The Nation August 10, 2014

Newspaper of the Year

Twins’ mother Ebola: Lagos strangulated seeks in Ado-Ekiti volunteers –Page 10

–Page 8

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WHERE ARE THE CHIBOK GIRLS KIDNAPPED ON APRIL 15?

Nigeria’s widest circulating newspaper

Vol.09, No. 2936

TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM

SUNDAY

AUGUST 10, 2014

N200.00

OSUN 2014 ELECTION:

Aregbesola wins –Page 4

APC: 404,684 PDP: 292,744

BAROMETER sunday@thenationonlineng.net

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, AUGUST 10, 2014

COLUMN

A Day at the Jalumin Front

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3

nooping around With

Tatalo Alamu

•Security personnel in Osogbo

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LESSED is the land where every old battle is not fought anew. Even warriors get weary. Nevertheless, you must set forth much earlier than dawn. Like an army of the night, you must move in the dead of the night. This meant that by 3 am in the morning, yours sincerely was already rumbling around the living room. It was a most punishing schedule, having gone to bed only two hours earlier in a life of endless intellectual disputations. Old Socrates who fell by the hemlock must be smirking somewhere.

But this is not a scholar’s fare.

Isaac Deutscher has famously warned the unarmed intellectual prophet to beware. Except as a mere suicidal flourish, you cannot fling out a pen against a hooded hoodlum armed with the inevitable A.K Kalashnikov, unless the pen also doubles as a potent grenade that is.

Jalumin was where and when the Ibadan Army literally and figuratively turned the tide against the relentlessly advancing Fulani Jihadist cavalry. It translates roughly into a watery peril or drowning perish.

Almost a century and half later, it was as if the Jalumin War was being re-enacted in the same Yoruba territory and preternaturally around the same spot. Oh Osogbo, the land of pristine dye!

History repeats itself indeed. By a strange coincidence, one of the major protagonists, Rauf Adebisi Aregbesola, always reminds one of an ancient Yoruba generalissimo.

With his gutsy fearlessness, his strategic brilliance, his extreme personal discipline and self-punishing willpower, Aregbesola could easily have passed for a major warrior in the Yoruba seventy five years of solitude and wars. But there is also an incredible playfulness and boyish humour about him which recall the zestful, witty and irreverent Basorun Ogunmola.

Perhaps owing to its military provenance and its domestication and habituation of the military wing of the ruling class in professional politics, the Fourth Republic is a classic enactment of politics as the continuation of war by other means. The military tactics and strategies of ambush, deception, camouflage, surprise, stealth, siege and other complicated offensives have become standard fare. Politics is war. It is not a proposition for the fainthearted. It has been boon to soldiers in politics and other minatory musclemen.

As you set out very early on the Lagos Ibadan Express road, you remember that almost everybody you spoke to had warned you to avoid Osun State, particularly on the D-Day. The D-Day was the day of the advertised mega-rally of the APC. Federal troops had arrived

ahead of the looming confrontation.

They were not lurking with intent. It was an open display of federal might.

The atmosphere was pregnant with mayhem and foreboding.

Even some of your own relations had pleaded that you should avoid the Jalumin perimeter in particular and the whole environment in general. The entire place was crawling with armed men in mufti who had been ordered to deal with any interloper. A few days earlier, one received a frantic phone call from a notable professor at Ife who noted that he had just counted a fifty nine vehicle convoy snaking into town with masked men shooting wildly.

It doesn’t get more threatening.

The siege on Osun from a distance was even more comprehensive and threatening than the one that ensnared and felled Ekiti. But it is always better to stand up for something even if you are wrong than to fall for anything. In the current delirium of treachery, the whirlpool of opportunism and self-abasement, it is more honourable to stick to some ideals as a strategic imperative even when you find yourself with some strange bedfellows.

Ideals last, but strange companies do not. Water must eventually find its level. This is the only way to institutionalise choice based on conviction and politics based on principles and ideological clarity. The transition from an authoritarian society to a truly modern polity is not a tea party. Long after the wayfarers have fallen by the wayside, long after the acrobats have completed their final somersault, the men and women of true conviction will still be standing.

Yet after all has been said, the question still needs to be asked as to why the Nigerian post-colonial state is so prone and vulnerable to closure.

Every ascendant group with its handful of collaborators recruited from all over the country simply barricade themselves in while the feeding frenzy is going on. Meanwhile, those who have been excluded pull and tug at the foundation until the temple comes crashing with a resounding bang.

The origin of the nation itself in colonial predation and rapine is a major drawback. Despite the veneer of a civilising mission, the colonialists did not pretend that they had risked blood and limb in Africa for the pleasure and pastime of the conquered natives. As part of the decolonising project the colonial state ought to have witnessed a fundamental rebirth and humanisation to make it amenable to the hopes and aspirations of the captive populace.

But what it witnessed was a mere indigenisation.

The second drawback is the uneven level of consciousness and political development among the various constituting units which has made it impossible for a genuine na-

tional dialogue about the way forward several decades after the departure of the colonial masters.

Ancient prejudices and ancestral horrors of past persecution hold sway making it impossible for core values that drive a modern nation to crystallise.

In the event, every ascendant group tries to fill the void by imposing the inner core values of their ethnic formation even where these values are incompatible with the basic notions of modern nationhood. Like a restive horse, those at the receiving end of malignant federal power chafe and kick up a lot of dust.

Despite this background of tumult and turbulence, all was quiet on the Lagos to Ibadan Express this early Tuesday morning. It had been drizzling all through, making everywhere wet and soggy.

But there was an eerie calm and quiet everywhere. The traffic snafu occasioned by the ongoing rehabilitation of this principal arterial passage of the nation has been reduced to two major spots.

It was early August. The corn was out, and so were the corn people.

Very soon, you were passing through the ancient warrior city of Ibadan, The peculiar mess had largely disappeared. This metropolitan coliseum of urban affrays and equal opportunity mayhem was witnessing a massive transformation. The current dominant party in the west is not a congregation of saints. But judging by their urban renewal programmes and massive rural transformation, the west will not be in a hurry to forget them.

Just as you descend the leafy escarpment of suburban Ibadan around the old Egbeda town into the precincts of Osun state, you began to pick the scent of battle. The bridge over the famed Osun river was in view just before the river began snaking its way through the massive Area Five forest reservation around Oke Alaguntan, through Mokore in Ijebu Igbo territory and onward to the Lagos lagoon.

During the Yoruba mfecane, this was the backyard and backdoor route the Owu people took to their present domain after a protracted siege led to their eventual dislodgment from their homestead. In the fifties, elephants from the reservations were occasionally sighted drinking and clowning by the bank of the river. It was the same vegetation belt that straddles the other side of the river and what is known as Igbo Elerin. (The forest of elephants) If you are an ancient big game hunter, the colonial demarcation of territory only existed in the colonial imagination.

By now, you have crossed the Osun bridge into Osun State

proper, and political strife was no longer in the imagination but a concrete and throbbing reality. A huge poster of a smiling Aregbesola welcomed you to this volatile political nerve centre of the Yoruba people.

Aregbesola’s billboard was closely followed by another huge banner, this time of his main rival, Iyiola Omisore, bearing the apocalyptic appellation of Atari Ajanaku or the skull of the elephant.

It had begun to drizzle rather heavily and the elephants are in a mortal clinch. You must pity the grass and the grass root. Police presence became obtrusive and rather invasive. Heavily armed and sternlooking, the state enforcers motioned to you to advance to be recognised and then glumly waved you on. It was all very professional, but you would rather they had been looking for Malam Shekau..

By the time you got to the Gbongan junction, the rains had gone completely berserk, drooling endlessly as it drilled the ground without mercy. Muddy floods took over the Bye pass under construction as vehicular movements splurged to a halt in the sea of dirt and murk.

Will this historic deluge do it for you and the mega rally? Not on its life, you swore in fury and frustration.

Almost one hour and barely one kilometre after, one began to think the unthinkable. There was a huge back pile of stalled vehicles and tempers began to flare.At some point near the old Ejemu village, the makeshift bridge appeared to have disappeared in a muddy pool. Since this was also Snooper’s territory, one began to wonder whether the rogue PDP had enlisted the services of crack rainmakers nearby, after all, all is fair in political warfare.

Since turning back was virtually impossible, one was minded at this point to make a detour at Sekona and on to General Akinrinade’s Yakoyo fortress for an early meal of pounded yam and quails. Or one could veer off into Tonkere and then exit into the Ife suburb through the old OAU Agric farm. In an earlier incarnation, this was the preferred NADECO Highway of Unife Student union stalwarts retreating from fierce teargas.

But perish the devilish thought.

The sky lifted miraculously, and so did the muddy pool. Nothing was now standing between one and Osogbo, except heavy security presence. There is light indeed at the end of the tunnel. Osogbo was in a carnival-like mood. It was as if the entire town had risen in honour of the presiding governor. Young men, old men; women and old wenches, they were all fiercely brandishing brooms. And they were singing and dancing in defiant scorn of the establishment. Let no one make any mistake about this. These people will protect their vote.

It was impossible to reach the stadium. After almost two hours of trying, one gave up, jumped out of the car and started trekking towards the stadium. Even by the standards of mega rallies, the crowd was unprecedented, spilling in every direction. After being repeatedly roughed up and serially elbowed in the hurly burly, one began inching his way back to the main road.

And lo, it was Aregbesola approaching. Heavily goggled, he was perched atop a huge Gaiser- like vehicle as if he was descending from the clouds. This was magical reality at its political summit. The crowd

swooned in affection and admiration. With his fancy footwork and dancing aplomb, Aregbesola is a master of the crowd; an iron chancellor of the proletariat and urban hoi polloi. Whether he wins freely or is made to go under fraudulently, this is a particularly dangerous moment for the Yoruba plutocracy and its reactionary grandees who are stuck in a time-warp.

As the convoy moved nearer, Aregbesola spotted yours sincerely where he was marooned among the roadside crowd like a footloose flaneur and beamed an ecstatic sign of victory. Sensing the presence of a ranking nobility of civilian unrest, the urban stalwarts immediately began clearing the path back to the stadium for a bemused Snooper. They were joined by some native drummers all the way from Gbongan.

In the event, the actual rally was something of an anticlimax, despite the brilliant and stirring rhetoric and a splendid speech delivered in flawless vernacular by Olagunsoye Oyinlola. It will be strange if three former governors of this state and the incumbent turn out to be wrong. The good people of Osun state have already spoken with their feet. By yesterday, they would have done the same with their vote. It is a loud and insistent clamour for good and accountable governance over the chicaneries of belly politics. Let no one tamper with their vote. Let no one toy with the tail of a cobra. It has been quite a day at the Jalumin Front.

Ebola on my mind

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ITH Boko Haram rampaging in the north of the nation and the Ebola plague threatening to get a foothold in the south, the doomsday prediction about the Nubian’s last sigh is beginning to look like some divinely ordained soothsaying. No nation has been able to survive the impossible combination of natural and man-made calamities. If a nation must survive a plague, it must have good leaders and if a nation already suffers from a political plague it must not add a natural plague to its list of calamities.

It was Manuel Castells, the great Spanish-American sociologist, who once dubbed AIDs, the Ebola virus, leprosy and other pestilential afflictions which have turned sub-Saharan Africa into a human hellhole as “epidemics of dereliction”. It is a haunting metaphor, and anybody who has seen how these scourges strip the human body of its last shred of honour and integrity must know what it means.

But it does seem as if there are epidemics and there are epidemics. If natural epidemics waste the human body, what happens in a situation where the state is so stripped of its honour and integrity as to become an institutional derelict? An epidemic of state dereliction? What then happen when in the same nation-space you have an epidemic of dereliction, that is natural calamity, combining with an epidemic of state dereliction, which is man-made catastrophe?

Something new always comes out of Africa indeed.

4 NEWS G

Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State got a fresh mandate yesterday to rule for another four years.

The electorate endorsed the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate in yesterday’s election with 387,527 votes counted so far in 26 of the 30 local government areas of the state.

Trailing him was Otunba Iyiola Omisore of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who got 285,925 votes in the 26 LGAs. Voters in Ilesa West, Ilesa East, Ejigbo, Ifelodun, Osogbo, Boripe, Irewole, Iwo, Egbedore, AtakumosaWest, Atakumosa East, Oriade, Ila, Irepodun, Orolu, Ede North, Ede South, Obokun, Aiyedire, and Aiyedade preferred Aregbesola flag bearer to Omisore and other contestants.

The PDP flag bearer won in Odo Otin, Ife Central, Ife North, Ife East and Ife South.

Results for Boluwaduro, Ifedayo, Isokan and Olorunda were being collated at press

THE NATION ON SUNDAY AUGUST 10, 2014

OSUN DECIDES

Aregbesola wins •Osogbo erupts in jubilation

By Seun Akioye/ Sina Fadare, Osogbo time.

Wild jubilations erupted in Osogbo and other parts of the state as the results trickled last night.

Residents took to the streets congratulating one another on the outcome of the voting after several weeks of tension generated by the massive deployment of security operatives to the state ahead of the poll, harassment of leaders and supporters of the APC and a war of words between the APC and PDP over rigging allegations.

The APC said yesterday that as many as 250 of its supporters were arrested at different times before the election with a view to intimidating the electorate.

INEC lauds Osun voters

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HE Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is satisfied with the peaceful and orderly conduct of yesterday’s governorship election in Osun State.

The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in the state, Mr. Segun Agbaje said the conduct of the election has shown that democracy is working.”

“We do not expect anyone to be disenfranchised.

We have put everything in place to ensure that everyone who turned out must vote. We thank the people of the state for heeding our call to come and vote in a peaceful and orderly manner,” Agbaje said while monitoring the election.

In Iremo ward 3, Ife Central, the REC commended the voters for orderly conduct and praised the INEC officials for following due process during the election process. In Osogbo, Agbaje who went round different polling units said the conduct of the election was satisfactory.

“We expect the process

By Seun Akioye, Osogbo

to end very well, we have done everything that is required of us to do for the process to end very well,” he said.

But he denied that the process was militarized.

He added: “I didn’t see too much of security. We asked for security for the voters and our personnel and that is what we got.

The most important thing is that everyone is safe.”

The INEC boss said reports of arrests of political leaders did not affect the conduct of the election. On the number of registered political parties, Agbaje said two candidates pulled out. “Two candidates pulled out, we received their letters but we said it did not follow due process because no candidate can pull out less than 45 days to the election.”

He said even though there were 20 political parties registered on the ballot paper, only 18 candidates were eligible for the election.

Jubilation in Ibadan

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HERE was sudden eruption of jubilation in the city of Ibadan and its environs late yesterday evening when calls came in indicating that the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola was leading in the Saturday governorship poll in Osun State.

Anxious residents were busy making phone calls as they monitor results.

Many were also seen in groups discussing the development, while others openly shouted the slogan “Aregbe nio, APC ti wo le “.

As at the time of filing this report , the APC candidate was said to be leading in 20 out of the 30 local governments in the state.

A resident, Mr. Abimbola Okeowo was full of praises as he jubilated in

From: Oseheye Okwuofu, Ibadan.

company of some loyalists of APC at Mokola area of the city.

Also at Molete, Ring Road, Alakia, Agbowo, and Apata areas of the city the atmosphere was the same as politicians celebrate over the result.

Many APC loyalists at different parts of the city, it was learnt have started celebrating the outcome of the results in night clubs, beer parlours and private homes, even though it has not been officially announced.

It was also gathered that many people, especially party members within city have started sending congratulatory messages to friends and well wishers as the results of the election filtered in.

The APC alleged last night that the PDP was making moves to twist the result.

“Credible information at our disposal indicates another criminal plot by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and its allied forces to corrupt the open results of the election which have shown clearly the excellent outing of our party,” the party said in a statement by its Osun state spokesperson, Kunle Oyatomi.

He said PDP officials were in “hurried and clandestine meetings to subvert” the process after failing to win in the fields.

“The people of Osun have spoken and spoken well. The result of the election must be upheld,” the APC said.

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar in a reaction to the results asked the people of the state to defend their votes, saying people’s choice must be respected “no matter who wins”.

The Omisore Campaign

Organisation in a counter statement expressed dismay at “desperate bid of the All Progressive Congress to discredit the final results of the governorship election in Osun state through publication of fake election results and celebration of false electoral victory.”

It said Omisore was “leading based on results collated so far and any concerted result has no basis in facts and legality. We await the official results from the electoral commission and we are convinced that the final results will confirm the electoral victory of Senator Iyiola Omisore.”

Turn out by voters for the election was generally high across the state.

Expectations in the camps of the two main parties were equally high.

On hand to ensure that nothing went amiss were chieftains of the parties from different parts of the country.

It was relatively peaceful despite a clampdown on APC

members by security men.

Operatives of the Department of State Security (DSS), Police, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) were deployed on the streets.

Election materials reached most parts of the capital early and accreditation of voters began by 8:am. Voters had little to complain about concerning accreditation although there were a few reports of hooliganism in parts of the state.

In Ilobu for instance,, suspected thugs stormed a polling booth shooting sporadically in the air and attempted to disrupt the process of accreditation.

They were however repelled by men of the NSCDC. Obokun Ward 3 and Odo Otin recorded similar incidents and in both cases security men acted promptly.

The Commandant of the NSCDC in Osun state, Engr.

Felix Gbolade said of the election: “Election was fine; we

were deploying our officials as the situation demanded. Where there were issues of security, our men were able to restore calm.”

The State Director of State Security Services (SSS), Andrew Iorkyar told The Nation that some polling booths requested extra security in Osogbo.

“The election has been peaceful, some polling units demanded for extra security because of the large turn- out of people and we have provided security,” he said.

In Ward 4, unit 1, voting commenced later as the voters complained about the slow process of election. One voter told the Nation, “The electoral officers are very slow they seem not to know how to handle the electoral process.”

In Units 2,4,18,19,20 also in the same Ward, voting began as scheduled as voters waited patiently in the sun to cast their votes. In many wards in Osogbo, voting continued till 4pm. In Unit 1 and 2, more than 100 voters waited around 4;30 pm to cast their ballots.

As the results of the election began to trickle in, there was wild jubilation in Osogbo .

A voter, Suraj Adewole said he was satisfied with the conduct of the election.

“This election has been transparent, we are glad about the direction it is going, our party has won,” he said.

• Voters jubilate after counting of votes at their polling booth.

Peaceful poll amidst security siege F ROM an atmosphere of palpable tension that later gave way to uneasy calm, people of Osun East senatorial district went to the polls yesterday to choose who will pilot the affairs of the state in the next four years. Defying the intimidating presence of heavily armed security agents, voters trooped out enmasse to exercise their civic responsibility, choosing who will preside over the state in the next four years. In an exercise that was

largely peaceful, accreditation exercise started early in most polling units visited without the usual complaints of scarcity or late arrival of electoral materials, as voters conducted themselves peacefully as they exercised their franchise in Ile-Ife, Modakeke, and other adjoining communities under the eagle eyes of security agents.

At Iremo near ward 3 near Senator Babjide Omoworare’s

house in Ile-Ife, voter’s accreditation, which witnessed huge turnout also started early. It was largely peaceful, even though there were unsavoury reports that some thugs suspected to be loyal to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) molested some members of the All Progressives Congress (APC), especially the party agents. While the accreditation was in progress, Aleshinloye Akeem, an agent of APC at unit 17, Oja Tuntun area in Ile-Ife, com-

on Saturday.

In a congratulatory message forwarded to the Deputy Governor on Saturday night, Oba Sijuade assured the deputy

governor, Mrs. Grace Titilayo Laoye-Tomori, that despite the outcome of the election, there will be no fighting in his domain because one of his subjects, who was the candidate of

By Adekunle Yusuf, Assistant Editor

plained that he was incessantly threatened by PDP thugs who asked him to “cooperate or get killed.” All this went on while policemen attached to the unit feigned ignorance.

By the time the candidate of the PDP in the election, Iyiola Omisore, drove to unit 3 (ward 1) Moore in Ile-Ife to do his accreditation, he was greeted by a tumultuous crowd of admirers and kinsmen who had gathered to be •Continued on page 74

Ooni congratulates Aregbesola

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HE Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuade, has congratulated Governor Rauf Aregbesola and his running mate over his victory in the governorship election held

the Peoples Democratic Party hails from Ile Ife. “Your Excellency, congratulations and there is nobody fighting in Ife,” the Ooni said in his message

THE NATION ON SUNDAY AUGUST 10, 2014

5

OSUN DECIDES

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ATIONAL Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Alhaji Lai Mohammed, declared yesterday that his arrest in Osogbo on Friday in Gestapo Style by hooded security agents was for no reason than that he belongs to the opposition.

He said his harassment demonstrates the level of illegality, lawlessness, anarchy and intolerance to which Nigeria has descended under the watch of President Goodluck Jonathan.

In a statement in Osogbo shortly after he was released, Alhaji Mohammed said he was arrested along with Mr. Sunday Dare, Media Aide to APC National Leader Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and Mr. Afolabi Salisu, Deputy Chief of Staff to Gov. Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State. ‘’We were being driven to the Government House when we were stopped at a military check point by men in military and DSS uniforms, all hooded and armed to the teeth with AK47 assault rifles, pistols and other weapons. Since there was no curfew in Osun State and people were moving around freely, we felt it was a routine check.

APC spokesman, Lai Mohammed released from detention

•Narrates ordeal in the hands of security agents ‘’Suddenly, the men, some of them apparently drunk, ordered us out of the car, took our phones, pointed their assault rifles at our heads and said ‘you are under arrest’. They herded us into their bus like animals and drove away. There is no doubt that they knew who we are because I introduced myself! ‘’From our encounter with our tormentors, there is also no doubt that these were not just soldiers and DSS officials, there were also ex-militants and thugs, all clad in military and DSS uniforms but apparently lacking in any training. We also witnessed how men in military and DSS uniform fired their guns at the gate leading to the residence of Senator Isiaka Adeleke to force it open! ‘’We asked them why we were being arrested, but they ignored our question as they

drove for close to one hour before veering into a compound that turned out to be the offices of the DSS. There, we met people who had been previously arrested and stripped of their clothing, many of them bloodied from the beatings to which they must have been subjected. ‘’We were herded to one side as our tormentors marched around triumphantly, in what could well have been a scene from Ukraine. We were waiting for our turn to be stripped of our apparels and taken along with those who were arrested earlier to the DSS cells when a man who is apparently a senior DSS official intervened and ordered our release. The men who arrested us, apparently unhappy at the order to set us free, rejected the order, until the man asserted his authority and even accompanied us to where we were ar-

•Voters at Oduntan Polling Unit 002 area of Osogbo for INEC acreditation

rested. ‘’Back there, we discovered that our driver has been badly beaten and even robbed of his personal belongings by the same security agents being paid by the taxpayers to protect the citizens, whose ranks have now been swelled, willingly, by thugs and ex-militants, armed and dressed in official uniforms by the PDP and sanctioned by the Jonathanled Federal Government! ‘’This arrest is not about Lai Mohammed, Sunday Dare or Afolabi Salisu, whoever we may be, but about the constitutionally-guaranteed rights of Nigerians, ordinary Nigerians, to move around freely, associate with any party of their choice and express their opinions without being molested or arrested. ‘’The way and manner we were harassed, arrested and dehumanised on Friday night

PHOTO: Dayo Adewunmi

Adeleke escapes assassination

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HE first executive governor Osun State and a chieftain of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Senator Isiaka Adeleke yesterday narrowly escaped assassins’ bullet when hooded hoodlums in army and police uniform and ambushed his vehicle at Ede around 1am and shot at his vehicle repeatedly.

Adeleke said that he was saved by security men who engaged the hoodlums suspected to be PDP agents in an exchange of fire.

He confirmed the development to The Nation at Sagba Abogunde, in Ede, his home town shortly after his accreditation for yesterday’s gover-

By Sina Fadare, Osogbo

norship election.

He said:”At about 1am or thereabout, we noticed some people who wore mask with police uniform, military uniform and SSS uniform in a Hilux van marked Road Safety and another van with no number plate.

“They started banging on the door. I saw one of the guys that was pointing from the van and I recognized him to be PDP youth leader. You know I was one of them.”

The former governor said that for close to 40 minutes there was cross fire between his security men and the hoodlums and he escaped in the confusion.

He said it was obvious that the assassins were after his life and wanted to use the federal might to overpower him but God saved him.

He said, “The federal government cannot claim to be ignorant of all these because those that were arrested called me and told me they were detained at NYSC camp where the soldiers were camped. Some of them were tortured,” he said.

“Some are still there; they are yet to be released. I happened to be lucky, some others are not. The Attorney-General was picked up, the commissioner for Agriculture was picked up, Senator Bayo Salami was picked up, Lai Mohammed

was picked up. He was released later. What for, nobody knows.”

He said he remains uncowed by the development.

“It is those that know they are going to lose election that will want to intimidate the other party. From our own side, we know we are going to win massively. That is why we are not doing anything untoward. If votes will count, I know that 70 to 80 percent of voters will vote for APC. They should let the votes count. And vote will count if ballots are counted at the voting centers, result announced publicly and overall result is declared as recorded. We hope nothing untoward will happen to the results.”

Atiku condemns arrests, clampdown on APC members ORMER Vice President Atiku Abubakar yesterday decried the clampdown on APC leaders and supporters in Osun State.

The APC leader called for neutrality and professionalism of security agents monitoring the election.

Atiku in a statement by his media office said reports

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from the state suggested random chase down and arrest of APC leaders and members across the state by soldiers and officials of the Department of State Security (DSS).

He said that the use of the military for the purpose of election is “an anathema to the very spirit of electioneering politics, because the rules

of engagement of the military violates the principles of fundamental human rights which gives the people the power of franchise.”

He therefore called on the relevant authorities behind the deployment of troops for the governorship election in Osun State to give

instructions to the soldiers and state security agents on the imperative of limited and minimal engagement associated with the nature of their assignment, as the mood of terror being reported to have been created in the state is capable of distorting the expected free and fair outcome of the election.

show that Nigerian citizens can no longer be sure that the security agents they encounter on the roads or anywhere else are welltrained and highly-disciplined men and women in the military, police, DSS and others that we used to know. What we have now are Jonathan’s soldiers, policemen and DSS officials who have since stopped working for the nation but are now the enforcement arm of the PDP.” Alhaji Mohammed said that even as he was putting down his own ordeal in writing scores

of other APC leaders and supporters were still being harassed and arrested across Osun State especially in Ifelodun Local Government Ward 10, Atakumosa East Local Government and Ife East Local Government, Okerewe Wards 2 and 3. ‘’Our party, the APC, has no doubt whatsoever that the depravity being exhibited under President Jonathan’s watch, in the name of politics, has his imprimatur. We have no doubt that elections, which should be a celebration of democracy, have now been turned to war because of the desperation of President Jonathan to win re-election at all costs. We have no doubt that the anarchic Minister of State for Defence and Minister of Police Affairs, who are leading the ‘’troops’’ in Osun as they did in Ekiti, are taking their cue from President Jonathan,” he said.

250 APC members arrested, says Mohammed •Alleges state-sponsored terror

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HE All Progressives Congress (APC) said yesterdaythatnofewerthan250 of its leaders and supporters had been arrested by security operatives before and during the governorship election there.

The party dubbed the development state sponsored political terror and demanded an immediate halt to it. ‘’At this point, APC is constrained to alert Nigerians and the international community that what is going on now in Osun State Nigeria is not an election but a coup against democracy,’’ the party said in a statement issued in Osogbo by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed. ‘’This is definitely not an ordinary election. It is the total hijack of the process and direct violation of the rights of the people. Osun State has been turned into a theaterofwar.Anongoingstate-sponsored political terror against the Osunpeopleandtheentirepeople of Nigerians has been unleashed by an elected President against his ownpeople,againsthisowncountry, in an unprecedented act of political desperation. ‘’Asat11amthismorning(yesterday), over 250 APC members and leaders have been arrested all over the state by the security task force. The DSS alone has over 50 APC members in their custody.

On the contrary, no single PDP member has been arrested so far.

This is barbaric and constitutes an infringement on the constitutionally-guaranteed rights of those who have been arrested,’’ it said.

APC said the magnitude of arrests, the viciousness of the operationandthewidespreadintimidation of APC members have confirmed the party’s fears, which were expressed in several press statements ahead of the election.

The party said President Jonathan, in “an unparalleled desecration of national institutions, has simply turned the men and women in uniform against the people, as the entire security outfits now owe their allegiance to the President, rather than to the nation,andareathisbeckandcall.”

It said even as the election progresses, police officers from other neighboring states are being shipped into Osun to intimidate the state’s voters. ‘’PDP is not relenting in its plantounleashterrorandprovoke violence after the accreditation of voters in order to prevent APC members from voting. Tear gas andgunshotswillbereleasedsporadically to scare voters from vot-

ing and create confusion at the poling units, so the agents of the PDP can substitute ballot papers and boxes,’’ APC said.

The party also alerted the people of Osun and indeed all Nigerians to the use of fake Youth Corpers to perpetrate massive rigging in the election, adding that the fake Youth Corpers, who were procured by a minister hijacked the accreditation of voters in many polling units.

According to the APC, NYSC members who had already been cleared and paid for the election were turned back in favour of the fake corps members in Ede South andEdeNorthallegedlyprocured by the minister.

ItaccusedINECofconnivance in the illegality.

Itlisteditsmemberswhowere arrested as including: - Alhaji Tijani Oladosu (aka TILAD),QuadriOwonikoko(a.k.a Integrity). Arrested about midnight, their whereabouts are still unknown - Lai Mohammed, Sunday Dare, and Afolabi Salisu. They were picked up before mid-night Friday by nine gun-toting masked DSS operatives and driven to the DSS headquarters in Osogbo. Harassed and deeply traumatized, they were finally released by DSS Saturday morning - Over 40 voters, all APC members, arrested in Erin Osun while queueing for accreditation.

- Alhaji Raimi Shitu, Vice ExecutiveSecretary,Odo-OtinLG,arrested midnight - Chairman of O’SCHOOL in OsunandChieftainofAPC,Alhaji LaiOyeduntan’shouseinvadedin Osogbo -APCstalwartandOctogenarian lawyer, Pa J.O Fakayode, being detained in Ora Igbomina after being picked up by security agents from Oke Ila - All APC agents in Osu, Atakumosa West, arrested by soldiers - All APC coordinators in Ifedayo LGA arrested.

-ASPVentureOnos,Secondin Command, Police Command, Osun while on election duty, arrested for warning soldiers against the maltreatment of APC members.

- Chief Abiola Ogundokun, PDP chieftain in Iwo, is leading a detachment of DSS agents to arrest APC leaders and key members.

- All over Osun state, APC membersarebeingchasedandharassed by PDP thugs aided by security agents.

6

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, AUGUST 10, 2014

NEWS

OSUN DECIDES

PHOTOS BY : ISACC JIMOH AYODELE AND DAYO ADEWUNMI

•Election observers from the US Embassy, Brandon Lampley (right), Israel Edereka (middle) discussing with a presiding officer at Iremo.

•Supporters jubilating after victory at a ward in Ilesa.

•Travellers stranded at the boundary of Osun and Ondo state during the election

•Voters checking their names at Ward 1 Seru, Unit 1 Enuwa Square, Ile-Ife.

•Voters at Ward 1 unit 4, Moore, Ile-Ife.

•Security check point at Moro as accreditation of voters went on.

•An 86 years old Pa Awoyemi Adeboye Olawole casting his vote in Ile-Ife.

•Chief Bisi Akande addressing reporters yesterday.

•Electorate checking for their names on the voters’ list at a polling unit at Fagbewesa Street in Oshogbo during the Osun State gubernatorial election,

•APC supporters celebrating

•Voters Waiting To Cast Thier Vote

•Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola casting his vote

•Voters waiting to cast thier vote at United Missionary Shool Unit 004 Esa Oke Area

THE NATION ON SUNDAY AUGUST 10, 2014

NEWS

7

How Dame Patience attempted to govern Rivers –APC scribe

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•From left: Chairman of the occasion, Amb. Isaac Sagay; Senator George Sekibo; author ot the book, Ambassador Spiff Taribo and his wife, Silverline during the presentation/book launch to mark 80th birthday anniversary of Taribo in Port Harcourt... yesterday.

PHOTO: NAN

HE Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Hon. Oji Ngofa, has revealed that Dame Patience Jonathan, the wanted to take over the leadership of Rivers State but was resisted

by Governor Chibuike Amaechi.The APC chieftain spoke yesterday in Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital, while giving insight on how the role of the First Lady truncated the existing peace in Rivers State.

Ngofa who was the past Executive Chairman of Eleme Local Government in Rivers State and currently the Caretaker Committee Chairman of the council said the greatest thing that has happened to Rivers people is the resistance of Dame Jonathan’s plan.

He said her plan was to take over Rivers and to run the state as a private company where Governor Amaechi would not have a say in the governance of the state, espe-

From Precious Dikewoha, Port Harcourt

cially in the management of the state’s resources.

He noted that the issue of who appoints the Chief Judge of the state, the impeachment saga and other issues rocking the state would have been easy to achieve if Amaechi didn’t stop Dame Jonathan’ s plan on time.

“I have said it before and I am repeating it again, the people of Rivers State should thank God that Governor Amaechi resisted Jonathan’s wife from executing her plan.

We have a president’s wife that does not understand her role in the politics of Rivers State.

“As the wife of the president, her role is not to control the elected governor and probably became the governor of Rivers State. It is her misunderstanding of her role as wife of the president that led to the dislocation in the politics of Rivers State today.”

Delta traditional ruler, governor’s Bayelsa sets up Ebola taskforce aide die in motor accident as Navy begins sensitisation T B HE Obi of IsseleUku,Delta State HRM Henry Ezeagwuna I and Senior Special Adviser to Delta State Governor on Information and Communication Technology, (ICT), Mr. Sunny Ofili yesterday lost their lives in a motor accident on the Asaba-Benin highway.

From Mike Odiegwu, Yenagoa

They both burned to death when the car -a Mercedes Benzin which they were rammed into an articulated vehicle between Issele-Uku and IsseleAzagba at about 4pm.

The car caught fire immediately.

They were said to be on their way to Asaba with the Obi behind the wheels.

Mr. Ofili’s colleagues described him as a humble and unassuming personality.

The death of the Obi is yet to be formally announced.

The task is customarily

reserved for the chiefs of the town.

A senior official of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) in Asaba confirmed the incident but said that “we are yet to get the full details. So I cannot just tell you whether those you are mentioning were dead or not.”

Ijaw community, firm square up over death of kinsmen

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HE inhabitants of Gelegele, in Ovia North East Local Government Area of Edo, a riverine oil and gas community, are at daggers drawn with Dubril Oil, an oil firm operating in the neighbourhood, following alleged death of five community members as a result of gas emission by the company.

According to the community, gas emission from Dubril Oil claimed the lives of five of its kinsmen just as many others are suffering from one form of ailments caused by environmental hazards they are exposed daily in the com-

•As group seeks relocation of gas plant

A

Crisis brews in Bayelsa APC

GGRIEVED members of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bayelsa State chapter have attacked their Chairman, Mr. Tiwe Orunimighe, accusing him of incompetence.

The angry members under the aegis of the Third Force accused the chairman of highhandedness, autocracy, divisiveness and arrogance.

They further alleged that the chairman was running the party like a sole administrator and accused him of spending N7.2m brought for the inauguration of state executive council without the approval of the exco members.

The group led by Mr. Michael Oyanimighan, said the chairman unilaterally removed the name of the Central Senatorial Vice-Chairman, Mr. Joseph Fafi, from the list of inaugurated executive members.

The group said Fafi was denied inauguration despite being a bonafide elected member of the executive council.

The group said: “Tiwe Orunimighe is highhanded, autocratic and disrespectful.

His actions have succeeded in dividing the APC family in Bayelsa State.

From Osemwengie Ben Ogbemudia, Benin

munity.

Speaking on behalf of the community, Comrade Joseph Gbale, under the umbrella of Ijaw Youth of Edo State, (IYES), said: “The state and federal government should as a matter of urgent national importance prevail on Dubril Oil to relocate the flaring of gas from the heart of Gelegele community as several lives have been lost. The names of those that died are Mr Ibote

Ossia, Mr Aladin Iyefabiri, Mr Anthony Adeyemi, Mr Roland Ofunama and Aboy Donyegha.

“The federal government should immediately commence work on the Gelegele Seaport as this will bring development and business opportunity to Edo people as well as job creation to our teeming unemployed youths.”

It would be recalled that in spite of the federal government assurance that gas flar-

•Members accuse chairman of incompetence, arrogance •They are ingrates - Chairman From Mike Odiegwu, Yenagoa

“Also, the APC state chairman vehemently refused to swear in the party’s senatorial vice-chairman elect for Bayelsa Central, Mr. Joseph Fafi. In his stead, one Falla was sworn in.

This action is against the provisions of APC Constitution.

“Article 21 (11) of the constitution specifically states that anybody that tampers with delegate list, election result, nomination of party officers will be expelled and prosecuted.”

They also accused Orunimighe of closing the state’s secretariat, without considering members and staff of the party.

“It is curious that Orunimighe locked up and took the keys of the state secretariat.

Also, the N7.2m brought for inauguration of state executive council was spent without the approval of the Exco,” they alleged.

They also criticised the leader of the party and former governor of the state, Chief Timipre Sylva.

According to them Sylva has been leading the party from outside without making an attempt to visit the state.

But Orunimighe described his critics as “ingrates and black legs of the APC.” He said: “Apart from former Governor Timipre Sylva that has given us money, I spent my own money for so many things. Where is the highhandedness coming from? All things done in that party are done according to national directives.”

“They are miscreants who want to spoil a purposeful and alternative party for Bayelsans. We have suffered lack of purposeful leadership because of the Peoples Democratic Party monopoly.

“Look at the so-called members, what are their po-

ing by multinational oil companies operating in the Niger Delta region will end by 31st December, 2013, the situation still remained unabated in the Edo Oil and Gas Community of Gelegele.

However, in a swift reaction, an official of the company who did not want his name in print absolved the company of the allegations raised.

He said: “We don’t have any problem with Gelegele community. I just left the community myself. What they are talking about don’t have anything to do with us.” litical antecedents and integrity? They are politicians who think they will take the party to pay their rents and feed themselves.”

Also in his reaction, the state Secretary of APC, Mr. Marlin Daniel, said the aggrieved members were renegades saying they were unhappy that they could not manipulate the APC leadership.

He said: “Those people were those from the old opposition parties in the state.

Before now, opposition parties in the state formed it to raise money to feed themselves.

“But now, the APC is not like that. We are geared towards change. And anybody who feels it is like before; to use the APC platform to make money for their belly will be disappointed. The crops of people that are complaining were from those political parties that existed before. We cannot allow them to introduce the old system into the APC. “They sold their party and betrayed it for their pocket.

We are saying no to that. That is why we are their enemies.

The leadership of the APC is capable of pushing the party to victory.”

AYELSA State government at the weekend established a 13-man taskforce to map out strategies of preventing the spread of the Ebola virus.

The development came shortly after the Central Naval Command (CNC) of the Nigerian Navy began to sensitise its officers and ratings in the state about the deadly Ebola virus and measures that must be taken to prevent its spread.

The Flag Officer Commanding (FOC), CNC, Rear Admiral Peter Agba, at the seminar organised by the CNC in Yenagoa, Bayelsa state capital, harped on personal hygiene.

Agba said: “We cannot run away from our family members, but what we can help them do is to help bring them to healthcare centres.”

He advised the officers and ratings to take preventive measures to protect themselves from the virus, insisting that “prevention is better than cure.”

He further cautioned against reckless consumption of food items since according to him some of the items had been reported to be hosting the virus.

“For example, eating of monkeys, bush meat, exchange of kisses among loved ones and so many other situations should be done with care,” he said.

He said the seminar was put together to enlighten officers and ratings of the navy.

Also, Dr. Esther Boyinbode, in her brief presentation, spoke on the practical ways of preventing the Ebola spread.

She said the virus was not airborne as being speculated in some quarters but could only be transmitted through body fluids.

According to him, the incubation period of the virus was between two and 21 days.

“The general symptoms of this virus is like every other feverish diseases which may include weakness of the joint, constant headache,” she said.

On the Ebola Task Force, the Bayelsa State Government said it was part of its elaborate preparations to tackle any outbreak of the dreaded virus in

From Mike Odiegwu, Yenagoa

the state.

In a statement after the state executive council meeting in Yenagoa, the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Ayibatonye Owei, said that, the task force would map out strategies and liaise with other notable local, national and international health institutions to confront any cases of the virus.

Owei was named the chairman of the task force while Dr. Biribina Samayin was nominated as the secretary.

Other members of the committee are Dr. Wakiente Ombu, Dr. Douye Aganaba, Dr Taribara Sigah Ekere, Dr Oyeyemi Abisoye and Mrs. Kenisuomein Walson.

Others are Dr. Israel Jeremiah, Biobelemoye Joy Josiah, Mrs Monica Azazi Olarinde, Dr. Zuobeni Agade and Mrs. Shakirat Azazi.

The commissioner said the government was arranging training programmes for all health personnel in health institutions across the state.

He said health workers were mostly at the risk of contracting the virus.

He said health personnel would be trained in collaboration with the state ministry of health, World Health Organisation (WHO), Federal Ministry of Health and the centre for disease control.

He stated that, the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Yenagoa and the Niger Delta University Teaching Hospital had been designated as centres to handle patients in case of an outbreak of the disease in the state.

Owei said provisions had been made for protective equipment for health personnel while sensitisation programmes to enlighten the public had started on radio, television and newspapers.

