The Nation August 20, 2011

I’m still in shock, says father of 30-year-old man shot dead by policeman over N20 bribe

Page I feel no burden 26 being Segun Odegbami’s daughter

Robbery suspect or mistaken identity?

Mikel battles Osaze today

Musician lies in critical condition

— May7ven

Page

Page

29

12

13

Page

Nigeria’s truly national newspaper

VOL.05 N0. 1858

TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM

SATURDAY, AUGUST 20, 2011

N150.00

How Obasanjo and I fell apart-IBB ‘Ex-president lobbied Abdulsalami, Atiku, Gusau and me over third term’ It is true that we Obasanjo: No comment brought you and

‘ Wh y I’m not Why y yet et married

Nollywo o Uche Jom d actress, Page23 bo

assisted to get elected by Nigerians. You have now made new friends and we expect that those new friends would push you through

F

’

resh facts emerged yesterday that ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo and former Military President Ibrahim Babangida are at daggers drawn since the botched Third Term agenda which was opposed by Babangida.

Babangida, who gave the hint of

the crisis of confidence in an interview with African Statesman to mark his 70 birthday, also said ordinary Nigerians do not need debate on the appropriate tenure system instead, they want how their condition will improve.

FACTS & FIGURES

th

Continued on Page 5

The Members of the NJC. s 23 constitution prescribe the of ent sid but the Pre n Industrial Court has bee er. mb me as co-opted ly eight Of the 24 members, on tice Isa Jus ere were present wh d. ide dec s wa e fat i’s Salam ers who Number of NJC memb n of Justice tio era sid con sed po op was not Salami’s issue, which a. nd age the on

24

IN THE NEWS

Salami fights suspension in court Eight of 24 NJC members decided his fate Drama as council withdraws his police escorts IG reverses order Pages3&4

8 3 5

they Of the eight, five said tter as could consider the ma how many nobody would know . sat members actually

THE NATION, SATURDAY, AUGUST 20, 2011

2

Obasanjo Vs IBB: The making of a roforofo fight

Stories: Kelvin Osa- OKUNBOR

F

ormer President Olusegun Obasanjo and ex-military president, Gen. Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (IBB) are the type the late wordsmith, Kingsley Ozumba Mbadiwe would call “the men of timber and caliber”.

For the record, they had both ruled the country for at least eight years each; they are both Generals in the Nigerian Army and are both chieftains of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Obasanjo is the current chairman, Board of Trustees (BoT) of the party while IBB, apart from being a high ranking chieftain, was a presidential aspirant on the platform of the party in the April, 2011 general election.

What is more, they have both crossed the generally acknowledged and enviable age of 70. Either by design or default, the two Generals have bestridden the Nigerian political firmament in the last four decades like the Shakespearean 'Colossus'.

So, they are both iconic as far as the history of Nigeria is concerned, and therefore, expected to be role models of a sort. But alas, these two highly placed former Nigerian leaders have chosen to do what is popularly called, in Nigerian parlance, roforofo fight to the dismay of all.

What happened on Wednesday, August 17 and Thursday, August 18, can only be described as a mechanical let out of accumulated pent up anger, exceeding grudge and quantum animosity propelled by the undying urge to demystify and deprecate the other over the years. It was a tragic and pathetic manifestation of a long lost sense of esprit de corp.

The genesis dated back to those days when IBB held sway as military president.

Obasanjo turned out to be one of his most unsparing critics. For example, in April 1993, Obasanjo granted an interview to a weekly news magazine, TELL, in which he reviewed the activities of IBB as the chief pilot of the country. The magazine ran the interview with a catchy, vintage title “IBB's Regime Is A Fraud Obasanjo”.

In the lengthy interview, Obasanjo, playing a self-imposed role of a 'socioeconomic and human rights activist', warned that “IBB is Nigeria's greatest problem”. In the same year, he allegedly wrote a letter to IBB in which he was said to have warned him: “You should not mistake the silence of the people for acquiescence”.

In the said interview, Obasanjo accused IBB of financial rascality and profligacy.

“As a result of what somebody called financial and fiscal rascality, we now have an administration deficit. Deficit budgeting, deficit financing, deficit trading but more importantly, we have an administration that is deficit in credibility. That is very, very important. It’s deficit in honesty, deficit in honour, deficit in truth. The only thing it has in surplus is saying something and doing something else.

“Undermining the structures and fabrics that hold the nation together. All these have increased cynicism and skepticism about government and governance in Nigeria.

And until something is done to remove this or reverse it, all other things will be difficult.

It has now got to a stage that when government says good morning, people will look out four times to ascertain the time of the day before they reply.

“That's a bad situation for any society, for any human institution. Any administration that comes up must just learn one lesson.

That lesson is that though Nigerians may be quiet, silent, and their absorbing capacity being elastic, and all that, I believe that it is important that the government levels up with the people. Dealing honestly with the people. I must say that this is an administration that has done the least in the history of this country since independence. … I have said that this is an administration that

Air Nigeria expands fleet as it takes delivery of B737-400

A

Obasanjo IBB

Augustine AVWODE Assistant Editor deliberately puts booby traps on the way.

“One legacy that this administration will be leaving us is not only making every Nigerian 500 per cent poor but moving Nigeria from among one of the leading 50 nations of the world economically to one of the 25 poorest nations of the world. Now these are legacies that we are not going to get out of overnight.

So, whatever administration succeeds Babangida will have the good sense to know that we require all hands on deck”.

Indeed, a few years earlier, precisely in 1987, during the launching of the late General Joe Garba's Diplomatic Soldiering, Obasanjo had lampooned and condemned Babangida's Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP), as he declared rather sardonically that it lacked “human face and the milk of human kindness.”

In 1992, in a lecture at the University of Ibadan, he identified the country's main problem at the time, as the four 'As' that were draining the national economy 'Abuja, Ajaokuta, Aluminium project and the Army'.

That was Obasanjo's highly cynical and pessimistic disposition to the IBB regime, and he remained unsparing about it till it fell rather disgracefully on August 27, 1993.

Curiously, IBB swallowed the phlegm in his throat as though nothing had happened, with ominous silence. He carried on as if he never heard all that his former C- In- C, belonging to the same constituency was saying.

But without being told, their relationship had been badly damaged. So, when Obasanjo fell into the late General Sani Abacha's trap, IBB did not as much as lift a finger to save his head until providence did it.

However, once Obasanjo was out of Abacha's gulag, IBB it was who allegedly led the delegation that schemed to persuade Obasanjo to take over from General Abdulsalam Abubakar. It was a deft move that repaired, in a way, the strained relationship between the two Generals.

And as a reciprocal gesture, Obasanjo, in all his eight years, stoutly stood against the many calls to probe the IBB years. Not even the popular Okigbo Report that allegedly indicted IBB could sway Obasanjo to order the probe of the Minna-born armoured General.

And as a further gesture of a restored relationship, the gap toothed General stepped down for Obasanjo when in 2003, he indicated his intention to run for a second term with the hope that come 2007, Obasanjo would support him to get back to Aso Rock.

But like Ola Rotimi would say, joy has a slender body that breaks too soon. The tiny chord holding the two Generals snapped when Obasanjo started showing signs of 'wanting' an extra term.

While he did not say he was publicly against Third Term, IBB declared his ambition to contest in 2007. This was interpreted to mean that he was against it. After the Third Term project crashed, Obasanjo did not look in the direction of IBB. He rather went for the late Umaru Yar'Adua to the consternation of many top northern political elite. But Babangida, in stepping down, said he was doing that for the sake of 'his brother, Umaru Yar'Adua.

He was content to wait for 2011. But when 2011 came around, Obasanjo played the bull in a China's shop. He stepped in, not to uphold an existing party policy, but to take his pound of flesh and perhaps a gallon of blood from those who stood on his way from realising his alleged Third Term agenda, even though he vehemently denied being interested in it.

He threw his weight behind President Goodluck Jonathan who was acting then.

Jonathan, it was alleged, was contented with making way for a northern candidate in the spirit of the PDP zoning of the presidency between the north and the south. And IBB made it clear he was not going to 'chicken' out again.

The long and short of it was that, with Obasanjo not likely to support his enstranged vice, Atiku Abubakar, despite his famous visit to Abeokuta, his support for IBB could have swayed the pendulum in his favour. But Obasanjo's support went to Jonathan. The implication was that, indirectly, Obasanjo had tacitly stood against the last chance IBB had to rule the nation again.

His joy in playing this 'spoiler's role' as it was described by some northern elements then, manifested in his now popular “I dey laugh o” comment as a response to the emergence of Atiku Abubakar as the concensus candidate of the north.

This, perhaps, was the last straw, as far as IBB was concerned. It was one more stab IBB could not stomach. The stage was, therefore, set for an open and uncensored confrontation. That opportunity came on Wednesday.

Since that day, bemused Nigerians have savoured the hot jibes and fiery exchanges.

They are probably waiting for more. But then, many Nigerians are also asking if Bill Clinton and George W Bush, who are former US presidents and in different political parties, will 'entertain' the American people the way Obasanjo and IBB have done in Nigeria.

ir Nigeria has taken delivery of a modern Boeing 737-400 series aircraft to bring its current fleet size to 11 in continuation of its drive to consolidate on its regional and domestic route network. The Boeing 737-400 series aircraft with registration 5N-VNM has been enhanced to offer comfort to passengers with its two class cabin configuration of 12 Business and 133 Economy class seats.

The arrival of this aircraft to Air Nigeria's rapidly growing fleet further attests to the successes of the turnaround process initiated just over a year ago by the airline's new management under the Chairmanship of Barrister Jimoh Ibrahim. Air Nigeria has grown steadily with the introduction of new routes and aircrafts to its fleet over the past few months thereby building its customer's confidence in the airline's ability to meet and exceed their travel needs and requirements.

The arrival of this additional aircraft is also coming on the heels of the commencement of th flight operations to Sao Tome on 18 August 2011.

Air Nigeria remains committed to maintaining global best practices in the aviation industry by ensuring that aircraft in its fleet conforms to civil aviation regulatory requirements and contracts the most reputable aircraft maintenance firms to support in the maintenance of its fleet.

NDLEA arrests automobile importer with cocaine

A

n automobile importer has been nabbed by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for alleged exportation of narcotics. The suspect, Ofodili Ifeanyichukwu Victor, 47, invested five million naira (N5 000.000.00) into the illicit drug business in expectation of twenty-five million naira (N25000.000.00) to increase his capital base.

He tested positive to drug ingestion and was intercepted during the screening of passengers on British Airways flight to London Heathrow airport. While on observation, Ofodili at the early hours of Friday August 19, 2011 completed the excretion of 70 capsules of powdery substances which tested positive for cocaine weighing 1.300kg.

Chairman/Chief Executive of the agency, Ahmadu Giade who expressed satisfaction with the arrest described it as very remarkable. “This arrest is remarkable given the profile of the suspect. Recent arrests recorded by the Agency have drastically altered risk profiling parameters in the country. Every route is now classified as high risk just as every passenger is assumed a potential drug trafficker. We shall continue to adapt our strategies to meet the dynamic trade in narcotics. Any investment in drug trafficking should be considered lost”, Giade warned.

Preliminary investigation reveals that the suspect is a frequent traveller with multiple entries into the United Kingdom and United States. He is alleged to have financed several drug trafficking deals with links to drug cartels in Europe. Narcotic investigators have commenced work on his case and will collaborate with other countries to identify his foreign accomplice.

Ofodili Ifeanyichukwu Victor hails from Anambra State and resides at Opebi area of Ikeja, Lagos. After his secondary education at Dennis Memorial Grammar School in 1989 he ventured into auto-parts business at Onitsha.

In 1995, he left Onitsha to Lagos where he continued with the auto-parts business.

gbe

THE NATION, SATURDAY, AUGUST 20, 2011

KATSINA-ALU/SALAMI FACE-OFF

3

Eight of 24 NJC members decide Salami’s fate

T

HE face-off between the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Aloysius Katsina-Alu, and the President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Isa Ayo Salami, worsened yesterday, with the withdrawal of the police escorts and orderly of Salami.

As at the time of the withdrawal, Salami had not been served the notice of suspension.

The withdrawal was said to be at the instance of a top official of the National Judicial Council (NJC).

But following a situation alert to the presidency, the Inspector-General of Police, Hafiz Ringim, restored the police escorts and orderly after about two hours.

Also, fresh facts revealed that only eight of 24 members attended the NJC meeting where it was decided that Salami be suspended.

Investigation by our correspondent revealed that as early as 5am yesterday, all the policemen guarding the home and the office of the suspended President of the Court were withdrawn.

A source, who spoke in confidence, said: “Salami was stripped of his police escorts, orderly and guards at his Asokoro home and in the office. This action was taken when he had not even received any official notice from the NJC on his suspension.

“The man woke up to discover that he had nobody protecting him. They left him bare for God knows what.

“Upon enquiry, a top official of the NJC was said to have ordered the withdrawal of the police details as part of steps to enforce the resolution of the council.

“Why the police details accepted such instruction, nobody knew. Salami cried out to relevant authorities, leading to the intervention of the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Hafiz Ringim.

“The IGP also called Salami to personally apologise for the oversight.”

As at noon, the police details, including the escorts, had been restored as directed by the IGP. The development buoyed the confidence of Salami who went ahead to resume work.

Another source added: Meanwhile, fresh facts have revealed that only eight out of 24 members of the NJC actually decided the fate of Salami on Thursday.

Before the President of the Industrial Court was coopted, Section 20 of the Third Schedule Part I of the Third Schedule to 1999 Constitution(as amended) recommends a 23-man team for the NJC. The section says: “The NJC shall comprise the following (a) the Chief Justice of Nigeria who shall be the Chairman;(b) the next most senior Justice of the Supreme Court who shall be the Deputy Chairman;(c) the President of the Court of Appeal; (d) five retired Justices selected by the Chief Justice of Nigeria from the Supreme Court or Court of Appeal(e) the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court; (f) five Chief Judges of States to be appointed by the Chief Justice of Nigeria from among the Chief Judges of the states and of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja in rotation to serve for two years;(g) one Grand Khadi to be appointed by the Chief Jus-

•Drama as council withdraws Appeal Court President’s police escorts •IG reverses order, apologises Yusuf ALLI, Managing Editor, Northern Operation tice of Nigeria from among Grand Khadis of the Sharia Courts of Appeal to serve in rotation for two years; (h) one President of the Customary Court of Appeal to be appointed by the CJN from among the Presidents of the Customary Courts of Appeal to serve in rotation for two years; (i) five members of the Nigerian Bar Association who have been qualified to practise for a period of not less than 15 years at least one of whom shall be a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, appointed by the CJN on the recommendation of the NBA to serve for two years and subject to reappointment provided that the five members

shall sit in the council only for the purposes of considering the names of persons for appointment to the superior courts of record; and (j) two persons not being legal practitioners, who in the opinion of the CJN, are of unquestionable integrity.”

But, according to sources, only eight of the 24 members attended the Thursday session.

Members of the NJC present at the session voted 5-3 against Salami, it was learnt.

Those who attended the session were the President of the Customary Court of Appeal, Justice M.A. Bello, who has assumed the status of the acting Chairman of the NJC,; Justice Pius Aderemi JSC(rtd); the President of the Industrial Court, Justice Babatunde Adejumo; the Chief Judge of

Lagos State, Justice Inumidun Akande; the Chief Judge of Benue State and three others.

A member of the NJC said: “We want the whole world to see how eight members will take decision on behalf of a 24man council. Most members of the council, including the Deputy Chairman of the NJC, Justice Dahiru Musdapher, who should preside over the meeting, had gone on vacation.

“The NJC gave much room for suspicion when eight members (one third) were railroaded into a predetermined meeting.

“Two-third of 24 is actually 16, but those who attended the kangaroo session merely invoked a ‘laughable’ simple majority.

“So, if Salami is insisting that the decision of the NJC cannot

stand, Nigerians will now be able to appreciate the situation better.

“That is what informed why Salami had to return to his seat on Friday.”

The NJC had on Thursday suspended Salami pursuant to undisclosed powers conferred on the body by the Constitution.

A terse statement by the NJC’s Director of Administration, Mr. E.I. Odukwu, directed Salami to hand over to the next most Senior Justice of the Court of Appeal.

The statement also glossed over the specific section of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) upon which the suspension was based.

The statement reads: “Pursuant to the powers conferred on the National Judicial Council in the Constitution of the Nigeria , 1999 as amended, Hon. Justice Isa Ayo Salami, OFR, President of the Court of Appeal has been suspended from office with effect from today 18th August, 2011.

“The decision was reached at the 7th Emergency Meeting

•Ayo Salami

•Katsina-Alu

of the Council held on 18th August, 2011.

“The decision, which was reached at the National Judicial Council, further directs that Hon. Justice Salami should hand over the affairs of the Court of Appeal to the next most senior justice of the court.

“Meanwhile ,a recommendation has been forwarded to the President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, to retire him from service.”

As at press time, confusion has greeted the suspension of Salami, following revelations that the NJC cannot suspend the President of the Court of Appeal.

It was learnt that only President Jonathan can sack the President of the Court of Appeal based on the recommendation of the NJC. A lawyer said: “It was wrong of the NJC to suspend Salami.

They should have recommended his suspension and eventual retirement to the President.

“They have usurped the President’s powers by suspending Salami. The NJC was in order in its recommendation to the President to retire Salami. But it erred on the side of law by unilaterally suspending him. Only the President can approve the suspension, retirement and dismissal of the President of the Court of Appeal and a few others listed in Section 21(b), Part 1 of the Third Schedule to the 1999 Constitution.

“Section 21(b), Part 1 of the Third Schedule to the 1999 Constitution mandates the NJC to recommend to the President the removal of the CJN, Justices of the Supreme Court, the President and Justices of the Court of Appeal, the Chief Judge and Judges of the Federal High Court.

“The NJC will have to do the proper thing before Salami can vacate office. Therefore, the ultimate decision lies with President Goodluck Jonathan.

“Once he gets the NJC report and the President considers the decision as legally taken, then he can fire Salami.”

Judiciary is on trial —ACN T

HE Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) has described the purported suspension of the President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Ayo Salami, by the NJC as the height of judicial mischief that has only succeeded in putting the country’s judiciary, rather than Justice Salami, on trial.

In a statement issued in Lagos on Friday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party also advised President Goodluck Jonathan not to get himself embroiled in NJC’s shenanigans, especially since it is now being rumoured that the NJC’s action is part of a grand plot to get rid of Justice Salami, who is presiding over the election petition filed by Gen. Muhammadu Buhari of the CPC against President Jonathan, with a view to stalling the case.

It slammed the decision by a few hardliners in the kangaroo NJC meeting, who ignored the fact that their action is prejudicial and can denigrate the council - and indeed the Nigerian judiciary – just because of their desperation to get rid of Jus-

•CNPP calls for mass action tice Salami. ‘’There is something terribly awry in a system in which a body set up to uphold the rule of law and protect the judiciary is the same one that has gone ahead to undermine it. If the President of the Court of Appeal cannot get a fair hearing, as it has happened in this case, what hope is there for ordinary Nigerians? ‘’When a body like the NJC ignores the fact that the case on which it deliberated and took a decision is in court, despite acknowledging receipt of court summons, what does it say of the Nigerian judiciary that has been hailed as towering above the other arms of government despite a few shortcomings?

What message is the NJC sending to the international community and the foreign investors that are being daily courted to come and invest in Nigeria? ‘’It is a sad day in Nigeria that a body set up to protect the integrity of the judiciary has instead dragged it to the mud,’’ ACN said.

ACN said the situation was compounded by the fact that while only eight out of the 24 members of the NJC attended Thursday’s meeting at which the patently unconstitutional decision was taken, only five members took the infamous decision to suspend Justice Salami, boasting that the heavens could fall if they may!

The party said Nigerians could see clearly that the gratuitous promotion of Justice Salami to the Supreme Court earlier, in a clear departure from tradition, was simply the first part of the orchestrated plot to remove him from the Court of Appeal. ‘’When that failed, thanks to an overwhelming public opinion that was opposed to it, the plotters moved to the next phase, which is to concoct lies against him and make him a villain in a case in which he is clearly the hero, just to remove him from the Court of Appeal. ‘’A man whom they said was being promoted to the apex court because of his in-

tegrity, high probity and great intellect has suddenly transformed to a villain who lied on oath and should be retired. Do they think Nigeria is a Banana Republic where anything goes? What do they take Nigerians for?’’ the party queried.

Meanwhile, the Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) yesterday lamented that the “judiciary is failing”.

The comment is coming on the heels of the suspension of Justice Salami over his refusal to apologize to the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Aloysius Katsina-Alu. The coalition of opposition parties wondered “if the President of the Court of Appeal is dealt with like this, then which institution will not be bastardized?”

Addressing reporters in Abuja, the CNPP National Chairman, Alhaji Balarabe Musa, described the action of the NJC as “contemptuous and scandalous”.

The coalition of opposition parties said the conspiracy against Salami might not be unconnected with his

chairing of the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal hearing the petition filed by the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) against President Jonathan’s victory in the April 16 election.

Recalling the failed attempt to elevate Justice Salami to the Supreme Court, Musa wondered if “is it not that they wanted to push the man upstairs so that he will not be a nuisance to the power that be.

“You know the President of the Court of Appeal has a lot to do with the Presidential Election Tribunal which has to do with the government in power”, he added.

The CNPP boss also criticized the NJC for the controversy that has characterized the service of the court papers of the suit filed by Salami against the council.

In the suit filed at the Federal High Court, Abuja, Justice Salami through his counsel, Chief Akin Olujinmi (SAN), is asking for 15 reliefs, including a perpetual injunction restraining the NJC from acting on the reports of the Justice Umaru Abdullahi Fact-Finding Committee and the Justice Ibrahim Auta Review Panel.

4 NEWS

THE NATION, SATURDAY, AUGUST 20, 2011

Salami fights suspension in court

NJC should stop embarrassing the President, says Falana

T

HE President of the West African Bar Association and human rights activist, Mr. Femi Falana has called on the Nigerian Judicial Commision (NJC) to stop embarrassing President Goodluck Jonathan by asking him to endorse their illegality. He was reacting to the NJC’s removal of the President of Court of Appeal, Justice Ayo Salami and then asking President Jonathan to endorse their action.

According to Falana, only

•Asks court to restrain Mark, NJC, CJN, NASS, others

T

HE Court of Appeal President, Justice Isa Ayo Salami, has gone to the Federal High Court, Abuja to challenge his purported suspension by the National Judicial Council (NJC).

He wants the court to restrain the NJC, the Senate President, David Mark; the National Assembly and other defendants from taking any step on the recommendation made by the council at its meeting held in Abuja on Thursday August 18, 2011, pending the determination of the substantive suit.

Other defendants are: the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Aloysius Katsina-Alu; NJC Deputy Chairman, Justice Dahiru Musdapher; the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Mohammed Adoke (SAN) and the Clerk of the National Assembly, Mr. Salisu Maikasuwa.

The motion on notice was brought pursuant to Order 26 Rules 1 & 2 and Order 28 Rule 1(1) of the Federal High Court (civil procedure) Rules 2009 and under the inherent jurisdiction of the court.

It was filed on his behalf by his team of lawyers: Chief Akin Olujinmi (SAN), Rickey Tarfa (SAN), Chief Adeniyi Akintola (SAN), Chief Emeka Ngige (SAN), Chief Joe Agi (SAN) and Alhaji Adebayo Adelodun (SAN).

Kamarudeen OGUNDELE, Abuja The NJC at its meeting on Thursday suspended Justice Salami from office. It also recommended his retirement to President Goodluck Jonathan.

But the Appeal Court President is asking the court to set aside the recommendations of the council which were made during the pendency of a suit he had filed against Justice Umaru Abdullahi Fact-Finding Committee and the Justice Ibrahim Auta Review Panel.

He is seeking the following reliefs: •An order of interlocutory injunction restraining the Defendants/Respondents, (either jointly or severally) acting through their agents, privies and/or delegates from taking any step or action directly or indirectly in consequence or in implementation of the recommendation of the 1st Defendant/Respondent made at its meeting held in Abuja on 18th August, 2011 as it affects the plaintiff/applicant herein pending the determination of the substantive suit before this honourable court.

•An order of interlocutory injunction restraining the Defendants/Respondents, (either jointly or severally) acting through their agents, privies and/or delegates from di-

recting or compelling the Plaintiff/Applicant to take any step or perform any action in consequence or in implementation of the recommendation of the 1st defendant/respondent made on the 18th August, 2011 pending the determination of the substantive suit before this honourable court.

•An order of interlocutory injunction restraining the Defendants/Respondents, (either jointly or severally) acting through their agents, privies and/or delegates from taking any action, reaching any conclusions or issuing any directive(s) in any form whatsoever in respect of the findings and recommendations of the 1st Defendant made on the 18th August, 2011 pending the determination of the substantive suit before this honourable court.

•An order of this honourable court setting aside the recommendation of the 1st defendant/respondent (NJC) made at its meeting of 18th August, 2011 against the plaintiff during the pendency of this suit which the 1st defendant/respondent has the foreknowledge of.

•An order of this honourable court restraining the4th, 5th, 6th, and 7th Defendants/Respondents (AGF, Mark, National Assembly Clerk and National Assembly) in particular, their serv-

•President Jonathan

A

BAR activist, Mr. Jiti Ogunye, yesterday said that the National judicial Council (NJC) and President Goodluck Jonathan cannot suspend or retire the President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Isa Ayo Salami without the consent of the twothirds of the Senate.

Ogunye, who made the observation in a statement in Abuja , said the decision of the NJC to suspend Salami on Thursday was illegal and unconstitutional.

He asked the President to beware of being misled into taking any action against Salami because it will be subjudice to the ongoing court process at the Federal High Court, Abuja .

He said: “Although the National Judicial Council has the power, under the Third Schedule, Part I, Paragraph I, Section 21(b) of the Constitution to recommend to the President the removal from office of the

President of the Court of Appeal and exercise “disciplinary control” over him, it is clear that by virtue of Section 292(1) ( a) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, any recommendation of removal of the President of the Court of Appeal from his Judicial Office can only be effected by the President, acting on an address supported by twothirds majority of the Senate.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the said Third Schedule, Part I, Paragraph I, Section 21(b) of the Constitution provides that “the NJC shall have power to recommend to the President the removal from office of (the Chief Justice of Nigeria, the Justices of the Supreme Court, the President and Justices of the Court of Appeal, and the Chief Judge and Judges of the Federal High Court) and to exercise disciplinary control over such officers”.

“Section 292(1)( a)(i) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 provides that “a judicial officer shall not be removed from his office or appointment before his age of retirement, except in the following circumstances (a) in the case of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, the President of the Court of Appeal, the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Chief Judge of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, Grand Khadi of the Sharia Court of Appeal of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, and President, Customary Court of Appeal of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, by the President( of Nigeria), act-

ing on an address supported by two-thirds majority of the Senate, praying that he be so removed for his inability to discharge the functions of his office or appointment (whether arising from infirmity of mind or body) or for misconduct or contravention of the Code of Conduct.”

Ogunye also claimed that it would amount to subverting the Rule of Law if the President acts on NJC’s recommendations because the issue is before the Federal High Court, Abuja .

He added: “First, the NJC is aware that Hon. Justice Isa Ayo Salami, the President of the Court of Appeal, has instituted an action in the High Court not only to challenge the constitutionality of the committees, set up by the NJC to look into the crisis of confidence that is plaguing the Judiciary at the apex levels, the recommendations of the committees, but also the decisions of the NJC, based on those recommendations, chief among which was the directive of the NJC to Hon Justice Ayo Salami to apologise to the outgoing CJN and the NJC for allegedly lying on oath. The NJC has publicly acknowledged that it had been served court processes in this regard.

“Now, the Rule of Law in Nigeria, with which we are familiar, is that once a civil matter is placed before a court or judicial tribunal for adjudication, parties to the court action must refrain from doing anything capable of overreaching, undermining or foisting a fait accompli on the court.

“Doing so will not only be

the President can remove the Appeal Court president and he can do this only with the consent of the Senate. The removal would be effected with a two-third majority vote of the Senate.

Falana said the action NJC was wrong more so since it was eight out of the 24 NJC members who deliberated on the issue, while five of the eight endorsed the removal.

He advised the president not allow himself to be misled.

Ajimobi swears in commissioners, urges them to serve and not enrich themselves •Justice Salami

ants, agents and/or privies from taking any steps or act on the recommendation and the decision of the 1st Defendant taken at its meeting held on 18th August, 2011, as it affects the Plaintiff/applicant concerning his suspension, removal or any other recommendation thereof pending the determination of this suit.

•An order of this honourable court directing that all actions in respect of the subject matter of this suit be stayed by the Defendants/Respondents and that the status quo ante bellum be maintained by all parties to this case pending the determination of the substantive suit before this honourable court.

•And for such further or other orders as this honourable court may deem fit to make in the circumstances of this case.

Jonathan can’t remove Salami without Senate’s consent, says Bar activist Yusuf ALLI, Managing Editor, Northern Operation

By Okorie UGURU

tantamount to subverting the rule of law, but also will amount to treating the court with contempt, the punishment of which is imprisonment. No matter the impatience on the part of parties, they are under a legal obligation to await the outcome of the resolution or determination of the issues submitted to the court for adjudication.

“This was the golden rule laid down by the Supreme Court in the case of Gov. of Lagos State v. Ojukwu ( 1986) 1 NWLR. Pt. 18, pg 621 at 623, where it was stated that “once the court is seised of a matter, no party has a right to take the matter into his own hands; and that ‘after a defendant has been notified of the pendency of a suit seeking an injunction against him, even though a temporary injunction be not granted, he acts at his peril and subject to the power of the court to restore the status wholly irrespective of the merit as may be ultimately decided.”

“The question, therefore, is why has the NJC acted in this patently illegal manner? Why should the NJC that ought to be the bulwark for the promotion of rule of law, be subversive of the rule of law?

“Second, the NJC has no power to suspend Hon. Justice Isa Ayo Salami from office. It can only, competently, recommend his suspension, to the President, in deserving cases, and the President can only act on such recommendation if it is supported by a two-third address of the Senate. This is the only rational and reasonable interpretation of the governing provisions in the Constitution.”.

T

HE Oyo State Governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, has sworn-in 18 new commissioners to oversee the affairs of the various sectors of the state economy.

Performing the swearing-in ceremony at the Executive Council chambers yesterday, Governor Ajimobi advised the newly sworn-in commissioners to see their appointments as a call to serve and not for personal enrichment.

Governor Ajimobi, who said though the criteria for the selection of the commissioners were rigorous, pointed out that their final selection was based on their track record of achievements and impeccable character, adding that an era where those incompetent to man offices were appointed to them was gone.

“We did say that those who would work with us must be men and women of unimpeachable character. For us, an end must come to the typecast of our state as one run by the most despicable characters in society; we set out to put an end to the notion of public office as one for ‘the boys’,” he said.

Governor Ajimobi also charged the new commissioners to see their appointment as temporary and therefore should be prepared to serve and serve right with faithfulness, honesty and integrity, stressing that they should not allow their personal interests override that of the general public.

The governor pointed out that aside character, the commissioners were chosen in consideration of the interest of the ruling party in the state, the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN).

Council polls: Lagos Central ACN screens 10 chairmen

T

HE names of 10 local government chairmen, who were successful at the screening conducted for chairmanship and councillorship aspirants by the Lagos Central Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), have been forwarded to the State Executive Committee of the party for ratification.

After the ratification, they would become flag bearers for the local government elections scheduled for October.

The Central District Senatorial Forum led by Prince Tajudeen Olusi has notified the leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, and State Executive Committee led

by Otunba Oladele Ajomale, in a letter dated August 16, 2011, that the chairmen were fit for second term because they performed well in office.

The 10 chairmen are: Joseph Ayodeji (Apapa), Samuel Adedayo (Apapa/Iganmu), Omooba Elegushi (Etiosa), Yisa Owolabi (Etiosa East}, Wale Adeniji (Ikoyi/Obalende), Yomi Daramola (Iru/ Victoria Island), Wasiu Eshinlokun (Lagos Island), Oladele Adekanye (Lagos Mainland), Olajide Jimoh (Yaba), and Hakeem Bamgbola (Itire/ Ikate).

Olusi said: “Lagos Central Senatorial Forum met and deliberated on guidelines and decisions of the state leadership forum to establish the suitability of the current chairmen in the 13 local governments and LCDAs and recommend them as flag bearers”.

However, the forum could not recommend the chairman of Surulere Council, Dr Sodiq Folami, for a second term, following the opposition to his aspiration by the leaders and members of the party. When a reconciliation was brokered between him and the party chieftains, it was deadlocked.

Emmanuel OLADESU Deputy Political Editor The chairman’s apology was rejected by the stakeholders who said that his style of governance did not impress them.

Also, the forum said there was the need for the selection of a new chairmanship candidate in Coker/Aguda LCDA, following the election of the chairman, Aliu Kazeem, into the House of Representatives.

Olusi explained that a new candidate would also be selected for Lagos Island East LCDA because the chairman, Mufutau Kadiku, is about to complete two terms in office.

Members of the Olusi-led forum, who signed the letter to Tinubu and Ajomale, are the ACN Vice Chairman (Lagos Central District), Chief Adeseye Amingo, Hon. R. B. Odunsi, Senator Adekunle Muse, Hon. Wale Oshun, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, Hon. Wale Edun, Hon. Hakeen Gbajabiamila, Col. R.A. Ajala (rtd), Chief Alabi Macfoy, Alhaji Mutiu Are, Chief H.O. Giwa, Chief Tayo Oyemade and Hon. Fuad Oki. Jimoh, former state legislator, who scored high mark at the screening for party discipline and performance as chairman, thanked the party leaders and members for the confidence reposed in him, assuring that he would not let ACN and people of Yaba LCDA down during his second term.

He said: “The party is supreme. The pact between ACN and Yaba LCDA will be further cemented because the party is sensitive to the yearning of the grassroots for improved governance and democratic dividends”.

THE NATION, SATURDAY, AUGUST 20, 2011

NEWS 5

__

AUGUSTUS AIKHOMU (1939-2011)

How Obasanjo and I fell apart IBB •’Ex-president lobbied Abdulsalami, Atiku, Gusau and me over third term’ •Obasanjo: No comment Continued from page 2 He explained that Obasanjo had invited him and three others to the Presidential Villa to seek their support for the Third term agenda.

The others are: ex-Head of State, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar; former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and exNational Security Adviser, Gen. Aliyu Gusau (rtd).

He said Obasanjo sought his assistance and that of three others to push through his tenure elongation but the four leaders rejected his proposal.

Babangida said at a point, he told Obasanjo as follows: “It is true that we brought you and assisted you to get elected by Nigerians. You have now made new friends and we expect that those new friends would push you through.”

He said based on his comment, Obasanjo simply wanted to “know if that was the position of the G4.”

Babangida also admitted that Obasanjo, who was seething with anger, did not only accuse him of supporting exHead of State, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, he cut short the meeting and promised to get back to the G4 till today.

The ex-President inferred that his opposition to Obasanjo’s tenure elongation mght have accounted for why Obasanjo dumped him in 2007 for the late President Umaru Yar’Adua.

According to the magazine, Babangida and others’ antithird term agenda made the former Civilian President to “go after his perceived and imaginary enemies by subtly using the EFCC to witch-hunt them.”

He said he was investigated by the Obasanjo administration for his imaginary “stolen billions” allegedly stashed in Switzerland, Germany, Norway, France, the US and the UK. He took exception to the arrest of his son, Mohammed, about his supposed investment in Glo Telecommunicationsm.

He added: “I have challenged anyone to come forward to tell Nigerians that this is what he or she gave me as bribe or kickback in exchange for contract, nobody has broken that challenge till date. ”You know when news is flying all over the place that IBB is a billionaire and they suddenly discovered he is not, they must find something to justify their earlier notion. We have fertile minds around.”

The frenzy about the alleged attempt of former President Obasanjo to extend his tenure trailed the twilight of his administration.

The tenure elongation plot was widely believed to be the underlining motive behind the 2005 constitutional confer-

Yusuf ALLI, Managing Editor, Northern Operation ence.

The conference was believed to have collapsed when the president’s foot soldiers failed to get ‘extraneous’ clauses inserted into the constitutional document.

There were also allegations and counter-allegations of attempts to induce members of the National Assembly to railroad the plot through them.

When contacted, Obasanjo’s media aide, Mr Ojekunle Adeoba, said the former president did not wish to comment.

It would be recalled that on Saturday, May 19, 2007, Obasanjo denied having interest in the botched Third Term bid. He said he never planned to extend his tenure in office, and that he would have achieved the feat of another four-year term in Aso Rock if he so desired.

He made the clarification during his last appearance on a radio programme, ‘The President Explains’.

His words: “If I sought a third term, and I wanted it, I would have got it. I have not said this before. God would have given it to me. I did not want it. If I had wanted a third term, I would have prayed for it, I would have worked for it and God would have given it to me. I know this because there is nothing I wanted that God did not give me”.

Babangida said in the interview that he is still of the view that Nigerians do not need any debate on the appropriate tenure system for the President and governors.

He said: “We have not yet, even in our constitution, emphasized the power of the ordinary person, we have not educated them to know their certain rights, we have not put things in place to protect them if they do anything in the defence of this country.

“What you bother yourselves with are things like tenure elongation, revenue sharing formula which we have been doing since 1960.

‘All these things I do read in the papers have no bearing or whatsoever to the ordinary man; the ordinary man should be told. Look if you like today, I’m available in Minna, if the police arrest me today and I don’t want to talk, I don’t talk.

“I should know that I am protected. I should know that the government takes care of us and I have always given one example. I believe that the government should make it mandatory to provide free primary education at the primary level to all citizens of the country.

“Those are the things that

are for the people that people should be talking about, not the tenure of the President or government, not the immunity clause, not the creation of states.

“I laugh when I see people talk about fiscal federalism, true federalism and when you go to our archives you will find out those discussions were done as far back as 1967 up till today, people are still talking about them.

“We made a Constitution that takes care of all these things since 1989 again it was jettisoned because the ‘most dreaded’ person in Nigeria created that constitution.

On June 12, 1993 presidential election, Babangida said if he had handed over to the late Chief M.K.O. Abiola, his administration would not have lasted three months.

He added: “Look, we handed it over to an interim government, the military toppled the interim government, it would have been easier to topple a democratically elected government at that time and I knew the consequences.

“The Interim Government was not democratically elected; the international community would move against Nigeria , the feeble population in the country, a lot of unrest, the military will bring a lot of changes in the system.

“Based on our own assessment, if we employ a democratically elected leader under the presumed winner, it would not have lasted longer than Chief Ernest Shonekan’s regime.

“I said this because I know the environment very well.

All the coups that happened in this country, Nigerians caused it and created the environment.”

Asked why he has refused to apologise to Nigerians over the annulment of June 12. 1993 presidential poll, Babangida said Nigerians will still fault him.

He said he has a strong conviction that he should not do so.

