The Nation August 31, 2012

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VOL. 7, NO. 2234 FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2012

TR UTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM TRUTH

N150.00

Yoruba demand regional autonomy, state police

•SEE ALSO PAGES 2&3

General Assembly to set up Constitutional Commission SOME OF THE DEMANDS

•Regional autonomy •Abolition of Land Use Decree •Regional and State Police •Regional Constitutions •Return of Parliamentary System •Role for traditional rulers

T •Gen. Akinrinade...yesterday

HE Yoruba General Assembly yesterday called for regional autonomy for the Southwest in an atmosphere of true federalism in Nigeria.

The group dismissed the thinking that regional autonomy will undermine or subvert national unity, stressing that it could only solidify national cohesion and harmony.

From Emmanuel Oladesu and Bisi Oladele, Ibaddan

The assembly, which held a one-day conference in Ibadan, the political headquarters of the Southwest, also canvassed state police, return to parliamentary system, abolition of the Land Use Decree, regional constitutions and role for traditional rulers.

Highlights of the conference

included a historical presentation by a member of the planning committee, Mr. Dipo Famakinwa, who traced the tragedy of the Yoruba nation from the colonial period to the present day Nigeria, goodwill messages from delegates and passing of resolutions on the national question.

The General Assembly resolved to set up the Southwest Constitutional Commission

“for the purpose of coordinating memoranda from citizens and groups in the region towards a federal constitution for the country and of producing a constitutional framework for the region as a unit of the Nigerian federation”.

The meeting also listed the demand of the Yoruba, including the adoption of a parliamentary system, regional and state police, establish-

ment of a Constitutional Court with jurisdiction over inter-governmental cases and petitions from elections to the National Assembly, open ballot system, Yoruba anthem and flag.

The Itsekiri nation, represented by Chief Fred Agbeyegbe, said that there would be no hope for Nigeria, unless a Sovereign National Conference (SNC) is convened to discuss the basis for peaceful co-existence among the ethnic nationalities in the country.

Another Itsekiri leader, Isaac Jemide, urged the Yoruba to assist to frustrate Ijaw’s bid for a separate Continued on page 2

Why ex-Power Minister Nnaji had to go, by Jonathan

P

RESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan spoke yesterday on why former Power Minister Barth Nnaji threw in the towel.

Dr. Jonathan said in Onitsha, Anambra State: “Barth Nnaji has not committed any offence. He is a very competent and seasoned professional.”

Addressing Anambra

•Search for replacement begins From Yusuf Alli, Abuja and Odogwu Emeka Odogwu, Nnewi

people during a town hall meeting at the Governor’s Lodge, Onitsha after inaugurating the Onitsha Inland River Port Complex and the Governor’s Lodge as well as some private sector companies, Dr Jonathan said he

NewNiger Bridge gets March date •Ojukwu Gateway inaugurated From Nwanosike Onu and Odogwu Emeka Odogwu, Onitsha

T

HE Federal Government yesterday announced its plans for massive road development in the Southeast, with the planned ground breaking of the second Niger Bridge in March, next year.

President Goodluck Jonathan, who was in Anambra State yesterday on a one-day visit, said the first Niger Bridge was built by Nigeria’s First President, the late Dr. Nnamdi Azikwe, and that he looked forward to God to give “another Azikwe” the opportunity to build the second Niger Bridge.

The President, who addressed a town hall meeting at the Anambra State Government Lodge in Onitsha, mandated the ministers who accompa-

would replace Nnaji with another competent Igbo man.

He said because some privatisation done in the past failed , he was careful not to engage in another exercise that would be a failed venture.

Jonathan said Nnaji gave way because he had interests

in the ongoing privatisation.

In Abuja, the President is believed to have launched the search for a new Minister of Power.

Some of those being speculated are a former Chairman of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Agency, Dr. Ransome Owan; a former Special

Adviser on Petroleum Resources, Prof. Emmanuel Edoga; a former Managing Director of the Power Holding Copany of Nigeria (PHCN), Mr. Joseph Makoju, an engineer; a former Special Adviser to the President on Power, Mr. Foluseke Shomolu, who is also an engineer.

Also yesterday, a source in government said the Federal Continued on page 4

•Dr. Jonathan

•From left: MTN Consumer Marketing General Manager Mr Kola Oyeyemi; Chief Marketing Officer Mr Larry Annetts,Capt.

Akintunde Sotomi of Arik Air and Capt.

James Daniel at the unveiling of MTN Ultimate Wonder promo in Lagos... yesterday. Story on Page 5 PHOTO: MUYIWA HASSAN

Continued on page 4

•AGRIC P17 •SPORT P23•SOCIETY P25 •BRAND P29 •POLITICS P43

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THE NATION FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2012

NEWS THE YORUBA GENERAL ASSEMBLY CONFERENCE IN IBADAN

•From left: Governors AjImobi, Aregbesola and Deputy Governor Adesegun

•Chief Faleti (left) and Gen. Olutoye

•A cross section of traditional rulers

•From left: Otunba Adebayo, Chief Akande, Aremo Osoba and Bankole

Yoruba Assembly: On true federalism, Continued from page 1

state as a means of further oppressing Itsekiri on their land. He said the Itsekiri had suffered unjust deprivation, enjoining the ethnic nationalities to advance the cause of a national conference to boost their demand for self-determination.

The representative of the Yoruba in Kwara and Kogi states, Ayo Abereoran, demanded the creation of a separate state for the Yoruba in the two states to accommodate 14 Yoruba council areas in Kwara and Kogi states. He said the new state should be part of the Southwest geopolitical zone, following the restructuring of the polity.

He added: “Grouping with the North has separated Yoruba in Kwara and Kogi from their kith and kin in the Southwest and this has retarded the progress and development of Yoruba in those states. State creation has made Okun Yoruba in Kogi and Yoruba in Kwara to become more weakened, despite the fact that Yoruba occupy 12 councils and have the largest population in Kwara State.

“Willinkson Committee recommended that the people of Kabba and Ilorin Provinces can decide whether they can remain in the North or become part of the Southwest. They said they wanted to become part of the west, but it was not implemented. We want self-determination and correction to the geographical imbalance and erroneous boundaries created by Lord Lugard.”

Oyo State Governor Abiola Ajimobi, who spke on behalf of Southwest governors, put the national question on the front burner, saying that state police, restructuring of the polity and decentralisation of the railway are priorities. He said the fears expressed about state police were unfounded, adding that it would only foster security in the states.

The Convener, Gen. Alani Akinrinade, said the meeting, which was devoid of political and religious sentiments, was summoned to deliberate on the future of the Yoruba under the lopsided federal arrangement in the interest of future generations.

He rejected the notion that certain issues are not negotiable in Nigeria.

Gen. Akinrinade said: “All matters, including the unity of Nigeria, are negotiable.”

The former apostles of non-negotiability in the defunct Yugoslavia and Rwanda are today either in jail or facing criminal trials, Gen. Akinrinade added.

He stressed: “We need to examine the structure of the polity together and make recommendations on how to facilitate the overall economic development of the country and the Southwest zone, in particular. We need to brainstorm about how to make sure that the architecture of governance is designed to strengthen the unity of the country through a constitutional system that favours restoration of regional autonomy that made it possible for our region to create the largest pool of manpower in sub-Sahara Africa half a century ago.”

Gen. Akinrinade said the Yoruba have a nostalgic feeling for the glorious Awolowo era, noting that the unprecedented developments recorded by the late sage and first Premier of the region were possible because Nigeria before independence practised true federalism.

The former Chief of Defence Staff said: “ Only a proper constitutional and political agreement, enhanced by a consensus among Yoruba to press for the restructuring and creation of a truly federal constitution, can help resolve the current constitutional and structural logjam in the country.

“This Assembly is convened to

‘

Yoruba have a nostalgic feeling for the glorious Awolowo era, noting that the unprecedented developments recorded by the late sage and first Premier of the region were possible because Nigeria before independence practised true federalism

’

start the process of restoring true federalism, with its cornerstone of regional autonomy in our country.

This could be achieved the same way Scotland has, through a peaceful constitutional process, demanded home rule within the framework of the United Kingdom. Today’s Assembly is a family meeting aimed at starting the formal process of demanding a restructuring of the Nigerian federation.

“It is the structural problem thrown up against our security, general wellbeing and future of our children that motivated me to convene this family meeting. We should raise issues with a system that daily traumatises, improverishes and completely degrades our people. We must not continue to be indifferent to a political structure and constitution which continue to deny us our place in the sun as it completely rubbishes our freedom to develop at our own pace as eloquently demonstrated in the days of Awolowo and his team.”

The one-day conference, which, held at the historic Oyo State House

of Assembly, was attended by Yoruba from Oyo, Osun, Ondo, Ekiti, Ogun, Lagos, Kwara and Kogi states.

Delegates also came from Yoruba in the Diaspora. Traditional rulers, foremost politicians, technocrats, professionals, top government officials, youths and students thronged the historic building, where the developmental projects of the late Premier Awolowo received the approval of the pioneer Southwest legislators.

At the meeting were Oyo State Governor Abiola Ajimobi, his Osun State counterpart, Rauf Aregbesola, his deputy, Mrs. Titi Laoye-Tomori, Ogun State Deputy Governor Segun Adesegun, Oyo State Deputy Governor Chief Alake Adeyemo, Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) National Chairman Chief Bisi Akande, former Ogun State Governor Olusegun Osoba, his Ekiti State counterpart, Otunba Niyi Adebayo, former House of Representatives Speaker Dimeji Bankole, Gen. Olufemi Olutoye (rtd) and his wife, Prof. Olutoye, Gen. David Jemibewon, former Ondo State Deputy Governor Musa Ayeni, Gen. Tajudeen Olanrewaju, Prince Tajudeen Olusi, Chief Wumi Adegbonmire, Chief Dele Ajomale, Pa Adebayo Faleti and Senators Olorunnimbe Mamora, Babafemi Ojudu and Mudashiru Hussein.

Also there were Ondo ACN governorship candidate Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN), Pa Olola Kasunmu, Dr. Amos Akingba, Chief Michael AdeOjo, Chief Niyi Akintola (SAN) and Alhaji Lai Mohammed.

The event was also witnessed by the founder of Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC) Dr Frederick Fasehun, Dr. Dejo Raimi, representative of Gen. Adeyinka Adebayo (rtd), Chief Ajibola Ogunsola, Speaker of Ekiti State House of Assembly, Dr. Femi Omirin, his Oyo State counterpart, Mrs. Monsurat Sunmonu, Mr. Francis Ojo, Mr. Olawale Oshun, Mr.

Rotimi Obadofin, Prof. Ropo Sekoni, Mr. Femi Orebe, Dr. Jibayo Adeyeye, Mrs. Ronke Okunsanya, Chief Yemi Falade, secretary of Yoruba Council of Elders (YCE); Mr. Tokunbo Ajasin, Mrs. Jumoke Anifowose, Mrs. Ritalori Ogbebor, Pa Baba Omojola, Prof. Aderibigbe, Mr. Biodun Akin-Fasae, Mr. Niyi Afuye, Prof. Siyan Oyeweso, Chief Dele Falusi, Chief Jide Awe, Mojeeb Alabi, Chief Pius Akinyelure, Dr. Ishiak Kolawole, representative of Alhaji Lam Adesina, Prince Olu Adegboro, Mrs. Bola Doherty, Peter Fakorede, Babatunde Oduyoye, Lowo Adebiyi, Mr. Sunday Akere, Mr. Bimbo Awofeso, Rev. Tunji Adebiyi, Mrs. Bisi Abiola, Mrs. Kemi Nelson and Mr. Bisi Adegbuyi.

There was also: Prof. Patrick Aina, Vice Chancellor of Ekiti State University, Akinola Awodeyi-Akinsehinwa, Mr. Popoola Ajayi, Nelson Ekunjumi, Chief Tunde Odanye, Ayo Afolabi, Toke Benson, Biodun Sowumi and Ademola Oyinlola.

Traditional rulers at the meeting included Whenu Aholu Menu Toyi, Oba Babatunde Akran of Badagry, Deji of Akure, Oba Adebiyi Adesida, Owa Ajero of Ijero, Oba Adebayo Adewole, Elekole of Ikole, Oba Fashiku, and Ogbolu of Ita-Ogbolu, Oba Idowu Faboro.

Gen. Akinrinade revisited the national question, saying that Yoruba, which traditionally organised its polity along the model of federation since pre-colonial period, should canvass true federalism because it is most suitable for a country of diverse nations like Nigeria.

He lamented the backwardness in Yorubaland, pointing out that most Yoruba children growing up in the Southwest from the 80s have come to see life as an experience to endure, rather than enjoy.

He said between 1952 and 1966, when Nigeria operated a federal system, Yoruba enjoyed free education,

m,

THE NATION FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2012

3

NEWS THE YORUBA GENERAL ASSEMBLY CONFERENCE IN IBADAN

•Senator Ojudu and Mr Remi Oyeyemi

•Alh Olusi...yesterday

•Prof Sekoni and his wife Banke

•From left Chief Ogunsola,and Chief Akinyelure

•Alhaji Mohammed (left) and Hon Oshun

•Dr Raimi and Chief Adeojo PHOTOS: DAYO ADEWUNMI AND FEMI ILESANMI

regionalism we stand established the University of Ife, created the first television station in Africa and developed the best civil service in Africa, led by the late Chief Simeon Adebo.

Akinrinade recalled that the Yoruba were the first to officially recognise opposition in governance, which underscored their philosophical commitment to plurality of perspectives as a necessary aspect of democratic governance.

He added: “The cruel irony is that the region is now almost fully dependent on revenue from oil and handouts from Abuja. At independence in 1960, the Federal Government was taking loans of substantial amounts from the government of Western Nigeria. Unfortunately today, the truth is that, apart from Lagos State, our region has become a mendicant region that waits for limited droppings from the table of the Federal Government in Abuja.

“A distant Federal Government has become an overlord that has unnecessarily attracted to itself the charges of marginalisation from constituent nationalities. Knowing where we were coming from, it is crystal clear that the absence of functional federalism in the country has exacerbated the decline of Yorubaland.”

Gen. Akinrinade allayed the fears of people who think that a Sovereign National Conference would lead to war. He said a national conference would re-examine the heavy value added tax and punitive duty on imported alcohol collected by the Federal Government for distribution to all states, including those that banned alcohol, using some dubious calculus.

He said amid the battle for restructuring, the Yoruba should strive to preserve their language and culture as a means of fast-tracking knowledge and development.

Gen. Akinrinade also enjoined the Yoruba political class to remove the brigandage that accompanies elections in the Southwest to avoid the destruction of lives and property.

To Olusi, who endorsed the position of the General Assembly, a national conference is inevitable because, according to him, the current federal structure has failed. He assured that Yoruba in Lagos would always support the feelings and position of other Yoruba states on the national question.

Olusi added: “Those of us from Lagos are from Ile-Ife. Lagos will always follow the Southwest. Oba Adeniji-Adele said Lagos state belongs to the west. We will always belong to Yoruba. Yoruba has an agenda.

The federal structure is oppressing other component units. Yoruba can truly develop under a truly federal Nigeria. That was how Awolowo was able to bring progress to the Southwest”.

Mamora reiterated his call for functional federalism, adding that the current National Assembly lacks the power to make a new constitution for Nigeria. He said a separate Constituent Assembly made up of representatives of the people should be saddled with the responsibility.

Akintola (SAN), who described himself as a Yoruba and Ibadan irredentist) said: “We must return to the Omoluabi concept. It is no more in existence in Yorubaland. It must

be revived. A Yoruba was President, but he deferred to nobody. He did not succed. The marginalisation of Yoruba is real.

The Yoruba have lost out in the banking and power sectors. What is happening today could not have happened in the days of Ajasin and Bola Ige. How many Yoruba are in the Court of Appeal. Our governors are sleeping. They should ask for statistics. Balarabe Musa and Shehu Sani even cried out that Yoruba are marginalised.

“Yoruba must not see Yoruba as job but vocation to serve Yorubaland.

We need to encourage people like Gani Adams. We need them. On Constitution review, we must insist that derivation and Value Added Tax must be revisited. As we prepare for Constitution review, we must also know that our states in Yorubaland have diversities and different needs.

“States in the Southwest should have synergy. They should put heads together to construct the Lagos/Ibadan Expressway, Benin/ Ore road”.

Bankole supported regional economic integration in the Southwest, assuring that it will not lead to the disintegration of Nigeria. But he cautioned against state police, saying that those in government at the state level are not like the men of the old order who exhibited maturity in their days.

‘

Mrs. Laoye-Tomori said: “We have neglected agriculture in the Southwest. That is why the North is threatening not to bring food to the Southwest. We must return to the farm.”

Oba Fashiku said: “Southwest governors should have Southwest Governors Forum. Enugu was capital of Eastern Region when Ibadan was capital of Western Region. Enugu is now a state. Why is Ibadan not a state? Ibadan should be a state.”

Adegbuyi, a lawyer, said: “What Yoruba need is self-determination.

When Yoruba was president, did he reconstruct Lagos/Ibadan Expressway? Nigeria must revert to the structures at independence, with minor modifications.

“Awolowo succeeded because of the constitutional framework. We want derivation, state police, autonomy. If some people say they don’t want state police, those of us who want it should have it.”

Gen. Olutoye said: “Yoruba need to have a strong leader. He may be old or young. We also need unity. we should not destroy ourselves.”

Prof. Sekoni said: “We should take position on the Yoruba Agenda. We should pass resolution on it and pass it to the committee that will work on the constitution.”

Akingba, who read the resolutions, observed that Nigeria is at a crossroads, noting that critical issues that constitute the national question, have not been resolved.

The cruel irony is that the region is now almost fully dependent on revenue from oil and handouts from Abuja. At independence in 1960, the Federal Government was taking loans of substantial amounts from the government of Western Nigeria. Unfortunately today, the truth is that, apart from Lagos State, our region has become a mendicant region that waits for limited droppings from the table of the Federal Government in Abuja

’

Fire guts LUTH’s building

By Tajudeen Adebanjo

The AIDs Prevention Initiative Nigeria (APIN) building at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Idi-Araba, Lagos went up in flames last night.

The building is near the children’s ward.

The fire, which broke out a few minutes past 7pm, resulted from a spark from the Pharmacy room.

“There was an outage, the entire building was in darkness and suddenly electricity was restored shortly after, then, a spark from the Pharmacy room that was all”, an official told The Nation.

This occurred at the time workers in the section were rounding off a meeting. But nobody died or was injured.

Efforts to extinguish the fire using the fire extinguishers proved abortive.

The arrival of the officials of the Federal Fire Services could also not save the building from being totally burnt down.

The men from the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) were also on ground.

A female employee of the section was heard lamenting: “This is a big loss, Eight years of hard work is gone. All the files containing the data collected in the last eight years are no more,” she lamented.

NEMA Southwest Information Officer Ibrahim Farinloye, said their officers where on ground to salvage any human disaster.

Mr. Ganiyu Olayiwola, the operational commander of the Lagos Command, who led the Federal Fire Service, could not give details on the level of destruction.

Olayiwola said his men arrived at the scene of the inferno at 7:50pm.

He said his men did not encounter any impediment in commencing work immediately.

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THE NATION FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2012

NEWS March date for Second Niger Bridge Continued from page 1

•President Jonathan waving, accompanied by Governor Obi on his arrival at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport in Enugu en route to Anambra…yesterday PHOTO: NAN

‘Why ex-Power Minister Nnaji had to go’ Continued from page 1

Government had shifted ground on the disengaged PHCN workers’ demand.

The source, who spoke in confidence, said: “The reality is that Nnaji has left a big vacuum, which might be difficult to fill. The nation needs a man with the deep knowledge of the industry.

“So, we need a new Minister who can hit the ground running from his or her first day in office.

“The President has been receiving recommendations and some advice but one thing that is sure is that Nigeria is never in short of experts.

“I think within a short time, the President will get the right peg to put in the right hole.”

Responding to a question, the source said: “The President is being meticulous about the new choice because it is a technical area. This is not an appointment a government can rush to make.

“He can choose from within or outside the cabinet. What is important is the ability to provide technical and leadership direction. You will recall that the late Chief Bola Ige, ex-Governor Olusegun Agagu and Governor Liyel Imoke were at one time or the other in charge of power.

“Although most people favour fresh hands from outside, a few others are recommending active ministers, such as Nyesom Wike (Minister of State for Education); Olusegun Aganga (Trade and Investment); Mike Onolememen (Works) and Dr. Akinwumi Ayodeji Adesina, for the job.

“But from outside, some names being speculated are a former Chairman of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Agency, Dr. Ransome Owan; a former Special Adviser on Petroleum Resources, Prof.

Emmanuel Edoga; a former MD of PHCN, Joseph Makoju; a former Special Adviser to the President on Power, Foluseke Shomolu; and a hitherto UK based energy expert, Dr. David Ladipo, who was once part of a consortium called Azura Power Limited that managed some power projects in Benin Zone.

“Some people have also asked the government to look inward for technical experts who had worked on NIPP and served with Nnaji in driving the reform in the power sector.

“When Jonathan was the Vice-President, he interacted extensively with some of these technical experts. He knows who can execute the power sector reform.

“The only challenge is that he needs to take a second look at some of the ministers whether he might want to redeploy any of them to that ministry. I remember that when Nnaji took over, a serving member of the cabinet stood up and said: “I was a member of a committee that decided to suspend Power Sector Reform for three years.”

But a source in the Ministry of Power said: “I do not think that any member of Nnaji’s technical team will be able to make a big difference without bias. We are not looking in that direction.”

There were signals that the President might not retain the

Power portfolio in Enugu State.

Another source in government said: “No law has made it compulsory that the Ministry of Power must go to Enugu State. It is the prerogative of the President to assign portfolios.

“Even if you are in the cabinet, it is not guaranteed that you must permanently be in a ministry.

“What is constitutionally required is that every state of the federation must have a ministerial slot. And the President has fulfilled this mandate.”

Nnaji yesterday submitted his handover note to the government.

He had spent the last 48 hours compiling the note, which a source described as “rich and voluminous”.

“He took time to write details about his activities in office in the past 14 months.”

There were indications last night that the Federal Government may have shifted ground on the disengaged PHCN workers’ demand.

A member of the negotiating team, who spoke in confidence, said: “The government has made new offers or some concessions, it is left to the labour leaders to go and consult and give government feedback.

“The negotiation on workers’ demand is a little bit intricate. With the privatisation, the workers have to disengage from PHCN. But they have a challenge on their exit package because they did not migrate to the Contributory Pension Scheme in 2004.

“The Pension Reform Act al-

•Prof. Nnaji

lowed only those who were going to retire between 2004 and 2007 to do so with the old Pension Scheme.

“Under the Contributory Pension Scheme, the workers will save 7.5 per cent of their earnings and their employers will also contribute 7.5 per cent.

“But the PHCN workers are insisting on getting 25 per cent pension as in the old pension scheme. They are making this demand outside the three-year window allowed by the Pension Reform Act. “The first committee that negotiated with them offered to pay them 25 per cent of their entitlements up to 2004 and 15 per cent from 2005 to date.

They have rejected this offer.

“Their rejection of the offer led to the latest negotiation which was concluded on Wednesday. The Federal Government has made a fresh offer or a middle course percentage which they have promised to look into.

“We had a wonderful session with the labour leaders.

The bottom line is that the Federal Government wants to be able to pay. The cost implication of the retirement benefits of these workers is huge.”

nied him to give details of government plans for the Southeast.

Works Minister Mike Onolememen said: “I want to assure you that procurement has been on for the past 10 months.

Transaction approved as seven international concessionaires have indicated interests for developing the Second Niger Bridge.’’

He said each of the seven firms has the capacity and financial muscle to deliver the project, which will begin in March, next year. He said the bridge was designed in such a way that it would look like a bye pass with link roads to Onitsha-Enugu Express way and Owerri-Onitsha expressway.

The Federal Government had approved N18billion for the reconstruction of the Enugu-Onitsha Expressway and the money is ready for contractors to access and start the job, the minister said.

Finance Minister Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala promised that the money to deliver the second Niger bridge is available as the Sure P investment would be dedicated to it.

She said the World Bank has given the Federal Government $450million loan to tackle erosion in the Southeast. The loan has a 10 years grace period and 40 years repayment period with zero interest.

The N4.6 billion Onitsha Inland Port complex was inaugurated amidst cheers by President Jonathan. He promised that his administration would bring reasonable changes to the economy before the end of his tenure.

The President praised indigenous company Inter Bau limited for doing a great job at the port. He promised the company more jobs as a way of encouraging competent local companies.

Jonathan restated the government’s determination to

transform the economy in all sectors, but urged Nigerians to be patient as it will take some time to accomplish the set developmental objectives.

He said the government would do the required to reduce cost of transportation by developing the key inland ports.

Anambra State Governor Peter Obi described the Onitsha port as important as it will reduce the weight which the roads are carrying and create jobs for the teeming youths.

Obi said the coming of Onitsha Inland Port marks the beginning of the rebirth of the ancient city.

President Jonathan also inaugurated the Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu Gateway in Onitsha.

He said the gateway stood as a symbol of unity in the Southeast and prayed that the cause for which the late Biafran leader was known would not die.

He said the strategic site of the statue would always bring to mind the memories of the late Ojukwu and urged the people not to allow his dream to die.

Obi said the gateway was the first point of contact with the Southeast, hence its choice for the immortalisation of Odumegwu-Ojukwu. He prayed that the statue would always touch the minds of the Igbo to think and act as one.

Amb. Bianca Ojukwu, the widow of the late Ojukwu, said she was delighted with the government’s decision to honour her late husband in a special way.

Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha said the gateway would bind the Igbo together on sighting the statue.

At the ceremony were Senators Chris Ngige and Andy Uba, Representatives Uche Ekwunife and Victor Ogene and former Minister of Information and Communication, Prof. Dora Akunyili, among others.

•Paralympic Games gold medalist Yakubu Adesoakn...yesterday

Ghana’s ruling party endorses Mahama for President

G

HANA’s ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) yesterday gave an overwhelming endorsement to President John Dramani Mahama as its presidential candidate in the December presidential election.

At a special delegates’ conference held at the Baba Yara Sports stadium, 2,871 delegates (99.5 per cent) cast a “yes” vote for President Mahama.

The Deputy Chairman (Operations) of the Electoral Com-

mission, Kwadwo Sarfo-Kantanka, said there were 11 rejected ballots while 14 delegates voted “no”.

“The battle for victory 2012 continues from here,”an excited chairman of the NDC, Dr Kwabena Adjei, said after the results were announced.

The process became necessary following the sudden death on July 24 of president John Evans Atta Mills, who was the presidential candidate for the December 7 polls.

The National Executive Committee (NEC) of the NDC

nominated President Mahama as the sole candidate, as there was no time to open nominations for primaries to be held before the submission of nomination forms for the election.

However, NEC’s nomination needed the endorsement of majority of delegates from across the country.

In an address before voting commenced, President Mahama acknowledged the presence of former president Jerry John Rawlings, who is the founder of the NDC but its

most bitter critic, saying this did not mean that the party’s divisions were over.

He noted that after their victory at the 2008 general elections, the party had not done well to manage disagreements that had cropped up.

“We have not managed our disagreements in a manner that shows appreciation for God’s favour.”

He admitted that while there are bound to be disagreements in any organisation, the NDC had failed to manage them as expected, stressing, “It is how

we manage those disagreements that will determine whether an organisation is successful or not.

“In the past, we have not managed those disagreements the way we should.”

Rawlings called on President Mahama and the hierarchy of the (NDC) to weed out “bad nuts”from the rank and file of the party.

Rawlings called on President Mahama to deal with all members and government officials who have cast a slur on the reputation of the party.

“Let us show some civility towards each other with the hope that he would be able to correct some of the past mistakes,”he said.

Rawlings and his wife, Nana Konadu, are said to be behind a breakaway faction of the NDC. The group has now formed the National Democratic Party (NDP).

Nana Konadu had challenged the late president Mills for the NDC’s presidential candidate but won less than 4per cent of the votes.

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THE NATION FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2012

5

NEWS

$40m paid to ex-militants illegal, says ACN

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HE Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) yesterday described as illegal, unconstitutional and indefensible the $40 million being paid yearly to some exmilitants to guard the country’s pipelines.

In a statement in Abuja by its National Publicity Secretary Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said one of the main causes of the over heating of the polity today is the reckless manner political power is exercised and monopolised by a few individuals.

Regretably, some actions and inaction of this administration have lent credence to the widely held belief that this administration is waging and exerting power only for the benefits of a section of the country, the party said.

The party recalled that on January 22, this year, it issued

a statement in which it queried the rationale behind the memo that was presented to the Federal Executive Council that month, seeking the Council’s approval for a so-called strategic concessioning partnership between NIMASA and Global West to enforce regulatory compliance and surveillance of the entire Nigerian Maritime domain.

“In the same statement, the party expressed serious concerns, particularly because the Federal Government actually withdrew a bill before the National Assembly that would have carried out the same functions now being outsourced to a private firm.

“We state again emphatically that it is totally unacceptable and unconscionable - even unprecedented especially in a fragile federation like ours -

for any government to hand over the security of its entire maritime domain to a private firm of a group of ex - militants for that matter given the far reaching implications of such a decision for trade, security, ports and shipping of the country.

“What is the agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan in allowing this to happen?

Why would a government so willingly abdicate its responsibility of ensuring the security of its maritime domain? What were the ministers thinking when they approved this dangerous memo, the party asked.

“The ACN has dismissed as self serving, irresponsible , untenable and illogical attempts to defend this outrageous decision to hand over the security of not only our entire maritime domain but also the responsibility of

protecting our pipelines to exmilitants.

“In the first instance, a decision as momentous as this ought to have been a subject of rigorous national debate. The entire transaction lacks transparency and due process and finally it passes a vote of no confidence in our armed forces and security agencies who are constitutionally mandated to provide these services.

According to the party, those who sought to justify the payments on the grounds that since the militants took over security of our pipelines oil theft has been on the decline ( an entirely false claim) and that production has gone up have completely missed the point. The real issues at stake apart from those raised above are as aptly put by the spokesman for the Arewa Consultative

Forum, Anthony Sanni , that it is the inalienable right of Nigerians to know how they are governed and how their resources are allocated and that the Federal Government must at all times conduct its affairs in conformity with the Constitution to ensure that no individual or section of the country dominate access to natural resources.

“In conclusion the party calls on the National Assembly to immediately wade into this matter with a view to reversing this dangerous development in view of its national security implications. We also once again call on all Nigerians to show interest in this matter which has farreaching implications for the country’s continued existence as one entity,” the party added.

Minister seeks paradigm shift in agriculture

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INISTER of Agriculture Dr. A k i n w u n m i Adesina, has advocated a paradigm shift in the agriculture sector. He said agriculture must be run as a business and not as a development programme, if Nigeria must regain its lost glory as a major world producer and exporter of farm produce.

The Minister spoke yesterday while delivering the 11th Public Lecture Series of Adekunle Ajasin University, AkungbaAkoko, Ondo State. The lecture was titled: “Unlocking the Potential of Nigerian Agriculture”.

Adesina said the focus of the lecture was to get Nigerians to understand that the days of treating agriculture like a Father Christmas sector were over.

“Nigeria must learn from Asian countries. We must tap into all the resources of our farmers across our nation and deliver a green revolution that will make Nigeria self-sufficient in food production. We must turn Nigeria into a breadbasket - a power house for food production. To do so, we must make a fundamental paradigm shift: Agriculture should be seen as a business, not a development programme.”

The Minister, who regretted that Nigeria’s agricultural potential remained untapped, said the report of the Food and Agriculture Organisation on Competitive Commercial Agriculture for Africa, indicated that Africa, especially Nigeria and Mozambique, have vast areas of savannah that could become the breadbasket for the rest of the world, if properly harnessed.

He added, “According to the International Food National Research Institute, the value of Agriculture in Nigeria at constant 2010 dollars was 99 billion dollars. This is projected to grow to 256 billion dollars by 2030.”

MTN slashes tariff

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TN yesterday announced a tariff scheme that will ensure that Nigerians can “stay connected to family and friends a lot more.”

The company’s General Manager, Consumer Marketing, Kola Oyeyemi, spoke in Lagos while launching the company’s Ultimate Wonder Draw, which will see a Nigerian winning a brand new 2012 Cessna 182T aircraft.

Oyeyemi said: “For many people, it’s so hard to believe that we are giving out an aeroplane which for me is understandable because no other brand has done it. This is what makes us the market leader.”

“Remember the N1billion promo where we shelled out N1billion to 100 lucky winners?

It looked impossible until we made it happen. The automania game is ongoing, so far we have given out over 86 Hyundai ix35 SUVs,” he said reiterating MTN’s commitment to the continuous engagement of the market through exciting and innovative promos.

He advised Nigerians to ensure they “recharge up to N3, 000 in the next 90 days of this promo to qualify for the star prize and other mouth-watering cash prizes.”

100,000 pilgrims for Hajj

T •Category Business Manager, Dairy, Nestle Nigeria Plc, Mr. Arikawe Adewale (left); Director, Federal Ministry of Health (representing Health Minister), Mr. George Chidi; Managing Director/Chief Executive, Nestle Plc Mr. Martin Woolnough; President, Dietetic Association, Lagos, Mrs. Omoise Enabulele and Corporate Affairs Manager, Nestle Plc Mr. Samuel Adenekan at the launch of iron-fortified Golden Morn in Lagos.

PHOTO: JOHN EBHOTA

14 years on, PDP awards self pass mark

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ESPITE the poor rating from the opposition camp, the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday awarded itself a pass mark.

Niger State Governor Babangida Aliyu, who did the appraisal as part of activities marking the 14-year anniversary of the PDP said the party has steered the affairs of the country well.

In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Danladi Ndayebo, Aliyu declared that the country has fared well under the party, despite unending criticisms and hurtful remarks from the civil society groups and opposition parties.

Aliyu said since the PDP came into power against the background of a turbulent period of military rule which reached its heights in 1998 ,the party has made significant progress in returning the country to the path of sustainable development and steady economic growth.

He said in the last 13 years, the PDP officials (both elected

and appointed) at the various levels of government have worked tirelessly to inject fresh ideas into all sectors of the economy.

The statement said members of the PDP and indeed Nigerians have every cause to celebrate, emphasising that under the PDP, the nation has for the first time witnessed 13 years of an uninterrupted journey to the proverbial Promised Land.

It said: “Although we are not there yet, the journey is no longer as far as it used to be.”

The governor thanked the founding fathers of the party and supporters across the country for their continued belief in the PDP and its leadership, urging them to continue to keep faith with the party.

He called on Nigerians irrespective of their political affiliation to support the agenda of the President Goodluck Jonathan led administration.

Protesting lawyers shut NBA conference entrance

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ROTESTING lawyers yesterday shut the main gate of the Abuja International Conference Centre, venue of the Annual General Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) for two hours.

There were protesting against the 500 per cent hike in conference fees. The event began on Sunday.

Lawyers who did not register and who had no tags were prevented from entering the hall.

But they insisted they had a right to attend the meeting, where the outgoing

From Joseph Jibueze, Abuja

administration-led by Joseph Daudu (SAN) will render account of its twoyear stewardship.

The meeting ends today.

The protesting lawyers were eventually allowed in.

Daudu admitted that the AGM is “an open meeting for all lawyers and all lawyers are welcome.”

“The fee-paying part of the Annual General Conference ended with the annual bar dinner on Wednesday night,” he said.

Among those who were shut out are NBA Third Vice-President, Dr Ogugua Ikpeze, General Secretary Muyiwa Akinboro and Chairman of Council, National Human Rights Commission(NHRC), Prof Chidi Odinkalu.

The lawyers barricaded the gate, preventing those who registered from going in.

They also prevented other people from coming out as they engaged security agents in arguments. They pushed and shove one another.

They insisted that they had a right to attend the Annual General Meeting as feepaying NBA member, whether or not they registered for the conference.

“A lot of things are going wrong in NBA and if we keep quiet, things will spoil totally,” a lawyer said.

There was gridlock around the venue and adjoining streets as the crowd increased.

Security agents said they were instructed to allow in only accredited lawyers, but the lawyers insisted NBA President must address them.

HE Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) yesterday said that 100,000 pilgrims would be transported to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, for this year’s Hajj.

NCAA’s Director-General Dr. Harold Demuren, made the disclosure in Lagos in an interactive session with reporters.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Demuren had earlier in the day held a closed door meeting with airline operators, security agencies and fuel marketers toward ensuring a hitch-free Hajj.

He said that the transportation of intending pilgrims would begin on September 17 in 12 airports located in Abuja, Katsina, Gombe, Yola, Maiduguri, Port Harcourt, Ilorin, Lagos, Kaduna, Jos, Sokoto and Kano.

The director general said that four major airlines would be involved in the exercise.

“The four airlines shortlisted are: Max, Kabo, Meridian, Med-View.

“They will be making use of bigger aircraft like the Boeing 747- 400 series and Boeing 767 – 500 series,” he said.

The NCAA boss said that the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) would be in-charge of creating dedicated Hajj routes for the operation without interfering with the normal international flight operations.

He promised that the authority would ensure that intending pilgrims are adequately educated about the exercise.

“We shall transport all the intending pilgrims before the close of Jeddah airport in Saudi Arabia.

THE NATION FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2012

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NEWS ONDO 2012

‘Mimiko abandoned N278m Ile-Oluji Township Stadium’

Ex- governor’s son alleges threat to life •Accuses Mimiko’s aides

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From Damisi Ojo, Akure

CHIEFTAIN of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and son of the former Ondo State governor, Chief Adebayo Adefarati, yesterday alleged threat to his life.

Otunba Adegboyega Adefarati accused some aides of Governor Olusegun Mimiko of being the brains behind the alleged plan.

Adefarati said the attacker was angry over a recent interview he granted some national newspapers.

He said: “Some aides of Governor Mimiko are planning to attack me and plant incriminating weapons at our country home, Estate of Peace, at Akungba-Akoko, to implicate me and ensure my arrest.

“You are aware that a church is inside the compound and it is open to everybody, especially the students. It is under this guise that they want to perpetrate this unholy act.

“I want to say that I shall continue to fight for good governance. No amount of intimidation can cow me or suppress the truth. However, I have instructed my lawyer to petition the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) and the Director of State Security Service (SSS) on this threat.”

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HE Akeredolu Campaign Organisation (ACO) of the Ondo State Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) yesterday alleged that the Olusegun Mimiko administration has abandoned the N278million Ile-Oluji Township Stadium.

In a statement in Akure, the state capital, by its spokesman, Mr Idowu Ajanaku, ACO alleged that though the contractor was mobilised, the project may remain a pipe dream because the contractor has not started work.

It said: “The contract, which was awarded to Alfredo Glo-

‘LP buying voters’ cards’

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HE Akeredolu Campaign Organisation (ACO) of the Ondo State Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) yesterday accused the ruling Labour Party (LP) of buying voters’ cards for between N5,000 and N10,000.

In a statement in Akure, the state capital, by its Director-General, Chief Tayo Alasoadura, ACO alleged that “this is another antic of the drowning Labour Party to rig the governorship election”.

It urged Ondo State residents not to sell their birthright to the ruling paty, which it said has “deliberately impoverished them in order to keep them in per-

petual bondage”.

ACO said: “The people of Ondo State should not allow themselves to be disenfranchised because their vote is their power. They should use it to chase away the amorphous Labour Party. A government of abandoned projects, such as the Arigidi Tomato Paste Industry, which the governor had claimed on several occasions had started working; the Alpha 3D project started by the late Adebayo Adefarati administration; the Owena Multi-Purpose Dam, started by the Olusegun Agagu administration, the OwoAkure Road, the OndoAkure Road, Oba-Ile-Akure Road project, are all abandoned.”

Lawyer calls for redeployment of REC, security chiefs From Damisi Ojo, Akure

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N Akure lawyer, Prince Idowu Mafisebi, yesterday called for the redeployment of heads of security agencies in Ondo State before the October 20 election.

To him, this is the best way to guarantee a free and fair election.

Mafimisebi urged the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Attahiru Jega, to transfer the State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mr. Akin Orebiyi, and some officials of the commission.

The activist, who addressed reporters in Akure, the state capital, alleged that Orebiyi and the security chiefs have been compromised by the ruling Labour Party (LP) to aid Governor Olusegun Mimiko.

•The Special Adviser to Lagos State Governor on Works and Infrastructure, Mr Ganiyu Johnson (middle) receiving a present from the Chairman of the state branch of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), Mr Tunde Jaiyesinmi (left) for Governor Babatunde Fashola (SAN).

With them is the Permanent Secreatary, Ministry of Works and Infrastructure, Mr Tayo Bamgbose, at Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos...yesterday.

PHOTO: OMOSEHIN MOSES

•Project not abandoned, says govt From Damisi Ojo, Akure

bal Concept, owned by a supporter of Mimiko, for N278,963,678.10, was contained in a July 27, 2010 letter

by Mr Oladele F. Akinmoye, the Director of Finance and Administration, on behalf of the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Youth Development and Sports”.

The Commissioner for Sports, Alhaji Yekini Olanipekun, could not be reached for comments.

But a government official

denied the allegation, saying the project has not been abandoned.

ACO added: “The N100million mobilisation fee for the project, was paid to the contractor immediately the project was awarded. But the contractor is yet to mobilise to site.

“It is worthy to note that despite the fact that the project is yet to get underway, the Mimiko administration paid another N178million to the contractor and, as at today, it is only a signboard that has been erected by the company at the project

site!

“Therefore, the question the good people of Ile-Oluji and Ondo State should ask Mimiko is: where has our N278 million gone, in a state where there is massive unemployment, bad roads, lack of pipe borne water, even in Akure?

“Indeed, the people of Ondo State should ask about the N1.5 billion doom-Dome, OndoAkure Road, Owena Multi-Purpose Water Dam, Arigidi Tomato Paste Industry, Alpha 3D Industry and so on. Why should we trust this man with another term? Is it to further impoverish us and unleash more misery on our people?”

Akeredolu: LP spreading lies to cover up

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•Akeredolu

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HE Akeredolu Campaign Organisation (ACO) of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) has urged Ondo State residents to be wary of the falsehood being spread by the ruling Labour Party (LP) to cover up its misdeeds.

In a statement in Akure, the state capital, by its spokesman, Mr Idowu Ajanaku, the organisation said the ruling party was using the tactics to discredit other parties.

The statement reads: “You will recall that we raised the alarm that the Labour Party had moved thugs and rented a

From Damisi Ojo, Akure

crowd to Owo for the flag-off of the governor’s rally.

“We have it on good record that a member of the Labour Party was yesterday arrested with a pistol in the home of an Ose Local Government top official. He has since been transferred to the State Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) office in Akure.

The LP is making frantic effort to secure the release of the suspect at all cost. This is a confirmation of our earlier claim that the government is desperate and has resorted to using thugs to

shore up its dwindling fortune.

“We are appalled to hear that the Mimiko Campaign Organisation (MCO) has been spreading false reports when it is their thugs who have even gone to destroy the home of the father of the ACN standard bearer in Owo, after they had destroyed the party’s secretariat in the town.

“But they have hurriedly gone to the press with false claims to mislead the people and cover up their atrocious act. This government can no longer be trusted, having seen that Mimiko himself is a serial liar.”

Ondo PDP decries Mimiko’s ‘provocation’

HE Ondo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday decried the alleged desperation of the ruling Labour Party (LP) to win the October 20 election, with the introduction of “dangerous dimensions into the politics of our state”.

In a statement by its Director of Publicity, Mr Ayo Fadaka, the party alleged that the Olusegun Mimiko-led administration has begun an “aggression and undue provocation” of other parties.

The statement reads: “The concept of campaigning for votes generally entails the marketing of the party and selling its programmes to the electorate with a view to winning

•Governor begins campaign in Owo From Damisi Ojo, Akure

them to its side.

“But, curiously, for the Labour Party, it involves the absolute display of potential for violence, the perpetration of same. This act, to say the least, is reprehensible and absolutely condemnable. It calls to question the credibility and commitment of the party and its leaders to the well-being and sanity of our society.

“In view of the foregoing, we recall that the LP, on Wednesday, attacked our local government secretariat at Owo and Idanre Local Governments.

“The incident in Owo was

that of absolute provocation when its (LP) thugs decided to paste Mimiko’s posters on the walls of the office. This act was a direct invitation to anarchy, but we were able to restrain our people from reacting to this bestial attitude. In Idanre, they chose to attack our party men and they inflicted cuts on a number of them, in their own secretariat.

“As a party, our commitment to the development and advancement of our state compels us to desire the peace of our state and its advancement and, as such, dictates our non-violence approach to politicking.

“We desire to rule a state and people who enjoy absolute health and not those whose limbs and arms would be severed by thugs or even people that have been forced to have permanent scars as a result of thuggish activities perpetrated by a party because it is currently in government.

“Mimiko yesterday flagged off his campaign in Ondo State and what was evident was the mobilisation of young men in motor parks, who were also equipped dangerous weapons.

The result was the violence that preceded his campaign.

“The decision of Dr Mimiko to kick-start his campaigns in Owo confirms his desperation to appeal to history as it concerns the formation of the good old Action Group (AG).

“This in itself is paradoxical as Mimiko is bereft of the Spartan discipline of those eminent patriots under the leadership of the revered Chief Obafemi Awolowo, whose administration in the old Western Region laid the solid foundation for the development of the Southwest.”

Governor Mimiko yesterday began his campaign for a

second term in Owo. Many people have criticised him for seeking a second tenure despite being an apostle of “one man, one term”.

Addressing party supporters, Mimiko said: “In 2007, we promised to work for you. We promised that your concern shall be our concern; that in all seasons, we will work for you; that we shall unleash our incredible creative ingenuity to develop the state. In the last three and a half years, there are empirical facts on the ground that we have delivered on our promises.

“Ondo State is working again and we are happier. We have in place over 350 projects in our rural communities, dictated by our people themselves.

“Today, we are here again to solicit for your votes again.

We want you to vote for us, and I sincerely assure you that we shall continue to work for you with renewed vigour…”

Accusing the ruling party of failure, the PDP said: “In the last three and a half years, Mimiko has displayed his incompetence to administer this state and also his scorched earth policy that has fleeced the state of its hardearned resources. This has turned us to a debtor state despite the solvency status he inherited.”

The PDP said Mimiko failed to give an account of how much money the state made under him till date and yet desires to associate with the Awolowos of blessed memory, who took accountability and probity seriously.

The party added that the LP campaign was hollow in content, petty in outlook and pedestrian in approach.

It said: “October 20 looms and their waterloo beckons.”

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THE NATION FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2012

NEWS Politicians urged to stop empty promises

By Segun Balogun

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•Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun (fifth left), with the chairmen of the 20 Local Government Areas in the state during the three-day workshop on “Enhancing Local Government Leadership in Ogun State” organised by the Ogun MDGs’ Office and Ken Nnamani Centre for Leadership and Development in Abeokuta... yesterday

NBA rejects N5000 note, threatens to sue CBN

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HE Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) yesterday rejected the N5000 banknote proposed by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

It said legal action may be taken to stop it.

NBA President Joseph Daudu (SAN), in a speech during the association’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Abuja, said the policy could “damage the lives of Nigerians”.

He described it as “a shallow scheme”.

Daudu said introducing it would weaken the naira and promote corruption.

He said: “The looming danger is that using large bills will devalue the naira.

“It will promote money laundering and massive monetary inducement in the next general election.

“It’s also against the cashlite policy of the CBN, and is disparate to what obtains elsewhere.

“If it has to be litigated against, so be it. The CBN should not be allowed to damage the lives of Nigerians through shallow schemes such as this.”

The outgoing bar leader said Nigeria should not be hurried into accepting a harmful policy.

“The country should not be rushed into a policy that will be deleterious and injurious to the people of this country,” he said.

According to him, CBN was trying to “impose on Nigerians” what they do not need.

Senator Eta Enang, a lawyer, backed Daudu, urging the NBA to include the rejection of the new banknote policy in its communique that will be issued today.

CBN forges ahead with proposal

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HE Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) yesterday said it would forge ahead with the introduction of the N5,000 note next year.

The apex bank also said it has resolved to stop the production of polymer currency notes.

Its Director of Corporate Affairs, Mr Ugochukwu Okoroafor, spoke with reporters in Abuja.

He said the apex bank would sensitise the public on the introduction of N5,000 note into the economy.

According to the CBN spokesman, “people the world over thought polymer will be a great replacement for paper currency but it has not turned out the way it was planned”.

Polymer notes, he said, are “difficult to destroy, incinerating old currency notes through briquetting was difficult in the case of polymer notes in an environmentally friendly way.”

In addition, he said polymer currency “is produced by just one company in the world, an Australian company called Securrency.”

The CBN, he said, has tried using polymer currency notes “and decided that polymer is not the way to go. It is time to move in the right direction than to continue in a direction that may not be favourable; it was a decision that didn’t quite turn out well, the whole world experimented with polymer and people thought that polymer was okay until they learnt otherwise.”

This move to do away with polymer notes he said is consistent with the CBN position of changing with times and technology, saying that “we must move forward and that is why the currency review is important”.

He said: “We are about to carry out sensitisation campaign on the introduction of N5000 note and the restructuring of the From Joseph Jibueze, Abuja

He said the policy is unacceptable, saying it should it rejected by all.

“What the CBN is doing amounts to an exercise of autocratic power over the economy of Nigeria.

“CBN behaves as if it is a country outside Nigeria.

Nduka Chiejina (Assistant Editor) and Mercy Madu, Abuja

nation’s other currencies. Everything will not take off at the first quarter of next year.

We are starting with a particular currency in the first quarter of next year, there will still be currency and coins for the denominations that will be coined like N5, N10 and N20 so that both will be operational side by side.”

Okoroafor said it would be cheaper to print and issue N5000 note.

Traders, who move money around, he said, would appreciate the need for the issuance of N5000 note while those at the low end of the transaction chain would also benefit from the new currency restructuring initiative.

He said the apex bank has started talking to relevant authorities, including members of the National Assembly on the currency restructuring initiative.

The restructuring exercise, he said, is within the mandate of the CBN. Okoroafor said the president has given approval for the campaign to begin.

He said: “We want to be among the top 20 largest economy in 2020; we believe in it. What we should do is pray for Nigeria to have a financial system that can support one of the world’s largest economies. We cannot do it, if we don’t have the right framework.

“We want to ensure that life is made a lot easier for Nigerians and will continue to improve the system.”

Okoroafor saidthe report that N40 billion would be spent to print the N5000 note is false, saying the cost is in the CBN annual report.

“I’ll pray the NBA to take action by way of litigation against this policy,” Enang said.

He also urged the NBA to make more input into all laws being passed by the National Assembly.

Daudu spoke on corruption, and on Constitution amendment, listing areas

that should be amended.

He said: “The NBA does not possess the machinery in the nature of enforcement mechanisms to bring down corruption in the judiciary or any other sector of the society.

“Only the government can do the stamping out, but first they must show sufficient

resolve by acknowledging the existence of the problem, its magnitude, then they can move to the stage of mapping out strategy for combating the problem in consultation with stakeholders.”

Daudu said the Constitution does not need “wholesale substitution”.

He added: “The areas that require amendment must be areas that promote true fiscal federalism, promote an independent democratically elected local government, and promote a corrupt-free, independent and impartial judiciary.

“The amendment must remove substantial number of responsibility from the Federal Government as contained in the exclusive legislative list and move to a residual list or at best the concurrent list those items that obstruct true federalism.

“It should create the parameters for the establishment of state police.

“The constitution review exercise must not attempt to create additional states as majority of the existing ones are not economically viable.

“They are merely escalating the cost of governance to the detriment of genuine transformational development.”

The occasion marked Daudu’s last major assignment as he hands over to a new administration led by Okey Wali (SAN) today.

“If I’ve offended anybody in the course of the two years I have been in office, I apologise.

“I have also forgiven those who needlessly offended me. Let us all forge ahead to move the association forward,” he said.

Labour: Sanusi has run out of ideas

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RGANISED labour and its civil society allies have vowed to the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria CBN), Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi from issuing the N5000 note.

Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) National President, Comrade Abdulwaheed Omar, spoke yesterday in Lagos at the 8th Biennial Delegate Conference of the

Dupe Olaoye-Osinkolu

Metal Products Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, MEPROSSAN. Omar, represented by Deputy President of NLC, Mrs. Damisi Amina, said.

