The Nation August 16, 2011

Nigeria’s truly national newspaper

Umar calls for Obasanjo’s probe

Salami sues NJC, CJN, others

NEWS

Page 4

NEWS

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•Anger over privatisation of firms

•Officials evade court service

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VOL. 7, NO. 1854 TUESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2011

TR UTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM TRUTH

N150.00

Mikel Obi to • kidnappers: please, release my father

SEE PAGE 23

•Super Eagles and Chelsea star pleads with abductors of his dad in Jos

Man loses seven children in Jos attack

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FTER a long lull, Jos has slipped back into violence.

No fewer than 15 persons were feared killed in three attacks between Sunday and yesterday.

In Barkin Ladi Local Government Area, two attacks were carried out Monday morning. Nine persons were killed, seven of them children of a man.

In the second attack in Foron, also in the Burkin Ladi Local Government Area, at about 2am, three persons were said to have been macheted to death.

Barkin Ladi has been a theatre of war between Fulani herdsmen and their

From Yusufu Aminu Idegu and Marie-Therese Peters, Jos

Berom hosts since 2008. The attack at Dogo Nahawa last year marked a major setback for peace in the Berom community, but several other attacks have been carried out in the area between the two warring groups.

The man whose seven children were killed in Heipang, simply identified as Nnaji, was spared by fate; he was at work as a security guard.

His wife escaped the attack by the skin of her teeth. She relived the horror yesterday, saying: “I saw them; they were in Continued on page 2

•Protesting youths set bonfire on the highway in Heipang after the attacks

PHOTO: YUSUFU AMINU IDEGU

How al-Mustapha gave Rogers guns, by Abacha Court admits Supreme Court’s verdict Ex-CSO justifies Ogboru’s torture

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LAGOS High Court yesterday precluded former Security chief Hamza alMustapha from referring to his statement in which he admitted giving his guns to Sergeant Barnabas Jabila (Rogers). The statement, he claimed, was made under “severe torture”.

By Eric Ikhilae, Judicial Correspondent

Justice Mojisola Dada admitted in evidence the July 2002 judgment of the Supreme Court in which the son of the late Gen. Sani Abacha, Mohammed, is credited with a statement in which he admitted witnessing al-Mustapha handing a bag con-

taining guns to Rogers. al-Mustapha’s lawyer, Olalekan Ojo, made moves to re-examine him on the October 13, 1999 statement, with the intention of clearing any ambiguity in his earlier reference to the statement, but the court restrained Ojo, insisting that there was no ambiguity.

al-Mustapha, who ended his evidence yesterday, showed the court scars from injuries he claimed to have sustained while being tortured during his arrest and interrogation by the Special Investigation Panel (SIP) on the case.

The late Gen. Abacha’s former Chief Security Officer (CSO)justified

his ordering of the torture of Turner Ogboru, younger brother to Great Ogboru, who was accused of being involved in the Gideon Orka coup attempt, saying his directive saved Turner from being killed by angry soldiers who lost relatives in the Continued on page 2

•AVIATION P16 •SPORTS P23 •PROPERTY P25 •ENERGY P37 •POLITICS P53

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THE NATION TUESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2011

NEWS

Man loses seven children Continued from page 1

•President Goodluck Jonathan speaking during the farewell visit by outgoing Ambassador of Japan to Nigeria, Mr. Toshitsugo Uesawa to the State House in Abuja ... yesterday.

army uniform. I even know some of them; they came among the Fulani people to carry out the attack. I can swear to God Almighty that the attack was carried out with the support of the soldiers, I saw them live.” She was in tears.

The state government, in a reaction through the governor’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Pam Ayuba, condemned the violence.

Ayuba told reporters at the NUJ secretariat: “The attacks, coming at a time peace had returned to the state, is very

How al-Mustapha gave Rogers guns, by Abacha Continued from page 1

coup.

It was at the resumption of the trial of al-Mustapha and ex-aide to the late Chief M. K. O. Abiola, Lateef Sofolahan, who are being tried for alleged conspiracy and murder of the late Abiola’s wife, Kudirat.

Justice Dada held that alMustapha, having earlier denied that the statement was his and that it was dictated to him under severe torture by SIP, could no longer seek to answer questions on it.

The judge observed that the prosecution, in cross examining al-Mustapha, did not examine him on the document, but merely tendered it, with the intention of contradicting him on his oral evidence. In that regard, the court held that al-Mustapha could not be reexamined on the statement.

In admitting the Supreme Court’s judgment in evidence, Justice Dada held that despite Ojo’s stiff objection, the document was relevant because it was referred to in the course of proceedings by the witness (al-Mustpaha), who claimed to have read it.

The court also held that the document was relevant in the case because it was not only intended to controvert the witness, but to test his veracity and accuracy.

Relying on Section 189 of the Evidence Act, the court held that al-Mustapha could not be reexamined on the statement because no new issues came out of it during his cross-examination.

“Even at that, the court is bound to take judicial notice of Supreme Court’s judgments, being the apex court of the land,” the court held.

On Ojo’s argument that the document was not included in the prosecution’s proof of evidence, the court held that the prosecution is not limited or restricted to the documents annexed to the proof of evidence. The judgment was admitted in evidence and marked exhibit “DI6”.

Upon the admission of the judgment, the lead prosecution counsel, Lawal Pedro (SAN) read from the last paragraph of page 19 to the middle of page 20 (a portion of the judgment where Mohammed Abacha was quoted as claiming to have been present when alMustapha allegedly handed a bag containing guns to Rogers).

Pedro reads: “Wherein on

Youths storm court seeking al-Mustapha’s release

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LACARD-bearing youths stormed the premises of the Lagos High Court, Igbosere yesterday, calling for the release of al-Mustapha.

The youths looked unkempt and could barely read, as some of them turned the messages on their placards upside down. They were led to the court by 8.00 am by a man dressed in babariga (traditional attire).

Shortly after the proceedings, they took position by the court’s main entrance, raised their placards and shouted allau akbar. They continued until the vehicle bearing alMustapha and his co-accused, Lateef Sofolahan, left the court. al-Mustapha, who looked elated at the sight of the youths, waved at them as he was a visit, which I always do, the boys and Sergeant Rogers were asked to come into the office when Major alMustapha told Rogers that he was sending them on an assignment. He then asked Rogers to bring a bag from the corner of his office, which after it was opened by Rogers, contained about two or more machine guns.

“Major al-Mustapha then whispered to Rogers, I believed, the details of the assignment before they were all asked to go. I believe to the best of my memory that is the extent of what I witnessed in Major al-Mustapha’s office that day before I left.

“On a particular occasion, Mr. Rogers came to my office, then in the Villa, and asked to see me and I then made myself available. It was then he expressed his fears about the allegation on him, and that they were being pointed to as Kudirat’s killers. My reaction was that of surprise and shock, because what he said confirmed a lot about the allegations said about the issue on the pages of newspapers etcetera.

“To my confusion and shock, I immediately told him to go and ‘report this to your boss, Major al-Mustapha.’

Then, Rogers left. I still wondered why Mr. Rogers came to me. What he told me, seeing that I was not his boss, and he had a boss, Major alMustapha.

Maybe Mr. Rogers thought he needed someone else close to advice him on what to do.

But the issue is sensitive. I do not want to believe what my ears heard on rumours.

I didn’t see Mr. Rogers again. I was expecting to hear from him what transpired between him and his boss.”

The statement goes on and on. I will just stop at that,” Pedro said.

By Eric Ikhilae

being driven out of the court premises.

The youths were neither restrained nor challenged by either the well armed security personnel from the Prison Service or the court’s security officials.

Some of the messages on the placards read: “Shame to some elders for selling our mandate,” “Shame to the retired General for keeping quiet”, “The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), we need your intervention”, “Who are the masquerades behind al-Mustapha’s trial for 14 years?”, “Kudos to our amiable leader, President and Founder of Oodua Peoples’ Congress (OPC), Fredrick Fasehun for standing behind the truth.”

When Pedro attempted to make al-Mustapha comment on what he just read, Ojo objected, arguing that his client did not author the judgment.

The court upheld the objection. al-Mustapha, who claimed that the Supreme Court described the process adopted by the prosecution as persecutory, could, however, not locate that part in the judgment.

Pedro: You heard what the Supreme Court credited to Alhaji Mohammed Abacha about you. What is your reaction?

Before al-Mustapha could respond to the question, the judge interjected, saying “He did not need to answer that”.

Pedro: Can you show the court where it described the prosecution as persecutory?

That is, if you can remember. al-Mustapha: My lord, I request to have the Weekly Law Report, not this copy (referring to a loose copy of the judgment tendered by the prosecution) because at the end of the judgment, there was an indictment of the prosecution as persecutory.

When he could not locate the portion, his lawyer intervened, drawing the court’s attention to the fact that the said castigation of the prosecution was contained in the judgment read by Justice Onu and not the lead judgment by the then Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Mohammadu Belgore, which was tendered.

“I agree with appellant submission that there is nowhere in the present record where the appellant admitted in the appellant’s record that he was present or his connivance when Major alMustapha gave the order for the killing of the deceased and gave him a bag containing machine guns for that

purpose.

“I also agree with the appellant’s submission that such establishment are unnecessary padding and manifestly unfair and contrary to the ethics of the legal profession. Facts, which are sacred, are to be kept before the court as accurate as possible and must equally be matched with comments which are unbiased and free.

“Where, for instance, counsel is drawing inferences they must make it clear that such inferences are his,” alMustapha read from Justice Onu’s judgment on the same case.

He added: “My lord, even in that of Justice Belgore, there is a section that gave that warning against persecution as against prosecution.

It is at the tail end of the judgment.” al-Mustapha claimed that except the former Chief of Army Staff, Major Ishaya Bamaiyi, and ex-Administrator of Zamfara State, Colonel Jibril Bala Yakubu, who did not write their statements in his presence, everyone who made statement to the SIP was tortured and their statements dictated to them.

Pedro: Whether he was forced or not, you were shown his statement, and several confrontations, but he kept insisting that you gave him gun, but you denied. al-Mustpaha: Yes. I denied.

But we were all tortured and the contents of the statements dictated to us. The SIP did not show you the unedited video.

What they showed was the video of the proceeding that had been edited.

Pedro: Do you know any Major Ardo? al-Mustapha: He was an infantry officer at the Presidency. When the seat of Continued on page 61

unfortunate and regrettable.

The security agents have been directed to fish out any one behind the attacks and bring them to book.

“Some of these attacks are sponsored because the youths carrying out the attacks cannot afford the kind of weapons they use.”

Earlier on Sunday, youths protesting the alleged killing of a motorcyclist in Eto-Baba, Jos North, went on the rampage, killing people in Nasarawa Gwom, Tina Junction and Angwa Rukuba.

Youths frustrated by the inability of the Special Task Force (STF) to prevent the attack descended on the squad.

They headed to the camp of the troops at the Redeemed Christian Church of God compound in Heipang and asked them to leave. The soldiers obliged and returned to Jos. But, the STF men killed two of the youths during the clash. The protesting youths later blocked the highway in anger, made bonfires on the main road and rendered the dual carriage road impassable. Hundreds of passengers and motorists remained stranded at Maraba Jama’a junction.

The STF code named “Operation safe haven” described the attacks as “criminal attacks”. Its spokesman, Captain Charles Ekeocha, said: “At about 2 am on Monday, there was an attack at Heipang Area of Barkin Ladi Local Government Area.”

“A house belonging to Mr. Nnaji, an Igbo, was attacked and seven members of his family killed. My troops went to the area to repel the attack. In the process, the vigilance group in the area opened fire on our troops. In retaliation, one of the vigilante with AK 47 riffle and 30rds of 7.62mm (special) was shot. He died on the way to the hospital and his remains deposited at the JUTH mortuary.

“The youths subsequently staged a demonstration, demanding the withdrawal of troops from their area. The youths stoned our vehicles in the process and ransacked our soldiers’ base. To avoid more casualties, our troops have been withdrawn to

Maraba Jama’a, Jos.” The STF confirmed that “a village in Foron area of Barkin Ladi Local Government Area was also attacked by unknown persons. “However, there were no casualties as the STF promptly repelled the attackers. No arrest was made but the situation is under control.”

The Task Force added: “At about 131600 on August 11, 2011, one Kamilu Yahaya of Layin Zana, Jos, suspected to be a commercial motorcyclist was macheted to death and thrown into a river at Eto Baba area of Angwa Rukuba, Jos by unknown persons. The corpse was evacuated to a mortuary at JUTH. The deceased was later buried at Naraguta cemetery.

“The youths attempted to attack motorists while returning from the burial but the STF commander led the operation to bring the situation under control.

“Mr. Isaac Namua, Daddy Moses and Lawrence Dina were arrested at Angwan Rukuba in connection with the killing of the motorcyclist. The suspects have confessed to the killing and have been handed over to the police for further investigation.”

“Youths demanding the release of the suspects attacked three motorcyclists, who were rescued by the STF. One injured person, who was taken to the Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH), later died.”

Tension was high in Jos. Traders in Terminus Market closed their shops and ran home. All the flashpoints, such as Angwan Rogo, Angwan Rukuba, Bauchi Road, Masalachin Juma’a, Tina junction, Bukuru etc were tense.

Thousands of candidates, who came to Jos for the postJAMB screening of the University of Jos, were stranded.

Some of them were attacked by hoodlums on Bauchi Road. One of the candidates, Solomon Omede who is from Kogi State, received machete cuts on his neck and was rushed to Eldine Clinic in Dogon Dutse, Jos. The screening was held.

Salami sues NJC, others •Secretary evades service

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ETERMINED to get justice, Court of Appeal President Isa Ayo Salami yesterday headed for the Federal High Court Abuja to sue the National Judicial Council (NJC), Chief Justice Aloysius Katsina-Alu, and nine others.

The others are the Deputy Chairman of NJC, Hon. Justice Dahiru Musdapher; members of the NJC’s FactFinding Committee- Hon. Justice Umaru Abdullahi; Hon. Justice Emmanuel Ayoola; Hon. Justice Dominic Edozie; Hon. Justice Michael Akpiroroh and Mrs. Rakia Sarki Ibrahim.

Also sued are members of the NJC Review Committee Hon. Justice Ibrahim Ndahi Auta; Hon. Justice Kate Abiri; and Hon. Justice Peter Umeadi.

The service of the notice of

From Yusuf Alli and Kamarudeen Ogundele, Abuja

the suit was, however, greeted with drama at the NJC and the Supreme Court Complex.

While the Executive Secretary of the NJC, Halilu Danladi, evaded service, a brickwall was in place at the CJN’s office.

Danladi shut his doors against those who came to serve him the notice.

At the Office of the CJN, the bearers of the notice were lucky. They served a Registrar in the Office of the CJN. According to sources, when Justice Salami’s representatives arrived at the NJC’s premises at about 3pm, the Executive Secretary was not available.

A source said: “We met Continued on page 55

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THE NATION TUESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2011

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NEWS

Is London burning?

(The Decline of the West)

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LL good parties end in hangover. There is nothing that has a beginning that does not have an ending. In the ebb and flow of history, civilizations and empires rise and fall with unfailing rigour, leaving only their monuments as benchmarks. Could it be that what Noam Chomsky, the MIT maverick, dissident intellectual and linguistic genius, famously dismissed as the “five hundred year empire” has truly reached the end of its tether?

Late evening on Monday, the 8th of August, Snooper received three frantic text messages from the Metropolitan war zone of London. “London is burning”, they all announced with apocalyptic deadpan. Snooper ignored the first and the second texts.

It was probably the work of an idle prankster with plenty of time and free texts to spare, the columnist hastily concluded.

But when the third arrived with the same urgency and frantic panic, there was an unmistakably eerie dimension to its S.O.S. London was truly burning. An irate multi-ethnic underclass had set the great city ablaze. From the television came scenes out of the apocalypse and Dante’s inferno combined. Hordes of rampaging hoodlums were looting and torching everything in sight.

The police appeared helpless and overwhelmed.

No, this was not downtown Kinshasa with its feral slums and human zoos. It was not the riot-happy equal opportunity mob of inner-city Islamabad. It was not Mogadishu and its aggravated denizens. This was happening right in the heart of the metropolitan imperium, in the very city where modern capitalism first took off. Before you could blink in utter disbelief, the mayhem had spread to other cities in England as if the wretched of Albion were waiting for their historic cue.

It was a bleary-eyed and obviously distressed Prime Minister who surveyed the chaotic landscape the following morning. Having been forced by events at home to cancel an overseas engagement, David Cameron was hopping mad and was spewing fire and brimstone, promising the full weight of the law on the offenders. This was the second

S

nooping around With

Tatalo Alamu

•Sony warehouse burning during the recent London riot

time in three weeks Mr Cameron has been forced by emergency at home to cut short a trip abroad. It doesn’t get more frustrating than that. How can this be happening in the country of good manners and refined taste where the proverbial gentleman is expected to wear his famous hat and opinion lightly? Now if gold does rust, what happens to baser metals?

Three weeks earlier, Norway had its own baptism of fire. The land of enigmatic trolls, with its alluring rolling hills and verdant lush valleys, perhaps the nearest thing to an Eden garden on earth, has had to confront the monster within. A crackpot ideologue from the lunatic Christian fundamentalist fringes of the Norwegian society had shot and bombed his way through Oslo leaving scores of the quick and the dead in his sorry wake.

But if you were expecting to find a ragged kat-crazed refugee from Somali behind the carnage, you are profoundly mistaken. Anders Behrin Breivik is every inch a Norwegian original. Handsome and physically prepossessing like an Aryan god and those fabled Norsemen straight out of the Icelandic sagas, he is blond and blueeyed to boot. Yet if ever there is

an enemy of his people, here was one. Henrik Ibsen would be turning in his grave.

With their customary icy imperturbability and cultured sangfroid, the good people of Norway have taken it in the chin, hoping that this is just a nasty one-off. It is a remarkable tribute to their stolid commonsense and the level of civilization and refinement of these Nordic islanders that a hate-filled mob has not descended on the streets of Norway braying for the blood of immigrants and minority cultural refuseniks. The strong political cohesion, the deep bonds of humane liberalism and the core national values that have stood this exemplary human community in good stead have held. Once again, the Scandinavian societies have shown by their example what it takes to confront the demon within.

Yet by a profound irony, what the Norwegian crackpot thought he was trying to prevent in Norway by his extreme ideology and misanthropic genuflections is precisely what has stolen upon good old England. Railing and raving against immigration and the multicultural society, the madman of Oslo believed that his society has gone to the dogs from sheer permissiveness. But in his lunatic rav-

ing, Breivik has mistaken the symptom for the disease. A genuine multicultural society cannot be founded on poverty and unequal opportunity. It is like taking away with the left hand what you have given with the right.

For a long time, astute social observers have noted that despite the advances of human freedom and liberal democracy, despite great strides in the provision of basic welfare particularly for the needy, Western countries, particularly England, are still marked by institutionalized racism, entrenched class discrimination and a medieval Caste-like snobbery. There is no point in pretending to welcome immigrants and their children when you have already placed a glass ceiling on how far they could rise. There is no point in proclaiming equal opportunity for all when you mean equalized inopportunity for the radically disempowered.

There is no point in trumpeting open access for all when there is a Forbidden City within the forbidding city.

If their fathers and forefathers could take it, grateful to be spared the concrete horrors of the post-colonial hell they had left behind in Africa, Asia and the Caribbean, if the suborned natives could oblige dazzled by the Macmillan razzmatazz that they had never had it so good, their children are unlikely to so meekly cooperate. One day, the baklava must arrive at the supermarket, and the falcon will no longer hearken to the falconer.

But if history is such a nagging neighbour, we need to understand its shrill complaints. We must go back to history in order to understand its ironic poignancy and complexities. Almost four hundred years earlier, Toussaint l’Ouverture, the great Haitian revolutionary of Africa descent, had famously pleaded with his French tormentors not to substitute the aristocracy of class they had just overthrown in France

A Judge and his judges A

TRAGIC saga and the longest running soap opera in the internal history of the Nigerian judiciary is finally winging its way to its sad denouement.

Just before this matter becomes sub-judice in the wee hours of the morning as promised by Niyi Akintola, the intrepid and fiery SAN, it is meet to comment on the travails of Justice Ayo Salami and what has become an open sore of the judiciary. It is now obvious that some retrogressive and anti-democratic forces are bent on humiliating the learned jurist out of office either through a war of attrition or sheer blackmail.

As readers of this column will attest to, we are always reluctant to intervene in judicial matters because of a high esteem for the bench. In any sane and civilized society, the judiciary is the last bastion of order and stability. This is even more so in a fledgling democracy as ours. Nothing must therefore be done to desecrate the judiciary or bring its hallowed reputation to ridicule and infamy.

It is true that there are many rotten judges in the Nigerian judiciary.

But judges go and judges come while

the bench remains in its sacred inviolability. But when the judiciary humiliates itself, it invariably invites others to join in. It appears that what Salami’s numerous foes could not get in the learned chambers and the court of public opinion they are determined to secure through the black market of political infamy.

The facts of the case are as bald as they are bare. After the opposition victories in the law courts in respect of the Ekiti and Osun gubernatorial elections, Salami was fingered by elements in the ruling party as the major architect of its legal misfortunes. Thereafter, the learned jurist became a subject of public obloquy, his reputation assailed, his integrity questioned and his moral probity given a short shrift.

It was saturation bombing at its most savage, even by the brutal standard of Nigeria’s agonistic politics. The irony is that most of Salami’s traducers could not hold a candle to his exemplary moral rectitude and unblemished public reputation. In reality, some of his accusers are murderous cretins and criminal refugees absconding from

delayed justice. Then the Chief Justice suddenly weighed in. In an extraordinary breach of judicial protocol and legal procedure a sitting president of the Appeal Court was recommended for “elevation” to the Supreme Court, a “promotion” he neither sought, nor one for which his consent was obtained.

Matters took a nasty turn with accusations and counter-accusations and the threats of writs flying all over the place. It was not the finest moment of a judiciary already enmeshed in disreputable controversies. The judicial council waded through the unseemly murk. Its finding was a classic fudge. No one is guilty, they declared. The grave issues raised were neatly swept under the carpet.

One would have thought that this was the end of the matter. But in an extraordinary lapse of legal lucidity, the same council ordered Justice Salami to apologise to the Chief Justice. Apologise for a criminal allegation? More ominous and extraordinary still was the fact that the order came with a time-bound ultimatum. It is difficult to contradict the terse summation of the legal luminary, Itse Sagay, that Salami is a

victim of anti-progressive and antidemocratic forces bent on teaching him a lesson. But as past events have indicated, if anybody believes that because of his quiet demeanour Salami is a wimp who will walk away from a rowdy brawl, such a person is seriously mistaken.

It is regrettable that once again, the Nigerian judiciary is set to besmirch its already tattered reputation in what now appears as a needless vendetta. If people are still griping over what they believe to be judicially induced opposition victories, the resounding thrashing of the PDP in the same areas in subsequent elections ought to lay to rest such shameless inanition and irresponsible grandstanding.

This is a matter of principle that goes beyond Justice Salami. Progressive forces in the country must see this looming judicial battle as one to be joined with all the resources at their disposal. Otherwise at critical democratic junctures for the nation, reputable and forthright judges with a far-sighted view of the judgment of posterity stand the mortal risk of being browbeaten into acquiescence with political evil and venality.

with an aristocracy of race. His plaintive pleas fell on deaf ears. In a fit of colonizing messianism, it was all well and good to try and turn the colonized to Frenchmen.

But obstacles and complications abound on the path of the colonizing messiah.

As later events were to prove, there are Frenchmen and there are Frenchmen. The aristocracy of race and of class is truly alive and well in Europe despite revolutions and serial regicides. The more things change, the more they remain the same. This year, in a stunning and sorry capitulation to the rampaging forces of uni-culturalism, the French authorities banned the wearing of the female burka in public places. Earlier, the German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, had also pooh-poohed the very idea of a multi-cultural society, dismissing the whole venture as a dismal failure in Germany.

But as we have argued, it is not the multi-cultural society that has failed. It is multi-culturalism founded on poverty and discrimination.

To cut through the Orwellian foliage, that is not multiculturalism but mono-culturalism parading as one.

Some animals are famously more equal than other animals, or to put it with the African pungency of a Congolese proverb, a tree trunk does not become a crocodile simply because it has spent some time in water.

This is where the Norwegian crackpot got his facts and mission so murderously mixed up. He was actually asking his country to renounce its multi-cultural spirit and revert to an overt racism and religious intolerance which is alien to the stellar culture of the Scandinavian society. The Scandinavians are actually historically fortunate. With no history of the colonization of “inferior” people, they have been spared the psychological trauma of the victorious colonizers. Colonization breeds racism and the endemic instability of racist societies.

You cannot dehumanize others without dehumanizing yourself in the process.

In the event, every Rome has its own barbarians, just as the virus of failure is embedded in the corpus of success. Modern capitalism took off on the cusp of the brutal despoliation of Africa, Latin America and Asia. To be sure, slavery and wholesale enslavement of other people, like poverty and want, have been part of the human condition since the beginning of history. But the globalization and industrialization of slavery led to an ideological need to justify it in an intellectual and systematic manner.

Thus was born the spin of the savage other, and thus racialism became internalized and interiorized.

Now, half a millennium later, the older empires have struck back.

What we are witnessing in the west may well be a process of reverse globalization whereby the road that leads to the conquered world also leads back to the conquering metropole. If the west were to suffer a terminal decline and eventual fall as a result of the final working out of the contradictions unfurled by that historic subjugation, it is a small price to pay for first empire to dominate the entire world.

•This article, first published on Sunday, is being rerun due to technical errors.

Editor

THE NATION TUESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2011

4

NEWS Jonathan: we’re working to boost employment

NDLEA discovers 2.250kg of cocaine in bed sheets

PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan has said his administration plans to boost employment by controlling imports.

President Jonathan spoke when the out-going Japanese Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Toshitsugu Uesawa, paid a farewell visit to him in Abuja, yesterday.

He said: “We are considering such a policy in order to develop the economy, generate more employment, and thereby improve the purchasing power of Nigerians”, adding that this would result in higher production by manufacturers.

Jonathan noted that there are a lot of Japanese products in Nigeria, especially motor vehicles and invited the manufacturers to take advantage of the large market to set up their factories in the country.

He recalled his visit to Japan for the Tokyo International Conference on African Development and expressed appreciation to the out-going Ambassador for his hard work while in Nigeria.

Uesawa said he enjoyed the cooperation and friendship of the Government and people of Nigeria during his nearly four-year stay in the country.

He said he was privileged and “proud” to witness Nigeria’s successful elections, as well as many other developments in the country.

PERATIVES of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have aborted an attempt by drug traffickers to smuggle into the country 2.250kg of cocaine concealed in bed sheets.

Three suspected drug traffickers, including a woman, have been arrested over their alleged involvement in the failed attempt.

The woman arrived from Sao Paulo, Brazil with 2.250kg of cocaine concealed in bed sheets inside her luggage. The two other suspects, both of them men, were caught on their way out of the country.

Folashade Agu, 47, was caught with 2.250kg of cocaine. Opara Uche Jeremiah, 39, was caught with 1.575kg cocaine and Chukwuma Odinaka, 26, was arrested with 500 grammes of methamphetamine.

The Chairman/Chief Executive of the antidrug Agency, Ahmadu Giade, commended officers for the arrests and seizures. “The prompt interception is commendable. Gradually, drug trafficking cartels will be completely emasculated by our daily efforts of arrests and seizures. Members of the public must protect their

Single term is odd, says Dabiri-Erewa

By Emmanuel Oladesu Deputy Political Editor

HOUSE of Representatives member Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa has objected to the proposed single term of six years for the president and governors.

She told our correspondent in Lagos that, the proposal was odd, stressing that there was never a time the tenure of the President and governors was a bone of contention in the country.

Dabiri-Erewa, who represents Ikorodu Constituency, suspected a hidden agenda in the push for a single term.

Dabiri said the stakeholders have never complained about the tenure of the President and governors as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution, despite the fact that the document is severely flawed.

She said: “What Nigerians expect from the President is action and fulfillment of his promise to transform Nigeria. If electricity is resolved, if there is employment for youths, if federal roads are rehabilitated and if there is security in the country, the job of the President is done. But there is no evidence yet that the President is about to do all these.”

The legislator said the proposal was to pave the way for tenure elongation.

O

• Governor Abiola Ajimobi and the Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Samuel Odulana Odugade during the governor’s visit to the monarch...yesterday PHOTO: NAN

Umar seeks trial of Obasanjo, others •Ex-governor seeks action on failed privatisation

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ORMER Kaduna State Military Governor, Col. Abubakar Umar (rtd) yesterday challenged President Goodluck Jonathan to prosecute former President Olusegun Obasanjo and all those indicted in the on-going Senate probe of the privatisation process.

Col. Umar, in a statement made available to The Nation in Kaduna, said it will be a disservice to the nation to leave those indicted unprosecuted.

He said: “The Federal Government owes it to posterity to order for an investigation into these disasters immediately and not to wait a day longer. To wait until Chief Obasanjo might have died … would expose it to charges of wickedness. When that happens, it would have no coherent defence.”

In the statement entitled “Do It Now”, Umar said: “It is up to the officials of the sold ALSCON, Delta Steel, Ajaokuta, NICON Insurance, Nigeria Re etc at insignificant fractions of their true values to convince the courts that they were motivated by a desire to help the motherland and not some other deity.

“If the Federal Government comes round to appointing judicial commissions to enquire into some of the other scandals that had beset public policy implementation over the recent past, Nigerians would surely be happy to help.

“Indeed not a few Nigerians are keen to know why all the major initiatives embarked upon during the eight years Chief Obasanjo had ruled the country – privati-

‘The shock comes not from hearing that mistakes have been made but from the fact that the mistakes were probably the result of widespread conspiracy’ From Tony Akowe, Kaduna

zation, power sector reforms, alienation of Federal Government Properties, 2003 general elections, 2007 general elections etc; have been such spectacular failures.”

He added: “Even for a people long used to the shenanigans of bureaucrats and the frequent scandals within government, the revelations from the just concluded Senate hearings into the implementation of the privatisation programme since 1999, have left many Nigerians sick with outrage.

“The shock comes not from hearing that mistakes have been made but from the fact that the mistakes were probably the result of widespread conspiracy.

Even more telling is the attempt by some of the officials to obfuscate the issues, believing obviously that the public lacks the capacity to tell an honest mistake from a swindle when they see one.

“No matter how hard they tried to sound civil and non alarmist, witness after wit-

ness that has come before the Senate Ad-Hoc Committee ended up giving evidence that showed our privatization project is all but a fool’s errand.

“Almost without exception, the witnesses stressed one recurring issue: that implementation of the privatisation scheme since 1999 has been characterised by bad faith, depredation, embezzlement, fraud, swindle and, at times, outright theft by officials and clients alike.

“Often, the details cited are truly horrendous. But, let’s face it: much of it are hardly new. Over the years, many public policy analysts, newspaper columnists, NGO’s and a host of whistle blowers had suspected mischief and have made spirited efforts to persuade the Federal Government investigate the privatisation process.

“The Senate should therefore be commended for responding to this outcry even at this late hour. One would earnestly hope that the exercise is not one of the usual gimmicks designed to douse public agitations. For the sake of the present and future generations of our countrymen, this is one enquiry which needs to be carried out to its logical conclusion”.

Justifying the privatisation exercise, Col. Umar said “let this be said quickly, however: the case for privatisation and perhaps commercialisation of certain public enterprises has been well made.

“No attempt should be made within or outside the government to reverse or abandon it due to these lapses terrible as they are.”

By Kelvin Osa-Okunbor

precious lives by shunning drug trafficking,” Giade said.

Giade added that though there was no leakage of the ingested drug, one of the suspects, Jeremiah, went wild due to body reaction to the ingested cocaine and was rushed to the hospital.

The 39-year-old ingested 83 wraps of cocaine weighing 1.575kg. While he was still excreting the drugs, he went berserk and was rushed to the hospital. After treatment, he became normal and was discharged. Opara had been living in Padova, Italy for over nine years. He said poverty led him into drug trafficking. “I have been living in Italy for over nine years and my living condition is poor; that was what made me to smuggle drugs. I thank God for surviving,” he said.

Agu, who sells clothes at Balogun market, Lagos Island, hails from Ekiti State.

She said: “I am a widow with six children. I regret my involvement in drug trafficking.”

Odinaka, who is a technician, concealed 500 grammes of Methamphetamine in the metal handle of his luggage on his way to Malaysia. He too said hardship made him to smuggle drugs.

The NDLEA said the suspects would be charged to court after investigations.

Police Commissioner warns applicants with fake credentials

By Titilayo Banjoko

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HE Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr Yakubu Alkali, yesterday advised applicants with fake credentials to stay off the screening for recruitment into the

force.

He is to supervise the screening.

Alkali, who disclosed that over 1,200 applicants registered for the exercise, warned that anybody caught with fake documents would face the wrath of the law.

Speaking with reporters yesterday at Lagos Police Command, Ikeja, he said those who forged documents, claiming to be indigenes of Lagos State, would be screened out.

‘80% job seekers failed NNPC test’ • $2.7m scholarship for Nigerians From John Ofikhenua, Abuja

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HE Group Managing Director of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Austen Oniwon, is worried over the dwindling standard of education in Nigeria.

He said yesterday that 80 per cent of job seekers failed the corporation’s recruitment test.

Group General Manager (GGM), Group Public Affairs of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Dr. Levi Ajuonuma, who represented him at the grand finale of the 2011 NNPC annual quiz competition in Abuja, called for a review of the nation’s education system due to the mass failure at ordinary level examinations.

But the Educational Adviser to the United States, Mallam Dalhatu Hamza, told students that the US has earmarked $2.7million as scholarship to brilliant Nigerians students this year.

Hamza challenged the students to face their studies squarely, adding that handsome rewards are available for excellence.

He told the competitors that the US had already earmarked $2.7million as scholarship to excellent Nigerians this year.

On the declining standard of education, the GMD said: “The recent mass failure of candidates in WAEC and NECO exams nationwide makes the call for an urgent surgical review of our schools system more urgent than envisaged.

“Also our current experience in the ongoing recruitment exercise where candidates with the so-called 2:1 certificates post less than 20 per cent score line in some cases has heightened our apprehension about the lack of functionality in our education format. Over dependence on certificates is not the best. Over 80 per cent of the candidates who wrote the NNPC recruitment exams failed,” he said.

He advised the students to tailor their careers towards valuable courses.

Oniwon also advised the competitors to embrace hard work if they want to work in corporations.

THE NATION TUESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2011

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NEWS Govt to immunise children against cervical cancer •First Lady laments 8,000 yearly women deaths From Dele Anofi, Abuja

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HERE was cheery news yesterday for Nigerian girls aged between nine and 15. They are to be immunised against cervical cancer, the Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu disclosed.

A complete dose of the Human Papiloma Vaccine (HPV) would protect against the disease for life, the minister said.

Statistics have shown that no fewer than 8,000 Nigerian women die from cervical cancer yearly from about 10,000 that are infected by the disease. Globally, 452,000 new cases are recorded yearly with developing countries responsible for 80 per cent of the burden.

But President Goodluck Jonathan’s wife, Dame Patience promised that the government would not relent in its efforts prevent the dreaded disease in the country, even as the World Health Organization (WHO) appealed that the initiative of protecting the children from contacting the disease through immunisation should not be jettisoned.

Speaking yesterday in Abuja during the conclusion of the third dose of immunising 186 girls, Prof. Chukwu said having identified the effects of cancer on individuals and the country at large, government was determined to put in place appropriate preventive and curative mechanisms.

He said that 186 girls had kick-started the pilot project with the first dose in February, the second dose applied in March before its completion yesterday.

The minister said the Federal Government would not spare the cost to ensure that girls are protected from the killer disease. “Mass campaign of immunising girls of that age range would soon commence” he said.

In her remarks, Mrs Jonathan who described the high level of the disease in Nigeria as disturbing, however, stressed that Nigerians need not despair.

Her words:”I can assure you today that there is no need to worry anymore because it is preventable. Today’s event has shown government’s determination to prevent our younger generation from being infected by the disease.

“I assure all Nigerians that the administration of Goodluck Jonathan will keep up the pressure until the disease is eradicated from our country.”

Nursing mothers preach exclusive breastfeeding

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URSING mothers have been charged to observe the sixmonth exclusive breast- period to reduce the rate of child mortality in the country.

The Coordinator, Baby Friendly Initiative, a NonGovernmental Organisation (NGO), Mrs. Chinwe Chukwukere, gave the advice yesterday at a sensitisation meeting, marking this year’s Breast Feeding Week celebration in Owerri, the Imo State capital.

Mrs. Chukwukere who spoke on the theme of the celebration: “Talk to me, breast-feeding-a 3D Experience,” explained that every child needs breast milk to survive because it contains all food nutrents.

Presidential Poll: Tribunal fixes Aug 29 for Buhari’s motion •Jonathan, PDP, INEC to reply CPC’s motion

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HE Presidential Election Petition Tribunal yesterday adjourned till August 29 for hearing on a motion filed by the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) in which it is asking the panel to enter judgment in its favour in the petition filed against the victory of President Goodluck Jonathan in the April 16 presidential poll.

The adjournment followed requests by President Goodluck Jonathan, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to reply to the motion.

The CPC’s counsel, Mr. Oladipo Opeseyi had told the panel that all efforts made to access the sensitive electoral materials as ordered by the tribunal were frustrated by the INEC. The Respondents who informed the panel chaired by the Court of Appeal President, Justice Isa Ayo Salami that they were served the motion late indicated interest to file Counter-Affidavit.

The CPC which is asking the tribunal to cancel the results of the election in 20

From Kamarudeen Ogundele, Abuja

states wants the tribunal to hold that Jonathan and his running mate, Namadi Sambo were not duly elected by majority of lawful votes cast at the election.

The opposition party is alleging substantial non-compliance with the Electoral Act and irregularities in Lagos, Bayelsa, Kaduna, Sokoto, Nasarawa, Kwara, Adamawa, Abia, Akwa-Ibom, Enugu and Cross River.

Others are Rivers, Ebonyi, Bayelsa, Delta, Imo Anambra, Benue, Plateau states and the FCT. In a motion on notice, the CPC accused the INEC of colluding to frustrate its efforts at regaining the allegedly stolen mandate from Jonathan.

The party said all efforts made to assess the sensitive materials which the tribunal had ordered the commission to allow it access to met a brick wall.

The INEC, having violated the order of the tribunal, CPC wants the panel to enter judgment in its favour.

The motion was brought pursuant to paragraphs 18(11)

of the first schedule of the Electoral Act 2010 as amended, section 149 (d) of the Evidence Act and under the inherent powers of the honourable tribunal.

The petitioner is seeking the following reliefs: *An order of this Honourable Court entering Judgment in favor of the Petitioner in Petition No. CA/ A/EPT/PRES/1/2011 under Paragraph 18(11) of the 1st Schedule to the Electoral Act, 2010 as amended and Section 149 of the Evidence Act on the ground that the order for inspection granted by this Honourable Court on the 24th day of May, 2011 is refusal or failure or neglect of the Respondent s to comply with the terms contained in the said order.. * And for such further or other orders as this Honourable Tribunal may deem fit to make in the circumstances.

The application is predicated on the following grounds: *That the Petitioner was one of the registered political parties that contested the Presidential Election

•Jonathan

held on the 16th day of April, 2011 and had in consequence thereof demanded for election materials from the 1st Respondent vide series of letters written to that effect before, during and at the conclusion of the election. *That 1st (INEC) and 2nd (Prof. Attahiru Jega) Respondents denied the Petitioner’s request by failing to make copies of the requested election materials available to the Applicant and the Applicant was as a result forced to file an application dated the 15th May, 2011 for an order directing the 1st and 2nd Respondents to produce for the inspection of the Applicants and permitting it to take copies of the election material used in the conduct of the election. *That this Honourable Court had on the 24th day of May, 2011 granted an order pursuant to the application referred to in paragraph 2 above.

From Emma Mgbeahurike, Owerri

She said that breast-feeding makes the nursing mother and her baby not only healthy, but free from sickness and maintain good wealth all the time.

Chukwukere said that the compulsory six months of breast-feeding should be given to every child after which complimentary foods can be introduced.

She enumerated some of the benefits of exclusive breast-feeding to include; saving the family income, complete food and making the food readily available at all time.

The coordinator described information as an essential part of protecting, promoting, and supporting breast-feeding.

Doctors decry insecurity in Nigeria From Adimike George, Onitsha

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HE National Association of Resident Doctors of Nigeria (NARD) yesterday condemned what it described as “increasingly worsening security slide in the nation often occasioning reckless loss of innocent lives and monumental destruction of property”.

The NARD, rising from its National Executive Council (NEC) meeting in Asaba, Delta State, flawed the reactionary approach to crime fighting.

Its President, Dr. Nnebue Chinomso, told reporters: “NEC berated the hitherto frustrating ineffectiveness of our security agents and more so, the crude strategy of field deployment of firearms in addressing security challenges which inadvertently but nonetheless put the hapless public in harms way.”

He said that members of the association reckoned that “unless our continuous drift in this inglorious path is timely and decisively checked, our survival as a nation could be lethally threatened”.

Chinomso urged the government to, “as a matter of national urgency, move beyond lame rhetoric and indiscrete use of firearms in confronting manifest security issues to a preventive paradigm driven by virile intelligence”.

On the new national minimum wage, NARD said it viewed government evasiveness on the issue as a mark of insensitivity to the concerns of the Nigerian workers, adding that it was quite regrettable that genuine commitment hardly matched apparent government determination in Nigeria .

He insisted: “Government should renege no further on its bilateral agreement on the national minimum wage. Nothing short of timely, uniform and unstratified implementation would be acceptable to the association.”

•Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi administering the polio vaccine during the Stakeholders' Forum on Polio Eradication in Ado-Ekiti... yesterday

Chigbue: Obasanjo didn’t ask me to ignore Atiku

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ORMER Director General of the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) Mrs. Irene Chigbue yesterday denied alleging that former President Olusegun Obasanjo ordered her to ignore Vice-President Atiku Abubakar.

A newspaper report on the Ad-hoc committee investigating the privatisation process in the National Assembly on sunday said that Chigbue alleged that former President Obasanjo directed her to ignore the National Council on Privatisation (NCP) then under Atiku.

Chibgue was quoted as saying that Obasanjo directed her to pass all issues on privatisation through the

From John Ofikhenua, Abuja

then Minister of Finance, Mrs. Nenadi Usman.

But the former BPE’s boss in a rejoinder made available to reporters in Abuja yesterday said: “On the matter of writing to both President Olusegun Obasanjo and Vice President Atiku Abubakar, I did not state that I was ordered by the former to ignore the latter. I explained that before my appointment some memoranda were sent to the President. Memoranda sent to the Vice President were also copied the President.”

She further explained that from early 2007, there was a vaccum and memoranda

were sent to Mr. President until the then Minister of Finance assumed the position of Acting Chairman of NCP in accordance with the law.

On privatisation proceeds, Chigbue denied admitting that that the BPE breached the provisions of the law.

She said: “On privatisation proceeds, I did not concede that the BPE had breached the provisions of the law as I explained that BPE’s construction of the relevant provisions of the Act since 1999 was the proceeds referred to not the net proceeds.”

The former BPE helmsman claimed that she in-

formed the committee that the proceeds were kept in the banks funding the transactions until all necessary deductions for payment of all liabilities before the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) accounts.

Chigbue said she told the committee that in some instances bidders were refunded their payments as in the refineries and the Nigeria Unity Line as well as pensions, gratuities and salary arrears of workers.

She claimed that between 2005 and 2009 as the DirectorGeneral of Bureau, she had the priviledge of privatising 90 enterprises in over 110 transactions with gross proceeds of about N200billion.

THE NATION TUESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2011

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NEWS Amaechi assures Rivers N250b bond investors of quick returns

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IVERS State Governor Chibuike Amaechi yesterday assured prospective investors in the N250 billion Rivers bond of quick returns on their investments.

The governor spoke when a team of Standard and Poors, a global public finance rating body, led by its Director International/Sovereign Public Finance, Mr. Lorenzo Pareja, visited him at the Government House, Port Harcourt.

Amaechi said the state had worked out the modalities for paying back the loan.

He said: “We assure all those who would invest in the bond that they would get back their money with good returns in good time.”

The governor, who reiterated the rationale behind the bond, said the it would assist the government to fund ongoing projects such as the new M-10 Highway, the Greater Port Harcourt City, the Monorail, the New Mega Hospital, the new Rivers State University of Science and the Technology Complex, among others.

“What I’ve told them is that we must pay back within our tenure,” Amaechi said.

The governor said his administration would not wait for the monthly revenue allocation to drive development.

He said: “This administration needs money to complete its projects. Our target is to be able to fund capital expendi-

ture. If we wait for Federal Government revenue, we may not be able to complete our projects on time.

“In the next four years, our projected revenue is estimated at between N900 billion and N1 trillion.”

Currently, he said, the internally generated revenue (IGR) has risen from N4.5 billion to N5 billion, making the state viable to repay its debts without stress.

Pareja intimated the governor that the team was in the state to carry out its yearly monitoring and assessment of the Rivers State credit ability.

So far, he said that the state has shown remarkable improvements in the management of its resources and governance in general.

Considering the current economic boom the state is witnessing, the Standard and Poor’s Director stated that the government could go ahead to issue the bond, noting that it is in line with the Rivers State capital expenditure.”

“We have heard of plans by the state to issue bond in the capital market. This is quite historic because it’s the first time Rivers State is doing it.

N250billion capital expenditure is a substantial investment.” Pareja said.

He added:“We hope that this very remarkable investment plan will have a lasting impact on the state and its internally generated revenue.”

Suspected suicide bomber killed in Borno

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HE police yesterday killed a suspected suicide bomber in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital.

The “suicide bomber” was said to have attempted to force a heavily laden vehicle with explosives into the police command headquarters.

Vigilant policemen shot him dead when the car crashed into a tree.

Hundreds of applicants for Cadet Inspectors were said to be undergoing tests during a recruitment exercise when the “suicide bomber” attempted to force his way into the premises.

The Police said they were analysing the exhibits retrieved from the car.

These included six gas cylinders, strapped with explosives; six jerry cans of fuel and a small drum.

Joint Task Force (JTF) spokesman Col. Mohammed Hassan said he would later address reporters.

Maiduguri had witnessed a relative lull in bombing attacks in recent days.

‘Fake’ witness testifies at Bauchi tribunal From Austine Tsenzughul, Bauchi

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“FAKE WITNESS” yesterday testified before the Bauchi State and National Assembly Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Bauchi.

The witness was summoned by the petitioner’s counsel to give evidence in a petition filed by Bala Muazu Shira of Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) against Auwwal Hassan of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) for the Shira/Giade State Constituency.

Bala Muazu is challenging the election of Auwwal Hassan into the House of Assembly, alleging irregularities, malpractices and violations of the Electoral Act as amended.

The petitioner’s counsel had named the Head of Gaza Hamlet Ward, Mallam Mohammed Kabir Aliyu, as a witness who would testify in the matter.

However, another person was called into the witness box.

During cross-examination, the witness gave his name as Ali Bako Hussaini, a one-time councilor in Shira Local Government Area.

Counsel to the petitioner had admitted that the witnessed had impersonated the Ward Head and sought the tribunal’s leniency.

Tribunal Chairman Justice Maria Sanda Zukogi directed the tribunal Secretariat to ensure that the fake witness was investigated “for impersonation and forgery”.

She adjourned the matter till tomorrow to enable the petitioner’s counsel call his witnesses.

The “fake” witness was whisked away to the State Police Command by policemen attached to the tribunal.

•A part of the town ravaged by the flood...yesterday

Rains destroy 42 homes in Taraba

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ORRENTIAL rains have destroyed 42 houses and rendered homeless 20 residents of Jalingo, the Taraba State capital.

Economic trees and livestock, particularly birds, were also destroyed by the downpour.

The heavy rains began on Sunday noon and continued for over four hours before it subsided.

By Sunday midnight, the rains again began and continued till yesterday afternoon, wrecking havoc in Jalingo and its environs.

When The Nation visited the scenes of destruction, the affected persons were seen lamenting their fate.

From Fanen Ihyongo, Jalingo

Several commercial and residential buildings were submerged by the rain water.

The roofs of many buildings were blown off and the floods threatened the foundation of many others.

There were floods in several compounds, rooms and kitchens.

Household items were washed away and foodstuffs were polluted.

Kiosks and other make-shift shelters were seen afloat in the flood. Some streets were buried by debris.

At the suburbs, farm crops were either buried or washed

away by flood.

“I lost over 70 birds (chickens and turkeys) to the disaster,” a resident said.

The popular Green Beach, owned by Aminu Kotolo, at the shores of River MayoGwai, was submerged and parts of the complex destroyed.

Another business centre, owned by AA Kassa, located at Hammaruwa Way, was also submerged and much of its buildings wrecked.

Businesses and public works were paralysed.

The newly constructed Nukai Bridge was submerged as the rains increased the volume of the river water.

Traffic flow on the usually

busy Wukari-Yola Road was hampered.

Passengers and residents gathered in fear, staring at the turbulent current of the river as it flowed on the bridge.

They recalled a similar incident which led to the collapse of the (old) bridge in September, 2005.

In the disaster, 109 persons died, including a Deputy Commissioner of Police and a lecturer with his two-year-old child.

Geologists and geomorphology experts said the downpour saturated underground water, stopping surface run-offs and rivulets from infiltration and percolation into the soil.

Fire razes two-storey building in Lagos

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O fewer than 52 persons, including children and women, were rendered homeless in Lagos by a fire that razed about eight apartments of four-bedroom flats in Yaba.

The fire occurred at 3, Alhaji Mudashiru Awe Street, off Herbert Macaulay Way. Though nobody died in the inferno, it was gathered that the fire destroyed household items and the third floor half of the remaining floors.

The cause of the fire could not be immediately ascertained. The occupants of the building were said to be at work when the fire started.

An officer of the Lagos State Fire Service from Sare Iganmu branch, who spoke in confidence, told The Nation that an electricity spark might have caused the fire.

He said his team responded to a call after order had come from the headquarters.

“Though we were alerted from our headquarters, we could not do anything unless we receive an order from our headquarters,” he said.

It was learnt that the fire was first sighted by a shop owner, who raced to the com-

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•The building... yesterday

By Olalekan Yusuf

pound to confirm.

The lady alerted other shop owners and neighbours who tried in vain to stop the fire.

Some of the occupants were reportedly phoned and they

found their property destroyed by fire.

In a statement, an official of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Awodimila Adedeji, confirmed the incident.

He urged Nigerians to

switch off their electrical and electronics appliances before leving home.

Adedeji warned against indiscriminate use of inflammables, which he said could cause fire and destroy lives and property.

Businessman kidnapped in Port Harcourt

BUSINESSMAN Mr. Sam Adegboyega was last Tuesday kidnapped in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.

Adegboyega, Managing Director of Sowsco Wells Services is an uncle of the Special Adviser to the President on International Affairs Dr. Pius Osunyikanmi.

He was kidnapped at about 8.30pm He arrived from work into

the waiting arms of gunmen, who were lurking around his residence in Eliada Estate in Rumuogba area of the city.

Adegboyega, an engineer, hails from Ile-Oluji in Ondo State but has lived and worked in Port Harcourt for over 30 years and has contributed immensely to the economy of the state.

He worked with Dowell Schlumberger for almost 13 years and rose to become the

highest ranking Nigerian in the company before he retired to found Sowsco Wells Services Ltd which has grown to become one of the foremost indigenous oil and gas service companies in Nigeria.

An ardent believer in the local content policy of the Federal Government in the oil and gas industry and he has never relented in the development of the Nigerian

manpower in the industry.

He is one of the founding members of the Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria (PETAN).

Many Rivers State indigenes have benefitted immensely from his company in form of employment and scholarships.

His kidnap has thrown his home town into panic and his aged mother is in severe distress.

THE NATION TUESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2011

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NEWS Airport, not priority, says Fayemi From Sulaiman Salawudeen, Ado Ekiti

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KITI State Governor Kayode Fayemi has said the construction of an airport is not a priority of his administration.

Fayemi told reporters yesterday that he was more concerned about rehabilitating the road linking Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, with Akure, the Ondo State capital.

He said the recovery of N2 billion federal allocation trapped in the Education Trust Fund (ETF) and the construction of 348-kilometres federal roads in the state were priorities of his administration.

