December 03, 2011

Oshiomhole proposes N148.87bn

budget Pg. 5

Ajimobi sacks two SUBEB officials over delay in teachers’ salaries Pg. 57

Kogi elects new governor today We’re ready, says INEC Police deploy 20,000 men

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TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM

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SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2011

N150.00

Senate names fuel 5 subsidy beneficiaries Page

They received N3.655tr in five years, says PPRA Construction company on the list THE BENEFICIARIES AT A GLANCE Oando Nigeria Plc N228.506bn Integrated Oil and Gas Plc N30bn MRS 224.818 bn A.A. Rano N1.14 bn A-Z Petroleum N18.61bn A.S.B N3.16 bn Arcon Plc N24.116 bn African Petroleum N104.58 bn Aminu Resources N2.3 bn

Capital Oil Con Oil Avante Guard Avido Boffas and Company Brilla Energy D. Jones Petroleum DownStream Energy Dosil Oil and Gas

N22.4 bn N37.96 bn N1.14 bn N3.64 bn N3.67 bn N960.3 m N14.86 bn N789.648 m N3.375 bn Continued on Page 4

IN THE NEWS

...Jonathan intensifies consultations on subsidy removal 5 Page

Proposal tops agenda with political parties

I’m not blind 24

Page CY

NOLLYWOOD ACT, MER JOHNSON, CRIES OUT

2 NEWS

THE NATION, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2011

The house that tested Ojukwu’s A

visitor to Villaska Lodge, the Lagos home of the late Igbo leader, Dim Odumegwu Ojukwu, at No 29, Oyinkan Abayomi Street (formally Queen’s Drive), Ikoyi, is confronted with an unusual warning: beware of snakes!

But contrary to the warning at the entrance, there were no snakes in sight when our correspondent visited the house on Tuesday to see one of the valued possessions left behind by the exBiafran warlord.

‘You wan snakes?’ a guard asked our reporter when he sought to clarify the warning about the snakes.

‘No, I’m only curious about the warning,’ the reporter returned.

The guard replied: ‘We have snakes, we kill snakes just like they kill dogs.

There is a section of the house where we rear snakes. It is not as if they crawl about the compound. But there is a particular place where they walk around in the grass’.

The environment was neat when the reporter visited the place. The mango and the almond trees provided a shade for the building. The lawn was lush green, while his domestic servants tendered the flowers and cleaned the surroundings.

Although the guard at the house said the place used to be the ‘Mecca’ of Igbo leaders who came to pay homage to the late Igbo leader, the house was devoid of such traffic of people on Tuesday.

According to the guard, some Igbo leaders in Lagos had come to sign the condolence register opened at the house in honour of the late Igbo leader.

Bequeathed to him by his wealthy father, Sir Louis Ojukwu, who died in 1966, the house became a bone of contention between the Lagos State Government and the ex-Biafran leader when he returned from exile in Cote D’Ivoire and made the place his abode even though the government had confiscated it and labelled it an abandoned property on account of the rebellion that Ojukwu led against the state.

On August 12, 1985, a Permanent Secretary in the Lagos State Government wrote to Ojukwu and asked him to vacate the house or face eviction. Ojukwu headed for the Lagos High Court to challenge the action of the state government to eject him from his residence. He sought an interim injunction restraining the Military Governor of Lagos State, the Lagos State Commissioner of Police and the Attorney General of Lagos State from ejecting him and members of his family from the house.

He swore to an affidavit that the house belonged to his father after whose death he became the owner of the property. He also deposed that during the period of the civil war between 1967 and 1970, the house was not occupied by anyone. He also claimed that for its pains in keeping the house while he was on exile, he had paid the Lagos State Government the sum of N90,000.

The trial judge, Justice Roseline Omotosho, granted the interim injunction on the grounds of Ojukwu’s ownership of the house and impending threat to evict him. But while the matter was pending in court, the state government deployed about 150 armed men to evict Ojukwu, and throw him into the streets.

But Ojukwu’s spirit was not dampened. He stayed in his vehicle in front of the house, defying rain and sunshine as he continued the legal battle up to the Supreme Court and eventually triumphed and reclaimed his property from the state government.

That, however, is not to say that the battles he fought over the house were restricted to the Lagos State government.

Early this year, the house also became a

•The late Ojukwu

•CSO of the house

Gbenga ADERANTI, Assistant Editor bone of contention between him and his younger brother. Lotanna Ojukwu, the aggrieved younger brother, insisted that the house was not a personal property of the late Ikemba Nnewi but one left behind by their father as part of the assets of Ojukwu Transport Limited, their late father’s business outfit.

The controversy has since abated if the situation at the house last Tuesday was

T

•Views of the house

anything to go by. The Chief Security Officer of Villaska Lodge, Mr. Ikechukwu Umunnakwe, told our correspondent that all that was in the past. “There is nothing like somebody trying to take over the property. The property belongs to Chief Odumegwu Ojukwu,” he said.

Umunnakwe also disclosed that a lot of people had come to the house on condolence visits, particularly prominent Igbo indigenes. Appraising the late Igbo leader, he said he would serve him again if he

had the opportunity.

He said: “I’ve been with him for 15 years.

He treated me like his son. He never saw me as an employee. My relationship with him was good. I’ve read so many authors, so many books but Ikemba was a good teacher to me. If I am to come back to this world, I will prefer to be a servant to Ikemba.”

He said unlike many leaders of Ojukwu’s status who go about with security details, he was a man who cherished

We’ve been fasting since his death – MASSOB leader, Uwazuruike

HE leader of the Movement for the Ac tualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), Chief Ralph Uwazuruike, said yesterday that he was so devastated by the death of the former Biafran warlord, Chief Emeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, that he has refused to eat since his demise.

He said members of the association also joined him in shunning food to mourn the demise of the Ikemba, whom he described as “a mentor and confidant”.

Speaking to reporters over the telephone, Uwazuruike declared that there is no going back on the Biafran struggle despite the death of the former Biafran leader.

He maintained that the Ikemba lived, fought and died for the actualisation of the state of Biafra even after the end of the civil war.

Uwazuruike lamented that Ojukwu died some few weeks after he organised a befitting 78 birthday bash for him in his absence and was looking forward to the day he would return to the country to a heroic welcome.

His words: “We are going to continue the struggle until those things he lived, fought and died for are realised. There is no going back on the struggle. In fact, we are more emboldened now more than ever before. We are not going to stop”.

Uwazurike maintained that Ndigbo must also double their efforts to remove the shackles of discord and join forces to bring about the realisation of the ideals of the former leader and presidential candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).

Ugochukwu EKE, Umuahia He said that is one of the ways to honour the late Eze Igbo Gburugburu, adding: “That is the only thing they can do to keep his soul alive. He is still very much with us. He is watching us and urging us to move on. We cannot stop now. We must realise his dream”.

When The Nation visited the residence of Uwazuruike at Freedom House in Okwe, the headquarters of Onuimo Local Government

Area of Imo State and all the offices of MASSOB, it was observed that the Biafran flag was flying at half mast in respect of their departed leader.

Also, when our correspondent visited Ahiara, in Ahiazu Mbaise Local Government Area of Imo State, where the famous ‘Ahiara Declaration’ was made during the Nigerian civil war, the atmosphere was sober and the people were seen discussing the incident in hushed tones.

‘With Ojukwu’s death, the Igbo nation has suffered a partial stroke’

A

Non-Governmental Organisation known as Global Centre for Peace and Justice based in Umuahia, Abia State, has described the news of the death of Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegu Ojukwu as akin to a ‘partial stroke’ for the Igbo nation.

In a release signed by its president, Anthony Agbazuere, said that the news of the death of Ikemba Nnewi came to them as a rude shock.

Agbazuere said that this has reinforced the truism that man, no matter how great, is a mere mortal who must be humbled one day by death.

He said: “I therefore call on all our leaders and all men and women to learn to do justice to the people and society; they should be patriotic, humble, corruption-free, and show love and not hatred to one another, for this

Ugochukwu EKE, Umuahia world is vanity.

“I mourn Ikemba, who was like a second father to me and the strength of the Igbo race.

Indeed, with the death of Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, the Igbo nation has suffered a partial stroke”.

In the same vein, the Abia State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Don Ubani, has said that the death of the Ikemba Nnewi, Chief Emeka Ojukwu, would set the hand of the clock backward for Igbo race.

Ubani, in a statement in Umuahia, said with the death of Ojukwu, the entire Igbo race have lost one of those who are ever ready to fight for the cause of the Igbo man irrespective of where he comes from so long as he speaks the language.

NEWS 3

THE NATION, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2011

fighting spirit

Former Joint Chief of Defence Staff and Minister of Defence under the Babangida administration, Gen. Domkat Bali, now Ponzhi Tarok, the Paramount Ruler of the Tarok nation, Plateau State, in this interview with YUSUF AMINU-IDEGU, speaks on the death of the Ikemba, Chief Emamka Odumegwu Ojukwu.

I was suspicious of Ojukwu when he joined the Army as an Oxford University graduate – Gen. Domkat Bali

•Bali

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freedom and preferred to move about alone. Recalling a recent incident, he said: “During the celebration of his birthday at Alimosho Local Government by the Ndigbo in Lagos, I expected him as an elderly man and Ndigbo elder to just move quietly into the place that had been prepared for him. But he came down from the car, went into the crowd and started shaking hands with everybody. I was shocked that the man did not care that something could happen to him in the crowd. People were shouting Dim! Dim! He was very free with the crowd.”

He said until about four years ago, Ojukwu was always coming to the house.

According to the chief security officer, “He was coming in regularly. I think it wasn’t long before he stopped coming. He was a man that would not sleep in a hotel. I found that in him. He preferred to sleep in his house.

“I would describe him as a saint sent by God for people to look up to and learn from him just like a philosopher. Being Dim’s servant does not take the energy and power I have. Rather, it gave me wisdom.”

He was a great Nigerian, says Awolowo Foundation

T

HE Oòbafeòmi AwolÍwÍ Foundation yesterday joined others in mourning the death of Chief Emeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu.

The Executive Director of the foundation, Dr. Olatokunbo Awolowo Dosumu, in a statement, described the Ikemba as “a leading Nigerian political figure, a fine officer and gentleman and one of our trustees”.

Dr. Awolowo Dosumu recalled that “Chief Ojukwu was invited to serve on the inaugural Board of Trustees of the Foundation almost 20 years ago. His choice was based on his renowned respect and admiration for Chief Oòbafeòmi AwolÍwÍ, whom he famously described as ‘the best president Nigeria never had’.

“Chief Ojukwu accepted our invitation to serve under the chairmanship of Gen. Yakubu Gowon without any hesitation whatsoever, and by so doing, demonstrated his readiness to join hands with us to sustain and promote a worthy legacy and, perhaps more importantly, his resolve to lead by example in the national effort to put the past behind us. We will always treasure his association with the foundation.

“We commiserate with his widow, Chief Mrs. Bianca Ojukwu, his entire family, and the nation at large on the sad loss of this great Nigerian”.

OOD morning your royal majesty?

Good morning, my boy.

How do you react to the death of the Ikemba, Chief Emeka OdumegwuOjukwu?

It is regrettable like all deaths. Ojukwu, whether you like him or not, he made an impact in this country. It was because of him substantially that we ended up having the civil war. So he was an important Nigerian who made historic impact in the life of this nation, especially in Ibo land. I had often told any man I met that as far as I’m concerned, the greatest black man from Africa was Nnamdi Azikiwe, an Ibo man. But most Ibo people said Ojukwu was the greatest, and so the Ibos gave Ojukwu, not Zik, all the honour. I asked them why they honour Ojukwu more than Zik; they say Zik served Nigerian nation but Ojukwu served the Ibo nation, that is their reason.

I was made to understand that you worked closely with Ojukwu in the Army, how will you describe him, what kind of a man is Ojukwu?

I knew him but not very closely. I was in the Artillery, he joined the Army in the Infantry. Yes, Ojukwu was a graduate of Oxford University, a very reputable university in the world. So, the question we were asking was, why did Ojukwu join the Army? Was it out of the passion for the job or for some ulterior motives? Such question arose then because as a graduate of the Oxford then, getting a juicy employment was not a problem. In fact, you can be employed anywhere; you have many good jobs to choose from.

But we wonder why he chose the Army.

The Army then was a dumping ground for school drop outs and those who were not so intelligent, not for an Oxford graduate that Ojukwu was. So, that was my suspicion of him. That is, why did he join the Army at the time he did? Was it out of pure interest to be a soldier? That was my suspicion of him. I was suspicious of him from the beginning.

People described Ojukwu as a rebel, who was at the same time interested in the unity of the country?

Ojukwu was a rebel, no doubt. He was interested in breaking the country. How can you say such a person who moved

But we wonder why he chose the Army.

The Army then was a dumping ground for school dropouts and those who were not so intelligent, not for an Oxford University graduate that Ojukwu was. So, that was my suspicion of him. That is, why did he join the Army at the time he did? Was it out of pure interest to be a soldier?...

to break the nation was interested in the unity of the country? The man fought to be independent of Nigeria; he never fought for the unity of the country. He came with the ambition to rule his own nation other than that of Nigeria.

Will Nigeria miss him?

Yes, very well; like I said, Ojukwu was a good man, an intelligent man, and overall, an ambitious man perhaps, but he was okay. Many people who knew Ojukwu will respect him for who he was, good or bad.

What condolence message do you have for Nigerians, Anambra State and his immediate family?

I join all Nigerians, both at home and abroad, to express my condolence to his immediate family, wife, children and grandchildren. Ojukwu is a loss to the entire nation, not just to Anambra State.

He never served Anambra as a state; he served the nation in the Army and served the interest of the entire Ibo people. I condole Anambra because this is one prominent man from the state. The family will miss him, Anambra State will miss him. Nigeria as a nation will miss him because of his participation in the current political dispensation which began in 1999.

4 NEWS

F

ORMER Biafran commander, Col. Paul Ude Okonkwo (rtd) and the leader of the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), Chief Ralph Uwazuruike have defended Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu for his role in the civil war, saying that the former Biafran leader never declared war on Nigeria.

Both condemned the opinion some people have advanced, that Ojukwu declared war on Nigeria. They insisted that it was the other way round, while Ojukwu rose to the challenge to defend his people, who faced extinction threat.

Speaking in separate interviews with The Nation, both of them held that the issue that sparked off the war was the 1966 pogrom in the North, where Igbo people were massacred and the subsequent declaration of the Republic of Biafra to give the Igbo a sov-

THE NATION, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2011

Ex-Biafran commander, MASSOB defend Ojukwu’s civil war role

ereign country of their own “since they were forced out of Nigeria.”

Okonkwo, who is the leader of veteran Biafran Army officers, said: “We the Ndigbo were the ones who asked Ojukwu to declare the Biafran Republic. It was Nigeria that forced us into war. There was never a time Ojukwu asked us to rise against Nigeria. We only defended ourselves against extinction since they wanted to extend the pogrom to our land.

“We were pursued out of Nigeria. And it was after seeing our people coming back humiliated that we prevailed on Ojukwu to lead us into freedom. If he had not declared the Republic of Biafra, we would have lynched him.

He warned us against the consequences of war, telling us

that war is not a child’s play.

But we urged him to go on and give us the Republic of Biafra.

Okonkwo, who said he was in the war front throughout the duration of the war alongside the late Col. Timothy Onwuatuegwu, prayed that God would receive the great soul of Ojukwu who he described as a “great man, an Iroko and the only field marshal from Africa.”

MASSOB leader, Uwazuruike, said: “Ojukwu did not declare any war against Nigeria, unless those who do not understand history want to make some mischief. ‘’Remember that there was the Aburi Accord in Ghana

where certain terms were agreed on, which Ojukwu came home to uphold. But unfortunately, Gowon jettisoned it on the advice of his permanent secretaries then.

“Not only did Nigeria turn down the Aburi Accord, they went on to divide the former Eastern Region into Rivers, South Eastern and East Central States. At the end of the exercise, it was frustrating to Ojukwu that the Nigerian government should come to divide us. ‘’Because of this, the 400member Eastern Consultative Assembly empowered Ojukwu to make declaration for their own self determination because our people were be-

ing killed in the North. And there was no stopping the killing of Ndigbo in the North then.

“Ojukwu, being the military governor of Eastern Nigeria then, couldn’t have folded his arms and watch his people being massacred in the North. It was the people that persuaded him to declare the entire Eastern Region their own territory so that they would have a safe place for themselves because they were not protected under the Nigerian government.

Uwazuruike also fired a salvo at former President Olusegun Obasanjo who berated Ojukwu for not showing remorse.

Said he: “It is an insult for Obasanjo to say that Ojukwu did not show remorse for his

role in the civil war. Ojukwu couldn’t have shown any remorse. Remorse for what? If what happened to Ndigbo had happened to his people, Obasanjo would have taken the position Ojukwu took or even a worse one. Unless he does not love his people.

“Should Ojukwu show remorse for protecting the lives and property of his people?

Or didn’t Obasanjo see the pogrom in the North? There was even a point when Ojukwu persuded those who ran back from the North to go back; that every thing was under control, only for them to go back and got massacred.

“How do you make up all these and say that Ojukwu should show remorse? What he did in the first place was logical, legal and advisable.

And that was what all other persons could have done under normal circumstances.”

One dead, nine vehicles burnt in Lagos tanker fire

A

•Scene of the fire incident

A

few hours after he was relieved of his appoint ment, a former Minister of Sports, Alhaji SuleimanYusuf, has denied being sacked, saying he tendered his resignation letter to President Goodluck Jonathan.

It was, however, learnt that Yusuf was sacked by Jonathan for allegedly obtaining a governorship nomination form for the forthcoming governorship election in Sokoto State without consulting the President.

According to a statement signed by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and

PHOTO: Rahman SANUSI

Sokoto governorship poll: Jonathan sacks minister over ambition •I was not sacked, I resigned— Ex-Sports Minister Suleiman Yusuf ALLI, Managing Editor, Northern Operation and Vincent Ikuomola, Abuja Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, the sack was with immediate effect.

The President said he was removed “to afford him the

opportunity to focus fully on the pursuit of his declared political ambition.”

It was gathered that by obtaining the form, his ambition has pitted Jonathan against Northern governors who have vowed to resist any attempt by the Presidency to deny Governor Aliyu Magartakada

Boko Haram, soldiers clash in Maiduguri EMBERS of the Boko •Another explosion rocks city Haram and the JTF

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(Operation Restore Peace) clashed in Maaiduguri, the Borno State capital on Thursday evening.

The exchange of gun fire took place at Gwasari Ward behind the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH) and lasted for some hours.

According to an eyewitness who would not disclose his name for fear of being attacked, the JTF overpowered the Boko Haram members, who fled and left behind their guns, which were picked up by the JTF forces.

The casualty figure was not immediately known.

In another development, another bomb blast rocked the capital city on Thursday, along Barga Road, near the Timber Market at about 2.30 pm, which forced traders to close their shops and took to their heels for fear of being attacked. No casu-

alty was however recorded. The JTF immediately cordoned off the area.

JTF spokesman, Lt Col. Hassan Mohammed, confirmed the incident but added that no casualty was recorded. He explained that before the bomb

could explode, men of the JTF detonated it, which accounted for why its impact was minimal.

He assured the people of the readiness of the JTF to protect their lives and property, urging them to go about their normal businesses.

The beneficiaries at a glance Continued from Page 1 •Inco ray •Eternal •Folawiyo Energy •Frado International •First deepwater oil •Heden Petrol •Honeywell Petrol •Integrated oil •AMP •Ascon •Channel oil •Fort Oil •Enak Oil & Gas •Bovas & Co. Nig Ltd •Obat Oil

N1.988 bn N5.574 bn N113.32 bn N2.63 bn N257.396 m N693 m N12.2 bn N30.777bn N11.417 bn N5.271 bn N1.308 bn N8.582 bn N19.684 bn N5.685bn N85bn.

Wamakko a second term ticket.

In a swift reaction, his spokesman, Mr. Adebisi Adekunle said: “There is no iota of truth in the insinuations that Alhaji Suleiman Yusuf was sacked. He voluntarily resigned from the Federal Executive Council to pursue his governorship ambition.

“I think the ex-minister gave the President a notice to quit about two weeks ago. He remains committed to the pursuit of his governorship ambition.’’

It was, however, gathered that the President might have sacked Suleiman for “embarrassing the Presidency.”

The source added: “His ambition has created a wedge between the Presidency and northern governors. The manner in which Suleiman presented his nomination made the public to believe that he is an anointed candidate of the President.

“The President has spent the last few days to clear the air that he has no business with Sokoto politics. Yet, he is being accused of plotting Sylva’s treatment for Wamakko.

“The security implications of an implosion in the NorthWest, especially the seat of the Caliphate, made the Presidency to disown Suleiman.”

N early evening fire from a somersaulted fuel tanker yesterday claimed one life and completely burnt nine vehicles in Lagos.

The incident, which occurred at the Magodo Estate Junction, about one kilometer from the old Toll Gate along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, resulted in a traffic snarl that stretched several kilometers on both sides of the six-lane dual carriage way.

The gridlock flowed to adjoining roads, particularly the Mile 12 and Maryland axis of the ever busy Ikorodu Road.

The accident, according to an eyewitness who identified himself as Abdulkareem, happened when the tanker, which was also completely burnt down, lost control as it tried to avoid another truck that was making a U-Turn from the other carriage way of the express road.

As it skidded off the road, it landed on its side in a place where some auto mechanics have been using as workshop and some goat sellers have been using as their market.

The impact caused an explosion that consumed a man, who was said to be one of the goat sellers. About four goats and nine vehicles were also burnt.

Men of the Lagos State Fire Service battled the fire, which another eyewitness said started at about 5.20 pm till it was finally put out around 7.30 pm.

Speaking to The Nation, Lagos State Chief Fire Officer, Adebayo Olayinka, said the

Augustine AVWODE Lagos State Fire Service deployed six engines to tackle the fire.

He said: “As you can see, we are here and, thank God, the situation is under control now. There is only one casualty. You can even see him there. Then we have about nine vehicles and four goats. ‘’We deployed six engines from stations close to the scene of accident. That is our rule. We don’t leave the job to one station and say it is your job. In a situation like this, we must all swoop on the fire. That is exactly what we have done here now,” he explained.

The fire razed all the vegetation and flowers along the drainage and gutter along the Magodo Estate Road.

Apart from the fire fighters, men of the Lagos State Traffic Management Agency (LASTMA), the Nigeria Police and Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) were all on hand to ensure proper management of the chaotic traffic situation.

A LASTMA official, who spoke to The Nation on condition of anonymity, said the agency responded quickly to the development but lamented that many road users cared little about measures adopted by the agency to ensure free flow of traffic even in the face of “general commotion and confusion”.

A police officer from the Isheri Division said he was not competent to comment on the incident. But he said the situation was already under control.

NSCIA, cleric hail ban on same sex marriage

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HE Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) and an Islamic scholar, Sheik Moshood Jubril, have hailed the decision of the Senate to ban samesex marriage in the country.

A release signed by NSCIA Secretary-General, Dr AbdulLateef Adegbite described the ban as a step in the right direction and was in accord with the wishes of the Nigerian populace.

Adegbite, while banking on the Presidency to promptly assent to the bill, urged the House of Representatives to proceed in passing the bill without

Tajudeen ADEBANJO and Shehu BELLO delay.

“Nigerians should ignore international busy bodies who want Nigeria to join them in engaging in abominable practices by legalising and celebrating homosexuality and sodomy on the grounds of so-called individual freedom,” he said.

Sheikh Jubril, founder of Markaz Salam (Islamic Peace Society) urged the Federal Government to resist the threat of western nations, especially the British Government in their bid to legalise homosexual marriage in Nigeria.

NEWS 5

THE NATION, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2011

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Senate names fuel subsidy beneficiaries

HE Senate yesterday released names of the beneficiaries of fuel subsidy amounting to a grand total of N3.655 trillion for five years (2006 to 2011).

The upper legislative chamber said fuel subsidy has guzzled N1.426 trillion between January and August this year alone.

Chairman, Senate Ad-hoc Committee probing the management of fuel subsidy regime in the country, Senator Magnus Abe, read the names of companies benefitting from fuel subsidy at the resumed investigation by the committee in Abuja .

Senate President, Senator David Mark, had lamented the existence of those he referred to as “oil industry mafia” and charged the investigative panel to unearth those behind oil deals.

Executive Secretary, Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA), Mr. Reginald Elijah Stanley, however, disagreed with the N1.426 trillion for 2011.

The PPPRA boss said that some of the figures reeled out

by Abe did not quite add up.

According to him, “some of the figures read did not tally with the actual figures.”

Stanley gave the figure of N1.348 trillion as the amount spent on fuel subsidy between January and August this year.

He also gave a grand total of N3.665 trillion as the amount spent on fuel subsidy between 2006 and August 2011.

But the committee wanted to know why fuel subsidy which used to be about N500 million in one year suddenly jumped to N1. 426 trillion within the space of less than one year.

Abe also wanted to know what a construction company has to do with importation of fuel.

He, however, did not mention the construction company listed among the beneficiaries, in spite of the preseure piled on him by reporters.

A member of the committee, Senator Bukola Saraki, noted that part of the guidelines for licence as oil marketer specifies that applicants must own a tank farm and the company registered at the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC).

The committee said that information available to it is that some importers who do not own tank farms use names of oil majors to receive subsidy as marketers.

Stanley said that they received the complaint and referred the matter to security agencies for proper investigation.

Group Managing Director, Nigerian National Petroleum

•They received N3. 655tr in five years , says PPPRA •Construction company on the list Jonathan intensifies consultations on subsidy removal •Proposal tops agenda with political parties

D

ESPITE a shocking resolution from the House of Representatives, President Goodluck Jonathan has intensified consultations over plans to withdraw fuel subsi-

dy.

The President is also weighing options on when and how to withdraw the fuel subsidy.

But the President may extend his consultations on subsidy withdrawal to all the political parties, including the opposition, next week.

A meeting with the parties is billed for Abuja on Tuesday.

There were strong indications last night, however, that one of the options borders on the need for the presidency to make the withdrawal of subsidy "purely an executive decision."

The President is under pressure to adopt executive fiat to withdraw the subsidy.

The House of Representatives had on Thursday technically rejected the removal of fuel subsidy by describing the proposal from the executive as "premature."

According to findings, the presidency was shocked by the alleged 'cold' attitude of the House to the proposal on subsidy.

"In spite of the resolution of the House of Representatives, we have not heard the last word on the matter.

"You should remember that the Nigerian Governors Forum has endorsed the withdrawal of fuel subsidy. Whatever the House said as being premature, we consider it as its own contribution to the debate,” a top government source said.

"The President has rather decided to intensify consultations with stakeholders on the merit of the withdrawal of the subsidy. Even the President will still ask the House to have a rethink when it gets all the statistics,” the source added.

He said Jonathan was also likely to table the issue before all political parties in the country when he has audience with them next week.

"The audience with parties, especially the opposition, is part of a broad-based consultation programme designed by the presidency.

"The President does not want the withdrawal of fuel subsidy policy implemented with shocks for Nigerians," he said.

Another reliable source in the presidency added: "The government will certainly go ahead with the withdrawal of fuel subsidy by making it an executive decision after due consultations.

"Once it is made an executive decision, whoever is aggrieved can go to court. As it is now, the unresolved challenge over fuel subsidy removal is affecting the presentation of the 2012 budget.

"The government cannot be grounded over an issue that is purely executive in nature."

Responding to a question, the source said by "virtue of Section 16 (1 and 2) of the 1999 Constitution as amended, the President can take an executive decision to withdraw the fuel subOnyedi OJIABOR, Assistant Editor Corporation (NNPC), Mr. Austin Oniwon, told the committee that the NNPC collects subsidy for locally refined products but not as much as the amount paid for imported products.

On alleged massive round tripping by marketers, the NNPC boss said that he had not caught anybody engaged in round tripping. He said he would not “want to speculate on it.”

Oniwon also said that N71.2 million was spent on

turnaround maintenance of Kaduna Refinery.

He said that they have been given 24 months to resuscitate the three refineries in the country.

Asked what the country is losing as a result of the nonfunctioning of the refineries, Oniwon referred to the salary paid to staff at the refineries.

The NNPC GMD also failed to give the committee the quantity of products that are produced locally since the refineries were shut down.

“I will get back to you”, he retorted.

The committee mandated

Yusuf ALLI, Managing Editor, Northern Operation sidy.

Section 16 (1) (b)(c) reads in part: "The state shall, within the context of the ideals and objectives for which provisions are made in this Constitution -control the national economy in such manner as to secure the maximum welfare, freedom and happiness of every citizen on the basis of social justice and equal of status and opportunity.”

Section 16(2)( c) says: "The state shall direct its policy towards ensuring that the economic system is not operated in such a manner as to •Jonathan permit the concentration of wealth or the means of production and exchange in the hands of few individuals or of a group."

Responding to a question, the source added: "The withdrawal of fuel subsidy is just now a question of when and how. That is why the President is being calculative in order not to hurt the system."

The Federal Government is proposing N4.8trillion budget for 2012 with a $70 to $75 benchmark price for oil.

Apart from the take-off of the Sovereign Wealth Fund, the government is also proposing savings of about N1.2trillion from the withdrawal of fuel subsidy.

But most senators and House members have asked their leaders to prevail on the President to meet four conditions.

The conditions are: • a publication of the list of the beneficiaries of past fuel subsidy; • presentation of facts and figures or statistics on the true picture of the amount of fuel subsidy; • a comprehensive release of palliative measures Nigerians will enjoy if the subsidy is removed and Action Plan to make the measures work; • and concrete work plan on how to make all refineries function at optimal level.

him to furnish it with details of the quantity of products produced locally.

Abe said that former President Umaru Yar’Adua abolished kerosene subsidy and wondered why it was re-introduced.

The PPPRA boss said that it was re-introduced by the board of the agency, but failed to furnish the committee with necessary documents to support his claim.

He failed to justify why N200 billion paid as arrears was not recorded in the books of the agency.

Companies named by the

Senate and the amount of money they received this year alone included; Oando Nigeria Plc, N228.506billion; Integrated Oil and Gas Plc, N30billion; MRS, 224.818 billion; A.A. Rano, N1.14 billion; A-Z Petroleum, N18.61 billion; A.S.B, N3.16 billion; Arcon Plc, N24.116 billion; African Petroleum, N104.58 billion; Aminu Resources, N2.3 billion; Capital Oil, N22.4 billion; Con Oil, N37.96 billion; Avante Guard, N1.14 billion; Avido, N3.64 billion; Boffas and Company, N3.67 billion; and Brilla Energy, N960.3 million.

Others also listed are: D. Jones Petroleum, N14.86 billion; DownStream Energy, N789.648 million; Dosil Oil and Gas, N3.375 billion; Inco ray, N1.988 billion; Eternal, N5.574 billion; Folawiyo Energy, N113.32 billion; Frado International, N2.63 billion; First Deepwater Oil, N257.396 million; Heden Petrol, N693 million; Honeywell Petrol, N12.2 billion; AMP, N11.417 billion; Ascon, N5.271 billion; Channel Oil, N1.308 billion; Fort Oil, N8.582 billion; Enak Oil & Gas, N19.684 billion; Bovas & Co. Nig Ltd, N5.685billion; and Obat Oil N85billion.

Abe also named AP, N104.5billion; IPMAN Investment Limited, N10.9billion; ACON, N24.1billion; Atio Oil, N64.4billion; AMP, N11.4billion; and Emac Oil, N19.2billion.

Findings by our correspondent indicated that in 2006, only MRS, Total and Oando were officially listed as beneficiaries of the fuel subsidy recognised by the Federal Government.

The three companies were said to have been listed as “major marketers.”

But in 2007, AP and Mobil joined the three companies and were listed under the category of majors.

The same year, NIPCO was introduced and listed under the category of petrol depot owners.

A new category of “independents” included some marketers who had no depots.

AITEO Energy Resources and Triquest Energy was also added in 2007, bringing the total to eight beneficiaries of the fuel subsidy.

The Nation gathered that the list of subsidy beneficiaries increased sharply in 2008 to a total of 23, made up of six majors.

In 2008,Conoil joined, and NIPCO was joined by Capital Oil and Folawiyo Energy, under the category of depot owners.

The list of “independents” also increased from two in 2007 to 14 in 2008 as AITEO and Triquest were said to have been joined by Triquest Oil services, IMAD Oil & Gas, Integrated Oil and Gas, Rahamaniyya, AMG Petro Energy, Brittania, ACORN, AZ Petrolleum, SHIELD Petroleum and MAJOPE Investment Limited.

And in 2010, the beneficiaries of the subsidy payment under the category of major marketers remained six, the depot owners remained two, but the list of independent marketers went up to 28 with the curious inclusion of many relatively barely known companies.

Oshiomhole proposes N148.87bn budget

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•Oshiomhole

DO State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, yesterday presented the proposed 2012 budget of N148.87 billion to the State House of Assembly.

Out of this, N84.9 billion was proposed for capital expenditure while N63.97 billion was proposed for recurrent expenditure.

The 2012 budget proposal tagged ‘The Progress Continues’ is N14 billion higher that the 2011 budg-

Osagie OTABOR, Benin et, which was made up of N112.72 billion substantive budget and N21.17 billion supplementary budget.

Oshiomhole said the 2011 budget recorded 80 per cent performance.

He told the lawmakers that that recurrent receipts for the budget included statutory allocation of N51 billion; internally generated revenue of N23.92 billion; N12 billion from the 13%

oil derivation funds; N3 billion from excess crude oil reserve; N2.5 billion for budget augmentation; multilateral debt refund of N4 billion and N9 billion from value added tax.

Oshiomhole said capital receipts for the budget proposal included N41.46 billion from the transfer from Consolidated Revenue Fund; N5 billion from opening balance; N6 billion from grants; N2 billon from ecological funds and N2bn from miscellaneous/contin-

gency.

He said N24.44 billion budget deficit would be funded through World Bank support facility and additional credit.

Presenting the budget, Governor Oshiomhole said N84.9 billion was allocated to three priority areas of his administration. They include roads, primary and secondary education and flooding erosion control infrastructures. The sum of N7.5 billion was allocated to the education sector,

N34.66bn for road construction and N18bn for flood and erosion control.

A total of NN4bn was allocated to the health sector; N240m for water; N882m for urban master-plan and new town project; N772 million for renovation of public buildings; N400 millon for the renovation of state owned media outfits; N2.8 billion was allocated to oil producing communities and N0.5 billion for the agricultural sector.

6

THE NATION, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2011

THE NATION, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2011

7

8 NEWS

THE NATION, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2011

KOGI GOVERNORSHIP POLL

ANPP chair urges free, fair election Gbenga OMOKHUNU, Abuja

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HE National Chairman of the All Nigeria People’s Party (ANPP), Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure that the rule of law is followed in today’s governorship election.

Speaking at the inauguration of a ten-man committee led

by Senator Kabiru Gaya for the building of the party's national secretariat in Abuja yesterday, Onu said: "In a few hours from now, gubernatorial election will be held in Kogi State. We urge INEC to ensure that the rules of the ballot are observed and respected in accordance with the Electoral Act. We urge our supporters to remain firm and resolute and protect their votes to ensure that irregularities are minimised during the election.

He said: ‘’We sue for peace and ask our members that in the spirit of our party’s constitution, they should not be involved in any form of violence. We know and are confident that the people’s will, as expressed through the ballot box, will always remain sacred."

He advised the building committee to work effectively for the actualization of the permanent national secretariat, emphasising that: "The ANPP will lead Nigeria into a new era of credible and transparent internal democracy processes.

In our great party, there will be no garrison commanders.

In our great party, there will be no cabal. ‘’In our great party, no one man or woman will decide who gets nomination for any elective office. In our great Party, power will belong to all those party men and women who our constitution says will decide who our candidates will be for any elective position.

• Vehicles being loaded with sensitive electoral materials for distribution at INEC headquaters in Lokoja, Kogi State capital...yesterday

Police deploy 20,000 men N

O fewer than 20,000 policemen have been deployed in Kogi State to

maintain law and order in the governorship election holding today.

The officers were sent from the Force Headquaters, Abuja

Joseph JIBUEZE, Lokoja and other divisions around the state.

Police Public Relations Officer in Kogi State, Mr Ajayi Okasanmi, told The Nation

yesterday that at least 20,000 police officers were expected.

It could be more, he added.

“Right now, officers deployed for the election are still arriving. Many are already here but we are still expecting more officers.

“We are expecting a total

of about 20,000 policemen.

The number could be more than that or less, but I cannot be very definite now,” the police spokesman said.

The figure, Okasanmi said, is besides the deployment of men of the Nigerian Army, the Nigerian Navy, the State

Group trains 800 observers

F

OR effective monitoring of today’s governorship election in Kogi State, a coalition of election monitoring groups under the banner of Project Swift Count has trained about 800 observers.

Also, 35 supervisors will monitor the election processes across the 21 local government areas in the state.

Member bodies of PSC include the Federation of Muslim Women’s Association in Nigeria (FOWAN), Justice

Mohammed BASHIR, Lokoja Development and Peace/ Caritas (JDPC), the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and Transition Monitoring Group (TMG).

Addressing a press conference in Lokoja yesterday, the spokesperson of the groups, Rev. Father Zacharia Samjumi, said the PSC had equipped itself technologically at its national information centre in Abuja.

“In each polling unit, we

have two observers who will be updating this centre through a coded number. We have experts who will get the updates for analysis. It is through this that we will give our assessment of the election,” he said.

Rev. Sanjumi, who represents the JDPC, said he was confident that the observers would not compromise.

He however urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to quickly distribute election

materials to the various polling booths for early commencement of voting.

According to him, early arrival of materials would ease the crowding of the electorate at polling booths and ensure that the election is concluded in good time.

SPC appealed to INEC officials and the commission’s ad-hoc staff to conduct themselves in a transparent manner during the election so as not to create credibility and legitimacy problems for the poll.

Kano govt signs N18,000 minimum wage

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HE Kano State Government has signed an agreement, indicating its willingness to commence the payment of N18,000 national minimum wage to civil servants in the state as from January, 2012.

The State Governor, Engr.

Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso, who supervised the agreement signing ceremony at the Government House, however called on workers in the state to cooperate with the state government in the task of flushing out ghost workers from the state’s civil service.

Kwankwaso described the decision of the state government to implement the new wage regime as a challenge to workers in the state to rededicate themselves to its socioeconomic development, noting that every opportunity comes with a responsibility.

Kwankwaso expressed satisfaction with the amicable resolution of the minimum wage controversy which, ac-

Kolade ADEYEMI, Kano cording to him, was being unnecessarily politicised by people he described as enemies of progress.

“We thank Allah for making it possible for us to resolve the controversy generated by the minimum wage peacefully. Remember that some enemies of progress have been using it to dent the image of government.

But today, we are all happy,”

he said.

The Head of Service, Alhaji Umar Shehu Minjibir, who signed the agreement on behalf of the state government, commended the Nigeria Labour Congress for demonstrating a high sense of maturity in the handling of the minimum wage debates.

Minjibir urged workers in the state to collaborate with the state government to

move the state forward.

Also speaking, the NLC Chairman in Kano State, Comrade Isa Inuwa Danguguwa, described the signing of the minimum wage as Sallah and Christmas gift to workers in the state.

Danguguwa assured Governor Kwankwaso that workers in the state would give room for a healthy industrial climate in the state.

Robbers kill policeman in Edo, attack POLICEMAN and two bank with dynamite other persons were on

A

Thursday evening killed by armed robbers who attacked an old generation in Sabongida Ora, Owan West Local Government, Edo State.

The robbers were said to have gained entry into the bank after using dynamite to blow up the security doors.

Eyewitnesses said the bank had already closed for the day’s buisness when the rob-

Osagie OTABOR, Benín bers attacked it and escaped with sums of money that could not be ascertained at press time.

The witnesses said the policeman was shot at close range while the two other victims were hit by bullets fired sporadically by the rob-

bers.

It was learnt that the affected bank only recently opened its doors for buisness in the locality after it shut the branch down due to incessant robbery attacks.

Efforts made to get the comments of the Edo State Police Command were not successful.

Security Service, and the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).

The Commissioner of Police, Kogi Police Command, and Chairman, Inter-Agency Committee on Election Security, Mr John Abrakasanga, told The Nation on the phone yesterday that movement would be restricted from 8 am till 4 pm today.

According to him, movement of persons will be restricted to their polling units, while politicians will not be allowed to go about with police orderlies.

Speaking earlier at an election stakeholders’ meeting, the police chief said security operatives were prepared to ensure the election is hitch-

free.

He warned that whoever is found breaching security would be made to face the full wrath of the law.

The commissioner urged voters to feel free to go out and vote without fear of intimidation or insecurity.

The NSCDC had ordered the deployment of 10,000 personnel from the Federal Capital Territory and neighboring states to beef up security during the election.

At the state police command in Lokoja, a group of armed police officers were seen waiting, apparently for further instructions.

Others were seen patrolling the streets of Lokoja.

INEC makes up for shortage of electoral officers

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HE Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Kogi State yesterday said it has enough manpower for today’s governorship election.

The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Alhaji Ahmad Makama, had said there was a shortfall of about 1,000 ad-hoc staff following the failure of students of Federal Polytechnic, Idah, to turn up for training. But he said efforts would be made to make up for the shortfall before today.

INEC’s Public Affairs Officer in Kogi State, Mr Ahmed Bagudu told The Nation yesterday that there were enough officers to ensure a credible poll.

“All officers have been posted to their units. So, there is no problem of any shortfall in personnel,” he said.

Bagudu said sensitive materials were being distributed to local government areas, from where they will be redistributed to wards and polling units today.

