The Nation August 18, 2012

Family FG splits oil of kidnapped marketers VC begins Offers to pay some, negotiation investigate others with abductors PAGE

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VOL.07 N0. 2221

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Oshiomhole slams police over handling of Oyerinde’s murder PAGE 4

Nigeria’s widest circulating newspaper

TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM

SATURDAY, AUGUST 18, 2012 N150.00

Insurgents rubbish Sallah security 5 PAGE

Bomb police station in Jos Boko Haram kills ex-Shehu of Borno’s secretary Low-key celebration likely in flashpoints

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Why I didn’t retire Abacha

—IBB

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Performance Agreement may seal ministers’ fate

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Security beefed up 2 around suspects as police begin interrogation

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Okene killings

2 News

THE NATION, SATURDAY, AUGUST 18, 2012

Okene killings: Security beefed up around suspects as police begin interrogation S ECURITY has been beefed up around three suspects arrested in connection with the killing of 17 members of the Deeper Life Bible Church in Okene.

It was also learnt that a forensic examination of the scene of the church premises has been conducted with some bullet pellets retrieved.

According to investigation, the three key suspects were on Wednesday moved to the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID)

Yusuf ALLI, Managing Editor, Northern Operation in Abuja.

It was further learnt that the suspects were kept in a separate cell with heavy security build-up.

Commissioner of Police, Ali Amodu, is leading the interrogation panel.

Amodu, who recently conducted investigation into the $620,000 bribery scam, also

coordinated the probe of $180m Halliburton scam and Salisu Buhari’s certificate scandal in 1999, among others.

A reliable source said: “The suspects were moved to Abuja on Wednesday and we have beefed up heavy security around them in view of the sensitive nature of the case at hand.

“You can see that this fa-

cility is heavily fortified. We have to do so because the suspects could be members of a deadly syndicate.

“So far, we have restricted access to them until the preliminary investigation has been conducted.

“The probe of the killing of the 17 church members has started with the ongoing interrogation of the suspects.

It is too early to talk about

preliminary findings.”

Responding to a question, the source said: “I know that CP Ali Amodu, one of the best crack detectives Nigeria has produced, is handling the ongoing probe of the killings in Okene.”

Meanwhile, another source indicated that a forensic combing of the site of the killings has been done by the Nigeria Police with some

34 South African miners killed in clash with police

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• Scene of an accident on Eko Bridge in Lagos yesterday.

PHOTO: OMOSEHIN MOSES

Fed Govt divides oil marketers

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NLY oil marketers found not to be part of the current strike will be paid by the Federal Government, the ministry of finance announced yesterday in Abuja.

Others with suspicious claims will be investigated and, where necessary, be prosecuted.

The fuel scarcity, sparked by the strike, continued to bite harder yesterday in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), disrupting the travel plans of many residents ahead of the Eid-el-Fitri.

The ministry, in a statement, outlined the circumstances under which it will settle the marketers’ claims for subsidy.

It said: “For oil marketers under investigation for possible refunds to the government, their 2012 outstanding claims will be netted out against their expected refunds to government and those with a positive net balance, that is, outstanding claims greater than expected refunds will be processed and paid. “ For marketers with a negative balance with government, they owe government more in refunds than government owes them, the Aig-Imoukhuede committee will accelerate review of their documents after the Sallah break so that their claims can be processed and settled, if cleared, without further delay. “ For others that may not be in the above categories but who have other issues or claims, their claims will also be attended to with the same despatch.

“The position of the Federal Government on fuel subsidy payments is clear: We will do our best to encourage honest efforts by genuine companies engaged in fuel importation but we will not fall for the cheap blackmail of indicted marketers who are using all kinds of subterfuge to escape sanctions.

“We know that Nigerians are

•Offers to pay some, investigates others Nduka CHIEJINA fully in support of this position because the money belongs to all Nigerians and it is important that the correct steps are taken to protect the public interest.

“We would also like to stress that marketers with legitimate and unencumbered claims have been paid and will continue to be paid as these details show: - Between April and May 2012, Batches D/12 and E/12 involving 14 oil marketers with a claim of N17 billion were fully settled.

- In addition, since early July 2012, N25.6 billion worth of claims have been fully settled.

- In all, between April and August this year, in respect of 2012 PMS claims, N42.666 billion have been paid to 31 oil marketers.

“These are incontrovertible facts which confirm government’s commitment to ensuring that issues concerning genuine marketers with legitimate claims are dealt with expedi-

tiously.

“Following the work of the Presidential Committee on Fuel Subsidy Payments led by Mr Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, the following firms are being investigated based on evidence that they may have engaged in fraudulent activities under the fuel subsidy regime: 1. Alminnur Resources Ltd 2. Brilla Energy Ltd 3. Caades Oil And Gas Ltd 4. Capital Oil And Gas Industry Ltd 5. Connoil Plc 6. Downstream Energy Source Ltd 7. Eterna Plc 8. Euraafric Oil And Gas Ltd 9. Lumen Skies Ltd 10. Majope Investment Ltd 11. Matrix Energy Ltd 12. Menon Oil And Gas Ltd 13. Mob International Services 14. Mrs Oil And Gas Ltd 15. Nasaman Oil Services Ltd 16. Natacel Petroleum Ltd 17. Ocean Energy Trading And Services 18. Pinnacle Contractors Ltd

19. Sifax Oil And Gas Company 20. Tonique Oil Services Ltd 21. Top Oil And Gas Development Co. Ltd “The Report recommended that these firms refund various amounts to the national treasury.”

The ministry affirmed its earlier allegation that “ those behind the strikes are marketers being investigated for possible fraud. These elements have now resorted to hiding behind the unions to unnecessarily antagonize government and create hardship for Nigerians.

It vowed to “ fully investigate their activities and if found guilty, bring them to book and recover all public funds fraudulently obtained, in the guise of fuel subsidy claims. No degree of blackmail will stop the government from doing its work.

Government will, therefore, pursue justice and ensure that those who are found guilty are appropriately sanctioned.”

The Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngonzi Okonjo-Iweala said on Thursday that government has so far paid N42.66billion to marketers “that have been verified.”

NUC restores Madonna University licence

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ADONNA University, Okija, Anamra State had its operational licence restored yesterday by the National Universities Commission (NUC).

The licence was suspended by the NUC which accused the university of running unauthorised courses.

In an August 10 letter to the institution’s authorities, the Director, Quality Assurance at the NUC, Professor C. Mafiana, said the commission is now satisfied with the steps taken by the university since the suspension came into force.

He said: “The National Universities Commission is satisfied with the actions so far taken by the University, as well as the assurances of the ViceChancellor and the Board of Trustees (BOT) during our interactions and subsequent verification

Kamarudeen OGUNDELE, Abuja of documents.

“Consequently, I am directed to inform the ViceChancellor that the suspension of operational licence of Madonna Univsity, Okija, has been lifted with effect from Friday 17, August, 2012.

“The commission would, however, continue to monitor the University’s implementation of the agreed actions, including full compliance with other regulatory guidelines and would not hesitate to impose appropriate sanctions for any observed breaches,” the letter stated.

The licence and those of six other private universities were suspended last month for allegedly violating the guidelines on physical facilities and academic programmes.

bullet pellets extracted.

The source said: “A forensic combing of the site of the killings has been done with some bullet pellets retrieved.

“I think so far, the Nigeria Police Force is making progress on this case.”

A reliable top police source said: “We cannot give details to the press now because we are just going into the case properly. Why can’t you give us time and maybe by next week, the office of the IGP can brief you.”

OME miners vowed to fight to the death yesterday as police announced a shocking casualty toll from the previous day’s shooting by officers of striking miners with 34 dead and 78 wounded.

Wives of miners at the Lonmin Platinum Mine, northwest of Johannesburg took the place of dead and wounded husbands yesterday in staging a protest.

But this time, instead of asking for higher wages as the miners had done, the women demanded to know why police had opened fire Thursday with automatic rifles, pistols and shotguns on the strikers, many of whom had been armed with spears, machetes and clubs, as they rushed toward the officers.

Police said at a news conference that it was in self-defense, noting that strikers even possessed a pistol taken from a police officer they had beaten to death on Monday. But video footage indicated the miners may have simply been trying to flee tear gas that police had fired at them moments earlier. As the miners rushed away from a hill they had occupied and that was being tear-gassed, police opened fire, including with automatic rifles. Police were perhaps jumpy, knowing that the strikers were armed and that two officers had already died earlier in the week.

“Police stop shooting our husbands and sons,” read a banner carried by the women on Friday.

They kneeled before shotguntoting police and sang a protest song, saying “What have we done?” in the Xhosa language.

National police Chief Mangwashi Victoria Phiyega

told a packed news conference that Thursday was a dark day for South Africa and no time for pointing fingers, even as people compared the shootings to apartheid-era state violence and political parties and labor unions demanded an investigation.

At least, 10 other people were killed during the week-old strike, including the two police officers battered to death by strikers and two mine security guards burned alive when strikers set their vehicle ablaze.

Makhosi Mbongane, a 32-yearold winch operator, said mine managers should have come to the striking workers rather than send police. Strikers were demanding monthly salary raises from $625 to $1,563. Mbongane vowed that he was not going back to work and would not allow anyone else to do so either.

“They can beat us, kill us and kick and trample on us with their feet, do whatever they want to do, we aren’t going to go back to work,” he told The Associated Press. “If they employ other people, they won’t be able to work either. We will stay here and kill them.”

Research released by the Bench Marks Foundation, a non-governmental organization monitoring the practices of multinational mining corporations, found that Lonmin had a bad track record with high levels of fatalities and keeping workers in “very poor living conditions.” According to the report released Tuesday, workers often live in deteriorating shacks without electricity. Some children suffer from chronic illnesses due to sewage spills caused by broken drainage.

Only N/Assembly has final say on ceding of Bakassi –Minister

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PPARENTLY dismissing the processes leading to the controversial ceding of the Bakassi Peninsula to the Republic of Cameroon by Nigeria, Minister of the Interior, Mr. Abba Moro, has insisted that until the approval of the Green Tree Agreement by the National Assembly, the handover of Bakassi could not be said to be legal.

Speaking in Lagos during the week, the Minister said: "When you look at the constitutionality to cede that part of Nigeria, the desire of the people and their ongoing agitation that they want to remain part of Nigeria , I want to think that until all the requirements have been met, the situation in Bakassi cannot be said to be legal."

Moro contended that without a thorough appreciation of the peculiar situation of the Bakassi dwellers, their convenience and welfare, Nigeria could not be said to have acted equitably on the part of the affected residents.

"It is against this background that the National Assembly, particularly the House of

Linus OBOGO Representatives has taken a position to revisit the issue and look at the legality of the whole process. Also, not only the legality but the convenience and welfare of Nigerians that reside in Bakassi.

Reacting to the charge that the Nigerian government acquiesced easily to the verdict of the International Court of Justice, despite its alleged faulty judgment, Moro said the action of the Federal Government to give away the Peninsula in line with the ICJ ruling was not a complete acceptance. "From the unfolding development now, you will agree with me that it was not a complete acceptance in the sense that it was the executive level of government that actually agreed to tag along. The National Assembly that has the final decision as to whether the whole process had been complied with, to give approval or affirmation to the entire process had not been involved, it had not given its consent and affirmation to the Green Tree Agreement. ”

COMMENTARY 3

THE NATION, SATURDAY, AUGUST 18, 2012

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OTHING in my opinion symbolises the speed at which time flies more than Ramadan. It seems to me like only yesterday we were celebrating the last Ramadan when the thirty days of fasting, reflection, feasting and prayer went by so swiftly. But here we are again at the commencement of this most beautiful period in the life of all Muslims. As we approach the end of this blessed time of abstention, it’s important to remember what the ideal of Ramadan is and its significance in the lives of we who submit to it.

In this day and age of transgression, sacrilegious entertainment, profane pop culture, venal individualism and the attractiveness of non-conformity, it is easy for the ideal and message of Ramadan to get shrouded by the lurid articulation of an alternative value. This also happens during Christmas, Easter or Lent when Christians all over the world are expected to continue embracing the message of love, peace, patience and honour that Christianity represents.

While the ideal of Ramadan is one and the same for every Muslim and almost identical to the ideals of the fasting rituals of Christianity and Judaism, the meaning and lessons one derives from it is, in the main, unique to each individual. Apart from the fact that it is the most important month in the Islamic calendar, it is also a most remarkable bequest from the Almighty. A gift that signifies the dawn of the day in the landscape of Islam when the morning breaks, sun rises, cocks crow and God’s creatures emerge bright and refreshed.

Ramadan, together with every other form of fasting in other religions empowers us as human beings because it teaches us that life is about both the body and especially the soul. What establishes man’s worth lies within the soul, not the body. The fact that we deny our body food in the spirit of faith only means that we are nourishing, enriching and fortifying our souls. A person can enrich their souls not only by being tolerant and determined in the face of struggles but by being resolute in steering clear of sin despite the enticements. Being able to withstand hunger and thirst during fasting and being able to keep the hands, ears, eyes and minds away from sin provides a training ground for the important quality of patience and perseverance that Ramadan also stands for. One can understand the importance of restating the message of Ramadan if one keeps in mind that the avaricious and epicurean ideals of the times we are living in are in direct conflict with the ideals of fasting in any faith.

Almost everything in this life and in this world navigates us towards the satisfaction of our bodies. Day in day out we

The ideal of Ramadan

seek ways of fulfilling the unappeasable desires we feel, be it through the consumption of food or adorning ourselves with trinkets of beauty in a quest for perfection. Such worldly aspirations, generates limitless desires which subsequently lead to limitless conflicts. In a bid to meet up with those unbounded desires, all manners of intrigue are put into play.

Such infinite aspirations create vast dissatisfactions because it is impossible for any living soul to completely fill the gap between their desires and achievements. In effect, the lack of fulfilment gives way to a plethora of pandemonium, unhappiness and repression. The gift that Ramadan and other forms of fasting gives us is that it allows us to let go of all those worldly pleasures that are so addictive and, in effect, this helps us to distinguish and focus on worldly responsibilities as opposed to the pleasures.

Fasting allows us to take a break from the material things we enjoy in life to reflect on what truly is important in our existence. By depriving ourselves in the name of our spiritual beliefs, we are voluntarily bidding farewell to the vain quest of happiness in all forms of corporeal hedonisms and reflecting on the direction of our lives and the hereafter.

I have come to learn and appreciate the beauty of what this Holy month means to me as an individual. From the beginning to the end of Ramadan, I see it as a complete overhaul of my life; I feel inspired, encouraged and have faith that any situation can be resolved with the strength of the prayers. That is a far cry from my perception as a very young girl when I used to think of Ramadan as a period of pure starvation and a small alteration in meal times. Now, apart from Ramadan symbolising spiritual empowerment to me, it is a time of enhanced charity and kindness. We are told that whosoever feeds people of lesser means or gives another person food to break his fast shall be blessed and

rewarded by God. With the level of suffering, poverty and hunger in Nigeria and all over the world, this ideal of fasting to embrace and perform charity cannot be overemphasized.

Hopefully Muslims all over the country used this Ramadan period as a route to rediscover their inner beings while dedicating themselves and time to the Creator. Apart from reading the Holy Scriptures, voluntary worship, engaging in prayer and conversing to God, Muslims should remember that every action we take as representatives of the Deen reflects on the perception of Islam. With extremists killing in the name of religion, Ramadan should have been used as a period of reflection especially by them. This was the period for Muslims to have reflected and asked themselves whether their actions are truly done in the interest of Islam and what effect it has on the Deen.

In a sermon to prepare people mentally for the sacred month of Ramadan, The Prophet (PBUH) once said; “Oh people! A great month is coming to you; A blessed month. A month in which there is one night that is better than a thousand months. A month in which Allah has made it compulsory upon you to fast by day, and voluntary to pray by night.

Whoever draws nearer to Allah by performing any of the voluntary good deeds in this month shall receive the same reward as is there for performing an obligatory deed at any other time. And whoever discharges an obligatory deed in this month shall receive the reward of performing seventy obligations at any other time. It is the month of patience and the reward for patience is Heaven. It is the month of kindness and charity. It is a month in which sustenance is increased...”

One hopes Muslims were inspired to imbibe the essence of such a sermon and the spirit of the season so that their actions and ideals can be informed by the ideal of Ramadan.

An ideal, that preaches peace, sharing, love, patience, respect and understanding towards ourselves and our Christian and other faith-based brothers and sisters. An ideal that doesn’t encourage misguided elements to go about on a wanton murderous bombing spree. May all the religions in Nigeria live together in mutual harmony, understanding and appreciation.

I hope that everybody who participated in the Ramadan had a very blessed, fulfilling, and rewarding worship. As the new moon is sighted this weekend, I take this opportunity to wish those who celebrate Sallah, ‘Eid Mubarak’

RAMADAN

Boko Haram not religious, says lawmaker

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MEMBER of the Lagos State House of Assembly representing Ikorodu 1 constituency, Hon. Sanai Agunbiade has said Boko Haram is po-

Muslim doctors treat 4,000 Risikat RAMONI

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SLAMIC Medical Association of Nigeria (IMAN) Lagos chapter has held free medical service for over 4000 Muslims and non-Muslims.

The services include screening for hypertension, diabetes, glaucoma and cataract. Others are, HIV/AIDS, cervical cancer and Hepatitis B. There was also deworming exercise for the children.

The chairman of the Association, Dr Sola Labinjo said inmates of Ikoyi and Kirikiri maximum prisons benefited from the screening exercise.

Labinjo also said residents in Surulere, Abesan estate in Iyana Ipaja, Idi Araba, Alimosho and Abule Oja were among beneficiaries.

He added that free eye glasses were given to people with eye problems and others with other health issues were given free drugs.

“In some cases, we do surgery especially for those who are diagnosed with cataract. We are working towards doing it for the inmates diagnosed with such ailments in the nearest future.

“The health programme which has been running for over 10 years was spurred by the desire to make people know their health condition as well as to complement the effort of the government,”

Oziegbe OKOEKI litical and not a religious.

Agunbiade stated this during the Ramadan Tafsir (lecture) and Iftar (breaking of fast) at Ikorodu yesterday.

According to Agunbiade, “it is mischievous to say that Boko Haram is a religious group, it is not, Boko Haram has its political undertone and everybody should real-

ize that. Boko Haram has actually attacked mosques, Arabic schools, they do not discriminate whether you are a Christian or Muslim, it may be more on the Christian side and that is because they want to deceive people that it is religious,” he said.

The lawmaker stressed that Muslim clerics and leaders have come out severally to say Boko Haram was not fighting a religious war.

“There is nowhere in the Quran that says you must destroy property, slaughter people or kill your fellow man. Muslim leaders have come out to condemn this act, so we should be able to decipher what is happening, it may be a criminal act perpetrated by some people who happen to be more of Muslim origin, but they are not fighting an Islamic war,” he stated.

•From left: Chief Missioner, NADWAT Sheikh AbdurRahman Awwal; Amir (President), Unified Local Government Muslim Staff Association, Ismail Ogunbambi; Ustadh AbdulKabir Badru; Chairman, Lagos Island Local Government, Prince Wasiu Eshilokun, and his Vice, Hon. Adetoyese Olusi, during a Ramadan lecture in Lagos.

Group gives succour to widows, orphans

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N ISLAMIC group, Jama’atul Izalatul Bidi’a Wa Ikamatis Sunnah (JIBWIS), Potiskum Chapter in Yobe State has distributed clothing, shoes, veils, and food items to widows and orphans.

In his address at the event, a renowned Islamic Cleric, Sheikh Umar Jega explained the importance of assisting widows, orphan and the poor in the society, saying “Allah loves and blesses those who care for widows, orphans and the poor in the society. God

Duku Joel, Damaturu will bless your wealth and reward you abundantly.”

The Secretary of the Distribution Committee who is also a former Yobe State Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Alhaji Sani Lawan, said the Committee was formed to source fund to assist the widows and orphan as part of activities marking the end of Ramadan.

“We went round the respective Mosques and looked for these relief materials which

we belief would go a long way in cushioning the sufferings of these people, we thank Allah it was successful as they all went home with happiness and joy, it would be sustained in the future by the wish of God,” Lawan said.

Hawau Tella, 34, one of the widows told our correspondent that she now has hope of celebrating the Sallah in a grand style.

She praised the facilitators for remembering them at such times, while praying to Allah to bless their work.

RAMADAN GUIDE WITH FEMI ABBAS e-mail: femabbas@yahoo.com Tel: 08122697498

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Alhamdulillah

OR any good Muslim, coming out of Ramadan is like coming out of Hajj fresh. Both are spiritual cleansers and erasers of sins. Whoever passes through Ramadan or Hajj with genuine intention and abides by their rules scrupulously is sure to become like a new born baby devoid of sins.

If anything should be called a clean slate (Tabularasa), here on earth, it is either Ramadan or Hajj. The one is open to all. The other is limited to a few according to the condition by which it is to be performed. Both Ramadan and Hajj constitute the rarest opportunity for living Muslims to renew their covenant with Allah on an annual basis.

Through Ramadan, we came to know about Tarawih and the reinvigoration it entails; about Sahur and the discipline it instills; about Iftar and the relief it ensures; about I’tikaf and the spirituality it encourages; about Laylatul Qadr and the great hope it brings; about Zakatul Fitr and the spirit of kindness it accentuates as well as about Eidul Fitr and the happiness it disseminates among believers.

Through Hajj, we came to know about the very first house on earth which is called Ka’bah; about the circular nature of the world which Tawaf represents; about the necessity of endurance in life which Sa’y represents; about the great assembly of the Final Day which Arafat represents; about the damnable character of Satan which the throwing of pebbles at the Jamrat represents; about perseverance of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) which the visit of pilgrims to Madinah represents and the everlasting universality of Islam which the meeting of races in the Holy Land confirms. Yet without the Qur’an, we would not have known Ramadan and Hajj. Neither would we have known Islam and its three other pillars. This confirms that Qur’an is the main constitution of this life and the life hereafter.

With the last two pillars of Islam so heavily loaded with spiritual well being and jointly forming an estuary of fortune for the other three pillars, it may be concluded that the traces of life hereafter are vividly clear in this very life on earth. The details of this will come up in another edition of this column in the near future. In sha’a Llah.

We thank the Almighty Allah for granting us opportunity to sail through another Ramadan without scratch. Some people who had the same opportunity last year are no more this year. Some who started the month with us this year fell by the way side. Some who are alive and would have wished to sail with us in that spiritual ship of life have been precluded by circumstances beyond their control. With life, health and freedom why wouldn’t we be grateful to Allah?

THE NATION, SATURDAY, AUGUST 18, 2012

4 News

Performance Agreement may seal ministers' fate T •Why Jonathan introduced bond–Abati HE retention of any member of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) in a cabinet reshuffle will be determined largely by the Performance Agreement initiated

by President Goodluck Jonathan, according to indications yesterday in Abuja.

The reality has put most of the ministers under pressure with some of them passing the pressure to parastatals and agencies under them.

But the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, yesterday said the President floated the Performance Agreement with ministers with a view to ensuring optimal delivery of service.

The move,he stressed, is not aimed at indicting or punishing any minister.

Investigation by our correspondent revealed that although the President came up with the Performance Bond to fast-track the pace of service delivery by cabinet members, the benchmark may seal their fate in the FEC. A highly-placed source said: "The Performance Agreement is really a booby trap for the ministers. Anyone who cannot cope with the pace of the President will certainly leave the cabinet.

"After appraisal of the ministers, the truth is that the President is not satisfied with the performance of about 50 per cent of the cabinet members because the impact of their service delivery is not being felt.

"In fact,only about 12 ministers have made visible impact since the cabinet was inaugurated.

"Some ministers are just like passengers in transit in the cabinet. And you do not expect the President to keep dead wood.

"Imagine, what should be ordinary jobs of some ministers are now being executed through presidential interventions.

"I could recall a session the President had with some ministers who were not up and doing. At a point, the President told a minister to ‘sit up or else I will send one of these anticorruption agencies (names withheld) after you,’ and everyone burst into laughter.”

Although the source was not forthcoming on the tenor of the Performance Agreement, the

Yusuf ALLI, Managing Editor, Northern Operation government official said: "The next two to three months may determine the fate of some ministers."

It was gathered that most ministers have started breathing down on the agencies and parastatals under them.

The head of an agency, who spoke in confidence, said: "Some of these ministers are all over the place now as if something is running after them.

"But my own position, like many others, is that you cannot give what you do not have.

That is the dilemma of lazy ministers."

The presidential spokesman, Dr. Reuben Abati, last night said the Performance Agreement is not meant to indict or punish anyone.

He also said the President was not stampeded by the budget row with the House of Representatives to come up with the performance bond.

Abati, who responded to enquiries from our correspondent on on the phone, said all the ministers had accepted to abide by the terms of the performance bond.

He said the template for the Performance Agreement was drawn by the Minister of National Planning, Dr. Shamsudeen Usman.

He said: "What happened was that when the President inaugurated the cabinet he talked about the Performance Agreement and the Minister of National Planning, Dr. Shamsudeen Usman, was asked to draw the template.

"If you go back to the speech of the President during the inauguration, the President said ministers would be asked to give account of what they are doing in office.

"This Performance Agreement has nothing to do with budget. It is about service delivery. It also deals with the principle that this is a performance-driven administration.

"In the last two months, the ministers have been coming to the President to give reports on what they have collected, what they have spent and the challenges they are facing."

Abati said Jonathan was not stampeded by the budget row with the National Assembly to come up with the Performance Agreement.

He added: "The Performance Agreement is not designed to indict or punish anybody. This is a reaffirmation that emphasis is on delivery.

"If anyone is unable to perform, he or she will be able to

explain why certain things have not been done.

"We have been doing it for about two months before the National Assembly raised observations on the 2012 budget.

It is important to check the timeline."

The presidential spokesman also disclosed that the President had, very early in the life of the administration, directed

that "a functional SERVICOM desk be established in every ministry to double check and report on service delivery by ministers.

"This is to ensure transparency and to see that the ministers continue to give their best.

This is a performance-driven administration."

Asked about the fate of ministers that breach the agree-

ment, Abati said the President would determine it.

He said: "You know that ministers exercise delegated authority. If the President expects optimal performance and a minister cannot provide such, it is the prerogative of the President to decide accordingly. But the intention is not to indict or punish anyone."

On whether the ministers have agreed to sign the bond, he said: "The Performance Agreement was done with the full agreement of the ministers themselves."

•From Left: Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan; the couple, Mr & Mrs Osaze Omorodion, and Roli, wife of the governor, during the PHOTO BRIPIN ENARUSAI couple’s wedding in Benin.

Tinubu to launch book in US

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HE National Leader of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and former governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, will be in the US next week to present his new book.

The week-long programme will kick off on Tuesday, August 21 with a Roundtable Discussion tagged, ‘Current Developments in Nigeria: The View of the Opposition’, at CSISand Center for Strategic and International Studies, 1800 K Street, NW, from 11am to 12:30 pm.

Activities will move to the Corporate Council on Africa (CCA), 1100 17th Street, N.W., Suite 1000 Washington, where another Roundtable will hold between 2:30pm and 4pm.

On Wednesday, August 22, Asiwaju Tinubu will deliver a speech on ”The Role of the Opposition in Meeting Nigeria’s Challenges”. This would be followed by a questions and answers session, billed to hold at the Woodrow Wilson Center, One Woodrow Wilson Plaza (back of the Reagan Building), 1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW between 3 and 4:30 pm.

Asiwaju Tinubu will pay a courtesy visit to his alma mata, Chicago State University, on Thursday, August 23, between 3:30pm and 4:00pm, where he is expected to meet Wayne Watson, PhD, President of Chicago State University, with the Dean of School of Business School, Mr. Collins, in attendance.

He will meet with Chairman, CEO and members of the board of Trustees of Dusable Museum at the Museum campus, Hyde Park, Chicago, on Friday, August 24, between 3 pm and 3.30pm.

A short tour of the museum artifacts will hold between 3.35pm and 3.45pm same day.

The day would be rounded off with a Town Hall Meeting on ‘The Need for True Federalism in Nigeria’ at the Dusable Museum of African American History, 740 East 56th Place, Chicago, Illinois, at 4:00pm Activities to round off the visit start with a live television show, at the headquarters of Rainbow Push Coalition from 10am on Saturday, August 25. This will be followed by Asiwaju Tinubu’s book launch and signing at 11:30am.

Oshiomhole slams police over handling of Oyerinde's murder

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DO State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, has called on President Goodluck Jonathan to set up a high-power panel of inquiry into the killing of his principal private secretary, Comrade Olaitan Oyerinde.

Oshiomhole's call is coming on the heels of the controversy generated by the conflicting reports of the Nigeria Police and the State Security Service (SSS).

While the SSS had earlier paraded some robbery suspects who were alleged to have killed Oyerinde, the police also paraded another set of suspects, who alleged that they were hired by a Benin-based human rights activist to kill him.

In a full-page advertorial by the Edo State government, tagged: "Re: Investigation into the murder of Comrade Olaitan Oyesrinde, my stand," Oshiomhole described the conflicting reports by the security agencies as a “show of shame”, that “has grave implications for national security and the integ-

Segun AJIBOYE rity of the law enforcements agencies.”

Narrating the events leading to the arrest and parade of the suspects by the two security agencies, the governor stated: "Following the murder of Comrade Oyerinde, I gave the security agencies a 14-day ultimatum to find the killers, which I suspected was politically-motivated. Within a few days of the murder, I was informed by the SSS in confidence that they had made some progress, having located Comrade Oyerinde's telephone and those who bought it, and eventually using their own skills, they were able to arrest, one after the other, those who have since confessed that they killed Comrade Oyerinde."

The governor further stated that his interface with the suspects paraded by the SSS convinced him that they (suspects paraded) were the actual killers of his late private secretary.

•Calls on Jonathan to set up panel

Police yet to release Ugolor despite court order

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HE Reverend David Ugolor , who was arrested in connection with the assassination of Mr.Olaitan Oyerinde, Principal Private Secretary to Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State, remained in police custory yesterday, 24 hours after a State High Court, Benin ordered his release.

Justice Esther Edigin, who said she could not grant Ugolor bail because he was not physically present in court, said the police erred in law by continuing to hold him.

Ugolor, Executive Director of African Network of Environment and Economic Justice (ANEEJ), was allegedly mentioned by some suspects arrested by the police in connection with the assassination.

Citing the confessions of the suspects, which he said corroborated the account of his Commissioner for Information, Mr. Louis Odion, Governor Oshiomhole commended the leadership of the SSS for doing their job professionally.

Osagie OTABOR, Benin A few days after Ugolor's arrest, the State Security Service (SSS) paraded six men in Abuja in connection with the same offence.

Three of them confessed to carrying out the killing while the rest were said to have bought the handsets stolen from the deceased.

Deputy Director of ANEEJ, Mr. Leo Atakpu told The Nation last night that Ugolor was yet to be released from police custody in Abuja.

Atakpu said the police were served the court ruling yesterday and that lead counsel to Ugolor, Barr. Olayiwola Afolabi, had a meeting with the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar on the matter.

The governor, however, regretted that two weeks after the SSS paraded the alleged killers of Oyerinde, the Police also came up with a different set of suspects, who they said also confessed to killing the late comrade.

His worries, according to him, heightened following the arrest of the alleged sponsor of the killing, Rev David Ugolor, by the police.

"Two weeks after the SSS briefing, my attention was drawn to reports in the newspapers that

the police also claimed to have arrested some people who also confessed to the killing of Comrade Oyerinde. I asked the Commissioner of Police on the progress made on the matter, he insisted that the case was being handled by the Force Headquarters and was not in a position or permitted to brief me.

"Following the arrest of Rev. David Ugolor and the interest it has generated, I cut short my vacation, and upon my return to the state, I visited the Commissioner of Police to be briefed on the latest development. I told the Commissioner of Police of my worries about not being briefed, not only as the complainant whose associate was murdered, but also as the Governor who has the responsibility for the protection of lives and property in the state. Again, the Commissioner of Police maintained that only the Force Continued on Page 5

THE NATION, SATURDAY, AUGUST 18, 2012

News 5 Family of kidnapped VC begins negotiation with abductors

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From left: Mrs. Sephora Imomoh, Project Manager, British Council; Mr. Melvin Awolowo, Consultant, XLR8 and Ms. Oyinkansola Momoh, Project Coordinator, Style House Files, all panelists at the auditioning for the MTN Lagos Fashion and Design Week 2012 in Abuja.

HE family of kidnapped Vice Chancellor of the Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT), Prof. Cyprian Onyeji, has commenced negotiation with his abductors.

Prof. Cyprian Onyeji was abducted on Wednesday at the gates of the institution at Agbani.

The kidnappers are demanding a N200 million ransom Onyeji's deputy, Prof. Aloysius Uzoagulu, who updated reporters on the incident, said the university management is relating with the VC's family on his freedom He insisted that the issue of the ransom demand and negotiation are solely the responsibility of the family.

"The wife, children, brothers and other relations of the vicechancellor are there to see to his release by the abductors. We only go there to be briefed on the latest development," he said.

He described the abduction as shocking and an embarrassment to the staff and students of the university.

He explained that workers in the university are holding prayer

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•Bomb Jos police Station •Boko Haram kills ex-Shehu of Borno’s secretary in Maiduguri •Low-key celebration likely in flashpoints Joseph ABIODUN, Maiduguri, Kolade ADEYEMI, Kano, Duku JOEL,Damaturu and Austine TSENZUGHUL, Bauchi

tive areas provided.

In the case of Alhaji Kalifama, sources said he was shot at a mosque in Polo Area of Maiduguri shortly after saying the Tarawi prayers in the mosque.

An eyewitness said Alhaji Kalifama was shot by two men who had joined the congregation for the prayer session.

One of the suspects reportedly hid an AK47 rifle under his prayer mat and brought it out once the prayer was over.

What followed, as the worshippers dispersed, were gunshots, forcing people to flee in different directions.

The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, DSP Gideon Jibrin said the gunmen trailed their victim to the mosque and shot him after the prayer session.

Jibrin said investigation has commenced with a view to arresting the culprits.

The area has also been cordoned off.

He said the security agencies are doing all within their power to ensure a hitch-free Eid-el-Fitri.

Security has been beefed up across the country to foil threat to lives and property by terrorists during the Sallah

festivities.

The police have advised the public to be on alert.

The US embassy, in a statement in Abuja, recalled a suicide attack on the UN building in Abuja a year ago and warned that "an anniversary security event could occur."

The centuries-old durbar in Kano has been cancelled officially due to the health of the Emir, Alhaji Ado Bayero. But security sources cited the worsening violence for the cancellation.

Boko Haram's deadliest attack yet hit Kano in January when coordinated bombings and shootings killed at least 185 people, and authorities there said they have taken precautions.

"In Kano, we are on the streets... For these upcoming Muslim celebrations, we will do everything, security-wise, to ensure a hitch-free festivity," JTF spokesman, Lt. Col. Iweha Ikedichi said.

Apart from heavy police presence at all government establishments in Kano, the Police have also increased patrols.

Combined teams of military and policemen drive around the streets in convoys led by armoured personnel carriers.

Commercial motorcycle operators and their passengers are made to disembark at all police checkpoints for routine screening before they

are allowed to proceed.

Motorcycles have been used by terrorists in launching attacks in the past.

Besides, the Police issued security tips to the general public on how to ensure a crime-free Eid-el-Fitri.

They advised worshippers to carry only their prayer mats when going to the Eid grounds while motorists were warned against reckless and dangerous driving.

Parents were told not to allow their children access to their vehicles.

The situation is not different in Yobe State, especially the capital, Damaturu, Potiskum, Gashua and Gaidam. Security has been intensified in and around places of worship in those towns.

The JTF in the state assured residents of their safety.

It said: "We have fortified all security formations and all other security measures have been put in place to avert any ugly situation during the Sallah period and beyond."

Citizens were asked to "go about their normal business."

It dismissed complaints that it has been arresting innocent people, saying: "Those that claim that we make indiscriminate arrests are not being fair to us. We do not just go about arresting innocent people in town. We act on useful information before

Oshiomhole slams police over handling of Oyerinde's murder Continued from Page 4 Headquarters could brief me, even when the officer in charge of the case is on ground in Benin City.”

The governor stated further that he observed several inconsistencies in the statement of the police.

"Having expressed my disappointment on the seeming secrecy and lethargy of the Police and on the contradictory role

of the two security agencies, the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) heading the investigation finally briefed me on their investigation on Friday, August 10, 2012, only after I had threatened to report their noncooperation to Mr. President.

"After listening to his briefing, I came to the conclusion that there were several inconsistencies in the narrative, in particular, the alleged involvement of

Rev. David Ugolor, who is unarguably the most prominent civil society activist in Edo State and a well-known friend of Comrade Olaitan Oyerinde."

Governor Oshiomhole also expressed surprise that two weeks after the arrest of Ugolor by the police, they are yet to establish a concrete link between the Reverend and his alleged accusers, and wondered why the police failed to estab-

lish a link between the two parties before making the arrest.

He said he was worried by the claims of the two federal security agencies, adding that one of the two agencies may be playing out a script to shield the actual killers of Oyerinde.

"Like every other Nigerian, I am extremely worried about the claims of the two federal security agencies. At the end of the day, one of the arms must

sessions for the release of the vice chancellor and denied reports that the workers embarked on a strike.

The car in which the vc was driven away by the kidnappers has already been recovered.

SON evacuates 25,000 used tyres from Ladipo Market Dada ALADELOKUN, Assistant Editor

NO fewer than 25,000 used tyres were yesterday evacuated from the popular Ladipo Market, Mushin, Lagos, in line with the Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) zero tolerance posture on used tyres.

Owners of the items, who ply their trade in the market resigned to fate as members of the Ladipo Auto Central Executive Committee (LACEC), led by its President General, Iyke Animalu, supervised the evacuation with waste trucks.

Animalu, who later addressed a media conference tagged, “Ladipo Market’s 100 per cent compliance with the SON’s zero tolerance on used tyres in Nigeria,” added that the exercise came at the expiration of an earlier ultimatum issued in the marsuch arrests are effected.

"We have screened and re- ket on the product. leased more than 20 of the 54 persons that we arrested last ‘Okotie-Eboh most Sunday. Those who are found not to be involved in any visionary Delta ACN criminal acts are released to their families uncondition- Chairman’ ally," the statement said.

Eric IKHILAE Armed soldiers and policemen are also patrolling the THE incumbent Chairman of the streets in Bauchi town and its Delta State Chapter of the Action suburbs like Yelwa, Bayara, Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Chief Guru, Wunti Dada and Joseph Adolo Okotie-Eboh, has Tsohon Kanfani. been described as the best and most Tension has heightened in visionary Chairman in the history the state following circula- of the party in the state, even since tion of text messages warn- the days the party was known as ing of attacks by Boko Haram Action Congress (AC). during the Sallah.

Delta State Publicity Secretary of In Maiduguri, the major the party, Mr. Frank Eghomien, base of Boko Haram, the mili- made this declaration yesterday in tary was on high alert. a press statement issued in Asaba, "We have put in place ad- the state capital in apparent reacequate security arrangements tion to a call for the removal of the to ensure a crisis-free Sallah state Chairman by defeated former festivity," spokesman Lt. Col. ACN candidate for the Uvwie/ Sagir Musa said.

Okpe/Sapele constituency in the Boko Haram's targets have Federal House of Representatives, widened as the group has Dr. Veronica Ogbuagu. moved from assassinations to According to Eghomien, the exsophisticated bombings, in- emplary and participatory leadercluding suicide attacks. ship style of Chief Okotie-Eboh, In a security message, the made an enlarged general meetUS embassy evoked the Au- ing of the party in Asaba a few gust 26, 2011 suicide bomb- months ago to unanimously pass a ing of UN headquarters in vote of confidence on him, pointAbuja which killed at least 25 ing out that the same Dr. Ogbuagu people and warned of possi- attended the said meeting. ble fresh attacks.

“It is laughable for any true "This year, extremists have member of ACN in his or her right attacked many locations in senses to dream the removal of the Nigeria, killing and injuring current Delta State Chairman. This hundreds of people," the em- is a man who has taken ACN in bassy said.

Delta State from point zero to the In June, the United States la- enviable height it is today, particubelled suspected Boko Haram larly in terms of structures and leader, Abubakar Shekau, and membership. two other militants as "glo“We quite agree with Ogbuagu bal terrorists", allowing any that it was time we flushed out all US assets they may have to Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) be blocked. agents masquerading as members of ACN in Delta State. The state executive is already compiling names, the Delta ACN image maker said.

According to him, just as nobody clearly be playing out a script can ever be more Roman Catholic designed to shield the actual than the Pope, nobody can be more killers and/or their sponsors… PDP than Dr. Ogbuagu who rose to "In my view, the Police inves- become a former PDP Commistigation team under the Deputy sioner for Education in Delta state Commissioner of Police is under former Governor James purely engaged in acts of mis- Ibori, adding that the “leader of chief in a futile attempt to shield ACN in Delta Central Senatorial the real murderers of Comrade District under the interim Vice Olaitan Oyerinde. It is now up Chairmanship of Hon Solomon to the Police to prove other- Oyen, were capable of responding wise, and they are duty-bound to other scandalous statements credited to Ogbuagu”. to do so."

Insurgents rubbish Sallah security HE elaborate security arrangement put in place across the country ahead of the Eid-el-Fitri came under assault late Thursday after yet-to-be identified people bombed a police station in Jos. A separate breach of security by suspected members of the Islamist sect, Boko Haram, in Maiduguri also on Thursday night claimed the life of Alhaji Zannah Kafilama, a former secretary to late Shehu of Borno, Alhaji Mustapha Umar Elkanemi.

The Jos attack in the Muslim-dominated Rikkos district damaged nearby houses.

One person was injured but there was no death.

"The police post, three other houses and a vehicle were affected by the blast. One person by the name Alhaji Abubakar Adam was injured," Special Task Force spokesman in the city, Captain Salisu Mustapha, said in a statement.

The bomb exploded between the police station and a residential building in Rikkos.

Plateau State has seen violent clashes between Christian and Muslim groups as well as attacks blamed on Islamist militants, Boko Haram.

"It is clear that the police station was the target of the attack," Mustapha said.

The attack came despite the tight security ahead of this weekend's Eid celebrations.

Two main prayer grounds in Jos where violence has previously occurred have been put off-limits, with alterna-

Chris OJI, Enugu

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THE NATION, SATURDAY, AUGUST 18, 2012

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THE NATION, SATURDAY, AUGUST 18, 2012

Fayemi has turned Ekiti to investors' destination, says Afuye T

HE Ekiti State Commissioner for Information and Civic Ori entation, Mr. Funminiyi Afuye, has hinted that the various developmental projects being executed by the state government are aimed boosting investment.

He stressed that the people of the state are better off and are enjoying a new lease of life under the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN)-led government which, according to him, has justified the mandate given to it by the electorate.

Afuye, who spoke on Thursday on "The Mandate", a live television programme of a Lagos private television, MITV, said many international development agencies are already working with the government to boost the industrial and investment profile of the state.