Fayemi is anxious about the take-off of the Federal University approved for the state. He said all impediments to its smooth take-off would be resolved with President Goodluck Jonathan.

The governor promised to ensure the completion of all federal projects in the state and see to it that indigenes get employment slots meant for them in line with the Federal Character policy.

He said the Minister of Works, Mike Onomeloemen, has assured him that the 348-kilometre federal roads would soon be rehabilitated and the money spent on the dualisation of the Ado-Ifaki road by the state government would be refunded.

Fayemi said when the money trapped in the ETF is recovered, it would be expended on developing the Ekiti State University (EKSU), formerly University of Ado Ekiti (UNAD).

He said Junior and Senior Secondary Schools in the state would be merged and assured teachers that their jobs would not be affected by the proposed restructuring.

Fayemi said he has presented an investment plan on crops, such as cocoa, cassava, rice and oil plantation, where Ekiti has comparative advantages, to the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Mallam Lamido Sanusi, for large scale farming.

He said he has also met with the Minister of Trade and Investment, Dr. Olusegun Aganga, on how to make Ekiti an enterprise development zone with potential in the nonoil sector.

Amosun: God brought me to serve

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OVERNOR Ibikunle Amosun yesterday said he has made a covenant with God to serve the people of Ogun State diligently.

Amosun spoke at his office in Abeokuta, the state capital, while receiving members of Nigeria Prays, led by its National Convener and former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon (rtd).

He described the mandate given to him by the people of the state as “a challenge and a call to serve humanity.”

Amosun said: “We cannot have too much of prayer. I’m sure you have followed how we got to where we are in Ogun State. We’re here today because God took charge.”

Describing his team as “custodians of power,” the governor said he would ensure that at the end of his tenure, the people would praise his team for a job well done.

General Gowon described the election that brought Amosun into office as the

most popular in the state and urged him to always protect the people’s interest.

He said:“All the people in the state, irrespective of their religion, have given you the mandate to serve them. That comes with a sense of responsibility and if you can do your best in the interest of your people and the government, the people will thank you and God will bless you.

“I assure you that the blessing from the people is the greatest reward you can ever receive.”

Also, the government has begun the repair of township roads in the 20 local government areas of the state.

The rehabilitation of Iganmode and Mefun roads in Ado-Odo/Ota local government; Sapon/Itoku/AgoOba/Lafenwa road in Abeokuta and roads in Folagbade, Ijebu-Ode, have been completed.

Work is ongoing on roads in Makun, Sagamu, AgoIwoye and Ijebu-Igbo.

Ataoja flags off Osun festival From Adesoji Adeniyi, Osogbo

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HE Ataoja of Osogbo, the Osun State capital, Oba Jimoh Oyetunji Olanipekun, yesterday flagged off the twoweek annual Osun Osogbo festival with Iwopopo, the traditional cleansing of the town.

The grand-finale is scheduled for Friday, August 26.

According to the Working Committee’s Chief Festival Consultant, Mr. Ayo Olumoko, over 5,000 foreign guests are expected.

Men of the Nigeria Police Force, State Security Service (SSS), Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) were on ground to ensure security.

Armed policemen barricaded major roads and cordoned off traffic from Ilesa road to the AtaOja’s palace, Jaleyemi junction to Gbaemu, Sabo to Oja-Oba, Station and Oluode Market road to Gbaemu.

Long queues of vehicles were seen on major roads leading to Gbaemu junction, the venue of the ceremony, where the traditional chiefs paid homage to the monarch.

The Ataoja prayed for the progress and unity of indigenes and residents of the town.

Policemen stationed at Isale-Aro and members of a Muslim sect, Alau Samaad, almost clashed when the police did not allow them to move their gadgets to the venue of their Ramadan lecture, not far from where the Iwopopo ceremony was going on.

The programme lasted about six hours.

Minimum wage: Osun labour leaders threaten to beat up anti-union workers •Govt cautions them to be responsible •Students protest lecturers’ strike

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HE N18,000 minimum wage crisis is yet to be resolved in Osun State, where a strike has hit the seventh day.

Labour leaders are threatening to beat up any worker, who reports at work.

Some civil servants reported for work yesterday.

At a meeting held in Fakunle Comprehensive High School yesterday, sources said, labour leaders instructed union members to put horsewhips in their bags and beat up any civil servant, including their senior colleagues, found at work today.

The government urged workers to beware of “sponsored agents hiding under the guise of minimum wage agitation.”

It cautioned them to be responsible and committed to the state’s development.

In a statement, the Director, Bureau of Communications and Strategy in the Governor’s Office, Mr. Semiu Okanlawon, said: “It is important to state that as part of government, workers are also responsible for the development of the state and the wellbeing of its citizens, particularly those that are not on government’s payroll.

“It is one of their responsibilities as part of govern-

From Adesoji Adeniyi, Osogbo

ment to ensure that basic infrastructures are made available in all nooks and crannies of the state.”

He said as much as the government would want to satisfy the demands of the citizenry, it would be unreasonable to spend all its resources on wages without meeting the needs of other sectors.

“Government has offered full implementation of the N18,000 minimum wage for workers on levels 1-7 and has also agreed to extend the implementation of the agreement to other levels.

“With the agreement reached with the leadership of the Organised Labour at last Friday’s meeting, it will cost the government N1.3 billion to pay salaries monthly.

“If this is added to the N400 million expended monthly on the payment of pensions and gratuities, the overall monthly wage bill will be N1.7 billion; leaving a paltry N100 million for government to meet other obligations (i.e. monthly allocation of government revolves around N1.8 billion).

“Given the paucity of funds, not every demand of labour can be met at the same

time. It is government’s hope that labour would see reasons and co-operate with it on its proposals on the minimum wage issue.

“This is a workersfriendly government, which is concerned with welfare. But it is also in the interest of workers and the entire people of the state, to allow for developmental projects that will make life more meaningful for all.”

Also yesterday, students of the four state-owned tertiary institutions disrupted traffic and commercial activities in Osogbo, the state capital, for over four hours.

The students of the College of Education, Ila; College of Education, Ilesa; State Polytechnic, Iree; and College of Technology, Esa-Oke; in their hundreds, protested the inability of the government and their striking lecturers to reach a meeting point on the minimum wage.

The protesters, who blocked the road from Olaiya junction to Old Garage and Oke-fia with their buses, laid mats on the road and were playing Ludo games.

They were also seen observing the afternoon Muslim prayers.

Policemen had a difficult time controlling the situation.

State Chairman of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) Seun Abosede, who led the protest, said their action was aimed at sensitising the people on their plight.

He said they had not been receiving lectures and their examinations were around the corner.

“Our future is at stake and it seems nobody cares. Both parties should urgently resolve the minimum wage issue and let us move on with our academics.

“The wage crisis between the government and workers of the tertiary institutions is affecting us. The indefinite strike embarked upon by the workers would prolong our stay in school,” Abosede lamented.

The students also called on the government to prevail on the authorities of the College of Education, Ilesa, to reinstate five of their colleagues that were expelled.

Abosede said the affected students, Oluwaseun Oyelami; Abdulkabir Afolabi; Nurudeen Oladejo; Oluwaseyi Olagunju and Samuel Awowole, were expelled for agitating for a reduction in tuition fees.

•Governor Adams Oshiomhole (left) congratulating Mrs. Stella Uwuigbe after she was sworn-in as the Solicitor-General of Edo State...yesterday

Tribunal rejects PDP’s application against Ajimobi T

HE petition filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) contesting the election of Oyo State Governor Abiola Ajimobi yesterday suffered a setback.

The tribunal rejected the PDP’s application to invite officials of the United States Embassy to give evidence on the claim that Ajimobi possesses American citizenship.

The PDP had filed a petition, claiming that the governor was not qualified to contest the election because he allegedly has dual citizenship.

Ruling on the application yesterday, Chairman of the panel Justice Abdulkadir

From Bisi Oladele, Ibadan

Mu’azu Pindiga held that the tribunal lacks jurisdiction to grant the application because officials of the US Embassy enjoy diplomatic immunity on legal processes in Nigeria.

He said: “We must protect the integrity of our country and not subject it to the whims and caprices of the US. There are other means by which the petitioner could honourably pursue its case and get the desired result.

“The tribunal does not accede to the application

of the petition. It is, accordingly, rejected because it is an exercise in futility and we lack jurisdiction.”

PDP’s lead counsel N.O. Oke (SAN) said the ruling had altered the evidential procedure of the petitioner.

Oke said his last witness, PDP Secretary Bashiru Akanbi, was absent in court due to an illness, and moved for adjournment.

Counsel to Ajimobi and the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) Mr. Michael Lana and the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC’s) lawyer,

Mr. Ahmed Raji, did not oppose Oke’s application for adjournment.

Oke said the document to be supplied by the Nigeria Immigration Service in respect to the case was not certified and so, could not be admitted.

Director of Legal Services Mrs. S. P. Adewale, who represented the Minister of Interior, said she was in possession of an uncertified copy of Ajimobi’s international passport issued on September 30, 2009. She assured the tribunal that a day was enough to certify the passport copy.

Hearing was adjourned till September 5.

THE NATION TUESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2011

8

NEWS Akwa Ibom refutes ACN statement AKWA IBOM State Commissioner for Information and Social Orientation Aniekan Umanah yesterday refuted allegations by the chairman of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Dr Amadu Attai that the state was under developed.

According to him, the governor’s unrivalled human, physical and social development efforts have earned him local and international recognitions.

He listed free education for pupils in primary and secondary schools; free healthcare services for infants below six , the aged above 65 as well as expectant mothers and the empowerment of the people through small and medium scale enterprises, as some of the feats achieved by the administration.

He said: “Not long ago, the state banned commercial motorcycles and gave tricycles to thousands of people.

“It also earmarked money as a revolving loan. This government takes pride in not only the physical transformation of the state but also the human development.”

‘Delta Steel sale not revoked’

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HE Senate Ad-Hoc committee investigating the privatisation of public companies by the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) has not revoked the sale of Delta Steel Company, a member of the committee has said.

Speaking on a condition of anonymity, the committee member said the decision on whether to revoke the sale of the company would be taken by the Senate when the committee completes its assignment and makes recommen-

From Augustine Ehikioya, Abuja

dations.

“We are now analysing all the documents and information received so far. No conclusion has been reached yet,” he stated The former Director General of BPE, Dr Julius Bala, told the committee that although the bid for the sale of the company was won by BUA Company at the cost of $25million, it was sold to Global Infrastructure at the

cost of $30million.

He initially denied ever signing the concession agreement that sold the company to Global Infrastructure.

Bala later admitted that although he endorsed the agreement before leaving BPE, the transaction was carried out by the Ministry of Power and Steel.

A lawyer, Max Ozoaka, last week cautioned the Federal Government against revoking the sale of the com-

pany to its present owners, noting that the process that led to the sale met the requirement of the Act establishing BPE. He said any attempt to revoke the sale could destroy the efforts of the government to attract investors.

Ozoaka said while it is true that the bid process between BPE and BUA International Limited was inconclusive, the sale of DSC to GINL was legal and therefore binding on all parties concerned.

THE Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) has urged President Goodluck Jonathan and governors to redouble their efforts in making the future of youths better.

The party’s National Youth Leader, Miriki Ebikibina, made the call in Yenagoa at the World Youth Day celebration in the state.

He said the Presidency and the governors should use their unaccounted security votes to improve the lives of youths.

Ebikibina described as counterproductive and misplaced priority the security votes for the President and governors.

“It is commendable to observe how Imo State Governor Rochas Okorochadiverted about N6.4 billion meant for security votes to education, and how Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbeshola diverted the security votes for his state to employ and empower 20, 000 unemployed youths in the state.

“Other governors can emulate them to make Nigeria better,” he said.

From Osagie Otabor, Benin

T

HE Edo State Government has said its 2010 appropriation budget performed at 76 percent implementation.

A N21billion supplementary budget was last week passed by the House of Assembly.

Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning Chris Ebare yesterday said it was the first time capital expenditure was higher than re-current expenditure in performance.

Ebare said the education and environment sectors performed well in the budget implementation.

His words: “The 2010 budget performed excellently well.

“Edo is the first state to have its capital expenditure performing higher than recurrent expenditure.

“With the new strategy we have put in place in terms of revenue generation, we are the first state to pay the minimum wage, because we have a robust budget.”

Edo gets new Solicitor-General DO State Governor Adams Oshiomhole has said nobody should be seen to be above the law, if the nation’s fledgling democracy must flourish.

The Governor made the statement at the swearing-in of the state’s Solicitor-General, Mrs. Stella Uwuigbe, at the Government House, Benin City, yesterday.

According to him, the maxim “equality before the law” must be adhered to for the people to have confidence in the nation’s democracy.

The governor acknowledged that there are a lot of constraints facing the Ministry of Justice, noting that government is taking measures to address them.

He congratulated the Solicitor-General on her appointment and pledged that government would co-operate with her to ensure the success of her assignment.

Mrs. Unuigbe was born in 1956 and graduated from the University of Ife (OAU) .

She was called to the bar in 1981. Before this appointment, she was the Director of Public Prosecution in the Ministry of Justice.

E

‘Empower youths’ From Isaac Ombe, Yenagoa

‘Our budget was well executed’

•Akwa Ibom State Governor Godswill Akpabio flanked by his wife, Ekaette, and the Consul -General of the Nigerian Embassy in the United States, Geofrey Temialibe, at the 24th annual convention of Akwa Ibom Association USA... yesterday

Tribunal rejects ACN’s witness report

T

HE Akwa Ibom State National Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal yesterday rejected the contentious document submitted by the Returning Officer for Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District, Prof. Des Wilson.

The tribunal chairman, Justice Abdullahi Yusuf, held that the document was not certified and could not be admissible in law.

Justice Yusuf also ruled that the document failed to comply with the relevant sections of the Evidence Act. Other members of the tribunal are: Justices O.S. Olosonye and Mrs. M.S. Ayemeiye.

Wilson is the key witness of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) senatorial candidate for the district, Joe Ukpong.

He wrote to the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Attahiru Jega,

‘The argument put forward on the side of the respondent’s counsel was that the document ought to have been certified.’

From Kazeem Ibrahym, Uyo

using University of Uyo letter head paper.

In the letter, he complained about the electoral fraud committed by some Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) thugs.

He also accused some com-

letter if I have already signed it and it is not the University of Uyo that has to certify it because the Registrar was not there when I conducted the election.

“Why should you ask the University Registrar to certify it?”

Counsel to Senator Aloysius Etok Uwemedimo Nwoko hailed the tribunal’s ruling.

Nwoko explained that the petitioner failed to consider the basic ingredients of the Evidence Act before sending the document.

His words: “I am not surprised by the ruling of the tribunal. I expected it. The report by Prof. Wilson has all the defects of exhibit that should be rejected under the law of evidence.”

Amaechi’s purchase of aircraft criticised •Party threatens court action From Bisi Olaniyi, Port Harcourt

LASU may increase fee

By Adegunle Olugbamila

IX years after the Lagos State University (LASU) increased its tuition fee from N250 to N25,000, another increment appears to be in the offing.

The proposed increment is to shore up the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of the 28-year old university and enhance the quality of its programmes.

Dean of Post-Graduate Studies Prof Babatunde Elemo, who spoke on behalf of the Acting Vice-Chancellor, Prof Ibiyemi Bello, said the proposed increment is inevitable.

Elemo said as a result of the university’s resolve to discontinue part-time programmes, which has been one of its sources of revenue, the school would have to come up with other revenue sources, one of which is the proposed increment.

The planned increment would be done with a human face, he added.

missioners of diverting electoral materials to an unknown location during the poll.

Speaking with reporters after the ruling, Wilson said the tribunal only rejected the document but not the content.

His words: “The tribunal did not reject the content of the document.

“It just rejected the document on grounds of technicalities.

“The argument put forward on the side of the respondent’s counsel was that the document ought to have been certified.

“If I write a paper or letter and I indicate that I am the one who wrote it, the tribunal should take it.

“I don’t have to certify the

S

•Amaechi

HE decision of Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi to trade a jet for a new one from the manufacturer has been described by the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) as ill-timed.

T

The party is threatening a court action.

To be challenged in court also is the “controversial” Procurement Law, which empowers the governor to spend 30 per cent of the state’s annual budget on any project.

The Rivers State chapter of the party, through its Publicity Secretary, Jerry Needam, yesterday in Port Harcourt said the purchase of the $48 million aircraft is not in the interest of the people.

Amaechi had said he could no longer continue to risk his life, while flying the present jet.

ACN said: “The waste of the people’s hard-earned

funds on aircraft just for the governor’s safety and comfort is condemnable.

“Worse still is the failure of the House of Assembly to exercise its oversight functions, but has been turned into a mere rubber stamp of the executive.

“The rehabilitation of deplorable roads, the monorail, power and water for people across the state, the Greater Port Harcourt City project, among others, are no longer Rivers government’s priorities, but the purchase of aircraft.

“Last time, it was a request for N30 billion loan for infrastructural development, the House expressly approved.

“A short while, it was a re-

quest for another N100 billion loan for completion of developmental projects, which the House in like manner approved.

“This time, it is N250 billion repayment bond, another name for loan, the House also approved.

“Amaechi earlier cited purchase of private aircraft as one of the evils of the Dr. Peter Odili-led government and vowed to toe a different path that would benefit the masses.

“The unworthy excuse today is trading the old aircraft for a new one. What a contradiction!”

Of the two jets and one helicopter bought by the Odili-led administration, a DASH 8 propeller aircraft was sold to the Cross River State Government.

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THE NATION TUESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2011

BUSINESS THE NATION

E-mail:- bussiness@thenationonlineng.net

Nigeria to get $2b LNG loan from Japan

-Senator Idris Kuta, Minister for Transport

Naira depreciates against dollar

Board warns oil majors against sacking of Nigerians T

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HE Nigerian National Petroleum Corpora tion (NNPC) plans to accept a $2 billion loan from a group led by the Japan Bank for International Co-operation to fund its share of a $5 billion liquefied natural - gas project.

NNPC, according to Bloomberg, will cut its stake in the proposed Brass LNG plant in the oil-rich Niger River delta to 30 per cent from 49 per cent, according to Levi Ajuonuma, a spokesman.

The decision over the financing of the Brass LNG plant followed a meeting with the Japanese companies last month in Abuja, he said.

The others involved in arranging the loan include LNG Japan, Itochu Corp. and Sojitz Corp, Ajuonuma said.

A final investment decision on the plant at Brass in the southeastern Bayelsa State will be taken in the first quarter, Ajuonuma said. Total SA, Eni SpA and ConocoPhillips each have 17 per cent stakes in the project.

NNPC has “offered four per cent and three per cent to LNG Japan and ITOCHU,” Ajuonuma said. A further two per cent has been offered to a joint venture between Sahara Group and Sempra Energy.

The problem we have in our rail transported is associated with the challenges of road transportation. The roads are overstretched and that is why most of them start becoming bad after one or two years.

T

HE Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) has warned multinational oil companies in exploration and production (E&P) and others in the oil services to stop sacking Nigerians without due process.

Executive Secretary of NCDMB, Mr Ernest Nwapa, an engineer, gave the directive in his speech while receiving a delegation of Jiangsu Yulong Steel Pipe Company of China at the Board’s headquarters in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.

He said the Board is implementing the provisions of the Nigerian Content Act to build capacity in the industry, create and retain jobs for Nigerians, especially in the oil and gas industry.

According to a statement

By Emeka Ugwuanyi

by Board’s Public Affairs Officer, Obinna Ezeobi, Nwapa stated that feedback from the Board’s interaction with stakeholders, reports from staff in the operating companies and complaints from the unions in the industry indicate that operating companies are removing trained and experienced Nigerians and replacing them with expatriates.

Nwapa stressed that any plan to sack Nigerians illegally would be contrary to the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development Act. He said: “A dangerous trend is emerging in the industry regarding human capacity utilisation by the major operators. While the gov-

ernment is making efforts and instituting policies and strategies to create employment and provide conducive environment for the industry, instead of supporting government efforts, operators are perfecting plans to downsize and restructure to remove Nigerians who have gained capacity over the years without recourse to due process.”

The NCDMB chief noted that such plans, especially by the operating and service companies are not driven by any restructuring needs as information available indicates that applications for expatriate quota by these companies to the Board have increased and are often predicated on the reason that experienced hands are not available in the labour mar-

ket.

He reminded operators in the industry that the corner stone of the Board’s mandate is to protect existing human capacity in Nigeria and ensure that Nigerian jobs are not unduly jeopardised.

Consequently, he advised that operators should put such staff layoffs on hold until they can demonstrate the necessity of their actions, especially now and ensure that expatriates are not recruited to work in positions Nigerians can competently hold.

Nwapa drew the attention of the industry to Section 28, sub section (1) of the Nigerian Content Act which provides that Nigerians should be given first consideration for employment and training on projects.

Proposal on Ajaokuta Steel underway

A

PROPOSAL for the phased completion of the troubled Ajaokuta Steel Company Ltd in Kogi State will soon be sent to the Presidency, Senator Nurudeen Abatemi, has said.

Abatemi said after an inspection of the steel complex that the proposal would ensure adequate funding needed for the completion of the company in three years.

He regretted that the nation was yet to enjoy any returns from the five billion-dollar investment in the company.

DATA STREAM COMMODITY PRICES Oil -$109.7/barrel Cocoa - $2,856/metric ton Coffee - ¢132.70/pound Cotton - ¢78.07.pound Gold -$1,161/troy ounce Rubber - ¢146.37/pound MARKET CAPITALISATIONS NSE JSE NYSE LSE

-N7.3 trillion -Z5.112trillion -$10.84 trillion -£61.67 trillion RATES Inflation -10.2% Treasury Bills -2.64% Normal lending -24% Prime lending -18% Savings rate -3% 91-day NTB -6.99% Time Deposit - 6% MPR -8% Foreign Reserve -$34.7bn FOREX CFA 0.281 • 213 £ 241.00 $ 150.7 ¥ 1.5652 SDR 240.3 RIYAL 39.3

• Managing Director, Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN), Mr Gimba Ya’u Kumo and Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mrs. Farida Waziri at the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between FMBN and EFCC on the financing of residential houses for staff members of the commission by FMBN in Abuja ... yesterday.

Investors renew interest in Enterprise Bank • 18 jostle for new institutions • AMCON pegs bonds returns at 10.5%

T

HREE investors have joined the league of firms seeking to buy the three nationalised banks – Mainstreet Bank, Keystone Bank and Enterprise Bank – including one that had earlier bidded for the defunct Springbank Plc – now known as Enterprise Bank.

Chief Executive Officer, Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON), Mustafa Chike-Obi, however, refused to disclose the identity of these investors to The Nation yesterday.

Among those that were shortlisted by Springbank before the takeover by the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) were Cloudleap Partners LCC; GEM Capital CARAM Capital.

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) had penultimate

By Collins Nweze

Friday set up “bridge banks” to acquire the assets and liabilities of the defunct Springbank, BankPHB and Afribank, which were then sold to AMCON. The banks that replaced them are MainStreet Bank Limited (Afribank Plc; Keystone Bank Limited ( Bank PHB) and Enterprise Bank Limited (Springbank).

Thereafter, AMCON injected N679 billion into the new banks via bonds.

MainStreet Bank received N285 billion; Keystone Bank secure N283 billion while Enterprise Bank was given N111 billion. These banks have since liquidated the N170billion bailout funds, which was part of the N620billion injected into 10 banks by the CBN following

the banking sector crises in 2009.

The AMCON boss said contrary to the insinuations that foreign investors are shying away from the country, there have been renewed interest in the nationalised banks.

Chike-Obi said the applications of the investors (both local and foreign) are being assessed by the agency and decisions would be taken based on the merits of their fillings. “We have got 15 proposals from both local and foreign banks that want to buy the three banks. We are looking at the presentations and will consider them based on their merits,” he said.

He said the CBN is at the centre of such considerations and will take decisions based on the ability of such institutions to run the banks effectively and profitably.

The AMCON boss said contributions to the banks were equity capitals, meaning that AMCON is expecting returns in the form of dividends and appreciation of capital. “What we contributed was equity capital. We are owners of the bank,” he said.

According to him, the N679 billion bond given to the three banks to bring them to right capital adequacy levels is a three-year tenured zero couponed instrument with 10.5 per cent yield per annum. He said the bonds can be exchanged for cash immediately they were received from AMCON. Chike-Obi said the capital provided by AMCON will strengthen beneficiary banks’ liquidity positions to enable them to meet their obligations to depositors.

HE naira weakened further against the dol lar on the interbank market yesterday after demand outstripped supply at a bi-weekly foreign exchange auction, traders said.

The naira traded at N153.90 to the dollar on the interbank market, compared to N153.60 per dollar at last Friday’s close.

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) sold $400 million at N151.07 to the dollar at its auction yesterday, short of the $592.04 million demanded, but higher than the $250 million sold at N150.75 to the dollar at the previous auction.

Traders said unmet demand at the official window was re-directed to the interbank market, putting pressure on the naira and causing the local currency to depreciate.

The naira had closed at N154.04 to the dollar last Wednesday, but strengthened to 153.60 by Friday after some oil firms sold dollars to selected lenders during the week.

“The strong demand for the greenback was due to increased activity by gasoline importers and some manufacturing firms importing raw materials for their production,” one dealer said.

Dealers said the local unit of Chevron sold $46 million to lenders yesterday, but that was not enough to support the naira.

Traders said they expected the naira would depreciate further to around N154154.50 to the dollar this week unless there is a major dollar inflow from oil companies.

“We don’t see the naira appreciating this week as we expect the demand pressure to continue in the face of limited supply, unless the central bank increases its dollar supply at the next auction,” another dealer said.

300 tankers for kerosine direct scheme

T

HE Engineering Man ager of Capital Oil and Gas Ltd, Mr Algis Cininas, says the company plans to bring in an additional 300 tankers from abroad for the implementation of the kero direct scheme.

Cininas, who disclosed this yesterday in Abuja in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), said at the moment the company has 80 ultra-modern trucks for the distribution of the commodity. ``As we cover more states, there will be need to bring in additional trucks to meet demand for the commodity,’’ he said.

The indigenous oil and gas company entered into partnership with the NNPC in July for the direct sale of kerosine to the public, through mobile trucks at the official price of N50 per litre.

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AVIATION

Row over service charge deepens T

HE dust is yet to settle over the N2,500 service charge collected from passengers at the Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal 2 (MMA2) by BiCourtney Aviation Services (BAS).

The Nigeria Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) has described the charge as unacceptable.

The body said it aligns itself with the Minister of Aviation, Mrs Stella Oduah-Ogiemwonyi, who ordered that the charge be stopped.

NATCA president Haske Jubrin said the collection of the charge has increased the burden of passengers, who grapple with the in-

Terminal operator raises levy as air traffic controllers kick Stories by Kelvin Osa-Okunbor Aviation Correspondent

creasing air fares on the domestic route. He urged the terminal operator to abide by the ministerial directive.

But BAS is insisting that its collection of the charge has ministerial approval. The firm said the charge is to defray the increasing cost of operations. It added that it resorted to collecting the charge because some airlines were not remitting the levy that is factored into passengers’ fares.

Last week, the Director-General, Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Dr Harold Demuren, affirmed that the Ministry of Aviation has not given any approval to Bi-Courtney to increase the PSC from N1,000 to N2,500.

Chief Operations Officer of BiCourtney Mr. Femi Kolawole, in a statement, said the company had obtained approval from the various authorities at the airport to charge $15 and N650, a total of N3,000 per ticket since December 22, 2006.

NATCA, in a statement signed

by Jubrin, said: “Our attention has been drawn to several newspaper publications condemning the cancellation of the N2,500 Passenger Service Charge (PSC) which BiCourtney Ltd was collecting from air passengers using the Murtala Mohammed Airport (MMA2) terminal by the new Aviation Minister, Princess Stella Adaeze Oduah.

“We are shocked that at a time air travellers were facing harsh economic times following the sudden hike in ticket fares, any wellmeaning Nigerian would take extra pleasure in adding to this burden by defending the obnoxious charge at MMA2.

• Mrs Oduah-Ogiemwonyi. Aviation Minister

“We salute the courage of the minister for standing up on this matter.”

Firms sign agreement

A

RIK Air and Amadeus, a leading travel technology partner and transaction processor for the global travel and tourism industry, said they have signed a five-year full content agreement.

The agreement guarantees Amadeus’ travel agents worldwide access to Arik Air’s fares, schedules and inventory.

“With this new agreement, Arik Air will have competitive and cost effective distribution, by using Amadeus as a partner in Nigeria and in our international markets,” said Kevin Steele Senior Vice President Commercial Arik Air. According to the agreement, the fares, schedules and inventory made available through the Amadeus system will be the same, and under the same conditions, as through any indirect or direct channel, distribution provider or website.

“Amadeus is committed to securing long term distribution agreements that bring full content security to travel agencies and ensure stability in the marketplace,” said Birger Bjornhof, General Manager, Amadeus Nigeria and Ghana.

Chanchangi resumes operations •From left: FAA Senior Representative in Africa, Department of Transport Ms. Moira Keane and Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Alhaji Ibrahim Auyo, at a workshop.

PHOTO: ISAAC JIMOH AYODELE.

Stakeholders seek upgrade of facilities M

EMBERS of the AirFreight Stakeholders Forum (ASF) are demanding the upgrading of cargo handling equipment at airports to aid air freighting.

President, Association of Nigerian Courier Operators Toyin Olufade, said all the designated cargo airport “need state-of-theart facilities and expertise to receive, store, process and ship cargoes.”

Olufade urged service providers to release adequate information on the rules and regulations for cargo carriage by air to prevent forfeiture or loss of cargo.

He said there was need for the relevant authorities to provide dedicated courier reception facilities at all international airports, adding that such facilities would allow the Customs to provide uninterrupted services to courier companies because of the urgent nature of their business.

• FAAN MD, Richard Aisuebeogun

The body said the airports should be turned into a hub, or

hub and spoke network, which would afford airlines and cargo carriers substantial cost reduction and allow them expand their services.

“It is important for government agencies that regulate the activities of operators in the sector to consult and dialogue with operators and other stakeholders before embarking on policy shift or introduce new regulations,” ASF said.

It suggested that a unique security and safety surveillance system be designed for the airports to ensure security of cargo and operators without hindering operation and movement.

He said: “The changes that air freight has caused in world trade has brought about new demands in the area of new market forces, technological shift, carrier designs, size and configuration; specialisation, increased capacity and adequate facilities.”

Turkish Airlines to increase flights into MMIA

T

URKISH Airlines will soon increase its frequency of flights into the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos, its Managing Director, Mr Ali Bulut, has said.

He said plans were also afoot to extend flights either to Kano or Abuja.

Bulut, who spoke to reporters in Lagos, said the airline would soon join the foreign airlines that enjoy multiple entry points into Nigeria.

He explained that the Nigerian market has been good for the carrier and that plans are underway to expand its flights into other Nigerian cities.

He said: “We use Airbus 330 and 340 aircraft and they are always full to the brim. “However, 35 per cent of our total passengers fly to Istanbul while the remaining 65 per cent are transit passengers who fly to other parts of Europe through Lagos. For instance, some

of the passengers that patronise us fly to London, Madrid and other major cities across the world.

“However, having gained the confidence of the flying public with our Lagos-Istanbul flight, the management is thinking of airlifting passengers from either Abuja or Kano airports in 2012. The management has not decided yet, but one thing is certain that we will begin one of the two next year,” he said.

A

FEW months after it stopped operations to carry out major maintenance checks on its aircraft abroad, Chanchangi Airline has resumed flight operations on the domestic routes.

The airline flew from Abuja to Lagos and Lagos to Abuja last week.

Speaking with journalists on the airline’s resumption of flight operations, spokesman of the airline, Olu Balogun said the airline has come back stronger with better determination for safety.

Balogun said the airline offers its one leg ticket on Lagos - Abuja route for N25,000 instead of be-

tween N28,000 and N30,000 charged by other airlines for the same service.

“We want to thank our loyal passengers who remained with us during our dark hours. We are using this forum to inform them that their preferred airline on domestic routes is back with stronger and higher commitment to safety excellent services we are known for.”

Balogun canvassed.

As a token of our appreciation and steadfastness to us we are offering our ticket on the Lagos -Abuja route for N25,000 as against N30, 000 which other airlines charge on the route.

Relief for East Africa drought victims

B

RITISH Airways is flying a relief aircraft full of emer gency supplies and equipment to victims of the food crisis in East Africa, where over half a million people are directly at risk of starvation.

A Boeing 747 freighter with capacity for up to 110 tonnes of cargo, carried aid from Oxfam and UNICEF to the region last week.

Following severe droughts, resulting in the worst food crisis in 20 years, the two charities are among those working in the region to bring much-needed relief to over 12 million people at risk from famine, disease and drought across Somalia, Kenya and Ethiopia.

The aircraft will be carrying 5,000

meters of pipe from Oxfam, which will be used to supply muchneeded water to the Dolo Ado refugee camp in Ethiopia, as well as vital emergency food and medical supplies from UNICEF. Keith Williams, British Airways’ chief executive, said: “The worst drought in 50 years means the lives of millions of people hang in the balance. The generosity of our customers will make a real and tangible difference to those in desperate need.

“It is vital that we get aid from charities such as Oxfam and UNICEF to the most seriously affected areas across East Africa. We want to do what we can to help those caught up in this terrible crisis.”

New dress for airline’s crew

I

N the run-up to the Oktoberfest, a special Lufthansa crew has taken off from Munich dressed in the traditional Bavarian style, the sixth in succession. This time around, the 14-strong inflight team will be heading for three destinations.

The first flight, on September 13, will take them to San Francisco. On September 22, they will depart for Montreal, and on September 28 for São Paolo.

Until October 2, which marks the end of the famous beer festival, the traditional-look Lufthansa crew will bring a touch of Bavaria to selected international flights.

17

THE NATION TUESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2011

MARITIME

NIMASA DG queries rot of equipment D

IRECTOR-GENERAL of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) Mr Patrick Akpobolokemi and reporters were shocked last week, when they visited the zonal office of the agency in Port Harcourt and were shown some highly expensive hospital equipment purchased by his predecessors, but not used before they left office.

The expensive hospital equipment were among the facilities discovered to be wasting away.

The discovery was made during his maiden official visit to NIMASA’s zonal offices in the Eastern ports.

The multi-million naira equipment and tools were said to have been bought six years ago for the agency’s clinic but were deliberately abandoned.

This, Akpobolokemi said, is uncharitable and unacceptable because it represents a harvest of waste in a country where over 80 per cent of the population is in need of medical attention.

More so, he said the agency is facing human and infrastructure challenges in its medical section.

Stories by Oluwakemi Dauda, Maritime Correspondent

He also discovered that some of the offices have dilapidated and documents washed away by rain.

He directed that all documents be stored in a soft ware for preservation and ordered that inventory of the equipment be taken for his immediate attention.

The visit also revealed that the zonal office lacks Internet facility to interface with the head office and lacks electricity as it operates on generator.

The NIMASA boss said the dilapidated offices would be renovated and stressed that a new office would be built for the zones.

Akpobolokemi said the country needs to train over 50,000 seafarers to man vessels operating on Cabotage.

He said there was need for the Federal Government to tap into the enormous opportunities in the maritime sector to provide employment for jobless youths .

Akpobolokemi said: “We are going to open up the industry for local players. The unemployed youths can be taken care by the

• From left: Executive Director, NIMASA, Ishaku Shekarau; Akpobolokemi and Acting Managing Director, Intels, Mr Simone Volpi, during the visit.

PHOTO: OLUWAKEMI DAUDA

maritime industry. We have resolved in NIMASA to key into the Mr President’s agenda and the agency is going to be in the fore front in job creation.”

The President, Akpobolokemi said, must ensure that youths are trained as seafarers to take up these

jobs.

The NIMASA boss observed that up till today, the country transports its crude oil with foreign vessels, imports the refined products with foreign ships, stressing that the ships are also manned by foreigners from India, Malaysia and Phil-

ippines, which he said leaves little or nothing for millions of youths who are jobless.

He urged the Federal Government to show more seriousness about the shipping industry so that many jobless youths could be employed through the sector.

Lawyers, stakeholders challenge minister on wharf rats

M

• Umar

ARITIME lawyers have al leged that over 500 wharf rats are working for government agencies at Tin-Can and Apapa ports, creating confusion and hindering the trade facilitation programme of the Federal Government.

The lawyers alleged that the wharf rats are responsible for damaging imported vehicles, stealing imported items, helping some government agencies at the port to collect illegal fees from importers and clearing agents and causing unnecessary delay for vehicles going and coming out of the port.

Maritime lawyers and other stakeholders in the maritime industry therefore, called on the Minister of Transport, Senator Idris Umar to address the issue of wharf rats that are hindering business activities at the ports.

Speaking at a forum organised by maritime lawyers on port activities at Surulere, Lagos last week, a maritime lawyer, Mr Seyi Atobasere, said there are over 500 wharf rats working for government agencies at Lagos port. He identified their illegal activities as one of the key issues why the Lagos port is not attractive for business.

The Federal Government, he said, has not succeeded in its 48-hour cargo clearance policy based on the activities of the wharf rats and the connivance of government agencies.

He also identified inconsistency and poor implementation of government policies over the years as the major obstacle against the policy.

Atobasere said a situation where most of the cargoes that come to the ports are deliberately subjected

Fed Govt to establish water agency

P

RESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan is making frantic efforts to promote water transportation.

Part of plans of the President, according to a source at the Ministry of Transport, who spoke under anonymity, is to establish an independent inland waterways safety agency to guarantee the safety of passengers using the nation’s territorial waters.

The idea, according to the official, is to promote water transportation as a means of mass movement for goods and passengers.

The plan to establish the new agency is part of plans by the government to divert traffic to the inland waterways under the proposed new transport policy.

The draft policy, which has been sent to Jonathan, is expected to reduce the high incidents of major and minor accidents on the nation’s territorial waters.

The new agency, is also expected to ensure proper licencing and inspection procedure to be adopted while appropriate sanctions would be imposed on those that infringe safety rules and procedure.

“All commercial river craft will be properly inspected and licensed to promote safety on the inland waters.

“The potential dangers posed by poorly maintained vessels and incompetent operators will also be checked in addition to stricter endorsement of existing navigational and safety rules.

“The new transport policy will recognise the great potentials and benefits of the inland waterways, hence the resolve to address the current constraints for effective use of the transport mode,” the sources told The Nation.

to 100 per cent examination by Customs in the name of checking dangerous goods and done manually, the 48-hour cargo clearance programme was doomed to fail.

He said physical examination leads to excessive delays, extortion because of low level of technological penetration and highly fragmented.

He gave another reason as, the failure to reduce the huge number of government agencies with overlapping functions and charges at the ports.

Another lawyer and don, Mr Dipo Alaka said in every department created by most of the secu-

NGO calls for national fleet

T

HE Agenda for Good Governance (AGOG), a non-governmental organisation (NGO), has urged the Federal Government to maintain a viable national fleet in the interest of the economy.

Speaking on Why Nigeria needs a national fleet at a forum organised by the group in Ibadan, Oyo State, the Executive Secretary of the association, Mr Rotimi Onakoya, wondered why the country cannot maintain a shipping line even when other countries are doing it to boost their economies.

Onakoya said the country needs to own a national fleet to develop economically and attain the level expected globaly.

Onakoya said one of the reasons why the nation’s initial attempt at

Special task force for Oshodi-Apapa Expressway

T

HE National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has constituted a task force to help control the heavy vehicular traffic usually experienced around the depot as a result of the petroleum tankers in the area.

Sources confirmed that the task

force was necessitated because of the exit of the officers of the Nigerian Navy who initially were contacted by a combination of all the stakeholders and depot managers operating at the Ibafon Jetty and the Ibru yard to assist them in controlling traffic along the service lane.

The task force, which has since taken over the traffic control function, was constituted by the zonal chairman of NUPENG, Comrade Rasaki Akande with a mandate to ensure compliance and sanity is achieved along the expressway.

The chairman of the SPG unit of PTD, Comrade Ismaila Oshoku, who

rity agencies to examine cargo, there are several officers attached to a job that can be done by one or two persons.

Alaka also alleged that in most terminals, it takes between three weeks and one month to clear a container from the Lagos ports because of the machinery government agencies put in place to enrich themselves.

He said terminal operators and Customs officials make sure most of the containers are delayed so that importers would pay demurrage of between N50,000 and N100,000 per day depending on the size of the container.

was also appointed as chairman of the task force, said traffic congestion is one of the problems being faced by the union and this was why the Navy was brought in to assist.

He regretted that the extortionist attitude of the security agents has not helped matters and that was why the task force was set up.

owning a national fleet failed was because of insufficient cargo. He said this has changed as the country now has enough import and export cargo to sustain a national carrier.

The fleet, he said, would give training and employment opportunities for Nigerians.

Another speaker, Mr Tola Ayeni, said several options are open to the country with regards to owning a national fleet.

Ayeni said the Federal Government should not continue to allow foreign interests to dominate the maritime industry.

He said if the Federal Government decides to build a national fleet, it could do so through direct participation, going into joint ventures and multilateral trade agreements by having a navigation treaty.

“Shipping has become one of the most important sources of earnings and saving of foreign currency by developed and developing countries such as Nigeria,” he said.

Ayeni urged the government to establish a national fleet as a prerequisite for economic development, prestige, defence and security, employment generation as well as balance of payments purposes.

THE NATION TUESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2011

18

IN THE HIGH COURT OF LAGOS STATE OF NIGERIA PROBATE REGISTRY, LAGOS DIVISION WHEREAS the person whose names are set-out in the first Column under died intestate on the date and place stated in the said Column. AND WHEREAS the person or persons whose names and addresses and relationship (if any) to the deceased are set out in the second Column here have applied to the High Court of Lagos State for a Grant of Letter of Administration of the Real and Personal Properties of the deceased. NOTICE IS HEREBY given that Letters of Administration will be granted to such persons unless a NOTICE TO PROHIBIT THE GRANT is filed in the registry within (14) days from the date hereof.

S/N

S/N

NAMES OF THE DECEASED PERSON:

1. MR ASANI EDORE OTHERWISE KNOWN AS HASSANI EDORE LATE OF 51, UGBOWANKWO ST., AJEGUNLE, LAGOS WHO DIED INTESTATE ON 29TH DAY OF JANUARY 2007 AT LAGOS. 2. INNOCENT AZUBUIKE OTHERWISE KNOWN AS AZUBUIKE INNOCENT LATE OF 11, OKE GBALA ESTATE, KETU, LAGOS WHO DIED INTESTATE ON 10TH DAY OF APRIL, 2007 AT LAGOS. 3. EZEKIEL OBONARHOVBA COUSIN MOSHESHE LATE OF 10B,. OJE IMMIVANA ST., OFF OREGUN ROAD IKEJA, LAGOS WHO DIED INTESTATE ON 9TH DAY OF JUNE, 2009 AT LONDON. 4. ADESINA AKA OTHERWISE KNOWN AS MR AKA ADESINA LATE OF 28, IKOTUN IDIMU RD., LAGOS WHO DIED INTESTATE ON 8TH DAY OF JUNE, 2010 AT LAGOS. 5. MRS ABIMBOLA KUFORIJI LATE OF 28, OMO IGHODALO ST., OGUDU G.R.A., LAGOS WHO DIED INTESTATE ON 21ST DAY OF JULY, 2009 AT LAGOS. 6. KINGSLEY SUNDAY OLA OTHERWISE KNOWN AS MR K.S. OLA LATE OF 13, ISHAGA ST., OJODU BERGER, LAGOS WHO DIED INTESTATE ON 3RD DAY OF APRIL, 2008 AT LAGOS. 7. GBOBI ODUNWO AKINYELE LATE OF 43, SOLARIN ST., EFUNLARIJA ESTATE, OJOKORO, IKORODU, LAGOS WHO DIED INTESTATE ON 16TH DAY OF NOV., 2008 AT ONDO. 8. MR HAKEEM ADISA OLADOJA LATE OF 2, UPPER CAMPOS ST., LAGOS WHO DIED INTESTATE ON 31ST DAY OF JULY, 2009 AT LAGOS. 9. JOY NNENAYA OBIJIAKU OTHERWISE KNOWN AS OBIJIAKU JOY LATE OF 40, TENIOLA ST., IJESHATEDO, LAGOS WHO DIED INTESTATE ON 10TH DAY OF JULY, 2010 AT LAGOS. 10. MR OYEDIRAN JIMOH OLAIYA LATE OF 2, NUBI CLOSE, APAPA ROAD, EBUTE METTA, LAGOS WHO DIED INTESTATE ON 7TH DAY OF JUNE, 2009 AT LAGOS. 11. MR JOHNSON ODINIGWE OKOCHA LATE OF CLOSE 5, HOUSE 2, SATELLITE TOWN, LAGOS WHO DIED INTESTATE ON 22ND DAY OF AUGUST, 2009 AT SANGO OTTA, OGUN STATE. 12. OLUWOLE MODIU ABIODUN OTHERWISE KNOWN AS MR MODIU ABIODUN OLUWOLE LATE OF 50, OSHOLAKE ST., EBUTE METTA, LAGOS WHO DIED INTESTATE ON 27TH DAY OF APRIL, 2010 AT LAGOS. 13. MR ERNEST CHUKWUEMEKA OKPALA OTHERWISE KNOWN AS ERNEST OKPALA LATE OF 20, CHURCH ST., OPEBI, LAGOS WHO DUIED INTESTATE ON 13TH DAY OF JANUARY, 2007 AT MARYLAND, U.S.A. 14. AKHAJA AFUSAT ADETUTU SHITTA OTHERWISE KNOWN AS ALHJA AFUSAT SHITTA LATE OF NO.7, OLAYINKA ST., IGBOGBO IKORODU, LAGOS WHO DIED INTESTATE ON 19TH DAY OF JULY, 2010 AT LAGOS. 15. VICTOR CHUKWU EMEKA ONWUDIWE LATE OF OGBUIKE WHO DIED INTESTATE ON 28TH DAY OF MAY, 2993 AT ENUGWUUKWU, ANAMBRA STATE. 16. MR JONES O. OLUMAIYEGUN OTHERWISE KNOWN AS JONES SEGUN OLUMAIYEGUN OF 27, SHINA PETER ADENEKAN ALAGBADO WHO DIED INTESTATE ON 31ST DAY OF DEC., 2004 AT LAGOS. 17. CHIEF JULIUS SUNDAY OGUNYEMI OTHERWISE KNOWN AS OGUNYEMI JULIUS SUNDAY LATE OF 15, SURULERE ST., OWORONSOKI, LAGOS WHO DIED INTESTATE ON 7TH DAY OF SEPT., 2010 AT POLAND. 18. CHRISTIANAH ADERINOLA OGUNSANYA OTHERWISE KNOWN AS OGUNSANYA CHRISTIANA LATE OF 7, NUBI CLOSE, APAPA ROAD, LAGOS WHO DIED INTESTATE ON 22ND DAY OF MAY, 2004 AT LAGOS. 19. OZOR AZUBIKE OKEKE LATE OF 30, BALE ST., IJORA BADIA, LAGOS WHO DIED INTESTATE ON 21ST DAY OF MAY, 2009 AT LAGOS. 20. ADEYEMI ABIDEMI LATE OF 25, OLONADE ST., MODAKEKE, IFE WHO DIED INTESTATE ON 4TH DAY OF JUNE, 2008 AT LAGOS. 21. AKANO MUKAILA MOBOLAJI OTHERWISE KNOWN AS AKANO MOBOLAJI LATE OF 12, AKINWUNMI ST., YABA, LAGOS WHO DIED INTESTATE ON 31ST DAY OF JANUARY, 2006 AT LAGOS. 22. MR SIKIRU OMOYELE OTHERWISE KNOWN AS OMOYELE SIKIRULAI LATE OF NO.9, SHOBUKUNLA ST., IDIMU, LAGOS WHO DIED INTESTATE ON 2ND DAY OF MAY, 2002 AT LAGOS. 23. MR INNOCENT CHUKWUEMEKA NWAEZE OTHERWISE KNOWN AS MR INNOCENT NWAEZE LATE OF 13, ALHAJI SALAMI ST., OLODI-APAPA, LAGOS WHO DIED INTESTATE ON 4TH DAY OF OCTOBER, 2010 AT LAGOS. 24. MISS GRACE O. OLUWOLE OTHERWISE KNOWN AS MISS GRACE OLUWOLE LATE OF ISHASHI UNITY ESTATE ZONE, II, HOUSE 12, BADAGRY EXP. WAY, LAGOS WHO DIED INTESTATE ON 9TH DAY OF OCT., 2006 AT LAGOS. 25. MR ATIKPO MARCUS FRANCIS OTHERWISE KNOWN AS SGT. MARCUS FRANCIS LATE OF BLK. 70, FLAT 16, GOWON ESTATE EGBEDA, LAGOS WHO DIED INTESTATE ON 4TH DAY OF MAY, 2008 AT IBILLO EDO STATE. 26. MR AKANBI MUSIBAU LATE OF 8, ANRUINA ST., GBAGADA WHO DIED INTESTATE ON 2ND DAY OF APRIL, 2011 AT LAGOS. 27. PA MOSES IBIKUNLE OGUNSAMI OTHERWISE KNOWN AS BISOLA OGUNSAMI LATE OF 35, SHODIMU ST., SHOMOLU, LAGOS WHO DIED INTESTATE ON 17TH DAY OF MARCH, 2001 AT LAGOS. 28. ADETORO GABRIEL YEMI OTHERWISE KNOWN AS ADETORO GABRIEL LATE OF 73, OSHODI ROAD, OSHODI LAGOS WHO DIED INTESTATE ON 19TH DAY OF OCT., 2006 AT LAGOS. 29. AMECHI UDENYI UKWAH OTHERWISE KNOWN AS UDENYI AMECHI UKWAH LATE OF 6, OKE-ARIN ST., LAKOWE, LAGOS WHO DIED INTESTATE ON 9TH DAY OF DECEMBER, 2008 AT LAGOS. 30. FOLASHADE LAWAL AMUDALAT OTHERWISE KNOWN AS AMUDALAT LAWAL LATE OF 89, MOSAFEJO RD., AMUKOKO WHO DIED INTESTATE ON 31ST DAY OF DEC., 2007 AT LAGOS. 31. ARICHA PHILLIP ARU OTHERWISE KNOWN AS ARICHA PHILLIP LATE OF 5, ANIFOWOSHE ST., SOMOLU, LAGOS WHO DIED INTESTATE ON 8TH DAY OF FEB., 2010 AT LAGOS. 32. ADEWUNMI ADEWALE OYEYEMI LATE OF 2, TAIWO ST., IJU ISHAGA, LAGOS WHO DIED INTESTATE ON 3RD DAY OF NOV., 2009 AT LAGOS. 33. MRS ADERONKE ROSELINE OGUNDIYAN OTHERWISE KNOWN AS OGUNDIYAN ADERONKE ROSELINE LATE OF 41, ADEBOLA ST., OFF ADEDIRAN OGUNSANYA WHO DIED INTESTATE ON 10TH DAY OF APRIL, 2010 AT IBADAN. 34. OLUFEMI WILLIAMS OTHERWISE KNOWN AS WILLIAMS OLUFEMI LATE OF 206 ROAD, C CLOSE, HOUSE FESTAC WHO DIED INTESTATE ON 18TH DAY OF MARCH, 2009 AT LAGOS. 35. AGU EMMANUEL NWABUEZE CHINWIKE OTHERWISE KNOWN AS AGU EMMANUEL N.C, AND AGU EMMANUEL NWABUEZE CHINWIKE LATE OF 18, SHEKONI ST., COKER VILLAGE, ORILE IGANMU, LAGOS WHO DIED INTESTATE ON 5TH DAY OF FEB., 2011 AT LAGOS. 36. MR ABIMBOLA OLABODE ADEBAYO OTHERWISE KNOWN AS OLABODE ABIMBOLA LATE OF 15, OLANREWAJU ST.,. BARIGA, LAGOS WHO DIED INTESTATE ON 18TH DAY OF DEC., 2010 AT LAGOS. 37. MR EMMANUEL FALEYE LATE OF 3, OLUWALOGBON ST., SHOMOLU, LAGOS WHO DIED INTESTATE ON 5TH DAY OF JAN., 2010 AT LAGOS. 38. ADEBAYO OLAWALE LATE OF 9, OLALEYE ST., AGINDINGBI IKEJA WHO DIED INTESTATE ON 7TH DAY OF OCT., 2010 AT LAGOS. 39. IBIDAPO-OBE MODUPE OLUGBENGA ADELAGUNJA OTHERWISE KNOWN AS IBIDAPO-OBE OLUGBENGA LATE OF BLK. 225, FLAT 5, IBA HOUSING ESTATE, IBA OJO, LAGOS WHO DIED INTESTATE ON 5TH DAY OF NOV., 2010 AT LAGOS. 40. MR CHARLES ENE INYANG OTHERWISE KNOWN AS INYANG ENE CHARLES LATE OF 20, LATEEF ADEGBOYEGA ST., OKOTA, LAGOS WHO DIED INTESTATE ON 21ST DAY OF FEB., 2011 AT BENIN, EDO STATE. 41. HENRY ONYEMA OTHERWISE KNOWN AS MR ONYENNA HENRY LATE OF 71, MOLADE OKOYA THOMAS, V/ISLAND, LAGOS WHO DIED INTESTATE ON 5TH DAY OF JUNE, 2008 AT LAGOS. 42. UBOH CHRISTOPHER OTHERWISE KNOWN AS CHRISTOPHER UBOH LATE OF 75, KAREEM ST., OJUELEGBA WHO DIED INTESTATE ON 18TH DAY OF AUGUST, 2009 AT LAGOS. 43. OBA DAVID OYERINDE OTHERWISE KNOWN AS HRH DAVID OYERINDE LATE OF 13, STRACHAN ST., LAGOS WHO DIED INTESTATE ON 31ST DAY OF JAN., 1969 AT LAGOS. 44. MORBERTH CHUKWUDI ASIEGBU OTHERWISE KNOWN AS LT. NC ASIEGBU N/11924 LATE OF OJO MILITARY CANTONMENT OJO, LAGOS WHO DIED INTESTATE ON 13TH DAY OF MAY, 2008 AT KANO. 45. SAMUEL OLADIPO ADEMUYIWA OTHERWISE KNOWN AS ADEMUYIWA SAMUEL LATE OF 13, AINA ST., DALEMO ALAKUKO, LAGOS WHO DIED INTESTATE ON 20TH DAY OF MARCH, 2004 AT LAGOS. 46. HAROUN HENRITTA SALEH LATE OF 15, ERIC MOORE CLOSE, SURULERE, LAGOS WHO DIED INTESTATE ON 6TH DAY OF AUGUST, 1993 AT LAGOS. 47. CLEMENT CHIDOZIE OFFOR OTHERWISE KNOWN AS CHIDO CLEMENT OFFOR LATE OF 13, JADESOLA OSHODI ST., AGUDA, SURULERE, LAGOS WHO DIED INTESTATE ON 3RD DAY OF MARCH, 2010 AT LAGOS. 48. MRS CHIEDU NKEM OTHERWISE KNOWN AS NKEM CHIEDU LATE OF 6, OLAWEPO ST., OMOKUNLE B/STOP, ALAGBADO, LAGOS WHO DIED INTESTATE ON 18TH DAY OF JUNE, 2008 AT ONITSH ANAMBRA STATE. 49. MR SIMEON I. UKOHA OTHERWISE KNOWN AS UKOHA SIMEON IROANUSI LATE OF 55, ALIU BISIRIYU ST., AGO-OKOTA, LAGOS WHO DIED INTESTATE ON 7TH DAY OF MARCH, 2011, LAGOS. 50. HUNSU JIMOH LATE OF 6, VETHO COMPOUND AJARA BADAGRY, LAGOS WHO DIED INTESTATE ON 18TH DAY OF DEC., 2008 AT LAGOS. 51. ADEWALE O. ADEKOYA OTHERWISE KNOWN AS MR ADEKOYA ADEWALE LATE OF BLK. 159, FLAT 1, AMUWO ODOFIN ESTATE, LAGOS WHO DIED INTESTATE ON 11TH DAY OF JULY, 2007 AT LAGOS. 52. OYEBANJI SIMEON OGUNTOYE LATE OF 1, OROGIRI ST., LAGOS ISLAND, LAGOS WHO DIED INTESTATE ON 26TH DAY OF DEC., 1996 AT LAGOS. 53. OLADIMEJI ADENIRAN PHILLIP OTHERWISE KNOWN AS PHILLIP ADENIRAN OLADIMEJI LATE OF 4, AJAYI BAMBE ST., LAGOS WHO DIED INTESTATE ON 23RD DAY OF OCT., 1988 AT LAGOS. 54. ASORO OKPAKO SIMEON LATE OF 26, ALIYU ST., KETU, LAGOS WHO DIED INTESTATE ON 12TH DAY OF JUNE, 2007 AT LAGOS. 55. PATRICK OBI OKORAFOR OTHERWISE KNOWN AS MR OKORAFOR PATRICK LATE OF 1, JOJO ST., OBAWOLE OGBA, LAGOS WHO DIED INTESTATE ON 24TH DAY OF OCT., 2002 AT ENUGU. 56. JOSEPH OMORUWA AJAYI OTHERWISE KNOWN AS AJAYI JOSEPH OMORUWA LATE OF 15, AJALOYE ST,., ILAJE BARIGA, LAGOS WHO DIED INTESTATE ON 21ST DAY OF DEC., 2009 AT LAGOS. 57. MUSBAU ONIKE LATE OF 6, AKINJUTE ST., OTTO, LAGOS WHO DIED INTESTATE ON 2ND DAY OF NOV., 2010 AT LAGOS. 58. MR SUNDAY NWANYIGOR OKPEYE OTHERWISE KNOWN AS NWANYIGOR SUNDAY AND MR SUNDAY NWANYIGOR O. LATE OF AGO-EGUN IBIYE TOWN OFF BADAGRY EXP. WAY, LAGOS WHO DIED INTESTATE ON 28TH DAY OF JAN., 2011 AT LAGOS. 59. ALHAJI AHMED FOLAMI OTHERWISE KNOWN AS ALHAJI AHMED OYEWOLE FOLAMI LATE OF C/O OF 111, IGBOSERE ROAD, LAGOS WHO DIED INTESTATE ON 30TH DAY OF AUGUST, 2009 AT LAGOS. 60. JOSEPH ABUJEI OTHERWISE KNOWN AS JOSEPH ABUJEI LATE OF 20, OJO ROAD, AJEGUNLE, LAGOS WHO DIED INTESTATE ON 22ND DAY OF DEC., 2010 AT UMUNEDE, DELTA STATE. 61. AWONIYI OLURANTI C. ADEBIMPE LATE OF 4, EMILY AKINOLA ST., AKOKA YABA, LAGOS WHO DIED INESTATE ON 3RD DAY OF OCT., 2004 AT LAGOS. 62. CHJIKAODI E. ONWUBIKO OTHERWISE KNOWN AS MR CHIKAODI ONWUBIKO LATE OF 312 ROAD, A CLOSE, BLK.3, FLAT 3, FESTAC TOWN, LAGOS WHO DIED INTESTATE ON 27TH DAY OF JAN., 2009 AT PORTHARCOURT 63. TIJANI YUSUF LATE OF 14, IYANASHO ST., AJEGUNLE, OLODI APAPA, LAGOS WHO DIED INTESTATE ON 5TH DAY OF JULY, 2010 AT KOGI STATE. 64. CHIEF ISAAC B. OFFOR KNOWN AS ISAAC B. OFFOR LATE OF PLOT 1583 B CLOSE, 4TH AVENUE, FESTAC TOWN, LAGOS WHO DIED INTESTATE ON THE 17TH DAY OF JULY, 2009 AT LAGOS. 65. OLUFUNKE HELEN DANIYAN LATE OF 4, ADIJAT ST., PEDRO SHOMOLU, LAGOS WHO DIED INTESTATE ON 28TH DAY OF OCT., 2010 AT LAGOS. 66. ONUKAK ESSANG ENYEKUNG OTHERWISE KNOWN ENYEKUNG ONUKAK ESSANG LATE OF 60, AKEJU ST., ONIPANU SHOMOLU, LAGOS WHO DIED INTESTATE ON 25TH DAY OF JAN., 2002 AT ORON, AKWA IBOM STATE. 67. AMUSA SAVAGE OTHERWISE KNOWN AS SAVAGE AMUSA LATE OF 39, IDOLUWO ST., IDOLUWO, LAGOS WHO DIED INTESTATE ON 29TH DAY OF DEC., 2008 AT LAGOS. 68. JULIANA SALLY MACGREGOR OTHERWISE KNOWN AS OSEI LATE OF 24B, PELEWURA CRESCENT APAPA, LAGOS WHO DIED INTESTATE ON 9TH DAY OF JUNE, 2007 AT LONDON. 69. CHIEF OLUFEMI OLUFOWORA OTHERWISE KNOWN AS OLUFOWORA OLUFEMI LATE OF 20, C.A.C. AV., IREPO ESTATE, IKOTUN, LAGOS WHO DIED INTESTATE ON 10TH DAY OF SEPT., 2007 AT LAGOS. 70. PA EMMANUEL OLADEINDE IDOWU OTHERWISE KNOWN AS OLA RIGHT TIME LTD., AND MR IDOWU EMMANUEL OLADEINDE LATE OF 3, OLATUNJI SANUSI ST., SOMOLU, LAGOS WHO DIED INTESTATE ON 1ST DAY OF MARCH, 2010.