“Let us assume I come out and say my fellow citizens and fellow country men, I used your brains, ‘I hurt you,’ ‘I’m sorry, it is not me,’ ‘It didn’t come from me,’ ‘I’m using your words, I’m sorry, the next headline somebody will say why did it take 18 years to come and apologise?

“You see, you are working on history; somebody will come and say why did you take 18 years? They forget that people who committed offence during the first and second World War and even the civil war are being pardoned till today but a Nigerian is not going to do that, he will continue to hammer you until you go to your grave.”

Demolition: Abia rejects calls for compensation

T

HE Abia State House of Assembly has said that victims of the on-going demolition exercise of illegal structures in Aba, should not expect any compensation as government should not be made to pay for their illegalities and acts of lawlessness.

Speaking with journalists in

Ugochukwu EKE, Umuahia Umuahia on the monthly press briefing on the activities of the House, the Deputy Speaker and House Committee Chairman on Information, Allwell Asiforo Okere, said people who erect structures in violation of government

specifications should not expect to be compensated for their own wrong doings.

Okere said this while responding to questions on the public outcry which has greeted the on- going demolition of structures on unapproved places in Aba metropolis particularly illegal stores on water drainages.

•Governor Adams Oshiomhole being received by Aikhomu’s eldest son, Ehime, second right.

Others from right were Mr. Louis Odion, the Edo State Information Commisioner and Chief Vincent Oni, Publisher, New Look, during Governor Oshiomhole’s condelence visit to the family of late Aikhomu at their Apapa residence, Lagos .

PHOTO: Rahman SANUSI

Aikhomu, a true Edo son, says Oshiomhole

G

OVERNOR Adams Oshimhole has described the late Admiral Augustus Aikhomu as a worthy son of Edo State.

Speaking with journalists during a condolence visit to the Lagos residence of the former military Vice-President in Apapa, the governor said: “The late Admiral Aikhomu was an elder statesman and he was well respected and appreciated at home. He rose to the rank of Admiral in the Nigeria Navy, had the opportunity of serving as the Vice-President of Nigeria, he retired as a gentleman and this is a no mean achievement as a true son of Edo State.

“His death came as a shock and I have a sense of personal loss because I was the Deputy-President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) when he was the Vice-President of Nigeria. Although, NLC had reason to engage FG but he

Kunle AKINRINADE was always mediating between the Federal Government and the organised labour in order to find solution to our common problems but we are consoled by the fact that there is time to be born and there is time to die but what is most important is the mark that is left behind.

While signing the condolence register, Oshiomhole, who was accompanied on the visit by the Commissioner for Information, Mr. Louis Odion, wrote: “Admiral and uncle; you served your state and community and indeed you gave your all. May your soul rest in perfect peace .”

He, however, declined comment on whether his administration would immortalise Aikhomu

Chime mourns him

G

OVERNOR Sullivan Chime of Enugu State has expressed sadness at the demise of former Chief of General Staff and Military Vice President, Admiral Augustus Akhabue Aikhomu, saying that the nation has lost one of its most patriotic and humane statesmen.

The governor in a condolence message signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Chukwudi Achife, described the late former CGS as a man who had set an example in modesty, humility and peaceful disposition

Chris OJI, Enugu while serving at the highest level of government.

The governor noted that as a politician, Admiral Aikhomu remained a moderate figure who actively sought peace even in the most turbulent situations and left enduring impressions in the minds of younger people as to how politics could be played without much rancour and acrimony.

He further said that the ex naval chief till his passage re-

mained committed to the ideal of building a united and prosperous nation, adding that his death came at a time when the country needed wise and elderly counsels to forge ahead.

Praying for the peaceful repose of his soul, Chime condoled with his Edo State counterpart, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole and the family of the deceased, urging them to take solace in the fact that the late statesman left a legacy of positive and fruitful contributions to his society in his lifetime.

Third Eye publisher, Aluko, too

T

THE publisher , Third Eye newspapers , Chief Akani Aluko, has joined eminent Nigerians in mourning the demise of the former Vice President to former military ruler, General Ibrahim Babangida , Admiral Augustus Aikhomu who passed away last Wednesday in a Lagos hospital after a brief illness.

Chief Aluko described the late Vice President as a great man, well loved by many people , who has great passion for Nigeria.

Expressing grief and great sense of loss, Chief Aluko said it was very saddening that Nigeria could miss this great man at this time of its development , adding that the late Admiral spent all his life for the up-liftment of the country.

In a condolence message made available to

Oseheye OKWUOFU, Ibadan The Nation in Ibadan yesterday , the community leader and business mogul commiserated with members of the Aikhomu’s family and Nigerians in general for the great loss. “ He was a very amiable, kind , loving and patriotic officer . I was very close to him as a friend and mentor . He died at a time when the country needs him most .As an officer , Aikhomu displayed professionalism at its best. “ He was one of the brave officers who laid the foundation for the country’s Armed Forces which has today become the pride of Africa and the world in general,” Chief Aluko said in the statement.

He was professional, says Naval Chief

T

HE Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ola Sa’ad Ibrahim, has described late Admiral Augustus Aikhomu as an embodiment of professionalism and fine ideas.

Aikhomu whose death he said was a great loss to the Nigerian Navy was a former Chief of the Naval Staff between 1984 and 1986.

In a statement by the Vice Admiral Ibrahim yesterday, the former Vice President’s era as a CNS witnessed monumental

Dele ANOFI, Abuja development in the Nigerian Navy.

He said: “He was one of the few chiefs of the Naval Staff that served within the period the Nigerian Navy could call the golden era.

“More ships came into the fleet and the golden era demanded that new bases be established to support the ships. it is on record that he was instrumental to the establishment of the Nigerian

Naval Ship DELTA in Warri, the Nigerian Navy Engineering College in Sapele as well as the Naval Air Station in Navy Town, Ojo, Lagos.

“So, most of the things you see in the Navy today, the Admiral was one of the architects”.

While consoling the family and the nation at large, Ibrahim said: “Admiral Aikhomu served the Navy very well and if we are to judge by how far he served the Navy and the nation, he had a very successful career”.

6 NEWS

THE NATION, SATURDAY, AUGUST 20, 2011

Oil spillage, fire outbreak rock Bayelsa community

T

HE health of the inhabitants of Ikarama, an oil rich community in Bayelsa State, came under threats on during the week with the occurrence of an oil spillage accompanied with a fire outbreak.

Community sources said the fire started on Wednesday night from a previous spillage that had occurred around the community.

But officials of Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) said the fire had been put out, alleging that women in the community tried to abort their efforts at getting rid of the fire.

Members of the Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO), led by its State Coordinator, Comrade Morris Alagoa, said they met a huge fire that could have consumed the entire community.

Disturbed by the frightening development, the CLO members contacted out to the Joint Task Force (JTF) in the

Isaac OMBE-Yenagoa state. But SPDC officials were said to move into the community to put out the fire.

The spillage was said to be the sixth in the community within three weeks. Inhabitants of the community who were close to the scene of the fire outbreak were said to have deserted their houses for fear of being consumed.

Confirming the incident, the Head of Publicity of the LSDPC, Mr. Precious Okoloba, said there had been a fire outbreak on the Okodia –Rumuekpe trunk line of the SPDC at Ikarama community in Bayelsa State.

He said the fire appeared to have been ignited by unknown persons. But he said the “SPDC had earlier mobilised a fire fighting team but they were denied access by some women in the community.

We are engaging the women for access to repair the leakage.”

Mikel Obi’s family denies contact with alleged kidnappers Marie-Therese PETER, Jos.

S

UPER Eagles and Chelsea Football Club of London star, Mikel Obi’s family has denied the alleged kidnappers of their breadwinner, Mr. John Obi, had contacted them.

They also said the N20 million ransom purportedly demanded by his abductors was not known to them.

The family maintained that they could not say if the elder Obi was actually kidnapped or missing, since no one had called to say where he is.

However, the mother of the football star, Mrs. Rose Obi, said she believed her husband was safe because “nothing is impossible with God.” “We have not had any contact with anyone since he got missing to suggest we are preparing for negotiation. We were surprised to learn from the TV and newspapers that a ransom between N20 million and N50 million had been placed upon his head.

We are not aware of any such demands,” she said Another family member, Mr. Christopher Obi, said he was sad and worried because his brother was a philanthropist, wondering why he was being treated that way.

He wondered if the incident was occasioned by the popularity of his son, Mikel, adding that both Mikel and his father have been good to the people who come across them as well as the country. “We plead with the nation to help us,” he added.

Mikel’s elder brother, Tony, said they were disturbed their father was missing, adding that his younger brother was devastated.

He maintained that he had never claimed that there was any contact with the family as people have been insinuating.

Onitsha electronics market shut

T

HE electronics market in Onitsha, Anambra State was shut yesterday, following the killing of a trader at the market by policemen, which led to violence in the market on Wednesday.

Policemen and vigilante men were on guard at the multi-billion naira market when our correspondent visited. They prevented people from entering the place.

The entire market was shut.

So also was a branch of the Intercontinental Bank Plc within the premises of the market.

But inside the market were the wreckage of a burnt pickup van and heaps of television sets, electronic gadgets and other appliances destroyed by the rioters on Wednesday.

The closure of the market aborted an anti-piracy raid the Nigerian Copyright Commission planned for Thursday.

Traders at the market had rioted after a group of policemen shot dead a trader who tried to escape arrest.

The deceased, who was said to have hailed from Okija in Ihiala Local Government Area

Adimike GEORGE, Onitsha

of the state, was among 10 traders the police were taking to the Okpoko police station to be charged to court over a matter on Thursday The rampaging traders broke into the shops of the Chairman of the market, Chief Okey Okoli alias Gossac and looted goods estimated at over N20 million after setting ablaze a pickup van belonging to him.

According to eyewitnesses, the Anti-Terrorist Squad of the Nigerian Police, who came to the market from the neighbouring Delta State, were escorting the arrested traders to Okpoko Police Division when one of them tried to escape and was gunned down by the policemen.

The Police Area Commander in Onitsha , Mr. Larry Osita, whose prompt response saved the situation, told The Nation that the police were on top of the situation. He said he had positioned his men at strategic places to prevent further carnage.

•From left: Chairman, Nigerian Christian Pilgrims Commission, Most Revd, Nicholas Okoh; CAN President and also leader of the delegation to the Holy Land, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, and the Executive Secretary, Nigerian Christian Pilgrim Commission, Mr John Kennedy Opara during the visit of the CAN President to ascertain the preparedness of the Commission for pilgrimage to the Holy Land in Abuja on Friday.

PHOTO: NAN

Certificate forgery: We’ve no jurisdiction to try Suswam__Tribunal

T

HE Benue State Governorship Election Tribunal has said that it lacks the jurisdiction to entertain the allegation of certificate forgery against Governor Gabriel Suswam, brought before it by Prof. Steven Ugbah of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN).

Delivering a consolidated ruling, Justice I.S. Garba said the tribunal would abide by its earlier decision in the matter between Prof. Daniel Saror of the All Nigeria Peoples’ Party (ANPP) and Governor Gabriel Suswam, adding that the ruling had not been set aside by the Court of Appeal.

“We are not unmindful of our earlier ruling of 11th Au-

gust 2011 in the case between Prof. Daniel Saror and Governor Gabriel Suswam and stand by that ruling since it has not been set aside by the Court of Appeal. ‘’It is a pre-election matter that should attract sanction if it had been brought before a proper court. Such matters are not restricted to an election tribunal which is given an exclusive power to hear election cases. ‘’Trials and conviction are matters exclusively vested in a State or Federal High Court,” he stated.

The tribunal also struck out several paragraphs of the petitions which were deemed offensive.

It queried the joinder of security operatives, including the police, military and paramilitary agencies as well as the Civil Defence, noting that they do not have any opportunity to defend themselves.

Similarly it struck out the allegation by the petitioners that civil servants, traditional rulers as well as ballot box snatchers and thugs connived to aid the rigging of the election, saying that the names of such persons were not mentioned in the petition.

He, however, ruled that agents of the PDP are necessary in the matter while also insisting that electoral officers and other related staff of INEC who presided over the election

are vital to the determination of the suit since INEC is a party in the case.

The tribunal frowned at technicalities brought by the respondents that the petitioner used initials and alphabets in representing the names of their witnesses, maintaining that there is need to protect witnesses from intolerant and violent politicians.

But it agreed that there was substantial compliance with the petition in stating the scores of the different candidates in the election.

The tribunal adjourned the matter till September 6, 2011 for further hearing on some pending applications.

PDP rigged guber election in Kwara ward, says INEC collation officer

A

N Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) collation officer in the April 26 governorship poll, Bamidele Dan Sulieman, yesterday alleged that election was rigged in favour of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Oke-Ode Ward 1, Ifelodun Local Government Area.

Mr. Suleiman, one of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN)’s witnesses at the Kwara Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Ilorin, added that the governorship election result was inflated and is therefore irreconcilable with the number of genuine voters in the state.

He said the final figures returned for the ward far exceeded what he and his colleagues recorded on the day of election.

He also recounted how a House of Representatives member-elect had requested them to give him PDP ballot papers at a term acceptable to them (the INEC workers), adding that he humbly turned down the offer.

His words: “On 26th April 2011, at 12 noon, I instructed the station polling officer (SPO) for Oke Ode 1 Ward, one Raji, an immigration officer, to come with me for us to go round all the polling units in the ward to ascertain

Adekunle JIMOH, Ilorin the number of accredited voters in each polling unit. In Oke Ode 1 Ward, there are 11 polling units. After inspecting about three polling units, some PDP stalwarts, Alhaji Kola Yusuf, memberelect of the House of Representatives, and others approached us when we asked the polling officer at a polling unit to give us the number of accredited voters at that polling unit. ‘’Imediately we asked this question, the polling officer became jittery. Alhaji Kola Yusuf said we should not be given the information, but we insisted and obtained the figures. But Alhaji Yusuf in-

structed his people to follow us to Oke Ode City Hall, where the collation centre was. One of Alhaji Yusuf’s people then asked us not to use the accredited voters’ figures that we had collated for any purpose, but that we should give them (PDP) 200 ballot papers each for everyone of the 11 polling units in Oke Ode Ward, and we should name our price for doing so.

“Sensing that we were in danger, we cleverly refused by saying that they should go and ask the agents who happened to be around. Some of the agents agreed and some refused. They then came back to me, this time with Alhaji Yusuf, and pleaded with me to ignore the agents that disagreed, and that I should leave

those agents to them.

“I then started the collation of the results for the polling units of the ward. At the end of the exercise, PDP scored 1,549 and ACN 213, and I presented the result to the electoral officer. From that moment, I had no further role to play with the results.

“I was therefore surprised when I heard that that final results for Oke Ode/Share constituency was 22,000 plus.

I then called the said SPO Raji and he also expressed surprise as to where those figures came from. Raji also had been SPO at Oke Ode Wards 2 and 3 during the presidential and National Assembly elections earlier before his transfer to Okde Ode Ward 1 for the governorship election.’’

Aide debunks Okonjo-Iweala’s rumoured resignation

T

HE office of the Minister of Finance yesterday denied rumours making the rounds in Abuja that the Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala had resigned.

At about 1 pm on Friday, the rumour mill in Abuja was awash with the story that she had resigned. Following frantic calls made to the office to know the true situation of things, the minster’s Senior Special Assistant on Information and Communication, Mr Paul Nwabuikwu, denied the rumour which was attributed to an online medium.

Paul Nwabuikwu in a statement said: “It has been brought to our notice that an online website is alleging that Dr Ngozi OkonjoIweala, the Coordinating Minister for the

Nduka CHIEJINA , Assistant Editor Economy and Minister of Finance, has resigned her position. The information is completely false and without foundation.”

He attributed the rumour to what he called “the ongoing orchestrated campaign by entrenched interests and corrupt groups working against more transparent and improved governance in the country.”

The obvious intention of the rumour, he said, “is to distract Dr Okonjo-Iweala from contributing to the realisation of the vision of President Goodluck Jonathan and his administration for sustainable economic growth in Nigeria. This intention will not be achieved because Dr Okonjo-Iweala will not be distracted.”

THE NATION, SATURDAY, AUGUST 20 2011

7

8 COMMENTARY

THE NATION, SATURDAY, AUGUST 20 2011

Privatisation, OBJ and this abused nation Knucklehead

I

F you are one of those people who still weep for the Nige rian nation over the pervasive lethargy in high places and enduring inability to shake off the shackles of underdevelopment, then you had better look for something that is more ennobling to occupy your time. If you belong to the set of patriots that daily moan and worry because Nigeria continues to creep along on the crutches of deferred dreams and arrested development, then you had better watch it before you become a permanent inmate in one of the decaying psychiatric rehabilitation facilities scattered across the country.

If you are a prayer warrior that foresees the faintest of hope at the end of this dark tunnel, then you need more of those fiery prayers to keep that fire of hope burning. What else can anyone cling to other than hope at this moment when the dirty secrets surrounding how our collective inheritance were farmed out to cronies and smart crooks had become a topic for public odium? Sometimes, one cannot help asking how a callously raped and serially abused nation still trudges forward on weakened stilts.

Personally, writing on Nigeria’s longest reigning president, Chief Mathew Aremu Olusegun Obasanjo, is a traumatizing experience. But the trauma is nothing close to what former military President Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida confessed to have felt afterkilling his ‘best’ friend, General Mamman Vatsa. Here was a man that has refused to live a quiet life after ignominiously stepping out of public office.

Here was a man who spent the better part of his eight-year reign as a democratically elected President ‘fighting’ corruption. He was never afraid to ‘shame’ the thieves in his band of cronies. Yet, whenever graft was the topic, his name often stood out like a rotten apple. Obasanjo is a bundle of contradictions. You can only ignore him at your own peril. How can a man who claims to have pumped so much energy into wrestling bout with corruption still be mentioned in every petty thievery that was hatched under his nose? It beats me hollow!

Without prejudice to whatever his defence might be when the members of the Senate Ad hoc Committee looking into the privatisation process muster enough courage to invite him to clarify allegations made against him, the reality on the ground is that this country has been taken for another rude ride again by those expected to protect its sanctity. From the revelations at the six-day investigative hearing into the activities of the Bureau of Public Enterprises since its inception in 1999, it should be clear to every right-thinking Nigerian that our leaders are hell bent on bequeathing a hollow shell to the rest of us. We now know that the same persons who daily drain the nation of its essence are also behind the cannibalization of its resources. In addition, to satisfy their limitless greed, these same persons feel no qualm in selling our commonwealth at give-away prices to their protégés.

That is how the government’s privatisation programme has become another national calamity of sorts. Yet, here was a programme that was principally designed to save some of our badly managed public institutions from total collapse by selling them to private investors at reasonable prices and at favourable terms. The transparent process was meant to be a win-win bargain for all. Today, the story is transparently wobbly.

In just six days of public hearing, we have heard how negotiations done under the table ended with the gifting of most of these institutions to questionable characters. We now know that the Aluminium Smelter Company of Nigeria, valued at $3.2bn, was packaged for just $130m to RUSAL Nigeria Limited. We now know that the process was so painstakingly transparent such that a simple call from the Presidency could sway the sale of any of these public institutions to the yamheads outside the bidding process. We now know that a big question hangs on the real status of Delta Steel Company as a privatised company. We have heard how the government has woefully failed to carry out a post-privatisation monitoring due to paucity of funds. We also know that, so far, 80 per cent of the so-called privatised firms are not faring any better, years after the sales. We have heard shocking revelations about how some smart fellows used fake Memorandum of Understanding to appropriate some of these institutions. We shook our heads in disbelief when Obasanjo’s most trusted cabinet member, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, told the committee that his boss singlehandedly killed the privatisation programme when he, in deference to informed advice, decided to appoint as DG, someone who was practically ‘fired’ from the BPE! That was the beginning of the story. Obasanjo’s name became a recurring item as the proceedings went on. el-Rufai accused him of blocking the privatisation of Nigeria Airways because he would rather listen to the moonlight tales manufactured by the then Aviation Minister, Mrs. Kema Chikwe. He was also accused of piling pressure on the leadership of the BPE to sell some companies to select investors in total violation of the laws setting up the BPE. We also heard about how the Ajaokuta Steel Company was ‘illegally’ concessioned even as N4bn was being spent annually to pay salaries to workers who practically did and still do nothing! We have heard how the emperor ordered the former DG of the BPE, Mrs. Irene Chighue, to ignore the directives given by his estranged deputy, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and instead take orders from a minister. And were we surprised when a former Director in the BPE relayed how he abdicated his responsibility and voluntarily transformed into an errand boy, a self-appointed bribe distributor, collecting bribes from would-be investors on behalf of his principal? Only God knows the other rotten details still being kept under wraps!

In the usual Nigerian style, it is quite easy to shrug off the latest revelations as just another sad tale in the history of a raped nation. After all, hardly can anyone remember the last time a

With

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

Nigerian was punished after being indicted by a probe panel set up by the National Assembly. Many of such probe reports are gathering dust, rusting away in government closets. Often, those who bleed the nation dry and perpetuate this shameful malfeasance know nothing would come out of the ritual of probes.

They know that it is just another exercise in futility. They know that that the exercise merely provides a platform for depressed Nigerians to ventilate their anger for a while. The privileged looters laugh at the folly of it all. That was what Obasanjo did when his name became a recurring decimal during the $16bn power probe scam in the last House of Representatives. Today, that report has been consigned into the dustbin of history while Nigeria remains the sole victim of that tragedy. I doubt if he would feel any sense of remorse just because some persons have chosen to blame him for superintending over a process that sold much for far less. He might just shrug it off, knowing that talk is cheap. Cheap talks do not bite anyway. Does it matter if, as his partner in crime, General Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida, put it, this ex-president managed affluence to achieve failure? It does not matter what name the kettle chooses to call the pot.

Truth be told: There is hardly any Nigerian President, at least since the Babangida years, that could be credited with having managed our resources to create wealth for the masses! Nigerians are wise enough to know those who continue to rip their country apart. After feeding fat on our common wealth and, on the way, betrayed our trust, these pseudo elder statesmen have decided to embark on another naked dance in the market square: they are looking for who, among them, is a bigger fool in the prolonged battle to incapacitate this nation. We are unfazed by the battle of wits between the one who truncated the outcome of the June 12, 1993 presidential election and the one who became a major beneficiary by transforming from a prisoner to a President. Both left the presidential seat with a harvest of failures.

After the despoliation, both went home to laugh and, occasionally, throw bitter jibes back at us from their exquisite Hilltop Mansions built with our sweat. In making a fool of us, they have ended up making a bigger fool of themselves!

Privatisation, Atiku and the tales before

T

HE recent Senate investigation into the privatisation exercise by the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) has come and gone, leaving Nigerians still reeling from the shock of the revelations made before the committee, headed by Senator Ahmed Lawal. Two former Directors-General of the BPE, Malam Nasir El-Rufai and Mrs. Irene Chigbue, stole the show when they revealed how former President Olusegun Obasanjo was frequently interfering in how they should carry out their duties, dictating how and to whom government enterprises should be sold in open breach of due process.

In particular, El-Rufai alleged that he was always quarrelling with former President Obasanjo who didn’t want to allow him the free hand to do his job. The former FCT Minister, who was once regarded as a member of former President Obasanjo’s kitchen cabinet, shocked Nigerians to the bone marrow with his breathtaking revelations about General Obasanjo’s overbearing attitude, especially on how he was breathing down his (El-Rufai’s) neck about the way to carry the privatisation process.

As soon as El-Rufai was through with his testimony, another former Director-General of the BPE, Mrs. Irene Chigbue, dropped another cluster bomb on the integrity of the former President. In her damning account, former President Obasanjo literally hijacked their authority and discretion by asking them to ignore former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who was then the Chairman of the National Council on Privatisation, and deal with him directly for guidance on how the BPE should do its job. It is apparent that none of these former BPE Directors-General was ready to sacrifice their own reputation and protect Obasanjo for undermining the objectives of the privatisation exercise.

Obasanjo’s overbearing interference, which led to the disregard for due process, laid the foundation for the massive fraud and national robbery that characterised the so-called privatisation exercise. This was the inference of most discerning Nigerians from their interpretations of El-Rufai’s and Chigbue’s earthshaking revelations. Nigeria has lost billions and still losing more money because of the insincerity and fraud that characterised the implementation

Oluwatosin ABIOLA of the privatisation exercise. While former President Obasanjo was using the privatisation exercise to showcase the success of his economic “reforms”, little did Nigerians know until now that, he was after all a hindrance to its successful implementation for selfish reasons.

In fact, the admission by Mrs. Irene Chigbue was notably instructive when she revealed that former President Obasanjo directed them to ignore former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as Chairman of the National Council on Privatisation and deal with him (Obasanjo) directly. What was Obasanjo’s interest that he wanted to take direct charge of the privatisation process and dictating to the Directors General of the BPE? Former President Obasanjo deliberately encouraged insinuations that his former deputy, Atiku Abubakar, was buying up public enterprises through third parties and enriching himself as a result. False accusation is the heaviest stone the devil can throw at you and, unfortunately for Atiku Abubakar, these allegations were swallowed up by gullible Nigerians. Perhaps, encouraged by an uncritical society that rarely asks questions about the ulterior motives of its leaders over certain actions, former President Obasanjo had left Atiku Abubakar to take the bum rap for the perceived failure and fraud associated with the privatisation exercise. Having conditioned the public mind to see Atiku as the villain of the piece, Obasanjo removed the former Vice President as the Chairman of the National Council on Privatisation.

With Atiku’s removal as NCP chair, one would have expected the highest degree of transparency from the privatisation process because he was alleged to be the obstacle. On the contrary, the take-over was the beginning of the rot in the privatisation exercise. Multi-billion dollar public investments were sold at derisory prices to Obasanjo’s cronies. The prized Aluminium Smelter Company, ALSCOn Ikot-Abasi built as USD3.2billion was sold for USD250m. Of the USD250, USD120 was to be retained by the beneficiary of perfidy to be used to dredge the Imo River but five years down the road, the dredg-

•Atiku

ing has not been carried out and money still kept by the Russians. Delta Steel Company was sold to one who did not win the bid. Ajaokuta was concessioned to looters who have been stripping the place. In fact, late President Umaru Yar’Adua was so scandalised by the scale of the fraud in the privatisation exercise that he had to revoke the sale of Kaduna and Port Harcourt Refineries, which were sold at throw-away prices to his cronies in the private sector.

Originally, many Nigerians would have thought that the Senate investigation was going to expose the perceived skeletons in Atiku’s cupboard. The bad guy image painted of Atiku by Obasanjo was such that the former Vice President wouldn’t have come out of this Senate investigation without his reputation not being torn to shreds. If that is the expectation of Obasanjo’s fans, then the testimonies before the Senate committee investigating the BPE was an anti-climax.

The exciting outcome, however, to other Nigerians was the manner the probe exposed Obasanjo’s under-belly, despite the semblance

of transparency and accountability, which he preached with hypocritical emphasis.

Who then killed the privatisation exercise?

The skeletons have come crashing from the cupboard and all eyes are now on former President Obasanjo to defend himself. Did anybody accuse Atiku Abubakar of selling public enterprises to himself or friends? Are the major beneficiaries of privatisation Atiku’s cronies or Obasanjo’s friends? Could a man stripped of his powers as NCP chairman be responsible for the disaster that attended the privatisation exercise, which is a rip off on the Nigerian taxpayers?

Recently, while on a foreign visit to Europe, former President Obasanjo accused his successors, late Umaru Yar’Adua and President Goodluck Jonathan of lacking the will to fight corruption. Will President Jonathan now tell the world the stuff he is made of by asking former President Obasanjo to defend himself? President Obasanjo is no longer in office and cannot, therefore, claim immunity from accountability.

As the originator of the EFCC and ICPC, the former President has a moral duty to clarify the damning revelations made against him by ElRufai and Mrs. Irene Chigbue. Such abuses of the privatisation process cannot and should not be swept under the carpet.

Lastly, there have been several allusions to the fact that there were motives behind, either the calls to set up this probe of the BPE or in the coming into being of the Senate Committee and Its own set up. We have no evidence of this.

Happily, the Senate President, Senator David Mark, assured in his inaugural address that the committee was not set up to persecute anyone.

But even if that happens to be the case, the Law of Unintended Consequences has caught up with whoever had those designs. This outcome is beyond Atiku as an individual. The biggest gainer is the country and the former Vice President ought not to gloat over this happy turn of events. If I were in a position to advise Atiku, I will ask him to thank God and keep quiet. Atiku’s destiny is for God to make; it is beyond an individual’s design.

•Oluwatosin ABIOLA wrote in from Ilara-Mokin, Ondo State.

9

THE NATION, SATURDAY, AUGUST 20, 2011

T

HE statement that he who pays the piper calls the tune is a very economic statement especially in the public service or governance of nations. In terms of its strict application there is nothing musical about it, as it is often a very stern test of loyalty, diligence, and efficiency in both private and public institutions. In reality, however, and especially in the politics of global democracies, this statement puts power, raw economic power, in the hands of elected officials and not economic managers. For in the final analysis it is politicians who appoint economic managers who use their economic and financial skills to solve socio – economic problems which have serious political consequences.

How expert economic managers and advisers fare or dance when the tune who dictates the piper is playing in the global political system is the chore I have set myself today and I ask you to enjoy that task with me.

The global financial crisis in the Eurozone and the downgrading of the debt status of the US has led to erosion of confidence of investors in the global economic leadership of the EU and US, according to the President of the World Bank Robert Zoellick.

In addition Zoellick reportedly said this week that the fragilities of the global economic recovery have led to some loss of confidence in the financial management skills of politicians generally. At about the same time this week new IMF boss Christine Legard said spending cuts by nations in dire straits in terms their finances must be matched by growth to prevent double depreciation.

These two observations by the two leading economic and financial managers in the world today are to be analysed here in the context of the following events that unfolded this week in various parts of the world.

The first is the jailing of two youngmen in the UK for four years for fomenting riots through the internet in the aftermath of the looters riot in Britain last week.

The second is the arrival of Nigeria’s new Finance Minister Dr Ngozi OkonjoIweala from her beat at the World Bank to take up her new job in the wake of the nationalization of three banks by the financial authorities in Nigeria.

The third is the purchase of telephone giant Motorola by search octopus Google .These three events illustrate in my view the intrinsic dilemma in the statement- he who pays the piper calls the tune.

With regard to the first event which is the riot in Britain, the IMF MD’s advice seem to have come quite late for Britain’s coalition government led by David Cameron to whom the message seem very well directed. Budget cuts with high social costs breed anger, social unrests and looting and lead to double depreciation of the quality of life of the citizenry and the consequences can be as unpredictable as the anarchy that gripped British cities at the beginning of the looting riots recently.

Definitely the British electorate did not elect the coalition government to make life

METAMORPHOSIS OF THE NIGERIAN

Economic management and politics

difficult for some people who will in turn threaten the overall security of the entire polity. The British electorate put the government of the day in power and it cannot run its economy as if the electorate don’t matter as long as it implements their budget cuts.

The electorate pay the Tory piper and it must dance to its tune and make amends as David Cameron is desperately trying to do ; albeit mistakenly by abusing criminally minded people and not finding a way through the woods to make the economy grow without making people descend into the uncivilised act of looting.

As for those who hold the view that the judicial sentencing are too harsh especially human rights groups I urge them to do a rethink and adjust to the realities of a new world.

This is a novel world where the tools of anarchy and social disorder have innovated and migrated faster than the existing global security apparatus into the sedate and seemingly harmless world of internet technology and social media.

The excuse that rioters did not turn up as intended by the two jailed men and only the police did, is no excuse and the judges saw through that in giving the so called stiff sentencing. I think the judges and the British legal system have, for once, been proactive and forward looking in this case.

Instead of the usual hangover and oversized respect for antecedents the courts have duly identified the new tools of disorder and mayhem in British society and have decided wisely, pragmatically and proactively to avert an ass being made of the law in the

name of human rights at the expense of state security, at least in Britain for now.

Last Wednesday President Goodluck Jonathan swore in Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala as the Coordinating Minister for the Economy and the Minister of Finance. Which makes our own Ngozi a Super Minister in the Jonathan Administration. Even the President admitted that much by saying he was surprised that Dr Okonjo Iweala was taking an appointment from a country and that his fellow presidents at the AU have commended him for making her a minister.

Like the present IMF boss who was a finance minister for France and moved up to the IMF job, Okonjo-Iweala had been our Finance Minister before and also moved up to a bigger job at the World Bank as a regional MD. A former Finance Minister of Indonesia also a lady followed the path Christine Legard and the first coming and going of Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala [NOI] But I think this second coming of NOI is going to be more interesting, challenging and expectedly quite beneficial for the Nigerian economy. The president confirmed that this time around NOI will not be receiving any salary in dollars but will serve like any other

Minister from the diaspora who ‘ are here to serve and not because of their personal aggarandisement ‘ The President nevertheless created a new 24 member Economic Management team –EMTwith himself as Chairman, Vice President Namadi Sambo as Vice Chairman and NOI as Coordinator of the EMT. The membership of the EMT included many ministries and even some state governors but it also included the Governor of the CBN and that is what interests me. Indeed one of the first recorded utterances of the new EMT Coordinator was that the so called CBN reforms are the reforms of the Jonathan presidency.

According to her - ‘ There is no reform package by the CBN and no reform package by the Ministry of Finance.

There is a reform package for Nigeria which is being led by President Goodluck Jonathan ‘ That to me is cheering news, in addition to the formation of the EMT by the President. ’Thirdly the new EMT Coordinator on banking according to reports, said that – ‘The CBN is dealing with monetary, currencies and exchange rate policies. The two have to come together to make a whole, so there is no division‘ Which again affirms in my view that the EMT Coordina-

The excuse that rioters did not turn up as intended by the two jailed men and only the police did, is no excuse and the judges saw through that in giving the so called stiff sentencing. I think the judges and the British legal system have, for once, been proactive and forward looking in this case

tor believes in the concept of systems control which insists that a part cannot be greater than the whole but must subsume itself to it.

Which again answers the question readers have been asking me about the line of control of the CBN governor in the last two years. At least for now as the CBN governor is a member of the EMT he must be answerable on matters within his purview to the EMT headed by the President and with NOI as Coordinator.

I think the first banking matter before the EMT is the nationalization of banks which has made a mockery of the integrity of bank regulation in the country and is making investors to be wary of putting their money in Nigeria. Globally, bank regulators aim at stability of the system; fairness and efficiency.

The CBN has intervened twice in recent times with enormous funds to bail out banks in Nigeria it deemed as distressed or about to, and somehow has managed to achieve some measure of stability given the speed it moved to avert a run on the affected banks.

In this nationalization stampede, however, it broke its own rules by acting before its own deadline. Really, hitherto, the CBN has not faired well at all in terms of fairness, the creation of a level playing field for competing and regulated banks and in terms of efficiency as a regulatory goal and objective.

Of course, you could say that the CBN acted with the advice of the NDIC and AMCON which indeed carried out the nationalisation in terms of purchase and management but there is no doubt that it was the CBN that gave the September deadline to the troubled banks while its agencies acted in the first week of August and nationalized the banks. That to me was seizing depositors and shareholders funds without due notice which is against regulatory best practices. It is like laying ambush for both the unfortunate management and shareholders of the three affected banks. Such regulatory tyranny and lawlessness should be investigated by the EMT and those responsible in the financial regulatory authorities brought to book in

the interest of shareholders and to save the face of Nigeria in the international investors circle.

Lastly, at the swearing-in of the new Coordinator EMT, she promised that the priority of the Jonathan Administration would be jobs and job driven growth. That to me is also cheering news given the events in N Africa and British cities and the impact of jobless youths on politics and economic management in these places. Nigeria cannot exist in a global vacuum and must borrow, adopt or copy political systems that keep their economic heads above water nowadays, like the Asian Tigers, Brazil, S, Africa, Malaysia.

It must also encourage technology companies to come and invest in our nation. Companies such as Apple, Microsoft and Google have a bright future and are youth friendly in terms of job creation, training and man power development. They can also teach our financial and economic managers some respect for corporate governance ethics, prudent financial regulations and good investors relations.

When Google the search company bought Motorola Mobility-an arm of the parent company Motorola which broke off in January 2011 - for $12.5bn this week Larry Page the CEO for Google said the deal was to bolster Google leading Android platform as Motorola is the maker of most of Google Android handsets.

More importantly Google CEO enthused that apart from the deal supercharging Android it will enhance competition, offer consumers accelerating innovation, greater choice, wonderful experiences and create huge value for customers. These are values that the EMT should aim at instilling in our economy by encouraging companies like Google to come and do business in Nigeria and create jobs for our youths. They should be encouraged to come with the expectation that their businesses will thrive and prosper in a competitive environment not threatened by an unexpected and extravagant nationalization policy like the one unleashed by our economic and financial managers on three Nigerian banks recently.

10

H

OW would you describe your experience so far as the governor of Delta State?

I will say it has been challenging, I will also say it has been interesting. It is an experience that is not written in any textbook; an interesting experience that you would not learn in any classroom.

It is an experience no teacher will teach you. I will say so far, so good.

We congratulate you on the recent commissioning of the Asaba Airport which your administration started from the scratch. But numerous projects like the petrochemical plant, the Delta Resort, Warri ICT Park, Koko Port and Osubi airport are yet to be completed. How do you hope to raise the funds for these?

Completing a project depends on planning. How you plan the projects will determine how you execute them. How do you plan to execute it? What type of contractors are you choosing? For the projects I have selected so far, there is a goal and the goal is that of encouraging investors. In putting up these projects, we have taken into consideration the fact that we have to give the projects to reputable contractors. We are trying to move away from the everyday contractor to those that are credible.

Secondly, we have some challenges with funding, especially with the way oil revenue has been fluctuating and the way the salaries of workers have been going up. But beyond that, by the grace of God, we are looking at alternative sources of funding for which we are already making a headway, especially at the bond market. So, if we are able to have a breakthrough there as we espect, the projects will be completed.

The contractors are seriousminded. That is why we have chosen them. And that is why we are so sure that no project we have started will be left uncompleted.

There is the case of Eku Specialist Hospital. What is the situation of that facility now?

Talking about infrastructure, there is what I call a decay generally in the state of infrastructure over the years all over the country. And bringing back the proper infrastructure will take quite some time. But when we came, we realised that we needed to be more focused in terms of infrastructure.

We needed to develop infrastructure that will be of economic advantage; that will improve the economy, not just of the state but of the nation. So, we are very careful in the rebuilding of our infrastructure in the areas of power, transportation, waterways, roads and airport. Then the issue of ICT and urbanisation.

Now in building infrastructure, we have it at the back of our mind that we should encourage investors.

The investors coming in requires some other social infrastructure. He wants to know what type of schools we have. Do we have good schools for his children? Do we have good healthcare facilities for his workers, family, and so on?