“It is funny that while government complains about lack of funds to reactivate infrastructure, which is critical to economic development, the CBN is plan-

ning to spend over N40 billion to produce new denomination of currency: if the policy is allowed to take effect. “It was the same old story they told us that when N1, 000 is introduced, our problems will be over. We all know what is happening today. Sanusi should better think of something else.”

Labour advised that since the country has a

whopping sum of N40 billion and does not know what to spend it on, ‘’we suggest the money and any such money be spent on the power sector, the informal sector and roads to ensure growth of the economy.”

The acting President of MEPROSSAN, Comrade Ambrose Oha, stated that the money can also be used to create job in the metal.

•Sanusi

OLITICIANS were yesterday accused of acting against peaceful coexistence.

They were advised to desist from empty promises.

Religious and traditional leaders in Lagos State spoke at a meeting facilitated by the National Orientation Agency (NOA), as part of its nationwide campaign of “Do the Right Thing; Transform Nigeria”.

The meeting was hosted by the Lagos monarch, Oba Rilwan Akiolu, at the IgaIduganran palace, Lagos Island. The Oba was represented by Chief Teslim Jinadu Eko, the head of the Lagos White Cap chiefs.

The Chief Imam of Lagos, Mohammed Garba Ibrahim, said : “In Lagos, we live together in peace.

If there is any problem, we call ourselves together and resolve it.

These people (Boko Haram) are not Muslims and God will soon clear them out.”

The Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Lagos, Rev. Bernard Okodua, said: “The injustice that prevails in the country today is because of selfishness that has taken over the minds of men, especially those in the high places.”

The Director-General of NOA, Mr. Mike Omeri, said Nigerians are beginning to send signals to the political class that “it will no longer be business as usual.”

Drivers urged to shun alcohol

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LAGOS-based non governmental organisation (NGO), International Centre for Alcohol Policies (ICAP), has urged government agencies to stem the tide of drunk driving.

The organisation said a baseline survey of drunk driving status of petroleum tanker and inter-city commercial bus drivers in Lagos and Abuja shows that the trend is rampant.

The surveys conducted in partnership with the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) commands in the two cities had inputs from the Asaba-based NGO, Prompt Assistance to Victims of Road Traffic Accidents (PATVORA) and the GeoTrans study group of the University of Lagos.

According to Lanre Onigbogi, the Global Actions Nigeria Country Manager, “We see this as an opportunity to continue to advocate for continuous enforcement of existing drunk driving laws by all relevant agencies.”

Deputy Corps Marshall in charge of Operations, Mr. Boboye Oyeyemi, who commended the initiative, expressed delight at the progress of work so far.

THE NATION FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2012

8

CITYBEATS

08033054340, 08034699757 E-mail:- ynotcitybeats@gmail.com

18 robbers held

Cynthia: Pharmacists plead for colleagues

•Police chief unaware of case

By Precious Igbonwelundu

THE Police have arrested 18 suspected robbers at a brothel in Ejigbo a Lagos suburb.

They recovered 82 live ammunition, four AK47 rifles, one American pistol, two digital cameras and 16 mobile phones, among others during the raid.

Sources at the State Intelligence and Investigation Bureau (SIIB) said the case has been transferred to the State Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), for investigation.

A source said the suspects, some of whom were smoking Indian hemp, were arrested following a tip-off, adding: "I think the file has been transferred to SARS for further investigation."

It was learnt that some police officers regularly call at the brothel to collect returns.

A source said the officers, who come in batches, sign before collecting N500 or N1,000 each.

He said: "Each time we refused to give the police money, they usually threaten us that our girls will be arrested.

"They always come here to collect money from us. Most times, even RRS from Ikeja will come and sometimes we give them N500 each."

"Our customers come with Indian hemp and we cannot stop them because if we do, they will go outside and buy drinks and still smoke it. This will make us lose customers but we do not sell it.

"The officers always come here as if it is their right to collect money from us. They came on Thursday to arrest some girls and others who were smoking outside, and took them away,' he said.

He said records of officers who collect money and sign were with the manager.

Contacted, the Commissioner for Police, Umar Manko said he was not aware of the arrest.

He said:"I am not aware of the case and I do not think it is true.

"SIIB is under me and I should be the first person to know about this if it actually happened," he said.

Hoodlums clash

By Jude Isiguzo

HOODLUMS yesterday clashed in the Ebute-Meta, Lagos Mainland vandalising over 20 vehicles and injuring many persons.

The hoodlums allegedly invaded Apapa Road and all adjoining streets, destroying everything on sight. It was learnt that Brickfield, Apapa Road, Daudu Lane, and Olokodana Streets were the most affected as all vehicles parked on these roads were vandalised.

The real cause of the crisis could not be ascertained but one person has already been arrested by the police. The fight was said to have started around 12am and ended around 2am. It broke out again around 8am but was immediately arrested by policemen attached to Iponri Division.

The Nation learnt that one resident was shot in the mouth, while another woman was bathed with hot water by the hoodlums. Both are said to be receiving treatment at the hospital. Although such attacks are not new in the area, yesterday's incident also saw the hoodlums broke into shops.

A lawyer Mr. Kola Sodiya, affected by the incident, said he had written a petition to the Commissioner of Police to tackle the rising level of insecurity in the area. In the petition addressed to the Commissioner of Police Mr. Umar Manko, Sodiya appealed to the CP to transfer the case from Iponri Division to the State AntiRobbery Squad, due to the nature of the crime. He said the matter had gone beyond mere fighting to armed robbery and should be treated as such.

T

HE Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) has said Rohypnol, the drug administered on Miss Cynthia Osokogu before she was assaulted and eventually murdered at a hotel in Lagos is readily available in the market.

The National President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), Mr. Azubike Okwor, at a press conference yesterday said the drug, made by Roche in Switzerland, is registered with the National Agency for Food, Drugs Administration and Control NAFDAC-Reg. No 04-0150; and distributed in Nigeria by Swipha Nigeria Limited.

Okwor said the drug, which is one of the benzodiazepine classes of sedatives or tranquiliser drugs, of which Valium or diazepam is the best known, is readily available in Nigeria, and used in the management of anxiety and sleep disorders, that

By Oyeyemi Gbenga-Mustapha

is, short term treatment of insomnia.

Okwor, who was accompanied at the press conference by the PSN’s former Lagos State chapter chairman, Olumide Akintayo, and the current chairman, Akintunde Obembe, said "the drug is not rare as being reported."

He said the society across the country will continue to work with all stakeholders, including regulatory agencies, to evolve a national strategy that will improve the use of medicines.

Okwor urged the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) in the Ministry of Justice in Lagos to review the cases of the two pharmacists allegedly involved in the murder of the late Cynthia, a model and student.

According to him, the liability of the pharmacists, Chukwunonso

Maduakor and Osita Orji, should be limited to the sales or alleged sales of Rohypnol to clients as "they do not know and never collaborated in the condemnable crime."

He said: "It is logical to believe that their conduct might at best be a breach of professional ethics but they should not be tried for the actual murder. He added that the body as a regulatory agency would deal with the matter professionally.

"The law provides that such matters are dealt with by the Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN), a regulatory agency of the Federal Government established by CAP P. 17 LFN 2004," Okwor said.

He said while the body is interested in a diligent and focused investigation and all those culpable must be made to face the full weight of the law, innocent people must not be unjustly arraigned, prosecuted and punished.

PSN, he said, noted with concern the arraignment of two pharmacists who were charged along with the confessed suspects for rape, armed robbery, murder and administering of obnoxious substances.

"These are weighty charges that reflect the gravity of the offences that led to the death of the promising lady. We at the PSN perceived this loss as a great one to the Osokogu family, their friends, colleagues and all Nigerians."

The President said pharmacists are responsible professionals and as legitimate custodians of medicines, would continue to champion safe, responsible and rational use of medicines in Nigeria.

Man, 50, defiles girl, five

By Precious Igbonwelundu

A

•L-R: Ojo Local Government Chairman, Prince Yinka Durosinmi, the author Mr Ola Onikoyi, his wife, Stella, and former Lagos State Deputy Governor Princess Adebisi Sosan at the launch of “Be Nice: Simple Dynamics of Wealth Creation” at Lagos State University, (LASU)...yesterday PHOTO: SOLOMON ADEOLA

HE Lagos State Traffic Law, which bans eating and phoning, among others while driving, has been gazetted, signalling its take-off.

Yesterday at the Blue Roof, Lagos Television, Agidingbi, Ikeja, top government officials met with leaders of some Community Development Associations (CDA) on the implementation of the law.

Deputy Governor Adejoke Orelope-Adefilure, who represented Governor Babatunde Fashola, led the government team.

With her were Commissioner for Transport Mr. Kayode Opeifa; Deputy Police Commissioner Mr. Tunde Sobulo; Commissioner for Information & Strategy Mr. Aderemi Ibirogba, his counterpart in Rural Development Mr. Cornelius Ojelabi and the host Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice Mr. Ade Ipaye, who was represented by Senior Special Assistant on Justice Sector Reforms, Mr. Olanrewaju

T

Lagos traffic law takes off •Community leaders sensitised

By Miriam Ndikanwu

Akinsola.

Also in attendance were Community Development Councils (CDC), traffic officers, Neigbourhood Watchers and security operatives, among others. Mrs Orelope Adefulire said the government needs maximum cooperation and assistance of community leaders to succeed with the implementation of the law. She urged them to be vigilant and report any strange movement or activity within their domains to the authority.

She said: "Let us be vigilant; if you notice and strange activity in your domains report to government officials."

She urged them not to allow anyone to abandon any vehicle in their area as such could be a

warehouse for criminals to store arms. "Criminals dump arms and ammunition in abandoned vehicles," she said.

Ipaye, who gave an overview of the law, said it was not enacted to sentence road users to imprisonment, but to correct traffic nuisance and menace on the roads.

The first road traffic law, he said, was enacted in 1949, when the population of Lagos State was just 300,000 as against its current population of 20 million.

He said the law "was necessary, considering the emerging challenges that come with the megacity status of Lagos State. A law that was made for about 300,000 in 1949 cannot in any way take care of an astounding population of 20 million. This situation makes the law

Porno items back in market

P

ORNOGRAPHIC video materials, which were hitherto off the street, are now returning.

Roadside sellers of music and video materials in some parts of Lagos have started displaying them, contrary to Governor Babatunde Fashola's executive order in 2009, banning such items.

Most of the sellers under the Oshodi Bridge, from the Ilupeju end, and Ladipo Street from the ApapaOshodi Expressway axis publicly display the materials. While the Oshodi sellers at display their wares in the evening, those at Ladipo are there all day.

Fashola’s 2009 order followed

By Segun Balogun

complaints from residents and nongovernmental organisation, the order was enforced by the ministries of Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation (WAPA) and Youths, Sports, and Social Development.

The complaints were that primary and secondary school pupils had made those ubiquitous roadside centres their recreation after closing.

And because the pornographic materials are cheap-as low as N100it is feared that these centres would become avenues of sexual exposure.

The order, entitled: "Pornographic Materials on Lagos Streets," was issued on May 29, 2009. It instructed the chairman, Lagos State Task Force

on Environmental Offences to "enter upon any known place of distribution of pornographic materials, seize the offending materials, and hand-over any person arrested in connection with such matters to the police."

The order said such "flagrant display, broadcasting, and sale of pornographic materials on the streets of Lagos portend great danger to the social health of our people, particularly young children."

"I am not aware that there is any law that says we should not sell this thing but I don't allow children to stand here and I don't sell to them because I also have younger ones and I will not want them to watch it," said a seller, who identified himself as Emeka.

FIVE-YEAR-OLD girl yesterday relived how she was defiled by a 50-year-old trailer driver. The minor told The Nation that the driver, who is now in police custody, invited her and her friends to his house last Monday.

She said: "When we got to his house, he asked the others to go and buy something and he locked the door."

Pointing at one of her friends, a three year-old, the victim said the boy was crying outside for the driver to open the door, but he refused. Rather, the driver was said to have asked the boy to go and check if “my mother was back.”

She added: "When he finished, he opened the door and I was still crying.

I told my friend (the three-year old) what happened because I was afraid to tell my mummy.”

The girl’s mother said her neighbour's son told her about that incident on Tuesday.

She said: "The small boy came to me and told me that my daughter was afraid to tell me that a driver defiled her. He told me everything that happened and how the man sent the other four on an errand but locked my daughter inside and how he started crying outside and the man refused to open the door.

"I quickly called my daughter and neighbours to come and examine her and they realised that she had bruises in her private part. So, I took her to the clinic for examination and the doctor told us that she had been defiled and that she had wounds inside her private part which needed to be treated but I did not have money and I left.”

The single mother of three told The Nation that she dragged the suspect station. She said: "When I got to the station, they (police) said I should go and bring N5,000 as the complainant and I told them I didn't have money.

"So, I called a sister whose husband is also a police officer and her husband ordered the Investigating Police Officer (IPO) to handle the case. They now told me to take her to the General Hospital and get a report, but at the Isolo General Hospital, the doctor we met did not even attend to us.”

The woman said the investigating police officer (IPO) and the driver’s relatives are pressuring her to withdraw the matter. But the police denied the allegation that they demanded N5, 000 from her to attend to the case. The police claimed that she has not has not shown interest in prosecuting the case.

At the clinic the doctor who attended to the girl, confirmed that she was defiled.

He said: "If they go to any hospital, the bruises will still be there because those bruises I saw cannot heal so fast.

Although it may be impossible to prove if he slept with her because of the lifespan of semen, just examining the little girl, anyone will see that she has been assaulted."

9

THE NATION FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2012

NEWS NEIL ARMSTRONG (1930-2012)

‘Neil was among the greatest of American heroes’ Today, Cincinnati, United States will stand still as a result of a memorial service for Neil Armstrong, the first man to walk on the moon

N •Vice-President Namadi Sambo (middle) being received by the Iranian Minister of Education Mr Haj Ibabai (right) at the Mehrabad Airport, Tehran, Iran for the 16th Non- Aligned Movement Summit... on Wednesday. With them are Minister of State for Foreign Affairs 1, Prof. Viola Onwuliri and Iranian officials.

•Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola SAN (middle) speaking at the opening ceremony of the Africa Singapore Business Forum organised by International Enterprise Singapore...yesterday. Listening are the Minister in charge of Trade and Industry in the Office of the Prime Minister of Singapore, Mr S. Iswaran (right) and founder,Guaranty Trust Bank a, Mr Fola Adeola.

• Deputy Managing Director, UBA Plc Mr. Kennedy Uzoka (second right) with winners - Okechi Ukaegbu(left); Solomon Idialu ( second left) and Paul James ( right) during the induction/award ceremony for graduands from the UBA Academy Banking School, held in Lagos ...yesterday

• Managing Director/ CEO, International Energy Services Dr. Diran Fawibe (left), Co-ordinator, Corporate Planning and Styrategy, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Dr. Timothy Okon and Chairman, Integrated Oil and Gs Ltd Capt. Emmanuel Iheanacho at the energy industry summit in Lagos...yesterday.

PHOTO: JOHN EBHOTA

EIL Armstrong, who made the “giant leap for mankind” as the first human to set foot on the moon, died on Saturday. He was 82.

His family said in a statement that the cause was “complications resulting from cardiovascular procedures.” He had undergone heart bypass surgery this month in Cincinnati, near where he lived. His recovery had been going well, according to those who spoke with him after the surgery, and his death came as a surprise to many close to him, including his fellow Apollo astronauts. The family did not say where he died.

A quiet, private man, at heart an engineer and crack test pilot, Mr. Armstrong made history on July 20, 1969, as the commander of the Apollo 11 spacecraft on the mission that culminated the Soviet-American space race in the 1960s. President John F. Kennedy had committed the nation “to achieving the goal, before the decade is out, of landing a man on the Moon and returning him safely to Earth.” It was done with more than five months to spare.

On that day, Mr. Armstrong and his co-pilot, Col. Edwin E. Aldrin Jr., known as Buzz, steered their lunar landing craft, Eagle, to a level, rockstrewn plain near the southwestern shore of the Sea of Tranquillity. It was touch and go the last minute or two, with computer alarms sounding and fuel running low. But they made it.

“Houston, Tranquillity Base here,” Mr. Armstrong radioed to mission control. “The Eagle has landed.”

“Roger, Tranquillity,” mission control replied. “We copy you on the ground. You’ve got a bunch of guys about to turn blue. We’re breathing again. Thanks a lot.”

The same could have been said for hundreds of millions of people around the world watching on television.

A few hours later, there was Mr. Armstrong bundled in a white spacesuit and helmet on the ladder of the landing craft. Planting his feet on the lunar surface, he said, “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.” (His words would become the subject of a minor historical debate, as to whether he said “man” or an indistinct “a man.”)

Soon Colonel Aldrin joined Mr. Armstrong, bounding like kangaroos in the low lunar gravity, one sixth that of Earth’s, while the command ship pilot, Michael Collins, remained in orbit about 60 miles overhead, waiting their return. In all, 12 American astronauts walked on the moon between then and the Apollo 17 mission in 1972.

The Apollo 11 mission capped a tumultuous and consequential decade. The ’60s in America had started with such promise, with the election of a youthful president, mixed with the ever-present anxieties of the cold war. Then it touched greatness in the civil rights movement, only to implode in the years of assassinations and burning city streets and campus riots. But before it ended, human beings had reached that longtime symbol of the unreachable.

The moonwalk lasted 2 hours and 19 minutes, long enough to let the astronauts test their footing in the fine and powdery surface — Mr. Armstrong noted that his boot print was less than an inch deep — and set up a television camera and scientific instruments and collect rock samples.

•The late Armstrong

After news of Mr. Armstrong’s death was reported, President Obama, in a statement from the White House, said, “Neil was among the greatest of American heroes.”

“And when Neil stepped foot on the surface of the moon for the first time,” the president added, “he delivered a moment of human achievement that will never be forgotten.”

Charles F. Bolden Jr., the current NASA administrator, said, “As long as there are history books, Neil Armstrong will be included in them, remembered for taking humankind’s first small step on a world beyond our own.”

Mr. Bolden also noted that in the years after the moonwalk, Mr. Armstrong “carried himself with a grace and humility that was an example to us all.” The historian Douglas Brinkley, who interviewed Mr. Armstrong for a NASA oral history, described him as “our nation’s most bashful Galahad.” His family called him “a reluctant hero who always believed he was just doing his job.”

Indeed, some space officials have cited these characteristics, as well as his engineering skills and experience piloting X-15 rocket planes, as reasons that Mr. Armstrong stood out in the astronaut corps. After the postflight parades and a world tour for the three Apollo 11 astronauts, Mr. Armstrong gradually withdrew from the public eye. He was not reclusive, but as much as possible he sought to lead a private life, first as an associate administrator in the space program, then as a university professor and director of a number of corporations.

During the Korean War, Mr. Armstrong was in the unit that the author James A. Michener wrote of in “The Bridges at Toko-Ri.” Back at Purdue after the Navy, Mr. Armstrong plunged more earnestly into aeronautical engineering studies, his grades rising and a career in sight.

By this time, he had also met Janet Elizabeth Shearon, a student in home economics from Evanston, Ill. Soon after his graduation, they were married, in January 1956.

They had two sons, Eric and Mark, who survive. A daughter, Karen, died of an inoperable brain tumor in 1962. The couple were divorced in 1994.

THE NATION FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2012

10

NEWS Ogun to establish Bureau of Statistics

T •From left: ASUU National Treasurer, Dr. Demola Aremu; Chairman, Ibadan branch, Dr Segun Ajiboye and Secretary, Ibadan branch, Dr Deji Omole, at a news conference in Ibadan on ...yesterday.

ASUU strike paralyses academics at UI

A

CADEMIC activities were yesterday paralysed at the University of Ibadan (UI) as the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) branch of the university joined its counterpart in a one-day solidarity strike.

From Tayo Johnson, Ibadan

It was learnt that the solidarity strike was to protest the “illegal re-appointment” of Acting Vice-Chancellor of the Rivers State University of Science and Technology (RSUST), Prof. Barineme Fakae.

The ASUU chairman at UI, Dr. Segun Ajiboye said the union also embarked on the strike because of the harassment of its members in RSUST

by Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi.

Addressing reporters in Ibadan, Ajiboye said academ-

ic activities were suspended to show the union’s commitment to its members at RSUST. He condemned the arbitrary style of administration at RSUST, adding that a frightening twist was playing out at the institution.

Ajiboye said: “The 32year-old university is currently bedevilled by crises. If nothing is urgently done, it may sing its nunc dimittis.

“This, we believe, will not be in the overall interest of the good people of Rivers State and Nigeria in general.”

Herdsman kills man in Iseyin over N2,000 goat

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HERE is tension in Iseyin, a farming and traditional textile making community in Oyo State, following the killing of a resident by a Fulani herdsman on Sunday.

It was learnt that the herdsman, who was identified as Mohammed Moto, killed the man, simply identified as Mufutau, at 7.30pm on Sunday at a farm after a disagreement between them.

The residents are afraid that a reprisal attack might occur between the residents and Fulani herdsmen over the death.

It was learnt that Moto

From Bisi Oladele, Ibadan

bought a mobile phone for N3,500 from Mufutau and agreed to pay in two instalments. After paying N2,000 first instalment with a goat, the Fulani herdsman reportedly promised to pay the balance soon.

The Nation gathered that the animal disappeared a few days after Mufutau collected it from Moto.

Mufutau reportedly traced the goat to Moto, when he suspected that the herdsman might have removed it from where he tethered it.

He was said to have sighted the goat among Moto’s herd and confronted him.

This reportedly led to a fight.

It was learnt that Mufutau was enraged and attacked Moto with a knife.

Moto reportedly retaliated with a machete, resulting in multiple wounds on Mufutau’s body.

Mufutau’s body was taken to a private hospital in the town.

The police were said to have arrested Moto and transferred him to the state Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in Ibadan, for

further investigations.

Deputy Commissioner of Police, Clement Adoda, said the deceased did not find the goat with the seller.

The police chief explained that Mufutau only told the herdsman that he was looking for the goat he purchased from him.

After Mufutau confirmed that Moto was not in possession of the missing goat, Adoda said there was an argument over payment of the balance.

Mufutau reportedly attacked the herdsman, who allegedly hacked him to death.

The police chief said Moto

has confessed to committing the crime, adding that investigation is ongoing.

The traditional ruler of the town, Oba Abdulganiy Salawu, has urged the government to intervene in the incessant attacks by nomads on his people.

He said the herdsmen have been attacking Iseyin residents and that only his intervention has prevented reprisal attacks.

The monarch, however, appealed to his subjects to remain calm and urged them not to take the law into their hands.

Lawmakers, others hail Tinubu’s appointment as LAUTECH Chancellor S OME lawmakers have hailed the appointment of former Lagos State Governor, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, as Chancellor of the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, Oyo State.

A member of the House of Representatives, representing Iseyin/Itesiwaju/Kajola and Iwajowa Federal Constituency in Oyo State, Prince Kola Olabiyi, said the appointment would further enhance independent thinking in the institution.

A member of the National Assembly, representing Ikeja Federal Constituency, James Abiodun Faleke, also hailed the appointment.

•PDP Southwest comment senseless From Bode Durojaiye, Oyo

In a statement, Olabiyi said the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) National Leader is not only a distinguished and redoubtable personality, but also an experienced financial expert and mentor whose lifestyle and leadership virtues have been inspiring, supportive and encouraging to the downtrodden.

He said: “If mentoring is a structured and trusting relationship that brings young people together with caring individual who offer guidance,

support and encouragement aimed at developing the competence and character of the people, then Asiwaju Tinubu is the appropriate choice for the institution’s chancellorship.”

The lawmaker noted that “as a detribalised and versatile leader with wide range of experiences, the former Lagos State Governor is a good listener, always caring, and even ready to support the young ones, by bringing out the strength that is already there.

He is indeed a locus parentis”.

The lawmaker criticised the Southwest Peoples Democrat-

ic Party (PDP) for what he described as “idiotic, stanching, and uncultured statement” on the appointment of Asiwaju Tinubu as LAUTECH Chancellor.

He said: “The statement is not only an irritating distraction, but full of sound and fury from a pack of never-do-well politicians. It signifies nothing but blackmail. The two owner-state governments should go ahead with their genuine commitment to reposition the university and ignore the ranting of political jobbers.”

Another member of the Lagos State House of Assembly, representing Lagos Island Constituency 2, Wahab Alawiye-King, and the member representing Agege

•Asiwaju Tinubu

Constituency 1, Mudasiru Obasa; and the Chairman of Odiolowo/Ojuwoye Local Council Development Area (LCDA), Adeyemi Alli, said the appointment would aid the development of the university.

ACN ready for Oyo council poll, says Lam Adesina

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HE Oyo State chapter of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) yesterday said the party is prepared for the local government election and would clear the polls in the 33 local government areas.

The party’s State Leader and former Governor Lam Adesina said none of the opposition parties could match the strength of the ACN be-

From Oseheye Okwuofu, Ibadan

cause of the performance of its members so far.

The former governor described the party’s representatives as “good ambassadors of the ACN”. The 33 councils have, since May 29, last year, been under caretaker committees, appointed by Governor Abiola Ajimobi.

It was learnt that the coun-

cil poll may hold in February, next year.

Addressing stakeholders at the first anniversary of the stewardship of Sunday Adepoju, representing Ibarapa East/Ido Federal Constituency and the inauguration of poverty eradication programmes at Eruwa Stadium, Ibarapa East Local Government, Adesina said ACN has, in the last one year, delivered

more dividends of good governance than any other party in the state.

The event was attended by scores of party members, community leaders and royal fathers, led by the Eleruwa of Eruwa, Oba Samuel Adebayo Adegbola, and the Onido of Ido, Oba Tajudeen Akinola.

The former governor, who was represented by his personal assistant, Alhaji Taju-

deen Azeez, listed the achievements as the provision of people-oriented programmes for alleviating poverty.

He said: “This and many more programmes embarked upon by representatives of the party in most of the 33 local government areas are a testimony to showcase the ACN as the only party that has the interest of the people at heart.”

HE Ogun State Government is to establish a Bureau of Statistics to enhance the development of what it called “an integrated, harmonised and coherent statistical system for a unified data production process”.

The Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Mr. Taiwo Adeoluwa, spoke at a workshop on: Sensitisation of Stakeholders on the Development of the State Statistical Master Plan (SSMP) and the Establishment of Bureau of Statistics, jointly organised by the Ministry of Budget and Planning and the Central Department of Statistics, in collaboration with the United Nations International Children Education Fund (UNICEF) B-Field, Lagos.

Represented by the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Special Duties, Mr Bayo Adeyemi, the SSG described the Statistical Master Plan as an instrument of sound and effective decisionmaking as well as accountability and probity.

The Commissioner for Budget and Planning, Mrs. Oluwande Muoyo, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Mr. Abayomi Sobande, noted that the proposed Bureau of Statistics, under the Governor’s Office, would enable the office to play effective and sustainable leadership roles in coordinating the State and Local Government Planning, Research and Statistics Departments as contained in the SSMP.

Amosun condoles with FRCN over journalist’s death

T

HE Ogun State Government has condoled with the management of the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), operators of Paramount FM, Abeokuta, on the death of one of its workers, Mr. Dolapo Ezekiel.

The journalist died from the injuries he sustained in an accident in Abeokuta on Tuesday.

In a condolence letter to the management of the radio station by the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Alhaji Yusuph Olaniyonu, on behalf of Governor Ibikunle Amosun, the government described the deceased as “a brilliant and well-grounded journalist, who was devoted to the ethics of the profession with balanced, fair and honest judgment in the practice of his trade”.

The late reporter, it added, would be fondly remembered “as a thoroughbred professional who knew his onions”.

The government said Ezekiel’s death is “a great loss to journalism, our state and Nigeria”.

It added: “The late Ezekiel was known to all of us in the Ogun State Government and will be surely remembered for his incisive and probing questions during the week-long Ministerial Press Briefing which heralded the one-year anniversary of our administration last May. We will all miss him, even as we pray that Almighty God grant his soul eternal rest and his family, his professional colleagues and friends the fortitude to bear this great loss.”

11

THE NATION FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2012

BUSINESS THE NATION

E-mail:- bussiness@thenationonlineng.net

Naira firms as oil company, banks sell dollars

T

HE naira firmed against the U.S. dollar on the in terbank market on Wednesday, supported by dollar sales by an oil company and some banks towards the close of trading.

The naira according to Reuter’s news closed at N158.05 to the dollar on the interbank market, stronger than the N158.15 it closed at the previous day.

Traders said a local unit of U.S. oil giant Chevron sold about $12 million to some lenders, while some units of foreign banks sold additional dollars in the market to enable them to stay within the stipulated 1 per cent open position limit.

“The naira actually trended down intraday because of strong dollar buying but strengthened toward the close of trading because some foreign banks sold additional dollars in the market, which provided support for the naira,” one dealer said.

The CBN in July raised the cash reserve requirement for lenders to 12 per cent from 8 per cent, and reduced net open foreign exchange positions to 1 per cent from 3 per cent, to restrict the money supply and support the local currency.

The naira has been pressured by global risk aversion but has gained more than 1.25 per cent year-to-date on the CBN’s measures and a resurgence of offshore investors buying local debt, boosting dollar liquidity in the market.

Traders said the naira will continue to hover around the present level for the rest of the week as trickles of dollars from oil companies should subdue any buying pressure from importers.

At its twice weekly foreign exchange auction, the CBN sold $180 million at N155.80 to the dollar, compared with the $250 million sold at the same rate on Monday.

Brazil is an influential member of the BRIC nations with a big apetite for investing in Africa, especially Nigeria. So, there is the need for us to strengthen our partnership with them to attract big investments into our country especially in those areas where we have competitive and comparative advantage.

- Minister of Trade & Investment, Olusegun Aganga

NAICOM: Why Dana crash victims’ payment is delayed F

ULL compensation to families of the Dana Air crash victims has been delayed because their families have not been able to present death certificates and certificates of administration, Commissioner for Insurance, Fola Daniel has said.

He disclosed this yesterday while fielding questions from journalists at the ongoing training for Insurance Correspondents in Calabar.

The commissioner assured that the victim’s families would be paid the $70,000 balance of the standard $100,000 claims of the mishap as soon as these documents are presented.

They had earlier received $30,000.

The ill-fated Dana aircraft had crashed at Iju-Ishaga, Lagos on June 3, 2012, killing all the 153 passengers on board.

By Akinola Ajibade

He said that under the insurance contract, death claims can only be paid on the presentation of death certificate of the deceased and letter of administration empowering the claimant to administer the assets of the deceased.

The commissioner explained that as at today, none of the affected families have been able to present these documents to the insurance companies and as such, full payment has not been made to any family on account of the victims of the air crash.

He also explained that relatives of 56 victims have so far been cleared and have collected 30 per cent of the claims worth $30,000 and are waiting to meet the conditions for the second payment.

Mr Daniel confirmed that there were others families who were cleared to get the 30 per

cent but felt that the $100,000 that was not enough compensation for the person they lost in the crash, claiming $1 million. These people, he said have resorted to court for arbitration on the matter.

He also explained that the delay in the payment of the 30 per cent of the claims, which statutorily should be made within 30 days of the crash, was because the necessary clearances were yet to be secured by the affected families. Besides, he said the demands for the money were yet to be received by the lead insurer, Prestige Assurance Plc. The ill-fated Dana aircraft threw up three important issues for the insurance industry and Nigerians. First was the need to pay adequate financial compensation to relatives of victims of the air disaster and to ensure that insurers meet stakeholders’ expectations in this regard.

The second was the fact that six months into the year, the Federal Government was yet to renew the Group Life Assurance for its workers for the year and life insurers were yet to be appointed to underwrite the risks. Besides, no premium had been paid on the programme by June for a cover that is renewable yearly. This means federal government workers who died in the crash were not qualified to get group life compensation.

The third was that the aircraft was not properly insured. Seventy per cent of the premium for the cover was paid to an insurer outside the country while the 30 per cent meant for local underwriters were not paid before the crash.

This reduces the amount payable to victims and their families to 70 per cent of whatever they were supposed to get as compensation.

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HE Federal Govern ment has designated Anambra as an oilbearing state in the country.

President Goodluck Jonathan made the pronouncement yesterday while inaugurating Orient Petroleum Resources Plc at Aguleri-Otu in the Anambra East Local Government Area of the state.

Jonathan said the Federal Government was committed to oil exploration in all the country’s sedimentary basins, commending Orient Petroleum for pioneering inland crude oil production in the country.

“The good news is not Orient Oil and Anambra Basin alone, the good news is for all the sedimentary basins all over the country,” the president said.

He said that the pioneering efforts of Orient Petroleum in Anambra would give confidence to other investors to invest in other inland sedimentary basins in the country.

Jonathan charged workers in the oil industry, especially those at the upstream sector, to add value to the crude oil they produce and export refined products.

“We have a lot of gas resources in Anambra Basin from meteorological records.

Orient Petroleum has helped us not just in producing the crude oil, but adding value to it.

Fed Govt to agencies: automate revenue From: Olugbenga Adanikin, Abuja

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DATA STREAM COMMODITY PRICES Oil -$107/barrel Cocoa -$2,686.35/metric ton Coffee - ¢132.70/pound Cotton - ¢95.17pound Gold -$1,800/troy ounce Rubber -¢159.21pound MARKET CAPITALISATIONS

Fed Govt designates Anambra oil producing state

• Minister of Trade and Investment Olusegun Aganga, National President, Manufacturers' Association of Nigeria, Chief Kola Jamodu, Executive Chairman, Adhama Textile & Garment Industry Limited, Alhaji Saidu Dattijo Adhama, and Technical Adviser to the Minister, Mr. Olufemi Boyede, during the minister's tour of industries in Kano ... on Monday.

‘Nigeria to save over $1b via borderless network’

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RANSFORMING the workplaces in Nigeria through borderless networks would help the country to save billions of dollars, says Southgate Technologies.

Managing Director, Southgate Technologies, Folajomi Sarumi, said yesterday that the borderless technology will enable people to work from anywhere and do anything at any time.

According to him, through borderless networking, people will be satisfied and things will change from working hard to working smart.

He said: “Billions of dollars will be saved and we will have healthy workforce, where people

From Augustine Ehikioya and Faith Yahaya, Abuja

will work smart. It will enable people to work from anywhere and do anything at any time. This is been done elsewhere and it is possible here and that is what Southgate is working on” “Borderless network simply means working without restrictions, without borders and connecting to the network that is secured, seamlessly and timely. That is what we are saying and we are representing Cisco.

Cisco is number one in network technology in the world and that is why we are partnering with them.

“Everybody is working from 7am to 7pm, people in Abuja, Lagos and Port

Harcourt, travel three miles before they get to their workplace but with what we are saying today, is that we can change all that. You can work from your car, houses, the multiplyer effect is that it will make people happy and you cannot quantify satisfaction” The Head of Infrastructure Services of Southgate, Seun Onabanjo, who was also present at the presentation explained that the world is moving from a work place to a work space.

He said: “A work place is where you actually have to work in the morning and then resume at work on your desk, however, none recurrent situation of things where people want things immediately. We want people to be

able to work from anywhere” “Where we are taking you away from your standard workplace to your collaboration environment where we can have the same platform for the enterprise, we can have data, video, telephony, all on the same wire, that is what we are trying to preach,” he stated.

Some of the benefits of the borderless network, according to Comstor Solution Architect, Charles Esekhile, who presented a paper on ‘Connected Workplace’ include networking without any interference includes; instant messaging, web conferencing, voice mail, video conferencing, telephony, email and calendaring.

HE Federal Govern ment has mandated agencies under the Ministry of Aviation to adopt digital automation process in all of its revenue collection.

The new procedure according to a statement signed in Abuja by the Special Assistant to the Minister on Media, Joe Obi, is to substitute the conventional manual process aimed at ensuring effectiveness of the exercise.

The concerned agencies are the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), and the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).

According to him, the old process has led to huge losses as a result of the leakages inherent in the manual procedure.

“First Bank of Nigeria Plc, working with experts and professional bodies like IATA, SITA, and Avitech; a software provider, amongst others is to lead the collection process.

Avitech is to provide the automation platform and has a tripartite agreement with the NCAA, the airline operators and their individual banks.

The software provider has been working with the NCAA since December, 2010,” the statement read in part.

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THE NATION FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2012

BUSINESS NEWS OPEC output rises

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HE Organisation of Pe troleum Exporting Corporation (OPEC) crude oil output rose in August as Iranian shipments climbed slightly from its lowest in more than two decades and because of higher exports from Angola and Nigeria, a Reuters survey showed yesterday.

Supply from the 12-member OPEC averaged 31.53 million barrels per day (bpd), up from 31.30 million bpd in July, the survey of sources at oil companies, OPEC officials and analysts found.

The most notable trend in August according to Reuters news is the lack of a further decline in Iranian exports, which have dropped sharply this year due to U.S. and European sanctions. Supply rose by 50,000 bpd in August, according to the survey, to 2.85 million bpd.

Iran’s crude became subject to a European Union embargo from July 1. The embargo also bars EU insurance firms from covering Iran’s exports, hindering imports by non-EU buyers.

More crude is heading in August to some Asian customers such as Japan, where government-backed shipping insurance has encouraged purchases despite the EU sanctions, sources in the survey said.

However, Iran’s supply remains near a historic low. July’s output was its lowest since 1988, when it pumped 2.24 million bpd, according to figures from the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

NNPC may shut Benin mega station

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HE Nigerian National Petro leum Corporation (NNPC) may be forced to shut down its mega station in the Edo state capital owing to shortage of petroleum products from the Warri Refinery, which is undergoing routine maintenance.

Authorities of the mega station, who spoke with reporters said that though they have been receiving petroleum products such as petrol motor spirit (PMS) from the PortHarcourt Refinery, selling them have been difficult.

They said the PPMC depot in Benin

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From, Osemwengie Ben Ogbemudia, Benin City

City houses the laboratory where the petroleum products must be tested for quality before being sold to the public, adding that since the depot was shut down three weeks ago over a N35million tax default by the Edo State Board of Inland Revenue, this has not been possible.

Our sources say that the mega station is now selling only two truckloads of pms on a daily basis with PPMC officials literally moving

their test kit to the Sapele Road location of the mega station.

Meanwhile Mr. Victor Okube, who is the Director of Tax Intelligence and Enforcement of the Board told newsmen that the Board acted on a court order to seal off the depot, adding that it will remain closed until it offsets its tax debt.

He added that besides a month notice earlier served on the depot and affected establishments, two months’ period of grace was further given them before the Board embarked on the exercise of locking them up.

He said: “If you add the two months to the one month notice, it sums up to about 90 days, yet there was no response from them. That is why we went to court and obtained an order to restrain the establishments from operating until they pay up their taxes”.

“This is just the beginning, we will continue tomorrow. We will not relent until they pay up their tax arrears” and appealed to the management of the affected establishments to pay up what they owe to enable them continue their businesses.

GTB declares N7.4b first half dividend

HE board of Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB) Plc will distribute of about N7.4 billion as interim dividend to shareholders as the first half’s profit of the bank rose by about 63 per cent.

The audited report and accounts for the six-month period ended June 30, 2012, released to the investing public yesterday indicated that shareholders would receive an interim dividend per share of 25 kobo.

The report showed substantial increase in gross earnings and profitability.

Profit before tax jumped by 62.9 per cent to N53.64 billion in 2012 as against N32.92 billion recorded in comparable period of 2011.

Profit after tax also leapt from N26.84 billion to N44.94 billion. Gross earnings grew by 25 per cent to N106.12 billion compared with N84.77 billion in previous year.

The performance of the bank was driven by its grow-

By Taofik Salako

ing core banking business as well as improvement in cost efficiency. Interest income rose from N61.5 billion to N83.18 billion. Fees and commission income however, increased modestly from N22.1 billion to N24.81 billion. Total operating income also leapt from N69.36 billion to N91.55 billion.

The report further showed steady improvement in the balance sheet of the bank with customers’ deposits rising from NN1.03 trillion to N1.06 trillion. Loans and advances expanded to N798 billion in 2012 as against N707 billion in 2011. Shareholders’ funds increased to N252.18 billion by first half 2012 compared with N234.01 recorded for the year ended December 31, 2011.

GTB had recently paid a final dividend of 85 kobo per share to cap its fullyear payout for 2011 at N1, after it had paid similar 25

kobo as interim dividend.

Audited report and accounts of the bank for the year ended December 31, 2011 had shown that that gross earnings rose from N153.91 billion in 2010 to N188.82 billion in 2011.

Profit after tax closed 2011 at N52.65 billion as against N38.35 billion in 2010.

Managing director, GTB, Mr. Segun Agbaje said the bank’S performance was due to a well-defined busi-

ness plan, the passion of its employees and a determination to achieve results without compromising on the bank’s standards of service quality, professionalism and integrity.

• From left: Managing Director, SCOA Nigeria Plc, Dr Massad Boulos; Chairman, Mr Henry Agbamu and Company Secretary, Mr Michael Adeyemi, at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the company in Abuja...yesterday.

FCT councils share N1.78b

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HE Federal Capital Territory Administra tion (FCTA) has shared N1.786 billion among its six Area Councils, being funds received from the Federation Account Allocation Committee and the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SUREP).

The ouncils are also expected to share another $1.597 million from the Excess Crude Proceed Account.

The Minister of State for FCT and Chairperson of FCT Area Councils Joint Account Allocation Committee (JAAC), Ms. Olajumoke Akinjide, explained that N1.576 billion revenue allocation was received from FAAC for July 2012, while N170.32 million was received from the Federal

From Bukola Amusan, Abuja

Ministry of Finance as the Area Councils’ share of the SURE-P programme for May through July 2012.

The councils also shared N39.904 million being 10 per cent of the FCTA’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) for August 2012, bringing the total amount available for sharing to N1.616 billion.

Of the amount, the FCTA disbursed N817.41 million to the FCT Universal Basic Education Board (UBEB) for primary school teachers in the six area councils; N95.04 million to FCT Area Councils Pension Board (ACPB) being 15 per cent pension fund as statutorily required, and N16.16 million to FCT Area Councils Service Commission being

one per cent training fund.

The balance of the revenue allocation of N687.50 million was disbursed to the Area Councils, with Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) receiving the lion’s share of N135.02 million.

The minister said N125.75 million was given to Gwagwalada, N123.51 million to Bwari, N102.86 million to Abaji, N101.10 million to Kwali and N99.23 million to Kuje Area Council.

On the excess crude sharing, she stated $1 billion would be shared among the three tiers of government, out of which $1.597 million was for the FCT councils.

“This amount will be paid by the Central bank of Nigeria in naira at the prevailing exchange rate on the day of payment,” she added.

1.3m palm nut seedlings for farmers

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HE Ministry of Agricul ture and Rural Develop ment will distribute about 1.3 million palm nut seedlings to farmers nationwide, the Minister, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina has said.

He disclosed this yesterday at the signing of an agreement between the Ministry and participating stakeholders in the 2012 oil palm nursery/field planting activity in Abuja.

Adesina stated that Nigeria was the largest producer of palm oil in the late 60’s, with the production of 167,000 MT, which accounted for 27 per cent of the global market palm oil in 1961.

He lamented that the palm oil production declined to

From Olugbenga Adanikin, Abuja

25,000 MT by 2008, stressing that it was as a result of the discovery of crude oil in commercial quantity in the early 70s.

According to him, the nation recently produce only 1.3 million MT of vegetable oil and import over 350,000Mt of vegetable oil annually, spending an average of naira equivalent of USD500 million in foreign exchange.

Dr. Adesina revealed that the Ministry had set a target of raising nine million improvised tenera sprout nuts into mature seedlings for the establishment of 60,000 hectares in

2013.

He explained that four million nuts had already been secured, out of which 1,395,000 would be made available to 18 states to expand their holdings by 500 and 550 hectares.

He also added that the remaining 2,605,000 nuts would be raised by accredited outgrowers for distribution to farmers under the consolidated growth enhancement support for oil palm value chain in 2013.

However, Adesina maintained that the Federal Government would not allow any country to bring in crude palm oil that would discourage local investment on palm oil.

APPEAL

HEALTH

HONOUR

Alaafin donates house to cancer patient’s family

‘Involve traditional rulers in security matters’

Okorocha immortalises Ojukwu

Oyo

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Edo

FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2012

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O fewer than 55 undergraduates drawn from various tertiary institutions in Edo State have been trained in varying entrepreneurial skills.

The training, tagged ‘Creative Enterprise Programme’ will come in handy after their graduation.

It was organised by the Benson Idahosa University Consultancy Services in collaboration with the British Council and the Bank of Industry (BOI).

A Benin-based industrialist, Mr. Austin Lazarus, in his lecture, told the undergraduates

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Imo

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Email: news_extra@yahoo.com

British Council, BOI, varsity train 55 Edo undergraduates From Osagie Otabor, Benin

to have self-confidence and acquire knowledge in any endeavour they want to undertake.

Lazarus said a would-be industrialist must be elastic and ready to listen to good advice in order to succeed.

“You must have a good knowledge through studies, attendance of seminars, concentration on family businesses and reading,” he told them.

“You have to suffer now to reap well in the future. Develop the willpower to succeed. Success is not wishful thinking. If you want to succeed, be vibrant and do it well at all times. Add colour to your product.”

Director of Benson Idahosa University Consultancy Services, Dr. Sam Guobadia said the programme aims at preparing and inspiring youths to be creative.

Dr. Guobadia said the workshop participants will be given appropriate tools to enable them

establish and grow their existing businesses by using creative and innovative techniques.

He said: “It is the only way forward if we must strive to be one of the leading economies in the world come 2020. Other governmental and nongovernmental organisations must join in similar efforts to build the nation’s capacity.

“These youths are willing to build their own businesses for sustainability and profitability provided Government is willing

to provide the required enabling environment and intensification of the transformation agenda programmes, particularly in the capacity building and power sectors.”

“If the participants in this workshop can use their creative and innovative talents to grow their businesses and in the process employ a few other Nigerians, then perhaps we would collectively begin to address the alarming unemployment situation in Nigeria.”

Anambra prioritises infrastructure I

NFRASTRUCTURAL upgrade is continuing apace in Anambra State, with the government providing N100m for library rehabilitation in schools. Roads are reworked, new ones built, just as health facilities are enjoying a new lease of life. The library cash is for 200 secondary schools, each getting N500,000 for restocking their libraries. Christ the King College (CKC), Onitsha got N20m from the state government for various projects.

Governor Peter Obi, an old boy of the school, announced this during a visit to the popular CKC, where he was given a rousing reception by staff and students of the college. He said the money was to facilitate the take-off of a science laboratory in fulfillment of his earlier promise.

The Principal of CKC, Onitsha, Rev. Fr Charles Okwunmuo, thanked the governor for promoting education and infrastructural development in the state.

Obi presented a new 18-seater bus and 10 sets of computers with accessories to Holy Child Convent, Amichi. He extended the same gesture to St. Michaels Boys Secondary School, Eziora Ozubulu and Mother of Mercy Girls Secondary School, Nnewi.

He said computers encourage students to key into Information Communication Technology, explaining that his visit to schools enables his administration to identify their

•Pupils of Holy Child Convent, Amichi also benefited from the upgrade

N100m for school libraries Principals, sudents laud policy From Odogwu Emeka Odogwu, Nnewi

problems with a view to providing solutions.

He pointed out that the computers were part of his last year’s birthday gifts from well-wishers, which he had no need for and decided to distribute to schools.

The Bishop of Amichi Anglican Diocese, owners of Holy Child Convent, Amichi, Rt. Rev. Ephraim Ikeakor, thanked Obi for giving schools a lift and showing a determination to make a difference in governance.

The principal of the school, Mrs. Ijeoma Nnueche said the

governor’s visit and empowerment remained indelible in the life and history of the school.

At Mother of Mercy Girls Secondary School, Nnewi, the Vicar General, Nnewi Catholic Diocese, Reverend Father Patrick Ezeabata, praised the governor’s commitment to learning in the state.

At Our Lady High School Nkpor, Governor Obi donated a brand new 20-seater bus and 10 computers to the school. He said the gesture was in line with the government’s policy of supporting public and private schools in order to achieve quality education in the state.

He stressed the need for strong moral values and discipline in teaching and learning, urging the students to work hard to achieve their full potentials and live fulfilled lives.

At Carol Standard Convent, Ichi, Ekwusigo Local Government Area, Anglican Bishop of Nnewi Diocese, Right Rev. Prof. Godwin Okpala said the governor has continued to demonstrate his education-friendly disposition across the state, just as he is distinguishing himself in inspiring children to learn.

•Continued on Page 49

•Governor Obi

THE NATION FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2012

14

Akpabio seeks specialist hospitals

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KWA Ibom state governor Godswill Akpabio has called on governments at various levels in the country to build first-class specialist hospitals in the country to reduce foreign trips by Nigerians for medical treatment.

Governor Akpabio, who made the call during a thanksgiving service for Dr. Sunday Mbang, Prelate Emeritius of Methodist Church of Nigeria who returned from overseas’ medical treatment, said well-equipped hospitals and proper remuneration of medical personnel would abate foreign trips.

The governor who spoke at Immanuel Methodist Cathedral Church, Itiam Etoi, Uyo, said: ‘’If we have first-class specialist hospitals in the country, we don’t need to travel overseas for treatment. I think we have qualified medical doctors within and out-

Akwa Ibom side the country. So, if we have these firstclass hospitals, we are sure to have first-class doctors. ‘’In Akwa Ibom, we have gone further in the medical sector by building a first-class hospital which is in progress that will take care of treatment of illnesses. Akwa Ibom would not only be a leisure centre but also a medical tourism for medical services. We need more specialist hospitals in this country in order to prolong lives- that is our duty as a government’’, he remarked.

Akpabio, however, stressed the need for private sector to collaborate with the government in providing efficient medical services to the people to reduce huge overseas’ medi-

NUJ trains members on information skills

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HE Imo State council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), has conducted a three-day training in digital skills for its members in line with modern journalism practice.The training ran from August 28 to August 30.

The workshop, jointly organised by the union and an NGO, Poverty Alleviation Network and Self Dependence Initiative, was on Geographical Information System and Google Fusion Table.

The Chairman of the council, Mr Innocent Igwe, said at the opening of the programme that it was part of the union’s efforts to avail members the opportunity to acquire the latest skills in the profession.

Igwe said that the training was also to enable the journalists to offer the best services to the people and the nation.

“We are equally determined to make sure journalists live up to the social responsibilities of their profession at all times.

“I assure you that my executive members will not sleep until all my campaign promises on welfare and capacity building are delivered to journalists in the state,” Igwe said.

The chairman appealed to the state government to partner with the union on the

Enugu training programme to ensure that more journalists benefit.

Declaring the workshop open, the state Commissioner for Information, Mr Chinedu Offor, said that training and retraining of professionals helped to make them more efficient.

Offor, represented by the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Mr Goddy Dike, assured the union that the state government would assist it in organising other training programmes for members.

He praised the leadership of the union for the programme and urged it to ensure harmonious relationship among members.

He urged the participants to employ the knowledge acquired during the training in the performance of their duties.

The Executive Director of the group, Mr Chuks Osai, said the essence of the training was to impart digital skills in journalists, saying that the days of analogue skills were gone.

“By the end of this training, I believe that all journalists in the state will be properly acquainted with the skills required in modern journalism,” he said.

‘Involve traditional rulers in security matters’ T

cal expenses incurred by Nigerians.

He identified greed, vicissitudes of life, impatience and ungodliness as factors contributing to short lifespan among the people, asking them to shun kidnapping, fraud and robbery, among others in a bid to live long. He congratulated Dr. Mbang for surviving the ill-health.

Speaking, Dr. Mbang explained that the thanksgiving service was organised to thank God for his successful medical treatment overseas, saying he was happy to be alive to mark his 76 years birthday.

He hinted that it was a Nigerian medical doctor, one of the best hands in Europe who treated him and called on governments in the country to create the right environment to enable these professionals return home to serve their fatherland.

School celebrates ACTIVITIES marking the golden jubilee anniversary of the School of Nursing, Idi Araba, Surulere,Lagos has begun.The ceremony which began on July 31will feature activities such as :Anniversary service,Awareness/ Health walk,Lecture,Cultural/ Sports/ Quiz(Variety Day),visit to the physically challenged homes,Jumat Service/Gala nite.It will be rounded off on Sunday, September 30 with a thanksgiving service at the Chapel of Transfiguration within the school premises.The host and Principal of the school,Mrs Julienne Adenike said:”We are celebrating the golden age anniversary of the institution and its excellent servvice to humannity in the global educational community”.