He said designated phone lines had been put in place to enable people call and report suspected cases of Ebola.

The health commissioner advised members of the public to be very cautious and take their personal hygiene seriously by washing their hands regularly.

8

THE NATION ON SUNDAY AUGUST 10, 2014

NEWS

Japanese envoy to speak at LCCI Business Forum

Contribute towards education development, lawmaker urges Nigerians

By Okwy Iroegbu-Chikezie

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HE Business Forum of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) is set to host the Chief Representative of the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Mr. Tetsuo Seki.

Seki is to speak on a gender workshop hosted by the women group of LCCI. The theme of the business forum is "Gender Mainstreaming in Private Sector Development.''

The event is slated for Henry Fajemirokun Hall at Commerce House, Idowu Taylor Street on Victoria Island, Lagos, on August 14, according to a statement signed by the chairperson of the group, Mrs. Adenike Shobajo.

The Japanese envoy, it was gathered, would focus his presentation on how JICA could collaborate with female members of the LCCI to reach out to women entrepreneurs in boosting grassroots development in Nigeria.

Seki will also speak on how to foster bilateral relations between women in Nigeria and their counterparts in Japan to boost cooperation through finance and investment, technical knowhow, loans, grants and aids.

The Women Group of the LCCI is charged with the responsibility of coordinating the activities of female members of the body in the promotion of their businesses and key projects of the LCCI.

Ebola: UCH constructs isolation centre to curtail disease From Tayo Johnson, Ibadan

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S part of efforts by government and various stakeholders to check the outbreak of Ebola virus, the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, has completed the construction of an isolation centre to diagnose patients brought into the hospital with symptoms of haemorrhagic fever.

The Chief Medical Director of the hospital, Prof Temitope Alonge, disclosed this during the hospital's wide grand round with the theme 'Ebola Viral Infection: Taming the Scourge,' held at Paul Hendricks Hall in the hospital.

Alonge said: "The isolation centre is not for everybody that has symptoms of Ebola?. We have category A, B and C. Somebody that has no fever, stroke, diarrhoea, or vomiting, but there are some specific symptoms we will look out for. We will be observing the patients by taking his or her blood samples before the result will decide whether he or she will be treated normally or will be quarantined."

According to him, every patient that comes to UCH would be treated as a potential carrier of the virus, adding that people must take universal precaution in order not to contract the disease.

From Tayo Johnson, Ibadan

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•From left: Wife of former Lagos State Governor, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, mother of the groom, Princess Adebisi Sarah Sosan, The Couple: Mr and Mrs Olugbenga Sosan, his father, Commodore Oluseyi Sosan (rtd), Princess Adejoke OrelopeAdefulire and Asoju Oba of Lagos, Chief Molade Okoya-Thomas, during the wedding ceremony of their children at Cathedral Church of Christ, Marina, Lagos at the weekend.

PHOTO: MUYIWA HASSAN

Twins' mother strangulated day after delivery A A WOMAN identified as Titilayo Kola was yesterdat strangulated to death allegedly by her husband a day after she was delivered of twins.

Sources revealed that the incident took place at the couple's apartment at No 23, Temidire Street, Ajowa area of Ado-Ekiti, the state capital.

Findings further revealed that the deceased's husband, one Mr. Kola, popularly known in as Melomelo (how many, how many), had escaped with the twins even as he was reported to have slept in the same room with his late wife, their new twins and other four children the

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By Sulaiman Salawudeen, Ado Ekiti

night before the incident.

Narrating the incident to journalists, the landlady of the deceased, who simply identified herself as Mama Aluko, said, "Titilayo was delivered of a set of twins at midnight on August 7. I was with her to help with the children and other things. Her husband, who has not been living with her for some time now, also came around, while her mum too was also around.

"Around 8:30 in the

evening, her mother told me she would be going for night vigil in her church. So, it was her husband, herself and their new twins that I left before I went to bed that night.

"This morning (August 9), I woke up planning whether to prepare Semovita or fufu for Titilayo. It was around that time somebody came to inform me that they couldn't wake Titilayo up and that her husband and the twins had disappeared."

Asked about other family members of the couple, the landlady said she didn't know much about them,

adding that Kola (the husband) came to rent the apartment about a year earlier, but, however, stopped living with his wife a few months after they moved into the apartment.

Confirming the development, the Ekiti State's Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr. Victor Babayemi, said: "It is a case of homicide and child stealing. The deceased was found dead on the bed in quite a suspicious circumstance, and the prime suspect is the husband of the woman who we haven't seen.

"So, we have a case of homicide and child stealing on our hands and we have commenced investigation."

Ondo APC, INEC disagree on Voter Register in Ondo

HE Ondo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has disagreed over the distribution of Permanent Voters Card (PVC) in the state.

At a workshop held in Akure, the Ondo State capital, chieftains of the APC argued against the distribution of PVC based on the 2011 Ondo State voter register, which they alleged was compromised in the run-up to the 2012 governorship election in the

From Damisi Ojo, Akure

state.

The State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mr. Akin Orebiyi, told stakeholders that the PVCs based on the 2011 voters register would be available for distribution as from August 15 to 17.

But a lawyer, Mr. Charles Titiloye, who represented the APC at the meeting, queried

the legality of the PVCs that would be issued for distribution to voters by INEC based on the revised 2012 voter register, which the Court of Appeal in its judgment on July 1, 2013 said contained 100,725 illegally injected voters.

He added that organising future elections using a compromised voter register is to lay the foundation for further electoral fraud in the State.

The lawyer opined that

though the Appeal Court had argued that the illegal injection of fake voters was not substantial enough to upturn the 2012 governorship election in the State, but ,however ,added that INEC owed it a duty to the people to compile a fresh voter register rather than confer legitimacy on 100,725 voters that would be acceptable to all political parties.

He said, "What Ondo State need is a fresh voter register and not an update of a compromised and contaminated voters register."

Southwest to boost pineapple production to IG players in the tackle unemployment pineapple agribusiness reduce concentrates

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in the South-West are set to come up with modalities with the aim of expanding the potential in the fresh pineapple fruits thereby creating hundreds of jobs in addition to checking the massive importation of the fruit.

At a stakeholders' meeting tagged 'Promotion of Pineapple Agribusiness in the South Western States of Nigeria', which was organised by the Horticulture Transformation Value Chain, South West Regional Office of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in partnership with the Lagos, Ogun, Oyo,

From Tayo Johnson, Ibadan

Osun, Ondo and Ekiti States.

In her keynote address, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mrs. Ibukun Odusote, noted that Nigeria is currently ranked 7th among major pineapple producing countries in the world with progressively increasing national output of 0.91metric tonnes in 2000 to 1.4 metric tonnes in 2012.

She said: "Amidst the enormous potentials in the industry, Nigeria spends huge amount annually in importing assorted concentrates and

related products. In 2009/2010, over 390,000mt of assorted fruit juice concentrates, including pineapple and vegetables valued at over N68billion was imported into the country."

Odusote, who was represented by the South-West Regional Director in the ministry, Mr. Olalekan Quadri, stated further, "The increase awareness of health benefits in fresh fruits consumption and Nigeria's huge population will further strengthen the market, thereby leading to increase in demand and production, job and wealth creation, income generation, bridge demand and supply gap for domestic consumption and export,

importation, earn and conserve foreign exchange as well as achieve sustainable food security."

Quadri also disclosed during an interview with The Nation that a market worth over N300billion has been secured in the South-West for pineapple farmers to sell their harvests.

The Coordinating Head of Homeland Affairs, Development Agenda for Western Nigeria (DAWN), Mr. Oluseye Oyeleye, said the demand for pineapple "is at an all time high in Nigeria and West African sub region in general," adding that the pineapple industry is worth close to N3billion.

HE lawmaker representing Akinyele II constituency in the Oyo State House of Assembly, Hon. Abiodun Adigun-Hammed, has urged well meaning Nigerians to contribute to the development of education in their communities, noting that education is the only means through which any society can develop.

Noting that education remains the only weapon to develop any society, the lawmaker also commended the Oyo State government for according utmost priority to education in the State. xxx Speaking while donating three motorcycles to the Akinyele local government universal basic education authority supervision unit, Moniya in Ibadan, the state capital, Hammed said: "Education? is one of the cardinal programmes of this present administration in Oyo State.

Before this administration came on board, the state was rated 32nd position in education, now we have moved to the 12th."

The lawmaker who also disclosed that he has constructed five blocks of three classrooms in the local government in addition to giving out bursary awards and many free NECO forms to students within his constituency, ?added that over 3,000 students have been trained in vocational skills across the local government.

xxxx

NGO to lift Isolo residents

By Olatunde Odebiyi

A

S part of its social responsibility, a nongovernmental organisation, Rotary Club of Isolo District 9110, is set to provide water, education, good health and empower residents of the community as part of its efforts to enhance the quality of life of the people.

Speaking in an interview with The Nation, the club's President for the year 2014/2015, Rotarian Adeoye Adegoke, said the provision of these social amenities, which would cost about N25million, were part of the club's contributions towards tackling some of the major challenges facing the area.

He said: "We want to tackle the problem of water and sanitation, literacy and education, child and maternal health, economic empowerment, disease prevention and treatment, conflict resolution and prevention among others.

"Our signature project is water and sanitation. We are going to sink three mega boreholes with treatment plants, so that it would be drinkable.

We want to provide drinkable water in order to prevent any form of disease and ensure that the scourge of malaria become a thing of the past."

To improve the level of literacy, Adegoke said his administration will carry out programs in the area of education for indigents who have never gone to school.

9

THE NATION ON SUNDAY AUGUST 10, 2014

• Dr. Brantly (American)

• Dr. Khan (Sierra Leonean

?

• Dr. Who? (Nigerian)

"Whatever the origin, a virus has only one function: to replicate itself.

But unlike other life forms (if a virus is considered a life form), a virus does not even do that itself. It invades cells that have energy and then, like some alien puppet master, it subverts them, takes them over, forces them to make thousands, and in some cases hundreds of thousands, of new viruses.

The power lies in their genes."

- The Great Influenza by John M. Barry

I

N the last few weeks, the major issue that has dominated world attention has been the outbreak of Ebola virus which, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO) has killed almost 800 people. This is worrisome considering the fact that we live in an age of borderless territories.

The virus which has ravaged three West African countries of Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone has killed hundreds there.

There are mounting fears that the virus might spread across the West coast of Africa because of the nature of the borders of the countries in the sub region. The first streak of the virus outside the three epic zones has landed in Nigeria through an infected American-Liberian who flew into Lagos on his way to Calabar, Cross River State.

The American-Liberian, Patrick Sawyer was eventually taken ill in Lagos where he later died. Recent investigations have revealed that one of the doctors who

Ebola: A tale of three doctors The world has been on the edge in the last two weeks over the outbreak of Ebola virus, in this report OLAYINKA OYEGBILE takes a look at the fate of care givers attended to him has been infected with the virus, while on Wednesday the death of one of the nurses who attended to him was confirmed by the Minister of Health Prof Onyebuchi Chukwu.

A

T the tail end of last week the unfortunate news of the death of one of the nurses who tended Patrick Sawyer when he was rushed to the hospital was announced.

The Minister of Health Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu who announced the death however did not reveal her identity just as that of the infected doctor too has not been revealed.

About seven others are still undergoing tests, he added.

Sawyer, the purveyor of this tragedy was said to have had contacts with 70 other Nigerians.

When Bradley and Writebol were being flown back to the US, many of their compatriots expressed fears that it was unsafe to do so. However, the government has assured its citizens that its medical facilities are up to the task.

In fact, a senior nurse at the Emory University Hospital, Atlanta, Susan Grant, in an article in the Washington Post dismissed the fear as unfounded.

According to her, "Those fears are unfounded and reflect a lack of knowledge about Ebola and our ability to safely manage and contain it. Emory University Hospital has a unit created specifically for these types of highly infectious patients, and our staff is thoroughly trained in infection control procedures and protocols. But beyond that, the public alarm overlooks the foundational

There is no clue yet as to how many others would have been infected.

However, about seven are undergoing tests.

As it is with such outbreak the

alarms are being raised and the populace educated as to what to watch out for and what to do.

Physicians caught in the net The most frightening part of the

...And the nurse died

?

• Nurse Who? (The unnamed Nigeria nurse who died)

• Dr. Who? (Nigerian)

mission of the U.S. medical system. The purpose of any hospital is to care for the ill and advance knowledge about human health. At Emory, our education, research, dedication and focus on quality - essentially everything we do - is in preparation to handle these types of cases.

"Most importantly, we are caring for these patients because it is the right thing to do. These Americans generously went to Africa on a humanitarian mission to help eradicate a disease that is especially deadly in countries without our health-care infrastructure. They deserve the same selflessness from us. To refuse to care for these professionals would raise enormous questions about the ethical foundation of our profession. They have a right to come

home for their care when it can be done effectively and safely."

In the meantime, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared that the outbreak has claimed more than 900 lives. This led to the holding of an emergency hearing to consider what is to be done.

Acccording to the world health body, "Countries affected to date simply do not have the capacity to manage an outbreak of this size and complexity on their own.

I urge the international community to provide this support on the most urgent basis possible," said Margaret Chan, head of the WHO. The organization had in 2009 issued a similar warning for polio and swine flu.

Ebola virus is that unlike when HIV/ AIDS was rampaging the world, there were no known cases of doctors, care givers, nurses, immediate family members being infected, especially since the rules are clear. However, it is not so with Ebola. Anyone that has contact with the infected person is bound to be infected. This has made the treatment and care for those infected to be difficult. So far there are three known cases in the world.

The first casualty was Sheik Umar Khan, a Sierra Leonean doctor. Before he was felled by the virus Khan was the only known local doctor in his country who had devoted his life and energy to the care of the infected. He was immediately saluted as a "national hero" by the president of his country.

In Liberia, where Patrick Sawyer lived, an American doctor Kent Brantly and a missionary Nancy Writebol have been infected. Doctor Bradley was immediately flown to Atlanta in the United States, home of the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Emory University Hospital where he is being treated and was later joined

by Writebol.

What the infection has once again emphasised is the deep gap that exists between how the West is prepared to confront emergencies and breakout of any diseases. Whereas Khan was proclaimed a "national hero" by his country, one is not sure there were any serious attempts made to save his life or even if these were made the truth is that we are not prepared for such at all. On the other hand Brantly and Writebol got first class attention and the best of facilities were immediately made available to take care of them.

On this outbreak, Africa, as usual, is going to be worst hit. Apart from the fact that the virus originated on the continent and affects anyone who has contacts with the patient is frightening; what that means is that help would be

•Contd. on page 10

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY, AUGUST 10, 2014

NEWS

EBOLA OUTBREAK

Canada quarantines patient A from Nigeria patient back from Nigeria who showed symptoms of fever and flu -- possible signs of Ebola -was put in isolation in a Toronto-area hospital, Canadian health officials said.

Health Minister Onyebuchi Chukwu said on Friday that 139 people in the country are currently under surveillance for Ebola which has claimed 961 lives in Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia and Nigeria. Two of the deaths occurred in Nigeria.

The unnamed male patient was being treated at the William Osler Health System's Brampton Civic Hospital in a suburb of Toronto.

"As a precautionary measure, Osler put in heightened infection control measures in the emergency department including isolating the patient," the hospital said in a statement, released late on Friday.

Hospital doctors "are working closely" with public health officials "to confirm a diagnosis."

In addition to quarantining the patient, the hospital said it enacted other strict precautionary measures.

"To date, there are no confirmed cases of Ebola in Ontario and the risk to Ontarians remains very low," said Graham Pollett, the province's Interim Chief Medical Officer of Health.

He also said that Ontario's health care system "is prepared to respond should an individual arrive with symptoms that could suggest a disease, such as Ebola."

He cautioned that initial Ebola symptoms "are similar to many more common diseases," adding that health care providers "have been advised to be on heightened alert for Ebola cases."

Another senior Ontario health

official, Eric Hoskins, said in a statement that with the "experience and lessons learned from the SARS epidemic, our hospitals have sophisticated infection control systems and procedures ... and are fully equipped to deal with any potential cases of Ebola."

The worst affected countries so far have been Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea, but Nigeria has also had nine confirmed cases of Ebola so far.

President Goodluck Jonathan on Friday declared a national emergency several hours after the World Health Organization called the epidemic a global health crisis.

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•Contd. from page 9 far in coming for the infected.

This view was affirmed by Dr. Tom Frieden, director of the CDC who has been quoted as saying, "This is the biggest and most complex Ebola outbreak in history. It will take many months, and it won't be easy, but Ebola can be stopped. We know what needs to be done. CDC is surging our response, sending 50 additional disease control experts to the region."

This is heart lifting and cheering.

While Brantly and Writebol are undergoing intensive and serious care under the best of conditions available to any human being in the world, the state of the doctor who was one of those who attended to Mr. Sawyer and was infected in the hospital in Lagos is unknown. The question is: Is there any Nigerian medical facility that is prepared or fully equipped to take adequate care of such a case? If we say Ebola is not an everyday occurrence do we have anything we can really signpost as right and good for the treatment of even common malaria?

This is the time to have a rethink on our medical institutions. A doctor who preferred anonymity told this

D

R. Arese Carrington has appealed for help to assist West African countries dealing with the Ebola outbreak.

She joined Jim Braude on Broadside to share her thoughts on combating the disease. Dr. Carrington, wife of former US Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Walter Carrington, spent 15 years as a practicing physician in Nigeria. She also served as associate director of Harvard's AIDS Prevention Initiative in Nigeria.

Talking about the disease she said, "It's frightening if you think of the multiplying effect and the exponential growth.These countries need a lot of help from outside sources."

Carrington says a weak public health infrastructure and the cultural obstacles of many African countries make it difficult for people to avoid the disease.

Zambia bars entry for Nigerians, others

Lagos seeks volunteers HE Lagos State Government wants volunteers to help in the fight against Ebola.

Health Commissioner Jide Idris said on television yesterday that the state government did not have sufficient medical personnel to handle an Ebola outbreak in the city of over 10million people.

"We have a shortage of personnel. I won't lie about that.

And that is why we are asking for volunteers," he said.

Nine cases of Ebola, including two deaths, have so far been confirmed in the city.

The commissioner said that the state is ready with incentives including life insurance for medical volunteers.

The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) is now a divided house after its National President, Dr. Kayode Obembe resigned on Friday, 24 hours after he issued a statement calling off the strike declared by the association.

He had said the decision to call off the strike followed signs that government was prepared to meet the demands of the association and that the doctors wanted to assist in checking the spread of Ebola in the country.

A faction of the NMA contradicted him and said the strike is continuing.

Carrington calls for help to fight disease

• Lagos Health Commissioner Jide Idris flanked by Director of Nigerian Centre for Disease Control, Professor Abdulsalam Nasidi (L) and Special Adviser to Lagos State governor Yewande Adeshina, during a briefing on Ebola in Lagos.

Guinea reports 495 confirmed cases

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UINEA's health ministry, in its latest data on the Ebola epidemic in the country, showed 495 confirmed cases with 367 deaths, an official said yesterday.

Ninety-four patients have been discharged from health centres across the country, the official said, while 19 remain hospitalised.

Nine cases were reported in the southern town of Gueckedou which was the most affected with the country's capital city of Conakry recording seven in the past one week.

However, the health ministry official said that there was no new Ebola case reported last week in the seven interior regions that has been the most affected such as Telimele, Kissidougou, Macenta, Dabola, Dinguiraye, Kouroussa and Boffa.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) Friday declared the Ebola virus disease outbreak in West Africa as an international health emergency.

It noted that the Ebola outbreak in West Africa constituted an "extraordinary event" and a public health risk to other countries.

The current Ebola outbreak started in Guinea in December 2013.

It has now manifested itself in Liberia, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone besides Guinea.

As of Aug 4, the countries have reported 1,711 cases (1,070 confirmed, 436 probable, 205 suspect), including 932 deaths.

The virus is spread through direct contact with the bodily fluids of those infected.

"This is currently the largest EVD outbreak ever recorded," the UN body said.

Ebola: A tale of three doctors reporter, "When doctors go on strike the only thing the media report and focus on is that we are demanding for more. How do you work in an environment where you don't have adequate equipment to take care of the patient and protect yourself? Does this make sense? At least, if I can't cure a disease I shouldn't be infected."

This is the palpable fear that has enveloped the medical community.

Hospitals operating without gloves and other crucial materials needed to carry out adequate care of patients.

In search of solutions In the face of this outbreak there have been frantic efforts to find a lasting panacea. There are however doubts and mixed feelings as to how to do this. As it was with the AIDS pandemic, pharmaceutical companies which are mostly made up of the West have been accused of pussy footing to work out a remedy. They are accused of not been interested in developing any vaccine, drug or whatever because the outbreak

is mostly in the developing world which may not be able to afford to pay for such expensive drugs. But should this be the case? But the companies too are no charity organisations and as such are not ready to invest big sum of money in researches and drugs that would not give them any size able returns.

One of the leading voices in this thought is Prof John Ashton, a leading public health doctor in Britain who has accused the pharmaceutical companies of "moral bankruptcy". In faulting their posture he asked them to imagine the outbreak on streets of their various countries. This makes sense, imagine if Dr Brantly's or Writebol's state had not been detected before leaving Liberia?

What would have happened to their families and all those who might have related with them on return to their home country? The truth is that no matter how we police our borders there would see be both legal and illegal border crossers who may carry any

ailment so the powerful world should not ignore this menace.

Pushing further his argument, Prof Ashton who is the president of the UK Faculty of Public Health added, "in both cases (AIDS and Ebola), it seems that the involvement of powerless minority groups has contributed to a tardiness of response and a failure to mobilize adequately resourced international medical response.

"In the case of AIDS, it took years for proper research funding to be put in place and it was only when so-called 'innocent' groups were involved (women and children, hemophiliac patients and straight men) that the media, politicians, scientific community and funding bodies stood up and took notice."

He challenged the West: "We must respond to this emergency as if it was in Kessington, Chelsea and Westminster. We must also tackle the scandal of the unwillingness of the pharmaceutical industry to invest in

AMBIA yesterday banned the entry of citizens from Nigeria and other countries hit by Ebola, the health ministry said yesterday.

Other targets of the ruling are Liberians, Sierra Leoneans and Guineans.

Even delegates to conferences already organised in Zambia would be barred, Health Minister Joseph Kasonde said in a statement on the ministry's website.

"Ensure that all international events that may involve delegates (from) affected countries are postponed, cancelled or such delegates excluded," he said.

Zambians returning from travel to Ebola affected nations would be thoroughly screened and quarantined if they were seen to be at risk of carrying the virus, the statement said.

US intensifies fight against Ebola in Nigeria

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HE United States says it is sending extra personnel and resources to Nigeria, which at the weekend declared a national emergency to contain a deadly outbreak of Ebola for the first time.

"We are starting to ramp up our staffing in Lagos," US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention spokesman Tom Skinner told AFP. "We are really concerned about Lagos and the potential for spread there, given the fact that Lagos - and Nigeria for that matter - has never seen Ebola." research (on) treatments and vaccines, something they refuse to do because the numbers involved are, in their terms, so small and don't justify the investment. This is the moral bankruptcy of capitalism acting in the absence of a moral and social framework."

Has the West taken on this challenge and willing to overcome this "moral bankruptcy of capitalism"?

Perhaps this is what the American company Tekmira Pharmaceutical based in Vancouver is doing with its TKM-Ebola. Meanwhile, Zmapp, which the US has administered on both Brantly and Writebol, which have reportedly led to the improvement of their health is not yet certified for public use. The American president is reported to have turned down Nigeria's request for the use of the drug on the affected doctor.

As it is now Khan is gone, Brantly is undergoing treatment and what about the unnamed infected Nigerian doctor?

The world got over SARS, avian flu and other influenzas; it would surely get over Ebola.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, AUGUST 10, 2014

NEWS

EBOLA OUTBREAK

Yobe denies spread

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•Ogoni women and environmental activists during a two day workshop on "Women and Ogoni Environment Memories and Hope; Ogoni Women as Ecological Defenders" held at the weekend in Ogoni land

American doctor with Ebola T breaks silence

HE American doctor infected with Ebola said at the weekend he's getting stronger every day as he recounted the terrible strain of caring for those suffering from the deadly disease.

Dr. Kent Brantly put out a statement through Samaritan's Purse, the aid organisation he was working with in Liberia.

He and another aid worker, Nancy Writebol, are being treated in an isolation unit at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia.

In a statement, Dr Brantly said: "I am writing this update from my isolation room at Emory University Hospital, where the doctors and nurses are providing the very best care possible.

"I am growing stronger every day, and I thank God for His mercy as I have wrestled with this terrible disease.

"I also want to extend my deep and sincere thanks to all of you who have been praying for my recovery as well as for Nancy (Writebol) and for the people of Liberia and West Africa.

"My wife Amber and I, along with our two children, did not move to Liberia for the specific purpose of fighting Ebola. We went to Liberia because we believe God called us to serve Him at ELWA Hospital."

The doctor also revealed the strain of caring for those who succumbed to the deadly disease. Ebola kills 90 per

cent of people who contract it and there is no known cure.

Dr Brantly wrote: "One thing I have learned is that following God often leads us to unexpected places. When Ebola spread into Liberia, my usual hospital work turned more and more toward treating the increasing number of Ebola patients. I held the hands of countless individuals as this terrible disease took their lives away from them. I witnessed the horror firsthand, and I can still remember every face and name.

"When I started feeling ill on that Wednesday morning, I immediately isolated myself until the test confirmed my diagnosis three days later. When the result was positive, I remember a deep sense of peace that was beyond all understanding. God was reminding me of what He had taught me years ago, that He will give me everything I need to be faithful to Him. "Now it is two weeks later, and I am in a totally different setting. My focus, however, remains the same-to follow God. As you continue to pray for Nancy and me, yes, please pray for our recovery. More importantly, pray that we would be faithful to God's call

on our lives in these new circumstances."

Dr Brantly was transferred amid high security to Emory University Hospital in Atlanta penultimate Saturday which is fitted out with one of the most sophisticated containment facilities in America.

He was pictured being helped out of a special ambulance in a hazmat suit and walking into the hospital.

Mrs. Writebol's husband, David, who remains in Liberia, told reporters on Friday in a call organized by aid group SIM USA his wife appears to be improving.

David Writebol said he was also thankful for the 'marvelous' care his wife received in Liberia before travelling to Atlanta and is grateful that she is now in a place where she can receive the best care possible.

Few details have been released about the specific conditions of the patients.

The aid groups referred questions to Emory, which has declined comment, citing patient privacy.

David Writebol said since his wife arrived in Atlanta, she has received another dose of a treatment that's still

in development and hasn't been tested in humans.

The drug called ZMapp is made by Mapp Biopharmaceutical Inc. of San Diego. It is aimed at boosting the immune system's efforts to fight off Ebola and is made from antibodies produced by lab animals exposed to parts of the virus.

At least one of the affected countries, Nigeria, has requested access to the experimental drug ZMapp, used on the two American aid workers.

U.S. health officials have stressed that only extremely limited doses exist, the drug hasn't ever been tested in people and there's no proof it helped the two Americans.

However, the FDA has since '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.

Despite the positive news from Dr Brantly on Friday, the World Health Organisation has declared that Africa's Ebola outbreak is spreading beyond the control of top medics and poses a serious threat to the rest of the globe.

Four West African nations have recorded almost 1,800 cases as bodies were left in the streets and at least 961 people have died - including 80 medics.

Today WHO's director-general declared the outbreak is moving 'faster than we can control it' as it emerged another 29 people have died in just two days.

Ebola takes toll on economic activities C

ATERPILLAR has evacuated a handful of employees from Liberia. Canadian Overseas Petroleum Ltd. has suspended a drilling project. British Airways has canceled flights to the region. ExxonMobil and Chevron are waiting to see whether health officials can contain the danger.

The Ebola outbreak, which has claimed nearly 1,000 lives, is disrupting business and inflicting economic damage in the three African countries at the center of the crisis: Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia. So far, analysts say the crisis doesn't threaten the broader African or global economies.

"We must make sure it is controlled and contained as quickly as possible," said Olusegun Aganga, trade minister in Nigeria, which has confirmed nine cases of Ebola. "Once that is done, I don't think it will have a lasting impact on the economy."

The World Health Organization on Friday declared the outbreak an international public health emergency.

The WHO didn't recommend any travel or trade bans. But it cautioned anyone who had had close contact with Ebola patients to avoid international travel and urged exit screenings at international airports and border crossings.

"When you have a widespread outbreak of Ebola, you can end up with a panic," said John Campbell, senior fellow for Africa studies at the Council on Foreign Relations. "People won't go to work. Expatriates will leave.

Economic activity will slow. Fields won't get planted."

The World Bank estimates that the outbreak will shrink economic growth in Guinea, where the crisis emerged in March, from 4.5 percent to 3.5 percent this year. Ama Egyaba Baidu-Forson, an economist at IHS Global Insight who focuses on sub-Saharan Africa, is cutting her forecasts for growth this year in Liberia and Sierra Leone. She warned that prices would rise as food and other staples become scarce and that the region's already fragile governments

would run up big budget deficits in fighting Ebola.

Baidu-Forson says the countries hit

by Ebola ultimately could require financial help from the International Monetary Fund.

In the meantime, multinational companies that do business in the resource-rich region are scrambling to respond to the crisis. Among them: - Heavy equipment manufacturer Caterpillar Inc., based in Peoria, Illinois, has "evacuated less than 10 people" from Liberia, company spokeswoman Barbara Cox said by email. In a statement, Caterpillar said: "The health and safety of our people is our top priority.... We will continue to monitor the situation closely."

- British Airways has announced that it's suspending flights to and from Liberia and Sierra Leone through Aug. 31 "due to the deteriorating public health situation in both countries."

- Tawana Resources, an Australian iron-ore company, said it had suspended "all non-essential field activities within

Liberia" and sent all non-essential African workers, expatriates and contractors home.

- London-based mining company African Minerals has begun imposing health checks and travel restrictions on employees in the region.

- Canadian Overseas Petroleum, based in Calgary, has stopped drilling in Liberia. And some of its expatriate employees have left the country.

- ExxonMobil said in a statement that its offices remain open and that "we're taking precautions to ensure the health and safety of our employees." The company has offices in Liberia, Nigeria and several other African nations.

- Chevron, which has an office in the Liberian capital of Monrovia and is in the process of exploring for oil off Liberia's coast, said it's "closely monitoring the outbreak of Ebola virus in West Africa." But the company wouldn't say whether it was withdrawing any employees or taking any other steps as a result of the outbreak.

11

From Duku Joel, Damaturu

OBE State Health Commissioner, Dr. Bello Kawuwa yesterday denied that Ebola had spread to the state.

"We do not have Ebola in Yobe State," the commissioner told The Nation against the backdrop of the rumour about salted warm water being helpful in curing the virus.

Dr. Kawuwa advised the public to disregard the rumour.

He said: "The so-called therapy is a hoax. For now, the Ebola virus is only found in Lagos and it has not been established to have spread to any other state of the country yet."

He, however, advised residents of the state to keep to basic hygiene by washing their hands with antiseptic soap.

Meanwhile, the Medical Director of the General Sani Abacha Specialist Hospital Damaturu, Dr. Garba Fika also dismissed having any case of Ebola on admission at the hospital.

Catholic nun dies in Liberia

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Catholic humanitarian group based in Spain says a nun from the Congo who was working in Liberia has died of the Ebola virus.

The San Juan de Dios hospital order said yesterday that Sister Chantal Pascaline died "from Ebola in the Hospital San Jose de Monrovia, despite the care she received from a volunteer nurse."

Pascaline belonged to the same order as a Spanish missionary priest and nun evacuated to Madrid by jet this week. Both are in stable condition in a Madrid hospital.

The latest Ebola outbreak is the largest and longest ever recorded for the disease and so far has killed at least 961 people, the U.N. health agency said Friday.

America eases hold on Ebola drug

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ANADIAN drugmaker Tekmira Pharmaceuticals said the U.S. Food and Drug Administration modified a hold recently placed on the company's drug after safety issues emerged in human testing. 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 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 move by FDA comes 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. Nearly 1,000 have died, according to the World Health Organization.

Currently, there are no licensed drugs or vaccines for the deadly disease.

Several are in various stages of development, but none have been rigorously tested in humans.

Two Americans diagnosed with Ebola recently received a different experimental drug called ZMapp, made

by Mapp Biopharmaceutical Inc. of San Diego. It is aimed at boosting the immune system's efforts to fight off Ebola and is made from antibodies produced by lab animals exposed to parts of the virus.

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NEWS

THE NATION ON SUNDAY AUGUST 10, 2014

FG goes tough on movement of corpses T HE federal government has initated tougher measures to enforce the ban on movement of corpses within and outside the country.

The ban was declared as part of measures to spread the spread of the deadly Ebola Virus Disease (EVD).

The Minister of State for Health, Dr. Khaliru AlHassan, said in Kano yesterday that all corpses must henceforth be buried wherever they die within Nigeria.

Movement of corpses from outside the country, he said, has been suspended, espcially from Ebola-hit Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guine.

Al-Hassan, who was in Kano during the third meeting of Northern Traditional Leaders on Primary Health Care, said that transfer of corpses remains a threat in the

From Kolade Adeyemi, Kano

spread of the deadly virus.

He also insisted that the Ebola virus has not been found anywhere within the country apart from Lagos.

The minister said: “Henceforth, corpses would not be allowed to be transferred from one part of the country to another.

“Wherever person dies, they should be buried there.

We have suspended bringing corpses from outside the country, particularly from Liberia, Sierra-Leone and Guinea.”

He explained: “The dead in these three countries should be buried there and we will not allow anybody to come regardless of his position.

“We have directed the appropriate authorities to ensure that this is not done. Therefore, we want to appeal to people for their understand-

ing. We are not here to politicise. Ebola is not a political disease.”

On measures to ensure that the virus bought into the country by Patrick Sawyer, the American-Liberian, does not spread further, Al-Hassan said: “We are working tirelessly with our partners—WHO, USAID and all other international organs. We are doing the best with our international partners to contain the outbreak and we want to dispel all the rumours that are going round that Ebola is seen in other parts of the country.

“So far, Ebola is only limited to Lagos and already all the suspected cases and those who are about to be positive— and the confirmed cases-are under strict control. They are under insulation with all the international standards being observed and other contacts are being monitored.”

He added: “We have about 139 people less than 24- hour strict watch for any tempting sings of this disease. Those who are confirmed are under strict control measures and we have instituted a lot of measures to ensure that it does not get out of Lagos state.

“So, we want to appeal to people to be calm and not be apprehensive.”

He appealed to Kanobased businessmen to be careful “because it is not worth it to get rich and at the same time bring in Ebola.

“So, people should be careful and they should continue to live their lives normally. An Ebola victim is not dangerous to the general public.

“An Ebola patient is more dangerous to the health workers because they are the point people. When an Ebola patient is sick, they either

stay at home or go to the hospital.

“So I want to appeal all our health workers that it is no more business as usual consulting in our clinics. We shall institute a very high standard of practice.”

The minister also expressed delight with the tremendous progress Kano State has made in polio eradication.

The Deputy Governor, A b d u l l a h i Ganduje, attributed the success recorded to the consistent support of royal fathers.0 The chairman of the Northern Traditional Leaders on Primary Health Care Committee, who is the Emir of Bama, Alhaji Kyari Ibn-Umar Elkanemi, said: “In five years of this committee, we have through synergy been able to bring down the burden of polio in Northern Nigeria by more than 90%.”

Shekarau vows to lift unity schools, technical colleges From Osagie Otabor, Benin

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HE Minister of Education, Ibrahim Shekarau, has vowed to work towards improvement on the quality of education delivery in Federal Unity Colleges.

This, he said, would be achieved through the building of teachers’ capacities and admission of quality candidates.

He spoke at the opening ceremony of the 2014 students’ selection and placement exercise into Federal Science and Technical Colleges in Benin City at the weekend.

The minister, who was represented by Deputy Director, Vocational Education, Ocheja Emmanuel, urged principals of unity schools to adopt the new paradigm for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), which he said was centred on the individual, work and life literacy model.

He noted that the principals are responsible for implementing government policies aimed at introducing qualitative improvement despite daunting challenges.

According to him: “Our strategy is to ensure that quality candidates in our colleges are nurtured by well informed, equipped and motivated teachers.

“Technical teachers in the Federal Science and Technical Colleges (FSTC) will equally be retooled as already provided in the 2014 Appropriation for Millennium Development Goals.

“Current TVET advocates a school-to-work transition system that combines academics and work-related training for students.

“Efforts should be made to expose students to real life learning experiences.”

The Registrar and Chief Executive of National Business and Technical Board (NABTEB), Dr. Olatunde Aworanti, tasked the principals to discourage mass enrollment into science department at the expense of technical and vocational trades.

Aworanti identified lack of equipment at most technical colleges, societal preferences for science and liberal arts education, poor ratings of holders and products of technical education as factors responsible for poor enrollment in technical and vocational trades.

•L-R: Minister of Finance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala; Chairman, Nigerian Young Professionals Forum (NYPF), Mr Moses Siasia and President Goodluck Jonathan at the 1st Nigerian Young Professionals International Summit in Abuja…yesterday

NESREA, Police to enforce clean environment From: Frank Ikpefan, Abuja

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HE National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) and the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) have agreed to enforce laws that will ensure clean environment across the country.

This, according to the agencies, will make the environment safe and reduce the spread of diseases caused by dirty surroundings.

NESREA’s DirectorGeneral, Dr. Ngeri Benebo, said this in Abuja during a workshop to engage the NPF on the implementation of its Environment Training Module.

She said the collaboration between the agency and the police was important as environmental issues were now recognised as worrisome security matters globally.

Benebo explained: “It is meant to among other things, acquaint police personnel with basic knowledge of the e n v i r o n m e n t , environmental resources and issues that cause environmental problems in Nigeria.

“It will also expose the trainees to the existence and activities of relevant international environmental organisation and institutions as well as local laws and global agreements on environmental protection.

“Nobody wants to run foul of the law where the police are involved. After this training, the police will now know what is expected of them.”

Jonathan advocates removal of age limit for youths

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RESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan has advocated for the removal of the constitutional age limit of 40 years for a Nigerian to become president.

Jonathan described the provision as discriminatory against young Nigerians with the energy, ideas and other qualities to lead the country to greatness.

Jonathan spoke at an International Youth Conference organised by the Nigerian Young Professionals Forum (NYPF) with the theme, “Capacity for change for a new Nigeria’’ yesterday in Abuja.

He challenged the youths to forward a constitution amendment bill to the National Assembly for the removal of all discriminatory provisions in terms of age and promised to support them.

From Augustine Ehikioya, Abuja

The president said the call by the Chairman and Founder of NYPF, Mr. Moses Siasia, for 35 per cent affirmative action for youths in governance also limited the aspiration of the group.

He noted that asking for a percentage amounted to selflimitation, considering that youths had all that is required to govern, especially the numerical strength to get to the highest office in the land.

“The youths have no limit in terms of number and capacity to lead this country to greatness.

“The only limit is that for youths to contest as president, they need to be 40.

“If Gen. Yakubu Gowon was able to rule this country at 32, there is no reason why the youths should not be given the

chance.

“So, don’t ask for percent because by that request you are limiting yourselves.

“I think what the youth should do now is to come together and I will support you, and take a bill to the National Assembly to amend some discriminatory provisions of the constitution in terms of age,’’ Jonathan stated.

He pledged the continued support of his administration to youths through policies and programmes that would continue to harness their huge potential for national development.

He said through schemes such as YouWin, SURE-P, Graduate Internship Scheme and the Community Service Programme, his administration would continue to create opportunities for young people.

Ecological stakeholders meet

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HE Ecological Fund Office (EFO) will hold its third zonal stakeholders’ forum and eco fair next week.

It holds in Lokoja, Kogi state capital with the theme: “Effective partnership toward sustainable Ecological Projects Management.”

The forum is designed for key stakeholders in the ecological sector from the North

From: Frank Ikpefan, Abuja

West, North East and North Central Zones to find solutions to environmental issues facing the regions.

A statement in Abuja by the Head Public Relations Unit (EFO), Tolu Makinde, said the forum will promote synergy that will further enhance collaborative efforts of stakeholders from the three north-

ern zones in tackling peculiar ecological problems.

He said it will also create a platform for stakeholders to collectively strategise, establish procedures and set standards with a view to identifying performance gaps as well as articulate management improvement strategies for enhancing efficient and cost effective implementation of ecological projects.

He stated that youths deserve encouragement because they were the ones winning laurels and making the country proud in sports and other international competitions.

“These programmes and many more we are doing to make sure we give opportunities to our young people because we appreciate the young people; they have made this country proud.

“I always say that whenever you read newspapers, watch television or listen to the radio, those who preach hate, quarrel and try to divide us on the basis

of ethnicity and religion are not the young people but grandfathers.

“The youths live with whomever they are comfortable with regardless of ethnic or religious affiliation; they want to marry whomever they love.

“They are not like those old people who are disturbing us, who want to divide us based on religion and all kinds of sentiments.

“But listening to you here gives me hope that this country is beginning to change, and it is changing for the better,’’ Jonathan said.

PUBLIC NOTICE DIOCESE OF EGBA WEST ANGLICAN COMMUNION The above named association has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission for registration under part C of the Companies & Allied Matters Acts 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. Right Reverend Samuel Oludele Ogundeji - Bishop 2. Very Reverend Solomon Obaleye - Provost 3. Barrister Isaiah Olusegun Malomo - Chancellor 4. Barrister Adekunle Bankole Sodipo - Registrar 5. Venerable Hezekiah Olubayo Adeniyi Clerical Secretary AIMS & OBJECTIVES: 1. To preach the good news of our Lord Jesus Christ.