According to him, every sector in Ekiti is being touched by the Fayemi administration through the instrumentality of its eight-point agenda to turn around the fortunes of the state.

He noted that the investors are impressed by the frameworks of good governance, accountability and transparency put in place by Governor Kayode Fayemi whose administration was the first in the federation to domesticate the Freedom of Information Law. The commissioner disclosed that a South African firm is partnering with the Fayemi administration to develop Ikogosi Warm Spring to a tourist destination of international repute, while an Italian firm has helped revive Ire Burnt Bricks Industry.

Afuye explained that Fayemi picked up the gauntlet to develop Ikogosi Warm Spring and nearby Arinta Waterfalls after several years of neglect by successive administrations in a bid to shore up revenue base, create jobs and place Ekiti on the world tourism map.

Describing the administration's Social Security Scheme for the Aged under which indigent old people are receiving N5,000 stipend every month as "novel and unprecedented", Afuye revealed that other states impressed by its success in Ekiti have signified intention to copy the scheme.

Afuye said the road projects being carried out by the Fayemi administration in all nooks and crannies of the state will ease movements across the state and stimu-

Lagos commissions special courts for environmental offenders

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AGOS State Government has commissioned a special of fences mobile court where violators of the state environmental law will be brought for prosecution.

State Commissioner for Environment, Mr Tunji Bello, who commissioned the court yesterday in Ikoyi, said it was a right step in the right direction, saying that the state governor had said that from next year emphasis would be on law enforcement.

He said: “I feel this is a step in the right direction and a wakeup call for other zones to begin to establish such court for prompt trials of violators of the law.

“We need to restore sanity in Lagos State. Other countries are making progress because there is law and order. We need to also equip our law enforcement officers and provide conducive environment for them to work” He said the government would set up more of special offences courts for dispensation of justice in the state, while reiterating that the state was determined to enlighten the people and not just to lure them into committing an offence.

late economic and social activities.

According to him, each of the 16 local government areas of the state has at least 20 kilometres of roads being funded by the state budget.

The commissioner revealed that the budget in operation in the state had inputs of all communities in the state as the governor held village square and town hall meetings with the people at the grassroots to know their priority projects.

Describing the Fayemi government as "open, transparent and accountable", Afuye said the governor's regular interface with the people has given them opportunity to participate in governance.

Afuye said: "All the projects I am talking about here are facts and not fictions. In fact, they are verifiable and you are free to go and make your independent assessments of them.

"Ekiti is the first state to domesticate the Freedom of Information Law and that shows that we have nothing to hide. The totality of Ekiti is an open book under Dr. Fayemi.

"Ekiti has now been turned to a destination for industrial development, tourism investment and massive infrastructural development, and very soon, the state will be turned to an El Dorado in the comity of states in Nigeria."

The Special Adviser to the Governor on Security, Colonel Christopher Fatumbi (rtd) handing over the keys of one of the security patrol vehicles to Mrs. Janet Urebu, Deputy Comptroller, Nigeria Immigration Service, Oyo State Command, at the Government House, Ibadan yesterday. With them is Mr. Adekunle Oluwafemi, an immigration officer.

Ogun inaugurates public service review committee O GUN State Governor, Sena tor Ibikunle Amosun, has in augurated a Public Service Review/Restructuring Committee with a charge to critically review existing ministries and extra-ministerial departments in order to make them more effective and result-oriented.

Inaugurating the committee yesterday at the Governor's Office, OkeMosan, Abeokuta, Amosun noted that the state remained a trail blazer in all human endeavours, including the public service, where the late Chief Simeon Adebo from Ogun became the first Head of Service in the Western Region.

He said the setting up of the committee was in line with his mission to rebuild the state and achieve the Ogun Standard which sets benchmarks for others.

As part of its Terms of Reference,

the committee will identify any department/agency of government that needs to be enlarged, compressed or merged with others due to recent developments.

It will also conduct far-reaching consultations and dialogue with all stakeholders towards preparation of new structure, functions and responsibilities for agencies of government with a view to removing waste, duplication and idleness in government's operations as well as any other relevant issues pertaining to the assignment.

The governor, while charging the state public service to continue to set a good example for others in the nation, noted that the committee had four weeks from the inauguration date to submit its report.

Responding, the Chairman of the Committee, Chief (Mrs.) Susan Folarin, thanked the governor for the quality of individuals appointed to serve on the committee, describing them as hard-working people.

The six-member committee includes the Chairman, Civil Service Commission, Chief (Mrs.) Susan Folarin, who is the Chairman of the committee, Mr. Adekunle Anwo (a retired permanent secretary), Dr Tunde Olowonyo, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health; Mrs. Yetunde Kujore, Permanent Secretary, Bureau of Establishments and Training; Mr. Oluremi Obayomi, Permanent Secretary, Political Affairs and Administration; and Mr. Kola Ogunlana who will serve as the Secretary of the committee.

I ’ll spend four years in office –Ondo PDP guber candidate

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HE Ondo State governorship candidate for the Peoples' Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olusola Oke, yesterday said he would only spend four years in office, “if he wins the October 20 gubernatorial poll.”

He noted that it was part of the agreements they had with the party members from the Northern Senatorial District to return power to them in 2017 and that was why the party picked his running mate from the North.

Oke disclosed this during a media chat held in his residence at Ijapo Estate in Akure, the the state capital, while reacting to a question being asked on why the party picked again from the Southern Senatorial District when the immediate past governor, Olusegun Agagu, is also from the

area.

He said the PDP was not just contesting the election in order to show the spirit of participation, but aiming to win the governorship election.

According to him, the PDP strategically picked its candidate from the South, having seen the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and Labour Party (LP) picking their own candidates from the North and Central respectively His words: "After putting this into consideration, I was elected by the party leaders and the decision was generally accepted by all the party governorship aspirants.

"If the PDP picked its candidate from the North, the ACN and the PDP would have been focusing their strength on a particular district, while the incumbent governor who is from

the central may have a catchment advantage from the South.

“The election will expose each party strength. Our party has sound structures in all the districts. The PDP also placed premium on competence, integrity and proven experience and acceptable by members and leaders of the party both in the state and national level”.

On the recent court judgment that sacked the party executive, Oke assured that “the court's ruling has no effect on his governorship ambition.”

He said: “Already, we have put in place our campaign team and they are the one in charge of the party now.

The judgment does not affect my position as the party candidate because it was stated clearly by the judge in his ruling.”

Oyo distributes N4.4m agric inputs to farmers

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HE Oyo State Government has dis tributed agricultural inputs comprising rice seeds, agrochemicals and liquid fertilizers worth over N4.4 million to rice farmers in seven local government areas of the state.

Speaking on the occasion held at the OYSADEP Farmers’ Multipurpose Hall, Oyo, the state Commissioner for Agriculture, Natural Resources and Rural Development, Mr. Bimbo Kolade, said that a total of 175 rice farmers in seven Fadama III participating local governments had been provided with rice seeds, agro- chemicals and fertilizers to boost rice production in the state.

The commissioner listed the benefitting local governments as Oyo West, Atisbo, Saki West, Surulere, Ido, Akinyele and Ogo Oluwa.

Speaking on rice transformation, the commissioner said that his ministry, in collaboration with relevant stakeholders, had developed the state rice development strategy which he said would serve as the blueprint to guide its rice development efforts.

He said that the distribution of the agricultural inputs was a physical demonstration of the Ajimobi administration’s commitment to improving the present level of rice production to transform the state to a major player in rice production in the country in the nearest foreseeable future.

Kolade reiterated the commitment of the present administration to repositioning agriculture and developing rural area, pointing out that the state government was participating fully in the Federal Government’s Agricultural Transformation Agenda in about seven out of the 14 selected commodities.

In his address, the state Project Coordinator, Fadama III Project, Mr. Nathaniel Olayinka, said the project was designed to support the strategic objective of enhancing growth in the non-oil sectors to achieve increased food security, poverty alleviation and employment creation to improve the living conditions of people living in rural areas.

He urged the farmers to make judicious use of the inputs to maximize their income, enhance their living standard, reduce the nation’s import and achieve self-sufficiency in rice production.

Trucks’ movement restricted in Ekiti

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KITI State Government has banned trailers from plying its roads during day time.

The governor of the state, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, who gave the directive in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Olayinka Oyebode, yesterday, said the order is to restore sanity to the roads.

By the new order, trailers are only allowed to ply the roads between 6pm and 6am, leaving the roads for other road users during the day.

The government, however, gave owners and drivers of trailers between now and September 16th, 2012 to comply with the new order, even as it advised them to make use of the trailer parks at the various locations in the state.

Church holds thanksgiving

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HE Cherubim and Seraphim Unifi cation Church of Nigeria will hold a thanksgiving service tomorrow at its headquarters in Orile-Iganmu, Lagos.

The programme is in commemoration of its 50th anniversary. It will begin at 10am. The church will also ordain some apostles.

A statement in Lagos said the church last Sunday launched a book entitled, Our Steady March to Glory Land The History of Gospel Church, to celebrate the anniversary.

The spiritual head of the church, Baba Aladura Olorunfunmi Basorun, said the book was written to foster unity among members.

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THE NATION, SATURDAY, AUGUST 18, 2012

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HE word reform can be a very slippery concept when ap plied to finance, economics and politics. Essentially it should be about doing things in any system or discipline in a way that promotes the fairness, reduces inequities, promotes common good and benefits the larger society rather than individuals in control of either political or corporate governance. It can however, as recent experience and developments have shown, be a really double edged sword on which unwary leaders in politics and society can fall as if they are committing suicide or what the Japanese call hara kiri with their eyes wide open. Unfortunately for those involved in some cases, the danger comes with the benefit of hindsight which is like bolting the stable doors after the horses have bolted. Which really can be a tragedy in some cases and in the cases where the sudden insight on doom or revelation comes at the edge of the cliff, the relief at averting danger simply beggars description.

The first hard case of the consequences and high cost of economic reforms comes from Argentina where a former president Fernando De La Rua elected in 1999 but fled in December 2001- has been charged to court for bribing senators there a decade ago to pass labor reform bills that made it easier for government to sack innocent workers in line with IMF conditionalilities of redundancies and public sector cuts. The current president of Argentina - Kristina Frenandez de Kirchener - was a senator at that time. She voted then against the IMF induced labor reform bill and did not take the bribe which her colleagues took and for which the errant former president - De La Rua - is now to face the long arm of the law 12 years later.

Our second example of the high cost of reform is a political example from the US heated presidential election campaign which analysts say has gone overboard in terms of restraint on both sides of the political divide. Each side, from their campaign rhetoric seem to bet saying that the worst will happen to the US if the other side wins . Actually the battle lines and the political advertising on either side are tailored towards the party outside the White House – the Republicans - promising to do things better once elected this November; and the Party of incumbent President Barak Obama saying that it would be a night mare for Americans if the duo of Republican Presidential candidate Mitt Romney and his newly appointed running mate Paul Ryan get to win the next US presidential elections in November.

Another example of a somewhat ‘smart reform is the case in the corporate finance world this week was the huge fine of $340m – 217m pounds - that Standard Chartered Bank of UK coughed out to the regulators in the US over its side tracking of UN sanctions on Iran.

The bank readily paid the fine to save its banking license in the US where the regulators have threatened to withdraw Standard Chartered UK license for acting as a rogue bank in hiding information on the sanctions violation transactions in its wireless transfers. Again, it was payback time for a leading bank with an enviable and solid international corporate image to bite the dust for being extra smart in dodging or disrespecting the rules of diplomacy in its quest to make good money in the name of internal reform or sanction bursting strategy.

In Brazil however a different situation presents itself. An economic reform is being instigated and that is privatization of huge public utilities like railways but the Brazilian government of President Dilma Rousseff is doing this on its own

The high cost of economic and political reforms

volition and its own pace because according to the president, privatization will drive the growth of the Brazilian economy which she said had been sluggish at 2% in the last few years.

The lessons to be learnt in these four events in my book is that economic and political reforms must be driven by ethical and public spirited motives and be responsive to environmental and social factors.

They should not be foreign induced, sponsored or financed like the Argentine experience in 2001 which is ending in prosecution today for the president at the time. Similarly elections are the engine of democracy and the seasons of political promises and reforms and they should not be allowed to degenerate into campaigns of fear, blackmail and calumny as in the on going US Presidential campaigns.

Also Reforms should not be about cutting corners and finding smart ways to break rules made in the overall interest of the security of international commerce and trade like Standard Chartered UK did and for which it is being forced to regurgitate and vomit in full global view by US regulators. Economic Reforms must also be pragmatic and welfarist in nature and growth - oriented as in Brazil where privatization is following on the heels of massive poverty alleviation. These examples have lessons to be learnt in developing nations like Nigeria still towing the line and directives of the IMF with the pre-

dictable and sure end of economic failure and social upheaval attendant on the high social costs of such policies.

Let me elaborate by going back to Argentina again. The former president on trial – De La Rua – is paying for overzealously bending backwards so that Argentina can get IMF loans whose conditionalities included labor reforms and business oriented policies. In the end the IMF stopped giving Argentina loans and there were riots in the capital in Buenos Aires and the president fled in an helicopter that was pictured globally taking off in December 2001from the roof of the Presidential palace. Anyway, Argentina later reneged on its debt repayment arrangements in 2001 throwing the international financial system into chaos . Since 2001 Argentina has carried painfully the sad image of a debtor nation in the comity of nations. Companies from its former colonial master Spain bought key Argentine companies and industries for pittance.

But now the clock has turned full circle. More than a decade later Argentina has struck oil and is wealthy while - Spain is in financial distress and reeling under the pains of austerity measures from IMF bailouts.

Recently, the Argentine government nationalized Argentina’s biggest oil company in which Spain’s biggest oil company has the controlling shares. Spain is now one of the PIGS, an acronym for the destitute nations of the euro zone,

namely Portugal, Ireland, Greece and Spain.

Really, it is the day of reckoning for the former Argentine president who bribed senators to pass bills supporting the taking of IMF loans a long time ago. This is because in a nation like Argentina, notorious for treating errant former leaders harshly, his fate for his misguided reforms is likely to be like that of former military leaders who seized power in Argentina and were sentenced to long jail terms - long after they had left office by elected governments that succeeded them.

In the US, it was the Vice President Joe Biden who threw spanner in the works when he told a crowd of blacks in rural Virginia on his campaign trail, that if Romney is elected as US president he would unchain the banks and – you ‘ll all be back in chains. The implications economically is that in terms of financial reforms Obama has caged the banks; and if Romney, a billionaire wins, he will let the banks loose again and there would be another financial melt down such as the global one that started in 2008.

In political terms it was racist in that it was reminding the blacks he was addressing of their slavery ancestry and the use of chains in ships to transport millions of blacks from Africa to the US during the slave trade. Although President Barak Obama has said he saw nothing wrong in what his Vice President has said I am sure he that secretly wished Joe Biden had not said anything about chains. This is simply because the cost in terms of political capital and goodwill in its contextual usage as a campaign tool can be prohibitive for the Obama presidential campaign bid.

There is not much to say on the Standard Chartered Bank of the UK paying its fine on the Iran sanctions violations charge. Except to add that coming so soon after the fine of 290m pounds paid recently by Barclays in the UK on LIBOR activities around interest rate rigging,

it shows that in spite of global public focus on banks, the banks have taken profit making reforms to new heights in circumventing banking laws and ethics meant to sanitise them after harsh lessons of the last global financial melt down. Worse still is the news that US regulators are now targeting some major UK banks on LIBOR or interest rate rigging activities in the US. This can only raise more concerns on the need for more equitable reforms and regulation of banking globally and it is necessary for governments globally to pay more attention to the quality of bank profits and the manner in which they are earned both locally and offshore.

Lastly, Brazil’s privatization efforts should be monitored by all nations interested in doing market reforms and deregulation right. This is because Brazil under former president Lula da Silva a leftist trade unionist embarked on massive closing of the inequities and income gaps in the Brazilian society B. The present President Dilma Rousseff was the driving force then as an Economist working as Lula’s Chief of Staff. Now that government is doing its privatization for the growth of the Brazilian economy.

It is a model worthy of emulation by developing nations especially Nigeria where privatization and sale of public companies seemed to have derailed in terms of fake asset valuation, sales and bids by unqualified or incompetent organizations and institutions hurriedly set up for such purchases. The global financial institutions and rescuers especially the IMF and World Bank should go to Brazil and monitor to learn from home grown privatization which is bound to blaze a trail in the benchmark for global purchase of public utilities. ‘Go to the ant and learn thou sluggard - consider her ways and be wise‘ is a saying quite apt under the present circumstances.

That ant being Brazil the emerging market champion of today.

10 COMMENTARY

THE NATION, SATURDAY, AUGUST 18, 2012

Re: Wanted: A Senate President on the people’s side •Vincent, the truth couldn’t have been better told than the way you did in your piece on Senator David Mark in your Saturday Flakes of August 11. God bless you.

080612086. vincentakanmode@yahoo.com

•I see David Mark’s worrisome record in verbal onslaught against the masses of the nation simply as a mark of his ignorance of what it really takes to be a true representative of the people. Even the Lord Jesus at a point had to stoop low to find out what people were actually saying about his leadership.

You cannot represent the people in isolation if you are truly for them. Feedback from the people is an indispensable torchlight a good leader requires for the way forward at all times. And criticisms, whether constructive or seemingly destructive, ought to spur a concerned leader into evaluating his achievements for the purpose of improvements and not the other way round.

Only those who have no meaningful achievements to show, and are really out there to represent their selfish interests and those of their cronies and family members, would rather want the guiding and corrective voice of the people silenced.

Emmanuel Egwu, Enugu.

•You will never understand the articulation of the Senate President until a fabricated picture of your nudity storms the social media. I stand for the regulation of the social media because it is now a tool for promoting negativity in Nigeria.

EHIS

•Thanks for being a man of truth. There will be no hiding place for people like David Mark in every part of the country if the people from that region see it as a patriotic duty to excoriate their tribe’s men and women who place individual or ethnic interests aabove that of the nation.

Talking about using abusive language against our leaders, I think it serves them right. How can a people who reads in the papers every day how billions of naira are being stolen by the so called leaders without anyone arrested or punished show them respect and not tongue-lash them?

Unless something is done urgently to correct the anomally, it will get to a point where leaders in Nigeria will be too afraid to go by that nomenclature as a result of the masses’ wrath. Unfortunately, people like Mark are yet to realise that the average Nigerian regards most of our leaders as rogues.

Ifeanyi O. Ifeanyichukwu, Abuja.

•A Senate Pressident on the people’s side will emerge in due course. They say the beautiful ones are not yet born. Yes, true democrats with concrete intentions to serve the truly, not the present crop that wants to be served.

How will the Senate President save us when allocations to his office and persons are enough to turn the fortunes of his constituency around and provide some basic necessities of life to many? It is enough to provide

food, shelter, medical care, etc for many. But the system gives too much to David Mark who gives virtually nothing in return.

Adey Corsin, Oshodi, Lagos.

•An absolutely brilliant, incisive, biting as well as historically and logically impregnable critique of David Mark’s reactionary record.

Kudos!

07032777..

•I read your comment on Senate President’s address at the Umuahia retreat. I am not defending him, but what is wrong with his comments? Is it right for one to publish outright lies against another person?

For example, if you wake up one day and your friends bombard you with calls that they read on the social or any kind of media that you were caught with somebody’s wife and beaten mercilessly somewhere in Lagos, which actually is a blatant lie, how would you feel? Will you applaud the author of such evil lies against you?

If you would be sincere to yourself, I know you would be devastated. That is the type of story I believe the Senate President is talking about.

E. Ntekim, AK State.

•I have just read your article on the Senate President. Honestly, Senator David Mark is an ungrateful man. He has forgotten God’s love for him. He cannot stop getting all the criticisms and knocks that he gets.

The reason is simple: he is anti-people.

Mark does not love the average Nigerian at all. But let him know that there is something called nemesis. He should copy from the House of Reps. Tambuwal is my man for the

bold steps he takes.

Segun, Kaduna.

•God bless you, my brother. You got Mark right on the mark. He has been a bootlicking creep all his life.

080338987..

Kudos for your beautiful piece on David Mark. Hope he is listening.

080378726..

•The problem with our leaders is that they failed to realise that they are there to serve us and that the electorate is supreme. David Mark should know that Nigeria is not an empire governed by emperors. We are free to call them to order when they err.

Kola Alao, Lagos.

•If not that God was on our side and Senator David Mark was not the Senate President, he would have supported Obasanjo’s third term ambition. Period.

Gordon Nnorom, Umukabia, Abia State.

•Vincent, you must have been a student of history to remind our ‘most intelligent’ Senate President about his exploits and insults upon us commoners, beginning with when he started occupying political positions. He should now know what mental torture he put the people through then.

Seye, Akure.

•Your flakes on David Mark is very educative. The Senate President is trying to do the bidding of his mentors so as not to miss his presidential ambition.

Yakubu, Kaduna.

Okupe: In defence of ferocious advocacy Knucklehead

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HEY not only call him an attack dog but they are also baying for the blood of an innocent man even after he had reportedly told them that he is nothing but a timid attack lion. Knucklehead is eminently justified to complement the sporadic attacks on those who had the effrontery to punch holes in his informed retorts to national issues. I am simply petrified that, in this age and time, some unpatriotic Nigerians could summon the courage to demand the sacking of someone who was principally hired to project our lethargic government as one on a mission of historical seriousness. Why distract him from focusing on what he is being paid to do? Or are we pretending not to know that such a great mission, if properly handled with benevolent ferocity, could earn this lame lion one of those increasingly cheapened medals of national honour?

It beggars belief that some persons are already becoming jittery when this highly respected public official has hardly spent two months on the job. Because he so generously attacked those on a self-imposed mission to speak the minds of majority of citizens, because he labelled some bellyaching critics of his principal as ‘derailing’ and ‘deranged’, those who do not know their left from right hastily dubbed him an attack dog—a rabid one for that matter. Then, some other persons who are obviously jealous of his growing political savvy issued a distasteful press statement, calling on President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan to sack him for an alleged contract scam worth a meagre N200m. Dreamers all. Evidently, things have grown from bad to worse in the last few years of a clueless governance structure. But we are far from reaching that stage where the President would out-source the power to hire and fire to an atrocious opposition that continues to pelt The Presidency with stones on a daily basis. And so, haters may jump into the Ogun river if they like but Dr. Doyin Okupe, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs, is going nowhere because he is doing a great job!

How do I know? It is simple. Every government has its own firebrand spokesperson, apologist or, if you like, attack dog. These persons are specially paid to put a spin on anything or turn every illogic into something else. Mere mortals like you and I do not know their remuneration or the amount of clandestine millions voted for their unholy operations. Characteristically, where millions of citizens see gloom, they must, by the nature of their calling, see boom. Where the economy goes on a perennial downward slide, they forecast exceptionally positive indices. When the nation hovers on the brink of a damaging break-up, they see an unbreakable fraternity across the geo-political zones. When things go awry by the day, they manufacture phantom data to paint a colourful picture of hope. In addition, when perpetual critics start running their watery mouth against the authorities, the VIP attack dogs are the ones to hit back with equal, even if needless, ferocity.

Okupe’s office therefore, is expected to gloat, bark and bite depending on the capricious whims of paymasters whose unpredictable barometer normally runs in contrary direction from prevalent public opinion.

In Knucklehead’s estimation, Okupe has not wavered in his assigned task to warrant the barrage of attack against his person. If I were in Okupe’s massive shoes (no pun intended), I will not dignify my critics with a response. It is, in fact, an insult to his exalted office for any right-thinking person to link him with a token N200m contract scam when political neophytes in the periphery of the government he serves cream off billions from the system without being quizzed by the local police. That is beside the point, though. Okupe, I submit, is a rare talent and President Jonathan should be congratulated for his knack at recruiting the best brains with the right aptitude to help push his transformation agenda. If the yam heads in our sports sector have such gifts, we would not have ended up with a zero-zero-zero dismal result at the London Olympics, spending some N2.2 billion to earn zero medals.

In spite of the different shades of official and unofficial spokespersons at the President’s disposal including Dr. Reuben Abati, Mr. Labaran Maku, Alhaji Asari Dokubo and Chief Edwin Clark, he should be commended for the wisdom in bringing in Okupe, to prop up the seeming vexatious inaction in governance.

Justifying his inclusion in the President’s town criers’ train, Okupe was more than generous in spelling out his duties.

Aside the privileged information he divulged concerning how his office was fashioned after the powerful Public Affairs Department in the White House where he had visited on a crash programme in his capacity as spokesperson to former President Olusegun Obasanjo before he was unceremoniously booted out, Okupe said he would deploy his wealth of experience (now don’t ask me how ‘wealthy’ the experience is) to engage the public on current and national issues. He said he wanted to give us the opportunity to “see this President from a different perspective other than the stereotypical perception out there.”

At another forum, he waxed lyrical on why The Presidency and the eggheads to be recruited in the Public Affairs Department should engage Nigerians from time to time. He retorted: “Somebody said Okupe has been hired as an attack dog. If President Jonathan hires a 60-year-old man as attack dog, then he is employing a weak attack dog. I am not an attack dog. My job basically is public advocacy. I am also to monitor development both in the media and in the nation and to advise the Presidency and other relevant organisations as to what we are hearing. We are to interface between the Presidency and the public. That is the job. What you will see is a synergy, not a conflict!”

Now, in what way has this 60-year-old dove abused his office that we now call him an attack dog? Do we expect him to sit on his hands and do nothing while all those ‘derailing’ and ‘deranged’ politicians—who have never seen anything good in our record-setting President—taunt him for refusing to confront our ‘brothers’ who are killing, maiming and dismembering us? Why call for the sack of a man who was gracious enough to offer a gratuitous excuse for what we thought were signs of mortifying ineptitude in government?

If we abuse the President or question his humpty-dumpty, near- stagnant governance style, should we also deny him the

With

Yomi Odunuga E-mail:yomi.odunuga @thenationonlineng.net SMS only: 07028006913

right to hire someone that would return fire-for-fire on his behalf? Or are we saying that a man of Okupe’s standing should not market his much demeaned product whichever way he likes? Oh, c’mon!

But for Okupe’s office, yours truly wouldn’t have known the yeoman’s effort that this administration is putting into transforming our lives. Reeling out both real and suspicious statistics of what had been achieved in various sectors of the economy, Okupe magisterially declared: “All the fallacies, deceits, misinformation and disinformation about incompetence and non-performance of President Goodluck Jonathan’s admiration are unfounded, not supported by facts on ground and are therefore outright falsehood. Irrespective of what the detractors of this administration want the general public to believe, the truth, and indeed the absolute truth, is that this government is alive to its responsibilities, effective, actively performing and responding to the needs of the Nigerian people.” Gbam! No controversy.

Let’s face it; Okupe has been generous to the opposition.

His only grouse, as espoused by him, is that the opposition has simply refused to perceive the abundant goodness in Goodluck. Instead of setting their gaze on a man who is committed to fighting corruption; tackling infrastructural decay and building bridges of understanding across the divides, including the killing fields; Okupe is righteously enraged that all the opposition does is to annoyingly re-echo the many failures of an overwhelmed Presidency. As a qualified medical doctor, politician and public affairs commentator of no mean feat, he must have diagnosed the mental paralysis afflicting the opposition and come to the sorry conclusion that some jots of ferocious advocacy would not be out of place if only to send the powerful message that no one has the monopoly of virulent verbiage.

In any case, shouldn’t it be clear to us that barking and occasional blabbing of un-presidential waffling are essential ingredients in this game of political dogfight? It has been entrenched as a norm since the days of OBJ and so shall it remain while Africa’s greatest political behemoth continues its wacky dream of a projected 60-year rule. Therefore, why should we ask for Okupe’s head on the mortar for doing a damn good job of selling his boss? Why? Or is there anyone out there still doubting this ‘absolute truth’? Let that person step out and risk the deadly paws of an attack lion that speaks on behalf of highly-placed ostriches whose heads are still buried in the sands, so distant from our own realities!

People think I'm rich because I'm Iyalode - Adunni

Bankole

LIFE & STYLE / 41

Angry mob beats up dismissed police sergeant accused of raping five-yr-old girl

Feature/ 18

SCREEN/ 22

‘Reason I can’t act nude for Nigerian audience’

Weekend

PEOPLE THE NATION, Saturday, AUGUST 18, 2012

Relat io

nship

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t ’ n o w e W o t r e d n surre e g r u s n ocea -Endangered Kuramo Beach residents vow

THE NATION, Saturday, August 18, 2012

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We won’t leave here despite the raging sea, say Kuramo beach residents •Alhaja, treating her nail-pierced foot

ANY residents of Kuramo Beach, the Lagos fun spot that boasts many traders but is also reputed for prostitution and other antisocial activities, are under threats of being rendered homeless. Already many residents of the beach located on Victoria Island part of the city have had their wooden houses swept away by the angry wave of the sea, leaving traders, street urchins and commercial sex workers whose lives depend on the beach to lament their fate.

With the victims’ property and the debris of their collapsed wooden houses scattered all over the place, the affected part of the beach looks like a community ravaged by a violent communal clash. Checks revealed that the sea has repeatedly overflowed its bank lately, unleashing terror on the residents.

A visit by our correspondent revealed that the sea’s aggressive tide has eaten deep into the beach, resulting in the collapse of many of the makeshift structures that serve as homes for the residents. But many of the victims remained in their partially collapsed structures while others whose structures had collapsed completely resorted to squatting with their friends while they embarked on vigorous construction of new wooden houses away from the sea.

The development has resulted in massive construction of new wooden houses at the bank of the river behind Eko Hotels. Surprisingly, most of the victims who spoke with our correspondent vowed to continue to live at the beach and hustle until there is no space for them to erect their cabins and makeshift buildings.

One of the ocean surge victims, who gave her name as Mercy, said she only narrowly escaped from her cabin when the incident occurred.

She said: "I was attending to a customer when I suddenly saw a deluge of water forcing its way into my room. We hurriedly jumped up because the mattress we were lying on was already soaked. By the time I saw that the whole place was already covered with water, I started shouting Jesus! Jesus! Jesus!

Luckily, we managed to escape from danger.

M

I Innocent DURU I "By the time everything was calm, I saw that my cabin had collapsed and most of my valuables were swept away. I have been putting up with my friends since then because I don't have anywhere to go at the moment.

“I don't have any other work than the one I am doing now. I started hustling (an euphemism for prostitution) since I was in secondary school.

Hustling on the beach is quite safe once you keep to the rules. The threat by the sea cannot drive me away.

It is mere shakara. (grandstanding). Like every life’s challenge, it will go and we will remain.”

Another victim, who identified herself as Alhaja, lamented the havoc the raging sea has wreaked in the area. But she blamed it on the dirty lifestyle of some of the residents and picnickers.

The visibly disturbed victim told our correspondent that the errant residents and picnickers often defecate and dump all manner of dirty things into the sea. The sea, she said, detests such practices and often reacts violently to them.

The victim, who claimed to be a nanny to the children of some commercial sex workers at the beach, said she had been squatting in her sister’s hut after her cabin was washed away by the raging sea.

She said apart from losing her cabin to the sea, she

•Covered property of some victims

also lost some of her valuables when the sea violently invaded her home.

She said: “The problem we are going through occurred because the sea is angry. The sea is angry because people are defiling its purity. If you are familiar with the nature of the sea, you will know that it detests dirt.

“It is always clean and good for drinking. Many people use it for spiritual purposes because of its purity. If you come here at night, you will see many people coming out of their jeeps to fetch it in Jerry cans. Some even use it to bath right here and after doing that, they enter their vehicles and drive off. This

THE NATION, Saturday, August 18, 2012

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•Kuramo Beach before the incident

•Esther, a resident

problem.

“If I leave the beach, where would I go and what would I be doing? I am a nanny to the children of some of the prostitutes. I started taking care of their children when they barred every call girl from keeping their children in the cabin. Previously, they used to keep their children with them in the cabin. But right now, it is prohibited.

“I also hustle for customers once in a while, especially when the call girls have not got money to pay me for taking care of their children. As I am talking to you now, most of them have not paid me. The mother of this boy (Musa) has not paid me. She is a young girl formerly married to an Hausa businessman at Obalende.

“If I leave the beach, my life will be in crisis because I don’t have any savings that I can fall back on. We live on daily income here. But where you don’t make money in a day, you have friends that can lend you some money.”

Another resident, who identified herself simply as Esther, said the rage of the sea cannot drive them away from the beach where they make both ends meet.

She said: “The sea cannot drive us away from this place because it is our first home and business centre for now. Leaving this place for another area is like returning to square one. I can only leave when a better deal comes my way.

“There is no difference between what has happened here and what is happening in other places. It is a natural occurrence and has nothing to do with defiling it. Is it today that people started defiling the beach? Why has it not been wreaking havocs over the years?

“Let us be frank with ourselves; everybody will die by one means or the other. So many people who have been killed by the sea were not resident here. They just came for picnic and in the course of playing around the sea, they were swept away and killed. Has that stopped people from coming to the beach to enjoy themselves?

Of course, it cannot stop them.

“Have you also heard that anybody was killed among us The problem we since the sea started are going through invading our cabins?

It is a phase that occurred because must pass away.” the sea is angry.

Continuing, she The sea is angry said: “The beach is because people are always cold, now that defiling its purity. especially the sea is If you are familiar overflowing its banks. I always with the nature of smoke Indian hemp the sea, you will skunk to warm my know that it detests or body. They are sold dirt. It is always between N100 and clean and good for N200 around the area demolished by the drinking. Many government. I am people use it for used to taking them spiritual purposes and I wonder where I would get money to because of its buy them if I leave purity. If you come the beach.”

Sunday, a trader at here at night, you the beach, said the will see many of the sea had people coming out threat not affected his of their jeeps to business. He said people had not fetch it in Jerry stopped coming to cans. Some even the beach because of use it to bath right the incident.

Therefore, he has here and after nothing to gain by doing that, they leaving the beach enter their vehicles because of what he described as a and drive off normal problem in places where there are rivers.

He said: “What has happened is not anything one should panic about.

Anybody who lives near the sea should expect it to overflow its bank or get violent once in a while. It is just like a human being. No matter how sane you are, you sometimes get mad at people for whatever reasons.

“As far as I am concerned, it is not a serious threat.

People have continued to come to the beach and business has also continued as usual. As long as my daily bread is still coming steadily from this place, there is no reason for me to relocate because moving to another place means going to start life from the scratch again.”

,

•A view of some affected areas

•One of the affected cabins

is to tell you the value and importance of the sea to people.

“Unfortunately, some of the residents and people who come here to enjoy themselves do not treat it with the kind of decency and respect it deserves. It is a common sight to see people defecating and urinating into the sea when we have mobile toilets around.

“Some people do all manners of rituals and dump it in the sea. At times, you see people that tie themselves facing opposite directions and doing all manner of rituals by the sea.

“It is as a result of its rage that most of us have lost our shelters. I am already making plans to construct

another cabin after the sea pulled down the previous one. I am currently squatting in my sister’s cabin pending when I complete my new place. I lost everything when the sea invaded my cabin. As I am talking to you right now, I am in great pain because a nail in one of the woods that fell from my cabin pierced my leg.”

Asked why she chose to stay back at the beach in spite of the difficulties, she said: “There is nowhere there are no challenges in life. Before this problem started, we heard of how floods killed people in different parts of the country. If not for the people that are messing up the sea, we would not have had this

,

THE NATION, Saturday, August 18, 2012

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DANA PLANE CRASH:

•Mrs Fintirimam Istifanus consoling her children

•A delagation of cbn officials at the Yakubu Gowon Airport Jos to recieve body of Istifanus

Tears, agony as body of CBN director arrives Jos HE people of Maraba Pushit were thrown into a fresh session of mourning on Wednesday as the body of Istifanus Mutihir, a Deputy Director of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), who died in the Dana plane crash that occurred in Lagos on June 3, was committed to mother earth. It was the climax of two months of agonising search for his body.

A mournful mood pervaded the air as family members, friends and sympathisers gathered at the Yakubu Gowon Airport in Jos to receive his body. It was the same airport where his wife had grown accustomed to •Dr Wetkos Mutihir elder brother handiing over the body in ambulance to receiving him each CBN officials at Jos airport time he flew in from Lagos to see her and the children. Sadly, I Yusufu Aminu IDEGU, Jos I this time, the usual warm embrace was conspicuously missing Mutihir did not make it body arrived Jos airport that they wouldl see their back to Jos alive from his official trip to Lagos. breadwinner no more.

According to family sources, the late Mutihir had Wetkos, the late Mutihir’s elder brother, received left the family on June 3 with an assurance that he his body which was flown to Jos in an Arik plane. would be back in two days. That, however was not He then handed it over to the officials of CBN who to be as the plane he boarded from Abuja crashed a had gathered at the Yakubu Gowon Airport to few minutes to landing, killing all the 153 receive their fallen colleague. passengers on board.

Born on June 10, 1959, the late Mutihir died When the news of the accident broke, his wife seven days to his 53rd birthday. He was until his and three children wished it was not true. And death the Deputy Director, Financial Policy and since June 3 when the accident occurred until his Regulation at the CBN, Abuja. His sudden death body was retrieved from the mortuary of the Lagos brought to an abrupt end his 13-year-old marriage State University Teaching Hospital on Wednesday to his widow. Fintirimam. The marriage produced his wife and children did not stop trying his phone three children made up of two males and a female, line, hoping against hope that he would pick their namel David Pankyes, Derek Nandom and calls by a stroke of miracle and tell them that he Deborah Nankiling. did not board the ill fated plane.

The mother of three was in the world of her own The reality, however, dawned on them when the when she received the remains of her late husband

T

on Wednesday. She remained speechless as she looked in a particular direction, gazing steadily at something only her eyes could behold.

As tears rolled down her cheeks, she muttered: “I got married to my late husband 13 years ago. it was our hope to live longer. We wished to grow old together and see our children grow.

But God has a purpose for what has happened.

I don t have any regrets, because it is the Lord’s doing.

“As a human being, I can’t question God. It is well. As for our children, God will strengthen them and give me the strength to take care of them.”

•Family members and sympathisers at the airport Jos to recieve body of Istifanus

15

THE NATION, SATURDAY,AUGUST 18, 2012 then waved to our child, Oluwatosin, and hurried out of the house. We did not know that he was bidding us the final goodbye.”

Investigation revealed the deceased electrician had finished the most difficult aspect of the job and had descended the ladder to fix some sockets. It was at this point that light was restored in the area and he got electrocuted.

An source who asked not to be named said: “There had been power outage before he started the job. He had finished with the damaged electric cables on the pole and he climbed down to repair some electric sockets in a building. It was while he was fixing the electric sockets that electricity was suddenly restored and he got electrocuted.

“He shouted for help, slumped and passed out instantly. Some sympathisers immediately rushed him to the hospital where doctors confirmed him dead.”

A sibling of the deceased, identified simply as Idowu, described Ojo’s death as “shocking and bizarre”.

She said: “I was in my residence when some people started shouting ‘Brother Remi, Brother Remi’. I rushed out to see what had gone wrong with him.

“On getting to the scene, I saw my brother on the floor and we rushed him to a nearby private hospital where doctors said his condition had gone beyond what they could handle. We were advised to take him to Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital (EKSUTH) where doctors confirmed he was dead.”

Speaking further, the deceased’s widow said: “About 20 minutes after we returned his body home, we noticed that he was moving his body and legs again, and we quickly returned him to EKSUTH.” However, the hope of reviving

‘The cultists who killed my wife must be found’

32-yr-old breadwinner electrocuted ‘

I insisted that he must have his meal before attending to his customers but he said he did not want to disappoint them. He said he would quickly fix the problems and return to have his meal. He then waved to our child, Oluwatosin, and hurried out of the house.

We did not know that he was bidding us the final goodbye

,

Kunle AKINRINADE Ojo was short-lived because the people could not secure prompt medical attention for him. He died a few minutes after he was taken to the hospital the second time.

“We were hoping that he would make it, but when we got to the hospital, there were no doctors to attend to him. Many other patients too were waiting for doctors.

“After some time, he relapsed into unconsciousness and died finally. If we knew there would not be doctors around to take care of him, we would have taken him to a private hospital where he could be properly taken care of.”

Like his 10-month-old daughter, the deceased electrician, a native of Ire-Ekiti, was said to have also lost his father as a toddler.

•Mrs Yasuyi

F

OR 57-year old Osayande Yasuyi, Sunday August 12, 2012 will endure in his memory. It was the day he joined the ‘club’ of widowers.

His wife, Elisabeth, an employee of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, was shot dead in his presence by suspected cultists in their residence at Akpata Street, Ovia North East Council.

Osayande, the headmaster at Obazuwa Primary School, said his late wife had prepared his meal and urged him to take his bath before the cultists struck. He said the most painful aspect was that his first son,

A family source, who asked not to be named, said: “This is strange and I believe there is more to the death because Remi (Ojo) lost his father when he was an infant and he •Ojo also died while his own daughis still small.” ter was barely 10 months old. He The deceased was buried amid was a pillar of support to his family sobs by family members and and the reeling trailing his death friends who described him as would no doubt last for a very long peace-loving. time, particularly because his child

,

T

HE family of a 32-year-old electrician was thrown into deep mourning penultimate Saturday, following the electrocution of the breadwinner in AdoEkiti.

The incident, which occurred at the family home of the deceased Remilekun Ojo at No 16, OdoAremu Street, Ado-Ekiti, also threw the entire town into confusion.

Findings revealed that the deceased had left home earlier on that day to train with some youthful footballers at an open field nearby.

He returned a few hours later to have his breakfast when some residents asked him to help them fix their light.

Ojo was said to have left his apartment against the advice of his wife, who insisted that he should have his meal before going out again. He was said to have quickly dropped his bag and bade his daughter goodbye, promising to return soon to eat the food that had been prepared for him.

In an interview with our correspondent, the late Ojo’s widow, Stella, recalled how her husband met his untimely death.

She said: “When he was leaving home on that day, he asked me to prepare his meal before his return.

He had left home in his usual manner to train with some young footballers on a nearby field.

“A few hours later, he returned home. Before then, some people had come to ask for his services. He immediately dropped his bag and reached for his tools in order to fix some electricity problems for his customers.

“I insisted that he must have his meal before attending to his customers but he said he did not want to disappoint them. He said he would quickly fix the problems and return to have his meal. He

I don’t know the boy that shot my wife.

But he said he knew me. My wife asked me to take my bath before I having my meal. She was getting the water when she was shot. I was about to alert her that the boy had brought a gun, so that we would run inside, but the shot was fired

,

Osagie OTABOR, Benin Eseosa, would be graduating this year while the daughter, Osatohanmwen, was planning to get married.

He said: “Imagine, my son will soon graduate and my late wife was preparing for his graduation ceremony. But she is no more. My daughter is about to get married.

In fact, it was on that day my wife

told me that our daughter was bringing a man home.”

Narrating the circumstances in which his wife was killed, Osayande said: “I am 57 while my late wife was 48. We had been married for 28 years.