HE Secretary to the Edo State Government (SSG), Dr Simon Imuokheme, has called for the involvement of traditional rulers in security matters.

Imoukehme made the call in an interview with reporters in Agenebode in Etsako Local Government Area of the state.

He also made a call for their inclusion in community development efforts.

According to him, their involvement will help tackle the challenges of insecurity in

Firm inaugurates health centres •From left:: Dr. Lambert-Aikhionbare of Ehimade Nigeria Ltd; Dr. Mayowa Afe, MD, Danvic concepts, Mr.Goodluck Adagbasa, Manager, Deepwater production, ESSO and Mr. Ahmed Abdullahi of NAPIMS during the train-the-trainer geoscience workshop for university lecturers held in Benin City.

‘Abia’s transformation requires sacrifice of all’ A BIA State Governor Theodore Orji has said in Umuahia that the task of transforming the state required the sacrifice of the people.

Orji made the statement at the grand finale of activities organised by the government to mark the 21st anniversary of the creation of the state.

Abia State was carved out of old Imo on August 27, 1991 by the Gen. Ibrahim Babangida-led Federal Military Government.

Represented by his deputy, Col. Emeka Ananaba(rtd), the governor said : ‘’our state is still the land of hope, of opportunities and the

14,000 get free medicare

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HE President, Anambra State Indigenes Association in the United States of America, Mr Allison Anadi, said 14,000 people from 15 communities benefitted from the association’s free medicare in 2012.

Anadi made the fact known in Awka in an interview with reporters after the closing ceremony of the association’s 2012 medical mission to the state.

He said that the mission recorded huge success in spite of the little hitches it encountered at the initial time of the programme.

Anadi said that the association would not hesitate at any point in assisting toward the development of the state.

Anadi said that the medical mission was aimed at bringing good things from

Anambra outside the country to better the lots of Anambra people.

He said that the beneficiary communities would not be included in the 2013 medical care programme but would only benefit from other programmes.

He praised the state government and the residents for their cooperation with the association in making the goal and mission a reality.

Dr Felix Amuche, the association’s statistics collector, said that all the communities visited were excited about the programme.

The association started its annual three weeks free medical service on August 6.

•From left: Prince Andy Moore Ezejioha, Coordinator, Obi Eziokwu Ndigbo Mushin, Dr Ada Ekwueme Onuora Kalvach, Human Development Initiative Executive Director; His Royal Highness Eze Dr John Nwosu, Eze Ndigbo of Mushin Land (in red cap) and Gladys Abengowe-Kalvac Human Initiative Secretary during the seminar/medical check up for all members of Obi Eziokwu Ndigbo palace, Mushin,Lagos PHOTO: ABIODUN WILLIAMS

•From left: Representative of former chairman Skye Bank, Mrs. Osezua. M.O; chairman of the event, Mr. Wale Aboderin , Author, Pastor Emmanuel Ibekwe, representative of the chief launcher.Pastor Ighodalo Ituah , Chairman BOT HEWAN, Dr. Enabulele and HEWAN President, Mr. Azoma Chikwe during the launch of the book: Sickle Cell Disorder :Early Warning Signals in Lagos

Church holds youth conference

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HE annual national youth conference of the Christian Pentecostal Mission International (CPM) has ended. The event took place at the church headquarters in Ajao Estate from August 22 to August 26 with the theme: “The Mission is Possible.”

Speaking at the event in Lagos, the National Coordinator, Ms Ogechi Mercy Ezekiel said it is an annual programme where youths from all nations come together to learn how to better spread the gospel, acquire skill to improve their lives and engage in sporting activities for healthy living.

During the programme, activities such as march past, song ministration, cookery, and engineering featured prominently and individuals and groups went home with different prizes.

The best song ministration prize went to Imo State, with Delta State coming second. The third position went to Northern state delegation.

In the best attire category, Imo State was came first again, as second position went to Abia State while Rivers State took third position.

Reacting to the recent death of Cynthia Osokogu through Blackberry group chat, Miss Ezekiel advised youths not to allow information technology (IT) to control them.

Rather, they should have restraint and ab-

51

solute control over their lives. “Her death, though painful, was instructive,” she said.

On what the church is doing to arrest mass failure in examinations, she said: “A child’s failure in examinations is due to parents’ carelessness and they should take responsibility and correct the situation. It is the responsibility of the teachers to impact knowledge on the students. On the part of the church, we have introduced moral instructions and also during this long holiday, the church has employed teachers on different subjects to teach the students free.”

She urged the participants to make the best use of the opportunities provided by the programme this year, even as she said that thechurch is expecting a good result from them.

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Abia

actualisation of the ingenuity of those who crave and work hard for fame and prosperity. ‘’This is what our people are known for and which our founding fathers yearned to promote in a unique state of their own, ’’ the governor said.

He expressed the hope that the state would ‘’excel’’ and urged the political class, captains of industry, traditional rulers and Abia people to collaborate with the government to build the state.

He restated the commitment of his administration to ensure the rapid development of the state in all sectors. ‘’I assure Abians that our government will continue to do everything required to sustain the peace and security of lives that we have so doggedly won for our people, ’’ Orji said.

Twenty prominent Abia indigenes and friends of the state received awards for their ‘’immense contributions’’ toward the development of the state on the occasion.

The awardees include retired DIG Ivy Okoronkwo, , Editor, Thisday Newspapers, Ijeoma Nwogwugwu, Chief Victoria Akanwa, a renowned politician, and Ngozi Chikwendu, the immediate past Abia Head of Service.

They were conferred with the title of Ada Ugo Abia, (Abia’s cherished daughters) at the ceremony that attracted eminent Abia sons and daughters from different spheres of life.

Other notable Nigerians, who were bestowed with the title of Enyi Abia (Abia Elephant), were retired DIG Azubuko Udah, Prof. Clifford Ohiagu, and Justice Ikechi Ogbuagu, a retired justice of the Supreme Court.

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Rotary trains personnel on incubator use

TWO-DAY training on the use of incubator has been conducted for trainees, students and medical personnel of the Gbagada General Hospital, Lagos. The programme was facilitated by incubator for Africa Project.

The delegation was led by the Rotary Governor of District 9110 Nigeria, Kamoru Omotosho.

They were received by the Director General of Gbagada General Hospital, Dr Biola Awonuga. The leader expressed Rotary’s concern for the maternity after a need assessment. The club donated some incubators in conjunction with different rotary districts from different countriessuch as India and the

Book launch

BOOK which gives practical approach to the setting up, administration and expansion of business ventures in the country has been launched in Ikorodu area of Lagos State. The 14-chapter book entitled: “A Practical Guide to Successful SelfEmployment” and authored by a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), Mr Bunmi Oyedeji, gives practical principles on how to go into self employment, while taking necessary steps to avoid mistakes of past investors which have led to the failure of many businesses in the country.

Addressing guests at The Redeemed Christian Church of God, Lagos Province 22 Headquarters,

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OSS Petroleum International Nigeria Limited is set to launch a high-tech mega oil farm at Koko in Delta State with a leisure, MOSS Charity as well as health centres. The company, which has its subsidiary, MOSS Petroleum Limited in the UK, was registered in Nigeria in 2008.

Speaking to newsmen in Lagos, chairman of the company, Steve Igbinose, said the vision of the company was to become a worldwide energy company committed to delivering innovation and excellence to the petroleum industry.

He said the era of host communities being neglected by oil firms in their domain would be over because according him, “I and my co-investors have come to do oil business in Nigeria with absolute transparency. We will not go the same way of other existing oil firms, which is what will make MOSS Petroleum to stand out among the existing oil firms in the Nigerian Oil and Gas sector.

“Ours shall not be a take-take thing; rather it shall be a take and give business because, with the Moss Charity, which will be an offshoot of Moss Petroleum in place, the needs of the Koko community and its environs shall be attended to. We shall provide jobs, healthcare and other services to the people,” he said.

Koko is an oil rich community in the Delta South Local Government Area of Delta State. Igbinose said the firm had already acquired vast land from the community, adding that a Lagos-based construction firm, KOK Ventures Limited, has already completed the approved design and development plan of the firm.

Also speaking, the Project Manager of KOK Ventures, Engr A Ajiboye, said MOSS Petroleum International project would be a massive construction. He said the proposed project would comprise six mega storage tanks, two each for PMS, AGO and DPK; ultra-modern administrative block, modern international standard fire fighting department and an eatery among others.

By Wale Ajetunmobi

Ikorodu, Lagos, venue of the event, Guest Minister at the occasion, Pastor Michael Odusina said children of God need not fear to go into private businesses as it is God’s plan for them to be in prosperity in all their undertakings. He however admonished Christians to follow the dictates of God in their choice of profession selection to avoid the mistakes that could take them through many years of struggle without success. Pastor Odusina urged people to seek God’s support always in their entire endeavours in order to record what he called “Good Success” in life.

United States The programme which was to lasted for two days was intended to educate the doctors and nurses on how to assemble, use and maintain the incubators. Rotary has in the past donated incubators to hospitals, but noticed that they were abandoned, due to lack of maintenance and would have probably broken down. This was why the club decided to bring in trainees from the manufacturers to assist in training and educating the biomedical engineers and nurses.

The past governor of district 9110 Nigeria, Rotarian Dehinde Shoga was also present at the event. He recommended that Rotary should bring in expatriates.

“This shows the commitment of rotary in helping to achieve their goals”, stating that the rotary districts have so far donated 38 incubators which have been distributed to different zones across Nigeria.

Omotosho explained that each club has the responsibility of working with the hospital to which the club is donating and that there would be a periodic maintenance done by the Rotary in order to ensure that the incubators are fully utilised.

Edo the country, as well as that of development in the rural areas.

Imoukheme said that principally, traditional rulers’ roles should be spelt out in the country’s constitution.

“Traditional rulers have a role to play in the governance of this country because seriously when the chips are down, it is them we run to.

When there are crises, we invite them to talk to.

“So some provision should be made in the constitution for them to have a say in the governance of this country.

“If this is done, it will be a good omen for this country. In the past we had the House of Chiefs.

• Governor Oshiomhole “We are not saying we should have a house of chiefs, but they can be given responsibility in the area of security and community development,” he said.

• Sheikh Abou (middle) in a group photograph with the management of Ansaru-Ud-Deen College of Education,Isolo, Lagos

College honours Baba Adini of Lagos

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NSARU-Ud-Deen College of Education, Isolo, Lagos State was agog last Friday as lecturers,students and staff hosted the Baba Adini of Lagos, Sheikh Abdul Hafeez Abou to a special Jumah service and prayer to continue the activities marking his 90th birthday.

The Baba Adini according to the Provost of the institution, Prof Tajudeen Gbadamosi is a symbol of emulation and reservoir of knowledge that everyone taps from.

“We are not celebrating any birthday, but the College of Education here want to roll out for emulation certain principles, certain qualities and certain standards that Baba Sheikh Hafeez Abou stand for,” he said.

“As a symbol of knowledge, as a symbol of integrity and morality, we believe he deserves our hionour. ” he added.

Prof Gbadamosi described the Baba Adini as a sincere and upright person both in his private and public affairs, whom he wants to the youth to take after.

“He is a man who is sincere with his religion.

He does not trivialise his faith. He is honest with it not only in speech, but also, in his words and

By Amidu Arije

actions and therefore, we are looking forward to a generation of people who will be sincere in principle and morality, who in private and public will uphold integrity. Integrity as at now is very low and we are extremely delighted that here is a man who is an embodiment of integrity and we want the younger generation to try and emulate him”.

The provost said further that Baba Adini is an ardent educationist.

“Baba is an ardent educationist. He loves the pursuit of knowledge and has always been teaching since he graduated. Let me divert here, he graduated from one of the earliest universities in the world. In fact, as far as we are concerned, Al-Azhar University, where he graduated in Cairo is the best university ever. He was among the first set of Nigerians to study in that University and for that we are happy that he is still alive today. And we want our students and the younger generation to take seriously the pursuit of knowledge. no matter where, here in Nigeria or abroad, let them take education seriously,” he said.

• From left: General Manager, Public Affairs, Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Pastor Supo Atobatele; Pastor Olabisi Ayoka Shoyemi, Pastor James Oloyede-rep. Pastor Francis Wale Oke of Christ of Life Ministry, Ibadan, Oyo State and General Overseer, The Truth Chritian Mission Inc. (Triumphant Sanctuary) Abule-Egbe, Lagos, Pastor Alfred Olatunde Shoyemi during the 2012 National Convention with the theme: The Outpouring of His Spirit at Papalanto-Ilaro Camp Ground, Ogun State PHOTO; ISAAC JIMOH AYODELE

THE NATION FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2012

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THE NATION FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2012

16

CAMPUS LIFE

Niger Delta: Beyond resource control Burdens and realities of transformation

Text of the paper delivered by Delta State Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan at the Hallmark Lecture Series in Asaba.

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“IGER Delta: Beyond Resource Control - Burdens and Realities of Transformation”: Being text of A lecture delivered by His Excellency, Governor Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan at Business Hallmark public policy forum, at Events Centre, Asaba on the 24th August 2012 I read the organisers’ intention in selecting this topic as an expression of their concern over what becomes of the Niger Delta beyond resource control. In other words, how can the Niger Delta region march on with or without controlling their famed oil and gas resources?

If I were to interpret this further, I might assert, can the Niger Delta region succeed without controlling their resources? The poser can be expanded. Can Nigeria succeed without controlling Niger Delta resources? I shall provide my perspectives in the course of this presentation.

Resource control became a political term from the efforts of Niger Delta peoples to get a fairer share of their God-given resources and more say in their own affairs in relation to the rest of Nigeria. Resource control in that sense therefore, has become a rallying cry for the long-suffering peoples of the Niger Delta region and understandably subject to various interpretations depending on the individual’s stand in the country’s often fractious socio-political and economic debates.

If the demand for resource control has remained trenchant, it is simply because our peoples have for long lived with the stark evidence of a mindless exploitation of the oil resources in their land. They have lived with the despoliation and degradation of their environments without concomitant benefits to them as a people and to their communities where these resources are.

As it eventually happened, the wheel turned and they found their voices and are demanding for justice and for their rights, much to the shock of those who want the exploitation to continue unchallenged. Surprisingly, some have made an enterprise of justifying the suffering in the Niger Delta, in a provocative manner that tends to take the peaceful nature of our peoples for granted. Thankfully, our people have ignored them as we continue the search for justice in the matter.

Dr JD Ikechukwu captured the devastation of the region succinctly in his article on the Niger Delta crises in Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution in Nigeria, when he noted that, “The oil which has brought so much wealth to the multinational oil companies and the Nigerian State has at the same time brought to the people of the Niger Delta untold poverty, disease, persistent pollution, ecological and environmental degradation.”

Sad, as this picture may look, the Nigerian economy has largely depended (85 per cent) on earnings from crude oil sales. On the strength of this single point, it is easy to see the fundamental importance of the Niger Delta region to the Nigerian economy and its oil to global energy resource. Sadly, that importance does not reflect on the treatment the region gets from the federation.

As a ranking exporter of crude

oil, Nigeria’s supplies from the Niger Delta region play a crucial role in maintaining global supply stability. On the other hand, finding the delicate balance in the wellbeing of the Niger Delta region, the demands of the Nigerian economy, and the global community’s energy needs, is at the heart of the complexities associated with issues emanating from and concerning the region.

In a sense, I seem to have answered my second poser, which was, if Nigeria could survive without controlling resources of the Niger Delta region. Current reality dictates otherwise, from a standpoint of national economic survival, the stability of Nigeria as well as its ability to exercise influence as a sovereign state in the international political system.

If Nigeria derives all these benefits from the resources taken from the Niger Delta region, the moot question is, what would happen to the peoples of the Niger Delta, when oil and gas resources finish, as they must one day. This, to me, is the more compelling question, which we must urgently address.

Having this in mind therefore, what should a transformation agenda for the Niger Delta look like today? There are two cardinal points, I envisage in this. One, get the most you can from oil now as you transform to a post-oil era; because, like it, or not, that era must come. Two, develop other sources of revenue and diversify your economy to optimise available options or create them. To do the latter, you must revive agriculture and invest in agro-allied industries, enhance rural industrialisation, revive and deepen manufacturing, clean up the environment, develop human capital and upgrade infrastructure.

Ladies and gentlemen, for the first leg of the struggle I would say since the return to democratic governance in 1999, these points were not lost on the political leadership of the zone. Let me in this regard salute the pioneering works of our past governors, especially my predecessor, Chief James Ibori and the former governor of Akwa Ibom State, Obong Victor Attah, who especially championed the cause of achieving a better and more equitable allocation of resources to the Niger Delta region. That era gave resource control life. The battle, as most will recall, was not easy, as they were often deliberately misunderstood and their leadership questioned. Thanks in large measure to them, the argument for a fairer allocation of federal oil revenue to the Niger Delta region though not won, has become a progressive issue on the national agenda.

We cannot forget also the great efforts of Donald Duke, former governor of Cross River in focusing his State as a tourism destination of choice. It was no surprise then, that when the State lost 76 oil wells in a Supreme Court judgement, Governor Liyel Imoke reminded his people that there was life without oil. He stressed the more important contributions of human resources and tourism to the growth and development of the State. He was not talking out of emotion. A foundation for this has been laid, and he is building on it.

There is indeed, life after oil, and the current leadership of Niger Delta region is immensely aware

• Uduaghan

of this fact. On our part, my administration since inception in May 2007 has made it a covenant with the people to look beyond oil. We have set for ourselves, a three-point agenda of peace and security, human capital development and infrastructural development. In my article of October 2007, titled, “Delta Without Oil - The Changing Global Economy”, I pondered the question of Delta surviving without oil.

While acknowledging the difficulty, I submitted that, “This administration from the beginning has thought in that direction. We do not work for the money that comes from oil. It is easy money; it has changed our orientation about hard work. Our young people are growing up in expectation of an easy life from oil.”

I am happy to report that five years on, we have succeeded to some extent, in changing our people’s fixation on oil money. Our first strategy was to return peace to our State, especially as the turmoil was related to contentions over easy money from oil. Without peace and security very little else can take place. Given the long years of military rule and the upsurge in militancy in the entire Niger Delta region, no thanks to the divide-andrule strategy which was often em-

‘Resource control became a political term from the efforts of Niger Delta peoples to get a fairer share of their God-given resources and more say in their own affairs in relation to the rest of Nigeria. Resource control in that sense therefore, has become a rallying cry for the long-suffering peoples of the Niger Delta region and understandably subject to various interpretations depending on the individual’s stand in the country’s often fractious socio-political and economic debates’

ployed to keep our peoples apart, restoring peace and security to our State was not the easiest assignment to undertake. Our strategy of persistently engaging the different peoples and interests in our State has ensured peace for even development.

Commenting on this age-long security challenge, Democracy in Nigeria: Continuing Dialogue(s) for Nation-building, noted on the Niger Delta in Chapter 11, “We may characterise the history of the democratic struggles of the people of the Niger Delta as consisting of two main directions: resistance to European pacification, domination by ethnic majorities, and most recently, military authoritarianism. At the heart of this resistance lie the control of resources and livelihoods. Initially, it was the rich trade in commodities on the Oil Rivers; now it is the control of the rich petroleum resources of the Niger Delta.”

Obviously, the security challenge is enormous and complex, but with security and peace top on our agenda and the huge resources we have deployed to their attainment, a lot has been achieved in maintaining the peace which we now enjoy.

We have also invested heavily in human capital and infrastructural development of the State. As I have often done, I am going to reiterate some of the highpoints of our programmes which are geared towards building our vision of Delta beyond oil.

Delta State with a land area of 18,050 square kilometres, substantial portions of which are riverine, marshy and underdeveloped is challenging, but not impossible to develop. What it demands is enormous investment in money, energy and time. We are compelled to develop remote areas as many of our people have opted to live on their ancestral lands—which in many cases are locations of oil facilities, flow stations and pipelines. We believe they should get the best from the proceeds of the resources taken from their land. That, to me, is the fair and just thing to do.

I also sense that many people outside these areas have no understanding of life in the creeks. They are not concerned that our people living in those parts should be treated as equal and are entitled to enjoy life as others. As an administration, we do not share such cynical attitude which, I might add, is a major source of anger and frustration for our people in the oil producing areas and other parts of rural Delta.

Our administration is sincere and determined to change the landscape of the riverine and oil producing areas. It is therefore the singular reason we are perhaps the only State that is heavily funding its agency for that purpose. The Delta State Oil Mineral Development Commission, DESOPADEC, has since its creation been receiving 50 per cent of the 13 per cent derivation to support state government’s own programmes in developing the oil producing and impacted areas of the State.

The funding of DESOPADEC is huge and accounts for the decline of funds at the state level, but we are not deterred. We believe that from whom much is taken, much should also be given. If Nigeria were to embrace similar principle, the peoples of Niger Delta would feel justice done to them with respect to their contribution to the wealth and growth of the country.

This is especially important as the terrain they live in is an extremely difficult one to develop.

In many areas we are developing, we have had to build schools, hospitals, access roads, bridges, electricity and clean water from zero.

We have had to contend with oil pollution and its environmental degradation, which has left many of our peoples without sustainable means of livelihood.

For our administration, it will be unconscionable to overlook this state of affairs. Our intervention is to rescue our people who are facing destitution, poverty and squalor. It is unacceptable not to speak out on their behalf. We have to be their voice, otherwise they are voiceless. The whole struggle of resource control is about our people, such that when oil finishes or loses its global relevance, we would carry on with life with minimal disruption to our revenue sources.

Overall, we have not been deterred in our pursuit of developmental programmes - challenging as it is. The vision to build a Delta beyond oil, is a daunting one, but clearly conceived in anticipation of the day we will not depend on it entirely or the day oil will be one of the many other revenue streams of the State, not its only main revenue stream. All over the world, feverish effort is being made to end oil’s dominance of the energy basket. We will be foolish not to prepare for the end of the oil era.

To prepare us for that day, this administration has been implementing systematic plans to protect the State from the shock by building infrastructure that will support diversification of the economy. Our infrastructure is both human and physical; we are in a hurry even though our vision spans a 50-year period. We believe that the thinking, planning, and implementation have to begin today.

Our plan is simple - do that which we can with an abiding concern for the future. We leave when our time is up. When we hand over, it will be a State, which others can build on because we have laid a solid foundation for its future, something that is sometimes difficult for our critics to understand. In that regard, our objective was never to finish all the projects we began, though we are determined to ensure most are completed or at irreversible stages of development.

I am satisfied that the State is moving in the right decision. If this process continues, I foresee a future in which the State will earn value from all the investments we are making. The journey we have embarked upon is a difficult one, but as I said in a recent presentation, “I am rather pleased we had the confidence and willpower to even begin it at all. Future generations will, I am sure, look to this moment and salute our courage.”

In building a Delta that will prosper beyond oil, we reckoned it was important we had the following critical infrastructures – Oghareki power plant, Asaba International Airport, upgrade Osubi Airport to international standards, industrial clusters, (Koko Industrial Park, Warri Industrial and Business Park, and Asaba ICT Park). We thought we should harness our people’s entrepreneurial skills through our Micro Credit Scheme and nurture SMEs. Our success with Micro Credit Scheme is spectacular. We have won three consecutive CBN awards and we have about 100,000 beneficiaries of the scheme whose stories are as enthralling as they are varied. Other States are understudying the Delta State model because of its acknowledged successes.

• To be concluded

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THE NATION FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2012

AGRO-BUSINESS

‘Nigerian farmers can reap from global grain slump‘

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IGERIAN famers can benefit from the United States’ maize crop failure now driving commodities’prices at the world market and threatening food security, an expert, Dr Joe Atungwu, has said.

Atungwu, the Director, Centre for Community-Based Farming Scheme (COBFAS), Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Ogun State, said farmers, especially those in the Southwest, can begin an aggressive second cropping of maize next month and make good money in the international market.

He said the massive production of the commodity is required worldwide for stock to be replenished and prices to drop, follow-

Stories by Daniel Essiet, Agric Correspondent

ing the unpredictability of climate change which has affected food production in some parts of the US. Compared to other countries, the expert said, Nigeria has good soil to produce maize in abundance, adding that this would boost farmers’ profits.

According to reports, maize is selling for an average of $8.50 per bushel, while soybean is selling for $17.50. These are among the highest-ever prices. Forecasts have indicated that maize may reach $10 and soybeans may go as high as $20.

For Nigeria, he said this

presents new opportunity. Most of the world production of the commodities are used as either food or as food industry input.

Both commodities also serve as main raw materials in animal feed manufacturing. The United States is expected to produce under 100 million tonnes this year of maize as a result of the crop failure.

Atungwu said Nigeria has the capacity to produce enough maize for the global market, even if there was no crop failure.

He lamented that agriculture, which was the foundation of the nation’s economic growth in the past, has taken the back seat due to many years of neglect and a shift of emphasis in favour of crude oil.

Pig rearers lament

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HE Chairman, Pig Farmers Association of Nigeria (PFAN), Oyo State chapter, Mr Victor Akinrelere, said the unfavourable business environment was taking a toll on members.

He said in Ibadan that poor market prices and lack of incentives by government at all levels were the major challenges being faced by pig farmers.

He said prices of the major ingredients used as pig feeds, such as palm kernel cake, brewery waste, groundnut cake and soya beans had gone up.

Akinrelere said brewery waste, which used to be sold at N3 per kilogramme now costs N7 while palm kernel cake, which was sold for N10 per kilogramme had gone up to

N25.

Attempting a cost-benefit analysis, he said pig farmers were spending more in terms of expenditure than income.

He said it cost an average of N280 to buy feed equivalent to a kilogramme weight of a pig.

"Yet, we have just succeeded in selling a pig for N250 per kilogramme. So, we are incurring great loss,’’he said.

"We have been attending seminars where government even assured us that they will ensure that banks lend us money at single digit interest rate, but even the banks are not forthcoming, " he added.

He called on governments to assist pig farmers to boost food production.

‘Fadama III project a success’

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HE Fadama III project is a success story on the Plateau with more than N17 million Fadama Users Equity Fund (FUEF) and various projects funded, according to the State Co-ordinator, Mr Gideon Dandam.

Dandam said in Jos that the fund would enable the farmers to access loans for economic activities with their accounts as security.

He explained that Fadama III was expected to organise the community into co-operative groups

based on their economic interests.

He said the project had so far sensitised and mobilised such groups based on the economic interests to enable them to pool their resources for optimal performance and maximu benefits.

Dandam said a total of 81 Fadama Community Associations (FCAs) have been formed, adding that the associations comprised 1,215 Fadama User Groups (FUGs) across Plateau's 17 local governments areas.

Food security exhibition holds Sept. 10

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•Vendors displaying their foodstuff at Mile 12 Market, Lagos.

IFAD: small farmers ’ll feed the world by 2015

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HE President, International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), Dr Kanayo Nwanze, has said small farmers will feed the world by 2015.

Nwanze spoke in Abuja at a forum by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

He said 500 million households were already producing 80 per cent of food for global consumption, adding that the highest producers are in the developing countries.

He expressed delight at the turnaround in the fortunes of smallholder farmers, whom he claimed, began with his assumption of office as IFAD’s helmsman in 2009.

Before the latest development, he said the international community had undermined smallholder agriculture, which it regarded as “hopeless practice”.

“I said 500 million households produce 80 per cent of the food that is consumed globally and most of them are in the developing world; we must focus on smallholder agriculture.

“Smallholder agriculture was looked down by most of the international community as a hopeless practice. Today, the private sector, governments of the north and of the south, recognise the powerful role of smallholder producers to feed not only themselves but the world.’’

Nwanze said his vision on assumption of office, which was directed at smallholder farmers - the youth and women - had been sharpened as discussions at international fora on agriculture usually emphasise issues related to these three groups.

“We have turned this around, not just by speaking, but by demonstrating what this can do. We have been able to help organise farmers and women’s organisations, linking them to international markets.

“In Guatemala, the farmers’organisations we work with, are the major suppliers of French beans to Wall Mart in the US. Cocoa producers in Sao Tome are the main suppliers of high quality cocoa to Café Direct in the UK.“ He said in Uganda, oil palm producers have worked with a company producing aggressively more than 10 per cent of oil palm requirements, adding that his vision is to create market opportunities through IFAD partnerships for smallholder farmers to enable them to become highly commercialised.

Firm gives N54m storage facility to traders

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WOMEN fish trading group in Akwa Ibom State, Ibaka Women Fish Sellers MultiPurpose Co-operative Society, has praised Mobil Producing Nigeria for providing it with a fish storage facility.

Its President, Mrs Hannah Etefit, said since the oil giant donated the N54 million facility to the group in March, its activities have increased.

Etefit said the equipment has cold and dry fish storage facilities and is deployed for use by members in Ibeno and Ibaka communities.

She explained that the improve-

ment in the businesses has attracted more members to it, increasing its membership from 17 to 30 between April and July.

She said: ”With the facility, we no longer travel more than 35 kilometres to Eket to store our fish in cold rooms.”

Before Mobil gave us the equipment, we never processed up to half a ton of fish in a month, but with the facility, we handle up to three tonnes in a month,’’ she said, adding that a cold room within the Ibaka fishing settlement offers convenience and reduces cost.

”We are selling a processed kilogramme of fish at N1,000 as against the N1,200 sold elsewhere in the state, and this price difference has given us a lot of customers.

“We have put the cold room to good use and we are making so much profit that we deposit money in our bank accounts every week,’’ Etefit said.

She said the cold room has reduced the losses hitherto incurred while ferrying fish to Eket for storage. “In transporting fish to and from Eket, we lose some of our fish, especially seafood to destruction,” she said.

HE First Southwest Farmers and Food Security exhibition will hold on September 10, the Managing Director, Chubbies and Fields, Dr. Akin Ajiboye, has said.

Addressing reporters in Lagos, Ajiboye said the exhibition which is being supported by Oodua Chambers of Commerce will hold in Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital.

He said it would attract farmers from the Southwest states to re-enact the achievements recorded in the Western Region when agriculture was the main stay of it revenue.

He said over time the frustration of farmers had become obvious because of lack of support from various governments, a situation that has led to low capacity utilisation of arable lands meant for productive farming.

This, according to him, this has

By Musa Odoshimokhe

led to the importation of stable food stuff, which ordinarily could have been produced in the country. “The reason for this paradigm shift is the rush for oil money which has made everybody to shift focus at the detriment of agriculture, which has the capacity to employ our teeming youths who roam the streets in search of job.”

He said the event became imperative because of the crisis of livelihood that had been the lot of the people. “Our people have become more impoverished due to lack of essentials of life, the main content being foods for sustainable livelihood.”

Ajoboye maintained that the administrations in the Southwest states have moved to consolidate its gains in agriculture by intensifying farming and also venturing into business in the sector.

‘Hybrid seeds for 7,100 farmers’

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O fewer than 7,100 peasant farmers will receive 71 tonnes of hybrid seeds in Kudan Local Government Area of Kaduna State, the Northwest Co-ordinator of Sorghum Transformation Value Chain, Mr Yakubu Atar, has said.

He said the programme was under the Agricultural Transformation Agenda of the Federal Government.

Atar said it was a four-year programme introduced to boost farmers’ production to achieve national food security.

He said the programme was launched in Kudan Local Government Area because of the people’s

contributions to sorghum production.

“We are going to launch the same programme in Kano, Katsina and Malumfashi for the benefit of sorghum farmers in those places.

“I want to appeal to farmers to take advantage of the programme to make sorghum a big business for the benefit of all.

“These are improved seeds with high yield, he nce the need for our farmers to try it,’’ Atar said.

The Chairman of Kaduna State branch of All farmers’ Association of Nigeria, AlhajiAdamu Bature-Kudan, described the programme as good.

Liberia gets $1m for poultry farming

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IBERIA has received a $1 million grant from Nigeria for poultry farming, according to Liberia's Minister of Agriculture Florence Chenoweth. The farm will produce consumable poultry products and bring an end to imports.

“We want to bring to an end the importation of poultry products, specifically eggs, by the end of this year," said Chenoweth.

“We’ll have at our site in Grand Cape Mount County over 70,000 day-old chicks. Some of these will be given to other farmers who have an interest in

poultry farming.”

The project, known as Obasanjo Farm after the Nigerian President Olusengun Obasanjo, is meant to help reduce the incidence of bird flu that comes from imported products and raise the quality of local production.

The Liberia ministry is also working on a corn production programme to produce local feed for the chickens.

Chenoweth said the farming project and its corn feeding programme will create job opportunities for Liberians, especially young people who want to engage in poultry farming.

THE NATION FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2012

18

INDUSTRY ‘Solid minerals devt will diversify economy’

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National President, Nigerian Society of Mining Engineers(NSME), Mr Benjamin Nwude, has said the development of the solid minerals sector will provide an avenue to diversify the nation’s economy.

Speaking to journalists in Ilorin during the 47th council meeting of the society, Nwude said the diversification of the country’s economy from oil, would help to generate revenue, increase employment opportunities and also raise the production of the solid minerals sector.

He called for collaborative ef-

•From left: Mr Ajani Abiodun (left)receiving his long service award from the Executive Director, Sweet Sensation, Mr. Olatunji Kamsom during the long service award held in Lagos.

Firm rebrands with new name

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From left: Country Director, World Bank, Marie Francoise Marie-Nelly; Country Representative, UNIDO, Dr Patrick Kormawa, and Country Director, ILO, Mrs Sina Chuma-Mkandawire, at the 53rd Annual Conference of Nigerian Economic Society in Abuja on Tuesday

ASUWA.COM, Nigeria’s Number 1 online retailer, announced that it had rebranded. It will begin operating under the new trade name JUMIA immediately to become part of the largest online stores across the African continent.

Speaking about the reason for rebranding so soon after the initial launch, co-founder Tunde Kehinde said: "It has become necessary to accelerate growth and integrate more seamlessly with the rest of Africa. The new JUMIA is larger and better equipped to fulfill the growing demand for online shopping in Nigeria.

The rebrand, according to a statement, is the outcome of the overwhelming response to the online shop’s offerings in Nigeria. “We have since the launch, received and fulfilled thousands of orders and expect to have sold significantly higher number of items by end of the year."

The statement added: “At

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Stories by Toba Agboola

into Nigeria every year,” he said.

He revealed that a survey carried out by the US government revealed that Nigerians are the most educated immigrants in America; having produced a lot of doctors and engineers, with some of them working in NASA and other specialised sectors in America.

Nnabuife observed that when it comes to investments, Nigeria is still largely undeveloped, which was the reason the chamber decided that it is important to team up with those professional Nigerians that live in the United States, with American companies and bring them to Nigeria.

He disclosed that while the previous summits, which held in the US, recorded about 200 registered participants, the figure has increased this year to about 300.

Also speaking at the summit, the US Ambassador to Nigeria, Terrence McCulley, represented by the American Embassy Eco-

nomic Officer, Rob Foley, revealed that American small and medium scale businesses were becoming more aware of the Nigerian market’s huge potential, especially in the non-oil sector and were showing interest of being part of it; going by the number of enquiries that flood the economic office.

He listed some of those initiatives to include the Export-Import Bank (Ex-Im), which signed $1.5 billion to support the Nigerian power sector with equipment.

McCulley also mentioned other initiatives to include the Nigerian Cashew Cluster Finance scheme, the Nigerian Expanded Export Programme (NEEP), which has signed MoUs with 40 Nigerian exporters including 12 women owned businesses.

He assured the American business community in Nigeria that the consul was doing all they could to decrease the time for issuing nonimmigrant visas to Nigerians who wish to visit their American offices for business.

Stakeholder wants subsidy on rice production

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ICE production can only be improved in Nigeria if the Federal Government subsidises it, Director-General, Nigerian Institute of Social and Economic Research (NISER) Prof Adesoji Adesanya, has said.

He said local rice, which had better nutritional value than imported one, was not doing well economically, when compared with the im-

ported variety.

The don, who spoke during a seminar organised by NISER in Ibadan, the economic value that should have been derived from local rice was being eroded because more Nigerians were consuming the imported variety.

He said: "Agriculture requires more subsidies so that it does not die off. That is why

some villages that are known for the production of local rice no longer do it.

"What we need to do is to sensitise Nigerians on the need to consume more of local rice. The local rice contains more protein, which one cannot find in the imported rice because of its processing.

We also need better technology in processing Nigerian rice so that we can get rid of the odour and stones."

JUMIA.com, Nigerians can expect the latest mobile phones, laptops, electronics and home appliances.

Additionally, there are over 20,000 book titles and an extensive catalogue of beauty, hair, baby and children’s products. JUMIA plans to soon add more categories to its wide selection, including fashion, shoes and accessories. JUMIA is indeed the largest general retailer of consumer goods online.

"Being part of the largest online store in Africa, will allow us to better leverage our network to provide a wider selection of brands and products, customers will experience even better prices, improved customer service and more value added features that will improve their shopping experience."

To celebrate it’s launch, JUMIA is offering free delivery anywhere in the country and sponsoring a giveaway competition where customers who fill out their birthdays in their free accounts stand a chance to win a Samsung Galaxy S3.

Sweet Sensation honours staff

$2b SME investments coming, T says US chamber HE Nigeria-United States of America Chamber of Commerce (NUSACC) has disclosed plans to attract about $2 billion worth of small and medium scale private business investments into Nigeria annually.

Chairman of the chamber, Mr Chuck Nnabuife, disclosed this during the chamber’s third International Trade and Investment summit held in Lagos.

He revealed that in the last two years the chamber has been able to attract about $1 billion worth of American investment into the small and medium scale sector.

“We have recorded about $1 billion worth of private business investments in the non-oil sector that have come through our chamber in the last two years and that is just a scratch of the surface because there is more to come as more Americans get comfortable with the Nigerian culture and situation. Our target is to attract about $2 billion worth of private business investment from America

forts of all stakeholders to develop the solid minerals sector and diversify the economy.

“President Goodluck Jonathan is advocating the diversification of the economy and the solid minerals sector is a very important area that we can focus and expand the activities of the industry and thereby generate more revenue and employment, as well as increase the production of the minerals in this sector,” Nwude said.

He urged the Federal Government to provide good infrastructure to attract more investment in the sector as well as reduce the cost of doing business.

HE management of Sweet Sensation confectionary recently rewarded Staff for their commitment, dedication and selfless service to the growth of the company over the years.

The award categories include: 62 awardees for long service awards; 18 awardees for go excellence awards ; 10 scholarships; awards for Sweet Sensation Educational Support Scheme (SSES) and 56 awardees for outlet staff reward scheme Leading the management team was the Chairman of Sweet Sensation, Mr Olayinka Kamson, the MD/CEO, Mrs Kehinde Kamson and Executive Director, Mr Olatunji Kamson.

Mr Olayinka Kamson eulogised the contribution of the awardees to the growth of the company. He encouraged them to see the award and recognition as a propeller to more dedication and allegiance while serving as worthy example to other staff.

The MD/CEO, Mrs Kehinde Kamson, expressed her gratitude to the long serving staff for their doggedness and commitment over the years. She reiterated that the company will always seek opportunities to reward staff that are committed to the wellbeing of the company whether in the length of their service or through their exemplary commitment and loyalty.

Firm announces judges for heroes award

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UFIL Prima Plc has announced the names of the panel of judges for the fifth edition of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative “Indomie Independence Day Award for the Heroes of Nigeria.”

The judges are expected to sit to adjudicate and select the final three winners from the top 18 stories already penciled down by the selection committee having met the set down criteria.

Members of the panel for this year include Graham Stohhard, Headmaster, Lagos Preparatory School, Philip Isakpa, Editor, Businessday, Joel Okei Odumakin of the Women Arise for Change Initiative, Jimi Solanke, veteran playwright, artist and singer, Karen-King Aribisala, Professor, Department of English UNILAG, Angela Ege Ochuko, PSFR Specialist and Niyi Adesanya of Fifth Gear Consulting.

This list was contained in a statement issued by the Public Relations

Manager, Dufil Prima Foods Plc, Mr Tope Ashiwaju, on progress of activities on the 2012 Indomie Heroes Award.

The winners are expected to win N1,000,000 worth of scholarship for the first prize winner, N750,000 for the second prize winner and N500,000 for the third place winner.

Last year, Chigbo Njokwu, a 14 yearold boy who rescued a woman from drowning when the boat carrying her and the paddler capsised, won the first prize.

The second prize was won by Ajila Webhe, a 10 year-old who, in the absence of a professional midwife or doctor, acted as a midwife in the delivery of her little nephew.

Sule Mallam Hamza won the third prize of N500, 000 for jumping into a river to rescue a drowning boy.

It will be recalled that Indomie Independence Day Heroes Award started in 2008 and it hits a landmark of five years of rewarding heroic children.

THE NATION FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2012

19

COMMENTARY EDITORIALS

EDITORIAL FROM OTHER LAND

Victim complex •President Jonathan fails once again, choosing to whimper when he should lead and inspire

T

HE President had his foot in the wrong place again last Monday when he lapsed into a whimpering show on a platform that offered immense opportunity for statesmanship and for reassuring the populace that he has a handle on the affairs of State. It was at the opening of the 52ndAnnual General Meeting of the Nigerian Bar Association, (NBA) in Abuja. In his keynote address at the August gathering, President Jonathan had made headlines by announcing that he was the most criticised president in the world. Though he noted that he was not overly troubled by such criticisms and indeed, that he would work harder to become the most praised in no time, the damage was already done as his despairing was already spreading like wild fire.

The first issue arising from President Jonathan’s rather awkward statement is that it is un-presidential. The presidency of any country is the bastion of power and solidity, if not invincibility. The office and its occupier must always radiate hope, confidence and project the strength and essence of a people. It is simply a sign of weakness for a president to allow slip, a public show of lamentation, no matter the situation. Therefore, playing the victim never wins a president any sympathy from the people. On the other hand, the people would rather have a strong leader who would stand tough no matter the circumstance.

The second point is that there is no empirical measure to determine the veracity of the president’s claim because we know as a matter of fact that leaders in Western Europe and America are usually under

24-hour barrage by their numerous and largely unrestrained media. They have enjoyed a long tradition of free speech; they have mastered the art of fair comment and have their rights well entrenched as the aggressive mouth-piece of the people.

Here, we have also enjoyed a long history of free speech and lively public discourse. Indeed, freedom of expression in a plural media environment is sine qua non to any democratic dispensation. What is democracy without a robust, and in fact, rambunctious media aggregating the views of the people; all the people, all the views? It is called the market-place of ideas in a libertarian society. Right from our colonial days through the military era and up to the moment, Nigeria has had a history of virile public discourse which will not be discarded now because a President Jonathan is in power.

Further, there must be a direct relationship between the quantum of criticism a leader gets and his performance in office.

If the facts must be laid bare, President Jonathan has not done much to win the plaudits of Nigerians. After affording him an overwhelming electoral victory last year, the only dividend that has accrued to the populace has been the sharp and callous yanking off of the so-called petrol subsidy at the dawn of the New Year. The president, in the perception of the people, has not been able to master his position since inauguration, and the Boko Haram saga has gone on without his showing any ability to arrest the rampaging terrorists.

On the other hand, the country is apparently on its knees trying to appease the anarchists. Just a few days ago, the

news filtered out through a foreign newspaper that the administration has been secretly awarding contracts worth billions of naira to former Niger Delta warlords to guard the country’s oil installations, an unwitting admission that Nigeria’s police, security and military systems have failed.

President Jonathan should realise that criticisms are hardly made for the fun of it or to malign. They are often genuine show of frustration with the leadership. So,we urge the President to take the barbs thrown at him in good faith and as he has promised, work assiduously to deliver the goods to the people in order to change the pervading negative perception against him. Whimpering won’t win him any reprieve.

‘President Jonathan should realise that criticisms are hardly made for the fun of it or to malign. They are often genuine show of frustration with the leadership. So,we urge the President to take the barbs thrown at him in good faith and as he has promised, work assiduously to deliver the goods to the people in order to change the pervading negative perception against him. Whimpering won’t win him any reprieve’

Measuring success •2012 WASSCE results may have been better; there is no cause for celebration yet

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HE results of the May/June 2012 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) released by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) have turned out to be a departure from the disturbing downward trend in the performance of the candidates. This year’s results, the best in three years, showed that 649,156 candidates representing 38.81 per cent of the total candidates that sat for the examination obtained credits in five subjects and above, including English Language and Mathematics.

Comparatively, these statistics represent an 8.9 per cent increase above last year’s performance, where 30.91 per cent made the same grades, and in 2010 where 23.71 per cent of the candidates met the

‘Although the latest WASSCE results show an improvement over those of the previous two years, it would be truly premature to celebrate the achievement as a reversal of the downward trend. The progress needs to be sustained, and greater levels of success recorded, so that this year’s results do not turn out to be a one-off. It should be pointed out that the percentage of successful candidates is well below 50 per cent, which, frankly, is not good enough’

standard. The Head of the Nigeria National Office of WAEC, Dr Iyi Nwadie, said the improved results this year marked a positive development, even as cases of examination malpractices reportedly declined compared with previous years.

Considering the pervasive concern about educational standards in the country, the latest WASSCE results have brought a ray of hope. For some time now, there has been a huge public controversy over whether educational standards were falling or not, and the WASSCE results have certainly not been encouraging. The cheering news of improved performance in this important school-leaving examination, however, raises some questions which the released statistics failed to address. How well can it be established that the successful candidates indeed passed on merit? What about the geographical spread of these candidates? What about their institutional distribution? How many of these success stories were products of private or public schools?

Amid the debate over academic standards, there has been a noticeable upsurge in the development of private sector-driven educational institutions, many of which are well funded and possess the necessary human resources and infrastructure. On the other hand, the public schools have been battling with an image problem arising from poor funding as well as inadequate staffing and infrastructure. In the public imagination, this situation has given private schools a comparative advantage over their statefunded counterparts, which may well be

a factor in the released WASSCE results.

However, it is commendable that against the background of challenged educational standards in public schools across the country, some state governments are actually focused on addressing the problems and creating an enabling environment in which public schools can thrive and satisfy the expectations of Nigerians. In Rivers, Lagos, Akwa Ibom, Delta and Edo states, to mention a few states, the people are witnesses to the transformative activities of the various governments in the education sector, and the considerable investments they are making to uplift their public schools.

Good governance in these pace-setting states gives a welcome priority to the development of the schools funded with public money. But it is not clear whether the WASSCE results reflect the changing pattern of educational investment in these states. It is more likely, though, that the fruits of the improved outlay on education in these states would need more time before the harvest. There is no doubt that greater attention should be paid to the education of Nigerians.

Although the latest WASSCE results show an improvement over those of the previous two years, it would be truly premature to celebrate the achievement as a reversal of the downward trend.

The progress needs to be sustained, and greater levels of success recorded, so that this year’s results do not turn out to be a one-off. It should be pointed out that the percentage of successful candidates is well below 50 per cent, which, frankly, is not good enough.

An Uncontrollable Outbreak

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HE menace posed by germs resistant to powerful antibiotics was all too apparent when a deadly, drug-resistant form of pneumonia bacteria struck the Clinical Center of the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Md., last year. It infected 17 patients and killed 6 of them.

This episode is especially chilling because the center is one of the nation’s most sophisticated research hospitals. It imposed incredibly stringent isolation and sterilization procedures, yet even these failed to keep the germ from spreading.

The problem started in June 2011 when a woman who was already infected with the resistant strain of the bacteria entered the hospital. She was placed in strict isolation, stayed in the hospital for a month and left without seeming to spread the germ to others. Then, a few weeks later, another patient was found infected, and many others followed over a period of months.

The medical detective story of how the hospital traced the course of the outbreak was described recently by Gina Kolata in The Times, based on a research paper published online by the journal Science Translational Medicine. Rapid genetic sequencing

by N.I.H. researchers established that all 17 subsequent infections originated from the first patient. The hospital found the bacteria could remain undetected for weeks and be transmitted in complex ways. For instance, germs lurked in sink drains in cleaned rooms; eventually, plumbing had to be removed to get rid of the bacteria.

This disheartening episode shows again the importance of slowing the development of resistant strains by reducing rampant overuse of antibiotics — and of developing new, more effective antibiotics.

– New York Times

TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief Victor Ifijeh • Editor Gbenga Omotoso

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•Chairman, Editorial • Executive Director Board Sam Omatseye (Finance & Administration) Ade Odunewu •General Editor Kunle Fagbemi • Gen. Manager (Training and Development) •Editor Online Soji Omotunde Lekan Otufodunrin •Managing Editor Northern Operation Yusuf Alli

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THE NATION FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2012

20

CARTOON & LETTERS

S

IR: “No man is allowed to be a judge in his own cause, because his interest would certainly bias his judgment, and not improbably, corrupt his integrity.

With equal, nay with greater reason, a body of men are unfit to be both judges and parties at the same time.” -James Madison Earlier this year, President Goodluck Jonathan, came out with a mind-boggling argument on why he is not a big fan of asset declaration. In a widely published interview he asserted: “The issue of asset declaration is a matter of principle. I don’t give a damn about it, if you want to criticize me from heaven. The issue of public declaration I think is playing to the gallery. You don’t need to publicly declare any assets”.

With Tuesday’s resignation of Professor Barth Nnaji as minister of power over issues of conflict of interest, we can say that the chicken is finally coming home to roost and the President may have committed what Nigerians call “foot in the mouth disease”.

One can surmise that Nnaji’s imbroglio would not have happened if he had been made to publicly de-

S

IR: It beats my imagination why Nigerians, having identified what is best for them, always hurl stones and rocks at developments just because of some inherent challenges. The only argument I have heard against the creation of state police ever since, is that governors and politicians would use it against their perceived opponents, and therefore, the baby should be thrown away with the bath water! This is where an average white man is far ahead and better than a black man. If there is a problem, then there must be a solution; and if there is a solution, the solution must be applied so that the challenges could be cured.

By the way, the Police have been turned into beggars in their states of jurisdiction. The governors of the individual states, as well as private entities, donate pick-up vans, money and other resources to the police because of the failure on the part of their core employer and paymaster, the Federal Govern-

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The case for public declaration of assets clare his asset before his appointment as minister. Corruption is a big threat to democracy everywhere and anywhere; it hinders good governance, democratic processes, fair business and political competition. A recent joint report

by Anti Corruption Network and Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development recommends that a public declaration of asset by politicians and political appointees will help “increase transparency and the trust of citizens in public administration, by disclosing information about assets of politicians and civil servants that shows they have nothing to hide; help heads of public institutions prevent conflicts of interest among their employees and to resolve such situations when they arise, in order to promote integrity within

their institutions; help monitor wealth variations of individual politicians and civil servants, in order to dissuade them from misconduct and protect them from false accusations, and to help clarify the full scope of illicit enrichment or other illegal activity by providing additional evidence.”

Let me hasten to state here that Professor Nnaji has not been accused of any wrongdoing and may have actually acted above board in all his dealings as power and energy minister. The problem here has little or nothing to do with impropriety but an appearance of such. For months, the workers and unions in his ministry have been making insinuations about his financial interest in some companies bidding to buy some of the assets of Power Holding Company of Ni-

State Police: Good or bad? ment, to properly do its job. Ironically, the governors can not ‘’completely’’ oversee the security affairs of the states they govern. And yet, we call the governors the Chief Security Officers of their states even though the governors lack the power to control the policing affairs of their respective states! And the reason is because federal government being a ‘’glutton’’, has too many things on its plate and is therefore, fatigued. Responsibilities that are supposed to be shared between the three tiers of government, or even exclusively undertaken by the states, are being shouldered by the federal government alone due to unnecessary fear, greed, bureaucracy, unitarianism, over centralization of power and corruption.

All these talks about Nigeria not being ripe for state police are sickening. Fear of the unknown-it is simply a lazy man’s approach to solving problems! By the way, when will Nigeria ever be ready or ripe for anything good? Or are we

only ‘’ripe’’ for bad things like corruption and inefficiency in government? If state policing works in many other climes where it is being practised, then why can’t it work in Nigeria? How do we ensure effective and efficient policing when we stick to the old and archaic system of doing things, and still expect a better result? I guess as usual, we would helplessly resort to praying rather than taking the proper action and doing what is just right. Afterall, we are a praying nation with no actions...one of the evidence of our prayers was the result we got from the just concluded Olympic games in London!

The advantages of having a State Police far out-weigh the so called disadvantages. If this is the case, why not craft the law that would create state police in such a way that the governors would not be able to influence the state police against their perceived enemies? He who creates the pencil also creates the eraser with which to clean it. Can

geria.