71. ADESOLA BENSON OTHERWISE KNOWN AS BENSON ADESOLA LATE OF 31, RAYMOND ST., SABO, YABA, LAGOS WHO DIED INTESTATE ON 8TH DAY OF DEC., 2007 AT LAGOS. 72. MRS ABIFARIN WURAOLA LATE OF 22, INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT RD., MAFOLUKU, LAGOS WHO DIED INTESTATE ON 13TH DAY OF JUNE, 2010 AT LAGOS. 73. ALHAJI MUDASHIRU IDOWU OTHERWISE KNOWN AS IKUTOUNTIKO LATE OF 2ND ODUGBEMI ST., LAGOS WHO DIED INTESTATE ON 2ND DAY OF OCT., 2008 AT LAGOS. 74. MR OGONNA ENECHI OTHERWISE KNOWN AS WILSON OGONNA MITCHEL AND MITCHELL OGONNA WILSON LATE OF 5, MICHAEL ORIJA STATELITE TOWN, LAGOS WHO DIED INTESTATE ON 12TH DAY OF SEPT., 2008 AT LAGOS. 75. MRS TAIWO OMOFOJOYE OTHERWISE KNOWN AS MR ADEYEMI TAIWO OMOFOJOYE AND OMOFOJOYE TAIWO LATE OF 3, AJIJEDIDUN ST., SURULERE, LAGOS WHO DIED INTESTATE ON 20TH DAY OF OCT.,, 2009 AT LAGOS. 76. MR AMBROSE NNAEMEKA OKONKWO LATE OF 4, BAB ANIMASHAUN ST., OKOTA, LAGOS WHO DIED INTESTATE ON 21ST DAY OF MARCH, 2010 AT ANAMBRA STATE. 77. BERLY ABAYOMI OBEMBE OTHERWISE KNOWN AS BERYL ABAYOMI OBEMBE LATE OF HOUSE 3, Q CLOSE, 21 ROAD, 2ND AV. FESTAC TOWN, LAGOS WHO DIED INTESTATE ON 18TH DAY OF MARCH, 2009 AT FREETOWN, SIERRA LEONE. 78. MRS FUNMILAYO OLOMA OTHERWISE KNOWN AS OLOMO FUMILAYO LATE OF 34, OKEJIDE ST., EJIGBO, LAGOS WHO DIED INTESTATE ON 9TH DAY OF OCT., 2009 AT LAGOS.

NAMES OF APPLICANT APPLYING FOR THE GRANT

1. MRS JOSEPHINE EDORE AND LUCKY ALBERT BOTH OF 51, UGBOWEMKWO ST., AJEGUNLE, LAGOS THE WIDOW AND BROTHERIN-LAW RESPECTIVELY OF THE SAID DECEASED. 2. MRS CAROLINE AZUBUIKE AND MR SAVAGE AZUBUIKE BOTH OF OKE GBALA ESTATE, KETU, LAGOS THE WIDOW AND ONE OF THE CHILDREN RESPECTIVELY OF THE SAID DECEASED. 3. JOSEPHINE NKEMDILIM COUSIN MOSHESHE AND OREKEREKE COUSIN MOSHESHE BOTH OF 10B, OJE IMMIVENA ST., IKEJA THE WIDOW AND CHILD RESPECTIVELY OF THE SAID DECEASED. 4. MRS MODUPEOLUWA AKA AND MR AKIN IGBODIPE BOTH OF 12, AWOLOWO ST., OWORONSOKI, LAGOS THE WIDOW AND RELATIVE RESPECTIVELY OF THE SAID DECEASED. 5. DR. OLUYEMISI KUFORIJI AND MR ADEMOLA ILORI BOTH OF 28, OMO IGHODALO ST., OGUDU G.R.A., IKEJA THE WIDOWER AND FATHER RESPECTIVELY OF THE SAID DECEASED. 6. MRS ADENIKE LATIFAT OLA AND OLUFUNMILAYO ESTHER OLA BOTH OF 13, ISHAGA OJODU BERGER, LAGOS THE WIDOW AND ONE OF THE CHILDREN RESPECTIVELY OF THE SAID DECEASED. 7. MRS GBOBI LYDIA, MISS GBOBI OPEYEMI AND MISS GBOBI FUNMI ALL OF 43, EFUNLORUJA ESTATE, OJOKORO IKORODU, LAGOS THE WIDOW AND CHILDREN RESPECTIVELY OF THE SAID DECEASED. 8. RASHEED E. OLADOJA AND KAZEEM OLADOJA OF 2, UPPER COMPOS, LAGOS AND 28, EMMANUEL HILIA ST., OJOTA, LAGOS THE ONE OF THE CHILDREN AND BROTHER RESPECTIVELY OF THE SAID DECEASED. 9. CHIKWE THEDDY OBIJIAKU AND UGOCHUKWU JUDE OBIJIAKU BOTH OF 40, ENIOLA ST., IJESHATEDO, LAGOS THE WIDOW AND ONE OF THE CHILDREN RESPECTIVELY OF THE SAID DECEASED. 10. MR AMIDU OYEDIRAN, MR YOMI OPEDIRAN AND MISS TAYO OYEDIRAN ALL OF NUBI CLOSE, APAPA RD., EBUTE METTA, LAGOS THE CHILDREN OF THE SAID DECEASED. 11. MRS FELICIA OKOCHA AND M HENRY OKOCHA BOTH OF CLOSE 5, HOUSE 2, SATELLITE TOWN, LAGOS THE WIDOW AND ONE OF THE CHILDREN RESPECTIVELY OF THE SAID DECEASED. 12. ABOSEDE OLUWOLE AND TOYIN OLUWOLE BOTH OF 50, OSHOLAKE ST., EBUTE METTA, LAGOS THE MOTHER AND SISTER RESPECTIVELY OF THE SAID DECEASED. 13. IKECHUKWU CHIJOKE OKPALA AND IJEOMA ELSIE OKPALA BOTH OF 20, CHURCH ST., OPEBI, LAGOS THE ONE OF THE CHILDREN AND DAUGHTER –IN-LAW RESPECTIVELY OF THE SAID DECEASED. 14. MRS RISKAT ADESUMBO BAKARE AND MR. TAOFEEQ MOJEED BOTH OF 7, OLAYINKA ST., IGBOGBO IKORODU, LAGOS THE ONE OF THE CHILDREN AND SISTER RESPECTIVELY OF THE SAID DECEASED. 15. THE ADMINISTRATOR GENERAL PUBLIC TRUSTEE OF ENUGU – AWKA, ANAMBRA STATE. 16. MR AYODELE T. OLUMAIYEGUN AND MRS GRACE T. OLUMAIYEGUN BOTH OF 27, PETER ADENEKAN ST., ALAGBADO, LAGOS THE WIDOW AND ONE OF THE CHILDREN RESPECTIVELY OF THE SAID DECEASED. 17. MRS TOLU OGUNYEMI COLE AND MR OLUGBENGA E. OGUNYEMI BOTH OF 15, SURULERE ST., OWORONSOKI, LAGOS THE TWO OF THE CHILDREN OF THE SAID DECEASED. 18. OLADELE OGUNSANYA AND FEMI OGUNSANYA BOTH OF 7, NUBI CLOSE, E/METTA, LAGOS THE TWO OF THE CHILDREN OF THE SAID DECEASED. 19. HON. B.I. ONYEJIAKA AND MRS CORDELIA UMUNNA BOTH OF 23, AJEGUNLE ST., ISHERI, LAGOS THE BROTHER AND SISTER RESPECTIVELY OF THE SAID DECEASED. 20. MRS TOSIN ADEYEMI AND ADEOLU ADEYEMI BOTH OF 25, OLONADE ST., MODAKEKE IFE, OGUN STATE THE WIDOW AND BROTHER RESPECTIVELY OF THE SAID DECEASED. 21. MRS AKANO OYINKANSOLA AND AKANO BABATUNDE UTHMAN BOTH OF 83, OLONADE ST., ALAGOMEJI YABA, LAGOS THE WIDOW AND SON RESPECTIVELY OF THE SAID DECEASED. 22. MR GANIYU OMOYELE, MR JAMIU OMOYELE, MR SAHEED OMOYELE AND MISS AYISATU OMOYELE ALL OF 9, SHOBUKONLA ST., IDIMU, IKEJA THE CHILDREN OF THE SAID DECEASED. 23. MRS VERONICA NWAEZE AND MR UDODIRI NWAEZE BOTH OF 13, ALHAJI SOLARIN ST., OLODI-APAPA, LAGOS THE WIDOW AND ONE OF THE CHILDREN RESPECTIVELY OF THE SAID DECEASED. 24. MR EMMANUEL OLUWOLE AND MISS AJOKE OLUWOLE BOTH OF SHASHA UNITY ESTATE ZONE 11, HOUSE 12, BADAGRY, LAGOS THE BROTHER AND SISTER RESPECTIVELY OF THE SAID DECEASED. 25. MRS ATIKPO AMARACHI MARCUS AND MRS EZINNE CHIMAEZE OF 41, OLADUN ST., IKOTUN, LAGOS AND BLK. 99, FLAT 11, GOWON ESTATE, EGBEDA, LAGOS THE WIDOW AND IN-LAW RESPECTIVELY OF THE SAID DECEASED. 26. RAMOTA BADAMOSI BABANGIDA AND ABDUL OWAN IDEHAI BOTH OF BLK. 22, DODAN BARRACKS, LAGOS THE CHILD AND COUSIN RESPECTIVELY OF THE SAID DECEASED. 27. MRS OLADUNNI OGUNSAMI, OLAIDE OGUNSAMI AND DELE OGUNSAMI ALL OF 35, SODIMU ST., SOMOLU, LAGOS THE WIDOW AND CHILDREN RESPECTIVELY OF THE SAID DECEASED. 28. ADETORO ESTHER BOLA AND ADETORO BUSAYO SUNDAY BOTH OF 73, OSHODI RD., OSHODI, LAGOS THE WIDOW AND ONE OF THE CHILDREN RESPECTIVELY OF THE SAID DECEASED. 29. UDENYI CHUKWUMA UKWAH AND UDENYI CHINEDU UKWAH BOTH OF 6, OKE-ARIN ST., LAGOS LAKOWE, LAGOS THE BROTHERS OF THE SAID DECEASED. 30. WAHEED O. LAWAL AND AISAT O.A. JIMOH BOTH OF 89, MOSAFEJO RD., AMUKOKO, LAGOS THE WIDOW AND SISTER RESPECTIVELY OF THE SAID DECEASED. 31. GRACE O. PHILLIP ARICHA AND RACHEAL PHILLIP ARICHA BOTH OF 5, ANIFOWOSHE ST., SOMOLU, LAGOS THE WIDOW AND ONE OF THE CHILDREN RESPECTIVELY OF THE SAID DECEASED. 32. MRS TOYIN ADEWUNMI AND MRS YOMI ADEYEMI BOTH OF 22, ARIKESE ST., AGRIC RD., IGANDO EGAN, LAGOS THE WIDOW AND SISTER RESPECTIVELY OF THE SAID DECEASED. 33. MR OLUWASEUN J. OGUNDIYAN AND MISS AYOOLA CELESTINA OGUNDIYAN BOTH OF 41, ADEBOLA ST., OFF ADENIRAN OGUNSANYA THE TWO OF THE CHILDREN OF THE SAID DECEASED. 34. MRS MODUPE WILLIAMS AND MRS JOYCE OGUNAIKE OF 2ND AV. 206 ROAD, C. CLOSE, FESTAC, LAGOS AND 2, TALABI ST., IKEJA, LAGOS THE MOTHER AND SISTER RESPECTIVELY OF THE SAID DECEASED. 35. MRS AGU FRANCISCA IFEOMA AND AGU ADAEZE CHINENYE BOTH OF 18, SHEKONI ST., COKER VILLAGE, ORILE IGANMU, LAGOS THE WIDOW AND ONE OF THE CHILDREN RESPECTIVELY OF THE SAID DECEASED. 36. MRS YETUNDE ONI AND MR TUNDE ABIMBOLA BOTH OF 15, OLANREWAJU ST., BARIGA, LAGOS THE TWO OF THE CHILDREN OF THE SAID DECEASED. 37. MRS OLUWAYEMISI DISU AND MRS TOLULOPE ADEFUYE BOTH OF 3, OLUWALOGBON ST., SHOMOLU, LAGOS THE CHILDREN OF THE SAID DECEASED. 38. FAUSAT ADEBAYO AND SHOLA ADEBAYO BOTH OF 4, VICTORIA ST., OJOTA, LAGOS THE WIDOW AND ONE OF THE CHILDREN RESPECTIVELY OF THE SAID DECEASED. 39. MRS IBIDAPO-OBE AFOLAKEMI ABOSEDE, MR OLATUNDE O. IBIDAPO-OBE AND OLUFUNMILAYO IBIDAPO-OBE ALL OF 225, FLAT 5, IBA HOUSING ESTATE, LAGOS THE WIDOW AND ONE OF THE CHILDREN RESPECTIVELY OF THE SAID DECEASED. 40. MRS MINIKA CHARLES INYANG AND DR. EMMANUEL ENE INYANG BOTH OF 20, AGBEGBOYEGA ST., OKOTA, LAGOS THE WIDOW AND ONE OF THE CHILDREN RESPECTIVELY OF THE SAID DECEASED. 41. WILSON O. STEPHEN AND MRS ESTHER O. WILSON BOTH OF MOLADE OKOYA THOMAS ST., V/ISLAND, LAGOS THE FATHER AND MOTHER RESPECTIVELY OF THE SAID DECEASED. 42. ROSEMARY UBOH AND MERCY UBOH BOTH OF 75, KAREEM ST., OJUELEGBA, SURULERE, LAGOS THE SISTERS OF THE SAID DECEASED. 43. PRINCE OYETUNJI OYERINDE AND PRINCE AREMU OYERINDE BOTH OF 14, AHMED JIMOH CLOSE, OFF EKOLOLU SURULERE, LAGOS THE TWO OF THE CHILDREN OF THE SAID DECEASED. 44. JOHN ASIEGBU AND FRANCISCA ASIEGBU BOTH OF 27, ABIODUN ST., SOMOLU, LAGOS THE BROTHER AND SISTER RESPECTIVELY OF THE SAID DECEASED. 45. BABATUNDE ASHCROFT ADEMUYIWA AND PASTOR MRS BOLANLE AKINDOTE OF 13, AINA ST., ALAKUKO, LAGOS AND 1, AKINDOTE CLOSE, ODA AKURE THE TWO OF THE CHILDREN OF THE SAID DECEASED. 46. ALHAJI YERIMA SALEH AND HADZA SALEH HAROUN BOTH OF ERIC MOORE CLOSE, SURULERE, LAGOS THE ONE OF THE CHILDREN AND BROTHER-IN-LAW RESPECTIVELY OF THE SAID DECEASED. 47. MRS HILDA NKEM OFFOR AND MR JUDE OFFOR BOTH OF 13, JADESOLA ST., OSHODI, LAGOS THE WIDOW AND BROTHER RESPECTIVELY OF THE SAID DECEASED. 48. MR ARINZE CELESTINE CHIEDU AND MR CHARLES UGOCHUKWU BOTH OF 6, OLAWEPO ST., OMOKINLA B/STOP ALAGBADO, LAGOS THE WIDOWER AND BROTHER RESPECTIVELY OF THE SAID DECEASED. 49. MRS NKECHI ANNE UKOHA AND MRS CHIOMA CATHERINE OBIANIGWE OF 55, ALIU BISIRIYU ST., AGO-OKOTA, LAGOS AND 23, IKECHUKWU AGANKA ST., AGO-OKOTA, LAGOS THE TWO OF THE CHILDREN OF THE SAID DECEASED. 50. MRS AJOKE HUNSU AND MRS ABIODUN KUSA BOTH OF 6, VETHO COMPOUND AJARA, BADAGRY. THE WIDOW AND ONE OF THE CHILDREN RESPECTIVELY OF THE SAID DECEASED. 51. MRS OMOWUNMI ADEKOYA AND FATIMO MORENIKEJI ADEKOYA BOTH OF BLK. 159, FLAT 1, AMUWO ODOFIN ESTATE, LAGOS THE WIDOW AND ONE OF THE CHILDREN RESPECTIVELY OF THE SAID DECEASED. 52. MATHEW OLATUNJI EKUNDAYO AND JACOB OLAYINKA EKUNDAYO BOTH OF 1, OROGIRI ST., LAGOS ISLAND, LAGOS THE GRAND CHILDREN OF THE SAID DECEASED. 53. DR. CHRISTOPHER ODEBODE ADETUNDE AND MRS LUCIA ABIOLA AFOLAYAN BOTH OF 84, ODUNFA ST., E/METTA, LAGOS THE CHILDREN OF THE SAID DECEASED. 54. MRS ROSELINE MARIETA ASORO AND MR MOSES AHWE BOTH OF 785, KUJORE ST., OJOTA, LAGOS THE WIDOW AND 1ST COUSIN RESPECTIVELY OF THE SAID DECEASED. 55. NNEJI D.C. OKORAFOR AND CHETA OKOROAFOR BOTH OF 1, JOJO ST., OBAWOLE OGBA, LAGOS THE TWO OF THE CHILDREN OF THE SAID DECEASED. 56. WEMIMO AJAYI AND DAMILOLA AJAYI BOTH OF 15, AJELEYE ST., ILAJE BARIGA, LAGOS THE CHILDREN OF THE SAID DECEASED. 57. MR SEFIU ONIKE AND MR KEHINDE OF 22, BRIDGE ST., OTTO, LAGOS AND 48, KANO ST., EBUTE METTA, LAGOS THE TWO OF THE CHILDREN OF THE SAID DECEASED. 58. MRS. GRACE ALI NWANYIGOR AND MR FRIDAY NWANYIGOR BOTH OF AGO EGUN IBIYE TOWN, BADAGRY EXP. WAY, LAGOS THE WIDOW AND BROTHER RESPECTIVELY OF THE SAID DECEASED. 59. MRS ABIOLA O. ERIBO AND MR AHMED O. FOLAMI BOTH OF C/O 111, IGBOSERE RD., LAGOS THE CHILDREN OF THE SAID DECEASED. 60. ROMINA ABUJEI AND FRANK JOSEPH BOTH OF 20, OJO ROAD, AJEGUNLE, LAGOS THE WIDOW AND ONE OF THE CHILDREN RESPECTIVELY OF THE SAID DECEASED. 61. AWOLEYE ADENIKE ABIKE AND BABATUNDE DIEKOLA O. BOTH OF 4, EMILY AKINOLA ST., AKOKA YABA, LAGOS THE SISTER AND BROTHER RESPECTIVELY OF THE SAID DECEASED. 62. NZUBECHUKWU D. ONWUBIKO AND VICTOR O. O. THOMAS BOTH OF 312 RD. A. CLOSE, BLK. 3, FLAT 3, FESTAC TOWN, LAGOS THE BROTHERS OF THE SAID DECEASED. 63. ABIBATU TIJANI, YAKUBU TIJANI AND FATIMO TIJANI ALL OF 14, IYANASHOP ST., AJEGUNLE, LAGOS THE WIDOW AND TWO OF THE CHILDREN RESPECTIVELY OF THE SAID DECEASED. 64. MRS. NKECHI I. OFFOR, MR. CHIKA OFFOR AND MR. CHIMA MOSES OFFOR ALL OF PLOT 1583 B CLOSE, 4TH AVENUE, FESTAC TOWN, LAGOS. THE WIDOW AND TWO OF THE CHILDREN OF THE SAID DECEASED. 65. RAPHAEL TOPE DANIYAN AND JOHN ONI DANIYAN BOTH OF 7, KUDIRAT ABIOLA WAY, OREGUN, LAGOS THE ELDER AND YOUNGER BROTHERS OF THE SAID DECEASED. 66. ESSANG ONUKAK ESSANG AND ENYEKUNG PADDY ONUKAK ESSANG BOTH OF 60, AKEJU ST., ONIPANU, LAGOS THE TWO OF THE CHILDREN OPF THE SAID DECEASED. 67. MUNIRUDEEN SAVAGE, MUSTAPHA SAVAGE AND AMINAT SAVAGE ALL OF 39, IDOLUWO ST., LAGOS THE CHILDREN OF THE SAID DECEASED. 68. AYABA AYO-JOSEPH, NANA MACGREGOR EFFAH AFIAVI MACGREGOR AND KOFOWOROLA MACGREGOR GAUTHIER ALL OF 24, B, PELEWURA CRESCENT, APAPA, LAGOS THE CHILDREN OF THE SAID DECEASED. 69. CHIEF (MRS) FOLAKEMI OLUFOWORA AND MISS ABIMBOLA OLUFOWORA BOTH OF 20, C.A.C. AV., IREPO ESTATE, IKOTU, LAGOS THE WIDOW AND ONE OF THE CHILDREN RESPECTIVELY OF THE SAID DECEASED. 70. MRS A. O. IDOWU, MRS F. I. OLODEOKU, MRS. V. O. OGUNYINKA AND MR S. O. IDOWU OF 3, OLATUNJI SANMUSI ST., SOMOLU, 59, JUDRILLA ST., IJESHA AND 7, OSHO ST., SOMOLU, LAGOS THE WIDOW AND CHILDREN RESPECTIVELY OF THE SAID DECEASED. 71. CAPT. BENSON ADEMOLA AND MR. ADEBAYO BENSON OF COMMERCIAL AV,. SABO, YABA AND NO.3, RAYMOND ST., SABO, YABA, LAGOS THE CHILDREN OF THE SAID DECEASED. 72. MS. BIMBO ABIFARIN AND MRS TOYIN LONGE BOTH OF 22, INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT RD., MAFOLUKU, LAGOS THE CHILDREN OF THE SAID DECEASED. 73. MUDASHIRU MORUFU A. IDOWU SIKIRU A. AND IDOWU MUSIBAWU A. ALL OF 8, ELETU ST., AWOYAYA, LAGOS THE THREE OF THE CHILDREN OF THE SAID DECEASED. 74. MR JAPHETH ENECHI AND EBERE ENECHI BOTH OF 8, IPAYE CLOSE, SURULERE, LAGOS THE BROTHER AND SISTER RESPECTIVELY OF THE SAID DECEASED. 75. MRS KATE OMOFOJOYE, MISS AJOKE OMOFOJOYE AND MR AKINFADERIN OMOFOJOYE ALL OF 3, AJIJEDIDUN ST., IJESHATEDO, SURULERE, LAGOS THE FATHER , MOTHER AND SISTER RESPECTIVELY OF THE SAID DECEASED. 76. MRS. RITA CHINYERE OKONKWO AND MR IFEANYI OBIEZE BOTH OF 4, BAB ANIMASHAUN ST., OKOTA, LAGOS THE WIDOW AND COUSIN RESPECTIVELY OF THE SAID DECEASED. 77. ENGR. JULIUS OBEMBE AND FOLASHADE OBEMBE BOTH OF HOUSE 3, Q CLOSE, 21 ROAD, 2ND AV. FESTAC TOWN, LAGOS THE WIDOWER AND DAUGHTER RESPECTIVELY OF THE SAID DECEASED. 78. MR SUNDAY OLOMA AND MISS MARY OLOMA BOTH OF 34, OKEJIDE ST., EJIGBO, LAGOS. THE WIDOWER AND ONE OF THE CHILDREN RESPECTIVELY OF THE SAID DECEASED.

G.A SAFARI (MR.) PROBATE REGISTRAR

THE NATION TUESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2011

19

EDITORIAL/OPINION COMMENT

EDITORIAL FROM OTHER LAND

A missed chance for Accountability

Railway bill

T

•The earlier ii is taken out of the Exclusive Legislative List, the better

HE assurance from the Minister for Transport, Senator Idris Umar, that he would work towards an urgent passage of the railway bill is good news.

Also interesting is his prognosis that the country’s economy is doomed unless the Federal Government carried out its plan to bring back a functional rail system.

Even in doing this, the minister observed the limited capacity of the Federal Government to bring the needed change, and so argued that the passage of the railway bill would attract the much needed private capital to revamp the sector.

Senator Umar was right in his analysis of the challenges and the way forward in the transportation sector. As we have observed in past editorials, there is the urgent need for a decentralisation of the legal regime in the railway sector. The con-

‘The deplorable state of our highways is the result of the over-reliance on road transportation. With the movement of goods, particularly petroleum products across the country, our road network is perpetually in a state of disrepair. We join Senator Umar to ask the National Assembly to pass the railway bill without delay’

stitutional provision of railway in the Exclusive Legislative List is anachronistic.It is a colonial mentality that we ought to have addressed a long time ago.

While the Federal Government should reserve the sole regulatory powers, it is unreasonable for it to have exclusive power to own the railway. Indeed it is abnormal, and can be likened to legislating that only the federal authorities can own the roads.

The absurdity of over-centralised regime of laws saw the killing of the Metroline Project of the then Lagos State government under Alhaji Lateef Jakande in the 1980s. Today, the Lagos State government is paying a heavy price for starting a rail project some three decades after.

It was the military mindset, arising from decades of military misrule, which led to the provision in the constitution of many incongruous centralised laws that continue to bug down the national economy. The same is true of the power sector where state governments desirous of embarking on their own power projects have to rely on the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) to transmit the electricity generated by them.

Again, Lagos is a good example of states that literally went through hell to get its power project off the ground, again in the Obasanjo era.

For sure, such an arrangement cannot continue for too long, especially under a truly federal system. It is good that a member of the federal cabinet is the one

now making a call for change as the Federal Government alone cannot tackle the rot in the railway sector. That has become clear to us all by now. The many contracts that had been awarded over the years to revamp the sector which achieved lilittle is enough to convince us that we need a change in policy.

In a country as vast as Nigeria, it is abnormal that there is no active rail system. All over the world, modern rail system has made the movement of persons and goods less demanding than before.

When railway is functional, the lives of roads are preserved, and the cost of maintenance is minimal. All these explain why it is abnormal that state and zonal interests in the ownership and development of the rail system are at the mercy of the Federal Government. The deplorable state of our highways is the result of the over-reliance on road transportation. With the movement of goods, particularly petroleum products across the country, our road network is perpetually in a state of disrepair.

We join Senator Umar to ask the National Assembly to pass the railway bill without delay. The bill could benefit from input of professional and political interests through a public hearing. Also, the accelerated privatisation of the Nigeria Railway Corporation must be done in a transparent manner. The current expose on the privatisation of the Obasanjo era leaves a sour taste in the mouth about the benefits of privatisation in a developing economy like Nigeria.

Making NDDC work •Orosanye panel should clearly delineate limits of powers in the commission T is heart-warming that the Federal Government has finally set up a committee to look into the problems of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC). It is equally soul-lifting that the committee’s chairman, Mr Steve Orosanye, has pledged not to witch-hunt anyone but to proceed on its assignment in a way that would improve the commission’s operations and processes, to enable it deliver the much needed development that has remained elusive in the oil-bearing region.

For the committee’s chairman to have given such an assurance means that he too is aware that all is not well with the NDDC. At any rate, if all was well with it, the committee would not have been constituted in the first place. This too is clear to Nigerians who have been watching with dismay the needless power-play that has been going on in the NDDC for some time now. If the problem is allowed to linger, the commission would end up like some of its predecessors, which would be tragic indeed. Tragic not for the elephants that are flexing muscles, but for the people of the region because, ‘when two elephants fight, it is the grass that suffers’.

Going by what is available in the public domain, the main issue at the commission is either that of ignorance about due process or willful subversion of same. And this manifests in more ways than one. For instance, the commission’s chairman has an office within the premises, thus giving the impression, rightly or wrongly, that he is an executive

I

chairman that must be involved in the day-to-day running of the commission.

This allegedly includes summoning of staff members for meetings, among sundry issues.

The problem has to do with some of the conflicting provisions in the commission’s Act, its ‘Operational Manual’ and the Procurement Act. Before the Procurement Act came into being in 2007, the commission had been operating based on provisions of the NDDC Act and its Operational Manual, both of which give some wide powers to the chairman, more or less making him an executive chairman.

However, one would have expected that these should have given way to the Procurement Act immediately it came into being, as it defines the way and manner all federal agencies are to be run. The Procurement Act makes it abundantly clear that the managing director/chief executive officers of the government agencies are the chief accounting officers and they head the management team.

The board, on the other hand, has no such role under the Procurement Act. Rather, its powers are limited to general policy formulation.

The continued reliance on the provision of the internal documents of the commission is the main cause of friction between the chairman and the managing director. Sadly and expectedly, it has led to a situation where many members of staff queue behind some of the parties involved in the squabbles. This is, needless to say, telling on the commission’s

performance because the needed unity and cohesion for optimum performance is lacking.

The Orosanye panel has to do as it has promised; that is act as a fact-finding committee, with a view to recommending the way out to the Federal Government. It is a rare opportunity to ensure that things are done properly at the NDDC so that the overall objectives of government in setting up the commission will not be defeated by internal squabbles and petty rivalries.

The panel has to properly delineate jobs and let people know the limits of their powers. Its best, and the political will on the part of government to do the needful will make the NDDC stronger and better for the benefit of the Niger Delta people.

‘The Orosanye panel has to do as it has promised; that is act as a fact-finding committee, with a view to recommending the way out to the Federal Government. It is a rare opportunity to ensure that things are done properly at the NDDC so that the overall objectives of government in setting up the commission will not be defeated by internal squabbles and petty rivalries’

I

N a disappointing ruling, a Federal District Court judge in Manhattan failed to hold the Central Intelligence Agency to account for a notorious attempt to cover up the torture and abuse of prisoners.

Judge Alvin Hellerstein’s ruling came last week on a motion filed by the American Civil Liberties Union, which asked him to hold the C.I.A. in civil contempt of court for destroying videotapes made in 2002 showing the use of waterboarding and other brutal interrogation methods on high-level terrorism detainees.

The tapes were destroyed in 2005, when the agency’s secret detention program was coming under Congressional and legal scrutiny. The destruction of the tapes (which The Times disclosed in 2007) flouted an order to preserve all such evidence issued by Judge Hellerstein in an A.C.L.U. lawsuit. Brought under the Freedom of Information Act, the suit sought details about prisoner mistreatment beyond Abu Ghraib.

Last November, for reasons that remain unclear, the special prosecutor named to investigate the episode, John Durham, decided against prosecuting any C.I.A. officials. The civil contempt motion was a chance to achieve some real measure of accountability.

Imposing civil contempt would not have interfered with the agency’s current operations or required payment of a fine or damages. But it would have provided official acknowledgement that the conduct of C.I.A. officials was grossly improper, which is crucial to preventing a recurrence by successors.

The judge opted for a milder response. He sanctioned the agency by ordering it to reimburse the A.C.L.U.’s legal fees. The judge also directed the agency to publish its new document destruction policies. These are positive steps. But without a contempt citation, they fail to adequately address profoundly troubling behaviour by a powerful agency and to deter that conduct in the future.

• The New York Times

TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief Victor Ifijeh • Editor Gbenga Omotoso •Chairman, Editorial Board Sam Omatseye •General Editor Kunle Fagbemi

• Controller (Finance & Administration) Ade Odunewu • Gen. Manager (Training and Development) Soji Omotunde

•Deputy Editor Lawal Ogienagbon

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•Managing Editor Northern Operation Yusuf Alli

•Senior Manager (sales) Akeem Shoge

•Managing Editor Waheed Odusile

•Advert Manager Robinson Osirike

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THE NATION TUESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2011

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EDITORIAL/OPINION

“Just 120 Dollars monthly? ... my God, I’m DEAD, but not yet BURIED!”

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IR: I am writing this piece in a sober mood just to intimate the public about the pitiable and pathetic situation of Federal Polytechnic, Offa. It is a common saying that evil triumphs when good men do nothing. This perhaps best explains the intention of this writer. For sometime now, the Federal Polytechnic Offa has become a hotbed of socio-academic crisis, no thanks to the frosty relationship between the management and the Students Union leadership on campus.It is an incontrovertible fact that only a serene, conducive and secure academic environment can guarantee a truly academic excellence, but where these are lacking, the reverse would definitely be the case. This is the present condition of the institution.Students of the school, particularly those at the permanent site, have been enduring a very difficult moment.

This is as a result of unconducive academic environment in which they are kept. Basic amenities like electricity, potable water, etc are not provided. Since the campus is situated on the outskirt of the town, students would have to come down to the town in search of these basic necessities. This is in spite of the fact that the institution had charged the students for the provision of these necessities, what do we call this? Injustice, I guessed.

As if that was not enough, the school environment which ought to be serene and conducive for learning has been taken over by bushes, with the students at the risk of being harmed by dangerous animals. In the face of all these, the management pretended as though all is well. It is disheartening.However, the ugly situation reached its climax when a Snake reportedly bit a student right in the hostel on the campus as a result of the bushy environment. Angered by the sad incident, students staged a protest considered by many to be peaceful to ventilate their grievances. But instead of addressing the issues raised by the protest, the management opted for victimization and intimidation of the students. As a result, the school was unceremoni-

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Injustice at Federal Polytechnic ously closed down for two weeks even when examination was fast approaching, and students were forced to go on compulsory break which is not the usual practice.

When it finally resumed, the management, still smoking, slammed a two-year suspension on all students’ union activities on campus, and examination which was billed

for August has also been shifted to September. What an autocratic regime!

Many would agree with us that a peaceful protest can never justify the suspension of union activities. In fact, as observed by many, it was as though the management was merely looking for excuses to justify its decisions. Now that the SUG has been suspended, a

fertile ground has been prepared to exploit and short-change the students since there would be nobody to defend them from the many unjust policies of the management. A plan has already been hatched to increase the school fees and other charges. There is also no one to protect the students against the unfriendly attitude of lecturers who

have become parasites to the resources of students; lecturers go about boosting that any student that refuses to buy their handouts a poorly published text would not pass their papers. A lecturer was quoted to have said, “If you do not buy my “textbook,” you are not qualified to write my test”. If this is not intimidation, then, we need another definition.

To say that this has negatively affected the students of Federal Polytechnic Offa is stretching the art of understatement a bit too far.

Moreover, peace is not the absence of tension but presence of justice, said Mathin Luther King jnr.

• Alatise Taofeeq and Nasir Adabara are ofDue Process Group, Offa chapter, Kwara State.

Sam Loco: Demise of real comedy IR: At a time like this, when national insanity reigns supreme in the country due largely to lack of creative governance, comedy seems to be the palliative therapy to give ourselves some momentary relief. And one of such stellar givers of this needed comic relief is Sam Loco- Efe who has just dropped dead at 66.It is so sad.What a nation, what a people!

May his gentle soul continue to give comedy to the celestial spirits that need him more than we do. To be sure that he loved what he actually came to this world for, having discovered that early in life, he died on location, in hishotel room somewhere in Owerri, Imo state.One funny thing in Nigeria is that with his demise now, so many puny leaders who were supposed to give him his due recognition when he was alive will start writing flowery tributes and beautiful condolences knowing full well he can no longer read them. Oh my God! What is wrong with our cosmic star as a nation at this time of political cholera occasioned by a jaundiced politicking that saw to the emergence of a man of immense good luck holding forte as president? It should be some accidental conspiracy, I guess. Why death now

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when we are supposed to be enjoying the good luck that flows from the temple of the high priest in Aso Rock? Christy Igbokwe is yet to be buried. Now, we have lost another giant of the entertainment industry to the icy hands of death. His death will leave a deep vacuum behind for us to fill. Death is often a mischievous reaper, not always after the crooked ones and tyrants who dot the entire landscape of our country. No matter their sins against our nation, I do not wish them dead anyway, for we are all humans after all. Why should he die at a time when policy somersault and doublespeak characterise the sermon we hear from the presidency? The entertainment industry has always come to our rescue. At least, we are assured of some occasional relief from our national malady and malaise of perpetual underdevelopment as a nation. These artistes relax our frayed nerves and reduce our predisposition to developing hypertension and insanity caused by abject penury and other privations of life. Comedy offers some of us some balmy relief from some of our physical and social pains.

Sam Loco- Efe was a stellar comedian and an actor of prodigious tal-

ent who showed total commitment to his art.At death, he remains a hero he was when he was still cracking those jokes to our listening pleasure. What a man, what a brain!Sam Loco- Efe was an unusual artist, gifted and brilliantly competent to handle his calling. A polyglot who could speak almost five Nigerian languages. That reminds me of another patriot in that mould.

Our late Cicero of Esa-Oke, late Bola Ige. The veteranthespian from the ancient city of Benin kingdom was a master of the game who directly and indirectly mentored a lot of other young Nigerians. He not only knew what he was doing, he was able to groom some other hands who will continue from wherever he stopped. He combined brain with brawn to achieve whatever success he was able to garner. He will forever remain a hero in our national consciousness, even though he was not properly accorded his pride of place by the powers that be until his demise. Our various governments prefer to celebrate crooks and frauds.

Nowonder, corruption is thriving like a cancerous cell that has metastasised. He can still be immortalised, if only they will.

Death has struck and there is no

longer a thing we can do for the dead because he does not belong here again. Therefore, it is imperative for our governments to serenade and celebrate those of our icons still living today so that the younger generation can emulate them and imbibe the culture of hard work and excellence which has eluded us for some time now. No thanks to the culture of mediocrity that has been incorporated into our psyche as a nation. There are so many ways to fight corruption and one of such is by encouraging diligence and performance through the celebrationof those who have contributed to our national glory and not some dubious politicians who won elections through foul means.

In the words of Professor Chukwuemeka Ike, our children are coming. What will they learn from us? May the good Lord forgive the dead and console the bereaved, his immediate and national family members of which this writer is proudly one. Sleep on the master thespian, our own Sam Loco- Efe. I can testify to your presence here and so your footprints.

Good night.

• Akinboyo Temidayo, Igbotako.

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THE NATION TUESDAY,AUGUST 16, 2011

EDITORIAL/OPINION

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ENYAN author, Ngugi wa Thiongo’s Devil on the Cross (1982) was the story of Jacinta Wariinga, who was impregnated by an old lecherous goat, thus terminating her education. It was a classic case of a poor, lowly girl matched against the proverbial African Big Man. Olakunle Were there to be a Nigerian Abimbola equivalent of wa Thiongo’s Devil, lordbeek@yahoo.com, 08054504169 (Sms only, please) the lead character would not be Jacinta the Lowly but Justice Ayo Isa Salami, the famed jurist.

But just as Jacinta could well be a metaphor for the impotence of the writer in the hand of a bullying state, the current nail-him-at-all-cost odyssey of Justice Salami would appear the impotence of conscience and sound principle, in a conThe thing though is that while Christ triumphed over his spiring and colluding Nigerian executive-judicial establishtormentors and inspired the birth of Christianity, those who ment, bent on turning the country into a rogue state. This is nailed him have become tiny footnotes of history to be condespite the heroics of Justice Salami and his judicial braves to demned and scorned by succeeding generations of humanstop the Somalia-sation of Nigeria, by ensuring the judicial ity. institution remains a veritable check against blatant elecEven Pontius Pilate, then the Roman ruler of Palestine, ended toral heist. up condemning himself for being accessory to crime; even if But maybe the conspirators should first pause, wake the he comically washed his hand clean of a crime he could have likes of Siad Barre and Samuel Doe from the grave, and share stopped. with them the sweet poison of destroying key institutions of But the triumph of the innocent over wilful persecution has state, just to wield untrammelled power. not been limited to the Divine alone, as in the case of Christ.

Both Barre and Doe are dead and un-mourned. But the It appears a natural law that injustice seldom trumps justice – current state of their beleaguered countries should offer some at least in the long run. bitter food for thought. Barre’s land is the nightmarish failed In wa Thiongo’s Devil, Jacinta caught up with her old torstate, where anarchy reigns supreme. Doe’s redoubt is still in mentor and took his life. After taking away her future by a state of stupor, having emerged from bitter, fratricidal civil premature pregnancy, the old dandy came to blight her marwar. riage, as he turned out to be the father of Gatuiria, Jacinta’s But as it is, the grand irony of the devil on the cross metafiancée. phor is that Jesus Christ Himself, the saviour of humanity, at The state condemned the girl. But from the moral point of least according to the Christian faith, was the original “devil”. view, it was the state that ended worse off. Prof. Ngugi wa For committing no offence and for his agape love for manThiongo himself has outlived the hated Kenyatta-arap Moi kind, Jews of his era would not rest until they nailed him on establishment, and has become better ambassador to his nathe cross – not only like a common criminal but also prefertive Kenya than the once all-powerful duo could ever have ring to spring Barnabas, a hardened and convicted criminal, been. just to nail the innocent and holy Christ.

So, cut out all the thunder, fury and judicial bombast, the trials of Justice Salami have to do with the fit of rogue ele“Cut out all the thunder, fury and ments of the Nigerian establishment, who cannot reconcile to Justice Salami’s courage that every stolen manjudicial bombast, the trials of Justice themselves date must be retrieved.

Salami have to do with the fit of rogue After a cynical manipulation of the lower courts, the mandate robbers always come short in Justice Salami’s Court of elements of the Nigerian establish- Appeal.

Not for the court’s the evil sanctimony of “political ment, who cannot reconcile them- judgments”. His and his court’s has been the admirable credo: justice even if the heavens must fall! selves to Justice Salami’s courage that doBut as it is, a piercing conscience in a conscienceless milieu every stolen mandate must be re- could be deadly. That has explained the farcical reversal of roles: those who should be docked to serve term for electoral trieved.” heist have become insane cheer leaders in the persecution of

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epublican ipples

HEN Lagos State last June joined Akwa Ibom and Rivers in the establishment of independent power projects by commissioning the 10 Megawatt Island Project, the then Special Adviser to the President on Power, Professor Bart Nnaji, who also was the Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on Power, was billed to attend but could not. Nnaji was in Abuja undergoing security screening following his nomination into the federal cabinet. Now, as the Minister of Power, Professor Nnaji on Wednesday, July 27, took time to visit the new 10MW power station, powered by both natural gas and fuel oil, which now supplies quality and uninterrupted electricity to such government facilities on Lagos Island as State House, Island Maternity and Hospital, the judiciary etc.

Lagos state governor Babatunde Fashola was on hand to receive the minister who came with an impressive entourage of electric power sector experts like the chief executives of the Ikeja and Eko electric distribution companies, Chris Akamnonu and Justus Obilomo among others. So, it did not come as a surprise when immediately the minister and the governor exchanged pleasantries, Fashola commended Nnaji for being very business-like, eager to get things done in the power sector.

He observed that Nnaji was not like some ministers who, instead of cooperating with state governors to fix federal assets in their states, fight them. The governor gave the instance of a former Minister of Works who wrote a memo to the then president asking that the governor be stopped from reconstructing a vital federal road in Lagos which was in shambles. “The late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua showed me the memo and wondered why some officials were more interested in displaying the Federal Might than in solving fundamental problems confronting various segments of our nation,” stated Fashola.

Fashola’s predecessor, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, now a national leader of ACN, had a celebrated running battle with ex-president Olusegun Obasanjo over the Enron power project that the state pioneered but which the then Federal government frustrated and: Adeseye Ogunlewe, Minister of Works during the President Olusegun Obasanjo administration. While Tinubu was of the Action Congress (now Action Congress of Nigeria), Ogunlewe belonged to the Peoples Democratic Party. Ogunlewe was keenly interested in becoming the state governor in 2007. He consequently did everything within his power to discredit the Tinubu administration, and also tried spiritedly to stop it from reconstructing failed federal roads in the state. Ogunlewe even hired a large army of hefty young men and got a uniform for them, calling them federal road marshals. Their mandate was straightforward: stop Lagos State, including the Lagos State Traffic Management Agency (LASTMA) officials who direct motorists, from operating on federal roads. There were thus countless daily physical fisticuffs between the so-called federal marshals and LASTMA officials. Operating only in Lagos, the marshals were never issued with employment papers,

Devil on the cross

Between Fashola and Nnaji

By Bolaji Falolu nor were they paid even for a month. They were actually expected to eke out a living from money extorted from motorists!