As for health, we have been able to look at it from the day of conception to the day the citizen dies. What kind of health facilities are available? From the day a woman concieves, we believe that it is a critical period for the mother and the child. And we do know that many mothers die because they do not have access to adequate health care in the sense that the facilities may be there but they may not have money to pay. So, we try to provide health care, especially at the primary level. We are building more hospitals.

But we have found that not many people can actually pay. So, we thought that we should make maternal healthcare free from pregnancy till delivery. That has helped pregnant women and improved the rate of delivery for our women. We also have fre health

INTERVIEW

THE NATION, SATURDAY, AUGUST 20, 2011

My strategy for peace in Delta —Uduaghan Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan speaks about the challenges he has faced in office as the governor of Delta State, particularly in relation to raising funds for the numerous projects initiated by his administration, the now functional Asaba Air[port inclusive. He told BOLAJI SANUSI and STEVE OSUJI that he has had to deal with three categories of Deltans.

•Uduaghan

‘

My approach to dealing with that problem was quite different. What happened here was a very tricky thing. It was an inter-ethnic crisis and you would not just eliminate one group for the other. I had to engage them extensively

’

care for children from age zero to five. That is when many children die. So, we make sure that children in this age bracket enjoy free quality health care.

We used to have what we called out-of-stock syndrome. That is no more as we now have a drug revolving fund. We have also tried to provide specialist hospitals. The Oghara Teaching Hospital is one of the best in Nigeria. We have employed more doctors. On the

hospital in Eku, it started as a missionary hospital and was taken over by the government, but the facility deteriorated. So, we have embarked on a comprehensive rehabilitation. We have not pulled it down, but we stripped it and completely rebuilt it. It is almost ready. It is a very beautiful place now. As far as health care is concerned, you know it’s my field.

We are in pole position.

Why did you create the new

Ministry of Poverty Alleviation and Social Assistance?

Like you said, it is something new.

We are the only state doing it that way. Poverty is one thing and jobs are another. In our first term, we went into poverty alleviation through a very successful micro credit scheme. We won the CBN award and all that in that programme. But we want to raise the bar this time around, which explains why we created this unique ministry. You have seen Professor Akintola Bello around. I watched him speak about these ideas on Channels Television. I didn’t know him before now, but I sent for him. His ideas tally with our vision. So, we are consulting him to deepen that programme.

We cannot eradicate poverty, but we can make an impact against it.

The ministry has two departments and we are developing the third one, which is about public works. It is not new, but we want to recreate it and structure it better. We want to create numerous jobs quickly for the unemployed youths roaming the streets. That is the whole idea of setting it up. The impact will be immediate. That is the whole idea of this new ministry.

So much has been said about private-public partnership and concessioning. Why did you not adopt that method in building the Asaba Airport for instance?

It is a problem of the level of our development. Investors and financiers don’t have that level of confidence in our economy yet. But as they see us do it, with time, many projects will be done under the PPP scheme. For instance, many investors are already showing interest in providing supporting facilities for the Asaba Airport, having seen it built by us from the scratch to its current functional stage. Some have expressed interest in building the cargo bay. Some are discussing the hanger, and so on. It is a gradual process of winning confidence.

Delta State has enjoyed peace under you after a very turbulent period. But some people believe you are spending too much money to buy peace...

In a state of war, if you don’t spend money, you will not attain peace.

You need to gather sufficient intelligence to be able to pre-empt further crisis. You can also use the money to buy enough guns to kill people. But we chose to deploy intelligence to get to the roots of the problem and then seek ways of solving them. What are the root causes of the crisis? Long years of deprivation and maginalisation by oil companies and government, poverty, underdevelopment and all that.

My approach to dealing with that problem was quite different. What happened here was a very tricky thing. It was an inter-ethnic crisis and you would not just eliminate one group for the other. I had to engage them extensively. I had to reassure each group. The youth had to be managed. It was a tricky thing, but I am happy that we have peace in the state now. In fact, I am happy at the end of the day the Federal

Government is doing the same thing we did: engagement through its amnesty programme.

You see, one lesson I have learnt is that no matter what you do, there are people who are determined to distract you. But I am also determined not to be distracted. So, I have dealt with that by keeping people in three boxes. One, the loyalists. Two, those who are neither here nor there; that is those you may cosider as neutral or inbetween. The third group are the extremists; those you can never please and who cannot find anything good in you even if you are there for 20 years. You can’t pacify them.

So, the first group, you work with them to move the state forward. The second group, you watch them, you engage them. But the third group, you keep them at an arm’s length and I have a quarter of an eye looking at them and the atrocities they are committing. If they move beyond the line I have drawn, I caution them.

Delta State is 20 years now. Do you think it has lived up to the aspirations of its founding fathers?

It is difficult now to say what the aspirations of the founding fathers were. If you know the history of the creation of Delta State, different groups wanted different things. But when the state was created, it did not quite come out the way most people wanted. Initially, it was an “we no go gree” situation. But after 20 years, some have come to accept the situation. Hitherto, there were people who vowed they would never come to Asaba; that they would get hypertension if they did.

Some said they would never buy land in Asaba or build. But today, gradually, they are coming around.

That means that people are beginning to accpet the reality of Asaba as a state capital.

What is you relationship with the President vis-a-vis Chief Edwin Clark?

First, I did not know the President through Chief Clark. I have never woked with the President through Chief Clark. I was Secretary to the State Government when the President was the governor of Bayelsa State. There was an assignment the former President Obasanjo gave us which President Jonathan led and which required me to go to Bayelsa almost every day.

We have known closely since then.

And now as President, we have worked closely and cooperated well.

Apart from a minor issue concerning ministerial appointment sometime ago, I have no problem whatsoever with President Jonathan. He gives me my respect as a governor. He respects the governors. During the last electioneering campaign, he supported me in spite of some people.

What would you want to be remembered for after your tenure?

It depends on who is remembering me. Is it the man in box three (laughter)? You flew in through Asaba Airport; you will surely remember me for Asaba Airport. The pregnant woman who has enjoyed free medical services will remember me in her own way. The market woman who never boarded a decent vehicle before but now rides in brand new buses as a menas of transport will remember me in her own way. The farmer who now gets improved seeds and seedlings and women who have had access to mirco credit in the last four years will all remember me one way or the other.

THE NATION, SATURDAY, AUGUST 20, 2011

Saturday

11

SPECIAL Musician’s name lands him in trouble

Randy's wife

Police shoot him over alleged robbery It’s a case of mistaken identity -Victim, wife Continued on Page 12

Randy on hospital bed after being shot

12

I

S Stanley Ukpabia, popularly known as Desty Randy, an armed robber or a victim of circumstance? This is the puzzle many residents of Mando, a sleepy suburb of Kaduna, are trying to resolve. Many who are close to him believe he cannot be involved in a crime. But the Imo State-born hip hop artiste based in Kaduna is currently lying critically ill at the Barau Dikko Specialist Hospital, Kaduna after a gunshot he received from the police on the allegation that he was involved in armed robbery.

The police had initially denied shooting him, saying that he sustained injuries in the stomach while trying to resist arrest. But they later admitted that they shot at him because he tried to snatch a pistol from one of their operatives.

Randy’s road to the hospital began in the early hours of Wednesday, August 3, 2011. He had received a call from one of his friends who told him that the police were looking for one Randy who was allegedly involved in armed robbery or land dispute in Mando area of the Kaduna metropolis. The Nation learnt that about four people in the area, including the ward head, bear Randy, but Ukpabia happens to be the most popular of them.

An eyewitness, who is also Ukpabia’s close friend, said that because the victim was curious about the reported search for one Randy, he headed for the office of the ward head to find out what was going on. The eyewitness, who identified himself as Japhet Adaoga, told The Nation that he was the one who drew Ukpabia’s attention to the rumour that the police were looking for one Randy.

Adaoga said he advised Ukpabia to go to the police and clear his name since there were other people in the area who bore the same name. But he said as soon as his friend surrendered himself to the police, he was handcuffed and then shot in the stomach.

Adaoga, who is also a musician, described Ukpabia as a law-abiding citizen, a musician and a caring father of four children whose wife runs a relaxation spot in Mando area of Kaduna.

Recounting the incident, Adaoga said: “At about 5.30 am on Wednesday, August 3, I called him (Ukpabia) on the phone and he told me he was still sleeping. I asked him if he had heard that the police were looking for one Randy in Mando, because there are about three people who bear Randy in the area. But he said he was not aware of it.

“I told him it was in connection with a case of armed robbery or land dispute, but he said he was neither an armed robber nor an estate agent. He drove to my place at about 6.30 am for further clarification and I told him that what I told him was based on rumour. I also told him I heard that the police had arrested one Chief Randy, who happened to be the ward head of the area, but had released him the same day.

“We decided to go to chief’s office to find out the true story and the police station he was taken to after his arrest. While in his office, we asked the chief to call the police to his office, and he

THE NATION, SATURDAY, AUGUST 20, 2011

Robbery suspect or mistaken identity?

•Musician lies in critical condition after being shot over alleged robbery •I only went to the police to clear my name - Victim

•Randy on hospital bed... ‘I didn’t bargain for this’

Tony AKOWE, Kaduna did.

“The policemen came and met the three of us talking. As soon as they came in, they asked my friend (Ukpabia) if he was Randy and he said yes. They said he was under arrest.

“When Ukpabia asked them what his offence was, they ignored the question and quickly handcuffed him. After that, one of the policemen came and said: “Is this the Randy?” Before we knew it, he had pulled a pistol, shot him in the stomach and dropped the pistol on the ground. Everybody was shocked.

“After shooting him, they removed the handcuffs from his hands and took him into a private car and drove away with him. They collected his phone, so we could not communicate with him again.

“We tried in vain to know where they had taken him to.

We went to the State CID, the Operation Yaki’s office and the Police Headquarters in Kaduna where they directed us to their radio room. They asked the radio man to radio all divisions because they said they were not aware of the incident.

“We were still in the radio room when Randy’s wife’s phone rang, and it was a nurse from the Barau Dikko Specialist Hospital. She said it was Ukpabia that gave her the number, and that he was on admis-

‘ When Randy asked them what his offence was, they ignored the question and quickly handcuffed him. After that, one of the policemen came and said: “Is this the Randy?” Before we knew it, he had pulled a pistol, shot him in the stomach and dropped the pistol on the ground. Everybody was shocked

,

sion at the hospital. The police corporal who was in the radio room on that day said we should go to the hospital.

“When we got to the hospital, the nurse told us that it was the

police who brought Randy there, but that they had taken him for X-ray at Danmusa. We left the hospital for the X-ray centre where we found some policemen with him. The policemen were angry with us, asking who had directed us to the place. In fact, they threw all manner of insults at us, but we did not bother about them because we were after the man they had shot.”

Initially, the police denied shooting Ukpabia. Police spokesman in the state, DSP Aminu Lawan, however, claimed that Ukpabia sustained injuries while trying to resist arrest.

Lawan said: “We got the information that a gang of armed robbers were operating in Mando area. When our men swunng into action, they got one of them who resisted arrest.

“In the process of struggling with the police, the suspect sustained injury in his stomach, and he was rushed to the hospital. However, we are still investigating the incident.”

Speaking at a news conference where he paraded some suspected armed robbers arrested around the state, the Commissioner of Police, Ballah Nasarawa, also said that Ukpabia was shot while he was trying to snatch a pistol from a policeman.

According to the police boss, “On August 3, at about 1800 hours, based on intelligence report that one S. Randy and

Mohammed Nasiru were the leaders of an armed robbery gang terrorising Mando, the duo were arrested. However, in the process of handcuffing S. Randy, the suspect attempted to snatch a pistol from one of the operatives. The suspect was shot in the abdomen and was subsequently arrested and rushed to Barau Dikko Hospital for treatment. He is recuperating while investigation has commenced.”

Randy, who is currently recovering from a surgery carried out to remove the bullet from his abdomen, managed to tell The Nation that he was just a victim of circumstance, wondering why he should be shot by the police for committing no crime.

“I am a musician and I don’t have a criminal record to warrant this kind of treatment from the police. I expected the police to have done a thorough investigation before arresting and shooting me,” he said as he groaned in pains.

His wife said the doctor who operated and removed the bullet from his stomach had promised to release the bullet if a court orders that it should be produced. She threatened to take the matter to court to prove her husband’s innocence.

But the police have beefed up security around him at the hospital in apparent insistence that he is the Randy they havd been looking for. But some residents of Mando, who pleaded anonymity, described Ukpabia a responsible young man.

13

THE NATION, SATURDAY, AUGUST 20, 2011

I’m still in shock, says father of 30-year-old man shot dead by policeman over N20 bribe ‘

When Onyeka intervened by asking the policeman why the okada man should part with N20 when his vehicle particulars were complete, one of the policemen said everybody should disperse. He started shooting sporadically.

He eventually pointed his gun at Onyeka and shot him

•Mr. Agupudo, Onyeka’s father

T

HESE, certainly, are not the best of times for the family and friends of Onyeka Agupudo. The 30-year-old indigene of Okpu-Ifite in Agulu, Anaocha Local Government Area of Anambra State was one of the five people shot dead by a policeman last Saturday for failing to pay a N20 bribe the policeman allegedly demanded at a checkpoint.

Onyeka’s 74-year-old father, Robert Agupudo, who looked devastated when our correspondent visited the family house in Awka on Tuesday that he was still in shock over the death of his son.

At the time of the ugly incident around 6:30pm last Saturday, Onyeka was said to have boarded a commercial motorcycle popularly called Okada with another friend of his named Onyekwelu Mojekwu (27) when they were stopped by some mobile policemen at Nwagu Junction in Agulu for a search.

According to Mojekwu, instead of checking the particulars of the motorcycle operator, one of the policemen rushed towards him and collected the key to the motorcycle. Thereafter, he demanded the sum of N20,

which was rebuffed by the okada rider. According to Mojekwu, an argument ensued between the policeman and the okada rider.

Onyeka intervened to calm the two parties but was shot by the policeman in the process.

Mojekwu told The Nation that he slumped as a result of shock immediately his friend was felled by the bullet, adding that

,

•Late Onyeka

he had not eaten since then.

He said: “When Onyeka intervened by asking the policeman why the okada man should part with N20 when his vehicle particulars were

complete, one of the policemen said everybody should disperse.

He started shooting sporadically. He eventually pointed his gun at Onyeka and shot him.”

Angered by the incident, the youths in the area mobilised one another and headed for the Agulu Police Station. They did not only destroy the building, they brought •Continued on page 14

End of road for night marauders

I

T was not their lucky day.

Seven of them went on a robbery expedition to a firm in Anambra State, but five of them were apprehended by the state’s police command and their loots were recovered.

That was the fate of some robbery suspects arrested after an operation they carried out at Consolidated Construction Company (CCC) in Oba, Idemili South Local Government Area of Anambra State, where they had stolen brand new trailer tyres and rims amounting to more than N3 million.

While two of the robbery suspects—the driver of the lorry that conveyed the tyres to the receiver and a former employee of the company—are still at large, the remaining five suspects are

•Police in Anambra arrest five men who allegedly broke into the premises of a construction company at 2 am and carted away trailer tyres worth millions Nwanosike ONU, Awka already in the police net and have confessed to committing the crime.

The suspects are Paul Okwu (32), Eze Friday (25), Michael Akachukwu (35), Ozoemenam Ikechukwu (29) and Emeka Ndekwu (40).

Interestingly, apart from Emeka Ndekwu, the receiver of the stolen

items who hails from UbuluUkwu in Aniocha Local Government Area of Delta State, all the other suspects are from Ikwo, Izzi and Amasiri Afikpo communities, all in Ebonyi State.

Each of the tyres stolen by the suspects, according to the Chief Security Officer (CSO) of CCC, Chief Raphael Okeke, a retired Military Officer, cost N150, 000.

One of the suspects,

Ozoemenam Ikechukwu, who before the robbery incident was a vulcanizer with the construction firm for several years, blamed devil for their action, just like the other suspects did.

Ikechukwu said they followed a bush path and broke the concrete wall of the company while it was raining around 2 am on July 14, 2010, and made away with the •Continued on page 14

14

THE NATION, SATURDAY, AUGUST 20, 2011

End of road for night marauders •Continued from page 13 goods.

Narrating the incident to our correspondent at the premises of the company, Okeke blamed the success of the invaders on negligence on the part of his security officers, adding that two of his men were supposed to be guarding the place.

He said: “When we discovered the following morning that a part of the fence had been broken and the items were stolen; we swung into action, combing all the bushes around the company. A lady asked me what we were looking for and I told her that our tyres were missing. She said somebody told her that some people came with a tipper to carry some tyres.

“The woman asked me for N20,000 for her to divulge the information, and I did. The woman turned out to be wife to one of the suspects.

“Eventually, it was discovered that it was Ozoemena (a vulcanizer) and one Paul whoo stole the tyres. I moved quickly and arrested both of them. I took them to Ojoto Police Station in Idemili South Local Government Area before the matter was transferred to the state CID in Awka.

“The husband of the woman who gave me the information (Michael) was also arrested. It was discovered that it was Michael who was making every arrangement with lawyers to grant the suspects bail.”

Our correspondent traced the suspects to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) in Awka, where they confirmed their involvement in the robbery incident.

All the five blamed “the devil” for pushing them into the crime.

The buyer of the goods, 40-yearold Emeka Ndekwu, told The Nation that he rejected the deal initially but decided to take a look at it when they said they would give him the tyres at the rate of N20,000 each.

Ndekwu, who said he deals in scraps, claimed he reported the matter to the Chairman of their Association because he was

afraid.

But 32-year old Paul Okwu, a wheel barrow pusher at Head Bridge, Onitsha, claimed he was talked into the business by the other suspects at a beer parlour.

Eze Friday and Michael Akachukwu were said to be negotiating bail for the other suspects before it was discovered that they were also involved in the crime.

The Assistant Commissioner of

Police in charge of Criminal Investigation Department (ACCID), Mike Okoli, confirmed the incident. He said Ikechukwu, who worked with CCC as a vulcanizer, was the mastermind of the robbery incident.

Okoli disclosed that the Ikechukwu approached the receiver of the goods, Ndekwu, and concluded an arrangement with him on how to carry out the operation. He added that the

driver of the lorry that conveyed the tyres to the buyer in the night was still at large together with a former employee of the company.

Okoli said: “The first two persons were arrested while two others, Friday and Michael, were negotiating their bail.

“The person sponsoring the services of a lawyer to get them off the hook was on our neck, but because of the magnitude of the crime and case, we vehemently

‘

When we discovered the following morning that a part of the fence had been broken and the items were stolen; we swung into action, combing all the bushes around the company. A lady asked me what we were looking for and I told her that our tyres were missing. She said somebody told her that some people came with a tipper to carry some tyres

,

refused the bail application.

“We asked their lawyers to meet us in court. The investigations have been concluded and very soon, we will charge them to court for store breaking and stealing.”

He warned other crime-minded people who plan such a deal to be careful, adding that there would no longer be any hiding place for criminals in Anambra State.

He added that the efforts of the Inspector General of Police, Hafix Ringim; the State Commissioner of Police, Muhtari Ibrahim and the Anambra State Governor, Mr. Peter Obi in making sure that the state was rid of criminals by providing all necessary tools would not be in vain.

“This command is battle ready.

Unless those criminals move out of Anambra State to other areas, we will not rest,” Okoli said.

I’m still in shock, says father of 30-year-old man shot dead by policeman over N20 bribe •Continued from page 13 out all the police uniforms, television sets and other materials in the station and burnt them.

The rampaging youths who chanted war songs, also marched to the Neni Police Station, but some senior officers at the division appealed for calm. Their intervention calmed the rampaging youth and prevented them from setting the police station ablaze.

The father of the deceased, Robert Agupudo, told The Nation on Tuesday that his late son had been struggling to gain admission into the university. He added that when he saw his son in a pool of blood, he was devastated.

He said: “The most annoying thing is that when we reported the incident to the DPO (Divisional Police Officer), he told us to take

the boy’s corpse to the mortuary.

Before we could finish arranging a vehicle for that purpose, a good number of policemen had stormed the scene and started firing tear gas at everybody and shooting sporadically. They then took my son’s body to an unknown destination.

“We have begged them to show us where the corpse of my son is, but up till now, nobody has uttered a word to the people of the village.”.

The member representing Anaocha I State Constituency, Hon. Ejiofor Leonard, told our correspondent that such an issue had become a recurring decimal in the life of the nation. He said the police ought to be ambassadors of the society and not agents of death.

He described the incident as one of the numerous cases of extra-

judicial killings. The lawmaker called on the Federal Government to see what could be done to remove some of the bad eggs in the police so that the country would stop losing its innocent citizens to senseless killings.

Ejiofor said: “I do not know why the issue of N20 should end somebody’s life abruptly like that.

The deed is already done. But we are demanding for justice to be done in this matter. The officer must face the music. We are talking about a member of my constituency.”

However, when The Nation visited the headquarters of the CID in the state on Tuesday, the Assistant Commissioner of Police in-charge of the department, Mike Okoli, had already met with members of the family and the community to deliberate on the way forward.

Okoli told The Nation that the errant police officer had been arrested and was already facing what he called departmental trial.

After that, he said, the policeman would be dismissed and charged for murder.

On the body of the deceased allegedly taken away by the police, the AC-CID said it had been deposited at the mortuary of Regina Caeli Hospital in Awka.

He said: “We kept the body for a post-mortem to be carried out by a government doctor. The command did so because the matter has already become a case.

After that, the body will be released to the family. Everything has to be fast. Honestly, we regret the incident,” Okoli said.

The deceased’s elder brother, 38year-old Maduabuchi, said the more he thought about the killing of his younger brother by the

•Mr. Agupudo, Onyeka’s father

police, the angrier he became, because he (deceased) was the one looking after their mother in the village and was the closest to her.

He said the family would not rest until justice was done in the case.

15

THE NATION, SATURDAY, AUGUST 20, 2011

T

HE last may not have been heard about the fire that razed about seven blocks of building that hosted stores containing motorcycles and spare parts running into millions of naira in Lafia, Nasarawa State about three weeks ago.

Although two suspects were said to have been arrested, the police and the owner of the largest of the burnt shops, Emmanuel Ugochukwu, have conflicting accounts concerning the suspects.

Ugochukwu, who spoke with The Nation shortly after the suspects were arrested and taken to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in Lafia, explained that the suspects had admitted that they were responsible for the incident. He said the whole matter began when he started getting text messages on his mobile phone in July asking him to remit the sum of N1 million or his shop would be burnt.

He said when he asked what the money was meant for, the suspects told him that he should just produce it. And while they were still threatening him, his shop went up in flames on July 24, 2011.

He said immediately after that, he received another text message from the same people asking him to bring to them the sum of N2 million, saying that if he did not produce the money, he would experience something worse than the burnt shop.

Ugochukwu, who is the Chairman of the motorcycle spare parts dealers in Nasarawa State, said the suspects further threatened him to produce the money or get killed, and that even if he died, his wife would still have to pay them.

At that point, he said he reported the matter to the Commissioner of Police in Nasarawa State who gave the CID an order to apprehend the criminals.

Their phone numbers, he said, was taken to MTN’s office in Abuja by the police, where he said that their data was produced and the photograph along with the phone number led to the identification of one of the suspects, who was then arrested.

Ugochukwu said that when he met with his tormentors at the State Police CID in Lafia, they confessed that they were the ones who actually burnt his shop and not his son as was earlier alleged, saying that he had them on record.

Denying that his son was responsible for the burning down of his shop, Ugochukwu explained that he, along with all the members of his family, including his wife and the accused boy, Chigozie, were there to put out the fire, and it was even Chigozie who forced the door of the shop open.

He recalled the fire started from one of his neighbours’ shop and not his as earlier claimed.

Ugochukwu, who said he broke into tears when he saw his shop in flames, however denied he fainted and was hospitalised as claimed by both the police and his neighbours.

Ugochukwu, who spoke in pidgin English, told our reporter his wife arranged a vehicle that took him away from the scene after he had cried a lot. “Even Panadol, I no drink. I just de inside my house for three days. Even water, I no drink,” he said.

He said he was surprised when days later he started hearing that he was taken to a hospital and was put on oxygen even as people rumoured that he had died after he was taken to a hospital in Enugu.

Ugochukwu, who quantified what he had lost to the inferno to be in the tune of N40 million, wondered how the boy who always travels to Nnewi to buy goods worth N2 million and never ran away with the money would set his shop ablaze because of a motorcycle or money as alleged.

When contacted on the arrest of the suspects by the police, the the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, ASP Richard Akoji, told The Nation on Saturday that they were able to arrest two young men concerning the incident.

But he said the young men had denied being involved men in the burning of the shops. “So far, they have not told us. In fact, they have denied committing the act.

However, they were able to tell us that they sent several text messages to the owners of the shops that they were going to burn

Twist in Nassarawa fire incident as police, victim disagree over suspects’ roles

•The burnt shops and materials

•Chigozie and his mother

•Ugochukwu

Johnny DANJUMA, Lafia their shops if they didn’t remit some money to them,” Okoji said.

He further stated that although the young

‘

men sent several text messages, it was just by coincidence that the shops went ablaze, as they didn’t have anything to do with the burning of the shops.

He, however, said the matter was still being investigated and that at the end of investigation, the suspects would be prosecuted.

He said immediately after that, he received another text message from the same people asking him to bring to them the sum of N2 million, saying that if he did not produce the money, he would experience something worse than the burnt shop.

,

On whether the police had been able to establish the truth about Ugochukwu’s son’s involvement in the incident, the PPRO said the man told them that his son was not involved in the act.

With the twist in the matter, Ugochukwu has called for the intervention of the state governor, Umaru Tanko Almakura.

Ugowhuckwu, who said the young men confessed to the crime on record and even in their statements to the police, said he had become confused because the police are saying that the same people denied any involvement in the fire incident during interrogation.

Ugochukwu, who said he lost everything he had in the fire, said unless the governor quickly intervened in the matter, the suspects could do worse things than they had done to him.

16

THE NATION, SATURDAY, AUGUST 20, 2011

How hoodlums murdered 27-year-old on disputed land in Lagos community T

HE crowd of sympathisers burst into tears as the motorcade conveying the remains of Femi Sekoni to his final resting place in Ibadan, Oyo State left the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) IdiAraba, Lagos on August 16, 2011.

The Ijebu-Igbo born deceased man had left his residence in Ikorodu on June 28, 2011 to carry out the survey of a parcel of land in Ibeshe community near Ikorodu, Lagos for a client when he met his gruesome death in the hands of suspected hoodlums who had laid an ambush for him. He was inflicted with matchete cuts on different parts of his body while his assailants left him in a pool of blood.

A source, who pleaded anonymity, said the deceased was contracted by a medical practitioner, Dr. Oyegbola Olawale, who is based abroad, to carry out a survey on the land measuring about 100 acres.

The late Sekoni was said to have first visited the site on June 27, 2011 but was chased away by fierce looking hoodlums who had stormed the site with dangerous weapons. They allegedly warned Sekoni never to come back to the site in his own interest, saying that their principal had taken possession of the land.

Confused at the turn of events, the deceased allegedly put a call to the estate agent in charge of the property, Alhaji Tajudeen Oguntayo, who explained that the ownership crisis over the land had been legally settled and that no one would disturb him.

Buoyed by the confidence given him by the agent, he went back to site the following day to continue with his job, not knowing that death hung in the air.

Narrating the incident to our correspondent, a highly placed source, who asked not to be named, said: “The late surveyor was at the site on the eve of his death to assess the level of work done, but he was frustrated by some thugs who were working for an influential man who also laid claim to the property.

“He went back to consult with his client on the incident and he was assured that the matter had been amicably resolved through the intervention of the police. Unfortunately for him, when he returned to the site the next day, the hoodlums, who had laid an ambush for him, attacked him with matchet and he was left in a pool of his own blood before policemen from the Ipakodo Police Station took him to Ikorodu General Hospital, where he died a few minutes later.

“The attack was allegedly carried out in the presence of an

•The late Sekoni

aide to a chief in the community who was said to have been using the thugs to chase away people from the land. Even the commercial motorcyclist who conveyed Sekoni to the scene of the incident also got his own share of the attack as he was matcheted by the hoodlums.”

The deceased, according to the source, is survived by three children and a wife who is carrying a five-month pregnancy.

“His wife is currently carrying a five-month pregnancy, and she also has three kids to nurture. Now, what is going to be the fate of the children he left behind, since he was the breadwinner of the family?” asked the source who claimed to be a friend of the deceased.

When contacted by our correspondent on the telephone, the aide to the chief said: “I don’t know what you are talking about. If you need my response, come and see me, because anybody can claim to be a journalist on the telephone.

“But if you insist on having my response now, all I can tell you is that I don’t know anything about the matter, and the allegation is even an embarrassment to me.”

There was an outpouring of emotion as invectives from sympathisers rented the air at LUTH before Sekoni’s final

•Some of the suspects

KunleAKINRINADE journey in a motorcade to Ibadan.

Many of the sympathisers were heard cursing the masterminds of the crime, while a good number of them described the deceased

‘

man as “peace-loving and diligent.”

Investigations revealed that following the spate of harassments by the hoodlums before the ugly incident, some arrests were made while some of the suspects were detained at the Ikoyi Prison, Lagos. Those be-

His wife is currently carrying a five-month pregnancy, and she also has three kids to nurture.

Now, what is going to be the fate of the children he left behind since he was the breadwinner of the family?

‘

ing detained included Kabiru Falana, Dosunmu Falana and Nurudeen Lanni.

The arrest of some members of the group was said to have angered their leader identified simply as Jamani, who allegedly mobilised his boys to launch the attack that took the life of the deceased.

Attempt by our correspondent to get the comments of the police on the incident yielded no fruit as the Public Relations Officer of the Lagos State Police Command, Mr. Samuel Jinadu, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) failed to pick his calls. A text message sent to his phone was also not responded to.

17

THE NATION, SATURDAY, AUGUST 20, 2011

‘Legislating is not about noise-making’ Senator Muniru Adekunle Muse represented Lagos Central Senatorial District in the 6th Senate. In this interview with Assistant Editor, DADA ALADELOKUN, Senator Muniru Adekunle Muse represented Lagos Central Senatorial District in the 6th Senate. In this interview with Assistanton Editor, DADA ALADELOKUN, he reflectssome on his experience and some he reflects his experience and strides ofstrides theof the Upper Chamber of the National Assembly. Excerpts: Upper Chamber of the National Assembly. Excerpts:

•Senator Muse

H

OW would you describe your experience in the Senate in the last dispensa-

tion?

It was an interesting period because it was like going back to school to learn. You have to learn in the senate almost everyday because the works there are not stereotyped. New things happen almost everyday when you are in the chamber. So, I have learnt a lot. I have seen a lot about the unity and security of this nation. And I believe those two things are very important if we are to keep this country one.

But what in your view are the gains of the 6th Senate?

To the best of my knowledge, the Sixth Senate kept this country united. The first challenge we tackled when we got to the senate was to find a lasting solution to government/trade union palaver. It was at the heat of the dispute we got there in 2007. We were able to douse the tension. We called on government to respect the agreement reached with the trade union and they approved of our resolution. Another important event that happened at that time was the sickness of former President Yar’Adua and how he was taken to out of the country without the knowledge of the number two citizen and also brought back unknown to him.

That was not good for this nation and it could have caused a serious security breach, if it was not handled diligently. To make the Vice President then, Dr, Goodluck Jonathan, act as president, we knew what we did in the senate.

And it was a plus for the senate leadership to have devised the doctrine of necessity that made it possible for Jonathan to act at that time.

Without that initiative, there would

have been escalating of militancy activities in the Niger Delta region.

I will also be proud to say that in the committees that I served, I served with best of knowledge, particularly in the committee of the Nigerian Air force for which I was the Vice-Chairman.

Can you shed more light on the issue?

We made it possible for the Federal Government to release the Presidential Aircraft to the Nigerian Air Force so as to be able to make surveillance in the SouthSouth to monitor the militant activities in the oil region. Today, the Air Force can be proud of so many workable aircrafts. And we thank God that we had somebody at the helms of affairs in the senate whom I will describe as a gentleman and a peace-loving fellow. Even though he was a military man, throughout the four years, he did not use his military experience to direct the affairs of the senate. He never saw himself as the boss; instead, he called his other colleagues my bosses. That is the type of person we need in this country and I am very happy for his return as the President of the seventh senate.

Apart from the Air Force Committee, in which other committee did you serve?

I also served in Police Affairs, Prisons; State and Local Government, and Interior Committees.

The perception is general that if you don’t make noise in the House, you are not performing.

How do you see this position?

That is the feeling of some people in the public, but it is not by making noise that you can show that you are really working or representing the interest of your constituency or district. In the senate, 60 percent of the Senate work is done at the committee level. The re-

maining 40 percent is in the chamber for discussion. And while in the senate, the senate president can only call on somebody he sees first.

There are occasions when other people would have asked the question that you had in mind. In such circumstance, there will be no need for you to repeat the same question again. These are some of the things people don’t know about the parliament.

How would you react to the public outcry about the constituency allowance of each member of the National Assembly?

I want anybody to challenge me, even at the law court. Constituency allowance was never given to any member of the National Assembly.

All we were asked to do was to list project in individual’s constituency. And we listed them out and passed it to the appropriate committees. Those who are working on the projects are the ministries. It was not part of our responsible to look out for contractors to execute the projects. So, while some projects were executed, majority were not executed.

Then, what is all this noise about N240 million quarterly allowances paid to each senator?

It is a lie. How can a senator take N240 million as quarterly allowance? The paper is there, if they want to know how much each senator takes as quarterly allowance. Good enough, there is now in place the freedom of Information bill. So, journalists are free to check and know exactly how much each senator earns.

Isn’t there an iota of truth in the whole allegation especially considering the decision of the new National Assembly to cut down their allowances to about 60 percent?

That is the trend now all over the world. It is not what members of parliament in most countries were earning before that they are earning today. Even the British parliament now has to go into investigating small expenses that are spent illegally by legislators. It is not going to be business as usual again.

What would you say was your major contribution to lawmaking process in your four-year tenure at the Senate?

We work quite a lot at committee level. Before any bill brought to the House is passed, it must go to the appropriate committees. And as I have earlier told you, I played a very prominent role in the committee on Air force. For you to appreciate the contributions I made in the committees that I belonged, you will get the answer from various ministries. Till today, they all give me commendations for role I played at various committees where I served.

The issue of Bakassi Peninsula also happened during your tenure. What role did the Senate play in ceding that part of the country to Cameroun?

Incidentally, I was part of the committee on this Bakassi issue. But most people don’t know that it was ceded during the military era when things were done by decree.

There had been agreement between Cameroun and Nigeria on what to do with the disputed area. By the agreement which the United Nations (UN) also sanctioned, the Cameroun was not supposed to drive out Nigerians from the disputed region. What we did was to make sure that the two countries did their best as far as the agreement was concerned.

How would you describe life af-

ter Senate?

There is no retired senator; once a senator is always a senator. But I am taking my rest now.

But are you still in ACN? Oh yes, I am still in ACN. I told all my supporters in Lagos Central Senatorial District during my campaign that I will remain in ACN. I am not going to follow my two former predecessors who left ACN for PDP. What were your contributions to the district?

I have been doing a lot for the district even right from when I was the Chairman of Apapa Local Government. There was a shanty which I also gave to a developer and built to a plaza. It is there up till date. The building where Tantalizer is at Apapa was completely burned down before I became the chairman. During my campaign for the chairmanship position, I promised to rebuild it.

And soon as I came into office, I made investigation into how it was burnt. Subsequently, I invited the tenants and resolved to pay them their tenancy fees and they all happily agreed. Through a proposal submitted by a company which was approved at our executive meeting, the building was rebuilt.

And up till today, all these buildings are generating revenues for the local government.

Apart from infrastructure, I gave 10 scholarships to students of the University of Ibadan who were from my Alma Mater - Methodist Boys High School. I still give them till date. If I start mentioning what I have done, it will fill four pages of your paper. Go and interact with those people you see around here, they will tell you that you can never enter Alhaji Muse’s house without coming out smiling. I feel glad with such statement.

18

H

OW does it feel to be the first female Commissioner of Agriculture in Kano State?

It is a big burden and a challenge I chose to surmount. I never expected to be deployed to such a sensitive ministry. But I want to believe that His Excellency, Engr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso appointed me into the ministry to show that he is a man who believes in giving a new concept to the art of governance. I also believe that the governor gave me the appointment because of the confidence he has in the ability of women. I want to say that I am in this ministry to trigger a revolution in agriculture. You are aware that Kano is an agrarian state. So, we are doing everything possible to galvanise the agricultural sector so as to use it as one of the windows to provide job opportunities, eradicate poverty and enhance youth and women empowerment.

As the first female Commissioner for Agriculture in Kano State, we would like to know how you intend to better the lot of your fellow women through agriculture.

You cannot underscore the importance of women’s contributions to agriculture, not only in Kano State but also in the country. The only problem we have been having before now is that women are involved in the unrecorded areas. And the few women who have taken to farming are not given the recognition they need to be given. That is why you don’t see them at the forefront.

The job of this government is to turn around this practice, carry and fly the banner of women in agriculture. In line with this, my governor has agreed, and he has already put into process a specific programme that would target women in agro-allied industry. That is why we are trying to get the centres ready. Once these centres are ready, His Excellency, Governor Kwankwaso will commission them.

The aim of the centres is to train women in the complete value system. Before now, you found women processing groundnut oil but they were not registered under the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC). As a result, they do not get enough value for their efforts. What this government is trying to do is to get women into groups and get them a license under NAFDAC, train them on how to package their products and get them the market to sell their products so that they can be more productive and happy. Any government that does not carry women along will find it difficult to get there.

This government is trying to make sure that the economic activities of women could be recorded so that it can increase the GDP. The governor is very concerned about the involvement of women in agriculture. The women who meet the requirement for N1 million loan will benefit from it. We are encouraging the women to learn how to use semi-mechanised implements and modern implements.

There were complaints that the previous administration did not make enough arrangement for adequate provision of fertilizer.

How far have you gone in tackling this problem?

My governor, Engr. Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso, is a very active person. As soon as we came on board, he realised that a lot needed to be done to promote agriculture so as to give our people the desired incentive for self-reliance. More than 80 per cent of Kano population depends on farming. So, one of the first steps His Excellency took was to

THE NATION, SATURDAY, AUGUST 20, 2011

Why Kwankwaso appointed me — Kano’s first female Agric Commissioner Dr. Baraka Sani is the first Commissioner of Agriculture in the history of Kano State. She is widely believed to have played a prominent role in the victory of Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso. She speaks with KOLADE ADEYEMI about the challenges involved in presiding over a ministry that is usually reserved for men and her plans towards improving the lives of farmers in the state manent Secretary, paid a visit to

•Dr. Sani collaborate with the Federal Government to ensure that we have enough supply of fertilizer. Having realised that we were almost late in the procurement and distribution of fertiliser to farmers, the governor quickly rushed to the Federal Government to enable us to collect our allocations for 2009/2010, which had not been paid for by the previous administration. That was the only emergency measure we were able to apply. And by the grace of God, due to time factor, the fertilizer was distributed at ward level so that it could reach farmers in good time.