Makama had earlier told our correspondent in an interview that every effort would be made to ensure that all the polling units get voting materials on time.

Joseph JIBUEZE, Lokoja He said electoral officers would distribute them to their local governments and wards yesterday, so that by this morning, officers will be moving them from their wards to the polling units.

“Usually, distribution at the ward starts as early as 3 or 4 am, so that by 8 am, each presiding officer will be at his polling unit waiting for voters to turn out,” Makama added.

INEC Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, who is also in Kogi for the election, said at a stakeholders’ meeting at the commission’s headquaters in Lokoja that his agency was prepared for a free and fair exercise.

He said the commission would ensure a level-playing field for all political parties.

When our reporter visited the headquaters yesterday, security was tight as armed policemen and soldiers stood guard.

Voting materials were seen being loaded into vehicles for distribution, while some party agents were on hand to note materials meant for their wards and units.

9

THE NATION, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2011

I

start today on a pedes tal of history to throw light on the chosen subject of the day. It was Frederick the Great of Germany, or Prussia indeed as it then was, who once said -‘My people and I have reached an agreement which mutually satisfies us both. They are to say what they like and I am to do as I please‘.

Frederick the Great [1740 – 1786 ] ruled Germany according to history as an absolute ruler but he lived under the principle that he was ‘the first servant of the state.’

Frederick’s famous statement, his governance principle as well as his military prowess made him to earn the title ‘great‘ as he was able, with the very limited resources at his disposal, to secure Prussia against its bigger neighbors like France.

Frederick’s quotation and ruling principle were the leadership flagship of his time the tenets of his power and that in politics was business as usual in that age and time.

When however this week US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on hearing that Pakistan had withdrawn from a Conference on stability in Afghanistan in Bonn Germany said that– ‘ It is no use turning your back on a mutually beneficial relationship‘ – then it is no longer business as usual in US /Pakistani relations. Similarly when the President of Nigeria goes to a state convention of his party- the ruling party in Nigeria - in Kogi state and reportedly tells his party members that given the high rate of youth unemployment in Nigeria, one can expect a youth revolt in four years time, then it is no longer business as usual in the way he looks at his party men or the nation, given his own ominous prophesy.

No longer business as usual

Also the arrest of Laurent Gbagbo former Ivory Coast President and his arrival in the Hague for trial for crimes against humanity as well as the warrant of arrest issued by a Kenyan court for the arrest of Sudan’s President Omar Bashir; and the storming of the British embassy in Teheran by demonstrators against UN sanctions all show that it is not business as usual in the cozy debonair world of diplomacy and government or ruler - ship with impunity.

Starting with the sour relations between Pakistan and the US, it is obvious that Hillary Clinton did not care a hoot about Pakistan’s fury in not attending the Conference in Bonn on Afghanistan.

Which really is a pity, and on the face of it, a callous reaction. This is because the Pakistanis are rightly furious that NATO planes bombed and killed 24 Pakistani soldiers in area that Pakistani troops are fighting Taliban insurgency after the Pakistani army had given clear and unambiguous signals to the NATO local command that the troops in place were Pakistani soldiers.

At best NATO could have apologized on the excuse of enemy fire since both NATO, the Pakistani Army and the US are allies against the Talban. But since the US found Bin Laden on its own and killed him on Pakistani soil,

with the Pakistani army not knowing he was a neighbor of their military academy, there has been no love lost between the two nations.

But since the Americans are giving the Pakistanis a lot of money to find Bin Laden and fight the Taliban the US Secretary of State knew she was rubbing salt on open wounds and mocking Pakistani fury and indignation on the attack especially as NATO had insisted that its planes had returned fire from the position that Pakistan claimed were occupied by its army . Surely the business of fighting terrorism or its diplomacy has broken down dismally between the anti terrorist brigade of the three parties and time will tell whether Hillary’s comment is a joke or an advice and a sarcastic one at that Secondly the lamentation of the Nigerian President at Lokoja, Kogi State on the possibility of youth unemployment revolt in four years in Nigeria seems uncannily clairvoyant and precise except perhaps in terms of timing. According to reports the President said - ‘The rate at which students are graduating from universities and other tertiary institutions in the country, if we don’t do anything to create jobs for them in the next four years, they will revolt against state

governments, against the local governments and against the federal government‘ Really, four years are too long and far away, given the high rate of unemployment and the concomitant rate of inaction and callous indifference to the matter by the government of the day headed by the President. I have seen in the media some youth empowerment program showing the Minister of Finance very much in action. But that to me is a farce as the same Minister is the same high pitch salesman for the fuel subsidy removal behind which the Presidency has thrown its full weight in Abuja. Of course the fuel subsidy removal will worsen the already high youth unemployment and bring youth rage to the streets as has happened in London , Lisbon, Madrid and Athens in recent times. I want to separate the European unemployed youths from their colleagues in the Arab world who took to the streets to protest oppression and tyranny. When however Nigerian unemployed youths take to the streets after the fuel subsidy is introduced they will be fighting not only unemployment but oppression as well.

The only fear I have is that this may happen far earlier than the President foresaw in Lokoja and told his party

men.

Next the arraignment of Laurent Gbagbo for crimes against humanity is a good lesson for all global despots to learn from. Except of course they want to spend their post- power days cooling their legs in some foreign prison instead of giving lectures and being covered with adulation and garlands in foreign lands for their achievements in office like Ghana’s former President Sam Kuffor in Nigeria last week. However it can not be business as usual for the Ouattara government in Ivory Coast especially with the the Truth and Reconciliation Commision it has set up which has Chelsea’s Didier Drogba as a member and Drogba is from the same town as Gbagbo. The truth is that the sitting President Alasane Ouattara of Ivory Coast is as guilty of whatever Gbagbo is charged by the International Criminal Court –ICC. This is because we read of atrocities committed by Ouattara’s troops and the French when they entered Abidjan. There can be really no reconciliation in Ivory Coast if Gbagbo is on trial at the Hague and we know that there was no way Gbagbo could have been spirited at night to the Hague if the Ouattara government had not given the green light.

Nevertheless, it is no excuse saying that Ouattara cannot be charged since he is a sitting president as the ICC has already laid a precedent in the Sudanese president’s case. A court petitioned by a non governmental body of jurists in Kenya has already ruled that Sudan’s President who was in Kenya this year in defiance of the ICC warrant should be arrested next time he sets foot on Kenyan soil.

Of course Bashir has retaliated by expelling the

Kenyan Ambassador in Sudan to show that it can not be business as usual between the two nations as long as the ICC warrant is given credence by the Kenyan authorities. It is my considered view however that what is good for the goose is good for the gander.

The ICC should show that it is even handed and its pursuit of good governance in the world is not dictated by the UN or its agents and that what ever it does or has done to Sudan’s Bashir and Laurent Gbagbo is awaiting the Ivorian President in Abidjan.

Lastly, the repeat of what happened in the American embassy during the Iranian hostage crisis of the Carter Administration and the Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini regime in Iran, at the British embassy in Teheran this week, shows that the sanctions are biting Iran hard over its nuclear enrichment program. Normally the Iranians expected the British to sheepishly respect international law and not reciprocate in kind. Could the Iranians do that to the Sudanese embassy or Syria and perhaps Turkey and not expect a retaliatory reaction in full measure in the targeted nation? But the British have shown that it can not be business as usual and have withdrawn their entire embassy staff in Teheran and given the Iranian Ambasador 72 hours to quit London . The British reaction has shown clearly that even in this age and time the law of Moses an eye for an eye - still holds sway in pragmatic diplomacy in spite of its niceties and protocols. Most importantly for diplomacy and global governance Britain has shown that no nation on earth can expect business as usual when it thinks it has a monopoly of bad temper like Iran did when its demonstrators violated British sovereignty when they entered the British embassy in Teheran this week.

10 COMMENTARY

THE NATION, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2011

A vote for the bill against same-sex marriage With

Vincent Akanmode 08077536312

vincentakanmode@yahoo.com

T

HERE are no words to capture the relief I felt upon learning that the Senate had passed a bill that made marriage between same-sex partners a criminal offence. Since Magnus Abe, the senator representing Rivers South-East introduced the bill, I had monitored proceedings concerning it with bated breath, praying that our lawmakers would not toe the line of their British counterparts and grant the weird ones among us the liberty to freely engage in an act that once caused God to rain fire and brimstones on two biblical cities-Sodom and Gomorrah.

My fear had stemmed from two incidents in the recent past. The first occurred during the last female World Cup in Germany in July. The then coach of the nation's national female football team, Eucharia Uche, had granted the New York Times an interview on the eve of the competition, where she described homosexuality as a dirty act.

She reasoned that lesbianism (sex between female partners) had taken a toll on the team's performance. Hence, she had to get rid of members of the team who engaged in the act.

Her comment drew instant uproar from the international scene. Some human rights groups described her comment as discriminatory, while the Federation of International Football (FIFA) vowed to investigate the coach's comment. Surprisingly, the coach was left to bear the cross all alone. There was no voice supporting her from Nigeria's football governing body.

Neither did any government official of con-

sequence voice their support for her position. To worsen matters, a few Nigerians even joined in condemning the coach for going outside football business to comment on sex. To me, these were nothing but a tacit endorsement of homosexuality

by Africa's most populous nation. I was still brooding over the seemingly unhealthy development when the Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, came up with the infamous proposal that we should legalise prostitution!

You can then imagine the relief that greeted my heart when the Senator David Mark set the records straight by making the declaration which clearly indicated that our society is not yet as lewd or licentious as many would think or wish it becomes. Hear him: "If there is any country that wants to stop giving us aid because we want to pass the bill on same sex, the country can go ahead. We are a sovereign nation and we have the right to decide for ourselves because no one can interfere in the way we run our country. Same-sex marriage is against our culture and tradition. It is also against our beliefs." Under the proposed law, two people of the same sex who get married could earn 14 years imprisonment each, while witnesses or anyone who helps such couples to get married could be sentenced to 10 years behind bars.

It did not come as a surprise that some foreign countries and groups, including the Amnesty International, have been crying wolf over the proposed law, describing it as an attempt to rob the homosexuals among us the right to choose the people they want to marry. "The bill will expand Nigeria's already draconian punishments for consensual same-sex conduct and set a precedent that would threaten all Nigerians' rights to privacy, equality, free expression, association and to be free

‘

At a time the economy is biting with the venom of a viper and eligible bachelors are avoiding marital life like a leper because of the responsibilities that come with it, encouraging conjugal bliss between people of the same sex is the greatest disservice anyone would do both to the institution of marriage and our social and cultural values

’

from discrimination," the Director of Amnesty International's Africa programme, Erwin van der Borght, was quoted as saying. Before him, the British Prime Minister, David Cameron, had threatened to withhold aid from any nation that violated gay rights.

It is amazing the extent to which some of these countries could go in the pursuit of their so-called human rights. To them, it is increasingly becoming less important that the right of one man to swing his arms should end where the right of another man to defend his nose begins. If their laws are

being amended to accommodate same-sex marriage just for the sake of individuals' freedom to choose, how come they have not legalised incest to allow aberrant fathers to sleep with their daughters without being harassed or molested? How come they have not enacted laws that would make it possible for their biological children to marry one another if they so desire? Indeed, why are they still restricting their citizens who prefer the choice of human flesh to beef or chicken?

It is gratifying that Senator Mark has already sounded a warning that Nigeria would not buckle under the threat of "noaid" to acquiesce an act that nature clearly abhors. Greedy and inept leadership may have turned our otherwise prosperous country into a pauperised nation, but that does not make us any less the civilised people we have always been. At a time the economy is biting with the venom of a viper and eligible bachelors are avoiding marital life like a leper because of the responsibilities that come with it, encouraging conjugal bliss between people of the same sex is the greatest disservice anyone would do both to the institution of marriage and our social and cultural values.

Even on the local scene, there have been dissenting voices over the passage of the bill. Some believe there are more serious issues the National Assembly should be debating than same-sex marriage. But I dare say many of the problems that besiege our country today arose from our continued failure to respect our culture and tradition. For instance, a Nigerian who is trained in the true, undiluted African tradition is less likely to be corrupt or steal from the public purse. We can hope that this would be the beginning of our selfintrospection as a nation, with a view to tackling other pressing national problems Nigerian men who want men as wives will do well to go to Britain where they are available in profuse abundance. So also are Nigerian women who desire female husbands. I am certain that in the spirit of homosexual solidarity, the British government will issue visas to these foreign species with eager and cheerful readiness.

Re: Of power, ‘sinners’ and Jonathan’s proxy wars Knucklehead •Yomi, has President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan ever dared to be different on any matter? Can you remember just one? This GEJ tenure may end up as a waste, nonproductive and bleak. It is all motion and no movement!

‘Economic summit’ today, political summit’ tomorrow.

Yet, nothing is working. In fact, the only thing that is working is that nothing is working.

—Fola, (08029578973

•Yomi, you should remember that the President is 54 years old, educated and married. That allusion shows that he is matured and should be regarded as knowing what he does. However, because GEJ hardly talks makes many people to conclude that he is a silent warrior.

Yoruba people call it ‘Adakeja’. The controversies surrounding Governor Sylva’s disqualification in the Bayelsa State governorship primaries and that of the shocking sack of Mrs. Farida Waziri as head of the EFCC beg for question and explanation which GEJ has not done. By keeping mute and yet hitting his opponents hard, I am close to agreeing with your piece that power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. I hope he will retrace his steps in power exhibition.

—Lanre Oseni (08033518726) •Let me start by saying that Governor Sylva deserves everything that is coming to him. Recall how a court ordered the government of Bayelsa to reinstate the deputy governor and that order was ignored? Now, the same Sylva is running to that same court asking for favours. Journalism should not be practised with a short fuse. If the president chooses to remain silent on Farida’s removal, nothing will happen. We can only grumble and swallow it! Leaders are always adamant in Nigeria! Has he rescind his decision on fuel subsidy removal? That’s the style of leadership imbibed by most of our leaders past or present.

—08051275657 •Yomi, you can be sure the President would ignore the call requesting him to give reasons why Waziri was removed from office. You may not know it but everybody does know that the EFCC and other governmental agencies are indeed extensions of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party. The EFCC has always been used to threaten, intimidate and witchhunt people whose ideologies run contrary to the ones held by juggernauts within the PDP. A senator has been charged for allegedly financing terrorism but the PDP sees his arrest

as political. Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State was stopped from a live broadcast programme of the FRCN apparently because he belongs to the opposition. We all know why Ayo Salami was suspended. It was for that same sin that Waziri was unceremoniously removed from office. OBJ did more when he was in office, where and what is he today? A private citizen like you and I. GEJ and indeed all other men of authority in this country had better realised the fact that power may be sweet but it is transient.

—Remi Adeshina, Ibadan, 08023440497 •I believe that journalists, asides lawyers and labour unionists, are the people that will champion the course of a new Nigeria with near zero corruption. conscientise Nigerians to stage a revolution. Nigerians are tired and are waiting for the slightest spark to light up for change.

Enough of oligarchy painted as democracy: Nigeria is ruled by the few greedy.

—07030410778 •Kudos for a job well done. It flows coherently to the end. One cannot plant onion and expect to reap vegetable.

There is a correlation between the present predicament of Timipre Sylva and his past. In defiance of court order on his deputy, he had his way around it. And now, ‘what goes round comes round’. Nemesis and law of karma is at work. Our leaders should learn from history. Until we learn to do things appropriately and moderately too, the much expected change might take ‘eternity’ to come.

—Japheth Oguniyi

Re: Our safety on their lips •Yomi, your article depicts nothing but the whole facts.

Nigerians should pray for God-ordained leaders and not the reactive and inexperienced ones with their band of corrupt proxies who are currently at the helm of affairs. Our safety is, indeed, in God’s hands!

—Doyin, Lagos, 08126373737.

•Yomi, the future of Nigeria is not in the hands of PDP, the earlier we realize that the better. Who would suffer most if Nigeria is transformed? Who are the ones holding us hostage? Who undermines national security? Where did the defence and interior minister come from? PDP! You see what I mean?

—Daniel, Uyo, 08064344222

With

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

Re: Day of the jackals •Questions and lots of questions to be answered on this failed contraption! We are hopelessly saddled with ‘rulers’ who have no single idea of what leadership and service is all about. They are like ‘’emperors’’, and sadly enough though, our complacency has also helped the situation. Please take a look at the Arab Spring, the people SHOWED that they hold the ace, quite unlike here where they preach in Churches and Mosques that the people should not question the ‘’constituted’’ authority and our people gullibly accept this. When they say, come to demonstrate, you won’t see anyone, when they say stay at home, our people will say they have to look for something to eat. It is so frustrating here! See the power of civil populace going on now in Greece, that has worked in Tunisia, Egypt and now Libya! Can you imagine the silly questions the police asked you? That’s why the police force in Nigeria will NEVER get it right. It is such a hopeless situation here in this country that probably the best way out of it is NEVER to hope that it could get better.

—Fola Aiyegbusi •By now, certain things in Nigeria should not bother youinsecurity, undeveloped infrastructure, power for nothing and harassment of journalists. However journalists too, sometimes report wrong things, some half-way and other that could throw the nation into burns. We need to sieve our news before reporting them. Take that occurrence as one of the hazards of your profession.

—Lanre Oseni, Lagos, 08033518726.

•Yomi, is it an irony that OBJ whom the press did all it could to secure his freedom when he was being persecuted would now use his position to harass journalists? This exhibition of despotic attack on press freedom must be condemned by all decent and freedom loving Nigerians. Jonathan should be very careful about OBJ’s influence on him. OBJ’s eight-year rule is a disaster for Nigerians. He has learnt nothing from his prison’s experience. He is an ingrate.

—Alh. Adeboye Lawal, Felele, Ibadan, 08029877703.

/ 15

‘We paid for each other's sins because of our identical looks’

Life & style 41

—Keppy Ekpenyong

‘I posed as ASP to show off in my village because I love policing so much’

Crime

Screen/ 34

My children call me by my name; so what?

Weekend

PEOPLE THE NATION, Saturday, DECEMBER 3, 2011

Relat io

nship

11

34-yr-old man butchers mother ...throws her remains into a well

The late Mrs. Usha Emmanuel

Continued on Pages 12-13

12

THE NATION, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2011

How 34-yr-old man killed M

RS. Martina Usha had no premonition of her death when she returned home from the hospital where her younger son was receiving treatment for an ailment on November 14, 2011. But shortly after she arrived home, she was gruesomely murdered by her son, Emmanuel, the first of the three children she had for Godwin, her husband of many years.

Until her death, Martina lived with Emmanuel at Mararaba Rido, a fast growing settlement on the outskirts of Kaduna metropolis, while Samuel lived at Ungwan Television in the city. No one, including Emmanuel’s parents, seemed to have had an inkling of his murderous intent, even though he was said to be used to killing animals and keeping their blood in his room.

Emmanuel, who is currently in police custody, was said to have given conflicting statements to the police and his father. He was said to have told his father initially that his mother was missing, even though he knew where the remains of his mother were. He allegedly killed his mother while both of them were in the house and proceeded to cut her into pieces before dumping her remains into a well inside the compound.

Sources close to the family revealed that Emmanuel had been having some problems with his mother after she accused him of stealing her mobile phone. The source said that as a little boy growing up in Tudun Wada area of Kaduna metropolis, Emmanuel was constantly in the company of butchers’ children and might have learnt the act of slaughtering animals from them. He was said to have constantly followed his friends to the abattoir where he became used to blood and occasionally took a sip of the stuff to see how it tasted.

But the departure of the his parents from Tudun Wada separated Emmanuel from his circle of friends, as he no longer had an opportunity to go to the abattoir. They lived at Television Village as a family until the mother left his father and relocated to Sabon Tasha area of the metropolis. While at Television Village, a source said, Emmanuel killed a hefty dog in his father’s compound at night and stored the blood in a container in his room. He was also said to have killed a cat, poured the blood in a cup and kept it in his room. Nobody could, however, say what he does with the blood he usually keeps in his room.

But the movement of Martina from her husband’s house at Television Village along with Emmanuel may have exposed the shady ways of her son, who had made an attempt to kill her while at Sabon Tasha.

According to the source, “Emmanuel initially attempted to kill his mother by attacking her with a shovel, which narrowly missed her head and hit her on her hand. But when people asked her about her swollen hands, she hid the truth from them, saying she fell down and sustained injuries.” He allegedly made a second attempt at killing her in the same house at Sabon Tasha, but was also not lucky.

After retiring from the services of the Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company (KRPC) as a Supervisor in the Procurement Department, Martina was said to have built a four-bedroom apartment at Mararaba Rido area where she retired to with her two surviving children, including Emmanuel, and lived there until she met her untimely death.

As the story goes, Emmanuel’s younger brother had taken ill and was taken out of the house to an undisclosed location for treatment, leaving Emmanuel and his mother all alone in the compound. Martina was said to have visited her sick son

•The late Mrs. Usha

•Mrs. Usha as a young mother with Emmanuel and her late daughter

•The knife used by Emmanuel to kill her mother

Tony AKOWE, Kaduna occasionally and had just returned from one of such visits the day she was killed.

Some residents of the area told The Nation that despite doing everything she could to ensure that her children had the good life, Emmanuel never had a cordial relationship with her and had no known intimate friend. He was believed to patronise areas where illicit drugs are sold.

Another source said because of his drug-related activities, Emmanuel was once arrested and taken to the rehabilitation centre of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in Zaria where he was said to have spent several months before he was set free. He complained to his mother about the harsh

treatment he received from the centre. Yet another source said shortly before her death, Emmanuel and his late mother had an argument over his way of life and that the mother reminded him of his complaints about his experience at the NDLEA rehabilitation centre. This was said to have angered him and might be responsible for his decision to kill his mother.

Be it as it may, not many people in the area were surprised about the development in view of the alleged character traits of Emmanuel since he moved into the area with his mother. According to one of the women in the area, “We were not really surprised to hear that he had murdered his mother, because his lifestyle suggested that he could be an assassin.”

Another woman, who would not want to be named for fear of reprisal attack, told

• Emmanuel

The Nation that she passed by the house the day Martina was murdered and heard the woman crying for help, but nobody could gain access into the compound because of the fence.

She said: “When I was passing by their house on Monday evening, I heard a faint voice calling for help. But because of the big fence around the house, nobody could enter. Not long after, the cry faded away and we felt probably the son might have

13

THE NATION, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2011

mother, dismembered her body

‘

As a little boy growing up in Tudun Wada area of Kaduna metropolis, Emmanuel was constantly in the company of butchers’ children and might have learnt the act of slaughtering animals from them. He was said to have constantly followed his friends to the abattoir where he became used to blood...

•Rescuerers who removed Mrs. Usha's body parts from the well

’

•The well where Mrs. Usha's parts were dumped salvaged the situation.”

From the various accounts, it was evident that Martina’s voice was last heard on that day and Emmanuel was within the vicinity of the house. The people in the area were, however, surprised to hear that he went to his father’s house to report that his mother was missing. The source noted that if he was sure that his mother was missing, why did he not report same to her church members or her friends?

According to the residents, “Emmanuel never reported to anybody; not even the mother’s church members or her close friends that she was missing, until concerned members of her church saw him outside the house and asked after his mother.”

Two days later, Reverend Father Mark, the priest in charge of the church where

Martina worshipped, became apprehensive. He wondered what could have prompted Martina, who never missed the morning devotion, to be suddenly absent. It was this concern for her absence in the church that spurred the search for her.

Her friend, identified as Veronica Umah, and volunteered catechist, Micheal Iheoma, were sent to find out about her whereabouts. On getting to the house, they met Emmanuel and enquired from him the whereabouts of his mother. He was said to have responded harshly, giving them the impression that something was amiss.

Veronica said: “When we got to the house, I spoke with him and asked after his mother. He responded harshly, saying ‘my mother has not come back.’ “ With that, they reported to the Priest what they were able to find out, and the fact that she was seen the previous Monday.

Some youths in the church also went to the house in search of the woman only to find Emmanuel mopping the floor, an act they found strange since he was not known for such humility. This was said to have opened another vista in the whole drama, with Emmanuel leaving them there in annoyance to report to his father who resides at Ungwan Television, about 20 kilometres from Martina’s residence. His father, Godwin, immediately proceeded to Maraban Rido to find out things for himself.

On getting there, he did not see his wife.

He then decided to report the incident to the police.

The police had no clue about the whereabouts of the woman until the following day when a member of the Communication Committee of the St. Simon Catholic Church, Mararaba Rido, Brother Godwin Boi and the Chairman of the

Committee, Brother David Adayi, went to the house and searched desperately for possible clues. Their search yielded result when they saw flies coming out of the backyard of the house where the well is situated. They proceeded to the direction of the flies and opened the well only to be confronted by a very offensive odour.

They were said to have compelled Emmanuel to fetch some water from the well. When he drew out the water, he himself admitted that it had an offensive odour. Before they could ask further questions, he took to his heels, apparently realising that the game was up.

Unfortunately, he ran into the waiting arms of angry youths who were waiting outside the house for information from the people inside the compound. The youth did not waste time in descending on him.

They gave him the beating of his life, but he was lucky that the police arrived on time to save him from being killed.

Emmanuel’s father, Godwin, who was still in shock, told newsmen that his son gave conflicting information to the police.

He said: “My son, Emmanuel, gave very conflicting statements at the police station, which is a manifestation that he was the one that killed his mother. At the moment, the dismembered parts of my wife, Martina, have been stitched together at the Barao Dikko Specialist Hospital and we have taken her corpse for burial in the village of Koronya in Konshisha Local Government Area, Benue State.”

The Nation learnt that out of Martina’s three children, the first child and only girl died at age 15, leaving her with two male children. However, Emmanuel, who is 34 years old, chose the path of waywardness, which some people attributed to his rich background.

The Kaduna State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Aminu Lawan, who confirmed the incident, said that the police are currently investigating the veracity of the allegations, adding that Emmanuel is being detained.

He also said that the police cannot confirm for now the motives for the crime or whether the suspect has any mental or drug-related problem until investigations are concluded.

14

THE NATION, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2011

Plateau council chair relives bloody week •Women and children displaced in the violence

•Pam Choji

T

HUR SDAY N o vember 24, 2011 was yet another day of horror in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area, Plateau State. But while the local government is reputed for such tragic incidents, there was something particularly alarming about the November 24

C

AN you recall what happened in your ward between Wednesday and Thursday last week?

On Wednesday, at about 7pm, some armed men attacked some boys and killed three of them. These attacks happened in Barkin Ladi town.

So, the next day, I went to Barkin Ladi to accompany the council chairman to view the attack. While at Barkin Ladi, we started hearing gunshots from the direction of my village.

I had to run back to the village to find out what was going on. Eventually, I could not even enter the village because the shooting was becoming too sporadic. Some of the villagers, who were running out of the village, said some Fulani had invaded it with arms and were killing the villagers. I decided to go back and mobililise the security men to intervene. The fact is that the security men refused to come and the attackers had a field day killing my people.

Did you lose anybody in the attack?

Did you say somebody? My entire family is wiped out. Three of my children, two boys and one girl, were killed. They were not just killed, they were burnt to ashes alongside those of my neighbours who came to hide in my house. They burnt all of them, my car, my house, my foodstuff, everything I had laboured for all my life.

How many people were killed in your house and the entire village?

Those people killed in Takwaok village were 25 all together. In my own house, about 13 people, including members of my family, who ran

event.

That was the day 16 members of a family were gruesomely murdered in one of the series of violent communal clashes that have governed the area and other parts of

Yusuf AMINU IDEGU, Jos Jos, the Plateau State capital, for years.

Indeed, Year 2011 would rank as a black one for the government and people of the local government. The council has recorded no fewer than 10 violent attacks, six of which have witnessed the wiping out of an entire family on each occasion. There was the attack in Hipang during which a family of seven was wiped out in one night. Indeed, there have been three such attacks in

Hipang alone, and on each occasion, an entire family was wiped out. These were besides others in Jol and Foron.

In the most recent one at Takwol village, three separate families made up of 13 people, who were taking refuge in one house were all burnt to ashes.

The councillor representing Takwol ward, in whose house the 13 people were killed, said “all of them were burnt beyond recognition. My frustration was the fact that I could not bury my children. I wish they were shot

and killed and then I could get them for burial. But in this case, they were burnt to ashes and had to be given a mass burial because no family could recognise their own children from the charred remains of the 13 victims.”

There was something that made the last attack different from others before it: there were incidents that preceded it and the entire episode spanned about five days.

In the night of the Sunday preceding the attack, four young men who were riding motor •Continued on Page xx

I feel like committing suicide, says councillor who lost all three children in a single attack

Choji Pam Choji, a councillor in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area, Plateau State, who lost all his three children in one of the series of communal attacks that occurred last week, relives his experience during the incident. He spoke with YUSUF AMINU IDEGU: to my house for protection, were all burnt to ashes. The names of my three children are: Isaac Pam, Benjamin Pam and Nvou Pam. Apart from my own children, the children of my neighbour, Jesica Davou, was killed in my house. Another neighbour of mine, Dorm Choji, lost six of his children also in my house. They are: Kombo Choji, Lydia Dorim, Aeron Dorim, Simon Dorim, Rahila Dorim and Morphery Dorim. Then the family of Chollon Pam, which was also attacked, lost four members. They are Janet Chollom, Juspen Chollom, Juliana Chollom and Dillion Chollom.

Have they been buried?

Yes, we gave them mass burial in the village. Those who were killed in Barkin Ladi were also buried by their respective families. Like I said, the victims we have buried so far are not fewer than 25, and we have all their names. So on Saturday, we had to organise a mass burial for them in the village.

What about your wife?

My wife escaped. Only God knows how she escaped. In fact, up till now, she is too shocked to explain how she survived the attack. The only thing

my wife can say is ‘where are my children?’ I recovered fast because I am a man. I don’t even know how to answer her question about our children. But the truth is that they are all dead.

Where is she now?

She is being consoled by other women in Barkin Ladi, while I am taking refuse with my friend.

What is going on in your mind now?

I feel like killing myself. What is life to me again? I would have been better off to die with my children because I am 41 years old already. How do I begin to raise children again from this age? To me, life is no longer meaningful. It is better I die now. I cant live to think of this. It is horrible.

Who do you suspect to be behind the attack?

They are Fulani. It is not about suspecting them. They are Fulani people, I know one on one. They lived with us. I know them and their names. I have compiled their names in my petition to the Federal Government.

They were as many as 30 men, with heavy weapon.

What is your appeal to the government on this incident?

To my greatest surprise, the STF members refused to come to our aid when the attackers were killing our people. I called their boss on my phone and told him that some people were attacking our village. They promised to send some troops there.

Surprisingly, no troop came until the Fulani finished their killings. The attackers operated for three good hours and no soldier came close. It was after the killing that the soldiers came, and all they did was to begin to arrest our youths whom they met sypathising with the victims of the attack.

Up till now that I am talking to you, these soldiers keep going to our houses to arrest our youths for no reason. But the Fulani men who attacked us are still there. The soldiers are afraid of going to arrest them, even though I have given them the names of those that I know participated in the killings.

So, I am appealing to the Federal Government and Governor (David) Jang to come to our aid and ensure justice is done. If the government refuses to arrest these Fulanis, then we are not safe in this community. We want justice. I am surprised that

•Pam Choji these men of STF said to have been sent to protect us have refused to protect us. They are only here to help the Fulani to kill us.

15

THE NATION, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2011

‘I posed as ASP to show off in my village because I love policing so much’

•Demechi displaying his two fake ID cards

•Demechi posing in PTS training uniform

T

HE operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), Lagos State Police Command, have arrested a man who was going about in police uniform, parading himself as an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP).

Parading Babatunde Demechi, who was alleged to have defrauded unsuspecting members of the public of various sums of money, the Command’s Public Relations Officer, Mr. Samuel Jinadu, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), said he was arrested on a street in Surulere,

Ebele BONIFACE Lagos when the SARS team, led

by Abba Kyari, a Superintendent of Police, was alerted by the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Police Command, Yakubu Alkali, about the unwholesome activities of the fake police officer.

Following the alert, Kyari immediately mobilised his men to Surulere penultimate Thursday , where the suspect was arrested at about 6.30 pm.

On interrogation, Demechi con-

fessed that he was a fraudster, but he said he never carried a gun. He also denied using the police uniform found on him to extort money from members of the public. Speaking with journalists at the headquarters of the Lagos State Police Command, Oduduwa, GRA, Lagos, the suspect described himself as an indigene of Okwani community in Delta State.

He said: “I am married with four children. I started a church in my village and became a pastor. I had a dream that I would become a pastor and I worked towards it and eventually became one. I used to see vision and all my predictions materialised. That is why people are always looking for me to prophesy to them.

“I never intended to commit any crime. It was my course mate who alerted SARS that I was parading myself as a superintendent of police.”

Reliving the circumstances that led to his arrest, Demechi said: “On that fateful day, at about 4.30 pm, I was coming back from a hospital when I met two persons.

One of them was my course mate.

He was with an inspector of police. He told the inspector that I was his mate. He demanded to see my identity card. I produced the identity card that was issued to me at the Police Training School; not the Police College.

“Because of the way the inspector was posing as an arrogant superior, I decided to pocket my identity card as a spy in training and showed him the fake ASP identity card. He gave me my compliment. But my constable friend, who had just been promoted to a corporal, was not happy about it. He alerted SARS. Before I knew it, SARS operatives were at my neck. That was how I found myself in SARS office.

“I am interested in police work.

‘

If I had graduated from the police training school, I would have become a Spy ASP. It was the way they were disqualifying me that made me to look for this uniform, to show the people in my village that I am a superior police officer. Luck was against me and I was arrested

,

I have worked in many companies and establishments, but because of my interest in fighting crime, I went for RRS (Rapid Response Squad). The Commander, Odumosu Olusegun, a Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP), was aware.

“I could not meet up with the standard in RRS, so I enlisted as a spy recruit at the Police Training School, Ikeja. Along the line, I became sick and diagnosis revealed that I was hypertensive. This brought about my disqualification and I was sent home from the training school.

“Still, I was interested in becoming a police officer. I went back and was readmitted at the Police Training School. They told me that I would start training again in spite of my high blood pressure. That was when SARS operatives whisked me away.

“I am a pastor. I was ordained a pastor of the Cherubim and Sera-

phim Church in my village in 1975. I was told in my church that I would become a pastor, and it worked. I have prophesied to many people and the prophecies have been accurate. As a police officer, I can use my job to evangelise and win souls for Christ.

“I am over 40 years. I finished my secondary education in 1999 and I got all my papers.

“My NYSC (National Youth Service Corps) certificate is fake. I bought it for N5,000 this year. If they can disqualify me in RRS course, what do you expect me to do when they disqualified me as a spy in training? I bought officer’s uniform for N2,000, while I bought the ranks in batches of N200 twice.

“I never intended to impersonate or defraud anyone. I am only interested in becoming a police officer. If they leave me now, I will still pursue my career in policing.

There are many fake police officers in Nigeria, particularly Lagos, because the divisional police officers have left the protocol porous. They are not able to catch fake police officers because they are not doing the work well. Not all the divisional police officers are bad, however; fake police officers operate only where you have divisional police officers who are not worth the offices they are occupying. Some of them even protect these criminals.

“If I had graduated from the police training school, I would have become a Spy ASP. It was the way they were disqualifying me that made me to look for this uniform, to show the people in my village that I am a superior police officer.

Luck was against me and I was arrested.

“My prayer is that I would be released so that I can continue my training to become a police officer, because I love policing. I want to deal with criminals, and that is my ambition.”

Contacted for comment, the Deputy Commandant, Police College, Ikeja, Mr. Jonah J. Mava, said the college had since stopped training spies, saying the suspect was not known to the institution.

He confirmed it by calling the officer in charge of training in the college who affirmed that the suspect was never a trainee in the college.

Jinadu said the fake ASP would soon be charged to court. In a search that was carried out in his house, the police recovered commendation letters purportedly issued to him by the Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC) in Surulere for being an outstanding police officer. They also recovered an international passport belonging to an individual he allegedly defrauded of N300,000 with a promise to facilitate his travelling abroad.

On what he did with the money he had made from parading himself as an ASP, he said he could not say what he did with the money apart from taking care of his health.

“I am not a womaniser. I love police work and I was disqualified in PTS on health grounds. It was frustration that made me to do what I did,” he said.

16 For many who were conversant with the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) in the 1970s and the 1980s, Chief Bode Alalade’s name will easily ring a bell. He anchored the Network News of the television station for years. Now in his 70s, he looks back to those years with relish. JOKE KUJENYA spoke with him about life in retirement and his perception of the current state of the journalism profession. He also expressed his concern about a recent publication in a magazine alleging that he is down with stroke.

Excerpts:

THE NATION, SATURDAY DECEMBER 3, 2011

Christopher Kolade dragged me into broadcasting — Ex-ace NTA newscaster, Bode Alalade

H

OW is your health?

Well, with every passing day, there is some wear and tear. But I think what I could call a great challenge for me is with my left eye. It has been giving me a lot of concern due to the courses I take at trainings. I have had to shed some. But I still have one lined up at Splash FM, a new station in Ibadan which I was privileged to help found. So, in a way, I would say I have been very occupied with so many things.

And such can only be done by a very healthy person, I think.

As a man in his 70s, what is your average day like?

I don’t do more than I ought to do. I take a lot of rest. And I do a lot of reading. I think that is one thing you can’t take away from me. I attend functions that I need to attend. I belong to a couple of clubs. I always like to mix with my friends, at least to relax and catch up on a few needed things.

But if I had a course of training going on, I take that very, very seriously. The only small challenge is the painful left eye. Because if I have to do courses, I guess, one needs both eyes, not one (laughs).

But then, it is getting better. It is just that one hears from the ophthalmologist that if something affects one eye, it could affect the other.

What challenge do you have with your left eye?

It has been doing that for some time. It makes me see very hazily. And I have been to an optometrist at the Lagoon Hospital. I have even had a corrective operation of the eye and it is gradually coming back.

But I used to think, though I am not a medical man, that the bashing the eyes got in my days of reading the NTA Network News in the 1970s and 80s under heavy beam and big, big lights, must have been damaging to the eyes.

But we were doing that with so much pleasure.

Another point is that eye problems such as this could be hereditary. You know, eye problems run in the family. My dad, I could recall, had eye problems. I think, my grand dad, and one or two of

Bode Alalade

my elder brothers also had problems with their eyes.

Now, I am just suggesting. Now, I am in my 70s, and I wouldn’t know about what age they started having issues with their eyes. But what I know is that when I was in Japan for six months in 1989, I was on a course for audio-visual technology. I had to visit the ophthalmologist there and I think he said something about Glaucoma, though, some said it could be Cataract.

I have been treated for Glaucoma. But I have also once been treated for Cataract, which they removed at some stage. But it is properly prescribed now as Glaucoma, which is a more serious one. So, I just take my time.

Recently, a soft-sell magazine wrote that you suffered a stroke and that you are in a bad shape in terms of finances...

I think it was William Shakespeare who said that “the eye sees not itself except by reflection.” So, I believe that you are, in this instance, my reflection, because you are seeing me now better than any other person. You can see that I am hale and hearty. If I

have a stroke, as they claim, at least, it affects quite a few things in one’s body, like your speech becoming slurred, and I don’t think I am slurring in my speech, as you can hear me. I work my hands on my garden. So, I am amazed that for whatever reasons, people

‘

The quality of the scripts is nothing to write home about.

But then, there is still about one or two of them who are seriousminded in the pack. But for the majority, they don’t put deep thoughts into their stories

,

should carry this kind of story about me.

Up till about a week or two ago, we all were busy arranging for our colleague’s burial events, the late Ikenna Ndaguba’s final rest.

And it was quite engaging because we were all very busy attending committee meetings and all that. So, I am amazed because from the story, it claimed I have been bed-ridden since last year.

For a good part of last year, I was with members of the SuperScreen TV, training some of the staff as a training consultant. We worked through core broadcast sessions with many of their employees. So, I am very surprised to see this.

When people speculate that a person is not well, maybe God has a different plan for you. But it is very, very touching in spite of the annoyance one may have bottled up. The concern the magazine showed in talking about why government does not come to people’s rescue could have been helpful if they had not muddled up most of their information with falsehood. But I have never, and please, I repeat, talked to anybody about my health or about needing money or asking anyone to collect money for me, solely for the sake of emphasis.

All my children are not around.

I only hope they don’t see this kind of story, because I know they won’t take kindly to this. Lots of people have been phoning me; people I had not even heard from in a very long time. Some of my students way back at the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) Training School in the 1970s, a few I was privileged to train at the NTA TV College, Jos, have called to ask, ‘Sir, are you okay?’

I really don’t know how many of them I have had to tell I am okay just because one nameless publication had reported total falsehood without thinking of the consequence of such or even make tiny effort to verify their claims before going to press. And I began to wonder maybe they all, or maybe, a few of them had read this paper, expressed concerns among one another and then needed to find out, in very subtle ways, if things were as they might have read or not. They obviously didn’t want to sound as if they were alarmed.

And it is okay if they wanted to know if what they had read was true or false. Then I thought of you (The Nation reporter) and I know that with your great paper, you can help me set the records right and they will know that I am there, hale, healthy, hearty and kicking.

What’s your view on today’s broadcast journalists, particularly from your dealings with the younger ones in training?

Well, you know I am not a paper person. But whether one likes it or not, one is bound to operate like a print person when it comes to editing scripts from the younger ones. And I think, well, this is my opinion please, we are getting from bad to worse. The present generation is so much in a hurry. I don’t know why they are not serious-minded. I can’t imagine somebody pushing out a story without going to find out what is factual and what is fable.