There is a phenomenon called “Abuja versus Home Front politicians”. In the Second Republic of 1979 to 1983, Senate President Joseph Wayas led a group comprising members of the ruling National Party of Nigeria based in Lagos, then the federal capital, to fight Cross River State governor Clement Isong, also an NPN member. Dr Isong was to be defeated in the NPN gubernatorial primaries, the only NPN governor so defeated. Senate Leader Olusola Saraki also led the combat against the re-election of a fellow NPN member, Adamu Atta, in the 1983 gubernatorial vote. Between 1999 and 2007, Governor Victor Attah of Akwa Ibom State fought relentlessly with the “Abuja Front”, just as Sam Egwu of Ebonyi State engaged his state indigenes living in Abuja who were led by Senate President Anyim Pius Anyim in a tiresome fight. The truth is that most of these fights between “Abuja and Home Front” politicians are over large egos, not principles.

Against this background, the huge significance of Prof Nnaji’s cooperation with Governor Fashola’s in the development of electricity in Lagos State is brought to the fore. While a committee of both Lagos State and Federal Ministry of Power officials was being set up to facilitate electricity supply in the state, Nnaji praised Fashola for not just building the 10MW Island Power Project, but also for other electricity projects like the ones for the Ilupeju Industrial Estate and the printing community in Shomolu. It is quite remarkable that all the projects are by the private sector.

The governor is pleased with the 2005 Electric Power Sector Reform Act and the Road Map for Power Sector Reform which President Goodluck Jonathan launched at Eko Hotel in Lagos last August 26 for making the private sector the main driver of Nigeria’s electricity. Prior to the Act, the Federal Government enjoyed monopoly in the generation, transmission and distribution of electricity. This fact accounts principally for the mess in the power sector for decades. In supporting the ongoing reform process, Fashola cites two interesting examples. “When the Lagos State government used to be the main owner of Eko Hotel and Suites, we never received more than 100 million naira”, he revealed. “But since we diluted our stake in it considerably, I know how much we now collect.” The governor asserted that no state government could run a company like Julius Berger. “But I know how much we receive yearly from our minority investment in it,” he de-

heroes who have done justice for the polity.

It all started with the reckless jeremiad of Iyiola Omisore, ace political battler, who ridiculed Justice Salami’s Appeal Court and libelled everyone in sight, in a senseless lamentation over the Osun governorship, brazenly stolen in the first instance.

Then came, as if on cue, phantom petitions from Olusegun Agagu (Ondo), Olusegun Oni (Ekiti) and Olagunsoye Oyinlola (Osun), the triad that stole the governorship of their respective states. Though they all met their waterloo in Justice Salami’s Court of Appeal and all bluffed and blustered as if they had any point, it was the pocket Oni that granted the most infantile of interviews to marshal his bad case.

But even with a slew of false witnesses in slanted reportage of events and hack writers, Justice Salami still emerged as having not done anything wrong by returning stolen mandates to rightful owners.

But now has come the Auta bombshell: a veritable judicial version, if there was one, of the local football lingo: if you miss the ball don’t miss the leg!

Justice Salami has been found blameless in discharging his judicial duties. But if he could withstand the corrupt influence of these power cowboys to subvert justice and let them keep their stolen loot by taking blood money, how could such a conscientious judge be remiss in the most basic and sacred of things in the judicial temple – lying under oath?

The strategy would appear clear: procure just any indictment, ask for spurious apology and create a lose-lose situation: apologise and create the ultimate self-indictment, for a judge that lies under oath forfeits the integrity to stay on the Bench; refuse to apologise and face a National Judicial Council (NJC, read a baleful Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, pulling the strings) threat of sack.

And on the double, a sanctimonious NJC would trot out a recommendation to a Presidency now playing Pontius Pilate: that the career of an innocent jurist be cut short. Pronto, the Presidency would oblige, saying pious nothings about the “integrity of the judiciary”.

Why, like the original Pilate, the president could, no less comically, even manage to wash his hands off the crime, knowing full well a saint has been unfairly nailed; and the devils given free mandate, to set the country irretrievably on the road to perdition ala Somalia. If indeed he played along, his government would stand condemned for its perfidy.

Let the power cowboys who continue to plot against Justice Salami, just because they cannot have their illicit ways, know Nigeria is no banana republic – and will never be one. The road to Somalia will be resisted by all legitimate means – and the Salami case would be fought to its logical conclusion. clared.

Nnaji wants some of the expected immense power produced in Lagos wheeled to places like Kano and Kano, two key industrial centres where it is pretty expensive to build power generating stations because of their location. “Any time I travel to Kano and Kaduna and see the carcasses of manufacturing firms which used to blossom there but collapsed mostly on account of poor power supply,” he told Fashola, “I am distraught”.

Fashola and Nnaji belong to an uncommon species of public officers in Nigeria. If Fashola had wanted to enrich himself at the state’s expense, he would have been a strong advocate of state ownership of enterprises even in areas like hotel and tourism where the private sector excels and the state has failed woefully. In the same vein, Nnaji would have been an apostle of government ownership of PHCN assets, so that he would be sharing awesome sums with contractors and PHCN executives. But both men are genuinely concerned with the common good, not their private gains.

The Nnaji-Fashola cooperation is an example of cooperative federalism, as opposed to adversarial federalism. Nnaji and Fashola are also a good example of what modern social science theorists call developmentalist. Developmentalism, as practised in mostly Southeast Asia, refers to a system where the political class is preoccupied with dramatic improvements in the living standards of the people so that their nations could, within a generation, leapfrog from Third World status to First. Development programmes are pursued as an article of faith, irrespective of who is in power at any time. Hence, Thailand has been able to record impressive strides, despite the record of an average of one military coup every 18 months.

A new government in Thailand does not thoughtlessly reverse the policies and programmes of its predecessors.

Truly, the nation is in dire need of committed developmentalist like Governor Fashola and Prof Nnaji. May their tribe multiply.

• Falolu is Assistant Editor of The Emerging World Quarterly, Birmingham, England.

‘Ogunlewe was keenly interested in becoming the state governor in 2007. He consequently did everything within his power to discredit the Tinubu administration, and also tried spiritedly to stop it from reconstructing failed federal roads in the state’

THE NATION TUESDAY,AUGUST 16, 2011

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EDITORIAL/OPINION ALF way through and I am enjoying my best Ramadan in years. We are in that period of the holy month when the body has fully adjusted to the fasting and it doesn’t really matter any longer how much longer you need to fast. It can last for the next one year for all you care, after all some people have been forced by poverty to fast in perpetuity, taking only one meal a day.

In fact, this is one of the essences of the Ramadan, for us to feel just in one month, what some unfortunate people feel throughout the year and then appreciate the need for us to give to the less privileged. A colleague remarked recently that some people don’t even know why they are fasting and concluded that they were merely on hunger strike. I think so too.

One of the main features of every Ramadan is the ‘Tafsir’ or public lecture and as a boy, I really looked forward to it as I really enjoyed those stories from the Koran. It was also an opportunity to go out with my father. Back then you don’t get such opportunities often.

Did i hear you say Old School? And even now how many fathers do that to their children? Some things don’t seem to change, do they?

Though the pressure of work and city life has made going to Tafsir during Ramadan a tough routine to follow, thank God for television, the preachers can now bring their lectures into one’s living room and nothing is lost. One of such lectures this past weekend got me thinking as it dwelt on using what we know and see to understand the unknown, and my mind quickly went to the on going trial of Major Hamza al-Mustapha in a Lagos High Court over the death of Alhaja Kudirat Abiola in the hands of suspected state assassins working for a military government, whose Head al-Mustafa served as Chief Security Officer.

Al-Mustapha is alleged to have ordered the killing, but instead of defending this allegation, the Army Major opened a Pandora’s box when he alleged that his boss General Sani Abacha and Bashorun MKO Abiola, the winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, who was arrested by Abacha and detained for daring to want to claim his mandate, were killed and that some Yoruba leaders were paid by the General Abdulsalami Abubakar

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to be haunted by it in the future, but in doing this we must be fair to the past.

Back to my mail on the al-Mustapha testimony:

Investigating Abiola’s death regime that succeeded Abacha’s to abandon the Abiola mandate.

Following what I said on the issue last week, responses poured in and I will serve you a few later. Even though I remain resolute that whatever al-Mustapha has got to say on the issue cannot but be tainted and not likely to bring us closer to the truth as regards events leading to Abiola’s death, what he has told us so far is part of what is known about the issue. Can we use it together with similar information to get to know or understand what actually happened? How Abiola died. Who actually killed him? Who gave the order? Is the poison story true?

Unless and until a criminal investigation via a judicial commission of inquiry is carried out on the death of Abiola in government detention, there will be one million and one reasons and conspiracy theories on who, what, why and how he was killed. And as long as there are doubts about the official position over his death, the regime of Abubakar, under whose watch the billionaire politician died or was killed remains tainted and has blood on its hands. The General from Minna has to talk now; it is no good remaining silent. What happened? It is not enough for his ‘boys’ to dismiss al-Mustapha as saying rubbish. Tell us how Abiola died. Was it a game of tit-for-tat, that since Abacha had died why not kill Abiola as well, to balance the equation? This is what the majority seems to believe in spite of what Abeokuta government claimed was the cause of Abiola’s death.

Whether the former Head of State states his side of the story or not, it will not be out of

place for President Goodluck Jonathan to institute this inquiry, but can he do it? Even if he is willing, as we say, does he have the liver to do it? Does he have the liver to do anything at all? May be now that some people, as we are told by Jonathan’s spokesman, Rueben Abati, are putting pressure on the president to order a stop to the trial of al-Mustapha (as if he has the power) he would consider setting up this commission of inquiry once the Lagos High concludes the trial and the entire appeal process exhausted.

I do not know of any case in court over Abiola’s death, so the more reason this inquiry should be set up. Also without a commission like this, we might never get the true story of Abiola’s death and people like alMustapha can just come out and say whatever, claiming that to be the truth and in the process they become heroes and even seen as sympathetic to the June 12 cause.

In investigating Abiola’s death, the period of his detention especially under Abacha should be looked into and the role of Major al-Mustapha properly x-rayed. The man now wants us to believe he did no wrong in the Abiola’s matter. Common! we are no fools.

Our memories are not that short. The inquiry should not be centred on al-Mustapha’s role alone but everybody that had a hand in the matter beginning from when Abiola was detained must be investigated. The objective should be to establish the truth and apportion blame or punishment where necessary, not only to ensure that justice was done but also prevent such things happening again. We need to bury the ghost of the past in order not

I saw your write up “Why now alMustapha”. Tell Abdusalam Abubakar to clear himself or he will rot in hell. This is the month of Ramadan, may ALLAH forgive us all.

Kola from Jos. 0805 737 3806 Waheed, your article on Tuesday August 9, 2011 refers. Al-Mustapha has decided to jump from fry-pan to fire. Those pleading for him should have a rethink as he may call them in.

J.J Lo-Dakwo, Jos, 0809 686 7121 Al-Mustapha does not deserve the publicity you people are giving him. He is a criminal and mad.

Goje E, 0805 560 3177 Waheed my name is Shagari from Kaduna.

I love your editorial. Please help publish this question to the so called Major Mustapha.

Why did he not convince his boss then to release MKO? Look I am from the same local government with Mustapha that is Nguru in Yobe State. But if it is true, why did he not tell the world what happened to MKO and his wife. He said Abdulsalami said OBJ should die, why did he not reveal it then. I hate his lies.

0806 454 8222

‘Without a commission like this, we might never get the true story of Abiola’s death and people like al-Mustapha can just come out and say whatever, claiming that to be the truth and in the process they become heroes and even seen as sympathetic to the June 12 cause.’

VIEW FROM THE FOREIGN PRESS

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Founding Fathers and federal debt

ITH Congress and the White House stalemated over the question of debt, it may be reassuring, even instructive, to consider that our nation was embroiled in a crisis over public debt at the very dawn of its history.

In fact, the primary motive that brought delegates to the Constitutional Convention of 1787 was to sort out vexing questions of debt and taxes.

The debt in question was that owed by the American rebels to the governments of France and Holland, two key allies that had provided funds to support Washington’s army. Those loans were necessary because the currency issued by the Continental Congress in the early stages of the war had been exhausted, first through unrestrained spending and finally through inflation and loss of confidence. Funds were also owed to American businessmen who had purchased domestic bonds in an effort to prop up a faltering Congress.

The funding situation of the nascent American government slipped into genuine crisis in 1780, prompting Congress to appoint Robert Morris, a celebrated Philadelphia capitalist, to the new position of superintendent of finance.

The first object of the program Morris put into place was to acquire for the government what Morris termed “the inestimable jewel of public credit.”

This was a relatively new conception, the idea that public debt, supported by public confidence, or credit, could actually be a boon to the people at large.

By Charles Rappleye With debt financing, Morris advised, the government could undertake and achieve large projects: fielding an army, for example, or after the peace, building roads and “internal navigations.”

This had been demonstrated in the early stages of the war, when Congress financed the army by printing money, but public confidence in the new American currency had been squandered.

That confidence could be restored simply enough, Morris said, by the payment of taxes. That strategy may seem prosaic enough, but consider the tone Morris adopted in pressing the governors of the states to fund the operations of the Congress. “It is by being just to Individuals, to each other, to the Union,” Morris insisted, “by generous grants of solid Revenue, and by adopting energetic measures to collect that Revenue; and not by complaining, vaunting, or recriminations that these states must expect to establish their Independence.”

Preaching the gospel of taxation at a time when many Americans were fighting against the tax authority of Parliament was a doomed enterprise, however, and Morris failed to obtain either sufficient revenues from neither the states nor taxing authority for the central government, which was then little more than a debating forum for what were sovereign states.

Fortunately for the American patriots, the blunders of the British high command brought the war to a close,

and the funding questions were set aside.

But not for long. A post-war recession and the deepening political malaise of the newly free colonists brought matters to a head, and in 1787 Morris joined with a coterie of nationalist-minded colleagues — George Washington, James Madison, Alexander Hamilton and the rest — to establish a central government with taxing authority that would finally fund the lingering debts from the war.

In the process, they replaced the 13 colonial currencies with a single, national medium of exchange, established a central bank and inaugurated a freewheeling market for government securities that set the stage for a decade of robust economic growth.

There were other critical elements to the Constitution; of course, regarding the shape and scope of the government and its powers, but debt and funding were at the top of the agenda in Philadelphia.

Lest there be any doubt as to the centrality of debt in Morris’ thinking, he spelled it out in a public address upon leaving office in 1784. “The payment of debts may well be expensive, but it is infinitely more expensive to withhold the payment,” Morris warned. “The former is an expense of money, when money may be commanded to defray it; but the latter involves the destruction of that source from whence money can be derived when all other sources fail.

That source, abundant, nay almost inexhaustible, is public credit.”

At a time when congressional bickering and posturing has cost the

United States its prime bond rating, and when markets around the globe are looking to Washington for leadership, the solons of the House and Senate might best look to the past for the sort of conviction and sound reasoning that first set America on the path of unprecedented economic success.

• Charles Rappleye is the author of “Robert Morris: Financier of the American Revolution.”

– Los Angeles Times

‘The debt in question was that owed by the American rebels to the governments of France and Holland, two key allies that had provided funds to support Washington’s army. Those loans were necessary because the currency issued by the Continental Congress in the early stages of the war had been exhausted, first through unrestrained spending and finally through inflation and loss of confidence.

Funds were also owed to American businessmen who had purchased domestic bonds in an effort to prop up a faltering Congress’

F/Eagles took France Spurs, Newcastle join Osaze race for granted —Disu Pg. 41

Pg. 41

Nation Tuesday, August 16, 2011

PAGE 23

•Mikel

Mikel: Please, release my dad

Pg. 24

TUESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2011

24

41

NATION SPORT 2011 BEACH W/CUP

Sand Eagles hit Faro this week

N

IGERIA's Super Sand Eagles are due to depart for a training camp in Faro, Portugal ahead of the 2011 FIFA World Cup in Italy.

SuperSport.com has been informed that the Sand Eagles will leave for Faro this week.

The Nigerian team have been camping for the World Cup near Avioje Beach in Badagry, Lagos.

Captain of the team, Isiaka Olawale said the squad will be ready for the World Cup, which starts on September 1 in Ravenna.

"We have been here in Badagry for more than two weeks. I know that we will do well at the World Cup as we will go for a training tour hopefully this week," Olawale, who is also captain at Kwara United, said.

Nigeria are drawn in Group C alongside Russia, Tahiti and Venezuela.

The Sand Eagles will open their campaign at the World Cup against Russia at the Stadio del Mare in Marina di Ravenna on September 2.

This will be the fourth appearance of Nigeria at the World Cup after three previous attempts in 2006, 2007 and 2009.

GULDER 5-A-SIDE FOOTBALL

Royal Eagles, Carry Go FC Emerge Regional Champions •As action begins at the Ijebu Ode stadium

T

HE ancient town of Oleh in Isoko South Local Government Area of Delta State was the ultimate battle ground for all wouldbe regional representatives in the ongoing Gulder 5-A-side Football; an annual national football competition for non-professional football talents in all the nooks and cranny of the country.

For three days last week, Wednesday August 10 – Friday August 12, all registered teams within the Mid-Western Region, comprised of Delta, Edo, Ondo, Ekiti States traded tackles and sized one another up for strength and skills at the Oleh Township stadium, Isoko to qualify for the two slots allotted to the Zone.

At the end of the three days, it was Royal Eagles FC, a local football team from the host town that first qualified, defeating its arch rival Carry Go FC of Benin through a penalty shoot-out which ended 6-5.

The two teams Royal Eagles FC and Carry Go FC now stand as the best teams from the zone. They will be in Lagos for the final showdown on September 5, 2011. Speaking shortly after the tension soaked competition, the Coach of Royal Eagles, Emeotu Orerome gave glory to God for making it possible for his team to have successfully defended the title of being the overall regional champion, having got to the same stage in the maiden edition of the competition last year. “ We defeated all the teams here last year and went to Lagos and came third at the finals. We are on the same winning streak this year and our ‘Ultimate’ aim this year is to go to Lagos and conquer the rest of the teams from the other seven zones,” Orerome declared In his remarks, the coach of the Carry Go FC of Benin Coach Jolomi Omagbemi, commended Nigerian Breweries Plc for proper organisation and logistics put in place to make this year’s Gulder 5-A-side Football zonal elimination contest colorful. He disclosed that there was a sharp difference from that of last year, urging the company to keep up the good work and also to continue sponsoring the 5-A-side Football competition which, according to him, will keep Nigerian youths occupied.

NATION SPORT

F/ Eagles took France for granted –Disu

T

UNDE DISU believes that the Flying Eagles took their foot off the pedal in their quarterfinal loss to France at the FIFA Under 20 World Cup on Sunday.

The Nigeria Under 20s lost to France by 2-3 in Cali, Colombia and failed to reach the semis.

Disu, a former Nigeria Under-20 coach, explained to SuperSport.com why the team failed to beat the European side.

He said the style of play adopted by John Obuh's men against their French opponents was apparent they expected an easy game.

The former player of the defunct Electric Corporation of Nigeria (ECN) faulted the defensive high-line adopted for the quarterfinal game.

He also believes that the French Under-20s do not rank higher than the Flying Eagles.

"France shouldn't have beaten our boys because we have a better team than theirs. But I must say that the

defensive approach was too advanced for a young team and left the team open to attacks.

"It was very clear that the style worked against the team and gave the French a lot of space to operate," he explained to SuperSport.com.

Overall, Disu believes that Nigeria can take some positives away after

France were more technical –Akanni F

ORMER Nigeria defender, Waidi Akanni has described the French side as technically superior to their Nigerian counterparts, the Flying Eagles.

France on Sunday punctured the Flying Eagles’ hundred per cent record at the FIFA Under-20 World Cup in Colombia with a 3-2 win in the quarter finals clash in Cali.

France will meet Portugal in the semi-finals on Wednesday in

2011 FEDERATION CUP

Eguma relishes 2001 Cup success

D

OLPHINS gaffer, Stanley Eguma, has a Herculean task as the 2011 Federation Cup enters the knock out stage on Wednesday, but still remembers how he led the team to their first-ever victory in the competition, 10 years ago.

Eguma, a graduate of the University of Port-Harcourt, embraced coaching after his National Youth Service programme in 1994 and seven years after won a national title in only his first attempt. The 2001 Coca-Cola FA Cup campaign was a Cinderella story for Eguma and his untested youngsters. Dolphins, then a second division team performed the unexpected against El-Kanemi Warriors, one of the top teams in the old first division.

• Eguma

Bookmakers were proved wrong as Eguma became an instant hero when he led a bunch of youngsters to record a famous 2-0 victory over a starstudded El-Kanemi side, at the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos.

Perhaps, what gave his team the much-needed confidence was their semi-final victory over Enyimba.

It was a repeat of the feat achieved

by Niger Tornadoes, then a second division team. Tornadoes beat highlyrated Enugu Rangers to win the cup a year earlier at the same venue.

Eguma told SuperSport.com that the feat recorded 10 years ago remains very important to his career.

“I thank God for life. It’s like yesterday. That victory over ElKanemi actually brought me to limelight. I’ve tried to maintain that standard in every team I coach because the Cup success in 2001 has spurred me. I thank God for the honour I brought to the club for the first time 10 years ago,” he said to SuperSport.com.

The coach whose efforts have been recognised by the national team stated that the team was successful because of teamwork.

“The players were wonderful because I didn’t have stars in the team.

I had players like Joseph Cole, Abubakar Musa and Efosa Eguakun, who was one of the youngest. I’m excited God used me to touch the lives of many players,” he added.

Be committed, Okeahialam urges RGUABLY, this has not been the best of times for Heartland Heartland players Football Club of Owerri as the

A

one-time second best team in Africa are now struggling to regain lost glory.

The Naze Millionaires have been torn apart reportedly by division among their top officials on the one hand, and the players not showing committment to the cause of the club, on the other, thereby resulting in the club’s ‘low’ position on the rungs of the Nigeria Premier League ladder.

However, the chairman of the club’s board, Ignatius Okeahialam believes the team’s 10th position on the log will only be improved if players show more commitment as the board is bent on making recommendations that will bring positive changes to the club.

“In football, one cannot always have the same kind of results. I don’t want to say it is because they have a new general manager as it could happen to anybody, but I think the players really need to show a little more commitment.

“When we got to the finals of the CAF Champions League in 2009 and did not win the trophy, it kind of disorganised the club. However, we quickly recruited by making available very good players but, surprisingly, those players are no more there as I can only see a few of them.

“All things being equal, I can say Heartland will bounce back like every

By Akeem Lawal other club by the time the season goes by, and wherever the problems are coming from or the loopholes will be rectified.”

Okeahialam promised to make suggestions to the government on how to improve things at the club. He said: “At the appropriate time, we will make our recommendations to the government so that the club will come back to its glory and things will be re-organised. I am hoping on the government of Imo State and also believe in what our action governor, Rochas Okorocha is doing. I’m sure he’s seeing everything himself and will take positive action soonest.

“We will make our recommendations to his sports advisers. I mean, we cannot ignore the likes of our sports legend, Kanu Nwankwo who is now his sports adviser and the sports commissioner, who will in turn give their adequate recommendations just as we at the board will also give our own recommendations.

“I don’t think anybody in the board (both past and present) will be happy with the write-ups of the general manager on the pages of the newspapers,” the chairman observed.

Mikel: Please, release my dad

failing to make the last four.

"I think the team is a very decent squad and the coach is an intelligent man too. Losses like this are hard to accept at times but I know that the whole team will learn from this.

"Also I think a number of the players should be elevated to the senior level," Disu said.

Medellin.

Akanni, who accused winger, Ahmed Musa of selfish play, told SuperSport.com that modern football is all about using one’s chance at goal.

“France were more technical. They did not have the energy as our players, but in football you must take your chances .

“Ahmed Musa wasted two clear chances, if he had used it, perhaps the story would have been different.

“Musa must not have played to instruction; I think he was too selfish with the ball.”

He also did not spare the Flying Eagles’ back line of blame for the team’s ouster.

“Our back line has not been tidy; the central defenders were not tight right from the start of the competition.

“It was unfortunate that the coach did not amend it till this time.”

Although Akanni had expected the reigning African champions to go beyond the quarter finals stage, he still believed that it was not altogether a bad outing for coach John Obuh’s wards.

“I was disappointed that they did not progress beyond the quarter finals stage, but by and large, it was not a bad outing only that they failed to deliver when it mattered most.

“I think they should start right away to prepare for the next edition,” he told SuperSport.com.

C

HELSEA midfielder John Obi Mikel has appealed for information on the whereabouts of his father, who has been abducted in Nigeria.

Mikel played in Sunday’s 0-0 draw at Stoke despite learning a day previously that his father had gone missing on Friday.

Speaking on Sky Sports News, Mikel said he and his family are yet to hear anything regarding his father’s whereabouts or who might have taken him, and he made a direct appeal for his father’s release.

“Please just let him go,” he said. “He’s just an old man, he hasn’t done any harm to anyone as far as I know and I don’t know why he has been taken.”

Michael Obi (Mikel’s dad), who runs a transport company, has not been seen or heard from since he failed to return home from work in Jos, the capital of Plateau State in central Nigeria.

With no contact made and no ransom demand yet received, Mikel is seeking information and help from anyone who can provide it.

“Nigeria is the country I am from, I’ve always tried to help my country in any way I can, playing for my country or anything,” he said. “This is a time where I need the country to help me. Whoever has got my dad, whoever knows where my dad is, please contact me and hopefully he can be released.”

Mikel was told about the situation

by Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas and his own agent after training on Saturday, and turned out at Stoke with only one of his team-mates - Salomon Kalou - aware of the situation.

“I was actually in having a massage when the manager sent for me,” Mikel said. “I went to his office, he said, ‘There is a situation, your dad is missing’.

“I didn’t know about it, obviously.

My family didn’t want to tell me until after the game.”

Mikel said he asked for time to absorb the news but, after speaking with his family, he told Villas-Boas he still wanted to play.

“I was shocked,” he said on Monday. “(Villas-Boas) asked me what I wanted to do, did I still want to go to the game.

I told him I needed a couple of hours to speak to my family and my agent.

“I told him I would like to play the game because I wouldn’t want to let my team down, let the club down and obviously let my family down. I think if I didn’t play that game, my mum would be very sad with me. I spoke to my mum before the game and she told me to go out there and be strong...

“I don’t think my team-mates really know about it at the moment,” he added.

“I told (Didier) Drogba about it today (Monday) and before the game I told Kalou because he is a very good friend.

“But I didn’t want everyone coming to me saying, ‘I’m sorry, I’m sorry’. I just wanted to get on with it.”

Etuhu mulling Victor Moses is over Kavala offer special, says Martinez K

W

IGAN Athletic manager Roberto Martinez believes winger Victor Moses is walking on water and should be in line for an England call-up.

Moses was a constant threat for the Latics during their opening Barclays Premier League against newly promoted Norwich City, as the home wide salvaged a point.

The 20-year-old is expected to take on more responsibility since the departure of Charles N'Zogbia to Aston Villa, and Martinez claims he's a special talent.

"You don't see many footballers like Victor," he said. "He's a special talent.

"We haven't developed youngsters well enough in the past. I think we've been quite rigid in the way we coach our wingers. But Victor can play in

CAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

Uche Kalu’s goals will inspire Enyimba

I

MPRESSIVE Enyimba striker, Uche Kalu has promised to score the goals that will crown his club African champions for the third time.

Kalu was on target at the weekend as two-time CAF Champions League winners, Enyimba beat Raja Casablanca of Morocco 2-0 to consolidate their leadership of Group A. Enyimba have seven points from three matches and are ahead of Al Hilal of Sudan, who also have seven points, by virtue of having scored more goals.

“I promise to continue scoring till we emerge the 2011 winners of the CAF Champions League,” Kalu told MTNFootball.com after the match in which his ninth minute goal set the ball rolling for hosts Enyimba to turn back Raja.

“I am really happy for scoring another goal. I equally thank my teammates, coaches and fans for their belief.

“It was a difficult game especially in the second half when they came out of their defence to attack us.”

The Enyimba striker further said that they now hope to wrap up their qualification for the knockout stage of competition in two weeks when they visit Morocco for the reverse fixture.

“We will work for the maximum points in Casablanca knowing that we shall have a better pitch there than what we had in Aba,” he said.

Enyimba boss Felix Anyansi-Agwu was equally confident his team is marching closer to a treble Champions League conquests.

“There is no stopping us this year. We played well and deserved our victory.

We are going to Casablanca to pick the semi-final ticket because Raja are out of it and it is for us to give them the game of their life in the return leg,” said Anyansi.

• Moses

three or four systems with great clarity.

"Players like him are becoming a bit of a luxury but he's not because he's got discipline in his game and tactically he's very aware.

"People will tell you how well he gets away from people, and the quality he has got in one-on-one situations. But he's also a real team player with a real team ethic and for me that's quite unique in

such a young boy. If he does that, he's a real threat.

"It was a shame when they decided not to call him up because I think it was a big miss for England," Martinez added.

"I think he's played enough games in the Premier League for people to know about him. I don't think Victor is an unknown or someone no-one knows about.

"He's a unique player but he's also a really quiet boy. I think it would surprise you."

Moses moved from Crystal Palace, where he began his career, to Wigan in 2010 but has scored just twice in 11 starts for the club, but faces the proposition of being the club's chief winger following the sale of N'Zogbia.

EVIN ETUHU, who was released by Manchester City after he was jailed for assault, is considering an offer from Greek club FC Kavala.

The younger brother of Nigeria international Dickson Etuhu has been surplus to requirement at bigspending Manchester City, where he moved through the youth ranks.

Over the years, the 23-year-old right winger or striker has been shipped out on loan to such clubs like Rochdale, Leicester City and Cardiff City.

In March, the younger Etuhu was released from his contract by City after he was jailed for assaulting someone outside a Manchester casino.

• Etuhu

AFTERMATH OF FLYING EAGLES’ OUSTER

We lost to a more informed side –Rufai

E

X-INTERNATIONAL, Peter Rufai has rued the inability of the Flying Eagles to advance to the semi-final at the ongoing FIFA U-20 W/Cup, just as he opined that Coach John Obuh could have sneaked into thr French team’s camp to fish for tactical information in aid

• Osaze shares a joke during training session in Carlifonia

By Stella Bamawo of his team.

He said: "I think, personally, out of experience I will say the opponent teams were also watching us. There are strategies for tournaments and there are strategies for league, you can be a good coach but if you don't have that experience in tournaments, then it will tell, you will pay the price somehow.

“Don't blame injury. We had a challenge in the French team, they did scrutinise us properly; if you watch from the first game, second game, we were seeing the tactical moves of what the Super Eagles used to be. In those days, you saw tantalizing movement from both left and right wings, you saw the ball flowing, you saw the guys going on pace, the strikers coming in jabbing and finishing, you saw action. That was the pace the Flying Eagles started the competition with, The French team saw all these movements, and they scrutinised us

properly so at that stage, information helped the French team more than it did to us, because if we had used the information gathered about the French team then we would have used it well because information is power.”

However, Rufai believes that the team should also be commended for their efforts in the early stage of the game: "I think from one side the team has done very well, the team has done well generally. Issues like concept of games are things we learn in tournaments. The learning process continues, we have taken a point from this, if no one has taken, I have taken from watching the game from outside. I believe same goes to the technical crew too.

‘The technical crew has done wonderfully, not because of the earlier results but they have also put in their best. Although, if just in the course of play one or two players had remembered what the coaches told them some of the mistakes they made would have been avoided.

Spurs, Newcastle join Osaze race

T

OTTENHAM HOTSPUR are considering a move for West Brom striker Peter Odemwingie, according to the Mirror.

Harry Redknapp’s side could increase their interest in the Nigeria international if Peter Crouch completes a move to Stoke City.

Odemwingie, who bagged 15 goals for West Brom last season, would certainly be attracted to the prospect of playing at Spurs while Roy Hodgson will be confident that Ireland’s Shane Long could replicate a similar goals total.

Redknapp has been desperate to add to his forward line this summer and with Robbie Keane and Crouch both now nearing the exit, the desire for a striker becomes greater.

Meanwhile, Newcastle has joined other suitors in the chase for the Nigeria forward after a bid from another England Premier League side Wigan was turned down by West Bronwich Albion.

Though the 30-year-old striker missed West Brom's opening game

of the season against Manchester United on Sunday through injury, Newcastle are hell-bent to have the lethal goal poacher join the Toons in the new season.

But with Roy Hodgson’s declaration after the 2-1 defeat that the former Lokomotiv Moscow forward is not for sale, Newcastle will have to do the extra-ordinary to have the signature of the Nigerian.

Osaze enjoyed an impressive debut season in the Premier League last term and finished as the Baggies' top scorer.

His exploits have seen the striker linked with several clubs during the summer and Wigan Athletic had a £1.5million bid rejected before the weekend.

Hodgson had laughed off the size of the Latics' offer and confirmed he is hoping to secure Odemwingie on a new deal at The Hawthorns.

But with the discussion with West Brom on a possible contract renewal stalled Sunday, Osaze may just be on his way out of the Bagies' fold.

25

PROPERTY

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Website:- http://www.thenationonlineng.com

* The Environment * Mortgage * Apartments * Security * Homes *Real Estate

email:- property@thenationonlineng.net

Experts flay Lagos on advance rent •Say it cannot control what it does not own

•A twin duplex in Ikeja, Lagos.

If the Lagos State Government had envisioned the uproar the proposed rent advance would generate, it would have considered other shades of opinion before bringing it into the public domain. The bill has been torn apart by stakeholders who accused government of not consulting widely, insisting that government cannot possibly control what it does not own, writes, OKWY IROEGBU

L

AGOS State Government seems to have stirred the hornets’ nest with the bill entitled A law to regulate rights and obligations under tenancy agreement and the relationship between landlord and the tenant including the procedure for the recovery of premises and for other connected purposes in Lagos State. The Bill stipulates that any land-

lord in Lagos State who collects rent in excess of one year in advance from a new tenant would be prosecuted by the state government and upon conviction face three years in jail.

The bill, awaiting Governor Fashola's assent, stipulates that it is unlawful and criminal for a landlord or his agent to demand or receive from a sitting tenant, rent in excess of

•New Tejuosho market gets October date - PAGE 26

six months in respect of any premises without prejudice to the nature of tenancy.

What this implies is that those who are already tenants are not expected to pay more than six months in advance to their landlord.

The bill prescribes a fine of N100,000 or three years imprisonment against any landlord or new tenant who pays in excess of one

•Ondo takes over repairs of Ore-Benin road

year and N100,000 or three months’ imprisonment for any landlord who fails to issue a receipt to a tenant for payment of rent.

Furthermore, "it shall be unlawful for a sitting tenant to offer or pay rent in excess of one year for a yearly tenant in respect of any premises and any person who receives or •Continued on page 26

•NATE chief blames building collapse on bad economy

- PAGE 27

PHOTO: OKWY IROEGBU

- PAGE 28

THE NATION TUESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2011

26

PROPERTY/ENVIRONMENT Tejuosho market, Yaba was one of the biggest and convenient markets in Lagos State until it was razed by fire on December 18, 2007.

But the state government, moved by the plight of the traders entered into a private- public partnership concession of 25 years with a developer with a proviso for special consideration for them. In the multi-billion naira deal with over 4,000 shops for grabs, the developer has given October as the delivery date for the redeveloped market OKWY IROEGBU reports.

He said for ease of payment for

New Tejuosho market gets October date

T

EJUOSHO market is an ultramodern retail market on five floors built on three hectares with 4,034 shops and 1,700 Kklamps (traditional stalls).

With the distribution of provincial letters of offer, new owners are gearing up to start full business transaction by October, The Nation learnt.

The popular market, which was razed by a mysterious fire on December 18, 2007, is being redeveloped into a world class facility by the Lagos State government through a concessionaire, Stormberg Engineering Limited.

PPP is for 25 years.

The deal includes a special repurchase provision for former tenants of the market with the provision of over 1,651 K-Klamp shops on a flat rate of N1.2million while the bigger shops, according to the state government directive will be given to them for 525,000 per square metre as against 600,000 per square metre said officials of three estate survey firms marketing the project.

The firms are M.I. Okoro, and Associates, Nelson Thorpe Alonge Estate Surveyors and Valuers, and Laide Osikoya and Associates.

In a chat with The Nation at the weekend at the project site, the Principal Partner of M.I. Okoro and Associates, Mr Meckson Okoro, said: “In a matter of days, all the people who have purchased the shops will get letters of provisional offer.

Those who have made their full payment will get their letters of offer and the final stage will be allocation of the shops.”

He said the developer’s schedule indicates that work would be completed and the complex inaugurated for use by October. “The majority of the shops are ready and the contractor is driving the process on full speed, working assiduously on the externals to keep to the schedule.

“The mechanical, electrical and plumbing fittings are in progress.”

Okoro said the shops have been zoned to tally with the various articles of trade that would be traded by prospective shop owners, adding that only few shops were left.

“We have about 70 percent sold and what we are doing now is mop up.

•Budgets N6b for subscribers

•Redeveloped Tejuosho market over the weekend.

“There should be no fears about over subscription because a buffer zone has been created to contain any form of over subscription. Also, we are looking at people, who have paid in full and even if you are taking a mortgage, the bank will pay in full for you. Those who make full payment will get a space.”

Another member of the team, the Principal Partner of Laide Osikoya and Associates, Mr Olaide Osikoya, said the project could be completed in October. However, he said: “in construction, there could be some delays such that it could extend a little after that and that is why we say it would be inaugurated on or before the end of the year.”

Osikoya said the original traders in the former market have been given a special package and an opportunity to occupy an area

PHOTO: OKWY IROEGBU

Shops Sizes 9sq.m, 12.5sqm

price

19sqm 23 sqm 142sqm

N4.4million N7.2million

N11.4million N13.8million N85.2million

Facilities •Alternative power supply via generator •Elevators- 5 for passengers, 3 for cargo •Wheel chair/pushcart access •Police Station/ Fire Station •Banking halls

known as K-Klamps, spaces, which cost N1.2 million for a 25year lease period of the concession.

“The Lagos State government concessioned the shopping complex to Stormberg Engineering for 25 years and they can only sell

•Food court/eateries •Clinic •Cold rooms •Multi-level parking for over 720 cars •CCTV

within the period of their concession.”

The K-Klamps, he said, are 1,651 and that they would be enough to go round those affected and they have been allocated to the former shop owners.

this category of shop owners, who are under the Iya-Oloja (Market Leader) Association, are expected to approach First Bank Plc., which is providing the financial muscle and, which also has a special mortgage facility for the purchase process. “Firstbank, the financier, has set aside N6 billion for this purpose. There are three payment options; full payment, installment, and through mortgage.”

He said former shop owners, who want lock-up shops, instead of K-Klamps have been given concessional rates. “All rates have been determined through N600,000 per square metre, but former shop owners are to buy at the rate of N525, 000 per square metre. They have been adequately taken care of in accordance with the state government’s pledge to original shop owners of priority treatment when the market is redeveloped.”

The shopping complex, he said, has over 4,000 shops to be accessed through elevators, spiral multilevel parking lot with shoppers having the freedom to park on the floor they intend to shop. “If you want to shop on the third floor, all you need do is to park on the third floor and do your shopping.

Also, if you’re shopping on a particular floor and cannot move to the next through the elevator, then you could use the ramp. You can wheel your trolley to wherever you parked through the ramp that can also be used by the disabled on wheel chairs.”

The edifice, he said, would have a standard fire station to prevent a re-occurrence of the fire that razed the former market. There would be a massive industrial borehole, central sewage system to control liquid waste; Police Station; service areas for banks, restaurants; among others.

The developers plan to have a multi-lane road in front of the complex to ease external movement.

The complex, according to him, would be well-secured and at the prescribed closing time everybody would move out and the gates would be locked.

Experts flay Lagos on advance rent •Continued on page 26

pays rent in excess of what is prescribed by the law shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable to a fine of N100,000."

The bill consists of 47 sections, including jurisdiction of the courts, obligations of the tenant, obligations of the landlord, length of notice, services of notice, among others.

It also spells out the relationship between the landlord and tenant and allocates rights and privileges to both parties. Under the law, a tenant is entitled to quiet and peaceful enjoyment of the premises, which include privacy, freedom from unreasonable disturbance, noise pollution and nuisance, as well as exclusive possession of the premises, subject to the landlord's restricted right of inspection.

According to the new law, a landlord must send a written letter to a tenant whenever he wants to visit the apartment for inspection. Such letter must state the time the inspection is to be conducted in order to give the tenant ample time to prepare for the exercise.

The law also gives a tenant the privilege to furnish or install accessories within a property to fit his/ her taste.

The bill was sent to the governor after its passage in the State House of Assembly but was reportedly returned by the governor, citing grey areas that should adjusted before he can append his signature to it.

This is not the first time the Lagos State Government is coming up such measure to tackle the challenges of ‘rent abuse’ by landlords and tenants. In 1997 Brigadier-General Buba Marwa's administration promulgated a rent law, which demarcated Lagos into 11 zones with different rates per zone along variations of dwelling units into 12 types.

It set the minimum rent for a single room unit at between N75 and N650.00. The edict then made it illegal for any landlord or landlady to demand an advance payment in excess of six months for a room and parlour unit, otherwise such a landlord would liable to a three-month jail term or N30, 000.00 fine for illegal or forceful ejection of a tenant.

Under the 1997 law, only the court can order the eviction of tenants.

The court process was unusually slow and cumbersome and this prompted landlords to adopt unorthodox approach to evict tenants.

This involved the use of phony

legal cases, intimidation, locking out tenants, and physically throwing them of their property.

Prior to 1997, arbitrary rent increases, unlawful ejection of tenants, lengthy and unending litigation between landlords and tenants were rampant in Lagos.

This trend precipitated the promulgation of the 1997 rent control and recovery of residential premises edict in the state, which is capped by the current bill in Lagos that has received knocks. A wide range of people say if passed as a piece of legislation, it will tilt in favour of the tenant against the landlord which they view as inequitable and not justifiable.

A developer Ajayi Badmus asked the government to come out with policies that will enable private developers to thrive.

He said: “How justifiable is it for government to decide for me how many years and amount to charge after getting funds on cut-throat conditions from banks and other financial institutions. ‘’The state government should first of all work on their high land charges and odious task of obtaining approval documents. Rather than encouraging tenants to be lax in the discharge of their social contract to their landlords they should

go ahead and build houses to take them. A builder Mr Kunle Awobodu also said the state Government should work on building houses for the teaming population especially the low income group.

He lamented the high cost of funds, used by developers and called on the government to liberalise the sector instead of regulating what it actually has no control over. President Nigeria Institution of Surveyors (NIESV), Mr Bode Adediji said his institution will soon respond appropriately to the issue at hand.

He however, in his personal capacity observed that government may mean well but criticisedthe modalities. X-raying the issue of rent in Lagos or other parts of the country, he said the price crises are simply based on heavy demand and sluggish supply. He urged government to focus more on housing delivery.

He said: Skyrocketing house or property prices are not good for the economy and in that light there is need for government to intervene and tame the prices. Lagos State Government should holistically address the issue.

Majority of defaults on rental payment is not because of lack of funds by tenants but some people exploit

the weakness in the judicial process.

“The cost of fund to a landlord should not be overlooked, we should be careful not to create a problem while trying to solve one.

The law should take into consideration the rights of the tenant as well as the landlord,” he said.

Adediji decried a situation where a tenant will owe his landlord and be cruising round in Jeep exploiting the loopholes in the judicial system.

He said in countries, such as Ghana, United Kingdom and United States a tenant may not be allowed to quit a place after owing for over three months except on special consideration such as job loss or related incidents.

The NIESV President canvassed greater attention on infrastructure provision in satellite areas to encourage people to leave the city centres for such places and still miss nothing in terms of good services.

While commending Lagos State Government on its inroad in infrastructure development that opened up the hinter land to reduce pressure on the city centre, he called on the Federal Government to accord Lagos a special status by allowing more revenue to accrue to the state and infrastructure.

THE NATION TUESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2011

27

PROPERTY/ENVIRONMENT

Ondo takes over repairs of Ore-Benin road •Threatens to sack contractor

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ISTURBED by commuters’ nightmares on the Sagamu-Ore-Benin Expressway, the Ondo State Government has embarked on an intervention mission on a section of the road to reduce their sufferings.

The state Governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko, who spoke at the Ore end of the expressway, pleaded with commuters on the deplorable state of the road, noted that it was sad that it could be neglected by the Federal Government for so long.

Mimiko, who spoke through the Commissioner for Works, Gboye Adegbenro, an engineer, told The Nation that although the Federal Ministry of Works is applying palliative measures on the failed portions, the road should be rehabilitated.

Lamenting the absence of Federal Government’s presence in the state, the commissioner listed some of such abandoned roads as Ilesha-Akure-Benin, Ipele-IsuaKabba,Arigidi-Omuo and Epinmi-Kabba roads.

He declared that the state government had spent over N2 billion on intervention jobs on federal roads in the past two-and-ahalf years, which has not been re-

By Okwy Iroegbu and Ojo Damisi

funded to it. These include the Ore/ Okitipupa road, Owo/ Ikare road, Akungba Akoko/ Ikare road, the Ilesa Akure Benin and the Ogbese axis of the Akure Owo road.

He criticised the Federal Government for abandoning its roads in the state, saying they have become impassable.

Adegbenro said it would take over the repairs of the road from Reynord Construction Company (RCC), the contractor appointed by the Federal Government to repair it, for undue delay and the untold hardship faced by commuters. Stressing that the state portions of the road totalling over 700 kilometres were in bad shape and need urgent repairs, he said the state has not been lucky with repairs of federal roads.

Adegbenro said: “We cannot wait any longer for the Federal Government to repair this road, which has turned into a nightmare for road travellers, especially indigenes of this state, who make use of the road to meet up business demands.

“The on-going repairs on the

•Gridlock on the failed portion of Ore on Sagamu-Benin Expressway.

road are not enough to put it in right shape since the road is already dead and need urgent intervention and total reconstruction.”

He warned that the state would move in and intervene if it discovers that the work done by RCC

‘The on-going repairs on the road are not enough to put it in right shape since the road is already dead and need urgent intervention and total reconstruction’

is not good enough for the kind of job the state wants on the road.

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Unit Commander, Ore, Michael Arinzeagu, who was on the entourage, observed that the Benin-Ore-Lagos Expressway is very important to the nation’s

‘Establish agency on quality building materials’

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•Mr Mamabolo, Chief Duru and Coleman during the visit

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South African High Commissioner visits Abuja Mall

OUTH African High Com missioner Mr Kingsley Mamabolo and Economic Counsellor Mr Nicholas Coleman, have toured the Grand Towers shopping mall Abuja.

The mall is scheduled to open in December this year with anchor tenant Shoprite and some Nigerian and international patrons supporting other associated line shops.

Chairman of Grand Towers Mr Chidi Duru unveiled the company’s vision to roll out malls throughout country to bring world class shopping choice and convenience to Nigeria. “Very few internationally styled and supported retail malls exist in Nigeria and Grand Towers would

From Nduka Chiejina (Assistant Editor)

like to position itself as the market leader in this space,” said Duru. Grand Towers has acquired and secured additional sites in Lagos, Abuja and other state capitals in the country.

The malls will bring employment during both the construction as well as the staffing of shops, banks and restaurants.

Pivotal in the developments will be the transfer of skills as Nigerian professionals partner with their South African counterparts on the building sites.

The mall will consist of 8,900 m2

of retail floor space, 400 parking spaces and offer over 40 shops and restaurants.

“We are delighted with this development,” said South African High Commissioner, Mamabolo, “as it demonstrates the on-going trend toward strengthening the binational commitment between Nigeria and South Africa.”

In addition to Shoprite, the Grand Towers Abuja Mall will house other South African franchises, including KFC, Steers, Pep Stores, MTN and Stanbic Bank.

Retail space is almost subscribed, with local tenants and brands also participating in the mall.

economy since it links the eastern part of the country with the west.

Arinzeagu, who led the FRSC team to welcome the commissioner to the bad site, said the road needed reconstruction, noting that it has lasted for over 30 years.

GROUP, Building Collapse Prevention Guild, has called for the establishment of a body that will monitor and ensure the quality and standardisation of imported building materials.

In a statement signed by their spokesman, Mr Kunle Awobodu, the body regretted that the nation has been affected by buildings collapse.

The statement reads in part: “If a building is an enclosure meant to protect human beings, it becomes dysfunctional when it turns 180 degrees into an enclosure that endangers human life. ‘’Examining the past causes of building collapse in Nigeria, poor quality of materials used in building construction remains salient. ‘’This prompts a fundamental question: which agency of the government is responsible for the monitoring of quality of materials being used for building construction in Nigeria?” he said, adding that though Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) regulates and monitors the standards of manufactured and imported recent happenings in the sector have called for a second look on the duties of SON. He said: “Looking at the setting up of SON, its functions, unfortunately, traverse a wide range of production sector.

Monitoring

of building materials’ quality is just one out of several products’quality control it is saddled with. The body is not only tasked with the quality assurance of locally manufactured products, but with an extension to imported products whose number is limitless and albeit overwhelming for a single agency”. He noted that rapid physical development brought incessant collapses because of the drive for excess profit by developers.

He called on the government to establish a parallel body that will be cater for materials used in the building sector to check poor quality materials in the market.

Awobodu insisted that SON is over stretched and may not be in a good position to monitor building materials produced locally or imported, check specification and compliance with standards of blocks used in building, the chloride, alkaline and carbon dioxide content of cement.

THE NATION TUESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2011

28

PROPERTY/ENVIRONMENT

Quantity surveyors canvass abolition of Land Use Act

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• A collapsed building at Mile 12, Lagos

NATE chief blames building collapse on bad economy

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HE National President of Ni geria Association of Tech nologists in Engineering (NATE), Chief Leo Okereke, has blamed the incessant collapse of buildings on the poor economic situation in the country.

Okereke said the solution to the problem is not yet in sight, adding that the improvement of the economy would impact on building specialists.

NATE chief, who disclosed this in Abakaliki during the inauguration/Chartering of Ebonyi State Branch of the Association, said: “Each time building collapses, the first thing people normally say is quacks.”

“We have not got the issue of building houses right because if we follow the normal method, you will go to a specialist for design, procurement of materials and for the actual implementation. But these things cost money and because it cost money, people tend to cut corners.

“The way out in tackling issues of collapsed building is for our economy to improve.

“There should be liberalisation in many things so that the common man can have food and shelter for himself. That is the way out.”

Okereke charged the Federal Government to build a Technology Village where hi-tech products would be churned out annually for the advancement of the technological status and promotion of indig-

By Ogbonnaya Obinna, Abakaliki

enous technologies in the country.

He stated that the country would benefit immensely from the establishment of such centres nationwide, but regretted that indigeneous technologists were not being encouraged to advance the use of their skills and natural endowment to reposition the country technologically.

“If such centres have been given the due attention needed, the country would have the opportunity to compete with countries, such as

‘We have not got the issue of building houses right because if we follow the normal method, you will go to a specialist for design, procurement of materials and for the actual implementation. But these things cost money and because it cost money, people tend to cut corners’

China, Japan and America in terms of technological abilities. Nothing stops states from doing it.

The technological village will be funded by the Federal Government and, before you know, it we will start churning out technology. For a start, it can be at the capital because it is capital intensive.”

“My people can make anti-kidnapping devices. When you touch the person, there will be lots of bellows that is noise-emanating from the device.

“We can also make anti-burglary device. Technologists are persons who can bring down nature and transform it for the usage of mankind.

“Our association will be showcasing the first-ever technological exhibition called NATE waves where all will gather to behold Nigeria’s technology juxtaposed with that of foreign technology.

“We have to start showcasing our technology. We have technology here. Our people can make so many things. By the time we showcase it, people will start to criticise it, until it becomes acceptable,” he added.

Speaking on the occasion, the Ebonyi State branch Chairman Mr Felix Uro said the association in the state would checkmate the activities of its members to ensure professionalism and development of the state technologically.