“On August 12, I asked my child to get me some planks for me to roof my additional building. As he

was getting the wood, a boy who admitted in my presence that he was a cultist, parked his motorcycle in front of my house, at the spot my son was to pass through with the planks he conveyed with a wheelbarrow.

“My son asked him to leave so that he could pass, but the stranger called my son a stupid boy. He asked my son, ‘Do you know who you are talking to? Can’t you take the other side?’

“My son politely asked him to leave the way but he went further to threaten my son. My son asked who he was and he said he was a senior cultist and that he belonged to the Eguagie and Endurance group.”

“He gripped my son and my son also gripped his clothes. In the process, their clothes were torn. Then he slapped my son and my son slapped him back. The cultist was annoyed that my son slapped him, so he started threatening that nobody would sleep in our house for three days and he left.

“Twenty minutes later, he returned with a motorcycle and shot my wife. My wife died. I took her to the hospital and her corpse was deposited at the mortuary. We have three children before her death.”

On whether the son knew the boy, Mr. Osayande said his son is a final year student of Obafemi Awolowo University where he is studying Public Administration.

He said: “He came home for holiday. I don’t know the boy that shot my wife. But he said he knew me.

My wife asked me to take my bath before I having my meal. She was getting the water when she was shot. I was about to alert her that the boy had brought a gun, so that we would run inside, but the shot was fired.

“They were two, and they came on a motorcycle. The police should help me fish out my wife’s killers.”

16

THE NATION, SATURDAY,AUGUST 18, 2012

T

HESE are not the best of times for residents of Anambra State. They are living at the mercy of kidnappers. So dreadful is the situation that many of them are already relocating from the state. There is hardly a week now that a bigwig is not abducted by one of the numerous kidnapping gangs in the state.

Before now, armed robbery was the crime that thrived in the state.

But that has since been taken over by the apparently less risky and yet more lucrative kidnapping ‘business’. Worse still, some of the victims are killed by their captors even after ransoms are paid on them by their relations or they vanish without any trace.

For more than one year now, two traditional rulers abducted by kidnappers in the state, Igwe Lawrence Oragwu of Adazi Nnukwu, Anaocha Local Government Area, and Igwe Jerome Okoli of Ihembosi, Ekwusigo Local Government Area are yet to be found.

The kidnapping of the traditional ruler of Ukpo community in Dunukofia Local Government Area, Igwe Dr. Robert Eze, on August 1, 2012, has forced the vigilance groups and the state police command to re-adjust their strategies.

The abducted monarch is the younger brother of renowned oil magnate, Prince Arthur Eze. Last week, the vigilance groups in Ihembosi community, Ekwusigo Local Government Area combed every nook and cranny of the local government area, apprehending two suspected kidnappers and rescuing two victims in the process.

The suspects and their victims were quickly handed over to the police command in the state, which has also arrested more suspects.

The State Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), under the leadership of James Nwafor, moved into remote areas regarded as flashpoints of kidnapping activities and made some arrests.

The Anambra State Governor, Peter Obi, in conjunction with the state police command, led by Bala Nasarawa, also went to Nkpor to seal off a hotel named Arthur Gardens for allegedly being a hideout of kidnappers.

The sealing of the hotel has generated serious controversy in the state with some people who spoke with The Nation on Saturday claimed the action was political. But some of the suspects in police custody, who spoke with our correspondent, blamed poverty for delving into kidnapping.

The Nation on Saturday checks revealed that many kidnapping suspects were being detained at the office of the State Security Service (SSS) in Awka. But many Anambra residents are not happy that the suspects are being kept in the custody for too long without being arraigned. In fact, some of them are calling for jungle justice against the suspects, which they believe is the only remedy to kidnapping not only in the state but in Nigeria.

The suspects being held include Onyema Odoh, a native of Nsukka, who specialised in supplying arms to the suspects; Okwuchukwu Udoh from Alor, Idemili South Local Government Area and Ifeanyi Okoye from Obosi, Idemili North Local Government Area.

Others include Ikechukwu Chiajunwa from Obosi; Chijioke Udoh from Oraukwu, Idemili South; Onyeka Ajato from Awka; Uchechukwu Akujinma from Obosi and Chinedu Eze from Ideato, Imo State.

Also, in the custody of the police are Ikechukwu Nwali from Ezza, Ebonyi State; Ikenna Ezike from Otolo Nnewi, Anambra State; Omaliko Ugochukwu from Abatete, Idemili North Local Gov-

•The set of suspected kidnappers

Why we ventured into kidnapping —Suspects •Anambra CP, Bala Nasarawa

‘

•Other set of suspects

Nwanosike ONU, Awka ernment Area; Uchenna Chukwuneke from Anam, Anambra West Council and Obed Ikenna from Ebonyi State.

Speaking with The Nation, Chinedu Eze confessed that he only joined a kidnapping gang led by a man called Mopol about two weeks before he was arrested. He said his gang was responsible for the kidnap of a known Banker at Nkpor in the commercial city of Onitsha recently, shortly after the banker returned from his base in Lagos.

On his part, Omaliko Ugochukwu said he joined his kidnapping gang in order to make enough money to cater for his family and girlfriends.

He said the gang’s leader, known simply as Nkwucha and now on the run, had already led them to snatch an Infiniti car, adding that their plan was to sell it and use the money to settle down to kidnapping business.

Ugochukwu said he had just completed secondary school at Okpatu secondary school in Abagana when a friend named Ebuka introduced him to ‘kidnapping business’.

For Onyema Odoh, an indigene of Enugu State who supplied guns to kidnappers, each gun sold for N50,000. They included pistols and cut-to-size barrel guns, which he said he imported from Benin Republic, having lived there for years selling motor parts.

Another suspect, Okwuchukwu Odoh, who was involved in the kidnapping of the Head of Service (HOS) Orumba South Local Gov-

•The hotel

ernment Area some weeks back, said his was a four-man gang. He said their victim’s family paid N2 million ransom before he was released, adding that the weapons recovered from them included two AK47 magazines containing 45 rounds of ammunition, one locally made cut-to-size gun and a doublebarrel gun, among others.

He said he delved into kidnapping business because of the kind of money the people in it were making, adding that he made N400,000 from his first operation.

Another suspected kidnapper, Chijioke Udoh, got into trouble with the kidnapping of an 83-yearold man from Oraukwu, over whom a ransom of N1 million was paid. Udoh, a 24-year-old man from Oraukwu community, told our cor-

respondent that his cousin, Chigoziri, introduced him to kidnapping, adding that other members of their five man gang were on the run.

He blamed the devil for his foray into the business, saying he joined the gang as a result of poverty.

Uchechukwu Akujinwa confessed that he was among those who threatened to kidnap Chief Rommie Ezeonwuka about three weeks ago and robbed one Jimmy Okonkwo when he was coming back from a security meeting at Rojenny Games Village more than one week ago.

Other suspects spoke in the same vein. But they all vowed never to go back to the trade if they regained their freedom.

The Public Relations Officer of the Ananmbra State Police Command,

Uchechukwu Akujinwa confessed that he was among those who threatened to kidnap Chief Rommie Ezeonwuka about three weeks ago and robbed one Jimmy Okonkwo when he was coming back from a security meeting at Rojenny Games Village more than one week ago

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Raphael Uzoigwe, told The Nation on Saturday that the arrest of the kidnapping suspects was the beginning of new things to come in the state in terms of security.

He said the command was still combing the nooks and crannies of the state for the kidnapping suspects on the run.

The Commissioner of Police, Bala Nasarawa, who addressed a meeting of all his officers in the state on the issue, charged them to live up to their responsibilities as the custodians of the state’s security system.”Since the bird has learnt to fly without perching, we the hunters have also learnt to shoot without missing. We have a job in our hands and we must finish the job,” he said.

THE NATION, SATURDAY, AUGUST 18, 2012

17

A

ROBBERY suspect arrested by operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) of the Lagos State Police Command has given reasons why he operated alone as an armed robber.

Thirty-year-old Orji Chigozie said it is safer to operate alone as an armed robber because once the police is able to track down one member of a gang, the safety of the remaining members cannot be guaranteed “even if they run to heaven.”

Chigozie also said it is difficult to know what is on the different minds of gang members at every point in time, particularly during robbery operations because most armed robbers live on hard drugs and alcohol and so are not different from mad people. He said they are usually not time-conscious and would even want to rape victims’ daughters.

Chigozie added that by operating alone, he was able to admit his mistakes and took responsibility for his actions rather than blame the results on someone else. This way, he said, he built the confidence to operate strictly according to his own plans.

And since he carried out the operations alone, he was also able to enjoy his loots alone.

Chigozie. A native of Mbaise, Imo state, said: “I am married with a kid.

I reside at No. 20 Aludo Street, Ikotun Ebge, Lagos. I trade in cloths, especially Ankara fabrics, which I normally import. I came to Lagos in January 2007 and had more than six boys, including two apprentices, working for me.

“Whenever I travelled abroad and came back with goods, I usually left them in the care of my boys who would sell them and send the money into my bank account in one of the first generation banks.

“When money started coming in, I opened many accounts in new generation banks. In fact, I became so rich that I counted myself blessed by the Almighty God. I used to settle any apprentice that passed through me to the point that I became a reference point in settling apprentice well at the end of their terms.

“But last year, the devil struck and my business collapsed when the Customs men seized my goods at Badagry as contrabands. The goods were worth more than N400,000. I spent more than N100,000 in the efforts to retrieve them, but it was all to no avail. That affected my business a lot.

“To start afresh, I had to close all my savings accounts with the hope of travelling abroad to import some goods. Unfortunately, I was waylaid by highway robbers. They robbed me of all the money. This made my business to collapse and the boys who worked with me started finding their ways. I had no alternative but to fold up. I stayed alone and started thinking about how to survive.

“I started doing what we call market runs. This means you stay with any shop that has goods that people rush for. If it is sold for N5,000, I would simply add N500 or N200 to it, depending on the pocket of the customer in question. If he or she is rich, I may end up getting about N500 extra while poor customers would add just about N100 after you must have sweated persuading them to buy.

“But life was not fair to me. I could not save enough money to pay my rent knowing the importance of accommodation in Lagos. My twoyear rent at Ikotun expired and the landlord was on my neck to pay him N100,000 for another two years for a self-contained room and parlour apartment. He threatened me with quit notice and threatened to use the courts to eject me if I failed to pay him within the short time he gave me. I pleaded with him to give me more time to look for money, as I had not owed him since I moved into the apartment.

“I told him how Customs men seized my goods and how highway robbers robbed me of all my savings while I was travelling to buy goods.

‘Three reasons I operated alone as an armed robber’

•The weapon he used

•The suspect Ebele BONIFACE I promised to pay him as soon as I got the money but he would not listen. He said he was a retired civil servant and that he depended on the building to pay his children’s school fees and feed his family.

“He even reminded me that the government was probing the people that embezzled their pension funds and that he did not know when they would finish doing so, not to talk of getting his pension.

“As I wandered from place to place, thinking about how to survive, I visited my wife’s sister in her husband’s house within Ikotun area.

I asked her about her husband and she told me that he travelled to Norway and had been living there. I then decided to be keeping her company, especially for her wisdom in consoling me and giving me the hope of rising again. She said her husband was doing well and was taking good care of the family, to the point that they were not really feeling his absence.

“I started paying her visits. I re-

laxed my mind and felt so much at home there that I adopted the place as my second home. During one of my visits, I opened a drawer in the parlour while looking for a video cassette, and to my greatest surprise, I saw a brawny pistol. I called the woman and asked her who owned the pistol and she said it belonged to her husband.

“I told her that it was risky to keep the pistol in the drawer because the police could accuse her of unlawful possession of fire arms while a criminally-minded person could also steal it if he found it in the drawer. I asked to keep it in the interest of the family and she agreed.

“I kissed the pistol and called it my new baby. I then hid it where I only had access to it. From that day, I started watching crimes films, reading crime stories, attending the parade of arrested armed robbers, visiting bunks where people smoked Indian hemp and discussing crime issues.

“All these made me to know that most of the robbers who got into trouble in the course of carrying out

operations did so because of the carelessness and indiscipline of members who do certain things that are inimical to the success of the gang. That was how I decided to form a one-man gang.

“Unfortunately, failure still trailed me and I was arrested in my first attempt at a street behind my own street.

“On that fateful day, May 17, between 2.30 am and 3 am at Egbe, Ikotun area of Lagos, I covered my face with winter cap to avoid being identified by the people in the area.

Already, my wife had been living with my in-laws who lived in a three-bedroom flat around Ikotun, since I liked to be left alone to think about my life.

“When I got to the building I intended to rob, I used a wooden ladder to scale the fence. As soon as I landed, I went straight to the window and knocked. They asked who it was and I responded by saying, “Wake up! Why are you still sleeping?.”

“When the man opened the window, he saw the gun in my hand became afraid. He started trembling.

I went in through the window and ordered him to open the door so that I would see the way to escape after the operation.

“At gun point, I escorted him to his bedroom and ordered him to surren-

‘

I kissed the pistol and called it my new baby. I then hid it where I only had access to it. From that day, I started watching crimes films, reading crime stories, attending the parade of arrested armed robbers, visiting bunks where people smoked Indian hemp and discussing crime issues. My only regret is that I am the first robbery suspect from a family known for its Christian background and regarded as very responsible in Mbaise town

,

der his handsets. I threatened to shoot him dead if he phoned the police or neighbours. Still trembling, he gave me three blackberry phones and begged me to spare his life.

“I told him that I really did not need his mobile phones, and that what I needed was cash, failing which I would sniff out his life with my Brawny pistol. He told me that he had no cash in the house and that if he had known that he would have a visitor like me, he would have kept money in the house.

“I told the man that he was playing with fire and asked him whether he was thinking that what I was holding was a toy. I told him that it was not a locally made pistol, and that it would send him to the grave if he failed to bring money.

“As the man continued to fidget, wishing that he had money, his younger brother, who had been watching from his hiding point, suddenly emerged with a dry wood and hit me at the back of my head. I fell down instantly and the pistol fell on the ground. He then pinned me to the floor and started shouting on top of his voice, “We have caught him!

Come and help us tie him before he recovers! The neighbours gathered and used a rope to tie my hands and legs and started asking me about the other members of my gang. I told them that I was a one-man squad but they did not believe me.

“They started beating me until I fainted. When I woke up, I found myself at Ikotun Police Station. I was later transferred to SARS for a thorough investigation. I am waiting to be charged to court.

“My only regret is that I am the first robbery suspect from a family known for its Christian background and regarded as very responsible in Mbaise town.”

The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Umaru Manko, said armed robbery is armed robbery, whether the squad is made up of one man or 10 men. He said the suspect would face the full wrath of the law.

18

THE NATION, SATURDAY,AUGUST 18, 2012

•Joseph being questioned

I

•Joseph

Angry mob beats up dismissed police sergeant accused of raping five-yr-old girl

T WAS a rowdy scene penultimate Friday as residents shoved and pushed one another. They were struggling to catch a glimpse of a dismissed policeman arrested for raping a minor at No 14, Kehinde Street, Olota, Abule-Egba, Lagos State.

Before long, the anxious spectators turned into an angry mob and descended on the suspect with punches. His hands were later tied and he was handed over to the police.

It was gathered that the suspect, Sehinde Joseph, who lives in the same house as the parents of his victim, had lured a fiveyear-old girl named Mary into his room and attempted to have carnal knowledge of her.

Findings revealed that Joseph, who was the only one at home, had taken the girl into his room while her mother, Adebola, an estate agent, had gone out to honour some appointments with some of her customers.

Adebola said but for her timely arrival, the suspect would have raped her daughter.

She said: “It really amazed me that my neighbour, who has four children, would do a terrible thing like trying to rape my daughter. I had gone out to see some of my customers some streets away from my residence.

When I returned, I called

Kunle AKINRINADE out for my daughter but she was nowhere to be found. I kept calling her name and Joseph answered from his room that he had sent her to get some provision items from a nearby shop.

“When I got tired of waiting for her to return, I decided to peep through the mosquito net at his door and I spotted my daughter’s slippers in his sitting room.”

Adebola said she got the shock of her life when she entered Joseph’s sitting room only to see him adjusting his shorts while her daughter knelt on the floor with her hands raised up.

“I asked him why he was punishing my daughter in his bedroom and he told me he did that to correct her for buying junk.

“I quickly raised the alarm and residents rushed to his apartment.

When we undressed my daughter, we saw his semen rushing down her knees.”

Responding to questions from our correspondent, Mary said: “He called me into his room and asked me to remove my pants. When I refused, he forcibly removed them, dropped me on the bed and slept on me. When my mummy arrived and was calling me, he covered my mouth with clothes. But when he discovered that my mummy was coming towards his room, he asked me to kneel down and raise my hands.”

The girl’s father, who was away when the incident occurred, urged the police to prosecute the suspect.

“Joseph is a heartless fellow. I want the police to ensure that he is prosecuted properly to serve as a deterrent to his likes in the society,” he said.

Some residents who spoke with our correspondent in confidence

described Joseph as “randy and irresponsible.”

A resident, who asked not to be named, said: “He is randy and irresponsible in the neighbourhood.

He had been in the habit of harassing both young and old women in this area. People are usually afraid of taking it up with him because of their belief that he was a police sergeant.

“However, we were told at Meiran Police Station that he was dismissed from the Nigeria Police more than five years ago.

Adebola said she suspected that Joseph wanted to rape her daughter for ritual purposes.

She said: “He had been boasting in this compound lately that he would soon become rich, and I strongly suspect that he wanted to use my daughter for money rituals. But, thank God, his plan has failed totally.

“The only thing is that my daughter has been highly traumatised since the incident occurred. She can no longer stay in the room without somebody being with her. But I have started working on her psychology.

“We have taken her to a hospital for medical checks and we have been told the results would be ready soon.”

When our correspondent contacted the Public Relations Officer of the Lagos State Police Command, Ngozi Braide, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) on the telephone, she asked for some time to get the details of the incident from the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of the station, Mrs Chioma Ajunwa.

She, however, did not pick subsequent calls our correspondent made to her telephone. She also did not respond to a text message from our correspondent.

•Suspect tied by the mob

19

THE NATION, SATURDAY,AUGUST 18, 2012

•Shops with easy slide for the disabled

Ultra-modern market gives new face to Rivers community •Nsirim

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FIRST time visitor would wonder what the massive edifice is doing in the remote setting of Obiakpor Local Government headquarters in Rivers State. Apart from the wide expanse of land the building occupies, it also boasts the best of facilities.

The N2 billion ultra-modern international market, unarguably one of the biggest in Nigeria, is one of the efforts being made by the local government to boost the economy of the area and that of the state in general.

The Chairman of the local government, Prince Timothy Nsirim, said the idea was to make the people of the area experience the modern way of doing things in cities around the world. “Obiakpor is no longer a local government but a cosmopolitan city. Whatever happens here is applicable to what happens in America and other cities. All we do is to follow due process,” he said.

It is a big transformation for the people in the aerea because prior to 2008, there was no market in the community. Revenue was not generated in the local government which had to depend solely on allocation from the federal government. But the chairman believes that if things are done properly, the government at the grassroots could do wonders. He, therefore, decided to pull the resources of the council together, giving birth to the ultramodern market.

The market sprawls on about

Nneka NWANERI eight acres of land. On its features, Nsirim said: “There is what I call the belle kingdom—the the mama put section—to enable male and female food vendors to provide good food for the traders.

“In the market is a big rendezvous for parties where canopies can be erected; a police station and an 11room resident police quarters. It also has a 10-bed sickbay section with emergency ward and minitheatre where pregnant women can be delivered of their babies.

“There is a crèche for children with a kitchen and library, so they are not exposed to money early in life. It is also a place they can stay while their parents are busy in the market.

“The market has a fire service station, an abattoir, 400 stalls and 400 lock-up shops. The shops are tiled and are as big as warehouses. Two people can share a shop. The open lock-up shops are run with wiremesh that can’t be easily cut. The wire-mesh cost more than the building itself. There are bonded warehouses and motor parks.”

Nsirim said the market, a project that cost N2 billion, though ultramodern, would cater for all kind of tastes and would meet the highest environmental standards. He also spoke on the design, which he said would allow for the addition of decks and re-roofing in the future, if the need arises.

The chairman described the

•Bed and library for the creche in the market

project as uncommon because it came via divine inspiration. He said: “This is an uncommon project because God revealed it to me. We are cosmopolitan and have left a local government status because we are thinking 50 years ahead. Even the public toilets are as beautiful as the ones in presidential hotels.

To show its uniqueness, the market provides for all classes of persons, including the disabled who are provided a thoroughfare.

“The programme is short and long term. It is long term because when the stalls and lock-up shops are eventually filled up, it will be reroofed and decked up two floors.

“We are thinking ahead. Dubai started like this. Since Governor

Rotimi Amaechi has given us free hand and though we are working with the allocation we got from the federal government, we are open to worthy investors and we appeal to the state to help us,” the chairman explained.

He said apart from building the local economy, efforts were being made to improve infrastructure in order to attract investors. About 17.2 kilometres of roads have been tarred to ease movement of persons and goods.

Nsirim said apart from the shopping complex, the council has also invested in agriculture: “We have 200,000 fish, snail and mushroom in the farm. We have done major projects like road construction, wa-

ter, electrification and all we spend is for the people and not for ourselves.

“It is not uncommon to see people engage in street trading in local government areas, but at Obiakpor, this is going to be a thing of the past as the market will cater for this category of people.”

To ensure smooth and efficient running of the market, there is an administrative block to oversee maintenance of facilities. Nsirim believes when local governments have more freedom, as given Obiakpor by Gov Amaechi, more would be achieved.

The ultra-modern Obiakpor International Market is billed for commissioning on August 23.

20

THE NATION, SATURDAY, AUGUST 18, 2012

For decades now, Lagos socialite, Otunba Jide Shonubi, has been a recurrent name in society circles. He was a regular face at popular clubs around Lagos in the days when the late Afrobeat King, Fela Anikulapo Kuti, hit the music scene. Victor Olaiya’s “jump” was also at this time already being looked forward to on particular days of the week at particular spots around Lagos. Juju music had also come up and had performers like Sunny Ade and Ebenezer Obey, with the growing popularity of the genre promoting a formidable social life in the city.

Otunba Jide Shonubi knew all the popular musicians of the day. Incidentally, fortune favoured him, increasing the bond between him and his friends in the entertainment industry. According to him, his love for the entertainment industry was responsible for his involvement in the growth of many artistes who also sang his praises in some of their songs. In the 1990s, however, Jide Shonubi fell on bad times. His fortune dwindled drastically and he had to maintain a low profile.

But with the help of his powerful friends in the corridors of power, he bounced back soon after.

Now 73, Otunba Shonubi spoke to PAUL UKPABIO about his fame and fortune, how the banks made him broke, how friends rallied around him and how he is presently enjoying the good life as a septuagenarian

‘My only regret as a socialite’

‘

Ah! I used to dance a lot.

As a matter of fact, my knee problem could be adduced to my early dance habit, which I used to do a lot then. I grew up in Epetedo part of Lagos. I was born here. In those days, we used to shuttle clubs; The Ambassadors and a lot of others then. I rocked! I really rocked in my growing up years. Now my knees are rocking me

’

•Shonubi

H

OW do you feel being in your 73rd year?

I thank God, it is He who has kept me all this while.

How has your health been lately?

If you remember, last year, all I had to think about was going for surgery. I had a knee problem. I was to go to India for the surgery operation but something occurred and I didn’t go to India, but instead, I went

to a top hospital here in Lagos for the operation. The operation was conducted by a consultant named Abudu, who used to visit the hospital from London.

At about the time I went for the operation, my friend, Feyi Winfunke, also went for an operation in America. So, I was in the hospital when I was told that my friend had died. You can imagine how I must have felt hearing the news on a hospital

bed as I recuperated from my own operation.

You seem to have had a lot of attachment to the late socialite and businessman before and after his death...

Yes. He was a nice man. He was very simple by nature. He always respected me because socially, we were always going out together. I’m a very sociable person, so we used to go out a lot, Sunny Ade and Ebenezer Obey followed me along. We had a good

understanding of ourselves. He was a good friend to me. He stood by me and without him, I wouldn’t have known the place that is today called ‘Abuja.’ He was the one that took me to Abuja.

I used to think of Abuja then as America; a far away place that I could not reach. The place was way beyond my reach. But to God Almighty, Otunba Feyi Winfunke told me that the downfall of a man is not the end of

21

THE NATION, SATURDAY, AUGUST 18, 2012

•Shonubi with a guest

his life. I took him up on that. Since then again, we have always had a cordial relationship. He encouraged me to look for my friends, like Chief Mike Inegbese, when I was down.

You were so successful. How come you fell on bad times?

It’ wa the banks; Amicable Bank, and National Bank. When they became distressed, I was affected. Also, all the shares that I bought and lost out on affected me.

Some of us had kept a whole lot of money in those banks and bought their shares, thinking that towards our end, we could enjoy the money we had kept there. But the banks crashed and we fell down like Rock of Gibraltar.

(He shakes his head) Hmm, North-South Bank, National Bank, Amicable Bank and some other banks like that affected my fortune then. I was a contractor for these banks. I was supplying them air conditioners. So, I had my money with them.

I had no hint that they were going on liquidation. The distress of these banks came abruptly towards the 90s and after.

How did you manage to bounced back to rule the social scene again?

It was by the grace of God. It was through people who liked me. It was the good I sowed in other people that helped me. Like I told you about Feyi Winfunke, he took me to Abuja. People had been going to Abuja then when they encountered bad times but still did not hit any fortune there. But Feyi told me to pack my bags. I had been very close to the family. Even when his first son was having his wedding, I played the role of the father because he had called me and told me to do so if he happenned not to be around. All his family members know me.

So, at the wedding, I had to represent him as the father of the groom, as if he was alive.

I also helped to organise and ensure that all was well. That should tell you how close we must have been. I have learnt in life that one good turn deserves another. Whatever we do today is for tomorrow and not for today, because posterity will judge everybody.

It was Winfunke who told me that I should not stay away from my friends. The first time that I left Lagos to Abuja was at the push I received from him. We were together with some friends when he challenged me by

asking why I had not moved to Abuja. I told him that I did not know anybody there. But he challenged me again and said that I knew people in Abuja. He then went ahead to mention some notable Nigerians who I knew in Abuja. He was the one that gave me the push.

He told me that my friend, Alhaji Alao Azeez Arisekola, was there and that I should go and meet him. He said, ‘How can I have a friend like Arisekola in Abuja and be suffering in Lagos?’ So, I landed in Abuja and saw Arisekola. It was as if Arisekola had been waiting for me. God has always been using the man for me. He took me around Abuja.

He told me that I had to open a workshop in Abuja so that I could start making money again. He was anxious that I put the pieces of my life together again.

When I got to Abuja, the first contract I secured was N9 million. But I have been back from Abuja since eight years ago. I have retired. Abuja is a different place now. Things are no longer as they used to be, and at my age, there are things I cannot do again else I may make myself an object of ridicule.

Wherever you go in the world, when it is time for you to go back home, if you don’t, you will become a nuisance there. You know we are careful not to damage our names, although it is not so with the younger generation.

Over the years, you have been a regular face in social circles. What do you remember of your early life?

Ah! I used to dance a lot. As a matter of fact, my knee problem could be adduced to my early dance habit, which I used to do a lot then. I grew up in Epetedo part of Lagos. I was born here. In those days, we used to shuttle clubs; The Ambassadors and a lot of others then. I rocked! I really rocked in my growing up years. Now my knees are rocking me (laughs).

But I thank God that I enjoyed my life. I have always loved Jazz music particularly. I enjoyed myself, but you cannot be too cautious or too perfect when you are enjoying yourself.

Do you have any regrets?

The only regret I have is that I have not served God enough the way I would have loved to serve Him. When you are at this my age, there are things that you should not do and can not do again; some things you must

have been doing which you ought to stop by virtue of your advancing age. I can only be thankful and prayerful to God, because the end is coming. I have already told God that I don’t want Him to keep me when I am in pains. I don’t want to suffer old age diseases.

People pray to have long life, but as far as I am concerned, there are different types of long life. Would you want to grow old and still be able to move around and enjoy your life, or would you want to be old and can only be spoon-fed and carried to the toilet?

So there are different types of lifestyle in old age. I told God that by the time you are taking me away, let me be aware of myself. I prayed to God that I should not be that old that I cannot carry my body.

So, I thank God for making me to be alive even after my knee surgery. A lot of people have gone through that kind of surgery but did not survive it. I don’t want to go through agony as I get older. I don’t want a situation where I am so old that I defecate on the bed and the children say, ‘Ah! Baba has messed up!’

Do you still have friends? How do you hangout or enjoy yourself?

I have lost many friends. But I still have some friends. We move around. We go to one another’s houses to enjoy ourselves. I also attend the parties of younger people, though when I do so, I take precautionary measures. If I dance for some time, I sit down.

I do not dance for long. I am also always careful of what I take and drink at such parties. I don’t consume alcohol, I take water unlike in those days. Now I take softer drinks.

But I enjoy all kinds of music. Once it is music, I enjoy it. Even the upcoming musicians are good, I see them as very hard working. But unlike their counterparts in London or other developed places, the musicians here make everything by themselves, which should not be. They are the composers, producers, mixers and distributors. So, you can imagine. But it is not so abroad.

If you had your way, what would you change in the music industry?

I will like musicians to play meaningful songs. Music is supposed to create fun. Not just to create sound but sound with meaningful words. During those days, there

were good songs about the current happenings in the society: marriage, love and so on. For instance, Michael Bolton sang in one of his lyrics, ‘Babe, you don’t know what it’s like, to love somebody, love somebody, love somebody…’ Also, there is this one, ‘Omo pupa o, omo pupa lemi nfe, omo pupa o, jowo mo feran e o…’

And you find that such music becomes evergreen in people’s minds. Sunny Ade, for instance, is a good composer. So also is Ebenezer Obey. Musicians should pay more attention to the words in their music.

As a socialite, how have you been able to handle the women?

I thank God I have a good wife who loves me very much. I do not overdo anything.

Women, of course, can admire a man. It is the man who should know where he is going and also know his pocket. There is a song which says love costs money.

Women are expensive to maintain. So, when God has given you your own, stay by her. This is because you need to know that if you punish your wife, when you get to old age, she will punish you back.

In most cases, 70 per cent of men die before their wives. So, she is likely to be the one to take care of you at your old age. So, if you had been mean to her, that time, she could retaliate. Unfortunately, if your wife dies before you, too bad, because, nobody can handle you like your wife. So, if you punish her while you were young, too bad, because the children will follow her, take her side of the matter when you are old. And at that point, you are left alone.

Tell us about your fashion sense.

I had a fashion sense right from the day I was born. I keep money to buy things. I have always known and loved good materials. Everything is not money. People have always over-priced me. But, of course, that is God, It is only He who keeps somebody going. Once the glory of God shines upon you, people will over-price you. It is you that will know within you that you are nothing but for God. Now, what else do you ask from God? I ask God to give me wisdom to serve Him till the end of my life. Give me good health, give me long life; not with suffering and sickness, but with money. I tell God that if I am to suffer, then don’t let me stay long.

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SOCIETY

THE NATION SATURDAY, AUGUST 18, 2012

Ashafa, EMC donate computers to school Senator Gbenga B. Ashafa recently donated computer systems to Iwerekun Community High School, Lekki, Lagos.

The initiative, which was a collaboration between the senator and EMC, an IT company, is aimed at boosting the skills of the students of the school.

On the occasion were Mr. Ola Jimoh, Regional Manager of EMC; Mr. Fady Richmany, the Regional Managing

Director of EMC; Alhaji S.I. Ojomo, Bale of Lakowe community; Hon. Kemi Surakat, Chairman, Ibeju-Lekki Local Council Development Area; and other prominent people.

At the event, the students were advised to take the advantage of the computers to develop their IT skills.

Apart from the computers, 17 tables and chairs were also given to the school.

L-R: Mrs E.A Otemuyiwa, Principal of Iwerekun Community High School, Mr. Jimoh, Alhaji Anifowose Dendel, Senator Ashafa and Mr. Richmany

L-R: Senator Ashafa, Mr Richmany and Alhaji Ojomo

With the students are L-R: Mr Jimoh, Mrs Otemuyiwa and Mr Richmany

The computer systems

•Senator Ashafa (left) Mr Richmany

L-R: Lt. General Azubike Onyeabor Ihejirika, Chief of Army Staff; bridegroom, Ndubisi Ihejirika; bride, Mercy Ihejirika; and Pastor Emmanuel Dickson Ibekwe, chairman of the occasion, during the wedding reception of the couple at the 81 Division of Nigerian Army, Lagos

Pastor (Mrs) Esther Adetola Okunmuyide and her children, Abiodun, David and Dotun during the burial of her husband and ex-Chairman Agbado Oke-Odo LCDA, Lagos, Pastor Kenny Okunmuyide.

23

THE NATION, SATURDAY, AUGUST 18, 2012

E-mail: victor_akande@yahoo.com

ntertainment

Reason I can’t act nude for Nigerian audience Nollywood actress,

Tel: 08077408676

Leelee Byoma

Edited by: VICTOR AKANDE

REELNEWS -Pg 25

Egor Efiok storms ‘Akwacross’ with Hollywood stars

LOCATION

BACKSTAGE

SNAPSHOT

REEL NEWS

MUSIC

SCREEN

SNAPSHOTS-Pg 24

SEE PAGE 28 - 37

Bimbo Akintola romances again?

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THE NATION, SATURDAY, AUGUST 18, 2012

STAND BY! h

Wit

VICTOR AKANDE E-mail: victor_akande@yahoo.com Tel: 08077408676 (SMS only)

THINK

SNAPSHOTS

nt part of An importa s of any the succes is its civilisation late the mu ability to e t led to the a th factors ther success of o Eric .— s civilisation rt Reine

A day without music It is better imagined than experienced… when a man wakes up in the dead of the night, restless and unable to find sleep again; and the night becomes seemingly longer and unending. But perhaps with a melody from some distant land, or some tunes from his local radio, he may find sleep again.

A day without music reminds you of war-torn area- a crisis that grips with fear and uncertainty.

This is what comes to my mind as the Nigerian music industry proposes yet another 'No Music Day' for September 1. However, the irony of the exercise is that the musicians want to celebrate. It is not about sadism, I believe, but a festival of selfadulation by the artistes, and an indirect way of calling all to the significance of their role in the society.

You'll agree that this is much-needed in Nigeria where intellectual property is treated with disdain.

T

“

HE event which is held participants. on September 1 of every The Copyright Society of year seeks to focus Nigeria (COSON), will also be attention on the widespread hosting an “Open House” on infringement of the rights of the day, at its headquarters in composers, song writers, Opebi, for journalists who may performers, music publishers wish to update themselves and other stakeholders in the with the activities of the music Nigerian music industry. The theme of this year's celebration industry.

To borrow the words of is “A World without Music” Chief Tony Okoroji, “Music is and is focused on promoting like air. As long as it is there, the unsung contributions of we really do not quite value it.

Nigerian music to the socioTake it away for a few hours economic development of the and we realize how difficult nation,” says Chinedu Chukwu on behalf of Nigerian life can be without it.” music industry coalition.

In the words of the Secretary What is the modality for this of Association of Music Business Professionals (AM.Bexercise? The coalition is Pro), Efe Omorogbe, who is requesting all broadcast presently leading a group of stations and major users of music across the country not to young and talented Nigerian musicians on a musical broadcast music onslaught of between the hours of 8amThe coalition is North America; is our 10am on requesting all “Music business, we Saturday broadcast stations must protect it.

September 1, 2012, as a mark of and major users Nobody invests a venture solidarity with of music across in without the the nation's the country not to intent of making creative industry broadcast music profit. We want being devastated to use the by massive between the platform of No copyright hours of 8am- Music Day to say infringements. to all who have 10am on Just for 2 hours? continually This to my mind Saturday infringed on our is mild. But even September 1, rights, desist at that, the 2012, as a mark of from this. For too regular radio we have buff, the on-air solidarity with long, watched our personality and the nation's businesses being presenter who creative industry plundered by needs to break and when his programmes being devastated pirates, I say pirates, I would feel the by massive also mean those oddity of a who have copyright 'musicless' copied interlude. Theirs infringements illegally and used our is not an arrogant works to power directive, as the their operations. We will not sit musicians would request that and watch this happen all stations that are anymore. As artistes and 'sympathetic' to the plight of investors in the music business, the music industry are being we have come together to requested to dedicate the time ensure that we see the end of belt to interviews, this great injustice that has documentaries, debates and been done our music industry discussions that focus on the and we will.” rights of creative people and the state of intellectual The first 'No Music Day' in property rights in Africa's most Nigeria was held on September populous nation. Newspapers 1, 2009 marking the climax of a and magazines are also being week of demonstrations and a encouraged to do special hunger strike campaign features on the industry to mounted by Nigerian artistes mark the day. from across the country in condemnation of the To make it a celebration by debilitating music piracy in the all, lovers of music will not be country. left out of the celebration, as the coalition is launching Can't wait for that day to online engagements, debates, come… I like to experience discussions and quizzes with than imagine a world without prizes for different music, but just for 2 hours.

WRITE TO US!

Do you watch Nollywood movies? What do you think of the Nigerian motion picture industry? Send your review of any movie or short essay on any topic of your choice about the film industry in not more than 200 words. Send entries by e-mail to: victor_akande@yahoo.com or SMS your short comments to 08077408676

Bimbo Akintola romances again?

B

IMBO Akintola may have acted in several movies, but one movie that readily comes to mind whenever that name is mentioned is Out of Bounds, wherein her romantic role in the blockbuster movie cemented her place amongst industry finest.

However, after that fame which burnt with so much ecstasy in the 90s, Bimbo has resurfaced again in one of the most anticipated movies of 2012, Hoodrush, a musical thriller produced by Dimeji Ajibola.

Since Dimeji concluded work on the work, pundits, who have seen the movie have often compared it to Out

Mary Uranta moves to Lekki apartment

of Bounds. This is because; her role in the movie brings back memories of Bimbo's craft in terms of her role delivery.

According to the producer who spoke to us via a telephone chat, “Bimbo showed a lot of class. She connected well with others.

That's what you get when you bring on board a talented actress. Expert hands make your job as a director easier”.

Bimbo played the love interest of Shez a character played by OC Ukeje. Though the movie is billed to hit the Nigeria cinemas in the coming week, the performance of the duo via sneak preview has continued to generate a buzz.

I

T has been all roses and bloom for Nollywood actress, Mary Uranta, who not too long ago, acquired a Wrangler Jeep. The actress, whose profile has been on a steady rise, we can authoritatively tell you, has moved into a choice apartment in the Lekki area of Lagos.

Gist from rumour mills has it that the Port-Harcourt born beauty is presently having a swell time with her new lover, an oil and gas magnate who is lavishing her with exotic gifts.

According to a close source, the oil magnate lover who hails from Delta State recently gave the actress USD 20,000 for her birthday which held on July 17 at Gee's Place in Lekki, Phase 1.

Followers of the actress' career would notice that since the beginning of this year the actress has been frequenting movie locations especially in Ghana. She's also one of the casts in Halima Abukabar's yet to be released movie, Mistress. No doubt she's one of the actresses to look out for.

The light-skinned actresses also has a new look which has been creating a lot of buzz in the industry. The glow can be attributed to the fact that she's in a sizzling romance with a rich dude couple with the fact that she's also one of the most sought after actresses in Nollywood presently.

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THE NATION, SATURDAY, AUGUST 18, 2012

RE ELNEW S

Wale Adenuga gets TV licence

•L-R: , Belinda, Jackie , Chelsea, G-lory

I

N what appears to be an era of reawaken TV business, Wale Adenuga Productions, known for its series of TV drama, film school and children programmes has been granted a special TV license by the National Broadcasting Commission, (NBC).

Called WAPTV, the broadcast license, a Direct to Satellite (DTS), it is said, enables the company to transmit to all parts of the world.

Nigeria’s first 3D

Egor Efiok storms ‘Akwacross’ with Hollywood stars

G

OING by the script, a story is about to be told, but with a new creation that leaves out the complexities that may arise from scholastic debate about whether the life of Atim Okpo Ebot, the historical Calabar dreaded sea goddess/he-goat is well represented. However, this story is about Adidi Ata Ebua, and not Atim Okpo Ebot.

Adidi Ata Ebua is the dreaded sea goddess of Mystery Beads. Atim Okpo Ebot's story was an inspiration through which Adidi Ata Ebua was created.

But smart producer, Egor Efiok, CEO and founder of E4 PR, with this second movie of hers, appears to be ready for the market, with several USPs that are expected to boost patronage. Among these attractions is the need to link Adidi Ata Ebua, her protagonist creation with a popular Calabar folktale; and to bring out the aura of a paranormal film through the 3D medium, a format, which though is in vogue, but is yet to be explored by any Nigerian filmmaker, underscores her effort as the first Nigerian 3D movie upon completion.

“I decided to produce a paranormal movie, Mystery Beads, and use the movie, Paranormal Activity, as a touchstone. It may seem farfetched, but it is my ultimate dream to have the likes of Steven

A

•Egor Spielberg and Oren Peli get involved in our industry, as they did when Peli's Paranormal Activity drew the attention of Spielberg, who later went on to direct a sequel. I have always believed that with hard work and determination, nothing is impossible.” The producer said, Wednesday at a press conference in Lagos.

The movie will be directed by Frank Adekunle Macaulay, the DOP for Gugu E. Miachael's Dangerous Men and Unge's War. To play the leads are Hollywood actor, Emeka Amene (NCSI, Angel) and Ghollywood's finest actress, Jackie Appiah. Others are; Anthony Monjaro (pilot in Last Flight to Abuja), Julian Nnadi (Gulder's Ultimate search), Ime Bishop Umo, Davies Bassey, Joseph Akahome, Frederick Leonard, Solomon Akiyesi, G-lory (singer), Ani Iyoho, Chief Mrs Minika Etim James, Koko James, Chelsea Eze, Peter James, Shedrach Nwora, Jasper Essien Koofreh, Belinda Effah, Captain Cassie Idagbo, Eric Anderson and Sammy Young.

With Egor's roots linked to Cross River and Akwa Ibom States, the movie Mystery Beads, may just be the platform to bring the two states together again as supposed to the current animosity over oil.

O

it into the dollar-soaked world of international soccer! His joyless marriage to Tinuke (Tina Mba), a junior bank worker, is crumbling fast, especially after the death of their only child.

A boost to his sagging spirit comes when a big-budget French-Nigerian film project appoints him as director.

Suddenly, the press begins to (re)celebrate him. Top actors and producers begin to call him up. To his wife's distress, Fele also quickly re-establishes his wane reputation as a first-class womanizer.

The plots come together neatly at every sequence, adding glamour to the boring

•Adenuga

Mr. and Mrs. rocks homes

NE of the much talked about movies of the year, Mr and Mrs, has been released on DVD for home viewing.