You cannot sit in your cosy room and start to imagine that this is what is happening. Even if you were told such from discussions, probably with fellow journalists, you are bound by ethics to go the •Continued on Page 17

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THE NATION, SATURDAY DECEMBER 3, 2011

‘Do I look like somebody who has stroke?’

•Continued from Page 16 extra mile to either phone or visit, to find out more about the hint you got. Talk to people and get the truth. Unfortunately, that is the terrible state we’ve found ourselves.

But what are the media managers doing about such?

We know that as we get older both in age and in the profession, we can only tell the younger ones to do more of definite research; you know, what we call stories that you have to dig deeper into, to unearth the facts that cannot be countered. But our younger broadcasters seem too ‘busy’ for all that. And time is not on their side.

Can you imagine asking one of my students: ‘Do you know Chinua Achebe?’ And the response was: ‘I have heard about him.’ Imagine my shock. Names like Chinua Achebe, Professor Wole Soyinka shouldn’t be ‘heard’, if you know what I mean.

And even though we are older than these people, it is such a shame to know that one day, we will go away and then, these are those you call the leaders of tomorrow. What are they going to lead with when they don’t even know the history of today? It’s so bad and I feel ashamed.

The quality of the scripts is nothing to write home about. But then, there is still about one or two of them who are serious-minded in the pack. But for the majority, they don’t put deep thoughts into their stories. They just write blandly. In our time, which they call an old time, we looked at papers to be able to write stories. We read about and crammed how goals were scored with other relevant information. That was the time that when you failed English in your WASCE, you failed everything.

Even the spoken English that I have been teaching all my years to TV presenters, they murder it, even with our own Yoruba names.

I was privileged to be invited by the Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) to Ilorin, Kwara State, sometime this year to give a lecture in a presentation workshop on Yoruba names. I told my audience that it was quite a fun when the governor of Ondo State came newly into power. And with the way his name ‘Mimiko’ was being pronounced, you would think he was a relation of Ronaldo. The name was being murdered in such a way that one was left to wonder why couldn’t they have asked how the name is pronounced? But then, the blame for that is placed at the feet of his image managers who ought to have taken note of what was going on and make the necessary corrections.

It becomes a question of how much do those ones also know about pronunciations and image management? I say this because broadcasting is fluid. It improves every day. And to be a good and authoritative manager, you must keep abreast of the current trends even as in little things as pronunciation of names. But the younger ones today don’t seem to have time for that.

What is your take on today’s journalism generally?

Well, I don’t know if I should say this, but I am a member of the Nigerian Media Merit Award (NMMA). I have been part of it since 1991. I am in the TV category. I look at these things and I can only say that there is a downward trend generally. For the print media, I think there is some explosion. But to that explosion is

‘

So, I believe that you are, in this instance, my reflection, because you are seeing me now better than any other person. You can see that I am hale and hearty. If I have a stroke, as they claim, at least, it affects quite a few things in one’s body, like your speech becoming slurred, and I don’t think I am slurring in my speech, as you can hear me...

,

also a drop in standard as it were.

And the grammar, like this funny publication that wrote falsehood on me, is appalling. But that there is an explosion shows that Nigerians are becoming aware and they have a pool from which to choose. But it stops there. What are they being fed with? Correct information? Bad grammar? Bad spelling? I am sure that people like Alhaji Alade Odunewu will be weeping inwardly to see the standard they have so much laboured for so dropped.

And when they referred to us as the ‘old school’, I am very, very proud to belong to that old school, because there was seriousness and commitment. How much of that do we have now? When a journalist knows the values or do I say the onions of the job? You can look at someone in the face and tell them off. And it is not because you are arrogant, but that is the way it should be. People run more after more and they are leaving the industry to suffer. The media as we have it today is bursting at the seams. And that’s all I can say about it.

There’s this general belief that media professionals are poorly paid. What’s your take?

You see, in our time, though basically, I am not a journalist. I am a teacher. I came into broadcasting virtually dragged by the neck

by Dr. Christopher Kolade, who heard my voice then on the radio and said, ‘Go and get that man.’

And that was how he brought me to Lagos.

Then, it was not about money.

And yes, the pay, you can say, was poor. But we didn’t complain primarily because we knew we were gaining something from our bosses.

It was a time when you made a mistake, you could be sacked.

You didn’t write well, you could be sanctioned or suspended. You were made to understand that people who knew more than you do, or your bosses, could be listening to you. So, we treated them like oracles. We didn’t look at the pay.

Up till the time I stopped reading the news in 1983 or thereabout, and which I did for about 10 to 12 years, I was still being paid about N12, 000, and that included the allowance for what we

Bode Alalade

would wear. But then, you only saw the top but you didn’t know what we had under. And then, you had to read on radio before you graduated to television. Radio presenters dressed worse because no one was seeing them.

So, the commitment was there; not much the pay. The camaraderie was there. You got to the office, you were all together. You ate together because you were all like a family. But these days, you can’t even see them. They thought it was rude for you to breathe the same air they are breathing. And they forget that when one is atop,

he or she should not forget that they got there through a wrung of ladder. So that if you are kind to them, your paltry barn will be equal. And that was what frustrated so many people that they die of lonesomeness.

So, in broadcasting or journalism as a career choice, it should not be about money. I am sure I am sounding mad and stupid. But it is not the money but the commitment, the joy, the passion.

Now, let us look at our more challenging economic terrain of today. I wouldn’t know how much they are being paid now,

though I heard it runs into hundreds of thousands. So, I would expect that the professionals should put in more of their best into the business of journalism.

What do you think the future holds for journalism in Nigeria?

Well, with the crop of younger ones we have these days, who have imbibed some wrong values, judging by our culture and environment, the future of journalism may then be too gloomy to predict. This is to me personally. But again, this is difficult for me today because some might say I am of the ‘old school’. But that is the way I look at the future of journalism.

It used to be bustling. But we should not allow it to go down the abyss as we seem to be doing now, where you have someone who calls himself editor, and he or she just lifts from another paper and talks about ‘the former and the latter’ on a TV script, for instance.

How does the listener relate with ‘the former and the latter’ on a fluid newscast when they are not reading that in a print publication in which the reader could retrace the write-up to see who the former or the latter is? Such is an abomination in news casting on television. You cannot, and that, to me, is beyond reasoning.

The language of television news script is absolutely different. It is flowing, because you are contending with sound, time and the space within which you are talking. But when you read something in the papers, you cannot lift it into the television, because you don’t have the same time.

I recently lost my ‘temper’ listening to a news cast in which the newscaster read: ‘Yesterday, it was broadcasted that...’ When I heard it, I shouted and I stormed to the newsroom and asked how such could be allowed? When I saw the newscaster, I scolded her and asked her why she would do such a thing. Then she said, ‘Sir, it was broadcast I wrote there. It was my editor who wrote that word for me...’

I took the script and went to the editor. He told me he must have written that by mistake because he was busy at the time he worked on the script. So, what is required is for us all to spare some extra time to ensure that our scripts exhibit quality command of English.

So, what is your advice for upcoming professionals?

I think I would rather appeal to the older professionals who are mentoring and employing the younger ones that they should mentor with more care. They should truly have what it takes to pass on the knowledge because it is not very easy. One may have all the degrees in the world, but if he or she does not have what it takes, he or she is a failure and all of his or her efforts will become a dead attempt.

I wish to implore owners of media houses to train and re-train their employees. It is very, very important because journalism is quite fluid. It is liquid, because you can cruise daily, thanks to the new media world with all the egadgets, online journalism, and the world-wide-web, so that they would be able to know what to give out to their audience at every point in time.

The NBC is currently doing something on digital journalism, and I think we all have to be involved because the world is moving away from what we used to know as regular journalism. So, the managers should be able to know this and train and train their staff. There is no way they can ever do too much of this.

18

THE NATION, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2011

‘

Immediately the robbers alighted from their vehicles, they started shooting sporadically; they shot the security man, known as Bankole, at the entrance of the bank... they had to demobilise the bullet-proof door with dynamites...

,

•The shattered banking hall after the attack

Day robbers laid siege toAkure F

OR residents of Akure, the Ondo State capital, penultimate Tuesday will linger in their memories for a long time. It was day a gang of suspected armed robbers came and unleashed terror on parts of the city.

It was a bloody day reminiscent of a typical Holywood actionpacked movie.

The death toll in the unfortunate incident rose to five, while several other people sustained serious gunshot injuries.

There were conflicting reports about the number of the members of the robbery gang. While some said they were 10, others insisted they were six.

For over 30 minutes, the robbers laid siege to the popular Oyemekun Road, shooting sporadically into the air to announce their arrival.

They went straight to invade a bank in the area.

They were said to have entered Akure through Leo Junction passing through Ayedun to Adegbola Junction before invading the bank.

To gain entry into the new generation bank, they were said to have blown off the bullet proof doors with dynamites.

Among the victims was a security man attached to the bank. Many customers and residents in the area, which was a stone’s throw to the The Nation office, Akure, sustained various degrees of injuries.

For the period that operation lasted, Oyemekun Road suddenly became a ghost town as the otherwise ever busy road was deserted by both motorists and commuters.

An eye witness said: “Immediately the robbers alighted from their vehicles, they started shooting sporadically; they shot the security

•Sympathisers in front of the bank

man, known as Bankole, at the entrance of the bank. They found it difficult to break into the bank; so they had to demobilise the bulletproof door with dynamites to allow them in.

“After their operation inside the bank, as they were going, they also started shooting sporadically at anything on sight. It was in that process that they shot four innocent people they met on the way as they were escaping.”

One funny aspect about the incident was that policemen were nowhere to be found. They were alleged to have run for cover. While some hurriedly removed their uniforms, some quickly disappeared.

Shortly after the robbery gang left, some residents of Akure came out to sympathise with the relations of the dead. The environment was enveloped in an orgy of uncontrollable tears. Many people, especially women,wailed openly at the sight

of the bodies of those who were shot dead.

Virtually all other banks in Akure metropolis stopped operation for the day at about 2pm and turned their numerous customers back following the robbery. Some aggrieved people attacked the policemen who later came to the scene of the incident.

When it was obvious that they were not wanted, they drove back with aggrieved youths, hurling stones and pebbles at them. And a few minutes later, some military personnel drove to the scene with some of the robbery suspects which they claimed they arrested.

This attracted commendation from some youths who could not but praised the bravery of the soldiers. The youth began to shout, “Up soldiers! Up Soldiers!!”

An eye witness recalled: “Fortunately, as the robbers were trying to escape out of Akure, the joint team of policemen and soldiers gave them a hot chase and consequently, three of the suspects were arrested and brought to the scene of the robbery for people to see.

“It is unfortunate that the policemen were nowhere to be found.

Even, there was no response from the former police headquarters, a few kilometres from the scene.”

To the state government, however, the bank raid was unfortunate. Governor Olusegun Mimiko, while speaking at a prayer session organised by the Baptist Convention in Akure, commiserated with families of the victims.

His words: “It is rather unfortunate that we have to lose some people to the bank raid. On behalf of the people of Ondo State, I want to commiserate with the families of the victims. I pray that God will guide the people of the state against future occurrence, just as I task the security operatives to rise up to the challenges of combating crimes.”

But the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) are putting the blame on the doorsteps of the state government for allegedly not doing enough to address the state of insecurity in the state.

“The incessant activities of armed robbers in Ondo State are getting worrisome; hardly does a fortnight pass without an attack on banks in recent times. This development is indeed disturbing and equally responsible for the inexplicable and avoidable deaths of citizens,”the PDP said in a statement issued by the party’s Director of Publicity, Ayo Fadaka.

Specifically, the PDP noted that since Governor Mimiko assumed the reins of power in the state, security challenges and incessant kidnappings, mainly targeted at functionaries of this administration, have been on the increase.

The ACN, on its part, said the attack on the state capital by bandits is the fourth reported serious attack on the state capital this year alone.

The ACN Publicity Secretary, Gbenga Akinmoyo, said it was high time the governor, as the chief security officer of the state, woke up to his responsibility and treat the issue of security with utmost seriousness.

He said: “If not for the timely intervention of soldiers, the situation could have been worse. We wonder how many more attacks will come and innocent lives will be lost before Mr. Governor, the Chief Security Officer of the state, wakes up to his responsibility and treats this primary function as a top priority.

“We learnt recently that state government has approved the acquisition of armoured tanks to assist the law enforcement agents in fighting the war against crime. Nothing has been seen or heard since the reported approval.

“If the government is telling the people that it has lost the battle against the criminals who happen to have more sophisticated weapons, skills and technology, then that in itself is an admission that this self-styled ‘Caring Heart’ government has failed in its primary purpose of ensuring security”.

However, a law maker elected on the platform of the ruling Labour Party(LP) faulted the opposition’s claim, saying they were only trying to be economical with the truth.

The member of the State House of Assembly, Akindele Adeniyi, representing Akure North Constituency, said it would be wrong and unwise for some people to blame the state government for the robbery attack.

‘It is unwise for some group of people to just open their mouth to talk anyhow. It is saddening that the opposition are politicising an issue that borders on security.

‘If there is any state where the crime rate is on the low side, there is no other place than Ondo State. I challenge those who are talking rubbish to come out with their facts.

‘It is on record that the Ondo State government has donated vehicles, bullet proofs and communication gadgets to the state police command to help the command in cubing crime.

“Before that last general elections, the state government gave out security equipment valued at about N1 billion to the Police”.

Adeniyi claimed that the security of the people of the state was more paramount to the state government than any other issue.

19

THE NATION, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2011

Crafting hope…

Governor Shema’s model for taking youths off the street

A windmill farm in the final stages of completion. The farm is expected to generate 10 megawatts of electricity for power generation in Katsina and neighbouring states.

A trainee crafts a flower vase

Saturday

Faculty of Natural and Applied Sciences at the Umar Musa Yar’Adua University

THRILLER

20

THE NATION, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2011

Governor Shema’s model for E

VERYDAY, at mathematically accelerated pace, the early sun floods the eastern notch of a crafts village in golden spokes of light in Barhim, Katsina State. Inside the village, some wiry cripple cuts and sews through tanned leather to make impressive footwear in the leather section. His name is Mahmud, and three months ago, he was some blight for sore eyes.

As a cripple, Mahmud saw the world for what it was: an alms field with interlocking paths to the proverbial Good Samaritan with deep pockets. Like most handicapped folk faced with the foreboding of unemployment and a miserable life, the teenager resorted to seeking alms to survive.

Now Mahmud would beg no more; courtesy of the Youth Craft Village in Barhim, a Governor Ibrahim Shehu Shema youth empowerment initiative.

Mahmud as well as hundreds of unemployed youths – including the Almajiri – across the state are enjoying a new lease of life.

The Katsina State Youth Craft Village (YCV) represents an effective response to Katsina’s unemployment cum skilled artisanship needs. Located inside the state’s National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) orientation camp in Barhim in the state capital, the state government established the craft village to generate the much sought generation of skilled artisans to boost the state’s human capital development enterprise.

To achieve its objective, the village is facilitated with various departments offering training in 16 different trades and is expected to accommodate 2, 000 trainees annually. The departments include a functional Prometric Computer Centre; fabrication, welding and blacksmithing section; pottery and wrought iron section. Others are the woodworks and carpentry department; film and photography; GSM repair; auto mechanical and auto electric/electronics; and tie & dye departments. Over N301 million has been spent on the construction and equipment of the crafts village.

The trainees are mostly high school graduates, Almajiris and the handicapped. Each of the 34 local government areas sends in 48 candidates and they are distributed into the various departments based on their interests.The trainees undergo training over various periods ranging from three months, four months, six months to one year, depending on their individual programmes.

During their training, the trainees are resident in the village and the state government assumes full responsibility for their feeding while it assists them with a N2,000 monthly stipend. The training scheme is basically hands-on and practice-oriented and the trainees are duly exposed to modern technology and equipment relevant to their pursuits.

The trainers are usually established professionals in the field and are brought in from as far as the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja, Lagos, Ogun and Edo states, to mention a few, to teach the students. For instance, Biodun Shoniyi, a GSM repairs instructor in the GSM repairs section of the village, is a native of Ogun State. According to him, his job at the YCV offers him a unique experience in inter-state expatriate service.

In the same vein Asije Oje, the coordinator of the crafts village’s Prometric Centre, disclosed that it’s been a wonderful experience working at the village. “You get the feeling that you are part of something great…some unique, proactive and progressive,” he enthused.

According to Oje, the trainees on their part have shown great enthusiasm to learn and acquire valuable skills by which they could establish themselves in respectable vocations across their immediate environment.

The Nation findings at the crafts village

•Youth Crafts Village (YCV), Barhim, Katsina

•YCV Prometric Computer Centre

Olatunji OLOLADE, Assistant Editor revealed an assortment of facilities provided to imbue the trainees with various skills.

According to Ibrahim Umar Sauwalau, the centre’s coordinator, since the inception of the village, Katsina has witnessed amazing turnout of youths for the programme at the end of which they all graduate with requisite skills for various vocations. According to him, at the completion of the training, the graduates are empowered with capital to establish their various workshops. The plan is that if at least 50 percent of the artisans produced in each set can establish their own workshops across the state, then they could help to train many others and also become essential service providers for the people and employers of the unemployed.

The Katsina skill acquisition and youth empowerment model no doubt offers credible lessons for other state governments to emulate. Asides its critical poverty alleviation intent, it epitomises a proactive enterprise geared to transform the country into a self-reliant manufacturer and global exporter of home-made goods and services.

The Katsina model Incidentally, the establishment of Katsina’s YCV is linked with other programmes of the Katsina State

•Governor Shema government.

For instance, the establishment of four cottage fertiliser industries is an example of the massive investments the state government is making in the area of human capital development and wealth creation.

From free education provisions to primary and secondary school students to payment of all examination fees, free antenatal and medical services in all hospitals for children from birth to age five, the state government continually seeks to put smiles on the faces of millions of parents whose children would have dropped out of schools or whose babies would have succumbed to infant diseases.

Although Governor Shema humbly admitted that his performance at every stage of his tenure would only be a modest addition to the achievements of his immediate predecessor, the late Umar Musa Yar’Adua, governance analysts would no doubt find his stewardship a fascinating study in Nigeria’s wilderness of bureaucratic maladies.

Worthy of note is Governor Shema’s introduction of the Community Development Committees (CDCs) which he claimed have so far served as an effective machinery for the indentification and execution of relevant development projects in the state. According to Shema, it is the rich information that he collated from the CDCs that enables him to verify the basic and most pressing requirements of every community. This, he claimed,

makes it easier for his government to always get it right in terms of project execution in the state.

A vote against fraudulence In pursuit of his objectives, the governor has succeeded in instituting in-built mechanisms at checking fraud and other forms of financial misconduct. Take for instance, the case of a very prominent constructing firm that attempted to dupe the Katsina State government. The firm initially billed the government N37 billion to reconstruct and expand a major highway in the state but later settled for N35 billion. The government sought a second opinion from Mothercat, another construction firm that eventually executed the project at N5.6 billions thus saving the Governor Shema administration about 700 per cent in expenses.

A census of the projects executed by the Shema administration since its inception in 2007 has revealed that about 30 roads in different parts of the state were either constructed or rehabilitated. By establishing fertilizer blending plants in Batsari, Bakori, Safana and Mai’Adua, the government has inadvertently triggered the revolution of agriculture in the same way that the introduction of free primary and secondary education for all has improved the lot of young pupils in the state. The giant strides recorded in educational development in the state earned Katsina the Universal Basic Education Commission’s awards for

21

THE NATION, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2011

or taking youths off the street

•YCV’s auto-repair workshop

•Students at a film and photography workshop

•GSM repairs workshop

•Asije Oje, Prometric centre coordinator

‘

The firm initially billed the government N37 billion to reconstruct and expand a major highway in the state but later settled for N35 billion. The government sought a second opinion from Mothercat, another construction firm that eventually executed the project at N5.6 billion thus saving the government about 700 per cent in expenses

2009 and 2010.

In another development, the provision of electricity to over 60 communities has not only improved the living condition of the people but has also immensely contributed to the fight against poverty as many tailors, welders, shoe-makers, barbers, among others whose businesses depended on stable electricity have been able to return to work.

The incumbent government has also, in a rare proactive measure, established a wind farm which is in the final stages of completion. The project is expected to produce about 10 megawatts of electricity which is enough to provide Katsina as well as neighbouring northern states with steady power supply .

For effective administration, the governor, at inception, outlined a six-

’

point agenda geared towards improving the state in education, agriculture, resource development, job creation and infrastructure development. And within a short while, he has recorded remarkable leaps by committing over N40 billion to the education sector. The effect of this massive investment is reflective in schools’ enrolment figures of the last few years. In the 2004/2005 academic session, only 142,729 students enrolled in the state’s schools. This rose to 266,735 in 2008/2009. The magic wand was the state’s free education programme and payment of N140.5 million West African Examination Council and National Examination Council fees and N301.5 million issued to principals as schools running costs.

Over N2 billion has been spent on

human capital development by the state in pursuit of excellent training and manpower development programmes. For instance, in two years, the government has established 52 cottage industries, utilising the vast mineral deposits in the state. About 10,521 workers have been sent on various training programmes at a cost of N112.947 million.

At the tertiary level, Katsina now flaunts a world-class university, the Umaru Musa Yar’Adua University, which gulped N11.7 billion. The development of the university, however, did not affect the funding of other tertiary schools in Katsina as funds were duly released either for the improvement of existing structures or construction of new ones. Precisely, N299 million has been released as funding to Hassan Usman Katsina Polytechnic, Katsina, till date. Isa Kaita College of Education, Dutsinma, got N549 million while Yusuf Bala Usman College of Legal and General Studies, Daura, received 461 million. Today, Katsina pays the Consolidated Tertiary Institutions Salary Scale (CONTISS) in all its tertiary institutions.

Government has also disbursed N100million interest free loans to about 6,000 traders and artisans under the Small Trades Special Credit Scheme and another N106 million under the Youth Entrepreneurship and Medium Enterprises Intervention programmes.

About 11,229 of such enterprises were registered in three zones: 2,835 in Daura, 4,377, Katsina and 4,017, Funtua.

•Shoniyi, GSM repairs instructor Over 4, 397 youths have been trained in various skills at the upgraded 10 Basic Apprentice Training Centers in the state.

The government has spent N197.150 million to construct and equip the three new Basic Apprentice Training Centres (BATCs) in Batsari, Kankara and Danja.

Another batch of 2,110 youths were trained under a special vocational training and attachment programme known as Katsina Youth Empowerment Scheme at N27.72 million in the past two years.

A new 35,000-capacity stadium complex along Mani road, Katsina, is being constructed. By the end of May 2010, the project had gulped about N4, 119, 039, 611.30, even as the state government records another remarkable feat in northern Nigeria, courtesy of its establishment of a state-of-the-art orthopaedic hospital. A total of 1,772 houses have also been constructed across the state with an additional 500 houses in Katsina metropolis due to popular demand.

A close study of the magnitude of the projects executed by the incumbent administration in Katsina revealed that they essentially serve as tools for fostering rapid development across various sectors in the state. This fosters the belief that if the governor could actualise every project he has initiated to successful completion, Katsina may attain that enviable progress in human capital and state development that is the dream of many struggling states across the federation.

22

‘Don’t blame the Navy for Bode George’s fate’ It is 15 years since he retired from the Nigerian Navy, but Chief James Bakare, a chieftain of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in Lagos State, has not given up his admiration for a career that spanned more than two decades. He shares his experience of life in retirement with VINCENT AKANMODE. of money. You cannot say the Navy George calls himself a general, then

•Chief Bakare

‘

The ability to be prudent with finances is a thing of the mind... In the Navy, they are very careful about managing money... As a sea man, you don’t have much to do with the management of money

ficiencies with the skills of the people under them. The Navy at that time recruited many of them who were called direct entry officers; they brought them in, gave them uniforms and without real military training, they gave them uniforms and they began to boss these boys, because these boys are other ranks. When we came back, many of those boys had to leave, because they felt the Navy was not giving them the necessary incentives to continue. They were there and doing the job but they were not getting the money.

But people like you remained...

Well, the Navy was made up of various departments. I was not in the same department with Bode George. In the Navy, you have seamen, you have the engine room, you have electrical, you have supply and so on.

‘

H

OW has life been with you in retirement?

Well, we are struggling for survival. I am a shipping expert and a freight forwarder in the maritime industry. I am also a transport consultant and, above all, a politician. I am a life member and supporter of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN). I have been a part of it since its days as Alliance for Democracy (AD).

What are the experiences that readily register in your memory about your days in the Nigerian Navy?

I remember the sea. It was beautiful being on the sea. When we were coming with the NNS Aradu from Hamburg in Germany between 1980 and 1981, I always enjoyed the sea excercise which we engaged in. We were on the Red Sea for six weeks with members of the German Navy and other Nigerian officers like Admiral Jubril Ayinla, Bode George, Fayemi, Giwa and some of my friends who were in Europe. It was beautiful.

The Navy was good. We were sent to India, the UK and other parts of the world for training. The Navy was very good then. You ate to your satisfaction. We were well taken care of.

What informed your choice of a career in the Nigerian Navy?

A friend advised me along that line. He said the Navy was good and that we should join it.

How did your parents react to that decision?

When I was growing up in the North, I had lost my father, so an elder brother of mine who was on his own, was the one taking care of me. He never objected to anything I decided to do.

You are a Yoruba man from Osun State. How come you grew up in the North?

I was born in the North. My father was a railway worker there.

We stayed in Kaduna, Jos, Bauchi and so on. Along the line, my father died. But my mother is in the North till today, although she is now a very old woman. As I am talking to you, she is in Lafia, Nasarawa State. She stays with my younger sister who is a teacher at the Government Girls Secondary School. She is also married to a northerner there in Nasarawa.

You mentioned Chief Olabode George as one of the people you worked with in the Navy....

We were on board the same ship, the NNS Aradu. He was the weapon electrical officer and he was then a lieutanant commander.

We came on board the ship together from Germany to Nigeria.

We were in Germany from October 1980, while the ship came into this country on December 23, 1981.

How much of him did you know when you were in the Navy?

I knew him to be an electrical officer. What you have to know is that the Navy made a lot of mistakes. The idea of bringing in people who were graduates and imposing them on other experienced naval personnel was defective. The Navy had men that had been trained in the UK and they were very good on the job, but they were not given the ranks. So, they were always complaining. But then, it was a policy in the Navy to recruit people who were graduates to come and supervise them. But these boys were better than their socalled supervisors. If I am better than you on the job and you are asked to supervise me, how do you think I will feel?

So, when you just join the Navy as a graduate and they give you the uniform and ask you to supervise these boys, what would you do?

Fortunately for them, the military is a place where it is easy to hide your deficiencies when you are the boss. They easily cover up their de-

THE NATION, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2011

Which was your own department?

I was in the Supply Department.

What were your duties in the Supply Department?

We were to supply the food, the equipment and other things that were needed.

One thing that fascinates people about the Armed Forces, including the Navy, is the discipline that is instilled in the officers and men.

But does this also include financial discipline?

Not necessarily that. The ability to be prudent with finances is a thing of the mind. Once you talk of money, the devil is there. In the Navy, they are very careful about managing money, particularly in the Supply Department, because they are the ones that manage the funds. As a sea man, you don’t have much to do with the management

is different from other organisations. What you see in the Army and the Air Force is also what you see in the Navy. But the Navy is always there in terms of discipline.

I asked that question because some of us are surprised that people who are trained in strict military tradition come out and engage in unbecoming acts.

Are they not part of the Nigerian society? They go out there, see what is happening and partake of it.

How do you situate the experience of Chief Bode George who was jailed for splitting of contracts?

I was not surprised that he was jailed because of the way he was going about things. His antecedents show it. You would recall that after the recent local government elections in Lagos State, Chief Adeseye Ogunlewe questioned him on how he managed the funds meant for the election.

We knew how he became the governor of Ondo State out of desperation. In those days in the Navy, unless you were a combatant, you would not be made a governor. But he started lobbying and was virtually sleeping in Murtala Nyako’s house. So, he had to make him the governor of Ondo State at the expense of many combatant soldiers.

Combatants like Rear Admiral Ayinla never became a governor despite the fact that he is from the same place with Obasanjo and he speaks Hausa fluently. Eyitayo, Areola and other knowledgable naval officers never became governors. But Bode George has always been good at lobbying for positions.

Let me tell you this: at the time he was the Chairman of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), I was also a contractor there. What the board did was pure jamboree. They bought inflated goods and he was the principal actor because he was at the NPA as an executive chairman. So, he was completely in charge. The Managing Director was afraid, knowing that Bode George came from Obasanjo. So, anything Bode George did, he (MD) would abide by it. So, for Bode George to later come and say he was not the one awarding contracts, he was not telling the truth.

Your opinion is contrary to his claim that some people masterminded his being sent to jail.

That is an assertion, not a fact. In fact, he accused the leader of my party, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, of engineering his being sent to jail.

Then I ask: is Asiwaju the judge? Is he even a lawyer? Was the judge that tried him a small boy? Didn’t he have his facts? There were facts upon which his imprisonment was based. In fact, he should have been jailed for life, considering the amount of money involved.

I remember that some boys were arrested for illegal bunkering recently and they were jailed for 19 years. Compare that with people who stole more than N80 billion. I am sure that if you interview many people, they will tell you that the judgment was wrong. He was supposed to be given a punishment that was bigger than what he got.

Now, he is pursuing shadow by antagonising Asiwaju. The man is bigger than Bode George. If Bode

Asiwaju must be a five-star general in politics. Without him, there would probably be nothing left of our democracy. He was the only governot that stood up to Obasanjo when all the other governors bowed to his ‘garrison’ kind of politics, particularly between 1999 and 2003.

The rank of general is not restricted to the army. The other day the President was welcoming some militants from the creeks, some of them said they were generals. So, what is the big deal in being a general if Tompolo is a general? The only problem is that he is being overrated by the PDP because they don’t really understand the kind of man that he is. In the Nigeria of today, he is nobody. As at today, the PDP has no foothold in the South West.

For example, the governor of Ondo State, Olusegun Mimiko, would have defected to the PDP, but he realised that the party has no foothold in the South West. That is why he is still in Labour Party. But I will advise him to come to the ACN. It is the home of progressives and that is where he really belongs.

Some people believe he wants to be a big fish in a small pond instead of becoming a smaller fish in a big pond, and that is why he does not want to join the ACN? But the so-called small pond is drying up. You can see the number of people that are defecting to the ACN in the state on a daily basis. So, what are we talking about? And one thing he should realise is that the political arena is so choked up that if he decides to remain in LP, he will not make a headway. The LP is a lone ranger. It is neither here nor there.

You are either a progressive or a conservative. If you want to be a progressive, join ACN. I think it is time he buried his pride.

Why have you not thought of vying for a political office in the ACN? It entails a lot of money, which I don’t have. Maybe with time the opportunity will come. If it does, we will grab it.

Even in Osun, your state, you are not playing any active role.

Right now, I am not. I have told you what the problem is — finance.

We are praying that Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola succeeds. I know that he will, because he is a great grassroots mobiliser. Today, he has buried the PDP finally in Osun and there is no trace of the party in the state. I am sure that in another four years from now, it is only the ACN you will see in the South West.

I also believe a lot in Asiwaju. I know that with time, he is going to do something. I don’t rush things because I am a man who believes in ideas and progress. I will continue to serve and believe in him because he is such a great leader; because he is somebody I have a lot of respect for, I will always remain where he is. He is a great mobiliser of men; a man of high principles and integrity.

You could see how he fought for the realisation of June 12. See how he became back in the 1999 and 2003 elections when Obasanjo used garrison politics against his opponents.

But see where we are today. I know that as time goes on, I will benefit from his leadership.

When did you retire from the Navy?

I retired in 1996.

LOCATION

BACKSTAGE

SNAPSHOT

REEL NEWS

MUSIC

SCREEN

Edited by: VICTOR AKANDE

Tel: 08077408676

E-mail: victor_akande@yahoo.com

ntertainment

THE NATION, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2011

23

See pages 28-37

My children call me by my name; name; so what?

—Keppy Ekpenyong

24

THE NATION, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2011

STANDh BY! Wit

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

THINK

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

SNAPSHOTS Omoni Oboli denies pregnancy tales

A counterpoint article to the ingenuity of the traditional Foley sound effects relayed on this page last week, this piece argues that the 'almighty' Foley artistes would need to adapt to the new trend if they must remain in business.

The educational value of this material for Nollywood Producers, Directors, and Sound Editors is immeasurable.

Sound of Hollywood could soon be virtual These newer ways of operating can remove a lot of the donkey work from what we do but sound engineering in films is not simply about creating a sound, it is about creating an emotion using sound

Turning Point for Oge Okoye

Mercy Johnson cries out: ‘I'm not blind’

Uche Iwu ji Iwuji rededicates her life

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

25

THE NATION, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2011

RE ELNEW S

I HiTV battles for survival

N the words of Ghanaian international singer, song writer and vocal expert, Bibie Brew, vocal delivery must not be sacrificed for dancing during any musical performance. Both must complement each other to have a perfect presentation.

One of the judges of the popular musical reality show since inception in 2008, Brew advised contestants on the need for a balanced vocal delivery, dancing and stagecraft as they all make up a complete musical performance and that one should not be sacrificed for the other.

During last weekend's elimination show of MTN Project Fame West Africa, which saw the eviction of another two contestants, Isaac and Velma, from the academy, Brew admitted that all the remaining contestants in the academy are vocally talented and have what it takes to win the competition. She, however, maintained that what the judges require of them is an exceptional performance that will stand them out.

This comment was made in the wake of Isaac and Velma's eviction from the musical academy after failing to secure any of the factors that could save them. Six contestants -Roy, Yvonne, Princess, Ese, Ethel and Rachel

Amaka Igwe Studios presents Big Daddy

A •The two evictees, Velma and Isaac flanked by Adoral Oleh (right) and Joseph Benjamin (left)

Project Fame: Bibie charges contestants on vocal clarity were also placed on probation at the nomination show on Sunday following lacklustre showıngs.

Two of these contestants will be evicted on Saturday.

“There is no doubt that all of you are vocally talented. But what we are looking for at this stage of the competition is not only your vocal ability, but that extra effort that will stand you out among others. We are looking for an outstanding performance that will dazzle us, give us the goose

bumps and resonate constantly in our memory. That is what is required of a music star,” she charged.

With eight contestants left in the musical academy, the MTN Project Fame show approaches a crescendo as tension continues to mount among the contestants over who will be evicted next and who will become the ultimate winner of the N2.5 million, Toyota RAV 4 and multi-million naira worth recording contract.

Changing Faces prepares to take cinemas by storm

The Freedom Fighter in KSA

•Alex Lopez

T

HE issue of extramarital affairs cannot be separated from man but with Faruk Lasaki's romantic drama Changing Faces set to open at the Silverbird Cinemas, Genesis Deluxe Cinemas and other cinemas in Nigeria, Ghana and other countries from December 16, 2011, the story is given an different angle.

The flick tells the story of a born-again Christian husband who does not only commit adultery with another woman outside his matrimonial home, he also has an affair with his maid while his wife was asleep. she wakes up one night to find him pounding away on the help.

Dale the born again “Oyinbo” husband of Franca, a black Nigerian woman acted by the pretty and sexy Nigerian-Brazilian actress and Nollywood diva Alex Lopez seemed to be very faithful until he met Lola another sexy black woman at an Architectural conference in a beautiful hill top hotel.

Where the seductress tempted and lured the married man into her bed on the last night of the conference and his life was never the same again. Black and beautiful British actress Rachael Young was the temptress Lola in Changing Faces. Other popular

Nollywood stars in the movie are Keppy Ekpenyong who was the boss of Dale, Ayo Mogaji-Dabo and Femi Brainard.

Changing Faces has been highly commended as one of the new movies raising the standards in Nollywood and the movie has opened doors for Nollywood at the Cannes Film Festival in France, Cairo International Film Festival in Egypt, African Diaspora Film Festival in New York, USA, Écrans Noirs Film Festival in Yaoundé, Cameroun, Zuma Film Festival in Abuja and Eko International Film Festival in Lagos, Nigeria. The movie has an international cast of gifted Nigerian and British actors and actresses like Marc Baylis rated as the hottest actor in a Nigerian movie.

Producer of the flick, Faruk Lasaki is one of the graduates of the New York Film Academy (NYFA).

Rita Dominic, Dbanj, others for FAB Night Out

I

NTERNATIONAL fashion journal, FAB magazine, as part of its annual event tagged FAB Night out, will be celebrating its second edition with a fashion awards show for celebrities at the Landmark Events Centre Victoria Island, Lagos come December 11, 2011.

The nominees for the awards are Kate Henshaw-Nuttal, Monalisa Chinda, Rita Dominic, Genevieve Nnaji, Jim Iyke, Ramsey Nouah, Nse Ikpe Etim, Mike Ezuruonye, Majid Michael and Gideon Okeke. While the likes of Dbanj, Naeto C, Goldie, Muna, Bez, Tiwa Savage, Darey, Asa, Sasha and Lynxx are up for

the most stylish artiste contest.

The fashion world is well represented by the likes of Deola Sagoe, Mai Atafo, Uti Nwachukwu, Dimeji Alara and Bolaji Animashaun.

In addition, this year's list of nominees accommodates On-Air Personalities from Radio and TV- Fan favourites Toolz, Tosyn Bucknor, Yvonne Ekwere, Yaw, Wana, Efe Tommy, Eku Edewor, Frank Edoho and Adams Ibrahim.

The event is supported by Vlisco, Trace TV, Beat FM,

S part of its social responsibility towards creating awareness and seeking solutions to the issue of rape in Nigeria, this Sunday, December 4, at the Silverbird Galleria in Victoria Island, Lagos, Amaka Igwe Studios will present a short film on rape and sexual abuse, Written and Directed by Chris Ihidero, the flick features actors like Yemi Adeyemi, Zara Abimbola Udofia, 'Tunbosun Auyedehin and others.

According to the director of the flick, Ihidero, Big Daddy is his personal contribution to society. “We decided to make a film on rape because we believe that, for our society to truly combat this abnormality, we need to lay our collective shame bare. We need to strip off the layers upon layers of coverings that hide the realities of rape and sexual abuse. We believe that we all need to come clean and accept the blame for whatever part we have played, consciously or not, in ensuring that rape victims continue to lack support and justice, and lives continue to get ruined,” says the Director.

According to him, the film will premiere before select guests at the Silverbird cinemas in Lagos, before being shown on TV stations across the country.

•Amaka

D-Lucas releases new album

D

•Rita

ECEMBER 4, 2011 has been set aside by DLucas and his Salvation Gospel Voices for the launch of their new album tittled “Iroyin Ayo” (Good Tidings).

Set to take place at Celestial Church of Christ Orelope Central Parish, Egbeda, the artiste says that the event has O. T. Akeju as the father of the day, Holy Mary as the Mother of the Day, while Solomon Orimisan and Prophet Tayo Agunloye are the spiritual fathers of the day.

26

THE NATION, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2011

I started rapping at age 10 —Jhybo He is being touted in some quarters as the new Dagrin, but Jibola Toriola, a.k.a Jhybo, would rather be seen as a rapper who is out to carve his desired niche. s Island-born rapper Lago The and producer who discovered his musical talents at the early age of 10 strongly believes that his time under the sun is in the offing. In this interview with AHMED BOULOR, the award-winning artiste revealed why he took a plunge into the murky waters of the music industry. He also unveiled plans for his debut album among other things…

RISING

STAR

Leon bides his time

REA out with singles

•Jhybo

27

THE NATION, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2011

I am the mother of all juju musicians, says Ayo Balogun Musa ODOSHIMOKHE •Micheal Ogolo

All set for Odudu Music Award

Star Mega Jamz 2011 cancelled

F

OR the first time in the history of Nigerian Breweries Plc, the annual Star Mega Jamz, which started in 2000, and features foreign artistes alongside Nigerian stars, has been called off due to logistics challenges.

In a statement by the Corporate Affairs Adviser, Mr Yusuf Ageni, “the company regretted all inconveniences this will cause the fans, who have been eagerly awaiting this year's edition of Star Mega Jamz.”

The annual music concert so far has become the benchmark for musical concerts in Nigeria in terms of music and entertainment with an international flavour.

Some of the international stars that have featured on Star Mega Jam included Awilo Logomba, Shaggy, Usher Raymond, Koffi Olumide, Ja Rule, Kevin Little, LL Cool J, Akon, Kanye West, TPain, Nas, Nelly, Busta rhymes, Ludacris and R.Kelly, amongst others.

Aiyefele prepares for Nite of a Thousand Music

Duno unveils The Reason •Aiyefele

Smirnoff’s night of fun

•DJ Jimmy Jat

•Ayo Balogun

28

THE NATION, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2011

THE NATION, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2011

37

COVER COVER

COVER COVER If you're one of those familiar with the Nigeria television series before ever Nollywood came to be then the name Keppy Ekpenyong Bassey will not only ring a bell, it will also resonate. He was on popular TV soaps Ripples for five years running at that time and presently he's on popular soap Dear Mothers, Living Next to You among others. The actor who heartily squealed that his entering into the industry was made possible by prolific filmmaker Tade Ogidan in this interview with MERCY MICHAEL reveals what he has been up to, his experiences on the set of Jeta Amata's movie Inale, working with the United Nation, family and sundry issues:

‘My wife knows me more than my mother’

My kids call me by my name and it's not rude. If they feel comfortable enough to call me Keppy and I'm not quarrelling about it, who has the right to quarrel about it?