One can only rue what could have been, if the president and his ministers as well as all political appointees had been made to publicly declare their assets in an open and transparent manner. For one the general public would have known that the minister has an interest in a company bidding to purchase Afam power plant even though he has put his shares in what he called “a blind trust.”

As one senatorial candidate from Massachusetts once quibbled, “The blind trust is an age-old ruse.” In the United States of America where we drew the fountain of our constitution and democracy, the first elected official to use a blind trust was President Lyndon Johnson. He did this so he could hold on to his interest in a Texas television station,

people who feel oppressed by the state police seek succour and redress in a federal police and High Court, respectively, where no state government would have or has control?

Can we clearly and unambiguously, define the roles and duties of state and federal police as well as their jurisdictions and inter-relations? Pro-actively, we may as well relieve the state police of powers over election matters, conducts and processes, so that no governor would have the opportunity to use them to his advantage during any elections, be it local, state or federal.

I wish to challenge Nigerians to put their thinking caps on and come up with solutions to identified challenges on developmental projects and issues if the inherent advantages in the so called projects or issues far outweigh the demerits, not just to shout out with his head every time.

• Adebanjo Saheed Ikorodu, Lagos.

an industry heavily regulated by the Federal Communication Commission. Most of Johnson’s successors followed his lead, but only in 1978, with the passage of the Ethics in Government Act, did blind trusts become a formal option for executive-branch officers seeking to avoid conflicts of interest.

The Act requires that trustees must be independent of the official, that such trust must be free of restrictions on sale or transfer of assets, and that the official is to receive no information except for quarterly updates on cash value and income or loss, needed to file income-tax returns.

We do not have a similar legislation in Nigeria.

Now is the time for the National Assembly of Nigeria to pass a comprehensive legislation similar to the US’s “Ethics in Government Act” which would make it mandatory that all executive, judicial and legislative office holders declare their assets openly and publicly before their swearing in. It is imperative that the media and the public have access to means for verification of such assets through the Freedom of Information Act. Our democracy is too fragile to leave in the hands of politicians with skeletons in their cupboards.

• Francis Adewale Spokane, Wa. USA

ND, not OND please This is to humbly inform employers of labour, admission offices of tertiary institutions and the general public that the lower of the two major certificates awarded by Polytechnics in Nigeria is National Diploma (ND) and not Ordinary National Diploma (OND) as the certificate is being generally referred to, even by people who should know better. This clarification has become necessary so that this misconception could be corrected once and for all. It is not only annoying, but also demeaning to refer to a certificate which students sweat at least two years for, as “Ordinary”.

Thank you,

S

• Oluwole Akinjayeju Yaba-Lagos.

THE NATION FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2012 16

21

COMMENTS

Reality Bites D

Beasts of no gender (4)

Olatunji Ololade

EAR Feminist…May your son marry the woman you have become. May he, in the spirit of fairness and openmindedness, relinquish his “Godgiven” and “socially-vested”roles as “ego-centric patriarch” and “man of the house.” May he be openminded enough to “routinely” play second fiddle, do the dishes, do the laundry, play nanny and cook while his wife plays “breadwinner” and “head of the family.”

May he be broad-minded enough to bar you…his mother, as well as his father and siblings from his home even as he accommodates his in-laws and friends of his wife. May he get to understand that with marriage comes the “inevitable” need to distance himself from his family and adopt his wife’s family that he may get to enjoy the good graces of his wife.

May your son never get to be the “head” of his house. May he forever be “a silent partner,” “codriver,” “sleeping head,” “passive head” or whatever designation suits your philosophy of feministoriented family leadership.

May he drop his father’s name to adopt his wife’s surname in the spirit of equality and identification with the feminist ideals of true individualism and freedom. May he allow his children…your grandchildren, adopt their mother’s maiden name or surname in fairness and solidarity with the “emancipation” of his wife.

May he get to understand and whole-heartedly accept that by being male, he is the problematic gender: intellectually less-than, psychologically impaired and emotionally-handicapped thus his need to

be led by a leash by his fully “emancipated”wife.

It is my fervent wish that every self-acclaimed feminist holler a resounding “Amen!”to my prayer – just like I urged in “Woman Song” that every man wished upon his daughter, the type of husband and man he has become to his wife.

It is never my intention to sully the world of impressionable, innocent kids with prayers like doubleedged swords but think how rewarding it would be if we could all wish our type upon our wards. Sublime, isn’t it?

Now that our pockets of die-hard feminists are railing that my prayer hardly satirizes the essence of the feminist crusade, let me make good to say that I understand that their movement was borne of more progressive objectives, like “freedom and release from the oppressions and constraints imposed on women by socio-cultural and economic conventions;” such freedoms that are unquestionably necessary if women are to be treated as equals to men in every facet of life.

However, my prayer becomes relevant at the backdrop of the feminist crusade that seeks to “emancipate” the “poor, disadvantaged Nigerian woman” from every traditional, religious and institutionally wrought stricture; particularly those cultural shackles that hinder the woman within, by the various capacities in which she is “forced” to play girl-child, spinster, wife, mother and citizen of humanity.

Brings us to cultural male-bashing; that ghastly unreality blindly perpetuated by feminists. Cultural male-bashing today is treated as a kind of retributive justice by women

T

HE Civil Service may not be paying a fantastic and competitive remuneration, however job security, retirement benefits, as well as access to power and pecks of office for top-echelons during the peak of their careers are perhaps some of the incentives that have made it a preferred career path for many above employment in the organized private sector.

Even successful individuals in the private sector who desires further power, control, influence or recognition usually seek authority through political control in government to actualize their ambition.

Unlike the politician who exercises influence from the outset in government by virtue of their appointment or election, career public servant typically have to rise through the ranks and to acquire institutional authority and influence at the peak of their career.

Taking cognizance of this background information, it therefore came as a surprise to many that the Permanent Secretary State Treasury Office and the Accountant General of Lagos State Akinwunmi Ambode, having served the Lagos State Government meritoriously for 27 years chose to voluntary retire from the state public service with effect from today, August 31, at a time he wields a lot of influence and affluence and still has

‘The lesson and moral from the Accountant-General’s posture, is that, we should all try from time to time, to leave our comfort zones and venture into something new that frightens or challenges us. It may not necessarily mean changing jobs, it might mean challenging the status quo, doing things differently, doing something we feel nervous about’

who have suffered a raw deal by men. And the bulk of that jadedness has been passed on to their daughters, who have imbibed the notion that men are inherently ‘bad people.’

Such deployment of misandry as a sexual-political weapon has also resulted in young men and women having distorted opinions of each other. Daughters are particularly brainwashed and misdirected to the ‘bad men/father’ narrative they hear from their mothers, women’s rights activists, feminist pop culture, media and politicians.

How does a little girl reconcile her love of her first ‘hero’ with the anti-male messages all around her?

Eventually, this pans out negatively in her personal relationships, as is currently prevalent in dysfunctional courtships, marriages, cohabitation relationships, and rapid increase in the number of broken homes and single-parent mothers.

The author, Doris Lessing, is an ‘Equality Feminist,’ but the writer who became a feminist icon by her books: The Grass is Singing and The Golden Notebook, admitted that a “lazy and insidious” culture had taken hold within feminism that reveled in flailing men.

Young boys are being weighed down with guilt about the crimes of their sex, she told the Edinburgh book festival in 2001. “I find myself increasingly shocked at the unthinking and automatic rubbishing of men which is now so part of our culture that it is hardly even noticed,” she said.

“I was in a class of nine and 10year-olds, girls and boys, and this young woman was telling these kids that the reason for wars was the innately violent nature of men.

You could see the little girls, fat with complacency and conceit while the little boys sat there crumpled, apologizing for their existence, thinking this was going to be the pattern of their lives.”

Lessing said that the teacher tried to “catch my eye, thinking that I would approve of this rubbish…This kind of thing is happening in schools all over the place and no one says a thing.”

True. It gets worse with adults.

The most dim-witted, ignorant and spiteful woman can rubbish the nicest, kindest and most intelligent man and no one would protest. If the man protests, he is reprimanded, albeit with righteous indignation: “Common! You are a man. Or are you not a man? Can’t you see she is a woman?”

Thus men are so cowed that they cannot fight back. It is however, embarrassing that men need an octogenarian feminist to nudge them to ‘fight back.’ Since Lessing sounded her admonition 11 years ago, feminist-spawned misandry has gotten more insidious and virulent than ever. It projects boys and men as clueless, violent, stupid, and of little worth even as it legitimizes the feminist’s claim to superiority, gentility, humaneness, cleverness and greater privileges over boys and men. Here we see the origins of the sanctimoniousness characteristic of young feminists today.

But then, they present an argument: feminists defend their onslaught against male folk as some form of retrospective justice. They are quick to recount the era when wives were forced to exist as part of a harem of sex slaves and farm hands. A girl-child was seen as a filial disaster and denied the privilege of gainful education. And there were moral double standards, especially in sexual behaviour and adultery. But then societies have advanced in leaps and values since that era but feminists seek the tyranny of retrospective justice all the same.

Retrospective justice might be illogical and immoral but it is regularly deployed to justify their discriminations against, and denigra-

tion of men. Women have endured centuries of sexism. Men have been the butt of the odd joke for a nanosecond and they’re already whining about it. It’s our turn to go straight for the jugular,”according to prominent feminist, Kathy Lette.

But then, reality is always too far from their ‘truth.’ The truth is smothered in a din of anecdotes perpetuating women’s victimhood even in contemporary society. Men don’t have a gender identity anymore, only women do and embody an intrinsic value to society whereas men are only useful so long as they can serve a purpose…for women.

Many a poor child grew up thinking the opposite sex were some wonderful reward holding themselves back till he or she did something to deserve them. How disappointed they grow up to become.

• To be continued…

‘How does a little girl reconcile her love of her first ‘hero’ with the anti-male messages all around her? Eventually, this pans out negatively in her personal relationships, as is currently prevalent in dysfunctional courtships, marriages, co-habitation relationships, and rapid increase in the number of broken homes and single-parent mothers’ SMS only 08038551123 (tunji_ololade@yahoo.co.uk)

Stepping out of the comfort zone: Lagos Accountant-General’s example

By Abiodun Dina eight more years to hold on to this privileged position of authority and esteem.

I have not had the privilege of having firsthand information on the motivation for his early retirement beyond the speculation that he is going back to school to learn and refresh. This has however not caught me unawares, knowing him to be a guy that never stands still. Despite the fact that the public service can make you relaxed, deep seated and start growing roots, Ambode had always been a mobile person, if not physically , but through idea and thoughts.

He started his career in the Local Government Service in 1985 where he rose up to the post of Director, Finance and Supplies before he was appointed in 2000 as Auditor-General for Local Government. Prior to his appointment as the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Finance in 2005, he was very supportive to this writer as the editor then of “Lagos State Bureaucrats”, in reviving the moribund Journal. He in fact contributed an article “Towards Probity and Accountability in the Public Service” in the renewed edition of June 2005, where he raised pertinent issues bothering on accountability and capacity building amongst others.

Walking his talk, after his appointment as the Accountant-General in 2006, he put his money where his mouth is through the publication of the annual financial report of the state government in national dailies to enhance probity and accountability. In the same vein, he made the capacity building and exposure of his staff to professional training both locally and internationally priority during his tenure.

It is on record that internal/employee relations were strengthened during his tenure with regular interactive sessions and retreats

with staff. While some agencies, consider working tool such as laptop as a luxury, the Accountant-General beyond the centrally allocated desk tops from the Ministry of Science and Technology to procure laptop computers for the staff of the State Treasury Office.

Also, the State Treasury Office under his watch not only recognize the birthdays of its entire staff (both junior and senior), but also presents cakes them. He also instilled discipline and professionalism amongst accountants and ensured they were always appropriately dressed.

It was Ambode who pioneered the renovation of the office environment in the public service to wear a topnotch look like that of the private sector, providing a befitting reception, meeting rooms, dining area and a habitable restroom. Also, it was during his tenure that the state government fully achieved the payment of staff salary electronically.

With all these achievements and a promising career still ahead, I believe Ambode’s decision to leave his comfort zone and do something different is unprecedented in the public service and worthy of emulation by all. Truth be told, the Public Service at the peak of your career is a comfort zone where you feel safe, warm and dry.

Thus without prejudice to other undercurrents beyond going for further studies and other postulation being canvassed such as the possibility of being prepared to assume an higher responsibility in the future, to leave a bird at hand for an uncertain two in the bush, at least for a career civil servant still show courage. After all, we had seen career civil servants who were offered unsecured higher political

positions in the past decline such offer The lesson and moral from the AccountantGeneral’s posture, is that, we should all try from time to time, to leave our comfort zones and venture into something new that frightens or challenges us. It may not necessarily mean changing jobs, it might mean challenging the status quo, doing things differently, doing something we feel nervous about such as making a speech in public, riding a bike, engaging in a new sporting event or even speaking up for yourself rather than the traditional civil service language; “noted Sir” when you know something is not realistic.

I believe this is the only way to constantly stay active, young, fresh and avoid growing mould. If we continue to restrict ourselves and get too attached to our comfort zone, if fate does not eventually dismantle it, at least time will. Here is wishing the outgoing Lagos State Accountant-General luck and I urge him to continue to follow his intuition!

• Dina, a public relations practitioner writes from Lagos.

‘Walking his talk, after his appointment as the Accountant-General in 2006, he put his money where his mouth is through the publication of the annual financial report of the state government in national dailies to enhance probity and accountability’

THE NATION FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2012

22

COMMENTS “Education is our passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to the people who prepare for it today.” Malcolm X URING my elementary and secondary school days in Ibadan, Oyo state capital and later at Abeokuta, Ogun state, I remember with nostalgic feelings the beautiful structures of our private school classrooms and the ambience of console under which we were taught by mostly Indian, Pakistani and Sri-lanka national teachers that dominated most of the schools that can afford their services at the period. Even public schools at that time were still well maintained with well nurtured football pitches for recreation. Those were the era when genuine stars in different spheres of sports were discovered at the secondary school level. Apart from being groomed in the best traditions of academic excellence, those amongst us that had talents/interests for one sport or the other actually had the best of our time.

Then, all of a sudden, things began to nose dive educationally in this country. Things were no longer well with public schools in the country while most of the surviving private schools of yore were just shadows of their old selves. What is called public schools across the country today could better be described as shanties fit mostly for rearing poultry, not pupils or students. As a result of this abysmal dwindles in educational fortunes, there exists in all nooks and crannies of the nation, one room nursery schools or at best numerous one story building private schools.

Pitches in these schools for recreation are a luxury. Except for few children of the wealthy in the society that can afford the fees of bigger schools, majority of children now study in an environment that can best be described as prison yard. Yet, hundred of millions of naira are budgeted for education in the country with no commensurate result on ground to justify such huge appropriation in the sector.

This sorry state of education has become a routine that people are now being forced to erroneously believe that the situation is unchangeable. It is with this kind of mindset that l went to Asaba on a working visit last week. Sincerely, that was not my first time in the capital of Delta state but it was my first of moving round the town to see things for my self. From the nearly completed Asaba Inter-

D

W

HEN a columnist is assailed by a torrent of issues, dire and critical, he often resorts to cooking them all with one pot ( a cauldron if you will). This column has gathered the above in-the-news dramatis personae to x-ray what they have in common or uncommon.

Hurray, Reuben Abati can bite too!: Ouch, we don’t want to think for a moment that our dear colleague, Dr Reuben Abati has been pressured into posturing like an ‘attack dog’ for the president too. Sorry we have been asked to use ‘attack lion’ at least in the spirit of the corps. While I will not divulge who made this all-important correction, you and I know who has been pressuring our Abati to make his bite as ferocious as his bark lest his office would be relocated near Aso Rock kitchen where Mama can rework his media offerings which she thinks are beginning to lapse into annoying literary essays.

Well, if he did not want to heed the warnings, the recruiting of a wild, if not hungry ‘lion’ into the mix has snapped our venerable Reuben into quick march. Who would not, what with the ‘initial gra gra’ of the second lion raising dust everywhere and perhaps getting all the freebies. It didn’t matter that Reuben had done quite well in the past 14 months under the extreme and peculiar circumstances he found himself. He had done his very difficult job with unusual aplomb, gradually elevating his office to a quality presidential instrument of public engagement – reflective, authoritative, genuine and germane.

However, it seems Abati has been pushed to change from the civilized style to the crude Nigerian way. Abati showed us his teeth last Sunday in a widely circulated article: ‘The Jonathan they don’t know’. So much is wrong with the piece apart from the effusion of canker and abuse. Now who are ‘they’? Is it the masses of Nigerians who voted overwhelmingly for Jonathan just last year? Yes Reuben has a ‘new’ job to do now but he is versed enough in the art of public perception; he surely knows that the president lost Nigerians in January when he ambushed them with that vicious New Year gift of ‘subsidy’ removal. Look at the tsunami of incongruities that has trailed that singular, crazy action. Has any problem been solved?

Look at the mind-bending corruption unfolding under his principal’s watch. You are right Reuben, we do not know this President

A reminder of the past

•Uduaghan national Airport began the surprises that awaited our team including Festus Eriye, Nation on Sunday newspaper editor and a friend, Percy Owaiye. The airport that boost of first class facility may no doubt be one of the best in the country when fully completed.

The topic for today is not about that magnificent airport that some state governors planning to build one in their jurisdictions might have to emulate as a sampler; it is not about the smooth roads that we moved on around Asaba nor the environmental greenery that reminds of the environmental engineering commenced by Asiwaju Tinubu and presently given global finesse by current Lagos governor, Babatunde Raji Fashola: and even the Oyo state greenery crusade under current governor Abiola Ajimobi that is giving the ancient city of Ibadan an envious cleanliness.

My focus today again is not about the very popular‘Kero-Direct’ programme of Dr Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan through which kerosene are being sold to all inhabitants of the state at a highly subsidised rate of less than N50. The pump price of kerosene at the moment is not less than N150, 00. This is one programme that governors across the country with genuine feelings for the masses should quickly emulate. I would not dwell much on the slow pace of work on the Asaba/ Ughelli road dualisation or the political kidnappings that the governor must do something quickly about among others.

The thrust of my piece today is the wonder that Governor Uduaghan is performing in restoring back educational glory in primary and secondary schools across Delta state. It has always been my belief that a well-informed mind is the best security against the contagion of folly and vice. And of course, the vacant mind as witnessed in recent history of Niger-Delta is ever on the watch for relief, and ready to plunge into error, to escape from the languor of idleness. The ultimate evaluation of a state can be gleaned from the sum total of the education and the character of its people. That is why it is often said according to a cliché that the nature of foundation of any state is the degree of education of its youth.

Uduaghan seems to have recognised this fact when he embarked on complete reformation and restructuring of schools in that state. He must have realised that the militant culture ingrained in the Niger-Delta region as a result of decades of despoliation of their

EXPRESSO STEVE OSUJI

SMS O8181624757, email:steve_osuji@yahoo.com

A potpourri of Abati, Lady Gaga, Ben Obi and SLS any longer.

Abati opened his piece snapping at all manner of ‘enemies’ of his principal calling them all manner of names like cynics, ignoramuses, unintelligent, thoughtless, anarchists and alaseju - the extremist. You must remember this word which General Ibrahim Babangida popularized at the peak of his dictatorship prelude to clamping down on the Nigerian free spirit as represented then by lecturers, unionists, activists and of course, newspaper houses. Did Reuben deliberately refrain from using the English word ‘extremist’ in his write-up and settled instead for the Yoruba term, alaseju?

Need we remind our dear friend that this ignoramus mob of critics has been part of the democratic culture from the beginning of time?

One American president once described his horde of critics as “a nattering nabob of negativism.” Let me close with this quote from Abati’s piece: “The clear danger to public affairs commentary is that we have a lot of unintelligent people repeating stupid clichés and too many intelligent persons wasting their talents lending relevance to thoughtless conclusions.” Well Reuben should accept our sympathy but nobody, not even the idiotic columnist will hand him his script to rework before publication. And of course, if he and his principal don’t like the Nigerian smoke, they should quit the Nigerian kitchen.

A Lady Gaga-ed world: now you may begin to wonder what the enfant terrible of American entertainment world, Lady Gaga has got to do

with this column? Nothing really except that she is at number 14 in the Forbes list of 100 world’s most powerful women. The salacious, often ill-clad and flesh-flashing musician is listed as a celebrity.( Hey, my ancient reader, celebrity is now a profession in this new world in case you have not noticed, thank you.) Lady Gaga (pardon me I couldn’t be bothered with her real name) comes ahead of the president of Argentina, the prime minister of Australia, the prime minister of Thailand, the president of Malawi and the president of Liberia. She even comes ahead of Queen Elizabeth II of England. She is rated to be by far more powerful (whatever that means) than numerous women of notable achievement and substance including our own Finance Minister, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.

The message Forbes is passing to us is that the world has become so terribly dumbeddown and stupid that it places so much values on a young woman who does little else than dress wildly and showcase her body. Can you see the direction the world is travelling?

Ben Obi drops Ogbunigwe on Ndigbo: Chei, our dear elder, Chief Ben Obi, who is adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan on inter-party affairs has lobbed a grenade at his people. In his wisdom, Chief Obi has advised Ndigbo not to contemplate the presidency in 2015 until his boss, the incumbent has decided whether he wants a second term or not. It may sound unbelievable if not ludicrous but that is the way of the Igbo elite, he is the quintessential

land through ceaseless oil exploration require the institution of better ambience and comfort if the rascals and other young lads that are yet to join their proclivity for violence must be enticed and encouraged to seek for knowledge through formal education.

The remarkable improvements in both primary and secondary schools are something that would make the most travelled man marvel at the results being achieved that is there for all to see. Any prospective visitors to that state that is doubting my surprise of what I saw there should visit St Patrick’s College, Asaba; Delta state Continuing Education Centre, Umuaji village and the Model Primary School, GRA among others to see whether he would not be reminded of the past glorious era of education in the country.

The governor reminded that 12 of such world class schools and renovations of 100 others are going on across the state.

Nelson Mandela, the world revered SouthAfrican born leader once said that “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” Uduaghan is effectively using that to change the culture of brigandage those youths in that state and region have come to be identified with. And he is not sparing any amount to achieve this laudable initiative including the turning of sod of an ICT centre being done in partnership with Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC). He must have come across Walter Cronkite’s saying that “Whatever the cost of our libraries, the price is cheap compared to that of an ignorant nation.”

Uduaghan is working tirelessly to liberate Delta from the yoke of abductions, kidnappings and ignorance through education that is in tandem with global ICT requirements.

If by 2015 when Uduaghan would have finished his second and final term in office, there is tremendous improvement in educational standard of the state, I would not in anyway be surprised. Epictetus (55 AD - 135 AD) once said it that ‘Only the educated are free.’ Delta is indeed on the way to educational liberation with the kind of on-going projects that the man is doing in that sector. My visit to Delta is just a reminder of the glorious educational past that we are all seriously searching for. May the past be re-enacted in the other states before too long. house negro. Give him a small pot of porridge and he mortgages his homestead. It was the same situation in 2003 when Chief Ojo Maduekwe, then minister in President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration admonished that it was idiotic for Ndigbo to contemplate the Nigerian presidency ostensibly because his boss wanted a second term desperately.

What has changed in Igboland since 2003?

Nothing, excepting that Elder Maduekwe has remained in one miserable appointment or the other since then. Do these people know what Ndigbo suffer by having fewer states with huge population in Nigeria? How many federal projects has been completed in Igboland since 2003? Do they know why Igboland is today a wasteland for kidnappers, assassins and pimps? Our leaders and elders can’t go home anymore and termites build multiple mole hills in their obi. Our elders now observe traditional rites in the cities. E woo, aru eme na ala Igbo. With men like these, who need leaders and elders.

Sanusi: the joker in the (Central) Bank: those who gave Malam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi (SLS) some benefit of the doubt would have by last week, given up hope entirely on him. This fellow has proven for sure that he has no clue (this harmful word again) about running the central bank, the pulse of any nation’s economy. First he is too loquacious, too impulsive and he enjoys grandstanding a great deal. This is not the nature and character of supreme money men of the apex bank ilk. They are hardly seen, hardly heard unless in matters of extreme monetary importance.

Second, who says the banks in the country must be in perpetual reform mode.(it’s the CBN that need a forensic reform). Since 1999, there has been this morbid instinct to continuously tinker with our banks. The result is that the banking system has been thoroughly ravaged by these ill-informed, and one must say, illmotivated reforms. Now, Sanusi, the current banker of bankers seems to have worked himself into a mire and as we say in my place, a man who has been beaten to the ground can only spray dust and nothing more. Sanusi’s current irrational action of introducing five thousand naira currency notes only signals that he has unraveled completely and the best thing that can happen to him now is to help him out of that seat in the best interest of all.

He has become the joker in the bank.

FIFA U-20 WOMEN’S WORLD CUP

Oparanozie breaks Mexicans’ hearts

Pg. 24

Sport

•Oparanozie Friday, August 31, 2012

PAGE 23

CAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

Sunshine skipper Oboabona, Dare out of Esperance tie Pg. 24

AHEAD 18TH NATIONAL SPORTS FESTIVAL

Niger state athletes in high spirits, says Director

Pg. 41

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE DRAW

Real Madrid to face

Manchester City

in group D R EAL MADRID has been drawn against Manchester City, Borussia Dortmund and Ajax in the group stage of the 2012-13 Champions League.

The four teams are all champions of their respective countries, but were eligible to face each other due to their differing seeds, and make up this year's

•Concentration on team sports

AHEAD NATIONS CUP QUALIFIERS

Keshi relishes Eagles’ job Pg. 24

•Regrets Lawal’s exclusion

'Group of Death'.

Jose Mourinho's side's fierce rivals, Barcelona will face a daunting trip to Russia to play against Spartak Moscow, and have

also been drawn against Benfica and Celtic.

Elsewhere, current holders Chelsea take on Scudetto winners Juventus, and also face a tough trip to Ukraine to face Shakhtar. The trio have been drawn alongside Danish minnows Nordsjaelland.

Beaten finalists from last season, Bayern Munich, face a re-match of their victorious 2001 Champions League final against Valencia, and will also have to contend with Lille and BATE. Just as they were last year, Arsenal have been drawn alongside Olympiakos, and German opposition, Schalke, while the Gunners' summer signing Olivier Giroud will have a swift homecoming to Montpellier.

Big spenders Paris SaintGermain have been handed a favourable draw alongside Porto, Dynamo Kiev and Dinamo Zagreb in Group A, while Manchester United will look to avoid a reapeat of last season's humiliating early exit when they take on Braga, Galatasaray and Cluj.

Finally, AC Milan, who were eliminated by Barcelona in the quarter-final last season, will face Zenit St Petersburg, Anderlecht and Malaga.

2012 PARALYMPICS

Yakubu Adesokan wins gold with world record lift

Y

AKUBU ADESOKAN has taken gold for of Egypt claimed bronze with his 165kg effort.

Nigeria in the men's -48kg powerlifting with a There was British interest in the final, with Anthony world record lift of 180kg.

Peddle lifting 140kg on his way to eighth place.

Adesokan was a full 10kg ahead of silver medallist His lift was 140kg, some 25kg short of medal Vladimir Balynedc of Russia, while Taha Abdelmagid contention.

•Yakubu Adesokan

24

NATION SPORT

NATION SPORT 50 boxers register for maiden Gov. Ahmed tourney

Keshi relishes Eagles’ job

World Peace Cup to organise seminar

T

HE maiden edition of the World Peace Cup slated for November 2-16, 2012 across the six geopolitical zones of the country will not all be about wrestling alone.

The organisers of the tournament will take time off, to brain storm on the need to have peace in a country.

And this will involve notable personalities across the country who are expected to use the tournament period to tell Nigerians on why peace is of utmost necessity in any country.

According to the world heavyweight wrestling champion, Great Power Uti of Nigeria, the seminar was included in the programme because "we want Nigerians to know that peace is of utmost importance in all spheres of human endevour."

Uti, who spoke through the Local Organising Committee (LOC) secretary, Jide Salau, assured that the outcome of the seminar would be presented to the government for considerations.

He added that the involvement of the Continental Wrestling Alliance (CWA) International has given the Peace Cup the desired international recognition, noting that wrestlers from all over the world have given their intention to take part in the championship.

"We are expecting wrestlers from the United States, Canada, Europe and in Africa. In all about 18 wrestlers are expected to take part in the World Peace Cup. The championship is a league format. Wrestlers will wrestle against each other and the two wrestlers with the highest points will fight for the cup. The winner has a cash prize of $50, 000. The date fixed for the championships is November 216, 2012," he emphasised.

He said that the championship is not all about prize money but the desire of the organisers is to arrest the dwindling fortunes of the sport in the country and to also use the championship to showcase the talents that are abound in the country.

Two venues, Lagos and Abuja have been confirmed for the championship with logistics in other zones being worked out by the organisers.

•Regrets Lawal’s exclusion

S

UPER EAGLES’ Head Coach Stephen Keshi has described coaching the Super Eagles as one of best things that has ever happened to his career.

Keshi who spoke in Abuja said, “It is wrong for people to say that coaching the Super Eagles is very difficult. I have handled other countries national teams; I know what obtained there. It is erroneous for anyone to say that handling Super Eagles is very difficult. It is not as difficult as people thinks it is. It is very exciting and interesting, because you have a lot of good players, all you need to do is remain focused and be ready to make a lot of sacrifice. Nigeria is a blessed country, and people should stop making it look very difficult. We have all it takes to

From Patrick Ngwaogu, Abuja compete with any country in world. This period is one of my most exciting periods in all careers”.

The Big Boss dismissed any thought of failure with the Super Eagles, saying that he remains optimistic that the former African Champions will surely rise up again “why should I be thinking of failure at any point. I cannot do that, If I do, what do you expect from the players, then, they would all run away from the camp. I don’t think of that, I am always positive, because we have all the players to make a maximum impact in any game, so I don’t harbour such thoughts, I also want Nigerians to believe in us, because we

Repton Boxing

are committed to making them happy, and returning the smiles back to their faces”.

Meanwhile, the former Super Eagles’ captain has expressed happiness on the recent exploits of his home based players that had turned them to the beautiful brides in the eyes of foreign clubs. According to him,” this is what I am praying for. I am very happy about it. It is very encouraging. They have my full support. This shows that we are working, and people out there are appreciating our work. This is how we all started, and no doubt they would surely make it big over there” he concluded.

Meanwhile, Keshi has described the non invitation of former Spanish based player Raheem Lawal for the all important Africa Nations Cup qualifier against Liberia, as a result of lack of communication.

Keshi told NationSport exclusively that he

made efforts to reach the player but all was to no avail “earlier in the month of August, Raheem called me that he was having problems with his club, Athletico Belares, and trying to get a new club in Turkey. I told him to ensure that he takes a wise decision, and ensure that he keeps in touch.

That was all I heard from him. When I was putting my team together, I made efforts to reach him, all to no avail. I later heard that he signed for a second division team in Turkey, since then, he has not bothered to establish contact with me from his new base, and I think he needs time to settle down in the new club. He is s t i l l i n m y programme, and a very good player, who has a good future i n t h e national team, and needs all encouragement”.

From Patrick. Ngwaogu, Abuja

K

INETIC SPORTS has confirmed that the Nigerian national team, Sand Eagles, will be one of the 4 teams scheduled to compete in the 2nd edition of Copa Lagos beach soccer, December 2012.

The Sand Eagles made the nation proud at last year’s tournament when they defeated South American giant and four time world champions, Brazil 9 - 4 in the final of the four nation tournament.

Nigeria's Sand Eagles captained by Isiaka Olawale avenged their previous defeat at the FIFA beach soccer World Cup against the kings of beach soccer to win the first major title in Lagos last year It is not surprise that the Sand Eagles are eager to know the teams they will be competing against at this year's tournament but the Nigerians can prepare for the best beach soccer playing countries, according to

Kinetic Sports, organizers of the tournament.

Olawale, who scored the fastest goal of the tournament in the final against Brazil, said the team cannot wait for the 2012 edition of Copa Lagos to start. "We are looking forward to the tournament this year, playing against Brazil, England and south Africa and eventually taking the cup last year was very exciting ' said Olawale.

The captain who expressed his desire to retain the Cup said 'winning the tournament last year was very exciting and we are looking forward to defending our title'.

Kinetic Sports will unveil the other three teams that will be contesting Copa Lagos this year next month. The Beach Soccer teams of England and South Africa also participated in the maiden edition where England beat South Africa 4 -3 on the final day.

FIFA U-20 WOMEN’S WORLD CUP

Oparanozie breaks Mexicans’ hearts

Club coming to Lagos for international bout

A

25-MAN contingent of Repton Boxing Club of London is expected to arrive in Lagos on September 17 for a three-day international boxing bout against Lagos State boxers.

Olawale Edun, the Chairman, Lagos State Boxing Hall of Fame (LSBHF), the promoter of the monthly “Saturday Boxing Show,’’ disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday.

Edun said in Lagos that the all-night bout, scheduled for between September 20 and September 22, would hold at the Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos.

He said that the aim of the bout, now in its third edition, was to further expose the state boxers to international competitions and improve on their wealth of knowledge and experience.

The chairman added that the competition was also to keep them abreast of the International Boxing Federation (AIBA) rules and standard of the sport.

“It has become an annual tradition of the Hall of Fame to invite the Repton Club boxers to engage our boxers in an international bout for them to have international exposure.

“This competition will also help the state boxers to acquire more skills and standard to improve their status as international champions in future,’’ he said.

Edun, a former commissioner of finance in the state, said that managing directors, chief executive officers and captains of industries, would be special guests of honour at the competition.

According to him, the international bout, jointly sponsored by LSBHF and the Lagos State Government, is of international class.

N

IGERIA Football Federation (NFF) president Aminu Maigari has commended the feat of the women national Under-20 team (Falconets) in the on going FIFA U-20 world cup in japan.

Speaking exclusively to NationSport on the semi final qualifications of the Falconets, Maigari said "we thank God for the performance of the girls, we thank the federal government and all Nigerians for the support, we are very optimistic that the girls will not only play in the finals, but return home with the trophy as a way of showing appreciation".

He charged the girls to remain focused until they achieve the ultimate. Also, the chairman of Nigeria women league Dilichukwu Onyedinma praised the resilience of the girls all through the game.

In her message from the Tokyo National Stadium where the Falconets subdued the Mexicans through a 109 minutes strike from Desire Oparanozie, Onyedinma commended the girls for their hunger for victory they showed all through the game.

She expressed optimism in the ability of the girls to subdue the host japan in their semifinal tie.

•As Falconets nick semi final ticket Life Guard rescues rookie swimmer A A

N EXTRA time goal by Desire Oparanozie against Mexico was all Nigeria needed to book a semi final ticket at the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup in Japan.

It was the only goal of the tension soaked encounter that came in the 102nd minute after the full 90 minutes produced no goal.

It was substitute, Ebere Orji whose pass found the head of Oparanozie who used all her strength to nod the ball into the net. The player's first attempt had

hit the upright in the first half to the disappointment of fans.

It was a dream come true for Oparanozie who was scoring her second in the competition. "This is the most important goal of my career," she said excitedly.

She also said the level of opposition was expected.

"I knew all eyes were going to be on me, but thank God l was able to get the decisive and most crucial goal," she said.

Asked if playing at extra time was anticipated, she said," I never imagined it but that is football for you. When you expect the goals to come, they don't.

Credit must, however, go to the Mexican keeper, Cecila

Santiago for denying the Falconets on several occasions.

Going by the match statistics, Nigeria had more ball possession, committed more fouls, had more shots on goal and had eight corner kicks as against Mexico who had 10.

Nigeria will next week face the winner of North Korea and USA match which comes up today (August 31) in Saitama.

It was a case of mixed fortunes for both sides. For Mexico, it will be its second quarter final exit in a row and for Nigeria, this will be the second consecutive semi final.

Nigeria/Liberia clash: Eagles sweat on Pillars duo

K

ANO PILLARS’ stars Papa Idris and Gabriel Reuben are not expected to train with the rest of the Super Eagles’ squad until Monday.

Coach Stephen Keshi confirmed to MTNFootball.com that the players would not be involved in active session until Monday.

"Reuben is out with a groin he sustained in the friendly against Niger, while Papa got injured while in action for Kano Pillars in the FA cup," Keshi informed.

Uzoenyi nears Marseille move

N

IGERIAN LEFT winger Ejike Uzoenyi is currently in France in talks to join Olympique Marseille, officials said.

The diminutive Enugu Rangers star has since December been one of the regulars in coach Stephen Keshi’s Super Eagles squad.

Uche Kalu has already quit Enyimba to move to Turkey and Keshi said both he and Uzoenyi deserve their break in Europe.

“They have been consistent with us for eight months and the idea is for them not to rush into slave contracts, as had been the case, if they are beginning to get attention from clubs abroad, we are happy for them, because they will enrich the national team and also better the lives of their families,” Keshi said.

“I wish them the best, but the two of them are expected early for the game against Liberia.”

In the meantime, all invited foreign-based players for the September 8 clash against the Lone Star of Liberia in Monrovia are expected in camp latest Monday, September 3.

Keshi, who spoke during the weekly media interraction with the team at the Bolton White Apartment camp, said only a few of the players are expected on Monday, as most of them who have Saturday games would have joined the home based stars by Sunday evening. “I can only categorically talk of Efe Ambrose, who has a game on Sunday and is expected on Monday, others will have arrived to join us so that we can have up to four or five training sessions together before we face Liberia,”he said.

NFF hails Kinetic Sports set date Falconets to announce teams COPA LAGOS BEACH SOCCER 2012

AHEAD NATIONS CUP QUALIFIERS

N

O FEWER than 50 boxers have registered for the maiden Gov. Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara Boxing Tournament, an official said on Thursday in Ilorin.

The Kwara Director of Sports, Alhaji Mohammed Haruna, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the 16 local government areas of the state would participate in the three-day event.

Haruna, who is also the tournament’s director, explained that of the 50 boxers, some came from seven boxing clubs to participate in different categories.

The boxing clubs are Action Club of Oja-Gboro, Ilorin Master Boxing Club of Okelele, Babson Boxing Club of Ilorin and Balogun-Fulani Boxing Club of Ilorin.

Others are Rainbow Boxing Club of Offa, Progressive Boxing Club of OpoMalu and Tiger Boxing Club of Offa Garage.

He said that the closing of the competition would hold on Sunday, with the governor as special guest of honour.

Other dignitaries expected at the ceremony are members of the state executive council, legislators and council chairmen.

41

NATIONSPORT FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2012

•Oparanozie

CAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

Sunshine skipper Oboabona, Dare out of Esperance tie

S

UNSHINE STARS will miss suspended skipper Godfrey Oboabona and Dele Olorundare against Esperance in Sunday’s CAF Champions League clash.

Both players will not be part of the Sunshine party to Tunisia after they each received a second booking at ASO Chlef of Algeria recently.

The players told MTNFootball.com that they are disappointed they will miss this Group A game, but at the same time they believe the team will still do the nation proud without them.

“It is painful that I will miss the game against Esperance, I can’t help the situation. I wish my teammates that will

play the game well. I am sure they will do well and I want them to remain focused,” Oboabona told MTNFootball.com Battling striker Dele Olorundare also maintained that his team will do well even in their absence.

“I am missing the Esperance game because I have two yellow cards. I wish I could change the rule, but I am sure of my mates, they will do well in my absence,” he said.

Sunshine have already qualified for the semi-final of the competition after CAF expelled Etoile du Sahel from the competition for crowd trouble.

The Akure club will be confident of getting a good result on the road even

though Esperance proved to be a different class when both teams first clashed in July.

Esperance 2-0 win in Ijebu-Ode dented Sunshine’s proud home record.

The result of that game appeared to have all but finished off the Akure club, but to their credit they bounced back with two decent results away from home.

They held Etoile to a goalless draw in Sousse before they defeated ASO Chlef of Algeria in Chlef to revive their hopes of becoming only the second Nigerian club to win this competition after Enyimba’s backto-back wins in 2003 and 2004.

Cameroonian central midfielder Tamen Medrano who scored one of the goals away at ASO Chlef, said he expects the team to hold their own against the Tunisian champions in their final game of the group phase on Sunday.

"We have done well away from home in the competition and we earned the ticket to the next round away from home, that spirit is in us and that we want to keep up against Esperance,” Medrano said.

"Both players like you observed had light work outs on the sidelines. I said they should not kick a ball until at least next week. I need them to be fully fit."

Reuben has become the main stay of the national team, while Idris has had to play a bit role partly because of injury and with the presence of skipper Joseph Yobo and Efe Ambrose.

Keshi also regretted the injury-induced absence of Inter Milan midfielder Joel Obi and Nnanmdi Oduamadi, who is also based in Italy.

Obi is still recuperating from a knee injury, while

Oduamadi has only recently undergone a hip injury that stopped him from featuring in the Eagles June games.

"It’s sad that Joel Injury recurred. I was looking forward to having him in the Liberia games but it’s unfortunate.

Even though he is better now, he needs time to regain fitness," Keshi said.

"And for Oduamadi, he underwent surgery recently. I just pray that they are all fit for January (for the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa) because we need all our players."

AHEAD 18TH NATIONAL SPORTS FESTIVAL

Niger state athletes in high spirits, says Director •Concentration on team sports

T

HE Director of Sports in Niger State, Baba Sheshi has said that athletes preparing to represent the state at the next National Sport Festival (NSF) in Lagos are in high spirit to excel.

Speaking exclusively to NationSport yesterday, the ace sport administrator said that the focus is on the household sports in the state, Hockey and Handball, as they intend to clinch medals in the sports.

“Well as I speak we have resumed camp since last week. We are concentrating more on the team sports, football, Handball, Volleyball, Basketball, and Hockey.

By Innocent Amomoh The open camps have since started and the athletes are rearing to go.

“Last week Monday we held a technical committee meeting to preview the preparations so far and we concluded that we are satisfied.

The first port of call will be the zonal qualifiers in Ilorin and I am optimistic we will come out tops.

“We have tried to provide all the equipments needed to prepare well and we hope all these will yield the expected outcome at the festival,” he said.

Sheshi promised that plans are in

place to offset the camping allowances of the athletes in due time, adding that giving both moral and financial support to athletes has been the hallmark of the state. He said athletes representing the state in combat sports have since been in camp training hard, and attending competitions, thereby providing opportunity for the coaches to improve on their strong points and correct the flaws of the athletes before the competition proper.

Sheshi however assured that given what is on ground, the state should be sure of finishing among the top ten on the log at the end of proceedings.

•Maigari

LIFE guard on Thursday rescued an amateur swimmer, Abudulahi Wahab, from drowning at the ongoing Lagos State Age Group and Open Swimming Championships at the Teslim Balogun, Stadium, Surulere.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the 12-year-old Wahab, who was to compete in the 50 metres backstroke fell into the pool and began to struggle but was quickly rescued.

NAN reports spectators at the pool scolded the shivering youngster, asking him who brought him to the pool.

Wahab told NAN that the quest to become a swimmer brought him to the pool, saying that he was used to swimming in a tube but wanted to perfect it.

The JSS I student of Baptist Junior High School, Surulere, explained that his coach was not around and so he decided to do it on his own.

"I have always wanted to become a swimmer, I have been trying it in the tube but I want to swim in the pool; that is why I came here. I do not know what happened to me, I just fell off my feet into the pool and I cannot control myself, I am so sorry,’’ Wahab pleaded.

Meanwhile, a technical official who preferred anonymity told NAN that all the swimmers were tested before bring them to the pool, wondering how the boy got to the pool.

"I still do not understand who registered the boy and how he got to the pool,’’ the official said.

The life guard also did not give his name and declined to comment on the incident.

No fewer than 60 swimmers between 14 and 18 years and under 14 years from schools and swimming clubs in the state are taking part in the competition.

They are participating in 24 events, including 50m, 100m, 200m and medley, freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke and butterfly.

The two-day competition which commenced on Thursday would be used to select swimmers that will represent the state at the 18th National Sports Festival scheduled for Nov. 27 to Dec. 9.

THE NATION FRIDAY, AGUSUT 31, 2012

25

PEOPLE THE NATION

AN -EIGHT PAGE SECTION ON SOCIETY

Action Congress of Nigeria National Leader Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and his entourage were in the United States last week where he met with Nigerians living in Chicago and also presented a book: Financialism: Water in an Empty Well, jointly written by him and former US Consul General in Nigeria, Mr Brian Browne. New York Correspondent ADEOLA OLADELE- FAYEHUN reports.

•Asiwaju Tinubu flanked (from right) by Prof Soyinka; Revd Jackson; Ogbeni Aregbesola and Governor Ajimobi

F

OR him, it was a kind of home-coming - to a city which played a big role in his life.

Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) National Leader and former Lagos State Governor Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu schooled in Chicago. He returned to that city last week for a book launch and a town hall meeting with Nigerians living there.

He took time off his ongoing tour of the United States to hold these events.

At the meeting on Friday, Tinubu spoke on true federalism, an issue dear to his heart, saying: “The nation is ruled by civilians but not governed by democrats. Our government may be wholly civilian but not wholly democratic. Too often, this government bears resemblance to yesterday’s authoritarian government.”

Nigeria, he said, needs true federalism where power is decentralised. “The state should be in control of each state, and a state should not depend on leftovers. Where there is over centralisation, you have epidemic corruption.”

Tinubu’s ally and Governor of Osun State, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola noted that smaller countries are overtaking Nigeria in terms of development, because of lack of true federalism. He said: “Countries like Brazil, India, Indonesia are not comparable with Nigeria in terms of federalism. But now, there is a super powerful federal government that doles out money to the states. The states cannot cater for themselves outside the allocations by the Federal Government. Each state ought to be independent in a Federal Government.”

For Nigeria to develop, some changes must be made, he said, adding:”The only way we can indeed tap the resources of our people is to restructure our political system to give meaning to federalism as it is meant to be.”

His Oyo State counterpart, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, said true federalism should include”shared power between federal and

A home-boy returns in style •Tinubu’s intellectual trip to the US state governments, with no level of government treated as subordinate to the other.”

He added: “The Constitution should be supreme and the judiciary should be independent. One of the things affecting our federalism is over centralisation of control of police.”

The presentation of the book FinancialismWater from an Empty Well, jointly written by Tinubu and former US Consul General Brian Browne turned out to be a platform to discuss how to get Nigeria’s economy out of the woods.

Nobel laureate Prof Wole Soyinka, who wrote the book’s foreword, and Tinubu warned of the consequences of leaving the dwindling economy in the hands of halfbaked and inexperienced managers to fix.The event was held at the Rainbow Push Headquarters in Chicago.

Soyinka said it was dangerous to allow leaders who lacked the wherewithal to lead the country on the path of economic perdition, adding that one of such leaders ruled Nigeria for about eight years recently and only succeeded in multiplying Nigeria’s economic woes.

He said: “I have no qualms declaring that I am not fully economic literate. That is why I leave it to the experts to figure out. First, let it be clearly stated that I am not in the

least embarrassed or ashamed to acknowledge myself as an economic illiterate.

“This is quite unlike a former head of state, who was thus dubbed and never forgave his perceptive analyst, even after his death.

That economist was my late friend, Prof Ojetunde Aboyade, the only ‘specialist’ from whom I received any insightful…”

Presenting the book, Soyinka acknowledged Tinubu and Browne as key figures in the unfolding world where the book they have written opens a new window of how the global financial system was designed to the disadvantage of many people.

Soyinka said: “The skewed world of economics needs to be challenged. A world where the umbilical cord between produce and tally-card was slashed when no one was looking, and the latter has come to be a thing-in-itself, empowering a parasitic class of finance controllers who place the mere tally over and above the material goods – yet succeed in making the rest of the world fall in line!

“The collapse of the dominating economies of Europe and America is a call for re-thinking, away from orthodox assumptions and givens, under which satellite economies in a distant continent like ours have taken severe beating,

whether or not their governments choose to admit it”.

Rev. Jesse Jackson Jnr, who moderated the book launch and signing, said the time had come for Africa and African – American perspective to fuse into one because both are challenged by similar issues.

The exposition in the book, he said, raises fundamental issues and goes further to provide answers to why Africa and African –Americans live under a discriminatory economic system.

Earlier, Tinubu had stated the rationale behind the writing of the book, saying he was provoked by the injustice of the present economic system and how the contradictions eventually caught up with the players, who left low level income earners and small businesses with the short end of the stick.

Tinubu said: “Productive capitalism relies on the discipline of the market place.

What now occurs is that powerful actors exploit the licence the market place affords them. In doing so, they endanger the very economies from which they unduly profit.

“In other words, they have emptied the well, yet continue to seek to take water from it. These people practice a speculative brand of economics. My co-author and I, have given this mutation of capitalism the name‘financialism’. Financialism is capitalism so shorn of all restraint that it cannibalises itself” He deplored the wiping away of the earnings of the struggling segment of the society, demanding a new thinking approach on how to deal with the problem.

Tinubu said:”Recurrent crises show that something is profoundly wrong with the global financial system. Unless we want to suffer these damaging jolts for the foreseeable future, we need to make systemic corrections.

•Continued on page 26

THE NATION FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2012

26

SOCIETY

•Speaker Lagos State House of Assembly Hon Adeyemi Ikuforiji

•From left: Governor Ajimobi; a guest; Asiwaju Tinubu and Ogbeni Aregbesola

A home-boy returns in style •Continued from page 25

“Both developed and emergent nations have committed the same sin of turning what should be productive economies into factories of financial speculation that generate more financial paper than they do material products that real people can use to improve their living conditions”.

Throwing a challenge to Nigerian leaders, he said: “Nigeria needs to be put to work.

We have a lot of catching up to do. Asian governments support the industrialisation of their economies. Wise European nations are starting to retool their industrial base.

“Nigeria cannot hope to achieve prosperity simply by exporting exhaustible natural resources. We must follow the historic route that all large nations have followed in reaching national prosperity. We must make, create and export what we make and create”.

Browne argued that recession has thrown black America into structural recession, saying: “The financial system has become over inflated and incestuous to the point of killing the productive sector.”

Africans, he said, cannot be orphans in their own land, adding that the 21st Century story of Africa must be written by Africans.

The book reviewer, Ambassador Howard Jeter, said the two perspectives from Africa and the United States offer an invaluable insight into the global financial structure, with practical solutions and challenges on what we know as impositions.

In attendance were: Aregbesola, Ajimobi, former Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy Mr. Dele Alake, Tinubu’s Special Adviser (Media) Mr. Sunday Dare, Nigerian professionals resident in Chicago and other parts of the US, former American diplomats, civil rights leaders and local government chiefs and youth from Nigeria.

•Mr Browne (left) and Amb Jeter

•Former Minister of State for Defence Prince Ademola Seriki

•Prof Adebayo Williams and Jennifer Cooke

• Mr Dele Alake (left) and a guest

•A guest

•Cross-section of the guests at the event

PHOTOS: ADEOLA OLADELE-FAYEHUN

THE NATION FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2012

27

SOCIETY Benin City, the capital of Edo State and ancient Bini Kingdom, came alive on August 18, when the families of Ebagua and Omohodion joined their children, Christie Osarodion and her beau, Evans Osaze, in marriage. SHOLA O’NEIL reports

F

OR the lovebirds, former Miss Christie Ebagua and Evans Omohodion, the day was one that would linger in their memories. Top politicians, captains of industry, the crème de la crème, and thousands of others, witnessed the celebration of love.

The event began with a church service at the Dominion City Church, Constantial Hotel, Airport Road, Benin City, where the officiating minister, Pastor Anthony Imafidon, advised the couple on the tenets and ingredients of a successful marriage.

From the church, the entourage moved to the reception venue at Image Garden, Benin GRA. The Chairman of the ceremony, who is the Commanding Officer of the 4 Mechanised Brigade of the Nigerian Army, General Obi Umahi, charged the couple to keep the flame of their love alive.

Also the Delta State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, who the groom serves as Special Assistant on Special Duties, urged them to put God first in whatever they do.

Uduaghan, who attended the traditional marriage the previous Thursday, came with his wife, Roli; children Toju and Orode, who was accompanied by Ryan Okpu, her husband and top functionaries of his government. He advised the couple that they would never go wrong if they put God first in their marriage.

The highpoint of the ceremony was the bridal dance and cutting of the wedding cake by the couple who also entertained guests with beautiful dance steps. The rave of the moment, Iyanya, serenaded them with his hit song, Kukere.

