ages of 10 and 16, with some speculations putting the number near 80 percent. The latest (fourth) female suicide bombing in less than a week occurred in Kano State Polytechnic; according to reports, it killed six people. Earlier, two female suicide bombers were reported to have blown themselves up at a trade show and petrol station in Kano, killing one person and injuring about six people. Another female suicide bomber was also reported to have killed herself when trying to target some police officers. In Potiskum, Yobe State, two female suicide bombers are believed to have killed about 13 people in attacks on two mosques. This recent technique by the insurgents to further cause mayhem and perpetuate their atrocities is indeed scary, as it involves females and, more especially, children. Children and females are generally viewed as the most unsuspecting to carry out such an odious endeavor. It is no wonder the insurgents have begun recruiting and using them as foot soldiers and vessels in propagating their misguided war in order, no doubt, to cause maximum destruction. This latest tactic being employed by insurgents is disgusting and reprehensible. It marks a new low for a sect so desperate to actualize bloodletting on a gargantuan scale. At this point, every reasonable, sane Nigerian must be anxious to see that this band of marauding barbarians, who are ready to go to the extent of sacrificing weak and defenseless women and children for their criminal cause, is stopped and brought to book at all costs. Even in their insane, warped understanding of their ‘so-called’ jihad mission, these insurgents must know that, in Islam, “jihad” is not obligatory for women. Even in the extreme cases found in the history of Islam when jihad was evoked, in order for jihad to be obligatory, there are seven conditions that have to be satisfied. These are: being a Muslim, being an adult, being of sound mind, being free, being male, being physically sound and being able to afford it financially. With regards to children taking part in jihad, Hadith tells us that a companion of Prophet Mohammed (PBUH), Ibn ‘Umar, said: “I presented myself to the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) on the day of Uhud when I was fourteen years old, and he did not let me join the fighting.” Also, regarding women taking part in jihad, in the Hadith of ‘Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her), she asked Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) thus: “O Messenger of Allah, do women have to engage in jihad?” His response was: “Jihad in which there is no fighting: Hajj and ‘Umrah’.” In essence, this ‘supposed’ jihad these insurgents are fighting, misconstruing Islamic texts and teachings, enkindling and coaxing some Islamic faithful into their cause is largely wrong, profane and a flagitious crime. And no true Muslim who knows the first basic fact about Islam can support, tolerate or understand where these lunatics are coming from. And to be honest, while these morons go around labeling everyone else as ‘infidels,’ it is them that misconstrue the real meaning of Islam that are the true infidels. They are the real ‘kaffir’s’ because they do not accept the message of peace of the Islamic faith. Very worrying is the possibility that the girls and women being used for these suicide bombings could be from among the teeming girls and women that the insurgents continue to kidnap. The kidnap of over 200 girls from Chibok – they are still in captivity over 100 days later – was just a cataclysm that garnered much media attention. The pre- and post-Chibok tragedy has seen pockets of girls and women being kidnapped by the insurgents. Apart from our Chibok girls, there have been various reports and eyewitness accounts of other women and girls being consistently kidnapped. Are some of the kidnapped girls being trained and used as potential foot soldiers and suicide bombers? One can only imagine the amount of pressure and tactics used on the women and girls coerced into giving up their lives for a cause they really know nothing about. Many of the children used for suicide bombing operations, procured through outright kidnapping and coercion by insurgents, are believed to partake in it out of fear, loaded upon them by their extremist captors’ overbearing psychological influence. One can only fathom the level of indoctrination, enslavement and threats these girls and women may have gone through in the hands of the sect before involuntarily accepting to blow themselves up. It is highly plausible that these women, especially the girls, have been repeatedly threatened. Their families could very well have been used as a weapon or bargaining chips to ensure the girls’ susceptibility to the insurgents’ every command and caprice. Eyewitnesses in a recent incident where a girl blew herself up in a failed attack on some police officers stated that they could see the fright in her eyes as she approached her victims. She didn’t
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appear to want to die, certainly not in that manner. It seemed obvious to many who saw her that she was most likely compelled or coerced to carry out the suicide mission. In countries that have witnessed a high incidence of child suicide bombings, some of the children who have been rescued have said that many of them were coerced into agreeing to take part in suicide bombings for fear of losing their mothers, sisters and other members of their family. This might very well be the case in Nigeria as well. In addition to kidnapped children, we must consider that a large portion of the children used by this particular group of insurgents are probably ‘almajiri’s’ and vulnerable children from less privileged families who have been brainwashed through networks of religious schools. It is common practice, especially in Northern Nigeria, for young children from poor families to be taken for Quranic studies with an Imam that is in a state, which is far from where their parents live. This, in large part, constitutes the ‘almajiri’ system. If a very young child being sent to a religious school ends up with an Imam who is a fundamentalist, raving lunatic, hell-bent on carrying out a misguided, outrageous mass murdering mission, the brainwash of such a guileless and impressionable child for the insurgent’s goal, proceeds. Once an impressionable child finds themselves within the clutches of such fundamentalist insurgents, whether through being kidnapped or by going to a fundamentalist Imam for Quranic studies, especially if they are isolated and separated from any influence that is contrary to that of the insurgents or from any contact with an alternative surrogate authority, it wouldn’t be difficult for the children to be manipulated and indoctrinated in preparation for militant operations. It follows that they are likely to be easily susceptible to the influence of that extremist. The lack of access to a perspective that is different from the one that the insurgents are brain washing the children with, means that they will almost completely be oblivious to any alternative understanding or perception. In this context, they could easily be seduced, bribed, tricked, manipulated or coerced to believe; by submitting themselves as ‘weapons of God,’ they would be acting in the name of Islam and by virtue of that, would receive the ultimate reward of heaven if they successfully carry out their operations. In this respect, the young children taken and molded into carrying out these heinous acts are as much the casualties of insurgency as those that they murder; they are casualties of an extremely ruthless exploitation process. This practice amongst the rural Northern-Muslim community, where parents allow their children to be taken to different states for Quranic studies with unknown Mallams and Imams is one that has caused the North nothing positive but regression, lack of development, ignorance, illiteracy and narrow-mindedness. It is necessary for the federal government and every Northern state government and legislature to seriously look into ways of tackling the insurgency by regulating and monitoring the ‘state-to-state’ Quranic studies, completely putting an end to the almajiri practice, establishing far reaching programs that can take care of neglected youths and also consider a more pragmatic and scientific approach in order to curb this menace. However, while this ‘brainwashed and coerced paradigm’ may explain the girl and child suicide bombers phenomenon being adopted by the insurgents, one must consider the possibility that some of the bombers could have been on drugs or were mentally deranged. Furthermore, the possibility of them being so poor and impoverished, that they opted for a better life in the hereafter formed from their understanding of sacrificing themselves in ‘jihad’ is altogether not too farfetched. While the insurgent leaders prey on the weak and uneducated and exhort their minions into giving their lives for suicide missions, it appears that they make sure that themselves and their own children are not among those carrying out the missions. Why is the world yet to hear of one of the sons or daughters of the insurgent leader carrying out in ‘deed, not in words,’ what their father sermonizes and demands? One can be sure that the boastful and conceited leader of the insurgency would be more than willing to announce the fact that his child or wives have sacrificed themselves in a jihad mission in one of his recorded
tirades… had they already done so! It really is sad that the young Nigerian men and women sent on these suicide missions, with a promise of everlasting life in paradise don't ask; why the leaders sending them out don’t go on the missions themselves or send their wives and children to blow themselves up instead? Whenever the insurgents release footage of their leader’s incoherent and bizarre rants via the internet, boasting about the groups’ latest act of terror and yapping about the Muslim’s duty to sacrifice themselves and their children, one seriously can’t help but question why ‘he’ hadn’t ‘put his money where he mouth is’ and offered himself and his own offspring for the very sacrifice that he has forced on other people’s children. Repeatedly, the leader of the insurgents has stated that, if he is eliminated like his predecessor was, he has trained other more ferocious potential leaders to take over the mantle of his leadership and continue with the reign of terror. But if he truly believed that: if he truly had confidence in the fact that he had created a solid milieu of jihad, violence and death, then why had he not already offered himself in that ultimate sacrifice, instead of preparing other people’s children to be sacrificed in his death cult? It really is impossible to understand what right these insurgent leaders think they have to send other people’s children to their deaths and the deaths of a mass of innocent victims, while they and their own children live. It is pathetic and the ultimate display of cowardice for them to tempt young children in order to urge them to their deaths. The authorities must step up its game and treat these urchins in the manner that murderous terrorists should be treated. Their menace has got to be curbed… and it has got to be curbed now! Certainly the time has come for those that are directly involved in finding a solution to this nightmare to look at other motives that may be driving this insurgency: what is motivating or inducing the insurgents and what their ulterior motive is. Are those who carry out the suicide missions, impoverished, voiceless dupes tricked into killing themselves or conscious actors who do not need to be brainwashed? Or is there a financial motive pushing the bombers or are they just individuals who are politically and religiously motivated? At the risk of stating the obvious, I’ve got to say that the soft approach is just not working in Nigeria and it isn’t recording any meaningful successes; instead, the insurgents have become even more brazen in some of their attacks on innocent Nigerians. Government has got to do every single thing necessary to adequately protect civilians and expose these murdering criminals. The government and its security apparatus needs to go back to the drawing board and fashion out a decisive permanent solution to a murdering menace, that has no conscience and is willing to, not only kidnap innocent children in the middle of the night, but to also cause huge pain and devastation by, likely, using them as weapons of mass destruction. The onus remains on the government, via its security apparatus, to expose and unveil those behind the “mask” masquerading as a jihadist sect, putting an end to their reign of terror, violence and atrocities once and for all. What we are witnessing can just not go on! The rise of suicide bombing carried out by children alarmingly demonstrates that, if the current trend continues, the destruction, death and mayhem to come will surpass our very worst nightmare. The use of female suicide bombers is certainly a new phenomenon in our clime and the war against terror. It’s a travesty that these murdering, callous insurgent buffoons operating within our shores can’t fathom how absolutely reprehensible it is. The use of female suicide bombers by the Nigerian insurgents shows just how far these vermin are willing to go in furthering their cause and the reign of terror in this great country of ours. They have consistently shown that they are inhumane, callous and barbaric; and, with this current tactic, they have shown how sadistic and cruel they can be. They have shown that they are bent on fanning out their atrociousness by whatever means available to them, irrespective of age or gender. They have shown that they are capable of the most monstrous acts, provided the resultant effect leads to fatalities. They have shown that they are no respecters of constituted authority and places of worship, as they have been known to target or spread their terror to churches and mosques. They have shown that they have no regard for any person and any religious authority, as they have carried out attacks on top Islamic clerics, Christian clergymen and top northern and southern leaders. Apparently, it should be understood that these terrorist insurgents are repugnant to every religion and belong in the lowest oubliette of hell! As long as we fail to stop these insane monsters in the shortest possible time and allow them to continue wrapping themselves like snakes around impressionable young children, especially with the latest tactic where cowards and insurgents will ‘drain a girl-child’s brain’ in order to achieve maximum destruction, their special brand of evil might just… consume us all!
‘The Dayo Adeyeye I know’ N a sense, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, the new Minister of State for Works, can be likened to the proverbial patient dog that eats the fattest bone. His swearing in as minister on July 9 by President Goodluck Jonathan, following his confirmation by the Senate, was the reward for patience. That was his second chance for ministerial appointment. His initial nomination by then President Umaru Yar’Adua did not succeed, apparently because some people were not favourably disposed to it. But he was not deterred by this; rather, he remained steadfast in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) which he joined after leaving the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN). Adeyeye may look back today and be glad that the long wait is worth it. Many others who are not politically rugged would have lost faith in themselves, and perhaps jumped from one political party to the other, especially given what initially looked like a jinxed political career.