Joke Silva, Genevieve, John Okafor for Diva Awards 2011

•Genevieve

Family on Fire to hit cinemas

•Keppy

I don't advice anybody to copy me but I wish you have the kind of relationship I have. Between my wife and I, we are most I content in our relationship. don't think anybody in the world can interfere in that relationship because we've grown through time

•Tade Ogidan

DIMEJI LAWAL SCREAMS

Blame administrators for football woes

Pg. 30,35

Martins eyes more goals for Kazan Pg. 34

Nation Saturday, December 3, 2011

Ameobi set to compound Mikel woes

30

35

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2011

NATION SPORT

NATION SPORT •Dimeji-Lawal

D

ID you watch the match yesterday?

I saw the game How do you feel?

I felt very bad. That is not the normal Under-23 Nigeria used to have.

I don’t know why everything is going downwards. You see how they played against Senegal? It was too sloppy.

They still have a chance to qualify, but with what you have seen so far, do you think there is any need for them to qualify for the Olympics at all or even for the semi final?

Why do we have to go to the Olympics if we don’t have a team to represent us well? Do we have a team to represent us at the Olympics? If this is the team that they are going to take to the Olympics its better we do not go, its better we do not go, you understand? That is the truth because with the team I saw yesterday, they are so woeful, I mean, I didn’t believe that was Nigeria playing. And I don’t think those are the best Under–23 players we have in Nigeria. So I don’t know what is wrong with our football, So do you support Nigeria taking a break from international football for two years?

Even if we (can) go for three years so that we can restructure, go back to the grassroot and re-plan. But the problem is, the searchlight is on the coaches, now they will say they want to sack Eguavoen, they will want to sack Alloy Agu, no, what are we doing with our administrators? That is the question.

So who do you think is to blame in this case?

Everybody that is involved, everybody that is involved, you know.

Tell me one Nigerian coach that has done well in the last two years either at club side or international football, tell me, there is none. So the searchlight must go on the ad-

ministrators, what is happening with our football? It’s not our coaches alone, so what about the people governing the game. Look at Nigerian league, it is woeful, terrible, national team, bad, terrible, Under 16, zero, Falcons, zero, Enyimba, zero, Kano Pillars, zero, Sunshine, zero, Super Eagles, zero.

So with what you have said now about Nigerian coaches not succeeding, does it not come down to the coaches?

It’s not the coaches, it’s the terrain they are working, the environment, you understand. Let me tell you, a white man had come also, abi? Sebi Berti Vogts came, he failed, abi? Let me tell you, the way it is in Nigeria now if you bring Ferguson, Arsene Wenger and Fabio Capello altogether, they will fail, you understand.

So what’s the way forward sir?

The way forward is to restructure everything. Let’s go back to the grass root. Let’s take away people who are only running our football for money. Let’s look for people like Lekan Salami of the old days, the Abiola’s, you understand, people who have the interest of soccer in mind, people who have passion for it, not people who are only looking for allocation from government, you understand, that is the truth, honestly.

Shooting Stars have disbanded its management. For you as an individual, how do you feel?

I feel very bad, I’m not happy. Unfortunately one of my colleagues was at the helm of affairs. I am sure he tried his best.

What would you say can be done to bring back the good old days for Shooting Stars as a club?

They should look for people who are passionate about the club, people who really love the club not money from the government. You have to love what (you are doing), you don’t think about the money, money will come. When Lekan Salami formed Shooting Stars, he was not thinking about money. He was thinking of how Shooting Stars was going to become great, he was thinking of how Shooting Stars was going to be one of the best and Shooting Stars was one of the best then.

I want you to talk about the Nigerian league. It ran for a long time (more than it should)?

What is (in) a league that lasted for one year plus? Is that a league?

A league that is postponed every week? The players are tired, the players are not being paid, no welfare, people will travel from Ibadan to Maiduguri in a two-seater bus and you want to see the best of foot-

•Daniel-Uchechi

DIMEJI LAWAL SCREAMS:

Blame administrators for football woes

Former Nigerian winger, Dimeji Lawal says Nigeria’s football misfortune is a result of maladministration. The former Flying Eagles’ forward told OLUSOJI OLUKAYODE that the country needs a return to the roots to get back to the top. He suggests the type of administrators the country need to achieve this feat. The former Shooting Stars of Ibadan player also gave his opinion of the Nigerian league, quality of the game played on the home front as well as what things were like, back in his playing days. Excerpts ball. People will come from Onitsha, Ibadan in a two-seater bus, is that how you see good football. But all you hear on the pages of the newspaper is millions, millions. I deal with these players every day. They are hungry, they are not being paid their salary, they are not being paid their sign-on fees, they are not being paid their bonuses. How can you be playing for a team that does not pay you bonuses for 10, 15 games and you think that player will give his best, you think that player will be committed, it is not, you understand? Let Nigerians stop paying house of assembly members and see what will happen, eh. Let all the states stop paying their directors for 10 months and see what will happen. But that is what is happening to these players every time that is the truth. So how can you get the best out of them? You go to games, (and) people don/t come again, because they see (bad football). The talents are no more there. You send a referee that has been bought (and) he will refer a game based on the money that has been given to him. And you want to tell me that’s a league.

That’s not a league. A league that cannot produce players for the national teams, is that a league?

That’s not a league. The truth is bitter but that is the problem with Nigerian football For you as an individual sir, are you looking forward to coaching any of the top teams in the Premier League and have you any offer so far from any?

It’s not in this environment because you know, I don’t want to be a failure like others, you understand, I don’t want to coach until the environment is good. The environment becomes better, you understand. We first have to get the right administrators. If I’m coaching a team that they are not paying the players, how do I coach them? How do I discipline them? If you don’t pay a player, when he comes to your training at 9 o clock in the morning when he was supposed to be there 7 o’clock, how do I talk to them? When a player comes to you and tells you that he

doesn’t have fuel in his car because he had not been paid his salary for four months, how do I get the best from him? But we keep making meeting upon meetings upon meetings, nobody is talking about the welfare of the players. The officials are feeding fat Sir, one more question, when you go to the stadium and a big team

like 3SC or Rangers is playing and you look around the stadium and see the fans are scanty, how you feel? And would you say you miss the crowd?

I feel bad because when I was small if you want to watch Shooting Stars, you have to be there by 12 (pm or) 1o‘clock because the seats are already occupied, no vacancy,

no seat, by 12 (to) 1 in the afternoon everywhere is filled up, you know that is how it used to be. If you want to watch Stationary Stores against Shooting Stars at Ibadan, you must be at the stadium in the morning. If you want to watch Bendel Insurance, if you want to watch Rangers, you know but now you go to the stadium, you stay there one

hour (and) you (will) want to sleep because there is nothing to watch, there is no fun.

Sometimes you go to see Nigerian league, you don/t even know the team that is playing then, you start asking, ah, which team is this?

Because they don’t have colours any longer. Well that time it was tradition. Lekan Salami will never

allow Shooting Stars to wear another colour except blue and white because it’s a tradition. Rangers will never wear any other colour except their red and white, you understand now? When you see Stationery Stores, (with) maroon and yellow, you know this is Stationery Stores coming, you understand, but where is the tradition now?

•Maigari

•Dream Team V training in Morocco

AKINLOYE AT LARGE 08050246155 atlarge84@yahoo.com

Eguavoen's Dream IT is only a miracle that can make Nigeria qualify for the 2012 London Olympics in the male soccer category.

I watched the Dream Team lose to Morocco last Saturday and felt sorry for the state of our football. The team was uncoordinated.

The players could not string passes together, while the Moroccans ran riot. Though the Moroccan victory came through a spot kick, the Nigerian players were such in a disarray that I do not know where coach Austin Eguavoen's confidence came from.

My prayer is for Nigeria to qualify for the Olympic Games, but the calibre of players in the Dream Team squad does not give much hope. The blame for the unenterprising perfromance of the team would be heaped on the doorsteps of the clubs which refused to release players for the tournament. They should not be blamed. The failure to raise a quality team for the championship is ours and ours only. The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) should be held responsible if we crash out of the race to the London Olympics.

They knew that the U-23 African Championship will be holding at this time of the year when our foreign based players would be busy with their clubs. They should have made Eguavoen concentrate on the domestic front. If the NFF had done its job well enough, Eguavoen would not have embacked on fire brigade approach to raise a team for the championship. The coach took an "unprepared" team to Morocco despite having camped in Ghana for some days.

What an eye sore he came up with.

The NFF knew that the championship would hold outside the FIFA calendar and that the players will not be available. They should have blown Eguavoen back on course to start his camping earlier.

He should have been told to concentrate on the domestic players.

The professional players would have been a bonus if they were released for the champiuonship.

We were told that the coach and a member of the technical committee visited the clubs of our professional players to convince their officials to release them for the championship. THey must have done a messy job of it. If the Moroccans could get the full complement of their foreign based players, why is our case different? Something is wrong somewhere and we must get to the bottom of it.

Eguavoen still believes his team would play in the final of the African Chamionship despite having a rag tag team. He is allowed to think big. I wish him all the best. May his prayer be answered.

It will be a thing of joy if the Dream Team play in the final of the event, but it is a long call. I do not want to share in his dream for it could turn out to be a nightmare. IT is recorded in the history of Nigerian football that a Nigerian team lost 5-1 in the opening match of the Nations Cup and still went on to play in the final. IT happened to Green Eagles and the team that they lost to is Algeria. We are in the same group with the Algerians in the championship and they are one of the teams we should beat for Eguavoen's dream to come to reality.

INBOX The task before the new Super Eagles coach, Stephen Keshi is enormous but achievable. He must build two solid teams from players in our domestic league.

Anonymous You have no case for Yakubu Ayegbeni. He is just old for the Super Eagles Oyinloye Dare, Kwara State Your paper is the architect of Siasia"s sack. Your paper that does not believe in second chance is now asking for patience with Keshi.

Is Keshi better than even Chukwu?

Anonymous Please, tell Aminu Maigari to disband this set of Super Eagles, or I will be forced to change nationality Eta Effiom, Calabar Sports is an academic exercise. The intellect and discipline required to excel is only available in schools. Unfortunately, we have built on quick sands streets of Ajegunle, Ekpoma, Diobu and Aria ria with age cheats. Let's build real academies not talent hunts by ex-footballers Hon. Ihuoma You and Ojeikere want Nigeriatrics back in the national team.

Considering these guys lie about theire ages, Ayegbeni, Martins and Shittu, etrc, will be in their 30s when 2014 is here. You see?

Anonymous Neither you nor anyone is talking about the root cause of the senior national team problem. Cheating at the age group events is the root cause not Siasia or coaches. They are just the symptoms. 50 Trapatonis, Mourinhos or Fergusons will not solve Super Eagles problems for as long as we continue to parade senior boys for kindergarten events.

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THE NATION SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2011

NATION SPORT

Making the Sports Ministry functional C

ONTINUING on the topic of the Olympic preparations, which was harped on last week on this page, let us further examine the role of the Sports Ministry as the Federal Government’s statutory agency for sports development.

I have deliberately used only the Sports Ministry here because it has not been revealed what legal instrument validated the setting up of the National Sports Commission (NSC) by former president, Olusegun Obasanjo when he named Bala Kaoje, the Chairman of NSC/Sports Minister. In 1995.

Chief Jim Ifeanyichukwu Nwobodo sacked the late Shola Rhodes, citing a previous decree abolishing the NSC and when Obasanjo appointed Kaoje, a bill was introduced in the National Assembly to give legal teeth to the creation of the NSC/Sports Ministry.

But that bill was neither passed nor signed into law during that legislative term.

There is no record therefore that NSC is known to any Nigerian law as a sports regulatory body.

But, this is a digression as the focus today is on three key departments of the Sports Ministry, namely, the Department of Sports Development, Department of Research and Statistics and the National Institute for Sports (NIS). Ordinarily, it is expected that from sports development, the country will have a blue print on which the sports federations and even the states sports councils will drive their activities. The annual Directors of Sports Meetings have been turned into political agenda setting forum where policies are hardly considered. It has come to serve as a platform to pass votes of confidence on the national leadership of sports, condemn perceived enemies, ratify venues for National Sports Festival and collect allowances.

A serious sports development arm of the Ministry should in conjunction with the NIS be providing training programmes for technical and administrative officials of the sports federations and states’ councils. But then, the question is, which NIS? Is it an NIS that is abreast of innovations in sports management? Is it an NIS that can offer training to coaches, using modern equipment? Is it an NIS that has resource persons that are themselves equipped with knowledge of trends in their areas of specialization?

Again, like was asked last week, what is the content of the annual budget of the Sports Ministry if we languish with obsolete

By Harry Iwuala

equipment.

First impressions go a long way, and on a visit to the National Stadium in Surulere last Saturday, it was shocking to see that the NIS building looking so derelict with the stadium turned to a wedding arcade where multi-wedding receptions and other social events but scarcely no sporting activity. The question now is, with the revenue being generated through the commercialisation of the National Stadium spaces, how is sports benefitting from the exercise if the monument is still not able to serve the purpose it was built for? The NIS must be charging fees for the wedding ceremony such as the one I attended, yet the authorities cannot even splash a coat of paint on the edifice. It will be surprising if the inside of the complex will be conducive for learning giving the state of the exterior.

The Department of Research and Statistics is another puzzle. Apart from the statistics from the National Sports Festival (and this is assuming that such data exists), it will be interesting to know what data the Department keeps on Nigerian athletes. Do we have any information from the Research Department of the performances of some athletes from countries Nigeria will be competing against at the Olympic Games in 2012? What exactly are the personnel in the department researching on and how has their work impacted on sports development in the country.

It is also pertinent to point out that they need research tools such as access to internet, computers and field study kits. If they lack these, again the question arises again, what do they budget for every year that excludes these most basic needs of the department?

Sports must take a cue from organisations such as the Ministry of Tourism that has produced a road map to making Nigeria a tourist destination. Sports must produce a simplified working document, which at first glance will show time-bound objectives and strategies for realizing such set targets. We focus so on football and talk about the quality of leadership but neglecting the fact that up until a few years back, football was just another department of the Sports Ministry. It can be argued that the rot did not set in recently, but it is equally arguable that persons running the show today must show some efforts at arresting the slide. What is missing today is a deliberate and calculated approach to

resolving what is believed to be decades of decay engineered by past Directors General and Directors of Sports.

This piece should indeed also mention the Department of Facility Management that has the responsibility for both the development and maintenance of facilities at all federal government owned stadia. I remember the gentleman, Bobo-Jama who once occupied the position of Director of Facility and while the state of the infrastructures across the country may not be top notch, you see in him a man that has a workable response but lacked the funding and empowerment to implement the ideas. A first class graduate of Mathematics, Bobo-Jama knew the facilities and what was required to keep them functional.

NIFEX 2011, Football’s quiet Revolution Many may not have noticed but there is a quiet revolution taking place in the marketing of football through an annual football expo that has held for the second year running.

Packaged by a young and dynamic professional, Justin Offor of Fairplay, this year’s expo held last Thursday, December 1 at the Sheraton Hotels. In 2010, the Nigeria International Football Expo (NIFEX) debuted at MUSON Center in Onikan and the fact that the follow-up edition was held at a no less prestigious venue underscores the drive of the mind behind the idea.

•Nwobodo

NIFEX is a forum that seeks to bring together all the players in the football industry ranging from rights owners, clubs managers, sponsors and administrators generally. It equally draws the media especially those with a slant to football business reporting. While the organizers have made efforts to sensitize major stakeholders on the need to attend the 2nd NIFEX, those for whom it is of great significance have not shown any enthusiasm. Talking about the club owners who are majorly seeking a way out of their financial dependence on government, the forum was the veritable ground to disprove certain perceptions about domestic club football.

It is therefore a positive mark for Enyimba International, which was represented by their Marketing Consultant, YOUDEES Integrated Services Limited (YISL) with a display of the club jerseys which were put on sale for visitors to the forum.

It would have benefitted the clubs if they attended the football fair with well produced briefs on the club with a view to enticing corporate partners. Offor is already looking forward to the 2012 NIFEX and as he put it, “what I have is a three year development plan”. Without sponsors, NIFEX has been solely sustained by his company, Fairplay.

Harry Iwuala is a renowned Journalist based in Lagos, Nigeria

VOICE OF SPORTS

With Clement Nwankpa Jnr. sportswar@yahoo.com

Dream Team? I dey laugh O! I had heard that if you want to hide something from a Nigerian, put it in writing. Could this be true? If not, why is it that most of the things I warn us against here play out ultimately? Was it not on this page that I did the piece ‘Dream Team Abuse’? In that piece, I had advocated for a name for the U-23 national team. I had lampooned our penchant to dub all U-23 national teams Dream Team. Since the first ever assemblage of U-23s in 1996, we have had four subsequent squads, all dubbed Dream Teams 2,3,4 and 5 respectively. These teams were named after the 1996 set nicknamed Dream Team by the late Emeka Omeruah but no one has taken recourse to the origin of that sobriquet. I have screamed and screamed till I almost lost my voice, yet even the most enlightened sports commentators have failed to note that the nickname Dream Team was only used to capture the quality in the all-conquering 1996 squad that won Olympic gold at Atlanta 96.

Can’t we stop this Dream Team abuse? How many times will we have these so-called Dream Teams falter before we understand the import of that nickname? The current squad is called Dream Team 5, have they lived up to that name?

Watching these boys in Morocco, did they inspire confidence?

For those conversant with the great 1996 squad, is any of those boys in Morocco worthy of sitting in the 1996 squad’s bench?

You will soon understand why I speak so glowingly of the set of 1996. I have spent the last 13 years doing a book on the 1996 squad titled ‘BAKOKA: From Atlanta with Football Made in Nigeria’. This book will be launched in Abuja on December 19 and I will throw more light on it in subsequent editions.

For the records, despite the 1996 set brimming with talents, it was not instantly dubbed Dream Team. The nickname did not even surface after the Battle of Mombasa (the Okocha show) where the Nigerian galaxy of stars dazed the Kenyans winning 3-0 after a weaker team had managed a 0-0 draw in the first leg in Lagos. The team got the ‘Dream’ tag after dispatching the Egyptians in the next round. The stars had stayed away from the first leg in Lagos but skipper Nwankwo Kanu grabbed a brace while Kingsley Obiekwu scored the other as the Nigerians won 3-2. The result meant a 1-0 scoreline will suffice for the North Africans to advance. In came the armada of stars for the return leg in Cairo. The starting 11 had Emmanuel Babayaro in goal with a back four of Mobi Oparaku, Celestine Babayaro, Abiodun Obafemi and Taribo West. Sunday Oliseh, Austin Okocha and Nwankwo Kanu filed out in the midfield, while Victor Ikpeba, Tijani Babangida and Raphael Chukwu Ndukwe were the forwards. The hosts scored first but the Nigerians equalised through a 25-yard strike by Ikpeba. The Egyptians pressed on as one more goal would still have given them the edge on the away goal rule but the Nigerians kept their cool to earn the desired draw. It was not just the result but the way the boys went about it. In the face of the Egyptians’ bombardment, the boys were calm; slowed down the pace with good football artistry, even indulging in the luxury of Okocha’s showboating while threatening the hosts on the counter. It was a classy performance against a solid opposition and after the game, then NFA Chairman, Emeka Omeruah had exclaimed; “Oh, this is a Dream Team”.

That was the genesis of the nickname. It must be noted that it was not until the boys showed the stern stuff they were made of that the team was aptly christened. The team oozed class all the way and lived up to the billing by winning the Olympic gold. Now, if the current U-23s are faced with the same scenario the 1996 set had in Cairo, will they come out unscathed? Austin Eguavoen’s boys took a 3-1 lead against Ghana to Accra in an All African Games qualifier but still lost the ticket no thanks to a 0-2 loss. The 1996 squad wouldn’t have lost that ticket even in a tighter situation. In fact, they played their best matches on away soil. Currently, the U-23 boys are embarrassing the entire nation in Morocco. The question on everybody’s lips is; are these really Nigerians? This team could easily pass for the worst set of players ever to dorn the green and white colours at all levels. No department of the team has inspired confidence.

The goalkeeper wasn’t assured; the defence was shaky; the midfield, incoherent and the attack lacked bite. It will be hard to see a worse team in Nigerian colours.

There was nothing in that team to merit the ‘Dream’ tag. I hope we have learnt our lessons. We are so much in a hurry to dub these U-23 teams Dream Teams. They have not had any great game worthy of the ‘Dream’ tag. All we have had are high scorelines at home against the like of Tanzania and Liberia while they have crumbled against stiffer oppositions like Ghana, Morocco and Senegal. We have so abused the ‘Dream Team’ sobriquet that we have lost its import. That was a name that heralded our greatest moment in football. The preponderance of these ‘fake’ Dream Teams takes the shine off that Atlanta 96 feat. It behoves upon the NFF to evolve a name for the U-23 national team. I will also task the sports journalists to help check this ‘Dream Team’ abuse. We have had a shambolic so-called Dream Team 5. The next set of U-23s will be tagged Dream Team 6 even before we see its composition. That’s for the rest of you. As for me, I have known only one Dream Team.

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33

NATIONSPORT SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2011

NATION SPORT

NATION SPORT

S

ERIE A leader Juventus will look to extend its unbeaten run to 13 matches in Sunday's match against Cesena, while AC Milan can move provisionally top on Friday at Genoa.

Every other team other than Juventus has lost at least two matches this season. However, Milan is only two points behind Juve in the standings and level with Udinese, which faces Inter Milan on Saturday.

Genoa defender Kakhaber Kaladze won eight trophies in nine seasons with Milan, including the Serie A and

two Champions League titles.

“It will be very emotional,” Kaladze said. “I won everything with Milan and have only good memories. Milan and Juve are favorites to win the title. I'd opt for the Rossoneri because they

Hodgson: Zanetti can Play until late

40s J AVIER Zanetti presents his new book and Roy Hodgson •Zanetti insists the Inter veteran can match Stanley Matthews' retirement at age 49.

The captain releases a tome titled '757, record of faithfulness,' named after the appearances in official competitions he notched up to beat Beppe Bergomi's previous club record.

“I have many great memories tied to my career, right the way through my growth at Inter, the various victories, but above all I'll remember the triumph in Madrid.

That night will forever remain in my heart, ” said Zanetti.

Table

have a better quality of options.

“It will be a difficult game. Milan is rising again to very high levels in Italy and Europe. But in our stadium everyone suffers. We will give our all to have a great game and we're aiming for the three points,”he declared Milan, which will be without goalkeeper, Christian Abbiati for two weeks due to a shoulder injury, scored four first-half goals to beat Chievo 4-0 on Sunday Genoa lost 2-0 last week at struggling Cesena, which hadn't won all season before beating Bologna two weeks ago.

Juventus seemed on the verge of losing its first match when trailing 3-1 against Napoli on Tuesday. But the team clawed its way back to snatch a point in a 3-3 draw.

Simone Pepe fired in the equalizer 10 minutes from time for his third goal in as many games.

“I don't think I've ever scored three goals in three games … I don't know if I've ever scored more either,” Pepe said. “The result felt like a victory to us because of how it came about. We are a very united group and we don't ever give up. And we showed that.”

Juventus will be without Andrea

12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 11 12 12 12 12 12 11 12 12 12 12 12

7 7 7 6 6 4 5 4 4 5 4 3 5 3 4 3 3 2 2 2

5 3 3 4 1 5 2 5 3 0 3 5 5 5 2 4 2 4 3 2

0 2 2 2 5 3 5 3 4 7 5 4 2 4 5 5 7 6 7 8

22 27 15 16 16 17 15 14 14 15 10 14 16 11 14 10 10 14 6 9

10 14 6 9 15 11 14 18 14 20 16 11 15 13 17 11 18 21 13 19

12 13 9 7 1 6 1 -4 0 -5 -6 3 1 -2 -3 -1 -8 -7 -7 -10

26 24 24 22 19 17 17 17 15 15 15 14 14 14 14 13 11 10 9 8

C

•Torres

HELSEA manager Andre Villas-Boas has suggested that misfiring striker Fernando Torres will be dropped to the bench again.

Speaking in the wake of Chelsea's 2-0 Carling Cup defeat by Liverpool on Tuesday, in which the Blues switched to a 4-4-2 formation in an effort to better suit the Spaniard, Villas-Boas said he would return to his usual system for tonight's Premier League clash with Newcastle - a move that is likely to see British football's most expensive signing going back on the bench.

"We're going back to 4-3-3 at Newcastle and Didier Drogba is showing good signs of returning," Villas-Boas said.

"Fernando has shown in the past that he has that ability and we will continue to pursue it. It must come with time and confidence but Fernando is facing tough competition."

"We still believe in him and we will continue to pursue his individual form."

"Our task as technical staff is to get the best out of the players. If we cannot do it, that's when we fail and we have to improve."

The 50-million-pound striker, 10 months on from his move to Stamford Bridge from Anfield, has scored four goals in 15 matches for the Blues this season and has so far completed 90 minutes for Villas-Boas only twice.

J

UVENTUS will be without the suspended Andrea Pirlo for the first time this season when they take on Cesena.

The Italian international picked up his fourth yellow card of the campaign in Wednesday's night 3-3 draw at Napoli and will thus be sidelined on Sunday.

Pirlo, 32, has played in every minute of Juventus' 12 League games since joining the club from Milan in the summer.

The good news for the Old Lady is that Claudio Marchisio is available again after he was banned for the Stadio San Paolo tie.

Juve will face Cesena with Leonardo Bonucci, Arturo Vidal, Giorgio

R

OBERTO Mancini believes Manchester City are becoming unpopular as a result of their success.City may be facing elimination from the UEFA Champions League, but they are top of the Premier League and are set to face Liverpool in the Carling Cup semi-finals.

And Mancini thinks his expensively assembled squad are beginning to be disliked because they are winning TOP SCORES matches, which he claims follows the pattern of Manchester United. van Persie Arsenal 13 The City boss thinks a busy fixture-list over the coming Dzeko Man City 10 months will earn his side little compassion from critics as a consequence of their achievements, but he does not Aguero Man City 10 care.

Rooney Man Utd 9

•Young

A

Italia Seria A league Table - November Juventus AC Milan Udinese Lazio Palermo Napoli Roma Catania Genoa Parma Chievo Siena Atalanta Cagliari Inter Milan Fiorentina Bologna Novara Cesena Lecce

•Ronaldo

•Pirlo

Denis Atalanta Di Natale Udinese Giovinco Parma Ibra AC Milan Klose Lazio Matri Juve Marchisio Juve Calaio Siena Osvaldo Roma Palacio Genoa Jovetic Fiorentina Nocerino AC Milan

10 9 8 7 6 6 5 5 5 5 5 4

Saturday Inter Milan v Udinese Napoli v Lecce Sunday Catania v Cagliari Juventus v Cesena Fiorentina v Roma Bologna v Siena Chievo v Atalanta Parma v Palermo

SHLEY Young returns to Aston Villa this weekend for the first time since his summer move to Manchester United with defender, Stephen Warnock expecting him to receive a warm reception from the home fans.

Young spent four and a half years with Villa before moving to Old Trafford in a deal which saw United pay around £17million.

Warnock expects supporters to understand why England international Young opted to join the Red Devils.

He said: "I think Ashley will go down as a modern day great for Villa.

"I wouldn't expect anything less than a good reception for Ashley from our fans.

"He was a great servant to the club but it's not often the Premier League champions and

Champions League runners-up want to sign you.

"We're a club who want to progress but Manchester United are at the top and Ashley has aspirations to be a top, top player.

"He has the ability to be one of the best in Europe and I don't think fans can begrudge him that."

Villa are hoping skipper Stiliyan Petrov will be back in contention to face United after he missed the goalless draw at Swansea with a hamstring injury.

Demba Ba Newcastle Rooney Man U Adebayor Tottenham Lampard Chelsea Sturridge Chelsea Klasnic Bolton Balotelli Man City Vaart Tottenham Hernandez Man U Yakubu Blackburn Bent Aston Villa

9 9 7 6 6 6 6 6 6 5 5

FIXTURES

Saturday Newcastle QPR Tottenham Wigan Blackburn Man City Aston Villa Sunday Everton Wolves Monday Fulham

v Chelsea v WestBrom v Bolton v Arsenal v Swansea v Norwich v Man Utd v Stoke v Sunderland v

Liverpool

Barclays Premier league Table - Nov.27 Man City Man Utd Tottenham Newcastle Chelsea Liverpool Arsenal Aston Villa Everton Norwich QPR Stoke Swansea West Brom Fulham Sunderland Wolvers Bolton Wigan Blackburn

13 13 12 13 13 13 13 13 12 13 13 13 13 13 13 13 13 13 13 13

11 9 9 7 8 6 7 3 5 4 4 4 3 4 2 2 3 3 2 1

2 3 1 5 1 5 2 7 1 4 3 3 5 2 6 5 2 0 3 4

0 1 2 1 4 2 4 3 6 5 6 6 5 7 5 6 8 10 8 8

43 30 26 19 28 17 26 16 15 19 14 13 12 12 15 15 13 19 12 17

12 13 16 12 17 12 23 17 16 21 24 23 16 20 16 15 23 31 24 30

31 17 10 7 11 5 3 -1 -1 -2 -10 -10 -4 -8 -1 0 -10 -12 -12 -13

35 30 28 26 25 23 23 16 16 16 15 15 14 14 12 11 11 9 9 7

WHILE Real Madrid and Barcelona are already eyeing their upcoming matchup, the Spanish giants first have to get past a pair of awkward opponen ts this weekend.League leader Madrid is waiting on the fitness of Cristiano Ronaldo as it prepares to put its 13-game winning run on the line at Sporting Gijon tonight, when Barcelona welcomes early season revelation Levante to the Camp Nou. Madrid has won nine straight domestic matches to open up a three-point advantage over its fiercest rival, which has played one more game. The pair meet for the seventh time this year on Dec. 10 at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium.

“I have a lot of respect for Sporting. The three points in Gijon are worth as much as the three against Barcelona,” said Madrid midfielder Xabi Alonso, who is suspended on Saturday. “It's going to be a difficult game.”

Madrid squeaked out a 1-0 victory in Gijon last season, and Manolo Preciado's team ended counterpart Jose Mourinho's nine-year home unbeaten run with a 1-0 victory at the Bernabeu in April that also ended Madrid’s title hopes.

“It's going to be difficult

but we like challenges,” Sporting forward Miguel de las Cuevas told La Voz de Asturias newspaper. “Real Madrid will have to suffer if it wants to take points from Gijon.”

As well as Alonso, Madrid is without defender Ricardo Carvalho with a right knee injury, while fullback Alvaro Arbeloa remains a doubt against 18th-placed Sporting.

Barcelona bounced back from its first loss of the season at Getafe with a 4-0 victory against Rayo Vallecano on Tuesday.

A

TLETICO Madrid midfielder Diego reckons his side are on the right track following Wednesday's 1-0 victory at Celtic in the Europa League.

Arda Turan scored the only goal of the match as Atletico assured themselves of a place in the knockout stages, with still one more match to play in the group phase.

The qualification comes as a relief to Atletico, who are 10th in La Liga, and Diego is confident the result in Glasgow will inspire his side to bounce back from their negative domestic ERARD Piqué's actions when he appeared to incur a results. deliberate yellow card in Barcelona's 4-0 defeat of Rayo "We achieved our goal today, Vallecano on Tuesday have been condemned by Espanyol so I am very happy," Diego told boss Mauricio Pochettino, reports El Periodico.

Cuatro. "This is a very important The Spanish international defender was booked for deliberate time victory, which will allow us to wasting and has been accused of forcing the card in order to serve a gain trust. We are growing. ban against Levante this Saturday rather than risk picking up a "We met a very strong side at caution at the Ciutat de Valencia, which would have kept him out of home today."

El Clásico the following week.

Atletico will host Rennes in Piqué has since been criticised in many quarters and Pochettino has the last group match, while questioned the player's behaviour, considering it contradicts the Celtic will visit Udinese. spirit of competition. “Piqué has played with fire a little,” said the Argentine. “It is a very difficult issue which can provoke a lot of different opinions. The spirit of competition is supposed to be healthy but these Spanish Laliga Table - Nov. 29 type of things bring up questions that are nothing to do with the spirit of sport.”

Pochettino believes every club must look after its own interests but there are certain things that Real Madrid 13 11 1 1 46 10 36 34 cross the line: “This is a very personal thing, but Barcelona 14 9 4 1 42 7 35 31 if we are going strictly by sporting matters then Valencia 13 8 3 2 21 13 8 27 yes it goes against the values that we are trying Levante 13 8 2 3 23 12 11 26 to defend,” he concluded.

Malaga 13 7 2 4 17 16 1 23 Sevilla 13 5 6 2 13 10 3 21 Osasuna 13 4 6 3 16 25 -9 18 Bilbao 13 4 5 4 19 16 3 17 Messi Barcelona 16 Saturday 13 5 2 6 10 15 -5 17 v Madrid Espanyol Ronaldo Madrid 16 Gijon 13 4 4 5 18 20 -2 16 v Villarreal Atletico Higuain Madrid 12 Racing Rayo 14 4 4 6 15 19 -4 16 Barcelona v Levante Falcao A/Madrid 8 Villarreal 13 3 5 5 11 19 -8 14 Soldado Valencia 8 Valencia v Espanyol Getafe 13 3 4 6 14 19 -5 13 Sunday Benzema Madrid 7 Betis 13 4 1 8 12 19 -7 13 Atletico v Rayo Llorente A/ Bilbao 6 Mallorca 12 3 4 6 11 19 -8 13 Sociedad v Malaga Juanlu Levante 6 Granada 12 4 3 6 7 13 -6 12 Osasuna v Betis Barral S/ Gijon 5 Sociedad 13 3 3 7 12 20 -8 12 Mallorca v Bilbao Fabregas Barcelona 5 Granada v Zaragoza Gijon 13 3 3 7 12 21 -9 12 Postiga Zaragoza 5 Monday Zaragoza 13 2 4 7 12 27 -15 10 Racing 13 1 6 6 9 20 -11 9 Cuesta Vallecano 5 Sevilla v Getafe

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THE NATION SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2011

34

NATION SPORT

I

had meant to start Reflections On The Past 15 Months in today’s write-up, but the defeat suffered by the U-23 National Team in its first two matches of the inaugural CAF U-23 Championship in Morocco left a sour taste in the mouth and compelled a different topic.

As every first competition, the organisation has not been bad, and there aren’t many things to complain about in the area of hospitality. The football has also been good but not the one from the Nigeria side.

On Tuesday night, I had to call aside Head Coach of the team, Mr. Austin Eguavoen to ask what else the team would have wanted the Nigeria Football Federation to do that was not done.

On getting to Tangiers on Thursday last week, I had proceeded, despite my own feeling of fatigue, to hold a meeting with the Head Coach and his technical crew. I told the players clearly that the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, GCFR, and indeed the government and good people of Nigeria were looking forward to the Olympics ticket.

The following day, I joined the team at training and afterwards, had a meeting with officials and the players.

I also pledged a ‘special package’ which I only wanted to unveil after a victory.

It was not the result against Morocco in the opening match on Saturday night that made one sad. It was the performance. It was tame, uninspired and ragged.

What happened? I asked the Head Coach later on and he tried to analyse the match and blamed some persons in the end.

Of course, we always knew it would be difficult.

Morocco, confirmed as hosts after Egypt was forced to pull out for security reasons, had prepared hard and were luckier with release of their

•Austin Eguavoen

Inside The Glass House WITH AMINU MAIGARI

Re-focusing and re-strategising foreign-based players from their clubs. The NFF dispatched chairman of Technical Committee, Barrister Green and Eguavoen to Europe to facilitate the same for our team but the clubs did not cooperate the way we wanted.

While we are grateful to those clubs that released our players, we are surely not happy with some. For example, VVV Venlo of Holland have four Nigerian players on their books and did not offer to release even ONE. On the eve of the tournament, the club wrote to us to say they would release defender Alex Nkume, who has not been playing for the team and whose absence for two weeks would have done the club no serious harm. Yet, they waited until the eve of the tournament to offer his services. Of course, we did not even take a second look at the letter.

Coming back to the Dream Team, surely they could have done better. Even in that first match, while others would blame the Kenyan referee for the penalty, the fact remains that our players failed to lift their game. What were they doing in the various camps and training programmes if players could not string three passes together, and had no idea of what to do with corner-kicks and free-kicks?

At the beginning, the Nigeria Football Federation appointed Austin Eguavoen

for the U-23 National Team because we believed such a man with such pedigree could handle the task, following Samson Siasia’s own success with the team at the Olympics in Beijing in 2008. Eguavoen had coached the Senior National Team, Super Eagles at the 2006 African Cup of Nations finals in Egypt, where the team finished in third place.

We are also aware of the various programmes he had attended to develop himself as a coach.

He said he would be comfortable in Benin City and the NFF did everything to convince His Excellency, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, the Executive Governor of Edo State, to ‘adopt’ the team. He did and the place worked wonders for the team.

The team defeated Equatorial Guinea home and away, and then upstaged Tanzania 3-0 after losing 0-1 in Dar-es-Salaam. That qualified the team for the Eight-Nation CAF U-23 Championship.

After failing to qualify for the 10th All-Africa Games in Maputo, the NFF resolved to do everything for the team to ensure it made impact in Morocco and pick a ticket to London 2012. And the NFF surely did everything.

Starting from a three-week training camp in Ibadan, to a 10-day camping programme in Ghana, where the team played a number of friendly matches, and to an early departure to Morocco to acclimatise and put finishing touches to final preparations.

The team’s final preparations were somewhat hampered by the antics of the Morocco FA that instructed security personnel at the Raja Casablanca Stadium to stop our team’s training sessions.

Yet, we should have expected that. And the team should have long put that behind it before the start of the competition.

Against Morocco, on Saturday, no player opted to change the game or take responsibilities in such a way that would change the tenor of the game. We were poor at the back, unaware in the middle and mundane going forward.

We had another meeting after the match, to analyse that game and also to look forward to the match against Senegal.

The players apologised and promised to change their style and be ‘business-like’ against Senegal.

On Tuesday night, we saw

no serious business. It was still haphazard and heartbreaking. At the end, we lost 1-2 and our chances of qualifying for the London 2012 Olympic Games got slimmer.

While it would not be appropriate to start apportioning blames, I want to say that the NFF will now have to re-focus and restrategise as we look forward to various development programmes to lift our football from the present situation.

Having failed to qualify for the 2012 African Cup of Nations and the Women’s Football Tournament of the London Olympics, we had put much hope on the U-23 Team to salvage things and give Nigerians something to smile about.

At the moment, we have a number of options to consider for the post of Technical Director, whose appointment, we believe, will kick-start a lot of things. Once this competition is over, we will all sit down and see what is best for Nigeria.

The Technical Director will have a lot of work to do, and has to do it well, which is why we have refused to be stampeded into appointing just anyone. We need a young, dynamic and experienced person who still has the energy and perseverance to drive our football forward.

Re-focusing and restrategising also mean that we would have to look critically at the technical department and see what else we can do to make it function better.

The Technical Department has responsibility for all the National Teams and interface with the Coaches to map out plans/strategies/tactics to guarantee success in every match or tournament.

Definitely, a lot of things have to change. We are up to our necks with poor results and it is time that our players and coaches realise that the NFF will no longer take below-par performances and excuses that bite the ear.

Perhaps, if the likes of Nosa Igiebor, Ahmed Musa, Ekigho Ehiosun, Nnamdi Oduamadi, Lukman Haruna and Odion Ighalo were around, things might have been better. But their clubs refused to release them for the competition and the technical crew ought to have worked on that possibility and carve out alternative options and playing patterns around the players available.

I am unhappy with the performance of the U-23 National Team in Morocco (no matter the result of Friday’s match against Algeria) and it is important that we take measures that will ensure we do not have such a sloppy team again.

Ameobi set to compound Mikel's woes •Osaze may return for Albions •Aiyegbeni set to revive Blackburn

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FTER failing three times in their four home matches, Nigeria midfielder Mikel Obi faces another tough task with Chelsea as they faces Newcastle at Sports Direct Arena.

As Chelsea is desperate to make up ground on the Manchester front-runners but they face Nwecastle who have lost just one league game this season.

After suffering successive 2-1 losses to Liverpool in the league and Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League, Chelsea posted a 3-0 win over Wolves on Saturday.

But the knives could be out for Andre Villas-Boas if they fail to beat fourthplaced Newcastle in the wake of their 2-0 home loss to Liverpool in the Carling Cup quarter-finals on Tuesday.

A win for Chelsea would move the team into fourth spot in the English Premier League table.

By Bimbo Adesina But with the return of Shola Ameobi and his junior brother Sammy who is in top form, Chelsea will have a lot to contend with to remain in the top four.

At the Loftus Road Stadium, Osaze Odemwingie may return for West Brom after an injury face-off with boss Roy Hodgson.

The Albions will be hoping that a favourable run of fixtures can propel them up the Premier League table.

At the Ewood Park, Yakubu Aiyegbeni will aim to revive Blackburn Rovers hope of escaping from the relegation water against the backdrop of songs and demonstrations against the club's Indian owners by the club's fans.

A 3-1 loss to Stoke City on Saturday extended Blackburn's winless streak to eight Premier League matches.

•Aiyegbeni

Martins eyes more goals for Kazan •Ike Uche faces former club •As Utaka enjoys Ligue 1 top

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TILL basking from his Europa League scoring form, Nigeria striker Obafemi Martins will be eyeing more goals for Rubin Kazan trade tackles with Spartak Moskva at the Olimpiyskiy stadion Luzhniki in the Russian League.

Martins was on target after 62 minutes on Wednesday when Kazan pipped Irish side Shamrock Rovers in the Europa Cup clash. Kazan is fifth on the Russian Premier League table.

In Spain, Ikechukwu Uche will lead Granada’s onslaught against his

By Bimbo Adesina former club Real Zaragoza at the Estadio Nuevo Los Cármenes tomorrow (Sunday).