Cote d’Voire: NEMA donates relief materials to returnees

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HE National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has donated relief materials worth millions of naira to Cote D’Iviore returnees of Osun State origin.

In a statement, the Head of Public Relations, NEMA, Yushau Shuaib, said the returnees, mostly indigenes of Ejigbo and Iwo local government areas of Osun State, were evacuated before the political impasse was resolved after the swearing of President Alassane Quatara.

NEMA Director-General Mohammed Sani Sidi, who was represented by the Director, Finance and Accounts, Mr Hakeem Akinbola, delivered the relief

From Franca Ochigbo, Abuja

items to the returnees. He commended the effort of the governmenmt for the evacuation.

He said: “So far, the assessment carried out by NEMA’s officials revealed that the returnees needed the relief assistance to complement the effort of the state government to alleviate their condition.

“The gesture from the Federal Government was not intended to compensate, but to assist and ameliorate the sufferings of the returnees to bounce back to their normal lives.

“I commend the role of Grassroots Emergency Management

Volunteers (GEMV) in Ola-Oluwa Local Government Area of the state during the recent helicopter crash in Ikolofin, Ife Odan. I hope other youths will emulate their efforts,” he stressed.

Speaking, Osun State Deputy Governor Mrs Grace Titilayo Tomori, commended NEMA for the gesture, she described it as an affirmation of its renewed vigour to meet the needs of disaster victims. She assured the agency that the materials would be judiciously distributed.

The relief items include bags of rice, detergents, beddings, clothing materials, blankets, plastic buckets, wrappers, toiletries, cooking items and beverages.

HE President of the Nigerian Institute of Quantity Survey ors (NIQS), Mr Agele Alufohai, has called for the abolition of the Land Use Act. Alufohai stated this in a paper entitled: Nigeria must fire all growth cylinders, he wdelivered at a stakeholders meeting convened by the Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Olugbenga Ashiru, and his Trade and Investment counterpart, Mr Segun Aganga, to engage the business community in Lagos.

Specifically, he lamented the 17 million housing units deficit in the country, noting that the weak supply of new houses has made house rents very expensive and urged the government housing agencies to focus more on regulatory and policy incentives that strengthen the private sector rather than involve in housing production.

He recommended the development of the mortgage sector for between 25 and 30-year mortgages with the stimulation of the growth of big property developers that can employ economies of scale to supply cheaper houses.

He observed: “Majority of the

By Okwy Iroegbu, Asst Editor

public can afford N3 to 6 million houses if they get long-term mortgages. What people, need therefore, are policies that give the private sector the confidence and incentives to create long-term mortgage products.”

Alufohai berated government’s provision of interest rate subsidies and the building of low-cost houses, which only benefited a few.

He said the mortgage finance and construction business have opened up opportunities for the government to look inwards to tap into investment opportunities which exist in the real estate and construction sectors of the economy.

The NIQS chief expressed his delight and confidence in the President Jonathan Goodluck’s administration’s transformation agenda, adding “Successful economies are those run by governments that have the discipline, focus and humility to constantly investigate how they can make it easier for the private sector to become more productive and profitable.”

•Illegal block industry at Oworonsoki, Lagos.

Lagos insists on zero tolerance for environmental nuisance

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HE Commissioner for the En vironment in Lagos State, Mr Tunji Bello, has warned that the state government will not tolerate environmental nuisance in the state.

The commissioner stated this while on an inspection of some parts of the metropolis at the weekend.

The tour was to enable him to assess the environment projects as well as look into other areas for improvement.

Extolling the achievements in the last four years, the commissioner said a lot has been achieved, adding that there was more to be done to improve the environment.

He said: “We have to consolidate on the achievements of the existing areas before moving to other areas.

He noted that there was the need to constantly monitor the environment to ensure the efforts of the government were not frustrated.”

He also directed that damaged railings at beautification sites be repaired immediately and over grown weeds serving as hide outs for criminals cut .

Bello said one of the reasons for reclaiming some parts of the state for landscaping and beautification is to combat crimes while maintaining the aesthetics and socio – economic value to the centre of excel-

By Okwy Iroegbu Asst. Editor

lence.

He appealed to individuals and corporate bodies to clean their surroundings, plant trees and flowers and treat them. He urged the need for improved vegetal control to enhance the State’s environment, an clean environment is prerequisite for healthy living and good business”.

He lamented that indiscriminate dumping of refuse was becoming rampant in the metropolis, stating that it was undermining government‘s efforts at ensuring a cleaner environment warning that such act is responsible for the blockage of most canals and had greatly contributed to flooding in some areas.

Bello ordered that unauthorised motor vendors, block industries on highways, such as OworonshokiGbagada axis, should relocate immediately to avoid government’s sanction.

He decried a situation where some people let out waste water into the roads. He ordered that such houses should be served abatement notice.

He said: “We have to do our job and we cannot do it with sentiments, if we are to clean Lagos, it must be total.”

29

TUESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2011

E-mail:- law@thenationonlineng.net

The National Judicial Council (NJC) has asked the President of the Court of Appeal (PCA), Justice Isa Ayo Salami, to apologise in writing to the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Aloysius Katsina-Alu and the NJC within a week, beginning from August 10. The NJC said it found Justice Salami guilty of false claims and breaching of Rule 1(1) of the Code of Conduct for judicial officers. Lawyers have faulted the directive, which expires tomorrow. They said the NJC acted ultra vires because it has usurped the powers of the courts. Only a court has the power to declare a person guilty of perjury, and not the NJC, they argued.

JOHN AUSTIN UNACHUKWU, ERIC IKHILAE and JOSEPH JIBUEZE sought their views.

How fair was NJC in Katsina-Alu/ Salami row ‘

No panel other than a court of law can indict anyone in matter of perjury. What the NJC is doing is, therefore, completely illegal and unconstitutional. It is only a court of law that is constitutionally empowered to do so

F

‘

– Sagay

OR the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Aloyius Katsina-Alu, the President of the Court of Appeal (PCA), Justice Ayo Isa Salami and the National Judicial Council (NJC), tomorrow means a lot. The day marks the expiration of the seven-day ultimatium given to Justice Salami to apologise to Justice Katsina-Alu as part of the NJC’s decision on the face-off between Justice Katsina-Alu, who is retiring on August 28, and Justice Salami.

Justice Salami, NJC said, should apologise to Justice Katsina-Alu for lying against him on oath. Lawyers, who have so far reacted to this decision, feel that the NJC, which comprises mainly judges should know better than to make such pronouncement. In law, a man cannot be found guilty of a criminal offence by an administrative panel. It is only the courts that have the power to try and convict for criminal

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?

With profound respect to the members, most of whom are eminent judges, the NJC has no powers to impose or to mete out punishment or disciplinary action on any of its members or any judge for that matter

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‘

The verdict is most unfortunate, incredible and perverse because the evidence is so clear, even to the blind. It is rather sad that those entrusted with the leadership of the judiciary decided to rubbish and denigrate the sacredness and the sanctity of the respected institution

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– Falana – Ogbara •Judicial integrity at stake over investigation offences. This is why lawyers are worried by NJC’s stand.

Was the NJC working to a predetermined position? Many lawyers believe it was.

From the way the NJC went about its brief, the lawyers said many be tempted to query the type of justice being dispensed daily by the courts. According to them, if judges and others in the NJC cannot ensure “true and untainted” justice among themselves, how then can they claim to understand what justice implies when adjudicating on litigants’ disputes?

The NJC was acting in good faith when it constituted the Justice Bolarinwa Babalakin panel to look into the dispute between the CJN and the PCA over the Sokoto, Ekiti and Osun governors election disputes.

On the completion of its task on March 8, last year, the Babalakin panel, among others, found “That the CJN as the

chairman of the NJC has no power to interfere with any proceedings in any court as was done in this case.” It absolved Justice Salami of any wrong doing.

Apparently dissatisfied with this outcome, the NJC on March 9, 2011 constituted the Justice Umaru Abdullahi panel.

The panel, besides reviewing what the Babalakin panel did, also looked into fresh petitions by ex-Governors Olagunsoye Oyinlola (Osun) and Segun Oni (Ekiti) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) against some Justices of the Court of Appeal, who sat on the governorship appeal election petitions in those states.

The ex-governors alleged that Justice Salami had a relationship with the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and its •Continued on page 31

•‘Scrap Nigerian Law School’ - P.30 •‘Lagos NBA chair unveils plans’ - P.34

30

THE NATION TUESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2011

LAW PERSONALITY Dr Kole Abayomi (SAN) lectured for 35 years at the Nigerian Law School (NLS) and retired as its Director-General.

He identifies ways of improving the quality of legal education. JOHN AUSTIN UNACHUKWU spoke with him.

‘Scrap Nigerian Law School’ I

T is generally believed that the standard of legal education has fallen drastically. How can it be improved?

The problem with legal education does not start from the Nigerian Law School (NLS). It affects the whole spectrum of education, from secondary school through the university.

If we have to address the quality of legal education, we have to ensure that many things are put in place in the law faculties of Nigerian universities to ensure that basic law principles are properly taught.

There are so many ‘mushroom’ universities, most of them having law faculties. Could that be a factor?

The market for qualified lecturers is not as elastic as the way the universities are developing. Therefore, there is not enough manpower to properly man the faculties. If that is so, then there would be problems.

Remember that one year is spent at the Law School and we cannot cure the defects of five years in one year.

So, we have to start remedying the defects from the universities.

Are there no problems with the Law School itself?

If you consider the number of students we have in the Law School, it is enormous. First of all, it is a question of available resources and the intake of students. We have been opening campuses upon campuses to see if this would solve the problem, but to my mind, they are probably exacerbating the problems.

How would you appraise the efforts of the Council of Legal Education (CLE) and the management’s effort in addressing the challenges?

Let me concede that since I left office as the DG of Nigerian Law School, the Council of Legal Education (CLE) and the present management of the Law School has tried its best to introduce novel things, especially things that are practicaloriented into the curriculum.

There is interaction at lectures; students are given more responsibilities; they now use computers; they answer questions and have discussions with their lecturers through their computers.

That is how it should be because that is the trend all over the world now. But we must look at the new developments in the context of the present set up at the Nigerian Law School.

What do you mean?

In those countries where they are using what we are trying to at the Nigerian Law School, the ratio of students to lecturers is small. You cannot have proper interaction when you have students over 1,000 in one campus, in Lagos for instance.

Where this is done, the number is not as much, maybe 100 or maximum of 150 students. Also, the tutorial system is also very small; it is about one lecturer handling about 20 students.

But in the various campuses, you see that the number of tutorial is large that there is no way the system can be effective.

What other challenges does the school face?

Another point that I have experienced is that the management of the Nigerian Law School is so overwhelmed with responsibilities that their time can never be theirs.

They do a lot apart from lecturing and preparing for lecturers.

They do a lot of administrative work. Few days ago, I was trying

•Abayomi to get information from the Law school about their on going admission and I discovered that the DG wasn’t there; the secretary wasn’t there; the Director of Studies wasn’t there and there was nobody who could give me a firm answer to what I required.

They had all gone for accreditation and they do this accreditation periodically. When they do this, proper administration would appear to stop because the DG who is the chief executive, and the secretary are not there.

So, there is a lot of problems about the workload of the management in dealing with administration, teaching, accreditation, admission and things like that.

How did you cope?

My experience when I was the DG was that I would get to the office at about 9.am and would not go home until about 9.pm. During exams, I was practically sleeping in the office.

What then happens with delegation of responsibilities?

Some of the facets of the administration you could delegate, but most of them would be very difficult to delegate. How would you delegate examination? How would you delegate serious discipline?

How would you delegate accreditation? All these are things that we have to reconsider, whether as the Law school stands now, it serves any useful purpose.

So, how can these problems be resolve?

My theory is that the Law School

should be scrapped but the CLE should remain. The Council is the authority that formulates policy for legal education and it includes the teaching. My theory is that these major functions should be separated.

How will they operate?

The Council should remain as the sole authority for the development of legal education in Nigeria. The school should be scrapped and the CLE should now make serious provisions for how students of law can get proper education for training for the call to the Nigerian Bar. If that is done, then the Council would have enormous time and resources to go in-depth into legal education to formulate policy that will help to bring up the standard of legal education in Nigeria.

For instance, they can sit down and formulate what the curriculum should be. They can sit down and decide the policy that would make it possible for whoever wants to run a law school to know what he should have, and the conditions under which licence can be given by the CLE to run various law schools in the country.

They could say, before we accredit you as a law school, you must have ratio so and so lecturers or students; you must have certain volumes of books in your library; you must have a certain number of lecturers with experience to teach the people you are taking as students.

They must send these students to law attachments and to court attachments.

Under strong supervision, they must also make sure that these students ‘eat’

about three dinners in a term so that the tradition will continue.

What do you consider to be the effect of these measures?

This will take a lot of load off the council. They will properly supervise and create a blueprint for legal education. Now, this might look selfish, but it is not because I have experienced work at the law school for about 35 years. What I am saying now is an idea that has developed over the years - how you could make it better to run legal education courses.

In this situation, what do we do with the lecturers and other staff of the law school?

They are all staff of the CLE, not the Nigerian Law School, so, they can be retained. They can now be used in supervising Law attachments; as inspectors in the various law schools which have the licence of the CLE to operate. They can settle down and help the council to formulate broad and good policies and curricula for the law school.

So, will this give us the desired quality of lawyers?

This will improve the quality but that does not mean that the basic flaws in the universities should not be remedied as well. With this, the council will be able to address standards, directing the various faculties of law, ensuring that they must have certain things in place before any of their students can take the bar final exams.

It also allows them to think about the security of exams because the council will sit down and consider

‘My theory is that the Law School should be scrapped but the CLE should remain. People may consider this to be selfish. The Council is the authority that formulates policy for legal education and it includes the teaching. My theory is that these major functions should be separated’

what system it would use, so that there would not be issues of leakage. There will be proper security until the exams are taken, as regard the custody of the papers, and how the papers are made, and so on.

How do we reform the criminal justice system to make it work more efficient?

We should look at the various clogs and see how we can remove them to simplify the system, both from the prosecution point of view and from the defence point of view, and make sure unnecessary adjournments and delays are avoided.

There is also a system that is used in other countries that you can be a practising lawyer and be a part time Judge or magistrate as well, so that loads of cases can be taken off the system. That area can be explored and can be of help too.

How to you react to the view that senior lawyers and academics be appointed straight into the Supreme Court rather than the current situation where they are moved from the Court of Appeal only?

I believe that a lawyer of composite experience, post-call, who has been proved to be competent should be appointed straight to the Supreme Court.

After all, at that level it is more or less paper work, you don’t have to listen to witnesses and all that.

All the information you need are properly documented before you.

So, there is no reason lawyers, who have not been judges or academics, who are well known in their fields should not be made justices of the Supreme Court.

It enriches the Supreme Court. It is possible that the ‘outside’ lawyers would now quickly sift the wheat from the chaff, they are not bogged down with the cumbersome procedure at the various levels of courts.

So, they just go straight to the law as ascertained from the documentation before them. That is a welcome idea.

Why are we not doing that now?

Well, there are traditional diehards. There are some vested interests who would not make this possible, at least for the present time, but I strongly advocate it.

How do we use law to secure the safety of lives and property?

To my perception, it does seem that our agencies are not serious about the job that they are doing and those who supervise them do not do thorough inspection to see that they are alive to their responsibilities.

What do you mean by this?

The aim of every citizen is to enjoy peace, both in the country as a whole and in their respective environments. No matter how hard working, wealthy or how poor you are, you still need peace and stability.

In some older countries, those security agencies don’t have too much problems because anytime before the problem blows up, they nip it in the bud. Sometimes they even infiltrate into the chaotic system.

They have people reporting to them, people who appear to be loyal to the hoodlums whereas their loyalty is to the system, the country, passing information to the security agents.

But here, we do not have adequate system of spying to report to the authorities. If you don’t know of any plan for insurrection, there is no way you can stop it.

Part of the work of the security agents is to make sure that they cover the ground.

THE NATION TUESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2011

31

LAW COVER CONT’D

How fair was NJC in Katsina-Alu/Salami row?

•Continued from page 29

leaders. They submitted some MTN call logs to prove that Justice Salami allegedly compromised in removing them from office and declaring opponents, the ACN and its candidates, as the winners. The panel also looked into Sokoto, Ekiti and Osun states governorship appeals.

At the end of its assignment, the Abdullahi panel reported among others, that: “Upon the totality of the evidence and the material placed before the panel, it finds: (i) that the call logs relied on by the petitioners lack authenticity and, therefore, have no evidential value; (ii) that there is no sufficient evidence to establish the alleged unethical communication and to make finding of fact that there was such communication; (iii) that there is nothing to show that the statement credited to Justice Salami, that he makes use of judges he trusted is indicative of an adverse connotation.

On Sokoto Governorship Appeal, the panel said there was no leakage of the judgment of the Court of Appeal as alleged against Justice Salami and Justices of the Court.

The panel, however, said the NJC and the CJN have no power to interfere in any judicial proceedings as Justice Katsina-Alu did on Sokoto Governorship Election Petitions before the Court of Appeal.

Rather than hit the nail on the head, the panel chose a middle ground, preferring not to rock the boat. “The panel, however, finds no semblance of ill-motive, selfishness of an individual or sectional interest being used to subvert the Constitution in the steps taken by the CJN, Chairman of NJC. “In view of the surrounding circumstances, the panel finds that the CJN was motivated by an apparent urge to protect the administration of justice and avoid breach of peace. The panel finds that the CJN acted in good faith to have taken the steps he took,” the Abdullahi panel said in its report.

Still unsatisfied, the NJC constituted the Justice Ibrahim Auta panel, to make recommendations based on the Abdullahi panel.

Justice Auta, though a member of the NJC by virtue of being the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, is the most junior of all the heads of the three panels set up by NJC over the Katsina-Alu/Salami dispute.

The NJC said: “Having therefore established that the allegation by Justice Salami against Justice Katsina-Alu, regarding the Sokoto Gubernatorial Election Appeal was false, Council decided that it is a misconduct contrary to Rule 1(1) of the Code of Conduct for Judicial Officer of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Consequently, Council further decided that the Hon. President of the Court of Appeal should: (i) “be warned for such unethical conduct which eroded the public confidence in the integrity and impartiality of the Judiciary; (ii) “apologise in writing to both the CJN and Chairman of NJC, Justice Katsina-Alu, and NJC within a week from today, the 10th day of August, 2011.”

Although it has been reported that Justice Salami was planning to head for the court over this recommendation, observers are worried over the implication of the decisions on the Judiciary.

A United States of America (USA)-based nongovernmental organisation, Justice For All Nations (JFAN), described the apology directive as a bad precedence in Nigeria’s judicial history.

The group noted that “If apology could be recommended as penalty for perjury, that shows what Nigeria has in its legal institution are a bundle of deceptors that specialise in dressing corruption and pretend to be dispensing justice.”

In a statement signed by its coordinator, Dr Dada Popoola, JFAN stated that the judiciary in Nigeria had again lost the chance of restoring its credibility in the eyes of the world.

He said: “Our question is, does that mean that Justice Salami, who committed perjury, will now be sitting in judgment over other people who committed the same offence?. And if such a case is brought before him, is he also going to simply overlook Section 117 of the Criminal Code, Laws of the Federation, which makes perjury a criminal offence and Section 118, which prescribes 14 years imprisonment for offenders?

“According to Section 117, ‘Any person who

in any judicial proceeding or for the purpose of instituting any judicial proceeding knowingly gives false testimony touching any matter which is material to any question then depending in that proceeding, or intended to be raised in that proceeding, is guilty of an offence which is called perjury.

“It is immaterial whether the testimony is given on oath or under any other section authorised by law. In this instance, Justice Salami lied on oath and all that the NJC could do was to say, ‘go and apologise to the CJN and NJC,’ as if the CJN and the NJC are equivalent to Nigeria and its people that Justice Salami ridiculed!

“NJC has just set a bad precedence in Nigeria’s judicial history. This is absurd and the sooner President Goodluck Jonathan and the Senate wade into a matter like this, the better for Nigeria and its image before the international community.”

Lawyers said only a court of law, and not a domestic panel, can preside over a criminal matter such as alleged perjury.

A professor of law, Itsay Sagay (SAN) said the move by NJC is very illegal and unconstitutional.

“No panel other than a court of law can indict anyone in matter of perjury. What the NJC is doing is therefore completely illegal and unconstitutional. It is only a court of law that is constitutionally empowered to do so,” he said.

He said the allegation that the CJN interfered with a pending case on appeal has been swept under the carpet. “There has been no apology or expression of any form of regret over the illegal and unconstitutional interference in the Sokoto governorship petition appeal,” Sagay said.

According to him, there is an “anti-progressive onslaught” against Justice Salami over his role in restoring true democracy. Some, he said, are not happy with the Court of Appeal headed

by Salami which upturned several stolen mandates from rigged elections, and are bent on reversing the gains made by the appellate court.

Activist-lawyer, Mr Femi Falana said: “Frankly speaking, I cannot appreciate why the NJC has decided to embarrass itself by acting outside its statutory powers. With profound respect to the members most of whom are eminent judges, the NJC has no powers to impose or to mete out punishment or disciplinary action on any of its members or any judge for that matter.

“There is no doubt that the NJC can investigate allegations of misconduct against them, including the the CJN, but once investigation has been concluded, and a case of misconduct is established, the power to discipline is with the appointing authority, in this instance the President.

“The NJC is a recommending body which has no powers to execute its recommendations.

By asking somebody to apologise for lying on oath, the NJC has acted ultra vires (outside its powers) by finding somebody guilty of a criminal offence of perjury which only a properly constituted court in Nigeria can find. Only a properly constituted court can make such a finding.

“I, therefore, hope that the attention of the NJC will be drawn to the relevant provisions of the Constitution and decided authorities on this matter, particularly the case of Legal Practitioners Privileges Committee vs. Fawehinmi.

The NJC’s disciplinary power is limited to the staff of the Council.”

A human rights activist, Mr Morakinyo Ogele, said the outcome of the Auta Panel was not only surprising but shocking. He said it was outside the purview of a panel without judicial powers to handle a criminal matter such as alleged perjury.

He warned NJC to expect a lawsuits over what he called breach of Constitution, adding that the NJC’s finding that ustice Salami swore to a false affidavit is outside the jurisdiction of any domestic panel.

Ogele said it has been widely decided by the

•Justice Katsina-Alu

courts that a domestic panel such as the Auta Panel cannot preside over a criminal matter.

He cited the case of Garba vs University of Maiduguri where the Supreme Court held that it is beyond the jurisdiction of any domestic panel to preside over a criminal matter.

“We have been warning that the NJC should thread cautiously in respect of Justice Salami and the CJN. I humbly advise NJC to withdraw the outcome of Auta Panel in respect of perjury that the panel decided upon.

“Otherwise, it may open a floodgate of litigation in this country as any individual has the right to challenge a breach of our constitution,” Ogele said.

A human rights group, the Access to Justice (AJ), said the conclusions on Petitions against CJN and PCA are disappointingly shallow and side-step core Issues. They would not help restore public confidence in judiciary, it said.

Its Director, Mr Joseph Otteh, said: “Ultimately, the leadership of the Nigerian judiciary must take responsibility for the current state of the Judiciary, its loss of prestige and public trust, its internal conflicts and divisions, its sagging stature and its waning authority.

“The judiciary needs new direction, new administration, new leadership, new systems and a new spirit. We urge the current leadership to make way for this renewal.”

Former Chairman, NBA, Ikorodu Branch, Mr Nurudeen Ogbara, said: “The verdict is most unfortunate, incredible, and perverse because the evidence is so clear even to the blind man.

It is rather sad that those entrusted with the leadership of the judiciary decided to rubbish and denigrate the sacredness and the sanctity of the respected institution. The least everybody expected was the resignation of the incumbent Chief Justice of Nigeria and commendation for the PCA for standing on the truth, fairness, integrity and transparency.

“From the outset, the current occupant of the exalted office of the Chief Justice of Nigeria had sacrificed his headship of the judiciary and comprised the integrity of the system on the alter of sheer opportunism. How can you absolved the CJN of wrong doing and turned the heat on the PCA, who obviously is the one that has insisted on integrity. Besides, the history of the dramatis personnel involved in this matter easily show to the whole world who is pro-integrity and who does not have any iota of integrity.

“Given the intrigues and double standards that have characterised the whole exercise, it is evident that there is a glaring conspiracy to get rid of the PCA at all cost even as the CJN retires. The CJN will not even be touched. Only the just, the truthful and the meritorious with a lot integrity and the love of transparency that is being subjected to persecution, harassment and molestation but the righteous are ever courageous because the Gracious God will not abandon them.

“The signs are too ominous and the clouds too dark and unbridled. The NBA and in-

‘I humbly advise NJC to withdraw the outcome of Auta Panel in respect of perjury that the panel decided upon ... Otherwise, it may open a floodgate of litigation in this country as any individual has the right to challenge a breach of our constitution’

•Justice Salami

deed all right-thinking and justice-loving Nigerians should not allow this otherwise the few remaining courageous and principled jurists in the Nigerian judiciary will be completely traumatised, permanently intimidated and humiliated.

“One of the duties of the NBA is to protect the legal profession and defend its integrity.

Not only does the NBA protect and defend the bar, she similarly does the same for the bench. Unfortunately however, the NBA has over the years been short-changed by the vary forces opposed to transparency, rule of law and due process by the continued attempts to manipulate the NBA which the successive leadership of the bar has resisted and continue to resist.

“The constitution and relative statutory provisions allow the NBA to appoint its nominees into certain stator and constitutional bodies but those in authorities usually frustrate the lofty intensions and often sabotage the NBA by directly appointing such nominees themselves rather than allowing the NBA to do so. They appoint their minions and stooges who are otherwise not proper and fit persons and who will not be accountable to the NBA. Tje leadership of the bar has gone as far as instituting legal action to redress the anomalies.

“The truth actually is that the Nigerian judiciary still faces a daunting task in deepening democracy and validating the rule of law and due process due largely to constitutional defects and structural problems in relation to the Judicature. These challenges include but not limited to composition of the NJC, its constitutionally assigned mandate, those who have been appointed to the apex court over time, by way of elevation or seniority as opposed to appointment predicated on merit and a mix of ideological cum solid professional backgrounds, deficient accountability credentials and the complexities of the time.

“The unfolding miasma in the Nigerian judicature has once more placed on the front burner the urgent necessity to have a transformed and accountable judiciary that will effective superintend and impartially adjudicate all sorts of grievances including political transition disputes. The constitution should be amended without further delay such that the CJN will no longer be the Chairman of the NJC, without prejudice to Section 230 (1) as amended so as to guarantee fair play and put in place a measure of check and balances. Similarly, part 1 of the Third Schedule of the constitution with regard to paragraph I dealing with the NJC should equally be reworked so that the limiting proviso in paragraph 20 (i) thereof that provides that the five (5) nominees/members of the NJC “...shall sit in the NJC only for the purposes of considering the names of persons for appointment to the superior court of record...”

“The foregoing, I submit, is the greatest danger to the NJC and the Nigerian polity because but for this proviso, the representatives of the NBA would have made a big diference and justice would have been done and the integrity of the judicial arm would have been preserved. I entertain no doubt whatsoever that the NBA will continue to rise to the occasion and engender the desirable changes even in the face of the avoidable contradictions the NJC has found itself.”

THE NATION TUESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2011

32

LAW & SOCIETY INAUGURAL LECTURE OF THE NIGERIAN INSTITUTE OF ADVANCED LEGAL STUDIES (NIALS) DELIVERED BY THE DIRECTOR OF STUDIES, PROF DEJI ADEKUNLE, IN LAGOS

•Judge Bola Ajibola and Director-General Prof Epiphany Azinge (SAN)

•From left: Director of Studies NIALS, Prof Deji Adekunle, Prof. Peter Akper and Prof Ayo Ajomo

•From right Formar Institute Librarian Chief Theophilus Dada, Dr Rufus Olaoluwa and Prof Oluwole Akanle

•From left: Paul Idornigie, Prof. Ayo Atsenuwa and Prof. Lanre Fagbohun

•Chief Taiwo Ajala and Prof Oluwole Smith

•From left:Prof Ademola Popoola, Prof Bambo Adewopo and Mrs Remi Jegede

•Peter Anyebe and Prof Alimi Awah

•Tina Onyebashi and Nelson Ogbuanya

•Mrs Ogoegunam Chukwudebe and Elder Stevenson Olubayo Osidipe

•Oluwatosin Akande and Joyce Akpata

PHOTOS: DAVID ADEJO

THE NATION TUESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2011

33

LAW & SOCIETY MEDIATION ADVOCACY WORKSHOP ORGANISED FOR NIGERIAN BAR ASSOCATION (NBA) 36 BRANCH EXECUTIVES BY THE LAGOS MULTI-DOOR COURTHOUSE IN LAGOS 36

•Chairman, NBA Lagos branch Mr Taiwo Taiwo and Financial Secretary Phillips Njeteneh

•Chairman, NBA Ikeja branch Mr Adebamigbe Omole and Chairman, Ikorodu branch Adebanjo Kazeem

•First Vice-Chairman, NBA Ikorodu branch Dotun Adetunji and Secretary Lukman Ganiyu

•From right: Deputy Director, Lagos Multi-Door Courthouse (LMDC) Mrs Yinka Aroyeun and Mrs Olusola Adegbonmire

•First Vice-Chairman, NBA Ikeja branch Mr Yinka Farounbi and Lateef Abdulsalam

•PRO, NBA Lagos, Tolani Edu-Adeola

•Director, LMDC Mrs Caroline Etuk

•First Vice-Chairman, NBA Lagos Martin Ogunleye and Amaka Aneke

•From left: Seth Amaefule and Adeshina Ogunlana

•Caroline Ibeh (left) and Gloria Nweze

•Secretary, NBA Lagos branch Alex Mouka

•Guest lecturer Mr Bola Disu

PHOTOS: DAYO ADEWUNMI

THE NATION TUESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2011

34

LAW & SOCIETY LAWYER OF THE WEEK

LAW AND PUBLIC POWER

with gabriel AMALU email:gabrielamalu1@yahoo.com

Ekweremadu and his constituency

A

•Taiwo

Lagos NBA chair unveils plans

C

HAIRMAN of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Lagos branch, Mr Taiwo Taiwo, has said he will like to leave a lasting legacy for the branch.

He said the branch would stand more for the rule of law, education of its members, and for the oppressed.

Taiwo, elected on July 18, also spoke on his branch’s plans for its members ahead of the NBA Annual General Conference. He led the branch’s executives on a courtesy call on the Lagos State AttorneyGeneral and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Ade Ipaye.

He said: “We also plan to hold seminars to sensitise the public on the fact that the rule of law is a very important instrument in a democratic society. Without the rule of law, you have jungle justice.

“We are going to be in the forefront to fight for the oppressed, to fight for the people and to make sure that law is used is a tool and means of social engineering.

“One of the things I would like to do is to leave a lasting legacy for the branch. I intend to revive some of the traditions of the Bar that we have not been performing in the last years. Such practices, I believe, are very, very germane to the practice of Law, not only in Lagos State, but across the whole country.

“This is because Lagos branch is the premier branch; everything started from here and we must keep the banner flying. We must contribute to the growth of junior lawyers for them imbibe and maintain the traditions of the Bar. Of course, the issue of continuing legal education is an issue

By Abike Hassan

that is very paramount to us.”

On the branch’s plans for the conference, he said: “We are organising free transportation for our members and intend to charter two luxury buses for them. We are making plans for adequate, proper and decent hotel accommodation subsidy for junior lawyers and even for our members who will be in Port Harcourt.

“We shall also have a Lagos night at the conference where all our members and well-wishers will dance and drink with us so that we all shall interact and build a kind of synergy between lawyers from Lagos and other parts of the country,” he said.

On the challenges before him as chairman, Taiwo said: “Well, I have not seen any challenges because I have able and competent executive members working with me. I pray and believe that there wouldn’t be any challenges at all.”

He described Ipaye as “a round peg in a round hole,” adding: “He is a thorough man, diligent and highly cerebral. I am sure that Lagos State will not regret having him as Attorney-General.”

Taiwo expressed the branch’s desire to co-operate with the administration to achieve its goals, urging the Attorney-General to assist the branch to resolve its accommodation and transportation problems. He said the branch needs a coaster bus.

He praised the state government for the completion of the JIC Taylor Magistrate’s Court house on

Igbosere Road, Lagos Island.

Ipaye expressed the government’s readiness to partner with individuals, groups and associations willing to improve the status of Lagos.

He noted that the state government is also faced with problem of office accommodation hence they had to rent one for one of its tribunals recently.

On the coaster bus, the AttorneyGeneral assured that since other branches in the state got similar gifts from the state government, it would be extended to Lagos branch whenever they are available. It has to be done in turns, he added.

Ipaye noted that improving the magistracy is one of the focal points of the administration, adding that by the time ongoing projects in Ikorodu, Epe, Ogba and Ikeja are completed, there would be a new lease of life for magistrates.

Other executive committee members elected for the 2011-2013 administration include: Mr Alex Muoka (Secretary); Mr Martin Ogunleye (First Vice-Chairman); Mr Seth Amaefule (Second ViceChairman); Mrs Marian Jones (Treasurer); Mr Philip Njeteneh (Financial Secretary); and Mrs Omohafe Opara (Social Scretary).

Others are Mrs Tolani Edu-Adeola (Publicity Secretary); Mr Chinedu N. Nduka (First Assistant Secretary); Mr Obidi Cecil Alajunronye (Second Assistant Aecretary); Mr Charles Ola-Oni Ogunfuwa (Assistant Financial Secretary); Miss Amaka Aneke (Assistant Social Secretary); and Mr Anthony Atata (Assistant Publicity Secretary).

SENATOR in a presidential system of government is a key representative of the electorate. When such a Senator is also elevated to the position of a Deputy Senate President, like Senator Ike Ekweremadu, his power and influence and, indeed, his responsibility becomes national, while still also localised. If as in Nigeria the position is acquired under the privilege of a zoning formula, the primary responsibility of the Senator oscillates from the senatorial zone to the zonal representation, and, finally, spreads across the country since he is a top ranking national legislative officer.

I guess that is the lot of Senator Ekweramadu, who is representing Enugu East senatorial zone, but who is also the deputy Senate President by virtue of the mutating zoning arrangement of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The teeming faithful of the party proudly call it the biggest party in Africa. Conversely their numerous opponents and many nonpartisans call it, a big for nothing party, or even more derisively an elephant with a wobbling leg. In the later category, the party is seen as a democratic pretender, and a roving disaster unto itself, and the nation.

So, when the deputy Senate President recently visited the minister for Works, Chief Mike Ogiadheme, these variant issues played out. The Senator went to lament the deplorable state of roads in Nigeria, specifically bemoaning the perpetual neglect of the Niger Bridge. He also had words of advice, or even wisdom that majority of the roads in Nigeria are in terrible shape, and that no country develops when its roads and other infrastructure are in bad shape. I have no doubt the Honouable minister will be impressed with such acute analysis of the challenges of infrastructure in Nigeria.

The distinguished Senator also warned the minister that unless he does something immediately, he has it on good authority that the Niger Bridge may collapse anytime soon. At least, the people or the interests he represents within the south east zone will know that the deputy Senate President is up and doing as regards his representative functions. It will be asking too much l guess if they were to inquire from their foremost representative how much the Senate or the National Assembly budgeted for the routine maintenance of the war relic, which is a monument to the spirit of the Nigerian federation. Never mind those who refer to it as evidence of the marginalisation of the south eastern part of the country.

To show off the spread of his national interest, Senator Ekweremadu also mentioned that the Lagos-Ibadan road is in a total disrepair, and further that the Lagos to Benin road, particularly the Ore axis, is an embarrassment to his wonderful national legislative endeavour in the past eight years plus. According to the press report, it was after bringing to the notice of the minister these national disaster points that he made the clincher that without infrastructure, the country he has served diligently as deputy Senate President in the past four years will make no progress. With such patriotic and cerebral deduction I guess the legislative fecundity of Senator Ekweremadu would soon become an object of research for scholars.

As a representative of the Enugu East senatorial zone, the Right Honourable Senator Ekweremadu has also made his several marks. As one of his subjects, l was filled with gratitude for his senatorial tour of duty so far, when l saw on television last December the distinguished senator with his junior brother, which for purposes of spreading the national cake, he installed as a local government chairman, sharing a few six by three inch foam among other goodies to citizens of his community. I also heard that he built a latrine in a secondary school as one of his constituency projects. While cynics are at pains to justify the huge budget for constituency projects, and what is on ground, I can, at least, report that the people of my community are earnestly waiting for their share from their representative in the Senate.

It is likely the above listed qualities and performances of Senator Ekweremadu may have informed the decision of the PDP apparatchik in the state to ensure his return to the Senate, without any meaningful campaign in the last elections. Now those complaining about the process should consider the marvellous representation and benefits of having their senator fill the import position of a deputy Senate President.

Moreover, with adequate plea from the people, the Senator could also repaint one or two of the pre-independence primary schools in the one of the community as his constituency project in the next four years. At least, while he has these projects to show off, many of his colleagues may have turned their bellies and banks as the receivers of their constituency projects.

The people of the south east and south south who use the Niger Bridge should start investing in the canoe business; or have they forgotten how they did it, when they bombed the bridge to stop the advancing federal troops during the war? Is it not likely that the current state of the bridge is as a result of their action during the war, and can they blame anybody that new bridges have since been built across less important rivers?

While the war may have ended forty one years ago, is it not natural to have the scares here and there?

Now that they have elected representatives who made no promises to them during the campaign, can they hold any body responsible for not pushing through a budget for road maintenance? If the Niger Bridge should collapse, at least their foremost representative would say, did I not warn the authorities?

35

THE NATION TUESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2011

LAW REPORT ‘Power to dismiss for want of diligent prosecution should be used sparingly’ IN THE SUPREME COURT OF NIGERIA On Friday, the 24th day of June, 2011 Suit No: SC.52/2003 BEFORE THEIR LORDSHIPS DAHIRU MUSDAPHER ....... Justice of the Supreme Court JOHN AFOLABI FABIYI ....... Justice of the Supreme Court OLUFUNLOLA OYELOLA ADEKEYE ....... Justice of the Supreme Court SULEIMAN GALADIMA ....... Justice of the Supreme Court BODE RHODES-VIVOUR ....... Justice of the Supreme Court BETWEEN S & D CONSTRUCTION COMPANY LIMITED

....APPELLANTS

AND 1. CHIEF BAYO AYOKU 2. LAYO MOTORS LIMITED

....RESPONDENTS

J. A. FABIYI, J.S.C. (Delivering the Leading Judgment):

T

HIS is an appeal against the judgment of the Court of Appeal, Lagos Division (“the court below” for short) delivered on November 18, 2002.

On September 8, 2000, Holloway, J. of the High court of Justice, Lagos state dismissed the appellants claim vide order 33 Rule 3 of the Rules of the court. When the matter was called for trial, the appellant was absent and not represented without any reason given to the court.

The 2nd respondent was allowed to prove the counter-claim. Learned counsel for the appellant, on the same date, showed up in court and participated in the proceedings and secured an adjournment to cross-examine D.W.1.

The appellant’s counsel thereafter filed an application seeking to set aside the dismissal of the appellant’s claim. The learned trial Judge heard the application and dismissed it on October 18, 2000. The appellant filed a Notice of Appeal dated October 24, 2000 against the refusal of its application. Learned counsel for the appellant refused to proceed with the crossexamination of D.W.1 for which adjournment was granted at his instance. The trial court entered judgment on the counter-claim in favour of the 2nd respondent on 25th October, 2000.

The appellant filed its 2nd Notice of Appeal dated 28th November, 2000 to challenge the judgment of the trial court.

The appeal was heard by the court below which dismissed same on 18th November, 2002. This is a final appeal by the appellant to this court.

On behalf of the respondents, three (3) issues were also couched for determination. They read as follows:“(i) Was it the case of the appellant at the trial court when it sought to set aside the dismissal of its suit that it was not aware of the dates fixed for hearing, and was the appellant in any event aware of those dates? (ii) Did the learned justices of the Court of Appeal give due consideration to the reasons proffered by the appellant for its absence in court on the date the matter was fixed for trial and rightly came (sic) to the conclusion that the court below was correct in the decision that they were unsatisfactory? (iii) Were the learned justices of the Court of Appeal right to have held that the appellant had the opportunity to present its case before the trial court?”

The court below, with respect to the appellant’s awareness of hearing dates found as follows at page 235 of the Record.

“It is manifest from the passages reproduced above from the plaintiffs affidavit in support of the application and the Reply to counter affidavit that the plaintiff knew that the case was fixed for hearing on the 7th and 8th September, 2000. In any case it was not the plaintiff’s case before the lower court when it sought to set aside the order dismissing its suit that it was not aware of the hearing date. The argument before this court premised on the fact that the plaintiff did not know of the hearing date was clearly an after thought and an attempt by the appellant’s counsel to use the platform provided by brief writing as an opportunity to give fresh evidence on appeal without first seeking the requisite leave of court.”

After the appellant’s suit was dismissed on 8-9-2000 an application to set aside the order was filed on 11-9-2000. In paragraphs 15 and 16 of the affidavit in support, it was deposed as

follows: “15. That Mr. Biodun Bakare told me and I verily believed that on 7th of September, 2000 he was actually in court at about 8.45 a.m. even though he was not feeling fine.

16. That Mr. Biodun Bakare told me and I verily believed that he waited till 10.10a.m at which time the court had not sat for the day and had to rush to the hospital when his state of health was deteriorating.”

From the above, it is clear to me that the appellant was attempting to hide behind one finger when it said that it was not aware of the stated hearing dates.

In my view, the above stance of the court below has no blemish. It sounds plausible, in the main. Even if there were discussions about settlement, that was no reason or justification for the plaintiff to stay away from the court on a date the matter was fixed for hearing. In any event, the appellant tried to play a game of hide and seek. It maintained that it’s counsel was in court on 7th September, 2000 not to report settlement; but to inform the court that the appellant was unaware of the trial for that date.

On the claim of ill-health by the appellant’s counsel, the learned trial Judge at page 100 of the record explained in detail why he disbelieved same. The suit was set down for two days. On 7-9-2000, counsel left before the court resumed sitting. No official from the appellant’s company was present in court. On 8-9-2000 both counsel and appellant’s representatives were not in court. No letter was written to court. The court stood down the matter for hearing in anticipation that counsel would come. After appellant’s claim was dismissed, counsel came in to say ‘I am just coming from my Doctor’. However, in the affidavit seeking to set aside the judgment, a clerk from counsel’s chambers deposed that he went to the appellant’s counsel’s house to inform him that the proceedings were going on in appellant’s absence and the counsel dressed up and came to the court.

The learned trial Judge saw the two positions as contradictory. The cock and bull story was not believed by the trial judge. The appel-

lant and its counsel embarked upon a farce.

They cannot complain in the circumstance created by them.

The above is still not the end of the matter.

There was no sick report shown to the trial court.

No hospital card or prescription note was exhibited. The nature of illness was never stated.

The appellant who sought the trial court’s discretion did not place sufficient materials before the court to justify an exercise in its favour to its chagrin. See: Williams v. Hope Rising Voluntary Funds Society (1982) 13 MCC 36 cited by respondent’s counsel. The principles to be considered by a court in setting aside a judgment obtained in the absence of a party were stated by this court in Williams v. Hope Rising Voluntary Funds Society (supra) at page 42...

The 3rd issue is whether in the circumstances of this case, the court below was right in dismissing the appellant’s appeal on the ground that the plaintiff had the opportunity to present its case.

In respect of this issue, learned counsel for the appellant contended that the appellant was not afforded a fair hearing. He noted that the trial court refused to entertain the application for stay of proceedings pending determination of an interlocutory appeal. There is no real point in this complaint as it was designed to further stall the hearing of the matter. In any event, the said interlocutory appeal was taken along with the main appeal in the court below and so, nothing was lost in the game set up by the appellant.

In my considered view the above allegation of denial of fair hearing, like those earlier considered in this judgment, were self induced and/or imposed by the appellant and more especially its counsel whose conduct could hardly be comprehended by me from all that transpired as extant in the transcript record of appeal. Instead of doing his real job, counsel refused to act positively in most material and vital respects. That ought not to be.A party, who had the opportunity of being heard but failed to utilize same, as herein, cannot complain of breach of fair hearing. See: Omo v.

Judicial Service Commission, Delta State (2000) 12 NWLR (pt. 652) 444; Okoye v. Nigeria Construction & Furniture Co. Ltd. (1991) 6 NWLR (Pt. 199) 501 at 541 both cited by learned counsel for the respondents. I resolve this issue in favour of the respondents.

The two courts below made concurrent findings of fact in respect of all the issues canvassed in this appeal. It is only where an appellant is able to establish a clear error of law or fact that would warrant interference by this court. No compelling reason has been shown to warrant interference.

1. Whether in the circumstances of this case, the Court of Appeal was right in dismissing the appellant’s appeal on the ground that the explanations proffered by the appellant in the application to set aside the trial court order dismissing the appellant’s suit for want of prosecution was unsatisfactory.

The appellant argued and submitted that the trial court had no competence to dismiss the case of the appellant in limine and the Court of Appeal was in error not to have set aside the decision of the trial court.

On a cursory look at the submission of both parties, I am convinced by the appearance of the counsel for the appellant in court on those two days - the 7th and 8th of September 2000 and his disposition in support of his motion seeking to set aside the dismissal of his case, that he was fully aware that the case was fixed for trial. It is trite law that hearing notice will

not be issued or served on parties who already know or are reasonably presumed to have known of the date on which a matter is slated for hearing. The prospect of settlement broke down. On the 15th of June 2000, the appellant asked for an adjournment as the hearing was to have commenced with the opening of the appellants case. I also hold that the lower court gave due and proper consideration to the grounds upon which a judgment obtained in the absence of a party may be set aside and rightly came to the conclusion that the appellant failed to advance cogent and justifiable reasons for its absence in court on the date this matter was dismissed. The lower court had in the circumstance rightly affirmed the judgment of the trial court. The Court of Appeal held at pages 238-239 of the Record that: “I entirely agree with the trial Judge that the explanation given for plaintiff’s absence was unsatisfactory.”

Order 33 Rule of the High Court of Lagos State (Civil Procedure) Rules 1994 provides that “If when a trial is called on, the defendant appears and the plaintiff does not appear, the defendant if he has no counter claim shall be entitled to judgment dismissing the action, but if he has a counterclaim, then he may prove such counterclaim so far as the burden of proof lies upon him.”

The trial court acted within the ambit of the Rules of court hence it cannot be correct to hold that the trial court had no competence to dismiss the appellant’s case as submitted in the appellant’s brief.

The courts in Nigeria have the inherent powers to strike out matters before them for want of diligent prosecution. The power to dismiss for want of diligent prosecution, though allowed by the rules of court should be sparingly used. The rationale, following the decision of this court in the case of Lagos v. Aigoro (1985) 1 ALL NLR (pt.1) pg.58 at pg. 69 is that unless and until the court has pronounced a judgment upon the merits or by consent, it ought to use the power which it certainly has to punish any mistake or blunder committed either by the parties or their counsel by an imposition of costs or terms and do everything possible to keep cases alive and hear them on their merits, rather than applying the guillotine of dismissal for want of prosecution.

I agree with the learned counsel for the respondent that setting aside a judgment obtained in the absence of a party is a matter borne out of the discretion of the learned trial Judge. An appellate court will not make it a habit to interfere with the exercise of discretion by a lower court simply because if faced with a similar application, it would have exercised its discretion differently. An appellate court can only interfere if the lower court failed to apply the correct principles of law in reaching its conclusion.

Another question to be answered is whether the learned justices of the Court of Appeal was right to have held that the appellant had the opportunity to present its case before the trial court.

I am in support of comprehensive resolution of all the issues raised in the appeal by my learned brother, FABIYI JSC. I too agree that this appeal ought to be dismissed and it is accordingly dismissed. I award N50,000 costs in favour of the Respondents.

Appearances: G. A. UGWU for the Appelants Y. OLALEKAN for the Respondents

•Katsina State Governor Ibrahim Shema (centre) flanked by President, Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Joseph B. Daudu (second left); former NBA President Olisa Agbakoba (SAN) (third right) and other National Executive Committee (NEC) members during its meeting in Katsina.

36

THE NATION TUESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2011

NATIONAL BAR COUNTDOWN TO NIGERIAN BAR ASSOCIATION ANNUAL GENERAL CONFERENCE: SEVEN DAYS TO GO

‘We won’t compromise on lawyers’ security’

W

ITH seven days to the commencement of the Annual General Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, lawyers have been assured of adequate security.

Alternate Chairman of the Technical Committee on Conference Planning (TCCP) and Chairman of the sub-committee on Security and Venues, Okey Wali (SAN) said NBA cannot compromise on security.

He urged lawyers attending the conference to wear their name tags to be allowed into any of the conference venues.

Wali said this is part of the security measures adopted by the committee to enhance security during the conference.

“We have done a lot to make sure that lawyers are comfortable while in Port Harcourt.

That is why we chose most of the venues in the same axis so that you don’t have to commute within the city and have encounter with traffic challenges. Most of the sessions are located within walking distances.

“They have not moved beyond the axis of the Civic Centre, State House of Assembly, the Ministry of Justice, the High Court Complex. So, they are all in the same axis so that people are not inconvenienced, having to traverse the city, moving from one conference venue to the other. That was our primary goal and we were able to achieve that.”

On security, Wali said: “Security of lives and property are in the hands of God Almighty and we believe that He is on the throne and will protect us throughout this period.

“But within the scope of what human beings can do we have made serious efforts to ensure the safety of our people. One of the principal things we did to ensure security of

By John Austin Unachukwu

lawyers is the decision that you must wear your name tag to get near any of the conference venues. That is why we are appealing to our colleagues and we insist that you wear name tags.

“Please if you forget yours in the hotel, go back and pick it because nobody without a name tags would be allowed into any of our conference venues. We don’t want to run any risk with the lives of the members of our profession.

“We also advise our colleagues to please take their personal security and safety very seriously,” Wali said.

Chairman of the Sub-committee on Logistics and Transport, Ibrahim Eddy Mark, said: “Well, we have done our bit. We are still working. You know, the NBA president is a stickler for doing things right.

“What we decided to do was to map out routes. We have also acquired different kind of vehicles, including big buses, small cars etc. Where we have a sizeable number of our members staying, we will give them a vehicle there.

“We have concluded arrangements to make sure that conferences attendees know the routes. We have enough guards for the vehicles. We have equally made arrangements for people who also need their own private care hire services to have it.

“We assure our members that nobody will suffer in respect of transportation and logistics. There is adequate arrangement to meet everybody’s interest. No matter where you are in Port Harcourt, you must easily access the conference centre without any hassles.”

Mark went on: “For the first three days, we

•Wali

•Mark

will have vehicles stationed at the airport up to Tuesday or thereabouts to take people free from the airport to their hotels or conference centre from where one will find his way to wherever he is going.”

Speaking on the issue of traffic control during the conference, Mark said: “The main conference venue is the Civic Centre, but we won’t allow vehicles to get into that place at all. What we are trying to do is that we have secured a place in a primary school very close to the centre, which is going to serve as a parking lot. It can accommodate up to three or four thousand cars.

“The nearby state House of Assembly, which will also serve as conference venue, has its own parking lot. The Ministry of Justice, which is another venue for the conference, has its own parking lot.

All these venues are very close to each other, about five minutes walking distance.

So, we have a harmonised traffic control arrangement to manage the traffic.”

On security arrangements, Mark said: “The Governor Rotimi Amaechi, has done a lot of work to restore peace and security in the state.

Night life is back. Improved security has made it possible for those who left the state to come back and join hands in building the state.

“All he needs to do now is just a little improvement on what is on ground. However, Mr Wali is on top of the situation.

He is the Chairman of the sub-committee on security. He is also a Port Harcourt ‘boy’.

So, he has done a lot in that area.

“So, we assure those attending the conference that their security is assured.”

Lawyers vs. ADR: A test of wits or sheer ignorance

A

LTERNATIVE Dispute Resolution (ADR), consists of a range of dispute resolution options that ensure the resolution of disputes outside the court rooms.

These options include mediation, arbitration, conciliation, early neutral evaluation and other hybrid process like med/Arb. All of these put together are referred to as ADR and they enjoy numerous advantages over litigation.