As you all know, the 2011 budget for the procurement of fertilizer for farmers is about N2.7 billion, but the last administration did not place any order for the supply of fertilizer. So, in order to salvage the situation, the State Executive Council approved the release of the sum of over N770 million, with which we purchased about 20,000 tonnes of fertilizer in two batches and distributed to farmers in the 484 wards. Before we came on board, there had been cases of fertilizer racketeering, thereby denying our farmers the opportunity to enjoy government subsidies. But because of the measures put in place by my ministry, instead of our farmers buying the fertilizer at the market price of about N5, 000, they are now purchasing it at the subsidised rate of N1, 900

for both PFK and Urea.

This time around, we distributed the fertilizer ward by ward.

The first batch of fertilizer was secured, and we gave each ward, 600 bags. We also got an addition of 10,000 tonnes. We have enough now and we have some more stored for the dry season.

The total allocation for Kano State for the 2009/2010 farming season is 31,000 tonnes of fertilizer. But so far, we have lifted 20,000 tonnes in first and second allocations. This was the emergency measure we applied to ensure that fertilizer gets to farmers in good time so that they can apply it on their farms. The total budget for allocation from the Federal Government is N3 billion. We paid 25 per cent subsidy of the Federal Government budget. We started by picking 10, 000 tonnes and another 10, 000 tonnes. We still have 11,000 tonnes remaining. We could not take delivery of it because of time

constraint. We still have a stock of fertilizer that would be used by farmers in the dry season so that the state government would not be caught napping when the season comes.

Irrigation farming is crucial to the realisation of the food security aspiration of the current government. What is being done to revamp irrigation system for an all year round farming?

Irrigation is at the centre point of this government’s policy on agriculture. Immediately I was appointed the commissioner for agriculture, Governor Kwankwaso directed my ministry to assess other channels and report back to him on how and which ones are more suitable to be opened so that we can have more irrigation space. We have irrigation school at Kadawa and we are trying to open up more irrigation sites in the area. We are also opening up Watari Dam at Bagwai. Myself and the team, including the Per-

‘

I want to believe that His Excellency, Engr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, appointed me into the ministry to show that he is a man who believes in giving a new concept to the art of governance

‘

the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), and we sought their assistance so that they can help us to open up more irrigation channels in the state. The visit has been very promising. They have agreed to come in and see how far they can help us to achieve this dream.

Also, we have other bodies like the World Bank to see how they can come in and assist us to reinvigorate our irrigation system, which our farmers have embraced for a long time now. We discussed with the Minister of Agriculture on the kind of assistance the federal Ministry of Agriculture can give us. The policy of this government is to turn around the agricultural sector so that we can have an all year round farming, so that our farmers will be permanently engaged and have value for their labour.

Often times, agricultural products get wasted due to poor storage facilities. How do you plan to check this?

We are already working assiduously on food security and postharvest management. We are coming through collaboration and project partnership with relevant agencies to help us in this direction. This is to enable us preserve agricultural products and avoid waste. The state government is also determined to take such measures so that farmers would not be discouraged. Right now, we are going to have a tomato factory in the state and we are partnering with relevant agencies to ensure better storage.

We are going to introduce new seedlings. We are trying to see how we can facilitate the movement of tomatoes, using modern technologies. We are very much interested in tomato production.

When the tomato factory comes on board, we would be able to mop up as many tomatoes as possible, because they are perishable commodities.

The state government is also going to establish preservation and storage facilities. In this direction, we are ready to work with some technical people. This is the only sure way of helping the farmers. We also intend to introduce new seedlings of tomatoes which have better yields and last longer. Some varieties of tomatoes perish quickly while others last longer. If this is done, we will solve half of the problems of farmers in areas like Kura Local Government Area of the state, where tomatoes are produced in large quantities. The use of pesticides and protective chemicals on farms would give tomatoes longer shelve life.

On the marketing aspect, the state government is making efforts to see how it can facilitate the movement of these products to other parts of the country, using modern technology so that it will not be compressed and damaged along the way. We are working very hard on the preservation of tomatoes in Kano State. My governor is very much interested, and we at the Ministry of Agriculture are working very hard to effectively reduce the waste incurred by our farmers year in year out.

19

THE NATION, SATURDAY, AUGUST 20, 2011

Saturday

THRILLER

Expensive care Nigeria's primary healthcare crisis

20

THE NATION, SATURDAY, AUGUST 20, 2011

Nigeria's primary

•PHC staff do the rounds in a Polio vaccine programme

H

ER eyes bubbled like red earth from afar. Closer, they seemed to sparkle in their sockets; like burning mud beneath a sunny sky. Then she squirmed and tiny beads of sweat cascaded her face like rain droplets on a window pane. Through her discomfort, she stared into the air as if she could see the paradox of pain that had been grinding her small and dry, like day-old grain.

Despite her state, Precious Orgu’s father, Nathaniel, prayed that she would live. It was unclear what prayer her mother said. The latter’s gaze was extremely dark, like her face.

And over that darkness hung resoluteness suggestive of the desperation of one who felt that some predicaments cannot be helped by hopeful measures, like prayer.

Abigail, the four-year-old’s mother resorted to more desperate measure. Having waited hopelessly on the bench for four hours, she could not bear their abandonment anymore.

Decisively, she leapt from her seat to deal one of the nurses seated at the hospital’s reception a resounding slap.

She attempted to follow it up with another slap even as the stupefied nurse reeled on her seat to crash against the counter they were leaning on. “It’s your child that’s a corpse!” yelled Abigail at the nurse. Then she turned on the two other nurses at the counter, threatening to beat them up amidst a storm of invectives.

According to Nathaniel, while they agonised over the shoddy treatment they received from the hospital staff, they had overhead the nurse whom his wife dealt a slap telling her colleagues that his daughter was a “breathing corpse.”

According to Nathaniel, the nurse had said scathingly, “Ati mo iru won, awon omo ti o je pe oku aye ni won…ese kan aye, ese kan orun ni won wa…wo mi o le wa damu ku. Ti doctor ti o fun won ni appointment ba de, won a ri doctor” meaning: “I know their type. They are breathing corpses. They always have one foot in heaven and the other on earth. When the doctor who gave them appointment arrives, they will see a doctor.”

He claimed to have pleaded with his wife to ignore the nurse’s scornful remark immediately it flitted to their ears. “I promised her that we would file a report against the nurse as soon as we saw a doctor and she seemed to have accepted my counsel. It was shocking to see her do what she did. But I guess the nurse deserved it. She does not deserve to be a nurse,” he said.

The Orgu’s daughter suffers from the Sickle Cell Anaemia disease, a condition that had caused her to emaciate. A ghost of her bubbly

Olatunji OLOLADE, Assistant Editor self, the four-year-old and her parents had been stuck in a ceaseless cycle of long waits and crappy treatment from nurses and other hospital staff even as she visibly writhed in agony on her father’s laps.

However, long waits and hostile nurses are the least of the Orgus’ worries. It’s the abominable cost of medical care that troubles him. “My daughter has undergone two surgeries in three months in a private hospital and the treatment has cost me over N560, 000 so far. She has been placed on a drug cocktail that gulps precisely N29, 700 in a month. And the drugs barely last 16 days. I am up to my neck in debt,” Nathaniel lamented.

Like the Orgus, Ajoke Okelana’s dilemma stems from Nigeria’s disorderly health care system.” Okelana had a firsthand experience of the nation’s healthcare system when she took Bidemi, her three-year-old daughter for treatment in a University teaching hospital in Lagos.

Her daughter was diagnosed with Cerebral Malaria. Bidemi was often sick and then she developed anaemia in addition to malaria.

“The cost of the treatment was prohibitive and the nurses never helped matters. They were very saucy. Most people in that hospital seem like they are tired with their jobs. They have no kind words for anyone,” she lamented in retrospect.

Okelana explained that she nursed a foreboding about taking her girl to the hospital initially but after due consideration with her elder sister who works as a cleaner there, she agreed to visit the hospital.

On arrival at the clinic, they were able to see a Paediatric doctor only after they had waited for two hours. Within the period, her daughter threw a fit. “It was after two parents who brought their kids to the clinic screamed at them and called them names that two nurses reluctantly came to assist us,” she said.

According to her, “When we eventually saw the doctor, she prescribed treatment worth N14, 550, and then she told us to see her at 9.00 a.m. the following day. I had just N2, 000 with me which they reluctantly collected and gave her injection but they did not admit her or give us drugs as the doctor initially recommended.

We got to the clinic before 9.00 a.m. the next day but we could not see the doctor until 1 p.m.”

Okelana lamented her experience when she took the prescription the Paeditrician gave her to the lab as directed by the doctor. According to her, she was passed back and forth like an

•Specialist paediatricians like this are needed to drive Nigeria’s PHC effort

‘

My daughter has undergone two surgeries in three months in a private hospital and the treatment has cost me over N560, 000 so far. She has been placed on a drug cocktail that gulps precisely N29, 700 in a month. And the drugs barely last 16 days. I am up to my neck in debt

unwanted walnut by the lab attendants and their colleagues in the new Paediatric ward. “They closed around 12.45 at noon even though there was a long queue of parents seeking their services for their wards,” disclosed Okelana adding that she ended up spending the whole day at the hospital on two consecutive days in order to do “an ordinary blood test.”

Bidemi is in good health now but it wasn’t on the watch of the public health centre staff. Her mother confessed that she had to seek better but more expensive care at a private hospital courtesy the advice and financial support of a childhood friend.

The Orgus and Okelanas’ experiences constitute a minute fraction of the hassles not a few Nigerians suffer in search of medical care.

Both families can hardly afford quality medical care despite the Federal Government’s promise of better healthcare delivery in the wake of its National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) initiative.

There is no gainsaying the fact that the quality of primary healthcare in the country is far from acceptable. According to Mobolaji Odetayo, a social worker, there is hardly any effective quality assurance system built into the country’s health system.

Every year, many lives, particularly children’s, are lost in the country to communicable diseases like malaria, pneumonia, and diarrhea according to a recent World Bank report.

However, most interventions proven to prevent or treat these illnesses are Primary Health Care (PHC) interventions; and some of them can be provided by the households themselves after due orientation from a health provider either inside public and private health facilities or through community outreach

’

efforts.

Given the importance of primary health care services to the country’s dream of achieving its Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the current state of the nation’s primary healthcare services presents a worrisome challenge noted Folagbade Davies, a doctor and proprietor of a neighbourhood PHC in Abule Egba, Lagos.

According to him, communicable diseases, often linked with malnutrition, are the major causes of mortality and morbidity among children under five. These diseases can be prevented or treated at a very low cost, but the coverage of many of the health interventions needed to prevent and treat them is very low according to the Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH).

For instance, in 2003, the country’s Demographic Health Statistics (DHS) showed that only one per cent of children under five slept under an insecticide treated bed net; only 17 per cent of children six month of age or younger were exclusively breastfed; only 34 per cent of children under five received a vitamin A supplement; and only 13 percent of one-year-olds were fully immunized.

Notwithstanding, there are signs of improvements in some health services, particularly in child immunisation. The government has taken many measures to improve immunisation and eradicate polio. In the case of polio, 2007 was the year with the lowest polio incidence and the lowest incidence ever of Type 1 polio, which is the most virulent of all polio viruses.

Despite these recent improvements, the country seems unlikely to achieve the health related MDGs within the targeted period.

21

THE NATION, SATURDAY, AUGUST 20, 2011

healthcare crisis •Lack of stable electricity constitutes a bane to the country’s PHC programme

•More kids are persistently in need of adequate PHC A beautiful journey gone ugly The collapse of the nation’s PHC system indeed threatens health care services in the country. While most facilities are in various state of despair, the referral system is almost non-existent.

That has to be ironic. It is; given the palpable excitement with which the healthcare initiative was welcomed at its birth. The PHC scheme was introduced in March 1988 by the late Professor Olikoye Ransome-Kuti, Nigeria’s former Minister of Health. His dream was to institutionalise a comprehensive healthcare delivery system in which patients with simple healthcare needs are adequately taken care of, while the pressure on the secondary and tertiary facilities is reduced.

The initiative, brilliantly planned and backed by international donor agencies relatively flourished and in a space of one year, it was introduced across the country’s rural areas.

Predictably, health indicators soared encouragingly even though superficially as most communicable and non-communicable diseases were allegedly put in check.

Twenty three years later, the nation’s healthcare system gives little cause to cheer.

There is no functional national health insurance. Of total health expenditures, government covers 25.5 percent, while private expenditure comprises the remaining 74.5 per cent and 91 per cent of private expenditures are out-of-pocket even though a PHC approach has been persistently identified as a driving force and potent remedy to the nation’s formal health sector needs.

Why PHC failed Following the Declaration of Alma-Ata, there were indeed serious attempts at health system reform, based on the principles of PHC. However, the policy failed to create a unified system of care or address finance and staffing for competent local leadership.

The policy intended that a comprehensive healthcare system, delivered through health centres, be the main thrust for achieving good population health status. In practice, however, priority is given to curative services, with poor

funding of preventive healthcare and a lack of strong leadership to drive a PHC approach, with consequent low levels of coverage. The priority given to curative services fails to address the basic health problems of the country, which require the application of well known and costeffective public health programmes.

According to the National Health Policy, comprehensive care delivered through the primary health centres should include maternal, newborn and child health and family planning. However, these centres are largely understaffed with medications and supplies often out of stock. Improvement in key health indicators has been slow and today Nigeria ranks among countries with the highest child and maternal mortality rates. Major contributors to the national disease burden are malaria, tuberculosis (TB) and HIV/AIDS. Malaria is a major health and developmental problem, with a prevalence of 919 cases per 100,000 people. It is by far the most important cause of morbidity and mortality in infants and young children: about 75 percent of malaria deaths occur in children under 5 and one in ten maternal deaths is due to malaria.86 The HIV/ AIDS epidemic unfolded on a large scale in Nigeria with an estimated adult prevalence of 3.6 percent; nearly 3.0 million people are living with the virus. In 2009 alone, there were about 192,000 AIDS related deaths.

Tuberculosis cases increased dramatically with the onset of HIV/AIDS, with an estimated prevalence of 521 cases per 100,000 people in 2007. About 27 percent of adults with tuberculosis are also infected with HIV.88 Unlike most of sub-Saharan Africa; rural areas in Nigeria have a higher HIV/AIDS prevalence than urban areas.

The problem of inadequate healthcare workers In 2007, there were 52,408 doctors, 128,918 nurses, and 90,489 midwives registered, which translates into about 35 doctors and 86 nurses per 100,000 people.

A large proportion of the health workforce is in the commercial city of Lagos. Efforts have been made to redistribute the workforce so that

•Many rural communities do not enjoy appropriate PHC facilities

•A paediatric ward in Umuaka Community Hospital, Imo State it is more equitably spread but such efforts had always been futile as most healthcare givers would rather work in Lagos due to the relative comfort and opportunities offered by the State’s public and private health institutions.

Consequently other States across the country struggle to provide incentives to health workers that volunteer to serve in rural areas; many make rural service a condition for certain promotions. There is the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) that is mandatory for all new university and polytechnic graduates.

Hitherto, nurses and midwives did not participate in the one-year service because their training was not university-based. However, to ensure that nursing and midwifery services are available in all villages and towns, nurses and midwives will now fulfill the mandatory one year national service, a recommendation of the committee established to reduce maternal mortality.

A primary health politic According to Isreal Ademiluyi and Sunday Aluko-Arowolo of the Departments of Geography and Regional Planning and Sociology respectively of the Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU) Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State, the various ideological practices have tremendous influence on the structural distribution of health care facilities. They acknowledged that the healthcare provision in underdeveloped countries like Nigeria serves the indigenous middle and upper classes more by providing them medical care that is a replica of those in developed countries, in that the forces of demand and supply are given a free rein.

Here, the system often encourages division between the weak and the strong as well as between the poor and the rich. This system is akin to the practice in Western societies thus forcing developing countries to rely on the imports of drugs, machinery, foreign medical personnel and technologists to man and maintain medical equipment so imported from the advanced countries. This pattern obviously brings about creditor/debtor relationship and encourages outflow of capital from developing to developed countries.

This pattern undermines the overall health interest of the common people in that healthcare, in this form, is for the highest bidder. Also, the healthcare system would benefit the elite more than the poor, struggling Nigerians. That is why the emphasis is always more on the curative than preventive healthcare,” they argued.

A stitch in time Victor Inem, a doctor and PHC Specialist with the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) and College Of Medicine, University Of Lagos (UNILAG) suggested that more sources of funding should be exploited for the development and the growth of PHC after careful assessment using set criteria. He also advised that reforms to the PHC financing problem should start with improving the efficiency of the health sector.

According to him, the destructive effects of vertical programmes of the PHC system should always be carefully considered and eliminated.

“In all cases, a reasonable proportion of the fund should be deployed simultaneously for the development of other PHC Components.

The Federal Ministry of Health should also establish extra-budgetary support to the local government authorities for primary health care on a regular basis,” he said.

Against the backdrop of recent disclosure that Nigeria is one of the African countries whose governments expend the least funds on public health, Onyebuchi Chukwu, the country’s Minister of Health, explained that competing needs in the country were responsible for the low government expenditure on the health sector. Nigeria recently earmarked 3.5 per cent of its national budget to the health sector and is only a step above Burundi’s 2.7 per cent on this score. The country ranks 52nd position on the continent in general approach to healthcare.

Life expectancy in Nigeria, at 47, is also one of the lowest. The country’s maternal mortality ratio per 100,000 live births was pegged at 608.3 and its under-five mortality rate, 189 per 100,000 And the kids that survive at birth, are accorded “very trashy” healthcare. Ask the Orgus.

22

THE NATION, SATURDAY, AUGUST 20, 2011

Why I won’t take a second wife —Olofa of Offa

The Olofa of Offa, Oba Mufutau Mohammed Gbadamosi (Esuwoye II), recently marked his first year on the throne and 48th birthday. In this interview with OKORIE UGURU,the monarch speaks on his role as a traditional ruler and explains why he will not marry another wife. Excerpts:

•Oba Gbadamosi

S

IR, talk a little about your life I am from the Anilelerin Ruling House. I was born into the family of Alhaji Muhammed Gbadamosi Esuwoye and Alhaja Awawu Gbadamosi Esuwoye on August 10, 1963.

My parents stayed for long in the North. I started my education at a public school- Mohammed Bankanu Primary School, Sokoto-in 1969 and finished in 1976. I moved to Maru Teachers’ College, Gusau in 1976 where I obtained a Grade II Teachers’ Certificate.

From there, I sought for a place in Birni-Kebbi Polytechnic in 1982. I got a National Diploma in Building

Technology in 1985.

My passion for education took me to the famous Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. I bagged a Bachelor of Science Degree in Building Technology in 1989.

I did my youth corps service between 1989 and 1990 in the Katsina State Housing Authority. I was diligent. As a result, I was retained by the Federal Housing Authority. I was employed in 1991.

Later, I decided to venture into business. I tendered my resignation letter in 1997 to enter the business world. I was buying and selling rice, sugar, salt and cement. That was what I was doing before I was called upon

to ascend the throne of my fathers.

How do you feel at 48?

I feel happy. When a traditional ruler is celebrating, you know how much the people love him. I did not invite anybody to this birthday . A lot of people have the day in mind. They came on their own.

You recently marked your first year as the Olofa. Could you please relive your first year on the throne?

The first year was not very easy because, like you know, I was a trader before ascending the throne.

You were not coming to the palace before?

If I came here, it was just to give the

late Kabiyesi something and left. I didn’t know anything about the life in the palace. My grandfather died about 75 years ago. That was in1936. I was born in 1963. There was nobody to train me or tell me how to go about things. Since I ascended the throne, these men sitting beside me have been putting me through . Being a royal father is all about dealing with people and my kind of business before always put me in the midst of people. So, I am used to having a lot of people around me and solving their problems.

How do you see your new status?

God has put me in this position. My •Continued on Page 39

LOCATION

BACKSTAGE

SNAPSHOT

REEL NEWS

MUSIC

SCREEN

Edited by: VICTOR AKANDE

Tel: 08077408676

E-mail: victor_akande@yahoo.com

ntertainment

THE NATION, SATURDAY, AUGUST 20, 2011

23

I am the most jovial person I know

, s s e r t c A d o o w Nolly o b m o J Uche

THINK

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

SNAPSHOTS

Chidi Mokeme’s The Lagos flood in cinema ebbing popularity Because the challenges of governance are numerous, it is important that the people will rise with social responsibility projects that will keep government on its toes at all times. A filmmaker's tool of social responsibility is his camera and techniques of motion picture reportage

Gloria and Norbert Young’s rare outing as couple

Two brides and a baby set for the cinemas

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

25

THE NATION, SATURDAY, AUGUST 20, 2011

RE ELNEW S

Darey Art-Alade tags Bob Manuel as GUS 8 anchor Why Kate Henshaw, Jim Iyke were dropped from Glo deal MCSN/ NCC update

ZUMA Minister directs parties to accept Film Festival court’s order on MCSN autonomy beckons

...but Copyright Commission is set to appeal the N40 million damages •Ezekude

September 19 mooted as burial date for Sam Loco

•Afolabi

26

THE NATION, SATURDAY, AUGUST 20, 2011

Being the daughter of one of Nigeria's football greats, Chief Segun Odegbami doesn't seem to have placed any serious burden on her shoulders. But Yemisi Odegbami a.k.a May7ven has scored so many first in her burgeoning music career. In this interview with AHMED BOULOR, the multi talented artiste reveals more about herself and her blossoming career in music.

I feel no burden being the daughter of one of Nigeria’s greatest footballers —Yemisi Odegbami a.k.a May7ven

One thing I have always tried to do is represent Nigeria to the fullest

27

THE NATION, SATURDAY, AUGUST 20, 2011

Crack Ya Ribs partners Arik on London show •Latches on Notting Hills Carnival

Christy Essien was a worthy rival —Onyeka Onwenu

•Onyeka

What Chantee Moore would be doing differently

•Chantee Moore

Malaika’s new album to hit the airwaves soon …prepares big for Malaysian Eid-El-Fitri celebration

Saheed Osupa, Obesere, others for Isese Festival

• Osupa

•Malaika

28

THE NATION, SATURDAY, AUGUST 20, 2011

THE NATION, SATURDAY, AUGUST 20, 2011

RE ELNEW S

COVER COVER

COVER COVER

•Uche w

ith Stell

I am the most jovial person I know, I am also the most serious person I know. That is a contrast I am the girl next door. I am as real as can be

a Damas

Majid

If you don't have confidence in what you do as a person, don't do it because egos are bound to clash

‘Damage is not all about entertainment’

AfricaMagic dedicates movie to Sam Loco

us with U

che Jom

bo

•Sam Loco

•Uche with Psquare

Mirror Boy grosses N12M in cinema sales

•Afam Ezekude

UCHE JOMBO

Actress Uche Jombo started her sojourn into the make believe world over a decade ago. Fresh from premiering her new flick Damage, the actress speaks to OVWE MEDEME on her life as an actress, producer and scriptwriter. She also had the chance to speak about her contrasting nature as well as the idea behind coming up with the Damage trilogy

37

•Osita Iheme

HENRY NWOSU’S FELELE TO FOOTBALL FAME STORY (1)

NNB ended Insurance’s reign in Benin Pg. 32,33

Anichebe set for QPR challenge

Pg. 34

Nation Saturday, August 20, 2011

BROTHERS AT WAR

Mikel may battle Osaze

Pg. 34

As Chelsea host West Brom today

SATURDAY, AUGUST 20, 2011

30

35

NATION SPORT

NATION SPORT COACH OBUH'S WIFE, CHIDINMA OBUH Coach John Obuh's wife, Chindima Joni Obuh cuts a picture of a wife proud of her husband's achievements as she smiled all through as her husband gave a speech on Thursday afternoon at the Capital oil and gas industries where the team was being honoured for their achievement at the 2011 FIFA U-20 World Cup. She, however, allowed Nationsports a peep into her fears, expectations and challenges she faced as a wife of a coach: Madam, how do you feel at this moment?

I am so glad, I don't know how to express my feeling, the only thing I can say is thank you Jesus, because it is only God that made it possible.

You know when we work hard, it is only God that can make it possible and reward that effort.

But really how were you able to cope with your husband's busy schedule?

It is just by the grace of God, I was performing every duty at home. Taking care of the home front, also my business, I have a lot of things Iam doing. And it is just by God's grace that gave me the courage. We are blessed with four children, two of them are in the University, one in the secondary and the last one is in the primary school. When you are a coach's wife, once they are criticising him, they are criticing me too, we don't feel happy when they are losing. But I thank God for my church members, they were always praying for us.

Were you able to stay awake during the matches played in the early hours of the morning and sometimes late at night?

Yes but I was always full of fear ,in fact, I was always looking at his countenance when he is on the field of play. But today, I thank God, everyone is happy.

So how did you feel when they finally crashed out of the competition?

Honestly to be frank with you, I was disappointed, and shocked. Because I felt they would come home with that trophy. Our ways are not God's ways I think that is the way God wants it, you know God has better plans for us, and I believe it is not yet his time but I know one day my husband is going to bring that world cup trophy to Nigeria. Sometimes when you go down you learn from it. God has better plans for us.

I noticed that some of the players flocked around you. They seem to like you, if I am not mistaken Yes, I call them my children we worship in the same place, my husband brought them to church, we are like one family.

RAMON AZEEZ: 'Gone are the days of trekking long distances to train' Eighteen year old, Ramon Azeez who captained the team in Colombia was actually a midfielder for the U17 team although he lifted the trophy in the African Youth Championship which was held in South Africa some months back but was unable to repeat the feat at the 2011 U-20 World Cup tournament. Azeez spoke with NationSport on his fears and expectations: Tell us about your experience in Colombia?

Azeez: Well it is a very good tournament, Colombia is a very good place but it was very difficult for us, especially in the game when we were playing against France. We couldn’t meet our expectations, What we promised Nigerians was to bring the trophy back to Nigeria so I am a little bit sad, because the trophy is not with us in Nigeria.

What inspired you, tell us how you actually took interest in the round leather game?

What I am looking forward to is to go higher and higher. I have my own club in Spain. You know I started from age three, I played street football, and after that I came into a club they called Adebayo samba boys football

OBUH'S WIFE CONFESSES:

'I was scared during matches' •John Obuh’s Chidinma

wife,

•As Coach John Obuh , Ramon Azeez, Rafiu Ladipo, Ifeanyi Ubah speak on bumpy road to success

The Coach John Obuh tutored team had raised the hopes of many Nigerian football fans after beating Guatemala 50, in their second match against Croatia they spanked the Croatia national team 5-2, while they thrashed Saudi 20 . They had piped England 1-0 . Unfortunately for the youngsters, when everyone had thought the deal had been sealed, they crashed out in the quarter finals after losing 3-2 to France.

However despite the traumatic defeat, a philanthropic Nigerian, had thought it wise to boost the morale of these players by treating them to a grand reception where he splashed a sum of ten million naira on the players and technical crew on Thursday at the premises of his organisation in Lagos. Sir Ifeanyi Ubah, CEO of Capital Oil and Gas industries also gave each of the players and members of the technical crew IPAD. Emotions ran high, players, coaches and those who had in one way or the other contributed to the team could not hold thier joy as they danced away in happiness. NationSport was able to capture the views of those the gesture had indeed humbled. Excerpts:

By Stella Bamawo club, after then I played for my secondary school in Principal's club, Egan senior grammar school and after then I was invited to a club in Agege, from there they invited me to Golden Eaglets club.

It was not easy, for me as a footballer.

I had a lot of problems, for instance it was difficult for me to get transport fare to train. Sometimes I trekked to training centres but now I thank God for what he has done.

How did you feel when you were invited to play for the country?

That night, I prayed to God that I did not want to come back home, after the World Cup. What actually hindered the team from advancing at the World Cup? Nothing happened, it was just football, somebody had to win and France won.

•Flying Eagles’ at the reception organised for them on arrival on Thursday

All I want to tell Nigerians is that anytime I am on the field, they should back me up, and by the special grace of God, I am looking forward to play for the Super Eagles,I believe with God on my side, I will do my best for my country.

What do you think we must do, if

we want to win this title next time?

Colombia is good, they gave us support. It was not a bad outing, I think going there to score goalswas great.

SHEU SANNI: 'Pastor TB Joshua gave me a lifeline'

Photo: BOLA OMILABU

•John Obuh

Sanni is one player one could not help but notice. All through the presentation, he was quiet and fiddling with his handset. The Nationsports spoke with him and he was quick to tell who ever cared to listen of hs Pastor, TB Joshua of the widely acclaimed Synagogue Church.

You are unusually quiet, are you not feeling the vibes of the moment?

In fact, I feel very happy because it is my dream to play for my country, and I have been able to achieve it.

Nigerians they will see more good games from us.

Tell me more about your footballing career?

Well the man of God, TB Joshua, he has been there for me, God is using him for me. My mum is late. my dad and young brothers have also been supportive. When I met Pastor Joshua, He encouraged me more.Football has been my childhood fantasy I want to thank my coach too for inviting me to camp. Then the Coach's wife too. She has been there

with us since 2009. she was always there for us, she will talk to the players, We go to their church sometimes to worship too.

By the grace of God, my dream is to play for the Super Eagles. Although it was very sad we lost but we still thank God because it was by the grace of God we went there, We give God the glory because we got there by his grace.

What were your worst moments at the tourney?

My worst moment was not playing in the matches except the one we lost, when the coach featured me.

IFEANYI UBAH: ’There is a price for every effort’ CEO of capital oil, Ifeanyi Ubah commended the efforts of the U-20 squad by rewarding them with a sum of ten million naira. His company is the first indigenous company to reward players in spite of not bringing the trophy home.

In this chat with the NationSport, Ubah said: "It is worthy to note that there is a price for every effort, our effort were not in vain, but it ended making us proud, we humbled many nations, we surprised many continents and today, because of what we believe in, we believe we have to encourage you all. We believe by encouraging you, you will do more and Nigerians will continue to grow above what we are in football.I appreciate the wonderful work you have done and together make our country proud."

THE PRESIDENT GENERAL OF NIGERIA FOOTBALL SUPPORTERS CLUB, RAFIU LADIPO: 'We are celebrating a job well done' Ladipo: "I have been in football in the last 34 years, We are seeing something different today. Normally people are hosted when they win trophies, but today, we are here to celebrate a job well done by you guys, you won the tournament but not the trophy.

I only see Capital Oil from afar, oga I doff my heart. God will continue to bless you. The team has just started the ultimate is to play for senior Eagles and that will happen very soon.We have coaches in Nigeria John Obuh is a worthy coach. Two tournament in two years, he has not let us down, you boys should not let him down we are with you.

Nigeria is with you. I intend to drag Mr Ubah into football proper.I am happy that the secretary general is here, we have a match in London, Mr Ubah must be there, we pray god give you the strenght to continue with the good work. I want to thank you. thank you for this gesture.

THEY WON THE HEARTS OF MANY NIGERIANS-NFF The assistant Secretary General of the NFF,Musa Amadu said :"t is a good thing the chairman of capital oil has done for the boys, you can see that they are all happy. It has shown that even though they did not win the Cup, but they won the hearts of so many Nigerians with their performance including Chief Ifeanyi Ubah.We are very grateful that their performance in Colombia is being appreciated by Nigeria. The money is for players and officials. I don’t know anything about it. The NFF has done a lot for the team while they were in Colombia,so I will just live it like that."

COACH JOHN OBUH: 'Don't admire me as a coach’ I thank God for today that Iwas able to stick with Sir Ifeanyi Uba, when I was in Paris, and now I am sitting down with him.I am overjoyed now, but I will like to say this, 'don't admire me, Coaching is not easy, but then you can go into coaching if you have the guts, that is only way you can express yourself in a difficult way, people will come to know you when you have done them proud. I always say one thing, I was once a kabukabu driver. I started from a very difficult terrain", Obuh said.

AKINLOYE AT LARGE 08050246155 atlarge84@yahoo.com

Etuhu is right DYNAMO Kiev striker, Brown Ideye has sent come-and-get me to Super Eagles coach, Samson Siasia.

The Nigeria international has scored five goals in five matches and seems to be the hottest Nigerian player in Europe this term. If he is not invited for the African Cup of Nations qualifier against Madagascar, it would prove that Siasia does not know his onions. It is current form that coaches look at to invite players to camp for games and Siasia would have to conform to how it is done in other climes. Ideye has been the most consistent player in the attack for quite some seasons now and it would am ount to injustice if he is left out of the Madagascar match. Ideye was the last inclusion in the Lars Lagerback’s Super Eagles during the 2010 World Cup. Though he did not get to play in any of the three matches, the striker showed flashes of a great player in the making in training and the Swede toyed with the idea of giving him a starter’s shirt in theissssr last group match against the Koreans.

Such player should not be left out of the national team for no just reason.

We know that Siasia wants to assemble his 2008 Olympic Games players in the national team, but he got it all wrong. Some of them are not inform and are not doing well in their clubs for them to merit invitation to the national team. Re-building a team does not mean that the coach should throw away the baby with the bath water. That is exactly what Siasia had done. He threw away the good with the bad. If not, Ideye would still be in the national team as well as Dickson Etuhu. The Fulham midfielder has vowed not to play for the country as long as Siasia is in the saddle. He was reacting to his treatment by the Super Eagles coach since he took over the job. He never gave the midfielder any phone calls and his calls to him were not acknowledged. It is wrong on the path of Siasia to ignore Etuhu and now asked the secretary general of the federation to invite him for the match against the Black Stars of Ghana. It means that Siasia has something to hide. I will react the same way and face the consequence. It does not mean that Etuhu is unpatriotic by turning down the invitation. It does not mean as well that the midfielder over reacted to the issue of being left out of the national team. The national team players should be treated with some respect. They are treated like kings in their European clubs. They should not be treated like “school boys”. They are adults. They are married and they have children. They are professionals in their own right. What Siasia did not accept while playing should not be done to the players now that he is a coach. I suggest that the Nigeria Football Federation(NFF) should step into the matter before it gets out of hands. Etuhu is needed in the national team. He is the best defensive midfielder in Nigerian football at the moment.

Siasia visited England some months back to talk with players of Nigerian descent plying their trade in that country. The fact that he did not check on Etuhu means that he is not in his plans. It leaves much to be desired. The national team should not be run that way. It should be run professionally.

Etuhu and Osaze Odemwingie were not really Siasia’s boys. Now that he has issues to settle with both players show that he does not really want them in the national team. Super Eagles is a place for all Nigerians, no matter where they are plying their trade•Igali on planet earth. It should not be reduced to a place for deadwoods.

Iam glad that the Nigeria-Ghana match did not hold in London. It would have ended in disaster for the Super Eagles. It is a shame that we were unable to raise a team to confront the Ghanaians and were now shopping for players in England to stand in for the players that turned down the invitation. The national team has suddenly become unattactive to Nigerian players that they were giving excuses not to dorn national colors. What has suddenly gone wrong that Nigerian players were pulling out of a friendly?

Are they being owed for past services rendered to the nation? I suggest that thenational team should be made conducive to invited players. The strong desire to play for the national team should be made to return to the hearts of Nigerian players begi nning with the players that would take on Madagascar. If the players are being owed which is a fact, efforts should be made by the NFF to pay them before the crucial match in Antananarivo. It is a must win game and everything should be put into our preparation to ensure victory for Nigeria. Nigeria’s honour must be defended and be seen to be well defended in Madagascar. We need to show the world that we are still a serious and strong soccer playing country. Guinea has been busy chalking victory upon victrory in international friendlies. They are doing it the right way. We must be seen to be doing it the right way as well.

WE MUST CHANGE WITH THE TIMES John Obuh promised us brand new Flying Eagles in the quarterfinal match against France. What we got was a 3-2 defeat.

The boys should not be blamed for the defeat. There is a limit to where luck can carry one. Their talents could not go beyond the quarter finals. They put in their best but it was not strong enough to secure a semi final ticket.

It is not the fault of the coach either. He could not surpass his knowledge in football. The players are too stiff for my liking. They never played as a team from the beginning and football is a team game.

France had in Colombia some technical men who worked behind the sc ene. They gave the coach the support he needed by analysing their opponent and suggest to the coa ch on what strategy he should adopt for a match.

Nigeria’s bench is not that strong. There are no coaches on the sideline working behind the scene for Obuh. The responsibility was hoisted on his shoulders. The job is not done that way any more and our NFF and coaches must move with the times. We were defeat by France because they worked on our weak points and supressed our strong points. The defeat would have come in the second round from England but the Flying Eagles managed to scrape through. They have represented us very well. WE thought they would crash out of the competition in the group stage considering their pre tournament record. That they made it to the quarter final is an achievement on its own. They should be well received by Nigerians. They have been brave in the way they played.

THE NATION SATURDAY, AUGUST 20, 2011

31

NATION SPORT

Rescuing our ‘Pure Water’ Premier League Clubs “…W

E want to t h a n k o t h e r participants (sic) teams who gave us good fight especially Bayelsa United and his (sic) Chairman Baribote for a job well done. We appreciate you all for your contribution for (sic) our success. I saw your programme yesterday saying how can Ondo State government sponsor two teams? Our government is able, it is God that is at work, and so he has started it and will make ways and rivers where you thought there is none. We want to appeal to our State government to increase the Ondo Township Stadium capacity at least 5000 seats and make our field artificial. It is not our fault but God is the one smiling to (sic) Ondo State by favouring us in all areas such as female (sic) team, Sunshine Queens, Rising Stars, Academy, Sunshine Stars and National Sports Festival…” – Olufisayo Akinkuade, Supervisor, Rising Stars FC. The above quotation was lifted from a short messaging service (SMS) text displayed Tuesday night on Channels Television sports program, Sports Tonight anchored by the ever passionate Toyin Ibitoye. Apparently, I tuned midway into the discussion between Ibitoye and his guest analyst as the messages were being flashed on the screen in sequences. The rather very long message was from the context of a reaction to a previous day’s discussion which centered on the viability or sustainability of a state sponsoring more than one team in the Nigeria Premier League (NPL).

Stumbling upon the program convinced me that this topic which had earlier played on my mind was on point. Watching sports talkshows have for some time lost its appeal to many as it has assumed an all-comers affair where everyone have come to appropriate the tag ‘Sports analyst or expert’ even when they lack the knowledge of the basic rule of games. You find many who have not read a line on sports administration hoisting up their claim to having solutions to the problems of running sports in Nigeria. But, Ibitoye is one person that still connects to me through his passion and most times, neutrality on controversial issues. That he brought up this topic at a time most others will be praisesinging the Ondo State officials in the hope of landing patronage lends credence to his zeal for excellence. I digress.

The recent rash of friendly and competitive international matches seem to have conspired with the litigations over the Premier League rights to further drive domestic football to the inner recesses of our football agenda. Thus, we focus on what went wrong with the Falcons in Germany but turn

By Harry Iwuala

a blind eye to the fact that there is no longer a domestic Women League to keep the players match fit and groom the next generation of Falcons.