Granada who last three weeks was struggling with relegation is five steps above the bottom table and Uche and his countryman Odion Jude Ighalo wll be targeting another maximum points to guarantee Granada in the elite league.

In France, John Utaka will be aiming to open a six points lead in the French Ligue 1 with Montpellier as they face Lorient at the Stade de la Mosson.

Olubanwo Fagbemi

On Sport Sport On SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2011

36

e-mail: deewalebf@yahoo.com

Golf...Golf...Golf...Golf...Golf...Golf...Golf...Golf...Golf

All comers golf

W

GOLFLINE

NTDC brings for

WITH

E must all share in this blame. Some two decades back, it was all glaring that if you do not have some good bucks in the hip of your trousers, you dare not move onto the golf course. But through God-sent emotions, we quickly wrote the moneybags off from making the game of golf an exclusive thing, like they are doing with golflineintl@yahoo.com the game of Polo. Now, the whole thing is reading like we veered into one thick rough patch.

0 8 0 94863638 Look at the game of Polo, and you dare not come up with a story. It is a straightforward thing. You will have your big bucks in one hip of your trousers and your will in the other hip. The will is necessary, in case you fall off your horse and end up in the morgue. But the bucks, you must have. For God’s sake, no one is going to allow you hop around in his pony. The horse does not come cheap either. This is why polo is the real elitist game. Golf could have been worse. But we waded in. We made golf to be open to that point where a caddy could borrow a set and hit the course. To that point where a scraggy fellow, who cannot afford good meals could be on same golf tourney with the likes of Diette Spiff, John Shagaya, David Mark, Lucky Omoluwa, and even Otunba Olusola Adekanola. Are we not really making mistakes for allowing all these?

•Veteran golfer, Chief Isaac Odaro (l) recently clocked 70th. Here he celebrates with a golfer Let’s get back to the real friend, Sir Tony Aghedo deal. What defines a golfer?

At this point, we can forget matter how modest, and jeweller’s touch before you partake. But in today's Open about the big bucks. Let’s count them before you even ever make it to the course. that plays out regularly, even talk about what defines the move close to the hallowed But in these days, we have handicap 36 is allowed on typical golfer. We are now gates of a golf course. In really got something course. It's like if you could going to talk about a large those good years, the doors horrible and emotions have pay your entry, you could as degree of sociability, to the golf course is like a ceased to flood all over us. well play. The whole thing concentration, and the cathedral. Once you are in, Today, anyone who can pay is making courses so rowdy ability to analyse and plan you are there to worship. an annual subscription can simply a mad house. Most actions. And at this point, You must be prepared to as well swoop on the golf courses are one narrow place someone who, is on the have a relationship with the course and its amiable that could hold, say, about breadline someone, who golf course. The truth is, members. Where is this 120 golfers. During events, lives off the club can never until you bag a handicap, leading golf? Jobbers, gold courses have close to 300 meet up with these high you are confined to the diggers and side road golfers playing. You have to orders. But we pushed them range. We are talking of the contractors are now yell ‘fore’ all the time so you along to meet up and this is days of Mobolaji Johnson flooding the golf course. In don’t plunge hole in other why golf is getting dirty. and Sam Iredia. In their that those years, to serve in the fella’s head with your ball.

In years past, you must era, you got to have a committee is like the ‘real’ So, how do we overhaul recognise your blessings, no service of those, who can this situation, where dirty achieve goals. In those years, guys are taking over our golf you will even have to spend courses. We must do what is your own money as a happening presently in most ROFESSOR Waziri committee member so the clubs abroad. Okay, most S and T, Benin, General Erameh’s Elevation club could run like those clubs charge huge Nenge. The General, a real tourney [as full machines on Formula One. subscriptions. But this is not golf warrior of several years Professor] played out last was comfortably leading the But, those were the years of the big deal. The big deal week at the lush course of the field before the hole 18 Green the late Afun Ogidan and the here is if you can even afford UBTH. late General Armah. that amount, you could still did him in. After rolling over The celebrant indeed the hill and blasting from These days, golf is walking have the gates shut in your planned for a field of 120. At bunkers, he had carded an on its head. Charlatans and face. Why? Three respected the end of day, over 200 ugly 15. When he came out of hungry buffs have taken people must say you are sane golfers showed up. The whole his red mist, the tourney had over. People now kill before you could be admitted. event soon burst into one already slipped out of his themselves just to be on the If clubs do this, pedestrians huge Carnival. club committee. Why? will never be admitted as grasp. In one unbelievable But like most Carnivals, a moment, he could do nothing members, not to talk of Today, being a committee memorable incident but throw away his putter. pedestrians graduating to member is a clear license for sometimes occur and this will become co-opted members of you to defraud co-members.

The Green soon became the make way for lasting centre of attraction for over the committee.

It’s happening everyday and memory. This one has to do 80 percent of the field got For God’s sake, whatever is the game is suffering. Just with the hole 18 Green of the drowned here. An Ibori based happening to golf clubs in imagine. How on earth club. The Green was 8-handicapper, Dawaski even Nigeria. You hardly see would a golf club member meticulously designed to shot a horrible 18 on this hole. people on the Range taking turn into an ordinary punish and hit at the psyche He was even given a prize, a lessons from professionals. hawker, who prints and sell of amateurs and professionals dish can, for putting up auch All you see are bunch of T-shirts to co-members. alike. This Green is a an abominable display. greenhorns, parading Check the rules of St. miniature hill with its own Handicaps their money could Andrews and you will learn “Golf is fun”, Erameh valley. Resting below are enthused. “I have always fetch. This is where the game something. What you will grave bunkers that offer no hoped for 17 holes of golf and is losing it. But there is still a learn is that the Pro Shop of reprieve. Whichever way you one hole of fun. The Green window of opportunity to get every club is where you buy attack the flag, you’ll roll over things done right. It's all all you need for your game. was not designed to punish the hill into one of the anyone. You could see that about honest men ruling For instance, in Open bunkers. It could be pathetic.

Clubs' Committees and events, it is clear that you almost all the participants got The man who was hit most punished here. But worst hit pushing jobbers to the back must have a reasonable was the Commandant of the are the greedy ones”. seat. handicap before you

The fear of Erameh's hole

P

Tony Akhigbe

Tactical hara-kiri

S

AMSON Siasia squandered support while Stephen Keshi flattered to deceive, but Austin Eguavoen was bound to fall upon his own tactical sword sooner than later. Confirming opinion consistently expressed here, the latter harmed immediate hopes of resuscitating senior team football fortunes as his national Under-23 wards registered yet another weak effort by a rated Nigerian squad at the inaugural Africa Under-23 Championship which serves as qualifiers for the London 2012 Olympic Games.

I wasn’t shocked, of course, by the spineless 1-0 surrender of the country’s semi-senior squad to an unremarkable Morocco last Saturday in Tangier, since Eguavoen had consistently evinced a tendency for poor strategy. For instance, with his adamant reliance on foreign-based players and an assortment of local league players which directly resulted in Nigeria’s ouster from the Maputo 2011 All-Africa Games qualifiers, ‘Cerezo’ courted opprobrium, but was retained for the more important assignment by the Nigeria Football Federation.

Indeed, none but the incurably optimistic would have expected the ‘Dream Team V’ to stem collective nightmare considering the quality of its technical bench. The Nigerian lads were decidedly second-rate on the night, straining, as the Super Eagles often do, to string passes together before handing lowlier opponents the initiative.

Eguavoen certainly didn’t help matters by fielding a squad short of comprehensive experience and lacking cohesion. Why drop the more tested Gbolahan Salami for the fresher Jude Aneke and why bring on the combative Olanrewaju Kayode so late when the attack clearly slumbered?

Aneke may have notched the unprecedented mark of 20 goals in the recently concluded Nigerian Premier League, but he surely lacked requisite international experience. With talk of international agents swooping in Tangier, perhaps the shop window was the more plausible reason for the emergent striker’s start than national ambition.

In that case, let the early sign of external influence on coaching decisions be noted. If the same factor humbled Eguavoen and Siasia on a joint national team mission at the 2006 Africa Nations Cup finals and repeatedly dogged the duo on separate causes afterwards, what are the chances of its eradication?

What, as a matter of fact, are the chances that the senior national team avoids similar practice? Siasia’s conduct on his last national team mission and Keshi’s publicised tiffs with star player, Emmanuel Adebayor, while in charge of Togo provide useful hints.

In the end, expect Eguavoen to cite numerous reasons for failure, for as vented Siasia upon loss of the Super Eagles chief coach position, and as did Keshi of recent, sabotage is a ready excuse.

Noting divided support uncommon in his decade-plus tenure as national team skipper, the ‘Big Boss’ eerily echoed his immediate predecessor.

Said Keshi: “Since I returned to the country to take over the (national) team, I have noticed that some people don’t want us to succeed as a team. This is not good.”

Why anyone or group would deliberately work against national team goals will always mystify, but Keshi would do well to avoid the landmines that ensured eternal detour and ultimate extermination of Siasia’s modest efforts at resurgence following the national team circus conducted by Messrs Shuiabu Amodu and Lars Lagerback in turn. I refer, for the umpteenth time, to overbearing agents’ influence, player indiscipline and official ineptitude.

The factors as well as Siasia’s apparent disposition to sentimental selection and vindictiveness combined for a devastating end to one of Nigeria’s brightest coaching prospects, and may just recur unless Keshi takes heed. His wrangle with Adebayor is rather reminiscent of the cold war between Siasia and recalcitrant Eagle of recent yore, Osaze Odemwingie.

To reach the football federation’s target of at least a quarterfinal run at the 2014 Brazil World Cup finals, Keshi would have to do more that talk tactics, a la 4-4-2, 4-3-3 and 4-4-1-1 formations, and raising a standing home-based squad. The sooner he is reminded that Siasia launched similar rhetoric at the same juncture, the better for the long, tasking walk to reckoning beginning with the 2013 Africa Nations Cup qualifiers.

Return of the outcasts THEIR return was only a matter of time, for Nigerian football seems to thrive on recycled coaches and players. Make way then for Yakubu Aiyegbeni and fellow 2010 World Cup disappointment, Sani Kaita.

Both players, after consistent displays for modest European clubs this season, spearhead the likely return of just about every player ignored by predecessor Samson Siasia mainly in response to public sentiment or on account of injury.

Yet, Super Eagles coach Stephen Keshi would have done better than step into the past. If his target of raising a formidable squad entails building for the future, involving the players mentioned hints at desperate measures. Once the coach begins to run after the finished article, whether they are 29 going to 40 or not, there can only be one outcome: a team for the moment, and nothing more.

Keshi may need more time than the 2013 Africa Nations Cup and 2014 World Cup targets permit, but he must first convince that he is willing to find, nurture and harness talent before suing for support.

He may then be forgiven occasional gaffes in selection and inevitable dalliance with player agents.

The successful former Eagles coach Clemens Westerhof was thus excused; as Siasia would have been had he put team construction before every whim.

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THE NATION, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2011

RE ELNEW S

BACK STAGE

Fighting stigma MTV's Shuga Talks

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S part of MTV Staying Alive Foundation for World AIDS Day and with the aim of engaging other young people around the world using social media platforms to address key HIV and AIDS issues highlighted in the show, there was a Live Debate of MTV Base's hit TV Drama, Shuga Talks, in Nairobi, Kenya and Washington, D.C., December 1, 2011 Hosted by BET entertainer Big Tigger in Washington, D.C. and MTV Base VJ Kule Ekirapa in Nairobi, the show also had testing centres at both screenings to encourage audience members to get tested.

In the words of Georgia Arnold, Executive Director of the MTV Staying Alive Foundation, the body is dedicated to creating new and innovative ways to empower young people engaged in fighting the stigma, spread and threat of the HIV and

AIDS epidemic around the world.

“Shuga is an authentic, provocative piece of entertainment, and with initiatives like Shuga Talks, we are encouraging young people to explore important HIV and AIDS issues in unexpected ways.”

First premiering last year in Kenya and Zambia and reaching youth in 96% of the top 50 HIV and AIDSimpacted countries, Shuga is a hard-hitting, three-part drama series set in Nairobi, Kenya, that follows the lives, loves and ambitions of six college students whose bright lives and fabulous futures are balanced on a knife edge due to their love of living life dangerously.

The second series of Shuga - Shuga: Love, Sex Money, will premiere on MTV channels around the world on Valentine's Day, 14 February, 2012.

Guilder Ultimate Search 8

A best loser joins the race •Patience

Black Magic makes a debut with Version 1.0

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UNDAY, November 20, Ember Creek, situated at Ikoyi, was set alight as promising rap act Black Magic treated guests to a feel of tracks from his new album in a show that also doubled as his album launch.

From the stable of Syndik8 Records, the neophyte artiste says that he is poised to take the Nigerian music industry by storm. Performing songs off his debut album, the artiste treated guests to a rare blend of music that fuses a host of genres, not in the regular hip hop style of miming but with a life band.

Black Magic, a name that truly depicts the artiste's style of music, performed seven songs off the 15 track album, taking his guests and fans through an assortment of different flavours of hip hop music. However, prior to his mounting the stage, fast rising guitarist, Bez was on stage to do his thing. Also on hand to thrill guests were the duo of Vector and Tiwa Savage.

Real name, Efemena Mukoro, the artiste says that

the idea behind blending different genre of music to come up with his own style is borne out of the need to prove himself versatile.

Music is borderless, he says, so his aim is to basically take African style music and make it modern. “First of all, music is borderless. So I am taking African music, fusing it with hip hop and with soul to make something really nice that people will like, something new,” he enthused.

As the night wore on, following the performances of his peers, the artiste took to the stage to deliver on his promises. Black Magic truly kept the audience going with performance.

“Everything they hear from my album is fresh, stuff that they have never heard before. It is fresh music and they have never heard this kind of mixture before. My relationship with Syndk8 Records is good and it sure reflects on my album,” the singer cum rapper promised.

•Patience with other contestants

39

THE NATION, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2011

I

T is expected of ladies to be refined. We cannot rule out the importance of looking good at all times, it is not out of place to ‘dressup’ before going to bed. You should take your bath or shower and do a thorough cleaning-up of yourself with your hair net and night gown all intact.

And your hair? Oh, your hair as a lady, is also expected to be in place, whether you are at work or at play.

A lady should look good, whether you are a hair dresser, lawyer or even student. A lecturer friend of mine will call it ‘packaging’.

It is imperative for us to show some level of grace and panache. We should always be lady-like in the way and manner we talk and walk.

When we are in public, we are expected to smile or laugh with grace, in a queenlike manner. It is almost wrong to laugh too loud like a man would.

As ladies, it is important to set goals for ourselves and pursue those goals; In fact, we need to achieve the set goals.

If we must get education, then we must endeavour to go all the way. If we must learn a trade, we must learn it to the best of our ability.

However, there is an important ‘caveat’ on the road to that path. As good as we are expected to look; we must be able to separate business from pleasure. We will meet hurdles, so the path to success is not so smooth. You know, the type of hurdles that you just skip and skip till you get to the top.

But, if you do come across hurdles, on your way to the top, how do you handle them?

There is no way we can avoid meeting our male

•Dear Vera, It is a prayer quickly understood by those who live and once lived in villages back home. But difficult to understand by the ‘buttereaters’ in towns. It is a deep prayer by good minded

Are you with him for cocktail or contract? counterparts on our way up the ladder. We must meet them. In fact, at the risk of sounding a little ‘gendersensitive’, the top is filled with them! But, it is still all right, after all, ‘it’s a man’s world’ or so they tell us.

The essence of this piece, is to ask us, how we comport ourselves when we do come in contact with a man who could be our ticket to the top. I believe that we are well aware that the men are said to be ‘wired by sight’.

For instance, if you need to seal a business prospect or deal, you are more likely to meet a man at the helm of affairs, and because you look very attractive (which is expected as I earlier said), he ignores your presentations. Instead, he chooses to offer you lunch or dinner and tells you to put aside the business discussions till another time. How would you handle him?

Would you jump off your seat and leave his office in anger? Would you politely turn him down? Would you smile, look him in the face, eyeball-to-eyeball and insist that you are there for business and not pleasure?

Or would you accept the lunch or dinner date and

people for loved children, brothers and sisters.

Lanre Oseni, Lagos •Amen, amen and amen my house be littered. What is the essence of a neat house without being lit-

still talk about business while at it? Or would you throw caution to the wind, forget about the business you came for and move straight to pleasure?

We should be well aware that we will be more appealing to men if they find that we have brains attached to the beauty we possess.

Sure, he doesn’t mind your body every once in a while, but it is certain, that what will make whatever you share or will share stand the test of time is when he realizes that, away from the nice suit you are spotting; away from your queen-like look, you have some level of intelligence attached to that elegance, then, you are good-to-go.

My point is, there should be a clear-cut definition of why you are seeing the business mogul you are meeting. Fine, you can flirt a little, if you must, but there is no need to go all the way with him.

Ensure that slowly, but surely, you achieve the business you intended to do. Do not be moved by his flatteries. It’s okay to smile and say, ‘why not?’ But do not loose it.

On the other hand, you

‘

If you are talking about advertising for instance, and you are an advert executive, mention the importance of advertising and how ‘your clients’ have added value to their businesses after doing business with your medium

’

can get away with both actually, but you have to be smart about it.

So, let’s talk about having the ‘cocktail and the contract’.

From researches, there are a few exceptions. It is likely that your prospective clients are most probably small or big business owners themselves and where do we meet most of them?

At functions, family events,

friends’ barbeques, etc.

Then, once they become your clients, and you do a good job, you may have landed yourself a life time opportunity.

If we must have cocktails and contracts, here is how: - At parties, ask people what they do for a living, of course, you are expected to also tell them what you do.

- Relate something in the conversation to your business. If you are talking about advertising for instance, and you are an advert executive, mention the importance of advertising and how ‘your clients’ have added value to their businesses after doing business with your medium. Don’t forget, it is at social events and life that you need to build the brand of your business and promote yourself.

- Never be a sales lady, this is a sure fine way to annoy the hell out of everyone you speak with and you may blow your chances of doing business and a positive reference to your business.

- First impression is very important. Even on weekends, still look good, you never know when you will

Text messages Re: May your house be dirty tered by children.

Kudos, Olufemi, Ilorin •Weldone ever, yes, it must be dirty unless you

•L-R: Prince Adesina Adeboye,MD/CEO AMS Global Properties; Chief Adunni Bankole, Chairman of the First Eminent Associates and Mr. Olumide Ojelade, the National Coordinator, Eminent International Gold Award (EMIGA) during an award ceremony in Lagos.

don’t want to marry and bear children.

Seyi, Ikorodu •Being on earth without a child is like a snake that passes on a rock without trace, so if our houses/ rooms must be littered, let them be. Every parent should however ensure that the children they are blessed with are catered for as much as their ability could carry them. If we must pamper our children let them be pampered in such a way that they would be useful to themselves in future. For those who are still looking unto the Lord for the fruit of the womb, may the Lord bless your womb just like He blessed Hannah’s even when it was thought all hope for her was lost.

Remi Adesina, Ibadan •Jesus Christ was born in a manger, baby Moses was picked up in a brush and so many great people started from littered places.

Prof. Ore Colbart

•We all know that marriage without fruit of the womb is incomplete. Your father’s uncle’s prayer was an idiomatic expression.

Ugwu Greg. G •As certain as sunrise, as graceful as an eagle, as sweet as honey, as peaceful as a dove, so shall this month be a blessing in your life.

Have a splendid new month.

•I indeed found your article ‘May your house be dirty’ so interesting and thrilling. Honestly, one wouldn’t appreciate this prayer until one understands its literal meaning. I have prayed it over and over again and I am still saying the prayer. May your house be littered.

Weldone Vera, yes, it must be dirty unless you don’t want to marry and bear children.

Seyi, Ikorodu.

•I am in a rural area, and I have no access to any

be talking about your business and be assured that people will be looking at how you dress which will reflect the ‘quality’ of your work.

- Always leave with a lasting impression and a business card. You can offer them a deal and follow up with a call the next couple of days.

- Send an email to all your friends and family and mention something on your face book page, you would be surprised at the outcome. I insist that you must have and carry your business cards wherever you go. Yes, even in church.

A great tip is to keep a stash of it in your car or your handbag.

In conclusion, it is not compulsory to mix business with pleasure. You can be level-headed when interacting with your prospective clients, but make sure you draw a line between business and pleasure. The point I am making is that you must be woman enough to strike a balance if you cannot cope with his pressure. Instead of ending up being sexually harassed, then maybe, just may be, you should politely take a bow. newspaper, so I am missing your column.

Please can you send them through email.

Ezekiel Udo Dear Ezekiel, You can read us online as long as you have access to an internet.

Cheers.

Re: ‘Vera please stop me •Vera, stop him, especially if he is a Christian, he should increase his prayer and faith in God. He will overcome, having identified with the devil in human skin, no going back.

James •Incidentally, I just read the story, ‘Vera please stop me’ and my honest advice for the guy is stay far from this mad woman if he still value his mum and son.

Ofana, Kano •There is nothing you can do to stop him. Apart from being a weakling, it seems he is already bewitched. However, he should move closer to God. Barr. A, Moronkeji

40

THE NATION, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2011

God bless you… and me too ‘God bless you’. That’s one word many people say without really giving much thought to. In fact, so common is the word these days that some have even abbreviated it and what you hear is, ‘Bless you’. Now, you wonder, what is blessing what?

I may not know many things but I know that the word ‘God bless you’ is a powerful word.

Sure. As common as it is, you don’t find people saying that to their enemies. ‘Fire!’ That is what many rain down on their enemies.

Last week, I was told ‘God bless you’ by the gateman, Hassan when I cooked and sent a hot dish to him and his friends. That secretary I surprised with a gift never tired of saying Help me Adeola, I’m Bassey. My wife has deprived me of my conjugal right for three months now.

I’ve tried all I could but to no avail.

Where do I go from here?

Dear Mr. Bassey, you asked for this and I’m going to say it as it is. It was after I spoke with you on this matter that you sent this concern again. That this is an issue burning you seriously

From you to me Just going through your column, Hearts in The Nation of today and I can see the genuine and germane answers you give to questions posed. You are doing a good job for the youth. Please keep it up. Dr Binah Utuedor. (07038525525).

Adeola, I’m an ardent reader of your column, Hearts in The Nation Newspaper. Last Saturday was very educating. Thanks for your wise advice to matters of the hearts- 08027641642.

Adeola your advices are first class. You’re so wise, real, experienced and inteligent.

Wonder if any guy can be able to shake you? Lolz! Anyway, I really love your work, keep it up – 08135791327.

Hello Auntie. My God! What a brain! Your intelligence is super.

You’re blessed- Kingsley, Umuahia – (08067291257).

Good day. You are a real ordained and gifted counselor.

Keep it up! Allah will be with you.

From Hussein – 08085104370.

God bless you. Then when I gave a ride to that man down the street and his colleagues as they were going for their promotional exams, the resounding ‘God bless you’ they said until I drove off was enough to make me feel good. So many ‘God bless you’. That was last week.

God must have gathered all the ‘God bless you’ together to make this week so splendid for me. I still cannot comprehend the reasons for His mercies this week. God, I thank you.

It is my turn to bless some people who have been good to me. Sen. Ahmed Sanni (Baruka Yerima), Hon. Kehinde Bamigetan, Hon. Nadu Karibo and the rest of you wonderful people, God bless you… and me too.

Help!!! My wife has deprived me of my conjugal right for 3 months now is apparent.

During my telephone interaction with you, I asked the salient questions like: are you playing your husbandly roles of providing for your family to which you said yes. I asked if your wife has always been unexcited about sex and you said no. I asked if there are issues of family interference which might make her rebel by refusing you sex, you answered in the negative. I asked if she might be pregnant or sick which may make her a bit turned off or tuned off sex and you said no. So what is the problem? It is your duty to find out.

In the absence of any of the above likelihood, then the next question is: is madam having an extra marital affair?

That is a possibility.

I’m a woman and I talk a lot with women. There are so many women I’m counseling privately who are having serious affairs with other men and as a

Husband needed for widow Catherine, 47, a widow with a son, civil servant, black and beautiful lives in Ekiti and is seeking for handsome hard working, divorcee or widower , Christian between ages 50 and 57 for a serious relationship. He must be a Yoruba man.

result, they flinch at the thought of their husbands touching them. They crazily want to be faithful to the other men outside and thus save it for them alone.

No matter how lazy a woman is about sex, three months is a long time. I know that most women would cry if the husband doesn’t make moves for sex for up to one month. We begin to worry: is he getting it somewhere else. If possible, we don’t mind giving him more than enough so that he’d be too sore to go out looking for it. So when a woman doesn’t even care about how you feel for three good months, then, there’s a problem somewhere.

Lay it out in the open and confront her that you think she’s having an affair. No woman is beyond that, anyway. Watch her reaction after that. If she’s clean, you’re most likely going to know. If she has an I-don’t-care attitude, begin to look for tell-tale signs of infidelity. You wouldn’t even need to ask me where you go from there when your answers have been answered. I wish you the best.

Lost Contact

Hi Adeola, my name is Barr.

Ademola Akinleye. Please help me reach out to my friend, Segilola Isaac Ojo who hails from Esa Odo in Osun Sate. We both lost contact in 1995 at Adeyemi College of Education, Ondo, Ondo State . He can reach me on: 08034989237. Thanks.

With Adeola Agoro E-mail: libranadeola@yahoo.co.uk Tel: 08023162609

To stay in my marriage or have kids for 3 men?

Nice day Aunty. I am a lady of 27 years. I had a child then I got married and had another child. I am contemplating divorce because my marriage is violent and abusive. Right from when we were dating, he has been beating me at the slightest provocation and even threatens to kill me with a knife. He has never cared for me and my kids, but I’ve been overlooking all believing he would change because I loved him. When I told my parents all what I’ve been going through, they suggested we stay separately and see if he would change. It was agreed, only for him to call me up that he need a divorce. I was shocked but later got over it. Now Aunty, I want to be a single mother as another marriage will mean kids for three different men. Please advise me.

Dear Sister, I feel for you. The fear of most African women is not to be labeled an unstable woman as it concerns marriage and relationships. No sane woman actually starts life by wishing that she would have kids for different men, but things happen that we can’t explain.

You have just two kids, which by some standards are not enough. You might have planned from the beginning that you would have four kids and the four would be by one father.

That dream began to crash the moment you dumped the first relationship that produced your first child.

Now the father of the second child is saying goodbye. And oh my! You’re still so young! Most of your age mates are just searching for husbands, so, you’re within that high toast-able age. Men will soon start

coming to either have a taste or offer of marriage rings.

Tell you what; the next thing shouldn’t be about having more kidsat least not for now. You’re not a baby factory and I want you to know that.

Any man that wants you now should know that the kids you have now have to be well cared for first before you begin to think of having more. You might have thought that having kids for a man is a sure way of tying him down. Now, two kids and no husband should have shown you that children do not necessarily guarantee a happy relationship.

Men will go whether you fill the house with children or not.

Work on two major things as you start life afresh. One, check yourself and try to see where you might be going wrong in your relationships. It might be in the things you do, say or do not do when you should do them. It might be in your lifestyle. Do a self appraisal -a sincere one for that matter. It is only after you have worked on yourself that you can be sure that you wouldn’t fall into the same problems all over again.

Two, if possible, let your eyes be wide open this time around. Love is no longer blind. Don’t fall for the first guy that makes your heart beat. Search for an older person who already has enough children and he doesn’t want to have more. Men are skeptical about marrying barrens not only because they want to have kids, but because most barren women spend too much time going from one place to the other looking for kids and thus neglecting them. You’re not a barren, so most men would like you the way you are without wanting you to help in adding to the already swelled population of Nigeria.

Enjoy your freedom while it lasts but please stop thinking of having more kids fir now. I wish you all the best.

My boyfriend’s ex is pregnant for him Hi Sister Adeola, I am perplexed!

Am Jacintha, 23 years old and a student, I have this boyfriend that I love and I believe he loves me too, but recently I found out that his ex girlfriend is pregnant for him. It all happened when he invited me for his birthday - just the two of us to celebrate it. Later that evening when he was at work, the girl barged into the house and said she was pregnant for my boyfriend and my boyfriend said they were no longer dating because they have had a couple of quarrels. My boyfriend called me to meet him where he was that I should avoid the girl. I got angry and left the house that day and broke up with him. Since then he has been calling and begging to come back to him that the pregnancy was a mistake and the girl refused to get rid of it, that he doesn’t want to lose me that was why he couldn’t tell me. He has been pestering me and my close friends with calls, that he still loves me and he wants the relationship back, that when the girl delivers, he will collect the child and wouldn’t have anything with her again. I believe it’s all lies because the said girl will never let him be. I’m confused, but I have backed out of the relationship though, but he keeps calling. What do I do please?

•Bolanle Aribidesi cutting her birthday cake recently

Hearts

My dear, what to do is to give them space to sort things out. Put yourself in the girl’s shoes; would you want to be carrying a man’s baby and see him frolicking with another girl?

What goes on between a man and a

woman is beyond what they tell you.

Do you know what he tells the other girl about you too? Be wise.

When the issue of pregnancies comes up in a relationship, the guy may be confused at to what to do at first and may want to seek comfort in the arms of another lady until he puts himself together. The good sign here as it concerns the baby’s mother is that he’s not denying the pregnancy which means she stands a chance to win his heart. No sane person fights with a new born bay as you will soon discover. The moment the baby is

born, his whole family would be informed (that is if they don’t already know about the pregnancy) and you’d be shocked at the level of support they will give the girl if she’s a good girl. If by then you’re acting like a love struck teenager around the guy, they will despise you because they will be encouraging the guy to marry the mother of his baby and see you as an impediment.

Whether he loves you or not, only time will tell. Give him some time and as time unfolds, you will know what to do. Cheers!

I’m 14 in love with two guys and a third guy is begging me to be his girl Hi Aunty A, I am a girl of 14 I’m in love with two guys and a different guy loves me and he always comes to our house begging me to be his girl. First, I’m I okay to have a boyfriend? Second, what do I do?

S from Kano.

Dear S, you need to read my book, Hearts with Adeola Agoro, (foreword by Sen. (Mrs.) Oluremi Tinubu, OON). A chapter of it (Teenagers’ Angle) deals with issues like yours.

At 14, I expect you to have male friends but not boyfriends. Forget the puppy love you have for these guys, it will only lead to pains, cries and regrets. Mark that down. Love???!!! I laugh agonizingly.

You don’t love anything! It is the

nonsense you watch on TV about love that makes you feel you need a boy to love. Love even between adults goes awry, so you have no business talking about it yet. The feeling between your thighs at the thought of these boys will disappear when they have been given a chance and they go on to the next silly girl falling in love with them. Don’t even try it because you won’t be able to tell me I told you.

What to do is to stop laughing sheepishly with these guys. Let them know that you value your future a lot more than the empty love they’re offering.

Never be left alone with them.

Over ten girls called me this past week that they were raped by people who started by professing love. Don’t learn the hard way.

&

LIFE

Society Profile

THE NATION, Saturday, DECEMBER 3, 2011

STYLE Gossip Interviews

We paid for each other's sins because of our identical looks -Bayelsa Commissioner and his identical twin brother relive experience

SEE PAGES 44 & 45

Nathan Egba The Egba twins

41

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THE NATION, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2011

‘Jonathan’s wife adopted us as college sons during our first year in secondary school’

‘

•The Egba twins

N

ATHAN Egba and Livingstone Egba are two identical twins who easily catch everyone’s attention in Bayelsa State. Except you are very close to the twin brothers from Oloibiri in Ogbia in Nembe Local Government Area of the state, you can hardly distinguish the one from the other.

Interestingly, they were born in Jos, Plateau State. But their father, Egba, ensured that his children were kept abreast of the tradition of their native land by taking them to Okpoama in their childhood, where they grew up with their grandmother. Livingstone is into private business, while Nathan is currently the Commissioner for Information, Strategy and Culture in Bayelsa State.

Recalling their childhood days, Nathan, who spoke for the duo, said they were very exciting. “We lived with our grandmother in Okpoama in the present Brass Local Government Area.

Our father was in the civil service in Port Harcourt and we lived with our grandmother in Okpoama.

“We do everything together. For instance, both of us used to wear the same dress and the same shoes. This helped us to keep our dress as tidy as possible, because if yours was dirty and the other person’s was neat, it would easily be noticed.

“This also applied to our academic lives, because we were in the same class

Isaac OMBE,Yenagoa most of the time. For instance, if I was not doing well and my twin brother was doing well, it would easily be noticed.

“But we had the biggest problem with the senior students and the school authorities when we were in secondary school. If one of us committed an offence, particularly against the senior students, and he was pencilled down for punishment, more often than not, you found that when it was time to serve the punishment, the one who committed the offence would deny it.

“We played many pranks on account of our similar looks. But at times they were not intentional. For instance, someone could see you and say, ‘Thank you for what you did for me earlier.’ Knowing full well that it wasn’t you and that you had not done anything to deserve that commendation, you would still respond as if it was you.

“There were also times when you would commit an offence for which you knew you deserved a punishment. But you would claim that it was not you. The other man would also say he was not the one, and then there would be a stalemate.

Eventually, the school authorities or whoever was involved, would decide that both of us should share the punishment or plead that the one who committed the offence should confess. In the event that neither of us confessed, they would

•The Egba twins at 10 months

punish both of us.

“Most of the time, we would start quarrelling between ourselves, with the innocent one blaming the one who did it for not owing up to his misdeeds.”

Asked whether they were married to identical twins, he said: “No, we did not.

And we got married several years apart.

My twin brother got married earlier than me. His wife also comes from a family that has a set of twins. Unfortunately neither of us has had twins. We understand that on the basis of heredity, my twin brother should have had at least a set of twins because there are twins in his wife’s side.”

And what has been his most exciting experience as an identical twins?

“The most exciting experience we have had together occurred when we were in Primary Five. We were very small and we joined about 20 other pupils in our school to seat for the Common Entrance examination. Interestingly, of the five or six of us who passed the exam, only my twin brother and I were in Primary Five.

So, we went to secondary school together with the three or four others who passed in Primary Six. “The day we were registering was very exciting. It was as if we were on the moon.

We were so tiny. At that time, we were the tiniest in the entire school. So, we were the centre of attraction. In fact, it was during that period that we got to know Her

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THE NATION, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2011

Plateau’s bloody week

•The suspects paraded by the STF

, •The Egba twins

‘

There were also times when you would commit an offence for which you knew you deserved a punishment. But you would claim that it was not you. The other man would also say he was not the one, and then there would be a stalemate. Eventually, the school authorities or whoever was involved, would decide that both of us should share the punishment...

Excellency, the First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan. She was in the nearby All Girls Secondary School, Nembe, and we were in the mixed school, Nembe.

“Everybody had taken interest in my brother and I because we were very tiny and were in Class One. I remember very well that even she, at that time, took us as what they called school sons. She used to give us food and other things at that time.”

But there were also unpalatable experiences as identical twins, he said.

“I remember the promotion examination we did from Form Two to Form Three.

Something happened. One or two of my papers were misplaced and they could not locate them. I was made to repeat Class Two while my twin brother went on to Class Three. It was a very traumatic experience. I cried, cried and cried and was practically inconsolable. But I eventually settled in my class and had fun.

“So, he actually finished a year ahead of me. We didn’t go to the university together. I went to the University of Port Harcourt while he went to other schools and also studied abroad for his MBA at the University of Hall.”

Asked how much they still dress alike, he said: “Interestingly, even at this age, our dress styles are usually alike. We hardly buy things together, but when he

’

travels abroad and does shopping, when we meet, we discover that what we have bought are almost alike.

“At times I see something on him, I take note and when I see it, I buy it. But most times, even when we buy our clothes separately, we end up buying the same set of things. Because somehow, we have the same dress sense.”

But have their wives ever mistaken them for each other?

“There has never been such experience.

But funny enough, there are so many such experiences from our children, especially when they were little. I remember, like I said before, my twin brother got married before me and had his first son. Back then, I used to come back earlier to the house, because we were still living together after he got married. Each time I came back to the house, his son would run to meet me, thinking that I was his father. I would take him in my hands and play with him. When his father eventually arrived, he would refuse to go near him.

“For the poor boy, whoever arrived home first was his daddy for that day. If my twin brother came home first, he would stick to him. If I came home first, then I was the daddy.”

Livingstone and Nathan are not married to twins, but the complexion, stature, height and body built of their wives are very much alike.

While the attack was going on, I called the distress line given to us by the STF. They picked my call and said they were sending their operatives there. But for about three hours, no soldier came to our aid... I have lost my life. What will I do without my children?

Why should I lose all my children in one day?

,

•Continued from Page 14

cycles were ambushed and three of them were killed. Two days later, two other persons were attacked instantly while they were relaxing in front of their house at Barkin Ladi.

The following day (Wednesday), a similar attack consumed three people in the locality. The grand finale took place on Thursday when more than 25 people were killed in one fell swoop.

The most worrisome aspect of the series of attacks has been the fact that the men of the Special Task Force (STF) on Jos crises, ‘Operation Safe Haven,’ were stationed in the local government where the attacks went on for five days uninterrupted. The only effort the STF made was the arrest of two Fulani suspects after the first attack.

The arrest probably provoked the other Fulanis in the area who went on full scale attack after that first one. In the other four attacks, the soldiers were no where to be found. The day after, however, the peace keepers paraded about 163 suspects, who they said were arrested in connection with the last attack.

While the suspects were

•Hon. Loman

being paraded at the STF headquarters in Jos, more than 500 women and children displaced by the crises converged on the headquarters of the local government Police division, wailing. Without homes to return to, the displaced women and children mourned their loved ones in the harsh cold weather.

The chairman of Barkin Ladi local government, Hon. Emmanuel Loman, said: “This is a massacre aimed at one tribe. What have the Berom done to the Fulani? We have accommodated them for a century.

We don’t deserve these attacks.”

The council boss said his people were surrounded by camps of armed Fulani. “I have been crying out to the Federal Government and the STF that I know of a settlement of the Fulani in the local government, which serves as an arms depot, and from where the series of attacks are planned, but the security agencies turned deaf ears to my cry.

“And, you see, every now and then, they launch attacks on my people from there. I must confess that we are under siege and there is no one to defend us.”

The councillor represent-

ing Takwok Ward, Choji Pam Choji, who lost all his three children in the last attack, said: “While the attack was going on, I called the distress line given to us by the STF. They picked my call and said they were sending their operatives there. But for about three hours, no soldier came to our aid. I have already petitioned the Federal Government and the Chief of Defence Staff over this.

“I have lost my life. What will I do without my children? Why should I lose all my children in one day? I have lost my life. Life can never remain the same again, I am living for nothing.”

However, STF’s spokesman, Captain Charles Ekeocha, denied claims that the soldiers took sides with the Fulani. He said contrary to claims, the men were prompt in their response to distress calls.

He said:” But for the intervention of STF, the destruction would have been one hundred per cent worse. Right now, we are in that community keeping vigil to ward off further attack.

“But people should know that we can’t be everywhere at the same time. We are humans too; we can’t perform magic.”

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D

THE NATION, SATURDAY DECEMBER 3, 2011

ornaments

O you know that the traditional time for putting up Christmas decorations is the first day of December.

Generally, Christmas decorations are as simple as putting up a Christmas tree and a festive wreath on the front door. For others, decorating the home for Christmas is such an important family tradition that the decoration is a well organized and thorough annual event where all members of the family participate.

For most families, Christmas is the time to really celebrate goodwill to all men; it’s about the family and close friends, good fun, good times, togetherness, remembering Christmases past.

Christmas Trees The Christmas tree has become one of the best known festive symbols. A highly decorated evergreen tree, with coloured lights ablaze inspires warm memories of Christmas.

Decide where to place the tree, giving it a focal point, but keeping it out of high traffic areas where it might be bumped or where someone might trip on light cords. Place

lighting on first, then wreaths as they both need to be spaced well and tree ornaments could be bumped off if they are in the way. Arrange lights about halfway from the tips of the branches to the trunk of the tree, as well as on the perimeter of the tree Christmas lighting In addition to lighting your Christmas tree, it’s nice to have some window lighting that shines out.

Table centre pieces A table centre piece can be an excellent focal point to inspire your visitors. So, go for table centre pieces with Charismas logo.

Table settings Use Christmas tableware for every meal in December Bows and ribbons When it comes to bows and ribbons, you don’t have to stick with red and green and the colours you choose should blend with the rest of your decor. Bows and ribbons look very festive.

•Wrapped boxes like these should be placed at strategic location especially at the bottom of Xmas trees

Xmas wreath should be placed at entrance

When December approaches, many families decorate their star sign to showing the holiday cheer. The small star bulbs have many different lengths of strands hanging down from it at specific intervals of space creating an icicle look when strung along the height of a house.

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THE NATION, SATURDAY DECEMBER 3, 2011

with a western touch

I

NSPIRED by the need to diversify from the usual, Onyiye Atuaga, a new designer branded Vulpi Vulva recently showcased her dynamic trends of western fabrics infused with a western touch in Abuja.

She experimented with a lot of fabrics, particularly ankara to create an excellent formation of shirt and gown.

Speaking on the brand, she said Vulpi Vulva was a product of a rare breed of red foxes with significant uniqueness as related to the brand style.

House of Dhabri Khenchy , Imo Carnival for Uwenjah 2011

Creativity, style and verve will take the centre stage in Imo on December 20 as two heads, House of Dhabri Khenchy and Imo Carnival join together to make this year’s Uwenjah Fashion Show a reality and a success.