But in spite of the advantages that ADR (particularly Mediation) offers to potential justice consumers, it has been severely criticised by a section of the legal community as not being very lawyerly, among other things. It is seen as too simplistic and informal and lawyers who embrace it are often thought of as unserious and less courageous to face the court rooms. Mediation in particular has also been criticised for putting so much power in the hands of disputants, leaving lawyers who represent clients at mediation with little or nothing to do.

Equally, critiques of ADR lash at it for admitting lay people into its practice. And this, according to them, potentially reduces the available fees for the lawyer. To some of these lawyers, ADR stands for Alarming Drop in Revenue. One may, therefore, ask: Does the use of ADR in providing legal solutions to a client’s legal needs effectively reduce the fee income portfolio of a lawyer? Why do some lawyers oppose the use of ADR in cases where it is found to be appropriate?

It is sad to note how much emphasis some lawyers place on fees income as opposed to clients’ satisfaction. Oftentimes, clients who pay heavy amount of money for prosecuting a legal case in court fail to get value for their money, and even when matters are decided in their ‘favour’ they still feel cheated and defeated. Why? Either because the outcome at the end of a judicial proceeding has failed to holistically address their fundamental grievances or they have spent so much on the case and on their lawyers that when the eventual ‘victory’ came it took away every joy that should ordinarily attach to winning, thus leaving them with a little more than a pyrrhic victory.

According to ProfAndrew Goodman, the

By Nonso Ngonadi Christian

expense and the cost regime may make even the winner dissatisfied. In fact, many ‘winners’ find that in real terms, taking into account time, irrecoverable costs and aggravation, they have not won anything.

But, when lawyers argue for or against ADR from a purely economic point of view, they seem to forget that a truly satisfied client will likely have a multiplier effect on the lawyer’s earnings in the long run. Doubtlessly, a client whose needs are fundamentally satisfied is bound to repose more confidence in the lawyer and more likely to engage the lawyer’s services again than a client who is dissatisfied.

If mediation, for example, is best in the client’s circumstance, it should be attempted without delay. If it proves successful, even though there might be a diminution in the fee income that could otherwise have been achieved by litigating the particular case to trial, the firm or the lawyer will have achieved client’s satisfaction, leading to a strengthened relationship.

Lawyers who have the foresight to recognise the marketing power of a truly satisfied client will certainly have an edge over the more conservative lawyers to whom litigation represents a one-size-fits-all garb for all disputes.

To a legal practitioner a client’s satisfaction ought to be paramount to every other consideration, and if ADR can suitably meet the client’s needs why waste his precious time walking him through a long-winding and, oftentimes, tortuous litigation whose outcome is very often uncertain.

Granted, sometimes the lack of interest in ADR or mediation may not be that of the lawyer but of the client who, in most cases is completely, but understandably, ignorant of the process and for who litigation represents a magic wand for curing all his legal ills. Some clients see the court system as a place to oppress and intimidate opponents and would naturally oppose ADR which by its very character cannot lend its arms to intimidate but to reconcile warring parties and help them find mutually •To be contined

37

TUESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2011

ENERGY THE NATION

E-mail:- energy@thenationonlineng.net

Minister laments poor state of power sector

T

HE Minister of Power, Prof Barth Nnaji, has expressed discontent over the poor state and management of the power sector, noting the imperativeness to expediting the reform agenda for the sector.

Nnaji, who delivered a paper entitled Gas utilisation for power generation at the conference of the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) in Abuja, explained reasons for the country to triple its power generation and supply and noted that over 80 percent of operating expenditure (OPEX) is spent on staff salaries and welfare.

The minister said despite being the seventh largest populated country in the world, Nigeria’s population is growing at a fast rate and more than 40 percent of the population is less than 15 years indicating that the country has large energy hungry population.

He said: “On current status of power supply, only 40 per cent of the nation’s population has access to electricity supply, while 70 to 80 per cent of current generation comes from gas subject to season.

“High operating costs is a challenge in the sector, over N8 billion about US$53 million operating cost every month, of which more than 80 per cent goes into staff salaries and welfare.

“High energy losses including technical and non-technical continue to pose a major challenge because even the available power due to system faults owing to old age and illegal connections by customers, all contribute the losses.

“Inadequate expertise and limited investments are also challenges to the efficient of the sector.

Available investments go into replacements of damaged equipment (transformers, switchgear, among

INSIDE • ‘Oil majors utilise indigenous equipment, facilities’ •••Page 38

• Group spends N10m to check pipeline vandalism •••Page 39

• OPEC production increase reflects on July spot fixtures •••Page 41

• Says salaries consume 80% of cost

By Emeka Ugwuanyi

others), instead of going into new constructions for expansion and upgrades.

“Distribution and transmission networks have to grow at the rate of at least 16 percent year on year to handle an equivalent of 13,000MW by 2013. Current average growth rate per annum is less than one percent due to limited investments.

“It is projected that over 65 percent of future generation will come from gas while hydro, coal and renewable will make up the difference.

“Nigeria’s population is the seventh largest in the world with 150 million people. The largest of any country in Africa and accounts for nearly half the total population of West Africa and more than 15 percent of the total population of the

entire African Continent.

“Nigeria’s population is not just big, but also growing at a very fast rate. On the current population estimates produced by the United Nations, Nigeria’s population will reach nearly 230 million within the next 20 years and more than 40 percent of Nigeria’s population is less than 15 years old. In a nutshell, Nigeria has a large and energy hungry population.”

The Director-General of the National Power Training Institute of Nigeria (NAPTIN), Mr Reuben Okeke, an engineer, said the Federal Government has entered into an agreement with the United States Trade and Development Agency

Source: Rigzone.com

• Nnaji

solutions to the problems as well as train Nigerians on how to apply the technology before returning to the US.

New disruptive technology boosts geophysicists’ exploration efforts

O

IL companies can now find their next big field using a very advanced technology produced by Smith, which has been successfully applied in financial, military and other industries.

Smith, along with partner Sven Treitel, are developing and applying what are called unsupervised neural networks. Smith and others are now convinced that analysing multiple seismic attributes simultaneously reveals information about the potential location of hydrocarbons that may go unnoticed using conventional interpretation methods.

According to Rigzone.com, Smith began the investigation into using unsupervised neural networks for seismic interpretation after learning from Turhan Tanner, an award winning geophysicist who passed away in February 2010.

Smith and Tanner became co-researchers in this area prior to his death. Treitel, who was Tanner’s colleague, then paired with Smith to continue neural network research.

As Smith explains, neurons learn and adapt to the characteristics of the data with which they are presented. Today, seismic interpretation involves six to 100 attributes of seismic data. Every one of those attributes constitutes a 3-D image.

• From left: Adeyemi Akinlawon, President Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE), Nigeria chapter, Goni Musa Sheikh, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum Resources and Austen Oniwon, Group Managing Director, NNPC at the recently held SPE conference in Abuja

SON seeks implementation of LPG policy framework

T

HE Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has charged the Federal Government to work towards the speedy implementation of the policy framework on Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) to enable the country to exploit the potential in the sector.

Some of the policy frameworks include the one on deforestation, the attainment of gas flaring stoppage by 2020, the execution of the West African Gas Project and the completion of TransSahara Gas Pipeline between Algeria and Ni-

OIL PRICES AUG 5 -AUG 12

Light Crude

(USTDA), to carry out a study on how to tackle technical and commercial losses in the power sector, which he said accounts for about 30 per cent losses in generated power and about 50 per cent losses in revenue collection from power supply.

The terms of agreement, he said, stipulates that a United States company will assemble experts in the power sector, who will come to Nigeria with world class information technology equipment to understudy the operations of a select electricity distribution companies in the country including Ikeja, Eko and Abuja, as a pilot scheme, and find the causes of the technical and commercial losses and find sustainable

Brent Crude

By Bidemi Bakare

geria.

Others include the construction and completion of Brass LNG and Olokola LNG and increasing investment in storage and distribution facilities of LPG by the private sector under the Gas Master Plan.

SON Director-General, Dr Joseph Odumodu who disclosed this at a workshop organised by Friends of the Earth (FOTE) on climate change and popularising the use of LPG in Nigeria said the government and private sector need to work hand in hand to make the implementation a reality.

Speaking on the topic entitled Appropriate Regulatory framework for LPG in Nigeria, Odumodu said the time has come for the government to take prompt measures to raise the consumption of LPG from the 60,000 metric tonnes per year to a substantial level.

He said challenges such as nonavailability of the product, low import capacity; inadequate storage and distribution facilities had always been militating against the growth of LPG until the intervention of the private sector lately.

He called on the government and the private sector to construct more

LPG refilling plants to aid availability, improve the supply chain through refining and create more public awareness on benefits of LPG to increase the consumption of the product in the country.

He asked for more constructive engagement by environment campaign groups with the government, adding that there should be elaboration of standard for basic assessment and management of greenhouse gases.

On what the organisation has been doing in terms of standard regulation of LPG, Odumodu said: “SON as a regulatory body is vested with the powers of granting import permit for LPG cylinders under the SONCAP regime.

We are also involved in the cylinder exchange pool where we facilitate the collection and return of cylinders to owners and fillers.

“Apart from the above mentioned roles, the organisation is saddled with the responsibility of registering cylinders with unique identification mark and logo for product traceability. Not also forgetting the fact that we grant permit for LPG tank construction together with the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR).”

38

THE NATION TUESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2011

ENERGY

‘Oil majors utilise indigenous equipment, facilities’

T

HE Nigerian Content De velopment and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) has urged the multinational oil firms to increase usage of equipment and facilities of indigenous service providers as that remains the key approach to achieving implementation and goals of Nigerian Content.

The Executive Secretary of the Board, Ernest Nwapa, an engineer, who made the call noted that capacity building by facility owners and acquisition of hitech industry equipment by Nigerians with the patronage of the oil majors, would create employment opportunities and guarantee the successful implementation of the Nigerian Content Act. He stated this when he led a delegation of officials of NCDMB and international oil companies (IOCs) to inspect facilities of Lee Engineering Limited, Fenog Nigeria Limited, Globestar Limited and Steve Emma Limited, all located in Warri, Delta State.

By Emeka Ugwuanyi

The team also visited facilities of the Nigerian Navy Engineering College, Sapele, Nigerian Ports Authority, Warri and the Nigerian Institute of Welding in Obayanton, Edo State.

He advised Nigerians including indigenes of oil producing communities, who invest in oil and gas facilities to insist on major oil producing companies to patronise such facilities and equipment because the oil majors control over 90 per cent of the industry and besides, the Nigerian Act made provision for that.

He explained that the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke had directed the Board to devise strategy to ensure that facilities set up in the country are guaranteed patronage by the industry.

The Federal Government, he noted, is devising various schemes to create employment opportunities for Nigerians, add-

ing that Nigerian Content activities have already generated over 30,000 direct and indirect jobs in the past one year and would surpass 300,000 within the next four years.

Part of the job-creation strategies include the new guidelines

by NCDMB, which requires all operators, contractors, vendors, original equipment manufacturers, suppliers, and manufacturers representatives to present a Nigerian Content Equipment Certificate issued by the Board or evidence of application for all equipment, system, or packages to be supplied to the Nigerian oil and gas industry.

The guideline seeks to ensure that at least 10 per cent of heavy equipment used in the Nigerian oil and gas industry, henceforth, must be manufactured locally.

“The Board has a target to progressively grow the proportion of aggregate spend on procurement of equipment retained in the Nigerian economy from a minimum of 10 per cent with ef-

fect from October 2012 to 50 per cent by 2015.

“We want to transform country representative of vendors, people who install facilities, to people who will begin to make components locally.”

To ensure compliance with the guidelines, the NCDMB chief said the Board would soon commence a comprehensive engagement with local supply managers and major equipment manufacturers to work out modalities for implementation.

He explained that representatives of the oil companies were part of the visits to the facilities so they could see the capacity of service providers, regretting that many procurement managers of IOCs were unaware of existing capacities in-country, hence their preference to import.

“The IOCs must know the facilities in Nigeria. The Nigerian Content Act will not work without our collective effort. Government needs to see that Nigerians benefit from the industry and

make the communities see changes in their lives,” Nwapa said.

He also charged service companies to grow their capacities on the back of the jobs they perform, insisting that the companies that will benefit from the opportunities opened up by the Nigerian Content Act would be the ones that are most prepared.

“We have to work together to grow companies to compete internationally. Government expects that as we get opportunities and get Nigerian companies to get jobs, they will spend the money in the economy, build capacity and create employment and improve the welfare of staff,” he said.

He said the Board had developed the Annual Nigerian Content Index, which will index the growth of service companies against their turnover in the past three years, which would be carried as 25 percent component into bids.

Board commends firms’ capacity development efforts

T

• From right: Deji Adeniyi, Matthew Ogunyeye; Deputy Managing Director, Motayo Adedeji; Head, Power Optimization Group and Akeem Alabi,Design & Solution Technician all of Toptech Engineering Limited, during the business seminar and training in Lagos.

HE Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Develop ment and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Ernest Nwapa, has praised the efforts of Fenog Nigeria Limited for developing capacity in the country’s oil and gas industry.

Fenog developed an offshore support base on the shore of the Warri River and acquired Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD) rig.

Nwapa said the investments were products of the Nigerian Content Act and proof that Nigerians would insist on the successful implementation of the Act. The General Manager, Fenog Nigeria Limited, Mr Bello Oboh, commended the Board for the steadfast implementation of the Nigerian Content Act and explained that the HDD rig is a new technology that would help the Federal Government achieve efficiency in products distribution network and transform Nigeria’s aging pipeline system.

Oboh, however, appealed to the

‘Why power supply is low’

S

OME internal and external factors in generation and dis tribution segments of the power industry have been identified as the cause of inadequate supply of electricity in the country.

These challenges include feedback effects in form of transients, surges and short circuits; making power less reliable and maintainable as electrical appliances draw high current and produces high level of noise.

The challenges were identified at a business seminar with the theme ‘Integrated back up solution,’ organised by an integrated power solution company, Toptech Engineering Limited in Lagos. Participants at the forum resolved that the issue of power availability is one that has to be holistically addressed for consumers to derive maximum benefits from the services being rendered to them.

While delivering a presentation on Uninterrupted Power Supply (UPS), the Executive Director, Business Development Group of the company, Deji Adeniyi, an engineer, said the perception of power availability by the people is actually a misrepresentation of what it is.

He stated that most people see power availability from the perspective of light being switched on

By Bidemi Bakare

and that it goes beyond that.

He said: “When we talk about power availability most people think it is just about light being on.

It is more than that. We must understand that even if there is light, the quality coming from it is very important. There is also the need to know the value that the equipment connected to this power is adding.

“Besides, we must be able to establish what happens when these equipment are to either be used or serviced. Are critical loads lost in the process? This is what is termed power maintainability.

“Equally important is what happens to the equipment when they work for a very long time. Do they break down? This is what is termed power reliability. Even the way the equipment is integrated with each other is also a very critical factor.

“So putting all these together is actually what determines availability of power. For example, if I have a very good UPS which was not properly integrated or connected to my load such that any time the UPS goes down all my loads goes down or any time I need to service it there is need to switch off all my loads, therefore no matter how good UPS could, and it is not prop-

erly integrated, there must always be an issue.

No one would be happy that any time there is maintenance, there is always a challenge.

But I believe there are approaches by which one could connect these devices together so that maintenance can take place without necessarily shutting down the loads.”

He said these approaches or solutions by which power availability can be improved, include, stand-alone, cascaded, parallel and dual bus solution, adding that they all come with various degrees of impact depending on what the customer needs.

Asked how possible it is to have a 99.9 per cent power availability, Adeniyi said: “For a data centre or any establishment running critical applications it is always possible to move near 99.9999 per cent availability. But for this to happen, a dual bus solution would be the best option. Perhaps it could be a first grade dual bus solution or a second grade dual bus solution as they come in grade. The second grade which is the higher grade actually incorporates static switches.

“So, one can conveniently say it is possible to have a near perfect situation if the right approach is adopted.”

Federal Government to ensure that Nigerian service companies are patronized so that they can create employment in the Niger Delta region and recoup the huge investments they expend in acquiring equipment.

Nwapa, who also spoke at the Centre of Excellence for Welding Engineering and Technology built by the Nigerian Institute of Welding, commended the initiative and expressed hope that the centre would not only serve the oil and gas industry but other sectors like maritime, telecommunication, power and transportation.

He promised to mobilise the industry to support the project to ensure that it becomes comparable to similar institutions around the world.

President of Nigerian Institute of Welding, Mr Solomon Edebiri, assured that the centre will open in 18 months. He promised to involve stakeholders in the industry to ensure that the project met their standards and demands.

Oil price falls below $85 on EU debt crisis

O

IL price fell below $85 a bar rel on Friday in Asia as in vestors tried to make sense of a week of sharp fluctuations in the equity and commodities markets.

Benchmark oil for September delivery was down $1.08 to $84.64 a barrel at late afternoon Singapore time in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. crude rose $2.83, or 3.4 per cent, to settle at $85.72 on Thursday.

In London, Brent crude was down $1.01 to $107.01 per barrel on the ICE Futures exchange.

According to Associated Press report, crude price dropped from $100 last month and near $115 in May as concerns about the European debt crisis and weakening U.S. economic growth undermined investor confidence. Oil has rebounded from as low as $75.71 earlier this week, whipped around by surges and plunges in global stock markets and quick changes in investor sentiment.

“As the interpretation of Euro zone conditions ebbs and flows, risk appetite will continue to fluctuate wildly on a day to day basis,” energy analyst Ritterbusch and Associates said in a report.

Growing Euro zone debt problems will remain regardless of short-

term fixes.”

Oil is now the same price as in February, before violence in Libya shut down almost all crude production from the OPEC nation.

The Labour Department said Thursday that the number of people who applied for unemployment benefits fell last week below 400,000 for the first time in four months, a sign that the job market might be improving. Traders closely watched the latest data on U.S. retail sales and consumer sentiment later Friday.

“We anticipate a renewed turn back to the downside that could evolve into fresh lows as early as next week,” Ritterbusch said. “Our longer term outlook remains bearish as we still see an eventual crude price decline to the $73 1/2 area.”

Some analysts expect strong crude demand in emerging economies, such as China, to offset weaker growth in the U.S., Europe and Japan. National Australia Bank (NAB) said it forecasts crude will average $93 in the third quarter and $100 in the fourth.

“We still expect oil prices to grow over the medium term,” NAB said in a report. “The growth outlook in the developing world remains robust and should help absorb any further downward pressure on prices.”

THE NATION TUESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2011

39

ENERGY

Group spends N10m to check pipeline vandalism

S

OME stakeholders in the downstream sector of the oil and gas industry have procured equipment worth N10 million which it donated to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Ejigbo Depot for adequate monitoring of products pipeline in Lagos.

The items donated include two Toyota Tacoma SRS V6 Pick-ups, four motorcycles, rain coats, boots and torch lights, among others.

The presentation of the equipment was made to the Ejigbo depot in Lagos at the weekend. Depot Manager, Ejigbo depot Mr James Ajibo lauded the good initiative of the donors who comprise of various groups in the depot including Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria (MOMAN), Petroleum Tanker Drivers Association (PTD) and other associations that exist with the Ejigbo Depot adding that their decision and benevolence should not be in vain.

Ajibo said the donated equipment is in line with the Federal Government’s objective in ensuring adequate protection and monitoring of petroleum pipelines.

The depot manager said the donation is a combination of efforts of independent marketers, major marketers, Products and Pipelines Marketing Company (PPMC), Petroleum Tanker Drivers, and their members in Ejigbo depot adding the equipment would boost effective monitoring of pipeline network in Lagos.

“All major stakeholders in the depot comprising PPMC, IPMAN, MOMAN, PTD, IMB and union staff decided to procure the equipments for effective monitoring of NNPC pipelines across the Lagos axis.

“In the last three years the level of pipeline vandalism on NNPC network has reduced drastically.

We only recorded three instances while we hope to curb it to zero level,” he said.

Ajibo said with the ongoing effort of stakeholders in the depot this would go a long way in ensuring adequate surveillance of pipelines, adding that the committees in charge of the project would ensure sustainability of the initiative.

“We don’t want anything that would hinder our distribution network, so we want to ensure effective surveillance of our pipelines.

“This is just voluntary contribution among all depot users and marketers to ensuring the pipelines are adequately secured so that we can have stable supply of products in Lagos and its environs.

By Emeka Ugwuanyi

Chairman, Stakeholders Committee, Mr Bayo Adewale, said that the project would go a long way in assisting the government on effective policing of the NNPC pipelines in to avert vandals.

Adewale said the essence is to ensure adequate monitoring of the pipelines and ensure prompt protection mechanism in all NNPC products network in ensuring that perpetrators are brought to book.

He said marketers can no longer fold their hands and watch some few individuals destroy the country’s natural endowment in the name of vandalism.

He said illegal bunkering, pipeline vandalism and products’ theft had particularly impacted on the capacity of Nigeria’s oil and gas assets to function optimally.

“We are assisting the government in ensuring adequate and effective methodology in checkmating pipeline vandalism. These acts of vandalism have complicated the free-flow of petroleum products and crude supply in the country’s pipeline system,” he said.

Adewale said that the project means a lot to the depot considering government’s efforts in ensuring stable supply of product in the country, and this efforts should not be allowed to be thwarted by security challenges. Therefore, the members of Ejigbo Depot community have taken it upon themselves to donate to achieving the goal of ensuring safe pipelines.

He said besides the donation, various arms in the depot would contribute its quota to the monitoring of the pipeline.

He said pipeline vandalism does not only have negative impact on the economy but leads to explosion and consequently loss of lives, and degradation of environment.

Chairman, IPMAN, Ejigbo Depot, Mr Phillips Akinfenwa, said that the initiative is laudable as it ensures prompt monitoring of pipelines across the country.

He said the project would effectively guard against pipeline vandalism and ensure that the network is adequate monitored.

“This equipment will aid our security personnel to monitor the pipelines in the Ejigbo axis, adding that this is in line with the government objective to curb vandalism in the country.

“We the marketers in the depot are concerned about the level of pipeline vandalism, which see in the television and read in papers, hence the need to guard against condemnable acts,” he said.

Chevron subsidiary drills well in Agbami field

P

ACIFIC Drilling announced that its ultra-deepwater drillship the Pacific Bora commenced operations at the Agbami Field in Nigeria on August 10, 2011. The rig is contracted for three years to a wholly owned Chevron subsidiary.

According to Rigzone.com, the Pacific Bora is capable of operating in water depths of up to 10,000 feet and drilling wells 37,500 feet deep.

Pacific Drilling received delivery of its newest drillship - the Pacific Mistral, in June. The Pacific Mistral has capacity to operate in water depths of up to 12,000 feet and drill wells of up to 35,000 feet total depth.

The rig features technologically advanced equipment that allows

customers to improve drilling efficiency, including offline handling capabilities.

Pacific Drilling CEO Chris Beckett said: “We are proud to announce the delivery of the Pacific Mistral. This constitutes the third on-time, on-budget delivery in Pacific Drilling’s fleet of six premium ultra-deepwater drillships.

“The final payment to the shipyard was substantially funded by our Project Facilities Agreement lenders, consisting of two Export Credit Agencies and nine commercial banks based in the United States and Europe. We are in the advanced stages of negotiations with several major E&P companies and expect to announce a drilling con•Continued on page 40

• From left: Bayo Adewale, Chairman stakeholders Committee, Phillips Akinfenwa, Chairman IPMAN, Ejigbo Depot, NNPC, Ejigbo Satellite Depot Manager, James Ajibo and Chairman Petroleum Tanker Drivers Mathew Adegoke during the donation of equipment to curb pipeline vandalism in Lagos.

Court convicts seven PHCN equipment vandals

By Emeka Ugwuanyi

• Akamnonu

T

HE management of Power Holding Company of Nige ria (PHCN) Plc, Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company said seven electricity equipment vandals caught within the company’s

K

network between January and August this year, have been convicted by various courts in Lagos.

In a statement issued by the company’s Principal Manager, Public Affairs, Mr Pekun Adeyanju, the Chief Executive Officer, Mr Okaa Akamnonu, an engineer, said some of the convicted vandals include Taye Adeguje who was sentenced to one-year imprisonment at Bolade/Oshodi Magistrate Court, Elvis Osaro and Nnamdi Ifejioku sentenced to nine years imprisonment each at Somolu Magistrate Court and Bestman Ekuma, sentenced to 18 months imprisonment at Ogudu Magistrate Court.

Akamnonu, who declared Ikeja Distribution Company network as a no go area for vandals, also said

security agencies and community members have been sensitised and mobilized to be vigilant and alert over PHCN equipment within their network to guard against the activities of the vandals. The cooperation of these bodies has, according to him, been yielding results leading to the arrest and conviction of the seven vandals and several vandalism cases pending at Oshodi, Ikeja, Ojokoro and Ikorodu Magistrate Courts.

The PHCN chief said the company appreciates the efforts of the state government, security agencies and community leaders for their vigilance and also urged various courts to expedite prosecution of cases of vandalism pending in their courts to serve as deterrent to would-be vandals whose activities amount to economic sabotage.

Kosmos to boost Jubilee production, exploration targets

OSMOS has announced fi nancial and operating re sults for the second quarter ended June 30, 2011. The company generated a net loss of $9.1 million in the second quarter of 2011, or $0.03 pro forma basic and diluted net loss per share attributable to common shareholders. This compares with a net loss of $32.5 million for the same period in 2010.

Second-quarter 2011 oil revenues were $124.1 million on sales of 996 thousand barrels of oil, or $124.62 per barrel. Jubilee Field average production for the quarter was approximately 66 thousand barrels of oil per day (bopd) gross. EBITDAX was $102.5 million for the second quarter of 2011, compared with $9.7 million for the second quarter of 2010.

The company's cash on hand at the end of the second quarter grew to $818 million. Total liquidity, including cash and available borrowing under the existing debt facility was nearly $1 billion.

"Kosmos' recent initial public offering enhanced our strong financial foundation and provided additional capacity to continue accelerating the development and exploration of our assets. The commissioning of the Jubilee Field Phase 1 development is ongoing, with water and gas injection facilities now progressing well. We are seeing continued im-

provement in operating uptime, and field production is anticipated to further ramp up during the remainder of 2011. The Company's nearterm outlook includes growing Jubilee production and a number of exploration and appraisal drilling

targets. In addition, we are progressing our inventory of discoveries in Ghana, and our exploration team continues to enhance our overall portfolio with significant new areas," said Brian F. Maxted, President and Chief Executive Officer.

Firm to hold power expo in Abuja

B

KG Exhibitions Limited has concluded arrangements to assemble experts and leading power firms from across the world for its forthcoming power expo and exhibition.

Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Ifeanyichukwu Agwu said companies from Japan, Turkey and China, among others would be in attendance.

He said the company is partnering Senexpo International Fair Incorporated of Turkey and Beijingexpore of China to facilitate the 2011 yearly power conference/ exhibition in Nigeria.

Agwu said the partnership is to boost the much anticipated attraction of foreign investors into the power sector.

The foreign partners, according to him, are some of the most consistent international fair organisers

• Agwu

across the globe as a result of bold and dynamic management team.

THE NATION TUESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2011

40

ENERGY

OPEC production increase reflects on July spot fixtures

H

IGHER oil production from members of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), notably Saudi Arabia, as an attempt to lower global oil has helped tanker markets, at least in terms of cargo supply.

According to Hellenicshippingnews, which quoted the latest monthly report of OPEC for the month of July, global spot fixtures increased by percent in July compared to the previous month. OPEC spot fixtures continued the upward movement in July, rising by 11 per cent compared to the previous month.

The increase was mainly driven

by Middle East to East fixtures as many Asian refineries start to enquire tonnage for their August requirements. Middle East to West fixtures declined by six percent in July compared to last month partially on end of summer season long haul tonnage demand.

OPEC sailings were steady in July with a minor decrease of less than one percent compared to the previous month. OPEC sailings in July indicated a drop of four percent, when compared to the same period a year ago. Middle East sailings remained steady in July from the

By Emeka Ugwuanyi with agency report

previous month with a minor decline, according to preliminary data. Initial estimates indicate Far East and West Asia arrivals decreased by four percent and five percent respectively and Europe arrivals gained two percent in July compared to previous month. US arrivals remained flat in July compared to last month.

Dirty tanker sentiment remained bearish in July compared to the previous month as a result of tonnage over-supply, refinery and field maintenance, and lower trade activities. In the clean freight market, rates declined in July relative to last month. Refinery maintenance in Asia lowered product exports that depressed clean rates in East of Suez while closed arbitrage dragged down West of Suez. In July, dirty spot freight rates edged down by two percent and clean rates decreased by four percent compared to the previous month.

VLCC spot freight rates declined 11 percent on average on all reported routes in July compared to the previous month. From the Middle East, VLCC long-haul spot freight rates to eastbound and west-

bound destinations fell 14 percent and four percent respectively.

Rates from West Africa to the East also declined by 13 percent in July compared to previous month. The decline of VLCC spot freight rates from both Middle East to East and West Africa to East was driven by the heavy maintenance across Asia during June-July.

The decline of VLCC spot freight rates from Middle East to West was partially due to the IEA crude oil stock release and spillover of ex-

cess tonnage left by lower demand from Asia. Compared to a year ago, spot freight rates for VLCC from Middle East to East and from West Africa to East as well as Middle East to West are down by 16 percent, 22 percent and 13 percent respectively, reflecting the weakness of VLCC tankers this year.

Suezmax spot freight rates remained flat on average on all reported routes in July compared to the previous month. On the West Africa to US Gulf Coast (USGC)

route, Suezmax spot freight rates gained eight percent in July from the previous month, while on Northwest Europe to USGC route, spot freight rates decreased by the same rate. Higher lifting of West African crude to Europe due to various fields’ maintenance and shutdowns in the North Sea as well as West African crude oil premiums to Dated Brent affected tonnage availability from West Africa to the US and supported spot freight rates.

Iran discovers another gas field worth $133b

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YDROCARBON-rich Iran has discovered another gas field with reserves of 495 billion cubic meters, valued at $133 billion, the oil ministry's SHANA news service quoted an oil official as saying Monday.

"The new gas field has in spot reserves of about 495 billion cubic meters (17.5 trillion cubic feet) valued at $133 billion and is located east of Assalouyeh," National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) managing director Ahmad Qalebani said.

Assalouyeh, in the southern province of Bushehr, is the base for developing Iran's offshore South Pars field which Tehran shares with Qatar.

It holds an estimated 14 trillion cubic meters of gas (500 trillion cubic feet) or about eight percent of the world's total.

The Islamic republic, which has divided South Pars into 28 phases, has proven gas reserves of 33 trillion cubic meters second largest in the world after Russia.

Iran consumes almost all of the 600 million cubic meters per day of gas it produces, but hopes to double production and export 250 million cubic meters a day to its neighbors and Europe from 2015 by developing the giant South Pars field.

Tehran also announced Monday an increase of 17 million cubic meters in phase 10 of South Pars, SHANA reported.

"Gas production in phase 10 of South Pars has increased by 17 million cubic meters," said Moussa Souri, director of Pars Oil and Gas. But the South Pars development has been delayed amid a lack of investment in a country faced with severe gas needs of its own and because of difficulties in procuring the required technology.

Iran's vital energy sector is one of the key areas targeted by world powers in sanctions imposed against Tehran for pursuing its controversial nuclear program.

Most Western and European energy firms have withdrawn or put on hold their investments in the country's energy sector.

Iran is the second largest producer within Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries at 3.7 million barrels per day, and has oil reserves of around 155 billion barrels

‘The new gas field has in spot reserves of about 495 billion cubic meters (17.5 trillion cubic feet) valued at $133 billion and is located east of Assalouyeh’

• Mrs. Uju Ifejika, CEO Brittania-U Nigeria Limited, (first from right) displaying the African Oil and Gas Amazon of the Year, 2011 award, she received at the African Business Leadership Awards, alongside other Awardees and officials of Africa Energy and Investment Magazine in London.

Eko Electricity Distribution Company gets CEO

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HE Federal Government has appointed Oladele Amoda, an engineer, as the new Chief Executive Officer of Eko Electricity Distribution Company of Power Holding Company of Nigerian (PHCN).

A statement issued by the company’s Principal Manager, Public Affairs, Mr. Godwin Idemudia, said before his appointment, Amoda was an Assistant General Manager in charge of Technical Services.

Born on October 12, 1956, Amoda graduated in 1982 from Memphis State University, Tennessee, in the United States of America (USA) with a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering.

In 1996 he had his Masters in Business Administration (MBA) from the Enugu State University of Science and Technology.

Having completed the one year mandatory youth service in 1983 he was enlisted in the services of the erstwhile National Electric

Britannia-U chief honoured in London

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HE Chairman/Chief Execu tive Officer, Brittania-U Ni geria Limited, an indigenous exploration and production, Mrs. Uju Ifejika has been honoured in London with the African Business Leadership Award as African Oil and Gas Amazon of the Year, 2011.

At the award ceremony held at the Park Plaza Riverbank Hotel, London, United Kingdom recently,

Mrs. Ifejika was described as a bold, resilient, hard working and focused African entrepreneur and a pride to womenfolk as she crafted a niche in the male dominated oil and gas terrain in Nigeria and indeed Africa.

In the citation at the event, Mrs. Ifejika was described as “a proponent of strict project control having drilled three wells in three

Energy prices

Domestic prices of petroleum products

Energy & Oil Prices OIL ($/bbl)

Companies

PMS

AGO

DPK

Conoil

65.00

160.00

140.00

AP

65.00

160.00

140.00

Total

65.00

160.00

140.00

Oando

65.00

160.00

140.00

Mobil

65.00

160.00

140.00

Texaco

65.00

160.00

140.00

Energy

65.00

160.00

140.00

Fagbems

65.00

160.00

140.00

Nipco

65.00

160.00

140.00

INDIGENOUS

• Amoda

Power Authority (NEPA), now PHCN as a pupil engineer.

Nymex Crude Future Dated Brent Spot WTI Cushing Spot OIL (¢/gal)

months, managed the design, fabrication and delivery of a custombuilt production facility within a record time of 7 ½ months and leading the company to produce first oil in 17months drilling operation, a feat yet to be unequalled by any other of its kind in the industry.”

Chevron subsidiary drills well in Agbami field

PRICE*

CHANGE

% CHANGE TIME

•Continued from page 39

85.38 107.34 85.38

-0.34 -0.36 -0.34

-0.40% -0.33% -0.40%

tract for the Pacific Mistral in the near future.”

In the same month, Pacific Drilling reached an agreement with Samsung Heavy Industries to extend until October 31, 2011 an option to construct a seventh ultradeepwater drillship.

With its best-in-class drillships and highly experienced team, Pacific Drilling is a fast growing company that is dedicated to becoming the preferred ultra-deepwater drilling contractor.

In addition to three ultradeepwater drillships delivered to date, Pacific Drilling expects delivery of an additional drillship in August 2011 and has two drillships on order at Samsung for delivery during 2013.

PRICE* Nymex Heating Oil Future 290.37 Nymex RBOB Gasoline Future 282.22 NATURAL GAS ($/MMBtu) PRICE* Nymex Henry Hub Future 4.06 Henry Hub Spot 4.16 New York City Gate Spot 4.35 ELECTRICITY ($/megawatt hour) PRICE*

08/12 08/12 08/12

CHANGE

% CHANGE TIME

0.45

0.16%

08/12

-0.51

-0.18%

08/12

CHANGE

% CHANGE TIME

-0.05 0.11 0.07

-1.17% 2.72% 1.64%

CHANGE

% CHANGE TIME

08/12 08/12 08/12

Mid-Columbia, firm on-peak, spot 31.85 3.50 12.35% 08/12 Palo Verde, firm on-peak, spot 40.42 1.51 3.88% 08/12 BLOOMBERG, FIRM ON-PEAK, DAY AHEAD SPOT/ERCOT HOUSTON 85.60 15.60 22.29% 08/12 Source: Bloomberg.com

SLIDING TACKLE

42

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Fabregas completes Barca signing

Inter Milan ace, Zlatan Ibrahimovich lauding the skills of team mate Samuel Eto'o. The Cameroonian is on the verge of being sold to obscure Russian side Anzhi Makhachkala.

SPANISH SUPERCOPA

•Fabregas

Mourinho prepares for another shot at Barcelona

Robben fit for Zurich clash

Man United confirm Rafael to be sidelined for 10 weeks

•Arjen Robben

Guardiola praises Barca for draw against Madrid

Inter’ll lose quality without Eto'o – Ibrahimovic

OTHER SPORTS...OTHER SPORTS...OTHER SPORTS...OTHER SPORTS...OTHER SPORTS...

Serena targets US Open win after latest triumph task. She never throws matches away. I think to go out there and beat here, you have to beat her."

•Serena

•Guardiola

THE NATION TUESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2011

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THE NATION TUESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2011

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NEWS

The impact of exile on home videos Text of Nobel Laureate Prof Wole Soyinka’s speech during the investiture of Mr Ade Oyenekan as President, Rotary Club of Ikeja at the Sheraton Hotel, Lagos on Sunday

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HE theme of exile appears to hold great fascination for literary critics, mere artistic consumers, anthologists, cineastes and Festival directors of all artistic genres. I had a deep taste of this obsessive interest after my vanishing trick from home borders in 1984, to the obvious disappointment of that great patriot, Sanni Abacha, whose attachment to every citizen prompted him to do everything possible to keep me solidly grounded – that is, with both feet not merely on terra firma but six feet inside it, with head and torso in that blissful posture of the eternal exile. Either that, or deeply grounded within some dungeon, supervised by the latest maestro of soap opera, the great Nollywood video producer, whose masterpieces extend to films of events that never happened.

Ah yes, let us appropriate some time in deviation from my original talk plan and dedicate it to this latest in the cinema industry that has so authorittively intruded on our national pursuits, a script of endless fascination that is being spun out from that normally soulless and sterile space of exile known as Kirikiri. The videos emanating from one resident genius of that studio – not necessarily shot within the premises but promoted from there, edited right there, reconstructed so to speak, in one individual’s imagination - are quite startling. So exclusive is that studio’s specialisation, that the emerging films feature, not accessible stars but stars already in the firmament, a doleful category alas, permanent exiles from the world of the living. They cannot be interviewed, they cannot be invited to share with us the challenges of their roles, they did not even know that they were being cast in performance mode. To cap it all, infusing an unprecedented degree of excitement, largerthan-life drama to these videos, the dramatis personae are the very individuals whose careers our video director/producer had done his best to terminate prematurely while among the living. We must credit this innovation with a new cinematic genre, an offshoot of Reality TV that we may dub – Virtual Reality.

It reminds me of a rather specialized, oneoff publication to which I once contributed. I forget the title of the book now but it was an anthology of film scripts that never got made.

Somebody in Paris woke up to the idea that such scripts should be collected and published, maybe to open up new possibilities for directors looking for fresh material, or simply to compensate frustrated script writers who had dreamt of Hollywood lights but ended up in obscurity. My contribution was called AWUTU, and I had written it while I was in Ghana, serving out one of my exile sentences. Until then, my normal medium of expression had been stage drama, but exile has a way of stimulating one’s imagination in totally unexpected directions. Prison, we have already indicated, is also a place of exile, so it is not surprising that the current Nollywood scripting that has gripped the nation’s attention so fervidly was written and produced by a prison inmate of thirteen years’ standing. The actual theme of AWUTU is not relevant to the subject of my address, so I won’t bore you with it.

However, its relevance to our theme of exile is a ‘similarity of differences’ between the video material emerging from our own increasingly famous prison exile and my own script, also produced in exile. In my case, AWUTU was inspired by a slice of history that I picked up concerning a small village, Awutu, not far from Accra, and of course, it never got made. In our Kirikiri Nollywood video – let’s name it Kiriwood for short - the video actually got made, only, retroactively.

It starred real-life people, but the script was written after the shoot, a quite innovative proceeding, though not entirely unheard-of.

My script, a would-be docudrama, also involved a concluded, now reconstructed history, participants of which were still very much alive – the Kiri-kiri video involved an ongoing history whose principal characters were most conveniently – dead.

As already indicated, our Nollywood director did try his best to send most of the actors, all veterans of a repertory company known as NADECO, prematurely into terminal exile. Abraham Adesanya, the lead actor, was ambushed in a hair-raising encounter at a petrol station, his car laced with bul-

lets – not that our video man is being tried for that. It would be a waste of time anyway, since it would only have resulted in another self-exonerating video – not related to that particular episode but featuring some other thriller of mind-twisting disconnection – perhaps the dispatch of Bagauda Kaltho, allegedly blown to pieces in a hotel toilet. To add mystery to that scenario, by his body is found a book titled THE MAN DIED by one Wole Soyinka. In any case, the old man survived.

The god of luck was on his side.

The other actors, some only by nomination, were framed on charges of detonating bombs and for murders, including the highprofile one for which our video director is now standing trial. There you have a truly exciting dramatic reversal for you! Others, already in exile, were declared Wanted - Dead or Alive! Killers were dispatched to hunt them down even in foreign countries. Some were tried in absentia. In the meantime the luck of Adesanya’s co-star, Bola Ige has run out and thus, the stage is finally set! No one suggests that our Kiriwood director had a hand in that Bola Ige script. We only propose that a pattern had been established and, for all we know, those who finally cut down Bola Ige may have been mentored by our 13-year veteran of legal procrastinations. At the very least the assassins had all learnt from earlier mistakes, either of their own, or from the unlucky predecessors – don’t try your stuff at petrol stations, the bedroom is much easier – check out what became of even that self-effacing stalwart, Alfred Rewane.

No matter. It is time for final editing, the principal actors are eternally exiled, and you are free to re-interpret the video, re-write the script to your satisfaction. Before, and – After. See the telling contrast? In the frontal shot, the performers are subdued, frowning. In the reverse shot, they are smiling, ebullient. You append a sub-tile - Smiling all the way to the bank – an expression that is familiar even to an infant. Ergo - they have been settled, signed a pact with the devil, sold their souls to Mammon! t is becoming quite a part of Nigerian culture, this game of posthumous revi sionism, the demonization of exiles who are beyond recall, those whom the impunity of power has permanently grounded. You will all recall when the younger of those two recent victims, Bola Ige, finally bowed to a hail of bullets, having earlier served as a Minister of Power under Sanni Abacha’s later successor and fellow traveler, the indefatigable Double-O-Seven? That appreciative ruler could not wait to inflict on yet raw sensibilities his posthumous revisionism, having personally assumed the power portfolio with a promise of miracles. While in that ministry, Bola Ige’s structured efforts to restore electric power had been sabotaged – repeat, deliberately and cynically sabotaged – I do know what I am talking about, and dare anyone to challenge me – sabotaged. Identifiable forces had undermined Bola Ige’s carefully worked out strategy, even at the cost of the lives of some engineers, and he was summarily thrown out of that office. Then the nation awaited the promised miracle from the omnipotent OBJ. No such miracle was forthcoming. So, what was the miracle worker’s explanation? Double-O-Seven waited until Bola was exiled beyond mortal recall, then made his infamous pronouncement: the nation’s power woes should be blamed on the incompetence of the dead Minister who did not know his left hand from his right.

That was Obasanjo’s way of paying tribute to a man who had controversially broken ranks with his own party to participate in a plausible rescue mission - a Government of National Unity.

So, before we all crucify al Mustapha, the Kiriwood producer, let us remember that he is merely following a tradition set by his superiors. In addition – and this should gratefully noted - we should try and see it all in a positive light. Counter-cultures are not necessarily a bad thing, and this tradition merits being called a counter-culture. The existing culture of posthumous attribution, you all know, is to take pages and pages of newspaper adverts to pour encomiums on anyone who happens to have passed through those portals of exile from which there is no return.

On our famous Obituary pages, no distinction is made between saint and devil, between hero and coward, between patriot and traitor, be-

I

tween child rapists and pediatricians, between treasury looters and economic rescuers. If James Ibori, now in double exile – foreign country and prison walls - were to pass away tomorrow, the media will run out of advertising space lauding him to the skies – matchless executive, pace-setter and innovator, political sage etc. etc.

Well, the last could be considered quite true – was he not nominated Elder of the Ruling Party? You have to be a sage to be deserving of such recognition by a party in charge of a million souls. As for his ex cogovernor, now senator Ahmed Yerimah, confessed cross-border paedophile, whenever he eventually transfers to that terminal space of exile, just wait and read the obituaries. He will be transformed overnight into a man of deep piety and matchless philanthropy. Mind you, that latter part can also be held to be true - didn’t he dash ten thousand dollars to an impoverished Egyptian driver in exchange for – well, what does it matter? Human commodity perhaps? An underage sex slave? It’s all a question of interpretation. The point it – he left that driver ten thousand dollars richer.

On top of it all advertisements will be prefaced or ended with that invocation of mindboggling banality - ‘The Wicked Have done their Worst’. Well again, for once, even that would be truthful. Certain idle characters like one Wole Soyinka will be deemed among the wicked, since they just won’t let the matter rest, torturing the helpless senator with demands for his public trial and well earned ‘martyrdom’. Pity, I won’t be around when that event takes place, but I can imagine the cloying pages of eulogy. So, perhaps we are all overdue for a corrective, a counter-culture, beginning, naturally, with those who least deserve the collective antidote of posthumous calumny, since this is a nation that loves to do things upside down, insists that left is right and right, left, only to turn it all inside out – between morning and nightfall.

All right, enough of topicalities, however riveting - an unavoidable digression though firmly within our theme - but I fear that I may have set the wrong note for this address. I meant our brief session together to be lighthearted, but also of a creative tenor, since it is dedicated to my late friend and brother, Banjo Solaru, who was governor of this very Rotary Club chapter, and an Ogun state indigene like me, and your incoming president.

As you may have been told, it was that linkage which made it impossible for me to hesitate one moment before accepting your invitation to this investment. I could not join in saying Farewell to him years ago – again, the impediments of exile - but was present at his own investiture. To have failed to attend that event of his Rotarian elevation would have cost me dearly, especially at the hands of his wife. I recall that lively occasion very vividly. Banjo, I don’t have to remind you, was an irrepressible clown, brimful of stories, usually of the kind you don’t tell in the presence of children. So now let me tell you a story about your former president.

The incident took place when he had himself been diagnosed with cancer and had accepted, quite stoically, that he had not long to live. However, a mutual friend of ours – all the way from early days of the University College Ibadan – happened to take his own leave before him and Banjo went to console the family. He found them in the state to be expected, downcast or crying inconsolably. As usual he cracked a few rib-tickling jokes to cheer them up but, not surprisingly, they remained glum, weighed down by grief.

So how did our friend react? He said, ‘Look here, all of you. Let me tell you, if you have any message for your father, go and write him a letter and give it to me right now, because I’ll be seeing him before you know it and will deliver it in person’. The grieving heads were shocked into silence. They did not quite know what to make of it but it certainly diverted their mood from the total grip of loss, their attention shifted to the blitheness with which the revelation had been made. Banjo followed not long after. hese wistful recollections, if you knew Banjo Solaru, would hardly strike you as remotely morbid. For Banjo, existence was a rounded experience, at once provocative and hilarious. He responded to its facets with his limitless repertory of irre-

T

•Prof Soyinka pressible humour and – creativity. Our theme is Exile, and the foregoing merely serves to recall us to the fact that Exile takes multiple forms, dimensions and tonalities – including the terminal. We all join that throng sooner or later, some of us sooner than most, but of course the ones that concern us in the here and now are those variants that that spell adventurousness and creativity. These have existed long before the video industry – but we shall be back to that department in a moment.

Such indeed was what constituted perhaps the earliest experience of exile that many of us undergo – student exile – where enduring bonds are often forged. t was indeed creativity and scholarship that early linked Banjo and me together in an enduring degree – creativity in numerous genres - performance, literary, musical, publishing and of course even promotional, which was where Banjo finally pitched his tent – the advertisement industry after a spell in Law. Both our careers began, in any mature way, in exile. Student exile, and a robust existence that also included figures like Bola Ige. If the Student Hostel at Gower Street, London, had tongues, what a narrative of improbabilities it would divulge! Heaven alone knows what students overseas get up to these days but I doubt if they enjoyed as much creative and varied exploits as we did, cast adrift away from parental supervision for the first time ever, and wallowing in the amplitude of new encounters, experimentations, experiences but - always with a controlling consciousness that - to use that once popular Nigerian cliche which appears to have gone out of fashion – we had to bring back The Golden Fleece! We shall reserve for another occasion, the enlivening but juicy escapades of shared exile that launched our generation of student ‘argonauts’, those primary rites of passage that provide the robust experience of exile.

We turn now to what we all know as internal - as distinct from external or eternal – exile, or, to use the preferred coinage of the persistent figure of continuity in this address, Bola Ige – ‘Siddon look’. ‘Siddon look’ manifests more than one tendency however. It can be a subtly dynamic posture, not quite as passive as it sounds – it all depends on timing, context, and intent. Bola Ige’s ‘siddon look’ policy, enunciated during a repellent dictatorship, was intended as a warning, and how prescient it proved. ‘Siddon look’ may be read as shorthand for a story of which the late MKO Abiola, another political animal and inveterate story-teller, was particularly fond. After his external spell of tactical exile that followed his electoral victory as President of this nation, then an internal session as Abacha’s hostage in Abuja, under supervision of our Kiriwood producer, MKO was finally sent, subtly but with equal fiendishness into permanent exile, details of which that very gaoler, now Kiriwood film mogul has promised to make available in his next video. While we await that event, you’ll just have to make do with MKO’s morality tale, which now follows.

•To be continued

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THE NATION TUESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2011

51

HEALTH THE NATION

E-mail:- health@thenationonlineng.net

Anxiety as NACA tightens HIV/AIDS funds disbursement

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TTEMPT by the National Action on Control of AIDS (NACA) to sanitise disbursement of funds to intervention organisations and support groups is generating anxiety within the fold.

Following dwindling donor agencies’ financial contributions and demand for due process by the World and the Global Fund before funds can be accessed, NACA has unveiled the conditions for the benefiting groups on its list.

It would be recalled that the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Chapter of the Network of People Living With HIV/AIDS in Nigeria (NEPWHAN), had in a letter, demanded details of funds disbursed by NACA to support groups since 2009.

The agency’s Director-General, Dr John Idoko, however, told The Nation that the demand by the FCT Chapter of NEPWHAN was misplaced because NACA is responsible to the national body of the group and not state chapters.

According to a source, the agitation would not have arisen

From Dele Anofi, Abuja

without the realisation that further disbursement would elude some of the support groups that would fail to meet the new guidelines.

He said records and results have shown that the impact of funds previously disbursed would not meet target.

“The new move was triggered by the realisation that the expected results are not being returned and since our fund is receding as a result of withdrawal by some donors, we have to explore other alternatives of achieving our targets.

“The World Bank project has also created a new challenge because it has its own laid down benchmark before funds can be released to either the principal recipient or the support groups”.

The Nation gathered that under the new rules, all supports to people living with HIV/AIDS in Nigeria and their support groups shall be routed through NEPWHAN National for effective co-ordination of the Network.

Also, a list of NEPWHAN members representing it at state and national levels shall be complied to ascertain the level of representation in the various states and the national.

NEPWHAN state chapters are to ensure participation in the mapping exercise across the states as a prerequisite for participating in the grant making process.

The source emphasised that NEPWHAN, like any other Civil Society Organisations (CSO), would henceforth have to compete in the process of accessing the World Bank Grant to CSO under the HPDP2.

“This is where the problem is because without a proper structure in place nothing can be done

by NACA. Either the Global Fund or the World Bank must approve the proposal before the grant can be accessed.

“This new line of action has to be taken because we cannot rule out the fact that those without the disease would be in the vanguard of fronting for these people and it is not as if we don’t have well

educated and experienced people with the disease.”

In addition, State Action Committee on AIDS (SACA) would have to constitute or reconstitute their Local Action Committee on AIDS (SACA) teams as well as ensuring that the Community Mobilisation Officer (CMO) is a person living with HIV/AIDS, who must be qualified and resident in the local government areas.

NEPWHAN is also expected to liaise with NACA’s Resource Mobilisation Department on strategies of mobilising resources from the private sector to fill in gap as before.

The document also stipulates that a desk officer should be appointed by NEPWHAN to liaise with NACA to relieve the coordinator from the rigorous task of ensuring that things happen alone as well as allow him enough time for other engagements.

It was also gathered that plans are underway for SACAs to provide resources to state’s NEPWHAN to be utilised in mentoring their support groups.