2. To offer selfless services to God and humanity.

3. To teach the sound doctrine of Jesus Christ to the world.

NOTE: Any objection to the registration should be forwarded to the Registrar-General Corporate Affairs Commission, Abuja within 28 days of this publication.

Signed: A. A. Ayodele Esq.(Solicitor) ADEBAYO AYODELE & CO. 1, Janet Osunbunmi Avenue, Oluwo Village Road, Off Moshood Abiola Way, Abeokuta, Ogun State.

Ropo Sekoni

13

Page 14

Femi Orebe Page 16

SUNDAY, AUGUST 10, 2014

How they bleed Nigeria 248 power containers abandoned for 11 years! tunjade@yahoo.co.uk 08054503906 (sms only)

P

ERHAPS nothing better exemplifies the shambolic manner this country is run than the reported abandonment of 248 containers of power equipment at the various bonded terminals in Lagos for as long as between seven to 11 years. The equipment were ordered by the defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) for various power projects in the country. An obviously elated power minister Chinedu Nebo who eventually took delivery of the items on July 24 said: “It is a day of joy and gladness as we flag off this very critical event of release of 248 containers of electrical equipment and power installations.

The equipment had been abandoned at various bonded terminals in Lagos since 2003 and 2007, which is between 11 and seven years ago”. Mind you, if they dare tell us how much is involved, many of us (like that former boss of the Federal Electoral Commission (FEDECO), Ovie Whiskey of blessed memory once said) would simply faint. So, they are keeping the figure to their chests.

We should weep for this country when we realise that this is not the first time such cargoes would be abandoned.

On November 1, 2011, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) said about 500 containers belonging to various federal and state government agencies had been abandoned at the ports. Customs spokesman, Mr. Wale Adeniyi, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) then that about 250 of the containers were laden with PHCN power generation equipment.

One hundred and forty of the power equipment containers were abandoned at the Ports and Cargo Terminal in Tin Can Island port, while the remaining 110 containers were moved to Ikorodu Terminal as overtime cargoes.

The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resources similarly abandoned 59 containers while the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) had 25 containers of imports. Delta Steel Company abandoned six containers, Federal Ministry of Power and Steel (15 containers); Federal Ministry of Works (10 containers). Other abandoned containers belonged to the governments of Lagos, Rivers, Ondo and Delta states. Adeniyi added that some of the containers arrived the country as far back as 2006. It is not clear whether the power equipment containers that Adeniyi mentioned were the ones that Nebo took delivery of last month.

It is the height of man’s inhumanity to man to have abandoned such vital power equipment for years. It is even worse that no one has been asking questions ever since, about the abandoned equipment. And that is in a country where everyone is groaning under the darkness that has refused to yield way to light despite the billions already sunk into the power sector. So, what are the auditors doing? Where is the Presidential Monitoring Team in all of these? It means the National Executive Council just approves money for projects; no one bothers about

•Nebo

whether such are delivered or not. Indeed, I was told that it is only foolish contractors that bother to deliver here; the wise ones know how to circumvent the system (if any) by seeing those necessary, with whom they share the contract money.

So far, President Goodluck Jonathan has not made any comment on the unfortunate incident. It is even doubtful if he is in any way bothered about it. What matters to him now is ‘capturing’ more states (in spite of his poor performance), to buoy his chances in the 2015 election. And to achieve that near impossible task, he has unleashed soldiers on states where elections are due this year, in the build-up to governorship elections. In the past, we have always seen police do such dirty jobs. In Jonathan’s time, soldiers have taken over. One therefore wonders what the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has been doing to improve the efficiency of the police force since 1999 that it has been in power at the centre.

Given the level of corruption, sorry stealing in the country (our president has said there is no corruption in Nigeria, so, I am sorry for that slip of the pen!), we can almost be sure that what was taken delivery of may not be all that was imported. Perhaps what Minister Nebo took delivery of was what was left after the people who needed some of the items had stolen theirs. They know it is Nigeria’s money, our money; and our money, really, is no one’s money. As Chinua Achebe noted in one of his books, this thing is mine is different from this thing is ours. I know this because if you import ordinary cars, port rats (you see, we have all manner of ways to shield thieves; the president said what we have is mere stealing, not corruption; now those in the ports call the thieves there port rats instead of thieves) would have tampered with them before they are cleared at the ports, in spite of the presence of all kinds of security men there. This is aside the fact that those who imported the power equipment had probably creamed off their own share of the contract cost. We may also need to be sure if the items are not even used

“It is the height of man’s inhumanity to man to have abandoned such vital power equipment for years. It is even worse that no one has been asking questions ever since, about the abandoned equipment. And that is in a country where everyone is groaning under the darkness that has refused to yield way to light despite the billions already sunk into the power sector ”

ones that were bought as new from where they were imported.

I hear a lot of such purchases happened in the days of the National Electric Power Authority (NEPA) and PHCN. Moreover, how are we even sure that orders had not been placed again (and again) for the same items? If we did not know that such large consignments were wasting away at the ports for over a decade, the possibility of this duplication of purchases is very high. Then we can be sure that some of the equipment would have gone bad or even become obsolete; in which case they are useless. But for the fact that PHCN has now been privatised, it is even possible that some of them would still rot way wherever they are taken to because they still would have been abandoned there, with no one remembering to look for them after the initial shock has died down. We are so used to such waste in government that we can hardly be shocked by such abandonment again.

In countries where the government is serious, those responsible for the irresponsibility would by now have known that they are already in soup. They are economic saboteurs, pure and simple. But in Nigeria, they know the way out of their crimes: join the ruling party. Anyway, the government must be seen to be concerned and doing something on the matter. So, in line with the Jonathan administration’s characteristic threats, Nebo had threatened to probe the abandonment of the equipment and bring culprits (if any), to book. So, it is possible no one is responsible for the abandonment! Anyway, he may be right. We have heard such empty threats from the Jonathan presidency many times. For instance, since March when at least 18 Nigerians died on Nigeria Immigration Service job queues and the administration promised to probe the unfortunate incident, we are yet to hear from the government again. Those who die that way in Nigeria, especially under the PDP, have always died in vain as all those involved in such criminal neglect need do is identify with the ruling party and their sins, be it corruption or mere stealing, or manslaughter or even murder, are forgiven. As a matter of fact, ability to commit crimes seems an added advantage where the desperate ruling party is concerned. At least four of the people suspected to be connected with the murder of the late attorney-general of the federation and minister of justice, Chief Bola Ige, are now something, either in the Jonathan presidency or in the ruling party itself.

Anyway, in all of these, it is Nigeria that has been shortchanged. Apart from being denied electricity that could have improved if the power equipment had been utilised for the purpose that they were imported, they (Nigerians) have also been denied the revenue that should have accrued to the Customs. The question now is whether the new owners of the electricity firms were aware of the existence of these abandoned items. If they were, then they should have taken them as part of their inventory, in which case they would have had to calculate the demurrage and pay for them. Just imagine the congestion that would have been caused by the abandonment of almost 250 containers for that long! Show me any other country where such would happen without heads already rolling or the people trooping to the streets to demand that heads must roll. Show me a country that is run in such rudderless manner!

‘Ebola: God is our only hope in Liberia’

F

OR Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea, these are not the best of times, considering the impact of the Ebola disease on the countries which are the hardest hit.

I got an idea of how an average citizen of one of the countries feels about the situation when my colleague, George Sarwah Stewart Jr Coordinator, Media Development Group, Path and Chair of the Liberia Christian Journalists Network, sent me a facebook message saying “we are living in fear and worry in Monrovia.

“God is our only hope right now. Government can’t stand anyone,” he stated.

To get the full picture of the situation back in Liberia and his views on the issue, I sent him some questions which he promptly responded to.

Excerpts from the interview are as follows: How will you describe the situation in Liberia and other parts of the country since the outbreak of Ebola disease, especially the death of Mr Patrick Sawyer from Liberia in Nigeria?

The situation of Ebola in Liberia and three other countries including Nigeria is troubling and threatening to the whole of West Africa.

Specifically for Liberia, the virus has killed farmers, rural community dwellers and health workers. It has shot down villages and instilled fear in ordinary and impoverished Liberians.

The virus has disintegrated the Mano River Union Basin and West Africa. There are restrictions and blockage on cross-board travels. Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea share common borders such as river, parcels of land that allows cross-borderline farming. Along the Mano River, there are same tribal groups, intermarriages and similar cultural practices.

These cross-border values and way-of-life are being hampered and cut off to some extent because of the Ebola outbreak.

West African citizens enjoy free movement with minimum immigration control within the region. Unfortunately, the Ebola virus has extended its wicked hands against the smooth movement of West Africans within their own region.

What has been the reaction of the people to the declaration of state of emergency in your country and how is it affecting life generally?

There are mixed reactions. Some think it’s appropriate, others think it’s belated, while another set wants to wait to see the impact of the State of Emergency on curbing Ebola. Already, the

State of Emergency has taken hold of the country for fact that movement of people from Western Liberia connecting Sierra Leone are prevented from coming to Monrovia by Liberian soldiers. The army has set roadblocks and checkpoints preventing free movement. Business women are spending their second day at one of the checkpoints 3 miles from Monrovia.

What are your personal concerns about this issue and what do you think should be done to prevent spread of the disease?

I am concerned about the late response of our governments against Ebola when the virus could have been contained earlier. When the virus showed signs in Guinea-Liberia border sometimes in February, it was the most appropriate time for containment, but little was done until the virus killed medical doctors and other health workers as well as poor community dwellers.

I’m also concerned about the closure of health facilities in Liberia. This is leading to the death of others outside of Ebola. There are curable sicknesses taking the lives of Liberians simply because no health facilities.

Are you hopeful that the problem will be solved soon?

This is where my faith as a Christian comes in.

Our government is quite confused and has shown no real strength. Only God is able to cleanse our nation and the rest of West Africa of this disease.

Full text of interview online www.thenationonlineng.net

14

THE NATION ON SUNDAY AUGUST 10, 2014

COMMENT

Leyin Ibo: the day after election in Yorubaland O

UR new season of elections calls for an examination of the Yoruba worldview vis-à-vis election and the various attitudes shown by Yoruba citizens after elections.

Local and international election observers with interest in consolidation of democracy in Nigeria will benefit from exposure to what election means to the average Yoruba man or woman. Such understanding will be useful not only for the purpose of evaluating specific elections but for the purpose of gauging or predicting what can happen in Yorubaland (and by extension in other parts of Nigeria) as the region struggles, along with others in the country, to build the culture of democracy, particularly electoral democracy.

The verb Dibo (to vote) and the noun Ibo or Idibo(voting or election) are borrowed from Yoruba metaphysics, particularly Ifa, where dibo means choosing between alternatives or selecting among options. The Ifa priest is the organiser of Ibo. He or she is expected to be transparent in conducting idibo. The priest is not allowed to rig the process. When the divining chain is thrown to indicate which option concerns the divinee, whatever side that shows must be announced to the divinee, regardless of whether it is a good sign or a bad omen. When the divinee looks worried or shows any doubt after a choice has been indicated, the diviner throws his or her chain again and again to confirm the position of things.

Once the same side of the divining chain comes up, the diviner makes his pronouncement, having satisfied himself or herself that the right thing has been done.

It was the Ifa model of voting that influenced the choice of words to match voting when the colonial master introduced election.

Yoruba people over decades of voting have always viewed their votes as important and

Yoruba people react to the organisation of elections in three basic ways: spontaneous celebration, immediate contestation and delayed reaction

the process of voting significant to the choice they make during elections. Reinforced by the Yoruba notion of simultaneous existence of good and evil and the right of the individual to prefer good over evil, every Yoruba recognises the consequence of whatever choice he/she makes. The Yoruba carries the spiritual value attached to Ibo in Yoruba metaphysics to voting in the secular realm, as he or she sees choosing between ideological orientations of political parties as seminal to the organisation of modern secular societies.

Should foreigners in particular find the attitude of the Yoruba to election unique, the reason is located in the worldview of the Yoruba that includes the imperative of the individual to always have the freedom to choose his/her path in life. The response of the average Yoruba voter to election is determined by his view about the credibility of the electoral process. Yoruba people react to the organisation of elections in three basic ways: spontaneous celebration after the result of voting is seen to reflect the choice voters believe they have made; immediate contestation or protest against an election they presume to have been rigged; and delayed reaction to an election they also perceive to have been rigged. All of these three patterns of response on the day after an election have been witnessed in the region since the emergence of voting for political parties in the country.

On the day after an election that a majority of Yoruba voters believe to reflect their choice, there is generally a spontaneous outburst of joy and conspicuous display of approbation. Voters do not wait for election can-

didates to organise victory parties for them; they organise and pay for their own soiree.

On such a day, voters buy drinks for each other and even owners of bars give out palm-wine or beer to customers free, to show that they are happy about the congruence between the votes they cast and the result released by the umpire. It is only when elections are rigged that the candidates pay for celebration, to give the appearance of voters’ acceptance of manipulated results. This happened in the six Yoruba states in 1999, in Lagos State in 2003, 2007, and 2011, for example.

When an election is perceived by the majority of voters to have been manipulated through announcement of false figures for candidates favoured by the umpire or his or her sponsor, the average voter who believes he or she has been cheated may get on the streets to demonstrate against the umpire and his principal. This had happened several times in the region’s history. For example, in 1965, Yoruba voters started serious anti-rigging protests after the election to the Western House of Assembly. The same thing happened when Chief AdekunleAjasin’s election in Ondo State was rigged in favour of Chief Akin Omoboriowo in 1983.

Occasionally, the Yoruba choose the model of delayed reaction on the day after an election. A majority of the voters remain in their houses without showing any emotions. They do not even countenance individuals whose political parties celebrate a victory majority of voters believe to be false. Such voters wait for the most opportune time to react to a rigged election. This happened after the 1964

federal elections when the Nigerian National Democratic Party claimed to have won 870,833 votes while 494,730 votes were recorded for the Action Group. The outburst in the so-called “Wild Wild West” in 1965 in response to the rigging of the election of that year included the airing of pent-up anger against the 1964 election. The absence of an electrifying and self-financed celebration by voters at the end of the recent election in Ekiti State is another form of delayed or repressed response. Time will tell what percentage of Ekiti voters were happy with the results of the last gubernatorial election in that state.

The Yoruba value of plurality of perspective allows the average voter in the region to respect the principle of multiparty democracy.

This principle also allows individuals to choose which of the parties is closest to his/ her expectations in and from life. This explains why there are Yoruba people in all political parties. In the Yoruba region, twins belong to different or opposing political parties, the same way they may choose to belong to different religions. Siblings are happy with each other regardless of the parties or religions they espouse. But when an election leads to “giving the son of Oba to Osun” (transferring the victory of candidate A to candidate B) friendship ends and tension emerges even among family members.

What the average Yoruba voter abhors is rigging citizens’ right to choose the party of their preference to govern them. Whenever Yoruba voters feel cheated by the umpire or the organiser of an election, the chance of a threat to peace and progress in the region increases. Local and foreign election observers who are interested in survival of democracy in Nigeria need to get introduced to the anthropology or sociology of voting in different parts of Nigeria, more so now that the African continent is getting ready to qualify for increased trade and investment with the United States of America. Election observers, like African political leaders, need to take to heart Barack Obama’s statement: “Our message to those who would derail the democratic process is clear and unequivocal: the U.S. will not stand by when actors threaten legitimately elected government or manipulate the fairness and integrity of democratic process….”

THE NATION ON SUNDAY AUGUST 10, 2014

COMMENT

15

Combating Ebola Now that the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) has manifested here, Nigerians must rise as one to fight the epidemic

J

UST when we thought that the HIV/AIDS epidemic was the limit, the world is today scourged by a ‘bloody’ disease that seems to make all previous ones seem like child’s play. The Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) can be said to take no prisoners – it creeps up its victim deceptively with a Malaria-like fever, soon it weakens the joints, causes vomiting, severe abdominal pain, bleeding from mouth, nose and ear, an outbreak of noxious skin rashes and death may follow if care is not given. All of these manifestations could happen in a matter of just one week. That is how deadly the EVD is.

But this is just half the story. There is no known cure for the disease yet. The best that can be done is to give the patient immune boosting care to assuage its devastating effects. Again, there is no known preventive remedy yet, like a vaccine or an antidote and there are no significantly peculiar symptoms that mark it apart from other types of common fever. Indeed, it is this lack of clear-cut signs and its highly infectious nature that makes it perhaps the most deleterious disease to come upon mankind so far.

According to experts, EVD in its early stage, would manifest like malaria and probably would be treated as such until the full-blown identifiable symptoms begin to present themselves, at which stage most of the victim’s care-givers may have been endangered. Considering that the disease is contagious and it can be contracted through body secretions like sweat, saliva, urine, blood, among others, it is indeed a stealth enemy which can easily creep into a family or any close-knit group of people and devastate it before they know what has come upon them.

EVD was first detected in 1976 in Nzara, Sudan and Yambuku, a village around the Ebola River area of the Congo Democratic Republic. It subsided for a long time only to re-appear early this year in the countries around the West Coast region of Africa, especially Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia. As at the end of July, about 1,500 cases had been recorded with over 80 percent fatality. Infection was first transmitted through the handling of such animals as fruit bats, monkeys, antelopes, among other variants of wild game Africans relish as

R

EPRESENTING Anambra Central Senatorial District in the Senate, Senator Chris Nwabueze Ngige (Onwa, as he is fondly called) is 62. He was born on August 8 1952. He became a political figure in Nigeria, after winning the 2003 gubernatorial election in Anambra State, where he turned a father of a good fight through his commendable stoical approach by not giving in, when certain powers that felt they saw to his governorship success, wanted to kick him out of office through many Kangaroo approach.

Onwa did not succumb to their gimmicks. He fought back as a man, although diplomatically. Anambra became a very hot place occasioned by political demagogues and traducers alike, as Ngige was in the office as governor. The newspapers made headlines on daily basis, because each day that came had Ngige and traducers in the news. While his tormentors exhibited their retinue of aides and large collection of cars and were after him, Ngige showed them mettle and used his brain more than his mouth.

Uba was a member of the PDP Board of Trustees when Ngige was being harassed.

Ngige did not like the fact that Uba, seemingly, was always asking him to go to the treasury and take money and give to him, upon that there was a seeming promise by Ngige with Uba in writing that the former would show every sense of loyalty to the latter in

‘bush meat’.

As EVD raged in Nigeria’s neighbouring countries, it seemed so distant until that Sunday, July 20, 2014 when a Calabar-bound Liberian diplomat, Mr. Patrick Sawyer, took seriously ill in the aircraft and was rushed to a private hospital in Lagos upon arrival. He was diagnosed for EVD after two days and three days later, he died. His body was quickly cremated. This first case of the disease and its rather dramatic denouement jolted the Nigerian populace, making the reality of EVD sink in fast. While most of the people who had contact with Sawyer on and off the aircraft and all the care-givers were put under surveillance, one of the doctors and a matron were diagnosed to have shown EVD symptoms.

The matron died last Wednesday. If anyone still had any doubt, the Ebola scourge is now assuredly on the march on our shores.

To put it starkly, this really smells trouble for Nigeria and Nigerians alike for several reasons. First, Nigeria’s health sector, like most others is weak if not in dire straits. Apart from poor equipment and inadequacy of drugs and essential medical supplies, there is no better pointer to the malaise than the fact that medical doctors in government service across the country have been on strike since the beginning of July.

What this implies is that government hospitals and health facilities across the country are in a state of partial shutdown. We urge the doctors to shelve their strike in the nation’s interest, to address this emergency.

Second, in spite of the reassurances from health of-

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ficials both at the federal and state levels, Nigeria had paid mere lip service to the preparation against this scourge these past few months. To buttress this point, until the Sawyer affair, there was no evidence that Nigeria’s government was ready to handle cases of EVD. There were no information centres, no awareness campaigns, no screening kits, no designated centres for isolating suspected carriers and no serious screenings at entry ports. Not even regulation masks and protective gears were available for health workers before July 20.

Now that the EVD has come upon us by ‘surprise’, we urge the Federal Government to act more resolutely.

Because of the deadly nature of the disease, there may be need to declare an emergency, set up a high-powered committee and vote funds for a comprehensive action against the disease. We must vigorously contain it and curtail its spread. The Federal Government must be in the forefront leading all the states in a coordinated national campaign.

As it stands, only the Lagos State Government (LASG) seems to be upfront in the fight. We commend her efforts and implore all other states to mobilise fast and begin to act. As Lagos State has done, all the spiritualists and faith healers must be warned that EVD is not like any other epidemic to be trifled with; one victim not properly managed could wipe out an entire congregation. This is not the time for miracle or herbal healing. There is no cure yet and no prevention kit.

Quick response by all to any sign of the disease is key to survival now.

For the populace, maintaining basic hygiene procedures now more than ever before could be the greatest antidote. We must wash our hands more often; wash our fruits using a bit of salt; avoid crowded places and much of body contact. As much as possible, we must avoid handshakes, indiscriminate hugging, kissing and sex. Most important, the time calls for vigilance and bravery from all Nigerians. It is a time of national trauma; let’s avoid panic and hysteria and help each other without putting ourselves in jeopardy. Let us call the helpline anywhere we notice the signs of EVD: 0800-EBOLA-HELP.

LETTER

Celebrating the unbending Ngige @ 62 the event that he won the election. According to Human Rights Watch report, Ngige promised in writing to “exercise and manifest absolute loyalty to the person of Chief Chris Uba as my mentor, benefactor and sponsor” and agreed to allow Uba manage over all significant government appointments and the awarding of all government contracts.

Nigerians were thrown into the ice when in July 2003, a sitting governor in the person of Ngige was abducted and was placed with a gun on his throat to sign a letter that he would cease to be governor. Fingers were immediately pointed at

Uba. Even Ngige fingered Uba as the architect of that, but Uba vehemently dispelled all of that as speculations. He shouted above his voice that he had no hand in the kidnapping saga and never asked Ngige for a dime from the treasury.

When Ndi-Anambra thought all of that was enough as their state was like the menaces experienced from the charlatans in the Boko Haram today in the North East, thugs in 2004, who were armed with munitions to the teeth descended on the Government House, Awka, and parts of the expensive and expansive lodges were significantly

touched. This was too much on Nigerians to bear. The presidency was mute, as if in total support of those who were against Ngige.

Ngige wept as many people were killed during the subsequent attacks and organised restiveness that ensued. The same Uba who was denying being the brain behind the attacks on Ngige, reportedly granted an interview to Human Rights Watch at his Enugu residence in February 2007; and the following lines were his comments: “I have been in politics from 1999 and even before, but 2003 is the time I produced a governor for the state.

Since that 2003 I have been handling the party—the PDP-— and we have been doing well and we did not have any problem in the party.”

Ngige moved on but in March 2006, a Federal Court of Appeal ruled that Ngige’s 2003 election victory was falsified and hence null and void. This brought the frigid relationship between Ngige and Uba to an end. Mr. Peter Obi of the opposition All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) was Ngige’s replacement, as he produced what analysts had called quantum confirmation of electoral fraud against Ngige.

Ngige was again there in

Endorsement of Sen. Adeyemi for another term

W

HEN he was elected as a senator representing Kogi West at the red chamber of the National Assembly, he did live not any one in doubt that his election to represent his constituency was a fluke.

His contribution on various national issues has endeared him to all Nigerians for articulating such views to the admiration of not only his colleague but to those of opposition parties at the national assembly.

Sen. Adeyemi has

touched the lives of ordinary Kogi West electorate by ensuring the provision of social infrastructure like the building of lock shops, health clinic in rural areas, building of theatre hall in his constituency.

Recently, he donated ambulances to some hospitals and cottage health institutions around Kogi State, including outside area that are outside his constituencies.

The people of Kogi West would not forget his doggedness in ensuring the rehabilitation of Kabba-Egbe-Omu Aran roads which last seen any

construction for the past sixteen years.

Sen. Adeyemi has seen to the rehabilitation of Ajaokuta Steel industry to ensure the sustainability of generating revenue from non oil sector and industrialisation of the nation economy.

Senator Smart remains our preferred candidate to be reelected for the third term as senator during the next assembly election come 2015.

He has the right to contest for another term because his aspiration is guaranteed and protected by the constitution

of the Federal Republic and that of the PDP, we believe that the value of experience acquired could not be compromised unlike the position of the executives where two terms of eight years is enshrined.

We hope that with this endorsement he would still continue to make the constituencies’ focal point in realisation of their dream of progress, peace, unity and development in all facets of lives.

Bala Nayashi Lokoja, Kogi State.

the 2007 elections, one of the Ubas, Andy Uba who enjoyed the presidency support was full of smiles when the names of Obi and Ngige were missing from the ballot box. (Others on that issue are history).

Senator Chris Nwabueze Ngige graduated from the University of Nigeria-Nsukka in 1979. He is a medical doctor by profession, and served in National Assembly and State House clinics at different times as a civil servant, and retired in 1998 as a Deputy Director in the Federal Ministry of Health. He was governor of Anambra State from 29th May 2003 to 17th March 2006 with records of indelible footsteps on the soil of Anambra. Between 1999 to 2006, Senator Ngige was a member of the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP), which he was a founding member, and as well the Assistant National Secretary and Zonal Secretary of PDP in the South East in 1999.

When he came back for the state’s governorship election on November 16 2014, on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, he was not successful this time as Mr. Willie Obiano of the APGA stole the show. It would therefore behove on Ngige to quit the stage when the ovation is high, else he would drag the faces of millions of his fans and admirers that cut across the world to the mud.

By Odimegwu Onwumere Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY, AUGUST 10, 2014

COMMENT

Some critical post-election questions Is there a possibility (that) the president sees the militarisation of elections as a worthy contribution to democracy?

B

Y the time you read this article, incumbent governor of the State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, must have seen off the challenge of Senator Iyiola Omisore, the PDP candidate in the just concluded governorship election, on whose behalf the state was unnecessarily put under a stifling security lock- down for the better part of the election week capped by a 24-hour curfew as the icing on the cake. That, of course, would be if the Election Fixing Contractors (EFC) and their rogue INEC collaborators did not have their evil way as they did in Ekiti in what is sure to turn a pyrrhic victory sooner than later. Now that the two governorship elections in the Southwest have come and gone, some questions have become of critical importance if Nigeria must remain a member of the civilised comity of nations.

The most important of these is why, after he had been in office as president for six years, President Jonathan, and those around him, still think they must fight to the death to get him re-elected.

That precisely is what Nigerians have seen in the two elections both of which turned out, uncannily, as predicted by Vice-President Namadi Sambo who said long ago that the two elections would be war. Some of us had thought then that he was mistaking the Southwest for the Northeast where Nigeria is confronted with its stiffest war situation in over four decades. What we have seen in Yoruba land these past two months had been nothing short of war. Not only were soldiers and police

men deployed in their thousands, it has been observed, because Nigerian soldiers do not go around in hoods, that fake soldiers have equally been sent after Yorubas in whose geo-political zone the two elections took place, wearing some macabre hoods. We equally thought that the PDP lodestar, Buruji Kashamu, was merely grandstanding when , a little before the vice-president’s gaffe, but ominously in a thoroughly coordinated plot, he declared that PDP was out looking for ‘soldiers’ as its governorship candidates in the two states.

They both must have been acting on orders from above.

That then leads us to the next question. When on the orders of the president, elections in a democracy are turned to mini wars, shouldn’t Nigerians safely assume that he and his party, the PDP, actually intend to rule over a captured people? Of course, the word capture, which used to be the monopoly of Chief Bode George, a onetime PDP poster boy in the Southwest, has since become democratised and popularised within the top echelons of the party, the latest aficionado being Chief Ishola Filani, the Acting Southwest Deputy Chairman of the party whose own ambition, as he has said severally, is to capture the Southwest for President Jonathan ahead of the 2015 presidential election.

Is there a possibility (that) the president sees the militarisation of elections as a worthy contribution to democracy?

I ask this question because without as much as initiating a single electoral reform in his six years in office, the

president was recently quoted as follows while breaking fast with the diplomatic corps and some senators during the last Ramadan: “I know that one thing that is dear to your hearts is what the elections in this country will look like next year. But let me use this unique opportunity to reassure you and I’m conveying this to my brothers, your heads of government, that our elections next year will be free and fair. It will be very peaceful in nature that will even surprise the whole world.”

Now, the above is a very weighty undertaking and the fact that he wanted this conveyed to his brother Heads of State makes it doubly so. Given that Nigerians cannot remember anything that the president is doing fundamentally to improve our shambolic elections, unless militarisation could be so regarded, could it be there are things the president knows which Nigerians, even the legislature, haven’t the slightest idea of? It is necessary to read the president between the lines, especially where he says the election “will be very peaceful IN NATURE (caps mine), and will even SURPRISE the whole world.”

In nature, and surprise the world? Dr Reuben Abati must help us out here, and why do I say this? I am one of those who can attest to the fact that the 21 June, 2014 Ekiti governorship election was peaceful IN NATURE; the lines were peaceful, there was no ballot box snatching etc, but many will wager that it was all because the election was scientifically rigged which rendered all the usual PDP rigging tricks unnecessary. Since this columnist, and not a few Nigerians, believe that something far removed from PDP’s romanticised ‘stomach infrastructure’ accounted for

the so-called defeat of an absolutely performing Ekiti State governor, it will be appreciated if the president will get one of his media aides to tell Nigerians on what basis he made that promise to the world. Not to do so is to allow present rumours take a life of their own.

Finally, it is appropriate to ask whether the president does not think that an election as important as the presidential should be fought strictly on the basis of performance, especially by an incumbent who has, fortuitously, already spent more years than a single term in the post? Nigerians have followed the Babel of advertisements by several pro-Jonathan groups which decided to jump the gun even ahead of Mr President and have observed that not a few of the claims they make for Mr President actually stand the Nigerian reality on the head. There is, for instance, the thoroughly asinine one that says the president has fought terrorism to a standstill. The Boko Haram felons must be laughing! And this is where whoever knows the president will realise that these attention seeking groups are misrepresenting President Jonathan and doing him a great disservice.

Before the ensemble of Southwest PDP chieftains came to suffocate the president and led him on to several unfortunate routes, Nigerians knew him as neither a General nor a Pharaoh. I wouldn’t know what they think today, but President Jonathan can still prise himself free of these do-gooders and allow genuine supporters, as distinct from these self-serving Yoruba PDP fellows who were recently appropriately described by former governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola, to run an intel-

lectually grounded campaign on his behalf.

Without a doubt, most of the problems the president has to deal with today were inherited and many, like terrorism, do not go away easily. But there were things he could have done proactively which he, unfortunately, allowed to fester. Ensuring, for instance, that those who killed Yusuf, the Boko Haram leader, and some of his supporters were quickly brought to book would have probably stopped this menacing terrorist sect in its tracks. The president also miscalculated in shielding members of his cabinet accused of corruption instead of promptly excusing them from their duty posts to signpost his determination to effectively fight that canker worm. Only this past week, the United States finally put a closure to the Abacha kleptomania ensuring the family lost millions of dollars whereas back home in Nigeria, the president not only ordered that the case against Abacha’s son be discontinued, the fellow is being aggressively romanced by the presidency with an eye to the 2015 elections and may, indeed, emerge the party’s governorship candidate in Kano State. Rather than allow these power mongers to hold him captive, especially now that February 2015 is fast approaching, the president would be better served if he, from now on, pursues genuine electoral reforms in which only the police would have any role whatever, squarely, aggressively and, conscientiously confronts corruption and like Obasanjo, makes public example of those who currently think they are untouchable and if he goes ahead to negotiate the release of our Chibok girls since a direct military confrontation is unthinkable as it would put their lives in jeopardy.

That way, President Jonathan would be honestly getting ready for an election whose transparency and peaceful nature will truly surprise the world.

All these Ebola Virus ‘remedies’ are making me dizzy Now, who watches the tertiary contacts that the secondary contacts come in contact with: families, friends, neighbours, fellow travelers and commuters, etc.?

I

BELIEVE by now that we have nearly exhausted all the names we want to call Patrick Sawyer, the unconscionable individual who struggled against many odds to ensure that he accomplished his life’s mission: introduce the Ebola virus into Nigeria.

By the accounts, Patrick Sawyer’s sister had just died of the disease; he himself had succumbed to it; was already in quarantine for it; was advised against travelling out of the country; collapsed at his home airport from the ravages of the disease; yet, still insisted on flying to Nigeria with the disease.

He came with such urgency you would think he had been paid to come and universalise the problem. Now, we have Ebola in the country.

How we got into this sorry pass though cannot be totally blamed on that guy. True, he should have known better, but then we should have known even better than him. Come on now, we own the country; so we should have looked after it better. However, what with our massive corruption (worst in the world), our laziness (renowned throughout the world), and our lackadaisical attitude to work (definitely the most horrendous throughout the world), we stood no chance. Why, when you put the three departments together, we put even the badger that hibernates for half a year to shame.

First, we hear for weeks that the entire west coast, with us sitting pert and pretty in the middle of it, is burst-

ing at the seams with Ebola Virus and what do we do? We nap. We do not put all hospitals in the country on alert. We do not begin immediately to suspect that the thing might stray in our direction. We do not even cursorily look in our cupboards of drugs to make sure that we do not get caught out in the middle of the night.

Criminal, I tell you. Now, its midnight in this huge country of over a hundred million people, and we have been caught snoring.

Worse, we do not even man our airports well. Consider this. If Mr. Sawyer had persisted in coming into Nigeria, should he not have been stopped by the airport authorities in Liberia? A sick man ought not to leave his country, whether or not anyone knew what was wrong with him, without adequate medical cover and known details. But theirs is not the greater sin. The greater sin belongs to the Nigerian airport authorities who saw a desperately sick man and did not detain him right there even if ostensibly for medical attention. At a time, so the story goes, he was throwing up and even had to lie flat on the floor. I ask you, I ask you, should that not have told our personnel manning the entry points at the airport something and made them deny him entry?!!! Many Nigerians have been denied entry into other countries for much, much less than falling ill with an undisclosed ailment. I understand

that just for having facial marks, a Nigerian had to sit for quite a while at an airport somewhere in the world until he could sufficiently explain he was not carrying a virus from a ‘fight’ with a tiger. Come on people, for how long will this country continue to look after us while we fail to do our jobs of looking after it by being responsible at our desks and for our desks? I tell you that the day is coming in this country when even the tardiest receptionist will have to explain why she stole two seconds to renew her lipstick. I certainly look forward to it.

Now, look at our borders.

Unmanned, that is the word. I understand that one state alone has more than sixty-eight legal entry and exit points towards the west coast, and all of them unmanned. Someone says there are thousands more that are illegally used. To that I say, hurray! In short, there are as many entries to the west coast as the feet can tread. Super!

Yet, we have the resources and manpower to close them all up but then, there’s no political will. Where the political will exists, I am told, the Nigerian cunning, which makes us all subvert and pervert every universal good law and goodwill, comes in to play. In short, Nigerians will always find new ways of thwarting the law. Yep, but that is because her leaders do not like to live by example. Correction: the people are only following the leaders’ examples of lawlessness, law-breaking, bunkering, smuggling, piracy, open sea theft, open land theft, just

name it.

Truth is, I believe if Mr. Sawyer did not bring Ebola to Nigeria, sooner or later one or more of our itinerant traders who trek across the borders would certainly have. One, there is no one to stop them; two, there is no one to stop them; three, … So, between our airport laxities and our porous borders, we certainly have always been sitting ducks. Sadly, that is not all.

Then there is the little matter of our national reactions when thunder strikes like this. Now, to what shall we liken it? It is more like someone who has been given shock treatment, you know, the kind they give to people who cannot remember what they had for dinner the day before. Anyway, before the outbreak, we could not get the health minister to say a wise word on the doctors’ strike, but since the outbreak, we have not been able to get him to keep quiet on Ebola. Every day, there he is in Abuja, giving us the update on the outbreak as relayed to him from Lagos, even if the news is usually sent over our heads to get to him. Comical, no?!

Naturally, the situation has given rise to rumours and counter rumours on what to do in the event of one contracting it. First, we are told not to worry, should you by any quirky chance or fate contract Ebola Virus, just head straight for the nearest batch of what we know around here as bitter kola and begin to chew and chew and chew until you are told to stop, presumably by the person who started

the rumour in the first place. Well, when I heard it, I thought, if it was so simple to cure, why was the west deceiving us and telling us that the thing had no cure yet? Why could they not simply contract it out to me to supply airplanes full of the stuff from my father’s farm free of charge?

Next, I heard that text messages were being sent around asking people to take their baths in salt water, and even drink some of the water. Ha, I gaped!!! Do they want to kill people? That situation would be like one with a real dilemma: between the devil and the deep, blue sea. In that situation, it would be better to stay with the devil you know. I tell you, the sea can be mighty dangerous; salt water marshes are even more so. Actually, I thought, that rumour must have originated from the guy who probably paid the Sawyer guy to make sure that by all means, he touched Nigeria after contracting the disease.

In our usual way of not being able to account for everybody in any given situation, many of those who came in contact with Mr. Sawyer, those called secondary contacts, are said to be ‘under observation’. Now, who watches the tertiary contacts that the secondary contacts come in contact with: families, friends, neighbours, fellow travelers and commuters, etc.? Then who watches the contacts that these ones will now come in contact with?

Now, you get my worry. This country should act more proactively. It owes the people that.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, AUGUST 10, 2014

COMMENT

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(77) The model secondary schools of Governor Amaechi: a portentous conversation at Eleme B

ARELY two weeks ago, I was in Port Harcourt for the state banquet that the Rivers State Government held to mark the 80th birthday of Wole Soyinka. The last time that I visited Port Harcourt was about eight years ago and that was a private visit. Long before then, when I was the National President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), I had visited the garden city many, many times. This was because like the University of Benin, the University of Port Harcourt had one of the strongest branches of ASUU. Although this was more than 30 years ago, those visits to Port Harcourt remained very fresh in my mind for the simple reason that we all in ASUU were then on a great mission to rescue tertiary education in our country from the consequences of vastly inadequate funding and coercive control by our military rulers and their civil service henchmen. This is why, from that period on, Port Harcourt has always conjured up in my mind struggles and efforts to make education in our country at par with the best and the most modern national educational systems in the world.

This observation leads me directly to the subject of this piece, the widely discussed model secondary schools of Governor Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi.

Although I knew that I was going to be in Port Harcourt for only two days during this recent visit for the state banquet for Soyinka, before the visit I had specially requested that on one of my two days in the garden city I be taken to see some of these much talked about model secondary and primary schools of Rivers State. Our hosts graciously consented to my request and so on Wednesday, July 30, I was taken to three sites: the Model Secondary School outside Port Harcourt at Eleme on the Port Harcourt-Aba road; a model primary school and a primary health care centre both in the garden city itself. As a matter of fact, the plan had been for me to see about seven different sites but I was so engrossed both by what I saw at Eleme and my conversation with the Principal of the school that we ended up spending such a long time there that I could only be taken to three out of the many sites that I was meant to have been shown on that day.

Buildings and physical infrastructures do not necessarily make a school a showpiece of great educational achievement or possibility, but they do constitute a minimal condition for teaching of high quality. The Seventh-Day Adventist Primary School at Oke-Bola, Ibadan that I attended more than half a century ago is not far from my house. Anytime that I walk past the school I experience a great sadness. This is because things have fallen apart for the school in terms of buildings, infrastructures and the physical environment. The buildings are not only the same plastered mud structures in which I was schooled as a child, they are now in worse conditions. Moreover, all the surrounding space has been taken up by residential buildings and commercial enterprises such that the

•Model Secondary School

school playing ground and “farm” are gone. I state this not just as a matter of personal regret and angst but also as a mark of the great retrogression that has overtaken many of the primary and secondary schools of the city of Ibadan, the most dramatic of all being what now remains of the prestigious Government College, Ibadan, of old. And of course, this pattern is broadly true for many other parts of the country.

The Eleme Model Secondary School amazed, even dazzled me by the quality of the buildings and infrastructures. [And by the way, so did the model primary school that I visited in Port Harcourt]. The schoolrooms, the libraries, the IT rooms, the science laboratories, the auditorium, the dormitories, the sick bays, and the recreational grounds are models of impressive architectural design and sturdy, durable physical execution. It is no exaggeration to say that in physical infrastructure most of the new private universities in Nigeria, together with many of the older public universities are considerably inferior to what I saw at Eleme.

Given the fact that each of the 23 local government areas of Rivers State will ultimately have one of these model secondary schools, this is potentially one of the few great, positive legacies that oil wealth would, in the fullness of time, have left for future generations of Rivers State and Nigerian citizens. As I went through the Physics, Chemistry and Biology labs, I marveled at the fact that all the equipments and facilities were of the most up-to-date vintage such that if they are put to good and efficient use, it would not be mere fancifulness to dream of our first Nobel Prize laureates in Physics or Chemistry coming from these Eleme science labs!