We lament the ouster of the Flying Eagles from the FIFA U-20 World Cup and spare little or no thought to consider that the national league that produced most of the players has suffered a prolonged hiatus. Some followers of the Super Eagles are locked in a debate over appropriateness or otherwise of Coach Samson Siasia’s lists for recent friendly and competitive games for the 2012 Nations Cup qualifiers, but they care less about the fact that most of the overseas based stars they are warring over started from the domestic league whose calendar has become open ended.

Returning to my Rising Star friend, it is obvious he is one of the voodoo Sports Administrators who are not given to drawing up a business plan with strategies to accomplishing the objectives set out therein. He is also listed as a member of the Ondo State Football Agency and Chairman of the Marketing Committee. I am not conversant with his person and therefore cannot sufficiently comment on his professional background. But my distant impression of Akinkuade is that he may not be sufficiently grounded in football business going by his knack for handing over the running of Ondo State sports to God. It is only hoped that should Sunshine Stars fail to win the Premier League and the Confederation Cup, the failure will not be dumped at heaven’s doors.

On a more serious note, it is worrisome that governments in the states are setting up teams as though they are the primary health care centers and schools that the citizens are in dire need of. At the last count, nearly all the states have teams in the Premier League and National Professional League. Some also have teams in the amateur ranks and the natural progression from playing in the lower league is to play in the Premier League. The logical question the promoters of this state of affairs are wont to ask is where then will clubs in the lower leagues come from? The answer comes from the earlier statement about drawing business plans for club football and setting objective(s) and strategies to attain the objective(s). The states have not allowed for an enabling environment for private partnership and investments in football club ownership.

The answer to that poser will also respond to the challenge of running clubs professionally as going businesses that will provide jobs for citizens and project the image of the state and by extension, that of the governor. But which is more

important, profitable clubs or political capital for a governor? Obviously, the second is upper most in the minds of the politicians and this explains why this Ondo Sports official is not bothered that a state that has recently emerged from a minimum wage dispute with workers can budget another hundreds of millions for another public relations adventure through Rising Stars playing in the Premier League.

Ondo is not alone in this wasteful football ego-tripping as in this train are Rivers, Bayelsa, Abia, Plateau and Kwara. Abia and Bayelsa have Premier League teams and teams campaigning for promotion to the Premier League. The case of Rivers State is very shameful because the adventure is turning into a public relations fiasco, the very opposite of what it should have been reaping.

Recently, Victor Ezeji, the current undisputable icon of the league took a walk from Sharks FC, one of the two clubs being funded by Governor Rotimi Amaechi’s government, citing lack of forthrightness on the part of the management in fulfilling contractual obligations. It will not be sufficient for anyone to accuse Sharks management of corruption as reason for the situation because either way, it is the government that set up and has yet to sack the alleged corrupt managers of her property.

Akinkuade has posited like some will do, that it will provide opportunity for residents of the state to watch matches every week. But, what’s the attendance figure presently for the bi-weekly matches? The absence of fans at league games defeats this plank of the case for sponsorship of two teams by cash-strapped states. Except the states are being economical with the truth on their true financial health, adding the budding of replicating the existing club structures is akin to creating needless cash duct.

There are equally some who would point to clubs as job generating centers for youths who otherwise would roam

the streets and become recruits for criminal agents.

Hard as it is to fault this line of reasoning, the failure of some states to properly fund clubs has equally exposed the youths to other criminal activities.

This piece is not about Ondo State even when the statement of an official of the state has been appropriated as case study. It is about the need to get the league on the right footing through a holistic approach that will resolve all issues militating against administering the league in line with global best practices.

For instance, the issue of autonomy for the league administration has been wrongly misconstrued to mean that the Football Association cannot collaborate with the Premier League Board for the overall interest of national football.

The relationship between the NPL and the NFF is sustained by the fact that the NFF presently organizes the leagues from which teams join the Premier League. It is through the NFF that successful teams in the Premier League get accredited to compete in CAF Competitions. Indeed, it was the NFF that granted the autonomy and if so, should it not regulate the extent of the autonomy?

Finally, the NFF must be sincere in the relationship with the NPL to the extent that it is not driven by the desire to be part of the sharing of the perceived lucrative sponsorship deals NPL attracts. This was at the crux of the cat and mouse relationship between Chief Oyuki Obaseki’s NPL Board and the Sani Lulu led NFF. It is incumbent on the NFF to liaise with the Sports Ministry/National Sports Commission towards amicable resolution of all litigations involving the league and provide a mentor’s support for the NPL to operate and run a league that will sustain the discovery of next generation national team players.

Harry Iwuala is a renowned Journalist based in Lagos, Nigeria

•Sunday Mba of Wolves FC against Fasheun Fayoshe of Crown FC

VOICE OF SPORTS

With Clement Nwankpa Jnr. sportswar@yahoo.com

Echoes of Maputo in Ibadan I have been out of my Abuja base all week. I’ve precisely been in Ibadan. Mission: To see, first hand, how the two sports, camped in the ancient city, are shaping up for the All Africa Games billed for Maputo. Today, I bring good tidings from Ibadan. At least, the coaches, athletes and administrators strutting about at the Liberty Stadium gave me cause to be optimistic. The two sports camped in Ibadan are para-athletics and table tennis and everything points towards a good representation from these sports. It is not enough to hear that the NSC has provided all the athletes, needs. There is need for the athletes to corroborate this.

And this they did.

They have been in camp since June 27 and their allowances have been paid up to date just as the athletes’ welfare have been top notch. So says Technical Director of the Nigeria Para-athletics Federation, Kasunmu Taiwo. His words; “We are not lacking anything here. Food comes promptly, the athletes’ allowances have been paid till date and the accommodation is comfortable. These special athletes need to be accommodated under very conducive environment and we must express our appreciation to the NSC”.

Secretary of the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation, Segun Oguntade lends his voice to this. He said; “We have to commend the Commission for what they have put together here. I am happy when I see my athletes happy and they have not had cause to complain since we opened this camp”.

To whom much is given, they say, much is expected. I noticed the teams had two training sessions daily. Even the table tennis players, who did more in the indoors sports hall, spared some time in the mainbowl for some fitness sessions which involved sprinting on the tracks. One could see the zest to go all the way. It was all in the air. There was this bring-them-on spirit which is really good for the nation’s outing in Maputo. In fact, Taiwo fell just short of promising to deliver 21 gold medals.

He enthused; “There are 26 events slated for paraathletics and we will feature in 21. We will be fielding 42 athletes in the 21 events and we are very sure of those athletes. Those events are our areas of strength. The fact is that in Africa, we don’t have any competition. We are more concerned with the Paralympics. The athletes are well motivated. The Games will also serve as qualifiers for most of the Paralympics events and if the Games was to start tomorrow, most of our athletes will qualify for the Paralympics. Based on the globally accepted standard, we are up there”.

But the competition for places in the table tennis team is very interesting. Oguntade said; “We had to organize trials for the players where they played against each other so as to raise the best team possible and I must point out that anybody that makes the final list will be top class. Among the men, particularly, it is difficult to arrive at the final list.

The boys are in terrific form”.

Oguntade drew ample optimism from the recently concluded Cameroun invitational tournament. He continued; “It is not enough for the players to do it all during training sessions. Some players will play so well in training but during matches, they will fizzle out. That is why we had to take them to Cameroun where they won all available laurels. All our four players came first, second, third and fourth in that order in both the men’s and women’s events. It is an indication of what we will see in Maputo because all those we will meet in the Games were in Cameroun. In fact, our players will be the ones to stop themselves.

“When we went for the African Championships, we went with only four players and we finished second so they wrote us off in Cameroun and we shocked them. Beyond the motivation provided by the NSC, our players are motivated on the inside because they want to prove everybody wrong.

They feel they have a point to prove”, he added.

But there is a snag, the tables being used by the team may not be the ones they will use in Maputo hence the need to travel early so as to adapt to the tables to be deployed at the Games. If the words of NSC South West Zonal Coordinator, Steve Olarinoye are to be taken seriously, the Commission seems to be addressing this. “We have noted the table tennis team’s complaints and that is why we are making efforts to ensure the athletes leave early enough to get used to the facilities to be used at the Games. The Games Village will be opened on August 25 and no one will be allowed in before that day. We are making plans to hit Maputo on the 25th. That is the earliest we can be in Maputo”.

I left Ibadan optimistic that the Nigerian contingent will do well in Maputo. They may not end on top of the medals table given the absence of sports like wrestling and weightlifting that should have boosted Nigeria’s medals prospects but I envisage a harvest of medals all the same.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 20, 2011

32

33

NATION SPORT

NATION SPORT

H

ENRY Nwosu (MON) played and won the 1980 African Cup of Nations barely a year after leaving St Finbarrs College as a secondary school student. However that was just one of the many successes that were later to trail his illustrious career as he would thereafter play and score in the 1980 Olympics. He played for NNB, ASEC Mimosa of Ivory Coast among other clubs. He played in four Nations Cup altogether, clinching one gold and two silver. The last of those continental laurels come in Morocco in 1988 where his goal in the final against Cameroon was disallowed.

Recently, the former ACB Football Club of Lagos player spoke with OLUSOJI OLUKAYODE. He talked about the Benin rivalry between Insurance and his former Club NNB. Also he revealed his encounter with the infamous armed robber, Anini and more I want to take you into your career and actually I want to begin from youth football. You played the Principal’s Cup with the likes of Stephen Keshi, how was it?

They played with me. I made Keshi to be accepted in our school, St Finbarrs College. Principal Cup was like a competition that was named after Finbarrs so to say. It was like Finbarrs’ Cup, we played it several times, and we won and lost. You can come into it later.

Let me take you to club football, were you in school when you began playing club football and what club was that?

I was a young man about 13, 14, 15 (when) I started playing for clubs because of my talent and thank God I used my talents well and I did well, you know. And I want to say here and now that I did play good football and I saw myself as a good footballer and I did well. I tell you, my sport, football playing was extraordinary with myself being an extraordinary player. People saw me as an angel and that was it.

Can you still recollect your first club?

My first club was Bhojsons Football Club, 1970s was the first club I played for, later I played for Johnson White after Johnson White, I was with WEMA Bank. I started playing for WEMA Bank from my secondary school days so later I joined New Nigerian Bank (NNB) , that was where I came up, played for bigger teams. I tell you, I was very, very big player. I was playing very well and I was respected. It was NNB that brought up Henry Nwosu (MON).

Can you still recollect the year and how you got to NNB? I was invited to NNB 1979. When I got there I saw chief coach of the team, Willy Bazuaye. He was one of my interviewers for me to join the team.

So when I saw Bazuaye in the team, I remember what was done against me at the junior national team, dropping me and all that when I was one of the best players in the team without cause.

So I said if this man is in this (place) I will leave this place I will not say a word. So he was asked to go and discuss with me and see how we can resolve the problem, that was ‘79, I was very young. All I wanted to play was football so when he was told to go and reconcile with me, he called me out. He said ‘old boy, my son I was not the chief coach an Oyinbo man was the chief coach, he was in control of the team I was only supporting him.’ (I) said ‘no oga, you had a say in what happened, I was your best player but because of politics you dropped me.’ I said ‘no, oga no, I will not come to this club if you are here.’ He begged me, he’s still alive, Bazuaye. He begged me and said ‘please my son, don’t worry, yourself and myself will settle ourselves’ and that was how I joined NNB. And that was how I worked good for him to win glories.

As coach of NNB, I helped him to win laurels; I think I did well for him.

Sir, who was the coach of that junior national team then?

The coach was this Yugoslav, Was is it Otto Gloria No, not Otto Gloria, not Tiko, I can’t remember his name now again

HENRY NWOSU’S FELELE TO FOOTBALL FAME STORY (1)

NNB ended Insurance’s reign in Benin because I have always told them I prefer a local coach. This coach was from Yugoslav, Serbia, thank God we played and played for ourselves. I can’t remember his name now, I’m sorry.

It’s interesting sir, he came, apologized and you just forgave him.

Would you say that was …

You see I’m a human being that will always excuse people. I’ll tell you one thing now today, if you annoy me and you come and apologize I will see to it. Even if you don’t come and I see your emotions, I will still change my mind to say, leave him alone and thank God that was what happened to me. Listen, I was best player at that time but I don’t want to go back to this, thank God I have forgiven everybody and lets leave it that way.

Before I continue, I want to bring you back to the issue of Siasia and Osaze that kind of forgiving heart, would you say it is something that would work well if both player and coach..

(Interrupts) Don’t go too far, I’m not happy with Samson because he’s a father to all these boys, so that’s why I’m not happy with him. He’s not treating these boys as his children.

See all these boys as your children, treat them as your children, take them as your children and you can resolve issues as children and father. Samson, you are their father. I was helping him to make sure he did (that) when we were with the Under-23. Samson, you are the father of all these boys, look at them as your children and let’s forge ahead. I tell you, Samson Siasia has to adjust to all these boys, adjust to the situation of things, learn to adjust to what is happening on the spot. Don’t say because this boy is a bad boy, let’s wash him away with water, no. Look at situation of things and learn how to behave, that’s my advice to Samson Siasia.

Taking a cue from your reconciliation with coach Willy Bazuaye and the attendant success that followed for both of you (at NNB). how would you advice coach Siasia as you said he should not just throw the ones with shortcomings away as his success may just well depend on them not because they are irreplaceable but because the heart you forgive may eventually be the one that will give all for you?

Samson Siasia, my advice to you is that discuss with your players, abuse them and see the ones that can absorb problems (sic) easily from there you can know how to play with them and enjoy them. If you want to achieve something in life don’t quarrel with everybody you have around yourself, see the way you can do it to go well for you and I. Tell Samson, he’s my brother and I have told him too don’t quarrel with your players, they are the tools that will make you do better and (good) in life.

What was NNB like when you get

•Nwosu

there? Who were the players?

NNB had no good players, you understand me, they didn’t have big

“Samson Siasia, my advice to you is that discuss with your players, abuse them and see the ones that can absorb problems (sic) easily, from there you can know how to play with them and enjoy them. If you want to achieve something in life don’t quarrel with everybody you have around yourself, see the way you can do it to go well for you and I. ”

name players. When I got there I brought good players, I brought them clout, I was national team player and all that and I brought the clout to defeat Insurance the first year.

I want you to tell me the story again.

You got to NNB 1979 (In) 1980 they (Insurance) beat us by ojoro (fraudulently), let me use the word ojoro (fraud). Ball no cross line they say e it cross line, how would you guage if it crossed line? But the second year I scored the winning goal.

Was it in the final of the State FA Cup? Final yes, New Nigerian Bank against Bendel Insurance, Keshi scored the first goal, I scored the winning goal. I was mad about

football. Not now again because they have made me not to love football as much as I did but I still love football. It (the ball) was coming from the left wing and I connected, I returned it and it was in the net that was the winning goal was it 80 or 81?

I don’t know. I am telling you that football was very interesting. We were there and we’ll continue to be there because we love football. NNB and Insurance rivalry was very tough. Insurance was a big team. You must beat them to beat any other team but thank God when we came in we destroyed that anarchy in the house, in Benin. When I was in Benin, I’ll tell you one thing today. It was after the Oba of Benin they Henry

Nwosu before the governor because they respected the Oba of Benin most, the governor was very big, he controlled the state if he says stop you will stop but then too if the Oba of Benin says yes it was yes. And later Henry Nwosu because of the governor, because of the Oba of Benin and because of my status and thank God it helped me to live in Edo State.

If you never ask me I will tell you. I was playing in the stadium (Ogbe Stadium) and after the match what’s his name, what’s his name again? I will tell you his name later. This criminal that was hanged and killed, okay I will come back to it (to mention his name), saw me. I have forgotten most of these places in

G.R.A. , (in Benin), err, Anini and his troop saw me where I was with my girl friend in my car, 1984/85 Can you remember the match you played that day?

My brother I cannot but I know they came out to me and said Mr Henry Nwosu we know you. You disrupted our operation in that area that night, please don’t do it again.

What area Ogbe stadium, then who knows Anini, but I went on and that was it What did they mean that (you disrupted their operation)?

They were to attack that area Why didn’t they attack?

Because I was in that area that was what I knew of it.

I want you to tell me more about your team mates at NNB? Well, I won’t tell you much about NNB, I will tell you about our rivalry with Insurance and how we conquered them the few years we did.

Coach, MPA that’s the way I call him, Alabi Aisien. We were to play I can’t remember if it was a final match against him or whether it was a league match against him, the coach. We met in Ekenwa where we play draft. We met there and he said you can’t play well (the next day) because you are drinking beer, tomorrow you can’t play well. I said oga nooo. I scored a goal against Insurance (the next day).

When I scored a goal he threw away his cap. He said ‘that boy, azeno.’

Where do you come from?

I am from Ogun state Azeno, aje ni omo yen, aje ni omo yen,(that boy is a witch, that boy is a witch). He threw away his cap. Oso ledewon (he said it in their language, azeno azrno, aje ni omo yen, aje ni omo yenbawo lo sheshe (that boy is a witch, that boy is a witch, how did he do it).

I didn’t even know that they sent my friend to touch me with juju to disturb my playing well but thank God… that is the respect coach Alabi has for me till … my team they know me I am always for football, anytime they call me for anything football, I am always there. Most of them don’t like football today. They are playing football because of money to make money.

We played football because we love football not to make money but to be there. But now they are playing football because they hear there s money in football, everybody, the person wey get money, (and the ones) wey no get money dey send him pikin say make he play football. So that is it. I am happy that I have trained players that are in other teams, that are everywhere in this country today. I know you will ask me who are the players, thank you.

What were those factors that you can point out as being responsible for NNB becoming a strong force both in Benin and the nation as a whole later?

The first is that most of the boys had played together for quite sometime and some of us are tested players either from the national team or for club sides and determined and committed players as well. These were some of the things that made us tick then and we love each other. We loved ourselves, since there was love among us it was difficult for you to penetrate.

You talked about the players playing together?

Yeah, some of us played together in the national team Can you just let us into some of them?

Yes, like Edobor (Humphrey), we met ourselves in the national team, Bright Omokaro, Edema Benson, was at the national team. Franklin Howard, Keshi (Stephen) emm, that is the junior national team I’m talking about. But later some of us still met at the (senior) national team when we were at NNB, Orairo and the rest of them, we were still together at the national team so the brotherhood was still there and the togetherness was there and the spirit and the morale to win all matches was always there.

You came into NNB in ’79, what was the camp like back then, the location of the camp itself and coming from Lagos, what kind of atmosphere did you meet?

When we got to NNB there was no

camp for nobody. But those of us that came from outside we were initially at the hotel. We were in the hotel for about three months then they relocated us to GRA in Benin City in the bank’s quarters that was where we stayed for about five, six months again before we now got our own homes. What they did was, they’ll give you some money and you’ll go and look for where you’ll stay, take care of yourself. That was what we did, some of us took rooms, some took flats and all that and that was how we started our lives anew.

Were you married then?

No Back then what particular area did you stay in Lagos sir?

I was born here in Surulere and I lived my life in Surulere not until 1996 that I left Surulere to Festac Town where I now stay in my house that you and I (Nigerian government) gave, what I mean is that the government gave us the 1980 squad.

I still want to be particular about the environment because people can be inspired by different things and it may do good to some mind if they know for example that Henry Nwosu once dwelled in their present domain or their present house?

I was born in Surulere, Akuyi Way, number I think 19. In those days federal government allocated houses and you start paying gradually, so my father was playing for that house until he finished payment, it was our own home, our own house. But unfortunately, the war broke out and then he handed the keys to somebody.

He said ‘hold am for me o until after the war’ but unfortunately, after the war when he came back the man had converted the house to his own personal property. And at a time, my father said ‘look, my children leave the house for him, let him take and if that is the way God wants it let it be, don’t hustle for anything, it is true

that it is yours but the young man says it’s his own so let it be’ and that was it, that was how we left the house for that man and we now lived on... we first managed with our cousin at 104 Akerele (in Surulere, lagos) from there my father got a house in Aguda, a room in Aguda.

We stayed with him, myself, my elder sister, my mother was in the village with the other children. Our elder brother was somewhere in Lagos living on his own. So the three of us lived in that one room until my father tried to go back home to stay, so I now stayed with my elder sister.

From there … my secondary school, later she got married and so I was now staying with my elder brother in that same house. When I was there my brother died in 1979.

How old was he (the brother) when he died?

He was about 39 or so. He was my mother’s first child. When he died I had become of age. He died in ’79 and I had just finished my secondary school as at that time. I stayed a little bit before NNB came for me that was it, I left for Benin and that was how I started my own life all over again. I started living in Benin. We started growing, from one room to two rooms, to a flat at a time it was a whole house that I lived in. I lived in houses, the first one I lived in was a whole house before I left Benin for back to Lagos in 1985 I got back to Lagos in ’85 and emm I started my life back again in Lagos here (with ACB). In ACB they had a camp so I stayed in that camp (though) I was not very comfortable in the camp.

As a national player and also as a national captain as well, I said ‘what am I doing in camp here. Let me go look for a house. So before I could get a house I was still at Rita Lorel Hotel just there at Babs Animashaun (near Eric Moore). I stayed there for sometime before I got a flat around Cele Bus Stop in Aguda at Mosunmola Adekoye Street, I can’t remember the number again, either number 12 Mosunmola. I lived there from ’88 till I left for my own house in 1996 and that is where I still live even though sometimes I travel home when my wife and my children were at home then for about three years.

In the east?

Yes, in Owerri. I was there with them for about three years before I now decided and said ‘what are you people doing at home better start coming down to Lagos and that’s how they came to Lagos till date we are living in Festac Thank God for that

•Osaze

34

THE NATION SATURDAY, AUGUST 20, 2011

NATION SPORT

Inside The Glass House WITH AMINU MAIGARI

O

N Sunday, August 14, 2011, Nigeria’s interest in the FIFA U-20 World Cup Colombia 2011 came to a scratching halt in Cali, that country’s third biggest city. It was a huge disappointment not only to the Nigeria Football Federation and the Nigerian people, but also to the people of Colombia, who had unanimously adopted the Flying Eagles as their own team for the trophy following the elimination of the Colombia U-20 Team the previous night.

Colombia’s defeat by Mexico was hardly expected. On reflection, three of four semi final matches went against expectation and, indeed, popular expectation. Mexico was not bookmarked to beat the host nation; Argentina was expected to defeat Portugal and; France was never thought able to eliminate Nigeria.

Between Brazil and Spain, there was not much to choose, though Brazil have shinier record at junior level.

As we all sat dejected in the lobby of the Intercontinental Cali Un Hotel Estelar on Sunday night, so many reasons were advanced by so many persons on why we lost the match. There were those who felt the Flying Eagles were unnecessarily overtentative in the opening period – when we felt they should have killed the game – and there were those who felt the key players who insisted on carrying on with their Ramadan obligation were at fault.

Surely, I am not in any mood to pass blames, but it is important at this stage to tell Nigerians that we have learnt so many lessons from our participation at the tournament, and will make good use of these lessons going forward. For now, I will say that yes, we finished 7th at a competition that had 24 teams in attendance, but realizing immediately that as Nigerians, we don’t like any position other than 1st, we have much to do and will ensure that we do far better in the next event in 2013.

Football, as I insisted last week, comes with unpredictable and sometimes dazzling conclusions. Twenty four hours later, our own team was the victim, despite a massive, massive support for which I intend to dedicate this weekend’s column.

On Wednesday morning, I was fully briefed ahead of the trans-atlantic telephone call that His Excellency, President Goodluck Jonathan planned for the team. Barrister Chris Green (chairman of NFF technical committee) was in Armenia while I was in London, hoping to be at a supercharged game between the senior teams of Nigeria and Ghana at Watford. The match did not take place but that is an issue to be treated under another sub-head here.

I wish to, once again, appreciate Mr. President for his useful and wonderful

Lessons from South America (1) telephone chat with the players. I firmly believe that the chat helped the team’s confidence in the match against England. The boys did not exactly ‘explode’ against the England team, as they did against Guatemala, Croatia and Saudi Arabia, but played like a team knowing it would win anyway.

I expected the Flying Eagles to also take Mr. President’s words to heart for the quarter final clash against France.

Following cancellation of the international friendly with Ghana in London, I returned to Colombia on the night of Saturday, 13th August to be physically present at the quarter final game.

Surely, it was a punishing schedule. Those outside the Nigeria Football Federation will always tell you how ‘rosy’ it is to work there. Indeed! Let me paint a simple picture here.

On the morning of Friday, August 5, a delegation of the NFF left Abuja for Colombia through Republic of South Africa. The delegation did not arrive Colombia until Sunday afternoon.

The schedule is a one-hour flight from Abuja to Lagos, a six-hour flight from Lagos to Johannesburg, an 11-hour flight between Johannesburg and Sao Paulo in Brazil (10 of those hours on the South Atlantic Ocean), a six-hour flight from Sao Paulo to Bogota (capital of Colombia) and a one-hour flight from Bogota to Armenia (on propeller jets powered by pilots who appear to be far more familiar with the topsyturvy nature of the climate than their passengers).

For me, I had to fly through Germany, Spain and the United States of America to get to Colombia the first time, flew out to France and then to the United Kingdom for the match against Ghana and then flew back through Germany.

Some exercise!

The chief media officer of the NFF, Ademola Olajire, who was with the group, informed me privately that he thought the longest trip he would ever make was the 49-hour round trip from Nigeria to New Zealand. This one was a full 50-hour round trip! I can bet that for all the money in the world, some people would not want to make this kind of trip.

I digress.

The purpose of this column, as I noted earlier, was to truly commend the people of Colombia for their unflinching support for the Flying Eagles throughout their stay in that country. The tales we heard about Colombia before leaving Nigeria (tales that had existed for years, anyway) and the films we watched about that country, flew in the face of reality.

There were no down-to-the–

pant searches at the airports, and surely drug peddling and consumption was not conspicuous on the streets of Colombia.

A captivating South American nation ringed by mountains and hills, Colombia is the northernmost of South American nations. Venezuela is to the north-east but has far lower football stature than Colombia.

On July 31, when the Flying Eagles played Guatemala at the Estadio Centenario in Armenia in their opening match of group D, less than 15 per cent of the crowd was not wholly for Nigeria. The majority rooted for the Flying Eagles, as if it was their own team. The remaining 15 per cent consisted of Giatemalan citizens who made the threehour flight to Colombia just for the purpose.

Against Croatia, it was even better. Croatia was a long way off (Europe) and their own supporters were stranded at home, just like members of the Nigeria Football Supporters Club, who had genuine intention to be in Colombia but could not raise the money needed for the trip.

The 21,000 spectators at the stadium hollered and cheered the Flying Eagles to the 5-2 win. Against Saudi Arabia in Pereira, you would think the Nigeria Football Federation had bought over the supporters, in the absence of Dr. Rafiu Oladipo and his group!

Eventually, everyone was happy, that we won 2-0 against a senior oilproducing nation that trained for 25 days in Brazil and spent another 10 days in Colombia before the tournament.

In Armenia, the people continued showing so much regard and affection as our contingent remained at the Hotel Campestre Las Camelias – a magnificent facility set in the forest with plantation serving as the fence!

Our team enjoyed maximum security protection, with military and police attaches. If you stepped outside your room in the night, you would see military persons painstakingly keeping watch in the plantation.

The people are also very warm and kind. It was not make-believe because such is never regular.

They genuinely love other people.

In Armenia, not only did everyone (football supporters, military and police attaches adn hotel workers) show us tremendous affection, they also, I was made to understand by officials of the team, brought a lot of gifts,

especially the unique hat – one of which Head Coach John Obuh wore against England and really set off a big issue on social network sites.

There was also the famous Colombian tea packets, supplied by the dimunitive, hardworking and ubiquitous Diego Bolivar – the dynamic physical education teacher and coach who served as our Team Liaison Officer for the tournament. He was such a marvelous man.

The military officer attached to our team, Captain Clarena Restrepo, also deserves mention. She carried out her job with the utmost sense of responsibility and good friendliness. A 32-year old officer, she is married to Juan Restrepo – now a Major – and is a pilot. She plans to retire in three years’ time when she would be a Lieutenant Colonel, and intends to start flying commercial aircraft (more lucrative, she said).

There was also Pablo Pachon, junior brother of FIFA Match Agent Jairo Pachon, who was also available to solve any puzzle and assist our team however.

Then on Sunday, August 14, we all witnessed what we had NEVER seen before anywhere.

I was with two members of the NFF Executive Committee (Barrister Chris Green and Alhaji Ahmed Yusuf), and some staff members. The chief media officer, Ademola Olajire told us the previous day that everyone at the stadium would support the Flying Eagles. As we approached the stadium, the fans lined the routes and hailed the bus conveying the Nigeria team and the van conveying the officials. We had no idea of the exact outpouring of emotion until we entered the Estadio Olimpico Pascual Guerrero.

The game started on a very cautious note, but you could tell, easily, that the fans were all for Nigeria.

I still feel this was one match our team should have won in the first half. Had the players shown enough hunger and spriteness in the opening period, when France appeared cagey and diffident, it would have been over after 45 minutes. But caution was reciprocated with caution and nothing worked.

All through, the support never waned. The fans chanted ‘Nigeria, Nigeria’ (which they pronounced Niheria) all the time. They booed any call by the centre referee which went the way of France but which they felt should have gone to Nigeria.

They enacted Mexican waves endlessly, using the opportunity to chant ‘Niheria, Niheria’. It was a moving spectacle all the way.

When France scored their first goal, you could hardly hear a cheer. But when Nigeria equalized with the last touch of the first half, the eruption of joy threatened the stadium foundation.

The most heartwarming, of course, was at the final whistle.

The whole stadium stood and hollered ‘Niheria, Niheria’ even after their favourite team had disappointed. As we came out of the stadium, they were still here, lined up on the rails, showing so much love and support. It was unbelievable.

The people of Coombia sure know how to support their beloved teams.

BROTHERS AT WAR:

Mikel may battle Osaze • As Chelsea host WestBrom today

D

ESPITE the unfortunate incident that has befall his family, Chelsea of England holding midfielder, Mikel Obi could be filling out with his teammates to battle compatriot, Osaze Odemwingie in a league clash against West Bromwich Albion today.

After putting up a splendid performance in the Blues' opener away to Stock City which ended 0-0 last weekend, the Nigerian international will attempt to improve his game and probably score his first of the season at home against the Baggies.

Mikel and his teammates will shake up the disappointing outing at Stoke to look forward to the first win in the arguably most exciting leagues in the world.

With Ghanaian star Michael Essien still injured, the onus will be on Mikel to marshal the Chelsea midfield in creativity to produce the needed result.

For West Brom, however, having their Nigerian import return to the team after an injury spell will be an advantage as they besiege the

By Innocent Amomoh bridge for consolation after losing at home to last year’s champions, Manchester United.

It is no doubt a tough start for the Baggies boss Roy Hodgson having to play last seasons top two teams but his life will be made much easier with most of his key players returning in full blast.

This will definitely be a huge challenge for Osaze, who has been in the midst of rumous trailing his transfer from West Brom. But with possible support coming from record signing Shane Long,scoring a goal in his debut last weekend, Hodgson should be sure of a good result away from from home.

Chelsea on the other hand don’t have any major injury concerns apart from Essien’s, but will be relying on the return of David Luiz from a knee injury.

Spanish forward Torres will be the cynosure of all eyes after his encouraging display against Stoke and whether he can open his account for the season.

• Anichebe

Anichebe set for QPR challenge

A

FTER missing out of the first league game of the season, Nigeria international and Everton of England forward, Victor Anichebe will today be seeking to impress Manager David Moyes with a five-star performance against Queens Park Rangers (QPR).

The 2008 Olympic Games silver medalist in the football event, made a strong impression during the team’s pre-season preparations, but as Everton will be gunning for maximum points at home, Anichebe’s performance will determine his run for a permanent place this season.

With Everton Chairman Bill Kenwright defending the club's failure to enter the transfer market, claiming the Merseysiders were being denied funds by cash-strapped banks, the players available must contend favorably if the club will remain in the top flight starting with this encounter.

Kenwright told Sky Sports News the club's problems were linked to the global financial downturn and the unwillingness of banks to lend money to the club.

"Two things - one the world is in a recession and I don't know any business that isn't suffering at the moment and I include football in that, other than the financial elite," Kenwright said.

For QPR, who may be

confronting the Everton without their Nigerian defender, Danni Shittu, it will be a heculean task picking a point in London after flopping against Bolton in their league opener.

Bolton Scouts to storm Ondo for FRENAGE Soccer Summit

T

HE Football Studies Programme at Bolton Wanderers Football Club International Soccer School will be extended this year to Nigeria on the invitation of FRENAGE Soccer Academy to be part 2011 FRENAGE Soccer Summit scheduled to kick off in Ondo.

The 2011/12 Football Studies Programme of Bolton is currently recruiting for its September intake, and it had already have students signed up from Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, Middle East, North America and South America.

The event according to FRENAGE boss Oluwole Ololade was designed to give Nigerian young lads opportunity of using their Godgiving soccer talent to gain admission to the Bolton Wanderers Football Club International Soccer School which offers the very best in football coaching and overseas educational experiences.

Olubanwo Fagbemi

On Sport Sport On SATURDAY, AUGUST 20, 2011

36

Flying Eagles: In conclusion

continued from last week One million dollars was allotted to you in your time, can you equate it to ten million naira? How far can ten million naira go?

Ten million naira is not going to go far. I’m also looking at the relative issues here because in this case, we are talking about Nigeria.

Mine was for four years and when you say a million dollars, this also includes the salary of your staff and everything. As at when I was tagged Olympic medal hopeful, I had no pedigree internationally then, but they also considered a whole lot of things that made them arrive on the fact that all things being equal, in 2000 I should be an Olympic gold medalist and it perfectly worked out.

So am looking at ten million as a peg – at least to qualify them for the Olympics and just qualifying them is a major achievement.

Gov Sylva charged you to produce an Olympic gold medalist, what has been his input to ensure the actualization?

Governor Sylva is someone who has taken wrestling as a sport he wants to support whole heartedly and as a result we’ve had two editions of the Sylva Classique which he sponsors personally. This is not even government funded, he uses his own money and we are going to have another edition in November this year. He has bought a coaster bus for the Nigeria Wrestling Federation team and so I have no doubt in governor Sylva.

And with a particular reference to the charge he gave me to produce an Olympic gold medalist, I’ve had off-record discussions with him and we are in the process of appropriating funds for it. How much it would come, I don’t know.

Its up to him to determine.

But I’ve given him the estimates of what I feel is required. Am the only Bayelsan individual wrestling athlete that has won an Olympic gold medal and he wants it replicated in my time. So I have no doubt that before the end of this year, governor Sylva would give us the funds we need to enable the athletes go to the kind of tournaments that are pre-requisite measures that will prepare them to win medals for Nigeria.

Now we are looking at the September World Championships, I believe some Olympic hopefuls are supposed to emerge from there, what are the preparations like?

Preparations are a little bit scanty. I don’t want to beautify things more than it really is. We have not had any official camping for the athletes but we have not been resting on our oars.

We’ve been training, I’ve been monitoring the progress of the athletes and

e-mail: deewalebf@yahoo.com

F

Gov Sylva means business with wrestling —Igali (2) In 2009, the Nigeria Wrestling Federation took the game home to the governor’s door-step when they kicked-off the first annual edition of the ‘Timipreye Sylva Classique’ and during that event, Governor Sylva charged the 1999 world wrestling champion, Daniel Igali who is also the technical adviser of the Nigeria Wrestling Federation to produce an Olympic gold medalist.

In this exclusive interview with FLORENCE NKEM ISRAEL, the 2000 Sydney Olympic gold medalist and the chairman, committee on sports Bayelsa state House of Assembly, Hon. Daniel Igali speaks on the preparedness of the Nigeria Wrestling Federation to actualize Sylva’s charge. Excerpts. my hope is for us to have a one month camping before we go because this is a very serious competition. We are not going for the All Africa Games, so we are not in camp.

Talking to the state government to see how it can help us in preparation of our athletes here in Bayelsa for the championships. It would be a pride for Nigeria and for governor Timipreye Sylva if we are able to qualify our athletes for the Olympics next year.

One month to go and you are still looking at one month camping, how possible is it?

Well, the championship starts on the 9th and I feel if we start our official camping on Monday, we will still be on line but ideally, we should be in camp about a month – it should be better than not doing anything about it.

You made mention of about six athletes that you feel can make it to the Olympics and that are also medal hopefuls, let’s take a look at their chances.

Okay. Starting with Blessing Oborodudu, She is in the 63kg category. She used to be in the 59kg class

before I moved her to 63kg just last year before the commonwealth games.

Her first competition in that class was the world championships last year and she placed 11th. She lost to a bronze medalist by a clinch.

They won one round each.

They went to the third round and there was no winner and by the luck of a draw, her opponent won. At commonwealth games, she was second and she still lost to a bronze medalist at the world championship by a clinch again. She is also a two-time African champion.

She is a bold wrestler, has very good lungs, good mentality and I think she has very good chance at the world championship and also at the Olympics.

Therefore, finally, what do you think about wrestling in Nigeria?

Wrestling is a fast growing sport. This last national sports festival in Port Harcourt, we had a record number of attendance. For the first time, for the first time, I saw over a hundred athletes competing for honour. More than three hundred and fifty athletes registered for the festival, which is the biggest number

of athletes that ever competed at a single event.

So wrestling is booming.

There are lots of athletes that wants to make wrestling a career but I think the biggest obstacle we are facing here is lack of sponsorship. We need to have a culture that will take care of them. We should have a developmental culture to bring them up stage by stage.

Its not every athlete that need a technical adviser – but they need to grow into the senior categories. We need a workable plan to do this. If we are able to apportion funds, we can prepare for tournaments on time.

These are the main issues.

There is no plan and if you have any plan, it will be thrown out of the window because t will not be followed and once you cannot adhere to a plan, then you have to make do with the ‘fire-brigade’ approach and that doesn’t achieve any results. If it does, it’s by chance and we should not be relying on chance to get results at all.

Thank you very much for your time.

My pleasure

OR raising the hopes of supporters after an explosive start to Nigeria’s campaign at the 2011 FIFA World Youth Championship (WYC) in Colombia before bowing 3-2 to France in last Sunday’s thrilling quarter-final, the Flying Eagles share blame with Coach Sam John Obuh. While the lads squandered pedigree in the South American sun, the coach surrendered initiative under wing wizard Ahmed Musa’s spell and an overwhelming sense of the occasion.

Contemplating the painful collapse in Cali, Obuh dolefully judged: “I think it was kind of unexpected because we knew we could have one this match. But our effort wasn’t enough in the end.”

The difference between Nigeria, twice WYC runnersup in 1989 and 2005, and France, never semi-finalists until now, was that the European champions “took advantage of the chances they created”, Obuh surmised.