Over 4.5m workers benefit from NHIS From Leke Akeredolu, Akure

T

HE National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) says over 4.5 million federal and state government workers are benefiting from its health insurance programme.

Besides, the health organisation also hinted that it would soon introduce the programme to rural dwellers.

The Southwest Co-ordinator of NHIS, Taiye Adeleye, announced this in Akure, the Ondo state capital, at a forum organised by the organisation for health practitioners in the state.

Adeleye said Nigeria’s health indicators are among the worst globally, and charged the government to focus more on how to improve health services.

According to him, their aims are improving the understanding of participants on health financial issues and providing information on NHIS package for the participants.

The others are: “to facilitate fair-financing of health care costs through pooling and judicious utilisation of financial resources to provide financial risk protections and cost-burden-sharing for people, against high cost of health care, through various prepayment’s programme/products, prior to their falling ill.”

He commended the Ondo State Government for its support for the success of the scheme in the state.

Minister seeks update of health data

M

INISTER of Health Prof Onyebuchi Chukwu has challenged health development partners to collaborate with the Federal Government to produce accurate and acceptable data on the progress of the health sector.

The minister made the appeal while meeting with the development partners in the Health Sector, led by the World Health Organisation (WHO) Country Representative, Dr. David Okello.

He said one important thing that the Ministry and the Development Partners need to do is to update health data outside the usual National Demographic Health Survey.

Chukwu said: “It is only when we have accurate data that we can know where and when additional intervention is needed.”

He also urged them to set measurable targets that can be scientifically monitored and evaluated.

The minister said he has set up a committee made up of the Ministries of Education, Environment and Information and government agencies to approach health matters collectively.

He said the time has come for everyone to realise that the ‘Health For All’ programme can only be achieved with all hands on the deck, adding that the ministry should be seen to be leading a campaign to ensure that Nigerians do not succumb to illnesses.

He suggested that if the Ministry and the Development Partners work together, the Federal Government would achieve the Health-related MDGs target before 2015.

Stories by Oyeyemi Gbenga-Mustapha

In his remarks, the Minister of State for Health, Dr. Muhammad Ali Pate, said the present data showed a tremendous improvement in maternal and child health.

“The Midwife Service Scheme (MSS), Polio Immunisation, Routine Immunisation, Measles campaign among others, have drastically reduced the burden of child killer diseases in Nigeria.

Records showed that Southwest geo political Zone has had no maternal and infant deaths this year as a result of the government’s MSS schemed.”

He also called for the intervention of community health workers at the local level to partner with the development partners in health development.

Earlier, in his presentation, Okello, on behalf of the development partners said development partners recognised that external assistance as well as additional funding from the government is needed in the health system of Nigeria.

However, Okello commended the investment by the Federal Government of money and time in building state-of–the–art tertiary care hospitals and specialist centres. He said it is very important for other levels of the government to invest in Primary Health Care.

He, therefore, urged Federal, states and local governments to renovate and strengthen primary healthcare centres in the country.

He assured the minister of the commitment of the development partners’ group to the improvement of the health sector.

•Nursing mothers attending the Ministerial Town Hall meeting on breastfeeding at Girei LGA, Adamawa State

•A cross section of other nursing mothers at the event

52

THE NATION TUESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2011

53

TUESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2011

POLITICS THE NATION

E-mail:- politics@thenationonlineng.net

THE LABOUR PARTY CRISIS IN ONDO It had long remained an open secret that the health of the Labour Party (LP) in Ondo State was not sound. But the resignation on Monday, of the party’s chairman in the state, Dr. Olaiya Oni, dealt a deadly blow to it. The Nation captures the unfolding drama and the positions of the dramatis personae.

Why I quit LP, by Oni • Text of former LP Chairman Olaiya Oni’s resignation letter

W

ITH the highest sense of responsibility, I hereby inform you as the Leader of the Labour Party and Governor on the platform of the party in Ondo State, that I am resigning from my position as the State Chairman of the party with immediate effect.

Let me say straightaway that my decision in 2005 to promote your gubernatorial ambition which, as you know, came unsolicited remains golden. Likewise, my visible and indelible contribution to the development of the Labour Party in Ondo State as the inception Chairman leading to the party producing a Governor in your goodself. 10 members of the State House of Assembly and a member of the House of Representatives within a period of only four months has continued to give me the greatest joy particularly as I was a tool in the hands of the Almighty God, our Creator to stop the drift of the state into an appendage of our sister states. Of course the party has through the Grace of God produced 3 Senators, 8 Members of House of Representatives and 25 Members of House of Assembly placing it as one of the six most-influential political parties in Nigeria at the just concluded polls.

And I also acknowledge the fact, openly and on many celebrated occasions of the high level of performance in implementing the cardinal programmes of the party which are meant to cater for the welfare of the majority of our people especially those that are weak in society. That means that I have not laboured in vain.

Why have I taken this step which any impartial observer will accept as organically rational. Let me give a few of the signposts.

Having served many governors, I picked right from start your style of governance from the way you selected your running mate and particularly how you set up a Transition Committee all without reference to me as Chairman of the party who drew on his reservoir in conjunction with your highly resourceful brother Prof. Femi Mimiko to draw up what is now known as A CARING HEART. Every Party leader and the good people of Ondo State saw and appreciated how I stood like a rock of Gilbraltar behind you when the battle was raging and when most people ran away. But inspite of this, you, by either acts of omission or commission, allowed your foot

soldiers to throw arrows at me. I asked you thrice between 2007 and 2008 the basis for such an unwanted and unwarranted treatment. I did not get any reply more than I should treat you like a son, a request I took as a solemn pledge but which unfortunately did not alter the status quo. Mr Governor may recall how Col. Roland Omowa descended on me as if I was a common criminal when in actual fact I was fighting to redeem your image and that of our government.

To add insult to injury, the party leadership which looked the other way when Roland was dancing in the rain decided to call me to order for being imprudent. That was the highest humiliation I ever received as the Party Chairman.

As a result of my support for your gubernatorial project and my blunt refusal to support Dr. Agagu who even offered financial inducements, Dr Agagu spitted me by installing a pretender on the stool of my forefathers. You asked me to lie low and when we get into Government, the issue will be reversed. What did I get? Late Hon. Alademehin and Mr Dare Adebiyi, the Chairman of the Civil Service Commission asked me to go and hang! To date, I have spent over N2 million as legal fees on the matter. You left me to swim the tide alone.

For inexplicable reasons those who worked tirelessly with me during the struggle particularly Hon. Akinkuowo and Akinbobola, your foot soldiers especially Col. Omowa made them realize that so far as they look up to me, they would not get reasonable positions! And it happened just like that. The question is this. Were all those political leaders not working for you too? Maybe because Roland told you I have ambition to become what?

I lost my company to the struggle.

Kole Oluwajana refused to file papers on my behalf because I refused to support his gubernatorial ambition. The other party obtained judgement against me when Kole refused to send counsel to court. Two trucks and my staff bus were seized, courtesy of Dr Akinlaja and Yinka Adeyosoye who pleaded for leniency, my entire factory was to be auctioned. To worsen the situation the former Chief Judge refused to entertain the suit filed on my behalf.

The three vehicles still lay in the premises of the High Court of Akure.

I filed a case of N15 million in Akure High Court since 2003/2004 when the case was stalled by the former Chief Judge who vouched

• Nwanyanwu

• Oni

Every Party leader and the good people of Ondo State saw and appreciated how I stood like a rock of Gilbraltar behind you when the battle was raging and when most people ran away.

But inspite of this, you, by either acts of omission or commission, allowed your foot soldiers to throw arrows at me. I asked you thrice between 2007 and 2008 the basis for such an unwanted and unwarranted treatment. I did not get any reply.... that the case, which went through 8 Judges as at today, would not be heard until she left service. And it was so. Of course, you know the reasons as I gave you a comprehensive report on the matter.

I disposed of my assets – landed property, shares in blue-chip companies and banks – to support the struggle. What have I got in return since February 2009 when we got our mandate? The Leader of the party sends only N450,000 to me every month, an amount which covers only salaries of staff. How have I been feeding as the State Chairman of the Party in power?

And you know I am too proud to beg for money and I have told you so severally. Is that fair to a person like me who spearheaded the struggle that gave us power?

Appointments into positions have been done mostly without reference to the party as a result of which many of the political appointees do not know where the party secretariat is located nor do they defer

to me as the State Chairman. Worse still the party does not know what the government is doing to an extent that the programmes for both our first and second anniversary celebrations were not known to me as the State Chairman until the programme kicked-off when I got invitation cards like other members of the party. The reason usually was OVERSIGHT. Two events created the serajevo. Firstly your aide told me that work on Akoko road stopped because contractors were not mobilized due to shortage of funds! Mr Governor, you remember that, that was the last straw that drove me away from Dr. Agagu – neglecting the welfare of my people which is the key reason for my role in the Labour Party struggle. My people are now mocking us involved in your government. As I brought clean name into the Labour party. I will want to leave with that clean name hence, I decided I had to leave. Your aides including the Deputy Gover-

nor who rode in the same bus with me to Ikare on Monday were left in no doubt about my attitude. The final straw was the issue of whose name was submitted in Abuja for political positions. I have been Minister of the Federal Republic with a distinguished record and you know I will never ask you to nominate me. But what about our party leaders who worked to make the success story of Mr President?

I am convinced that my personality is the problem and not what I have done for the party. In effect, if I leave quietly, it will be easy to run your administration without looking across shoulders. I wish you the best and happier days ahead for the party, the government and people of Ondo State whom I think I have served to the best of my ability Kindest Regards, Dr. Olaiya Oni State Chairman, Labour Party

Ondo LP reacts to Oni’s resignation

T

HE attention of the Labour Party in Ondo State has been drawn to a story in The Nation newspaper of Sunday, 14th August 2011 that Dr. Olaiya Oni has resigned as the State Chairman of the party.

It is odd that Dr. Oni chose an unorthodox route to announce his resignation instead of submitting a letter to the National Secretariat of the Party.

It is pitiable that the pivot of Dr.

Oni’s resignation is that he has not enjoyed enough juicy contracts from the Ondo State government.

This celebrated sentiment by the erstwhile Chairman is tangential to the ethos of the Labour Party to ensure the greatest good for the greatest number of the people of Ondo State, and not to donate public fund to some influential party chieftain.

We sympathize with Dr. Oni for taking such a pugnacious path to exit

the great Labour Party.

While wishing him well in his newfound political endeavour, we enjoin our pragmatic Governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, to focus on his widely acclaimed life-impacting programmes in our dear state.

Barrister Femi Okunjemiruwa Publicity Secretary Labour Party Ondo State

54

THE NATION TUESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2011

POLITICS THE LABOUR PARTY CRISIS IN ONDO

Akoko rulers support Mimiko T

RADITIONAL rulers and some representatives of Akoko North East Local Government Area of Ondo State including the traditional ruler of Oni’s home town, Ise Akoko, yesterday paid solidarity visit to Governor Olusegun Mimiko over the resignation of the former Chairman of Labour Party in the State, Dr. Olaiya Oni. The former Chairman at the weekend announced his resignation from the position in one of the National Dailies accusing the State Governor of not carrying him along the scheme of things in the State.

But in their swift reactions to the actions, his people from his town, Ise-Akoko in Akoko North East Local Government converged on the Governor’s Office to make their position known on the matter.

Addressing the crowd at the presence of the Governor and other Leaders of the Party, the Alauga of Augua Akoko, Oba Samuel Kehinde Agunloye stated that the decision of the former chairman was not the political agenda of the people of Akokoland.

He said; “Dr. Olaiya Oni did not

carry us along. We’ve come to assure the Governor that we are solidly behind him”.

In his comment, another royal father from the area, the Oluboropa of Iboropa Akoko, Oba Emmanuel Babalola stated that the former chairman and the Governor are their sons but that the resignation of Dr. Olaiya Oni from the Labour Party was not supported by the royal fathers and the people of the council.

The Monarchs who said he had spent 15 years on the throne of his forefathers noted that no Governor has performed like Governor Olusegun Mimiko in Akokoland and in the State as a whole.

He stressed that the outstanding achievements of the Governor in the area which he said include, the real reconstructions of UgbeIboropa-Ise Road were unprecedented.

In an interview with Journalists, the Onise of Ise-Akojko, Oni’s town, Oba Adegbenro Omola highlighted that the former chairman has no follower ship in any part of the council adding that his resignation was a welcome development as it would lead to the rapid

• Mimiko (right), Oba Babalola and Oba Omola during the solidarity visit to the governor in Akure yesterday.

development of the ancient town and Akokoland in general given the tendency of the former LP Chairman to block such developments in the past.

Omola noted that the community did not benefit from his position as he virtually blocked all projects that were meant for the town, adding that he never visited the town since he was made the LP Chairman.

The Royal father pledged the loyalty of his subjects to the administration of Governor Olusegun Mimiko which he said had rescued Ondo State from a stated of total collapse in the last two and a half years The Council Chairman of the Party, Chief Michael Babalola highlighted the achievements of the Labour Party administration to

include constructions of Neighbourhood Markets, Basic Health Centres, Mega Primary Schools in the area within its short spell in office In his remarks, Governor Mimiko thanked them for their visit and while thanking Dr Olaiya Oni for services rendered to the people of the State and wished him well in his future endeavours

The journey to resignation of Chief Olaiya Oni can be traced to the query he was issued last year. He considered the “Call to Order” by the National Secretary, A. A. Salam, as rude and fired a detailed response that suggested he was on his way out of the troubled party.

Call to order T

HE leadership of the party is greatly disappointed and saddened by the unruly behaviour you displayed at the strategic meeting we had on Wednesday 8th September, 2010 at Transcorp Hilton, Abuja in which you participated. Other important party leaders in that meeting include, The National Chairman of the Party, Chief (Barr.) Dan Nwanyanwu mni, Executive Governor of Ondo State, His Excellency, Dr Olusegun Mimiko, Col. Rowland Omowa, (Rtd) and my humble self.

In the course of the meeting, you have an unprovoked and unfortunate altercation with Col. Rowland Omowa, (Rtd). Your reaction before eminent leaders of the Party mentioned above was to walk out on all of us. Again the persuasion of the National Chairman for you to return to the meeting fell on deaf ears. The National Chairman directed me to follow you and urge you to return to the meeting. I followed you up to a reasonable distance urging you to return to the meeting, you turned your back on me never to come back.

This unprovoked insult and disregard to the foremost leaders of the Party smacks of outright disregard to constituted authority and gross indiscipline.

It is the decision of the leadership of the Party to draw your attention to your undignifying misconduct that is not worthy of emulation by members, especially the younger generation. In view of your experience in public life and standing in the society, you are expected to demonstrate humility, tolerance, respect to Constituted authority, exemplary conduct and behaviour in your private and public engagements. It is our expectation that whilst our relationship as leaders and members of the Labour Party family subsists, you will restrain yourself from repeating the misconduct that warranted the writing of this letter.

Yours Sincerely, Alhaji A.A. Salam (Baraden Paiko) National Secretary Cc: Chief (Barr.) Dan Nwanyanwu mni (Otun Atunluse of Ondo R) National Chairman Cc: His Excellency, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko Executive Governor Ondo State.

Oni’s response to the query

T

HE heading of your letter dated 14th September, 2010, i.e.

Call To Order depicts an autocratic approach to public management which does not produce the desired results as your letter under reply has turned out to be.

May I remind you that the meeting you referred to was an adhoc one which was discussing my interaction with the police over the allegation of tendering fake SSS reports by me at the tribunal which handled the election petition of Dr Mimiko who by the Grace of God and the contribution of people like me, is now the Governor of Ondo State. If you refuse to give me credit for this, the people of Ondo State appreciate my contributions. And in any case if you love so much the idea of hierarchical authority which made me into a baby to be called to order, why have you not been able to use that authority to produce a governor in Niger or Imo states? I am aware of resources enjoyed by the National Secretariat on individual basis and as an entity, resources which emanated from the Labour Party of Ondo State of which I am the Chairman and a distinguished one at that.

Besides, you regarded my reaction to the unguarded statement by Lt. Col. Omowa that they have spent sleepless nights to assist me as if I committed a crime and I was being helped out of the police net! But I know that my role was not only noble but the beneficiary of that role is Governor Mimiko who has extended the fruits of his office to all of you.

My next point. Who is Lt. Col Omowa? He is neither a member of the National Executive nor of Ondo State Executive but a political harbinger who along with the National Chairman are enjoying being key players on the Council of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, Ondo State, roles which were made possible by Governor Mimiko. If

you accused me of being imprudent and indiscipline vis-à-vis your good self as National Secretary, how would you describe the role of Lt. Col. Omowa vis-à-vis myself?

Those who want equity must come with clean hands. Why did you allow Lt. Col Omowa to participate at NEC meetings if not for the personal relationship he has with the National Chairman not on the platform of the party but more on the executive preferments as member of the Adekunle Ajasin University Council. If my reading is correct, which I know to be so, you are creating a Rome-Berlin Axis to deal with such an impertinent person as Dr Olaiya Oni (OON). I am assuring you that, and in the words of the avatar, Chief Obafemi Awolowo of blessed memory, “it is not life that matters but the courage you bring into it”. This has been my philosophy and guide in life and this has brought tremendous value to me and all around me, the latest being my noble role in the election of Dr Mimiko as Governor of Ondo State.

To you, my walking away is the most civilized way to deal with an explosive situation when silence and abstinence could be golden. Or do you want me to get engaged in shouting altercation which should have resulted in Lt. Col. Omowa telling me on top of his voice “whom do you think you are? Who are you?

Repeatedly in the presence of my Governor? As a technocrat, a civilized one at that who rose to the pinnacle of his career as Secretary to Government and Head of Service, and a former Federal Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria with distinguished records, would not have allowed myself to sink to such a coarse level. I am of the decided opinion that your description of this conduct as, and in your own words “undignifying misconduct that is not worthy of emulation” is unfor-

tunate and I wish you have not said so.

Meanwhile I want to remind you that you were the first person to raise the issue of “allowing Dr Agagu too much laxity” and promised to raise it with the governor, but you suddenly developed cold feet as soon as we arrived at the governor’s lodge.

Besides as soon as I got to Akure and having over-come the trauma which false alarms raised by the press about my invitation to the police headquarters, did to the party in Ondo State as well as to my family and well wishers, I called you to inform you why I had to leave but you refused to pick my calls. And later when I reported to Dr Akinlaja, the National Deputy Chairman on this situation, he called you and you confirmed to him that you refused to pick my calls because of my unruly behaviour. I did not know that you were preparing a query for me as if I were a small employee relating to the Managing Director of a company! It may interest you to know that you are the first person in my adult life to so describe me. Of course the language of your letter was not diplomatic enough, although one does not give what one does not have.

Meanwhile, I am endorsing this letter of reply to Mr Governor and to Barrister Dan Nwanyanwu the National Chairman, to whom you sent copies of you letter, and if both have the same frame of mind conveyed in your letter under reply, it will be clear that I have become a persona non grata in Labour Party and my next step obvious and noble. In that case, you need not remind me consequences of my action next time around as there will be no opportunity for a repeat performance.

Yours sincerely, Dr. Olaiya Oni State Chairman, Labour Party

THE NATION TUESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2011

55

NEWS

Secretary evades service as Salami sues NJC, others Continued from page 2

Ahmed, who is the Secretary to the Executive Secretary.

“Having informed Ahmed of our mission, he went into the office of the Executive Secretary of the NJC to inform him, but he asked Ahmed not to receive the notice.

“We went to meet with the Head of Administration of the NJC, who also rejected by claiming that there was a directive that they should not accept any notice.

“We later complained to a member of the NJC, who claimed that it is scandalous if the Council Secretary refused service.

“But we succeeded in serving the notice on the Deputy Chairman of the NJC, Hon. Justice Dahiru Musdapher, through one of his aides, Israel Maduabuku.”

The NJC is said to be planning a meeting on Thursday to nail Justice Salami and get him out of his seat.

Another source said: “We learnt that they have concluded plans to meet on Thursday, in defiance of the court notice because Salami has refused to apologise.”

Justice Salami through his counsel, asked the Court for 15 reliefs, including a perpetual injunction restraining the NJC from acting on the reports of the Umaru Abdullahi Fact-Finding Committee and the Auta Review Panel.

He said that the two panels have no right to determine whether he was guilty of perjury as they had imputed in their reports.

Abdullahi and Auta committees are administrative panels that could not assume the status of a court, Justice Salami said.

Besides, he alleged that the Auta Panel never gave him a right to fair

hearing before making a pronouncement of guilt on him.

He insisted that a panel of the NJC, headed by Justice Bolarinwa Babalakin, had cleared him of any misconduct on the same matter investigated by Abdullahi and Auta committees.

The counsel to the President of the Court of Appeal are a former Attorney-General of the Federation, Chief Akin Olujinmi (SAN), who is leading the team, Mr. Rickey Tarfa (SAN); and Chief Adeniyi Akintola (SAN).

The reliefs are as follows: A declaration that the setting up of the National Judicial Council’s (hereinafter referred to as “NJC”) Investigation Committee by the 1st Defendant and its composition are in gross violation of the principles of natural justice, and the Plaintiff’s constitutionally guaranteed right to fair hearing under Section 36 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999(as amended) and is, therefore, unconstitutional, null and void.

A declaration that the NJC Investigation Committee chaired by the 4th Defendant, lacked the competence to investigate the petitions against the Plaintiff having regard to its composition.

A declaration that the proceedings of the NJC Investigation Committee were conducted in substantial breach of the principles of natural justice and fair hearing as guaranteed under Section 36 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) and the proceedings are, therefore, unconstitutional, null and void.

A declaration that the findings of the NJC Investigation Committee chaired by the 4th Defendant as contained in the ‘Investigative Panel

•Justice Salami Report’ dated 6th July 2011 submitted to the 1st Defendant and addressed to the 2nd Defendant are perverse, unreasonable, and violates the fundamental rights of the Plaintiff to fair hearing, guaranteed under Section 36 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and the African Charter on Human and Peoples Right.

A declaration that the NJC Investigation Committee and the threeman panel set up by the 1st Defendant and chaired by the 9th Defendant(Auta panel) being administrative bodies, have no power to pronounce on the veracity of facts or statements contained in the statements on oath sworn to before the court of law or pronounce facts contained in statements on oath to be false as such power is exercisable

only by a competent court of law.

A declaration that the 1st Defendant was improperly constituted on the 9th of August 2011 when it sat and received the report of the threeman panel chaired by the 9th Defendant and that as such all actions, steps and decisions reached on the said date are illegal, null and void.

A declaration that the 3rd Defendant has no power under the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999(as amended) to issue as administrative directive halting or purporting to halt the delivery of judgment by panel of the Court of Appeal in a Governorship Election Petition and that any exercise of such power by the 3rd Defendant is ultra vires and in breach of the combined effect inter alia of Sections 6, 232, 2333,234, and 246 of the said Constitution.

An order setting aside the proceedings and findings of the NJC Investigation Committee contained in its report dated 6th day of July, 2011.

An order setting the recommendations of the three-man panel set up by the 1st Defendant and chaired by the 9th Defendant and all actions, decisions, proceedings and administrative directives arising from or based on such recommendations.

An order setting aside all the steps or actions taken by the 1st-11th Defendants based on connected with or relating to the NJC Investigation Committee and the three-man (Auta) Panel.

An order restraining the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Defendants, their agents, servants and/or privies and all functionaries of the 1st Defendant or otherwise howsoever from acting on, relying on, recommending or taking or further taking any ac-

tion or decision whatsoever in respect of the findings of Abdullahi and the Auta Panels.

An order setting aside the warning letter dated 9th August, 2011 Ref. No: NJC/f.2/CA1/1/273 written by the 1st Defendant to the Plaintiff.

A perpetual injunction restraining the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Defendants from taking any or further action, reaching any conclusions or issuing any directive(s) in any form whatsoever in respect of the various petitions written against the Plaintiff in respect of which the 4th Defendant’s (Abdullahi) Panel was set up by the 1st and 2nd Defendants.

A perpetual injunction restraining the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Defendants from taking any or further action, reaching any conclusions or issuing any directive(s) in any form whatsoever in respect of the findings and recommendations of the NJC Investigation Committee chaired by the 4th Defendant and the three-man(Auta) Panel chaired by the 9th Defendant.

In an affidavit he personally sworn to, Salami insisted that a panel of the NJC headed by Justice Bolarinwa Babalakin had cleared him of any misconduct He averred as follows: “That I am a judicial officer with over 30 years of experience, a Justice of the Court of Appeal, and currently President of the Court of Appeal, Federal Republic of Nigeria “That the 1st Defendant is a body established under the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) and charged with the responsibility for the appointment and discipline of judicial officers in Nigeria .

•Continued on page 61

THE NATION TUESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2011

56

MONEY LINK

Infrastructure Finance Policy coming T

HE Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), has approved a Devel opment Finance Department that will collaborate with stakeholders in the finance and infrastructure development sectors, to draft an Infrastructure Finance Policy for the country.

The proposed policy is expected to, among others; specify the infrastructure financing options, dispute resolution mechanisms, roles of stakeholders and incentives to be offered by relevant government ministries and agencies.

The agency will serve as a guide to investors and other stakeholders in making infrastructure project investment and financing decisions.

A statement by the CBN, said the policy is expected to leverage private finance for infrastructure development; diversify and develop the non-bank sources of long-term

E

By Collins Nweze

debt finance of Infrastructure and reduce the cost of projects.

It explained that the body will also promote the involvement of specialised funds from multilateral agencies and international banks in financing a growing number of development projects, as well as determine and recommend incentives to spur local and international investors to invest in infrastructure projects.

The CBN, said there is need to explore infrastructure finance policies in other jurisdictions, especially in emerging economies to determine what can be leveraged from such experiences and liaise with relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) on their current policies on infrastructure financing and incentives pro-

Experts foresee growth in nationalised banks

XPERTS have predicted good showing for the three banks that were recently taken over by the Assets Management Company of Nigeria (AMCON). They posited that by the 100 per cent acquisition of the banks and the injection of N679billion lifeline, reconstitution of their boards and the rebranding, among other measures, the banks will be repositioned for improved performance.

The affected banks are Mainstreet Bank Limited, Keystone Bank Limited and Enterprise Bank Limited.

The Vice Chairman/ Chief Executive, Anchoria Investment and Securities Limited, Dr Olusola Dada, said the banks will soon get out of the woods, as evident by the actions taken so far on them.

Dada, said the position of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the Nige-

By Akinola Ajibade

rian Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC), and AMCON should be understood, in view of the low capital adequacy ratio, weak risk management policies, and low level of liquidity in the banks.

He said no financial regulator will see all these and forget as if nothing has happened.

He said the government wants to continue to keep money in those banks, hence the decision to try and turn them around. “The government is trying to turnaround the banks, and later invites core investors, mostly foreign to buy into the banks”, he said.

Dada, who was formerly the President, Institute of Directors (IoD) of Nigeria, said the current turbulence in the stock market would soon be over.

vided for Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs).

The CBN, stressed the need to identify the funding options in the private sector, make periodic reports on the progress of work to the Inter-Agency Committee drafting the Infrastructure Finance Policy, as well as prepare a comprehensive policy for driving the project.

To underscore its resolve on the issue, the apex bank has invited interested consulting firms with local and international experiences to submit their bid to anchor the drafting of the policy.

The policy is coming after the CBN took steps in 2009, to unlock the credit market with a N500 billion bailout to fast-track the growth of the manufacturing sector and improve the state of infrastructure

in the country.

The new CBN guideline, stipulates that N300 billion of the funds would be channeled to power projects, while N200 billion would be for refinancing and restructuring existing loan portfolios to Nigerian Small Medium Entrepreneurs (SME) and the manufacturing sector.

CBN Governor, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, has also sggested that freeing the N2 trillion pension funds is crucial to solving the infrastructure problems facing the country.

Sanusi said the apex bank has recorded considerable success through the N500 billion intervention fund set aside to resuscitate certain critical sectors of the economy. He said meaningful progress would be recorded if the pension funds can be unlocked and further subsidies released to meet

A

CCESS to agricultural inputs, market linkages, technical sup port services as well as financial services are key to reviving Nigeria’s ailing agriculture, Head Agricultural Banking, Stanbic IBTC, Jacques Taylor has said.

He said, value chain financing will ensure the flow of funding within the agricultural sector, thereby getting agricultural products to the markets.

In a statement issued yesterday, Taylor explained that development and proper coordination of the country’s food production chain comprising input suppliers, primary producers, storage, logistics and processors, will reduce risk, attract financing, as well as make the agriculture sector competitive and commercially viable.

He said the agric sector has the potential to rapidly jumpstart economic growth, reduce poverty and positioning the country as the food basket of the world.

“Agricultural finance requires understanding of the interdependency of

businesses along the value chain, which is as important as understanding the sector you are financing,” he said.

He said the provision of a system through, which small farmers can improve efficiencies in all areas; from accessing inputs, improving yields, market linkages, infrastructure development and skills transfer are equally important.

“The partnership between Standard Bank and the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) and other partners currently operational in Ghana, Uganda, Tanzania and Mozambique is an example of this type of system, benefitting 55,000 farmers, in four countries.”

The model requires that the lending structure makes use of a co-operative

Amount N

Rate %

M/Date

3-Year 5-Year 5-Year

35m 35m 35m

11.039 12.23 13.19

19-05-2014 18-05-2016 19-05-2016

WHOLESALE DUTCH AUCTION SYSTEM Amount Amount Offered ($) Demanded ($)

MANAGED FUNDS Initial Current Quotation Price Market N8250.00 5495.33 N1000.00 N552.20

Price Loss 2754.67 447.80

INTERBANK RATES 7.9-10% 10-11%

PRIMARY MARKET AUCTION (T-BILLS) Tenor 91-Day 182-Day 1-Year

Amount 30m 46.7m 50m

Rate % 10.96 9.62 12.34

Date 28-04-2011 “ 14-04-2011

GAINERS AS AT 15-8-11 SYMBOL IHS HONYFLOUR FIDELITYBK NAHCO JBEGER FIRSTBANK BERGER CCNN CAPHOTEL UAC-PROP

O/PRICE 2.80 4.20 1.80 6.82 51.97 10.86 9.34 7.58 6.83 18.20

C/PRICE 2.94 4.41 1.89 7.16 54.56 11.40 9.80 7.95 7.16 19.00

CHANGE 0.14 0.21 0.09 0.34 2.59 0.54 0.46 0.37 0.33 0.80

LOSER AS AT 15-8-11 SYMBOL ASHAKACEM NNFM DANGFOUR CAP CHEVRON MOBIL RO ECOBANK REDSTAREX NASCON

O/PRICE 22.00 23.80 15.20 28.00 67.22 156.50 18.32 2.90 3.12 4.50

mechanism that includes linkages to formal markets that provide minimum price guarantees as well as training and mentorship.

The co-operative structure in turn, allows farmers to consolidate their bargaining power, which reduces input costs and contributes to economies of scale in terms of output and market access.”

The need for agricultural financing prompted the CBN, to channel $500 million (N77 billion) into the Nigerian Incentive-based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL).

The money would be invested under five basic segments. The Risk-sharing Facility is expected to receive $300 million to address banks’ perception of high-risks in the sector by sharing losses on agricultural loans.

DATA BANK

Tenor

OBB Rate Call Rate

infrastructural needs of the country.

The infrastructure Finance Policyis expected to harness the methods to be adopted in handling all the funds meant for financing infrastructure in the country when it becomes fully operational.

‘Access to funding, inputs vital to agric success’

FGN BONDS

NIDF NESF

•CBN Governor, Lamido Sanusi Lamido

C/PRICE 20.900 22.61 14.44 26.60 63.86 148.70 17.41 2.76 2.97 4.30

CHANGE 1.10 1.19 0.76 1.40 3.36 7.80 0.91 1.14 0.15 0.20

Amount Sold ($)

Exchange Rate (N)

Date

450m

452.7m

450m

150.8

08-8-11

250m

313.5m

250m

150.8

03-8-11

400m

443m

400m

150.7

01-8-11

EXHANGE RATE 30-05-11 CAPITAL MARKET INDEX Currency

Year Start Offer

Current Before

C u r r e n t CUV Start After %

NGN USD NGN GBP

147.6000 239.4810

149.7100 244.0123

150.7100 245.6422

-2.11 -2.57

NGN EUR

212.4997

207.9023

209.2910

-1.51

149.7450

154.0000

154.3000

-3.04

Bureau de Change 152.0000

153.0000

155.5000

-2.30

(S/N) Parallel Market

154.0000

156.0000

-1.96

NSE CAP Index

NIGERIA INTER BANK (S/N)

12-08-11 N7.285tr 22,775.55

15-08-11 N7.216tr 22,559.07

% Change -0.95% -0.95%

MEMORANDUM QUOTATIONS Name

(S/N)

153.0000

DISCOUNT WINDOW January ’11

February ’11

July ’11

MPR

6.50%

6.50%

8.75%

Standing Lending Rate ,, Deposit Rate ,, Liquidity Ratio Cash Return Rate Inflation Rate

8.50% 4.50% 25.00% 1.00% 12.10%

8.50% 4.50% 25.00% 2.00% 12.10%

9.50% 5.50% 30.00% 2.00% 10.2%

Offer Price

Bid Price

9.17 1.00 117.62 112.11 0.81 1.00 0.98 1,620.90 9.61 1.39 1.87 8,827.74 193.00

9.08 1.00 117.16 111.16 0.78 1.00 0.97 1,618.90 9.14 1.33 1.80 8,557.73 191.08

ARM AGGRESSIVE KAKAWA GUARANTEED STANBIC IBTC GUARANTE AFRINVEST W.A. EQUITY FUND THE LOTUS CAPITAL HALAL BGL SAPPHIRE FUND BGL NUBIAN FUND NIGERIA INTERNATIONAL DEB. PARAMOUNT EQUITY FUND CONTINENTAL UNIT TRUST CENTRE-POINT UNIT TRUST STANBIC IBTC NIG EQUITY THE DISCOVERY FUND • ARM AGGRESSIVE • KAKAWA GUARANTEED • STANBIC IBTC GUARANTE • AFRINVEST W.A. EQUITY FUND

NIBOR Tenor 7 Days 30 Days 60 Days 150 Days

Rate (Previous) 04 MAR, 2011 9.0417 9.6667 11.2917 12.1250

Rate (Currency) 24, MAY, 2011 10.17% 11.46% 11.96% 12.54%

Movement

OPEN BUY BACK Previous

Current

04 MAR, 2011

07, MAR, 2011

Bank

8.5000

8.5000

P/Court

8.0833

8.0833

Movement

THE NATION TUESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2011

57

EQUITIES NIGERIAN STOCK EXCHANGE DAILY SUMMARY AS AT 15-08-11 2ND-TIER SECURITIES Company Name CAPITAL OIL PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 1 1

Quotation(N) 0.50

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 500 250.00 500 250.00

AGRICULTURE/AGRO-ALLIED Company Name FTN COCOA PROCESSORS PLC PRESCO PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 4 3 7

Quotation(N) 0.50 7.48

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 2,000,000 1,000,000.00 3,000 21,790.00 2,003,000 1,021,790.00

Quotation(N) 7.16

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 311,355 2,229,194.30 311,355 2,229,194.30

Quotation(N) 1.43

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 1,171,975 1,588,398.60 1,171,975 1,588,398.60

Quotation(N) 6.05 4.49 2.76 6.11 1.89 11.40 0.50 13.00 9.40 0.70 1.15 5.94 1.45 4.72 2.09 0.61 0.79 13.00

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 15,411,035 93,519,605.31 14,072,907 64,821,491.80 637,879 1,803,000.12 5,725,231 35,012,955.22 15,737,813 29,543,051.77 34,276,553 382,451,593.10 1,372,600 686,300.00 67,043,102 882,401,074.38 726,008 6,831,858.76 1,679,492 1,175,644.40 726,546 835,527.90 8,274,481 48,022,554.13 5,867,130 8,494,594.52 23,589,512 107,057,291.03 1,259,992 2,633,383.28 5,648,884 3,403,725.90 3,194,474 2,522,295.20 10,402,267 137,479,639.67 215,645,906 1,808,695,586.49

Quotation(N) 220.00 6.10 85.00

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 96,171 20,690,364.05 17,505 101,529.00 1,778,174 152,097,864.19 1,891,850 172,889,757.24

Quotation(N) 20.90 7.95 113.00 44.11

Quantity Traded Value 542,129 236,800 217,786 168,152 1,164,867

Quotation(N) 9.80 26.60 1.38

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 847,454 7,844,316.82 164,885 4,396,351.76 662 873.84 1,013,001 12,241,542.42

AIR SERVICES Company Name NIGERIAN AVIATION HANDLING COMPANY PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 172 172

AUTOMOBILE & TYRE Company Name R. T. BRISCOE (NIGERIA) PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 32 32 BANKING

Company Name ACCESS BANK PLC DIAMOND BANK PLC ECOBANK NIGERIA PLC FIRST CITY MONUMENT BANK PLC FIDELITY BANK PLC FIRST BANK OF NIGERIA PLC FINBANK PLC GTBANK PLC STANBIC IBTC BANK PLC INTERCONTINENTAL BANK PLC. OCEANIC BANK INTERNATIONAL PLC SKYE BANK PLC. STERLING BANK PLC UNITED BANK FOR AFRICA PLC. UNION BANK OF NIGERIA PLC UNITYBANK PLC WEMA BANK PLC ZENITH BANK PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 204 112 27 49 102 856 8 1,060 24 12 13 120 37 338 22 57 42 309 3,392 BREWERIES

Company Name GUINNESS NIGERIA PLC INTERNATIONAL BREWERIES PLC NIGERIAN BREWERIES PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 54 2 93 149 BUILDING MATERIALS

Company Name ASHAKA CEMENT PLC CEMENT CO. OF NORTHERN NIGERIA PLC DANGOTE CEMENT PLC LAFARGE WAPCO PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 37 13 23 26 99

of Shares (N) 11,354,564.10 1,873,177.50 24,789,417.37 7,414,948.60 45,432,107.57

CHEMICAL & PAINTS Company Name BERGER PAINTS NIGERIA PLC CHEMICAL AND ALLIED PRODUCTS PLC DN MEYER PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 11 14 7 32

Stock market reverses to negative K

EY indices at the Ni gerian Stock Ex change (NSE) started this week on the negative, reversing the uptrend that closed the market last week.

The All Share Index (ASI) and market capitalisation dropped by 0.95 per cent each with market capitalisation dropping by N69 billion to close at N7.216 trillion, while the All-Share-Index dropped 216.48 points to close at 22,559.07 points.

The decline yesterday was linked to profit-taking activities by investors who feared a relapse into another spell of recession.

Notably, profit taking was ringed around major blue chip stocks among which are; Dangote Cement, Ashaka Cement, CAP, MRS Oil (Chevron), Dangote Flour, Dangote Sugar, Forte Oil, Mobil Oil, Nigerian Breweries, Oando Oil, NNFM, UAC Property and Zenith Bank. The dips in the above stocks significantly impacted upon the market trend today.

Profit taking stalled the appreciation in some banks, shaving off 3.9 per cent from the price of Zenith Bank. GT Bank and UBA were also not spared but demand at current levels led to marginal gains of 1.3 per cent and 1.1 per cent apiece.

First Bank also rallied at the close of the session with a 4.9 per cent gain; robust bids outweighed offers at

No of Deals 37 37

Quotation(N) 2.97

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 661,076 1,998,633.10 661,076 1,998,633.10

COMPUTER & OFFICE EQUIPMENT Company Name NCR (NIGERIA) PLC. Sector Totals

No of Deals 1 1

Quotation(N) 3.58

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 10,000 37,500.00 10,000 37,500.00

Quotation(N) 1.99 40.99 0.91 39.00 28.00

Quantity Traded Value 80 626,479 15,998,664 901,897 253,545 17,780,665

Quotation(N) 2.66 54.56

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 10,000 26,600.00 399,251 21,782,994.56 409,251 21,809,594.56

CONGLOMERATES Company Name A. G. LEVENTIS (NIGERIA) PLC PZ CUSSONS NIGERIA PLC TRANSNATIONAL CORPORATION OF NIGERIA PLC UAC OF NIGERIA PLC UNILEVER NIGERIA PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 1 81 39 44 50 215

of Shares (N) 152.00 25,450,583.14 14,596,390.08 35,155,173.81 7,006,849.46 82,209,148.49

the close of the session and could lead to further gains today.

The breweries sector also caved in to bearish sentiments. Strategic trades in NB shaved off 1.2 per cent from its price, while both Guinness and International Breweries recorded no price change.

The sector may likely continue to move in this direction as buyers were bullish at lower end for NB, while offers in Guinness outweighed available bids.

GT Bank Plc was the most actively traded stock with 67.04 million shares valued at N882.4 million in 1,060

‘The sector may likely continue to move in this direction as buyers were bullish at lower end for NB, while offers in Guinness outweighed available bids’

NIGERIAN STOCK EXCHANGE

COMMERCIAL/SERVICES Company Name RED STAR EXPRESS PLC Sector Totals

By Taofik Salako and Tonia Osundolire

DAILY SUMMARY AS AT 15-08-11 CUSTODIAN AND ALLIED INSURANCE PLC GOLDLINK INSURANCE PLC GUARANTY TRUST ASSURANCE PLC CONSOLIDATED HALLMARK INSURANCE PLC LASACO ASSURANCE PLC. LAW UNION AND ROCK INSURANCE PLC. LINKAGE ASSURANCE PLC N.E.M. INSURANCE CO. (NIG.) PLC. PRESTIGE ASSURANCE PLC. REGENCY ALLIANCE INSURANCE COMPANY PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 1 17 18

No of Deals 10 10

Quotation(N) 1.99

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 143,482 285,413.31 143,482 285,413.31

FOOD/BEVERAGES & TOBACCO Company Name 7-UP BOTTLING CO. PLC CADBURY NIGERIA PLC DANGOTE FLOUR MILLS PLC DANGOTE SUGAR REFINERY PLC FLOUR MILLS NIGERIA PLC HONEYWELL FLOUR MILL PLC NATIONAL SALT COMPANY NIGERIA PLC NIGERIAN BOTTLING COMPANY PLC NESTLE NIGERIA PLC NORTHERN NIGERIA FLOUR MILLS PLC TANTALIZERS PLC UTC NIGERIA PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 6 46 35 58 60 20 57 24 37 1 14 1 359

No of Deals 8 8

No of Deals 21 16 11 1 49

Company Name JAPAUL OIL & MARITIME SERVICES PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 122 122

No of Deals 8 8

No of Deals 1 1

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 3,069 143,622.75 422,800 7,140,097.51 295,529 4,267,438.76 1,354,552 15,640,307.75 277,063 23,500,996.67 420,690 1,750,629.00 2,015,346 8,819,707.76 127,528 5,098,615.26 130,706 52,332,685.41 180,468 4,080,381.48 2,005,940 1,002,970.00 38 22.80 7,233,729 123,777,475.15

No of Deals 13 13

Quotation(N) 1.80 25.62 4.00 1.47

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 56,644,449 99,689,769.26 2,201,551 56,493,208.24 121,120 465,887.00 50,000 73,500.00 59,017,120 156,722,364.50

Company Name LONGMAN NIGERIA PLC UNIVERSITY PRESS PLC Sector Totals

Quotation(N) 7.16

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 350,000 2,506,000.00 350,000 2,506,000.00

Company Name UACN PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT CO. PLC Sector Totals

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 104,740 601,719.60 104,740 601,719.60

Company Name SKYE SHELTER FUND UNION HOMES REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRU Sector Totals

No of Deals 1 2 12 15

No of Deals 30 1

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 737,000 651,588.00 737,000 651,588.00

Quotation(N) 0.95

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 7,348,447 7,203,633.30 7,348,447 7,203,633.30

Quotation(N) 0.50

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 184,969 92,484.50 184,969 92,484.50

Quotation(N) 2.15 1.05

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 1,436,102 3,052,340.60 700 735.00 1,436,802 3,053,075.60

Quotation(N) 0.50 63.86 32.73 5.20 17.41 148.70 27.99 203.32

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 9,300 4,650.00 97,834 6,249,873.44 469,257 15,358,496.76 35,375 174,752.50 517,922 9,017,022.02 211,718 31,605,463.30 18,353,922 506,858,648.57 6,023 1,163,899.42 19,701,351 570,432,806.01

PRINTING & PUBLISHING No of Deals 2 9 11

Quotation(N) 5.00 4.39

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 15,017 75,085.00 30,709 129,228.70 45,726 204,313.70

Quotation(N) 19.00

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 1,587,552 28,493,926.50 1,587,552 28,493,926.50

REAL ESTATE

Quotation(N) 5.70

No of Deals 32 32

REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUST

Quotation(N) 0.50 2.94 0.50

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 700,000 350,000.00 2,700,000 7,238,000.00 833,155 416,977.50 4,233,155 8,004,977.50

INSURANCE Company Name AIICO INSURANCE PLC. CONTINENTAL REINSURANCE PLC

No of Deals 73 1 74

No of Deals 1 10 21 5 5 34 499 10 585

INFORMATION & COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY Company Name CHAMS PLC IHS NIGERIA PLC STARCOMMS PLC Sector Totals

Quotation(N) 0.95

PETROLEUM(MARKETING) Company Name BECO PETROLEUM PRODUCT PLC MRS OIL NIGERIA PLC CONOIL PLC ETERNA OIL & GAS PLC. FORTE OIL PLC MOBIL OIL NIGERIA PLC. OANDO PLC TOTAL NIGERIA PLC Sector Totals

INDUSTRIAL/DOMESTIC PRODUCTS Company Name VITAFOAM NIGERIA PLC Sector Totals

270,000.00 10,000,000.00 3,155,895.00 40,345.00 25,000.00 275.00 1,500.00 4,295,823.43 39,484.21 150,000.00 19,370,856.41

PACKAGING Company Name NIGERIAN BAG MANUFACTURING COMPANY PLC POLY PRODUCTS (NIGERIA) PLC. Sector Totals

HOTEL & TOURISM Company Name CAPITAL HOTEL PLC Sector Totals

100,000 20,000,000 2,652,500 80,690 50,000 500 3,000 8,513,190 24,061 300,000 33,999,898

OTHER FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS Company Name ROYAL EXCHANGE PLC Sector Totals

Quotation(N) 45.00 17.00 14.44 11.50 85.00 4.41 4.30 42.00 400.00 22.61 0.50 0.63

HEALTHCARE Company Name FIDSON HEALTHCARE PLC GLAXOSMITHKLINE CONSUMER NIG. PLC MAY & BAKER NIGERIA PLC. NEIMETH INTERNATIONAL PHARMACEUTICALS PLC Sector Totals

2.60 0.50 1.19 0.50 0.50 0.54 0.50 0.52 1.69 0.50

MARITIME

ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY Company Name CUTIX PLC Sector Totals

3 1 16 1 1 1 1 30 4 2 91 LEASING

Company Name C&I LEASING PLC Sector Totals

CONSTRUCTION Company Name COSTAIN (WA) PLC JULIUS BERGER NIGERIA PLC Sector Totals

deals. Other equities that recorded significant volume yesterday were Fidson Healthcare, First Bank, UBA and Goldlink Insurance.

On the price movement tables, IHS, Honeywell Flour and Fidelity Bank led the gainers’ chart in percentage term with maximum five per cent price gains to close at N2.94 and N4.41 and N1.80 respectively.

NAHCO and Julius Berger also recorded major gains with an increase of N0.34 to close at N7.16 and N2.59 to close at N54.56. On the losers table, the top five stocks actually recorded the maximum drop of five per cent each.

Ashaka led the list with a drop of N1.10 to close at N20.90 followed by Northern Nigerian Flourmills, Dangote Flour, Chemical and Allied Company (CAP), and MRS Oil (Chevron) with price drop of N1.19, N0.76, N1.40 and N3.36 to close at N22.61, N14.44, N26.60 and N63.86 respectively.

Volume of shares transacted yesterday moved up to 379.302 million valued at N3.130 billion in 5,562 deals as against 254.07 million shares worth N1.55 billion exchanged in 3,169 deals posted last Friday.

Growth in volume and value represent 49.41 per cent and 102.6 per cent respectively.

Quotation(N) 0.61 1.02

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 2,265,957 1,382,233.77 10,000 10,300.00

No of Deals 1 1 2

Quotation(N) 100.00 50.00

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 500,000 50,000,000.00 2,000 100,000.00 502,000 50,100,000.00

Quotation(N) 0.58

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 1,033 599.14 1,033 599.14

TEXTILES Company Name UNITED NIGERIAN TEXTILES PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 1 1

THE FOREIGN LISTINGS Company Name ECOBANK TRANSNATIONAL INCORPORATED Sector Totals Overall Totals

No of Deals 26 26

Quotation(N) 14.50

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 611,174 8,831,433.55 611,174 8,831,433.55

5,562

379,301,624

3,130,486,169.54

THE NATION TUESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2011

58

NEWS Elechi sacks Chief of Staff, swears in 18 perm secs

G

OVERNOR Martins Elechi of Ebonyi State yesterday sacked the Chief of Staff , Government House, Hyacinth Ote. He has been replaced with one of the newly appointed Permanent Secretary, Godwin Mbam, who also hails from Ikwo Local Government.

Swearing in the Permanent Secretaries, Elechi said though the state is too small to have 31 Permanent Secretaries, the exigencies of the different organs of government, the need to have more senior civil servants was imperative.

Elechi urged them to be alive to their responsibilities, saying they should not misinform the government.

“Though Ebonyi State is too small to have 31 permanent secretaries, it is necessary to have high calibre of people to take charge of ministries and other agencies of government which we consider vital to our development. Such agencies as primary education and other agencies are such important organs of government even though they are not ministries. They are so important to have senior civil servants in them to assist the commissioners in the discharge of their duties,” he said.

Elechi said in appointing the permanent secretaries, the government was guided by territorial spread, personal merit and the ability to perform.

Music, movie stars to play for Igbokwe AS part of activities to mark the funeral of music icon and the nation’s foremost lady of songs, Christy Essien Igbokwe, a novelty football match between prominent players in the music industry and Nollywood superstars will take place on Saturday at the Teslim Balogun stadium, Surulere, Lagos.

The winner of the match, which will be transmitted

by Supersports, is expected to cart home the Godswill Akpabio trophy.

Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State has approved the use of the stadium on that day.

The approval was conveyed to Tony Okoroji by Lagos State Commissioner for Youth, Sports and Social Development, Waheed Enitan Oshodi, on Friday.

Okoroji, who is in-charge of ceremonials, said: Governor Fashola has, once again, shown that he is a man blessed with great vision and mission.

Short- sighted people may not understand but by closely identifying with the growing Nigerian entertainment industry, he is clearly cementing Lagos as the entertainment capital of Africa and that has significant socioeconomic consequences. I salute his vision.”

NJC can’t discipline judges, says Falana

T

HE National Judicial Council (NJC) has no powers to discipline any member of the bench, activist-lawyer Femi Falana said yesterday.

Falana said the NJC has “embarrassed” itself by asking President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Isa Ayo Salami, to apologise to the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Aloysius Katsina-Alu, for allegedly lying on oath against him.

Disciplinary powers over judges and justices are vested

By Joseph Jibueze

in the appointing authority, which is the President, and not the NJC, which is a recommending body, he said.

The rights activist said NJC has acted outside its powers by the demand on Salami, and has therefore usurped the powers of a criminal court, which can only declare a person guilty of perjury.

According to Falana, the NJC can only give such ultimatum to its staff, not a member of the bench.

Falana said: “Frankly speaking, I cannot appreciate why the NJC has decided to embarrass itself by acting outside its statutory powers.

“With profound respect to the members, most of whom are eminent judges, the NJC has no powers to impose punishment or disciplinary action on any of its members or any judge for that matter.

“There is no doubt that the NJC can investigate allegations of misconduct against them, including the CJN, but

once investigation has been concluded, and a case of misconduct is established, the power to discipline is with the appointing authority, in this instance the President. The NJC is a recommending body which has no powers to execute its recommendations.

“By asking somebody to apologise for lying on oath, the NJC has acted outside its powers in finding somebody guilty of a criminal offence of perjury which only a proper-

614 Nigerians in British prisons, says official

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• Governor Theodore Orji of Abia State (right) receiving a Nokia product from Chief Marcel Ezeh, Chief Executive Officer, Mckings Nokia Care, during his visit to the governor in Umuahia..yesterday.

HERE are 614 Nigerians in British prisons, an official of the United Kingdom Ministry of Justice said yesterday.