Evans told The Nation that he was attracted to his beautiful wife by her decency, upbringing and beauty.

He said: “I heard a lot about one beautiful and good girl in Benin City, who is very Godly. So, I said I would like to see her. It was a cousin of mine who introduced her to me.

When I met her, we chatted for a long time and it seemed like I had known her all my life. When she was leaving, I told her ‘you are the one I would marry’.

“That was about three years ago. I would also give her the credit that she was the one who drew me closer to God and even when I am down, she lifts me up with prayers and support.

“Well, a lot of things attracted me to her, but one really stands out in my mind - she is God-fearing. I never knew a pretty girl in Nigeria would be so principled and clean.

‘Celebration of lover •Uduaghan’s aide marries in Benin •The Couple with Governor Uduaghan (second right); his wife Roli and Obayuwana

•Akulagba of Warri Kingdom Chief Ayiri Emama flanked by Chief Jaro Egbo (right) and Tuoyo Omatsuli

Just her beauty alone was stunning and I said to myself that I have found a dream wife.”

Hiding her shyness with a soft smile, Christy said she was attracted to her man by his love for God, noting that it was her desire and prayer to get married to a man that would encourage and support her Christian life. “I saw that he is focused from the very first day we talked; he’s very funny and there is never a dull moment with him.

“He has a heart like no other man and trusts me, and he is never afraid

to speak his mind and tell you the truth no matter how much it hurts.

He wants to learn and puts his all to correct his mistakes. He’s caring, loves and fears God and he’s a giver and the nicest man ever.”

The groom could not hide his surprise on seeing the calibre of personalities that graced the event.

“The marriage was very great. I didn’t expect all the people I saw even on Thursday and also the Saturday for the white wedding. I would confidently say it was the best day of my life to see all my dreams

BIRTHDAY

•From left: The celebrator Pa Charles Jituboh, his wife, Rose and brother Vincent Jituboh during Pa Jituboh’s 80th birthday at Church of the Holy Spirit Catholic Church, Ikeja, Lagos

•Comrade Macaulay

•Iyanya

come true the way it did.

He said: “I would like to thank Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan and his family who graced both events.

This is a big blessing to me and my wife,” Evans said.

Osaze, as he is fondly called, praised the officiating pastors, for seeing them through courtship to a successful wedding, his colleagues, officials of Delta and Edo state governments and friends.

In attendance were Edo State Governor Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, represented by his

Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Osagie Obayuwana, Secretary to Delta State Government, Comrade Ovouzurie Macaulay led top officials including Chief Ighoyota Amori; Senior Special Adviser to Uduaghan on Political Affairs, Dr. Tony Nwaka; Commissioner for Special Duties and his Housing counterpart, Chief Paulinus Akpeki; Chief Jaro Egbo and Mr. Tuoyo Omatsuli; Uti Nwachukwu, winner of BBA 2010; andAyiri Emami, proprietor 911 Entertainment, among others.

WEDDING

•Former NULGE President Ekiti State Branch Segun Onaade; Mrs Victorial Ajewole; Mr Adedayo Ajewole and his wife Mrs Funmilola Ajewole; Chief Ajewole Dosumu and Mrs Iyabode Onaade at Akure South Local Govt, Ondo State.

THE NATION FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2012

28

SOCIETY Uburu community in Ohaozara Local Government Area of Ebonyi State stood still during the funeral of an ex-police officer, Elder Alexander Onuchukwu, father of Public Relations Officer of the Federal Polytechnic, Oko, Mr. Obini Onuchukwu. ADIMIKE GEORGE reports.

Farewell to an ex-cop

I

F the dead could see, the late Elder Alexander Onuchukwu would be all smiles as tributes were poured on him at his funeral.

The funeral was attended by many journalists in solidarity with one of their own and son of the deceased, Obini, who was chairman of the Correspondents’ Chapel of State Chapter of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) before he became the Public Relations Officer of the Federal Polytechnic, Oko. The polytechnic’s staff led by the Rector, Prof. Godwin Onu, attended the event Elder Onuchukwu was 72.

At the grave side before his remains were interred, tributes flowed.

Every early in the morning, a motorcade left for the mortuary from where the final visit to his inlaws and ancestral home started.

Immediately the polytechnic ambulance that took the remains of Onuchukwu round his community as culture demanded arrived the premises of Union Bank and his country home, where he was buried, the waiting family and friends burst into tears.

At the lying-in-state, people described him as a rare gem who affected positively the people around him.

By the time the funeral rites began at the Reformed Presbyterian Church of Nigeria, the place was filled with people who came to accord the deceased the final respect.

Leading the priests at the final commendation service were the Mid-East Synod Moderator, Revd Ukeni Ibiam; Uburu Presbyterian Moderator Reverend Michael Ani and Obiozara Parish Moderator Revd Chima Uduma.

The clerics were moved by the soul-inspiring oration by the deceased’s children.

In their homily, they prayed God to console the family of the late Onuchukwu.

The priests reminded them that everybody, no matter how highly placed, has a moment of grief, but that nothing should separate one from the love of God. According to them, “in all our tribulations, we should bear in mind that we have Christ who has given us victory and freedom. No one can separate us from the love of God. If God has justified you, who can condemn you? Bear in mind that God is with you and that death is a momentary thing; wherever you are, the love of God is with you. It is the will of God that your father died.

The only thing you can do for him is to remain steadfast and faithful in his footsteps. You need not cry.”

Anambra State Governor Peter Obi, in a condolence letter read at the graveside, commiserated with the Onuchukwu’s family.

He said: “There can be no understanding the sting of death, the vacuum it creates and the disruption of harmony among the bereaved,” adding: ”It is doubly so when it involves someone dear to us.”

He also said: “We do not choose the time of our birth or death. Even as we mourn with you, we thank God that your late father lived a fulfilled life. However, be consoled that papa is returning to his creator. He will live on through his many legacies.”

The Speaker of Anambra State House of Assembly, Hon. Chinwe Nwaebili, thanked God for the deceased’s impactful life.

“Considering the various testimonies of how he lived in service to God and humanity, I am grateful to God for the gift of him and the great services he rendered not only to your family and community but also to the country as a whole,” she said.

Onu said the death of inspiring fathers remains a saddening experience that leaves one devastated.

Death, he said, is inevitable and leaves all mortals in direct confrontation with the experience of separation from loved ones, thereby creating a vacuum like scars in one’s memory.”

He noted that the polytechnic community was visiting Uburu at a time of sorrow, recalling that the village, which is endowed with salt saved the Igbo during the civil war.

The Nnamdi Azikiwe University Vice Chancellor, Prof. Boniface Egboka, prayed God to grant the bereaved family the fortitude to bear the loss.

The NUJ said Onuchukwu’s death was a “big loss” to his family.

In a message signed by its Chairman and Secretary, Tochukwu Omelu and Emeka Arinze, NUJ said it was “consoled by the fact that your dad was a committed and devout Christian who served his fatherland meritoriously as a foremost and exemplary police officer and retired ceremoniously.”

Obini described his father as a man of peace and honour, adding: “We are nothing but pencils in the hands of our creator. “I strongly promise to keep the standard and the flag flying, God helping me. We pray God to help us keep your legacy of faith in God, hard work and determination you instilled in us to continue to make you proud”.

Prof Onu flanked by his wife Ngozi and Deputy Rector Fed Poly, Oko, Dr Don Mmuo

•Obini

•Former Vice Chair Nigerian Guild of Editors Victor Agusiobo (left) and Omelu

•Director, National Health Insurance Scheme, Federal Polytechnic, Oko,Dr Ifeoma Monago (left); and Chioma Awuzie

WHAT AND WHERE? Harvest

T

HE Light of God Ministries Worldwide (aka The Reminders), will conclude its 2012 harvest programme,at the church’s auditorium, Osula House, 12, Yaya Abatan Street, Ogba, Ikeja, Lagos. It started yesterday.

The harvest with the theme “Year of Bountiful Harvest” will be officiated by the General Overseer of the church, Prophet Joyce Osula. It will also feature vigil, praise, prayer and thanksgiving services.

Other leading speakers are Pastor Solomon Enoarenhen, Pastor Nnamani and Rev. Jesse Majekodunmi, Pastor Doris Osula and Rev. Salvic Graham.

Burial

T

ODAY, the funeral service for Mrs Victoria Aduke Ayodele Akerele (Iya afin loro of Ijesha) will hold at St. Mary Catholic Cathedral OkePadi, Ijesha, Osun State. The interment will follow at Castle of Grace, Olu Akerele Cresent, off Adebayo Abon Street, Imo-Breweries, Ilesha, Osun State. And the reception will hold at Local Authority (LA) Primary School, Imo, Ilesa, Osun State.

Convention

T

HE 40th edition of the annual convention of the Majlis Khuddam-ulAhmadiyya, Nigeria (Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Organisation) will hold on Sunday at Ado Grammar School, Poly Road, Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State. The convention started yesterday. It has the theme: ‘’Selfless and sincere administration of public trust: A bench mark for security, social, political stability and economic resurgence in Nigeria’’.

Investiture

M

R Kola Babarinde will tomorrow be installed the 13th Chairman, Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria, Lagos District at Airport Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos.

Induction

Rotary Club of Okota will tomorrow induct Patrick Ebiem, a lawyer as the 26th President of the club at the Rotary Centre, Ikeja, Lagos.

Investiture

T

HE Second edition of the Investiture of Christian Knighthood of the First African Church Mission (FACM ) will take place on Sunday at St. Stephen’s Cathedral, Cemetery/Court Road, Junction, Omoku, Rivers State.

It will be ministered by duo of the Bishop of Ogba Diocese, Rev. O.C. John and the Bishop of Ahoada Diocese Dr. P.O Abraham.

Guests expected on the occasion included the Special Adviser to the Rivers State Governor, Hon. Solomon C. Ebeku and Member, Rivers State House of Assembly, Hon. Gift Wakocha.

29 FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2012

Vol 4. No. 1764

Close Up, a toothpaste produced by Unilever Nigeria Plc, has unveiled a new campaign to celebrate its 38th anniversary. WALE ALABI examines the campaign.

Close Up: Celebrating excellence C

LOSE UP, the red gel toothpaste brand from the stable of FMCG giant, Unilever Nigeria Plc, is dear to many consumers. It plans to reward those consumers for their loyalty in the past 38 years.

In celebration of the anniversary, Close Up has launched the ‘Close Up loves Naija’ campaign, a platform, which brings Nigerians together via music. It did this by creating a “truly Nigerian theme song, and making it available for free to everyone through its Facebook.com/closeupng page.

The song with catchy lyrics like whether na work, whether na go slow, Close Up really love Naija was produced by Cobhams Asuquo Music Productions for Unilever Nigeria Plc., the proud owner of the Close Up toothpaste brand. The song has become an instant hit among those who heard, going by the staggering number of “Likes” it has generated on its Facebook page over the past few weeks.

To flag off the campaign, Unilever hoisted 52 Nigerian flags at its Ikeja, Lagos Head Office premises.This is a feat, which has never been done in Nigeria before.The number 52 was chosen in commemoration of Nigeria’s 52nd Independence anniversary this year (October 1).

The flag hoisting, which took place last month, was hosted by Thabo Mabe, the Managing Director and David Okeme, the Brand Building Director and supported by a team from the Nigerian Dental Association, senior officials of key

ministries, important personalities from different industries and celebrities in the entertainment industry.

In his welcome address, Mabe told guests how Close Up has helped consumers taste life by providing a brand that is clinically proven and endorsed by the Nigerian Dental Association to protect and enhance oral health with variants, such as Red Gel, Herbal, Complete 8, White Now and Menthol Chill.

The event kicked off with the rendition of the National Anthem delivered by the Nigerian Police Band. Okeme said the flags would be donated to schools after the ceremony. Vivian Ihaza, the Category Marketing Manager (Oral Care), said the firm would provide succour to charity organisations through donations.

This, she said, was to give back to the community for their patronage and loyalty, which has kept the brand as one of the leading toothpastes in the country.

The Close Up loves Naija campaign is expected to culminate in a sur-

prise event where winners of the onlinewho sing along the contest will get a chance to sing on the same stage with some of Nigeria’s biggest music stars. The campaign can be followed on top radio stations in Nigeria as well as popular social media platforms, such as Facebook, Bella Naija, Linda Ikeji, Campus Heat, among others.

The campaign, so far, has generated a following as Nigerians have been following up on its activities via their Facebook page, radio stations and online social media platforms. The first phase of the campaign was for Nigerians to download “a truly Nigerian song” created by the brand for Nigerians, and this generated more than 50, 000 downloads via their www.facebook.com/closeupng page.

It didn’t stop there. Nigerians were encouraged to “like” the page, and as a result stand a chance of winning freebies of different sorts. On to the page, one

will find a lot of things going. Initially, there were about 4,000 likes.

But, this has grown to reach over 60,000 likes from Nigerians. There are tips to help with dental care, Tuesday love notes, Name the artist question and answer sections, to name a few, to engage fans who are on the page.

So far, many people have won movie tickets, recharge cards, and table top fridges by engaging with Close Up facebook page. Close Up toothpaste comes in variants, such as Red Hot, Menthol Chill, Herbal, Complete 8 and White Now. Also, as part of the campaign, the toothpaste is giving its consumers the chance to be the source of joy for the less privileged. As part of the activities of its Close Up loves Naija campaign, Close Up has decided to give back to four charities of their consumers’ choice in Lagos State. Consumers are being tasked via radio and social media to go to www.facebook.com/ closeupng and name the charity they want visited by the Close Up

‘Close Up has decided to give back to four charities of their consumers’choice in Lagos State... The charities will be visited in the next week.This development is not new to Close Up. In the past few weeks, they have been engaging with their consumers, giving out free movie tickets, airtime and table top fridges to over hundreds of consumers in celebration of their anniversary’

team. It doesn’t end with naming the charity, as they have to get it voted by friends to get it on the shortlist.

The charities will then be visited in the next week. This development is not new to Close Up. In the past few weeks, they have been engaging with their consumers, giving out free movie tickets, airtime and table top fridges to over hundreds of consumers in celebration of their anniversary.

Thrilled by this initiative of Close Up, consumers have been commending its brand custodian, Unilever Plc. According to Maryam Afolasade, a marketing executive, the campaign’s concept was apt and brilliant because “it connects with consumers and relevant stakeholders in the marketing hub.

Even, the have nots, charities are not left out. This goes to show that, Close Up is a brand that not only sells or after the pocket of its consumers, but also cares for their well- being.”

For Israel Johnson, a banker and aspiring musician, for choosing the vehicle of music as part of the platform for the campaign, Close Up will win with consumers. “This is because music is the food of life and love. Close Up will win with both the young and the old and with Nigerians of all callings and tribes because music speaks a universal language. I wish them a successful celebration,” Johnson said.

Besides,s brand and marketing analysts, have lauded Unilever for leveraging on social media and music to drive the Close Up campaign.

THE NATION FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2012

30

Brandnews

Akwa Ibom hosts Gulder Ultimate Search 9 T

HE serene community of Usaka, Akwa Ibom State, is the location for this year’s edition of reality TV Show, the Gulder Ultimate Search.

The winner of the event, entitled: The gate keeper’s fortune, will take away N9 million, the highest prize since the inception of the event, a brand new Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) and N500,000 wardrobe allowance.

The unveiling of the event, the ninth in the series, took place during a special media parley organised by Nigerian Breweries Plc., makers of premium lager beer, Gulder, at Oriental Hotels, Lagos.

The organisers also unveiled the official Gulder Ultimate Search radio and television commercials that will run during the event.

Marketing Director, Nigerian Breweries Plc., Walter Drenth, described Gulder Ultimate Search as a concept conceived to promote the brand’s values of confidence, discernment, focus, courage, determination and success.

• Winner to get N9m, SUV, N500,000 wardrobe allowance The success of Gulder Ultimate Search had made most mass market brands in the country to adopt reality TV programmes as a marketing platform to communicate their brand essence and values.

Drenth added that this year’s edition will feature 12 participants selected from rigorous screening in four geographic zones in the country. The cities are: Makurdi, Owerri, Benin and Lagos.

The 12 lucky qualifiers will go head to head in a series of physical tests, with the overall winner walking home with a cash prize of N9 million as well as a brand new SUV worth N10 milion in addition to N500,000 wardrobe allowance.

The other 11 participants will not go home empty handed. They will get various cash prizes ranging from N3 milliom for the first-runner-up, to N1 milliom for the 12th placed contestant. As usual, there would be a cash prize of N1 million for the best performing female

in the competition.

Marketing Manager, Lager, Nigerian Breweries Plc., Tony Agenmonmen, assured that preparations have been put in place to ensure a successful hosting of the event.

He said: “We have a tradition that we proudly maintain when it comes to Gulder Ultimate Search.

That tradition will be maintained in our quest to ensure that we have another exciting episode of Gulder Ultimate Search. This year will be no different.”

He also stated that there would be a standby medical team, a fully equipped ambulance, a security team and a comprehensive insur-

ance cover for the contestants, crew and the equipment during the event.

The Commissioner for Culture and Tourism in Akwa Ibom State, Dr. Clement Bassey, who stood in for the state Governor, expressed delight that the state was hosting the event.

“I bring good tidings and joy from the government and people of Akwa Ibom State. The government of Akwa Ibom State has, over the years, identified tourism as a key sector of the economy of the state and we are glad that Gulder is helping us to drive the sector through the Gulder Ultimate Search.

“I am sure that we are all going to have an exciting experience as

Gulder Ultimate Search comes to Akwa-Ibom State,” he stated.

A leader in Usaka, Tony Essien, who described the community as the ideal location for hosting the reality TV show, said: “I don’t think that the organisers made a mistake in their choice for this year’s edition of the Gulder Ultimate Search because Usaka is the ideal place to host the event.

“It is a serene location with trees that are so tall they form a beautiful arrangement of umbrellas over man and beast. We have wonderful vegetation that will truly suit Gulder Ultimate Search, and a river that flows from our Usaka, to Calabar, through Port Harcourt and then Aba. That is why I said it is the ideal location to host the event.”

Champion Breweries relaunches product

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HAMPION Breweries Plc has relaunched its premier product, Champion Lager beer. It said it has the potential to compete favourably in the sector generally, especially in the East.

Consumers, trade partners and workers attended the event in Calabar, Cross River State.

Consolidated Breweries Plc has acquired a controlling stake in Champion. Last year, Heineken International acquired a controlling interest in Champion and transferred those shares to Consolidated.

The Managing Director of Consolidated, Boudewijn Haarsma, said his “company takes pride in

By Raji Rotimi Solomon

its tradition of offering high quality brands to consumers at affordable prices. After a year of hard work and investments, I am pleased to say that we have now also achieved that with Champion.

“The new packaging and improved product quality are the outcome of putting our consumers at the forefront in our thinking and action.

“I am just pleased with the success today. The whole atmosphere was very energetic and spirited, which exactly represents the Champion brand’s identity”.

Nokia, MTN, Foundation to empower women entrepreneurs

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OKIA, the Cherie Blair Foundation for Women and MTN Nigeria, are working to introduce a new Nokia Life service that will provide essential business and entrepreneurship tips to women entrepreneurs.

The service, Business Women, will be the latest addition to the Nokia Life service portfolio.

Women entrepreneurs are faced with significant barriers to scaling up their businesses, including access to affordable resources, marketing channels and training input.

The Business Women service aims to address this imbalance, by providing essential business and entrepreneurship tips, delivered via SMS to mobile phones with the Nokia Life service.

Research by the Foundation supported by the ExxonMobil Foundation, showed that 93 per cent of women entrepreneurs in Nigeria, were willing to use a valued-added mobile service, such as Business Women, to address the core challenges they face in their business; and 75 per cent of them felt that addressing these challenges would lead to a significant increase in the value of their business “Mobile value added services: A business growth opportunity for women entrepreneurs.”

By partnering with the Foundation to make the service a reality, Nokia re-affirms its commitment to connect people to opportunities, including making women a larger part of the next billion people to

be connected.

Cherie Blair, Founder of the Cherie Blair Foundation for Women, said the partnership with Nokia is a ‘welcome development’.

“Giving women the chance to become financially independent and make the most of their talents is the key to higher living standards for them and their families,” said Mrs. Blair.

“With the extensive reach of Business Women through Nokia Life and content tailored, especially for Nigerian women entrepreneurs, this new service has the potential to empower thousands of women business owners.”

Vice President of Nokia West Africa, James Rutherford, said: “Working with the Cherie Blair Foundation for Women is a key milestone on our journey to connect the next billion people to relevant information. Nokia Life is by far the world’s largest mobile information services suite helping consumers in emerging markets learn, live, and share information better.

“The Cherie Blair Foundation for Women invests in women entrepreneurs to build and expand their businesses, and in doing so, benefit not only themselves but also their families and communities.

We are delighted to partner with the Foundation to provide Nigerian women with the best information available to help grow their businesses.’’

• From left: Co-ordinator, Management Account, Promasidor, Tayo Adekanye presenting a cheque of N50,000 to Olusegun while Assistant Brand Manager, Kingsley Onuoha looks on.

Togolese, others win in Cowbell promo

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ORE consumers have been rewarded with prizes in the ongoing Cowbell Olympic Medal Rush promo launched

by Promasidor Nigeria Limited, makers of Cowbell Milk.

The winners, included Miss Adenike Idris, N20,000; Christopher Nnagbo, N50,000; Prince Matthew, N50,000 and Adebisi Olusegun, N50,000, have collected their prizes at the head office of the company.

In an interview, Mr Prince Matthew, a Togolese who won N50,000, said he drinks Cowbell Milk and decided to participate in the promo after he saw the advert on television.

According to Matthew, his wife showed him the ticket as he had gone

to work when the tin was opened.”I am very happy I won because after I bought the milk I could not drink it as I was late for work only to get back in the evening and my wife brought the N50,000 winning ticket to me.”

Similarly, Miss Idris Adenike, an account officer in a family business, who won N20,000 in the promo, said her family never intended to participate in the promo, but got the Cowbell milk with the winning ticket in a gift pack from a family friend during the Sallah celebration.

She said: “My family never knew Promasidor had any promo going on so we didn’t intend to participate in it. We got the Cowbell milk with the winning ticket from a family friend and since then we have

been drinking Cowbell milk just in case we will win again.”

Cowbell Promo Ambassador and the 1996 Olympics gold medal winner, Chioma Ajunwa Oparah, told The Nation that more people could participate in the promo by buying Cowbell milk. She added that the promo is real.

She said Promasidor is a company with long standing integrity. She encouraged every Nigerians to avail themselves of the opportunity, adding that they stand a chance of winning prizes.

Chief Keith Richards, Managing Director of Promasidor said the promo was intended to create opportunity for consumers to win cash prizes of up to N50, 000 and more.

Judges for Indomie Heroes Award emerge

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UFIL Prima Plc, makers of Indomie Instant Noodles, has announced members of the panel of judges for the fifth edition of its “Indomie Independence Day Award for the Heroes of Nigeria”.

They include Graham Stohhard, Headmaster, Lagos Preparatory School; Philip Isakpa, Editor, Businessday; Joel Okei Odumakin of the Women Arise for Change Initiative; Jimi Solanke, veteran playwright, artist and singer, Karen-King Aribisala, Professor

of English, University of Lagos (UNILAG), Angela Ege Ochuko, PSFR Specialist and Niyi Adesanya of Fifth Gear Consulting.

In a statement, the Public Relations Manager, Dufil Prima Foods Plc, Mr Tope Ashiwaju, said: “ The selected members of the panel are credible people with proven integrity and they come from different backgrounds ranging from academics, the media, NGOs and private practice will bring about a cross fertilisation of ideas to

reach informed decisions’’.

Ashiwaju said the search phase of the edition by the Independent Research Agency and submission of entries have been concluded with over 11,000 stories, out of which the top 18 have been carefully selected by a screening committee.

The first prize winners are expected to get N1million worth of scholarship; the second prize winner will take home N750,000 while N500,000 will go to the third place winner.

SHOPPING

31

THE NATION

Website:- http://www.thenationonlineng.net

FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2012

e-mail: janicenkoli@yahoo.com 08033349992 sms only

email:- shopping@thenationonlineng.net

Traders count losses after shops’ demolition

•Mpape market, Abuja.

Traders in Gbagi Market in Mpape, a satellite town in the Federal Capital City, Abuja, were sad as bulldozers rolled in penultimate Thursday unannounced to destroy their shops.

BUKOLA AMUSAN reports

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HEIR posture depicted their mood. Some had their hands on their heads; others crossed theirs on their chests; yet the hands of others were akimbo.They watched gravely as the rumbling bulldozers brought down their shops. Welcome to Mpape Market where operatives of the Federal Capital Development Auhority (FCDA) first struck in

their demolition of illegal structures. The traders were caught unawares because they thought FCDA would start with the demolition of marked houses.

Demolishing the shops, FCDA described them as shanties in a makeshift market that served as hide-out for hoodlums.

The Deputy Director, Monitoring and Enforcement, Nathaniel Atebije , said demolition of houses

Portable toilets for camping and outdoor recreation Page 33

had not begun, adding that FCDA is at Mpape to clear shanties in the market.

He said:‘’These makeshift shops are full of shanties and criminal activities go on here. It is based on this that we’re clearing the shanties.’’

Many shops were brought down during the first day of operation.

Mpape is one of the communities earmarked for demolition by

the Federal Capital Territory Authority (FCTA), which said it would demolish 10,288 houses in the market area. These structures, according to the Authority were illegally erected.

According to eyewitnesses, the demolition began about 1pm and continued till late in the evening.

Traders were seen retrieving items from the wreckage of their demolished shops others stood in

Getting more out of rechargeable lanterns Page 34

groups discussing their fate.

Many traders said the demolition came as a surprise as the market was not included in the category for demolition.

A victim, Mrs Joy ,said the FCDA did not notify them of any impending demolition, adding “if na sey they give us notice, we for don pack since.”

•Continued on page 32

Collapsible water bottles are useful Page 33

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THE NATION FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2012

SHOPPING

Traders count losses after shop’s demolition •Continued from page 31

She said she and her husband had two shops in the market, with the first one demolished and the other partially demolished.

Her three children with ages between one and five were sitting on the ground, crying.

The woman said she couldn’t retrieve any product from her shop as scavengers were busy picking her belongings when she was bringing them out during the exercise.

She said she and her husband has nowhere or anyone to run to. They will still be living in the partially demolished building.

Mrs Agbator said: “I don’t even know where to start from. I don’t have money to look for house or shop now. I don’t know where to go and my belongings are outside there. I’m confused.”

Another shop owner, Mr James Ogbodo, who claimed he had four shops said he lost

more than N700,000 worth of goods to the demolition.

“We have an engine there and so many other things. I can say I lost goods worth N700, 000. I and my wife had two shops each, she sells food items. Then, I’m selling beer at the other two sheds.”

He said he was away, but returned to see his shops gone. ”When they came, nobody knew there was no prior notice. They took us by surprise and there was no way to take anything out,” he said adding: “I have seven children in Maitama Federal Housing School and it is from these shops that I get money to pay their school fees”.

Ogbodo, who has been busy gathering the remains of his demolished shops, said he was packing the roofing sheets to construct a temporary abode for his family. His eight-bedroom building in Gwari village has also been marked for demolition.

Buying only brand utensils contributes to the expenses, but smart shoppers know there are bargains to be found in many places. Careful thought is needed to pick equipment that meet your demand and saves you time and effort in the kitchen, writes TONIA‘DIYAN.

Buying popular utensils

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OST people will go to a large departmental store, home supply store or specialty shops to purchase

their kitchen tools.

Utensils such as stock pots,sauce pans,deep fryers, rice cooker steamer, strainers,whisks, knives, bowls and plates are some of the utensils that add value to your kitchen.

Make a list of the items you will need to stock your kitchen with, then visit the stores to see what the prices are for those utensils this love season.

Look for stores having sales and discounts this love season, many stores are competing for your money.

Make a trip to the closet Chinatown to you.

China towns in Lagos have supply stores that carry food items, clothing and kitchen tools.

They are smaller versions of brand name departmental stores.

Within these stores, you will find wholesale priced utensils. They most likely will not be name brand, but they of good quality.

On average, you will save 10 to 50 per cent.

Kitchens are places where creativity and knowledge mix. The most commonly used kitchen utensils undergo abundant use, so it is wise to invest in quality pieces that last.

•Kitchen utensils

Replace your old kitchen utensils with the modern versions, or mix and match for an assorted collection. Do not settle for singlefunctioning tools.

Perhaps you have a hard time finding the necessary utensils you need within the kitchen when you need them? Whether your items are in a kitchen cabinet, rack, or drawer, Organisation of your items in the kitchen can save time during food preparation.

Here are ways you can organise your utensils.

Stirring spoons should be placed in a rack that gives your larger utensils a designated place of their own. You could make it a personal rack by decorating it with the theme of your kitchen setting.

Place your can opener underneath the canned food cabinet for easy retrieval.

Place the eating utensil draw divider to separate the forks from the spoons. Most of these organisational tips can be made or adjusted with items you find around the house.

Buying kitchen utensils can be confusing because there is a mind-numbing array to choose from. Keep it basic by buying essential small appliances.

•Traders at the market.

THE NATION FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2012

33

SHOPPING Taking a portable toilet with you when camping is essential.

Most toilets might not be in the best of state after a busy day; so having your own will give you freedom from dirty toilets anytime you are out of your home, writes TONIA ‘DIYAN

Portable toilets for camping and outdoor recreation

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OST portable toilets come with a separate waste container and a handle. They are quite strong and well built for adults. They are available at major retailers.

They are highly rated by users.

This 20-litre toilet comes with a full-size seat to accommodate all, no matter the weight. It flushes with clean water and has double-sealed drain valves to prevent leaks. Its tank holds three and five gallons of waste water.

Some portable toilets can be folded, and come with recyclable bags for waste which can be disposed later. They are also self-contained, with builtin handle for easy transportation.

For extra privacy in using the portable toilet for camping, there is also a range of utility tents so that you can house the toilet separately and they are very easy to assemble. Some models come with a towel rail, toilet roll holder and a shower hanging point.

Whichever product you decide to buy, there is bound to be something for all campers and you will find a good choice at Focus Mega impact Ltd, Ikeja for N25, 000.

Mrs Osaretin Ohenhen, a regular user of the product, said she had no regret spending her money on portable toilets as an event planner. “I am an event planner who plans outdoor events now and then, therefore, I

•Portable toilet

can testify that these toilets do not leak, they do what they are supposed to do.Yes, they get a bit smelly only if you don’t empty them at least once a day, then it is bound to get smelly.

Collapsible water bottles are useful

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HE use of pocket water bottle is a great way to maximise convenience. It is important to have refreshing water at hand, but when the bottle becomes empty, it is interesting having it folded and neatly kept in your pocket or bag, they are also affordable.

It is believed that regular drinking of water will care for the body and reduce the chances of falling ill. This is the need to have the water bottle in your possession when you travel or go on an outing. You can empty the content, fold it, and then keep it in your bag.

The various brands are Platypus brand and the Vapur brand, but the most common version of this bottle is the Platypus brand. They are sold at any shopping mall around you, most especially where school items and athletic items are sold.

The water bottles are important to people who are travelling. They can store water in them, fold them and keep them inside the

By Omolara Mofesola Omoniyi

bag as it takes very little space, which is less bulky, not increase your load.

They are also useful for athletes, who go about on long car or bike trips, and so on.

They would simply keep them where they will have quick access, fold and return to its position; it is also useful for coaches and so on.

It is also useful for school children; it will make their lunch boxes less bulky, especially when the bottle is empty. It is good since there are types with children designs scribbled on them. This will make the children a lot happy .

The good thing about this bottle is that it comes in different forms and sizes, and they can be chosen to fit the situation or the project you need it to perform. They are available in the large gallon sizes when you need water for a large crowd, and also small individual sizes.

Shopping Right with

Getting it right on electronics

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ANY, especially ladies, find it difficult buying the right electronics. With the right knowledge and practice, you could be the electronics expert you need to be to buy yourself a good TV, stereo, computer or whatever. Here is a guide on how and where to shop for your electronics.

Electronics vary in price world wide.

Many consumers know this and are on the lookout for a bargain. There are many stores where you can get quality electronics at good bargain. In Nigeria, you have a wide range of choices ranging from brand manufacturers such as Samsung, LG, Panasonic, Philip, Toshiba, Sony and Hiaer Thermocool to general stores such as Mega Plaza, Game Stores and Cash ‘n’ Carry, to specialised electronics markets like Alaba International market, Ojo, Lagos. Almost, every market has sections for electronics.

However, consumers are advised to always purchase from reputable dealers so that if there is need for any need to consult the dealer for any reason, he or she would not shirk from responding accordingly. These are other tips to consider before setting out for your purchase.

Know your electronics The first thing is to make sure you know your electronics. Electronics as an industry is constantly changing, so, make sure you follow the latest technologies and fashions.

Get the basic information about what you want.

Know what you want Apart from the brand names, many of them look alike, so

JANICE NKOLI IFEME simply because you are in a lavish mood.

Figure out what your needs are. Know the difference between plasma, LCD and the LED TV, if you are going for TV. What is the smallest screen size you can deal with?

Your must-haves will factor greatly into your decision. If you are buying a laptop, think about your needs (gaming, memory, software) and scour different electronics stores, comparing prices on similar models. Soon, you will learn what you value and what is not so important to you.

The second part of doing your research is finding out what current users of the product think of it. Luckily, you live in the digital age and could easily access the internet for information.

You could also read up or ask questions.

‘Electronics vary in price world wide. Many consumers know this and are on the lookout for a bargain. There are many stores where you can get quality electronics at good bargain’

you need to know the exact make you want. The different manufacturers have specific labeling, which you need to take note of. If you look very well, you would discover that they are quite specific. In cases where they look alike, the specifications are always clear.

Consider your lifestyle Think about where you will be using your electronics. May be a 52" TV set looks great in the store but will you really need something that big in your 400-squarefoot apartment? And a desktop computer is a lot cheaper than a laptop but do you have desk space for the computer? Do you want to be able to travel with a laptop?

Take the product out of the context of the store. Some large retailers play cartoons on their televisions. Make sure you watch a cable feed before judging the picture quality of a set. A fancy TV might be appealing but really consider the purchase before jumping in and think about how you will use it.

Do your research The worst thing you could do with an electronic investment is to impulse buy

Talk the talk After your research, you will be able to ask well-informed questions at your retailer.

That way, they cannot pull anything over on you. And you will be able to gauge whether they know what they are talking aboutsomething you might want to consider before making a large purchase at their store.

If you have done the research, you will be able to talk specs like one’s business and you will be glad you know what is going on.

Go with a company The saying never goes old that two heads are better than one. It pays to go with someone, especially if the person knows much about the product.

Decide what you are going to stock If you are a retailer, then you must decide exactly what you want to stock. This is dependant on what you know – only sell electronics that fall into categories you keep up to date on. There is no point in selling digital cameras if you have no idea what a decent number of mega pixel is for such a camera to have. You may decide to stock a small range of products with several models of each, or go for a broader range of types of product without necessarily having many of each type. The choice is yours, but there are plenty of wholesalers for all kinds of electronic goods out there. You just have to find one whose products and prices suit you.

Write to us, express your views, observations and experiences. Let’s have your comments about shopping. Your comments, questions and answers will be published first Friday of every month. With your full name and occupation, send e-mail to: janicenkoli@yahoo.com •Collapsible water botting

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THE NATION FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2012

SHOPPING Having a few basics can make you more comfortable. Do not forget a rechargeable lantern; it is an item that can literally give some light in your home in the absence of power, during a camping trip and other places.

Getting more out of rechargeable lanterns

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ECHARGEABLE is a word that many have come to love. It means that we can reuse a product and save money without purchasing new ones in a short time. It also means that it is extremely environmental-friendly.

A rechargeable lantern is safer to operate with its bulb which is designed to stay at a cool temperature all the time. In other words, there is no fear or worry as regards accidental burns from touching the lamp.

Lamps that are recharged are made with batteries that can be used in any position. Therefore, if it falls it remains safe.

There are many reasons why some are better than the others. Some are superior choices when it comes to choosing one. One of most obvious reasons is the fact that some have energy source that is easily renewable.

The steady and broad illumination provided by some types of lantern is superior to the illumination of others and wide beam of light provided by some is much more effective for lighting an area compared to others. There-

fore the better ones from Tokyo will fast become your most irreplaceable item for all your indoor and outdoor adventure activities The Tokyo rechargeable lantern with a handle automatically turns on when AC power fails and can be charged with a solar panel.

Its USB output can also be used to charge all kinds of mobile phones placed in whatever position whether mounted vertically or Horizontally. It charges five different phones at a time and last up to 72 hours before it can be recharged again. You are sure to find a good rechargeable lantern at power line Okunola, Egbeda, Lagos for N3, 500.

For those times when there won’t be opportunity to charge the lantern, especially during outdoors events, there is a spare set of batteries with which you can replace the weak ones for the mean time and when you returned home you can remove them in order to extend their lives. By doing this, you will probably save more money in the end getting much more life out of your lantern.

A market is place where various buying and selling activities take place, but the case is different at the Odua market, Ojota, Lagos where there is practically very few customers and trading is at a stand still. AZZAN OLAJUMOKE visited the market.

Poor sales at Odua Market

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RADING at the Odua modern market is very dull and most of the shops are without customers while shop owners kept themselves busy watching movie, chatting or just sitting down idle.

The market is situated in a good location, great environment, with a big packing space and it’s very neat too but it lacks the patronage of shoppers.

According to one of the shop owners, Mrs M. Olateju, no one has listened to their complaints to create more awareness for the market and introduce new items.

She said: “Sales have been very poor I have to be honest and people don’t come in to patronise us. Each time we pray to God to bring customers from right, left and centre.

We have suggested that traders who sell meat, pepper and other commonly bought items should be introduced into the market to join

•Odua market Ojota

us, in order to attract customers.

“Most shops here are being used as offices; this is supposed to be a market, not a shopping complex especially in a busy environment like Ojota.”

Mrs Olajide, also a shop owner, added that the owners of the market are not making efforts to make people aware that there is a market here. “People are not aware that there is a market here, no to talk of coming in to patronise us. I am sure you will hardly find one shopper to talk to before you leave “she said.

Ajibola Abiodun is a facility officer. He said: “Efforts have been made to create awareness for the market, but that the shop owners are not helping matters. “ shop owners here should place bill boards and banners at strategic places to tell people what they stock”.

•Rechargeable lantern

A tale of two shopping malls Things have changed at the Alausa Shopping Mall since the coming of the Ikeja City Mall. OMOLARA OMOFESOLA OMONIYI visited the mall.

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HE two malls are adjacent to each other at Alausa, Ikeja. Only few people know the existence of the Alausa Shopping mall, but surprisingly, the mall has in stock what other malls have.

These range from shoes, bags, sport wears to muslim accessories.

The car park was enough signal that sales were poor at the mall, but at the Ikeja City Mall, the reverse was the case as the very large parking space was almost filled up with various trend of cars, as some were leaving, after filling up their boots with various items, more people were moving in.

According to a staff member of Alausa Shopping Mall, Mr Gabriel Chibuike, “as you can see, everything you need is here.

People who come here smile as they leave and they shop at affordable prices, but many people do not know about us.”

“To be frank, the loss the sellers at the mall are recording have prompted majority of them moving out of the place to places with better human traffic, but people do not know that our products are also less expensive than the other retailers.

“Sales become better towards the end of the month, because it is a period when salary earners would earn their monthly salaries,” he added. The parking space is big enough to contain many cars at a time.

There are also enough securities to make

sure everything is set and in place.

The mall is very peaceful and airy; you can take your time as you move around and do not have too many people to wrestle with. The four-storey building is circular in shape.The building is tiled, thereby making walking around easy for their customers.

Prices are fixed, not creating room for bargaining, but the honest traders will not give you a price higher than the normal price, and when you have to compare with the price the outsiders sell them, they are either same price or cheaper.

According to a shopper, Miss Temiloluwa Tomide, “I feel glad visiting this place, this place is really a place to be, one thing about me is that I do not like jam-packed places; so I will rather do my shopping here. Besides, their prices are very regular.

“Today, I have come to buy some shoes and accessories because my friend Sumbo Agbede will be getting married on Saturday next week, and I have come here to buy what I need. Anyway, I generally do my shopping activities in this mall.”

There is CCTV in the place monitoring the shoppers, so as not to create space for fraudsters or thieves. Visit the place and you will see that it really good for you to do your shopping.

THE NATION FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2012

W

ITH the increasing number of advertising agencies in Nigeria, the industry appears to be losing its grip on professionalism. This is due to the fact that agencies these days have made billings as their major driving force as against inspiration, innovation and creative ideas.

This was the submission of an expert, Tunji Abioye, when asked to comment on the state of the industry. Abioye who is Managing Director, Fuel Communications Limited, said advertising in Nigeria has grown over the years and has become more competitive by the day.

According to Abioye, the industry at a time has over 200 agencies registered with the Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria (AAAN) and more yet unregistered as well as yet unborn. “In the light of the giant stride the industry has been recording, there was a flip along the line in the industry. The industry was experiencing diminishing returns as agencies focused attentions elsewhere other than ideas.”

“In the 70’s and 80’s, agencies were known as the library of knowledge for brands. Clients relied on the agencies to lead the game. The advertising and communication industry began so well in the country and this gave hope to the brands.

Because the industry looked else where for inspiration, professionalism is rarely in place now. The alternate inspiration we are talking about is that ideas began to give way to money. The focused shifted to what clients can spend as the billings issue takes the front burner,’’ he enthused.

Having located the missing link, Abioye was inspired to set up his agency- Fuel Communications. We were inspired by a quote in one of the editions of Harvard

Advertising: The enemy A within Business Review, which states: “With increasing competition from the world’s emerging economies, supply often will exceed demand and to sustain profitable growth in any market, it is only brands that do things differently that will be able to grow and sustain it,” claims Abioye.

In the light of this, Fuel Communication otherwise known as the ‘womb for uncommon ideas’ was born into the industry as an unconventional agency. For us here in Fuel, the brain needs to sweat for great and uncommon ideas to be born he posited.

Our emergence in the industry is to champion very unpopular ideas, to create shocking but effective brand solutions to be noticed in the crowded market. It is only campaigns that look extraordinary that appeal to people and they are the ones that are often remembered. “This is our own ideology in the business of advertising.”

There are too many followers in the market, but we want to create and build brands that will lead in the market in line with the blue ocean theory. In recognition of its mode of operation, ethical principles and professionalism, Fuel Communications was recently inducted into the AAAN fold. The managing director sees membership of the association as a value driver as it encourages and challenges for better professionalism, ethical practice and good conduct in business. All these in the long run ensure quality service delivery to the client.

‘Our emergence in the industry is to champion very unpopular ideas, to create shocking but effective brand solutions to be noticed in the crowded market. It is only campaigns that look extraordinary that appeal to people and they are the ones that are often remembered’

An advertising firm is born

A

NEW advertising and marketing communications agency, Extreme Ideas (XM3 Ideas), has opened in

Lagos.

Its Chief Executive Officer/Chief Creativity Officer is Steve Babaeko. It was gathered that the firm has applied for the membership of the Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria (AAAN).

He has 17 years experience in the industry having started his career in 1995, at the defunct MC & A Saatchi & Saatchi. He cut his teeth under Victor Johnson and Busola Williams. At the Saatchi & Saatchi agency, he was on the team that worked on brands, such as DSTV Multichoice and others for five years.

From MC & A, Babaeko joined Prima Garnet Ogilvy in 2001 as a copy writer and rose through the ranks to become copy manager. While at Prima Garnet, where he spent five years, he worked on brands, such as BAT, DSTV Multichoice, among others and was exposed to some of the best tools in the industry and benefited from local and international training and exposures.

35

He was on secondment to 141-Worldwide as a pioneer Creative Director in 2005.

While at I41-Worldwide, which spanned seven years, he was handled most of the agency’s portfolio of clients and brands.

Some of his landmark assignments for the agency, include the launch and sustenance of the Etisalat brand in the Nigeria, BAT business, which came to the new agency from inception, DSTV, FirstBank, among others.

Sources revealed that X3M Ideas has hit the ground running with a first major pitch victory. The new agency emerged one of the top two agencies, which shared the Inbisco – FMCG business. The business, according to our sources, was shared between Lanre Adisa’s Noah’s Ark and X3M Ideas. It was gathered that the Inbisco’s Kopico campaign is slated to kick off soon.

X3M Ideas has a crop of young, talented team and boasts of a state-of-the-art studio for radio commercials and allied assignments to reduce turnaround time.

LTHOUGH corruption, lack of dedication to duties and patriotism by workers in public and private sector have been identified as key factors stalling Nigeria’s advancement to greatness, recent researches by experts have also revealed that the inability of many Nigerians to adapt to global trends in a positive manner is affecting the pace of development of Nigeria.

To arrest this trend in Abuja, the Federal Civil Service Commission backed its determination to increase productivity through Information and Communication Technology (ICT) with action.

According to the commission, this became necessary to change the negative perception in some quarters that civil servants were inferior to their counterparts in the private sector. This was at the occasion of the signing of an MoU between BICS-NIIT and the Commission on the need to embrace ICT to make the public service more efficient.

During the event, both parties agreed on the need for players in all sectors to quickly respond to the administration’s call to drive the economy through capacity building. Basic Information and Communication Systems Limited (BICS) is an expert in ICT learning in Nigeria, while NIIT is an international human resources and ICT education institute.

With advancement in technology, which has turned the world into a global village, it was impressed on African nations and other developing nations in the world that adequate knowledge in information technology is required to jump-start development and achieve the millennium goals target.

When she assumed office early this year, the Chairman of the Federal Civil Service Commission, Deaconess Johanna Olatosin, pledged her commitment to encourage the training of civil servants to enhance professionalism, productivity and specialisation.

Olatosin made the promise due to the poor commitment of civil servants to work ethics, compared to the aggressiveness of their counterparts in the private sector. Though the inefficiency in the public sector has often been linked with the lackadaisical attitude of civil servants, recent findings have shown that most people in the sector lack the knowledge needed for efficiency in today’s market.

According to the Head of Public Communications, Nigerian Institute of Personnel Management (NIPM), Rasheed Bolarinwa, the institute always advises employers of labour to encourage frequent training of their personnel to make them be current and effective.

He said: “The mission of the CIPM is to build a society with efficient human capacity and to this end; the institute has always been in the forefront of campaign for training, especially the technological based ones as dictated by the current situation in the world, which revolves round information technology.”

Bolarinwa added that Nigeria can market its potentials through ICT because an average Nigerian is innately gifted.

“You will agree with me that Nigeria is blessed with brilliant people who would perform optimally with adequate knowledge in ICT. This is so because with the aid of computer, manual work is reduced and output is increased,” he said.

In tandem with Bolarinwa’s thinking, Chairman of BICS-NIIT, Prince Shaka Momoh, in his remarks during the signing of the Memorandum of Understand-

BICS-NIIT: Enhancing productivity through ICT

By Jimi David

ing (MoU), commended the Chairman of the Federal Civil Service Commission for giving his company the opportunity to participate in the process, which he said, reechoed the Jonathan administration’s yearning for capacity building in achieving Nigeria’s Vision 2020.

According to African Business magazine, which in its current edition identified ICT as the key to Africa’s success now and in future.

Before this revelation, Nathan Associates, an international development economics consultants, had estimated that ICT capital has seven times the impact on productivity than non-ICT capital in nations with lower levels of IT usage, and approximately three times more in other nations. Also, experts have continued to emphasize on the need for economics drivers in all developing nations to see ICT as a vehicle for economic transformation.

It is a fact that ICT assets have provided benefits such as improved communications and information management and flows, as well as ready access to educational materials, which in turn provide a basis for more effective decision-making and problem-solving.

These benefits that accrue largely from the extent of a country’s ICT stock are not, in and of themselves, transformational; the centre-piece of ICT-enabled transformation is purposeful application. This involves the exploitation of acquired ICT innovations (infrastructure) to facilitate and sustain indigenous ICT innovations that, at minimum, bear down on development priorities, but ideally, are also export-oriented.

Given the fact that ICT has revolutionised the way citizens, businesses, governments and countries interact, exposing civil servants to its rudiment at this time may be the opportunity Nigeria is looking for to market its potentials to the world. In fact, the United Nation’s 2008 report tagged: The global information society: A statistical view, indicated that ICT has become pivotal agents of social and economic transformation in developing countries.

Giving further assurance on his firm’s preparation, Momoh said: “We are conscious of the high expectations and would like to assure you of our capabilities to deliver. Be assured that the FCSC is not alone in this drive for capacity development. We have recently concluded a training contract for the World Bank tagged ACCESS Nigeria.”

And on ACCESS Nigeria, he stated that it was part of a programme directed at developing new economy skills for Africa.

The chairman of the company also indicated that the FCSC initiative to train the civil servants was a direct response to the Government’s call on capacity building.

•Jimi David is Brandweek special correspondent

*Editor - Wale Alabi *Consulting Editors - Rarzack Olaegbe, Sola Fanawopo * Correspondent-Jimi David * Business Development - Kenny Hussain * Legal Adviser - Olasupo Osewa & Co Brandweek is powered by Brandz Republic Consulting and published every Friday in THE NATION newspaper.

All correspondence to the editor - 0808.247.7806, 0805.618.0040, e-mail: korede2000@gmail.com © All rights reserved.

THE NATION FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2012

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COMMENTARY

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ERHAPS no institution in Islam has brought as much harmony to human societies as Zakah. Its divine decree and revelation to Prophet Muhammad (SAW) in the 5th year of Hijrah was a social revolution coming to mankind with an ecstasy of delight. That decree was the Fatwah that ushered Zakah into the world and made it the third pillar of Islam.

Hitherto, there was no organized system of redistribution of wealth for the purpose of alleviating poverty in the land. Although the Prophet had introduced Sadaqah as a pecuniary bridge among the Muslim social strata, this was voluntarily done according to the whims of the rich. It had neither time nor measure.

Zakah is not about the rich and the poor alone. It is also about harmonious social interaction of individuals and groups in the society to boost tolerance, love and concord. With the coming of Zakah as an obligatory pillar of Islam, the mutual suspicion between the rich and the poor was brought to its barest minimum. And the instrumentality of governance was formidably strengthened.

Without Zakah, it would have been much more difficult to enforce law and order as the rampancy of overwhelming poverty among the people would have been generally viewed as an act of insensitivity on the part of the rulers. And this would have randomly engendered rebellion against the authorities.

The word Zakah which means purification of wealth is mentioned 35 times in the Qur’an. And about 30 times out of these are mentioned along with Salat. This is to enable the Muslims attach as much importance to Zakah as they do to Salat. Though Zakat is meant for only those who have excess annual income, just a few Muslims who can afford its payment care about it despite being one of the five pillars of Islam. Many people have performed Hajj so many times that it has virtually become their annual hobby. Yet, they have never paid Zakah even once in their life time.

No pillar of Islam is meant for the aristocrats. Allah knows that more people will have less resource and therefore designs a means of redistributing wealth among all and makes it obligatory so that the givers will not see themselves as superior to the recipients. Like the other four pillars of Islam, Zakah becomes obligatory on all Muslims who are privileged to have excess annual income. What make the difference between the givers and the recipients in this case, therefore, are the little excesses here and there in personal earnings. After all, a recipient this year may become a giver next year and that does not necessarily make him a rich person. This further confirms that Zakah is not exclusive to the rich.

The main problem of Zakah in the world today is in the controversy over the interpretation of Nisab (i.e. the minimum taxable amount from which Zakah is supposed to be paid) as prescribed by Prophet Muhammad (SAW). The controversy over that amount is the bane of Zakah and the cause of the glaring poverty among the Muslims.

Some scholars are so rigid on using gold as the measure for determining Nisab that they do not care if Zakah is no longer paid and the five pillars of Islam are technically reduced to four. Such scholars have ignored the fact that the same Prophet who prescribed gold as a measure of Nisab also prescribed silver and even went further to name the amount of Nisab in certain currencies available at that time.

Only a few people know that as of today it requires just a minimum of about $54.5 (N8611) as the amount saved or owned in kind in a year from which to pay Zakah and only two and a half per cent of this amount is payable annually. The figure here is based on 200 UAE Dirham in accordance with the Prophet’s prescription. By this, only those who have less than N8611 net in a year will not pay Zakah. Yet Nigerian Muslims prefer to spend thousands of dollars on Hajj annually without paying Zakah. The irony in this is that such people are just wasting their money on mere tourism which fetches no reward whatsoever.