The movie which enjoyed favourable media appraisals while in the cinemas, hit the stands, a few weeks ago in Ghana, and according to Chinwe Egwuago, the producer, it is planned for the

Nigerian shelves on Monday, August 20.

According to Egwuago, “the success of Mr. and Mrs. at the cinemas was tremendous and I have been getting requests from people asking that they will like to see the movie again, and I actually think the time is right for a DVD release”.

Mr. and Mrs. is all about couples whose marriages are threatened by age old economic and social

divisions in the society. It tells the story of Susan Abbiah (Nse Ikpe-Etim), a lawyer who is holed up in a marriage that has been engulfed with issues from differences in the social strata. Her husband, Kenneth Abbiah (Joseph Benjamin), a rich son of a Senator is bent on not letting the world know of his wife's background and decides to keep her in the kitchen where he believes she belongs.

Okposo, Eben, others raise the roof at Deepex

I

The drums beat for Heroes and Zeros

FTER reviewers delight for Aramotu, the story of the legendary woman entrepreneur and human right leader, director Niji Akanni, is out with another work that furthers his reputation has a filmmaker outside the box called Nollywood. Is it a mere coincidence that the making of a Nollywood film is a part of his critique as one would find in the highly thematic Heroes and Zeros, produced by KOGA Studios? Niji's creative prowess pitches lousy ephemeral movie production against classic story of human interest and the environment, rating the later for real value for an artist that seeks for his works to outlive him.

In the same vein, the print media, another domain of the filmmaker is brought to the fore, with the picture of a dreaded end for exponents of Yellow Journalism, as supposed to developmental media practices.

Amos Fele was a wealthy celebrity director in the Nigerian film industry.

Now he lives in a ramshackle flat, doing occasional low-paying TV commercials for nameless products. He's a daily comic relief on the local soccer practice pitch: because though he's already 45 years old, he nurses a new, insane dream of making

According to Wale Adenuga, MFR, “Since the news came to us, we've been in a joyous mood.

This is an opportunity for us to give Nigerians a real family entertainment Channel, first of its kind.

We're grateful to NBC, our viewers, staff and management of WAP for their support over the years.”

He said WAPTV will start transmission on October 1, 2012, airing on Startimes bouquet.

life of Amos Fele, when his extra marital activities begin to overtake his sense of decency-plus, the blossoming activities of the young gossip journalist and his seemingly conservative editor.

After months of what seemed to be an unending wait, the movie is set for premiere on Friday, August 31, 2012, while September 7 has been fixed for its cinema runs.

The film stars Bimbo Manuel, Nadia Buari, Gabriel Afolayan, Olu Jacobs, Norbert Young, Akin Lewis, Funsho Adeolu and Chervel Bridgette among others.

T was an evening of deep worship experience for those present at the unveiling of Deepex with Liza C' on Sunday August 12, at the Gloryland Dome, situated along Apapa-Oshodi Express way, Lagos.

On hand to support Liza C and the Deepex live band in leading the people from the earthly realm into God's presence were Eben and Sammie Okposo.

Present at the unveiling was Dr. I.S. James, the founding pastor of Glory Christian Ministries who gave a whole new concept to the act of Worship.

According to Liza C, the creator of Deepex, “the Lord's manifest presence wasn't in doubt as He indeed gave us an encounter, a visitation. This vision was inspired, conceived and borne out of experience, relationship and God's dealings with me. The word Deepex is coined from Deep Experience.”

Other gospel artistes in attendance include Princess Ann Inyang, DJ Gosporella, Rain, Esta, Lily and VC Perez.

•Liza C

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THE NATION, SATURDAY, AUGUST 18, 2012

Kenny and Taiwo Oyelowuminu believe that they come with a different brand of music.

Speaking with OVWE MEDEME, the young artistes who go by the stage name Xchange say that their creativity is their staying power. They also talk on other issues.

H

OW did you end up in music?

It has always been our inclination.

Before we gained admission into the University, before we even thought of going for our various disciplines, we had been doing music and it boils down to the fact that it is an inherent thing which we found out that we had inside of us. We just love singing. It has actually been a part of us, even after we got into the University, we still found ourselves singing and going for shows. On graduation, we went to practice in our various fields but we still found out that music was still the major interest. We had no choice to adhere to it. We studied Business Administration and Accounting respectively at the University of Ilorin.

How would you describe your style of music?

We do afro hip hop, but in a very innovative style. We mix it with different languages especially the three major languages; Yoruba, Igbo and Hausa. Basically, music has been what has been on our minds for a very long time. Getting to school was just to acquire formal education, and to be well tutored and prepare for what we are going into. We didn't just bump into it. We are in it for the passion. The reason why we even took up jobs in the first place was to get the funds to go for our studio work and to project our gifts.

How long have you been singing professionally?

We started music professionally in 2005. That was when we started going to the studio for recordings.

How many albums do you have?

Right now, we are still working on our debut album, and we have our singles on air now and it is titled Ore. We will be releasing another single very soon. We also have a collabo with General Pipe titled Number One. The title of our album is Satisfied.

Why is it taking you this long to come out with an album?

Interesting enough, if you study the music industry very well, you will find out that a lot of young artistes take their time in releasing their albums.

Over a period of time, we could have come up with an album but we found out that it keeps evolving, it keeps getting better. We eventually found out that there are a couple of things we could incorporate to it to make it very tight. One very basic thing is that if you do a very good work on your album, no matter how long it takes you, you will have that satisfaction. At the end of the day, you will enjoy the fruit of your labour. It all boils down to having a strong passion to do a very good job.

Who writes your songs?

We both write our songs.

How do you manage that?

It is very simple. We would probably get a tune, play with the chorus, and then we come up with our different solos. We write our solos separately so that it won't have the same feel. That is where creativity comes in. We try not to make our songs boring, because the first solo is really different from the second. We make sure we work with producers that will bring out the best

We’re out to change the face of gospel music —Xchange

of our efforts.

Who are those producers you have worked with?

We have worked with Cabasa. We have also worked with Indomix who is have people to project our songs. We with Kennis Music and a host of don't get the right people to project our others. songs. Most of the people we met tried How would you relate the journey to extort from us. People take into music? advantage of what you are ignorant of.

We paid people money and they didn't It has been really very challenging render any service. We have been but the challenges come with its extorted but over a period excitement which makes it of time, we came across interesting. Like we told You can't listen people that were honest. someone, we don't do anything other than music.

What is the biggest to it and not We work with the theory stage you have performed shake your of self actualisation which on? head. We try to says that every human One of the biggest being wants to get to that stages we have performed make it very peak where they realise in a big convention interesting. We was that they have achieved we had recently. It was a something in life. Music is are trying to big camp meeting in one place where we Badagry. Apart from that, change the face realised that we can get our we have performed in self actualisation. Basically, of gospel music churches and shows. in life, we believe that because a lot of There is the notion that nothing comes easy. gospel music is not people believe commercially Without a rough road, you viable. will end up not knowing that gospel How do you hope to how to manage life. survive? music is the What were some of Our style of music is type of music very those challenges you unique. You can't faced? that has to be listen to it and not shake When we first started, we head. We try to 'churchy'. That your faced money issues make it very interesting. is why we say We are trying to change because it is actually expensive to produce a we are 2 Classic the face of gospel music good music from a good because a lot of people producer. One other thing believe that gospel music we faced then was getting a good is the type of music that has to be producer. We went from one studio to 'churchy'. That is why we say we are 2 the other but we also realised that we Classic. We say that in the sense that just kept getting better. We got more the kind of music we are bringing out exciting lyrics and more exciting songs. is the kind that you want to play in Another challenge which is quite clubs and parties. That is why we pertinent to artistes is that we don't chose to work with artistes that

produce secular music. They bring out that hip hop flavour in our songs.

How would you describe yourselves?

We are Kenny and Taiwo, born to a family of six. We attended Satellite Town Primary School and Navy Town Secondary School. Immediately after that we moved to The University of Ilorin. We were actually born in Jos, but after a while, we moved down to Lagos. We are from Kwara State.

Immediately after our first degree, we went for our masters.

How true is the belief that with twins, one is always overbearing?

Kenny: Basically, it is true because for a period of time, I orgainsed twins day in the university. I made enough enquiries to know that it is always like that.

Which of you is the domineering one?

Taiwo: Actually, when it comes to me, I am extremely outspoken. When things get to me, I speak out. I can be very blunt but my brother is quieter.

He is very insidious. In that way, he is domineering.

Do you have any differences?

Taiwo: When we are not doing music, we work separately. We don't like wearing the same things. We don't like faces being on us.

When you were kids, would you say you gave your parents headache?

We gave them more than enough because we were always fighting. We didn't just fight, we also scattered things. Our mother spent a lot of time trying to prevent us from fighting, but right now, I think she is enjoying herself.

27

THE NATION, SATURDAY, AUGUST 18, 2012

•Omawumi

The Headies confirms hosts

•M.I

Emeka Smith

Boogie MC

•Tiwa Savage

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THE NATION, SATURDAY, AUGUST 18, 2012

ntertainment Kaduna State born Up-andcoming Nollywood actress, Leelee Byoma is quite new in the game, but fate brought her in contact with award-winning producer, Emem Isong who gave the thespian her first role in the new soap Catwalq.

Afterwards, she took her chance in Ini Edo's latest flick Will Take My Chances. For a new act, her resume makes an impression, and there is no doubt that it's only a matter of time before Leelee, who is also a writer, hits the limelight.

In this interview with MERCY MICHAEL, she talks about her love for the worldof-make-believe and how far she's willing to go.

Except:

‘My romance with Femi Brainard’

THE NATION, SATURDAY, AUGUST 18, 2012

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OW were you cast for the role of Biola in Catwalq?

I went for the audition. Then I was very new in Lagos; I just came to Lagos actually. Emem Isong gave me my first job. I didn't know anybody.

Then, I enrolled in her academy to take up a screenwriting course, and when she was having an audition for Catwalq, I took part, and that was it.

What were you doing before then?

I was schooling, after which I observed my compulsory Youth Service. And then I worked for a year as a contract staff with Zain at a call centre. It was at Zain that I decided that 9:am resumption time and 5:pm closing hour wasn't for me. So I left.

What did you study in school?

Computer Science Computer Science!Then, how did you find yourself in the world-of-make-believe?

I'm hoping this generation of mine would have learnt something that our parents didn't.

When I was much younger, I used to literally cry when I see a child on TV. Be it in a commercial, a movie or soap. I was always crying to my mum that I wanted to be in it too.

And my mother was always perplexed, because she didn't know what to do with me really. She didn't know where to go. But I'm sure if she knew better, they could have put me in this part earlier on. But no, I had to get through it all on my own. So this is what I've always wanted to do. Even from when I was sixteen and I decided to join Actors Guild of Nigeria.

Films weren't coming to Kaduna but I just go for the meetings. I just liked being in that group. I liked hearing the stories of others experience. No work was coming, but I will spend the whole day just interacting with them and learning from what they had to teach.

So apart from Catwalq, have you starred in any movie so far?

Yes, I starred in Will Take My Chances. It was a minor role though, because there wasn't really any role apart from those of dances.

And that was good enough for me. There is something about big budget cinema productions that attracts me. So that's something I want to be a part of. So, I didn't mind. And I wrote for the newest soap she just produced, that was called Perfect Love. I was one of four writers on that soap. I also did another film which was premiered two months ago. It's called Love Is Not Enough.

What role did you play in Love Is Not Enough?

I played the character of Adesuwa, Femi Brianard's love interest. Femi Brainard was the lead character and we females were supporting.

What was it like acting alongside Femi Brainard?

It was amazing. Femi is really cool and fun person to act with. He gives you a lot to work with. I think that's just the best thing for every actor. To work with another actor who gives you something to…I fed off his energy. He gives you a lot of it. He doesn't bring you down so you have to try hard to step up to him.

At the moment what are you up to?

At the moment I'm writing a story that's all my own. I've got a few partners with whom I am going to produce it. Yes, I'm not necessarily going to act in it. But let me see how the script turns out. I have been doing the screenplay for a while now. Because anything that appeals strong to me, regardless of how small it is, I will do it well.

If there isn't anything, I would get the best actors for it and I will produce it. So that's something we are going to start working on from this year.

It appears you will end up producing more movies than you will act?

I say Amen to that. Yes, I want to be more in control of the content that goes out. Because sometimes, as an actor, you just sit back, someone writes it, they bring it to you. Someone directs you; someone handles the post production, so you don't really have any control over what goes out there.

But I would like to have more control over the content. When people are going to critic, let them tell me; 'no you messed up' or 'you did a good job'.

Because when you're just an actor, you intelligence is being questioned.

Which are you more comfortable with scriptwriting or acting?

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We have to make this thing tasteful. We are not here to show people butt and breast.

We are here to shoot a film. It has to be believable. So really, if a scene calls for it, I will do it.

Yeah, I will I'm comfortable anywhere. I just want to be more in charge. I don't think if a script is not well written, it couldn't be well told. I would like to be in control of the things that I put out there.

Tell us about growing up in Kaduna?

It was amazing. We had fun times. We are like one big family. I look forward to seeing those days come back again. Now we fight every few years.

It's not cool. We were one big family. We could go anywhere freely and no one was worried why is she not back or what happening?

With stories of bomb scare practically in that region, do you feel comfortable going home?

My mum still leaves in Kaduna. I still go to Kaduna. I was there in April for her birthday. We had a fun party. Nobody bombed us. Kaduna isn't that bad. We are not hiding under a cave. We still move around.

You never mentioned your father. Why? People always notice. My dad it's been late for twenty years now. It was twenty years in January. So my mother is the ultimate definition of a strong woman. She has raised five children.

So what memory of him do you keep?

I have memories of taking evening rides out with him to get Suya. I think he probably helped my love for Suya till this day. After he died, my mum would take me out and I would request for Suya and she'd say 'it was your father that spoilt you' (laughs). I have those memories.

Remember, I was really young when he passed on, but I have memories of closing from school and the driver stopping to pick him as well and he will not be ready to close from work.

So, I would be in his office. I would raid his fridge. Pack all his biscuits.

My siblings at home would be counting on me to bring some other goodies from daddy's fridge. So I will raid his fridge, pack all his biscuits and all his chocolate and wait for him till he his ready to go home. I'm sure he was happier on the days he was ready to close when I came from school so that we just go home. These are some of the few memories I have off him.

Why didn't you start your career from Kaduna?

It's something that's still in the works. The industry there doesn't get a lot of work. You Lagos people just colonized everything. Filmmakers don't go there like that.

What are the challenges of breaking into mainstream Nigerian movie industry for you?

Breaking into mainstream, the challenges, as with every job abound. You know you have to be in charge of your career as an actor, pick the right roles, the right films. Now the thing is if you're going to be that way, you find yourself going hungry a lot of times because you're not going to be working all the time, because not every production out there is top-notch. If someone will take their time really to tell a story properly, I would want to be involved, but if you're going to be picky like that, you're going to be hungry as an

actor. So those are the challenges. You have to try and come to a compromise or you stick by your principles and suffer for a bit and reap the rewards later. Those are challenges that everybody faces. And we are facing them every day.

With all the huddles, do you sometimes question why you are here in Nollywood?

Are you kidding me? I left Kaduna to come to Lagos to do this. This is what I want to do. I just figured life can be short and it will be very boring living to do what you really don't enjoy doing.

Yes, there are times tears have been brought to my eyes and I ask myself, “why am I even here”? But again, it's something that truly makes me happy.

Even someone with a high paying job in an oil company, I'm sure will have days when he's sad and it's like what's going on. Challenges will come with every job. Honestly the industry is young and I think we are trying. With every job you have to start from somewhere. That's how it is too with this job. But still, you come across some really professional filmmakers, like Demeji for instance who would pay you well to do what you enjoy and that just makes everything worth it.

Were you in Hoodrush? What role did you play?

Yes, I was the presenter of the talent hunt reality show. I'm sort of like the face of the African Icon.

I understand it's a musical thriller.

Do you sing also?

I can sing and I did sing actually.

Yes, I did because Demeji originally considered me to be one of the reality show contestants, so I recorded a song along with some others. But then, we sat down and read the script another time, and I said Demeji, 'look at this script again', and he read it and he said, 'I think there is a different role that you might want to try out'. I did and I ended up not singing, but originally, I was going to sing. Please believe me, it's important to me.

When you said Demeji paid you handsomely. How good was the pay?

I have to be sure Demeji has released me of that clause in my contract that said I should not disclose anything.

Don't disclose anything. Let's just know of the numbers of zero's?

I wish I could tell you that I had six zero's but no I can't do that. But yeah, it was a sizeable number. Let's just leave it at that (laughs).

As a writer yourself, what did you really find fascinating about the script?

Demeji script was well written. The story itself was told properly. It's a musical. And I particularly found it very impressive that Demeji went to the length of getting original song written for that script. We didn't just sit down and say oh, that Tuface's song is nice, so we use it. We got original songs written. And they were already there in the script when I saw it and was like wow! And I said this songs I don't know them and she said yes, they original. Someone wrote them.

All of them and that thrilled me. Forget that the

I'm never going to do anything to put my family and my loved ones in shame. I won't do that.

But haven't said all that, some friends might be put to shame if you even kiss in a film. I don't have time for all of that

ntertainment story is different, unique and it was well told, just that singular factor impressed me and I said okay, this is going to be really great. He had beats made for every song. When I heard everything, it was very impressive. Everything was covered down to the thinnest detail.

So for you would you say it has been your most challenging role?

Well, considering the fact that yes I haven't done ten films…hmm, I won't say its my most challenging role really because it didn't break my neck. Until that role comes. But it's been my most interesting role. I loved the character.

What's your dream role at the moment?

Changes every time though, but I would like to be that tough girl who kicks ass. Pardon my French. I want to be in an action film. I want to be that tough girl in an action film. I'm trying to shed weight so that I would be fit. I'm taking lessons in martial art. You are laughing now but I will be laughing one day. For now, that's what I want.

How do you unwind?

I try to watch movies. I hang out with friends every now and then. My friends always tell me that for Northerners we are almost like Yoruba people in my family. We love good opportunity to throw a party. So every now and then, you'll see me flying back home either for my sister's birthday or my mother's birthday. I'm always going for a wedding. I think that's how it works for me.

As a young girl, does your mother share any fears with you regarding your career?

For my mother, I think she sleeps well at night knowing that she raised us the best way any mother could have, but every now and then, I speak to her and she says, how is it going? And she would round off her conversation with 'remember to be of good behaviour. I know somehow she's not worried but she has to say it just in case I'm forgetting.

What would you do and what wouldn't do you do to interpret a role?

I don't know per se, off course I wouldn't do nudity. Not because I don't believe in the art of it.

When I see western films, I recognize it for a work of brilliant art. But from a different culture, we cannot be copycats. We are not going to force a western culture on our people. So I recognize what they do in the western world. I applaud them, but I'm definitely not going to do nudity for Nigerians audience. It's not in our culture and we can't appreciate it. Instead of people seeing the art in it, they are going to see it as an absence of home training. I'm never going to do anything to put my family and my loved ones in shame. I won't do that. But haven't said all that, some friends might be put to shame if you even kiss in a film. I don't have time for all of that. My conscience judges me more than anything anybody would say.

Are you saying if you have to wear a bikini in a Nigerian movie you won't?

I will do it so long as the director is not razz about it. We have to make this thing tasteful. We are not here to show people butt and breast. We are here to shoot a film. It has to be believable. So really, if a scene calls for it, I will do it. Yeah, I will.

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Beauty parlour partners Tinsel

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ITH the aim of raising the bar in movie production, highly rated M-Net production, Tinsel, partner's renowned hair stylist to the stars, Ugo George Igbokwe of Make Me Salon, to deliver a 10day training workshop with members of the hair department of locally produced TV soap opera.

According to the Tinsel Line Producer, Rogers Ofime, though locally based and produced, the drama series is a world class production. “We constantly strive to achieve world class standards and ensure we are up to date with international trends and practices. This partnership is part of a series of workshops directed towards

availing the Tinsel crew of the expertise of renowned Nigerian entrepreneurs who excel at their craft”.

MD/CEO of Make Me Beauty Parlour, Ugo George Igbokwe, popularly known as 'Ugo Make Me' described the Soap Opera as truly addictive.

“The reason we chose to partner with Tinsel is because the soap opera has over the years proven itself to be of international standard, this is something consistent with us at Make Me. We are very focused on excellent service delivery, hence, we understand the value of a production such as Tinsel and we were quite pleased when they approached us with the idea of training their hair department.”

Odugbemi, Mauricio Amado headline DW Series

W

ITH several editions down the line, organizers of the Design Workshop Series say that all is set to host the th 13 edition of the project. Headlining the edition for the month of August is none other than filmmaker, writer and photographer, Femi Odugbemi. Trained in Film and TV Production at Montana State University, Bozeman, United States, Odugbemi has a passion for the art has driven him to write, direct and produce several notable documentaries, dramas and commercials.

Notable among his works are MNet's acclaimed soap-opera, Tinsel, Who Wants To Be A Millionaire, Oriki, a culture exposė as well as the new documentary titled Bariga Boy. Also on the line up is Mauricio Amado, a Mexican-American architect with over 25 years of work experience in civic and senior living architecture. He is currently serving as a

project manager of the senior living segment at Rees Associates and has completed projects in the United States.

Joining the duo would be Lanre Olusola, a philosopher, people manager, life coach and performance catalyst. He is also a National Development Strategist, facilitator and public speaker.

Slated for Saturday th 25 August, at the Architecture Studio, University of Lagos, Akoka, organisers of the session say that attendance has been fully paid for.

According to Pelumi Olowolafe, Head DW Series, the event has become a major avenue for consistent interaction between industry practitioners and students or willing youths, challenging young minds to creativity and focus.

2012/2012 SEASON

Pg 30

NIGERIAN EURO based stars set to shine

TORRES: Last season was a nigthmare for me despite trophies

Pg 32

RODGERS: We can reach top

Pg 32

Page 29

Saturday, August 18, 2012

ROONEY, RVP partnership

•Van Persie

•Rooney

near perfect S

IR ALEX FERGUSON believes the signing of Robin van Persie will give him a strikeforce to compare with the prolific quartet who helped fire Manchester United to Champions League glory in 1999.

United have had a £24 million bid accepted for Arsenal captain Van Persie, who has completed his move to Old Trafford on Thursday.

Ferguson expects the Dutchman to make his debut in Monday's match at Everton, where he could join Wayne Rooney in a partnership comprising the two top scorers in the Premier League last season.

"They are two fantastic players and it's great to have both of them," Ferguson said. "It's great to have a player of Van Persie's quality coming into the squad.

He is on his way up from London, he will have a medical later this afternoon and we hope that goes according to plan.

"His agent is in talks with David [Gill].

Hopefully everything will be tied up by the end of the day. I am sure he will be available for Monday's game."

Together with Danny Welbeck and Javier Hernandez, plus Shinji Kagawa, Ferguson feels he has a group of forwards to rival the class of 1999.

Andy Cole and Dwight Yorke started the Champions League final win over Bayern Munich, while Teddy

Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer came off the bench to score the goals.

Ferguson added: "If you go back to 1999 season and we had Dwight and Andy and Teddy and Ole Gunnar - the four best strikers in Europe - and we are getting back towards that now.

"We have got Chicharito, we have got Wayne, we have got Robin, we have got Danny Welbeck and we have got Kagawa. That is a fantastic combination of players. Hopefully I pick the right combinations."

Ferguson was speaking as Manchester United announced a three-year partnership with bwin, now the club's official gaming partner.

THE NATION SATURDAY, AUGUST 18, 2012

2012/2013 SEASON

Euro based Nigerian stars set to shine Football leagues all across Europe are set to get underway. While some kick off today others will do next weekend. For some Nigerian professionals, it is another opportunity to showcase their talent in some of the most lucrative leagues in the world. Judging from last season's performances, the few of the players showed class and others struggled to make an impart. But with expectations high thses players will not settle for less in imposing their presence in the colours of their various clubs. INNOCENT AMOMOH profiles the players that should hold their own when proceedings begin.

S •Mikel Obi

JOHN MIKEL OBI TILL basking in the euphoria of winning two major trophies with Chelsea Football Club last season, Nigerian international, John Mikel Obi has told those who care to listen of his desire to crown his efforts at the Stamford Bridge with the English Premier League title this season. Though the former Lyn Oslo of Norway midfielder has had his ups a downs as long as making a statement at the London club is concerned, Mikel Obi can also hold his head high in terms of the number of appearances he has scooped since joining the side six years ago. But having garnered much experience playing under renowned coaches like Jose Mourinho, filippo scolari, Carlo Ancelotti, Guus Hiddink, and Andre Villa-Boas, coupled with the confidence he now enjoys under Roberto Di Matteo, Mikel Obi is set to have fun with his teammates. Though he expressed disappointment losing the Community Shield to league kings Manchester City last weekend to usher in the new English Premier League campaign, Mikel is however optimistic that Chelsea can lift the league trophy this season after finishing in a disappointing sixth position. Chelsea will start this season's campaign against Wigan Athletics on Sunday.

IKECHUKWU UCHE For Nigeria’s lethal striker, Ikechukwu Uche, it is going to be yet another challenging season.

Though he has not had it smooth with club engagement as he has done with his country’s national team, Uche’s return to his club Villarreal, after a loan spell at Granada should be sending a signal to opposing teams in the Spanish second division.

Following the relegation of the Yellow Submarines from La Liga last season, there were talks in the media that the Nigeria international would be taking his

skills elsewhere. Ike has since joined the team for the pre-season training and to be available for selection into Coach Julio Velasquez’s plan. The Super Eagles' player also stated that should he leave the club; the offer must be beneficial to the club and himself. Netting just three goals in 33 appearances for Granada, Ike has had his playing career in Spain since moving to Europe in 2003, signing for Recreativo at the age of 20.

KALU UCHE The elder of the Uche siblings, Kalu has made a surprise switch to the Turkish League, signing for Kasimpasa on a 3-year deal from Spanish club Espanyol. He, like his younger sibling Ike started his professional career in Spain in the year 2000 with Espanyol. Kalu can operate as a forward or an attacking midfielder, and will be campaigning in a relatively strange terrain in Turkey. After joining Espanyol on a free transfer from the bankrupt Swiss team Neuchatel Xamax in January, he caught the attention after netting six goals in 17 games for Espanyol emerging as club’s

•Ikechukwu

•Kalu

top scorer last season. The 29year-old, who has played in Spain, Poland, France and Switzerland, shad expressed delight over his latest move.

"I'm excited with this whole new life and challenge.

Obviously, the offer is a good one and once both clubs agreed on a deal, it was a lot easier to sort the personal terms.It's a good deal financially and on a sporting aspect, importantly, I am happy with everything," he had told BBC Sport.

Though financial details were not disclosed, the Spanish media said Espanyol will get between US$1.3 million and $1.8 million.

The Super Eagles forward scored two goals for Nigeria at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, against Greece and South Korea.

The skillful midfielder did not mince words on his ambition with the Istanbul-based club, as he outlined them thus in an earlier interview.

"They have a good sporting plan and I like it. My plan is to give my best to the club. I want to make a huge contribution and

continue their success in the Super League as well. I have a strong feeling the team will do well this coming season and I want to be a part of that remarkable success story.

It won't be easy but with their ambition and quality of players, I have a feeling I have chosen the right club to continue mycareer.

It's a new adventure and I am increasingly confident it will take us to the top."

His Tourkish club Kasmpasa will be away to Galatasaray in the league opener.

P E T E R O S A Z E ODEMWINGIE The prolific West Brom prolific striker, Peter Osaze Odemwingie is set for the new English Premier League season. The determination of the Nigerian international to help the Baggies to an enviable position at the end of the new season is not in doubt.

Despite experiencing a spat of injury cases last season, Odemwingie still managed to contribute in saving his club from relegation. Though he will be playing under a new Manager Steve Clarke, after Roy Hodgson took over as England’s Manager, laid in his shoulder however, is the responsibility to lead the club’s campaign this season. But

•Osaze

whether the former Lokomotive Moscow of Russia forward will surpass his last season’s performance, only time will tell.

Osaze starts hi campaign today against Liverpool.

VICTOR ANICHEBE Regarded as the most injuryprone Nigerian player in England, Victor Anichebe announced his intention to tie down a regular playing time at his EPL side Everton this season.

Recently primed to replace compatriot, Victor Moses at Wigan Athletic, Anichebe is settling into the David Moyes plan for the new season. After Moses was linked to Chelsea, Martinez has therefore already started earmarking possible replacements with Anichebe featuring prominently on his wanted list.

Injuries and inconsistent form have restricted 24-year-old Anichebe – who has three years remaining on his present contract – to just 30 starts in the last four seasons, during which he has netted only eight times.

Pundits had thought that Moyes may be tempted to part with Anichebe as he looks to raise funds to make permanent Steven

•Yobo

•Moses

Hoping that Tim Cahill's exit from Everton will provide him with more regular first-team football in this season, Anichebe will do more to impress manager Moyes, with just six goals in all competitions for Everton last season.

Anichebe will hoping to start up against Manchester United on Monday.

VICTOR MOSES Still entangled in the quagmire of making a possible move to Champions League champions Chelsea, Victor Moses’ future may still be in limbo. The Wigan Athletic’s darting forward has also not signed a new deal with the Latics. With Chelsea showing desperation in landing the Nigeria international agreeing a wooping £9million as at weekend, Moses might just be on his way to teaming up with the Roberto Di Matteo’s men. Born in Nigeria, he has represented England at under16, Under-17, Under-19 and Under-21 levels, but opted to play for the Nigerian national football team as opposed to being fully capped at the English level. If the deal goes through, Moses will be campaigning alongside another

Nigerian John Mikel Obi after sorting out personal terms and go through a medical as Wigan Supremo Dave Whelan takes less than his original demand but accepts the player’s exit.

The pacy winger may play against Wigan on Monday all things being equal.

JOSEPH YOBO After sealing a permanent deal with Turkish giant, Fenerbahce from Everton Football Club of England, Nigeria captain Joseph Yobo is set to write his name in gold in the coming season. Yobo was David Moyes' first signing when he joined from Marseilles on loan in 2002, making the move permanent a year later. He made more than 250 appearances for Everton, helping them qualify for the Champions League in 2005 and playing in the side that lost the 2009 FA Cup final to Chelsea.

The former Olympic Marseille defender had been left frustrated as negotiations between the two

clubs reached an impasse, but a permanent transfer, confirmed by the Kadikoy outfit, was later announced. The 31-year-old had expressed delight to have sealed a move to the Sukru Saracoglu, and is looking forward to making an impact.

He had said: “I am the happiest man in the world now. I want to thank all my fans, friends and family who have stayed behind me, and I promise to raise the flag higher every day.”

Yobo signed a three-year contract with the Turkish giant that will see him pick up a 2 million euro annual salary.

Fenerbahce will pay 2.5 million euros to Everton for his services.

Prior to his 10-year stint with the Toffees, Yobo played for Standard Liege, Olympique de Marseille and Tenerife.

Yobo will be filling out with his teammates at Fenerbache when they clash with Elazigspor today.

•Victor

THE NATION SATURDAY, AUGUST 18, 2012

By

Harry Iwuala

N

OSA Igiebor had not spoken until now, trusting in prudence to avoid misunderstandings that jeopardize the negotiations between Betis and his agent or between clubs.

He has not done much since his move seems entrenched. Maybe that's why, Nosa Igiebor has decided to break his silence on the pages of estadiodeportivo.com.

It is quite chastened because of some publications in Israel, to their view distorted with evil intentions. "I hate that kind of press," said the midfielder, who emphasizes the "nice" that has resulted in the talk held with one of our editors.

Nosa, in principle, had no news of his agent, Atta Aneke, so his answer to the first question: "I have heard that there is nothing new about my transfer.

Nor do I know why it is taking so long. " In good English, Igiebor continued to measure his words, but has no hesitation to confess what

would be the perfect resolution to this issue in his view: "If all goes well, I would play soon in the Spanish league.

My dream? I said once that I would like to someday play in Barcelona. I keep having this dream for my career. " Yet Igiebor dare not predict how it will end this kind of cold war between Betis and his agent, but clarifies that he has not tried to fix it on his own.

"I have not spoken to anyone from another team because, well, I understand that that's not my job. I leave it to my agent, "said the midfielder, who does not accept comparisons with Emana:" I know him, so I do not know if we are alike. I am an attacking midfielder ".

On what could still be his new team, Nosa confesses to know "almost nothing", although he does have a reference: "All I know is a great player played there Nigerian Finidi George.''

THE NATION SATURDAY, AUGUST 18, 2012

T

HERE have been a lot of commentaries round town and in the media concerning the 0-0 draw that the Super Eagles played against Niger in an international friendly match in Niamey on Wednesday.

I had said before the match that I expected an emphatic win by the Super Eagles in the match, in order that the home boys would gain immeasurable confidence going into the battle with the overseas-based players for shirts in the final African Cup of Nations qualification race against Liberia.

However, I was able to follow the match courtesy of minute-by-minute details supplied by the likes of Director of Competitions, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi and Team Secretary, Enebi Achor.

I must say that I expected a win, but the truth is that the Eagles did not play badly on the day.

We missed a number of good chances especially in the second half. But I am unwilling to blame the home boys for not snatching a victory due to certain factors before the game.

The heat made it difficult for the boys to train fully on Monday and they had to abandon the programme.

There was some rain on Monday night and on Tuesday but the truth is that the first day disruption must have affected the entire programme of the coaching crew.

However, some positives must be taken from the match. The major talking point in previous seasons was the fact that the home boys were never even considered for the Super Eagles. The underlying factor was that they didn’t have the exposure to dig their feet into the ground and contest favourably at international level.

That has changed now, with the new policy of encouraging the home lads

Inside The

Glass House WITH AMINU MAIGARI and we have seen the positives with some of them breaking into the main team for big matches.

While the NFF would have wanted victory on Wednesday, we are satisfied with the boys’ performance and will continue to work hard to encourage them with more matches in order to improve their exposure, experience and street wisdom at international level.

Falconets Must Take No Prisoners!

I remember Germany 2010 with very fond memories. By Germany 2010, I mean the 2010 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup finals.

It was the first tournament I was attending as the President of the Nigeria Football Federation, and the Falconets lifted their game to ensure a good office-coming for the new Board. Even when it looked like a mountain to climb, against the USA in the quarter finals, they rose to the

S

UPER Eagles' boss, Stephen Keshi sounded an alarm last weekend that other coaches want him to fail on the job.

He did not give reasons why he thought so, but from what I read on the pages of newspapers it bothered on the fact that Sunshine coach wanted his players in the national team to prosecute the African Champions League match in Algeria this weekend.

Eagles were to play Menas

•Keshi

occasion, scoring a marvelous equaliser and going ahead to win on penalties.

That was a rare defeat for Team USA in any women’s football competition. But the Falconets did not stop there: they went ahead to cage Colombia in the semi finals, before losing to the German machine in the final match in Bielefeld.

Over the weeks, there have been good talk of the Falconets being determined to take a step further, to gold and trophy. For the NFF, it is the only acceptable possible outcome.

Determined that the Falconets must take that further step, the Nigeria Football Federation has been working assiduously in the past weeks to ensure quality preparation of the team and guarantee a conducive and happy environment for the team in Japan.

The first step was sending the girls on a two-week

of Niger Republic in a friendly in Niamey on Wednesday in preparation for the 2013 African Cup of Nations qualifier against Liberia next month.

Keshi was without defender Geofrey Oboabona, a tower in his team and the defence will be weaker against the Nigeriens. The clubs have the right to their players. They pay their salaries and have subsequent contract with them and I think Keshi should be happy that the clubs allowed their players to remain in the national camp whenever the league is on. It is normal for the coaches to be jealous of Keshi as the national team coach. They would want an opportunity to handle the national team for some of them believe that they are better than Keshi on the job.

They face the rigours of Nigerian football, bringing out teams week-in-week-out in the league and answer to the frustrations of the club owners, mostly state governments. Keshi simply keeps the players in the national camp and play a friendly once in a while whenever there is no competition.

But I doubt whether the coaches want Keshi to fail.

They would not allow their best players to stay in the national camp for that long if they want Keshi to fail. They have supported the unnecessary rebuilding of the national team by allowing their players to answer the national call up and by allowing them to stay in camp while the league is on. Keshi should be grateful to the coaches that they are not

camping programme in Korea Republic, with a number of friendly matches. We actually wanted to set up a friendly with China but that did not work out.

However, the girls had a good programme in Korea and showed better fitness and tactical awareness in their buildup, according to the coaches.

On Wednesday morning, the delegation departed from Korea Republic and arrived in the Japanese city of Saitama, venue of their first two matches at the World Cup (versus Korea Republic and Brazil).

The Nigeria Football Federation and the Nigeria Embassy in Japan have been networking brilliantly on how to ensure a very conducive environment for the players.

The idea is to see that either in terms of support or menu, the Falconets feel at home away from home.

The Nigeria Embassy has been working to mobilise the Nigerian community in Japan to storm Saitama and Kobe for

giving him problems as regards the players's release for league matches. If it is where professional football culture has taken root, players are supposed to be released few days to a national assignment so that they can train together. It is not the fault of the clubs that the Nigeria Football Federation(NFF) decided to play a friendly match close to the date of the Champions League match in Algeria. The federation has done well by releasing the players to Sunshine Stars and Keshi should make do with the players he has in his fold.

It is not coaches that made former Eagles' handler, Samson Siasia fail in qualifying the national team for the Nations Cup in 2012. It was Siasia himself. He was not inviting home based players so he had issues with the some of the foreign legion which were at his disposal. In the name of discipline, he became over bearing. He shut Osaze Odemwingie out of the national team over his late arrival in camp and dropped the number one goalie because he protested the travelling arrangement of the team during the Nations Cup qualifiers and got his fingers burnt.

I appeal to Keshi to learn from the failure of Siasia. The only person that can make Keshi fail on the job is Keshi himself. He has to remain top

the Falconets’ matches for effective and massive support for the girls. The leadership of the Nigeria Community has been brought fully into the picture.

Also, Nigerian foods will be supplied by caterers who come highly recommended in order that the girls will not miss home too much.

Anyone who has been to Japan can confirm that it is always difficult to relate to their kind of food, particularly for those of us coming from Africa. The idea of providing Nigerian food for the players was wellreceived by the Nigeria Embassy and the meals will only be served on non-match days.

The 2012 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup finals start on Sunday, 19th August with the Falconets taking on Korea Republic. The battles on the field will be interesting spectacles considering the opposition that lie in waiting.

After the match against Korea Republic, the Nigerian girls will take on Brazil on Wednesday, 22nd August, and then round up the group phase by trading tackles with Italy’s U-20 girls in Kobe on Sunday, 26th August.

notch in his assignment as Eagles's supremo. He has to review his weak point which is solely in the area of invitation of players to the national team.

For those who know the league very well and follow it, the best players in the land are not yet in the national team. Keshi should get them to the national team as soon as possible. The discovery of players for the national team should go beyond the assistant coaches. Keshi should get more involved and see things for himself.

I have an axe to grind with Keshi's decision to invite Emmanuel Emenike to lead Eagles' attack in the next qualifier ahead of Brown Ideye.

Emenike has only scored one goal this season and he is still struggling in his club. But Ideye is on fire. The striker has scored eight goals so far and on current form, he should be the one pairing Uche Okechukwu in attack. Eagles's attack needs to score more goals against the Lone Stars of Liberia and Ideye is in goal scoring form this season.. Ideye has more quality than Emenike and will fit into a more profitable partnership with Uche.

Invitation to the national team I repeat should be on current form and on that Ideye should be given the nod. I do not believe that a player should beg his way to the national team. Keshi is right that only committed players should don the national team jerseys. It

All the matches look like top draws and the Falconets must be at the top of their game to conquer. I have faith that they will do Nigeria proud.

Thanks, Gov. Ahmed...

Last Sunday, the Flying Eagles did the expected by lashing their visitors from Tanzania 2-0 to seal passage into the final round of qualifiers for the 2013 African Youth Championship.

Goals by Abdul Ajagun and Alhaji Gero ensured victory but overall, the Flying Eagles showed improvement in all areas of their game and they can only get better.

With South Africa’s Amajita waiting in the wings, Coach John Obuh and his assistants have to continue to do even more to build an unbeatable side, a team that will be able to make Nigerians happy anytime it is on the field and be able to successfully defend our country’s African title in Algeria next year March.

I wish to use this medium to express the heartfelt appreciation of the Nigeria Football Federation to His Excellency, Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara State for hosting the team in the State of Harmony.

Our gratitude to his cabinet members, special advisers and special assistants, legislators and the Kwara State Football Association for the wonderful job done to ensure hitch-free hosting of the match.

should take more than one match to rule out a player from the national team.

Players do have off days and it happens more often than none. John Mikel Obi and Osaze may have had a bad day in the national team, but it is not enough to rule them out of the national team.

They do not need to beg to be invited to play for their fatherland. They do not have to become sycophants because they want to play for the Super Eagles. They talk with their managers if things are not going on smoothly in their clubs, but to now put a long call to the national team manager to express their preparedness to play for the national team is asking for too much.

Their performances on the field of play for their clubs in the English Premiership should be enough for any coach to either invite them for national assignment or leave them out. The players are true professionals. They have outgrown a situation where they have to be licking the boots of the manager to play for the national team.

The season is about to start in Europe and the world has become a village.

Thanks to the cable network and the internet. Keshi should monitor the players week-in-week-out and decide on inviting them on current form. Gone should be the days when a player has to be in the good books of the coach to be invited to the national team. Coaching the national team should grow beyond having to be all-in-all or a little demi god.

Saturday, August 18, 2012

36

GOLFLINE

with

T

Tony Akhigbe golflineintl@yahoo.com 08094863638

•Mayuku

McIlroy set for Tiger test

•Woods

HE London 2012 Olympics, the games of the 30th O lympiad, which opened with magnificent fan fare, came to an equally magnificent end on the 12th of August, 2012. From its commencement on the 27th of July to its conclusion on the 12th of August, the Games provided a tremendously rich menu of arts, culture, social and economic activities and fierce sports competitions and entertainment.

During the games, nations of the sporting world competed in conventional and non-conventional sports for honours. The leading nations of the world showed their prowess, demonstrating the incontrovertible fact that competitive sports prowess is largely a correlate of economic, political, scientific, technological, management and cultural advancement of nations. Developed nations who also are frontliners in good governance lead the Olympic medals table.

Developing nations of Africa and other parts of the world who are marginal in good governance and other national development indices also took the backseat or the rear of the medals table.

Furthermore, the host country, the United Kingdom, demonstrated finesse in good organization and management of the games. It is obvious that the London 2012 Games was smooth sailing without obstructive hitches. This is one element or feature of the games that participating nations, whether with medals or not, must learn from the games. I hope that our nation will have learnt something more from this experience.

The London 2012 Olympics has shown that European and Western nations as well as developed nations of Asia, will always be at great vantage positions in the Olympic movement. This is because they are most advanced in the diversified mainstream and non-mainstream sports of the Olympics.