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Adeyeye, an Ekiti prince, was born on April 4, 1957, at IkereEkiti, to late Oba David Opeyemi Adeyeye, Agunsoye II, Arinjale of Ise-Ekiti (1932 to 1976). His mother was Olori Mary Ojulege Adeyeye, a princess of Are, Ikere-Ekiti. He attended St. John’s Primary School, Are, Ikere-Ekiti between 1964 and 1968, from where he proceeded to Annunciation School, Ikere-Ekiti (1969-1973). He is an old student of the famous Christ School,Ado-Ekiti (1973-1975). A political science graduate of the University of Ibadan (1978), Adeyeye also bagged aMaster’s Degree in Political Science (International Relations) from the University of Lagos in 1981. The quest for further knowledge, typical of most Ekiti, propelled him to pursue a degree in law from the same university in 1986 and he was subsequently called to the Nigerian Bar in 1987. In his 57 years on earth, Adeyeye has been a teacher, journalist
and legal practitioner (and if we may add, politician) and he has made a success of almost all the endeavours. He taught during his national youth service at Isuikwuato High School, Isuikwuato, Imo State (1978-1979) and continued in that line at Mary Immaculate Grammar School, Ado-Ekiti, in 1980. It was in 1981 that he switched over to journalism, as he was appointed Editor 11 at the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), Ikoyi, Lagos. He also worked briefly at Rank Xerox Ltd in 1983 before returning to journalism, specifically to The Punch, where he held various editorial positions, including features editor and associate editor, from 1983 to 1987. He was a prolific writer who, as we used to say, wrote on ‘burning national and international issues’. Adeyeye thereafter decided to work for himself at his law firm, Dayo Adeyeye and Co, where he was the prin-
• Continued on page 10
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Dayo Adeyeye, a study in patience and integrity • Continued from page 8
However, the then Governor Segun Oni of Ekiti State compensated him with the position of Executive Chairman of Ekiti State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB). He made his mark there, ultimately winning the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) Award for the South-West in 2009. In demonstration of uncommon selflessness, he used the N70million prize money to provide more infrastructure for schools in the state. That same year, the Presidential Committee on Schools Debate also adjudged him the ‘Most Innovative SUBEB Chairman in the Country’. Needles to mention that he also got the trophy as the Best Performing SUBEB Chairman in the South-West of Nigeria! Without doubt, his role at SUBEB must have prepared him for higher responsibilities. During his tenure, about 12,000 teachers in the state were trained on contemporary teaching methods. He is reputed to have impacted on the face of public school buildings in the state with the storey-buildings and tiled floors that he introduced; even pupils will continue to remember that they stopped carrying furniture to school when he was SUBEB chairman. But if Adeyeye was sidelined in the political arrangement under the ACN, he suffered the same fate even in the PDP in the run-up to the recently held governorship election in the state. Adeyeye, seen by many in the PDP in the state as a rallying point, made another attempt at ruling Ekiti State when the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced the commencement of this year’s governorship election. The PDP, as usual, called for primary election but the party head-
cipal partner between 1990 and 2000. Within the period too, he was into politics as well as prodemocracy activism. He has a chequered history in this regard, though. From a humble beginning as a member of the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO), an organisation that was a thorn in the flesh of the country’s military dictators, his political profile has continued to rise. He had also served as Director of Publicity of the Falae for President Campaign Organisation (1990-1992); Adviser on Policy Matters, M.K.O. Abiola for President Campaign Organisation (1993); spokesperson for the Alliance for Democracy (AD) as well as member, South-West Delegation to the Nigerian Leaders of Thought Conference, Abuja (2001). Adeyeye was also National Publicity Secretary of the Pan-Yoruba Socio-political group, Afenifere from 2001 to 2004 and returned to his position as spokesperson of the Alliance for Democracy from 2004 to 2006. One intriguing aspect of him is that he knew what he wanted a long time ago and went straight for it. Apparently, that was why he never stayed too long in any place where he had worked until he got to the place of his heart’s desire – politics. Perhaps the exceptions were The Punch where he spent about four years and on his own job as principal partner of his law firm. And he had equipped himself for his pet role, both academically and practically. Indeed, since his foray into politics in his early 30s, he has never looked back. He never allowed the obstacles on his path to discourage him. Many may wonder why a man like him who started with the progressives eventually found his way to the PDP. He has his reasons; whether they are good enough or not is not the issue. That would depend on the person making the judgment. Although some would argue that his exit from the progressive camp had its roots in his being denied the senatorial R E S I D E N T slot for his Ekiti South Senatorial District, both in 1999 and Goodluck Jonathan 2003, the visible point of departure however was the 2006 said on Friday that governorship election in Ekiti State where Adeyeye, in the (then) AD which later metamorphosed into the ACN, was Nigeria will not comprorunner-up to Dr Kayode Fayemi (who later became govermise its sovereignty and nor) in a primary that was seen by some people as controversial. This led to the defection of 13 of the 16 aspirants from the ACN. Adeyeye was one of the 13. Not long after his defection, perhaps to encourage him to stay in the ruling party, the then President Umaru Yar’Adua nominated him for ministerial appointment but he appeared haunted by his past roles as spokesperson of the opposition party, as he was replaced by someone else, apparently by some party hawks.
quarters in Abuja prevailed on all contestants to step down for (now) governor-elect, Ayo Fayose. In line with the party’s directive, Adeyeye was the first person to announce his withdrawal from the race. He also promised to work with the party’s anointed candidate, that is, Fayose, in the election. Irrespective of what one might have against him, the fact remains that Adeyeye has distinguished himself as a dependable ally. Yes, he left the ACN when he felt sidelined, but he has pitched his tent with the party, both when it was convenient and when it is otherwise. It is also on record that while many NADECO chiefs sought refuge abroad, he refused to leave the country during the heady days of the June 12 political struggle, even as the Abacha junta went on the rampage, haunting every member of the opposition that it suspected was sympathetic to the June 12 cause. All said, Adeyeye has to realise that his appointment as minister of state for works demands more work. There is a lot to do to make our roads motorable. So, it is not an opportunity for politicking like another minister of state who fiddled in a crucial ministry while Rome burned. It is time for serious business and he can make a lot of difference, irrespective of the political party that he belongs to. But whether or not it is yet the fattest bone for him is a matter for conjecture. •Olu Ayela, Veteran journalist based in Lagos.
Sovereignty of Nigeria will not be compromised —Jonathan
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territorial integrity in the face of current security challenges. Jonathan, represented by the Minister of Defence, Gen. Aliyu Gusau, said this at the graduation ceremony of Course 22 Participants of the National Defence College (NDC) in Abuja. He said that government had x-rayed the fletching position and environment of terrorism in the country because of its extreme destructive and socio-economic impact. Consequently, he said government had initiated a number of programmes and dedicated platform to the suffering of the people in the aid recovery. ``We have made some gains against the adversary, we face an unspeakable evil and we must confront it with all our national endowment. ``As government we will not compromise our sovereignty and territorial integrity of Nigeria and we will not allow the authority of Nigerian state to be challenged. ``Education is a human right which is invaluable transformational value and is the basis of our development progress. ``We shall not give up that right for some faceless, misguided, selfstyled using the means of terror,’’ he said. Jonathan said that the government was evolving a broad base national security strategy anchored on the holistic wellbeing of the Nigerian people. ``We will actively promote and hold on to societal goal and security that optimise our collective national strength.’’ He, therefore, called on all Nigerians across parti-
san, ethnic, religious and cultural divide to close ranks with government to end insurgency, saying ``there is no challenge that can divide the collective will of Nigerianss’’. ``May I also use this opportunity to assure all Nigerians that we are committed to bringing back the Chibok girls alive,’’ Jonathan declared. He said the role of the Armed Forces intelligence and security agencies in the expanded security approach was crucial and urged them to take proactive measures. ``On the part of government, we are committed to improve institutional capacity, platform and equipment, human and resources endowment of our security agencies to meet these challenges. ``Let me use this opportunity to salute the gallantry of men and women of the armed forces, the police, intelligence and the security agencies, and emergency services for their loyal and patriotic service to the nation. ``My heart goes to all the service men that had paid the supreme sacrifice, so that other Nigerians may continue to live in peace and security. ``I wish to convey my personal sympathy to Nigerians, who had in one way or the other suffered human and material loss on account of terrorism. ``Let me use this opportunity to congratulate the commandant, members of faculty for successfully conducting and completing NDC Course 22,’’ said the president. Earlier in his welcome address, Commandant of the NDC, Rear Adm. Patrick Agholor, said that the graduation ceremony
was another successful academic journey at the college. Agholor said that during the past 44 weeks of the course, the participants received series of lectures on a wide range of subjects and undertook field trips, study tours and visits to carefully selected locations and states in Nigeria and other countries. ``I therefore implore you to use the learning experiences, skills and values acquired here as enablers to drive your creativity and innovativeness to meet challenges you will face. `` I urge you, therefore, to prepare your minds and be ready to discharge your duties and responsibilities with utmost professionalism,’’ he charged them. The best graduating participant, Col. Joseph Chima, said that hard work had made him performed creditably. ``It was a very intense course and to have gone through it and top the class was challenging,’’ he said. Col. Cosmas Alhassan a foreign participant from Ghana, who emerged as the best foreign student, said the course was educative and pledged to use the knowledge to assist security in his country. .The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the 139 participants of Course 22 were inaugurated in September 2013. The graduands included Army 55, Navy 40, Air Force 14, Police five, 10 other participants drawn from the paramilitary and civil populace as well as the 15 foreign participants.
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PEOPLE SOCIETY ROMANCE ENTERTAINMENT SPORTS
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Adekunle JIMOH, Ilorin
Scene of a recent blast in Kano
A hijab-wearing teenager... the kind now dreaded in Kano
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Eden Garden is empty as a result of Ebola virus
Bush meat sellers at work
Health workers and patients at UCTH
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The CEO of Eden Garden Resorts, Alwins Mike Akpan
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CRIME & OTHER STORIES
olukunle87@yahoo.com
Tragic end of two drunken men on Eid-el-Fitr day •Continued from 19 Another resident who spoke in confidence with our reporter, however, said the late carpenter had become downcast lately but was convinced by some of his friends to have some drinks as a way out of his trouble. “Ever since his wife abandoned him, he has been overwhelmed by despondency so much that he had lost weight. His pitiable condition didn’t go down well with some of his friends who felt he was taking his marital problem too far.” “He therefore went out with some of his friends on Eid-el-Fitr day to catch fun. He got drunk and started blabbing. It was already dark when he returned home and ignored the advice of those around not to get close to the well. He rebuked them saying,”Some bastards and never-do-wells have scattered my bed (the well). He spread himself on the well and landed inside it. The sound his body made in the well attracted bystanders who made fruitless effort to save his life. The initial problem was getting a daring diver that could bring him out alive. Unfortunately, it was his lifeless body that was recovered several hours later. Those in the neighbourhood later reported the incident to the police in order to prevent unnecessary arrest of innocent people.” The spokesperson of the Lagos State Police Command, Ms Ngozi Braide, could not be reached on her mobile phone while a text message forwarded to the phone was not responded to at press time. On the same day, a 49-year-old bricklayer, Timothy Olubunmi, was said to have fallen from a modern market building under construction in the Ibafo area of Ogun State. He also died. It was gathered that the late Olubunmi, who until his death was one of the supervisors of the project, left the site of the building to celebrate with some of his Muslim friends and became drunk in the process. Upon his return to the site, he was said to be staggering and could no longer coordinate himself well. He allegedly fell from the one-storey building, smashing his head on the ground. He was said to have died while he was being rushed to the hospital. A source who did not disclose her identity said: “Everyone in
•One falls into well, dies; another falls from uncompleted building
•The uncompleted building
•The Well the neigbourhood was shocked at the death of Mr. Timothy because he had resumed early on the day of the incident to supervise the building project. A few hours later, he left other workers at the site in order to hang out with some people in the neighbourhood where he got drunk. “He returned to the site reeking of alcohol. At a point, he could no longer control himself and he started talking rubbish. He then started staggering and it was not long after that he suddenly fell down from the upper floor of the building. He died on the way to hospital. “He was a happy-go-lucky fellow, always bubbling with life. He was also a very funny person. He cracked jokes a lot, and that was what endeared him to a lot of people in this community. I think he got lost in the excitement of the day and could not re-
strain himself from heavy dose of alcohol,” the source added. The remains of the late bricklayer, who is survived by a wife and two children, have since been deposited in a public morgue in Sagamu while the incident was reported at the Ibafo Police Division. The spokesman of Ogun Police Command, Mr. Muyiwa Adejobi, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) in a text message confirmed the incident adding that the deceased has since been buried. He said: “Yes, the incident occurred on Sallah day. Preliminary investigation revealed the man was actually drunk and no foul play was suspected. His corpse was released to his family and he has since been buried.”