Hailed for his team’s performances as well as his good-natured adoption of the traditional Colombian headgear, the Sombrero, a welldressed Obuh prowled the •Obuh sidelines with diminished tactical command in the knockout rounds. If the familiarisation gesture and the players’ flair for attacking football earned vociferous home crowd support and drew Obuh’s metaphorical allusion to the pitch as church, doubts must linger about his Midas touch.

The 51 year-old departed for Colombia as the next best domestic prospect after Samson Siasia with whom he shared the ability to build teams capable of passionate displays. I followed his career with interest from his days with domestic league side Kwara United to his successful stint as national Under-17 coach and was convinced he would bring the same influence to bear on the latest assignment.

I also noted Obuh’s resolute support for Siasia’s engagement in the heat of the clamour for a home-based successor following Lars Lagerback’s disappointing 2010 FIFA World Cup outing in South Africa. It was a position which set the Flying Eagles coach apart from the ill-prepared and self-promoting lot taking potshots at Siasia from all sides.

In backing Siasia, Obuh appeared to set the stage for his own possible emergence as prime candidate for the plum job.

Encouraged by the coach’s attitude and a demonstrated tactical know-how, I prepared to align with any group designed to push for an upgrade in his status in the event of a successful run in Colombia.

I was ultimately disappointed. Still, it is tempting to think the result might be different if Obuh had shopped for baby-faced domestic league veterans rather than endorse the set of Golden Eaglets he led to second place behind Switzerland at the 2009 FIFA Under-17 World Cup finals held in Nigeria.

That would have defeated the purpose of talent discovery.

Obuh’s preference meant, instead, that the country could benefit from subsequent development of the players thus exposed early to international events which, after all, is the idea behind youth football tournaments.

It can only be hoped that the players eventually use the Colombia experience to effect moves to prominent European clubs or at least establish roots in more modest outfits. There they should hone skills in preparation for the anticipated step up to the national Under-23 and senior teams.

How fulfilling it would be to see rough midfield gems Azeez Ramon and Philemon Daniel refined, the attacking prowess of strikers Olanrewaju Kayode and Uche Nwofor sharpened for deadlier impact, and the defence quartet of Kenneth Omeruo, Ganiyu Ogungbe, Terna Suswan and Emmanuel Anyanwu polished for more flawless performance on the higher stage.

Greater comment is, however, reserved for star act, Musa.

Despite hitting Colombia as rave of the season following dazzling displays for the Super Eagles and the national Under23 team, the VVV Venlo ace left no one unconvinced.

But he could have done more for the team. For all his defencesplitting moves, he often failed to pounce early or deliver the quick assist as required. He was lead virtuoso as the team played to the gallery, especially in the ill-fated quarter-final.

Because the team overwhelmed opponents until they ground out a 1-0 result in the round of 16 encounter with a dour England side that failed to score all through in comparison to Nigeria’s 12 goals from three preliminary Group D matches, it was not so evident that the side easily lost shape going forward. What they lacked in tactics, however, the team made up for in response with the duo of Musa and Kayode particularly adept at rapid counter-attack.

It was a ploy so devastating against pitiful Guatemala, hapless Croatia and nonplussed Saudi Arabia. After the England scare and the coach’s apparent reluctance to straighten the wayward Musa, an end quicker than supposed was inevitable, nonetheless.

Whether his wards would one day form the nucleus of the senior team as envisaged by Obuh is a matter sadly left to official discretion than imagination of supporters. The coach has done his bit and must admit that official or personal improvement via refresher course before the next crucial assignment is the sole recourse.

38

THE NATION, SATURDAY, AUGUST 20, 2011

BACK STAGE

ZY H A picture

Harvest of gay movies VICTOR AKANDE recalls the gay-themed movies at the last Durban Film Festival

Monisola Iyajo Dupe AYINLA

STRONG

POINT Patience Ozokwor Dupe AYINLA

39

THE NATION, SATURDAY, AUGUST 20, 2011

‘I take advice from poor people’ •Continued from Page 22

uncle, the late Alhaji Gbadamosi, told me before he died that he wanted me to become an oba. My education, business and so on meant nothing to him.He died 2006. Therefore, for accepting to be the 24th Olofa, I believe he is praying for me in his grave.

I had the opportunity to talk to many people about your reign. They all agreed that you have always been working for peace. How do you do this?

Before I became the Olofa, I used to send rice and other gifts to my people.

When I ascended the throne, the problems that we used to have about land were well taken care of. We don’t have problems with our neighbours again. It is just a matter of contacting the right people to find solutions to problems when they arise.

You once canvassed a constitutional role for traditional rulers. Do you see that feasible?

It is feasible. As I always say, we are close to our people. I know my people.

The chairman of a local government is only there for three or four years, but we are here permanently. We know where all our roofs are leaking. We know who needs what. I think the community has more confidence in us than those that come for just a short time . We have no place to go. I am here permanently.

How do you think the government of the day should go about this, if they are to buy your idea?

Something like the House of Lords will be okay for us. We are talking about a place where we can contribute.We can tell them these are our needs. For instance, the president or the governors of the states do not call the traditional rulers to give suggestions, Whatever they decided is binding on us. In most cases, it is when things are getting out of hand that they call the traditional rulers to give advice. In most cases, the suggestions of these royal fathers work.

Look at the Boko Haram issue. From my understanding, they were being harassed by the Nigerian Police and nothing was done. The Boko Haram case is different from that of the Niger Delta militants. It is not a question of money or they need something. Their people were being harassed and they needed some people to listen to them and nobody did . So, if there is a place where traditional rulers meet, they would have tabled this there.

You are a businessman who owns one of the biggest poultry farms in the country. How do you combine your responsibilities as an oba with the running of your business?

You go to the poultry and you see things yourself. It is not like trading .The poultry is being managed by the expatriates and good Nigerians. Of course, I read building in the university.

I am not a vet doctor. So, my being there does not change anything. My workers are treated like friends. They make sure every thing runs smoothly. They come from all parts Nigeria to buy birds. Our birds are among the best in the country.

Do you miss the business community?

Yes, I do. I miss that trading aspect of my business seriously .When I started, my uncle told me I was doing something temporary. Any time I feel like I am missing the business environment , I remember that my uncle had told me this, even before I went into business.

Why did you go into the poultry business?

•Oba Gbadamosi

‘

A poor man will never advise you wrongly. Look at my birthday. Most people in my community are very happy with it. If I were to discuss with people of a higher class on how to mark it, they would not agree that we should do it the way we did it

At the time that there was so much smuggling of rice.That was the time I said we could not continue this. There was this my friend from America. He advised me to go into poultry. He said the business of poultry was just like that of rice. You can calculate your profit just like you do for a bag of rice. I said I would try it . The thing was that I had never seen any poultry farm in life. He

’

said he would guide me. I then got the land in Ikorodu. That was the start of the whole thing. He brought somebody who read animal husbandry. So, when we started, we were not doing the right thing. After spending a lot, I got a friend who had a poultry farm in Ibadan. He started guiding me until I became an expert..

Many believe that you’ve made much money. What is the secret?

When you have good intentions for people, you enjoy their prayers. It is not what I will gain first. It is about making people happy. If we are doing business now, let’s say we got N100,000, I will make sure people smile first from the money before I will say the remaining is for me. I don’t believe in saving while others are hungry.

Becoming wealthy in life is not by doing juju. It is through people’s prayers, not necessarily the well- to- do, but the less- privileged.

In addition, I adhere to people’s advice…

Good advice?

I take advice from the poor. A poor man will never advise you wrongly.

Look at my birthday. Most people in my community are very happy with it.

If I were to discuss with people of a higher class on how to mark it, they would not agree that we should do it the way we did it. With that, everybody is happy.

As an experienced businessman, what advice will you give entrepreneurs?

It is just to endure. In our country today, for you to be a businessman, you need endurance because of policy inconsistencies. I am what I am in poultry today because of the Obasanjo administration that placed a ban on the importation of poultry and poultry products. Today as I am speaking with you, I’ve got two people from my community who are ready to put in a lot of money in poultry because they believe that the industry has stabilized, but I am still looking for more business opportunities. In my community, they always believe in me and whatever I advise them to invest in, they will, but what is the next business area that has stabilized and the government policies will not come and change it again?

Somebody said juice. I am still working on that. He said if juice had not come to stay, products like Dansa would not be selling, I want to do my research very well because in Nigerian before you venture into any business, you do your research well because if you do not, you may be a billionaire today and a poor man tomorrow.

What is your advice on ways to improve the business clime in the country?

The government should concentrate on infrastructure mostly because we have people that are very strong both home and abroad and they are ready to work.

Infrastructure is the major problem. Like our president has promised to give us light within the next four years, we pray it works. Electricity and road, if we get those two things done in Nigeria, there will be nobody travelling abroad again.

We have a lot of resources, but the lack of infrastructure has always been our problem. For instance, we can have a lot of cashew here, but we don’t make efforts to process them. Everybody is afraid of the cost implication. How many litres of diesels will you buy a day to operate the machines? When there is light and good roads, you can go to anywhere to get all these things.

We saw only the pictures of your wife and children in the palace. As a traditional ruler, we think you should have many wives.

Yes, I know I can, but I am satisfied with my wife. Instead of looking for another wife, I want to channel my energy towards developing my community and serving humanity. I am satisfied with my wife.

40

THE NATION, SATURDAY, AUGUST 20, 2011

T

HREE friends of mine at different times came to me to say to say they wanted to quit their jobs. Reason? Their kids. Yes, their kids.

They feel terrible that instead of staying home and nurturing those kids, they are at work. Good reasons, no doubt.

I also have a colleague who said to me, ‘Vera, I am leaving my job, you see I am pregnant, and I have lost three pregnancies and I feel it’s the job that is causing all these. So I would like to stay home and see this pregnancy through to fruition before I think of having a career’. Also, very good reasons too, if you ask me.

You see, my friends are as diverse as their faces. I have yet another dear friend who is a widow, with four healthy children, yet curses everyday, the day she allowed her late husband talk her into leaving her job. She is educated no doubt very intelligent with her master’s degree, yet dying to leave the boring task of staying home all day, living off handouts from friends. Of course, thank God recently she got a job that is paying well, she even called me up on Saturday morning saying that she has gotten a nanny for her kids. After speaking with her I asked myself, does this lady belong to the league of guilty working mothers? I leave that to you to judge.

To the friends I earlier spoke about, they are grossly unhappy because, by the time they get home every day, no thanks to our traffic situation; their kids are fast asleep. Before the kids wake up, naturally they have left for work.

So, one of them said to me, “I feel terrible, Vera, I waited six years before having these kids, and now that I am blessed with them, it is proper for me to be a stay-at-home mum She said this song by Nico Mbaga only addressed yesterday’s mothers.

Dear Vera, The Bible said marriage bed NOT beds. Marriage involves the union of two. Sleeping together enables couples to work on their differences to overcome them. My wife hardly snores now. I no longer spray the bathroom mirror or spread my legs over the bed as if I live alone. It all came because we sleep together. Face life’s challenges as a team. Being a team doesn’t mean not being different; rather it works with our combining our differences into strength. Being separate never works in marriages as explained earlier. It starves couples from talking things over during conflicts and allow couples to fantasize about past relationship. It also does not allow couples to live as one as this what marriage is all about; allowing couples to think selfishly instead of ‘us’ SJY •I like your write-up about couples and separate rooms. As for me I don’t see anything wrong in sleeping in separate rooms from your hubby especially when the babies start coming in. It is good sometimes for both couples to sleep in separate rooms.

Tinuke Ogba •It is not entirely for a man and his wife to have separate rooms. It was useful in the past when it was taboo to eat food prepared by a menstruating woman, or sleep in the same room with her. Christianity has wiped that away. Sleeping these days will be to save the marriage…that be destroyed

Help! Working mothers are dying of guilt…

A collague that recently rode with me in an attempt to make conversation said today’s mothers are too business inclined to have time for their children. Women these days, he added, have no conscience because they are too money conscious.

Honestly, if not for the fear of God, I would have dropped him off right in the middle of nowhere so he would have had to trek home! To say I was angry is an understatement. I was was livid. I mean, with the harsh economic conditions; do we expect the income to come from only the man? It is not possible. The fact that most mothers of today are more career minded is not for selfish reasons. Far from it.

For me, the saying that after the love of God Almighty to mankind, the second greatest kind of love is the love of a mother to her child, remains true till date. In my opinion, nothing has changed. The mother’s love is constant.

Nothing can change it. No mother is happy to stay hours away from her babies; but duty calls.

The challenge working mothers face, unknown to many, is the feeling of guilt that sets in. No matter how fat a mother’s bank account is; it

cannot be compared to the time she spends with her child or children.

Guilt, it can come without warning; suddenly you feel as if you have been punched in the stomach. Most working mothers feel guilty at one time or another. They may be running late for a Parents Teachers Association’s meeting and interpret the look on the faces of other parents as a condemnation for coming late because they feel the P.T.A meeting should be important enough to attract on-time attendance.

Guilt may also come after a comment from your child, “But mummy, must you go to work today too? Other people’s mummies are always around! Or “Mummy, why are you buying me meat pie to take to school when Jide’s mummy makes him jollof rice or beans and fried plantain!”

As working mothers, it is important to feel comfortable with your decision to be working. Too many times, however, working mothers feel they need to defend their choice or choices. Working mothers and the society have to address the ongoing debate.

Some people feel that by working, mothers are taking something valuable away from their children’s time while

others feel that working mothers really give more to children. They provide them a sense of pride and accomplishment in addition to being a role model.

Each family situation is different, what may work for the family down the street, may not be best for your family.

And so, comparing your situation to theirs is like comparing apples to oranges.

Studies have shown that there is no developmental problems in children whose mothers worked outside the home. The studies further show that though “the mother is an important source of care, but she does not have to be there 24 hours a day to build a strong relationship with her child.”

Below are some of the key points the studies show: •Development is not delayed when a mother works outside the home.

•A mother’s personality, including their beliefs and the quality of their parenting is more important than the amount of time spent with their children.

•Working mothers spend more time with their children on their days off work.

•Working mothers spend less time on household chores

Text messages

Re: About couples and separate bedrooms… by drunkenness and other vices.

Ojona Agbo, Abuja •The truth is two people are not one no matter how much they tried, no mater the love, humanity still need a little bit of privacy in respect to our natural (even spiritual) differences.

•Re-About couples’ and separate bedrooms. Right or wrong about the write-up is 5050. For rest and refreshing selves during work period, sleeping separately is key. If luckily both couples are on leave at the same time, sleeping in the same room is key. Further question is: If one of the couples is a paid worker and the other is self-employed, what happens? During new baby nurturing, what happens? My submission is that, all these sleeping together or separately falls within foreign culture which needs to be minimized.

If you sleep in same room always and the male partner remains a pauper, what happens?

Lanre Oseni, Lagos •Thanks for your care for the home. No matter how much one tries to pretend, the truth eventually will surface. A couple who sleeps together tend to be more tender, forgiving and open towards each other and these are the ingredient of successful marriages. Please keep up the good work.

Dr. Emmanuel Irabor, Benin

•Couples keep separate bedrooms for many reasons ranging from an endless list of individual differences to clandestine ‘moves’. However, I think sharing the bedroom with one’s spouse is the best because it reduces suspicion, it guides against any form of sexual disorder and strengthens love bond. Let us look at it from here, how would a spouse (with separate room) seek first aid or medical attention, if his/her health suddenly fails in the mid’ of the night and he/she can’t even raise a finger for help? Oh forbid!! Instead of keeping separate rooms why not get a large bed in same room.

Seun Osinkolu, Ogbomoso

Greetings… my busy schedule doesn’t give me time to comment on general issues. I saw your column and the topic.

I hope my commends addup Marriage starts from the Head and better parts are decisions of the mind. Far from a partner restless legs, snores, etc the decision of partner deciding to have separate room should be natural to them without a cumulative reason attached to it.

I married 16 years ago and our first apartment was 2bed-

and leisure activities.

•There are no differences in social behaviour, cognitive ability and language development whether mothers stayed at home or worked.

An earlier study also concludes that “a mother’s employment outside the home has no significant negative effect on her children. According to this study: •When mothers worked long hours, there were small differences in testing for vocabulary and individual student achievement, however these differences disappear over time.

•Children whose mothers returned to work when they were three to four years old, instead of as infants showed a high rate of compliance with authority. However, this too disappeares over time and later shows no differences.

•There is no significant negative impact on children when mothers work outside the home.

The results of these two studies can help relieve the guilt that many working mothers feel.

Their children will thrive based not on how much time they spend together, but on the quality of time spent together.

Mothers that are comfortable room. For me I sleep anywhere..

When we moved to 3bedroom, we just decided to allow the boys to stay with my wife in one room and I stay in one room and last room for guest and maids.

When we moved to 6bedroom duplex I had my room, my wife had her own, kids their own and maid her’s and downstairs empty for visitors.

None of this can affect your love by 1% because we mad eup our mind to love… bedroom is not for curdling only you can do so any where in the house.

You can make love anywhere.

My wife room is full of fe-

with their decision, are confident in their abilities, and provide loving and nurturing homes have the best chance of raising well-adjusted children, whether they work outside the home or stay at home.

If one balances out the exceptionally good mothers, the ordinary mothers and the exceptionally bad mothers; then probably on balance, having a working mother does not significantly impact children at a cognitive or behavioural level in general. Unfortunately, it is not just the time spent away from the children that is of significance, it is the quality of the energy drain from working that probably most impacts children. For most mothers today, working full time is not a choice, it is a requirement, as it is for fathers.

And mothers who work full time or more will find that they have slaved away in order to provide a certain lifestyle and have produced children who feel little need to visit their mothers as they move on to adulthood because that closeness of connection is just not there.

The summary of this piece in my opinion is that there should be a balance in whatever we do, or what do you think?.

male loads but once in a while we hyke there and many times we stay 90% in mine.

Once your mind is made up to love your wife, fundamentals won’t derail it.

Paul Ayigbe •Re: Separate bedrooms.

Many thanks for choosing to focus on this issue. My fiancé has been suggesting we have separate rooms after marriage. To me it is a bad idea capable of negatively affecting intimacy between couples. I’ve dropped your write-up for my partner to read and hope she changes her mind.

Somze, PH

•Vera, thanks to take an interest in those with the matrimonial challenges. I feel apprehensive with painful conclusion of the behaviour of some couples of which has become phenomenon. To be abreast of situation, couples must to revoke disorder but to leaves legacy behind. While once again appreciate you Vera for being there to correct wrong.

Jide Obokun, Saki •Couples and separate bedroom is not a good idea, as the bible make us to understand that “two shall become one”. So it is trouble for marriage couple to sleep in different room.

Farohun Esther, PH

•Mr and Mrs Wale Adeboye during their wedding ceremony in Ibadan.

Saturday

THE NATION SATURDAY, AUGUST 20, 2011

41

Profile Partying Happenstances Style

SOCIAL SCENE

SPECIAL

Life was so tou gh that I couldn't afford tough common tooth paste, toilet soap soap and food toothpaste, Pastor who 'abandoned' banking for the pulpit reminisces

44

THE NATION, SATURDAY, AUGUST 20, 2011

‘My friends thought I was mad to have left a flying career to be a pastor’ He spent 13 years of his working life in the banking and insurance sectors, and many believe his sophisticated dress sense could have derived from this.

Senior Pastor of The Father's House Church and General Overseer of The Manifest Ministries International, Dr. Richard Udoh, a 1988 graduate of Veterinary Medicine from the University of Ibadan and Master's degree holder in Business Administration, shares his life experiences with GBENGA ADERANTI.

•Udoh

H

OW come you ‘abandoned’ a successful career in banking and insurance to become a pastor?

Let me state categorically that I did not abandon my banking career as you speculated. The bible says there is time for everything under the heavens. When the Lord asked me to leave after 10 years of successful career in the banking industry, I did. Moreover, there is nothing absolutely more satisfying than fulfilling the will of God in a man’s life.

What were the challenges you faced at the initial stage?

Well, the first challenge I had was relating this vision to my wife. As a wife, she resisted it at the initial stage, considering so many things. Many of my friends had uninformed thought over my plan. One even said I must be mad to abandon a flying career for the church.

Another said I should have combined the running of a church with my banking career. That way, he said, I would have access to money to fund the church. The bottom-line is that a good number of my friends did not see any sense in my action. Today, God has honoured His

word in my life.

When you told your wife that you were leaving banking job for gospel, what was her reaction?

Like I said earlier, God took perfect care of that aspect while everything was in the offing.

What were the initial hitches you faced when you started as a full time pastor?

Initially, it was like a culture shock for my family. Imagine not being able to afford some very basic needs like toothpaste, soap and, at times, food, not to talk about school fees. It was very challenging, but I kept my

resolve. What made it bearable was the fact that I had the consent of my wife and children before starting out in full time ministry. Getting the consent itself was quite challenging, because it was not by legislation but by patiently waiting for God to speak to them, particularly my wife.

Do you sometimes feel like going back to your banking job?

Going back to banking job? (Sighs) To be candid, I had felt like going back on one or two occasions. There was even an irresistible offer for me in a bank. I almost consented to the advice of a friend who said I could combine running a church

45

THE NATION, SATURDAY, AUGUST 20, 2011 with my job as a banker. But thanks be to God, He made a provision to support the vision.

Your wife is an Urhobo woman while you are an Akwa Ibom indigene who grew up in Lagos. Which language do you speak at home?

We are both Nigerians and we communicate effectively in Yoruba and English languages. Through my mother’s help, I am teaching my children to at least learn to speak either Ibibio or Annang.

Do you have low moments too?

Every human being is expected to have low moments. How we manage our low moment is what differs.

How do you cope with your low moments?

I know that the Bible has an answer to every issue of life. Also, I have some fathers in faith whose advice I do not trivialise because of their experience. Also, I seek the face of the Lord in prayers and in personal retreats.

Tell me one of those moments you find very difficult to forget.

That was October 20, 2008. It was a Monday morning, around 8 am. A phone call came through that our next door neighbour’s gas company was in flames and it had already caught a part of the church auditorium. The Lord sent His angels and by the Hand of God, the house was spared from the rampaging gas fire.

Pastors are expected to live holy and above board always. Do you ever get upset?

Pastors are first human beings before they are pastors. So, give them a benefit of the doubt. I get upset as a human being, especially when people consciously or deliberately fall short of their callings.

How do you manage anger?

I ask God to help me, especially to posses more of the fruit of the spirit.

One of the most difficult things to manage is people. How have you managed to cope with people from different ethnic backgrounds?

I have done so through God’s grace, the word of God and the leading of the spirit of God. People say a lot of negative things about pastors. You are one of the few yet be faulted. What is the secret?

Not faulted? Says who? I have equally received my own portion of accusation.

But God had told me never to defend myself.

Why are you in suit most of the time?

The nature of my profession right from the beginning does not permit a shabby appearance. As a pastor, I should not appear immodest either.

You hardly wear agbada or babanriga...

It all boils down to my professional background. I am well accustomed to formal dressing.

There are divergent opinions about how a woman should dress in church. Some say that women should not wear trousers; others believe that it is wrong for a woman not to cover her head in church.

What is your take on these?

Dressing is a civil thing. People address you the way you dress. It is possible to be hypocritical with your dressing. I mean one can dress well to church and yet dress anyhow outside church. If I cover my head in church because I’m in God’s presence, does my not covering the same head take me out of His presence? God searches the heart of man.

If a female member of your church dresses in a way you are not comfortable with, what would you do?

There are respected women and ushers in our church who are positioned to take care of such.

People say you always have one programme or the other in your church.

How much time do you spend with your family?

My family takes prime concern in all I do. As a matter of fact, I hardly go out on Mondays. I stay with my family and my family only.

‘

Initially, it was like a culture shock for my family. Imagine not being able to afford some very basic needs like toothpaste, soap and, at times, food, not to talk about school fees... What made it bearable was the fact that I had the consent of my wife and children before starting out in full time ministry.

Getting the consent itself was quite challenging

’

•... with his wife, Rita

How do you unwind?

I read, watch movies and listen to music most times.

You are about to start another programme tagged ‘Believers’ Conference’. What is it all about?

The Believer’s Conference is the gathering of God’s children, as the name implies. It is a non-denominational

‘

meeting of people who love God and fear Him. It is an avenue for the teaching of God’s word, imparting the life of people and for having an encounter with divinity.

It is always a three-day programme which ends with a special Sunday worship service at 10.30 am. This year’s Conference is tagged: The Finger of God, the Hand of God, the Arm of God. Your church has been doing a lot of

Going back to banking job? (Sighs) To be candid, I had felt like going back on one or two occasions. There was even an irresistible offer for me in a bank. I almost consented to the advice of a friend who said I could combine running a church with my job as a banker

’

things to assist the community. There is this free health service and water project.

Why are you taking over the responsibility of the government?

It is part of our social responsibility to give back to our community. I strongly believe that what we are doing is just a corroborative exercise. No one is usurping the function of the government. Our thinking in life should be what we can do for our society and not otherwise.

Where do you get funds from?

Our funds are raised from members offering, tithes, donations for projects etc.

Why do you think churches should participate in community development projects?

I think the fastest way to impact on a community is by meeting the needs and solving the problems you handle. You may be stretched in the process, but it is okay once the objective is attained. A church that positively impacts on her community will grow and create a sense of communal living, which will enhance co-existence, eradication of vices and peace.

46

THE NATION, SATURDAY, AUGUST 20, 2011

Latest hair accessories T •Forever 21 braided rhinestone heandband

HE fashion scene is invaded by beautiful head pieces that dress up a simple hairstyle and can easily save you when having a bad hair day. All you need is to brush your hair and slip it on.

Whether you decide to buy a beautiful piece,or you want to work on the old accessories (necklace, ribbon, rubber-band, cotton fabric scarf etc), the point is to match it with your personality. There are different types, ranging from the extremely slim (tiny) headbands like the type that Omotola Ekehinde is wearing below to the super big ones. Decorated with clips, feathers, flowers, jewelry and bows, headbands are sported on the forehead as well as crown area. The extremely slim/ tiny types are the king of the headbands at the moment! But the flower headband (bohemian trend) has been with us since the beginning of the year. And the good thing about these headbands is that they are simple but stylish. Just throw in your hair and they instantly change your look.

They are sexy and look fabulous with any hair length.

•Chic dappled feather headband

by J. Crew

•Embellished hair band

Six tips on finding the perfect bra

B

•Ellen Jess headband

•Embellished hair band

•This embellished headband will look amazing on casuals

•Omotola Ekehinde

•Braided headband with stones

ELIEVE it or not, one out of every three women is wearing the wrong bra size.

DON'T: Wear a sports bra unless you're working out-it's not good for your breast tissue.

DO: Choose a comfortable style.

DON'T: Wear a bra with too-loose and too-stretched-out straps.

DO: Opt for straps with elasticity that will help to give you the best support.

DON'T: Suffer from the dreaded "underboob or sideboob".

DO: Get professionally fitted and you will end up looking and feeling great.

DON'T: Flatten an already small chest with a thin, barely-there bra.

DO: Try a padded push up bra that will give you a little extra (yet natural-looking) oomph.

DON'T: Choose a demi cup if you are looking for full-sized support.

DO: Choose a full coverage style if you're full-sized gal looking for the best support.

DON'T: Wear bras that are too big and gaping. It will leave your bust completely shapeless. The en- tire cup should lie flush against your breast with no excess fabric.

47

THE NATION, SATURDAY, AUGUST 20, 2011

Making statements with belts F

Fashionable or not, waist belts are a must-use for both sexes! They are compulsory accessories.A belt can be used by fashionable men and women to make loud or quiet fashion statements.

Elegant and quality belts with unique buckles or designs can be combined with one or two other accessories to get a versatile look. Mind you, the colour of your belt must blend with the colour of your shoes.

•Seven hills braided double buckle belt

•Tan brown snakeskin wide waist nip belt

•Very innovative and unique

•Elohor Aisien •Wide high waist fashion braided stretch belt

•Wide high waist leopard prinst tapered faux patent leather belt

National Design Award holds September 13

T

HE National Design Award usually takes place in the middle of July, but this year, Michelle Obama will host it at the White House on September 13 in the middle of the New York Fashion Week.

As a result, many invitees can't make it, including finalist Jason Wu and runner-up Prabal Gurung. Gilles Mendel, who is this year's fashion design winner, moved the date of his runway show so that he'll be able to accept his award in person.

WWD chided, "First Lady Michelle Obama knows her designer labels, but her handlers must have misplaced her fashion calendar."

Ralph Lauren’s new line inspired by Lodges, Wharves, Wilderness

R

ALPH Lauren's new line, Denim & Supply, has been launched. And it hit Macy's Stores immediately. According to a release, it was inspired by "vintage" and "heritage" stuff. Also this season’s premiere collection is based on three stories: Into the Wild, The Lodge and The Wharf.

48

THE NATION SATURDAY, AUGUST 20, 2011

49

THE NATION, SATURDAY, AUGUST 20, 2011

•A fighter jet

A

t the end of the Nigerian civil war on January 15, 1970, the government of the day declared there was ‘no victor and no vanquished’.

It was aimed at putting the ugly episode behind and speeding up the process of national reconciliation .

While the war lasted, various sophisticated weapons were used.

Some of these were fabricated due to the exigencies of the war. Outside the appurtenances of war, civilians were also involved in the process of not just fighting, but psyching up the minds of the people to forge ahead despite the deprivations that come with war. Different media of mass communication were used.

The war was a watershed in the history of Nigeria as a country. The experience, many agree, is such that makes the resort to arms and war as a means of conflict resolution not an attractive option. It is in this spirit that the Nigerian War Museum, Umuahia was established.

The museum’s location was chosen because it was where the bunker housing the famous shortwave radio “the Voice of Biafra” was transmitted from. Voice of Biafra was the mouth-piece for Biafra during the war.

The museum has the highest collection of the Nigerian civil war weapons that are no longer in used.

The weapons are from both the Nigerian military and the defunct Biafra.

The place has become a tourist site that attracts hundreds of people daily.

They come from within and outside the country to see the war artifacts on display. To some, it is to relive the periods of the war through items on display, while to others, it is for study purposes. There are yet others who come simply for curiosity.

The museum is located at Ebite Amafor in Isingwu Autonomous Community in the Umuahia North

National War Museum: Living memory of an ugly past Local Government Area. It is off the Umuahia-Uzuakoli Road. The museum is very popular, so locating it would pose no problem as any cab or the commercial tricyclist could take one to the museum. There are no longer commercial motorcyclists in Umuahia.

The museum was commissioned in 1985 on a large expanse of land. It has three galleries featuring items on the traditional warfare, armed forces and Nigerian civil war weapons.

War relics in the museum include weapons used during the pre-colonial civil disturbances, warfare materials used during communal and inter-tribal wars and those of the Nigerian civil war.

After paying the entrance fee, a tour of the museum kicks off from the pre-historic war section where some of the weapons that were used for war are on display. These are spears, shields, bows, arrows and metal war vests used by warriors protection.

The end of the old war weapons section leads to the Nigerian Armed Forces gallery. Ceremonial uniforms of the army officers and pictures of some past military leaders are on display there. For those unfamiliar with the military insignia that differentiate the ranks in the military, this gallery offers tutorials.

From this section, one then walks to the gate of the bunker that housed the Radio Biafra . Just at the entrance is the Biafran flag-red, black and green-with the rising sun in the middle. There are also black and white pictures of the Nigerian lead-

ers who were victims of the war,including those killed in the January 15, 1966 coup of Kaduna Nzeogwu.

The bunker is about 30 feet deep and on both sides are pictures of protagonists of the war from both Nigerian and Biafran sides.

Inside the bunker are the transmission studio and the huge transmitter of the Radio Biafra. The bunker is a perfect decoy and very difficult for any enemy aircraft to locate without any prior information, especially with the undulating hills in the area.

The bunker has two stairways for entrance and exit. The tour of this section of the museum is arranged in a way that the tourist would water through the main entrance to the bunker and exit through the back.

Scattered on the expansive premises of the war museum are different obsolete military weapons. Looking at them in their obsolete state, one wonders how many lives some of these weapons must have terminated. Has the nation learnt from this sad chapter in the Nigeria’s nation building process? Has the huge cost of this war made the nation value

•Staircase that leads down into the bunker

the need for peace and dialogue as the best method of conflict resolution?

The army weapons on display include anti-aircraft guns and the squid mortar MK4 anti-submarine gun said to be carried by the warship N.N.S.Nigeria, according to the explanation at the side of the weapon.

It is an ahead throwing weapon that was used to destroy the enemy submarine. It was mostly deployed for demolition of suspected mine fields along the channel for the safe pas-

Continued on Page 50

50

THE NATION, SATURDAY, AUGUST 20, 2011

Living memory of an ugly past Continued from Page 49

sage of Nigerian Navy ships during the war.Others are the Biafran red devil armoured personnel carrier, the famous Ogbunigwe (Ojukwu bucket) launcher, artillery gun 105mm howitzer said to have been used by the Italians during the Second World War in 1943 and that the particular

weapon on display was used at the Aba/ Ikot Ekpene axis during the civil war and NAF 102 Donier 27 aircraft. According to the history of the plane, it came from Luftwaffe Training Mission.There are also NAF 181 Donier 128 and the Donier 128 for reconnaissance.

When The Nation visited the museum, some renovation activities were going on. The

indoor gallery was not well lit as there was no light. It was just a small electricity power generation set that was supplying light.

For those who never experienced the civil war, they may not appreciate it fully without visiting the musuem. For those who did, they could relive the period by visiting the place.

•Biafran flag

•A warship used in the civil war

•Ogbunigwe launcher

Kehinde FALODE: 08023689894

Bread pizza Foluke ADEMOLA

BREAD pizza is a very popular recipe. It is easy to eat for any course of meals.

Ingredients •4 bread slices •1 capsicum (sliced) •1 tomato (sliced) •4 mushrooms (sliced) •2 onions (sliced) •1 tbsp butter •4 tbsp mozzarella cheese (grated) •1 pinch salt •1 pinch sugar •2 tbsp pizza sauce Method • Heat butter in a pan. Add vegetables to it and fry them until brown and soft.

• Add salt and sugar to the vegetables. Cook and stir till moisture evaporate from the vegetables.

• Take a bread slice and smear it with pizza sauce.

• Spread the vegetable mixture on the bread and garnish

Healthy and nutritional value of onions

ONION has been used as an ingredient in various dishes for thousands of years by many cultures around the world.

World onion production is steadily increasing so that onion is now the second most important horticultural crop after tomatoes.

There are many different varieties of onion, red, yellow, white, and green, each with their own unique flavor, from very strong to mildly sweet. Onions can be eaten raw, cooked, fried, dried or roasted.

They are commonly used to flavor dips, salads, soups, spreads, stir-fry and other dishes.

Onions (Allium cepa) belong to the lily family, the same family as garlic, leeks, chives, scallions and shallots.There are over 600 species of Allium, distributed all over Europe, North America, Northern Africa and Asia. The plants can be used as ornamentals, vegetables, spices, or as medicine. It is use for different kind of things below is few: Cancer Prevention: Onion extracts, rich in a variety of sulfides, provide some protection against tumor growth.

In central Georgia where Vidalia onions are grown, mor•Bread pizza is ready to satality rates from stomach cancer are about one-half the it with mozzarella cheese. average level for the United States. Studies in Greece have • Grill the bread in an oven vor. Serve it with tomato shown a high consumption of onions, garlic and other for 3-4 minutes, or till the ketchup. alliums herbs to be protective against stomach cancer. bread is crispy and the Onion also protects against stomach and other cancers, cheese melts. as well as protecting against certain infections. Onion can improve lung function, especially in asthmatics.

Pineapple coconut smoothie is a The more pungent varieties Preparation very popular drink which is very of onion appear to possess • Blend together pineeasy to drink after delicious the greatest concentration of apple juice, pineapple and ice meals. It gives you the satisfaccubes in a blender until smooth. h e a l t h - p r o m o t i n g tion you always need.

• Add coconut meat and phytochemicals.

Ingredients It is also very good in alleblend again until smooth. viation of different illness • 1 cup pineapple juice • Mix in coconut milk. and ailments like: Asthma, • ½ cup ice-cubes • Pour into 2 glasses.

Bacterial Infections, Cough, • ½ cup fresh pineapple • Serve immediately.

Colds, Influenza, Insomnia, (sliced) Obesity, Pneumonia, Tuber• ½ cup coconut milk

Pineapple coconut smoothie

culosis Neuritis, Vertigo and Bronchitis.

They are rich source of chromium, the trace mineral that helps tissue cells respond appropriately to insulin levels in the blood; thus helps facilitate insulin action and control sugar levels in diabetes.

Onions have the property of helping lower blood sugar; they are good for those suffering from diabetes. The extracts of onion, being rich in a variety of sulfides, provide some protection against tumor growth.

Onions are very good for the health and growth of hair, finger and toe nails and even the eyes.

51

THE NATION, SATURDAY, AUGUST 20, 2011

Greatland partners US on tourism, investment promotion

G

REATLAND of Nigeria, a historical, cultural and tourism enterprise registered in both Nigeria and the US, is partnering with Black Heritage Society and City of Huston in seeking for platforms to promote Nigerian tourism abroad and also to woo Americans to see the investment opportunities in the sector in Nigeria.

The organisation is uses the forthcoming 34th Annual Martin Luther King Jr. parade, birthday and holiday celebration at the City of Houston from January 1316, 2012 as the veritable platform for the exchange meant to impact on both countries tourism, investment, diplomatic relations and economy at large.

According to Andrew Okokhere, the project coordinator/CEO, Greatlands of Nigeria, the organisation will be joining the City of Houston, American Airlines, Black Heritage, various oil companies, and other organisations doing business in Nigeria in marking this momentous occasion that celebrates change.

The rationale behind the project, according to

Greatland of Nigeria CEO is: “Tourism is life and we must use it to bring revenue and employment directly to the people of Nigeria. If one million tourists come to Nigeria and each of them spend $5,000- $10,000 U.S dollars, it will significantly improve the material condition of the people of Nigeria”.

The expected Nigerian delegation, according to Okokhere who is also a knight, include the president, governors, press, and other elected officials who on their individual and collective capacities will be selling the various investment opportunities in the country, their states and localities to would-be investors in the US. As well, the organisers have also asked royal his majesty, Oba Akran of Badagry and some other culture and heritage custodians across the country to join in the celebration.

“The celebration ushers in exchanges, networking, cultural and business platforms that will be of mutual benefits to the two countries.

We are targeting a reasonable increase in the volume of business between the two

countries, increase revenue for businesses in and out of them and creating employment especially among airlines, oil companies and increased foreign direct investments in Nigeria”.

Also speaking, Ovide Duncantell, founder/CEO, Black Heritage Society, Inc., noted that his organisation is partnering with GreatLand of Nigeria in this endeavors to “keep the dream alive”, and as well as, to respectfully ask the Houston and Nigeria communities to join them as they

honour and celebrate the birth and legacy of America’s most revered and famous civil rights leader, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. One of the highlights of the occasions, according to Okokhere, will be the Promoting Tourism and African/America International Business Meeting in Houston Texas on January 15, 2012. He also urge corporate organizations, governments and citizens of Nigeria at home in the dispora to take advantage of the sponsorship of the celebration to further market their businesses, tourism/business potentials and development efforts to the world and also to woo credible investors from America to Nigeria.