The domestication of non-mainstream sports, most of which are their indigenous sports, are very advanced in the developed world of the West and Asia.

These are some of the reasons African nations lag behind on the medals table. African nations who mostly participate in conventional sports, have a tough battle competing for medals with the developed nations. In this respect, there seems to be a great inequality among Olympic nations, in terms of the potentials to win medals. Hence, for most of these lower nations, the Olympics will remain more of a participatory experience and a worthwhile exercise in an effort to belong to the global community, perhaps with a chance occurrence for honours.

African nations must redouble their efforts in order to make greater impact in the Olympic movement. It is not only about sports. It is also about how nations are governed –their politics, economy, science, technology, education, physical education, legislation, national discipline, among others. African nations need to look inward as they strive to put their nations on a sound footing in order to provide a platform for sports to prosper. They must look to see how they can participate in the Olympic Games from their competitive vantage points of environment and geography. They must also work to see how their sports programmes can take advantage of sports development opportunities in the developed world both in the short and long term, just as internal adjustments are made in their domestic operational modalities. It is right and proper to congratulate black African nations and the Caribbeans and for making our people proud, through sublime performances, inspite of the odds. Our dear country Nigeria, participated gallantly in this Olympics. They worked hard and our esteemed Olympians fought the battles of their lives in their various events.

Our officials did all they could. The athletes and officials worked very hard and in spite of the outcome, I believe, they deserve our respect and appreciation.

The challenge of the Olympics is not a tea party. We, hopefully, have learnt more about our short comings.

All of us – government, crosscutting social institutions, our schools, private sector, legal instruments, and more, are all implicated in the outcome of this Olympics for Nigeria. It is a time not for pointing accusing fingers, but for a sober reflection. The way forward should be our focus as we introspect. These issues will be the focus of this column in the subsequent weeks.

38

THE NATION, SATURDAY, AUGUST 18, 2012

W O D L O O H L Y

Bukoladeremi makes a debut with Eni Tokan Mi Yan

I

Houston exhibition opens at museum

N

OT up to a year after her demise, Whitney Houston has already become the stuff of legends in an exhibition paying homage to her legacy which opened in LA. Pat Houston, manager and sisterin-law of the late singer Whitney Houston attended a press preview of new exhibit, 'Whitney!

Celebrating the

•Houston

Musical Legacy of Whitney Houston, at The Grammy Museum in Los Angeles.

A prestigious six-time Grammy award winning singer, Houston was found dead in a Beverly Hills hotel room on February 11, 2012.

The exhibition display artifacts, photographs, and footage from the Houston family's private collection.

Amongst items on display there are album and career scrapbooks, the singer's personal Bible, rare photographs, and stage costumes.

The exhibit will run until February 2013 at L.A. Live's Grammy Museum. A public sale of troubled star's effects raised $18,750 in March. Earrings worn in 1992 film The Bodyguard went under the hammer for nearly

Elton John's bass player found dead

R

Birch, OBERT Wayne Birch aka Bob backand er play s bas n's Sir Elton Joh dead in up musician, has been foundwas y Los Angeles. The musician's bod g and it is nin mor day nes Wed on red discove apparent an of lt resu a is th dea thought his suicide. nty Assistant According to Los Angeles Cou y was found bod his ter, Win Ed ef Chi r one Cor ando Fern San his from er corn the around aled that reve ter Win rs. hou y earl home in the sible pos a as d gate esti 'inv g his death is bein to nd fou was nd wou t suicide' after a gunsho licted. the head, thought to be self-inf has been Reports say that no suicide notet signs of aren app no e wer e found and ther was aged 56 drug use linked to his death. He h started at the time of his passing. Birc early 1990s playing in Sir Elton's band in the the past 20 for him with ld wor the ed and tour hele, Mic e, wif his by ived surv is years. He yet has t men com No n. and a son, Jonatha the death. been made from Sir Elton over

$3,000 at a two-day auction of Hollywood greats' treasures, alongside other items that once belonged to the singer.

Chris, Drake sued over club fight

R

&B singer Chris Brown and his rival Drake have been slammed with a $16m lawsuit over the glass-flying brawl at a popular SoHo nightclub. Owners of the Greenhouse trademark claim in court papers that the melee, which left at least seven people injured, including hoops star Tony Parker, cost them a $4 million licensing deal that they'd recently brokered.

Publicists for Drake and Brown have tried to distance the men from the fight over their former flame, Rihanna.

But the lawsuit, brought by Entertainment Enterprises Ltd., which owns the Greenhouse name, alleges they were directly involved.

Brown and Drake “began to fight violently with each other,” according to papers filed in Manhattan Supreme Court. “Each ordered his security personnel, bodyguards, friends and entourage to join the fight.”

The brouhaha started after Brown sent Drake a bottle of champagne and Drake sent it back, prompting someone to start tossing ice cubes.

Members of each singer's posse were also listed as defendants in the lawsuit, identified only as John Does.

Crane over Ghollywood

Becca's video with M.I drops

T

ONGUES wag over the huge amount pumped into one single video by Becca and her EKB Entertainment family- on the 'No Away' video featuring Nigeria's short black boy, M.I. The video was shot in South Africa, with one of the latest equipment and by one of the world's acclaimed Directors, Brandon Oloefosn. A whooping $50,000 bucks was said to have been driven into it, courtesy an alcoholic brand.

3

T was a get-together of family, friends and colleagues, as new gospel act, Bukoladeremi Ladigbolu launched her debut album, last Tuesday, at MAN House, Obafemi Awolowo Way, Ikeja.

The event which was attended from far and near, had the artiste parents Arch Bishop and Mrs. Ayo Ladigbolu, Very Revd. Col Mattew Keripe, Chief Mrs. Olabisi Akindele (Iya Ewe Methodist Diocese of Ibadan), Sir Remi Omotoso (Former Lay President Methodist Church of Nig.), Gbenga Osonaike (Publisher of Church Times) among others.

Bukola, in her welcome address noted: “This is not a regular album launch, as my aim is not to generate money per say, but to impact lives. I hope someone will listen to my album and be blessed.”

Anchored by Tunde Fayefunmi, and chaired by retired Director of Chaplaincy Services, Nigeria Army, Col. Matthew Keripe, who couldn't hide his excitement when he said; “When you hear someone wants to launch an album, the first thing you want to know is the person behind the album.

Bukola is a communicator, an artiste, a Minister of God and so on. It therefore means that this album

Mercy MICHAEL

will educate, entertain, reassure, encourage and bless you. And any money spent on the album is a wise investment.”

A music interlude followed, with the celebrant performing to the admiration of everyone. So thrilled were the guests, that they couldn't help but get on their heels to dance to the melodious tunes, as the celebrant croon some of the tracks on the album.

The highpoint of her performance however was a special dance by four children, who slugged it out with each other to impress the guests. It was fun and laughter, as they watched the kids entertain.

Father of the Day, Sir Remi Omotoso, commented on the artiste's performance. “If only you know Bukola's father. You will not be surprised with what is happening here today.

Her father has released several songs in the past.

So it gives me joy to know that one of his grandchildren took after him.”

Confirming this, Arch Bishop Ladigbolu recalled that he released his first record album in 1972. “I remember that one of the tracks in that album was Baba Jen fi le Omo lowo (May my child take after me). Today I'm happy that word has finally come to pass.”

•Bukola’s parents, Bukoladeremi (M) with Very Revd. Col Mattew Keripe

Samini, Kaakie exposed

0MINITZ, a new TV Series featured an exclusive spotlight on Samini and Kaakie on its first edition of the show on Thursday night, August 16. The series throws attention on how Samini (multi-international award winning singjay) and Kaakie (Africa's biggest female Dancehall Queen) get on studio sessions as well as an in-depth feature on their music journey.

The episode featured Dancehall stars Samini and Kaakie as they record Papistic with genial record

producer, JMJ Baby; as well as the filming of a new video for the song.

Hosted by Sadiq Abdulai Abu, the series also captured Dancehall peppery voice, Stonebwoy Burniton along with Samini on how they teamed together in the 'High Grade Family'.

30minitz is a new local music show that seeks to provide an opportunity for television viewers to see how their favourite music stars collaborate to not only create and record new songs.

39

THE NATION, SATURDAY, AUGUST 18, 2012

He shouts at me and he doesn’t give me much money

With Adeola Agoro E-mail: libranadeola@yahoo.co.uk Tel: 08023162609

Match-making Females for Love •Nnenna Constance needs someone to love her the way she is. She’s 37 yrs old and needs a man of 40 to -55 yrs who is ready to settle down.

•Amayo , a 27 year-old single mother of one needs a matured man btw 30 to 40 for a relationship that will lead to marriage.

P.S: You have to email me with your pictures and your credentials before I can let you have the details of the females looking for love. I must protect our women from unserious men.

Males for Love •lanre, 42 .a teacher with Ogun State SUBEB needs a mature woman btw 35 and 50 for companionship. ((08034206054).

•OGD, 29, wants a beautiful mature lady of 20 to 27 for a serious relationship. Call or text: 08069796112.

•Ola, 35 needs a serious Yorub and a Muslim lady btw 22 and 28 from Oyo or Osun states for a relationship that can lead to marriage. Call: 08056071088.

•Tunde, 38, Lagos-based and single father with a kid needs a caring, lovely and God- fearing Muslim lady for serious relationship. Call: 08102374792 •John, a businessman based in PH needs a widow of about 35 to 40 yrs or a single lady of that age for marriage.

She must be good looking, must be a civil servant, banker or a businesswoman. Contact: 08037235843.

•TJ, 48, self employed lives in Ibadan needs a woman of good repute, with good means of livelihood and educated for love. Single mother, age btw 40 and 50 resident in Lagos call or text: 07081431259 .

•Salami Lateef, a divorcee, 42 needs a God-fearing lady that is ready to settle down from any pat of the country.

Contact: 08187984114,07085290711.

•Olalekan, 46y, from Osun State needs a working-class lady between 28 and 45yrs old for a serious relationship.

08102675193.

•Wale, civil servant needs an HIV positive Muslim lady btw 28 and 33 and she must be working class or business lady. Call: 0708226617.

•Bola, 38, tall, Yoruba, fair-complexioned, employed, Christian needs, a woman btw 33 and 35yrs, Yoruba, moderate, chocolate, employed/biz and God-fearing.

Call: 08094049838.

•Ernest Abraham from Abia State, residing in Abuja is 30, 5.6ft height with BSc in Accounting, no good job yet but he sincerely wants to settle down with a nicegodly woman. Contact: oirechukwu@yahoo.com, 07063507191.

•Gbolahan, 35, Muslim, based in Osogbo, tall and dark needs a working class and God-fearing lady/single mother btw 25 and 35yrs for a wife. Call/text: 07035929983.

•Mthew, tall, slim, Kogist, Lagos based, born-again and 43, single. He needs a tall, pretty, single, born-again Ibo or Yoruba lady bellow 36 for marriage. Tel: 07080980045, 07065512489.

Eekale ma. My name is Tosin form Osun State but residing in Benue State. Ma, I have a problem and I know you can help me find a solution to then problem. There is this man I’m dating and he has promised me and he has told my mum he wants to marry me. But my worry is that he doesn’t give me much money which I hate so much. He doesn’t call me, he shouts at me whenever I male little mistakes. I’ve prayed about him and I was told he is good. But still, I don’t think he loves me the way I love him. All his friends know about our relationship. My main problem is that he already has a son from his first marriage which gives me heartache. I need to know whether to leave him or stick to him.

You are not being sincere to yourself and your relationship. You knew before you went into a relationship with a single father that there is a child to tag along in the relationship. I wonder then what the big deal is. Since it is already an issue in your heart; so much that his son’s existence gives you heartache, please check out of the man’s life now. He needs a good woman who would love him and

love his son. If situations were reversed and you were the one coming into the relationship with a child and you heard your man saying your child was giving him heartache, you would certainly have a rethink about him. Be fair in the way you look at other people’s situations. You never know what life would throw at you too.

I wouldn’t know why your man shouts at you, but if there are ways

Aunty Adeola, I’m a girl of 19 years of age and I need your serious advice and I want you to answer me quickly because it has to do with my future. I’m one of the best readers of your book. My mother told me that she is no longer sending me to school. She said, first, I offended her and second, that she no longer has the power to send me to school. She said I should go and learn sewing. But as for me, I want to run far away from home and just go and hustle on myself. So I need your advise on what to do. I have a boyfriend but the problem is that I lost my virginity at the age of 15 (just once) then I promised myself not to try it again till the night of my wedding but the problem is that guy always talks of getting married to me and always talk about marrying a virgin, he keeps saying he can’t get marry someone who is not a virgin.

How safe are penis enlargement drugs?

Dear Adeola, I’m an ardent reader of your articles and I appreciate all the advices and suggestions you give to people. I would like to ask, how safe are penis enlargement drugs? Do they have any side effects for people like us that have naturally small penises? Although it looks better when it’s turgid but looks extremely smaller and shrinks when inactive.

The key thing to note first, is what types of ingredients are in these products. Many pills consist of a wide variety and blend of natural herbs and extracts. These extracts have been used for thousands of years to treat conditions ranging from arthritis to jaundice, and have been proven to work. The chinese discovered these extracts, such as horny goat weed, yohimbe, maca, and longjack. All of these ingredients have roots in plants and herb gardens worldwide. Now that you know what is in male enhancement pills, now you must realize how they work to increase the penis size. As with most of these supplements, they work to increase blood flow and oxygen circulation to the penis, as well as increase sexual stamina and virility.

Like many of the uses from before, these extracts have also been used to increase memory and stamina in sports athletes. This increase in the blood flow to the penis causes a natural erection that can increase your size over a period of time. So are these supplements really safe to take? While most pills have not been evaluated, they do not generally need to be because they are not pharmaceutical products. That is, most do not contain any synthetic drugs that have been reproduced in the lab. That’s not to say that if they haven’t been evaluated they don’t work. The consensus among many scientists are that since the pills use all natural extracts and herbs, they are completely safe to take.

Can he love me and ask for sex?

Hello sister, my name is SF, I have been fan your fan for some years now and I need help. I am 19 year old I have a boyfriend who is always saying that he loves me and how but will he love me and he asks for sex?

If you have been following me for years, you should by now know what I think about sex. It is you body and the decision to have sex or not is yours. In your case, you do not want it, so make it a serious case with this boy. Tell him, you’re not ready for sex and you won’t entertain further talks on it. It’s as simple as that. Make sure you\re never alone with him though.

Guide me on how to be a column writer My sister, please guide me on how to be a column writer in a national daily. Thanks - Oloyede Gabriel (Ondo State).

To be a columnist, you must first have a special interest in a particular field. That interest would certainly motivate you to write a lot of fascinating things about the topic. It could be sports, religion, crime or relationship. When you’re sure you have enough materials, simply walk up to the editor of your dream paper. If he thinks you’re a good writer and that your article would have its readership, he wouldn’t waste time in creating page or half a page for your column. If he thinks it’s not good enough, he wouldn’t use it.

‘She wanted our child named after her pastor’

A

53-year-old man has told the Grade ‘A’ Customary Court, Agege, Lagos State how his refusal to name his second son after the pastor of his wife’s church drew a hole in his marriage.

The petitioner, Simpa Okonmayen, while seeking the dissolution of the three-year-old marriage said: “My wife’s attitude has become unbearable for me as there is no more love between us. Besides, her family also interfered in our privacy. Her mother always asked her to leave me and come over to Badagry, saying that there were enough rooms to accommodate her in their family

you can talk about it, do it and let him know it hurts when he treats you like a slave by shouting to correct you. Also, work on the things that push him to the extreme. He may just be tired of repeating the same things over and over again, and so he shouts.

He gives you money but it’s not enough. Do you know he has school fees to pay, rent, family members and other things he has

to do with money. You can’t expect him to give you all his pay packet no matter how comfortable he is. Work hard and earn yourself some good money too. That way, you will appreciate whatever he does for you. And I’m sure by the time you start making your own money, you would understand it is not easy to work long hours and divide the pay between people who did not work those hours with you.

I want to run away from home because my mum wants to stop my education

Stories Toyin AGBEBI

house.Another thing I have against my wife is that she is a flirt.She is also a drunkard.”

The respondent, Margaret, said:” His mother is the problem. She dictates what to be done in our matrimonial home and he beats me anyhow because of his mother. He stopped giving me money for feeding in April.

“I have never, for once, smoked or drunk since I was born. On the contrary, he drinks and smokes a lot and has also refused to go to church whenever he was asked to”.

After listening to both parties, the President of the court, Mr. Emmanuel Shokunle, adjourned the case till September 4.

FROM THE COURTS

Hearts

My dear, you’re at that age when you think you can go out there and survive on your own.

You probably have seen so many home videos where a girl would leave home and come back with riches. Those stories are harder to become reality. No matter how much hustling you want to do, a good girl must grow under her parents.

The moment you leave home, you become public commodity and guys would take you as a free girl. No matter how liberal our parents are, when guys visit you under your parents, they respect you because they know that there are rules and limits to how you go out and when you come back home.

Really, I don’t know what you want your mum to do if she can’t afford your fees. I can only hope that good-hearted Nigerians will contact me on your case after reading this and help pay your fees. Order than that, you may have no choice than learn the tailoring after which you can start earning money to send yourself back to school. Be a good girl and have a sensible talk with your mum. God knows if she had money, she would want you to go to school.

As for you guy who wants to marry a virgin, let him know now that you don’t have virginity to celebrate on your wedding night again. If he wants to remains, good. If not, let him go. There are guys out there who would marry you and make you happy even if you’re coming with children.

I can’t do without sex and I’m always falling in the wrong hands Good afternoon ma, I’m a girl of 19 years old, I met my first true love when I was 14, he broke my virginity but I broke up with him because he was a playboy; he always wants my body and money. Since then I’ve been having pre-marital sex. My problem is that I can’t do without sex and I’m always falling in the wrong hands. All the guys I date are playboys, they are after my body and money and I can’t say no to them. My first true love says he wants me back, to marry me but he is a Muslim and I still love him but I don’t think I can do according to their rules. I’m confused, please I need your advice. Thanks.

You need prayers. Whatever religion you practice, you must first settle your matter spiritually. Giving your body to guys at will is like putting yourself in bondage. Marriage? I wouldn’t advise you to touch marriage now until you’re free from the spirits making you love sex uncontrollably. Your husband may not be able to satisfy you if you love sex this much. Settle it with God first and look ahead to a good future. It may be wise to take some tests too to be sure that all these multiple partners have not deposited some diseases into you.

Husband sets wife’s shop ablaze

A

33-year-old housewife, Mrs. Bola Akinsanya, has accused her husband, Mr Gbemi Akinsanya, of setting her shop ablaze following a domestic quarrel.

While asking for the dissolution of their 15-year–old marriage at the Grade’A’ Customary court, Agege, she said: ”He has subjected me to constant beating, threat to life and he set my shop ablaze following a quarrel over his reckless drinking habit. He even threatened

to stab me .

“He used to have enormous love and respect for me, but he later changed because of her mother’s undue interference in our marriage”.

In his defence, Gbemi said he was drunk when he set his wife’s shop ablaze, adding that “I still love my wife.”

The President of the court, Mr. Emmanuel Shokunle, however, dissolved the marriage and granted the plaintiff the custody of the children.

40

THE NATION, SATURDAY, AUGUST 18, 2012

W

HEN I was very young, my mother used to tell me to be careful of people, that the world was full of wickedness and evil. I did not understand back then as I was just a child, not yet ten. What could a kid of that age know about the wickedness of the world? Anyway, I began to understand what she meant as I grew older.

I was 15 and in secondary school when my parents died in a car accident. I was the only child and since they were wellto-do, they doted on me, giving me whatever I wanted. I lacked nothing and in a way, you could say I was a bit spoilt.

I lived a sheltered life, cocooned from all the harsh realities of life.

But all that changed when I lost both parents in one day. I was at school, in boarding house when the news got to me. I was devastated, feeling as if my world had come to an end. Who was going to take care of me now, to love and protect me, I kept thinking.

Looking back, if I had known what life had in store for me, I would have prayed that I had gone with my parents back then. Unfortunately, I was left behind, all alone to face this terrible world by myself.

After my parents’ burial, I went to live with an aunt of mine. She was my dad’s younger sister and to be fair to her, she was very kind to me.

She ensured I finished school and provided well for me. This was unlike my father’s other siblings who were only interested in his estate. They sold his thriving business, all his properties including some plots of land, the house we lived in and cleaned out his bank accounts. They kept everything, not giving me a single kobo. When I protested, they said they were saving the money, which ran into millions, for my university education. As things turned out, it was all a lie.

When I eventually got admission, I went to see the eldest of my uncles concerning payment of my school fees and other expenses. He only gave me a part of what I asked for, claiming my dad’s money was in a fixed deposit account and he could not access it till after some time.

“This is all I can give you now. You should manage with it,” he said, handing me some money. I looked at the money, then looked up at my uncle.

“But uncle, this is not even enough for the school fees. And I have books and other stuff to buy,” I protested.

He glared at me.

“You are really ungrateful!

This is my own money, from my own pocket that I’m giving you and you are still complaining! What an ungrateful child you are! How many students see this kind of money to take to school? Spoilt brat! I was always telling your father that he was spoiling you but he didn’t listen! See the result now! You better take this money and go or ...” he said, making as if he wanted to retrieve the money from me.

I left then, feeling very sad and close to tears. When I told my aunt what had happened at my uncle’s place, she shook her head and hissed.

“He will never change.

Greedy man!” she muttered to herself.

She promised to make up the balance before I resumed at school, which she did. I completed my first year at school without incident. I was almost finishing my 200 level when an incident happened that

threatened to truncate my education. My aunt’s husband had been pleading with me to sleep with him ever since I started staying in their house.

Despite the fact that I turned down his advances, saying it was wrong for me to be having an affair with my own aunty’s husband, he continued to pester me.

Things came to a head one day, though when he began to threaten me, saying he would throw me out of the house and ensure my aunt stopped supporting my education as well. I didn’t take him serious, thinking he was just saying that to scare me.

But unknown to me, he went to my aunty and told all kinds of lies against me, that I tried to seduce him several times.

It was all lies but to my surprise and utter shock, my aunt believed him and took sides with him. In anger, she threw me out of the house, shouting and cursing me.

“After all I did for you, you want to snatch my husband from me. Little tramp! I never want to see you again! Get out and stay out!” she screamed as she threw my bags at me.

I had no where to go as it was during the long vacation and school was closed for the session.

I called a friend of mine and she agreed that I could stay in her house for a while.

When school resumed, things got worse for me. My uncles and other aunties were no longer interested in supporting me, as a result of the false story my aunt and her husband had been spreading about me. They called me all kinds of names and were even insinuating that I was a witch and was responsible for my parents’ death. I knew it was all lies, just a ploy to cut me from my inheritance. Because when I went to my uncle to ask him to give an account of my father’s property, he drove me from his house, saying that all the money my dad left was gone, that they had spent everything on my education! I was shocked when I heard that because I knew the total amount of money he had given me for my school fees and other expenses was small compared to my dad’s wealth.

I begged and pleaded with him but he remained adamant. It was the same with all his brothers and sisters.

The gangster’s girlfriend (1) None of them wanted to have anything to do with me. They all abandoned me and I became virtually alone in the world, too young to fight for my rights with my father’s greedy relatives. Since there was no-one to pay my school fees, I had to drop out of school.

I felt really bad and wept bitter tears of sorrow and anguish. I remembered how my dad had planned to send me abroad for my higher education and I became even more saddened at my present abject situation.

That my father’s relatives treated me in such a cruel way might come as surprise to many, but looking back, I was not really surprised. You see, my father’s family had never accepted my parents’ marriage.

From the story I had heard when I was younger, my dad had gone against the family’s wish and married my mum who hailed from a neighboring West African country.

“Your father’s people never liked me and they did everything to break us up,” I remember my mum telling me some years earlier. To add to her sins, she only had one child- a daughter, with no son to bear the family’s name.

“How can a man have just one child and a girl for that matter? And he’s not even bothered about it. That foreign woman must have bewitched our brother!” my dad’s relatives used to say.

Living with Madam J One day, while I was still

squatting in my friend’s house, I ran into an old friend of my mum. I narrated to her all that had happened since my parents’ death and she took pity on me. The lady, whom I will call Madam J took me to her house and I became a part of her household. She had some businesses including a boutique and restaurant. I started working at the boutique and once in a while I also helped out at the restaurant.

Madam didn’t pay me any salary. Though every month, she gave a small allowance which she said I could use to buy personal items I needed. I opened an account and started saving some of this money. My plan was to go back to school when I had saved enough money no matter how long it took. Madam J, though very strict, was nice to me and treated me like a daughter. I enjoyed staying with her and her family. She had a daughter, Jane who was about my age and we became friends.

Meeting Jovi Madam J was separated from her husband and lived in a large house with her two daughters, Jane and Alice. Jane was about my age and with time, we became very close.

She attended a university in another town but during the holidays, we were usually together. Jane was a party and fun-loving kind of girl. She didn’t like me working at the boutique and always com-

‘

How can a man have just one child and a girl for that matter?

And he’s not even bothered about it. That foreign woman must have bewitched our brother!

’

plained anytime I was going to work.

“Must you go to work today, Nicole? There’s a place I want to go to and I want you to come with me,” she said one morning as I got ready to go to the shop.

I turned from the mirror where I had been fixing my hair to look at her. She had entered my room while I was dressing and was lying on the bed, her face still caked with the face mask she had applied the night before. Jane suffered from pimples and tried all kinds of beauty treatments to get rid of them to no avail.

“Sorry, I can’t go with you today. We are expecting new goods at the shop this morning and your mum wants me to do the inventory. Perhaps, I can go with you some other time,” I said.

“Ah, Linda! You are so boring! Work, work, work, that’s all you do. Girl, you need to catch some fun now that you are young and fresh. Is it when you are an old woman that you will start enjoying yourself?

You never want to go anywhere but that stupid shop!” she grumbled, getting up and flouncing out of the room.

I turned back to the mirror, smiling ruefully to myself and thinking that it was the money her mum made from the boutique she referred to in such a derogatory manner and her other businesses that she used to pay her school fees at the expensive private Uni she attended. I often wished Jane would be more appreciative of her mum’s efforts and support her more. But all she did was party and spend money as if it was going out of fashion.

In a way, Jane reminded me of myself when my parents were still alive. All I thought about was myself and my own needs and desires, never giving a thought to other people’s feelings.

A few days later, Madam J sent me to the bank to deposit some money from the sales at the shop. It was over N500,000 cash and her driver took me to the bank. I had finished depositing the money and was about to leave when a gang of robbers burst into the hall. Their faces were covered with black cloth, leaving a small space for the eyes and they brandished some mean-looking guns which they waved around menacingly. The men shouted on everyone to lie down on the floor and place our hands above our heads. There were about five of them. Three went into the inner room where I had been depositing the money a few minutes earlier while the rest kept their watchful eyes on us. I was really scared and my hands shook as I placed them over my head. It was like a scene out of a movie.

I prayed fervently that they would not shoot us. I cautiously raised my head to see what was happening and my eyes met those of one of the robbers standing at the other side of the hall.

He shouted at me to face the ground, threatening to shoot me if I didn’t comply immediately.

“Do you have a death wish?” he shouted at me, coming over to give me a hard kick on my leg. I faced down at once, my heart pounding erratically. Soon, the other men came out dragging a few bags along. Then, firing a few shots in the air, they left the bank as dramatically as they had arrived. The whole operation had taken less than twenty minutes.

After they had gone, there was pandemonium as everyone made for the exit. I ran outside to the car and we left that place as fast as possible. It was a very traumatic experience, one I prayed never to encounter again.

It was about a month later and I was going to see one of our customers who was owing us some money. I stood by the roadside, waiting for a cab when a black-colored SUV stopped by me. The man driving, leaned across the passenger seat to ask for direction to a street that was not too far from where we were. After telling him how to get to the place, he offered to give me a ride.

I declined, telling him I was waiting for a taxi. But he insisted so I got in and he drove off.

“The name’s Jovi. What’s yours?” he asked.

I introduced myself and we got chatting. He told me he was a businessman into the import and export business.

We got to the street I was going to and before alighting from the car, he gave me his card. He wanted to wait for me to finish my business so he could take me back to the shop but I told him not to bother.

“I can find my way back,” I assured him. I stood waving as he drove off.

“Nice guy,” I said quietly as pushed open the gate of our customer’s residence and made my way in.

That was how Jovi came into my life, a chance meeting that would have profound effect on my life …

To be continued.

Join us next Saturday to find out what transpired between Jovi and Linda!

Send comments/advice to 08023201831 or psaduwa@yahoo.com,

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THE NATION, Saturday, AUGUST 18, 2012

People think I'm rich because I'm Iyalode - Adunni

Bankole

STYLE Gossip Interviews

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THE NATION SATURDAY, AUGUST 18, 2012

With KAYODE ALFRED

Opral Benson

E-mail:kayflex2@yahoo.com

Ade Bendel set to float church

TEL:08035733605

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THE NATION SATURDAY, AUGUST 18, 2012

TEL:08035733605

Double Oskar Ibru

Mosun Filani on ‘nine-month course'

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THE NATION, SATURDAY, AUGUST 18, 2012

I'm left with 15 traditional titles after rejecting seven Chief Adunni Bankole, the Iyalode of Gbaguraland, Ogun State, is always an eyeful at social gatherings.

The stepmother of the immediate past Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Dimeji Bankole, was at her oratorical best during the week as she provided answers to the questions thrown at her on her seemingly extravagant mode of dressing. The British-trained media practitioner and public relations expert spoke to SEGUN AJIBOYE about the secrets of her good looks and what lessons she has learnt from her dealings with people, among other issues. Excerpts:

W

HAT is your understanding of life?

I was brought up to see life on the simple side. As a matter of fact, simplicity rules my life. A lot of people screen their calls. I regard such people as people who believe that life is about acting. To me, life is as simple as daybreak and sunset. There is nothing to life but what you make of it.

If you approach life from the simple side of it, you are likely to understand people and what life is all about and thereby live a fulfilling life. And you must know that living a fulfilling life is not about being rich or occupying a top position; it has to do with your personality, what you believe in and what you are. My daily life preaches simplicity, love and accepting others as if they are mine, and that the other person is as good as I am.

So, I have been able to live life without the usual paraphernalia that people believe must come with having a name or being a person of repute. I don’t need a personal assistant and, of course, I am a down-to-earth person. If you call me and I don’t feel like talking to you, I may simply tell you, ‘Please, I don’t want to talk now,’ and ask you to call at another time.

Would you say you are a fulfilled person?

I thank God because life is paradoxical. Life is such a complex thing that it is very difficult to understand it. You see, life is one big, endless thing that each person, no matter how long he or she lives, will only know a little portion of it. It is what you make of the small portion you see that makes you who you are and the impression you leave on the sands of time.

Some people die and within a short period, they are completely forgotten. Some other people die and for generations, something would always be said about them.

So, if you are lucky to be alive, do your best to approach life well. Living a fulfilled life or being fulfilled as a person is not a generalised thing. It is something that you get by your own choice. Being fulfilled in life has many definitions. It is personal.

Some people keep pursuing fulfillment until they breathe their last, but they are never fulfilled. But when you map out a strategy or goals for yourself, you can get fulfilled at different stages of life. All you have to do is thank God and move on to the next stage. But when you want to do many things at the same time, you want to attain too many heights at the same time or become so many things at the same time, you may end up not being anything. So, being fulfilled is all about yourself and how you see life.

You sound philosophical…

I am indeed vey philosophical. But many people don’t know this because I rub make-up. I am also a deep person. I am not shallow in my thoughts. This is the way I approach life from day to day. Recently, one of my children came to me and said, ‘Mummy, we are giving away too much food’. I told her that no matter the amount of food we give out, we can never go hungry. Our store will always be full. And I believe that any food that is enough for 10 people can also be enough for 20 people.

I thank God that nothing rattles me. Nothing gives me sleepless nights. The times that have been tough in my life were times when people disappoint me, though not materially. In the past, I had the belief that a lot of people were like me. I have had occasions to ask people, ‘Why are you like this?’ And the answer has been, ‘Do you think everybody would be like you?’ Some people believe that you have to cheat to become successful in life. Some even believe that you have to steal or blackmail others.

There was a report recently that you are now a born-again Christian. What informed this?

I have been born again for a long time.

How come people are just knowing about it?

Maybe people just chose to know now. I became born again at Kris Okotie’s church in 1995.

Was that informed by the experiences you have talked about?

No. I’ve been like this since childhood. I was a child who would see things from a different angle, totally different from how many other people, even elderly people, would view it. They often asked, ‘Is this girl a fairy spirit?’ But, you see, all these are from intuition. These are things you don’t learn; they come naturally to you as a person.

What kind of background do you have?

My parents are from Abeokuta. My father, God bless his memory, was a chartered accountant and a banker. My mother is an educationist. My parents were very educated. I am the first child of my family, and I have several brothers and sisters.

Were you naughty as a child?

I wasn’t naughty. I was actually a Tom•Adunni boy; an incessant hard worker. I always liked Bankole

THE NATION, SATURDAY, AUGUST 18, 2012 to work. As a matter of fact, I would go to about four or five houses away from our house to ask if they had jobs for me to do for them.

What types of job did you do for them?

I would wash their clothes and do some other chores. If they had little children, I would be the one to take them to school and play with the kids. But immediately they start cooking, I would run away because I never used to eat. And, of course, with my mum, you never had to eat outside. I enjoyed working with people, and it has stuck with me till today. My philosophy is that you can only get tired when there is no more work to be done. That was the way I learnt to live, and that’s the way I’ve always lived.

Did you receive payments for your efforts?

It was free of charge. I did not have any reason to be hungry because our house was always full of food. It was just that I was someone who could never be idle.

Even up till this time, I still cannot stand idleness.

How close were you to your parents?

I was very close to my father. He was very fond of me. I wasn’t an obstinate child that gave my parents problems. Rather, my parents got good reports about me from people and neighbours all the time. I was a well loved child; not by my parents alone, but by everybody around me.

So, what was schooling like?

School was great. I went through primary, secondary and then I went to England where I studied. I am a journalist and public relations practitioner by training.

Did you ever work with your certificates?

I did. Before I went to England, I worked as a reporter with Radio OYO in Ibadan.

After I came back from England, I worked with the public relations department of a bank before I veered into business.

And what was the experience like?

It was okay; the same tomboy experience.

I got on very well with all my bosses. And the other side of me that people don’t really know about is that my associates call me a jester, because I love to crack jokes a lot; unusual jokes packed with meanings.

How did you come about all your traditional titles?

I cannot really explain it myself. All I know is that one came and the others started coming. And before I could count, there were already 15 titles. I have had to reject about seven others.

I assume that your mother is also a chief…

My mum is the Iyalode of Owu Kingdom in Abeokuta, while I am the Yeye Mokun of Owu Kingdom.

How do you reconcile your traditional titles with being a born-again Christian?

As far as my philosophy is concerned, chieftaincy titles and being a Christian do not go against each other. If you are not ritualistic and fetish, I see no reason why you cannot be a chief. Being a chief is a call to duty. It has nothing to do with being a Christian. I know some Obas who conduct praise and worship in their palace and also go to church. The two roles don’t clash.

What responsibilities do these titles confer on you?

They are quite a lot. But you cannot satisfy them all; you just do your best. It is the Lord that gives titles to man. The physical manifestation only happens when you come into the world.

I observed that your house is full of people, especially children…

That is me for you. None of them is my biological child. They are all nephews, nieces and family members. You’ll always find me in the midst of children. And people love to be with me.

Are you a politician?

You are right if you call me a politician, and you are still not wrong if you say I am not a politician.

You work in the background?

I am in the forefront, working for people to come up.

Are we likely to see you come out for an elective post one day?

I may if the call is strong enough and I weigh it. There are determining factors in politics, especially if you are a woman.

Marriage may be a factor, child-bearing may be another factor. But sometimes, as you advance in life and your hands are a

‘

45

If you mention Iyalode today, the first name that would come to your mind is Adunni Bankole, though it may not be me. I have had experiences whereby people bring out pound notes for me to sign my autograph whenever I am in Europe. I have had to get off a bus before my destination because people who I didn’t know would recognise me and would want to say hello to me

’

•Adunni Bankole

bit free, you can do more for politics.

Even at your age, you still look beautiful.

What is your beauty routine?

I hear that all the time. But because I don’t know anything about being beautiful, you see people say that to me a lot. But my answer has always been that it is God. You mean you don’t have any special beauty therapy?

There is nothing like that. I am as drab and monotonous as anything. I can bathe with any soap, including baby soap. And I have bathed with the same soap for 32 years.

Sometimes, I don’t even rub cream.

What is your fashion sense like?

My fashion is self-made. I have a picture of how I want to look. I only dress to suit myself.

You mean you don’t have a particular fashion designer?

I have a fashion designer, but it is not the expensive type. I am not one who would sew a dress for about N40, 000. I like to wear simple things. For example, my iro and buba, has become synonymous with me.

The Iyalode title conjures a kind of fear.

How do you view it?

One thing is that people feel oh! when they hear Iyalode. But the truth is that you can still be simple as an Iyalode. You have to be self-restraint and disciplined. This is something that I have been able to maintain over the years.

How are you able to cope with life as a celebrity?

I have to go without a lot of things. I have to be under a lot of restraints and caution about where I go, who I meet, the group I mix with and the decision I make. If you look at me as Iyalode, you’ll realise that it has become synonymous with a lot of things. I cannot be excessive in anything and I cannot afford to be selfish in any way. At the same time, I have to be firm and upright. If you

mention Iyalode today, the first name that would come to your mind is Adunni Bankole, though it may not be me. I have had experiences whereby people bring out pound notes for me to sign my autograph whenever I am in Europe. I have had to get off a bus before my destination because people who I didn’t know would recognise me and would want to say hello to me. Because of this, I have to be very careful.

And, of course, when you have a big name like the Iyalode, and you don’t have money, then you have to be careful. What I do is that I sell and buy on plenty of goodwill that I have built over the years. What would cost some people millions to buy, sometimes, I just have to draw on my goodwill to get it done. But people want to believe that I am very rich.

How has your training as PR person helped?

It has helped a great deal. I have been managing myself. Life is as you see it and as you want to live it. In the course of life, you will meet with different kinds of people, but you still have to manoeuvre yourself and survive.

You have moved to a remote part of Ikorodu. Why this?

This place is a retirement home for me. I want to rest and get nearer to nature.

There is a story that you may build a church. How true is this?

What I have in mind is not a church. The calling is that of praise and a inter-denominational centre. It does not matter which church you belong to, you can just stop by and praise God and go. There will be a musical band to sing and praise God for 24 hours.

Do you ever get angry?

Yes I get angry.

What would make you angry?

Little things make me angry. I react to things as they come. I don’t like pretences because I

don’t like to pretend.

So what would make you happy?

I like good people. I like people who are generous and who believe in themselves.

Whenever I am in the midst of such people, I feel very good. I like people who are natural with themselves. I have realised that a lot of people put acting into their lives.

They are on a stage, and you cannot get anything real out of them. I cannot stand such people.

I don’t like people who make me feel on edge. I don’t like people who are bitter.

And I don’t like people who view life as war. For them, everything is war. I have had to live with people like these. They try to put you in shackles. I have seen people who are not as old as I am die. So, why should I waste my precious life fighting a war that is not necessary? Some people deliberately want to make you look bad.

But I have come to discover that they are actually the bad ones, and they have a complex about being good, so they want to make the world believe that you are bad.

They are happy when you are sad. They toy with your emotions and play with your life.

Have you had encounters with such people?

Yes I have.

How did you deal with them?

I had no choice but to deal with them.

For a long time, I was their victim until the Lord set me free. But now, you either accept me as I am or you leave me as I am.

The greatest joy I derive is to make people happy. If anybody still doesn’t like me after going through fire, then you just have to leave me alone.

What particular experience has stuck with you?

It cannot really be one good thing because God does good things that make you happy. I have had very good days.

But at the same time, I have had very bad and gloomy days that people will not believe because I am a happy-go-lucky person. I have had very dark days that I would ask, ‘but they say you go to heaven when you die; what does heaven look like?’ I have got to such extremes in my life.

Do you want to share any particular experience?

I just want to leave it at that. But I have been through a furnace that I felt Jesus on the crucifix. Remember I said fulfillment is personal. However, I am not complaining. All I am saying is that may God never allow me to go through such experience again.

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THE NATION, SATURDAY, AUGSUT 18, 2012

Classy wrappers •Dr. Kema Chikwe

•Tina Igbokwe

L

ike aso-oke, George is the official social wear of our sisters from the eastern part of the country, although it is now worn by all and sundry.

Interestingly, George wrappers are now made from silk, satin and linen fabric.

The George wrapper consists of two wrappers (iro) with a blouse (top) made from different fabrics, especially lace fabric and imported gele George wrappers are of different grades and the quality is determined by how costly the one you are purchasing is. You can get two wrappers of George with as little as N7, 500, but the very good ones go for as high as N45,000 and even above.

The outstanding thing about this wrapper is that when it is rightly combined, the result is always stunning. A well clad woman in George will always stand out in any social gathering. Elegant ladies who are not Igbo, but who love to experiment with different wear, especially from other tribes, can try it out.

Tina Igbokwe

How to wear beaded jewellery •Chinyere AnyiamOsigwe

Many simple necklaces and bracelets can be worn with no problem at all. Long strands can be tied or braided together to shorten them and get multiple looks. You can wind them around multiple times to turn one strand into many or to turn a necklace into a bracelet.

Large, chunky beads are a lot of fun to wear, but layers of small beads can be just as noticeable. However, pairing flashy clothing — bold patterns, fluffy trims and embellishments — with large, bright beads can be an overpowering visual image, making an outfit seem disorganized rather than artistic. To heighten the visual impact of beaded jewellery, keep the clothing simple.

•Mrs Uche Ejiogu

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THE NATION, SATURDAY, AUGSUT 18, 2012

Ex-beauty queen launches hair range

E

x-beauty queen, the Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria (MBGN) 2011,Sylvia Nduka, recently launched her Sylvia’s hair range into the Nigerian market. The show was held at her Hair Gallery, Surulere, Lagos. The show, which fashion enthusiasts have now dubbed the hottest hair exhibition in recent time, was an event where the best of fashion and beauty were on display.

During the event, she said it was her own way of creating a launch pad for herself.

“I had to travel all the way to Spain to source for human hair and our target audience are the young people in the society,” said Sylvia.

It was a show to remember for many years to come.

Great Britain’s models on catwalk

A

N all-too-brief segment in the Olympics closing ceremony saw a cast of top British models walking, but not speed-walking or anything too strenuous . A special runway was set up for them in the Olympic Stadium. (No word on why models like Erin O’Connor, Agyness Deyn, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and Sophie Dahl were missing.) The nine models wore clothes designed by British designers including Alexander McQueen, Vivienne Westwood and Christopher Kane.

Their looks were styled by British Vogue’s fashion director, Lucinda Chambers, and were also featured as an editorial in the magazine’s September issue.