OR allegedly pulling down a family gateway constructed in 1966 by their father, the family of Late Chief Whoba Agoha Ogo of Umuode, Ihinna autonomous community of Ihitte Uboma Local Government Area (LGA), Imo State, have called on the Federal Government to arrest the Speaker of Imo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon Benjamin Uwajumogu. The family’s lawyer, Victor Ukutt, said instead of the Uwajumogu to negotiate with the Whoba family on the modalities for the payment of compensation, the speaker on the 30th of July allegedly brought his police details to beat up and shoot at members of the family. Ukutt said a member of the family, Chima Ezeoha Whoba, was shot in the leg by the ‘killer squad’ brought into the community for the demolition of the gateway. Chima is said to be lying critically ill in a hospital as a result of gunshot wounds he sustained from the shooting and teargassing. The lawyer explained that the family took steps to resolve the issue when the matter started by calling the Speaker on the phone and also sending text messages to him. He was said to have promised to get back to the family but never did. They also contacted the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in Ihitte Uboma. The DPO was said to have invited the Speaker and his Special Assistant, Mr Sunny Ndubuaku, who is also in charge of a road construction on his behalf, but they refused to honour the invitation. Instead, the Speaker decided to take the law into his hand and brought in policemen to brutalise family members. The family said inasmuch as they would not stop a road construction that is aimed at developing their community and ensuring unhindered connection to the urban communities, they see it as not too much to ask for compensation before a historic legacy which their father built and was commissioned by the then gov-
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My life as an ex-convict –Female robbery suspect whose gang members dress like soldiers •Continued from 19 On the events that led to the arrest of the suspects, the police source said the female suspect, Julie, invited her boyfriend and gang leader, Ugochukwu, who was still at large, to come and discipline one Mr. Ebosere Gabriel at No. 13, Tessi Street, Ajegunle, for beating her up and refusing to pay for what she sold to him. Ugochukwu was believed by residents of the area to be a soldier because he always dressed in the army camouflage. The source also revealed that Ugochukwu used to patronise Juliet’s beer parlour with his friends, all dressed in military uniform. The friends included Amaechi who claims to be a soldier; Jackson who claimed to be an Airforce personnel and Francis Ajie. All of them were said to have stormed the beer parlour and started asking for the man who had the temerity to beat Juliet. Juliet promptly took them to the house of Ebosere where they met him and his brother. Ugochukwu asked Ebosere what gave him and his brother the courage to beat up a soldier’s girlfriend. He also told Ebosere that although he was about to leave the country on foreign mission, he would still teach him (Ebosere) a lesson he would never forget. Ugochukwu and his fake soldiers descended on Ebosere and his brother, beating them like a punching bag. They also matched their heads with their jackboots while they lay face down on the ground. Nobody made any attempt to rescue them because they thought that they were soldiers. They dispossessed Ebosere of his Bold 5 phone and the sum of
•Kalu
•Jackson
N15,000 and left. Afterwards, they continued to threaten Ebosere on the phone, warning him to pay them N10,000 before the end of the week or they would come again and deal mercilessly with him. To avoid being beaten again, Ebosere paid them the N10,000. Matters came to a head as the fake soldiers continued to threaten Ebosere, giving him a time frame within which he should pay a certain sum or consider himself dead. The situation forced Ebosere to file a complaint at the Area B Division of the Nigerian Police at Apapa. When the threats to his life got to the knowledge of the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Umar Manko, he ordered the officer in charge of the Special Anti-Robbery
Squad (SARS), Abba Kyari, a Superintendent of Police (SP), to go after the gang members. The police started by asking some members of Ebosere’s family to tell him and his ‘friends’ to come to Eleganza Plaza in Lagos to collect the sum of N20,000 they had demanded from Ebosere. The gang delegated Jackson and Amaechi to go and collect the money at Eleganza Plaza. On getting to Eleganza Plaza, the police arrested Jackson while Amaechi escaped. Jackson later led the police to Francis Kalu’s house where some army uniforms were recovered. Amaechi stays in the same house with Kalu. Some other members of the gang were also said to have fled with their guns when they sighted a police patrol vehicle, while the police recovered seven army camouflage uniforms, six army camouflage caps, one navy beret cap, three unregistered motorcycles and a photograph of the gang members in
army uniform. Explaining her involvement in the gang’s activities, the female suspect, Juliet, said: “I had thought that they were real soldiers. They used to come to my beer parlour in military uniforms, including my boyfriend, Ugochukwu, who used to dress like a naval officer. Jackson used to come in Air Force uniform and cap, Amaechi dressed like a soldier while Francis used to wear the uniform of mobile policemen. In fact, they called him Gallant Mopol.” Recalling the events that led to her arrest along with other suspects, Juliet said: “My Igbo name is Chiejina. Somebody named Jimmy in my compound offended me. He is married to my younger sister, Nkechi, who has three children for him. They used to go to Ajeromi police station to sort
out their problem each time they quarreled. “They live together as husband and wife but my annoyance is that he has not paid her dowry and he beats her like a housemaid. I was so annoyed that I did not know what next to do. So, I sought my boyfriend’s advice. “I have a stall where I sell paraga (herbal gin) and he used to come there with his friends. On that fateful day, he came with his friends. After explaining what happened to him, they went to see the man. The man begged them and promised to give the woman N50,000 to treat herself. They beat many people on that day. I thought that they were real soldiers and people were afraid of them. “I have four children. My husband is late. He is an Edo boy but his parents reside on our street. He was sick and was taken to the village where he later died. My husband was not an armed robber before he died. “Jackson told me that he was an Air Force guy. Ugochukwu said he was a naval officer. Amaechi said he was a soldier while Francis said he was Mopol (mobile policeman). That was how I knew them. I don’t know anything about how they collected money. I did not know that they were not force men. Ugochukwu is my boyfriend. He used to give me N3,000 or more at times to buy things for my children. I never knew that they were mere civilians.” On her prison experience, she said: “It was a surprise to me. I used to sell Indian hemp. I used to buy it in polythene bag from Kasuwa in Boundary area of Ajegunle. One black nylon sold for N1,000. I would wrap it in small pieces of paper and sell each for N50. After selling, I made about N800 gain. “I also sell hot drinks (Ogogoro) which I used to buy in tins. A tin costs N1,600. I would mix it with herbs and sell. On January 20, 2013, I was in my house sleeping at night when I heard a knock at the door. When I opened, it was NDLEA agents that I saw. They arrested me.
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Controversial gateway tears Imo Speaker, family apart n Jude ISIGUZO n
•Controversial gateway
ernment of Eastern Nigeria is demolished. Their lawyer has also petitioned the Chairman Senate Committee Chairman on Police Affairs to look into the matter. In the petition entitled: "the unlawful use of police-
men to brutalize and maim innocent citizens and threat to life/attempted murder by the Speaker Imo House of Assembly, Rt. Hon Benjamin Uwajumogu", the family is asking the Senate to call an inquiry into the unlawful use of policemen to maim and shoot innocent citizens. In his reaction, the Speaker, Hon. Benjamin Uwajumogu, described the allegation as unfounded, false and a calculated attempt to tarnish his image. He said the land on which the gate was built does not belong to the family but the entire community. He said: "The gate is of no economic consequence to the community. At least over 90 per cent of the community is behind me. The road is about eight kilometres and we have completed three already.
Residents cry out over robbery attacks in Lagos community n Kunle AKINRINADE n
OLLOWING alleged incessant robbery attacks in parts of Badagry lately, residents of the town have cried out to law enforcement agents to come to their aid. Some of the residents who spoke with our reporter recalled their recent experiences in the hand of the men of the underworld. It was gathered that a particular couple was shot by robbers about two weeks ago and has been taken to a hospital in Cotonou, Republic of Benin, for treatment. A resident, Anthony Onya, said: ”A place like Ajarra is no longer safe as robbers have continued to unleash terror on innocent residents. Ironically, there are police checkpoints but policemen are usually not around whenever the dare devil robbers strike. “About two weeks ago, robbers attacked one of my neighbours on Owolabani Street.
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They came at about 2 am and left at 5.30 am. After collecting some valuables, they demanded for his ATM card and led him out to withdraw cash. “Initially, they did not succeed because some armed security men in a particular bank did not open the gate to allow them make use of the ATM machine. They subsequently led him to the premises of a new generation bank at Seme where they eventually withdrew N100, 000 from his account before dumping him on the road. Another resident, Sola Hodonu, said: ”The most affected areas are 1st and 2nd Cele, Itoga Road, Ansar-ud-Deen axis of Badagry. We have been having sleepless nights as a result of robbery attacks. We need the police to step up their patrol in Badagry. “ Lagos police spokesperson, Ms. Ngozi Braide, could not be reached on her mobile phone for comment at press time.
Experts canvass community policing as solution to crimes HERE is need for community policing in order to reduce crime rate in Nigeria, experts have said. At a world conference on “Intelligence Support Systems for a Lawful Interception, Electronic Surveillance and Cyber Intelligence Gathering” held last week in Johannesburg, South Africa, the Director- General of the Police Assistance Committee of Nigeria (PAC), Dr. Martins Oni, who also doubles as the President of the Association of Tradesmen and Artisans of Nigeria, said the concept of fighting crime through community policing has become a new world order having globally affirmed its effectiveness in • From right: Dr. Oni, Chief Akibor, DCP Emmanuel Ojukwu ensuring public safety through collabo- and Mr. Dan Rivers at the conference rative group efforts and networking to assist security agencies. involvement at all levels. He said: “The concept of community policing has Dr. Oni told the world gathering that when the pocontinued to gain ground globally, becoming an ac- lice partner reputable community-focused organisaceptable model and norm to fight crime through tions, the partnership they create demonstrates collaborative communal policing. The collaboration increased credibility to the community which allows among safety groups and the creation of an enorpolice organisations to be more effective, opining mous network of partners have made the most sig- that partnership selection should include an assessnificant impact on policing and providing safer ment of community and faith-based providers who neighbourhoods.” will have an established trust in the neighborhood. Dr. Oni described community policing as partnerIn his own contribution, another PAC executive ship and collaborative efforts in lending support to member from Nigeria, Chief Sunday Akibor, stated activities of the police in combating and preventing that in reality, partnership in community policing escrimes in the society, stressing that globally, the defi- sentially falls into two places with two components, nition of community policing has remained consisi.e. police working in partnership with others and tent i.e fraternization of better ideas to address residents being proactive in their neighborhoods, public safety issues and strategic initiatives within noting that police work is stressful, hence collaboradepartments to better efficiency and concentrated tive effort is desirable.
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“They should even be happy that the road passed in front of their house. I do not understand why anybody should be holding on to an ancient gate that is supposed to give way for modern development. "During my campaign, that road was one of the roads I promised to deliver. It leads to the new College of Education (Technical) which I also brought to the community. Do I have to please one family and deny over 300 others development? “Their father constructed the gate on a community road that links eight other communities and named it as if the road belonged to him." On the allegation that a member of the family was shot, he said: “Let them show you where the person was shot. Let them go and show you the person.”
Tricycle operator arraigned for killing passenger over N50 n Rukayat JIMOH n 22-year-old tricycle operator, Tashiru Ibrahim, has been arraigned before an Ebute Metta Magistrate’s court for allegedly killing a passenger, Sodiq Olayiwola. He was said to have stabbed Sodiq with a knife, leading to his death. The defendant was said to have conveyed Sodiq in his Tricycle at Ikola Ilumo Ipaja, Lagos at about 8; 30 pm on July 3, 2014 when an argument ensued over N50 fare. It was gathered that Sodiq had demanded for his balance after giving Ashiru N500, leading to an altercation between the duo. It was in the course of the argument that the accused allegedly stabbed Sodiq to death. The police prosecutor, Corporal Samuel Ishola, told the court that the defendant had committed an offence which contravened section 221 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2011. The presiding magistrate, Mrs. M.O Tanimola, ordered the remand of the defendant in prison custody pending legal advice from the office of the Director of Public Prosecution. He later adjourned the case till October 3, 2014.
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Court remands policeman on murder trial n Maryam ABDULKARIM n 37 year- old mobile policeman, Salisu Ibrahim, who allegedly shot dead one Olanrewaju Mojofodun, 42, has been remanded in prison custody. The accused was said to have committed the offence about 4.30pm on July 8, 2014 at Epe market, Lagos State. He was said to be fiddling with his gun when he mistakenly shot. He, however, pleaded not guilty to one count charged preferred against him. The police prosecutor, Inspector Frank Inah, told the court that the defendant has committed an offence punishable under Section 227 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State. The presiding magistrate, Adefioye F.J ordered the defendant to be remanded in prison pending the advice from the Director of Public Prosecution. The case has been adjourned till September 4.
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NationSport
AKINLOYE
AT LARGE
08050246155 atlarge84@yahoo.com
THE NATION SATURDAY, AUGUST 9, 2014
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with KAYODE ALFRED E-mail:kayflex2@yahoo.com Tel:08116759807
About Biola Okoya's new looks A
FTER a long stay off the social radar, Biola Okoya, the fun-loving daughter of the landlord of Oluwanisola Villa, Chief Rasak Akanni Okoya, resurfaced from the blues at a naming ceremony in Ikoyi, Lagos last Sunday. Her looks betrayed all that had been written about her since her sudden departure from the social arena. She spotted a low-cut and gold-tinted hair. Prior to her reemergence at the party, her whereabouts had been a subject of speculations in the
media. There were different kinds of stories concerning her alleged tiff with another society lady, Fifi Ejindu and her troubled relationship with her Eleganza boss father. The speculations were not helped by the fact that she no longer attended any of her family's functions. Her father, with whom she used to share a strong affinity, was reported to have been miffed by her lifestyle. His inability to whip her into line purportedly created a wedge in their relationship.
Banke Meshida
on the
lies low
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OW times change. One of Nigeria's high flying social birds, Elizabeth Atuche, wife of former Managing Director of the defunct Bank PHB Plc, Francis Atuche, has had to abandon her comfort zone in the social arena to seek respite in the house of God after the knocks she suffered with her husband. Today, Elizabeth is a staunch believer and ardent church attendant. The rumour mill has it that she was forced to seek solace in God because of her husband's travails. Rather than sit back to enjoy the fruits of his labour for many years as a financial expert, Atuche has been a regular face in court since his inglorious exit as the helmsman at the then Bank PHB. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has refused to back down on his case and appears determined to see his back as he matches into jail. Atuche was one of the bank chief executives who allegedly fleeced customers and shareholders of their hard-earned moneys. Atuche is answering court cases bordering on corrupt enrichment and other unethical practices, which allegedly caused Bank PHB to go down and had to be mopped up by AMCON. Feeling the heat as the next of kin to the embattled banker, Elizabeth has taken her husband's case to God, perhaps for mercy and grace. She has made a sharp U-turn that saw her drop her social life to embrace the bible. She has also cut down considerably on her weight, wearing a new frame some say might not be unconnected with incessant prayer and fasting.
Tonye Princewill
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S you read this, Prince Tonye Princewill is somewhere trying to re-assess his involvement in the politics of River s, his home state. The self acclaimed digital politician (as his profile reads on Twitter) a few days ago sent out a 'broadcast tweet' to his followers, telling them about his decision to go into hibernation mode. The tweet reads: "Broadcast: Will be offline for an undisclosed period of time. Bear with me. Will re-broadcast when I resurface. The calm before the storm." The Prince of Kalabari Kingdom has been very vocal about his gubernatorial ambition lately and his critical stance against the administration of the incumbent governor, Rotimi Amaechi, has deepened the animosity between the two former political associates. Princewill, a PDP top shot, has great battles ahead of him if he must clinch the party's ticket. With Nyeson Wike, an influential minister in the present cabinet of President Goodluck Jonathan, eyeing the same governorship ticket, the days ahead will be truly stormy for Princewill.