The organizer of the fashion show, House of Dhabri Khenchy, says this year’s event, which is fifth in the series of the Uwenjah cultural show since its inception, will be in partnership with the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and On Mission to Serve Africa Development Foundation (OMSADF) of South Africa.

They intend to showcase and promote the essence of Nigerian ethnic designers in contemporary fashion through encouraging its increasing demand for black models on the international modelling stage, and by discovering prospective runway models.

Mr. Kellie Emeyonu, the brainchild of the celebrated fashion show, said the Uwenjah Fashion Award would be instituted to drive competition and encourage professionalism amongst prospective models and designers in order build confidence, recognize excellence and reward hard work.

Herbal facial steaming Taiwo ADEOSUN

O

NE traditional and very simple way to deeply clean the skin is to steam the face for a few minutes. Steaming removes dirt and pollution very efficiently from the skin, although it removes important natural oils as well.

Steaming should, therefore, be used very occasionally on a dry or aging skin (once in a month is the maximum) and never for more than two minutes. On an oily skin, it can be done once in a week, and for five to eight minutes. For a combination skin, two to three minutes, once in a week is recommended.

A normal skin will benefit from an occasional steaming every two weeks as long as the exposure to steam is not prolonged (five minutes maximum). It is not recommended for extremely sensitive skin.

Also select an herbal facial steam that is best for your skin type.

,

48

THE NATION, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2011

Society

Celebrities honour Aluko,Third Eye publisher, at harvest St. Victoria Catholic Church, Ireti Ayo, Ilesa recently celebrated its harvest. By 10am on that day, the church,located in the expansive compound of the publisher of the Third Eye Newspapers, Chief Akani Aluko, was filled to capacity.

During the service,people gave heartfelt thanks to God for His blessings.

The arrival of the chief host, Chief Aluko, and his wife , Kofoworola, in company with the chairman of the event , Dr Obi Daramola, and the parish priest, Reverend Paul Awowole, signified the commencement of the celebration.

Other important dignitaries in attendance were the chairman of the church ,Mr. Basil Sedi,Hon. Sunday Aluko, Chief Perry AlabiAluko , a veteran journalist, Mr. Kayode Osifeso , the former Managing Director , Third Eye Newspapers ,and his wife , Mr. and Mrs. Joe Abiola , the chairman,2011 Harvest Committee , Mrs. J.M.Fadeyi , and Mrs. Janet Oluremi.

The theme of the harvest was Harvest of Total Victory which, according to the officiating priest, was to help them ruminate on God’s total victory in all aspects of their lives throughout the year .

Rev. Awowole, in his sermon, gave the example of ten lepers cured by Jesus Christ.According to him, only one of them came back to give thanks for the miraculous cure.He urged the congregation to cultivate the spirit of giving,adding that there was more happiness in giving than in receiv-

• Dr. Daramola and Chief Aluko dancing.

•Chief Akani Aluko and his wife , Kofo Oseheye OKWUOFU

ing .

He said every Christian must start his week with thanksgiving. “ God is always kind to His people, and that is why we have gathered here today to give thanks to Him with part of what He has given us. God’s blessings for us are many. We are blessed in this country in everyway. We need to thank God for bringing us to where we are today . God is ever kind. Whatever you are going to do , do it fine and God will bless

you”, Rev. Awowole said .

Dr. Daramola stressed the need for Nigerians to offer thanksgiving by offering the best they can to God , saying that in one way or the other, God has blessed us “.

He berated the government for failing to do what it ought to do regarding the people’s welfare.

He described the planned subsidy removal as an anti-people policy , saying “ why are we asking the government not to remove the subsidy. Let them remove it, so that Nigerians will know clearly that this government has little or

•From left: Chief Aluko, Dr. Daramola, Joe Abiola, and Mr. Kayode Osifeso

no concern for their welfare “.

Chief Alabi-Aluko , an Abujabased businessman said:” The annual harvest has become a remark-

able event in the town, especially for my brother, Chief Akani Aluko . It’s a sort of inspiration for him.

We are doing this for his own happiness and the glory of God. “

Onosode, el-Rufai, Bakare, others rise for youths

•Audu Maikori, CEO, Chocolate City Entertainment;Uche Eze, founder, Bella Naija and I.K. Osakioduwa, host, Big Brother Africa during an interactive session with participants.

•From right: Jimi Agbaje, Pastor Tunde Bakare, Mr Gamaliel O. Onosode at the Youth Empowerment Summit organised by the Rise National Youth Forum last Saturday

•Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, former FCT Minister (left), and Mr. Sam Ohuabunwa, MD, NEIMETH Pharmaceuticals and President, Nigeria-America Chamber of Commerce

•A cross section of participants at the event.

PHOTOS: Gbenga KUTELU

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THE NATION, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3 , 2011

S

OLDIERS are all over Abuja, leaving one with a sense of unease as one enters the town. Even the Abuja Sheraton, a hub for business and leisure tourism,is not spared. One has to be screened to enter the hotel.

However, all these were relegated to the background as troupes from all over the states gathered to celebrate and once again blow the trumpet of unity at the 2011 edition of the Abuja Carnival, the seventh edition.

Tagged Carnival of Reconciliation, it kicked off Saturday, November 26 with the float and carnival procession. The effort to create something new and depart from the routine of the past six editions was immediately noticeable. The float enlivened the Moshood Abiola Way with a spectrum of colours and explosion of dance on the main road.

The sun was scorching when the float began the long march to the Eagle Square ,but this did not dampen the enthusiasm of a large number of exuberant youths who were participants.

They danced and marched slowly to the Eagle Square where President Goodluck Jonathan, represented by Vice President Namadi Sambo, declared the festival opened.

While welcoming guests, tourists and participants, the Minister of Culture, Tourism and National Orientation, Chief Edem Duke, said it was time to give culture and tourism a new lease of life in the country. According to him, investment in culture and tourism would create jobs for men and women in the country.

President Jonathan expressed his happiness because “Abuja Carnival has proved to be one successful step in the direction of exhibiting Nigeria’s exceptionally rich and diverse cultural and artistic heritage as an untapped huge investment opportunity waiting to be meaningfully exploited .”

He continued: “The federal government is committed to providing the requisite enabling en-

•Top and bottom: Troupes at the carnival

The thrill of Abuja Carnival vironment to promote the rapid sustained growth of tourism sector of our national economy. To this end, it is gratifying to note that the Ministry of Culture has evolved a strategic plan to meaningfully engage the organised private sector in the structured development of the sector as an integral part of our national transformation agenda.”

The states made their entry into the Eagles Square to perform to the delight of the dignitaries at the venue. The first to march in were cultural contingents from Egypt and India . For a country in the throes of revolution, the cultural troupe from Egypt was quite lively and energetic. In-

dia surprised people with the nature of their troupe. Religion mingles with every aspect of an average Indian’s life, so also the troupe was heavily laced with religious aura. A man in all black wielding two sticks of about four feet with fire at the end of the four edges was in front and then followed by the drummers and a male and female “gods”.

The states came one after the other, displaying dancing steps and costumes that mirrored their culture. Rivers had a lot of sea animals, boats and so on as part of the troupe’s costume. All these make up the diversity that is Nigeria . The best performance personally in this year’s Abuja CarContinued on Page 50

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THE NATION, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2011

The thrill of Abuja Carnival Continued from Page 49

nival was the Durbar event at the Abuja Polo Club.

Among the states on parade were Akwa Ibom, Cross River , Rivers, Nasarawa, Benue , Kogi, Yobe , Niger , Bauchi and Enugu .

The best section of the carnival was the Durbar event. Ironically, it had the least number of participants-Bauchi, Yobe , Niger and surprisingly, Ogun State .

Bauchi State stole the Durbar show with a large number of horses, about 300 in number. Their costume was wonderful and they came with horses and

carmels. Yobe State , one of the mainstay of the Abuja Carnival Durbar also used the opportunity to entertain the tourists with their rich equestrian history. What Niger State lacked in number and beautiful costuming, it made up in exotic animals on parade. The elephant the state came with generated interest from guests. The state charmers also attracted people’s attention. All these added colour to the event. All in all, it was a smooth, compact and interesting durbar that we saw, and everybody asked for more.

Although many of the states were not present at

the beginning of the carnival, most later came swelling the number of participating states to 31 leaving only Lagos, Abia, Delta and Borno states as the non-participating states. Akwa Ibom which put up a very impressive performance came top followed by Benue, Ogun and Kano in that order.

While one must commend the committee for holding the festival despite the odds, one must not fail to point out some of the areas that still need to be worked upon.

The creation of awareness to mobilize both resi-

•Top and bottom: Troupes at the carnival

Continued on Page 51

Kehinde FALODE: 08023689894

Cucidati II blender or food grinder. If the mixture is too thick, a couple of tablespoons of water can be added.

•Gradually blend in the honey, cinnamon, chocolate chips and orange marmalade. Set aside. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease two baking sheets.

•In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar and baking powder. Cut in the shortening until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

Stir in the eggs, milk and vanilla until the mixture can be gathered into a ball. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and roll out to ¼ inch thickness.

•Cut the dough into strips that are 4 inches wide. Spread filling onto one half of each strip lengthwise. Fold the dough over to cover and seal the edges by pressing on them with the tines of a fork.

•Slice the filled strips crosswise at an angle about every inch Foluke ADEMOLA or so. This will make diamond shapes. Place the cookies onto This takes some time to prepare, but it the prepared cookie sheet. is well worth the work. This is an •Bake for 15 to 20 minutes in the preheated oven, until golden Italian wonderful recipe. brown. Remove from the baking sheet to cool on wire racks.

Ingredients Glaze with your favorite confectioners’ glaze and top with sprinkles for more colourful look.

•1 pound dried figs •1 cup raisins •2 ½ teaspoons orange zest Looking for ideas on how to prepare a kid dessert •½ pound chopped walnuts recipe? Here’s a tasty smoothie loaded with •1 cup honey bioflavonoid great for kids.

•1 teaspoon ground cinnamon Ingredients: •1 cup semi-sweet chocolate c •Half a banana •1 cup orange marmalade •5 strawberries •2 ½ cups sifted all-purpose flour •250 grams plain yoghurt •½ cup white sugar •2 teaspoon honey •2 ½ teaspoons baking powder •Ice cubes •½ cup shortening •2 eggs, beaten Preparation •¼ cup milk •Cut up the banana into pieces and put them •½ teaspoon vanilla extract into a blender with the strawberries.

•Add yoghurt, honey and ice cubes. Blend the Method •Grind the figs, raisins, orange zest mixture to make a delicious, smooth, cool drink and walnuts in a food processor, andserve.

Kiddy fruity honey smoothie

Health and nutritional benefits of honey The benefits of honey go beyond its great taste. A great natural source of carbohydrates which provide strength and energy to our bodies, honey is known for its effectiveness in instantly boosting the performance, endurance and reduce muscle fatigue of athletes.

Its natural sugars play an important role in preventing fatigue during exercise. The glucose in honey is absorbed by the body quickly and gives an immediate energy boost, while the fructose is absorbed more slowly providing sustained energy.

It is known that honey has also been found to keep levels of blood sugar fairly constant compared to other types of sugar. So, to experience these health benefits of honey, here are a few tips for you.

•Cold and Sore Throat Home Remedy: Honey is considered to be one of the best natural remedies for sore throats, coughs and general cold symptoms. Honey has long been used in various natural sore throat remedies ranging from teas to syrups.

Even today, many commercial preparations for sore throats and coughs (such as lozenges) are still primarily based on honey. For a simple and natural remedy to a cold or sore throat, take one teaspoon of honey twice a day until cured.

•Honey has a laxative

effect on the digestion system of an individual and helps provide relief from constipation. It is also believed to provide relief from diarrhea and dysentery.

•Honey helps in cleansing blood and has positive effects on the regulation of blood circulation, having antiseptic properties; honey is good for treating burns, infected surgical wounds and ulcers.

•Honey is easily digested by the most sensitive stomachs and helps kidneys and intestines function better and good for improving appetite, especially in children.

•Honey reduces the production of acid in the mouth and thus, is good for maintaining oral health. Majority of the allergies can be treated with raw honey.

•Being much lower in calories, as compared to sugar, and having a very low fat content, honey is good for those trying to lose weight. It has properties to make the body heal faster, helps in convalescence.

It contains a lot of vitamins and minerals like B6, thiamin, niacin, riboflavin, acid, certain amino acids, calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, sodium and zinc which make the body function well.

THE NATION, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2011

Preparation for Iwude festival hots up

T

HE hope to celebrate this year’s edition of the Iwude Ijesa Festival in grand style is assured with the entrant of a formidable corporate sponsor.

However, the socio-cultural festival, which is scheduled to play host to Ijesa people at home and the Diaspora returnees, will be another reference point to rally support and synergy for the development of the Ijesaland from December 17 - 24.

Reuniting the Ijesa sons, daughters and well-wishers at home, the Iwude fiesta will light up the mood of the en-

•As MTN takes up sponsorship tire Ijesaland as a football competition will be held, drawing teams from the six local government areas to battle for the Ijesa Unity Cup. This year’s event, which is expected to enjoy the marketing strength of the New day Nigeria Limited, an uptrend marketing communication and event management outfit, will not only add glamour to the yearly festival, but also transform it to a more strategic platform to further open the town for

rapid development and investment opportunities.

The activities will start with the Owa, Oba Adekunle Aromolaran, visiting five quarters at Ijesaland, blessing and wishing the town a successful festival.

According to the Chief Executive Officer, New Day Nigeria Limited, Prince Adeoye Aderinwale, “our presence at this year’s Iwude-Ijesa festival is to add sophistication and value to the socio-cul-

tural profile of the people of Ijesaland, by repackaging the event to feel the presence of multinational corporate sponsorship.

“We are proud to say that for the first time in the history of Iwude festival, the event is getting a telecommunications giant, MTN Nigeria, as the official corporate sponsor of the 2011 edition.

“As I speak, MTN is coming in its corporate paraphernalia to celebrate and identify with the cultural value of the people by giving back to the Ijesa community bountifully.”

2011 Christian pilgrimage, plus for Nigeria, says minister

T

HE Minister of State 1, Foreign Affairs, Profes sor Viola Onwuliri, and the Executive Secretary, Nigerian Christian Pilgrim Commission (NCPC), Mr. John Kennedy Opara, were at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport recently to welcome home another batch of religious tourism pilgrims after a successful pilgrimage in Israel where they performed this year’s holy pilgrimage.

Speaking shortly after the pilgrims arrived, the minister, who is also a member of the Federal Government Delegation to the 2011 Christian Pilgrimage, described the pilgrimage exercise and the safe arrival of the pilgrims as “a plus for this country”. She thanked God for Mr. President for ensuring that Nigerians were given the opportunity to go to Israel to pray for the country and themselves.

She further described the entire pilgrimage exercise as a way of strengthening Mr. President’s transformational agenda through prayer which would no doubt help in moving the country forward.

In his remarks at the event, Mr. John Kennedy Opara, thanked God profusely for the safe arrival of the pilgrims. While fielding questions from newsmen, he affirmed that the Bilateral Air Service (BASA) between Nigeria and the State of Israel would be signed before the end of this year’s pilgrimage exercise. His words: “The meeting is ongoing between Nigerian officials and Israeli officials”.

He assured that come next year, there would be direct

Continued from Page 50

I

T is certainly the season of special offers for Nigerians planning to travel abroad, courtesy of British Airways.

The leading airline has announced yet another special discount offer for its Club World (business class) customers.

The special discount, which took effect from Monday, November 28 on the Lagos – London and Abuja – London routes, came just as the airline rolled out a special Christmas fare discount on its World Traveller (economy) class across its African routes, including Lagos and Abuja to London , as well as major United States and Canada cities.

Disclosing this, British Airways Country Commercial Manager for Nigeria, Mr. Kola Olayinka ,said Business Class customers travelling to London from Lagos and Abuja can now experience unparalleled service within the luxurious ambience of British Airways Club World cabin for $2,360 ( Lagos – London ) and $2,160 ( Abuja – London).

As part of the Special Christmas Fares Offer, he said, British Airways customers travelling in World Traveller (economy) , the fare starts from as little as $269 on the Lagos - London route, and $239 on the Abuja – London route. He added that the selling period for this particular fare is between October 13 and December 18 , with the outbound travel fixed for December 24 to December 27.

In addition to these, between November 28 and December 19, BA customers who want to travel to major cities in the US and Canada can now buy World Traveller tickets for as low as $480 and $430 for Lagos and Abuja respectively. The US destinations included in the offer, he disclosed, are New York , Boston , Washington and Baltimore , as well as the Canadian city of Toronto , with outbound travel period set from November 28, 2011 to April 30, 2012 .

Aero expands fleet with B737-400 Aero, West Africa ’s preferred airline, has announced an increase in her fleet size with the acquisition of an additional Boeing 737-400.

This addition takes Aero’s Boeing aircraft size to nine and a total fleet of 20. The new airplane comes with a host of superior features that include advanced cockpit technology and more comfortable cabin configuration of 12 Business and 138 Economy class seats.

The new B737-400 aircraft, equipped with the latest navigation equipment, has lower fuel burn making the aircraft environmentally friendly and easier to maintain.

According to the Managing Director of Aero, Capt. Akin George, the arrival of this aircraft to Aero’s fleet will further consolidate Aero’s leading position in the domestic and regional markets, making Aero the fastest growing airline in West Africa by aircraft utilization and passenger movement.

From right: Minister of State 1, Foreign Affairs, Prof. Viola Onwuliri; Deputy Governor of Nasarawa State, Hon. Damishi Luka; and Executive Secretary, NCPC, Mr. John Kennedy Opara, discussing with an intending pilgrim from Nasarawa State. flight from Nigeria to Israel.

Mr. Opara also hinted that so far about 5,300 pilgrims have been received and that the commission would make sure that only spiritually genuine people are given the opportunity to go for pilgrimage to pray and come back to Nigeria and be reformed. He further stated that the first batch of intending pilgrims to Rome and Greece would now leave on December 12.

In another development, both Professor Onwuliri and the NCPC boss were equally at the departure hall of the airport to bid farewell to pilgrims from Nasarawa State who were set to depart Ni-

geria for the holy land that night.

In his address at the event, the Executive Secretary of NCPC affirmed thus: “I want to assure you that all agreements have been concluded in Israel to make you comfortable. Our federal commissioners are there to receive your”, he stressed.

He further charged the pilgrims “you must prepare your mind; pilgrimage is a journey of the mind”. He intimated the Nasarawa contingent that as pilgrims in the holy land, they would serve as ambassadors of the country while in Israel, so they must shun anything that would tarnish the image of

The thrill of Abuja Carnival dents of Abuja and visitors from within and outside the country was poor. This led to fewer number of people coming out to watch the events.

However , the command performance had a full house. The crowd at the carnival procession, compared to what we see in other carnivals, was poor because whatever that was done in the area of publicity achieved a little result . Also, the communication to the participating states was not seamless. Many complained that they were kept in the dark as to when and where programmes would hold.

Professor Ojo Rasaki

51 British Airways offers 20% discount on business class

Bakari, the Artisitic Director of the Abuja Carnival, tried to breath a new life into the carnival, but that might not have come out successfully as it left one wondering whether the event was a dress rehearsal for the Carnival Calabar. The Abuja Carnival, if it is to survive, must carve out its own identity that is neither NIFEST nor Carnival Calabar.

After seven editions of the festival, the problem of accommodation for participating states is still there. Many states complained that accommodation was inadequate.

Mrs. Yemi Olarenwaju, the Director of Culture, Ogun State, has this to say: “The 2011 edition

was fair enough, but they still need to put one or two things in place. The information to participating states is poor.”

On the 50 per cent discount the hotel owners in Abuja offered to the participating states, Olarenwaju said: “ There was nothing like that. The carnival secretariat did not communicate that to the states. There is no discount.”

Finally, while one would praise the organizers of the Abuja Carnival for their doggedness, the survival of the carnival lies in the ability of the committee to prevent these obvious lapses in subsequent editions.

the country.

He cautioned that any of them with the intention to abscond in Israel should jettison such idea because all security arrangements had been made to make abscondment practically impossible.

The minister equally advised the intending pilgrims to be of good conduct while in the holy land. According to her, “you are leaving the shores of this country for a golden fleece of some sorts”.

She further stressed that they are embarking on pilgrimage in order to have an encounter with the Lord. She added that by the time the pilgrims would have visited all the holy sites in Israel, they would surely have a new spiritual encounter.

Her words: “For anyone that has left his home is a journey of faith”. The minister urged the intending pilgrims to pray for peace in Nigeria and also pray for the protection of the President and his family.

In his address, the Deputy Governor of Nasarawa State, who is also the leader of the state contingent to the holy land, Hon. Damishi Luka, thanked the President through the minister, for God has used him to actualize the dream of people going to the Holy land.

He said his contingent was a trusted one, so the issue of abscondment was not in their character.

The total no of pilgrims that departed last night was 314 out of which Nasarawa State constituted 208, FCT 80 and federal officials 26.

SUDOKU 1ST STEP IN SOLVING PUZZLE 357: Look at the 3 right vertical (ghi) 3 x 3 boxes. The bottom box has 5 in cell Hi, while the middle box has its 5 in cell Dh. the top box must, therefore, have its own 5 in column g, where there is only 1 vacant space - cell Cg. Reasoning along these lines, try and fill in all the other vacant cells.

SOLUTION TOMORROW. HAPPY PUZZLING!

52

THE NATION, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2011

How to improve on your marriage!

D

EAR Reader, Hallelujah! It’s the last and crowning month of the year.

Indeed, it is a great privilege welcoming you to this weekly column again.

Our focus for this month shall be on How To Improve On Your Marriage.

Today, I like to start by saying, Marriage Is A Miracle! It is important for you to know that nothing works on its own, just like no problem solves itself. Miracles answer to certain inputs from the benefactor. Your obedience to what is required of you, is how you initiate it, and eventually make your marriage a heaven-onearth.

Take the miracle of the turning of water into wine, for instance. Mary

O

N the first of December, World AIDS Day is celebrated. This day is an opportunity for people to unite in the fight against HIV/AIDS, to remember those who have died of the disease and to celebrate accomplishments, such as increased access to treatment and prevention services.

TheHuman Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) targets the immune system and weakens people’s surveillance and defence systems against infections and some types of cancer.

As the virus destroys and impairs the function of immune cells, infected individuals gradually become immunodeficient. Immunodeficiency results in increased susceptibility to a wide range of infections and diseases that people with healthy immune systems can fight off. The most advanced stage of HIV infection is Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS), which can take 10 to 15 years to develop. This stage is defined by the development of certain cancers, infections, or other severe clinical manifestations.

Scope HIV is one of the world’s leading infectious killers, claiming more than 25 million lives over the last 30 years.

In 2010, there were approximately 34 million people living with HIV. Over 60 percent of people living with HIV are in sub-Saharan Africa.

Signs and symptoms The symptoms of HIV vary depending on the stage of infection.

Though people living with HIV tend to be most infectious in the first few months, many are unaware of their status until later stages. The first few weeks after initial infection, individuals may experience no symptoms or a flu-like illness including fever, headache, rash or sore throat.

As the infection progressively weakens the person’s immune system, the individual can develop other signs and symptoms such as swollen

• People can only survive with HIV/AIDS if discrimination and stigmatization decrease to the bearest mini-

told the men, whatever he tells you to do, do it (John 2:5). The servants initiated their miracle by obeying Jesus’ instructions to fill the water pots with water. Nothing happens by chance in the kingdom of God. There is always something you must do to get what you want. All you need to do is to accept the required responsibility.

Marriage is a miracle! Daily, we see men and women seeking after soothsayers and seers, to know whom to marry, the cause of their marriage delays, to find out what the future holds for their marriages, and how they can be guided into glorious homes.

But, for us at the other side of Jor-

dan, we have a reason to thank God. He doesn’t leave us to guess and grope through life. That is why He said: Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not (Jeremiah 33:3).

It is the thoughts of man that make a man. What you think of your marriage and family makes it what it is.

You can’t think obstacles in your marriage and have miracles. You can’t think of marriage as a necessary evil, and experience a glorious marriage, because sweet marriages and homes are basically provoked by your thoughts.

Nobody builds a tower without an adequate preparation and a strong foundation. You must first desire a tower, before you can build one. Do not enter into a marriage covenant without an expectation. If you expect the best, it will be yours (Proverbs 23: 18).

Someone once came to me for counselling and said that she had been having a very tough time in her marriage. As she spoke, I deduced that the root cause of her problems was her wrong perspective about marriage. She had expected grief and calamity, so when the

storms rose against her marriage, she began to cry, saying, “They told me it will be like this.”

Below is a testimony that will further help your perspective about marriage: “I used to worship in a place where the pastors believe that misunderstanding brings about understanding.

One day, the lady pastor asked me if I had ever had any serious quarrel with my wife (then my fiancée), and I said, ‘No’. She said we had not started, that until we quarrelled and fought, we would not know if we truly loved each other.

We started having problems in our home, after our marriage. But when I came here, I heard the Bishop say, ‘I have not had the first argument with my wife.’ I told my wife that if what the man of God was saying was the truth, then we’ve been in the wrong place, where we had been fed with the wrong food spiritually. So, we decided to start worshipping here.

We told ourselves, ‘What this man of God has seen that is making his marriage sweet, we also must discover it.’ Then I was in WOFBI FullTime programme. After each lecture, I would go back home and teach my wife the same thing. Today, to the

glory of God, we don’t have misunderstandings anymore!” Ibiang, A.I. God has promised to grant your expectations, whether good or bad. So, let your expectations be based on God’s Word, for it is higher than any evil experience or information you may have had or heard about marriage (Proverbs 10:24).

If you have caught any light from this piece, believe God for a unique touch in your home, and you will have a testimony in Jesus’ name.

To have a miracle marriage, you need to first of all receive the Miracle Worker into your life. You can do so by saying this prayer with faith in your heart: Dear Lord, I come to You today. I am a sinner. Forgive me my sins. Cleanse me with Your precious Blood. I accept You as my Lord and Saviour. Now I know I am born again!

Congratulations! Call or write, and share your testimonies with me through: E-mail: faithdavid@yahoo.com Tel. No: 2341-7747546-8; 07026385437, 07094254102.

For more insight, these books authored by me are available at the Dominion Bookstores in all the Living Faith Churches and other leading Christian bookstores: Making Marriage Work, Marriage Covenant and Building A Successful Family.

HIV/AIDS celebrated worldwide lymph nodes, weight loss, fever, diarrhoea and cough. Without treatment, they could also develop severe illnesses such as tuberculosis, cryptococcal meningitis, and cancers such as lymphomas and Kaposi’s sarcoma, among others.

Transmission HIV can be transmitted via unprotected and close contact with a variety of body fluids of infected individuals, such as blood, breast milk, semen and vaginal secretions. Individuals cannot become infected through ordinary day-to-day contact such as kissing, hugging, shaking hands, or sharing personal objects, food or water.

Examples of HIV transmission routes include: •unprotected anal or vaginal sex with an HIV- infected partner; •mother-to-child transmission during pregnancy, childbirth, or breastfeeding; •transfusion with HIV-infected blood products; •sharing of contaminated injection equipment, tattooing, skin-piercing tools and surgical equipment.

Risk factors There are certain behaviours that put individuals at a greater risk for contracting HIV. These include: •having unprotected anal or vaginal sex; •having another sexually transmitted infection such as syphilis, herpes, chlamydia, gonorrhoea, and bacterial vaginosis; •sharing contaminated needles, syringes and other infecting equipment and drug solutions for injecting drug use; •receiving unsafe injections, blood transfusions, medical procedures that involve unsterile cutting or piercing; •experiencing accidental needle stick injuries, including among health workers.

Diagnosis An HIV test reveals infection status by detecting the presence or absence of antibodies to HIV in the blood. Antibodies are produced by individuals’ immune systems to fight off foreign pathogens. Most people have a “window period” of three to 12 weeks during which antibodies to HIV are still being produced and are not yet detectable. This early period of infection represents the time of greatest infectivity but transmission can occur during all stages of the infection. Retesting should be done after three months

to confirm test results once sufficient time has passed for antibody production in infected individuals.

People must agree to be tested for HIV and appropriate counselling should be provided. HIV test results should be kept confidential, and everyone should receive post-test counselling and follow-up care, treatment and prevention measures as appropriate.

Treatment HIV can be suppressed by combination antiretroviral therapy (ART) consisting of three or more antiretroviral (ARV) drugs. ART does

not cure HIV infection but controls viral replication within a person’s body and allows an individual’s immune system to strengthen and regain the power to fight off infections.

With ART, HIV-infected individuals can live healthy and productive lives.

An estimated 6.6 million people living with HIV in low- and middleincome countries were receiving ART at the end of 2010. Of this, an estimated 420 000 to 460 000 were children. This is a 16-fold increase in the number of people receiving ART in developing countries between 2003 and 2010.

Source: WHO

World AIDS Day 2011: Getting To Zero Dec. 1 is World AIDS Day, a day dedicated to bring awareness to those who have died from the disease and strides made in the fight against it.

Today, despite advances in HIV treatment and in laws designed to protect those living with HIV; many people do not know the facts about how to protect themselves and others from HIV or about the stigma and discrimination that remain a reality for many people living with HIV. World AIDS Day is an important reminder to individuals and governments that HIV has not gone away – there is still a vital need to raise money, increase awareness, fight prejudice and improve education.

The theme for World AIDS Day 2011 is “Getting to Zero.” After 30 years of the global fight against HIV/ AIDS, this year the focus is on achieving 3 targets: Zero new HIV infections. Zero discrimination. Zero AIDS-related deaths.

Zero New HIV Infections It is estimated that 33.3 million people have HIV worldwide. This number is expected to continue to increase over time, as advances in treatments prolong the lives of those who are infected and more people become infected with HIV each year.

Worldwide, the rate of new infections, or incidence, has decreased. In 33 countries, the incidence has decreased more than 25 percent since 2001, including countries in the hardest hit areas of sub-Saharan Africa.

It is estimated that one in five people living with HIV in the U.S. are unaware of their infection. This highlights the importance of reaching all infected individuals with HIV testing and prevention services.

HIV can be transmitted in three main

ways: sexual transmission; transmission through blood; and mother-to-child transmission. These three routes of transmission work in tandem to affect segments of the population. The number of infections resulting from each route will vary greatly between countries and population groups. HIV counseling and testing are fundamental for HIV prevention, as is access to essential commodities such as condoms or sterile injecting equipment.

Zero Discrimination According to UN SecretaryGeneral Ban Ki Moon, “Stigma remains the single most important barrier to public action. It is a main reason why too many people are afraid to see a doctor to determine whether they have the disease, or to seek treatment if so. It helps make AIDS the silent killer, because people fear the social disgrace of speaking about it, or taking easily available precautions. Stigma is a chief reason why the AIDS epidemic continues to devastate societies around the world.”

Discrimination against those infected with HIV/AIDS includes both the fear of getting the disease and also negative assumptions about people who are infected. AIDS-related stigma has had a profound effect on the epidemic’s course.

“We can fight stigma. Enlightened laws and policies are key. But it begins with openness, the courage to speak out. Schools should teach respect and understanding. Religious leaders should preach tolerance. The media should condemn prejudice and use its influence to advance social change, from securing legal protections to ensuring access to health care.” Ban Ki-moon, Secretary-General of the United Nations.

Zero AIDS Related Deaths More than 25 million people between 1981 and 2007 have died

from the virus worldwide, making it one of the most destructive pandemics in history.

The goal of ‘Zero AIDS Related Deaths’ signifies an increased access to available treatments for all those infected. Currently, only one third of the 15 million people living with HIV worldwide who are in need of life long treatment are receiving it.

Universal access to antiretroviral treatments for those living with HIV will not only decrease the number of AIDS related deaths, but will increase the quality of life among those infected and decrease transmission.

World AIDS Day is an opportunity for all of us to learn the facts about HIV. By increasing the understanding of how HIV is transmitted, how it can be prevented, and the reality of living with HIV today-we can use this knowledge to take care of our own health and the health of others.

Quick facts on HIV/AIDS HIV is one of the world’s leading infectious killers, claiming more than 25 million lives over the past three decades.

There were approximately 34 million people living with HIV in 2010.

HIV infection can be diagnosed through blood tests detecting presence or absence of antibodies and antigens.

A cure for HIV infection has not been found but with effective treatment with antiretroviral drugs, patients can control the virus and enjoy healthy and productive lives.

In 2010, around 6.6 million people living with HIV were receiving antiretroviral therapy in low- and middle-income countries, but over 7 million others are waiting for access to treatment.

53

THE NATION, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2011

Coping with diseases

Mosquitoes: Limiting their torture

W

E humans are very intelligent and have devised all kinds of guards and warfare against the club unwanted: mosquitoes, rats, cockroaches, etc. However, the mosquitoes remain tricky and resistant to many of our devices.

Some of us have bug zappers or fly traps at home.

Their bluish-purple UV light attracts insects, especially those that fly at night. They do kill insects but many times the nice ones such as lovely moths. Such insects are fragmented and their products become airborne and can trigger allergies in susceptible persons. Tiny mosquitoes too gather round the light but are often not killed. The light even attracts them more to your garden or backyard if you have any water lying around that reflects the light.

They love to breed in water.Therefore, if you would use an electronic trap, choose one that sucks in the mosquitoes and traps them permanently to die.

If you spray your house, you enjoy the absence of mosquitoes for only a day or two and then they find their way in again every time a door is opened. You may stand ready with a spray can (“fleet”) each time you open your door but you might look crazy so maybe it is better to hold your peace and go in and out of your house in freedom.If you use a mosquito coil to drive them away, you have to keep the coil

P

ELVIC inflammatory disease is caused by germs that are transmitted through sexual contact and other bodily secretions. Bacteria that cause gonorrhea and chlamydia cause more than half of cases.

Other organisms found in the vagina can also cause PID but are much less common.

Pelvic Inflammatory Disease Symptoms If you have PID, you may have any of these symptoms: •Abdominal pain (especially lower abdominal pain) or tenderness (Back pain) •Abnormal uterine

close enough to you and you end up breathing its fumes to your own disadvantage.

As with all members of the club unwanted (cockroaches, rats, etc.), the best way to be safe from mosquitoes is to keep them out of your home. There may be structural aspects of the home that give them entry points and these should be taken care of. In the tropics, mosquito nets on windows and doors are necessary and any breach in them should be mended. Some tenants may not be able to get their landlords to secure their homes from pests. Everyone can at least try to obtain a mosquito net to sleep under it. Keeping your yard free of stagnant water and clutter and litter that can hold even small amounts of water for days is also important to stop them from breeding around you.

Many of us Africans have a certain amount of immunity to the mosquito bites and also to the malaria parasites that there carry. Nevertheless, you can never predict when your immunity has lowered (because of diet, health problems, lack of rest, heavy menstruation (in women), etc.) or when there is a more resistant strain of the malaria parasite spreading around. Mosquitoes can also transmit other diseases such as yellow fever and elephantiasis (lymphatic filariasis). It is believed that about 2 mil-

with Prof. Dayo Oyekole

Piles

P

ILES or haemorrhoids are swellings containing dilated or varicose veins situated in the mucous membranes of the rectum or in the skin around the

lion people die of mosquito transmitted diseases worldwide each year.

Some people react very badly to mosquito bites, developing inflamed and itchy bumps that if scratched, can lead to scarring. Such persons should try to avoid scratching and use anti-itching cream or tablets (such as Benadryl) or natural product such as teatree oil. Pharmacists can recommend a nonprescription anti-itch product. It is always helpful to avoid the mosquito’s bite because of the itch and because of the diseases mosquitoes can transmit.

Apart from their bite, the female mosquitoes make an irritating sound, a cross between whining and buzzing, that is their scary trademark.

(This noise naturally attracts delighted male mosquitoes that have hairy antennae to detect such sound but the sound is not good for human ears).Mosquitoes usually bite at dawn or dusk and like to rest during the heat of the day.

If you are outdoors in late evenings, have as much of your body covered as possible. Ladies sometimes like to wear skimpy clothes that delight men but the mosquitoes are the happier for such.

A light shawl on skimpy outfit might provide some shield.

If you easily get malaria, you may need to keep mosquitoes off your skin altogether. If there is something about you that makes them follow you around, you need a strong and effective repellant.A repellant can be rubbed on exposed areas of the body. The typical active ingredient is a chemical, DEET, which is safe enough for children also. Other active ingredients used may be natural products such as catnip oil, rosemary oil, and cornmeal oil which also repel mosquitoes.Some mosquito repellants are applied to clothing and are too toxic for human skin. Unfortunately, the more you sweat, the more you attract mosquitoes. They detect chemicals in sweat. The more you breathe, the more they come near you because they smell chemicals such as carbon dioxide in your breath.

This is possibly an adaptation that helps them not to bother to bite a dead body.

Dr. ’Bola John is a biomedical scientist based in Nigeria and in the USA. For any comments or questions on this column, please Email bolajohnwritings@yahoo.com or call 07028338910

Pelvic inflammatory disease causes bleeding •Unusual or heavy vaginal discharge •Painful urination •Painful sexual intercourse.

Symptoms not related to the female reproductive organs include fever, nausea, and vomiting.

Your symptoms may be worse at the end of your menstrual period and during the first several days following a period.

If you are experiencing the following symptoms, you should see your health

care provider: •Abdominal pain that does not go away •Irregular vaginal bleeding •Foul-smelling vaginal discharge •Unusual vaginal discharge •Fever, nausea, vomiting Given the long-term complications PID can cause, such as infertility and ectopic pregnancy, it is recommended that you seek immediate medical attention if you have any of these symptoms: •Lower abdominal pain or tenderness •Fever greater than 101°F (38.3°C) •Abnormal or foulsmelling vaginal discharge.

Adult women with PID are either closely monitored or admitted to the hospital.

More aggressive treatment may take place in the hospital for adolescents, who are at a much higher risk of not following treatment plans and of having complications.

You may be admitted to the hospital if any of the following are true: •The diagnosis is unclear.

•Ectopic pregnancy or appendicitis cannot be ruled out.

•You are pregnant.

•An abscess (an infection) is suspected.

•You are acutely ill or cannot manage your illness at home.

Exams and Tests •Physical exam findings

include the following: •A temperature greater than 101°F (38.3°C) •Abnormal vaginal discharge •Lower abdominal tenderness when felt •Tenderness when your cervix is moved ( •Tenderness in your female organs Laboratory tests may include the following: •A urine pregnancy test if you are of childbearing age •Urinalysis to check for bladder and kidney infection • A complete blood count (although fewer than half of women with acute PID have a high white blood cell count indicating an infection) •Cervical cultures for gonorrhea and chlamydia •Testing for other sexually transmitted diseases, including syphilis and HIV •Additional tests if you have more severe symptoms •Imaging: A pelvic ultrasound, although not routinely done, can be an important tool in diagnosing complications such as tuboovarian abscesses, ovarian cysts, and ectopic pregnancy.

Although unlikely to occur in pregnancy, PID is the most commonly missed diagnosis in ectopic pregnancies and can occur during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy.

•Dr B. Filani is the Chief Consultant of Sound Health Centre, Lagos. You can contact him on 08023422010 or on facebook or email soundhealthcentre@yahoo.com.

anus.

Veins, unlike arteries, have insufficient strength in their walls to support much blood pressure. Therefore, veins often become distended. Veins around the rectum do not have much support from any other tissue, so they distend easily.

Constipation (resulting from over-eating and the presence of unassimilated bulk foods) is known to cause haemorrhoids or piles. Intoxicating liquors, artificial flavourings or spices, white bread, cakes, all other white flour products, fried foods, food that can form acid and cause fermentation, sugar and soft drinks also cause piles.

Straining at stool is an important factor in the development of piles, and the straining associated with childbirth is a common cause of haemorrhoids in women.

People with haemorrhoids may have pain in the rectum, with itching. In many cases, blood oozes from the haemorrhoids, usually in connection with emptying the bowels. Piles may protrude from the rectum; depending on how high up in the rectum the affected veins are located.

When they protrude, the sphincter muscle of the rectum partially strangulates them and prevents their return.

From all these explanations, there is a glaring indication that civilization brings many benefits and beautiful things but at the same time, many things that are harmful and ugly. We have accepted to change our lifestyles to suit the new trend. This includes our traditional & local foods and drinks. Yes, it is civilization that makes us prefer the new spices in the market, with the comment that the native ones smell funny and they are messy. Now, who pays for this “snob” effect? The person who pays the purchasing price pays the bill for the after-effect.

Prevention and Control In Holistic Lifecare, it is strongly advocated that the best way to control piles or haemorrhoids is to avoid constipation, so that the stools can pass regularly and with least possible irritation. This is accomplished by going back to nature. In that wise, it is necessary to avoid heavy and stimulating foods, tobacco, alcoholic drinks and soft drinks.

Light and simple diets made from grains and vegetables and generous eating of fruits will ensure good digestive system. Soya-bean products and very well ripe bananas are good. High hot enema are soothing and herbs like Nepeta cataria or Myrica cerifera could be used to cleanse the whole length of the colon. Aloe vera gel, generously absorbed in cotton wool and inserted as suppository overnight is also very healing.

The Holistic natural remedy being suggested for piles or haemorrhoids consists of a combination of natural extracts of herbs such as Croton penduliflorus, Ocimmum gratissimum , Securidaca longepedunculata and Aloe Vera.

For further information and consultation on Holistic Lifecare research and services, especially on Blood Infections, Infertility, Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Chronic Debilitating Conditions as well as mental and social problems, please call on: 0803-3303897 or visit: Mosebolatan Holistic Lifecare Centre, Adeyalo Layout, Ogbere-Tioya, Off Olorunsogo Express Bridge, Ibadan.