Paying Zakah annually before consideration for Hajj is like making provisions for one’s household before embarking on that holy journey. Not making necessary provisions for the family before embarking on Hajj automatically renders such Hajj invalid. It

FEMI ABBAS ON Femabbas@yahoo.com 08122697498

Ambush for Zakah? is better and more rewarding to pay Zakah and leave Hajj if a choice of opportunity cost must be made between the two. Hajj is for self alone while Zakah is a social venture which affects the lives of others.

There is a conditional alternative to Hajj but Zakah has no alternative at all. The Prophet was reported to have said that anybody who is able to observe all the Jum’ah (Friday) prayers dedicatedly in a year without missing any will have the reward of a Muslim who performed Hajj once in a life time. No such alternative can be related to Zakah. Its payment is a secret between the payer and his Creator.

To be sincere, how many workers in Nigeria actually save less than $ 54.5 (N8611) in a whole year? The amount of money spent on GSM recharge cards alone by some people in month is much higher than that Nisab. Yet even some school children go about with two or more mobile phones maintained by their parents who do not pay Zakah just because it is not enforced by anybody.

Zakah is paid on net annual income and not on gross income. Two and a half per cent or 1/40 of the net income is the prescribed amount to be paid. Anything beyond that is Sadaqah. A taxable amount is called Nisab.

In Islam, everything is done by due process. And Zakah cannot be of any exception.

The process of paying Zakah includes the following: •Being a genuine Muslim •Attainment of maturity •Intention to pay Zakah and not Sadaqah; •Timeliness (i.e. after one year of accumulating the wealth from which Zakah is to be paid); •Paying the correct amount (abiding by the rule of Nisab); •Ensuring that the Zakah paid is collected by the recipient; •Distributing such Zakah locally to deserved beneficiaries The wealth on which Zakah must be paid are basically five. These include: money; agricultural products; livestock; landed property and mineral resources.

Every male or female who has a net income of at least $54.5 or its equivalence in local currency (which is N8611 currently in Nigeria) must pay Zakah. What is statutorily payable from that amount is N215.27 (which is 2.5% or 1/40). Most of the prescriptions of Nisab by Nigerian scholars are based on the current global market value of the gold.

This is contradictory to the position of the second Caliph (Umar Bn Khattab) who adopted 200 silver-based Dirham prescribed by the Prophet to enable as many people as possible pay Zakah even as he did not prevent those who preferred gold as measure from using it. Insisting on gold as a universal measure of Nisab in today’s world is nothing but an ambush for that third pillar of Islam. The Prophet had guarded against this by considering the implications of not paying Zakah before he prescribed Dirham and Dinar. Going by the current market value of gold some Nigerian scholars now insist that the Nisab for Zakah should be about N560000 while others are prescribing various other amounts.

Now, how many Nigerians can save that amount as excess income in a year after all the expenses especially when the minimum income is considered?

Today, the Dirham used in the United Arab Emirates is globally recognized as denominated in silver just as the Dinar used in Jordan and Iraq is recognized as denominated in gold. Either or both of these ought to have been used in a country like Nigeria where

overwhelming majority of people are wallowing in abject poverty. Otherwise, most Nigerian Muslims will never be able to pay Zakah throughout their lives.

With regards to landed property, no Zakah is paid on residential building that is not commercialized. If however, a part of it is commercialized and made a source of income (i.e. a part of it is let out) Zakah should be paid on the amount realized from the income so generated. If an open land is rented out commercially, Zakah should be paid on the amount realized from it provided that amount reaches the prescribed measure (Nisab). But if the property is sold out the payable sum on it should be 2.5% or 1/40 of the amount realized from its sale.

Other properties on which Zakah should be paid include machinery leased out which generates income or a well used for irrigation or grassing of animals on commercial basis. Whatever is realized from it should be assessed according to the prescribed measure.

As for the agricultural products, the prescribed minimum quantity from which Zakah is to be paid is 653 kilograms. Such products include cash crops, legumes, fruits as well as tuber. There is no payment of Zakah on anything less than that amount. And the measure to be paid on agricultural products generally is 10% if the farm is not irrigated. But if irrigation is involved, only 5% is to be paid. This is to enable the farmer to cater for the cost of irrigation. The Zakah on farm products is paid immediately after harvesting.

Payment of Zakah on agricultural products, especially crops, may be more than once in a year because it is a matter of pay as you harvest.

In the case of livestock, the quantities from which Zakah should be paid vary from animal to animal. For instance, one cow is given as Zakah out of every 30 cows.

One goat or one sheep is given as Zakah out of every 40. One year old goat or sheep is given as Zakah on every five camels.

The minimum taxable Nisab on gold is 20 Dinar. Out of this, 1/2 of one Dinar, which amounts to 1/40 is payable. Anything in excess of 20 Dinar is calculated accordingly. Besides gold and silver, there is no Zakah on mines until they have been converted into cash or cash-able values.

Zakat may also be paid on expected payment of debt if the debtor is reliable and trustworthy.

In an Islamic environment, collection of Zakah is done by the ruling authorities or their appointees. Such appointed collectors should be highly responsible men and women of truthful and trustworthy characters. Men are to collect Zakah from men.

Women are also to collect from fellow women. The Zakah so collected should be deposited in the central treasury for onward distribution to the qualified beneficiaries.

The beneficiaries, are contained in Qur’an 9 verse 60 as follows: “Verily, Sadaqah (obligatory alms) are only for the poor and the needy and those who work on its collection and those whose hearts are to be reconciled (i.e. new converts) and to free those in bondage and the heavily indebted and in the path of God and the wayfarers; a duty imposed by God; God is all-knowing, all seeing”.

The administration of Zakah to these people should be done by the State authorities in Islamic societies or the Muftis of each locality or Chief Imams of area Mosques in non-Islamic societies.

Baba Adini of Lagos at 90

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ife is not what one makes from it but what one puts into it. And that is what constitutes a man’s footprint after he must have vacated the stage of life. The peregrination of life is such that no one knows whence he emanated or whither he is bound.

But as he cruises on he discovers that every stage in this ephemeral world is a transit through which every human being must pass. These transits are not vividly noticed until when the destination is finally reached and everyone is asked to render account of his passage at each transit.

As human beings, we all pray for long life without knowing its implications. For some people, long life is a blessing and for others, it is a curse. Living long is capable of providing opportunity to garner experience which may serve as a lesson for others either by warning them on the vanity of human wishes or by encouraging them or both. However, for better or for worse, long life is the wish of most human beings.

A distinguished Nigerian icon of rare scholarship attained the rare age of 90 years this week. He is Sheikh Abdul Hafeez Abou, the Baba Adini of Lagos. His sojourn on earth for four scores and a decade so far has become a chapter of reference in the history of Nigeria from which millions can draw experience.

His humility despite his towering stature is exemplary.

As a scholar of international repute and a silent philanthropist, Sheikh Abou has positively touched many lives to the glory of Allah. If he has cause to celebrate anything in life, it is definitely not birthday. This is because he knows that celebration of birthday only amounts to celebration of aristocracy which has no place in Islam. And perhaps that is why he only chose to concur with some friends and family members who organized a ‘Thank You Allah’ Dua’u for him today at the Lagos City Hall.

Hailing from the famous Muhammad Nolla family of Ita Akanni, Lagos Island, this quiet and contented icon has traversed virtually all the firmaments of human life juxtaposing materialism with pragmatism through the concatenations of a realistic life and drawing the best experience from both sides of the world. There is much more to celebrate in the life of this icon than mere birthday.

That Sheikh Abou graduated from one of the oldest universities in the world (the prestigious Al-Azhar University, Cairo, established in 967 CE), where he obtained a Licentiate in Islamic Law following a degree in Arabic and Islamic Studies as far back as 1958, can only be considered just as a flake in his numerous achievements. A teacher of teachers, a preacher of preachers and a scholar emeritus, Sheikh Abou is a formidable tree of intellectualism on which the foliage of many Islamic scholars in Nigeria depends. A well travelled gentleman, he actively participated in many international conferences such as the first World Afro- Asian Writers conference held variously at Tashkent (Soviet Union) and Peking (China), as well as the All African Peoples Conference held in Accra Ghana.

At the national level, he was appointed a member of the Governing Council of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi, a member of the Fatwa Committee of the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, the National Committee on Shari‘ah and the Council of ‘Ulamau of Nigeria. And the position of Baba Adini of Lagos came to him recently as a glorious crown for many years of his meritorious service to mankind.

• Some facts about Baba Adini were extracted from a brief profile forwarded to this columnist by Professor TGO Gbadamosi, the Provost of Ansarud-Deen College of Education, Isolo, Lagos.

•Baba Adini

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THE NATION FRIDAY,AUGUST 31, 2012

SOCIETY

•The couple, Sadeeq and Baliqees

•Bride’s parents, Alhaji and Alhaja Rajee-Adenowo

•Groom’s parents, Alhaji and Alhaja Durosinmi-Etti

•Sheikh Abou

•Alhaji Alabi-Macfoy PHOTOS: SOLOMON ADEOLA

The Lagos Central Mosque, Idumota, Lagos Island was filled to the brim last Sunday when its General Secretary, Alhaji Muhammad Saliah Rajee-Adenowo, gave out his daughter in marriage to Sadeeq, son of Alhaji Abdul Lateef DurosinmiEtti. AMIDU ARIJE and AMINAT ADESINA report.

Sadeeq reciprocated, sealing it with kisses.

ARLY that morning both families gathered at the Lagos Central Mosque for the introduction. It was anchored by Imam Abdul Fatahi Popoola. After the introduction, the bridal train moved to the mosque’s auditorium for the wedding. Members of both families wore eye-popping attires. The bride’s family shone in golden yellow; the groom looked resplendent in blue.

A cleric, Imam Saba Abdul Barry, delivered the sermon before joining the couple in matrimony.

He urged the couple to tolerate each other, saying that is a way to a successful marital life.

The Imam also advised them to hold on the Quran and allow it to guide their affairs.

He declared the couple husband and wife

E

‘My dream has come true’ after completing the rites of marriage.

The exchange of rings was co-ordinated by the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Religious Matters (Islam), Alhaji Gafar Shakiru.

The bride, Baliqees, a final year student of Economics at the Ekiti State University (EKSU), was the cynosure of all eyes. She was all smiles. According to her, their love story started about five years ago. A journey she thought at first was a joke turned out to be real.

The groom, Sadeeq, a business man, exuded joy.

BIRTHDAY

•The celebrator, Mr Anthony Idehin flanked by Linda Igoma and Revd Gabriel Agule during his 80th birthday at St Agnes Catholic Church, Maryland, Lagos.

The reception was anchored by Wale Hassan of Radio Lagos/Eko FM. The event was chaired by the Bashorun of Lagos, Alhaji Sikiru Alabi-Macfoy. He advised the couple that communication is a vehicle for a successful marriage.

He urged the couple to understand each other in order to strengthen their union. He supervised the cutting of the three-layer cake.

Afterwards, the couple fed each other.

Baliqees moved gently to pick the cake to feed her husband. This she did on her knees; a symbol of respect to the husband.

The bride described the wedding as “a dream comes true.” ‘’This is the day that I have been expecting and I thank God my dream of getting wedded one day came true,” she said.

She described the day as her happiest.

When it was dancing time, the bride with her father was the first to go on the stage; The groom joined later, followed by family members.

The bride’s father Alhaji Rajee-Adenowo urged the couple to tolerate each other.

The groom’s father Alhaji Durosinmi-Etti, was also happy over the success of the ceremony. He urged the couple to be prayerful.

Guests on the occasion included the Baba Adini of Lagos Sheikh Abdul Hafeez Abou, Alhaji Sinari Daranijo and Mr Akin Akinsowon, among others.

FUNERAL

•From left: Adegbite Johnson; Dr Femi Shobanjo; Mrs Onsanya Oluremi and Adewunmi Ajayi during the funeral service of Mrs Edith Agboola Ayinka Ajayi at Jehovah Jireh African Church, PHOTO: ABIODUN WILLIAMS Surulere, Lagos.

THE NATION FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2012

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SOCIETY 50TH WEDDING ANNIVERSARY OF SIR SIMEON AND LADY VICTORIA OGUNTIMEHIN AT ST. ANNE’S ANGLICAN CHURCH, IBADAN

•From left: Former Military Governor of Lagos State, Gen. Mobolaji Johnson, Chief Simeon Oguntimehin, his wife Victoria and Oludeko of Udoko, Oba Samuel Adeyemi Akinmosure

•Prof and Justice Akin Mabogunje

•From left: Media Consultant of ICPC, Mr. Folu Olamiti and Former Chairman of ICPC, Justice Emmanuel Ayoola

•Otunba Adekunle Ojora and his wife Erelu Ojuolape

•Prof Akinkugbe and his wife Janet

•From right: Mr Tayo Oyetibo (SAN); Mr Kola Oguntimehin; Mr Kunle Oguntimehin; Mrs Tola Oluwasola-Alao and Mr Shola Alao

•From left: Former Archbishop of Methodist of Nigeria, Bishop Ayo Ladigbolu, Mrs Roselin Akindele, Mrs Olabisi Akindele and Baba Ijo of Methodist Church, Agbeni, Sir Bode Akindele

•From left: Mrs Biola Tayo-Oyetibo, Mr Rotimi Owonubi and Mrs Nike Owonubi PHOTOS: FEMI ILESANMI

THE NATION FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2012

39

SOCIETY

•From right: Akwa Ibom Deputy Governor, Nsima Ekere (right) with Oron Local Government Chairman Orman Esin

•Governor Akpabio consoling wife of the deceased Mrs Ani Oyong

Tears flowed at the funeral of former Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for Youths and Sports Pastor Oyong Asuquo, in his Oron Country home, writes KAZEEM IBRAHYM

T

HE atmosphere was tense. People wore long faces. Many broke down in tears as they bade farewell to the late Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for Youths and Sports, Pastor Oyon Asuquo.

Governor Godswill Akpabio led members of his executive council to the funeral of Asuquo, who was described as the pillar of Oron politics.

A large number of sleek cars drove into Oron as early as 7 am, heading for the township stadium, venue of the funeral. Security was tight and people were screened before entering.

Many spoke glowingly of Asuquo’s contributions to the community development.

Some claimed he left the stage early.

His widow, Ani, fought back tears as she watched the crowd that gathered at the Stadium to pay their last respects to her husband.

The children, Comfort, Miracle, Samuel and David, were also still in shock over their father’s death.

The youth of the town were seen in groups lamenting the demise of Asuquo, who they described as their benefactor.

The deceased’s remains were later moved to his country home in Idua where the final dust-to-dust rites were performed.

In his homily, the Prelate of A.M.E. Zion Church, Prof Uduak Effiong, urged the guests to be God-fearing.

Prof Effiong reminded them that one day, they would be called by their creator to give account of their sojourn on earth.

Reading from the Bible, the academicturned cleric urged Christians to help oth-

An ex-commissioner goes home ers while alive, noting that such fellowship served as a yardstick for measuring individuals during funeral and final judgment.

He acknowledged that to every mortal, there is a time to be born and a time to die; adding that what was more important is the legacy left behind.

As a father, he said, the late Asuquo raised the next generation and as a Christian, the deceased gave his best resources to the service of God and humanity.

Rev. Effiong enjoined Christians not be self-centred, but to live a life that would add value to the church, government and the community at large.

Clad in a black suit with a pair of sun glasses, Akpabio enjoined Akwa Ibomites, especially the youth to emulate the selfless qualities of the deceased.

‘Oyong contributed in no small measure to what we termed today in Akwa Ibom as uncommon transformation. A lot of work has been done in Oron, a lot still need to be done. We still need men of honour and integrity like the late Oyong Asuquo to continue from where we will stop’

T

Obsequies

A

Lecture

CTIVITIES marking the Third edition of the annual Gani Fawehinmi programme will start on Saturday with a rally and road show. It will terminate at the Gani Fawehinmi Freedom Park, Ojota, Lagos. The event is organised by the Gani Fawehinmi Memorial Organisation.

It will climax on Wednesday ext week with a public lecture to be delivered by Prof Tam David West and Femi Falana at the Banquet Hall, Airport Hotel, Ikeja Lagos.

be done. We still need men of honour and integrity like late Oyong Asuquo to continue from where we will stop.”

In his condolence message, the Nigerian Ambassador to the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus, Chief Assam Assam (SAN), expressed shock over Asuquo’s death.

Assam said the deceased sowed good seeds which Akwa Ibom would harvest.

“The late Asuquo was a strong and veritable politician committed to the party,” he said.

The Commissioners and Special Advisers jointly read their condolence message through their leader, Don Etim.

Etim, Commissioner for Works, said the deceased represented virtues of goodness, humility, stewardship and exemplary, which endeared him to his colleagues in the state Executive Council.

“We enjoin all to take solace in the positive character of Asuquo. We pray that the Lord will continue to console his family,” he said.

Apostle Etim Ante, w spoke for the youth, said the legacy the deceased left shall remain enduring, adding that his good deeds shall be carefully preserved in the archives of achievers.

Condolence messages also came from Oro Union, the Maritime Academy of Nigeria (MAN), the National Youth Council of Nigeria, and Mboho Mkparawa Ibibio.

WHAT AND WHERE? Convocation Day HE Methodist Church of Nigeria, Diocese

of Ogbomoso, Oyo State will on Sunday hold the second edition of its Diocesan Biennial Harvest and Thanksgiving Service at the church premises.

It will also feature the graduation of the pioneer students of the diocese’s School of Evangelism and Mission which holds at the Victoria Chapel of the headquarters of the church.

•The late Chief Fawehinmi

He described him as a leader with landmark achievements even at a tender age.

Akpabio said: “The late commissioner for youths and sports invested time, resources and energy in search of happiness, equity for his fatherland with “dazzling” qualities that endeared people to him even in death.

“The late Asuquo fought a good fight of faith and the life which he lived should be emulated by his children and everyone related to him. The deceased played his role well while serving the government as a commissioner and he impacted positively on the lives of thousands of Akwa Ibom youths who depended on him.

“Oyong contributed in no small measure to what we termed today in Akwa Ibom as uncommon transformation. A lot of work has been done in Oron, a lot still need to

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OLY Michael Jah Spiritual Church, Saka, Alagbado, Lagos will hold its founder’s day anniversary with a thanksgiving service on Sunday at its church auditorium, 25, Segun Adetiba Road, Old Abeokuta Expressway, Ajegunle, Lagos.

Founder/Shepherd in Charge, Revd Mathew Oluwasegun Olorunda, will be ministering with the Founder, Come Unto Me Evangelical Church Worldwide, Prophet Taiwo Ojo.

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•Oba Akiolu

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ODAY, the Lagos State Muslim Council will hold a special Quran recital and Tafsir in honour of the Baba Adini of Lagos, Sheikh Abdul Hafeez Abou as part of activities marking his 90th birthday.

The event will hold at H.A.B. Fashinro Banquet (Lagos City Hall) on Catholic Mission Street, Lagos.

Among the guests expected are Lagos State Governor Mr Babatunde Raji Fashola; Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu; Lagos paramount ruler Oba Rilwan Akiolu.

HE final burial of Madam Susan Olamisewo Ajibade (Nee Fadairo) will hold today.

Her remains will be interred after a funeral service at St. Mary Catholic Cathedral, Oke Paadi, Ibadan, Oyo State.

The late Madam Ajibade was aged 85.

Birthday

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Burial ODAY, the wake keep for the late Prince Justus Adeyemi Olusegun Osokoya will hold at Osokoya villa, Eyinwa, Odogbolu, Ogun State. It will be followed tomorrow

with a funeral service at the Cathedral Church of St. Paul, Odogbolu. His interment will hold at Osokoya Villa, Eyinwa, Odogbolu and guests will be entertained immediately after the interment at St. Paul School field, Eyinwa, Odogbolu, Ogun State.

•Olorunda

THE NATION FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2012

40

SOCIETY FUNERAL OF ALHAJA ABIMBOLA ABEKE AKANDE AT LABOD CIVIC EVENT CENTRE, IBADAN, OYO STATE

•Ekiti State Deputy Governor Mrs Funmi Olayinka and her husband Arch Lanre Olayinka

•Ekiti State Chief of Staff Mr Yemi Adaramodu and his wife Toyin

•The deceased’s son-in-law, Mr Keyinde Afolabi (left) and Mr Kunle Ajibade of The News magazine •The daughter of the deceased, Mrs Titi Afolabi, flanked by Senator Babafemi Ojudu and his wife, Tola

•Mr Akin (left) and Mr Sola Fasakin

•From right: Mrs Toyin Afolabi; Mrs Dupe Ogunremi; Madam Eunice Afolabi, and Fisayo Afolabi

•Chairman, Ekiti State Univesal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Prof Modupe Adelabu

•Mrs Toyin Ajakaye (left) and Chief Ronke

•Justice Toyin Abodunde

•From left:Chairman of Godfather Hotel and Suites, Ado-Ekiti, Mr Raimi Shittu, Mr Jide Ajayi and Mr Fred Ologuntoye

••From left: Chief Executive Officer, Peace Motors, Lagos, Victor Awobiye; Mr Bola Alegbeleye and Bankole Jegede, Managing Director of BJEG Electrical Engineers PHOTOS: FEMI ILESANMI

Rooney vows to stay at Man U

Ronaldo thrilled with

Supercopa boost

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RISTIANO Ronaldo has expressed delight with Real Madrid's 2-1 home win over Barcelona in the second leg of their Supercopa encounter.

Real were beaten 3-2 in the first leg, but early goals from Gonzalo Higuain and the Portuguese winger put the Santiago Bernabeu side 4-3 up on aggregate.

Lionel Messi then pegged one back from a free kick, but it was not enough for Barca as Real came out victorious on the away goals rule.

Ronaldo believes that winning their first title of the season at the expense of their arch-rivals is a real confidence boost for his side.

"We started well and we scored two quick goals that gave us confidence," he said.

"We played well and created many chances. In the second half we slowed the tempo because we were tired, but we deserved to win.

"We won an important trophy.

It gives us confidence and we have to celebrate it. We cannot slip up in La Liga because we know that Barcelona are very strong."

Full-back Alvaro Arbeloa was equally pleased with Real's display and urged his teammates to show a similar attitude in La Liga.

"I'm very happy, we played an amazing match. We should have won by more because we created many chances; the important thing was to win the match and give our fans something to cheer about, which they deserved.

"This is the attitude everyone wants and we are the first to know it, not just against Barcelona, but every week in the Liga."

•Ronaldo

•Rooney

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AYNE ROONEY last night vowed to stay and fight for his future at Manchester United.

SunSport revealed at the weekend that there was tension between the striker and boss Alex Ferguson during pre-season.

That led to the star being

"We started well and we scored two quick goals that gave us confidence. We played well and created many chances. In the second half we slowed the tempo because we were tired, but we deserved to win. We won an important United may be ready to cash in dropped for the visit of Fulham on on the £50million asset unless he trophy. It gives us confidence and we have to Saturday — and put a big question bucks his ideas up when he returns. celebrate it. We cannot slip up in La Liga mark over his Old Trafford future.

The arrival of £22m star Robin because we know that Barcelona are very But last night defiant Rooney van Persie means Fergie has plenty tweeted: “Heard what people have to of striking options in his squad, strong." say — absolute rubbish #heartostay.

Here sorry.”

The England hitman, 26, faces up to two months out after gashing his thigh during his appearance as a sub against Fulham.

including Danny Welbeck and Javier Hernandez.

And manager Fergie also appeared to take a dig at Rooney in his programme notes at the weekend.

Real Madrid's striker, Cristiano Ronaldo expressing happiness at defeating arch rivals FC Barcelona in the Supercopa on Wednesday night.

Defoe signs

new contract 42

Friday, August 31, 2012

until 2015

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OTTENHAM striker Jermain Defoe signed a new contract until 2015, the Premier League soccer club said on its website.

Defoe, 29, has scored 119 goals for Spurs to rank 10th in club history. He made his 300th appearance for Tottenham in last weekend’s 1-1 Premier League tie with West Brom.

Defoe also has 16 goals in 49 games for the England national team. He was today named to the squad for next month’s opening World Cup qualifiers against Moldova and Ukraine.

•Terry

WORLD CUP QUALIFIERS

Terry named in England squad J

OHN TERRY is back for England — despite fighting an FA race charge for his Anton Ferdinand row.

Terry is due at Wembley to answer a charge of “using abusive language with reference to ethnic origin” against QPR defender

Ferdinand.

Despite that, Roy Hodgson had vowed to pick Terry for the two World Cup qualifiers against Ukraine and Moldova next week.

And Terry, 31, has been named in the squad after beating a neck injury.

•Defoe

Terry’s Chelsea team-mates Ryan Bertrand and Daniel Sturridge are also in the 24-man party.

And Sunderland winger Adam Johnson is recalled to the set-up following his £10million move from Manchester City.

Paralympics...Paralympics...Paralympics...Paralympics... OTHER SPORT...

Pistorius also competes Jonathan Fox, Sarah Storey Murray beats set world records in Paralympics Dodig to reach

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HE London Paralympics got underway Wednesday with Oscar Pistorius as one of Games’ star athletes.

Known as the “Blade Runner” because he runs on two carbon fiber blades, Pistorius last month became the first amputee sprinter to compete at any Olympics.

The affable 25-year-old is hoping to draw on his Olympic experience —he advanced to the 400m semifinals — as he defends his gold medal Paralympic titles in the 100m, 200m and 400m.

Arguably the world’s most famous Paralympian, the sprinter is known for his sheer athletic dominance and his long battle to compete in able-bodied competitions.

Ahead of the 2008 Beijing Olympics, he successfully fought to overturn the international

track and field federation's ban that said his prosthetic legs gave him an unfair advantage.

At a press conference here this week, he downplayed his chances in the 100m, where he faces fierce competition from sprinters including the U.S.’s Jerome Singleton.

Born without fibulae, the South African had both legs amputated below the knee before his first birthday.

However, he recently said when kids ask him how he lost his legs, he sometimes jokes it was because he didn’t eat his vegetables.

•Pistorius

BRITISH athletes Jonathan Fox and Sarah Storey broke world records on day one of the London 2012 Paralympic Games as China won the first gold medal.

Swimmer Fox set London's first world record, before cyclist Storey broke her own time in the C5 individual pursuit.

BBC 2012 at the Olympic Park On day one of Paralympic sport, organisers want to keep the focus on the action and not any issues around it.

One focus is on explaining lesser-known sports such as boccia to an audience enthused by British success, but unfamiliar with the Paralympics. Videos and AZs are being rolled out.

Some empty seats are expected, largely due to the nature of day passes that allow spectators to dip in and out of various sports at one venue.

Similarly, crowd problems are anticipated at events in which the host nation is competing - a queuing system will be in place for those.

But as with the Olympics, there's a sense that once home medals start being won, the sport will over-ride any logistical grumbles.

Chinese shooter Cuiping Zhang clinched the first of Thursday's 28 available gold medals in the R2 10m air rifle.

Di Coates, 58, was one of Britain's biggest gold medal hopes in the same event, but failed to reach the final.

British swimmer Nyree Kindred set a new Paralympic record in the S6 100m backstroke within the first hour of the Games.

About 4,200 athletes from 164 countries, including 300 from the home nation, will compete in 21 sports across the next 11 days.

third round

ANDY Murray waltzed his way into the US Open third round in the early hours of this morning with one of the most straightforward wins of his career.

His opening triumph against Alex Bogomolov saw the Brit ace put through the mill in nasty, humid conditions here.

But last night on a cool Big Apple evening, the world No4 once again showed the gaping chasm which exists between the top players and the also rans.

This 6-2 6-1 6-3 win in one hour and 50 minutes over Croat Ivan Dodig was just what the doctor ordered after that real test with Bogomolov.

Murray won’t reappear until Saturday afternoon.

Perfect time to chill, train and get ready for sterner battles ahead.

•Murray Dodig tried his best.

He attempted to go toe to toe with the Scot.

The problem was, Murray was just too good.

FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2012

43

POLITICS THE NATION

E-mail:- politics@thenationonlineng.net

Dr Agagu is the immediate past governor of Ondo State. In this interview with AUGUSTINE AVWODE and SEGUN AJIBOYE, he talks about his expectations in the October 20 governorship election in the state; why he thinks the PDP will win and his impression about the state of things in the ‘Sunshine State’.

All we have in Ondo now are fancy W projects, says Agagu

HAT are the expectations of your party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in next month’s governorship election in Ondo State?

The expectation of the PDP is that we will win the contest. And this expectation is not farfetched because it is based on very reasonable grounds. The PDP has a candidate, Olusola Oke, who is very well-known in the politics of Ondo State, having served in many capacities, both in the state and at the national level. To most people, he has discharged his responsibilities creditably. The PDP was the ruling party in the state, and now that the people have had the opportunity to compare real progress, I mean progress for today and tomorrow, that was made in the state between 2003 and 2009, and what they can observe today as impact of government on the people, both for today and for tomorrow, I think every reasonable Ondo State citizen knows that the difference is clear.

What is the difference between then and now?

From my interaction with the people, they are not happy as their economic well-being has taken a down-turn. They cannot see any hope in the horizon. Infrastructure around them is beginning to decay from the level where it was before. Those who had good roads no longer have them because they have depreciated. You know every road needs to be maintained. The road projects started by my administration were discontinued. Those who had good water supply, especially through the network of solarpowered boreholes, don’t have them anymore because the maintenance culture that was put in place was jettisoned. The expectations of the people to have pipe-borne water in their homes in the entire central senatorial district of six local government areas; which was about to happen by the time the PDP administration left, has been dashed because the government jettisoned the Owena multi-purpose dam project. It a very comprehensive agricultural revival programme that goes through farm settlement centres in every local government, horticulture farm, hatchery in each of the three senatorial districts to produce five million fingerlings each to help our people in aquaculture.

The one that is in Akure is not running very well; the one in Okitipupa, though completed, has not been commissioned by the government and the one in Owo has been jettisoned. The oil palm company that was working before is nowhere, the Ifon Ceramic and the Oluwa Glass companies that were about to be revived through injection of new capital by well-established companies was jettisoned, the Omotosho/Oluwa Industrial Park has been jettisoned, the Olokola Free Trade Zone, which was meant to energize industrial development, not only in Ondo State or Nigeria, but in West Africa has been jettisoned. We can go on and on. Enlightened people understand these things. They also understand why the economy is on the downturn, and therefore, they all think this administration must change. Those who are not literate enough to know why the economic downturn is there can feel it, and they all believe that the administration must change.

But it won’t come on a platter of gold. It is going to be tough. But we have the best product on offer, a good candidate and a past that the people now know is better than the present.

Don’t you think the incumbent factor will come into play?

The outcome of an election depends on a number of factors, and there is no doubt that you have an advantage as an incumbent. You have the government functionaries, which even to a fair-minded governor, can still be used to advantage. But this can also be abused by people with less virtues. They also have contacts with the security chiefs in the state, and the workers would be afraid of talking ill of a sitting governor, while the obas, even while they are not happy, cannot come to say it. The governor has a lot of money in his hands to play with, which of course is not available to other candidates.

However, in spite of all these, I think democracy has matured and the people are beginning

• Agagu addressing a PDP rally in Akure recently

to know the importance of governance in their lives, and they now know that they should take their destinies into their own hands. So, even if you have a huge incumbency advantage, if the people don’t think that you are doing well, they will look for a way to remove you. So, there is a limit to incumbency factor as it does not mean you’ll always win as an incumbent. It depends on the works of your hands.

What do you find disagreeable with the present set-up?

Governance is about improving the quality of the lives of the people. There are several things you can do. You can paint your roads with gold if you like, but is that the best thing to do to a single road when there are millions of people who don’t have access to their homes, especially in the riverine areas? If you want to build schools, it should be for improvement of quality of education of the people, in terms of the number of people who will benefit from it and in terms of the quantum of benefit they will see. So, if there are millions of people, in the nooks and crannies of the state, who don’t have access to good educational facilities, and you go to a school that is already beautiful inside town and you make it more beautiful, are you improving the lots of the people in terms of efficiency? If there is an agricultural programme that is built to support farmers around the state, and you then decide to build three fanciful centres in a state, is that of any benefit to the people? Everybody knows that the greatest challenge of the country today, even in Africa and the world, is unemployment.

Anybody who means well for his people should see that as the number-one problem. So, the roads you’ll build should be targeted towards reducing unemployment; your agricultural programme should be targeted towards reducing unemployment or improving the pockets of the masses. Your health programme should be targeted towards reaching far and wide to make the people well to make them fit enough to work and get employed. You must design

your economic programme to enhance productivity, create industries or ventures that will reduce unemployment. So anything that you do that doesn’t conform to these is like a fancy show.

And you are really concerned ...

I am concerned about the future of our people, not only in Ondo State but in Nigeria. Take Ondo State as an example, if the total revenue of the state is, say, N100 million in a year, made up of statutory allocation from Abuja and Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), what is indigenous to Ondo State is the IGR. In most states of Nigeria, except for Lagos and a few other states, the IGR is less than five per cent. And as a petroleum geologist, I am scared of that because I know that the 95 per cent, which comes from Abuja, is substantially made of oil income.

And even if you are not a geologist, you know that the oil cannot be there forever. So, what happens when the oil dries up or it starts to diminish? Where do you go when this happens? You must, therefore, do things today which in 10 years time would expand the economy. These were the economically sound basis for our governance. But all that is no longer there. You don’t derive this by building bus-stops, or by building fountains; you don’t derive that from halls, you don’t derive that from market stalls when you don’t have the goods to display in the markets. And you don’t derive that by putting air conditioner in one room in a motor park or from building an auto mart where people sell used cars or cars that were thrown away in Europe. So, to me, if we are thinking of the quality of life of the people, the government got it wrong. All it has embarked upon are just fancy projects.

Fancy projects like which one?

I hear people now go out to look at the fountain in Akure. You may say that there are people in Akure who have never seen a fountain. For them, it is novel. But they would go back to their homes and drink bad water because there is no good water in most parts of Akure, and

‘We lack an efficient security network to handle the security challenges of the country. So, we need to work harder in terms of intelligence gathering; we need to work harder in terms of making life more meaningful to the people, and we need to work harder to expand the economic base of the country in order to ensure that people get jobs to do’

indeed in about 90 per cent of Ondo central senatorial district. I would rather not build that fountain if there are conflicting demand on money. I would use part of the money to complete the reticulation of the Owena multi-purpose dam water, which is a 30 million gallons water supply every day. We had built the dam through our effort. We got the Federal Government to build it for us after abandonment of 40 years. The water treatment plant had been completed and designed to transmit and reticulate the water to all of Ifedore, Akure South, Akure North and Idanre council areas. By the time we would have done that, the present water supply at Owena-Ondo road would have been diverted to Ondo east and west. So, the six local government areas would have had their water problems solved for life within one year. But when you jettison that and you are building one fountain at one location, of what economic benefit to the people is that? You’ll be surprised very soon that the people would go and fetch water from the fountain to use because they don’t have good water to use in their homes. So these projects are misplaced priorities.

So, you are not comfortable with the beautification projects at this point in time ...

Not just that, today, the Sunshine Stars, the state-owned football team, plays its home matches in Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State. We had a stadium in Akure, it was not a bad stadium, but it was where we held most of our programmes.

And when we looked at the purse of the state, we started to build a new stadium which had a completion time of 24 months from June 2008, and we had paid 50 per cent to the contractor, while the balance of 50 per cent was in the bank.

So, two years from 2008, there would have been an old stadium that is well-maintained and a brand new state-of-the-art stadium. Unfortunately, the old one has been broken into pieces in the name of refurbishment, and the new one has been completely jettisoned. That does not make sense to me, and I don’t think it will make sense to anybody else, except for the author of that decision.

We had a banquet hall, which was a good hall to host state events. We also paid 50 per cent to the contactor, but the new government said it wanted a seventh wonder of the world dome, and jettisoned the banquet hall project. The money for the banquet hall is still with the contractor. That is definitely not good prioritization; it is not good management of state resources. I will not manage my own money like that, and I won’t expect any governor to manage the people’s money like that.

Do you think the government is losing the battle for the security of the country?

I don’t think we have lost the battle. I think the battle is only getting tougher and tougher in the sense that those things that tend to promote insecurity are getting more and more potent in the country. They are things like poverty, increase in number of unemployed youths, political differences and politicians who are more pecuniary in their thinking than in terms of rendering service to the people, a declining global economy and a national economy that is showing growth without visible development. Many factories have been turned into Churches. If you drive round the industrial areas in the country, you don’t get increase in number of industries; rather you get increase in the number of industries that have been shut. In some parts of the country, you see young children who should be in school roaming the streets. They are ready materials for violence, a sure pot of gun powder and willing tools in the hands of those who are unhappy with the system. Those in charge of security might be doing their best, but we have left undone many things which ought to have been done. We lack an efficient security network to handle the security challenges of the country.

So, we need to work harder in terms of intelligence gathering; we need to work harder in terms of making life more meaningful to the people, and we need to work harder to expand the economic base of the country in order to ensure that people get jobs to do.

THE NATION FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2012

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POLITICS By 2014, the Anambra people will return to the polls to elect a new governor. However, of the three senatorial districts in the state, Anambra North is yet to occupy the Government House. Dr. Alex Obiogbolu, a medical practitioner, member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and one of the contenders for the number-one job, recently spoke to journalists on why it is the zone’s turn to occupy the Government House. MUSA ODOSHIMOKHE was there.

‘Anambra North has people qualified to govern the state’

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ITH 2014 not far away, none of the known contenders warming up for the state’s number one job is from Anambra North. Does it mean the zone has no qualified people?

Unfortunately, I can’t agree with the insinuations in your question.

Who is defining the words ‘known contenders’? Every part of the state is filled with men and women who are capable of taking our state and the country to greater heights. When you look at Anambra North senatorial zone in particular, as you are wont to do in this case, there still remain intelligent, experienced, learned and capable leaders who have contributed and continue to contribute to the nation’s growth and who can take our state, Anambra to economic and social prosperity.

You claim to have the people but the rest of the state doesn’t seem to believe you?

It is not true that Anambra North does not have capable persons to be governor of our state. Anambra has a population of 4.18 million of which 1.2 million reside in the North zone.

For a zone that has produced a former President of Nigeria, icon and nationalist, a former senate president, former ambassadors, commonwealth athletes, sports icons and business moguls, it will be incorrect and deceitful if anyone or group, states that there are no persons capable of running the affairs of Anambra state as the governor.

What criteria did they employ? Is it educational background? Is it cognate experience in public service and administration? Is it physical stature or beauty, oratory skills or the financial capacity to run an election?

It is only when I understand the yardsticks the people making this claim have employed that I can respond appropriately.

On the second part of the question, I am not unaware that some politicians and persons in their quest to score cheap political points, allege that the aspirants from Anambra North don’t have the kind of money that others from other zones have, and therefore can’t ever become governor of Anambra State. You will note that I termed it an allegation, and called it cheap political points because this is the kind of vice and ill-thoughts we are trying to stamp out in this country. Some people seem to brag and intimidate others that the governorship of Anambra state is solely available to those that own billions of naira.

This line of thought has continued to cast Anambra in bad light since the present civilian administration.

It is unfortunate that some people would rather brag about the depth of their pocket than telling us about the range of their vision for the state.

This is what has continued to fuel corruption in Nigeria, that even the younger ones coming into politics come with the mindset of being served than to serve, and to alleviate their own poverty than the poverty in the land.

Who are the prominent personalities in your zone that can be thrown up?

Let me reassure you that in Anambra State are many heroes and heroines on whose back the burden of this state have been placed. Many of them, despite the insecurity, reside and do business in this state and pay their taxes by which our leaders run the state. Therefore, in my mind,

• Obiogbolu

there are so many personalities.

Many of them carry the passion to lead the state as governor. However, there can be only one governor at any time, and persons like me have been offering our manifesto, campaigning to be given the opportunity to lead the state despite years of service in other positions in the leadership of our great state. Let me also interject that the reason you see many aspirants at any time, when they know there can only be one at anytime is healthy but we need to have a governor who will take his vision from “me” to “we”; beyond a one-man show. We need someone who can mobilize and delegate responsibilities to others, as it does not matter how intelligent or experienced a leader is, if he is unable to achieve results through people. We cannot afford the luxury of a leader at war with others, chasing people away from governance as he accuses everyone of wanting to come and steal in his government. He sees the government as an extension of his business concern not as a public company for public good.

But when last you contested your people did not rally round persons like yourself or Prof Ilochi Okafor.

Don’t you think this is one of your major challenges?

Again, this is one of the mis-representations some people bandy around. Remember that we all have to first emerge from political parties before one can contest the governorship as stipulated by the constitution. So, the issue of not getting support from our zone does not arise. We are all witnesses to the fact that the party primary in 2010 in the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) which I belong was terminated midway by some persons who successfully frustrated the process.

I have always believed that thousands of our loyal party members understand who carries their vision, their passion for the development of the state and the peaceful growth of PDP, and I have never been angry with them or spiteful of my fellow members because I know that if they were given the opportunity to freely elect their candidate, the person who will get majority of their endorsement shall be me. This does not impugn on the ability of my fellow aspirants to be good governorship candidates also. So, the major challenge for all of us including me is our party offering us

more transparency as was done in Edo, and Bayelsa states recently.

Some may argue that these primaries where delegates went and cast their votes may not have met acceptable standards, but were it to be done in Anambra state in 2013, it will be a miracle that will rejuvenate the party.

What alliance is your zone forming to ensure the rest of the zones support you?

That question is better channeled to the political and social leaders in our zone as I have been campaigning to all the 177 communities, 21 local government areas and three senatorial zones. My constituency is the 4.177 million people resident in Anambra State.

Some people say it doesn’t really matter where the next governor comes from as long as he is good...

Agreed, but I go further to state two facts. The Constitution that binds us together states explicitly in Section 14 that Nigeria shall be a state based on the principles of democracy and social justice, wherein the composition of the Government of the Federation or any of it’s agencies and the conduct of its affairs shall be carried out in such a manner as to reflect the federal character, thereby eschewing the predominance of persons from a particular section, tribe or ethnic area. Secondly, Article 7 Section 2c of the PDP constitution makes it mandatory, not optional, that all without exception, elective and party offices shall be rotated and zoned also with the goal to achieve unity and peace in a multi ethnic growing nation. My support for the election of the president as those who refuse to be better informed would point to, is within the tenets of the party constitution.

Nowhere in our party constitution is it stated that the zoning is NorthSouth but what were stated clearly were the six zones. My understanding is that the South- West and NorthWest had taken their turns, and nothing stopped I and others from supporting the South-South, and nothing stops the South-East from taking their turn after the South-South.

Therefore as someone who believes in the rule of law, I subscribe to zoning and would apply it appropriately, otherwise you may be a governor and appoint three commissioners from your local government in a 10-man cabinet under the guise of competence.

LagosACNrestatesneed forstatepolice

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HE Lagos State chapter of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) has said that for Nigeria to effectively tackle the enormous security challenges facing the country at present, state police is a necessity. The party says that with the gross failure of the Nigerian Police Force to rise to the widespread security challenges in Nigeria, opposition to state police is waning and the idea should be given due attention, In a statement in Lagos by the Lagos State Publicity Secretary of the party, Joe Igbokwe, the party said that with each opposition to the idea of state police, various challenges arise each day to answer the poser thrown by those who do not want the idea to see the light of the day. It advises that no further delay should be tolerated in putting the idea into practice.

“When Lagos started and sustained the campaign for state police, our concern then was to have enough well-trained capacity to deal with the challenges of ensuring the security of lives and properties in a complex state as Lagos. We note that many Nigerians opposed this on clearly partisan reasons and not on the demerits of the demand. We, however, note that with the widespread state of insecurity pervading the country at present, many of those that fiercely opposed the idea of state police have come to see the great and urgent need for it and have become fierce campaigners for the policy.

“We note that through the hard work and proactive inclination of the Lagos State government, the security challenges that prompted the demand for state police in Lagos have been contained while newer theaters of insecurity have arisen to give fillip to the demand. We therefore state that there is a national demand for state police as a panacea for the expanding state of insecurity facing Nigeria at present. We demand that as an experiment, state police should be tried in Lagos and two other cities for a period of ten years and from there, Nigerians will determine the viability or otherwise of the idea of state police.

We are saying this because we are mindful of the fact that if Lagos is given such opportunity, the state will build the most efficient, most functional, most responsive, most active and most proactive police force in Africa.

“Lagos ACN wants to state, for the umpteenth time, that the present Nigerian police are bogged down by monumental problems ranging from redundancy, inadequate training, dearth of equipment, nepotism, incompetence and weal control. These have made the police grossly incompetent to deal with the security problems that are staring Nigeria in the face today. A situation where control of state commands of the Nigerian Police still rests in a central command in Abuja is counter-productive to tackling the security problems of the country at present. We state that a situation where policemen who have little or no knowledge of their operational terrain and culture can only lead to the poor security harvest we are having at present.”

Progressive parties back Ajimobi on chairmen’s appointment

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HE Action Congress of Nigeria in Oyo State has expressed support for the appointment of Accord members as caretaker committee chairmen in two local government councils in the state by Governor Abiola Ajimobi.

The party said that the appointment was in fulfilment of the gentleman’s agreement between Ajimobi and the AP leader in the state, Senator Rasheed Ladoja.

This was contained in a statement issued in Ibadan by Hon. Dauda Kolawole, the party’s Publicity Secretary, after a meeting with all stakeholders of the affected Local Council Areas.

The party condemned in strong terms, the protest by a group of people who claim to be ACN militant youths over the appointment.

“We do not harbour or encourage hoodlums in ACN, Ours is a progressive party and we believe in adopting mature ways of settling our differences,” the statement said.

The party said that the implementation of the agreement had been delayed for over a year to avoid the betrayal suffered in 2003 when it entered a similar agreement with former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

It assured all party supporters that adequate consultation had been made and necessary precaution taken on the issue before the implementation by the governor.

“This is the first time in this country that a sitting governor will be opening his arms to embrace and bring in opposition parties to form government. This is worthy of emulation by all,” it added.

The party saluted the courage, uprightness and wisdom of Ajimobi in the administration of the state and prayed for more strength for him in his resolve to lead the state and the entire nation out of the doldrums.

It reiterated the need for the newly sworn in caretaker committee chairmen to be guided by the programmes and policies of ACN in the administration of their respective councils.

“Senator Ladoja and other AP members should see this as a unique privilege that must be appreciated. To whom much is given, much is expected,” the statement further said.

The party appealed for the understanding of all its members and indeed, members of the public, urging them not to allow themselves to be used by disgruntled elements to disrupt the existing peace in the state.

•From right: Delta State Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan, his deputy, Prof. Amos Utuama (SAN) and Senator James Manager during the 21st anniversary of the creation of the state in Asaba.

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Ekiti inaugurates HIV/ AIDS board

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KITI State government has inaugurated an agency for the management and control of HIV/AIDS. Speaking in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, during the inauguration, chairman of the agency and wife of the state governor, Erelu Bisi Fayemi, directed the board to explore options towards making the state free of HIV/AIDS. She further said that the high premium placed on health of the citizens has informed the timely delivery of a comprehensive health service to the people, including free health for all categories of the people in the state.

She recalled that Governor Kayode Fayemi, last year, signed a bill into law aimed at transforming the moribund SACA board to a more proactive agency alongside “seven other developmental bills” to ensure effective redress of issues arising from the scourge.

Congratulating members of the new board, Mrs. Fayemi lamented that despite “the political will and the capacity demonstrated by this administration to beat AIDs, we are still fighting prejudice, stigma, gender-based violence and AIDS-related deaths in the state.”

Continuing, she said: “I want to reiterate that the aspiration of this government is to ensure a state where no one gets infected, no one dies of treatable diseases, and no one faces discrimination for any health condition.

“I believe that, as a state, we have the capacity and the tools to stop HIV transmission, death, and discrimination. It is our collective responsibility as members •Continued from Page 13 The Bishop commended Obi’s courage in returning schools to the church and providing funds and logistics to rebuild them, something previous administrations lacked the courage to do. He also said that the provision of buses to schools had enhanced movement and academic activities in schools.

“Our commitment to education is total and we must continue to assist our schools,” said the governor while presenting cheques to principals of the different schools at the Women Development Centre, Awka.

From Sulaiman Salawudeen, Ado-Ekiti

of this august body to deliver these tools to every commmunity and person affected.

“The board is to provide leadership and advocacy; determine values, vision, purpose and policy for the agency; ensure management development strategies, policy and guidelines; facilitate robust state partnerships for resource mobilisationn, and judicious application,” among other equally important roles.

“It is my fervent belief that the only way out of this quagmire is to address those key drivers of the HIV epidemic which include low personal risk perception; multiple concurrent sexual partnerships; intense transactional and inter-generational sex; ineffective and inefficient service for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and inadequate access to and poor quality of healthcare, among others,” she said.

On the tendency of responsible international donor agencies and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to concentrate attention on high HIV/AIDS prevalence areas to the detriment of areas where it is low, the state Commissioner for Women Affairs, Social Development and Gender Empowerment, Mrs. Fola Richie-Adewusi said the agencies have to be prevailed upon for a change of opinion.

She further noted that to neglect low prevalence areas is to risk their graduating and degenerating to high incidence ones.

“Any school which already has a library, we want it upgraded; those without, we want them to have one. We want education sector to return to what it used to be before schools were taken over from the missionaries.”

Obi observed that most secondary schools in the state lack functional libraries which he said is a setback.

He called on traditional rulers, President Generals of town unions and other stakeholders to ensure that schools in their communities benefitted from the fund, adding that his administration will assist in developing education in the state.

•From left: Dr Evelyn Ngige, Coordinator, HIV/AIDS Division, Federal Ministry of Health; Mr Alex Ogundipe, Director, Policy and Strategy, National Agency for the Control of aids (NACA), and his deputy, Dr Funke Oki, at a retreat for NACA management in Enugu

Jos club partners task force on youth employment

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HE Rotary Club of Jos has concluded plans to partner with the Special Task Force (STF) in Plateau State in order to provide jobs for youths in Jos North Local Government Area. The move will help to curb restiveness in the area, it is reckoned.

The club’s President stated the partnership is necessary as the STF already has the Youths Empowerment Scheme (YES) in place and the collaboration would enable them reach out to more youths and impact them positively.

Disclosing this in Jos, the newly installed President of the club, Rotarian Nkechi Olubiyi, stressed that the club would, also in the Rotary year, construct boreholes, organise inter-school quiz and sports competitions as well as provide electricity in the communities to preach peace to the residents.

From Marie-Therese Nanlong, Jos

The new president who is the 42nd, said the club, in the new Rotary year tagged “peace through service”, will “make boreholes in Rukuba Road, organise quiz competitions and sporting events in schools, present radio sets to the School of the Blind in Jos, and also replace the damaged transformer in Rukuba Road to provide electricity for the School of the Deaf in the area”.

The STF Commander, MajorGeneral Henry Ayoola who commended the Rotary Club for the initiative, urged citizens of the state to contribute sacrificially to the society, saying “men and nations are great not by their wealth alone but with virtue as well”.

Ayoola decried the drive for instant gratification, adding that the society should be trained to

imbibe the values of delayed gratification because it is in dire need of people who would put others’ interest ahead of theirs for the good of all.

STF Commander, who commended the Rotary Club for the initiative, urged citizens of the state to contribute sacrificially to the society, saying men and nations are great not by their wealth alone but by virtue as well

Anambra prioritises infrastructure The governor announced that more computers would be given to more schools regardless of whether they are public or private, noting that education remained the most important tool for development.

Obi also said that Shell Petroleum Development Company would soon build an E-library in Awka which would complement the one the state government is putting up in Awka, the state capital.

The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Dr Mrs Ngozi Ezeike, emphasized the

importance of libraries in schools, saying that they serve as information centres and promote reading culture in children, in addition to acting as a storehouse of knowledge to teachers and students.

Dr Ezike said the state government has made a remarkable impact in the education sector, providing new buses for over 150 schools, two motorised boats for inspection in riverside schools, 30 KVA generating sets for over 125 secondary schools, recruiting 2000 teachers and support staff, among

other things.

“Every community in the state has felt the impact of this administration especially the unprecedented transformation in our secondary, primary and technical secondary schools as well as in the tertiary institutions,” she said.