This is contrary to the 16,400 figure given during the Senate reading of a Bill on the repatriation of Nigerians serving jail terms abroad.

Alison Walker of the Justice Statistical Analytical Services said yesterday that as at June, there were 614 Nigeria prisoners in the United Kingdom.

The website of the department shows that there are 85, 523 prisoners in the United Kingdom made up of 81,354 men and 4,169 women.

The statistics show that the number of Nigerians in British prisons has dropped from that of last year.

The 2010 population of prisoners in the UK published by the Mail of London last year shows that Jamaica had the highest number of 942 prisoners; Nigeria was second with 727, Ireland had 681 and Poland had 642.

Other countries in the top bracket are Vietnam with 596, Pakistan (440), Somalia (433), Romania (380), China (364), and Lithuania (361).

Tribunal dismisses petitions over non-payment of security fee

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HE National/House of Assembly Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Lagos yesterday dismissed two petitions by candidates of the Democratic Front for a Peoples Federation (DFPF) owing to their inability to pay the required N400,000 security fee.

Petitioners are required to pay the fee before their cases can be heard. The fee is to be used by the tribunal to pay cost to respondents, should the petition fail.

Candidates of Lagos State House of Assembly for Constituency 01 and 02,

By Joseph Jibueze

Solomon Olorunfemi and Victor Iyamu , could not pay the security fee.

Olorunfemi challenged the election of Adebisi Yusuf, while Iyamu is contesting the victory of Omotayo Odutan. Both sued the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Lagos State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) and Electoral Officer, Alimosho.

They had urged the tribunal to conduct fresh election in the constituencies because they were excluded from the April 26 election

after they were validly nominated by their party.

Dismissing the petitions, the tribunal Chairman, Justice Maurice Eneji, said the petitions did not meet the provisions of the Electoral Act 2010 with the non-payment of the mandatory security fee.

Dimeji Awojobi of the African Liberation Party (ALP), who contested the Oshodi/Isolo II Federal Constituency, prayed the tribunal for extension of time to enable him pay the security cost.

He is challenging the victory of Action Congress of

Nigeria’s (ACN’s) Hakeem Muniru. The petitioner claimed Muniru was not duly elected or returned in the April 9 election. Awojobi is urging the tribunal to nullify the election and order a fresh one.

Counsel to ACN Muiz Banire opposed the application, saying the petitioner was making a bid to pay the fee after the 21-days specified by law.

He urged the tribunal to dismiss the application for lacking in merit.

Justice Eneji adjourned ruling on Awojobi’s application.

Fighting corruption is like holding tiger’s tail, says EFCC chair Waziri T

HE Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mrs. Farida Waziri, yesterday said some former governors and high profile suspects being investigated are the brains behind the spurious attacks on her.

She said she is undeterred by such sponsored calls for her removal by corrupt elements.

Mrs Waziri, who spoke with reporters before signing a Memorandum of Understanding with the Managing

Director of Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN), Mr. Gimba Ya’u Kumo said the EFCC has a record of 70 high profile cases in court whereas she inherited 10.

She said: “Fighting corruption is like holding a tiger by the tail. We know it is a dangerous thing to do, but someone has to do it in the interest of our nation and I find myself discharging that responsibility at this critical moment

ly constituted court in Nigeria can do. Only a properly constituted court can make such a finding.

“I therefore hope that the attention of the NJC will be drawn to the relevant provisions of the Constitution and decided authorities on this matter, particularly the case of Legal Practitioners Privileges Committee versus Fawehinmi. The NJC’s disciplinary power is limited to the staff of the Council.”

of our nationhood “I know those behind them.

But for the culture of impunity in this part of the world, these are people who should be in Bama or Kirikiri prisons by now. By bringing my husband into this now means it’s a dirty politics back home in Gombe State”.

“Don’t forget we are investigating some ex-governors now and if you study the pattern of attacks on the Com-

mission and myself, such usually gain prominence anytime we have high profile persons we are closing in on”.

“I am not deterred because I have made history as a woman not just with my record of achievements in EFCC but equally as the first woman to head the Special Fraud Unit of the Police where I recorded the first conviction in the case of Advance Fee Fraud in Nigeria a. k. a 419 and subsequently 11 convictions within two years on that seat”.

By Kayode Thomas

The UK Government recently revealed that it spends £1.6million to feed the prisoners per day.

During Prime Minister David Cameron’s recent visit to Nigeria, one of the agreements reached with President Goodluck Jonathan was a prison exchange deal.

This prompted Senate Leader Victor Ndoma-Egba (SAN) to sponsor a bill for an Act to repatriate Nigerian convicts serving various jail terms in the Commonwealth countries.

During the debate, Senator Benedict Ayade told the Senate that “in the United Kingdom alone, Nigerians serving various prison terms are 16, 400 and it cost the UK government about 1.6 million pounds per day to feed them.”

Senate President David Mark during the debate expressed his unhappiness at the number of Nigerians serving jail terms in the UK. “There are safeguards in the bill, but I am shocked to hear that there are 16,400 Nigerians in various prisons abroad, this is a thing not to be proud of, we don’t know the authenticity of the figure, but it calls for concern. The lesson is that we should improve our prisons for the purpose of reformation, it is not right to transfer the responsibility of reformation to other nations.”

Committee on Sam Loco sues for credibility MEMBERS of the Central Working Committee (CWC) for the burial of the late actor and film director Sam Loco Efe have assured of a befitting pre-interment programmes for the deceased.

They promised to ensure that the burial of the late actor is transparent and credible.

The 11-man committee pledged to work with his family.

Chairperson of the committee and Chief Executive of Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA), Peace Anyiam-Osigwe, said members of the committee would wait for the family to confirm the September 19 date proposed for the burial of the late actor, before taking its decision.

She said the committee has proposed a three- day programme that will include symposium, play, and a tributary night to be held in Lagos ahead of the burial date that the family would approve.

THE NATION TUESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2011

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NEWS

‘Polls marred by fraud in Ilorin councils’ •Witnesses accuse PDP of violence, bribery

Sokoto council chiefs warned against taking loans

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OCAL government chairmen in Sokoto State have been warned against obtaining loans from banks without the governor’s consent.

They were also advised to acquaint themselves with the rules and regulations guiding local government administration.

Governor Aliyu Wamakko issued the warning at a meeting with the council chairmen after their swearing-in.

The 23 chairmen took over the councils following the July 23 local government election.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) won all the seats; the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) won a councillorship seat.

Addressing reporters yesterday in Sokoto on the outcome of the meeting, Alhaji Abdullahi Garba Sidi, the Gwadabawa Local Government Chairman promised that the council chiefs would uphold the regulations.

He said they would also ensure regular attendance at the monthly security and council meetings.

Sidi said: “We are di-

From Adamu Suleiman, Sokoto

rected to make available reports of the meetings to the Ministry for Local Governments for record purposes and monitoring.”

The governor, he added, emphasised the need for them to be security conscious and ensure effective and efficient collaboration with relevant security agencies in their councils.

Besides, the councils were urged to explore avenues for more revenue generation to stop their continued reliance on monthly revenue allocation.

The chairmen have elected by consensus their Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) officials.

Alhaji Abdulkadir Garba Sidi is the chairman and Alhaji Ahmed Kalambaina of Wamakko local government emerged is the Secretary.

Comrade Abubakar Shehu Shamaki of Yabo Local Government Council was returned as Assistant Secretary.

From Adekunle Jimoh, Ilorin

•Belgore

S

OME Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) witnesses yesterday alleged that the Kwara State governorship election was fraught with violence and illegalities in parts of Ilorin west and Ilorin South local government areas.

According to the polling agents and ward supervisors, the incidents were recorded in juekun Sarumi wards of Ilorin West Local Government Area and parts of Ilorin South Local Government Area.

They were at the resumed hearing of the Governorship Elections Petitions Tribunal where ACN governorship candidate Mohammed Dele Belgore (SAN) is challenging the declaration of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate Abdulfattah Ahmed as the winner of the poll.

Belgore is praying the tribunal to nullify the results from local councils and wards where malpractices were perpetrated, saying he won the highest number of valid votes.

He is also praying the tribu-

nal to declare him the winner.

An ACN agent for Polling Booth 16 in Ojeukun Sarumi Ward, Mrs. Aishat Ahmed, narrated how the police arrested her on the order of some PDP chieftains.

She named the party chieftains to include ‘Sule Maja’, who was the Special Adviser on Security Matters to former Governor Bukola Saraki.

Mrs. Ahmed said her arrest followed PDP’s discovery that she was writing down the number of accredited voters, as they were being screened, to ensure that the number of votes did not exceed the number of accredited voters.

She also told the tribunal that she had video recordings of PDP chieftains distributing money, rice and other gifts to influence voters who queued to cast their votes.

According to her, a number of ballot papers got missing during the exercise and were unaccounted for.

Another witness, Abullahi Arije, who was the ACN supervisor for the Ojuekun Sarumi Ward.

Arije alleged widespread misuse of ballot papers, multiple thumb-printing, intimidation and failure of INEC of-

ficials to record votes on Forms EC8A and EC60E. He said: “As an ACN agent, I arrived at the polling booth by 8am. When the accreditation began, I began ticking the numbers too on my booklet to ensure that the number of people who were accredited would correspond with the number of people who voted.

On or about 8.45am, I was approached by some police officers, members of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and PDP agents to inquire into what I was doing.

I said I was doing what I was instructed to do by my party, that is, monitor the electoral process....

“At about 9am, the policemen came back and informed me that they had been ordered to arrest me for disturbing public peace. I immediately challenged this and they began hitting and slapping me.

I was dragged away to the police station and released at about 12noon following the intervention of my party’s lawyers when the accreditation had finished.

“On my return to the polling booth, INEC officials asked me to stand back at the end of the voters’ queue and monitor the goings-on of the election process from there.

“I saw PDP agents distrib-

Nasarawa gets N8.9b fed allocation for July

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HE Nasarawa State Government got N8.9billion from the Federation Account last month.

Its allocation is higher than

From Johnny Danjuma, Lafia

that of Ebonyi State, which received N8.5billion.

The allocation, published in an online journal, shows

NCC donates laptops to Benue college

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HE Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has donated 110 laptops to the College of Advanced and Professional Studies, Makurdi, Benue State.

During the distribution of the laptops yesterday, the Commissioner for Education, Dr. Elizabeth Ugo, praised the commission for assisting the college.

She said they would help the lecturers and other workers to update their knowledge on events around the world.

Mrs Ugo said the government was looking forward to more partnership with NCC until all the teachers in the state’s tertiary institutions become computer literate.

She noted that though lecturers and students teach and learn under a harsh environment, they were still able to excel.

The commissioner said the government would improve on the structure of the school, urging the beneficiaries to use the facility well.

The Sole Administrator, Dr. Tyotom Keghku, praised the NCC for the donation.

He said a training workshop would be organised for those yet to be computer lit-

From Uja Emmanuel, Makurdi

erate.

Keghku hoped that Governor Gabriel Suswam would assist the college to renovate more of its lecture halls.

He announced plans by the institution to introduce a Diploma in Computer Science in the next academic session, urging the lecturers to step up their research to sustain the programme.

One of the beneficiaries, Mr. Fabian Shirsha, who is the Head of the Department of English, described the gesture as timely.

He said it came when the world was yearning for Information Communication Technology (ICT) compliance.

Shirsha promised to use the facility well.

The chairman, Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP), Mrs. Esther Koko, expressed gratitude to Keghku for sustaining academic progress in the college.

Seventy-eight Zinox laptops with Internet were distributed to the lecturers; non-academic workers got 22.

that it came from statutory allocation, Value Added Tax (VAT) disbursement, Budget Differential Bonus and the Excess Crude Account.

Successive administrations have said the state gets the lowest allocation from the Federal Government.

But the July allocation put the state ahead of Ebonyi as the three tiers of government shared N1.5 trillion.

The online journal said the disbursement was done at the meeting of the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) in Abuja.

A breakdown of the N1.5 trillion disbursement shows that Nasarawa got N629,183,840.081 from the Excess Crude Account; N4,048,748,872.44 and N4,308,363,910.06 from the

Budget Differential Bonus and Statutory and VAT allocation.

The figures indicate that oil producing states got the highest allocations, with Akwa Ibom receiving N53.2 billion, followed by Rivers, N52.1 billion.

Others are: Delta, N44.3 billion; Bayelsa, N33.5 billion; and Lagos and Kano N22.6 billion and N22.8 billion.

uting rice to voters on the queue as well as campaigning that eligible voters should vote the PDP. I captured images of the act on my phone stylishly. I was thereafter approached by ‘Balo’ and ‘Sule Maja,’ PDP agents, who offered me N5,000 to delete the pictures I took on my phone.

Upon my refusal, I was approached with malt drinks and rice. When I refused, threats were made on my life.

I was unable to sleep at home that night.”

Arije added: “The votes credited to the first and third respondents (Ahmed and PDP) were products of misuse and misapplication of ballot papers. Ballot papers not meant for particular units were illicitly used to return the unlawful votes in some other units in favour of the first to third respondents.”

Another witness, Azeez Jelili, who was ACN Ward Supervisor for Akanbi Ward 2 in Ilorin South Local Government Area, alleged that “ballot papers, result sheets and other electoral materials were snatched and forcefully taken away by known members and chieftains of PDP in some of the polling units in the ward”.

He said: “Elections were disrupted in many polling units by known members of the PDP. “ACN voters and agents were chased away, attacked, wounded and driven away from the polling units by thugs and members of PDP. “Voters with voters’ cards, meant for other polling units and wards, were allowed to use same in the ward.”

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THE NATION TUESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2011

THE NATION TUESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2011

61

NEWS

Secretary evades service as Salami sues NJC, others Continued from page 55

“That I know as a fact that the 2nd Defendant is a Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria and Deputy Chairman of the 1st Defendant and chaired the 5th emergency meeting of the 1st Defendant held on the 9th of March, 2011, wherein the NJC Investigation Committee chaired by the 4th Defendant with the 5th to 8th Defendants as members was set up to investigate petitions against the 3rd Defendant, myself and some Justices of the Court of Appeal.

“The 3rd Defendant is the Chief Justice of Nigeria and the Chairman of the 1st Defendant and was one of the persons/subjects of the investigative activities of the 4th – 8th Defendants in respect of petitions written against him over the Sokoto Governorship election appeal.

“I know as a fact that: The 4th Defendant is the Chairman of the Investigative Committee set up by the 1st Defendant to investigate the various petitions against me and the 3rd Defendant; The 5th – 8th Defendants are members of the said committee; The 9th Defendant is the chairman of the committee set up to make recommendations on the report of the 4th Defendant’s Committee; The 10th – 11th Defendants are members of the former committee; “That the 2nd to 11th Defendants were, at all times material to this action, members of the 1st Defendant and the 5th, 6th, 7th, 9th, 10th and 11th Defendants were appointed members of the 1st Defendant by the 3rd Defendant after he became the Chief Justice of Nigeria in December, 2009.

“I know as a fact that I was sworn in as successor to the 4th Defendant as the President of the Court of Appeal (herein otherwise referred to simply as “PCA”) on the 28th day of December, 2009, with effect from 2nd December, 2009.

“Before my appointment as “PCA” in December, 2009, there was a pending appeal over the Sokoto Governorship election petition at the Court of Appeal, Sokoto Division in Appeal No: CA/S/EP/ GOV/10/2009 – DINGYADI vs.

WAMAKKO & ORS. “That the 4th Defendant as the then PCA had failed, refused or neglected to constitute a panel of the court to hear the appeal for over 18 months despite letters and protests to that effect by the Appellants in the said appeal and members of the Bar. “ I know as fact that by the letters and spirit of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, election matters are required to be dealt with expeditiously and without any delay.

“Upon my appointment as the PCA, and based on letters and spirit of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, I immediately constituted a panel of the Court of Appeal justices to hear and determine the said Sokoto Governorship election appeal.

“The panel mentioned above sat on the appeal and after hearing same, adjourned for judgment.

“On the 8th day of February 2010, 3rd Defendant invited me to his chambers at the Supreme Court complex in Abuja and in the presence of the 2nd Defendant requested me to direct the panel to dismiss the Sokoto appeal.

“I informed the 3rd Defendant that he could not direct the panel to dismiss the appeal or how to decide the case before them, since the Justices of the Court of Appeal and indeed all Justices in Nigeria had taken oath of office to administer justice without fear or favour, affection or ill will, and I subsequently left the office of the 3rd Defendant.

“On 15th February, 2010, 3rd Defendant again invited me to his chambers wherein he directed me to disband the panel set out to hear the appeal, a request which I re-

fused.

“As at the time the 3rd Defendant invited me to his chambers on the 8th day of February, 2010, no petition had yet been written and received by the 3rd Defendant, just as none was shown to me.

“After my refusal to abide by the directive of the 3rd Defendant, two petitions each dated 15th day of February, 2010 written against me by one Yahaya Mahmood, Esq. and one, Mr. Alfred N. Agu, Esq. making certain allegations against me suddenly emerged.”The 3rd Defendant, purportedly acting on the basis of the above petitions, issued a query to me which I duly responded to.

“When I refused to act on the unconstitutional directives of the 3rd Defendant stated above, he then adopted the option of writing directly to each of the justices of the Court of Appeal, sitting on the Sokoto state Governorship appeal ordering them to put on hold the judgment of the court which had in the meantime been fixed for delivery on 23rd February, 2010. The 3rd Defendant wrote the said letter in his capacity as chairman of 1st Defendant.

“I know as a fact that by the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, then in force, governorship election matters terminated in the Court of Appeal.

“Consequent on my refusal to accede to the said request of the 3rd Defendant on the Sokoto appeal, the 3rd Defendant, proceeded to set up a panel of justices of the Supreme Court to hear the pre-election matter relating to the office of Governor of Sokoto State, which had earlier on been dismissed by a panel of Supreme Court sitting in chambers.

“The Supreme Court panel set up by the 3rd Defendant to hear the pre-election matter was headed by the 2nd Defendant who had knowledge of all that had transpired in the 3rd Defendant’s chambers between myself and the 3rd Defendant on 8th day of February, 2010, indeed it was 2nd Defendant’s handset that the 3rd Defendant used to call and invite me on 8th February, 2010.

“That however, before the Sokoto Court of Appeal panel could deliver its judgment, a panel of the Supreme Court presided over by the 2nd Defendant issued an interim order of injunction restraining the panel of justices of the Court of Appeal sitting in Sokoto from proceeding to deliver its judgment in the appeal.

“The order of injunction aforesaid was made by the 2nd Defendant after he had in the same case, the same day and time of sitting disqualified himself from hearing the application brought by the Respondents in the appeal on the grounds that he had been intricately involved in the issue leading (up) to the application before the Supreme Court.

“The 2nd Defendant notwithstanding his disqualification from the panel proceeded to issue the aforestated order of injunction.

“That subsequently, a panel o very eminent Nigerians who were also members of the 1st Defendant was set up by the 1st Defendant to look into the issues involved in the petitions against me and the 3rd Defendant’s interference in the Sokoto Governorship appeal.

“The said panel was headed by Hon. Justice B. Babalakin, CON (Rtd) and had Hon. Justice A. I Iguh, CON (Rtd), Hon. Justice E. Ayoola (Rtd), Honourable Justices Bashir Wali, CON (Rtd) and Hon. Justice M. M Akanbi CFR (Rtd) as members.

“The said panel hereinafter called “Babalakin Panel” met and reviewed documentary evidence presented before it by both parties, and came out with a report which exonerated me of any wrong doing and declared that the 3rd Defendant had

no constitutional powers at all to interfere with the Sokoto Governorship appeal in the manner he purported to do.

“In particular, the Babalakin panel concluded thus: “There is no case of misconduct made against the Hon. President of the Court of Appeal in the Petitions.

The Committee finds that the Hon. Chief Justice of Nigeria as the Chairman of the National Judicial Council has no power to interfere with any proceedings in any court as was done in this case.

That the Hon. President of the Court of Appeal put many matters in his reply to the petitions and since such matters are not complaints falling under petitions, we do not see the need to deal with them.

In regard to the petition dated 22/ 2/2009 which should read 22/2/ 2010 against the Hon. Chief Justice of Nigeria by Democratic Peoples Party (DPP), the Committee find that on the face of it there is no misconduct established against His Lordship”.

“That the Babalakin panel also brought myself and the 3rd Defendant together and gave its report to them.

“That I know as a fact that in his reaction to the report, 3rd Defendant stated that he accepted the conclusions in “good faith”.

“In the meantime, I as PCA, had set up panels of Justices of Court of Appeal to determine Governorship election appeals in Ekiti and Osun State and personally presided over the Governorship appeal in Ekiti State.

“In both cases, the appeals were decided in favour of the Governorship candidates of Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and the election of the Governorship candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in both states were set aside.

“As an aftermath of the judgments of the Court of Appeal in the Ekiti and Osun cases, two petitions were written against me by the erstwhile

Governor of Ekiti State, Engr. Segun Oni and the State Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party in Osun State respectively. Both petitions were received by the 1st Defendant and forwarded to me for my response to them and I duly responded to both petitions.

“That at about the same time of the events mentioned above, the 3rd Defendant began making moves to “elevate” me to the Supreme Court of Nigeria in a bid to remove me from my position as the President of the Court of Appeal owing to my non-compromising stance on matters brought before the court.

On or about the 4th of February, 2011, I wrote to the 3rd Defendant expressly and unambiguously declining and rejecting the recommendation to “elevate” me to the Supreme Court of Nigeria.

That when it appeared that the 3rd Defendant was insisting on pushing through my elevation to the Supreme Court against my wish and despite my letter declining same, I ,in the exercise of my fundamental right, instituted an action at the Federal High Court, Abuja via an Originating Summons No: FHC/ABJ/ CS/157/2011 dated and filed 8th February, 2011, challenging the decision to “elevate” me to the supreme Court against my wish.

Following appeals by well meaning Nigerians, and Senior Members of the Bar and Bench, I was persuaded to withdraw my suit from the court so as to promote amicable resolution of the issues.

That in the light of the various petitions against myself, the 3rd Defendant and some other Justices of the Court of Appeal, the 1st Defendant at its 5th Emergency meeting held on 9th March 2011, set up a Five-Man fact finding panel (herein otherwise referred to as “Abdullahi Panel”) to look into the petitions.

That I know as a fact that the Abdullahi panel was initially given two months to complete its assign-

ment, but because of the numerous witnesses that appeared before it and requests by parties for adjournments, the period was extended by another month.

The basic assignment of the Abdullahi panel was to be a “Fact Finding” panel, merely to look into the facts involved in the various allegations and report back to the 1st Defendant.

The Abdullahi panel was, therefore, not set up to indict any of the persons involved in the issues and this point was repeatedly stated by the panel throughout its proceedings and also contained in the panel’s report.

The Panel mentioned above consists of•Hon. Justice Umaru Abdullahi, CON - Chairman •Hon. Justice E. O Ayoola, CON - Member •Hon. Justice D. O Edozie, CON - Member •Hon. Justice M. E. Akpiroroh, JCA (rtd) - Member •Mrs. Rakiya Sarki Ibrahim, MON - Member The Panel sat on 23rd March, 11th and 12th April, 18th, 19th and 20th May, and on the 8th, 9th and 21st of June 2011 and at the end of its sitting, all parties were directed to file final written addresses, after which the panel adjourned to deliberate on the issues involved.

At the sitting of the panel, I raised objection (through my counsel) to the inclusion of Honourable Justice E. O. Ayoola, CON, as a member of the panel on the ground of his having participated as a member of Babalakin panel on the same or substantially the same complaints as were looked into by Babalakin panel.

That I know as a fact that in the course of the 4th – 8th Defendants’ proceedings, members of Babalakin panel were called as witnesses before the 4th – 8th Defendants.

•To be continued

•Former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon and Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State during a courtesy visit to the governor by the members of Nigeria Prays in Abeokuta, Ogun State ... yesterday

How al-Mustapha gave Rogers guns, by Abacha Continued from page 2

power left, he was kept in Dodan Barracks to manage the staff.

Pedro: He was also arrested with you? al-Mustapha: He was not brought before me. But he was also subjected to the same torture that I was subjected to. Office pins were broken on our heads.

What they used to do to us is to reduce the hair at the point of the pins and dropped cold water on it.

Ardo went mental. When they brought him to confront me, he was

just talking to himself. I thank God in the state that I am today,” he said.

At that point, al-Mustapha, who wore a white kaftan with purple stripes, raised his trousers and showed the court some scars on his legs, which he said resulted from “burning with blue flame” during their interrogation before the SIP. He said he accepted what was allegedly dictated to him by the SIP, in order to save his parents, brother and his immediate family who, he said, were equally harassed during his incarceration.

On why he ordered Ogboru tor-

tured, al-Mustapha said he only directed that he should be kobokoed (beaten with horse whip), adding that he did that to save him.

“General Raji Rasaki was the one who assisted in arresting this person. All the superior officers were present and soldiers, whose families were affected, were present. The koboko was to preserve his life. Majority of those who took part in the coup attempt were fed on heroine supplied by Ogboru. Those present wanted to butcher him,” he said.

The trial resumes today during which al-Mustapha is expected to call his next witness.

THE NATION TUESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2011

62

FOREIGN NEWS Al-Qaida chief urges attacks on ‘criminal’ America

Mubarak returns to court on wheels to face charges

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ORMER Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak was yesterday again wheeled in to court on a hospital trolley to face charges of corruption and ordering the deaths of almost 900 protesters.

The ailing 83-year-old former leader, said to have stomach cancer, was flown in to a make-shift Cairo courtroom by helicopter.

Outside the converted police academy, his supporters and opponents waged pitched battles in chaotic scenes which saw stones being hurled and men whipped with belts.

Riot police were drafted in to break up the violence.

Mubarak appeared in the metal defendants’ cage on a bed with his two sons, Gamal and Alaa, who are facing corruption charges, by his side.

Before arriving in the dock, his older son Alaa covered a state TV camera to try to block it from filming his father being taken out of the ambulance.

Presiding judge Ahmed Rifaat then ruled that television cameras would be banned from the courtroom for the rest of Mubarak’s trial, which was later adjourned

A

• Mubarak lying in court... yesterday

until September 5.

Rifaat, who said he decided to ban them before summoning witnesses, said: ‘It is in protection of the general interest.’

This is despite state TV cam-

eras being permitted in the first two hearings.

The decision was met with suspicion by Ramadan Ahmed, the father of a 16year-old protester who was

Gaddafi defiant as rebels put Tripoli under siege

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IBYAN rebels said yesterday they had seized a second strategic town near Tripoli within 24 hours, cutting off the capital from two main supply routes after the boldest advances of their sixmonth-old uprising against Muammar Gaddafi.

A defiant and apparently isolated Gaddafi urged his followers to fight the “rats” (rebels), in a barely audible telephone call broadcast on state television overnight.

Rebels said they had also captured the town of Garyan south of Tripoli. That could not be immediately verified, but

if true, it would tighten the siege of the capital.

“Garyan is fully in the hands of the revolutionaries.

They crushed the Sahban Brigade, the main command centre for Gaddafi in the Western Mountains. They took the brigade's heavy and light weapons,” a rebel spokesman, Abdulrahman, said by phone.

“Gaddafi has been isolated.

He has been cut off from the outside world.”

Rebels probably lack the manpower for an all-out assault on Tripoli, but are hoping their encirclement of the capital will

bring down Gaddafi’s government or inspire an uprising.

Rebels have frequently failed to hold gains in the past, and a fight back by Gaddafi troops yet could break the siege.

A United Nations envoy arrived in neighbouring Tunisia, where sources say rebels and representatives of the government have been holed up in an island resort hotel for negotiations. A senior Gaddafi security official arrived in Cairo with his family, in what could be a sign of more defections if the government crumbles.

Talks could signal the endgame of a conflict that has

drawn in the NATO alliance and emerged as one of the bloodiest confrontations in the wave of unrest sweeping the Arab world.

Gaddafi’s government denies talks with rebels are taking place. A spokesman dismissed reports of negotiations about the Libyan leader’s future as part of a “media war” against him.

“The leader is here in Libya, fighting for the freedom of our nation. He will not leave Libya,” the spokesman, Moussa Ibrahim, said.

L-QAIDA’S new leader called on his followers to continue to fight the United States despite the killing of Osama bin Laden, calling America a “criminal country” that has corrupted the world.

In a video posted on militant websites Sunday, Ayman alZawahri also said the uprisings in Egypt and Tunisia have provided opportunities for the group to spread its message.

The 12-minute message is the third from the Egyptian-born al-Zawahri since he was named al-Qaida’s new leader in June following the killing of Osama bin Laden by U.S. commandos in Pakistan.

Wearing a white robe and turban with an automatic rifle at his side, al-Zawahri said the Muslim jihad, or holy war, against America “does not halt with the death of a commander or leader” — a clear reference to bin Laden.

“Chase America, which killed the leader of the mujahedeen and threw his body into the sea,” he said. “Go after it so that history will say that God enabled his worshippers to attack a criminal country which has spread corruption in the world.”

Shifting to the Middle East, al-Zawahri said the uprisings that toppled longtime autocrats in Tunisia and Egypt have presented al-Qaida an opening to spread its message.

Tunisian police fire tear gas at protesters

P

OLICE used tear gas and truncheons to break up a protest in Tunisia - the country that provided the template for the Arab Spring.

Eyewitnesses said the protesters in the capital Tunis were blocked as they tried to hold a rally at the same time as an authorised march.

The protesters had been complaining about the lack of reform since the overthrow of President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali in January.

Police said 2,000 people took part in the authorised demonstration, which had been called by the General Workers’ Union (UGTT), which continued outside the

city centre.

Eyewitnesses said that the hundreds who had tried to hold the unauthorised rally near the interior ministry headquarters had been shouting for a “new revolution” and denounced Tunisia’s interim government.

The national anthem had been sung at both rallies.

Under Mr Ben Ali’s 23-year rule, one party which is now officially dissolved had controlled the country and opposition parties in parliament were largely symbolic.

Since his overthrow about 80 new parties have been officially registered for elections which are due in October.

THE NATION TUESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2010

63

CAMPAIGN AGAINST CORRUPTION IN THE JUDICIARY

SPORT EXTRA

2011 African Wrestling OF THE NATIONAL JUDICIAL COUNCIL Champion loses Mum &THETHECONSPIRACY FEDERAL HIGH COURT DEPUTY CHIEF REGISTRAR D O 20, Mojidi Street, Off Toyin Street, Ikeja, Lagos.

ARKAR 2011 African Wrestling champion and three gold medals hero at the 2011 African Wrestling Championships, Sinivie Boltic of Bayelsa State has lost his

From Florence Nkem Israel, Port Harcourt

mother.

Madam Daufina Nelson, who has been sick for about five years now, finally gave up

LONDON 2012 OLYMPICS QUALIFIERS

Eucharia retains foreign pros for Falcons

T

HOSE expecting Falcons coach, Eucharia Uche to call up more foreign-based players to prosecute the crucial London 2012 Olympics qualifiers against Cameroon come September 29, may start doing a rethink, as the gaffer has resolved to stick with the six already invited.

According to a source close to the Falcons’ camp, Uche has no plans to bring in more foreign pros for the match.

After their early ouster from the Germany 2011 Women’s World Cup, the coach set out for the task ahead by inviting 32 players to camp including some of the foreign-based stars who featured for the team in Germany.

NationSport further learnt that the coach is determined to blend these players in with the 26 home-based players invited to build a new national team. They are currently camped at the Millennium Hotel, Abuja.

Surprisingly, veteran Perpetual Nkwocha, who had earlier declared her intention of retiring from international football, is one of the foreign-based players the coach has decided to continue with.

Other overseas-based pros in the team that the coach will be sticking with include, defenders Faith Ikidi, Onome Ebi and Helen Ukaonu, and midfielder Rita Chikwelu who all posted creditable performances at the World Cup. Interestingly, Emueje Ogbiagbevba, who scored a brace against Namibia in the earlier round of the Olympic Games qualifying race but was

By Innocent Amomoh dropped for the global finals in Germany, is one of those getting Uche’s nod.

As the team awaits news from Ghana and South Africa on the proposed international friendly ahead of the clash against Cameroon, the technical crew is perfecting strategies to book a place in the quadrennial event.

the ghost at her home at the weekend as the wrestler was preparing for the forthcoming world championships in Istanbul, Turkey next month.

Speaking with NationSport, the twenty nine-year-old wrestler noted that his mum was quickly buried immediately after she passed on and that the funeral rites comes up on Sunday.

“I am her first son and she has been sick for about five years now. I didn’t want to keep her (burial) waiting because I needed to concentrate on my preparations for the September world wrestling championships. I decided to bury her while the other funeral arrangements will come up later this week.

“I need to fully pay attention to my training because the world championships is a serious business and I hope to be able to win medals in Istanbul”, he said.

NFF commends President Jonathan

T

HE Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has praised the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, GCFR for his personal motivation for the U-20 National Team, Flying Eagles at the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Colombia.

NFF President, Aminu Maigari however regretted that the team failed to reach the semi finals, following Sunday’s 2-3 defeat by France in their quarter-final clash in Cali.

The European champions went ahead early in the second half before the Flying Eagles equalised with the last touch of the game, through substitute Bright Ejike. France swept well ahead with two goals inside two minutes in the first half of extra time, and Nigeria was only able to reduce the deficit by one in the second period of extra time.

“We appreciate the personal interest, efforts and commitment of President Goodluck Jonathan to the team’s campaign. On the part of the Nigeria Football Federation, we

did everything we could to prepare the boys adequately for the championship, and enhanced the win-bonus from stage to stage. But the boys failed to summon that extra energy and invention needed to overcome the champions of Europe.

NPL, PZ Cussons enter into partnership THE Nigeria Premier League (NPL) is pleased to officially announce that it will today sign a sponsorship agreement with PZ Cussons Nigeria PLC making its ‘Robb’ brand the official balm of the League.

“Football is a unifying force in Nigeria. Wherever you see people playing football you see passion and a love for the game,” said Alex Goma, Managing Director of Family Care SBU (PZ Cussons Nigeria).

“We are starting to see real steps being taken to improve football in Nigeria and we are proud to play an active role in its future development,” Goma commented.”

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE QUALIFIER

Wenger wary of manipulation ARSENAL manager Arsene Wenger does not want the club’s fans to be manipulated ahead of today’s UEFA Champions League play-off first leg against Udinese.

The Gunners have seen captain Cesc Fabregas rejoin Barcelona after reluctantly letting him return to the Camp Nou in a £35million deal, bringing an end to the long-running transfer saga.

In the opening game of the new Premier League campaign at Newcastle on Saturday which ended goalless and with summer signing Gervinho sent off - chants of ‘spend some money’ were directed from the away end.

Wenger, though, remains steadfast in his belief that all is not yet lost as the squad prepares for an early test of their credentials in order to once again make it through to the lucrative group stages of Europe’s elite club competition.

“I just expect my team to have a good game tomorrow (today)

and that will encourage their belief and strengthen their belief. At the moment that is the most important thing,” Wenger told a news conference.

“I understand everybody’s worry, but I believe as well a club is a united front. Our players need the support from our fans.

“It is an important period for this club, but I am confident we will get over it in a very successful way.

“We need to remain united and not let the media manipulate our fans in a way they should not.”

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE Today’s fixtures København v Viktoria Plzen BATE B v Sturm Graz Twente v Benfica Arsenal v Udinese O’ Lyon v Rubin Kazan

Vivian vows to defend African ORMER national shot Games gold put champion,Vivian

F

Chukwuemeka says she is going to be in shape to defend the All Africa Games gold she won four years ago in Algiers and set a record as one of a select few athletes to win four titles in a row.

Four years ago in Algiers she threw a distance of 17.60m to win the title and became the sixth athlete to win three AllAfrica Games titles in a row.

Chukwuemeka has been

included in Team Nigeria’s team to next month’s 10th All Africa Games in Maputo, Mozambique despite not competing at the national trials in Calabar last June but the 2002 Commonwealth Games champion wants to rest any controversy occassioned by her inclusion by winning the gold again in Maputo.

n the 4th day of August, 2011, a human rights activist and public analyst, Mr. Mohammed Kazeem, instituted an action at the Federal High Court, Ikeja, Lagos, challenging the constitutionality of the current composition of the National Judicial Council together with the constitutionality of the Honourable Justice Umaru Abdullahi panel which was set up by the National Judicial Council to investigate the allegation of undue interference by the Chief Justice of Nigeria in the Sokoto election petition appeals and the subsequent Justice Ibrahim Auta panel set up to make recommendations on the findings of the said Abdullahi panel.

Ever since the filing of the said suit (Suit No. FHC/IKJ/CS/170/2011 between Mohammed Kazeem v. National Judicial Council, Honourable Justice Dahiru Musdapher and Honourable Justice Ibrahim Auta), there has been a grand conspiracy between the National Judicial Council and the Federal High Court, Ikeja, Deputy Chief Registrar, one Mrs. Mba, to frustrate the case as the said Deputy Chief Registrar has consistently been absent from duty and the writ of summons commencing the case has not been endorsed till date. All officers of the Registry of the Federal High Court, Ikeja, maintained that no writ could be issued except if personally endorsed by the said Mrs. Mba who has been consistently absent from her desk.

Due to the situation above, Mr. Kazeem Mohammed together with his lawyers proceeded to the Deputy Chief Registrar (DCR) of the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, to persuade him to endorse the said writ so that same could be issued as the Deputy Chief Registrar in Ikeja had been away without leave. Upon sighting the documents and in dire need of excuses, the said DCR first complained about the letter-headed paper on which the application for endorsement of the writ was written maintaining that it was not the letter-headed paper of Bamidele Aturu & Co., the law firm representing Mr. Mohammed in the case. One wonders how he came to know the letter-headed paper of Bamidele Aturu & Co. when he does not work in the law firm and the lawyer from Bamidele Aturu & Co. stated emphatically that the letter was issued from their offices. Upon being cornered on this argument, the said DCR further argued that since the matter was filed at the Federal High Court, Ikeja, he was not in a position to issue the writ.

All efforts to make him see reason failed as he insisted on not issuing the writ. Till date the said writ has not been issued two weeks after the case was filed so no progress could be made.

The prayers of the Plaintiff in the said case are as follows: A.A Declaration that by virtue of Section 36 of the 1999 Constitution, the current composition of the National Judicial Council by which 14 members out of a total of 25 were nominated

by Honourable Chief Justice of Nigeria, is NOT a body properly composed as to guarantee its impartiality and independence to be able to receive and act on the report of the Honourable Justice Umaru Abdullahi Committee.

B. A Declaration that the Justice Dahiru Musdapher is not competent to preside over the meeting of the 1st Defendant to deliberate and consider the Report of the Justice Umaru Abdullahi Committee into allegations of misconduct against the Chief Justice of Nigeria, the Honourable Justice Alloysius Katsina-Alu and the President of the Court of Appeal, the Honourable Justice Isa Ayo Salami by virtue of Section 36 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended).

C. A Declaration that the Proceedings and the decisions of the National Judicial Council taken at its meeting held at Abuja on July 25, 2011 whereat Justice Dahiru Musdapher presided after testifying at the Justice Umaru Abdullahi Committee are illegal and unconstitutional by virtue of Section 36 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended).

D. A Declaration that the setting up of the Justice Ibrahim Auta Panel by the National Judicial Council to make recommendations on the Justice Umaru Abdullahi Panel is illegal and unconstitutional as it violates section 36 of the Constitution.

E. An order restraining the Defendants from taking any decision in respect of the report of Honourable Justice Umaru Abdullahi Commission.

Now Justice Ibrahim Auta panel has concluded its sitting before the writ could be served on Justice Auta as a result of the frustrating gimmicks of the two Deputy Chief Registrars in Ikeja and Ikoyi Divisions of the Federal High Court. The said Auta panel has recommended that Justice Isa Ayo Salami should write an apology letter to the Chief Justice of Nigeria. The purport of the case above is to prevent a situation where those who are under absolute loyalty to the CJN would be the ones to determined the matter to favour their principal. This is a case where the CJN by proxy was the judge in his own cause. Now they have succeeded in this effort. It is a gross violation of the rules of natural justice.

Fellow Nigerians, we have uncovered the grand ploy to witch-hunt Justice Salami through the unholy apology required by the NJC in favour of Justice Katsina-Alu, the CJN. The effort is to incriminate Justice Salami as having admitted committal of perjury pursuant to which he would be relieved of his appointment as a Justice of the Court of Appeal. This would be followed by a quick arrest and prosecution of Justice Salami via a kangaroo process in order to teach him a lesson that in Nigeria uprightness is not a virtue. It is known that Justice Katsina-Alu is retiring by the end of this month and all efforts are being made by his cronies in the NJC to give him vote of confidence into retirement. Then has anybody considered the report by the NBA investigating committee which indicted Justice Katsina-Alu as regards the misguided interference in the Sokoto appeals? Why are our judicial officers in the NJC destroying judicial rectitude in order to satisfy personal ego and cabalistic interests?

A pertinent question is why was the Auta panel set up to make recommendations that Abdullahi panel did not make? What is the NJC out to achieve if not a vindictive outcome? We have uncovered the role of the Attorney-General of the Federation, Mr. Mohammed Bello Adoke, in the entire macabre dance and we know that the outcome of this inglorious process would be devastating for all lovers of justice and judicial uprightness. We have uncovered a situation whereby the powers that be do not want Justice Salami as the Chairman of the Presidential election petition tribunal currently sitting and would like to remove him before the trial comes to conclusion so as to plant a more manipulable judge to produce a decision quite favourable to a political party.

We use this medium to warn all persons and officers in this ludicrous misadventure to desist as the consequence would be debilitating beyond repair. We use this medium to warn the members of the National Judicial Council to exercise restraint in this case and be guided by untarnished conscience which is inconsistent with their current posture. The members of the National Judicial Council should not allow anybody to manipulate them to serve an ungodly end as it is clear that their plot in this whole game is perverse and wicked. Failure to heed this call leaves us with no option than to embark on massive campaign against all these hawks who are bent on destroying the judiciary for their selfish purposes.

A word is enough for the wise. Thank you.

Abdullahi Balarabe Mohammed Executive Secretary

http://www.thenationonlineng.net

TUESDAY,AUGUST 16, 2011 TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM

VOL. 6

NO.1,854

TOMORROW IN THE NATION ‘The lesson from the UK riots for Nigeria is enormous. As more and more people are being sentenced to a life of hopelessness and poverty in the midst of dwindling national fortune coupled with treasury looting by government officials, the potential for a catastrophic conflagration is very high.’

DELE AGEKAMEH

COMMENT & DEB ATE EBA

F

OR the better part of two weeks, Hamza al-Mustapha, chief enforcer for the loathsome Sani Abacha and selfconfessed torturer, has been staging, with help from an indulgent court and applause from a not-too discriminating section of the public, the courtroom equivalent of a burlesque.

He is standing trial, with other accused persons, for one of the most unconscionable murders in Nigeria’s history — the murder of Kudirat Abiola, wife of President-elect Moshood Abiola, 15 years ago, on June 4, 1996.

Abiola had been locked up in solitary confinement somewhere in Abuja since 1994 for daring to assert that he, not the loathsome Sani Abacha, was the duly elected president of Nigeria. Kudirat was in the vanguard of the struggle to secure his freedom and restore his mandate. Resolute, outspoken, and defiant, she was on her way to yet another strategy meeting when her car was ambushed and she was shot to death in broad daylight.

Like so many killings at the time, the incident bore the hallmarks of a state-sponsored operation. The victims were for the most part leading opposition figures. Investigation, if conducted at all, was perfunctory. Lawenforcement agents ignored obvious leads and, as in the Rewane murder, rounded up innocent persons and herded them into jail. Prosecution was a sham through and through, designed to create the illusion of momentum.

It was only after Abacha expired in an orgy of concupiscence that any serious effort was made to uravel the Kudirat murder. The investigations led to al-Mustapha and the Strike Force he organized and ran for Abacha, for the purpose of taking out anyone they designated “enemy” of the regime.

Some ten years ago, he was arrested and charged with the Kudirat murder. Since then, he has been held in Ikoyi Prisons, in Lagos.

Ten years is an inordinately long period to hold a suspect in prison while his case wends its way through the judicial process, even if the suapect is charged with the most abominable crime. But it was al-Mustapha who engineered the delay, and therefore bears full responsibility for it.

Shortly after his trial commenced, he accused the presiding judge in open court, without fear and without proof, of sending an unnamed emissary to him in prison to solicit a bribe of N10 million as consideration for a favourable verdict. He demanded that the judge recuse himself. Thereafter, he filed motion after motion for interlocutory injunction, virtually tying up the case in knots that it would take a Houdini to untie.

And there he was at the resumed trial playing his infernal games again. The way he has carried on this past fortnight, you would think that he was chief prosecution witness in the trial of the progressive leaders of the Southwest who led the campaign aimed at freeing Abiola from captivity and restoring his mandate under the aegis of NADECO. All those on whom he cast the vilest aspersions were conveniently dead – Abraham Adesanya and Bola Ige. The one miraculously survived an armed assault on his car by Abacha’s goon squad; the other was seized as a “prisoner of war” by Abacha’s prefect in Oyo

OLATUNJI DARE

AT HOME ABROAD olatunji.dare@thenationonlineng.net

al-Mustapha: The torturer’s tale

•al-Mustapha

State.

Yet, al-Mustapha declared that they had in fact colluded, wittingly in the case of the one and unwittingly in the case of the other, with Abiola’s captors. They had accepted hefty bribes to help restore calm in the restive South West after Abiola’s mysterious death in captivity. And it was by way of compensation that Ige was later appointed a minister in the Obasanjo presidency.

This sordid betrayal, al-Mustapha claimed, was captured on a videotape that he craved the court’s indulgence to play. The videotape showed nothing of the sort. al-Mustapha read from a letter he claimed to have written through his lawyer Clement Akpamgbo – the same cardsharper who did most of the dirty legal work for military president Ibrahim Babangida and later for Sani Abacha — confronting Ige with evidence of his unwitting complicity in Abiola’s death.

Akpamgbo too is dead, like Adesanya and Ige. The prisoner submitted no proof of delivery, no evidence that the letter reached Ige, no indication of a response from Ige. Abiola, al-Mustapha claimed, was his bosom friend, and nothing was dearer to him than Abiola’s comfort in captivity. For that purpose, he made available some N800, 000 every three months for his upkeep. Back then, you could still buy something with one Naira. So,

RIPPLES JANG APPOINTS SON AS SPECIAL ADVISER–News

LUCKY BOY ...please advise DADDY on the dangers of NEPOTISM

N800,000 every three months to maintain even an Abiola in detention? Were they feeding him 48-karat gold?

In any case, the claim is undermined by the decrepitude that Abiola suffered in detention.

His captors spurned court orders to supply him with newspapers; he had only the bible and the Quran for reading material.

Until they seized him, Abiola ranked among the most dapper public figures anywhere. The last time I saw him in the Abuja High Court, sometime in 1995, his tailoring was cheap, nondescript. He wore cheap sandals on his swollen feet. The left side of his face was swollen, as if a tennis ball was lodged in that corner of his mouth.

If al-Mustapha was truly Abiola’s friend and yet allowed him to suffer so much physical deterioration, Abiola needed no enemy.

I cannot presume to speak for General Abdulsalami Abubakar, who took power after Abacha died. It is up to him or his chief press secretary and kinsman, Mohammed Haruna, to respond to al-Mustapha’s charges that Abubakar withdrew large deposits from the national exchequer for private use on taking power.

The charges were widely publicised.

Abidina Coomassie’s newspaper Abuja Today detailed the alleged withdrawals as well as property Abubakar reportedly acquired in the most exclusive areas of London shortly after taking office. He even dared Abubakar to challenge him in court if he felt he had been maligned. Abubakar declined.

Yet, in his fact-free effusions in court, al Mustapha claimed that Coomassie, who died in 2001, was poisoned because he was set to disclose the sleazy transactions he had actually documented some four years earlier. al-Mustapha would retract the evidence he had given years earlier, claiming that it had been extracted from him by torture. As for the gun from which the shots that killed Kudirat were fired, he had merely handed it to a subaltern in the killing squad that called itself the Strike Force for “cleaning”.

There are those who will believe just about anything about individuals or groups they loath, however implausible. So, it is no surprise to find a good number of Nigerians

HARDBALL

T

HE attempt by Iran’s sometimes hysterical president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, and Libya’s beleaguered strongman, Muammar Gaddafi, to derive public relations profit from the violent street protests in Britain was largely unsuccessful. The reason was not because the riots were illogical; no, they were essentially a product of decades of national neglect of the youths, decaying moral values, and dysfunctional families. They were also probably a reflection of the austerity programmes of the coalition government headed by the Conservative Party leader, David Cameron.

However, beyond being a reaction to social and economic pressures, the riots temporarily made Britain the lightning rod for humanity’s mysterious dark side. Apart from hardened criminals, the rest of us have a bizarre antinomian streak that exposes us to a brief and sometimes fatal rejection of the moral laws that bind a society together. The question to

Britain shows our dark sides ask is: what is that thing in us that lures us into crime, over which we fleetingly lose control? After the riots, Britain has had to weigh the discomfiting truths of the rioters being preponderantly teenagers or a little older, and a significant percentage among them coming from either wealthy or fairly comfortable homes. There was the heartrending story of a 24-year-old young graduate who trained as a social worker. On the second night of the riots, she passed by a looted shop, looked in, and saw some electronic items, and in one crazy moment decided to help herself to a 27-inch television which she did not need because she already

seizing upon al- Mustapha’s addled confections as proof, were any still required, of the essential duplicity of the Yoruba people.

But when a legal titan like Chief Richard Akinjide (SAN) characterizes the confections as amounting to a “demolition,” knowing well as even a freshman in night law school surely knows that they will not hold up under the rules of evidence, it is clear that al-Mustapha has succeeded in poisoning the wellsprings of political discourse in Nigeria.

Like the forensic acrobat that he is, Akinjide left himself ample wiggle room by refusing to identify whom al-Mustapha has “demolished.” But his antecedents suggest powerfully that he had in mind the progressive Yoruba leadership to which he has never belonged, arch-mainstreamer that he has always been.

In all this, there is no denying that General Abubakar bears full moral responsibility for Abiola’s death. He kept bringing one representative of the “international community” after another to try to inveigle Abiola to renounce his claim to being President-elect. And when Abiola would not yield, they deployed their final solution.

If Abubakar was not complicit in the plot, it was at any rate executed under his watch.

And now, a final question for those who have been cheering al-Mustapha: What kind of army is it in which a major who defiled everything he touched, a junior officer who commanded no battalions and had for all practical purposes been neutered after the death of his murderous principal – what kind of army in it in which an officer so circumstanced can sit down with generals to hammer out a 14-point agreement, which included the immediate and unconditional release of the detained President-elect Abiola?

If al-Mustapha was that powerful or highminded, why had he not sought Abiola’s release much earlier?

Corrections

I

WAS in error when I wrote in this space on August 9 (“From Obudu with etiquette”) that Mrs Ronke Okusanya chaperoned wives of local government council chairmen on an “exposure” tour to the UK during the administration of Governor Ayo Fayose.

The trip was proposed during the governorship of Niyi Adebayo in which Mrs Okusanya served as Commissioner for Women Affairs. It was dropped following public criticism.

My remorseful apologies to Mrs Okusanya and Mr Fayose.

In the August 2 column (“From ‘third term’ to tenure elongation”), I attributed to Ralph Waldo Emerson an allusion concerning those who make patriotism their last refuge.

Not so, says my occasional correspondent Wole, who wrote: “I thought it was Dr Samuel Johnson who said the patriotism is the refuge of scoundrels. . .”

Quite so, sir. Quite so. * •For comments, send SMS to 08057634061

•Hardball is not the opinion of the columnist featured above has one in her room. To worsen the pain for her family, she comes from a respectable home.

Guilt-ridden, she turned herself in, has been distraught ever since, and believes she may never be able to live down the fact that she looted a shop in a fit of absentminded folly.

But such behaviour is frighteningly human.

The best among us have their shadowy dark side: telling a convenient but embarrassing lie; capacity to murder or organise and even legitimise genocide; a needlessly adulterous relationship; a wealthy royalist shoplifting.

The list is endless; so too is the tragedy. At the end of one such indiscretion, the perpetrator often asks himself: what pushed me into doing it? The answer is never of course straightforward, as many simple and innocent British families are finding out to their eternal shame. Lucky indeed is the man who never gets to ask himself that painful question.

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