I come now to the most crucial and critical part of the wonders that I saw at Eleme. This pertains to the physical or indeed, technological in-

frastructure of instruction and learning at the school. This is based almost entirely on what is known as the apparatus of the “smart class” and its very innovative approach to pedagogy. It has to be seen and carefully assessed to grasp its truly revolutionary and also controversial impact; one can only rather inadequately convey in words how it actually works. Perhaps the best approach to describe the “smart class” as a tool of instruction is to invoke the analogy of a booklet or manual that comes with a product, giving detailed, step-by-step instructions on how even a technologically challenged person can assemble and use the product. Thus, in the case of the “smart class”, every subject in the curriculum, indeed every branch of a subject, is packaged into modules that unfold as a teacher clicks on an icon on the computer screen. In other words, everything has been pre-packaged into the modules; all the teacher has to do is click on the icons on the computer screen as he or she takes the students through all the modules that make up a subject or a particular branch of a given subject. For instance, to teach students at a biology class the processes of photosynthesis, the teacher clicks on the icons of all the modules that make up full instruction on photosynthesis. 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.

Unfortunately, the students were on holidays when I visited the Eleme Model Secondary School and for this reason, I could not see the apparatus of the “smart class” in operation with students in their learning environment. More generally, it would have been more rewarding to have had direct interactions with the pupils of this extraordinary school whose essence, as its name implies, is to act as

a model for what secondary schools of the future in our country will or should be. This was why, in place of such a direct encounter with the students of the school, I had a long conversation, a long question-and-answer session with the school’s Principal. It is to this session that I now turn in my closing observations and reflections in this piece.

I did not need to ask, but it was clear to me that the reason why the Principal and nearly all the teachers of the Eleme Model Secondary School are from India is because of the centrality of the “smart class” to the pedagogical processes of teaching and learning at the school. The presumption, perhaps the reality here is that Nigerian universities and colleges of education are not (yet) producing teachers knowledgeable or versatile in the technology of the “smart class”. This may be true, but it does raise the fundamental question of shared cultural background between teacher and student, instructor and pupil in the uses of the “smart class”. Let me explain.

Teachers can never be mere instruments for operationalising the apparatus of the “smart class”. They share certain assumption, values, biases and even phobias with their pupils. This is not a mere nationalistic or jingoistic plea for replacing the Indian teachers at the Eleme Model School with Nigerians. Rather, it is a strong view that since the national systems of education of the world do not operate within a cultural vacuum, it is important to complement the introduction of the “smart class” technology into Nigerian secondary school education with teachers who have a shared cultural context with Nigerian students.

Tactfully, I did not raise this issue directly with the Principal of the Eleme Model Secondary School. Instead, what I did was to have a long conversation with him in which I

tried to get his sense of the social background of his pupils. I am glad to report that he seemed to have taken a deep and sympathetic interest in the background of most of his wards.

For instance, when he informed me that the ratio of students from very poor families to kids from relatively well-off families was about 70 to 30, I was both elated and dismayed. I was elated because this fact shows that the overwhelming majority of kids receiving quality, ultramodern schooling in Governor Amaechi’s model secondary schools are children who could never, remotely, have had the chance to receive any education at all, let alone high quality education. But I was also dismayed by the Principal’s information to me that because of their severely deprived economic and social backgrounds, many of his pupils seem unable to take full advantage of the benefits of the school because of their parents’ lack of interest in whether or not their children were doing well at school.

Will these model secondary and primary schools take root and grow to become standard bearers of the future of education in our country? Or will the next administration after the expiration of Amaechi’s tenure let them go to waste? Finally: the culture of maintenance in our country is one of the worst in the world, the forces of atavistic regression always hovering in the background of every progressive development in our country and our continent, thanks to the backwardness of our ruling pseudo-bourgeoisie. Thus, I wonder: if I come back to Eleme in another ten years, will the bush have taken over this splendid showcase of a profound belief in education and the right of everyone, especially the most needy, to quality education? I most certainly hope not!

Biodun Jeyifo bjeyifo@fas.harvard.edu

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY, AUGUST 10, 2014

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY AUGUST 10, 2014

2015: PDP, APGA pact collapses PAGES 21

2015: Ebonyi political landscape gathers steam

INEC ready for 2015 - REC

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PAGE 24

Nasarawa’s botched impeachment and aftermath

•Al-Makura

Following the failed impeachment move against Governor Umaru Tanko Al-Makura, Assistant Editor, Blessing Olaifa, puts in perspective various issues connected with the political development in Nasarawa State and their implications for the build-up to the 2015 elections.

F

OR several weeks, moves by members of the Nasarawa State House of Assembly to impeach the incumbent governor, Umaru Tanko Al-Makura, dominated Nigerian media. The lawmakers needed two-thirds of members of the State House of Assembly to carry out their self-imposed task. And more importantly, they needed to explore all constitutional provisions and procedures as spelt out in the 1999 Constitution before they could successfully impeach the governor.

Section 188 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended spelt out the constitutional provisions and procedures needed for the Assembly members to carry out impeachment of any sitting governor.

Buoyed by these provisions, the Assembly members, 20 of who were members of the Peoples

Democratic Party (PDP) embarked on impeachment exercise against Governor Al-Makura. Of the 24 member-strong Assembly, only four belonged to the party of the governor, the All Progressive Congress (APC).

So on July 17, 2014, after series of deliberations, the Assembly members published a Notice of Impeachment in some national newspapers, accusing the governor of gross misconduct in the discharge of his duties. The lawmakers said in the notice that Al-Makura had committed 16-count charges bordering on “a grave violation or breach of the provisions of the constitution” and committed misconduct punishable by impeachment.

Thus, the stage was set for impeachment moves against the governor.

On July 23rd, 2014, the Speaker of the Nasarawa State House of As-

sembly, Ahmed Musa Mohammed, wrote a letter to the Chief Judge of Nasarawa State, Justice Suleiman Dikko, mandating him to set up a seven-man panel to investigate the governor. So, on July 25, the Chief Judge replied the letter by appointing a seven-man investigative panel to carry out the assignment.

The letter sent to members of the panel read: “By virtue of the powers conferred on me by section 188(5) of the 1999 Constitution as amended and the letter from the Hon Speaker of the Nasarawa State House of Assembly with reference NSHA/MM/166/Vol1/ XXXVII, dated 23rd July 2014, requesting me to appoint a sevenman panel to investigate the governor, I do hereby appoint you: Yusuf Shehu Usman, Mohammed Sabo, Joel A Galadm, Abdu Usman, Samuel Chaku, Daniel Chaga and

Muhammad Abdulhamid Liga as members of the panel”. Yusuf Shehu Usman was appointed as Chairman and Muhammed Abdulhamid Liga was appointed as Secretary.

The panel members swung into action and had their first sitting at the Conference Hall of the Nasarawa State Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs on Thursday 31st July. But no sooner had the names of the panel members appointed by the Chief Judge of the state hit the airwaves than the 20 members of the State Assembly who belong to the PDP in the state kicked against the composition of the membership, alleging that majority of the members are card carrying members of the two dominant political parties in the state.

Specifically, the spokesperson for the Assembly members, Hon

Mohammed Baba Ibaku, said Rev. Joel Galadm is a staff of the State Christians Pilgrims Welfare Board. He added that there were two card carrying members of PDP and four card carrying members of the ruling party, the APC, in the panel. He said the House has no confidence in the panel and called for its disbandment.

The panel issued a six page statement detailing guidelines for its proceedings and appearances of witnesses and principal actors. Governor Al-Makura, on his part indicated his willingness to appear before the panel and did appear on August 4, 2014.

The governor denied all the allegations levelled against him, saying he had done nothing wrong while discharging •Continued on Page 20

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY AUGUST 10, 2014

POLITICS

Nasarawa’s failed impeachment •Continued from Page 19 his responsibilities.

“I must state, Mr Chairman and panel members that making this appearance in person and for the records, I want to say I was not served any notice by the House of Assembly. I am appearing in response to the hearing notice served on me by the panel and my appearance is to defend myself and clear my name against these spurious and unfounded allegations made against me”, Governor Almakura said.

At the sitting, Al-Makura’s counsel, U. N. Udechukwu, SAN, drew the attention of the panel to the absence of the lawmakers, saying he also noticed that they failed to send their representatives to the panel. He urged the panel to dismiss the impeachment notice served on the governor as it was evident that the lawmakers were not prepared to appear before the panel to prove the allegations levelled against the governor.

Udechukwu, SAN, who led eight other legal practitioners, including Olufunke Aboyade, SAN, to defend the governor, further submitted that it was evident that the lawmakers could not substantiate or prove all allegations preferred against the governor and therefore urged the panel to dismiss the impeachment notice served on the governor for want of evidence.

But the panel chairman, Yusuf Usman, said it was only fair and just to give the lawmakers time to come and prove their allegations against the governor and therefore adjourned the matter till Tuesday, August 5, 2014.

When the panel reconvened on Tuesday, a six-man legal team, representing the lawmakers, turned up and demanded that the panel disband considering the fact that the State House of Assembly had said so.

The lead counsel to the lawmakers, Ocha Ulegede, said the panel was made of partisan politicians and a civil servant.

He said they had turned up to ask the panel to disqualify itself from carrying on with the assignment.

However, the panel chairman noted the observation of the lawyers, but insisted it had no power to disband itself.

At this point, the lawyers said they were withdrawing from further participation in the case. The lawyers representing Governor Al-Makura did not object to their withdrawal, so the panel granted the request.

Following the withdrawal, AlMakura’s lawyers urged the panel to dismiss the case for want of evidence.

Udechukwu, SAN, cited, among others, Supreme Court Judgments as well as section 280 of the Criminal Procedure Act to buttress his point. He argued that it is well known in law that when a case is called for hearing and the prosecution fails to make appearance, the court is at liberty to dismiss the case.

He further cited paragraph 7 (c) of the panel’s guidelines, which says “where the House of Assembly fails or neglect to appear and lead evidence in proof of the allegations, the panel, upon proof of service, may dismiss the allegations”.

At this point, the panel adjourned for two hours to consider the submissions of the two parties.

Immediately the panel reconvened, its Chairman, Yusuf Usman, announced the dismissal of all the allegations in accordance with paragraph 7 (c) of the guidelines. Usman took his time to read out all the 16- count allegations and dismissed them accordingly, saying that the prosecution had failed to enter any proof of evidence on each of them.

Said the panel’s Chairman: “it is important to note that this panel had carried out its duties in compliance with section 188 (8) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“The panel had taken notice of the appearance in protest by the counsels to the Nasarawa State House Assembly on grounds that the panel is illegal. Though the panel is not a court of law, it would

•Dikko

•Mohammed

“The panel had taken notice of the appearance in protest by the counsels to the Nasarawa State House Assembly on grounds that the panel is illegal. Though the panel is not a court of law, it would report the presentation of the views of the parties to the Speaker of the State House of Assembly.” report the presentation of the views of the parties to the Speaker of the State House of Assembly.”

Ulegede told journalists after appearing that “we are not ready to be part of the breach of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria which they (House) sworn to uphold. The power given to the Chief Judge of Nasarawa State is not absolute, they are subject to certain conditions”.

But the lawyers representing Al-Makura praised the ruling of the panel, saying that the good people of Nasarawa State had been served justice. Olufunke Aboyade, SAN, who spoke on behalf of the lawyers contended that the panel had taken painstaking efforts to undertake its assignment.

Also, Enoch Ali Maku, the spokesperson for the Chief Judge of Nasarawa State, Suleiman Dikko, said it was now up to the committee to submit its findings to the House as required by the law and that the Assembly is at liberty to take any action they deem fit.

“The CJ has done his part. The panel has done its own. If the Assembly feels otherwise, it is their own problem, not the CJ’s”, Maku told reporters.

The Assembly’s spokesperson, Mohammed Baba Ibaku, however said everything the panel did amounted to illegality, adding that the Assembly would reconvene to know the next line of action.

But House Minority Leader, Tanko Maikatako, a member of the APC, urged his colleagues to swallow their pride, return to Lafia and resume work in order to move Nasarawa State forward. He said any attempt to drag the matter any farther would be at the detriment of the people.

The news of the failed impeachment was greeted with jubilations in Lafia, the state capital, as scores of youths stormed the Government House in solidarity with the governor. The Nation also observed that the state capital, Lafia and its environs remained largely calm after the panel made its pronouncement.

Some of the youths who had monitored proceedings of the panel via radio and television immediately rode their motor bikes to

Government House, shanting “Sai AlMakura, sai Al-Makura.” The Nation gathered that Al-Makura became the political darling of the people for his humility, especially as demonstrated during the proceedings of the panel.

The fact that the governor set aside his immunity, the first governor to do so in the country, by appearing in person before the panel smacks of exemplary leadership, accountability, and transparency. This endeared him to the masses during the period, The Nation further gathered.

However, the failed attempt to remove the governor has thrown up fresh challenges for parties involved in the political quagmire the state had found itself. AlMakura, who described the botched attempt to remove him as a victory for democracy, extended an olive branch to the legislators, asking them to join hands with him to move the state forward.

But the reactions of the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state to the development showed that the battle may not be over yet. Even though in the heat of the crisis, the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Olisa Metuh, had asked Al-Makura to leave the party alone and stop accusing it of being the mastermind of the impeachment, the state branch of the PDP was neck deep in the move to oust Governr Al-Makura from office.

Chairman of the House of Assembly Committee on Information and Security, Baba Ibaku, rejected the decision of the panel. He said as far as they are concerned, the panel’s sitting amounted to an illegality.

He explained that the legal representatives sent to the panel had the mandate of the House to appear in protest and to draw their attention to the illegality of their sitting. Ibaku said the House would resume sitting to deliberate on the next line of action, insisting that it was not over yet.

According to Ibaku, members of the Assembly could seat anywhere they deem necessary to take actions on the political future of the state. He told journalists in Lafia that the 20 lawmakers (PDP) pushing for

the impeachment of the governor are determined to see it to its logical conclusion.

Besides, The Nation gathered that the PDP was planning to stage rallies in Lafia, and some parts of the state to denounce the panel’s ruling and garner support for its leadership in its self-assigned task.

But the Special Adviser to Governor Al-Makura on Media and Public Communications, Abdulhamid Kwarra, told The Nation that the move to impeach the governor was politically motivated. He said the Peoples Democratic Party is bent on stealing the mandate freely given to Governor Al-Makura through the back door. He added that all the noise made by the PDP lawmakers are calculated attempts geared towards the 2015 election.

Kwarra alluded to the fact that had the impeachment option succeeded, the state Deputy Governor, Mr Dameshi Barau Luka, who is a PDP member, would have been sworn in as governor of the state. He expressed disappointment in the actions and utterances of the deputy governor, alleging that he had betrayed not just the governor, but the people of Nasarawa State.

The Nation learnt that the deputy governor cross-carpeted to the PDP in March this year.

However, The Nation gathered that some PDP stakeholders and bigwigs in Nasarawa are also conscious of the implications of impeaching Governor Tanko AlMakura as it would jeopardize their political interests in the build-up to the 2015 election. Sources told The Nation that Solomon Ewuga, a former Minister, and Labaran Maku, the current Minister of Information are both eyeing the governorship seat in the state in 2015.

And should Al-Makura fall to impeachment, the deputy governor will take over and consolidate his hold on power.

Former governor, Akwe Doma, is also said to be eyeing the gubernatorial seat, notwithstanding his age.

However, some sources further hinted that some of the lawmakers, who are pushing for Al-Makura’s impeachment risk losing their seats in 2015, especially for their failures to heed the call of President Goodluck Jonathan, the national leader of the party, who enjoined them to go back to Nasarawa and sort out their problems with the governor in the interest of the people.

“What this has shown is lack of respect for the President. It also shows that there are extraneous interests and lack of discipline at the state level of the party,” the source added.

However, in the build-up to the 2015 election, the leadership of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in the state is already counting its gains, following the failed attempt to impeach the governor. The State Chairman of the APC, Phillips Tatari Shekwo, told The Nation in an interview that, the failure of the opposition (PDP) to impeach Governor Al-Makura and the landmark achievements of the governor since he assumed office were morale booster for the 2015 race.

He said the party would not only consolidate on its achievements by providing the dividends of democracy to the people, but by adding values to governance through the charismatic leadership of Governor Tanko Al-Makura.

Similarly, Abdulhamid Kwarra said Nasarawa State has re-written the story of impeachment in the country for good. He maintained that the outcome of the impeachment move against the governor at a time election was around the corner had put paid to the strategy of the opposition party and increased the chances of the ruling party in all the local government councils of the state.

“Besides the achievements of my Governor, His Excellency Umaru Tanko AlMakura, this failed impeachment move have garnered more support and sympathy for the ruling party, and believe me, the party will record a landslide victory in the 2015 elections in the state”, Kwarra asserted.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY AUGUST 10, 2014

•Jonathan

POLITICS

•Muazu

•Obi

21

•Ekwunife

2015: PDP, APGA pact collapses T

HE exit of Mr. Peter Obi as the Anambra State governor appears to be generating unexpected developments within his party, the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).

Almost five months after he stepped down as the Anambra helmsman, following the expiration of his two terms in office, Obi has slowed down on his political activities within his party, the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and only making few appearances at mostly religious events.

While he held sway as governor, elected on the platform of an opposition party, Obi enjoyed a close relationship with the presidency much to the discomfort of three other South-East governors who belong to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

That the former was one man in whom President Goodluck Jonathan was well pleased was not in doubt. Not only was he appointed by the president as his Honourary Economic Adviser, Obi was also appointed into the very powerful Economic Management Team (EMT), which is the economic advisory body to the President. And for the entire period of his second term as governor, Obi also served as the Chairman of the South East Governors’ Forum.

A few weeks before Obi handed over to his protégé, Willie Obiano, in March, speculations were rife that Jonathan had resolved to appoint him as the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) to replace Anyim Pius Anyim as compensation for his loyalty.

Not sure of the president’s stance on the issue, sources

The romance between the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) may be over if the decision of some federal lawmakers in Anambra State to ditch APGA for the ruling party is anything to go by, reports Assistant Editor, Remi Adelowo disclosed that the report resulted into a crisis of confidence between Obi and Anyim, even as some powerful figures in the PDP were alleged to have fiercely opposed the idea.

Then, came another report that Obi would be appointed as the new Minister of Aviation to replace Ms. Stella Oduah who reportedly resigned on February 12 in connection with her alleged role in the controversial purchase of two BMW cars for N255 million for her personal use.

As days rolled into weeks and weeks into months, Anyim not only managed to hold on to his seat, the president had also appointed a new Aviation Minister in the person of the former Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Osita Chidoka.

Weeks before Chidoka’s appointment was made public, many key stakeholders were optimistic that Obi’s appointment into the Federal Executive Council (FEC) was a foregone conclusion.

In an interview with an online medium, an APGA chieftain and a member of the House of Representatives, Victor Ogene, defended the alleged plan by the President to pick the former governor as minister.

“The President appoints his ministers in conformity with the federal character principle and by that, each state is supposed to get at least one ministerial slot.

The constitution did not talk about political parties. Secondly,

the former governor (Obi) has acquainted himself very well and don’t forget that there has been precedents of people coming in from other political parties to be ministers.”

Speaking further on why Obi deserved to get the ministerial slot, Ogene argued, “Peter Obi has shown that beyond his own political meaning, he is one person who goes for anything Nigeria. He has distinguished himself in terms of work ethics, in terms of personal examples, in terms of infrastructural development and in terms of proper deployment of the resources of the people of Anambra State and I think he can replicate that in many folds at the federal level.

“With somebody like Mr. Peter Obi, who is “particular” for due process, you can be sure that that (the Aviation) sector would do him just better.”

So, what went wrong? The Nation gathered that while the President was initially disposed to having Obi to join his cabinet, hawks in his party and kitchen cabinet convinced him otherwise, arguing that doing so is tantamount to strengthening opposition parties against the PDP ahead the 2015 general elections.

“Top PDP members vehemently kicked against any ministerial appointment for Obi. They told the President that if Obi wants to serve as minister, he should defect to the ruling party,” a source quipped.

Another PDP chieftain in Anambra State who spoke to The

Nation on the condition of anonymity gave another version why Obi seems to have lost out in the power play. “The President has realised that Obi is not as popular as it was widely believed,” he said.

Defection saga and APGA’s future The defection of Mrs. Uche Ekwunife, a ranking member of the House of Representatives from Anambra State from APGA to the PDP a few days ago was as unexpected as it was shocking to many people in the state.

Ekwunife had hinged her decision to dump APGA on its factionalisation, alleged lack of internal democracy, coupled with lack of tolerance to contrary opinion by the party leadership.

Plans are alleged to have been concluded by three other federal lawmakers from the state to leave APGA for the PDP. Mentioned in the defection plot include the Deputy Spokesman of the lower House, Victor Afam Ogene; Deputy Chairman, Committee on Capital Market, Chris Azubogu and Cyril Egwuatu of Onitsha North/ Onitsha South Federal Constituency.

On Thursday last week, the concerned lawmakers held a meeting with the National Chairman of the PDP, Adamu Muazu and other members of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) where modalities for their defection were said to have been finetuned.

One major condition

allegedly tabled by the lawmakers was the granting of a special waiver to enable them contest for a fresh term next year, a request that was speedily granted, according to a source privy to the outcome of the meeting.

The fractured relationship between PDP and APGA, a source revealed, is a deliberate policy by PDP National Chairman, Adamu Muazu, to strengthen and reposition the party irrespective of previous relationship that existed between the ruling party and other parties. “This policy will be strictly enforced no matter whose ox is gored,” said a source.

The APGA leadership is, however, not giving up in taking measures to keep its house in order.

A scheduled meeting convened by the Anambra State governor, Willie Obiano, with the APGA lawmakers took place on the same day Muazu also met with the three politicians. The main agenda of the meeting was to plead with the lawmakers not to exacerbate the brewing crisis in the party and remain loyal to Obi, who is the party’s Chairman, Board of Trustees (BOT).

But if the feelers from the camp of the lawmakers are anything to go by, their defection to the PDP, according to sources, would be formally effected in the next few weeks, even as another federal lawmaker from one of the federal constituencies in Awka, the state capital, is also allegedly muting the idea of jumping ship from APGA to the PDP. Is this beginning of the end for APGA or would the party survive the ongoing attempts by federal forces to decimate its ranks? Time will tell.

22

I

N the past three weeks, since July 21, when 18 members of the state House of Assembly impeached the former Speaker, Hon. Chukwuma Nwazurunku, and replaced him with Hon. (Mrs.) Helen Nwaobashi, the political developments in Ebonyi State have been both interesting and intriguing.

In fact, the political scene, which has remained calm and peaceful for a very long time, suddenly recorded high-wired violence that involved lawmakers.

For example, within two days after the impeachment, two lawmakers were attacked, leading to tense political atmosphere that has left supporters of both the former Speaker and that of the new Speaker suspicious of one another.

It began on Tuesday of the week, when a lawmaker, Hon. Nnenna Nweme, described by insiders as one of the strong supporters of the new Speaker, was attacked by some elements described as thugs.

The next day, Wednesday, the Majority Leader of Ebony State House of Assembly, Hon. Samuel Nwali, was that afternoon abducted by unknown gunmen suspected to be kidnappers.

Nwali, who is believed to be a strong supporter of the new Speaker, Hon. Helen Nwobasi, was kidnapped at his residence at Watchman Street in Abakaliki.

Reports said that the kidnap of the House member, who represents Ikwo South State Constituency, may not be unconnected with the crisis rocking the House of Assembly over the impeachment of the former Speaker, Hon. Chukwuma Nwazunku.

He was rescued by security operatives on Thursday morning “within the boundaries between Ikwo Local Government Area and Cross River State.”

Ebonyi State Governor, Martin Elechi, as well as

E

THE NATION ON SUNDAY AUGUST 10, 2014

POLITICS

NUGU since ages, has always remained a very peaceful and serene city, home to all and sundry irrespective of tribe and religion, thus attracting in droves various Nigerians and foreigners, who had made the Coal City, a second home.

Owing to its harmless and quiet disposition, the hilly nature of the topography of this former regional capital of Eastern Nigeria, boasts of people from Enugu State of very humble, humane, unassuming, hospitable and quiet mien.

Events over the years and indeed months, happening in quick succession as the General Elections of 2015, knock on the electoral door, demonstrably point to unpleasant happenings hitherto that had not existed in our once peaceful state.

The selfish ambition of a few seems to be creating much ill feelings and if not checked, would engender hatred and polarize the people of the state along ethnic and parochial lines.

The governor of the state, Sullivan Chime, had done well during his first tenure but he is gradually slipping into familiar terrain of dictators, deciding on who the cap fits or not. Presidential democratic system, anywhere in the world, calls for constant egalitarian dialoguing involving every stakeholder of the party.

People congregating and given the latitude of freedom to share their views and make meaningful suggestions and contributions that

2015: Ebonyi political landscape gathers steam Sam Egburonu reports that the recent impeachment of the former Speaker of House of Assembly and the battle for the successor of Governor Martin Elechi have added pep to the politics of Ebonyi State

•Elechi

members of the State House of Assembly who are loyal to the Speaker-elect, was at the premises of the Ebonyi Directorate of State Services, DSS, to see the victim.

In her maiden formal interaction with journalists Nwaobashi admitted that she

•Nwaobashi

never anticipated that the political landscape would swing around so much that she would emerge the Speaker at this point.

“I never dreamed of becoming Speaker because we were only four women in the House. Even in the previous House of Assembly of which I was a

member, there were only two of us with the other person, Hon. Dorothy Obasi, serving as Deputy Speaker. So my election as speaker came to me as a surprise but it provides hope to women in politics that the future is bright. Also my election as Speaker in an Assembly

Theatre of absurd in Enugu

By Nelson Ogbodo would impact positively on the party and to a greater extent, the people who of course drive the system.

It is not a one man show. It cannot. The essence of democracy therefore is not only in the true nature of its definition which has become a cliche, but must offer a forum for party members to speak up irrespective of whose ox is gored. If politicians are brave and courageous enough to speak their minds albeit constructively, objectively, with the highest sense of responsibility, the present slide to dictatorship as has begun happening in Enugu, would have been nipped in the bud.

A couple of interviews and comments by some people one had expected to be level headed betray such trust as they keep stoking the fire. A good case in point amongst others, is comments by bootlickers insisting that since Governor Chime had done well in Enugu he should thereafter be compensated by perhaps stripping a serving and performing senator of the Enugu West Senatorial seat cum ticket and given to Chime .

What a bizzare thought? What a balderdash.

Where on earth is such very serious legislative function based on emotions and people being compensated. That alone has done more disservice to the governor. It is beggarly and condemnable. Why would a

party, both at the state and national, fold its arms akimbo and not proffer superior argument by asking the governor to shelve his ambition and allow Senator Ike Ekweremadu the present Deputy Senate President to continue. If Senator Ekweremadu had performed averagely at the Senate, then it would have been justifiable to deny him the ticket.

A man who has raised the tempo of legislative duties to a grandeur level and impacted positively on his constituents at Enugu West Senatorial Zone, even touching lives in the villages and towns in Udi and environs which are the governor’s immediate people. For not discriminating in the attraction of amenities and infrastructural development, the least Senator Ekweremadu would have had, would have been accolades by the governor and party hierarchy in Enugu State, that therein goes our beloved son in whom we are well pleased.

Is he one who can deliver? Is he one who had brought respectability to the office of the Deputy Senate President? Is he widely respected both at home and overseas, especially the ECOWAS and other African Parliamentary bodies where he is dutifully involved in at very high levels? Is he a good party man both at the state and national. Is he an asset to the state and party respectively? Is he a winner any day? When

you have positive answers and one never rocked by any scandal, it must be a theatre of the absurd to ever contemplate stopping Senator Ekweremadu from returning come next year.

Just as one was concluding this essay, the news rent the air that the Deputy Senate President had, despite his onerous legislative assignments and commitments, had recently defended his Phd thesis in Law and Philosophy. What a feat that the people of the state and Nigeria should be proud of.

The period between now and the primaries of different political parties as announced by the electoral body, INEC, is a very critical time that does not call for grandstanding, flexing of muscles or acrimony. Unfortunately, a terrible seed of discord is being sown in Enugu and men of good nature must rise and intervene by offering wise counsel. Of late impeachment sword of Damocles is being thrown at the Deputy Governor, Sunday Onyebuchi. A few mischievous comments say the Deputy Governor is being punished amongst others because he takes directive from ‘Abuja’, apparently referring to the members of the same party at the National Assembly. What a shame!

Looking for a bad tag to tie to a cause.

It is unfortunate that a wedge is being allowed to exist between the

dominated by men, shows that the campaigns by the wife of President, Dame Patience Jonathan and Chief Josephine Elechi; for women participation in politics is bearing fruits. I think the men are beginning to see that women are not coming to compete but to complement their efforts in nation building.

That is how I see my election as Speaker of Ebonyi State House of Assembly,” she said.

By insiders say the political development in the state is beyond the men in the House simply deciding to give the leadership to the current Speaker.

“This current development is not by chance. No. It has to do with calculations for the 2015 elections. To achieve the expectation of some powerful political elements in the state, some officers and political forces considered as stumbling blocs have to be pushed aside.

There would be a lot of changes in the political texture of this state before 2015. We all want obvious change,” said a top government official who pleaded not to be named.

Nwaobashi herself, offering explanation on the process that threw her up has these to say: “The beauty of democracy is that it gives room for change. We were all elected in the first place to represent various constituencies in the State. That is to mean that all members are equal. The election of one person among us to serve as speaker or leader is just an administrative necessity for moderation and direction of debates and discussions in the plenary. The point I want to make is that the position of Speaker is by the grace and judgment of all members. Therefore if for any reason the members feel that the speaker or their leader is not behaving according to their expectations or begins to act as Lord, they exercise the right to change him or her. This •Continued on Page 23 Enugu State Government and its people in Abuja at the National Assembly who are of the same political aspiration, dream and persuasion. How on earth can we forget in a hurry that the Abuja factor jointly with other party officials who are today public officers in the state, fought the electoral battle which today resulted in the overwhelming victory being enjoyed in all the nooks and crannies of Enugu State.

As the election days loom nearer, the party headquarters in Abuja has a Herculean task of stepping into the goings- on in Enugu and perhaps other states with similar problems by inviting key actors to a parley to peacefully resolve these knotty issues, that if allowed might continue to bring disaffection to members of the party.

Political positions is not a do or die affair. It is not a must that having been a governor, the next port of call must be the senate. We all must respect the sensibility of our people and not do anything untoward that would suggest might is right just because of a few privileges that get obliterated with time. Just time and we all fall into the heap garbage of history of ex- this ex- that. Remember Ukpabi Asika? Remember the great sage of our times, Zik of Africa. What do you remember?

What is the symbolism? Your guess is as good as mine.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY AUGUST 10, 2014

POLITICS

23

Ogun 2015: Any hope for Ogun West?

I

T is a fact that since the inception of Ogun State in 1976, no citizen of Ogun West Senatorial District has ruled as governor.

The series of efforts by elder statesmen such as Chief Jonathan Odebiyi, Dr. Tunji Otegbeye, Prof.

Afolabi Olabimtan, Chief Wale Bajomo, Dele Arojo, all of blessed memories and men including SAJ Ibikunle, Gen. Tunji Olurin, Mr. Gboyega Isiaka and Hon. Abiodun Akinlade, have been futile due to internal and extraneous factors.

Even the last ditch efforts by Isiaka and Olurin in the 2011 election was more of an imposed aspiration on the duo by external forces to settle political scores. That perhaps explained why the duo refused to step down for each other.

Eventually nothing came out of the expedition and Ogun West once again was the biggest loser.

But as the 2015 general elections draw nearer, it appears people in the zone have become wiser and determined to get it right for once.

And that is the more reason why the recent return of a third term member of the National Assembly, Hon. Abiodun Akinlade, to PDP is timely and strategic.

Akinlade’s return to PDP should not be viewed from a myopic or parochial point of a personal ambition, but more as an altruistic intention to bring to light the collective aspirations of a deprived people.

Undoubtedly, the Almighty God by design might have chosen Akinlade to be the Joshua that would lead the people of Ogun West out of political Siberia to the promise land.

A critical look at the major political parties in Ogun State today clearly shows that there is none that is devoid of internal crisis.

In the APC, the incumbent governor, Sen. Ibikunle Amosun, is facing battling to keep the party together. While he appears as a sure bet to fly the flag of the party next year, the best the Chief Olusegun Osoba faction can have is to negotiate or join another party.

Even at that, the Osoba faction is not likely to look in the direction of Ogun West person to field against Amosun. By implication, APC is a no go area if Ogun West desires to produce the in 2015.

The emerging force, Labour Party which is the amalgamation of

Why Al-Makura must survive

W

•Akinlade

By Tunde Olusegun old PPN founded by ex-governor, Gbenga Daniel and the original LP members are also not immune from internal crisis.

Beyond the unresolved court cases that will likely affect the party’s chances in the 2015 polls, there are some governorship aspirants jostling to fly the ticket of the party.

They include Sina Kawonishe from Ogun East, Sarafa Tunji Ishola, Boye Adeshina from Ogun Central and Gboyega Isiaka from Ogun West. For now, it is difficult to say where the pendulum will swing as OGD, the party leader is keeping his game plan close to his chest.

But close allies of OGD are of the view that he might be rooting for an Egba person to confront Amosun who is also from Egba. If this turns out to be true, the Ogun West person will surely lose out in the LP calculation.

In the PDP, despite pockets of internal wrangling, the party has lately benefitted from the influx of political bigwigs into its fold. Among

those who have signified their intention to fly the ticket of the party include Hon. Kayode Amosun, Tony Ojesina, Hon. Dimeji Bankole, Hon. Sikiru Ogundele all from Ogun Central, Alh. Rafiu Ogunleye and Abiodun Akinlade.

Realistically too, the party appears to be the most viable option that Ogun West can use to actualise its governorship dream. It was therefore a wise move for Akinlade and his group to return to PDP. Ogun West’s quest to govern the State come 2015 now looks real than imagined with Akinlade in PDP. With Akinlade’s solid political pedigree, he, no doubt, has all it takes to emerge as the PDP candidate.

A grassroots politician imbued with uncanny wisdom and intelligence, Akinlade’s political trajectory as someone who has won his election into the National Assembly for a record three terms despite the heavy odds stacked against him clearly puts him head and shoulder above the other aspirants.

•Olusegun writes in from Ota, Ogun State.

2015: Ebonyi political landscape gathers steam •Continued from Page 22 is what happened. People should not forget this fact that it is the responsibility of members of the House of Assembly to choose who represents them as Speaker. You must have read the resolution of the House for the impeachment of the former Speaker. May be I should take your mind back to some of the reasons that prompted the removal of Hon Chukwuma Nwazunku from office as Speaker of Ebonyi State House of Assembly. Majority of the members resolved that the former Speaker was conducting himself in a manner likely to cause a breach of the constitution by not ensuring that sittings were as frequent as to satisfy the demands of the Constitution. You can see with me that this is a grievous issue.

The members saw this error and felt that the speaker was leading us into temptation such that at the end of the day we may be invited to sign for sittings we never had. The impeachment of Nwazunku therefore was the best way for the

members to avoid a situation where we may be compelled by him to fill the sitting Attendance Register so as to escape the censure of the constitution and the wrath of those who elected us. So you can see that if after seven months of the year we were able to sit for just seventeen times, there was no way we could fulfill the 181 days stipulated in section 104 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. So the members studied the situation and felt that the former Speaker was being distracted by his estate business and decided to change him.

His impeachment followed the laid down procedures. The other reasons including incompetence, corrupt enrichment and violation of the code of conduct as spelt out in the constitution are also very weighty allegations. I think that is the much I can say for the process that brought about my election as Speaker.”

Besides the impeachment saga, another issue that has added some pep to the politics of Ebonyi State is the issue of who would succeed Governor Martin Elechi. While the

quest for a young governor after Elechi has dominated the demands of the youths, there is also the battle between the North and the South.

It would be recalled that former governor Sam Egwu (North) handed over power to the incumbent, Governor Martin Elechi (Central).

So, the calculation is that in 2015, power would move to the South, according to the principles of charter of equity. But some insiders say the camp even the governor’s family is divided over the candidate to hand over PDP ticket.

Mazi Ukoma Udo, a community leader in Ebony South however told The Nation on Thursday that “Governor Elechi assured us that it was the turn of the old Afikpo bloc to produce his successor. Since the proclamation, the Izzi clan has tightened her belts to ensure a twist, so that the southern agenda does not materialise. But we will not allow such a game plan.”

Given these intrigues, Ebonyi political landscape has suddenly gathered steam ahead 2015.

HEN Governor \Murtala Nyako was removed from the Government House, Yola, without any form of resistance, I was tempted to believe that the 2015 general elections (including the presidential poll) might be a walk over for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). One was forced to ask if the All Progressives Congress (APC) has any strategist. The House met, hatched the conspiracy, effortlessly got the numbers and executed the scheme. All the APC could do was whine and warn.

The PDP aim was very clear- snatch Adamawa from the opposition party and plant doubt in the minds of voters on the readiness of the APC to take over from the ruling party at the federal level. Boni Haruna and Buba Marwa who had just defected to the PDP were out to prove that they call the shots in the North Eastern state.

The success in Adamawa emboldened the PDP strategist to move into Nasarawa, being one whose legislature is equally controlled by the party. However, Governor Umaru Tanko AlMakura would not give way so easily. He understood the political terrain and sought to strike at the PDP soft underbelly.

The party has been unpopular in Lafia, the capital town, since the late Senator Haruna Abubakar pulled out in the first stanza of this dispensation.

Throughout the period that Governor Abdullahi Adamu ran the state affairs, he knew it was suicidal to attempt a popularity walk on Lafia streets. In the hands of a charismatic politician like Al-Makura, that was a potent weapon. The Lafia people were incensed that the PDP was seeking power through the back door. They, whether engineered or not, swung into action, sweeping through the streets. That was enough to set the alarm that the delicate peace in the state could be ruptured should the PDP insist on applying the Yola formula in Nasarawa.

The message could not have been lost on the 20 desperate PDP state lawmakers. While they got their brief from the Abuja overlords and would not easily lose the benefits promised, they knew they had people at home to contend with. They moved away from Lafia, illegally congregated in Abuja and Karu to hatch the plot, but found time, under heavy military cover, to sit in the official House of Assembly to pass the resolution mandating the Chief Judge to constitute a seven-member panel to investigate the allegations against Governor Al-Makura.

The legislative rascality following the panel’s sitting and dismissal of the 16 counts must end at that point. The constitution leaves no room for the legislature in determining composition of the panel, deciding the mode of sitting or the outcome of the deliberation. In the same way that what constitutes gross misconduct is left entirely to the legislators, the composition is the prerogative of the Chief Judge. If any of the concerned parties felt strongly about any of the issues, the court is the place to go.

Refusal to accept the panel’s verdict amounts to legislative rascality and any attempt to force out the governor through extra-constitutional means would mean an open invitation to anarchy.

However, the APC should learn some lessons from what has transpired in Adamawa and Nasarawa States. It is not enough to lambast the federal ruling party for adopting anti-democratic style of governance. The party should have a political thinktank to advise and assist any of its governments in trouble.

Truth be told, if the PDP believes it could remove any of the APC governors, thus weakening the opposition, it would do so.

But, if it knows that such measures would come at a heavy price, it would be forced to think twice.

It should be noted that the ruling party has so many of those who sold out the Abiola/SDP victory in 1993/94. Many of the leaders do not care if Nigeria burns. All that matters to them is the pecuniary benefits they could rake in at any point in time.

Unfortunately though, the APC has failed so far to demonstrate that it has in its ranks people who understand the sociological make-up of Nigeria, its political behaviourand a machine that could proactively engage the ruling party. Asiwaju Bola Tinubu has always said power is never served a la carte. It comes after a fierce struggle. But, his party is yet to demonstrate its understanding of this principle. Worse still, very little is being done to show the basic distinction between the two major parties. If tomorrow, Iyiola Omisore, having lost the Osun governorship election, seeks a space in the APC, he would be found one in the party’s highest organ.

The party must redefine its goals, mobilize people along the line of the goals and assure its supporters and all who think the PDP is an unmitigated disaster that the APC has what it takes to win elections and run a good government.

At the moment, the APC has a duty to follow the development in Nasarawa, Edo, Rivers and Borno States keenly and do as much behind the scenes as is being done in the public sphere.

Above all, Al-Makura received the votes of the people- he must survive. Nigeria must survive.

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY AUGUST 10, 2014

POLITICS

Rivers 2015: ‘A candidate is as strong as his team’

Your recent press conference announcing your decision to join the race for the Rivers State Governorship ticket in the PDP seems to have ruffled some feathers . Why is that ?

I’m not sure whose ruffled feathers you noticed but as you well know every race involves several competing interests and each new entrant into a race depending on his or her weight typically impacts the odds in the race.

Specifically, it has been observed that last week, the Minister of State, Nyesom Wike whilst addressing press men made specific mention of your name amongst others who he claimed are political paper weights he will beat even in their respective wards. What do you say to that?

I think those comments were quite unfortunate and undignifying, especially from a cabinet member who should be a mature bridge builder. Also as you know, we are currently still at the party primaries stage, which is very largely an internal party affair to be managed strategically in readiness for the main election without unduly weakening the electoral fortunes of our party. I will rather not respond to his claims of superiority. .

So even if you want to avoid responding to his claims, the general public would want to know your political stature as a gubernatorial candidate?

Let me remind you again that politics is a team game with people of like minds coming together to build a leadership organisation and agenda . The political structure typically has different layers of leaders, workers, volunteers, etc, who come on board with various political assets. I have been involved in this process at different levels for several decades now. I’ve been involved in developing campaign materials and governance blueprints for candidates at both governorship and presidential campaign levels. I’ve been a leader of my ward, PDP Ward 12 in Akuku-Toru Local Government for so many years now overseeing all elections at the

I

F you were to suggest improvements that will strengthen our electoral system prior to the imminent elections, which will you prioritize?