The principal, Merchant of Light Secondary School, Oba, Idemili South, Mr Bartram Chibueze, said the establishment of the school library will improve quality of education and improve standards.

Every community in the state has felt the impact of this administration especially the unprecedented transformation in our secondary, primary and technical secondary schools as well as in the tertiary institutions

•The Founder of Kami-J Hearing and Speech-Impaired Foundation, Mrs. Motunrayo Mariam Johnson (right), presenting some of the items she donated to Igando Community Primary School 1, Lagos, to the Assistant Head of Department (Deaf and Dumb), Mrs. B.O. Jibefun, at the launch of the foundation

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Lawmaker promises to give more to constituency

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LAWMAKER representing Nsit Ubium Constituency in Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Onofiok Luke, has promised his people more dividends of democracy.

Luke spoke to reporters in Uyo, the state capital, as part of the activities marking the commencement of his second legislative year.

From Kazeem Ibrahym, Uyo

The lawmaker explained that he hoped to propose bills for the establishment of a College of Health Science and Technology.

According to him, the bill when passed into law, would help in the upgrading the School of Health Technology, School of Nursing and Midwifery to colleges so as to make

The programme is not just for people from Nsit Ubium State Constituency but for entire people of the state, as the three senatorial districts are represented. Also, members of Voluntary Youth Organisations and our representatives at the Nigerian Youth Parliament would be part of the programme

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HE Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi III has cheered up the family of the late football star, Sam Ojebode who passed on after a protracted battle with cancer.

The royal father built a house for the fallen star’s family, a gesture which also lifted the spirits of people across the state.

Ojebode, died last month after a long battle with lung cancer but he is yet to be buried. He was a captain of the IICC Shooting Stars Football Club of Ibadan and later Chairman, Board of Management of the club after it was renamed 3SC. The monarch brought joy to the family by completing the four bedroom bungalow the late footballer could not finish in his lifetime. Ojebode, according to family members, had laid the foundation of the house in 1976 but could not build it before his death.

He abandoned it at the foundation level.

The necessity for the completion, however, became pressing when he died and had no place he could call his own that he could be buried.

In finding a solution, Ojebode’s younger brother, Bamidele, approached the monarch for

them award higher degrees and make for professionalism in healthcare delivery.

In the last legislative year, the lawmaker said he had four proposals in conjunction with his fellow lawmakers which did not receive the attention of the house.

Luke said: “I intend to pursue vigorously the passage of the bills as they touch on major sectors of the state’s populace. They are: a bill for a law to protect the physically challenged, a bill for a law to prohibit the stigmatisation of people living with HIV/AIDS and a bill for a law to regulate sand dredging and other related matters, a bill for a law for safety and welfare of workers in construction companies.

“Another very important thing we intend to do is to undertake the vox pop (Voice of the People) elicitation process, preparatory to the constitutional amendment that is forthcoming. This is necessary as the people at the grassroots need to

understand and appreciate the pros and cons of the issues for the amendment.”

The lawmaker also revealed that all the constituency projects initiated by him were at various stages of completion and that their commissioning would be done in the second legislative year.

Luke, a former Speaker of the Nigerian Youth Parliament, said his internship programme, “The Onofiok Luke Legislative Internship Programme” (TOLLIP) would be a platform for the learning of the rudiments and basics of legislative activities, leadership development, entrepreneurship, finance, administration, among others.

He explained that the programme, which is to last for three months, is open for all Akwa Ibom fresh graduates with at least Second Class Lower degree and final year undergraduate with at least grade point average of 3.0.

“The interesting part of this is that

•Hon. Luke the programme is not just for people from my area of jurisdiction, being Nsit Ubium State Constituency but the entire state, as the three senatorial districts are represented, plus members of voluntary youth organisations and our representatives at the Nigerian Youth Parliament.”

Alaafin donates house to late cancer patient’s family From Tayo Johnson, Ibadan

assistance in completing the house in preparation for the burial.

Moved by the plight of the family, the Alaafin took up the challenge and funded the completion of the building. It was completed within one week, according to Ojebode’s brother, James, the work being personally supervised by the monarch.

Most people did not know that Ojebode hailed from Oyo town, having spent a major part of his career years in Ibadan, the state capital, until the monarch’s gesture popularised the fact. The Sam Ojebode House is located at Isale Oyo area of the ancient town.

Mr. James Ojebode, a retired insurance broker, expressed sadness over his brother’s death, describing it as a loss to the family and Nigeria as a whole. On the other hand, he was satisfied that his brother’s wish of having him buried in his hometown was accomplished through the kind gesture of the monarch.

The septuagenarian said he was

•From left: Oba Lamidi Adeyemi , Mr Ojebode and Mr Jame Ojebode , during the presentation .

amazed that the structure was supervised by the monarch himself, whom he described as a kind-hearted man, adding that Alaafin has also promised to sink a borehole in the house.

His words: ”I have mixed feelings with the death of my younger brother, a sad one because we have lost an irreplaceable gem in our family but I’m happy because he will finally be buried in our hometown here.

“The building was completed within seven days and it was even supervised by the monarch himself. He is a kind-hearted man and his assistance will forever be remembered by the whole Ojebode’s family because we have been confused on how to complete this building ahead of his burial but God used the Alaafin for us” Ojebode thanked the monarch on behalf of his family for his kind gesture and for lifting their family name among the populace.

Speaking with the first child of the late footballer, Mr Olumide Ojebode, he said he could not quantify the joy in his heart for what the monarch has done for the family.

Olumide, who is the Technical Coach of the Oyo State Amateur team, said: ”I cannot define the extent of my gratitude to the Alaafin for this building; it is indeed a kind gesture.”

While handing the keys of the building to the family, Alaafin explained that the completion of the building was the only thing he could do to assist his family members and also to honour the late footballer for bringing glory to the country.

The monarch said he was happy when his family members came to inform him of their intention to make Ojebode’s final resting place to be in Oyo town which was what informed the assistance he rendered to complete the befitting house to honour him.

Oba Adeyemi said he spent over N5 million on the structure.

He said that Sam Ojebode contributed immensely to the development of football in Nigeria and even deserved more than he is doing. The monarch expressed displeasure that celebrities and sports men and women who have brought fame to the name of the country are easily forgotten after their demise, citing an Ojebode and Rashidi Yekini as example.

The monarch also asked the Chairman, Atiba Local Government, Mr Akeem Adeyemi to drill a borehole at the house and also tar the road leading to it.

“Late Samuel Ojebode has brought fame to this town, state and this entire country for his contribution to the development and recognition of football.

That is why I am honouring his memory by completing this building he could not complete ahead of his burial when his family came to me that they wanted his

final resting place to be in Oyo. So we completed it within seven days and I spent over N5 million on it.

“It is disheartening to note that people that have contributed to the development of the sport sector are easily erased from our memory and that is why Nigeria has been performing woefully in this sector over the years. Our government should have a policy formulation whereby there will be incentives to encourage our sport men and women to excel in sport competitions”

I have mixed feelings about the death of my younger brother; it is a sad one because we have lost an irreplaceable gem in our family but I’m happy because he will finally be buried in our hometown here

•The newly completed house

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FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2012

Promote Igbo unity and ensure the welfare and economic development of Ndigbo by building a cultural bridge between the Igbo and other nations of the world, as well as defend and promote Igbo image which has been erroneously misinterpreted in the past

Imo immortalises Ojukwu

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MO State Governor Rochas Okorocha has inaugurated the board of the Ikemba Ojukwu Centre which has Professor George Obiozor as chairman and Prof. Fabian Osuji as Director-General and Chief Executive.

While inaugurating the board at the Centre in Owerri, the state capital, Governor Okorocha urged the members to revive Igbo cultural values and language.

He said the Igbo have been misunderstood by people of other ethnic nationalities by associating them with negative values.

He added that the Igbo remain good people who are peaceful, non-violent who are found all over the world contributing to economic, political and social developments of the countries they reside in.

Okorocha further challenged the board to promote Igbo unity and ensure the welfare and economic development of Ndigbo by building a cultural bridge between the Igbo and other nations of the world, as well as defend and promote Igbo image which has been erroneously misinterpreted in the past.

Okorocha said the Ikemba Ojukwu Centre was conceived during the first few months of his administration with the component of Ikemba Ojukwu Multipurpose Hall as a showcase of the lifestyle and pictures of Ikemba Ojukwu for use during functions that relate to Igbo affairs.

The administrative block will house the DG’s office and administrative staff and also provide offices and conference room for members of the board. He siad the Centre was conceived in such

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N its bid to complement the effort of Anambra State government in providing adequate healthcare for the people, a United States-based medical team which comprises medical experts who are indigenous to the state, has given free eye treatment to no fewer than 5, 000 people.

Disclosing this to journalists in Awka recently, the coordinator of

•The Ikemba Centre a way as to eflect the the status of the Ikemba and showcase his evergreen expressions, among other things.

In his speech, the DG of the centre Prof. Osuji said the centre is a place of excellence for research on Igbo studies and promotion of Igbo language and culture.

He further explained that members of the board were chosen from the seven Igbo-speaking states based on their excellent achievements and track records.

In his contribution, the Chief Judge of Imo State, Justice B.A Njemanze, said that members of the board were an assemblage of best Igbo scholars called to study the Enigma called Ikemba Ojukwu, a man he described as

one who saw and acted tomorrow.

Speaker, Imo State House Of Assembly Hon. Benjamin Uwajimogu, noted that the centre was a vision of Governor Okorocha but created by the law of Imo State House of Assembly to promote Igbo culture, history, language and to propagate Igbo renaissance.

He further said that the law provides for a two-year renewable tenure for members of the board and for the state to provide funds for the running of the centre. It also provides for what is called “Imo Award” which is meant to recognise and honour Imo citizens who have distinguished themselves in various fields of

endeavour.

The son of the Ikemba Nnewi, Chief Chukwuemeka Ojukwu Jnr., thanked the governor and Imo people for immortalising his father.

He said that his father was an Igbo man, a Nigerian, a black African and citizen of the world, even as he advised members of the board to promote the man bearing that in mind.

In his acceptance speech, the chairman of the governing board, Prof. George Obiozor thanked the governor for giving him and other members the opportunity to serve the people. He promised that they would do their best to justify the confidence reposed in them.

•Governor Okorocha

Free eye treatment for Anambra communities From Nwanosike Onu, Awka

the medical mission Dr John Obegolu said the beneficiaries included those who had major eye surgeries.

He further said that the group is

non-political and non-profit making whose focus is providing charity to the less-privileged people in the society.

Those treated in various communities the organisation visited were those who had dire cases.

•Chairman, Itire-Ikate Local Council Development Area, Hon. Hakeem Bamgbola (middle) with members of the Emergency Response Committee after their inauguration at the council secretariat, Itire, Lagos.

Some of the communities visited were Nri, Nibo, Nnokwa, Eziowelle, and Abba, among others.

Obegolu further disclosed to Newsextra that the mission brought doctors who are specialists in eye problems, even as he stated that surgical experts on traumatic cases are among those in the state; including Dr Neeru Agarwal of Eden Medical Centre Castro Villa California, USA. He said: “The medical team is made up of seven general doctors, four pharmacists and two surgeons who will ensure that people are adequately attended to on daily basis.”

Furthermore, he announced that the team brought about 2,000 eye

glasses and eye drops to assist the state Ministry of Health in its health delivery services to the people.

He, however, commended the state government and other people who, he said, had made their trip worthwhile.

Also speaking, the eye specialist, Agarwal described their mission as noteworthy since arrival in the state, having successfully operated on 10 people.

She expressed gratitude to the nurses and doctors at the University Teaching Hospital, Awka, where the eye surgeries were performed, for their cooperation.

Two of the beneficiaries, Mrs. Deborah Ike from Agulu – Ezechukwu and Mr. Peter Nzewife from Adazi-Enu expressed gratitude to the medical team.

The medical team is made up of seven general doctors, four pharmacists and two surgeons who will ensure that people are adequately attended to daily

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EQUITIES

Shareholders commend Conoil

NIGERIAN STOCK EXCHANGE DAILY SUMMARY AS AT 30-8-12

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HAREHOLDERS of Conoil Plc yesterday approved payment of N1.73 billion as cash dividends for the 2011 business year, commending the board and management of the petroleummarketing company for sustaining growth and returns to the owners.

At the Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Ibadan, shareholders showered praises on the company for the continuous increase in cash payout as they approved 25 per cent in dividend per share from N2 for 2010 business year to N2.50 for 2011.

General Secretary, Independent Shareholders Association of Nigeria (ISAN), Mr. Adebayo Adeleke said the performance of Conoil showed prudent management and steadfastness on the part of the management of the company.

He added that the latest audited report has further reinforced investors’ confidence as its growth trajectory was resilient enough to withstand industry and general macroeconomic challenges.

President, Nigeria Shareholders Solidarity Association (NSSA), Chief Timothy Adesiyan said Conoil has proved to be an investors’ friendly company with its dividend payment policy, which places emphasis on not only consistency but also increase in value to shareholders.

In his address to sharehold-

• Equities rise to 14.34%

By Taofik Salako

ers, chairman, Conoil Plc, Dr. Mike Adenuga (Jr), said the company was able to weather the challenges due to its continued focus on its business fundamentals.

He assured that in spite of the challenges in the sector, Conoil would continue to consolidate its investments in strategic assets, quality brands, cuttingedge technologies and skillful human resources.

Audited report and accounts of Conoil for the year ended December 31, 2011 showed that the company grew sales by 53 per cent from N102.88 billion in 2010 to N157.51 billion in 2011. It further consolidated its profitability with profit before tax rising from N4.02 billion to N4.4 billion. Profit after tax rose from N2.79 billion to N2.95 billion.

The report also showed a stronger balance sheet as retained earnings boosted shareholders’ funds to N16.82 billion in 2011 compared with N15.26 billion in 2010. Total assets rose by 49 per cent to N61.84 billion in 2011 as against N41.49 billion in 2010.

Conoil also posted a stronger balance sheet as retained earnings boosted shareholders’ funds to N16.82 billion in 2011 compared with N15.26 billion in 2010. Total assets rose by 49

per cent to N61.84 billion in 2011 as against N41.49 billion in 2010.

Conoil’s current dividend yield amounted to about 12 per cent and earnings yield of about 20 per cent, thus placing the company amongst the top-bracket of dividend paying stocks on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE).

Meanwhile, average year-todate return at the Nigerian stock market rallied to 14.34 per cent yesterday as equities sustained a five-day bullish trend.

The All Share Index (ASI), the benchmark index that tracks all equities on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), added 0.17 per cent to close at 23,704.34 points as against its opening index of 23,670.11 points. Aggregate market capitalisation of all equities also improved from N7.534 trillion to N7.545 trillion.

Guinness Nigeria led the advancers with a gain of N3 to close at N252 per share. Okomu Oil Palm followed with a gain of N1.50 to close at N31.50 while Nigerian Breweries hit a new all-time high of N123 after adding N1.39 per share. First Bank of Nigeria also extended its 14month high to N13.62.

On the downside, Presco topped the losers’ list with a drop of 49 kobo to close at N15.

International Breweries followed with a loss of N40 kobo to close at N8.02 while Morison lost 36 kobo to close at N7.03 per share.

Total turnover stood at 363.94 million shares valued at N2.35 billion in 4,822 deals.

Flour Mills consolidates growth

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LOUR Mills of Nigeria Plc yesterday said that the ongoing expansions to the company’s production capacity would consolidate its leadership position as the second largest flour-milling company in the world.

Group Managing Director, Flour Mills of Nigeria, Mr. Emmanuel Ukpabi, who spoke at pre-annual general meeting media briefing in Lagos said

By Tonia Osundolire

expansion drives would increase the company’s total milling plants to about 15 mills.

He said the company has expended N9.7 billion on the West Mills, which will house four of the milling plants.

According to him, on completion, the West Mill would have a milling capacity of 2,750 metric tonnes per day, while

the combined plants across the nation would boast of 18,500 metric tonnes of flour per day.

He assured that in continuation of the company’s commitment to quality consistency in all its products, it made further investments in high-tech quality laboratory equipment, upgrading its state-of-the-art laboratory facilities accordingly.

“In order to formalise our commitment to product quality assurance, we have commenced the process of seeking accreditation to the quality standard ISO 9001:2008. This will help set a benchmark to measure our performance against best global practice within the flour milling industry,” Ukpabi said.

NIGERIAN STOCK EXCHANGE DAILY SUMMARY AS AT 30-8-12

THE

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MONEY LINK

Banks to help Delta revive morribund firms

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HE Delta State govern ment has said it will engage banks and other institutional investors in its plan to revive moribund companies in the state.

This was part of the decisions reached at the meeting of the state’s Economic Advisory Team (EAT) held in Lagos on Wednesday.

The Chairman of the team, Bismark Rewane, disclosed this to journalists yesterday.

He said that the state government will in the next 90 days, complete inventory taking of all the dormant companies in the state and package them for activation and injection of funds through banks, institutional investors and pension

Stories by Collins Nweze

funds.

“In the next 90 days, the state government would take steps to commence the process of reviving all moribund industries in the state. A subcommittee was set up to superintend the exercise,” he said.

Rewane, who is also Managing Director, Financial Derivatives Company (FDC) Limited, said that the government is also planning to establish 10 industries and intensify incentives for individuals to start Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs) under its micro credit scheme.

The state has also developed

CBN sells $450m forex

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HE Central Bank of Ni geria (CBN) has in the last one week, sold $450 million forex at the bi-weekly Wholesale Dutch Auction System (WDAS).

The sales cover WDAS transactions conducted on August 22nd, 27th and 29th.

The CBN offered $120 million and sold at the WDAS last Wednesday, the only auction carried out last week because of Eid-el-Kabir festival in which Monday and Tuesday were declared public holidays.

The auction resumed on Monday August 27 with $250 million offered and sold to buyers. This was followed by another auction on Wednes-

day August 29, with $180 million offered and sold.

Data from the CBN’s website showed that 15 banks participated in the auction and were successful on the August 22 auction, where the weighted average rate of transaction was N155.80 to a dollar.

This was followed by August 27th transaction where 17 banks participated and were successful. The August 29, where 15 banks participated and were successful.

Meanwhile, CBN Director, Financial Markets, E.U Ukeje said in a statement that authorised dealers are expected to submit their bid requests for WDAS through

an economic development and performance measuring mechanism, which relies on periodic assessment of various Ministries, Directorates and Agencies (MDAs). He said that key performance indicators have been identified for all MDAs and will be tracked periodically to measure progress.

He said that the EAT suggested to the state government that what get measured get done, prompting the introduction of Economic Dash Board Scheme that will guide it in knowing where it is, and where it is going. The scheme assists the state government to assess its revenue, human development, productivity and infrastructure based on key

performance indicators. “Each segment is assigned a score based on the performance of sectors within the segment as well as the weight assigned to each of these sectors as they contribute to economic development,” he said.

He said that the state government is looking beyond oil, adding that reviving the ailing and moribund firms will assist in creating jobs and empowering the people.

Governor

T

HE United Bank for Africa (UBA) has re cruited 93 employees.

The new intake according to a statement from the bank, passed out from a six month intensive training programme that is mandatory for all entry level employees of the bank.

The graduands from the UBA Academy Banking, school were formally welcomed to the UBA family at an induction/awards ceremony which held at the

Amount N

Rate %

M/Date

3-Year 5-Year 5-Year

35m 35m 35m

11.039 12.23 13.19

19-05-2014 18-05-2016 19-05-2016

T

HE International Fi nance Corporation (IFC) and International Enterprise Singapore have signed memorandum of understanding (MoU) to jointly identify growth sectors in Africa.

The treaty will allow Singapore-based companies to invest in and to share business leads and opportunities through partnerships.

In a statement, the IFC said the signing took place on the

Sanusi

Reuters Dealing 3000 Xtra to its office before dealings commence.

The regulator also mandated that current accounts of bidders with it must be adequately funded at the time of disbursement, failing which the bids will be disqualified.

Amount Amount Offered ($) Demanded ($) 350m 150m 350m 138m 350m 113m

Price Loss 2754.67 447.80

INTERBANK RATES 7.9-10% 10-11%

PRIMARY MARKET AUCTION (T-BILLS) Amount 30m 46.7m 50m

Rate % 10.96 9.62 12.34

Date 28-04-2012 “ 14-04-2012

GAINERS AS AT 30-8-12 SYMBOL

OKOMUOIL SMURFIT ROADS CAP AIRSERVICE UPL DNMEYER WAPIC 7UP UACN

O/PRICE

30.00 1.41 7.28 26.58 1.84 4.11 0.75 0.51 38.50 34.19

C/PRICE

31.50 1.48 7.64 27.89 1.93 4.31 0.78 0.53 40.00 35.51

NGN USD NGN GBP NGN EUR NIGERIA INTER BANK (S/N) (S/N) Bureau de Change (S/N) Parallel Market

Current Before

O/PRICE 2.20 1.40 1.21 7.39 1.24 0.63 8.42 8.42 4.43 2.57

C/PRICE 2.09 1.33 1.15 7.03 1.18 0.60 0.80 8.02 4.22 2.45

CHANGE 0.11 0.07 0.06 0.36 0.06 0.03 0.04 0.40 0.21 0.12

Exchange Rate (N) 155.2 155.8 155.7

C u r r e n t CUV Start After %

147.6000 239.4810 212.4997

149.7100 244.0123 207.9023

150.7100 245.6422 209.2910

-2.11 -2.57 -1.51

149.7450

154.0000

154.3000

-3.04

152.0000

153.0000

155.5000

-2.30

153.0000

154.0000

156.0000

-1.96

DISCOUNT WINDOW Feb. ’11

July ’11

Dec ’11

MPR

6.50%

6.50%

12%

Standing Lending Rate ,, Deposit Rate ,, Liquidity Ratio Cash Return Rate Inflation Rate

8.50% 4.50% 25.00% 1.00% 12.10%

8.50% 4.50% 25.00% 2.00% 12.10%

9.50% 5.50% 30.00% 2.00% 12.6%

NIBOR Tenor 7 Days 30 Days 60 Days 150 Days

NSE CAP Index

27-10-11 N6.5236tr 20,607.37

Date 2-7-12 27-6-12 22-6-12

Rate (Previous) 4 Mar, 2012 9.0417 9.6667 11.2917 12.1250

Rate (Currency) 6, Mar, 2012 10.17% 11.46% 11.96% 12.54%

28-10-11 N6.617tr 20,903.16

% Change -1.44% -1.44%

MEMORANDUM QUOTATIONS Name

CHANGE

1.50 0.07 0.36 1.31 0.09 0.20 0.03 0.02 1.50 1.32

Amount Sold ($) 150m 138m 113m

CAPITAL MARKET INDEX Year Start Offer

LOSERS AS AT 30-8-12

SYMBOL PAINTCOM MAYBAKER CUSTODYINS MORISON AGLEVENT JAPAULOIL NEIMETH INTBREW CCNN REDSTAREX

has strong expertise in urban and industrial planning, transport, agribusiness and information communications technology,” said IFC Singapore Country Manager Babatunde Onitiri.

According to him, IFC’s strong network and Singaporean enterprises’ technical expertise will help create a competitive edge in supporting Africa’s economic development.

EXHANGE RATE 6-03-12 Currency

Tenor 91-Day 182-Day 1-Year

sidelines of the two-day Africa Singapore Business Forum, which opened on Wednesday.

The forum was hosted by International Enterprise Singapore to provide a platform for Singaporean and other Asian companies to connect with potential business partners from Africa.

“Africa, with its growing middle class, holds many promising opportunities for investors, while Singapore

WHOLESALE DUTCH AUCTION SYSTEM

MANAGED FUNDS

OBB Rate Call Rate

best fit into. “The management trainee programme was conceptualised in line with the bank’s service excellence initiative and a people strategy geared towards engaging the best personnel,” he said in the statement.

The Group Human Resources Director, UBA Plc, Ben Odukwe also counseled new intakes on the need to be proactive and purposedriven in all their endeavours as they take on their new assignments.

DATA BANK

Tenor

NIDF NESF

Amphitheatre of UBA House yesterday.

The training programme according to the statement, was part of measures taken to entrench sound banking practices, strong ethics and professionalism in the operations of the lender.

Deputy Managing Director, UBA Plc, Kennedy Uzoka said the programme was designed to enable the bank inculcate into the new trainees its in-house culture, as well as determine units they will

IFC, Singaporean firm sign MoU

FGN BONDS

Initial Current Quotation Price Market N8250.00 5495.33 N1000.00 N552.20

Team. Strategy Consultant at Roland Berger, Maximilian Meran said that the state is looking beyond the local environment by taking steps that ensures it knows what works, and what does not work.

He said that the tool that will be deployed by the firm will enable the state launch into an era of development, job creation and improved revenue base.

UBA recruits 93 fresh graduates

1234567890123456 1234567890123456 1234567890123456 1234567890123456 1234567890123456 1234567890123456 1234567890123456 1234567890123456 1234567890123456 1234567890123456 1234567890123456 1234567890123456 1234567890123456 1234567890123456 1234567890123456 1234567890123456 1234567890123456 1234567890123456 • CBN Lamido

International Management Consultant and member of EAT, Nnoli-Edozien said the team is also encouraging multi national oil companies in the state to involve Delta State indigenes while divesting the assets in key companies.

The state government has also appointed Roland Berger, to create structures to manage the secretariat of the Economic Management

Offer Price

Bid Price

ARM AGGRESSIVE 9.17 KAKAWA GUARANTEED 1.00 STANBIC IBTC GUARANTE 123.93 AFRINVEST W.A. EQUITY FUND 108.11 LOTUS CAPITAL HALAL 0.76 BGL SAPPHIRE FUND 1.10 BGL NUBIAN FUND 0.93 NIGERIA INTERNATIONAL DEB. 1,734.37 PARAMOUNT EQUITY FUND 9.75 CONTINENTAL UNIT TRUST 1.39 CENTRE-POINT UNIT TRUST 1.87 STANBIC IBTC NIG EQUITY 8,091.93 THE DISCOVERY FUND 193.00 FIDELITY NIGFUND 1.67 • ARM AGGRESSIVE • KAKAWA GUARANTEED • STANBIC IBTC GUARANTE • AFRINVEST W.A. EQUITY FUND

9.08 1.00 123.79 107.85 0.73 1.10 0.91 1,731.67 9.28 1.33 1.80 7,875.38 191.08 1.62

Movement

OPEN BUY BACK

Bank P/Court

Previous 04 July, 2011

Current 07, Aug, 2011

8.5000 8.0833

8.5000 8.0833

Movement

THE NATION FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2012

56

NEWS NBA urges Fed Govt on Bakasi

T

HE Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) yesterday urged the Federal Government to apply for a review of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruling which ceded the Bakassi Peninsula to Cameroon.

Acording to the NBA, such application should bemade before the 10th anniversary of the judgement in October.

The association adopted a call made by a former Cross River State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mrs Nella Andem Rabana (SAN) at its Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Abuja

From Joseph Jibueze, Abuja

Saying that the people’s plight should not be ignored, Rabana noted that the people of Bakassi had been abandoned as their land and sources of livelihood had been taken from them by the judgment.

He said: “If indeed we are a responsible country and a group of people (Bakassi) are agitating, is it too much for government to file an appeal challenging the ICJ verdict.

“Government should listen to these people,” she said.

36 jailed for violating traffic laws •Traders protest extortion From Osemwengie Ogbemudia and Osagie Otabor, Benin

T

HIRTY-six persons were yesterday convicted by the Ikpoba–Okha and Oredo Mobile Magistrate Courts of Edo State for driving with expired vehicle particulars.

They got various jail terms with an option of fine.

Also yesterday, the Edo State Traders Welfare Union (ESTWU) stormed the Government House in Benin, the state capital, to protest the imprisonment of over 100 of its members for street trading.

It said the imprisoned members were convicted by a mobile court and were unable to pay the N10,000 and N20,000 fine.

The traders said the ridiculous rents demanded by landlords have driven many traders to the streets.

The union’s Chairman, Comrade Lucky Irukpe, said the traders were tired of being harassed and extorted daily by illegal tax collectors. He urged the government to provide a place for street traders to sell their wares.

Oshiomhole to Airhiavbere: you can’t question my qualification

E

DO State Governor Adams Oshiomhole yesterday described the allegation by the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the July 14 governorship election, Gen. Charles Airhiavbere, that he lacks the educational qualifications to be governor as “an attempt to tarnish his person”.

Oshiomhole said his records at the Ruskin College, Oxford, would vindicate him at the Election Petitions Tribunal.

Airhiavbere had, in his petition, alleged that the primary school Oshiomhole claimed to have attended was not in existence at the time the governor claimed to have been in the school.

From, Osemwengie Ben Ogbemudia, Benin

Airhiavbere alleged that Oshiomhole did not complete his education at the Secondary Modern School he claimed to have attended.

Speaking with reporters in Benin City, the state capital, Oshiomhole said: “The allegations are funny, because Airhiavbere’s military and political career was founded in falsehood. Ironically, the guy who is saying that I did not go to school does not know the difference between the United Nations (UN) and the World Bank or the difference between the European Union (EU) and the International Monetary fund (IMF).

“While Airhiavbere celebrated his being in the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) in 2008, I went to NIPSS in 1987.

My academic records in Nigeria and Ruskin College, Oxford speak for me.

“His claims are sad, because Airhiavbere does not even know the difference between children and youths. During his campaign, he said he was going to create jobs for children, instead of youths.

“Again, he does not know the difference between the arms and tiers of government.

He exhibited all these ignorance during the governorship debate, which was viewed worldwide.

“This is a guy who helped

himself with military overhead budgets meant for military hospitals and health centres, and was detained for three months. He would have been prosecuted, but because he wanted to drag innocent people into it, he was retired in the manner he was retired.

“We have the records.

These are things that happened in the current administration. So in terms of intellectual capacity and education, he has shown that he is not in a position to question my competence or qualification. He should know that even though he has not been prosecuted for what he did, he would be prosecuted in future.”

Robbery suspect killed in Delta

A

ROBBERY suspect was killed yesterday by the police on the WarriSapele Road in Delta State.

The suspect, who is said to be a member of a four-man robbery gang, was killed during a gun battle between the gang and the police.

Enerhen Divisional Police Officer Steve Yabanet said a police surveillance team noticed the gang in a Mazda car near a bank, waiting for people to come out of the bank.

On sighting the police,

From Polycarp Orosevwotu, Warri

Yabanet said the gang drove off. He said the police went after them and a gun battle ensured.

Yabanet said the suspect’s body hads been deposited in a mortuary. He said a locally made gun, one cartridge, a handset and a wallet containing a national identity card were recovered from the suspect.

Police Spokesman Charles Muka confirmed the incident.

ASUU strike halts activities at DELSU From Polycarp Orosevwotu, Warri

T

HE solidarity strike declared by the national leadership of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to support the Rivers State University of Science and Technology (RSUST) branch of the union yesterday halted activities at the Delta State University (DELSU), Abraka.

DELSU ASUU Chairman Dr. Emmanuel Mordi said the biggest problem facing state universities is the impunity with which governors interfere with their day-to-day running.

Mordi said the governors remove principal officers of the universities without following due process.

He said even as the governors are unwilling to fund the universities, they are anxious to ravage their autonomy.

Mordi said the most brazen manifestation of such acts of impunity and disregard for due process is the RSUST case, where Governor Rotimi Amaechi “is trying to impose Prof. B. Fakae on the university as Acting ViceChancellor without following due process”.

He said Fakae failed woefully in the interview conducted to select a suitable candidate for the position of RSUST Vice-Chancellor. He came last among the five professors interviewed, thus downgrading himself from a full-fledged ViceChancellor to Acting Vice-Chancellor.

•Wife of Enugu State Governor, Mrs. Clara Chime, inaugurating the Identity Shop at the Enugu Shopping Mall. With her is the Director of the mall, Mr. Chuka Okoye; Commissioner for Science and Technology Mrs. Anne Nwokoro (right) and Mrs. Pat Alum (left)...yesterday.

Probe disruption of congress at RSUST, ASUU urges IGP

T

HE Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), University of Ilorin (UNILORIN) chapter, yesterday urged the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr. Mohammed Abubakar, to probe the attack on the chairperson of the Rivers State University of Science and Technology (RSUST) branch of the union on August 15.

The union also urged the police to investigate the disruption of RSUST ASUU’s congress on the same day.

National ASUU yesterday held a solidarity strike in support of the RSUST chapter.

In a statement, the UNILORIN ASUU Chairman, Dr. Taiwo Oloruntoba-Oju, urged Nigerians to resist the “progressive bastardisation of the concept of governance in Nigerian universities”.

He said: “ASUU is calling on the good people of Rivers State and Nigeria to prevail on Governor Rotimi Amaechi to restore the rule of law and decency to the governance of the state university.

“This is the only sure way of restoring peace and normalcy to the university on a sustainable basis.

“The solidarity strike declared by the union is also meant to send a signal to other universities that ASUU will not tolerate sharp practices and non-adherence to due process by governing councils and visitors in the appointment of vice-chancellors.

“A university is a product of law.

Such laws must be respected and protected at all times by those the people have entrusted to govern the university.

“ASUU has struggled for the au-

Rivers’ students groan under strike

T

HE solidarity strike declared by the national leadership of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to support the Rivers State University of Science and Technology (RSUST) branch of the union yesterday paralysed activities at the three universities in Rivers State.

The lecture halls of the University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT), RSUST and the Rivers State University of Education, Port Harcourt, were empty.

A student of UNIPORT, Ogbonna Ugochukwu, urged Governor Rotimi Amaechi to urgently resolve the RSUST crisis to prevent an indefinite nationwide strike by ASUU. A postgraduate student of RSUST, Kelvin Uchendu, condemned the alleged imposition of Prof. Barineme Fakae as the institution’s Acting Vice-Chancellor.

Ken Worlu of the Rivers State University of Education urged Amaechi and the House of Assembly to “do the right thing”.

Speaking with reporters two Thursdays ago in Abuja, ASUU National President Dr. Nasir Isa described the activities of Amaechi and Fakae as illegal and immoral.

RSUST ASUU began an indefinite strike on August 13 to protest Fakae’s reappointment. On August 15, the RSUST ASUU’s congress was disrupted and the union’s Chairman, Dr. Felix Igwe, was attacked by alleged agents of Fakae.

Isa said: “Few months to the expiration of Prof. Fakae’s tenure as Vice-Chancellor, the position was advertised as required by law. The first surprise was that Fakae apFrom Adekunle Jimoh, Ilorin

tonomy of universities and their governing councils in the appointment of vice-chancellors with the belief that the governing councils will maintain transparency, integrity and due process in the course of such appointments.

“Unfortunately, this has not been the case in many recent appoint-

From Bisi Olaniyi, Port Harcourt

plied, against the existing understanding, to which he was privy.

“Another surprise was that Justice Karibi-Whyte started justifying the reappointment of Fakae, as if oblivious of the gentleman’s agreement with the university community. The report of the selection was thrown overboard and the council was dissolved to get rid of dissenting members.”

Last two weeks, Amaechi inaugurated the reconstituted Governing Council of RSUST, chaired by Justice Adolphus Karibi-Whyte, a retired Justice of the Supreme Court, who is also the Pro-Chancellor.

While inaugurating the Karibi-Whyte-led Governing Council at the Government House, Port Harcourt, Amaechi, who was represented by the Secretary to the Rivers State Government (SSG), George Feyii, said Fakae and members of the governing council had done well, thereby deserving the reappointment.

Fakae was appointed Acting Vice-Chancellor by Amaechi in November, 2007 and confirmed on August 1, 2008 for a four-year tenure, which expired on July 31.

He was reappointed in an acting capacity the same day.

ASUU said his reappointment disregarded the result of a selection process concluded on May 30 by the university’s Governing Council and Senate Selection Committee.

Of the five candidates screened for the position, ASUU alleged Fakae had the least scores.

ments, thus leading to acrimony and needless disruptions in the normal running of the universities as we are witnessing now in RSUST. “Accordingly, the union is left with no option but to challenge directly or support the challenge of such instances, where due process has not been followed.

“The role of the governing coun-

cil in abetting this illegality is equally deplorable and this has heightened the crisis. Matters came to a head on Wednesday, August 15, when the Acting Vice-Chancellor mobilised the police and students to violently disrupt a peaceful assembly of ASUU members, which was to review the ongoing strike in protest of Prof B. Fakae appointment.”

THE NATION FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2012

57

NEWS ‘Why Akwa Ibom is growing’

A

KWA Ibom State Governor Godswill Akpabio yesterday attributed the state’s growth to the unity among its people.

He said the country is experiencing many challenges because of lack of love and the neglect of God’s commandment.

The governor said indiscipline brings corruption and corruption hinders abundance.

Akpabio spoke in Lagos during the Nigerian Institute of Management (NIM)

By Nneka Nwaneri

Fellow’s Award and Spouse’s Day Luncheon, where he was conferred as a Fellow of the institute.

Others honoured were NIM President Dr Michael Olawale-Cole and former Lagos State Governor Alhaji Lateef Jakande.

Akpabio said: “There is a rise in militancy, cultism and terrorism because Nigeria has turned away from God. The way forward is hinged on the love of God.”

Enugu Catholic women ban local gin

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•From left: Jakande, Akpabio and Olawale-Cole...yesterday.

PHOTO: SOLOMON ADEOLA

HE Catholic Women Organisation (CWO) in Ukehe, Enugu State, has banned the sale and consumption of locally-made gin, popularly known as Ogogoro.

President of the organisaion Prof. Elizabeth Ngwu told reporters yesterday that the ban was the major item on the agenda at this year’s

CWO August meeting.

Prof. Ngwu said the CWO consulted the police, public leaders, traditional rulers and political office holders in the town before taking the decision.

She said the ban was to prevent reckless drinking and the ills attached to it.

Prof. Ngwu said women have been enforcing the ban.

HE people of Oguduasa, Isuikwuato Local Government Area of Abia State, have been cut off from other communities by erosion.

The erosion, which is believed to be as deep as a 20storey building, has swept away the road connecting the community from Akara Junction to the state university at Uturu.

It was learnt that the pit has claimed many lives and property.

The palliative work earlier done by the Federal Government in partnership with the state government has collapsed.

Road users are forced to divert to bush paths.

At Bende, erosion has also

From Ugochukwu Ugoji-Eke, Umuahia

Generator fumes killed family Erosion threatens Abia communities of nine, says Imo govt F T •Community disagrees

ACTS have emerged on the cause of the death of nine members of a family in Umuakuru, Imo State, who died on July 9.

According to the autopsy result released by the state government, they were killed by generator fumes.

Commissioner for Health Obi Njoku, in a radio broadcast, said the family slept and forgot to switch off their electricity generating set. He said they died in their sleep after inhaling the generator fumes.

From Okodili Ndidi, Owerri

Njoku said the notion that the family was killed by an “evil spirit” was not true.

He said when he visited the scene of the incident on July 9, he saw a generating set and suspected that its fumes might be responsible

for the deaths, but he decided to wait for the autopsy result.

The community disagreed with the autopsy result, insisting that there was no power generating set in the compound.

A chief, who pleaded for anonymity, said: “The autop-

‘Onitsha Port’ll reduce traffic in Lagos ports’ M

ARITIME experts yesterday said the Onitsha River Port in Onitsha, Anambra State, would reduce the cargo traffic at the Lagos ports.

In separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos, the experts said the river port would serve as an alternative to the Lagos ports.

They said it would ensure direct movement of goods into the Southeast.

A marine engineer, Mr. Alex Peters, described the inauguration of the Onitsha River Port as a “wonderful achievement” of the current administration.

He said the port had been abandoned since the Inland Port Policy of the military regime of Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo was neglected.

Peters said the policy was meant to develop inland

ports and open up the country for the transportation of agricultural products from the hinterland.

Peters described the inland waterways as a cheap way to transport goods.

He said: “It is a welcome development that this government pursued that agenda to develop the Onitsha River Port.”

Founder of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) Dr. Boniface Aniebonam said: “The unintegrated system of transportation in Nigeria is not quite encouraging. Our ports are not linked up with rail so that goods can move quickly. That is why our roads get easily damaged.”

President of the Associa-

tion of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) Mr Olayiwola Shittu said: “It is a thing of joy for us, because it will ease our operations.

We are going to set up a chapter of our association there to enable us do our work properly.”

Secretary-General of the Shippers’ Association of Lagos State Mr. Jonathan Nicol said: “Lagos is so congested.

The Eastern cargoes can now go to either Port Harcourt or Onitsha and that will reduce pressure on Lagos roads. We commend the Federal Government for this initiative.”

NAGAFF President Mr. Eugene Nweke said the Onitsha River Port would reduce traffic on the OnitshaBenin-Ore Road.

CD decries neglect of Southeast

A

RIGHTS group, the Campaign for Democracy (CD), Southeast Zone, has said the President Goodluck Jonathan administration has failed to develop the zone.

The CD lamented the lack of viable Federal Government projects in Southeast states, despite the “massive” support Jonathan got from the zone during his election.

In a statement signed by its Chairman, Mr. Dede Uzor, and Secretary Dr. Jerry Chukwuokolo, CD accused the Federal Government of playing politics with the development of the region.

It said the zone has the high-

From Okodili Ndidi, Owerri

est rate of insecurity, unemployment and poverty in the country as a result of “continued neglect by the Jonathan administration”.

Decrying the condition of federal roads in the zone, CD urged the President to declare a state of emergency on Southeast roads.

It said thousands of lives have been lost to avoidable road accidents.

CD said: “Statistics show that of the about 8,750 kilometres of Federal Trunk A roads in the country, the Southeast has about 3,480 kilometres.

“Only about 980 kilometres

are motorable, while over 2,500 kilometres are death traps, fraught with near-to-hell ditches.

“Between February, 2010 and July, 2012, about 1,223 lives were lost in ghastly motor accidents caused by bad roads in the zone.

“We are surprised that till now, there has been no feasibility study on the promised 2nd Niger Bridge and it seems like a mirage.

“About three presidents had promised to build the 2nd Niger Bridge, even former President Olusegun Obasanjo inaugurated it, without a record of the inauguration in government files”.

sy result is unacceptable. The government agreed initially that there was no generator in the compound and we were with the Njoku family late into the night and there was no generator there.

“The government wants to explain away the mystery surrounding the death of the Njoku family, but we are not swayed and will continue searching until we unravel the true cause of their tragic death.”

The Njoku’s neighbours blamed their death on an “evil spirit”, which was allegedly cast on the disputed land on which the family built their house.

PUBLIC NOTICE ONYEMAUWU

I, formerly known and addressed as MISS. ONYEMAUWU THERESA now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. MGBOGHO THERESA CHINASA. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

eaten deep into the road connecting the community from Umuahia to Ohafia and Arochukwu.

The erosion may destroy many houses, including that of a prominent politician, Chief Benjamin Nmeregini, if left unattended. Both communities are calling on the Federal Government to come to their aid.

PUBLIC NOTICE ODUYIGA

I, formerly known and addressed as MISS. ODUYIGA OYETOLA now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. OYEDOKUN OYETOLA OLAMIDE. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

THE NATION FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2012

58

NEWS Kaduna fixes Dec 1 for council poll From Tony Akowe, Kaduna

K

ADUNA State Independent Electoral Commission (KSIECOM) yesterday fixed the local government elections for December 1.

Governor Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa has asked the caretaker committees in the 23 councils to submit to his office their record of performance and internally- generated revenue. They are to do so before the end of today.

The councils have been without elected leadership since February last year when their tenure expired. The caretaker committees were put in place in July last year.

Addressing a press conference on the preparations for the election yesterday, the Chairman of KSIECOM, Dr. Hannatu Biniyat, said the commission has prepared an election timetable and guidelines which will be issued to political parties and other stakeholders.

Lanre Arogundade loses dad

P

A. Thomas Akinyemi Arogundade is dead. He was 85. Arogundade, who died on July 27, would be buried at Ijebu-Jesa, Osun State on October 6.

Funeral programme will start on October 5 with a lying-in-state in his home, R3, Araromi Street, Ilesa at 3pm, to be followed by a Christian wake at 5pm.

Funeral service will be held in his honour the following day at 9am in his home, after which his remains will be interred at the Arogundade family compound, Oke-Iloro, Ijebu-Jesa.

Interdenominational openair thanksgiving service will hold at 11am at the sports complex of Ijebu-Jesa Grammar School, Ijebu-Jesa, to be followed by a reception at the same venue.

He is survived by his wife, Mrs. Hannah Olayoonu Arogundade; younger brother, Pastor Olu Arijesudade; children- Mrs. Titilayo Ekundare; Mr. Ayodele Arogundade; Mr. Lanre Arogundade; Mrs. Olamide Oso; Mrs. Adesola Onipede; Pastor Ayodeji Arijesudade; Mrs. Folasade Olunuga and grandchildren.

Ex-Commandant’s father dies

•From left: Representative of Borno State Governor, Amb Bab Jidda; Governors Sullivan Chime of Enugu State; Babangida Aliyu of Niger; Director, German Agency For International Cooperation (GAIC), Mr. Hern Klaus Brükner; Govs. Chibuike Amaechi of Rivers; Ibrahim Shema of Katsina and Jonah Jang of Plateau, during the Governors’ Forum trip to understudy the German Federal System of Government in Berlin, Germany... yesterday.

Police arrest ‘700-year-old spirit’ in Kano

T

HE Kano State Police Command has arrested a ‘700-year-old suspect’, Nura Hamza of Kurna Asabe Quarters, who claimed to be a spirit. He reportedly swindled a resident of N800,000.

Addressing reporters in Kano yesterday, the Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Idris, said on August 23, a resident of Mai’adua Quarters in Kano contacted him on his mobile phone, claiming to be a ‘700- year-old spirit’.

According to the police boss, the complainant said the selfacclaimed spirit directed him to source for money and de-

posit it at a particular place, adding that the money would be used for spiritual cleansing.

He said the complainant told the police that when he became suspicious of the selfacclaimed spirit’s prank, he informed his relatives and they said he should beware of being duped.

Idris said the complainant and his relations later contacted the police who set a trap that led to the arrest of the suspect.

He said he is now in police custody and has confessed to

the crime.

The command said in the last two weeks, it has arrested 150 criminals after raiding some flashpoints in the metropolis.

Their offences range from armed robbery to car theft, unlawful possession of firearms and other dangerous weapons, printing of fake Nigerian and international currencies, among others.

Idris said the war declared on criminals by the security agents in Kano has been successful as it has led to the restoration of peace.

The police commissioner said security has continued to

Kwara ex-councillors protest non-payment of severance package

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X-COUNCILLORS under the aegis of Former Councillors Forum yesterday in Ilorin protested the non-payment of the balance of their severance package.

One hundred and ninetythree ex-councillors laid siege to the Government House between 1.45pm and 2.30pm, demanding the balance of their 2010 and 2011 severance package.

The forum’s acting chairman, Rasheed Ibrahim, said: “We are here not to fight the government. We are here to make peace. We have been coming regularly.”

He went on: “We have been coming here to ask for our severance package which is our constitutional right. In any system in which you serve the government successfully, at the end of your tenure, you re-

T

•Adedeji

HE National President of the National Association of Nigerian Traditional Practitioners (NANTMP), Omon Oleabhiele, has explained why traditional medicines have been experiencing poor growth.

He blamed the Federal Government for refusing to support the industry in terms of funding and legislative backing.

WELVE suspected hoodlums have been arraigned at an Ilorin Chief Magistrate’s Court for allegedly disturbing the public peace in Kwara State.

The suspects, who belong to two rival groups in Offa and Ilorin, reportedly fought at IdiOgun, opposite Federal Polytechnic, Offa.

According to the charge sheet, the accused displayed and used guns, cutlasses and other

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From Adekunle Jimoh, Ilorin

ceive your severance package.

We left the office many years ago and they promised to pay the money to us, but till now nothing has been done.

“When we protested two years ago, the former governor, Senator Bukola Saraki, paid us in three instalments.

“We should have been paid once. We are here to ask for the balance of our severance package from the government.”

The Senior Special Assistant to Governor AbdulFatah Ahmed, Dr. Muyideen Akorede, said the payment of the severance package was being done piecemeal.

He said: “It was done in instalments. We have paid two times so far. Only one of the instalments is outstanding. The local governments have not

•Gov. Ahmed

been able to pay their severance package.

“We are committed to paying the balance as soon as the situation improves, but I cannot give a time frame because we have been having shortfalls from the federal allocation. We appeal to the Federal Government to increase the allocations of local governments so that they can meet up with their financial obligations. Government is looking into their demand. They should be patient.”

improve in the state. He attributed this to the support and cooperation the security agents have received from the public, traditional institutions and government.

He noted that the gallantry, professionalism and commitment of the officers and men of the Kano Police Command have contributed to the improved security.

Idris said “the operation with the Joint Task Force (JTF) has led to reduction of crime in the state”, adding that economic and social activities have increased.

The police boss said to

achieve peace, new strategies were adopted, including visibility policing in addition to the raids on criminals’ hideouts. This, he said, led to the arrest of 150 criminals within two weeks.

The commissioner of police said during the period under review, arms and ammunition, drugs, stolen vehicles, motorcycles, mobile phones, generators and weeds suspected to be Indian hemp were recovered.

“We have smashed five gangs and arrested criminals who stole vehicles and printed fake dollars and naira,” he added.

‘We’re not owing Okupe’

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ENUE State Government has alleged that the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe, lied about his contract performance and claims that his company was owed N358 million.

Addressing reporters in his office, the Commissioner for Works and Transport, Benjamin Ashaver, denied that the job he executed was not even up to 20 per cent as the contract was abandoned half way after pocketing N886.8 million from the government.

He told Dr. Okupe to come and sort out some issues pertaining to the abandoned contract, instead of waging a war against newspaper establishments.

Commenting on the state-

From Uja Emmanuel, Makurdi

ment credited to Okupe that he would sue Benue State Government for N5 billion, the commissioner said: “We are not afraid to meet him in court. But I advise him to prepare himself with facts as the record of the ministry indicates that he collected mobilisation fee and abandoned the contract halfway.”

Ashaver said government took Dr. Okupe to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). “He promised to return to site, but we are still expecting him.”

Okupe, through his company, Valued Trust Limited, was alleged to have collected N886.8 million mobilisation fee for a rural road contract from the government in 2004, but failed to execute it.

12 suspected hoodlums arraigned for public disturbance

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HE Baale (traditional ruler) of Origbiyanju, Ifedapo, Okaka, Oyo State, Pa Elijah Adedeji, who died recently, will be buried tomorrow at Okaka in Itesiwaju Local Government.

A service of songs holds in his honour today.

He was the father of the former Commandant of the National Defence College, Rear Admiral Amos Gbadejo Adedeji.

From Kolade Adeyemi, Kano

From Samson Ademola, Ilorin

weapons to cause panic.

The suspects are Tunde Tiamiyu, Wasiu Araoye, Ige Kazeem, Ahmed Azeez, Abdulsalam Mubaraj and Jimoh Wasiu.

Others are, Hassan Musa, Afeez Adebayo, Ismaila Dauda, Lamidi Saliu, Sheu Jimoh and Mumuni Rafiu.

They claimed to be mem-

bers of the Oodua People’s Congress (OPC).

They were arraigned on a two-count charge of disturbance of public peace and illegal possession of firearms.

The offences contravene sections 113 of the Penal Code and 3(1) of the Firearms (Special Provision Act) CAP R11 Laws of the Federation 2004.

Police prosecutor Inspector Moshood Adebayo told the court that 12 of about 30 hood-

lums involved in the fight were arrested with various wounds.

He said on sighting the police, others escaped into a bush.

Items recovered by the police on the scene of the fight include two single barrel guns, one locally-made pistol, four cutlasses, clubs, a polythene bag containing charms, customised singlet and caps with OPC logo, registered books and three vehicles abandoned by the suspects.

Traditional medicine lacks funding From Olugbenga Adanikin, Abuja

Oleabhiele said: “If the Federal Government finds it difficult to raise money for the development of traditional medicine, it should use half of the money used in importing malaria drugs to develop this medical practice.

“What we need most now is

the passing of a traditional medicine bill into law. This will give the practice a legal right.”

He said there is need for the government to establish traditional medicine facilities in every state in the country.

According to him, the initiative is capable of generating more revenue for the govern-

ment as well as creating jobs for the unemployed.

He urged the Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, to issue an ultimatum to the states that are yet to establish traditional medicine boards to comply before August 30 next year.

The minister said there is need for the association to es-

Adebayo objected to the bail of the accused and urged the court to remand them in the Federal Prison, Ilorin.