THE NATION SATURDAY, AUGUST 9, 2014
41 with KAYODE ALFRED
E-mail:kayflex2@yahoo.com TEL:08116759807
Florence Ita-Giwa plans evening wedding for daughter L
AST Sunday was indeed a joyous one for Senator Florence Ita-Giwa. Her daughter, Koko, kicked off her marital journey with the introduction of her wouldbe husband, Chimaobi Shawcross Obioha Jnr. The event was held at Ita-Giwa's palatial home, Bellavista Towers, Banana Island, Ikoyi, Lagos. The forum was for the groom to make official his desire to marry
High society mourns with Diya Fatimehin
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HESE certainly are not the best of times for Diya Fatimehin, popular estate agent and founding partner of Diya Fatimehin and Co. A few days ago, he lost his beautiful wife, Mauris. She died of pancreatic cancer which she was diagnosed of about three months earlier. She has since been buried in Lagos. At the moment, no amount of consolation words would assuage the pains caused by the untimely departure of Fatimehin's better half. Celeb Watch gathered that the late proprietress of Sherwood Private School had been battling with the sickness until it became complicated about three months ago and she had to be admitted at one of the high profile hospitals in Lagos. She died at the age of 53. Born into the family of the late Chief Mosunmola Folarin, the Ajisebotan of Lagos, the Odogbolu, Ogun State born woman was a graduate of the University of Lagos. She got married to Diya Fatimehin at the age of 22.
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S the people of Cross River State wait with bated breath to know the successor of Liyel Imoke as the governor of the state, all eyes are on the duo of Goddy Jeddy Agba and Chief Gershom Bassey. Reliable sources told Celeb Watch that the two rich dudes will emerge as the real contenders in the fight for Governor Imoke's seat. Agba is the immediate past Manager, Sales and Marketing of Crude Oil Marketing Department of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation. He is the son of the paramount ruler of Obudu, the
Jameel Disu on the back bench
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F you are handsome and blessed, you will understand the world of Jameel Disu. The son-in-law of the Chairman of Globacom Nigeria Limited, Dr. Mike Adenuga, has learnt the rudiments of high fashion, and he is lucky to have the resources to test his knowledge. His fairy tale wedding with Bella will linger in the memories of many for years. And since Bella had their second child, Jameel has given the social scene a wide berth. Gone seems the days of wild partying. Before he got married to the daughter of one of Nigeria's most successful businessmen, Jameel was a regular feature on the chic scene. Good looking and strong, he loved hanging out with the real big boys at A-list watering holes on the Island. But it would seem that marriage has slowed him down, as he is no longer visible on the social radar.
Koko in accordance with their culture. A very private ceremony, it was mainly attended by close members of the would-be groom and Ita-Giwa's families. In attendance were Ambassador Greg Mbadiwe, Mrs Evelyn Shawcross Obioha, Arthur Nwandu, Ogbuagu Emeka Okwuosa and Prince Engineer Walter Eze, among others from the groom's side. Chief Great Ogboru also graced the occasion. From the would-be bride's side were HRM, Dr. Etim Okon Edet, the paramount ruler of Bakassi, Cross River State and HRH. Etubong Bassey. Hajia Abbah Folawiyo also witnessed the occasion. Senator Ita-Giwa is currently planning the first evening wedding for her daughter. Celeb Watch gathered that she has picked September for the main wedding at Eko Hotels and Towers, Ademola Adetokunbo street, Victoria Island, Lagos. For associates, admirers and acquaintances of the former Special Adviser on National Assembly Matters to former President Olusegun Obasanjo, there is no better time to show Senator Ita-Giwa how much they love and appreciate her.
popular Cross River tourism destination. Bassey, on the other hand, was one of the biggest power brokers in the days of former governor Donald Duke. He is from the central area and functions currently as the chairman of the state water board. Interestingly, the alleged battle between Agba and Bassey has translated into a battle between Imoke and Duke. While Duke is rooting for power shift to Cross River North and is in full support of Agba, Imoke is said to be the main force behind Bassey. As the saying goes, only time will tell.
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T is that time of the season when men and women with self-belief throw their hats into the wrestling ring of politics. One of the latest entrants is popular socialite, Myke Ikokwu, popularly known as Evangelist. Not that the Imo State-born businessman is a neophyte in the murky waters of politics, but this is the first time he will be testing the might of his goodwill in Imo State. The former Chairman of Imo State Tourism Board is one those who control the social scene in the eastern part of the country. His footprints in the entertainment-cum-hospitality industry in that part of the country remain indelible. He is the proud owner of All Seasons Hotel, NV Lounge and Mimi's Place in the capital city of Owerri. The Nkwerre-born socialite made history by ensuring that Imo became the first state to host the Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria beauty pageant in 2009, as the pageant was hosted for the first time outside Lagos 22 years after it made its debut through the efforts of the Silverbird Group. Only a few weeks ago, Ikokwu, the chairman of Obiron Group, held a consultation dinner at the club, Sheraton Hotel. His exact political destination remains yet unknown. Many say he has his eyes on Governor Rochas Okorocha's seat while others say he wants to go to the National Assembly. Ikokwu is said to be counting on his popularity in night club business for this end.
Stella Okoli in low 70th birthday celebration
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NE of the biggest names in the pharmaceutical business for many decades and Chief Executive Officer of Emzor Pharmaceuticals Limited, , Dame Stella Okoli, clocked 70 last week. Uncharacteristically, the corporate Amazon did not roll out the drums. Neither was champagne popped. Everything about her birthday was low profile. She is one of the stars of high society, Okoli's distinct taste for clothes and accessories will compete favourably with that of any woman in her 20s or 30s. It is no error to say that Okoli would easily make the list of Nigeria's best dressed women. At 70, the ageless beauty continues to display an amazing understanding of fashion; an attribute that has combined with her vivacious nature to endear her to all. She may not be a socialite, but she attends very important events of those who are very close to her.
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INEC CHAIRMAN
CHAIRMAN, EPE LGA
GOVERNOR WADA
Repair these Epe roads Improve health care delivery in Kogi
Hon. Agbaje
Gov. Wada
Prof. Jega
NECO REGISTRAR
BARIGA LCDA CHAIRMAN
Help me correct this mistake
Fix Obayan Road
CAN PRESIDENT
I need a scholarship to complete my theological studies
Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor
Prof. Promise Okpala
Hon. Sulaiman
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A bush meat seller
Daniel Asuzu,owner, Uju Bar and Restuarant, Ogbolu
Mrs Yusuf eating some bush meat
Mrs Lateef eating a piece of bush meat
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My experience in a man’s world —Female furniture maker n Segun AJIBOYE n GATHA Eric-Udorie is a woman in a man’s world. The boss of Agatha’s Interior Design Limited is one of the few women who have proved that the maxim ‘whatever a man can do, a woman can do better’ may be true after all. Agatha, who grew up in Siera Leone, addresses herself as a carpenter. But far from the joke which she meant the tag to convey, Agatha indeed qualifies for the tag, with her job as a furniture maker. “Well, I grew up in Sierra Leone and I am a carpenter. I have many diverse lifestyles, but basically I call myself a carpenter because I make furniture. However, I have moved from being a carpenter to a decorator and now a designer,”she said. Agatha may have the seen what the future holds for the furniture business in Nigeria when she made the decision to study carpentry. While many around her were at a loss over why a woman would strive to make headway in a job they believe is exclusively made for the men folk, young Agatha was determined to prove them wrong. And that was exactly what she did. She said: “What motivated me was my love for furniture. Also, I love homes and in order make my own furniture, I had to study carpentry. I started studying about 25 years ago, long before Agatha Interior Design was registered. We registered Agatha Interior after five years of my career, precisely in 1994. I had a shop in Oko Baba in Ebute-Meta at the time. “More so, I grew up in an environment where I had to do things myself. I grew up in Sierra Leone and we were very hard working. So, when I came to Nigeria, I began to do things myself, to ensure I achieve my dreams.” For her, furniture, or better still carpentry, is all about bolts, knots, screws and hinges. Maintaining a straight face, Agatha said there is no need for women to express fears when dealing with the men. As proof of her expertise in furniture making, Agatha said: “I used to teach a little bit to my boys. They can talk about all the different types of tools very well, particularly with the many innovations in the world. As a woman, you really don’t have to be scared of men. “Furniture is about the bolts, knots, screws, hinges and the different types of joints you have in designing wood, once you can identify the area of carpentry you want to work on. For example, if you want to make a sofa, you know you have to begin with the skeleton work, to the frame, then the upholstery. As long as you know the niche you have carved out for yourself, you won’t have a problem being a carpenter.” While Agatha is proud to announce to the world that she is a carpenter, she is continually taking steps to develop herself and to be at par with the modern trend in furniture making. “I registered as a student of the Design School in London. I also read a lot of books and attend exhibitions. I don’t go to the exhibitions to purchase furniture, but to see the trends. So every day of my life
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• Agatha
involves decorating; how I lay the table for my husband for dinner, how I dress up my children and all that. “Once, I got commendations from people in my church, saying ‘we love the way you dress up your children’. All of that is decorating, even though people see it as dressing; but I see it as decorating,”she said. Talking about combining colours that suit Nigerians, Agatha explained: “I have to incorporate what works in Nigeria; we love the ‘browns’, and when I say the browns, I mean all shades of brown. That is why I stock up lots of it: carpet brown, tea brown, coffee brown. So long as it is brown, it will sell. Asides not wanting the dirt to show, brown is easy for maintenance because we don’t have a lot of cleaning materials in this country,”she said. She has ensured that a huge chunk of the money involved in the production is retained in the Nigerian economy, making sure that the products have high level of local content. She said: “We have a substantial amount of local content; the foaming from Teju Industry, Vono, Vitafoam and the different types of wood from the Nigerian market. So, basically we source things locally. Again, ankara is coming back. We recently had an ankara exhibition themed “Going back to our roots”. I hope that in a couple of months, we can begin to display a bit of the ankara furniture from the stables of Agatha Interior Design.” Agatha’s husband’s professional background has also helped to enhance her job. As an architect, Agatha’s husband helps in ensuring that the designs come out good and set them apart from the crowd. “My husband is an architect and he helps in designing our showrooms. The way we build our walls, the windows, the way we do our floorings, those are the things we have brought into the system. When you see our showroom, it is different from the next one,”she said. However, despite the seeming rosy nature of her profession, Agatha described furniture business in Nigeria as extremely harsh. While lamenting the dearth of technically good craftmen in the country, she also explained that government has not helped in the industry in the area of policy formulation. And to get good craftsmen, Agatha travels to Togo and Benin. She said: “The business environment is extremely harsh. The government has not supported us by formulating policies that would help the industry to grow. As for the banks, they have short-term loans which are tough for us. We also have staffing problems. We used to get a lot of craftsmen from Yaba College of Technology But since it has been converted into a university, we have lost a lot of skilled Nigerian craftsmen. Now we have to go to Ghana, Togo, Cotonou and the sub-regions to recruit because they kept their craftsmen, while we destroyed ours.” But despite the harsh terrain, Agatha is holding strongly unto her vision to ensure that her outfit is listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange sooner than later. To achieve this, she said: “We are working really hard to enable us achieve this feat.” Her plan to get to the stock exchange, she disclosed, is to enable her raise enough funds that will ensure the growth of her business. “We are not limiting ourselves. We want to be quoted in the Stock Market so that we can get investors and grow our business. I want to leave a legacy behind, which is what a lot of entrepreneurs don’t do and at the end of the day, when they pass on, the business cannot sustain itself,”she said. Asked where she sees her business in a couple of years from now, a wide smile perched on her face. Then with a face that betrays the seriousness she attaches to the question, Agatha said: “Do you not think we should export our furniture? Shouldn’t that be my dream? Like I said earlier, we are not going to limit ourselves to only Nigeria. Let us see if we can export our ankara made furniture to London, Denmark, Italy and other countries. That is what we are working on.” And if Agatha’s past achievements are anything to go by, then it can be said that sooner than later, furniture from her showrooms would adorn homes outside of Nigeria. Despite her tight schedule, Agatha has perfected plans to ensure that she finds enough space for relaxation. “I love Portugal. It is a lovely place. I love Velamora. I have been to all the reserves in Spain, but I love Portugal. I love Velamora; I love the water front. I can just lie there and sleep. In Nigeria, I love Calabar. It is beautiful.”
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My love of an extravagant lifestyle and greed for money led my husband into crime (3)
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This your new found attitude of wanting to live beyond your means, live a flamboyant lifestyle like your friends will get you nowhere. You have to learn to cut your coat according to your size. Stop imitating what others are doing. You should be satisfied with what God has Blessed us with
‘
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Institution for child-training (2) Email: counselling@faithoyedepo.org
Dealing with epidemics
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Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Johnson Tunde Ogunsakin, cuts the image of a no-nonsense man. As a detective and fraud-detection expert, his life almost has no social angle. In a no-hold-bared interview with OLUKOREDE YISHAU and JUDE ISIGUZO, Ogunsakin speaks about childhood, family, fraud detection, Governor Rotimi Amaechi and Dame Patience Jonathan, among others. What is your upbringing like?