THE NATION, Saturday, August 18, 2012

48 INTERVIEW Sighetu Edu’bane Edeke was a household name in the 1990s. It was the era Kesse Jabari, Cecil G, Vivid Imagination and other fashion designers held sway in the fashion industry.

Edeke would best be remembered for kitting Jika Attoh and Jumoke Alao as anchors of Launch Break, a popular entertainment programme on AIT. He suddenly vanished from the fashion business and public glare, but GBENGA ADERANTI ran into him recently and he explained his absence from the fashion scene. He also talked about his fashion business, his late wife and his plans for the future. Excerpts: Kesse Jabari, yourself and others held sway in the fashion industry until you suddenly vanished. Why did you jettison the business? cannot hold brief for Kesse, but I think he had issues with expansion. He made a classic error. The property was not his and he had spent a lot of money renovating the building. When the owner of the place said he wanted to take possession of the property, a lot of his capital went down the drain. He did not have enough time to recoup this. And there were a few other issues like that. Perhaps he felt that it was better to go out there, do something and come back here. I expect him to come back, I’m sure Kesse will come back sooner or later. It is here that he has relevance.

It seems that fashion business has died.

In the 80s and 90s, there was dynamism, with most designers doing something good with African fabrics and making use of fabrics like adire and kampala. You also had many fashion shows. But the way things are right now, it seems it is as if they are not as vibrant as they used to be. What went wrong?

I would not say that things have not been vibrant. The industry has grown, but in which direction? You have the Nigerian Fashion Week done by Legendary Gold.

They are bringing designers together to

I

Edeke and his late wife

‘Why I took a break from fashion’ showcase their works, which is how it is done everywhere in the world.

Like I asked Lexy the last time, ‘Does it drive what you do? Does it drive sales?’ If you look at it very well, in the areas of showcasing and all that, yes, we are doing that. We are being projected. But does it drive sales? Does a designer make his money solely from that?

We have friends who go overseas to do some shows and all that, and we ask ourselves, where is the money? But In terms of image projection, it is fantastic. But the support, the structure, the backbone for the industry itself, where is it? I want to set up now, where do I get the equipment? Where do I get the fabrics, credit and all that? All these are not readily there.

In terms of the artistry, designers are coming out. Designers are travelling overseas, but are we making the sales that will drive the business? Each person is just doing his best, but is their correlation between these shows? After these shows, one expects that the clothes that have been

Continued on page 49

Funny thing I did when I qualified as chartered O Mubashiru Muhammad Hassan, workaholic Permanent Secretary/Auditor General for Local Government in Lagos State, like a celebrated thinker, the only place where success comes before work is in the dictionary.

In fact, when recently he celebrated his golden age, it was herculean getting him to go down memory lane in an encounter with The Nation. Reason: He evinced the Trojan horse he is by spending the greater part of the day at work before joining his select friends in modest revelry.

“If there are three things I don’t joke with, they are: work, work and work. And I’m married to writing and sharing knowledge,” he cleared the air.

“At 50, what has been your most memorable experience?” Of course, the reporter asked him. Shaking his head thoughtfully, he replied: “It was the day the late Richard Afolabi Ege, a former Lagos State commissioner directed my mother to give me one naira to buy a form for admission into Awori College, Ojo, Lagos in 1975. Then, I had just completed my primary education at St. Michael Primary School, Ojo. My mother was initially reluctant to give me the money,

T

Dada ALADELOKUN, Assistant Editor but the late Ege directed her to give me the money to collect the form because she could not afford it. She had to borrow the money from a friend. It was an experience I will never forget in my life.

“That incident inspired me to put in more effort. I was a serious student before then, but that incident pushed me to do more in order to excel. My parents went through serious hardship before I could even finish my secondary school education. It was very tough. It was difficult paying my school fees, but God was there to support me.”

Asked if it was the reason he went into civil service immediately he finished his secondary education, he recalled: “No. When I finished my school certificate examinations, the late Chief Ege was the Commissioner for Employment in Lagos State. He came to our house and took me to Ikeja. The state secretariat then was at what is now called the Old Secretariat. I started work the same day, August, 1980.”

On how he was able to combine the demands of his work with academic commitments, Hassan recounted: “I was granted a study leave without pay to do

my National Diploma, and when I finished, I was reabsorbed into the service.

I got another leave to do my Higher National Diploma with pay, but on the condition that when I finished my programme, I would work for the government. That was how I joined the civil service fully after completing my programme, and I have remained in the service since then.”

Having spent almost three decades in the civil service, he recalled his most challenging period: “Rising through the ranks from Grade Level 03 to Grade Level 30 is not a child’s play because I did not skip any level till I was appointed Auditor General for Local Governments on Grade Level 15 and later elevated to the post of a Permanent Secretary in 2006.

“Another challenging period for me was writing the Institute of Chartered Accountants (ICAN) examinations after graduating from the polytechnic. It was very difficult for me because I had to struggle to make ends meet. After qualifying as a chartered accountant, it was also not easy remaining in the service because there were a few accountants in the service then. Therefore, we were 776being looked upon as threats by our

senior colleagues. But I have managed to survive, cope and able to weather the storm through the grace of God and selfbelief.”

Sweet relief and sense of accomplishment overran his mien when he was asked about his happiest moment so far. He replied thus: “It was when I qualified as a chartered accountant about 25years ago, and we were very few then. It was during the process of ‘fail one course, fail all’. When I eventually qualified, I ran from the ICAN secretariat on Idowu Taylor Street to Eko Hotel without knowing because I was filled with joy. What others could not make, I was able to make it, though after my third attempt. It remains my happiest moment.”

“But you can’t claim that your life has been a bed of roses. When would yould recall as your worst momnt so far?” This reporter cut in. His swift response: “That was when I lost my mother of mothers.

She was unable to reap what she sowed; she died when I needed her most, when I was just two days old in school doing my OND programme at Yaba College of Technology, Akoka. She did not live to enjoy me after going through serious problems to see me through school. She

THE NATION, Saturday, August 18, 2012 Continued from page 48 exhibited will be in the stores by so and so time, and in the so and so quantity, so that I can come from America and make orders.

We can’t readily produce and supply. I can’t readily mention anybody who can do that in this country. At best, we do what I call couture; that is you make for individual, but the mass to which money is, I don’t think we are really doing that. I’ve not seen any growth pattern in the industry.

Why is there no growth?

I think it is just the Nigerian thing. I think designers have embraced couture for individuals, which are supposed to be pinnacle for clothing, but which are not cheap. It is special, it is exclusive. What substitutes it here is second hand clothing.

Take a sample of all the clothes that come into this country; they are cheap clothes.

They are second hand clothes. Take second hand clothes out of it, you may not have anything to wear, because African wear which I do is still on very small scale and it is for individuals. Nobody has really done mass production in that regard.

We focus largely on show part of fashion; the drama. The production of shirts, trousers and jeans is not there. Of course, it is capital intensive. In the area of the drama of fashion, we have excelled, but in the core area where we can clothe ourselves, not many of us are there.

The media have celebrated individual fashion. The fashion writers have not written about the direction to go. The designer should showcase and the press should inform the people. My friends and I have thought about it, and that it is why I have decided to go back to the part of fashion which has to do with mass production; putting out a product that can sell massively. If we are able to do that, it is where the money really is. Anybody who is able to conquer that, it is like having a minting company where you print money.

Why did you hibernate from fashion business?

Funny enough, one was business and the other was personal. I think I made the same error Kesse made. In my own case, I wanted to expand the brand and I got involved in a bank loan. We had done everything, assessed the facility, and a few months to the delivery of the facility, they wanted to shut it down. Of course, you are doing a capital project. You have done the showroom, the fittings and all that. The expansion was in two parts: one was to expand the showroom, the other was the working capital. Automatically, by the time you finished the showroom and you are going into production and banks are asking for their money back, we had to collapse everything and pay the money back.

Automatically, you have tied down funds.

While I was trying to recover from that,

INTERVIEW 49

things slowed down a bit. I had to deal with a personal tragedy and my business partner, colleague and friend, who happened to be my wife, became ill, and perhaps she had been more prominent as Sighetu brand. She was a very friendly and lovely person.

When she became ill, it is normal that it will affect the fortune of Sighetu. Unfortunately, it was something that ran for two, three years, and it was quite a challenging illness.

Anybody knows that cancer could be challenging. At a point, I virtually hands-off the business and I was taking care of her and all the options of treatment we had to pursue.

I was no longer running Sighetu. I wasn’t paying attention to the issues of production, and it got to a point where I used all my savings and dipped my hands into the capital and all that. Any business you are not putting money back is bound to have issues. That is why Sighetu has been down for some time now.

Unfortunately, I lost her.

It has taken me a while to get back to myself.

This was a person we brainstormed and worked together. She influenced a lot of the things you saw in Sighetu and it has taken me a while to recover from that and get the drive to move on. One can say that at one point, it became an attractive option to pack my bag and leave this country. I have so far resisted that temptation. It can be very easy to call some friends and they will take you on. I refused to follow that option. It is like one has to start all over again, re-push the brand and build up again from where one stopped.

Were you able to get any support from your friends and associates?

Yes, we have goodwill. Some people have been supporting us. To that, I’m grateful to the Almighty that we still have loyal friends and clients. Perhaps that is what has given one the courage to start the brand again and move it on. I think I owe it to my wife. There were ideas we had that we wanted to push, and I’m sure that wherever she is, if I’m able

to get that done, she will be happy that I have done what has not been done in Nigeria.

Do you plan to return to fashion business?

That is what I know. That is what I do.

The core of me is fashion. I am an artist, a producer and I would confess that at a point I lost the drive to wake up in the morning to go to studio and do something. But it is building up steadily and ideas have been coming. What I intend doing now, I may be pushing two brands simultaneously; one is core Sighetu Classic African wear, and the other is SG2, which is a mass production where you are going to see us do jeans with adire, T-shirts in adire. We intend to make it a fashion that is a national brand. From there, if it can go all over the world, fine.

How do you hope to compete with foreign designs?

I think the perception is changing. It may be slow. I am basically a producer and I sell ready-made clothes. I have people come to buy things and change there. I have people change to what they just bought and walk out there.

I know that within a certain class of people, upward mobile and all that, time becomes an issue and convenience is very critical to them.

The ability to get what they want when they want it is critical to them. If you can provide it in that format, why not? They can buy things online. They make an order and you deliver it to them within a short period. From there, it begins to percolate down that you can buy our own kind of cloth or local brand readily.

It is not something that can happen overnight. We are prepared for it to happen.

I believe it will happen in a given time.

When you told your parents that you were going into fashion business after graduating from the university, how did they react?

Well, in my own case, I come from a family background where almost everybody sewed. My mother sewed, my sister sewed.

It is only natural as I had already started selling clothes back in the university. It was

‘My wife’s battle with cancer’

something I was already doing. But in my case, I never sought paid employment for one day. I’ve never written an application in my life. I’ve always worked for myself. They had expected that I would get a job or something. My mother in particular, we had a little issue. But with time, she had to respect my wish because this is the place I find fulfillment. It was difficult initially. I made errors; things you learn in hard ways.

But by and large, I’m still grateful I toed that line. There hasn’t been an issue per se.

What was the reaction of your wife’s parents when she told them that she was going to get married to a fashion designer?

She had interest in fashion. She had pursued a line like that. That was mutual attraction we found in each other. They knew that she had interest in fashion and hooking up with someone in fashion was natural. So, it wasn’t such a hard sell as long as she could convince them that their daughter would be happy, which was the bottom line.

Who designs what you wear?

Basically, I take from what is produced and whatever is on the line that I like, I take.

But primarily, my job is designing. I come up with designs.

What is the difference between a tailor and a fashion designer?

It will be difficult to equate fashion designing to tailoring because one is part of the other. You can distinguish them.

Tailoring on its own is an art. The suits you see are tailored. It requires the tailoring skill to make a suit, and not everybody can acquire that skill. So, a tailor is the person that does the construction and put it together, while the designer is like the producer of a movie; he sees the whole picture, the styling, the colour, the fabric.

That is what I do. That does not mean I don’t partake in the aspect of production.

What are your plans for the future?

We may showcase our collection for 2013 this year. That is how it is done in the developed fashion world. As we are talking now, we are doing sample of SG 2. We hope to do the launch of SG2 2013. That means you are going to be finding it in retail outlets Artistes are going into fashion these days. Why do you think they are embracing fashion?

That is explainable. It is purely branding.

You are lending your image to something and you expect that sales will move from there. Let me give you a local example: Ruggedman has a line. I think September or something. He is going to sell on the image of Ruggedman. That means I can take a Tshirt and brand it. It is not easy to get to that point. For you to put your name on clothing line, you must have done something. People will buy because they want to identify with Ruggedman. For a designer to put his name on a line, he must have worked to a certain point.

accountant —Hassan, Lagos Perm Sec struggled to ensure that I became great, but she was unable to enjoy the fruit of her labour.”

His father, he painfully recalled, died in 1980 “when I was writing my mock examinations in secondary school and my mother died in 1981. So, I became a ‘certified orphan’ in 1981.“ Not a few in his ilk would succumb to hopelessless after losing her parents, but not Hassan. “I had to do part-time tutorials for students. Then, I think we were paid N20 monthly at Awori College, Ojo. I would come from Yaba College of Technology down to Ojo to teach the students in the evening between 6 and 9pm and then back to school. I managed the token given to me monthly. The late Ege also assisted me. He saw my plight and came to my aid. Apart from these, the bursary award that came from the state government helped too. But it was very tough. During the holidays, I took over my mother’s business, I mean selling fire wood, palm oil and so on,” he recounted.

He continued: “It was in the midst of all these struggles that my bosses in Alausa found out that I was a promising young man; hence they secured a study leave with pay for me. When I was going back

for my HND, two persons played prominent roles in getting me the study leave with pay. They were: former Head of Service now a member of the House of Representatives, Alhaji Yacoub Balogun, and Mr. G.O. Gbadebo. I was working directly under the latter, while the former was his friend. They both adopted me as their son.

“Even after getting the study leave with pay, there was the problem of who would stand in for me as guarantor so that I would not run away after completing my programme. They stood in for me even without knowing me from Adam. They both signed for me as my guarantors.”

He briefly recalled how he met his wife, Tayo, also a top-flight civil servant: “We met in Abuja during my National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) programme. She was working with the NYSC, while I was serving. I was very popular through the camp activities: platoon competition, food committee, camp football team and so on.

If you were on the food committee, everybody would know you because they would come and eat. At the end of my service year, I won an award and that shows that I was actively involved in all NYSC activities. Tayo eventually became

my wife and we got married in 1989.

With a job that entails meeting all kinds of women, how has he been warding off temptations? He replied: “Determination!

Whatever you want to do in life, if you tell God, He will confirm it for you. I told God that I did not want two wives and that has been my goal which God has certified because I know polygamy’s side effects.

“My father had two wives, and it was a tug of war between him and both of them.

We saw all these while growing up, and it was in the course of this tug of war that my mother died. So, I don’t want to go into that same problem my father went through with two wives and 10 children.

I was the fifth child. For you to maintain peace, have rest of mind, plan your life and make yourself very useful to the society, it is better you take just one wife.”

Quote My father had two wives and it was a tug of war between him and both of them.

We saw all these while growing up, and it was in the course of this tug of war that my mother died. So, I don’t want to go into that same problem my father went through

•Hassan

THE NATION, Saturday, August 18, 2012

50 INTERVIEW There has been so much furore between Cross River State and its sister state, Akwa Ibom, over the huge revenue lost by the former as a result of the ceding of the disputed 76 oil wells to the latter following a Supreme Court judgment that was delivered recently.

But the pioneer Head of the Department of Visual Arts in Cross River State University of Technology, Dr Victor Ecoma, believes such over- dependence on money from oil would not augur well for the state and the country in general.

He told NICHOLAS KALU that if the tourism potential of Cross River State is adequately developed, their neighbours in Akwa Ibom would come to Cross River to spend their oil money.

Excerpts:

cannot be part of it and enjoy it. They see people coming from outside and enjoying it. You should know that tourists have a way of impacting on the psychology of the resident communities. Seeing affluent and good looking people, even presidents of countries come around; it raises a certain level of consciousness that begins to interrogate their own living standards. This ordinarily would not have happened if they did not see those things or if the investments were not there.

Also, world economy is moving from service to be experience-based.

There is need for the Cross River State Government to be up and doing about tourism; development of the ranch specifically. The ranch is not among the first 50 tourism destinations in the world. But it can be put there. I understand the ranch is already in the Guinness Book of Records, having the longest cable car.

That is okay. But there are other strategic positions that can be taken that would uplift the ranch as a world class tourism destination.

Again, while this is going on, you have to integrate the communities as part of the tourism design, because if you isolate them, you will constantly have the socio-cultural problems.

They have to fit in as part of the total tourism design.

Also, the Federal Government has a responsibility to ensure that the •Ecoma community people are empowered, because that place is a first class image maker to the Federal Government. You don’t expect international tourists to come in and HAT exactly is your see destitute as representatives of the position in Cross River people. In fact, they would be the first State University of contact the tourists would make with Technology?

Nigerians. So, the communities must I am a senior lecturer in the be seen to be living above certain Department of Visual Arts in the standards of living. university.

So, while you develop the ranch and put other Have you always been a university teacher? strategic things in place, the communities should After my first degree in the University of also be carried along. The community should be Nigeria, Nsukka I studied Anthropology at the integrated as part of the total tourism design.

Institute of African Studies, University of Ibadan There should be empowerment for the youths. In for my master’s degree. Thereafter, I went into fact, there is a lot of unemployment and all of private practice as an artist, producing works, that. But, of course, if tourism is properly commissions and all of that. boosted, it would have a spiral economic activity After that, an opportunity drove me into which would definitely impact on the indigenes. academics. So, I joined the academics in 2000 at But also, if the people keep looking for trouble the Cross River State University of Technology or keep causing trouble and that trouble escalates when it was founded. I became the first head of and discourages tourism from thriving in the department. I later obtained a PhD in Social area, they would be worse for it. It would be Anthropology from the University of Uyo. I am tantamount to shooting themselves in the leg. from Cross River State.

The Cross River State Government can liaise with You recently published a book, Obudu Ranch the best tourism promoters, tourism spenders, Resort: Flagship of Nigeria’s Tourism. Can you the most visited tourism destinations, tell us a bit about it? international travel agencies and the rest of them I realised that there was no literature on the and liaise with these people and see how they ranch. People did not even know why they visit can shoot up the economy of the state, tourism the ranch. They didn’t even know what is there at wise. the ranch. What they see is a few excerpts and Also, there is the issue of taxation. Taxation has write-ups in magazines and newspapers, and that not been properly organised in the state. is not enough. People did not know the benefits Whatever is being made in the different areas of they stand to derive from visiting the ranch. It was tourism, in transport, accommodation, travel on that basis that I said I needed to put together a agencies, and all of that, it should be directly book as something to take away. known. Payments made should be directly I hear people say they go there just for the accessed to government treasury and accounted weather and nothing else. That means they do not for. With such strategy in place, government fully appreciate the tourist potential of the place. apparatus for tourism should be able to know So, this book went into details to highlight most of how many people visit the state every month. those things. Besides the weather and ambience, Are you sure that such statistics don’t exist? there are a lot of benefits such as business benefits, But I do not think such statistics do exist educational benefits, religious benefits, health There is no way the state should not because nobody has taken pains to organise benefits and a whole lot more. have penetrated the Chinese by now, those things properly. You don’t know how many As one who has done extensive research on the people lodge in the hotels on a monthly or daily liaise with them and encourage them to ranch, which is the flagship of the state’s tourism basis. It is only what the hoteliers declare, and initiative, what are the lessons you feel visit Cross River State. Make it in such a this should not be the case. Government would government should learn? way that the Chinese would always dream be losing a lot and tourism investment is We were invited to the ranch in 2006. The expensive. For government to be able to invest to have their holidays in Cross River State. youths at the ranch had gone on the rampage in heavily, government has to also be able to 2005. My former Vice Chancellor sent me with That way, we can shun the oil wells retrieve monies by way of taxation and be able to some other people to go and teach them some problem. If tourism is properly developed, plough back these monies into investment. artistic skills that can make them useful to key Also, the emerging world travellers in the 21st even the Akwa Ibomites can come here and into the tourism design. When I reached there, I Century are the Chinese. The government must was surprised that with this kind of heavy spend their money from oil find a way of penetrating the Chinese. There is economic investment, rather than being happy no way the state should not have penetrated the and keying into it, the people were demonstrating.

Chinese by now. Liaise with them and encourage That aroused my anthropological curiosity, them to visit Cross River State. Make it in such a because ordinarily, what you see is the aesthetics of the understand their outlook and how they relate to this way that the Chinese would always dream to have investment. I saw that this is a society that is largely ranch, its beauty and so on. But there are other sociotheir holidays in Cross River State. That way, we can full of youths who are unskilled and uneducated, and cultural issues that are involved. So, I had to go into shun the oil wells problem. If tourism is properly the place as an applied anthropologist and it was there placing this leisure investments in their midst, it begins to raise a certain level of consciousness in them. developed, even the Akwa Ibomites can come here and I began to do an ethnography of the area, studied the spend their money from oil.

They would think that these things are here and we people, the investments made there and tried to

Cross River can survive without oil wells –Don ,

W

,

COMMENTARY 51

THE NATION, SATURDAY, AUGUST 18, 2012

Asymmetric Federalism:

The solution to the crisis in Nigerian federalism

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HERE is a major crisis brewing in the Nigerian Gover nors’ Forum. The Northern Governors, with the ex ception of Plateau State, have rejected the call for State Police which they had formerly proposed along with their Southern counterparts. They now reject the proposal, whilst all the 17 Southern Governors and the Plateau State Governor remain steadfast in the demand for State Police. The result of this is that 18 Governors favour State Police whilst 18 Governors are opposed to it.

The present debate on the issue seems focused on which of the two groups will prevail. That approach is totally uncalled for. If the Northern Governors oppose the establishment of State Police, why can’t they have their way with regard to their own States, leaving Plateau and the 17 Southern States to also have their way and establish State Police in their own States? Must there be uniformity of States on every matter? No. It is this penchant for stifling uniformity that is choking Nigeria to death. We are not the same people.

“Nigeria is not a Nation”, remember? It is a State or Country of many nations. There must be flexibility and space for each State to express its individual identity and will. If the North does not want State Police, let them not have. But they should not be allowed to impose a life style or governance style that is convenient for them on all other States, for whom that style is not convenient.

There is nothing unique about different States in a federation exercising power in different ways over different subject matter. The concept is known as asymmetric federalism, and it is being practiced all over the world.

As it is described in Wikipedia, asymmetrical federalism is found in a federation in which different constituent States possess different powers. In such a situation, one or more States have more autonomy than other States. The division of powers between the States is not symmetrical (as in present day Nigeria) where no distinction is made between constituent States.

There are two types of asymmetric federalism. We have the de jure asymmetry, in Legislative powers, representation in Central institutions and in rights and obligations, that are set out in the Constitution. The second type, de facto asymmetry reflects agreements which come out of national policy (not constitutionally expressed). It is the outcome of negotiations leading to adhoc deals with specific States, involving opting out (for example of federal police) none of which are entrenched in the Constitution.

Quebec, the only French speaking province of Canada, is the beneficiary of many de facto asymmetric agreements.

Although tax collection is normally solely a federal responsibility, by agreement, both the Federal and Quebec Governments are entitled to collect corporate, personal and sale taxes in Quebec. In other provinces, only sale taxes are collected by their Governments. Quebec operates its own pension plan, whilst the other nine provinces are covered by Federal/Provincial Canada Pension plan. Again Quebec has extensive authority over employment and immigration issues within its borders. These matters are handled by the Federal Government in all other States.

A

politician thinks of the next election while a statesman thinks of the next seven generations - Pandit Nehru, founding Prime Minister of India Today the entire landscape of the state of Osun looks like one huge construction site, thanks to a radical reversal of budgetary priorities. Whereas the past witnessed a fiscal arrangement that gave recurrent spending the commanding role with capital expenditure in marginal ranking the new order under Governor Rauf Aregbesola has toppled that choking under-development paradigm to give way to one that frees funds to real sector projects and capacity-building.

These funds are being frenzily put to work by the Aregbesola Administration in ways suggesting that too much time had been wasted in the past and the present needs to work in double quick time to cover for lost grounds. That is not all: the governor is setting up projects whose utility will last beyond now and stretch into tomorrow.

Consider the platform the government has erected at Dagbolu, on the outskirts of Osogbo, the state capital. It is the first impetus in the long-haul vision that will tap into the inexhaustible Lagos food market.

Dagbolu will serve as the exit-entry point for farmers from the south-west states outside Lagos to move their produce to Lagos by rail. The government has acquired four locomotives of 40 coaches and 40 wagons to assist farmers and boost the economy of the state by transporting their goods to reap in a substantial part of the daily food exchange value of about N3.5b!

This isn’t an arrangement that would stop after Aregbesola leaves the scene. It promises a deep cut into the future also because contiguous states will tap into it to necessitate the erection first of a bigger platform

Professor Itse SAGAY, SAN

In the Malaysian federation, which has 13 States, Saba and Sarawak States enjoy significant autonomy in excess of that enjoyed by the remaining 11 States, particularly in the area of immigration control.

In India, special provisions are made for the States of Jammu and Kashmir. By these provisions, with exception of Defence, Foreign Affairs, Finance and Communication, the Indian Parliament needs the State Governments’ Concurrence, before applying other laws to those States. Similar protections for unique status exist in the tribal areas of India including those in Himachal Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Andamari & Nichobar Islands and Nagaland.

Even in Nigeria, there have in the past been laws and Constitutions with asymmetrical objectives and effect.

By sections 7 and 14 and schedule 1 of the 1964 Constitution of the Mid-West Region, the Akoko-Edo, Isoko, Western Ijaw and the Warri areas of the Mid-Western Region were proclaimed special areas. Under this provision, each of these minority areas was to be represented by 4 persons in the Mid-western House of Assembly. Only persons belonging to specific ethnic groups were eligible to represent the four minority areas in the Mid-Western State House of Assembly as follows: 1. Akoko-Edo Area - Yoruba speaking Edo ethnic group 2. Isoko Area - The Isoko Ethnic group 3. The Warri Area (i.e. the Present Warri-North, WarriSouth and Warri South - West, Itsekiri Ethnic group Local Government Areas 4. Western Ijaw - The Ijaw Ethnic group The special area constitutional provisions were made to protect the minority ethnic groups in that Region from gradual assimilation or annihilation arising from influx of people from outside the special area. Additionally, it was intended; to ensure that these indigenous minorities were not politically swamped by ‘invading’ majority groups who would take over political office and power from the indigenous minority by their sheer numbers.

This is a clear example of an asymmetrical Constitution, because this principle limiting the right to contest elections in minority areas, did not apply to other parts of the Region like, Benin, Ishan, Afenmai, Owan, Urhobo and Ibo. Again, arising out of the case of Obi v. INEC, governorship elections are no longer held on the same day in Nigeria. They are now staggered. Indeed, it was argued by INEC and PDP in that case, that if Peter Obi’s 4-year tenure was to commence from 17th March, 2006 when he took the Oath of Office, as Governor of Anambra State, it would truncate the election time-table in Nigeria, i.e., it would be impossible to hold all governorship elections in one day. The Supreme Court (per Aderemi JSC) saw nothing wrong with the turn of events. Infact, the Court saw it in a positive light. According to the learned Justice of the Supreme Court: “I do not buy that argument. In the first place, there is nothing in our 1999 Constitution which says all elections to political offices

in this country at the Federal and State levels, should be held at the same time. If there was a provision to that effect, that would negate the concept of Federalism which we have freely chosen to practice”.

This is clear case of judicial support for asymmetrical federalism, representing true federalism, as against stifling suffocating anti-federal uniformity. (See Obi v. INEC [2007] 11 NWLR (Pt. 1046) 565 at p. 644) It is important to point out that the Northern and Southern Governors and their zones represent different tendencies in their attitude to federalism. Those who do not want State Police, tend to be the groups that want a strong central government, controlling virtually everything, leaving the States prostrate. Such groups tend to be the dominant ones, who lacking in easily exploitable natural resources, seek to control resources from other zones through the control of a powerful central government. The other group tends to be those who want true federalism, with significant autonomy and resource control for the States, the federating units.

In the search for a suitable formula for the harmonious political association of the ethnic nationalities of Nigeria, asymmetric federalism seems the only way forward. The three southern zones and the old Middle Belt demand a fundamental restructuring of the country, involving extensive transfer of powers and resources from the federal to the proposed regional governments or the existing states. But the political elite of the northwest and northeast are unwilling to entertain such a restructuring. In view of the stalemate between the two sets of geopolitical zones, I propose the introduction of asymmetrical federalism in which the northwestern and northeastern zones, and parts of the north central zone, can retain the centralized federation of the 1999 Constitution. Others can choose a looser, restructured federation.

Under this system of asymmetrical federalism, the southern zones and the parts of the north central zone sharing the same view, would establish their own independent police forces, organize their own population censuses, electricity generation, control labour and industrial relations and control their mineral resources, independent of the Federal Government. The reluctant zones, by contrast, could operate a single police authority with the federal government and allow the latter to continue conducting population censuses, generating electricity, controlling their mineral resources and determining minimum wages, centrally on their behalf.

Under this arrangement, every zone and nationality would operate under the type of federalism that it prefers. In this manner the Nigerian federation, will remain unbroken.

Once asymmetrical federalism is adopted, every federating unit can achieve its hopes and aspirations and Nigerian States can achieve a high level of harmony. The eradication of uniformity with its strangle-hold on true federalism and stifling its effect, will go a long way to make unity in diversity achievable, thus paving the way for mutual tolerance, solidarity and co-operation within a loose federation.

Osun: The future is here Kobina AYINDE

and secondly the opening of more outlets outside Osogbo. So for the present and the future we have an infrastructure drive serving the society, unlike in the past when funds were only made to take care of selfish ends.

A society develops and grows strictly according to the array of its infrastructural input. Its deficit as we had it in the past in Osun led to dwarfed development. In turn this brought about poverty and despair to the people.

Aregbesola has taken care this doesn’t happen again by the current budget profile. Out of the N146,674,283,140 for the 2013 fiscal year, N70,095,940,620 (47.83%) is going for recurrent expenditure while N76,033,280 520 (52.17%) is going for capital projects.

This is the background to the sudden appearance of projects in every corner of Osun in recent times. There is more money to cater for projects and jobs in the state unlike in the past when money went into salaries and wages of ghost workers and a small favoured elite, to the detriment and deprivation of the vast majority of the people.

Today the Ede Waterworks has been rehabilitated to push water provision to 20 million gallons per day for 15 local government units. How about roads? Ten kilometers of roads have been tarred in 30 council areas of the state to improve transportation of goods and services for the emerging development envisaged by the government. In addition, the new revolutionary governance has taken the protection of life and property seriously

•Aregbesola by putting in place structures to check the seasonal flooding that makes life short, nasty and brutish for the people.

The residents of Gbonmi in Osogbo who used to groan and curse government every rainy season because of flash floods are not using swear language again. It’s laughter and song time for them because long before now, just months after Aregbesola took over, the

governor directed the dredging of the river in the area to make for free course of excess water. The result? The residents are dancing while the rain is pounding the earth in all its fury. The people of Gbonmi care less even if there is a downpour everyday 365 days of the year!

There’s also been massive show of visionary leadership in education infrastructure in Osun. The government is building model secondary schools in every council area to absorb 800 students at a go. These are not run-of-the mill structures. I have seen the one at Osogbo and I can testify it is built for the student being prepared for the future. A correct measure to evaluate a leader is to find out if he works only for today or only for tomorrow. To pass the test, he must work for both. That’s what has stood Chief Obafemi Awolowo out, decades after he ruled sprawling old Western Region. The great landmarks of his era are still dotting the landscape - from Ughelli in present Delta State to Ikeja in present-day Lagos.

The hospitals and markets springing into life in the state of Osun now have the same characteristics: built to have a long shelf life, as it were. As we make use of these facilities today we are also reminded that they must be preserved for the future generations just as today we still enjoy the services of the Ughalli General Hospital and the industrial estates of Ikeja all built by Awo in the 50s.

Awo’s magic wand was to keep recurrent budget low, as low as 27 per cent in his last budget. As history has proved, Awo’s strategy worked. It is a timeless development panacea that is certain to work again and again, as Aregbesola is demonstrating with governance in the state of Osun.

Ayinde is a writer in Lagos.

FAMIL Y HEAL TH AMILY HEALTH

52

THE NATION, SATURDAY, AUGUST 18, 2012

Embrace wisdom in your home (3)

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ear Reader, You are blessed in Jesus’ name! I count it a great privilege to bring God’s Word your way again today. Last week, I focused on how you can walk in wisdom as a man in your home.

Today, I want to concentrate on the women, unveiling to you how you can walk in wisdom for a most exciting home.

Like I explained last week, wisdom is hearing the sayings of our Lord Jesus Christ and doing them. It is the correct application of knowledge. It demands that you take steps in applying correctly the knowledge that God is bringing your way today via this teaching. Only then, will you begin to reap the fruits of a successful home. God’s Word says: Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him

unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock (Matthew 7:24).

Wisdom is the principal thing on which all other things rest. A home is meant to be built in order for it to be successful. God’s Word says: Through wisdom is an house builded; and by understanding it is established (Proverbs 24:3). Therefore, to build a successful home, wisdom is a crucial requirement.

It is very important to know that every woman, according to God’s own design, has a home and whatever becomes of that home depends on her. The wise woman will always do all things to make her home a delighted place. God’s Word says: Every wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands (Proverbs 14:1).

Don’t operate in foolish-

ness or pluck down your home. Rather, operate in the wisdom of God and abide with God’s instructions. They are not grievous. Even if you happen to be married to a man whose level of understanding is lower than yours, remember Abigail. Through her wisdom and understanding, she saved her home, even though she had a foolish husband (1 Samuel 25:3).

You can walk in divine wisdom by identifying your husband’s weaknesses and helping him to work on them. Also, learn to appreciate his good points. If anything has to be pointed out, do that in a kind and loving manner. This is God’s wisdom. Embrace it. If you abide by God’s instruction, it will make your home precious before God and men.

Below is a sister’s testimony who wisely applied God’s wisdom and obtained a good result.

“I’ve been married for over 12 years now, but I’ve never enjoyed what I’m enjoying now since I got married. Our mother in the Lord preached that day and laid emphasis on wives being submissive to their husbands in everything, just like the church submits to Christ. She also said we were to be submissive in everything.

I didn’t realize that I wasn’t totally submissive to my husband. I wept so much in church that day and went to the Lord saying, ‘Lord, from this day, I know that obedience is the key’.

Ever since that day, I’ve been enjoying what all my fasting and binding couldn’t deliver to me.

I had done so many things to get my husband to love me: fasted, bound, loosed, but I thank God that now it’s like I’m wedded anew.

Not quite long, to confirm God’s faithfulness in my home, my husband gave me a cheque of One Hundred Thousand Naira, which I have cashed. I now enjoy peace, love and harmony. The Lord has turned around the tide, just through my obedience to the Word.

Praise God!” When you embrace God’s wisdom, your home begins to shine as gold. People cannot help but be attracted to you, just as the glitter of gold attracts people. God’s Word says: Who is as the wise man? and who knoweth the interpretation of a thing? A man’s wisdom maketh his face to shine (Ecclesiastes 8:1). I see you shinning more and more in your family life and in all your endeavour in life in Jesus’ name!

Knowing how to apply the knowledge of the Word of

als vary in the amount of caffeine that would prevent them from sleeping at night.

The variability depends on our genetic make-up and on our personal caffeine consumption habits.

A number of chemicals have a similar effect to adrenaline or caffeine by increasing wakefulness. These include tyramine, tyrosine, and dopamine. Aged cheese and processed or smoked meats contain tyramine.

Milk chocolate contains some tyrosine which is converted to dopamine within our bodies. Fermented soy source contains tyramine.

Energy drinks often contain caffeine and taurine, a chemical that increases alertness as well as heart rate and blood pressure.

Other chemicals such as tryptophan and serotonin can promote sleep. Tryptophan is converted to serotonin inside the body. Dark chocolate contains some serotonin. Turkey may have a significant amount of tryptophan. Some people think this is why we feel sleepy after seasonal festivities.

Cherries naturally contain melatonin. Almonds contain tryptophan and magnesium both of which promote relaxation. Bananas contain magnesium and potassium that help relaxation of muscles and nerves. Tryptophan supplements are available for people who need to sleep better.

Herbal teas containing

chamomile, passion flower hops, lemon balm, or ginseng may be helpful for some people to sleep well.

A good, satiating meal is sedative for most people although overeating can create discomfort and inability to fall asleep. Most people would start nodding if they sit or relax a few minutes after lunch or dinner. This is believed to be related to circulatory changes; blood flow to the digestive areas increasing and blood flow to the head decreasing. On the other hand, starvation may cause painful hunger pangs that keep a person awake, a torture. Children should not be punished with “no dinner” as this can leave some psychic damage.

To sleep well we do need to control out environment for greater comfort. The temperature, noise level, and light in our environment may affect how soon we fall asleep. People who sometimes have to sleep under environmental discomforts may eventually adapt and begin to sleep under those conditions. However for chronic insomniacs, environmental changes may be necessary to help the patient.

Improving your sleep Lack of sleep and inability to sleep well is not always a problem of physical health.

Sometimes it is a problem of character. If a person is peaceful, harmonious, hardworking, on a good diet, and works and lives in a good environment, he or she most likely will sleep easily when the time comes to go to sleep.

On the other hand, if one is perpetually entering strife, the extraordinary brain activity resulting from strife may disturb the ability to sleep. If one is preoccupied negatively with another person (a rival, an enemy, a threat) or desire for vengeance, etc. the extraordinary brain activity derived from disharmony may affect his or her ability to sleep. Our psychosomatic status (mind-body status) influences are disposition to sleep. The conditions of fright, fight, and flight are the classic description of the effects of an adrenaline surge. Adrenaline is a natural hormone and nerve transmitter substance that keeps us alert and wakeful.

Normally at night, adrenaline routinely drops and a hormone called serotonin rises. Another hormone called melatonin is released.

The nocturnal hormones serotonin and melatonin are important for good sleep and over activity of adrenergic mechanisms can disturb their function. If you find yourself lacking sleep or losing sleep over problems, you may not need to go to your doctor. You may need to make a retreat. Take some time off, unburden your emotions, overcome your experiences, and brave up to face life normally.

Hard work predisposes our bodies to rest for recovery. At the end of each day, the internal wear and tear of our bodies switches us into a mode for sleep. A good night’s rest is often the reward of a good day’s work.

The components of the foods and drinks that we consume can affect our brain activity to cause either wakefulness or somnolence. Caffeine is found in cola nut, tea, coffee, and cola drinks such as coke and pepsi. Individu-

Dr. ’Bola John is a biomedical scientist based in Nigeria and in the USA. For any comments or questions on this column, please Email bolajohnwritings@yahoo.com or call 07028338910

God is wisdom. It will help you to know how to speak positive and edifying words to your spouse and to relate with your in-laws in genuine love. Wisdom is, therefore, the principal thing in marriage.

A wise woman will always know when and where to present matters before her husband. There is a due season for every word. You don’t just open your mouth anyhow to speak to your husband, when you know it is not a proper time (Proverbs 31:26).

This kind of wisdom can only come by surrendering your life to Christ. If you are reading this article and you are not born again, you need to do so today by confessing your sins and accepting Jesus into your life as your Lord and Saviour, because tomorrow might be

too late. If you are ready, please say this prayer: Dear Lord, I come to You today. I am a sinner. Forgive me my sins. Cleanse me with Your precious Blood. I accept You as my Lord and Saviour.

Now I know I am born again!

Congratulations! Till I come your way again next week, call or write, and share your testimonies with me through: E-mail: faithdavid@yahoo.com Tel. No: 234-1-7747546-8; 07026385437, 07094254102 For more insight, these books authored by me are available at the Dominion Bookstores in all the Living Faith Churches, and other leading Christian bookstores: Marriage Covenant, Making Marriage Work and Building a Successful Family.

15 medical tests every man ?????????????????????? should undergo

1.Cholesterol screening/lipoprotein profile: It is advisable to start at age 20 and ensure it is done every five years.

2.Blood pressure check: It is a physical reading using an arm cuff and is often. It is advisable to start checking early. Many experts believe 120/80 is a healthier target to shoot for.

3.Diabetes screening: The test is performed after drinking a sugary drink; a fasting glucose tolerance test requires you not to eat for nine hours prior to the test. It is advisable to start before age 45 and it should also be done very often.

4.Bone density test: A specialized X-ray called a DXA (dual-energy X-ray) which screens the spine, hips, and wrists. The test should be done every five years for those under 65.

5.Vitamin D test: A blood test, often done along with the cholesterol and lipid panel, to check the level of vitamin D in the blood. It is recommended that it becomes an annual test after age 45.

6.Colonoscopy or Sigmoidoscopy: An examination of the colon using a tiny scope and camera, which are inserted through the rectum. It should be done every five years but should not start until the age of 50 except if there are risk factors.

7.Fecal occult blood test (FOBT): A stool sample test that looks for blood in the stool using a chemically treated pad that turns blue in the presence of blood. It should start at age 50 and should be done yearly.

8.Skin cancer screening: An examination of your skin, particularly moles, lesions, or other areas that are changing or growing. It can be done at any age provided it is done once in a month.

9.Eye exam and vision screening: A vision screening tests show well the man can see; an eye exam checks for glaucoma, macular degeneration, retinopathy, and other eye diseases. People within the age limit of 18 to 61 years should go for screening once in a year or at most, once in three years.

10.Hearing test (audiogram): It consists of a series of tests to assess different aspects of hearing. Tone tests are used to measure overall hearing, while additional tests check inner and middle ear function and evaluate ability to register speech. This should be done once in a while for youngsters and more regularly for the adults.

11.Thyroid test: This is a blood test that measures the level of thyroid-stimulating hormone. It should start by age 35.

12.Screening for metabolic syndrome: A blood test that measures an inflammatory marker for plaque buildup. It should start by age 50 and should be done every three to five years.

13.Testicular cancer screening: A self-exam or doctor’s exam for tumors in the testicle. The test can start at any age. It is recommended that all men do a self-exam every month for testicular cancer.

14.Prostate cancer screening: It is a digital rectal exam in which the doctor inserts a finger into the rectum to feel the prostate gland, and a blood test that measures the level of prostate-specific antigen. It should not start later than age 45 and should be done on a yearly basis.

15.Bladder cancer screening: A urine test that looks for small amounts of blood in the urine not visible to the eye. It should start at age 50 especially for those who have a history of smoking.