Chief Magistrate Lekan Adegbite released the accused on bail in the sum of N20,000 and one surety.

He urged members of the rival groups to enter into a bond to keep the peace and be of good behaviour.

The case was adjourned till September 20. tablish a regulatory council or join an existing one, such as the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria to improve its practices.

Prof. Onyebuchi, who was represented by the Director of Hospital Management Services, Dr. Balami Wampada, decried what he called exaggeration by some traditional medicine practitioners that a herb could cure multiple ailments.

THE NATION FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2012

59

NEWS

Fed Govt approves $11.3m for condoms, others

‘Mimiko is daydreaming’

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THE Akeredolu Campaign Organisation (ACO) of the Ondo State Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) has described the statement credited to Ondo State Governor Olusegun Mimiko and Mr. Segun Ojo, that the ACN would not win in Owo, as mere daydreaming and wishful thinking.

It said the people of Owo cannot be deceived by the pretentious and deceitful Mimiko administration, which cannot point to a single road project in the state.

In a statement in Akure, the state capital, by its spokesman, Mr Idowu Ajanaku, the organisation said: “What’s more that Mimko could not make a single policy statement in the ancient city of Owo, the cradle of Yoruba progressive movement?

The five kilometres OwoAkure dualisation could not be completed in three and a half years by the Mimiko administration, whose stock in trade is to play politics with the welfare of the people. The same Mimiko has abandoned the Rufus Giwa Polytechnic’s workers in Owo, who died in the struggle.

“Is it Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, who is a former Senator, a two-term Governor of Lagos State, an astute leader of the defunct National Democratic Coalition (NADECO), the National Leaders of a party, who has won election across the country, that they are referring to as a District Officer? Ojo and Agunloye have never won any election in their political career.

Even Mimiko won his first election as governor of Ondo State and was helped by the same Bola Tinubu to retrieve this mandate when it was stolen...”

O reduce maternal mortality, the Federal Government has approved $11.3 million to buy condoms and family planning commodities.

The Director of Family Health in the Federal Ministry of Health, Dr. Bridget Okoeguale, spoke in Abuja yesterday at the 47th National Council Meeting of the Planned Parenthood Federation of Nigeria.

According to her, the amount is for the purchase

From Augustine Ehikioya, Abuja

of condoms, implant and other necessities.

She said that some states do not have a budget line for family planning, despite the global campaign on it.

Her words: “The Federal Government along with the global partners is also committed to reducing maternal mortality rate in the country.

You know our maternal mortality rate has not been very good.

“Last year in order to reduce maternal mortality rate, the Federal Government proclaimed that reproductive health commodities and family planning commodities like condom and implant to be free. Now that it is free, people will have to be rushing it.

“So the government along with the partners made a forecast as to what we need in the country and contributed $3m in 2011 through a Memorandum of Under-

standing which we implemented. But this year, globally, on July 11 to be precise, in London, there was a family planning summit organized

by DFID and other partners to increase the commitment of governments all over the world to family planning.

“Nigeria came in a big way and Mr. President, through the Minister of State for Health, Dr. Muhammad Ali Pate, announced the Federal Government’s commitment to the world with an

additional $8.3m reproductive health commodities which of course.”

“We are appealing to states to key in because health is on the concurrent list. The Federal Government has a plan and policy but we cannot force states to key in.

We can only advocate for them; they make requests to us as regards what they need but it is for them to ensure that these commodities reach the grassroots. She stated

•From left: Deputy branch Women’s Leader, Alhaja Sidikat Ibrahim; Women’s Leader, Surulere Lagos branch, Alhaja Falilat Tokosi; Alhaja Arogundade; National Co-ordinator 1, Alhaja Kudirat Oyeyemi; Lagos Zone 2 Women’s Affairs Secretary, Alhaja Rekiat Ajao and National Women’s Affairs Committee Secretary, Alhaja Risquat Wahab, during the visit... yesterday.

PHOTOS: OLUSEGUN RAPHEAL

‘Social media not for crime, suicide’

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EADER of the women wing of Nasrul-lahi-lFatih Society of Nigeria (NASFAT) in Nigeria and overseas, Alhaja Nafisat Arogundade has cautioned Nigerians, especially youths against the negative use of social media.

Apparently disturbed by the case of the late Cynthia Osokogu, Alhaja Arogundade said social networks should be beneficial and not suicidal.

She spoke during a visit

•NASFAT cautions youths

By Abike Adegbulehin and Safiyyah AbdurRasaq

to Lagos head office of The Nation yesterday.

The NASFAT National Women Affairs Secretary warned youths on sharing confidential information with friends on the network.

She said: “It is wrong to meet people on social network and start divulging confidential information. More worri-

some is the usage of the network to commit various crimes.”

She decried the rising of insecurity in the country, expressing regrets that women have always been at the receiving end.

“We are indeed perturbed by the threat to national security with kidnappings, bombings, armed robberies everywhere. It is sad because women are the mothers, wives, sis-

Ojo is political rabble rouser, says Akeredolu

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HE Akeredolu Campaign Organisation (ACO) of the Ondo State Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) yesterday said the exit of Mr. Segun Ojo from the party to the ruling Labour Party (LP) was good riddance to an irredeemable political rabble rouser seeking relevance.

Ojo, a former Commissioner of Finance in the Adebayo Adefarati administration, was among those who failed to get the ACN governorship ticket.

In a statement by its spokesman, Mr Idowu Ajanaku, the organisation said Ojo’s exit was a relief.

The statement said: “He is a politician that lacks integrity.

Ojo should tell the people of Ondo State how he left the civil service. His tenure as a commissioner under the late Adebayo Adefarati was riddled with controversy. The then governor said Ojo misled him, and the opposition later used that to destroy the Adefarati administration.

“Besides, Ojo has never contested and won an election in the state. The people call him ‘general’. He is indeed a general without troops, as Ojo has

no followers in Owo and, in fact, Ondo State.

“Is Ojo not the one who chastised the Olusegun Mimiko administration as a market/town hall builder and government of abandoned projects, such as the Doom-dome, OwoAkure road, Ondo-Akure road, Owena Multipurpose Dam, Arigidi Tomato Paste Industry, Alpha 3D project and so on? Is he not the one who said Mimiko has wasted over N500 billion which accrued from the Federation Account in the past three and a half years? Is it not Mimiko that denied Ojo the position of Pro-Chancellor of the Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, that he later handed over to Dan Nwanyanwu, an Igbo man and the Chairman of the amorphous Labour Party? Is he not a man who cannot win even a councilorship seat in his home state?

“We are not surprised that Ojo, like Dr Olu Agunloye, has gone back to his vomit. The same Ojo now joins hands with Mimiko who betrayed the late Adefarati to rig him out in 2003.

Today, Adefarati would be turning in his grave as Ojo mounted the podium with one of his arch enemies (Mimiko)

ters and daughters of those involved in violence and are also the major victims. If given proper orientation, we believe women have a great influence on the society and on nation building. We should be able to rear good sons that will become good husbands and citizens in future,” she noted.

Alhaja Arogundade lamented the failure of mothers in their duty, saying that mothers are natural tutors of

their children.

“We have failed in this regard, hence the theme of this year’s Annual Women’s Week – Women as catalyst for Nation Building to re-direct the psyche of our fellow women to their primary duty. We cannot continue to churn out failed generations.

If the present generation cannot be said to be successful, then we must ensure that the upcoming and unborn generations do not toe their line.”

Obasanjo’s group accuses PDP chief of working for ACN •It’s a lie, says Kashamu

T •Dr Agunloye

to betray the progressive course which he laboured for till death.

“Did Ojo not crawl back to Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and Chief Bisi Akande, seeking the ACN ticket in Lagos? But we know him as a mole planted by Mimiko. Thus, the leadership of the party could not trust him with the ticket.

“Ojo is always noted for politics of self-gain, as he said yesterday that Mimiko would pay him back in cash, if he wins his second term bid. But that will not happen, as Ojo and his co-travellers in LP will be rooted out in the October 20 election. This is because the people of Ondo State will no longer be deceived by the likes of Mimiko, Ojo, Agunloye and Remi Okunrinboye, who are deadwood politicians.”

HE Ogun State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) sank deeper into crisis yesterday as a faction of the party-led by Senator Dipo Odujinrin accused a chieftain of being a card-carrying member of the ruling Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN).

Odujirin alleged that the party has uncovered a grand design by one of its chieftains, Prince Buruji Kashamu to destabilise the PDP in the Gateway State.

But Kashamu dismissed the allegations as tissues of “lies and bunkum.” He described his accusers as “delinquents.”

Kashamu said: “That is a lie and complete bunkum. I am not a member of the ACN, whether in Lagos or elsewhere. This is just the latest lies in their desperate bid to confer legality on illegality. And I will prove this shortly.

Odujirin, who was elected chairman of a faction of the party recently, made the allegation when fielding questions from reporters in Abeokuta, the state capital.

From: Ernest Nwokolo, Abeokuta

It was at the inauguration of a committee to welcome home, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, who recently relinquished his chairmanship position of the party’s Board of Trustees (BoT).

Odujirin said the party would continue to manage Kashamu, hoping that he would return to the party either in Ogun or in Lagos state.

He said: “That somebody is alleged to carry a card of another political party in another state and in our own state claiming to be a member of our own party; that shows the kind of person that man is, but it is our own assignment as the party exco to manage all shades and manner of people.

“We will continue to manage him and we hope that as we go on, he will come back home either here or in Lagos. Whichever one he chooses to go, he has to make up his mind where he wants to go.”

Rally for PDP candidate Oke YOUTHS in Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State will today hold a rally for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, Chief Olusola Oke. The candidate hails from the local government.

The rally, tagged: Ilaje Ayemafuge Youth Rally, for Olusola Oke, will hold at Igbokoda.

A statement by the Youth Leader of Ilaje PDP, Comrade Medunoye Anfani, said about 50,000 youths are expected at the rally, besides other PDP leaders.

The statement said the rally would herald what it called “the total collapse of the Labour Party in the state”.

THE NATION FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2012

60

FOREIGN 70 to appear before Osun Commission of Enquiry From Adesoji Adeniyi, Osogbo

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EVENTY persons were yesterday summoned to appear before the Prof. Femi Odekunle Commission of Inquiry probing the major financial transaction of the Osun State Government from May 2003 to November 2010.

The six-member commission was inaugurated by the Rauf Aregbesola administration on June 18. Its officials are: Femi Odekunle, a professor of Criminology (Chairman); Mr. Kola Adeyemo, Dr. Obi Daramola, a civil engineer; Mr. Akin Akintayo, a chartered accountant; Mr Soji Olowolafe and Mr. Kelani Adesina, the Secretary.

Prof. Odekunle, told reporters in Osogbo, the state capital, that the commission would start the public hearing on Monday and end it on September 14 at the state High Court premises, Oke-fia, Osogbo.

The chairman said the commission visited about 60 project sites and discussed with many government officials and contractors connected to the projects.

He said the commission was not set up to witch-hunt anybody.

According to him, commission operates within the scope and terms of reference given to it by the government.

Prof. Odekunle said after collating, examining and analysing about 2,000 pages of documents on about 120 financial transactions and contracts, including the N18.3 billion loans obtained by the Olagunsoye Oyinlola administration, the commission held preliminary hearings with some government officials and contractors for clarification and additional information.

He said: “The commission sorted out cases deserving public hearing and identified specific serving government officials, contractors, bankers and other persons for issuefocused invitation to appear before the commission at the public hearing.

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Rebels ‘shoot down Syrian warplane’

EBELS claim they have shot down a Syrian fighter jet in the northwestern province of Idlib near the Turkish border.

The Free Syrian Army opposition group said the plane was brought down near a military airport close to the town of al-Thayabiya.

Video footage on al Arabiya television showed what appeared to be smoke in the sky and a person parachuting down.

An army helicopter hovered over the area, apparently in search of the pilot.

Colonel Afif Mahmoud Suleiman, head of the FSA Military Council in Idlib, said:

“I can confirm that a MiG was shot down this morning by our men using automatic weapons, shortly after taking off from Abu Zohur military airport in Idlib province.

“The two pilots who parachuted from the plane were captured.”

It came as Egypt’s leader Mohamed Morsi caused a storm during a landmark visit to Iran by slamming the Syrian regime as “oppressive” and calling for the rebels to be supported in their fight against President Bashar al Assad.

President Morsi President Morsi is the first Egyptian leader to visit Iran in decades.

His comments to the NonAligned Movement summit in Tehran were a clear rebuke to Syria’s key ally Iran and sparked a walkout by the Syrian delegation.

Morsi said: “The revolution in Egypt is the cornerstone for the Arab Spring, which started days after Tunisia and then it was followed by Libya and Yemen and now the revolution in Syria against its oppressive regime.

“Our solidarity with the struggle of Syrians against an oppressive regime that has lost its legitimacy is an ethical duty, and a political and strategic necessity.”

Morsi, whose Muslim

Brotherhood movement is affiliated with one of Syria’s main opposition groups, is the first Egyptian leader to visit Iran since the Islamic revolution in 1979.

Damascus accused the Egyptian president of inciting bloodshed.

Foreign minister Walid Muallem said Morsi’s speech amounted to “interference in Syria’s internal affairs”.

Meanwhile, human rights organisations said Syrian jets and artillery had struck at least ten bakeries in Aleppo in the last three weeks, killing dozens of people as they waited in line to buy bread.

The US-based Human

Six rescued in waters off Indonesia

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Russian Federation Ambassador Vitaly Churkin(left) listens as Antonio Guterres, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees speaks during a Security Council meeting at the United Nations headquarters in New York... yesterday.

PHOTO: AFP

South African Marikana miners charged with murder

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ORKERS arrested at South Africa’s Marikana mine have been charged in court with the murder of 34 of their colleagues shot by police.

The 270 workers would be tried under the “common purpose” doctrine because they were in the crowd which confronted police on 16 August, an official said.

Police opened fire, killing 34 miners and sparking a national outcry.

The decision to charge the workers was “madness”, said former ruling ANC party youth leader Julius Malema.

“The policemen who killed those people are not in custody, not even one of them.

This is madness,” said Mr

Malema, who was expelled from the ANC (African National Congress) earlier this year following a series of disagreements with President Jacob Zuma.

“The whole world saw the policemen kill those people,” Mr. Malema said, adding that he would ask defence lawyers to make an urgent application at the high court.

The killing of the 34 was the most deadly police action since South Africa became a democracy in 1994.

The decision by the South African authorities to charge 270 workers with the murder of 34 of their colleagues who were shot dead by police is politically controversial.

The prosecution is relying on the “common purpose”

doctrine, once used by the former white minority regime against black activists fighting for democracy.

At the time, the African National Congress (ANC), the former liberation movement now in power, campaigned against the doctrine.

Now, its critics will accuse it of behaving just like the apartheid regime and turning victims into perpetrators.

The government has already been strongly criticised over the shooting, which has been dubbed the “Marikana massacre” and compared to the atrocities committed by the apartheid-era police.

The National Prosecuting Authority is officially an independent body but most South Africans believe it has

close links to the ANC and this decision is likely to lead to more condemnation of President Jacob Zuma’s government.

Six of the 270 workers remain in hospital, after being wounded in the shooting at the mine owned by Lonmin, the world’s third biggest platinum producer, in South Africa’s North West province.

The other 264 workers appeared in the Ga Rankuwa magistrates court near the capital, Pretoria.

Their application for bail was rejected and the hearing was adjourned for seven days.

About 100 people protested outside the court, demanding the immediate release of the men.

Egypt’s president urges help for Syrian opposition

•Morsy

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GYPT’S new president slammed the Syrian government and called for support for opposition forces yesterday.

Egypt’s Mohamed Morsy called President Bashar al-

Rights Watch said: “The attacks are at least recklessly indiscriminate and the pattern and number of attacks suggest that government forces have been targeting civilians.

“Both reckless indiscriminate attacks and deliberately targeting civilians are war crimes.”

New death toll claims also came from the military hospital in Damascus.

A doctor who holds the rank of general said more than 8,000 members of Syria’s security forces have been killed since an anti-regime uprising broke out in March 2011.

Assad’s government “an oppressive regime that has lost its legitimacy.” He said backing the opposition is “a moral obligation, and a political and strategic step that comes in our belief of a new independent Syria.”

Morsy made the remarks at the Non-Aligned Movement summit in Iran, whose theocratic Shiite regime backs al-Assad. It was the first visit by an Egyptian president to Iran since the Islamic revolution in 1979.

Two weeks ago at the Organization of Islamic Cooperation’s summit in Saudi Arabia, Morsy spoke of Egypt, Iran, Saudi Arabia and Turkey working to-

gether to deal with the Syrian crisis. He was quoted by Egypt’s Ahram Online as saying “it is time for the Syrian regime to leave.”

Yesterday in Iran, the Syrian delegation at the summit walked out in protest during Morsy’s speech and returned after he finished. The president’s remarks were being aired live on Syrian state media, but they were cut short.

Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Al-Moallem on State TV called the remarks inciting and an interference in Syria’s internal affairs.

Morsy’s support of the Syrian opposition reflects his solidarity with the people who took to the streets dur-

ing the Arab Spring, the popular label for the democratic movements that swept across the Middle East and North Africa last year.

The grassroots opposition that forced the departure of President Hosni Mubarak and the collapse of his autocratic and pro-West regime last year led to this year’s democratic election of Morsy.

Egypt is the most populous Arab country and very influential, and Morsy’s remarks underscore the isolation of alAssad’s regime in the Arab world, particularly among Sunnis.

Al-Assad is opposed by Sunni nations like Saudi Ara-

bia and Qatar, while his domestic opposition is predominantly Sunni. Al-Assad’s regime is dominated by minority Alawites, an offshoot of Shiite Muslims.

Morsy is long affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood’s political movement, which is a traditionally Islamist movement.

The Free Syrian Army shot down a military jet fighter in Idlib province, the opposition Local Coordination Committees said.

Amateur video shot by activists show an aircraft with smoke coming from it and the pilot ejecting from the aircraft.

IX people were rescued in the waters off Indonesia early yesterday as authorities search for survivors of a boat that reportedly had engine trouble a day earlier, Australian officials said.

Rescue workers searched all day Wednesday after the Australian Maritime Safety Authority received a call from someone who said they were on board a vessel having engine trouble with about 150 others, presumed to be asylum seekers.

The Australians said they were able to determine from the conversation that the vessel was about eight nautical miles southwest of the island of Java. They alerted the Indonesian search and rescue agency, BASARNAS, which dispatched two helicopters and a rescue boat, BASARNAS spokesman Gagah Prakoso said.

Egyptian leader’s comments on Syria spark walkout

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GYPT’s president has told a summit of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) that the Syrian uprising is a “revolution against an oppressive regime”.

Mohammed Mursi, making the first visit to Iran by an Egyptian leader since 1979, said the movement had an “ethical duty” to support the uprising.

His comments sparked a walkout by the Syrian delegation.

Syria’s Foreign Minister Walid Muallem said Mr. Mursi’s speech “incites continued bloodshed in Syria”.

Egypt has been holding the rotating Nam presidency and Mr. Mursi was handing the duty over to Iran during his visit.

He used his speech to tell delegates of the 120-member body: “Our solidarity with the struggle of the Syrian people against an oppressive regime that has lost its legitimacy is an ethical duty, as it is a political and strategic necessity.

President Mursi’s speech in Tehran marks an important moment as he defines Egypt’s new foreign policy.

THE NATION FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2012

61

FOREIGN NEWS Miami Dolphins plane clips another at Dallas airport

American President Barack Obama (middle) shakes hands with supporters after delivering remarks during a campaign at the Capital University in Columbus, Ohio.

PHOTO: AFP

London Met students face deportation

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BOUT 2,600 students could be kicked out of the UK after the government stripped a university of its right to admit foreigners.

London Metropolitan University has had its Highly Trusted Status (HTS) for sponsoring international students revoked and will no longer be allowed to authorise visas, according to the institution’s website.

The move could mean more than 2,000 students being deported within 60 days unless they find another sponsor, according to the National Union of Students (NUS).

Immigration minister Damian Green said there had been a “serious systematic failure” at the university.

He said it proved to be a “very, very deficient” sponsor because more than a quarter of students sampled were studying there when they did not have permission to stay in the country.

A “significant proportion” of students did not have a good standard of English and there was no proof that half of those sampled were turning up to lectures, he added.

Prof. Malcolm Gillies, vice chancellor at London Metropolitan University, said the claims were not “particularly cogent” and said it would be disputing them.

He said: “I would go so far as to say that the UK Border Agency has been rewriting its own guidelines on this issue and this is something which should cause concern to all universities in the UK.” But Keith Vaz, chairman of the Home Affairs Select Committee, said the move could harm Britain’s reputation as a prime destination for overseas students.

He said: “It has left thousands of students in limbo and I am afraid it may damage the reputation of this country as the best place in the world for overseas students.

Federal court strikes out Texas voter ID law A

FEDERAL appeals court in Washington yesterday struck out the Texas voter ID law requiring photos for voters at the polls, calling it racially discriminatory.

The decision is a major victory for the Obama administration and its Democratic allies, which had challenged the law.

Texas Attorney-General Greg Abbott promptly announced the state would appeal the ruling to the Supreme Court.

Republican Gov. Rick Perry signed the voter ID measure into law last year, but it had yet not gone into effect because the federal Voting Rights Act requires changes in Texas voting laws to be precleared by the U.S. Justice Department.

Attorney-General Eric Holder denied the pre-clearance of the measure in March, concluding that Texas failed to show the law will not have “the effect of denying or

abridging the right to vote on account of race.”

Although the law provides for approved voter registration certificates with no photo as acceptable for voting in certain circumstances, the court said the law imposes “strict unforgiving burdens on the poor.” The court noted the requirements will fall heavily on African-Americans and Hispanics, who make up a disproportionate percentage of the poor in Texas.

The panel of judges for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia also said it was ruling only on the Texas law, and not issuing a statement about other state voting laws. It noted the Justice Department had approved a Georgia voter ID law in which the state promised to provide free photo ID cards to citizens who request them.

“Under the proposed law,

many of those without the required voter identification would be forced to travel great distances to get one — and some would have to pay for the documents they might need to do so,” said a statement from the attorney-general.

Holder also repeated his assertion that the law would discriminate against minorities.

Abbott, meanwhile, said Texas will immediately take the case to the nation’s highest court, where “we are confident we will prevail.” He said the Supreme Court had already approved similar ballot integrity safeguards passed in Georgia and Indiana.

The ruling comes as another three-judge panel in Washington is hearing arguments this week on a similar law passed in South Carolina. Republicandominated legislatures say such laws are designed to

eliminate voter fraud. Democrats claim there is no voter fraud issue, and that the laws are designed to reduce voting by poor minorities.

“Chalk up another victory for fraud,” said Gov. Perry, in a statement on his website.

“Federal judges subverted the will of the people of Texas and undermined our effort to ensure fair and accurate elections.

The Obama administration’s claim that it’s a burden to present a photo ID to vote simply defies common sense. I will continue to work with Attorney-General Abbott to fight for the same right that other states already have to protect their elections.”

The Texas law said those who are 65 or older, disabled or expect to be absent on Election Day may vote by mail without presenting identification.

Earlier this month, a state court in Pennsylvania approved a voter ID law requiring photo identification at the polls.

Moors Murders: Funeral held for Winnie Johnson

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RIBUTES have been paid to Winnie Johnson, the mother of Moors Murder victim Keith Bennett, at her funeral in Manchester.

Family and friends gathered at St Chrysostom’s Church in Victoria Park, where Keith attended Sunday School and Mrs. Johnson continued to be a regular parishioner.

Keith Bennett was just 12 years old when he was abducted and murdered by Ian Brady and Myra Hindley. He was the only one of their five young victims whose body was never found.

Mrs. Johnson had repeatedly pleaded with the killers for help in locating her son’s last resting place but the former hospital worker and motherof-nine died from cancer in a hospice on August 18 without finding his makeshift grave on

Saddleworth Moor so he could be given a Christian burial.

Friend Pat Ayres told Sky News: “She was feisty, rude, a lot of fun. I loved her dearly.

“Of course, as everybody knows, she was scarred by what had happened. But as well as being scarred it gave her a sense of purpose.

“She never gave up, I expect to her dying breath she wouldn’t have given up.

Certainly, with every bit of her spirit and her will, she wouldn’t rescind that power to those people who took him.”

Keith was last seen by his mother in the early evening on June 16, 1964 after he left his Manchester home to visit his grandmother’s house nearby.

Brady and Hindley’s other victims were Pauline Reade,

16, who disappeared on her way to a disco on July 12, 1963; John Kilbride, 12, who was snatched in November the same year; Lesley Ann Downey, 10, who was lured away from a funfair on Boxing Day 1964, and Edward Evans, 17, who was axed to death in October 1965.

Undated handout of Keith Bennett, who was killed by Myra Hindley and her lover Ian Brady. Keith Bennett went missing in 1974 on his way to see his grandmother The killers were caught after the Evans murder and Lesley and John’s bodies were recovered from the moors.

Both killers were taken back to Saddleworth Moor to help police find the remains of the outstanding victims but only Pauline’s body was found Brady claimed he could not

remember where he had buried Keith.

A covert search operation on the moor in 2009, using a wealth of scientific expertise also failed to discover any trace of Keith.

Hindley died in jail in 2002 aged 60. Brady, 74, is currently being held in Ashworth Hospital, a high-security mental health unit on Merseyside.

Weeks before her death, Mrs. Johnson made a final appeal to Brady, but he refused to provide any further help in locating Keith’s body.

Because of her ill health, she was never told that Brady’s mental health advocate had been arrested following claims that the Moors murderer had handed her a letter containing information about the body’s location.

AN American Airlines charter plane carrying the Miami Dolphins home from a losing 30-13 game against the Dallas Cowboys clipped the tail of a parked plane at Dallas/ Fort Worth International Airport yesterday morning, forcing both planes out of service and prolonging the team’s return.

According to the Federal Aviation Administration and the airline, the incident occurred as the jet was being pushed back in the west cargo area of DFW — a pad used for sports charters. The winglet of the Dolphins charter plane — a Boeing 767 — clipped the tail of an empty MD-80 aircraft, causing minor damage to the 767’s winglet.

“That was the biggest hit the Dolphins had all night,” quipped one commenter on CNN affiliate WPLG-TV’s website.

There were no injuries and both planes were taken out of service for inspection, American Airlines spokesman Matt Miller told CNN. American brought a replacement plane and the charter left around 4 a.m., arriving in South Florida at 7:20 a.m. Thursday.

William, Kate to go on tour of South pacific DETAILS of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s forthcoming tour to South East Asia and the South Pacific have been revealed

by St James’s Palace.

With talk of orangutans, jungle walks, warrior dances and canoe trips to desert islands, it promises to be a colourful trip to some very remote parts of the world.

The couple’s private secretary, Jamie LowtherPinkerton, says the overall purpose of the trip is to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee and will involve both formal and informal moments to reflect their characters and interests.

In the case of Prince William, that will mean focusing on conservation and the environment, while the Duchess is keen to raise the profile of arts and children’s charties.

The nine-day tour will see them travel from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur, then onto the Borneo rainforest and the Solomon Islands, before ending their trip in the tiny Commonwealth Realm of Tuvalu.

One of the most colourful moments is likely to be the couple’s arrival in Tuvalu where they will be “carried” off the aircraft, although St James’s Palace admitted that they “don’t quite know yet” how that will happen.

William and Catherine take part in a Mexican wave while watching the cycling at the Paralympics The royal couple take part in a Mexican wave at the Paralympics

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Iniesta wins UEFA A Best Player award

Ighalo, Granada in pole position

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PAIN midfielder Andres Iniesta has been named UEFA's best player in Europe over the last season.

Iniesta beat Barcelona teammate Lionel Messi and Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo for the honour.

The 28-year-old shone as Barcelona endured a frustrating campaign throughout, seeing their La Liga title disappear to arch-rivals Real Madrid and crashing out of the Champions League semi-final.

However, he was able to star as his country retained their European Championship crown in Ukraine and Poland in June and July, and was subsequently named the best player at the tournament.

And he has now scooped another award, pipping the Ar-

gentine and Portuguese forwards, despite their respective 73- and 60-goal campaigns.

"Without my team-mates at the Spanish national team and Barcelona I wouldn't have won this individual trophy," he said.

His captain at club level, Carles Puyol, was quick to congratulate Iniesta on his official Twitter page.

"Congratulations, Andres!!

You deserve this," he wrote.

Iniesta received 19 votes from the panel, while Messi and Ronaldo were both given the nod by 17 voters.

In last year's edition of the award, Messi was named as the best player in Europe, with fellow Barcelona star Xavi and Ronaldo finishing in second and third place respectively.

•Iniesta

Oragwu, Asanga rescue Nigeria

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•As Junior Wasps land in Calabar

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the attitude of the players,” said the former player who played for Hoechst of Ota in his heyday." Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) should be commended for organising these matches which would allow Nigerians to see the Golden Eaglets in serious match situations ahead of our qualifier against Niger next week.”

Meanwhile, Junior Wasps are already in Calabar for this two-match training tour of Nigeria.

The delegation comprising 21 players and eight officials arrived Thursday aboard Arik Airlines via Lagos. Coach Richard Tardy is expected to unleash Coventry striker, Seif Murenzi as well as Orléans defender Pacifique Shema against the Golden Eaglets.

Tardy reportedly said that Murenzi’s pace and ability to hold onto the ball will be a great asset to the team!

Odigie, Bosso task Under-17 team

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OACHES Monday Odigie and Ladan Bosso who at one time or the other attached to the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) have enjoined the Golden Eaglets to ensure qualification for the 2013 African Under-17 Youth Championship to be hosted in Morocco.

Nigeria has failed to qualify for the last two editions of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) cadet’s competition which were hosted

by Algeria and Rwanda respectively in 2009 and 2011.

Odigie, the immediate past Golden Eaglets’ coach, was quoted as saying that the present crop of players must

NPL's inconsistent policies worry Pillars’ boss

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HE General Manager of Kano Football club, Alhaji Abba Galadima, has expressed disgust over the inconsistency of the Nigeria Premier League (NPL) in its policies, especially as at affects the indecision on the case of the Ocean Boys Football club.

Galadima, who spoke to NationSport in Kano, yesterday, described the indecision in the case of the Ocean Boys and the fixing of the last matches of the Premier league on Friday, as not only biased but unrealistic.

According to him, it is disgusting in my own opinion that the Ocean Boys case should have been decided before the final matches of the Premier league, which were for Friday.

He lamented that this is another shoddy and question-

nada in the past three seasons.

Ighalo's first choice is a return to Granada with some conditions attached. The Egypt 2009 FIFA Under-20 World Cup star had to take a pay-cut to play for the Andalusia club reportedly earning annual wages of 200, 000 euros. He was one of the least paid players at The Filipinos. Now, he is demanding an increase in wages before joining the club on loan again for the 2012 2013 La Liga season.

It must be noted that Udinese and Granada have an excellent relationship. There are indications that Gino Pozzo, the major shareholder of Udinese, has given his green-light for Ighalo's switch to the Spanish club. What remains for an official announcement to be made is the player agreeing personal terms with Granada.

WORLD CHESS OLYMPIAD:

Golden Eaglets set for Rwandese test HE Golden Eaglets’ officials have said that they are now ready for the upcoming international matches starting with Friday's friendly match against Rwanda at the U.J Esuene Sports Stadium in Calabar.

After many weeks of preparation, playing and winning strings of matches, the wards under coach Garba Manu (MFR) would be facing their biggest test yet in this high profile game against the East Africans. Both teams are using the two- match series on Friday and Sunday as tune up as the 2013 African Under-17 African Youth Championship gets underway.

While the Golden Eaglets open their account with a First Round qualifier against Niger next week, the Junior Wasps are drawn in the Second Round against either Malawi or Botswana-following their impressive performance at the last tournament where they nearly won the trophy in front of their home fans but for the 2-1 loss to Burkina Faso in the Final match. " We are ready for the friendly match against Rwanda since it would put the players in serious condition as well as opportunity of having a closer look at the players ahead of our game against Niger next week," said Nduka Ugbade, the Golden Eaglets’ assistant coach who incidentally captained Nigeria to win the maiden Under-16 FIFA World Cup in 1985." These two matches against Rwanda are crucial because they offer us a clear-cut chance of looking and picking players for the trip to Niger."

Team's Coordinator, Suleiman Abubakar, said the fight for positions in the team, meanwhile, has been intense with none of the players guaranteed a shirt.

"There is quality in this team and everyone is happy about

plethora of teams including Everton, Espanyol and Celta Vigo had been eyeing a loan move for Odion Ighalo in the summer transfer market but Udinese have rejected the proposals from England and Spain as they failed to meet the player's rental fee.

According to allnigeriasoccer.com sources, the Italian club also turned down a bid from Turkish club Fenerbahçe who were interested in the outright acquisition of the 23 - year -old attacker.

Udinese snatched Odion Ighalo from under the noses of Norwegian club SK Brann in the summer of 2008. The player who is rated as one of Nigeria's exciting prospects for the future has failed to break into the first team of The Bianconeri, and had been sent on loan to satellite club Gra-

•Says it may mar proceedings From Kolade Adeyemi, Kano able decision by the NPL in fixing the last matches on a Friday, pointing out that: “Throughout the season, no match has ever been played on a Friday, But this time, the NPL seem to be biased in taking such hasty decision, without putting into consideration of the suitability of the day.”

Galadima, however, called on the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) to urgently intervene and address this anomaly for the sake of the growth of the game.

“For the NPL to be adjudged to be fair and just there is need for the reversal of such controversial decision, so that the right thing should be done at the right time,” Galadima concluded.

be wary of some underhand tactics that are prevalent in African football following the manner his wards were subdued the last time. Odigie was actually sent off in Brazzaville against Congo by the referee for complaining about a bogus penalty awarded against Nigeria and his technical input was sorely missed during the decisive reverse fixture in Kaduna.

“I have been following the activities of the Golden Eaglets since you started the screening exercise early this year and I’m impressed about some of the things I have heard about the team,” Tayo Egbaiyelo, the Golden Eaglets’ Team Secretary who incidentally acted in the same capacity last term, quoted Odigie as saying in a telephone conversation. “It is good you are with the present team and you must alert the players as well as the technical crew about the pitfalls to be avoided particularly when you travel for your away matches.” Similarly, Bosso who guided the Flying Eagles to the quarter-finals of the 2007 FIFA Under-20 Youth Championships in Canada reportedly said that it is important for the Nigerian team to be at the 2013 African Under-17 Championship after recent failures.

“Good to hear about the positive things about the Golden Eaglets but the challenge for you guys is to qualify for the African Youth Championship first before talking about going to the World Cup,” advised the coach with the Nigerian Premier League side, Wikki Tourists. “Every match should be handled with all seriousness and you can always count on my support and generality of Nigerians.”

HE bravery of Olympiad debutants Nonso Oragwu and Nsisong Asanga rescued Nigeria's male and female teams from the jaws of defeat in the hands of Pakistan and United Arab Emirates respectively.

The 11 round Swiss event pairing which entered third round last night had Oragwu secured a vital win against Waqar Ahmad Madni (2035) in the white side of Sicilian defense Najdoff variation in 43 moves.

The Nigerian prodigy in the course of the game perfectly coordinated an attack on the King side of his opponent and won a Bishop on move 24 and thereafter resorted in exchange of minor officers before he brought the game to a ruthless conclusion with a two advanced pawns.

Earlier the duo of International Masters Dapo Adu and Bomo Kigigha had lost to Lodhi Mahmood (2358) and Oureshi Ansar (2235) respectively before Femi Balogun defeated Ahmed Haseeb (2296) and salvaged Nigeria to a 2-2 score line.

In the female section, Funmilayo Akinola came back from two defeats in the first two days to secure a vital win against International Master Al-Ali Hussein (2329) of United

Arab Emirates.

Akinola playing on board three, implored a Reti opening and seized the advantage from move 25 after her opponent blundered her Knight on d6. The Nigerian master won a free officer further in the middle play exchange and held on to the advantage till the end to win the first game out of the four on schedule.

Asanga followed same pattern with a long end game win over Alzarooni Aesha Easa on board two. The Chess Olympiad debutant imposed her favorite English opening on her opponent who made a sacrifice of a Room fora Bishop on move 18 but the exchange further created more problems in the middle play and cost her to lose two more pawns in the end play.

While Tobi Olatunji maintained her prefect losing streak against Saleh Noura Mohammed, Vivian Dzaayem lost her first game in the tournament after losing her Queen without compensation against Woman International Master Bukhasshem Fayqa (1762) in a Sicilian defense opening.

On top boards, Bosnia and Herzegovina maintained top position in both male and female with a 2-2 shoreline against Slovania and Slovakia respectively.

2012 Rivers State Governor's Cup gets September 18 date

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HE 2012 edition of the Rivers State Governor’s Cup is finally to begin on 18th September. Speaking during a draws ceremony held at the conference hall of the Spiff Diette Sports Complex on Tuesday afternoon, the Secretary of the State Football Association, Ibigoni BenjaminAkobo announced that sixteen teams have so far entered for the competition which runs till the third week in October.

During the draws, the four Teams, Obio Akpor, Eleme, Degema and Okrika were seeded and later drawn into four groups. While Group A has Obio Akpor, Ogba/Egbema/ Ndoni, Andoni and Omuma LGAs, Group B has Degema, Oyigbo, Abua/Odual and Asari-Toru.

Eleme, Bonny, Opobo/ Nkoro and Ikwerre will sweat it out in Group C.

From Florence Nkem Israel, Port Harcourt The fourth, Group D parades Okrika, Ahoada West, Etche and Ahoada-East.

It was also noted that the four Local Government Councils of Khana, Gokana, Tai and Akuku-Toru are yet to register for the competition.

The Vice Chairman of the State FA and Chairman of the Technical Committee for the tournament, Chief Omineokuma Kile took time to explain the format for this year’s edition of the tournament.

The official opening match is between the defending Champions, Obio Akpor and Andoni Local Government Areas on September 18 at the main bowl of the Liberation Stadium, Port Harcourt, alongside three other games that will be played same day.

THE NATION FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2012

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DUBUISI Nduka, the Head Coach, Heartland FC of Owerri, said on Thursday that not much changes would be made as they commence preparations for next season’s continental campaign.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Heartland will represent the country in next season’s CAF Confederation Cup following their 2-1 Federation Cup victory over Lobi Stars FC of Makurdi.

Nduka told NAN on the phone that the club intends to keep the players together and recruit a few more to strengthen them for the 2012/2013 league and continental season.

He said that the team was in a good shape to compete for honours, adding that there is no point making a lot changes.

“This is a good team, there is no point trying to overhaul a side that has had a successful season simply because we are going continental. Virtually all of the players have been at one point or the other engaged in continental matches. So they have the experience we need. However, we will still go into the transfer market, buy some players and blend them with the current squad in order to strengthen the team,” he said.

Nduka called on the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and the Nigeria Premier League (NPL) board to plan their programmes effectively for the country to be

CAF CONTINENTAL QUEST:

I won’t celebrate if I score against Atletico —Torres

Heartland FC needs C some changes- Nduka well represented continentally.

According to him, the club hopes to compete favourably for honours in every tournament without losing focus in any competition in the coming season.

“I want the NFF and the NPL boards to plan their

programmes for next season’s campaign effectively so that we will be able to represent the country well continentally. We hope to compete well in every tournament we play, and we want to participate in all of them without losing focus in any of them,” he said.

The coach then assured his club would put up a better performance for the 2012/2013 season and compete for the league title.

Heartland at present occupies the 11th position in the NPL with a game left to play before the current season ends.

Firm partners OGSD to develop handball

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OTHERED by the declining facing sports generally especially the game of handball in Nigeria, First Registrars Nigeria Limited has partnered Organization for Grassroots Sports Development (OGSD) for resurgence of the game.

The CEO of the private firm Bayo Olugbemi disclosed this while making a speech at the just concluded Handball Championship that was organised by OGSD and attracted participants from Kwara, Ogun and Oyo State.

Southwest zone of National Sport Commission that has its headquarters located at Obafemi Awolowo Stadium, Ibadan where the competition was held endorsed and urged

First Registrars to assist the organizser in making the handball tourney an annual event.

Olugbemi who was represented at the event by Abayomi Oluwato said the development is coming at a very auspicious time when the country is just recovering from the shock of a dismal outing at the just concluded Olympics games in London, where our beloved country could not win a medal of any colour and this is a reflection of our shoddy preparation towards the games.

He maintained that the Olympics Games comes every four years which gives every country a great deal of time to prepare. “All the stakeholders in our sport life

have a share of the blame, but permit me to say that what is happening here today is a step in the right direction. Kudos to OGSD”, Olugbemi noted He added that “As you may be aware, sport and physical education is fundamental to the early development of children and youth and the skills learned during play, physical education and sport contribute to the holistic development of young people”.

The host State, Oyo won in Under-18 category of the event after defeating Kwara at the final while Ogun State female team emerged champion in the Under-15 category by beating the host Oyo in the 2 legged format match.

HELSEA striker Fernando Torres has revealed he will not celebrate if he scores against Atletico Madrid in tonight’s UEFA Super Cup clash.

The Spaniard played for Atletico for 12 years after joining the club at the age of 11, before leaving in 2007 to join Liverpool.

Torres admitted the affection he still feels for his boyhood club would stop him from celebrating if he were to find the net in Friday's game.

He told reporters: "If a goal is scored I will not celebrate it. It couldn't be more special. Their fans know I was one of them. I spent 12 years of my life there."

The 28-year-old feels he is finally back to his best after struggling for over a year with a lack of form following his £50 mil-

lion move to the Blues in January 2011.

Torres even believes he has become more of a team player since joining Chelsea, as he has contributed more assists than he has done in any stage of his career.

He added: "The only thing I know is I don't want to be in this situation again. I don't want to go back. I'm stronger than ever.

I've become a better player since coming to Chelsea. I do more assists."

The Spain international has denied criticising his club after stating in May he wasn't pleased with the way he was being utilised.

He added: "I never said bad things about Chelsea. I know they made a big effort to buy me."

F2G shines at UAE Ramadan Cup

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HE Nigerian flag bearer at the recently concluded Ramadan Soccer Competition hosted by the United Arab Emirates, F2G Football Academy which is under the supervision of Chief Adegboye Onigbinde, has attributed their ouster at the semi-final stage of the tourney to ill-luck.

While addressing newsmen on the their arrival at Murtala Muhammed Airport Lagos, the manager of the Ijebu-Ode based Soccer School, Quadry Orobiyi who led the team to the UAE tourney said his team never fell short of a high expectation the organisers have for a Nigerian team but attributed their semifinal loss through a penalty shotout to hard-luck.

“We had proved to be a good representative of Nigeria by giv-

ing good account of ourselves winning all our matches in the first round and quarter-final before losing on a penalty shootout in the semi-final which made some scouts who came to watch the tourney to organised more trial matches for our boys”, Orobiyi noted.

F2G was played in the ground C with along Al- Awadi FC who they defeated 3-1 in the first game and beat Al- falag FC with same margin in the second match and walloped UAE future by 6-0 in the quarter-final.

They confronted a high profile Awena FC in the semi-final and played 3-3 during the regulation time but lost in penalty shootout 4-5 to miss the 10 thousand dollars star prize in an annual soccer held at the magnificent Mirdif City Centre, Dubai.

FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2012

TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM

COMMENT & DEB ATE EBA

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HE debate over the desirability of State Police falls squarely within the sphere of security, the foremost responsibility of any government. And because of the importance of security, governments reasonably divide the responsibilities to ensure the effective coverage of internal security of citizens and external security of the state. While the latter is the purview of the armed forces, the former is the responsibility of the police.

And while no one disputes the prerogative of the central government in the matter of external security, reasonable citizens have disagreed over the monopoly of internal security by the Federal Government. What is (are) the basis (bases) for the disagreement?

Those who oppose the creation of State Police have not taken a stand on its constitutionality. They know that doing so would beg the question whether the constitution rightly prohibits the idea. And since the debate itself is predicated on the present legislative efforts to amend the constitution, it would have been grievously out of sync to argue against it from a constitutional perspective.

Secondly, no one who has argued against State Police has done so on the basis of the effectiveness of the present federal police system which everyone acknowledges has undermined the security of citizens. From its inadequacy in dealing with armed robbery, kidnapping, militancy, and other crimes that endanger citizens and undermine the development of the nation, it is crystal clear that the system is broken.

Third, no one that is against the idea of State Police has expressed doubt about the prospect of its effectiveness in combating crime and protecting citizens at the state and local level. No one can because (i) there are good examples of the practice of state and local police that they are aware of. So it would be disingenuous of anyone who has seen it work to doubt its effectiveness.

Two concerns have been raised against the institutionalisation of State Police. The first and perhaps more passionately expressed is the potential for the abuse of the police by politicians, especially the governors and the party in power. The second is the issue of financing the system. In other words, everyone appears to agree on (i) the present perilous state of internal security, (ii) the inadequacy of the federal police to deal with it, and (iii) the universally acknowledged effectiveness of state and local police in dealing with internal security in any nation. But because of the fear—imagined or real—that politicians, especially governors are likely to use it as an instrument of oppression, and the uncertainty of where the funds are going to come from, reasonable and well- placed patriots are against the institution of State Police.

Neither of these concerns appears to me unresolvable. At most, they are challenges that reasonable people can meet and overcome. Take the case of funding. If security is

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SEGUN GBADEGESIN gbadegesin@thenationonlineng.net

The State Police debate

•Inspector-General of Police Mohammed Abubakar

the foremost responsibility of government, surely state governments can be expected to source for the means of discharging this responsibility even if it requires moderating expenses in other sectors. Indeed, an effective system of internal security has the great potential for generating internal revenue that not only pays for itself but also yields substantial dividends for investment in other sectors. Certainly such a regime can expect to attract a decent amount of domestic and foreign investment into the state. With business and industrial investment, opportunities are created for youth employment which in turn creates buying power, which leads to more investment and the circle can only be a virtuous one.

There is a second consideration about funding. Even now that the police falls under the exclusive list of the Constitution, state governors cannot be unconcerned about resourc-

es available to the police commands in their states. For, they are still responsible for security of their citizens. A good number of governors have created State Security Commissions that raise funds for the police, while some raise their own vigilance groups. It may be argued that what such Commissions source from businesses and charitable organisations are grossly inadequate to fund State Police. The point, however, is that when duty calls, human creativeness always provides an unfailing response. Why say “nay” even before the challenge appears? Why run for cover even without a glimpse of the invader? It is quite disappointing that valiant people who are normally daring and enterprising would feel overwhelmed by a non-existent problem.

How about the major concern that state governors and their party members will use State Police to harass their opponents? It can be argued that this is not an imaginary fear because it happened during the First Republic. I cannot affirm the veracity of this charge.

I lived through it; my family was a victim of local police brutality from 1964 to January 1966 and it was the coup of 1966 that saved my father from going to prison. But the reality of the experience of almost half a century ago, vivid as it still might be in the inner recesses of our minds, cannot be the yardstick for determining how we should live our lives. Consider an analogy. Fifty years ago, we were sleeping with our doors and windows wide open, enjoying divinely endowed fresh air. We would be crazy fools to indulge in such fun today no matter how remote our villages are. Instead we rely on fans or air-conditioners and generating sets.

The mark of our humanity is the possession of rationality with which we are able to think through the most efficient and effective means of meeting the challenges that we face and identifying the most efficient means of satisfying our wants and needs.

If we are wary of the experience of the

HARDBALL

past—premiers using state police to torment opponents—and we know that federal police has not worked efficiently and effectively to secure us, then we have to put on our thinking caps and devise an effective means of avoiding the unacceptable experiences of the past. We might want to ensure that governors—we got rid of Premiers—do not have a monopoly of supervisory authority over the State Police. We do this by creating a police system that is civil but apolitical. Each state might have a State Police Commission that is transparently independent,with representation from major sectors of the civil society, and financially autonomous, with constitutionally guaranteed revenue.

Secondly, if we are fearful that governors may use State Police to rig elections—harassing political opponents while empowering the rigging industry of supporters—then again we need to devise a means of avoiding this inauspicious outcome. Presently, state governments are responsible for local government elections while INEC is responsible for federal and state elections. This is in itself an anomaly in a federal system. But assume that we are not prepared to rock the boat of our truncated federalism yet. We may come up with a solution that allows INEC to supervise State Police during elections and deny politicians any supervisory role at such times. In any case, if the first proposal is acceptable and the governor has no monopoly power over the police, then the fear of using it to rig elections would have been misplaced.

There is a final consideration. For almost 20 years now, since the elections of 1993 and its aftermath, there has been one constant refrain against proposals for changing our way of doing things, especially those that we all agree are not working. Whether it is change from dictatorship to democracy; or unitarism to federalism; the opposition has always expressed a baffling lack of confidence in our collective maturity. We were told that we were not mature for democracy; that the kind of federalism we seek is dangerous in light of our present political circumstance. And now we are told that State Police is for mature societies. The people making these claims consider themselves mature. In fact, it is their maturity that gives them the audacity to advise against taking steps that they believe the country is not mature to take.

Will this country ever be sufficiently mature to take one small step toward its destiny? And when it is deemed ready, will there be a country?

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•Hardball is not the opinion of the columnist featured above

The $15m Opera and other tintinnabulations

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N the last two years, this column has had reasons on a few occasions to adapt some political events in Nigeria to John Gay’s The Beggar’s Opera and Bertolt Brecht’s The Threepenny Opera. To sate our hunger for delectable drama, and as if the staid National Assembly and the excitable President Goodluck Jonathan presidency do not tickle our midriff enough, another opera is again opening in Abuja involving former governor James Onanefe (not that Onanefe, silly) Ibori’s alleged bribe money estimated at $15 million. By the way, the tintinnabulations included in the headline above serves no useful purpose other than as onomatopoeia to indicate the incredulousness of the latest story surrounding the controversial money. The money, reports of the day suggested, was said to have been offered as bribe to deter the EFCC from hauling the former Delta State governor, Ibori, before the courts for allegedly stealing Delta State money and laundering it in many clever ways, including committing several felonies and misdemeanours in the process.

We do not know whether the new opera is a red herring to deceive the public, to protect the image of Ibori, or to prevent the courts from reaching a sensibly juridical conclusion on the matter. Whatever the reason, the opera is certain to prolong the court case in

which Delta State is seeking custody of the money in the face of a supposedly greedy federal government intent on keeping it.

Here are the particulars of the new opera. An oil magnate, Mr Chibuike Achigbu, has sworn to an affidavit before a Federal High Court in Abuja claiming ownership of the bribe money. According to him, he gave the money as his private contribution – hear, hear – to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the 2007 elections.

Since this smitten lover of the PDP couldn’t give the money directly to the party, Mr Andy Uba, yes the same famously irreverent and quietly regal and cantankerous usurper of Anambra State governorship post, came in handy as the intermediary to pass the huge donation on to the ruling party. Mr Uba, continued Achigbu, gave the money to the EFCC in order for the anti-corruption agency to sanctify it and make it lawful for party use.

Uba, he added, did not give him a feedback since then until the latter was sent packing by the Supreme Court from the governor’s mansion in Awka. Finally, to make the story even much taller than it already was, Achigbu claimed he was so pissed off by Uba’s behaviour that he was not on speaking terms with him until a few days ago when the usurper called to say that the $15m being disputed by the federal government and Del-

ta State was the controversial donation.

Why it has taken a hefty five years to cook up this story may never be known. We may also never find the heart to believe it. What is clear, however, is that the plots in the opera are getting more complicated, if not downright ridiculous and sensational. In the Hardball of August 15 entitled “The problem with Delta’s slush fund,” this columnist suggested that resolving the confusion was not as difficult as imagined. Let Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, the man who first broke the bribe story, be put on oath; he will tell the truth, this columnist swore. Hardball offers the same pearl once again in the face of Achigbu’s fantastic story: Let Ribadu be put on oath; if he collected money from Uba, he will say so; and if not, he will also say, for he is old and sensible enough to speak the truth.

But in the name of God, let not Uba wink at us as he is wont and tell us that he in turn hired another intermediary to pass on the money to Ribadu. In any case, we trust Delta State lawyers to drag the recipient of the slush fund and all the intermediaries, dead or alive, before the courts to tell their own side of the story. When they come, they should keep their stories short and simple.

Lies, the intermediaries must know, are sometimes indistinguishable from tintinnabulations.

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