Institute endorses WATHA

T

HE Institute of Hospi tality, UK has endorsed the West African Tourism & Hospitality Awards (WATHA). This was as a result of the value perception and criteria set by the Awards organizers in which the customers, who are the end users of Hospitality, Leisure & Tourism products and services are the judges.

The endorsement by the Institute of Hospitality, UK reinforces the Institute’s reputation as a membership organisation promoting quality standards and education

in more than 100 countries.

This prestigious event is annually formed to celebrate the skills, creativity, ingenuity and triumph within the travel and Hospitality industry, while honouring the thriving entrants in each of the ceremonial 25 categories and those who are considered to be the best in their respective sector. The award Encourages even higher standards and applaud the exceptional effort made by so many of the Industry members.

Point One Entertainment plans big for Ramadan

P

LAZA De Aruna Hotel’s Point 1 Entertainment club, Oyo is bringing old memories alive with different entertaining event to celebrate the end of Ramadan (Itunu Awe).

The event which will feature the magic and trick of the late legendary magician, professor Peller, will also host the Peller’s family, who will be entertaining guess with hilarious tricks and display of abracadabra at the Point 1 Entertainment night Club at the premise of Plaza De Aruna Hotel.

Tagged magic funtasia, the Ramadan special is an initiative of the Plaza de Aruna Hotel in conjunction with the Peller’s Entertainment to give customers, families and well-wishers a wonderful treat.

Speaking on the magic funtasia, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Plaza de Aruna Hotel, Mr. Kojo Aruna Elewi said that the offering is not only to keep guess spelled bound but to also rally all and sundry to spice up the end Ramadan celebration.

“We are bringing the glorious memories of magic back to the entertainment industry. For the magic show, Zetto Peller aka Mr. Magic and Nike Peller will be displaying different magical trick from making objects to disappear and reappear, walking in the air to cutting a box containing a live person into two halves.

“Apart from the spectacle that Mr. Magic will pull at the venue, Taye Currency and other notable hip hop artist and comedians will add glamour to the day.

Naija Seven Wonders team tours Kano, Adamawa, Niger

T

O conclude the tour of the 15 sites that made it in the final shortlist of the Naija Seven Wonders, the assessment team will be visiting Kano and Adamawa states next month. The expedition team made up of Journalist, Tour Operators and Judges. In Kano, the sites to be visited includes the city walls and the emirs palace.

As part of the visit the team will pay a courtesy call on the Emir Of Kano and the Governor of Kano State. The expedition team will be hosted by the Kano state ministry in charge of Tourism and the Tourism board.

After the visit to Kano the team will head to the first UNESCO Heritage site in Nigeria,Sukur in Adamawa before rounding up its Northern section of the expedition with a visit to Niger state.

The expedition team have already visited 3(Badagry,Obudu and Alok) out of the Top15 sites and intend to visit as many sites as possible as a way of drawing attention to the wonders of Nigeria.

SUDOKU Welcome to SUDOKU, the captivating and engrossing numbers logic puzzle popularised by the Japanese.

The idea of the puzzle is to fill the grid of 81 cells divided into nine 3 x 3 boxes, such that every box, every row, and every column contains the numbers 1-9, each number appearing only once in each box, row and column.

1ST STEP IN SOLVING PUZZLE 323: Look at the 3 right vertical (ghi) 3x3 boxes. The top box has 6 in cell Ag, while the middle box has its 6 in cell Eh. The bottom box must, therefore, have its own 6 in column i, where all 3 cells are vacant. But, since row G has 6 in cell Gf, and row H a 6 in cell Hb, the only space available to accommodate 6 in the bottom box is cell Ii. Reasoning along these lines, try and fill in all the other vavant cells.

SOLUTION TOMORROW. HAPPY PUZZLING!

PUZZLE 327

•L-R: Faith Praise, Executive Director Movibez entertainment, Olawale Dafa, E.D WATHA, Yemi Ademola, Nigeria Hospitality and Catering Institute and Adedayo Adesugba... at the WATHA press conference

Egypt to host World Tourism Day

T

HE Egyptian city of Aswan will host the offi cial 2011 World Tourism Day (WTD) celebrations, which will include a HighLevel Think Tank on this year’s theme, ‘Tourism – Linking Cultures’ (27 September 2011).

“It is most fitting that Egypt, home to some of the world’s most celebrated cultural heritage and a leading tourism destination, be the host country for the official celebrations of World Tourism Day 2011,” said UNWTO Secretary-General, Taleb Rifai, announcing the news.

Egypt is world famous for its rich history and vibrant culture which draw millions of tourists to the country each

year. It is precisely this interaction between the peoples and cultures of the world, driven by tourism, that is at the heart of the WTD 2011 theme: Tourism – Linking Cultures.

“We are very honored to be hosting the official celebrations of World Tourism Day 2011 in Egypt. Tourism is one of the most important sectors of our society, representing 12% of our GDP in 2010 and responsible for one in every seven jobs.

World Tourism Day is an excellent opportunity to raise awareness around the world of this vital economic sector and its contribution to social, economic and environmental well-being worldwide and in Egypt in particular,” said the

Minister of Tourism of Egypt, Mounir Fakhri Abdel-Nour.

Planned WTD activities in Aswan include a High-Level Think Tank on the 2011 theme, at which leading public and private tourism stakeholders, academia and the media will address the role of tourism in building understanding, respect and tolerance worldwide.

WTD activities running throughout the year include the annual WTD Photo Competition, which offers a roundtrip to Egypt as first prize.

UNWTO has also launched the first ever WTD Twitter Competition, asking people to ‘tweet’ about how they consider tourism to link cultures.

Winning entries will appear on the official programme handed out during the celebrations in Aswan.

The Institute of Hospitality, UK has endorsed the West African Tourism & Hospitality Awards (WATHA). This was as a result of the value perception and criteria set by the Awards organizers in which the customers, who are the end users of Hospitality, Leisure & Tourism products and services are the judges. The endorsement by the Institute of Hospitality, UK reinforces the Institute’s reputation as a membership organisation promoting quality standards and education in more than 100 countries.

A B C D E F G H I

6 1 2

3

5

6

7

5

4

9 6

2 7

8 9 6

6

8

2 7

2

4

SOLUTION TO PUZZLE 326 7

4

8

5

1

9

2

6

5

3

1

4

9

2

7

6

3

8

1

6

3

4

5

8

2

9

2

6

8

3

7

4

1

4

3

7

5

2

1

9

8

6

8

1

5

9

4

6

3

7

2

2

5

9

3

1

4

7

6

8

6

7 8

4 1

8 7

5 9

1 4

2 3

9 5

6 2

9

52

THE NATION, SATURDAY, AUGUST 20, 2011

The place of the in-laws (2)

D

EAR Reader, Welcome to another exciting week. Last week, I brought you the introductory part of this month’s teaching, where I said demonstrating love, patience, kindness, gentleness and respect to in-laws are ways of honouring them as one’s parents.

Today, I want to unveil to you some Vital Keys in relating efficiently with your in-laws.

Key of Acceptance God’s Word says: And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God: Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the Lord

P

EOPLE who say they are too busy to exercise now have little excuse, after scientists found just 15 minutes of activity a day is enough to lengthen your life.

Scientists reported in The Lancet, a foreign journal, that even short bursts of physical exertion can lengthen one’s lifespan by three years.

While the initial exercise reduced death rates by 14 per cent, each additional 15 minutes of activity further reduced the rate by four per cent.

This trend continued until a person was exercising for 100 minutes a day, after which no further benefit was seen.

More vigorous activity for shorter periods of time had the same effect as less intense exercise carried out for longer.

Exercise was also seen to have a very protective effect against cancer.

People classified as ‘inactive’ had an 11 per cent higher risk of dying of cancer than those in the ‘low-volume’ activity group.

do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me (Ruth 1:16-17). With this key, Naomi automatically became a member of Ruth’s family.

Although, there is a boundary to how far in-laws should get concerned in your nuclear family affairs, it doesn’t mean they should be chased away. Accepting your in-laws as members of your household is very crucial.

Despite that many people see inlaws as members of their household, but they still refuse to accept them. Viewing your in-laws as outsiders trying to interfere into your relationships will not help, rather, accept and care for them.

By that singular act of Ruth, she became a reference point in the lineage of our Lord Jesus

Christ. So, as a daughter in-law, son-in-law, sister-in-law, brother-in-law, father-in-law or mother-in-law, you need to learn from the story of Ruth.

Key of Love It is very important to walk in love. Love makes it possible for you to relate successfully with all categories of men including your in-laws, both the “loveable” and the “unlovable”. When Mother Theresa, a well-known Christian and Nobel Laureate winner of the Peace prize, was asked what the solution for world peace was, her response was, “Let everyone go home and love their families”. This implies that indeed, love is a vital force for growth and successful relationship with whoever you are dealing with.

Someone once said, “You can give without loving, but you can’t love without giving”. Therefore, loving your in-laws does not necessarily mean verbally saying, “I love you”. Put into practice the love of God by reaching out to your in-laws. This shouldn’t be limited to physical things, include your time, energy, and intellect. Occasionally visit them, as this may be of value to them

than sending all the letters and messages you can.

Key of Hospitality Hospitality has great benefits, but brotherly love should be the reason for reaching out to others, your in-laws especially. Brotherly love is an apparatus that makes hospitality easy. God’s Word says: Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another. Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality (Romans 12:10 & 13).

Brotherly love is what makes you want to give helping hand to others. It can be expressed by sharing your food and drink with others. Remember, God’s Word says: the liberal soul shall be made fat (Proverbs 11:250). Be sold out to hospitality, because it’s the path to God’s presence in your marriage and home.

In the early days of our ministry, my husband and I had to share our home and toilet facilities with the whole church. We did it then without grumbling or complaining, knowing that is was just a phase. I believe that was one of the reasons why God blessed us with a larger place.

We learnt early that a friendly

and open home is commanded

by God. In our home, we are given to hospitality and we enjoy it. In actual fact, it is our watchword! Genuine and sincere hospitality brings with it great rewards. You will not miss your reward! You also need to be connected to the God of love so you can dwell in love.

To connect with the God of love entails confessing your sins and accepting Jesus as your Lord and personal Saviour. Therefore, if you are set for this, say this prayer of faith: 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! 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 Pastor Faith Oyedepo are available at the Dominion Bookstores in all the Living Faith Churches and other leading Christian bookstores: Marriage Covenant, Making Marriage Work, and Success In Marriage (Co-authored).

Just 15 minutes of exercise a day ‘increases your life expectancy by three years Cancer deaths fell by one per cent for each additional 15 minutes of daily exercise after the first 15 minutes.

The study from the National Health Research Institutes in Zhunan, Taiwan, involved more than 400,000 people followed between 1996 and 2008 in a medical screening programme.

Participants, who were all aged 20 and above, were questioned about their weekly leisure-time physical activity.

They were then placed into one of five categories based on a formula that took into account both exercise intensity and duration.

The different ‘exercise volume’ groups were ‘inactive’, ‘low’, ‘medium’, ‘high’, and ‘very high’.

On average those in the ‘lowvolume’ group exercised for 92 minutes a week, or 15 minutes

•Exercise is seen to have a very protective effect against cancer

per day.

Benefits of exercise were said to apply to both sexes, across all age groups, and to those at risk of heart disease.

Research leader Dr Chi-Pang Wen, said: ‘Individuals who did a daily average of 15 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise had significant health benefits when compared with individuals who were inactive.

‘In Taiwan, if inactive individuals engage in low-volume daily exercise, one in six allcause deaths could be postponed.’

The results were similar to the benefits of quitting smoking, he added.

The study showed that two hours a week of vigorous-inten-

sity exercise generated similar health benefits as four hours a week of moderate-intensity exercise.

‘People who want to exercise but claim not to have much available time can benefit from the positive health effects of exercise if they do vigorous-intensity exercise once or even twice a week (especially during the weekends),’ said the researchers.

However, they warned squashing activity into two days increased the potential for injury and heart attacks.

Another study published recently showed that watching too much television can reduce life expectancy.

England’s Chief Medical Officer Sally Davies said: ‘Physical activity offers huge benefits and

these studies back what we already know - that doing a little bit of physical activity each day brings health benefits and a sedentary lifestyle carries additional risks.

‘That’s why the UK’s chief medical officers recently updated their advice on physical activity to be more flexible, right from babyhood to adult life.

‘Adults for example can get their 150 minutes of activity a week in sessions of 10 minutes or more and for the first time we have provided guidelines on reducing sedentary time.

‘We hope these studies will help more people realise that there are many ways to get exercise - activities like walking at a good pace or digging the garden over can count too.’

Regular dusting ‘is best way to protect children from toxic chemicals’ PARENTS need to vacuum and wet mop their homes regularly to protect their children from toxic substances, researchers warned.

Dusting topped a list of the five best ways to limit the dangers of exposure to chemicals at home.

‘House dust is a major source of children’s exposures to toxic substances including lead which, even at very low levels, is known to be harmful to the developing brain,’ said Professor Bruce Lanphear from Simon Fraser University, Canada.

Recently, a dust study released by Health Canada researchers revealed particles of lead that could be absorbed by the body were found in all tested homes with values rang-

ing from eight to 3,916 parts per million.

‘An infant will absorb about 50 per cent of ingested lead, wheras an adult absorbs about 10 per cent,’ Professor Lanphear said.

‘This, combined with children’s frequent hand-tomouth behaviour, places children at much greater risk.’

The team said chemicals in the home have been linked to learning and behavioural disorders, asthma, cancer and birth defects.

They added that pregnant women and children should stay away from rooms when they are being renovated to avoid exposure to dust and toxic fumes from paints and glues.

‘The time of greatest vulnerability is in the womb,’ said Erica Phipps, from the Canadian Partnership for Children’s Health

and Environment.

Other recommendations to reduce exposure include switching to non-toxic cleaners and being aware of potential toxins in plastics and some varieties of processed foods.

Ms Phipps said: ‘If parents take simple actions in these five areas, they can significantly reduce their children’s exposures to toxics – and even save money.’

Ontario Minister of the Environment, John Wilkinson, who approved the recommendations, added: ‘A clean environment is one of the greatest gifts we can give our children and our grandchildren.

‘It ensures they have the greatest chance of success, both in their early developmental years and throughout their lives.’

53 Coping with diseases

THE NATION, SATURDAY, AUGUST 20, 2011

Difference between traditional medicine and conventional medicine

M

ANY people go to traditional medicine practitioners without any idea of the origin of their system and its beliefs.

Traditional African Medicine (TAM), as it exists today, has certainly been modified by modern influences.

Originally,TAM practitioners were members of cults. They obtain their training, secrets, and powers from their masters.

However, in the Nigerian modern society, many people including the unemployed, profiteers, and questionable characters can pose as TAM practitioners. Many conventional or orthodox doctors, scientists, and the literate public therefore have little regard for TAM in general.

The TAM practitioner certainly presents difficulty to orthodox practice. Knowledge in TAM is generally orally transmitted and is not standardized as in orthodox practice and it may even be held dogmatically, rightly or wrongly.

On the other hand, conventional medicine is based on knowledge that is written, critical, scientific, and typically consistent and where inconsistent, it is readily updated.

The causes of diseases, for both systems, clearly outwit human intelligence and hu-

man experience but we do know a little.

Understanding may be real or imaginary but it does guide the practitioner in treating the patient. TAM is not rational, i.e., does not depend on reason in the way orthodox practice does. TAM may be mythical, metaphysical, or mystical in explaining disease and treating disease. TAM traditionally has had little scientific knowledge on the physical.

It often spontaneously attributes disease and human misfortune to gods, ancestral spirits, other spirits, witches, or other non-attested causes or believes that these play a role or participate in disease.

TAM is borderline religion.

Conventional medicine on the other hand, produces r a t i o n a l , scientific,explanations of the causes of diseases based on the physical and on the tangible or attested facts. It relies solely on evident causes and evident changes. These include internal changes in organ structure or functions and external forces which may be non-tangible (such as environmental and social factors, events, and psychological disposition), or tangible (such as viruses, bacteria, fungi, cancer cells,and parasites). Perhaps, in future, aspects of the two may form a more holistic view of medi-

with Prof. Dayo Oyekole

Holistic remedy for HIV/AIDS

N cine and of therapeutics.

The two systems diagnose differently. TAM uses divination, ritual objects, and sacrifices to arrive at an explanation of the cause of the disease or of the signs and symptoms.

The healer claims revelation rather than understanding.

The healer tells the patient his or her ailment which may be medical, social, or economic.

Psychology and spiritualism are the strong link between the healer and patients or clients.

Conventional medicine on the other the other hand uses physical examination, scientific instruments, scientific procedures, and documentation. The conventional physician aims for accurate knowledge as far as possible and in order to make the choice of treatment as precise as possible.

The actual approach to treatment is different between the two systems. TAM may not depend on reason or reliable explanation. Faith and suggestion may play a role. The usefulness of herbs is thought to be communicated to the healer through signs in nature. Herbs are regarded as esoteric agents of supernatural forces. Ritual incantations

and sacrifices are made to release non-specific vital forces or energy from herbs and natural medicines such as animal parts. The TAM practitioner distinguishes between good and bad medicines: the good medicines being those used to produce good and the bad ones being those used to produce harm.

A single herb may be used for many different ailments and many herbs may be used for a single ailment as the treatment is aimed at the primary cause. Thus in TAM records of treatment are not kept and side effects and latent toxicity are not considered.

However, some herbs have become stably used for specific aliments. Polypharmacy involving a concoction of many herbs may be used to ensure desired change. Divination and sacrifices may be usedindependently of herbs.

The supernatural is often resorted to. Indeed, the Yoruba say: “a curse to cure a curse”.

Staphylococcus and infertility

ance.

Another problem of the spread of staph to the brain is epilepsy (falling sickness) that is marked by disturbed electrical rhythms of the central nervous system and is typically manifested by convulsive attacks usually with the victim becoming unconscious.

Staphylococcus infection is a major cause of infertility in both male and female. Most women would have contracted this infection even before marriage usually as a toilet infection, but due to ignorance or nonchalant attitude the infection would have affected the reproductive organs.

If you are a lady and in one time or another you have treated one infection or another especially a venereal disease, you have to make sure that you are totally cured. One mistake that most ladies make is that once they experience itching in their private part they go to chemists to buy drugs to stop the itching. Once the itching stops they feel they are okay and free, not knowing that they have only cured the infection externally but internally the infection is still there. The internal infection may not show any serious symptoms for some years, but it will gradually be affecting the internal reproductive organs. When such women now get married they now find it difficult to conceive, running from one gynecologist to another. Such lady could have save herself and her husband from such trouble if only she had done the right thing at the right time.

Continued from last week

A

good example is a patient after reading our article on staphylococcus infection and the symptoms, came to our office to complain that he has been to different hospitals for various tests which all revealed nothing. After carrying out some series of tests on him in our office, he was diagnosed to be having a heavy growth of staph aureus and he was treated and today he is staph free and a happy man.

Staphylococcus is a very complex disease, apart from being contracted sexually or as a toilet infection; there are

some other ways of getting infected. If you have contracted any form of disease in the past like, gonorrhea, syphilis, herpes, candida (yeast infection), urinary tract infection (U.T.I), etc, which you may have treated but not totally cured, could lead to staph infection.

So my candid advice to anyone that has any form of venereal disease or any disease at all should go for complete treatment and cure to avoid staph setting in.

When you wake up in the morning and you usually feel •Some kind of numbness in your joints, limbs or fingers or

•You always have internal heat, • Rumbling within your stomach •Some worm-like movement within your body.

Then you need to go for serious body examination. All the above-mentioned situations are part of the normal symptoms of staph infections that don’t have any thing to do with other diseases. Most of the other symptoms are one way or another related to one disease or another that is why in most cases of staph infections a victim may not be aware of what is really wrong with him.

Staph infection spreads through the blood stream, that is why the effect is felt on every part of the body system, when it spreads to the bones and joints particularly those of the arms, legs and spine it forms abscesses. This is usually what causes arthritis or oedema and if care is not taken it could lead to affected area becoming permanently stiff.

If staph infection spreads to the lungs it can cause staphylococcal pneumonia, if it spreads to the inner lining of the heart it results into bacterium endocarditis (which is a serious condition that can cause permanent damage to the heart).

Too much intake of antibiotics for other ailments can result into staphylococcus of the colon; if the infection spreads to the brain it could cause insomnia, which could lead to mental disorder. Not all cases of people with mental disorder or psychiatric problems are spiritual, because a situation where by a victim of staph of the brain could not sleep for days or weeks will automatically lead to a mental imbal-

Dr. ’Bola John is a biomedical scientist based in Nigeria and in the USA. For any comments or questions on this column, please E m a i l bolajohnwritings@yahoo.com or call 07028338910

•Dr B. Filani is the Chief Consultant of Sound Health Centre, Lagos. You can contact him on 08023422010 or on facebook or email soundhealthcentre@yahoo.com.

ATURAL therapy in this context implies a nonconventional system of preventing or eliminating physical, mental, social or spiritual ailments; which may rely exclusively on past experience and observation handed down from generation to generation, verbally or in writing. It involves the use of natural plants (herbs), animal matter and mineral compounds.

Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) is a complex of diseases and symptoms resulting from unexplained immune deficiency; caused by a retrovirus, culminating in a “mixed-bag” of life-threatening opportunistic infections, which invariably result in death.

The retrovirus that causes AIDS is known as Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) with types I, II, and III already isolated.

During the past few years, a lot of technical and financial supports have been provided for scientists searching for a cure for AIDS. Many of their efforts have been to try and discover a single pharmacological or immunological solution to what is, in fact, a “mixed-bag” of different disease conditions.

Paradoxically, while orthodox researchers have been struggling unsuccessfully to produce a single drug remedy for AIDS, there has been a tremendous advance made by the unorthodox, self-financed but highly ridiculed holistic approach; and it has become clear that the natural defence mechanisms of the individual sufferer can be augmented towards evolving a panacea to the disease problem.

It is against this background of unproductive waste of human, material and financial resources, in the face of the physical, psychological and social hazards imposed on mankind by Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) and several other devastating, insidious and otherwise intractable diseases; that I have embarked on this exposition of the “wisdom of ages”, as a private sector contribution to the strategies towards attainment of the much-desired “Health For All” in this millennium.

Over the past 28 years, I have conducted research at the University of Ibadan, Nigeria; as well as at Interdisciplinary Research Centres in Europe and Southern Africa; on holistic and complementary healthcare systems.

In the course of my research activities, it has become glaring that the body’s ability to protect itself from the onslaught of offending virus, bacteria, fungi, cancer cells, etc can be enhanced by holistic herbal ‘immuno-modulators’ , because, apart from supporting the body’s own immune defence mechanisms, they also prevent opportunistic infections.

In Holistic Lifecare, we are committed to total cure of HIV/AIDS sufferers when they have just been tested and diagnosed positive, when they are still able to eat, drink and move around on their own, but not when they are expecting their funeral the next day!

The Holistic Natural Remedy being suggested for restoring good health, vitality, and total cure in HIV/AIDS sufferers; is a combination of herbal, nutritional and psychosocial therapies at the appropriate time and in the right proportion. Notable among the useful herbs for HIV/AIDS are Aloe vera, Allium sativum, Harpagophytum zeyheri, Echinacea augustifolia and Zingiber officinale.

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: 0803-3303897 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 20, 2011

55

THE NATION, SATURDAY, AUGUST 13, 2011

•Jega

•Baraje

Guber polls in selected states

Aspirants and the waiting game A

fresh challenge is staring the various political parties in the face following the announcement by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of its readiness to conduct governorship elections in six states.

But with the INEC announcement now comes a new dilemma which flows largely from the fact that there is contention whether those who emerged the governorship flag bearers of the various political parties in the states in questions, some of who were handed the parties’ flags during their nationwide campaigns as those who will still fly the flags or that new primaries be conducted to choose fresh candidates for the parties.

Those who support that the former candidates that emerged be allowed to go the hog base their arguments on the fact that it would be morally wrong for the former winners to partake in a fresh exercise only to be defeated as a result of the evil machinations of their former rivals who may coalesce behind

•Row over primaries

Augustine AVWODE Assistant Editor & Sanni ONOGU, Abuja one of them to defeat him. Should this be the case, they are of the view that such parties that pick new candidates may be going into the fresh elections as “wounded parties” as any such candidate who fails to pick the ticket again may direct their supporters to work against the party in the main elections.

Majority of those saying that fresh primaries should be conducted to determine the candidates are from the camp of those who lost out during the primaries in January, who now see this as another chance to take a renewed shot at their aborted governorship ambition during the last primaries.

This is the crux of the matter that is threatening to bring down the house and in no other party has the poser raised more dust than the Peoples Democratic

,

Party (PDP).

In Kogi State, for instance, the state PDP’s decision not to hold fresh governorship primaries had triggered a crisis in the party with some aspirants criticising the decision.

The Legal Adviser of the Kogi State PDP, Ada Mohammed, had informed newsmen at the end of its state Working Committee meeting that Jibril Isah who emerged the party’s candidate during its primary election would remain the candidate of

The present situation is that the INEC has come up with a timetable and the PDP is working by the INEC’s timetable.

There has been clamour in some states about whether there would be primary or there would be no primary. The party is carefully studying the situation. We are looking at the legal aspect of it

‘

the party in the forthcoming governorship election.

The aggrieved aspirants are Senator Alex Kadiri; Alhaji Isa Kutepa; Mr. Simeon Maha; Senator Yahaya Ugbane; Mr. Abiodun Ojo; Air Vice-Marshall Salihu Atawodi; Dr. Sani Shaibu; Alhaji Eje Abutu; Dr, Gabriel Oduma and Alhaji Yakubu Mohammed.

In a communiqué issued at the end of their meeting in Abuja recently, the aspirants said: “We urge our party, the PDP, to do the right thing and direct the state PDP executive to refrain from misdirecting/misinforming the generality of our party members and consequently creating conditions for our opponents to defeat the party.”

Those in favour of a fresh primay also argued that in the intervening period, some candidates of different political parties have criss-crossed the political terrain to the point that unless fresh primaries are conducted such candidates who defected and the parties they defected from may find themselves in the cold.

An advert, allegedly sponsored by the opposition in the state, purportedly called on the National Working Committee (NWC) of the PDP to immediately conduct a fresh primary and that if it fails to do just that, “it will be difficult for the PDP to contain the onslaught of Prince Abubakar Audu’s ANPP/ACN •Continued on page 56

56

THE NATION, SATURDAY, AUGUST 20, 2011

Primaries: Aspirants and the waiting game •Continued from page 55 alliance in the governorship election”.

But in a swift response contained in another full page advertorial by Kogi PDP Youth Forum, signed by one Sunday Alabi and Ndabagi Yunusa on Monday, August 8, they described the first advert as the ”handiwork of desperate politicians who have lost relevance”.

They averred that: “It is our firm conviction that if our great party succumbs to such evil machinations of the opposition to order for fresh primaries, indeed these desperate politicians masquerading as democrats would have succeeded in their grand design to destabilize the PDP in Kogi and elsewhere by ensuring that they instigate fresh crisis in the party.

“We are calling on the new leadership of the party to prevail on the state exco to allow the reconciliation committee which was set up after the primaries to come up with report.

“Already, the PDP had, through an open process, elected its governorship candidate who is widely accepted, and for anyone to call for another primary, will not only be an exercise in futility, but will further bring about another round of crises.

“We are greatly worried over the intense pressure and desperation being exhibited by the opposition leaders in the state by insisting that fresh primaries must take place in the PDP to select a governorship candidate when the party has one already.

“These we must reject and stand firm on the fact that, as a party, we have a governorship candidate in the person of Echocho. We must say no to attempts to destabilize our party, we must reject the plan of the opposition to want to direct the affairs of our party through the backdoor.

“As for us in the PDP in Kogi, Echocho remains our candidate come Dec. 3rd, 2011 unless our party says otherwise”.

A source in the state PDP, routing for a fresh primary described the advert as “shadow chasing”. He questioned the authenticity in the claims of those who signed it that it was the handiwork of members of the opposition in the state. He averred that the former advert was the unbiased feelings of the majority of the members of the party in the state.

“They are just rooting for their paymasters. How can members of the opposition dictate to us what we should do in our party? Were they here when those who participated in that primaries were given their money back as a result of the Appeal Court ruling? What that signified is that the exercise never took place. If the Court of Appeal had not ruled that election be postponed, I bet they would not have been given their money back. It was a decision by the national body based on their conviction that by the time the election would eventually take place, another primary which would be fresh and different from the previous one would be held”, he argued.

But in what seems to be a different tone from the state chapter of the party, Barrister Mohammed, while speaking with newsmen in Lokoja, at the party secretariat after a meeting of the State Working Committee (SWC) of the party, explained that Alhaji Jibrin Isah who was presented the party flag in Lafia, Nasarawa State during the zonal presidential campaign will remain the party candidate for the December 3 governorship election.

Mohammed argued that the reason for this position was based on the fact that there was no need for the party to shop for another fresh candidate since the primary election that produced Alhaji Jibrin Isah as the party candidate had been conducted and it was upheld by a competent law court.

He insisted that “there is no time lapse in the constitution or the electoral act for any candidate who secures the party ticket to contest any election in the country and our position on this issue has been made known to the national secretariat of our great party”, was the way he reacted to the issue.

Investigations by our correspondent in Abuja revealed that contrary to speculations, the PDP has not taken a stand as to whether to uphold the former primaries or to conduct fresh ones. A source said the PDP cannot afford to conduct new primaries because of INEC guidelines that such primaries must be conducted within a specified period. Another source, however, said that the candidates who earlier won the primaries and those who lost out in states where primaries were conducted have had their nomination fees refunded by the PDP. But speaking on the issue in an interview with our correspondent in Abuja, the national legal adviser of the PDP, Chief Olusola Oke, debunked claims that the party had refunded nomination fees back to the various aspirants.

According to him, such an action is unthinkable, since the money that accrued from the sale of nomination forms was meant for the conduct of the primaries, which had been carried out in most of the states affected.

Besides, he said that the party had a formula for sharing the proceeds among the state, local governments and the zones, a formula he said had already been complied with.

He further disclosed that the party has not made up its mind on what to do for now, since the election is not an all PDP affair.

Oke said: “The present situation is that the INEC has come up with a timetable and the PDP is working by the

•Idris

•Nyako

•Sylva INEC’s timetable. There has been clamour in some states about whether there would be primary or there would be no primary. The party is carefully studying the situation. We are looking at the legal aspect of it. We are looking at political expediency and what will be in the gen-

eral and overriding interest of the party.

“We have not come out with a decision , but surely we are looking into it. At the appropriate time, we shall state our position to our various aspirants. If we are going to do a fresh one or we will not do, we will let them know.

But in all of this, we will do that which will make our party excel at the elections.”

On allegations that the party has refunded nomination fees, Oke said: “That is not correct. The party has not refunded and I don’t think the party is going to refund in places where primaries were conducted,” Oke added, “If primary has been conducted, the money was meant for the conduct of primaries so I do not think the party is considering refund to states where primaries took place.

“There are one or two places where there were no primaries, so maybe those ones at the appropriate time the party will look at what to do. Don’t forget that this money when generated had a sharing formula among the states, local governments and the zones and I am aware that that formula has been implemented.

“So when a decision is taken ultimately as to those states where there were no primaries at all, but as for where primaries held, I have my reservation whether the party would now refund because the money was intended for the conduct of primaries. If there was any intervening event which didn’t make the election to hold and the election is still going to hold, then I find it difficult to find any basis for a call for refund.”

On INEC guidelines that primary elections must be held within a stipulated time before the election, Oke averred that primary election is the “domestic affair” of political parties saying that such guidelines have no basis in law saying that the decision to do or not to do depends on the political expediency at the time.

“That is what I mentioned earlier. You know the issue of primary is a domestic affair of the party, of course, enforcible under the Electoral Act. The Electoral Act does not prescribe the duration of a primary, therefore, the decision to do or not to do is political. It is not legal,” Oke stated.

“But I have explained earlier that the INEC has a timetable which must accommodate those who want to run and who want to conduct primaries, so that is why I am sure they have made provision for it in their timetable.

But as for us, you will also recall that the PDP is not the only political party involved in this issue, so we would also be guided by the INEC’s position, by legal position, by that which is in the interest of the party. So ultimately we would have to take a decision one way or the other, but the truth is that for now we have not.”

Also, the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Prof Rufai Ahmed Alkali, said the leadership of the party was still consulting its various stakeholders for it to arrive at an acceptable option for the party.

Alkali said: “On the situation in Kogi State, we feel that we have to do some consultations whether there will be fresh primaries in the state and our decision will be made public as soon as we conclude our consultations.

“We are ,therefore, calling on all PDP members in the state to rally round the leadership of the party to ensure that opposition does not have a leeway to penetrate and weaken the chances of the party in the election.”

Three weeks ago,the INEC released the timetable for the governorship elections in Kogi, Bayelsa, Sokoto, Adamawa, Cross River and Edo states.

According to the INEC spokesperson, Solomon Soyebi, election in the five states affected by the ruling of the Appeal Court judgment of April, 2011 and which it has added Edo State, will commence from December 3, this year.

Soyebi had also said that Ondo and Ekiti would take their turns in 2013, while Anambra and Osun would have their elections in 2014.

Specifically, the exercise, which will run from December, 2011 to July, 2012, will take off from Kogi State.

He gave the dates as follows: Kogi - December 3, 2011; Adamawa – January 14, 2012; Bayelsa – February 11, 2012; Sokoto – March 10, 2012; Cross-River – April 14, 2012 and Edo – July 14, 2012.

The terminal dates for the tenure of the governors in the six states as set by an Abuja High Court are as follows: Kogi - April 4, 2012; Adamawa - April 30, 2012; Bayelsa – May 27, 2012; Sokoto – May 28, 2012; CrossRiver – August 27, 2012 and Edo – November 12, 2012.

Going by INEC guidelines, which stipulate that political parties must conduct their primaries between 60 and 90 days prior to an election, political parties in Kogi must conduct their primaries not later than September 22, while Adamawa and Bayelsa must have theirs not later than November 3 and December 1 respectively. Parties in Sokoto and Cross River must also hold their primaries by December 29 and February 7, 2012 respectively while primaries in Edo State must be held not later than May 8.

Before the Appeal Court judgment, which effectively put spanners in the works, governorship candidates had been elected through by the various political parties in the affected states while preparations were on for the conduct of the 2011 general elections.

But the waiting game persists for most of the aspirants in the PDP and other parties, just as political intrigues and controversies continue to reign supreme, especially in the PDP .

THE NATION, SATURDAY, AUGUST 20 2011

57

58

THE NATION, SATURDAY, AUGUST 20 2011

59

THE NATION, SATURDAY, AUGUST 20, 2011

Oyo elders tackle IBB on state creation A

group of elders in Oyo, Oyo State, under the aegis of For the Progress of Our Fatherland, has urged the National Assembly to disregard a recent press statement credited to Gen. Ibrahim Babangida (rtd) that the creation of more states was unnecessary.

In a press release issued by the group’s leader, Alhaji Moshood Ajisafe, and made available to The Nation, it wondered why such statement could come from a former Head of State who persistently maintained during his tenure that the only way to fight marginalisation was through state creation.

“The fact remains that all the District Headquarters of the British Colonial Administration in the country today had been made capitals of their respective states, except the ancient town of Oyo. Consequently, the people of Oyo continued to suffer from grave marginalisation,” the group said.

It pointed out that besides the four local governments

Bode DUROJAIYE, Oyo

in Oyo metropolis, appointments into the civil and pubic services were lopsided

T

T

HE Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) lifted the limit placed on forex transactions.

The apex bank management has, therefore, approved the removal of the limit of $1 million as maximum amount that can be sold to Bureau De Change (BDC) operators from autonomous funds weekly.

A circular issued yesterday and signed by O.L Ahuchuogu for Director, Trade & Exchange Depart-

T

Collins NWEZE ment, CBN, said developments in the foreign exchange market and the need to stabilize the exchange rate prompted the CBN action.

“Consequently, authorised dealers are now allowed to increase sale of forex from autonomous funds to BDCs, subject to compliance with the Know Your Customer (KYC) principle,”the circular said.

But the apex bank will continue to sell $100,000 to licensed BDCs per week until further notice.

Ahuchuogu enjoined authorised dealers and BDCs to ensure compliance and render appropriate returns as any contravention would attract appropriate sanctions.

This is the fourth time in less than two months the apex bank has carried out such raise. The CBN had on June 24 pegged dollar sale

Jonathan adds Dangote, Imoukhuede to economic team

P

R E S I D E N T Goodluck Jonathan yesterday added billionaire businessman Aliko Dangote and the

with arms, ammunition, stolen vehicles and motorcycles recovered from the hoodlums.

In July, the Rivers police commissioner said 121 armed robbers were arrested, nine armed robbers fatallywounded in the process of arrest, thirty kidnappers arrested and seven kidnappers fatally-wounded, with 29 firearms and 54 rounds of live ammunition recovered and 17 stolen vehicles and motorcycles were also recovered.

Between August 1 and 18, Abba disclosed that 48 armed robbers were arrested, 10 armed robbers fatallywounded, 22 kidnappers arrested, five kidnappers fatally-wounded, with 15 firearms and 130 rounds of ammunition recovered, while five stolen or snatched vehicles and motorcycles were also recovered.

While commenting on the recent Port Harcourt jail break, where five inmates escaped and yet to be apprehended, the police boss said men of the command were on the trail of the escapees and would soon be arrested to serve as a deterrent to others.

‘NLRC to improve standard of living’ HE Director General, National Lottery Regulatory Commission (NLRC), Mr Peter Igho, has said the commission will ensure sincerity in the way lottery is being played in the country to boost the standard of living of Nigerians.

He said this at a briefing held at the NLRC office in Ikoyi, Lagos.

He further said the commission would work hard to make Nigerians aware of the benefits they could get through regular participation in lottery.

Igho said: “Lottery is different form gambling. The purpose of lottery is to gain money for the betterment of

government areas produce a legislator for the state House of Assembly. All other local government areas have a legislator each.

Is that not injustice?”

The group, therefore, appealed to the National Assembly not to treat the issue of state creation with kid gloves, but to be more prag-

matic and sensitive to the yearnings of the teeming populace in the country on the need to create states.

No more limit on forex transactions — CBN

Five policemen dismissed in Rivers

HE Rivers State Police Command has dismissed five policemen for corrupt practices in the last three weeks.

The Commissioner of Police, Rivers Command, Mr. Suleiman Abba, who made the disclosure in Port Harcourt yesterday, in an interactive session with reporters, also described the state as safe.