THE NATION, SATURDAY, AUGUST 18, 2012

FAMIL Y HEAL TH AMILY HEALTH

53 Coping with diseases with Prof. Dayo Oyekole

Hepatitis Foodborne diseases associated with poultry

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ENA Afuma loved chicken which she often took in different waysroasted, fried, grilled or boiled. “It’s my favourite meat. I especially love it grilled or barbecued-the type usually roasted at street corners and garnished with plenty of pepper,” she enthused. Her love of this roadside delicacy caused the businesswoman a stint at a private hospital recently when she fell ill with fever, headache and was vomiting as well. She was diagnosed with typhoid often caused by salmonella, a bacteria found in certain foods especially raw or undercooked ones or contaminated water. “The doctor said I should mind the water I drink and to stop eating street food. But I love those roasted chicken too much and I don’t know if I can resist them,” she stated.

Eating some foods raw or undercooked can cause certain bacteria to enter the system and with poultry, the risks are even higher. Such bacteria associated with chicken, turkey and other meats include salmonella enteritidis often found in the intestinal tracts of livestock, poultry, dogs, cats and other warm-blooded animals.

This strain is only one of about 2,000 kinds of salmonella bacteria; it is often associated with poultry and shell eggs.

Another is staphylococcus aureus which can be carried on human hands, in nasal passages or in throats. The bacteria are found in foods made by hand and improperly refrigerated such as chicken salad.

They multiply rapidly at temperatures between 40 °F and 140 °F (out of refrigeration and before thorough cooking occurs). Bacteria must be consumed on food to

I

F you have tried all kinds of creams and lotions, yet your desire for smooth, radiant skin remains elusive, you might need to try good, old honey. Indeed, there may be no simpler way to bring a smooth glow to your skin than with honey. Honey’s ability to absorb and retain moisture makes it an ideal ingredient in a lot of cosmetics as it helps keep skin hydrated and fresh and prevents drying. Women in ancient times regularly applied a mixture of honey and milk to the face to keep the skin younglooking, radiant, and smooth.

Honey’s natural antioxidant and anti-microbial properties help to protect the skin from the damage of the sun’s rays, supports the skin’s ability to rejuvenate and refresh depleted skin, leaving it feeling silky soft and supple. One of the most common natural skin care benefits with honey is related to treatment of minor acne which could be caused by hormonal changes or ‘heatiness in the body’, as traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) would call it to refer to the imbalance of yin and yang in the body.

cause illness like typhoid or diarrhoa. They cannot enter the body through a skin cut.

That is why such meats must be handled properly before consumption to avoid contamination.

Freezing doesn’t kill bacteria but they are destroyed by cooking.

So, thorough cooking is essential to kill any bacteria in the chicken. Often, roasting or barbecuing chicken such as the type usually sold at

disposable plastic bags (if available) to contain any leakage which could cross-contaminate cooked foods or produce.

At home, immediately place chicken in a refrigerator that maintains 40 °F, and use within 1 or 2 days or freeze at 0 °F. If kept frozen continuously, it will be safe indefinitely. However, keeping it too long in the freezer may render it too dry or tasteless when cooked.

Grilled or roasted chicken should be well done to kill bacteria and prevent food-borne ailments the roadsides, does not do this and this could cause food-borne ailments. For those who can’t resist such street delicacies, ensure chicken is properly roasted before purchase to avoid food-borne diseases.

Best way to prepare fresh chicken Frozen chicken is kept cold during distribution to retail stores to prevent the growth of bacteria and to increase its shelf life.

Chicken should feel cold to the touch when purchased.

Put packages of chicken in

For freshly killed chicken purchased in the open market, ensure you cook it immediately or place in the freezer for proper preservation.

Ready-prepared chicken When purchasing fully cooked or fast food chicken, be sure it is hot at time of purchase. Use it within two hours or cut it into several pieces and refrigerate in shallow, covered containers. Eat within 3 to 4 days, either cold or reheated to 165 °F (hot and steaming). It is safe to freeze ready-prepared chicken. For

Radiant skin with honey

Get radiant skin like that of sultry actress, Ebube Nwagbo with honey skin care

Honey absorbs impurities from the pores on the skin, making it an ideal cleansing agent. With the wide-ranging of natural skin care recipes, it is no wonder that there exists a huge number of honey products in the market for hair care, baby care, skin care for sunscreen, hand lotions, facial scrubs and moisturizers.

Natural skin care recipes with honey Here are some do-it-yourself, extremely easy to follow recipes to enjoy the benefits of honey in skin care with ingredients that are easily accessible.

Honey-apple toner In a blender or food processor, combine 1 peeled, cored apple with a tablespoon of honey and pulse until smooth. Apply mixture to face and allow it to stay for 15 minutes, then rinse.

Cucumber-honey toner Puree 1 cucumber in a blender, drain and collect the juice. Add 2 teaspoons of honey into the juice and mix.

Pour the mixture into a bottle.

Apply on the face and neck area with a cotton pad in the morning and at night. Air dry it and rinse clean. Store the covered bottle in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Honey-oats face scrub Combine 1 tablespoon

best quality, flavor and texture, use within a few weeks.

Safe Defrosting The best ways to defrost chicken are: in the refrigerator, in cold water and in the microwave. Never defrost chicken on the counter or in other locations. It’s best to plan ahead for slow, safe thawing in the refrigerator. Boneless chicken breasts will usually defrost overnight. Bonein parts and whole chickens may take 1 to 2 days or longer.

Once the raw chicken defrosts, it can be kept in the refrigerator an additional day or two before cooking. During this time, if chicken defrosted in the refrigerator is not used, it can safely be refrozen without cooking first.

Chicken may be defrosted in cold water in its airtight packaging or in a leak proof bag. Submerge the bird or cutup parts in cold water, changing the water every 30 minutes to be sure it stays cold. A whole (3 to 4-pound) broiler fryer or package of parts should defrost in 2 to 3 hours.

A 1-pound package of boneless breasts will defrost in an hour or less.

Chicken defrosted in the microwave should be cooked immediately after thawing because some areas of the food may become warm and begin to cook during microwaving.

Holding partially cooked food is not recommended because any bacteria present wouldn’t have been destroyed. Foods defrosted in the microwave or by the cold water method should be cooked before refreezing.

Do not cook frozen chicken in the microwave or in a slow cooker. However, chicken can be cooked from the frozen state in the oven or on the stove. The cooking time may be about 50% longer. honey, 1 tablespoon finelyground almonds, 2 tablespoons dry oatmeal, and some lemon juice or yogurt to a luxurious and exfoliating facial scrub. Massage mixture gently onto face, then rinse with warm water. This blend gives a deeply emollient cleansing to the pores of your face.

Almonds and oats are superb softening exfoliants.

Gentle honey cleanser Mix 1/4 cup honey, 1 tablespoon liquid soap and 1/2 cup glycerin (found in drug stores). Apply gently on to face using a face sponge. Rinse with warm water and pat face dry.

Hot honey bath Perhaps the easiest natural skin care recipe using honey: Add 1/4 cup of honey to your hot bath water for silky and luscious skin. This is especially good for dry skin.

Honey olive hair conditioner: For lustrous, silky, healthy hair and scalp, simply combine 1/2 cup honey and 2 tablespoons to 1/4 cup olive oil. Massage scalp with this conditioner, then put on a shower cap for 30 minutes.

Shampoo and rinse as usual.

Good for hair revitalising.

H

EPATITIS is an inflammation of the liver. Un less further qualified, the term is usually taken to refer to a virus infection of the liver; also known as “infectious hepatitis”. Hepatitis is also (occasionally) a result of a bacterial, protozoan or other microbial infection. There is also Toxic hepatitis which is caused by poisoning of the liver with various chemicals (such as industrial solvents), drugs, or (very rarely) general anaesthetics.

Virus hepatitis occurs in two basic forms, one of which is called infectious hepatitis (or hepatitis A) and the other, serum hepatitis (or hepatitis B), which is also “infectious”. It is fairly certain that these two conditions, although clinically similar, are caused by different viruses and the modes of transmission are different.

In Hepatitis B, transmission is mainly by the injection or transfusion of contaminated blood or blood products, or by accidental skin pricks or other injuries caused by contaminated needles or other sharp objects. Transmission also occurs from inadequately sterilized hypodermic needles, syringes, surgical and dental instruments, tattooing instruments and razors.

Hepatitis B is also common among narcotic addicts and others who use unsterile syringes for drug injections.

The virus which causes hepatitis A, by contrast, is mostly transmitted in the faeces. Although it can be spread by blood transfusion, the main route is from infective faeces to the mouth via the hands or objects contaminated with the faeces.

The patient with hepatitis may notice little or nothing wrong, but in more severe cases, the patient will have fever, headache, nausea and vomiting, a severe loss of appetite and aching in the muscles. Then jaundice, caused by an accumulation of yellow bile pigment in the blood, appears after a few days or, in some cases, a week or two from the onset of the symptoms.

The liver may become enlarged and tender and may develop cirrhosis. The conditions may lead to death from liver failure.

In Holistic Lifecare, hepatitis patients are strongly advised to have adequate bed rest, with proper care in the handling of infected excreta. Alcoholic beverages should be strictly avoided.

The holistic remedy being suggested for total cure of Hepatitis is a combination of natural extracts of Eugenia caryophylatta, Musa cavendichii, Citrus lemonis, Euphorbia unispina and Capsicum frutescens,.

For further information and consultation on Holistic Lifecare research and services, especially on Blood Infections, Infertility, Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Chronic Debilitating Conditions as well as mental and social problems, please call on: 0803-330-3897 or visit: Mosebolatan Holistic Lifecare Centre, Adeyalo Layout, Ogbere-Tioya, Off Olorunsogo Express Bridge, Ibadan. Website: www.holisticlifecare.com. Distance is no barrier, we can send remedies by courier if need be. We also have facilities for accommodation, admission and hospitalization in a serene and homely environment.

54

THE NATION, SATURDAY, AUGUST 18, 2012

Unique nature of Falcorp Park Falcorp Park is a modest conservation, leisure, historical and educational park in Ijala Ikeren, near Warri, Delta State. It offers a natural setting for relaxation, education and adventure without negatively affecting the natural ambience. It is unique in many aspects, reports OKORIE UGURU

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ANGING gin gerly on the canopy walk rope like an amateur ballerina, one feels the heart beat a little faster knowing that with any wrong move, one could make a great splash in the muddy water of the mangrove swamp.

Are there crocodiles inside the water? Going by the specimens on display at the zoo area, such possibility cannot be wished away.

But it is best not to find out.

The canopy walk and other facilities are some of the attractions that have kept a string of visitors touring the Falcorp Mangrove Park , Ijala Ikeren, near Warri, Delta State.

The park is located at the edge of the upland and mangrove forests of Ijala-tie community. It is a minute away on the Warri Refinery and Petrochemical Company (WRPC) Jetty Road (Gunuwa 1 Boulevard).

The park is modest, but obviously short of funds.

From all indications, it is a project that is rich in idea, passion and commitment, but short in the funds to fully actualize the dream.

But with the passion and care with which the place is kept, it is obvious that it is a dream that those that conceptualized will not allow to fail.

It is a conservation-cumleisure park that one could much thrill having a mini

•Canopy walkway

adventure through the rugged walkways constructed with wood. Obviously those that conceptualized the park have a good understand of the terrain and were able to bring out the aesthetics even in this mangrove swamp. Part of the attractions of this back is its ability to weave a very vastly encompassing piece of attraction without negatively affecting the the natu-

ral swampy nature of the environment.

On the mangrove trail, one could hike through the mangrove forest. According to the curator of the park, Mr. Henry Erikowa, if a visitor is lucky, the visitor could sight wild monkeys as they jump through the mangrove trees. Other rare species,like birds such as hammerhead storks, wood peckers, king fishers and

reptiles like iguanas could be seen in this wildlife sanctuary. And as you climb the rope bridge down the board-walk designed to get you to the park,you see more of them.

For the not so adventurous, they could still enjoy some horse riding. In fact, one is actually spoilt for choice in terms of leisure activity to engage in. Being a riverine park, paddling

through the meandering creeks and experiencing untold tranquility and lush of the mangrove terrain are also options.

In Falcorp Park , it is not just fun and leisure. One could get educated, while on a tour of the park. There is a mini zoo where live animals such as the monkey, chimp, crocodile, ostrich, baboon, geese, foxes, eagles, and others are kept. Some

Tourism News Ghazal set for Osun Osogbo festival G HAZAL Holiday Inn, one of best hotels in Osogbo, Osun State capital, is set to give the best to tourists coming from different parts of the world to witness the Osun Osogbo festival holding on August 24 in the ancient town .

The Managing Director of the hotel, Mr. Akinyemi Olumide, said: “We are ready to give the tourists and other visitors coming to celebrate with us the best in terms of accommodation, food, relaxation and qualitative services which we are well known for.

“We are doing these as a corporate body to support the state government of Osun and the people of the state in their efforts to promote culture and tourism in a manner that can translate into the socio-economic transformation of the state.

“We have updated our facilities which are of great quality. Our

•Ghazal Hotel Chief Executive Director, Alhaji Gasali Adeyemi, a prince of Osogbo and a lover of culture, is determined to make the stay of the tourists happy and enjoyable”.

He assured the tourists of a hitch- free festival, saying that adequate security measures had been put in place to ensure safety of lives and property.

Lagos to partner NCF

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ESIROUS of creating more tourism destinations while increasing the number of relaxation centres in Lagos, the state Ministry of Tourism and Intergovernmental Relations has concluded plans to collaborate with the Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF) to develop the Lekki Centre.

Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola, along with top functionaries of the ministry, inspected the picnic and relaxation location in order to further brief the governor on plans the ministry has for the development of the centre.

According to a statement from the ministry, the need to partner the NCF arose from concerns over low patronage of the conservation centre, adding that most animals within the location

•Fashola were rarely sighted.

The statement further revealed that the ministry intends to introduce an aerial canopy walkway for aerial viewing and participate in their wildlife enrichment programme A larger family picnic area is to be constructed in the

proposed collaboration.

Top government functionaries that accompanied the governor on the tour of the centre included the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Mr. S. A Fadipe, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Tourism, Mrs Ranti Alebiosu, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Hotel and Leisure, Ms Aduke Gomez, and the Special Assistant to the Honourable Commissioner, Mr. Wale Adeniji, along with officials of the NCF. Work is expected to commence at the centre soon.

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THE NATION, SATURDAY, AUGUST 18, 2012 of these exotic animals and insects are kept for educative purposes.

It does not just stop at that, bee keeping training and other by-product productions also take place at the park. A tourist could buy pure honey from the park.

This is in addition to offering a tour around the beehives.

Also at the park and opened to tourists is the Bioresources Development and Conservation Department of Falcorp. It is an institute of mangrove, ecology and environmental studies (IMEES) created by the Phytomedicinal Garden and Biodiversity Conservation Corridor in the park to further bio-entrepreneurship.

Being very close to the Ijala Royal Cemetery, Falcorps also has a museum of Nigerian and world history. One could take a historic journey of the establishment of monarchy in Warri Kingdom , dating back to 1480 AD. It also offers the rich history of the Itsekiri, Niger Delta and Nigeria at large. The reigns of the Warri monarchs unsurprisingly is well chronicled.

Nigeria ’s history is captured in the section titled:

‘

Sheraton Abuja GM visits Sambo

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•A dead crocodile on display as a specimen

Nigeria : Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow and the Hall of Fame legendary historical figures and celebrities from different fields are celebrated. They include Nana Olomu (1840 - 1916) who fought the British at Ebrohim from July - September 1894.

Find out why he is referred to as Nana, a man of the number ten at the park, and Chief Afejuku, alias Aramusifiagba Agidigbi,

(1865 - 1960), a man with an enterprising relationship with the British colonial merchants-cum- stock suppliers. In 1952, he built and decorated his engine propelled boat, S.S. Bateren, with its flag, green-white-green.

Having gone around the park, one could not but commend the doggedness of the co-ordinator of the place who is also the cu-

rator of the Royal Cemetery, Ijala, Mr. Henry Erikowa.

He is one individual who is sold out totally in conserving and preserving, not just nature, but the history of the Nigerian people.

In the Falcorp Mangrove Park , he is not just offering leisure and relaxation facilities to tourists, but also preserving history and extending the frontiers of education in the area of herbs.

In the Falcorp Mangrove Park , he is not just offering leisure and relaxation facilities to tourists, but also preserving history and extending the frontiers of education in the area of herbs

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•L-R: Vice President Namadi Sambo; GM, Abuja Sheraton, Mrs. Boris Bornman and the hotel’s director of conferencing, Mr. Ayo Anjorin

Seaman’s team visits Ataoja

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•Cultural troupe performing at the park

Warri Light House opens next month

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HE Warri Light House Cinemas is set for opening next month. The complex is located within an expansive complex that equally has two other large–size edifices – a hotel and a conference centre – Light House Cinemas on Delta Steel Complex Expressway, Effurun, Warri.

Besides, being the first of its kind in the city of Warri which is famous for its vast oil wealth and socio–cultural elements and which over the years bequeath on the city a unique character and following, Light House Cinemas is coming on the scene with outstanding entertainment products and offerings.

Coming at a time when Warri, which used to rate high on the nation’s entertainment scene, is now a shadow of it old self with entertainment, par-

HE New General Manager of Sheraton Abuja Hotel, Mr. Boris Bornman, recently paid a courtesy call on Vice President Mohammed Namadi Sambo to celebrate with the Vice Preisdent on his 64th birthday.

Vice President Sambo expressed his heartfelt appreciation to the hotel’s management for the kind gesture and wished the Sheraton Abuja Hotel team success in the development of the hospitality industry in Nigeria.

Meanwhile, Sheraton Abuja has started a Friday social hour wine tasting at the Lobby Bar. The new programme, developed by today’s premier wine experts and the brand’s global food and beverage team, offers guests a menu of premium wines and weekly tasting events at more than 240 participating Sheraton hotels around the world.

Designed to create and foster social interaction among guests, all participating Sheraton hotels around the world will host evening social hour tasting events one- four times a week featuring a selection of specially curated wines.

Transcending lifestyles, generations and geographies, Sheraton is the world’s gathering place and the trusted friend for the social traveller. The brand’s signature programmes, including their new social hour programme, are designed for social interaction with welcoming spaces that bring people together.

Sheraton Abuja Hotel’s social hour attracted top dignitaries, business professionals and members from multinational organizations.

Mr. Bornman commented that “most of our business clients welcome this new and unique initiative which fosters networking opportunities and life-long friendships”.

37 Sheraton hotels in Europe, Africa and the Middle East are participating in the programme, including hotels in Italy, Spain, Portugal, France, The Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Switzerland and Poland.

•Lighthouse ticularly night life on the zero level mostly due to security concerns and abandonment of the city, the promoters of the new leisure outfit are poised to rekindle the social life of the city and make Warri once again the hotbed of entertain-

ment.

Modelled after Silverbird Galleria in Lagos, Light House Cinemas offers leisure to the teeming public of Warri.

Among its numerous appointed facilities are five

holes cinemas with plush and creatively done interiors, which on opening would be devoted to screening different films ranging from international and local hits.

With this numbers of screening holes, it would be the single largest centre and perhaps the busiest in the state for harvest of leisure and fun.

Also located within the edifice are shops, offices and food courts of different sizes and makes. With most of the shops and offices almost sold out, Light House Cinemas, which hopefully should open for business in September, should be a beehive of activities where people would not only catch fun, interact and extend their network of friends and business contacts, it would also be a full service centre and one–stop shop for all kinds of businesses.

team from Grand Oak Limited,makers of Seaman’s Aromatic Schnapp, recently visited the traditional ruler of Osogbo, Oba Olanipekun, Larooye 11. The team made a formal presentation of Seaman’s Schnapps to His Royal Majesty. In return, the king offered blessing to the company and the brand at large.

Seaman’s Royale has various programmes lined up to make this year Osun Osogbo festival exciting and memorable. The brand’s franchised roundabout at Lakeview, Ilogbo and Mayfair will adorn a new look thus creating exciting sights to behold, especially at night. Also, on Tuesday, August 21, Seaman’s Ayo Olopon Championship will be held at the Ataoja Palace, Osogbo. Winners will go away with lots of exciting prizes and branded gift items. During the Seaman’s Ayo Olopon Championship, there will be side attraction games where spectators will have the opportunity of winning branded gift items.

The grand finale is on Friday, August 24, and will be a fun-filled day as it starts with a visit to the Osun River by indigenes and well wishers to receive the blessings of Yeye Osun. At the grove, Seaman’s Royale will have a stand where culturally inclined people will be treated to indigenous Agere dance and traditional music. The funfair will move to the Ataoja Palace where homage will be paid to Oba Olanipekun and his revered chiefs.

•Ataoja of Osogbo with Grand Oak Limited team

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HEN Roselyn Etsemobor, who has been battling with eye tumor (cancer), made an appeal to Nigerians to assist her in raising N16 million to arrest her worsening health condition, she was happy that good Nigerians responded promptly. Her hopes were high that her predicament would soon become a thing of the past. Unfortunately, it turned out to be an ephemeral joy as the N4 million she has so far raised remains a far cry from the sum of N16 million demanded by the Indian hospital that will carry out the operation. She needs N12 million to make her hope.

Apart from the psychological trauma she has experienced after she was abandoned by family members, her health condition has continued to worsen. Hence, the 34-year-old woman has launched a fresh appeal to Nigerians for further assistance.

Narrating her ordeal in a chat with our correspondent, Etsemobor, who lives at I 22, Amuda Jacoba Crescent, Agbara, Lagos, said: “It started with catarrh. I was having constant catarrh, and when it refused to go, I went to the University of Jos Teaching Hospital, because at that time, I was living in Jos. “At the hospital, they conducted several tests and told me that there was nothing wrong with me.

They said my health was okay.

Nevertheless, they gave me some drugs. That was in 2001.

“In 2004, I relocated to Lagos as a result of the crisis in Jos. During

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HE last deafening hurrah in the arena which holds the decibel record for London 2012 came when they announced the rejection of an appeal against Anthony Joshua becoming the new Olympic super-heavyweight champion.

Thus the hapless officials of world amateur boxing rescued Big Josh not once but twice from a defeat which might have provoked a riot in the ExCeL and uproar across the country which became captivated by this large young man and this uproarious tournament.

Joshua was on the precipice of an almighty fall down the Olympic mine-shaft from gold to silver after two rounds against Italy’s defending champion Roberto Cammarelle.

Five judges submit scores after each round. The official round score is an average of the three closest scores. If after three rounds the scores are level, judges submit total points for each boxer. The highest and lowest for each are discounted and the three left make a new total.

His reprieve came by the mixed virtue of a courageous final-round effort and some frantic pressing of blue buttons by judges who have been ridiculed for so many of their decisions at these Games.

His reprieve came by the mixed virtue of a courageous final-round effort and some frantic pressing of blue buttons by judges who have been ridiculed for so many of their decisions at these Games.

Cammarelle’s three-point lead was duly neutralised and, after this final was declared an 18-18 draw, Joshua was given the gold medal on countback.

Then came a half-hour wait while a committee deliberated and ultimately denied the Italian protest. A nation gasped with relief, even though much of

THE NATION, SATURDAY,AUGUST 18, 2012 the riot, my shop was burnt. In 2005, I noticed that the catarrh just stopped and I thought everything was okay.

“But in 2006, I woke up one day and noticed that the upper side of my right eye was swollen. After a few days, I went to Ikorodu General Hospital where it was discovered that my left eye was not seeing well. They directed me to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) for further tests.

“At LASUTH, doctors recommended that I should go for some tests, but I could not do them because I had no money. While I was moving from one place to another trying to raise money for the tests, I was knocked down by a vehicle and I hit the swollen spot on the ground. This aggravated the situation.

“The scan I was to do at LASUTH was to cost N78, 000 and I was to undergo surgery.

However, they also said that with drugs, I could manage it and it would go. When they started the treatment, the swollen part of my eye vanished and I thought I was okay. But it later came back. I went to different doctors and they said there was nothing wrong

Woman abandoned by family needs N12m for surgery •Roselyn

with the eye.

“I went for another scan and it was discovered that the catarrh that was supposed to be coming out did not come out, and this

According to the hospital, the estimated cost of the test, surgery and other form of treatment is $100,000 (N16million) and it would be done in America

‘

,

was what was pushing the eyeball out. At LASUTH, the doctor who was supposed to do the surgery initially said he was scared to do it. But in the end, he agreed he agreed to do it.

“We picked a date for the surgery, which was November 2009.

But on the day of the surgery, the doctor was not in the hospital.

They said he was on leave. The other doctors at the hospital volunteered to do it, but my health condition did not improve “Eventually, I got in touch with some American doctors. They are from UT Medical Group Inc., Department of Ophthalmology, Hamilton Eye Institute, Tennesse, United States. I have been com-

municating with them and they said they can correct the left eye and also do the surgery on the right eye.

“According to the hospital, the estimated cost of the test, surgery and other forms of treatment is $100,000 (about N16 million) and it will be done in America.

“So far, some sympathisers have contributed N4 million. I want people to come to my aid so that I can be okay and go back to work.”

She said that any kind-hearted individual or organisation that wishes to help her with money can pay into Zenith International Bank account number 1003831114. The account name is Roselyn Etsemobor.

It’s Joshua’s joy as he adds to gold glow in thrilling bout against Cammarelle Jeff POWELL the rest of the world’s media poured derision on the decision.

That the home crowd aided and abetted his great escape cannot be denied since they screamed with every punch he threw, whether it hit the target or not. Whatever its virtues, the victory was a near-miraculous achievement by someone who cannot even remember where he was when Cammarelle won in Beijing, other than it most definitely was not a boxing gym. He did not lace up the gloves until three years ago.

Once the dust of another controversy settles, the question will remain as to whether it is too early for a novice amateur champion to turn professional.

He is inclined to think so: ‘I need more experience, this GB team is the place to get it and I would like to become dominant over a few more tournaments, maybe even the next Games in Rio.’ Cammarelle’s three-point lead was duly neutralised and, after this final was declared an 18-18 draw, Joshua was given the gold medal on countback.

Then came a half-hour wait while a committee deliberated and ultimately denied the Italian protest. A nation gasped with relief, even though much of the rest of the world’s media poured derision on the decision.

That the home crowd aided and abetted his great escape cannot be denied since they screamed with every punch he threw, whether it hit the target

•Joshua

or not. Whatever its virtues, the victory was a near-miraculous achievement by someone who cannot even remember where he was when Cammarelle won in Beijing, other than it most definitely was not a boxing gym. He did not lace up the gloves until three years ago.

Once the dust of another con-

troversy settles, the question will remain as to whether it is too early for a novice amateur champion to turn professional. He is inclined to think so: ‘I need more experience, this GB team is the place to get it and I would like to become dominant over a few more tournaments, maybe even the next Games in Rio.’

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THE NATION, SATURDAY, AUGUST 18, 2012

Mixed reactions trail Imo community government council

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HE inauguration of the Community Government Council (CGC) also known as the fourth tier government by the Imo State government has continued to draw reactions from political, religious leaders and other stakeholders in the state.

The state government had explained that the concept of the Community Government was to decentralize power towards bringing governance to the door-step of the rural dwellers and

Pastor, 70, docked for raping orphan

•PDP, ANPP, ALGON, others kick Okodili NDIDI, Owerri unlock the hidden potentials in the rural communities.

But in a swift reaction, The Imo State Chairman of the All Nigeria People’s Party (ANPP), Dr Vitalis Ajumbe, described the CGC as illegal and unconstitutional, positing that the law of the state cannot supercede the law of the nation which allows for only three tiers of

government.

Ajumbe insisted that the state government is using the Community Government Council to initiate confusion in the local government system for obvious personal and political reasons, adding that the programme will soon crash as a result of the ambiguities surrounding its formulation.

According to him, “it is illegal and unconstitutional for the state government to have another tier of govern-

ment outside the three allowed by the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and should not be supported by any well-meaning Imolite. It is diversionary and self serving and ANPP as a political party will continue to oppose it as one of the many reckless policies of the ruling party.”

In their position made available to The Nation through its Publicity Secretary, Chief Blyden Amajirionwu, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), described the policy as

unworkable, deceitful and unconstitutional.

Amajirionwu challenged the state government to disclose the source of funding for the Community Government Council to the people of Imo State, stating that the policy, backed by the state House of Assembly was another unpopular policy of the Okorocha administration, conceived to siphon public fund.

According to the scribe, the position of the PDP has been clear from the beginning, even during the public hearing on the matter by the

merged aboriginal village settings with the result that even when natives of those

Osagie OTABOR, Benin

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70-year-old pastor identified as Alfred Idonije was yesteday docked before a Magistrate in Egor for allegedly raping a 10-year-old orphan, Hope Kabiru.

The victim who testified in court said the pastor forcibly had sex with her on 25th of June, 2012 after luring her into his room by sending her to buy noodle for him.

Hope disclosed that Alfred had threatened to kill her if she told anybody after having sex with her three times on seperate days.

Grandmother of the victim, Mrs. Mary Akhigbe said Hope has lost her both parents.

She told the court that she was in search of her grand daughter when she heard a noise in the bedroom of the accused and when she peeped into the room through the window, she saw the accused on top of Hope.

Counsel to the defendant, Barrister Osa Uwagie, urged the court to grant his client bail to enable him seek medical attention.

The presiding Magistrate, Taye Omoruyi, however, granted the accused bail with the bond of N200, 000.00 with a surety who must be a civil servant from grade level 12, to enable him seek medical attention.

Further hearing on the matter was adjourned to 23rd of August, 2012 President of Child Protection Network (CPN), Edo State chapter, a non-government organization, Mrs. Jennifer Ero, who ensured the accused is tried, urged parents to report cases of rape to them.

“We also want to say to the public that rape is happening everyday, and nobody is coming out to talk about it.

•The Prelate of The Presbyterian Church of Nigeria, Most Rev. Prof. Emele Mba Uka (centre), presents The John Calvin Meritorious Service Award to Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State (right), at the Worship Service marking the opening of the 20th General Assembly of the Church in Uyo. Second from right is the Principal Clerk of the Church, Rev. Ndukwe N. Eme, while extreme left is a former moderator of the General Assembly of the Church, the Very Rev. Dr. Udoh Ekpenyong

Army parades three suspected oil thieves

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HE Nigerian Army yesterday at Isiokpo, Ikwerre Local Government Area (LGA) of Rivers State paraded three persons suspected to be oil thieves.

Captain Sunny Samuel who addressed reporters on the arrest said that the combined team of 2 Brigade Sector 2, Operation Pulo Shield of Joint Task Force (JTF) on Thursday arrested a suspected “notorious oil thief and illegal bunkerer by name Mr Marcus Fatusi from Ado-Ekiti in Ekiti State who resides in Omagwa in Ikwerre LGA. “ Fatusi owns a Filling station at Isiokpo where he stored illegal refined AGO (Diesel) and the soldiers were able to recover a pumping machine from him and throughout the period we trapped him, he came to Bori Camp yesterday to negotiate the sales of the products.

Clarice AZUATALAM, Port Harcourt “He was also here yesterday to collect money for the product and throughout the period of the negotiation, he claimed to be the owner of the filling station. Yesterday, he was at the Bori Camp to collect the money for the sale of the product and that was when he was arrested and was taken to the filling station where illegal refined AGO was stored.”

In addition, two ladies who sell for Mr Fatusi’s brother were also arrested and on interrogation, they confessed that they were not aware that there was an underground tank where illegal products were stored.

The ladies said that they were shocked to find that illegal oil was stored in the tank when the soldiers

Airtel visits Olu of Warri, assures Deltans of HE Chief Sales Officer tion has so far offered job of Airtel, Nigeria, Mr. robust network opportunity to over one hun-

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lnusa Bello and other management staff of Airtel, on Wednesday, at the palace of the Olu of Warri, His Majesty, Ogiame Atuwatse 11, assured resident of Warri and its environs of robust network from the telecommunication service provider, Airtel Nigeria.

Inusa who said that Airtel recognizes the important role Delta State has played in the development of Nigeria economy, added that they are

Polycarp OROSEVWOTU, Warri

already taking the state to a leadership position in terms of telecommunication network coverage and quality services.

While explaining that Nigeria Airtel has the capacity of taking care of over forty million subscribers without any congestion, lnusa said that the Airtel telecommunica-

dred Deltans and had also in their economic empowerment, trained over three thousand people on telecommunication.

Inusa who pointed out that Airtel Nigeria ranked the first position in Nigeria and Africa, explained that its activities are committed to empowering the people of Delta State with affordable, quality and innovative telecommunications services.

opened it (tank) because their manager had earlier told them that the tank was empty.

However, Samuel recalled that soldiers had earlier destroyed a filling station belonging to Fatusi before he

diverted and started using his brother’s Filling station, adding that after their investigation, the tank would be destroyed while the suspects would be handed over to the appropriate authorities for prosecution.

Two Bayelsa communities spoil for war over alleged killings

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BLOODY confrontation is looming between two neighbouring communities in Bayelsa State over claims and counter claims of murder of two natives of one of the clans.

Locked in the brewing crisis are Okordia and Biseni, both in Yenagoa Local Government Area.

Although the two communities have always been at loggerheads, a recent allegation of murder of two natives of Biseni for alleged rituals at Okodia by the other communities appears to have worsened the situation.

The Biseni community had allegedly declared the duo missing, followed by a rumour that they were used for rituals by the Okodia community.

Not long afterwards, the two persons were found alive.

The Okodia community then consulted a lawyer for possible litigation against their accusers.

While the lawyer was still weighing the issue, the Biseni community allegedly reported to the police that their neighbours killed two Biseni

Isaac OMBE,Yenagoa natives named as Josline Okiogu and Ebiyeyinama Okiogu on July 19, 2012 and used them for rituals The Okodia community consequently sent a petition to Governor Seriake Dickson, complaining that the allegation was “freely aired” by a radio station in the state.

Lawyer to the petitioners, Mr. Olu Ojujoh, asked for an apology from the Biseni community, saying: “Unless your Excellency takes immediate steps to nip the crisis brewing between the two clans in the bud, it may escalate into a fullblown fight with unpleasant consequences.”

Mr. Zuwa Konuwa, the state Commissioner for Capital Development and a native of Biseni, blamed a woman in the community for spreading the rumour.

He said: “We thank God we have found them. The people (missing persons) had gone to a forest in Delta State where their phones lost signals. The people at home had mistaken the development for death. But the issue has been resolved.”

House of Assembly. “We have clearly stated our disapproval at the CGC and it is going to be dead on arrival.

For instance, how can the communities raise N250, 000 counterpart fund required from them by the state government, the whole scheme amounts to a mind blowing fraud and will soon fizzle out like other of his anti-populist policies.”

The policy also drew the anger of the Imo State chapter of All Local Government Of Nigeria (ALGON). Secretary to the state chapter, Enyinna Onuegbu, said that, “it is ironical for a state governor who has illegally muzzled up the constitutional third tier of government to be factoring a purported fourth tier of government to leverage on the local government allocations.”

He stated that even the traditional rulers’ Parliament also inaugurated by the state government will also collapse, noting that the governor, “is mistaking the Northern traditional emirate system with the Igbo custom.”

Also describing the policy as confusing and an aberration to extant community laws, an Owerri-based legal practitioner and National Vice President of the Civil Liberties Organization (CLO), Uche Wisdom Durueke, noted that before the policy, the communities had town union leaders who were elected to represent them but the present arrangement has thrown the question of how traditional rulers can fuse into political roles and be accountable to their subjects.

State police will deepen democracy—Edo Speaker Osemwengie BEN OGBEMUDIA, Benin

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DO State House of Assembly Speaker, Uyi Igbe, yesterday joined in the debate over the desirability of state police in Nigeria, saying the move if actualized will deepen democracy.

Speaking in the state capital, Benin, Igbe said it was presumptuous to say that the instrument of state police will become a tool in the hands of those in power against perceived opponents.

He said: “You don’t have to lobby for the creation of state police, the reality being that we are ripe for it.

State police is very essential and very necessary at this point in our history.

“As for the people saying the instrument of state police will be used as a tool by those in power against opponents, this is too presumptuous. The fact is that it is the local people who know who the criminals are. State police at this point will deepen democracy.”

Responding to a question of the likely outcome of the Edo State House of Assembly on the matter, Igbe who said he only spoke in his private capacity, however, said it was not the function of lawmakers at the state level to debate the matter.”

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THE NATION, SATURDAY, AUGUST 18, 2012

He was involved in all but one military coup in the country.He was in the thick of action at the battle front during the civil war with a bullet lodged in his body resulting in the famous radilocupathy.Then he rose to become Chief of Army Staff and later Nigeria’s first military President until he “stepped aside” to use his own words in 1993.

General Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida turned 71 yesterday, and, as part of the activities to mark the low keyed birthday celebration, he hosted journalists at his residence in Minna. He fielded questions on national issues, including the June 12, state police, the Boko Haram insurgency and other national challenges. JIDE ORINTUNSIN was there.

Excerpts:

Babangida

Why I didn’t retire Abacha before I left —IBB at 71 H

OW do you feel at 71?

I thank God I am ageing gracefully. Well, this is another opportunity to appeal to all of us to strive to live in peace with one another.That is the only way our country can move forward. The only way for us to channel our God- given opportunities is to live harmoniously with one another. This is the only way to be a great country, not only the present generation but also the generations to come. Nigeria has a lot of potential; a lot of good people; but without peace, we cannot move anywhere.

How do you feel celebrating your birthday on the last day of the Ramadan and a Friday?

Fortunately, God has been so kind. My birthday falls in the period when people are fasting. So, that settles it (laugh). So, I would be allowed to rest at home. My religion says whatever God has done for you, all you need do is thank Him so that He would do more in your life.

One of the problems bedevelling Nigeria today is the issue of Boko Haram, and you and other Northern leaders are being personally accused of complicity in the activities of the group.How would you exonerate yourself from this accusation and what is the way forward?

Nigeria is a democratic society, isn’t it? Those who say Northern governors are involved, including myself, know what to do. They should do what they ought to do so to help all Nigerians. So, I will ask them to do what needs to be done.

Part of the accusation is that you have not been making comments on the Boko Haram issue.

I can understand because it is a Babangida. I have talked about it, not once, not twice. So, I am quite comfortable. I said what needed to be said. In my press statements , I said what needed to be said as a statesman.

I pleaded with Boko Haram, so what else do I have to say?

How do you feel when you are rightly or wrongly accused of something bad?

Well, normally, I do not consider it as anything bad, to be honest with you. In the last 22 or 23 years, since I left office, it has been the same singsong by the media, columnists and so on.

Somebody would say during his time, he institutionalized corruption. The question is: in the name of God, aren’t we capable of doing something different in those years? There have been many governments since I left office. And if government exists for the welfare of the people, are you saying nobody is capable of correcting the purported wrong that Babangida did? When I and my former boss, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, volunteered to make useful suggestions, some people said what did we do when we were there at the helms? Okay,we were there. But things were happening. So, we should not be deprived of the right to make our contribution.

We have presidents in some other climes that authorized bombings.They were not castigated because of that. But, here we are in Nigeria. I strongly believe that in the near future, there would be people who would sit down and discern the situation differently. But I have come to accept that for any subject raised in this country, there are over 160 million different opinions.

If you were the present president of Nigeria, what would you have done differently in handling the Boko Haram issue?

We should understand that President Jonathan, Babangida,Obasanjo, Shagari, Buhari and every body do know that we are running

or we ran a developing country. And what we are going through now, other countries have gone through worse situations. But,through perseverance, hard work and ability to dialogue, such countries were able to surmount their problems. I think I am sensible enough to know we are a developing country, and, as far as we are ready to learn from our mistakes, we would get there.

What are those mistakes?

I mean as a developing country, we went into a civil war. I don’t believe we would likely go into another civil war, despite the drums of war everywhere. I am not sure that even you,the younger generation, would like to go through what we went through.

So what would you have done differently as president of the country because the menace of Boko Haram is still very much with us?

I have done what I am supposed to do. First of all, we support the President in his efforts to bring about peace and peaceful co-existence. We don’t have any other country except Nigeria. So, we must support all his efforts to bring about peace in the country. We would continue to support him to achieve that.

We are talking about the Babangida presidency.What would you have done that PresidentJonathanhasnotdoneonthisproblem?

The Babangida presidency expired about 22 years ago.

You were recently quoted in some of your press statements that some of the problems bedevelling the country were caused by the incompetence of the present leadership.

I am not sure you got me right.

You also threatened to take Chief Edwin Clark to court…

Chief Clark is my friend. I have known him for 30 or 35 years. There is mutual respect between us.

So, I would not wrong him in any way. I do

respect him, and he would not deny me as his friend. That is settled.

If you were friends as claimed, why did you make the issue a media affair?Why did you not settle it privately, amicably?

You heightened it. When I say ‘you’ I mean the media.

The hype was very unnecessary.

There are many problems in the country today, from Boko Haram to the Niger Delta insurgency, bad economy and apprehension ahead of the 2015 elections. Can Nigeria survive all these?

You know what? When I was growing up, I was involved in so many things in this country which bordered on what I will call stability of the country .From about 1963 and 1964, we were faced by so many things: riots, Tiv riots, Isaac Adaka Boro insurgency, you name it, Operation weti e in the Southwest and the civil war. These are all because we are a developing country.We went through all these and we are still going through challenges in a different manner. As a young man, I participated in every operation from 1963 till I left office. I believe as a developing country, all these are passing phases.I told a group of unity school students that I didn’t have the pleasure or luxury of attending schools which everybody attended. This invariably affords you the opportunity of having friends virtually everywhere. So, one has the hope that one day we’ll come together for the sake of this country.

From the activities of Boko Haram so far, would you describe it as religious or political?

F rom my observation of Boko Haram, I want to say you guys (media) have not done enough study of the sect.To find out the causes of all these, even communal violence everywhere; boundary disputes , whether in Akwa Ibom, Fulani upheavals with Gwari, everywhere, these things are happening in the country. Somebody should be able to tell us how to move forward from all these.

Boko Haram recently called for the resignation of PresidentJjonathan. What is your take on this?

(Laughter) That is my view, laugh.

You once said that the civil war is not a laughable matter. In your estimation, which of the experiences you had would you consider most traumatic?

Let me be very honest with you. When in 1966 we went through the first crisis, there was a feeling that the leadership at that time felt one part did not want the other as part of the country. This led to the issue of secession. But the most important lesson that I learnt at that time as a young officer was the relationship we established with my colleagues at the military academy. But circumstances separated us.

Some of my colleagues were at one side , while I was at another side. Honestly, what impressed me most, when we met each other, we were not enemies. We still remembered our younger days. We understood the political misunderstanding that brought us to be at loggerheads.

I had a classmate at the other side. I knew he was at the other side and he knew I was at this side. When the war ended in January 1970, he came over.We embraced each other. We even teased each other that ‘so, you were fighting me and so on’. So, the ability to go back to the Nigerian society and heal the wounds is the most remarkable. Hardly do you find a country that fought a civil war and forgot the experience in less than 30 years.

I think the credit goes to Nigerians.

Could you tell us about your personal experiences in the last 71 years?

I listed 13 things in life , and I was looking for a psychologist to sit with and chat with him so that I could pour out my experiences and feelings and then he would be able to make sense out of my experiences and feelings.