Website: www.holisticlifecare.com. Distance is no barrier, we can send remedies by courier if need be. We also have facilities for accommodation, admission and hospitalization in a serene and homely environment.

54

THE NATION, SATURDAY, NOVEMBER26, 2011

•Jonathan

•Belgore

Constitutional Review: Looking back for salvation

T

HE desire of Nigerians to have, operate and live by what has been referred to in some quarters as “the peoples constitution” might have forced President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan to do the most unexpected on Thursday, November 17.

That day, in acceding, as it were, to the yearnings of the citizens, Jonathan inaugurated a 21-man Constitution Review Committee. In fact, the body of the text read by Jonathan on that day was titled “Presidential Committee on the Review of Outstanding Constitutional Issues”, perhaps for effect and specificity.

Admittedly, there have been renewed clamour for the convocation of a national conference to address fundamental issues of constitutionalism from which the country has suffered severe convulsion, espe-

Augustine AVWODE cially in the wake of recent sociopolitical and economic developments in the country.

Speaking, while inaugurating the committee headed by former Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Alfa Belgore, Jonathan more or less took a leap into the past on behalf of the country in search of salvation and solution. He spelt out areas he would want them to concentrate their energy on and areas to avoid.

He further explained why he chose the less fancied path of not involving large army of technocrats, lawyers, labour leaders and women representatives to do the job. He was explicit that he did not want to incur the wrath of critics who would consider a move simi-

lar to that of 2005 as another jamboree in the face of daunting national security challenges exemplified by the Boko Haram menace.

In his words: “ I am inaugurating this committee to develop draft bills on previously agreed issues that would go a long way to strengthen the bonds of our union.

“These settled issues include strong recommendations from past Constitutional and Political Reform Conferences; on National Security, Human Rights and Social Security, People’s Charter and Social Obligations; Environment and Natural Resources, Models and Structure of Government, Public Service, Power Sharing, Local Government Reforms and the Economy. “ Other areas of firm agreement include proposals for Judiciary and

Legal Reforms, constitutional amendments pertaining to the Public Service, Anti-Corruption, State Joint Local Government Account, Traditional Institutions and Cultural Reforms; and Civil Society, Labour, Trade Unions and National Media Reforms, amongst many others.

“The draft bills will be considered by the executive branch of government and then sent to the National Assembly. The ultimate purpose is to identify with and reinforce the ongoing efforts of Committees of Senate and House of Representatives as they grapple with outstanding constitutional issues. “ On our part, the Executive branch will also revisit some of the recommendations for policy changes, course corrections and

consider new initiatives, so long as they improve the capacity of government to serve the people better.

“In that regard, the task of this committee is to study and deliberate on the resolutions, recommendations and implementation guidelines of the last National Political Reform Conference; as well as any relevant aspects of the 1994/95 Constitutional Conference.

“Also, parts of the draft documents and resolutions that culminated in the 1999 Constitution were unilaterally excised from the final document. You are to consider, and where necessary, update them in light of contemporary challenges”, he stated.

Responding, Belgore said a comprehensive review rather than partby-part was better, pointing out that the 1999 Constitution was

55

THE NATION, SATURDAYDECEMBER 3, 2011 done in a hurry but assured Nigerians that they would give Nigeria the result it deserves and pledged the commitment of his members to address the confusion which had arisen out of the functions of the three arms of government.

“It is better to do a comprehensive review of the constitution. The executive, the legislature and the judiciary were well conceived but the way each one is scripted has created some confusion, and this confusion, I assure you, Mr. President, we shall try as much as possible to resolve it. We shall work together.

I am very happy with the team made up of ladies and gentlemen who are achievers in various fields. And by the time we are through with our assignment, I am very sure you will be very proud of us,” he said.

Other members of the committee are Senator Udoma Udo Udoma as Vice-Chairman, Chief Ebenezer Babatope, Mr. Ledum Mitee, Dr. Abubakar Saddique, Ms. Comfort Obi, Mr. Peter Esele, Prof. Oladipo Afolabi, Prof.

Jerry Gana and Tessy Ikimi, among others.

Clearly, Jonathan and those who he consulted with agreed that sometime in the past, solutions or reasonable thoughts on Nigeria’s nagging constitutional problems might have been found but for the political will to do the right thing all along.

dicted for embezzlement or fraud...” — in section l37 (1)(i) of the 1999 Constitution be replaced with “he has been convicted for embezzlement or fraud...” For the same reason, including the need for “fair hearing”, the Conference recommends that “an Administrative Panel of Inquiry” in the same section should be substituted for “a Court of Law”.

These and many other well-thought out recommendations that have since been pushed aside due probably to lack of political will may now have to be turned over again by the Belgore led committee.

Knocks, kudos for approach

•Gana

•Ezeife

Lessons from the past Nigerians might not have forgotten the constitutional reforms conference of 2005. It made far- reaching resolutions, including the controversial Third Term Agenda, which unfortunately led to the throwing away of the baby and the bath water.

In February 2005, then President Olusegun Obasanjo inaugurated a National Political Reform Conference (NPRC) to examine all aspects of the 1999 Constitution and make recommendations on legal and political changes. The 400-member body was given three months within which to submit its reports.

All states, professional groups, political parties and sectors of the country were represented and all the delegates were all paid allowances apart from being accommodated in good hotels at the federal capital city.

Notwithstanding the fact that the conference came to an abrupt end as the SouthSouth delegates walked out over the Niger Delta question, the secretariat managed to compile what was to be dubbed the “final report”.

Interesting provisions of the 2005 conference Not withstanding the controversial circumstances in which the 2005 constituitonal conference ended, it provided for some landmark decisions. Some of which are: * To provide the Principle of Power Rotation so that executive position would at Federal, State and Local Government levels. The advantage of this provision is that the often mouthed idea of political marginalization would be completely eliminated and all sections of the country would have a sense of belonging. * That the devolution of powers as contained in the draft 1995 Constitution be upheld with regard to education in general and tertiary education in particular, and that federal educational institutions should be collectively owned by states in the geo- political zone where such institutions are located and funded through first charge deductions from the allocation of such states.

In other words, that more powers should be devolved to the other tiers of government (rather than the Federal Government) i.e. to the states and local governments.

The conference also dealt with the issue of creation of state, and in particular singled out the South East for an additional one state for the sake of balance.

“Following the decision that states should be the federating units, it was agreed that the South-East being the only zone with five states be given an additional state”.

The rather problematic issue of prosecuting cases of corruption was dealt with in a very decisive manner. The conference provided for a special court and even a time limit for such prosecution.

“Special courts should be set up for prosecution of cases emanating from corrupt practices and such cases should not last more than 90 days. Alternatively, Federal High Court should be given exclusive jurisdiction in corruption cases so that no other judge of

•Agbakoba coordinate jurisdiction can grant injunctive orders restraining the court on issue of jurisdiction”.

There was a landmark provision from the conference. There was ample opportunity for any candidate who feels he has enough goodwill from his people to just walk into the office of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and run for an electoral contest as an independent candidate.

The current provision is such that if one is not sponsored by a political party he cannot contest for any elective office.

“An independent candidate may also contest”, and made a bold move to sanitise the polity in the area of jumping from one party to the other by making ‘carpet crossing’ a dangerous venture.

“The committee recommended that: ‘Any elected person on a party’s platform who decamps to another party before the expiration of his or her term of office shall automatically forfeit his or her office or seat’.

What is more, all matters relating to local government administration were left completely in the care of the state government.

Had such a provision been incorporated into the constitution, the issue of politicizing the creation of local government areas would not have arisen.

“Matters concerning local government be entirely left for the states in line with our resolve to operate a federal system of government but with constitutional provision to

‘

•Sagay guide against abuse. “ The states shall by law provide for the establishment, of structure, composition, finance and functions of Local Government Councils, “All funds due to Local Governments should be shared to the States on the basis of the indices used in allocating funds to States in the federation and not the number of local governments in a State. In other words, the 20% or so charged to the distributable pool for local governments in the Federation Account should be lumped to the States share and allocated, using the same indices of allocation used in sharing monthly allocations to the States”.

It was a master move designed to divest the federal government from any forms of control of local governments.

A controversial clause in the 1999 Constitution that was exploited to nail political enemies was thoroughly looked at and provisions made to the effect that nobody could deploy it to stop another person the way Nigerians witnessed it in the case of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar but which he fought to a stand still.

“The Conference is of the view that a mere ‘indictment’ for embezzlement or fraud is not enough justification for disqualification from election to the office of the President or the Governor as it is subject to abuse by political opponents. The Conference, therefore, recommends that the words “he has been in-

Yet, it has been and admixture of praise and knocks for the option chosen by the president in his bid to address the constitutional needs of Nigeria.

Constitutional expert and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Professor Itse Sagay, was among the first to fault Jonathan’s option. He described it in an interview with The Nation as “second best and a very weak option”.

His argument was that nothing could possibly take the place of a national conference because what is on the ground now may not be representative enough of the whole nationalities and the ethnic groups in Nigeria.

“The option of setting up a constitution review committee is second best and weak. At the end of the day, it would be referred to the National Assembly for approval and all that. But it would have been better a national conference had been made possible where all ethnic groups would sit and sort out very fundamental issues affecting them”.

He further picked hole in the composition of the committee, arguing that it would have been better had it been an all-lawyers affairs.

According to him, “people who are not trained in law would find it difficult doing justice to the task at hand, considering the importance and enormity of the job they have been saddled with. It will certainly take such people much longer time to move at the same pace with legal practitioners”, he said.

But then he urged the members of the committee to demonstrate the political courage and foresight to do justice to the job they have been saddled with. “We need urgently to put in place two things. These are political and fiscal federalism. Political federalism is the restructuring of the polity by devolving more powers to the states and removing those items of which the Federal Government has been grossly incompetent and doing a very bad job from the exclusive list.

Such things include power generation and distribution, police and railway. These are things that if handled by the state governments will make the system give the best to the people.

“Then the issue of fiscal federalism, states should be allowed to keep the revenue from the resources in their states and pay taxes to the Federal government and another small amount into a ‘pool’ where not so endowed states can draw from; and states should be allowed to keep the proceeds from VAT collected in the states. If these are done the country would be better”, he stated.

But for the former president of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Chief Olisa Agbakoba SAN, even though it may not be “far reaching enough”, he welcomed the idea in so far as it has provided an opportunity for Nigerians to discourse their own affairs that will ensure that all the “contradictory constitutional provisions” are sorted out.

In his words: “Whatever method used is welcomed. For instance, the NBA has its constitution review committee; others may have their own. The important thing is that there is a Nigerian food to be cooked and that the menu on the table is tackling the major dysfunctional problem facing this country which is the lack of true constitution”, he stated.

No time limit

These settled issues include strong recommendations from past Constitutional and Political Reform Conferences; on National Security, Human Rights and Social Security, People’s Charter and Social Obligations; Environment and Natural Resources, Models and Structure of Government, Public Service, Power Sharing, Local Government Reforms and the Economy

,

The worry this time is the fact that the president did not give a deadline for the assignment he had saddled Belgore and his people with. Many people are, therefore, not too comfortable as the job at hand demands speed and efficiency at the same time.

Without a date and a time limit, Nigerians can only pray for and wait patiently for the job that these 21 wise men and women would do in tackling the vexed issue of fashioning an acceptable constitutional framework for Nigeria and Nigerians.

READER’S VIEW

56

H

ISTORY is one fact of life a lot of people would love to rework because it is often so inconvenient, even threatening in its raw form to those who would rather duck the unpleasant parts of their past. So the better to cauterise it, cure it of its inconvenient rough edges, and thus remake it to suit individual interests. Well, it is not just possible to reinvent history for the simple reason that as the communal repository of the past, history is accessible to all and sundry without the intermediation of a gatekeeper. No one can shut out the people from their story; they know it, even intimately, and would eagerly point out—and even readily resist—any attempt to distort it.

Uyo Senatorial District Elders Council That is precisely the point Uyo Senatorial District Elders Council made in an advertorial in a newspaper on November 24 2011—that it is specious to argue, as some party members have done, that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) nomination for the governorship race 2015 in Akwa Ibom State should be reserved for one or the other of the three senatorial districts in the state, since 2015 is the turn of a particular senatorial district. The unstated side of the argument of turntaking is that in the past, other senatorial districts had had to wait for the district that produced the victorious candidate.

In their public position, the elders’ council appealed to history, the impartial arbiter in a dispute of this nature, seeking to stand the argument of exclusive preserve on its head. The elders held that right through the history of Akwa Ibom, since its creation in September 1987, electoral contest for the office of governor has always been an open race in which everyone who was willing and able from all the three senatorial districts of Eket, Uyo and Ikot Ekpene freely participated. No one senatorial district was ever barred, nor was anyone ever preferred in all the races in 1991, 1999, 2003, 2007 and 2011, the elders said.

This intervention seeks to interrogate the electoral history of the state in order to see whether the facts support the position of Uyo Senatorial District Elders Council, or that of the champions of ticket reservation or

M

ANY Americans feel that foreign assistance is like money poured down a rathole. The United States contributes more money every year — spending nearly a third of all global health aid — while tangible results in developing countries can be hard to see.

But the “rathole” argument is dead wrong. Indeed, this World AIDS Day, Dec. 1, provides a perfect opportunity to assess the results of our global health assistance efforts and to recognize the tremendous amount we have accomplished.

Child mortality has decreased to 7.6 million preventable deaths in 2010 from around 12 million in 1990.

That’s nearly 12,000 lives saved every day largely because of improved sanitation and water systems and significant increases in vaccination levels for measles, mumps, rubella, tetanus and whooping cough. We have also made big strides on malaria, decreasing deaths to fewer than 1 million per year. The President’s Malaria Initiative — started by President George W. Bush in 2005 and a key part of President Obama’s Global Health Initiative — and a coordinated strategy of bed nets, indoor anti-mosquito spraying, preventive treatment of pregnant women and rapid testing and treatment is driving the number down even further.

If these data don’t put an end to the rathole argument, then today’s H.I.V. and AIDS numbers should. We have devoted many resources to the fight.

In 2002, a mere 50,000 people all across sub-Saharan Africa were receiving antiretroviral treatment. In

THE NATION, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2011

History and Akwa Ibom 2015 Haniel UKPAUKURE zoning for the party’s mandate in the gubernatorial race.

Akwa Ibom guber race 1991 The first real contest for political party primaries in Akwa Ibom took place during the era of military rule, following pressure for the restoration of democracy. Under the Gen. Ibrahim Babangida military administration, two parties were set up, namely, the National Republican Convention (NRC) and the Social Democratic Party (SDP). The late Obong Akpan Isemin, who hailed from Uyo Senatorial District, was a member of the NRC and sought the endorsement of his party to run for governor.

Sir Sunday U. Akpan, a political leader from Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District, who was also a member of the NRC, equally sought the mandate of his party to run for governor. Both of them were cleared by the party leadership to contest their party primary election. Obong Isemin won the NRC primary election and eventually became governor of the state. Other party members who contested for nomination with Isemin and Akpan were Mfon Amana from Eket Senatorial District and E.W. Ekpontak of Uyo Senatorial District.

The gubernatorial race 1999 The election which Chief Isemin won was part of a nation-wide effort to return the nation to civil rule.

But that effort was not taken to its logical conclusion because the military took power again in December 1993. For the next seven years, Nigeria was ruled by a military junta.

However, democratic rule was restored in 1999 after political parties

had been formed and elections conducted in 1998 and 1999. One of the new political parties, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), became dominant in Akwa Ibom, and many sought political power, including the mandate to be governor, on the platform of the party. In the gubernatorial race for the PDP ticket in 1998, there were contestants from two senatorial districts.

They included Obong (Arc) Victor Attah from Uyo Senatorial District; Mr Benjamin Okoko from Eket Senatorial District; Dr Ime Okopido of Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District; the late Etukudo Ekpro of Uyo Senatorial District; Dr Ekeng Anamdu and Dr David Ekanem, both of Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District. Obong Attah won the party primary election and the governorship election to become the second democratically elected governor of Akwa Ibom State.

Akwa Ibom gubernatorial race 2003 Another election year in Akwa Ibom was 2003. This time, the situation was remarkably different from 1991 and 1999. In 2003, there was an incumbent governor seeking re-election. Governor Obong Attah had ruled for four years and was seeking a fresh mandate of his party, the PDP, to contest the general election.

Due credit must go to the PDP leadership at the time who, in spite of the power of incumbency, deferred to the democratic tradition of the people and opened up the party primary to whoever was willing and able.

Party members who went into the 2003 PDP primary election included incumbent governor, Obong Victor Attah from Uyo Senatorial District; Mr Benjamin Okoko from Eket Sena-

‘

torial District, who later withdrew from the race; Samuel Udonsak and Etim Okpoyo, both of Eket Senatorial District. Obong Attah won both the party primary and the subsequent general election, and went on to rule the state for eight years.

The gubernatorial race 2007 The contest for the office of Governor of Akwa Ibom State in 2007 was similar in its key element to the contests in 1991 and 1999. There was no incumbent who was running for reelection, Obong Attah having come to the end of his maximum eight years.

There was therefore expectedly a large field of ambitious party members at the beginning who aspired to the mandate of the party to run for governor. In the end, three party members went to the primary. They were Obong Nsima Ekere, the current deputy governor of the state, who is from Eket Senatorial District; Mr Larry Esin, who is also from Eket Senatorial District; and Chief Godswill Akpabio, now the incumbent governor, who is from Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District. Chief Godswill Akpabio won the party primary and went on to win the governorship election.

The gubernatorial race 2011 The race for office of governor in Akwa Ibom in 2011 was similar to that of 2003: an incumbent was seeking re-election. And consistent with tradition, the race for the party’s ticket to contest the gubernatorial election was thrown open. Many party members joined the race but three candidates were eventually cleared for the contest. The contestants were the incumbent, Governor Godswill Akpabio from Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District; Mr Frank Okon from Eket Senatorial District and Mr

The proponents of ticket reservation for the governorship primary do not have the support of history.

Their argument is a hard sell. They have offered no reason to persuade anyone on why the party needs to change its winning formula in the race for 2015

,

Foreign aid is not a rathole Ezekiel EMMANUEL 2003, President Bush proposed the creation of Pepfar — the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief — as a five-year, $15-billion program focused on fighting H.I.V. and AIDS and tuberculosis in 15 hard-hit countries, and Congress extended the successful program in 2008.

President Obama has been criticized for committing $6.8 billion to Pepfar in his 2011 budget, which activists say is too little because of inflation and increasing demands for treatment. But over all, United States funding for H.I.V. and AIDS has increased steadily, from $2.3 billion in 2003, to $6 billion in fiscal year 2008, to $6.8 billion in fiscal year 2011.

But money is not — nor should it be — the measure of success. In global health, the measure is not dollars, but diseases prevented and lives saved.

When President Obama was elected in 2008, the United States was directly supporting antiretroviral treatment of 1.7 million people around the world. In unveiling his Global Health Initiative, which urged a broader focus on aid to women and children and which I helped design, Mr. Obama promised to finance treatment of at least four million people by 2014.

Today, United States government aid has almost reached that ambitious goal — nearly three years ahead of schedule. The United States

is putting roughly 50,000 new patients on antiretroviral treatment every month.

The real achievement in the H.I.V. and AIDS arena, the real counter to the rathole argument, is that this has been done more and more efficiently — not wastefully. Today the United States spends around 12 percent

,

Whatever people think of foreign assistance, it is certainly not a rathole. That the developing world remains in need of assistance does not mean that nothing has changed. Our health aid has made the world a much better and healthier place

,

more on fighting H.I.V. than it did in 2008. And yet we are providing antiretroviral treatments to twice as many patients. That is much bigger bang for the buck.

This is possible because we have become more efficient. In 2004, the cost to Pepfar of antiretrovirals, blood tests, monitoring and all the related services averaged nearly $1,100 per patient a year. Today, they cost just $335. And costs are still falling. We have reduced the number of supply chains and strengthened the remaining ones, shifted almost exclusively to generic drugs and streamlined management to reduce the number of middle managers. The next improvement in efficiency will occur by better coordinating with the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, health ministries in host countries and local nongovernmental organizations to reduce waste caused by duplication and miscommunication.

Gains have been made in other areas, too. From 2001 to 2009, the rate of new H.I.V. infections declined by 25 percent. Over 50 percent of all pregnant women living with H.I.V. in low- and middle-income countries received antiretroviral therapy to prevent mother-to-child transmission in 2009, up from just 10 percent in 2004.

The United States government’s efforts in this area are responsible for preventing more than 114,000 mother-to-child infections last year.

Imo Udo from Uyo Senatorial District. Governor Akpabio won the party primary and was re-elected in the general election that followed to lead Akwa Ibom till 2015.

The 2015 race The foregoing review of the electoral history of Akwa Ibom State clearly shows that the Uyo Senatorial District Elders Council are right when they say that the PDP ticket for the governorship race in Akwa Ibom had never been zoned or reserved for any particular senatorial district at any time since the state was created 24 years ago. They are equally right in saying that the contest for the mandate of the party for the gubernatorial race in 2015 should be handled the way it was handled in 1991, 1999, 2003, 2007 and 2011.

In the years cited, the party had allowed all parts of the state to put forward their best candidates. The outcome of opening up the political space was that the PDP had the good fortune of selecting the best and brightest from a large pool of competent members of the party. We would argue that what Akwa Ibom has enjoyed in phenomenal progress since the restoration of democracy resulted basically from how the ruling party in the state selects candidates for election. We would also like to point out that even in the opposition camps in the state, contests for nomination to run for governor have also been open to all senatorial districts of the state.

The proponents of ticket reservation for the governorship primary do not have the support of history. Their argument is a hard sell. They have offered no reason to persuade anyone on why the party needs to change its winning formula in the race for 2015.

If we may extrapolate from George Santayana, the late American philosopher of Spanish descent, those who distort history are bound to fail because the people know what is true of their past.

•Mr. Ukpaukure is a Lagos-based public commentator Around four million orphans and vulnerable children received care through Pepfar in 2010. We know that male circumcision reduces H.I.V. transmission by 60 percent. So since 2007, a million men worldwide have been circumcised; three-fourths of those procedures were paid for by the United States government.

These are huge successes, but much more should be done to prevent the transmission of H.I.V. Around half a million infants are still born infected with H.I.V. each year, so we need to treat far more than half of pregnant mothers. And the one million circumcisions performed since 2007 represent only a small percentage of the men who would benefit from the procedure in the countries with greatest need.

But in many other areas we are making the world healthier. Under President Obama, the United States government has been doing much more to fight maternal mortality, which is largely due to obstructed deliveries, bleeding and postdelivery infections. And it has also increased its efforts to combat socalled neglected tropical diseases — like intestinal worms and elephantiasis — that afflict over one billion of the poorest people worldwide.

Whatever people think of foreign assistance, it is certainly not a rathole.

That the developing world remains in need of assistance does not mean that nothing has changed. Our health aid has made the world a much better and healthier place. And for that we should be proud — and not dismiss it as pouring good money after bad.

•Source: The New York Times

NEWS 57

THE NATION, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2011

Teachers’ salaries: Ajimobi sacks SUBEB officials

G

OVERNOR Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State yesterday ordered the immediate sack of two officials of the state Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) over delay in the payment of teachers’ salaries.

The affected officials are the Director of Finance and Administration (DFA), Elder Joseph Ogunkanmi, and the Finance Officer of Egbeda Local Government Education Authority, Mr. Mustapha Olajide.

The governor announced the sack at a meeting held with officials of the SUBEB, state Teaching Service Commission (TESCOM), the state wing of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) and teachers across the state at the House of Chiefs, Secretariat, Ibadan.

The governor, who called the meeting for the second time within one week, was enraged over the delay in the payment of teachers’ salaries despite the introduction of the e-payment system and his directive that their salaries and those of other civil servants should be paid on or before the 25th of every month.

He was particularly alarmed that some SUBEB officials had been conniving to frustrate the e-payment system, shortchange the teachers and defraud the state.

“Some people are trying to frustrate our e-payment system. We will not take it.

Nobody can be feeding fat on the suffering of others. We will not allow that,’’ the governor said as he ordered that the two officials be relieved of their duty, stating that he was not convinced about their explanations for the non-payment of the teachers’ salaries.

He also lampooned them for manipulating the accounts of some of the teachers, thus denying them access to their salaries.

“Whether by omission or commission, those making things difficult for us will not be allowed in the system. By the grace of God, we will deal with them,’’ the

governor said.

Senator Ajimobi also directed all the schools whose teachers’ salaries were yet to be paid to be reporting at the ICT Centre in the Governor’s Office until all the outstanding salaries were paid, promising that latest by next week, all the affected teachers would have

he would directly supervise the committee.

Immediately the affected staff got out of the venue of the meeting, there were shouts of ‘thief!” at them from the crowd, while the staff openly thanked the governor for putting their plights at the front burner of consideration.

•From left: Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State; Chairman, Governing Council of The Polytechnic, Ibadan, Professor Oladapo Afolabi; and the Acting Rector, Mr. Phillips Adeniran, at the 27th convocation of the institution yesterday PHOTO: NAN

Ogun land panel summons Daniel, others Ogun State Lands Commission of Inquiry (OSLCI) has summoned former Governor Gbenga Daniel to appear before it on Tuesday morning next week.

Also to appear before the commission along with Daniel same day are the Trustees of the Gateway Foundation (where Daniel’s wife, Yeye Olufunke, has

Ernest Nwokolo, Abeokuta interest), and Trustees of the Regeneration Church of God, Sagamu, Ogun State.

The former Governor is expected to appear for questioning in respect of a piece of land on which Abraham’s Terbanacle (Regeneration Church of God) is erected.

The N500m mega church

Ondo Assembly passes N142b re-ordering budget L ESS than one month to the end of 2011 fiscal year, the Ondo State House of Assembly on Thursday evening passed a re-ordering bill seeking to transfer funds totalling 142billion.

The bill was sent by the state government and passed into law during a plenary session.

After a debate last Tuesday, the bill was submitted to the House Committee on Finance and Appropriation for scrutiny.

The lawmaker from the Ondo constituency II, who is also the majority leader, Hon Ifedayo Akinsoyinu, moved the motion for the passage, while his counterpart from the Ondo constituency I, Hon Afolabi Akinsiku, seconded the motion.

The state Assembly has 26 members with 25 Labour Party (LP) members and one Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) member.

Already, some chieftains of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), led by the former Ondo State LP Chairman, Dr. Olaiya Oni, have filed a legal action against the state Governor, Olusegun Mimiko, over the misappropriation of the state funds, particularly on the re-ordering budget.

Oni explained that there was no budget described as a re-ordering budget, adding that the present government was only finding a means of covering its looting spree.

been paid.

He immediately constituted a committee made up of the Commissioners for Education and Finance, Head of Service, ICT and representatives of the TESCOM, SUBEB, ANCOPSS and NUT to probe the matter, saying that

•ACN, rights activist condemn action Damisi OJO and Leke AKEREDOLU, Akure Oni, who presented the reordering budget document to reporters at a press conference in Akure, the state capital, noted that Mimiko was presenting a budget which he had already expended.

He alleged that governor Mimiko had exhausted all resources in the state through the Ministry of Finance, Budget and Economic Planning.

His words “I have never found a word called re-ordering in the Nigerian political dictionary. When I was reading through one of the government-owned newspapers, I saw that the government was calling for the approval of a budget when the year was just a month to come to an end and what the governor is demanding for will take effect from 2012 January.

“Mimiko is a bull in a China shop. Many governors in the federation are already preparing to submit their 2012 appropriation budget to their various House of Assemblies, but here in Ondo State, the governor was demanding for additional money which we all know had already been spent by the government and only looking for cover up.

“Over 12 months, the government should have noted that its required additional funds to complete its ongoing projects. For instance, the Mimiko’s re-ordered 2011 budget needed additional N5billion for the completion of rehabilitation and construction of highways like Oba-Adesida Road, Ondo, Owo, Akoko roads after the House earlier approved over N9billion for 2011 budget for the roads.

“Also, the state-owned television station where Mimiko said he spent millions of naira, the government wants additional N69million. The governor said he spent N50m on the renovation of culture and tourism complex and also demanded for additional N50m for its completion.

An Akure-based Lawyer, Morakinyo Ogele, has described the word “re-ordering budget” as a political fraud, saying the state government was only trying to loot the treasury of the state through the support of the state House of Assembly.

According to him, “the word, re-ordering, has no place in the constitution. It is a pure manifestation of political cabal to rob the whole state violently in order for the government to fund its political associates.”

at the GRA in Sagamu was built by Daniel in honour of his aged father, Pa Abraham Daniel.

The five – man commission headed by Justice Abiodun Akinyemi said: “In the interest of justice and fair hearing, it is important that Daniel appears before the body to give his own side regarding allegations levelled against him over the land where Abraham’s Terbanacle sits upon.”

The summoning was sequel to separate petitions (memoranda) brought before the OSLC by Mr. Dele Dada and Mr. Mufutau Sowole who had given oral evidence before the commission, with each claiming that parts of the land in dispute was allocated to them by the land authority.

They had also testified that they had their separate structures erected on the land, adding that there was no revocation order or acquisition notice served before all their belongings on the said piece of land were pulled down in order to

build the church.

Besides, parts of the allegations against the former Governor are also contained in the petition before the commission which was submitted by the Dipo Dina Movement (DDM) in connection with a parcel of land on which Golf Place Resort Hotel, Abeokuta was built.

The Chairman of the commission, Justice Akinyemi, warned officials of the the Bureau of Lands and Survey (BLS) and others connected with the management of government landed properties against “tampering with vital documents and files.”

He said: “Anybody caught tampering with files and documents risks going to jail.

It is absurd to hear from land officials that relevant documents and files are missing from their agencies.”

He also enjoined all witnesses and petitioners to cooperate with the panel in the interest of Ogun State, assuring that “they are all protected by the law and have nothing to fear.”

PDP chieftain defends group

T

HE Vice-Chairman of the Omoilu Foundation (OF) and a chieftain of the Ogun State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Idris Muniru, has defended the activities of the group and its promoters within the party.

He spoke against the backdrop of media reports credited to a group, known as the Ogun West Youth Assembly, which attacked the founder of the foundation, Prince Buruji Kashamu, for allegedly criticising the activities of the governorship candidate of the PDP in April general elections, Chief Adetunji Olurin.

Idris described the group’s attack on Kashamu as unwarranted and uncalled for.

He said its vitriol came on the heels of similar attacks by Chief Olurin on the group

and its leaders at his November 16 and 25 meetings with some party members.

Idris described the group’s claims as largely untrue, saying: “Contrary to the claims of this faceless group that was nowhere to be found before and during the election, Omoilu led the great battle that culminated in its organising the PDP primary at a huge cost and great risk to the lives of its leaders.”

He added: “Even if the group does exist, it is most likely that it is peopled by the blind and numb skulls who did not know how Chief Olurin was produced as candidate of the PDP. For, when his emergence at the primary seemed unsustainable, Omoilu again took the battle to the court in Abuja which confirmed his ticket. “

MTN to launch reward programme

L

EADING telecommunications company in Nigeria, MTN, is set to roll out the drums to celebrate its high usage customers as it launches the MTN Platinum Plus Club.

According to MTN’s Chief Marketing Officer, Bola Akingbade, MTN Platinum Plus Club is a loyalty programme aimed at rewarding its bigspending customers.

“MTN Platinum Plus Club is the first of its kind in Nigeria’s telecoms space.

The creation of the club is a demonstration of our genuine appreciation of our customers’ support over the years. It is a reward scheme based on all the products and services they use, and not just on voice,” he said.

The event, slated for 6pm today at the Oceanview Gardens, Adetokunbo Ademola Street, Victoria Island, Lagos, will attract captains of industry, top technocrats, high-ranking government officials and other high net worth individuals.

The event promises to be an evening of unrivalled entertainment and excitement with guest appearances from popular Nigerian and international artistes such as Evergreen Musical Band, Sisters with Voices (SWV) and Mid Night Star.

Oyo NIS gets new executive

T

HE Nigerian Institution of Surveyors (NIS), Oyo State branch, has held its 2011 annual dinner/award and swearing-in of the new executive committee members.

In his address, the outgoing chairman, Surveyor A.A Adeleke thanked all members for their unalloyed loyalty and support to the cause of the NIS programme and aspirations that were geared towards edifying their professional image.

He recounted his achievements and those of his members during his tenure.

He appealed to the government to be abreast of the world in surveying and mapping information gathering, so as to have first hand knowledge of not just land use pattern, but the level of negative impactment of human activities on the environment.

In her speech, Hon. Speaker, Oyo State House of Assembly, Hon. Monsurat Aduke Sunmonu, thanked all members or the institution for their achievements and pledged government support for the institution.

Members of the incoming executive committee of the institution were sworn in by the outgoing chairman.

The new members are: Chairman - Oreoluwa Oduwole, Vice ChairmanAderemi Fern; Kobiowu, Secretary- Adernola Saka, Assistant Secretary - M.O Ekundare, Treasurer - A.A Durojaye, Financial Secretary - B.T Olatunji, Internal Auditor - A.S Ojo, Council Representative - K.K Ajibike.

THE NATION, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2011

58

T

NAFDAC boss restates commitment to wage war against fake drugs

HE Director- General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Dr. Paul Orhii, has said that “counterfeiting of regulated products is one of the greatest challenges facing regulatory agencies all over the world.”

He acknowledged that the control and regulation of food and drugs were immense tasks requiring undying commitment.

Dr. Orhii, who stated this in Ibadan, Oyo State over the weekend while receiving the excellence, dedication and patriotism award for steadfastness, diligence and enviable philanthropic service to humanity conferred on him by the National Forum of Heads of Federal Establishments (Oyo State Chapter), also said that the NAFDAC was determined to protect public health by ensuring that only quality regulated products that were safe, efficacious and wholesome were offered for consumption.

Represented on the occasion by the Deputy Director, South West Zone of the Agency, Mrs. Omobola Osibanjo, the NAFDAC boss revealed that on assumption of office, he declared zero-tolerance against fake and other substandard regulated products by initiating a number of regulatory measures to achieve the goal.

According to him, the last three years of his leadership had witnessed massive enlightenment campaign aimed at enlisting the support of the general public and decision makers from all tiers of government, establishment of NAFDAC desks in all local government areas in the country, upgrading of laboratories to international standards in a bid to position the agency as a leader in the region and to further facilitate international and WHO accreditations.

He said because the counterfeiters had become sophisticated in their illicit business, NAFDAC had spearheaded global efforts in the use of cutting-edge technologies, such as the TRUSCAN machine,

mobile authentication service, black eye-infrared technology, radio frequency identification, mini laboratory, e-registration

and data capture system, amongst others, which had earned the agency international acclaim.

Sanusi, Fashola, Adegbite, others for MSSN conference

T

HE Central Bank Governor, Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, and Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State would be special guests at this year’s annual conference of the Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria (MSSN), Lagos State Area Unit.

The event, according to a release signed by the MSSN Amir (President), Alhaji Qazeem Badrudeen, will hold tomorrow at the Adeyemi Bero Hall, Alausa, Ikeja.

The CBN governor, who is the guest speaker, will deliver a paper on ‘Unemployment

Tajudeen ADEBANJO

and Islamic Economic System,’ while Governor Fashola will chair the occasion.

Dr Abdulhakeem Mobolaji of the Department of Economics, University of Ilorin, will also deliver a paper on “Islam: Panacea for Global Financial Crisis.”

Other dignitaries expected on the historic occasion are Secretary-General, Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), Dr Abdullateef Adegbite, Secretary to the Lagos State Government, Mrs Oluremi Adebule, among others.

PUBLIC NOTICE NKWELLE OGIDI COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT UNION OGIDI This is to inform the general public that the above named association has applied for registration at Idemili north council headquarters Ogidi.

Aims and objectives are community development and security of lives and property of Nkwelle Ogid indigenes and environs.

Under listed are the members of its executive: Chief MC Eboh - Chairman CN Onuekwusi -Vice Chairman SO Nwoka - secretary JT Anyadiufu -Treasurer Emma Nwabufu -Fin Second C Okeke -Ass Sec. Signed: MC Eboh Chairman

PUBLIC NOTICE JOURNALISTS FOR GIRLS’ EDUCATION INITIATIVE (JOGEI) The General public is hereby notified that the above named INITIATIVE has applied to the CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION Abuja, for the registration under PART C of the COMPANY and ALLIED MATTERS ACT, NO1 OF 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. Mr. Chom Bagu 2. Mrs. Bukola Olatunji 3. Mr. Cobham Nsa THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE: 1. To provide a platform for engaging the media as partners on girl child education and gender related issues as well as issue informed state ments on official policies as occasion warrants.

2. To provide a forum for journalists to interact with other stakeholders on girl education.

3. To fast track articulated/ wider coverage of girl child education and related issues.

Any objection to this registration should be forwarded to the REGISTRAR GENERAL, Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 420, Tigris crescent, off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, PMB 198, within 28 days of this publication.

Signed Okenna Chris Esq. 08035534732

NEWS

THE NATION, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2011

•From left: Musa Mohammed Sada Finia, Minster of Mines and Steel; Chris Aire; Duncan Mighty and Tuface Idibia

•Rita Dominic

•Genevieve Nnaji

International jeweller, Chris Aire, draws Hollywood, Nollywood stars, others to Abuja … as he unveils boutique

59

•From left: Shaggy; Hollywood Actress, Lynn Whitfield and Chris Aire

•From left: Osaro Onaiwu; Chief Edem Duke, Minster of Tourism and Culture with another guest

Yomi ODUNUGA, Abuja

I

T was nothing but a touch of exquisite class as the internationally acclaimed and Nigerian-born jeweller, Chris Aire Iluobe, , formally unveiled Africa’s first Chris Aire Concept Boutique at the Transcorp-Hilton Hotel, Abuja.

Chris Aire, whose unusual flair for design and uncanny instinct for business has sizzled through the lucrative United States’ entertainment industry, attracted a galaxy of stars including top business personalities, politicians, government functionaries, entertainers, media moguls and celebrities from Nigeria and abroad to the opening programme, tagged “A Night Of Champagne and Diamonds”.

Champagne and choice wines were not in short supply and as usual, Chris Aire’s fine jewelry and timepieces on display stood him out as an iconic figure and a brand for a nation in search of folk heroes.

The atmosphere in the Piano Bar at Transcorp-Hilton changed as the compere, the irrepressible Olisa Odibua, reeled out the names of the distinguished guests that were on hand to honour the ‘Bling man.’ Putting official seal to the star-studded event was the Minister of Culture and Tourism, Chief Edem Duke, and his entourage. Also present was the Special Adviser to the President on Research

and Strategy, Mr. Oronto Douglas. Aire’s longtime friend, Mr. Terry Waya, spoke eloquently about the character, high quality and values that Chris brought into the business, noting that his gradual homecoming started with an exhibition of the collections at his Abuja residence that attracted the crème-de-la-crème in the society.

A-list actors, including the vivacious Genevieve Nnaji, sultry Rita Dominic, effervescent Omoni Oboli and ladies’ man, Chidi Mokeme, represented the Nigerian film industry, Nollywood. Two outstanding Nigerian artistes, Tuface Idibia and Duncan Mighty, were on hand to pop up the champagne as they electrified the crowd when the party moved to the Safari Club with DJ Jimmy Jatt on the wheel of steel.

How could the party for a global fashion icon be complete without the presence of Hollywood? In Chris Aire’s trajectory towards being counted as one of the world’s top jewellers, Hollywood played a significant role.

Guests burst into thunderous applause when Adibua announced the presence of one of America’s top musicians, Shaggy and his crew.

Two Hollywood actresses, Tuchina Arnold and Lynn Whitfield, also flew into Abuja to identify with a man whose Midas touch for churning out amazing collections of diamonds and gemstones never seem to wane. Shaggy threw

•From left: Terry Waya; Chris Aire and Tu Face Idibia the crowd into a frenzy as he treated them to confetti of musical genres cutting across Africa and other lands. Even Chief Edem could not resist the urge to dance. Asked if he was having a good time, he whispered to our correspondent that he was “on a familiar terrain.”

On how he felt about launching a luxury brand in a country where most people still live beneath the poverty line, Aire said: “It is unfortunate that there is still a lot of poverty in the world. And I have been poor and I can tell you that it was no fun. We all strive to get out of poverty. Our brand gained notoriety in the United States of America and although the USA is a great country, it has its shares of rich and poor. And just like we found our audience there and inspired people, I am confident that the same would happen here. It is my greatest dream that the world can come together and find a way of alleviating poverty.”

Undoubtedly, Chris Aire was the man in the mirror at the classic event, he was all humility as he appreciated those who have, over the years, known him for his art and a relationship that is built on trust and mutual friendship.

Shaggy did not leave the stage without inscribing the Chris Aire business module in the hearts of the guests when he declared that

“Chris Aire is one of my best friends and I have known him for over 10 years. He is a man of quality and class and that is why I am here today.” The crowd went into a roar as they, once again, popped more champagne on the night when the Ice Man shone like million stars!

Fondly dubbed “Ice man” by Cedric the entertainer who is a close friend and client, the high-flying Rolling Stone also named Chris Aire as “Mr. Bling” in view of the glitter that his products have brought to Hollywood stars. His trademark is diamonds and his Alist customers include Gary Payton who gave him his first break, Shaquille, Will Smith, Denzel Washington, Halle Berry, Adrian Brody, Muhammad Ali, 50 Cent, Eminem, Madonna, Eve, Jay-Z, Paris Hilton, Lindsay Lohan, Angelina Jolie and Geena Davies.