My suggestions will not be different from the suggestions of my chairman, Professor Jega, to the National Assembly for improving the electoral system. Those suggestions are in the public domain. However, in prioritizing, from experience, I will put three key things as priorities, namely; the establishment of an Electoral Offences Commission with an investigating arm, manned by experienced police and security officers independent of the mainstream security agencies, police force and criminologist adept in electoral forensic, a judicial arm made up of credible and experienced judicial officers adept in the legislative framework for elections; second is the need to improve the process of party nominations to make the party guidelines transparent and susceptible to unequivocal administrative understanding by INEC and judicial interpretation by the courts if necessary; and thirdly, the need for all eligible Nigerians to collect their Permanent Voters Card in the on-going distribution of PVC exercise nationwide until the nation is able to institute a credible National Identity Card mainframe database, which will be used as the key reference for voter eligibility.

Is INEC prepared for the 2015 General Election then?

It is work in progressive since after the 2011 election. We are prepared for the expected and preparing for the uncertain. We have rational plans for the expected as statutory duties while there are emergency plans where necessary for the uncertain. But based on our current institutional memory, we are better prepared than in 2011 as evident in a number of elections conducted after the 2011 elections.

Would you say the National Conference is worth the trouble?

Yes indeed it was well worth it. Their key mandate was to define a Nigerian ideology.

That is asking the question, who are we and where do we want to go? And they responded by consensus that, “we are a federal democracy that should domesticate its democratic practices by ensuring rotation of power in democratic offices at all levels to ensure inclusion and integration”. That we will be better off as a country if we allow local government to be more functional and effective as matters of spheres of federating states that should determine their establishment, desired numbers and funding of same and other suggested ways of ensuring their independence and effectiveness. They affirmed that we will be more secured if we devolve

Few weeks ago, Chief Beks Dagogo-Jack confirmed his interest to seek the governorship ticket of People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2015 elections. Since then, the stake has been raised further as other major stakeholders take him up on several issues. In this brief encounter he spoke on his experience, strategy and chances. Sam Egburonu reports ward. I’ve been an active supporting elder of the PDP in my LGA for as many years. I’ve served in various appointive posts at state and federal levels in cabinet and senior non-cabinet positions. I have also run a primaries race as a senatorial aspirant as far back as the NRC days. The main point to note here is that in all of these experiences, I resolved from day one not to be a jack of all trades but to remain devoted to my skills as a technocrat with proven track record of performance, knowing that in any team I belong, there shall always be those more versed in the field operational aspects of elections. I tell you, I am not a neophyte in this business yet I totally believe that a candidate is only as strong as his team is.

From the public utterances of the Minister of State it can be deduced that he feels exclusively entitled to the ticket based on the huge investments he single handedly incurred to rescue the party at the state from Governor Rotimi Amaechi.

What would you say to that?

I recall that it was the famed Douglas Adams who said that if any man has the capacity to single handedly procure his election to any office, he must be stopped at all costs in the interest of democracy. Politics is about change and progress which involves people’s free choice. Investments or sacrifice is an ongoing phenomenon in building political parties the world over. People have

•Dagogo-Jack

invested in the party at different critical times long before now. If every one who make investments and sacrices to a party dictates exactly how they

INEC ready for 2015 -Igini Resident Electoral Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Cross River State, Mr Mike Igini, spoke with reporters on a range of issues in Calabar. NICHOLAS KALU was there. Excerpts

•Igini

policing to federating units and allow this level of policing to collaborate and share cognate but differentiated responsibilities of jurisdiction with the federal policing services. They consensually agreed that derivation is important to generate incentives for developing wider pools of revenue for the national sustainability and hence accepted in principle an increase of derivation to not less than 18%, but they had dissensus on whether an additional 5% should be reserved as a national or regional reconstruction and rehabilitation allocation, a matter that they left to the executive to resolve based on informed decisions, from technocracts rather than emotive combustions from group interests.

Given that after nine years, by these and many other innovative suggestions, they have largely affirmed the position of the 2005 conference, I will say that it was well worth it. Now we know who we are, and what we want to become, the next step is to find out if all stakeholders have the courage to live by these convictions by putting this consensus to a referendum of the Nigerian people.

Good enough, INEC under part 1 section 2(c) of

the Act has the sole statutory duty to carry out a referendum pursuant to any act of the National Assembly as it relates to the outcome of the national conference.

What about their suggestion for 18 new states after creating 1 state for the South East Zone, would you also call this a worthwhile endeavour?

I believe their suggestion/resolution is rooted in the yearning for development to as many areas of the country as possible, while I am in agreement with the motivation for the resolution, I only agree with the suggestion for a state from the South-East on the basis of historical and administrative equity, it does not necessarily rob any current state of anything, if it is viewed from a revenue generation perception rather than a revenue sharing perception because it will not be created from a new geographical space but rather from currently existing states.

The security situation is proving intractable, why do you think the issue of the kidnapped Chibok girls is so difficult to resolve?

It is difficult, mainly because the belligerent groups have very polar differences. What Boko Haram wants are not things you negotiate in a democracy. In a democracy you can have rights to worship whatever way you chose as long as you respect the right of others to do the same. You see the federal government will be at fault if the government was persecuting Boko Haram and preventing them from worshipping peacefully, but in this case, it is Boko Haram which is actually “persecuting” people, demanding territorial control with absolute powers to dictate modes of worship, social interaction and so forth in Nigeria, this makes it difficult for the federal government to be seen to accommodate such a goal.

The Nigerian government has shown its willingness to protect its citizens by committing men and materials in combat against Boko Haram. It has even accepted international assistance, even where its international reputation may be sullied by doing so, just to show that the girls and other victims of Boko Haram insurgency are to be protected by any means necessary. The government also gave support to a former president, a distin-

should be settled, then I’m afraid our democracy risk being captured by private forces to serve private interests. Politics is for public service and development; it’s not a commercial business and should never be approached as such.

Do you think your attempt to consciously separate political skill sets would work in our current political system which seem to have been hijacked by field operatives ?

You know I firmly believe that a key reason why we are still struggling to entrench democracy as a system for delivering effective development lies with this current very dysfunctional culture you talk about and indeed it’s so unfortunate we degenerated to this level because this was not the case even in the First Republic. I will illustrate with a few examples.

In those days, politics still had the Adedibus and the Awolowos yet no Adedibu would aspire to be an Awolowo and verse versa. Both are comfortable with the natural slants in their capacity. An Adedibu would be seen and respected as an effective operative or a garrison commander whilst an Awolowo would be seen and respected as a visioner and a transformational leader. Our late political icon was able to leapfrog the human capacity index of the SouthWest over the national average with such effectiveness that decades after, the benefits are still with us.

How do you rate your chances ?

I offer myself as a committed change agent.

I have proven track record as a worker and a project leader. I have considerable regard as a public servant accross the state. I have been around long enough to learn from our past mistakes. I have imbibed a culture of integrity and goal-getting. I am not seeking office to achieve personal material goals. Our people have begun evaluating the aspirants. The people will decide. guished international personality, to talk with the insurgents, instead of talking, they killed the purported member of their groups’ relative who was willing to talk, then a committee was set up to explore ways of talking. In response you have had more killings, bombing of innocent people who are trying to eke a living, destruction of public and private property, and more recently, recruitment of innocent girls to kill themselves and others for a vaguely defined mission.

To find negotiable remedies, what a group wants should be clear and achievable, what Boko Haram wants, from my position as an interested Nigerian, appears to me to be nothing other than chaos. Recently, we heard they aligned themselves with the Iraqi ISIS, in other words, they want a global caliphate, which means that ultimately in return for the Chibok girls, even if they exchange prisoners with them, the war is only just beginning until Nigeria as a nation is under absolute regime of sharia. How do you negotiate with that? The government is having to try to understand what they really want, who they really are and how to deal with them, the world also wants to know, but as it is, we can only understand them from their actions which bears many semblances with the actions of zealots in Mali, Somalia, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Yemen, Chechnya and so forth; if this is what we are dealing with, then the outcome, whether we negotiate or not is bleak, because in all these places they have not shown that they are amenable to reasonable compromise or are willing to share society in which religion is an optional choice with others, Chechnyan rebels killed almost 175 children when Russia tried to free school children from them in Beslan, in Russia, and were willing to die in a theatre than to surrender their hostages in Moscow. Islamic zealots in Iran held 52 American diplomats in Iran for 444 days and America lost 8 servicemen in a botched attempt to free them; given such a choice, they are telling the world that you either destroy me or fall under our subjection, which is a very Hobbesian choice. What reasonable choices can you make with someone who straps a bomb on a ten year old, or shoots at you from a house in which his children and wife are staying, knowing you are better armed as we saw in the case from Kaduna, we are not dealing with normality here and this needs time to process, our soldiers are trained to respect the Geneva Convention, on warfare, these guys don’t have such cares. We need to wrap our heads around that and develop unconventional and epistemic responses.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY AUGUST 10, 2014

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OU are the leader of Ukwa-Ngwa Professionals, what does the organisation represent?

The organisation is an association of professionals of Ukwa-Ngwa origin who are committed to the development of Abia State, and who share in the conviction that Aba, the famous industrial and commercial hub, holds great potentials to support the development of Abia State.

The association seeks to achieve the development of the full potentials of Abia State with Aba as a pivot. It also seeks the election of an Abia State Governor of Ukwa-Ukwa extraction who will bring about rapid economic and social development of Abia State with Aba as the economic hub. To achieve our goals we seek a partnership with the Government of Abia State and leaders of Abia across our state.

How is it different from other organisations in Ukwa-Ngwa?

It is a gathering of professionals. Secondly, because we are individuals with no personal political ambitions of our own, our goal is to serve our homeland and our state and we do so using our personal contributions.

Who are the sponsors of the organisation?

The Ukwa-Ngwa Professionals, as a group, sponsors itself. It works with resources its members raise. It supports causes it believes in with members’ contributions.

Why is Ukwa-Ngwa Professionals at the forefront of the agitation for an Ukwa-Ngwa governor?

Since independence, no person of UkwaNgwa descent has had the opportunity to be Premier of a Region or Governor of our state in Nigeria, not Eastern Region, Imo State or since creation of Abia State. Abia was created from two Senatorial Zones of old Imo State, Aba Senatorial Zone and Umuahia Zone which included Afikpo and Ohaozara (now in Ebonyi State).The Ukwa-Ngwa area is currently made up of nine of the 17 local governments in the state. It is home to more than 60 percent of the state population and it is yet to produce a governor. It is only fair, just and equitable that this happens.

Our founding fathers agreed and laid a foundation for fairness and equity in the rotation principle they enshrined in the Abia Charter of Equity. This was the basis for the formation of the state. Those who work to destroy this foundation are against the peace in Abia State and this is why we commend Gov. Theodore Orji for his consistency in affirming this principle of equity and fairness.

Is it constitutional to zone political office to a particular area?

I have said before and I will say it again that intrinsic in the federal character provision of the Constitution is the principle of zoning and rotation. The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria established the quota system, and even went further to establish a Federal Character Commission to work to ensure equity in the employment and enhancement of public officers, it lays a foundation for each people to co-ordinate their affairs and manage their government in a way to ensure equitable and fair representation. Inherent in this principle is that areas in a state can and have often agreed and zoned offices using the mechanism of political parties because we are in a multiparty democracy.

What is the Abia Charter of Equity that people keep mentioning in this case?

The Abia Charter of Equity is a child of circumstance. After the two Senatorial Districts of Aba and Umuahia of old Imo State decided to seek a state of their own, some disagreement arose between the two brothers that led to the breakaway of a large majority of the Aba people to form a Movement of their own – the Aba State Movement, then led by Dr. George Wigwe.

The Abia Charter of Equity was a fence mending measure adopted by the movement to reassure what remained of the Aba group within its fold that the events that led to the breakup would never arise again. Indeed, the Abia Charter was extracted from the Umuahia (Bende) group, led

by Dr. M. I. Okpara by what remained of the Aba (Ukwa-Ngwa) group. After the breakup, Chief B. A. Wachuku was made Vice Chairman to Dr. Okpara and Dr. Moses Agbara became Secretary. These were measures to re-assure Ukwa-Ngwa of their place in the proposed state.

The Charter enshrined the principle of equity in distribution of political office and leadership and clearly stated that the position of governor will rotate between the Aba and Bende zones of the state. Unfortunately this agreement was more honoured in breach than the observance until Governor Theodore Ahamefule Orji decided that what is fair is fair and that the peace and development of Abia State required that equity and fairness be respected. He is a man

POLITICS

Abia 2015: Our case built on equity - Nkire In this interview, Theo Nkire, former AttorneyGeneral of Abia State, makes a case for equity in deciding who becomes Abia State governor in 2015.

Sam Egburonu reports

•Nkire who saw it fit to honour the agreement others chose to break with impunity.

Does the Charter support the agitation of Ukwa-Ngwa for a governor?

Of course, it does. The bedrock of the Charter is equity, justice and fairness.

What an idea! The Ukwa-Ngwa agitation for fairness and recognition started in colonial times.

It came to the fore at the Willink’s Commission 1943 when aggrieved by the injustices of the time our people for the first time in our history were compelled to call for the creation of an Aba State.

So how could the Abia Charter, which came into being almost 40 years later, in 1980, predate our agitation? Does the Abia Charter support our case? Of course, it does. Indeed, in the context of Abia State, the Charter does not only support our case; it is the foundation of our cause. The Charter is our reference point. Whenever the leaders neglect to do what is just and equitable, we remind them of the Charter.

The Charter is about equity, it is about fairness. Our case rests on the fairness of rotating power, which the Charter advocates, now (as the PDP has directed) among our three Senatorial Zones of Abia North (1999-2007), Abia Central (2007-2015) and Abia South from 2015. In Abia State, nobody who supports equity, fairness and justice would support that the governor should come from any zone other than Abia South.

What is your reaction to the fears of some that an Ukwa-Ngwa governor would marginalise other parts of the state?

That fear is laughable. Ukwa-Ngwa people are traditionally a peace loving and hospitable people. We extend our goodwill to all; with malice towards none. What powers do we have to marginalise anyone? He who wants equity must do equity. He who comes to equity must come with clean hands. Ukwa-Ngwa people want equity and they have come with clean hands; with malice towards none.

We are in a democratic dispensation. The government has three arms; an Executive, the Legislature and the Judiciary. We have freedom of the press and courts, which settle disputes in Nigeria and Abia State. This is not a military regime with its hierarchical and command structure. A governor who does not do well can be impeached as we are beginning to see all over. As a group, we will not support a governor from anywhere in Abia State who incites divisions among our people.

How have Ukwa-Ngwa addressed these fears?

The Ukwa-Ngwa Professionals, as a group, has continued to consult with leaders of other communities in Abia, and to discuss, evaluate and al-

lay these fears. This is why we have proposed to work with different groups and of course with the political leadership in the state, which is well disposed to ensure that no mistakes are made in this regard.

There are fears that Ukwa-Ngwa is divided over who will become the next governor and this could scuttle the agitation.

It is not true. Ukwa-Ngwa is united in the quest for a governor of Ukwa-Ngwa descent in 2015.

Who among us would be the governor is a different matter. Political office is occupied through political contest. A multi-party democracy is intended to create competition. Though it has been zoned to Abia South, the office of governor by our Constitution will be competitively sought. The huge interest is natural, it is expected, and it is not strange, but as the days go by, you will see that the selection process will continue to reduce the contestants until we all select one through the polls to be our governor.

What deal did Ukwa-Ngwa reach with Governor Theodore Orji that make him support the agitation?

None that I know of; if you know any, please tell me.

Some say you offered him the Abia Central Senatorial seat to support the Ukwa-Ngwa cause?

The Abia Central seat is not ours to give. We are a state made up of different peoples. Politics is not a zero sum game; it is a give and take game.

We preach equity and fairness, which means that you do not only consider your interest but you consider that of other groups. Abia Central Senatorial Zone is made up of six local governments three from Ukwa-Ngwa and three from Umuahia.

The local governments from Umuahia are entitled to produce a Senator for the zone, under an arrangement that enables the senatorial seat to rotate between Ukwa-Ngwa and Umuahia. This fair arrangement has been in place since 1999. We are a fair people; we come to equity with clean hands.

We need to be commended rather than vilified.

To answer you directly, the Abia Central seat is not ours to give. You cannot give what you do not have. Ochendo is a great son of Abia State. If he expresses interest, when the time comes, you can be in no doubt the support he will get will be overwhelming. The Ukwa-Ngwa local governments will all support him and the entire Abia Central Senatorial Zone will support him.

What is the Ukwa-Ngwa Professionals’ position on politicians outside Ukwa-Ngwa contesting the governorship?

It is undemocratic to shut anyone out in a political contest. In Jos in 1998, people like

25

Abubakar Rimi from Kano State contested the presidential primaries of the PDP though the position was zoned to the South.

The important thing is for the party to do the needful. You leave the rest to the individuals concerned. In our case, the party has done the right thing by zoning the position of governor to Abia South. It is fair, it is just; it is equitable.

As a group and as a people, Ukwa-Ngwa is pleading with our brothers and sisters from Abia North and Abia Central to please, toe the party line. As loyal party members, they should obey the party and work together with us to achieve success. Without them, we cannot defeat the opposition. We must all work together in the PDP family to win. When next it is their turn, we promise to do the same; support them to win.

What is in this struggle for you as an individual?

Oh, my God! A great deal. A whole lot. There is so much in it for me as an individual. First, there is the joy, that ‘joy that passeth understanding’; the joy that in my lifetime, one of our own will be piloting the ship of state in Abia. Then my name will be AHUKANNA; for I would have seen more than Dr. Jaja Wachuku, I would see more than De George (Dr. George Wigwe) would. I would have seen more than Hon. H. M. J. Wachukwu. I would have seen more than my great friends and compatriots Engr.

Frank Uzoma Azuogu, Diwa (Chief Enyinnaya Ihediwa) Dr. Nwanganga UbaniUkoma and the many others who were in the struggle with us but are no more with us today. My new name will be AHUKANNA; but I will still be in good company: Emma Adaelu will still be around, God willing. So will Dr. Asobie, Oji Alala and the numerous other people who have been with us from the beginning and those who have joined us over the years.

For me, the joy will be that in my lifetime Aba can assume its rightful place as the Japan of Africa. I weep whenever I hear people born in Aba, but of Nnewi parentage, refer to Nnewi as the Japan of Africa – a name specifically coined for Aba by our leader, Dr. George Azubuine Wigwe, in view of the then emerging indigenous technology for which Aba had become so very well-known across Africa and the world.

What do they know about the name? Aba shall return! The Japan of Africa will rise again!

My joy shall know no bounds when I find myself part of a new Abia State wherein the new governor, building on the solid foundations laid by his predecessors will embark on an all rounded development of our state with Aba as the focal point, the fulcrum of that development project.

How would you react to the thinking that you are priming yourself to be the godfather of the Ukwa-Ngwa Governor?

You have to be a god before you become a godfather. Luckily, for me, I am not a god.

I cannot become a godfather. This generation of Ukwa-Ngwa people is not looking for a leader. This generation of Ukwa-Ngwa people is blessed with great leaders. In April 2006, we, the leaders, chose one of our own, Elder Emmanuel Onyemaobi Adaelu, as leader of the Ukwa-Ngwa people. He is a great leader. I adore him. I respect him. He has led us ever since. I am confident, it will be his greatest joy (just as it will be mine, too) to live to see that day – 29 May 2015 when an Ukwa-Ngwa son or daughter will be sworn in as governor of Abia State.

Godfather? Never. I do not even think of it. God is the one I worship; in whom I live and have my being. Godfather? No. Never. Father? Sure, of great men and women who love me and I love them too.

What would be Ukwa-Ngwa reaction in 2015 if it does not produce the governor?

Ukwa-Ngwa shall produce the governor of Abia State in 2015, God willing. See how it works. The PDP has zoned the position to Abia South. We are working hard to see that the other two important parties in the state namely the APC and APGA do the same.

We are already in consultation with the leadership of those parties. If we succeed in those negotiations, then it means the candidates of the three major parties in the state will be Ukwa-Ngwa people and whoever wins then will be Ukwa Ngwa.

This is as far as human reasoning and human ability go; but God is the ultimate giver of power. He gives it to whoever He desires. Our simple prayer today is that He may give it to Ukwa-Ngwa in 2015.

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY, AUGUST 10, 10, 2014

No longer at ease in private universities

THE NATION ON SUNDAY AUGUST 10, 2014

38 MAGAZINE

TRAVELOGUE

•Statues of Afro-Brazilian deities at Dique de Tororo

Salvador: Brazil’s happiest city (2)

Olubanwo Fagbemi, who recently visited Salvador, Brazil concludes his travelogue.

•Nigeria C u at Pelouri ltural House nho

THE NATION ON SUNDAY AUGUST 10, 2014

MAGAZINE 39

TRAVELOGUE

• Foodstuff at Sao Jaoquim market

m do Bonfi h, Igreja rc u h c r do us Salva • A famo

rsity Federal Unive •Right wing of e in ic ed M lty of of Bahia’s Facu

•Kombi b us in Salv ador

THE NATION ON SUNDAY AUGUST 10, 2014

44 MAGAZINE

‘Private universities should prepare for more unrest’

•Ayodele,

57

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, AUGUST 10, 2014

-- Page 53

'Why companies must invest in community'

No lifeline for landlines Page 58, 59

A

LTHOUGH there has been informal trade between Ghana and Nigeria, it has not grown to the level of signing a bilateral trade relations. The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Trade Protocol has also not boosted trade between both countries except on a very low scale where business men buy goods between the two countries and sell to retailers in the individual countries.

However, a recent sensitisation forum on 'Doing Business in Ghana' held in Lagos, sought to strengthen trade relations between both countries.

President, Lagos Chamber of Commerce (LCCI), Mr. Remi Bello said the forum is a platform to give enlightenment, education and exchange of ideas on how to boost trade and investment between Nigeria and Ghana and indeed, within the West Africa sub region. He said: "For too long, private sector organisations and institutions have confined themselves to the comfort or illusion of their individual countries, while our counterparts in other parts of the world are advancing the

•Ugboma

Page 60

Nigeria, Ghana to strengthen trade relations

By Okwy Iroegbu-Chikezie frontiers of their economies and markets through integration."

He said with a robust market of about 350 million people, significant benefits of economies of scale would be enjoyed by West African firms in the event of full market integration. This, he argued, would reduce unit cost and enhance competitiveness.

While calling for partnership and cooperation of the various private sector entities in the sub region, Bello made a case for greater advocacy by private sector organisations to promote economic integration and remove all barriers, especially non-tariff barriers to trade and investment.

Nigerian Ambassador to

Ghana, Mr. Ademola Oluseyi Onafowokan, in his submission, said the formation of the Nigeria/Ghana Business Council has become more imperative with the call by United States President, BarackObama for African countries to look inward if they are to advances their economies.

He said the challenge has been thrown at the sub-region to increase the sub-regional trade.

The chairman of the forum and former Minister of Industry, Mrs. Nike Akande expressed optimism that the Business Council would be beneficial to both countries. She also promised that the Council will work with the Ghana Investment Promotion Council as well as its Nigerian counterpart as a one-stopinvestment advisory point to

assist investors in both countries.

Ghanaian Minister of Trade and Industry, Mr. Haruna Idrisu, while commending the efforts towards the formation of a Business Council between the two nations, regretted that Nigeria has not lived up to her bidding as the big brother in the region. He stated that his country have signed the common bilateral treaty but regretted that Nigeria has not signed hers.

Earlier, former Nigerian Foreign Affairs Minister, Mr. Henry Ajumogobia commented the goodwill shown by Ghana in the formation of the Business Council such as the nonrestriction of goods and services from Nigeria into their country and asked for equity and reciprocity from Nigeria.

'Investment in people drives success' Page 62

•Durosinmi-Etti

Vitafoam boss urges African leaders monitor socio-economic development

By Adeola Ogunlade

T

HE Chairman of Vitafoam PLC, Mr. Dele Makanjuola has charged government across the West African subregion to regularly measure the various indices that are needed for economic planning and development in the region.

Makanjuola made this known recently at the business luncheon/ commissioning of Wellness Centre by the Business Club Ikeja (BCI).

According to the Vitafoam boss, there is need for members of the Economic Community of West African States to continuously measure their economic policy and its effect on the society for sustainable development within the sub-region.

While noting that although there are abundance of human, land, energy and mineral resources across the sub region, he said: "As of today, there exist a very high level of poverty and social inequalities which is all pervading with close to 60% of the population lives on less than one US dollar per day."

Makanjuola opined that in spite of government propagandas that there is absence of liberal economy in the sub-region, "anti market, anti-trade, pro-subsidy and pro-regulation policies of the various governments are strangulating the economies."

Corruption, Makanjuola observed, "is endemic across the nations, weak institutions, low morale of citizens and undeveloped sense of public service, perennial conflict within nations and between nations slow down execution of regional development projects."

"There is a need for structural transformation to bring about economic growth. We should take note that economic development can be achieved only through continuous technological innovation, industrial upgrading and diversification", he said.

Earlier in his words, the president of the BSC, Engineer I. S Tella, who applauded members of the club and especially Vital Foam Plc for the construction of the centre, said that the wellness centre is aimed at repositioning the club for revenue generation and encouraging Nigerians to keep fit.

He encouraged members of the club to take advantage of the centre by utilising the centre rather than leave it more to the public.

Industry boss pledges constructive engagement with stakeholders

F •From left: Governor Adams Oshiomhole receiving the keys to the security vehicles donated by the MTN Foundation from General Manager, Network Planning, MTN Nigeria, Gideon Obhakhan and Kingsley Ekhator, Head, Government and Community Relations, Ibadan, MTN Nigeria in Edo State...recently

NESREA ready to tackle air pollution

T

HE National Environmental Standards and R e g u l a t i o n s Enforcement said it has begun plans to reduce air pollution from vehicles by setting up operational guidelines for vehicular testing centers.

The agency said it will set up three testing centers in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) as a pilot before extending it to other states.

NESREA also said it is

From Frank Ikpefan, Abuja committed to enforcing a sustainable environmental campaign that will keep the air clean.

The Director - General of the agency, Dr. Benebo Ngeri said this in Abuja at the stakeholders meeting on National Vehicular Emission Control Programme (NVECP) in Nigeria.

Mrs. Ngeri said the move

will prevent citizens from air pollution which poses major health risk.

She said: "Despite its numerous benefits, automobiles have continued to be a major source of air pollution. There has been a rapid increase of cars on our roads and the problem of pollution has increased exponentially along with the growth in the number of cars.

"In Nigeria, vehicular emissions have been more intense by the increasing number of old and poorly maintained vehicles. About 10 million vehicles and 3 million motorcycles ply our roads with a greater number concentrated in the urban centers. For instance, about 1.2 million vehicles ply the FCT." According to her, reducing vehicular emission is a key to tackling air pollution.

ROM the newly elected chairman, Committee of Ebanking Industry Heads (CeBIH), Mr. Tunde Kuponiyi has come a pledge to stakeholders: 'There is need for constructive engagement with stakeholders to facilitate growth of electronic payment in the country.'

Speaking shortly after his election, Kuponiyi, who is also the Head of E-banking Ecobank Plc, appreciated the immediate executive for working very hard to project the image of and advance the cause of CEBIH. He also appreciated all members for the trust reposed in him and his team to lead the committee.

He promised the new executive will continue to build on the good foundation laid by the outgoing executive and earn more recognition for CEBIH. He said the team will also embrace advocacy which is the focal point of CEBIH and also engage all industry stakeholders constructively. He thereafter appealed to all members for their cooperation with the new executive.

Also speaking, the immediate Chairman of CeBIH, and former Head of E-Channels, Skye Bank, Mr. Chuks Iku appreciated all members of the group for their cooperation which led to the success of the executive team he led.

The newly elected executives of CeBIH comprise Tunde Kuponiyi of Ecobank as Chairman, Dele Adeyinka of Wema Bank as Vice- Chairman and Fatai Amoo of Sterling Bank as the Secretary. Others are Bob Nwojo of First Bank as Asst. Secretary, Simi Osinuga of GTBank as Treasurer, Juliet Nwanguma of Zenith as Financial Secretary, Ernest Obi of Keystone Bank as Publicity Secretary, Ejikeme Obiano of Heritage Bank as Asst.

Publicity Secretary, Benedict Anyalekenya of Unity Bank as Policy Review Secretary and Adeleke Adekoya of Access Bank as Internal Auditor.

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY AUGUST 10, 2014

BUSINESS

HESE are not the best of times for the once popular landlines, also known as Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA). Enter Starcomms, Reltel, Multilinks, MTS, Intercellular, MTEL, Odua tel. and the late entrant, Visafone.

In the heydays, when the CDMA operators held sway, it was thought that they would improve in some significant way the fortunes of the telecoms sub-sector.

Nigerians patronised them with high hopes that they would offer more in terms of quality service.

Run of misfortunes At first, they had smooth operation as they enjoyed patronage of many companies. But the song has since changed.

Recently, news went round that Visafone, the only surviving operator of the Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), had allegedly sacked 60 workers, which the company denied. Yet, the report brought into attention the fact that CDMA companies have not had a successful operation in the Nigerian telecoms market thus far.

The CDMA segment of the Nigeria's telecoms industry is gradually sinking into oblivion as clouds of uncertainty hang over the high hope raised by the proposed merger of Starcomms, Multilinks and MTS First Wireless.

A deal gone bad The spectacular deal being put together by Capcom Limited, a holding company focused primarily on identifying, investing and building shareholder value in companies in the African telecommunications sector, is touted as a breather for the embattled sub-sector.

But some transaction hiccups, including approvals, administrative bottle necks and legal knots to be untied, have all conspired to hobble the deal, some 10 months after Capcom declared its interest to provide Starcomms (the product of the merger of Starcomms, Multilinks and MTS) with a capital investment of cash and assets independently valued at $210 million.

It would be recalled that Starcomms, one of the companies in the merger, had in December 2013, warned that the company was at risk of bankruptcy if the merger failed.

Mr. Olusola Oladokun, former Interim Chief Executive Officer, Starcomms Plc, said, over the years, the company has been faced with numerous challenges due to the harsh operating environment and is experiencing difficulties in its operations.

He disclosed that Starcomms' debt profile currently stood at N15billion, adding that the company has stopped servicing its debts so as to conserve cash.

Elsewhere, Multilinks is haemorrhaging after shutting down part of its CDMA business and focusing more on the fibre service operation.

MTS First Wireless, on the other hand, had slipped into history until the merger deal surfaced. But it remains a very attractive bride because it is sitting on the best frequency band in the telecom industry It was gathered that the CDMA sector got into trouble in the first place due to a combination of factors, including corporate mismanagement.

Shrinking market share Today, all the CDMA operators in Nigeria have just 2.5 million lines according to the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC's) figure for July 2013 with Visafone accounting for over two million of the sum total. In contrast,

No lifeline for l Before the advent of the Global System of Mobile Communication (GSM), operators of the Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), otherwise known as landlines, were a regular feature in homes and offices but not anymore. Today, a majority of the hitherto leading players have gone into extinction with the few surviving ones in dire straits. In this report, Bukola Afolabi takes a look at the challenges besetting the CDMA sub-sector

•Telecoms mast

the GSM segment has in excess of 120 million lines.

The real trouble with CDMAs To say that CDMA operators are hanging by hair breath is a gross understatement. Truth is, they are in a very bad shape.

The same fraudulent and selfserving practices of some members of board and management and the overbearing influence of Chairmen or Managing Directors/CEOs of CDMAs, especially in familycontrolled businesses, led to the collapse of a majority of the companies.

GSM gain, CDMA loss Trouble began for the CDMA with the entrance of the GSM into the sector, thereby bringing competition between the Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA).

Within few years, the wireless

technologies with GSM began to enjoy the largest share of the market as many Nigerians began to abandon the CDMA for the more effective GSM. Statistics by the Nigeria Communication Commission revealed that as at January 2013, active telephone lines on the four GSM networks (MTN, GLO, Airtel and Etisalat) stood at 111.1 million, but this figure has increased to 118.4 million at the end of September, 2013.

According to the statistics, MTN is said to be controlling over 45 million mobile subscriptions; Globacom over 26 million; Airtel 25 million while Etisalat has about 16 million subscriptions on its network.

While the CDMA companies were battling with their networks,

the GSM operators adopted a very aggressive approach in their quest to get consumers by crashing prices and bandwidth limit. Prices of purchasing a GSM crashed to as a low as N100.

This offered them the advantage over the CDMA operators who are constrained by many factors from doing the same, such as high and expensive data and charges. As a result, many of the companies began to die while the only surviving one, Visafone, is now surviving on a 'life saving machine'.

First was Starcomms Nigeria Limited. It went under as a result of many factors such as a legal battle with its shareholders. Though efforts were made by the management of the company to make sure it didn't go under, through some feeble intervention,

the effort is yet to yield any positive result.

Capcom had attempted to bail out the company through the injection of a combination of assets and cash worth $210 million into Starcomms, which would give it a 90.5 per cent controlling stake in the company thereby cancelling N3, 448,646,872 in the company's share capital, comprising 6,897,293,744 ordinary shares of 50 kobo each.

Subsequently, 662,550,000 new, fully paid up ordinary shares to Capcom, constituting 90.5 per cent of the post scheme-reorganised, share capital, will be issued to Capcom. It is yet to be seen whether the moves will yield good results and bring back the existing unstable and dead operational activities of the company.

For Reltel, the situation was no

THE NATION ON SUNDAY AUGUST 10, 2014

BUSINESS

or landlines

•Eugene Juwah

different. The company suffered from debt which hampered its operational activities.

Shedding more light on the fate of the CDMAs, the Chairman of Association of Licensed Telecoms Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), Engr Gbenga Adebayo, had attributed the collapse to 'harsh operating environment and lack of infrastructure.'

The statistics released by the NCC had revealed that active mobile CDMA lines, which were 7.1 million in January 2011, dropped to less than 3.4 million by December 2012, emphasising the problem faced by the companies.

However, many Nigerians have attributed the problems to lack of wide and effective coverage of CDMA lines.

"CDMA's lines do not have a wide coverage, unlike the GSMs. You can be in Lagos and talk to somebody in far away Maiduguri on GSM line but that is not so with CDMA and that is why many Nigerians abandoned using them.

The companies are not everywhere; they were only present in a few states in the country. It is also cheaper to recharge GSM lines.

Most times, CDMA networks don't go through, though the same also happens to GSMs, but GSM is better," said Mr. Jude Ihiebale, a pay phone operator.

He added: "The CDMA companies failed to improve their services and their mode of operation. Maybe they didn't envisage competition and were not prepared for the coming of the GSM, so they were caught unawares and by the time they started realising the impacts of GSM, they couldn't meet up with the yearnings of Nigerians."

Corroborating him, Mr Seye Popoola, a former sales agent of one of the now comatose CDMA companies, said "I agree that the CDMA companies failed to improve on their operation which caused their collapse. I expected them to improve on their technology but it seemed they were too relaxed. The GSM came and took over the sector from them. I also agree that there were mismanagement of funds. The owners were only repatriating the money they generated to their countries rather than using it to improve their operations."

NCC's data also revealed that

••Adebayo

while active mobile subscriptions on GSM networks stood at 91 million in January 2012 but increased to 92 million in February and 94.5 million at the end of March.

The subscriptions further continued on an upward growth reaching 96.6 million in April and 97.5 million active subscriptions in May 2012.

By June, July and August of 2012, the combined active GSM subscriber-base increased to 98.3 million; 99.4 million and 101.4 million respectively.

However, for the CDMA, their numbers did not improve within the period under review. It declined from 4,031,820 lines in February; 4,013,690 in March to 3,904,846 telephone lines in April. It declined to 3,718,153 in May; further went down to 3,541,355 in June and in July, fell to 3,452,368 and finally to 3,347,716 at the end of August, 2012.

Mismanagement was also adduced as one of the reasons for the collapse of the CDMA's operation. Lack of transparency, bad corporate management, biased recruitment exercises and general ineptitude by its managers, diversion of funds by its executives meant for expansion, have all been blamed for the problems.

Mr. Friday Ottor, a telecoms expert, opined that the improvement in technology which the GSM offers made many Nigerians to abandon the CDMAs. "You cannot compare the operational level of the GSM with the CDMA. The GSM is more technologically advanced than the CDMAs. Also, many of them come with many offers and there was constant improvement in the way it operates. The operators also offer various incentives so as to get customers which the CDMAs were not offering. You could remember that at the time GSM came into Nigeria, it was not what it is now.

Those CDMA companies failed to improve on their services and that resulted into their demise," he said.

Ottor added: "The problem was also made worse with the recent introduction of Mobile Number Portability (MNP) by the NCC on April 24, 2013 which allowed a subscriber of a particular network to port to another network, which the CDMAs did not offer. In my view, the operators of the CDMAs

were the architect of their misfortune as they failed to move with the trend."

In spite of the problems facing the sector, there were those who are optimistic that the CDMAs still have a future in the telecom sector in Nigeria. Such ones are of the view that if the companies could concentrate and improve on their internet opportunities, they could as well bounce back and enjoy a sizeable share of the sector.

Some experts believe that the CDMAs still offer better internet performances, especially because of the3G technology. They claimed it has more room for greater and faster data transfer systems than the GSMs. They also are of the view that the Point of Sale (POS) Terminals, the major driver of the cashless policy initiative of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), work better with the CDMA technology than the GSM technology.

This optimism was echoed through the Active Internet Subscription (CDMA) Data released by NCC which indicated that there was an increase of 3,819 subscribers, using the internet on the various CDMA networks in December 2013, while 169,149 internet users were on Multilinks, Starcomms and Visafone networks as at the third quarter of 2013.

"From the 172,968 Internet users in the fourth quarter of 2013, Visafone recorded the highest, as its 147,399 customers were online.

Visafone has an increase of 9,227, compared to its 138,172 internet subscribers in the third quarter,'' the data revealed. It added: "From the indication above, there is the need to facilitate the robust usage of the internet by creating local contents, since data has been predicted to be the next revolution after voice.''

Echoing similar sentiments, a staff of NCC who would not be named confided in The Nation that though the CDMA sub-sector of the telecoms industry may be facing some difficult times, it may yet rebound if the necessary investments are made by the prospective investors, many of who have shown interest in the sector.

Pray, how realistic can this be in the face of stiff competition by the GSM operators? The future will provide answer to this riddle.

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OPS seeks deregulation of downstream oil sector

By Okwy Iroegbu-Chikezie

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EMBERS of the organised private sector (OPS) have renewed the call for the deregulation of the downstream oil sector. The DirectorGeneral, Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), Mr. Muda Yusuf said the need to deregulate the downstream sector had become imperative in view of the wastage arising from fuel subsidy.

Mr. Yusuf, who spoke at a forum organised by the petroleum downstream sector of the LCCI with the theme, 'Removing Subsidy: The Implications on Banks, Downstream and Upstream Sector, Government and the Populace', said that while countries in the Middle East and other Arab nations have been able to manage their oil resources and use the revenue from the oil sector to develop the critical sectors of their economies and lifted the standard of living of their citizenry, this has not been the case for Nigeria.

"Unfortunately in our country, the potential of the sector has not been developed or optimised due to fraud, leakages and over regulation. As stakeholders we believe that except the subsidy regime is removed the nation cannot be moved forward," he argued.

Mr. Yusuf said: "The same vested interest that has stalled the passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) is also the same cabal behind the whole subsidy set-up." While arguing that the rich consume fuel more, he said the poor have nothing to lose but all to gain if the sector is deregulated and fuel subsidy removed. "The monies saved through the subsidy regime will benefit the poor better if it is channelled into strategic infrastructure provision such as good roads, hospitals, schools and so on," he said.

Underscoring the need to deregulate, Former President, Nigeria Economic Summit Group, Mazi Sam Ohuabunwa said that Nigerians have an example of the benefit of deregulation with the telecommunications industry. According to him, the Nigerian Telecommunications Limited (NITEL) after more than 45 years of operation was only able to offer 400,000 lines with inefficient services, but with deregulation of the industry, in just five years, there were over 100 million lines at a very competitive rate coupled with effective services.

Ohuabunwa, who is also a member of board of the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P), said deregulating the sector would check lending by banks to speculators and those who do round tripping and collect money and payments from the government without offering services to the people.

He said the savings from the partial subsidy removal revealed that since its creation in 2012, the programme has spent N280 billion on intervention projects nationwide. He said the money was spent on road and railway constructions among others. He said while the sum of N360 billion was allocated to the programme last year, N80 billion was rolled over from last year's allocation.

According to him: "it is important to know that in two years of our existence, we have spent less than N300 billion. Out of the N360billion that was allocated to us, we rolled over N80billion; so we spent about N280billion. That's what we used to get the East-West Road to where it is, the rail line running from Kano to Lagos, and all the works that have been done. "So you can imagine if the over N1trillion that was spent on subsidy is released for infrastructure development," he stated.

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Binatone rewards customers with car, products

EADING electronics manufacturing brand, Binatone concluded its football season campaign by holding a grand draw, giving away hundreds of its products, and one Kia Picanto car as a grand prize to its customers.

"We know how much our customers love the sport of football and this football season we chose to engage with them through our unique promotional campaign", said Managing Director of Binatone's official Nigerian distributor, Global Appliances Nigeria Limited (GANL), Mr. Gurumoorthi Sridhar.

Also present at the event was the Chairman of Binatone in Nigeria and Former Minister of Information, Chief Alex Akinyele as well as leading members of Nigeria's electronics and appliances industry along with officials to oversee the draw process.