So, if anybody among you could help me out, I would be grateful. As a leader, you have to go through many experiences: some traumatic, some good. But somebody should sit down with you to know how do you react to certain circumstances of life. But I think the sum total is that God has been so kind.

So,June 12 (1993 presidential election) was not a challenge?

It was a challenge of leadership. It was a real challenge.

At that time, what you needed to do was to pick any newspaper, and you would have a feeling that in the next couple of days Nigeria would break up. But we were able to come out of that.

Recently, you and your former boss, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, brought the state of the nation to the public glare. Was this because President Jonathan is no longer accessible for private advice or what?

The answer to your postulation is ‘no’. We didn’t do anything to hurt him. We are in good terms with President Jonathan. We talk to him. But some of your colleagues believe that I have never talked about Boko Haram because you didn’t hear me. I have been accused of not talking. We decided to take the opportunity of the Ramadan period like any other leader. What we are doing is to appeal to all Nigerians on behalf of the government of the country. There was nothing bad in that. We maintain a very good relationship with Mr. President. Babangida at 70 was quarrelling with his former boss, but now we are talking together. But we know who we are. If there is one man who believes in the unity of this country today, it is OBJ. I also share the same view. So, we have something that is bigger than all these tantrums of the newspapers and the rest of them. So, if we have something that is for the common good of the country, why not? So, we have been talking. We don’t sit idle as some people believe.

Your son, Mohammed,publicly declared his intention to vie for the governorship seat in Niger State in 2015…

(Cuts in..)He didn’t declare. I read what he said. He said, ‘I thank you for considering me worthy of holding a

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THE NATION, SATURDAY, AUGUST 18, 2012

Babangida political office in the state’. He didn’t say he wanted to the names I preferred and I said the one ‘evil genius’. be governor. I am very critical about this as it affects They asked why? And I said because of its me. If he said that , it might not necessarily be contradiction. governor. It could be local government chairman; it Back to your exit from office in 1993.Why did you could be councillor; it could be any political office. leave the late General Abacha behind when you The ambition is not there yet. But if he signifies were stepping aside? intention, I would offer him the advice that a I think I once had the opportunity to explain this. responsible father should give his son. He is a grown- When I was leaving, there was an interim government up . I will lay everything on the table for him. in place. That government had a life span. We drew The economies of most countries of the world up a constitution for that government. It came into seem to be in trouble, yet in Nigeria, our spending force in November. And it was supposed to expire in often overshoots the target . As a former leader ,what February 1994. We wanted to make sure that the is your advice to check this? government was ably supported by the military so Between 1985 and 1993, I managed poverty. I that they would be able to conduct election in February operated when a barrel of crude oil was as low as 12 of 1994. And we could only do that knowing the dollars. But that was my luck. I don’t blame anybody environment where we operated. We respect seniority, for that because I came in at that time when there was we respect authority. So, we thought, and rightly too, oil crisis, oil glut and the rest of them. But I was able to that Ernest Shonekan should be supported by a strong manage that. God helped Nigeria again, oil went as military so that the threat of toppling him would not high as 100 dollars. So, while I managed poverty, arise and to provide stability and the right support for others managed affluence. On the unbridled display 82 days. That was the idea. The late General Abacha of affluence by the political elite, I want to blame the was the Chief of Defence Staff and Minister of Defence, media for promoting such and invariably and if anything happened, the public would be rest heightening tension. For example, if somebody is assured that there was a senior officer, with a lot of threatening that the country will go to war, why sense and respect, who would be able to pilot the should you publish such a thing? Why give it affairs of the country. That was the reason. But what coverage? You should have said ‘this man is crazy, happened subsequently was a different kettle of fish. forget him’. By now, you should know the serious How would you react to the labelling of Nigerian people you give publicity when they talk. Let me leaders as a selfish lot? give some examples: I listened to the late Gani Let me use the example of our administration. I Fawehinmi anytime he talked. Even when he was want to believe everything boils down to one thing abusing me, I still read him because you would pick at various levels of leadership. We set up a process of up something good because he was talking on a turf selecting a leader at local government level,state level, he knew very well. He was a lawyer, and whatever state assembly, national assembly, president and so he said, he backed it up with facts and figures. Also, on. The idea was that the ordinary man would check the late Professor Ayodele Awojobi. As an engineer, you, if you wanted to go astray .Due to your track he took the pain to actually find out what was wrong record,the society should have the opportunity to say with Nigeria. So, when he talked, you would like to this is a potential president. He must be able to defend listen to him because there would always be his wealth. Where he couldn’t, he must fall by the something to learn. I was an avid reader of the late way side. I think we have not succeeded in doing this Dr. Tai Solarin.When I was in secondary school,he , and everybody walks into government believed to ran his column, Thinking with You. I grew up to know be the haven to getting rich quick. that even the whites teaching us at that time loved to Fundamentally, where lies the survival of Nigeria? read Solarin because there was a lot of sense in what There is a town called Baga in Borno state. If you he said. But,there are some Nigerians you have have ever visited Baga, you ’ll find Nigerians from all known for the last 20 years repeating the same theme parts of the country, living there in peace, going about that makes no sense.The moment they know they their businesses. And that has been going on before are being ignored, may be we’ll have some fresh independence. The Yoruba who are well known for air.

How would you describe the flamboyant lifestyle of Nigerian politicians?

HONDA CRV 2008 …..1.3 MILLION. I would say you guys encourage TOYOTA CAMRY 98 …..500,000. them. This morning I was reading NISSAN PATHFINDER 2005 .…1.2 MILLION. some of the papers, accusing oil HONDA IV-TECH 2004 .…1 MILLION. marketers of threatening to go on MAZDA 626 1999 …..400,000. strike. I don’t always like to talk TOYOTA TUNDRA 2008 ….1.6 MILLION. about this, but to give examples. You MECEDES BENZ 190 .…400,000. are operating a democracy, but I was LEXUS GX 470 2008 .…1.5 MILLION. a dictator. As a military president, I TOYOTA HILUX 2010 ....1.2 MILLION. removed a governor because of HONDA PILOT 2010 .…2 MILLION. TOYOTA HIACE 18 SEATER BUS 2006……700,000. #300,000. But you cannot remove them now for #3 billion.

FOR FURTHER DETAILS CONTACT— You were good at coining words.

08035004681,08067814147 Coinages like ‘ stepping aside,’ ‘the evil genius’. How did you come about those words?

‘Stepping aside’ is a military term. When I was a cadet, there were some of us who could not comprehend easily when we were asked to match. When the order was left, right, left, right,some people shot right, when the instructor asked them to shoot left . So, you would be regarded as spoiling the column, and you would be directed to step aside. So, step aside while the rest of the column move forward. So, I stepped aside for the country to move forward.On ‘ the evil genius’, I was asked a question

by Tell magazine. They said people call you all sorts of names, ranging from Maradona, a deft dribbler, and all those. They asked which of

FOR SALE.

commerce go there and also live there. They have been completely assimilated by the environment. But our generation today will say if you have a Muslim governor, the deputy must be Christian; if you have a bushman as governor, the deputy must come from the city and so on. These are things that cause disaffection and they are caused by the so-called elite.

In the First Republic, the late Joseph Tarka brought the late Kashim Imam from Borno to be elected as representative of the Tiv people. Umoru Altini was from Sokoto and he was the chairman of Enugu council. He lived there, he worked with them. He spoke the language and no problem. The thing started when we started with the mantle of leadership. When you don’t make it,you must find a reason for the loss.As a governor, you spend only eight years.What is the reason for the unhealthy competition. If you must make it, bid your time and prepare for the appropriate time.

May we know whether truly you have called it quitswithpolitics because,theotherday,yourbrother, General Buhari, said he was no longer interested, only to change his mind later on?

I have said it. May be, I have to repeat it. At this age running around the country to seek for votes, for me, is out of the question. I assure you. You will not see candidate Babangida in 2015, may God spare our lives, running around the country canvassing for votes.

So, God willing, I will no longer run for the presidential election.

Thewaythingsaregoing,whatareyourfears ahead of 2015?

Intolerance. That is number one. Number two, may be at various levels, we don’t seem to use experiences to shape our future. Unless we do that we will only be dancing on a spot. If we are able to have this without any ulterior motives, I still have strong hope in this country. I strongly believe we would make it.

The Olympics have just ended and we came back without a medal.What would you say is the problem facing sports in the country?

Sports administration needs to be thoroughly looked at and be thoroughly overhauled. The problem is we believe in last-minute preparation.This, we should avoid and start planning for 2016 immediately, not in January 2015. We have the people, we have the capability and we have the human talent.All we need do is commence early planning and training , and things will be ok because we did it before.

The clamour for state police has taken the centre of national discourse.What is your view on state police?Are we ripe for it?

A:The fear against state police manifested in the 1950s and part of the 1960s when we had ‘’yan dokas’’ or what have you. My take is that the fear established

in 1950 still hunts us. Is it because we are lazy and we do not know why the fear persists and this is what to do to eliminate the fear in our system? This is just the way I look at it.In other words, left to me, the whole purpose of government is to provide security for the people. Anything you do to make sure that these are guaranteed is in order. The fact that ‘’yan dokas’’ were used to harass and intimidate political opponents in the 1950s should not prevent us from having it. We are no longer in the same situation.

Yes, it happened before, why should it happen now?

I keep asking this question so that people should try to move forward.When we were in government, we came up with the project of the National Guard.

It was roundly criticized, but people are coming back to talk about it. What intrigued me is the fact that because something happened in the 50s and 60s, why should Nigerians feel it can happen again in 2012? A lot of people have said until the constitution is amended, but for me, I don’t believe a governor would use state police to say go and beat my opponent and all that. If such is done, remember, people can go to court. To me, the fear is unfounded.

Is anything wrong with the present Nigeria police?

What do you have now? Less than half a million policemen in the country. Remember, the Nigeria police have to take charge of federal responsibilities , while the state police are also backed by enabling law to be able to operate. So, the state police would be buttressing federal efforts, Let me use Niger State as an example.The Nupe live in a local environment. They know virtually everybody living in the environment. So, detection of crime in their environment is going to be easy.

There will be no problem identifying criminals among them with the state police who also come from the same environment. Sometime ago, very recently, there was a heavy presence of policemen in Bida. It didn’t take long before terrorists there were fished out. This was because the people knew who they were and where they lived. I have advocated it in the past and I still believe it can work.

Your late wife worked for the emancipation of the African woman.What role would you advocate for the African woman in the scheme of things now?

To be honest ,with what I have seen so far, I think there is hope. We need to empower them and put away this male chauvinism. There are more potential for women. They are more honest. You may find one woman out of every 100 male criminals. Also look at the present trials of oil subsidy people, I have seen just one woman out of very many men.

S THE NATION, SATURDAY, AUGUST 18, 2012

News 60 RAMADAN

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We need to be our brothers’ keeper, says Mark at Sallah

THE SENATE PRESIDENT, Senator David Mark, yesterday reminded Nigerians of the need to be their brothers’ keeper at all times.

Mark, in a statement by his media aide, Kola Ologbondiyan in Abuja to mark the Sallah celebration, submitted that “irrespective of our ethnic and religious differences, we all have a common destiny in our nation.”

He added that peaceful co-exist-

Sanni ONOGU, Abuja ence among Nigerians is an essential ingredient of development.

He described the security challenges facing the nation as “a wake up call for us to live more in harmony.”

Mark said: “As a nation, we have passed through travails during the civil strife of the past and triumphed.

“The current security challenge is another phase in our political

history. We must all unite to end it and move forward.”

He lauded the steadfastness of the Muslim faithful for completing the one-month fasting and prayers, describing their sacrifice as an impetus needed to strengthen the nation’s unity and promote peaceful co-existence.

“The peace, unity and progress of our nation must continue to be our guiding principle because we have no other country to call ours other than Nigeria,” he said.

Pursuit of peace, unity should be paramount –Aregbesola

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HE pursuit of unity and peace should be uppermost in the mind of every citizen if Nigeria is to retrace its step to the path of glory, progress, growth and sustainable development.

This was the message sent to Nigerians by the Governor of the State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, on the occasion of the Eid-il-Fitr celebration signaling the end of the Ramadan fasting.

Aregbesola, in a statement by the Director, Bureau of Communications and Strategy, Mr. Semiu Okanlawon, said as a nation, what the people, leaders and followers need to do is to come together and forge a harmonious relationship for the betterment of the country.

He called on the Muslim faithful to draw abundantly

from the lessons of Ramadan, which include the spirit of commitment, Spartan discipline, obedience and love of Allah, and apply them to their fellow human beings irrespective of ethnic and religious differences.

He enjoined the people of the state to always be law abiding and be worthy ambassador wherever they go.

The governor condemned in strong terms what he described as ‘heinous killings prevalent across the country, especially the sectarian violence of the militant Boko Haram group in some states in the northern part of the country.

He said: “I am always miffed by the activities of those who claim they are fighting on behalf of Allah. The Prophet Muhammad fought for his right to practise his religion. He never fought to compel people

to worship according to the dictates of Islam.

“We should therefore come together and iron out our differences and resolve with strong conviction to work together as peoples from diverse backgrounds but with a common destiny.”

Quoting from the Holy Qura’n, which says ‘take not life which God hath made sacred except by way of justice and law, (Q 6 v 151),” Aregbesola said lives of fellow human beings must be protected at all times and in whatever circumstance.

He prayed that God would assist the country by endowing the leaders and the followers the knowledge to resolve all the sectarian and politically related violence that have pervaded the country in the last couple of years.

Shedding innocent blood un-Islamic, says NawairUd-Deen leader

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HE National President of the Nawair Ud Deen Society of Nigeria, Alhaji Abdul-Ganiyu Adisa Adegboyega, has felicitated with Muslims worldwide on the occasion of the celebration of the Eid-el-Fitr, which marks the end of the 30-day fasting by Muslims.

Adegboyega, in a press release, called on Muslims to uphold the tenet of Islam and remain steadfast in their belief in the oneness of Allah.

The Nawair-ud-Deen leader also condemned the activities of the Boko Haram sect, including their recent call on President Jonathan to become a Muslim or resign.

He said: "We hasten to remind them that there is no compulsion in religion and that mindless killing and shedding of the blood of innocent people is totally un-Islamic and condemnable.

“They should find other platforms outside the religion of Islam to fight their battle. In any case, violence is never a solution to any problem."

While commending the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for successfully conducting the Edo State gubernatorial election, he urged the commission to do even better during the conduct of the Ondo State governorship election in October.

He, however, advised that future elections should be conducted outside the month of

Ramadan, unlike the Ogun State council election which was held recently.

Adegboyega expressed worries over the current state of the nation. He said: "There is insecurity, poverty, corruption, darkness, joblessness and kidnapping everywhere. Everything about Nigeria seems to be gloomy. As we observe the Eid-el-Fitr, we sadly remind the government at all levels that our prominent member and brother, Alhaji Razaq Aremu Gawat, is still missing.

•Adegboyega “We reiterate our call on the government at all levels to give security of life and property the attention it deserves.

From left: Assistant. Director, Mr. Kola Ogunlana; Permanent Secretary, Political Affairs and Administration, Mr. Oluremi Obayomi; Chairman, Ogun State Civil Service Commission, Chief Mrs. Susan Folarin; Chairman of the Ogun State Public Service Review/Restructuring Committee; Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun; Retired Permanent Secretary, Mr. Adekunle Anwo; the Head of Service, Mrs Modupe Adekunle and Permanent Secretary, Hospital Management Board, Dr Tunde Olowonyo during the inauguration of the Ogun State Public Service Review/Restructuring Committee at the Governor’s Office, Abeokuta...yesterday.

Amosun, Fayemi congratulate Muslims

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GUN State governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, has congratulated the Muslim community in Nigeria on the celebration of the 2012 Eid-el-Fitr.

The governor also called for a better Nigeria based on the lessons imbibed during the holy month of Ramadan.

In a press release signed by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Communications, Mrs Funmi Wakama, Senator Amosun said the celebration of this year’s Eid-el-Fitr should mark a turning point for all Nigerians.

According to the governor, “The lessons of piety, self discipline, spiritual awareness, brotherliness, love and compassion imbibed during Ramadan, if allowed to guide our future private and public conduct, will bring within our reach and attainment the dreams of our founding fathers for a peaceful and prosperous nation.”

He called on Muslim faithful to lead the campaign for peaceful coexistence among Nigerians and respect for the sanctity of life, noting that “Islam is a religion of peace.”

He enjoined all adherents of the faith to continue to strengthen their relationship with Allah through fasting and prayers, reading of the Holy Koran and obedience to all the teachings of Prophet

Ajimobi felicitates with Muslims

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HE Oyo State Governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, has congratulated Muslims in the state on their successful completion of the month-long Ramadan fasting.

The governor, in a message sent through his Special Adviser on Media, Dr. Festus Adedayo, urged Muslims to imbibe the teachings of Prophet Muhammed on the essence of Ramadan fasting.

“Since Ramadan fasting symbolises the period of spiritual rejuvenation, it is expected that our Muslim brothers and sisters will continue to move closer to Allah, even after the Eid-el-Fitri celebrations,’’ he said.

Senator Ajimobi also admonished the faithful to use the occasion of the celebrations to pray for peace, unity and eco-

nomic emancipation of Oyo State in particular and Nigeria in general.

“Our leaders in all the tiers of government in Nigeria also deserve to be assisted with prayers so that they can lead us aright and move the country forward in all ramifications,’’ the governor said.

He commended the spirit of oneness among all the religious adherents in Oyo State as well as their peaceful co-existence, urging them to continue in that regard so that his administration would have ample time to concentrate on repositioning the state.

“It is only in a peaceful atmosphere, devoid of tension and general insecurity that our economy can thrive and Nigeria as a nation can attain its pride of place in the comity of

•Ajimobi

nations,’’ he noted.

Governor Ajimobi reiterated his administration’s commitment to the socio-economic transformation of the state, saying that the lost pacesetting status of Oyo State would soon be brought back.

Sulaiman SALAWUDEEN, Ado-Ekiti

Muhammed (SAW) even after the Holy Month of Ramadan.

Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, has also congratulated Muslims in the state and the country in general on the successful completion of the 30 days of Ramadan fasting.

The Governor, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Olayinka Oyebode, also urged Muslims to use the period of Eid- el- Fitri to pray for Nigeria to overcome its present security challenges.

He said it is only when peace reigns that Muslims and adherents of other religions can contribute meaningfully to the social and economic development of the country and its component units.

Fayemi also commended Muslims in the state for their unflinching support for his administration through their prayers, counsel and robust participation in governance.

He promised that his administration will not disappoint the people of the

state in improving their standard of living and executing projects that will have positive bearing on their lives.

The governor charged Muslims to allow the lessons of humility, sacrifice, love and selfless service to mankind learnt during the 30-day fasting to continue to be their guide in their daily activities.

He noted that the Ramadan, which is one of the five pillars of Islam, has brought Muslims closer to Allah, calling for the sustenance of the piety and spiritual rejuvenation achieved during the period.

Fayemi counselled Muslims not to go back to vices that have been renounced during the Ramadan period in order to retain the mercy and favour of Allah.

The governor also advised Muslims in the state to use the Eid-el-Fitri as an opportunity for sober reflection and celebrate the festival in moderation.

Urging the people of the state to pray for the success of his administration to implement its eight point agenda, Fayemi said this would ensure overall development and banish poverty from Ekiti.

Shettima calls for prayers Joseph ABIODUN, Maiduguri

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OVERNOR Kashim Shettima of Borno State has called on Muslim faithful all over the nation not to stop praying for a return of peace to the country even after the holy month of Ramadan.

The governor, in his Eid-el-Fitri message to the people of the state, said there is still much to be done by Muslims after the fasting period of Ramadan as peace is still yet to return to the country and their prayers could not but be very important.

Shettima in the message contained in a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Communications, Isa Umar Gusau, said rather than slow down, Muslims should use the spiritual rebirth gained in the holy month of Ramadan to double their commitments to praying for Borno State and Nigeria at large.

He stressed that the search for peace is an endless obligation that should be shared by every individual and institution in a progressive society.

He said: “Beyond the Ramadan, I urge every resident to regard offering intensive prayers for Borno and Nigeria as a personal and shared sacrifice that must be sustained for us to progress and develop our very dear state and country.

“The Ramadan period, I believe, has reformed us spiritually and brought us closer to our creator, going by Allah’s numerous bounties in the Ramadan and our increased acts of worship.

“As a result, I urge us to sustain prayers for the restoration of peace in our land. Let us regard ourselves as change agents that will devote our time to the good of our society.

Borno is our home, we have no other place to call ours.”

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EQUITIES NIGERIAN STOCK EXCHANGE DAILY SUMMARY AS AT 4-8-12

Market recovers with N24b gain

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HE Nigerian Stock market yesterday recovered from nearly a week-long down trend as key market indicators increased by 0.3 per cent each.

The upturn was made possible with the price increase recorded by some highly and mid capitalised stocks in the market. These include Dangote Cement, First Bank, Oando and Guaranty Trust Bank among others.

The All-Share-Index posted a growth of 74.34 points to close at 23,141.08 points while the market capitalisation also im-

By Taofik Salako and Tonia Osundolire

proved by N24 billion to close at N7.366 trillion.

However, investors traded 143.799 million shares worth N1.411 billion in 3,421 deals. The Financial Services sector maintained its position on the lead with 109.193 million shares worth N927.356 million in 1,902 deals.

This was followed by the consumer goods sector with 14.144 million shares worth N269.171 million in 711 deals. Others with relatively high volume were oil & gas, conglomerates,

services and industrial goods with 5.076 million shares, 4.894 million shares, 3.528 million shares and 2.895 million shares respectively.

On the price movement tables a total of 39 equities recorded price change with 26 appreciating while the remaining 13 reduced in value.

Cadbury led the gainers table with an increase of N0.79 to close at N16.74 followed

by International Breweries with an increase of N0.34 to close at N7.28.

Others include Fidson, Dangote Sugar, Livestock, Evans Medical, Ikeja Hotel, RT Briscoe, NAHCO and Oando.

On the flip side of the table Conoil led with a drop of N1.15 to close at N21.85 followed by Arbico with a drop of N0.74 to close at N14.09.

Also on the table were UPL, May & Baker, Royal Exchange, Bagco, Red Star, Wapic Insurance, NASCON and Niger Insurance.

NIGERIAN STOCK EXCHANGE DAILY SUMMARY AS AT 4-8-12

THE NATION SATURDAY, AUGUST 18, 2012

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SPORT EXTRA

ITC delays Ehiosun's debut for Genclerbirligi

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EW Genclerbirligi recruit Ekigho Ehiosun will now make his debut for his Turkish side in their league tie with MP Antalyaspor slated for Monday August 20 owing to the delay in the procurement of his International Transfer Certificate(ITC) from his former club, Warri Wolves.

Ehiosun expressed his frustration known on his twitter account in a reply to his former teammate and compatriot, Simon Terwase Zenke.

The burly striker noted that he would only start playing for his

From Tunde Liadi, Owerri

new club after the ITC issue has been sorted out between Wolves and Genclerbirligi.

Ehiosun said in more refined expression:" I doubt it my friend because till now Warri (Wolves) has not sent my ITC. It is not a small problem."

The Nigeria international signed a three year contract for the Turkish side on August 3rd after spending a season on loan at Samsunspor last year but decided against renewing the deal after the club was relegated from the elite division.

LONDON OLYMPIC FLOP

NASS member charts way forward for Nigerian sports

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OLLOWING the nation’s dismal performance at the just concluded London 2012 summer Olympics, Senator Ayoade Adeseun has called for the total revamping and restructuring of sporting administration in Nigeria. The senator, who represents Oyo Central Senatorial Constituency, said the nation’s failure at the summer games is rooted in the poor management by the country Sport Administrators resulting into shoddy and inadequate preparations for the Games.

Senator Adeseun said “the different sports federations in the country have since turned into houses of corruption and financial mismanagement. Rather than focus on the effective management of sports for which they are charged, most of these federations have long become battle fields of political infightings and court summoning. The politics involved in the activities of those federations, along the high level of corruption of those at the helms of affairs, has destroyed whatever chance the country has to make a sporting success. When the sport administration of a country is bad, there is no miracle the country can perform at such international competitions as the Olympics.”

“It is just so unfortunate that our people are just responding after we have been disgraced internationally. This has been long coming. It didn’t just happen now. With our over 160 million population our failure to qualify for the January 2012 African Cup of Nations is a clear signal that the sporting administration in

the country is nothing to write home about.” Responding to comments from some quarters that the Nations Minister of Sports Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi be blamed for the failure, the A.C.N Senator from Oyo State posited that “what miracle can a Minister who was appointed just a two months before the Olympics Games? It takes four years to prepare for such a game – not months. And that preparation is majorly the duty of each sport federation in the country as well as Nigeria Olympic Committee that is responsible for coordinating and supporting Nigerian competitors in the Olympic Games. As such they should be greatly blamed for our failure” The Sport Minister in one of his interaction with the Senate Sport Committee agreed with us that we only take part in Sport with Competitive opportunities since it was clear we are not prepared for the Olympics “It is the sport federation that is meant to discover new talents and train athletes in for competition in their various games. But the huge level of corruption in the sport sectors is alarming .

Also, our athletes are not well recognized and appreciated, so they lack the zeal for success.

Imagine a case where the NFF could not give recognition to the Nigerian all time highest goal scorer of our local league Jude Aneke, would such a lad be encouraged to continue to strive for more success? Jude Aneke would have gone unrecognized if somebody like me had not organized an award reception for him and the whole of his team.”

Battered Rangers won't surrender

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ANGERS have insisted they will not give up on their NPL title bid despite a massive 3-0 setback suffered at Lobi Stars on Wednesday.

The Enugu club have slipped to third on the table with 61 points after the loss at KatsinaAla with a game to spare till the end of the season.

However, ‘The Flying Antelopes’ remain very confident that they could still win their final game at home to Sharks to still be champions ahead of leaders Kano Pillars and Lobi Stars.

Skipper James Okwuosa said Rangers remain upbeat despite going down at Lobi.

“We are still positive we will

win the league,” the big central defender told MTNFootball.com “Against Lobi, it was a very bad day for us and the sub-standard pitch did not allow us to play football. But that does not mean that Lobi do not deserve their victory. They took their chances and we did not.”

“We are still very much in the title race,” added Rangers assistant coach Monday Odigie.

“We believe that Rangers will still be crowned champions on the final day of the season.”

However, Lobi Stars top official Dominic Iorfa told MTNFootball.com that Rangers should forget the league crown as his team will annex their second championship.

•Ehiosun

LAGOS GOVERNORS OPEN SQUASH CHAMPIONSHIP

Squash players jostle for N10m prize N a bid to enhance the involvement of youths in the game of squash, a total of N10 million will be won as cash prizes at this year's Lagos Governors Open Squash Championship.

According to the chairman of the Organising Committee, Deji Wellington, the winner will go home with $10,000, while the runner-up will be rewarded with $7,500. The third and fourth placed players will get $4000 each , with players who finish in the fifth and eighth brackets smiling home with $1,500.

Speaking further, Wellington revealed that in the team events, winners in the boys’ category will go home with N250,000 while the runners up gets N200,000. Teams in the third and fourth places will win N150,000.

The team who finish between the fifth and eighth positions will be rewarded with the sum of N50,000 each. While in the girls team event winners will receive N100,000, second prize N75,000, the third and fourth placed teams will go home with N50,000.

There will be trophies and other

I

By Paul Oluwakoya forms of prizes to be won in the U-14 and veterans categories.

"Already, we are raising more than 150 young players in Lagos State alone and they will once again be exposed to real event atmosphere when the championship commences on August19 to 26 slated for National Stadium, Lagos Lawn Tennis Club and Ikoyi Club respectively" Wellington said. “Before the competition started three years ago, it is of note that Nigeria was not represented in any international competition outside the country for over ten years. I was in London for the Olympics and my experience will soon benefit squash in NIgeria" According to Okanlawon Martins; Vice President Main Organising Committee, who noted that a training seminar for Sqaush referees will be held on 18th and 19th of August to improve the standard of the game in Nigeria urged Nigerian sport governing body to rate the sport higher from category 'C' stating that the love and potentials in the game abound in the country.

New dates for outstanding NPL matches •Games to be played August 23

T

HE Nigeria Premier League(NPL) has scheduled the two outstanding matches between ABS and Sunshine and the other, Warri Wolves versus Rising Stars for Thursday August 24.

Both ties were recently resolved by the Nigeria Football Federation(NFF)'s Appeals Committee and ordered to be replayed after a prolonged deliberation which couldn't be settled by the NFF's Organising and Disciplinary (O&D) Committee.

The Executive Secretary of the NPL,Tunji Babalola confirmed the new date to NationSport in a brief chat on Friday morning.

"NPL has fixed new week

From Tunde Liadi, Owerri Thursday for the two remaining outstanding matches. These matches are Warri Wolves against Rising Stars and ABS tango with Sunshine Stars. They shall take place on August 24 and necessary modalities to make that possible are being ironed out,"Babalola explained.

Wolves clash with Rising was suspended about 30 minutes into the encounter when a fan of the home club assaulted a player of the Ondo State reps who was warming up while ABS tie with Sunshine was initially awarded in favour of the Ilorin based club as a walkover before the latest verdict which overruled it for a replay.

Fixing the Olympic mess • Countinued from Back mostly in blue-chip companies. No stories of corruption in the cricket federation largely because they understand that there must be probity and accountability.

If the NSC members are incorruptible, no one dares perpetrate fraud. This penchant for picking friends of the establishment and political jobbers must stop. With business-minded people in our sports framework (NSC), federation members will be tasked to deliver or get booted out. The present setting where Sport Ministry people sit in their offices carrying files and get listed in the country’s delegations to competitions must stop. Many ministry chiefs were loafing around in London. Anytime there is a competition outside Nigeria, everything at the domestic level stops because such sporting events are seen as the best platform to share the national cake.

As Thisday newspaper’s sports editor, I quarreled with the then Sports Minister Jim Ifeanyichukwu Nwobodo, when he forced the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC) chair Alhaji Raheem Adejumo (a respected sports technocrat of international repute) out of office. I told him that he laid the platform to destroy sports because he wanted to allow lazy civil servants to function as the body’s president. For the records, the late Adejumo revolutionalised lawn tennis in Nigeria. At a time, Nigeria had close to five ITF-rated tennis competitions. Nduka Odizor- remember him- played in the Round of 16 at Wimbledon.

Adejumo was replaced by Adamu Dyeri, an Army Brigadier on grounds that the former had stayed at the NOC for too long. Was Dyeri the right person? Certainly not. Nwobodo wanted to hijack all facets of sports by placing his lackeys in such positions. His dastardly decision has retarded sports, such that a former minister doesn’t see anything wrong in becoming NOC president.

Thank God, Nwobodo is alive to see fruits of the seed he sowed. Did I hear murmur that it was during Nwobodo’s tenure that Nigeria excelled at the Atlanta ’96 Olympics Games? I wish. He only benefited from the legacies of the past. After his reign, what has become of our sports?

Elsewhere, the NOC is the marketing warehouse of sports in such climes. They run their shows, independent of government funding because they effectively utilise subventions received from international federations. What government in other thriving polities do is to fulfill its social responsibility to its citizenry during international sports competitions. In Nigeria, the NSC-or is it the ministry funds the NOC’s programmes, even though they publicly tell us that they handed over the country’s contingent to a rudderless body.

Good funding for sports comes with a plan; do we have any plans? None that I know of. We are the only country that has no sports calender we do things on the hunch. No company will provide cash for structure-less institutions.

Companies will support sports programmes of a caring government that gives them incentives. In Europe, Americas and Asia, companies do not spend their cash on servicing power generators. Here, the poor fortune on such worrisome ventures, which symbolises the failure of government. Won’t they pay lip-service to our pleas because they want to remain in business?

We have dropped drawing board syndrome. What people say now is that there are several sports policies in the ministry. But I dare say that those documents cannot lift our sports from the pit because they are propounded on mundane premises. What countries that excelled at the London 2012 Olympic Games did was to take experts to winning hosts to study their models and improve on them.

Today, there are three winning models- America, Australia, Jamaica and the Asian models. Interestingly, only the Jamaicans have not hosted the Olympics. But they copied and improved on the America model. Need I state the difference between the two countries in athletics (especially in the sprints) in the modern day Olympic era?

If we must beat the rest, then we must do it their way by sending the right coaches and administrators to understudy the four winning models. We have the cash to revolutionialise sports. What we lack is the leadership to drive the process and I feel strongly that the Sports Minister Bolaji Abdullahi can do it with support from everyone. He showed it in London by being physically present at all the events that Nigeria participated.

Just a piece of advice- Abdullahi should head for Jamaica to get the coaches to groom our athletes. England, with its traditional ideas, swallowed her pride and went to recruit a renowned Dutch athletics coach, who promised to resign if he failed to deliver nine medals, including a gold.

The Dutch coach, until we left London, insisted on keeping to his word even though Britain won seven medals, four of which were gold medals. The Dutch said he must go because he didn’t reach the promised nine medals mark.

That is the way to go. Let us employ men with pedigree, not jobbers who want to make quick money.

If England could recruit a foreigner, what is all this talk of having Nigerians to groom our national teams?

We have them there; what have they achieved? Pain, anguish and a catalogue of •Bolaji failures. Can’t we see?

Abdulahi Come on, Abdullahi, sweep the past behind us now.

TOMORROWPUNCHLINE IN THE NATION

Furthermore, any Nigerian that is opposed to the celebration of Nigeria’s glorious beginning with amalgamation should be declared personal non-grata and a mortal enemy of Nigerian unity SATURDAY, AUGUST 18, 2012 TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM VOL.7, NO. 2221

—Ropo Sekoni

I

RONICALLY, the Boko Haram extremist Islamic sect and a significant part of one of its arch adversaries, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), seem united in the agreement that President Goodluck Jonathan should resign from office immediately. The self-proclaimed Boko Haram leader, Abubakar Shekau, set the ball rolling when he recently asked the President to resign and convert to Islam. On its part the Northern chapter of CAN, through its spokesperson, Mr. Sunday Oibe, called for Jonathan’s resignation over his perceived softness in dealing with the terrorist onslaught against Christians in the north. Apparently sensing the incongruousness of the scenario, the North-East chapter of CAN swiftly dissociated itself from Oibe’s statement even as the Oodua Peoples’ Congress (OPC), also voiced support for Jonathan’s continuation in office.

Even then, the demands for the President’s resignation have been louder, coming from diverse quarters including Pastor Tunde Bakare, Mallam Nasir El Rufai, Alhaji Lam Adeshina and Islamic scholar, Sheik Abubakar Gumi, to name a few. All of them see the President’s quitting office as a necessary panacea for the country’s protracted socio-economic and political challenges.

Some of those calling on Jonathan to vacate office have a rather romantically nostalgic view of pre-GEJ Nigeria. The country was at peace, they insinuate, and God said: ‘Let there be Jonathan’ and all hell broke loose. Those who reason this way forget that before the Jonathan presidency, there was the militant OPC nationalism in the South West and the Niger Delta armed revolt among others. Yet, the calls for Jonathan’s resignation, to a large extent, reflect the polarising character of his presidency as brilliantly argued in this space two weeks ago by ace columnist, Sam Omatseye.

In April 2011, Jonathan won what is perhaps the most comprehensive victory in postcolonial Nigeria’s electoral history – and it was a substantially genuine mandate too.

Yet, the Pan-Nigerian mandate also ironically spawned murderous sectional violence that brought into sharp relief the primordial fault-lines that are ever so subversive of Nigeria’s cohesion and viable sustenance.

But as I sought to demonstrate last week, this situation is less the fault of Jonathan than that of a presidential superstructure wrongly conceptualised and institutionalised. Let me restate my fundamental thesis: A centralised, excessively powerful and essentially ‘overdeveloped’ presidency within the context of an ‘underdeveloped’ society and economy characterised by a mosaic of ethno-cultural and religious entities competing for the acquisition of scarce resources through the domination of state power is a recipe for disaster any day no matter who wields executive authority at any time.

Now, is President Jonathan’s resignation the solution to the multiple challenges threatening the existence of Nigeria? Again,

Should President Goodluck Jonathan resign?

As his former National Security Adviser (NSA), General Owoye Azazi, perceptively noted shortly before his removal, the complicated crisis in which the country is engulfed is largely a reflection of the internal schisms within the PDP occasioned by the unjustifiable jettisoning of its zoning policy to the detriment of the North. President Jonathan’s own indefensible opportunism is partly responsible for this

‘

•Jonathan I cannot but agree with Omatseye on this issue. I consider any such suggestion simplistic and superficial. His resignation would create more problems than it would solve.

In the first place, the concept of ‘resignation’ is in my view alien to the political culture of the executive presidency. True, under Section 135(1) of the 1999 constitution, resignation occurs as one of those instances that can terminate a presidential tenure. However, it is rare anywhere in the world for a President to voluntarily quit office without some form of legal, moral or circumstantial compulsion. It is simply contrary to human nature. Resignation is clearly not a constitutional sanction for real or perceived nonperformance by the Chief Executive at any level of government. In any case, Jonathan did not vote himself into office. He was consciously voted for by a majority of voters who, it must be assumed, adjudged him com-

’

petent to deliver on his mandate. If it turns out that they made a mistake, there is no short cut out of the mess. They must bear the consequences until the next election when they will, hopefully, exercise wiser judgement.

The constitutional conditions for the President vacating office are clear. These are: (1) loss of election (2) expiration of term limits (3) physical or mental incapacitation as decided by the Executive Council of the Federation and confirmed by the Senate and (4) impeachment by the National Assembly.

Beyond constitutional and legalistic considerations, what would be the practical political implications of President Jonathan’s resignation? For one, there is nothing to suggest that Vice-President Namadi Sambo will be any more competent or any less divisive than Jonathan. If the two of them are removed and the number three man, the Senate President, David Mark, steps in, the direction of his interim tenure will not only be unpre-

dictable, it will be an unmitigated disaster on an industrial scale. I urge the reader to please read Vincent Akanmode’s scintillating column on Mark’s unsavoury political antecedents in last Saturday’s edition of this newspaper.

Having said this, the solution to Nigeria’s current imbroglio still rests on President Jonathan’s shoulders. As his former National Security Adviser (NSA), General Owoye Azazi, perceptively noted shortly before his removal, the complicated crisis in which the country is engulfed is largely a reflection of the internal schisms within the PDP occasioned by the unjustifiable jettisoning of its zoning policy to the detriment of the North.

President Jonathan’s own indefensible opportunism is partly responsible for this. He must, therefore, be ready to make some sacrifice to return the country to normalcy. That sacrifice in my view must be to surrender his undisputed constitutional right to contest the 2015 election to enable the North complete its truncated term. This will also necessarily involve Jonathan willingly using his stature as de facto Niger Delta leader to placate his constituency and convince them to accept such a decision in the best interest of Nigeria.

But then, Jonathan cannot be expected to make this suggested sacrifice gratis. Rather, he must utilise this offer as leverage to extract a counter-concession from the Northern political leadership of his party. And this will be in the form of a commitment on the part of the Northern political elite to immediately reign in the Boko Haram insurgency within a specific time frame as a demonstration of (1) their capacity to deal with the crisis, govern effectively and preserve the nation’s cohesion and (2) their innocence of allegations of deliberately contriving to make the country ungovernable to force a return of power to the North. It is clearly a danger to the future existence of Nigeria if the impression is created that terrorism can be a legitimate and effective tool for achieving regional power shift.

If such an intra-PDP ‘entente cordiale’ can be reached, it will be most fitting for Jonathan to be offered the position of National Chairman and effective national leader of the party post - 2015. The era of the President of the country doubling as the national leader of his party must be jettisoned.

It breeds nothing but injurious presidential absolutism. Let me say in conclusion that this discourse has necessarily been conducted within the frame work of intra-PDP power struggles. This is unavoidable because it has been the party in effective control of the Nigerian ship of state since 1999 and the larger national crisis significantly reflects the PDP’s internal fissures. Finding enduring solutions to the protracted quandary must therefore begin within the PDP even though it is another matter entirely if the party can retain the centre if confronted by a purposeful opposition in free and fair elections given its uninspiring performance over the last 13 years.

Ade Ojeikere on Saturday talk2adeojeikere@yahoo.com

Fixing the Olympic mess

H

ERE is the truth-if we must resolve the problems in sports, which most people have laid on the weak bed of early preparations, good funding is the key.

Besides, the government’s attention through the national lottery, like we have seen with other polities, is necessary.

We cannot be talking about early preparations when the body tasked with the responsibility of developing the industry is not recognised by the law. What do I mean by this? The National Sports Commission (NSC) is not recognised by the law. This flaw makes it impossible for the corporate world to do business in the industry. A body not recognised by the country’s laws cannot do the business of sports. And that is the first point in showing to the world that we’ll truly compete and win medals at the 2016

Olympic Games in Rio d’ Janerio, Brazil.

Globally, bodies such as the NSC, provide the framework for sports to grow through the business prism largely because the sponsors will easily reach their target audience- spectators. We must ensure that the NSC is legalised with set objectives that would professionalise the sports ministry in such a way that those who work there are sports mechanics, not file movers who create bottle-necks that slow down growth.

NSC should be the business face of our sports comprising, men and women who can be trusted by the corporate world to spend their cash judiciously. A business-minded NSC would de-emphasise reliance on cash from the government. The new NSC formulated under a law would ensure that there are no policy summersaults because their tenure would be defined, such that it stays beyond the term of its initiators. Today,

it is absolutely impossible for anyone to arbitrarily sack the board of the NFF, simply because there is FIFA to insist on the tenets of its statutes.

Selection of members of the new NSC shouldn’t be politicised. Members should have track records of developing sports in their states. I talk about such great sports people as Chief Molade Okoya-Thomas and Mr.Wale Edun in Lagos State. Molade Okoya-Thomas has singlehandedly sponsored the oldest table tennis competition in Nigeria while Edun’s passion for boxing is remarkable even though he plays polo, a game his son, Tobi, also plays.

The sports renaissance in Lagos State shows that things can return to the years of yore, if we are serious.

Passion and deep knowledge of games should serve as the fulcrum in picking new members, who must be able to gain the

confidence of the business community. I dare say that an NSC with Molade Okoya Thomas, Edun and Coscharis boss Cosmas Maduka, for instance, will open any company’s door in Nigeria. No doubt.

The new NSC should be headed by a minister who attends the Federal Executive Council (FEC). They will churn out policies for the professionals in the Sports Ministry to implement. The biggest problem with the old arrangement that brought us shame in London is that the civil servants churn out directives which they also implement. There isn’t anyone to find out if what they ordered was executed. Laudable decisions taken from a minister are thrown into the trash bin once he is replaced.

There should be a thought for business in choosing members of the 29 national sports federations. The cricket federation has run its programmes with hefty corporate support because its chairman Kwesi Sagoe knows his onions in business. His friends trust him. Those who play the game are

•Continued on Page 63

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