CP Ogunsakin
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His wife
CP Ogunsakin
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,
Continued on Page 56
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‘My friends were not happy about my posting to Rivers’
CP Ogunsakin
gives me courage to go ahead and ‘DoShe what I think is right. Whether anybody is interested or not, that she believes that I should do what I think is the best in any circumstance I find myself. I think she has really helped me a lot, especially in a very difficult situations
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THE NATION
NEWS 57
SATURDAY, AUGUST 9, 2014
Ajimobi inaugurates panel on urban renewal Monday
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OVERNOR Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State will on Monday inaugurate a judicial commission of inquiry to look into the complaints and grievances of person(s), corporate bodies , institutions, agencies, associations and/ bodies directly and remotely affected by the urban renewal policies of the state government. A statement issued in Ibadan yesterday by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media, Dr. Festus Adedayo, said that the commission of inquiry would be headed by Justice O.A. Boade,
a retired Judge in the state judiciary. Other members of the commission are Mr. Soji Taiwo, a town planner, Messrs Sikiru Idowu Salami and Bamidele Abolarin, both private legal practitioners, representing the Nigerian Bar Association, Mr. Kola Olofa, an estate surveyor and Dr. Ademola Aremu, representing the Academic Staff Union/civil rights society, while Mr. W. A. Ajuwon will serve as secretary and Mr. I. O. Tijani, counsel to the commission. The commission, according to the release, shall receive
complaints on the properties and structures that were allegedly removed and/or demolished under the said urban renewal policy by any government agency, ministry, department and parastatal pursuant to the policy as it affected infringements of human and property rights of any person(s), corporate bodies, institutions, associations and/or agencies. The release also said that the commission will also advise the government on the immediate and remote causes of the contraventions and demolitions to determine the
genuineness and otherwise of the complaints laid before it, as well as investigate any person(s) be it individual or corporate body(ies), public officers, institutions, ministries , agencies and/ departments responsible for the allocation of premises, properties and/or irregular demoli-
tions and to recommend appropriate sanctions for them. The commission is also expected to recommend steps to be taken to avert future reoccurrence of the breach(es) , the commensurate compensations payable to genuine claimants and also look into any other matter relating
Steward, other in court for stealing N30m C
HIEF Magistrates’ Court sitting in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, yesterday remanded a steward, Abel
Ernest NWOKOLO, Abeokuta
Vibon, in prison custody for allegedly burgling the house of his boss, Chief Bode Mustapha, and stealing the sum of N30million. Also arraigned along with Vibon was his friend, Aime Siavi, for allegedly participating in the crime. The prosecution police officer, Mr Banji Sangotokun, told the court that the accused persons committed the offences last June 9 by 10:pm at the Iyana-Oloke home of Mustapha at the Ibara Housing Estate, Abeokuta. Sangotokun added that the duo burgled the house and unlawfully damaged a Gababi Electronic digital safe worth N10million. According to the prosecution, the steward and his accomplice carted away US •Olori Muyibat Oyefusi (left) and Senator Oluremi Tinubu during the latter’s condolence visit to the royal family of the late Oba Salaudeen Oyefusi, the Ayangburen of Ikorodu, at Oba Palace, Ikorodu...yesterday
PVCs: Oyo APC commences sensitization
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HE leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State yesterday commenced a sensitization campaign for people’s participation in the forthcoming distribution of permanent voter cards and registration of fresh voters slated for this month by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in preparation for the 2015 general elections. The party members con-
Oseheye OKWUOFU, Ibadan verged on the expansive Mapo Hall where the train took off yesterday before it finally berthed at their South West Secretariat in Alakia, Ibadan. At the Mapo Hall, the state chairman of the party, Chief Akin Oke, emphasized the need for members of the party to have full understanding of the INEC
Ladipo traders elect officers
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NYEMACHI Cyril has been elected the chair man of the Aguiyi Ironsi Motor Spare Parts International Market. He emerged the winner with 509 votes to beat Festus Obinali who got 320 votes and Nonso Ako who got 93 votes in a peaceful, free and fair election held on Thursday at the market. Others officers elected were Anthony Nwaechibe, General Secretary with 478 votes and Chike Okonkwo, Treasurer with 423 votes. The election started in the morning and ended at about 11pm. A stakeholder in the market, one Ignatius Oyedibe,
Civil servant is dead A retired civil servant, Mr Taye Osunro, is dead. He passed on at the age of 52. He died on Friday, June 26 and had since been buried. He is survived by a wife and children
Ebele BONIFACE said there were three political parties that fielded candidates. He gave the names of the parties as Real Traders’ Party, Aguiyi Ironsi Alliance Party and PPT Party. He said the presence of policemen and other law-enforcement agents was to provide adequate security. Mr. Oluwale Olawale, the chairman of a nine-man caretaker committee appointed by the Mushin Local Government Council to handle the affairs of the market, said the committee was inaugurated on July 16, 2013 to see to the peaceful resolution of a crisis that rocked the market at a time.
programme and be prepared to educate members of the public on the importance of the exercises. Speaking to journalists shortly after the programme, Chief Oke called for cooperation with the INEC and urged the commission to carry out the exercises with utmost transparency and due diligence. His words; “As a party which believes solely in the sanctity of elections, we deem it necessary to update our party members and the general public on the activities of the electoral umpire with a view to encouraging citizens’ participation in the electoral system. Only this can guarantee the emergence of the popular and credible representation of the people at all levels of government. “Collection of permanent voter cards, as INEC has announced, will take place between August 15 and 17, while the registration of persons who have just attained the voting age or those eligible persons who did not register before now would be held nationwide between August 20 and 25. These exercises are of national importance and we urge the citizenry to participate actively”. The party executive team train was welcome by party faithful who turned the sensitization to a political rally in support of Governor. Abiola Ajimobi. In attendance at both the Mapo Hall and APC secretariat, Old Ife Road, Ibadan venues of the meetings were all the APC state executive members, local government executive members, leaders of
and/or connecting thereto as the commission deems appropriate. According to the statement, the commission is expected to submit its reports and recommendations to the state government within the next 60 days.
the party as well as some caretaker chairmen of the 11 local government councils in Ibadanland.
dollars worth N30million, belts, wristwatches, shirts, shoes, perfumes and jewellery. Sangotokun said: “Vibon and his accomplice stole the money and valuables and fled to an unknown destination. The police later traced, located and arrested them.” He explained that the offence contravened Sections 516, 412, 451 (a), 383, (1) (2) (a) of the Criminal Laws of Ogun, 2006. But Abel Vibon and his friend, Aime Siavi, who were represented by counsel Femi Meyile, pleaded not guilty to the charges of conspiracy, burglary, stealing and unlawful damage. The Chief Magistrate, Mr Anthony Araba, ordered that the duo be remanded in Ibara Prison and adjourned the case till August 20.
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HE School of Management and Business Studies of Lagos State Polytechnic (Laspotech), will hold its international conference on Monday. The theme of the three-day
conference is “Sustainability of Political, Economic and Educational Systems in Developing”. The conference will feature the Vice Chancellor of Caleb University, Imota, Lagos, Prof.Ayodeji Olukoju, as lead speaker.
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Abducted Bayelsa Speaker's brother regains freedom B D U C T E D Iniokpoemi, the younger brother to the Speaker of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, Mr. Kombowei Benson, has regained his freedom. He was set free by his abductors at about 3pm on Friday. Iniokpoemi was abducted on August 4, and whisked away from his residence in Korokorosei community in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of the state. The Commissioner of Police, Mr. Hilary Opara, said Iniokpoemi was picked up at the southern end of Korokorosei on the fringe of the Atlantic Ocean. It will be recalled that a gang of kidnappers had on May 30, abducted the Speaker's 86-year-old motherin-law, Ogboro Orumo, at the same village, but released her
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Ogoni: Jonathan berates FG's agency, HYPREP •President says it's time for decisive action on UNEP report n
Bisi OLANIYI, n Port-Harcourt RESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan has berated the Federal Government's Hydrocarbon Pollution Restoration Project (HYPREP), saying it is time for decisive action on the report of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) on the environmental assessment of Ogoniland. The President and eminent Ogoni leaders spoke yesterday at a consultative meeting on UNEP report implementation at the Peace and Freedom Centre, Bori, the traditional headquarters of Ogoniland and the seat of Khana Local Government Area of Rivers state. President Jonathan, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Danladi Kifasi, lauded Ogoni people for embracing peace and remaining united. Also speaking, the President of the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP), Legborsi Saro Pyagbara, described the consultative meeting as belated and declared that if the initiative was political, the Federal Government had failed. He accused President Jonathan of aiding environmental terrorism in Ogoniland, in view of his refusal to implement the recommendations contained in the UNEP report, three years after its release. Pyagbara noted that since August 4, 2011, when the UNEP report was released and presented to the President in Abuja on August 12, nothing was done by the Federal Government to ensure the full implementation of the recommendations, while Ogoni people had been dying from pollution and environmental degradation caused by the activities of Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited (SPDC).
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after three weeks. Also, the Speaker's mother, Betinah, was taken hostage in January, 2013, by a gang of gunmen who abducted her from her Korokorosei home. Opara said Iniokpoemi was released hale and hearty, adding that the police mounted pressure on the hoodlums to let him go. "The speaker's younger brother has just been released. The police were not aware of any ransom paid to release him. All we know is that we mounted enough pressure on the abductors to set him free. He was healthy," he said. But Benson said the family employed the service of some ex-militant leaders to facilitate the victim's freedom. He denied claims in some quarters that an undisclosed ransom was paid to secure the release of his brother.
• L-R: NYSC Coordinator in Akwa Ibom State, Lady Ngozi Nkiruka Chukwuka; Commissioner for Youths & Sport, Mr. Monday Uko; Governor Godswill Akpabio and his deputy, Lady Valerie Ebe, during the formal opening and swearingin ceremony of 2014 Batch ‘B’ orientation course for corps members deployed to Akwa Ibom State…on Thursday.
Kidnappers collect N65m ransom, free Briton in Bayelsa Briton, who was kidnapped by unidentified gunmen and held hostage in one of the notorious creeks in Bayelsa State, has been freed. The Briton, identified simply as Mark, was set free on Thursday after his abductors allegedly received N65million ransom. Mark, according to security sources, is an expatri-
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Mike ODIEGWU, n Yenagoa ate employed by Con Oil. The victim spent over two weeks in the kidnappers' den before the ransom money pacified his assailants to grant him freedom. Mark was abducted by unknown gunmen in an undisclosed circumstance and kept in one of the camps in Bayelsa creek for
over 14 days, a security source said. The source, who pleaded anonymity, added that some hired negotiators engaged the kidnappers for prolonged haggling on ransom before a deal was struck. He said the kidnappers initially demanded the sum of N500million to set Mark, who was described as a high profile kidnap
Petroleum varsity students protest killing of colleague LL forms of academic and administrative activities were disrupted yesterday at the Federal University of Petroleum Resources Effurun (FUPRE), when angry students of the institution set up barricades to block offices and classrooms to protest the murder of a final year Computer Science student, Jimoh Lateef Babatunde, by unknown gunmen. The Nation gathered that Babatunde was killed by gunmen, suspected to be elements from the institution's host community, Ugbomro, at about 8pm, near his hostel of residence. The angry students called for the immediate reinstatement of the suspended Dean of Student Affairs and the sack of the Chief Security
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Officer, who they accused of failing to live up to the duties of his office. While speaking with The Nation yesterday, the Governor of the FUPRE Boys' Hostel in Ugbomro, Philip Akpomedaye, said all the students who are resident in the community are at risk, adding that the university had failed to provide them with required security. "It is another case of robbery. Babatunde should have been graduating in the next four months. We were together talking about sports when he left to fetch some items outside. Barely 30 minutes later, he was lying down in a pool of his blood, his neck shattered by one of the two gun-
Benin Court remands man, 23, over friend’s murder N Egor Magistrates’ Court in Benin City on Friday remanded 23year-old Emmanuel Ogendegbe in prison for allegedly stabbing his friend to death with a broken bottle. The Chief Magistrate, Mrs Mabel Ojobo, said the accused should be kept behind bars pending advice from the State Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP). Agency report have it that
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the plea of Ogendegbe, who is facing a charge of murder, was not taken. Earlier, the prosecutor, Mr Ohiabor Greffery, had told the court that the accused committed the offence on May 19 at Enabulele Street in Uselu area of Edo capital. He said the accused killed his friend, Saviour Akpan, by stabbing him with a broken bottle on his ribs.
shots fire at him. "We have been under ceaseless attacks and molestation from criminals within Ugbomro community. The other day, it was another male student who survived a shot to the head. The insecurity being faced by students in FUPRE has become unbearable and the management is hardly concerned. Imagine a student brutally murdered and the CSO who has failed to secure the lives of student is passing blames, accusing harmless Babatunde of being a cultist. We don't know who the next victim might be," Akpomedaye said. Meanwhile, heavily armed soldiers and anti-riot policemen have taken over the main access into the university's campus, as part of measures to return peace to the campus. When contacted, the school's Public Affairs Officer, Boniface Onyedi, said it would be premature for the management to come out with a statement now. He said the Vice Chancellor and other top officials of the institution were busy trying to meet with the angry students and other concerned stakeholders. When reached for comments, the Police Public Relations Officer of the Delta state command, Celestina Kalu (DSP), confirmed the death of the student, and added that the command had
victim, free. "The negotiators started with N15million, but the kidnappers, who apparently knew the hostage value of their victim refused the money. "Serious negotiation commenced between the hired negotiators and the kidnappers until they agreed on N65million. The money was paid on Thursday and the Briton was released soon after," he said. It was learnt that the Department of State Security (DSS) monitored the situation and the process that led to the freedom of Mark. A special armed team of DSS was said to have gone to pick Mark at Ogbeinbiri in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area, where he was abandoned by the kidnappers.