According to Mr Sridhar, customers were able to enter the draw through SMS based electronic registration, which made the draw entry process very transparent and swift noting that the national level implementation of the campaign was a challenge to the company.

Expressing appreciation to its teeming customers and Dealers, Mr Sridhar thanked its dealer network for making the campaign possible and successful.

"Binatone is a preferred brand by customers looking for lifestyle upgrades and we knew the support for the Nigerian national team at this year's world cup was tremendous and so we combined our campaign with online Football trivia contests as well which were held in parallel to allow Binatone's growing online fan-base a chance to enjoy the football fever that had captured the world.

All the winners will be individually contacted for the collection of their prizes. The list of winners will also be published in the newspaper.

•From left: Chidinma Uwadiae, Senior Category Manager, Kimberly Clark, West Africa, Chinazor Onuoha, an expectant mother and Omotunde Adebowale, on-air personality (Aka LoLo 1 on WAZOBIA FM), at the launch of new Huggies Pure & Natural Diaper made for new born babies held at Mezonel Hospital, Surulere, Lagos...recently.

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY AUGUST 10, 2014

BUSINESS TN Foundation has r e c e i v e d considerable

visibility in the media via its interventions in different segments across the length and breadth of Nigeria.

What is the strategy behind your intervention projects?

Let me start by saying MTN Foundation is very appreciative of the media for their untiring efforts at coverage of all the Foundation's activities and we hope that you would continue to avail us your support. We consider the media as critical in MTN's quest to improve on the lives of people living in the communities where we operate, and to be a critical agent for social economic development of Nigeria as a whole.

For us, MTN has adopted corporate culture to do good, it is not only important for us to give back to communities where we operate but it is also smart business. We believe that healthy communities are important to the wellbeing of the society. MTN's Corporate Social Investment (CSI) is an integral part of the business and so we believe that the Foundation is a vehicle to implement MTN's CSI agenda. We have adopted a systematic approach in delivering our interventions. We consider things like wide impact, replicability of projects - we must be able to replicate projects across the six geopolitical zones of the country. We also look at the sustainability of the projects to ensure that the impact is long-lasting You mentioned that MTNF's projects have a wide reach. Can you be more specific?

MTN Foundation has 20 projects located in over 300 project sites in the 36 states of the Federation and the FCT under three core areas Education, Economic Empowerment and Health.

The reality is that we are unable to intervene in all the areas of need nationwide, but we certainly hope that we can act as catalysts to encourage other organisations and individuals to do their bit by giving back. Prior to the Foundation being set up, a study was done and the three core areas of intervention were agreed. Subsequently, stakeholder forums were held under each of the three portfolios to prioritise areas of needs that we as a Foundation should concentrate on.

What do you consider critical when selecting your implementation partners?

For us to deliver the quality of projects that we conceptualise in the Foundation, we have instituted clear project consultants' selection criteria. It is a rigorous process and we go through this with the procurement department to determine the best fits with regard to competence and values.

Competence is very key as the organisation must have the technical ability to roll out the project. Values are also very important to us in terms of corporate governance and ethics.

These two points are critical agents that can affect the spirit of partnership. In the past, we have had to end

'Why companies must invest in community' Nonny Ugboma is the Executive Secretary of the MTN Foundation (MTNF), the vehicle for driving MTN's Corporate Social Responsibility strategy. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Accounting and Financial Analysis from the University of Warwick, England and a Master's degree in International Management from King's College, University of London, England, she joined MTN in 2003 as a Financial Analyst/ Business Planner in the Marketing Division. In this interview with Bukola Afolabi, she speaks on the functions of the Foundation relationships with project consultants because they could not deliver on the projects assigned to them.

We have also ended relationships with organisations whose corporate governance fell short of the acceptable level.

So they go hand in hand. An organisation can have all the competences but if their values do not align with that of MTN's we would not engage them in any of our activities.

Your initiatives in the health sector have been lauded by many stakeholders. You seem to focus a lot of attention and resources on the health sector. Could you tell us why this is so?

Well the importance of good health in the life of an individual cannot be overemphasised. We are very proud of the interventions we have made under our health portfolio because a healthy nation is a wealthy nation. Some of our interventions under the health portfolio are the Eyesight Restoration Scheme, Y'ello Doctor Mobile Clinic, Medical Support Project under which we have Haemodialysis and Mammography Centres. We support people living with the sickle cell disorder, we support orphanages, we engage in community health screening and we have taken care of many children who were in need of medical intervention here and abroad. I guess health initiatives tend to touch the flesh more because we are either restoring eyesight or we are giving hope through treatment or curing one form of ailment or the other.

We also attribute the same level of importance to the other portfolios we have which are education and economic empowerment because they all go hand in hand. We cannot speak about a healthy nation without mentioning education and empowerment really so we are trying to maintain a balance with regard to the projects that we roll out. We try as much as possible to ensure that sustainability is woven into each of our unique projects.

The definition of sustainability is different depending on the project so you could have sustainability for income generating activities. For example, at the haemodialysis centres that we have provided, patients pay a reduced fee of N15,000

•Ugboma into the treating hospital's account compared to an average of N35,000 at other unsubsidised centres across the country. This account is jointly managed by the project consultant and the hospital authorities and the generated funds in this case are used to maintain and keep the facility running.

This is an illustration of sustainability from an income generation perspective. Now in the case of the Eyesight Restoration project people may ask, what is the sustainability there?

For us, the fact that we have helped people to regain the use of their eyes means that we have contributed to them leading a sustainable life.

Ultimately, by helping them to regain their eyesight, we are making it possible for them to continue their education or employment that way they are positioned to be empowered economically. That, to us, is also a sustainable intervention. We also have the situation where we give out scholarships to university undergraduates.

The sustainability here is the fact that we are providing students with financial assistance to enable them get education and upon graduation they will be able to lead and maintain a sustainable life, all things

being equal. Bottom line is that we are flexible in defining sustainability and ultimately it is the longevity of the impact of the project in the lives of the beneficiaries.

What were the factors you considered before embarking on the EYERIS project? Did you consider sight impairment to be more critical than say, malaria, HIV and AIDS, among other diseases that afflict many people?

The fact is, we consider every debilitating and adverse circumstance to be tragic and awful and can't say one situation is better than the other. Regrettably, we cannot intervene in every area. For HIV and AIDS, for example, we've had a number of initiatives in the past that have touched lives like voluntary counselling and testing centres. As I explained earlier, we help sickle cell sufferers. We have five sickle cell clinics across the country, we have haemodialysis and mammography centres and so on and so forth. But for the Eyesight Restoration scheme, we are aware that the incident of cataract is quite high in Nigeria.

Cataract is known to be one of the most common causes of preventable blindness and has very significant social-

economic impact on the Nigerian economy. So for us, it was an area we could easily go into and we had the right project partner - the Eye Foundation. The idea was to spend three weeks in each beneficiary state and try as much as possible to screen the eyes of patients and give treatment to those deserving it and conduct cataract surgeries for those who require it. For the EYERIS project, we had the endorsement of the Federal Ministry of Health and we implemented it in six states Osun, Niger, Abia, Delta, Sokoto and Jigawa. It was a very collaborative experience in these states.

You know, when we had the expressions of interest published in the media, many states wanted to be part of it so we shortlisted states where we conducted verification inspections and finally we selected those who were able to provide sites for the exercise to be conducted.

Each state must also provide the logistics such as transportation for the beneficiaries to get to the screening and surgery venues. So these six states emerged successful and the project was implemented in the states between April and November 2013 and we touched the lives of 33,000 people across the six states.

The 33,000 beneficiaries were broken down as follows: over ten thousand cataract surgeries were performed; twelve thousand pairs of glasses were also given out to those who needed them and in addition we gave out drugs to about eleven thousand patients to treat the various eye conditions they had. This project is very heartwarming especially when you see individuals wrestle back their dignity and their economic empowerment from the scourge of blindness. There are several personal stories of individuals whom I saw when I went round the beneficiary states.

Do you have any success stories from the perspective of your beneficiaries that you would love to share with us?

Yes we have quite a lot of them from all our projects but I will say this one for the EyeRIS project. There is this particular gentleman in Delta State that comes to mind, he used to be a commercial motorcyclist commonly called Okada rider and sadly he lost his sight in both eyes due to cataract and he is the bread

winner of the family. He was first brought in by his wife and other family members for the surgery one eye at a time because our surgeons don't operate on both eyes at the same time. When this gentleman came out of the second surgery, he was alone and the fact that he sat on his motorbike and drove after healing from the surgeries was really remarkable. His family members were extremely elated and the out pouring of gratitude to the Foundation for providing succour is most touching. We have also had lots of stories around our Medical Intervention scheme wherein we help families who have children with congenital conditions especially those of them with holes in their heart. We helped them with the necessary treatment here and in India. We are always very thrilled to see them when they return hale and hearty laughing and running around like normal children.

There is a particular child from the Heart of Gold Hospice who had a Fistula and as a result she could not pass out faeces like normal children and she had to be in diapers even at nine years old.

A surgery was done and a pathway was created for her to pass out faeces like every other child like herself.

This is very moving and touching. I can be here all day talking about success stories. There is the story of the MTNF MUSON Scholars who have been undergoing music training at MUSON School of Music through our scholarship programme.

Nearly 200 students have graduated with diplomas from this institution in six years. To see these students graduate from this institution and go on to further their studies in schools here in Nigeria and abroad is very satisfactory.

Three students from the first set became the first African students to graduate with honours from the University of Dayton, Ohio. Some have become professional performers singing in concerts with the likes of London Philharmonic Orchestra, some have also become music teachers teaching music in primary and secondary schools. It gives us great pleasure to know that the graduates from this institution are successfully engaged. There are so many success stories to talk about should we talk about people who have used our haemodialysis centres across the country and how their family members show their appreciation when we visit these centres for evaluation purposes.

Or do you want us to talk about the scholarship which is worth two hundred thousand naira that we are giving to brilliant but indigent tertiary students which we have also extended to the blind students? So there are so many success stories to share. Since its inception, the Foundation had spent N10.2 billion in carrying out its CSR obligations and we have over 300 project sites in the 36 states and FCT. So with that kind of reach you would have lots and lots of success stories coupled with lots and lots of requests which also takes us back to the fact that we can't do everything.

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY, AUGUST 10, 2014

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HAT is the main driving spirit for the programmes initiated by your organisation?

I'm very passionate about promoting female education because we all know that if you empower a girl, that you actually empower a community; if you educate a girl, you educate a nation.

Girls are the ones, when they are educated, they make sure that their own children and the generations to come are educated. They make sure that it trickles down into the community and they serve their community. So, am really passionate about this; also because I myself am a woman. When I was studying engineering, it was difficult for me because I was really the only woman in a lot of circles. So I want to make sure that more women come on board in engineering so that it's not lonely for women, and there is more participation that people know that women can do sciences just as well, if not better than the boys.

Since the inception of your organisation, how many people have you empowered thus far?

WAAW Foundation started in 2007 when I was still a student, so it has grown very slowly. Last year alone, we impacted about 6000 girls all across Africa. WAAW foundation has cells now in nine different African countries including South Africa, Malawi, Kenya, Nigeria, Ghana, Togo and Cameroun; and we are looking to even expand it to more countries to impact more girls. Because part of what WAAW Foundation does is that we really encourage girls, if we impact you, then you have to turn around and impact other girls.

It's not just for themselves, when we help somebody the way they pay us back is that they turn around and help other people coming back. It's important that we Africans understand that we are the ones to help ourselves because nobody else is coming to help us. It's Africans that need to look down and see who is coming up and see how we can help each other and education is the key. Education is what empowers people, and technology is the fastest way to make our economy grow.

Without technology, we are really going to continually be an emerging economy. If we want to participate in the global economy of the world, we have to decide to jump in and start participating in technology, not just using it, creating it, innovating it and using it; that's important.

How do you source for funds?

We are constantly looking for funding. As you can imagine, we are a non-

'Why more women should be social entrepreneurs' Dr. Unoma Okoroafor, a computer engineer by profession, is also founder and Chief Executive Officer, Working to Advance Science and Technology Education for African Woman (WAAW), an organisation which empowers African women by building their skills in the area of science and technology with a view to making them self-reliant. In this interview with Ibrahim Apekhade Yusuf, she shares her experience working with women across the West African sub-region. profit organisation, so we are constantly looking at especially corporate donations from organisations which are involved in technology, either by using it or creating it. So, a lot of our funding actually comes from the US, but now we have started to get some funding even in Africa, in Nigeria. And we are looking more into our economy because our message is that we are the ones to help ourselves; we have enough of what it takes to really fund ourselves. So, we are really looking at companies in our community in Nigeria that really are interested in promoting technology to be the ones to start sponsoring us because it's in line with our message that we need to help ourselves.

Let's look at the selection process. How do you source for these girls; how are they selected?

The girls that we really reach out to are public school girls, government school girls.

Girls, who otherwise would never have seen this kind of opportunity because they can't afford it. We take our resources and we give all of them scholarships. We actually try to partner with the Ministries of Education or agencies of science and technology, like the Lagos State Ministry of Education.

They give us access into the government schools; we actually go there and we tell

•Okoroafor

them our programme. We have a way of selecting them, we let them write essays. Sometimes we do selection process where

they do a screening exam, and we pick out the girls that we think they have the most potential to go back and impact

their community. Because we can't train everybody, we want to train the people that when we train them, they themselves would be the ones to go back and train the others. So that's how we select them. Our girls are between the ages of 13 and 17, between JSS 3 and SS 2 because we feel that's the age at which they are paying attention. They can change their mind in which career, if they understand that science is fun, those are the ages when we capture them, so that's kind of how we select our girls.

How do you ensure continuity of their studies?

Part of what we do is we actually create a community. By the end of the week, we have helped all of them to create email accounts and we connect them. We have a Google plus community where we stay in touch with all of them, and we want to make it available to them. We are always there listening to their problems and helping them solve their problems. For example, you saw two of our ex-students who came; the reason they came is because we are in touch with them, we stay in touch with them, we stay in touch with their parents, we want to know when they get into the university. If they have problems paying their school fees we are there to help them.

We are not just doing it and leaving them, we want to

Bank of Industry, Kaduna seal pact to boost SMEs

T

HE Bank of Industry (BOI) and the Kaduna State Government have signed an agreement to raise N1billion Entrepreneurial Development Fund (EDF) to boost the operation of smallscale businesses in the state.

This is even as the development bank put the total loan portfolio to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Kaduna State till date at N23.6billion.

Based on the term of the agreement, the Kaduna State

Government raised the sum of N500million, while BOI matched it up with another N500million, totalling N1billion.

The fund, which would be given out as soft loans, is aimed at empowering small businesses in the state to, among other things, enable them process the abundant agricultural products that abound in the state, thereby arresting the colossal postharvest losses occasioned by lack of crop preservation capacity.

Speaking during the signing

of the MoU, the managing director, Bank of Industry, Mr. Rasheed Olaoluwa, stated that the pool of funds which would be given out as loans to SMEs operators would help to boost commercial activities in the state.

Apart from helping to empower the people of Kaduna State, the MD also noted that the injection of the fund would have multiplier effect on the people of the state while complementing the poverty reduction programme of the present administration.

Apart from the N1billion loan deal, Olaoluwa said the bank had given out N23.6billion soft loan in support of small businesses in the state.

He expressed the commitment of the bank to continue to help small businesses not only in the state, but also across the 36 states in the country, including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), adding that that was the surest way Nigeria could consolidate its status as the economy hub of Africa.

constantly be there encouraging them, telling them they can do it.

Does the programme comprise both public and private school girls?

Yes, we have only four private school students, but mostly we do it for the public school students, and the public students come 100% free. We provide scholarships and everything for them.

How many states do you have WAAW Foundation in Nigeria; do you have participants from other states?

Yes, we have students from Anambra and Port Harcourt in this camp. They travelled from Port Harcourt and Anambra to come here. Hopefully, we are working to make it more diverse; we are looking to have more and more participants.

Having achieved so much from empowering these girls, what are some of the challenges your organisation encountered apart from funding?

So many. Part of the challenges we encountered is that people haven't understood the importance of what we are doing; we need to educate and sensitise people more.

Sometimes when we talk about our programme, they haven't really understood the importance of educating girls, they say why only girls, why is this different from any other organisation? This is the second year we are doing it, so we are still in the process of proving that our programme is not like any other programme anywhere around the country.

We are doing something unique and we are really empowering those girls. So, part of the challenges is educating people and letting them know that a programme like this exists. Part of the challenges we faced is support from the parents and from schools in particular. You were asking about recruiting; we have had a major challenge recruiting girls. Many times when we go to the ministry, they say they can't give us access to their girls or to their teachers.

So, sometimes we stand at the gate; we just hang out flyers and we just tell them. A lot of people don't know about it because the government has not really come out to support us.

So, a lot of these we are doing them as best as we can. If we had a lot of support from the ministry, from the government, not even just financial support but, 'here is our school, here is our principal go and talk about your programme,' am sure that we will get so many more participants. We are looking for support in terms of location.

We are constantly running around. Where do we host this camp? And sometimes it doesn't work out. If we have more space, even a government school or a university who would give us their space, their classrooms, we can do much more and accommodate so much more girls. So these are some of the challenges that we face too.

65

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, AUGUST 10, 2014

•Udoka

•Solanke

•Idada

•Ukala

•Ogezi

A resounding party for playwriting A

LMOST everybody, including the authors and other artists agreed that the Nigerian literary scene is ever alive, bubbling with issues and awash with events that also enable writers to produce sound and convincing works. The outing was the 6th annual book party of the Committee For Relevant Art (CORA) The event was put together for the initial eleven long listed names for the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) prize for literature for 2014. It was an occasion to interact with these writers who emerged out of the 124 authors that submitted their works for consideration.

The authors and their works include, John Abba (Alekun Night Dance), Patrick Agbe Adaofuyi (Canterkerous Passengers), Soji Cole (Maybe Tomorrow), Paul Edema (A Plague of Gadflies), Jude Idada (Oduduwa, King of the Edos), Ruth Momodu (No Fault of Mine), Isaac Ogezi (Under a Darkling Sky), Julie Oko (Our Wife Forever), Ade Solanke (Pandora’s Box), Arnold Udoka (Akon( and Sam Ukala (|Iredi War). All the plays also highlighted the numerous problems that have, in the recent times, plagued the nation called Nigeria. While some of the authors concentrated on social and family ills, others went more political and historical, hitting on the core problems that have been the main draw-back for the society.

Even though it was only four out of the eleven authors that were physically present, it did not, however, remove the shine from the show. Both Solanke and Momodu who live in the United Kingdom and Idada who plies his trade in Canada spoke online. They were able to bring out the issues that shaped their works and what, in the initial beginning, informed the ideas that made their plays.

At 17years, Momodu whose work is entitled No Fault of Mine and who obviously is the youngest candidate in the history of the prize told of how she dwelt on the issue of what she described as a “dysfunctional Nigerian family. It is a family where father and mother could not agree on the requisite values necessary to bring up their daughter. The girl grew up into a terrible character that was not of her own making.” Momodu, however, conceded that over there in England, Nigerian Diaspora are ever active, eager to be in touch with people at home. “Their habitual tendencies, more or less, encourage Nigerian and African writers to have materials for their works,” she posited. “But we need to do more interesting works that would tend to get the youths off the internet. This is

Last Sunday artistes gathered in Lagos under the aegis of Committee for Relevant Art (CORA) to celebrate, interact and rub minds with the 11 initial longlist for the Nigerian Prize for Literature for 2014. Edozie Udeze reports one of our primary roles as writers”, she said.

On her own part, Solanke decided that one of the steps to make plays permeate the society is when the audience flow along with the issues raised in the work. “All over England and Europe, Afrobeat music has become the rave. The youths of Africa in the Diaspora now identify with it; they play it and spread the message among the people. The role of a writer is to look into these trends and bring out the Nigerian literature inherent in them.” To her, experience and contemporary Nigerian cultural values, what the people themselves see in what they have; all help to shape the story ideas of a writer.

But Idada’s own concept while reporting from Canada in that there are plenty of Nigerian stories waiting to be told. “We try to make the impossible possible through what we write. It is our responsibility to react to what people do, what the society is all about; whether here in Canada where we have plenty of Nigerian Diaspora or in Nigeria where the stories happen aplenty. Publishers also have a role to play in this contemporary arrangement. But we as writers have to first of all fulfill over own responsibilities by writing well and polishing our works. That indeed is what the NLNG is doing; helping us to polish our works so that what we push out into the society is not makeshift or half baked or even bellow standard”.

In an interview, Abba confessed that his own work is unique in many respects because “I do not follow convention when I pick my pen to write. I am very unconventional in my style of writing. And when I depict life I also depict what it portends. This is my first published play and what I raised in the story of Alekwu Night Dance, it is a story of a young girl raped in questionable circumstance and this led the whole village to begin to query the level of morality within the vicinity.”

He explored the story to paint sordid picture of a society in a terrible moral state. The girl was an only child, a gifted child in whom the parents had a lot of hope and prospects.

The sorrows of both the parents and the entire village thus invoked a spirit of torture and perpetual agony on the head of the culprit.

“This rapist will sleep no more; peace will ever elude him for he has indeed murdered sleep by puncturing the life of a promising

girl-child.”

As the issues and the themes raised by the playwrights continued to seep into the people, Ukala, a professor of Theatre and one of those on the longlist intoned: “The Eredi War, being the title of my own work happened in 1906 in Delta State. It is a true life story and the mess put in place by the colonial overlords to overwhelm the local people. In that mess some of the local people became collaborators and helped the white people to mess their people up.

The motive behind this was to denigrate the people and their culture. There was no regard for the constituted authority. All the people, including the king of the town, were compelled and ordered to obey His majesty, King Edward VII of England. “In the process, the king of the town was arrested but the people did not forget to remind their tormentors that the little bird dancing on the road has drummers beating for it by the bush side.

Therefore, my business, my professional calling as a teacher of Theatre is to be versatile, totally versed in the art of literature to be able to impact well on the society. People keep asking me, why drama? But my answer is that I have written prose fiction before and won an award in that genre. I have also written poetry and won an award but here I am now completely immersed in drama. I am a total literary person. If I do not write drama, if I do not get involved in this now, what else can I do?” he asked.

In his own story, Isaac Ogezi told the story of Ken Saro-wiwa who led the Ogoni people at a point. He uses metaphors, allegory and paradigm of historical facts to dissect the theme. A part of it read out to the audience indeed evoked sad memories of the past and how Shell Petroleum continuously despoils the land and renders the environment uninhabitable. “Thus, Under The Darkling Sky has the story of a people steeped in the bowel and throes of subjugation, malady and social injustice. How do they then extricate themselves from it is a matter that the play has handled in a way to let the audience decide,” Ogezi said.

A deep play that spared nothing to indict the powers that be on what they have been unable to do to remedy the situation, Ogezi thinks it imperative to apportion blame where necessary. And where it became urgent, he

rendered the ideas to help push ahead. The role of the people would soon be considered treasonable and soon enough the bubble burst and Ken was hounded…

In A Plague of Gadflies by Edema, he told the story of the wall gecko that no longer sleeps. Then what is the irony here, what is the central theme of the story? It is metaphorical and shows to what extent wall geckos have been used as agents of follies and harbingers of ill-luck. “Yes, we are now being hunted by the very people who are supposed to be our close pals. The wall gecko is an allegory of sorts. It is man who develops others into slavery and how do we overcome this state of slavery both of mind and the body? Our children are dehumanised daily, our daughters are no longer safe, our families have been taken over by force by those who are supposed to be our protectors. Too many issues that do not benefit anybody have been perpetuated and we are in a quandary,” he professed.

Spiced with both poetry and drama performances, the event which took place at the Federal Palace Hotel, Lagos, offered artists of diverse genres the opportunity to hubnob and strategise on the ways to prosper the sector.

Toyin Akinoso, the chairman of CORA insisted that NLNG has done its level best to institute the award and therefore “we have to do our best to take it further. We have to make books available and known to the public: Book readings and reviews must continue to be made possible by CORA so that literature can become part of us.”

Present at the occasion which took place last Sunday were Professor Biodun Jeyifo, Taiwo Ajai Lycett, Tunji Sotimirin, Mahmod Ali-Balogun, Nobert Young. Others were Lanre Arogundade, Jahman Anikulapo, AnneMarie Ikuku, Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo, Ndidi Dike, Olayinka Oyegbile and many others.

In the end, Kudo Eresia of NLNG told the gathering of how the zeal to institute the prize began. Yet, he said, “We will continue to do it to entrench excellence in our literary firmament. We will continue to encourage and discover more stars in the literary circle so that we’ll discover more Achebes and Soyinkas in our midst.

The ceremony came to an end with a buffet and plenty of music.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY,

ARTS

AUGUST 10, 2014

For their sake Title: English Grammar for Colleges Author: Fola Adekeye Publisher: Rehoboth Creations Limited Year of Publication: 2014 Reviewer: Olayinka Oyegbile

T

HIS is a fact and the gospel truth: we speak more English Language now than at any time in our national life.

Yet we have more failures in English Language than ever before. Why is this so? This is a question we need to find an answer to.

Everywhere you turn today you hear people speak English or as some other would say, Englishes, yet we have more people who cannot write or string together correct grammar? Why? Every day we sit down in our sitting rooms and watch television programmes broadcast in English language, in our cars and homes we listen to programmes on radio in the same language, yet we still cannot write correct English. Why? Most of us were brought up on a rich diet of our local languages; rich in anecdotes, proverbs, innuendos etc. that is why we are very rooted in our local languages and English as a second language.

However, today we bring up our children more with the English language than in our mother tongues. With a bit of a tongue in cheek, perhaps I can say that English today has become our first language at home rather than our mother tongues! One would have thought this is a plus. But is it really from what steers us in the face?

Let me explain. How many of us today speak our languages to our children at home?

We have a renaissance in naming our children by giving them names that reflect our various ethnic origins. Names such as Olusegun, Daramola, Feyikemi, Obiageli, Hassan etc are becoming popular and common. However, if you greet such children in Yoruba or any of our local languages they are lost. Most of them would not know how to respond to a common greeting in their mother tongue. Why? The answer is not farfetched; we speak more English language to our children more than our mother tongues!

This being the case what one would have expected is that our children would write better English than their parents who during their time only spoke English language in the school environment. Don’t forget that speaking our mother tongues was referred to as ‘vernacular’ and severe punishment awaited any child that broke the strict rule.

Today’s children have been saved such torture and agony because both at home and in school they speak English even if it is the ‘broken or pidgin’ variety. Your typical Iya oni worobo or Iya alata in your neighbourhood speaks English language to ‘Junior’ because she wants him/her to be conversant with the language and speak it flawlessly and be able to compete in our world of today.

So, if we speak more English in all our relations today why do we continue to have failures in the language, why do you turn out graduates who can’t string together intelligible compositions and essays?

The answer is contained in the book we are unveiling today. We have failed to pay attention to the elementary rules of grammar and if we ignore or have a bad start, there is no way what we build on it can stand erect.

Fola Adekeye has in this book ENGLISH GRAMMAR FOR COLLEGES, done our students and every one of us who communicates in the language a world of favour. Don’t be deceived by the title, every one of us needs this book because since we have agreed to transact our daily businesses in English we must endeavour to use it well.

These and some other minute details commend the book to me.

My favourite chapter in this book is Chapter 14 (p177). The author calls this Becoming rich in words. This encapsulates what

the whole book is all about. As they say, you cannot make omelet without breaking the eggs. In the same vein, you cannot be an adept user of English language without reading sand expanding your vocabulary. Many want to climb the palm tree from the top. This is impossible. You have to start from the bottom.

In Chapter 16, Mind your speech, we are exposed to common errors which most people, including native speakers of the language often make. These errors are made because they often sound simple and commonly spoken thus given currency to them.

Some of these are: A beggars has no choice instead of Beggars can’t be choosers, More grease to your elbow instead of More power to your elbow, What is good for the goose is also good for the gander instead of What is sauce for the goose is source for the gander and Every nook and corner instead of Every nook and cranny and You cannot eat your cake and have it instead of You cannot have your cake and eat it.

However, sticklers to the Queen’s English will find some axe to grind with the author.

This is over Americanisation of some spellings in the book. For instance, characterised is spelt with a ‘z’ instead of ‘s’ etc.

As it is with all human endeavours, a few typographical errors are in the book and it is hoped that this would be corrected in future reprints. One of these is on page 214 where it is written “I am pleaded with my surroundings” instead of “I am pleased with my surroundings.”

With the publication of this book, Adekeye has given a shot in the arm to the teaching of English Language in our secondary schools. He has done what many people used to think is a task for some spirits or phantoms. Many of us may not know the Molara Ogundipe-Leslies or Tunde Tregidos of this world who wrote English text books but we know Fola Adekeye, he is not a spirit or a phantom. This is a good and helpful book for all who want to master the English language.

Title: Thinking aloud with you Author: Adesakin E. Olabode Publisher: Glorious Hope Limited Year of Publication: 2014 No of pages: 136 Reviewer: Yetunde Oladeinde

T

HE book opens with a thought-provoking quote urging the reader to be wise.

“Today is a new day, live it well. Live one day at a time. Your time is your life. It is your wealth. Today is the day you can wisely lay claim to. Your today surely will determine the quality and worth of your tomorrowLeave the best of Yesterday at its best. But strive to attain a better best TODAY. So be wise!”.

This is followed by the content page which is divided into 20 chapters. Some of the contents include the ‘Golden advice for a golden life, God has good plans for you, Strive to be the best you can , Character: a must, Divine love in the family, Blessings and joy in obedience, and Growing old is life’s fulfillment.

In the first chapter, tagged ‘Golden advice for a Golden life,’ the reader is welcomed with a number of inspirational advices created to bring change and transformation to lives. The chapter contains a variety of collections and selections of short pieces of advice to guide the willing reader. This chapter also exposes the reader to information and knowledge.

In the second chapter, the reader is given an insight into the goodies in stock and the need to apply wisdom at all times. “You cannot recall or relive the past. Nonetheless, that past or the present circumstances might be launch pads for higher heights.”

In the fourth chapter, the reader is advised to ‘strive to be the best you can’. “Yesterday has been rolled into the annals of history. It has made its own history. Today is yet another day, then a new thing, a new thought, a new expectation, a new performance, a new result. Never be satisfied with your yesterday’s record of performance no matter how

66

The mockery of a nation Title: Once Upon A Farm (Animal tales of Naija gardens) Author: Emmanuel Ejie Publishers: Opaiyo, Warri, Delta State Year of Publication: 2014 Reviewer: Edozie Udeze

H

OW does a playwright dissect Nigeria as a theatre of confusion and disorder through drama? Why is it often convenient or proper to use satire to explain the political issues that confront the nation? Many older playwrights have done that in the past and it worked. It worked because, like it is said in an Igbo proverb, that when you want to talk the truth to a King who has been stiff-necked for too long, a King who has never had time to hearken to the cries of his subjects, put a basket on your head and then talk to him through the little holes.

It is only when your words begin to drop one by one and he can only see your eyeballs as they stick out from the basket holes that he’d know that finally, his people have come to the point where one of them can be bold enough to let him know how they feel.

In the same way, Emmanuel Ifie has presented the Nigerian situation in a satirised form, using the metaphor of a farm settlement to show the world that Nigeria is a mockery, a country where the leadership is not committed to the project. In the face of thousand and one problems facing the over one hundred and fifty million people, Boko Haram, Fulani herdsmen’s menace, oil pollution and exploitation, the neglect of the youths of the country and more, the ruling class seems to be in an animal kingdom, babbling away as if nothing matters.

The title of the play makes it more poignant – Once Upon A Farm and it shows the level of unseriousness on the part of the people who preside over the affairs of the people. In the prologue, the playwright sets the stage very clearly – the farm consists of thirty-six plots of gardens. Several of them hold crops, ponds and pans. Indeed, the gardens in the Northern side consist of dry, receding, over-grazed savannas while the Western part has cash crops.

Even so, the Eastern part harbours dates and other palms, while the South has timber and plywood. Capping it up are two streams flowing into one to form a confluence, a confluence of confusion and false beliefs.

Describing the meeting of these two streams as darkness that gives no hope some-

what, he goes on to give names of the strange characters that inhabit the farm settlement.

They include His Excellency called Ram Rod who is now known as the farm prefect, while his deputy is known as Ram Dom. The manager of the farm, in-charge of Defence is called Ram Nutsy while his Finance counterpart is called Ewe-Ewe. There are others too. But the whole essence of all this is to give the state of a country where clowns and impostors inhabit the farm in form of leaders who do not know what to do to save the farmland.

As the federal executive council sits to resolve the insecurity in the land and proffer ways to safeguard the future, there are discordant tunes. No one could proffer real solutions to steady the drifting society. Now, pitched against goats and sheep on one hand and wolves and jackals on the other, it shows crystal clear how the society is divided. The rich continues to have their way while the poor continues to be at the receiving end. Indeed the state totters.

“The nation faces the peril of extinction within a short time,” the playwright says on page 7. “As you all can see,” His Excellency continues in a form to rebuke the council, “sheep and goats are lean already. The second threat; Ewes and gentle Rams are the drain on sheep brain… Our intelligent sheep are making exodus to the greener pastures of other farms abroad to graze. Secondly, wolves have recently developed a special preference to and appetite for Isi-Ewu. I mean, Ewes and Rams’ delicacy. Wolves’ present choice of daily snack is painfully leading to a faster depletion of sheep and sheep’s brain… The militant Rams, I call them Jackals that are ramming everything in sight-in the North – Easterly gardens…

This siege just has to stop…”

In a nutshell, that describes the central message of the play and its potency towards a nation-state. Yet this book done in two parts is too slim for that purpose. With the part one coming in just 16 pages, it shows a lot of unseriousness.

But again the message is clear – Nigeria has to guide its loins to be able to remain one. Even though the issue were never resolved since the people couldn’t speak with one voice what is the future of Nigeria? What can be done to douse the tensions in the land and give peace to the people? It is all in this Animal tales of Naija Gardens, a book so deep in political mimicry and satire.

Deep in thought good”. Next the reader is admonished in chapter five to have a good character no matter what is going on in the society. Other virtues identified to building an exceptional character include courage, humility, respect and resourcefulness.

The need to preserve the institution of marriage is examined in chapter seven, encouraging all to be ready to make it work. “The family is the smallest unit of the society or the community. Yet the family is the heart of the whole world. It is the hub, the moving machinery. Divine love in the family is the love that binds the whole family, the entire community, and that love determines the type of community we live in.”

The book’s distinctive folklorist style reminds one of the golden days of Adesakin’s youth story telling style when words of wisdom lay at the feet of those who had years of experience and rich knowledge that spurred them to share such with others.

A knowledge that would make the listener or reader a better persons and keep them so.Like nuggets of truth, it targets the bane of human existence and takes the reader to an emotional depth of thought through its step by step discussion of current issues and how to live a purposeful life in spite of the many odds.

In a his easy to read and conversational style , the writer communicates with reader giving insights on how to tap from his wealth of knowledge. Through the progressive theme of bettering one’s life every new day, through the giver of life itself by the dexterity of the

writer who creates vivid images that the reader can relate with.

This prevocational piece does not only encompass the immortality of art, it also seeks to influence the thought process positively.

The ladder of success and the potentials deposited in every human being is x-rayed in chapter thirteen. “There is a ladder embedded in you , by which you can diligently climb to success. It is an invisible ladder”.

The writer who turns 80 this August is a family coach of the budding Olabode Dynasty in Supare Akoko South West; Ondo State, Nigeria is an unwavering prime mover of environmental sanitation and development of decent and orderly society. He is also a motivating bridge builder, community patriot, purposely public thinker, analyst, critic and essayist.

He authored and distributed for free, the book titled, “AWO in Nigeria Political Storms (1966). His other books are “Matchless Grace through the Storms of life at 70(2004) and Inspirational guide for Successful Happy Life (2005).

Olabode prays for and supports good governance. He was a prime co-initiator of the Mini water works to supplement water supply in Lagos State by the extraction of ground water through drilling of batteries of bore holes in chosen strategic locations. He was also a member of the committee on Rapid Development of Water supply in Lagos state during the administration of Alhaji Lateeef Jakande.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY AUGUST 10, 2014

67

With Adeola Ogunlade 08083127847

Hello kids, Hope you are enjoying your holiday with productive activities. Please spend your time wisely because time is of essence and it is how you lay your bed today that you will lie on it.

Pomp as St Regency College ends session

POEMS

I raised my hand in class A FUNNY School Poem for Kids From the book The Armpit of Doom I raised my hand in class this morning, sitting in the back.

The teacher didn’t see, I think.

Instead she called on Jack.

I stretched my hand up higher, but she called on Zach and Zoe. I started bouncing up and down, but, still, she called on Chloe.

I waved my arms but, even

so,

she didn’t call on me.

She called on Bryan, Brooklyn, Billy, Bailey, Ben, and Bree.

She called on Taylor, Tristan, Thomas, Trinity, and Ty. Then, finally, she called my name.

I breathed a heavy sigh.

She asked me for the answer.

I just frowned and clenched my knees, and said, “I’ve no idea, but could I use the bathroom, please?”

•Kenn Nesbitt

MORNING PRAYER

Now another day is breaking •Graduands at the valedictory session

F

OR graduands of ST & T Regency International College, located in Ikeja G.R.A. Lagos, it was emotional to finally graduate and look forward to a brighter future ahead. Most of them would be resuming at various institutions across the globe where they would exhibit their individual academic skills and talents, having gained the required academic credits and some

life skills in the school The graduands, who looked radiant in their immaculate grey and wine attires, serenaded the audience and were in high spirit throughout the event held at the school main auditorium. They remembered memories of the past, especially with the activities during the course of their graduation, that included the thanksgiving ceremony conducted by Rev.Fr Jude Kuti, the ankara night in

which they showcased African fabrics and indigenous wears, the speech and prize-giving day and prom night for graduands.

In her remarks, Mrs. Maggie Ibru, founder of ST & T Regency International School, thanked staff members, family and friends for supporting the school in the last two decades. She charged the graduating students to always remember the school’s motto.

Speaking on behalf of the graduands, Master Kolawole Oluwafikunwa, the best graduating student of 2013-2014 set, said hard work and determination to succeed were the reasons behind his success. He said his advice for students is to go out to the world and live their dreams and reach for the stars. Kolawole said he aspires to study aeronautic engineering at the university.

BIRD JOKES WHAT do you give a sick bird?

Tweetment!

teacher conference!

What is a polygon?

A dead parrot!

What is black and white and black and white and black and white and...?

A penguin falling down the stairs!

What kind of bird works at a construction site?

The crane!

When does a teacher carry birdseed?

When there is a parrot-

Why does a flamingo lift up one leg?

Because if it lifted both legs it would fall over!

Why do birds fly south in the winter?

Because it’s too far to walk!

Why do scientists think humming birds hum?

Because they can’t remember the words!

What did the sick chicken say?

Oh no! I have the peoplepox!

What bird is always depressed?

The blue jay

What do you call a funny chicken?

A comedi-hen

Why do seagulls like to live by the sea?

Because if they lived by the bay they would be bagels!

Send in your stories, poems, articles, games, puzzles, riddles and jokes to sundaynation@yahoo.com

Sleep was sweet and so is waking.

Dear Lord, I promised you last night Never again to sulk or fight.

Such vows are easier to

keep When a child is sound asleep.

Today, O Lord, for your dear sake, I’ll try to keep them when awake.

WORD WHEEL CHALLENGE Word Wheel challenge Your aim is to create as many words of two letters or more using the letters in the word wheel only once in each word, and always including the letter in the centre of the wheel. No proper names are allowed.

Can you find a nine letter word?-------------------------Good 16+ Excellent 20+ Outstanding 24+ My Total: --------------------

SUDOKU FOR KIDS

THE NATION ON SUNDAY AUGUST 10, 2014

68

Re-Kwara 2015: Odds against Ahmed’s second term

EBERE WABARA

WORDSWORTH W 08055001948

ewabara@yahoo.com

Sensitise to, not ‘on’

N

ATIONAL Mirror of August 7 welcomes us this week: “Osun 2014: Parties’ last minute (lastminute) campaign strategies” Did you know that Britons say ‘go to the poll’, while Americans use ‘go to the polls’?

“Nigeria, for all intent (intents) and purposes, is a developing nation.”

“In the military heydays (heyday) when they were in charge….” “…Nigerian marketers need to avail themselves with (of) both theoretical and practical tools to practice (practise) effectively.”

“StarTimes sensitizes young scholars on (to) digital migration” “How Nigeria (Nigerian) football can move forward” The first contribution this week is from Mr. Kola Danisa (07068074257): “Graduates checking their NYSC postings in Kano were killed when a female suicide bomber…diffused (detonated, not defused) the bomb….” (THE NATION ON SUNDAY, August 3) Still on the preceding medium: “Ex-Gov Oyinlola writes (writes to) Jonathan, set to dump PDP” Note that the excerpt is American English while the corrected version is British Standard English.

“Ebola: Liberia, S/ Leone, Guinea seal-off (seal off) virus-heat areas” “Osun State is in the focus of the nation as the people go to the poll next (this) Saturday, August 9, 2014.” ‘Next Saturday’ in this context means August 16! Similarly, ‘last Saturday’, going by August 3, implies August 2. Do you follow the sequence? Also know that ‘go to the poll’ is British English while Americans say ‘go to the polls’.

“LCCI commends FG over (for/on) industrial revolution programme” “…most fuel efficient (fuel-efficient) Jaguar ever” Let us welcome The Niche on Sunday to this column for the first time.