He assured lawyers and other stakeholders who would be attending the 51st Annual General Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), which will be declared open on Monday by President Goodluck Jonathan at the Alfred Diete-Spiff Civic Centre, Port Harcourt, that there would be no incident.

Rivers police commissioner stated that policemen and other security agents had been directed to deal decisively with criminals in Rivers with security guaranteed before, during and after the NBA’s conference.

Abba disclosed that in the last one and a half months in Rivers state, kidnappers and armed robbers were either arrested or fatally-wounded

and to the disadvantage of the people of Oyo. The group also said: “Of all the 33 local governments in Oyo State, itisonlyinOyotownthattwolocal

Seun OLALUDE the country. 20 per cent income from lottery should be sent back to the government, 50 per cent to the participants and 30 to the company.

There is no integrity in the way lottery is being played in Nigeria, sometimes they pay without giving the participants their rewards.

“This is why this commission has been set up to monitor firms and make sure they deliver the rewards that belong to the government and participants. Before you are allowed to engage in lottery as a company, you must have received 70 per cent permit from the NLRC,” he said.

Collins NWEZE

Managing Director of Access Bank, Aigboje Imoukhuede, to his newly formed economic management team.

This has brought more private sector weight to his line-up.

Former World Bank managing director Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala was sworn in as Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance this week, prompting the creation of a new Federal Government Economic Management Team.

According to a Reuters report, Jonathan will lead the team which includes Vice President Namadi Sambo and prominent ministers across government.

Okonjo-Iweala will head a 15-member implementation team that will meet every week to oversee the success of the economic committee.

Industrialist Dangote will stand out in a team made up mostly of government officials. He was ranked by Forbes as Nigeria’s richest man and his cement business is the largest listed firm on the country’s stock exchange.

“I expect the member of the economic management team to combine their individual strength to generate ideas and initiative in line with our goals in transforming every sector of Nigerian life, particularly the economy,” Jonathan said during the inauguration of the team this week.

Okonjo-Iweala negotiated hard before leaving the World Bank and the change in the structure of managing Africa’s third largest economy will give her much more influence than her predecessor

Olusegun Aganga was able to exert.

She made a presentation at a meeting of the economic team yesterday entitled: “Transforming Nigeria/Creating Jobs A Short to Medium Term Agenda”.

Okonjo-Iweala stepped on some toes when she held the finance minister position between 2003 and 2006 and investors are watching closely to see how she operates alongside fellow ministers and reform heavyweights like Central Bank Governor Lamido Sanusi.

Nigeria faces a long list of hurdles, not least opaque government spending, rampant corruption, import dependenc and the need to tame double-digit inflation while creating jobs and building infrastructure.

to BDCs at $250,000 per week.

This was followed by another increase in July 28 from $250,000 per week to $500,000 before it was moved to $1 million on August 12.

In all cases, the apex bank mandated that each BDC is allowed to purchase from only one authorised dealer per week.

CBN Director, Trade & Echange, Batari Musa, said the action was meant to sustain exchange rate stability in the foreign exchange market.

He advised authorised dealers to ensure compliance and render appropriate returns on transactions as any contravention shall attract appropriate sanctions in line with the provi-

sion in the Banks and Other Financial Institutions Acts (BOFIA) as amended.

The apex bank had in January issued new rules guiding the sales of foreign currency in the country.

Before these amendments, banks and other authorised dealers could sell autonomous funds to BDCs subject to compliance with the Anti-money Laundering Act 2004. A statement from the bank noted that the funds purchased from it at the auctions must be used for eligible transactions only.

Loss of Documents Loss in transit of original copies of Power of Attorney registered as UM/SDR/ NO:100/ABSG in No. 87, Page 87, Volume 682 and Certificate of Occupancy registered as No. 47 in Page 47 in Volume 124 issued to Bennett Ukawoko by late Edward Otumadu Amajo

60

THE NATION, SATURDAY, AUGUST 20 2011

THE NATION SATURDAY, AUGUST 20, 2011

61

EQUITIES

Stock market relapses

NIGERIAN STOCK EXCHANGE DAILY SUMMARY AS AT 19-08-11 2ND-TIER SECURITIES Company Name CAPITAL OIL PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 1 1

Quotation(N) 0.50

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 1,000 500.00 1,000 500.00

AGRICULTURE/AGRO-ALLIED Company Name FTN COCOA PROCESSORS PLC PRESCO PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 1 10 11

Quotation(N) 0.50 7.48

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 19,980 9,990.00 90,173 674,600.94 110,153 684,590.94

Quotation(N) 2.23 7.01

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 59,260 125,631.20 248,870 1,769,363.24 308,130 1,894,994.44

Quotation(N) 1.42

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 544,536 781,139.12 544,536 781,139.12

Quotation(N) 6.00 4.28 2.90 5.95 2.05 11.00 0.50 12.98 9.50 0.70 1.15 6.00 1.39 4.65 2.09 0.61 0.80 13.00

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 45,534,924 275,559,532.55 1,216,979 5,257,335.89 2,049,588 6,083,946.84 20,805,785 126,649,931.16 48,182,395 96,661,647.84 30,113,334 340,877,879.99 60,000,000 30,000,000.00 35,944,253 472,409,955.41 509,802 4,839,597.82 77,400 54,180.00 33,614,481 38,656,653.15 19,988,237 118,721,715.35 13,544,392 18,936,502.44 48,583,060 228,830,071.25 953,440 1,992,689.60 1,727,534 1,044,080.40 284,283 225,012.37 16,994,734 222,528,960.92 380,124,621 1,989,329,692.98

Quotation(N) 213.00 6.15 86.50

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 1,794,071 385,225,198.91 366,210 2,174,407.20 1,415,212 122,212,831.37 3,575,493 509,612,437.48

Quotation(N) 19.58 7.50 116.94 45.50

Quantity Traded Value 206,227 609,800 233,790 251,844 1,301,661

Quotation(N) 9.80 27.90 1.38

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 74,200 704,112.49 254,817 7,003,858.87 424 559.68 329,441 7,708,531.04

AIR SERVICES Company Name AIRLINE SERVICES AND LOGISTICS PLC NIGERIAN AVIATION HANDLING COMPANY PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 5 35 40

AUTOMOBILE & TYRE Company Name R. T. BRISCOE (NIGERIA) PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 25 25 BANKING

Company Name ACCESS BANK PLC DIAMOND BANK PLC ECOBANK NIGERIA PLC FIRST CITY MONUMENT BANK PLC FIDELITY BANK PLC FIRST BANK OF NIGERIA PLC FINBANK PLC GTBANK PLC STANBIC IBTC BANK PLC INTERCONTINENTAL BANK PLC. OCEANIC BANK INTERNATIONAL PLC SKYE BANK PLC. STERLING BANK PLC UNITED BANK FOR AFRICA PLC. UNION BANK OF NIGERIA PLC UNITYBANK PLC WEMA BANK PLC ZENITH BANK PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 145 30 27 45 90 487 15 619 22 9 14 96 66 219 27 27 12 249 2,199 BREWERIES

Company Name GUINNESS NIGERIA PLC INTERNATIONAL BREWERIES PLC NIGERIAN BREWERIES PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 72 27 137 236 BUILDING MATERIALS

Company Name ASHAKA CEMENT PLC CEMENT CO. OF NORTHERN NIGERIA PLC DANGOTE CEMENT PLC LAFARGE WAPCO PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 42 16 26 36 120

of Shares (N) 4,002,160.47 4,591,500.00 27,227,861.97 11,339,953.21 47,161,475.65

A

FTER three days of consecutive upswing, the Nigerian stock market relapsed into the negative at the weekend as investors lost N34 billion in a bearish market orchestrated by financial services stocks.

The All Share Index (ASI), which measures the pricing trend on the Nigerian stock market, dropped by 0.46 per cent from 22,828.33 points to 22,724.02 points. Aggregate market capitalisation of equities relapsed to N7.269 trillion as against its opening value of N7.302 trillion.

The relapse in the domestic stock market followed the global downtrend fears over possible global economic reversal put many investors on the edge. The Standard and Poor’s 500 Index has since fallen by 17 per cent from a three-year high in April while other global indices have retreated on growing concerns over the sovereign debts of advanced economies.

This month has especially witnessed sharp decline across the markets with more than $6 trillion wiped away from the market capitalisation of world equities.

The reversal at the Nigerian stock market was driven by losses recorded by banking and insurance stocks,

No of Deals 20 34 1 55

COMMERCIAL/SERVICES Company Name RED STAR EXPRESS PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 3 3

Quotation(N) 2.65

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 18,766 49,729.90 18,766 49,729.90

Quotation(N) 40.00 0.84 39.02 28.00

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 1,100,492 44,491,004.75 4,018,553 3,230,381.88 122,139 4,804,938.39 223,945 6,220,042.46 5,465,129 58,746,367.48

Quotation(N) 2.66 55.50 0.50

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 39,500 105,070.00 156,393 8,679,811.50 500 250.00 196,393 8,785,131.50

CONGLOMERATES Company Name PZ CUSSONS NIGERIA PLC TRANSNATIONAL CORPORATION OF NIGERIA PLC UAC OF NIGERIA PLC UNILEVER NIGERIA PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 93 62 35 54 244 CONSTRUCTION

Company Name COSTAIN (WA) PLC JULIUS BERGER NIGERIA PLC MULTIVERSE PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 2 9 1 12

which overwhelmed gains by food and beverages and oil and gas stocks.

The NSE Banking Index dropped from 329.94 points to close weekend at 320.76 while the NSE Insurance Index slipped from 152.46 points to 151.21 points. The NSE 30 Index, which measures the 30 most capitalized stocks, had declined from 1,015.21 points to 1,008.80 points.

However, the NSE Food and Beverages Index inched up to 784.89 points as against 783.42 points. The NSE Oil and Gas Index also improved from 260.49 points to 261.02

‘The reversal at the Nigerian stock market was driven by losses recorded by banking and insurance stocks, which overwhelmed gains by food and beverages and oil and gas stocks’

DAILY SUMMARY AS AT 19-08-11 LINKAGE ASSURANCE PLC N.E.M. INSURANCE CO. (NIG.) PLC. NIGER INSURANCE CO. PLC. OASIS INSURANCE PLC PRESTIGE ASSURANCE PLC. REGENCY ALLIANCE INSURANCE COMPANY PLC SOVEREIGN TRUST INSURANCE PLC STACO INSURANCE PLC UNIVERSAL INSURANCE COMPANY PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 4 4

Quotation(N) 1.99

No of Deals 7 7

No of Deals 18 35 16 67 55 7 26 29 42 3 1 1 300

Quotation(N) 45.00 16.80 13.72 11.60 85.50 4.63 4.44 41.00 400.00 22.61 0.50 0.60

No of Deals 1 15 19 4 2 41

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 10,000 19,000.00 10,000 19,000.00

No of Deals 1 2 3

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 28,049 1,323,754.80 269,228 4,562,517.10 1,007,800 13,827,016.00 5,270,110 61,347,941.17 2,060,993 176,235,574.50 65,659 289,129.60 478,334 2,132,572.46 62,638 2,464,517.43 40,639 16,293,048.25 2,780 59,719.24 7,200 3,600.00 3,000 1,740.00 9,296,430 278,541,130.55

Quotation(N) 0.98 1.65 26.90 4.00 1.47

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 3,980 3,900.40 317,000 533,268.16 89,421 2,387,704.05 11,700 44,460.00 4,000 5,880.00 426,101 2,975,212.61

Quotation(N) 8.00 4.32

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 2,000 16,000.00 200 822.00 2,200 16,822.00

INDUSTRIAL/DOMESTIC PRODUCTS Company Name FIRST ALUMINIUM NIGERIA PLC VITAFOAM NIGERIA PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 1 25 26

Quotation(N) 0.50 6.02

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 1,000 500.00 365,743 2,200,823.58 366,743 2,201,323.58

INFORMATION & COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY Company Name STARCOMMS PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 18 18

Quotation(N) 0.52

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 1,133,383 590,267.16 1,133,383 590,267.16

INSURANCE Company Name AIICO INSURANCE PLC. CONTINENTAL REINSURANCE PLC CUSTODIAN AND ALLIED INSURANCE PLC GOLDLINK INSURANCE PLC GUARANTY TRUST ASSURANCE PLC CONSOLIDATED HALLMARK INSURANCE PLC LAW UNION AND ROCK INSURANCE PLC.

No of Deals 20 4 15 16 30 1 1

Quotation(N) 0.70 1.01 2.66 0.50 1.18 0.50 0.54

16,400.00 959,796.04 3,907.50 500.00 84,000.00 500.00 250.00 2,000.00 500.00 28,116,125.34

Quotation(N) 0.94

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 1,247,500 1,173,010.00 1,247,500 1,173,010.00

No of Deals 69 69

Quotation(N) 1.06

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 2,888,597 2,957,796.52 2,888,597 2,957,796.52

Company Name AFROMEDIA PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 1 1

Quotation(N) 0.51

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 500 255.00 500 255.00

MORTGAGE COMPANIES

HOTEL & TOURISM Company Name CAPITAL HOTEL PLC TOURIST COMPANY OF NIGERIA PLC Sector Totals

32,800 1,791,008 7,815 1,000 50,000 1,000 500 4,000 1,000 28,128,531

MEDIA

HEALTHCARE Company Name EVANS MEDICALPLC. FIDSON HEALTHCARE PLC GLAXOSMITHKLINE CONSUMER NIG. PLC MAY & BAKER NIGERIA PLC. NEIMETH INTERNATIONAL PHARMACEUTICALS PLC Sector Totals

0.50 0.54 0.50 0.50 1.68 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50

MARITIME Company Name JAPAUL OIL & MARITIME SERVICES PLC Sector Totals

FOOD/BEVERAGES & TOBACCO Company Name 7-UP BOTTLING CO. PLC CADBURY NIGERIA PLC DANGOTE FLOUR MILLS PLC DANGOTE SUGAR REFINERY PLC FLOUR MILLS NIGERIA PLC HONEYWELL FLOUR MILL PLC NATIONAL SALT COMPANY NIGERIA PLC NIGERIAN BOTTLING COMPANY PLC NESTLE NIGERIA PLC NORTHERN NIGERIA FLOUR MILLS PLC TANTALIZERS PLC UTC NIGERIA PLC Sector Totals

5 20 2 1 1 1 1 2 1 121 LEASING

Company Name C&I LEASING PLC Sector Totals

ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY Company Name CUTIX PLC Sector Totals

points.

Turnover stood at 442.029 million shares worth N3.048 billion in 3,976 deals as against 391.175 million shares valued at N2.282 billion traded in 4,284 deals in previous trading session.

Banking stocks contributed the highest volume with 380.125 million shares worth N1.989 billion in 2,199 deals.

Seven banks including Access Bank, Fidelity Bank, First Bank, Finbank, Guaranty Trust Bank, Oceanic Bank and United Bank for Africa were particularly the volume drivers. Other most active sectors were insurance, food and beverages, conglomerates and breweries sectors with 28.129 million shares, 9.296 million shares, 5.465 million shares and 3.575 million shares respectively.

On price movement, Chemical and Allied Products (CAP) led the gainers with a gain of N1.30 to close at N27.90. AIICO followed with a gain of N0.03 to close at N0.70. Others were Abbey Building, Prestige Assurance and Dangote Sugar with price gain of N0.06, N0.07 and N0.45 respectively.

On the losers’ table, Dangote Flour led the list with a drop of N0.72 to close at N13.72. Others were Diamond Bank, First Bank, GT Assurance and UBA.

NIGERIAN STOCK EXCHANGE

CHEMICAL & PAINTS Company Name BERGER PAINTS NIGERIA PLC CHEMICAL AND ALLIED PRODUCTS PLC DN MEYER PLC Sector Totals

By Taofik Salako and Tonia Osundolire

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 1,262,748 881,788.60 191,000 192,910.00 289,080 767,262.80 2,403,800 1,201,910.00 18,831,780 22,243,500.40 1,000 500.00 3,260,000 1,760,400.00

Company Name ABBEY BUILDING SOCIETY PLC ASO SAVINGS AND LOAND PLC UNION HOMES SAVINGS AND LOANS PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 1 1 3 5

Quotation(N) 1.44 0.50 0.52

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 100,000 144,000.00 1,000 500.00 231,000 120,120.00 332,000 264,620.00

OTHER FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS Company Name DEAP CAPITAL MANAGEMENT AND TRUST PLC ROYAL EXCHANGE PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 1 1 2

Quotation(N) 2.02 0.50

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 1,000 2,020.00 2,000 1,000.00 3,000 3,020.00

Quotation(N) 2.00

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 907,004 1,824,520.13 907,004 1,824,520.13

PACKAGING Company Name NIGERIAN BAG MANUFACTURING COMPANY PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 38 38

PETROLEUM(MARKETING) Company Name MRS OIL NIGERIA PLC CONOIL PLC ETERNA OIL & GAS PLC. FORTE OIL PLC MOBIL OIL NIGERIA PLC. OANDO PLC TOTAL NIGERIA PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 15 20 2 6 23 259 16 341

Quotation(N) 63.86 32.73 4.94 17.41 148.70 30.20 203.32

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 16,523 1,013,673.92 38,233 1,309,908.24 2,600 12,265.00 5,134 84,916.36 21,190 2,994,425.90 1,933,844 58,398,220.89 14,794 2,947,389.90 2,032,318 66,760,800.21

PRINTING & PUBLISHING Company Name UNIVERSITY PRESS PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 10 10

Quotation(N) 4.09

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 98,017 399,477.88 98,017 399,477.88

Quotation(N) 19.75

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 6,125 117,218.00 6,125 117,218.00

REAL ESTATE Company Name UACN PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT CO. PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 7 7

ROAD TRANSPORTATION Company Name ASSOCIATED BUS COMPANY PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 8 8

Quotation(N) 0.50

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 490,000 245,000.00 490,000 245,000.00

THE FOREIGN LISTINGS Company Name ECOBANK TRANSNATIONAL INCORPORATED Sector Totals Overall Totals

No of Deals 29 29

Quotation(N) 14.47

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 2,685,000 37,463,414.00 2,685,000 37,463,414.00

3,976

442,028,772

3,048,423,603.51

62

THE NATION, SATURDAY, AUGUST 20 2011

THE NATION SATURDAY, AUGUST 20, 2011

63

SPORT EXTRA Mikel’s dad’s fate

INTERNATIONAL FRIENDLY

Argentina lists Messi, Aguero, Higuain for Nigeria •Mascherano, Di Maria, 21 others too

A

RGENTINA coach Alejandro Sabella has named dreaded Barcelona star Lionel Messi in his squad for a friendly international against Nigeria next month.

Gonzalo Higuain and new Manchester City star Sergio Aguero are also in the party.

There is no place in the squad for City’s unsettled star Carlos Tevez.

The game will be played in Bangladesh on September 6, a few days after Nigeria’s latest Africa Cup of Nations qualifier in Madagascar.

The previous match between the two countries, in Abuja in June, is the subject of

a FIFA investigation into suspicious betting patterns.

The world governing body has been unable to track down the referee for the match, Nigerien official Ibrahim Chaibou.

The Argentina squad for that game was a considerably weakened one but the line-up for the game in Bangladesh is much stronger.

Sabella has also named a parallel squad of home-based players for two games against Brazil in September.

The team for the Nigeria match, and for one against Venezuela in India, is largely made up of European-based players.

Argentina squad for friendlies against Venezuela and Nigeria: Goalkeepers: Sergio Romero (Sampdoria, Italy), Mariano Andujar (Catania, Italy), Esteban Andrada (Lanus) Defenders: Martin Demichelis (Malaga, Spain), Federico Fernandez (Napoli, Italy), Nicolas Burdisso (Roma, Italy), Ezequiel Garay (Benfica, Portugal), Nicolas Otamendi (Porto, Portugal), Pablo Zabaleta (Manchester City, England), Jonas Gutierrez (Newcastle United, England), Cristian Ansaldi (Rubin Kazan, Russia), Nicolas Pareja and Marcos Rojo (both Spartak Moscow, Russia)

Midfielders: Javier Mascherano (Barcelona, Spain), Angel Di Maria (Real Madrid, Spain), Ever Banega (Valencia, Spain), Ricardo Alvarez (Inter Milan, Italy), Fabian Rinaudo (Sporting Lisbon, Portugal), Javier Pastore (Paris Saint-Germain, France), Lucho Gonzalez (Marseille, France), Jose Sosa (Metalist, Ukraine) Strikers: Lionel Messi (Barcelona, Spain), Gonzalo Higuain (Real Madrid, Spain), Eduardo Salvio (Atletico Madrid, Spain), Sergio Aguero (Manchester City, England), Lisandro Lopez (Lyon, France).

contined from back page Nigeria, where most people live on less than $2 a day. Former Everton defender Joseph Yobo’s brother was kidnapped in 2008.

Kidnapping of oil workers in the southern Niger Delta has been relatively common in the past but abductions have begun spreading further North. Pa Obi must not die in the kidnappers’ custody. He must be freed within the shortest possible time because of the grave consequences if he dies (God forbid).

Haba NSC! The foolery of the National Sports Commission (NSC) came to the fore during the week when the news was broken of taekwondo athletes’ celebration of their new kits in preparing for the forthcoming All Africa Games. Surprised? Don’t be; because it had never happened- no thanks to the negligence of former officials.

So, it was a feat of some sort for these athletes that it could happen in their life time. But why this should be news to anybody underscores how we celebrate mediocrity. Is this the practice elsewhere? In other climes, the kits and equipment are given to the athletes immediately they step into the camp.

These kits are periodically changed and they are told that new sets would be given to them before the multi-sports games.

We must start doing things normally. At this time, NSC chiefs should tell Nigerians the projected number of medals that Nigeria will clinch at the Maputo Games, not to celebrate the arrival of kits, weeks after athletes have assembled in camp.

This act is another failure of leadership at the NSC.

Coaching is a tough job –Obuh

H

EAD COACH of the Flying Eagles, John Obuh has described coaching as a career not meant for the lily-livered.

Obuh returned to the country on Wednesday with his wards after an unsuccessful campaign at the 2011 FIFA Under-20 World Cup in Colombia.

The reigning African champions had their 100 percent record in the global football showpiece punctured in the quarterfinals by the French team.

Flying Eagles lost 2-3 in the epic encounter in Cali last Sunday.

Obuh, adjudged by Nigerians as a huge success at the mundial, told SuperSport.com that coaching is tasking as well as rewarding but a career for those ready to squeeze water out of the stone.

“Coaching is not an easy career. But go into coaching if you have the gut. I was a kabukabu (taxi) driver before I delved into coaching.

“Today I stand tall among

GHANA V NIGERIA

Allegri: Taiwo needs time to blend

A

performance against Juventus at the Trofeo Tim on Thursday evening, but Allegri thinks that the main reason is that Taiwo is still adapting to his new surroundings.

“I agree that he could have done better, but the rest of the team could have done better,

Villa-Boas: Mikel ready to face HELSEA boss Andre West Brom Villa-Boas intends to

C

field John Obi Mikel tomorrow.

Obi Mikel is set to feature against West Brom tomorrow despite his father being held to

ransom in Nigeria.

Villas-Boas said: “It’s a very difficult, personal situation.

“He is available to be selected and if we decide, he will play.”

Ike Uche explains players’ IGERIA striker Ikechukwu Uche has strike in Spain

N

told the BBC why professional players in Spain are going on strike - delaying the start of the La Liga season.

The Real Zaragoza star is still owed money from last season by his club, who has applied to go into administration.

“Not all the players are owed, but there is solidarity,” he told the BBC’s African sports programme Fast Track.

Talks to try to resolve the dispute in time for the scheduled start of the season broke down on Friday.

“I don’t think the strike is good for anybody - it’s not good for us, it’s not good for the federation, it’s not good for the fans,” Uche said.

2011 AFROBASKET

GFA okays Eagles friendly Nigeria defeats Mozambique 63-78 IGERIA continued to

By Akeem Lawal for Oct. make at the26th FIBA tutored Nigerian side with a

•Messi faced Nigeria during the group phase of the 2010 World Cup

C MILAN coach Massimiliano Allegri has voiced his belief that left-back Taye Taiwo’s performances will improve once he gets used to life in Italy.

The Nigeria international received some criticism in the wake of his disappointing

Nigerians who in one way or another have been showing their appreciation for the little thing we achieved at the World Cup in Colombia.

“We did not win the World Cup and we are being appreciated in this special way, if we had won the trophy, only God knows what would have come to our way.

“That means there are rewards for coaching, but if you put your mind on the reward first you surely will miss the track,” he said.

“We had expected that we were going to start [the league] this weekend but we can’t - they have to resolve the issues.

Continue reading the main story it’s not good for us, it’s not good for the federation, it’s not good for the fans.

“Once they have resolved everything, then we will start.”

Spanish football - despite its huge popularity around the world and the enormous wages paid to some of its top stars - is in serious financial trouble.

The Spanish players union (AFE) says more than 200 professionals are owed a total of 50 million euros ($72 million).

too,” Allegri was quoted as saying on a press conference, according to La Gazzetta dello Sport.

“He needs a bit of time though. He’s still getting used to Italian football and is slowly getting to know the language and culture.”

The 26-year-old Taiwo joined Milan from Marseille on a free transfer this summer and secured a contract until the summer of 2014 with the Serie A champions.

T

HE re-arranged international friendly between Ghana and Nigeria has moved closer to reality after the Ghana Football Association gave their full consent for the game on October 11.

The game originally due for August 9 was called off after days of rioting in London and other English cities but the consent of both Ghana and Nigeria now mean it is back on.

The game will be played at Watford’s Vicarage Road Stadium with ticket purchased for the aborted game still eligible for the match.

N

A f r i c a Championship for Men Madagascar 2011 Afrobasket by defeating Mozambique 63-78 in both side’s second game on Friday.

D’Tigers as the Nigeria senior national team is known, began their campaign in this year’ edition on a bright note, beating Mali 84-59 in the first game on Wednesday.

In Friday’s game, the Mozambican lost the first three quarters by 11-20, 2123, 14-18 and drew levels in the last quarter by 17 points apiece.

Nigeria and San Antonio Spurs guard, Ime Udoka led the Coach Ayo Bakare

treble effort of 13 points, 11 assists, 10 rebounds and 2 steals to give the Nigerian team a clean slate.

D’Tigers and former Union Bank basketball club of Lagos forward Ejike Ugboaja added 12 points, 7 rebounds and 2 block-shots, shooting sensation Derrick Obasohan had 11 points, 8 rebounds and 3 assists, Olumide Oyedeji contributed 10 points and 9 rebounds with Nigeria DStv Premier Basketball League reliable Abubakar Usman recording seventyfive percent from the three pointer scoring three of four attempt in the few minutes he stepped on court.

Maigari hails Ubah on reward for F/ Eagles

P

RESIDENT of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Alhaji Aminu Maigari on Friday commended the gesture of Managing Director of Capital Oil and Gas company, Mr. Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah for rewarding players and officials of the U-20 National Team, Flying Eagles.

Ubah had on Thursday hosted the Flying Eagles, who finished seventh at the FIFA U-20 World Cup Colombia 2011, at his company’s headquarters in Apapa, Lagos and presented each player and technical official one Galaxy I-Pad and the whole team the sum of N10 million.

“The kind gesture of Mr. Ubah is most welcome, and

indeed, this is the kind of encouragement that we seek for our National Teams from Corporate Nigeria. The team failed to reach the last four of the competition but everyone saw the efforts they put up in Colombia.

“If we appreciate our teams for little efforts, they will certainly be encouraged to make the big sacrifices to achieve bigger things.

Capital Oil and Gas has done well and deserves our commendation.

“The players put up a superlative in Colombia, scoring 15 goals in five matches and conceeding five. They made some mistakes against France, otherwise, they could have gone all the way”, said Maigari.

The Flying Eagles trashed Guatemala 5-0, Croatia 5-2 and Saudi Arabia 2-0 to finish top of group D at the FIFA U-20 World Cup, before edging England 1-0 to qualify for the quarter finals.

It lost 2-3 to France in a quarter final match in Cali on Sunday.

At the reception by Capital Oil and Gas, Mr. Ubah said his company felt proud of the efforts of the boys and their technical crew and would always be willing to reward any Nigerian National Team that does the nation proud in future.

Head Coach Sam John Obuh and Captain Ramon Azeez commended the company for the gesture and promised to always give their best to the country

going forward.

The London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games Limited.

NFF General Secretary, Barrister Musa Amadu led the Flying Eagles to the reception.

•Maigari

Tomorrow in THE NATION PUNCHLINE

If the President and his party are afraid of accepting the challenge of constitutional conferences to create a people’s constitution, they should not bastardise the existing one through a formal disempowerment of states SATURDAY, AUGUST 20, 2011 TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM VOL.5, NO. 1857

—Ropo Sekoni

L

ET me thank the numerous readers of this column for your text messages on last week’s piece, ‘Who lied?’ I am sure that we will find space to pubish as many of them as possible shortly. It is all too easy for the columnist to comment week after week on the sickening putrifaction, vileness and sheer idiocy that charactrizes the Nigerian polity.

Or, what do we make, for instance, of members of the country’s apex judicial disciplinatory and regulatory body, the National Judicial Council (NJC), not only allegedly trying every trick in the book to avoid being served litigation notices but going ahead to purportedly suspend Justice Ayo Salami, President of the Court of Appeal, (PCA) from office? And this for reasons so deficient in fact and logic that any school boy would laugh in derision at the pitiable characters behind this utter madness and ultimatively self destructive impunity.

But today, I write not about the ugliness of contemporary Nigeria but one of the beautyful ones that still abound, even if silently, in our midst. We must beware of falling into the type of pessimistic trap we find in the Ghanian novelist, Ayi Kwei Armah’s classic, ‘The Beautyful ones are not yet born’; a work that vividly captures the moral rotteness that characterized the last year’s of Kwame Nkrumah in office. Although he averred that the ‘Beautyful ones are not yet born’, Armah’s leading character in the book is an unnamed man who maintains his moral integrity and refuses to give or receive bribes despite the most intense family and societal pressures. He was certainly a beautyful one inspite of his lowly station in life.

No matter the degree of decadence in which any nation is trapped, there are still always some beautyful ones, even if a microscopic minority, who give hope that a better, saner society is possible. One such person is one of the country’s most eminent political scientists; a commited, meticulous, industrous and passionate academic who has dedicated the last forty years to cultivating the life of the mind.

I write of none other than Professor Bayo Adekanye who clocked 70 yesterday. Professor Adekanye has touched and added value to the lives of thousands of students who passed through his fulfilling, even if exacting, tutelage at the famous political science department of the University of Ibadan. I am indeed very proud to be one of them.

I can still picture Prof. promptly arriving at his office at 8 am every morning and not living for home until late in the evening. His ubiquitous, inseparable companion was that flask of teamimg hot coffee dutifully prepared for him by his loving wife, Professor Tomi Adekanye, herself a distinguished professor of Agriculture who recently retired from the services of the University of Ibadan. Professor

Celebrating a ‘Beautyful’ one ‘

No matter the degree of decadence in which any nation is trapped, there are still always some beautyful ones, even if a microscopic minority, who give hope that a better, saner society is possible

•Prof. Adekanye

Adekanye was an engaging and most exciting teacher. He taught his classes with passionate fervour and did everything to ensure that his students understood the ideas he was trying to pass across. Prof’s undisguised love for political science, referred to by Aristotle as the master science, was infectious.

In spite of his compassionate nature, however, Professor Adekanye was a thorough scholar and teacher who had little patience for shodiness or mediocrity. He tasked you to the limits but at the end of the day you realized it was all for your good. For instance, for his political theory class, Prof. insisted that we read and digest Thomas Kuhn’s not too easy book, ‘The structure of Scientific Revolutions’; a book described by the Times Literary Supplement as one of ‘The hundred most influential books since the Second World War’.

As I grappled with this work striving to come

’

to terms with the history of science, the trajectory of scientific enterprise and the revolutionary revisions arising from paradigmatic changes, I often wondered what this had to do with political science but at the end of it I thought it was a rewarding endeavour afterall.

When I wanted to write my first degree research project, which was a critique of Chief Obafemi Awolowo’s political thought, it was only natural that I chose Professor Adekanye to my supervisor. I was overjoyed when this was accepted by the Department. There were four of us assigned to Prof. I can still remember our first meeting with him before the commencement of our reasearch. Ushering us warmly into his office, Prof proceeded to lock the door with his key. Had we committed some crime I wondered quietly to myself. Then Prof picked up a chalk from his table, walked to the black board and wrote the word PLAGIARISM in bold letters. Turning to face us, Prof said most solemnly: “gentle men, the first thing you must know in academic work is that pla-

giarism is the academic equivalent of bank embezzlement”. Prof uttered the words ‘bank embezzlement’ with utter disgust and disdain evident on his face. I am sure that if any student is told today that plagiarism is the academic equivalent of bank embezzlement, he would embrace the vice with relish and great excitement hoping it will bring the kind of mind boggling wealth associated with bank executives today. Ah! This surely is a different Nigeria.

Professor Adekanye’s insistence on the highest standards of academic integrity is only a reflection of the elevated moral values that guide every sphere of his life. His specialization in the field of civil- military relations, strategic studies and conflict resolution has, over the years enabled him enjoy the aquaintance of top military officers and others in the corridors of power. Yet, Prof. never sought any political appointment or lucrative contracts; not even during military rule. He was one of the leading members of the Nigerian Political Science Association (NPSA) who insisted on the sanctity of the annulled June 12 mandate and the restoration of democracy in the country. This was not an easy position for Adekanye and his like minded colleagues to take especially when they saw the conspicously exhibited opulence by their ersthwhile colleagues who were shamelessly in bed with the military oligarchs.

A scholar of international distinction, Professor Adekanye did the country proud when he was appointed to the faculty of the International Peace Research Insitute, Norway after a vigorous competition featuring scores of professors from every continent in the world.

Having served with distinction and completing his term, Prof. returned to Nigeria and was appointed Consulting Coordinator, Policy Analysis and Strategic Planning Unit of ECOWAS as well being a Security analyst in the office of the Vice President of the institution. One of the most prolific contemporary scholars with hundreds of journals in the field of political science, he is a fellow of the Nigerian Academy of Social Sciences, the highest honor that can be achieved by any social scientist in Nigeria.

When I told Mr. Odia Ofeimun over a week ago of Professor Adekanye’s birthday, the celebrated poet and public intellectual re-called: ‘Ah! we used to know prof as Adekson in those days. But 70 is the age when the academic really starts to blosom. He can look at the whole terrain of his field and make magesterial and authoritative pronouncements that expand the horizons of knowledge. I wish prof. well”. Yes, Prof. is retired but definitely not tired. He is currently on the faculty of Babcock University doing what he knows best – imparting knowledge to young minds. I wish you a very Happy Birthday sir. Surely, it is morning yet on creation day and the best is yet to come.

Ade Ojeikere on Saturday

Mikel’s dad’s fate

J

OS, the once beautiful city that held great hope for tourism, has lost its glory. It is in creasingly becoming a theatre of violence.

Many have in the past challenged the President Goodluck Jonathan administration and, indeed, others before his to declare a state of emergency in Plateau State, which is being governed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Jos has grabbed the headline again for the wrong reason. Super Eagles midfield gem John Michael Obi’s father is abducted. Mikel’s father has not returned home in Jos, since he drove his Mercedes Benz car from his motor company last week Friday.

The news of Mikel’s father’s terrible fate was not broken until Monday afternoon and we have watched in awe the stoic silence of the seat of government in Abuja over an issue concerning one of our biggest exports in sports to the European soccer scene.

Does the Sports Minister expect the NFF to furnish him with facts on a widely publicised issue? It suits him to dissipate energy on get-

ting FIFA to receive a reforms body in record time rather than bother himself over the life of the father of one of our stars. Has the minister briefed President Goodluck Jonathan during Wednesday’s Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting? I wonder what his contribution was on such a sensitive issue at the last FEC meeting.

The discordant tunes from the family suggest disaster (God forbid). Mikel’s mum, contrary to what was reported, said she didn’t talk with her husband’s abductors. But her son, Ebele, told journalists that she did and that, indeed, they recovered his dad’s car after speaking with the bandits. It is eight days today since the unfortunate incident. Pa Obi’s fate remains shaky with his abductors.

Ever since Mikel emerged in global football, he has been the country’s biggest public relations ambassador since the exit of other greats, such as Nwankwo Kanu, Austin Okocha, Sunday Oliseh, Taribo West, Victor Ikpeba, Daniel Amokachi and Stephen Keshi, not forgetting the current Super Eagles coach Samson Siasia and a host of others.

In other parts of the world, such icons’ security is guaranteed since safety of the citizenry is the government’s first priority. Besides, when

there is an issue as this, the government of the day puts all its machinery in place to ensure that the man is rescued and the criminals seized.

Unfortunately, since Mikel father’s kidnap, nothing extensive has been heard from the National Sports Commission (NSC), the Sports Minister or the Inspector General of Police on the need to save one of our sports ambassadors from despair.

It is enough for the Commissioner of Police in Jos to assure Nigerians that efforts are being made to rescue Mikel’s dad. But, the fact that Mikel is an international figure informs the need for the Jonathan administration to challenge the Inspector General of Police to produce the Chelsea of England star’s father within the shortest possible time.

It would be foolhardy for the Jonathan administration to allow the grieving family to be engaged in negotiations with the kidnappers when the most important duty that any credible government can give to its people is adequate security.

Security is central to good administration since it gives investors the confidence to do business in the country. But when a prominent citizen’s – or any citizen’s security has been breached, the government of the day must show

concern and show the world that it is sensitive to such issues.

Mikel is the face of African football with many international brands, such as Samsung and Pepsi, due to his exploits in soccer. If such a mirror of all that is good about Nigeria is in distress, the government must rise for him and his family.

The gospel of the Jonathan administration is to make the country safe enough for investors to do business just as it encourages Nigerians with means to come home and invest. Mikel established a big motor transport company run by his father.

Pa Obi was returning home from his motor company when these criminals hijacked him to an undisclosed destination. Pa Obi must be grieving. He must be wondering what he did wrong to warrant this hostage. Even though he was quoted to have said that he was being treated well by his kidnappers, we know for a fact that he may have said that under duress to impress his abductors.

The Jonathan administration’s challenge today is to direct the IGP to produce Pa Obi quickly and ensure that the criminals are made to face the the law. This is not the first time that our sports icons are suffering this malaise.

It is not the first time a relative of a Premier League player has been abducted in

•Continued on Page 63

Published and printed by Vintage Press Limited. Corporate Office: 27B Fatai Atere Way, Matori, Lagos. P.M.B. 1025, Oshodi, Lagos.

Telephone: Switch Board: 01-8168361. Editor-08094000052, Marketing: 01-8155547, Abuja Office: Plot 5, Nanka Close AMAC Commercial Complex, Wuse Zone 3, Abuja, Tel/ 07028105302 `E-mail: saturday@thenationonlineng.com Editor: DELE ADEOSUN