Bayelsa, the state of President Goodluck Jonathan, has become notorious for kidnappings in recent times. Recently, Florentina, the 90-year-old mother of Senator Emmanuel Paulker, was kidnapped, but was later rescued by the police. Florentina was rescued on Wednesday morning, allegedly through the operational strategies adopted by the Bayelsa State Police command. It was, however, gathered that N5million ransom was paid to the kidnappers to secure the freedom of the nonagenarian. Among other victims whose whereabouts are still unknown is Pa Benson Adigio-Eseni, an octogenarian uncle to the former Governor of the state, Mr. Timipre Sylva.
Rivers communities order NDDC, others back to site IGER Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Nigeria Liquidified Natural Gas (NLNG) and Nigeria Agip Oil Company (NAOC) have been ordered to go back to site to complete their various projects or face legal action. Dr. Evergreen Woko, the chairman of Omoku Central Communities Development Committee (OCCDC), in Ogba/Egbema Local Government Area of Rivers State gave the order, Friday, in Port Harcourt. The committee, which is empowered to oversee the affairs of communities in the area, is also empowered to sign all documents on behalf of the communities. Speaking, Dr. Woko said the committee was constituted to oversee the affairs
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of the communities, which include the supervision of ongoing projects in the area, adding that with the power vested in the committee, it will be unjust not to take a proactive step to ensure that all ongoing projects including those abandoned are completed. He said: “As a matter of urgency all contractors handling projects in our communities have been ordered to go back to the sites and complete their projects. This is because we will not tolerate any haphazard or abandoned work “I and my secretary Prince Nwajari have informed NDDC, NAOC, NLNG and Rivers State government that they should mobilize to the site, failure to do that will attract legal action from the community.”
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Group attacks Enugu Dep Gov over impeachment comments T he Enugu Professionals Forum (EPF) has described recent comments credited to the embattled Deputy Governor of Enugu State, Mr. Sunday Onyebuchi, in response to charges levelled against him by the State House of Assembly as premature and designed to whip up undeserved sentiments. Briefing newsmen on Thursday, shortly after appearing before the seven-
man judicial panel that is looking into the charges against him, Onyebuchi claimed that he was being persecuted, adding that both the panel and the House of Assembly were also facing trial in the matter. But in a statement signed by its Secretary-General, Nebechi Ugo, the EPF said the Deputy Governor should present his defence to the panel, adding that his public comments on a matter that
was still before the panel was contemptuous and designed to cast doubts on the integrity of the members. The EPF accused Onyebuchi of employing "an archaic and well-worn tactic" of trying to whip up sentiments instead of addressing the charges levelled against him. The group said: "If the Deputy Governor says that he has some truth to tell about the charges against
him, let him address it to the panel. "His resort to making public comments and reaching conclusions about a matter that is currently being tried by a properly constituted judicial panel is clearly an attempt to undermine the panel's integrity and smacks of high mischief and desperation." The group also said that Onyebuchi was being economical with the truth in his
comments, saying that they were full of misleading facts and inaccuracies. It said that Onyebuchi could not claim not to know the whereabouts of the chickens removed from his poultry when the government had while embarking on the action, clearly stated that they were to be kept in a government poultry farm and would be releasd to him on demand. It pointed out that while the House of Assembly had accused the Deputy Governor of operating a commercial poultry in a residential quarters in violation of a resolution of the House, Onyebuchi, in his defence, deliberately omitted the word "commercial" and compounded the offence by refusing to obey lawful directives, some of which came from the Governor himself, to remove the poultry." The group also described as "tenuous and ignorant", the Deputy Governor's claim that he refused to attend the South East Governors' meeting because Governor Chime did not formally hand over to him when he travelled. It argued that he (Onyebuchi)
"ought to have known and indeed knows" that there is no constitutional requirement for the Governor to hand over power to his deputy except where he was going to spend more than 21 days (three weeks) abroad. The group added that "the Deputy Governor should be bold enough to admit his own failings or wait for the panel to sit and come up with its verdict. What he did when he told the press that the panel members too are also on trial amounts to blackmail. Such tactics won't save him if he's guilty and won't make the panel return a guilty verdict if he is innocent. We urge our people to disregard the Deputy Governor's ploy to shift attention from the charges against him." It would be recalled that the House of Assembly, upon a motion signed by 22 of its 24 members recently, directed the Clerk of the House to serve an impeachment notice on the Deputy Governor for abuse of office and disobedience to the lawful directives of the Governor.
…impeachment panel bars journalists from covering proceedings HE seven-man impeachment panel probing the Deputy Governor of Enugu State, Mr. Sunday Onyebuchi, on Friday, banned journalists from covering its proceedings. On Thursday, the Chairman of the panel, Mr. Oraekeyi Uche Franklin, had asked journalists to leave the court, a move that was opposed by the counsel to Onyebuchi, Mr. Chris Aghanwa. However, journalists who returned to continue the coverage of the proceedings yesterday were chased away from the court. Stern-looking policemen, positioned at the entrance of the court, said they had order
T R-L: Former Governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi; the Executive Secretary, Christians Pilgrims Board, Dr. Kennedy Opara; the Governor of Bayelsa State, Dr. Seriake Dickson; the Governor of Ebonyi State, Chief Martin Elechi and the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha, at the requiem mass for Pa Nze Engr. Paulinus Opara, father of Kennedy Opara, at Nguru, Abor Mbaise… yesterday
Scores injured as APC, PDP supporters clash in Imo CORES of people were injured yesterday, as supporters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the People's Democratic Party (PDP) clashed at the burial ceremony of the father of the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Christian Pilgrims Commission, Hon John Kennedy Opara, at Nguru in Aboh Mbaise Local Government Area of Imo State. The supporters of the two parties, who stormed the venue of the burial ceremony with dance troops, engaged each other in a free for all, which left no fewer than 25 youths severely wounded.
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According to an eyewitness, trouble started when PDP supporters accused the APC supporters of sponsoring Boko Haram and inventing the Ebola Virus. The supporters, made up of mainly youths, defied the presence of armed security men and descended on one another with dangerous weapons, including machete and broken bottles. It took the intervention of soldiers and mobile policemen who fired canisters of tear gas into the air to disperse the fighting party
supporters. Governor Rochas Okorocha, who was shocked by the incident, said, "when I entered, I saw former Governor Ikedi Ohakim, he came to me and we embraced, and he said to me ‘peace be unto you’, and I replied ‘peace be unto you too’. He is my brother and we know when to unite as leaders and when to separate along party lines." President Goodluck Jonathan, who was represented by Bayelsa State Governor, Sariake Dickson, at the event, called on clergymen to continue to pray for the unity of the country. He also called on political leaders to be united against
terrorism and other security challenges bedeviling the country. Prominent Nigerians who graced the occasion include Governors Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State; Martin Elechi of Ebonyi State; Theodore Orji of Abia State; Jonah Jang of Plateau State; Sariake Dicksont of Bayelsa State and Willie Obiano of Anambra State. Others were Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon Emeka Ihedioha, former Governor Ikedi Ohakim and former Anambra State Governor, Peter Obi among other dignitaries.
Ebonyi, Cross River set up joint boundary committee ETERMINED to end the over 100 yrs old war between border communities in their states, the Ebonyi and Cross River governments yesterday agreed to set up a 26-man joint committee to find lasting solution to the crises. This was part of the resolutions reached at the end of a joint boundary committee meeting at the Government House in Abakaliki. The meeting, which for the first time was attended by governors of the two states, Martin Elechi and Liyel Imoke, mandated the 26-man committee to submit its report to the gover-
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nors on 30th November, 2014. The committee is to be jointly-headed by the deputy governors of both states. These decisions were contained in the communique issued at the end of the meeting. The communique was signed by the Governors and Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice of both states, and read by Deputy Governor of Ebonyi State, Dave Umahi. The meeting also resolved that all the eight communities affected by the crisis continue to main-
tain peace and order in all affected sectors. It also commended efforts of security agencies in maintaining peace and order in the areas and encouraged them to sus-
tain same. The meeting stated that the existing peace committees at various levels should continue to meet and work towards the sustenance of peace in the affected areas.
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cards to eligible voters by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). The group’s national coordinator, Nze Basil Osunkwo said their visits to markets became very necessary because most of the traders were so engrossed in their
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to stop journalists from coming to the place. "There is a fresh order that you should leave this place," a policeman told journalists. Meanwhile, the panel continued its hearing with the cross-examination of the Chief Medical Director, Government House Clinic. Also, the Commissioner for Enugu Capital Territory Development, Engr. Ikechukwu Ugwuegede and the Chief Protocol Officer, Enugu Government House, were expected to testify against Onyebuchi. The Deputy Governor, who was also in the court, is expected to open his defence.
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BONYI State Governor, Martin Elechi, has sacked the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Youths and Sports, Mrs Esther Ukpai Aja, with immediate effect. The sack was communicated to the permanent secretary by the Deputy Director (Admin) in the State Civil Service Commission, Nweduru B. N., in a letter titled " compulsory retirement as director, grade level 16". The letter reads:" I am directed to inform you that your appointment as
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2015: Group sensitizes Igbo traders on voters’ card revalidation HEAD of the 2015 general elections, a pan Igbo group, Ndigboamaka, has started sensitizing traders in Lagos State on the need to participate in the voters’ card revalidation exercise which begins next month in the state. The exercise will lead to the issuance of permanent voters’
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businesses and apathetic to their basic civic responsibility as citizens. He said: “Our group, which comprises 58 market associations in Lagos, has observed that many traders don’t take the issue of election very seriously and so do not even make out time to register and obtain voters’ cards.
Permanent Secretary in Ebonyi State Civil Service has ceased to enjoy the pleasure of his Excellency, Chief Martin Elechi, the Executive Governor, with effect from 4th August 2014.
Former Attorney General Ofodile dies at 92 TTONEY General of the Federation and Justice Minister in the Buhari military administration, Chief Francis Chike Ofodile (SAN) is dead. He was aged 92. Ime-Obi, the Onitsha Traditional Council, broke the news of Ofodile’s death yesterday. He was until his death on August 3, 2014, the Onowu Iyasele (Traditional Prime Minister) of Onitsha. He retired from active practice in 2009 after fifty years of his call to the Bar. Ofodile was conferred with the National Honour of Officer of the Order of the Federal Republic by President Umaru Yar’Adua in 2008.
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Yobe to inaugurate N2.2b investment house soon, says Gaidam Yusuf ALLI, Managing Editor, Northern Operation n HE Governor of Yobe State, Alhaji Ibrahim Gaidam yesterday said the N2.2billion seven-storey Investment House built by the state government in Abuja Central Business District will be commissioned by the end of the month. According to a statement by the Special Adviser on Press Affairs and Information, Abdullahi Bego, the governor made the disclosure during a final inspection of the property, said the state will recover the amount spent on the house within 10 years. The statement said: “The governor expressed satisfaction with the quality of work executed and asked the contractors, AG Ferraro Nig. Ltd, to ensure the completion of the building within the timeline. “Gaidam, who spoke of the effort of his administration to improve internal revenue generation, said the funds spent by the government in building the Investment House will be recovered within ten years. “This is one of the many legacies we will leave behind; we will be able to recover money spent here within ten years and thereafter, the property will continue to generate revenue for the government. “It is part of our effort to diversify our revenue base.” The Managing Director of the Yobe State investment Corporation, Alhaji Mai Musa, who took the governor round the building on inspection, assured that the organization will work with the contractors to ensure timely completion of the few remaining works before the commissioning slated for the end of the month.
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•Gov. Ibrahim Gaidam of Yobe State (right) listening to comments from the Managing Director of Yobe Investment Company, Alhaji Mai Musa (left) during an inspection tour of the newly-built Yobe Investment House in Abuja... yesterday.
Adamawa: Ngilari loses bid to stop INEC's planned bye-election X-ADAMAWA State’s Deputy Governor, Bala Ngilari, yesterday lost in his bid to restrain the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from conducting a bye-election to fill the vacant governorship seat following the impeachment of Admiral Murtala Nyako. Justice Adeniyi Ademola of the Federal High Court, Abuja, refused Ngilari's exparte motion in which he sought an interim restraining order against INEC. The judge ordered that INEC be put on notice and fixed next Tuesday for hearing of the motion on notice containing similar prayer of injunction. Justice Ademola, who listened to Ngilari's lawyer, Festus Keyamo moved two ex-parte motions filed for the plaintiff, granted his prayer for substituted service, via the newspaper. The judge also granted the plaintiff leave to serve court processes on the defendants outside Abuja. Ngilari, whose office was declared vacant on July 15 by the state's lawmakers following their impeachment of the governor, had earlier this week sued the legislators and asked the court to sack the state’s acting Governor, Ahmadu Umaru and make him (Ngilari) the governor. The suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/545/14, has Umaru, the Speaker, Adamawa State House of Assembly, the House of Assembly, the Acting Governor, Adamawa State, Nyako and INEC as defendants. Ngilari, who denied resigning his position within the contemplation of the provision of Section 306(1), (2) & (5) of the Constitution, said the purported resignation letter he sent to the Speaker was not meant for to be acted on by the House of Assembly. He stated, in a supporting affidavit, that “I did not submit any letter of resignation to the 5th defendant (governor) or any other person other than the 1st defendant (the Speaker).