Its July 20 edition goofed: “…Nigeria’s quest for permanent (a permanent) seat at (in/on) the United Nations Security Council.”

Lastly from THE NATION ON SUNDAY under review: “Our rather unenviable ranking in the

league of corrupt nations attract (attracts) dishonour….”

April 2014 edition of Political Economist offered readers just three improprieties: “In Barcelona Juwah struts Nigeria’s broadband potentials (potential)” “Police re-open (reopen) 13-year-old murder case of four Igbo youths” “One million Nigerians in foreign prisons over drug offenses (offences)” “The occasion came to an end at about 5pm (sic)…” ‘At about 5 p.m.’ smacks of confusion. ‘At 5 p.m.’ means on the dot while ‘about 5 p.m.’ indicates shortly before or after 5 p.m. So, to now write ‘at about 5 p.m.’ is simply ridiculous. Just use intelligible timing (one of the two as appropriateness demands).

“Since January 1992, all the political apparatus for the government of all the states of the federation have been…” Singular: apparatus; plural: apparati or apparatuses.

“And politicians atimes utter words that either ruin them or make them. “ Correct form: at times.

“The scene of the ghastly accident that killed the majority leader in.…” Any accident that results in the loss of (human) life is a fatal one; not a ghastly mishap.

“He got missing in action at Ikeja before he was picked up in an abandoned car in the outskirt of the cantonment. “ (The Guardian, July 25) Action phrase: on the outskirts….

“A leader is not really necessary because bush men roam about together in small family bands.”

Delete ‘about’ as ‘roam’ encompasses its function. “…that is why they are performing creditably well.” (Radio Nigeria, July 25) Economy of words: simply creditably—no need for ‘well’.

“We therefore want to appeal to all concerned to ensure that fresh students settle down early enough for their academic work on the campuses this year.” (Nigerian Tribune, July 25) I urge the Ibadan editorialists to settle down to Standard English language application.

“We recall instances in the past when confirmation of nominees were (was) withheld by the legislature until their illegitimate and illegal demands

had been met.”

“Their conduct in a few cases have been disappointing.” You don’t need to be a purist before observing the subject-verb disagreement. Get it right: Their conduct….has (not have).

“Another feather on his cap” The standard expression is ‘feather in one’s cap.’

“Then there is the case of a specialist hospital built a stone throw from an underutilized and illequipped teaching hospital.” (The Guardian, July 25) The idiomatic expression known to good taste is ‘a stone’s throw’.

“Commissioner rescinds decision, honours Assembly’s summon” Henceforth, I may be compelled to cause a summons (or summonses, as the case appears) to be served on newspapers!

FEEDBACK ELUCIDATORY Note: “Good riddance (to bad rubbish)”, an informal idiom, is said when you are pleased that a bad or unwanted thing or person or something of poor quality has gone”, E.g. we’ve got rid of the old computer system, and good riddance to bad rubbish is what I say (CAMBRIDGE INTERNATIONAL DICTIONARY OF ENGLISH, Page 1074).

“Good riddance” is an exclamation expressing relief that something or somebody has been removed, e.g. Good riddance to bad rubbish (WORLD BOOK DICTIONARY, Page 1795).

“Members/men/ people of the (criminal) underworld”, meaning “criminal” (or criminals), this has long been a cliché in Standard British English (SBE). In Nigeria, it has become one of the grossly overworked popular expressions of contemporary life”, so asserts Professor David Jowitt, author of the book entitled NIGERIAN ENGLISH USAGE: An Introduction (Page 210).

I have said it time and again that the trouble with an average Nigerian is that he/she does not read on a daily basis. After graduation from the university, reading becomes a closed book to him/her. Bring Back the Book and #Bring back our Girls! God Bless Nigeria! (Bayo Oguntunase/ Adorobaba1952@yahoo.com) JOIN THE DEBATE!

HERE really does one put the recent ‘report’ by Remi Adelowo in The Nation on Sunday where he concocted what is apparently tissues of lies and events that must have occurred only in dreamland? It is convenient for reporters to lay behind the fat and thick walls of anonymous sources to put together what suits their interest and push such unfortunately to a public that does not have the same privilege of pontificating from the expected high moral ground of the journalist. Me thinks that a sincere reporter and a quality newshound who knows his onions would understand that some news and analysis are better done without anonymous attributions as Adelowo unfortunately did in the piece he entitled “Kwara 2015: Odds against Ahmed’s second term”.

What was the writer’s intention? To discredit Governor AbdulFattah Ahmed as a possible candidate for re-election in 2015? Why must a writer who knows the nature of the political landscape in Kwara embark on such a journey except perhaps in order to sow the seed of discord among members of a political family whose unity has been undoubtedly manifest over the years? Why is it that the story came out at the same time that some people also started to spread unfounded rumours about an impeachment move against the governor that must have happened only in the imagination of those who started it?

Indeed, it is odd and even laughable for anyone to claim that Ahmed has not continued with the programmes of his predecessor when in the opposition circle the major sin of the governor is that he has no programme of his own and is running an extension of the Saraki administration.

Should the governor, just to demonstrate an unusual and unnecessary independence, abandon projects like the International Aviation College and Cargo Airport?

Or is the Harmony Diagnostic Centre that has saved so many lives either to improperly diagnosed?

That will be an independence against the interest of the people whom he sworn to serve; it is the kind of independence the opposition wants him to assert and reverse the trend of progress and stability the state has recorded in the last two decades. This is the kind of independence Taiye Akanbi who for 15 years of his 16 years sojourn on the planet earth suffered immeasurable pains out of improper diagnosis of his ailment would pray against. Now Taiye lives with the hope of living a healthy life if the parents secure the over N1m needed

•Ahmed

By Abdullah Tajudeen

for his treatment.

Kwarans are proud of sticking to continuity; it was what the governor promised us, the electorate in 2011 and for which we voted.

Should he change the will of the people just for the sake of a wanton independence?

If they say Ahmed is arrogant, it won’t surprise the peace loving people of the state, after all it is the same sin Jonathan apologists find most convenient to accuse every leader that stands against their primordial prejudices of marching on the less privileged. But which type of arrogance will make a governor prostrate for the elderly in public and private? It must be a good type of arrogance for which Ahmed is well known because we keep wondering where the accusers found the allegation.

And has Ahmed disappointed the electorate? Someone who has fulfilled every of his electioneering promises, who has built new hospitals with best international standard, who has created new network of roads, who has given hope to young people across the land? These are not abstract statistics; they are verifiable facts, but we know those who don’t like Ahmed’s face and will therefore not see anything good in his administration.

We only appeal to writers to seek to know the truth before putting their fingers on the keyboard.

While not underrating the quality of the men and women who make up the state’s lawmaking assembly, everyone knows that political decisions within the Saraki movement which has profited the masses, are not taken without due and proper consultation with every stakeholder which makes it much easier for men and women of less known family background compete with the children of the elites who hitherto monopolised the politics of our state. The same political machinery has made it possible to reach consensus of opinion where others would find it

tasking and sometimes unable to do. Is it not ridiculous therefore to insinuate that the governor gave lawmakers N1 million each to seek their support for his so called second term ambition? Is that the worth of our lawmakers? Kwara lawmakers are men and women of proven integrity.

They would not sell their birthright and integrity for even as high as the opposition can imagine.

But if the writer intended to create discord between the lawmakers and the governor, he has not scored any goal. And the reason is simple; the Kwara political family is one in purpose and focus; we have been so for long and we shall not now lose that peculiar comparative advantage which our opponents daily pray we do. There is definitely no rift between the assembly and the governor and we know that while the final decision on political issues lies expectedly with Kwarans and the leadership of our great party, such decisions are taken after due and widespread consultations with all and sundry. Our enemies should wait and see how we navigate the 2015 road before they crucify us.

Governor Ahmed has a view of politics and politicking that is far larger than what the piece sought to paint. The good of Kwara, the prosperity of the people of Kwara, which was the one word on the lips of our departed political icon; the Waziri Ngeri of Ilorin, Dr. Olusola Saraki, and whose dream and baton has been duly passed on to his son and the Turaki of Ilorin, Senator Bukola Saraki, remains the real dream of governor Abdulfattah Ahmed as one of the proud products of Ile Loke politics.

For this kind of dream and vision, no contribution is too little and no sacrifice is too great. Ahmed understands this very well and would continue to support the fulfilment of the vision. We invite the likes of Adelowo to hop into the train before it is too late.

•Abdullahi is coordinator of O’legacy group based in Ilorin.

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY, AUGUST 10, 2014

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T’S been 28 years in fulltime ministry. How would you sum up your experience so far?

Well, I will say it’s been glorious and challenging. I have been privileged to be blessed in the ministry because I was born in a mission house. My father was a pastor and that gave me a head start in ministry work. I didn’t plan to be a pastor; it was not part of my dream because when you are born in a mission house, you know everything.

Ministry is not about aspiration or ambition but calling.

It is something that takes one’s life. But I will say it’s been glorious. I remember after my Secondary School, I worked for like two years. First, I was at Broadcasting Corporation of Oyo State (BCOS) in their monitoring station in Ogbomosho. Then, I went to Ilorin as a manager in a hotel.

From there, I wanted to go to Adeyemi College of Education Oyo to study History Education. I just wanted to be a teacher and train people. I love to see people starting from nowhere to becoming great in life. But as I was about resuming, my father called me that I should not waste my time doing secular studies because I had been called into the ministry…. …Was it easy for you to believe him?

Yes, it was because I knew him as a pastor and prophet. I had seen him prophesy and it came to pass. So, I had to suspend the admission to the College and proceeded to Trinity College in Aba where I was trained. When I finished, he called one of his friends to get me a church to work and that was how I came back to the Christ Apostolic Church (CAC) as an associate pastor.

Originally, I was supposed to serve in Bida but God spoke to me to come to Lagos. I told my father who informed his friend that brought me to Lagos. That was how I continued running under the man for some years. When he was transferred, I served with another pastor there. From there, God started talking to me about starting the ministry. By June of 1995, I left to start my ministry without knowing how it would function.

For six months, I was not in any church because I needed to hear God clearly. I thank God that I understood what He was saying. By January 7, we launched Holy Ghost Praying Centre now Holy Ghost Christian Centre (HGCC).

Was it easy for you to receive the call knowing you grew up in a mission house where you must have seen your father struggling?

No, it was not because I saw my father lacking. That is one of the troubles with pastors’ kids. They don’t want the kind of life that their parents live. It was the same for me.

When I entered the ministry in 1986, it was like a signature to poverty. If you told someone you were going into the ministry then as a young man, they would consider you mad.

‘Lessons I learnt in my ministry in 28 years’ The general overseer of Holy Ghost Christian Centre Lagos, Pastor Amos Fenwa, went down the memory lane to evaluate his ministry on full-time in the last 28 years with Sunday Oguntola. Excerpts: I knew my dad struggled to send us to schools. He was living on welfare. I never wanted to live on charities. But I was clear God wanted me to serve Him. I am the last child in the family; we are five boys and three girls. I was the first to heed the call to the ministry.

When I was going to the pastor’s school, our eldest brother wondered why I was leaving my paid job but I said God called. None of them wanted to have anything to do with ministry but today they are all with me in the ministry. I happen to be their senior in the ministry even though I am the last child because I accepted the call before them. God helped me to be able to start on time. Up till now, I still tell young people to be sure God calls them before they come into the ministry.

Ministry is very attractive now but it was very tough back then. You see general overseers with cars and you want to join the train. But even then, before you become attractive you must have paid your dues. Someone might see me today and want to say I am okay but I have put up 28 years. If I was a cleaner in the Federal Civil Service, I believe I would have been better now.

How did you get over the conservative mindset of the CAC from where you started off?

If you see me, you know I am still conservative. But what helped me was the Trinity College I attended. It is an affiliate of Trinity College California. We had five American missionaries as lecturers on

full-time. They trained us to see ministry like they will see and do it.

So, when I was starting the ministry, I was able to see it from another dimension than the CAC. Though when I was there as an associate pastor, I followed the guidelines in CAC. But in my foundation when I started my ministry, the training helped me. That is why today when people come to our church, they hardly can trace CAC in how we do things except in our prayer patterns.

How did the mental reengineering occur? It must have taken a while to take roots, right?

Yes, it took a long while. I joined CAC in 1988 and when I returned from College, It was tough to get back into the church culture. But God exposed me to international travels and I garnered a lot of experiences there. I started travelling since 2001. I ministered everywhere and saw how people do things differently. I attended seminars and I started changing my orientation back to what I was trained. That accounts for what you will see in our church today.

But I believe as Africans, there is a way you have to minister to Africans. That is why our prayer pattern is very aggressive. We preach the typical American kind of gospel but knowing where we are coming from, we embrace prayers a lot and do more of warfare.

You believe African churches need to do more of that?

Sure because there is no reason why the continent

should be backwards going by our natural and human resources. There is no reason why Nigeria should remain like this if there is no spiritual strongholds holding us down. I also believe that some of the leaders ruling us are into occultism. This is affecting our progress.

We say America is the number one nation in the world today and you realise that their founding fathers were Christians and pastors. They have their problems but the country is still attractive. If you pick any young man today, he will tell you he wants America first.

Our own tradition is built on traditional religion, witchcraft and blood sacrifices. I don’t think there is any nation where more blood is shed than Africa. That is why we are so backward.

In 28 years, how far has the church come?

We have been able to find It has also taught me that our feet and the vision is be- skill is as important as coming much clearer. We re- calling and anointing. You ally know that we are sent to can be anointed fully and nations to add values. That in- not know what to do. When forms so many things we are we started, we prided doing. We have 11 churches ourselves in being anointed worldwide. We have two in and didn’t get skills in some America, one in the UK and areas of ministry. That the others in Nigeria. limited and retarded us in We are willing to expand many ways. as the Lord gives us resources.

Three, it has taught me We are also building a struc- who human beings truly ture that will sustain the are. People can come into church beyond now. Recently, your life and walk away we did a convention and once they feel they don’t noticed that our youth focus need you anymore. I am a has been low. Now, we do a very emotional person. I programme quarterly tar- love people more than anygeted at them. thing and used to feel bad In 28 years, what lessons when people walk out on has ministry taught you? me. But ministry has taught It has taught me to always me not to depend on people listen to God on everything. but look up to God. I have

NEWS

Akabueze tasks youths on godliness

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AGOS State Commissioner for Budget and Finance, Ben Akabueze, has charged Christian youths to play active roles in national transformation by demonstrating Christ in their little corners.

He spoke at the 2014 Youth Ignite Summit organised by the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) Region 1 in Lagos.

Thousands of participants from Lagos attended the summit, which featured career talks, marital seminar, talent hunts, vocational skills,

By Adeola Ogunlade

health talks, bible teaching, song ministration and prophetic ministration.

Akabueze said Christian youths have significant roles to play in the cleansing and transformation of the nation that is contaminated by sin, moral degradation and social vices.

He said: “Our society and indeed the world at large needs a lot of disinfectants from contamination by upholding righteousness, truth and eschew all forms of evil in our land even in the face of

opposition.”

The commissioner pointed out Jesus and enjoined all faithful disciples to act as agents of righteousness, holiness, salts and light in the dark world.

“Transformation is a thorough and dramatic change in form or apparent which begins with oneself and one’s sphere of influence which when we do, we would with time build an oasis of sanity.”

Akabueze stressed: “Youths are significant stakeholders in the building of our nation and thus, they must have a say and not become pas-

sive players in the process of building the nation.

“It is the duty of every heaven- bound youth to cleanse our society from dirt and sin as Nigeria and, indeed, the world need a lot of disinfectants from contaminations.”

The Special Assistant to the General Overseer of RCCG, Pastor Johnson Odesola, said investing in youths of today has a lot of great prospects and possibilities as they are the pillars of growth and development in any society.

had people that will say ‘pastor, If God can bless me I want to stay in this church and support you’. But they walked away when their expectations were not met.

Expectations like what?

Sometimes they feel they should be put in some positions because God has blessed them but I won’t do that because of my background. I have seen that happen every day regardless of whether they are qualified or not.

If you were to start all over today, what would you do differently?

One, I would want to have good paper works before embarking on ministries. A lot of times ideas come but we just run with it without documentation. We don’t write the visions to enable us run with it.

Two, I would embrace people that are well-educated and their hearts have been touched by God. They tend to help the ministry to go very far more than uneducated people. We attracted more of them when we started the ministry and they didn’t have the capacity to help the work to some extent. No wonder God is calling professors and educated people now.

No wonder Paul the Apostle wrote 12 to 13 epistles in the Bible while fisherman Peter could only write two.

So, I think skills and education are very important in ministry. If I were to start again, I would ask God for clearer vision because we had to change a lot of things as we moved.

xxx

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY, AUGUST 10, 2014

WORSHIP

COLUMN

Living Faith

By Dr. David Oyedepo

Experiencing wonders of settlement in God’s word!

•Presiding Pastor of Living Spring Chapel International, Pastor Femi Emmanuel(centre) cutting his birthday cake with other pastors of the church... last Sunday,

Clerics, mentees celebrate Ogbonnaya at 64 T HERE were many activities in the expansive hall where he marked his 64th birthday, but one thing stood out: his impact on many young ministers of the Word.

Early that morning, the Evangel Hall of the Assemblies of God Church in Okokomaiko, Badagry District, Lagos, was prepared for the birthday of Rev. (Dr.) Henry Ugochukwu Ogbonnaya, the District Superintendent.

Worshippers from every part of the district, as well as guests from far-flung places, were there to honour the leader.

A red rug stretched from the hall entrance to the high table, beside which the Prestige band and choir stood rendering soul-lifting songs.

In time, people took to the floor to dance and later sat to a meal and soft drinks in a hall glittering with gold and purple colours.

Neither the birthday ‘boy’ nor his devoted wife, Rev. Phyllis Ogbonnaya, disappointed when they danced to the glory of God for His mercies all through their lives, marriage and ministries.

Shortly after the opening prayers led by Rev. (Dr.) Nwaclerk Ihuoma, the testimonies began to pour out.

Chairman, Planning Committee, Rev. Chuks Iheanacho, pointed out that Dr. Ogbonnaya has not just spent long years in the Lord’s vineyard but has done so by inspiring other young men of God. Dr. Ogbonnanya, he said, was a teacher at the Western Bible College, Iperu Remo, and has pastored several churches.

The DS, he continued, has

By Emmanuel Udodinma

also been Sectional Leader in several places before becoming the District Superintendent of Badagry District, known for peace and progress.

That is not all. At a point in his ministerial career, Dr. Ogbonnaya was the longestserving District Secretary of the Church, a feat which earned him a befitting award.

Chairman of the occasion, R. Aliga, an engineer, spoke of Dr Ogbonnaya’s good breeding in addition to his trademark inspirational trait.

Aliga informed that the DS is also a prolific writer, authoring many books in which, once again, he positively impacts readers.

Aliga prayed that Ogbonnaya will live to celebrate his 120th birthday.

The worshippers responded with a thunderous Amen.

The Guest Speaker, Dr. P. A. Aletang of Southwest School of Theology, read from 1Timothy 5:17, which talks about the reward for “the elders that rule well,” enjoining that they “be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine.”

He said: “When the heaven of a man is opened, he does not labour; he begins to enjoy favour. There might be some challenges but when heaven opens for the man who labours, he ceases to struggle.

We must support the pastor that labours. God has raised him to bring people to God.” The cake came courtesy of Ogbonnaya’s wife, who is a caterer.

At the echo of 64, the cake

was cut on the directive of Mr Livingproof Aimuan, an engineer, who moderated that session.

The Chairman, Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria(PFN), Ojo Province, Bishop Andy Ogbu, prayed for the DS. Renowned Rev. Prof.

David Ajah reviewed Dr. Ogbonnaya’s 120-page book, “All by Grace, My Story.”

He described the book as rich, noting that the author carefully documented his encounters with saints as well as his struggles in life.

Elder Jude Onyeocha read the DS’s citation.

When he spoke, Dr. Ogbonnaya saluted his mother and then his family whose support has spurred him to success. One endeavour that helped was his writing.

Ogbonnaya said he found solace in writing, noting that he has written so many books that settling down to write no longer presents any difficulties.

“When I write books I don’t find it difficult to write because it is inspired by God Almighty.” He advised young people to work hard and be prayerful.

Rev. Chukwuemeka Ogbonnaya, one of his sons, spoke with The Nation, saying his father is hardworking and accommodating just as he is free with everyone.

Rev. Nnamdi Onumaegbu, who has a long history of association with Ogbonnaya, said of the DS: “He is my mentor and a highly generous and hardworking leader. I am happy for him and wish him the best in his future endeavours.”

Cleric unlocks mysteries of dreams in new book

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HE General Overseer of Christ Temple International Ministry, Egbeda and author of a new book on dreams and interpretation, Pastor (Dr.) Joseph Eloma, has been described as one of those raised by God to unlock the mysteries of dreams.

A publisher, Dr. David Arisemola, stated this during the dedication/launch of the book titled ‘Dreams, The Divine Riddles (A comprehensive guide to interpreting your own dreams).

Arisemola said it is because of God’s love for his people that He sent another Joseph like Eloma to unravel the divine mysteries of dreams.

By Oziegbe Okoeki

According to him: “I believe that God loves his people so much that He sent a man of God to unlock the mysteries of dreams.

“His name is Joseph which tallies with the name of the dream interpreter in the bible who was born and given the name Joseph to unlock the mysteries of dream.”

Arisemola, who reviewed the book, said: “This book is a prophetic book, a book of allegories, a spiritual book.

“You must read, meditate and study the book which contains 16 chapters and runs across 182 pages.”

The special guest of honour, Mrs. Wuraola Ayandosu, an educationist, businesswoman and proprietress of Eduland Children School Akowonjo, praised the author.

Thanking God for the knowledge and inspiration to put the book together, Eloma said: “God prepared me to write the book by putting me through almost all the experiences contained in the book.

“It will make you to know if you are in bondage or freedom. When you look at the book after your dream, God tells you where you are spiritually.”

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NCOUNTER with the Word is the master key to a world of all-round settlement (1 Peter 5:10). From scriptures, we understand that until Joseph’s word came, the Word of the Lord tried him. But after his word came, the king sent for him, loosed and settled him in a grand style (Psalm 105:19-22).

We also saw how God sent His Word to Jacob, bringing him out of every ordeal of life (Isaiah 9:8). It is also said that God sent His Word, settled their health issues and delivered them from all destructions. That is, all unsettled areas of your life will be settled by God’s Word (Psalm 107:20).

Every child of God is ordained for settlement. It is written: The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly (John 10:10).

Jesus came to offer us life at its best. That is, pressure-free, anguish-free and distress-free life.

What, then, are the Covenant Requirements for our Settlement?

•Be Born-again: Only those who have answered the call of salvation are candidates for settlement.

We cannot be settled until we are saved, because settlement is God’s provision for the redeemed (1 Peter 5:10).

Let us understand that peace is one of the fruits of the Spirit. When we are saved, the Prince of Peace comes into our heart, establishes His throne of peace, and we enjoy peace that passes all knowledge (Galatians 5:22, Isaiah 9:6,

Philippians 4:7).

We must also know that unsettlement is part of the curses of the law, but Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law.

Redemption is what rescues us from the curse of distress. Therefore, until we are redeemed, we are not candidates for His settlement (Deut. 28:14-16, 5357; Galatians 3:13-14).

•Go after the Word: Peace multiplies by knowledge. As it is written: Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord. It is also written that Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them (2 Peter 1:2, Psalm 119:165).

It is great peace that keeps us in command and at rest in the midst of challenges. The battle of unsettlement is a battle with the power of darkness.

Therefore, we must engage the armour of light (the Word) to disarm the forces of darkness (Romans 13:12, John 1:5).

•Be Planted in the House of the Lord: If you want to be settled by God, be planted in His house (Psalm 92:13-15). But why must we planted in His house? The Bible says: In His presence is fullness of joy…pleasures evermore. We must be addicts of God’s house as David the Psalmist said, “I was glad when they said to me, let us go into the house of the Lord.”

This must be why he never lost any battle. May the last battle you lost be the last you will ever lose in your life!

(Psalm 16:11 Psalm 122:1).

Also, the house of God is the mountain of illumination. The more insightful we are, the more peaceful,

restful and settled we become (Psalm 73:17, 2 Peter 1:2).

•Make a choice to serve God: Serving God is not a calling or a gift; it is a choice (Joshua 24:15).

When Israel chose to serve God, He also vowed to settle them. In six separate scriptures, God demanded for the deliverance and settlement of His people from Egypt, based on their commitment to serve Him. The same God said, “I am the Lord, I change not” (Malachi 3:6).

When we choose to serve God, in response, God vows to settle us. Therefore, serving God’s interest is what makes a servant of God, not the title we bear.

When we make a commitment to serve God, we have committed Him to settle us in a grand style. This is your time of settlement!

Friend, the power to experience the wonders of settlement in God’s Word is available, if you are born again. You get born again by confessing your sins and accepting Jesus as your Saviour and Lord. If you are set for this new birth experience, please say this prayer: “Lord Jesus, I come to You today. I am a sinner. I cannot help myself. Forgive me of my sins. Cleanse me with Your precious Blood. Deliver me from sin and satan, to serve the Living God. Today, I accept You as my Lord and Saviour. Thank You Jesus! Now I know I am born again!” I will be with you next week!

Every exploit in life is a product of knowledge. For further reading, you can get my books: The Force Of Freedom, Walking In Dominion and All You Need To Have All Your Needs Met. I invite you to come and fellowship with us at the Faith Tabernacle, Canaan Land, Ota, the covenant home of Winners. We have four services on Sundays, holding at 6:00 a.m., 7:50 a.m., 9:40 a.m. and 11.30 a.m. respectively.

I know this teaching has blessed you. Write and share your testimony with me through: Faith Tabernacle, Canaan Land, Ota, P.M.B. 21688, Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria; or call 7747546-8; or E-mail: feedback@lfcww.org

WHAT AND WHERE?

Operation PUSH in Lagos

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HE annual operation PUSH service of Christ Baptist Church Alimosho holds today.

The theme of the service, which ends on August 23rd, is “power as of old.”

The Senior Pastor of the Church, Rev Sunday

Adeyemo, said the programme starts at 10pm and ends at 3am daily.

Prophet Adetuberu of CAC, Ishashi, Akute; Rev Sunday Oduola of Overcomers’ Baptist Church, Ejigbo and Brother Wilson Balogun of Foursquare Gospel Church

Baptist church’s 21-day vigil

T

HE annual 21-day vigil of Alafia Oluwa Baptist Church, Alfonso road, Sasa, Ibadan has commenced.

The theme of the vigil, which kicks off by 11pm in the Church auditorium is Power to Recover.

The host Pastor, Rev Amos Ajibola, said the programme was aimed at empowering people to overcome challenges of life.

Ejigbo are expected to minister at the programme.

Adeyemo said the programme, which is expected to involve prayer sessions and deliverance ministrations, holds in the church auditorium at 46, Akiwowo Street,Alimosho, Lagos.

Hour to Receive holds

H

OUR to Receive, the three-day life transforming programme of New Birth Ministries Ikeja, kicks off on August 21 by

5pm.

A vigil takes place on Friday, tagged night of reaching the globe, from 11pm.

The anointing service ends the programme on Sunday by 8am.

The chief host, Bishop Francis Anunobi, assured that participants will receive divine touch.

Mind & Body

71

THE NATION ON SUNDAY,AUGUST 10, 2014

Healing wonders of quail eggs

•Quail eggs

Why liver diseases are increasing Cases of liver problems and diseases are on the increase.

A lot of habits are responsible for this. In this chat with Edozie Udeze, Chris Ebeaeju, a medical practitioner says that since the liver is the largest organ in the body and performs the highest functions, it is proper to avoid many dirty habits to allow it function well and more.

•Ebeaeju

By Joke Kujenya

72

Oddities The Nation on Sunday August 10, 2014

• Some community members watching television with generating set

• Ajelu

PHOTOS: TAIWO ABIODUN • Erected poles and electric wires abandoned for 20 years.

73

THE NATION ON SUNDAY AUGUST 10, 2014 Erdogan poised to win; Turkey set for a new era

Oil prices witness mixed trade as US strikes Iraq, and wall street rebounds

T

AYYIP Erdogan is set to secure his place in history as Turkey's first popularlyelected president today , but his tightening grip on power has polarised the nation, worried Western allies and raised fears of creeping authoritarianism.

Erdogan's core supporters, religious conservatives, see his likely rise to the presidency as the crowning achievement of his drive to reshape Turkey. In a decade as prime minister, he has broken the hold of a secular elite that had dominated since Mustafa Kemal Ataturk founded the modern republic on the ruins of an Ottoman theocracy in 1923.

Opponents see him as a modern-day sultan whose roots in Islamist politics and intolerance of dissent are taking Turkey, a member of the Nato military alliance and European Union candidate, ever further from Ataturk's secular ideals.

Erdogan could, aides have said, serve two presidential terms and rule to 2023, the 100th anniversary of the secular republic. Such symbolism is not lost on a leader whose passionate speeches are frequently laced with references to Ottoman history.

"On the assumption that Erdogan wins, what we're going to have is the beginning of a new era," said Marc Pierini, a former EU ambassador to Turkey and visiting scholar at the Carnegie Europe think tank.

Until now, Turkish presidents have been chosen by parliament but under a new law, the three candidates will face the national electorate as they compete for a five-year term.

Lebanese army regains Arsal control but still waits for hostage release

T

HE Lebanese Army yesterday redeployed in checkpoints that were overran by militants a week ago during clashes with the gunmen in the northeastern town of Arsal, as relatives of kidnapped soldiers and security forces issued a personal call for their release.

Thirty-five military vehicles, including two tanks, drove through Arsal in the afternoon, making their way to Aqabat al-Mebyaah in Wadi alHosn, an Army post that militants took over on the first day of fighting.

The five-day ferocious clashes between the Army and militants erupted on Aug. 2 killing 16 soldiers and over 50 gunmen - over the arrest of a prominent Syrian commander.

Army Commander Gen. Jean Kahwagi has said that fighting was a premeditated attack on the military.

Despite the withdrawal of fighters from ISIS and the Nusra Front - some of whom resided in Syrian refugee camps in Arsal - and the cease-fire that allowed the entry of needed aid into the town, militants are still holding 25 hostages: 17 members of the Internal Security Forces and 8 soldiers, according to a security source.

C

•Iraqi civilians: Running for their lives after the air strikes

Photo: AFP

Russia detects, 'expels' presumed US submarine V

LADIMIR Putin has ordered imports of food and agricultural products from the countries that have imposed sanctions against Russia over the conflict in Ukraine to be restricted .European Central Bank President Mario Draghi said geopolitical risks in countries such as Ukraine could hurt economic recovery.

Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said Mos-

cow was considering banning transit flights by airlines from the European Union and the United States to the AsiaPacific region The Russian Northern Fleet's anti-submarine force has detected a foreign submarine in the country's boundary waters and "expelled" it, Russian news agencies reported on Saturday, citing an unnamed spokesman for the Russian Navy Main Staff.

Foreign submarine, pre-

sumed to be a U.S. Navy Virginia-class vessel, was detected by Northern Fleet forces on duty in the Barents Sea on Aug. 7, the spokesman said.

A US Defense official, speaking on condition of anonymity, could not confirm the incident and had no comment on the Russian claim.

"An anti-submarine attack group and an Ilyushin Il38 anti-submarine aircraft were sent to the said area to

search and track the sub," the Russian navy spokesman was quoted by Interfax news agency as saying.

"The Northern Fleet antisubmarine forces' active manoeuvres expelled the submarine from the Russian Federation's boundary waters."

The report from Russia could be the latest sign of increasing tensions between Moscow and Washington over the crisis in Ukraine.

Cockpit recorder in crashed Air Algerie 'unintelligible'

C

OCKPIT voice recordings from an Air Algerie jet that crashed last month in northern Mali are unintelligible, investigators said on Thursday, depriving them of vital clues on what sent it into a sudden plunge that killed all 116 passengers and crew.

The McDonnell Douglas MD-83 aircraft, en route to Algiers, smashed into the ground on July 24 south of the Malian town of Gossi, near the border with Burkina Faso.

Experts in Paris have been examining the two "black boxes" retrieved from the

wreckage. They have been unable to extract information from one, Remi Jouty, president of France's BEA air accident investigator, told a news conference.

The voice recorder on the 18-year-old aircraft used magnetic audio tape, a system since replaced by digital methods.

The tape was broken or crumpled in places. Even after it was repaired, the pilot conversations could not be understood.

"There is sound on the tape but it is unintelligible," said Jouty, whose agency has been asked to support Mali's own

investigation.

"The device seemed to be recording, but we don't yet know why it did not work, except that this was not a result of the crash itself," he told reporters, adding that first indications were that it was a "simple technical problem".

French officials have said they believe bad weather was an important factor in the crash of flight AH5017 but have not ruled out other explanations.

Russia detects, 'expels' presumed US submarine "We're trying to avoid overly hasty theories," Jouty said, adding all hypotheses

were still on the table.

The pilots had asked for permission to alter their route because of a storm as they flew north after taking off from the capital of Burkina Faso, Ouagadougou.

The jet made a detour to steer around the storm cell, but as it did so it gradually lost height and speed, according to data from the other black box presented at the BEA's headquarters.

After largely resuming its original course, the aircraft abruptly turned back on itself to the left and entered a corkscrew-shaped descent.

Egypt court dissolves Muslim Brotherhood's political party

E

GYPT'S state news agency says the country's administrative court has dissolved the political party of the banned Muslim Brotherhood and ordered its assets liquidated.

The decision yesterday

against the Freedom and Justice Party comes after a recommendation by the court's advisory panel that noted the party's leaders had already been accused, and in some cases convicted, of murder and inciting violence.

The recommendation added that the police investigation stated the party headquarters and offices were used to store weapons.

The government declared the Brotherhood a terrorist group late last year, accusing

it of orchestrating a wave of violence to destabilize the country after the military overthrew President Mohammed Morsi, a Brotherhood member.The party was founded in 2011 and went on to dominate the political terrain.

RUDE oil futures witnessed mixed trade on 8 August, as US air strikes in Iraq weighed on Brent prices while a rebounding American equity market supported US crude.

Brent September contract finished 42 cents lower at $105.02 a barrel.

The European benchmark traded lower amid speculation that American air strikes in Iraq could reduce the risk of oil supply disruptions from Opec's second-largest producer.

US September contract finished 31 cents, or 0.3%, higher at $97.65 a barrel.

WTI gained as American stock markets jumped on news that Russia was terminating military drills near the Ukrainian border.

Oliver Jakob, an analyst at Switzerland-based Petromatrix, said in a note to clients: "In essence we find US air strikes more bearish than bullish for oil as the act finally draws a line not to cross for IS and re-enforces both the stability in south Iraq and in Kurdistan."

Commerzbank Corporates & Markets said in a note to clients: "In the past week oil prices continued trending downwards although there are actually many arguments for higher levels: The advance of the fighters of the Islamic State (IS) towards Baghdad is as alarming as the security situation in Libya, which has been unstable for months and whose daily oil production and oil exports therefore still cannot sustainably be raised to levels above 500,000 barrels.

"Also, the economic sanctions on Russia and the Russian government's countermeasures will probably hamper the necessary investment in the Russian oil and gas sector. And weaker oil demand in the West as a consequence of such measures will hardly offset the effect of an abrupt interruption of supply."

"We are very much of the view that market participants are underestimating the risks of production losses and viewing the supply situation on the oil market too positively. For this reason it is likely that oil prices will soon rise again," Commerzbank added.

London-listed oil companies have pulled workers from Iraqi Kurdistan as security forces battle with militants from the Islamic State in the semi-autonomous region.

Genel Energy said it was withdrawing staff from fields that had not started production, but insisted its fields at Taq Taq and Tawke were secure.

Meanwhile, Afren said it had suspended operations at the Barda Rash field.

74

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, AUGUST 10, 2014

NEWS

OSUN DECIDES

PHOTOS BY : ISACC JIMOH AYODELE AND DAYO ADEWUNMI

•People queuing to get accredited for the gubernatorial election at Moro.

•Elderly people waiting for voting to commence at Yemo Ward.

•Voters waiting to cast their vote

•Counting of accredited voters at Yemo Ward in Ile-Ife.

•Travellers stranded at the boundary of Osun and Ondo state during the election.

•Elderly people waiting for accreditation

•An ad hoc staff instructing voters on how to vote.

•Supporters jubilating after victory at a ward in Ilesa.

•Oja-Tuntun Market at Ile-Ife closed.

Peaceful poll amidst security siege •Continued from page 4

accredited for the same purpose as well. After waiting in a corner where he seated in the midst of the crowd waiting to cast their vote, the PDP candidate voted around 12.41pm and returned to his country, which is a little far from where he exercised his civic responsibility. Commending the exercise, Omisore praised the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to high heaven, saying his observation so far has vindicated the electoral commission that it can do a good job. He added that he is not worried by any lapses in the conduct of the poll, saying “there is no way an election like this can be perfect.” He also expressed satisfaction about the attitude of security agents, whom he said had

risen to the occasion, adding the heavy presence of security agents is good for our democracy because the state will have descended into “total confusion” without them.

Similarly, Omoworare expressed satisfaction about the peaceful nature of the exercise, adding “it is so far so good” as at the time of accreditation. He, however, cautioned that the unnecessary clampdown and intimidation of top APC chieftains in the state smacks of tilting the process in favour of the PDP, stressing that any attempt to impose the federal candidate on Osun will be resisted by all means possible by the people of Osun. “It shows that the PDP and President Goodluck Jonathan are not good students of history. If they are, they will have

known that manipulation of electoral sovereignty of the people contributed to the demise of democracy in the First and the Second Republics. If imposition happens here, we the leaders will not be able to stop our people from defending their rights to choose a leader of their choice,” Omoworare said.

Trouble was however averted in Modakeke where one Toyese Ajibade, a former youth chairman in the community, sneaked suspiciously into the polling units at St Stephen’s ward 5. It took the extra vigilance of the locals who suspected that Ajibade, who stormed the venue wearing a mask like security agents, was up to some sinister motive. Although tempers flared, residents exercised restraint, refusing to mob him so as not to cause a crisis that could vitiate the

votes cast. They however trailed him to a nearby hotel in Modakeke where they pounced on him, only for officials of the Department of State Security (DSS) who promptly came to his rescue and took him away, sparking another wave of further suspicion about Ajibade’s motive. Perhaps that is why Tunji Oyedeji and Oyeyemi Temitope, who were part of the locals that stopped Ajibade from actualising his motive, said that the way and manner DSS officials behaved also raised eyebrows. Curiously too, soldiers that mounted roadblocks in strategic places in Ile Ife, Odeomun, Modakeke, Osogbo and many other communities suddenly disappeared by about 2pm, though the state remained peaceful as at the time of filing this report.

Unit 4 within Ila Local Government. APC won in my unit with 95 votes against PDP with 47 votes. In my ward PDP lost scoring 549

votes to APC with 1,265 votes and in my local government APC scored 10,825 against PDP 7,916.”

•Voters waiting to cast thier Vote

APC wins in Akande’s ward

T

HE former Interim Chairman of the All

Progressives Congress (APC) has denounced the

claim that he lost in his ward.

In a statement this morning, he said, “I voted as No 88 at Isedo Ward 1,

•Voters casting their votes at Ogbon Arogbo Street in Ifofin, Ilesa.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY AUGUST 10, 2014 CHANGE OF NAME ADENIRAN I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Adeniran, Oluwakemi Aderonke, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Amusan, Oluwakemi Aderonke. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

AJAYI

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Ajayi, Oluwabukola Funmilayo, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Atere, Oluwabukola Funmilayo. All former documents remain valid.

General public should please take note.

ADEWUMI

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Adewumi, Taiwo Tolade, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Obadina, Taiwo Tolade. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

AWE

75

CHANGE CHANGE OF OF NAME NAME AKANNO

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Akanno, Favour Chinenye, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Elendu, Favour Chinenye. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

BRAKASE

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Brakase Ebiye Joy, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Ebimor, Ebiye Joy. All former documents remain valid. Delta State Polytechnic, Ogwashi-Uku, NYSC and general public should please take note.

OLOYE I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Rita Eniwarikpaemi Oloye, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Rita Eniwarikpaemi Kakain. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

IDANEGBE

I, formerly known and addressed as Awe Oluwatoyin Lydia, now wish to be known and addressed as Ajewole Oluwatoyin Lydia. All former documents remain valid.

General public should please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Blessing Mary Ebaide Idanegbe, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Akaba, Blessing Mary Ebaide. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

EBOMA

NWOSE

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Eboma Ogoebulem Beauty, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Peter, Ogoebulem Beauty. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Mr. Nwose Chukwunaku, now wish to be known and addressed as Mr. Nwose Donatus Chukwunaku.

All former documents remain valid.

General public should please take note.

AKPAN

HUNPATIN

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Uko Ukpon Akpan, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Nkoyo Okokon Ikpeti. All former documents remain valid.

General public should please take note.

KOTUN I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Omobolaji Anthonia Aminat Olaitan Kotun, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Mobolaji Anthonia Arokoyo. All former documents remain valid.

General public should please take note.

ABIAKA I, formerly known and addressed as Chidinma Christiancia Abiaka, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Chidinma Christiancia Ebere. All former documents remain valid. Abia State University, Uturu and general public should please take note.