He designed the diamond-encrusted cross that Denzel wore in the Hollywood blockbuster movie, ‘Training Day’, the diamond dog tags worn by Will Smith in ‘Bad Boys II’ and in Cat Woman; the Traveller wrist watch worn by Halle Berry together with the diamonds in the heist. He is also responsible for the jewellery worn by numerous celebrities at the Oscars, MTV Awards, Billboard and BET Awards.

THE NATION SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2011

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EQUITIES NIGERIAN STOCK EXCHANGE DAILY SUMMARY AS AT 2-12-11 2ND-TIER SECURITIES Company Name CAPITAL OIL PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 4 4

Quotation(N) 0.50

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 17,398 8,699.00 17,398 8,699.00

AGRICULTURE/AGRO-ALLIED Company Name LIVESTOCK FEEDS PLC PRESCO PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 4 2 6

Quotation(N) 0.50 7.74

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 3,117,181 1,558,590.50 110,000 848,100.00 3,227,181 2,406,690.50

Quotation(N) 1.99 4.96

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 41,520 83,717.80 124,035 617,029.16 165,555 700,746.96

Quotation(N) 0.50 1.10

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 93,428 46,714.00 32,787 37,547.18 126,215 84,261.18

Quotation(N) 4.70 2.90 2.00 3.78 1.30 9.01 14.20 7.54 4.36 1.13 2.50 0.54 0.57 11.45

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 985,073 4,685,564.58 7,630,061 21,446,189.05 460,465 908,688.32 1,554,059 5,874,743.02 5,764,002 7,468,945.97 9,290,403 83,776,191.90 20,039,292 284,678,043.07 1,711,307 12,551,057.15 4,690,973 20,244,203.64 616,766 703,496.84 7,340,294 18,331,390.08 1,357,918 746,301.66 1,683,493 949,742.15 15,471,820 177,544,306.79 78,595,926 639,908,864.22

Quotation(N) 205.01 5.70 92.00 1.01

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 2,756,351 564,372,126.42 400 2,168.00 1,688,663 155,158,899.34 10,200 10,302.00 4,455,614 719,543,495.76

AIR SERVICES Company Name AIRLINE SERVICES AND LOGISTICS PLC NIGERIAN AVIATION HANDLING COMPANY PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 6 24 30

AUTOMOBILE & TYRE Company Name DN TYRE & RUBBER PLC R. T. BRISCOE (NIGERIA) PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 3 5 8 BANKING

Company Name ACCESS BANK PLC DIAMOND BANK PLC ECOBANK NIGERIA PLC FIRST CITY MONUMENT BANK PLC FIDELITY BANK PLC FIRST BANK OF NIGERIA PLC GTBANK PLC STANBIC IBTC BANK PLC SKYE BANK PLC. STERLING BANK PLC UNITED BANK FOR AFRICA PLC. UNITYBANK PLC WEMA BANK PLC ZENITH BANK PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 73 70 18 42 66 385 392 49 114 16 179 19 28 197 1,648 BREWERIES

Company Name GUINNESS NIGERIA PLC INTERNATIONAL BREWERIES PLC NIGERIAN BREWERIES PLC PREMIER BREWERIES PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 63 3 115 1 182

BUILDING MATERIALS Company Name ASHAKA CEMENT PLC CEMENT CO. OF NORTHERN NIGERIA PLC DANGOTE CEMENT PLC NIGERIAN ROPES PLC. LAFARGE WAPCO PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 29 13 26 1 24 93

Quotation(N) 13.60 4.79 105.10 8.26 38.50

Quantity Traded Value 151,925 33,500 154,219 1,193 840,033 1,180,870

of Shares (N) 2,062,835.65 158,358.00 16,214,116.85 9,365.05 32,352,086.30 50,796,761.85

Quotation(N) 8.52 16.12 9.04 0.53 10.93

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 35,171 284,986.81 6,034 97,758.08 5,336 45,836.24 1,130,000 595,900.00 32,280 335,389.20 1,208,821 1,359,870.33

CHEMICAL & PAINTS Company Name BERGER PAINTS NIGERIA PLC CHEMICAL AND ALLIED PRODUCTS PLC NIGERIAN-GERMAN CHEMICALS PLC PAINTS AND COATINGS MANUFACTURES PLC PREMIER PAINTS PLC. Sector Totals

No of Deals 7 5 1 5 2 20

COMMERCIAL/SERVICES Company Name COURTEVILLE BUSINESS SOLUTIONS PLC RED STAR EXPRESS PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 1 7 8

Quotation(N) 0.50 2.18

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 22,500 11,250.00 312,000 680,160.00 334,500 691,410.00

COMPUTER & OFFICE EQUIPMENT Company Name NCR (NIGERIA) PLC. OMATEK VENTURES PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 1 1 2

Quotation(N) 9.31 0.50

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 100 977.00 19,000 9,500.00 19,100 10,477.00

Quotation(N) 1.64 6.43 5.89 29.05 5.81 0.57 29.15 26.00

Quantity Traded Value 97,546 1,638 15,160 282,694 4,837 2,713,392 1,808,846 247,870 5,171,983

Quotation(N) 38.43 0.50

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 72,460 2,690,900.00 19,000 9,500.00 91,460 2,700,400.00

CONGLOMERATES Company Name A. G. LEVENTIS (NIGERIA) PLC CHELLARAMS PLC JOHN HOLT PLC PZ CUSSONS NIGERIA PLC SCOA NIGERIA PLC TRANSNATIONAL CORPORATION OF NIGERIA PLC UAC OF NIGERIA PLC UNILEVER NIGERIA PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 2 1 2 26 1 31 59 52 174

of Shares (N) 159,975.44 10,008.18 84,896.00 8,200,757.20 26,700.24 1,494,221.68 53,499,602.21 6,594,657.88 70,070,818.83

CONSTRUCTION Company Name JULIUS BERGER NIGERIA PLC MULTIVERSE PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 15 1 16

FCMB, Stanbic IBTC arrange N37bn for acquisition •IHS to raise N32bn for expansion

F

IRST City Monument Bank (FCMB) Plc and Stanbic IBTC Bank Plc have arranged a N37 billion facility to enable First Hydrocarbon Nigeria (FHN) Limited finance its acquisition of 45 per cent interest in the Oil Mining Lease 26 (OML 26) from the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria (SPDC) Joint Venture.

FCMB participated in the $230 million acquisition and development facility through its subsidiaryFCMB Capital Markets Limited. The facility would also meet the subsequent capital expenditure required to develop the block.

On the heels of the conclusion of the FHN financing deal, IHS Nigeria Plc- a telecommunication infrastructure provider quoted on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) yesterday said it planned to raise about N32 billion or $200 million from the capital market to finance its expansion across the African continent within the next one year.

IHS also said it was considering a secondary listing on an overseas stock exchange in addition to its current listing on the NSE. IHS has appointed Citibank to raise the extra equity it needs to expand its operation beyond Nigeria.

Earlier, Ecobank Transnational Incorporated (ETI) Plc had two days ago obtained a $285 million loan from South Africa’s Nedbank

By Taofik Salako and Tonia Osundolire

to support ETI’s acquisition of Oceanic Bank International Plc and consolidate its footprint on the continent.

Nedbank would be able to convert the loan into 20 per cent equity in Ecobank within the next three years, which will deepen an ongoing strategic relationship between two lenders.

The FCMB-Stanbic IBTC transaction marked a first for the Nigerian financing market – the first onshore Niger Delta Acquisition completed and financed wholly by Nigerian financial institutions, and the first uniquely structured Reserve Based Lending transaction executed in the banking sector.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Group Managing Director of FCMB Plc, Ladi Balogun said the bank was pleased to have been able to play a leading role along with Stanbic IBTC Bank and Standard Bank in realisation of FHN’s inaugural asset acquisition.

According to him, as the Nigerian oil industry goes through its reforms and transformation, it is critical that local players such as FHN can count on local banks with the requisite technical and financial capacity to support their aspirations.

FCMB and Stanbic IBTC Bank acted as the Joint Mandated Lead Arrangers, Bookrunners and Technical

NIGERIAN STOCK EXCHANGE DAILY SUMMARY AS AT 2-12-11 REGENCY ALLIANCE INSURANCE COMPANY PLC STACO INSURANCE PLC STANDARD ALLIANCE INSURANCE PLC UNITY KAPITAL ASSURANCE PLC UNIVERSAL INSURANCE COMPANY PLC INTERCONTINENTAL WAPIC INSURANCE PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 12 26 57 79 25 19 9 55 1 1 284

Quotation(N) 48.00 11.11 5.10 4.40 64.00 2.85 4.00 400.00 0.50 0.50

No of Deals 1 8 16 3 1 2 1 32

of Shares (N) 2,072,787.24 1,672,785.11 3,185,839.35 5,729,875.42 2,857,279.50 2,695,431.32 320,340.00 57,170,834.15 4,500.00 17,427.50 75,727,099.59

Quotation(N) 0.73 1.09 24.17 1.90 9.05 1.18 3.50

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 5,000 3,650.00 313,750 342,810.28 171,409 4,143,038.53 12,601 23,073.90 25,000 215,000.00 218,050 257,299.00 40,000 140,000.00 785,810 5,124,871.71

Quotation(N) 2.64

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 4,200 10,542.00 4,200 10,542.00

HOTEL & TOURISM Company Name IKEJA HOTEL PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 3 3

No of Deals 4 4

Company Name JAPAUL OIL & MARITIME SERVICES PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 56 56

No of Deals 1 4 1 10 1 17

Quotation(N) 11.15 6.80 36.19 5.03 2.88

No of Deals 3 3

Quotation(N) 0.50

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 70,000 35,000.00 70,000 35,000.00

INSURANCE Company Name AIICO INSURANCE PLC. CONTINENTAL REINSURANCE PLC CUSTODIAN AND ALLIED INSURANCE PLC GOLDLINK INSURANCE PLC GUARANTY TRUST ASSURANCE PLC CONSOLIDATED HALLMARK INSURANCE PLC LASACO ASSURANCE PLC. LAW UNION AND ROCK INSURANCE PLC. LINKAGE ASSURANCE PLC MUTUAL BENEFITS ASSURANCE PLC N.E.M. INSURANCE CO. (NIG.) PLC. NIGER INSURANCE CO. PLC. PRESTIGE ASSURANCE PLC.

No of Deals 26 27 8 4 7 1 3 13 1 31 8 1 3

Quotation(N) 0.52 0.95 2.21 0.53 1.50 0.50 0.50 0.58 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.98

1,500.00 12,045.00 15,000.00 628,436.50 41,250.00 266,662.00 26,337,867.67

Quotation(N) 0.77

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 31,416 23,247.84 31,416 23,247.84

Quotation(N) 0.64

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 1,431,781 925,403.64 1,431,781 925,403.64

No of Deals 2 1 3

Quotation(N) 0.50 0.94

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 87,694 43,847.00 50,000 47,000.00 137,694 90,847.00

Quotation(N) 5.94 1.78 12.71

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 2,181 12,322.65 1,123,185 1,947,995.25 1,000 12,080.00 1,126,366 1,972,397.90

PACKAGING Company Name AVON CROWNCAPS & CONTAINERS PLC. NIGERIAN BAG MANUFACTURING COMPANY PLC BETA GLASS CO. PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 1 62 1 64

PETROLEUM(MARKETING) Company Name MRS OIL NIGERIA PLC CONOIL PLC ETERNA OIL & GAS PLC. FORTE OIL PLC MOBIL OIL NIGERIA PLC. OANDO PLC TOTAL NIGERIA PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 1 10 18 19 12 158 7 225

Quotation(N) 63.86 33.25 3.29 15.00 133.95 26.00 200.00

Quantity Traded Value 505 502,196 290,698 41,085 206,786 1,567,979 4,200 2,613,449

of Shares (N) 32,239.20 16,706,334.25 956,816.42 597,229.39 27,700,386.80 40,770,217.86 820,167.60 87,583,391.52

PRINTING & PUBLISHING Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 14,090 149,354.00 59,568 403,832.28 7,680 264,115.20 68,544 330,889.20 9,984 28,753.92 159,866 1,176,944.60

INFORMATION & COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY Company Name STARCOMMS PLC Sector Totals

3,000 24,090 30,000 1,256,873 82,500 533,324 33,865,009

OTHER FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS Company Name CRUSADER NIGERIA PLC. NPF MICROFINANCE BANK PLC Sector Totals

INDUSTRIAL/DOMESTIC PRODUCTS Company Name ALUMINIUM EXTRUSION INDUSTRIES PLC B. O. C. GASES NIGERIA PLC NIGERIAN ENAMELWARE PLC VITAFOAM NIGERIA PLC VONO PRODUCTS PLC Sector Totals

0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50

MARITIME Quantity Traded Value 43,907 154,633 626,281 1,284,623 45,369 957,692 81,000 142,931 9,000 34,855 3,380,291

HEALTHCARE Company Name EVANS MEDICALPLC. FIDSON HEALTHCARE PLC GLAXOSMITHKLINE CONSUMER NIG. PLC MAY & BAKER NIGERIA PLC. MORISON INDUSTRIES PLC. NEIMETH INTERNATIONAL PHARMACEUTICALS PLC PHARMA-DEKO PLC Sector Totals

1 1 5 1 2 11 154 LEASING

Company Name C&I LEASING PLC Sector Totals

FOOD/BEVERAGES & TOBACCO Company Name 7-UP BOTTLING CO. PLC CADBURY NIGERIA PLC DANGOTE FLOUR MILLS PLC DANGOTE SUGAR REFINERY PLC FLOUR MILLS NIGERIA PLC HONEYWELL FLOUR MILL PLC NATIONAL SALT COMPANY NIGERIA PLC NESTLE NIGERIA PLC TANTALIZERS PLC UTC NIGERIA PLC Sector Totals

Banks to the deal. FHN is 45 per cent owned by Afren Nigeria Holdings (Nigeria)- a wholly owned subsidiary of Afren Plc, and 55 per cent owned by Nigerian institutions and individual investors.

Meanwhile, the benchmark index at the NSE, the All Share Index (ASI) further dropped by 0.02 per cent to close at 19,963.37 points as against opening index of 19,967.84 points. Also, market capitalization of all equities slipped to N6.282 trillion as against opening value of N6.284 trillion.

The downtrend was orchestrated by losses recorded by some leading stocks including Zenith Bank, Lafarge Cement Wapco Nigeria, United Bank for Africa, Mobil Oil Nigeria and Stanbic IBTC Bank.

With this decline, the yearto-date return now stands at a negative 19.41 per cent.

Mobil Oil Nigeria topped the losers’ list with a loss of N7.05 to close at N141. Conoil followed with a loss of N1.75 to close at N33.25.

GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Nigeria lost N1.27 to close at N24.17 while Lafarge Cement Wapco dropped by 50 kobo to N38.50 per share.

On the positive side, Guinness Nigeria topped the gainers’ list with a gain of N2.61 to close at N205.01.

Nigerian Breweries followed with a gain of 56 kobo to close at N92 while ETI added 35 kobo to close at N10.65 per share.

Quantity Traded Value 5,356,839 12,204,390 507,422 810,000 3,091,150 2,000 194,222 4,173,200 10,000 4,704,663 212,336 19,000 650,000

of Shares (N) 2,789,278.35 10,777,163.20 1,121,125.12 429,300.00 4,636,905.00 1,000.00 97,111.00 2,419,092.00 5,000.00 2,352,331.50 106,168.00 9,500.00 629,000.00

Company Name ACADEMY PRESS PLC. LEARN AFRICA PLC UNIVERSITY PRESS PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 1 1 14 16

Quotation(N) 2.24 3.80 3.70

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 1,500 3,300.00 8,000 30,400.00 121,555 432,393.22 131,055 466,093.22

Quotation(N) 12.30

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 76,494 921,324.60 76,494 921,324.60

REAL ESTATE Company Name UACN PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT CO. PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 13 13

REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUST Company Name SKYE SHELTER FUND Sector Totals

No of Deals 1 1

Quotation(N) 100.00

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 15 1,500.00 15 1,500.00

ROAD TRANSPORTATION Company Name ASSOCIATED BUS COMPANY PLC Sector Totals

No of Deals 2 2

Quotation(N) 0.50

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 472,882 236,441.00 472,882 236,441.00

THE FOREIGN LISTINGS Company Name ECOBANK TRANSNATIONAL INCORPORATED Sector Totals Overall Totals

No of Deals 119 119

Quotation(N) 10.65

Quantity Traded Value of Shares (N) 7,193,600 74,971,617.31 7,193,600 74,971,617.31

3,187

146,074,551

1,763,887,085.23

THE NATION, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2011

PUBLIC NOTICE

RE-BETWEEN WAZIRI’S SACK AND POLITICAL CRISIS IN BAYELSA WE HAVE BEEN VINDICATED uring the week, in one of my epistles on the lingering crisis in Bayelsa State, I had spoken about how pressure was mounted on the former chairman of the EFCC, Mrs Farida Waziri to arrest and detain all of us who are seen to be unrepentant loyalists of Chief Timipre Sylva, as a way of preparing grounds for the eventual arrest of the governor himself. The calculation was that the Supreme Court would rule against the governors and order them out of office. So, by their calculation, Sylva was supposed to be out.

D

But Waziri had refused to co-tow and that action angered the ruling PDP. That was how they had to move for her sudden sack, for being stubborn and refusing to manufacture evidence against Sylva and his loyalists.

I had also written that the new game plan is that the next regime in the EFCC should be able to carry out the agenda and ensure that there is a mass arrest in Bayelsa State, even before charges are prepared.

This much has been confirmed by the online newspaper, Pointblank News. The publication is simply a confirmation of what we had been told earlier. In the publication, the publishers reported that “the PDP wanted Sylva and his men probed and scandalized …President Jonathan was under intense pressure to use the EFCC against Sylva’s commissioners and aides, including Attorney General, George Ikoli…During the(PDP governorship primary) screening by the Biodun Olujimi panel, Pointblanknews.com <http:// Pointblanknews.com> gathered that operatives of the EFCC stormed Yenagoa to sniff around. The plot was to pick Sylva’s men up, whisk them to Abuja, hang some charges around their necks, lock them up before the primaries, and make the Bayelsa Governor look really bad. But, it was learnt that Waziri was reluctant because the time was short to do the job.

“The EFCC was expected to bring down Silva’s men before the primary but she could not do it within that period of time, considering the fact they did not want to lock up people before putting together charges. The strategy was to use EFCC to unsettle Silva’s camp. Don’t forget Silva had the structure and machinery, so if all his men had been picked up it would have distracted him,” a source told pointblanknews.com.

When it became obvious the EFCC was not eager, the decision was made to fire her. It was learnt that top PDP shots tagged the behavior of Waziri as “insubordination” The decision was hurriedly packaged by Jonathan’s kitchen cabinet before he took his trip.”

I have always said that there is a group whose major headache is how to thoroughly embarrass Sylva and create the impression before his people that he is a bad leader who has not given the dividends of democracy to his people. That was why they organized some hoodlums to be stone him in the presence of the president in Yenagoa, so that the world would have the impression that the man is not popular even in his home.

What is more painful is that the architects of these gangsterism are people who held positions of authority in Bayelsa State before now. I do not have any problems with the EFCC coming to Bayelsa to probe what has been done, but the probe must begin from the beginning. That way, we would be able to know what happened to the funds that were left behind by the D.S.P. Alamieyeseigha government, what happened to the contracts for virtually all the agricultural projects under the ministry of agriculture, what happened to the contracts for the state turbine under the ministry of energy and all that. Incidentally the two ministries were overseen by one of the men who has now moved to the new camp to join in antagonizing Sylva.

I will take time later to address what happened in those ministries and other parastatals, so that as people are told about the alleged failures of Sylva, the principal actors would also have been known. Nigerians are entitled to the truth. They will get to know the characters masquerading as agents of the so-called change in Bayelsa State, the people who worked for the excellent failure of the government under Sylva so that they can have reason to hang him and make him political useless It is well with Bayelsa State.

Chief Perekeme Richard Kpodoh

61

THE NATION SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2011

62

SPORT EXTRA

I'll decide on Fulham in January—Etuhu

Laloko faults NFF’s technical P committee A EPSI Football Academy p r o p r i e t o r , Kashimawo Laloko has rubbished the composition of the technical committee of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).

The former technical director of the country's football governing body pointed out that the appointment of the NFF technical committee members is based on "benevolence."

"The technical committee is

NFF shows support for Ojebode

supposed to be made up of men with experience in technical matters," he began in an interview with a radio station, Brila FM on Thursday.

He continued:"Yes Christian Chukwu and Austin Okocha played football and have knowledge of the game. But can they draw up and implement technical programmes?

Most of them on that committee are there based on benevolence. Even the man who heads the committee I

know. All I know he has done in football is managing Sharks in the past. "(Adegboye) Onigbinde should have been made the chairman of that committee because he is qualified. But they insist on picking a board member as chairman."

Laloko, however, pointed out that the NFF needs a technical director and named coaches capable of occupying the office.

He believes Onigbinde

should be given "a two-year contract" to work as the technical director, adding that Amodu Shuaibu, Bitrus Bewarang and Ben Duamlong are also qualified for same role.

Laloko proffered that the NFF needs to embrace a road map to revive football in the country through development from the grassroots.

The football academy buff also questioned the GlassHouse on how it uses the annual $250,000 for development of the game from the world soccer governing body, FIFA.

P

RESIDENT of the Nigeria Football Federation, Alhaji Aminu Maigari has sent a ‘get well quick’ message to a former Captain of the Senior National Team, Mr. Sam Ojebode who is ill and being hospitalised in Ibadan.

Hard-as-Nails and diligent defender, Ojebode starred for Shooting Stars FC of Ibadan for several years and also captained the Ibadan darling team, aside playing for Nigeria at the 1976 African Cup of Nations in Ethiopia.

Ojebode was deputy skipper of the squad in Ethiopia but captained on some occasions whenever substantive skipper Christian Chukwu was not on the field.

The former star player has been diagnosed of Congested Cardiac Failure and has undergone several tests and surgery at the University College Hospital, Ibadan.

Two weeks ago, Maigari dispatched NFF chief media officer, Ademola Olajire to Ibadan to ascertain the exact situation of the former defender.

The family of the famous left wing back, through Mrs Ojebode, has already expressed appreciation to the NFF for its gesture.

Q

West Bromwich Albion's unsettled striker, Osaze Odemwingie and could launch a surprise January bid.

Reports on Friday stated Osaze, 30, is a top target for QPR's boss Neil Warnock, who believes he can exploit the fact Odemwingie has had a recent fall-out with Baggies boss, Roy Hodgson and has hinted he could move on from the Hawthorns.

Odemwingie, who scored 15 Premier League goals last term, only signed a new £40,000 three-year contract at West Brom in August, but has been hit with poor form and injury this season and has managed just two goals so far.

He was involved in a row with Hodgson last week after he posted a picture on Twitter to show his knee injury after its extent had been questioned by the Albion boss, and rumours persist he is looking to move on.

QPR will hand Warnock money to spend in the New

ing to be involved. I feel I’ve done well. I was pleased with the way I played against Sunderland and in the Arsenal game as well.

"But there’s no battle on. The manager picks the team and I expect Stevie [Sidwell] to come straight back in. have gone most of the season not playing. It’s nothing personal against Siddy – he’s a great player and a good friend of mine.

He added: "But at the end of the day I’ve not got been given a chance. I’ve only got that because he’s been injured. I’ve been here four years and played under every manager. It’s a strange season for me and come January we’ll look at that."

Etuhu who joined Fulham on August 29, 2008 has made 89 appearances and has scored 6 goals in all competitions, picking up just nine yellow cards in the process. So far during the 2010-11 season, he has made 27 appearances and has scored 3 goals in total for Fulham. Etuhu has also netted two goals in 24 Barclays Premier League outings.

AFRICA JUNIOR SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIP

Rivers commissioner rues Nigeria's poor outing

T •Sir Molade Okoya Thomas,sponsor of 43rd Asoju Oba Table Tennis Championship (r) presenting a new trophy to the Barr. Waheed Oshodi, Commissioner for sports Lagos state and Mrs Tayo Orewene of the National Sport Commission liasson office, at the 43rd Asoju Oba Table Tennis Championship held in Lagos yesterday .

PHOTO: John Ebhota

43rd Asoju Oba Cup serves off Dec 5 T HE 43rd edition of the annual Asoju Oba Table Tennis Championship serves off at the Sir Molade Okoya-Thomas Sports Hall of the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos on December 5, 2011.

The preliminaries will be held from 5th to 8th Decem-

QPR eyes Odemwingie deal in January UEENS Park Rangers (QPR) are reportedly keen on

FTER months of bench role in the Fulham squad, Nigerian midfielder Dickson Etuhu has revealed that by January he will make his intention known whether to stay at Craven Cottage or seek greener pasture.

Etuhu has lost favour in Coach Martin Jol starting eleven but respite came when Steve Sidwell was sidelined due to hernia operation.

The Nigerian midfielder has been excellent since replacing injured Sidwell in midfield.

Etuhu excelled in the holding role against his former club Sunderland and was outstanding in the 1-1 draw at Arsenal last weekend.

Etuhu's impact in Fulham campaign in the Europa Cup on Thursday night could not help the club to advance as they crash to FC Twente.

But Etuhu sees no future for him in Fulham soon as Sidwell recovers from his hernia operation.

"It’s nice to be playing again. It feels great to wake up in the morning knowing that I’m go-

Year to improve his squad and Odemwingie, valued at over £6million by West Brom, has emerged as a target alongside Spurs striker Jermain Defoe, as Rangers look for a proven Premier League striker to fire the goals that will lead them to safety.

Meanwhile, Gareth McAuley has backed fitagain Odemwingie as the man to lift the Albion gloom left by Zoltan Gera’s season-ending injury.

The Baggies head for QPR today without Gera after the Hawthorns hero was ruled out for six-nine months with a ruptured cruciate ligament.

But with last season’s star striker Odemwingie fit again and hoping to replace Gera, defender McAuley is backing Roy Hodgson’s men to cope without the Hungary star.

“We’ve got Zolly missing, which is going to be a big blow for us because he was playing fantastically and getting into the swing of things after his previous injury,” admitted McAuley.

By Akeem Lawal ber, while the final is scheduled to hold on the 9th of December at the same venue.

A total of seventeen titles will be at stake with competitions in three categories- Junior, Intermediate and Senior.

There is also competition for coaches, veterans, administrators and journalists.

In his speech at the press conference heralding the tournament in Lagos, the sponsor, Sir (Dr.) Molade Okoya-Thomas assures that he will continue to contribute to the development of the sport in the country.

“I confirm that I consider it my responsibility to play my part in the development of sports in Nigeria. I am staging once more the annual Asoju Oba Cup Championship.

“Permit me to remind you all that my sponsorship of this competition has no political objective. When I hear of players that have passed through the Asoju Oba Championship and become stars, coaches and administrators of sports, I feel motivated to do more. By God’s grace, I will not be tired of staging the annual fiesta for as long as God permits.

In his address, Lagos State Sports Commissioner, Barrister Wahid Enitan Oshodi commended the sponsor, Sir (Dr.) Molade Okoya-Thomas for his contributions towards the development of not only table tennis in the country, but sports generally.

“We will always be grateful for your contributions to

the development of sports generally not only in Lagos State, but in the country generally. The Asoju Oba Cup has produced players that are represented and are still representing the country at international levels and we can not but appreciate your commitment.”

HE Rivers state commissioner for sports, Barrister Fred Mbombo Igwe has lamented outing of Team Nigeria in the on going Africa Junior Swimming Championship taking place in Port Harcourt, Nigeria.

Its second day into the four-day Swimming tournament and South Africa has continued to dominate the medals table with Nigeria having nothing to show as hosts.

South Africa has recorded a total of ten gold medals, leaving a whooping gap between them and second placed Zimbabwe who has two gold medals.

Not only has the Nigerian contingent performed poorly, but the team does not even have proper swimming equipments that would give them the confi-

From Florence Nkem Israel, Port Harcourt dence to compete with the others.

Igwe remarked that there is a need to go back to the drawing table and strategize on how to develop our sports in Nigeria.

"The main thing is to discover them wherever they are, nuture them very well before we put them out for competitions, otherwise, we will continue to fall in the face of other athletes in international competitions like this.

"We also need to look at how equipped the other teams are, look at what is happening here, we don't even have swimming goggles, we don't have swimming caps and a whole lot of other things - it should be a total overhaul".

God of soccer

• Continued from back page

and Italy, etc. The Fatai Ateres, Victor Igbinobas, Jonathan Akpbories, Nduka Ugbades and Lucky Agbonsevbafes, partook in YSFON’s credible football tournaments. Indeed, the winners of Kwara ’85 National Sports Festival’s Intermediate category, led by Bendel State’s Sebastian Broderick-Imasuen, with a sprinkling of other YSFON boys not in the Bendel State team, clinched the Kodak U-17 Cup in China for Nigeria. The bottom line in the squad rested with the fact that the boys had at one time played for youth clubs in competitions held in Europe. Since YSFON became moribund, it has been difficult to get the boys to get the required experience.

YSFON’s exploits encouraged other state chapters to emerge, but sadly these new blocks were corrupted, largely because there was no central regulatory body to weed out the bad eggs.

This missing link is what the NSC will provide, if it can rally the education and youth sectors to develop this initiative. Did somebody ask what would happen to the Goodluck Jonathan initiative led by Segun Odegbami? It won’t last beyond President Jonathan’s tenure.

It has no structure around the states. Will Shuaib Amodu surrender what he is doing for an initiative anchored by Odegbami after what transpired with the Presidential Task Force?

Besides, going the YSFON resurrection is the best. It would be easier to rally those who worked with the old system than this utopian idea anchored by Odegbami. Can someone ask Odegbami what will happen to other ventures, such as the Shell Cup and the Wasimi College project? Make we siddon look. I digress!

Essentially, we must have a template for the products of this project, hence the need to train the coaches who would teach them the game’s basics. These trainers must be re-trained regularly, with a central pattern of play that would be adopted by all the national teams and coaches.

We need to review the parameters used in recruiting national team coaches. We ignore achievers. We recruit ex-internationals without pre-requisite training, forgetting that they would be competing against better equipped coaches in other countries.

Ex-internationals know how the game is played, yet they still need to undergo further training in coaching to know how to manage men and be taught how to apply the rules in the course of the game.

An ex-international who last played the game in 1990, certainly, has lost grasp of the modern trends since most sports are dynamic. New rules and systems are being introduced to all the sports, hence the need for us to either recruit a foreign coach to re-train our coaches or take the good ones based on recent performance to Europe for refresher courses regularly.

If the NFF insists on hiring a Nigerian coach for Super Eagles, Mike Emenalo could be the option.

THE NATION SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2011

63

SPORT EXTRA

Nigeria out of Olympics despite 4-1 win N

IGERIA whipped Algeria 4-1 in the ongoing CAF Under – 23 Championships in Morrocco, being used as the 2012 London Olympics but still failed to make it to the semi final.

The Augustine Eguavoenled team fell behind earlier on but were put back in the game when Oluwole RahmanLawal slotted in a free kick from outside the penalty box in the 47th minute.

The Algerians did have their chances to make good

By OlusojiOlukayode

but wasted series of opportunities, and while they failed to convert theirs the West Africans did as the Dream Team went ahead for the first time in the game in the 74th minute and it was Lawal again that hit the back of the net to make it 2-1.

It would be Lawal’s day on a night his side won nothing but restored pride as the player scored again in the 83

rd minute. He beat the offside and with a powerful run into the Algerian defence, shoved off a defender before slotting into the net of the Algerian side reduced to 10 men after their skipper got the marching order. Daniel Uchechi completed the rout in the 86th minute when he sent the ball over the Algerian goalie via a through pass from Lawal from outside the area.

Suleiman resigns as Minister of Sports • To pursue gubernatorial ambition

T

HE Minister of Sports, Suleiman Yusuf has tendered his resignation letter to President Goodluck Jonathan to pursue his gubernatorial ambition to contest in his home state, Sokoto.

Suleiman, who also had a brief stint as Chairman of the National Sports Commission,(NSC) was commended by the Presidency for his selflessness while wishing him well in the pursuit of his political ambition.

It could be recalled that Sulaiman took over from Pro-

fessor Taoheed Adedoja. He once served as Nigeria’s Minister of Transport after President Goodluck Jonathan announced his new cabinet in 2010.

Sulaiman was born in Sokoto January 30, 1963. He obtained B.Sc Degree in Business Administration from Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria in 1986 and MBA from ABU in 1989. He joined the civil service, where he worked in various positions. Before being appointed Minister he was Chairman of the Governing Council of the National Teachers' Institute, Kaduna.

•Eguavoen

Tomorrow in THE NATION PUNCHLINE

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2011 TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM VOL.7, NO. 1963

Ikemba's effort to deconstruct Nigeria's political structure forty-five years ago is still valid today.

What may be obsolete is the insistence that Nigeria's restructuring —Ropo Sekoni

A

S guest speaker at the national con vention of the De Norsemen KCLUB International, which held in Lagos on Saturday, November 12, 2011, the radical trade unionist and activist, Comrade Abiodun Aremu, was unsparing in his scathing critique of the Nigerian condition.

Speaking on the theme, ‘51years of Nationhood: The challenge for Nigeria’, it is difficult to fault Comrade Aremu’s trenchant conclusion that “Nigeria at 51 represents the biggest setback for the black race. As the most populous black country on earth and with its abundant human and material resources, it is a sad story that what Nigeria can showcase are political instability, poverty, high scale corrupt atrocities, governments imposed through electoral fraud, life expectancy at 47, collapse of infrastructure, education and health in ruins, subservience to foreign dictates etc.

It would require a revolutionary overthrow of the present order to redeem Nigeria.”

While I agreed largely with Comrade Aremu’s rigorous analysis of the country’s problems, I differed with him slightly on the suggested solution. Rather than romantic revolutionary fantasizing, I argued that credible, competent and honest Nigerians must engage with the present system. They must seek to participate in government at all levels and begin to show the example of the change we so badly need.

The revolution we desire must begin with each one of us. As one political philosopher rightly observed ‘The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for good people to do nothing’. I cited the example of Comrade Adams Oshiomhole who has transited from labour activism to steering the ship of governance in Edo State with passion, diligence and competence.

I was thus quite delighted to read Comrade Aremu, on behalf of the NLC, recently paying glowing tribute to Oshiomhole’s outstanding performance in office so far.

We must encourage progressive patriots like Aremu to follow in the footsteps of Oshiomhole by participating actively in the political process and demonstrating practically the kind of leadership they have advocated for the country over the years. Of course, the narrative of Edo politics has been one of the most intriguing in this political dispensation. In 1999, Chief Lucky Igbinedion emerged as the Governor of the state on the platform of the PDP. Lucky was without doubt a happy-go-lucky fellow. He simply had a swell time in office. Not even his famous father, Chief Gabriel Igbinedion, disputed the fact that his son was a colos-

A comrade’s commanding performance

‘

As for Comrade Oshiomhole, I urge him not to be carried away by the successes he has recorded thus far. His administration has taken giant strides but there is still much more to be done

’

•Oshiomhole

sal failure at the end of his first term as governor. But then the shrewd businessman’s logic was infallible. A student who had failed, he argued, was entitled to repeat the class.

Lucky Igbinedion was thus given a second term to make amends. Poor Lucky. He failed again even more spectacularly. You can trust the good people of Edo State. They can be ever so modest and unassuming. But they can also be quite ruthless in dealing with leadership mediocrity. Accordingly, they massively voted the PDP out of power in the 2007 election. But the godfathers and

acclaimed election fixers had other ideas.

They imposed an erudite professor of law on Edo State as governor through sheer electoral lawlessness. It certainly cannot get more ironic than that. But like the dogged fighter that he is, Adams Oshiomhole battled on fiercely until his stolen mandate was restored by the courts.

I must confess that I had great fears for Oshiomhole when he assumed office as governor. As a leading labour leader for over two decades, he had been an unceasing and relentless critic of government over the years. When such a person now assumes a position of political responsibility, people tend to expect too much from him.

They believe he has a magic wand to solve problems and expect him to perform miracles. It is so easy for such great expec-

tations to be dashed and the former antigovernment hero tends to become a despised villain in power. But that has not been the case with the physically diminutive but intellectually gargantuan former labour leader turned governor of Edo State. He has made an eloquent statement so far that the critic in government can offer visionary and competent leadership.

In the last three years, Oshiomhole’s administration has constructed more than 500 kilometers of new solid roads, while also building and renovating 512 new classrooms. He has created more than 20,000 direct fresh jobs after lifting the embargo on employment imposed on the state by the PDP in 1999. Through astute financial engineering, the Internally Generated Revenue of Edo State has improved remarkably from N300 million monthly when Oshiomhole assumed office to approximately N1.6 billion monthly as at October 2011. Only recently, the World Bank announced a decision to support Edo State government projects with $60 million. This was after an independent survey by the bank showed that the state’s performance on attainment of the Millennium Development Goals was above the national average. It is thus not surprising that from being a minority in the Edo State House of Assembly, the ACN now controls 19 seats to the PDP’s 5.

Even then, the PDP continues to nurse the funny ambition of coming back to power in Edo State. This is a party that squandered eight years of the state’s life between 1999 and 2007 with absolutely nothing to show for its control of power both in the state and at the center. Given the disastrous performance of the PDP at the centre since 1999, the party should ordinarily be ashamed to campaign for votes in any state in a healthy political system. Can you imagine President Goodluck Jonathan going to campaign in Kogi State and warning that a revolution is imminent in Nigeria if the problem of unemployment is not tackled? Is this not a measure of the utter failure of the PDP in running the affairs of Nigeria since 1999? I will certainly not be surprised if the President one of these days carries a placard to protest against bad governance in Nigeria!

As for Comrade Oshiomhole, I urge him not to be carried away by the successes he has recorded thus far. His administration has taken giant strides but there is still much more to be done. The reward for hard work, as Governor Fashola always quips, is more work! So far, Comrade’s performance has been commanding. But he must not rest on his oars. The best surely is yet to come.

Ade Ojeikere on Saturday talk2adeojeikere@yahoo.com

God of soccer

I

almost aborted writing this column be cause I didn’t want to sound like a cracked record. How can anyone say a country of over 150 million people cannot qualify for any worthy competition either in the male or female categories? Shouldn’t the National Sports Commission (NSC) be dissolved and reconstituted to have men who can think out policies that will change the face of our sports?

Going to the Olympic Games in London is another jamboree for Nigeria. We knew about four years ago that the competition was on the way. Now, six months to the games, our athletes are not in camp. A few of them couldn’t attend qualifiers due to lack of funds. Some missed qualifiers because their federations didn’t know the rules for securing entry visas.

I was in Tangers, Morocco to watch the Dream Team V and wasn’t shocked at the results. The so-called God of soccer has dumped us. Our coaches rely on luck as if it is Nigeria’s exclusive prerogative. Nigerian coaches are lazy; they want quick-fixes and

would rather hop onto any aircraft to Europe than watch the domestic game or set up talent-hunt schemes that will bring up talents from the grassroots.

Our football has no nursery. What we tag as nurseries are platforms to cheat and our sins have caught up with us now that other African nations are cheating with bigger and stronger men. Our pattern of parading short old men has been shattered by the others who now field bigger men, much to our consternation. It is easy to ask what the NFF chiefs are doing. But the truth is that only such players’ parents can attest to their wards’ ages. Since the mode of eligibility is the Nigerian passport, there is nothing that the NFF men can do, largely because they don’t get to know these players until they have secured such important documents.

I will never celebrate any age-grade feat since I know that we always field old men in juvenile competitions. This criminal act has been chiefly responsible for the game’s stunted growth here.

Over the years, we have decorated adults with millions of naira and houses over stolen victories in cadet tourneys. My heart bled each time our Heads of State or Presidents were dragged into such dishonourable

shows. In other climes, the kids discovered from tertiary institutions who win such laurels are rewarded with scholarships in their bid to encourage them to combine sports with school work.

Each time we cheat in school pupils’ competitions, we inadvertently release enthusiastic Nigerian youths to engage in societal vices. Sports are the biggest tool to rid the society of crimes. If the government can provide infrastructure in every nook and cranny of the 774 Local Government Areas (LGAs) for the youth to dissipate their energies on events that could bring them fame and wealth, as we have seen with players, such as Wayne Rooney of England, Lionel Messi of Argentina, Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal, to mention a few, the result will be there for all to see. These are stars who emerged from enduring youth development programmes, such that nobody doubts how they were discovered since those European countries have their data since age six. I have refused to name any Nigerian because they are culpable.

A regimented youth programme that should start from the 774 LGAs through the schools in the locality will ensure that cheating is drastically reduced. It’s foolhardy for

us to expect that this unwholesome practice would not catch up with us.

The villages, streets and parks around the country provide pitches for Nigerian youths to kick any round object to recreate. All that these kids need is guidance, which should come from the National Sports Commission (NSC), in conjunction with the Federal Ministry of Education and their affiliates in the 36 states and Abuja.

NSC eggheads should discuss with the ministers of Education and Youth Affairs to see how moribund school competitions, such as the Principals’ Cup, Governors’ Cup, Oba’s Cup and all the small football competitions in the states can be revived. These competitions were the nurseries that coaches from the NSC of yore and the NFF assembled, groomed and exposed youths to soccer fiestas.

NSC’s Man Friday should concentrate on how he can get the Youth Sports Federations of Nigeria (YSFON) to organise these soccer competitions, most of which were named after prominent Nigerians to help our young boys and girls perfect their skills.

YSFON was the hub of Nigeria’s football.

In fact, the first set of Golden Eaglets comprised kids that YSFON exposed to international youth football competitions, such as the Dana Cup in Norway, Gothia Cup, Spain,

•Continued on Page 62

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