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“I only submitted a purported letter of resignation (exhibit A), to the 1st defendant but I never intended to comply with the strict provisions of sections 306 (1), (2) & (5) of the 1999 Constitution by submitting it to the 5th defendant (the Governor). “I never intended exhibit A (the letter) to be any subject of debate or resolution by the 2nd defendant (House of Assembly), but a private correspondence between myself and the 1st defendant, hence it was marked ‘secret’. “That exhibit A was only submitted to the 1st defendant with the intention of discussing the contents with him privately at a more convenient time to alert him at a possible action I may take at a later date because of certain
political developments in Adamawa State, hence I did not submit it to the 5th defendant (as Governor of Adamawa State) as strictly stipulated by section 306(1), (2) & (5) of the 1999 Constitution. “That I was therefore shocked to see that my letter was read and acted upon by the entire members of the 2nd Defendant when it was never addressed to them,” Nggilari stated. The embattled Deputy Governor raised seven questions for the court’s determination, and asked the court to restrain INEC and its agents from conducting a bye-election to fill the office of the Governor following the impeachment of the governor and the purported resignation of his deputy. He is seeking an order “removing the 3rd defendant
(Umaru) as the Acting Governor of Adamawa State forthwith”, and “an order directing the Chief Judge of Adamawa State (or Acting Chief Judge, as the case may be) or the President of the Customary Court of Appeal to swear” him (the plaintiff) in as the state’s substantive governor.
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TUDENTS of Sokoto State origin studying in Nigeria and abroad under the sponsorship of the state government have commended the state governor, Alhaji Aliyu Wamakko, for releasing the sum of N850 million for their registration, tuition and upkeep. The commendation was contained in a statement jointly signed by the Chairman and Secretary of Sokoto State International Students' Forum, Zayyanu Shuni and Mohammed Mubarak. According to the statement, the payment is ongoing across Nigeria and twenty nine other countries around the world. According to the statement, "this year alone, a batch of 423 students are being sponsored to study in various countries around the world. "Of this number, 76 will be heading to India, 41 to Bangaladesh, 160 to Sudan, 45 to UAE and 100 to Crescent University, Abeoukuta." The statement also commended Governor Wamakko for recording enviable achievements in the education sector. The achievements, according to the forum, include the establishment of the state university; the College of Agriculture, Wurno; School of Health Technology, Tambuwal, and a College of Legal Studies in Wamakko, among others. The students also commended the governor for making education free for both indigenes and non- indigenes in the state, noting that he was the only governor in the history of the state to invest so much in the education sector.
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withdraw services in Kogi Kano Hisbah arrests 200 street beggars Health workers n
N its determination to rid the streets of Kano and its environs of beggars, the Kano State Hisbah Board has arrested 200 people for street begging in the metropolis. And to ensure that the beggars do not return to the streets, the government compelled them to take an oath that they would not return to the streets. The government, however, assisted the beggars with various sums of money to enable
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Kolade ADEYEMI, n Kano them engage in petty trading However, while speaking with newsmen, the Deputy Commander, Operations, Yusuf Nabahani, expressed surprise at the number of the beggars, saying they were new in the city. Nabahani said that most of those arrested claimed igno-
rance of the ban on street begging by the Kano State Government. He disclosed that the board is planning to return all the beggars to their various communities after making inquiries, warning them never to return. All the beggars later swore to an oath not to return to the streets.
Shehu of Borno optimistic insurgency will end soon HE Shehu of Borno, Alhaji Abubakar Ibn Garbai, is optimistic that the Boko Haram insurgency will end soon. Receiving a coalition of civil society organisations in his palace in Maiduguri yesterday Alhaji Garbai said Borno has always come out stronger of every socio-religious turmoil in ints over 1000 years of existence. “Kanem Borno had witnessed so many crisis in it’s over 1000 years of existence as an entity. We will surely overcome the Boko Haram crisis like we overcame
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those crises in the past,” Garbai said. He also said that with prayers and commitment by the Federal Government in fighting Boko Haram,the insurgency will soon become history. He added: “Borno will soon overcome the security challenges and regain its lost glory as `Home of Peace. “The people of Borno have been known to be peaceful, law abiding and accommodating. Hence the slogan `Home of Peace and Hospitality.”
He commended civil society organisations for initiating numerous support programmes for victims of insurgency in the state and pledged his cooperation where necessary. He also pledged support for other community development programmes. The leader of the delegation, Hajiya Hafsatu Alamin, the Regional Manager of Nigeria Stability and Reconciliation Programme, said the visit aimed at seeking Garbai’s blessing and support for the organisations programmes.
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HE Kogi State chapter of the Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria (MHWUN) has directed it members in the local government areas to withdraw their services, including participation in the immunisation programmes and primary health care activities. The union, in a notice of withdrawal of service signed by Comrades Onuh Edoka and Rose Momoh, chairman and secretary respectively, said the decision of the State Executive Council of the union to stop participating in activities at the local government level following alleged refusal of the council chairmen to respect an agreement reached on the implementation of Consolidated Health Salary Structures (CONHSS) for health workers. It said the decision was press for the implementation of CONHESS as agreed to “on June 19th, 2014.” It, however, said that Idah, Igalamela,Bassa and Okene which have complied with the payment are exempted from the resolution of the state SEC to withdraw its services.
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Shettima dissolves state exco OVERNOR Kashim Shettima of Borno State, on Friday in Maiduguri, dissolved the State Executive Council.
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Alhaji Baba Jidda, the Secretary to the State Government, made this known in a statement. ``Governor Kashim Shettima has approved the immediate dissolution of the state executive council. ``All Commissioners and Advisers are advised to hand over the affairs of their ministries to their permanent secretaries,’’ the statement said. It added that they were expected to hand over all government property, including official vehicles in their possession, to the permanent secretaries. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that this was the first time the state executive council would be dissolved since its inauguration in June 2011.
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SPORT EXTRA
Onazi back to full fitness N
I G E R I A international midfielder Ogenyi Onazi is back to full fitness. Onazi suffered an ankle injury initially thought to be a broken leg though tests showed no fracture after a bad tackle by Blaise Matuidi during a second round game between Nigeria and France at the 2014 FIFA World Cup. The 21-year-old has since returned to Italy where he has teamed up with Serie A club SS Lazio for pre season. Yesterday, he took to Twitter to discuss his current situation. “God is really good; if you told me I’d be back to my best and to top fitness right now, I’d have laughed at
you,” he tweeted via @OnaziOgenyi. Onazi is famous for his fierce and powerful shots. He underlined his power with his feet when he broke the hand of his teammate, Michael Babatunde, during Nigeria’s World Cup game against Argentina. The midfielder jokingly stressed his return to fitness and pointed out that his shots were still as powerful as ever. “My people for Naija, as I dey talk to una right now, I wan play one shot from Rome to meet una for Lagos. Who go pick the ball?” he queried in Pidgin English. Onazi, who made 29 league appearances for Lazio last season, has been capped 21 times by Nigeria.
AFCON 2015 QUALIFIER:
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South Africa to play Eagles in Cape Town
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HE South African Football Association (SAFA) has announced that the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Nigeria will be played in Cape Town. The Super Eagles will open their qualifying campaign with a home game against Rwanda, before travelling to Cape Town for Bafana Bafana five days later. Meanwhile, SAFA president Danny Jordaan says new coach Shakes Mashaba does
not have a mandate to qualify for the Nations Cup in Morocco. “We will not say to Shakes that he must qualify for Morocco 2015. That is not his mandate. “The mandate is to build a sustainable Bafana Bafana team for the next few years” Jordaan says. The Nigeria Football Federation have ordered that Stephen Keshi resume duty as soon as possible, with next week given as deadline.
Green, Ahmed remain banned—NFF
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HE Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has stated that its Appeals Committee is yet to meet over appeals by former Executive Committee members, Barrister Chris Green and Ahmed Yusuf ‘Fresh’. Green and Ahmed ‘Fresh’ were suspended from the NFF Executive Committee and banned from football –related activities for different periods on Thursday. The former Chairman of Technical Committee was slammed a six –month ban for glaring
anti-Board activities and uncharitable media interviews, while ‘Fresh’ got a one –year ban for anti-Board activities and forging a document to alter the decision of the Executive Committee on Management Staff. Nigeria football spokesman Ademola Olajire said yesterday: “This clarification is necessary in view of a report being circulated that the Appeals Committee has upturned the decision of the Executive Committee on these persons. “It is true that Barr. Green
and Alh.Ahmed Yusuf have appealed their suspension from the Executive Committee and ban from football –related activities for different periods. But the letters of Appeal only came in on Thursday night. “A decision purporting to have been handed down by the Chairman of the Appeals’ Committee (Eddy Mark) was received Friday morning in the NFF. The so-called decision did not state how many of the Committee members were present, or whether the Secretary was
Martins remembers late brother today
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HE third year remembrance of Oladipupo Habeeb Martins, elder brother of Obafemi Martins will hold today with a Muslim prayer session at Campos Mini Stadium, Lagos. Ladi died of heart related problems on August 9, 2011. He once played for the Inter Milan youth team, Regiana in Italy and Partisan Belgrade of Yugoslavia. Adeyinka Adeboye Oni, special assistant on football matters to the Lagos State governor, and a key member of the Martins family, said that Ladi’s death is still painful three years after. “Ladi will forever remain in our hearts. We think about him always but we cannot blame God for what happened. The Almighty gives and He takes” Some of the personalities who will attend the ceremony include the Lagos State Football Association chairman, Barrister Seyi Akinwunmi, ex-international star Waheed Akanni, Victor
•Ikpeba leads other ex-players to the event Ikpeba and many more. It would be recalled that Seattle Sounders striker, Obafemi Martins established an NGO in Lagos for the remembrance
of his late brother Ladi Martins and his late mother, Alhaja Sherifat Martins, who died in 2008. The prayer session will commence from 4.30pm.
•L-R: Obafemi Martins, SA football matters, Adeboye Adeyinka Oni and the late Oladipupo Martins
also there. “Whenever the Committee will meet, its meeting will be at the NFF Secretariat as it has always been, and all parties to the appeal, including the NFF Executive Committee and the appellants, will be available to present their case. The date of the meeting and time will also be made public. “It is a known fact that the Chairman of the Appeals Committee is a personal friend of one of the appellants. But Nigeria football is not the private business of any individual. “The decision still stands and will be conveyed to the next General Assembly for ratification.”
Ameobi still training with Newcastle
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I G E R I A international Shola Ameobi, whose contract with Newcastle ended last month, is still training with the EPL side. The big striker, who spent 14 years at Newcastle before he was released this summer, is still training at the club to keep fit and the 32-year-old looks good and in shape. Ameobi is currently looking for a new club. His contract with Newcastle United officially ran out on July 31. He has been linked with a move to Sydney FC (Australia) and Hull City, talk of a move away has stopped – and it would now seem like Alan Pardew is relying on Shola’s experience in and around the place.
Eagles going, going… •Continued from back page Danagogo wasn’t committal. I didn’t press further because he was still new then on the job. And he showed that he was reading the notes from all the arms of his ministry. So, when the news broke in Brazil that the NFF was in turmoil, I asked why? I knew that Danagogo had been hijacked by the hawks in the sporting industry. I also knew that Danagogo had taken his consultation too far, hence such a horrible decision to sack the NFF board without any recourse to the FIFA statutes. President Goodluck Jonathan’s financial intervention in the show-of-shame in Brazil underlined the fact that the $3.850 million wasn’t with the NFF men or the minister. I had thought that the minister ought to have tackled the problem from that point, even if he didn’t want to rock the boat back in Nigeria. It would shock the minister to note that Nigerians know where the problems of the game are. And we won’t be able to correct them with the defective Decree 101. We would be deluding ourselves to think that we can run the NFF with the decree after dragging FIFA eggheads to conduct the elections that brought Sani Lulu into office as president. Besides, prior to the World Cup, NFF board members beat their chests to say that all was well within their rank and that the Super Eagles would lift the World Cup. Not one member voiced any complaints about how the NFF was being run, aside those suspended by the members at board meetings. In Brazil, the members showed no sign of discontentment. Some say that is the hallmark of politicians. Not for our football, because we ought to build on the gains of the Mundial and not destroy it, which is what the brouhaha indicates. On August 13, most of the countries at the Brazil 2014 World Cup will be engaged in friendly games, geared towards seeing how some of the new things that they have introduced to their sides have yielded dividends. Some of them would strive to improve their new ranking after the World Cup in order to have the guts to seek to play against better ranked teams. Sadly, the Eagles won’t be playing any game because no federation among the 2009 recognised by FIFA would accept a game. Many of the countries that have games on August 13 struck them during the Mundial. For others, agents established links with such federations based on how well their teams played to strike good friendly games with top finishers at the Mundial. Even if our NFF men struck such deals, no federation would feel comfortable doing business with those who were not part of the initial arrangement. We are tired of hearing our coaches describe the Eagles as work-in-progress. After such outing in Brazil, we expect that those who didn’t perform should be shown the exit, especially as there is a glut of talents at the grassroots to replace them. The essence of playing international friendlies is for the other 208 countries to see that we can give them the challenge they desire from such big games. We have lost that chance of moving up the ladder by not playing in the next FIFA-free window on August 13. The immediate repercussion of such a painful slip is that our FIFA ranking for the month of September would fall. And no country would want to invite countries in the bottom half of the ranking for big games. Except we start doing what others have perfected to get to where they are, we would never get big countries like Brazil, Germany, England, France and Portugal to play in Nigeria, like we see them do in South Africa, whose players cannot compete with Eagles stars. Friendlies are the biggest windows for sponsorship. They also encourage firms to invest in the game. Self seekers shouldn’t be allowed to drag us back with their intrigues. Those who have served in the NFF before must be stopped from returning to the place. Corporate firms would only appreciate the advantage of investing in the game when Eagles start playing big countries either in Lagos or Abuja. Visits to Nigeria by a Portugal side that has Cristiano Ronaldo or an Argentine side with Lionel Messi will be a box office hit any day, with Nigerians filling the stands to watch and touch their idols. A troublesome NFF would not get any serious FA to do business because they won’t be sure of who to deal with. It is good to read that the coaches would be retained. What about the reasons for the coaches’ antics in the past? Can this NFF pay N5 million monthly, for instance? Our football problems transcend impeaching Maigari, suspending Chris Green and Ahmed Fresh. The abrogation of the Decree 101 and the full implementation of the FIFA statutes will correct the lapses and define the electorate for subsequent elections. Danagogo holds the key to resolve the imbroglio. We will remember him as the man who gave the game the fillip anytime the draconian Decree 101 is abrogated. Danagogo must not allow FIFA impose another ban on us due to the bungling of some sit-tight administrators in NFF. Oba Khato Okpere, Ise!