SALAMI I, formerly known and addressed as Esther Amoako Martins Nancy Salami, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Esther Nancy Jeff. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

EJAH I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Sunday Ejah, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Helen Samuel Isong. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

AUGUSTINE I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Maureen Tochukwu Augustine, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Onwzulike Maureen Tochukwu. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

ALAWODE

I, formerly known and addressed as Mr. Adeboye Alawode Iyabo, now wish to be known and addressed as Mr. Adeboye Alawode. All former documents remain valid. First Bank Register and general public should please take note.

SANGOLEYE I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Sangoleye Azeezat Adebola, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Fasasi, Azeezat Adebola. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME I, Mrs. Sosu-Olaitan, Oladimeji Morufat is hereby notify the general public that am the same person as Muibi Morufat and Sulaiman Oladimeji Morufat. Now wish to be known as Mrs. Sosu-Olaitan, Oladimeji Morufat. All documents bearing the above names remain valid. General public should please take note.

BOLARINWA

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

AINA

CHUKWURAH

POPOOLA

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Aina, Olubunmi Bosede, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Oni, Olubunmi Bosede. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

I formerly known and addressed as Miss Chukwurah, Obianuju Gloria, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Rwang, Obianuju Gloria. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

ODUSANYA

CONFIRMATION OF NAME I, wish to confirm that Oseni Afeez Oriyomi and Oyewumi Afeez refers to one and same person. Now wish to be known and addressed asMr. Oyewumi Afeez. All documents bearing above names remain valid. First Bank Plc. and general public should please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Odusanya, Abiola Omoyeni, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Ogunlolu, Abiola Omoyeni.

All former documents remain valid.

General public should please take note.

BANKOLE

I formerly known and addressed as Bankole Adewale Omisande, now wish to be known and addressed as Adewale Omisande. All former documents remain valid, Skye Bank Plc. and general public should please take note.

ODIWE I formerly known and addressed as Miss Barbara, Ngozi Kobindi Odiwe, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Barbara Ngozi Kobindi Atafo. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

OGUNYEMI I formerly known and addressed as Ogunyemi Oluwabusayo Cornulius, now wish to be known and addressed as Olusuyi, Oluwabusayo Cornulius. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

ROTIMI

CONFIRMATION OF NAME This is to notify the bgeneral public that the name Adebayo Olufemi Abimbola and Adebayo Olufemi Morenike are contain in my documents refers to one and same person. All documents bearing above names remain valid. General public should please take note.

IBEKWE I formerly known and addressed as Joy Nnenna, now wish to be known and addressed as Joy Nnenna Uche Eme. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Hunpatin, Rashidat Omolara, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Adeagbo, Rashidat Omolara. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME This is to notify the general public that Keshinro Seun O. is the same person as Keshinro Seun Damilare.

All documents bearing the above names remain valid. General public should please take note.

I formerly known and addressed as Miss Rotimi Esther Oluwatoyin, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Adebayo, Esther Oluwatoyin. All former documents remain valid. NYSC and general public should please take note.

IGWE

I formerly known and addressed as Miss Falade, Yemi Eunice Falade, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Adebanji, Yemi Eunice. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

I formerly known and addressed as Ireti Rachael Oyatoki, now wish to be known and addressed as Ireti Rachael Oke. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

AJAYI

QUDUS

I, formerly known and addressed as Ihuaku Chizoma Igwe, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Ihuaku Chizoma Kpaduwa.

All former documents remain valid.

General public should please take note.

SHOLABI

I, formerly known and addressed as Sheriff Olawale Sholabi, now wish to be known and addressed as Sheriff Olawale Olafuyi. All former documents remain valid.

General public should please take note.

KUKU I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Kuku, Ebunoluwa Zainob, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Yussuff Ebunoluwa Zainob. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

AGBONKINA

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Agbonkina Joy, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Edigin Joy Oyenmwen. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

AKINBOLA I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Akinbola, Funmike Olanike, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Adeoye Funmike Olanike. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

OLATUNJI I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Temilade N. Olatunji, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Temilade N. Oladeji. All former documents remain valid.

General public should please take note.

AJAYI

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Ajayi, Funmilola Ayodeji, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Kuloogun, Funmilola Ayodeji. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

ADEUSI

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Adeusi, Arike Lydia, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Alake, Arike Lydia. All former documents remain valid.

Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital, Ado-Ekiti and general public should please take note.

AKINBAMI

FALADE

I formerly known and addressed as Miss Ajayi, Oluwakemi Eyitayo, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Adedeji, Oluwakemi Eyitayo. All former documents remain valid.

UNILORIN, EKSU, NYSC and general public should please take note.

NWIGWE I formerly known and addressed as Miss Nwigwe, Chikaodili Gloria, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Okoro, Chikaodili Gloria. All former documents remain valid. Rivers State Government and general public should please take note.

ENIADE

I formerly known and addressed as Miss Eniade Rachael Omowumi, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. AdesolaKudehinbu Omowumi. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

GOKEME I formerly known and addressed as Miss Oghenekevme Deborah Gokeme, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Oghenekevwe Deborah Ekpogbe. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

AFOLABI I formerly known and addressed as Folake Bukola Afolabi, now wish to be known and addressed as Folake Bukola Foluso. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

OYATOKI

I formerly known and addressed as Qudus, Kadiri Talabi, now wish to be known and addressed as Talabi, Qudus Abayomi. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

SOLOMON

I formerly known and addressed as Miss Aniebietabasi Enobong Solomon, now wish to be known and addressed as Aniebietabasi Aniefiok James. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

OMOTOSHO I formerly known and addressed as Miss Muinat Bolanle Omotosho, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Muinat Bolanle Omotosho Akindele. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

YANKYAA I formerly known and addressed as Miss Yankyaa, Philippa Nguvan, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Aondona Philippa Nguvan. All former documents remain valid. Federal Medical Centre, Makurdi, Benue State University and general public should please take note.

ORHUAGBEKU

I formerly known and addressed as Orhuagbeku Ejovi Bright, now wish to be known and addressed as Bright Ejovi Ovie. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

EGWU I formerly known and addressed as Egwu Paulinus Emeka, now wish to be known and addressed as Eze Paulinus Chiemeka. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

ALLI I formerly known and addressed as Miss Alli, Bolanle Oluwatoyin, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. John-Williams, Bolanle Oluwatoyin. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

ADEYINKA I formerly known and addressed as Miss Adeyinka, Olufunmilayo Esther, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Adegbaju, Olufunmilayo Esther. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

ADEDIRAN I formerly known and addressed as Miss Adediran, Morufat Bisola, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Popoola, Morufat Bisola. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

POPOOLA

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Mabel Damilola Akinbami, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Mabel Damilola Adefisoye. All former documents remain valid. Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife and general public should please take note.

I formerly known and addressed as Miss Popoola, Opeyemi Omowunmi, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Olufade, Opeyemi Omowunmi. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

AGHO I, formerly known and addressed as AGHO EBIUWA SANDRA now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs EBIUWA SANDRA GIWA. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

I formerly known and addressed as Miss Oyelewa Grace Oluremi, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Sanyaolu Oyelewa Grace Oluremi. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Oluwatoyin Opeyemi Bolarinwa, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Oluwatoyin Opeyemi Olawepo. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

OKWUEGBULAM I formerly known and addressed as Okwuegbulam Edith Ugonma, now wish to be known and addressed as Ajaero Edith Ugonma. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

OYELEWA

IDRIS I formerly known and addressed as Miss Omobola Sidikat Idris, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Omobola Sidikat Sunday Galadima. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

OLADITI

I formerly known and addressed as Oladiti, Opeyemi Wasiu, now wish to be known and addressed as Olayemi Opeyemi Wasiu. All former documents remain valid.

General public should please take note.

AILARA I formerly known and addressed as Miss Ailara, Folake Oyinlola, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Olaoye, Folake Oyinloye. All former documents remain valid.

Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria, Federal Medical centre, Ido-Ekiti and general public should please take note.

IBINABO

I formerly known and addressed as Ibifiaka Beniah Ibinabo, now wish to be known and addressed as Amadeekay Ekpedeme Ibifiaka.

All former documents remain valid.

General public should please take note.

AMOS I formerly known and addressed as Miss Amos Emem Edukere, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Imoh Okon Akpan Emem Edukere. All former documents remain valid. NYSC and general public should please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Popoola Jibola Khadijat now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Adegoke Jibola Khadijat. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

AMAMASI

I formerly known and addressed as Miss. CHINWENDU UGONMA AMAMASI, now wish to be known as Mrs. CHINWENDU UGONMA ANUKAM. All former documents remain valid, general public please take note.

ITIMI I , formerly known and addressed as Miss. ERUORE HOPE ITIMI, now wish to be known as Mrs. ERUORE ELIZABETH MOKWUNYE. All former documents remain valid (NSITF), University of Abuja, and the general public please take note.

NDUKWE

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss. NDUKWE NDIDI GRACE, now wish to be known as Mrs. STEPHEN AMARACHI GRACE. All former documents remain valid.(ABSU) General public please take note.

AGUODOH I formerly known and addressed as Miss. UCHECHUKWU SUSSAN AGUODOH, now wish to be known as Mrs. UCHECHUKWU SUSSAN KEN-NWODO. All former documents remain valid, general public please take note.

NWOGU I,formerly known and addressed as Miss. OKAKAOBARI NWOGU, now wish to be known as Mrs. OKAKAOBARI AJII OLLOR. All former documents remain valid general public please take.

SILAS I, formerly known and addressed as Miss LUCY SILAS, now wish to be known as Mrs. LUCY SILAS ADUWA. All former documents remain valid general public please take note.

NWADI I, formerly known and addressed as Miss. NWADI OGECHI SILVERIA, now wish to be known as Mrs. NWACHUKWU OGECHI SILVERIA. All former documents remain valid general public please take note.

ANIOKEN I, formerly known and addressed as MISS ANIOKE NGOZI JESSICA now wish to be known and addressed as MRS OKETE NGOZI JESSICA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

SYLVIA

I,formerly known and addressed as MISS EZENWA OGOCHUKWU FRANCISCA SYLVIA, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS OKEKE OGOCHUKWU FRANCISCA SYLVIA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

ADAOGA I, formerly known and addressed as MISS OBUNA CHIKA BIBIAN ADAOGA now wish to be known and addressed as MRS AMOKE BIBIAN ADAOGA CHIKA. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

OLADELE I, formerly known and addressed as Oladele Samson now wish to be known and addressed as Afolayan Adedolapo Jamiu. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME MGBORIE JOSEPH and OGBONNAYA JOSEPH, refers to one and the same person, now wish to be known as OGBONNAYA JOSEPH. All former documents remain valid, general public please take note.

WHYTE I,formerly known and addressed as WHYTE BECKY IBIBA W., now wish to be known and addressed as JACKS IBIBA BECKY. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

OBODOZIE I,formerly known and addressed as Miss JOY EBIDIEBUBE OBODOZIE, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs JOY CHIDIEBUBE OPONE. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

DOMOTIMI I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Domotimi Agoke, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Dickson, Domotimi Ikegima. All former documents remain valid.

NDU, NYSC and general public should please take note.

OBODOZIE I,formerly known and addressed as Miss OLADIMEJI BLESSING OLUTOSIN, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. OMOJOWO BLESSING OLUTOSIN. All former documents remain valid. BOWEN, University of Ibadan and general public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME IHEME I,formerly known and addressed as MISS BLESSING NKECHINYERE IHEME, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS ARINZE NKECHINYERE BLESSING. All former documents remain valid.

The general public should please take note.

DADA I,formerly known and addressed as MISS OLUWATOYIN FUNMILAYO DADA, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS ADEYEYE OLUWATOYIN FUNMILAYO. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

DANLADI I, formerly known and addressed as MISS RUTH ARIYAN DANLADI, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS RUTH JOSHUA DANLADI BALA. All former documents remain valid.

NYSC and general public should please take note.

IHEMENANDU

I, formerly known and addressed as MISS JULIET IHEMENANDU, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS JULIET IHEMENANDU NKEMAKOLAM OBETA. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

JUSTUS I, formerly known and addressed as MISS. JUSTUS NNEOMA PROMISE, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. ONYEKAOZURU THURSDAY NNEOMA PROMISE. All former documents remain valid. Rivers State Polytechnics Bori and general public should please take note.

EHIGIATOR

I,formerly known and addressed as MISS. OSAYUWAMEN JUDITH EHIGIATOR, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. OSAYUWAMEN JUDITH OSAYANDE. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME I, Mr. Thankgod Kelechi Nwankwo and Mr. Kelechi Kingsley Onyedi refers to one and the same person.

Now wish to be known and addressed as Mr. Thankgod Kelechi Nwankwo. All documents bearing the above names remain valid. General public should please take note.

EDU I,formerly known and addressed as Edu Chinyere Oluwafunmilayo, now wish to be known and addressed as Oguh Chinyere Oluwafunmilayo. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

UMENWA I,formerly known and addressed as Umenwa Chidinma Bertilla, now wish to be known and addressed as Ojiako Chidinma Bertilla. All former documents remain valid.

NYSC and general public should please take note.

OGUNTOYINBO I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Oguntoyinbo Aminat Omolola, now wish to be known and addressed as Adeyemi, Aminat Omolola. All former documents remain valid. LGSC and general public should please take note.

BALOGUN I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Balogun, Remilekun Motunrayo, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Adebola Remilekun Motunrayo. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

ABU

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Abu Halimat Fortune, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Halimat Fortune Nwaneri.

All former documents remain valid.

General public should please take note.

EGBUKONYE I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Egbukonye Onyinyechi Mirian, now wish to be known and addressed as Maduagwuna Onyinyechi Mirian. All former documents remain valid. NYSC and general public should please take note.

ADVERT: Simply produce your marriage certificate or sworn affidavit for a change of name publication, with just N4,500. The payment can be made through FIRST BANK of Nigeria Plc. Account number - 2017220392 Account Name - VINTAGE PRESS LIMITED Scan the details of your advert and teller to gbengaodejide @yahoo.com orthenation.advert @gmail.com.

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY AUGUST 10, 2014

76

OSUN DECIDES

M

IXED reactions yesterday trailed the governorship election in Osun State.

While a cross section of party leaders hailed the electoral commission and security agencies for patriotism and commitment to the sanctity of the ballot box, others said that they could have performed better.

Prominent politicians, including former Interim Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Governor Rauf Aregbesola, his deputy, Mrs. Titi Laoye-Tomori, said that the militarisation of the state and the arrest of chieftains of the ruling party provoked anxiety and fear.

The governor, who highlighted some irregularities that marred the exercise, said that the PDP wanted to stage a civilian coup, adding that the state is under the siege of the gun.

There was tension in many parts of the state following the harassment and arrest of many All Progressives Congress (APC) leaders and followers by the police. However, the tension subsided, shortly after the commencement of the accreditation of voters when the chieftains were released.

Among the APC leaders arrested were the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Wale Afolabi, his Ministry of Agriculture counterpart, Wale Adedoyin, Mr. Tijani Oladosu and party supporters.

Adedoyin said that no fewer than 50 supporters were hounded into detention by the police. Another chieftain, Bamisaye, a legislator from Ilesa, had to run into the bush to escape arrest.

Also, APC, Labour Party and Social Democratic Party (SDP) chieftains protested to the electoral commission that party agents were not allowed to monitor voting by INEC officials and security agents, owing to the lack of identification tags in Ile-Ife area. To douse the anxiety, the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Olusegun Agbaje, directed that some officials issue the tags to the affected agents.

The REC explained that the non-issuance of tags to the agents was not deliberate, adding that the complaint had been taken up. Agbaje said: “I have received calls from party leaders on the complaint. Many party agents did not show up with their tags.

They did not go to the polling booths with tags. We have directed that the specific electoral officer should return to the INEC Office to release the tags to them.”

From 8 am to 4pm, movement was restricted across the state. The weather was benevolent. Voters stormed polling units across the three senatorial districts and six zones for accreditation. Owing to the huge turn -out, accreditation could not be completed at noon. However, prospective voters who came late were not allowed to join the queue by polling officers and security agents.

Ahead of the poll, sensitive and nonsensitive polling materials had been deployed to the local governments. Although there were reports of delay in some polling units, the anxiety triggered by the delay fizzled out when the polling officers arrived.

There was massive presence of security men at polling centres. Police helicopters hovered around the state in surveillance.

Unlike previous polls, there were no complaints about shortage of voting materials, late coming by polling officers, absence of accreditation materials, lack of voters’ register and harassment and molestation of voters by security agents. Also, there was no case of ballot snatching by thugs.

Hailing the peaceful atmosphere in Iragbiji, where he voted, the Chief of Staff to Osun State Governor, Mr. Gboyega Oyetola, observed that people turned out en mass to perforce their civic right. “As at now, all is calm. The turn -out is huge,” he said, shortly after his accreditation.

The deputy governor, Mrs. Grace Tomori-Laoye, who voted at Owo-Ope area of Osogbo, the state capital, said that, although she was impressed by the large-turnout, the complaints by party chieftains that some members were arrested by the police without justification were worrisome.

She said: “I did not sleep throughout the night. A lot of our members, APC members, were harassed, molested, and picked up by the police. In Oba-Oke, the monarch called me that the town was in turmoil. The youth

PDP wants to stage civilian coup in Osun, says Aregbesola ANALYSIS

• Mixed reactions trail poll

•Voters waiting at Ila Orangun to cast their ballot, yesterday.

By Emmanuel Oladesu, Group Political Editor

leader was picked.

“There were attempts to arrest Senator Adebayo Salami. In Ede, there were attempts to arrest Senator Isiaka Adeleke. Two commissioners were arrested. A party chieftain, Owonikoko, was also picked. I called the police. The police denied. Some people are threatening to disrupt voting. The policemen were tying an ankara and they said that they covered their faces”.

Hon. Bamisaye said that “hired policemen had chased APC members into the bush in Ljesa area”. He added on phone: “I can’t reveal where I am now. I escaped into the bush. Many of our leaders are in the bush; wounded. We don’t know whether they are policemen or fake police”.

Former Governor Adeleke, who protested assault on his residence, said: “I had relocated from my house to my mother’s house to vote. At 1 am on the eve of the poll, a van containing military men, SSS, police with AK 47 came to my house. I was taking my bath. They said I should open my gates. I said no. They started shooting.

Five minutes later, they left. They covered their faces”.

Adedoyin, who was released around 11.30 am, said the arrest of party leaders was unfortunate. Narrating his ordeal, he said: “Around 9.15 pm, some people were banging my gate in my house at Ilesa.They said I should open the gate. I reported to the SSS. The SSS said that I should not open. After 15 minutes, one of them jumped the fence into my house. They said that, if I don’t open my door, they will blow up my house. They said they wanted to interrogate me at their office in Osogbo.”

PHOTO: DAYO ADEWUNMI

Akande, who voted at Ila, complained that the accreditation was flawed, blaming the INEC for inefficiency. He said, if care was not taken, the poll may be the worst in the history of the country.

The elder statesmen also objected to the decision by some INEC staff to stop the voters from folding the ballot papers after voting, saying that they had the constitutional right to do so. He said: “Voters are at liberty to fold the ballot box before dropping it. A voter can even put the ballot paper inside his pocket and refuse to drop it” Akande also berated the security agents for molesting APC supporters, saying that it was part of the move to disperse the chieftains and divert their attention.

He added: “An old man of over 80 years was seized at Ifedayo local government and dropped at Osogbo. We called his children to go and pick him up.”

Lamenting his arrest, Afolabi said: “They took my car key from me and pushed me inside the police station. I am a lawyer and chief law officer of the state. I met the Agriculture commissioner there. They asked me to write a statement. SSS interrogated us. 50 members of our party are still in detention now. They said they released me on bail later. I didn’t have any incriminating material in my car. If this could happen to me, you could imagine what would have happened to other members of the party.”

After he was accredited around 10.45 am, Governor Rauf Aregbesola, who was accompanied by his mother, wife, Sherifat and children, urged the people to remain calm and shun unruly behaviour. He chided the security agents for committing

terror against the people.

He said: “Nobody can abort the people’s will. What is important is to encourage our people to follow up the process, stand by the ballot until the votes are counted and results announced”.

Aregbesola alleged that “some law enforcement officers have abused their duties”, adding that the state was not seized by violence because the peace-loving people of Osun State were determined to maintain peace and defend democracy.

The governor added: “The behaviour of the some officers has made the process leading to the actual right to vote is flawed.

The problem is not with the people, but with the institutions charged with the conduct of the election. INEC’s failure to provide accredited party agents adequate tags is bad. This has implications for election monitoring. There is no justification for denying party agents identity tags.

“APC agents in Osigbo, Atakumosa, Ifedayo and other places could not monitor the process from the beginning to ascertain whether the process is good. Also, not all security agents maintained neutrality. The crackdown on APC leaders was unwarranted. They were, molested, brutalised and incarcerated.

“The Attorney-General was manhandled and detained without any charge. The Agriculture commissioner was abducted and released at 11.30am. Segun Olanibi is in detention. Their crime is that they are chieftains of the APC. Osun is under the siege of the gun. What does the federal government want? Do they want to force their candidate on the people or they want the people to exercise their right to vote. They want to stage a civilian coup in Osun.”

Tight security as INEC begins collation of results

A

S the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) begins the collation of the results of Osun Governorship election, the INEC headquarters is under tight security.

Already, most of the results from wards are already in but there is no official result until INEC declares its results as collated from the wards and local governments.

INEC office located on the busy EdeOsogbo Road has been a beehive of activi-

By Seun Akioye

ties since Thursday but as the electoral commission begins the collation of results, security has been very tight.

About one kilometre to the office, cars were forced to divert to one lane by stern looking soldiers and other security officials. There were thorough search of cars and motorists were asked specific questions about their mission and destination.

The Nation correspondent who witnessed the scenario reports that some cars were turned back because the drivers could not satisfactorily answer questions.

Journalists were directed to park opposite the Commission’s office while stringent search was conducted on anyone entering the its premises.

Those who could not satisfactorily state their mission were turned back.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, AUGUST 10, 2014

COMMENT

77

NIPR’S strategy for professionalism, T sustainable democracy HERE is a plan being implemented by the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), with an eye to repositioning and rebranding the body. The intent is to claw, generously, back the past glory of the organisation. The plan in question is predicated on ridding the profession of quacks, helping the image of Nigeria by projecting the country’s bright side to the world for a better understanding.

It’s an exercise that is taking a cue from the slogan; “Good people, Great nation”. In its effort to cleanse the profession of quacks, the NIPR intends to liaise with the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) to prosecute errant individuals, governmental organisations and multinational corporations – in consonance with Section 19 of the NIPR Act, which “criminalises quackery, impersonation of public relations practitioner and false entry into the register of members”.

For the president of the NIPR, Dr. Rotimi Oladele, the democratic dispensation of the Fourth Republic offers an ample opportunity of an expansive political space for some sorelyneeded reflections and crafting some strategies on the way forward for the NIPR. With more than ten thousand members, nation-wide, Oladele believes that the NIPR is well-positioned and equipped to, for instance, project the image of Nigeria in the congress of nations.

Indeed, as Oladele said, the past 15 years – since the birth of the Fourth Republic – has been characterised, in the mass, by a plethora of less cheerful developments: if it’s not the daily menu of corruption in high places, it’s the bloodcurdling stories of kidnapping or abduction of highly visible public officers; if it’s not the Boko Haram insurgency in the north-east of the country, it’s the plucking of airplanes from the sky with attendant colossal loss of life and destruction of property; if it’s not the scorched earth policy at Odi, in Delta state – as a veritable example of impunity – it’s mindless, if flagitious, degradation of the environment – water, land and air – by oil drilling companies, and much to the destitution of the people living at the country’s treasure base; if it’s not election-related violence, it’s amongst others, disastrous explosion or destruction oil pipelines, ritual killings, vandalisation of public infrastructure, rascality on the part of elected officials, tax evasion, inexplicable falling standard of education, burgeoning youth unemployment.

Put tersely, all manner of developments that fuel political, economic and social insecurity, such that, almost advertently, direly-required foreign direct investment (FDI) and tourismsourced forex, which are needed for economic growth are discouraged. These negative developments could be helped, stupendously, Oladele thinks, by the NIPR. The first assumption, in his argument, along that line, at a recent retreat, in Lagos, for state chapter Chairmen and Secretaries of the NIPR, is for every Nigerian in a leadership position to offer service and be responsive to the needs of the Nigerian nation-state on the bases of transparency and

•Oladele

By Nduka Uzuakpundu

accountability, as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution (as altered). The second is that by 2019, by which time it would have been two decades into the fourth Republic, there ought to be a new Nigerian system of good governance as a basic thrust of a sustainable democratic dispensation. The third assumption is that there’s a need for a people-focused development in the steeling of security, provision of infrastructure and eating, generously, into youth unemployment, as in Lagos state, say – in justification of tax payers’ money, the hope and confidence of the voters who were behind the coming into office of the leader who has pressed such salubrious developments, in the first place.

And, for the NIPR, the Fourth Republic springs an auspicious tide with which it has to swim. Oladele calculates that, henceforward, the NIPR would, through painstaking and meritorious intervention, be seen as one of the major and strategic forces engaged in refurbishing Nigeria’s image as an influential power in both African and world affairs. Besides, the NIPR would endeavour to maximise its law potentials to record some gains by giving itself a well-deserved facelift. To that end, it would embark on prosecution of unrecognised actors on its turf, strive to improve upon recognitions accorded its practitioners, improve upon training services and research, enhance professional market share for its

members, particularly in promotion to top management level in public and private sectors and active collaboration with local and international associations, like Nigerian Institute of Marketing, International Public Relations Association (IPRA), Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR), the United Kingdom, African Public Relations Association (APRA) etc. The NIPR is desirous of regaining its firm grip on the oil and gas sector of the Nigerian economy, where, in the past, it was quite gratifying that its members were top decision-makers and the creative hands behind headline grabbing annual general meetings (AGMs). Oladele, for one, says not only is it gratifying that a fellow of the NIPR – MajorGeneral Chris Olukolade is the Director of Information, Nigeria Defence Headquarters, but, as well, an assuring testament concerning the intent of the NIPR to rebrand itself. Equally gratifying is the trend in having state ministries of information and strategy, manned by seasoned public relations specialists with proven record of information dissemination and control, crisis management and control and applied human psychology.

Through the Olukolades, who are captains of corporations, government agencies, chambers of commerce, industries, mines and agriculture etc. the NIPR hopes to influence government policy towards a rebranded Nigeria to use what it has to get what it needs. There might be a need to have a template, in which the country’s sports men and women, police

and military officers and professionals, who have excelled in international assignments could form a a ready reserve for the shaping a new Nigerian image. It’s a long-term plan that promises to capital intensive and involve a lot of exercise in a new national orientation.

It would need public officers – including the President, Vice-President, ministers, commissioners, permanent secretaries, members of the National and State assemblies, local government officials, representatives of political parties, the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Nigerian Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru, tertiary institutions, professional organisations, market leaders, captains of quoted companies on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) and any identified public or private body that has a public relations department or unit. The intent is to ensure that whoever speaks for such strategic bodies, as a public relations officer, is a certified member of the NIPR. That, too, would apply to the country’s foreign missions.

The NIPR, said Oladele, has specialised programmes that encompass effective intelligence gathering and information management that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs can buy into – even after it would have indoctrinated wouldbe Nigerian envoys at its Foreign Service Academy (FSA) in Badagry. Through such a long term, capital-intensive programmes aimed at professionalism, excellence and sanitising the NIPR. The Institute believes that Nigeria’s democratic dispensation would be better for it, in that the core institutions of good governance – all three tiers of government and the press – would have been augmented, as a result, and recognised as co-pilots in the advancement of Nigeria’s democratic dispensation.

The NIPR’s confidence, in all this, that success is certain, is freighted on the zeal and commitment being shown by Oladele in running the affairs of the institute. Indeed, a vote of confidence was cast in him during the Lagos retreat.

With almost nil in the body’s purse, when Oladele assumed office, not so long ago, its activities are fast attracting public good will and financial in-flow.

At the Lagos retreat, Oladele told participants from nearly all the states of the federation that the era of the NIPR relying on government aid was over. A nominee at the National Conference, in Abuja, Oladele said the NIPR, under his captaincy, would strive to have as many districts, in Lagos, Port Harcourt, Abuja, for instance – as is the case with some highly visible professional bodies, like the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) and the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN).

•Uzuakpundu is a Lagos-based journalist.

A case for project management as career enabler

J

UST like any new kid on the block, the rave of the moment with respect to career development is project management as manifested by the increase in the number of Project Management Professionals emerging every day and the demand for qualified project managers. Clearly, the many benefits such as cost savings, time management and customer satisfaction from project management application have made the profession a key part of business process in the modern economy. The practice around the world now is to have project management office with the responsibility of overseeing and managing value driven projects that will not only deliver on their objectives but also deliver on the business strategic objectives.

Regardless of your industry or mission, project management is the value driver that helps your organization gets the most out of its performance. The value driver from project management is unequivocally applicable to individuals who seek to stay ahead in their chosen careers. Project management cuts across all industries and sectors regardless of your specialization. If you are keen to stay competitive and add value; think project management. Project management processes (tools and techniques) are de-

By Tosin Akintola

ployed by qualified individuals with a desire for global best practice and superior performance.Looking for ways to stay ahead of the pack in today’s competitive and chaotic global economy, companies are turning to project management to consistently deliver business results When tailored to an organization’s strategic objectives, culture,project size and complexity project management brings value by improving- the execution of strategy through repeatable, reliable performance and standardization; the integration and team bonding within the organization through elimination of “silos” and better communication and collaboration; the learnings and process improvement that a projectized organization undergoes as it explores new products, processes and markets; management of stakeholder expectations leading to acceptable deliverables and proper articulation of project requirements and objectives that are signed-off before committing resources.

Leading organizations across sectors and geographic borders have been steadily embracing project management as a new way of working, in fact as the right of way of working and as a way to control spending and

improve business results. The practice of project management is crisis-proof as the profession became more prominent during the last financial recession, as practitioners, both suppliers and contractors discovered that adhering to project management methods and strategies reduced risks, cut costs and improved success rates—all vital to surviving the economic crisis.Keeping the project on track requires a strict management of metrics and project goals that extends across the project team and out to suppliers, contractors, the client and the stakeholders Implementing project management across the organization helps create a strategic value chain that gives companies an edge over their competitors, particularly in high-risk sectors and markets. Being able to deliver projects on time, on budget and within scopeoften determines whether a company will get the next job or whether its new product hits the market.A strong project management discipline brings exceptional value to the business. Tying project results across the portfolio to key business objectives drives the value of project management for the organization, provides direction and creates positive impact across the organization.

Despite the seemingly benefits of project management practice, quite a number of

people and organization are still unaware of the profession in Nigeria. The dearth of project management knowledge is a factor contributing to project failure in both private and public sectors. If only government and executives will give more attention to the application of project management processes, only then can they increase their chances of project success. At first the application of project management process might be less than optimal as it is in every new endeavourbut as the organization project management maturity model improves, the organisation begins to see an immediate impact both in business results and employee engagement.As the practice of project management matures—from the portfolio level on down to individual projects—the connections between organizational project management and business value become clearer.

Lastly, individuals who are qualified project managers will continue to reap the benefits of their profession in terms of job satisfaction, contribution and reward that others can only dream of. So why not join the train and uplift your organization project rate success and fast track your career.

•Mr. writes from Lagos

QUOTABLE Nigerians are hereby being 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 mislead Nigerians.”

SUNDAY, AUGUST 10, 2014 TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM VOL. 9, NO. 2936

- Minister of Information, Labaran Maku, debunking widespread report on the social media that bathing with hot water containing salt can cure Ebola disease.

T

HE Council of State will not be the first body to set a deadline of sorts for ending the Boko Haram menace.

The police, military and President Goodluck Jonathan himself had before this latest surge of enthusiasm set their own deadlines, all of them assured that the sect would be vanquished on a given date. They have all been spectacularly wrong, of course, with Boko Haram repeatedly putting the noses of these casual soothsayers out of joint. But refusing to be discomfited by the failure of past soothsayers, the council has suggested that everything would be done to end the Boko Haram insurgency by December, some four or five from now.

Addressing the press in company with a few other governors and top security officers on July 31, Governor Babangida Aliyu of Niger State suggested: “So, all the things came to the fore at the meeting and subsequently, each of us made it a deliberate resolution not to be bi-partisan or non-partisan, to support the President to make sure that we get rid of this insurgency and indeed suggesting that this should happen before December.” Why the governor and his colleagues, and indeed the entire council itself, do not realise the implication of setting a date is hard to fathom. Surely they must understand that the benefit of inspiring the public with unguarded optimism is less harmful than setting a date and Boko Haram provocatively exposing their impotence.

Well, they have set a date; they must head to the guillotine and lose their heads or return with the heads of the Jacobins by December.

But what is even more troubling about the Council of State resolution is this wisecrack from Governor Aliyu: “We must understand the boundaries of leadership and also the responsibilities that are involved.

Leadership is not about beauty contest. In leadership, you must take difficult decisions and really go about implementing them.”

The governor is nearly right. It is true that leadership has its responsibilities, and often these call for the taking of difficult decisions. But the problem with governments in Nigeria, as virtually all of them in the council are guilty of, and President Jonathan is even guiltier of, is that often the so-called difficult decisions are nothing but unwise decisions. Public policy in Nigeria is replete with foolish decisions. In short both the president and governors have taken more unwise decisions than they have taken difficult decisions.

Take for instance the so-called difficult decision that confronts President Jonathan on the Chibok abductions. The president has

W

HEN he assumed office in 2009, Barack Obama carried along with him into the American presidency a reputation for oratory anchored on substance and logic, and a freshness to explore alternative ways of doing things. He proved that his well-received keynote address at the 2004 Democratic National Convention was not a fluke. Soon, too, he was marshalling efforts and innovations to tackle the recession that began before his assumption of office and which was sapping the sinews of American resolve and gnawing at the hearts of many American families. To crown his eventful first term in office, he ordered the operation that led to the killing of America’s number one enemy, Osama bin Laden, leader of the Al-Qaeda terrorist network.

But nearly midway into his second term, when his reputation as a great leader should be made, when his legacies should be in construction, he has begun to appear a distracted man and a weakened president. He now seems vulnerably like a man in retreat, a retreat that seems also to be pulling his country along the same ignoble path.

He boxed himself into a corner over Syria when he threatened to punish Syria if its president authorised the use of chemical weapons. But he balked when that happened, and gave the impression he was unsure who used the weapon, whether rebels or the government. But in reality, he was perhaps wary of taking steps that would

Fed Govt position on Boko Haram?

Why, it’s guesswork all the way at various times, and depending on his audience, minced his words, hesitated or despaired. Less than two weeks ago, newspapers quoted him voicing out his dilemma on that unsavoury topic of abductions. He argued he was unsure what to do; for whether he swapped the girls, and was accused of setting a dangerous precedent, or he attacked the girls’ captors, and was accused of reckless endangerment, he was certain to be damned. It appeared to mean he was more comfortable perching on the safe horns of a dilemma than deciding one way or the other what options he could live with. Alas, but almost certainly not finally, the president has for the umpteenth time conceded he had begun negotiating with Boko Haram through third parties. He had perished the inadaptable Sri Lankan ‘Total War’ strategy, which he briefly toyed with, and any other strategy for that matter.

What is now clear is that whatever strategy would be found to resolve the Chibok abductions and end the Boko Haram war would come as a result of the president’s considerable fumbling and wobbling. There will be no scientific or rational plan to end the war, thus rendering the Council of State’s timetable capricious, insulting and provocative. Success cannot be ruled out, but it would be undeserving and probably against the run of play. Indeed, the remarks made by governors and state officials after the meeting raised more apprehension than it resolved fears. It became obvious why the country is misgoverned, and more especially why the president, upon whom officials doted and fawned, has become increasingly tyrannical.

It is on occasions such as this, when the president seems to have his way without the restraining voice, conscience or remonstrances of the Council of State, that Nigerians appreciate the gratuitous rebuke past leaders like Chief Obasanjo and Gen Muhammadu Buhari sometimes hurl at Dr Jonathan. Rebuke is clearly not enough, as the mismanaged Boko Haram menace shows, but it can amount to something if politicians recognise the danger of supporting the president only because he appears to be punishing their regional or state enemies.

It is also significant that Gen Buhari and Chief Obasanjo excused themselves from the meeting. They did not indicate why they were absent, whether inadvertently or deliberately. But their absence was significant. There are sadly too many members of the Council of State who can’t look the vengeful Dr Jonathan in the face and tell him he is wrong or insensitive. Nor, apparently was there any former president in last week’s council meeting able to tell the president he had misplaced his priorities and was leading the country down the blind alley of arbitrary rule.

The president often encourages himself that the Boko Haram menace would soon end. He is right. Whatever has a beginning must end one day. But the fact is that he has done precious little to end the war or to even limit the sufferings the victims and the economy are enduring. Since he inherited the insurgency, the only seemingly bright idea he had brought into it is to set up the victims support fund,

Obama in retreat, legacy threatened

•Obama

•Bashar al-Assad

lead to regime change, given the rise of extremist forces in that country and in the region.

But the failure to punish the Syrian government led to a loss in esteem, first in the eyes of some of America’s allies in the region, such as Saudi Arabia and Turkey, and secondly even in the eyes of America’s age-old rivals, such as Russia.

Worse, Obama’s hesitations probably transmitted a message of disguised impotence to other countries which began to assert themselves in various foreign policy adventures. And so whether in the Maghreb or in the Crimea, or in the highly troubled Middle East, the image of Obama projected today is one of a dithering president, or at best a distracted one who would order a Libyan intervention and tune off at the end of the campaign, or threaten a major backlash in Syria and then back down almost humiliatingly. No incident best exemplifies this di-

lemma as US policy towards Iraq.

Not only did America base its intervention in Iraq on lies, without a thought for the implication of an acute disruption of the country’s power balance, the US followed up by abruptly abandoning the increasingly unmanageable country after many years of failing to pacify it.

Leadership incompetence within Iraq itself pushed the country into a tailspin as jihadist elements began a fierce bid for power and territory. But rather than step in immediately to remedy the situation, the US has left intervention till very late. Now, no one can predict to what extent the damage can be reversed.

If he must save his legacy and redeem his image, Mr Obama must begin to trust the instincts that helped him surmount the economic recession, push the now endangered Obamacare law through Congress, and get Osama bin Laden killed. He often claimed political and metaphysical progeny from Abraham Lincoln.

But Lincoln, the intuitive iconoclast, trusted his instincts as much as he basked in self-reliant and luxuriant solitude. Lincoln was seldom wrong, but much more, he was often brilliantly prescient. Mr Obama has the intellectual wherewithal and its accompaniments; but he now needs an enormous amount of self-belief to renew his presidency, forge confidently forward, inspire himself by immersing in great biographies, and, as it were, rewrite world history in the few months left before his presidency becomes lame duck.

which some days ago raised the implausibly high figure of nearly N60bn. But both the fund and the amount raised pose two disturbing questions. To raise such a staggering amount, even in the cause of public good, should make economy watchers and tax analysts ponder just what kind of economic structure we run, and just how proficiently the system compels philanthropists to respect their obligations.

Secondly, and perhaps more importantly, it is incredible that to fulfill its obligations to society, especially in emergencies and great moments of national distress, the government has often relied on the public-spiritedness of the rich segment of the society. Both in the great flood of 2012 and in the current insurgency, the Jonathan government has relied almost exclusively on donations, some of which are not even honoured, thus giving the impression of governmental benevolence. Rather than put legislation in place to compensate victims of terrorism as other societies do, the government has nothing in place to recompense the public for government’s failure to perform its constitutional duties of protecting citizens. This is why in Abuja and elsewhere, victims of terrorism find themselves lacking the funds to access the right medical care, even after the president or governor had visited and given empty promises. The government has no business organising charity for its people. That should be left to individuals, private organisations and NGOs. The country yearns for a concise and possibly multifaceted approach to quelling the insurgency. The strategy should include the speedy rescue of the girls from Boko Haram captivity, a captivity that has blighted the country’s image and sullied the reputation of the president himself. It should also include caring for victims of terrorism at government expense, while not ignoring victims who have become internally displaced or have become refugees in Chad and other countries. It should also crucially include understanding the issues that predispose the country to insurgency and shape its responses, as well as finding panaceas for present and long term challenges, a task that appears beyond this divisive and insular government. In fact at the moment, the Jonathan government has approached the insurgency and other threats to national security with all the desultoriness it can manage, with all the guesswork at its disposal, and with such abject half-heartedness that nearly everyone is left with the impression the government is profiting from the misery of the people.

... As Iraq unravels

A

FEW weeks ago, in an opinion piece in the Times of London, former British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, tried to exonerate the United States, Britain and their allies from blame in the Iraqi mess.

This is pure nonsense. Both America and Britain told atrocious lies to justify the war in Iraq, proceeded foolishly to execute regime change without any consideration for the country’s delicate and convoluted power balance, and have now abandoned the country to political and sectarian strife.

The allies should not be allowed to engage in revisionism or escapism. They created the mess; they should sort it out. There was probably enough justification to invade Afghanistan; but there was no reason whatsoever to invade Iraq.

Now Isis (Islamic State in Iraq and Syria) militants are disembowelling Iraq and making the life of ordinary Iraqis a nightmare. The destabilisation has spread to Syria, could affect Kurdistan, and is certain to inspire fringe groups like Boko Haram, Muslim Brotherhood and others, all of whom have been seduced by Jihadist ideology. Things will definitely get worse in so many places, including Nigeria where a Machiavellian President Jonathan is unwisely and unreflectively stoking ethnic and religious passion in his fractious and tentative country.

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