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THE NATION SATURDAY, AUGUST 9, 2014
EQUITIES NIGERIAN STOCK EXCHANGE DAILY SUMMARY AS AT 8-08-14
Investors increase bids for on oil and gas stocks as earnings improve
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ETROLEUM-marketing companies were the toasts of investors yesterday at the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) as latest earnings showed impressive growths in the profitability of leading oil and gas companies. Five oil and gas stocks made the top 10 gainers' list, leading the pack of contrarian stocks in a market that saw average overall decline of 0.03 per cent. The improved investors' appetites for oil and gas stocks came on the heels of impressive full-year and interim earnings of many oil and gas stocks. Conoil on Wednesday announced a dividend of N4 per share for the 2013 business year while Forte Oil and MRS Oil and Gas also yesterday released their half-year reports for the period ended June 30, 2014. Forte Oil's profit before tax increased by 152 per cent to N4.19 billion in first half of 2014 compared to N1.66 billion recorded in comparable period of 2013. MRS nearly doubled its pre-tax profit at
Taofik SALAKO Capital Market Editor
N463.87 million in first half of 2014 as against N256.56 million in first half of 2013. Conoil topped the gainers' list with a gain of N7.03 to close at N75.73. Total Nigeria followed with a gain of N2.94 to close at N178.96. Forte Oil garnered N1.50 to close at N240 while MRS and Oando rose by 60 kobo each to close at N59.50 and N27.30 respectively. Other top gainers included Okomu Oil Palm, which rose by N1.54 to close at N35.98; Northern Nigeria Flour Mills, which added N1.03 to close at N21.68; International Breweries, which gathered 85 kobo to close at N27.50; Stanbic IBTC Holdings, with 70 kobo to close at N30 while Union Bank of Nigeria rose by 39 kobo to close at N9 per share. However, notwithstanding the preponderance of gainers to losers at 30 to 25, the overall market position ended on the negative as losses recorded by highly capitalised stocks such as Nigerian Brew-
eries and Lafarge Africa weighed in on the market position. Aggregate market value of all quoted companies on the NSE dipped slightly from N14.070 trillion to N14.066 trillion. The All Share Index (ASI), the benchmark index for the stock market, slipped from 42,612.33 points to 42,598.46 points. Seplat Petroleum Development Company topped the losers' list with a drop of N9.99 to close at N690. Lafarge Africa dropped by N3.06 to close at N119.94. Nigerian Breweries lost N2.75 to close at N184.15. Eterna dropped by 19 kobo to close at N3.80 while Cement Company of Northern Nigeria declined by 17 kobo to close at N15.02 per share. Total turnover stood at 360.02 million shares valued at N3.73 billion in 4,650 deals. Financial services sector accounted for 309.28 million shares worth N1.57 billion in 2,226 deals. Standard Alliance Insurance was the most active stock with a deal for 161.55 million shares valued at N80.77 million.
DAILY SUMMARY AS AT 8-08-14
THE NATION, SATURDAY, AUGUST 9, 2014
NEWS
63
TOMORROWPUNCHLINE IN THE NATION
SATURDAY, AUGUST 9, 2014 TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM VOL.9, NO. 2933
Theoretically, this is learning made not only easy and up-to-date in terms of the latest knowledge in a subject, it is also learning made great fun and very interactive between teacher, students and the computer screen —Biodun Jeyifo
O
N the surface the impression one gets is that democracy in the true sense of the word is greatly enfeebled and endangered if not absolutely non-existent in Nigeria today. Some contend that we have simply exchanged military for civilian dictatorship since 1999. This is substantially true. Yet, I believe that, against undeniably daunting odds, the country is marching forcefully and irresistibly on the path to true democracy. Of course the forces of reaction are staunchly opposed to the emergence of a genuinely democratic and federal Nigeria. They ceaselessly devise new and ever more sophisticated methods to undermine the rule of law, sabotage federal ethos and dress the most fascistic measures in democratic robes. Yet, beyond surface appearances and transient, illusory 'victories' such as witnessed in the Ekiti June 21 governorship polls, the people are winning. The battle between reaction and progress in contemporary Nigeria shifts today to Osun State. Today the people of Osun will decide who will preside over their affairs for another four years. Let me quickly say that I am under no illusion that the forces of reaction in Nigeria are completely devils and those of progress are untainted saints. The acquisition and utilization of state power as a means of primitive accumulation of wealth is common to both ideological camps and is largely a function of the character of Nigeria's dependent, backward and neo-colonial political economy. However, the progressives have demonstrated a greater capacity, will and vision to stimulate real development and lift people out of poverty through massive infrastructure renewal, job creation and the provision of qualitative social services. In Ekiti, the reactionaries believe they demonstrated convincingly that performance in office does not matter. A performing incumbent governor was overwhelmingly defeated by an opponent who presented no coherent manifesto to the electorate. Worse, the winner in the election had a dismal record in his previous outing as governor of the state and his party has handled the affairs of the country most catastrophically since 1999 that it has been in control at the centre. The reactionaries are thus ecstatic that all Nigerians care for is the immediate gratification of their stomachs. Tomorrow does not matter. Thus, the formula for electoral victory is simple. Distribute bags of rice and tons of money to the hungry, gullible electorate. Deploy federal might to cow those who refuse to mortgage their votes and future. Electoral success will be assured and governance can go to blazes. The campaign leading up to today's election in Osun has been most interesting. The progressives have showcased the spectacular accomplishments of the incumbent who within a short period has taken unprecedented steps to turn the fortunes of the state around in various sectors. They have been wooing the electorate to vote the incumbent for a second term on the basis of his solid and undeniable
Birth pangs of a new order
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Ironically, it is the very resort to the excessive militarization of elections by the Jonathan presidency that convinces me that the march to genuine democracy is irreversible in Nigeria
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•’Unknown soldier’ in Osogbo record in office. The reactionaries have showcased their control of federal might to the people. Their candidate has taken to riding on okadas or eating roast corn by the roadside. He has presented no superior alternative programmes or policies to that of the incumbent. Unfortunately, unlike Ekiti, the reactionaries in Osun are faced with an incumbent who has been working and walking with the people on the streets right from his first day in office. The tag of elitist cannot stick on him even though he is as cerebral as they come. As I write these words, we are driving out of Osogbo, the Osun State capital, back to Lagos. The state has been heavily militarized. Heavily armed soldiers have mounted checkpoints across the capital. Sirens ceaselessly pierce the air as various security agencies continually demonstrate their potency and capacity to the populace. The aim seems to be to shock and awe the opposition into submission. Yet, from my observations in the state capital,
the incumbent has a cult-like grassroots following. This is reported to be the case in many other parts of the state. His main challenger is also said to be strong on the ground in his native Ile-Ife and adjoining Local Government areas. It is obvious that if the results announced do not reflect the will of the people in the respective strongholds of the candidates, there will be a spontaneous negative reaction that all the militarization in the world will be unable to contain. To be fair, the soldiers we encounter at the checkpoints within and leading out of Osogbo are polite, courteous and professional. They have their name tags on and they have no masks on. Some of them even crack jokes with us. The impression I get is that the genuine and legitimate members of the armed forces deployed to Osogbo are performing their duties within the limits of their professional rules and ethics. This thus lends credence to the allegation that those purported members of the security agencies who have been behaving like terrorists in parts of Osun State, wearing masks, shooting into the air and harassing citizens re not genuine security professionals.
They are reportedly trained armed militias who have been provided with fake uniforms and armed to help pervert the electoral process in Osun. A senior security operative told me that it would be exceedingly difficult to directly use any of the constitutionally established security agencies in the brazenly partisan manner that has been witnessed under Musliu Obanikoro and Jelili Adesiyan as helmsmen at the Ministries' of defence and police affairs respectively. From his initial utterances as the new Acting Inspector General of Police, however, it appears that the loquacious, obsequious and theatrical Suleiman Abba, is ready to breach all professional ethics to worship at the altar of the presidency. Ironically, it is the very resort to the excessive militarization of elections by the Jonathan presidency that convinces me that the march to genuine democracy is irreversible in Nigeria. Such militarization and obscene show of brute force actually masks a growing helplessness and powerlessness on the part of the entrenched political forces at the centre. They are getting increasingly vulnerable, insecure and fearful of the affirmation of popular power in free and fair elections. The unintended consequences of such arrogant exhibition and utilization of federal might is that it will most likely embolden the people to defy federal might and develop the capacity to defend their votes. As the British historian, Arnold Toynbee noted, development occurs across space and time when individuals and groups are forced to respond to challenges. Militarization has become a challenge to Nigeria’s democracy. The organization and manifestation of people's power will be the response and democracy will be the beneficiary. Beyond this, the core of the leadership of Nigeria's security agencies are highly trained professionals who are reportedly unhappy with the increasingly brazen politicization of the agencies. In this age of globalization, they realize that the Nigerian military-security complex can only be truly effective, competitive and professional if its values are not corrupted by partisanship. Continued militarization of elections to ensure pre-determined partisan outcomes is thus likely to elicit subtle resistance within the security hierarchy with negative consequences. From my reading of the mood in Osun, if the result of today's election does not reflect the will of the people, there will most likely be a spontaneous backlash. If the deployed officers and men go on a killing spree in response, Nigeria's current military high command must be told that they will be liable at the International Criminal Court of Justice in a post-Jonathan era, which will surely come sooner or later. The excesses we are seeing in the militarization of elections under the Jonathan presidency may be a sign of hope after all. The old order is dying. The new is struggling to be born. What we are witnessing are the death throes of the old and the birth pangs of the new.
Ade Ojeikere on Saturday talk2adeojeikere@yahoo.com
Eagles going, going…
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HEN shall we learn from our mis takes? Why hurry to disband a body whose life span is scheduled to lapse on August 26? Couldn’t we have employed more diplomatic methods in easing out this body, if we truly had evidence against its leadership? If the evidence was damning, isn’t there a body responsible for such an assignment? Since when did this body become a pariah? Members of a body that has celebrated its achievements with our soccer teams six times with President Goodluck Jonathan shouldn’t be blown out of the nostrils like catarrh. A body that received a commendation letter from FIFA for being the only country to qualify for all its competitions deserves a pat on the back than being hounded like common criminals. How do we feel when FIFA asks us to explain processes that we should be conversant with? What was the reason for going to Brazil to meet with FIFA, if they can still ask us to explain why Aminu Maigari was im-
peached? In an August 4 letter to NFF General Secretary Musa Amadu, signed by Deputy Secretary General Markus Kattner, FIFA demanded a more detailed explanation of Aminu Maigari’s sack. They asked for the agenda of the executive committee meeting that sacked Maigari, the conditions for the amendment of the agenda and whether the president was given the chance to defend himself. FIFA also stated that the dismissal of any executive committee member was the prerogative of the NFF general assembly and not the executive committee. The world football ruling body also expressed surprise that despite the lifting of the suspension on the country, the situation in Nigeria has become “so inextricable”. What I really don’t understand is how the current board has found the majority votes to take the decisions it is churning out. Where were these new voters in the past regime? What is the secret behind this change of gear? These are some of the reasons why FIFA is
curious. Some people have turned the NFF into an oil well. When they are out of the place, nothing works. They must tell us what they have forgotten in NFF; otherwise we will be back here again in 2018. It is absolutely impossible for one man or a troika to be responsible for the mistakes noticed in our Brazil 2014 World Cup campaign. I find it difficult to understand how in one breath we are celebrating the players and coaches for qualifying for the Round of 16 while lampooning the body that took charge of the team’s preparations. When Nigeria lifted the Africa Cup of Nations diadem, the coaches and players got the plaudits. The federation chiefs stood aside like orphans. Yet, when the team is adjudged not to have lived up to its potential, those who were sidelined during the happy times are being fingered as the culprits. Our football needs structures to develop and it should start with the immediate abrogation of Decree 101. The draconian decree gives the sports min-
ister the power to intervene anytime he perceives any infractions in the system. Most times, ministers unwittingly fight the battles of some disgruntled elements in the soccer family, anytime he/ she decides to invoke the decree to “correct” the flaws in the system. I sympathise with Dr. Tammy Danagogo, because he seems to me like a man desirous of surpassing the novel achievements of his predecessor, Bolaji Abdulahi. Danagogo admitted that he was learning the ropes of the industry. He promised to use good advice to correct any mistake that he makes, provided they are objective. I remember asking him at a press conference in Lagos, before the World Cup, what his plans for the post-Brazil 2014 World Cup were. I also asked him how he hoped to cope with the pressure of lickspittles who would bombard him with ‘quality’ advice meant to re-engineer the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF). I, again, asked him what stage the abrogation of Decree 101 was and what it required to become an Act of parliament. I recall hearing Danagogo say that he had a few problems with the NFF chiefs but he would treat the issue with care in order not to disrupt our preparation for the World Cup. Continued from Page 61
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